ktsimage/iStock(NEW YORK) -- Christine Franke was a 25-year-old college student when she was shot dead in her Orlando apartment on Oct. 21, 2001. Though DNA was left behind at the crime scene, years went by without an arrest. The killing and the wait for justice devastated her mother and relatives. "It's a terrible thing not knowing," said her mother, Tina Franke. "I wouldn't wish it on anybody." But all that changed in November when a suspect was arrested after police say he was identified through genetic genealogy. "After all this time, I wasn't sure we would ever find out," Tina Franke told ABC News weeks after the arrest. "They had DNA all along and just nobody ever matched up. I thought, you know, possibly he would be dead. How can you live 17 years under the radar?" A new law enforcement tool arrives on the scene Genetic genealogy only got on the public radar in April after the first public arrest through this DNA-and-family-tracing technique. Since then, genetic genealogy has helped lead to 24 other suspect identification, according to genetic genealogy expert CeCe Moore. Moore is a chief genetic genealogist with Parabon NanoLabs, the company that's worked on the majority of the cold cases cracked through genetic genealogy this year. Parabon has made 23 successful DNA identifications this year -- including in the Christine Franke killing. Two other cases not connected to Parabon were also publicly solved this year through genetic genealogy, Moore said. Through genetic genealogy, an unknown killer's DNA from a crime scene can be identified through his or her family members, who voluntarily submit their DNA to a genealogy database. This allows police to create a much larger family tree than using law enforcement databases like the Combined DNA Index System, or CODIS, in which an exact match is needed in most states, CeCe Moore said. "In a genetic genealogy database we can reverse engineer the [suspect's family] tree from their distant" relatives who have submitted DNA, Moore told ABC News. "So it doesn't matter that they haven't had their DNA tested through another arrest or crime scene, we don't need their DNA. We need somebody from their family to have tested in order to resolve these cases." Parabon's cracked cases range from the 1986 rape and murder of a 12-year-old Washington state girl to the 1988 killing of an 8-year-old girl in Indiana, where the unsolved slaying had "haunted the community" for 30 years, according to the prosecutor. But Moore called solving Christine Franke's 2001 killing the longest genetic genealogy case she has worked on, citing the suspect's large family and difficult-to-trace family tree. Michael Fields, a detective with the Orlando Police Department who worked the Franke case, partnered with Moore this summer. Fields said they began with two relatives of Christine Franke's unknown killer who had voluntarily submitted their DNA to GEDmatch -- a third-party genealogy database that permits people to upload their DNA -- to find other family members. From there, tracing the massive family tree began, Fields told ABC News. Eventually, Fields said he interviewed family members of the unknown suspect and zeroed in on one woman who had two sons in Orlando. The woman voluntarily gave her DNA to police -- and that sample confirmed she was the mother of Franke's suspected killer, Fields said. Investigators then narrowed the search down to one of the two sons -- Benjamin Holmes. Police placed Holmes under surveillance and took a sample of his DNA from a discarded cigar butt, Fields said. The DNA on that cigar matched the DNA left behind by the suspected killer at the Christine Franke scene, Fields said. The moment Fields learned of the match "was a feeling that I thought I would never have," he said. And sharing the news with Christine Franke's mother was "more emotional than learning for myself," Fields added. For Tina Franke, the news brought an overwhelming wave of relief. "I couldn't believe it finally happened," she said. When Holmes was taken into custody in November, he "denied having any knowledge or being near the crime scene," Orlando police said. Holmes entered a plea of not guilty. His public defender, Robert Wesley, told ABC News, "We don't discuss clients or their cases without explicit consent and directions to do so from the client." 'Golden State Killer' opens the floodgates The moment Fields realized genetic genealogy was the potential key to solving the Christine Franke killing was when he saw the April arrest of the suspected "Golden State Killer," he said. The "Golden State Killer" case was the first public arrest this year linked to genetic genealogy, Moore said, though Parabon was not involved in the investigation. In the 1970s and 1980s, the "Golden State Killer" was believed to have committed over a dozen murders and multiple rapes in Northern and Southern California, instilling fear in families, young women and suburban neighborhoods. As the years went by, his crimes seemingly stopped -- but police kept investigating. In the early 2000s, authorities obtained the unknown killer's DNA at one crime scene: the 1980 double murder of Lyman and Charlene Smith, who were bludgeoned to death at their Ventura County home. Investigators then started reviewing rape kits -- which contained DNA samples from victims -- in other counties, said Sacramento County District Attorney Anne Marie Schubert. This year, investigators plugged the mystery killer's DNA into the genealogy website GEDmatch. Based on the pool of people on GEDmatch, investigators built a family tree of the unknown killers relatives who had submitted their DNA to the database on their own. Authorities narrowed the search based on age, location and other characteristics, leading them to 72-year-old former police officer Joseph DeAngelo. Investigators placed DeAngelo under surveillance and eventually collected his DNA from a tissue left in a trash. They then plugged his discarded DNA back into the genealogy database and found a match, linking DeAngelo's DNA to the DNA gathered at multiple "Golden State Killer" crime scenes, Schubert said. DeAngelo, accused of 13 murders and other charges, is awaiting trial in Sacramento County. He has yet to enter a plea. His public defender declined to comment to ABC News about the genetic genealogy component of the case. Privacy concerns As genetic genealogy cracks more and more cases, its use is also drawing criticism from some civil liberties advocates who say it unfairly gives up the privacy of law-abiding people because of their family members. "Our DNA is essentially like a blueprint to ourselves," said Vera Eidelman, a staff attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). "DNA can tell us about hereditary diseases potentially, our ancestry... there are already attempts to tie genetic information to personality traits, to mental health, to other predictors of life outcomes. So giving that deeply detailed information over to government investigators is troubling in that it just exposes so much information about ourselves." Eidelman said the use of genetic genealogy by law enforcement "compounds the privacy harms and concerns in terms of one person's genetic material actually disclosing information about so many others -- including people who are no longer alive, people who have yet to be alive." "It's a frustrating position to be in, because we should be able to enjoy the benefits of technology ... without having to fear that that information will then go into the hands of the government or others," Eidelman said. Eidelman said setting guidelines now for what is acceptable is imperative as the use of genetic genealogy by law enforcement increases. "It may end up being the case when you're thinking you're sharing information for only one purpose, the reality may be that that information gets used for very different things than what you intended to share it for." But Moore stressed that direct-to-consumer DNA companies, including AncestryDNA and 23AndMe, do not allow their DNA samples to be searched by authorities. Those companies, however, do allow users to download their raw data. And third-party genealogy databases like GEDmatch permit people to upload their DNA information, making the samples widely available for searches -- and that's how genetic genealogists have been cracking these cold cases. "The only way your DNA can be used for our purposes is if you go through the steps of downloading it and uploading it to GED Match," Moore stressed. "We're not using your DNA unless you've gone through that process." "People give their permission when they go on our site," added GEDmatch co-founder Curtis Rogers. "We make it very clear to them that law enforcement is involved and if you have any concerns, do not put your information on our site." "Privacy is not lost by anyone on GEDmatch. No DNA is visible on GEDmatch," Rogers told ABC News. "The people who would have their privacy lost would be someone who is a direct family member." He said he's received emails from family members of criminals -- including the daughter of a serial killer -- who want their DNA included on GEDmatch to potentially help solve cold cases. Moore agreed. "A lot of people are uploading to GEDmatch for the expressed purpose of helping us resolve more of these cold cases," Moore said. "I understand the privacy concerns, but I think in this particular argument the good to society, to individuals, far outweighs the risks." "For me, it's all about the families," Moore said. "We can't fix the damage ... we can only help give some answers and peace." Tina Franke, the mother of slain Orlando student Christine Franke, said she's "all for" law enforcement's use of genetic genealogy. "Maybe it's not fair to invade privacy, but he invaded my whole life," Tina Franke said of her daughter's suspected killer. "He changed my life in the blink of an eye. And if it can help catch a criminal, that's more important to me than anything." 'It's going to be a game changer' Now that genetic genealogy is in the hands of authorities, Fields, who called it "an unbelievable tool," predicts "it's going to be a game changer in how we do business." But the Orlando detective added, "Not everyone is going to have the opportunity to use it, because it's expensive, time-consuming and it can be really difficult." "I just hope that people use it and can solve as many cases as they can," he said. To Tina Franke, genetic genealogy's biggest strength is its ability to give answers, and possibly closure. "I hope it helps another family who is struggling with similar circumstances," Franke said. "I would want the same relief for them as we felt." Copyright 2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. Copyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site. 0108263 License for publishing multimedia online Registration Number: 130349 Registration Number: 130349 LONDON, Dec. 10 (Xinhua) -- British Prime Minister Theresa May on Monday put brakes on the crunch vote on her Brexit deal in parliament at the 11th hour in order to buy more time for further talks with European Union leaders, who claimed that the deal, reached last month, is not negotiable. The prime minister told a hostile House of Commons that she made the decision after acknowledging "the deal would be rejected by a significant margin." VOTE DELAYED "We will therefore defer the vote scheduled tomorrow," May said. She said that the Northern Ireland "backstop" is still a "widespread and deep concern" among MPs over the much criticized Brexit agreement. "There is still a majority to be won in parliament with additional reassurance on backstop," she said. Even before May confirmed the decision, the pound fell to an 18-month low. Just hours after 10 Downing Street insisted the vote would go ahead Tuesday night as planned, May addressed MPs in the House of Commons to tell them of their change of plan. May is under intense pressure from aides and senior ministers to consider putting off the Tuesday vote, a move Downing Street has emphatically denied will happen, after opposition and rebel MPs have vowed to vote against her Brexit deal May is expected to tour European capitals starting Tuesday, the original date for the parliamentary vote, as she is fighting to save her Brexit deal, and possibly her premiership. The Brexit deal -- the withdrawal agreement and political declaration -- was reached last month by London and Brussels after months of painful negotiations, it needs to be approved by the British parliament. In response, May's critics rounded on her on Monday evening, with Eurosceptic Tory MP Jacob Rees-Mogg saying the likelihood of a no-deal Brexit had now increased. "The government has lost control of Brexit" after it was found last week in contempt of the parliament, Jeremy Corbyn, the opposition Labour leader, said, adding that government was "shambolic" and in "disarray" over the Brexit talks and timings. Meanwhile, some of MPs took the floor to criticize the prime minister for "wasting crucial time" over Brexit, which has a deadline of March 29, 2019. NOT RENEGOTIABLE May is now expected travel to Europe to seek reassurances over the Northern Ireland backstop. In Brussels on Monday, European Council President Donald Tusk said he had called a meeting of the council to discuss Brexit on Thursday and that the European Union "will not renegotiate the deal including the backstop but is ready to discuss how to facilitate UK ratification". The EU leaders are scheduled to meet as the final summit of the year is to be held Thursday and Friday. Corbyn said that if May "cannot be clear that she can and will renegotiate a deal then she must make way." Labour will table a motion of no confidence in the government "when we judge it most likely to be successful," he said. Vince Cable, the leader of Britain's pro-EU Union Liberal Democrats, said that his party will support a vote of no confidence in the prime minister if the Labour Party called for one. "With the fiasco today, the government has really lost all authority," Cable said. "I and my colleagues will fully support the leader of the opposition if he now proceeds to a no confidence vote as duty surely calls." May said that she would also be "looking ly at new ways of empowering the House of Commons to ensure that any provision for a backstop has democratic legitimacy." She wants to enable MPs to place obligations on the government "to ensure that the backstop cannot be in place indefinitely." The prime minister said that she will continue talks with the European Union (EU) leaders after the Brexit vote is delayed, but insisted that her deal honors result of the 2016 referendum. She said that there will be no successful Brexit without compromise on both sides. Michael Gove, the British environment secretary, insisted on Monday that "of course, we can improve this deal and the prime minister is seeking to improve this deal." However, Gove was contradicted by Simon Coveney, the foreign minister of Ireland, who said, "The deal ... is not going to change. Particularly the legal language of the withdrawal treaty." For his part, Irish Prime Minister Leo Baradkar said in a statement on Monday that the European Union should step up the preparations for a no-deal Brexit. In an emergency judgement delivered Monday just 36 hours before the expected British parliamentary vote, the Court of Justice, the European Union's top court, ruled that the British government may reverse its decision to leave the regional bloc without consulting other EU member states. NATIONAL CRISIS In response to the prime minister's confirmation that the parliament vote is delayed, two of Britain's leading business organisations on Monday described her decision as a blow to the country's industry. Carolyn Fairbairn, director general of the Confederation of British Industry (CBI), said, "This is yet another blow for companies desperate for clarity." "Investment plans have been paused for two and a half years," she said. "Unless a deal is agreed quickly, the country risks sliding towards a national crisis." "Politicians on both sides of the Channel need to show leadership, by building consensus to protect both the UK and EU's prosperity," Fairbairn said. "No one can afford to head into Christmas with the threat of no-deal costing jobs and hitting living standards." At the same time, Adam Marshall, director general of the British Chambers of Commerce, said avoiding a messy departure from the European Union is a matter of national urgency. "Firms are looking on with utter dismay at the ongoing saga in Westminster, and express concern that politicians are seemingly acting in their own interest, with little regard for the millions of people whose livelihoods depend on the success of UK business and trade," Marshall said. "Many business leaders will be intensely frustrated by yet another delay in this drawn-out process, which impacts real-world business conditions, not least currency markets," he added. Guerrilla raids and massacres of innocents were condemned as violations of the rules of war The Civil War, which cost roughly 750,000 lives, including more than 200,000 battlefield deaths, remains Americas deadliest conflict and is considered historys first total war. In The Calculus of Violence: How Americans Fought the Civil War (Harvard, 2018), Aaron Sheehan-Dean, Fred C. Frey professor of Southern Studies at Louisiana State University, argues that it could have been much worse, if both sides had not aspired to fight a just war. 1 Where did the Just War doctrine come from and what does it mean? European historians would say it starts with theologians such as St. Augustine trying to reconcile war with Christian ethics. Seventeenth-century Dutch jurist Hugo Grotius argued that nations can wage war justly only by keeping violence within the bounds of Christian morality. Grotius influenced 18th-century writer Emer de Vattel, who was read by George Washington and Thomas Jefferson. The Revolutionary War generation was conversant with these theories, most importantly that violence should be aimed only at soldiers in uniform, not civilians. 2 Talk about Francis Lieber and the Lieber Code. Francis Lieber was a German immigrant who taught at Columbia College and became a consultant to the Union Army. In 1863, he wrote what has become known as General Orders No. 100, which translated his European predecessors arcane just war theories into 19th-century American practicalities. The orders he set for the Armys use were bullet pointswhat you can and cannot do. These were the first rules of engagement. 3 What does the Lieber Code allow? Standard tactics such as besieging cities, destroying fortifications, and bombarding factories making war materiel were allowed. Targeting civilians or destroying institutions such as hospitals, schools, and libraries was prohibited. Lethal violence was restricted to those people who were under arms. 4 Did the opposing armies violate the laws of war? Many Confederates regarded the Emancipation Proclamation and enlistment of black soldiers as violations of the laws of war because they supposedly encouraged servile insurrection on the home front. The Confederate leadership believed that black soldiers were not protected by the rules governing treatment of prisoners. Jefferson Davis believed that if former slaves were captured, they should be reenslaved or executed under state laws that imposed the death penalty for slave uprisings. Many black soldiers were killed trying to surrender. In July 1863, Abraham Lincoln issued a proclamation in which he said that for each Union soldier unjustly enslaved or executed after surrender, Union commanders would take a corresponding action against a captive Confederate. Lincoln was threatening to escalate the war dramatically; he put enough pressure on the South that at least some black soldiers were treated like whites. 5 But unjust killings continued, right? At any moment, a division or even a brigade commander had considerable autonomy. At the Battle of the Crater at Petersburg in 1864, Confederate Brig. Gen. William Mahone famously sanctioned the killing of hundreds of wounded black men. 6 Did the North perceive the actions of Southern guerrillas as a violation? On this, Lieber gives no wiggle room whatsoever. His code articulates a variety of ways of identifying guerrillasmen who dont wear uniforms, or operate under the regular command of officers, dont live in an army camp, and commit hit-and-run attacks. Those men, Lieber said, are to be considered highwaymen and summarily executed. There is no reliable count, but my guess is that thousands of guerrillas were executed, but thousands more were captured and sent to Northern prisons. It depended on the conditions. If men were captured with guns and horses but were not in the midst of committing an attack, they might be sent to prison. If they were caught in the act of or just after killing a Union sentry, they were probably executed because what they had done was considered murder. 7 How did the contrabands and freed people keep the war from getting worse than it was? This is a fascinating yet little explored part of the story of emancipation. The enslaved who left plantations pursued freedom rather than revenge. In hindsight, its possible to see how people held in bondage who get an opportunity for retaliation could have taken the chance. The people freed during the Civil War didnt do so, in part because they were starving, weak, and had no weapons. But there was also a religious dimension. The prophesies of Jubilee central to Afro-Christianity called on people to liberate themselves but did not justify perpetuating the violence rife in slavery itself. It seems that African Americans, both enslaved and free, clearly recognized that their goal was freedom, and defeating slavery was the militarys job. 8 In what ways did each side attempt to keep the war within bounds? Both armies policed themselves. Soldiers were prosecuted for violating the laws of war. We have all Union court-martial records, but most of the Confederate records were destroyed when Richmond burned. Union soldiers were prosecuted for rape and the killing of noncombatants, and theres a whole range of crimes under the heading of conduct unbecoming or dereliction of duty. There was also an extensive effort to communicate across the lines to complain to an opposing commander about alleged violations. These letters would usually threaten retaliation unless the actions were explained. Some of these parleys lasted for months and sometimes reached as high as Lincoln or Davis, allowing tempers to cool. Retaliatory executions were rare. Thats something distinct about how democracies fight. Civilians were aware that the armies were policing themselves. If there was no adequate explanation for a suspicious action, there was usually public condemnation. 9 How does the Just War doctrine explain the Lost Cause? The Lost Cause is predicated on the belief that the North fought an unjust war. Its part of popular myth that Sherman laid waste to the South and in doing so must have killed many civilians. In fact, we know he didnt. At Atlanta, five weeks of around-the-clock shelling killed probably 20 civilians. Also, the Lost Cause sets up a clash between rapacious Yankees and Christian gentlemen like Lee who fought according to the laws of war, a decision that was noble but led to the Souths defeat. 10 Can any war be just? Its impossible to say that any war is fully just. I think that the armies of democracies are much more likely to behave justly. We see this today with the U.S. military. Today, as in the Civil War, there is a public feedback loop that helps keep things honest. The Army is us. It represents our values. Its unpleasant to have to try individuals accused of violating the laws of war, but in general the U.S. Army adheres to a very high standard and has a very public accounting system. This is a dramatic difference from past generations and is certainly not the same in autocracies. If there is a just war in the future, it will be waged by a democracy with a watchful public. Pfc. John Franklin Baker Jr. and Capt. Robert Franklin Foley both possessed uncommon valor The 196th Light Infantry Brigade launched Operation Attleboro on Sept. 14, 1966, to conduct search-and-destroy missions against Viet Cong in Tay Ninh province, north of Saigon along the Cambodian border. By November the operation included elements of the 1st, 4th and 25th infantry divisions and the 173rd Airborne Brigade. On the morning of Nov. 3, troops of the 196th Light Infantry patrolled the dense forest 4 miles northwest of Dau Tieng base camp, home to a brigade of the 25th Infantry Division, including troops of the 27th Infantry Regiment, the Wolfhounds. Companies B and C of the Wolfhound regiments 1st Battalion were airlifted into blocking positions to assist the search-and-destroy units. Immediately after Company Cs men left their helicopters, the Viet Cong attacked. The companys commanding officer and first sergeant were killed. Maj. Guy S. Meloy III, the battalion commander, landed his helicopter under fire to take charge. By nightfall Company C had suffered heavy casualties. The following morning reinforcements from various units moved toward Meloys position. By the morning of Nov. 5, companies of the 2nd Battalion, 27th Infantry, also had joined the fight, including Company A, commanded by Capt. Robert Franklin Foley, a 1963 West Point graduate and an imposing figure at 6 feet, 7 inches tall. Assigned to relieve Viet Cong pressure on another unit, Foleys company was only about 30 yards beyond friendly lines when it ran into a strong, concealed VC force. Snipers fired from trees, and enemy grenades fell like hail. Foley watched the initial ambush cut down several of his men. I was very angry with my soldiers getting killed, he recalled, so I grabbed a machine gun and ran into the offensive position. Foley led two platoons against the VC, and when two radio operators were wounded he defied enemy fire to help them to relative safety. Returning to action, Foley saw a machine gunner fall. Seizing the gun, he charged the VC emplacement as he shouted orders and directed his men. Foley was wounded and blown off his feet, but refused medical aid. While continuing to direct and inspire his men, he personally destroyed three enemy positions. Not far from where the giant of an Army captain dominated the field of battle, Pfc. John Franklin Baker Jr., just 5 feet, 2 inches tall, also rose to the occasion. Strong and wiry, he had been inspired by his fathers work as a circus trapeze artist to build up his small frame. When the Viet Cong attack began, Baker rushed to the head of his column and with a comrade knocked out two enemy bunkers before his friend was killed. He spotted four VC snipers and killed them, then withdrew with the other soldiers body. Baker advanced on two more bunkers and was woundedbut still managed to single-handedly destroy one of them. When a wounded comrade fell nearby, he grabbed the mans machine gun and charged through heavy fire to destroy the other bunker. After Foley ordered the company to withdraw, Baker evacuated his comrade and returned to drag two more wounded men to the rear. The actions of Foleys company helped relieve the VC pressure on other embattled troops, and additional reinforcements arrived. When the 72-hour battle was over, 36 Wolfhounds had been killed. Meloy was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for his heroic leadership. On June 21, 1968, President Lyndon B. Johnson looked at the two men he had summoned to the White House and, noting the vast difference in height, made a joking reference to Mutt and Jeff. Then the 6-foot, 4-inch president bent down to hang the Medal of Honor around Bakers neck and stood on his tiptoes to bestow the honor on Foley. The tallest and shortest of the then-living Medal of Honor recipients had earned their awards in the same unit on the same day. Despite the physical differences, they had an important characteristic in commonuncommon valor. Doug Sterner, an Army veteran who served two tours in Vietnam, is curator of the Military Times Hall of Valor, the largest database of U.S. military valor awards. This article was published in the February 2019 issue of Vietnam. Amid the confusing chaos and searing carnage of war, twists of fate often seem to be the main determinant of who lives and who dies. For those who survive, luck may certainly play an outsize role. But wily resourcefulness can be equally crucial. In the bloody kill zone of Budapest, Hungary, during the waning months of World War II in Europe, Ferenc Feri Shatz was fortunate to have plenty of both. And he would need it to emerge unscathed from multiple brushes with death, sometimes by a razor-thin margin. Shatzs path to survival began in October 1944, in a cornfield on the outskirts of the Hungarian capital. The short, slight, 18-year-old Jew had endured months of brutal service rebuilding bombed-out railroads and highways as a slave laborer in a Nazi forced-work battalion and felt certain he could not endure the grueling 15-hour workdays much longer. The guards murdered any workers who fell injured or exhausted, so Shatz knew that if he faltered, his reward would be a bullet to the head. The teen had devised a desperate, daring plan, and the chance to employ it arrived suddenly one day as he and his fellow Jewish workers struggled to repair damaged rail lines just north of the Hungarian capital. It was American bombers that provided my means of escape, Frank (anglicized from Ferenc) Shatz recalls today. They had begun to bomb the railroads and roads that carried troops and supplies to the Eastern Front. Budapest was high on the target list, because it was a transportation hub. As Allied ordnance fell, the Nazi guards ordered the laborers to disperse into a nearby cornfield and hide in the stalks. Shatz shivered as the huge bombs exploded, but he had experienced such air raids before, and in fact was ready for this one. For days, beneath his tattered prisoners uniform, Shatz had worn civilian clothes given to him a few weeks earlier as protection against the cold by a couple he had met in a small town east of Budapest. The garments would be instrumental to his escape. As Shatz lay in the cornfield, he shed his prisoners uniform and slowly began to crawl away from the rail line. He had covered several hundred yards when the all-clear signal sounded and his comrades were ordered back to work, but Shatz knew the group was large enough that he would not be missed until that evenings roll call at the earliest. After creeping on all fours through the cornfield for what seemed like hours, he reached a road and began to walk toward the nearest tram line into Budapest. As a teenager from a well-to-do family in a town just across the border in Czechoslovakia, Shatz had visited the city often, enjoying its vibrant cafes, bars, restaurants, and music halls with other prosperous, well-educated young Jews. This was not the same city. The Nazis had taken over Budapest, and Adolf Eichmann was working furiously to deport as many Jews as possible to Auschwitz before the war ended. Making matters worse, a group of indigenous fascists known as the Nyilaskeresztes Part (Arrow Cross Party) later deposed the government of Hungarian leader Miklos Horthy, and gangs of its leather-clad thugs roamed the citys streets, torturing and killing any Jews who had managed to evade Eichmanns trains to the Nazi death camp located in Poland. Simultaneously, Soviet Red Army forces advancing east were encircling Budapest. With anti-Semitic hatred boiling within the city and Soviet troops beginning to besiege it from without, a pall of impending doom hovered over the Jews huddled in makeshift ghettos and private homes. Shatz headed toward this fiery cauldron on a crowded tram, which passengers could board without a ticket if they eluded the transit police, who performed occasional spot checks. As Shatz neared the Danube River, he jumped off the tram, strode toward the city center, and had another astonishing bit of good luck when he spotted his brother-in-law Bela walking directly toward him. Feri, what are you doing here? Bela gasped in amazement. After Shatz related his harrowing tale, Bela told of his own escape from a forced labor camp at a copper mine in Serbia. Both men were familiar with Budapest, having visited it often in the past. Now they had come to the city with the same goal in mind: to find shelter in its large Jewish community amid the extensive administrative confusion sparked by the considerable friction between the Nazis, the Arrow Cross, the Hungarian army, and the deposed Hungarian government. Bela had joined the Maccabi Hatzair, an organization that had promoted Jewish immigration to Palestine before the war. After the Nazis shut down its immigration program, the group had gone underground and developed ties to diplomat Raoul Wallenberg, Swedens special envoy to Budapest, who was surreptitiously working to save the citys Jews. The young men and women of the Hatzair delivered identity papers and diplomatic protection documents to Jews in the city and moved supplies among safehouses, dangerous tasks that exposed them to the roving Arrow Cross gangs. Bela took Shatz to a safehouse near St. Stephens Basilica, in the heart of Budapest, where he could temporarily eat and sleep. This was one of a number of such places that Wallenberg had set up around the city under the nominal protection of the Swedish government. In 1944, during the Red Armys siege of the city, the Soviets captured Wallenberg, and he was never again seen alive. Wallenberg saved thousands of Jews, prying them out from the jaws of death, Shatz says. The unquestionably heroic deeds he performed have remained an inspiration to me throughout my life. Shatz promptly agreed to join the Hatzair, and Bela taught him how to stay relatively safe while carrying out the groups dangerous missions around the city. Shatz memorized the location of Arrow Cross checkpoints and learned how to use subways and trams to avoid the gangs, knowing that if he was caught, he would be executed. As part of his duties, Shatz was assigned to assist Rezso Kasztner, a Jewish lawyer negotiating with German officials to secure the release of Jews to neutral Switzerland. The apparent benevolence of the Nazis was in fact selfserving. Many senior German officials who had relocated to Budapest ahead of Allied forces advancing from the west now knew their cause was lost and had begun reaching out to Allied representatives, seeking money or gold to fund their own escapes or hoping to build ties to people who might offer safety from Allied justice after the war. Because Kasztner worked with the SS, those who helped him had a thin veneer of protection that enabled them to travel the streets to various ghettos, safehouses, and private homes, delivering identity documents and collecting valuables that could be used to bribe the Germans. We would even hold meetings of our group at the fanciest restaurant in town, Shatz says. Often there would be tables of SS officers nearby, but they recognized Kasztner and left us alone. During this time, Shatz employed a strategy he called seeking safety in the lions den. His slight build and youthful appearance allowed him to pass as a teen below draft age, a role he embellished by wearing the cap of Hungarys fascist youth movement, the Levente. He showed even more nerve when he walked into an Arrow Cross district office one day and inquired about a job and a place to stay. When asked if he was a Jew, Shatz cockily replied: Would I be here if I were? He landed a bed in an apartment occupied by four Arrow Cross members and got a job working in a munitions factory, where he sabotaged the timers of shells and bombs. Soon his luck shielded him once again from the vagaries of the war: As he rushed home one night just before the citywide curfew, he found that a Soviet bomb had destroyed much of his apartment building, killing his Arrow Cross apartment mates. Shatz continued to help Kasztner negotiate with Nazi officials to secure permission for Jews to leave for Switzerland. One of his duties was to visit the homes of wealthy Jews to collect funds and valuables to meet the Nazis escalating ransom demands, a task that brought him face to face with pure evil in the person of Adolf Eichmann, the top Nazi officer who managed the deportation and murder of millions of Jews during the war. I was directed to accompany Dr. Kasztner to deliver a suitcase of valuables to Nazi headquarters on Svabhegy, a ridge high above Buda, Shatz says. When I carried the heavy luggage into the office building near the end of a cog railway, I caught a brief glimpse of Eichmanns ashen, sneering face. It was terrifying. Even as top Nazi officers began plotting their escapes from Budapest, the Arrow Cross thugs who now effectively ruled the city continued their campaign of terror. Seeking more Jews to exterminate, the group had begun modifying identity papers on a weekly basis to expose those who did not possess legitimate papers. But since the Nazi invasion the previous spring, the Jewish underground had employed a raft of engravers assigned to counterfeit the latest versions of required documents. This was a critical task, but equally important, and much more dangerous, was the job of transporting the forged documents throughout the city to the Jews who relied on them for safety. Shatz continued to put his life on the line to fulfill that duty, dodging artillery shells, bullets, roving Arrow Cross gangs, and the bombs of Soviet aircraft. On one such mission for the Hatzair in January 1945, he came quite close to death yet again after making his way to a Jewish sanatorium where one of the most active counterfeiting groups worked. He sought to have the birthdate on his identity papers altered in order to avoid a new government regulation authorizing males age 16 and above to be drafted for military service. As he waited while the work was done, something told me I was in danger, Shatz says. I retrieved my papers, even though they werent dry, and ran from the facility. Before I was a block away, I heard the screeching of brakes in front of the building, and a group of Arrow Cross thugs jumped out and rushed in. The next day, he read what had happened in a newspaper. Led by Pater Alfred Kun, a Catholic priest who had thrown in with the Nazis and the Arrow Cross, the thugs had ordered dozens of patients, physicians, and nurses to assemble and produce identity papers. Those carrying forged documents were summarily shot. As Soviet troops tightened their grip on the city in early 1945, new dangers emerged. By February, Shatz says, the Russian soldiers had discovered that by breaking down the walls, they could move down the street in relative safety. One freezing night, a squad of Red Army troops burst into the basement of the house where Shatz and some friends were staying and began to hammer at the wall, intent on moving to the next building. For some reason the wall held. The troops became furious, and Shatz recognized that his life and the lives of his friends lay in his hands. Using the fragmented Russian he had learned in his native Czechoslovakia, he tried to calm the soldiers. The squad leader grinned and said, You, go up to the street, run to the next house, and break through the wall. It was an order, not a suggestion, Shatz recalls. I did as he ordered, running up a street lit only by whizzing tracer bullets. As he ducked into the entrance of the next apartment building, Shatz heard a gruff Russian voice shout, Spion! Spion! (Spy! Spy!) Feeling the barrels of machine guns prodding his back, hed been surrounded by several Soviet soldiers seeking to remain undercover who had mistaken him for a Nazi scout. I am no spy. I am a Jew, Shatz replied. A Russian voice then demanded that he say something in Hebrew. But Shatz was a lapsed Jew; he had seldom in his life even visited a synagogue. Shivering in the cold, he plumbed the recesses of his memory and pulled up a fragment of the essential ancient Jewish prayer: Shema Yisrael, Adonai eloheinu! (Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God!) The gruff Russian soldier stepped forward and told his fellow soldiers, He is okay. He is no spy. Shatz then led the Soviet troops to the apartment buildings basement and helped them break through the wall and reunite with their comrades in the basement next door to continue their attack up the street toward the Nazis and Arrow Cross troops. The young Jew had emerged unscathed from yet another brush with death. After Shatz came back up from the basement, he was taken to the local Soviet army headquarters. There, his language skills paved the way for him to become a translator for the Russians. In just a few weeks, the war in Europe would officially end. Of the more than 200,000 Jews trapped in Budapest during the Nazi occupation and Soviet siege, historians believe that fewer than 60,000 survived. Through a nearmiraculous combination of luck, guile, bravery, intelligence, and resourcefulness, one of those survivors was Feri Shatz. After World War II, Ferenc Shatz returned to his native Czechoslovakia, took a job as a journalist, and married a Czech woman. But when the Soviets subverted his homelands free government, he helped several Jews escape to Israel, which brought him under the suspicion of communist government officials. In 1958 he and his wife, Jarka, emigrated to the West as refugees. Shatz did not talk about his wartime experiences until the 1980s, when he learned about holocaust deniers and began to speak up. After a long career as a merchant and journalist in Lake Placid, New York, he retired with his wife to Williamsburg, Virginia. MHQ William Walker is the author of Betrayal at Little Gibraltar: A German Fortress, a Treacherous American General, and the Battle to End World War I (Scribner, 2016). This article appears in the Winter 2019 issue (Vol. 31, No. 2) of MHQThe Quarterly Journal of Military History with the headline: Escape Artist Subscribing to our services is a three step process. First you have to create an account and then you have to pick if you want to subscribe to digital and or print. Some people only want to be a digital subscriber to get access online and others want to also receive the print edition. If you are already a print subscriber and want online access, it is free, you simply have to create an online account and then attach your print subscription account number to the online account you create. PARIS, Dec. 10 (Xinhua) -- Still grappling with the "Yellow Vests" protests, French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday sought to dampen the social uproar with an "economic and social emergency plan," offering to increase the minimum wage and tax cuts for pensioners. In a nationally televised address, Macron reassured voters that he heard their "anger and indignation," admitting that "without doubt", the authorities have not been able to give a sufficiently fast and strong response for a year and a half. The president said,"I take my share of responsibility." Pledging to respond quickly and concretely to the social anger over the public's dwindling purchasing power, the president announced that people on the minimum wage would see their salaries rise by 100 euros (113.52 U.S. dollars) a month as of January 2019 without extra cost to the employers. He also decided to eliminate taxes on overtime pay, cut taxes for pensioners and offer an end-of-year bonus to workers. Meanwhile, he refused to review the wealth tax. "I ask the government and parliament to do what is necessary so that one can live better from his work from the beginning of next year," the president said. Started on Nov. 17, the "Yellow Vests" movement began as a protest against a rise in fuel tax, which Macron said was necessary to combat climate change. The movement has since turned into a bigger uprising denouncing a squeeze on household spending and high living costs caused by the president's fiscal and economic reforms, which the protesters say favors the rich and offers little to the needy. Several protesters have urged Macron to step down, and many of them are still gridlocking motorways and tunnel entrances, and blocking access to shopping centers during the pre-Christmas shopping frenzy. (1 euro = 1.135 U.S. dollar) As an existing print subscriber it is easy to get FREE access to all our online content. When you click get started below it will walk you through creating an online account to attach your print subscription number to. After your account is created it will ask you to either add a subscription for online access or click on the print subscriber button. Click the print subscriber button header and it will open a dropdown, now click on get started. The page will reload and you will be prompted to enter an account number and a zip code. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO USE THE NUMBER OFF OF THE MOST RECENT ISSUE OR ANYTHING AFTER JANUARY 28, 2019 TO GAIN ACCESS! OLD ACCOUNT NUMBERS WILL NOT WORK The account number and zip code are easily available on your most recent issue of the High Plains Journal or Midwest Ag Journal in the address fields as is shown here. Sometimes the account number has extra zero's in front of it, just ignore those. North Adams Council to Take Up Public Safety Chief Changes NORTH ADAMS, Mass. The City Council on Tuesday (tonight) will be asked to approve an ordinance change that will restore the public safety directors back to chiefs of their departments. Mayor Thomas Bernard had pledged nearly two weeks to move forward with the change with the looming retirement of Police Director Michael Cozzaglio. "I believe this change, which increases the salary for the position, will help ensure the city is able to build a competitive applicant pool for this critical position," he wrote in his communique to the council. The ordinance would address both the fire and police director posts, designating that both police and fire divisions would be headed by a chief and amending the current ordinance to remove references to director and replace them with chief. Both posts would be appointed by the mayor for five-year terms. In a letter to the mayor dated Oct. 16, Cozzaglio and Fire Director Stephen Meranti asked that the council change their titles "to the appropriate and much less confusing" chief. "Over the course of the past six years, there has been a lot of confusion and misunderstanding both on a local, state and federal level as to 'what is a Police and Fire Director.' Both Director Meranti and I have had to provide countless detailed explanations as to what is the job title and authority of a Director within our respective departments," wrote Cozzaglio. Federal grant applications, he said for example, have to be submitted with a letter from the administration clarifying their authority as the same as a chief. The city has had directors since the reorganization of the fire and police departments into a combined Public Safety Department in 1981 under then Mayor Richard Lamb. But the retirement of Commissioner E. John Morocco highlighted the difficulty of filling a post that is unknown in most of the state. Morocco, in fact, had gotten a waiver to stay on more than a year after his retirement because the city was unable to find a replacement. In late 2012, it was decided to split the commissioner's duties between the directors and provide them with a stipend. Should the council approve the ordinance change, Cozzaglio would retire as police chief and his replacement would be hired as police chief -- a much easier position to advertise. Bernard is asking that the classification be changed to a higher wage, S-27B on the compensation schedule. The directors' currently are at S-33B, with a starting wage of $76,748 to a maximum of $81,505; S-27B has no minimum and a maximum wage of $85,535. The Public Safety Committee touched briefly on the matter its Monday meeting. Chairman Benjamin Lamb said his main concern had been the process and timeline and he had spoken with the mayor. "Knowing that Director Cozzaglio is going retiring in February, we don't want to have a gap where we don't have leadership in that department as much as can avoid it," Lamb said. "But also being adamant that this committee have representation on whatever hiring committee occurs. I pushed that piece specifically because as the Public Safety Committee we are charged with a level of oversight in that respect." In other business at Tuesday's meeting, the City Council will take up six sales of city-owned land through an "abutter lot program." The program was established through the assessor's office to dispose of land that abuts a property with a structure on it. "The goal of this pilot program is to improve neighborhoods by selling otherwise unused parcels to abutters who will maintain these properties and return them to the city tax rolls," stated the mayor in a communique to the council. The city owns a number of nonconforming lots taken by tax title that have no buildings. The council will also take up changes to the Public Arts Commission ordinance as recommended by the General Government Committee. The committee has been trying to clean up the language and clarify lines of authority that will satisfy the mayor and the PAC. The Adams-Cheshire Regional School Committee voted to adopt the new agreement that must now go before the two towns' town meetings. Adams-Cheshire Committee Approves Amended Agreement CHESHIRE, Mass. The Adams-Cheshire Regional School District unanimously approved a new regional agreement and a new name. The School Committee unanimously voted Monday to adopt the new agreement that not only lays out changes in the two towns' relationship but would also change the district's name to the Hoosac Valley Regional School District. "Well congratulations and we will continue going down the line and get this approved," Stephen Hemman, the assistant director of the Massachusetts Association of Regional Schools, said. The Regional Agreement Amendment Committee, or RAAC, formed late last year to update the antiquated agreement between the two towns. A subcommittee was formed with members from both Adams and Cheshire and MARS was hired to facilitate the amendment process. Three votes were taken to approve the agreement. The first was to approve the document, the second was to request special legislation that would allow the School Committee to maintain its election schedule, and the third was to send articles to both towns for town meeting. Hemman said the district's legal counsel has reviewed the agreement as well as the counsels of Adams and Cheshire. He added that the state Department of Education also signed off on it. "We are in good shape with that," he said. Much of the alterations were simply language changes that aligned the agreement with state and federal standards but there were more substantial modifications in adding a stipulation to certain votes such as closing a school or hiring a superintendent. Instead of needing a straight majority, these votes would need an affirmative vote from both an Adams and Cheshire committee member. This change was initiated after the closure of the Cheshire Elementary School. The School Committee vote was along town lines that created a rift between the two towns and prompted the RAAC's creation. The decision to adopt the name of the joint high school, Hoosac Valley, is seen as a way to help mend old wounds and create a more unified school culture. C.T. Plunkett School in Adams, which survived the school closure vote, was renamed Hoosac Valley Elementary to begin that process. The amendment also solidifies historical practices within the district and School Committee as well as outlines how a community would join or leave the district. The amendment also includes language that would prompt reviews of the agreement every 10 years. The amended agreement is not yet on the books and both Adams and Cheshire town meetings need to accept it. Hemman urged the district to meet with the selectmen and finance committees in both communities to review the changes. He added that it would also be a benefit to hold public meetings so residents are familiar with what they are voting on. "You want to make sure when you go to town meeting people have seen it and they are not looking at it for the first time," he said. A work stoppage by paratransit drivers is reverberating through the BRTA's regular bus routes and affecting the work and school schedules of thousands of riders. BRTA Work Stoppage Playing Havoc With Regular Bus Routes PITTSFIELD, Mass. The paratransit strike is entering its second week with no sign of resolution. The work stoppage has affected the regular Berkshire Regional Transit Authority bus routes, causing havoc for people trying to get to jobs, schools and other appointments. One individual, who wished to remain anonymous, told iBerkshires they'd used up sick time because they were unable to get to work last week and a friend lost her job for the same reason. "If this strike goes on much longer I don't know if I will have a job or how I will pay for housing," the frustrated BRTA rider wrote. Transit officials have been working to keep some semblance of limited access on routes going up and down the county. "This is a disappointing situation where the paratransit division is impacting the fixed route division, which has a current contract to work," wrote BRTA Administrator Robert Malnati. "Currently, the lines of communication remain open to hopefully resolve this strick quickly." The most current regular bus route schedule will be in effect beginning Tuesday, Dec. 11: Route 1 will operate 6:30 and 9:00 morning runs and 2:30, and 4:30 evening runs. The 6:30 and 4:30 trips will stop on Main Street North Adams via Hodges Cross Road and Church Street. Route 2 will operate the 9:00 morning run and 4:30 evening run. Route 11 will operate 8:35, 9:35, and 10:35 morning runs and 1:50, 2:50, 3:50 and 4:50 evening runs. When this bus returns to the ITC from Berkshire Community College, it will then travel to Walmart via East Street and Hubbard Avenue. The union representing paratransit drivers for Paratransit Management of the Berkshires rejected a contract on Dec. 3. Despite the fixed-route drivers having come to a three-year agreement with BRTA in July, they will not cross the picket line. Supervisors and employees of Berkshire Transit Management, which operates the fixed-route service, have been stepping in but there are not enough of them to run all the regular routes. "This service is limited and is very unfair to the riders throughout Berkshire County who depend on the bus every day," wrote Malnati. Negotiations on a three-year contract with the paratransit drivers, schedulers and dispatch personnel began in June. According to the BRTA, they were offered a 16 percent wage increase for full-time operators and 19.6 percent for part-time, along with more paid time off and other benefits. The BRTA has an annual ridership of more than 600,000, with close to 80,000 of those through the paratransit service that supplements the fixed bus service for those with impaired mobility. Munkaspart) at the 27th Congress that was held in Budapest. Gyula Thurmer unanimously reelected as president of the Hungarian Workers' Party Born in 1953, Thurmer has been the chairman of the Party since its formation on December 1989. The 27th Congress decided that the Party will participate in May's European Parliament elections and issued a resolution with the major tasks for a "Strong Hungarian Workers' Party": Resolution of the Hungarian Workers Partys 27th congress Strong Hungarian Workers Party! The Hungarian Workers' Party should take an active partin the internal policy struggle, it should be able to give quick analyses, quick answers and act quickly. This decision was made on the Hungarian Workers' Party's 27th congress. This was our new strategic decision. The strategic position of the Workers' Party hasn't changed in the past four years. In some areas we have strengthened, in others weakened. There's no need for a strategic shift. We should have the same goal for the next years: Strong Hungarian Workers' Party! The Hungarian Workers' Party struggled with many problems in the last 30 years, but we have survived all difficulties. We have learnt that the party's existence depends on us, our dedication, our faith and our work. The Hungarian Workers' Party is a living, active, working party. We are true to our principles, we hold to our history, but we are up-to-date, we constantly modernise and renew our work. We consequently undertake the task of representing Hungarian national values and interests. This is the condition of the party's survival and strengthening. More difficult times may come but we are able to overcome our problems and create a strong Workers' Party. The hundred-year-old history of the Hungarian workers' movement obliges us to do this. This brings us closer to realising our mission, creating a society where it's the people who matter, not the money. 1. We should prepare for the new tasks! The capitalist system is in crisis. Radical changes may start which can change the situation in Hungary too. The Hungarian capitalism's situation is also fragile. The capitalist parties can't provide durable solutions to the problems of the people. Our duty is to show that there is another way. Radical, external changes and Hungarian developments can drastically change the situation in the country and start a new, radical era of the class struggle. We should be prepared for it theoretically, politically and organisationally too. 2. Party-building is a matter of life and death. The Presidium and the regional leaderships should prepare a joint action plan for party-building, concretely determine which people they can work with, what should be done on a local and on a central level. Materials should be prepared and distributed which is true to the party's principles and informs about the party in a popular way, especially on the internet. The methods of working with people who show interest at the party's events or on the internet should be developed. Everyone should take the members' database seriously! There's no modern, effective party without accurate database. 3. Financial sacrifices should be made for the party. The 27th congress draws the attention of all the party's organisations and members that the party's activity in its current structure is sustainable only if we can increase the party's incomes. Let's pay more membership fees! Let's subscribe the our weekly, A Szabadsag(The Freedom)! Let's join the "One Thousand Club". The membership fee is financial support and an expression of determination towards the party at the same time. Our weekly A Szabadsagis a method of gathering information and our important weapon in keeping contact with people. Let's all subscribe to A Szabadsag! Let's find new subscribers! Maintaining the party headquarters is the interest of all members. Let's join the "One Thousand Club"! We rely on everyone's support! The party's future is in the interest of all of us. Decades of work can be wasted if we don't undertake more sacrifice for the party, for socialism. In the fight against capital we can only rely on each other. 4 . Work on the internet remains our strategical direction. We must concentrate here a significant part of the party's material and intellectual resources. It's our important task for the future to spread IT culture among the active members of the party, to make them understand the importance of the internet as a political tool. We have to ensure the use of modern technology on regional meetings, the organisation activity of the party's Szabo Ervin Academy and the communication among the CC members. 5. Recruiting young people and replenishment of the ranks of the party is the number one duty of all leaders. Recruiting young people for the party's leading bodies and replenishment of the ranks of the partyis necessary for the party's future. The central and the local leadership should work out the directions of renewal together. 6 . The Hungarian Workers' Party should be among the people. We should make the voice of the workers, the working people louder against the voice of the capitalists. We must be active, offensive, stable and determined. The Hungarian Workers' Party is ours. The Hungarian Workers Party will be like how we make it to. All members should have one hour a day or one day a week for party work. 7. The streets are ours still. A central group should be set up for the organisation of street events. We should use our local forces in a concentrated way in Budapest and in the bigger counties. We have to consciously and regularly go everywhere we can. We have to maintain the practice of countrywide action days. 8.Let's use the opportunities given by the elections! We have to use the possibilities of capitalist democracy. We have to run in the elections. We have to make it possible for the people to vote for us. The midterm elections are still important possibilities for us. We have to correctly determine our forces and run in the most important places. Let's include new people! Let's use the experiences of the campaigns. Let's show that we can help the people, the working people. Let's show that the Workers' Party can be the guarantee for the realisation of the issues which are the most important for the people. But we should also show that the situation of the people will drastically change only if they don't only get the breadcrumbs from the tables of the rich, but if they get the bread itself. Let's show this society! 9 . EP elections: Let's show that there is another way! The Hungarian Workers' Party runs in the 2019 EP elections. The party can collect enough signatures. We still consider the EU an organisation of the billionaires and the big capital. But we also see that the EU is in crisis. Our duty is to use the opportunity given by the elections and show a new, democratic way of cooperation between European people. 10. Let's protect the traditions of the workers' movement! It's the duty of the Workers' Party to protect the values of the Hungarian workers' movement. We will continue to celebrate with honour the anniversaries of the working class. 11. There is no modern party without modern knowledge. We can't be modern without learning. We must learn to win. The Szabo Ervin Academy (SZEAK) should become a basic institution of political education. The recruitment of students should be conscious, based on local advice and central approval. Local organisations should finance the journeys of young members to Budapest. The SZEAK should be connected to the party's multimedia tools. 12. Proletarians of all countries unite! In the future too, the Workers Party should do everything for the unity of the communist movement. We initiate a creation of new permanent institutions, increase of the efficiency We will continue building relationswith the communist and workers' parties of the world. We initiate the regional cooperation of the communist and workers' parties of the Visegrad countries (V4). Our duty, our mission is to outline a more effective, new way of organising society, the most humane form of society life. Our duty, our mission is to convince the European people that socialism is a possible choice for all European nations. This is our strength. That's what no one except us has. Wang Yang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, addresses a grand gathering in Nanning, capital of south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Dec. 10, 2018, in celebration of the 60th anniversary of the region's founding. Wang led a central delegation to attend festivities marking the anniversary. (Xinhua/Liu Bin) NANNING, Dec. 10 (Xinhua) -- China's top political advisor Wang Yang on Monday congratulated south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region on its remarkable achievements over the past six decades. He made the remarks when addressing a grand gathering in Nanning, capital of Guangxi, in celebration of the 60th anniversary of the region's founding. Wang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, led a central delegation to attend festivities marking the anniversary. Guangxi has achieved giant leaps in economic development, big strides in reform and opening-up, great improvement of people's living standard, notable progress in its ecological environment and strengthened ethnic unity over the past 60 years, Wang said. Such remarkable achievements have demonstrated the great strengths of the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics and the strong vitality of the system of regional ethnic autonomy, Wang said. He stressed that Guangxi should always uphold the leadership of the CPC and the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics, adhere to a new vision for development, be committed to deepening reform in all areas and opening up further, ensuring and improving living standards through development, and upholding and improving the system of regional ethnic autonomy. A total of 22,000 local cadres and people of various ethnic groups and from all walks of life attended the gathering. On Monday morning, the delegation led by Wang visited an exhibition showcasing the region's achievements made in the past six decades, especially those during China's 40 years of reform and opening up, including progress in economy, politics, culture, society and ecology. Wang also heard work reports of the CPC Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Regional Committee and regional government of Guangxi. When hearing the reports, Wang said after 60 years of hard work, Guangxi has seen remarkable changes in both urban and rural areas, with the once impoverished and backward region turning into a place of prosperity and openness. Wang attributed the progress to the firm leadership of the CPC Central Committee, joint efforts by cadres and people of all ethnic groups in the region, and strong supports from people across the nation. Wang said the region faces historic development opportunities in the new era, calling for more efforts to pursue high-quality development, eliminate poverty and strengthen ethnic unity. To access our in-house intelligence please request a trial here. Read this article and more for a 30 day period. Are you already an IFLR subscriber? Login here This content is from: Banking There are still some areas of uncertainty when it comes to the regulation of cryptocurrencies This content is from: Capital Markets By Noah Zuss The Colombian private equity industry is expanding its boundaries to attract new investors. Local pension funds are increasingly cautious about committing additional capital to new funds given that they are reaching the limits stated in the local investment regime, and they are waiting to review the performance of funds that are reaching their full term. With this in mind, in October 2018, the Ministry of Finance (MoF) enacted a new set of regulations to take private equity funds to new levels. The priority of the regulator is to bolster the development of the industry through the adoption of international standards and to resolve some of the challenges that have arisen in the industry over the last 10 years. One of the most relevant components included in the new set of regulations is the possibility for private equity funds to publicly issue bonds. Even where private equity funds are registered instruments in Colombia, it was not previously clear in the regulations whether it was possible to issue bonds. Under the new decree, a private equity fund will be able to increase its leverage by issuing debt instruments. Additionally, it was not clear whether the funds structure was permitted, meaning that a private equity fund was not free to invest in another private equity fund. The MoF has finally permitted this structure, which will open the door to a whole new segment of potential investors. This new set of regulations, combined with the tax outlook for these vehicles, will make Colombia an even more interesting jurisdiction for private equity investments. From a tax perspective, private equity funds are pass-through entities with relative tax transparency in that they are not liable to tax, and income is only taxed at investor level, which provides for legitimate tax deferral. However, withholding taxes will apply upon the distribution of profits according to the type of income that produces the profit. An important feature for tax purposes is that private equity funds can redeem capital before distributing profits, which allows for a second level of deferral. Distributed profits can be from any source (capital gains, leases and so on). There are no distribution requirements, and in fact 100% of funds can be reinvested. Carlos Fradique-Mendez Lyana De Luca ldeluca 2021 Euromoney Institutional Investor PLC. For help please see our FAQs. Share this article Throughout history, money laundering has been used in various criminal areas, such as drug trafficking, terrorism, and investment and banking fraud. The subjects practising such activities usually seek out nations that have weak regulation and supervision of these matters. The Dominican Republic has ratified certain international agreements and conventions that have helped nations cooperate with each other to prevent subjects from practising these illegal activities on their soil. These include the Inter-American Convention against Corruption, in 1996; and the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organised Crime, in 2002. Following this, the Dominican Republic's Congress enacted the first regulation on this matter, Law 72-02, on June 7 2002, regulating the topics treated in the previously mentioned conventions. In 2012, a series of recommendations rendered Law 72-02 obsolete. These new recommendations were designed to prevent and combat money laundering, terrorism financing, financing for the proliferation of mass destruction weaponry, and other issues that were a serious threat to the international financial system. Following on from these recommendations, the Dominican National Congress started working on a new law that served as a 'transparent and useful tool to pursue crime'. This legislation was finally enacted on June 1 2017. The law established: (i) the acts that were classified as asset laundering, the previous or determinant offences constituting terrorism financing, as well as the applicable penal sanctions; (ii) special investigation techniques, mechanisms for international cooperation and judicial assistance, and precautionary measures applicable to asset laundering and terrorism financing; (iii) a system for the prevention and detection of asset laundering operations, terrorism financing and financing of the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, determining the responsible subjects and their obligations, and prohibitions and the administrative sanctions applicable in cases of non-observance of the provisions of the Law; and, (iv) an institutional framework for the purpose of preventing the use of the national economic system for asset laundering, terrorism financing and financing of the proliferation of mass destruction weaponry. The new law prevented the Dominican Republic from appearing on what is known in the financial world as the 'black list' of the Financial Action Task Force (FAFT), which could have affected foreign investment into the country, damaging the country's overall economy. It also provided the Dominican government with a tool to sanction anyone intending to pursue this kind of criminal activity, protecting foreign and local investment and guaranteeing safety for the Dominican population in general. The Dominican Republic, as a major target for foreign investment in the Caribbean, could not afford to have weak regulation on supervision in this regard. The nation has a duty to existing and future investors to strengthen its anti-money laundering measures in accordance with international standards, and to actively empower the country itself in this regard. The application of this new law and its regulations has very clearly demonstrated the new reality of the country's governmental institutions and business framework. Alessandra Di Carlo 2021 Euromoney Institutional Investor PLC. For help please see our FAQs. Share this article As is well known, anti-money laundering (AML) and know-your-customer rules (KYC) are obligations of service providers like banks and other financial institutions. Their aim is to facilitate investigations into the real identity of customers and the purpose and source of their transactions, so that the services provided to customers will not be used for money laundering, financing of terrorism, tax evasion, or other illegal activities. As transactions involving cryptocurrencies are by nature global yet anonymous, there is thus much room for misuse, so we cannot emphasise enough the importance of AML/KYC in the crypto space. In Korea, AML/KYC obligations and procedures are provided for by the Act on Reporting and Use of Certain Financial Transaction Information (Ruftia). In principle, Ruftia applies to banks and other financial institutions. As cryptocurrency exchanges are not regarded as financial institutions in Korea, they are not (yet) technically under the purview of Ruftia and thus, are not legally obliged to abide by AML and KYC regulations. The ruling party lawmakers have proposed an amendment to Ruftia by which cryptocurrency exchanges are to be deemed financial institutions for the purpose of the application of the Act. This would cause AML/KYC obligations to be imposed on the exchanges. This proposed amendment is still pending in the National Assembly of Korea. That said, however, as a matter of practice, the Korea Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU), following the general international trend, established its own anti-money laundering guideline relating to Cryptocurrencies (AML guideline) and has tried to apply it (in the form most recently amended on June 27 2018) to cryptocurrency exchanges in Korea. Nevertheless, it should be noted that the AML guideline is not legally binding at this point in time. Under this AML guideline, virtual currencies (which is the preferred Korean legal term for cryptocurrencies) are defined as a 'token or information stored on said token perceived as a means of exchange or of storage of value by a contracting party, and that is transferrable by electronic means,' and electronic currencies or prepaid payment methods as defined under the Electronic Financial Transaction Act are excluded from the definition of cryptocurrencies. Under this definition, bitcoin, Ethereum, Ripple, and other coins or tokens generated and offered in various initial coin offerings (ICOs) will most likely fall under the definition of virtual currencies included in the AML guideline. Virtual currency exchanges (or cryptocurrency exchanges) are defined in the guideline as 'any person or entity who engages in the business of storage, management, exchange, sale, purchase or brokerage of the virtual currencies (or cryptocurrencies)'. The aim of the AML guideline, as well as several bills or amendments to existing laws proposed by lawmakers from the ruling and opposition parties, is to regulate cryptocurrency exchanges, in some way or another. Therefore, it goes without saying that that all the cryptocurrency exchanges must comply with the AML guideline to the extent that it is possible. Under this guideline, banks which do business with cryptocurrency exchanges are required to monitor if they are in compliance with the guideline and ensure that these exchanges perform checks on the name, birth date, address and contact information of their customers. In order to open bank accounts and do business with the banks, the cryptocurrency exchanges are required to conduct the AMK and KYC procedures. As part of the AML/KYC process, major cryptocurrency exchanges, like Bithumb, Upbit, Korbit, and Coinone, (i) check basic information of their customers, such as name, email address, country of residence, and mobile phone number, when the customers first sign up for their services; and then (ii) verify the identities of specific customers through mobile phone identification methods when the customers actually want to carry out cryptocurrency transactions. As already stated, it is intended that all laws proposed by the Korean lawmakers will apply to cryptocurrency exchanges and that AML and KYC obligations will also be imposed on them. Given these circumstances, it is clear that if in the future there is a new law or amendment to an existing law regulating cryptocurrencies, the AML and KYC regulations will be the first and foremost provisions that will be incorporated into such laws. That is why cryptocurrency exchanges are well advised to make relevant preparations in advance. Chan Sik Ahn 2021 Euromoney Institutional Investor PLC. For help please see our FAQs. Share this article Among the variety of investment areas in Vietnam, the education sector is becoming one of the most appealing. Consumer expenditure on education continues to rise in Vietnam. According to the British Council, consumers spent $8.6 billion on education in 2015, which is forecast to increase to $12.8 billion by 2021. According to statistics provided by the Ministry of Planning and Investment, for the first half of 2017, Vietnam attracted over $701.69 million in foreign direct investment via 336 projects in this sector. To support this trend, the government has enacted Decree 86/2018/ND-CP on foreign cooperation and investment in education (Decree 86), which came into effect on August 1 2018, with the key features mentioned below. Increased enrolment of Vietnamese students Previously, the maximum rate of Vietnamese students permitted to enrol in a foreign educational programme was 10% or 20% of the total number of students, respectively, for primary/secondary school and high school. The remaining 80% to 90% of foreign students was not achieved in practice. Decree 86 has increased that maximum rate of Vietnamese students to less than 50% of the total number of students in those programmes in educational institutions, creating more advantages for foreign investors. In addition, the prohibition against Vietnamese children younger than five years old enroling in a foreign educational programme has been abolished. However, Vietnamese students are required to study mandatory subjects specified by the Ministry of Education and Training. Simplified procedures The procedure of approving the establishment of short-term foreign-invested training/education institutions has been simplified. Foreign investors now need to follow only three procedures, rather than the four previously required, saving at least 40 working days. In the past, the competent authorities hesitated to provide direct permission for M&A activities, as the law was unclear. Decree 86 clearly stipulates that foreign investors may engage in M&A activities such as share acquisition and capital contribution in a domestic educational institution or a foreign-invested business entity that has already established an educational institution. Thus, the authorities' permission should be more timely and precise in practice. Limitations Investment in education still remains challenging since the government's control over the sector is quite strong and complicated (such as prohibited activities in national security and defence, the political and religious sectors, and approval of the authorities with respect to the curriculum or subjects). Additionally, there are numerous requirements on investment capital, curriculum, teachers, and infrastructure, among other things. Therefore, investors are advised to carefully study Vietnam's complex regulatory environment when considering cooperation and investment in this field. Kazuhide Ohya Tran Quoc Dat Nguyen Bao Linh 2021 Euromoney Institutional Investor PLC. For help please see our FAQs. Share this article Aerial photo taken on Dec. 9, 2018 shows the railway arch bridge across the Nujiang River in southwest China's Yunnan Province. With a grand arch bridge erected on Monday morning, Chinese constructors have built the longest-spanning railway arch bridge with a single span of 490 meters. The bridge is a key project of the 220-km-long Dali-Ruili railway which is a key section of the China-Myanmar international railway corridor linking Kunming, the provincial capital of Yunnan, with Yangon of Myanmar. (Xinhua) BEIJING, Dec. 10 (Xinhua) -- With a grand arch bridge erected on Monday morning across the Nujiang River in southwestern China's Yunnan Province, Chinese constructors have built the world's longest-spanning railway arch bridge. The bridge measures 1,024 meters long and nearly 25 meters wide. With a single span of 490 meters, it can accommodate the parking of four trains at the same time, said Yu Changbin, a project manager with China Railway Construction Corporation. "As the bridge is situated in the gorge of the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau and affected by a high-intensity seismic belt, it was much more demanding in both breadth and bearing capacity than ordinary railway bridges," Yu said. "There is no precedent for building such a huge bridge station." To complete the bridge, constructors had to assemble 800,000 bolts, and 922 steel poles of various models weighing 100 tonnes each in the air -- about 230 meters above the Nujiang River. "The technical difficulty and risks are both very rare," Yu said. The bridge is a key project of the 220-km-long Dali-Ruili railway which is a key section of the China-Myanmar international railway corridor linking Kunming, the provincial capital of Yunnan, with Yangon, the capital of Myanmar. Upon completion of the Dali-Ruili railway, the transport time between the two cities will be cut from six hours to two. From Marc Lamont Hill to the Quakers, no Criticism of Israel is Allowed By Jonathan Cook December 10, 2018 " Information Clearing House " - For 30 years, the United Nations has held an annual International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People on 29 November. The event rarely merited even a passing nod in the mainstream media. Until last week. Marc Lamont Hill, a prominent US academic and political commentator for CNN, found himself deluged by a tsunami of outrage over a speech he had made at the UN headquarters in New York. He called for an end to Oslo's discredited model of interminable and futile negotiations over Palestinian statehood a strategy that is already officially two decades past its sell-by date. In its place, he proposed developing a new model of regional peace based on a single state offering equal rights to Israelis and Palestinians. Under a barrage of criticism that his speech had been anti-semitic, CNN summarily fired him. His dismissal echoes recent, largely confected furores greeting attempts by organisations to take a more practical and ethical stance on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Both Airbnb, an accommodation bookings website, and the UK branch of the Quakers, a society of Christian religious movements, have faced howls of indignation in response to their modest initiatives. Last month, Airbnb announced that it would remove from its site all properties listed in illegal Jewish settlements on Palestinian territory in the West Bank. Shortly afterwards, the Quakers declared that they would refuse to invest in companies that profit from Israel's theft of Palestinian resources in the occupied territories. Both moves fully accord with international law, which views the transfer of an occupying powers' population into occupied territory the establishment of settlements as a war crime. Again, like Hill, the two organisations were battered by adverse reactions, including accusations of malevolence and anti-semitism, especially from prominent and supposedly liberal and representative Jewish leadership groups in the US and UK. What all three cases illustrate is how anti-semitism is being rapidly expanded to encompass even extremely limited forms of criticism of Israel and support for Palestinian rights. This redefinition is occurring at a time when Israel is led by the most intransigent and ultra-nationalist government in its history. These two trends are not unrelated. The cases in question also reveal the growing weaponisation of an emotive identity politics that has been turned on its head depoliticised to side with the strong against the weak. Are You Tired Of The Lies And Non-Stop Propaganda? Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter Lesser human beings Of the three "controversies," Hill's speech offered the biggest break with Western orthodoxy on how to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict or at least an orthodoxy established by the Oslo agreements in the mid-1990s. Those accords intimated that, should the Palestinians wait patiently, Israel might one day concede them a state on less than a quarter of their homeland. Some 25 years later, the Palestinians are still waiting, and most of their proposed state has in the meantime been devoured by Israel's settlement-colonies. In his speech, Hill put the Zionist movement's dispossession of the Palestinians in its proper historical perspective one increasingly recognised by academics and experts as a settler-colonial project. He also correctly noted that the chance for a two-state solution, were it even feasible, has been usurped by Israel's determination to create a single state over all of historic Palestine - one that privileges Jews. In Greater Israel, Palestinians are doomed to be treated as lesser human beings. History, Hill observed, suggests there is only one possible ethical resolution of such situations: decolonisation. That recognises the existing reality of a single state, but insists on equal rights for Israelis and Palestinians. 'Jewish genocide' Rather than challenge Hill on the unassailable logic of his argument, critics resorted to inflammatory soundbites. He was accused of using anti-semitic language employed by Hamas in referring to international action to secure "a free Palestine from the river to the sea". In a double leap of faulty logic, Israel and its apologists claimed that Hamas uses the term to declare its genocidal intent to exterminate Jews, and that Hill had echoed those sentiments. Dani Dayan, Israel's consul-general in New York, termed Hill "a racist, a bigot, an anti-semite," and compared his remarks to a "swastika painted in red". Ben Shapiro, an analyst on Fox News, echoed him, claiming Hill had called for "killing all the Jews" in the region. Seth Mandel, the executive editor of the Washington Examiner, similarly argued that Hill had called for a "Jewish genocide". The Anti-Defamation League (ADL), a prominent and supposedly liberal Jewish organisation that claims to support equal treatment for all US citizens, denounced Hill too, arguing: "Those calling for 'from the river to the sea' are calling for an end to the State of Israel." Likud's 'river to the sea' slogan In fact, the expression "from the river to the sea" referring to the area between the River Jordan and the Mediterranean Sea has a long pedigree in both Israeli and Palestinian discourse. It is simply a popular way of referring to a region once named historic Palestine. Far from being a Hamas slogan, it is used by anyone who rejects the partition of Palestine and favours a single state. That includes all the various parties in the current Israeli government. In fact, the founding charter of the Likud party of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressly envisions a Greater Israel that denies Palestinians any hope of statehood. It uses exactly the same language: "Between the Sea and the Jordan there will only be Israeli sovereignty." Even after the charter was amended in 1999, in the wake of the Oslo accords, it continued to call for a Greater Israel, declaring that "the Jordan river will be the permanent eastern border of the State of Israel". Israel's model of apartheid The difference between the position of Hamas and the Israeli government, on the one hand, and Hill's on the other, is that Hill proposes a single state that would treat all its inhabitants as equals, not provide the framework for domination by one religious or ethnic group over another. In short, unlike Netanyahu and Israeli officials, Hill rejects a model of permanent occupation and apartheid. That, it seems, is a sackable offence in the view of CNN and the ADL. By contrast, CNN has long employed former US senator Rick Santorum, even though he has argued that the area between the river and the sea is "all Israeli land" and uses language suggesting he supports a Palestinian genocide. The preposterousness of the attacks on Hill should be evident the moment we consider that many of the recent leading actors in the peace process from former Israeli prime minister Ehud Barak to former US secretary of state John Kerry have warned that Israel is on the brink of slipping into apartheid rule over Palestinians. They make this prediction precisely because a succession of Israeli governments have adamantly refused to withdraw from the occupied territories. Given that under Donald Tump, the US has abandoned any vision of Palestinian statehood viable or otherwise Hill simply pointed out that the emperor lacks clothes. He presented a truth no one in a position to change the appalling status quo appears ready to consider. Right to resist Hill was also accused of anti-semitism for supporting methods to pressure Israel into ending its intransigence, which has kept Palestinians under occupation for more than half a century. Hill highlighted the right of an occupied people to resist their oppressor, a right that every single Western capital has ignored and now invariably characterises as terrorism, even when Palestinian attacks are against armed Israeli soldiers enforcing a belligerent occupation. But Hill himself advocated for a different, Gandhian-style resistance, of non-violence and solidarity with Palestinians in the form of the boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) movement precisely the kind of international protest that helped to decolonise apartheid South Africa. Boycott turned into bogeyman In recent years, and under pressure from the Israeli government, apologists for Israel's occupation and Western states have transformed BDS into a bogeyman. Its merits are no longer debated. It is not presented either as a tactic to end the occupation, or even as a tool to pressure Israel into liberalising an ideology that demands ethnic supremacy for the Jewish majority over the fifth of Israel's citizenry who are Palestinian. Instead it is said to be proof of anti-semitism and increasingly, by implication, of genocidal intent. The fact that the BDS movement is taking hold on Western campuses and has been taken up by a significant number of young, anti-Zionist Jews is simply ignored. Instead, the growing trend is to outlaw BDS and treat it as if it is a precursor to terrorism. So Hill's speech was a direct assault on the silent borders of public debate vigorously policed by Israel's apologists and Western states to prevent meaningful discussions of how to end Israel's occupation and re-assert the right of Palestinians to dignity and self-determination. Why it is so important for Israel's apologists to silence someone like Hill is because he alludes to the elephant in the room. His argument strongly hints at the fact that Zionism, Israel's state ideology, is incompatible with equal rights for Palestinians in their historic homeland. He implies that the occupation is not an aberration that needs fixing but integral to the Zionist movement's vision of "Judaising" Palestine, of its erasure of Palestinian presence in line with other colonial-settler projects. Evidence that shielding Israel's aggressive territorial ambitions from closer inspection is the true goal of Hill's critics rather than concern at a supposed rise in "leftwing anti-semitism" is confirmed by the similar furores surrounding the very modest actions taken by the UK Quakers and Airbnb. Quakers and ethical investments Late last month the Quakers announced that they would no longer invest in any company that profits from the occupation. The move is part of their "ethical investments" policy, similar to their refusal to invest in the arms and fossil fuel industries. The Quakers represent a small group of Christian movements that have historically led the way in identifying the moral outrages of each era. They were prominent in their opposition to slavery in the US and to apartheid in South Africa, and won a Nobel peace prize for their work in saving Jews and Christians from the Nazis during the Second World War. That included organising the Kindertransport that brought 10,000 predominantly Jewish children to the UK. So it is hardly surprising that they should be taking a lead one other British churches have been too fearful to contemplate in penalising those companies that profit from the subjugation and oppression of Palestinians in the occupied territories. In fact, rather than criticise the UK Quakers for the boycott of these companies, one might fairly wonder why it has taken them so long to act. After all, Israel's military occupation has been around and its bastard progeny, the settlements, growing for more than five decades. Its terrible abuses are well documented. Importing divisiveness But even the fact that the Quakers have been repeatedly proved to be on the right side of history has not shaken the confidence of Jewish organisations in the UK in denouncing the group. Most prominent was the Board of Deputies, which grandly claims for itself the status of the representative body for Britain's Jewish community. Its relentless attacks on Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, accusing him of anti-semitism, have been treated as authoritative by the British media for that very reason. But the Board revealed its true colours by denouncing the Quakers, suggesting that their stance was motivated not by ethics but by anti-semitism. Ignoring the Quakers' long history of taking a moral stand, newly elected president Marie van der Zyl argued that Israel was being "singled out", and that the Quaker leadership had an "obsessive and tunnel-visioned approach". Paradoxically, she accused the Quakers of refusing to "tackle prejudice and promote peace in the region". Instead Quaker leaders had "chosen to import a divisive conflict into our country". In fact, it is the Board and other Jewish leadership organisations that have imported that very divisiveness into Britain and the US by expressly tying their Jewish identities to Israel's ugly colonial-settler actions. The Quakers are pointing out that in a conflict in which one side, Israel, is overwhelmingly stronger, there can be no resolution unless the stronger side faces effective pressure. The Board, on the other hand, wants to intimidate and silence the Quakers precisely so Israel can continue to be free to oppress the Palestinians and steal their land through settlement expansion. It is not the Quakers who are anti-semitic. It is Jewish leadership organisations like the Board of Deputies that are indifferent or even cheerleaders to decades of Israeli brutality towards the Palestinians. Airbnb's role aiding settlers Similarly, Airbnb was bombarded with criticism when it promised the even more limited step of removing some 200 properties on its website located in West Bank settlements that violate international law. Indeed, some of them are built in violation of Israeli law too, even if Israel makes precisely no effort to enforce such laws against the settlers. Until recently it was widely accepted that the settlements were an insuperable obstacle to resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict through a two-state solution. Further, the settlements, it was understood, necessitated ever greater violence against the native Palestinian population to guarantee their protection and expansion. That, after all, is precisely why international law forbids the transfer of an occupying power's population into the occupied territory. Airbnb was clearly aiding these illegal settlers by creating a stronger profit-motive for Jews to live on stolen Palestinian land. That economic motive was the tangential basis for a legal suit filed in the US last week by settler families claiming "religious discrimination". In reality, the firm's decision to pull out of the West Bank was the very minimum that could be expected of them. And yet, even so, they managed to exclude Jewish settlements in occupied East Jerusalem from their listing ban, although they constitute the bulk of the Jewish settler population exploiting Airbnb. Double standards of the ADL Despite Airbnb's move being feeble and long overdue, it was again cast as anti-semitic by leading Jewish organisations in the US, not least the ADL. The ADL claims to "secure justice and fair treatment to all citizens alike," one of the reasons why it took an active role in fighting for civil rights for American blacks in the Jim Crow era. But like so many Jewish leadership organisations, its actions prove that, when it comes to Israel, it is in truth driven by a tribal, ethnic agenda rather than a universal, human rights-based one. Rather than welcoming Airbnb's action, it once again exploited and degraded the meaning of anti-semitism as way to ringfence Israel from pressure to end its ongoing abuse of Palestinians and the theft of their resources. It accused the company of "double standards" for not applying the same policy in "Northern Cyprus, Tibet, the Western Saharan region, and other territories where people have been displaced". As Forward commentator Peter Beinart pointed out, this argument was disingenuous at best: "Was the ADL guilty of a 'double standard' when its officials marched for civil rights for African Americans but not for American Indians, whose civil rights were not guaranteed by federal law until 1968?" Israel under daily scrutiny What these three cases highlight is that, just as Israel's ill-intent towards the Palestinians has become ever more overt and transparent, the officially sanctioned space to criticise Israel and support the Palestinian cause is being intentionally and aggressively restricted. In an era of phone cameras, 24-hour rolling news and social media, Israel stands exposed like never before to intimate and daily scrutiny. Its long-standing dependence on colonial support, its creation based on the sin of ethnic cleansing, the institutional racism faced by its minority of Palestinian citizens, the brazen brutality and structural violence of its 51-year occupation are more widely understood than was possible even a decade ago. That has happened at the same time as other major historic injustices against women, people of colour, indigenous peoples and the LGBT community have emerged into the spotlight with the adoption of a new kind of popular identity politics. Denying what is self-evident Israel should clearly be on the wrong side of this story, and yet Western governments and Jewish leadership organisations are vigorously helping it deny what should be self-evident, and thereby turning reality on its head. A few years ago, only the most rabid supporters of Israel openly argued that anti-Zionism equated with anti-semitism. Now anti-Zionism and solidarity movements like BDS are uncritically characterised in mainstream discourse not only as anti-semitic but also implicitly as a form of terrorism against Jews. The right of Palestinians to dignity and to liberation from Israel's oppressive rule are again being made subservient to Israel's right to pursue unchallenged its settler-colonial agenda to displace and replace the native Palestinian population. Not only this, but any solidarity with downtrodden Palestinians is characterised as anti-semitism simply because Jewish leaders in the US and UK claim a trump card: their superior right to identify with Israel's settler-colonial project and to be protected from any criticism for their stance. In this deeply perverse form of identity politics, the rights of the nuclear-armed state of Israel and its supporters abroad are weaponised to damage the rights of a weak, dispersed, colonised and marginalised community of Palestinians. For decades, Israel's supporters have conceded that Israel should be subjected to what they termed "legitimate criticism". But the reactions to Hill, the Quakers and Airbnb reveal that in practice there is no criticism of Israel that will be treated as legitimate and that when it comes to the suffering of Palestinians, the only acceptable stance is one of resignation and silence. Jonathan Cook, a British journalist based in Nazareth since 2001, is the author of three books on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. He is a past winner of the Martha Gellhorn Special Prize for Journalism. His website and blog can be found at: , a British journalist based in Nazareth since 2001, is the author of three books on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. He is a past winner of the Martha Gellhorn Special Prize for Journalism. His website and blog can be found at: www.jonathan-cook.net 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. December 10, 2018 " Information Clearing House " - President Donald Trump set out to pick a fight with Iran from the early days of his administration. But a set of astonishing developments has pulled the rug out from under his feet, and the next three months will determine whether Trump will opt to escalate his provocations or find a face-saving exit from his bravado. Only a few months ago, Trump was oozing with confidence, having pulled out of the Iran nuclear deal, worked with the Saudis to squeeze oil exports and announced the reimposition of sanctions to the pleasure of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. As a result, the Iranian currency, the rial, was tanking and a noticeable sense of nervousness permeated Iran. The country had weathered sanctions before, but something felt different this time around. Trump certainly thought there was: "I know they're having a lot of problems and their economy is collapsing, he told reporters on July 12. [A]t a certain point, they're going to call me and they're going to say, 'Let's make a deal'. Fast forward five months, though, and all three pillars of Trumps policy of strangulating Iran are at risk. First, Saudi-US relations now arguably face the greatest crisis in history following the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. The US has long turned a blind eye to the Saudis involvement in the spread of terrorism, but Trumps shameless protection of the Saudi Crown Prince, Mohammed Bin Salman who the CIA believes, with high confidence, ordered the murder may be considered egregious. Are You Tired Of The Lies And Non-Stop Propaganda? Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter Republican Senators who were briefed on the matter by CIA Director Gina Haspel this week left with little doubt of Salmans guilt. "You have to be willfully blind not to come to the conclusion that this was orchestrated and organized by people under the command of MBS and that he was intrinsically involved in the demise of Mr. Khashoggi," Trump ally Lindsey Graham said after the briefing. Even if the Republicans end up siding with Trump on continuing relations with Saudi Arabia on the current terms, the Democrats are unlikely to simply allow the relationship to return to business-as-usual. This is partly because the Saudi-U.S. relationship embodies everything progressives oppose: A cozy relationship with a brutal authoritarian ruler driven by the greed of arms manufacturers, all while the U.S. is complicit in a Saudi-engineered famine in Yemen and the House of Sauds human rights and womens rights abuses. Plus, Saudi has already annoyed Trump by cutting its oil production, arguably undermining its sole role in Trump's Iran strategy. Second, Israel has played a critical behind-the-scenes role in Trumps Iran policy. Netanyahu, in particular, has been a central conduit for the relationship between Salman and Trump's son-in-law and advisor Jared Kushner, which in turn helped pave the way for the close coordination between Saudi Arabia and Israel, and for the U.S. to turn against Iran. But Netanyahu is now facing an existential fight for his political future. Israeli prosecutors have recommended indicting him again this week and he may soon face early elections as his government collapses. Though the next Israeli government is not likely to pursue a different Iran policy, it may not unconditionally embrace Trump and the Saudi Crown Prince as Netanyahu has.This could create a dangerous crack in the U.S.-Israel-Saudi front against Iran. Third, Trumps own political maneuverability is at risk: Trump will face far greater political obstacles going forward from the midterm elections, with the House likely investigating everything from his taxes, to his relationship with Saudi Arabia to his policy of picking a fight with Iran. Forced to play defense at home, Trump may not be able to continue to make Iran a priority. But the most important indicator of the eventual failure of Trumps Iran policy lies not with the health of the pillars, but what the current sanctions policy failed to produce before it was at risk. Trump promised that the Iranian currency would continue to fall and that Tehrans oil exports would go down to zero. Yet, though the Iranian economy certainly is hurting, the currency has stabilized and Trump was himself forced to issue eight sanctions waivers to European and Asian countries, undermining the policy from the get-go. And the whole plan was predicated on the idea that an economic collapse would compel Iranians to rise up against their government. According to the New York Times, Trump was presented with a $2 billion plan to destabilize the Iranian economy and manipulate social media to foment unrest in Iran by causing the Iranian public to lose confidence in the regimes ability to survive. Much indicates that the plan was adopted by Trump, yet it failed. The rial has stabilized andfew are today willing to bank on the regimes demise, even though the publics discontent with the country's theocracy remains very high. Today, if youre sitting in Tehran, youre probably more confident in the future than if you're in Riyadh or Washington. Trump has thrown everything he has at Iran, and it hasnt worked. And once the European Special Purpose Vehicle an alternative payment system that will enable companies to defy Trumps sanctions is up and running next year, the Trumps Iran strategy may face yet another crippling blow. The question is what Salman and Netanyahu will push Trump to do once the failure of the current policy is evident. If past is prologue, they will press him to go to war. But, at that point, even Trump may grow tired of being treated as the junior partner in this relationship. Trita Parsi is the author of "Losing an Enemy Obama, Iran and the Triumph of Diplomacy" and the founder of the National Iranian American Council. 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. Senior spokesperson to President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday, Mr Garba Shehu, had in a statement dismissed as fake news, the raid on the home of former vice president, Atiku Abubakars sons. The presidential aide also categorized as fake news, claims by the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, that its vice presidential candidate for the 2019 election, Peter Obi, had his accounts frozen by agents of Buhari. Reno Omokri, in defense of his party, PDP, lambasted the presidential aide for the statement. According to him, Mr Garba was fed by the PDP 2019 presidential candidate, Atiku for 16 years, when he(Garba) was in PDP He accused the presidential aide of now denying Atiku and his sons, just because of food from President Buhari. He wrote; Shame on you for calling the raid on Atikus sons home #FakeNews. This same Atiku fed you for 16 years when you were his spokesman and a member of PDP. His sons called you uncle. Now you deny them and their father because of food from Buhari Speaker of the House of Representative, Mr Yakubu Dogara has said that the disbursement of funds to the public, just few weeks to the 2019 general elections The Speaker made this known, while addressing a public hearing on vote-buying organised by senate and house of representatives committees on electoral and political party matters. Dogara also lamented the alleged use of the officials of the electoral umpire, INEC, and officers of security agencies to induce, or intimidate and coerce voters to vote a particular candidate. In his words It is instructive to note that the electoral act anticipated and captured most forms of electoral fraud including inducement and vote buying. I hope we will have the courage at this event to address the distribution of cash to the public very close to general elections by public officials. I am afraid that such endeavors no matter how noble the intentions behind them may fall within the all encompassing provisions of S. 124 (1)(a); (b); (c); and S.(124)(2)(4)(5) and S. 130 of the electoral act. Although penalties are not stringent, there is also lack of political will to implement the laws as it is even if it were to offer feeble deterrence to violators. Arrest are hardly made and even where arrests are made, prosecutions are unheard of. A more worrisome dimension to vote buying is the alleged use of the officials of the electoral umpire, INEC, and officers of security agencies to induce, or intimidate and coerce voters to vote for particular candidates. Such absurdities have been widely reported in the media and confirmed by some local and international observers in respect of the recently concluded governorship elections in Osun state. As expected, all lovers of democracy worldwide rose to condemn these despicable incidents. Condemnation is not enough, it will amount to hypocrisy, if we dont take the bull by the horn by taking concrete steps to eliminate these evils that make mockery of our hard worn democracy. The presidential candidate of the Allied Congress Party of Nigeria (ACPN), Dr. Obiageli Ezekwesili, has faulted President Muhammadu Buharis refusal to sign the amended Electoral Act. She said that the refusal would lead to a regression in the progress so far made in Nigerias democratic journey since 1999. At a World Press Conference in Abuja on Monday, the presidential candidate wondered why President Buhari wanted to destabilise the country with the 2019 elections. According to her, the excuses of the President for not completing the process that will give Nigeria one of the soundest electoral laws in the world amount to an assault on our democracy and this must be rejected roundly by all Nigerians. Ezekwesili said, The 2019 elections are looked upon as the moment Nigeria must entrench electoral integrity and level playing field for all contestants. Regrettably, President Muhammadu Buhari has by his self-serving opposition to the Electoral Act Amendment Bill 2018 shown that he wishes to subvert the will of the Nigerian people for the conduct of a credible election in 2019. Simply put, President Buhari has decided to singlehandedly imperil the 2019 elections by choosing to regress the progress so far made in Nigerias democratic journey since 1999. As a candidate in the 2019 election for the office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, I demand that President Buhari immediately reconsiders his latest fourth rejection of the electoral bill. The President is dangerously setting the country and people up for political destabilisation in 2019. Describing the Presidents action as undemocratic and unpopular, she made known her intention to mobilise Nigerians against the Presidents action if this course is maintained. She said, I advise the President to rethink his opposition to the Electoral Act Amendment Bill 2018. The President should immediately request the National Assembly to retransmit the amendment Bill for his swift ascent into an Act. I call upon the National Assembly to act as the assembly of the good people of Nigeria and within the next three days, mobilise their majority membership to override President Muhammadu Buharis self-serving and dangerous opposition to the 2018 Electoral Act Amendment Bill. I call upon all well-meaning political parties to collaborate and urgently act together to ensure that the Electoral Act Amendment Bill 2018 definitely becomes an Act on which the 2019 election shall be conducted. The Civil Society groups and the Nigerian public must mobilise against the unpopular stance of the President against Electoral Act Amendment Bill 2018, which seeks to undermine our democracy. Democracy belongs to the people of our country and not to one contestant in an election even if he is an incumbent. The excesses of an incumbent who wishes to engage in political corruption can be very much curbed by determined Nigerian people. We shall organise the people to resist what has become a clear and troubling plan of President Buhari to rig the 2019 elections. In the court of public opinion, most Nigerians want the compulsory use of smart card readers for accreditation of voters for the 2019 election as proposed in the 2018 Bill. She expressed concern over the bad governance experienced in Nigeria for the past 19 years. She complained that Nigerias democratic journey has yet to produce the change Nigerians expect. She said, There is however a limit to celebrating the mere existence of democracy in our country. This is because, every objective assessment of our democratic journey since 1999 has mostly always returned the sobering verdict that we are still very much in the nascent, fragile, tenuous and fledgling zone of democracy as our choice of political system of governance. So far, good governance has on the aggregate eluded Nigeria. The last 19 years have not given Nigerians an aggregate top quality of political actors. Nigerians are demanding for a new leadership direction for the country to end the entrapment in governance failures of the last decades. Nigerians believe that our democracy and governance can be vastly improved through genuine elections. Vanguard AHEAD of 2019 general, Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, yesterday, urged Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, security agencies and stakeholders to ensure the country conducted free, fair, transparent and credible elections. Thisday Reprieve came for Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State yesterday, as the Ado Ekiti Division of the Federal High Court dismissed the suit filed by a former governor of the state, Chief Segun Oni, challenging his eligibility to contest the July 14, 2018 governorship poll. The Sun The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), on Monday, grilled the presidential candidates of political parties that would participate in 2019 presidential election to ascertain the readiness for governance. Daily Times The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has described the senator representing Ogun East, Senator Buruji Kashamu as a desperate paid agent of the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC), planted to destabilise the PDP. The Nation The Senator Oluremi Tinubu Capacity Development Centre for Skill Acquisition has been inaugurated in Lagos Mainland Local Government area of Lagos. New Telegraph The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has alleged of plans by the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led Federal Government to frame up and arrest key opposition leaders. Tribune In recognition of his efforts towards securing his community and openness to issues bordering on securing in his abode, the traditional head of Lisa Community in Ifo local Government, Ogun State, High Chief Oladele Najeem Odugbemi, has been honoured with the prestigious award of excellence as the most security friendly traditional ruler of the year. Daily Independent The Akwa Ibom State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) suffered a huge depletion as the Chairman of the forum of APC Chapter chairmen, Hon. Joseph Ama led over 20,000 former members of the party to the PDP. The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP has challenged President Muhammadu Buhari to allow an open investigation of his associates and close relatives, who were named in recent corruption cases. This was in reaction to confessions by one Amina Mohammed, aka Justina Onuoha, that was recently paraded by the DSS, over allegations of fraud. The suspect had breached Aso Rock security, by impersonating the first Lady of Kogi state, and had also defrauded her victims, using the name of the wife of the president, Aisha Buhari. In her confession, the suspect had named close allies of president Muhammadu Buhari, as her accomplices. PDP said in its statement on Tuesday that Buhari must showcase the integrity, he claims to have by allowing a public inquest, into this case and more, indicting people very close to him. Full Statement here Treasury Looting: We challenge President Muhammadu Buhari to showcase his much touted integrity by allowing an open investigation of his associates and close relatives, who were mentioned in serial looting of our public resources. In a bid to further conceal the sleazes of Buhari, the Presidency handlers have gagged the confession of one Amina Mohammed, paraded by the DSS, who revealed that persons close to Buhari were involved in serial fraud and looting of public resources under official cover. Having reviewed all these issues, including the lame denials by those mentioned by the suspect, as well as the failure of the DSS to allow the suspect to complete her confession, we challenge Buhari to order an open hearing into the matter, if, indeed, he has nothing to hide. We also challenge Buhari to immediately make public the report of the investigation of the former aide to Aisha Buhari, Mr. Baba-Inna, who was arrested in Sept. this year, over accusations of receiving N2.5B as donations from politicians on behalf of the First Lady Furthermore, Buhari should allow an open inquest into the alleged diversion of defence funds, including part of the $1 billion drawn from the ECA for purchase of military hardware and welfare of our soldiers, to fund his ill-fated re-election campaign. We challenge Buhari to make public the report of the looting of over N33 billion meant for the purchase of food for IDPs as well as another N18 billion IDP fund, discovered by the Senate, to have been diverted to APC interests. Vice president Yemi Osinbajo has said that the country is now a leading investment destination for potential investors, who are serious. Prof Osinbajo, said this in Tuesday via his official Twitter handle According to him, many business opportunities, are increasing in the country for anyone willing to invest. The vice president, who was in Berlin, Germany for the Nigerian-German Investment Dialogue, on Monday, revealed that, Nigeria, alongside Egypt and South Africa accounts for more than half of that total consumer spending in Africa. Osinbajo further stated that the world will be looking to Africa, and Nigeria in particular, as its food basket because of her huge amount of arable lands which are vastly uncultivated. He said; Nigeria is a leading investment destination for potential and serious investors, and the business opportunities are abundant and increasing. Consumer spending in Africa was $1.4 trillion by 2015, with Nigeria, Egypt and South Africa accounting for more than half of that total. With a substantial percentage of the worlds arable land and over half of that uncultivated, it is becoming clearer that the world will be looking to Africa, and Nigeria in particular, as its food basket. She Wenbin (front), a family member of a victim of the Nanjing Massacre by Japanese invaders, unveils a memorial wall with more names inscribed in the Memorial Hall of the Victims of the Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders in Nanjing, capital of east China's Jiangsu Province, Dec. 10, 2018. She's father's name, She Peigeng, was recently added onto the memorial wall. A total of 26 names have been newly inscribed on the memorial wall in commemoration of Chinese killed in the Nanjing Massacre by Japanese troops in 1937, bringing the total number of names on the wall to 10,664. The memorial wall, also known as the wailing wall, was set up in 1995 with 3,000 names representing the 300,000 victims of the massacre. (Xinhua/Sun Can) NANJING, Dec. 10 (Xinhua) -- A total of 26 names have been newly inscribed on a memorial wall in commemoration of Chinese killed in the Nanjing Massacre by Japanese troops in 1937, bringing the total number of names on the wall to 10,664. The memorial wall, also known as the wailing wall, was set up in the Memorial Hall of the Victims of the Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders in 1995 with 3,000 names representing the 300,000 victims of the massacre. "My father She Peigeng was seized by the Japanese troops when I was seven," said She Wenbin, whose father's name was recently added onto the wall. "He never returned, and I was told that he was drowned by the Japanese troops." The names of the victims were confirmed by the city's committees on wartime loss and Nanjing Massacre investigations, survivors' dictated or published documents and information from victims' relatives, said the head of the memorial hall. New names will be inscribed on the wall every year before the National Memorial Day, but the confirmation work is difficult, according to the memorial hall. Japanese troops occupied eastern China's Nanjing on Dec. 13, 1937, and began a six-week massacre. Chinese records show that more than 300,000 people -- not only disarmed soldiers but also civilians -- were brutally murdered and thousands of women raped. Rivers state governor, Nyesom Wike has said that the president Muhammdu Buhari led administration has no plan for one Nigeria as he doubts Nigeria will continue to exist after 2019. The governor made this known in a statement on Tuesday, signed by Simon Nwakudu, his aide on electronic media, in reaction to the refusal by the president to sign the 2018 Electoral Amendment bill Wike said that Buharis refusal to sign the bill, was nothing but a plot rig the forthcoming elections. The governor added that the two states, Paramount in the list to be rigged is Rivers and Akwa Ibom. See statement below This present administration does not not want the existence of one Nigeria. We dont know if there will be Nigeria after the 2019 General elections. The National Assembly tried to cure the defects of the Electoral Act that led to controversies during the 2015 elections. After the passage, the President kept on giving countless excuses why he wouldnt sign the amended Electoral Act. The whole essence of not signing the Electoral Act is to rig the 2019 General elections. And in the plot to rig the 2019 elections, Rivers State comes first and Akwa Ibom State is the second on their list. President Muhammadu Buhari is aware that if he assents to the amended 2019 electoral act, he will lose the 2019 elections. The APC is working against transparent and credible polls because they have been rejected by Nigerians. Now, they dont want to use the smart card readers because they want to sit down and write results. It is painful that the President that says he is fighting corruption is leaving room for the rigging of the 2019 polls. There is no corruption worse than rigging. The President cannot set this country on fire. The country belongs to all Nigerians, hence every group must rise up to defend the nations democracy. The Church should work with other well-meaning Nigerians to resist the criminal intent of the Buhari administration in the area of election rigging. An iPhone XS Max is already an expensive smartphone, even in the United States, but the price can be even crazier in Egypt. As Bloomberg reports on Tuesday, the Egyptian government is finally weighing in on sky-high iPhone prices in the region. An iPhone can actually cost 50% more in Egypt than it does in other Middle Eastern locations. One example given is the iPhone XS Max with 512GB of storage, where it goes for $1,306 in the United Arab Emirates, but can cost as much as $1,983 in Egypt through an authorized reseller. It does not appear that Egypt is looking for an outright ban of Apples iPhone lineup, but it has made it clear in a public declaration within the Official Gazette that it will seek legal action against the U.S.-based company and the UAE-based agent, Arab Business Machine, if the extravagant prices arent immediately dealt with. Egypt is placing a 60-day window for a response, saying Apple should remove any restrictions on the ability of a distributor within that timeframe. Egypt, where an iPhone can cost 50 percent more than elsewhere in the Middle East, has given Apple Inc. two months to end what it claims are unfair restrictions on local distributors or face legal action. The move against the Cupertino, California-based iPhone maker and its regional distributor comes just days after the Egyptian Competition Authority claimed they were violating local law by concluding exclusive distribution agreements. Apple, at the time of publication, has not made a public statement on the matter. In related news, Apple is not seeing the most positive streak of international relations in December. We recently reported that a Chinese court has blocked in the import of the iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, and the iPhone X due to the legal battle with Qualcomm. [via Bloomberg Google has started rolling out Google Lens to its Google app for iOS. The visual search app has been available on most Android devices since March and has received some major updates over the months. Post updating to the latest version of Google for iOS, users will see a lens icon right in the search bar beside the voice search icon. Tapping the lens button will lead to a viewfinder being opened which one can then point towards any object or text for analysis purposes. You will have to tap the object youd want Google Lens to analyze though. Unlike other visual search services, one does not need to click a picture for Google Lens. Simply pointing the camera to the object and tapping on it is going to be good enough. Youve always wanted to know what type of that is. With Google Lens in the Google app on iOS, now you can https://t.co/xGQysOoSug pic.twitter.com/JG4ydIo1h3 Google (@Google) December 10, 2018 You will get a prompt in between asking you to accept the terms and conditions of using Google Lens after which you will also be shown the capabilities of Google Lens like copying automatically from phone numbers, dates, addresses, being able to identify animals, plants, search for books, video games, and more. Google Lens was already available inside the Google Photos app in iOS but with this update, the company is making Lens far more accessible and easier to reach. Additionally, Google Lens will now support languages like Spanish, French, German, Italian, and Korean and feature new ways to search images. Earlier this year, Bloomberg in an explosive report claimed that Apple and other tech giants like Amazon were using servers infected by Chinese spy chips. Apple, Super Micro, and others strongly refuted the claims, though the publication never retracted its report. Now, Super Micro has informed its customers that it has done an outside audit of its servers and hardware and has not found any proof or signs of tampering. The audit was conducted by Nardello and Co, with the company allowing Super Micro customers to ask more questions about the report. Apart from testing the motherboard sold to Apple and Amazon, the audit firm also tested Super Micros software and design files for any tampering. Unsurprisingly, their findings revealed there were no signs of any outside tampering whatsoever. Super Micro informed the audit results to its customers via a letter and said it was not surprised by it. In a letter to customers, the San Jose, California, company said it was not surprised by the result of the review it commissioned in October after a Bloomberg article reported that spies for the Chinese government had tainted Super Micro equipment to eavesdrop on its clients. Ever since Bloomberg published the report back in October, the publication has been heavily criticized from all possible avenues. Apple, Amazon, and other tech giants have strongly refuted the report, with other security researchers citing that it is almost impossible for such a hack to occur in this day and age. Apple even called for Bloomberg to retract the report, though that never happened. While proven to be false, the report did manage to stir quite a bit of controversy and even led U.S. law enforcement agencies to confirm that Apples servers did not have any kind of spy chips installed. However, the damage caused by the report to Super Micros image is irreparable in the short term. [Via Reuters Comsats University Abbottabad Jobs 2019 Research Associate Latest Comsats University Research Posts Abbottabad 2021 Comsats University Abbottabad Campus, Government of Pakistan required applications from energetic and committed candidates to fill the positions of Research Associate. Skills Required Research How to Apply on Comsats University Job Advertisement Apply as per details in job advertisement. In some cases, you may apply online at vacancies after registering at https://www.jobz.pk online. 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. U.S. to become 3rd largest LNG exporter by the end of 2019: EIA WASHINGTON, Dec. 10 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Energy Information Agency (EIA) said on Monday that liquefied natural gas (LNG) export capacity in the United States was expected to reach 8.9 billion cubic feet (about 252 million cubic meters) per day by the end of 2019. This would make the United States the third largest LNG exporter in the world, right behind Australia and Qatar, said EIA. EIA said that U.S. LNG export capacity stands at 3.6 billion cubic feet per day for now, and it is expected to reach 4.9 billion cubic feet per day at the end of this year, as two new liquefaction facilities become operational. The two new liquefaction units, Sabine Pass Train 5 in the State of Louisiana and Corpus Christi LNG Train 1 in the State of Texas, both began LNG production this year ahead of schedule, said EIA. The EIA also noted that these two facilities were expected to ship their first cargos within the next few weeks. The United States began exporting LNG from the continental states area in February 2016, according to EIA. EIA is an agency part of the U.S. Department of Energy. It is responsible for collecting, analyzing, and disseminating energy information in order to facilitate policy making process. EIA covers data on coal, petroleum, natural gas, electric, renewable and nuclear energy. We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form Sebelum Anda bermain, Anda perlu mengetahui apa yang Anda butuhkan untuk masuk ke dalam permainan roulette kasino online ini. Jika Anda sudah mendaftar di situs judi casino online dan sudah memberikan user ID, login terlebih dahulu dan pilih menu live casino yang tertera di situs judi tersebut. Pertama pilih dealer dan putuskan sendiri, lalu pilih meja atau kursi di dalam ruangan. 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Ada 36 nomor berbeda dalam permainan populer ini di mana sebuah bola kecil diputar dan dilemparkan ke dalam mesin roulette. Anda harus menebak dari mana bola kecil itu masuk dan di nomor berapa ia berhenti. Ada banyak jenis pilihan angka dari 0-36, dan mereka dihitung secara berbeda. Sebagai agen casino terpercaya, panduan permainan roulette ini juga memberikan informasi tentang jenis pilihan dan nama permainan roulette casino online sebagai berikut: 1. Straight Up: Penempatan angka tunggal dari 0 hingga 36. Contoh perhitungan straight up adalah mengalikan taruhan dengan 35. Ini adalah jenis taruhan tertinggi dalam permainan roulette kasino, jadi 50 dikalikan dengan 35 memberi Anda 1750, mengapa jenis taruhan ini menghasilkan pengembalian yang begitu tinggi? Hal ini karena tidak mudah untuk memenangkan pilihan nomor dengan memilih hanya satu nomor dari banyak. 2. Taruhan split: Jenis taruhan yang ditempatkan pada dua angka atau di antara dua angka yang berbeda. Misalnya, menempatkan di sela-sela angka 9 dan 12 atau 13d dan 14 dihitung sebagai jenis taruhan split. Setiap nomor dapat ditempatkan dalam jenis ini selama nomor tersebut berdekatan dan persis seperti Gambar A dan B. Untuk taruhan ini, jika Anda memenangkan contoh dan mengalikannya dengan 850, Anda akan menerima jumlah taruhan yang dikalikan dengan 17. . 3. Taruhan jalanan: bertaruh dengan 3 angka ke bawah, misalnya 1,2,3 atau 10,11,12. Semua taruhan jalan akan menerima kemenangan dikalikan dengan 11. Misalnya, 50 dikalikan 550. 4. Taruhan sudut: Jenis taruhan di mana empat angka ditempatkan saling berhadapan, seperti 13,14,16,17 atau 19,20,22,23. Semua angka valid karena terdiri dari 4 angka yang diisi seperti kotak dan taruhan dikalikan 8 (misalnya 50 kali 800). 5. Taruhan baris: Atau, Anda dapat mengatakan bahwa ada 6 jenis taruhan yang terdiri dari 2 baris, tetapi 6 poin dengan 2 peregangan, seperti taruhan jalanan. 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Two Dozen: Jenis taruhan dengan hanya dua pilihan: 1-18 atau 19-36. Jika taruhan Anda adalah 50, itu dikalikan dengan 1 hingga 50 jika Anda menang. 11. Merah atau Hitam: Masukkan taruhan Anda dengan memilih Merah atau Hitam sebagai warna angka yang muncul saat taruhan 50. 12. Genap/Ganjil: Pilih angka yang menghasilkan jumlah jenis taruhan ganjil. Christian Wegmann and Eric Schweitzer, DIHK President. (Photo: DIHK/Jens Schicke) As one of the best trainees in Germany, mathematico-technical software developer Christian Wegmann from Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) was honored by the Association of German Chambers of Commerce and Industry (DIHK) yesterday evening (December 03, 2018) in Berlin. During the Best-of-the-Year event, Germanys 200 best apprentices were handed over prizes. Key-note speaker at the event was Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier. In early November already did Christian Wegmann receive the award for the best apprentice in Baden-Wurttemberg. From 2015 to 2017, the mathematico-technical software developer passed his vocation-al training at KITs Institute for Neutron Physics and Reactor Tech-nology in the Neutronics and Nuclear Data team headed by Dr. Ul-rich Fischer. Here, numerical methods, computation codes, software tools, and characteristic nuclear data are developed. This work per-fectly met with the mathematico-analytical interests of Christian Wegmann. From the very beginning, he was involved in the scien-tific activities of the group and, for instance, developed visualiza-tion programs for simulation data of particle motions in a reactor. My agenda also covered geometrical computations, as our team also studies geometries of fusion reactors, the former trainee says. He worked independently and developed solutions for concrete applications, from the concept to programming to implementation. This was not only much fun for Wegmann, but also pushed his pro-fessional development. I learned a lot and had a good time with much freedom I do not want to miss. The software developer was rather surprised about the triple honor - local, on the state level, and on the federal level. He completed his vocational training ahead of schedule after 2.5 years in late 2017. Meanwhile, he has started to study mathematics at KIT. Christine von Vangerow, Vice President for Human Resources and Law, considers Wegmanns prize another proof of quality of KITs vocational training: Apart from academic education of our stu-dents, vocational training is of high priority at KIT. With 420 trainees, we are among the leading institutions offering vocational training in the region. Honors and prizes, such as that of Christian Wegmann now, reflect the high quality of vocational training at KIT and the generally very good results reached by this years class of trainees. On November 8, 2018, ten trainees of KIT, corresponding to nearly 10% of this years class, were honored by the Karlsruhe Chamber of Commerce and Industry for an average grade of 1.9 and better. Andreas Schmitt, Head of the Vocational Training Unit, considers the trainees good results a motivation to continue the efforts to win the best trainees every year. These results also support us in providing and further developing conditions fostering high-quality vocational training, Schmitt says. I am very happy about this honor and congratulate Mr. Wegmann as well as all other successful train-ees and trainers at KIT. KIT offers to young people vocational training in more than 30 tech-nical, scientific or commercial professions. Twelve study programs are offered in cooperation with the Baden-Wurttemberg Cooperative State University. The trainers do not only impart latest expert knowledge, but also promote individual skills of the young staff members. For more information on vocational training at KIT, click www.bea.kit.edu (in German only). The photo may be downloaded on the website of DIHK (in German only): https://dihk.imageplant.de/media/detail/9979/category/343/?page=7 Being The Research University in the Helmholtz Association, KIT creates and imparts knowledge for the society and the environment. It is the objective to make significant contributions to the global challenges in the fields of energy, mobility, and information. For this, about 9,600 employees cooperate in a broad range of disciplines in natural sciences, engineering sciences, economics, and the humanities and social sciences. KIT prepares its 23,300 students for responsible tasks in society, industry, and science by offering research-based study programs. Innovation efforts at KIT build a bridge between important scientific findings and their application for the benefit of society, economic prosperity, and the preservation of our natural basis of life. KIT is one of the German universities of excellence. Change-4: A mission to the far side of the moon China launches Chang'e-4 lunar probe in the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwest China's Sichuan Province, Dec. 8, 2018. China has launched its Change-4 lunar probe to explore the dark side of the moon, which will be the first soft landing on the far side of the moon in human history. While one side of the moon always faces Earth, the other is in constant shadow and has remained largely unexplored, though it has been photographed extensively. Zou Yongliao, head of the moon and deep-space exploration department under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, hailed the Change-4 lunar probe launch as an immense achievement of our age. About 100 detectors and orbiters have been sent to take photos of the moon since the 1950s, but no probe has made a soft-landing on the surface, he explained. According to reports, during its multi-week flight to the moon, the probe will enter a lunar transfer trajectory and then orbit the moon, before making an autonomous soft-landing on the Aitken Basin of the south lunar pole. The Aitken Basin has never been closely observed before. Therefore, getting first-hand information about the terrain and lunar soil components, as well as other scientific data, will help enrich human understanding of the moon. The basin is the largest and deepest impact crater in the solar system. Wu Weiren, the chief designer of China's lunar probe program and an academician with the Chinese Academy of Engineering, said the basin, with a depth of 12 kilometers, will help humanity explore the moon's inner regions. Additionally, the unique electromagnetic field and geographical conditions of the far side of the moon provide a favorable environment for low-frequency astronomical observations, noted Zou. To date, China has launched four lunar probes, each carrying a unique mission. The countrys first lunar probe, Change-1, was launched in 2007. Change-2, which was launched in 2010, created a full lunar map with a resolution of 7 meters. Change-3, launched in 2013, was the first Chinese spacecraft to soft-land on and explore an extraterrestrial object. Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Beijing's population fell for the first time last year, and the capital still experienced a low fertility rate despite the introduction of the two-child policy in 2016, according to a recently published blue book. The blue book says the number of permanent residents in Beijing was 21.7 million by 2017, a 22,000 decrease year-on-year. Among them, the number of permanent migrants fell by 132,000 to 7.9 million, while the number of registered residents dropped by 37,000 to 13.6 million, the Beijing News reported on Sunday. The blue book, titled Beijing's Population Development and Study Report 2018, was published by the Beijing Population Research Institute at Party School of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Beijing Municipal Committee and Social Sciences Academic Press on Sunday. Beijing's birth rate rose from 7.96 per thousand in 2015 to 9.06 per thousand in 2017, but remains very low. Beijing's birth rate dropped below 10 per thousand in 1991, which is considered a super low fertility rate in demography, according to the blue book. Independent demographer He Yafu told the Global Times on Monday that the drop in the migrant population in Beijing was the result of its city plan for 2016 to 2035 which plans to cap its population at 23 million by 2020. The drop of the registered population was mainly caused by its continuing low fertility rate, He said. The statistics show that the effect of the two-child policy was not obvious in Beijing, as well as other cities in China, because of the high cost of raising children, He said. "Even if Beijing starts to encourage births, the low birth rate would not improve much. Thus, to ease the severe aging problem, the Chinese capital should relax its restrictions on hukou, or household registration, to attract more talent and migrants," He noted. He said migrant workers of mostly working age have greatly eased Beijing's aging process. Meanwhile, the blue book also states that Beijing's aging problem is getting severe, with the number of residents aged 65 and over increasing from 1.7 million in 2010 to 2.4 million in 2017. Graphic by Cho Sang-won By Park Jin-hai "I will get you to the very top. Don't you think I can? I've paved the way for you. If you just endure and push yourself a little, you can have an easy ride to the top. My son, can you do that?" a father whispers to his kneeling son pointing to a model of a pyramid, after he failed to solve a math problem in the given time during a father-son study session. This suffocating scene is from the ongoing drama "SKY Castle." Viewers know that reality can be even worse. Recently, a high school teacher stealing exam papers for his twin daughters attending the same school in southern Seoul to enable them to boost their academic records needed for college admission juxtaposes with stories of students who achieved perfect scores in the College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT) grace news headlines. Education and the ardor for success remain constants in Korean society, and the JTBC drama "SKY Castle" mocks Korea's elite parents' obsession with competitive education. It is enjoying an explosive response from viewers. The viewership of the black comedy, which kicked off with merely 1.7 percent, Nov. 23, has jumped more than five-fold since the first episode. The viewership for the latest episode, aired Saturday, surged to 8.9 percent. With a storyline of parents hiring a ghost writer, who is a law professor, to write an entrance essay for their son, and another hiring a personal counselor which costs the parents over 100 million won a year, "SKY Castle" draws drama fans into a world in which "Korea's 0.1% elite live together to rise even higher" and "endless greed spreads its wings." A law professor leads a reading club within the SKY Castle residence in the JTBC's drama "SKY Castle." / Courtesy of JTBC Drama fans end up debating the differences and similarities between the story and real life. "The parts about the counselor show what is real. In the current college entrance system, with so many admission processes which differ from college to college and changes over time, it is almost like a war of information in order for parents to send their kids to prestigious universities," said a mother surnamed Kim. She lives in Mokdong, an area in the west of Seoul where education fervor has hit parents hard. "Those who are familiar with information about their target university's selection process fast become winners. Based on the information, coordinators make study plans and search overseas contests and competitions that their kids can get high scores on, which the targeted college processes." But high profile coordinators choose their customers, not the other way around, she says. "When choosing their students they require information about parents' jobs and income. Now children from rich families have an absolute advantage in college admission," she added. "Although stories of those chaebol owners might be wholly different, upper-class elite parents try to send their children to Seoul National University first and later make them transfer to Ivy League colleges, because school ties are regarded as important in Korea." The drama also vividly portrays the skewed and gone-awry psyche of the children suffering from the pressure to get academic achievements. Park Young-jae, who just received admission to SNU, had to conceal his hatred until his parents' happiest moment, the day their son was accepted to SNU medical school. The son they knew as gentle and smart leaves the family, with the acceptance letter they'd wanted so badly and a diary stored on a tablet cursing his "hellish" family. The youngest daughter of Han Seo-jin, a housewife married to a medical doctor who is obsessed with making her family reach three generations of medical doctors, habitually steals snacks from a convenience store to relieve the stress of academic pressure. Her mother, instead of preventing her from doing so or asking why, pays the store owner to turn a blind eye. Culture critic Jung Duk-hyun says the drama has received attention from viewers, because it successfully strikes two things the curiosity and uneasiness of looking at those rich elite families' education obsession. "In terms of education, the drama satisfies people's desire to peek into what those closed rich family circles do for their children. But at the same time, viewers feel uneasiness when watching their stories. Those two conflicting emotions wanting to know but feeling uncomfortable makes for some interesting chemistry in the minds of drama fans and puts it on the must-see drama list." A personal counselor checks every detail of the study room including the direction of student's desk and room lighting in the ongoing drama "SKY Castle." / Courtesy of JTBC By Dong Sun-hwa Since the notable success of the biographical film "Bohemian Rhapsody," a flood of content about legendary British band Queen has swept Korea. Some inventive parodies have popped up on the internet and grabbed plenty of attention. For instance, Hankook Ilbo came up with a "Queen Medley Challenge" on Monday, where those working for the media outlet use "unprofessional" but "adorable" instruments to perform some of the band's flagship numbers. Watch Hankook Ilbo's parody: Several well-known TV personalities, such as Yoo Se-yoon and Jun Hyun-moo, also imitated Queen's lead vocalist Freddie Mercury. In particular, Yoo's laughter-evoking parody disclosed on YouTube has achieved over 1.2 million hits. Watch Yoo's parody: The legendary band is not only dominating the online world, but also the small screen. Broadcasters quickly took advantage of the movie's popularity by airing documentaries about the band and Mercury. MBC replayed "Live Aid" at 11:55 p.m. on Dec. 2 that features the band's charity concert gig at London's Wembley Stadium, which was held simultaneously with a concert in Philadelphia in 1985. Despite its late airing, the documentary recorded viewership of 4.1 percent. KBS 1TV's "Global Documentary" aired a documentary titled "Freddie Mercury: THE King of QUEEN" on Sunday. It is from Britain's Channel 4 and shows the band on tour. The rating was 3.3 percent, which is nearly triple the viewership of the previous episode. "Bohemian Rhapsody" has sold over 7 million tickets in Korea since its opening in late October. Explaining its popularity, culture critic Ha Jae-keun said on Dailian that there has been a rise in the number of Koreans who love musical films. "In addition, more young people these days can sympathize with the sentiments of 'social misfits,'" Ha said. A recent survey of Chinese young people indicates that Chinese youth possess a high degree of national identity, with 93.5 percent of the respondents answering that they would still like to be Chinese if there is a life that follows this one, China Youth Daily reported on Dec.11. The survey, jointly conducted in mid-November by China Youth Daily, a Chinese website for volunteer services with the URL zyz.org.cn, and the Communist Youth League of China WeChat public account, for which was adopted a set of five descriptions derived from a survey produced by the Institute of Sociology of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences to measure the national identity of Chinas young people. As it turned out, the survey indicated that the degree of national identity of the respondent Chinese youth was equivalently 8.84 out of 10 points based on the scores of the five descriptions. Specifically, its revealed by the survey that 96.1 percent of the respondents clearly expressed that they often feel proud of Chinas accomplishments, 93.5 percent of the respondent youth confirmed that I would still like to be Chinese if there is a life that follows this one, 88.6 percent of the respondents expressed that No matter what happens to China, I would still stay in the country even if there is a chance to leave, 82.8 percent of the respondents agreed that When people criticize Chinese people, I feel like they are criticizing me, and 60.1 percent of the respondents expressed that they would often be embarrassed about some existing problems in the country. Besides, regarding the question how is the overall situation of Chinas social development since the year 1978, 92.9 percent of the respondent young Chinese held that the country is moving in a good direction, up 3 percentage points when compared with results from the year 1998 when the same question was asked in a survey of Chinese youth carried out by China Youth Daily. I have a primitive dependency on my country. I am Chinese, said Huang Yitian (assumed name), a junior at Renmin University of China, who expressed that she feels proud of the accomplishments of China all the time, which she thought is a very simple and natural feeling as they live in the country and can always enjoy the tangible results from the countrys development and feel the evolution of the Chinese culture. Policy overhaul needed to boost quality of life for children By Park Hyong-ki Another key indicator has shocked the economy again, following weak numbers in employment and investment the total fertility rate. Statistics Korea reported the rate stood at 0.95 per woman in the third quarter of 2018, down from 0.97 in the second quarter. In 2017, it was 1.05. The rate measures how many babies are likely to be born in a woman's lifetime. And the World Health Organization (WHO) suggested the rate at 2 per woman will help an economy maintain the "stability" of its population. Stability, in this case, simply means if two elderly people pass away, two young people will replace them in the natural circle of life, which would not adversely affect the population and labor productivity. It, therefore, will not disrupt the "balance," according to the WHO. If an economy has a rate of less than 2, international organizations such as the WHO and the OECD have suggested that it should overhaul and revise social and economic policies concerning education, labor, environment and immigration to fill the void left by falling population and productivity. Korea's rate is expected to be less than 1 in 2018 and 2019, with the total number of newborns also to be far below the annual threshold of 400,000. The country ranks last among the OECD countries whose average rate is 1.68. The falling rate closely reflects a recent survey showing more than 50 percent of the young saying, "Marriage is a choice not an obligation." And this reflects the growing social and economic hardship amid a slowdown, analysts say. At this rate, Asia's fourth-largest economy, beset by a decreasing birthrate, aging population and high elderly poverty, will be falling off the demographic cliff a lot faster and harder than Japan. In 2014 when the total fertility rate stood at 1.19, the National Assembly Research Service projected that the economy will face population annihilation by the year 2750. But the zero-rate era has pushed its annihilation period forward by 100 years 2650. The zero rate also indicates that the government's welfare policy of pouring billions of dollars into programs to encourage childbirth over the last decade has been an "utter failure." It spent or wasted 130 trillion won ($117 billion) over the last 13 years in an effort to boost childbirth. The government again plans to use billions more to provide allowances to encourage young women to marry and have children. Policy options Analysts say the same policy approach will not work, and it is time to approach the problem from a different perspective amid the inevitable decline in population growth. "Falling birthrate will weigh on its economic potential in the long term," said Sung Tae-yoon, an economist at Yonsei University. "Facing the inevitable demographic cliff, we need a policy that will enable us to push the economy forward stably and sustainably, and that can increase the quality of life in the long run." He noted policy options including improving education and inviting high and low-skilled workers from abroad can help break the vicious cycle and reinvigorate its human capital. But whatever options the government henceforth chooses, they have to be accompanied by structural reforms and innovation. Above all, the economy needs innovation to reshape the market that can remain sustainable even with less population, while boosting quality of life and jobs, the economist added. Otherwise, Korea will find it more difficult to manage its pension fund, which will have to provide money for a growing elderly population, with less money coming in from the young due to the falling birthrate, analysts say. Korea is about to go off a demographic cliff as the total fertility rate stood at below 1 percent in the third quarter of 2018. Yonhap CEO Seo Jong-pil evaluating the startup competition Dsion, a startup investment platform undergoing an ICO, is attracting attention after successfully hosting Start-up Challenge: Singapore. Start-up Challenge: Singapore, which took place on December 9th at the Marina Square Academy, was hosted by Dsion and Singaporean blockchain venture capital firm BlockOn. The competition had a total of 20,000 SGD (around 16.37 million KRW) in awards, drawing local attention. More than 80 startups applied for the competition for three weeks until November 21st, and after going through fierce preliminary rounds between the 1st and 4th of December, ten startups made to the main competition. The final winner of the competition will receive an investment worth 100 million KRW from Founders Space Singapore, which is operated by BlockOn Capital. Furthermore Dsion provided 15,000 SGD (12.33 million KRW), 3,000 SGD (2.46 million KRW), and 2.000 SGD (1.64 million) for the top three teams. The co-host of Start-up Challenge: Singapore, BlockOn, is operating the Singaporean branch of Founders Space, a famous U.S. startup accelerator. They are currently investing in blockchain startups in Singapore, expanding from their business directory project. Dsion, which successfully co-hosted Start-up Challenge: Singapore with BlockOn Capital is aiming to build a wholesome investment ecosystem as a blockchain-based startup investment platform. Dsion aims to become a fair and safe startup investment and is expanding its presence in the global blockchain market by featuring the Startup Challenge winners on their platform. CEO Seo Jong-pil said in his opening address, "I am glad to hold the competition with BlockOn Capital, and since Singapore is a country that leads the fintech and blockchain industry, it is very meaningful that we hosted Startup Challenge: Singapore. Singaporean startups and Dsion will be at the heart of the blockchain industry via continuous cooperation. Dsion will identify and support great startups so that they can achieve success in the competitive startup market." Dsion had positive discussions with CEO Lee Won-jaw of Yozma Group Korea and major figures of Israel, a startup nation, at ABF in Seoul 2018, the first blockchain conference hosted by the Seoul Metropolitan Government. Yaniv Goldberg, Director of Israel's Economy and Trade Division also suggested holding a Dsion Startup Challenge in Israel. As of November 21st, Dsion ended a successful 1st pre-sale and they are currently carrying a 2nd pre-sale. Designers Shin Kyu-yong, left and Park Ji-sun / Courtesy of Blindness By Kang Aa-young Menswear brand Blindness, the most talked about designer dyad in the local fashion scene, is expected to get a boost for their career as they were chosen by the 2019 Samsung Fashion Design Fund (SFDF), an annual fund set aside for talented emerging Korean designers. The award, launched in 2005, provides the winners with financial, logistical and managerial assistance to help them prepare collections and promote their brands both on the national and global stage. Marking its 14th year of support for rising Korean designers, Blindness designers Shin Kyu-yong, Park Ji-sun and London-based label Rejina Pyo's designer Pyo Ji-young were announced as this year's winners of the $100,000 fund, last Tuesday. As part of the prize for this year's SFDF, the recipients' work will be presented at the BEAKER flagship store in Seoul till Thursday. Blindness is one of the rare local brands that were praised by global fashion critics for their "exceptional talent and originality." Now a well-recognized name among fashion insiders, many were wondering where the design pair's inspiration came from. The designers said their brand's unique identity originated from their experience growing up as ordinary citizens in Korea. Shin Kyu-yong and Park Ji-sun, both born in 1988, were raised in Seoul. After serving mandatory military service, Shin attended a fashion school in Seoul, while Park had graduated with a furniture design degree from Hongik University in 2011. In 2013 when he graduated from fashion school, Shin founded the fashion label. After being introduced by a friend in 2015, Park joined him and "Blindness" has since begun to focus more on building today's brand identity. "The brand name 'blindness' means 'go my way, and never be derailed by anything or anybody," Shin explained in an email interview with the Korea Times. "We aimed to reflect our Korean cultural background. For instance, my experience while serving in the military also partly inspired us to go for genderless design," Shin said. All able-bodied Korean men aged between 18 and 35 are required to complete military service. While serving, Shin said he got inspiration as he thought participating in the military is a very masculine experience while it also affects society as a whole. "We have showcased a genderless theme from 2016 Spring and Summer collection. But we aim to build our brand identity to deliver messages not solely on genderless but also various themes like war and peace, which we focused on with our 2018 Fall and Winter collection," he said. The brand debuted internationally at London Fashion Week Men's Fall and Winter season 2018, after they were invited to one of the Big 4 runway shows by Dylan Jones, Chair of London Fashion Week Men's. "I think they (London Fashion Week) came to be interested in us because they were looking for unique and new designs, which I think we partly have," Shin said. "We want the world to know us as a Korean brand, and we will continuously showcase our work abroad." Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, right, welcomes North Korea's special envoy Choe Ryong Hae during their meeting in Moscow, Russia, Thursday, Nov. 20, 2014. Korea Times file The United States on Monday imposed sanctions on three North Korean officials, including a top aide to leader Kim Jong-un, in response to their alleged human rights abuses and censorship. Choe Ryong-hae, who is seen as the No. 2 official in the regime, was designated for being an official of the ruling Workers' Party, the Department of the Treasury said in a statement. Choe is director of the party's Organization and Guidance Department (OGD), which is "instrumental in implementing censorship policies, and purports to control the political affairs of all North Koreans," it said. The other two officials are Minister of State Security Jong Kyong-thaek and Pak Kwang-ho, director of the party's Propaganda and Agitation Department (PAD). The sanctions freeze their property or interests within the U.S. and ban their transactions with U.S. citizens. But the action is expected to be largely symbolic as North Korea is already under heavy sanctions for its nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs. It also comes amid a deadlock in negotiations between Washington and Pyongyang to dismantle the weapons programs in exchange for security guarantees. "Treasury is sanctioning senior North Korean officials who direct departments that perpetrate the regime's brutal state-sponsored censorship activities, human rights violations and abuses, and other abuses in order to suppress and control the population," Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said in the statement. North Korea's minister of state security Jong Kyong-thaek, left, and director of the party's propaganda and agitation department Pak Kwang-ho. Yonhap "These sanctions demonstrate the United States' ongoing support for freedom of expression, and opposition to endemic censorship and human rights abuses," he added. Monday's sanctions were imposed in line with a State Department report on human rights abuses and censorship in North Korea. According to the report, Jong is involved in directing the censorship activities and abuses of his ministry, which is under previous sanctions for its role in the regime's human rights violations, the Treasury said. Pak is responsible for "maintaining ideological purity" in his job as director of the PAD. Meanwhile, the OGD, headed by Choe, oversees party audits of organizations for ideological discipline. "When a party official deviates from the official message in public remarks, the OGD reportedly will dispatch an official to monitor a self-criticism session," the Treasury said. The latest action serves as a reminder of the North's "brutal treatment" of American college student Otto Warmbier, it noted. Otto Frederick Warmbier (C), a University of Virginia student who was detained in North Korea since early January, is taken to North Korea's top court in Pyongyang, North Korea, in this photo released by Kyodo March 16, 2016. Yonhap By Jung Min-ho Korean police have warned Korean residents in Canada not to smoke marijuana, saying those who ignore the warning could face criminal charges when they return to their home country. Yoon Se-jin, head of the Narcotics Crime Investigation Division at Gyeonggi Nambu Provincial Police Agency, warned earlier this week that smoking pot is treated as a serious offense here and Korean smokers, subject to the laws of their country, could face up to five years in prison. "Weed smokers will be punished according to the Korean law, even if they did so in countries where smoking marijuana is legal. There won't be an exception," he said. Last week, Canada became the second country to legalize weed for recreational use. Only Uruguay in South America did so earlier. (Despite its reputation for being open and liberal, the Netherlands has not legalized it fully.) So Canada's move is drawing extensive attention from many countries that must figure out the legality of marijuana issues involving Canadians and their own citizens. Korean police said they plan to hold briefing sessions in Canada and Uruguay to explain the risks of smoking marijuana to Korean residents. According to Ministry of Foreign Affairs data, about 23,000 Koreans with student visas are living in Canada. By Jung Min-ho The Korea Customs Service has reported a surge in marijuana smuggling from North America. The Incheon office said Tuesday that its officials had seized 27 kilograms of marijuana over the past 11 months, a 337 percent surge from the same period last year. After the U.S. state of California and Canada legalized recreational use of the drug earlier this year, the office discovered 182 illegal pot-smuggling cases, a 314 percent spike from last year. "We have seized not just cannabis plants and powder but also jellies and chocolates made with the drug," a customs official said. The office also warned Korean residents and visitors to such countries not to smoke the drug, saying those who ignore the warning could face criminal charges when they return to Korea. By Steven L. Shields There is a small, not-well-known Korean studies association in Korea. The organization began in the late 1890s. Yes, more than 100 years ago. It was the first "learned society" in Korea, organized by Westerners. Its name evokes an era that is, perhaps, long-lost and anachronistic. The Korea Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society (RASKB) is the world's first and oldest organization to pursue and promote Korean studies. It predates, by many decades, every Korean studies department at any university, anywhere in the world. One might ask, why does an organization in modern Korea have such a name? Korea hasn't had anything "royal" for a long time. The era of kings and emperors in Korea is but a memory from history. Korea's last emperor, King Sunjong, died in 1926 but was effectively deposed by the Japanese in 1910. Some have wondered if the name should be changed to reflect changing times. The first "Asiatic Society" was organized in 1784 in Kolkata, the then-capital of British India. A counterpart was organized in Mumbai in 1804. As interest in the Indian subcontinent grew, other societies were organized at Chennai, Bengaluru and Bihar. In the succeeding years, societies were formed throughout the British Empire. The "mother" Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Northern Ireland was formed in London in 1823, and received a royal charter from King George IV, with patronage. With that patronage, the various societies throughout the British Empire were "Royal." There have been two non-British Empire exceptions: Korea and Japan. The Asiatic Society of Japan was established in 1872 and the RASKB was chartered in 1900. English and American missionaries and diplomats organized the RASKB. They had been meeting since at least 1899 and engaged in correspondence with other Asiatic societies in the region. They were encouraged to seek affiliation with the London-based organization and received a charter, with rights to the name. Members of the RASKB are allowed membership rights to many of the programs and services of the parent organization when visiting London. The British Empire was a world power, with colonies around the globe. Scholars and students alike held the Royal Asiatic Society in London in high esteem. Being affiliated was considered a great honor. "Royal" was a common term in those days, for even Korea was a kingdom, or empire, in its own right. Even Korea's royalty was intimately familiar with many RASKB key members. After the 1895 assassination of Queen Min, King Gojong surrounded himself with a group of Western missionaries at all times. This included James S. Gale, Homer B. Hulbert, George Heber Jones, Horace G. Underwood and H.G. Appenzeller, all who were involved in the foundation of the RASKB shortly after. The first general meeting of the newly formed society was on Oct. 24, 1900, with a lecture by Gale, a Presbyterian missionary from Canada who distinguished himself in linguistics, Bible translation and as a scholar of Korean history and culture. His topic was "The Influence of China upon Korea." He traced almost 3,000 years of relations between the two. As readers of history know, there was tension in the region between China and Japan at the time. Korea was right in the middle, and most know the result. The journal of the society, "Transactions of the Korea Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society," carried the date 1900. There are gaps in the activity and publications of the society during times of war. The society has published 92 volumes of "Transactions" containing hundreds of scholarly papers on Korea's history, arts, politics, diplomatic relations, industrial development, architecture, transport, religion and more. At the official organization meeting, the first RASKB president, J. H. Gubbins of the British Legation, noted, "A distinguished traveller, who has written about this country, is reported to have said there was little or nothing in Korea to repay research. Your Council do [sic] not agree with this view. We are aware that the literature of the countryis not as accessible for purposes of research as the literature of other countriesI am sure that you will all agree in thinking that there is every reason to hope that the efforts of our society, though its beginnings be small and its work at first slow, may be successful for the information of all who take an interest in Korea and the Far East." The RASKB is indeed successfully fulfilling the vision of its founders. Steven L. Shields, a retired cleric, serves as a vice president of the Korea Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society and is a columnist for The Korea Times. Visit for more information. By Jon Dunbar The short stories of author Kang Kyeong-ae (1906-44), focusing on colonialism, patriarchy and ethnic nationalism, have never lost relevance since they were written. But now a new book offering translations of her short stories offers something for new audiences. Translator Anton Hur from Sweden offers his own English translations in a new book titled "The Underground Village." An introduction by Lee Sang-kyung places Kang's works into a social and historical context and provides insights into her life. The official release party for the book is this Saturday at North Terrace Cafe, located near the front gate to Changdeok Palace in downtown Seoul. Kang's stories are "remarkable for their rejection of colonialism, patriarchy and ethnic nationalism during a period when such views were truly radical and dangerous," according to the publisher, Honford Star, a publishing house offering English translations of the works of prominent Asian authors. Kang was born in 1906 shortly before Imperial Japan took control of the Korean Peninsula, and died in 1944, shortly before its end. She did all her writing while living in Manchuria, or Japan-occupied Manchukuo, where she witnessed the daily struggles experienced by ethnic Koreans living there and the violence perpetrated against them. "Kang's riveting stories are full of sensitivity, defiance, and a deep understanding of the oppressed people she wrote about," Honford Star said of her work. Honford Star's first release was a collection of short stories by famed Korean author Kim Tong-in. It also published the complete fiction of Taiwanese writer Loa Ho, and Korean author Lee Hyo-seok's novel about an interracial marriage set in 1940s Korea. Translator Anton Hur was born in Stockholm, Sweden, and raised in Hong Kong, Ethiopia, Thailand and finally Korea, where he has lived for over 30 years. He earned a master's degree from Seoul National University's College of Humanities and an LLB from Korea University's College of Law. He has won a PEN Translates award, a Daesan Foundation grant and multiple LTI Korea and Publication Promotion Agency of Korea grants. His previous translation work includes Shin Kyung-sook "The Court Dancer," as well as stories in "Words Without Borders," "Asymptote," "Slice" and "Anomaly Literary Journal." The book release party is happening this Saturday at 7 p.m. at North Terrace Cafe. Copies of the book will be on sale. Hur will give a brief talk related to the publication, and members of the publication company will be in attendance. Visit honfordstar.com for more information about the book and its launch party, or visit for more about the translator. American artillery brigade soldiers participating in the U.S.-South Korea joint Ulchi Freedom Guardian drill take a break at a training ground in Paju, Gyeonggi Province, June 19, 2018. Korea Times file South Korea and the United States are set to hold another round of negotiations in Seoul on Tuesday over dividing the cost for the stationing of the 28,500-strong U.S. Forces Korea (USFK), Seoul officials said. The allies will struggle to nail down a deal from the 10th round of talks over the Special Measures Agreement (SMA), a cost-sharing contract set to expire at the end of this year. The talks will run through Thursday. A sticking point is Washington's push for a sharp increase in Seoul's contribution. This year alone, South Korea has contributed 960 billion won (US$859 million) to maintaining U.S. forces on the peninsula, a key deterrent against possible North Korean aggression. Marines run out from a LVT-7 during the U.S.-South Korea joint landing exercises called Ssangyong, part of the Foal Eagle military exercises, in Pohang, North Gyeongsang Province, Mar. 31, 2014. Yonhap Korea Railroad CEO Oh Young-sik, right, heads to ride a KTX bullet train at Gangneung Station in Gangwon Province, Dec. 10, when the transportation service resumed in three days after a KTX bound from Gangneung to Seoul derailed, injuring a dozen passengers. Yonhap Oh Young-sik, CEO of the Korea Railroad Corp. (KORAIL), resigned Tuesday, taking responsibility for the derailment of a bullet train that injured over a dozen passengers in the country's northeast. "I have emphasized that (ensuring) the safety of our people is the most important role and reason for KORAIL's existence, but I take full responsibility with my deepest apologies for failing to keep that promise," he said in a statement. A Seoul-bound KTX train ran off the tracks in the eastern provincial city of Gangneung early Saturday and injured 16 passengers aboard, with no fatalities. An Identification Manual for Contemporary and Collectors Pieces When a site like Chrono24 can generate over a billion euros in sales, as it did last year, its clearly essential that you know your watch before you click on that Buy button. Its vital not only to understand exactly the model youre after, but also to arm yourself against fakes. On this level, Fabrice Gueroux certainly knows his stuff. This year, the author of the very well received Real and Fake Watches has published an Identification Manual for Contemporary and Collectors Pieces numbering almost 300 pages, to help readers identify suspect finishes and dodgy movements. With over 300 photos and an A4 format that makes the book easy to use and highly portable, this Identification Manual, available in French and English, shares the expertise of a dedicated forgery fighter. Highly recommended, a must-read. In French. In English. Chronomaster Only Chronomaster Aviator Sea Diver: this unusual name identifies one of the most successful and original tool watches of the 1960s, combining a plethora of functions with a timeless design. This chronograph, created in 1961, was produced over a ten-year period under a number of different brands, thanks to a partnership between Swiss company NIVADA SA and the US firm Croton Watch Co. This led to possibly the most complicated label ever seen on a watch dial: CROTON NIVADA GRENCHEN Chronomaster Aviator Sea Diver. With the rigorous methodology we have come to expect from the authors of the Only series, this book in French and English lifts the veil on the incredible variety of Chronomaster models. It positions itself as both an introductory guide for people with an interest in exceptional watches, and a reference for collectors. There is no doubt that this legendary watch deserves a place among the most desirable chronographs of the 1960s. This addition to the Only collection (which includes Flightmaster Only, Moonwatch Only, etc.) provides a singular introduction to an equally singular timepiece, with a preface by the famous auctioneer and WorldTempus contributor, Aurel Bacs. In French. In English. Of Watches and Men Geoffroy Ader probably needs no introduction. But heres one anyway: after starting out as a watch expert for Drouot (1995), Antiquorum (2000) and Tajan (2005), Geoffroy Ader became director for Europe of Sothebys watch department in Geneva, before returning to Antiquorum in 2015 as head of digital media. His book Des montres et des hommes is unusual: its a graphic novel that, through individual stories about watches, provides an insight into historical events. Twelve historical figures share their love for watches through a series of drawings. Their lives shed a light on historical events as they experienced and influenced them. The book, illustrated by Neis, explores some of the finest timepieces sold at auction that have belonged to iconic figures of the 20th century: De Gaulle, Winston Churchill, Adenauer, Kennedy, Gandhi, Einstein, Andy Warhol, Lawrence of Arabia, Elvis Presley, Sir Edmund Hillary, Paul Newman and Henry Graves. While we appreciated the books creative, playful and informative approach, we found the illustrations distracting, particularly in terms of how some of the men were portrayed. For the time being, the book is available only in French, although an English version will be published in time for Baselworld. F.P. Journe Invenit et Fecit This book gives an intimate glimpse into the life of the young enfant terrible Francois-Paul Journe, his madcap exploits with his friends in Marseille, his doubts about the future, and his discovery of the new world of watchmaking, which would become his vocation and his passion. The author covers Francois-Paul Journes research on precision, his drive to create and innovate, but also his doubts, frustrations and rebellions. Francois-Paul Journe creates with his gut, and strives constantly to eschew the banal; for him, banality is death. Interestingly, the preface is penned by his son, the historian Charles Journe, who gives a different perspective on this highly personal story. In English. In French. Your mechanical watch collection Nicolas Esposito is a researcher in the field of user experience, and also a watch lover. This is his first book on watches. He takes an original approach that sets out to answer the question: how does one go about creating a coherent collection of mechanical watches? Its thus aimed mainly at newcomers to the watch collecting world, on the understanding that experienced collectors will already have the knowledge they need. The selection of watches is thus also relatively approachable: Seiko, Alpina, Oris, Hamilton, Longines, Bremont, Stowa, Victorinox, etc., although the author doesnt avoid some necessary diversions into the world of haute horlogerie. However, while the book is original and a good idea in principle, it is sometimes let down by its execution. First, theres the quality of the photos, the majority of which were taken by the author. Yes, we understand the desire to look at real watches, worn by real people. But photography is a serious profession. In terms of the books structure, the way the watches are categorised sometimes seems arbitrary: why is there a category for Luxury watches and another for Iconic watches, as if there were no overlap? And what are supposed to do with Other watches? Its also regrettable that the topics Buying a second-hand watch and Copies and forgeries are dismissed in 15 lines. These are vital areas for anyone venturing into the world of used watches. Perhaps these weaknesses are due to the volume of information that the author wanted to impart (57 sub-headings!), but unfortunately they let down the work as a whole. In conclusion, its an interesting approach to some smaller brands that are worth seeking out, but weaknesses in structure and content mean its not one of our top picks. Audemars Piguet 20th Century Complicated Wristwatches This is the only branded book in our selection this year, but its unusual angle makes it worth consideration. Audemars Piguet takes a look at its complicated watches, 550 of which were produced over the course of the 20th century: specifically, 35 minute repeaters, 188 calendars, 307 chronographs and 20 double complications (calendar and chronograph). The book was produced by the watchmakers heritage department, and we can surmise that the comprehensive archival work involved in setting up the soon-to-be-opened Audemars Piguet museum, had something to do with this books creation. Its not cheap, but the quantity and accuracy of the information it contains make it an invaluable work of reference. English only. By Jung Min-ho A Korean man is being investigated for allegedly killing his Filipina wife, police said Monday. According to the Yangsan Police Station in South Gyeongsang Province, the suspect, 59, was apprehended at his home at 10 p.m. Tuesday after allegedly stabbing his 38-year-old wife to death. Police said they received a call from the man, who confessed his alleged crime on the phone. When they arrived, he was unconscious. He was taken to a hospital immediately. Police said his injuries are not life-threatening. The woman reportedly came to Korea seven years ago after the couple married. By Dong Sun-hwa A single mom in Iksan, North Jeolla Province, was recently arrested for dumping her dead baby into a trash heap. She had reportedly neglected the baby after giving birth, leading to the death. Single mothers abandoning babies has been rising in Korea. There were 116 cases in 2016 and 177 in 2017. There have been 142 cases up to August this year, the latest figure available, according to the National Police Agency. Experts attribute the increase to the enforcement of the September 2012 revision of the adoption related law. Under this law, infants that are not registered after birth cannot be adopted or go to an orphanage. But single moms are reluctant to make registrations because they do not want to be "officially" identified. The unstable economic situation of single moms is another big factor. About 46 percent of them have run up debts, according to the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family. "Men are also half-responsible, and the problem regarding childbirth is also the issue of our entire society," Jung Keun-sik, a sociology professor at Seoul National University, told media outlet Newsis. "To prevent single moms from dumping their infants, there should be a change in system for instance, society should also take responsibility for child rearing." Gyeonggi Province Governor Lee Jae-myung speaks to the press in front of his office in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, Tuesday, after the prosecution announced it had indicted him for alleged violations of the Election Law during the local election campaign in June, and abuse of power. /Yonhap By Kim Jae-heun The prosecution indicted Gyeonggi Province Governor Lee Jae-myung, Tuesday, on two charges of violating the Election Law, and one on abuse of power in committing his estranged brother to a psychiatric hospital. However, prosecutors didn't indict Lee's wife, Kim Hye-gyeong, on allegations she used a "controversial" Twitter account to illegally campaign for her husband due to a lack of evidence. The Suwon District Prosecutors' Office indicted Lee without detention two days before the statute of limitations on the alleged Election Law violations is reached. The office said the governor abused his power in forcibly hospitalizing his older brother in 2012 when he was Seongnam mayor. Lee is suspected of ordering local government civil servants to get his brother committed. While it is mandatory for a psychiatrist to interview an alleged mentally disturbed person prior to a diagnosis and committal, witnesses, including the public officials, said Lee managed to bypass this process, according to the prosecution. Regarding the Election Law violations, Lee is accused of spreading false information during a local campaign in June. The governor said he was wrongly accused of falsely representing himself as a prosecutor in 2001, where in fact he was actually fined 1.5 million won after being found guilty of doing this. The governor also violated the law by announcing unconfirmed profit details of a development project in Daejang-dong in Gyeonggi Province to win votes. The prosecution did not indict him over his alleged extramarital affair with actress Kim Boo-sun, and ties with organized crime, citing a lack of evidence. If Lee is found guilty of violating the Election Law or abuse of power and is fined 1 million won or given a prison term of over one year, he will be removed from the governorship immediately. In addition, he will not be able to run for public office for five years. After the indictment was announcement, Lee expressed regret over the prosecution move, but said he was not surprised and therefore not embarrassed. "I am glad that allegations including my alleged extramarital affairs have been put to rest through the investigation," Lee told the press at his office in Suwon. "I will leave it to the court to find out the truth now and only focus on matters related to governing the province." Lee also denied the rumor that he was leaving the Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), saying, "I'm still a proud member of the party and will do my best not to harm it." With regards to Kim, his wife, the prosecution said it could not find enough evidence that she owned the Twitter account with the ID "Hyegyeonggung Ms. Kim" through which illegal campaigning for Lee was committed. In December 2016 when he was competing against Moon Jae-in in the party primary for the presidential election, postings on the account falsely claimed Moon's son landed a public agency job in 2006 thanks to his father's influence. In April when Lee was competing with Rep. Jeon Hae-cheol of the DPK in the party primary for the governorship, the account claimed Jeon cooperated with an opposition party to attack Lee. By Lee Min-hyung Hanwha Systems has won an 80 billion won ($70.9 million) from the nation's defense procurement agency to provide military intelligence systems for the armed forces here, the Seoul-based defense firm said Tuesday. Under the contract with the Defense Acquisition Program Administration, the Hanwha affiliate will establish a state-of-the-art military intelligence management system (MIMS) for the Army, Air Force and Navy. The system will allow the military to collect and analyze information in a more effective way, helping commanders make more accurate decisions, according to the company. The achievement is the first meaningful outcome since Hanwha S&C, the system integration affiliate of Hanwha, was merged into Hanwha Systems this August. "Hanwha Systems believe the latest contract will help the military modernize its intelligence systems in line with the Fourth Industrial Revolution," a company official said. The company plans to build a data-based intelligence analysis system, enabling the military to gain a more competitive edge in information management over other armed forces, according to the firm. Kim Kyung-han, president at Hanwha Systems' information and communication technology (ICT) division, said the company will do its utmost to successfully complete the contract. "The contract is very meaningful in that the outcome came in part due to the synergy from the recent merger," he said. "We will spare no efforts in upgrading the military's information integration system in a successful way." National Assembly Speaker Moon Hee-sang speaks during a meeting with Vietnam's National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan at the National Assembly, Thursday. Yonhap By Park Ji-won National Assembly Speaker Moon Hee-sang stressed the importance of continued talks with North Korea for unification, urging the international community to help to build peace on the Korean Peninsula. "We should continue to engage with the North and seek to achieve unification eventually," Moon told foreign correspondents in his opening remarks at a press conference in Seoul. "We are in desperate need of the support of the international community to get this fragile sapling of peace to take root." His remarks came amid stalled denuclearization talks between the North and U.S. as well as the decreasing chances of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un visiting Seoul this year. A trail carrying South Korean officials crosses the demilitarized zone (DMZ) in Paju, Gyeonggi Province, as it heads to the North for railway inspections on Nov. 30. / Korea Times file By Kim Bo-eun The South and North are discussing where to hold a ceremony marking the launch of inter-Korean railway and road projects, with the aim of holding the event within this month, the unification ministry said Tuesday. "We are discussing with the North our proposition and theirs," a ministry official told reporters. Leaders of the Koreas agreed at their summit in September to hold the ceremony within the year. Because the plan to inspect the North's train tracks had been put on hold for months, holding the ceremony by December appeared impossible. However, the plan has become more feasible with inspections of the North's railways beginning on Nov. 30, after receiving exemptions from the U.N. Security Council on sanctions on the North for the project. The official clarified that the ceremony, which has been referred to as a groundbreaking ceremony, does not signal the start of actual construction work. "It is a ceremony that shows willingness to proceed with the project," he said. This is because of international sanctions on Pyongyang. "Actual construction will proceed considering the situation over international sanctions on the North," he said. He said South Korea and the U.S. are discussing whether holding the ceremony carries elements that violate sanctions on Pyongyang. The official said plans will be drawn up after the ceremony, and additional inspections could be conducted if deemed necessary. Currently officials of the Koreas are inspecting train tracks along the North's east coast. The inspections will continue through Dec. 17. Earlier this month, they examined the North's train tracks along the west coast. Inspections of the road along the east coast have yet to take place. Meanwhile, officials of the Korea Forest Service, the unification ministry and other experts are currently in Pyongyang to check tree nurseries and factories for forestry equipment. Based on the visit, the South and North will draw up plans for forestry cooperation, including pest control of the North's forests and modernizing tree nurseries, the unification ministry official said. Data from the ministry shows cross-border visits surged this year, as a flurry of inter-Korean exchanges unfolded. A total of 6,148 North Koreans visited the South as of Monday. This is up from 52 last year. As for South Koreans, 806 visited the North, up from 63 last year. To prepare for inter-Korean cooperation between local governments, the unification ministry will host a meeting today. Officials of 17 local governments will attend the meeting presided by Vice Unification Minister Chun Hae-sung. From left are Choe Ryong-hae, vice chairman of North Korea's ruling Workers' Party, State Security Minister Jong Kyong-thaek and Pak Kwang-ho, director of the party's propaganda department. Yonhap By Lee Min-hyung The outlook for a second Washington-Pyongyang summit is dimming amid an escalation of diplomatic tit-for-tat, after the U.S. imposed sanctions on three ranking North Korean officials Monday. The U.S. Treasury Department cited "serious human rights abuse and censorship" as reasons for the sanctions on the North's de facto No. 2 figure, Choe Ryong-hae. The two others are State Security Minister Jong Kyong-thaek and Pak Kwang-ho, director of the Workers' Party's propaganda department. The decision drew a strong backlash from the North, as this is the first time the U.S. has imposed human rights sanctions against the regime since the leaders of the two countries met in June to discuss peace and denuclearization on the Korean Peninsula. The first-ever Washington-Pyongyang summit in Singapore raised hopes to put an end to their decades of hostility. But there has been little sign of progress in their denuclearization talks, so calls have grown for a second summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un to take place sometime in the near future. But the latest decision by the U.S. is expected to cast a more negative outlook for smooth progress in the stalled momentum for talks. "The sanctions on three North Korean officials are acts of flagrant hostility against the spirit of the Singapore summit between the North and the U.S.," the Rodong Sinmun, the North's propaganda outlet, said Tuesday. "The ambivalent attitude from the U.S. is drawing criticism, as the country imposed the sanctions even after agreeing to end any hostility and confrontation against the North," it said. Maeari, another propaganda outlet, also called the U.S. sanctions a "political provocation" against the North. "The U.S. decision is an unforgivable political provocation, getting in the way of the summits' agreement centering on establishing bilateral trust between Pyongyang and Washington," it said. Foreign Ministry building / Korea Times file By Kim Bo-eun The foreign ministry is seeking to create a new bureau that will only deal with China-related affairs. This is in line with increasing demand within the ministry for a greater focus on China considering its increasing global influence. The bureau, if set up, will deal with the aftermath of a conflict over the deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system, as well as trade issues, according to sources. The ministry said discussions are taking place with the interior ministry for a partial organizational shakeup. Currently, the Northeast Asian Bureau takes care of China affairs. Under the bureau are three divisions, the first in charge of Japan, the second China and the third Mongolia. A report on Monday stated that the ministry will create a single bureau for China, and put Japan with India and Australia under a different bureau. The only bureau within the ministry focusing on a single country is the North American Affairs Bureau. The fact that the ministry has been considering a plan to create a bureau to focus on China affairs shows the weight Beijing holds in diplomacy. A ministry official on Tuesday said "the plan involves strengthening the bureau that is in charge of Asia, as there have been many issues including the THAAD system and the new Southern policy." "We are discussing with related ministries on means to meet the needs of strengthening diplomacy within the region of Asia," he said. South Korea's deployment of the U.S. THAAD missile defense system in 2017 strained relations with China, as the country claims that the system can monitor its military activities. In order to create a new bureau, the interior ministry needs to approve the plan. Discussions on budget need to take place with the finance ministry, and the plan needs to be reviewed by the ministry of government legislation and passed at the Cabinet meeting. Yeo Geo-ni, the chief of the Korean Residents Union in Japan, speaks during an interview held at its headquarters, Tokyo, Thursday. / Joint Press Corps By Park Ji-won, Joint Press Corps Ethnic Koreans in Japan are being exposed to growing hatred amid rocky Korea-Japan relations, according to Yeo Geo-ni, chief of the Korean Residents Union in Japan (KRUJ), the largest ethnic Korean organization in Japan. Yeo said that "hate speech" was spreading online as well as in street protests by Japanese far right activists. "The hate speech against us has increased a little bit. A large majority of it is on social media," Yeo said during a meeting with Korean reporters based in Japan, Thursday. When discussing right wing organizations' rallies at KRUJ events, Yeo referred to the police presence outside noting it was needed as the protesters "come every week, even on weekends." His remarks came amid strained relations between Seoul and Tokyo after South Korea's top court ordered a Japanese steel firm, two months ago, to compensate Korean defendants for their forced labor during colonial rule. Tokyo went all-out to condemn the decision saying it was against the 1965 treaty that established diplomatic relations between the two countries. The South Korean Prime Minister expressed "regret" over Japan's move. Regarding the court decision, he urged the government to more actively negotiate with Japan to improve the situation based on the treaty, while saying it should take a "cool-headed" approach. "I feel sorry for the victims. But even though it is a bad treaty, a country should have negotiations and make progress based on it. Japan might think the South Korean government ignores diplomacy if the court acts like there is no such treaty." Yeo pointed out that Japanese students are not taught about Korean history at school and cited this as a possible reason for the hate speech. "Ordinary citizens don't know. They just think Koreans are making a fuss about it. There is hate speech and we receive threatening calls to the consulate general in Sendai." "The comfort woman issue is the same. We have a painful history. Victims remember everything. But perpetrators forget." However, citing the hate speech law proclaimed in 2016, "Japanese people have a conscience. Japanese police officers have protected us when others have made hate speeches." By Kang Seung-woo Korea is in hot water over tons of plastic waste that was illegally shipped to the Philippines earlier this year. Global environmental group Greenpeace unveiled photos Monday showing that 5,100 tons of mixed waste, including plastics and other materials, are piling up on the southern Philippine island of Mindanao. According to the organization, a total of 6,500 tons of garbage was shipped to the Philippines on two occasions July 21 and Oct. 20 declared as plastic synthetic flakes. However, the shipment contained plastics, used batteries, and diapers. A Korean company, Verde Soko Philippine Industrial, was the consignee of the shipment. While the 5,100 tons of trash has been dumped in a rubbish heap, the remaining 1,400 tons has been impounded by the Philippine Bureau of Customs at the Mindanao International Container Terminal, being kept in 51 containers. The pile of garbage is polluting the air and rivers after being lashed by rain and wind, threatening residents' health, according to Greenpeace and local environmental groups. The EcoWaste Coalition, a local organization, staged a rally in front of the Korean embassy in the Philippines, Nov. 15, to protest the waste. It also held a street march, Nov. 28, urging the Bureau of Customs to return the garbage to Korea. In response, the customs office said the next day it would do everything to immediately send the shipments back to Korea. In the wake of growing criticism, the government has also taken action to bring the waste back. "The shipment was an unlawful act by a local waste exporter. We are set to take legal action to get the company to address the issue," said an official of the environment ministry. The slaughter of sea turtles off the coast of Alexandria is a threat to a species that has been living in the region for some hundred million years This is the 74th sea turtle we have rescued in the last four years, said Mau Gawad Hamada, founder of the Alexandria Turtle and Wildlife Rescue Team, an NGO, as she was releasing it back into the sea off Alexandria last week. While every release of a sea turtle is accompanied by huge crowds and marine lovers who accompany Hamada and her team, a recent survey has shown that the killing of the sea turtles is still going on despite the official and non-official campaigns that have been gaining strength across the Mediterranean city. When someone sees turtles being sold in markets in Alexandria, they call us to go to rescue them and stop them from being slaughtered, Hamada said. The team collects money from its members to buy turtles from sellers so they can be saved and released back into the sea. This time round, the team reached an illegal trader in the fish market at just the right time to buy the turtles from him so that they could release them back into the sea. We must be prepared at all times for calls that might save an endangered marine life species, Hamada said. The illegal trader who was selling the turtles was later arrested by the Alexandria Water Authority and the Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency and charged under Article 28 of the environment law that stipulates that it is forbidden to hunt, possess, transport or circulate and sell endangered wild birds and animals. Though the article is clear, illegal traders do not always get imprisoned as they are released from jail after serving a one-day sentence and paying a small fine, Hamada added. Mohamed Nada, head of the Save the Sea Turtle Project, said that sea turtle populations have declined throughout the Mediterranean and particularly off the coast between Alexandria and Salloum. There were various reasons, he said, including direct exploitation, the destruction of nesting sites due to the rapidly expanding tourist industry, incidental capture in fisheries, and a lack of awareness among the public. Since Hamadas team was founded in 2014, the group has been raising awareness among local populations of the serious threat to sea turtles. People do not always know. Sometimes even fishermen and fish traders are not aware of the risks when they catch a sea turtle, and raising awareness is one of the main goals of the group. There has been a lot of progress. It is often local people, sometimes vendors and children, who call us if they see sea turtles in a market or being washed out to sea, Hamada added. In addition to stopping the illegal trade in sea turtles, the group has also helped bring foreign consulates and civil society groups on board to raise awareness about the environmental changes affecting them. Foreign Consultates A recent report has shown that the world has lost up to 60 per cent of its wild life over the past 50 years. It shows the devastating effect of the human species homo sapiens on planet Earth. The British Consulate in Alexandria has been hosting events to support the Alexandria Turtle and Wildlife Rescue Team and raise awareness about wild life in the city. From cleaning beaches to hosting conferences and securing funds, the consulate has made valuable efforts in this vital cause. British Consul in Alexandria Wendy Freeman told Al-Ahram Weekly that the best way I have found in trying to address this pressing issue is to raise awareness and to educate people. I have been supporting Mau by helping her raise awareness and get the message out. She is protecting sea turtles, which are an endangered species. But I also help her to protect wildlife and stray animals by promoting compassion to animals. Whether you are in Egypt, in the UK, or elsewhere in the world, the best way is to raise awareness among people because it is people who have the most impact on animals, Freeman said. Sea Turtle The consulate offers what help and support it can, including by hosting the first conference on sea turtles in Alexandria last year that brought together experts from marine life and northern environment authorities as well as the Egyptian customs authorities and schools to help people understand the benefits of sea turtles. When people understand the benefits of sea turtles, including that the turtles eat the jelly fish that have been threatening Egypts shores, they will stop killing them. The more turtles there are, the less jelly fish there will be and the more tourists there will be, Freeman said, adding that the consulate had helped to mark World Wildlife Day in Alexandria and the beach clean-up drive sponsored by the British embassy. The unofficial actions of the British consulate to protect marine life and wildlife in Alexandria comes in parallel to the British governments priorities this year. One of these is to support environmental protection, especially by removing plastic from the seas and eradicating the illegal trade in wildlife. Removing plastic from the worlds seas and oceans has topped government agendas because of the unprecedented decline in marine life threatening many species. The fact is that plastic bags have been found in turtles, and when they eat the plastic they die, Freeman added. This plastic is choking the worlds marine life. Our role is to encourage people to stop using plastic, and I will keep doing what I can to support the campaign. Banning Plastic Bags According to a report by the World Economic Forum, there will be more plastic than fish in the sea by 2050 when plastic bags will outnumber fish in the worlds seas and oceans. According to the report, the worlds use of plastic has increased 20 fold over the past 50 years, and it is expected to triple in the next 20. Since Alexandria is one of the largest African cities with a population that exceeds eight million, it is also one of the largest waste-disposal sites in the Mediterranean Sea. A recent report conducted by the Oceanography Department at Alexandria University monitored the physical and chemical nature of major land-based sources of pollution near the Alexandria coast, concluding that the effect of the disposal of untreated waste was very clear on marine life, which had been very seriously affected in areas downstream of such land-based sources. Hamda team The discharge of waste in these areas had created unacceptable environmental conditions that do not support marine life in ecologically important ways. This was very clearly seen in recent years when we realised the impact plastic bags were having on marine life in the Alexandria sea belt, said Ahmed Yassin, founder of the citys Make a Contribution Club (MAC), a local environment group. The club has organised initiatives to ban plastic bags in Alexandria in parallel with government efforts to replace traditional plastic bags with eco-friendly ones. If we start from our own homes, things will be easier, said Yassin, who has identified three steps that should be followed to halt the discharge of waste into the sea. First, divide your waste into organic and recycled. Second, reuse the plastic you already have at home. Third, use cloth bags instead of plastic ones when doing any shopping, he advised. If these things are applied by houses, clubs, institutions and factories in the city, Alexandria will be the number one in Egypt to ban plastics. Cleaning up the citys beaches is also a priority for the MAC club this year, as it organises clean-ups of the most polluted ones in Alexandria. If we can ban throwing plastic into the sea, some turtles and marine life species will survive. People should realise that by changing their behaviour we can make a difference and make a great contribution to marine conservation, Yassin said. It is sad to see a turtle die because of a straw stuck in its stomach, or a dolphin getting tangled up in a plastic bag. If we can stop these things, then lets get together and stop them, he concluded. More On Turtles The first records of hunting sea turtles in Alexandria are by British zoologist and conservationist Stanley Flower in 1933, when he reported seeing a large loggerhead turtle at the Alexandria fish market. Almost 50 years later, Mohamed Nada in a study published in 2001 described the sea-turtle trade in Egypt and said the declining number of sea turtles was due not only to illegal fishing but also to low nesting figures for marine turtles compared to other areas in the Mediterranean, with nests scattered along the coastline. Sometimes, the nests are washed away by tourism projects. A satellite tracking study conducted in 2000 showed that Egyptian waters were visiting sites on the female green turtle migration route. After nesting in Northern Cyprus, five out of six female green turtles visit Egyptian waters as a wintering area, which means that Egypt is primary destination for marine sea turtles. Earlier studies in the 1990s revealed that nesting female populations are as low as 2,000 loggerhead turtles and 300 to 400 green turtles nesting each year. However, as Nada suggested, Egypt remains a serious threat to remaining sea turtle populations due to illegal fishing practices and illegal sales. Sea turtles act as grazing animals, cutting sea grass beds and helping to maintain their health. Without the sea grass beds, many marine species would be lost, as would lower levels of the food chain, Ahmed Gamey, an animal specialist, told the Weekly. There is little or no vegetation on dunes or beaches on the North Coast, and this can also be a threat to sea turtles. When the turtles lay their eggs on the Alexandria beaches, very few hatch properly due to poor vegetation of the industrial or tourist projects constructed near the shore. These destroy the local food chains and ecosystems, Gamey explained. *A version of this article appears in print in the 6 December, 2018 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly under the headline: Saving the sea turtles Search Keywords: Short link: Police officers inspect a taxi where a driver surnamed Choi set himself on fire in front of the National Assembly, Monday, in protest of Kakao Mobility's ridesharing app. Yonhap By Lee Suh-yoon Around 100,000 taxi drivers are expected to descend on the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, next Thursday, calling on lawmakers to ban Kakao Mobility's new ridesharing app. This is the third such rally against the launch of the app, which started its test run last Friday. The upcoming rally will be the biggest one yet, fanned by the suicide of a taxi driver surnamed Choi who set himself on fire in front of the National Assembly on Monday in a show of protest. He died later in the day. "To honor the deceased's wishes, we will resist Kakao's ridesharing app in full force," Lee Yang-duk, an executive member of the Korea Taxi Union (KTU), told The Korea Times, Tuesday. The group said the drivers would use about 10,000 vehicles to surround the Assembly building and block Seogang Bridge, adding they don't care about the legal consequences of doing so. Key taxi unions and associations also announced they would boycott Kakao T, Kakao's popular cab-hailing app. The ridesharing app is scheduled to officially launch on Monday. It already has around 70,000 registered drivers rivaling the total number of cabs in Seoul. Paid rides in unlicensed vehicles are banned in Korea, but Kakao was able to launch a limited ridesharing app because the Passenger Transport Service Act allows such services during commuting hours. Taxi drivers protest in front of the National Assembly at Yeouido, Nov. 22, at the second major rally against ridesharing apps. Korea Times photo by Bae Woo-han Drone delivery company, Wing, projects to begin services in Helsinki, Finland in spring 2019. Drones developed by the Alphabet subsidiary company provide pick-up and delivery services. The company started testing their services in Australia since 2014 and are now ready to start another trial in Finland in spring of 2019. According to the company, the drones are designed in-house. Their current model features fixed wings similar to an airplane, helicopter-like rotors and a wingspan less than 1.5 meters Each drone weighs about 5 kilograms and is able to carry packages weighing up to 1.5 kilograms. The drones are able to fly roughly 20 kilometers round trip. By Kim Ae-ran Thanks to the benefactors of our sister who lived as a missionary in Russia long ago, I watched a Korean version of "A Doll's House" produced by promising Russian director Yury Butusov in November. "A Doll's House" was performed in celebration of the 50th anniversary of the foundation of Seoul Arts Center in Korea. Even though "A Doll's House" was written by Henrik Ibsen (1828-1906) in Norway in 1879, this three-act play is still significant. It was the most frequently performed play in the year of 2006 marking the 100th anniversary of the death of Henrik Ibsen. Manuscripts signed by Ibsen were registered to UNESCO in 2001 because of his plays' historical significance as the beginning of modern theater. "A Doll's House" questions the traditional roles of men and women in 19th-century marriage. The protagonist of this play, Nora undergoes the process of self-realization in search of the true identity of women. The image of a woman coming out of the house to be independent was scandalous in the 19th century, but the play as a whole implies a spiritual transformation from a passive doll-like person to a positive and creative person. Nora, wife of Torvald Helmer and mother of three children, lived the ideal life and did her best to dedicate herself to the love of her husband. This love even led her to forge a signature on a loan application to help her sick husband. Torvald, a newly promoted bank manager, is fond of calling his wife "my little skylark" or "my little squirrel." The image of a skylark or of a squirrel reveals a patriarchal sense of authority in a male-dominated world. The moral and perfect husband regards Nora's habits of shopping and eating cookies as being shallow-minded. Going through an internal conflict due to her false signature on the promissory note, Nora realizes her father treated her as a doll. Looking back, she wasn't able to assert herself or argue about anything in front of her father. Furthermore, her husband also regarded her as a doll without any opinion or will at all. She just needed the presence of men near her and followed them without question. . As a result, the Helmers' married life turned out to be a prison where strangers live together without true love. This dynamic is revealed through Torvald's criticism of his wife's mistake. Instead of understanding the intention of his wife, he just condemned her, and his act of understanding and forgiveness came too late. -"I have waited so patiently for eight years; for, goodness knows, I knew very well that wonderful things don't happen every day. Then this horrible misfortune came upon me Ah, Torvald, the most wonderful thing of all would have to happen." -"Tell me what that would be!" -"Both you and I would have to be so changed that Oh, Torvald, I don't believe any longer in wonderful things happening." -"But I will believe in it. Tell me! So changed that?" -"That our life together would be a real wedlock. Goodbye." -"Nora! Nora! Empty. She is gone The most wonderful thing of all?" On the other hand, Nora's friends, Kristine Linde and Nils Krogstad, could recover their relationship after ups and downs, but Nora needs some quality time desperately to calm herself down. This contemporary era is quite different from the times of Nora, but it would be worth questioning if we live in another form of dollhouse surrounded by cybots and artificial intelligence that bring the most convenient but dehumanized benefits of ultra-tech, which will lose power during a blackout. The author is a member of the Daughters of St. Paul (Figlie di San Paolo) living and giving the Good News to the world by means of social communication. Learn more about the congregation at fsp.pauline.or.kr. By Doug Bandow BANGKOK The friendly, informal nation of Thailand draws visitors from around the world. Filling some backstreet Bangkok neighborhoods are impoverished Pakistani Christians, stranded in the Thai capital while hoping to gain religious asylum elsewhere. They survive with support from my friends at Christian Freedom International (CFI) which aids victims of religious persecution and other humanitarian groups. The situation reflects the social and legal discrimination and persecution, often violent, against religious minorities in Pakistan. The Global Minorities Alliance noted, "An increase of attacks against minorities in Pakistan has led to Christians heavy-heartedly fleeing their country," many to Thailand. There's not much the U.S. government can do to ease Christians' plight in Pakistan, other than press Islamabad to protect the lives, dignity, and liberties of all its peoples. But Washington could accept the few thousand Pakistanis stuck in Bangkok, essentially people without a country. Even the Trump administration should welcome religious minorities fleeing Islamist oppression. Pakistan long has been inhospitable to anyone other than Sunni Muslims. Open Doors ranked Pakistan as the world's No. five persecutor on its world watch list. The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom rated Pakistan a country of particular concern. The State Department put Pakistan on its "Special Watch List." The British All-Party Parliamentary Group for International Freedom of Religion or Belief recently detailed the awful state of religious liberty in Pakistan: "Pakistan presents a particularly bleak environment for individuals wishing to manifest their right to freedom of religion or belief. Across the country there are individual and communal cases of discrimination and oppression." Umair Javed, a noted columnist for the Pakistani newspaper Dawn, said "Violence against minority groups is deeply embedded within political and social processes in Pakistan." It is small wonder that many Pakistanis sought sanctuary elsewhere. I have talked with refugees now living in Bangkok and heard tragic stories of threats, attacks, hostility, and violence. Many were physically assaulted. Most had good reasons to flee. A few years ago Thailand became a hoped-for way-station because the land of smiles was one of the few nations which permitted Pakistanis to enter as tourists. Moreover, the United Nations was present, having long certified Burmese fleeing persecution and conflict nearby as refugees. So Pakistani Christians hoped they could gain resettlement in the West, and especially America. At one point there were an estimated 11,500 Pakistani Christians in Thailand, but it soon became evident that the country was no sanctuary. Even my short visits over time, aided by the CFI, highlighted the many challenges asylum seekers face. The U.N. took months, even years, to interview Pakistani refugees. Thailand never ratified the 1951 U.N. Refugee Convention and does not respect U.N. refugee designations. Pakistanis cannot legally work or purchase property. Alas, the situation has worsened as the Thai government intensified efforts to find and arrest refugees. Detainees are stuck in overcrowded, squalid immigration detention centers. Some detainees end up in prisons, confined alongside hardened criminals. The CFI aids Pakistani refugees in numerous ways, providing food and sundries to families, supporting a church focused on refugees' needs, visiting and bringing food to detainees, finding employment opportunities for adults, counseling family members, and running a school for children. But the group can only assist a limited number of families. Need is dramatically greater than available resources, despite the CFI's best efforts. Nevertheless, hope remains. The CFI's Wendy Wright relates stories of Pakistani refugees threatened at home who find spiritual growth and happiness among fellow believers. Pakistani expatriates who gain fulfillment serving their even more desperate countrymen and women. These brave souls fled utter darkness at home and now reflect God's light in another country. The U.S. and other nations should encourage Bangkok to test alternatives to mass incarceration, such as bail coupled with ankle monitors and other forms of official supervision. Thailand also should consider creating official migrant housing and work opportunities, at least for religious refugees desiring to be resettled overseas. Most important, Washington should reclaim its humanitarian heritage and take in Pakistanis currently stuck in Bangkok. The number is quite small. Having been persecuted, they are among the best candidates for U.S. citizenship, almost certain to appreciate their new home. Opening America's door, even only a crack, would help ease criticism of the administration for its ungenerous approach to refugees. It is easy for people in wealthy industrialized nations to forget how blessed they are. They should allow Pakistani Christians stuck in Thailand to find new homes, to replace the one they gave up in their search for respect, safety and liberty. Doug Bandow (chessset@aol.com) is a senior fellow at the Cato Institute and former special assistant to President Ronald Reagan. He is the author of "Beyond Good Intentions: A Biblical View of Politics" and "Foreign Follies: America's New Global Empire." There's an aspect to China's rise as an economic power that presents a constant national security threat to the United States: the unlimited reach of the Chinese government. In China's communist-run political system, lines of control and influence between Beijing and privately operated enterprises are murky when those lines exist at all. Some Chinese companies are owned directly by the government, but all owe a level of fealty to the government. A few weeks ago, the Chinese news media disclosed that Jack Ma, a Chinese internet entrepreneur worth $39 billion, is a Communist Party member. The revelation isn't scandalous because it reflects the reality of the Chinese hybrid system: There's no place for business owners and executives to hide in an authoritarian state. So they might as well join the party and accrue the benefits. That's all background for a spectacular legal confrontation now brewing between China and the U.S. over Huawei, China's telecom giant. On Dec. 1, Canadian authorities fulfilled a U.S. government request to arrest Huawei's chief financial officer amid allegations the company violated U.S. trade sanctions against Iran. The pressure point runs much deeper than whatever U.S.-originated equipment Huawei may have sold to Iran. Huawei is described as the world's largest supplier of cellular tower electronics and other telecommunications equipment. The firm is on the cutting edge, developing and selling 5G (fifth generation) mobile phone service technology around the world. All fine global competition is welcome. Except almost everything related to telecommunications technology has potential military usefulness, including for espionage. Huawei says it's a privately owned company that doesn't answer to the government, doesn't engage in espionage and complies with all applicable law. But who really calls the shots at Huawei? The company's founder, Ren Zhengfei, is a former Chinese army officer. He left the People's Liberation Army in the early 1980s, the era in which Premier Deng Xiaoping decided to embrace free-market reforms while retaining one-party rule. Ren's daughter, Meng Wanzhou, is the Huawei executive who was arrested in Vancouver. The U.S. government is deeply suspicious of Huawei and its connections to the Chinese government. A 2012 congressional report concluded that Huawei couldn't prove its independence from government control. The report determined that Huawei and another firm, ZTE, provided "a wealth of opportunities for Chinese intelligence agencies to insert malicious hardware or software implants into critical telecommunications components and systems." Even if company executives refused to help their government commit nefarious acts, the report noted, all it would take is recruiting a few technicians to do the dirty work. Chinese law appears to require cooperation with any request under the guise of state security. The arrest may complicate the Trump administration's trade negotiations with China, given that Chinese authorities are angry about the treatment of such a high-profile executive. But this collision of interests will turn out to be a good test of Chinese intentions. Trade is one facet of a complex relationship. Both sides will be better off if President Donald Trump can negotiate a deal with Chinese President Xi Jinping without getting distracted by a criminal case that will proceed on the merits. As for companies like Huawei, the Chinese government has a choice. It can encourage companies in sensitive industries to open themselves to outside scrutiny and investment. It also can insist that companies like Huawei respect the law U.S. sanctions against Iran included. Or China can allow companies like Huawei to stay in the shadows, untrusted by the United States and other Western governments. There are plenty of other telecom companies willing to sell sensitive equipment and play by the rules. The above editorial appeared in the Chicago Tribune. It was distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. By Andrew Hammond With Ukraine-Russia tensions at the highest level for years, a U.S. 6th Fleet warship is making preparations to potentially travel into the Black Sea. The U.S. move, amid Russia's seizure last month of Ukrainian ships and sailors, comes as Kiev has warned of a Russian invasion in what is already the bloodiest European conflict since the wars over the former Yugoslavia in the 1990s. Fighting between Ukraine and Moscow-based separatists in the Donbass region of eastern Ukraine, alone, has already killed more than 10,000 people, with more than 1 million people having fled their homes. This underlines that it may be the most dangerous flashpoint on the globe right now, and there is renewed possibility of escalation with Russia increasing troops and weaponry in Crimea and other areas and boosting its naval presence in the region. On Thursday, Ukraine called on the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) for a toughening of U.S. and European sanctions against Russia. These sanctions have been in place since 2014 after the annexation of Crimea, previously a Ukrainian territory, and a pro-Russian leader was toppled in Kiev. While most of the fighting ended with a ceasefire in 2015, deadly exchanges of fire continue. And Western leaders are, once again, trying to de-escalate the situation after Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko warned last week of "full-scale war." The last time Petroshenko warned of such a "full-scale Russian invasion along all fronts" was in 2016 when then President Francois Hollande said "total war" is raising its head again. The challenge for all sides, not least France and Germany which helped broker the February 2015 Minsk agreement, is that the terms of the deal are still far from being realized. These provisions include an immediate, full bilateral ceasefire, plus withdrawal of heavy weapons from Donetsk and Luhansk where fighting since 2014 has seen Russian-backed separatists seize significant portions of the regions. This has raised international fears about the viability of the Ukrainian state. Whether tensions escalate or subside will now probably depend most upon the political calculus of Russia. Previously, Moscow had hoped that sustained economic, military and political pressure could lead to significant loss of support within Ukraine for the pro-Western orientation of the Kiev government. That scenario has not fully come to pass yet, although Petroshenko is facing an uphill struggle for re-election March 31. In this context, it is unclear what the risk tolerance of the Russian leadership now is with Putin, in what could prove a final six-year term as president. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov insists Moscow remains committed to the Minsk agreement, although Putin has said it is "too early" to return Ukrainian sailors and naval vessels which his country claims were seized because they had violated Russia's territorial waters. If tensions rise further in December or early 2019, international debate could reignite not just about sanctions, but also intensified military support for Poroshenko's government which has imposed martial law. Kiev in recent years has received enhanced support including from NATO which has recalibrated its capability to respond to what is perceived as an enhanced Russian security threat, not just to Ukraine, but also other countries too, including the Baltic states. Specific measures include boosting NATO forces in Eastern Europe with four battalions, led by the United Kingdom, the United States, Germany and Canada, rotated in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland. This is being buttressed by measures to boost the defense capabilities and resilience of Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova through a range of political and practical support. Moreover, NATO continues working with Finland and Sweden to bolster security in the Baltic Sea and Black Sea areas. It is also possible that a further uptick in tensions in Ukraine may also reopen debate in Washington over enhanced U.S. bilateral military support for Kiev following former President Barack Obama's consideration toward the end of his term of office of a range of potential options, including so-called "non-lethal" equipment such as reconnaissance drones and radar screens. Prior to the announcement of the Minsk deal, then-U.S. Defense Secretary Ashton Carter asserted his preference of providing enhanced military assistance to Ukraine, and there are still pockets of support in Congress for providing this. However, the West is divided on this issue, with some key figures in Europe especially concerned that provision of equipment such as anti-tank weapons could be used by Ukraine not just to secure military balance on the ground between its own and separatist forces. But that it could potentially become a means to achieve more ambitious, risky military goals. Angela Merkel, for instance, cites her own experience of growing up in East Berlin during the Cold War, and has said repeatedly there is no military solution to the conflict. She particularly fears that, given current mistrust with Moscow, providing extensive weaponry to Ukraine will only intensify the conflict which could risk becoming a proxy war between Russia and the wider West. Taken overall, international diplomatic activity could now ramp up significantly with the crisis potentially spiraling out of control again. With much now depending upon the calculus of Moscow, if the crisis escalates further, there may be growing pressure not just to toughen Western sanctions, but also to provide enhanced military assistance to Kiev. Andrew Hammond ( ) is an associate at LSE IDEAS at the London School of Economics. New minister should focus on economic recovery President Moon Jae-in formally appointed Hong Nam-ki as his new deputy prime minister for the economy, Monday. Hong, who cleared the National Assembly's confirmation procedure last Friday, immediately went to work as the minister of economy and finance. The new minister has a lot on his shoulders. First of all, he must find measures to boost the sinking economy. Korea's economic growth rate is forecast to fall to 2.7 percent this year and around 2.5 percent next year. Its flagship industries, including car making, steel and shipbuilding, are faltering. They are being shoved aside by their rapidly expanding Chinese competitors. As things stand now, Korea Inc. will hardly be able to survive in the fierce global competition. All this shows the need for the Korean economy to have its innovative growth strategy for the manufacturing sector reshaped to be far more elaborate and practicable than the "Made in China 2025" program. Second, President Moon's new economic czar must solve the aggravating unemployment problem. In the first 10 months of the year, Asia's fourth-largest economy added only 97,000 new jobs, about one-third of 328,000 openings a year ago. Economic recovery is the best way to create decent jobs. Hong should strive to minimize adverse effects of steep minimum wage hikes and the shorter workweek by implementing them far more flexibly than before. These policies, though intended to benefit low-income workers, have backfired, hindering job growth. Third, the top economic policymaker will have to cope with external economic conditions smartly. The U.S.-China trade war, emerging economies' crises and a possible global business slump are factors that can adversely affect the small open Korean economy. If the nation fails to prepare for various unexpected scenarios, the economic damage may prove to be far bigger than expected. The road ahead for Hong will be far from smooth. His biggest internal task will be to coordinate conflicting interests among different sectors. What's needed of Hong is great determination to revive the moribund economy and a pragmatic approach in carrying out major policies. He must create the basis for economic rebuilding. On his shoulders is not just the Moon administration's success but the livelihood of numerous working families. Lee Jae-myung faces uncertain political future The prosecution indicted Gyeonggi Governor Lee Jae-myung Tuesday on allegations of abuse of power and violation of the election law. The Suwon District Prosecutors' Office indicted Lee without physical detention. Since taking office as Gyeonggi governor, he has been unable to focus on his duties as he has faced investigations into a wide range of allegations about him and his family. Lee has been suspected of abusing his power in 2012 while serving as Seongnam mayor to commit his late older brother to a psychiatric institution against his will, and lying about it during the June 13 local election campaign. In addition, he has been accused of spreading false information about a development project in Seongnam in violation of the election law. He has also been suspected of engaging in an extramarital affair with a former film star and having ties to organized crime. But prosecutors determined there was not enough evidence to press charges against him on these. Also owing to lack of sufficient evidence, prosecutors decided not to indict Lee's wife Kim Hye-kyung, who has faced allegations that she spread malicious comments about her husband's political rivals, including President Moon Jae-in, on Twitter. Lee formerly served as mayor of Seongnam before winning the race for Gyeonggi governor as a candidate of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) in the June local elections. The victory seemed to consolidate his status as a star politician and a possible frontrunner of the ruling party in the next presidential election. He had received media attention for initiating some timely policies such as subsidies for young adults while serving as Seongnam mayor. But his leadership has been damaged significantly after a wide range of allegations that fueled public distrust about his ethics and character. The controversy regarding the Gyeonggi governor has triggered calls for the DPK to expel him from the party. During a press conference on the same day as the prosecution's announcement to indict him, Lee showed no intention of leaving the party, saying he was a "proud member." If he is ultimately found guilty in court, he could lose his post as governor. His political future now remains uncertain. Lee said he would do his best not to cause any more trouble for the DPK, but his scandal has negatively affected the people's views of Moon and the ruling party. Moon's job approval rating dropped to 48.7 percent in a Realmeter survey conducted from Nov. 26 to 30, the lowest since the onset of his administration in May 2017. Lee's credibility as a politician has been severely hampered in the wake of the series of distasteful allegations. He should fully cooperate with the court proceedings and deliver only a truthful account of his doings. That is the least he can do for the people who voted for him. By Lee Seong-hyon When the Truman administration in 1945 dropped two nuclear bombs on Japan, Mao Zedong's reaction was uncommon. He belittled the nuclear bomb as a "paper tiger" (zhi lao hu). He said that "American reactionaries" were trying to scare people by exaggerating the power of nuclear weapons. Mao's remarks were for domestic audience. He was trying to reassure the Chinese people. Yet Mao gradually became aware of the importance of possessing nuclear weapons to survive in the jungle of international politics. In fact, he led the development of China's own nuclear weapons. According to the seminal work by John Lewis and Xue Litai of Stanford University, based on their study on diplomatic files and interviews with the Chinese people who were involved in the engineering of the bombs, the most important motive for China to develop nuclear weapons was the United States. In the period during the Korean War truce negotiations, Eisenhower, former commander of NATO and the president-elect, suggested the possibility of a nuclear attack. Eisenhower publicly warned that there was a "possibility" of using nuclear weapons against China if the Korean War truce negotiations were stalled due to China's unwillingness. In the height of military tensions between Washington and Beijing during the First Taiwan Strait crisis in 1954-55, Mao and other Communist Party leaders in China became aware that it would be indispensable to China's security to have nuclear weapons. In particular, Mao saw nuclear weapons as an effective "deterrence strategy" for China against then much more powerful rivals by having the "second-strike" ability to retaliate with a nuclear weapon after it was attacked by an adversary. Following the first atomic bomb test in 1964, China successfully conducted its first hydrogen bomb test in 1967. Officially, China's last nuclear test was in 1996, its 22nd underground nuclear test and also the 45th nuclear test in its entirety. The test in 1996 was the last because China joined the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) that year. Since then, however, China has not conducted nuclear tests yet has been doing "simulations." And in terms of simulation frequency, China is reportedly ahead of the U.S. The number of nuclear weapons possessed by China is a state secret. There are various estimates. The Federation of American Scientists estimated China had 260 nuclear weapons in 2015. The U.S. Department of State estimates China has 270 nuclear weapons as of 2017. One interesting question is why China, the world's second-largest economy trailing only behind the United States, has relatively few nuclear weapons. China has the smallest number of nuclear weapons among the five U.N. Security Council members, including Britain and France. It's partly due to China's immemorial concern, if not obsession, to seek a "centralized control" of its large country, including the nuclear arsenal. During the socio-political turmoil of the Cultural Revolution (1966-76) that concurred with the nuclear development and key upgrading period of China, the Chinese leadership imposed too much importance on the centralized management of nuclear weapons. China's nuclear power was small, but keeping it that way also makes it easy to manage. Another reason is the "asymmetrical" nature of nuclear weapons. Nuclear weapons are so powerful and destructive that, even having a small number of nukes would be sufficient to deter an enemy state. So far, at least, this rule of thumb proves to be right. No nuclear country has ever been attacked by another nuclear state. Specifically, Mao believed a small number of atomic bombs were enough to scare foes. Mao said, "We must keep it a little, keep it small, and keep it at a high level!" Mao and North Korea's founder Kim Il-sung (Kim Jong-un's grandfather) happened to have something in common in their nuclear karma. Kim Il-sung's awareness of the necessity of developing nuclear weapons was also first formed when he saw the power of the atomic bombs the U.S. dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Both China and North Korea had previously had difficulties in developing nuclear weapons, faced with strong opposition from Washington. Both Mao and Kim also believed nuclear weapons were not just merely weapons, but the apparatus to give them voices and clout in international politics. Lee Seong-hyon (sunnybbsfs@gmail.com), Ph.D., is the director, Center for Chinese Studies; and also the Director, Department of Unification Strategy at Sejong Institute. Starbucks Coffee Korea CEO Lee Seock-koo, fifth from right in front row, poses for a photo with ChildFund Korea President Lee Je-hoon and children in front of a Starbucks store in Seoul, Tuesday, after donating 471 million won ($417,000) to the charitable organization as part of the Santa Barista Fund Raising Campaign. / Yonhap Egypt's top prosecutor Nabil Sadek has referred the former head of the Egyptian Customs Authority to a criminal trial on charges of accepting bribes to illegally offer others customs benefits, a source at the public prosecution office said on Monday. Gamal Abdelazim was arrested in July on suspicion of taking bribes to facilitate the entry of banned goods into the country without customs duties, Egypts Administrative Control Authority said at the time. He now faces charges of illicit gains of around EGP 870,000 (approximately $48,500) by taking bribes and misusing his position to offer traders reduced customs duties and other advantages. Six others, including three alleged bribers and three mediators at the customs authority, will also face trial alongside him. The case is the latest in a string of corruption cases brought by the Administrative Control Authority, the country's anti-corruption watchdog, against top state officials in recent months. Those charged include the head of the state Food Industries Holding Company, a number of supply ministry officials and the governor of Menoufiya. Search Keywords: Short link: Korea Imports Association (KOIMA) Chairman Shin Myoung-jin, eighth from left in front row, poses with ambassadors to Korea during an event celebrating the agency's 48th anniversary held at the Westin Chosun Seoul, Tuesday. / Courtesy of KOIMA By Jung Min-ho Japan has decided effectively to exclude Chinese telecom equipment providers Huawei and ZTE from public procurement from April over national security concerns. The decision comes after the United States, Australia and New Zealand barred the use of equipment from the companies in their next-generation 5G infrastructure rollout amid concerns of possible links with China's government. "It is extremely crucial not to procure equipment that embeds malicious functions including information theft and destruction," Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said at a press conference after meeting cybersecurity officials. But he did not explicitly name the companies in question, apparently in consideration of the potential impact on diplomatic relations between Tokyo and Beijing. Japan's big three mobile phone carriers SoftBank, NTT Docomo and KDDI will take action in line with the decision soon, with company sources saying they will stop using Chinese devices in current mobile base stations and for the 5G mobile communications networks. E-commerce company Rakuten, which is set become Japan's fourth wireless carrier next year, also said it has no plans to use Chinese telecommunications equipment. The government said it will not restrict private companies' business decisions over the issue. But with pressure from the government and the U.S. rising, it won't be easy for any company to go against the government move. Japanese telecoms plan to start testing 5G next year, with the objective of a full-scale rollout of a commercial service in 2020. Carriers need to choose suppliers for orders next spring. In a statement, the Chinese Embassy in Tokyo has expressed strong opposition to the move. Speaking to journalists at a briefing in Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang urged the Japanese government not to discriminate against Chinese companies. "We urge the Japanese side as always to provide a fair, transparent and non-discriminatory playing field for Chinese companies' business operations," Lu . "Chinese enterprises with normal business activities in Japan shouldn't be in any way discriminated against and this is very important." LG Electronics' beer brewing machine HomeBrew and a set of capsules. / Courtesy of LG Electronics By Baek Byung-yeul Google and other global IT giants face value-added tax on their services in Korea, with new tax rules going into effect July 1 next year. / Yonhap By Jun Ji-hye Korea will impose value-added tax (VAT) on global IT giants such as Google, Facebook and Amazon Web Services (AWS) starting July 1 next year as the National Assembly has passed the revision to the VAT Act, a lawmaker said Tuesday. The revision calls for imposing a 10 percent VAT on foreign companies' business-to-consumer digital services such as online ads, cloud computing and online-to-offline services. The passage of the revision was meaningful in that the nation now has a legal basis to broaden its discussion to impose the so-called Google Tax, which refers to corporate tax on global tech companies, criticized worldwide for their tax avoidance. Rep. Park Sun-sook Hyundai Motor Group Executive Vice Chairman Chung Eui-sun, third from right, shovels during groundbreaking ceremony for the company's second fuel cell plant at the Hyundai Mobis factory complex in Chungju, North Chungcheong Province, Tuesday. / Yonhap By Park Jae-hyuk Hyundai Motor Group will build its second fuel cell plant at the Hyundai Mobis factory complex in Chungju, North Chungcheong Province, in line with its long-term roadmap for the fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV) business, the automotive group said Tuesday. According to its FCEV Vision 2030, the automotive group plans to produce 500,000 FCEVs a year domestically by 2030, in a move to maintain the top spot in the global market. Industry officials regard the Hyundai Motor Group's goal as aggressive, citing the growing number of carmakers entering the eco-friendly vehicle market, as well as the conventional car market share that Hyundai Motor and Kia Motors hold globally. However, Hyundai Motor Group expects the size of the global FCEV market will reach 2 million vehicles in 2030 in terms of annual sales. To prepare for the future, the automotive group and its 124 subcontractors will invest 7.6 trillion won ($6.7 billion) in R&D and the expansion of their production facilities by 2030. The number of jobs to be created through the investment is estimated at 51,000. In addition, Hyundai Motor Group has been pushing ahead with supplying its cutting-edge fuel cell systems to other companies, capitalizing on the growing demand for fuel cell batteries. According to the global management consulting firm McKinsey & Company, demand for fuel cell batteries is expected to be 6.5 million in 2030. Hyundai Motor Group expects fuel cell batteries will power ships, trains and forklifts in the future, reducing costs. The group also expects more demand for fuel cells in the power generation industry. "FCEV have a great ripple effect on related industries as 99 percent of their auto parts are produced by Korean firms. We will build up the base for a futuristic automotive industry through joint investments with our subcontractors," Hyundai Motor Group Executive Vice Chairman Chung Eui-sun said at a groundbreaking ceremony, held Tuesday at the Chungju plant. "As a first mover in the forthcoming hydrogen economy, we will lead a society that uses hydrogen as its main source of energy." The groundbreaking ceremony was also attended by Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Sung Yun-mo, North Chungcheong Governor Lee Si-jong, Chungju Mayor Cho Gil-hyung and 120 officials from Hyundai Motor Group and its subcontractors. The minister said the government will support private companies in the FCEV market. According to Sung, the administration plans to buy 4,000 FCEVs next year and establish 310 hydrogen fuel stations nationwide by the end of 2022. It will also increase support for the development of key components of FCEVs and hydrogen fuel stations. "I think the most significant change we experienced this year is the growth of the FCEV market," Sung said. "The government will support auto part makers, so they can sustain their growth momentum." He added the government will create an ecosystem for production, distribution, storage and use of hydrogen. The last "Hand in Hand" exercise was held in Pune in India in November 2016. Photo from South China Morning Post By Kristin Huang China and India will launch a two-week joint military drill on Tuesday, the first exercise of its kind since the two Asian giants were locked in a tense border stand-off in the Himalayas 18 months ago. Analysts said the drill could help rebuild trust between the two countries' militaries, but would not erase mutual suspicions. Dubbed "Hand in Hand", the exercise will take place in Chengdu, Sichuan province, neighbouring Tibet, where the two countries have had competing border interests for decades. The exercise has been held each year since 2013 but was called off last year in the aftermath of the two-month-long stand-off. It is designed to build trust between the armed forces and bolster joint efforts against terrorism, and follows a warming in India-China relations. In this photo released by China's Xinhua News Agency, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, left, and Chinese President Xi Jinping walk together in Wuhan in central China's Hubei Province, Saturday, April 28, 2018. Yonhap Former first lady Michelle Obama, whose memoir, Becoming, is the best-selling book of 2018, has added more dates to her book tour, her publisher, Crown, announced Tuesday. Obama will appear at 21 additional events in the U.S., Canada and Europe starting Feb. 8 in Tacoma, Wash. American stops on her tour include Portland, Ore.; Phoenix; Austin, Texas; Houston; St. Paul, Minn.; Milwaukee; Cleveland; Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.; Atlanta and Nashville. She is also scheduled to visit the Canadian cities of Vancouver, Edmonton, Montreal and Toronto. In Europe, shell make stops in Copenhagen, Stockholm, Oslo, London, Paris and Amsterdam. As was the case with the previous stops, Obamas appearances will take the form of conversations between her and celebrity moderators. The moderators for her 2019 events have yet to be announced. Advertisement In a news release, Obama said she couldnt be more excited to visit cities that werent included on the first leg of her tour. Ive been so humbled by the response to the tour thus far and the overwhelming interest weve received from so many communities we werent able to visit this year, she said. Thats why Im thrilled that were able to expand our conversations to these new settings and wider audiences. I cant wait to continue the discussions that have been so meaningful for me and, I hope, for so many others. Obamas book quickly became a publishing phenomenon when it was released Nov. 13. The memoir sold more than 725,000 copies on its first day on sale and quickly became the bestselling book of the year, topping Bob Woodwards Fear: Trump in the White House and Michael Wolffs Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House. Her appearances on the first leg of her book tour quickly sold out. Tickets to her 2019 events in North America will go on sale Saturday at 10 a.m. local time, while tickets to her European events will be available Friday. Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry is flying to the Saudi capital of Riyadh on Tuesday for a gathering of Arab and African ministers from countries bordering the Red Sea, Egypt's foreign ministry said in a statement on Tuesday. The ministerial gathering aims at bolstering cooperation between countries along the Red Sea, a major shipping route between the East and the West. The meeting will build on the outcomes of a similar high-profile gathering Egypt hosted at the same time last year to promote political, economic and cultural cooperation between these countries, the ministry added. Search Keywords: Short link: Senate Democrats are pushing back against attempts to pass a compromise bill in the lame-duck session that could speed the introduction of driverless cars onto U.S. roadways, saying it lacks safeguards that would protect drivers. Many provisions still do not go far enough to protect American consumers, said Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.). We can do better, Sen. Edward Markey (D-Mass.) said of the bill, dubbed the American Vision for Safer Transportation through Advancement of Revolutionary Technologies Act, or AV START Act. The fight over the bill pits some automakers, who have argued that less regulation will speed the advent of autonomous vehicles, against safety advocates and states saying the federal government should exert a firm hand in regulating the budding industry. Advertisement The automakers argument: The sooner fully autonomous vehicles become widespread, the sooner the 40,000 annual traffic deaths on U.S. roads will decline. But some states and consumer advocates demur, saying that if the federal government doesnt step in to regulate, states will need to do so, which could lead to a patchwork of rules across the country. Their concern also reflects, in a sense, the metamorphosis of autonomous vehicles from todays models, with driver-assist systems that alert when a car may be in danger, to fully autonomous cars that may not need steering wheels or pedals. There are several steps imagined between todays models and those that no longer need a driver. Those distinctions may be glossed over by the public, which surveys show remain wary of driverless cars, after a trio of high-profile crashes this year involving the vehicles. In March, Elaine Herzbergs death in Tempe, Ariz., was described as the first recorded case of a pedestrian killed by a self-driving car. Although a driver was behind the wheel of the Uber vehicle when it struck her as she pushed her bike across a dark four-lane roadway, a video recorded inside the car showed he was inattentive during the crash, and software showed the system detected Herzberg but didnt identify her as a person. Two months later, also in Tempe, a Waymo test car with a human at the wheel was involved in a crash when another vehicle swerved into it. Another Waymo vehicle that was not in autonomous mode and had an operator controlling it was in a five-car crash in nearby Mesa in June. Police said a drunk driver ran through a red light and plowed into the Waymo car and other vehicles. After Herzbergs death, Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) said Congress needed to address autonomous vehicles to update rules, direct manufacturers to address safety requirements, and enhance technical expertise of regulators. Despite the support of Thune, chairman of the Senate commerce committee and an author of the legislation, the bill languished in his committee as Democrats including Markey, Blumenthal, Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) and Tom Udall (D-N.M.) raised objections. We can promote innovation and usher in the era of autonomous vehicles while enhancing safety, cybersecurity and privacy, Markey said, adding that he appreciated recent efforts to add consumer protections to the bill. I cannot support this legislation without a meaningful sunset ensuring Congress can revisit this issue in the future and incentivizing [the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration] to establish and enforce safety, cybersecurity and privacy protections. Sen. Gary Peters (D-Mich.), the Detroit-area co-sponsor of the Thune bill, has been making the rounds to lobby his Democratic colleagues. The latest draft represents progress, but my colleagues in both the Senate and House need time to more thoroughly review such a significant piece of legislation, Blumenthal said. While I greatly value the effort Sens. Thune and Peters have made to address my serious concerns with earlier versions, many provisions still do not go far enough to protect American consumers. A group representing trial lawyers now known as the American Assn. for Justice initially supported a GOP revision that would preserve the right to bring a legal claim under state law, making it less likely that car-crash victims would be forced into arbitration. However, after we have had the opportunity to review the entire bill, we believe several of the new sections added will negatively impact consumer, passenger and roadway user rights if enacted, the group said. Opponents of the bill also object to provisions that would prevent NHTSA from recalling cars based on safety reports submitted by automakers. And they fear that a provision banning the Department of Transportation from releasing trade secrets would prevent disclosure of vital safety information. Every single aspect of an autonomous vehicle is going to be deemed to be proprietary, said a Capitol Hill staff member familiar with the bill, who asked not to be identified to speak candidly about the sensitive negotiations. A memo being circulated on the Republican side offers several compromises intended to placate those who object to the bill. The memo, obtained by the Washington Post, proposes creation of a highly-automated-vehicle advisory council to review safety, labor and environmental impacts. It clarifies the roles of state and local governments to enforce laws on the operation of motor vehicles. It would allow the secretary of Transportation to keep setting and updating vehicle safety standards. The original bill would increase the number of exemptions automakers could get from traditional federal safety standards, upping the number to 80,000 highly automated vehicles a year from 2,500. The staff memo of proposed amendments specifies that exempt vehicles must maintain the same overall safety level, occupant protection level, and crash avoidance level as any other car. The memo also seeks to quiet concerns raised by Herzbergs death, stipulating that autonomous cars must identify, detect and respond to pedestrians and bicyclists. It adds a requirement that driver-assisted cars, known as Level 2 vehicles, report their crashes and educate the public about what they can and cannot do. The memo also says the National Institute of Standards and Technology should consider the cybersecurity and privacy concerns expressed by carmakers and the public. Halsey writes for the Washington Post. Trump administration officials apparently are prepared to go to their graves insisting that they did everything possible to protect Americans with preexisting medical conditions, even as they pull out the stops to undermine those protections. The latest example of this subterfuge came in late October, when the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, known as CMS, issued new rules for states contemplating alterations in the Affordable Care Act. The administration followed up a few weeks ago with further guidelines. This administration remains firmly committed to maintaining protections for all Americans with preexisting conditions, that document says. The concepts presented here do not open any flexibility for states to undermine these protections. The rules are not crystal clear. Weve tried to figure out how this would work, and its not spelled out. Karen Pollitz, Kaiser Family Foundation Advertisement Unfortunately, according to an analysis by Jennifer Tolbert and Karen Pollitz of the Kaiser Family Foundation, the administrations proposals could do just that. They seem to be aiming to lay out a path for state officials who are interested in undermining the ACA, Pollitz told me. The CMS, a part of the Department of Health and Human Services, is responsible for overseeing compliance with the act. Its guide applied to waiver applications under Section 1332 of the act. That section allows states to propose limited changes in Affordable Care Act rules; before approving the waivers, CMS has to find that they dont disproportionately harm patients with costly conditions, among other restrictions. The Trump guidelines loosen some of those restrictions materially. Lets see how. First, heres the baseline under the law. Waivers can be approved as long as they provide coverage that, compared with the original program, is at least as comprehensive in covered benefits, at least as affordable (counting premiums and co-pays), covers a comparable number of state residents, and doesnt increase the federal deficit. These are known as guiderails, and under the Obama administration they were applied rigorously. The Trump guidance would redefine coverage to include short-term health plans and other plans endorsed by the administration that dont comply with ACA rules. These plans can impose lifetime benefit caps or fail to provide all 10 essential health benefits required of qualifying ACA plans including hospitalization, maternity care, prescription drugs, and mental health and substance abuse services. The new rules are sure to create controversy, and possibly legal counterpunches. Among other problems, they may violate the law, according to Christen Linke Young of the Brookings Institution. Young wrote last month that the administration labeled the changes interpretive rather than legislative. That exempts the changes from administrative procedures, including advance notice, a comment period and evidence that an agency took the comments into consideration. But the exemptions are designed only for modest changes in rules, and these look much more significant. The risk, Young writes, is that courts will declare the change invalid. According to the Trump scheme, the number of people covered under the waiver can include those covered by those substandard plans. In other words, if the same number of residents would have coverage after the waiver as had it before, but many have moved to noncompliant plans, that would be alright. The new guidance also could allow states to put at disadvantage some high-risk customers in order to make coverage more affordable for others. A waiver that makes coverage much more affordable for some people and only slightly more costly for a large number of people would likely meet this guardrail. These arrangements could pass because CMS proposes to change the rules on how covered populations are counted. The Obama administration interpreted the rules as requiring not merely that the post-waiver program covered at least the same number of people as the original program, but comparable numbers for those with expensive conditions. In other words, if a new program covered the same number of people overall but shifted the covered population so it included only half as many diabetics, asthmatics or cancer or cardiac patients, it would be rejected under Obama even if it covered more people with routine medical needs but could be approved under Trump. Healthcare spending is top-heavy, with the most expensive 20% of patients accounting for more than 80% of spending. But Trumps waiver plans could put at disadvantage that 20%. (Kaiser Family Foundation) The threat to customers with preexisting conditions comes from several features of the Trump plan, Tolbert and Pollitz say. One is the administrations willingness to allow government premium subsidies to be applied to non-qualifying health plans those short-term and association plans that dont have to provide the full roster of essential benefits and can reject patients with preexisting conditions. Weve written previously about the shortcomings of such plans. The Obama administration limited them to three-month durations and barred their renewals; Trump is allowing them to remain in effect for up to a year, plus annual renewals. One problem with this approach is that it could siphon younger, healthier customers from qualified ACA plans, leaving higher-cost patients behind and driving up their premiums. Meanwhile, the Trump guidelines would allow states to reallocate premium subsidies, offering younger customers higher subsidies ostensibly to encourage more of them to sign up for coverage. But that would leave older patients with less assistance, a double-whammy for a population more likely to face the expenses of chronic diseases. The new counting rules could leave patients with costly preexisting conditions out in the cold, Tolbert and Pollitz say. Thats because the rules dont recognize that the bulk of healthcare expenses are incurred by a small portion of the population 20% of all patients account for 80% of spending. So a state could meet the Trump standards even if it cut loose some high-cost patients and covered more at the low-cost end of the spectrum. The changes that Trumps CMS has instituted in the waiver guidelines are subtle and technical, but significant. Theyre also murky. The rules are not crystal clear, Pollitz says. Weve tried to figure out how this would work, and its not spelled out. One threat that looms is that by encouraging states and insurers to take a more flexible approach to designing health plans, theyre opening the way for insurers to discourage some customers from applying. An insurer that didnt want to cover women of childbearing age would offer plans without maternity services. One that didnt want to deal with substance abuse cases would leave out mental health care. The possibilities are endless, but the endpoint is the same fewer options for those who need care. The greatest uncertainty about the rule changes is whether states will use them to dilute the ACA. What would be the political fallout if a state official were to propose one of these waivers? Pollitz asks. Would it raise a stir back home? The signs are that the public has become much more concerned about losing the advances they gained via the Affordable Care Act. Take Idaho. There, Republican Gov. Butch Otter issued an executive order in January legalizing insurance plans that could bar people with preexisting conditions. CMS rejected the proposal as a violation of the ACA but offered to work with Idaho to find ways to circumvent the law. In the meantime, however, the states voters opted overwhelmingly on election day to expand Medicaid under the ACA. In two other holdout red states, Utah and Nebraska, voters also chose to expand Medicaid. In Maine, where voters opted for Medicaid expansion last year but were thwarted by right-wing GOP Gov. Paul LePage, who refused to implement the vote, a Democratic governor was voted in, meaning that expansion will now take place. In other words, the tide seems to be turning in favor of the Affordable Care Act, everywhere but in the Trump White House. Keep up to date with Michael Hiltzik. Follow @hiltzikm on Twitter, see his Facebook page, or email michael.hiltzik@latimes.com. Return to Michael Hiltziks blog. CBS Corp. finally held its annual meeting with shareholders a ritual that had been twice postponed this year because of corporate turmoil. But during Tuesdays 25-minute gathering there was no hint of the drama surrounding the company, nor any mention of the man who led it for 12 years: former Chief Executive Leslie Moonves. Instead, the first question came from a former CBS News foreign correspondent, Steve Patten, who told board members he was fired in 1985 before he could file an expense report for $14,000. CBS, Patten said, owes him for those expenses, which, with interest and late fees, now total $26 million. It was a strange juxtaposition for a firm that had been shaken to its core twice this year: first, by boardroom divisions that prompted 11 directors in May to file and then abandon a lawsuit against controlling shareholder Shari Redstone and her family, and later by a growing sexual harassment scandal that prompted Moonves ouster in September. Several women have accused Moonves of trying to force himself on them decades ago. The September resignation of Moonves came amid a reshuffling of the CBS board, which has had three different chairmen presiding over it since August. Six new board members joined in September, replacing several longtime Moonves allies. On Tuesday, shareholders ratified the reconstituted board. Advertisement A handful of protesters gathered outside the Museum of Modern Art in Manhattan, where the meeting was held, to urge the board to deny Moonves a $120-million severance package. Inside the meeting, a second investor applauded Redstone, CBS vice chair, for the seamless reestablishment of her control and authority. Way to go, Shari. Strauss Zelnick, who is serving as CBS interim chairman a post formerly filled by Moonves said Tuesday that the company has hired a search firm to recruit a new chief executive. In the interim, Moonves longtime deputy, Joseph Ianniello, will serve as president and acting CEO. CBS shares closed the day down 3% to $48.24. The stock is off more than 16% this year. The board, in August, hired two high-profile New York law firms to investigate allegations of sexual misconduct by Moonves. The review also includes whether the former CEO has been forthcoming during interviews with investigators about his conduct. Although the review is said to be nearing completion, investigators still are interviewing potential witnesses, according to two people close to the situation who were not authorized to comment. CBS board members met Monday night and Tuesday, during the shareholders meeting, without making any pronouncement about Moonves fate. The board has until Jan. 29 to determine whether Moonves should be fired for cause, which would deny him the severance package. The New York Times last week reported that investigators believed Moonves was evasive in four meetings with the investigators, Nancy Kestenbaum and Mary Jo White. The paper also said Moonves deleted text messages and turned over an iPad used by his 9-year-old son rather than his own an allegation that is now in dispute. The New York Times said it had reviewed a draft report summarizing findings of the investigation which includes the allegation about the iPad. Clouded by such disclosures, the investigation itself is now under scrutiny. Such extensive leaks have been troubling to some board members, according to one person close to the situation, and could give Moonves a legal opening to fight its eventual findings. CBS and the investigators had pledged to conduct the investigation in a confidential manner, and the press leaks have undermined that promise. Now, the law firms handing the investigation Debevoise & Plimpton and Covington & Burling are trying to determine how such leaks occurred. This week, investigators, through a representative, declined requests for comment. Battaglio reported from New York and James from Los Angeles. meg.james@latimes.com Twitter: @MegJamesLAT Jesus Gregorio Smith spends more time thinking about Grindr, the gay social media app, than most of its 3.8 million daily users. An assistant professor of ethnic studies at Lawrence University, Smiths research frequently explores race, gender and sexuality in digital queer spaces ranging from the experiences of gay dating app users along the southern U.S. border to the racial dynamics in BDSM pornography. Lately, hes questioning whether its worth keeping Grindr on his own phone. Smith, whos 32, shares a profile with his partner. They created the account together, intending to connect with other queer people in their small Midwestern city of Appleton, Wis. But they log in sparingly these days, preferring other apps such as Scruff and Jackd that seem more welcoming to men of color. And after a year of multiple scandals for Grindr from a data privacy firestorm to the rumblings of a class-action lawsuit Smith says hes had enough. These controversies definitely make it so we use [Grindr] dramatically less, Smith says. By all accounts, 2018 should have been a record year for the leading gay dating app, which touts some 27 million users. Flush with cash from its January acquisition by a Chinese gaming company, Grindrs executives indicated they were setting their sights on shedding the hookup app reputation and repositioning as a more welcoming platform. Advertisement Instead, the Los Angeles-based company has received backlash for one blunder after another. Early this year, the Kunlun Groups buyout of Grindr raised alarm among intelligence experts that the Chinese government might be able to gain access to the Grindr profiles of American users. Then in the spring, Grindr faced scrutiny after reports indicated that the app had a security issue that could expose users precise locations and that the company had shared sensitive data on its users HIV status with external software vendors. This has put Grindrs public relations team on the defensive. They responded this fall to the threat of a class-action lawsuit one alleging that Grindr has failed to meaningfully address racism on its app with Kindr, an anti-discrimination campaign that skeptical onlookers describe as little more than damage control. The Kindr campaign attempts to stymie the racism, misogyny, ageism and body-shaming that many users endure on the app. Prejudicial language has flourished on Grindr since its earliest days, with explicit and derogatory declarations such as no Asians, no blacks, no fatties, no femmes and no trannies commonly appearing in user profiles. Of course, Grindr didnt invent such discriminatory expressions, but the app did enable their spread by allowing users to write virtually whatever they wanted in their profiles. For nearly a decade, Grindr resisted doing anything about it. Founder Joel Simkhai told the New York Times in 2014 that he never intended to shift a culture, even as other gay dating apps such as Hornet made clear in their communities guidelines that such language would not be tolerated. It was inevitable that a backlash would be produced, Smith says. Grindr is trying to change making videos about how racist expressions of racial preferences can be hurtful. Talk about too little, too late. Last week Grindr again got derailed in its attempts to be kinder when news broke that Scott Chen, the apps straight-identified president, may not fully support marriage equality. While Chen immediately sought to distance himself from the comments made on his personal Facebook page, fury ensued across social media, and Grindrs biggest competitors Scruff, Hornet and Jackd quickly denounced the news. Some of the most vocal criticism came from within Grindrs corporate offices, hinting at internal strife: Into, Grindrs own web magazine, first broke the story. In an interview with the Guardian, chief content officer Zach Stafford said Chens comments did not align with the companys values. Grindr did not respond to my multiple requests for comment, but Stafford confirmed in an email that Into reporters will continue to do their jobs without the influence of other parts of the company even when reporting on the company itself. Its the last straw for some disheartened users. The story about [Chens] comments came out and that pretty much finished my time using Grindr, says Matthew Bray, a 33-year-old who works at a nonprofit in Tampa, Fla. Concerned about user data leaks and irritated by a plethora of pesky ads, Bray has stopped using Grindr and instead spends his time on Scruff, a similar mobile dating and networking app for queer men. There are less problematic options out there, so Ive decided to use them, Bray says. A precursor to modern dating as we know it, Grindr helped pioneer geosocial-based dating apps when it launched in 2009. It maintains one of the largest queer communities online, offering one of the only ways gay, bi and trans men can connect in corners of the world that remain hostile to LGBTQ rights. But nearly 10 years on, there are signs that Grindr may be losing ground in a dense field of competing apps that offer similar services without all the baggage. It still feels like an app from 2009, says Brooks Robinson, a 27-year-old marketing professional in Washington, D.C. When Grindr came on the scene, it was a huge breakthrough, especially for people like me who were closeted at the time. Other apps seemed to have taken what Grindr did, but make it better. Robinson now prefers meeting people on Scruff, which he says has a friendlier interface and far fewer headless horsemen, those infamous dating app users who upload only a faceless photo of a toned torso. Unsurprisingly, Scruff tries to distance itself from Grindr every chance it can claiming to be a safer and more reliable option. Its a message that resonates. I think the transparency helps with safer sex and less risky behaviors in general, Robinson tells me. Grindr acted too slow in responding to what was happening and being encouraged on the app. In the past several years, Grindr users have widely reported that spambots and spoofed accounts run rampant raising safety concerns in a community thats often victim to violent hate crimes. Grindr made stalking someone a little too easy, says Dave Sarrafian, a 33-year-old artist and barista in Los Angeles who says the companys most recent troubles have crossed a red line for him. I trust it much less and would never use it again. And these are not unfounded concerns. In 2017, for example, one New York City resident filed a lawsuit against Grindr for failing to stop a spoofer who had stolen his identity, created Grindr accounts with his photos, and sent hundreds of strangers seeking sex to his home and workplace. He claims he contacted Grindr support services more than 50 times and received nothing but automated emails in response. Many users have similar, though less extreme, stories. Since having his own photos stolen and shared on the app, 28-year-old Edwin Betancourt infrequently logs into his Grindr account. While the security concerns and user [data] leakage would make any user skeptical about [Grindr], Ive been more concerned with safety, says Betancourt, a writer in New York City. You never know if the person youre talking to is even who they say they are. Betancourt quickly learned he needed to take precautionary steps to stay safe and avoid phishing scams going as far as asking some guys to write a specific word on a piece of paper and then take a picture of themselves posing with it. Its not an ideal way of meeting a potential match, which is why he opts more often to use OkCupid, Tinder and Chappy, a newer dating platform for queer men thats backed by Bumble. No matter how Grindr advertises their new Kindr Grindr, it will never help ease a gay mans concern for his safety, especially since, unlike Tinder, they dont require a cellphone number to ensure we are in fact real users, Betancourt says. While a level of dating-app fatigue may be expected given that same-sex couples overwhelmingly meet online, Grindr is in a uniquely negative position: Earlier this year, a massive study by the Center for Humane Technology found that Grindr is the No. 1 app that leaves users feeling unhappy. Among its major competitors, Grindr has the lowest score on the Apple App store, a lowly two stars. Unhappy users are seeing little incentive to stay put when there are so many other options. "[Grindr] could have done more in the past to make the space more democratic and less racist, anti-fem and fat-phobic, Smith says. Now they are playing catch up to more progressive apps. On her first full day leading the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Kathy Kraninger said she wont be a puppet of Mick Mulvaney, the controversial acting director whom she replaced in the powerful regulatory position. To underscore that point, the former White House aide said she would even reconsider a Mulvaney action that critics saw as a gratuitous jab at Democrats who championed the agencys creation: changing its name to the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection. Kraningers declaration during a meeting with reporters Tuesday addressed one of the main criticisms of her selection. She is considered a protege of Mulvaney, her boss at the White House Office of Management and Budget who has executed a dramatic, industry-friendly shift at the watchdog agency. I am incredibly grateful to Mick Mulvaney. He was a fantastic boss for two years ... but I can tell you that I am here to be the director of this bureau, and I will be fully accountable for the decisions that I make going forward and they will be mine, she said. Advertisement I think the regulated industry, by and large, wants to comply with consumer protection laws, Kraninger said. But where there are bad actors we absolutely will take the enforcement actions to the full extent of the law and make sure we are protecting consumers. Still, during the 25-minute question-and-answer session, Kraninger did little to allay the other key concern of Democrats and consumer advocates that she was unqualified for the job because she has no experience in finance, banking regulation or consumer protection. And Kraninger indicated she would not fire a fair lending official who has acknowledged making controversial comments about racial discrimination in the past. The only specific priority Kraninger outlined Tuesday for her oversight of an industry rife with potential problems was examining how the bureau secures all the consumer data it collects. Kraninger said she was focused on getting up to speed at an agency with 1,500 employees and a broad mandate to protect consumers when they take out credit cards and mortgages and use other financial products. I told the staff I will be spending the next three months engaged in a listening tour, getting out to the field, she said, noting many employees are in regional offices in San Francisco, Chicago and New York. Kraninger also said she planned to talk to state and federal regulators, consumer advocates and lenders. Mulvaney, an outspoken critic of the bureau, took over as its acting director in November 2017 in a controversial appointment by President Trump. Mulvaney scaled back bureau enforcement efforts, moved to reassess tough new rules on payday loans and sought to rebrand the agency as the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection. He said that was the official name in the Dodd-Frank law, which created the agency in the aftermath of the financial crisis to prevent predatory lending and other abuses that led to it. But consumer advocates complained that the change was made to undermine the agencys mandate by making it sound more bureaucratic while negating millions of dollars in advertising spent to make consumers aware of its existence after it opened its doors in 2011. Kraninger had been the Office of Management and Budgets associate director for general government since March 2017. She has about 20 years of federal government experience but mostly in homeland security and budget issues. Kraninger was confirmed last week by the narrowest of margins 50-49 in a party line Senate vote in which only Republicans voted for her. She was sworn in by Vice President Mike Pence in a private ceremony Monday night. On Tuesday, Kraninger offered a few olive branches to her critics. She said she was reaching out to Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Los Angeles), a strong supporter of the bureau who is likely to become chairwoman of the House Financial Services Committee in January. Kraninger also said she expected to speak with Richard Cordray, who was appointed by President Obama as the bureaus first director and was sharply criticized by Mulvaney and other Republicans. Cordray resigned from the position a year ago to run for Ohio governor but lost the election. And she even indicated she would reassess the bureaus name change, acknowledging a reported internal analysis that found it would cost financial firms about $300 million to update databases, regulatory filings and disclosure forms. I am definitely going to be briefed on the name, and I can tell you that I care more about what the agency does than what it is called, she said, flanked by a gold flag with the new seal declaring the agency The Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection. The name change is not fully completed yet, she said. Although Kraninger said she understood Mulvaneys decision, she realized there were costs and worries from the staff. I also understand that given the CFPB brand and the identity of the bureau, they were all caught off guard by that and many continued to be concerned about it and want to make sure again that consumers know the brand of this agency, Kraninger said. But she didnt appear to budge on another major concern of Democratic lawmakers and consumer advocates about a bureau official. Eric Blankenstein, whom Mulvaney put in charge of enforcing fair lending laws, has acknowledged writing blog posts in 2004 when he was 25 under a pen name questioning whether using the N-word made a person racist and claiming that a large majority of hate crimes were hoaxes. I have no intention of making any personnel decisions on my first day, she said when asked about Blankenstein. She noted that such matters are inherently confidential. Kraninger said she had read news reports about the matter and certainly will take stock of everything going forward on that. But then she indicated she was not inclined to take any action. I will take people at face value in where they are today and what theyre doing for the bureau, Kraninger said. She added that the bureau has 1,500 employees, so I am not going to go back and look at everything they may have ever written in their lives. Karl Frisch, executive director of consumer watchdog group Allied Progress, slammed Kraninger for her comments. On her first day of the job, Kathy Kraninger sent a signal to her new colleagues that reprehensible racism is not a fireable offense, he said. The CFPBs work on fair lending and protecting consumers from discriminatory lending practices is irreparably tainted because of Eric Blankenstein. The fact that Kraninger doesnt see that speaks volumes about her character. jim.puzzanghera@latimes.com Twitter: @JimPuzzanghera Google Chief Executive Sundar Pichai backed privacy legislation and denied the company is politically biased, according to a transcript of testimony he plans to deliver to Congress on Tuesday. I lead this company without political bias and work to ensure that our products continue to operate that way, Pichai said, according to the transcript released on Monday. To do otherwise would go against our core principles and our business interests. He also described user privacy as an essential part of our mission, while stressing Googles U.S. roots. As an American company, we cherish the values and freedoms that have allowed us to grow and serve so many users, Pichai said. I am proud to say we do work, and we will continue to work, with the government to keep our country safe and secure. Advertisement Pichai is set to testify on Tuesday before a House Judiciary Committee hearing about the companys data collection, search business and a range of other issues. Alphabet Inc.s Google proposed a framework for federal privacy legislation earlier this year. The remarks did not directly address Googles retreat from a U.S. Department of Defense contract or its proposed plans to bring a search engine back to China, two subjects that will likely come up during Tuesdays hearing. Selling your home can be a headache. Theres the real estate agent to find, the open houses to hold, the bids to weigh. And then, at the very end, theres the wait for something that may not even happen: financing. A growing number of companies are looking to simplify and speed the process. Zillow, Opendoor and others are buying homes directly from consumers in select markets across the country, pitching a hassle-free experience in which you pick your own closing date. On Tuesday, Zillow announced it will bring its direct-buy program to California for the first time, beginning early next year in Riverside and San Bernardino counties. Zillow Offers will then be in eight markets across the country, including Las Vegas, Phoenix and Denver. It plans to expand further but declined to say whether that includes more California markets. Other similar companies known in the industry as i-buyers are already here. Opendoor, a San Francisco firm, advertises its services in the Inland Empire and Sacramento. Redfin will buy your home in the Inland Empire, as well as San Diego and Orange counties. Advertisement CashCall founder John Paul Reddam is also a director of a company called Owning, which has scooped up properties in Huntington Beach, Lakewood and elsewhere in Southern California. Those are the latest attempts to shake up a home-buying process thats remained largely the same for decades. What they see is a massive opportunity, said Rick Palacios, director of research at John Burns Real Estate Consulting in Irvine. I have had to sell a home. It took three escrows and its a pain. Like the others, Zillows pitch is convenience. Would-be sellers enter their address online, answer a few questions about the home and send in some photos. Zillow says it takes that info, its online Zestimate and the advice of a local real estate agent, then spits out a preliminary offer within about two business days. After Zillow conducts an in-person walk-through, homeowners get a confirmed offer. They can pick a guaranteed closing date, anywhere from seven to 90 days after signing a deal. Zillow said it typically charges the equivalent of 6% to 9% of the purchase price as a fee, compared with the roughly 5% to 6% total commission charged in a normal transaction. It makes needed repairs and puts the home on the market. The fee varies with the cost of repairs, estimated hold time for the properties and other factors. A major risk for i-buyers is a declining market, in which falling home prices mean theyre suddenly holding scores of houses that are worth less than what they purchased them for. Already, markets are softening, with home sales declining and price appreciation slowing in Southern California and elsewhere in the U.S. In October, homes sales in the Inland Empire fell 5.8% from a year earlier, according to CoreLogic. And although prices are still rising, the rate of increase has slowed, from 8.4% in March and April to 5.4% for October. But Jeremy Wacksman, president of Zillow, said the company isnt banking on a rising market to make money. Instead, Zillow is banking on rapid turnover and scale. In the Inland Empire, Zillow said its looking to purchase homes priced from $200,000 to $600,000 that dont need tons of work, but noted it can be flexible. The company also said it wont engage in bidding wars if a seller gets a higher offer. When it does buy a home, Zillow aims to resell it within 90 days, faster than the traditional flip. Brad Berning, a senior research analyst with Craig-Hallum Capital Group, said the Inland Empire was a good market in which to launch in California. It is possible to purchase more homes because the area is cheaper than the coast. And vast tracts of similar houses were built in recent decades, making it easier to run an algorithm and come up with an accurate market value. The concept of direct buying isnt entirely new. For decades, some real estate brokers have offered to buy a house if they couldnt sell it. And investors have affixed homemade signs to utility poles that promise to buy your house fast with cash. Whats different this time is the money behind it. Redfin and Zillow are publicly traded companies. So is Realogy, a real estate services firm that owns Coldwell Banker. Earlier this year, it announced a direct-offer program with its partner Home Partners of America, which is backed by massive investment firms KKR & Co. and BlackRock. Berning estimates that by 2021 i-buyers could account for about 10% of the existing home-sale market. They provide a measure of certainty, a rare commodity in the usual home-selling process. For instance, they offer the option of picking a quick closing date or putting it off for a while flexibility that makes it easier to find another home. Zillow said if someone wanted to close faster than seven days or take longer than 90 days, its not guaranteed but is possible. We have closed on a house in as little as five days because we wanted to help the seller who was in a time crunch, Zillow spokeswoman Jordyn Lee said. Berning doubted the expansion of i-buyers would put much upward pressure on home prices because the companies are usually buying homes for less than what someone could get on the open market. He said their business model isnt to gut the house for major repairs that will command top dollar, but rather earn money through more efficiently matching buyers and sellers. Its that certainty of a quick sale that Palacios said has drawn the interest of major home builders, which can have sales fall through if buyers cant unload their old home. Lennar Corp., for example, has invested in Opendoor, and the two companies pitch a seamless experience in which you can sell to Opendoor and purchase a Lennar dream home. Palacios called that partnership a natural handoff. andrew.khouri@latimes.com Twitter: @khouriandrew Google Chief Executive Sundar Pichai, in his long-awaited appearance on Capitol Hill, told lawmakers Tuesday that his companys search engine had no bias against conservatives. He also said the tech giant had no current plans to introduce a censored search engine in China, but he wouldnt rule out launching a controversial search engine for that market. Pichai was asked to testify before the House Judiciary Committee to discuss data privacy and purported political bias in the companys search results. But over the course of 3 hours, lawmakers touched on a wide range of issues, including the danger of white supremacist videos on the companys YouTube platform as well as its reported plans to create a customized search engine for China one intentionally biased, and censored, to Communist Party specifications. Tuesdays hearing was the latest in a series called by House Republicans to investigate whether Google, Facebook and Twitter suppress conservative voices online. Advertisement Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Bakersfield) demanded Pichai appear before the House committee after a video released on right-wing website Breitbart in September appeared to show Google executives expressing dismay about Trumps 2016 election victory, partly over concern that his immigration policy could negatively affect their many foreign-born workers. McCarthy opened Tuesdays hearing with a statement highlighting one fundamental question: Are Americas technology companies serving as instruments of freedom or instruments of control? A partisan divide quickly emerged. Rep. Jerrold Nadler of New York, the ranking Democrat on the panel, dismissed the fears of anti-conservative bias as fact-free propaganda and a right-wing conspiracy theory. Even if Google were politically biased, Nadler said, it would be within its rights as a private company. He cited the example of right-leaning media companies such as Fox News and Sinclair Broadcasting. This question might be relevant if Republican members wanted to bring back the fairness doctrine and expand its scope to social media companies, Nadler added, referring to the law, abolished by President Reagans administration, that mandated radio and television stations devote airtime to controversial public issues and ensure that coverage fairly represented opposing views. I doubt we will see any interest in doing so. Instead, Nadler urged his colleagues to focus on questions of data privacy, Russian influence on U.S. elections, the China search engine project and the ease with which those seeking to stoke racial and ethnic hatred spread their message on online platforms such as YouTube. Pichais appearance in Washington came after a no-show on Capitol Hill in September, when he and Larry Page, CEO of parent company Alphabet Inc., declined to appear at a Senate Intelligence Committee panel. Conspiracy theorist Alex Jones, whose channel was removed from YouTube this year, attended Tuesdays hearing with Trump campaign advisor Roger Stone, who has been suspended from Twitter in the past for his expletive-laden rants at CNN anchors. A protester dressed as the Monopoly man (formally known as Rich Uncle Pennybags), who rose to viral prominence after appearing at a 2017 Senate hearing on the Equifax data breach, was also in attendance. Pichais opening testimony began with a paean to information and technology as forces for good, recalling growing up in India and the thrill of his familys first television set. He also underlined Googles sweeping ambition to provide users with access to the worlds information making sure to mention the companys American roots and multibillion-dollar contributions to the U.S. economy. Then he got to the core issues, saying that Google cares about privacy and supports federal privacy legislation. The company revealed Monday that a data vulnerability left personal information of more than 52 million users of its Google+ social network exposed to potential theft. In a statement, Google said there was no evidence the vulnerability was exploited. California passed privacy regulations in June that are set to go into effect in 2020. Under those rules, Californians have the right to know what personal information companies are collecting and with whom the companies are sharing that information. Google is proposing federal legislation which fellow data brokers such as Facebook, AT&T and Amazon are also lobbying for in Washington that would nullify Californias regulations and replace them with weaker consumer protections. Still, when Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Dublin) asked Pichai whether the European Unions even stricter data and privacy regulations the General Data Protection Regulation, known as GDPR were a good framework, Pichai seemed cautiously positive. I think its a well-thought-out piece of legislation, Pichai said. I do think theres some value for companies to have consistent global regulations. I think its also important for users as they navigate services globally. So I do see value in aligning where we can. On the question of bias, Pichai cited Googles workforce including veterans, civil libertarians, parents and immigrants as proof of its ideological diversity. I lead this company without political bias, he said, and work to ensure that our products continue to operate that way. The allegation that Google search results were politically biased against the right began on the self-professed right-wing blog PJ Media. A writer searched for Trump in Googles News section and sorted the first 100 results by source, using a media-bias chart that placed libertarian website Reason.com in the center of the spectrum and, in a bit of circular logic, Google off to the left. Five of the articles were from Fox News or the Wall Street Journal, with the rest coming from other mainstream news sources. The resulting story, 96 Percent of Google Search Results for Trump News Are From Liberal Media Outlets, was mentioned on Fox News. President Trump included the number in a tweet, adding that Google & others are suppressing voices of Conservatives and hiding information and news that is good. As each member of the House committee got his or her five minutes with Pichai, the questions followed a partisan pattern. Rep. Lamar Smith (R-Texas) asked whether any Google employee had been sanctioned for manipulating search results to disfavor conservatives, citing the PJ Media article. Its not possible for an individual employee or groups of employees to manipulate search results, Pichai replied, saying that the search ranking process is automatic and constantly changing in reaction to the changing internet. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas) asked Pichai whether reports that Google was creating a censored search engine for the Chinese market were true. We have undertaken internal efforts to create a Chinese search product, Pichai said, but currently we are not in discussions around launching a search product in China. There are no current plans for a launch, but at one point more than 100 employees were working on the project, he said. When Rep. David Cicilline (D-R.I.) pressed, asking if Pichai would rule out launching a tool for censorship in China while serving as Googles CEO, Pichai demurred. We have a stated mission of providing users with information, Pichai said. We think its in our duty to explore possibilities, to give users access to information. That echoed comments he made at a conference in October, where he defended the concept of a Chinese search product, arguing that a censored platform that still lets people search for accurate information on medical treatment, for example, is in line with Googles mission. Googles plans for expansion in the Chinese market, code named Project Dragonfly, were first reported by the Intercept this year. Before the hearing, human rights advocates and more than 700 Google employees signed letters urging the company to drop any plans for a Chinese search product. Alphabet shares stayed above Mondays closing price nearly all day. They ended Tuesday up 0.8% at $1,061.65. sam.dean@latimes.com Follow me on Twitter: @samaugustdean Its the morning after the Los Angeles premiere of The Favourite, and Emma Stone, Rachel Weisz and director Yorgos Lanthimos are regrouping, sipping coffee (Stone), English breakfast tea (Weisz) and double espressos (Lanthimos) while the conversation pings among Shakespeare, the Marx brothers and Greek mythology. Right there, between those three, youve got The Favourite, Stone enthuses, connecting the dots. And sure, The Favourite, the true story (told with great license) of two women Sarah Churchill, Duchess of Marlborough (Weisz) and her cousin, Abigail Hill (Stone), a poor relation looking to improve her fortunes vying for the affection of lonely, gout-ridden Queen Anne (played by Olivia Colman, back in London on this day shooting Netflixs The Crown) in early 18th century England, has its share of clowning and absurdity and fractured legend-making. Advertisement Olivia Colman, center, and Rachel Weisz. far right, in the film The Favourite. (Yorgos Lanthimos / Twentieth Century Fox) But because this is coming from Lanthimos, the Greek filmmaker known for examining the extreme and enigmatic ways humans attempt to exert control over their circumstances in movies like The Lobster, Dogtooth and The Killing of a Sacred Deer, you know that The Favourite is going to be more than a mere romp. Im not big on realism, Lanthimos says, just telling a very true story about behavior. But the circumstances are large in your movies, offers Weisz, who also worked with Lanthimos in The Lobster. Well, those Greek tragedies make you see things differently, he answers. Certain things that might be taboo here, I dont consider them as such. Stone: Like Oedipus. Lanthimos nods. Best family drama, Weisz says, smiling. Its not pretty. Rachel Weisz in a scene from The Favourite. (Yorgos Lanthimos / AP) Killing your kid, eating other people, Lanthimos continues. We read it and it has happened in real life many times over. What has happened in real life? Stone asks. Lanthimos: People have eaten other people. Parents have killed their kids. Weisz: Boys fancy their moms. Lanthimos: Incest. Everything! Every day! Thousands of things. I dont think we should shy away from that. He pauses. From a corner of the patio, Griffin Dunne approaches the table, wishing to say hello to the women. How did we get to this subject? Pause. The Marx brothers did it, I think. Vulgar, ridiculous, darkly funny and, in the end, deeply tragic, The Favourite is a movie that feels constructed as a corrective to period dramas like The Crown and The Queen and any other film or television series in which the characters speak in a particular, clipped cadence. Weisz, who grew up watching loads of these projects, calls it the dum-diddly-dum, diddly-dum speech pattern, which sounds right if you try it with a British accent. Emma Stone in the film The Favourite. (Yorgos Lanthimos / AP) How did they achieve the movies singularly wicked tone? You know, where a bunch of boisterous aristocrats gleefully pelt a fat, naked man with blood oranges or when Abigail asks a male suitor if he came to seduce her or rape her. I am a gentleman, he replies. So rape, then, she answers in a tone of deadpan calmness, lying prone on her bed. There were three necessary steps. And thats not including learning how to stage a palace duck race. Read on Step 1: I think its funny. So its funny. Yorgos Lanthimos, director of The Favourite, " sits for a portrait at the Whitby Hotel on November 13, 2018 in New York City. (Michael Nagle / For The Times) British screenwriter Deborah Davis wrote the first version of this story of palace intrigue 20 years ago. Studios passed, Weisz says, because in 1998, no one wanted to make a movie with three women as leads. (Its hard enough today, she notes.) Element Pictures co-founder Ed Guiney, producer of Room and Lanthimos The Lobster, saw the script about a decade ago and thought Lanthimos could make a perverse, screwball comedy from the material. Lanthimos took to it and began revising the screenplay with Australian writer Tony McNamara. You look at the real story and its All About Eve, Lanthimos says, referencing the 1950 film about an ambitious fan (Anne Baxter) who insinuates herself into the life of an aging Broadway star (Bette Davis) and becomes her rival. But I saw [Luis] Bunuels Diary of a Chambermaid in it too, Lanthimos adds, and we talked about plays like Sarah Kanes Phaedras Love, which is this funny and cruel and dark retelling of the myth of Phaedras love for her stepson Hippolytus. Emma Stone (Michael Nagle / For The Times) Not exactly a comedy, Stone offers. No, but theres an absurdity in all these stories, including this one, Lanthimos says. Here, the personal relationships between these three women are affecting the fate of the whole world. Its the one-percenters, Weisz adds, and if they dont get what they want for breakfast, then the country suffers. That makes the story feel very modern. And tragic. But also absurd, Lanthimos counters. Stone relates that when the movie premiered at the Venice Film Festival in late August, the audience laughed a lot, even with subtitles. I dont rely on other people to define the movie, Lanthimos says. I think its funny. So its funny. Step 2: Exercises, yes. Discussion, never. Actresses Rachel Weisz, left, and Emma Stone, right, pose with The Favourite director Yorgos Lanthimos, center, at the Whitby Hotel on November 13, 2018 in New York City. (Michael Nagle / For The Times) To eradicate any preconceptions about the methodology of making a period costume drama, Lanthimos held a three-week rehearsal period before filming. There, in an old industrial park in London, Weisz, Stone and Colman, along with their three male court counterparts (Nicholas Hoult, James Smith and Mark Gatiss), engaged in a series of exercises designed to build trust and comfort with him and one another. I didnt know what was happening at the time, Weisz says. I was just concentrating on doing things like saying Emmas lines fast in a staccato way while putting my hand on Olivias bottom. Later, Id understand. The rules were designed to take your mind off the acting. She turns to Lanthimos. Right? I wanted to get all these things into their bodies in a way thats unconscious and then, when theyre on set, theyre free to try different things and not feel the need to abide by any predetermined behavior, Lanthimos says. Im not big on discussions. So lets take care of all of these things before filming so it will feel genuine. Forget anything you thought you know about this time period. You see portraits of these women. Who knows if they walked around like that in the palace? Rachel Weisz (Michael Nagle / For The Times) Its the red carpet of today, Weisz says. Right now, we dont look how we looked last night. Were totally different. Two hundred years from now, theyll be making a period film about 2018, and its going to be absolutely ridiculous, isnt it? Stone says. If they imagine we dressed every day like we did last night, then yes, yes it will, Weisz answers. Step 3: Morality is a luxury. Actresses Emma Stone, left, and Rachel Weisz, right, pose with The Favourite director Yorgos Lanthimos, center, at the Whitby Hotel on November 13, 2018 in New York City. (Michael Nagle / For The Times) The Favourite puts the women front and center, and one of its strengths is the way it makes viewers consider and shift their allegiances to this trio of complex characters throughout the film. Weisz calls Churchill the most complicated woman she has played, outside of Blanche DuBois in A Streetcar Named Desire. Shes aggressive and sadistic and also vulnerable and needy, Weisz says of Lady Sarah, who essentially governed England in the place of the meek, mercurial queen. I could bore you with infinite adjectives as to what she is and thats true of all the characters. Actresses Emma Stone and Rachel Weisz (Michael Nagle / For The Times) Stone, playing the storys social-climbing usurper, isnt so sure the audience is ever really on Abigails side, though the characters grievous history family bankruptcy, her father losing her in a card game makes her pragmatism understandable. Favor is a breeze that shifts direction all the time, warns Tory opposition leader Robert Harley in the film. When youre threatened with being thrown back on the street, you do what you can to survive, Stone says. Morality is a luxury. Make a wrong move and youre being whipped in the kitchen. That was Henry VIIIs kitchen, you know, Weisz points out, referring to the Hampton Court Palace location where the film shot. It was amazing to me because Id never been to places like that, Stone says. Youve never been whipped in Henry VIIIs kitchen? Weisz asks. We were like, Whatever. I was a Henry VIII kitchen-whipping virgin, Stone says. We should put that on the poster, Lanthimos says. It sums up the movies tone pretty well, I think. glenn.whipp@latimes.com Twitter: @glennwhipp Egyptian Armed Forces units arrived on Tuesday in Jordan to participate in the Egyptian-Jordanian joint military exercise Aqaba-4, which will continue until 21 December with the participation of land, naval, air defence and special forces from both countries. The training includes the implementation of many activities involving land and sea, which will contribute to the exchange of expertise between the two armies and boost their abilities to coordinate in the face any challenges that target the security and stability of the region. The general command of the Egyptian Armed Forces has said that it has taken all measures to deploy and transport units from their concentration areas to the ports of arrival ahead of starting of training activities. The Aqaba-4 exercise comes as part of continued security and military cooperation between Egypt and brotherly countries. Search Keywords: Short link: Audience reactions to blockbusters are difficult to predict, but its unlikely anyone will come out of Aquaman asking Is this all there is? Not only does the new comic book superhero movie from the DC Extended Universe clock in at an over-extended 2 hours and 23 minutes, it throws everything at us except an undersea kitchen sink. Anchored in the submerged citadel of Atlantis, Aquaman offers up wave after wave of heroes and villains, plots and counterplots, climaxes, anti-climaxes and CGI creatures, like a whole season of vintage Star Trek stuffed into one film. That cover-the-waterfront attitude also extends to the casting. If anyone ever imagined seeing a superhero film where the supporting players include Nicole Kidman and Dolph Lundgren, Willem Dafoe and Temuera Morrison, not to mention the digitally altered voice of Julie Andrews as a sea creature, this is the dream they dreamt. Advertisement Its almost as if director James Wan and screenwriters David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick and Will Beall feared this would be their only shot at making an Aquaman movie and shoehorned every last idea they had into the mix. As it turns out, they didnt have to worry. Notwithstanding the inevitable formulaic dialogue and a superabundance of boilerplate superhero action sequences, Aquaman turns out to be, almost despite itself, an engaging undersea extravaganza. Thats because two key elements of this multipronged production work as advertised: the casting of Jason Momoa as Aquaman and Amber Heard as his fierce ally Mera, and the visual splendors of Atlantis and the submerged universe it is part of. Already having made a fine first appearance as a vibrant superhero who just wanted to be left alone in 2017s Justice League, Momoa is ideally cast as the half-human, half-Atlantean, totally tattooed protagonist. Able to be both fierce and funny, hes capable of holding a trident like he means business as well as delivering a string of verbal zingers: Im missing happy hour for this he cracks when a rescue mission runs long. Heard also made a brief appearance as the flame-haired Mera in the Justice League film, and she convincingly turns that Atlantean princess into Aquamans equal partner in derring-do, with the pairs on-screen rapport becoming one of the productions pluses. Aquamans other advantage is the creation of Atlantis and environs. With cinematography by Don Burgess, production design by Bill Brzeski, costumes by Kym Barrett and visual effects supervised by Kelvin McIlwain, this is a film you dont even want to think about watching on your cellphone. Its not just the great sense of underwater spectacle this team creates, complete with immense ancient statues and sea horses that really live up to the name, its that the effects make you believe the characters are actually living and breathing under the sea even though filming on sound stages with wires and rigs was the order of the day. When it comes to the actual plot all these people are swimming in, it is mostly acceptable if not particularly original familiar elements like a treasure map to be followed and an Arthurian sword-in-the-stone motif find their place. Aquaman starts, not surprisingly, with an origins story: telling how Aquamans lighthouse keeper father, Tom Curry (Morrison), came to find and rescue his mother, Atlanna (Kidman), queen of Atlantis. Temuera Morrison as Tom Curry and Nicole Kidman as Atlanna in Aquaman. (Warner Bros. Pictures) This meet cute leads to love and to the birth of son Arthur, the future Aquaman, but to keep the boy and his father safe, Atlanna returns home. Though she says she will return, the boy grows to manhood without ever seeing her again. After a rocky childhood (a scene of his unique communication with fishes in the Boston Aquarium is a especially good), Arthur grows up to be a kind of freelance superhero, rescuing folks when it suits him and drinking beer when it doesnt. A battle against nautical pirates at the films opening turns out to have a lasting negative effect: One of the vanquished eventually becomes sworn enemy Black Manta (Yahya Abdul-Mateen). Meanwhile, under the sea, Aquamans conniving half brother Orm (Patrick Wilson) is ruling Atlantis and, in combination with Nereus (Lundgren), is plotting to unite all the undersea tribes and declare war on the surface, payback for all the years of crass pollution of the oceans. This disturbs Vulko (Dafoe), a top Atlantean adviser, as well as Mera, and she shows up unannounced to convince Aquaman that he should return home and, as the eldest son of the queen, claim the throne that is his birthright. Aquaman, however, is unsure. Not only is responsibility not his thing, he is acutely conscious of his status as what King Orm dismissively calls a half-breed. For in addition to its too-numerous plot elements, Aquaman turns out to be determined to convey positive messages about the virtues of inclusion and the need to clean up the planet. When you throw in some emotional surprises, thats a lot of boat for one movie to float, but float is what Aquaman manages to do. Could that be a sequel hovering on the horizon? I wouldnt be at all surprised. ------------- Aquaman Rated: PG-13 for sequences of sci-fi violence and action, and for some language Running time: 2 hours, 23 minutes Playing: Opens Dec. 21 in general release ------------- ALSO Justin Changs best movies of 2018: Burning and First Reformed lead a year of mystery Mark Olsens best movies of 2018: If Beale Street Could Talk stands out in a year that tried to make sense of madness Kenneth Turans best movies of 2018: Black Panther and Leave No Trace top a banner year kenneth.turan@latimes.com @KennethTuran It takes a particularly privileged, out-of-touch person to tell California college students that its no big inconvenience for them to travel up to seven miles to obtain an abortion pill. Good grief, Jerry Brown. For the record: An earlier version of this column reported that private funds would cover the cost of medication abortions for students. The private funds will be used for any necessary training. Public funds already cover the cost of abortions for low-income women in California. What happened to your common sense, your compassion and your desire to help young women make better lives for themselves? Why did you align yourself with the forces that would turn back the clock on womens rights? In September, our outgoing governor received a bill that would have required health centers at University of California and Cal State University campuses to provide students with pills that can terminate pregnancies of up to 10 weeks. This would make life easier for the 500 or so Cal State and UC students who seek medication abortions each month. Advertisement Private funds would cover the cost of training clinic staff for these abortions, which require one visit to obtain pills and a second visit to make sure they worked. For reasons that are not remotely defensible, Brown vetoed the bill. Access to reproductive health services, including abortion, is a long-protected right in California, he wrote in his brief veto message. According to a study sponsored by supporters of this legislation, the average distance to abortion providers in campus communities varies from five to seven miles, not an unreasonable distance. Unreasonable for whom, Governor? How is it in the interest of public health to force pregnant college students to travel miles for two pills that they could easily pick up from their campus health center? More than half of UC and CSU students are considered low-income. Two thirds of UC students dont have cars and one third of CSU students dont. Leaving campus means missing class, or work or study time. These are not insurmountable burdens, obviously. But why should they exist at all? In California, if a patient has to spend more than 30 minutes traveling for primary health care, the care is considered inaccessible. That policy is enshrined in the Code of Regulations, which governs state agencies. According to UC San Franciscos Advancing New Standards in Reproductive Health, which assessed the barriers to medication abortion faced by college students, the visits required for a medication abortion at a clinic five miles away would require a minimum of two hours travel by public transportation. If access to abortion is a long-protected right, whats the point of the governors veto? Thankfully, the bill was reintroduced by its sponsor, Democratic State Sen. Connie Leyva of Chino. It is critically important that we reaffirm the constitutional right of college students to access abortion care without delay, and that should always include student health centers on public university campuses, she wrote on Dec. 3 when she revived the bill in Sacramento. Leyva hopes and so should we all that incoming Gov. Gavin Newsom will be more supportive of young women, who have every right to unencumbered abortions. Can we count on you, Mr. Governor-elect? :: I have always been pro-choice, but there was a long period of time when I thought it was necessary to offer caveats because of the emotions that this debate stirs up: Its a difficult decision, its a necessary evil and it should be safe, legal and rare, the Clinton-era catchphrase. Im done with that. I refuse to bemoan it as a necessary evil though for some women, it may be. I no longer describe it as a difficult decision, though for some women, it may be. I celebrate it as one of the safest medical procedures on Earth. I embrace it as an essential tool for independence. Without the right to determine when to have children, women will never have true agency. I have watched as heroic abortion doctors have been charged with crimes, then murdered by antiabortion fanatics. I have watched states like Texas and Mississippi try to legislate abortion out of existence by making rules that are impossible for abortion clinics to follow. The last place I expected more abortion obstruction was California. We have a new, presumably antiabortion justice on the U.S. Supreme Court. To the dismay of antiabortion conservatives, he sided on Monday with the courts liberals and Chief Justice John Roberts, refusing to hear a pair of appeals backed by 13 states that sought to defund Planned Parenthood. But there is no reason to believe that Roe vs. Wade, the landmark 1973 case legalizing abortion, may not be in danger. It is essential that women speak out about the importance of this cherished constitutional right. Which brings me to the latest, laudable effort to spread the good word. :: Lindy West, left, and Amelia Bonow are co-creators of #ShoutYourAbortion. (Courtesy Amelia Bonow) Shout Your Abortion began, as so many social movements do these days, on Twitter. In 2015, Amelia Bonow, a graduate student in Washington state, was distressed at yet another move by House Republicans to defund Planned Parenthood. On her Facebook page, she described the relief she had felt after an abortion at a Planned Parenthood clinic in Seattle. I remember this experience with a near inexpressible level of gratitude, she wrote. I am telling you this today because the narrative of those working to defund Planned Parenthood relies on the assumption that abortion is still something to be whispered about.Having an abortion made me happy in a totally unqualified way. Her friend, the Guardian columnist Lindy West, tweeted out Bonows statement with the hashtag #ShoutYourAbortion. Things sort of snowballed from there. Last week, an anthology of essays by women unabashed to tell the world about their abortions was published by PM Press, with a forward by West. The title, naturally, is Shout Your Abortion. The essays are poignant, funny, straightforward or militant. None is a tale of regret, because so few women regret their abortions. We need to build a culture in which talking about abortion becomes as normal as the procedure itself, West writes. People who have abortions are good people, and abortion has helped millions of us live our best lives. We are not sorry. Nor should we ever be. Abortion is a social good. It should be as accessible as possible. Especially on the campuses of Californias universities. robin.abcarian@latimes.com Twitter: @AbcarianLAT Locally caught red snapper was once a staple on Southern California menus and a vital part of the states fishing industry. But overfishing took its toll, resulting in federal restrictions nearly two decades ago to prevent their extinction. But with stocks rebuilding faster than anticipated, federal officials on Tuesday boosted catch limits by more than 100% for some species of rockfish in a move they said would help revive West Coast bottom trawlers and sportfishing fleets. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administrations action is expected to result in anglers taking about 218,000 additional annual trips in coastal waters about 148,000 of them between Santa Barbara and San Diego. Officials say the move could generate an estimated 900 jobs and up to $54 million in annual revenue in West Coast states in 2019, including about 630 jobs and $44 million in Southern California. It may also put fresh, locally caught varieties of rockfish commonly sold as red snapper back on dinner plates in Southern California restaurants, which currently rely almost entirely on frozen seafood imported from Mexico and around the world. Advertisement The rebuilding of these stocks also means the rebuilding of West Coast communities and economies that sacrificed for years waiting for the rockfish populations to come back, said Barry Thom, regional administrator of fisheries for NOAAs West Coast region. Now, fleets can catch even more fish because they will be less constrained overall by limits on these stocks. In 2019, the annual catch limit for California scorpionfish, also known as sculpin, will rise from 150 metric tons to 313 metric tons, or 108%; for yelloweye rockfish from 20 metric tons to 40 metric tons, or 100%; for boccaccio, once considered a candidate for the endangered species list, from 741 metric tons to 2,097 metric tons, or 183%; and for Pacific Ocean perch from 281 metric tons to 4,340 metric tons, or 1,444%. Behind those increases, federal scientists say, is a better understanding about the flows of oceanic currents and the biological rhythms of populations so overfished that scientists once predicted it would take nearly a century for some of them to recover. Our perception of low productivity among rockfish in the 1990s was tailored by poor oceanic conditions at that time, said John Field, a federal researcher at NOAAs Southwest Fisheries Science Center in Santa Cruz. But our population models back then didnt account for what turned out to be a banner year for recruitment of young fish in 1999, as well as in later years. All those young fish combined with strict fisheries management actions imposed earlier, he added, led many species of rockfish, but not all 80 or so of them, to a trajectory of remarkable success. Some rockfish restrictions will remain pending further research, such as those limiting cow cod, which is prized for its delicate white flesh. However, fishermen will be allowed to target other species of rockfish in the Cow Cod Conservation Area about 60 miles off the Southern California coast. The actions, along with NOAAs order earlier this year to reopen 3,000 miles of closed areas to bottom trawling in 2020, were applauded by Lori Steele, executive director of the West Coast Seafood Processors Assn. The challenge now, she said, will be winning back shelf space that was taken over by imported fish. Were trying to come up with ways to make California consumers aware that they will soon have seafood options from the West Coast, she said. It will be a little bit more expensive because were going to have to rebuild West Coast markets. I expect to see more people on charter boats fishing in deeper water next year, said Gerry Richter of Santa Barbara, who represents hook-and-line fishermen on a federal rockfish advisory panel. Scientists and fishermen began sounding warnings about declining West Coast stocks in the 1970s, a time when rockfish had become a favorite standby of charter and private fishing boats because glamour fish such as salmon, albacore and barracuda were not biting. Fishery managers responded with reductions in catch limits that took an economic toll. Coastal communities lost fishing businesses and workers, including experienced cutters and trimmers. Potential locations for processing centers in areas such as Morro Bay and Monterey Bay were bought and turned into real estate developments. Hundreds of feet beneath the waves, natural reef systems as far as 60 miles from the coast were essentially denuded of once robust populations of rockfish. Their numbers had plunged dramatically because of commercial and recreational fishing, which removed nearly all of the mature fish. After decades of little management, tough federal laws and a series of courtroom victories by environmentalists forced federal officials in 2002 to order a halt in commercial fishing for rockfish off much of the California coast. Of 16 types of rockfish assessed at the time, biologists determined that nine suffered from excessive harvesting. Numbers of boccaccio, for example, had plummeted by 95%. Rockfish thrive when conditions are ideal for spawning: cold water rich in plankton. Some live as long as 150 years, scientists say, which enables them to survive downturns in their environment not conducive to breeding. Rockfish of different sizes, age groups and species can congregate together. As a result, fishermen could not easily target specific kinds of rockfish without also catching breeding stock or other species. When pulled up from the crushing depths, their internal bladder expands, causing tissue damage that makes survival difficult if theyre tossed back into the water. New research based on data gathered over the last two decades suggests that rockfish populations are far more resilient than scientists understood when they were advising federal fisheries managers to declare large tracts of the coastal Pacific off-limits. For example, rockfish browsing eelgrass and rocky reefs experience conditions that at times are independent of the physical and biological dynamics occurring near the surface, where temperatures have been steadily warming. A recent study by NOAA and UC Santa Cruz suggests that rockfish population growth corresponds to currents of cooler, fresher and oxygen-rich Pacific subarctic water. By comparison, years of low rockfish abundance are associated with warmer, more saline and oxygen-deficient conditions that arrive with currents of subtropical and equatorial origin. The differing environment far below the surface helps explain, Field said, why scientists noted a surprisingly high abundance of juvenile rockfish despite a marine heat wave between 2014 and 2016 influenced by an El Nino event during winter months. Our science has improved a lot over the past 20 years, Field said. We also have better monitoring programs and laws that can be enforced if we do overfish and have to rebuild stocks again. Critics are not so sure. Chris Lowe, a professor of marine biology at Cal State Long Beach and expert on rockfish, questioned the decision to raise harvesting quotas by more than 100% rather than by incremental amounts, depending on the effects of increased fishing activity. Of particular concern are higher catch limits for species such as scorpionfish, which congregate in large groups while spawning, making them vulnerable to population crashes when harvested. Others wonder why potential effects of climate change were not mentioned in federal documents supporting the actions. But Shems Jud, an attorney with the nonprofit Environmental Defense Fund and an advisor to federal officials on rockfish and the commercial fishing industry, is optimistic about the changes but says their effect on populations should be closely monitored. I do think the Trump administration is trying to increase domestic production of seafood, Jud said. Whats wrong with that? Wed be hard pressed to find a better source of protein. Louis.Sahagun@latimes.com @LouisSahagun For the first time in nearly 20 years, a Los Angeles County law enforcement officer has been charged with killing an unarmed civilian while on duty. Luke Liu is accused of shooting Francisco Garcia at a Norwalk gas station on Feb. 24, 2016, according to a complaint filed by the Los Angeles County district attorneys office. Liu, appearing in a downtown courtroom on Tuesday, pleaded not guilty to a charge of voluntary manslaughter and to a special allegation of intentionally discharging a firearm, which caused death to the victim. Although about 1,500 officer shootings have occurred since 2000, none had faced prosecution since LAPD Officer Ronald Orosco was accused of shooting an unarmed motorist in the back in September 2000 during a dispute over a traffic citation. Orosco pleaded no contest to a felony charge of shooting into an occupied vehicle. The motorist survived. Orosco was sentenced to five years in prison. Advertisement After Liu, 40, entered his plea, the judge explained that he would be treated like any other defendant he would remain in the custody of the sheriffs department until his bond payment cleared. When the hearing ended, a sergeant escorted Liu briskly from the courtroom. According to prosecutors, Liu was on patrol when he approached Garcia, who was in a vehicle that he believed may have been stolen. The gas station in the 10900 block of Alondra Boulevard was the site of a fatal shooting the day before. When Liu asked Garcia if the vehicle belonged to him, Garcia responded, Its none of your business, according to a sheriffs department report. Liu stood near the drivers side door before walking to the rear of the car, according to prosecutors. When Liu returned to the drivers side door, Garcia, 26, began driving away at approximately 5 mph, prosecutors said. Liu reported seeing Garcias right hand reaching into the back seat and feared he was grabbing a firearm, the sheriffs department report says. As Garcia pulled away, the car hit Liu in both knees, according to the report. Liu drew his service weapon, ran alongside the car and fired seven shots at Garcia, who was struck four times and killed, according to prosecutors. Garcia was pronounced dead at a hospital. An estimated 20 seconds elapsed from when Liu approached Garcia until he fired the shots, prosecutors said. Several civilians witnessed the incident, a portion of which was captured on video. Sheriffs department policy says deputies should not fire at stationary or moving vehicles unless a person in the vehicle is imminently threatening someone with deadly force using something other than the vehicle itself. No weapons were recovered on Garcia or in the car he was driving. The case was presented by sheriffs homicide investigators to prosecutors on Jan. 31, 2017. L.A. County Dist. Atty. Jackie Lacey, who was elected in 2012, has faced repeated criticism for declining to bring charges in shootings by officers during her years in office. In an unusual move, former LAPD Police Chief Charlie Beck called on Lacey to prosecute one of his officers this year, but her office declined. However, in a statement Tuesday, Lacey said the use of force in this case was not reasonable the critical factor that often determines whether an officer is charged with shooting someone. We believe the officers use of deadly force was unjustified and unreasonable under the circumstances, she said. There is an inherent danger for law enforcement officers every time they put on the uniform. We applaud their dedication and bravery to make split-second decisions in potentially life-threatening situations. But we also must hold them accountable when their conduct is unlawful. At Tuesdays hearing, deputies, many wearing the name of their union the Assn. for Los Angeles Deputy Sheriffs on their shirts, lined the back of the courtroom and filled a few rows of seats. Michael Schwartz, Lius attorney, said Garcia ignored his clients orders to put his hands on the wheel and drove away instead, clipping the deputy with the car. Schwartz said his client believed his life and others lives were threatened by Garcia, who was driving a vehicle that was reported stolen. Schwartz said Liu learned only recently that he would face criminal charges. It came as a shock to my client and even his captain, Schwartz said, describing Liu as a quiet, hardworking, award-winning deputy. Schwartz is experienced in defending police officers charged with crimes. In 2007, he represented Ivory Webb, a former San Bernardino County Sheriffs deputy charged with shooting an unarmed Iraq war veteran who was a passenger in a car that led authorities on a high-speed chase. Webb was acquitted. In 2014, Schwartz defended Fullerton Police Officer Jay Cicinelli against charges of excessive force and involuntary manslaughter in the death of a homeless man, Kelly Thomas. Cicinelli and another officer were acquitted of second-degree murder in the case. In April, the county paid $1.75 million to settle a wrongful death lawsuit brought by the family of Garcia, who worked at a moving company. The lawsuit claims Liu fired his weapon without issuing a warning that shots would be fired. The family is deeply gratified that prosecutors are filing charges in this case, said Kent Henderson, an attorney for Garcias family. The family always felt this was an unnecessary taking of their sons life. It didnt have to happen. He wasnt threatening anyone. If anything, he was driving away from [the deputy]. Steve Cooley, who served as Los Angeles County district attorney from 2000-12, said charges against law enforcement officers for shootings on duty are rare, in part because the standards for finding a police shooting to be unlawful are so high. Cooley said almost every shooting he reviewed was justified, but acknowledged he had a term for cases that were highly questionable but lacked the evidence to charge the officer: awful but lawful. Liu, who served with the sheriffs department for more than 10 years and was assigned to the Cerritos Station, was placed on administrative leave Monday, said agency spokeswoman Nicole Nishida. If convicted, Liu faces a possible maximum sentence of 21 years in state prison. maya.lau@latimes.com Twitter: @mayalau The Los Angeles City Council unanimously voted Tuesday to impose new rules on renting out rooms and homes for short stays, regulating a phenomenon popularized by the rise of online platforms such as Airbnb. The law, which goes into effect in July, allows Angelenos to host such rentals only in their primary residence, not a second home or investment property. The vote came more than 3 years after Councilman Mike Bonin and Council President Herb Wesson first laid out a proposal to regulate short-term rentals, arguing that the city needed to prevent homes from being operated like hotels. As the debate dragged on year after year at City Hall, tenant activists and the hotel industry agitated for the city to quickly pass new rules. Gina Charusombat, policy and program coordinator for the Thai Community Development Center, argued that landlords had a financial incentive to displace poor tenants to make way for tourists. Advertisement Every day we delay implementing regulations worsens the housing crisis, Charusombat said. The long-standing debate has pitted a coalition of tenant advocates, neighborhood activists and the hotel industry against companies such as Airbnb, HomeAway and their hosts. Airbnb alone has spent roughly $1.3 million in the last four years lobbying the city on the rules, according to city disclosures. It is harder to tell how much Airbnb critics have spent because some do not break down lobbying expenses by issue, but hotel industry groups and the Keep Neighborhoods First coalition have spent at least $625,000 during that period, city records indicate. Rival camps of hotel workers and Airbnb hosts have packed city hearings in contrasting shirts of red and blue. As it stands, renting out a home for fewer than 30 days at a time is legally barred in much of the city, according to planning officials. But L.A. has rarely cracked down on such rentals, and their operators have fought and sometimes won when it has tried to do so. Bonin said the existing rules have been absolutely unenforceable. Under the new rules, Angelenos can host such rentals only in their primary residence, defined as the place where they live at least half of the year. Hosts must register with the city, pay lodging taxes, keep records for city inspection, and make sure they have working smoke detectors, fire extinguishers and information on emergency exits, among other requirements. Hosts can offer their homes for short stays of up to 120 days annually. However, Angelenos can exceed that cap and welcome temporary guests all year if they do not have multiple citations from the city in recent years, or can make a successful case to planning officials that doing so would not hurt the neighborhood. And some homes are off-limits for such rentals: Angelenos cannot host them in hundreds of thousands of apartments covered by the Rent Stabilization Ordinance, which limits rent hikes for tenants, or units that fall under affordable housing covenants. At the Tuesday hearing, Airbnb hosts complained that the new law was saddled with steep fees and would bar some responsible hosts from earning income from their homes. One Silver Lake rental host, David Darwish, said the city was acting like Gestapo and going after small mom-and-pop businesses. We do Airbnb because we need it, because L.A. is becoming increasingly unaffordable and we need it to survive, said Rhonda Hayder, who told council members that she hosted short-term rentals in a bedroom in her rent-stabilized duplex in Miracle Mile. Stopping her from renting out that bedroom, she said, would do nothing to ease the housing crisis. Despite such concerns, Airbnb deputy policy manager Connie Llanos called the passage of the new law an important step that would legalize home sharing for many L.A. hosts. Critics of such rentals, in turn, billed the new regulations as a welcome compromise that would protect renters. The rules also impose new requirements on hosting platforms such as Airbnb and HomeAway. They cannot process any booking from a host who has not registered with the city, or who has exceeded the annual limit on how many days they can rent out their home. If the platforms do so, they can be hit with fines of $1,000 a day. And the online platforms must regularly hand over host information to the city, a step that L.A. officials say will help with enforcement. Airbnb supporter Tami Smith, center, applauds a speaker who supports homesharing rentals as the Los Angeles City Council considers the new ordinance. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) That could be a sticking point for some companies. Airbnb, for instance, has cautioned the city that it will not provide names and addresses unless it gets a subpoena, according to the planning department. It has tangled with other cities over their requirements for hosting platforms. Airbnb has, however, floated the idea of creating a system that could forward information to the city when hosts register with its website. But it said it would do so only if L.A. allowed for vacation rentals renting out something other than a primary residence for short stays, such as a second home or investment property. HomeAway, which offers vacation rentals, has argued for a legal pathway for the practice, saying it provides a needed option for travelers seeking the comforts of a home. Last week, a council committee said the new rules should not go into effect before a vacation rental ordinance was also in place. That idea alarmed tenant activists, who feared waiting on the second ordinance could delay the new law indefinitely and ultimately undercut its effectiveness. At the Tuesday meeting, the council voted to eliminate that provision and allow the new rules to go into effect in July, regardless of whether vacation rentals had been legalized. That does not mean that the debate over such rentals is over: Wesson and Councilman Marqueece Harris-Dawson introduced a new proposal Tuesday asking city staffers to draft an ordinance that would allow vacation rentals and cap their number across the city. Council members are also slated to consider whether to allow some exemptions to the ban on rent-stabilized apartments. emily.alpert@latimes.com Twitter: @AlpertReyes An Oxnard woman was convicted Monday of second-degree murder after prosecutors say she tried to cover up the death of her 3-year-old daughter, whom she was abusing. Jurors also found Mayra Alejandra Chavez, 27, guilty of felony torture and assault leading to the death of Kimberly Lopez in June 2015. Authorities say Chavez and Kimberlys father, Omar Lopez, disposed of the girls remains. Lopez, 33, who also was charged with second-degree murder, instead pleaded guilty to child endangerment and perjury and testified against Chavez in a deal with prosecutors. Advertisement The girls parents had kept her death secret and told authorities inquiring about her months later that she was staying with relatives in Mexico, said John Barrick, Ventura Countys senior deputy district attorney. In fact, the childs head was slammed on the floor after her mother angrily changed her soiled diaper, Kimberlys father testified during Chavezs trial this month. The girl later began having seizures and died in the middle of the night, Lopez said. The couple drove the childs body to Mexico and buried it in a blue plastic bag in a shallow grave, he said. After returning to Oxnard, the two became afraid the girls body would be found, so on July 25, 2015, they drove to Tijuana and exhumed her remains, Barrick said. They broke apart her bones with pliers and tried to dissolve her remains in a bucket with bleach and water, which they later poured down a sink in a house they were renting, the prosecutor said. They literally poured their daughter down the drain, Barrick said, adding that the couple scattered the girls bones on various roads before returning to the United States. In February 2016, Ventura County Children and Family Services received a call requesting a welfare check on Chavezs older daughter. The girl told social workers she didnt have a sister. Chavez and Lopez told officials that Kimberly was living with relatives in Mexico. They gave the same explanation to social workers months later but couldnt provide any documentation backing up the claim. Social workers reported the girl missing to Oxnard police in September 2016. Authorities offered a $10,000 reward for information to help find Kimberly and searched for months before Chavez admitted to police that the girl had died, Barrick said. Chavez originally lost custody of Kimberly at birth after the baby tested positive for both methamphetamine and marijuana. The child was placed in foster care for about nine months, then was returned to her mother after Chavez completed drug and parenting classes, according to prosecutors. But Chavez began abusing the girl, authorities say, and Kimberly was returned to foster care. Chavez again sought to regain custody and eventually was allowed supervised visits. Lopez testified that the abuse became more severe during that time. He told jurors that Chavezs punishments for Kimberly included cold showers in which a beanie was pulled over the childs face and water was dumped on her head, and beatings that left her with bruises all over her body. He said Kimberly would be slapped for not eating her food quickly enough. On the night she was killed, Lopez testified that Chavez became angry when the girl soiled her diaper. He said her mother aggressively pulled down Kimberlys pants and yanked her legs out from under, sending the girl toppling on the floor, where she struck her head. In a prior interview with detectives, Lopez described the sound as being similar to a watermelon hitting the ground, according to court records. Barrick said Lopez didnt participate in the childs abuse but he didnt stop it either. I want everyone to know what Kimberlys parents did to her, Barrick said. Its just so grotesque how they treated this little girl. Chavez faces a maximum of life in prison at her sentencing hearing in March. Lopez is expected to spend 14 years in prison. hannah.fry@latimes.com Twitter: @Hannahnfry A letter discovered in a building at Cal State Northridge that threatens a mass shooting has prompted school officials to provide off-campus alternatives for final exams Wednesday. A student found the note, written in red ink on lined notebook paper, late Monday folded up on the floor of a classroom in Redwood Hall. The student called campus police about 11:44 p.m. after he read it, said Cal State Northridge Police Chief Anne Glavin. The letter, which is laced with profanity and warns of a shooting on the campus Wednesday, is the second threat made to the college in less than a week. A similar warning was scrawled in black marker on a bathroom wall in Sierra Hall last week. In that incident, anti-Semitic symbols accompanied racist language and the threat of a mass shooting, also Wednesday, the same day final exams are scheduled to begin. Glavin said officials have not identified the person responsible for the bathroom messages or the letter. She declined to comment on any possible connection between the two incidents. Advertisement The letter also threatens that students from Northridge Academy High School will carry out a similar attack on their campus. Police increased patrols around the high school Tuesday, but officials have not announced any plans to cancel classes. The teachers and proffessors are surely going to die for making students depressed and giving us work that will never serve us good in life, the letter states. In addition to directing instructors to provide options for online or off-campus exams that wouldnt require students to be in classrooms Wednesday, CSUN officials also have boosted police presence on the campus amid mounting concerns over safety. Some students called for the school to be shut down Wednesday. More than 10,500 people have signed an online petition to close the campus. Less than 12 hours after the petition launched, administrators announced their plan to move the days final exams off campus. The school will remain open. Were certainly not going to bow down to threats, but at the same time, we need to keep people safe, Glavin said. Seeing this type of threat, especially after [the mass shooting in] Thousand Oaks, it turns peoples nerves upside down. Cal State Northridge President Dianne F. Harrison wrote in a message to the campus that the last several days have been incredibly difficult for the CSUN family. Sadly, the world in which we live requires we take threats of violence and expressions of hate seriously even when there is no evidence to suggest that the threatened acts are likely to materialize, she wrote. The determination by CSUN Police and their law enforcement partners, at this time, remains that this threat is not credible. hannah.fry@latimes.com Twitter: @Hannahnfry The Los Angeles City Council approved a plan Tuesday to open a homeless shelter in the heart of Venice, a project that has become a flashpoint for complaints about tents, filth and crime in the seaside neighborhood. The council voted 13 to 0 to back a 154-bed homeless shelter on Sunset Avenue. Council members Gil Cedillo and Jose Huizar were absent from the vote. Dozens of supporters, including some from the pro-shelter group She Does, waved signs reading Beds Not Sidewalks during the council meeting and urged passage of the $5-million facility. Longtime Venice resident Laura Silagi described how houses sell for $2 million and more in the upscale neighborhood, yet homeless people live in the alley near her home. Its embarrassing, its tragic, its horrible, Silagi said. Advertisement Opponents questioned the shelters proposed location near the boardwalk, Abbot Kinney Boulevards trendy shops and restaurants, as well as several schools. Venice resident Tori Knight called it misguided and irresponsible to spend $5 million to build a temporary shelter near homes and schools. That figure doesnt include the cost of running the facility. Planned for an unused Metropolitan Transportation Authority yard, the shelter will house 100 adults and 54 younger people, ages 18-24, said David Graham-Caso, a spokesman for City Councilman Mike Bonin, who represents Venice. Homeless people would live in a modular tent structure holding 100 beds, and nine trailers for youths, according to city documents. The project will also have trailers for hygiene and administrative work, storage units, a pet area, and outdoor dining space. The shelter is part of Mayor Eric Garcettis Bridge Home program, which aims to place at least one homeless shelter in all 15 council districts. One shelter constructed with taxpayer dollars has opened downtown, while dozens of other shelters or storage facilities for homeless people are proposed. Tuesdays vote on the shelter was far less contentious than an October town hall about the project that drew hundreds of angry residents. Locals complained to Garcetti and Bonin about encampments, finding needles and feces in alleys and on the beach, and a feeling of lawlessness in the community. The council vote exempts the Venice shelter from a full review under the California Environmental Quality Act, the state law governing development, which will allow the project to be built more quickly. The Venice project still needs approval from the California Coastal Commission, Graham-Caso said. Mark Ryavec, president of the Venice Stakeholders Assn., said last week that the city hadnt fully addressed concerns about noise, parking and other issues related to the shelter. He said he planned to sue the city over the project. The council Tuesday also backed the construction of a $4.6-million homeless shelter in South L.A. and voted to support leases with homeless services providers for planned shelters in Westlake and Hollywood. dakota.smith@latimes.com Twitter: @dakotacdsmith When rescuers got a call about a crying puppy left in a dumpster in Long Beach over the weekend, they thought it was a simple case of abandonment. Bring her right over, the volunteers at Sparky and the Gang Animal Rescue said, adding that they had everything they needed to nurse sick dogs back to health. The team had just treated a litter of puppies left inside a box covered in human feces, said Diana Kliche, an attorney who volunteers with another rescue group, Fix Long Beach. But the little white dog found in the trash bin was a far more severe and cruel case than they anticipated, said Kliche, who named the dog Chloe. The 1-year-old Maltese-poodle-terrier mix smelled of urine and had visible bruises to the side of her head and a hind leg that had been broken in half. On the way to the veterinarians office, Kliche thought several times the dog had died. She didnt move, her tongue stuck out and her eyes were closed. Advertisement Her matted hair was covered with bits of rancid onions, spaghetti and ham. Kliche said she thinks someone beat the animal, tossed her in their kitchen trash can and then threw the bag in a dumpster behind apartments near the 1000 block of Walnut Avenue, a residential area. Someone in that neighborhood must have seen the pup before, she said. Someone knows who did this, and its scary this person is still out there. They could be your neighbor, your coworker. Whats going to set them off next time? Now, the two rescue groups Sparky and the Gang and Fix Long Beach are offering a $1,000 reward for anyone with information that leads to the arrest of the person who abused Chloe. Long Beach Animal Care Services is handling the investigation. Veterinarians at Primary Care Animal Hospital later learned the little dog had broken ribs, a fractured skull and brain swelling. The urine on the dog was human, not animal. Donations have poured in from the community, both for Chloes medical bill and the reward, Kliche said. She expects the dogs medical expenses will run between $7,000 and $12,000. Donations already have totaled $3,500. Chloe was doing much better Monday night. Despite the abuse, Chloe is lifting her head, has tried to stand and even is wagging her tail, Kliche said. Shes such an adorable dog. Shes very sweet. Even after everything shes been through, shes not afraid. Some people have called in thinking Chloe could be their dog, but so far, none of the cases have matched, Kliche said. Others have offered to foster the terrier mix or adopt her. But Chloe has a long road to recovery before thats possible. Nancy Hickey, the front office manager for Primary Care Animal Hospital, said Chloe was transferred to a 24-hour care facility, Long Beach Animal Emergency, where shell likely spend another night or two before being transferred again. Hickey said Chloes abuse is the worst she has seen. Ive done this 30 years and it was the most god-awful thing Ive ever seen, Hickey said. This is unacceptable for any animal to suffer the way this one did. Vets are waiting for the dog to be stable enough to safely handle anesthesia for a surgery that will either help heal or require amputation of her broken leg, Kliche said. It really is a miracle she survived, Kliche said. alejandra.reyesvelarde@latimes.com Twitter: @r_valejandra Under the title 'Know, Check, We Will Stay By Your Side,' events marking International AIDS Day have kicked off in Egypt with the aim of encouraging citizens living with the virus to perform medical checkups and receive appropriate and discrete treatment. The events mark 30 years since the launch of International AIDS Day in 1988. The head of the Preventive Medicine Department at Egypt's Ministry of Health Alaa Eid said that the UNAIDS' latest figures classify Egypt as among the lowest countries with AIDS infection rate at 0.02 percent (approximately 20,000 out of a population of 100 million). UNAIDS is a joint United Nations programme on HIV and AIDS, forming a coalition between 11 entities, many of which took part in helping coordinate and build capacity for assessing the situation of people living with HIV (PLHIV) in Egypt and providing them with help and solutions to the many obstacles they face in the community. The Country Manager of the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS in Egypt, Ahmed Khamis, affirmed the ongoing cooperation with the country's national programme against AIDS. Khamis said that the programme cooperates with the Egyptian Ministry of Health and Population through the National AIDS Programme in implementing its plans to gradually reduce the rate of infection and expand the treatment circle for people living with the virus provided by the ministry through the government budget free of charge to those infected and combating discrimination. Khamis said that around 9.4 million people are infected with AIDS globally. National HIV/AIDS Programme Manager Walid Kamal revealed that 24 centres located in 18 Egyptian governorates currently offer HIV counselling services and anonymous testing. The United Nations Resident Coordinator in Egypt Randa Abou Al-Hassan stated that despite the availability of a wider array of HIV tools and strategies, "the world is still profoundly off-track to end AIDS by 2030, Abou Al-Hassan said, citing inequality and social stigma as the main reasons. In 2012 and 2013, new cases of AIDS discovered in Egypt increased to 600 new cases yearly, and in 2014, the number of new cases reached 880 due to an international surge by a whopping 300 percent in infections annually from 2001 to 2011. According to the National Aids Programme, 1,550 citizens were infected with AIDS in Egypt in 2005. Search Keywords: Short link: Authorities are urging Yucca Valley residents to be on the lookout for a hungry mountain lion that was briefly trapped in a chicken coop while dining on a hen. On Monday night, deputies were called to the 5900 block of Avalon Avenue after someone spied the large cat inside a chicken coop that belonged to a homeowner in the area. The San Bernardino County Sheriffs Department said the mountain lion had killed one of the chickens. A photo of the brooding beast looking through the chicken coop wire was snapped while deputies waited for the California Department of Fish and Wildlife to help with the animal. But the big cat managed to escape before state officials arrived, the Sheriffs Department said. Advertisement Mountain lion escapes from a chicken coop; residents are urged to contact law enforcement in the event of any future sighting https://t.co/4ohm7LD2c1 pic.twitter.com/gODhifXX58 Morongo Basin (@morongobasinstn) December 11, 2018 alejandra.reyesvelarde@latimes.com Twitter: @r_valejandra A homeless man was arrested Monday night in Santa Ana after police found a loaded gun and hundreds of rounds of ammunition inside a shed at a city-owned park where the man was staying. Ruben Perez, 37, broke into a storage facility at Carl Thornton Park, making it his residence, and stashed a handgun and nearly 600 bullets inside, authorities said Tuesday. A travel softball team found Perez had broken into the shed, which it used for storage, when the girls returned to practice after a few days of road games, according to Cpl. Anthony Bertagna, spokesman for the Santa Ana Police Department. Team members told police they asked him to leave and when they said they planned to call the authorities, Perez said: Youre a snitch, Im going to get my gun. Advertisement Police found hundreds of rounds of ammunition in a shed a man had broken into and made his home, officials said. (Santa Ana Police Department) They immediately cleared all the kids out of the softball field and called us, Bertagna said. When officers placed Perez under arrest, he asked to retrieve his shoes from the shed. He tried to reenter the building, but officers stopped him and thats when they saw what was inside. A vest filled with 18 magazines of ammunition, each fully loaded, and a .45-caliber handgun were among the items Perez had stashed in the shed, including a cot, Bertagna said. Police said many of the items were stolen. Perez was booked on suspicion of burglary and being a felon in possession of a firearm. He was being held in a Santa Ana jail in lieu of $50,000 bail. alejandra.reyesvelarde@latimes.com Twitter: @r_valejandra Shortly after Los Angeles police launched an investigation into Dr. George Tyndall last spring, a team of detectives began surreptitiously following the former USC gynecologist. The 71-year-old passed most of his days inside a condominium he owns near Lafayette Park, but on at least two occasions, Tyndall drove to a self-storage facility and spent time inside a rental unit, police said. When investigators subsequently raided the unit, they found a trove of homemade pornography and a smaller set of photos of unclothed women in what appeared to be a medical exam room, according to LAPD Capt. Billy Hayes. Those images have become part of the investigation into whether Tyndall sexually abused hundreds of students over his three-decade career at USCs student health center. Detectives are trying to determine whether the pictures show patients at campus clinic appointments, and are working to establish the identities of the women. Advertisement That effort has complicated an already sprawling investigation. With 234 women filing police reports against Tyndall, the probe is believed to be the largest sex crimes investigation involving an individual in LAPD history. A dozen robbery-homicide detectives are traveling the country to interview former patients, and forensic examiners are poring over Tyndalls computer hard drives and other evidence seized from his residence and storage unit. FULL COVERAGE: USC former gynecologist Dr. George Tyndall accused of inappropriate behavior Tyndalls lawyer, Leonard Levine, said in a statement that the doctor maintained his innocence, saying, Dr. Tyndall is adamant that he has never sold, traded or shared any images of patients he examined while conducting medical examinations at USC. Levine added in a second statement: The photos were taken for medical purposes years ago, with the patients consent, and not viewed again by anyone, including Dr. Tyndall, after being moved to the storage facility over five years ago, after the health facility was moved to a new location. For women who have accused Tyndall of inappropriate touching or suggestive remarks, the photos raise the specter of a new and profound violation at a time when many were finalizing legal settlements with USC. The photographs are compromising, said Hayes, who is supervising the police probe. Police do not regard possession of the photos as a crime in itself, Hayes said, but believe the location where they were found is relevant to the larger case. As they track down the provenance of the photos, detectives are calling on both alumnae and USC employees to dig deep in their memories, asking about the color scheme of exam rooms and identifying features on their bodies, such as tattoos. The doctor has insisted that he never had sexual thoughts about patients and his use of a camera in the exam room was for legitimate medical purposes. Hes telling these young ladies that he is taking photographs for a study, Hayes said. If they are in his storage facility, it doesnt give credence to his statements to them that he was using [the photos] for research or to publish studies. Detectives have interviewed at least 117 women so far and presented the cases of 85 to the Los Angeles County district attorneys sex crimes unit for possible charges against the doctor. A grand jury is hearing evidence about Tyndall. It has yet to issue any indictments. It is unclear whether the grand jury is evaluating the evidence seized from the storage unit. Most of the material were videos and photos showing women without a known connection to the university, sometimes having sex with Tyndall. The images appear to span a period of at least three decades, Hayes said. Tyndall and his estranged wife ran a boudoir photography business called Glamourlight in the 1990s and 2000s. Police have not determined whether some of the images uncovered relate to that photo firm. The process of identifying women who are pictured in what appears to be an exam room has been tricky, Hayes said. Some photos seem to have been shot decades ago, making it difficult for detectives to compare with alleged victims today, he said. Detectives are reluctant to show the images widely for fear of infringing on the privacy of the subjects, Hayes said. Investigators are focusing on timestamps on some images as well as distinguishing traits, such as tattoos and jewelry. John Manly, an attorney who is representing scores of former Tyndall patients, said that between 10 and 20 of his clients were asked questions by police that seemed designed to identify them in photos. This plays into the worst nightmares of women, Manly said. Detectives are also looking for evidence that the pictures were taken at USC. The student clinic was moved to a new facility in 2013 and the previous building torn down. Former clinic nurse Cindy Gilbert, who worked with Tyndall for years, said the LAPD questioned her at length about the old exam rooms, including the color of cabinets and the shape and upholstery of exam tables. The Times revealed in May that USC allowed Tyndall to practice for 27 years despite a series of complaints from colleagues and patients about alleged misconduct during gynecological exams. In the 1990s, there were complaints about his photography in the clinic. Anita Thornton, a medical assistant, previously said that the gynecologist took pictures with three cameras -- two that appeared designed for medical exams and a third Canon-style camera with a lens that he kept in a locked cabinet. After medical assistants complained about his picture-taking, the clinic executive director ordered him to stop, according to Tyndall and clinic employees. A creepy feeling, a sideways glance patients of accused former USC gynecologist share their stories In interviews with The Times this spring, Tyndall said he took magnified pictures of cervical abnormalities and sometimes photographed the exterior genitalia to convince worried patients that they did not have genital warts. He denied any prurient purpose. When Tyndall was forced out of the clinic two years ago, administrators found a box of pictures of patients genitals in his office. An internal USC investigation found that the images were magnified and clinical in nature. There was nothing sexual about them, a USC compliance officer told The Times in May. In a statement on Monday, USC said it is cooperating with the Los Angeles Police Departments investigation and that the university is not commenting on any aspect of the police inquiry. Our priority continues to be supporting our students, patients and entire university community by helping to bring resolution to this painful experience in a manner that respects the dignity and privacy of all of those impacted, the USC statement said. In October, USC agreed to settle a federal class-action suit on behalf of Tyndalls patients for $215 million. Hundreds of plaintiffs in state court lawsuits are expected to proceed, and many in those cases accused the doctor of improperly photographing them. Joanna Massey, a USC alumna, alleged in a lawsuit that in 1990, her senior year, Tyndall directed her to spread her vagina while he photographed her genitals. Tyndall told her that he was looking into an epidemic of vaginal warts and that he needed the images for research purposes regarding sexually transmitted diseases among USC sororities, according to the suit. During the exam, Tyndall also shared with Massey that he had collected photos of other sorority girls vaginas, according to her lawsuit. In addition to the photos, the police searches of Tyndalls condominium and storage unit turned up numerous computers and hard drives, Hayes said. Detectives are conducting an ongoing forensic examination of the equipment, but Hayes said that there is nothing to indicate Tyndall uploaded any of the images to the internet. matt.hamilton@latimes.com | Twitter: @MattHjourno richard.winton@latimes.com | Twitter: @lacrimes harriet.ryan@latimes.com | Twitter: @latimesharriet The family of a 21-year-old man shot and killed by a Walgreens security guard earlier this month in Hollywood will seek $525 million in a wrongful-death suit planned against the company, an attorney said Tuesday. Family attorney Carl Douglas also called on Los Angeles County Dist. Atty. Jackie Lacey to file manslaughter charges against the guard who shot and killed Jonathan Hart on Dec. 2. Douglas said Hart got into a verbal confrontation with the security guard in the store and the two pushed each other before Hart tried to leave. Thats when the security guard yelled for Hart to freeze and then shot and killed him, the lawyer said. Hart died from a gunshot wound to the neck, according to a spokeswoman for the Los Angeles County coroners office. Advertisement Douglas said Hart was unarmed and was not shoplifting. Detectives told family members that Hart had a California ID card in his hand at the time of his death. Hart had gotten in a confrontation earlier that night with the same security guard and spoke with the store manager before continuing to shop, the lawyer said. The Los Angeles Police Department did not arrest the security guard after the fatal shooting, said Officer Drake Madison, a police spokesman. The case is being reviewed by the district attorneys office, spokesman Paul Eakins said. Douglas, who was joined by Harts family and friends at a news conference Tuesday, questioned why Walgreens stationed an armed guard at the store at Vine Street and Sunset Boulevard. Walgreens, the blood of Jonathan Hart is on your hands, said Douglas, who called for a boycott of the company. The lawyer said Hart was profiled, harassed and ultimately shot because he was a homeless, gay, black man. A company spokesman said Walgreens has fired the security firm that worked at the store and is cooperating with police. We are committed to providing a safe environment for our employees, patients and customers in the communities we serve, spokesman Phil Caruso said. We contract for armed and unarmed security, as well as video surveillance, in our stores based on the public safety needs of each location. The company believes everyone should be welcomed and treated equally in all of our stores, Caruso added. At a candlelight vigil Saturday night in front of the Hollywood store, several dozen family members and friends remembered Hart as an aspiring model who contributed to fashion blogs and wanted to be a hair and makeup stylist and make and release his own clothing line. He was stylish, said Mckenzie Trahan, 23, a friend from the young Hollywood homeless community. Other homeless youths, including several trans women, hugged and cried in front of a bank of votive candles and copies of photographs of Hart posted to the drugstores plate-glass window. Signs read, Homeless lives matter and Justice 4 Sky, Harts street name. Aaliyah Houghton, 23, said she was with Hart when the confrontation with the security guard started. He was not shoplifting, she said, but declined to give a fuller account of the incident. What kills me is I have friends who shoplift. Hes too scared to shoplift and he wouldnt lay hands on you, said Leonard Taylor, 24, who also knew Hart from the streets. He was sweet, always trying to help other people in the homeless situation. Harts mother and his twin sister, both named Psykyssyanna Hart, were at the memorial. The mother, with tears running down her face, said, Somebody cut my sons life short, and why? This was a criminal act, and its being covered up from me. Both women said police had not spoken to them. Harts family declined to speak to reporters Tuesday. javier.panzar@latimes.com Twitter: @jpanzar When federal prosecutors finally managed to put mobster Al Capone behind bars, it wasnt for murder or bootlegging, but tax evasion. Fast forward several decades and government lawyers in Southern California say a similarly novel tactic could be the key to taking down the Mongols, a notorious motorcycle club that has long been targeted by authorities for killings and drug trafficking. Instead of tax returns, the court battle this time will be won or lost in the decidedly unexciting trenches of trademark and forfeiture law. If the government prevails in a racketeering case in Orange County against the groups leadership, prosecutors plan to seek a court order to seize control of the clubs coveted, trademarked insignia, which its members wear emblazoned on the back of their biker jackets. Advertisement Both sides agree the insignia a muscled, Asian man with a ponytail and sunglasses riding a motorcycle beneath the clubs name in capital letters is a vital and potent part of the clubs identity. In trying to wrest it away, justice officials are banking on the idea that if they own the trademark, they will be able to choke off the clubs lifeline by preventing current and future members from wearing the image. But its an open question whether the untested legal ploy will work, trademark experts said. Its a strange tool to use to try to stamp out an organization, said Ben M. Davidson, a trademark attorney in Los Angeles. This club doesnt exist because of its trademark, and I dont think losing it is whats going to stop them from being a club. The Mongols were formed in the 1970s in Montebello, outside of Los Angeles, by a group of Latino men who reportedly had been rejected for membership by the Hells Angels motorcycle gang. It has expanded over the decades to include several hundred members in chapters across Southern California and elsewhere. Like many social clubs, the Mongols have a constitution and bylaws, while top officials in the clubs Mother Chapter in West Covina collect dues from members, according to court records. But the Mongols are also a group that investigators say kept a cache of assault rifles, other weapons and bulletproof vests at its headquarters. The Mongols club has been in the federal governments crosshairs for years, along with several other groups authorities have identified as outlaw motorcycle gangs. Despite their claims of being innocent social clubs, the groups, which include the Hells Angels, Vagos and The Outlaws, have long track records of warring with each other and, according to authorities, operate as criminal organizations that subsist on the drug trade. In 2008, nearly 80 Mongols members were charged in a sweeping racketeering case that included an array of alleged murders, assaults and drug deals. The charges were the culmination of Operation Black Rain, an investigation that centered on Mongols who had become paid informants and four undercover agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives who infiltrated the clubs ranks. The idea of stripping the Mongols of their insignia was born in this earlier case. At a news conference announcing the charges, then-U.S. Atty. Thomas P. OBrien laid out plans to take control of the trademark a move that he said would give the government the authority to force Mongols members to remove their coveted insignia from their riding jackets. Were going after their very identity, OBrien said. All but two of the defendants in the case pleaded guilty, and a judge agreed the trademark should be forfeited as part of the sentences handed down. The judge ultimately reversed himself, however, after deciding none of the people charged in the case actually owned the trademark and, so, couldnt forfeit it. Prosecutors tried a new tack in 2013, when they filed a second racketeering case that was largely the same as the first but which named only one defendant Mongol Nation, the entity which prosecutors say is made up of the clubs leaders and owns the trademark. In the new case, for example, prosecutors accused the Mongol Nation of being responsible for the 2008 murder in San Francisco of a Hells Angels member by a Mongols member. The new effort was nearly derailed when U.S. District Judge David O. Carter threw it out on legal grounds. But an appeals court overruled Carter, and the case finally went to trial last month. Over several weeks of testimony, prosecutors once again relied on the now-retired undercover ATF agents to testify about their time posing as Mongol members. Defense attorney Joseph Yanny, meanwhile, argued that any violence by members was committed in self-defense, and anyone found dealing drugs was kicked out of the club. If the jury, which began deliberating last week, delivers a guilty verdict on the new racketeering charges, the panel and Carter will then have to decide whether the Mongols should forfeit their trademark as part of the sentence. The government also wants large fines imposed on the club if it is convicted. People and organizations commonly are stripped of cash, expensive cars, yachts and other tangible valuables as part of their criminal sentences. Taking a trademark, however, is uncharted waters. Through a spokesman, the U.S. attorneys office declined to comment. But from what the government attempted in the first trial and their filings in the current case, it is clear prosecutors believe that with the trademark in hand they will have the authority to ban Mongols members from wearing their riding jackets, which display the insignia on the back and other smaller patches. Yanny said he plans to raise multiple legal challenges if the government goes after the Mongols trademark, including the club members constitutional right under the 1st Amendment to express themselves freely. Beyond those legal hurdles, experts in trademark law expressed doubts about the governments plan. Unlike a patent, a trademark has legal heft only if the owner continues to produce the product or service that the trademark protects. The trademark Apple owns on its computers, for example, exists only as long as the company continues to make them, said Jason Rosenberg, a trademark attorney. Im dubious, Rosenberg said, echoing the doubts of other attorneys and academics. Is the government really going to start its own motorcycle club? Even if justice officials licensed a law-abiding motorcycle club or law enforcement organization to use the Mongols insignia, Rosenberg and others remained skeptical of whether a judges seizure order forcing old Mongols members to hand over their jackets would stand up. They could probably get a seizure order for an inventory of jackets in a warehouse somewhere, Rosenberg said, but what happens six months from now when a motorcyclist is pulled over for wearing his jacket that he was given permission to wear by the club when they owned the trademark? I have never heard of trademark law being used to take the clothing off someones back. joel.rubin@latimes.com Follow @joelrubin on Twitter Pressing its case for restrictions to limit asylum claims, the Trump administration reported Monday that the number of migrants filing such claims at the southern U.S. border has risen sharply this year. A total of 92,959 migrants filed for asylum during the fiscal year that ended in September, a 67% increase over the 55,584 claims in the 2017 fiscal year, according to data released by U.S. Customs and Border Protection. The jump is due in large part to an increase in migrants attempting to enter the United States. But the share claiming asylum also rose from 13% to 18%. The data were released a day before Kevin McAleenan, the customs and border protection commissioner, was scheduled to testify before a Senate oversight committee, where he is expected to make the case that his agency lacks the resources to process asylum seekers at the border. Advertisement The spike in asylum seekers is straining border security, immigration enforcement and courts, and other federal resources, he said in a statement Monday. As the majority of these claims will not be successful when they are adjudicated by an immigration court, we need Congress to act to address these vulnerabilities in our immigration system which continue to negatively impact border security efforts, it said. (Los Angeles Times) The Trump administration has been pushing to reduce asylum claims, which must be based on a credible fear of persecution or harm on account of race, religion, nationality, political opinion or membership in a particular social group. In June, then-Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions issued a ruling that being a victim of gang violence or domestic violence would no longer be a valid basis for filing for asylum. More recently, federal courts have blocked the governments proposal to prevent claims from people who cross the border illegally. Immigrants may claim asylum when they arrive at the border or later when theyre transferred to Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Those deemed by asylum officers to have a credible fear of returning to their countries are referred to immigration court and either released or moved to federal detention to await an asylum hearing. Among asylum claims filed at the southern border over the last fiscal year, 40% were filed at border crossing stations while the rest were made after migrants cross illegally and were apprehended. Well over half the asylum claims from those who crossed the border illegally came from migrants entering Texass Rio Grande Valley, the most popular illicit crossing in recent years. Asylum claims are likely to continue to rise this fiscal year with applications expected from members of the migrant caravan that traveled from Hondurans and arrived in Tijuana last month. The government has not released equivalent data on asylum claims in previous years, but officials said they were extremely rare before 2013, when large numbers of families from Central America began showing up on the southern border. Such families continue to make up the majority of claims. Immigration judges denied 65% of asylum cases during fiscal year 2018, according to Syracuse Universitys TRAC database, which compiles data from federal immigration courts. Success and failure rates vary widely among different immigration courts. Asylum seekers with attorneys fare much better; the government does not provide lawyers. During a background briefing Monday, Border Patrol officials told reporters that processing areas at border crossings were too small and outdated to handle the influx of asylum seekers. The entire immigration system is beyond capacity, one official said. The Trump administration says immigrants have been filing baseless claims for asylum so they can stay in the U.S. legally as their cases languish in backlogged immigration courts. But immigrant advocates attribute the increase in asylum seekers to persistent violence in Central America. They say that new administration policies have resulted in asylum seekers being turned away from border crossings before the legitimacy of their claims is even considered. In particular, they have condemned a U.S. Customs policy of stationing officers on busy border bridges to prevent asylum seekers from crossing until they join waiting lists maintained by Mexican authorities, a process that can take months. The practice, known as metering, results in asylum seekers being turned away and forced to pay bribes in order to cross legally at ports of entry, according to research released Monday by the University of California San Diego and the University of Texas at Austin. Last month, The Times documented several cases of asylum seekers who said Mexican immigration officials demanded they pay to cross border bridges, and Mexican officials said they were investigating. Greg Chen, director of government relations for the American Immigration Lawyers Assn., challenged the governments argument that it cannot handle the current pace of asylum claims. We are at an all-time high of resources being devoted to the border, he said. We are the wealthiest nation in the world. For us not to be able to afford to process people at the border is laughable. molly.hennessy-fiske@latimes.com @mollyhf A jury recommended life plus 419 years in prison Tuesday for a man convicted of killing a woman and injuring dozens when he drove his car into counter-protesters at a white nationalist rally in Virginia. James Alex Fields Jr. stood stoically with his hands folded in front of him as a court clerk read the verdict, which now must be taken under advisement by the judge, who will issue the final sentence. Judge Richard Moore scheduled a sentencing hearing for March 29. The jury reached its verdict after deliberating for about four hours over two days. Judges in Virginia often impose the sentence recommended by juries. Under state law, they can impose lower sentences than what the jury recommends, but cannot increase them. Before issuing its recommendation, the jury asked Moore if the sentences would run consecutively or concurrently. He replied that sentences usually run consecutively, but that jurors could recommend concurrent sentences if they choose. Advertisement The jury deliberated for just under two hours Monday after hearing emotional testimony from the mother of Heather Heyer, a 32-year-old paralegal and civil rights activist who was killed when Fields rammed his car into a crowd at a Unite the Right white nationalist rally in Charlottesville on Aug. 12, 2017. Jurors also heard from several people who suffered severe injuries. A psychologist testifying for the defense said Fields has a long history of mental health issues, including bipolar disorder. Heyers mother, Susan Bro, told the jury that her daughters death has been like an an explosion in our family. We are forever scarred by the pain, she said. Jeanne Star Peterson said her life has been a living nightmare since she was hit by Fields car. Her right leg was shattered, and shes had five surgeries to try to repair it. She also suffered a broken spine and still hasnt been able to return to work. I will be dealing with the aftermath of Fields choices for the rest of my life, Peterson said. Fields, 21, an avowed neo-Nazi, drove to Virginia from his home in Maumee, Ohio, to support the white nationalists. After the rally, as a large group of counterprotesters marched through Charlottesville singing and laughing, he stopped his car, backed up, then sped into the crowd, according to testimony from witnesses and video surveillance shown to jurors. Wednesday Bowie, a counterprotester who got caught on the trunk of Fields car when he backed up and was then slammed into a parked truck and thrown to the ground, told the jury that in addition to a broken pelvis and other physical injuries, she has been hospitalized three times for post-traumatic stress disorder over the last year. She told the jury: Please know that the world is not a safe place with Mr. Fields in it. Testifying for the defense, University of Virginia School of Medicine professor and psychologist Daniel Murrie told the jury that while Fields was not legally insane at the time, he has a long history of mental health issues. Fields had inexplicable volatile outbursts as a young child and was diagnosed with bipolar disorder at age 6, Murrie said. He was later diagnosed with schizoid personality disorder. Murrie said Fields went off his psychiatric medication at age 18 and built a lifestyle centered around being alone. A video of Fields shown to the jury during the first phase of the trial showed him sobbing and hyperventilating after he was told a woman had died and others were seriously injured. Fields lawyer Denise Lunsford called him a mentally compromised individual and urged the jury to consider his long history of mental health issues when considering a sentence. The Unite the Right rally had been organized in part to protest the planned removal of a statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee. Hundreds of Ku Klux Klan members, neo-Nazis and other white nationalists emboldened by the election of President Trump streamed into the college town for one of the largest gatherings of white supremacists in a decade. Some dressed in battle gear. Afterward, Trump inflamed tensions even further when he said both sides were to blame, a comment some saw as a refusal to condemn racism. According to one of his former teachers, Fields was known in high school for being fascinated with Nazism and idolizing Adolf Hitler. Jurors were shown a text message he sent to his mother days before the rally that included an image of the notorious German dictator. When his mother pleaded with him to be careful, he replied: Were not the one[s] who need to be careful. Fields is subject to the death penalty if convicted of separate federal hate crime charges. No trial has been scheduled on those charges yet. The head of the federal agency responsible for protecting the U.S. border on Tuesday defended his agents for using tear gas against migrants last month, but lawmakers pressed him about women and children forced to flee clouds of the noxious gas. The testimony marked the administrations most detailed explanation of the Nov. 25 clash, when Border Patrol agents blocked several hundred Central American migrants trying to rush en masse across the San Ysidro port of entry, south of San Diego. We did not fire at young children on the border, Kevin McAleenan, commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, parent agency of the Border Patrol, told the Senate Judiciary Committee. Of course our policy does not authorize firing tear gas at young children, nor has that happened. He said the tear gas was aimed at migrants throwing rocks and other objects at U.S. personnel from the Mexican side of the border. Four Border Patrol agents were struck in the melee and McAleenan said Tuesday that one needed knee surgery. Advertisement McAleenan said the agents followed regulations on use of force when they launched tear gas canisters in an effort to stop those throwing rocks and to disperse the surging crowd. Its unfortunate that women and children were in the vicinity of the group trying to enter the U.S., he added. Honduran migrant, clutching two small children, flees tear gas https://t.co/F2ddvgmVWg Reuters Top News (@Reuters) November 27, 2018 California Sen. Dianne Feinstein, the ranking Democrat on the committee, questioned the use of a chemical gas, saying it could not be aimed with precision and harmed children. Thats not a picture, or act, that befits this country, Feinstein said. McAleenan said his agency has launched a review of the incident, as is required when agents use force. Federal law allows border agents to use force in self-defense and for crowd control. This incident has been criticized and mischaracterized, said Sen. Charles E. Grassley, (R-Iowa), chairman of the committee. The use of tear gas isnt unprecedented. Grassley said border agents have fired tear gas 126 times since 2012, including 79 times under President Obama. The number of incidents in which Border Patrol agents used lethal force has dropped since 2014, when a series of scandals forced the agency to establish a review board. Agents use of firearms has dropped from a high of 55 times in fiscal 2012 to 17 in fiscal 2017, a record low, McAleenan said. Border Patrol chief defends use of tear gas on migrants at Mexican border The Nov. 25 clash followed reports that the Trump administration would bar from receiving asylum anyone who crossed the border between ports of entry, and that it would also make asylum applicants seeking entry at official ports wait in Mexico while U.S. officials review their cases. On Nov. 19, a federal court ordered the Trump administration to resume processing asylum claims from migrants however they enter the United States. The disturbing images of women and children running from tear gas fueled the increasingly heated debate over border security and the Trump administrations aggressive response to caravans of migrants, who primarily hail from Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala. Mexico registered an official complaint about the use of tear gas on its territory. The State Department did not respond to requests for comment Tuesday on whether it has answered the complaint. In the weeks before the Nov. 6 midterm election, President Trump repeatedly described the migrant caravans as a looming invasion of drug dealers, criminals and terrorists. He ordered about 5,800 combat troops to border crossings in California, Arizona and Texas to bolster the Border Patrol, and the Pentagon recently extended their mission until the end of January. The Pentagon also authorized the troops to use lethal force if necessary in self-defense, but no troops were involved in last months border dust-up. Tensions remain high along parts of the border, where more than 5,000 migrants have gathered, many hoping to claim asylum in the United States. The Trump administration is negotiating with Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obradors government on a plan to force asylum seekers to Remain in Mexico, as the U.S. proposal is dubbed, while U.S. officials process their claims. The newly inaugurated Mexican leader has not approved the plan. A total of 92,959 migrants filed for asylum in the United States in the fiscal year that ended in September, a 67% increase over the 55,584 claims in the previous year, according to data released Monday. Under pressure from President Trump and many of his Republican colleagues, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said Tuesday that he will bring legislation to the floor to overhaul the nations sentencing laws. McConnells decision comes after more than three years of overtures from a large, bipartisan group of senators who support the criminal justice bill, including Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.). Trump announced his support for the legislation last month, but McConnell trod cautiously, as a handful of members in his caucus voiced concerns that it would be too soft on violent criminals. Texas Sen. John Cornyn, the No. 2 Republican, said Trumps push for the legislation had been critical to the outcome. Senator McConnell was always concerned about the small window of time that we have to do all these things we need to do, but the president was insistent that this be included, he said. Advertisement If the legislation passes, it could be a rare bipartisan policy achievement for this Congress and the largest sentencing overhaul in decades. AshLee Strong, a spokeswoman for Ryan, said the House stands ready to act on the revised Senate criminal justice reform bill. Ryan has long supported sentencing reform and is retiring at the end of the session. Most Democrats support the bill, which would revise 1980s and 90s-era tough on crime laws to boost rehabilitation efforts for federal prisoners and give judges more discretion when sentencing nonviolent offenders. It would attempt to focus the toughest sentences on the most violent offenders, lowering mandatory minimum sentences for some nonviolent drug offenses and reducing the life sentence for some drug offenders with three convictions, or three strikes, to 25 years. Supporters say the changes would make the nations criminal justice system fairer, reduce overcrowding in federal prisons and save taxpayer dollars. It is an opportunity to correct manifest injustices in the system, said Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), who signed on to the legislation last week after supporters agreed to make tweaks further ensuring that violent criminals were not released early. There are far too many young black men who find themselves incarcerated for years or even decades based on nonviolent drug offenses. Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky, another supporter, said he thinks the legislation became a more consensus product after Cruzs tweaks were accepted and he announced his support. Were going to have a lot of people on board, Paul said. And its the right thing to do. Most Democrats were also supportive, despite having wanted even broader changes. New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker, a leading proponent of the bill, said if the legislation is passed, it will have a profound effect on thousands of families who have been suffering as a result of this broken system. He estimated that 90% of the beneficiaries of the bill would be African American. Booker said the bill isnt all the way there in terms of what he would have liked, but it would take a step in the right direction and correct the ills of the last 25, 30 years. The bill has been a priority for Trumps son-in-law, Jared Kushner, who has worked behind the scenes with supportive Republican senators over the last two years and pushed Trump to support it. It was also a top issue for former President Obama, who had hoped to see the bill become law before he left office. Supporters have long said that the bill would pass if McConnell would just put it on the floor. But McConnell hesitated as some vocal members of his caucus said the bill would allow the release of violent felons an accusation GOP supporters denied. McConnell said he was moving the bill as soon as this week at the request of the president and following improvements to the legislation. The revised bill makes some changes requested by Cruz, other Senate Republicans and law enforcement groups who had concerns it would be too soft. The Senates most vocal opponent, Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), said the revised legislation still has major problems and allows early release for many categories of serious, violent criminals. Cotton said he will introduce amendments to the legislation on the floor, suggesting he could delay its passage as senators try to wrap up before Christmas. While senators have been pressuring McConnell to take up the bill for years, the pressure ramped up in recent weeks as the session neared an end and supporters were concerned that a Democratic House would want to rewrite the bill. Kushner spoke with senators regularly daily, in some cases and appeared on Fox News Channels Hannity on Monday night, urging McConnell to take up the legislation. He said the legislation was very close and expressed optimism it would pass. Trump said Tuesday that the bill has great support and was going to be passing, hopefully. Last week, he and Grassley teamed up on Twitter to push for a vote. Hopefully Mitch McConnell will ask for a VOTE on Criminal Justice Reform, Trump tweeted. It is extremely popular and has strong bipartisan support. It will also help a lot of people, save taxpayer dollars, and keep our communities safe. Go for it Mitch! Grassley responded minutes later, tweeting that he and the president had spoken about the growing support for the legislation. Pres Trump told me he wants it done THIS CONGRESS, Grassley wrote. Supporters who have been pushing the bill for years including many law enforcement organizations, liberal advocacy groups and major GOP donors were elated at McConnells announcement. Its an incredibly groundbreaking moment and its really emotional for the broad coalition who has worked so hard on this legislation for so many years, said Holly Harris, executive director of the advocacy group Justice Action Network. I never doubted the leader would be on the right side of history on this bill. President Trumps announcement that he will nominate William Barr to serve as U.S. attorney general a position Barr also held under President George H.W. Bush eases concerns that he would seek to replace ousted Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions with a loyalist with meager legal credentials. But Barr needs to convince the U.S. Senate of something far more important than his undeniable qualifications: his commitment to protect special counsel Robert S. Mueller III from White House interference. Such an assurance is important first and foremost because of Trumps outrageous attacks on Muellers investigation into possible collusion between Russia and the 2016 Trump campaign. But its also necessary because of past statements by Barr that echo some of Trumps jabs at Mueller. Last year Barr commented critically on the fact that some of Muellers prosecutors had made political contributions to Democratic candidates, adding that he would have liked Mueller to have more balance. Trump, of course, has alleged that Muellers probe is a partisan witch hunt conducted by Angry Dems. Enter the Fray: First takes on the news of the minute from L.A. Times Opinion Advertisement Barr also seemed to defend Trumps call for a Justice Department investigation of Hillary Clinton, telling the New York Times last year: There is nothing inherently wrong about a president calling for an investigation. That falls far short of saying Lock her up, and Barr did add that an investigation shouldnt be launched just because a president wants it. But his comment was still troubling. Finally, Barr suggested that Clintons limited role as secretary of state in approving a Russian agencys acquisition of a majority stake in a uranium company was worthier of investigation than a possible conspiracy involving Trump campaign associates and Russia. Trump has called the uranium deal the biggest story that Fake Media doesnt want to follow! Last week the Mueller investigation produced new information about contacts between former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen and a Russian who offered the Trump campaign political synergy. Meanwhile, federal prosecutors in New York have linked Trump more clearly to secret hush-money payments to alleged mistresses. Yet the president, who continues to insist that there was no collusion, tweeted Saturday that its Time for the Witch Hunt to END! Barr must promise unequivocally that if he is confirmed he will allow Mueller and other prosecutors to complete their work freely and without political pressure. Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinionand Facebook Egypt's Minister of Interior Mahmoud Tawfik met on Tuesday with US Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen in Cairo to discuss regional and international security issues as well as the latest developments in the fight against terrorism, a statement by the ministry read. The two also discussed cooperation between the two countries in the field of law enforcement, which would serve to achieve joint objectives in combating extremism and terrorism as well as organised crime. Nielsen also hailed the efforts of the Egyptian security services in combating terrorism and organised crime. She has also hailed the success of the interior ministry in arresting several terrorist cells and thwarting their plans, as well as in curbing irregular migration. Tawfik affirmed during the meeting the need to strengthen international efforts and deepen the cooperation frameworks between the security agencies to deal with the dangers in the MENA region. He stressed the ministry's readiness to develop cooperation with security agencies in friendly countries. The meeting was attended by the US Embassys Charge dAffaires to Cairo Thomas Goldberger and a delegation accompanying Nielsen. Search Keywords: Short link: It is time to imagine a California bereft of its most wondrous natural assets, from the giant sequoia to the coast redwoods to the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta the largest and most ecologically diverse estuary on the west coast of both American continents to the migrating salmon whose journey begins in the Sierra and runs down the great Central Valley rivers to the Pacific in seasonal pulses of rainfall and snowmelt. All are on the brink of oblivion. Climate change is shifting the states hydrology northward, bringing Baja-like temperatures and precipitation patterns to Southern California and pushing L.A. weather up the slopes, where snowcaps are smaller and melt faster. We cross our fingers and hope the landscape can demonstrate enough resilience to keep the state beautiful, productive and alive; but all the while we undermine natures efforts with our profligate use of water. Nine years ago, talks began among farmers, water managers and environmental advocates about how to salvage four key salmon river-highways and the Delta without completely drying up the nations most productive farmland, or leaving cities like Los Angeles or San Jose with too little water for human needs. The consensus among biologists and hydrologists was that the Tuolumne, Stanislaus and Merced rivers the three key veins that feed the San Joaquin River on its trip north to the Delta could survive and sustain migrating salmon if diversions to fields and homes were sufficiently curbed to leave the rivers 60% of their natural flow. Why does courage fail when it requires curbing our thirst and adjusting the states plumbing? Advertisement But that would mean much less water would be available for crops than has been taken in recent decades. As a long drought gripped the San Joaquin Valley, agricultural interests pushed back against the proposed cutbacks. So water regulators proposed a compromise. Leave the rivers and the salmon only 40% of what they would get without diversions. Environmentalists protested that the smaller number would fall far short of what science says the rivers need. But the 40% proposal moved earlier this year to the State Water Resources Control Board for a decision. Gov. Jerry Brown and Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom urged the board to delay its vote long enough to allow discussion of alternatives. The decision is now set for Wednesday. In the meantime, Brown offered his support for a federal bill to extend a law that weakens environmental protections and lets farmers take more water; the move would help them weather the drought, even though the drought is now over. How can California both divert more water from its rivers and divert less? Support for the federal bill seems to signal a weakening of support for decisive action by the Water Board to protect the rivers. It is perhaps a result of pressure from the science-denying Trump administration, which until recently called climate change a hoax, and that California water practices have somehow left firefighters with empty hoses. Brown and California have been courageous leaders on one climate change battlefield the atmosphere. The state and its leader have embraced science, rejected the deniers and enacted laws that seek to limit the emission of greenhouse gases. Enter the Fray: First takes on the news of the minute from L.A. Times Opinion Yet on another climate change battlefield, California seems weak and irresolute. Why does courage fail when it requires curbing our thirst and adjusting the states plumbing? What kind of credit do we deserve for trying to stem emissions if we willingly preside over the extinction of our salmon runs and death of our rivers because saving them is inconvenient? Looming in the background, in the final days of the second Brown administration, are the governors proposed tunnels to divert Sacramento water around the Delta to points south. The Trump administration has the power to kill the tunnels, and may be holding them as leverage to ensure that water needed to sustain rivers, salmon and the Delta is instead diverted to almond groves. Browns tunnels would help the state keep up with the changing climate. Southern Californians need them but they also need a thriving Delta and living rivers to feed it. They should support the Water Boards plan to partially restore flows. And they should urge the incoming governor to battle the Trump administration on water, just as the current governor has done on the atmosphere. Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook Once again Congress and the president are flirting with a government shutdown, with funding set to run out for about half of the federal bureaucracy a mere four days before Christmas. This time the hang-up is President Trumps demand for billions of dollars for the bigger, longer wall that he has promised to build along the nations southern border. Democrats are resisting the demand, and rightly so. As important as border security unquestionably is, Trumps proposed beautiful wall wouldnt meaningfully hinder illegal immigration, drug smuggling or any other problem the president has cited as a rationale. Illegal border crossings have shrunk over the last two decades, and drugs are smuggled primarily through tunnels or legal entry points. But this debate isnt, and never has been, about the best way to secure the border. Its about the symbolism of the wall. To Trump, its the embodiment of his Fortress America approach to the rest of the world; to the more rational among us, its a terrible signal that the worlds greatest superpower has a bunker mentality. Enter the Fray: First takes on the news of the minute from L.A. Times Opinion Advertisement Thats the backdrop for the meeting set for Tuesday between the president and top congressional Democrats, who will look for a way out of the impasse that Trump has created. And although compromise is vital to a functional democracy, lawmakers should continue to resist throwing $5 billion worth of tax dollars at what amounts to a vanity project for Trump. What both sides should be focused on is a comprehensive overhaul of U.S. immigration law that addresses the full panoply of issues associated with decades of failed policy. Thats a huge lift, and Congress simply doesnt have enough time left in the current session to get there. The president needs to recognize that and stop holding the basic functions of government hostage to his wall ambitions. If he cant persuade lawmakers to fund the wall, he shouldnt put a huge chunk of the federal workforce on leave (which, if history is any guide, will ultimately become a paid vacation) to try to change their minds. Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinionand Facebook Congress can help atone for the nations horrific past by finally making lynching a federal crime Since the Civil War, Americans have struggled to define what seems to be obvious: What is a lynching? It conjures visions of a mob pulling a man from a jail cell, hauling him to a tree and throwing a rope over a branch. But debates have centered on how how many people must take part in such an extrajudicial killing for it to qualify as a lynching (the NAACP suggested in 1921 at least five). And must the motive be racial? Was the hanging of a suspected white horse thief in the Wild West by ranch hands the same as a white Southern mob, amid taunts, jeers and spit, turning a black man accused of insulting a white woman into strange fruit hanging from the poplar trees, as Billie Holliday once sang? Do the nuances really matter? Its true that not all lynching victims were black, but blacks were overwhelmingly the targets (and many white victims of lynching had defended blacks or opposed lynching). We cannot sever that horrific practice from our disgraceful history of racism. Slavery was abominable, and to this day the nation is influenced by the riches from New England shipowners to New York financiers to Southern farmers and brokers and the evils of our original sin. Lynching became slaverys evil spawn, acts of indefensible extrajudicial brutality meant to scare former slaves and their descendants to hew to their constricted place in a white society. After slavery, these acts of terrorism more than 4,700 documented cases from 1882 to 1968 became the ultimate expression of racism and white supremacy. Rather than being shamed, some whites celebrated racial lynching. Photographers sold pictures and postcards as souvenirs; to this day you can see white faces beam smiles into the camera as bloody bodies dangle gruesomely overhead. Some of the cards collected and posted on the Without Sanctuary site, part of a 1999 book and film project, are shocking in the banality of the notes to friends. Well John, reads the back of one card sent to Dr. John W.F. Williams of Lafayette, Ky. This is a token of a great day we had in Dallas, March 3, a negro was hung for an assault on a three year old girl. I saw this on my noon hour. I was very much in the bunch. You can see the negro hanging on a telephone pole. That photo was dated March 3, 1910 two years after the post office supposedly banned lynching cards from the mails. It is to this nations continuing embarrassment that Congress has, for generations, failed to make lynching a federal crime (Philip Dray documented the history in his At the Hands of Persons Unknown: The Lynching of Black America). It wouldnt act more than a century ago when it might have made a difference, as local prosecutors looked the other way or local juries refused to indict or convict. And it wont act today, even after the laws necessity has faded and its value resides primarily in its symbolism. The old argument against a federal anti-lynching law is that murder is a state crime and not the business of the federal government. States rights and all that. But that argument was fig leaf over the racism that propelled lynching, in which local and state prosecutions of the perpetrators were rare, convictions rarer still. The 14th Amendment guarantees equal protection of the laws, and when local communities in numbers small and large come together to use collective violence to repress African Americans, that is clearly a federal interest. Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) has co-sponsored a fresh piece of legislation to classify a lynching as a deprivation of civil rights essentially a federal anti-lynching law that she says would give the Justice Department a few more teeth in prosecuting attempted lynching and conspiracy. Yet as Times reporter Jaweed Kaleem wrote this week, the prognosis for its passage isnt much better than the fate of its 200-plus predecessors. Why is unclear. It could be that lynching has moved to an out of sight, out of mind status, even though three white supremacists lynched James Byrd Jr. only 20 years ago in East Texas by beating him then chaining him to a truck while he was still alive and dragging him three miles. All three perpetrators were convicted; one has been executed, a second is on death row and the third is serving a life sentence. Those local authorities, unlike their predecessors elsewhere in the South, did their jobs. So, some question, why bother with a law now? Isnt this just a symbolic gesture? Yes, it is a symbolic gesture. But a necessary one. Lynching served as a powerfully intimidating symbol behave yourselves, lest you meet the same fate that resonates today. Racism in the workplace often surfaces as a noose left in a locker or on a desk. Three years ago two members of the University of Oklahomas Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity were expelled (inappropriately given the right to even hateful speech) and the chapter shut down after a video surfaced of members singing a song including the N-word, You can hang em from a tree / But hell never sign with me / There will never be a ... SAE. Just last year, nooses were left at the African American Museum in Washington, D.C. The symbolic weight of that despicable act is heavy. The U.S. Senate did approve a resolution in 2005 apologizing to lynching victims and their descendants for failing to act in the past. It passed in a late-night voice vote; 11 senators opted not to co-sponsor it. We cannot, of course, turn back the calendar and undo the sins of our forebears. But we also cannot ignore them, or their legacy. In an era in which African Americans take to the streets to protest the killings of unarmed black men by police, when reported hate crimes are on the upswing, when the president uses dog-whistle racism to mobilize his hard-right political base, when minority neighborhoods are over-policed and when African Americans disproportionately are subject to death sentences, Congress standing up now and correcting this historical wrong by making lynching a federal crime would send a powerful symbol to the entire nation. And not passing this measure would also send a message, one that would reflect poorly on Congress, and on the nation. Our current approach to wildfire is killing us. Instead of making communities fire safe, were mostly trying to manage habitat to suppress fire, and its failing to protect our lives and our property. Bureaucratic inertia and hubris are preventing needed change. Until the public understands the true nature of wildfire and demands the same of government, the staggering losses will continue to mount. The sad fact is that strategies capable of preventing much of the devastation in Paradise and Malibu have been known for nearly two decades. But instead of pursuing those strategies, our wildfire agencies stubbornly pursue fire control. A case in point: After the massive fires of 2017 in Santa Rosa and in Ventura County, the state Legislature stepped in with this response: More money to increase logging and prescribed burns in forests far from where the fires occurred and far from communities with substantial populations. As Jack Cohen, a former lead fire scientist with the U.S. Forest Service, has demonstrated through decades of study, extreme, uncontrollable wildfires are inevitable, but wildland-urban wildfire disasters are not. To stop those disasters, we must accept some basic principles based on experience and research. First among them is that the wildfire problem is a home ignition problem, not a wildfire control problem. What does prevent house ignition is fairly simple, and compared with the cost of destructive fires, relatively inexpensive. Advertisement Embers are the biggest threat. Most structures ignite from embers that can travel a mile or more from the fire front in high winds. Of the 1,650 structures destroyed in the 2007 Witch Creek fire in San Diego County, there were few, if any, reports of homes that burned as a result of direct contact with flames from wildland fuels. Although 100 feet of defensible space around structures is a worthwhile effort, the nearly exclusive focus by wildfire agencies on other kinds of habitat clearance creating huge fire breaks and logging isnt going to prevent wind-driven embers from setting communities on fire. What does prevent house ignition is fairly simple, and compared with the cost of destructive fires, relatively inexpensive: Retrofitting houses or requiring that new houses be built with such measures as ember-resistant attic vents, nonflammable roofing (not Spanish-style tile roofs, which can trap embers in the spaces beneath the rounded tiles), and exterior sprinklers. The effectiveness of such sprinklers was proved during the 2007 wind-driven Ham Lake fire in Cook County, Minn., where they had been installed on 188 properties. Those properties survived; more than 100 neighboring properties didnt. Federal Emergency Management Agency hazard mitigation grants had covered the majority of the cost of the sprinklers. Unfortunately, most wildfire agencies have shown little interest in Cohens research. Despite the fact that one of the main goals of U.S. Forest Service vegetation clearance is to protect homes from wildfires, the agency rejects addressing home flammability because it is beyond the official scope of the projects. Similarly, after nearly 18 years of scientific input showing that the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protections Vegetation Treatment Program isnt protecting homes from wind-driven fires, the agency refuses to change direction. In a recent Community Wildfire Protection Plan in Santa Barbara County, the only attempt to address home ignition is the suggested production of an educational brochure. Making homes fire safe acknowledges that we must coexist with fire. But coexistence doesnt preclude evacuation. Experience shows us that it too needs to be reconsidered. We have known since the 2003 Cedar fire in San Diego County that a large percentage of civilian fatalities occur when people are trying to evacuate during huge, wind-driven conflagrations. Such fires move too fast, warning systems often fail, people panic and the fire overtakes jammed roads. Poor land planning makes the problem worse. Last summer, the San Diego County Board of Supervisors approved a new housing development in a known fire corridor, with only one way out. Paradise, with only a few roads in and out, had narrowed the main route through the town. These planning failures must be resolved with statewide standards. Enter the Fray: First takes on the news of the minute from L.A. Times Opinion Paradise also serves as an example of an alternative approach to evacuation. As the Los Angeles Times reported, heroic first responders shepherded evacuees from the gridlocked roadway to a concrete parking lot that was somewhat sheltered from the wind. They saved the lives of 150 people. Every housing development in a high-fire hazard area needs to have such a safety zone, a fire park. The Eureka Springs development in Escondido provides a model, a purpose-built large, grassy area thats easy for everyone in the community to get to. Every community should consider one more strategy that acknowledges our need to live with fire: forming Community Emergency Response Teams with a dedicated group of specially trained volunteers who stay behind expressly to help stranded people and to extinguish ember-ignited spot fires. We must focus on why and how our communities burn. Protecting homes and families is not about controlling wildfire, but reducing the flammable condition of our communities and making sure new ones are not built in harms way. Richard W. Halsey is director of the California Chaparral Institute. Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook. To the editor: Why has President Trump been so persistent in attacking Justice Department special counsel Robert S. Mueller III, denying collusion with the Russians on election interference, and now saying that the sentencing memo for his former personal attorney Michael Cohen totally clears him? Really? Of what? If the president had confidence all along that he was not involved in illegal activity, he wouldnt be spending so much time attacking prosecutors and denying wrongdoing. A law-abiding patriot would instead be supportive of the investigation into foreign interference in our election. Methinks Trump is fearful of being found out. For what, we shall see, but he doesnt act like a law-abiding citizen. Advertisement Bernard Roth, Santa Barbara .. To the editor: More evidence has accumulated that Trump may be obstructing justice and thus could be impeached. The final word from Mueller is yet to be heard. Some oppose impeachment, saying that Vice President Mike Pence would be worse than Trump. Pence does not display the same pugnacious personality that our president does and to best of our knowledge has not engaged in a multitude of extramarital affairs. I would take a chance on Pence. Elliot Schubert, San Diego .. To the editor: Depending solely on Mueller whose final report may or may not be public does not guarantee that Trump will be held accountable. Some, like former FBI Director James B. Comey, prefer for Trump to be ousted by a landslide defeat in 2020. So, while we have a constitutional process to redress corrupt leadership, we can only do that every four years? Absurd. If Congress fails to consider impeaching Trump and puts the president above the law, we may as well just tear up the Constitution. His standard will be the precedent for future presidents to do exactly the same, and possibly more. The House should begin hearings in 2019 and send articles of impeachment to the Senate for consideration. Then, let the chips fall where they may and force everyone in Congress to make a real decision, despite their revulsion to decision-making. We should not over-analyze the issue, but rather just follow the procedure outlined clearly in the Constitution. Cary Adams, North Hollywood Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook Jurors considering the punishment for a man who drove his car into counterprotesters during a white nationalist rally heard emotional testimony Monday from a mother who described the pain caused by her daughters death and from a psychologist who described the mans long history of mental health problems. James Alex Fields Jr. faces up to life in prison for the death of Heather Heyer and injuries he caused to dozens of other counterprotesters. Jurors deliberated on a sentence for just under two hours Monday before adjourning. Deliberations will resume Tuesday morning. Fields lawyers argued that he acted in self-defense and out of fear when he rammed his car into a crowd in Charlottesville during a Unite the Right rally on Aug. 12, 2017. Advertisement Prosecutors called Heyers mother and several people who were severely injured to testify about the effect his crimes had on them. Heyer, 32, was a paralegal and civil rights activist. She was full of love, she was full of justice, she was full of fairness, and Mr. Fields tried to silence that with his car, but I refuse to allow that, said Susan Bro, Heyers mother. Jurors on Friday convicted Fields of first-degree murder and other charges. Judge Richard Moore will formally sentence Fields. Judges in Virginia often impose the sentence that juries call for. Under the law, the jury can call for 20 years to life in prison on the first-degree murder charge and each of five charges of aggravated malicious wounding. He also faces five to 20 years on three counts of malicious wounding, and up to 10 years on one count of leaving the scene of an accident. Bro said her daughters death has been like an an explosion in our family. We are forever scarred by the pain, she said. Jeanne Star Peterson said her life has been a living nightmare since she was hit by Fields car. Her right leg was shattered, and she has had five surgeries to try to repair it. She also suffered a broken spine and hasnt been able to return to work. I will be dealing with the aftermath of Fields choices for the rest of my life, Peterson said. Fields, 21, drove to Virginia from his home in Maumee, Ohio, to support white supremacists. After the rally, as a large group of counterprotesters marched through Charlottesville singing and laughing, he stopped his car, backed up, then sped into the crowd, according to testimony from witnesses and video surveillance shown to jurors. Wednesday Bowie, a counterprotester who got caught on the trunk of Fields car when he backed up and was then slammed into a parked truck and thrown to the ground, told the jury that in addition to a broken pelvis and other physical injuries, she has been hospitalized three times for post-traumatic stress disorder over the last year. She told the jury: Please know that the world is not a safe place with Mr. Fields in it. Testifying for the defense, University of Virginia School of Medicine professor and psychologist Daniel Murrie told the jury that although Fields was not legally insane at the time, he has a long history of mental health issues. Fields had inexplicable volatile outbursts as a young child and was diagnosed with bipolar disorder at age 6, Murrie said. He was later diagnosed with schizoid personality disorder. Murrie said Fields went off his psychiatric medication at age 18 and built a lifestyle centered around being alone. A video of Fields shown to the jury during the first phase of the trial showed him sobbing and hyperventilating after he was told a woman had died and others were seriously injured. Fields lawyer Denise Lunsford called him a mentally compromised individual and urged the jury to consider his long history of mental health issues when considering a sentence. Man who drove into crowd in Charlottesville, Va., is convicted of first-degree murder Prosecutors told the jury during his trial that Fields was angry after witnessing violent clashes between the two sides earlier in the day. The violence prompted police to shut down the rally before it officially began. The trial also featured emotional testimony from survivors. The Unite the Right rally had been organized in part to protest the planned removal of a statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee. Hundreds of Ku Klux Klan members, neo-Nazis and other white supremacists streamed into the college town for one of the largest such gatherings in a decade. Some dressed in battle gear. Afterward, President Trump inflamed tensions further when he said both sides were to blame, a comment some saw as a refusal to condemn racism. According to one of his former teachers, Fields was known in high school for being fascinated with Nazism and idolizing Adolf Hitler. Jurors were shown a text message he sent to his mother days before the rally that included an image of the notorious German dictator. When his mother pleaded with him to be careful, he replied: Were not the one[s] who need to be careful. Fields is subject to the death penalty if convicted of separate federal hate crime charges. No trial has been scheduled on those charges yet. Defying fierce opposition from the United States and a few other nations, nearly 85% of U.N. member states agreed on a sweeping yet nonbinding accord to ensure safe, orderly and humane migration. But sparring ensued Tuesday within some signatory countries, with one already threatening to pull out and another seeking to clarify its position. The debate over the Global Compact for Migration, the first of its kind, has proven to be a pivotal test of the United Nations-led effort to crack down on the often dangerous and illegal movements across borders that have turned human smuggling into a worldwide industry, and to give people seeking economic opportunity a chance. Of the 193 United Nations members, 164 approved the agreement by acclamation Monday during a conference in Marrakech, Morocco. The U.N. General Assembly will meet on Dec. 19 to endorse it. Advertisement Unregulated migration bears a terrible human cost: a cost in lives lost on perilous journeys across deserts, oceans and rivers; and a cost in lives ruined at the hands of smugglers, unscrupulous employers and other predators, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told the migration conference on Monday. More than 60,000 migrants have died on the move since the year 2000, he said. This is a source of collective shame. The compact aims to reduce discrimination toward migrants, reap data about how people move, broaden use of government-backed internet portals to help migrants, and give training and education to migrant women, among other things. It wants detention of migrants to be seen only as a measure of last resort. Government envoys and advocacy groups worked Tuesday to flesh out and refine the migration policy blueprint. International Organization for Migration Director-General Antonio Vitorino hailed the compacts approval as a historic achievement. Countries must now put the accord to work at the national level, Vitorino said, noting that no one-size-fits-all approach works for managing migration. The accord, in some ways, got off to a bumpy start. High-level government envoys including German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who attended Monday, have been at pains to dispel what they say is false information circulating about the nonbinding pact such as claims it would force governments to accept migrants. And Norwegian State Secretary for Foreign Affairs Marianne Hagen said Tuesday: Norway will join the Global Compact for Migration, but due to the ambiguity of the text, we find it necessary to clarify our position on certain points. One section of the text advises that the rights and best interests of children should be protected and respected at all times, including by working to end the practice of child detention in the context of international migration. Hagen said: Norways position is that the detention of foreign nationals may be necessary in some cases, also for minors, but then only as a last resort and for the shortest possible period of time. The issue continued to stir tensions elsewhere. Brazils incoming foreign minister said late Monday the new government would pull out of the pact, which also prompted sparring in the French Parliament on Tuesday. One lawmaker from Frances far-right National Rally party denounced backers of the migration compact as traitors of Marrakech while another from President Emmanuel Macrons centrist party decried misinformation on social media implying the pact would force France to take in masses of migrants. Brazils incoming foreign minister, Ernesto Araujo, said Latin Americas biggest country would withdraw from the compact after right-wing President-elect Jair Bolsonaro takes office in January. Araujo tweeted that immigration cannot be dealt with as a global issue, but according to each countrys reality and sovereignty. U.N. leaders hoped to lure back one day holdouts that didnt agree to the accord. They included: Australia, Austria, the Czech Republic, the Dominican Republic, Hungary, Latvia, Poland, Slovakia and the United States, which under President Trump didnt participate in drafting the accord. Instead, defections and hesitation emerged as the conference neared. Belgiums coalition government split in a debate over the pact. Slovakias foreign minister announced his resignation after his government opposed the compact, then changed his mind. The government of Switzerland, which co-chaired work on the draft text for months, stayed away as the pressure built. Madeleine Albright, a former U.S. secretary of State under President Clinton, told a conference panel Monday she was embarrassed and saddened the United States wasnt officially represented at the conference. The Trump administration which is demanding a wall on the Mexican border and has sent U.S. troops to the border to block a migrant caravan from Central America pulled out of the accord a year ago. It claimed that parts of the compact clashed with U.S. immigration and refugee policies. Albright said the accords adoption is all the more notable given the current political climate. Still, even the compacts strongest supporters will acknowledge that its success ultimately depends on what concrete actions follow, Albright said. In a combative Oval Office meeting that previewed what a divided government may look like, President Trump sparred Tuesday with Democratic leaders and said hed be proud to shut down the government later this month unless Congress provides taxpayer money to build his long-promised border wall with Mexico. The standoff with House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer was all the more extraordinary because much of it occurred in front of reporters. For the record: An earlier version of this article said Lindsey Graham is a North Carolina senator. He is a South Carolina senator. We have to have a wall. I will take the mantle of shutting it down. I will shut it down for border security, Trump said during the encounter, in which the leaders exchanged political barbs with cameras rolling. The meeting came at the start of what was supposed to be a negotiation over how to fund a portion of the government by the Dec. 21 shutdown deadline, and whether the border wall money Trump wants would be included as part of that package. Advertisement We have solutions that will pass the House and Senate right now and will not shut down the government, Schumer said, and thats what were urging you to do not threaten to shut down the government because you cant get your way. The three leaders chastised, corrected and interrupted one another repeatedly. The meeting, which ended not long after the press was escorted away, did not resolve the standoff. Democrats, who will take over control of the House next month, have offered $1.6 billion for border security generally, but Trump is demanding $5 billion for a wall. During the campaign, Trump had promised Mexico would pay for the wall. The tense exchange could make a holiday shutdown in which a small portion of government operations would cease more likely. Trump fully accepted political responsibility for a shutdown, giving Democrats little reason to give in to his demands or help provide votes to avoid one. Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Pelosi (D-San Francisco) repeatedly made the case against shutting down the government, saying it would only hurt American workers and the economy. Vice President Mike Pence sat in on the meeting but did not say a word while reporters were in the room. Shortly after the meeting, he huddled with Senate Republicans on Capitol Hill, where he backed up Trumps message but did not share specifics about a path forward, according to lawmakers in the room. At several points in the White House meeting, Pelosi and Schumer tried to cut off the public theatrics and suggested continuing the conversation in private. Instead, Trump allowed cameras to stay in the room for 15 minutes. Its called transparency, he said. It was the latest in a string of public negotiating sessions in front of television cameras that Trump seems to enjoy and thrive on. Trump and Pelosi bickered over whether the president even had the support of his own party to use taxpayer funds for a wall. If I needed the votes for the wall in the House, I would have them in one session. It would be done, Trump said. Pelosi responded confidently that he doesnt have the support in the House. Well, then go do it. Go do it. You will not win. For Pelosi, the opportunity to stand up to Trump on live television may not have come at a better time. She is trying to gather the Democratic votes she needs to regain the speakers gavel in January and her strongest argument is that she is experienced enough to go toe-to-toe with the president. Afterward, Pelosi said Trump was obsessed with the wall and offered her interpretation of why, in a deeply personal dig that the president might have appreciated if it werent about him. Its like a manhood thing for him as if manhood could ever be associated with him, Pelosi told fellow Democrats in a closed-door meeting after the Oval Office encounter, according to an aide in the room. Even as a seasoned House leader, Pelosi said she found the White House meeting unusual. The press is all there! Chuck is really shouting out. I was trying to be the mom, Pelosi told her fellow Democrats. I cant explain it to you. It was so wild. It goes to show you: You get into a tinkle contest with a skunk, you get tinkle all over you. Nevertheless, she said, Democrats came away with the upper hand. The fact is, we did get him to say, to fully own that the shutdown was his, she said. That was an accomplishment. One administration official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said Trump appeared upset after leaving the meeting, flicking a folder and sending its papers flying out. Later in the day, Trump described the meeting with Democrats as very friendly and said he didnt mind owning that issue. Yet even as Trump seemed to embrace a shutdown, he has also been preparing his conservative base for the possibility that he wont get funding for the wall. Earlier Tuesday, the president tweeted that the military would build the wall if Democrats didnt agree to fund it. He also claimed falsely that much of the wall he promised has already been built. The spending bill marks the last opportunity Trump would have to get his border wall approved while Republicans control both the House and Senate. Republican leaders on Capitol Hill have largely deferred to Trump on the issue, saying the president needs to decide whether he is willing to shut down the government to get his top campaign promise through Congress. Most Republicans on Capitol Hill would like to avoid a shutdown, which typically hurts the party in control of Congress. I hope thats not where we end up, said Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.). Sen. Richard C. Shelby (R-Ala.) said a shutdown may be more likely as a result of the standoff. I think it is a step in that direction, Shelby said. Weve got another eight or 10 days. We might come together and we might not. But at least some Republicans seem ready to back up Trump. He needs to dig in, not give in, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) told reporters after the meeting. He said the president should challenge Democrats resistance to a wall. Ive had enough of it. Take it on. Stare it down. See what happens. Schumer and Pelosi previously said they will not provide the votes to fund the border wall, particularly after Democrats flipped 40 seats in the House in last months midterm elections. Any legislation would require some Democratic support to get through the Senate. Democrats have put two offers on the table, neither of which has wall funding: $1.6 billion in fencing along the southern border or a continuation of last years spending levels for the Department of Homeland Security, about $1.3 billion. Inside the West Wing, the meetings conclusion set off a chaotic scramble as aides switched into what one staffer, speaking on the condition of anonymity, called damage-control mode. The aftermath of that meeting was not pretty, the person said. With Pelosi and Schumer driving home their main takeaway from the meeting with reporters positioned just outside the doors to the West Wing, the White House communications shop was crafting a statement blaming Democrats for the current stalemate that could cause a shutdown. President Trump was grateful for the opportunity to let the press into the meeting so that the American people can see firsthand that while Republicans are fighting to protect our border, Democrats are fighting to protect illegal immigrants, the White House said in a statement. Los Angeles Times staff writer Eli Stokols contributed to this report. The latest from Washington jennifer.haberkorn@latimes.com Twitter: @jenhab House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi struck where she thought President Trump was most vulnerable his manhood. In an extraordinary Oval Office meeting, Trump said Tuesday that he would be proud to shut down the government in order to get Congress to fund the border wall he campaigned on. Pelosi (D-San Francisco) and Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) left a testy meeting without a deal to avert a Dec. 21 shutdown. Afterward, Pelosi said Trump was obsessed with the wall and offered her interpretation of why, in a deeply personal dig that the president might have appreciated if it werent about him. Advertisement Its like a manhood thing for him as if manhood could ever be associated with him, Pelosi told fellow Democrats in a closed-door meeting after the Oval Office encounter, according to an aide in the room. Even as a seasoned House leader, Pelosi found the White House meeting aired partly in front of TV cameras remarkable. The press is all there! Chuck is really shouting out. I was trying to be the mom, Pelosi told her fellow Democrats. I cant explain it to you. It was so wild. It goes to show you: You get into a tickle contest with a skunk, you get tinkle all over you. Nevertheless, she said, Democrats came away with the upper hand. The fact is we did get him to say, to fully own that the shutdown was his, she said. That was an accomplishment. The Oval Office meeting laid bare the political standoff between Trump and the top Democrats in Washington over funding for the border wall, which Trump in 2016 said Mexico would pay for. The meeting came as Pelosi has her own political considerations at play. She is trying to come up with 218 votes on the House floor in order to become speaker in January. She won the approval of the vast majority of her fellow Democrats in an internal party vote last month but has not yet secured the votes she will need on the floor. The latest from Washington jennifer.haberkorn@latimes.com Twitter: @jenhab Porn star Stormy Daniels must pay President Trump nearly $293,000 for his attorneys fees and another $1,000 in sanctions after her defamation suit against him was dismissed, a federal judge in Los Angeles ordered Tuesday. Trumps attorney, Charles Harder, had requested nearly $390,000 in fees, but Judge S. James Otero cut the amount by 25%. He also wanted a nearly equal amount in sanctions, but received only $1,000. Attorney Michael Avenatti, who represents Daniels, tweeted the order will never hold up on appeal. Daniels alleges she had an affair with Trump in 2006 and was paid $130,000 as part of a nondisclosure agreement days before the 2016 presidential election. Advertisement She sued him after he dismissed her claims of being threatened to keep quiet about the tryst as a total con job. The judge threw out that case in October. Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, still has a case pending in Los Angeles challenging a nondisclosure agreement she signed with Trumps then-lawyer Michael Cohen to prevent her from discussing the alleged affair. If Stormy has to pay $300k to Trump in the defamation case (which will never hold up on appeal) and Trump has to pay Stormy $1,500,000 in the NDA case (net $1,200,000 to Stormy), how is this a Trump win? Avenatti tweeted. Harder defended a nearly $390,000 legal bill and asked for an equal amount in sanctions as a deterrent against a repeat filer of frivolous defamation cases. Otero previously noted that fees by Harders firm as high as $840 an hour were reasonable but the 580 hours spent on the case appeared to be excessive. Daniels alleges she had a one-night affair with Trump. She sued him earlier this year seeking to break a nondisclosure agreement she signed days before the 2016 election about the tryst as part of a $130,000 hush money settlement. Trump has denied the affair, but essentially acknowledged the payment to Daniels. Despite the deal to stay quiet, Daniels spoke out publicly and alleged that five years after the affair she was threatened to keep quiet by a man she did not recognize in a Las Vegas parking lot. She also released a composite sketch of the mystery man. She sued Trump for defamation after he responded to her allegation by tweeting: A sketch years later about a nonexistent man. A total con job, playing the Fake News Media for Fools (but they know it)! Otero ruled in October that Trumps statement was rhetorical hyperbole against a political adversary and was protected speech under the 1st Amendment. Although the lawsuit didnt get far before Otero tossed it, he said it was a one of a kind case that demanded a fair bit of legal work. Daniels has appealed Oteros decision and Avenatti said Monday that he expects to prevail in a higher court. Avenatti also said he will be seeking attorneys fees against Trump in the ongoing hush money case and he anticipates being awarded a figure that dwarfs exponentially what Trump is seeking in the defamation case, possibly exceeding $2 million. Trumps lead attorney previously said the fees and unspecified monetary sanctions were earned because of the extraordinary nature of the defamation case and because of Avenattis gamesmanship. This action is virtually unprecedented in American legal history, Harder wrote in court papers. Daniels not only brought a meritless claim for defamation against the sitting president of the United States, but she also has engaged, along with her attorney, in massive national publicity. In a related case, Daniels has alleged that her former lawyer, Keith Davidson, colluded with Trumps former personal lawyer Cohen to have her publicly deny the affair with Trump. Cohen has pleaded guilty to several felonies and admitted funneling money to Daniels to keep her quiet about an affair she has said she had with Trump. Avenatti was arrested last month on suspicion of domestic violence. Prosecutors declined bringing felony charges against Avenatti. They are investigating whether he should face a misdemeanor charge for allegations that he roughed up a girlfriend. Avenatti has denied wrongdoing. The Cohen and Davidson lawsuit in Los Angeles County Superior Court is on hold until May. Egypt is expected to see relatively cold weather on Wednesday night despite the warm temperatures predicted during the daytime on the same day, the countrys meteorological authority said on Tuesday (EMA). In a statement on Tuesday, the EMA said the country will also see rain along its northern coasts, with fog expected in the morning from northern Upper Egypt northward. Cairo will see highs of 21 and lows of 16 degrees Celsius, while the Mediterranean city of Alexandria will see highs of 20 and lows of 12. Temperatures across most of the country will see highs of 20-21, and lows of 12-14. The Mediterranean Sea will see a turbulence in navigation. Heading into the winter, temperatures have been colder than usual in Egypt over the past few days. The winter season officially starts on 21 December. Search Keywords: Short link: President Trump has never been shy about his ignorance. He claimed that nobody knew healthcare could be so complicated. He says he trusts his gut over established science on climate change. He routinely mangles basic facts about the U.S. economy, military and foreign alliances. But ignorance may be Trumps best defense in the investigation that now poses the most direct legal threat to him, a probe into payments to two women to buy their silence in the final weeks of the 2016 presidential campaign. Although the Russia investigation led by special counsel Robert S. Mueller III has gotten more attention, federal prosecutors in Manhattan pursuing a separate case have said the president directed an illegal scheme committed by his longtime lawyer, Michael Cohen, who is scheduled to be sentenced on Wednesday. Advertisement The U.S. attorneys office said in a court filing that Trump, referred to as Individual-1, directed Cohen to pay $280,000 to two women in an illegal effort to sway the election. The money went to Karen McDougal, a former Playboy playmate, and Stormy Daniels, a porn star, to keep them quiet about their claims of affairs with Trump years ago. If prosecutors want to target Trump presumably after he leaves office since Justice Department rules bar indicting a sitting president they must prove not only that campaign finance laws were broken but that Trump knew he was breaking them. If he truly had no idea what he was suggesting was improper, that can be an escape hatch, said Jessica Levinson, a Loyola Law School professor who specializes in election issues. Follow the latest news of the Trump administration on Essential Washington In most criminal cases, ignorance of the law is no defense. But campaign laws are different. They require a defendant acted knowingly and willfully to violate the law, a tougher standard that may play to Trumps advantage. There are certain kinds of crimes, like armed robbery, where we expect everyone knows its against the law to go into a bank with a gun and get money, UC Irvine election law professor Richard L. Hasen said. But there are other kinds of legal violations where it only becomes a crime when you do it willfully. Prosecutors would also need to prove that Trump wanted the payments made for a political purpose rather than to simply avoid embarrassment. The president is already honing his defense on Twitter. On Monday morning, he described the payments as a simple private transaction and criticized Democrats who wrongly call it a campaign contribution. He also suggested that Cohen may be the only one at fault for not handling the transaction in a legal way, writing that its the lawyers liability if he made a mistake, not me. Cohen pleaded guilty in August to, among other crimes, two counts of violating campaign finance laws by exceeding contribution limits and prohibitions on corporations donating directly to candidates. Daniels received $130,000 directly from Cohen, who used a shell company to pay her. McDougal was paid $150,000 by the company that publishes the National Enquirer, which is run by a Trump ally. Michael Cohen walks out of federal court on Nov. 29 in New York. (Julie Jacobson / Associated Press) Trump has a history of lying about the payments. He previously denied knowing about the payment to Daniels, only to eventually admit that he had reimbursed Cohen for it. New facts could still bolster prosecutors contention that Trump directed Cohens work or that he knew the payments were violating the law. Unless that happens, however, the presidents defenders say hes in the clear. Theres no evidence the president authorized an illegal act, said Joseph diGenova, a former U.S. attorney in Washington. The direction of the payment of hush money is not a crime. The clearest parallel case is the 2012 prosecution of John Edwards, the former senator from North Carolina. He was accused of using nearly $1 million from donors to prevent his pregnant mistress from going public during his failed run for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2008. Edwards argued that the payments were intended to prevent his wife from discovering the affair, not for a political purpose. A jury acquitted Edwards on one charge and deadlocked on five others, a sign of how difficult such cases can be. It depends on whether the payment, whether its hush money or anything else, was made with the intent of influencing the election, said Daniel Petalas, a former acting general counsel at the Federal Election Commission and public corruption prosecutor at the Justice Department. Paul S. Ryan, a vice president at Common Cause, an election watchdog group, said Trump could face a stiffer challenge. Daniels and McDougal were paid years after the alleged affairs but less than a month before election day in 2016, suggesting the payments were directly tied to the election. Several legal experts said Trump faces a serious threat in the hush money case. They are clearly going after the president on campaign finance violations, Andrew McCarthy, a conservative writer and former federal prosecutor, said on Fox News on Sunday. Its clear that Trump is the target and hell be indicted eventually. Justice Department guidelines say a president cannot be indicted while in office, but he could be charged after leaving the White House. The statute of limitations is five years, meaning Trumps legal exposure could increase if he doesnt win reelection. Given the need to prove Trumps intent and his understanding of the law, collecting evidence could be a challenge. The president has famously called himself not a believer in email, and hes not known for texting unless he is broadcasting his thoughts on Twitter. But prosecutors told U.S. District Judge William H. Pauley III in August, when Cohen pleaded guilty, that they could prove the money was spent in coordination with the campaign or candidate for purposes of influencing the election. Cohen, who long served as Trumps personal attorney and private fixer, appears willing to testify against him. In addition, he secretly recorded some phone calls with Trump, recordings that the U.S. attorneys office now possess. One recording, leaked to the news media in July, revealed a conversation between Cohen and Trump about a payment to McDougal. Prosecutors clearly are focused on how the money was used for political purposes. While many Americans who desired a particular outcome to the election knocked on doors, toiled at phone banks, or found any number of other legal ways to make their voices heard, Cohen sought to influence the election from the shadows, they wrote in a memo recommending up to four years in prison for Cohen. He did so by orchestrating secret and illegal payments to silence two women who otherwise would have made public their alleged extramarital affairs with Individual-1. In the process, Cohen deceived the voting public by hiding alleged facts that he believed would have had a substantial effect on the election. The end game may not be a criminal case against Trump. The U.S. attorneys office in the Southern District of New York is outlining what it believes to be its case for impeachment, DiGenova said. The court filings, he said, are designed for the House of Representatives, which would consider any articles of impeachment. Democrats are definitely watching. Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.), incoming chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, where any impeachment proceedings would begin, described the hush money allegations against Trump as impeachable offenses. Whether they are important enough to justify an impeachment is a different question, Nadler added. chris.megerian@latimes.com Twitter: @chrismegerian NASAs Voyager 2 spacecraft has become the second human-made object to enter interstellar space. The probe, which blasted into space 41 years ago, exited the outer boundary of the suns heliosphere on Nov. 5, NASA scientists announced Monday at a meeting of the American Geophysical Union in Washington, D.C. It is now more than 11 billion miles away from Earth. The heliosphere is a protective bubble that the sun creates around itself, said Ed Stone, project scientist for the Voyager mission and a former director of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in La Canada Flintridge. An illustration shows the position of NASAs Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 probes, outside of the heliosphere and over the boundary into interstellar space. (NASA / JPL-Caltech) Advertisement Multiple instruments aboard Voyager 2 captured the probes transition from the outer edge of this bubble to the mostly empty space beyond. Hot solar wind is on one side; the chill of the interstellar medium is on the other. Voyager 2s twin, Voyager 1, flew into interstellar space around Aug. 25, 2012, although NASA wasnt able to say so with certainty until more than a year later. That craft, which launched 16 days after Voyager 2, is now 13 billion miles from Earth. Interstellar space is dense with cool plasma, the remnants of long-dead stars. With multiple instruments still in good working order, including the Plasma Science Experiment, Voyager 2s data will help scientists learn more about interstellar space, particularly the region where it meets the heliopause, Stone said. Voyager 1s plasma science instrument broke way back in 1980, so it didnt capture this type of data when it made its historic crossing. Both Voyagers flew past Jupiter and Saturn. After visiting the ringed planet in late 1980, Voyager 1 began its journey toward interstellar space. Voyager 2 flew past Uranus and Neptune before heading for interstellar space in 1989. They still have a very long way to go before they leave the solar system. NASA estimates it could take 30,000 years for Voyager 2 to fly all the way through the Oort Cloud, a spherical shell of icy objects that scientists believe is a source of many comets. Only then will the solar system be in Voyager 2s rearview mirror. But it will run out of power long before then. Voyager project manager Suzanne Dodd said both of the probes could survive for another five to 10 years before their radioactive fuel sources are depleted and they succumb to the cold. The Associated Press contributed to this report. UC Irvine has been awarded a $1.1-million grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation to pilot a study that will analyze the value of a liberal arts education and how colleges measure student success. The data-intensive study, headed by Richard Arum, dean of UCIs School of Education, will be used for the foundations proposed national study of universities, managed by a consortium at the University of Michigan. In higher education we often teach people to [participate in] data-driven decision-making, Arum said. But were the last industry in the country to adopt it in our own work. This project is about trying to improve measurements in higher education. The study, called the Next-Generation Undergraduate Success Measurement Project, will collect and analyze data on a random sample of 1,050 UCI students: 500 incoming freshmen, 250 incoming junior transfers, 250 continuing juniors and 50 freshmen in the honors program. Researchers will sift through various kinds of student information, such as social background and course performance, combined with survey responses from learning-management systems such as Canvas and Blackboard, which aid the administration, reporting and delivery of educational courses or training programs. Arum and Michael Dennin, vice provost for teaching and learning at UCI and dean of the division of undergraduate education, hope to track patterns of undergraduates success. We have an undergraduate program thats deeply committed to improving student learning and instruction and adopting evidence-based approaches to doing it, Arum said. In the Next-Generation projects initial planning stage, Arums team will draw on expertise from about 20 institutions, including Michigan, Columbia, Harvard and Stanford universities, to identify the feasibility and utility of the data. In a society hungry for data and evidence, simply claiming these values of the liberal arts no longer suffices, said Mariet Westermann, the Mellon Foundations executive vice president for programs and research. Developing thoughtful and robust models and measures of the economic, social and personal outcomes of a liberal arts education will greatly help all of us understand better what the worth of such an education is and communicate that value to academic decision-makers and the public. Arum joined UCI 2 years ago after 16 years at New York University, where he was a professor of sociology and education before entering administration. He has directed education research studies for the Social Science Research Council and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. He holds a doctorate in sociology from UC Berkeley and a masters of education from Harvard. I decided [early] that education was going to be my lifes calling, Arum said. Theres nothing more important to shaping the lives of people than education. Now I really feel like were at the forefront of moving social science forward and moving education forward. We have an incredible power to create new knowledge, inform public discourse and help improve institutional practices. The Next-Generation project, which emerged from the Mellon Foundations Value of the Liberal Arts initiative, builds on our commitment to providing access to a world-class education to all qualified students, regardless of their background, said Enrique Lavernia, UCI provost and executive vice chancellor. UCI can serve as a national model for measurement and delivery of undergraduate education and improving student success. charity.lindsey@latimes.com Twitter @CharityNLindsey Im told that when you put on makeup, you start with foundation. If thats the case, then 2019 will be a very glamorous year for Laguna Beach because the city has been putting on foundation since 1972. This year has been like many other recent years for this aging beach-side beauty. Laguna has perfected the art of staying busy and clinging to an image of itself. Of course layers of foundation only go so far. At some point it needs to step out and preen in the daylight of reality. But in 2018, reality was like a rerun. The top issues seemed familiar so much so that they motivated a new generation of activists, wanting something more. But we will get to that. Looking back, the biggest impact of 2018 likely will be what happens in the future because of it. So lets recap my top 10 issues of 2018. It was not a good year for shopkeepers in Laguna, says columnist David Hansen of several closures in the city in 2018. (File Photo) 10. Business closures There are cycles to business, as with anything, but Lagunas cycles were either: tough, challenging or bleak. Several high-profile business locations remained shuttered all year with entire blocks vacant. Rents for many shops were untenable, especially along Forest Avenue. It was not a good year for shopkeepers in Laguna. 9. Diversity With the ongoing national dialogue around sex, power, racism and more, Laguna remained in its own bubble. Its a city thats 84% white, the highest in Orange County. In this age of empowerment and diversity, Laguna looked less like an eclectic art colony and more like a private country club. Winning the award for most ineffectual lawsuit of the year, the American Civil Liberties Union sued the city and settled. But did the homeless win? Not really. (File Photo) 8. Homeless Another year, another ACLU lawsuit. Winning the award for most ineffectual lawsuit of the year, the American Civil Liberties Union sued the city and settled. But did the homeless win? Not really. Did the city learn any lessons? No. Could all of the legal effort and staff time been put to better use and actually help the homeless? Absolutely. 7. Social hatred This year proved that if people have a choice between demonstrating hatred at a local park or posting hatred on a social media site, they will do both. What was particularly disappointing, however, was that residents chose the Nextdoor website to spew venom. Literally, these were your neighbors, perhaps three streets over. You instinctively waved to them as you walked your dog, then unwittingly read their diatribe over coffee, wondering who could write such a thing. 6. Tourists redux There are tourists every year, of course, but in 2018, they have grown into categories. There are daytrippers, which are the worst category of tourists because they drive in, park for free on neighborhood streets, bring homemade sandwiches, Hot Cheetos and yipper dogs, then depart later without a hello, leaving a trail of trash, misery and trampled reefs. The good tourists stay at the Montage or Surf and Sand, buy art and leave hefty tips in their wake. Tourism is now viewed only in socio-economic terms. 5. Symbolic protests Laguna Beach has become the piece de resistance of resistance locations. For a city of less than 25,000 people, its remarkable how many protest movements we have. Clearly, most of these people come from out of town, not unlike daytrippers. But why Laguna? Why not? It has an activist history, its friendly, its beautiful and theres a delicious new taco stand opening up across the street. 4. Brown reefs There are big signs that warn people not to steal from beaches, and yet they do. People blithely stomp on reefs, try to catch crabs and throw rocks at urchins. Like any natural resource, Laguna reefs are being loved to death. This year was essentially a repeat of prior years, where 6 million visitors all want something to take home. Its a losing proposition, and the increasingly dead brown reefs prove it. It wasnt a bad idea, Measure M. It would have raised the sales tax 1% to bury power lines. But all people saw was the word tax. (File Photo) 3. Power lines It wasnt a bad idea, Measure M. It would have raised the sales tax 1% to bury power lines. But all people saw was the word tax. Officials should have called it a fee, a mitigation, an enhancement or first-responder support. Instead, Laguna is stuck with its fire-breathing sticks of death. Smart Laguna organizers will regroup on another plan; in the meantime, the city will hold its breath through the dry seasons. 2. Artists In some small way, 2018 was the year of the artist in Laguna Beach. The Laguna Art Museum led the way with its Art & Nature project. But it seemed like every conversation was put in the context of The Artist. Housing, downtown planning, canyon zoning, City Council all included the question, How does this impact artists? By all accounts, there was the painful realization that if the question wasnt asked, it would become moot. In other words, before long artists would simply fade away. Some say thats already happening. No matter what becomes of affordable housing, at this point its too late, they say. Laguna is too expensive for most artists. People did what they do best: quickly take sides, ignore facts and feel self-righteous. The only thing politicos agreed on was that it was the nastiest race in memory. (File Photo) 1. Election The biggest issue in 2018 was the election. It started in early summer the buzz, the hype, the name-calling. People did what they do best: quickly take sides, ignore facts and feel self-righteous. The only thing politicos agreed on was that it was the nastiest race in memory. By the end, Laguna had a lead vote-getter and gallery owner, Peter Blake, who promised to shake things up, stick to his vows and remake Laguna into a sophisticated art enclave, worthy of its roots. To me, 2018 was a set-up year for something more interesting in the future. If Laguna embraces its potential, welcomes the challenge and takes more risks, it could be a fun ride with or without the makeup. David Hansen is a writer and Laguna Beach resident. He can be reached at hansen.dave@gmail.com. After decades of presenting the Hoover Home Tour, members of the Hoover High School PTA decided to do something different this year. Dozens of supporters showed up on Saturday for the Hoover High Holiday Tea and Boutique at the school. The event was free. Tea and crumpets were $10. Tables and chairs were set up in the lower quad to accommodate tea lovers. If tea wasnt your thing, shopping was. A silent auction and vendors booths made it easy for shoppers to part with their money, all for a good cause, of course. Vendors sold everything from homemade cookies, candy, and jewelry to Santa bracelets, candles and scarves. Of note was the MG Design Boutique selling necklaces, bracelets, pendants and earrings, custom made with sparkling Swarovsky crystals. Designer and boutique owner Maria Gharibian donated 10% of her earnings to the PTA, as did the other vendors. Manning a sweet booth of homemade cookies, cake pops and cake cones were Hoover seniors Carlin Adoian and Tolou Pharokhipanah. Theyre donating their earnings to young patients at a local hospital. Glendale Unified Supt. Winfred Roberson Jr. put in a welcome appearance. Roberson said of the Tea, My hope is to bring the community together. Also on hand was Nayiri Nahabedian, school board member. Attending as well and in the mood for holiday shopping was Glendale News-Press columnist Katherine Yamada. Her friend Pat Trytten was there, too. She recalled her daughters graduations from Hoover years ago. Laura Frimershtein, PTA board vice president, helped supervise the event. Helping her was her sister Lupe Arevalo. She manned the English toffee and fudge booth. A dental hygienist by trade, Arevalo promised not to sample the wares. Those making a day of it enjoyed The 39 Steps performed by the Hoover Drama Department in the Hoover High Little Theatre. Also held on Saturday was the La Crescenta Womans Clubs annual Breakfast With Santa. A modest $15 was the price of admission. Members of the community packed the house so their children and grandchildren could be first in line to sit on Santas lap. Eleanor Komen, 6, left, and little sister, Penelope, 4, share Santas lap during the La Crescenta Womans Club Breakfast with Santa. (Ruth Sowby Rands / Glendale News-Press) Kicking off the festivities was a hearty breakfast of scrambled eggs, sausages, pancakes and waffles. Coffee and hot chocolate washed everything down. During breakfast, the Crescenta Valley High School Charismatics serenaded with Christmas tunes. Proud grandmother and La Crescenta resident Marilyn Bayles was there to support her No. 1 Charismatic, Zack Bayles. He was the one with the stovepipe hat. A surprise visitor was Kathryn Barger, 5th District Los Angeles Supervisor. Barger played a part in funding the Clubs refurbishment. Barger joked that she and state Sen. Anthony Portantino are vying to see who joins the Club first. All were waiting for the arrival of Santa. His ho ho ho did not disappoint. Little kids were lined up to tell Santa what they wanted for Christmas. A shy Izzie Bolden, 2, had to be encouraged by mom, Sunny, to smile for the camera. Eleanor Komen, 6, and little sister, Penelope, 4, shared Santas lap. Mom Thea Komen took her own photos, along with a professional photographer hired by the club for the occasion. Carol Huntwork, club past president, played Mrs. Claus to a tee. Santa is so busy he had to have a helper, said Mrs. C. She helped organize kids and parents. Huntwork has played her part at the breakfast for many years. The Crescenta Valley High School Charismatics entertain before Santas arrival the La Crescenta Womans Club. (Ruth Sowby Rands / Glendale News-Press) Opportunity baskets and a silent auction lured shoppers. Along with the kiddie prizes was a box of anti-aging serum for the young at heart. It was a steal at $70. Congrats for a job well done must be given to event co-chairs Marilyn Wright and Julia Robles. Wearing long necklaces made of blinking Christmas lights, they worked nonstop on scene and behind the scenes. Event proceeds will help pay for scholarships for students at Glendale Unified schools. Ruth Sowby Rands may be reached at ruthasowby@gmail.com. RUTH SOWBY RANDS may be reached at ruthasowby@gmail.com. Explore the origins of sriracha (Gold Medal brand), which began as homemade chili sauce in the seaport town of Si Racha, Thailand, on a custom tour organized by Zicasso. Participants can travel from Bangkok to Chiang Mai to Ho Chi Minh City, discovering along the way other Thai and Vietnamese culinary specialties. Highlights include meeting with the family of the creator of sriracha and learning how to make your own hot sauce, exploring Northern and Southern Thai food, and visiting local microbreweries in Bangkok and Hanoi. Dates: Custom departures Advertisement Price: From $3,675 per person, double occupancy, for eight days in Thailand, including flight from Bangkok to Chiang Mai. Vietnam portion is an additional $2,720 per person, double occupancy, for eight days, including two in-country flights. Accommodations, meals, tours and activities are included. International airfare not included. Info: Zicasso travel@latimes.com @latimestravel Chef Nobuyuki Nobu Matsuhisa is laser-focused on eating healthier and making changes to menus at his empire of 22 Nobu restaurants, including one in Las Vegas, that better align with that focus. Fussy, elaborate dishes are out. Simple preparations are in. Nobu style used to be fusion, Matsuhisa said. Younger chefs like complicated, but I like very simple, very clean preparations. The key now, he said, is best products, keep the cooking simple, nothing complicated. The Nobu restaurant inside the chefs namesake hotel (inside Caesars Palace), which just turned 5 years old. (Michael Hiller) Advertisement Matsuhisa recently visited Las Vegas with business partner and actor Robert De Niro, to celebrate five years of the Nobu Hotel, his posh 182-room site cloistered deep within Caesars Palace. Room prices start at $149. Christopher Shane Chan Yai Ching, the executive chef at the Nobu Restaurant Las Vegas, said he and Matsuhisa have been bending the menu away from complex dishes with layers of ingredients and textures toward old-school sushi preparations using simpler ingredients and cleaner flavors that are healthier. This is why you can eat Nobu food five days a week and get healthy, Matsuhisa said. Yellow tail sashimi with jalapeno peppers. (Michael Hiller) Products used at Nobu restaurants are some the highest quality available anywhere, Chan Yai Ching said. The fish and produce are pristinely fresh. The sake is produced in tiny batches and bottled just for Nobu. The rice vinegar is one stop short of sake quality. Even the sushi rice is a boutique product, farmed in Japan then milled specifically to Nobus exacting specifications solely for his kitchens. Recently, though, the venerated chef has drawn a red line with the long-standing Japanese method for preparing that sushi rice, which is traditionally tumbled with a small amount of table sugar and rice vinegar. Sugar has become a demon. Black cod with miso glaze at Nobu. (Michael Hiller) Nobu said he became concerned about sugar and started thinking about sushi rice and what I could use instead of sugar. I learned about monk fruit sugar, which is a natural sugar that has no calories, so now I am using only monk fruit sugar (instead of table sugar) in sushi rice and like it very much. It doesnt raise the blood sugar, and its completely natural like stevia, the chef said, so its better for you. Would he ever consider substituting healthier brown rice for Japanese white rice to make his sushi? No no, absolutely no. Only sushi rice, Matsuhisa said. Im not crazy. Info: Nobu Hotel at Caesars Palace Las Vegas, 3570 Las Vegas Blvd. South; (800) 727-4923. Michael Hiller writes about Las Vegas, restaurants, hotels and travel. Follow him on Instagram at @Checkingincheckingout. travel@latimes.com @latimestravel A weeklong series of Christmas festivities at the so-called Plaza Church, a historic Catholic church in downtown Los Angeles, ended with distribution of presents and candy to about 2,000 children. A story in the Jan. 4, 1914, Los Angeles Times was headlined, Two Thousand Mexican Children Receive Gifts at Plaza Rectory Through Generosity of Society of El Amigo de los Ninos Practical Help to Poor. Yuletide good cheer extended clear over into the first week of the new year for the children of Our Lady of the Angels. Yesterday, the closing Christmas festivities were held in the court and patio of the old rectory, adjoining the church. The Los Angeles Times article added that, Santa Claus was on hand in regulation red and white. The good old saint was personified by Jose E. Villasenor. Father Michael gave an address to the children on The Babe of Bethlehem, and under the direction of Father Diego the children sang. This post was originally published on Dec. 21, 2016. See more from the Los Angeles Times archives here Five months before a crucial national election, Indias ruling Hindu nationalist party led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday apparently lost control of three state assemblies. The state elections had been billed in the Indian press as something of a semifinal before the nationwide vote in May that will serve as a referendum on Modis four and a half years in office. Based on early returns, Modis Bharatiya Janata Party was in danger of losing three large and influential states in the northern belt widely seen as its political heartland. Early returns showed the BJP losing to the Indian National Congress, Indias main opposition party, in the states of Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh, signs of Modis vulnerability, largely because of economic issues. There is a feeling among the people in the country that what Mr. Modi had promised, he hasnt been able to deliver, said the president of the Congress Party, Rahul Gandhi. Advertisement The results were a shot in the arm for the ailing Congress, which has led India for most of the last 70 years but was nearly wiped out of the national scene in the 2014 national elections. Under Gandhi, the once diffident heir to a political dynasty and great-grandson of founding Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, election wins were expected to boost the Congress Partys chances to ally with regional parties in a bid to unseat Modi in May. Modi swept to power in 2014. His popularity and his feverish campaigning has propelled the BJP to become a vote-winning machine, at one point controlling 20 of 29 state assemblies in addition to the national Parliament. But his controversial 2016 demonetization drive which withdrew most of the currency in circulation and his governments much criticized implementation of a new goods and services tax have angered many of his urban, middle-class supporters. There is also frustration in rural areas, where most of Indias 1.3 billion people live. In recent weeks, distress over poor agricultural prices resulted in massive protests led by farmers. The countrys top banks governor resigned this week after a prolonged standoff with the government. Tuesdays results should be worrying for the BJP as these three Hindi-speaking states form the core of their vote base, said Neelanjan Sircar, professor of political science at Ashoka University in Delhi. The result signifies that economic distress has spread from farmers to other parts of the rural population. Vote counting continued late into the night and the state of Madhya Pradesh remained a toss-up between the BJP and Congress, neither of which could claim an outright majority and would have to form an alliance with smaller parties or independent candidates to lead the assembly. BJP leaders maintained that the losses would not have a bearing on the national elections, arguing that state elections are fought on local issues. But Modis critics said that amid these losses and the economic worries, his party was likely to rely more heavily on sectarian politics to drum up support from Indias Hindu majority. In 2014, Modi distanced himself from the pro-Hindu ideology known as Hindutva by casting himself as a champion of economic development. But since he became prime minister, independent groups say that hate crimes against minority Muslims have been on the rise. Modi selected an extremist Hindu preacher and politician to lead Indias largest state, where last week a police officer was killed by Hindu vigilantes who accused authorities of failing to protect cows, a sacred animal to orthodox Hindus. The Congress Party, too, has sought to court the Hindu vote by promising to build cow sanctuaries and establish a government department of spirituality if elected to power. My own view, which is not the popular view, is that ramping up Hindutva is not a winning strategy, Sircar said. It will galvanize a section of the Hindu vote but will not be a majority winning plank. The BJP needs to distance itself from the dismal economic narrative, which is what will damage them. Masih is a special correspondent. Times staff writer Shashank Bengali contributed to this report from Singapore. Key European leaders on Tuesday rebuffed appeals by British Prime Minister Theresa May to renegotiate terms for Britains intended departure from the 28-nation bloc, heightening the prime ministers political peril and deepening the deadlock over Brexit. A day earlier, May was forced to call off a long-anticipated vote in the British Parliament on the plan her government had negotiated on terms for exiting the European Union. U.K. lawmakers made it clear the proposed pact would have gone down to defeat. In a whirlwind daylong tour of the Continent that took her to the Netherlands, Germany and Belgium, the British leader found some sympathy for her predicament but that was coupled with still-firm European refusals to go back to the bargaining table. With Britain scheduled to leave the EU on March 29, fears were growing that the departure might take the form of a hard Brexit that is, crashing out of the European bloc with no agreement on relations going forward. Economists say a no-deal Brexit would almost certainly trigger a deep recession. Advertisement In pursuit of an agreement she could sell to lawmakers, May met for an hour with her most important European interlocutor, German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Afterward, the chancellor told members of her conservative German parliamentary group that there was no scope for renegotiating the Brexit deal, according to German media reports. In Brussels, the president of the European Council, Donald Tusk, expressed regret over the setback the agreed-upon deal had suffered in the British Parliament, but failed to throw May any visible lifeline. He tweeted after their talks that, while the other 27 members of the bloc wanted to help, the question is how. While ruling out substantive changes to a deal thats already been negotiated, EU leaders expressed some hope that the terms could be clarified in a way that might help May secure parliamentary backing. There is no room whatsoever for renegotiation, said the head of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker. But of course there is room enough to give further clarifications and further interpretations, without opening the withdrawal agreement. A Brexit supporter protests outside Parliament in London on Tuesday. (Andy Rain / EPA/Shutterstock) The main sticking point is a provision to ensure there would be no border checks between Northern Ireland, which is British-ruled and would leave the EU, and the Republic of Ireland, which will remain a member of the bloc. The EU has ruled out any softening of that border guarantee, but some British lawmakers have balked, saying such an arrangement would give the bloc too much leverage. May planned to travel to Dublin on Wednesday for talks likely to center on that provision. With less than four months remaining before Britains scheduled exit from the EU, the prime minister tried to put the best face on her efforts, citing shared determination to reach a resolution. But her take on the days diplomatic discourse did not appear to square with the EUs stance. We are just at the start of the negotiations and the start of the discussions, May insisted. British media, meanwhile, dwelt on a comically symbolic moment as May arrived to meet Merkel, playing and replaying footage of the prime minister temporarily trapped in her car by an apparently malfunctioning door latch while Merkel stood waiting. In London, Mays spokeswoman said a parliamentary vote on Brexit terms would take place before Jan. 21, but with the clock ticking down, there was little room for more delay. Amid the growing uncertainty, the prime minister faced the threat of rebellion within the ranks of her Conservative Party. A leadership challenge would be triggered if 48 Conservative lawmakers wrote formal letters seeking one. News reports late Tuesday suggested that that threshold may have been reached, or nearly. Graham Brady, the head of a committee that would tabulate the letters and trigger a vote, requested a meeting with May on Wednesday, according to the BBC. Anti-Brexit activists protest outside Parliament in London on Tuesday night. (Daniel Leal-Olivas / AFP/Getty Images) In the wake of Mondays stinging setback for the prime minister, the opposition Labor Party redoubled its scorn as she made the rounds of EU capitals. Labor leader Jeremy Corbyn branded May the runaway prime minister and said her trip to meet with European leaders was a waste of time and public money. Pressure also mounted on Corbyn to put forth a motion of no confidence in the government, which could trigger a general election if a majority of lawmakers supported it. But he has so far resisted, wanting to ensure that his Labor Party could seize power if an election were to take place. The ongoing political chaos has galvanized calls to hold a new referendum. Supporters of the Peoples Vote campaign a cross-party group of lawmakers and campaigners reiterated Tuesday that only a second referendum would allow the country to move forward. Our fate remains in our own hands, said former Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett, calling on ministers to draft legislation that would allow a referendum do-over. But in many quarters, seeking to overturn the June 2016 vote to leave the EU is considered a politically explosive option that would set a dangerous precedent for Britains democracy. Special correspondent Boyle reported from London and Times staff writer King from Washington. Special correspondent Erik Kirschbaum in Berlin contributed to this report. laura.king@latimes.com Egypt's Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly is heading on Tuesday to Tanzania to attend the signing of the contract to build the Stiegler's Gorge dam, which will be constructed by Egypt's Arab Contractors, state news agency MENA reported. Madbouly will be leading a high level delegation on his visit to the East African country. Stiegler's Gorge Hydroelectric Power Station (SGHPS) is a planned 2,100-megawatt (2,800,000 hp) dam that is expected to produce 5920 GW of power annually. Tanzania has been considering establishing the power station since the 1960s. When fully developed, it will be the largest power station in Tanzania. Upon the directives of Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi, Madbouly will attend the signing ceremony, which will be carried out by an Egyptian consortium with financing from an international institution. Search Keywords: Short link: A former Canadian diplomat now working for the International Crisis Group in China is missing in that country, according to his employer, news that could further complicate an already tense diplomatic standoff over the arrest of a senior Chinese tech executive in Vancouver, Canada, last week. Michael Kovrig is a former Canadian diplomat posted to Beijing. Since February 2017, he was been working for the International Crisis Group, covering security issues across northeast Asia. He frequently spoke to the media about his research, including the Washington Post. International Crisis Group is aware of reports that its North East Asia Senior Adviser, Michael Kovrig, has been detained in China, the think tank said in a statement. We are doing everything possible to secure additional information on Michaels whereabouts as well as his prompt and safe release, it added. Advertisement It is not yet clear is Kovrigs case is connected in any way to the diplomatic standoff between Canada and China over the arrest of a senior Chinese tech executive. News of his disappearance and possible detention comes as a Vancouver court will decide whether to grant bail to Huawei Technologies Meng Wanzhou, who was arrested on Dec.1 and now faces possible extradition to the U.S. on charges related to alleged Iran sanctions violations. Meng, who is chief financial officer for Huawei and the daughter of the companys founder, was apprehended by Canadian authorities while in transit in Vancouver last week. On Tuesday, a Vancouver court will decide whether she will be granted bail. Emily Rauhala writes for the Washington Post. It had already been a dramatic day in Parliament when a British lawmaker drew gasps from his colleagues by walking briskly through the chamber and making off with the ceremonial mace. Members, still digesting Prime Minister Theresa Mays announcement that she would delay a vote on her much-criticized Brexit plan, seemed stunned when Labor Party lawmaker Lloyd Russell-Moyle walked to the center of the House of Commons chamber and grabbed the mace. Though widely unknown to most, the ornate 5-foot silver gilt mace carries deep significance to lawmakers and represents the authority of the British monarch in Parliament. The mace, which looks a bit like an opulent take on the Olympic torch, is always ceremoniously carried into the House of Commons by the sergeant-at-arms. Advertisement Chaos ensues as the giant golden mace at Britains extremely normal parliament gets lifted up briefly pic.twitter.com/dMs63iLVcO PoliticsJOE (@PoliticsJOE_UK) December 10, 2018 Without it, its said, Parliament cannot pass laws or even convene. The mace theft, albeit brief and anything but stealthy, was seen as a protest and came at the moment when the government stated that it would not continue with the debate around the divorce deal May has struck with the European Union. As Russell-Moyle strode away with the mace, members of Parliament stirred in their seats. Shouts of no and disgrace rang out. Seemingly unsure what to do with the mace once he had it, Russell-Moye meekly handed it over when an official grabbed for it. Video of the episode quickly went viral. Speaker John Bercow suspended Russell-Moyle for the remainder of the session. I felt Parliament had effectively given up its sovereign right to govern properly, Russell-Moyle said later, explaining himself. They stopped me before I got out of the chamber and I wasnt going to struggle with someone wearing a huge sword on their hip. Three people died and 12 others were wounded in France when a man flagged as a possible extremist sprayed gunfire near Strasbourgs famous Christmas market Tuesday, sparking a search for the suspect as French officials put the country on increased alert for terrorist attacks. French prosecutors said a terrorism investigation was opened, though authorities did not say what they thought to be a motive. Strasbourg is home to the European Parliament, one of several places locked down after the shooting, preventing those inside from leaving. It was unclear if the market the focus of an Al Qaeda-linked plot in 2000 was the intended target. The alleged assailant got inside a security zone around the venue and opened fire from there, Mayor Roland Ries said on BFM television. Two years ago, a Tunisian man drove a hijacked truck into a busy Berlin Christmas market, an attack that killed 12 people. Strasbourg, which promotes itself as the Capital of Christmas, is located on Frances border with Germany, about 250 miles east of Paris. Advertisement Authorities said they identified the suspect in Tuesdays bloodshed and he had a criminal record. The prefect of the Strasbourg region said the alleged shooter also was on a watch list of potentially radicalized individuals. No other details about him were disclosed. Gendarmes went to the suspects home to arrest him before the attack, but he wasnt there, Stephane Morisse of police union FGP said. They found explosive materials during a search, he said. France, where most of Europes worst terrorist attacks of recent years took place, is raising its terrorism alert level and sending security reinforcements to Strasbourg, Interior Minister Christophe Castaner said early Wednesday. Some 350 security forces and two helicopters were involved in the search for the suspected assailant, who had been radicalized for several years and confronted law enforcement officers twice while he sowed terror in Strasbourg, Castaner said. The death toll stood at three early Wednesday, he said. Two police union officials said earlier that four had been killed. Officials did not explain the conflicting numbers. A dozen more people were wounded, half of them who were in absolute emergency critical condition, Castaner said. The alleged shooter was shot and wounded as well, by soldiers guarding the Christmas market, said Morisse. French military spokesman Col. Patrik Steiger said the shooter didnt seem to be aiming for the soldiers patrolling in and around the market, but appeared to target civilians instead. Witnesses described hearing gunshots, screams and the shouts of police ordering people to stay indoors before the area fell silent and the officers fanned out. I heard two or three shots at around 7:55 p.m., then I heard screams. I got close to the window. I saw people running. After that I closed the shutters. Then I heard more shots, closer this time, said Yoann Bazard, 27, who lives in central Strasbourg. I thought maybe its firecrackers, he said, speaking by phone. And then, as it got close, it was really shocking. There were a lot of screams. ... There were police or soldiers shouting, Get inside! and Put your hands on your head. Freelance journalist Camille Belsoeur was at a friends apartment when they heard the gunfire, at first mistaking it for firecrackers. We opened the window. I saw a soldier firing shots, about 12 to 15 shots, Belsoeur said. Other soldiers yelled for people to stay indoors and shouted, Go home! Go home! to those outside, he said. Another witness, Peter Fritz, told the BBC one of the four people killed was a Thai tourist who was shot in the head and didnt respond to lengthy attempts to revive him. We tried our best to resuscitate him. We applied CPR. We dragged him into a restaurant close by, Fritz said. He said it took more than 45 minutes for an ambulance to arrive, during which time an emergency doctor advised by telephone that any further efforts would be futile. The victim is still here in this restaurant, but we have abandoned all hope for him, Fritz said. France previously endured several high-profile extremist attacks, including the coordinated attacks at multiple Paris locations that killed 130 people and wounded hundreds in November 2015. A 2016 truck attack in Nice killed dozens. President Emmanuel Macron adjourned a meeting at the presidential palace Tuesday night to monitor the emergency, his office said, indicating the gravity of the attack. Castaner and the Paris prosecutor, who is in charge of anti-terrorism investigations in France, headed to Strasbourg. The prosecutors office said the inquiry was being conducted on suspicion of murder and attempted murder in relation with terrorist enterprise charges, suggesting officials think the gunman may have links to extremists. In many neighborhoods of Strasbourg, the French Interior Ministry urged the public to remain indoors. Local authorities urged the public on Twitter to avoid the area of the police station, which is close to the citys Christmas market. Strasbourgs well-known market is set up around the citys cathedral during the Christmas season and is a popular gathering place. At the shooting scene, police officers, police vehicles and barricades surrounded the market still sparkling with festive lights. European Parliament spokesman Jaume Duch said that the European Parliament has been closed and no one can leave until further notice. It wasnt immediately clear how many people were inside. The attack revived memories of a millennial terrorist plot targeting Strasbourgs Christmas market. Ten suspected Islamic militants were convicted and sentenced to prison in December 2004 for their role in a plot to blow up the market on the New Years Eve that ushered in 2000. The Algerian and French Algerian suspects including an alleged associate of Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden went on trial on charges they were involved in the foiled plot for the attack. They were sentenced to prison terms ranging from one to nine years. Mexicos new government under pressure from the Trump administration to curb illegal immigration to the U.S. will pump more than $30 billion into development for southern Mexico, an investment plan meant in part to deter illicit migration from Central America, the countrys top diplomat said Monday. Speaking at a global migration conference in Marrakech, Morocco, Foreign Secretary Marcelo Ebrard pledged that Mexico would embark on a five-year investment scheme for job-creating projects in impoverished southern Mexico that would also help spur development in Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador. Those three so-called Northern Triangle nations account for most U.S.-bound migrants, including members of the controversial caravans that have converged on Tijuana. The idea, Ebrard said, was to reduce poverty a major root cause of migration and thus cut an incentive for people to leave their homelands. Mexico hopes to compete in a successful way with the narrative that is being imposed in much of the world, including in the Americas, that the best way to confront migration is to exclude it and control it, Ebrard, accompanied by Central American diplomats, said in Marrakech. Advertisement But Mexicos new foreign secretary did not specify how money spent in the south of his nation would aid development in Central America. Authorities said more specifics would be available in coming weeks. No additional U.S. aid was mentioned, but Ebrard said other countries had expressed much interest in the plan. The plan comes as the Trump administration increases pressure on Mexico to take more forceful actions to halt Central American migration. President Trump has threatened to close the U.S. border with Mexico and cut off aid to Central American countries if asylum seekers and others continue to press for entry into the United States. Meanwhile, talks continued between Mexican government representatives and Trump administration officials as Washington seeks to implement a new policy that would force Central American asylum seekers to remain in Mexico while their claims are processed. U.S. immigrant advocates question the legality of the Trump administration plan known as Remain in Mexico. Mexico has resisted this proposal, which the White House views as a means to reduce escalating numbers of Central Americans trying to enter U.S. territory. Some Mexican officials are wary of acceding to Trumps wishes and placing a new burden on the countrys northern border towns. Ebrard met this month in Washington with Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo and Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen, but no new agreement on migration has been announced. Asked how the negotiations were proceeding, a State Department spokesperson said, The United States enjoys excellent cooperation with Mexico on a broad range of political, security, migration and economic issues. Secretary Pompeo speaks frequently with his Mexican counterpart. Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador unveiled a comprehensive development plan for the three Central American nations on Dec. 1, the day of his inauguration. But his foreign secretarys comments on Monday mark the first official commitment of Mexican funds to the project though all of the money, at least for now, appears earmarked for Mexico. This [plan] at least deals with the fact that you cant stop migrants from coming unless you create conditions to allow them to stay at home, said Maureen Meyer at the Washington Office on Latin America, a human rights advocacy organization. The new development program does not appear to address the issue of crime in Central America, another major factor in pushing migrants northward. And it was unclear what if any anti-corruption safeguards would be envisioned if additional aid were sent to Central America, where graft has long been a major problem. Eric Olson, a consultant to the Mexico Institute at the Woodrow Wilson Center in Washington, called Mexicos sweeping plans more notional than actual, noting that the country was already facing major financial challenges on a number of fronts. Lopez Obrador has announced a number of costly new infrastructure and social welfare programs for Mexico, though he has also said that the country was bankrupt. Many observers are skeptical of his vows to fund his ambitious agenda by reducing corruption and cutting government spending. The topic of migration remains a sensitive one in Mexico, long a major source of immigrants going both legally and illegally to the United States. Mexicos new president has consistently vowed to respect the human rights of migrants and argued that job-creating investment not increased law enforcement was the best means to deter illicit migration. He has offered to provide working papers and temporary residency for Central Americans living in Mexico. We want migration to be optional, and not an obligation, Lopez Obrador said repeatedly before taking office. Lopez Obradors predecessor, former President Enrique Pena Nieto, complied with U.S. demands to bolster enforcement along Mexicos southern border with Guatemala. Mexican authorities have deported tens of thousands of Central Americans in recent years, drawing charges that Mexico City was doing Washingtons dirty work along its southern frontier. Times staff writer Molly OToole in Washington and Cecilia Sanchez of The Times Mexico City bureau contributed to this report. patrick.mcdonnell@latimes.com Twitter: @PmcdonnellLAT tracy.wilkinson@latimes.com Twitter:@TracyKWilkinson by According to Allianz Global Assistances 2018 Top Holiday Destinations Report, American travel increased 15 percent this holiday season over last year. New York City and Cancun continue to reign as the most popular domestic and international destinations. Personally, I totally understand New York! After reviewing American plans to travel from December 19 to December 27, 2018, Allianz Global Assistance found that warmer-weather international getaways once again prevailed, with Cancun, Mexico; San Juan, Puerto Rico; San Jose del Cabo, Mexico; Nassau, Bahamas; and Montego Bay, Jamaica, claiming the top five slots. As the only non-tropical destination to make the international top 10, London placed sixth, dropping from second last year, followed by Puerto Vallarta, Mexico; Mexico City, Mexico; Higuey, Dominican Republic; and Aruba. This is the first time Mexico City and Nassau, Bahamas were included in Allianzs Top Holiday Destinations Report for international travel. New York City took the number one domestic spot again, followed by Los Angeles, Orlando, Boston, Seattle, Atlanta, Fort Lauderdale, San Francisco, Minneapolis and Salt Lake City. Boston jumped to fourth from 10th place, and San Francisco climbed back into the top 10 this year, knocking Denver out of the ranking. Our holiday travel survey revealed that travel is up 15 percent over last year. Mexico City, named 2018s World Design Capital by World Design Organization (WDO), is a first-timer to the list, while Puerto Rico jumped up to the second most popular international destination, said Daniel Durazo, director of marketing and communications for Allianz Global Assistance USA. Whether youre escaping to a sunny beach or exploring a new city, the busy holiday season can bring with it unpredictable winter weather delays or illnesses. Its a good idea to protect your holiday trip with the right travel insurance policy** for extra peace of mind to reach your destination safely. *Methodology: The data of U.S. travelers 2018 holiday travel plans was gathered by analyzing the number of travelers who went through the online booking process of airfare and package paths for partners offering Allianz Global Assistance travel to generate itineraries for flights departing from US airports during 12/19/2018 -12/26/2018 and returning 12/20/2018-12/27/2018, compared to the total ticket counts of travelers in 2017 departing from the same U.S. airports during the peak holiday travel season. Disclaimer: I work as an ambassador for Allianz Global Assistance (AGA Service Company) and receive financial compensation. Sharing is caring! Egypt's Tourism Minister Rania El-Mashaat signed an agreement with President of the Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage (SCTH) Prince Sultan bin Salman bin Abdulaziz on supporting the Arab young entrepreneurs in the tourism field. Chairman of the Arab Academy for Science, Technology & Maritime Transport (AASTMT) Ismail Abdel Ghaffar has also attended the signing. The signing was during a joint meeting held on Tuesday at the headquarters of Bibliotheca Alexandrina (BA), in the presence of Culture Minister Enas Abdel Dayem, Arab League (AL) Secretary General Ahmed Abu El-Gheit. Abdel Ghaffar said that the deal aims to offer help for the Arab youth to establish their own projects. The deal is signed under the auspices of the Planning Ministry and falls within the framework of the importance attached by the political leadership to the youth, he added. The deal comes into force immediately after its signing, he noted. Search Keywords: Short link: UK Supreme Court external 168 The UK Supreme Courts decision in the Warner-Lambert pregabalin matter could have onerous consequences for innovator pharmaceutical firms and biotech companies, according to in-house counsel. Sources say the decision is bad for rights holders because they will need to provide a broader range of evidence which will take more time to gather to justify the scope of their patent protection for second medical use claims. As with many Supreme Court decisions, we will have to wait and see how the lower courts apply it, says the patent attorney at a UK pharmaceutical firm. But my concern is that the higher hurdle for plausibility will be applied more widely, and that would increase the burden on patent applicants. The vice-president of IP at a UK biotech company adds that the decision does not reflect the scientific reality of drug development because of the complexities associated with animal models. Last month, the Supreme Court rejected Warner-Lamberts appeal that its patent for medication used to treat anxiety, epilepsy and neuropathic pain was sufficiently disclosed, and upheld Mylan and Actaviss appeal that the disputed claims were not even partially sufficient. My concern is that the higher hurdle for plausibility will be applied more widely, and that would increase the burden on patent applicants The question surrounding the case was how the concepts of sufficiency and infringement were to be applied to a patent relating to a specified medical use of a known pharmaceutical compound. The reportedly raises the bar for Swiss form claims, and some of its reasoning could also apply to the medical use claims in the Article 54(5) EPC2000 format. My first thoughts were that it was interesting that the opinion on plausibility was not unanimous, and the majority verdict was for a higher bar, the head of IP at the commercial arm of a UK university tells Managing IP. The decision was welcomed by generics drug companies, who say it will benefit them. This is an important decision and a good one for us, says the IP head at a Spanish drug company. It will have an impact on our future decisions, but it obviously depends on the cases and the kind of projects we are working on, and whether there are patents on second medical use indications. The vice-president of IP at an Indian pharmaceutical firms adds that the generics companies should now ask Pfizer, which owns Warner-Lambert, for damages because of the companys mistaken interpretation and the fact that it deprived generics companies of revenue and patients with access to a cheaper version of the drug. The innovator impact Sources say the decision could have a particularly severe impact on SME innovators. The vice-president of IP at a UK biotech company points out that small companies and research institutions are often under pressure to file patent applications earlier than large companies. There is a drive to publicly disclose the invention earlier at a conference, for example, or when seeking funding, she says This decision puts us at a clear disadvantage as it seems the evidentiary bar has been set much higher, requiring much more data to be available at the filing date and we will not be able to rely on supplementary data to support our case as we previously have. Furthermore, she adds, the decision does not reflect the scientific reality of drug development. My concern is that this decision will lead to us needing human clinical data in the application in order to obtain second medical use claims Many animal models and particularly mouse models, she explains, may be representative of a type of disease such as a number of types of pain, but not necessarily all subtypes such as neuropathic versus other pain. But because the test models are in non-human animals, there will always be differences in the varying systems, including the precise effect of a therapy and how this is measured compared with the equivalent outcome in humans. There are some diseases for which there are no animal models that are a complete and true representation of what happens in the human system but the results obtained from the models available give confidence of what might be expected when the drug is used for treatment of a disease in humans, she says. She adds this true for a number of therapeutic areas, and the scientific community and regulatory authorities accept that fact and still allow drugs to enter the clinic to be tested on humans. They clearly think it plausible that it is possible on the basis of this data that the drug will have an effect on the diseases the applicant seeks to test. Yet, she adds, the Supreme Court is alluding in this decision that such claims are only obtainable once a company has an animal model that is specific for that disease or clinical data to show it works in that disease. We cant be expected to test every single model in a disease area these models are expensive and there are a great deal of ethical considerations that go with performing in vivo studies. Furthermore, there may be some diseases for which a mouse model just isnt available. My concern is that this decision will lead to us needing human clinical data in the application in order to obtain second medical use claims. She adds that for small companies, it is likely that second medical use claims will not be available because there will be a disclosure of the diseases being tested at some point before the data is available. The material on this site is for law firms, companies and other IP specialists. It is for information only. Please read our Terms and Conditions and Privacy Notice before using the site. All material subject to strictly enforced copyright laws. 2021 Euromoney Institutional Investor PLC. For help please see our FAQs. Share this article ARTIS pheno The second edition of the DesignEuropa Awards, organised by EUIPO, was held in Warsaw, Poland on November 27. The winner in the small and emerging companies category was the Air.Go 2.0 automatic bag drop system (RCD number 003362748), owned by Danish company Marcus Pedersen. The ARTIS pheno robotic C-arm angiography system (RCD number 001453740) by Siemens Healthcare won the industry award. A lifetime achievement award was also presented to German designer Hartmut Esslinger, who has worked with companies such as Sony and Apple over his long career. A jury comprising design law specialists, designers and entrepreneurs chose the winners. The jury was chaired by Luisa Bocchietto, president of the World Design Organization. They jurys judging criteria were: aesthetic value and visual appeal; demonstrable impact on the market; and sound marketing and management of design and other IP rights. All registered Community design holders were eligible for the awards. ARTIS pheno robotic C-arm Markus Weingarten of Siemens Healthineers describes the award-winning ARTIS pheno robotic C-arm angiography system as one of the most complex designs weve ever done. The product which is used in minimally invasive surgery, interventional radiology and interventional cardiology is a complex piece of engineering presented in a smooth, patient-friendly and easy-to-operate design. The design is not just about looking nice. Its also functional, adds Weingarten. For example, the skin-like surface is easy to clean, the product incorporates a collision-protection system and the extensive electronics and cabling in the robot are deliberately hidden to reduce barriers and simplify procedures. Tobias Reese of at-design GbR (who worked on the development alongside in-house designers) says this created different challenges, compared to other industrial projects he has worked on: This is like an industrial robot but not in an industrial environment. We had to work out how to give it a human touch. For that reason, says Siemens Healthineers designer Nadja Roth, design was involved as early as possible in the development process: Design influenced the technical package and vice versa. Its an iterative process. IP protection for such a complex product requires the usage of different kind of IP rights, including designs, patents and copyright (for the source code), as IP counsel Rene Kartmann explains. Throughout the product development there was close collaboration between R&D, designers and IP. For example, we had to consider at what stage we should file for design protection. That was a challenge that could only be overcome by close collaboration and setting up processes to ensure optimal communication with the different departments. Air.Go 2.0 The Air.Go system has been installed in airports such as Toronto Pearson, Bangalore and Hamburg. The companys owner and CEO, Niels Marcus Pedersen, says it was designed to make checking in luggage intuitive, simple and stress-free, while allowing for the fact that airports have different requirements and some procedures (for example regarding security) change over time. The functionality and aesthetics are cut to the bone, says Pedersen. Lead industrial designer Sara Clement adds: We wanted to ensure you have a good feeling when you start your trip. So there is only one button to push and all the technical stuff is hidden. To achieve this simplicity, the design team spent time researching how both regular and occasional air passengers use baggage systems, including many hours observing behaviour in airports. Despite the specialised nature of the product, Pedersen says: Weve already had people trying to copy us. As well as registered design rights (registration 003362748-0001), the company owns an EU trade mark for Air.Go but does not have any patents relating to this product. Find out more about the two winning designs, and the other finalists, on the EuropaDesign home page. The material on this site is for law firms, companies and other IP specialists. It is for information only. Please read our Terms and Conditions and Privacy Notice before using the site. All material subject to strictly enforced copyright laws. 2021 Euromoney Institutional Investor PLC. For help please see our FAQs. Share this article Bhopal : Incumbent Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Choughan is battling anti-incumbency in Madhya Pradesh, which has been under the BJP governance for 15 years. However, its a neck to neck competition in Madhya Pradesh with 109 seats for both parties. The campaign for the Madhya Pradesh polls was a high-decibel one with star campaigners like Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress President Rahul Gandhi mounting vitriolic attacks in their respective speeches. The prime minister had addressed 10 public meetings across all regions of the state while BJP President Amit Shah held 26 public meetings and 3 road shows. Rahul Gandhi addressed 22 public rallies and took part in about a dozen road shows. Egypt's Minister of Civil Aviation Younes El-Masry discussed on Tuesday with US Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen Nielsen means of boosting bilateral cooperation in the civil aviation field. The officials discussed a number of issues of mutual concern in relation to the air transport industry. During the meeting, the two ministers agreed to develop the memorandum of understanding signed between Cairo and Washington in 1997. The Egyptian minister said that ties between both countries are strong and strategic. Meanwhile, the US minister hailed the security measures taken at Egyptian airports over the past period, which she said resulted in resuming commercial flights between the two countries as of January 2019. Nielsen also called for continuing bilateral coordination and cooperation with the aim of confronting challenges of common interest that face air transport industry in all world countries. The US minister is currently in an official visit to Cairo heading a high-level delegation. Search Keywords: Short link: Is a Deleveraging Event about to Unfold in the Stock Market? As 2018 draws to a close and the global equities markets continue to find pricing and valuation pressures driving prices lower, a few questions come to mind for all investors/traders Is a deleveraging event about to unfold? What will it look like if it does happen and how can I protect my investments from such an event? This research article is going to help you answer those questions and should help to resolve any lingering questions you may have regarding the true nature of this market rotation and volatility. Our research team at www.TheTechnicalTraders.com has been digging through the data and charts in an attempt to identify key elements of this recent price move. We are starting with our Monthly Adaptive Dynamic Learning Cycles chart of the ES (E-mini S&P). As you can see from this chart, our ADL Cycles modeling system is showing a deep downside price rotation is likely to unfold over the next 8~12 months. One thing to remember about this chart is that these cycles and the width of the future cycle peaks and troughs are NOT indicative of price target levels. Therefore, this downside move is NOT suspected of reaching price lows near 1000 or 1200. These cycles are representative of a magnitude of cycle events. In other words, this current cycle, downward, is expected to be a major cycle event that establishes a major price bottom somewhere near the end of 2019 or early 2020. We urge traders to understand the scope of this cycle event. Look at the previous cycle events on this chart. Numerous downside cycle events have taken place over the past 10+ years that represent somewhat similar down-cycle price moves. The most recent was in 2015~2016. This event represented a moderately deep down-cycle even that equated to a 300~400 point price rotation in the ES. If the current cycle event is relative in scope to the last, then this current down-cycle event will likely result in a 600~800 point price rotation, and we have already experienced a nearly 300 point rotation in the ES. This would suggest a potential price bottom near 2100~2300 on the ES if the scale and scope of the current cycle event are relative to the previous down-cycle event. This next chart highlights key time/price cycles on the SPY Monthly chart to help us keep the timing of these events in perspective. As we have suggested, above, a major down-cycle even may be unfolding that results in a deleveraging even across the global markets. If this does, in fact, take place, there are a number of elements that will likely play out. First, currencies will fluctuate dramatically as deleveraging takes root. Capital will seek out and identify the safest and most suitable returns by rushing away from risky markets and into safer markets. Additionally, a prolonged deleveraging of global equities may take place where valuations are reduced as capital attempts to establish a balance between expectations and true market value. Overall, this is a very healthy event for the markets as long as it does not result in a total collapse of price, as we saw in 2008-09. This SPY chart highlights three key components of the markets current setup. First, the RED LINE (a 2.618 Fibonacci extension from the 2015-2016 price rotation at $266.50) is acting like a strong support level in the markets. This level, along with the 2018 lows near $254.78, are important levels that we are watching to determine if any further downside price activity is unfolding. As long as these two levels are not breached to the downside, we can confidently say that the upside trend is still intact. Second, the two BLUE price channels, which originate from the 2009 market bottom, establish a powerful upside price channel that will act as critical support should price reach near the lower level of this channel. This means that any downside price rotation will likely find solid support near $232.00 or higher. Lastly, the vertical time/price series cycles are suggesting that May and Oct of 2019 are likely to prompt significant price reversal patterns/setups. This helps us to understand that any potential breakout moves (up or down) will likely reach some critical inflection point, or reversal points, near May and October of 2019. Next, we fall back to our Custom US Market Index chart on a Monthly basis. This chart, again, shows the support level originating from the lows of 2009 in a heavy BLUE line as well as two price channel levels that represent current price ranges. The first thing we want you to focus on is the breadth of the current rotation within the regression channel on this chart (the red/blue shorter price channel). Currently, the price is within this standard regression channel and has yet to break the longer-term, more aggressive, upward price channel. Additionally, we can see from this chart that the recent price activity is still measurably above the 2018 price lows near 374.12. Secondly, the Pitchfork channel, originating from the 2009 lows and spanning the range of the 2015~2016 price rotation, provides additional confirmation that we are still well above the middle and lower areas of this price channel. Even if the current price did fall by another 4~8%, the price would still be within the normal channel levels of this extended upside price channel. So, when we consider the scale and scope of this current downside price rotation, we have to be very aware of the real expectations of the market. Yes, it looks frightening when we see it on a Daily or Weekly chart. But when we consider the real reality of the long-term perspective, we can begin to understand how the price is reacting to the recent upside acceleration since 2017. Lastly, this Daily ES chart is showing what we believe is the most important data of all and why all traders need to understand the risks involved in this rotating market. First, this chart shows our Adaptive Dynamic Learning Fibonacci price modeling system and the results of this chart are clear to our team or researchers although it might be a bit cluttered to you. So well try to explain the basic components of this chart for you. The heavy RED and GREEN levels that are drawn above and below the price action are the Fibonacci Price Trigger levels. These indicate where and when we would consider a new price trend to be confirmed As you can see, the most recent confirmed trigger happened on Oct 10 with a huge breakdown of price confirming a bearish price trend. Since then, these Fibonacci Price Trigger Levels have expanded outside price as volatility and price rotation has also expanded. This indicates that price will have to make a bigger push, higher or lower, to establish any new confirmed price trend based on this modeling system. There are two heavy YELLO lines bordering recent price rotation on this chart that help us to understand a rather wide flag/pennant formation appears to be forming within these rotation/channel levels. For example, the absolute low of the current bar touched this lower YELLOW level and rebounded to the upside very sharply. It is very likely that a washout-low price pattern executed today that may provide further price support near 2626 in the ES in the immediate future. Either way, the price will have to exit this YELLOW price channel if it is going to attempt any new upside or downside price trends. As long as it stays within this channel, we have a defined range that is currently between 2626 and 2800. Lastly, the LIGHT BLUE oblique has been our estimated critical support level in the ES since our September 17 market call that a 5~8% downside price rotation was about to hit the markets. This level was predicted by our ADL predictive price modeling system and has been confirmed, multiple times, by price over the past few months. It is very likely that this level will continue to act as major support going forward and will be the last level of defense if price attempts a downside price move. In other words, as we stated above, 2600~2680 is a very strong support range in the markets right now. Any breakdown below this level could push the markets toward the 2018 price lows (or lower). As long as this level holds, we could see continued deleveraging in the markets as US Dollar, Energy, Commodity, Currency or global market price weakness while the US markets attempt to hold above the 2018 lows. Pay very close attention to our Fibonacci price modeling and US Custom Index charts, above, because we believe these charts paint a very clear picture. Yes, a deleveraging event is likely already unfolding in the global markets. It has been taking root in various forms over the past 12+ months in all reality. The US markets are continuing to shake off the downside pricing pressures that weve seen in other global markets, and this is likely due to the capital shift event that is also unfolding throughout the globe. Our advice for active traders would be to consider drastically reducing your trading sizes as well as pare back your open long positions if you are concerned about a market breakdown. Our modeling systems are suggesting we have many months of rotation within the market to reposition and evaluate our plans for future success. Unless the 2018 lows and the multiple critical support levels weve highlighted are threatened, we believe this rotation is nothing more than standard price rotation with acceptable ranges (see the charts above again if you have questions). Yes, there is still concern that a price breakdown may unfold and we are certainly seeing a deleveraging event taking place. We are not calling for a price collapse at the moment, and we have explained the reasons why we believe our research is accurate. Use the best tools you can to assist you, just as we do for our members. The only thing you can do in a situation like this is taking factual data, evaluate the true price data and make an educated and logical conclusion about the markets. If you want to learn how we help our clients find and execute better trades and how we are preparing to make 2019 an incredibly successful year with our members, then visit www.TheTechnicalTraders.com and see what we offer our members. Chris Vermeulen www.TheTechnicalTraders.com Chris Vermeulen has been involved in the markets since 1997 and is the founder of Technical Traders Ltd. He is an internationally recognized technical analyst, trader, and is the author of the book: 7 Steps to Win With Logic Through years of research, trading and helping individual traders around the world. He learned that many traders have great trading ideas, but they lack one thing, they struggle to execute trades in a systematic way for consistent results. Chris helps educate traders with a three-hour video course that can change your trading results for the better. His mission is to help his clients boost their trading performance while reducing market exposure and portfolio volatility. He is a regular speaker on HoweStreet.com, and the FinancialSurvivorNetwork radio shows. Chris was also featured on the cover of AmalgaTrader Magazine, and contributes articles to several leading financial hubs like MarketOracle.co.uk Disclaimer: Nothing in this report should be construed as a solicitation to buy or sell any securities mentioned. Technical Traders Ltd., its owners and the author of this report are not registered broker-dealers or financial advisors. Before investing in any securities, you should consult with your financial advisor and a registered broker-dealer. Never make an investment based solely on what you read in an online or printed report, including this report, especially if the investment involves a small, thinly-traded company that isnt well known. Technical Traders Ltd. and the author of this report has been paid by Cardiff Energy Corp. In addition, the author owns shares of Cardiff Energy Corp. and would also benefit from volume and price appreciation of its stock. The information provided here within should not be construed as a financial analysis but rather as an advertisement. The authors views and opinions regarding the companies featured in reports are his own views and are based on information that he has researched independently and has received, which the author assumes to be reliable. Technical Traders Ltd. and the author of this report do not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any content of this report, nor its fitness for any particular purpose. Lastly, the author does not guarantee that any of the companies mentioned in the reports will perform as expected, and any comparisons made to other companies may not be valid or come into effect. Chris Vermeulen Archive 2005-2019 http://www.MarketOracle.co.uk - The Market Oracle is a FREE Daily Financial Markets Analysis & Forecasting online publication. Today was supposed to be the moment of truth, when Parliament voted on Theresa Mays precious Brexit deal. But, at the 11th hour, the Prime Minister postponed her judgment day and announced that the vote was to be put on hold. A new decision date has not been set. But time is rapidly running out for British capitalism. Had Mays deal been voted on today, it would have faced certain defeat. Over 100 Tory MPs alone have spoken out against their leaders negotiated proposal. And this is not including opposition from the Tories Northern Irish government partners, the DUP, plus every other party in the House of Commons. Nevertheless, the Prime Minister has achieved nothing by delaying the vote. She has bought herself some time but what good is time when you have no viable options to choose from? Meanwhile, the 29 March 2019 Brexit deadline is looming ominously on the horizon. May can prevaricate some more if she likes, in order to avoid immediate humiliation in Westminster. But without any agreement in place the UK will crash out of Europe without any deal. This is an apocalyptic scenario for big business one which the ruling class cannot contenance. Running out of road Theresa May is now frantically calling around EU leaders, desperately begging for some reassurances that she can take back to MPs to soothe their concerns in particular over the question of the Irish backstop. But Jean-Claude Juncker, President of the European Commission, has already stated in no uncertain terms that there is no room whatsoever to renegotiate the Brexit deal. "The deal that we have achieved is the best deal possible, Juncker emphatically announced in response to the British premiers latest overtures, before adding: It is the only deal possible. Theresa May is now frantically calling around EU leaders, desperately begging for some reassurances that she can take back to MPs to soothe their concerns in particular over the question of the Irish backstop / Image: Socialist Appeal May is therefore likely to return from Brussels empty handed, with all her efforts to sell the deal over the past few weeks in vain. Eventually the PM will have to face the music, only this time with all momentum, credibility, and authority drained from her. Theresa May has become an expert in kicking cans down the road, noted the Financial Times. But there is one major problem with this strategy: theres come a point where you run out of road. As one exasperated Tory Brexiteer understandably asked: What on earth is going on? Im just tired of kicking the can down the road. Or, as one of Mays sympathisers more eloquently put it: Being in government is about making decisions. But all our options are shit so we keep making shit decision after shit decision, in the hope that its less shit than the alternative. Tick tock, tick tock The best Theresa May can now hope for is that the ticking clock brings some sobriety to MPs drunk with hubris on both sides. On the one hand, there are the ardent Remainers, who feel that their demand for a second referendum is gaining momentum with every passing day. Most Remain-supporting MPs could have been persuaded to back Mays deal, or an even softer Brexit in the form of the Norway plus model that has been touted. But giddy with excitement at the prospect of reversing the 2016 vote, and smelling the PMs weakness, many are now falling for the sirens call of a Peoples Vote that is emanating loudly from Blairite, Liberal, and moderate Tory MPs . The sirens call of a Peoples Vote emanates from Blairite, Liberal, and moderate Tory MPs / Image: Socialist Appeal These ladies and gentlemen, however, should be careful what they wish for. They arrogantly assume that the establishments wishes would be obediently followed in the case of a second referendum. But polling shows that a Remain vote is by no means guaranteed. Depending on what choice is presented to the public, it is not impossible that another referendum could produce a no-deal vote the worst possible outcome imaginable from the point of view of the ruling class. This might be a risk that some Europhile MPs are unwilling to accept. As the FT put it: This is Russian roulette with three bullets in the chamber. Better, some could conclude, to accept Mays deal than to take a gamble and end up with the disaster of no-deal. On the other side, the most fanatical Brexiteers would happily see Britain crash out of the EU without any deal. But with the threat of a second referendum (and the possibility of no Brexit at all) presented before them, they might still fall in line behind Mays soft offer. Whilst a few MPs in both camps might be swayed, however, the parliamentary arithmetic is still heavily weighted against the Tory leader. With nothing to offer Conservative and DUP MPs to assuage their fears, at some point Theresa May will have to brace herself and accept defeat for her beloved deal. But this will only turn the page on a new, even more explosive chapter in Britains Brexit drama. Zombie premiership The Prime Ministers days are clearly numbered. Tory MPs are rapidly turning on their party leader, with many accusing May of leading them to slaughter. We continue to be led by a mule flogging a dead horse, exclaimed one incesced author in the Telegraph. May is now a dead woman walking as Labour have emphasised, echoing the former Conservative chancellor, Norman Lamont: in office, but not in power. Her humiliating decision to pull MPs vote on her Brexit deal shows a prime minister entering the end game, commented Robert Shrimsley in the FT. The inevitable conclusion is that we have entered a zombie premiership. As leader of the opposition, Jeremy Corbyn is under pressure from the SNP and Lib Dems to call a vote of no confidence in the government. But Corbyn has correctly resisted this call so far. The Prime Ministers days are clearly numbered. Tory MPs are rapidly turning on their party leader, with many accusing May of leading them to slaughter / Image: Socialist Appeal Despite their disagreements with Mays Brexit deal, it is not clear that enough DUP or Tory MPs would support a vote of no confidence at this stage. After all, when it comes to these hysterical and reactionary Members of Parliament, there is nothing quite like the image of seeing Corbyn in Number 10 to focus the mind. Blairite MPs know that a vote of confidence would fall at the current time. And that is precisely why they are pushing for Corbyn to bring it forward ASAP, with dozens of prominent Labour right-wingers signing a letter insisting that their party leader table a motion of no confidence in Her Majestys government straight away. Like their friends across the aisle, the Blairites in Parliament dont want to see a Corbyn government either. They would far rather see a second referendum, so that their big business backers can maintain access to their cherished Single Market. General election now! All energies must be concentrated on demanding a general election to kick out the Tories and bring in a socialist Labour government / Image: Socialist Appeal Mays position will only weaken even further as the Brexit vote approaches, leading to even more intense infighting within the Tory government. The moment to strike will therefore be then, when the Prime Minister is at her nadir: after she has been thoroughly defeated in the House of Commons in the vote on her much-reviled deal. After this, all hell will break loose. Tory leadership challengers will emerge from their hiding places. Conservative MPs will be at each others throats. The establishment will be completely demoralised. In such a situation, with the Tory Party split and the ruling class entangled in a historic political crisis, the government could fall and Labour could sweep to power on the back of a radical left programme. This is what Corbyn is correctly aiming for. And it is a possibility that is within touching distance. All energies must therefore be concentrated on this task: demanding a general election to kick out the Tories and bring in a socialist Labour government. On 3 December, 20,000 people in Tel Aviv protested against violence towards women. The protests followed the murder of two girls Silvana Tsegai, 12, and Yara Ayoub, 16. This year, 24 girls and women were murdered in Israel, which is a sharp increase compared to the years before. For days, protests were going on and a womens strike was called for the following day. After a wave of protests against LGBTQ discrimination earlier this year and the protest movement against the racist nation-state law, the protests against violence towards women mobilised tens of thousands of Arab and Jewish Israelis on the streets. Sexual harassment and assault, as well as domestic violence, affect thousands of Arab and Jewish women in the state of Israel. One in three women have suffered from sexual harassment. No trust in the government or the bosses Some companies and state institutions said that they supported the one-day strike. But in reality, they offer only hypocritical support and pay lip service in order to whitewash their image and divert attention away from the fact that they are primarily responsible for the oppression of women. Some companies allowed their employees to participate in the strike, while paying them for the day. Others allowed participation "as long as it doesn't interrupt the running of the company" or have refused to pay for the day. Microsoft Israel asked their employees to wear black in order to commemorate the murdered women. The point is that one day of strike action doesn't hurt those companies economically, but gives them the opportunity to present themselves as devoted opponents of women's oppression. But these are the same companies who pay lower wages to women than men and who fire women first when they become pregnant. As a result, they force women into economic dependence on their partners, which often makes it difficult for women to leave an abusive partner. Despite the crocodile tears, Netanyahu and companies like Microsoft are no friends of women's liberation: the system they serve is the cause of oppression / Image: Kremlin Furthermore, a one-day strike is certainly symbolically important and makes it possible to mobilise wider layers of people. But it is far from enough. More days of strike action, protest and struggle are necessary. But the bosses will not allow their profits to be affected by more extensive action. The companies, the capitalist class, are not our allies in the struggle for women's liberation, but our enemies. It is they who lay the social foundation for the oppression of women. The same goes for the government. PM Netanjahu promised to create another commission on how to fight domestic violence against women. But actually, this was already done years ago. A plan was made and the government promised to implement it. But it is highly underfunded and therefore has never really been implemented. This is not surprising. The government pays lip service to the cause of women's liberation but doesn't work to end it. Instead, it simply calls for yet another commission and another plan that will never be implemented. While telling us that there is not enough money for funding measures against the oppression of women, billions are invested in the army and trillions are sitting idle in the bank accounts of the big capitalists. For more than 20 years, the government worked on privatising as much of the care sector as they could. And by increasing the amount of unpaid labour, women are forced to do as domestic labour. Less-affordable kindergartens and elderly homes force women to perform care duties privately, without receiving any pay. As a result, they can't take a (full-time) job and are forced to stay at home. The fact that still women are doing the majority of domestic work is not only a question of sexist ideology, which could be changed by "raising awareness". The fact that women earn less for the same work reinforces the role of man as working for a wage, while the women stay at home. The Haaretz newspaper writes in an article about the gender pay gap: Gender gaps tend to increase with age, reflecting the crucial role that parenthood plays in gender equality. Much more than fatherhood, motherhood typically has sizable negative effects on workforce participation, pay and career advancement. This forced, unpaid labour is vital for the capitalist system to function. Fight womens oppression! Fight capitalism! To overcome the underlying reasons for women's oppression we need to get rid of capitalism. The only force that is capable of doing that is the working class. Not because it is the most oppressed or most exploited, but because it holds all the levers of production in its hands and has an objective interest in abolishing private property. No wheel turns, no light bulb shines, without the permission of the working class. For 10 years now, the capitalist system has been in a deep crisis. The only way the capitalist class could deal with this crisis was by launching an attack on the living standards of the working class. Israel is now one of the advanced economies with the biggest income inequality. Since Netanyahu became PM in 1996, his government privatised one public sector after another. These attacks against the working class hit women the hardest. They are the first to be fired. Their wages are on average 35 percent lower than those of men and cuts to public caretaking facilities has forced them to perform even more unpaid domestic labour. The social system, mental health facilities, etc. are the first public sectors affected by the austerity policies of the government. If we want to end the oppression of and violence against women, we need to free women from the slavery of unpaid domestic labour, which forces them into dependence on their partners. We need to socialise domestic work (cleaning, cooking, washing, bringing up children, etc.) and make it a public industry like any other. Men and women workers need to fight together for equal and higher wages and a reduction of working hours with no loss of pay in order to guarantee every adult a paid job. We must fight for the expropriation of the banks and the richest capitalists in order to fund a public care sector, public mental health facilities, etc. Which way forward in the struggle for womens emancipation? The capitalist class will use any means at their disposal to avoid such demands from being implemented. The working class is the only power in society that has the power to implement such a programme. Therefore, the movement for womens liberation must base itself firmly on a proletarian class standpoint. Not because the oppression of women is in any way subordinate to the oppression of the working class. The oppression of women is by no means a side issue to the main contradiction between labour and capital. Quite the contrary: it is the same contradiction: the same mechanisms of the capitalist system that exploit the working class, force women under the rule of men. Therefore, all those who suffer under capitalism must strike together. Instead of women workers striking for womens rights, LGBT workers striking for LGBT rights and the working class in general only striking for wage increases, the whole of the working class must be mobilised for all these demands. Only a united struggle for a socialist programme can end discrimination and exploitation. An injury to one is an injury to all! The fight for womens rights under capitalism can improve the situation of women to some degree. But reforms under capitalism will never be able to end the oppression of women altogether / Image: own work Only if we abolish capitalism can we put an end to the oppression of women. But that doesnt mean that we cannot or shall not fight for womens rights under capitalism. It is the duty of every revolutionary to fight for progressive reforms under capitalism. But we mustn't have illusions in capitalism. Capitalism cannot exist without the oppression of women. The fight for womens rights under capitalism can improve the situation of women to some degree for a time. But reforms under capitalism will never be able to end the oppression of women altogether. The coming world recession looms also over Israel. The conditions of the Israeli working class are getting more and more insecure. When the next recession hits Israel, more attacks on workers living standards are inevitable and women will be hit hardest by these austerity measures. Lets fight back. - Unite and fight to stop violence against women! An injury to one is an injury to all! - Against the gender pay gap! For higher wages for male and female workers and a reduction of working hours without any loss of wages to guarantee every adult a secure job! - For the socialisation of domestic work! For public and affordable kindergartens, care facilities, wash houses and restaurants! - For the expropriation of the banks and the 150 biggest monopolies and a democratically planned economy, run in the interests of the working class and the oppressed majority! Tanzania will sign a deal this week for the construction of a $3 billion hydroelectric power plant, the president said in remarks broadcast on state television on Tuesday. President John Magufuli did not name the company awarded the contract for the power plant and dam to be built in the Selous Game Reserve, a U.N.-designated world heritage site in southern Tanzania. Government sources told Reuters the contract would be signed with Egypts Arab Contractors. Magufuli said the East African country was moving ahead with the project due to improved revenue collection by the government, without giving details. The 2,100 MW project would more than double the countrys power generation capacity. But the projects location is in a World Heritage site and has faced opposition from conservationists. They have said the construction of a dam on a major river that runs through the Selous Game Reserve could affect wildlife and their habitats downstream. The government invited bids in August last year for the project at Stieglers Gorge which is in the Selous Game Reserve. Egypts El Sewedy Electric Co has said it will also participate in the construction of the dam. Arab Contractors will have a 55 percent stake in the project and El Sewedy 45 percent, Ahmed Hassouna, El Sewedys head of marketing, said on Tuesday. Covering 50,000 square km, the Selous Game Reserve is one of the largest protected areas in Africa, according to UNESCO. It is known for its elephants, black rhinos and giraffes, among many other species. * This story has been edited by Ahram Online Search Keywords: Short link: The African Development Bank will launch its African Economic Outlook 2020 Supplement in a live Zoom event from 14.30 to 16.00 (Abidjan time) on Tuesday 7 July 2020. The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in economic disruptions that have changed the strong growth projections the African Development Bank reported in January in the 2020 African Economic Outlook. The supplement revises the growth projections and outlook for Africa for 2020 and 2021 and highlights the impact of COVID19 on Africas socio-economic landscape. It recommends workable policy responses to safely reopen economies and accelerate growth recovery. This is the first supplement published in the 19-year history of the African Economic Outlook. The report will be presented by Dr. Hanan Morsy, the Banks Director of the Macroeconomic Policy, Forecasting and Research Department. It would then be discussed by a panel of senior policymakers and private sector practitioners. The African Economic Outlook is the Banks flagship report and serves as a tool for economic intelligence, policy dialogue and operational effectiveness. The report is read widely by the public, including policymakers, academics, investors, development practitioners and the media. Partager et informez vous aussi...... 0 shares Share Tweet LinkedIn Teeruthraj Hurdoyal sest adresse aux fonctionnaires dans un message le 23 juin 2020 pour leur dire quils ont ete et restent lepine dorsale du succes economique et sociale de Maurice depuis des decennies. Partager et informez vous aussi...... 0 shares Share Tweet LinkedIn The Canada-Africa Chamber of Business (www.CanadaAfrica.ca) and APO Group, the leading Pan-African communications consultancy and press release distribution service, today further announced details of the largest ever conference to promote business, trade and investment between Canada and Africa in the organizations 27-year history. The Accelerating Africa 2021 conference (https://bit.ly/3gsTfVA) will take place from 26 to 28 October 2021, with a programme of online and in-person events that bring together ministers, CEOs, entrepreneurs, thought leaders and policy makers from Canada and all over Africa. With a primary focus on Canadas role in Africas economic restart after COVID-19, the conference will address challenges and advance opportunities for greater trade and investment between Canada and the African continent. APO Group is the Chambers Public Relations Strategic partner, and it joins Ivanhoe Mines Ltd, the lead sponsor of the Accelerating Africa 2021 conference, which is open to all for complimentary virtual attendance thanks to the organizations generous supporters (register here https://bit.ly/3jPdaAa) The Chamber joined forces with APO Group earlier this year, and the two organizations have worked together on major engagements in Canada and Africa, following the visit of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to the African Union, the African Continental Free Trade Agreement leadership, and several African heads of state and cabinet ministers. Our existing work with APO Group has seen millions of dollars in media exposure across the African continent, said Sebastian Spio-Garbrah, Chair of the Board of The Canada-Africa Chamber of Business. We believe APO Group will be key to making a success of the biggest conference in our 27-year history, and our partnership will continue to play an important strategic role in Canada-Africa trade and investment. APO Group has a peerless reputation within African media and Public Relations. Through its game-changing partnerships with globally-renowned organizations like Bloomberg and Getty Images, APO Group is able to deliver uniquely African stories to new international audiences, demonstrating to the world that Africa is open for business. We see it as our responsibility to ensure Africa gets the international recognition it deserves, said APO Group Founder and Chairman, Nicolas Pompigne-Mognard ( www.Pompigne-Mognard.com). The Canada-Africa Chamber of Business is uniquely placed to drive trade and investment opportunities by bringing together all the major stakeholders across both markets. Ultimately, we share the same goal, which is to challenge negative perceptions about Africa and remove barriers to investment. Events like Accelerating Africa 2021 provide the perfect forum for facilitating new conversations and relationships that promote economic success all over Africa. Partager et informez vous aussi...... 0 shares Share Tweet LinkedIn 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. U.S. Energy Secretary Rick Perry said on Tuesday he discussed sanctions against Iran with Iraqi energy officials as Washington pressures Baghdad to stop importing Iranian gas that is crucial for its power grid. Sanctions were mentioned, theyre a reality, theyre there, Perry told reporters in Baghdad after meeting Iraqs oil and electricity ministers, without providing further details of the discussion. Washington gave Iraq a 45-day waiver over imports of Iranian gas when it reimposed sanctions on Irans oil sector on Nov. 5. Iraqi officials have said they need around two years to wean themselves off Iranian gas imports and find an alternative source. This (Iraqi) administration recognizes ... the imperative to move with some expedition to send a message to the United States ... that this is an administration that is going to move with speed to develop infrastructure especially in the energy sector that best serves the citizens of Iraq, Perry said. Iraq reached a deal with U.S. energy giant General Electric and German rival Siemens to install liquefied natural gas-operated mobile power units at some small southern oil fields, Iraqs state newspaper reported last month. The Financial Times reported in October that the U.S. government had intervened in favor of GE for a contract sought by both companies to supply 11 gigawatts of power generation equipment, reportedly worth around $15 billion. Perry spoke at a conference organized by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce which Oil Minister Thamer Ghadhban also attended. The most important (thing) is our presence and our conversations ... we talked about the challenges but we also talked about some very positive opportunities, Perry said. Neither minister gave details of the conversations. Washington is seeking to roll back Iranian influence in the Middle East, including Iraq where Tehran has dominated politics and trade. Iraqs efforts to reduce gas flaring could reduce its reliance on Iranian gas. The U.S. sanctions target Iranian oil as well as its banking and transport industry. Perry said the United States recognized the challenges faced by Iraqs government in rebuilding oil infrastructure destroyed during the war against Islamic State militants. Perry later met Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi and discussed energy and the economy, the premiers office said in a statement. It said Perry was in Baghdad with a delegation of over 50 business people. Search Keywords: Short link: We attempted to send a notification to your email address but we were unable to verify that you provided a valid email address. Please click here to update your email address if you wish to receive notifications. Otherwise, you may click here to disable notifications and hide this message. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned Hezbollah of reprisals after the military said on Tuesday it had uncovered a third "attack tunnel" infiltrating its territory from Lebanon. "If Hezbollah makes the serious mistake of attacking us or confronting what we are doing now it will face unimaginable blows" in retaliation, Netanyahu said during a visit to northern Israel. "We will pursue this operation as long as the threat of Hezbollah tunnels persists," the premier, who was accompanied by the army chief of staff, said in a statement released by his office. His warning came after the army said it had uncovered a third Hezbollah "attack tunnel" infiltrating Israel from Lebanon, which like the other two "does not pose an imminent threat". The military, which started a search and destroy operation along the border last week, did not reveal the exact location of the third tunnel. "Explosive devices have been placed inside the tunnel by the IDF (Israel Defence Forces)," it said in a statement. The army announced an operation on December 4 dubbed "Northern Shield" to destroy tunnels it said were dug under the border by the Shia militant group Hezbollah. "The Lebanese government is held accountable for the attack tunnels dug from Lebanese territory," the military statement said. "IDF troops will continue to operate in accordance with the approved plan to locate and expose the Hezbollah terror organisation's attack tunnels." Hezbollah is the only group in Lebanon not to have disarmed after the country's 1975-1990 civil war. Netanyahu on Tuesday said that an Israeli army delegation would be visiting Moscow to brief Russian counterparts on operation "Northern Shield". He said the delegation, would also explain "as clearly as possible that Israel has the right and the duty to fight against Iranian military presence and act against Hezbollah's bid to attack through tunnels". The military has said the delegation would fly to Moscow on Tuesday for a day-long visit and led by the head of army operations General Aharon Haliva. Italy's far-right Interior Minister Matteo Salvini, who arrived in Israel on Tuesday, said on Twitter that he was flying by helicopter to see for himself the tunnels built by "Islamic extremists". Search Keywords: Short link: Chinas crude oil imports averaged more than 10 million bpd for the first time ever in November, as they beat the previous record for highest crude imports set in October, according to Chinese customs data, as carried by Reuters. Chinese crude oil imports surged to an all-time high of 10.43 million bpd (barrels per day) last month, up by 8.5 percent compared to November 2017 and beating the previous record of 9.61 million bpd, which was set just a month earlier and was driven by smaller independent refiners who were rushing to fulfill their 2018 oil import quotas before they expire. Also on rt.com Chinas oil imports surge to record high In November, independent refiners - the so-called teapots - continued to buy high volumes and some of them increased intake as they start trial runs at newly-built oil refineries. Private firm Hengli is planning trials at its new 400,000 bpd refinery at Dalian, a port city in northeastern China, while Zhejiang Petrochemical is also expected to begin trial runs at some units of its refinery with 400,000 bpd capacity at Zhoushan. According to Reuters, Zhejiang Petrochemical has imported several cargoes of crude oil from Oman this quarter. Two months ago, China raised by 42 percent the oil import quota for its non-state refinersmost of which are the independent refinersfor 2019 as new refinery capacity is planned to enter into operation next year. China is allocating a total of up to 202 million tons, or 4.06 million bpd, of import quota to non-state refineries for next year, according to S&P Global Platts. Independent refiners had until November 10 to apply, and those who havent imported crude oil in 2018 will not be allocated quotas for next year. Also on rt.com Oil prices jump over 4% as OPEC reaches production cut deal This weekend, Chinese customs data also showed that crude oil imports between January and November averaged 9.17 million bpd, higher than the level of imports in the same period last year, and putting China on course to set a new record for crude oil imports in 2018. This article was originally published on Oilprice.com Goose-stepping and Wehrmacht Stahlhelme have taken on a bad reputation since the dark days of Nazi Germany. However, in South America, the Chilean military is determined to keep its Germanic traditions alive. The Chilean military is among the largest in South America, and the countrys yearly military parade is a chance for the government to flex that muscle. An adrenaline-pumping video of this years parade shows rows and rows of marching soldiers from the various branches of the military, with some perfectly copying the moves and dress of the Nazi-era German Wehrmacht. Over 9,500 troops from the countrys army, navy, air force, and carabineros can be seen marching through the streets of Santiago to mark the 208th anniversary of the Dia de las Glorias del Ejercito del Chile (Day of the Glories of the Chilean Army). Dressed in dark gray, with the iconic Stahlhelme helmets on their heads, Chiles soldiers bear more than a passing resemblance to the Wehrmacht of World War 2. The colorful sashes and ceremonial rapiers of their officers seem to have been pulled directly from a history book, with the goose-stepping hammering home the point. However, the Chilean military didnt just decide to embrace the Nazi aesthetic and lift the Prussian drill and doctrine from a history book. Rather, its distinctly Teutonic style has its roots in the 19th Century. In the 1880s, Chile managed to prevail over Bolivia and Peru in the War of The Pacific, a dust-up over mining territory in the Atacama desert. Its military wasnt in great shape, however, and its leaders wanted to bring in some external help to gain an edge over Chiles neighbors. Enter the Prussians. Under Otto von Bismarck, the Prussians had managed in 1870 to unify the splintered principalities of northern Germany and win the Franco-Prussian War inside of ten months. Despite its small size, Prussia had a hardcore military culture and could hold its own against far larger European powers. The Chileans shipped a bunch of Prussian officers over to whip its military into shape, and by the time the Prussian Captain Emil Korner retired as the Commanding General of the Chilean Armed Forces in 1910, the countrys martial prowess was unmatched in South America. The Chilean military hasnt done much fighting in recent times and has been eclipsed in numbers and funding by the armies of Brazil and Argentina. That hasnt stopped Chile from hanging on to its Prussian military traditions, however. The weaponry may have modernized, and women now goose-step alongside their male counterparts, but the distinctly Germanic flavor remains untouched. Like this story? Share it with a friend! Iran recently tested ballistic missile Revolutionary Guards commander Iran recently tested ballistic missile Revolutionary Guards commander Iran has recently carried out a ballistic missile test, a senior Revolutionary Guards commander said on Tuesday. He did not specify what kind of missile had been tested, according to Fars News. We will continue our missile tests and this recent action was an important test, said Amir Ali Hajizadeh, head of the Revolutionary Guards airspace division. The reaction of the Americans shows that this test was very important for them and thats why they were shouting, he added. The comment appeared to confirm a report by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo who said early this month that Iran had test-fired a medium range ballistic missile that is capable of carrying multiple warheads. The missile could hit all of the Middle East and parts of Europe, Pompeo said. Iran carries out up to 50 missile tests a year, Reuters quoted Hajizadeh as saying. The Iranian government says its missile program is defensive and denies its missiles are capable of being tipped with nuclear warheads.Source : RT - Daily news US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer has announced March 1 is the hard deadline for reaching a deal on trade with China, warning that new tariffs will be imposed otherwise. As far as I am concerned it is a hard deadline. When I talk to the president of the United States he is not talking about going beyond March, Lighthizer said on the CBS show Face the Nation, referring to Donald Trumps recent decision to delay tariff imposition until March 1 while talks proceed. The way this is set up is that at the end of 90 days, these tariffs will be raised, he stressed. Also on rt.com I am a tariff man: Trump warns China against raiding great wealth of US as trade talks start According to Lighthizer, investors can be reassured that if there is a deal that can be made that will assure the protection of US technology and get additional market access the president wants us to do it if not we will have tariffs. Chinas Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said both countries economic and trade teams were intensifying contacts and consultations, adding We hope both can earnestly, with joint efforts, put into effect the consensus reached by the two countries leaders at the Argentina meeting. Earlier this month, Trump and his Chinese counterpart, President Xi Jinping, agreed to delay the planned January 1 US tariffs hike while they negotiate a trade deal. The hike would have seen tariffs rise to 25 percent from 10 percent on $200 billion of Chinese goods. Also on rt.com Trump ignites bromance with Chinas Xi, as intel agencies warn of Chinese aggression However, the arrest of a top executive at Chinas Huawei Technologies has sparked fears that it could further inflame the China-US trade row. Lighthizer, along with economic adviser Larry Kudlow, and trade adviser Peter Navarro insisted the trade talks with China would not be derailed by the arrest. The US would need concessions across a number of areas in coming weeks if the higher tariffs are to be avoided, said Lighthizer. We need agricultural sales and we need manufacturing sales. We need structural changes on this fundamental issue of non-economic technology transfer. The demands were similar to those made under previous Democratic and Republican presidents, according to the trade representative, who said that Trumps willingness to go beyond dialogue and impose tariffs would produce results. For more stories on economy & finance visit RT's business section Chinese courts have granted a preliminary injunction to US chip-maker Qualcomm which would effectively ban the majority of older iPhone models from sale in China, in a possible trade war counter attack. On the surface, the battle is between two major name tech companies, Apple and Qualcomm, who have been engaged in high-stakes legal battles over intellectual property for years. Qualcomms injunction claimed that Apple is violating two of its patents in technology used in the iPhone 6S, iPhone 6S Plus, iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus, iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus and iPhone X. The granted injunction, if enforced, would essentially ban these models from being sold in China where Apple captured nearly 25% of the market share at the end of last year. "Apple continues to benefit from our intellectual property while refusing to compensate us," said Don Rosenberg, the general counsel of Qualcomm. An opinion the Chinese courts surprisingly agreed with. Such injunctions are very rarely granted, which has led to suspicion that the courts have had other motives than property rights in reaching the decision, namely that they were using the conflict in order to strike the next blow in the ongoing trade war between China and the US. The situation itself is somewhat ironic, given that Donald Trump has used claims that Chinese tech companies steal intellectual property in order to justify his aggressive economic policies. Despite that Trump and Xi ostensibly reached a 90-day ceasefire in the multi-billion dollar trade war which has been raging between the two countries since the beginning of the year, the arrest of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou sent a message to Beijing that America was not yet ready to pause the conflict. Given the background of the conflict, it seems likely that Chinas decision was influenced by the diplomatic fallout, and can be understood as a counter-attack on the high-profile American company. Read more The decision, aside from being suspiciously timed, comes at the same time numerous tech companies in China are offering incentives for employees to use Huawei products, or banning Apple outright. The Chinese courts ruling was announced on Monday and allegedly put into effect last week, but Apple denies that claims, saying that all iPhone models still remain available as the ban only affects phones operating on older versions of iOS. "If Apple is violating the orders, Qualcomm will seek enforcement of the orders through enforcement tribunals that are part of the Chinese court system," Rosenberg responded in a statement. Although Apple says it will file an appeal, the fact that the lawsuit concerns software on the phones rather than hardware built into the phones themselves gives them multiple options for working around the ban. The decision, regardless of its practical effect, may play a role in escalating the trade conflict between China and the US, with Donald Trump threatening to impose tariffs on virtually all Chinese goods if the two sides cannot come to an agreement by the end of the 90-day truce. Think your friends would be interested? Share this story! UN wants interim entity to run Yemens Hodeidah after withdrawal of warring sides report UN wants interim entity to run Yemens Hodeidah after withdrawal of warring sides report The United Nations is proposing that all armed forces from Yemens warring parties withdraw from the port city of Hodeidah, sources said Tuesday. They added the plan envisages interim entity to be set up to run the city, a lifeline for millions of people in Yemens war. The proposal is still being discussed at UN-sponsored peace talks between the Houthi movement and the Saudi-backed Yemeni government in Sweden. The sources said the UN proposal includes a joint committee or independent entity to manage the city and port after both sides withdraw and the possibility of deploying UN monitors, Reuters reports.Source : RT - Daily news World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) officers have arrived in Moscow to conduct a planned audit of the Russian anti-doping body, which was reinstated in September following a three-year suspension. The anti-doping officials are expected to spend several days in Russia before making a detailed report on RUSADAs progress, including imperfections which should be corrected by the Russian authorities. READ MORE: WADA anticipates swift response from Russia over Moscow lab visit WADA auditors visit is being held in full compliance with RUSADA road map, RUSADA Deputy Chief Margarita Pakhnotskaya was quoted as saying by TASS. They have already started working (in Moscow). During four months after RUSADAs reinstatement WADA should conduct detailed inspection of all departments. The auditors will not give any assessments right after the check, they will just compile a report on the work they will do. Also on rt.com 'We trust that RUSADA will keep their promises WADA Director General Niggli As it was planned the inspection will be held during two days. WADA officers will have an opportunity to point out all the shortcomings, if there are any. We will take into account all their recommendations, she added. By the end of December, WADA representatives should also visit the Moscow anti-doping laboratory, to which access was granted by the Russian authorities as part of the deal reached between the two sides. READ MORE: Access to Moscow doping samples will be provided before deadline, says Russian anti-doping chief RUSADA head Yury Ganus vowed that full access to the doping probe data sealed in the laboratory will be provided to the international officials by December 22. The anti-doping governing body gave Russia a deadline of December 31 to provide access to the Moscow laboratory, saying that RUSADA would be suspended again if the commitment was violated. Spain's government has warned authorities in Catalonia that it could take over responsibility for law and order in the region after radical separatists blocked a highway. Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska warned that if the regional police force does not exercise "the roles.... assigned to it" then "we will order state security forces to intervene, if necessary and with proportionality". Grande-Marlaska issued the warning in a letter to his counterpart in Catalonia's separatist government late on Monday. The letter cites a protest on Saturday by radical Catalan separatists who blocked the AP-7 toll highway which runs along Catalonia's Mediterranean coast to France for 15 hours without any intervention by Catalan regional police, the Mossos d'Esquadra. The protesters also lifted toll barriers along the highway on Sunday. "It is not normal, in a modern and civilised country, that highways are cut for 15 hours because hundreds of people want to protest," Spanish Foreign Minister Josep Borrell said Monday in Brussels. Catalonia is one of only three regions of Spain, along with the northern Basque Country and Navarra, which have their own regional police force. In the rest of the country law and order is maintained by Spain's National Police and Guardia Civil forces. Catalonia's parliament unilaterally declared independence from Spain in October 2017 to no avail following a banned independence referendum. Spain's Supreme Court last October ordered 18 former Catalan separatist leaders to stand trial over the independence declaration. Prosecutors are seeking jail terms of up to 25 years on charges of rebellion or misuse of public funds over the failed secession bid. The sensitive trial is expected to start in early 2019. Search Keywords: Short link: The Bank of France slashed in half its assessment of the national growth in the final quarter, saying that chaotic French protests are to blame for hampering business activity. The crucial impact of Yellow Vest protests was admitted in a survey published by the Bank of France on Monday. The growth forecasts were cut in half for the final three months of the year, down to 0.2 percent from 0.4 in the third quarter. That difference equals to $140 billion for the French economy based on the IMF forecast for the countrys GDP for 2018. Also on rt.com Les Miserables? France is the new tax hell in Europe and beyond Services activity has slowed under the impact of the movement. Transport, the restaurant and auto repair sectors have gone backwards, the French central bank said. The gruesome prediction comes as France is in the midst of protests that started last month over the planned (now scrapped) increase of fuel prices and turned into major discontent with the current economic policies. On Monday, President Emmanuel Macron admitted that the country is in a state of economic emergency. Meanwhile, Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire warned that the rallies had a severe impact on business and might cut fourth-quarter growth by 0.1 percent ($70 billion). The minister added that looting and damage caused by the protesters hit not only the entrepreneurs revenues, but also worsened Frances business image for foreign investors. Also on rt.com Yellow Vest protests are catastrophe for French economy & business finance minister The fourth consecutive weekend of massive rallies resulted in more than 200 people injured and a record number of detentions across France more than 1,700 people. However, the raging protests have finally made the French government drop its fuel tax hike plan. In apparent attempt to quell the growing social discontent, Macron also announced that minimum wage will be increased by 100 ($113) per month and pledged to introduce special tax exemptions for people earning less than 2,000 ($2,270) per month. For more stories on economy & finance visit RT's business section Education Montgomery County Community College will present the spring installment of the interview/talk show program Issues and Insights April 20 from 12:30 to 2 p.m. in Science Center room 214, 340 DeKalb Pike, Blue Bell. The programs will be simulcast to the Colleges West Campus in South Hall room 216, 101 College Drive, Pottstown. Dr. Kolsky will offer a humorous presentation, Carrots, Sticks and Politics: A State of the Nation and the World Message. In this speech, he will provide his interpretation of domestic and international politics and then welcome questions from the audience for discussion. Issues and Insights, is free and open to the public. For information, contact Dr. Thomas Kolsky, professor of political science, at 215-641-6380 or tkolsky@mc3.edu. Montgomery County Community Colleges STEM Scholars Program will host a STEM Jam! open house April 25 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. in the Advanced Technology Center at the Colleges Central Campus, 340 DeKalb Pike, Blue Bell. The drop-in event is designed for students interested in learning more about careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Activities will include STEM program information and career advising, STEM speakers throughout the day from industry and academia, micro-helicopter and robotics competitive obstacle courses and demonstrations and static models of STEM student and faculty work. For more information about STEM Jam! or STEM programs at MCCC, contact William Brownlowe at wbrownlowe@mc3.edu or 215-641-6644, or Robin Zuhlke at 215-619-7440 or rzuhlke@mc3.edu. Temple Ambler, located at 580 Meetinghouse Road, presents the following events: International Club Global Bazaar April 15 from 5 to 8 p.m. The Ambler Campus International Club invites all students, faculty, staff and the community to celebrate a multitude of diverse cultures, which will be showcased at the organizations Global Bazaar. This family friendly event will highlight cultural traditions and celebrations in Asia, Europe, the Middle East, South American, North America and Africa through music, entertainment, food and informative displays developed and presented by students at the Ambler Campus. Young visitors will be provided with passports, which they may get stamped at each country they visit. Prizes will be awarded to world travelers who talk to cultural representatives, answer questions about the countries theyve visited and take part in fun-filled activities designed to help them learn about the rich diversity of cultures found throughout the world. Refreshments will be served. The event is free. For more information, call 267-468-8108 or e-mail tuc36466@temple.edu. EarthFest 2011 April 29 from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. More than 75 exhibitors, including the Philadelphia Zoo, The Franklin Institute, the Academy of Natural Sciences, the Elmwood Park Zoo and the Insectarium, will take part in EarthFest 2011. School students of all ages are invited to attend and develop displays of their own. EarthFest partner the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society also offers its Kids Grow Expo, featuring the Junior Flower Show, as part of the event. For more information, call 267-468-8108 or e-mail duffyj@temple.edu. Annual Spring Plant Sale May 7 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The plant sale an Ambler Campus tradition dating back to the early 1900s will feature woody plants and perennials in portable sizes, hardy trees, shrubs, and vines, native plants that are attractive to wildlife, herbs, and hanging baskets. There will also be numerous special plants for sale to highlight Amblers special anniversary year. Garden books and garden tools will also be available for sale. Students, staff, and volunteers from the Department of Landscape Architecture and Horticulture and the Ambler Arboretum Advisory Committee will be available to answer questions. All proceeds from the Spring Plant Sale will support the Ambler Arboretum Fund and the Pi Alpha Xi National Honor Society. Information: 267-468-8001 or judy.shatz@temple.edu. Learn more at www.ambler.temple.edu/anniversary. June Homecoming/Louise Bush-Brown Garden Dedication June 5 from 12:30 to 2 p.m. (June Homecoming), Bright Hall Lounge; 2 p.m. (Garden Dedication), Ambler Campus Formal Perennial Gardens. Tickets June Homecoming: Participant $18 per person; Sustainer $25 per person; Benefactor $40 per person. The 2011 June Homecoming, sponsored by the School of Environmental Design Alumni Association, will include the Alumni Association annual meeting and luncheon. June Homecoming will be followed by the formal dedication of Temple University Amblers Formal Perennial Gardens as the Louise Bush-Brown Formal Gardens. During this 100th anniversary of the campus, Temple University Ambler and the Ambler Arboretum of the Temple University is honoring Louise Bush-Browns many contributions to the history of the campus by formally dedicating the gardens in her honor. During the program, campus Executive William Parshall will welcome guests, Ambler Arboretum Director Jenny Rose Carey will speak about the Bush-Browns and the history of the garden, and an official ribbon cutting will be held for the Louise Bush-Brown Formal Garden. Following the ribbon cutting, guests are invited to take a tour of the gardens, which will wend their way to the Campus Greenhouse for the School of Environmental Designs annual Plant Auction. Information (Garden Dedication): 267-468-8001 or judy.shatz@temple.edu. Information (June Homecoming): 215-482-0722. Learn more at www.ambler.temple.edu/anniversary. Northview Garden Tour and Fundraiser for the Ambler Arboretum June 12 from noon to 5 p.m. Call for reservations. Tickets: $15 per person or $20 at the door. In addition to the gardens of the Ambler Arboretum of Temple University, Arboretum Director Jenny Rose Carey has a garden oasis all her own right in Ambler Northview. Visitors will have the opportunity to take self-guided tours throughout the many gardens, where garden experts will be available to answer questions about the various designs. The Ambler Keystone Chapter of the Womans National Farm and Garden Association will also provide tea and refreshments. All proceeds from the tours will support the Ambler Arboretum of Temple University. Information or to register: 267-468-8001 or judy.shatz@temple.edu. Learn more at www.ambler.temple.edu/anniversary. The Senior Adult Activities Center of Montgomery County, 536 George Street, Norristown, will hold the following events: SAAC Adult Day Care, an alternative to Nursing Home Care is available for information call 610-275-1960 Volunteers are needed for Meals on Wheels Program (call the number above) SAACs Fifth Avenue Boutique opens Monday through Friday from 10 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Exercise with Theresa will be held every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 1 p.m. Dance class is held every Monday at 10 a.m. Tai Chi is held every Monday at 10 a.m. Yoga is held every Tuesday at 10:30 a.m. Line Dancing is held every Thursday at 10:30 a.m. Dancing with Joan is held every Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. Sculpture Class is held Wednesdays from 2 to 3:30 p.m. Why Should I Learn Spanish? will be held Wednesdays at 10:30 a.m. Generations On-Line computer classes for seniors will be held Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. 4 p.m. computers are available during those hours. Health Living will be held every Tuesday at 1 p.m. Boomer U will hold the following events. Boomer U is located at 45 Forest Avenue, Ambler. Registration & payment is required for all events: 215-619-8863. Pilates Class is held Wednesdays and Fridays at 9:30 a.m. First class is free; please bring a mat. For information call 610-291-5376. Blue Bell School of Dance, 921 Penllyn Blue Bell Pike, Blue Bell, hosts Argentine Tango Classes and a Milonga dance party every Friday evening. Lessons start at 8:30 p.m. followed by dancing at 9:30 p.m. Andrew Conway, master Argentine Tango dancer, instructor and performer and his partner Linda Chase will instruct. All levels welcome and no partner is needed. Refreshments will be served. Fee is $12 per person and includes lesson and dancing. Information: 215-634-1101 or www.amoretango.com. The Montgomery Hospital Medical Center will offer the following classes: Childbirth Education Class- all parents are invited to participate, including those who are delivering at other hospitals. For more information on maternity services or classes, call 610-270-2020. CPR and First Aid Courses are offered for beginners to experiences health care providers. Call 610-270-2313. The Ambler SAAC (Senior Adult Activities Center), located at 45 Forest Ave in Ambler will hold the following events: Tai Chi every Monday and Thursday at 11 a.m. Yoga is every Tuesday at 1 p.m. and Friday at 10:30 a.m. Strength and balance training every Wednesday at 10 a.m. Armchair Aerobics is held every Monday at 10 a.m. Gourmet Weight Wise every Thursday at 12:30. Fitness Center and Pool Room open daily 8 a.m.-4 p.m. The Diabetes Education Center will offer day and evening classes each month. Health insurance pays for diabetes education classes. Preregistration is required. Call 610-270-2301. For Kids & Families The Ambler Kiwanis Club will host its annual Easter Egg Hunt April 26 at 10 a.m. in Ambler Borough Park, located just off of the intersection of Hendricks Street and Valley Brook Road. Members of the Wissahickon Key Club will assist Kiwanians in hiding thousands of wrapped chocolate eggs in a designated area of the park. Also hidden will be plastic colored eggs, which are redeemed for prizes. Elementary school children are separated by age. Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation will hold its 21st annual Storybook Egg-Stravaganza April 15 fom 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the Upper Dublin Township Building. Toddlers and preschoolers love this annual event where photo opportunities with favorite friends abound! Treasures are collected from UDP&Rs assortment of lifesize cutouts of favorite cartoon characters from Disney, Sesame Street, Nickelodeon and other well-known animation. Children can have their picture taken with Bugsy OHare; bring your own camera. And dont forget a basket for goodies! $7 for UD residents; $12 for non-residents. Pre-register at 215-643-1600 ext. 3443. Splash Week is a free week-long program that teaches children and families basic swimming skills and water safety practices. All YMCA branches will host multiple classes each day from April 11 to 15. For more information, contact the Ambler Area YMCA at 215-628-9950. Healthy Kids Day is April 16 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The day is filled with fun, engaging and artistic activities that cultivate healthy living as part of the YMCAs larger efforts to help more kids and families become physically active. All activities are free and open to the community. For more information, contact the Ambler YMCA at 215-628-9950. No reservation is required. The Ambler Area YMCA has added several new programs for area youngsters. Classes are held late afternoons or evenings on various weekdays. For more information, visit philaymca.org or call 215-628-9950. Basic Beading: Ages: 10+. Wednesdays 7 to 7:45 p.m. This class will teach you the fundamentals of wiring and stringing along with how color can be used to create unique and vibrant beadwork design. You will create various jewelry including earrings, bracelets, charm pendants and much more! Supplies will be provided. Bringing your own jewelry pliers or tools would be a plus. Messin with the Masters: Ages: 8-12. Thursdays 7 to 7:45 p.m. Learn about some of the worlds greatest artists. You will be inspired to create your own Starry Night with oil pastels and tempera paints, a tissue paper painted Monet garden, a Picasso head using scraps of paper, a Georgia OKeeffe clay flower bowl and a Rousseau jungle collage. Super Scientist: Ages: 5-7. Mondays 4:30 to 5:15 p.m. Well be concocting chemistry experiments such as making slime, mixing potions and having fun with magnet magic. Your budding little scientist will enhance his/her creative thinking and motor skills and to top it off will learn that science can be serious fun. Wacky Junk Art: Ages: 8-12. Thursdays 6 to 6:45 p.m. Why throw it away! Instead join us to make household junk into aliens from outer space, wacky specs, crazy hats, body masks or a recycled train. Globe Trotters: Ages: 4-6. Tuesdays 4:30 to 5:15 p.m. Youre never too young to start thinking globally. Each week, we explore a new country through crafts, games, music, stories and even some taste-testing. A perfect introduction to our great big world! Crazy about Crafts: Ages: 5-7, Thursdays 4:30 to 5:15 p.m. Let your childs creative juices flow with our fun arts and crafts projects each week. Fine motor skills and creative thinking skills will be enhanced with this crafty class. Come out and join the Ambler Area YMCAs Teen and Junior Leaders Club. Participants are given the freedom to plan community service projects year round and truly make a difference in the lives of people in need. Those in Teen and Junior Leaders also attend leadership retreats all along the East Coast three times a year and meet other leaders who are doing the same great work in their respective areas. Dont miss out on this inspiring opportunity. Teen Leaders, ages 13-17, meet every Wednesday from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Junior Leaders, ages 10-12, will begin in the spring and will meet every Monday. For more information, contact Mike Miles, Teen Director, 215- 628-9950 x 1540 or mmiles@philaymca.org. Did you know that the new Ambler Area YMCA holds childrens birthday parties at its site for members and non members as well. The Ambler Y does all the work from start to finish and birthday parties include a personalized cake, ice cream, beverage and paper products. Parties are held on Saturday and Sunday afternoons and include two party hosts to lead activities, set-up, clean-up and assist with serving. You can have a Splash Party for children ages six to 12 in the new zero depth entry pool with water slide and spray fountains. Up to 25 children have exclusive use of the pool area with 30 minutes in the party room. Sports Parties are offered for kids ages four to 12 with age appropriate activities and games, and sports such as floor hockey, soccer, basketball or dodge ball. Children ages three to five years of age will enjoy parties in the Family Active Center with use of the Moon Bounce and organized activities, such as parachute play and songs. For information, 215-628-9950 ext. 1583. Community Events at the Ambler Y: -YAchievers YMCA Achievers is a developmentally based, extracurricular, educational and team mentoring program designed to help students in grades five through 12 prepare for fulfilled livelihoods in college and beyond. Participation is free and all students in this program receive a free YMCA membership. Registration for the 2009 program begins now. You do not need to be a YMCA member to utilize these special services. Call 215-628-9950 to register. Greater Norristown Art Leagues Childrens Weeklong Summer Art Camps will be held at 800 West Germantown Pike in East Norriton, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday throughout the summer. The cost per session is $125 per student for ages 6 and up. Jo Ann Cooksey Bono teaches an introduction to basic drawing skills and techniques from 10 a.m. until the lunch break each day. In the afternoon sessions, Mary Vogel Lozinak involves the students in hands on projects such as collage, papermaking, T-shirt printing, 3D design and sculpy clay. Fridays Graduation Day includes an art show, awards ceremony and reception for parents, siblings, grandparents and friends. All supplies are included. Students provide their own lunch. A refrigerator is available and the building is air-conditioned. This is the 15th year to run this successful program. Both instructors are professional artists with State Police and Child Abuse Clearances. To register, call Jo Ann at 610-279-1008, or register on-line at www.gnal.org. Health Dresher Physical Therapy is hosting an interactive seminar discussing its Golf Assessment Progam April 30 from 10 a.m. to noon at Dresher Physical Therapy, 1075 Virginia Drive, Suite 200, Fort Washington. Physical therapist Chris Miller, certified through the Titleist Performance Institute, will discuss why your body may be the most important piece of golf equipment you invest in and how this can drastically improve your game. $10 in advance; $15 at the door. Call 215-619-4545 to reserve your spot. The Chestnut Hill Center for Enrichment, Center on the Hill and Chestnut Hill Hospital will host a Senior Health and Resource Fair April 14 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Chestnut Hill Presbyterian Church, 8855 Germantown Ave. The event is free. For more information, call 215-248-0180 or e-mail chseniors@cavtel.net. The Ambler Senior Adult Activities Center is hosting Help Yourself to Health, a new six-week workshop for older adults with ongoing health conditions such as arthritis, diabetes, high blood pressure, anxiety, heart disease and others. The free workshop will take place at the Ambler Senior Adult Activities Center, 45 Forest Ave. on six Thursdays, May 12 through June 16 from 9:30 a.m. to noon. Although there is no charge to participate, registration is required. To register, call 215-619-8863. The Ambler Senior Adult Activities Center is sponsoring an eight-week program called A Matter of Balance: Managing Concerns About Falls. Presented by the Montgomery County Health Department, this workshop will be held on Tuesdays, May 3 to June 21 from 10 a.m. to noon at the Ambler Center, 45 Forest Ave. If you pre-register by April 27, the fee is only $5! Registration at the first class is $10. (Checks should be payable to SAAC and will benefit our Meals on Wheels program that serves homebound seniors.) A workbook will be provided and refreshments will be served. Call 215-619-8863 to register or for more information. Fort Washington Wellness Center classes are ongoing. There are several offered during lunch or right after work, for your convenience: Boot Camp from noon to 1 p.m. on Monday; Zumba is MWF from 11 a.m. to noon and Friday at 4 p.m.; there are 25 cycling classes; Ashtanga and Vinyasana Yoga and Pilates; and a group Womens Strength Training class M-F from 10 to 11 a.m. Questions, call Cathy DeMarco at 215-641-1245. Following the success of other local area programs, Impact Sports and Upper Dublin Parks and Recreation are delighted to team up again to offer a spring program for the 2011 season! Upper Dublin area children ages 3-5 years old can attend a Sports Program featuring their favorite sports games; soccer, rugby, hockey, track and field, basketball, and more. The program will start on April 27 and run through June 1. Cost for the program is $85 for the six weeks. The classes will be running 12- 1 p.m.; 1- 2 p.m.; 2- 3 p.m. For more info or to register, call Upper Dublin Township on 215 643 1600 or visit their website a http://www.upperdublin.net. Spring Aquatic Programs UDHS Pool: -Summer is just around the corner Community Aquatic Programs at the UDHS Pool can help get you into shape! Programs begin in March; preregistration is required. Shallow Water Aerobics Two 5-week programs, Wednesday nights, 8-8:45 p.m., $40R/$50NR. Adult Swim Instructions Two 5-week programs, Wednesday nights, 7-8 p.m., $50R/$60NR -Open Rec Swims are fun for the whole family! Come out on Fridays from 7-9 p.m. or Saturdays from 1-4 p.m. and enjoy use of the pool and diving area. Fridays are offered through June 17; Saturdays are offered March 12-May 21. -Join a growing group of adult lap swimmers and water walkers. Lanes are set aside evenings and weekends for use; lanes are shared. Monday Thursday from 7:30-9:30 p.m.; Fridays from 7-9 p.m. and Saturdays (March 12-May 21) from 1-4 p.m. -Private Swimming & Diving Lessons for ages 3-adult are offered at the UDHS Pool through a partnership with the Upper Dublin Aquatic Club (UDAC). Visit the UDAC website for more information, www.udac.us, and click the link to UDHS Private Lessons. -Looking for local programs for US Masters Swimming (adults) or Water Polo (all ages)? UDAC and UDSD are working together to develop programs that will be offered at the UDHS Pool. Add your name to Interest Lists by emailing slohoefer@upperdublin.net. emails will be sent about clinics and program start dates. Questions about Community Aquatic Programs at the UDHS Pool, group use of the pool or pool rental? Contact Susan Lohoefer, Facility & Community Affairs Manager at slohoefer@upperdublin.net or call 215-643-8800 x8994. SilverSneakers Fitness Program. The Healthyways SilverSneakers Fitness Program is a result-oriented program that enables older adults to take charge of their health. The program is an innovative blend of physical activity, healthy lifestyle and socially oriented programing. Members of the program are eligible for a free YMCA membership, with use of the pool and exercise equipment, along with customized classes designed for older adults who want to improve their strength, flexibility, balance and endurance. If you are a subscriber to Independence Blue Cross (Personal Choice 65 PPO) or Keystone 65 HMO, Bravo Health, or Health Options Programs (HOP), call the Ambler Area YMCA, 215-628-9950 or Hatboro Area YMCA, 215-674-4545. You can also visit www.silversneakers.com. Zumba Fitness offers Zumba dance/fitness classes at Academy of Dance and Music/BBAD Studio located at 1524 DeKalb Pike in Blue Bell (behind Sherwin Williams). Classes are offered three times a week: Tuesdays at 6 p.m., Thursdays at 6:30 p.m. and Saturdays at 8 a.m. For a free trial pass for your first class, email us at info@danceandmusic.biz or call 610-277-2557. For more info, visit our site at www.academyofdanceandmusic.org. Chestnut Hill Health Systems presents the following Health Education Programs: FITNESS CLASSES Golden Yoga: A Breathing, Stretching and Relaxation Class. Fridays, 2:30-3:30 p.m. Lea Auditorium, Chestnut Hill Hospital, 8835 Germantown Ave. Registration for four classes at a time required. Golden Yoga is Classical Yoga, adapted by the SKY Foundation, to accommodate those who have difficulty getting up and down from the floor. The program includes postures, breathing, relaxation and meditation techniques, all performed while sitting in a chair and standing. Registration required. Call 215-247-3029. Cost: $20 for 4 classes per month. Tai Chi: Tuesdays & Thursdays, 8:30 9:30 a.m. Springfield Residence, 8601 Stenton Ave. Classes, for the novice or beginner/intermediate student, are designed to improve balance, power, posture, coordination, flexibility and mental focus. Slow, gentle movements are modified to most everyones abilities. For more information or to sign up for a free introductory class, call 215-882-2804. Cost: $8 per class/paid monthly. SUPPORT GROUPS Weight Loss Surgery Support Group: Fourth Wednesday of the month, 7-8 p.m. Williams Conference Room, Chestnut Hill Hospital, 8835 Germantown Ave., Philadelphia. Join us for a monthly get-together where well share information for those interested in weight loss surgery, learn from guest speakers discussing current news on issues including lifestyle modification, nutrition and exercise and provide ongoing support for those who have completed surgery. Registration required. Call 215-753-2000. Breast Cancer Networking Group: Fourth Tuesday of the month 5:30 7 p.m. Williams Conference Room, Chestnut Hill Hospital, 8835 Germantown Ave., Philadelphia. A free, confidential support group for women living with a diagnosis of breast cancer designed to provide a forum for sharing information, feelings and concerns associated with breast cancer. Facilitated by Tish Wakefield, LCSW, Oncology Social Worker. Registration required. To register or for more information, call 215-248-8047. New Moms Support Groups Tuesdays 10:30 a.m. 12 p.m.; contact Jeanine ORourke, MSW or 2:30 4 p.m.; contact Susan Schack, Ph.D Volunteer Conference Room, Chestnut Hill Hospital, 8835 Germantown Ave. The Center for Postpartum Depression at Chestnut Hill Hospital is pleased to offer two new support groups to support new moms. Both groups will be run by experienced mental health professionals who really get it when it comes to new motherhood and juggling relationships, extended family, work/family balance and self-care. If you are experiencing new mom challenges that often heighten anxiety and involve hormonally driven depression, join us for an informative and supportive forum to connect with other moms. Infants are welcome. $30 per session (flexible based on need). Registration is required. Call Dr. Schack, 646-265-2484, or Ms. ORourke, 215-206-2931. Man to Man Prostate Cancer Support Group Third Thursday of the month 8-9 a.m. Williams Conference Room, Chestnut Hill Hospital, 8835 Germantown Ave. A networking group for men diagnosed with prostate cancer designed to provide education, support and encouragement. Spouses and partners welcome. Harry M. Baer, MD, Chief, Urology Division, will host Ask the Doctor. Registration required. Call 215-248-8325. Contact the Senior Center by phone 215-248-0180 or email (chseniors@cavtel.net) with your questions about these programs or any of our on-going activities and classes. Holy Redeemer HomeCare and Hospice seeks compassionate and emotionally mature volunteers to provide support to local hospice patients and their families in Bucks, Montgomery and Philadelphia counties. Volunteers may also assist with pet therapy and administrative work within the hospice department and are requested to have daytime availability. Hospice patient care volunteers visit with patients in their homes or nursing facilities once a week for two to three hours. They provide emotional support and companionship to patients and family members, assist with errands or provide respite for caregivers. Bereavement volunteers support the families of hospice patients following the loss of a loved one, while administrative volunteers assist with typing, mailings and/or filing. Hospice care workers provide a great service to families and loved ones of hospice patients. Many volunteers also report a great deal of personal satisfaction as a result of their services. Patient care and bereavement volunteers complete an application and attend an 18-hour volunteer training program that covers the medical, psychological and spiritual aspects of hospice volunteering. Day and evening training programs are offered. To sign up for volunteer opportunities in Pennsylvania, contact Holy Redeemer Volunteer Coordinator Jean Francis at 215-698-3737 or email jfrancis@holyredeemer.com. Librarytalk Upper Dublin Public Library, 805 Loch Alsh Avenue, Ft. Washington, 215-628-8744 www.upperdublinlibrary.org APRIL CHILDRENS PROGRAMS: Storytimes: Please register in the library. o Wee Ones: 0 to 23 months Thursdays and Fridays 10:30 to 10:50 a.m. o Tiny Tots: age 2. Wednesdays 10:30 to 10:50 a.m. and Fridays 11 to 11:20 a.m. o Jr. Book Lovers: ages 3 to 6. Tuesdays 10:30 to 11 a.m. o Bedtime Storytimes: 7 to 7:30 p.m. April 20 and 27. Wear your jammies, bring your teddy & hear Miss Barbara read bedtime stories! For ages 3 to 6. APRIL TEEN PROGRAMS: North Hills Library Teens April 28 from 4 to 6 p.m. Movie Matinee APRIL UDPL ADULT PROGRAMS: NEW! ESL Conversation Group. Tuesdays from 7 to 8 p.m. Interested in practicing your English in a safe and caring environment? Come to our conversation group and improve your skills! Please register with Kay Klocko at 215-628-8744 or kklocko@mclinc.org. One-on-One Computer Mentoring. Get personalized assistance from experienced computer volunteers! Sign-up for a one-hour session. Limit one session per month. Please register contact info above. Book Groups Please register with Kay Klocko 215-628-8744. o Daytimers: April 21 at 1:30 p.m. Tired of book groups where you all read the same book? Read any fiction or non-fiction book on this months theme: Explorers. Please register. Meetings: Annual Meeting of the Friends of UDPL: April 14 at 1 p.m. Board of Directors: April 20 at 7 p.m. Blue Bell Library www.wvpl.org Upcoming Events: The Wissahickon Valley Public Library, 650 Skippack Pike (Route 73) in Blue Bell, is diagonally across from the Blue Bell Inn. Call 215-643-1320 or visit their website at www.wvpl.org. For children and teens at Blue Bell: * Story times with guitar music by Miss Michelle, the singing librarian. * Mondays at 10:30 a.m. for all ages. * Wednesdays at 4:30 p.m. for all ages. * Fridays at 10:30 a.m. for all ages. * Family Movies, new releases, second Saturdays of the month at 1:30 p.m. * May 14 Despicable Me * June 11 Alpha and Omega * Special Events * April watch for date of spring/Easter events * April 14 at 4:30 p.m. Junior Lego Club for children ages 3 through 5. Parents and caregivers need to stay with children. * April 14 at 7 p.m. Jeopardy for ages 11 to 18. Test your book and library knowledge for prizes. Sign up to be a contestant. No sign up to be in the audience. Snacks provided. * April 16 at 1 p.m. Adult Mystery Book Group discussing The Beekeepers Apprentice by Laurie King. * April 16 at 1:30 p.m. Childrens event for One Book, Every Young Child celebration. Story and craft for book Whose Shoes? * April 19 at 7 p.m. and April 26 at 1:30 p.m.- Adult book group discusses The Professor and the Madman by Simon Winchester. Group led by Adam Button. * April 30 through May 3 Friends book sale with about 10,000 items for sale for children, teens and adults. * May sign up for Science in the Summer * June sign up for Enrichment Programs for Elementary-Age children * June sign up for Summer Reading, all ages For adults at Blue Bell: * Daytime Book Discussion Group fourth Tuesday, Jan April at 1:30 p.m. * April 26 The Professor and the Madman by Simon Winchester * Night-time Book Discussion Group third Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m. o April 19 The Professor and the Madman by Simon Winchester * Art Series with Dr. Sheldon Weintraub, docent at The Barnes and speaker at local colleges o April 27 at 2 p.m. The Art of Looking at Art-Is She Nude or Is She Naked? *Mystery Book Discussion Group, third Saturday of the month at 1 p.m.; new mystery theme each month; www.wvpl.org/programs * Yoga on Mondays at 1:30 p.m. $20 for eight classes; $5 per drop-in class. * Tai Chi on Mondays at 3 p.m. with Dr. Kurt Findeisen. $20 for eight classes; $5 per drop in class. * Philadelphia Museum of Art presents class on their Marc Chagall exhibit, April 13 at 2 p.m. * Giant Book Sale, April 29 May 3 o Starts with almost 10,000 items for children and adults! o Held during library hours. o Preview for members of the Friends of the Library, April 28 at 7 p.m. o Join the Friends and attend the preview sale. Modest fee to join. * Blooms at Blue Bell Gardening Series o May 11 at 1 p.m. Summer Bulbs by PA Horticultural Society * Knitting group Mondays and Wednesdays at 10 a.m. Work on your project or observe and learn. The groups continue year-round in the community room. * Socrates Cafe discussion group every Monday at 7 p.m. You pick the topic to discuss each week. No sign-up, nothing to read. * Bridge every Friday at 12:30 p.m. New players welcome. * Mah Jong every Wednesday at 1 p.m. New players welcome. *Chess every Wednesday at 7p.m. for adults and teens 14 and older. * Movie Matinee showing recent releases every Thursday at 2 p.m. April 14: Maos Last Dancer; April 21: Welcome to the Rileys; April 28: Conviction; May 5: Inception; May 12: Inside Job; May 19 The Kings Speech; May 26 The Fighter; June 2 Rabbit Hole; June 9 Black Swan; June 16 127 Hours * Ongoing like-new, year-round book sale for adults & children during library hours * Library opening at 10 a.m. Monday through Saturday! Ambler Library, a branch of the Wissahickon Valley Public Library, 209 Race St., 215-646-1072. www.wvpl.org. All the following events occur at the Ambler Library. * Story times with guitar music by Miss Michelle, the singing librarian. * Tuesdays at 10:30 a.m. for all ages. * Thursdays at 4:30 p.m. for all ages. * For adults: * Beading Group meets the first and third Monday of every month at 1 p.m. Work on your own projects or come to watch and learn. * Free Family History Lookup with Connie Briggs. Email Connie for an appointment at the Ambler Library. conniebriggs@comcast.net * Special Events: * April 14 at 1:30 p.m. Book Group discusses Skeletons at the Feast by Chris Bohjalian. * April 19 at 7 p.m. Travel to Paris with world traveler Harry Balin. Tea and scones at 6:30 p.m. * April 21 at 7 p.m. Art with Sara for children in fourth through seventh grades. *May 2 at 6:30 p.m. Discuss the movie Lone Star with Temple Professor Lisa Hawkins. Watch the movie ahead of time. *May 10 Robert Capucci discusses Art into Fashion. Tea and scones served at 6:30 p.m. Program at 7 p.m. *May 12 at 1:30p.m. Book Group discusses The Imperfectionists by Tom Rachman. *May 17 Tour the gardens of Devon and Southwest England with Lois McMullen. Tea and Scones at 6:30 p.m. Program at 7 p.m. *June 13 at 6:30 p.m. Discuss the movie Blade Runner with Temple Professor Lisa Hawkins. Watch the movie ahead of time. Meetings and Lectures The Unisys Blue Bell Retiree Group will meet in the Church on the Mall in the Plymouth Meeting Mall April 14 at 1:30 p.m. Kathy Sacket Young, director/trainer with the North Penn YMCA, will speak on Keeping Fit in Retirement. For more information, contact Membership Committee Chairperson Jerry Feldscher at 610-275-3538 or President Al Rollin at 215-368-4833. The next FWBA meeting will be April 28 at the Hilton Garden Inn Fort Washington. Networking begins at 11:30 a.m.; meeting from noon to 1 p.m. Leon Singletary, Principal, First Contact HR and FWBA Executive Board, will present: Social Media: How to Use It To Get More Business. Lunch is provided courtesy of the Hilton Garden Inn Fort Washington. Members are welcome to bring a guest. An RSVP is requested by return email or 215-628-0313. Big Brothers Big Sisters Southeastern PA is hosting a information sessions over the next few weeks on how to become a Big Brother. The information sessions will take place: April 16 at noon, April 19 at 8 a.m. and April 28 at 6 p.m. All sessions will be held at the groups Norristown Office,t 530 DeKalb St., Norristown. For more information, call 610-277-2200. The North Penn Chapter of the Institute of Management Accountants (IMA) normally meets on the third Tuesday of each month from now until May. Meetings are held at the William Penn Inn on Route 202 and Sumneytown Pike, Upper Gwynedd, PA. Social hour starts at 5:30 p.m., dinner is served at 6:30 p.m., and the technical program begins at 7 p.m. Cost with reservation is $28 for members. Members without reservations and guests pay $30. Students with reservations pay $15. Reservations may be made by noon on the Monday preceding the meeting by phoning 215-371-1854 or emailing the reservation to northpennima@yahoo.com northpennima@yahoo.com. Information about the North Penn Chapter is available at http://northpenn.imanet.org/. LeTip, a professional organization of men and women who are dedicated to the highest standards of competence and service meets every Tuesday at Cedar Brook Country Club, 180 Penllyn Pike, Blue Bell at 7 a.m. -meeting officially starts at 7:16 a.m. and ends at 8:31 a.m. Our purpose is the exchange of business tips, leads, and referrals. Each business category is represented by one member and conflicts of interest are disallowed. Guests are welcome to visit any of our breakfast meetings. Every third Thursday of month, Sunrise Assisted Living of Blue Bell (795 Penllyn Pike, Blue Bell, PA 19422, 215-619-2777) serves as a satellite site to 148th Legislative district PA congressman Mike Gerber from 10 a.m. to noon. Stop by for help needed with things such as disability placards and license plates, vehicle registration, utilities issues, birth/death certificates,property tax/rent rebates, etc. Notary services arranged by appointment. The Eastern Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce is an action-oriented organization dedicated to promoting its members and the economic health of eastern Montgomery county. The Chamber is committed to serving as a catalyst by uniting business, community agencies, government and education to make our county a great place to live and work. For information, call 215-887-5122 or visit www.emccc.org. Do you have a fear of public speaking? Blue Bell Toastmasters Club can help. We meet from 7 to 9 p.m., on the second and fourth Tuesday at the Marriott Courtyard, located on Route 202, directly across from the Montgomeryville Mall. Learn how to improve communication and leadership skills in a friendly and supportive environment. Guests are welcome. Admission fee: $5. For more info, visit www.bbtoast.org. The PennSuburban Chamber of Commerce will hold the following meetings (for reservations to any of the following, email info@PennSuburban.org) -Breakfast News Network, 7:30-8:45 a.m. at Normandy Farm Hotel (1401 Morris Road, Blue Bell, PA 19422) $15 members, includes full buffet breakfast. Join us for a networking program at Normandy Farm Hotel every Thursday morning for breakfast, business news, informative speakers, and plenty of networking. The cost includes a full breakfast buffet. Copies of the business cards will be made available to those who would like them. The BNI, Fort Washington Chapter meets every Monday at The Hilton Garden Inn, 520 Pennsylvania Ave., Fort Washington for a networking meeting. Meetings are from 11:30 a.m. until 1 p.m. Visitors are welcome. The only cost to attend is the cost of your meal. For information or a reservation to attend, please call Luanne Cram at 215-947-7784, or visit our Internet site at: http://www.BNIDVR.Com and click on the menu item Find a Chapter. For the past seven years, people have enjoyed participating in WVWAs Adopt-a-Tree program. Individuals can support the Association in its reforestation efforts by purchasing native trees to be planted. Supporters can plant their adopted tree or have WVWA volunteers will plant it. Trees cost $30 each. If you would like to volunteer or purchase a tree(s), please contact: Bob Adams at Bob@wvwa.org or call: 215-646-8866 for more information. Check www.WVWA.org for directions and maps. Sustainable Upper Dublin, http://sustainableupperdublin.org, meets the first Thursday of each month at 6:30 p.m., at the Upper Dublin Township Building, 801 Loch Alsh Avenue, Fort Washington, PA 19034. Please send any questions to suec@sustainableupperdublin.org or call 610-996-6316. To learn more about Sustainable Upper Dublin, view or join the discussion at http://googlegroups.com/group/sustainableupperdublin. Special Events The Mattie N. Dixon Community Cupboard will hold its first nutrition class April 19 at 10 a.m. at the Community Cupboard, 150 N. Main St., Ambler. Lynne Sinclair, a nutritionist from Abington Memorial Hospital specializing in diabetic nutrition, will conduct the class. Topics will include healthy eating, beneficial foods, recipes, making meals with every day foods, and how to use unfamiliar produce. A healthy snack will be provided.The class is is open to all residents in Montgomery County. The Historical Society of Fort Washington presents The History of Conshohocken April 19 at 8 p.m. at the Clifton House, 473 Bethlehem Pike, Fort Washington. Jack Coll will present an illustrated program on the history of the Borough of Conshohocken. Coll is a longtime resident of Conshohocken and a member of the Conshohocken Historical Society. He is co-author with his son, Brian, of the Arcadia Then and Now Series book Conshohocken. He has also done books Conshohocken and West Conshohocken Sports and Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Italian Feast. He has taken many photos for the Conshohocken Record and the Norristown Times Herald. This program is free. Refreshments will be served. For additional information, call 215-646-6065. Taste of the White House Soiree featuring former White House Chef Walter Scheib will take place April 29 at 6 p.m. at Manufacturers Golf & Country Club in Fort Washington to celebrate HealthLinks 10th anniversary and honor its founders, the Eugene Jackson Family. The evening will heat up with a Chef Meet & Greet, followed by a specially selected presidential menu. Gala tickets are $150 per person. Proceeds benefit HealthLink, a free clinic providing compassionate, quality medical and dental care to uninsured, working adults in Bucks and Montgomery counties who fall in between the health care cracks. Go to http://tasteofthewhitehouse.charityhappenings.org to make reservations online or lend support through sponsorship. For event information, call 267-699-0124 or email jmarushak@healthlinkmedical.org. The Wissahickon Valley Watershed Association will hold an open house at the Evans-Mumbower Mill April 17 from 1 to 4 p.m. The Mill is at the corner of Swedesford and Township Line Roads in Upper Gwynedd. The open house is free but donations are welcome. For more information, call 215-646-8866 o email info@wvwa.org. The Eastern Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce will host Breakfast With Your County Commissioners and State Representatives April 21 from 8 to 9:30 a.m. at the Holiday Inn Fort Washington, 432 W. Pennasylvania Ave. Commissioners: James R. Matthews (Chairman), Joseph M. Hoeffel (Vice Chair), State Representatives: Todd Stephens (District 151) and Josh Shapiro (District 153). Register onlineat www.emccc.org. $10 for EMCCC member; $20 for non-members. Upper Dublins Districtwide Allied Art Show will be held April 27 from 5:30 to 9 p.m. in the Upper Dublin High School Athletic Complex. The Rev. Alfred Muli, chaplain at Fort Washington Estates, will be the featured speaker at the Kiwanis sponsored breakfast observing the National Day of Prayer May 5 at 7 a.m. at the William Penn Inn. The breakfast is open to the public ($15). Reservations can be made by calling 215-646-4356 or by emailing georgesaurman@Juno.com. The Upper Dublin Shade Tree Commission invites people to participate in its spring bare root planting events, sponsored in part by Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation and Friends of Robbins Park. On April 9, zix trees will be planted at the Evelyn B. Wright Park & Community Pool, 401 Logan Ave., North Hills, at 9 a.m., followed by the planting of 10 trees at Sheeleigh Park, Loch Alsh Avenue and Douglas Street, Ambler, at 10:15 a.m. On April 29, students from Upper Dublin High School will join the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society to plant 16 trees in Robbins Park, Butler Pike and Meetinghouse Road, Ambler, to help launch the societys Million Trees campaign. This event will occur in conjunction with Temple Amblers EarthFest. Experienced tree-tenders are sought to assist the students. For more information,contact Ron Ayres at 215-653-0421 or 215-483-4348. The Friends of the Wissahickon and the Wissahickon Valley Watershed Association are teaming up once again to clean the Wissahickon Creek from top to bottom April 30 from 9 a.m. to noon. This spring marks the 41st anniversary of Wissahickon Valley Watershed Associations annual Creek Clean Up, and the second year that FOW has teamed up with WVWA. Volunteers of all ages will clean the creek, the surrounding trails and the many tributaries of the Wissahickon Creek. Armed with bags, volunteers will be assigned to sections of the creek. Following the clean up, all volunteers are invited to WVWAs Talkin Trash picnic in Fort Washington State Park, with food provided by Whole Foods Market of North Wales. The pavilion is located on Mill Road in Flourtown. To help out in Montgomery County, all volunteers must be pre-assigned a section of the Wissahickon Creek to clean. Please contact Bob Adams, WVWA director of stewardship, at 215-646-8866 ext. 14 or bob@wvwa.org. To work with the Friends of the Wissahickon in Philadelphia, meet at the pavilion along Forbidden Drive, a short distance south of the intersection of Forbidden Drive and Northwestern Avenue. Limited parking is available along Northwestern Avenue and other nearby streets. Volunteers are encouraged to bike or carpool to the event. To participate, register at www.fow.org. Contact Kevin Groves with questions at 215-247-0417 ext. 105 or groves@fow.org. Montgomery County Community Colleges International Club invites the community to the second annual International Festival April 20 from 5 to 9 p.m. at the Central Campus, 340 DeKalb Pike, Blue Bell. The rain date is April 26. The International Club will transform the outside quad area into multicultural celebration with various performances by dancers, singers and musicians. Artists will share their artwork at various display tables. Activities include games, raffles, Easter egg decorating and henna tattoos. Students will have samples of international cuisine at tables representing different countries and will serve food from various local ethnic restaurants. Throughout the evening, volunteers will accept donations and will raffle gift baskets and prizes to raise funds for Habitat for Humanity. Donations of food, international clothes and prizes are needed. Volunteers, including artists and performers, are welcome. For more information or to sponsor an activity, contact Gillian Nel, International Club president, at gnel9277@students.mc3.edu or 267-974-0163. The Arts and Humanities Division at Montgomery County Community College is partnering with the Philadelphia Writers Conference to host Memoirs Matter: How Life Stories (Including Yours) Can Transform Your Relationship to Literature April 23 from 1 to 3 p.m. in Advanced Technology Center room 101, 340 DeKalb Pike, Blue Bell. The event is free and open to the public. In the first part of this two-hour seminar, professor and author Robert Waxler will explain how writing his two memoirs affected his life as well as his relationship to literature. In the second part, blogger and workshop leader Jerry Waxler will present a sequence of steps to help writers find their own story. For information, contact Dana Resente at dresente@mc3.edu. The Maple Glen Garden Club will hold its fourth annual Plant Sale on May 7 from 8 to 11 a.m. Perennials, shrubs, vegetables and native plants grown by the club members will be sold. The club uses the plant sale proceeds to fund community projects, a college scholarship and community plantings. The sale will be held in the 500 block of Coach Road, Horsham, as part of a neighborhood garage sale. Plants will be sold at bargain prices. For more information, email MapleGlenGardenClub@gmail.com. The Relay for Life Craft Show is looking for local crafters to participate in show, which will be May 21 from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the Wissahickon High School track, 521 Houston Road, Ambler. There is a $10 entry fee, and 20 percent of sales are donated to the American Cancer Society. Participants will receive a 6-foot table under a tent. For information, contact Joanne at joannescoles@comcast.net or Mindy at mcamsilver@comcast.net. Spring House Estates is hosting its annual book fair on April 18 from 4 to 7 p.m. and April 9 from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Included will be hardback and paperback used books. Spring House Estates is located at 728 Norristown Road, Lower Gwynedd. The PennSuburban Chamber of Commerce will present the Penn Suburban/Hatfield Joint Business Card Exchange April 20 from 5 to 7 p.m. at Univest Bank Lansdale Area Financial Service Center, 120 Forty Foot Road, Hatfield. The event is free. To make reservations, visit PennSuburban.org/Events. Join Univest National Bank and Trust Co. for a spring-inspired Business Card Exchange at its newest office in the Hatfield Pointe Shopping Center. Come out and meet members of Univests executive management team while enjoying fine food and beverages. 13th Annual Community Reading Day Kick-off Breakfast Get Together April 26 from 8 to 9:30 a.m. at the North Wales Area Library, 233 Swartley St., North Wales. The event is free. To make reservations, visit PennSuburban.org/Events. For more information, contact the chamber office at 215-362-9200 or info@pennsuburban.org. Join presenting sponsor Verizon, chamber staff and fellow members for the Community Reading Day volunteer get together. The Community Reading Day program allows volunteers to read a designated book to second-grade students throughout 38 area public and private schools and present the book as a gift to each class. Even if you are not a volunteer, you are cordially invited to stop by to network, enjoy coffee and pastries. Ambler Mennonite Church is hosting a Spring Craft Show and Flea Market May 21 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Rain date will be May 28. The community is invited to shop the great craft booths, find some gifts and deals, as well as enjoy home baked goods and tasty lunch specials. Childrens activities are planned. All vendors are encouraged to contact the church at 215-643-4876 or AmblerMennonite@verizon.net. Advertising, signage, customer parking and a shuttle to auxiliary parking at nearby lots for vendors will be provided. 10 foot by 10 foot spaces can be rented for $5 each and tables for an additional $5 each. All proceeds from space and table rentals go toward school kits for children around the world. The church is located at the corner of East Mt. Pleasant Avenue and North Spring Garden Street, Ambler. The Wissahickon Valley Watershed Association presents The Life & Times of Aquatic Insects in the Wissahickon Creek April 16 from 1 to 3 p.m. Join WVWA for a hands-on program. RSVP required: www.wvwa.org or 215-646-8866. WVWA member fee: $5 per person / $15 per family. Non-WVWA member fee: $10 per person / $20 per family. The photography exhibition Natures Palette by photo-artist Judy Miller will run March 18 to May 19 at the Art in the Storefront gallery, 41 E. Butler Pike, Ambler. JPRN Networking For People in Transition & People Who Can Help Them Unemployment remains high. JPRN, the Jarrettown Professional Relationship Network can help. Are you trying to network your way to a new job? Do you have expertise or contacts that can help people in transition? Is your company or organization looking for people in the area? This is a free outreach program to support those seeking work, involve people with contacts and networking know how, and involve local companies. Meetings held monthly at Jarrettown United Methodist Church, Limekiln Pike. Pennsylvanias Low-Income Home Energy Assistance (LIHEAP) grant program is now open for the 2010-11 heating season. Grants are based on income, family size, type of heating fuel and region. Additional information, such as specific income limits, and applications for LIHEAP grants are available online via the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Access to Social Services (COMPASS) website at www.compass.state.pa.us. Applications are available at most public officals district offices, county assistance offices, local utility companies and community service agencies, such as Area Agencies on Aging or community action agencies. Begin your holiday shopping at Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation! Entertainment books for 2011, Philadelphia North, are now on sale at $30 each. Regal/United Artists movie tickets are on sale for just $7.50 each, and tickets to the Adventure Aquarium, Baltimore Aquarium, and the Philadelphia Zoo are also available. Discounted ski vouchers to area mountains will be arriving in December; call 215-643-1600 x3443 for more information. Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation office hours are Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. RSVP of Montgomery County and the Wissahickon Valley Public Library have partnered again to offer the public their popular free mock interview sessions. The mock interviews are conducted by RSVP volunteers who are retired professionals, some of whom were in hiring positions themselves. Packets of information which include a sample employment application and interviewing tips with mock interview questions are available at the library to pick up prior to a scheduled mock interview or will be sent via email once the interview is scheduled. To schedule your interview, please contact Janis Glusman at RSVP 610-834-1040, ext. 16. The library is also offering a free resume review service. Bring in your current resume and the professional reference staff will assist you with hints and tips on capturing your work history accurately. Registration for Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation summer playgrounds, Camp B.I.G. and Small Folks, X-Zone, and sports camps has began. Register online at www.upperdublin.net/store, or at the UDP&R office, 801 Loch Alsh Avenue, Fort Washington. Call 215-643-1600 x3443 for more information. Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation and Danielles Espresso Cafe presents Mornings at Mondaug Bark Park April 16 and May 21 from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. Meet fellow dog lovers. These events include complimentary coffee, treats for people and pups and raffles/giveaways. Upper Dublins Annual Spring Flea Market will be held June 4 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Reserve a table, or come and shop. Tables are $15 for UD residents, $20 for non-residents. This successful event occurs rain or shine. Refreshments available. Call 215-643-1600 ext. 3443 to register for a table. Regal movie tickets available for purchase at Upper Dublin Township Parks & Recreation. Reduced rate: $7.50 per ticket. Some restrictions apply. Call 215-643-1600 x3443. Whitpain Township Parks & Recreation movie tickets $7.50 Regal Cinemas, United Artist & Edwards Cinemas on sale throughout the year Monday Friday from 9 a.m. 4 p.m. Whitpain Township Parks & Recreation Camp Sign-ups for Stony Creek Day Camp Stony Creek Tracers and Park n Tots. Register on-line at www.whitpaintownship.org OrCome to Township Building with check or Visa MasterCard Monday Friday from 9 a.m. 4 p.m. For additional information call 610.277-2400 ext. 374 Upper Dublin Parks & Recreation offers exciting new programs for the fall: -Returning favorites include UK Elite Petite Soccer, Tiny Dancers, Kiddie Tennis, Fun-nastics, Messy Playtime, Little Chefs, and more. Babysitters Training will be offered in November and December. Continuing Adult Fitness Classes include Cardio Circuit, Core & More, Yoga, Boxing, and Adult G.Y.M. For more information call 215-643-1600 x3443. Register for programs online at www.upperdublin.net/store. Music and Theater The community is invited to a Cantors Concert April 16 at 8 p.m. Congregation Beth Or, 239 Welsh Road, Maple Glen. Listen and hum-along to the Yiddish, pop tunes and classical music performed by Congregation Beth Ors own Cantor David Green and his special guest, Cantor Irvin Bell, from Temple Beth Israel in Deerfield Beach, Fla. The cantors will be accompanied by Mark Sobol and his Klezmer musicians. Tickets are $18 in advance and $25 at the door. RSVP with payment to Barb Murtha, 239 Welsh Road, Maple Glen, PA 19002, or call 215-646-5806 ext. 220. Gwynedd Friends Coffeehouse will host the Jameson Sisters May 14. Doors open at 7:30 pm, performance at 8:00 pm. Gwynedd Friends Coffeehouse is located at the corner of Rte. 202 & Sumneytown Pike, Gwynedd. $5 suggested donation. Light refreshment available at a modest cost. For further information, call 215-393-9576 or visit gwyneddmeeting.org/coffeehouse.html. Celebrate patriotism through song with Gwynedd-Mercy Colleges choir, the Voices of Gwynedd, as it presents Hear America Singing April 15 at 8 p.m. The choir will perform song selections from all over the country, including Georgia on My Mind, New York State of Mind, and a medley including Philadelphia Freedom and Allentown. The performance will end with When the Saints Go Marching In to acknowledge the choirs upcoming tour in New Orleans. Hear America Singing will take place in the Julia Ball Auditorium, located in St. Bernard Hall. Parking is available in lots A, C and D. Admission is free. The Choristers will present Anton Dvoraks Stabat Mater April 16 at 7:30 p.m. at Upper Dublin Lutheran Church in Ambler. The choir will be accompanied by a 41-piece orchestra. Tickets are $20 for adults, $15 for senior citizens, $10 for students and children are free. Tickets will be sold in advance or at the door. For more information, call 215-542-7871 or visit TheChoristers.org Religious News The Staircase Gallery at Or Hadash: A Reconstructionist Congregation in Fort Washington will feature the work of Emily Ennuat-Lustine. The artist will be showing paintings and graphics inspired by her own personal spiritual journey and quest for meaning. Some of the works to be shown have been inspired by Biblical Psalms and writings. Her work has been shown at Abington Art Center, Cheltenham Arts Center and Old City Gallery of Jewish Art among others. The exhibition is open Friday evenings starting Feb. 18 after Shabbat services. Gallery hours are: Mondays through Thursdays 10-4:30, Fridays 10-3 and following Shabbat Services and Sundays 10-1. The synagogue is located at 190 Camp Hill Road in Fort Washington. For additional information contact the synagogue office at 215-283-0276. Reunions St. Matthews High School Conshohocken Class of 1961 is looking for classmates. For details, contact Greg Marincola at 215-646-2239, 215-740-1296 or gregcola@comcast.net. Olney High School Class of 1971 is Lloking for classmates for a 40th reunion Oct. 28. For details, contact Judy at ohsclassof71@yahoo.com or 215-870-7572. Abington High School Class of 1961 is seeking classmates for a 50-year reunion to be held Oct. 14-15, 2011.Visit the website, www.abington61.com, for details or call 215-947-1779. Overbrook High School class of January 1956 is having a 55 year reunion on May 22, 2011 at the Bala Golf Club in Philadelphia. For information please contact overbrookreunion56@comcast.net Germantown High School Class Of January 1961 is looking for classmates for 50th year reunion to take place in May of 2011. Please contact: 215-362-9148, 856-577-0659 or samdelcomo@comcast.net The June 1961 class of Germantown High School is holding their 50th reunion on May 15, which will be a brunch. For further details please contact Linda Dorfman Alten at lindaalten@yahoo.com or call 215-441-8411. Support New Life Presbyterian Church in Dresher, will host GriefShare, a special seminar and support group which will run on Monday evenings from 7 to 9 p.m., from March 7 through June 6. At each meeting there will be a DVD about the grief process, discussion and reference to a grief workbook. Preregistration is required to secure a place in the group and to purchase a GriefShare notebook (for a one-time fee of $15). The notebook goes along with the 13-week schedule covering such topics as: living with grief, the effects of grief, and stuck in grief. For more information or to register, call: Sandy Elder at 215-884-5149. PUPS (People Understanding Parkinsons) A self-help group for those adjusting to a new diagnosis or dealing with the early stages of Parkinsons Disease. Meets fourth Tuesday of the month from 1 to 2:30 p.m., at Abington Health Center, Schilling Campus, Willowood Building, 2510 Maryland Road, Suite 251, Willow Grove. For more information or to RSVP, contact Lorna at 215-542-2931. The North Penn Visiting Nurse Associations Meals on Wheels program is looking for volunteers to pack or deliver meals to the elderly and infirmed. Meals are packed and delivered mornings, Monday through Friday. You can volunteer for as many days per week or month as you would like. Packaging meals requires approximately 2-1/2 hours of your time each day and involves making sandwiches, packaging food into individual serving containers and packing coolers with the meals. Delivering meals requires approximately 1-1/2 hours of your time each day and involves loading coolers into your car and delivering a route of approximately 10 to 15 stops. The Meals on Wheels program is also in need of emergency, winter-weather volunteers to pack and deliver meals in bad weather. North Penn VNA is located at 51 Medical Campus Drive in Lansdale and delivers meals in the Lansdale, North Wales and Blue Bell areas. For more information or to volunteer, please call Bridget, North Penn VNA Meals on Wheels coordinator at 215-855-8296. Elkins Park Area CHADD (Children and Adults with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder) meets the first Tuesday of every month, 7- 8:30 p.m., at Einstein at Elkins Park Hospital in Elkins Park. For information on CHADD or ADHD, please see our website www.chadd.net/249 or call Claire Noyes at: 215-779-6656. Center for Loss and Bereavement, 3847 Skippack Pike, Skippack (610-222-4110) www.bereavementcenter.org Offers professional counseling for individuals, couples, children and families dealing with issues of loss and bereavement. Six-week adult support groups: Newly forming young adult grief support group every other Wednesday, 7 8:15 p.m. (free of charge); Monthly loss of child support second Mondays, 7-8:15 p.m.; Six-week young loss of spouse/partner Thursdays, 10-11:15 a.m.; Other groups scheduled as interest is shown for suicide loss support, adult loss of parent, motherless daughters, adult loss of sibling, coping with chronic illness and disability and mens loss of spouse. Nellos Corner Family Bereavement program offers peer grief support groups for ages 4 through teen and their caregivers Every other Tuesday or Wednesday (free of charge) Local chapter of Parents of Murdered Children also meets at the Center. Registration required. Call for further information. CHADD is a national organization for children & adults with Attention-Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder, providing education, advocacy and support for individuals and their families with AD/HD. Einstein at Elkins Park Hospital, 60 Township Line Road, Elkins Park, PA 19027, will host children & adults with Attention-Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder on the First Tuesday of each month 7 8:30 p.m. Free, no childcare provided. The Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphias Kehillah of Old York Road is sponsoring a free Caregiver Support Group for individuals who care for an elderly person with cognitive and/or physical impairments. The group meets at SarahCare Adult Day Care Center, 101 Washington Lane, Suite G-6, Jenkintown, Pa., on the first Wednesday of each month. Patty Rich, President Donald Trump on Tuesday said he would go around Congress and have the U.S. military build his long-promised border wall if Congress does not move to fund the barrier along the U.S.-Mexico border. If the Democrats do not give us the votes to secure our Country, the Military will build the remaining sections of the Wall, Trump said on Twitter hours before a meeting with the top two Democrats in Congress. Search Keywords: Short link: The European Commission on Tuesday said Brussels will keep close watch over France's new spending plans, a day after President Emmanuel Macron unveiled new measures to quell violent protests. But the Commission, the European Union's executiuve arm, said it will give itself until the spring to analyse the French budget as concerns increase it may breach EU rules. "The European Commission will closely monitor the impact of the announcements made by President Macron on the French deficit and any financing arrangements," the Commission's economic affairs commissioner Pierre Moscovici told AFP. "We are in constant contact with the French authorities," added Moscovici, who was attending a plenary session of the European Parliament in Strasbourg. But France has some breathing room as the Commission's spokesman Margaritis Schinas said it will follow "well-established rules" on all member country budgets, including France's. "The fiscal impact of the final budget that emerges from the parliamentary process will be assessed in the spring when we publish our economic" forecasts, Schinas told reporters in Brussels. The Commission usually publishes at the start of May its economic forecasts for all EU countries, covering growth, debt and public deficits. Meeting the EU's three percent deficit limit has been a centrepiece of Macron's European strategy in order to win the trust of powerful Berlin and its backing for EU reforms. Before the "yellow vests" protests, the 2019 public deficit was expected to reach 2.8 percent of gross domestic product (GDP), just below the threshold. Among the potentially costly measures Macron announced on Monday was a 100 euro ($113) monthly increase in the minimum wage as of next year paid for by the government, not employers. The 40-year-old centrist also announced he would roll back most of an unpopular increase in taxes on pensioners introduced by his government. And he called on all businesses "that can afford it" to give employees a one-off "end of year bonus" which would be tax free. The EU rules on public spending are "binding for everybody that is clear," said senior German MEP Manfred Weber, when asked by reporters about France's new expenditure. But he added that "what we should not do as the European Union is intervene in domestic policies so when a government in Italy is presenting its budget it is an Italian budget and in France it is the same." Italy's budget for 2019 was the first in history to be rejected by Brussels for breaking bloc rules on spending. Search Keywords: Short link: Egypt sold $1.1 billion in one-year dollar-denominated treasury bills in an auction on Monday, the central bank said. The average yield for the bills was 3.747 percent. The bills will mature on Dec. 10, 2019. The bank sold $1.7 billion worth of dollar-denominated treasury bills at a similar auction in November, with an average yield of 3.697 percent. Search Keywords: Short link: University News Dr. Matthew Schmidt, an expert on U.S. military issues, Russia, and U.S. foreign policy in North Korea, is the fourth recipient of the prestigious honor that recognizes a gifted University of New Haven educator for excellence in and out of the classroom. Matthew Schmidt, Ph.D., (far right) with his wife and children and William Bucknall (second from left), Kristin Loranger (center), and Elise Bucknall (second from right). In his classes, Matthew Schmidt, Ph.D., a University of New Haven associate professor of political science and national security, uses a wide range of teaching tools, including simulation exercises that he developed during his time teaching military officers. He connects with students by acknowledging their apprehensions and by sharing his own vulnerabilities from his educational journey, while also challenging them to think critically. "I see myself as a guide in the Platonic tradition, where education means drawing out from the student an inherent, but not yet trusted, capacity to learn," Schmidt said. Dr. Schmidts approach has led to new programs and courses at the University, including a new bachelors degree program in international development and diplomacy. "Its a validation of a lifes work up to this point. That my peers and my students thought I was worthy of this means so much." Matthew Schmidt, Ph.D. His innovative methods also led to him being named the 2018 recipient of the Universitys William L. Bucknall Excellence in Teaching Award. The award, which provides an honorarium of $15,000 and an additional $10,000 to support the recipients new teaching initiatives, rewards a faculty member for developing innovative curriculum and for exemplary instruction in and out of the classroom. "Its overwhelming," said Schmidt, the author of four books who earned his Ph.D. in government from Georgetown University. David Berghel 19 M.S. described Dr. Schmidt an extraordinary person and professor. "He is one of the most caring and compassionate educators around," he said. "Dr. Schmidt meets with me and other graduate and undergraduate students all day, every day. There is probably no one else at the University who shares as much of his personal time with his students." William L. Bucknall Jr. 63, 65, 08 Hon., Chair of the Universitys Board of Governors The award, which was established by longtime University supporter William L. Bucknall Jr. 63, 65, 08 Hon., chair of the Universitys Board of Governors, and his daughters, Elise Bucknall and Kristin Loranger. "What resonates most is Dr. Schmidts commitment to establishing a sense of unity and an atmosphere of teamwork in the classroom that helps students feel supported," Bucknall said. "His students, I understand, often credit him for helping them to become more confident learners and more deeply engaged in their studies." Aemin Becker 18, who completed a double major in political science and national security studies, took two of Schmidts classes at the University. Now pursuing a masters degree at Sciences Po in Paris, France, Becker fondly remembers Dr. Schmidts energy and concern for his students. As part of one of the classes, Becker was one of several students who traveled to Washington, D.C., to visit a number of government agencies and think tanks. "That experience was the epitome of hands-on learning, and Dr. Schmidt complemented each visit to an agency with anecdotes of his field experiences," said Becker. "That experience was easily one of the highlights of my undergraduate career." By Express News Service CHENNAI: Customs officials at Anna International Airport have seized foreign currency worth Rs 22.5 lakh, gold worth Rs 13 lakh and shuttlecocks worth Rs 24,000, on Sunday and Monday, said a Customs statement on Monday. According to the statement, on Monday, Salim Mohamed Idith (26) from Kuala Lumpur was intercepted, and it was found he possessed two thin pure gold rods worth Rs 13 lakh concealed as beading material (weighing 398 grams) along with 25 dozens of Yonexaerosensa shuttlecocks worth Rs 24,000, in his check-in baggage. On Sunday, based on tip-off, Air Intelligence officials intercepted five passengers, namely Abbdul Matheen (49), Rowther Naina (28), Sickander (40), Ibramsha (40) and Dawood Ali (48), at the departure hall. A total of Rs 22.5 lakh was recovered from them. They carried 6,800 Euros, 6,900 US dollars, 3000 Australian dollars and 800 Swiss Franc, totally valued at Rs 12.5 lakh, concealed in their rectums, the statement claimed, adding that an additional 3580 pounds, 2900 Australian dollars, 3850 Euros, 2900 US dollars and 2000 Malaysian Ringgit worth Rs 10 lakh, were kept concealed in their wallets. All were seized under Customs Act 1962. B Anbuselvan By Express News Service CHENNAI: The bus services in Chennai city are likely to suffer a setback with the Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC) banning overtime for workers during Sundays and holidays and restricting the second duty for conductors and drivers. The MTCs decision, is said to aim at curbing the malpractice in registering the overtime and allocating the second duty at depots which increases operational expenses of the Corporation.On the flip-side, the move is feared to result in cancellation of bus services as majority of bus depots in Chennai city are understaffed. According to official sources, about 100 to 150 conductors and drivers are engaged in second duty to operate buses across MTC. Major depots including Saidapet, Anna Nagar, Broadway and Koyambedu are short-staffed and depend on the second duty workers during evening hours. If additional duty and overtime to conductors and drivers are restricted, bus services will have to be cancelled, P Balakrishnan, president of State Transport Employees Union (CITU), MTC told Express. Until a decade ago, second duty was given to workers occasionally. Of late, the delay in recruitment has shrunken the workers strength, as result, the number of workers engaged in second duty for operating buses, has gradually increased to more than 150. The additional work is mostly bagged by workers who are close to influential trade union leaders. While about 40 to 50 workers retire every month, there has been no recruitment for workers in the last 29 months. The MTCs intention is to reduce the bus services, charged K Natarajan, Treasurer of Labour Progressive Federation (LPF). MTC workers are given overtime incentive of Rs 60 to 80 per hour when their working hours exceeds eight hours a day, mostly due to road traffic. During weekend days, most of the buses reach the depot well before the scheduled time. So, the depot managers are advised to cut overtime hours during Sundays and holidays, thereby Rs 20,000 additional expenses are saved per day, said A Anbu Abraham, Managing Director, MTC. Besides, the official added the depots have been instructed to reduce second duty and adhere to the schedule. No bus services will be cut in any routes. We are only enforcing the time schedule of buses. By Express News Service NEW DELHI: DMK president M K Stalin advised Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday not to maintain an anti-Congress stance for the sake of a Mahagathbandhan (grand alliance) of opposition parties in the run up to the Lok Sabha elections. READ | Stalin meets Arvind Kejriwal prior to opposition parties meeting Stalins suggestion to Kejriwal has again triggered speculation of an AAP-Congress alliance for the general elections in Delhi, Haryana, and Punjab. The Tamil Nadu leader met Kejriwal hours before the meeting of the opposition parties in the National Capital and a day after meeting Congress president Rahul Gandhi. Dont keep a negative stance against the Congress. The country needs a Mahagatbandhan (grand alliance) and you have a role in it, Stalin reportedly told Kejriwal. The development comes just a day after senior AAP leader and Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Singh announced that the party is not in talks with the Congress for a possible anti-BJP alliance. Singh, however, had hinted that the decision is not final when he said that there is a need for an anti-BJP formation to trounce the BJP. READ | Opposition parties agree to expedite pact; BSP, SP stay off meet On several occasions, the AAP has complained that the Congress did not reach out to it. In August, during the election of the Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha, the AAP was miffed that Rahul did not ask for its support for the voting on the floor of the House. The AAP had also announced that it will not join any opposition alliance against the BJP for the general elections. But, in a recent softening of the stance, Kejriwal and Rahul shared the stage at the farmers protest in Delhi on November 30. AAP sources said during the 30-minute-long meeting on Monday, the DMK president urged Kejriwal to drop his resistance against the Congress. At the opposition meeting, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu also asked the opposition parties to bury their differences for the sake of democracy. READ | Chandrababu, Rahul, condemn Urjit Patel's resignation; terms it an assault It will be now interesting to watch if and how the chief of the Aam Aadmi Party, which came to power in Delhi after a relentless agitation against the then ruling Congress, will pay heed to the advice against its arch-rival BJP. phanindra papasani By Express News Service VIJAYAWADA: For 48-year-old Syed Shamshad Begum, mother of Ayesha Meera, who was murdered 11 years ago in her hostel room in Ibrahimpatnam, Vijayawada Court Complex is a grim reminder of the time she fought tirelessly to get justice for her daughter. Almost a decade after local Mahila Sessions Court convicted Pidathala Satyam Babu for the murder of her daughter, Syed Shamshad Begum and Iqbal Basha, Ayeshas father, visited the Vijayawada Court Complex on Monday to attend a seminar on the World Human Rights Day, held in the Bezawada Bar Association (BBA) hall. During a brief interaction with TNIE, Shamshad Begum shared her pain of waiting to see Ayeshas killers punished. She also expressed her confidence on the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) cracking the mystery behind the murder. This time, we will clearly tell the CBI officials not to waste their time as well as public money. In the name of case re-investigation, SIT officials spent 10 months and couldnt come to a logical conclusion, said Shamshad Begum. Stating that the direction of Hyderabad High Court Chief Justice Radhakrishnan to give the case to CBI was historic and and it meant an end of their wait to see the killers getting punished, she said, Other than CBI, we dont have any other agency whose doors we can knock for justice. We hope our daughter will finally be able to get justice. ALSO READ | Will CBI be able to nail Ayesha Meeras killers? She also demanded CBI officials to complete the case investigation by conducting Narco analysis test on the seven suspects prime suspect Koneru Satish Babu (grandson of former minister Koneru Ranga Rao), Abburi Ganesh and Chintha Pawan Kumar, Inampudi Padma (hostel warden), Inampudi Siva Ramakrishna (hostel wardens husband) and Ayeshas roommates Sowmya and Kavya. In two weeks, it (Ayeshas murder) will complete 11 years and we are still running from pillar to post for justice. The case is revolving around the seven, and the CBI could crack it if they start investigating into it, she said. For the seminar on World Human Right Day, High Court criminal lawyer, who argued on behalf of Pidathala Satyam Babu in the Ayesha Meera case, Pattabhi Vemulapati, attended as a chief guest. He said awareness on human rights is the need of the hour. By PTI RAIPUR: The Congress forming the next government in Chhattisgarh became a mere formality Tuesday as Chief Minister Raman Singh of BJP resigned, after his party's disappointing performance in the state Assembly polls. Congress is leading in 64, while BJP was relegated to a distant second spot with 18 seats, as per latest trends available in 89 of the 90 seats in the House. "I have submitted my resignation to Chhattisgarh Governor," Raman Singh told reporters. ALSO READ | Congress makes massive inroads in central Chhattisgarh He said he accepts responsibility for BJP's poll performance in Chhattisgarh, adding "we (party) will sit and introspect". He refused to pass the buck on the BJP's national leadership over the setback after 15 years of the party's rule in the state. "The election was solely contested on state agenda and it is not related to Delhi. We will sit with the party workers and analyse the defeat in detail." ALSO READ | We were not expecting such big blessing from people: Congress Chhattisgarh chief "This will not reflect on the Lok Sabha election scheduled in 2019. The issues for Lok Sabha are different and election will be contested on those issues," he said. "It is time to work in a new role for Chhattisgarh. We will work with full vigour," Singh said. By PTI JAIPUR: Talks are on between former chief minister Ashok Gehlot and a few Congress rebels who won as independents in Rajasthan assembly polls to support the party in government formation, a party leader said Tuesday. Independent MLAs Mahadev Khandela, Babu Lal Nagar -- both former ministers, Kanti Prasad and others are in touch with Gehlot, he said. ALSO READ | Rajasthan election results HIGHLIGHTS The Congress has won 99 seats in Rajasthan, falling just one seat short of the majority mark of 100, according to latest trends. Rajasthan has 200 assembly seats, but voting was held in only 199 as polling was countermanded in one seat due to death of a candidate. The BJP, which had wrested the state from the Congress five years ago, has won 73 seats, the BSP bagged 6, the CPM got 6 and another 6 went to candidates of three other parties, trends showed. Twelve independents have also won and one is leading. By Express News Service HYDERABAD: As the office goers start leaving for their 9 o clock shifts on Tuesday morning, they will also start getting a fair idea of which politician will be representing them in the Telangana Assembly as the counting of votes is set to begin at 8 am. ALSO READ | Over 1.74 lakh EVMs store fate of 8,500 candidates of five states But those who are curious to know which party or their candidate has won the seats in the 119 constituencies, they may have to a little longer, though not for too long, as the initial trends on the results are likely to emerge around 10 am. The process will start with manual counting of 44,258 postal ballots and thereafter votes in EVM will be counted. Counting postal ballots will take around one-and-half hour. So votes in EVMs might be counted from 9.30 am. While a total of 2,379 rounds of counting of votes will be held in 119 constituencies, lowest of 12 rounds will held at Aswaraopet & Bhadrachalam & highest of 42 rounds in Serilingampally. ALSO READ | What Governor should do in case of a hung house Chief Electoral Officer Rajat Kumar said that it all depends on how efficiently staff completes the rounds of voting. Addressing a press conference here on Monday, Rajat Kumar said that apart from 3,356 counting staff, a 1,916 micro observers, around 20,000 police personnel will be on duty. The process will be taken up in presence of poll agents of different parties. Postal ballots While TPCC members on Sunday had alleged that 15,000 to 20,000 government employees, teachers constables and others who were on election duty did not receive postal ballots, CEO denied it and said that whoever submitted Form-12 were issued postal ballots. ALSO READ | TRS preparing to play key role in national politics Telangana Teachers Federation members said that since the employees who were on election duty received Postal Ballots on Saturday, they could not mail it on Sunday as post offices were closed. However, The CEO said that the Postal Department assured that the postal ballots will be delivered in time to either Returning Officer or Counting Centre. KCRs name deleted Regarding TRS chief K Chandrasekhar Raos name appearing in voters list both in Siddipet and Gajwel, the CEO said that the Raos name was deleted from one of the constituencies following the due process. He (KCR) expressed willingness to continue in Chintamadaka (Siddipet), he said, adding that accordingly his name was deleted from the other constituency. He also said that while same names appearing twice is not a criminal offence, it counts as an offence if vote is casted in two places. 3-tier security to be deployed at counting centres Speaking to mediapersons on Monday, Additional DGP (Law and Order) Jitender said, Three tier security will deployed at the counting centres and strong rooms. In the first tier, central forces will be deployed and in the second and third tier, the State police will be placed to prevent untoward incidents. ALSO READ | Peoples Front meets Governor to formalise alliance A senior IPS officer will monitor security at each counting centre, Jitender said. The Additional DG further said that they would not allow victory processions after counting process is done. The candidates must take permission from the police for conducting any victory procession. Egypt's Minister of Planning Hala El-Said said that the law on establishing the country's sovereign wealth fund is being put into effect. In July, Egypts House of Representatives passed a law presented by the government to set up the sovereign wealth fund to manage state companies. It was subsequently ratified by the president. The system laying out the funds tasks and the appointment of its chairman, advisory board and general assembly are being put into effect, El-Said said. According to the new law, the Egypt Fund will be worth EGP 200 billion and will be headquartered in Cairo. The law approves EGP 5 billion start-up capital for the fund, with EGP 1 billion to be transferred immediately from the treasury. Deputy Minister of Planning Ahmed Kamali said that the government will have no direct interference with the fund, to avoid any political influence, as it will be completely separate from governmental funding. He pointed out that the fund is mainly directed to invest in inactive government assets inside or outside Cairo, without requiring a certain share for the government. According to Al-Ahram Arabic website, the fund will focus on fields like petrochemicals, mining, tourism and pharmaceutical industries. Search Keywords: Short link: VV Balakrishna By Express News Service HYDERABAD: What if the election results today throw up a hung Assembly? If no one is able to scale the magic figure, 60, the Governor will be the focus of attention. Will he call the single largest party to form the government? Or the leader who claims majority through a pre-poll alliance? Can a leader who claims majority with post-poll alliance be invited first? Though the Sarkaria and Punchhi Commissions tried to address the role of the Governor in the event of hung Assembly, there are no specific laws or Acts to this regard. This has made the role of the Governor ambiguous, as it was recently witnessed in Goa, Karnataka, Manipur and Delhi after elections. ALSO READ | Will stand by TRS, says Owaisi after meeting K Chandrasekhar Rao However, several past judgements make it clear that a pre-poll alliance must be considered as the single-largest party, and must get the first invitation to form the government. If there is a pre-poll alliance, it should be treated as one political party. In case, such coalitions gets a majority, the leader of such alliance shall be called by the Governor to form the government, the Punchhi Commission had noted. Mentioning the same, the Congress-led Peoples Front met Governor ESL Narasimhan on Monday and asked him to consider them as a single party. The Punchhi Commission, that heavily relief on the report submitted by the Sarkaria Commission, also made a set of guidelines for the Governor to follow in the case of a hung Assembly. ALSO READ | Telangana Elections: Secret ballot now an open secret? The Punchhi Commission also observed that there are no specific rules or guidelines in case of a hung Assembly. The option before the Governor is to follow the established conventions or practices. The same rule was applied in the Karnataka Assembly recently. But, will the Governor follow the recommendations of the commissions? Punchhi Report Guidelines The party or combination of parties which commands the widest support in the Assembly should be invited to form the government If there is a pre-poll alliance or coalition, it should be treated as one political party If such coalition obtains a majority, the leader of such alliance should be invited by the Governor to form the government If no party or pre-poll coalition has clear majority, the Governor should select the Chief Minister in rder of preference like: single largest party with the support of others the group with the largest pre-poll alliance, which commands the largest number post-electoral coalition with all parties joining the government post-electoral alliance with some parties joining the government including Independents and also support to government from outside How Courts Ruled on Hung House Illustration: Tapas Ranjan Chandrakant Kavlekar Vs Union of India This a case relating to elections held in Goa in 2017. The Congress emerged as the single largest party in the Goa polls. But, the BJP approached the Governor with the support of other parties and Independent MLAs. The BJP formed the government. The Congress knocked the doors of the SC. The SC ordered that the BJP should prove its strength. ALSO READ | If the TRS needs a BFF in House, whom will it pick? Senior advocate AM Singhvi relied on Sarkaria Commission report in the Goa case in 2017. In that case, the Congress was the single largest party. But, the BJP formed post-poll alliance. When Singhvi had relied upon Sarkaria report, the court asked Singhvi whether he was endorsing the Sarkaria Commission report? Singhvi said in the affirmative. He pointed that the Supreme Court endorsed the report in Bommai, Rameshwar Prasad and Nabam Rebia cases. SR Bommai Vs Union of India, 1994 The Sarkaria Commission report was cited extensively in this judgment. The court ordered that the Governor should invite the leader of the party, who is commanding majority in the House, or the single largest party or group to form the Government. Nabam Rebia Vs Deputy Speaker In this case, the Supreme Court reinstated Nabam Tuki as the Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh by invalidating the actions of the Governor. The reports of the Sarkaria and the Punchhi Commissions are referred to widely. The role of the Governor is also discussed at length in this case. hung house history There are several cases in the past on the role of the Governor in case of hung Assembly, dissolution of the Assembly, no-trust motion and imposing Presidents rule in the State. 2017 The Congress won 28 seats out of 60 seats in Manipur. But, Governor Najma Heptulla invited the BJP, which won only 21 seats, to form the government with the support of other parties. 2005 In Jharkhand, the saffron party had won 30 out of 81 seats. The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) won only 17 seats and it was invited to form the government. In Goa, the BJP won 13 seats and the Congress won 17 seats out of 40 seats. The BJP managed to form post-poll alliance. 2002 In Jammu and Kashmir, the National Conference won 28 constituencies but the Governor invited the Congress and PDP who won 21 and 15 seats. 2013 In Delhi elections, the BJP got 31 seats. However, the AAP which got 27 seats was invited to form the government. When there was a hung Lok Sabha in 1998, after exploring various options, the President gave an opportunity to Atal Bihari Vajpayee to form the government. The then President KR Narayan noted with regard to the 12th Lok Sabha: One, no party or pre-election alliance of parties has won the number of seats required to give it a clear majority in the House. Two, the BJP has emerged as the single largest party though short of a majority. Three, the BJP-led pre-election combination of parties and individuals is also the single largest of such formation. Four, Vajpayee has been duly elected leader of BJP in Parliament. By Online Desk The BJP and the Congress are in a neck-to-neck fight in Madhya Pradesh as trends in all 230 Assembly seats show the opposition party having a slight edge over the ruling faction. The BJP led by Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan is hoping for a fourth consecutive term in Madhya Pradesh but the contest is going right down to the wire, with the Congress posing a stiff fight. The BJP had 166 seats in the outgoing assembly while the Congress had 57 and the BSP 4. Voters also had the option of choosing the BSP, which is contesting 227 seats, and the AAP, which is contesting 208 seats. The Samajwadi Party is also in the fray in 51 seats. A voter turnout of 74.61 per cent was recorded this year, compared to 72.13 per cent in 2013. The percentage of women candidates has also risen to 9 per cent from 7 per cent last year. Contestants to watch out for: BJP Shivraj Singh Chouhan Yashodhara Raje Scindia (Vasundhara Raje's sister, BJP minister) Krishna Gaur (daughter of former CM Babulal Gaur) Fatima Siddiqui (lone Muslim BJP candidate) Congress Ajay Singh (Leader of the Opposition) Arun Yadav (Former state Congress President, locking horns with Chouhan in Budhni) Laxman Singh (Digvijay Singh's brother) By Online Desk JAIPUR: The Congress Tuesday was set to wrest Rajasthan from the BJP after its candidates were declared elected on 99 seats out of the 199 that went to the polls. As the Congress neared the majority mark of 100, Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje submitted her resignation to Governor Kalyan Singh. The ruling BJP bagged 73 seats, Bahujan Samaj Party won six, Bhartiya Tribal Party won two, the Rashtriya Loktantrik Party three, the CPI(M) two and the Rashtriya Lok Dal one. Independents won 12 seats and were leading on one more as the focus in Rajasthan shifted on who would be the Congress choice for chief minister between two-time CM Ashok Gehlot and the party's state unit president Sachin Pilot. Rahul Gandhi thanked people and party workers for party's good performance in three states of Rajasthan, Chhatisgarh and Madhya Pradesh while asserting that the poll outcome raised "questions" on the Modi government's policies. He also said it was a clear message to Prime Minister Narendra Modi that people are not happy with decisions, including demonetisation and those pertaining to farmers and youth. By Online Desk The gamble for early polls appears to have paid rich dividends as the Telangana Rashtra Samithi on Tuesday appeared to be advancing towards a two-third majority in the 119-member Assembly. The TRS this time has improved its vote share to 47 per cent, an increase of almost 14 per cent from 2014. The 'Maha Kutami' or grand alliance of the Congress, TDP, CPI and Telangana Jana Samiti (TJS), have been dealt a harsh blow, ending with 21 seats. The TRS had won 63 seats in the 2014 Assembly polls, followed by the Congress with 21, TDP with 15, AIMIM with 7 and BJP with 5. By PTI KAPURTHALA: More than 225 terrorists have been killed in Jammu and Kashmir so far this year, Northern Army Commander Lt Gen Ranbir Singh said on Saturday. He said initiatives taken by the government and security forces had resulted in a drop in the number of local youths being radicalised and taking to militancy over the last few months. "We have been able to neutralise a large number of terrorists. As on date, we have been neutralised more than 225 terrorists. However, a couple of days of this year are still balanced (left)," Singh told reporters here on the sidelines of his visit to Sainik School, his alma mater. He said locals were sharing information about terrorists' movements with the Army, which is a positive sign. "That is a very positive sign, which shows a decline of militancy. It shows frustration on the part of Pakistan to push more and more terrorists into J&K. But our resolve is clear that as long as terrorists are moving around they shall not be provided space to carry out activities at their will. They will be acted against and neutralised," he said. "We will ensure that peace and stability are maintained in J&K," he added. Singh said the Army would not allow radicalisation of local youth in the state. "All the initiatives by the government and security forces in J&K are paying rich dividends. There is reduction in the number of local youths joining militancy, which was taking place in last couple of months. There is a relative decline. There is also a decline in radicalisation," he said. "That is the reason that situation is stable in J&K. But (if) any untoward thing happens, the Army acts swiftly and ensures peace, stability and security," he added. Speaking about Pakistan, Singh said the neighbouring country was trying to spread terrorism beyond Kashmir in India. The Army is taking all measures to arrest the spread of terrorism, he said. He lauded the Kartarpur corridor, which will connect Dera Baba Nanak in India's Gurdaspur district with Gurdwara Kartarpur Sahib Narowal in Pakistan. It is a good thing as it will encourage people to people contact, he said. Warning infiltrators, Singh said those who dare to cross the Line of Control (LoC) will have to face death. He also said the Army was giving a befitting response to Pakistan's snipers and the force had kept up the pressure on the adversary along the LoC. By PTI NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court said on Tuesday that if there is a "common thread" among the murders of social activists Narendra Dabholkar, Govind Pansare, journalist Gauri Lankesh and rationalist M M Kalburgi, then one agency can investigate all the four cases. A bench of Justices U U Lalit and Navin Sinha asked the CBI to inform it by January first week as to why it should not investigate all the four cases if there appears a link among all the murders. The counsel for the Maharashtra government informed the court that the CBI is investigating the murder cases of social activist and professor Narendra Dabholkar after the Bombay High Court transferred the probes to the agency. The court, after perusing the status report of the Karnataka Police, said there appears to be a link between the murders of journalist Gauri Lankesh and rationalist M M Kalburgi. It asked the Maharashtra government's counsel about the status of the investigation into the Pansare murder case, to which the counsel said the case was pending before the Kohlapur trial court. Earlier in the day, the Karnataka Police had informed the apex court that there appears to be a connection between Lankesh and Kalburgi murder cases. The state police also told the apex court that it will file a chargesheet in the Kalburgi murder case in three months. Noted scholar Kalburgi was killed at Dharwad in 2015. Pansare was also killed the same year. Lankesh was shot dead on September 5, 2017 in Bengaluru, whereas rationalist Dabholkar was assassinated on August 20, 2013. The top court on November 26 had pulled up the Karnataka government for "doing nothing and just fooling around" in the investigation and had indicated that it may transfer the case to the Bombay High Court. The top court had on January 10 sought the response of probe agencies NIA and CBI and the two state governments on the allegation of Uma Devi that no substantial investigation has been carried out so far in the murder case. Kalburgi's wife, in her petition, had alleged that there was common link between the murder of her husband and that of activists Narendra Achyut Dabholkar and Govindrao Pansare, who too were assassinated in August 2013 and February 2015 respectively. The 77-year old Kalburgi, the former vice chancellor of Hampi University and a well-known epigraphist, was shot dead in broad daylight at his residence in Kalyan Nagar in Dharwad, Karnataka, on August 30, 2015. Born in 1938, he was a Sahitya Akademi award-winning writer of old Kannada literature. Namita Bajpai By Express News Service LUCKNOW: The investigation into Bulandshahr violence, which claimed two lives, took a turn when the Special Investigation Team (SIT) stumbled upon a CCTV footage while scanning hundreds of videos spotting a youth who was part of the mob, allegedly shooting inspector Subodh Kumar Singh on fateful last Monday. As per the reports, the youth was spotted by the officials of SIT, headed by IG Meerut range Ram Kumar, in the CCTV footage of Dilawari Devi Kanya PG College near Chaingrawati police outpost, the epicentre of December 3 mob violence. As per the sources, the youth, identified as the one hailing from Chingrawati village, was seen with a group of five youngsters surrounding the deceased inspector during the violence. As per the sources, the CCTV footage showed the inspector running in a field and being chased by a mob. In the melee, as Sumit, who was also a part of the frenzied mob, sustained a gunshot. As a result, this youth (seen in the CCTV footage) got agitated, he allegedly snatched the service revolver of Inspector Subodh Kumar Singh and shot at him. The cop received the bullet injury near his left eye brow and succumbed to it. Of the other four youths accompanying the alleged shooter, two belonged to Chingrawati and rest two to Mahaw village. READ | My father taught us to be secular, says son of cop killed in Bulandshahr violence It may be recalled that in a number of video footages, deceased youth Sumit was allegedly seen with stone in hand indicating that he was part of rampaging mob and indulged in pelting stones at the police party. However, it is yet to be known as who fired at Sumit who died in a Meerut hospital during treatment. During the course of inquiry, the SIT had hinted that both victims --the inspector and Sumit --had sustained the bullets fired from the weapon of same bore.32. Significantly, the youth, who was spotted in the CCTV footage allegedly firing at the inspector, is not named in the FIR lodged in connection with rioting, violence and murder in Bulandshahr. However, he has been absconding along with his entire family since the day of trouble, said the sources. On a lookout trail of the youth, the STF and crime branch teams have been raiding Chingrawati village repeatedly since Monday but to no success as of now. READ | Local BJP leaders had demanded transfer of slain police officer days before violence The district police, till now, have arrested nine persons, including soldier Jeetendra Malik alias Jeetu Fauji, Chaman, Devendra, Rohit, Sonu, Chandrapal, Lala Gujjar, and Kuldeep Tyagi. However, some prominent right wing activists including Yogesh Raj of Bajrang Dal, Shishir Agarwal of BJP youth wing and a few others, named in the FIR related to the trouble have been away from police net since last Monday. As per ADG, Meerut zone, Prashant Kumar, the police teams were hunting for the youth who was seen allegedly shooting the inspector and that he would be nabbed soon. Meanwhile, a third FIR was filed by the UP Police in Bulandshahar violence The FIR was filed on the basis of a written complaint by Amarjeet, the father of the 20-year-old youth Sumit, who was also killed along with inspector Subodh Kumar Singh in the December 3 violence. "Based on Amarjeet's written complaint, an FIR has been lodged under sections of murder against unknown persons at the Syana Kotwali. The FIR will be merged with the existing FIR of the ongoing probe in the violence," Pravin Ranjan Singh, superintendent of police (city) said. By UNI NEW DELHI: Amid possibilities of heated debate and clash over various issues during the Winter Session of the Parliament, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday expressed hope that all parties and members will rise above political affiliation and discharge their duties as lawmakers for the general good of the people. ALSO READ | Parliament winter session: PM Modi calls for a productive last session Talking to media persons in Parliament premises before the commencement of the month-long session, Mr Modi said, ''I am confident all the members will work for the general good of the people and discard party interest." "Sabhi Dal Jan heet ke liye kaam karenge (All parties will work for the general good of the people)," Prime Minister said. "This session is important, many issues of public importance will be taken up. I have faith that all the members will respect this sentiment and move ahead. Our efforts are that discussions are held on all issues," he said. Prime Minister said there should be debate and discussions on all issues and both the Houses will transact business smoothly. By IANS NEW DELHI: President Ram Nath Kovind on Tuesday accepted the resignation of Rashtriya Lok Samata Party (RLSP) chief Upendra Kushwaha from the Union Council of Ministers. Kushwaha had sent in his resignation on Monday. ALSO READ | RLSPs two Bihar MLAs defy Upendra Kushwaha, say they will continue with NDA "The President of India, as advised by the Prime Minister, has accepted the resignation of Upendra Kushwaha from the Union Council of Ministers, with immediate effect," an official communique said. After resigning from the Council of Ministers, Kushwaha also quit the BJP-led NDA charging Prime Minister Narendra Modi of betraying Bihar. The RLSP chief also said Modi has been pursuing an "opaque style of functioning and a non-democratic leadership style". Kushwaha, who is the second BJP ally to quit the Modi government after the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), said in a long letter that the Union Cabinet "has been reduced to a mere rubber stamp". By Express News Service SRINAGAR: Militants attacked a police post in Zainapora area of south Kashmirs Shopian district on Tuesday afternoon, killing four policemen. The police post was guarding the minority community in the Zainapora area. Sources said the militants also snatched weapons from the slain policemen before fleeing. Three to four weapons have been snatched by militants, they said. One of the policemen, who has suffered multiple bullet injuries, has been evacuated to hospital and his condition is stated to be critical. He later succumbed to his injuries. After the militant attack, police, CRPF and army men rushed to the area and laid siege around the area to track down the militants responsible for the attack. Shopian district along with three other districts of south Kashmir has emerged as stronghold of militants after killing of Hizb commander Burhan Wani in an encounter with security forces on July 8, 2016. The screening will take place in Downtown Cairo Tchaikovsky's famed ballet The Nutcracker will be screened to Cairene audiences at the Balassi Institute, the cultural centre of the Embassy of Hungary in Cairo, on Thursday. The high-definition screening is made possible by the "MUPA experience" screening shows, which are recorded at Budapest's Festival Theatre. The screening will be preceded by the Christmas Cafe, which serves hot drinks and sweets. On its official website Mupa explains that "nearly fifty performances from the Festival Theatre and the Bela Bartok National Concert Hall have been recorded in excellent HD quality. These special recordings are bound to be a huge success, guaranteed by world-class stars and renowned artists, together with the unparalleled Mupa studio and its excellent technicians." Programme: Thursday, 13 December 6.30pm: Christmas Cafe with hot drinks and sweets 7.30pm: Screening of Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker Balassi Institute Floor 2, 3 Gawad Hosni St., Downtown, Cairo For more arts and culture news and updates, follow Ahram Online Arts and Culture on Twitter at @AhramOnlineArts and on Facebook at Ahram Online: Arts & Culture Search Keywords: Short link: Avay Shukla By Insurance is the subject of solicitation declaim the ads for health insurance and they are right. For it is certainly not the subject of solicitude. It is a shocking fact that while insurance companies make billions in profits by insuring the young and healthy, they are not willing to cover some of the most vulnerable and deserving sections of society: to take the two most numerous of themthe physically disabled and HIV/AIDS-afflicted. The regulatorsthe Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDA) and the Office of the Chief Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities (CCPD)who are mandated by law to ensure that this discrimination does not happen, appear to be more sympathetic to corporates than to those who need insurance cover. Article 25 of the UN Convention on the rights of the disabled prohibits discrimination in matters of health and life insurance. The right to health includes the right to medical cover without any discrimination. But this is still a distant dream for Indias 22 million physically disabled persons. Their conventional medical parameters are likely no worse than that of the average person. And yet insurance companies summarily reject their applications, ab initio, without assigning any reason, and often rudely. My son is a quadriplegic and I have come to know many physically disabled persons, not one of whom has been successful in obtaining medical cover. The refusal by these companies is illegal because it runs counter to the IRDAI (Health Insurance) Regulations, 2016: Regulation 8 (b): The underwriting policy shall also cover health insurance coverage not only to standard lives but also to sub-standard lives.Regulation 8 (c): A denial of a proposal shall be communicated to the prospect in writing by recording all the reasons for denial. Provided that the denial of the coverage shall be the last resort that an insurer may consider. Both rules are being flouted with impunity: the only policy insurance companies have for the unhappily worded sub-standard lives is to ignore them totally, and rejecting their cases is the first resort, not the last. There is no evaluation of medical history, review of current condition or transparent assessment of risks, as is required by IRDA. At the first mention of the word disabled the proposal is rejected outright. One could perhaps understand the mercantile bias of insurance companies but what is shocking is the callous attitude of the two regulators. If someone files a representation against an insurance companys rejection with the CCPD office, the latter does nothing more than act as a post office by forwarding the representation to IRDA, which in turn forwards it to the insurer, whose standard comments are regurgitated back down the line. The end result is more shocking: the IRDA defending the violation of its own rules by endorsing the companys stand by stating (as in my sons case), Insurance products should be financially viable and self sustainable for them to meet the liabilities as and when the claim arises. This is a red herring for there are no actuarial studies to establish that covering the disabled is financially unviable. Nor has IRDA bothered to find out if companies have a reasonable policy for sub-standard lives as the regulation requires. The same commercial callousness is evident in the treatment meted out to HIV/AIDS patients; insurance companies do not provide them health cover on the presumption that their weakened immune systems will expose them to more ailments, and therefore make their policies financially unviable. But there are (as in the case of the disabled) no firm actuarial studies to support this. However, there is now a ray of hope for HIV/AIDS patients: goaded by international pressure and court rulings, the government has promulgated a law to protect their interests. The Human Immunodeficiency Virus and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (Prevention and Control) Act, 2017, came into effect in September, and Section 3 bars companies from discriminating against them. The IRDA, as usual, belatedly followed up with a vapid circular in October, ruling that these companies cannot deny insurance cover to HIV/AIDS-affected persons unless supported by actuarial studies. In a landmark verdict on 26 February, the Delhi High Court said contracts have to be based on empirical testing and data and cannot be simply on the basis of subjective or vague factors. The business model for health insurance is to make hefty profits from the healthy and use part of it to cross subsidise (if necessary) the sick. In India, companies are being allowed to get away with disregarding the second part. Even the Ayushman Bharat initiative will be a betrayal of the disabled and HIV/AIDS patients unless this is fixed. The legislative protection provided to HIV/AIDS cases should also be made available to the physically disabled by incorporating similar provisions in the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016. Regulators should be given the powers to impose fines on defaulting insurance companies. IRDA should commission actuarial studies to determine the risks for various classes and categories of the disabled, and fix the range of permissible premiums for each. Most important of all, the IRDA and CCPD office will have to move beyond issuing circulars and show genuine empathy and sensitivity to the plight of these people: they have already been let down by fate, the government should not let them down too. Avay Shukla served in the IAS for 35 years and retired as Additional Chief Secretary of Himachal Pradesh Email: avayshukla@gmail.com By Express News Service HYDERABAD: The announcement of the Assembly election results on Tuesday will not end the poll fever in the State. The election fever will continue for another seven months, as the State will witness a series of elections. Immediately after the Assembly election results are announced, the State government is all set to conduct the polls to Panchayat Raj bodies. The High Court accorded green signal for the conduct of Panchayat Raj elections on Monday. The election fever will continue in the State. The Panchayat Raj elections have to be conducted immediately after the formation of the State government, a minister in the State Cabinet told TNIE. Once the State Election Commission begings its exercise, it will take at least one month time to complete the poll process for the Panchayat elections. By Express News Service BENGALURU: The Central Government has rejected the Karnataka Governments proposal seeking a separate minority religion status for the Lingayat community. The decision was informed to the State government through a communication dated November 13 after taking into consideration the views of the Ministry of Home Affairs and the National Commission for Minorities. With this, the Union Government reiterated its stand that was taken in 2013 on a similar proposal.This communication was placed before a division bench of Chief Justice Dinesh Maheshwari and Justice S Sujatha of the High Court on Monday by Additional Solicitor General Prabhuling K Navadgi. ALSO READ | Central governments no in Lingayat issue brings relief to parties The Centre gave two reasons for rejecting the proposal. The demand was considered earlier also and it was observed that Lingayat has always been classified under Hindus ever since the 1871 census, the first official census in India and that Lingayat is considered as a religious sect of Hindus, and if they are treated as a separate religion by providing separate code other than Hindu, all members of the Scheduled Caste professing the said religion would lose their status as SC along with the consequential benefits available to them as SC, the centre stated. NCM agrees with views of the MHA. Taking into account the views of MHA and NCM, it may not be possible for the Ministry to accede the request of Government of Karnataka, the Ministry of Minority Affairs, Government of India, said in its communication sent to the Secretary, Minority Welfare, Haj and Waqf Department, Karnataka. ALSO READ | Lingayat issue: Ramesh Jarkiholi asks DK Shivakumar to mind his business The court also disposed of a batch of public interest litigations, saying the petitions did not survive for consideration. The petitioners had challenged the validity of constituting a panel headed by Justice Nagamohan Das, former judge of High Court, by the Karnataka State Minorities Commission (KSMC) after demand for separate religious status for Lingayats/Veerashaivas was referred to it by the then Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. The state government had referred the matter to KSMC, which constituted a panel of experts on December 22, 2017 to look into the same. Shanbhog and others challenged the constitution of the panel on the ground that the Commission was formed by the State only to look after the welfare of the minority communities and hence it has no power to constitute the panel. The state had contended that it has the power to consider the demand for minority status for a community and also to recognise it as a minority under the Karnataka State Minorities Commission Act. ALSO READ | Former CM Siddaramaiah defends his governments decision on Lingayat religion The court had then passed an interim order that the constitution of the panel is subject to the result of these petitions. The panel recommended to the state to accord the religious minority status. The Karnataka Govt issued notification recommending minority status on March 22, 2018. It referred the matter to the Union government for consideration on March 23, 2018. The demand to accord minority religion status to the Lingayats was a major issue during the assembly elections earlier this year. Many Congress ministers were part of this campaign, while the BJP had opposed the move. Jagatika Lingayat Mahasabha, the forum pushing for a separate religion tag, said it would fight against the Centres decision. Rejecting the Centres quoting of the 1871 census to club Lingayats under Hindu category, National Secretary General of the forum and former IAS officer, S M Jaamdar, said, The census clearly says Lingayat is a separate religion and not a caste within the Hindu religion. He also disagreed with the Centres contention that SCs would lose benefits if Lingayats are accorded religious status. If benefits were given to SCs under Sikhism and Buddhism, why cant it be applied to Lingayats?, he said. Lingayats to fight against Centres decision Jagatika Lingayat Mahasabha, the forum demanding a separate religion tag for Lingayats, will write to the Union Home Ministry to reconsider its decision, after which legal action will be initiated, said its National Secretary General, S M Jaamdar. Rejecting the Centres quoting of the 1871 census, Jaamdar said, The census itself deems Lingayats as a separate religion along with Jains. Whoever referred to the census and put it across to Central Government hasnt read it. Hemanth Kumar By Express News Service BENGALURU: Farmers in the state are preparing for one more round of showdown with the state government, even as Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy made a beginning to deliver on his promise of farm loan waiver by launching the distribution of Debt-free certificates. Though the programme has raised hopes of some relief for them from the debt burden, the continuing incidence of farmers suicides, which has crossed 220 since the programme was announced, reflects a bigger crisis that has gripped the farm sector in the state. Karnataka has the largest tracts of arid drylands after Rajasthan in the country. Successive droughts over the last six years, except for some respite in between, have left the farmers here run up huge debts. The volatile market system has added to their misery. The current year too has brought tears for the tillers as 100 taluks are under the grip of drought again. Incessant rain, floods and landslides have devastated not just crops, but even their homes and land in 45 taluks. While the state had targeted 74.69 lakh hectares for sowing in the Kharif season for 2018, actual sowing was done in 66.69 lakh hectares and sprouting was reported in just 27.36 lakh hectares, which is 41 per cent of the sown area. The successive crop losses have pushed farmers under heavy debt burden and the delay in implementing loan waiver is turning them restive. The farm loan waiver is, however, a temporary relief for the indebted farmer, not a solution for the crisis that has gripped the farm sector, says Kurubur Shantha Kumar, the president of the Karnataka State Sugarcane Farmers Association as he lists the factors that have worsened the crisis in the agriculture sector. The consecutive droughts, with intermittent floods, have shown the impact that climate change can have on the lives of farmers. The rise in farm input costs, scarcity and high cost of labour, policy weaknesses under the banner of Green Revolution, and mechanisation approach raised the cost of production without any means to raise the net income of farmers, says Shantha Kumar, pointing out the failure of our agriculture universities, and research and development organisations to develop crop varieties that withstand drought conditions, and reduce cost of farming. The Green Revolution succeeded in raising the production to make India self-sufficient in food grains. But the seed, fertilizer, and tractor-oriented programme dealt a blow for traditional farming advantages, resulting in a rise in cost of production. It forced the farmers to borrow more but without any mechanism to increase their net income. The bumper production usually causes big fall in price of the commodity, pushing the farmer to further penury, Shantha Kumar says. Globalisation and free market economy have also contributed to market volatility. With 90 per cent of the farmers having very small land holdings, the option of mechanised farming becomes impractical. The cost of labour constitutes about 32 per cent of the agriculture cost, according to Karnataka Agriculture Price Commission Chairman T N Prakash Kammardi. The weaknesses in government policies have compounded the problem, with the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme contributing to the crisis. The demand to link the employment guarantee scheme to agriculture to help the small and marginal farmers has failed to evoke favourable response so far from successive governments at the Centre. The failure of policy planners and the political leadership to evolve a realistic crop insurance scheme is a big letdown. R S Deshpande, the former Director of Institute for Social and Economic Change (ISEC), sees the crop insurance schemes, including the one announced by the Modi government, as more beneficial to insurance companies than farmers. There is no effective intervention in terms of funding, infrastructure, market mechanism or insurance to break this cycle of farm crisis, says Deshpande. It is not just these factors that have pushed farmers into a web of crisis. Changing social life and the rise in cost of education and healthcare have also contributed to the debt burden and rising suicides of farmers. Apart from improving availability of finance for agriculture and strengthening the market system and crop insurance schemes, a slew of welfare programmes targeted at farmers children, especially for their education, and ramping up of social and economic infrastructure in rural areas are required to make a difference in the lives of farmers. By Express News Service THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Excise Minister T P Ramakrishnan has dismissed the allegations made by Opposition in the sale of foreign made foreign liquor (FMFL) and wine via bars and beer and wine parlours. According to the minister, the Opposition is desperate to score some quick political brownie points and as part of this it is coming out with some baseless allegations. FMFL has been in sale in the state from 2007. The former UDF government found certain anomalies with the same including loss to the exchequer and thriving FMFL black-market, said Ramakrishnan at a press meet here on Monday.The minister added: To fix the same and to put in place a tax structure for the same the then Excise Minister (K Babu) had issued a slew of orders and circulars. When this government came to power we only tried to streamline the same. According to the minister, it was as part of bringing in more transparency to the procurement of FMFL that it was decided to distribute the same through the warehouses of Kerala State Beverages Corporation Limited (Bevco). The reasons for the same were also mentioned in the State Liquor Policy 2018-19 and the State Budget 2018-19. Following that, an amendment was made to the Finance Bill 2018. But when this Bill was considered by the subject committee no members from the Opposition raised objection to the same. But now they are coming out with some baseless allegations, added Ramakrishnan. Asserting that the government has nothing to hide in the FMFL distribution, the minister said that till date Bevco has granted permission to 17 companies to offer some 228 brands. The minister said that Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan MLAs claim that the government is giving undue consideration to Bacardi company is incorrect. He added that the company has been offering its products for the last 10 years in the state and of the 36,510 bottles of FMFL that were sold between August 20 and November 30, Bacardi had sold only 516 bottles. The Oppositions claim that the FMFL brands were more stronger in content than the IMFL brands is also an unfounded one, said the minister. He stated that of the 228 FMFL brands that were being sold through Bevco warehouses, only nine were strong in content than the IMFL brands. The remaining 219 brands were less stronger than the IMFL brands. Earlier, the minister said that D8.25 crore has been made through the sale of FMFL, and from this the state government generated an revenue of D4 crore. He added that since the government came to power, it had granted license to 121 bars Anuja Susan Varghese By Express News Service PIRAVOM: Piravom Church witnessed high tension on Monday as the police entered the hallowed premises of disputed St Mary's Jacobite Syrian Cathedral or Valiyapally to implement last year's (July 3) landmark Supreme Court judgment giving the control of the church to Orthodox faction. The SC had ruled 1,100 parishes and their churches under the Malankara Church should be controlled by the Orthodox faction, as per the 1934 Malankara Church guidelines. The small town in Ernakulam district stood still amid protests by the Jacobite faction and things got murkier and sentiments ran high when many believers, including women, climbed atop the church and threatened to jump if police gave control to the Orthodox faction. The police were seen trying to negotiate with the agitated members. ALSO READ | Tense situation at Piravom Valiapally Jacobites claimed around 2,500-3,000 families of their faction belong to the Piravom Church, much bigger a number than that of the Orthodox. Jacobite Syrian Christian Church regional head Catholicos Baselios Thomas I, addressing a press conference, said the Orthodox faction should be ready for talks. "We've always been open for discussion, but no one turned up until now. The prayers inside the church will continue till we receive justice. Where will we go from this Church, which has been like our family," he said. Piravom Municipality standing committee chairperson Aisha Madhavan said: "The Orthodox faction is less in number under this church. Further, they've built another church just one kilometre away from the Piravom Church. So many Jacobite families can't be left without a church. We'll continue our protest." The police attempted to break into the church, but the protesters thwarted the move by threatening to commit suicide. "We were forced to return following the suicide threats. We just wanted to implement the SC order and have played our part," said Ernakulam SP (Rural) Rahul R Nair. Meanwhile, the Orthodox faction criticised the Jacobites' 'staged drama'. ALSO READ | How could state shy away from its obligation, asks High Court "The SC rulings have always put forward the truth. The Jacobite faction has forcefully removed the church vicar Fr Skaria Vattakkattia, who was appointed following the guidelines. Nearly 2,000 Orthodox families belong to the Piravom Church," said Malankara Orthodox Church PRO Fr Johns Abraham Konattu. Police prove a point Sources said the police made the attempt to show before the High Court on Tuesday that some action has been taken to implement the SC verdict. "The SC ruling could've been implemented much earlier had the police were serious. Police officers turning up a day before the HC hearing shows their move is in favour of the Jacobite faction and government. We didn't want to take part in the drama staged by the police, we want to abide by the law," said Orthodox Church believer Blessen Eldo. Catholicos Baselious Thomas I said an episcopal synod (metropolitans' meeting) would be held at the Piravom Church on Tuesday. Arun Lakshman By Express News Service THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Red Crescent of Qatar will soon set up shop in Kerala. The memorandum regarding the same was signed between the Red Crescent, Qatar, and the National Red Cross Society of India. Sunil C Kurien, vice-chairman of Kerala Red Cross Society, while speaking to Express said, Yes, the Qatar Red Crescent will soon have its office in the state capital. We have started searching for a suitable place for their office premises. As the Red Crescent will have diplomatic status, there are some more official papers to be cleared before the final date on the start of the office is announced. Qatar Red Crescent will be providing relief worth `36 crore and this is primarily aimed at reconstruction of homes destroyed during floods. When asked as to how the beneficiaries are selected, Chempazhanthi Anil, general secretary, Red Cross Society, Kerala, said, We will collect the details of the beneficiaries from the local bodies and also have our own survey to select the beneficiaries. A team of officials from the Qatar Red Crescent will be reaching the state in December to finalise the intricacies regarding the selection of beneficiaries as well as the finalising of the office in the state capital. According to Sunil, We have been working round-the-clock during the floods and the International Red Cross Society had provided us with a helicopter service for providing relief materials in flood-affected areas of Idukki, Kottayam and Wayanad districts. Officials of the Canadian Red Cross Society had also come to the state and conducted a ground-level study on the needs and necessities of the flood-affected people. The team from Canadian Red Cross Society is primarily looking for flood relief at Kottayam district and the main focus is on building toilets, said Sunil. The Canadian assistance will be around Rs 4.5 crore and it is mainly meant for the construction of toilets in Kottayam district, Anil said. The Singapore Red Cross will be signing a MoU soon for providing ambulance services in Idukki district, he added. By ANI DAMASCUS: Hours after reporting that Syrian air defences had repelled an attack near the Damascus International Airport, the country's state media on Sunday took down the reports, claiming that no airstrikes had occurred. The state-run SANA news agency and state television earlier said that the country's air defences had intercepted enemy aerial targets in the vicinity of Damascus International airport in the southern part of the city, Sputnik reported. However, the report was later withdrawn from Syrian state media without any reason. A source at the airport said that there was "no attack" and air traffic is operating under "normal routine". The Syrian President Bashar-al Assad regime has repeatedly accused Israel of conducting airstrikes near the airport. The Israeli government has been carrying out hundreds of airstrikes, against what it says are Iranian targets in Syria, most of them in the southern part of Damascus city. Syria also claims that Israel supports the terrorist groups, including the Islamic State since civil war broke out in the war-torn country in 2011. By PTI WASHINGTON: Google's CEO faces a grilling from US lawmakers on how the web search giant handled an alarming data breach and whether it may bend to Chinese government censorship demands. CEO Sundar Pichai's appearance Tuesday before the House Judiciary Committee comes after he angered members of a Senate panel in September by declining their invitation to testify about foreign governments' manipulation of online services to sway US elections. Pichai's no-show at that hearing was marked by an empty chair for Google alongside the Facebook and Twitter executives. Pichai went to Washington later in September to mend fences, meeting with some two dozen Republicans and indicating he also planned to meet with Democrats. He took part last week in a White House meeting with other tech industry executives that focused mainly on getting government and businesses working more closely on accelerating emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence. In October, Google announced it was shutting down its long-shunned Plus social network following its disclosure of a flaw discovered in March that could have exposed some personal information of as many as 500,000 people. The company deliberately avoided disclosing the privacy lapse at the time, in part to avoid drawing regulators' scrutiny and damaging its reputation, according to a Wall Street Journal report citing anonymous individuals and documents. Lawmakers want Google to explain its failure to reveal the breach. On Monday, the company said it was accelerating its plans to shutter Plus after discovering a privacy flaw that inadvertently exposed the names, email addresses, ages and other personal information of 52.5 million users last month. The service will now go dark in April instead of August, as previously announced. "We work hard to ensure the integrity of our products, and we've put a number of checks and balances in place to ensure they continue to live up to our standards," Pichai said in his opening statement prepared for Tuesday's hearing. Lawmakers are also concerned by recent reports that Google is poised to re-enter China with a search engine generating censored results to comply with the demands of that country's Communist government. President Donald Trump has accused Google of rigging the results of its dominant search engine to suppress conservative viewpoints and highlight coverage from media that he says distribute "fake news." That's another area of potential questions to Pichai by committee members. The company has denied any political bias, and there's no evidence of an anti-conservative tilt. Pichai said in his written testimony that "I lead this company without political bias and work to ensure that our products continue to operate that way. To do otherwise would go against our core principles and our business interests." Google has good reason to communicate with lawmakers and policymakers and to seek to weigh in on thorny issues. Trump and some lawmakers have raised the possibility of asking regulators to investigate whether Google which handles nearly two of every three online searches in the US has abused its clout as a major gateway to the internet to stifle competition. And momentum is building in Congress for legislation to put stricter limits and privacy protections around the big tech companies' collection of data. With the Democrats having captured control of the House in the midterm elections and poised to take over as the majority running the Judiciary Committee next month, tougher legislation could be in the offing. Pichai, a former engineer, took the helm of Google in 2015 in a major restructuring that made Google a division of conglomerate Alphabet Inc. whose businesses include Waymo, a self-driving technology development company. Bolstering the dominance of its search engine, Google's Android operating system runs most of the world's smartphones, and its other services 'including Gmail, YouTube, online ads and the Chrome web browser' are widely used. By PTI SAINT PETERSBURG: A Saint Petersburg court on Tuesday fined a Russian activist for setting rats loose in the regional parliament to protest government inaction. Ilya Mokhov, 23, was fined 10,000 rubles (USD150) for "violating the rules of public meetings", the court press service said. Mokhov brought the two rats in a cardboard box into the Saint Petersburg legislative assembly last month. In a video he posted on YouTube, Mokhov is seen in a corner of the building coaxing the rats out of the box before they scurry along the floor. He told media the action was meant as an indictment of politicians "who do nothing for residents". In Saint Petersburg, Russia's second-largest city, people have long complained of dire living standards and of being ignored by the authorities, despite it being President Vladimir Putin's hometown. The rats, local media reported, were never found. While marathon running is specifically an athletic endeavor, it is also a very publicized sport, where your picture could get... Moving to a new city can be full of anxiety and excitement. When you feel scared, you cant enjoy the... Most real estate agents have an obligation to market their business to potential clients. You have to make sure that... Were sure you already know, but lets repeat: Burlington is a city located in the Halton, Ontario area. It is... I Agree This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy Dozens of audience members were surprised when a Syrian actor performed a nude scene during the play 'Ya Kabeer,' which was performed on Monday at the Municipal Theatre in Tunis as part of the Journees Theatrales de Carthage (JTC) theatre festival. The 20-minute act from the play, which is marked as for adults only, shocked many among the audience, some of whom left the theatre, while others applauded the performance. "Some were shocked, but for me, it was just an unexpected surprise," Tunisian actor Zouhair Rayes, the head of the Municipal Theatre, who attended the show, told a Tunisian radio station Tuesday morning. Rayes said that there was nothing sexual in the scene, and that the actor "was emotionally portraying the pains of the Middle East." Rayes insisted, however, that the theatre was not responsible for the content of the show, confirming that it was the first act of its kind in Tunisian theatres. "The choosing committee is responsible of the content staged during the festival," he said, adding that "nude acting is normal for Western artists, but not among Arab and Muslim audiences." The JTC head Hatem Derbal has been quoted in the media as saying that "the actor improvised the scene and the full nudity wasn't in the original direction of the show when it was staged in Germany," adding that "the festival is not responsible for his act." Photos and video from the show, which is directed by a German director, has been circulated on social media and news outlets, provoking hundreds of angry comments from conservative Arabs, while a few defended the show from an artistic perspective, insisting that the scene served a purpose. The explicit act is meant to provoke the audience because it focuses on the violations of human rights globally. The 20th edition of the JTC is taking place between 8 and 16 December, with 117 plays from 39 countries being staged, with only 11 competing for awards. Egypt is competing in the festival with the play Al-Sa'a Al-Akhera (The Last Hour), directed by Nasser Abdel-Monim and written by Eissa Gamal Eldin. The play will be performed at the same venue on Thursday, featuring El-Ghad Theatre actors Sherif Sobhi, Samia Atef, Moataz Swify and Mahmoud El-Zaiat. For more arts and culture news and updates, follow Ahram Online Arts and Culture on Twitter at @AhramOnlineArts and on Facebook at Ahram Online: Arts & Culture Search Keywords: Short link: By AFP BANGKOK: Thailand's junta has lifted a ban on political campaigning ahead of 2019 elections, an order published by the Royal Gazette said Tuesday, more than four years after it was introduced following the kingdom's latest coup. One of the military's first acts after seizing power in May 2014 was to outlaw political activity of all kinds as it headed off opposition in a country notorious for its rowdy -- and often deadly -- street politics. ALSO READ | Hundreds join anti-junta rally in Thailand as calls for democracy grow But the ban was officially lifted on Tuesday, with a return to polls slated for February 24. "Political parties should be able to campaign to present their policies," an order in palace mouthpiece the Royal Gazette said. The junta "has decided to amend or abolish the laws" which could inhibit campaigns before elections. Restrictions began to be eased in September, allowing political parties to recruit new members and elect leaders. But campaigns and street rallies remained banned. Tuesday's order opens the way raises the prospect of a return to street rallies that have defined much of the turbulent last decade of Thai politics. But police will need to be informed of any political gatherings. The election date has repeatedly slipped, allowing the junta to carve out its own political party and woo defectors from its rivals including Pheu Thai, Thailand's biggest party which it dumped from office with its coup. The party is loyal to Yingluck Shinawatra, premier until shortly before the coup, and her older brother the billionaire Thaksin. The siblings both live in self-exile to avoid jail over convictions in Thailand. Parties loyal to the Shinawatra clan have won every Thai general election since 2001. But this time the junta has moved decisively to ensure Shinawatra-aligned parties cannot win big at polls, critics say, driving through a new charter which dilutes the influence of big political parties and introduces a fully appointed upper house. Junta leader Prayut Chan-O-Cha has repeatedly insisted that he has no interest in politics. But he has spent the last few months crisscrossing the country offering economic handouts and building alliances with local politicos. In recent months, the gruff former general has been showcasing a softer side through public appearances and photo opportunities. By UNI MOSCOW: The UK parliament will get a vote on Prime Minister Theresa May's Brexit plan before January 21, May's spokesman told reporters on Tuesday. May put off this week's planned debate in parliament and flew to mainland Europe in a last-ditch attempt to get concessions from EU officials and European leaders. The prime minister told the House of Commons that she would discuss the concerns of lawmakers regarding Northern Ireland with her EU counterparts. May pledged to do everything in her power to "secure further assurances." The prime minister's spokesman told reporters at a lobby briefing that May's promise to bring the Brexit deal back to the House of Commons "before January 21" next year still stands. Under the EU withdrawal act of 2018, the government was to reach a Brexit deal by that deadline or, if it failed to agree on the terms of exit, it were to make a statement on next steps. By AFP WASHINGTON: The United States said Tuesday it has added Pakistan to its blacklist of countries that violate religious freedom, ramping up pressure over its treatment of minorities. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said he had designated Pakistan among "countries of particular concern" in a congressionally mandated annual report, meaning the US government is obliged to exert pressure to end freedom violations. Pompeo a year earlier had placed Pakistan on a special watch list -- a step short of the designation -- in what had been seen as a US tactic to press Islamabad into reforms. Human rights advocates have long voiced worry about the treatment of minorities in Pakistan, including Shiites, Ahmadis and Christians. But the timing of the full designation may be jarring as it comes after Pakistan moved to resolve its most high-profile case, with the Supreme Court in October releasing Asia Bibi -- a Christian woman on death row for eight years for blasphemy. The government recently charged a hardline cleric, Khadim Hussain Rizvi, with terrorism and sedition after he led violent protests against Bibi's acquittal. "In far too many places across the globe, individuals continue to face harassment, arrests or even death for simply living their lives in accordance with their beliefs," Pompeo said in a statement. "The United States will not stand by as spectators in the face of such oppression," he said. Nine countries remained for another year on the list of Countries of Particular Concern -- China, Eritrea, Iran, Myanmar, North Korea, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan. The United States removed one country from the list -- Uzbekistan -- but kept it on the watch list. Pompeo also put on the watch list Russia, adding another item of contention to the relationship between the two powers. Russia has increasingly drawn concern in the United States over its treatment of Jehovah's Witnesses, the heterodox Christian group known for proselytization. Also on the watch list was Comoros, the Indian Ocean archipelago that is almost exclusively Sunni Muslim. Champaign, IL (61820) Today A few passing clouds, otherwise generally clear. Low 23F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight A few passing clouds, otherwise generally clear. Low 23F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. Reporter Lyndsay Jones is a reporter covering education at The News-Gazette. Her email is ljones@news-gazette, and you can follow her on Twitter (@__lyndsayjones). Reporter Debra Pressey is a reporter covering health care at The News-Gazette. Her email is dpressey@news-gazette.com, and you can follow her on Twitter (@DLPressey). In this surveillance video provided by UI police, Yingying Zhang is seen entering a black Saturn Astra (unknown year) about the 40-second mark on the east side of Goodwin Avenue in Urbana. The final shot of the video, starting at about the 1:02 mark, is a reference for the vehicle and shows it traveling north on Wright Street in front of the Electrical and Computer Engineering Building. Reporter/Columnist Julie Wurth is a reporter covering the University of Illinois at The News-Gazette. Her email is jwurth@news-gazette.com, and you can follow her on Twitter (@jawurth). The project, which works with the health ministry, stressed the need to work on the continuous education, training and qualifications of nurses An Italian project to improve nursing in Egypt held a closing conference on Thursday in Port Said. The project, which works with the health ministry, stressed the need to work on the continuous education, training and qualifications of nurses. Kawthar Mahmoud, general head of the Nurses Syndicate, said that this is the third year of cooperation with the Italian project. She said that the Italian side over the past three years have offered technical and educational support, nursing training on modern devices, and sharing of experiences between nurses in the two countries. She urged the head of the Nurses Syndicate to make the necessary changes to improve the profile of Egyptian nurses, especially in the media and in drama, and to show that their role is is no less important than that of doctors. She also stressed the importance of continuous education and training for medical staff. Piero Cappuccinelli, general manager of the project, expressed his happiness with the Egyptian-Italian experience of Egyptian nursing training which offers the full support in education and modern methodologies and shares experience to build a conscious generation of nurses that is able to deal with the patients in an ethical and humane way that contributes to providing recovery, and assured of continuous cooperation with the Egyptian Ministry of Health. Susanna Padrini, PSNI coordinator, said that nursing is one of the success factors in health systems. She also stressed the need for psychological support and improving nurses conditions, to be able to prevent disease, and improve infection control in hospitals. She expressed her happiness with the experience and said she hopes that it can be implemented according to Italian project quality standards and can be repeated again in Ismailia and Sharm El-Sheikh in the coming years. Also in attendance were Mohamed Gonium, deputy governor of Port Said, and other nursing representatives from ministry hospitals and different governorates. Search Keywords: Short link: THE trial of former Information Communication Technology minister, Supa Mandiwanzira on criminal abuse of office charges failed to take off yesterday after the State could not furnish him with court papers an hour before the court sat. According to the Evidence and Procedures Act, an accused person must be furnished with court papers three days before the trial kicks off, but the State, represented by Michael Chakandida, tried to convince the court to proceed to the trial despite failure to comply with the rules. Chakandida said the delay in providing the defence with the court papers was caused by the police, who only gave him the docket last Friday. But Mandiwanziras lawyer, advocate Brian Hungwe, said the States inefficiency could not be used to prejudice his client and asked the court for a postponement to January 28. Hungwe told the court that the state had undertaken to furnish Mandiwanzira with papers in a few days on November 7 when he appeared for routine remand on November 30, but had failed to deliver. Defence has objections to the case starting today for the following reasons: accused was arrested on November 7, 2018; the assumption arising as a result of the arrest is that the police would have completed their investigations upon his appearance on the very day, Hungwe said. This honourable court was advised by the State, and with all due respect, we agreed with the State that the trial begins on December 10. On that day, the defence was advised that the State papers would be ready within a week. Those papers were never availed to the defence until the accused person appeared for the second routine hearing. On November 30, this honourable court was advised that the trial will begin today (yesterday) and that the State papers would be available within a few days. Your worship, I dont know what a few days meant. We only got the papers today (yesterday). To be precise, an hour ago, Hungwe said. But prosecutor Chakandida, of the Special Anti-Corruption Unit, said the delay was beyond his control as the trial prosecutor, but opposed to the matter being remanded to next year as this would violate Mandiwanziras constitutional right to be tried within a reasonable period. Mandiwanzira is accused of criminal abuse of office after he allegedly engaged a South African firm, Megawatt Company, to provide services to NetOne without going to tender. Great Barrier Reef Just 'Gave Birth' in case you missed it Encanto Wins Weak Holiday Weekend box office Cops Say Fake Nurse Worked at Hospital for a Year in case you missed it advertisement Crazy Homecoming Scandal May Result in Serious Jail Time longform advertisement Scientists Question Models After Arctic Ocean Finding in case you missed it advertisement Ridley Scott Blames Flop on Millennials and Their Phones in case you missed it Our View of Prehistoric Mothers May Be Wrong in case you missed it advertisement Three Charred Bodies Found in Solomon Islands Unrest UPDATED advertisement After Guest Posts Review, Hotel Shows Her the Door in case you missed it advertisement Stephen Sondheim Dead at 91 OBITUARY advertisement WHO Names Variant; US Issues Travel Restrictions the rundown (Newser) To the passenger who was in seat 2D on American Airlines Flight 588 on Thursday, America applauds you. As does Kelsey Zwick, a young mom on that same flight with her 11-month-old daughter, Lucy, headed from Orlando to Philly to receive treatment for the baby's chronic lung disease. USA Today reports that Zwick, Lucy, and Lucy's oxygen tank had just settled into their window seat, with Zwick preemptively apologizing to nearby passengers about the noise Lucy might make during the flight. That's when, per Zwick's Facebook post, a flight attendant approached and informed her a man in first class wanted to give up his seat so Zwick and Lucy could be more comfortable during the ride. "I cried my way up the aisle while my daughter Lucy laughed!" she writes. story continues below She was only able to say a brief "thank you" to the Good Samaritan, but after her post went viral, the two touched base again, and he told her her gratitude gave him a "birthday to remember," per Yahoo. Us Weekly has identified the kindly stranger as Jason Kunselman, and he notes he'd felt compelled to give up his seat after seeing Zwick lugging around herself, the baby, and the oxygen canister. Kunselman's gesture was especially touching to Zwick because she and her husband have been through so much over the past two years, including the birth of Lucy and her twin, Eva, at just 29 weeks; she details to Yahoo the struggles they've had since. "Thank you," she reiterates to Kunselman in her post. "Not just for the seat itself but for noticing. For seeing us and realizing that maybe things are not always easy." (This man stuck up for a mom being mocked on a plane.) (Newser) It was a bizarre scene that went unmentioned to authorities for years: Two workers at the state highway shop in Sweet Home, Oregon, saw John Ackroyd pull in uncharacteristically late one night in 1992. The state highway mechanic would swap his truck for a state vehicle at the shop, and when he rolled in, they saw his sleeves were rolled up, revealing dried-blood-covered arms. When they pressed him about the jarring sight, he said he had hit a deer, "had to gut him out," and tossed the carcass into the brush. "The anecdote never made it past shop gossip," writes Noelle Crombie in Part IV of the Oregonian/OregonLive's five-part series on Ackroyd, who by that time had been a suspect in a rape, a murder, and the disappearance of his young stepdaughter. story continues below That story got retold in 2012, when the Lincoln County District Attorney's Office reopened the 1992 murders of two young women and heard Ackroyd's name floated. Police had looked at him at the timeMelissa Sanders, 17, and Sheila Swanson, 19, had been camping with Sanders' family and, bored, decided to hitchhike home along Highway 20but turned up no physical evidence linking him to the murders. This time, investigator Ron Benson and researcher Linda Snow's dogged work unearthed the story of the blood-covered Ackroyd, which was in none of the police reports. They managed to find the two workers who saw him, and they recounted the same story. Benson and Snow were "stunned by the damning account all these years later" and were ready to go to a grand jury. Read Part IV in full here. (Or catch up on Parts I, II, and III.) (Newser) A Texas judge on Monday accepted a plea deal allowing a former Baylor University student accused of raping a woman at a fraternity party to avoid serving jail time. Judge Ralph Strother accepted the plea deal for Jacob Walter Anderson, who was indicted on sexual assault charges and pleaded no contest to a lesser charge of unlawful restraint. A no contest plea means a person does not admit guilt, but will offer no defense. Anderson was expelled from Baylor after a university investigation. The woman who accused him of repeatedly raping her at a 2016 fraternity house party expressed outrage at the plea agreement and described the county's justice system as "severely broken." story continues below The ex-Phi Delta Theta fraternity president agreed to seek counseling and pay a $400 fine. Anderson will not be forced to register as a sex offender. The woman said she felt disoriented after accepting a drink she thought contained punch at a 2016 fraternity party. She said Anderson led her behind a tent and repeatedly raped her while she was gagged and choked. A warrant said the woman was assaulted until she lost consciousness and Anderson left her alone. The warrant said she had vomited on herself and could have choked to death in the backyard. Per the AP, Strother sentenced a man last year to deferred probation after he pleaded guilty in the rape of a former Baylor student. Earlier this year, he sentenced a man to felony probation for the sexual assault of a former Baylor student, a punishment that came with 30 days in jail. (Read more judge stories.) (Newser) An unusual byline in the op-ed section of the Washington Post is creating some buzz: "44 former US senators." Sharing the belief that "we are entering a dangerous period," the ex-legislatorsa group of 32 Democrats, two independents, and 10 Republicans that includes the likes of former Secretary of State John Kerry, ex-Virginia Sen. John Warner, and former VP nominee Joe Liebermanaddress their current Senate counterparts with a message. Calling where we're at now as a nation "a critical juncture" and "inflection point," given an eventual conclusion to Robert Mueller's Russia investigation and the likely beginning of a House probe into the Trump administration, the former senators implore their successors to not shirk their responsibility to the country, and to democracy in general, based on "party affiliation, ideological leanings, or geography." story continues below Without explicitly mentioning names or specifics, Kerry et al. note their worry about the "serious challenges to the rule of law, the Constitution, our governing institutions, and our national security" they've been witnessing, and they ask those who now call the US Capitol home to remember that no matter what side of the aisle they're on, they need to put their differences aside and remember their common goal: "placing our country, democracy, and national interest above all else." They also remind their replacements that during other tough times in US history, it's been the Senate that's served as democracy's bulwark. "Today is once again such a time," they write. Read their words here. (There's a "quiet resistance" within the Trump administration, an anonymous op-ed writer recently claimed.) (Newser) An alleged spy accused of trying to infiltrate American organizations including the NRA might be on her way back to Russia soon. Maria Butina, a Russian gun rights activist who was arrested in July and is currently being held in solitary confinement at a federal facility in Alexandria, Va., has reached a plea deal with federal prosecutors, NPR reports. She has agreed to plead guilty to a charge of conspiracy to act as a Russian agent on American soil without registering with authoritiesand to testify in front of a grand jury if federal prosecutors ask her to. More: The sentence. Butina faces a maximum of five years in prison on the conspiracy charges, though she is expected to serve much less under the deal, which still has to be approved by a judge. Her lawyers are asking for a maximum of six months, CBS News reports. The charge is a felony, so the 30-year-old will likely be deported when she is freed. story continues below The accusations . Butinawho founded a gun rights group in Russiawas accused of trying to advance Russia's agenda by cozying up to conservative leaders and NRA officials, as well as reaching out to candidates in the 2016 election, the Washington Post reports. She moved to the US in Sept. 2016 to attend graduate school at American University in Washington, DC. . Butinawho founded a gun rights group in Russiawas accused of trying to advance Russia's agenda by cozying up to conservative leaders and NRA officials, as well as reaching out to candidates in the 2016 election, the Washington Post reports. She moved to the US in Sept. 2016 to attend graduate school at American University in Washington, DC. Sex claims . Court papers show that prosecutors have backtracked from their depiction of Butina as a "sly seductress who traded sex to further the aims of her spymasters," the New York Times reports. Prosecutors acknowledged that she genuinely sought a graduate degree, instead of using her studies as a cover, and there is no mention of earlier claims that she tried to trade sex for access to powerful conservatives. . Court papers show that prosecutors have backtracked from their depiction of Butina as a "sly seductress who traded sex to further the aims of her spymasters," the New York Times reports. Prosecutors acknowledged that she genuinely sought a graduate degree, instead of using her studies as a cover, and there is no mention of earlier claims that she tried to trade sex for access to powerful conservatives. Her handler . Prosecutors say Butina worked with a Russian government official. Her lawyers have identified him as Alexander Torshin, a deputy governor of Russias central bank, the Guardian reports. . Prosecutors say Butina worked with a Russian government official. Her lawyers have identified him as Alexander Torshin, a deputy governor of Russias central bank, the Guardian reports. Efforts to infiltrate Trump circle. Butina met numerous prominent conservatives and NRA members, but she didn't get too far into President Trump's inner circle, the Post reports. She unsuccessfully tried to set up a meeting between Torshin and Trump at the May 2016 NRA convention. In September that year, she attended a Styx concert with Trump adviser JD Gordon. The next month, she went to his birthday party. He says they did not have any contact after that. (Her lawyers called some of the allegations against her a "sexist smear." (Newser) British Prime Minister Theresa May has postponed Parliament's vote on her European Union divorce deal to avoid a shattering defeata decision that throws her Brexit plans into chaos. All signs had pointed to a big defeat for the prime minister in the vote planned for Tuesday. But postponing the vote is a fresh humiliation for May, who became prime minister after Britain's 2016 decision to leave the EU, the AP reports. May has been battling over the Brexit ever sincefirst to strike a divorce deal with the bloc, then to sell it to skeptical British lawmakers before the UK leaves the bloc on March 29. story continues below European Union official Donald Tusk said the bloc won't renegotiate the Brexit deal with the UK government as he called a summit Thursday to examine ways to help Britain ratify the deal. He said that "as time is running out, we will also discuss our preparedness for a no-deal scenario." British opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn challenged May's decision to delay the Brexit vote, arguing that her government is in "complete disarray." Labour lawmakers shouted "Resign! Resign!' as May wrapped up her remarks Monday. Corbyn described the situation as unprecedented and serious. He said "the government has lost control of events and is in complete disarray." (Read more Brexit stories.) (Newser) The US military said Tuesday that five missing crew members have been declared dead after their refueling plane collided with a fighter jet last week off Japan's southern coast, and that search and recovery operations have been halted. The five were on a KC-130 Hercules refueling aircraft that collided last Thursday with an F/A-18 Hornet during regular training. The warplanes crashed into the sea south of Japan's Shikoku island. Two crew members in the F/A-18 were recovered after the accident, but one died, the AP reports. The Marines said the survivor was in stable condition when rescued. The search, joined by Japanese and Australian forces, was halted Tuesday, and the cause of the crash is still under investigation, the Marines said in a statement. story continues below The Marines said the identities of the five people declared dead will be released after their next of kin are notified. The Marines earlier identified the dead pilot of the F/A-18 as Capt. Jahmar Resilard, 28, of Miramar, Fla. The crew members of the refueling aircraft were based at Iwakuni air station as part of the Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron 152, whose call sign is Sumo. "All of us in the Sumo family are extremely saddened following the announcement of the conclusion of search and rescue operation," the squadron's commanding officer, Lt. Col. Mitchell T. Maury, said in the statement. "Our thoughts are heavy and our prayers are with all family and friends of all five aircrew," Maury said. (Read more US military stories.) (Newser) The bodies of those who succumb to the Himalayan mountains likely stay on the slopes foreverit's often too difficult, dangerous, and costly to retrieve them. That fact didn't stop Steve Aisthorpe of Scotland from his recent mission on the Nepal-Tibet border: to get "closure" on the fate of Kristinn Runarsson and Thorsteinn Gudjonsson, friends and fellow climbers who vanished during a 1988 expedition with him. Aisthorpe, who the Guardian notes found out just a few weeks ago his friends' bodies had been seen at the end of a glacier on Pumori mountain, recalls on the Church of Scotland's website how his group started as four climbers in October of that year, though one of the men fell ill early on and dropped out. Aisthorpe, then 26, came down with the flu, and so he climbed back down on Oct. 16, 1988, to seek medical attention. story continues below When Aisthorpe realized he was in no condition to attempt the climb, he sent a message back to Runarsson and Gudjonsson, both 27 and from Iceland: "Feel free" to go for the summit without him. The two men were never seen alive again after Oct. 18. When Aisthorpe finally felt well enough to head back to the last camp where he'd left his friends, "my calls echoed from the rocks and ice before fading. the silence was palpable." Fast-forward 30 years, when an American climber spotted their bodies just last month; a group of local climbers brought the remains down. Among those at the cremation ceremony in Kathmandu for the men was Runarssons 30-year-old son; Runarssons fiancee had been pregnant when the father of her child was lost to Pumori. More on their tale here. (Two highly experienced climbers died on El Capitan over the summer.) (Newser) A woman planning an "upscale mass murder" reached out to Charleston church shooter Dylann Roof before she was arrested Saturday in one of two terror plots near Toledo, Ohio, according to the FBI. "So I guess I'll talk to you when the deed is done? I'm very excited," Elizabeth Lecron allegedly told an FBI source after purchasing bomb-making materials on Saturday, including black powder and 665 screws up to 3 inches long, per the Washington Post. Charged with transporting explosives and explosive material for the purposes of harming others, the 23-year-old allegedly told the source in August that she was planning an attack on a Toledo bar, naming her workplace and a livestock farm as alternative targets. A month earlier, Lecron wrote to Roof, becoming one of only four people to receive a response from the man who killed nine black parishioners in 2015, per NBC 24. story continues below Lecronwho praised the self-described white supremacist, as well as school shooters on Tumblr profile "CharlestonChurchMiracle"tried to oblige Roof's request to "mail him several books about civil uprisings and the Nazis," authorities say, per CBS News; NBC 24 reports "care packages and books" were sent. Lecron, who is also said to have visited Columbine High School, "demonstrated that she was committed to seeing death and destruction in order to advance hate," says US Attorney Justin E. Herdman. In a separate case, authorities arrested 21-year-old Damon Joseph, an alleged ISIS recruit accused of plotting to target two Toledo-area synagogues. "My opinion is the Jews are evil and they get what's coming to them," he allegedly told an undercover FBI agent, per CBS. Per Reuters, authorities say Joseph also accepted AR-15 rifles he believed were intended for the attack. (Roof's sister was arrested earlier this year.) (Newser) The violent protests in France are causing shockwaves throughout the world, including now in Egypt. Security authorities there are warily anticipating the eighth anniversary next month of the uprising that helped unseat President Hosni Mubarak, so to help tamp down tensions and keep "copycat" demonstrations at bay, per the Independent, they've decided to restrict an item seen recently in Paris and other EU cities: the reflective yellow vests known as "gilets jaunes." Citing anonymous officials, the Guardian reports that walk-in buyers will no longer be able to pick up the vests; vendors who sell them are now only permitted to sell them wholesale to approved companies, and only with an OK from the police. Those who don't comply will be punished, the officials note, though they're not expanding on what that means. The restriction is said to be in effect until the end of January. (Read more Egypt stories.) (Newser) The winners have been named. Ten finalists made it onto the shortlist for Time's Person of the Year, but it was the late journalist Jamal Khashoggi, and other journalists, who received the honor. Editor-in-Chief Edward Felsenthal made the announcement on the Today show, noting that "as we looked at the choices, it became clear that the manipulation and abuse of truth is really the common thread in so many of this year's major stories, from Russia to Riyadh to Silicon Valley. And so we chose to highlight four individuals and one group who have taken great risks in pursuit of greater truths." story continues below Others named with Khashoggi, per NBC News: The five Capital Gazette employees murdered earlier this year; Maria Ressa, a former CNN bureau chief who now runs the Rappler news site and reports critically on Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte; and Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo, the Reuters journalists imprisoned in Myanmar. The choice of Khashoggi and the Capital Gazette workers marks the first time someone no longer alive has received the magazine's top honor, per Felsenthal. (Read more Time's Person of the Year stories.) (Newser) Kelsey Berreth wasn't reported missing until Dec. 2, but she was last seen in public on Nov. 22and police recently revealed that text messages were sent from the 29-year-old Colorado mom's phone three days later. Berreth's last known location was a Safeway in her city of Woodland Park where she was captured on surveillance video shopping with her daughter, Kaylee, at 12:22pm on Thanksgiving Day, CBS News reports. Patrick Frazee, her fiance and Kaylee's father, met her there to pick up the 1-year-old. Berreth hasn't been seen since, but on Nov. 25 her cellphone pinged almost 700 miles away, near Gooding, Idaho. Two texts were sent: one to Frazee and one telling her employer, Doss Aviation, that she wouldn't be at work the following week. It's not clear whether it was actually Berreth who sent the texts, Fox News reports, but she hasn't been heard from since. story continues below Authorities who searched Berreth's apartment found both her cars still there along with all of her belongings except her purse; there were cinnamon rolls on the counter that had apparently remained untouched since Thanksgiving. Berreth, who moved to Woodland Park in 2016, does have relatives in Idaho, which was the last place her cellphone pinged, but her mother says she had no plans to visit them nor did she show up at any of their homes, the Gazette reports. It's not clear why Frazee, who never lived with Berreth, did not report her missing; asked whether he is a suspect, the police chief said, "At this point, he is the father of Kelseys daughter and were going to leave it at that." He added that Frazee has been cooperative and that police will "look into" the possibility of searching his home; per the Denver Post, he said there is no indication the couple was having problems. It's not clear what the text from Berreth's phone to Frazee said; both Fox and the Gazette describe the texts as "mysterious." A nationwide search is in progress, and Berreth's family has started a Facebook page with updates. (Read more missing woman stories.) (Newser) China has been threatening retaliation ever since news broke that Canada had detained Chinese tech exec Meng Wanzhou. Now it appears that Beijing has taken its first action. Reuters reports that a former Canadian diplomat named Michael Kovrig has been detained in China. Kovrig works for a think tank called International Crisis Group, but he previously worked in Canada's foreign ministry and was posted in China between 2012 and 2016, reports the BBC. story continues below "We are doing everything possible to secure additional information on Michael's whereabouts as well as his prompt and safe release," says a statement from his employer. Reports of the detention surface as a judge in Vancouver continues to assess whether Meng, who was arrested at the request of US authorities, should be released on bail. She faces extradition to the US on charges that she violated American sanctions on Iran as the CFO of the tech firm Huawei. (Meng insists she's not a flight risk.) (Newser) James Alex Fields Jr.'s sentence in the death of Heather Heyer will officially be handed down March 29, but a Charlottesville jury made its recommendation known Tuesday: life in prison, and then some. The Daily Progress reports the jury recommended life in connection with Heyer's first-degree murder, and an additional 419 years for nine additional counts, which cover aggravated malicious wounding, malicious wounding, and hit-and-run. Fields plowed his car a group of counter-protesters during the Aug. 12, 2017, "Unite the Right" rally and was found guilty on Friday. story continues below The AP reports the 21-year-old "stood stoically" and the recommendation was read. Judge Richard Moore will take the jury's verdict under advisement. Per Virginia law, he can lower the sentence but not increase it, and the AP reports judges in the state often go with the jury's recommendation. (Read more James Alex Fields Jr. stories.) 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United Arab Emirates United Kingdom of Great Britain & N. Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe A resident who went missing on Sunday was found dead yesterday. Satheesh Kumar, the Indian national was found dead inside his car in Hidd. He was reported by his friends and relatives as missing since 8:30 am on Sunday after he left his apartment. According to his friends and relatives, he had headed to work, however, he never reached his place of work. He left his apartment to go to work and we became concerned when he never reached the office. We tried calling him but he did not answer and this was when we realised something was not right. We began a search mission on social media networks and alerted the police, his cousin told Tribune. The cousin said that Kumar had a history of serious medical conditions. His health was something we were all concerned about. Last year he had a stroke and so when he went missing we were worried if he had suffered another one. The car was found in a parking lot in Hidd Industrial Area. The place is surrounded by policemen and we are not allowed to the area as investigations are going on, one of the friends of the deceased, said. At this point, we do not know what exactly happened, the friend added. Kumar, 56, had been a resident of Bahrain for the past 30 years. He was employed as a salesman. Sources said he was planning to visit his hometown this week. Her Royal Highness Princess Sabeeka bint Ibrahim Al Khalifa, Wife of His Majesty the King and President of the Supreme Council for Women (SCW) lauded anew success of the parliamentary and municipal elections, praising the outstanding participation of Bahraini women as voters and candidates. She pointed out that six women won seats in the Representatives Council and four in the municipal councils, which asserts maturity of the Bahraini society and belief in womens ability to assume responsibilities side by side with men. She added that the rate of Bahraini womens presence in the legislative branch has gone up to 19 per cent. HRH Princess Sabeeka was speaking as she chaired the third meeting of SCW sixth session. The council endorsed the theme of Bahraini Womens Day 2019 which will be allocated to celebrate Bahraini Women in the Higher Education Field and Future Sciences. She hailed the councils local, regional and international achievements in 2018, expressing keenness on bringing about further accomplishments in 2019 in order to realise the aspirations of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa. SCW Secretary General Hala Al Ansari said the council spotlighted in its meeting today women-related issues, including activities marking the Bahraini Womens Day 2018, procedures taken regarding womens political participation programme electoral preparation 2018, following up on the implementation of the national strategy to protect women against family violence, the next strategic plan and its correlation with the governments work programmes 2019-2022. The first phase of VAT implementation in Bahrain is progressing fast with 522 firms already registering with the National Bureau of Taxation (NBT), said a top official. Rana Ibrahim Faqihi, the Assistant Undersecretary for the Development and Policy of Public Revenues at the Ministry of Finance and National Economy, said the first phase of VAT implementation concerns firms with annual revenues of BD5 million or more Such firms have until 20 December 2018 to register with the NBT, said Faqihi. The VAT implementation date will be 1 January 2019. The VAT Law executive regulations, Faqihi said, include the exemption of 94 listed basic foodstuffs and other goods and services. The executive regulations also include an explanation of the operational aspects of the VAT Law. Bahrains VAT regulation is in line with the unified VAT agreement approved by the Gulf Cooperation Council. The move follows the approval of the draft law by both the Upper and Lower houses after a Royal decree issued in this regard. When comes into effect, Bahrain will become the third country in the GCC after the UAE and Saudi Arabia to implement the framework as per the Unified VAT Agreement for the GCC states. Introducing VAT at a 5 per cent rate was part of a Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) agreement in 2018. Bahrain released the VAT Law on 9 October 2018 via the Official Gazette website. In accordance with the GCC VAT Agreement, Article 2 of the Law provides that the supply of all goods and services made in Bahrain, as well as imports, shall be subject to VAT. Article 3 of the Law provides for a standard rate of 5pc, while certain goods and services may be subject to a zero-rate or exempt from VAT, according to EY. Article 53 of the Law sets out provisions where certain supplies and sectors are subject to the zero-rate of VAT. Article 51 provides that import VAT should be paid to the customs authority, where Bahrain is the first point of entry. Oman has announced that VAT would be introduced in 2019. The Kuwaiti parliament, however, is yet to vote on the VAT. According to EY, 5pc VAT is expected to produce revenues of over $25 billion per annum for the six GCC countries. Tokyo Metropolitan Police have arrested a 27-year-old man after he was found with the corpse of his girlfriend inside a vehicle in Iwaki City, Fukushima Prefecture, reports the Yomiuri Shimbun (Dec. 10). On Sunday night, police took Yoshinobu Kumazawa, of no known occupation, after finding the body likely that of Natsuki Taniguchi, a 20-year-old student a vocational school, Tokyo in the back seat of a rental car in a parking lot in Iwaki. On Monday, police accused Kumazawa of abandoning a corpse. The suspect admits to the allegations. Taniguchi lived in a dormitory in Nerima Ward that is connected with the school. On December 6, a representative of the school telephoned the parents of Taniguchi and told them that their daughter had not attended class since November 29. The following day, her father visited the dorm room and found blood on a bed sheet and alerted police. Security camera footage shot at the dormitory on the night of December 3 shows a man believed to be Kumazawa carrying a futon that likely covers the corpse of Taniguchi out of her unit. Police used additional security camera footage to locate the vehicle rented by Kumazawa in Fukushima. It is believed that the suspect used the vehicle to transport the body of Taniguchi to the parking lot. In addition to confirming the identity of the body, police are continuing the investigation on suspicion of murder. An examination of Taniguchias body revealed undisclosed injuries. As well, a note left behind in the dormitory that is believed to have been written by Kumazawa hinted at involvement in the killing of Taniguchi. Japan's government has decided to revise its procedures for purchasing telecommunications equipment, a move that would effectively exclude Chinese telecom giants. Officials in charge of cybersecurity in each ministry and agency made the decision at a meeting on Monday to prevent data leaks in cyberattacks. The government has until now bought telecom equipment based solely on price. But from the fiscal year starting next April, officials are to take into account national security risks, such as whether products are programmed with malicious functions in the development and production process. Officials plan to see whether equipment already purchased until this fiscal year has such functions. The government says the revision does not ban specific companies. But sources say it will effectively exclude Chinese makers such as Huawei and ZTE. Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told reporters that it is crucial to block equipment that could help hackers steal and destroy data or cripple information systems. Suga said the measure is not intended to exclude specific firms or equipment. He added that China contacted Japan through diplomatic channels after the change was reported. He said the government explained the importance of cybersecurity to the Chinese side and told them that measures will be taken in line with international rules. The United States consulate in Nigeria has responded to allegations contained in the book written by former President Goodluck Jonathan.Jonathan had in his recently published book titled, My Transition Hours claimed that former United States President, Barack Obama, meddled in the 2015 Presidential elections in favour of President Muhammadu Buhari.Jonathan said Obamas support for Buhari was so glaring that he released a video shortly before the election, asking Nigerians to open a new chapter.He had also berated Obama for sending the then Secretary of State, John Kerry, to Nigeria on the eve of the election to protest against moves to postpone the election.However, in a live chat on Facebook which was monitored by our correspondent, the Public Affairs Officer at the US Consulate General Lagos, Mr. Russell Brooks, described Jonathans claims as a mischaracterisation.Brooks said, It was mischaracterised in the book about what President Obama or his administration did in Nigeria. The mischaracterisation here refers to not comprehending why we felt it was important for Nigeria to have a peaceful, free and fair election in 2015.And thereby people may not understand why we placed so much importance of having a peaceful, free and fair and transparent election in 2019.In the past, Nigerias elections had been beset by violence, there have been questions about the fairness of those elections. And we certainly believe that Nigeria can do better. In 2015, Nigeria did do better.There may have been some difficulties as they often times occur in elections whether here in Nigeria or in the United States. But Nigeria did do better and we believe Nigeria will continue to make progress.When asked if the US would be supporting any Presidential candidate ahead of the 2019 election, Brooks said the US would continue to remain neutral.He said the only thing the US would be supporting is a credible and fair process.Brooks added, We are not favouring or supporting any candidate. It is up to the Nigerian people to decide. Our candidate is the process. The process should be free and fair, it should be a non-violent process. I am not talking of any plus or minus of any candidate, we are not favouring any candidate. We are not trying to influence the success of any candidate. That is not our role.He said the US would support the Independent National Electoral Commission, the media and Civil Society Organisations especially in the area of capacity building.Brooks said, We are helping Nigeria to make that progress through our support to INEC, to civil society here in Nigeria; through our assistance to the press and enabling them to also play a positive role in the coverage of the elections.All these show how important we believe it is for Nigeria to have an election process that can be credible and stand against any election anywhere in the world. We believe Nigeria can accomplish that . The Plateau State Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has alleged that the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, in the State, is buying Permanent Voter cards, PVCs, at N3000 to N10, 000.PDP said it got reports that the APC allegedly called on the people in the 17 local government areas of Plateau state to surrender their permanent voters cards in exchange for money, ranging from three to ten thousand Naira.Raising the alarm at a press conference held in Jos, the State Party Deputy Chairman, Amos Gombi, said credible information at the Partys disposal disclosed that the PVCs would be destroyed or rendered inoperable to deprive their owners from using them to vote in the coming general elections.He said, We counsel the Governor and his Party not to plunge the State into another needless political crisis in their desperation to hold on to power. We have received credible information to the effect that agents of the APC are inviting people to surrender their Permanent Voters Cards, PVCs for amount ranging from three to ten thousand Naira.These cards will then be destroyed, rendered inoperable or cloned to deprive their owners from using them to vote out the APC. This is a condemnable and dangerous plot. I hereby alert the people on the plot by the APC to regress and destabilise our democratic journey.The Party also frowned at what it termed intentional delay at the local government election tribunal to make the 90 days time frame to elapse and called on the Chief Judge of the State to urgently constitute additional panels to handle the 77 petitions already pending before the constituted panel.It warned the State Independent Electoral Commission to desist from clandestine moves capable of circumventing the law as we have it on good authority that PLASIEC is attempting to perfect its doctored result sheets by offering between five to ten thousand Naira to each presiding officer and party agents who took part in the election for their signatures to authenticate these fake documents. Sani Usman, the spokesman of the Nigerian Army, says it is not true that the Nigerian army has committed war crimes against humanity. ... Sani Usman, the spokesman of the Nigerian Army, says it is not true that the Nigerian army has committed war crimes against humanity. On Monday, we reported revelations from the International Criminal Court (ICC), stating that the court had found a reasonable basis to believe that the Nigerian military committed the war crimes against humanity. Specifically, the Office found a reasonable basis to believe that the NSF committed the war crimes of murder pursuant to article 8(2)(c)(i); torture, cruel treatment pursuant to article 8(2)(c)(i); outrages upon personal dignity pursuant to article 8(2)(c)(ii); and intentionally directing attacks against the civilian population, the ICC had said. The ICC added that the office of the prosecutor, met with Abubakar Malami, the Attorney-General of the Federation and minister of justice, in July 2018, in connection with its investigations in Nigeria. But reacting to the report on Tuesday, Usman said the report, published by the ICC is not true. I just sent a WhatsApp message to one of the Nigerians at The Hague, and honestly, I wish my phone was here, you would have seen his reply, he told Channels TV. I think there is an element of some campaign of calumny and mischief. The International Criminal Court (ICC) in its preliminary report did not say so. In fact, what they said is that there were issues of interest in Nigeria, but for them to have come out to indict the Nigerian army, it is not true. When asked about the Amnesty International reports stating crimes against humanity, Usman went on to say that Amnesty has maintained a vanguard against the army without credible evidence. The federal government and the striking Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) have reached a partial agreement, Chris Ngige, the m... The federal government and the striking Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) have reached a partial agreement, Chris Ngige, the minister of labour and employment, announced on Monday. The federal government and the striking Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) have reached a partial agreement, Chris Ngige, the minister of labour and employment, announced on Monday. Ngige made the announcement at a reconciliation meeting aimed at finding ways of resolving the strike which commenced on November 5. He said: We have finished our deliberation for today. I am happy to report that we touched some areas of understanding in implementation from the memorandum of action which we agreed to in 2017. Some of these areas we have substantial compliance and some other areas have not been fully dealt with. Like the issue of shortfall in salaries of some federal universities workers and lecturers, ASUU has given a list to the accountant-generals office and we have agreed that by Wednesday that list should be cross-checked by the presidential initiative on continuous auditing. So, the accountant-generals office is to get back to us by Wednesday. We also have the issue of earned allowances, revitalisation, these are issues of 2009 agreement and partial implementation and we have agreed on the modus operandi to look into the fund situation, this is due to low revenue on the part of government. He noted that the meeting had identified one area to look for the funds for the revalidation that the appropriate government organ would be contacted on the issue. Ngige said the government was sure to have good information for the striking lecturers. He said: We have agreed on what we are going to do to make sure that the outstanding amount is handled in a way that all parties will be properly accommodated. We also discussed the issue of state universities and agreed also that even if education is on the concurrent list, the universities should be properly funded and staffed so that we do not produce half-baked students from those universities. In realisation of this the ministry of education will set up a committee, that would engage the Nigeria Governors Forum, and the minister of education has taken steps in that direction to formalise the interaction. Thus discussion are fruitful and we do hope that in the next adjourned date we would have had the requisite result on the few agreements reached today. On his part, Abiodun Ogunyemi, ASUU national president, said: Our own understanding is that we heard promises made on the part of government, we shall await the report on all the issues, which they have made the promises. President Muhammadu Buhari, Monday appointed his wife, Dr. Aisha Muhammadu Buhari as member of Presidential Advisory Committee on the E... President Muhammadu Buhari, Monday appointed his wife, Dr. Aisha Muhammadu Buhari as member of Presidential Advisory Committee on the Elimination of Drug Abuse. The Committee has the former Military Administration of Lagos, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa, retd, as its chairman. Inaugurating the two committees at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, the President called for collective action to help those enslaved by drugs build a new life. President Buhari also inaugurated the Ministerial Steering Committee which is headed by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Boss Mustapha.Inaugurating the two committees at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, the President called for collective action to help those enslaved by drugs build a new life. He noted that the challenges associated with drug abuse had grown to become a major public health problem in the country, lamenting that Nigeria, hitherto considered as a transit nation for illicit drugs before 2013 had now been internationally recognized as a user nation. President Buhari recalled the disheartening statistics of several reports including the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency which revealed that about three million codeine syrups bottles were consumed daily in Kano and twice that amount in the North-West region of Nigeria alone. According to him, This is a situation of emergency and we must face and address it as such. He said that use and abuse of drugs by adolescents have become one of the most disturbing health related phenomena in Nigeria and other parts of the world. He said that in many schools and growing adolescents experience mental health issues, either temporarily or for a long period of time, while some become insane, cannot remain in schools and eventually drop out. Drug and alcohol abuse are also major occupational hazards among Nigerian workers, professionals, notably drivers, which contribute to making Nigerian roads particularly dangerous. The drugs that are commonly abused include but not limited to alcohol, cigarettes, caffeine, Tramadol, codeine, etc. Today marks the beginning of another milestone in correcting the root cause of some of the ills of todays society in order to safeguard our common existence and guarantee a brighter future for our current generation and those yet on born. The role is specifically targeted at decimating the disastrous havoc that drug abuse could cause on the very fabric of our society. President Buhari commended his wife for demonstrating passion and commitment to the cause by galvanizing the participation of First Ladies from the states through the Governors Wives Forum in conducting an assessment of the challenge in their respective domains, with the view to proffering measures to combat the menace. Additionally, the participation of the First Ladies is meant to spur further involvement of women and mothers in particular, in view of the significant role they play in parenting and care. He said, The appointment of the wives of the President and the Vice-President as well as the Chairpersons of the North and South Governors Wives Forum as members of this committee is in recognition of their concerted efforts to the course of eradicating the menace of drug abuse from our society.Additionally, the participation of the First Ladies is meant to spur further involvement of women and mothers in particular, in view of the significant role they play in parenting and care. It is therefore expected that Governors Wives across the federation will take the lead in replicating this intervention structure at the states and local government levels, he added. He stated that the presidential structure at the federal level would facilitate implementation of governments programmes and projects for effective delivery of policies, while a third level structure was proposed for the States, given the national spread of the malaise and the need for quick action at the root of the scourge. Buhari revealed that the State Implementation Committee (SIC) would be established in all states of the federation to complement federal governments efforts nationwide. Members of the Presidential Advisory Committee include Wives of the President and the Vice-President, representatives of Governors Wives Forum (North and South), Nigeria Custom Service, NAFDAC, NDLEA, Police and others. The ministerial steering is charged with the responsibilities of integrating drug abuse issue into extant government policies and new initiatives and provide strategic direction and guidance on drug issues. It is also to serve as a linkage between the federal government and other entities; synchronize and translate government policies into implementation plan and promote necessary executive/legislative actions. In his remarks, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha described drug abuse epidemic as a national emergency that calls for concerted and collaborative actions by all tiers of government, Non-Governmental Organisations, Development Partners, Civil Society Organisations and religious and traditional leaders. He warned that the menace if not tackled expeditiously and firmly, would in the long term, be more dangerous than any other challenges facing the nation, including the insurgency. Signs of an imminent showdown between members of the House of Representatives and President Muhammadu Buhari over his rejection of the amended electoral bill became more conspicuous at Tuesday plenary.Hardly had the Speaker of the House, Hon. Yakubu Dogara finished reading a communication from the President on the subject matter than Hon. Aliyu Madaki from Kano State reacted to the letter.It will be recalled that President Buhari last week, declined to give his presidential assent to the bill, citing timing as his major reason.According to the president, the bill should be rescheduled for assent after the 2019 general elections in February 2019.But reacting to the Presidents letter to the Speaker of the House, Hon. Madaki said that the rejection was one too many.He said that what Nigerians wanted was a free, fair and credible election in 2019 but Buharis rejection of the bill has shown that he and his ruling All Progressives Congress, APC had ulterior motives.He said that the world was watching the present government and their actions.The letter is so serious that it cant just be ignored. We want free and fair and credible elections. The president refusal to assent to the bill shows clearly what his intention and that of his party are on the upcoming 2019 elections. We are watching. The whole world is watching. Everybody is watching, he said.Amid Madakis submission was a shout of Point of Order, from the House Majority Leader, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila.His roaring distorted Madakis flow.But from within the House thundered the question of Order What.Recognised by the Speaker, Hon. Gbajabiamila relied under Personal Explanations, to drive his point home.He said that it was not customary to spur on a debate on the communication of president, urging that due process be followed.He said: I have been in this house for 16 years and there has never been a situation where a letter is debated. It is simply a communication. We have never debated a letter. If there is need to debate the presidents letter, we table it on the order paper. Several letters have been written by past presidents and none had been debated.On that note, Speaker Dogara said that the rules must be followed if the House needed to debate the letter.I think this matter should be laid to rest. I advise we follow the provisions of the rules, he simply said, leaving members chorusing lets debate it tomorrow (Wednesday).Apparently, the hitting of the gavel saved the day.Meanwhile, Presidents Buharis kinsman, Hon. Ibrahim Murtalla representing Matazu/Musawa federal constituency of Katsina State at the plenary ditched the ruling APC for the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.This was conveyed in a letter read by Dogara.His defection elicited some jubilation from members of the PDP who quickly embraced and shook hands with him. The leadership of the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, is currently meeting behind closed doors with leading presidential candida... The leadership of the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, is currently meeting behind closed doors with leading presidential candidates ahead of the 2019 general elections. The meeting which took place at the National Christian Centre Abuja had the Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi, representing Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC), while the ex-governor of Anambra state and Vice-Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Peter Obi, stood in for Atiku Abubakar. Speaking to journalists outside the meeting hall, CAN President, Rev. Samson Ayokunle, said the meeting aims at interrogating the credentials of the candidates as well as their plans for the nation and the church. He said: the motive is not to take for granted the 2019 elections. 2019 Nigeria will depend on next years presidential election. That is, how free and fair it is going to be. The church cannot take the back seat in this situation because it can only prosper when Nigeria prospers. If the election is not free and fair, then, all Nigerians including the church will be in trouble. So, we decided to reach out to the presidential candidates to ask them their credentials for aspiring to the highest office in the land. Also, to interrogate their plans for all including the church. We also brought them together to speak to their consciences so that they dont set this nation on fire. We are going to draw our conclusion after we have finished our interview. A federal high court sitting in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti state capital, has dismissed the suit filed against Kayode Fayemi, governor of Ekiti ... A federal high court sitting in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti state capital, has dismissed the suit filed against Kayode Fayemi, governor of Ekiti state, by Segun Oni, his major contender at the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship primary that held in May. Oni had asked the court to determine if it was proper for Fayemi, who was at the time minister for solid minerals, to contest the primary without resigning as a member of the federal cabinet. He also asked the court to determine if Fayemis action did not violate the Nigerian constitution and the guidelines of the ruling party primary. Uche Agomoh, the judge, on Monday ruled that the case lacked merit and did not have the required weight in law. The judge held that Fayemi was a political office holder and not a public officer when he contested the primary election and there was no place in the constitution that describe such as illegal. Omotayo Oloruntola, counsel to Oni, said they would study the judgment to know the next line of action. Anthony Adeniyi, Onis nominee for the deputy national chairmanship (south), had filed the suit in Abuja. A former senator from Ikere Ekiti in south senatorial district, Adeniyi was rejected in favour of Niyi Adebayo, former governor of the state. Oni felt that having lost the APC guber ticket to Fayemi, at least he deserved some compensation that the position of deputy national chairman should have been conceded to him, an insider had told TheCable,. Oni and his supporters felt humiliated and that is how the idea of a court case to disqualify Fayemi started. The lawyers were briefed and they prepared the originating summons, another party official said. The partys elder forum in the state had also begged Oni to withdraw the case but he refused. A group, Igala-Bassa Alliance for Buhari Continuity (IBABC), has declared support for the re-election of President Muhammadu Buhari, s... A group, Igala-Bassa Alliance for Buhari Continuity (IBABC), has declared support for the re-election of President Muhammadu Buhari, saying that he remains the most credible leader that can stop the diversion of common wealth for personal use. The National Coordinator of the group, Umar Pharooq Akwu, who addressed journalists in Lokoja, said the Igala-Bassa-speaking people of the eastern flank of Kogi State would vote massively for him to enable him consolidate on the gains recorded so far. The House of Representatives refused to debate the refusal of President Muhammadu Buhari to sign into law for the fourth time the Elec... The House of Representatives refused to debate the refusal of President Muhammadu Buhari to sign into law for the fourth time the Electoral Act, 2010 Amendment Bill. Before the floor could degenerate into a rowdy session on Tuesday, following the reading of the Presidents letter conveying his rejection of the Bill, Speaker Yakubu Dogara said in line with House rules, the letter would not be considered on the day it was read but slated for another legislative day. President Buhari, in the letter dated 6th December, 2018 said he declined assent to the Bill as a result of the likely confusion the new law would create for the process of the 2019 general election. While pointing out some other errors in the document, the President included a provison if he must sign the bill into law that the clause that the law becomes operational after the 2019 election be inserted. there was an urgent need for the House to debate the Presidents communication because of its importance to the future of the country. As the Speaker concluded reading the letter, Ali Madaki, (PDP, Kano) raised a point order sayingthere was an urgent need for the House to debate the Presidents communication because of its importance to the future of the country. Mr. Speaker, you have just read a very important letter. What we want is free, fair and credible election. Mr. President refusing to assent to the Electoral Act Amendment Bill shows clearly what he wants to do. The whole world is watching. Everybody is watching, he said before being shut down by a counter point of order from the House Leader Femi Gbajabiamila. Gbajabiamila said no House rule supports Madakis suggestion that the matter be debated immediately because of its importance. We have never, by precedence; by custom and tradition, we have never debated a letter, which is by way of information. If there is the need to debate the presidents letter, we will table on the order paper for debate. Several letters have been written by several presidents before. It never happened. If you want to debate the letter, place it on the order paper. We are fully ready to debate it, Gbajabiamila said. At this point, the Speaker ruled and stepped down the matter for another legislative day. He said, no matter how urgent, House rules dictate that such matters are scheduled for another legislative day for consideration. We have a provision in our rules that guides this kind of communication and I will advise that we follow the rules. Irrespective of President Muhammadu Buharis veto of Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill, 2018, Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has worked out strategies to deliver a free, fair and credible election in 2019, using enhanced smart card readers.The Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill had incorporated the card reader for the purpose of giving legal backup to the technology adopted in authenticating the Permanent Voter Cards, PVCs, of those eligible to vote.The absence of the card reader in the Electoral Act became an issue when the Supreme Court dismissed contentions against the election of some governors on the basis that the card readers deployed were not used.INEC has also decided to address incidences of manipulation of the card reader by some delinquent adhoc officials.To this end, Vanguard learned that the commission has also decided to make provisions for recording incidents within the voters register unlike in the past when Incident Forms were used as separate documents.A top INEC official, who did not want his name published because he is not the official spokesperson of the commission, said: On incident form, the fact is that the forms are now created within the voter register and not outside of it as the case was in the past."In essence, the data sheet of the voter register has now been modified to address the challenges associated with failed authentication, while at the same time providing a trail of voters affected for eventual back end remedies.However, the official, who had been largely involved in helping the electoral umpire develop cutting-edge technological solutions to electoral challenges, recalled how in the 2015 general elections, some INEC field staff tried to deliberately discard the use of the card readers.He said the card readers have now been optimized both in terms of the hard and software, a development he claimed would solve many of the challenges associated with past elections in the country.He said: What we have today is the Enhanced Smart Card Reader. The enhancement is in two phases, hardware and software."As for the hardware, the card readers now have a broader fingerprint scanner, additional memory, tamper proof facilities, better battery compartment locks and more durable battery.For the software, the card readers now have better finger print matching algorithm, more secure platforms, recapture of fingerprints after four failed attempts at authentication, automatic setting of date and time and many more.In 2015, some of our staff did not want the card readers to work because they were resistant to change. They would remove the batteries of the smart card readers in which case all the information stored inside would be lost.So, we have now ensured better battery compartment lock which means that many of those who would handle the card readers would not know how to remove the battery again and even when they do remove the batteries, the stored information are not lost.On automatic setting of date and time, partisans have accused us of sometimes pre-loading the card readers. What they mean is that we allow other politicians to buy voters cards and then assist them to load on to the smart card readers in the various Polling Units and put the system ready for use before the election and then submit the card readers on election day.In 2015, we noticed a slight use of this in some Polling Units. So, we now have automatic setting of date and time with the card reader communicating with the server within a specific time on election day. Any time before or after the specified time, nothing can be loaded on to the card readers, he explained.Another top official of the commission collaborated the claims. The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar has expressed worry over the lingering industrial impasse be... The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar has expressed worry over the lingering industrial impasse between the Federal Government and labour unions in critical sectors of the country. In particular, the former Vice President expressed his worry about the deadlock between the Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), which is altering the future of our youths and putting families under undue pressure. Atiku said he had already set out templates to handle all related issues and ensure an end to incessant labour crisis, ensure industrial harmony and greater productivity in all sectors, immediately he is elected into office as President. The Waziri of Adamawas worries were conveyed by the PDP Presidential Campaign Organisation and was contained in a statement signed by the partys spokesperson, Kola Ologbondiyan, yesterday. The statement reads, Knowing the importance of education and youth development to national cohesion, stability, development and economic prosperity, Atiku Abubakar has already articulated a clear and practical roadmap towards resolving all issues hampering education in Nigeria in his policy document, which embodies the aspiration and wishes of all Nigerians in their overall productive ventures. Our candidate has made ample provisions for enhanced welfare packages, research grants, better teaching and learning environment as well as a strong synergy between the union and government towards a harmonious working environment. The Federal Government is committed to continue to invest in robust nationwide infrastructure to foster development and national unity, the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, has said.Fashola spoke on Monday while inspecting the construction of Loko-Oweto Bridge over River Benue in Nasarawa and Benue states.Fashola,Fashola,The 2.2km Loko-Oweto Bridge of which 90 per cent of work has been completed was awarded to Messrs Reynolds Construction Company, (RCC) Nigeria Ltd. on Nov. 2, 2011 at a contract sum of N51, 612,804,367.37 to be completed in 84 months.The project consists of the construction of two double bridges of 3,850m-long approach road at Loko end and 3090m-long approach road at Oweto end.It also consists of 550m-long road linking the two bridges at the Island separating the southern and northern bridges.Fashola said the bridge and road on completion would unite and connect two traditional rulers, the Loko community in Nasarawa and Agatu community in Benue thereby fostering unity in diversity.Infrastructure is the backbone of development, it is an unfailing foundation, investing in bridges and roads create wealth.Investment creates wealth and secures the future. That is the foundation for wealth and employment processes and prosperity, agro processing is also assured.It is uniting farmers, so infrastructure is the basis for national unity. It brings people together, it brings prosperity, it is the foundation for agric and industry, that is what the Federal Government is committed to.Very soon this road and bridge will connect and unite Nigerians forever irrevocably, Fashola saidBriefing the minister, Mr Taiwo Wasiu, Federal Controller of Works, Nasarawa State, said that the eastern part of the bridge, including the walkways, had been completed while the western part was almost completed.What is left now is the connecting road, when completed it would reduce traffic especially for those travelling to the south eastern part of the country because the connection links people from the southeast of the country to the northern part.Alhaji Abubakar Ahmed, Emir of Loko expressed gratitude to the government for the project and appealed that the linking roads should be constructed too.Mr Ichekpa Tanko a farmer, commended the Federal Government for the kind gesture of developing the bridge to improve agricultural activities in the area.We cultivate beans, okro, guinea corn, yam, potatoes, among others. The farmers are very happy because the bridge will boost the transportation of these farm produce in the two states. Barely a week after President Muhammadu Buhari cleared the air over his identity, Nobel laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, yesterday, raised the alarm over his stolen identity being used on facebook by a Nigerian living in Poland.The Nobel laureate spoke at the 70th anniversary of Human Rights and worldwide reading for freedom of the press in memory of Jamal Khashoggi at the Freedom Park in Lagos.Soyinka, who lamented that he was presently a victim of stolen identity, stressed that the case of stolen identity must not be treated as fake news, saying, this is beyond fake news.His words: Recently, we have a situation in Nigeria and that is the issue of cloning President Muhammadu Buhari. We have people who have taken that issue seriously. These were people that one can never believe to accept such considering their level of intelligence.When Buhari went to Poland, I said what a coincidence because I hope while he was there, he will be able to sort-out his identity and there will be a report on the return of his identity.Poland appears to be the centre for Nigerians settlers with stolen identity.The Nobel laureate hinted that his discovery of Poland as the location of his stolen identity prompted him to visit the country and demanded that the businesses operated online including Facebook, with his identity be pulled down.He said: But he (operator of the business) refused, claiming that he has authority to do that. In my name, this fellow sells and buys things which I dont even use.If we must fight for freedom of expression, we must fight for the correct attribution of expression.If the doctrine of freedom of expression was to be reversed, there will be certainly a number of issues to be addressed because expression on social media has taken a quantum leave in the last few years that cannot be imagined. Management of the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, has said it is currently working on establishing a radio station for the scheme to enhance its relationship with the public.Director-General of NYSC, Major-General Suleiman Kazaure, made this known on Tuesday while speaking at a workshop organised for the schemes Public Relations Officers nationwide in Abuja.He said: I am happy to inform you that in furtherance of managements resolve to expand our public relations tools and get Nigerians to be more aware of our operations and achievements, we are exploring the establishment of a radio station for the NYSC. This is part of our communication strategies in response to the rapid growth in corps population and increased stakeholder expectations.Given the fact that the scheme has recorded significant achievements in recent times, there is also the need to attract louder applause from the public through enhanced publicity.He charged the participants to use the forum to analyse NYSCs public relations strategies and come up with ideas that will help improve them for better results.In her remarks, the Director of NYSCs Press and Public Relations unit, Mrs. Adenike Aderemi, said the choice of the workshop theme: Retooling NYSC PR machinery for greater output was informed by the desire of her team to deploy more effective strategies for the success of the scheme.It is apt to admonish that this is another wonderful opportunity to get updated with current trends in PR practice as well as sharpen our skills for optimal performance, she said.On his part, the lead facilitator of the workshop, Dr. Arthur Aginam, said rather than the public calls for the scrapping of NYSC, advocacies should be directed towards the revitalisation and renewal of the scheme. Chief Nathaniel Odebunmi, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Egbeda Local Government Area of Oyo State, says only c... Chief Nathaniel Odebunmi, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Egbeda Local Government Area of Oyo State, says only corrupt Nigerians are afraid of the re-election of President Muhammadu Buhari. Odebunmi, who stated this on Monday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria, (NAN) in Ibadan, urged Nigerians to support the re-election of the president so as to end corruption in the country. According to him, the Buhari administration had done well in the fight against corruption, as well as improved security and the economy. The effect of the corruption war is biting harder on the beneficiaries of the scourge and that is the reason they are against the re-election of the president. Every Nigerian that wants the development of the country should support the re-election of Buhari. We should not allow those that ruined the nations economy through embezzlement of the national wealth to come back. Nigerians should not be deceived by propaganda and false publications against Buharis administration but focus on the achievements, he said. Odebunmi assured the people of Oyo state that an APC government would continue to cater for their well-being if returned to power in 2019. The ruling All Progressives Congress APC has accused the countrys main opposition, the Peoples Democratic Party PDP of resorting to churning out fake news having realized that it had already lost the 2019 general elections.The APC was reacting to an uncited report in the social media which it said was sponsored by the PDP to pitch the wife of the president, Aisha Buhari against the National Chairman of the APC, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole.In the statement signed by the Chief Press Secretary to the National Chairman, Simon Ebegbulem, the party said its attention has been drawn to the malicious and misleading statement credited to the National Chairman of the APC, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole against the person of the First Lady Hajia Aisha Buhari, in the social media.APC said past attempts by the PDP to drive a wedge among party leaders proved futile, hence the current resort to generating fake news.We want to state that it is the handiwork of mischief makers. At no fora did the National Chairman made such uncomplimentary remarks against the person of the First Lady.This is part of the fake news from the pit of hell being propagated by highly unscrupulous elements of the PDP and their cohorts, knowing fully well that they have lost the forthcoming general elections.Unfortunately for the PDP, all their efforts to cause disaffection among members of the ruling party have failed. As we speak, both the first lady, the National Chairman of the APC and other leaders of our party enjoy cordial relationship and working in unison to ensure that the PDP looters do not return to power.We urge the highly discerning people of our great country to disregard the misleading comment currently on the social media as it is not only fake but equally untrue.The tiger cannot change its spots, as the saying goes. PDP has chosen to remain the lying party it has always been, the party added. The national leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party on Monday faulted the presentation of the partys governorship flag in Ogun State to the senator representing Ogun East, Buruji Kashamu, saying the development was ridiculous.The state chairman of the party, Adebayo Dayo, presented the flag to Kashamu in his hometown, Ijebu Igbo, Ogun State on Monday, a few days after the partys national chairman, Uche Secondus, presented same to Oladipupo Adebutu in Abuja.Dayo had at the rally presented the partys flags to Kashamu; his running mate, Reuben Abati; 26 state House of Assembly candidates and National Assembly candidates.Kashamu told the gathering that the Adebayo Dayo-led state executive council was the only recognised PDP structure in the state.He said party supremacy was not a licence for executive recklessness.He said, The people have spoken; the courts have affirmed it and INEC has complied.Truly, the party is supreme but it is not superior to the judiciary. Party supremacy is not a licence for executive lawlessness.People cannot continue to act in contempt of the teeming members, leaders and elders of the party and the courts all in the name of party supremacy.At some point, like in saner climes, the judiciary must intervene and rein in those acting in utter disregard for our partys constitution and the laws of the land. That is what has happened in our case.Kashamu said his aspiration to govern the state would afford him an opportunity to continue to touch the lives of the people.While presenting flags to the candidates, Dayo said, Let anybody say whatever they want to say, Prince Buruji Kashamu has been elected as the governorship candidate of the PDP. His name has already been submitted to the INEC.We have never had it so good since the days of Awolowo. Buruji is our own Awolowo.But the partys National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, in a statement claimed that Kashamu organised a sham rally, rented an audience and presented a fake PDP flag to himself as the state governorship candidate.Ologbondiyan said the party pitied Kashamu for finally turning himself into a clown in his desperate bid to destabilise the PDP as part of his pact with the Presidency which is threatening him with imminent extradition from Nigeria over alleged international fraud.Ologbondiyan said, Kashamu, in his forced hallucination, has failed to realise that Nigerians, particularly the voters in Ogun State, have seen through his antics; they know that he is not the PDP governorship candidate in Ogun State; they know that he has a pact with the APC to destabilise the PDP; and they also know that he is a clown on a journey to nowhere.Nigerians are aware that Kashamu never purchased PDP nomination form; never participated in our governorship primary or in any process related to nomination of governorship candidate of our party or any position whatsoever.Those using Kashamu as their agent have turned him into an object of public ridicule, particularly in his charade of organising a rally to hand a fake flag to himself.The PDP, therefore, urges the people of Ogun State to completely disregard Kashamu as a clown and continue in their support for the PDP governorship candidate, Adebutu, who is already coasting to victory. National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress APC, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, has described the opposition Peoples Democra... This was as the Nasarawa state Governor, Umar Tanko Al-Makura expressed optimism that the APC would go into the February general elections as a single fighting force, saying in spite of the acrimonious primaries of the party, none of the aggrieved stakeholders, particularly in the North East is ready to leave the APC. National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress APC, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, has described the opposition Peoples Democratic Party PDP as one lacking in internal democracy, alleging that the former ruling party printed only one nomination form in states where the sitting PDP governors are seeking reelection.This was as the Nasarawa state Governor, Umar Tanko Al-Makura expressed optimism that the APC would go into the February general elections as a single fighting force, saying in spite of the acrimonious primaries of the party, none of the aggrieved stakeholders, particularly in the North East is ready to leave the APC. Speaking Monday at the APC National Secretariat when he led his committee members to submit the reports to the National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, the Nasarawa governor said he was impressed about the submissions of all the disputants. Al-Makura, who chaired the Peace and Reconciliation Committee set up by the party to interface with aggrieved members of APC in the North East also gave assurance that his party will sweep the whole North-east in the forthcoming elections.Speaking Monday at the APC National Secretariat when he led his committee members to submit the reports to the National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, the Nasarawa governor said he was impressed about the submissions of all the disputants. We are happy to also say that members made presentations and they were blunt, honest and open. And we gave everyone the opportunity to air their own views and grievances with a view to making necessary recommendations to the national headquarters of the party. Having gone through all these clusters and haven received all the complaints and grievances, we were impressed by the commitment of persons in their forthrightness to the party. Not in any single sitting did we find any aggrieved person willing to leave the party. In spite of their complaints, they were committed to staying within the party and to ensuring that the party excels. We are also appreciative of the support and cooperation and maturity of the leadership in the zones. The stakeholders and particularly those who were aggrieved, they made their presentations in the most expected decorum and etiquette for venting their grievances without sentiments; misdemeanor. While thanking the Al-Makuras committee for devoting quality time to listen and analyse the problems, Oshiomhole said his leadership will study the recommendations and do justice accordingly. For example, we are the only party that allows people to contest election against a sitting governor. The other political party, particularly the past governing party, you check, all their sitting governors have an automatic ticket. They printed only one form. So you are not allowed to even murmur about your governor, the governor is a given, but here, in obedience to our rules, we allowed people who wished to challenge even sitting governors to do so and as we have seen in one case the governor couldnt make a return, so democracy is attractive but it is also problematic but as you see it is still the best way to run a system and obviously to run the country. I am excited by the comments you made, the fact that people have not decamped and that they have faith in the president, they have faith in the party, and we will do everything to service that faith, we will do everything to justify the confidence they have shown in your committee and in our leadership, he added. Garba Shehu, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity has accused the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of spread... Garba Shehu, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity has accused the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of spreading fake news. He said this in reaction to the reports that the account of the PDP vice presidential candidate, Peter Obi, was frozen. Shehu also commented on alleged raid of the residence of PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakars sons by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). The statement he issued Monday evening read, The story about the raid ordered by Buhari-led government on the home of PDP Presidential Candidate, Atiku Abubakars son and the fairy tale on the alleged blockage of the bank accounts of the running mate, [former] Governor Peter Obi and his family are both untrue, and should be dismissed as just another manifestation of the PDPs growing expertise in fake news. Nigerians must be becoming wary by now, of a political party with absolutely nothing to offer in the coming elections and has instead, transformed into a knight in shining armor, slaying the truth. In this so-called transformation, PDP has changed into nothing but to a ceaselessly flowing stream of fake news. There was a rowdy session at the senate on Tuesday, making the upper legislative chamber to postpone the confirmation of some nominees... There was a rowdy session at the senate on Tuesday, making the upper legislative chamber to postpone the confirmation of some nominees of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). Chukwuka Utazi, chairman of the senate committee on anti-corruption, had presented a report on the screening of the nominees by his committee.. The committee had recommended that the senate confirm Ndasule Moses, Lawan Mamman, Galadanci Najib and Adeleke Rafiu as members of the EFCC. But senators from the southern part of the country protested. Speaking after the anti-corruption chairman presented his report, Victor Umeh, senator representing Anambra central, said the nominees should not be confirmed because the south-east and south-south were excluded. The south-south and south-east are not accommodated in the commission. On the issue of the fight against corruption it involves all parts of Nigeria, Umeh said. If you look at the composition, Mr President some people will think that the fight against corruption is instituted against them. There is need to take people from other geo-political zones. He noted that Ibrahim Magu, acting chairman of the commission; and Olanipkekun Olukoyede, secretary of the commission, are from the north-east and south-west respectively. The senator said the four nominees to be confirmed are neither from the south-south or south-east. Responding, Utazi said a committee set up to look at the presidents alleged lopsided appointments had gone underground and refused to present a report. Also, Enyinnaya Abaribe, senator representing Abia south, said the consideration of the nominees should be stepped down until it is amended. Ali Ndume, senator representing Borno south, said Utazi should have drawn the attention of the senate leadership to the matter instead of bringing a report urging them to confirm the nominees. At this point, both Utazi and Isah Misau, senator representing Bauchi central, interrupted Ndume. We must not divide Nigeria, Misau said. While Utazi was heard saying: I have the floor, go and sit down. You have a rowdy floor, another senator said. The disorderliness went on for about 10 minutes before and this prompted the lawmakers to go into a closed-door session abruptly. President Muhammadu Buhari has written the Senate, explaining why he refused to assent to the Electoral (Amendment) Bill, 2018 recently passed by the National Assembly.President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, read the Presidents letter at the Tuesday Plenary.President Buharis letter to the senators reads: Pursuant to Section 58 (4) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), I hereby convey to the Senate, my decision on 6th December 2018 to decline Presidential Assent to the Electoral (Amendment) Bill, 2018 recently passed by the National Assembly.I am declining assent to the Bill principally because I am concerned that passing a new electoral bill this far into the electoral process for the 2019 general elections, which commenced under the 2015 Electoral Act, could create some uncertainty about the applicable legislation to govern the process.Any real or apparent change to the rules this close to the election may provide an opportunity for disruption and confusion in respect of which law governs the electoral process.This leads me to believe that it is in the best interest of the country and our democracy for the National Assembly to specifically state in the Bill that the Electoral Act will come into effect and be applicable to elections commencing after the 2019 General Elections.Continuing, Buhari explains, It is also important for the following drafting amendments to be made to the Bill:A. Section 5 of the Bill, amending section 18 of the Principal Act should indicate the subsection to which the substitution of the figure 30 for the figure 60 is to be effected.B. Section 11 of the Bill, amending Section 36 should indicate the subsection in which the provision is to be introduced.C. Section 24 of the Bill which amends Section 85(1) should be redrafted in full as the introduction of the electing to the sentence may be interpreted to mean that the political parties may give 21 days notice of the .. intention to merge, as opposed to the 90 days provided in Section 84(2) of the Electoral Act which provides the provision for merger of political parties.D. The definition of the term Ward Collection Officer should be revised to reflect a more descriptive definition than the capitalized and undefined term Registration Area Collation Officer.The President concluded his letter with greeting to the lawmakers: Please accept, Distinguished Senate President, the assurances of my highest consideration.After Saraki finished reading the Presidents letter, Senate Leader moved that all items on the Order Paper be stood down to another legislative day.Minority Leader seconded the motion and the Plenary adjourned to Wednesday, 12th December, 2018. By Feng Ying The Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security, Andrea L. Thompson reiterated on 6 December that the United States demanded Russia to scrap the SSC-8 (Russia reporting name 9M729) land-based cruise missile system in 60 days, and this is the only way for Russia to get back 'to full and verifiable' compliance with the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, on December 4, has warned that the United States will suspend its obligations as a remedy effective in 60 days unless Russia returns to full and verifiable compliance with the INF Treaty. US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo at a meeting of NATO foreign ministers said that the United States will withdraw from the INF Treaty if Russia does not begin to fulfill its obligations under the treaty within 60 days. Signed by the two leaders of the United States of America and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) on December 8 1987, the INF Treaty (formally Treaty Between the United States of America and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics on the Elimination of Their Intermediate-Range and Shorter-Range Missiles) stipulates that the two countries should not possess, produce or flight-test land-based cruise missiles and ballistic missiles with a range capability of 500 to 5,500 kilometers. The treaty is the first treaty between the United States and the Soviet Union to cut down on their nuclear arms since the emergence of nuclear weapons, which is regarded as an important step for the two sides to control the proliferation of nuclear weapons. The United States has repeatedly accused Russia of violating the INF Treaty and threatened to withdraw from the treaty. However, Russia firmly denied the accusation and countered that the United States is in violation of the treaty. Vladimir Shamanov, head of the Russian State Duma (the lower house of parliament) Defense Committee, said in Moscow on December 6 that Russia has never tested a missile violating the INF Treaty, and Russia does not accept the United States' ultimatum to resume the implementation of the treaty. Sergey Ryzhkov, head of the Russian Defense Ministry's Nuclear Risk Reduction Center, pointed out in May this year that the United States has produced a series of short-and medium-range ballistic missiles as targets for its development of anti-missile system. In terms of tactical performance indicators including flight distance, these missiles should be prohibited based on the INF Treaty. In fact, this is not the first time that the US withdrew from treaties. In 2002, the United States unilaterally withdrew from the Treaty on the Limitation of Anti-Ballistic Missile Systems (ABM Treaty), signed by the United States and the Soviet Union in 1972. The US withdrawal from the ABM Treaty completely removed obstacles for its large-scale development and deployment of missile defense systems. However, that does not fulfill the US' ambition. A new edition of the Nuclear Posture Review released by the US Department of Defense in February pointed out that the United States should develop more types of nuclear weapons, enrich its nuclear strike measures, and enhance its nuclear deterrence, so as to ensure its "unrivaled" nuclear capabilities. Following the announcement of the defense budget increase, the military reconstruction, and the establishment of US Space Force, US President Donald Trump said in July this year that the United States is building the most powerful nuclear arsenal. Obviously, Trump seeks to maintain the absolute leading position of the US military strength, and the US withdrawal from the INF Treaty can further "untie" its development of nuclear weapons. If the United States kept on "withdrawal" to fulfill its "absolute security" obsession, the global strategic balance will be greatly undermined and the international community will face greater systemic security risks. During the Cold War, hindered in security dilemmas, the United States and the Soviet Union both reduced their strategic weapons. The "armistice" enabled Europe, one of the main battlefields of the US and Russia, to maintain security and stability. At present, once the United States "withdraws" from the treaty, it is likely to produce and deploy short-and medium-range missiles in Europe or the Asia Pacific region. Russia will inevitably adopt corresponding countermeasures. The countries in the relevant regions will also have to strengthen their own armament construction, and invest mass resources to purchase and invent missiles and anti-missile systems. Europe, the first to bear the brunt, will either rely more on the United States or North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) or strengthen its own military power. Once the "post era of intermediate-range missile" comes, so to speak, the strategic balance will be upset and the arms race elevated. In the world today, security issues are very sensitive, and the interests of all countries are intertwined, therefore, the right way for us is to solve through "consultation". In this sense, emphasizing "common responsibility" is more valuable and significant than adhering to unilateralism. Force can protect, but also harm. The world are safer with the military force restricted. Source: arynews According to details shared by ISPR through a press release issued here today, Vice Foreign Minister of China, Kong Xuanyou called on Chief of Army Staff, General Qamar Javed Bajwa at General Headquarters (GHQ). During the meeting matters of mutual interest, regional security and enhanced bilateral cooperation came under discussion. The visiting dignitary commended the sacrifices and resilience of the people and armed forces of Pakistan and the role of Pakistan Army in battling the menace of terrorism. Back in month of September, Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa had visited the headquarters of Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) in Beijing and met his counterpart General Han Weiguo. According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), both the commanders had discussed regional security environment, security of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and bilateral security cooperation. The PLA chief appreciated and acknowledged the high professional standing of the Pakistan Army displayed while combating terrorism. He also appreciated the high degree of security being provided to CPEC by Pakistan Army. The Chinese general had expressed his keen desire to benefit from Pakistan Armys combat experience and also expand bilateral cooperation. By Feng Ying BEIJING, Dec. 11 (ChinaMil) -- The International College of Defense Studies of the National Defense University (NDU) of the Chinese Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) held a seminar on reform and opening-up on Monday. The 400 participants include leaders, experts and scholars from units of the Central Military Commission (CMC) and military academic institutions, 202 senior military officers and government defense officials from 88 countries studying at NDU, and Mr. Masood Khalid, the Pakistani Ambassador to China. They had in-depth exchanges and discussions on such topics as the achievements of Chinas reform and opening-up and its contributions to the world, the challenges and suggestions for Chinas future development, the relations between deepening reform and opening-up and building a community of shared future for mankind. During the seminar, delegates highly spoke of the remarkable achievements of China's reform and opening up, provided many valuable opinions and suggestions on the expected challenges to be faced, and expressed their confidence and expectation for China's future development. Xu Hui, dean of the International College of Defense Studies of NDU, said since the college is the largest high-level international military education and exchange platform in the Chinese military as well as in China, the seminar aims to make full use of this platform to jointly review the path taken by the reform and opening-up in the past 40 years, the achievements and contributions to world peace and development from a global perspective. The seminar also helps to analyze and study the opportunities and challenges in the deepening of the reform and opening-up, and to provide opinions and suggestions for future contribution to building a community of shared future for mankind, he added. President Park Geun-hye and Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday agreed to cooperate more closely in railway, natural gas and power supply projects in Siberia. "South Korea and Russia will join hands to create a new era for Eurasia," Park said at a joint press conference with Putin. The initiative involves linking roads and railways in the region to build a new "silk road" from South Korea to Europe via North Korea, Russia and China. Putin and Park also discussed a natural gas pipeline from South Korea to Russia via North Korea. Putin stressed the benefits of the projects and urged that they should not be delayed any further. A joint statement contained 35 agreements on mid and long-term plans for railway projects and also signed around 15 memoranda of understanding to cooperate in shipbuilding, transport and energy. Park stressed that peace in Northeast Asia is "crucial" to pursue the massive projects and added that she and Putin agreed on the need to get North Korea to scrap its nuclear weapons and abide by pledges it made in six-party talks. Park and Putin also urged the swift resumption of stalled six-party talks. The two leaders also signed agreements on a mutual 60-day visa waiver and to set up cultural centers. The visa-waiver was agreed at the G20 Summit in September. The chief financial officer for Chinese telecom giant Huawei Technologies has returned to a Canadian court for a second day of bail hearings about her possible extradition to the United States to face fraud charges. Canadian prosecutors have argued Meng Wanzhou should remain in custody until her extradition hearing. Her lawyers say she should be freed on bail due to health issues. A lawyer for Meng told a Vancouver court Monday that Meng would be willing to hire a surveillance company that would arrest her if she breaches her bail conditions. An editorial Monday in the Communist Party newspaper Global Times called Canada's treatment of Meng "inhumane." China summoned the U.S. ambassador in Beijing on Sunday to lodge a "strong protest" over Meng's arrest, calling it "extremely bad" and demanding the U.S. cancel its extradition request linked to allegations that she broke U.S. laws prohibiting trade with Iran. Vice Foreign Minister Le Yucheng summoned U.S. Ambassador Terry Branstad a day after calling in Canadian envoy John McCallum to protest Meng's arrest, at the U.S.'s behest, at the Vancouver airport on Dec. 1. Meng, if convicted in the United States, faces up to 30 years' imprisonment, with a Canadian prosecutor alleging at a court hearing Friday in Vancouver that she committed fraud in 2013 by telling financial institutions that China's Huawei was not tied to a Hong Kong-based company, Skycom, which was allegedly selling U.S. goods to Iran in violation of U.S. sanctions against Tehran. U.S. officials say Meng misled multinational banks about Huawei's control of Skycom in order to move money out of Iran. "Skycom was Huawei," the prosecutor alleged. Meng's lawyers denied the fraud allegation, saying Huawei had divested its interests in Skycom. We have used your information to see if you have a subscription with us, but did not find one. Please use the button below to verify an existing account or to purchase a new subscription. The U.S. and South Korea are considering renaming their annual joint military drills in an apparent bid to avoid provoking North Korea with the boastful Pentagon word salad. "The South and U.S. have been coordinating their plans for next year's training, and they have also been mulling the possibility of renaming them," a source at the Joint Chiefs of Staff here told the Yonhap News Agency. The large-scale "Key Resolve" joint drills could be renamed "19-1 Exercise" and the "Ulchi-Freedom Guardian" exercises "19-2 Exercise," simply numbering the drills in the order they happen next year. "We're referring to the annual exercises by the year they take place and any references to their joint nature is being eliminated," an officer here said. The JCS has already informed staff of the possible changes. This year, the two sides canceled both drills amid hopes of North Korean denuclearization after U.S. President Donald Trump met North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in June. UPM Plans to Invest $2 Billion in New Pulp Mill in Uruguay The new mill, to be located near the city of Paso de los Toros in central Uruguay, would have capacity to produce about 2 million tonnes of eucalyptus pulp per year. Dec. 11, 2018 - UPM on Dec. 10 announced plans to invest EUR 2 billion in a new mill to be located near the city of Paso de los Toros in central Uruguay. The new mill would have capacity to produce about 2 million tonnes of eucalyptus pulp per year. A year ago UPM and the government of Uruguay signed an investment agreement which outlines the local prerequisites for a potential pulp mill. The agreement details the roles, commitments and timeline for both parties as well as the relevant items to be agreed prior to the final investment decision. Currently UPM is carrying out technical studies and applying for the necessary permits. See story at PaperAge.com: UPM Announces Plans to Build Two Million TPY Pulp Mill in Uruguay - Nov. 8, 2017 A pulp mill investment of this scale requires efficient logistics to enable secure wood supply and pulp deliveries from the inland mill to the port of Montevideo, explained Petri Hakanen, Senior Vice President of the UPM Uruguay Development Project. This will require the construction of a modern railway to the port and a modern pulp terminal as well as development of the road network. The new railway would provide transport opportunities not only for forestry but also for other businesses like grain and wooden products, while also increasing Uruguay's export competitiveness worldwide. We need to ensure that infrastructure development and the permit processes move forward as planned. These are the most significant requirements at this stage, Hakanen said. UPM noted that the new pulp mill would have various positive impacts on Uruguay, providing the community with jobs, training and improved infrastructure. The mill's location is in the least developed area of the country, potentially providing a major spur for rapid regional development similar to the earlier example of Fray Bentos. According to UPM, the new pulp mill is estimated to increase GDP by two per cent. It would boost the local economy and fuel the growth of hundreds of small and medium sized companies throughout the entire value chain. It would also generate a significant number of permanent jobs in industry, plantations, harvesting, port operations and related services. Through the renewing of the bio and forest industries, UPM is building a sustainable future across six business areas: UPM Biorefining, UPM Energy, UPM Raflatac, UPM Specialty Papers, UPM Paper ENA and UPM Plywood. To learn more, please visit: www.upm.com SOURCE: UPM Documentary photographer Yagazie Emezi was in college when she received her first camera a gift from her then boyfriend who had hoped she would use it to capture her future travels. By the time Emezi graduated from university and left New Mexico to return to Nigeria, she had no idea that the camera she was gifted would lead to a career shooting for the New York Times and Time Magazine and a community of more than 140k Instagram followers. It's not surprising that Emezi has amassed such a massive social media following. Aside from being a stylish muse for some of Nigeria's top designers (she's a fan of local brands Nyosi and Gozel Green), her Instagram page reads like a visual love letter to Africa one that continuously grows in content and beauty. A self-taught photographer and freelance storyteller, Emezi has set off on her own to document Tanzania, Zambia, Ghana, Gabon, Liberia, Uganda, and several other African nations. Many of the images she's captured in these places primarily centered the people she encountered and the stories she was trusted to retell. Women in particular have played a major role in her work. Her on-going project "The Process of Relearning Bodies" highlights women around Africa living with body and face scars that they received from general accidents. Her decision to focus on scars was a personal one. The concept developed from her experiences growing up with a scar on her leg and recognizing a shift in how people looked at her scar in America compared to how they did in Nigeria. Emezi's desire to not sensationalize scars but simply document their existence is something she hopes will be applied to all facets of African life. Like many of the young African creators pioneering new approaches to local art, Emezi's work has sought to counter the often tragic narrative currently being retold about the continent, and hopes her work will contribute to a more natural and honest documentation of African life. For her part, Emezi is careful about how she captures the people and places she interacts with. As a woman born and raised in Aba, Nigeria a place that although an hour flight from Lagos is vastly different than her new city dwelling she realized that Africa in all of its massiveness cannot be painted with the same brush. In recognizing this, she has diligently applied reason, ethics, and artistic vision to present a more colorful and vivid image of Africa. One of her most recent photography projects, "And They Say We Are Lazy" speaks to this mission. The project tells the story of Nigeria's young models and their thirst for success as a way to dispel the myth that Nigerian youth are lazy or unwilling to work. Yagazie Emezi spoke with PAPER about the ethics of capturing African life and her most recent photography projects. When did you first become interested in how the general media depicts Africa? I started to take more notice as I got deeper into photography when I moved to Lagos and started sharing images of my experience. I was getting feedback from people in the diaspora who were saying, "We didn't expect Lagos to be like this, we didn't know that this was there." That's when I really started questioning not just how other people were seeing Africa, but also how I was seeing it. One of the reasons why I moved to the city was because Lagos was not the Nigeria that I had experienced growing up. When I spent my first time in Lagos in 2012, something as simple as the AC, swiping cards, and other technology was something that completely caught me off guard in comparison to my childhood in Aba. Are there times when you had to check yourself about the way you were capturing an African community? When I was working in a Liberian slum, I was very hesitant for a long time to call it a slum. I was discussing it with my co-workers and a lot of them who live there were like, "No, we live in a slum, this is a slum." I had been so cautious because some people romanticize what a slum is and try to create this grimness around it when it's really sometimes, nothing other than an overcrowded community space. A woman was just like, "No we live in a slum. Our conditions are actually shit, we have no running water, no access to clean water." And here I was, in some self-righteous bid about to write a piece to call her home something that she didn't even recognize. "Not every story around people of color has to be this super tragic event." What inspired your popular ongoing project, "The Process of Relearning Bodies"? Like most projects, it started off personal. I grew up with a big scar on my leg that I didn't pay much mind to until I moved to The States and started getting stares. It was just really exploring how communities impact the way we see ourselves. It started off with traveling around Nigeria for a bit and photographing women who have scars. Photographing scars is not a new concept but I realized that a lot of the images that I did see of women in particular, with scars, were gotten through some form of violence or abuse. Not every story around people of color has to be this super tragic event, even though trauma is trauma at the end of the day. I focused more on women who had gotten their scars from everyday accidents and the process in which they learned to recognize their bodies again after that. The goal initially was and still is to share that with a wider audience because I think a lot of women of color in particular suffer silently when it comes to what we deal with regarding our bodies. The project was exploring the different stages of healing that the women were in. How has the project evolved over the last few years? At this point, I'm removing the faces from the bodies because it's a thing where people gaze at the face and the scarred body with a bit of morbid fascination. I want to really bring in tighter, close-ups of these scars. When people first see the scars, they don't know what it is and this questions whether we can recognize scars the same way we recognize faces. For me over time, the goal is to see people with scars and not look a second time because scars have such a commonplace on the human body. Why the focus on capturing the stories of African women? The majority of my stories have always been focused around women and over the years, more on their health, beauty, and sexuality. I remember at an exhibition where I asked people, "When you look at these portraits of African women around the continent, are you looking at them because they are women or are you looking at them because they are Black? What draws you in first? Is it fetishizing blackness or darkness or contrast? I really think my work will be done in that area when you look at an image and you're just like, "Oh, it's an image of a woman combing her hair" versus (an exaggerated) "wow a black woman running her comb through her thick kinks." "A lot of women of color in particular suffer silently when it comes to what we deal with regarding our bodies." What sparked your interest in fashion photography? Fashion is culture. I would be doing myself a disservice if I say, "You know what, fashion is just this flimsy artificial thing in our world." I mean back in the day when I started in photography, I definitely didn't enjoy it because I was just taking pictures of products and there was very little people interaction. Now I'm actually constructing stories, addressing real topics and issues, and it's a nice break away from documentary because I have a lot more time to share and create with people. What inspired you to create "And They Say We Are Lazy"? In early 2018, the president of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari, passed a comment on Nigerian youth being uneducated and waiting for handouts from their oil producing nation: "More than 60 percent of the population is below 30, a lot of them haven't been to school and they are claiming that Nigeria is an oil producing country, therefore, they should sit and do nothing, and get housing, healthcare, education free." While the presidency later clarified "not all youth," the statement was still met with anger, particularly on social media where #LazyNigerianYouth was created and people used it as an opportunity to promote their work, businesses and show off their impressive achievements. Students Tell President Rouhani 'Thunder Of Military Boots' Being Heard Across Iran 12/10/18 Source: Radio Farda In a letter to President Hassan Rouhani more than 500 student activists have condemned the expanding presence of security agencies and "the deepening atmosphere of repression" dominating universities in Iran. The students have also criticized what they say is "competition" between intelligence organs in suppressing Iranian students and others, including teachers, workers, and dervishes across the country. Meanwhile, commemorating Student Day in Iran (December 7), the Iranian Students Trade Councils disclosed in a statement that more than 300 students have been arrested this year, sentenced to a total of more than 100 years, thousands of lashes, and banned from leaving the country for a year. Implicitly referring to President Rouhani's catchphrase, saying that "I am a lawyer, not a colonel", the students have noted in their letter, "We voted for the lawyer, not the judge! However, what could we do? Today, the attorney and the judge have joined hands to create an atmosphere of strangulation to suppress rightful social protests." According to student publications and Ensaf News, the signatories of the letter have also accused the ministries of Interior and Intelligence, as well as the police of a "regrettable competition" among parallel intelligence organizations to silence everyone. Nevertheless, the students have directly addressed Rouhani, saying, "You still insist on merely denying (these facts)." Listing hundreds of other protest letters addressed to Rouhani in recent years, the students' rights activists have asserted, "These protest letters not only remained unanswered, but...repression intensified to the extent that the thunder of military boots are not only heard at the universities but echoing all over Iran". Freedom at Iranian Universities Satire by Sana Hosseinpour, Iranian daily Ghanoon In the meantime, universities across Iran, including Tehran, Semnan, Kermanshah, and Tabriz, witnessed hundreds of gatherings and sit-ins on Saturday, December 8, condemning the repressive measures against workers, teachers, and students whose only demand is "respect for their absolute rights". Prior to the Student Day in Iran, in an unprecedented development, an ultraconservative student group had asked the country's Supreme Leader to show up and give accountability about the Islamic Republic's 40-year record. In the letter to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, an ultraconservative group called upon him on November 22 to attend a gathering in Tehran University and answer questions from students related to the performance of the "Islamic ruling system" for its 40-year record since the downfall of the monarchy. The letter also demanded Khamenei respond to questions concerning the performance of state-run institutions under his 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. Later, the group, under heavy pressure from Khamenei's conservative allies and the so-called parallel intelligence apparatuses, backed down and retracted its demand. Yet surprisingly, the branch of the same group in the city of Shiraz, southern Iran, repeated the same demand days later. Khamenei's office has not yet reacted to the "invitation", so far. cartoon by Taravat Niki, Iranian daily Ghanoon Calling Khamenei to personally attend students gathering and respond to their questions has occurred at a time that the dean of Allameh Tabatabaei University believes that Iranian students have lost their interest in politics. "Iranian students are reluctant to participate in political activities," said Hossein Salimi, the president of Allameh Tababaei University in Tehran, one of the largest universities in the country. Speaking to the state-run Iran Students News Agency (ISNA), Salimi, a former cleric, said the main reason students have lost interest in politics is that they fear the consequences of expressing their opinions. According to Salimi, 60-70 percent of the permits his university issues for student gatherings go unused. Student Activists Educate Iran's President About Political Repression at University Campuses 12/11/18 Source: Center for Human Rights in Iran Four months after 19 university students in Iran were issued harsh prison sentences for attending protests, the country's president declared that Iran's "universities are the freest in the world." Freedom at Iranian Universities Satire by Sana Hosseinpour, Iranian daily Ghanoon "I don't think there's another country where students can express their opinions and criticisms so freely," President Hassan Rouhani boasted in the city of Semnan on December 5, 2018, during a speech marking Iran's Student Day, which was on December 7. The day before at a student gathering in Semnan, Rouhani said, "criticism of the government is the right of every student." His statements rang hollow as only a year earlier, more than 150 students were arrested on Student Day for protesting against state and university policies. The country's judiciary has meanwhile continued to sentence students to prison for attending protests. In July 2018, more than 60 student organizations from universities across Iran had sharply criticized President Rouhani for the crackdown on students led by his Intelligence Ministry. This time, several Iranian university students responded to Rouhani's false claims via social media. "You Really Messed Up, Rouhani" "Mr. Rouhani, I wanted to let you know that at the University of Medical Sciences in Kerman, which is one of the 'freest' universities in the world, only the Basiji students are allowed to celebrate Student Day, even though you had said that all students could also do so," tweeted student activist Mohammad Ali Kamfirouzi on December 6. The Basij is an all-volunteer paramilitary force that functions as an arm of Iran's Revolutionary Guards. Arash Mohammadnia, a former student activist, posted a video of students at Noshirvani University in the city of Babol singing a patriotic song, adding, "Students ... showed that the university is alive and they won't surrender to indignity." Student activist Fereshteh Tousi tweeted a photo of the students demonstrating in Babol with a quote from a statement they had issued: "The path to liberation is through discarding fear, and reliance on the people and democratic movements." Formerly imprisoned student activist Bahareh Hedayat commented "... Slogans on Student Day continue to proclaim that the universities are alive but in fact they are wrapped in darkness and stained with blood... You really messed up, Rouhani." Mahdieh Golru, another previously imprisoned student activist, reacted, "Student Day is not for those who are seeking an education. It's a day for student activists, for those who believe that the university is a stage for the struggle against tyranny and dictatorship, for those who are striving for a better world..." "December 7 is a day for student activists who seek more than an education by defending social and political causes," tweeted formerly imprisoned student activist Majid Tavakoli. Iran's Student Day marks the anniversary of the death of three students who were killed by soldiers at the University of Tehran on December 7, 1952. The students were shot while protesting the British and US-backed coup against Iran's popularly elected Prime Minister Mohammad Mossadegh the year before. Since the creation of the Islamic Republic in 1979, especially after a bloody revolt in Tehran University dormitories in 1998, student activists have been denied higher education and persecuted through various methods. Students accused of engaging in political activities receive a star on their application, which blocksthem from enrolling in Iranian universities. One of Iran's biggest crackdowns on students took place in December 2017/January 2018 as dozens of students were arrested for their peaceful protests against state policies, prompting 40 Members of Parliament to urge President Rouhani to seek their freedom. The Korea Exchange said Monday it has decided to allow Samsung BioLogics to remain listed although the company was found guilty of massively inflating its value ahead of its initial public offering. Trading of Samsung BioLogics' shares resumed on Tuesday after being suspended on Nov. 14. "We have decided to maintain [the company's] listing status considering its business prospects, order intakes and improving sales and profits, which leave no concerns over its continuity," the KRX said Monday. It added there are "some deficiencies" in Samsung BioLogics' management transparency and pledged to monitor progress over the next three years. Samsung BioLogics is capitalized at W22 trillion, and some 80,000 small shareholders breathed a sigh of relief that their investment will not be wiped out (US$1=W1,128). The Financial Services Commission last week fined Samsung's biotech arm W8 billion for breaching accounting rules to big itself up ahead of the IPO in 2016. Samsung BioLogics denies wrongdoing and is suing to have the fine voided. Iraq tops Iran's foreign tourists list 12/11/18 Source: Tehran Times Some 2 million Iraqi nationals visited Iran during the first seven months of the current Iranian calendar year (started March 21), turning the country into Iran's largest source of tourists, ISNA reported. "The number of Iraqi arrivals in Iran neared 2 million from [the first Iranian calendar] month Farvardin to the end of [the seventh month] Mehr," said Vali Teymouri, the deputy director of the Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization. "This is while the number of travelers from Iraq stood at 1,356,185 in the last Iranian year (March 2017-18) and 1,398,201 in the year before," the official said. Iran played host to over 4.7 million travelers during the 7-month period, he added. People from Iraq, Republic of Azerbaijan, Afghanistan, Turkey and Pakistan constituted the highest travelers to Iran respectively that visited the country for medical, pilgrimage and cultural heritage purposes, Teymouri explained. "People of Iran's neighboring countries were used to travel to Iran for pilgrimage, trade and work but nowadays Iraqi and Azerbaijani nationals are mostly pursue medical services in Iran, a king of tourism which usually fetches good income for the country." He underlined that Iran's share of Western travelers is growing. "The number of Western travelers declined by the end of Shahrivar month [Sept. 22], which is a low season for foreign tourism. However, statistics show their arrivals are getting boost over Mehr and Aban months [Sept. 23 to Nov. 21]." CHHTO Director Ali-Asghar Mounesan said in November that the number of foreign travelers to the country has seen a considerable year-on-year growth as medical tourism gains momentum in the country. The 2019 Travel Risk Map, which shows the risk level around the world, puts Iran among countries with "insignificant risk", a category where the UK, Denmark, Switzerland, Norway, and Finland are placed in. Centre for Democratic Development (CDD) together with anti-corruption civil society groups have jointly petitioned President Nana Akufo-Addo, Speaker of Parliament and the Chief Justice to tackle the issue of corruption in the country. CDD-Ghana has raised concerns about the creeping normalization of corruption among the populace, threatening Ghana's development. According to a statement signed by the Director for Advocacy and policy engagement at CDD, Kojo Pumpuni Asante, Ghana has not made strides in the fight against corruption saying "we have stagnated in our fight against corruption for the last 10 years, at least in terms of outcomes. Several indices support this perspective. The Transparency International (TI) 2017 Corruption Perception Index (CPI) shows that between 2008 and 2017, Ghana has never attained a score of 50, which will represent at least a pass mark. Worse still our record over the ten years demonstrates a failure to sustain gains made in certain years". They also called for clear-cut rules and regulations to check the giving of gifts and ethical conduct of public officials as well as political figures to nip corruption in the bud. " . . the absence of rules to regulate gift giving and ethical conduct of public officials and political actors is frustrating all meaningful attempts to raise the bar of integrity among public officials and political actors. Because there are no clear rules, it is very difficult to enforce and prosecute offenders based on violations of gift policy, conflict of interest rules and misconduct. In essence, the existing framework is neither prohibitory nor binding enough to instill a high sense of good conduct and integrity among public officials and, it leaves room for a number of unethical conduct that cannot be checked under the current regime". CDD has therefore asked government and actors in corruption fight to pay a personal price "by speeding up the investigation and prosecution of corruption cases well as asset recovery of proceeds of corruption. We propose a one-year strategy to give Ghanaians visible evidence of a reduction in the incidence of corruption in the provision of administrative services". Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Ghana has received a $57 million (6.49 billion) grant facility from the State of Japan for the rehabilitation of phase two of the national trunk road, N8. This was after the Governments of Ghana and Japan signed an agreement after the holding of bilateral talks between President Akufo-Addo and Japanese Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe, on Tuesday, 11th December, 2018, day 1 of the Presidents 3-day official visit to Japan. Phase two of the N8 trunk road project comprises the road network from Yamoransa to Assin Praso, in the Central Region, and Bekwai-Anhwia Nkwanta-Kumasi roads, in the Ashanti Region. The signing was undertaken, on behalf of Ghana, by the Ambassador to Japan, Mr. Frank Okyere, and, on behalf of the Government of Japan, by the Ambassador to Ghana, Tsutomu Himeno. Speaking after the signing of the agreement, President Akufo-Addo stated that the rehabilitation of the N8 trunk road would go a long way to facilitate the movement of goods and people, as well as open up that area of the country for development. It will be recalled that Japan, in 1994, completed the construction of National Trunk Road N8, through an Official Development Assistance (ODA) loan (176km) to Ghana. However, the rapid increase of traffic volumes resulted in the deterioration of come sections of the loan, and the Government of Ghana, as a result, requested the rehabilitation. The project aims to rehabilitate the southern road section of the National Trunk Road, N8, in Ghana. Strengthening of co-operation Commending President Akufo-Addo for his Ghana Beyond Aid vision, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe reaffirmed Japans continued support to Ghanas efforts at its socio-economic development in the areas of quality infrastructure development, strengthening of the foundation for industrial development including agriculture as well as for health and human resource development. He indicated that Ghana holds a strategically important position in the West Africa Growth Ring Corridor Development to enhance connectivity and promote economic activities in the sub-region, and reaffirmed the importance of developing quality infrastructure. In a joint press statement released after the bilateral talks, the two leaders reaffirmed the importance of promoting resilient health systems towards the achievement of Universal Health Coverage (UHC), as a prerequisite for Ghanas human security and growth, and expressed their intention to discuss the issue as one of the focused areas at TICAD7. President Akufo-Addo also expressed his sincere gratitude to Prime Minister Abe for the recent signing of the Exchange of Notes for the Project for Addressing Malnutrition in Ashanti and Northern Regions, and also for Japans support to human resource development and skills transfers in Ghana such as the National KAIZEN Project, the African Business Education Initiative for Youth (ABE Initiative), and the Project for Human Resource Development Scholarship (JDS). The two leaders reconfirmed their commitment to the goal of the international community for North Koreas complete, verifiable, and irreversible dismantlement of all weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and ballistic missiles of all ranges in accordance with the relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions (UNSCRs), and called on North Korea to take concrete actions toward the aforementioned goal. The two leaders reaffirmed the importance of a comprehensive reform of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) including the expansion of both permanent and non-permanent categories of its membership, in order to make it more legitimate, effective and representative, reflecting the realities of the international community in the 21st century. Prime Minister Abe expressed his support for the adequate reflection of the African Common Position, as set out in the Ezulwini Consensus, in a negotiation text. Source: Peacefmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The two wives of the late Member of Parliament (MP) for Ayawaso West Wuogon Emmanuel Kyeremanten Agyarko are in somewhat of a tussle over who takes up the seat as MP for the area. A group of youth are massing up over the decision by the second wife of the late MP Lydia Agyarko to stand for the upcoming by-elections. The group says the first wife of the late MP Naana Agyarko must be allowed to stand for the position solely or they would not vote. The youth have massed up at the governing New Patriotic Partys headquarters to present a petition demanding the first wife to be allowed to stand for the position. He said the youth claim that right after the late MP died there have been signals from the second wife wanting to stand and they know the first wife met the husband first and if there is anything that should happen, its the first wife that should take that position and she has to be made the sole person to stand. The petition addressed to the NPP National Chairman and dated December 10, 2018, read- Dear Sir, PETITION-NO NAANA AGYARKO-NO VOTE It is with a heavy heart that we the concerned delegates of Ayawaso West Wuogon write this petition. We are a group of over 500 delegates and we are from all the 11 electoral areas namely, Legon Electoral area A, Legon Electoral 8, Aempeasem Electoral area, Dzorwulu Electoral area, Okponglo Electoral area, Airport Electoral area, Christian centre Electoral area, Abelernkpe Electoral area. Tesano Electoral area, Westlands Electoral area, East legon Electoral area. We are from all the 137 polling stations in the constituency. Over the last days since we lost our Member of Parliament, Hon. Emmanuel Kyeremanteng Agyarko some people from his quarters have started pushing for one Lydia Alhassan, a supposed second wife of the late Hon. Agyarko be made the Parliamentary candidate of our Party ahead of the bye-elections. Those pushing this agenda make reference to the case of Asutufi South constituency in the 2000 parliamentary elections where prior to the elections, Professor Djan Amoah, the late husband of Madam Cecilia who had returned from Zimbabwe and stood on the ticket of the NPP for the seat, reportedly died mysteriously. Madam Cecilia Amoah, his legitimate and legally wedded wife went ahead to win the elections on the ticket of the NPP. The petition continued Cecelia Amoah was not a supposed second wife but was a legitimate and legally wedded one. We will like to state in clear terms that we will not support this agenda of Lydia Alhassan. We want a candidate who is a mother, a listener and win massively and, consolidate the gain we made in the last elections. Meanwhile, the petition has been rejected by the party. They have been asked to go back and tell their leadership because what is happening is putting both the party and the wives in a bad light. The late MP passed on November 21 at a hospital in the United States after a protracted ailment. It is however unclear when the by-election to select a new MP for the area would take place Source: starrfmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Spokesperson for ex-President John Dramani Mahama's Campaign team, James Agyenim Boateng has disclosed that they have been able to raise more than four hundred thousand ghana cedis to pay for the filing fees of the former President. However, they are appealing for more support from individuals who believe in the JDM 2020 agenda. Speaking on Okay FM's 'Ade Akye Abia' programme, he explained that it is not that the former president cannot afford to pay for the filing fees, but the various donations are coming as a result of the clarion call by Ghanaians who are yearning for his return. "More so, we need funds to run other activities for the JDM campaign that is why we are still urging other individuals and well meaning Ghanaians to contribute to the JDM campaign. "Given the extraordinary level of interest shown in the fund-raising effort, we wish to announce an official short code and mobile money account through which contributions can be made," he said. According to him all members of the public willing to contribute can do so through the short code, *713*2020*amount# on all networks or MTN mobile money number 0540 842 021. All pledges of GHC1,000 towards the Filing Fee should be sent by mobile money to 0540 842 021. The short code *713*2020*amount# is opened for all contributions no matter the amount. Contributors are advised that COMET will not take responsibility for any funds sent to any account other than the two accounts indicated above. COMET assures the general public of the highest levels of accountability and judicious utilisation of proceeds realised. NDC supporters queue at Mahamas office to donate towards GHc420,000 fee. Dozens of supporters of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), on Monday thronged the office of flagbearer hopeful, John Dramani Mahama, to contribute towards his nomination and filing fees. Although many have described the GHc420,000 fees the NDC is charging its flagbearer hopefuls as hefty, Mahamas campaign team have called on his followers to make donations towards the cause to enable him contest in the upcoming primaries. Meanwhile, John Mahama has picked his nomination forms today, although his other contestants have boycotted the process until their petition over the high cost of fees is addressed. 96 NDC MPs Raise Over GHc600,000 For Mahama Ras Mubarak Some 96 NDC legislators supporting Mahama said they have raised over GHc 600,000 for Mahamas bid to become the partys next flagbearer for election 2020. Initially, we thought we would just raise GHc420,00 cedis but very interestingly, a lot of support in terms of raising the funds has come from friends, well-wishers and members of the party. From the last count weve raised a little over GHc 600,000, Kumbungu MP, Ras Mubarak disclosed on Okay FM's 'Ade Akye Abia' programme. Source: Isaac Kwame Owusu/Peacefmonline.com/[email protected] Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video A photo from Aaron Hillstads page of Facebook shows him with a face scarf similar to the one worn by a video game character whose super powers he apparently tried to summon. Samsung on Monday admitted its first batch of 500 trainees in Seoul, Daejeon, Gwangju and Gumi. In a bid to mollify the government, Samsung will provide one year's software training to 10,000 young jobseekers over the next five years with a stipend of W1 million a month (US$1=W1,128). Thousands of applicants jumped at the chance. According to Samsung, the average age of the successful applicants is 26 and the male-female ratio is 7:3. Samsung selected half of trainees from software backgrounds and the other half from unrelated disciplines. Some 250 will study in Seoul, 100 in Daejeon and 75 each in Gwangju and Gumi. North Korea's humanitarian crisis is entirely the fault of the regime, a U.S. State Department spokesperson told Voice of America on Monday. The spokesperson said there will be no substantial humanitarian aid without denuclearization, despite the UN Security Council's recent decision to permit civic groups to give some medical aid to the North. Asked by VOA to comment on the UN's request for funding for humanitarian aid to the North next year, the spokesperson said, "The regime can fully meet the 2018 United Nations humanitarian appeals request for $111 million by redirecting its funds and resources from its nuclear and weapons programs." On Dec. 4, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said it needs $111 million to support 6 million starving North Koreans next year. But the spokesperson said, "The protracted humanitarian crisis faced by the people of North Korea is created solely by the [North Korean] regime as it continues to use its own resources to finance its WMD program and military weapons rather than provide for the basic welfare of its [people]." "The [North Korean] regime continues to exploit, starve and neglect its own in order to advance its unlawful nuclear and weapons program. The [regime] must take greater responsibility for the well-being of its population," the spokesperson added. K-9 "Bane" was shot and killed on duty. An officer with the Tulare (CA) Police Department was wounded and his new K-9 partner killed in a gunfight over the weekend, according to ABC News. According to reports, the incident began with a traffic stop of a vehicle with three occupants. Witnesses said police were chasing a late-model sedan at high speeds. They estimated the sedan was topping 100 mph. The driver eventually pulled to the side of a nearby rural road west of Tulare. Authorities say that the officer was shot in the arm and in the torso. K-9 "Bane" was killed in the gun battle. The department said on Facebook, "We are thankful that our officer's physical injuries do not appear life threatening. We are grateful for our four legged hero, Bane, and his selfless sacrifice." One suspect was killed, one sustained serious injuries, and a third is in custody. Two deputies with the Pulaski County (AR) Sheriff's Office came under fire at a traffic stop on Saturday. The suspect reportedly emerged from his vehicle and started shooting, then allegedly stole their patrol vehicle. According to KATV News, the suspect then led deputies on a vehicle pursuit through North Little Rock, ending when the suspect collided with another patrol vehicle. The two deputies were transported to a nearby hospital, where their condition was not immediately revealed. KEPOCO is seeking to import electricity from China and Russia to make up for lost power generation due to the government's nuclear phase-out plan, according to a report. At present, Korea generates 100 percent of its own electricity. KEPCO on Monday submitted the report to Liberty Korea Party lawmaker Jung You-sub, saying it wants to secure means to stabilize power supply as the government pursues a green energy policy. The Korean power monopoly wants to connect to power grids in Northeast Asia, importing electricity from China and Russia and exporting it to Japan. It would be part of a "Northeast Asia super grid" project proposed by Softbank CEO Masayoshi Son after the nuclear plant meltdown in Fukushima, Japan in 2011. But the project has been mired in differences between the various governments and due to the fact that it would have to involve North Korea. President Moon Jae-in raised the subject again during the Far East Economic Forum in Russia in September last year, saying it could bring "peace and prosperity" to Northeast Asia. KEPCO paid consulting company McKinsey W1.6 billion in August this year to conduct a feasibility study. McKinsey concluded that KEPCO would have to spend between W7.2 trillion and W8.6 trillion on the plan (US$1=W1,128). The main reason behind the plan is the low cost of Chinese and Russian energy. KEPCO believes that imports would cut the operation of thermoelectric power plants in Korea and contribute to lowering greenhouse gas and fine dust emissions by W120 billion in money terms. But experts doubt there will be any tangible benefits. First, the political risks are vast. Korea still suffers from an unofficial Chinese boycott of Korean goods and services, imposed when Beijing objected to the U.S. stationing a Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense battery here. Power imports could be equally used as a bargaining chip whenever Seoul does something Beijing does not like. Russia has also been threatening to turn off the spigot of natural gas supplies to Europe every time political conflicts erupt. Roh Dong-seok at the Korea Energy Economics Institute said, "Energy security translates directly into national security. What happens if power supplies from China or Russia are halted?" The notion that importing electricity will help the environment is also flawed. Lee Deok-hwan at Sogang University said, "China produces electricity mainly by burning coal, and if coal-fired power generation increases there, it would cancel out any reduction in fine-dust emissions in Korea." Joo Han-gyu at Seoul National University said, "Importing electricity from China and Russia would make us dependent on them. The energy independence that we achieved through decades of work building nuclear power plants is being threatened by the irresponsible energy policies of this government." In an effort to increase the number of potential new recruits eligible to join the agency, the Dallas Police Department wants to eliminate the requirement that recruits complete 45 hours of college credit. During a city council meeting on the matter, DPD Assistant Chief Angela Shaw told the public safety committee, "There are a lot of cities such as San Antonio, Austin and Fort Worth that don't require college they only require a high school degree." Changing Dallas' civil service rules would allow DPD to potentially offset the number of young officers who leave Dallas for law enforcement jobs in other cities with lateral transfers, according to the Dallas Observer The San Antonio (TX) Police Department added two new members to its SWAT Team last weekone of whom is the first ever female to join the unit. Image courtesy of SAPD / Facebook. The San Antonio (TX) Police Department added two new members to its SWAT Team last weekone of whom is the first ever female to join the unit. Officer Perla Dominguez and Officer Marsh Davis were welcomed onto the team by SAPD Chief William McManus, City Manager Sheryl Sculley, and SWAT Lieutenant Henry Trevino. Dominguez and Davis received their department SWAT uniform patches in a ceremony last Wednesday. Dominguez and Davis are both six-year veterans with the SAPD, according to the agency's Facebook page. International environmental organization Greenpeace on Monday released images of 6,500 tons of plastic waste from Korea found dumped in the Philippines. Camouflaged as "recycled waste materials," these mountains of plastic waste were exported illegally by a Korean recycling company. According to Greenpeace, the waste was smuggled into the Philippines on July 21 and Oct. 20. Some 5,100 tons are still lying on a landfill site of Verde Soko Phil., a waste processing company, on Mindanao Island an hour and a half by air from Manila. The remaining 1,400 tons were impounded and kept in 51 containers by the Philippines Bureau of Customs at the island's port. Swept away by rain and winds, the waste pollutes soil and water and threatens the health of local residents. Boeing milestone: accelerating demand From:ChinaDaily | 2018-12-11 00:03 With Boeing Co delivering its 2,000th airplane, a 737 MAX, to Xiamen Airlines at the end of last month, the speed with which the milestone was reached reflects the accelerating growth of the worlds largest commercial aviation market. It took Boeing more than four decades to deliver 1,000 airplanes to Chinese airlines. The next 1,000 Boeing jets were delivered in the past five years. The brisk pace is continuing, as 1 in 4 Boeing commercial jets goes to a Chinese operator, either through direct purchase or lease. Aviation, I believe, is a real bright spot in the cooperation between the US and China, John Bruns, president of Boeing China, told Xinhua in a recent interview. If we are firmly committed to the China market, we will be in China as long as Boeing Company exists. Xiamen Airlines, based in East Chinas Fujian province, is one of Boeings more than 30 commercial customers in China. Were pleased to be a part of this historic delivery for Boeing and China, said Che Shanglun, chairman of Xiamen Airlines. In our 34-year history of operations, Xiamen Airlines has steadily grown, doubling our fleet size over the past five years and achieving profits for 31 years in a row. Throughout that time, Boeing has been a valued partner in our growth and expansion by providing safe and reliable airplanes. Boeing jets comprise more than half of the 3,000-plus jetliners flying in China. Our long-standing industrial relationship in this market has been mutually beneficial, fueling significant growth in Boeings business, the US economy and the Chinese aviation industry, said Ihssane Mounir, senior vice-president of commercial sales and marketing at Boeing. Chinas commercial fleet is expected to more than double over the next 20 years. Boeing forecasts that China will need 7,690 new airplanes, valued at $1.2 trillion, by 2038. China also plays a major role in building the worlds jetliners. The Chinese aerospace manufacturing industry supplies parts for every Boeing jet, including the 737 MAX, 777 and 787 Dreamliner. This month, Boeing, which is headquartered in Chicago, and the Commercial Aircraft Corp of China are set to deliver the first 737 MAX airplane from a completion and delivery center in Zhoushan, East Chinas Zhejiang province. The facility will handle interior work and exterior painting of 737 MAXs for the Chinese market. Final assembly will continue at Boeings factory in Renton, Washington. In November 2017, Boeing and China Aviation Suppliers Holding Co signed an agreement for 300 airplanes during a ceremony in Beijing. It was part of the United States trade mission to China and was signed by Kevin McAllister, Boeing Commercial Airplanes president and CEO, in the presence of President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump. The agreement includes orders and commitments for 300 Boeing single-aisle and twin-aisle airplanes. The airplanes are valued at more than $37 billion at list prices. Xinhua contributed to this story. NordFX Introduced New Trading Solutions At Traders Fair-2018 Traditionally, at the end of each year, the top managers of various companies all around the globe start assessing the results of their work done for the last 12 months and defining their plans for the next year. Apparently, this year is not an exception. On the first days of December, many of the websites specializing in financial markets start publishing info in various events, within the framework of which financial companies report their achievements. In November 2018, Vietnam hosed a specialized Forex expo, which welcomed thousands of visitors and participants. This event was arranged by FinEXpo. NordFX was lucky to participate in the major FX event as well. The broker's stand offered the visitors to get familiar with a wide range of new products and services loved by thousands of trades and investors from all over the world. Financial Market Solutions by NordFX In Vietnam , NordFX introduced some of its latest innovative products for currency, cryptocurrency and stick markets. Apart from the standard services for the Forex market, the company's experts introduced innovative solutions for trading cryptocurrency indexes and digital payment means the professional way. We ar talking about the solutions for MT4 and MT% in the first place. On top of that, the stand offered the visitors an opportunity to get acquainted with the options available to those who invest in specialized funds. There are 3 funds, which combine the stocks of major companies like MasterCard, Google, Apple, Nike, Facebook, and som much more. Apart from being highly reliable and promising in terms of future profits, those funds introduced by NordFX allow you to join in even if you don't have a lot of money to spend on investments. With that being said, comprehensive portfolio investment is now available to virtually anyone. To allow the visitors to dive deeper into the subject, NordFX conducted a whole seminar right after the event. Apart from the promising funds, the audience got to know a lot about the company's RAMM service, which boils down to copying the trading signals delivered by professional traders via an exclusive platform, which also allows the owner to stay in control of the risks in auto mode. On top of that, NordFX held a meeting with existing and potential IB affiliates. They company's representatives told the audience about the benefits of partnering with NordFX, as well as the company's future plans. You are free to discuss this article here: forum for traders and investors If you were looking for the Charlestown Democratic Town Committee website and ended up here, try this Got news tips, gossip, suggestions, complaints?E-mail us: progressivecharlestown@gmail.com We strive to avoid errors in our articles. Our correction policy can be found here Welcome Guest! You Are Here: Queens Together On Thursday November 18, Queens Together and volunteers helped 1,000 families in Astoria, LIC, Woodside, Jackson Heights, Sunnyside, Corona, East Elmhurst, Jamaica, Rosedale, Far Rockaway,... Mets Turkey Giveaway The Amazin Mets Foundation donated 5,000 turkeys to those in need in advance of Thanksgiving. Pitcher Tylor Megill, Mr. & Mrs. Met and members of... Rebuilding Median By LaGuardia Kicking off construction of a project to rebuild and beautify the Ditmars Blvd medians between 78th Street and the airport (82nd Street), a press conference... Folsom, CA -- (ReleaseWire) -- 12/11/2018 --ANG Health Care, Inc. can be relied upon for top quality home nurse in Fair Oaks and Folsom California. The company is often regarded as the most favored provider of in-home care for seniors, and they take the vow to the communities which they serve very genuinely. 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MJ Tax Services and More, Inc. is a renowned notary public services and independent insurance company that offers services to the residents of Coral Springs, Coconut Creek, Pompano Beach, Margate, Tamarac, and nearby communities. Lake Havasu City, AZ -- (ReleaseWire) -- 12/11/2018 --Western Alarm Services, Inc. is a famous company that specializes in offering CCTV monitoring devices, fire alarms, and security systems. Just like the offices, the homes too require additional protection these days and therefore Western Alarm Services, Inc. offers premium quality surveillance camera in Bullhead City and Kingman Arizona. Western Alarm Services, Inc. installs, designs, plans, and services all types of residential as well as commercial security systems fast and in a proficient manner. Western Alarm Services, Inc. can even cope with the clients' security necessities regardless of the sizes. 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Meanwhile, after calling off a crucial House of Commons vote, U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May will now meet European leaders and EU officials in the hope of clinching a better Brexit deal. The pan-European Stoxx Europe 600 index advanced 1.65 percent. The Euro Stoxx 50 index of eurozone blue chip stocks increased 1.30 percent, while the Stoxx Europe 50 index, which includes some major U.K. companies, added 1.45 percent. The DAX of Germany climbed 1.49 percent and the CAC of France rose 1.35 percent. The FTSE 100 of the U.K. gained 1.27 percent and the SMI of Switzerland finished higher by 1.92 percent. In Frankfurt, Daimler rose 3.32 percent. The luxury carmaker said it would buy battery cells worth more than 20 billion euros by 2030 as part of efforts to push forward with the transformation into the electric future of the company. Copper producer Aurubis slid 0.78 percent after unveiling its financial results for fiscal year 2017/18. In London, advertising giant WPP Group jumped 4.84 percent after it set out a new three-year plan to return the to growth. Ashtead Group rallied 4.89 percent. The industrial equipment rental company said it expects annual results to be ahead of prior expectations. Carpetright soared 7.19 percent. After reporting a wider first-half loss, the carpet and floor coverings retailer said that it was making progress on its turnaround plan. Outsourcing firm Interserve gained 4.96 percent after saying it was in rescue talks. German investor confidence rose strongly in December, defying expectations for a modest weakening, but caution prevailed as financial analysts' assessment of the current economic situation again deteriorated sharply due to sluggish economic growth and uncertainties linked to global trade and Brexit. The ZEW Indicator of Economic Sentiment for Germany rose 6.6 points to reach minus 17.5 points in December, results of a survey by the Centre for European Economic Research, or ZEW, showed on Tuesday. Economists had forecast the index, which reflects analysts' economic expectations for the next 6 months, to worsen further to minus 25. UK wages rose at the fastest pace in a decade in the three months to October, suggesting that real pay growth is turning sustainable and contribute to economic growth if a "no-deal" Brexit is avoided. Average wages including bonuses rose 3.3 percent year-on-year, which was the biggest increase since the May to July period of 2008, the Office for National Statistics said on Tuesday. Economists had forecast a 3 percent increase. Producer prices in the U.S. unexpectedly showed a modest uptick in the month of November, according to a report released by the Labor Department on Tuesday. The Labor Department said its producer price index for final demand inched up by 0.1 percent in November after climbing by 0.6 percent in October. Economists had expected prices to be unchanged. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Market Analysis After gapping open sharply higher, shares of DSW Inc. (DSW) have pulled back off their best levels of the day but remain firmly positive in afternoon trading on Tuesday. DSW is currently up by 10.8 percent after ending the previous session at a seven-month closing low. The initial jump by DSW came after the footwear and accessories retailer reported better than expected fiscal third quarter results and raised its full-year guidance. DSW reported third quarter adjusted earnings of $0.70 per share on revenues of $833 million compared to analyst estimates for earnings of $0.52 per share on revenues of $795 million. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Business News After a sharp fall in the previous session, crude oil futures rebounded to close higher on Tuesday, aided by an unexpected supply cut from Libya. News about Libya's National Oil Company declaring force majeure on exports from the El Sharara oilfield lifted crude oil prices today, although worries about a likely fall in crude demand due to weak outlook for global economic growth, and doubts over how OPEC and its allies plan to implement planned production cuts next year limited the commodity's upside. The move to stop exports from the El Sharara oilfield, which was seized by a local militia group last weekend, is expected to result in a production loss of 315,000 barrels a day and an additional loss of 73,000 barrels a day at the El Feel oilfield. Crude oil futures for January ended up $0.65, or 1.3%, at $51.65 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. On Monday, crude oil futures ended down $1.61, or 3.1%, at $51.00 a barrel, the lowest settlement price in about a week. Traders also weighed Chinese customs data released over the weekend. The data showed China's crude oil imports rose 15.7% year-on-year to a record high of 10.48 million barrels a day in November, beating previous record of 9.64 million barrels a day reached in April 2018. The Energy Information Administration (EIA) has reduced its oil-price forecasts for this year and next, following the recent price declines that came ahead of Friday's decision by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and some non-member allies to cut production starting in January. EIA is scheduled to come out with its inventory data on Wednesday morning. After ten successive week of increases, U.S. crude stockpiles declined in the week ended November 30. Last week's data from EIA showed, crude oil inventories in the U.S. were down by 7.3 million barrels to 443.2 million barrels. The American Petroleum Institute's weekly oil report is due later today. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Market Analysis Engineers Syndicate's members protest in front of U.N. Office to condemn aggression' crimes [11/December/2018] SANAA, Dec. 11 (SABA) - Members of the Yemeni Engineers Syndicate on Monday organized a protest in front of the United Nations Office in protest against the crimes of aggression. The protesters called on the United Nations to assume its responsibility to stop the aggression on Yemen, condemning the continuation of the heinous crimes committed by the coalition of aggression against Yemen land and human. They also demanded intervention to allow commercial and oil vessels to enter the port of Hodeidah to alleviate the suffering of the people imposed by the continuation of the unjust siege. Participants in this vigil held the countries of aggression of responsible for the crimes against women and children, stressing that these crimes will not be subject to statute of limitations. AA Saba Cabinet discusses issues related to political, financial, fronts, service situations [11/December/2018] SANAA, Dec. 11 (Saba) - The Council of Ministers discussed in a regular meeting held today under the chairmanship of Prime Miniser Dr. Abdulaziz bin Habtoor, a number of issues related to political, financial service and war-fronts. The Council reviewed the expenditure plan for the state budget and the budgets of the independent units and the special funds and funds for the first half (January-June 2019) submitted by the Ministry of Finance and postponed the decision to an upcoming meeting to allow members to study further and submit their observations thereon. The Council reviewed the report of the ministerial team headed by Deputy Prime Minister for Services Mahmoud al-Junaid, appointed by President Mahdi al-Mashat and the Prime Minister, to pay visits to the provinces of Taiz, Dalea and Ibb , to inspect the conditions of the three provinces and the immediate challenges facing them. Especially in the areas of water, sanitation and roads. The Ministerial Report referred to the results of the Deputy Prime Minister's meetings on services with heads and members of local authorities, political and social organizations, scholars, sheikhs and dignitaries in these provinces. The report of the Ministerial Group included a set of recommendations to address the urgent needs of these three provinces , the army and the Popular Committees on the fronts of confronting the aggression and its mercenaries in Taiz and Dalea. The recommendations of the report also included doubling the quantities of domestic gas allocated to Ibb province due to the large wave of displacement from the neighboring provinces as well as from the southern and eastern provinces. The recommendations called to meet the needs of University of Ibb, and to provide the necessary requirements for developing its enlightenment and development role towards the students of the provinces and the displaced. The recommendations stressed the speed of implementation of the minutes signed by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance and the Minister of Local Administration and Governor of Ibb and contains a number of service projects necessary and according to the matrix raised and the task of the Ministers concerned with implementation of the field descent team to the province and the elaboration of the items of the minute and translated on the ground. The report recommended allocating appropriate amounts from the road maintenance fund to maintain the roads of Taiz province, which has become miserable, as well as the establishment of a hospital in the area of Al-Huban and the establishment of medical camps to cover the existing deficit experienced by the region, which has become a safe haven for many of the people of Taiz, as well as drilling new wells to meet the needs As well as the preparation and processing of two food convoys to be sent by the government to the fighters defending the homeland in Taiz. The Council approved the recommendations and proposals reached by the Ministerial Group. It directed all the Ministers concerned to implement them in their respective fields and to report to the Council on the level of implementation and any difficulties that may impede the implementation thereof. The Council noted its appreciation for the ministerial demise team headed by the Deputy Prime Minister and the results of their visits to the three provinces. The Council noted the steadfastness of the people of the three provinces in confronting the aggression and conspiracies, pointing out the geopolitical and demographic importance of Taiz, Ibb and Dhalea in the national map.< The Council was briefed on the situation on the fronts of confronting the aggressors, the invaders, their internal mercenaries and beyond the border. The report pointed to the continuation of the military escalation by the Aggression Coalition, particularly in western coast, Nehm an Bayda, in conjunction with the start of the Stockholm consultations. In this context, the Council of Ministers referred to the high readiness of the killers of the army and the popular committees to defeat the aggressors. In the light of the discussion, the Council also approved the memorandum of the Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation, Abdulmalik Al-Thawr, to stop the importation of locally produced crops, "vegetables and fruits", which is important in encouraging local products to compete at the local level while providing self-sufficiency in these foodstuffs. The Council of Ministers stressed to the various ministries concerned the study of mechanisms to support the Yemeni farmers and reduce production costs, especially production inputs in line with the challenges facing the sector due to the aggression and the total siege imposed on Yemen. The Council approved in principle the project submitted by the Minister of Communications and Information Technology Eng. Misfer Nimeer on the development of the activity of public and private institutions operating in the telecommunications sector. The Council referred the project, which included mechanisms for the institutional development of the activity of this vital sector, to the competent technicians of the Ministries of Telecommunications, Industry and Trade to enrich and develop it in preparation for its implementation.< AA Saba Cooperation between Yemen, ICRC discussed [11/December/2018] SANAA, Dec. 11 (Saba) - Deputy Foreign Minister Hussein al-Azzi discussed today with the regional director of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) for the Near and Middle East Fabrizio Carboni, the areas of cooperation between our country and the ICRC and means of enhancing and developing them. In the meeting, the Deputy Foreign Minister addressed the violations and crimes committed by the Coalition of Aggression for almost four years, the most recent of which was the crime committed in the province of Hodeidah, killing and wounding 20 citizens, including women and children. He noted that the States of aggression were continuing their military escalation in conjunction with the Stockholm consultations, which showed that there was no real intention to bring about peace. The Deputy Foreign Minister praised the efforts made by the ICRC in our country, especially regarding the file of prisoners and detainees and the health aspect. He hoped that the ICRC would exert pressure on the aggressor States to respect their obligations under international humanitarian law. Carboni welcomed the peace consultations held in Sweden, expressed the hope that the aspirations of the Yemeni people will be realized and referred to the nature of the role played by the International Committee of the Red Cross in the implementation of the prisoner exchange agreement being negotiated. He also expressed his appreciation to the concerned government authorities to all facilities provided to the ICRC delegation in Sana'a, stressing that the mission will spare no effort to support Yemen and contribute to alleviating the human suffering of the Yemeni people. AA Saba The writer was invited by UNESCO to speak as one of the panelists during the celebration of the 70th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights last night. Other speakers included Acting Prime Minister, Fiame Naomi Mataafa, Ombudsman Maiava Iulai Toma and UNESCO Director and Representative to the Pacific State, Ms. Nisha. This is what Mataafa said: Talofa lava and greetings to you all. On behalf of our Editor-in-Chief, Gatoaitele Savea Sano and Publisher, Muliaga Jean Malifa, who are not able to be here tonight, I want to say its an honour for me to be here to share a couple of thoughts on the celebration of the 70th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. I promise to be brief so Ill get to right to it. As a media representative, I want to focus my short spill on the Right to freedom of opinion and expression, why an independent feisty media is important, and some of the challenges we are facing today. Let me begin by saying that the pursuit of quality journalism, the type that makes a difference is not easy, but it is absolutely necessary. In fact if there was ever a time in historywhere this kind of journalism is needednot just in the world but also in Samoa, it is now. People have a fundamental human right to be informed. Why? There are many reasons, depending on which part of the world you are in or are from. Here in Samoa, the former Head of State, His Highness Tui Atua Tupua Tamasese Efi, gives us one reason. During his congratulatory message to the Samoa Observer on her 40th birthday this year, Tui Atua wrote: Today Samoa is at a cross-road in her history. It is faced with a new colonialism that I see to be more dangerous than that faced by our constitutional forefathers. The forces controlling this new colonialism is beyond the reach of the average or ordinary Samoan. It is camouflaged and lives insidiously from both outside and within ourselves. As a spiritual people, we must pay attention to how this new colonialism attacks all that is sacred. In the neo-colonial space nothing is holy, especially that labelled customary or traditional, nor even it seems the rule of law. The point is that in light of these recent developments, we believe an objective media driven by critical thinkers is vital. It cannot be business as usual. We need to be asking the right questions so that our audiences are adequately informed. It goes without saying that when the medias objectivity is removed and stunted, it loses its power to make a difference. Which is why constructive critical thinking is absolutely necessary. Here is the most important thing. People deserve to know the truth. They deserve to be told the truth. It goes without saying that a free press means free people. But there is another interesting element to freedom of opinion we are seeing in this day and age. Let me say this, freedom of expression is one thing, abusing people and making unfounded allegations under the guise of freedom of expression, especially when the writer is faceless, is something else. Lets not confuse the two please. They are worlds apart and they must never be muddled together. Whereas freedom of expression is a fundamental human right, which allows people to speak their mind freely and access information, so they can hold the powers that be to accountthe latter is damaging and must never be tolerated. We say this because it destroys innocent people, families, communities, countries and eventually makes a mockery of the very freedom our forebears shed their blood and tears over so we can live and enjoy such fantastic freedom today. This evening, I want to remind all of us here that without free speech and a right to believe and express an opinion, democracy will wither and die. Its that simple. That said, we must be reminded that freedom comes with boundaries and responsibility. It must always be governed by rules and laws, which protect and guard people, who are vulnerable to being hurt and abused by that very freedom. Sad to say, some of what we have witnessed online in Samoa today, is nothing but malicious and extremely vengeful. We dont need to tell you anymore about the Government-driven manhunt for certain online bloggers in Samoa today. It is still continuing. From our standpoint, its an eye opener in terms of just how little we know about the power of the internet. The irony is that here we have a Government espousing the need to have faster internet connection with multiple benefits, and yet on the other hand it is slowly finding out, just how much of a monster we are creating. It was only recently that Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi threatened to block off Facebook in Samoa altogether. Tuilaepas Government is powerful enough to be able to do that. But will it solve the problem of abuse and misuse of the internet and freedom of expression? The answer is no. The abusers will simply move on to another platform. This is the reality of today. Getting back to freedom of expression and the traditional media, the basic guide to free speech is that if you have an opinionespecially one where you are accusing someone elseyou should be brave enough to put your face and your name with it. Thats what responsible people do. And this is what this newspaper encourages. In fact it is what we do through the editorial section of your newspaper every day of the week. We know some people agree with us, some dont and others will absolutely hate us for it. But that is the beauty of the freedom of different views and opinions. It allows us to agree to disagree. After all, its the variety and the quality of different opinions that enriches and enhances human lives. It allows us to grow as a people, a nation and it helps us become better. On that note, I want to say congratulations once more to everyone involved in tonights celebration of the 70th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. I leave you with a line from the statement issued by UNESCO and OHCHR, published in the Sunday Samoan. It reads: The power of the Universal Declaration is the power of ideas to change the world. It inspires people to continue working to ensure all people can gain freedom, equality and dignity. At its 70th anniversary, let us take the chance to celebrate the gift of the Universal Declaration and to reaffirm the enduring human rights principles and standards it has helped establish. God bless! Re: About the Asau wharf editorial Absolutely agree with the article regarding deepening port in Savaii. Similar situations are in Vanuatu where the government is having difficulty with repayments to the Chinese lenders, Sri Lanka government has already defaulted in their loan and now the Chinese government controls the deep port for 99 years. Look what happened to South Chine sea situation? The PM knows that Samoa has a large debt over a billion tala to repay, so another several millions is nothing to him as you the people will pay this loan even your grandchildren! Strategic situation of countries such as USA, Australia and new Zealand shall not allow China to embed in Samoa. The fact is the tourist traffic would not be able to pay the fees imposed by the loan, thus economically enviable for your country, which I do love. Sekia Samoa! Zdenek Robes The forecast that the Minister of Finance, Sili Epa Tuioti, had made about two months ago in connection with the changeover of ownership of Aggie Greys Hotel on Beach Road, is somewhat disturbing. He said that if repayments on the hotel were not up to date by January 2019, the Samoan Government would start seizing assets from the Aggie Grey family, to repay the $50 million loan the family had borrowed. It is understood, that the reconstruction of Aggie Greys Hotel and its bungalows was necessary, since it had been demolished by Cyclone Evan in 2012. This information was made available to the Samoa Observer by the Minister of Finance, Sili Epa Tuioti, when he was asked for comment. Explained Sili: Despite the fact that negotiations are underway with the new owners, if anything does not come through in the next two months, the Government will act. He did not explain what he meant. However, earlier when the Samoa Observer, contacted the Chief Executive Officer of the Development Bank of Samoa (D.B.S), Fauena Susana Laulu, for a comment, she said transactions between the D.B.S. and Aggie Greys Hotel, who happened to be our client, were confidential, and therefore they could not be disclosed. Later still, when Minister, Sili Epa Tuioti, responded to the questions raised by the Samoa Observer, he made it clear, that the hotel had been sold last year, and the promises that had been made by the previous owners, were not fulfilled in their entirety. The previous owners of Aggie Grey's Hotel, which at the time was rated 4.5 Stars, were according to M.C.I.L.s business directory: Frederick Alan Grey, Alan Nicholas Links Grey, and Tanya Kathleen Grey. The business directory also revealed that the Greys ceased their shares in the hotel, on 21 August 2017, and the new owners took over on the same date. The new owners are Leornard Cheng, Wanying He, and Qing Tian of New Zealand, and Xuzheng Liu, who is from China. Later, when the Samoa Observer contacted Qing Tian, by email for a comment on the issues that had been raised, by Samoas Minister of the Development Bank, Sili Epa Tuioti, he did not respond. Later still, the Samoa Observer questioned Qing Tian, by email, regarding the freehold Lot 574 with 5648 square meters at Vaisigano, where the Hotel was located, asking if they had purchased the lot or just the Hotel, the email was also not responded to. However, a document received by the Samoa Observer, outlining the freehold Lot 574 with 5648 square meters at Vaisigano, indicated that it remained under the ownership of Aggie Greys family. This land had been used as collateral for mortgage #40929 to the Development Bank, with three other variations to the mortgage loans #41638; #44928; #46898. During an interview on the status of the loans, Minister Sili Epa Tuioti, explained that only a portion of the payment that had been promised for quite a while, had come through. Sili also said: They did make a partial payment, and its my understanding that we are now still waiting, for the balance. However, Sili explained, the ongoing negotiations now are between the Development Bank and the new owners for them to take on the responsibility of repayments. Asked why the Government had not acted promptly, on seizing assets as theyd done with other debtors over the years, the Minister did not respond right away. Later though, he explained, that it was always a problem lending money on the promise, that the borrower will be able to provide the security, and that he will be able to pay the loan. And like other hotels, they have been struggling, and that way they were either overestimating the growth of occupancy of the hotel, and even if they were able to fill up the rooms, it still wont generate enough to be able to maintain repayments, so that it is really a combination of many factors, the Minister said. He also said, that the advice from the Development Bank was to make sure theyd paid what theyd promised several times for a little while now, and were going to work the current owners, to give them a month or two to work on their finances, and they will then be pay able to pay up. Said the Minister of Finance: People are disappointed that the money that was paid by the new owners should have come to the Development Bank, and that is something that we are working on. There are many other assets involved in this loan and the Government will take whatever is needed to recover it. He also revealed: The Hotel will be given two months and by January 2019; if nothing has been fruitful by that time, the Government will act in seizing assets. Around three weeks ago, a number of emails that had been sent to Lupesina Fred Grey on the matter, have not been answered at press time. In June, a statement was issued by the Hotel saying that in four months, since the Chinese Investment Group had taken over ownership, it was struck again by flooding which forced them to close the place down. Later, in a statement, the Investment Group, said: As you are also aware, since we purchased the Hotel, we have been struck twice by severe flooding. The first flood was far more severe than the flood of 2012, and as a result weve invested close to 15 million Tala of our own funds, to clean up the damage that had been caused. In the end, no debt was incurred, but a direct Investment by the new owners of the Hotel, was made to repair the severe damages the hotel had suffered, in the two floods of February and April 2018. As new owners, we have had some bad luck with the weather in Samoa, but we remain optimistic in our investment, as well in the Samoan Government's efforts, in relation to tourism growth in Samoa. To mark the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights yesterday, Samoa screened the film Waru at the Apollo theatre last night. Waru is a film directed by eight Maori women and comprises eight different life changing stories surrounding the death of a boy at the hands of his family. So its eight single stories all at 10 oclock in the morning on the third day of the funeral, and the only thing that intertwines the story is it talks about social issues around women and how we have to basically survive, Paula Whetu Jones, one of the women directors, also a producer and writer said. Paula said the film was made two years ago in Auckland, New Zealand, and this is its first time to be screened in Samoa. The stories are all based on true accounts. Theyre all part of our realities as women, and women filmmakers and mothers. We got sent to an island where we sat there for a couple of days, we had our scripts, and on the third day they brought in actors. It was a pretty fast process. It was supposed to be for the web. We were guns for hire, so they put out a callout for Maori women directors and writers, and they received 50 applications. Paula said Waru is the first film in 30 years thats been made by Maori women. My story is about the girl who confronts the community about knowing her killed Waru, she told the Samoa Observer. I already had my story because over the years of making documentaries I had come across a lot of young girls who had been abused and ignored. And so the story that I wrote is that she confronts the uncle who was abusing her and the community for knowing about waru and not doing anything. It took six months to film the movie from beginning to end, which was really quick, she said. My story was what I wanted to tell for a very long time. It is about Mere and she is a girl who does not belong to anybody, and the community shes in. She used to be looked after by her Nan, but she passed away, and so she was just passed around from person to person, and abused. People knew, and of course she didnt really belong to anybody. She had to look after the kids, so Waru was one of the kids she looked after. Mere was looking after another little boy, his name is Rua, and he wanted to go in and see his friend Waru and she takes them and her nan comes to her, and just with the corner of her eyes she sees one of her uncles with a little girl, and she just makes the decision to confront him, and she does in front of everybody. The kicker is he doesnt speak Maori, and she speaks Maori, so she calls him out and the community. South Korean businessman Sark Lee has expressed confidence in his business partner Wilex Samoa and its nonu products making an impact in the South Korean market despite stiff competition. Talking to Samoa Observer about the partnership between his company Benefarm and Wilex Samoa, he said their business partnership is six-months-old and they currently export about 15 metric tons of nonu products per month. There is stiff competition in the South Korean market with Mr. Lee revealing that there are 24,000 other noni products selling in South Korea. But he is confident with his investment in the Samoan company, as he says promoting their product through TV commercials and packaging will enable them to break into the market. We try and educate and promote that Samoa noni is the best in the world because there are a lot of competitors in the noni product line in South Korea but this is the only noni product from Samoa. Right now we (Benefarm) are below our budget with Wilex Samoa, were not earning money right now because we are investing all our funds and much more than what we buy from Samoa. Ive experienced with other products that we have to spend more money so [that] in the future, we can get more money. We always have to market our products for a year or more for great results, he said. Recently, a TV commercialwhich was aired in South Korea for the first timeresulted in the sale of 3.2 metric tons of Samoan nonu in two hours. The sales record compelled Mr. Lee to spend US$65,000 to fly a South Korean TV crew to Samoa to shoot a show, which will promote their products. He said independent tests, which were done in South Korea on the quality of raw Samoan nonu fruit, has also revealed that the Samoan variety is the most nutritious. I made Tagaloa Eddie Wilson send 100 kilos of raw nonu fruits by air so wed get samples and get it tested in Korea. Everything just came out clear and on top of that we found that Samoan noni is the most nutritious noni when we did our research. And thats what were really trying to tell the people about Samoa noni by marketing and promoting a lot so that we can also compete with the others, he added. South Korea has one of the worlds strictest food security regimes, which Mr. Lee said they will work together with Wilex Samoa to meet its criteria. The Year 8 Dux of Apia Primary is Gebra Crawley of Malua. The 12-year-old attained first place in mathematics and English and came top overall in terms of assessment. Speaking to the Samoa Observer, she said she has attended Apia Primary for six years and enjoyed her stint as a school prefect and participating in school activities. It was hard being a prefect because some kids dont listen. But I like participating for all the school events, she said. Gebra will now follow her older brother to Samoa College and do first year commerce in 2019. I am excited to go to Samoa College. There I will be taking my first year in commerce to learn as much as I can before I leave, she added. However, her stay in Samoas oldest educational institution will be short-lived as she is moving to New Zealand. Gebra thanks her parents and family for all the opportunities and support that they have given her over the years. Thank you to my parents and all of my family for everything that they do for me, she said. Speaking on behalf of the students parents who were not at home, aunt Tusi Leilua said nothing makes parents and families happier than to see the success of their children. Gebra is the daughter of Alofa Viliamu Crawley and Filemoni Alfred Crawley and lives with her other siblings Varani Crawley, Vilfred Crawley and Tafatolu Crawley at Malua, where her parents teach at the Samoa Theological College. Local company Island Rock has donated a brand new washing machine to the elderly residents of the Mapufagalele nursing home. Island Rock general manager, Tuaopepe Asiata Jerry Wallwork, said the kind gesture was part of the companys 25 Days of the Spirit of Christmas campaign. He said they felt the need to assist Mapufagalele and had the nursing home sisters go to the companys premises to select what they saw is essential to the nursing home. And as a gift from the company, a new washing machine was delivered yesterday to the nursing home. Nursing home resident, Leilua Fiu Aukusitinothe, thanked Island Rock for the donation. No matter what the donation is, we would have been grateful nonetheless. Our purpose in being here has esteemed nothing but appreciation for all the help and donations people have given us. And we all would like to thank you so much for this gift that has only assisted to the development in our home, he said. Leilua, who is 83 years old and is from the village of Safotulafai on Savaii, has been a resident at the nursing home for seven years. Sister Elena, in an interview with the Samoa Observer, said the 75kg load washing machine will be used for light-laundry loads as they already have another one with a bigger capacity. It is cost effective and convenient for us to have the smaller one for lighter loads that is unnecessary for our big washing machine, she added. Google revealed Monday that its soon-to-be shuttered social network suffered from another security lapse, a software bug that could have allowed third-party apps and developers to gain access to 52 million users personal information without their permission. For six days in November, an update to the underlying code of Google+ meant that apps seeking to access users profile information -including their names, email addresses, occupations and ages - could view that data even if it was set to not-public, Google said in a blog post. Apps could have accessed some non-public profile data that had been shared with a user as well. Google said that its systems had not been compromised and that theres no evidence that app developers were aware of the bug or misused it in any way. But the revelation threatens to sharpen the scrutiny of the companys chief executive, Sundar Pichai, when he testifies to Congress on Tuesday. The security mishap is the latest stumble for Googles problematic social media offering. In October, Google admitted it had failed for six months to reveal information about a bug that put at risk the data of hundreds of thousands of users. Advertisement Among those looped into those discussions about delaying public notification was Pichai, a person familiar with the matter said at the time. Google said it delayed the release of the information because it was initially uncertain about which users were affected or that the data had been misused. In response to its latest findings, Google said Monday that it would shutter its social network in April 2019, five months sooner than it initially announced. The company also said it would inform affected users, including any enterprise customers. We understand that our ability to build reliable products that protect your data drives user trust, wrote David Thacker, a vice president for product management at Google. " We will never stop our work to build privacy protections that work for everyone. Google discovered its earlier Google+ security bug in March, the same month that Silicon Valley rival Facebook was facing scrutiny over its role in allowing people affiliated with political consultancy Cambridge Analytica to collect data on 87 million users. That incident prompted demands that Facebook chief executive Mark Zuckerberg testify on Capitol Hill, as he soon did. The Federal Trade Commission has investigated privacy incidents at Google and other leading technology companies on several occasions. Google signed a consent decree with the FTC in 2011 to settle allegations that an earlier social media platform, Google Buzz, mishandled user data. Published by the Washington Post. Elon Musk stuck a finger in the SECs eye Sunday night on 60 Minutes. I want to be clear: I do not respect the SEC. I do not respect them, the Tesla chief executive told Lesley Stahl on the nationally broadcast CBS news program. Discussing a stock fraud settlement with the Securities and Exchange Commission in October that stripped him of his chairmans title, Musk told Stahl that bringing in a new chairman as a baby-sitter is not realistic because Im the largest shareholder in the company and I could call for a shareholder vote and get anything done that I want. Telecommunications executive Robyn Denholm was named Tesla chairwoman Nov. 8. Advertisement Musk also said no one is reviewing his tweets, as called for in the settlement. The only tweets that would have to be, say, reviewed would be if a tweet had a probability of causing a movement in the stock, Musk said. Otherwise, its hello 1st Amendment. Freedom of speech is fundamental. But, Stahl asked, how will anyone know a tweet could move the market if no ones reading them first? I guess we might make some mistakes, who knows, said Musk, with a facial expression and laugh that should be watched to be fully appreciated. He explained that I use my tweets to express myself. Some people use their hair. I use Twitter. Youre abiding by the settlement, arent you? Stahl asked. Because I respect the justice system, Musk replied. After the interview was aired, Tesla said in a statement that the company is complying with the SEC settlement. The part that requires pre-approval of communications that could affect the stock price technically must be in place by Dec. 28, the company said. The 15-minute interview covered a lot of ground, though without much detail Musks violent and terrible childhood with an emotionally abusive father; a life or death summer at Tesla when we were losing $100 million a week; heroic efforts as Musk, by his reckoning, spent 120 hours a week at the Tesla plant supervising the rescue of a botched attempt at automation. He said the long-promised $35,000 Model 3 (the car now costs at least $46,000) probably will be available in five or six months: Thats my guess. Stahl told him that critics are calling him erratic, unstable, reckless and operatic. Operatic, he said. Thats not bad, actually, I kind of like that one. He disputed the erratic label: The system would have failed had I been truly erratic. Musks importance to Tesla elicited a highly confident response. There are people who say that the company cannot survive without you, Stahl said, to which Musk replied, I think thats true, yeah. When she added, And there are people who say the company cannot survive with you, Musk told her, Ha, ha, thats hilarious. Associated Press contributed to this report. russ.mitchell@latimes.com It took eight years for San Diego Countys newest airline to take flight but it didnt take long for it to be grounded. California Pacific Airlines canceled all of its flights Monday and Tuesday and has been beset with cancellations since it began operations last month out of McClellan-Palomar Airport. The Carlsbad-based airline cited mechanical issues on social media Dec. 6 for delays. Calls and emails to the airline to get more information were not returned. California Pacifics Facebook page has complaints from people upset with cancellations and delays, particularly on Thanksgiving. Advertisement The airline was founded eight years ago by entrepreneur Ted Vallas, now 97 years old, but was delayed in back-and-forth disputes with San Diego County, the owners of the airport. California Pacific kick-started its operation with the purchase of Georgia-based airline Aerodynamics in March, which also does charter flights in South Dakota and Colorado. Since California Pacific started in Nov. 2, it has flown 415 flights, said industry tracker FlightAware. It is unclear how many of those involved its West Coast operation or how many were canceled in contrast to the number flown. The airlines inaugural flight in early November, part of a major media push, was also delayed because of mechanical problems. In its Dec. 6 post on social media, the company said: We sincerely apologize for the recent mechanical issues that have caused several cancellations and delays. Your safety is our priority, and we are working to resolve all issues as soon as possible so we can get you back in the air. California Pacifics flights to and from Carlsbad include San Jose, Reno, Las Vegas and Phoenix. Its flights acquired with the purchase of Aerodynamics include trips between Watertown and Pierre in South Dakota, as well as flights to Denver. Brennan Posen, 20, of Albuquerque, New Mexico, said his first flight on the airline was fine, although he thought the staff was rude. But he calls his second trip, from South Dakota to Denver, the worst experience he has ever had with an airline. Posen, a real estate agent, said he showed up for his flight on Oct. 29 early and checked bags but was told an hour later that the flight would be delayed because of mechanical issues and the airline might have to cancel all flights. But, before people could make plans, passengers were told by the airline the plane was on its way and would just leave an hour late. Posen said the flight ended up being more than three hours late, making most people who took California Pacific miss connecting flights. He ended up having to get a hotel room, missing a business opportunity and spending $400 more on the trip than he expected. I missed an important meeting with a client because of this and never even got so much as an apology back from California Pacific, he said. Vallas and other leadership at the airline promoted the idea of an airline in Carlsbad for years as a way for people in North San Diego County to no longer make the hour commute to San Diego International Airport for flights. Vallas said in 2016 that the airline had spent $18 million to $20 million to get up and running. Every few years the airline would announce it was starting operations in a few months only for service not to materialize. For example, in March 2016, it announced it was as little as four months away from opening. But, San Diego County officials said at the time it had rejected its application because it lacked a project description and needed more time for environmental review. We sincerely apologize for the recent mechanical issues that have caused several cancellations and delays. Your safety is our priority, and we are working to resolve all issues as soon as possible. Please reach out directly at 1.855.505.9394 if you any questions or concerns. pic.twitter.com/n6fUKYlPz1 California Pacific Airlines (@calpacificair) December 6, 2018 Business phillip.molnar@sduniontribune.com (619) 293-1891 Twitter: @phillipmolnar ALSO San Diegos new single-family homes are pricey, modern and in short supply Tijuana condo craze continues in to 2018 Last years housing market broke records After weeks of civil unrest, all eyes were on French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday evening as he attempted to talk yellow vest protesters out of another wave of demonstrations that could wreak further havoc across the country. In a televised address his first public statement since protests against a tax hike and other matters erupted last month Macron said he understood the anger displayed by many people, which he described as in many ways legitimate. He pledged measures to relieve economic strain, describing the situation as an economic and social state of emergency. Macron, elected in May 2017 on a centrist program to kick-start Frances economy, said his reforms had not helped many people quickly enough. I might have given the impression that I was not concerned, that it was not a priority, he said from Elysee Palace. I may have hurt some of you with my words. Advertisement But he said a malaise that had been growing in France over several decades did not justify the violence of recent protests. Some demonstrators have set fires, thrown stones at officers, built barricades, torched cars and buildings, looted shops and sprayed graffiti on the Arc de Triomphe in Paris; police have used tear gas and water cannons on protesters and thousands have been arrested. No anger justifies attacking a police officer, a gendarme or damaging a shop or a public building, he said. When violence is unleashed, freedom ceases. Macron announced an increase in the minimum wage and other changes. He said tax increases on low pensions would be abandoned and called on employers to give staff tax-free end-of-year bonuses if they are able. Macron said the emergency measures he was announcing were to help those having difficulty making ends meet. We are at a historic moment in our country. With dialogue, respect, engagement, we will succeed. My only concern is you. My only combat is for you. Our only battle is for France, he said. Macrons 13-minute prerecorded speech came 48 hours after a fourth Saturday of mayhem and destruction hit major cities, particularly the French capital. It was aimed at heading off calls by the gilets jaunes yellow vests for a fifth day of protests across the country. Some protesters have called for Macron to resign. Demonstrators stand behind a burning bin during clashes on Saturday in Marseille, southern France. (Claude Paris / Associated Press) On Saturday, Paris tourist sites including the Eiffel Tower and Louvre were closed, as were popular department stores that should have been enjoying one of the busiest weekends of the year, for fear of vandals and looters. France deployed 89,000 police and gendarmes across the country, including 8,000 in Paris, where riot police backed up with a dozen armored vehicles used tear gas and water cannons to push back protesters and sweep away burning barricades. The widespread destruction of private and public property hurt Frances economy, which had been showing signs of recovery, officials said. On Monday, the Bank of France and the Finance Ministry downgraded forecasts for fourth-quarter growth from 0.4% to 0.2%, way off the 0.8% needed to meet the governments annual target of 1.7%. Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said the reality was that losses to businesses that saw the shops damaged, vandalized and looted on Saturday could not be recovered. Its also the reality for foreign investors who are watching us. I see the impact that this is having abroad and its not good for the attractiveness of our country, he told RTL radio. The gilets jaunes, whose name comes from the high-visibility vests French motorists carry, have come to symbolize years of simmering dissatisfaction with a succession of leaders. Even a major U-turn by the French government that announced last week it was dropping an eco-tax hike that initially sparked the protests last month failed to calm the febrile atmosphere and was dismissed by some as too little, too late. Some protesters have called for Macron to resign. New demands from the movement include higher minimum wages and pensions, better public services including hospitals and transport, lower taxes for workers and higher taxes for the wealthy and companies. Negotiations have been hampered by the fact the movement has no official organization or representatives. Some of those who have appeared on television to speak for the movement have received death threats. Macrons statement was not enough to stop the demonstrations, some protesters said. Benjamin Cauchy said the presidents statement was more of a budgetary adjustment than a change of political course, the Associated Press reported. That doesnt correspond to what the French want. Willsher is a special correspondent. Video: Drawn to America: episode 1 U-T editorial cartoonist Steve Breen is going to Tijuana to get a clearer picture of why thousands of migrants would travel thousands of miles in a caravan to seek asylum in the United States. Read about the series here. The equivalent of more than six million gallons a day of raw sewage has been spilling into the Tijuana River since Monday night, according to federal officials. The U.S. section of the International Boundary and Water Commission, or IBWC, said Tuesday that counterparts in Mexico informed the agency that the cause of the sewage leak was a ruptured collector pipe. Federal officials said the aging collector underwent millions of dollars in upgrades over the last year but had yet to be fully rehabilitated. We are in close contact with Mexico, said Lori Kuczmanski, spokeswoman for IBWC. We have engineers in the field getting the details of the incident. Shorelines from Imperial Beach to Coronado have been shuttered for several days now because of polluted water flushed through the Tijuana River by recent rains, according to the San Diego County Department of Environmental Health. Advertisement However, this recent spill could dramatically exacerbate the situation. Theres communication from the IBWC, but Mexico should have let us know yesterday, said Imperial Beach Mayor Serge Dedina, who has called for an investigation into when the spill occurred. Theres no way that a pipe broke down three days after the flood. It seems suspicious. Sources: U-T reporting; Mapzen; OpenStreetMap (U-T) South Bay beaches are routinely inundated with polluted water from Mexico, especially during rain events when pumps that suck water out of the Tijuana River must be turned off because of limited capacity. Wastewater is supposed to be treated before its emptied into the river, but flows are routinely mixed with other pollutants, including raw sewage from cracked pipes. Residents are advised to stay out of the ocean 72 hours after it rains because of contamination from urban runoff, but sewage-tainted pollution is far more dangerous. Raw effluent can carry pathogens, such as E. coli, Vibrio and salmonella, as well as several viruses and intestinal parasites that can cause everything from diarrhea to meningitis to respiratory infections. In September, California Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra joined the cities of Imperial Beach, Chula Vista and the Port of San Diego in suing the Trump administration over sewage spills and other toxic flows coming from Mexico. The lawsuit by the local agencies seeks to force the federal government to upgrade the capacity of the pumps in the river as well as catchment basins in nearby canyons. The systems are intended to divert flows to the South Bay International Wastewater Treatment Plant before they can foul beaches. The states lawsuit focuses more narrowly on water pollution flowing through the canyons. This is exactly why we filed our lawsuit, Dedina said. We should have infrastructure that can capture the sewage and send it back into the system. The federal government has said it isnt legally responsible for the renegade flows that escape its collection systems, pointing out that the situation would be significantly worse without its efforts. Before the federal government spent roughly $344 million to create its diversion and treatment system in the 1990s, millions of gallons of sewage would flow daily down the Tijuana River into San Diego County. Officials with IBWC have for several years attempted to work with officials in Baja to outline a spending blueprint for improving the regions failing wastewater infrastructure. However, so far, only limited progress has been made. If this latest spill continues unabated, it could be the largest since February 2017 when a pipe burst and flooded the river with at least 28 million gallons of raw sewage, tainting coastal waters for weeks. According to county records, the Imperial Beach shoreline is off limits to swimmers about a third of the year on average as a result of water pollution from Tijuana. Twitter: @jemersmith Phone: (619) 293-2234 Email: joshua.smith@sduniontribune.com City crews are continuing to clear debris and repair damage at the Alpha Project tented shelter that flooded during a rainstorm last Thursday, but its unclear when homeless people who left the site when it was evacuated will be able to move back in. Alpha Project President and CEO Bob McElroy said much progress has been made in cleaning up the site at 16th Street and Newton Avenue in downtown San Diego, and he expects 324 new mattresses to arrive Friday with a possible move-in date early next week. As of Monday, however, McElroy said the extent of damage to electrical equipment on the property still was unknown, and crews still faced the task of sorting through personal items that homeless people had left behind in the shelter. Dozens of large plastic bins that held shelter occupants possessions were toppled over during the flood, and Keely Halsey, chief of homelessness strategies and housing liaison in the mayors office, said crews will try to salvage any items they can. Advertisement The downpour left the site flooded in four feet of water in some places, and 260 people who had been staying at the shelter were relocated to SDCCU Stadium in Mission Valley. The Red Cross provided blankets and cots for the evacuees, Feeding San Diego and Kitchens for Good brought food, Family Health Centers provided medical care and other agencies and nonprofits pitched in with other supplies and aid. Community members also responded in a big way with donations of clothes and other items to replenish what people may have lost in the flood. It restores your faith in humanity, McElroy said. All we ever hear is about hate and discontent and all the crap in the world, but theres a lot of good people. McElroy said the line of cars carrying donations was so long on Saturday that traffic control was needed at the stadium, where some people waited 15 minutes to drop off items. San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer visited evacuees at the stadium Saturday, and donations kept coming on Sunday. We had a group yesterday that had gift-wrapped shirts so everybody got a present, McElroy said Monday. They asked everybody, What size are you? A group called Someone Cares dropped off 400 backpacks filled with hoodies and jackets, musicians played live music and other groups brought hundreds of tamales and hamburgers to the stadium, McElroy said. Alpha Project Chief Operating Officer Amy Gonyeau said donations have been a bit overwhelming and have been moved to a warehouse to be sorted. No more donations are needed at the moment, she said. While the shelter itself appeared unharmed, McElroy said crews from Sprung, the company that built the tent, have replaced the insulation on the lower part of the walls to repair possible water damage. Homeless Playlist On Now San Diego hepatitis outbreak continues to grow: 481 cases On Now Homeless entrenched in booming tent city along Santa Ana River On Now San Diego mayor agreed to homeless hub, then delayed, advocates say On Now Homeless outreach in San Diego On Now Video: Street Art: Portraits of San Diego's Homeless #8 On Now In poverty himself, 'Water Man Dave,' is the fearless saint of San Diego's homeless 5:41 On Now Video: Homeless living in cars find safe havens 2:21 On Now Street Art: Portraits of San Diego's Homeless #7 On Now Pitching a tent plan for San Diego's homeless On Now Homeless efforts get $80M boost for various services gary.warth@sduniontribune.com Twitter: @GaryWarthUT 760-529-4939 More than 30 people, mostly faith leaders, were arrested Monday as part of a peaceful demonstration in which some participants purposefully resisted officials orders to move away from the border barrier. Between 300 and 400 people, many faith and community leaders from across the country, marched down the beach to the southwest corner of the U.S. in Border Field State Park to call for protection for migrants and the right to seek asylum. More than 30 people, mostly faith leaders, were arrested Monday as part of a peaceful demonstration in which some participants purposefully resisted officials orders to move away from the border barrier. Border Patrol spokesman Eduardo Olmos said 31 people were arrested on suspicion of trespassing by the Federal Protective Service and one was arrested by the Border Patrol on suspicion of assaulting an agent. Advertisement The event, held on International Human Rights Day, kicked off a week of nationwide demonstrations with the message Love knows no borders that will last until International Migrants Day next Tuesday. 1 / 19 At Border Field State Park on Monday, more than 300 faith and community leaders took part in a protest against the treatment of the migrants in Tijuana, Mexico. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 2 / 19 At Border Field State Park on Monday, more than 300 faith and community leaders took part in a protest against the treatment of the migrants in Tijuana, Mexico. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 3 / 19 At Border Field State Park on Monday, more than 300 faith and community leaders took part in a protest against the treatment of the migrants in Tijuana, Mexico. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 4 / 19 A woman held up the hand sign for peace, during a protest demonstration held not far from the fence at Border Field Park. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 5 / 19 At Border Field State Park on Monday, Rev. Bonnie Tarwater, from Church for our Common Home, protested along with more than 300 other faith and community leaders over the treatment of the migrants in Tijuana, Mexico. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 6 / 19 Border Patrol agents arrested more than 20 protestors who refuse to back away from the border fence. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 7 / 19 Faith and community leaders a group prayer at the end their protest. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 8 / 19 Faith and community leaders line up in a single file before walking to Border Field State Park where they took part in a protest near the border fence. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 9 / 19 A demonstrator falls to the ground when Border Patrol agent force the group to step back. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 10 / 19 Observers south of the border fence watch through the bollard fence as more than 300 faith and community leaders took part in a protest against the treatment of the migrants in Tijuana, Mexico. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 11 / 19 Faith and community leaders walked to Border Field State Park where they took part in a protest near the border fence against the treatment of the migrants in Tijuana, Mexico. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 12 / 19 Demonstrators are blessed before heading off to take part in their peaceful protest. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 13 / 19 Love Knows No Border is scratched in the sand near Border Field State Park. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 14 / 19 At Border Field State Park on Monday, more than 300 faith and community leaders took part in a protest against the treatment of the migrants in Tijuana, Mexico. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 15 / 19 A woman prayed during their protest at Border Field State Park on Monday. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 16 / 19 At Border Field State Park on Monday, more than 300 faith and community leaders took part in a protest against the treatment of the migrants in Tijuana, Mexico. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 17 / 19 Observers south of the border fence watch through the bollard fence as more than 300 faith and community leaders took part in a protest against the treatment of the migrants in Tijuana, Mexico. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 18 / 19 Border Patrol agents arrested more than 20 protestors who refuse to back away from the border fence. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) 19 / 19 At Border Field State Park on Monday, more than 300 faith and community leaders took part in a face to face protest with Border Patrol agents for the treatment of the migrants in Tijuana, Mexico. As many as 20 protestors were taken into custody. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune) In the face of the Trump administrations violent rhetoric and policies, we are here to stand with border residents against militarization and for absolute protection for migrants seeking refuge and asylum, said Joyce Ajlouny, general secretary for the American Friends Service Committee. Im here to declare that every person has inherent worth and dignity. In an escalating show of strength at the border, President Donald Trump has deployed 6,000 troops to support Border Patrol agents and Customs and Border Protection officers. The troops have put up concertina wire and other fortifications along the San Diego-Tijuana border. Trump also tried to bar those who cross illegally from applying for asylum, but a federal judge blocked that order. People from Christian, Muslim, Jewish and indigenous communities joined together for the event. Many, including Ajlouny, expressed how their faiths inspired them to participate in the demonstration. Its important for me to be here representing this love we believe in, said Bishop Minerva Carcano who is with the United Methodist Church and based in Sacramento. Rev. Traci Blackmon of the United Church of Christ in Cleveland said that those who live in privilege have a responsibility to protest and those who live in abundance have a responsibility to be generous. Make no mistake about it we live in privilege, Blackmon said. We are not here simply to save migrants. We are here to save ourselves as well. On the way to the border barrier, the marchers walked in organized rows along a muddy trail with pools of water remaining from last weeks flood. They paused when they reached the beach to read out dozens of names of those who died on migrant journeys. The first name read was Roxana Hernandez, a trans woman from Honduras who died while in immigration custody. The last was Claudia Patricia Gomez Gonzalez, a Guatemalan woman who was shot by a Border Patrol agent in Texas. Carcano and Blackmon anointed those who would be participating in the civil disobedience with oil as a blessing. Once they reached the end of the U.S., organizers held the main group back from the concertina wire and Border Patrol agents that waited close by the fence that stretches into the ocean. A smaller group of about 50 advanced slowly in rows past the coils of wire toward the agents. An agent with a megaphone warned them to stay behind the caution tape that delineated agents enforcement zone by the fence. Slowly, they inched forward into the restricted area. We refuse to accept that this is normal, said Imam Omar Suleiman, who traveled from Dallas for the event, as several in the front rows took turns speaking. You have a right to seek peace. You have a right to seek asylum. Border Patrol agents continued to ask the group to step back. We call on you to accomplish your task without violence, one told the demonstrators. Were all Americans. We support your right to demonstrate. Shortly after, the agents formed a human wall and began walking forward, forcing the demonstrators back. After the agents backed up into the restricted zone, about 30 in the group of demonstrators got on their knees. They sang We Shall Not Be Moved as they inched forward, either stepping and kneeling again or in some cases walking on their knees in the sand. Some locked arms or held hands. One woman in the middle of the group pressed her hands together in prayer. A little while later, they all stood up again. After Department of Homeland Security officers arrived, the agent with the megaphone issued another warning. You are being lawfully ordered to step behind the caution tape, he said. You are in direct violation of federal regulations. The agents again pressed forward as a line, chanting, Move back! This time, about 17 were pulled from the group as they refused to go backwards. Some were pushed face down in the sand while officers tied their hands with zip ties. The maneuvering between agents and demonstrators repeated. The agents moved back once the demonstrators were out of the restricted zone, and after the agents moved, the front line again stepped forward, leading to another half dozen arrests. Immigration Videos On Now New developments in family separation case 9:53 On Now A San Diego woman volunteered as a medic in Texas helping migrant families 2:35 On Now Immigration policy protests in Carlsbad nearly cancelled after permit issue 1:38 On Now When children are separated from their parents at the border, here is where they go next On Now Prospects of a deal for 'Dreamers' may hinge on separating Trump from hard-liners on his staff On Now What is DACA? On Now Border wall prototype contractors selected On Now Video: Ukrainian boxer wins asylum in U.S. On Now 30 apprehended after Border Patrol agents discover tunnel On Now Video: Kurdish diaspora prepare to vote on independence Follow me on Facebook for live updates about immigration news kate.morrissey@sduniontribune.com, @bgirledukate on Twitter The family of gangster James Whitey Bulger is planning a wrongful death suit against the government to learn why the 89-year old, wheelchair-bound gangster was transferred to a violent prison where he was beaten to death within hours of his arrival. There is going to be a lawsuit in the near future, longtime Bulger lawyer Hank Brenan said Monday. The family wants to know what happened. A possible suit, widely anticipated since the U.S. Bureau of Prisons disclosed that one of the countrys most notorious gangsters had been killed the Hazelton federal penitentiary in West Virginia on October 30, was first reported by the Wall Street Journal. Whitey Bulger Investigators Eye Mobster Who Authorities Say Hated Informants Advertisement The tragedy of this is that the government is going to end up writing a big check and this guy (Bulger), or at least his family, is going to get the last laugh, said Mike Huff, a retired Tulsa police sergeant who worked for years with the investigation that resulted in Bulgers 2013 conviction. Whiteys going to have a whole bunch of zeros after his name. Bulger, a life-long physical fitness buff, had become frail and his heath had been precarious after convictions in 2013 for 11 murders and dozens of other crimes. Brennan said Bulger had suffered multiple heart attacks, tired easily and needed a wheelchair to maneuver around prison. For years, the FBI carried Bulger on its secret records as a Top Echelon informant. Bulger denied being an informant, but it was clear from disclosures in court that he turned over underworld rivals to at least two corrupt FBI agents who protected him from arrest. Regardless of the nuance of Bulgers work as an informant, the label widely publicized at his sensational trial made him vulnerable to a prison attack. Authorities Probe Whether New England Mobsters Responsible For Brutal Killing Of Crime Boss Whitey Bulger In Prison The U.S. Bureau of Prisons refuses to disclose anything about Bulgers imprisonment or transfer. The FBI is investigating the death. In the absence of an official account, Brennan said he acquired some information in conversations with Bulger and law enforcement officials, some of whom have had official briefings, claim to have other details. In the weeks leading to his death, Bulger had been confined at U.S. Penitentiary Coleman complex in central Florida. He was ordered transferred from Coleman because, among other reasons, that is where prison officials were considering assigning another recently convicted, New England gangster, Francis Cadillac Frank Salemme. Bulger and his partner Stephen The Rifleman Flemmi, had provided the FBI with information about Salemme, who at one point was boss of the Patriarca crime family. Because of his declining health, prison administrators considered moving Bulger to a prison medical complex in Missouri, going so far as to ship him to a prison system transportation hub in Oklahoma City. While Bulger waited in Oklahoma, the Bureau of Prisons inexplicably ungraded his health classification. The upgrade made him too healthy for the medical complex and a decision was made to ship him to the U.S. Penitentiary Hazelton in Bruceton Mills, W.V., an institution with a reputation for inmate-on-inmate violence. Among the Hazelton inmate population were three Massachusetts organized crime figures with possible grudges against Bulger. One of the three, Fotios Freddy Geas, is the leading suspect in the beating that left Bulger unrecognizable. Geas, of Springfield, is a mafia hitman said by those who know him to hate informers. He is serving multiple life sentences for, among other crimes, two murders, a murder conspiracy and an attempted murder after once-trusted mob partners informed on him. Offered the chance to reduce his sentence by becoming an informer himself, Geas told federal prosecutors hed rather spend the rest of his life in prison. Brennan said he speaking with other attorneys about joining him about pressing a suit. He would not say where the suit will be filed, or disclose other details. Such decisions should be made within weeks, he said. Protesters on Monday disrupted the Trump administrations only official event at the U.N. climate conference a panel defending fossil fuels with laughter and chants of Keep it in the ground. Scores of demonstrators from youth and indigenous groups let President Trumps energy advisor Wells Griffith get 10 minutes into his policy talk before erupting into loud, prolonged guffaws followed by chanting. Trumps presence here is a joke. His only priority is ensuring fossil fuel CEOs squeeze every last dollar out of our communities, said Aneesa Khan, 23, with SustainUS, a U.S.-based, youth-led advocacy group. The panel embracing coal, natural gas and nuclear power highlighted the United States near-outlier status as nearly 200 other nations worked to address scientists warnings. Advertisement Two days earlier, the U.S. sided with Russia, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait to block endorsement of a landmark climate report that warned of the dangers of allowing warming beyond 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) over preindustrial levels. Other nations wanted the conference to welcome the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report warning the dangers of global warming are coming faster than predicted. The four oil- and gas-exporting nations wanted the conference to merely note the existence of the report, which strongly suggested drastically cutting fossil-fuel emissions by 2030 to mitigate the worst effects of climate change. Experts expect the battle over whether to embrace the report to reignite as higher-level delegates arrive this week. The administration is out of step with the transformation happening across the country and the world, said Lou Leonard, the World Wildlife Funds senior vice president for climate change and energy. The United States is looking to continue investing in fossil fuels instead of weaning away from them, he said. U.S. influence in these talks is waning as global leaders recognize the difference between these two visions for the future. Once a key player in the climate change negotiations, the United States has said it will back out of the Paris climate accord signed by then-President Obama in 2015. More than 190 countries have signed the agreement, pledging to lower greenhouse gases to keep global temperature rise well below 2 degrees Celsius. But President Trump has mocked the agreement and has questioned the overwhelming scientific consensus about human-caused climate change. He said he didnt believe the congressionally mandated National Climate Assessment, a comprehensive and dire study on the effects of climate change that his own government released last month. The U.S. political delegation had come to the conference to promote what the Trump administration calls its balanced approach to energy security and accessibility, environmental protection and economic development, Griffith said. The U.S. planned to continue to supply energy to the rest of the world with coal, natural gas and nuclear power, he said. He cautioned several times against alarmism over climate change. All too often at meetings like these, alarmism displaces pragmatic solutions to address energy and environmental concerns, he said. During his talk, Griffith waited for the protesters to finish and leave, then he continued, with seemingly lowered enthusiasm. Because the U.S. cannot officially pull out of the Paris agreement until November 2020, it sent at least 40 delegates to Poland to work on the technical aspects of the agreement. Most of the delegates work for the State Department, and several were on the 2015 team that helped write the Paris accord. Theres no escaping the fact that the loss of U.S. federal leadership on climate action has a chilling effect internationally, said Reed Schuler, who was a U.S. delegate to climate change talks from 2013 to 2015. Thats why other U.S. leaders are here to discuss how they are doubling down on climate action to make up for the federal government, said Schuler, now a senior policy advisor on climate and sustainability in the office of Washington Gov. Jay Inslee. Shortly after Trump announced that the U.S. would pull out of the accord, a group of states, cities and businesses joined together to create the We Are Still In movement. They committed to lowering emissions on the state and municipal level and to following other initiatives in line with the Paris accord. The group, which has grown to more than 3,500 members, has no negotiating power in the talks but is holding meetings with world leaders. They arent the federal government, but in lieu of that, they are giving hope to other countries, particularly the small, poor countries who are looking for U.S. leadership, said David Waskow, director of the International Climate Initiative at the World Resources Institute think tank in Washington. Ayres is a special correspondent. sabra.ayres@latimes.com Twitter: @sabraayres Ayres is a special correspondent. Outrage built Monday over a video showing police officers violently yanking a toddler from his mothers arms at a Brooklyn public benefits office, with officials expressing horror and criticizing police for not deescalating the situation, and clients of the facility complaining it is indicative of how the city treats social-services recipients. A witness said a security officer confronted the woman, Jazmine Headley, who had sat on the floor of the crowded office for two hours because of a lack of chairs. Police were called when she refused to leave. The woman ended up lying face-up on the floor during a tug of war over the child. The baby was screaming for his life, Nyashia Ferguson, who posted video on Facebook under the name Monae Sinclair, told the New York Times. The lady was begging for them to get off of her. I was scared. Other clients shouted at the officers. At one point, an officer can be seen on the video pulling her stun gun and pointing it at people in the crowd. Advertisement Headley was charged with obstructing governmental administration, resisting arrest, endangering the welfare of a child and trespassing. As of Monday afternoon, she was still in jail because there was a warrant for her arrest in New Jersey, prosecutors said. Bail was not requested, and prosecutors were reaching out to New Jersey officials to expedite her release. The New York Police Department is investigating. The Brooklyn public defenders office called on prosecutors to dismiss the charges. It isnt unusual for people seeking help to be treated badly by the very agencies theyre turning to, Lisa Schreibersdorf, executive director of Brooklyn Defender Services, said at a news conference. Poor people are often treated very less than, in many, many city-run agencies, she said. It is not uncommon for people who are in offices like this ... to find themselves arrested because of an incident that wasnt really criminal. Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams, a Democrat and former police officer, likened the officers involved in Headleys arrest to Border Patrol police snatching away a baby. He called the arrest a blemish on our entire city. The mother didnt endanger the welfare of the child. The actions of the department endangered the welfare of the child, Adams said at the news conference. If its wrong in Mexico, then its wrong in New York City. But the officers were put in an impossible situation, Patrick Lynch, the head of the police union, said in a statement. And, he said, the event would have unfolded much differently if those at the scene had simply complied with the officers lawful orders. The Brooklyn district attorneys office said it was independently investigating and reviewing all available videos and interviewing witnesses with the intention of reaching a swift decision on whether to move forward with the charges against Headley. The NYPD, which called Fridays confrontation troubling, said security guards had brought the woman to the floor before officers arrested her as she resisted. But Ferguson disputed that, saying a police officer had forced the woman to the floor. This is unacceptable, appalling and heartbreaking, City Council Speaker Corey Johnson, a Democrat, said on Twitter. Id like to understand what transpired and how these officers or the NYPD justifies this. Its hard to watch this video. A court document said the toddler was just under 18 months old. A family member was taking care of the child, authorities said. Being poor is not a crime, said Democrat Letitia James, the citys public advocate and the states attorney general-elect, in a statement. No mother should have to experience the trauma and humiliation we all witnessed in this video. Assistance recipients are treated as burdens and looked down on, said Karen Blondel, 56, a former client at the Brooklyn office. Its absolutely inhumane, she said, adding that workers should not be judgmental. Its about whos eligible. Jeremy Friedman, 32, a massage therapist who has received food stamps, said its important to examine the NYPDs actions and also those of the Human Resources Administration, where he said he was treated like Im not even human. Jennifer Roman, 33, said she worked but had used public benefits for 13 years. She went to the Brooklyn office for the first time Monday after moving to the neighborhood from the Bronx. Theres a systemwide problem of disrespect, Roman said, and she was not surprised by what the video showed. Theres a perception, she said, that since we need help, were no good, were scum. Time magazine named four journalists and a newspaper on Tuesday as its 2018 Person of the Year for standing up for the truth in the face of persecution and violence. The group, which Time calls the guardians, includes slain Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi; the Capital Gazette of Annapolis, Md., where five people were shot and killed at the newspapers offices in June; Philippine journalist Maria Ressa, who has been arrested; and Reuters journalists Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo, who have been detained in Myanmar for nearly a year. They are representative of a broader fight by countless others around the world as of Dec. 10, at least 52 journalists have been murdered in 2018 who risk all to tell the story of our time, editor in chief Edward Felsenthal wrote in an essay. Time selected them for taking great risks in pursuit of greater truths, for the imperfect but essential quest for facts that are central to civil discourse, for speaking up and speaking out. Advertisement Khashoggi was killed two months ago when the Washington Post columnist, who had lived in self-exile the U.S., visited Saudi Arabias consulate in Turkey for paperwork so he could get married. He had been critical of the Saudi regime. Reesa is an award-winning Philippine journalist who, along with the online news service she heads, has been accused of tax evasion. Her website has been critical of the government of Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte, and she claims the charges are politically motivated. Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo have been imprisoned for nearly a year in Myanmar after investigating a massacre of Rohingya Muslims. Four journalists and a sales assistant were killed by a gunman at the Capital Gazette newspaper in June. Since 1927, Time has selected individuals or groups to appear on its covers for the end-of-the-year feature. This was the first time that a recipient was recognized posthumously. Those chosen this year will appear in four different cover photos. President Trump, who was chosen Person of the Year in 2016, was runner-up. His ultimate impact may be determined as much by the resistance he engenders as by the goals he pursues, the magazine said. Special prosecutor Robert S. Mueller III was second runner-up. Two inmates were stabbed during a riot that prison guards used pepper spray to break up Monday morning in a maximum-security yard at Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility east of Otay Mesa, prison officials said. About two dozen inmates began fighting around 10:45 a.m. at the state prisons Facility C yard, according to Lt. Jennifer Davies of the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Facility C houses maximum-security inmates, Davies said. Minimum- and medium-security inmates are also imprisoned at the facility that houses about 3,900 inmates and employs more than 1,940 staff members. Multiple orders to stop fighting were given to the inmates by correctional staff. When they did not comply, staff used pepper spray to quell the incident, Davies said in a statement. The riot was quickly quelled, and no staff members were injured. Advertisement Medics took the two wounded inmates to outside hospitals for further evaluation and treatment, Davies said. No further information was immediately available about the identities of those inmates or the severity of their injuries. Investigators discovered five inmate-manufactured weapons commonly known as shanks after the prisoners involved in the riot were cleared from the yard, according to Davies. Inmate movement on Facility C has been limited to facilitate the investigation into the cause of the riot, Davies said. The prisons Investigative Services Unit is probing the incident, including what initially prompted the violence Davies said. Twitter: @Alex_Riggins (619) 293-1710 alex.riggins@sduniontribune.com The 32-year-old man who was killed in a Mount Hope shooting over the weekend was identified as Elishah Hunter, San Diego police said. Hunter was in a vehicle with another man about 5:10 p.m. Saturday when a suspect in a white four-door truck shot at them, police Lt. Anthony Dupree said. Officers found the victims on the ground near 42nd and Market streets. Both men were rushed to hospitals, but Hunter succumbed to his injuries, police said. A more detailed description of the suspect was not available. Advertisement Anyone with information about the shooting was asked to call investigators at (619) 531-2293 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at (888) 580-8477. Twitter: @LAWinkley (619) 293-1546 lyndsay.winkley@sduniontribune.com Sen. Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco) will meet with President Trump at the White House on Tuesday, the kickoff of up to 10 days of political posturing and negotiations over whether the presidents border wall should be funded as part of a year-end spending bill that needs to pass by Dec. 21. The bill, which funds a portion of the government, represents Trumps last chance to get taxpayer funding for the border wall while the House and Senate are both controlled by Republicans. Trump campaigned heavily on the issue, though he originally promised Mexico would pay for the wall. Schumer and Pelosi, the top two Democrats in Congress, say there is no way their members will support funding for the wall, especially after flipping 40 House seats in last months midterm election. If they cant come to an agreement, a portion of the government could shut down Dec. 22, just days before Christmas. The deadline, originally set to Dec. 7, was pushed back two weeks following the death of former President George H.W. Bush. Advertisement Democrats have put two offers on the table, neither of which has wall funding: $1.6 billion in fencing along the southern border or a continuation of last years spending levels for the Department of Homeland Security, about $1.3 billion. The $1.6 billion that Democrats are proposing is the same amount already approved by the Senate. The House version of the spending bill would provide $5 billion for the wall. Democrats act as though they have little to lose. Theyre pinning responsibility to fund the government on the GOP, which currently controls both chambers of Congress and the White House. If President Trump wants to throw a temper tantrum and shut down the government over Christmas over the wall, thats his decision, Schumer said last week in the Capitol. Trump has been uncharacteristically silent in public about the prospects of a holiday funding deal or shutdown. Nor has he tried in recent days to shore up support among his base for the need to include border wall funding in the spending bill, as might be expected if he were considering a partial shutdown over the issue. His GOP allies in Congress acknowledge that he has a lot at stake and are awaiting his cues. John Cornyn, the No. 2 Republican in the Senate, said lawmakers could approve funding at last years levels in order to avoid the border wall dispute, but they still arent clear whether Trump would sign it. Will the president accept that? the Texas senator said. It would represent a failure of what he has asked for, which is more money for border security. And so it would surprise me if he would somehow all of a sudden accept that. Republicans had hoped they could get some Democratic support by pairing the wall with something Democrats want: long-term security for immigrants brought to the country illegally who grew up in the United States, also known as Dreamers. But even Pelosi an advocate for Dreamers shot down that idea last week. Theyre two different subjects, she said at a news conference Thursday. Trump and Democrats have a slim record of working together. In September of last year, the president undercut his GOP allies on Capitol Hill by striking a deal with Chuck and Nancy to raise the countrys debt limit. But days later, another attempt at a deal fell apart. Schumer and Pelosi left a White House meeting declaring they had an agreement with the president to extend protections to Dreamers and fund border security, not including the wall. But by the next morning, the president said no deal had been agreed to. A few months later, Schumer and Pelosi bailed on a scheduled meeting with the president to discuss a government funding bill because hed tweeted earlier that day that he didnt see a possible deal. That history has made Democrats deeply skeptical of cutting deals with Trump, which could undermine Tuesdays meeting at the White House. It is the first time the trio have met in a year. Tuesdays meeting could be a harbinger of how Washington may operate for the next two years, when Trump will need House Democrats to get any legislative priority through Congress. For Pelosi, the meeting could serve as the first opportunity to prove to her newly elected colleagues how she will represent them in negotiations with the president if she wins the speakers gavel in January, as expected. Top Republicans in Congress had put off a battle over Trumps border wall until after the 2018 midterm elections. But now, the spending bill is the presidents last shot to get Congress to pay for the wall before Democrats take over the House next year. GOP lawmakers in both the House and Senate have introduced legislation to give Trump the full $25 billion he is seeking for the wall, but it has not been brought up for a vote and has little chance of being passed. Republicans say the decision of whether to shut down the government rests with Democrats. The number is $5 billion, House Majority Whip Steve Scalise said Monday morning on Fox and Friends. If there is a better way to get there than what the president has laid out, then [Democrats] need to come with an alternative. From my view of the negotiation, theyre holding this up right now, said Alabama Sen. Richard C. Shelby, the top Republican on the Senate Appropriations Committee. Shelby said he and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell hope to meet with the president again after he meets with the Democratic leaders. But even some Republicans acknowledge that Trump needs to decide how badly he wants the border wall and if he is willing to shut down the government to do so. It doesnt matter how much appetite there is for a shutdown [in Congress], if he is willing to have a shutdown over this issue, Sen. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) said. And hes given every indication that he would. The latest from Washington jennifer.haberkorn@latimes.com Twitter: @jenhab The Senate may formally condemn Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi before the end of the year, if no one stands in the way of the outgoing Senate Foreign Relations Committee chairmans plan to expedite a vote to do so on the floor. Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) said that he would seek on Tuesday to have the Senate vote on a measure holding the crown prince responsible for the killing of Khashoggi, and calling on him to cease other aggressive Saudi policies in the Persian Gulf, including its military campaign in Yemen, blockade of Qatar and incarceration of human rights activists. While the measure is nonbinding, it nonetheless would serve as a rebuke of President Trump, who has refused to blame the crown prince for the killing breaking with the findings of the CIA and angering many in Congress, even his own allies, for prioritizing weapons sales and other transactions with Saudi Arabia over American values. While this doesnt affect policy ... its a pretty strong statement for the United States to be making, assuming we can get a vote on it, Corker said, noting that condemning Mohammed was an especially bold move by Republicans. Advertisement Republicans have thus far struggled to find a common outlet to express their frustration with Trumps response to the Khashoggi killing. Late last month, 14 Republicans backed a procedural motion to advance a measure curtailing U.S. support for the Saudi-led military campaign in Yemen. Many of them only did so, however, to send a message to Trump that he ought to condemn Mohammed before lawmakers took matters into their own hands. Most of those Republicans are not expected to back upcoming votes on the resolution, which is still likely to sustain enough support to pass the Senate but expected to be blocked from coming up in the House. A separate bipartisan effort to approve new sanctions against Saudi officials involved in Khashoggis killing and stop the transfer of weapons to the kingdom until it ceases hostilities in Yemen has also run into snags, as senators, knowing they almost surely do not have enough time to pass the measure before next year, argue about whether it is worth fine-tuning it now. Corkers measure condemning Mohammed is similar to a proposal introduced last week by Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) and others, that finds Mohammed was complicit in Khashoggis October slaying in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. Corker guessed that kind of legislation will strike a happy medium and give the Senate a means of expressing its outrage while lawmakers continue to work on more substantive proposals. I hope its something that will be massively supported, he said. Demirjian writes for the Washington Post. Individual-1 has a singular problem: His own Justice Department says he directed a crime. Late Friday, U.S. prosecutors ordinary prosecutors, not the ones working for Robert Muellers supposed rogue witch hunt filed papers in court saying President Trumps former fixer Michael Cohen admitted he acted in coordination with and at the direction of Individual-1. This means that it is the considered view of Individual-1s Justice Department that Individual-1 participated in a felony violation of campaign finance law by directing, in order to influence the presidential election, the payoff of two women who alleged affairs with Individual-1. Mueller and his team will decide in the coming months whether to accuse Trump of crimes. But in one sense, these are just details. That Trump is fundamentally lawless can no longer be seriously disputed. His own prosecutors now say he took part in a crime and his former secretary of state says Trump had little concern about what was legal. Advertisement So often, Rex Tillerson said in a talk Thursday, the president would say, Heres what I want you to do, and heres how I want you to do it. And I would have to say to him, Mr. President, I understand what you want to do. But you cant do it that way. It violates the law. To this, Trump responded with a well-reasoned legal defense: Tillerson was dumb as a rock and lazy as hell. Tillerson didnt detail his allegations of Trumps illegal impulses, but many such views by Trump are already in the public domain. During the campaign, Trump said he would have no trouble getting the military to follow his orders, even if they were illegal, such as torture or the deliberate targeting of innocents. If I say do it, theyre gonna do it, Trump said. And, Theyre not gonna refuse me. Believe me. As Bob Woodward reported in his book Fear, Trump wanted the military to assassinate Syrian President Bashar Assad, which would be illegal (unless Trump has issued secret orders stating otherwise). Lets f------- kill him! was Trumps proposal. In April, The Washington Posts Greg Jaffe reported that Trump watched a recording of a CIA drone strike in which the agency held off on firing until the target was away from his family. Trump asked: Why did you wait? Doing otherwise would have been a war crime. More recently, Trump has suggested troops could fire on unarmed migrants on the border (he later qualified this), and CNN reported that the Pentagon rebuffed instructions for the military to engage in law enforcement on the border, which is normally not allowed. Trump has floated the idea that he could unilaterally end the constitutional protection of birthright citizenship, and his administration has toyed with implementing a $100 billion capital-gains tax cut without Congress, and sharing census citizenship information with law enforcement officials. When courts push back on his lawlessness, Trump treats judges as political opponents. He tried to disqualify the Trump University judge, saying his Mexican ancestry meant he couldnt be fair to Trump. He rebuked the so-called judge who ruled against his travel ban, widely seen as unconstitutional before it was revised. And he earned a rebuke from Chief Justice John Roberts for blaming an Obama judge for a ruling that his administration must process asylum claims. Meanwhile, five former Trump aides have pleaded guilty in Muellers Russia probe, and others seem to regard it as perfectly plausible that Trump himself, as former aide Sam Nunberg put it, may very well have done something during the election with the Russians. On Friday, White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said the latest filings tell us nothing of value that wasnt already known. Thats true in the sense that recent findings essentially corroborate much of the 2016 dossier by former spy Christopher Steele declared fraudulent by Trump and its reports of extensive, compromising interactions between the Trump campaign and cronies of Russian President Vladimir Putin. The dossiers assertion of Michael Cohens ongoing secret liaison relationship with Russian leadership has been confirmed by his now-exposed work on a Moscow Trump Tower well into 2016, which he lied about to Congress. The new revelations about Cohen also show that the dossier correctly identified Putin lieutenants Dmitry Peskov and Sergei Ivanov as the ones managing the Trump campaign for the Russian government. Trump on Friday nominated William Barr to be attorney general, citing his unwavering adherence to the rule of law. If hes right about Barr, Individual-1, whose own adherence to the rule of law is wavering at best, will be deeply disappointed. Milbank is on Twitter, @Milbank. On the morning after Election Day, county registrars across California announced that 100 percent of precincts had reported results. Seeing that, some people assumed it was just a matter of time until candidates with leads were confirmed to be winners. Yet outcomes arent always known on Election Day. This past election, as a recent Los Angeles Times analysis detailed, 6.9 million votes were counted by the morning of Nov. 7, but 5.2 million had yet to be counted 43 percent of the states total. As counting of vote-by-mail and provisional ballots progressed, four House Republicans in California lost their leads and eventually their jobs. Even though late voting tallies have a history of skewing Democratic, prominent Republicans raised the prospect of election fraud in California without evidence. Such second-guessing undermines future elections. Thats why California officials must change their election terminology before the next election. Instead of reporting on how many precincts have turned in their ballots, county registrars should estimate what percentage of total ballots they have counted. Given that registrars routinely predict turnout, making such an estimate the morning after an election shouldnt be difficult. It may even be essential now: Nearly two out of three voters do so by mail, up from less than a quarter 20 years ago. Secretary of State Alex Padilla, Californias chief elections officers, says hes open to a new way of describing results. Thats not good enough. He should embrace more accurate language then send out guidance, at the least, to registrars. Advertisement Twitter: @sdutIdeas Facebook: San Diego Union-Tribune Ideas & Opinion Theres a fresh reminder that Pacific Gas & Electric and the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) cant be counted on to act in the publics interest. As The San Diego Union-Tribunes Jeff McDonald reported Monday, under Senate Bill 1028 enacted in September 2016 the states three giant investor-owned utilities were required to produce an annual report detailing efforts to limit the risks from wildfires and specifying who was responsible for implementing safety provisions in the plans. The CPUC in turn was required to review and comment on the plans and audit whether the utilities were in compliance. But McDonald found that PG&E had never produced such a report and that the CPUC had never pressed the utility for it. Meanwhile, PG&E equipment has been linked to last months Camp fire in Butte County, which killed at least 85 people in becoming the deadliest blaze in California history. Newly passed legislation Senate Bill 901 has new rules requiring utilities to disclose their wildfire safety plans by February, and PG&E says it will comply. But a utility with a dark history that includes being found guilty of six felonies in federal court in 2016 for lethally shoddy maintenance practices and a related cover-up simply cant be trusted. PG&E leaders may not grasp this yet, but the utility isnt just at risk of bankruptcy from wildfire liabilities. Talk of a possible state takeover is emerging. Thats drastic. But its a sign of how little faith there is in PG&E and how little faith there is that the CPUC can adequately oversee the utility. Twitter: @sdutIdeas Advertisement Facebook: San Diego Union-Tribune Ideas & Opinion San Diego ignoring the dangers of overbuilding Re County wants to build 10,000 homes in areas regarded as fire-prone and Regulators delayed startup of law aimed at fire prevention (Dec. 10): It would be funny if not the demonstration of official foolishness (stupidity) to see the two articles juxtaposed on the front page of the days U-T reporting the countys wanting to build 10,000 home in areas regarded as fire-prone and the horrific picture of the recent Camp fire with reporting of delay of fire prevention measures. Honestly, you cant make these things up. Harvey W. Oshrin Advertisement Vista The unintended consequences of ever-increasing density, multi-story buildings and greed-driven development into fire-prone and traffic-inducing areas will make San Diego unlivable. States bordering California may offer better choices for some would-be San Diegans. Margaret Agne Rancho Bernardo Why isnt housing law heeded and enforced? As dozens of housing proposals come forward, heres a novel idea: require jurisdictions to comply with existing law. One of those is called the housing element law, requiring a housing element as a component of local general plans. Jurisdictions have thumbed their noses at this law and few comply today. Within the element we see most of what is in the affordable housing discussion today. It defines the need, sets goals and requires a plan to meet that need. Measures that are promoted today regulatory, land use, financing, design, production programs, etc. are in the housing element (or theyre supposed to be). For a brief period, the housing element was taken more seriously. As a result, thousands of affordable units were produced via the element and threat of its enforcement. Those looking for housing solutions should take a hard look at housing element law and its enforcement. Evan E. Becker Point Loma Letters and commentary policy The U-T welcomes and encourages community dialogue on important public matters. Please visit this page for more details on our letters and commentaries policy. You can email letters@sduniontribune.com or leave a comment below. Follow @UTLetters on Twitter and UTOpinion on Facebook. The regions top transportation planner is calling for a massive investment in public transit with the aim of making bus, trolley and commuter rail services competitive with driving. The vision would be a dramatic shift from today, with the regions sluggish mass-transit system mostly serving those unable to afford a car or truck. Transit is not competitive at all. It has to be, said Hasan Ikhrata, who took over as the executive director of the San Diego Association of Governments this month. Its going to cost a lot of money, he added. Its up to the voters whether the vision is good enough to pay that much money. Advertisement Ikhrata said in a recent interview with The San Diego Union-Tribune that after more than a decade as the top official at the Southern California Association of Governments, he was lured south by the challenge of building a state-of-the-art transportation system for the region. In the next two to three years, if we dont have a vision for the San Diego region to change the debate that means I did not succeed, he said. Its a free-market economy, but you cant expect people to leave their car in the garage when they have no other (viable) option. Its going to cost a lot of money. Its up to the voters whether the vision is good enough to pay that much money. Hasan Ikhrata, executive director of the San Diego Association of Governments As part of that push, Ikhrata called last week for the construction of a Grand Central station to connect rail systems to San Diego International Airport. This is not about adding another bus or interchange, he said. This is about having a system that people can access the airport, a real alternative. That seemed to line up with what environmental groups have been seeking. Were committed to a system, an affordable, equitable system that allows people to participate meaningfully in the economy without having car, Nicole Capretz, executive director of the San Diego-based Climate Action Campaign. SANDAGs new leadership pushes San Diego Grand Central to connect transit to airport However, much of the region, especially North County residents far from trolley services, remain skeptical of large investments in rail projects. Dont put the cart before the horse, said Tony Krvaric, chairman of the county Republican Party. Meaning roads and flexible mass transit like buses and innovative solutions like ride-share services need to be the focus. The types of infrastructure residents actually use versus top-down, politically correct agendas like bike paths, fixed trolleys, and using tax dollars to purchase open space. Large transit projects are difficult to fund because tax increases require a two-thirds public vote for passage. SANDAG hasnt been able to do that since 2004, and many of its board members have taken a dim view of any funding blueprint that doesnt focus on highways and roads. Voters rejected a tax increase in 2016 that would have ramped up funding for roads and transit, leaving the agency to operate on its half-cent sales tax, Transnet. By comparison, Los Angeles County has four such taxes, totaling 2 cents. On top of that, recent revenue projections have found that Transnet will bring in about half of the nearly $40 billion envisioned for new projects through mid-century. Still, the political dynamics at SANDAG are shifting in Ikhratas favor. Although the 59-year-old took a cut in benefits when he took the job, SANDAGs 21-member board of elected officials matched his annual pay at SACAG of $414,149 an increase from the $310,000 that former SANDAG chief Gary Gallegos was making. Hasan Ikhrata, the new executive director of the San Diego Association of Governments, in his office in San Diego, California. (Sam Hodgson / The San Diego Union-Tribune) Ponying up the extra money seems to signal a willingness, at least by some elected officials, to back Ikhratas ambitions. Before taking the job, Ikhrata said he met with San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer and Chula Vista Mayor Mary Salas, two of the most powerful officials on the board following recent rule changes. Faulconer declined an interview for this story, but his staff released this statement attributed to the mayor: One of the biggest reasons I was so adamant that we look outside of SANDAG for new leadership is that we needed to bring in someone with bold ideas. Hasan is a proven leader whose fresh perspective has energized SANDAG, and I fully support his vision for the future of transportation in our region. After Gallegos resigned in 2017 amid a scandal involving the faulty revenue projections, Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez Fletcher, D-San Diego, pushed a bill through the Legislature that gave the agencys board a weighted vote based on population. Now the cities of San Diego and Chula Vista can make overriding decisions for SANDAG as long as they secure votes from just two other jurisdictions. At the same time, a number of the boards most staunch skeptics of transit are either termed out or lost reelection. Just as important, SANDAG is now required by the new law to use a skilled and trained workforce as defined by California law on all major projects. That means contractors must meet specific requirements, such as the number of hours workers have completed and participation in state-approved apprenticeship programs. Local unions declined to support the 2016 tax increase, and in some cases actively opposed it, after the SANDAG board refused to include similar language in the ballot measure. Keith Maddox, newly installed leader of the San Diego-Imperial Counties Labor Council, said that hes comfortable backing a new funding blueprint as long as it includes the now-mandatory labor provisions. We need to make sure that were creating quality jobs, he said. At the end of the day we need to know that workers are being paid a decent wage for a decent standard of labor. Ikhratas first major challenge will likely be securing support for his proposed transit hub to connect rail and bus service to the airport. With an intergovernmental steering committee in the works at SANDAG, Ikhrata has vowed to have a plan in front of the board by summer. *A previous version of this story misstated the amount of revenue the half-cent sales tax, Transnet, had originally been expected to bring in over its 40-year life. The San Diego Union-Tribune regrets the mistake and strives for accuracy. Twitter: @jemersmith Phone: (619) 293-2234 Email: joshua.smith@sduniontribune.com For more than three decades, the Empty Stocking Fund has served as a critical safety net for those experiencing unexpected financial challenges in the community. Click to Donate Now Or, you can mail a check to: The New Mexican's Empty Stocking Fund c/o The Santa Fe Community Foundation P.O. Box 1827 Santa Fe, NM 87504-1827 If you can contribute food, clothing, toys, housewares or furniture in good condition, or other items or services, please contact The Salvation Army at 505-988-8054 Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading. Valley Cottage, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 12/11/2018 -- Bakery improvers Market Introduction: Bakery improvers, bakery pre-mixes and bakery concentrates are often used interchangeably in the baking industry. These bakery improvers are used for miscellaneous purposes including sustaining quality and softness of bread, soft and thin crust of pastry products, reducing crispiness of crumb, for preserving and increasing shelf life, developing a fine-pored crumb, improving color of baked goods, strengthen tolerance during manufacturing stages and largely enabling bakers to prepare good quality and a standardized baked products. Bakery improvers are generally used at 10 % amount as calculated on flour. Apart from reducing the time taken by the bread to rise, bakery improvers also improve volume and texture of the baked product, by using the enzymes such as amylase and protease on starch and gluten. Furthermore it helps to get high volume of products during the processing of the flour. The high amount of bakery products consumption in European countries has created a lavish demand for the bakery improvers to constantly improve the quality of baked goods. Request Sample Report @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-4422 Bakery improvers Market Segmentation: The bakery improvers are broadly segmented by from and by product type. The availability of bakery improvers in variety of form is credited to the use of the different forms for different preparations and use at various stages of processing. The segmentation by form include powders, liquid and others (granules and paste). Each of the bakery improver added to the baked product offers a specific improvement and thus on the basis of product type the bakery improvers are segmented as stabilizer, emulsifier, thickening agents, oxidants, reducing-agent, enzymes, others (bean flour, malt, etc.) Bakery improvers Market Regional Outlook: Bakery product such as bread is the primarily consumed as a source of carbohydrates in most European countries and has also been a key source of whole grain in the Scandinavian countries. With a very high consumption in Turkey and Bulgaria the market for bakery improvers is also expected to grow parallel in these countries. The growth rate for bakery improvers in bread in countries such as U.S, U.K. Canada, Germany, Italy, France, Brazil and China is not expected to grow intensely as bread is eaten in almost every household; however the bakery improvers are expected to witness a growth in packed baked products due to various new product introduction by packed food baking giants such as Mondelez International, Grupo Bimbo etc. In most parts of U.S., bread and baked goods are consumed as staple food and a very high consumption is recorded through food services and fast food restaurants. In developing countries such as India, this massive bakery industry is further expected to grow due to high urbanization and increasing number of youth opting for fast food service restaurants; this in turn is expected to grow the bakery improvers market during the forecast period. Bakery improvers Market Drivers and Trends A continues demand for greater variety of bread with ethnic breads getting more popular in the UK and more varieties of whole meal breads with oats, bran, seeds etc., arriving in the market. There is also a growing trend for increased production of sliced and wrapped bread of different varieties in many countries across Europe including Germany and France. Request Report toc @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-4422 With most parts of Europe following a gluten free trend, egg free is emerging as a new key trend. Primarily driven by a rising vegan population in the UK, it is swiftly moving into the mainstream market. The rapid growth of egg free cake mixes require bakery improvers such as stabilizers and thickening agents, thus bakery improvers are expected to see an upsurge in the demand during the forecast period. Bakery improvers Market Key Players: Some of the key players participating in the global Bakery improvers market includes; Lesaffre & Cie, Puratos Group NV, Bakels Group, UNIFERM GmbH & Co. KG, Allied Mills, IPSA SPA., Megazyme Inc., among others. New York, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 12/11/2018 -- The high purity aluminium market is marked by a handful of leading manufacturers that has sophisticated refining machinery to sustainably produce high purity aluminium. The refining technology of these manufacturers remains competitive in terms of removal of impurities such as Silicon, Iron, and Copper and reducing concentrations of alpha emitters such as Uranium and Thorium. Although aluminium element finds application in multiple industries due to its beneficial alloy properties, recent decades have witnessed the production of high purity aluminium for specific applications. High purity aluminium is highly sought after in the semiconductor industry and other applications such as electrolytic capacitor foils and electronic storage systems. According to the end users' requirement specifications, manufacturers in the high purity aluminium market deliver high purity aluminium in different forms such as foil, sheet, plate, pellet, ingots, billets, wires, rods or disks. Manufacturers also deliver high purity aluminium products for research and other commercial applications. With the higher level of electrical conductance, application of high purity aluminium has intensified in recent years and can be now found in every displays, memory chips, memory drives of smartphones, computers, tablets and LED screens of other devices. Exponentially rising utilization of high purity aluminium in electronics and technical applications is estimated to augur well for the growth of the high purity aluminium market. Get Experts' Insights For FREE: https://www.factmr.com/connectus/sample?flag=S&rep_id=625 A new report available with Fact.MR, about the global high purity aluminium market, provides a comprehensive outlook of the industry trends. Sharp-eyed analysis of the changing global needs and consumption of high purity aluminium are few of the prime factors impacting the growth of the market. The recent restrictions enacted by Trump's Administrations on steel and aluminium import in the United States and its predictable influence on the global aluminium market is another important factor considered in the report analysis. With such thorough analysis, the report provides the most credible go-to forecast of the global high purity aluminium market. Derived from bauxite ore, based on purity levels, high purity aluminium finds application in multiple industries. Notable demand for the highly pure material is observed in electronics, chemical and high purity alloy sectors. Purity of high purity aluminium ranges from 99.99% to 99.999% which is also referred to as 4N to 6N. Manufacturing titans use three-layer electrolysis as well as the segregation or the fractional crystallization methods to refine aluminium. Demand from the Electronics Industry to Boost Market Growth The electronics industry has witnessed a steady growth in past decade. Currently, the industry is helmed by Asian countries including India, China, and Malaysia. Due to its intrinsic properties, the highly pure metal finds application in the manufacturing of electrolytic capacitor foils, high purity alumina (HPA), the semiconductor industry, photovoltaic cells, TFT LCD applications, decorative uses or for electronic storage systems. Its utilization becomes irreplaceable for the industry as the metal provide high electric and thermal conductance as well as low tensile strength. To address the increasing requirements of high purity aluminium, manufacturers are enhancing their capacities and personnel in metallurgy, application technology, metal purification, as well as trace analysis. As electronic industry significantly penetrates in other end-user industries, demand for stated electronics components is set to rise. Owing to this, the market for high purity aluminium is likely to witness persistent growth in future. Steady Bauxite Extraction & High Purity Aluminium Production Top global locations popular for surplus bauxite resources includes Australia, China, Brazil, Indonesia, Guinea, India, Jamaica, Kazakhstan, Russia and Republic of Suriname. Individual regional analysis has reported accretive growth of bauxite extraction in the fiscal year 2017 worldwide. For instance, the Mines Ministry of Guinea reported production of 5 million tons of bauxite from one of Guinea's largest mines per year from 2019. This represents a threefold increase in bauxite production by 2020 in Western African countries. Although China reported highest bauxite export in 2017, air pollution crackdowns may influence the future alumina and bauxite demand. Amidst this scenario, steady bauxite extraction was witnessed globally and is estimated to rise in future. According to the World Bureau of Metal Statistics, world bauxite production is projected to grow at the rate of 8% annually in 2018 and 2019, and to reach 337 million tons by the end of 2019. In addition, helmed by China, world alumina production and consumption also witnessed a rise in 2017. Thus, stable bauxite extraction and growing high purity aluminium demand is likely to influence the market growth in near future. Key Company Developments in High Purity Aluminium Market Showa Denko KK (SDK), a leading Japanese chemical engineering firm has enhanced production capacities of high-purity aluminium foil in China in 2017. High purity aluminium foil is one of the most prominent materials of aluminium electrolytic capacitor. The SDK expansion is aimed at responding to the rising demand for aluminum electrolytic capacitors worldwide. Norsk Hydro, a Norwegian aluminium company that operates throughout Brazilian aluminium chain has recently announced reduction in alumina production by 50%. Alunorte which is owned by Norsk Hydro by 92.1% of shares, delivered lesser alumina to Albras due to reported residue leakage. Hence, Albras which is owned by Norsk Hydro by 51% of shares reported significant decline in production. Altech Chemicals Ltd., an Australia-based leading supplier of highly pure alumina (HPA), has applied for manufacturing license application to the Malaysian Investment Development Authority in Malaysia. The company has plans to produce HPA from kaolin clay supplied from Altech's kaolin plant based in Western Australia. To address the rising demand from end-users, industry titans are focusing on enhancing production capacities with respect to delivery of refined, reliable and defined material quality which is a prerequisite to meet intense competition in the global market. Details associated with all the highlighted trends of the high purity aluminium market are included in the report to deliver a clear industry outlook which will help the financial community in making business decisions. Request Report Brochure at https://www.factmr.com/connectus/sample?flag=B&rep_id=625 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. A thorough analysis has been offered by the report on Market Dynamics Market Size Market Segments Demand & Supply Trends Current Issues and Challenges Companies and Competitor Landscape Value Chain Technology Regional Segments Analyzed Include North America (U.S., Canada) Latin America (Mexico. Brazil) Western Europe (Germany, Italy, France, U.K, Spain) Eastern Europe (Poland, Russia) Asia Pacific (China, India, ASEAN, Australia & New Zealand) Japan Middle East and Africa (GCC, S. Africa, N. Africa) Compilation 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. Highlights from the Report Elaborated scenario of the parent market Transformations in the market dynamics Detailed segmentation of the target market Historical, current and forecast market size based on value and volume Latest industry developments and trends Competition landscape Strategies adopted by the market players and product developments made Potential and niche segments, along with their regional analysis Unbiased analysis on performance of the market Up-to-date and must-have intelligence for the market players to enhance and sustain their competitiveness Report Overview at https://www.factmr.com/report/625/high-purity-aluminium-market About Fact.MR Fact.MR is a fast-growing market research firm that offers the most comprehensive suite of syndicated and customized market research reports. We believe transformative intelligence can educate and inspire businesses to make smarter decisions. We know the limitations of the one-size-fits-all approach; that's why we publish multi-industry global, regional, and country-specific research reports. Contact Us Rohit Bhisey Fact.MR 11140 Rockville Pike Suite 400 Rockville, MD 20852 United States Email: sales@factmr.com Web: https://www.factmr.com/ . , ... The AirShip tour will launch Dec. 31 in conjunction with Carnival's first Rose Parade float on New Years Day. Over schools, events, homeports, Sky Zone parks The 120-foot Carnival AirShip will journey throughout Los Angeles, Orange County, San Diego, San Bernardino and Riverside counties and then to Northern California, heralding the December 2019 introduction of Carnival Panorama in Long Beach. The AirShip will fly over major cultural moments including the Rose Parade and visit schools, Carnivals homeports in Long Beach and San Diego, travel agent viewing parties and some trampoline park locations of Sky Zone, Carnival Panoramas new all-ages attraction. Sweepstakes and support for St Jude In conjunction with the aerial tour, Carnival is offering the chance to win prizes including a cruise for two in a sweepstakes that begins Dec. 31. Details on the sweepstakes will be announced later this month. In addition, when people post a picture of the blimp using the hashtags #ChooseFun and #JumpIntoFun, inspired by the first Sky Zone at sea on Carnival Panorama, Carnival will make a donation to St. Jude Childrens Research Hospital. The Carnival AirShip made its inaugural journey this past summer when it toured the Southeast US in August and September to mark the arrival of new Fun Ships in multiple homeports. 600,000 West Coast cruisers a year Carnival Panorama will debut with a three-day inaugural cruise from Long Beach on Dec. 11 next year, followed by year-round, seven-day Mexican Riviera service. The ship joins Carnival Imagination and Carnival Inspiration to carry upwards of 600,000 passengers annually from the West Coastmore than any other cruise line. Having met its 2018 targets, Celestyal is going full speed ahead with its aim to extend the cruise tourism season in Greece, ceo Chris Theophilides told a recent media gathering in Athens. The cruise line is now focused on 'maximising' all its endeavours. Indeed, 'maximising', or a version of it, was often heard during presentations by Theophilidis; Leslie Peden, chief commercial officer; George Koubenas, chief operations officer; and Frosso Zaroulea, director of public relations. 2018 targets met Based on the achievements of 2018, when the company's two vessels hosted 108,000 passengers, an increase of 8% on 2017, and made 663 calls at Greek ports, Celestyal is determined to continue its positive trend in 2019 and 2020, despite geopolitical events in the East Mediterranean region, said Theophilides. In 2018 we met our targets in terms of passengers and the growth of the brand Celestyal Cruises and now we are really focused on 2019 and the significant extension of our operating season in Greece, said Theophilides. 130,000 guests targetted for 2019 He said the company is targetting 130,000 guests in 2019 and so maximising its vessel capacity. In this endeavour, he said Celestyal is fully backing the Greek National Tourism Organisations (GNTO) strategy of establishing Greece as a 365-day tourism destination. Already the leading company homeporting in Greece, Celestyal's season will be extended by eight weeks in 2019 after being extended by four weeks this year, with the goal of being year-round by 2021. Theophilides said in 2019 the new programme will further promote the 'Eklekto' [eclectic] Aegean and three continents. Egypt, Israel and Cyprus appeal Celestyal's 2019 and 2020 itineraries will add seven new ports to its Eastern Mediterranean product. In regards to Greece, Celestyal already has 19 destinations on its itineraries. Next year, the company will add two new 7-day itineraries: the Eclectic Aegean itinerary will include Volos for excursions to the mountains of Meteora, as new destinations in Greece, and the second is the 7-day 3 Continents, which is more focused on the Eastern Mediterranean, which touches Rhodes and other Greek destinations, but also goes to Egypt, Israel and Cyprus. Peden also referred to 'maximising' the company's operations. He outlined the commercial strategy in 11 countries and its development in 2019. He stressed the company's digitalisation and growing presence on the internet and that Celestyal is reaching potential passengers of 140 different nationalities, and in 2018 had over 832,000 visitors. Its website is in seven different languages. Hike in North American sourced passengers The year just ended saw an increase in American and Canadian passengers, with the North American market accounting for 52% of the company's total, Spain 12%, Latin America 10%, Greece 10% and Turkey 9%. Peden said the focus in 2019 is the opening of new markets, with a target growth of 21%, through optimising new distribution partners, new in-market representation, the launching of a new global promotional and marketing strategy and enhance group offerings with new value-add-ons. The appointment of Stewart Williams as regional manager Asia Pacific earlier this year highlights Celesytal's ambitions to gow Asian sourced guests. Celestyal's contribution to the Greek economy, and its role in promoting Greece around the world was stressed by Koubenas. In 2018, Celestyal's total contribution to the Greek economy ran to some Euro 102.5m ($115m). The company's community and social projects were outlined by Zaroulea. She said that since 2015 some 2,500 students on the islands of Milos, Patmos, Ios and Samos have had the opportunity to follow educational programmes supported by Celestyal. An example of this was the year-long Archimidis educational programme in which Celestyal working with the Theocharakis Foundation, enabled some 1,200 pupils and teachers in Samos to take advantage of modern methods of teaching science subjects. President & ceo of Pullmantur Cruceros, Richard J. Vogel, travelled to the Emirate to commemorate the milestone attending the traditional exchange of plaques. About 50 dignitaries including Captain Charilaos Petridis and his officers, as well as local government authorities and main business partners also attended the event. Vogel stressed that the arrival of Horizon in Dubai is the materialisation of a dream that dates back some years to when we first considered taking on this challenge. Pullmantur returning in 2019-20 Vogel said: We are very satisfied with the number of bookings we are taking and as a sign of our confidence in this proposal, we have already opened upcoming season 2019-2020. The 8 day and 7 night round trip Dubai visits Khasab (Oman), Muscat (Oman), Fujairah (UAE) and Abu Dhabi (UAE). There will be 13 departures between now and March 3, 2019. On 5 December, just after midnight, around 20 men, armed with guns, believed to be from the ASG in boarded a boat of Sabah, East Malaysia and took three crew hostage ReCAAP Information Sharing Centre (ISC) reported. The two Indonesians and one Malaysian-national were then taken to Laminusa Island, Siasi Municipality, Sulu Province in the Philippines on 6 December before proceeding to So Dumlog, Brgy Likud, Pata, Sulu Province on 7 December. The Joint Task Force Sulu is exerting an all-out effort to establish the status, condition and location of the alleged kidnapped victims, an incident alert from ReCAAP said. It is the second successful kidnapping of crew by the ASG in recent months with two crew abducted from the fishing trawler Sri Dewi 1 on 18 September, with one of the crew rescued on 5 December. The attacks mark a return to kidnapping by the Islamic separatist group following a lull since March 2017. Twice this year ReCAAP has relayed warnings of the imminent threat of kidnapping of seafarers in the region. Between March 2016 and April 2017 attacks on merchant ships to abduct crew for ransom in the southern Philippines, claimed largely by Abu Sayaaf, saw 59 seafarers kidnapped from 13 vessels in the region. Read more: 'Very serious concern' over kidnapping of seafarers in Southern Philippines: ReCAAP , , , , . . : - , , ? : , , , . , . , . .. . , - , , , . , . : ? : - , , . 21 . . -, . , . - , , , . , . , , . , .. , 1966 , . . (19 1989 .) , , , . . , , , , . . , , 20 1989 - , - , . , , , . , , . , - . , , . , , 1962 , , . , , , . , , , , . , , . , , , . , , , , . , , . , . : , , . , , . - . , . , , . , . - , , , . : 11 2001 ? : 11 2001 , . , - , 11 . , , 11 , 11 , ... . , , , , . , - - . 11 , , , - , , , , , . , , . , : , , . 60 , , . , . , ?! : ? : . , . , , , , . , , , , , . , , . , , . , , , . 11 2001 , , - , , . , . , . , , . : 11 2001 ? : , . . , ... . , , , . , , . , . , , . - - . . - . , , . . , , , , , , . , , . : . ? : . . , , . , , . , , , , . , , , , . . , , , , . Friendly people, those charterers, who are never off the masters back as they endlessly attempt to micro-manage the voyage. Sure, the cargo is important to them and their clients, but the trouble is that they are treating a ship at sea as would an angry consignee after their vanload of goods has got lost on the motorway. Its a ship, for goodness sake, and the reason the master has slowed down is because he is battling a storm at sea that is barely enabling his vessel to make headway. Dont these people understand ordinary operational limitations, or the demands of safety? The answer is, quite simply, that they dont, as the people who are sending these increasingly angry messages are probably landsmen, who really do think that a 15 knot ship ought to progress 360 miles per day and they are entitled to rage and bully when these expectations are not fulfilled. They think that their pressurising of the master of a ship they have chartered is fully justified, facilitated by the wonderful communications that enable them to exercise their power and authority 24/7. Nothing new about commerical pressure There is nothing new about commercial pressure on people operating ships. A century ago the master of a storm-battered ship would note protest on arrival to ward off the accusations that he hadnt been prosecuting the voyage with the zeal that was expected of him, on account of the weather or some other extraneous force outside his control. There were (and still are) hard-driving operators who will use the fast passage of Captain A to shame the slower progress and obvious caution of Captain B. There have always been people terminal operators dispatchers port captains acting for the charterer who have tried to make the master of a ship do something he would rather not have done. The difference these days is that not only do we have people with no real experience of ship operation exerting the pressure, but that they now believe that their wonderful communications and apparent knowledge of the ships position give them the authority to superimpose their will on the master of a ship. And all too often, owners will defer to them and fail to support their master, thus encouraging their behaviour. Unsafe practice So it is good to see that the Nautical Institute is taking up the cudgels on behalf of hard-pressed shipmasters who find themselves being urged into unsafe practice by their charterers. In a hard-hitting feature in the NIs Seaways journal , ships officer Vashchenko Leonid expressly states that this lack of understanding about operational issues is putting safety at risk. He cites a number of instances where the judgement of the master was over-ridden by individuals acting for the charterers, such as refusing to permit a pilot to be carried in the Danish Sounds, abusive telephone calls to a ship in a storm, and demands in voyage instructions demanding that a ship proceed to a berth for which she was far too large. These amateur attempts to interfere in matters affecting operational safety, it is suggested, may be a consequence of a weak freight market, but are putting ships and those aboard at risk. Bullying, lack of respect, lack of awareness, threats of demotion or dismissal, abuse of communications and doubts being cast on the professional judgement of the people on the spot have reached such a level that action needs to be taken. Captain Leonid suggests that there is a need for an international resolution or convention to govern the interaction between ship and shore. Responding to everyday challenges Seafarers, he says, remain the only people who can effectively respond to the everyday challenges they face. Im not sure that an official document can improve what is fundamentally a matter of manners. Naming and shaming organisations which condone such behaviour, might be a better policy. People ashore need to remember that ships do not run on tracks, like trams. They perhaps also need reminding that the sea can be violent and unpredictable. Earlier this month there was a poignant reminder on the Hapag-Lloyd website honouring the memory of the 28 people who died, 40 years earlier, in their big barge carrier Munchen, when the ship was overwhelmed by a violent storm off the Azores. This was a large, beautifully maintained vessel, operated by a crack German liner company, but she was overwhelmed nonetheless; just one of the sad reminders of the power of nature, that modern day charterers and shore-side managers should remember. Press Release December 11, 2018 ANGARA SAYS FIRST 1,000 DAYS LAW TO BOOST HEALTH, NUTRITION SERVICES FOR MOTHERS AND CHILDREN Senator Sonny Angara lauded President Duterte's signing of the First 1,000 Days Law, calling it "an important step towards securing a brighter future for Filipino children." According to Angara, principal author of the law in the Senate, mothers and their children are now assured of better health care services during the early days of child development with the enactment of "Kalusugan at Nutrisyon ng Mag-Nanay Act." "The law aims to improve child survival and development with the first 1,000 days of life from conception up to two years of age, as it would protect both the mother and the child against malnutrition, diseases and even death," Angara said. He reiterated that every Filipino child "deserves a fair start in life that will enable them to reach their full potential." According to studies, a human being's first 1,000 days is the critical window particularly in preventing child stunting and wasting. Proper child nutrition during this period would not only prevent one-third of child deaths per year, but would also improve school attainment necessary to curb poverty and increase wages, studies further show. Data from the Food and Nutrition Research Institute indicate that chronic malnutrition among Filipino children under five years old has increased to 33.5 percent in 2015 from 30.5 percent in 2013. To address this, the First 1,000 Days health package provides proper nutrition for pregnant mothers, improved breastfeeding and complementary feeding practices, protection against diseases, and appropriate feeding of children who are sick and undernourished. The law also makes available and accessible vaccinations, check-ups, monitoring systems, and facilities such as breastfeeding stations and human milk banks. "I am confident that the First 1,000 Days Law would boost maternal and child health and nutrition that would provide a pathway to good education and out of poverty, and cut child deaths in the country," Angara said. He added: "Child deaths and malnutrition remain highest in the poorest sector of society. We should put an end to this." GORDON, LIKELY TO SUPPORT PRESIDENT'S CALL FOR MARTIAL LAW EXTENSION Senator Richard J. Gordon is likely to support President Rodrigo R. Duterte's call for a third extension of the martial law in Mindanao following the military's briefing, in an executive session, on the updates on the situation in the South. Gordon said that aside from wanting to ensure the complete rehabilitation of Marawi City which was torn apart by the armed conflict, he has received reports that Mindanaoans feel safer with martial law imposed. He added there are also no reports of abuses since martial law was imposed in Marawi City after the siege. "I don't hear an outcry in Mindanao na nahihirapan kami diyan. In fact, sabi nga ng mga kaibigan ko doon, 'ok sa 'min yan. Mas safe kami diyan. May checkpoint, may nakikita kaming nagbabantay,'" Gordon said. "While it may not be perfect, yung martial law, wala naman akong naririnig na abuso sa Mindanao. So ako, ang position ko dyan eh ang president ang nakakaalam sapagkat sya ang mga intelligence. Sya lahat ang nakakakuha. Is he using it badly? I don't think so. Umaandar naman yun martial law ng maayos," he added. However, the senator said that while it is good that the military's presence have deterred sudden outbursts of violence in Mindanao, the Armed Forces of the Philippines should have a grand plan to obliterate all rebellious groups in the region. "I'm not happy with it...situation right now the way it is, like I said, hindi nyo ginagamit talaga in full yung martial law kung nandyan pa ang mga kalaban ng estado. Dapat masawata na yung mga dapat labanan. Ang disappointment ko lang sa martial law eh bakit nakakapangulimbat pa yang Abu Sayyaf at meron pang naiipit sa cross fire yun mga lumads? Yun ang disappointment ko. Dapat talaga may grand plan ang military na matapos ang problemang yan," he said. Congress is set to hold a joint session on Wednesday on the call for extension. Duterte first placed Mindanao under martial law in May 2017 after Islamic State-inspired terrorists laid siege on Marawi City for five months. Press Release December 11, 2018 PEOPLE'S STRONG SENSE OF HISTORY AND JUSTICE RETURNED THE BALANGIGA BELLS *Statement of Akbayan Senator Risa Hontiveros The return of the Balangiga bells, which were seized by American troops as war trophies during the Philippine-American War, marks an important milestone in the history of our country. It is a significant step in recognizing and correcting an historical wrong and in putting closure to a painful episode in our past. We owe the return of the bells to the collective and untiring effort of many people. This includes past presidents and foreign affairs officials, Catholic church leaders, historians, Filipino-Americans and different non-government organizations. It would be wrong and insensitive for the Duterte administration to claim sole credit for the return of the bells and insist that this was the result of its so-called independent foreign policy. It was the people's strong sense of history and justice that led to the return of the bells not President Rodrigo Duterte's defeatist foreign policy which has only managed to surrender our sovereignty and territory in the West Philippine Sea. The Balangiga bells serve as a reminder of past atrocities and the bravery and martyrdom of our heroes. The bells last tolled during the Filipinos' fight against foreign rule and were taken from us after one of our provinces was turned into a "howling wilderness." With the return of the bells, it is my hope that they will toll once again, this time in support of democracy and against an aspiring tyrant who has turned the entire country into a "modern howling wilderness" marked by unabated killings and human rights abuses. Press Release December 11, 2018 Lacson: Time for Ombudsman to Step into 'Pork' Insertion Mess More at: https://pinglacson.net/2018/12/11/lacson-time-for-ombudsman-to-step-into-pork-insertion-mess/ With exposes on "pork" in the proposed P3.7-trillion budget for 2019 now coming out left and right, it may be time for new Ombudsman Samuel Martires to step into the picture. Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson said this Tuesday as he thanked an unlikely ally for revealing that a single contractor hogged no less 30 flood control projects worth billions of pesos. Lacson said both the House of Representatives and the Office of the Ombudsman can conduct their own probes into the revelations. "Expose pa more! A single contractor bagging 30 flood control projects worth billions of pesos calls for a congressional inquiry/Ombudsman investigation. Thank God I found an unlikely 'ally' in Cong. Andaya," Lacson said in a post on his Twitter account. He was referring to House Majority Leader Rolando Andaya Jr., who made the expose in a privilege speech on Monday. In his speech, Andaya claimed a single proprietorship based in Bulacan cornered the flood control projects in provinces including Sorsogon and Catanduanes. On Wednesday, Dec. 5, Lacson bared a congressman got at least P1.9 billion in congressional insertions while a congresswoman got P2.4 billion. Figures from the General Appropriations Bill 2 - the House version of the national budget bill - showed P2.4 billion worth of projects are in Pampanga's second district while P1.9 billion in projects are in Camarines Sur. These amounts are aside from the P60 million each House member got for his or her pet projects. Andaya represents the first district of Camarines Sur, while Speaker Gloria Arroyo represents the second district of Pampanga. When Andaya said this could be a case of "misplaced generosity," Lacson said the lawmakers concerned can show good faith by declining such amounts. Meanwhile, Lacson maintained he is prepared to continue his crusade against pork even if he has to go it alone. Lacson has waged a mostly lonely battle against the pork barrel system since he delivered a privilege speech detailing the evils of the pork barrel system in 2003. Before the Supreme Court outlawed pork in 2013, Lacson also declined his P200-million-a-year pork allocation and made sure he has the last amendment in the budget law - to return the amount to the National Treasury. "I will continue this lonely crusade against the pork barrel even alone, as I have always been doing," he said. Press Release December 11, 2018 Legarda: Return of Balangiga Bells Sign of Goodwill and Solidarity Between PH, US Senator Loren Legarda, Chair of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, today welcomed the return of the Balangiga Bells to the Philippines and said that it is a sign of goodwill and solidarity between the country and the United States. On Tuesday, the Balangiga Bells, the three church bells that were taken by the US army in 1901 as war trophies from Balangiga town in Eastern Samar, were airlifted to the Philippine Air Force headquarters in Villamor Airbase. "The return of the Balangiga Bells to the Philippines signifies the US government's respect to our country and its commitment to our longtime partnership," said Legarda. In 2007, Legarda joined calls for the return of the Balangiga Bells during the commemoration of the Balangiga incident and even filed a Senate Resolution urging the Philippine government to exhaust all efforts to persuade the US government to immediately return the bells of Balangiga to the people of Samar. "Our collective efforts have finally bore fruit as the bells have arrived in our country and will soon be back in Balangiga where it rightfully belongs. While the church bells were taken in an atmosphere of divisiveness, perhaps hatred and revenge, what is essential is that we, the Filipino people, now strive for peace and reconciliation," Legarda concluded. Ever since Ryman Healthcare listed on NZX in 1999, analysts have been divided on whether the company is a property play or the provider of an essential service delivered through property management and development. Since the company keeps building apace, there are certainly valid arguments that Ryman is a property development and management company. It has sites for 16 new villages in the pipeline and now manages 33 existing villages with more than 10,000 beds in facilities ranging from independent living units through to hospital and dementia beds. Rymans essential proposition is that when its residents move into a village, they will never have to move house again because that village offers all the care they will need, regardless of what happens. Its a business model that has proved much more solid and predictable than the lifestyle-type model still dominant in Australia where residents can remain in villages only while theyre healthy enough to live independently. That model appears to have had its day in New Zealand and the Ryman model appears to be working well in Melbourne too, albeit that progress has been slower than expected. Ryman chief financial officer David Bennett explains that his company was a bit slow to begin with as it learned how to operate in the Australian environment. One major difference is that Ryman has to get entire villages approved before it can start construction in Melbourne whereas the consenting process in New Zealand allows it to build in stages, Bennett says. The company bought its first site in Australia in November 2011. It officially opened the Weary Dunlop village in August 2014, although the village was still under construction at the time. The second Melbourne site was bought in May 2011 but construction didnt begin until April 2017. The first residents moved into what is now the Nellie Melba village in August this year the official opening hasnt happened yet. Bennett says momentum in Melbourne is building the company is about to start construction of two new villages, has started seeking consents for another three and just bought its ninth site there last month. The greater Melbourne population is the same as New Zealands total population and that means Ryman can build villages in close proximity, unlike in New Zealand, Bennett says. And thats helping with marketing Rymans continuum of care model. When releasing its first-half results last month, chief executive Gordon MacLeod said Ryman will keep its promise of having five villages open in Victoria by 2020 he did joke that might take until New Years Eve in 2020. Back in New Zealand, Ryman has enjoyed the sincerest form of flattery in that its major New Zealand competitors, such as Summerset, are copying the Ryman model. In the case of companies such as Metlifecare and Infratil-owned RetireAustralia, they are slowly converting from the lifestyle model to that of Rymans. But Ryman would claim its still streets ahead. In releasing its first-half results it included a chart showing that 74 percent of its New Zealand villages operate under four-yearly audits by the ministry of health similar to warrants of fitness for cars what it calls the gold standard. Newer villages operating for less than four years have to build up a track record through more frequent audits before they can reach that gold standard. Its nearest rival among operators with 15 or more villages, labelled simply provider E, has four-yearly audits of 44 percent of its villages. And demonstrating Rymans heavy emphasis on care, more than 34 percent of its units and beds are in care facilities, excluding serviced apartments. That figure rises to 53 percent when serviced apartments are included. Summerset, roughly half Rymans size, can accommodate a little more than 17 percent of its residents in care beds. It has just applied for resource consent to build a fourth village in Hawke's Bay which will have 241 self-contained independent living units, 56 one-bedroom assisted living suites and 43 care beds. Ryman says thats only about a third of the care beds it would build in a typical village. Although Ryman has been listed on NZX since 1999 and prides itself on the fact that it has never needed to raise any more than the original $25 million the way analysts rate Ryman varies greatly. Arie Dekker at First NZ Capital, for example, has an underperform rating on the stock and a 12-month target price of just $9.13. Ryman shares are trading at $11.35, well above his target, although down from their record $14.09 in August. Stephen Ridgewell at Craigs Investment Partners is somewhat more sanguine with a still-under-water $10.55 12-month price target. At the other end of the spectrum, Jeremy Simpson at Forsyth Barr has a $12.60 12-month price target. Dekker says Ryman clearly has a large business servicing its residents needs but thats not where the economics come from, which is the property development side of the business in his view. He is also concerned about the slowdown in growth of net tangible assets (NTA) per share per-share net assets at Sept. 30 of $4.056 was only 5.6 percent higher than March 31 when annual growth was 17.5 percent. In the year ended March 2017, net assets grew 24.5 percent. And Rymans debt is rising its gearing ratio rose to 37 percent at Sept. 30 from 35 percent in March and has been trending higher from 23 percent in 2014. Is there potential for a de-rate of Ryman on slowing NTA growth, increasing debt, increasing reliance on new sale gross occupancy growth in what might be a slowing market and in the absence of above-trend property price growth? Dekker asks. Australian housing markets are definitely in the midst of at least a correction. Melbourne house prices have fallen 5.8 percent from their peak a year ago. The OECD has warned the Australian government it needs a contingency plan in case the correction turns into a crash and hurts the wider economy, even though it is forecasting a soft landing. However, ANZ Banks chief economist David Plank recently changed his forecast and is now expecting a 15-20 percent fall in house prices. Nevertheless, Ryman has consistently argued that the decision to move into one of its villages is based on need that doesnt disappear because of a property market downturn. Housing markets where its villages are located would have to be exceptionally dire before it prevented would-be residents from selling their own homes and moving into a nearby village. Ryman's first-half result presentation included a slide showing the median house price in Melbourne is approaching $1.3 million. The cost of one of its two-bedroom units in Melbourne, designed for independent living, is a little under $900,000 while a serviced apartment is $600,000 and that pricing was somewhat less favourable in Auckland. And the Victorian government is predicting its population will continue to grow at more than 100,000 people each year. Forsyth Barrs Simpson notes that there is no shortage of demand for what Ryman keeps building, particularly in what he calls a Rymanian invasion of Victoria. He notes the companys guidance for underlying profit growth in the year ending March of 10-17 percent and the fact it "confirmed its long-term goal to grow by around 15 percent a year, an astounding number, given the size of the business. Simpson also says a sharply cooling Melbourne market should benefit Ryman because it will limit development by less well capitalised operators and will also mean lower land prices and construction costs. He points to Rymans history. During the post-GFC period of 2008-2011 Ryman got a major jump on its competition, given its ability to continue to acquire sites, develop, sell down villages, keep its existing villages full and, importantly, recycle capital. (BusinessDesk) Comments from our readers No comments yet Add your comment: Your name: Your email: Not displayed to the public Comment: Comments to Sharechat go through an approval process. Comments which are defamatory, abusive or in some way deemed inappropriate will not be approved. It is allowable to use some form of non-de-plume for your name, however we recommend real email addresses are used. Comments from free email addresses such as Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, etc may not be approved. Anti-spam verification: Type the text you see in the image into the field below. You are asked to do this in order to verify that this enquiry is not being performed by an automated process. Related News: Geneva Finance Limited (NZX: GFL) Half Year Results The New Zealand Refining Company Limited (NZX: NZR) NZ announces equity raising Asset Plus Limited (NZX: APL) Result for the six months ended 30 September 2021 Me Today Limited (NZX: MEE) 30 September 21 Results and Conditional Placement Oceania Healthcare Limited (NZX: OCA) Delivers Improved Performance Despite COVID-19 29th November 2021 Morning Report Radius Residential Care Limited (NZX: RAD) Announces Half Year Results of FY22 NZ Automotive Investments Limited (NZX: NZA) Interim Results for Half Year 2022 Greenfern Industries Limited (NZX: GFI) Releases Interim Results Hallenstein Glasson Holdings Limited (NZX: HLG) Announcement of Final Dividend Yealands Estate Wines has pleaded guilty to unprecedented offending under the Wine Act 2003 and has copped a $400,000 fine. The Ministry for Primary Industries prosecuted Yealands for deliberate, deceptive and sustained breaches of the Act. It laid a total of 39 charges in the Blenheim District Court against the company, its founder and director at the time of the offending, Peter Yealands, former winery operations general manager Jeff Fyfe and former chief winemaker Tamra Kelly, The company and the three individual defendants were immediately sentenced after their guilty pleas were recorded. On top of the company fine, Fyfe and Kelly were each fined $35,000 and Yealands was fined $30,000. The charges relate to all parties being complicit in making false statements regarding export eligibility applications and material omissions in wine records relating to the use of added sugar, a breach of European Union regulations, MPI says. The offences relate to records of more than 6.5 million litres of wine and about 3.7 million litres were exported to Europe between May 2013 and December 2015. MPI's manager of compliance investigations, Gary Orr, claims the prosecutions show the system governing compliance in the wine industry works. These are the first convictions for offending under the provisions of the Wine Act in New Zealand, Orr says. It is common knowledge in the wine industry that you cant add sugar post-fermentation to wine destined for the EU market, yet the parties convicted were well aware of what they were doing, he says. Peter Yealands was made aware of what was happening at the time but failed to do anything to stop it. Orr says the MPI investigation took almost two years to complete and reveal that one of New Zealands leading wine companies "engaged in deliberate deception through the use of falsified records that were designed to deceive routine audit. As a general rule, the wine industry is compliant and law-abiding. Thats why this offending is very disappointing, Orr says. The outcome of the prosecution will act as a strong deterrent to anyone engaging in non-compliant behaviour under the Wine Act. Electricity lines company Marlborough Lines bought a controlling stake in Yealands Wine Group in 2015. It acquired the last 14 percent in July from Peter Yealands, who quit as a director the same day. Current Yealands chief executive Adrian Garforth is playing down the companys part in the proceedings. The company is legally responsible for the actions of some former staff members, even though they were employed before his time and the companys ownership has changed, he says. The wines were destined for European Union markets and were not sold under Yealands brands, he says. Yealands has co-operated fully with the MPI investigation as soon as the errors were brought to their attention in early 2016 and the company took immediate and decisive action to remedy the issues well before any charges were laid, he says. Systems we have introduced, training and comprehensive audits mean that our wines are fully compliant and breaches of this kind will not happen again, Garforth says. These events, which predate my appointment, do not reflect our company values and our desire to do everything to the highest possible standard. We have taken these charges very seriously. (BusinessDesk) Comments from our readers No comments yet Add your comment: Your name: Your email: Not displayed to the public Comment: Comments to Sharechat go through an approval process. Comments which are defamatory, abusive or in some way deemed inappropriate will not be approved. It is allowable to use some form of non-de-plume for your name, however we recommend real email addresses are used. Comments from free email addresses such as Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, etc may not be approved. Anti-spam verification: Type the text you see in the image into the field below. You are asked to do this in order to verify that this enquiry is not being performed by an automated process. Related News: Geneva Finance Limited (NZX: GFL) Half Year Results The New Zealand Refining Company Limited (NZX: NZR) NZ announces equity raising Asset Plus Limited (NZX: APL) Result for the six months ended 30 September 2021 Me Today Limited (NZX: MEE) 30 September 21 Results and Conditional Placement Oceania Healthcare Limited (NZX: OCA) Delivers Improved Performance Despite COVID-19 29th November 2021 Morning Report Radius Residential Care Limited (NZX: RAD) Announces Half Year Results of FY22 NZ Automotive Investments Limited (NZX: NZA) Interim Results for Half Year 2022 Greenfern Industries Limited (NZX: GFI) Releases Interim Results Hallenstein Glasson Holdings Limited (NZX: HLG) Announcement of Final Dividend PGG Wrightson's cornerstone shareholder Agria Corp and its executive chair Alan Lai have settled with US authorities over claims the agriculture investment firm hid losses from investors through fraudulent accounting and overstated the value of its New York-listed stock. The US Securities and Exchange Commission investigation triggered New Zealand's Overseas Investment Office to investigate whether Agria and its principals continued to meet the 'good character' necessary to pass foreign investment hurdles, given its controlling stake and directorships of rural services firm Wrightson. That OIO investigation is still open, and Wrightson's committee of independent directors monitoring the review are still assessing whether there's any fall-out for the New Zealand firm. They stressed the events didn't involve the rural services company. Wrightson shares fell to a 23-month low 51 cents, down 2 cents or 3.8 percent today. The stock has dropped 15 percent so far this year, compared to a 0.3 percent decline in the S&P/NZX All Index over the same period. Agria was de-listed from the New York Stock Exchange last year after the NYSE found evidence the firm had inflated its share price. In Washington overnight, the SEC said it had settled with Agria, which had agreed to pay US$3 million for fraudulent accounting between 2010 and 2013, primarily around how it overstated the value of stock and Chinese land use rights. Separately, Lai, who chaired Wrightson up until Oct. 29 of this year, agreed to pay a US$400,000 penalty and be barred from acting as a director or officer of a public company for five years for manipulating prices in Agria's NYSE-listed shares in an effort to keep them from being delisted in 2013. Agria and Lai neither admitted nor denied the charges. "Agrias fraudulent accounting hid from investors the significant loss it sustained when it divested its principal operation in China, and Mr Lai artificially inflated the share price to maintain Agrias NYSE listing," said Charles E Cain, who leads the SEC enforcement divisions Foreign Corrupt Practices Act unit. "Disclosure of accurate information is vital to the integrity of our markets, and both Agria and Mr Lai have been appropriately held to account for their deceptive misconduct." Agria also undertook to cooperate with any SEC investigations. The US$3.4 million was within Agria's US$3.8 million provision it estimated the settlement would cost, although that also included legal costs. Agria had said it would tell the OIO about any settlement once the terms are agreed in principle. Vanessa Horne, Land Information New Zealand group manager of the OIO, said the agency has been informed of the settlements. "Both Agria and Mr Lai have been cooperating with the Overseas Investment Offices investigation into good character concerns arising from the US SEC investigation and the US SEC settlements that have now been entered into," she said in a statement. "We are not in a position to comment further at this time." Wrightson director Bruce Irvine, who chairs the committee of independent directors, said the committee is still assessing whether there are any consequences for the firm. "This includes liaising with the New Zealand Overseas Investment Office regarding any implications concerning the good character of Agria Corporation as a major shareholder in PGW," he said. Agria indirectly owns 50.2 percent of Wrightson through Agria (Singapore) which it gained through a $144 million partial takeover in 2011. It initially came on as a cornerstone investor in 2009, helping to re-capitalise the firm when its debt blew out following the failed merger with Silver Fern Farms. When Agria bought its initial 13 percent stake in 2009, Wrightson's offer document noted Agria was facing a class action in the US over claims its US registration statement contained false statements at the time of its 2007 initial public offering. The lawsuit was subsequently dismissed. Wrightson accounts for most of Agria's business, and the firm expects to recognise a US$92 million capital gain from the New Zealand company's sale of its seeds division to Danish cooperative DLF Seeds, although the Commerce Commission, whose approval is needed, has concerns about potential competition issues arising from the sale. The future of Wrightson remains unclear with First NZ Capital retained to review the rest of the rural services firm's businesses. (BusinessDesk) Comments from our readers No comments yet Add your comment: Your name: Your email: Not displayed to the public Comment: Comments to Sharechat go through an approval process. Comments which are defamatory, abusive or in some way deemed inappropriate will not be approved. It is allowable to use some form of non-de-plume for your name, however we recommend real email addresses are used. Comments from free email addresses such as Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, etc may not be approved. 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Related News: Geneva Finance Limited (NZX: GFL) Half Year Results The New Zealand Refining Company Limited (NZX: NZR) NZ announces equity raising Asset Plus Limited (NZX: APL) Result for the six months ended 30 September 2021 Me Today Limited (NZX: MEE) 30 September 21 Results and Conditional Placement Oceania Healthcare Limited (NZX: OCA) Delivers Improved Performance Despite COVID-19 29th November 2021 Morning Report Radius Residential Care Limited (NZX: RAD) Announces Half Year Results of FY22 NZ Automotive Investments Limited (NZX: NZA) Interim Results for Half Year 2022 Greenfern Industries Limited (NZX: GFI) Releases Interim Results Hallenstein Glasson Holdings Limited (NZX: HLG) Announcement of Final Dividend British private equity firm Apax Partners has won over Trade Me's board, lifting its offer to match rival Hellman & Friedman's $2.56 billion. New Zealand's dominant online marketplace has agreed to a scheme of arrangement with Apax for the British firm to pay $6.45 a share. Trade Me's board will unanimously back the deal, provided it's within an independent valuation range, but it also left the door open to consider a better offer if one unexpectedly emerges. "Were confident Trade Me would have a successful stand-alone future, but we believe the certainty of the cash offer and material premium would be an attractive outcome," Trade Me chair David Kirk said. "It merits being put to shareholders with our recommendation, in the absence of a superior proposal." Apax initially lobbed in a $6.40 per share offer - a 26 percent premium to the trading price at the time - but was trumped a fortnight later by Hellman & Friedman who dangled $6.45. Trade Me granted both parties access to its books to undertake due diligence in an effort to get the best price. The shares last traded at $6.12, having climbed from $2.70 since their initial public offering in 2011. That 126 percent gain is roughly in line with the 120 percent increase in the NZX 50 index over the same period. The takeover price would be 16.7 times Trade Me's 2018 underlying earnings. When Trade Me was floated in its 2011 initial public offering, the $1.08 billion valuation was at a multiple of 15.6 times. Fairfax Media's $700 million acquisition in 2006 was at an earnings multiple of 15.6 times. A scheme of arrangement has a lower bar to get shareholders over the line, requiring 75 percent support and at least half the company's votes cast, as opposed to the 90 percent threshold needed in a formal takeover to enforce mop-up provisions. The High Court and the Overseas Investment Office will also need to approve the transaction. Trade Me's board said shareholders don't need to do anything yet.It expects a vote to be held in April. Apax makes long-term investments in technology, services, healthcare and consumer industries, targeting large firms valued at 1-5 billion euros. Its portfolio includes several e-commerce companies, including Israel-based Global-e Online and MatchesFashion.com, a London-based predominantly online global luxury goods retailer, and Moda Operandi. It plans to fund the acquisition through equity from its Apax managed funds and third-party debt. The average leverage among Apax companies at March 2017 was 4.5 times, meaning Trade Me could be saddled with about $738 million. The company's net debt was $64 million as at June 30, although that increased in September when Trade Me paid a special dividend funded through debt. The deal grants Apax exclusivity, restricting Trade Me from seeking a rival bid. However, there are exclusions for the board to consider a better offer that comes out of the blue, provided Apax has a chance to counter. The scheme also sets out the conditions for a $19.2 million break fee to be paid. (BusinessDesk) Comments from our readers No comments yet Add your comment: Your name: Your email: Not displayed to the public Comment: Comments to Sharechat go through an approval process. Comments which are defamatory, abusive or in some way deemed inappropriate will not be approved. It is allowable to use some form of non-de-plume for your name, however we recommend real email addresses are used. Comments from free email addresses such as Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, etc may not be approved. Anti-spam verification: Type the text you see in the image into the field below. You are asked to do this in order to verify that this enquiry is not being performed by an automated process. Related News: Geneva Finance Limited (NZX: GFL) Half Year Results The New Zealand Refining Company Limited (NZX: NZR) NZ announces equity raising Asset Plus Limited (NZX: APL) Result for the six months ended 30 September 2021 Me Today Limited (NZX: MEE) 30 September 21 Results and Conditional Placement Oceania Healthcare Limited (NZX: OCA) Delivers Improved Performance Despite COVID-19 29th November 2021 Morning Report Radius Residential Care Limited (NZX: RAD) Announces Half Year Results of FY22 NZ Automotive Investments Limited (NZX: NZA) Interim Results for Half Year 2022 Greenfern Industries Limited (NZX: GFI) Releases Interim Results Hallenstein Glasson Holdings Limited (NZX: HLG) Announcement of Final Dividend Retail spending on electronic cards eased in November as cheaper prices at the petrol pump helped consumers spend less on fuel. Seasonally adjusted total retail spending on credit and debit cards fell 0.4 percent in November after being unchanged in October. Stripping out vehicle-related industries, core retail spending rose 0.5 percent last month after being flat in October Fuel spending fell 7.2 percent in November, or $48 million, versus October as average fuel prices dropped about 20 cents a litre. Spending on fuel was $625 million, the lowest monthly total since October 2017, retail statistics manager Sue Chapman said. Retail fuel prices hit record levels in October, coming close to $2.50 a litre and leading Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern to claim motorists were being "fleeced." Ardern last week said the government wants to be "ready to go" with a policy response to its inaugural 'market study' into the retail fuel market as soon as the report emerges in a year's time. The study will be the first by the competition watchdog, the Commerce Commission, since Parliament gave it new powers to conduct studies into markets where the government is concerned there's not enough competition. Westpac Banking Corp economist Satish Ranchhod said lower petrol prices freed up consumers to spend more in other areas. The largest rises in electronic card spending in November were in the hospitality and durables industries, up 1.3 percent and 0.8 percent respectively. The durables industry includes furniture, hardware, and appliance retailing. Spending on apparel was up 0.9 percent while spending on vehicles, excluding fuel, rose 2 percent. Spending on consumables eased 0.3 percent. Ranchhod said spending growth is expected to pick up through the holiday season and in the early part of 2019. "Disposable incomes have been boosted by increases in government spending, including the governments families package. That will be reinforced by recent falls in fuel prices. On top of those conditions, earlier falls in fixed mortgage rates and the related firming in the housing market are also supporting spending appetites," he said. Yesterday, Paymark, which processes more than 75 percent of New Zealand card transactions, said retail spending using electronic cards was only 1.2 percent higher nationwide in the first seven days of December than in the same week last year. It suggested, however, it was a pause before another rush and that the Black Friday sale in November may have brought some spending forward. Today's figures show credit and debit card spending remained strong on the year. At $5.7 billion in November, spending was 4.6 percent higher than the same month a year earlier. Cardholders across all industries made 152 million transactions in the month, up from 150 million in October. The average value per transaction rose to $50 in November, up from $49 in October. (BusinessDesk) Comments from our readers No comments yet Add your comment: Your name: Your email: Not displayed to the public Comment: Comments to Sharechat go through an approval process. Comments which are defamatory, abusive or in some way deemed inappropriate will not be approved. It is allowable to use some form of non-de-plume for your name, however we recommend real email addresses are used. Comments from free email addresses such as Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, etc may not be approved. Anti-spam verification: Type the text you see in the image into the field below. You are asked to do this in order to verify that this enquiry is not being performed by an automated process. Related News: Geneva Finance Limited (NZX: GFL) Half Year Results The New Zealand Refining Company Limited (NZX: NZR) NZ announces equity raising Asset Plus Limited (NZX: APL) Result for the six months ended 30 September 2021 Me Today Limited (NZX: MEE) 30 September 21 Results and Conditional Placement Oceania Healthcare Limited (NZX: OCA) Delivers Improved Performance Despite COVID-19 29th November 2021 Morning Report Radius Residential Care Limited (NZX: RAD) Announces Half Year Results of FY22 NZ Automotive Investments Limited (NZX: NZA) Interim Results for Half Year 2022 Greenfern Industries Limited (NZX: GFI) Releases Interim Results Hallenstein Glasson Holdings Limited (NZX: HLG) Announcement of Final Dividend This, according to fresh reports coming from various sources. One of the common themes in most resources is a government statement that says, "The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved the appointment of Shri Shaktikanta Das, IAS Retd., former Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs, as Governor, Reserve Bank of India for a period of three years." Shaktikanta Das, the former secretary of the Department of Economic Affairs is all set to take over as the 25th Governor of the Reserve Bank of India. Das's appointment has come just 24 hours after Dr. Urjit Patel the 24th Governor shocked financial markets by announcing a resignation. Das, a retired IAS officer (1980 batch) is reportedly close to the Centre. The economic affairs secretary during the 2016' demonetisation tiptoed the Government's line of thought. During conversations in 2017, reports cited Das as saying that any short-term blip in growth owing to demonetisation had already been factored in. Unlike his peers and predecessors from the Finance Ministry, Das has managed to maintain a stoic yet important silence from the government's various policies. This is in stark contrast to his peers such as Arvind Subramanian. The former Chief Economic Adviser, much to the dismay of the ruling party opened up debate on the implementation of GST and Demonetisation by offering criticism and his unbiased opinions. That, the criticism came days after he quit from the post of CEA (Chief Economic Adviser) came as a rude-shock to the government. Das, An IAS officer holds a Master's Degree from St. Stephen's College, New Delhi, and has served as the Joint Secretary, Ministry of Finance, Department of Expenditure, Government of India; Special Commissioner and Commissioner of Revenue Administration, Government of Tamil Nadu; Secretary, Industries Department in Government of Tamil Nadu and various other distinguished services. He also served as Secretary of the Industries Department of Government of Tamil Nadu. Prior to his tenure in the various ministries, Das served as a Non-Executive Director at Indian Bank from December 9, 2009 to December 5, 2012. Hereafter, he took charge as the Director of Oil and Natural Gas Corp. Ltd and then the Director at Life Insurance Corporation of India. Also Read: RBI Governors and the legacy of tough equations with the Centre Urjit Patel, RBI's Wise-Owl and Neelkaanth drops his hat after a term of 2 years and 97 days A statement on the RBI website reads, "On account of personal reasons, I have decided to step down from my current position effective immediately. It has been my privilege and honour to serve in the Reserve Bank of India in various capacities over the years. The support and hard work of RBI staff, officers and management has been the proximate driver of the Banks considerable accomplishments in recent years. I take this opportunity to express gratitude to my colleagues and Directors of the RBI Central Board, and wish them all the best for the future." Urjit R Patel10th December 2018. The Governor's resignation has come as a mild surprise, although such a move had been speculated in various media reports for weeks. Officials including policy-makers expressed surprise at the latest turn of events. Here are some of them: Narendra Modi, Prime Minister: "Dr Urjit Patel is a thorough professional with impeccable integrity. He has been in the Reserve Bank of India for about 6 years as Deputy Governor and Governor. He leaves behind a great legacy. We will miss him immensely." "Dr Urjit Patel is an economist of a very high calibre with a deep and insightful understanding of macro-economic issues. He steered the banking system from chaos to order and ensured discipline. Under his leadership, the RBI brought financial stability." Dr. Manmohan Singh, Former PM and RBI Governor In a PTI story, Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is reported as saying that Urjit Patel was a 'long-time friend'. "It is with great sadness that I received the news of the resignation of the Governor of the Reserve Bank of India, Urjit Patel," he is quoted as saying. "Patel's sudden resignation, at a time when the Indian economy is faced with many headwinds, is very unfortunate and is a severe blow to the nation's economy," he added in the report. "I dont know why he has done it but as a long time friend and admirer of Urjit I feel very sad at this development... Building institutions take a long time and effort but they can be destroyed in a whimper. It is institutions such as the RBI, among many others, that have served as the edifice of our great nation's progress since independence," said Singh. Arun Jaitley, Finance Minister "The Government acknowledges with deep sense of appreciation the services rendered by Dr Urjit Patel to this country both in his capacity as the Governor and the Deputy Governor of The RBI. It was a pleasure for me to deal with him and benefit from his scholarship." "I wish Dr Patel all the very best and many more years of public service." P Chidambaram, Former Finance Minister: The Former FM in a series of seperate tweets said the following: "Government's immediate agenda is to grab the reserves of the RBI to meet its fiscal deficit target and to get funds for spending in an election year." "Make no mistake, this Government's intention is to make RBI a Board-managed company." "Dr Patel may have thought that government will re-trace its steps. I knew it would not. Good he quit before another humiliating meeting." "Saddened, not surprised, by Dr Urjit Patel's resignation. No self respecting scholar or academic can work in this government." "November 19 was the day of reckoning. Dr Patel should have resigned on that day." Rahul Gandhi, MP, Congress' President Gandhi tweeted, "With the RBI Governor's resignation one more independent institution has fallen. The BJP has demolished every temple of modern India and if not stopped, will surely destroy India itself." Subramanian Swamy, BJP MP Swamy in a story that was published on Economic Times is reported as saying that the Prime Minister should call Patel, find out the personal reasons and dissuade him from leaving. ""His resignation at this time would be wrong for the government, economy and the RBI," he is quoted as saying. Swamy, tagged a link from Pgurus.com to his Twitter timeline. The link connects to a report that asks Prime Minister Modi to choose the next Governor wisely. Yashwant Sinha, Former Finance Minister The Former Finance Minister was quoted in a Reuters story as saying, "Quite clearly the resignation of Urjit Patel shows that nothing has changed ... Things were quite as bad as they were before. The resignation is a clear sign of the government trying to interfere with the working of the RBI." S Gurumurthy: RBI Board Member Taking to Twitter, he said, "I enjoyed several hours of personal discussions with him where we found large areas of agreement as well as mutually understandable disagreement. His resignation is indeed set back to the effects of the convergence of views that was taking place. We will miss him." In a seperate tweet, he also said, "Surprised at the news that RBI governor has resigned. The previous meeting was held in such cordial atmosphere that it comes as a shock. All directors said media had created a wrong perception while inside it was totally different. That makes it even more surprising." N Chandrababu Naidu, Chief Minister, Andhra Pradesh The Andhra CM called the Governor's resignation as a a result of the Centre's "thoughtless and destructive" acts. "The BJP-led central government's thoughtless and destructive acts were leading to the collapse of national institutions and systems... RBI Governors resignation is a result of such acts," he was quoted as saying in a statement in a PTI report. "If the destruction continues like this, no system can survive in the country. Ultimately, even survival of democracy will be in danger," Naidu is quoted as adding. Mamata Banerjee: Chief Minister, West Bengal Banerjee said in a tweet, "This has never happened before. This is unprecedented. We are deeply concerned. The RBI is the custodian of public money. The credibility of all institutions is being destroyed. This is a financial and economic emergency." Raghuram Rajan, Former Governor Patel's predecessor said that "All Indians" should be concerned and that the strength of institutions is important for growth and development. "I think Dr Patel has made a statement and I think this is the ultimate statement that a regulator or a civil servant can make. I think the statement should be respected," he was quoted as saying by Reuters. Sachin Chaturvedi, RBI board member He was cited in a media report as saying, "Urjit Patel should not have resigned at a time when most of the controversial issues have been discussed and decided ... we look forward to meeting on December 14 to discuss the pending issues. Meeting could be chaired by RBI senior most deputy governor." C Rangarajan: Former RBI Governor Rangarajan was quoted as expressing surprise in a story published in Economic Times. "I personally think that even though he says that the resignation is for personal reasons there must be something on which he must have differed with the government which has triggered the resignation," said the former Governor. Meanwhile, sentiments among brokerage houses and trading firms are largely negative. Domestic Markets already slipped by over 1% on Monday over weaker international cues. The resignation was reported post market-hours and hence is likely to cause a knee-jerk reaction among traders and buyers, more importantly FIIs (Foreign Institutional Investors). On Monday, the benchmark thirty scrip sensitive Sensex had tanked by 714 points, the trading on Tuesday could observe disruptions. Also, Tuesday is the day of poll-count in five states hence the volatility could be more than previously expected. Market gazers, however believe that the appointment of a reputed person could stem the damage to markets- equities as well as Forex. A hi-level panel headed by a Cabinet secretary is expected to find a fresh replacement to the Governor. There is belief that one of the existing four deputy governors or a person from the Finance Ministry could be roped temporarily to don the roles of the Governor. The Mizo National Front on Tuesday returned to power after a decade, crushing the Congress and ousting it from power in the last Northeastern state it ruled. The Congress had taken power in the state in both 2008 and 2013 elections. It won 34 seats in the last election. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) made its entry into the Mizoram Assembly winning the Tuichawng seat. Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla lost both the constituencies (Champhai South and Serchhip) he contested -- to MNF's T.J. Lalnuntluanga and Zoram People's Movement (ZPM) President Lalduhoma respectively. Live updates of Mizoram election results: Canadian former diplomat detained in China amid tensions Washington, Dec 11 (AFP) Dec 11, 2018 A Canadian former diplomat has been detained in China, the think tank where he now works said Tuesday, amid Beijing's outrage over the arrest of a senior technology executive. The International Crisis Group said it was aware of reports of the detention of Michael Kovrig, a Chinese-speaking expert who served as a Canadian diplomat in Beijing, Hong Kong and at the United Nations. "We are doing everything possible to secure additional information on Michael's whereabouts as well as his prompt and safe release," the think tank said in a statement. Kovrig went to work last year for the International Crisis Group, which is known for its research on peaceful solutions to global conflicts. There was no official word from China but the detention comes as Beijing voices anger over Canada's arrest of Meng Wanzhou, the chief financial officer of leading technology company Huawei. Meng was stopped while changing planes in Vancouver on an extradition request from the United States, where prosecutors allege she violated US sanctions on Iran. China earlier Tuesday warned that it would not tolerate any "bullying" of its citizens abroad and has demanded Meng's release. Beijing detains Canadian as Huawei tensions soar over exec arrest Vancouver, Dec 11 (AFP) Dec 11, 2018 A Canadian national was confirmed as being held in China on Tuesday, intensifying a diplomatic stand-off over the arrest of a top executive of Chinese telecoms giant Huawei, as a judge in Vancouver considered her bail application. Michael Korvig, a former diplomat who served in Beijing, was reported as having been detained as Meng Wanzhou was due in court for a bail hearing on US charges of violating Iran sanctions. "We are aware of the situation of a Canadian detained in China," said Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, adding to concerns voiced by the International Crisis Group think tank, Korvig's employer, which first raised the alarm. China has expressed outrage over Meng's arrest in Vancouver and warned of "grave consequences" if she was not immediately released, although Canada said no link between the two cases had been established. Washington, which requested Meng's detention to have her extradited to US soil, called on Beijing to abide by its commitments to human rights. "We urge China to end all forms of arbitrary detentions and to respect the protections and freedom of all individuals under China's international human rights and consular commitments," deputy State Department spokesman Robert Palladino told reporters. The Huawei chief financial officer was arrested on December 1 on US fraud charges related to sanctions-breaking dealings with Iran. A third day of court deliberations focused on her proposed release plan, with a judge expected to come to a decision in the afternoon on whether to free her on bail. - Electronic monitoring - Meng has agreed to surrender her passports and submit to electronic monitoring if she is released, pending the outcome of the extradition case. "Given her unique profile as the face of a Chinese corporate national champion, if she were to flee or breach her order in any way in these very unique circumstances, it does not overstate to say she would embarrass China itself," Meng's lawyer David Martin told the court on Monday. Meng also said in a 55-page affidavit that she'd suffered numerous health problems, including surgery for thyroid cancer in 2011, and has been treated in a Vancouver hospital for hypertension since her arrest. "I continue to feel unwell and I am worried about my health deteriorating while I am incarcerated," the affidavit read. "I wish to remain in Vancouver to contest my extradition and I will contest the allegations at trial in the US if I am ultimately surrendered," she said. Canadian Crown prosecutor John Gibb-Carsley has asked for bail to be denied, saying Meng faces serious criminal accusations of fraud and poses a flight risk. Meng is accused of lying to bankers about the use of a covert subsidiary to sell to Iran in breach of sanctions. If convicted, she faces more than 30 years in prison. The extradition process could take months, even years, if appeals are made in the case. Meng's husband Liu Xiaozong has offered two Vancouver homes and Can$1 million in cash -- for a total value of Can$15 million -- as a surety for his wife's release. But Gibb-Carsley took issue with Liu being appointed her custodian as he is not a legal resident of Canada, and flew in only last week on a tourist visa. On Tuesday, four more custodians were proposed -- a local realtor, an insurance agent, a homemaker whose husband once worked for Huawei and her Vancouver neighbour. - Trade war - Meng's detention has raised tensions following a truce in the US-China trade war, with Beijing summoning both the Canadian and US ambassadors over the weekend. In a sign that the criminal case may not have derailed the detente, however, top Chinese and US negotiators spoke by telephone Tuesday to discuss the timetable of trade talks, the Chinese commerce ministry said. It said in a statement that Vice Premier Liu He spoke with US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer. China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi warned in a speech in Beijing against the "bullying" of its citizens, however. "We will fully safeguard the legitimate rights of Chinese citizens and return fairness and justice to the world," he said at the opening of a diplomatic symposium, without directly referring to the Huawei case. There was no official word from China about Kovrig. 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Trace begun at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Exceptions.pm line 129 HTML::Mason::Exceptions::rethrow_exception('Can\'t call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25.^J') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 160 HTML::Mason::Component::run_dynamic_sub('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x7f3fe1f98010)', 'main') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 951 HTML::Mason::Request::call_dynamic('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fe25f7bf8)', 'main') called at /var/cache/mason/obj/1784076917/main/smetimes/dhandler.html.obj line 17 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 138 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x7f3fe1f98010)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1305 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1295 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 958 HTML::Mason::Request::call_next('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fe25f7bf8)') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/autohandler_template.html line 149 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 138 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x7f3fe1fee848)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1303 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1295 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 484 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 484 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 436 HTML::Mason::Request::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fe25f7bf8)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 165 HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fe25f7bf8)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 831 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handle_request('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fe1a62c38)', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x7f3fe255b750)') called at (eval 487) line 8 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handler('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x7f3fe255b750)') called at -e line 0 eval {...} at -e line 0 System error error: Can't call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25. context: ... 21: 22: 23: % foreach my $c (@categories) { 24: <%perl> 25: my $category_id = $c->get_id(); 26: my @stories = Bric::Biz::Asset::Business::Story->list ( { element_type_id=>1148, category_id=>$category_id , Order=> 'cover_date', publish_status => 't' , OrderDirection=> 'DESC' , Limit=>10 } ); 27: 28:
29: ... code stack: /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html:25 /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm:951 /var/cache/mason/obj/1784076917/main/smetimes/dhandler.html.obj:17 /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/autohandler_template.html:149 Can't call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25. Trace begun at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Exceptions.pm line 129 HTML::Mason::Exceptions::rethrow_exception('Can\'t call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25.^J') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 160 HTML::Mason::Component::run_dynamic_sub('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x7f3fe235b0d8)', 'main') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 951 HTML::Mason::Request::call_dynamic('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fe2367238)', 'main') called at /var/cache/mason/obj/1784076917/main/smetimes/dhandler.html.obj line 17 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 138 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x7f3fe235b0d8)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1305 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1295 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 958 HTML::Mason::Request::call_next('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fe2367238)') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/autohandler_template.html line 149 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 138 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x7f3fe1a63190)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1303 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1295 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 484 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 484 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 436 HTML::Mason::Request::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fe2367238)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 165 HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fe2367238)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 831 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handle_request('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fbfedf2d0)', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x7f3fe232e8e0)') called at (eval 487) line 8 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handler('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x7f3fe232e8e0)') called at -e line 0 eval {...} at -e line 0 Oxana Prokhorova has two masters degrees and speaks three languages but still struggled to make sense of the immigration process. Gary Kessler Oxana Prokhorova, a Russian immigrant and now head of global engagement for the University of Cincinnati, remembers the fear and sense of irony she felt in 2007 while addressing a conference in Dayton on how to conduct business overseas. Im talking to a room full of 200 CEOs for one and a half hours, and they have no idea I am an illegal alien or that I drove to that conference from my home with an expired license that I cant renew, she says. Its mortifying, but its sad, too, that ones knowledge, experience, and human value depends on immigration status. After receiving her masters degree in business administration from Xavier University in 2001, Oxana obtained an H-1B visa that allows an immigrant to work and live in the U.S., then went to work for a locally based global merchandising company. When her company relocated her to China in 2004, her visa was automatically voided as soon as she left U.S. territory. Her company started the green card process to establish her legal residency. But when she returned to the States in 2007, she received a deportation order instead of the green card, giving her 120 days to leave the country or be deported. While she appealed the ruling, her drivers license expired and she was not permitted to work. Instead, she started her own consulting business. But for the next two years, she drove without a license and lived in fear that she and her daughter, a student at Indian Hill Elementary School, would be forced back to the country she defected from in 1993. You can see how the system not only forces you to be illegal, but to violate other rules because you have to survive, she says. You have to have groceries. You have to be able to drive. While most of the recent media attention has been focused on our Southern border and the challenges of illegal immigrants, those who come here legally say they face their own challenges on the path to U.S. citizenship. I have two masters degrees. I speak three languages, Prokhorova says. But they make it very difficult (to obtain legal residency) unless you are a well-known scientist or have some knowledge in the defense area. Prokhorova says what saved her was the consulting work she was doing for the U.S. Dept. of Commerce efforts that she could cite when she wrote for help from then-Ohio Sen. George Voinovich, a member of the Senate Homeland Security Committee. Once Voinovich intervened, my case was resolved within a couple months, she says. It was a true miracle. I should have been deported. But others are not so lucky, especially those who lack education and resources. Getting a share of the American Dream has never been easy for those who leave behind their homelands and their loved ones. But immigrants and immigration law experts say the path to citizenship has become even more difficult under the current administration and the new political climate that favors America first. Its a wholesale effort to restrict immigration legal or illegal at every stage of the process, said Rob Cohen, a Columbus attorney who specializes in helping companies get high-tech or H-1B visas for foreign-born employees. Immigration officials are looking for even minor paperwork discrepancies as a reason to reject applications and deport immigrants, some who have been working and paying taxes in the U.S. for years, attorneys say. Applications for green cards are often delayed by further requests for evidence to back up documents. And cases that the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services used to process quickly in-house are being referred to immigration court. Allison Herre, an immigration attorney for Catholic Charities of Southwestern Ohio, says the pressure is coming from the top. The Dept. of Justice is making it harder for immigration judges to be truly independent arbiters of the law, she says. New department rules require judges to close at least 700 cases a year while limiting their ability to grant continuances that would allow immigrants time to find a lawyer and build a case. Quotas and categories that havent changed since the last attempt at immigration reform in the 1980s still play a key role in determining which immigrants are allowed to enter the country as well as stay and work here. About 68 percent of immigrants receive green cards as spouses or minor children of other immigrants. Another 12 percent obtain green cards with the help of companies that employ them. Refugees seeking safety from persecution in their countries account for 10 percent of green card recipients. Attorneys say refugees have come under the most scrutiny by immigration officials. Those who cant recall specific dates and places are often threatened with deportation. Many of these people have experienced traumatic life experiences, says Nazli Memodova, a Cincinnati immigration attorney. Theyre not educated. They dont know the language. And they may have spent years in refugee camps before coming here. For them to remember the address and zip code of where they lived even five years ago can be a challenge. Fewer refugees are being admitted to the U.S. under the Trump administration. Nearly 85,000 were accepted in fiscal year 2016, a number that dropped to fewer than 54,000 in 2017, according to the Pew Research Center. For fiscal year 2018, the number has been capped at 45,000, the lowest since Congress created the modern refugee program in 1980. All the humanity has gone out of the system, says Julie LeMaster, an attorney in Cincinnati. Alhassane Moussa with his two kids at their home in Lockland. Consider the case of Alhassane Moussa, a resident of Lockland, Ohio who has been living in the U.S. as a political refugee since 2001. Moussa fled Mauritania not long after his father was executed for being part of a slavery rebellion against the countrys Arab-dominated government. Moussa moved from New York City to Cincinnati a year ago for a job in an auto parts assembly plant. He liked the area so much he sent for his wife and two young children, ages 2 and 4. As a quality control supervisor, Moussa makes enough money to support his family here and to send money back to Mauritania to support his 80-year-old mother. Since 2012, Moussa has been allowed to live in the U.S. under a work authorization as long as he reports to immigration authorities, stays out of legal trouble, and gives notice of any change of address within 48 hours. But after his last report a year ago, immigration officials insisted he provide documentation to show why his real name is slightly different than the name on his passport. Moussa told them that masking his real name on his passport was the only way he could have eluded Mauritanian authorities when he fled the country. Even so, he has been threatened with deportation unless he can obtain further documents from Mauritania something Moussa says is nearly impossible for black people. I am working. I file my taxes. I dont hurt nobody. I dont go to jail, Moussa says in his halting English. But the judge tells me my country doesnt have any problems any more. You go home, he says. I tell him I have my wife and children here. I know in my country people are hungry. People die every day because the government is corrupt and discriminatory. Herre says even applications for legal residency from victims of domestic abuse and human trafficking are being denied. And its more daunting to apply, Herre says, because if youre denied, you could be detained and deported. Immigrants and their attorneys say too many Americans have either forgotten or are unaware of the many contributions that immigrants have made to the American economy and its workforce over the centuries. Ohio, home to more than 500,000 foreign-born residents, is no exception. Despite being just 4 percent of the states population, immigrants in Ohio account for nearly 12 percent of all workers in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and medicine (STEM), according to the New American Economy, a bipartisan research and advocacy organization for immigrants. And twice as many immigrants in Ohio (21.3 percent) have advanced degrees compared to native-born residents (9. 8 percent). Immigrants in Ohio paid $4.4 billion in taxes in 2016, spent $11.7 billion dollars here, and created 122,404 jobs by starting their own businesses. Nationally, Americas 44 million immigrants, or 14 percent of its population, paid nearly $380 billion in taxes, and, as entrepreneurs, created jobs for close to 8 million Americans. Another 11 million or so immigrants are here illegally, or less than 4 percent of the U.S. population, according to the Pew Research Center. But they, too, pay taxes and, contrary to many Americans beliefs, are ineligible for most public benefits except those necessary to protect life or guarantee safety, such as emergency Medicaid, access to treatment in hospital emergency rooms, or access to healthcare and nutrition programs under the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program. For an immigrant to become a U.S. citizen, you must be born here or born to parents who became U.S. citizens, or you must apply for and pass the requirements for U.S. citizenship, a process that can take anywhere from six months to two years. Employees with green cards must wait five years to apply for citizenship. Spouses with green cards must wait three years. But the biggest challenge for most immigrants is first getting a visa to live and work here before they can apply to be a citizen. Tourist visas are, of course, the most common form of entry, but they last only six months. More often, foreigners who want to seek U.S. citizenship come here through a student visa to attend college. But thats not as easy as many Americans think, says Jorge Elias, a Bolivian immigrant and Cincinnati resident who became a citizen 10 years ago. Elias worked several jobs while studying for his electrical engineering degree at the University of Louisville, where he paid two to three times as much for tuition as in-state students. Homesick, Elias asked his mother to send some of her recipes. He failed the English test four times before attaining citizenship. Everybodys friends and families want to come here, and I tell them it is not as easy as you think, and the rules have changed a lot, Elias says. Cohen says that, unless a foreign students degree exactly matches the high-tech job they are hoping to fill, immigration officials are now denying them H-1B visas that would permit them to work in the U.S. The problem is especially acute in the field of information technology, where training can occur in any number of engineering or computer science programs that dont carry the name of information technology. Those seeking citizenship through marriage are also undergoing more intensive interviewing to make sure they are not committing fraud. Marriage (as a path to citizenship) is exploited a lot, Prokhorova says. But its often the only reasonable avenue you can pursue. Thats why there are so many fraudulent marriages. Despite the increased hurdles, a growing number of foreign-born residents in the United States are applying for green cards and citizenship, in part to protect themselves against the current crackdown, attorneys say. Theyre more afraid of detentions and deportations, Memodova says. Once detained by immigration officials, immigrants are now more likely to be deported because of a new 180-day limit on deciding court cases. Some people are gone in a couple of days, she says. Mayra Jackson, a native of Peru and a paralegal for the Legal Aid Society of Southwestern Ohio, decided to obtain her citizenship last year since, as a green card holder, she wasnt totally immune from immigration laws. As a (legal) resident only, I can have two glasses of wine, go out and drive and get arrested, and Ill be deported, she says. Attorneys also say immigration officials now consider whether an immigrant or a member of their family is receiving public benefits, including medical care, as a reason to deny residency or entry into the country. Its really discriminatory toward people with little resources, says LeMaster. U.S. Judge Walter Rice of the Southern District of Ohio has conducted citizenship ceremonies for close to 10,000 immigrants over the last 39 years. Rice says the number of new citizens being sworn in from this region is up by one third from the summer of 2016, despite the new obstacles in their way. The dangers and uncertainties of uprooting oneself and trying to gain admission to this country either through traditional means or asylum have all increased exponentially, he says. The fact that were still seeing some people willing to take these risks means that the American ideal that serves as that attraction to people all over the world continues to be so. But Rice says the immigration laws need to be changed so potential immigrants know exactly what the requirements are and, to the extent that its possible, to stick to those requirements. At the same time, he says, We also need a way for those persons 10 million or so who are not in this country legally to be able to remain. You cant grant them immunity, but to pick them up and send them out of the country is too drastic a step. So many of these people have family members here who are Americans. I see that were splitting up a lot of families these days, which is heartbreaking. Catholic Charities, with the backing of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, is the largest refugee resettlement agency in the country, working to find homes and a path to citizenship for one in every four refugees coming to America. It is also the primary resettlement agency serving Cleveland, Dayton, and Cincinnati, placing about half of all refugees in Ohio. The U.S. bishops have advocated for systematic immigration reform for the last 20 years, says Ted Bergh, chief executive of Catholic Charities of Southwestern Ohio. Melinda Harris has been taking a trip to Italy every summer for several years. But it wasnt until she began studying Italian at School Amici that she started to enjoy it in a different way. Until I learned Italian, I dont think I really appreciated the culture, she says. For seven years, Harris made the one-hour drive from Wilmington to the school in OBryonville once a week for the two-hour class. I wouldnt be where I am today if I didnt have School Amici, she says. I give all the credit to them. The teachers theyre patient, theyre thorough. Theyre also native speakers, which makes a difference, in Harriss opinion. She reads Italian daily now and tries to listen to Italian news at least once a day to maintain her skills. School Amici is a little Italian oasis in the sea of German heritage that is Cincinnati. It was founded in 1984 by a group of four friends: Federico Bilotti, his wife Agatha Da Vita, and Paul and Linda Wallpe. The idea for a school was born from second-generation Italians who wanted to get closer to their cultural roots, Bilotti wrote in an e-mail. He now lives in Aprilia, Italy, a small town in the Lazio region. The friendships that grew among both students and teachers made Bilotti think of the word amici (friends in Italian) as an appropriate description of what he and Paul Wallpe wanted to do: bring newly emigrated Italians together in a fun-filled promotion of their Italian culture. Michele Alonzo in Italy By 1986, the group was too large to stay in their originally improvised location and they moved to Sacred Heart Church in Camp Washington. Bilotti was transferred to Europe in 1991 and a core group of teachers, including current director Michele Alonzo, continued offering the classes. They were later held in East Walnut Hills, Clifton, and Rookwood Commons before landing at the Academy of World Languages in OBryonville, where its been for ten years. School Amici also has partnerships with sister schools in Italy in Siena, Sorrento, Todi, and Recanati. Alonzo, whos been director for 20 years, said hes definitely seen an increased interest in learning Italian in the past few years, as well as an increase in dual-citizenship applications. The enrollment averages 40 students, divided into four levels from beginner to advanced. The classes fill up quicker and the mailing list he started grows every year. The schools Facebook page has 1,500 followers. There have been students who have traveled to Italy to the town of their ancestors, some with just basic Italian and others who have studied longer, and even taken classes in Italy. Some students have told me that they used the Italian learned at School Amici to get around cities, ask information, order at restaurants, says Bilotti. They are very excited when they can use the vocabulary and expressions learned in classes. A small percentage takes the classes because they do business in Italy or work for companies connected to the country. I think many people also like the social aspect of the Italian classes at School Amici, Alonzo says. They meet people with their interests, make friends, sometime go out together after class. All of this is an important component. For retiree Gene Pancheri, who often traveled abroad for work, learning Italian was something he just dabbled in at work and at the University of Cincinnati. Then he found School Amici and it got a bit more serious. It was native speakers, friendly people, convenient times, he says. Now hes a dual Italian-U.S. citizen, a process he started 16 years ago, and hes written a book about the origins of his family in northern Italy. Pancheri goes to Italy three or four times a year and he almost always visits Trentino, where his family is from. Much of the research for his book required reading church records. Luckily, he could talk to the locals who helped him translate and transcribe those records. I found out my family had lived in a castle, he says. We were captains of the castle for almost 200 years. Students make bruschetta during a cooking class. Pancheri praised the school for the lessons, yes, but also the extracurriculars that come with the sessions. Michele arranges cultural things like Italian cooking lessons or a movie night. Hes very good at providing a total Italian experience, he says. Thats one of the things that sets the school apart. New student Maria Barrow realized that studying Italian with an app on her phone wasnt enough for her. She went to Italy last year and, she says, I couldnt make one word come out of my mouth. Id never had a conversation. It was just me on my phone. Fast forward to last month when Barrow enrolled in a language school in Bologna. I went because of how poorly I did when I was there. She was impressed with how much progress her fellow students made after just two weeks. So she decided to find a school in Cincinnati. An internet search returned School Amici and she will attend the next session, which begins January 9. I like the idea of showing respect to people in a country by learning their language, Barrow says. The most important thing is I tried it on my own and realized I couldnt do it. I did a good job of learning to hear it. As Pancheri mentioned, there is more to the school than just classes. In addition to the cooking classes and movie nights, Alonzo organizes picnics and potlucks with a group of native Italians who live and work in Cincinnati to make the students feel part of the Italian community. He organizes a school exchange program where families host Italian students for a school year. Alonzo is also a point person for dual-citizenship seekers. Year by year, School Amici has become a fulcrum for everything Italian, he says. And the power of word of mouth is amazing. We have students coming from Dayton, Wilmington, Springboro, Mason, and Lawrenceburg. For Paul Carmichael, whos been attending School Amici for five years, he wants to learn the language for several reasons. Its the language of my ancestors and I heard it all the time growing up, he says. Our family still practices our Italian traditions. His wife is 100 percent Italian but doesnt speak the language. Their daughter, who studied Italian and lived in Rome in 2011, speaks it very well. We visited my wifes family in Abruzzo and they spoke little to no English, he says. We had to communicate with them in Italian. Each time we visited, the conversations got a little better, as my Italian improved. Eric Lombardo has been attending classes for about ten years with friends Dominic Lemma and Michael Trotta. Hes been to Italy five times and speaks the language as much as possible when hes there. Getting tips about the culture and customs from native Italians is also very important, he says. I have enjoyed all the teachers I have had over the years and enjoy reconnecting with them. Bilotti surmised that maybe the growth in popularity of the school and Italian in general is the love of the good life. Italian has become synonymous of good food, innovation, poetry, exploration, sainthood, art, good wine, fast cars; in a word: satisfaction and naturally we all search for satisfaction in life, he says. School Amici is located at 2030 Fairfax Ave, Cincinnati 45207. The next session begins Jan. 9, 2019. For more information, call 513-681-0224 or register at School Amici. Deris Pennington credits Per Scholas for his professional success, which has improved his personal life as well. David Slaughter When Deris Pennington visited a job fair at a local Baptist church, it was the face on a Per Scholas flier that caught his attention. He remembers, It has a glossy finish that was very professional and attractive and it had an image of a young, minority male which spoke volumes about [Per Scholas] being somewhere that is working with people like me. After completing Per Scholass 10-week CompTIA A+ certification course in March 2017, Pennington was launched into an information technology career that has drastically changed his life. The program not only awarded him valuable and employable skills, but it has motivated him to start his own tech business that pays it forward to the next generation of tech professionals. As Per Scholas Cincinnati wraps up its fifth year of innovative education in the IT industry, we spoke with Pennington about what it means to be a Per Scholas Ambassador and what a difference Per Scholas has made in his life and career. What does it mean to be a Per Scholas Ambassador? It means that I am a torchbearer, trailblazer, and steward. It means that I have a duty to advocate for the enhancement of citizens of underserved populations and promote the inclusion of all parties interested in uplifting the community. I must offer fresh, innovative ideas that continue to make Per Scholas an esteemed community asset and I must cast the net of awareness about Per Scholas as wide as possible, because you never know who could benefit from being introduced to this opportunity and who may be looking to change their life. Tell me about the CompTIA A+ program. This educational module is focused on teaching the fundamental technical skills and knowledge around computer hardware, software/operating systems, networking, virtualization, and mobile devices for an entry-level position in IT support. In addition, there is a professional development component to the class, which helps you enhance your resume and self-promotional skills. In what tangible ways did Per Scholas prepare you for what came next (your career, another educational program, etc.)? Successfully earning my [CompTIA A+] certification afforded me many job inquiries and skills that could be applied for an in-demand industry. Having the certification attracted various well-paying employment opportunities. The program also helped me focus and sharpen my resume to better promote the skills and experience that I have to offer a company. This endeavor has also boosted my confidence and knowledge to start a business around work with high school students and computer troubleshooting skills, aka Youth Tech Cafe. What are you now doing professionally? I am currently contracted through TEKSystems working on the Information Security team at the insurance company American Modern Insurance Group. I am providing data and security analysis for SIEM and Data Leak Prevention efforts for the company, regionally and globally. I aspire to be a social entrepreneur with a business that provides tech and professional/personal development for high school students in the Greater Cincinnati community. How has Per Scholas and starting a technology career impacted your family, kids and spouse, etc., or your personal life in general? Per Scholas has increased my earning potential and given me a skill set that is in high demand in an industry with lots of growth potential. Per Scholas has given me the technical and soft skills to be a valuable candidate for employment in the industry. This opportunity has provided me a way to further demonstrate to my children that one can accomplish goals at any stage of their life and that hard work pays off. The stability and income that my employment provides has elevated my family and our overall health status by leaps and bounds. I have been able to refer over 30 friends and family to the program, so that they may also enhance their lives. Support for the Cincys Got Tech Talent series is provided in part by Per Scholas Cincinnati. To apply, visit Per Scholas Cincinnati. Russia deploys two bombers to Venezuela for exercises Caracas, Dec 10 (AFP) Dec 10, 2018 Two Russian long-range strategic bombers landed in Venezuela Monday for what the government said were air force exercises aimed at strengthening the defense of the leftist-ruled South American country. General Vladimir Padrino, the Venezuelan defense minister, welcomed about 100 Russian pilots and other personnel after the two TU-160s and two other aircraft landed at the international airport that serves Caracas. Padrino said the deployment showed "we also are preparing to defend Venezuela to the last inch when necessary." "This we are going to do with our friends, because we have friends in the world who defend respectful balanced, relations," he said. The commander of the Russian Airforce's long-range aircraft, General Sergei Ivanovich Kobulash, said the exercises would provide "a profound exchange of experience between pilots and technical staff" from both countries. - Kremlin visit - The development follows hot on the heels of a visit to Moscow last week by President Nicolas Maduro during which he had talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, who expressed support for his beleaguered socialist government. Maduro often accuses the United States of plotting against his government, which has overseen the plunge of a once-rich petro state into a severe economic crisis. Besides the two bombers, the deployment included an An-124 transport plane and an Il-62 passenger plane, according to a Russian military announcement in Moscow. Padrino noted that Russian aircraft had visited before in 2013, but said their current deployment was part of a "new experience." He said exercises would be held to "raise the level of interoperability of the aerospace defense systems" of both countries. It was unclear how long the Russian deployment would last, and Padrino did not provide details about the exercises planned. In recent years, Venezuela has purchased millions of dollars in military equipment from Russia, he said. Venezuela acquired 24 Sukhoi-30 Russian fighters and signed a deal to purchase 53 MI-24 helicopter gunships and 100,000 Kalashnikov rifles in 2016. - 'Psychological warfare' - Former defense minister Raul Salazar said the exercises with Russia "are part of what is called psychological warfare." "The purpose is to increase the perception that Venezuela is supported by Russia, China and Belarus, that it has the support of a power, in case another power tries to invade," Salazar told AFP. Maduro on Sunday said Washington had set in motion a plan to overthrow him, with the support of neighboring Colombia. "Underway today is an attempt to disrupt the democratic life of Venezuela, coordinated directly from the White House," said Maduro, who claims he was the target of an August 4 drone attack hatched by Venezuela's opposition with the support of the US and Colombian governments. Caracas' defence minister said "nobody in the world should fear the presence of these strategic fighter bombers. We are builders of peace and not of war." Padrino added however that other countries in the region had created "political and military imbalances" against which the Venezuelan government could not stand idly by -- an apparent reference to Bogota, which Caracas has accused of harboring US military bases. US military declares five missing Marines dead after Japan crash Tokyo, Dec 11 (AFP) Dec 11, 2018 The US military said Tuesday five Marines who had been missing since two planes crashed off Japan a week ago were dead. The announcement brings the final toll in the December 6 crash to six, with a seventh crew member rescued after the incident. The crash involving an F/A-18 fighter jet with two crew onboard and a KC-130 refuelling tanker with five crew occurred in the early morning around 100 kilometres (55 nautical miles) off the cape of Muroto in southwestern Japan. It prompted a massive search and rescue operation, which the US military said had now been called off. "Every possible effort was made to recover our crew and I hope the families of these selfless Americans will find comfort in the incredible efforts made by US, Japanese, and Australian forces during the search," said US Marine Corps Lieutenant General Eric Smith, commanding general of the III Marine Expeditionary Force. The accident was initially reported to have happened during a refuelling operation, but the military said Tuesday this had not been confirmed and that the circumstances were still under investigation. There are around 50,000 US troops stationed in Japan and accidents are not uncommon. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe sent a condolence message to US President Donald Trump, saying the deaths of the crew members were "a matter of the deepest regret," according to the foreign ministry. "Closely cooperating with Donald, I'm determined to further strengthen the bond of the Japan-US alliance and work together to secure peace and stability in the region," Abe said in the message. In November, a US navy fighter jet crashed into the sea off Japan's southern island of Okinawa. Its two crew members were rescued alive. And in November 2017, a C-2A "Greyhound" aircraft with 11 people on board went down in the Philippine Sea -- eight were rescued and the search was called off for the remaining three. France ships 1,400 assault rifles to C.Africa army Bangui, Central African Republic, Dec 11 (AFP) Dec 11, 2018 France on Tuesday handed over 1,400 AK-47 assault rifles and three amphibious vehicles to the Central African Republic to shore up its beleaguered armed forces. French Defence Minister Florence Parly oversaw the handover at a ceremony at M'Polo military base in the capital Bangui. The military aid was announced in Paris in November, along with 24 million euros ($27.4 million) in civilian assistance. One of the world's poorest nations, the CAR has struggled to recover from a 2013 civil war that erupted when President Francois Bozize, a Christian, was overthrown by mainly Muslim Seleka rebels. In response, Christians, who account for about 80 percent of the population, organised vigilante units dubbed "anti-Balaka" in reference to the balaka machetes used by Seleka rebels. Thousands of people have died in the violence, 700,000 have been internally displaced and another 570,000 have fled abroad. With the armed forces hampered by poor training and lack of equipment, the UN-backed central government controls only a fraction of the country's territory. In 2013, the UN Security Council imposed an arms embargo and it remains in place today. Exemptions are made for weapons shipments for the security forces that gain pre-approval from a UN sanctions committee. The panel is tasked with ensuring that imported weapons do not end up in the hands of the militias in the corruption-prone country. The panel gave the green light last year for Russia to supply 1,700 AK-47s to the national forces in January, and gave its approval again to the French shipments. But in June, France, Britain, and the United States blocked a request from the CAR for approval of Chinese weapons deliveries. "From France's point of view, there is in principle no obstacle to ending the embargo" permanently, Parly said on Tuesday. She stressed: "What is important is that these weapons, after they are delivered to the Central African armed forces, can be identified, stored and traced." The CAR has an army of just 7,000 men in a population of 4.5 million. They are facing militia groups estimated to be at least similar in numbers. Russia has sent 170 military instructors -- suspected by western sources to be mercenaries linked to Russian mining companies in the mineral-rich CAR. France, the former colonial power, sent 2,000 troops to quell the Seleka rebels, winding down the operation in 2016 after President Faustin-Archange Touadera was elected. It has around 200 troops in the CAR today, working in support of the armed forces and the UN peacekeeping mission here. Parly said that France was the CAR's "major partner for development aid", providing 130 million euros annually. The 1,400 guns handed over by France are a gift, French officials said. They were seized aboard a dhow off Somalia in 2016 that was intercepted for breaching an arms embargo with Yemen, they said. The European Union has a military training mission in the CAR that involves 170 people. In July, it pledged 25 million euros to extend the mission until September 2020. Russia gives ex-navy man 14 years for 'Ukraine spying' Moscow, Dec 11 (AFP) Dec 11, 2018 A Russian court on Tuesday sentenced a retired officer from its naval fleet based in Crimea to 14 years in prison for passing on military secrets to Kiev. Leonid Parkhomenko was detained in 2016 in the naval port of Sevastopol on the Russian-annexed peninsula. The Rostov-on-Don court in southwestern Russia also stripped Parkhomenko of his military titles, news agencies reported. From 2003 to 2005 he collected information about Russia's Black Sea Fleet and gave it to Ukraine in return for cash, according to Russian media. The FSB security service said he was receiving orders from the Ukrainian defence ministry. Relations between Russia and Ukraine have been in crisis since 2014, when Moscow annexed the Crimean peninsula following a pro-European uprising in Kiev. An armed conflict in eastern Ukraine between government forces and Russian-backed separatists has since claimed more than 10,000 lives. In November the situation in the waters around Crimea escalated when Russia seized three Ukrainian navy ships and arrested 24 sailors. US energy chief in Baghdad as sanctions waiver runs out Baghdad, Dec 11 (AFP) Dec 11, 2018 US Energy Secretary Rick Perry said Tuesday Iraq should partner with American companies to become energy independent, as Baghdad's waiver from US sanctions on Iran nears its expiry. He spoke during a visit by the largest-ever US trade delegation to Iraq for a two-day conference in Baghdad attended by more than 50 companies, most linked to petrol or security. "Working together, the US and Iraq can develop Iraq's oil, gas and water industries," Perry told those gathered. "The time has come for Iraq to break its dependence... on less reliable nations seeking domination and control," he said, in an apparent reference to US foe Iran. Iraq imports vast amounts of gas and electricity from Iran. When Washington reimposed tough sanctions on Tehran's energy sector last month, it gave Iraq a 45-day waiver to plan how it would stop depending on Iranian electricity. Perry on Tuesday said he discussed sanctions with Iraqi Oil Minister Thamer al-Ghadban and Electricity Minister Luay al-Khateeb, but did not say whether Baghdad would receive an extension to the waiver which ends next week. He went on to meet Prime Minister Adel Abdel Mahdi, who said it was "necessary to expand coordination" on oil, energy, and trade between the two countries. Perry also met President Barham Saleh in Baghdad, before travelling to Arbil to meet Kurdish leaders. Iraq this week is marking one year since it declared victory against the Islamic State group, whose sweep across swathes of the country prompted foreign firms to withdraw. But since IS was rolled back and Iraq held parliamentary elections in May, the US embassy in Baghdad has energetically pushed American companies to invest in Iraq, and the Iraqi government to open doors for them. The embassy published a video this week insisting America should be "Iraq's economic partner of choice." - Red tape - Steve Lutes of the US Chamber of Commerce, which organised the gathering, said its goal "is to show American companies that Iraq is open for business." But despite improved security, investors said they were apprehensive about endemic corruption and bureaucracy -- issues that predate IS. Iraq is the 12th most corrupt country in the world, according to Transparency International, and embezzlement of public goods is a deeply rooted problem. "Security-wise, I'm not as concerned as I am about the red tape, things not moving, and to a certain degree about corruption," said attendee Mohammad Hussein, whose Texas-based tech company FTS Solutions is looking into Iraq's education and oil sectors. Many attendees began operating in Iraq after the US-led invasion in 2003. Among them was the Contellis group, which includes Academi, formerly known as Blackwater. Blackwater was banned from Iraq after four of its employees were accused of killing 14 civilians in Baghdad. Oil and gas giant Chevron, as well as energy companies Siemens and General Electric, were also present. Iraq's electricity ministry signed MOUs this year with both Siemens and GE to revamp its power sector, in deals seen as part of Baghdad's efforts to wean off Iranian energy at the US's request. mjg/dv GENERAL ELECTRIC CHEVRON Iraq premier says lagging govt formation 'not his decision' Baghdad, Dec 11 (AFP) Dec 11, 2018 Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdel Mahdi said on Tuesday that an ongoing political dispute over unfilled ministries in his government was out of his hands. "It's not my decision," he told reporters gathered at a weekly news conference, in response to an AFP question. More than two months after being appointed premier, Abdel Mahdi has yet to fill eight of his cabinet's 22 posts, including the key ministers of interior and defence. He has named candidates for the eight ministries, but parliament has repeatedly delayed a vote on them due to divisions among various factions. The proposed names for interior and defence ministers, Faleh al-Fayyadh and Faysal al-Jarba respectively, have the support of political parties with close ties to Iran. Abdel Mahdi has said that he named a share of the cabinet, but that the rest of the posts would be doled out according to arrangements among rival blocs. "We were free to choose eight or nine ministers, and the rest are the results of political agreements," he said. "When it comes to the interior and defence, these were the choices of the political blocs, not of the premier." Parliament is expected to meet next week, but it is unclear if they will vote on the empty posts. As the process drags on, observers have wondered whether Abdel Mahdi could resign, destabilising a country getting back on its feet one year after ousting the Islamic State group. To mark that occasion on Monday, the government reopened a main route in Baghdad's high-security Green Zone to through traffic for five hours daily. The area, home to Iraqi government buildings, United Nations agencies, and foreign embassies including the American mission, has been sealed off to most Iraqis since the 2003 US-led invasion. Many Iraqis hope its reopening could signal better days. "It carries an important message," Abdel Mahdi said Tuesday. "There were fears from the diplomatic missions, who told us 'We don't want to risk it,'" he said. "But this decision is irreversible. If there's no security on the outside, then there's no security for those inside either. The citizen should be just as protected as the official." The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2018 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. Privacy Statement English10/12/2018 DODIK, HASANOV DISCUSS IMPROVING ECONOMIC COOPERATION BANJALUKA, December 10 /SRNA/ - BiH Presidency Chairman Milorad Dodik and the non-resident Ambassador of Azerbaijan to Bosnia and Herzegovina Eldar Hasanov met in Banjaluka on Monday to discuss improvement of economic cooperation between BiH and Azerbaijan. "Chairman Dodik and Ambassador Hasanov have agreed there is much room for further improvement of relations between BiH and its entities and Azerbaijan, reads a press release from the BiH Presidency chairmans office. Dodik informed the ambassador of Azerbaijan about the current political affairs in BiH and reiterated his intention to insist on the observance of the BiH Constitution and Dayton Peace Agreement in its original form. The press release reads that the BiH Presidency chairman thanked Ambassador Hasanov for the wishes sent to Dodik by the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev on his election as the Serb member of the BiH Presidency and pointed out he would work hard to improve all aspects of the relations between BiH and Azerbaijan. /end/ds Published: 11 December 2018 Use of renewable energy continued growing in 2017 According to Statistics Finland, total consumption of energy in Finland amounted to 1.35 million terajoules (TJ) in 2017, which corresponded to a fall of one cent compared with the previous year. The consumption of electricity totalled 85 terawatt hours (TWh), which was on level with the year before. Renewable energy sources covered 37 per cent of total energy consumption and according to preliminary data, over 40 per cent of final use. Their use grew by six per cent, rising to a new record level. The consumption of fossil fuels and peat declined by six per cent. Total energy consumption 19902017 The share of renewable energy in total energy consumption was 37 per cent in 2017. As late as 1990, its share was just 18 per cent, after which it has grown steadily, growing in the 2010s still clearly faster than before. Compared with 2016, the share of renewable energy in total consumption rose by three percentage points. EU targets for renewable energy are calculated relative to gross final energy consumption. Calculated in this manner, the share of renewable energy rose to over 40 per cent in Finland in 2017 based on Statistics Finland's preliminary data. Finland reached the target for the share of renewable energy, 38 per cent of gross final energy consumption in 2020, for the first time in 2014. The share of renewable energy in final energy use was the second highest among EU countries. The use of fossil fuels and peat in total energy consumption fell in 2017 by two percentage points, being 40 per cent. Greenhouse gas emissions in the energy sector went down as a result of decreased use of fossil fuels and peat. Nuclear energy covered 17 per cent of total energy consumption and other energy sources six per cent. The most significant energy source was wood fuels, whose use increased by three per cent and their share of total energy consumption was 27 per cent. The consumption of black liquor used by the forest industry grew particularly due to increased production of pulp. The second most used energy source was oil, 23 per cent of total consumption. The consumption of oil fell by a few per cent from the previous year. The consumption of coal fell by eight per cent, and that of natural gas by nine per cent. The consumption of energy peat fell by five per cent. Total energy consumption 20162017, terajoule 2016 2017 Change % Wood fuels 350 068 362 314 3 Oil 316 076 308 412 -2 Nuclear energy 243 056 235 352 -3 Coal 126 495 114 511 -8 Natural gas 72 189 65 986 -9 Peat 56 336 53 725 -5 Net imports of electricity 68 222 73 532 8 Hydro power 56 283 52 597 -7 Wind power 11 045 17 263 56 Others 60 287 64 174 6 Total 1 360 057 1 347 867 -1 In 2017, electricity production in Finland amounted to 65 TWh, or two per cent less than one year previously. Because the consumption of electricity did not fall, reduced production was covered by net imports of electricity, which increased by eight per cent. The share of renewable energy sources in electricity production rose by two percentage points to 47 per cent. The production of hydro power dependent on the water situation fell by seven per cent, but it was compensated by wind power, whose production rose by 56 per cent. The production of solar power rose even more by as much as 128 per cent. The share of hydro power in production was 22 per cent, that of wind power seven per cent and that of solar power just 0.1 per cent. Combined heat and power production covered 32 per cent of production and condensing power only producing electricity five per cent. The share of electricity produced with fossil fuels and peat in total production was in total 19 per cent, down by 11 per cent. The share of nuclear power in electricity production was again about one third. Net imports of electricity to Finland amounted to 20 TWh in 2017, which is more than ever before. Compared with 2016, net imports grew by eight per cent. The share of net imports in the electricity consumed in Finland was record high, 24 per cent. Electricity was imported most from Sweden (15 TWh) and from Russia (6 TWh). Exports of electricity to Estonia amounted to two TWh and imports from Estonia to one TWh. Final energy consumption fell by one per cent year-on-year. The growth of industrial output continued further, which was also visible in an about one per cent growth in final consumption of manufacturing. Of energy intensive industries, the growth in the forest industry and the chemical industry was particularly visible in increased consumption of fuel and electricity. Manufacturing was the biggest of final consumption sectors of energy with its share of 47 per cent. One per cent less heating energy of building was consumed in 2017 than one year earlier. The use of heat pumps for heating has grown significantly from the start of the millennium, which is visible in the statistics in the growing use of both heat pump energy and heat pump electricity. In addition to the area to be heated and the energy efficiency of the building stock, the need for heating energy is also affected by the outdoor temperature. Energy consumption in transport rose by nearly half a per cent in 2017. The consumption of petrol still continued falling, whereas the consumption of diesel oil was still on the growth track. The most significant use of diesel oil is transports of business life. The share of transport was 16 per cent of final energy consumption. In Finland, transport fuels contain biocomponents that are included in total amounts of petrol and diesel. The total use of jet fuel grew by five per cent from the year before. Almost 90 per cent of jet fuel is used in international transport. Source: Energy supply and consumption, Statistics Finland Inquiries: Ville Maljanen 029 551 2691, energia@stat.fi Director in charge: Ville Vertanen Publication in pdf-format (305.0 kB) Updated 11.12.2018 Referencing instructions: Official Statistics of Finland (OSF): Energy supply and consumption [e-publication]. ISSN=1799-7976. 2017. Helsinki: Statistics Finland [referred: 29.11.2021]. Access method: http://www.stat.fi/til/ehk/2017/ehk_2017_2018-12-11_tie_001_en.html Would better access to the Mississippi River be advantageous to Ste. Genevieve? Yes! It would boost tourism and be awesome for locals. Not really. Anyone who really wants to see it can drive to the ferry landing. View Results Shares is the leading weekly publication for retail investors. It is packed with investment ideas, news and educational material to help build and run portfolios and get more from your money. Shares puts on free Investor Events throughout the year across the country. They provide an opportunity for investors to learn more about companies on the stock market and hear from a range of investment experts including fund managers and Shares journalists. The YS 5009 is a steel semi-displacement vessel with an aluminium superstructure. The 12-tonne deck crane is perfect for launching toys, submersibles and large tenders up to 15m (50ft). With Damen's patented Sea Axe bow form, the vessel has greater seakeeping performance even in rough seas and reaches a top speed of 20kn. The Damen Yacht Support team worked with the owner's team to create a highly customised design based on the YS 5009. When launched, she will be the seventh YS 5009 and, like recent deliveries Power Play, Shadow and Axis, she will feature bespoke and luxurious interior design. Together with extra staff cabins, abundant storage and high-end service facilities, the whole proven platform weight will come in at under 500GT. Amels and Damen Managing Director Rose Damen comments: "This year we hosted Power Play at the Monaco Yacht Show, which attracted a lot of interest. More and more yacht owners want to know what our range offers and how owning a Yacht Support vessel can boost their yachting lifestyle. This latest purchase is a great example that will be a fantastic asset for our client when she is delivered." Peter Brown, of Burgess, represented the buyer during the purchase, and had this to say of the sale: "It has been a pleasure working with the Amels and Damen team on the sale of this Yacht Support vessel and we now eagerly anticipate the delivery of what will be a truly spectacular support vessel." We look forward to seeing the official launch of the 55.5m support vessel and seeing her beside her owner's yacht on open waters in 2019. A senior court in Pamplona has upheld a controversial judgment against five men from Seville who were found guilty of the group sexual abuse of a young woman during the San Fermin bull-running festival in 2016. The on-going case of the five friends, who nicknamed themselves 'La Manada', (the pack), has been high-profile nationally, not only for the graphic details published, but also for the fine legal distinction between sexual aggression and the lesser charge of sexual abuse. The panel of judges reviewing the first verdict confirmed the nine-year sentence, but two of the five supported 14 years for aggression. The new ruling will be appealed by both sides in the Supreme Court. The government has said it will clarify the law for the future. TICKERS: MONT Source: Maurice Jackson for Streetwise Reports (12/10/18) Bill Pincus, president and CEO of Miramont Resources, speaks with Maurice Jackson of Proven and Probable about his company's latest exploration efforts in Peru. Maurice Jackson: Joining us for a conversation is Bill Pincus, the president, director and CEO of Miramont Resources Corp. (MONT:CSE; MRRMF:OTCQB), which is developing new opportunities in world-class mining districts. Bill, we have some great news to share with current and prospective shareholders, but before we begin, for first-time listeners, please share who is Miramont Resources, and what is the thesis you're attempting to prove? Bill Pincus: Miramont Resources is a junior exploration company. We have two copper gold projects in Peru. Both are relatively early-stage prospects. One (Cerro Hermoso) is ready to drill, and one is getting near ready to drill, so what we're looking for, what our thesis is, we're looking for large bulk tonnage that has the potential to be very significant type ore deposits. Maurice Jackson: Bill, provide us with some historical context on the region in Peru where Miramont has its projects. Bill Pincus: We're working in Southern Peru, which is known as one of the world's great copper provinces. You have the giant mines of Toquepala, Cuajone, Cerro Verde, and Quellaveco is now being developed. These all produce hundreds of thousands of tons of copper metal annually. Our project, Lukkacha, is located right in this belt. We're about 10 kilometers from one of the newer porphyry projects, by, I believe it's Anglo American. But most importantly, we're in one of the world's great copper regions, so as an exploration company, we are the hunters, and if you're going to hunt the elephants that we're looking for, you want to be in the elephant country, and that's exactly where we are. Maurice Jackson: Walk us through both of your projects and the value propositions they present to the market, beginning with Cerro Hermoso. Bill Pincus: Cerro Hermoso is our most advanced project. This is the one that we will begin drilling early next year. When we first started looking at it, we were looking at it because of some pretty significant gold values we were finding in rock chip and rock channel samples. But as the project has emerged over the past year, with our continued exploration, it's really turned into a copper polymetallic project, copper-gold-silver, as well as some lead and zinc. But I think copper is the primary metal. And it has the potential to be a very, very significant, large bulk tonnage deposit. That's what we're exploring for, and that's what we hope to find. So, you know, we hope when we begin our first round of drilling, a discovery round of drilling, to identify significant subsurface mineralization. Maurice Jackson: Tell us about your second project, Lukkacha. Bill Pincus: Lukkacha, which is further to the southwest of Cerro Hermoso, is a classic copper porphyry system. We have now concluded a round of both reconnaissance mapping, followed up with detailed mapping, and what's emerging is the classic picture of a copper porphyry system, in terms of the typical alteration patterns you would expect, the typical mineralization patterns you would expect, and the typical geologic patterns you would expect. So, we would like to do a little bit more work on this. We've done detailed geochemical sampling, detailed mapping, but we do want to take it to a round of geophysics. We have drill targets emerging, but obviously, we want to refine that before we actually drill. So, if all goes according to plan, we think we're looking at a completely new porphyry system, un-drilled, that is exhibiting many of the characteristics of similar systems nearby. Maurice Jackson: On the 4th of December, Miramont received some great news for current and prospective shareholders. What can you share with us? Bill Pincus: We got our drilling permit. This is for the Cerro Hermoso property. To be very honest with you, the process was just a tad longer than we had anticipated, and we had to jump through a few more hoops than we anticipated, but we did get our drilling permits. We've been in touch with the driller, and we should have a rig on site, ready to turn, in the second half of January, 2019. Maurice Jackson: Mr. Pincus, I'm going to have a multilayered question here for you. What is the next unanswered question for Miramont Resources, when can we expect an answer, and what determines success? Bill Pincus: Well, the next unanswered question is what do we find in the Cerro Hermoso drilling? We've done everything we possibly can, and we have great drill targets, but you know, the true test is what's in the subsurface. So, that's the next unanswered question. As I said, we should start drilling late January, so I would expect answers probably early March. Maurice Jackson: And what will determine success, sir? Bill Pincus: Well, success will be this is the first round of drilling in a project that's never been drilled. You know, a great lengthy ore section would be huge success, but I think we have to get enough intercept and grade to make us firmly believe that our geologic model is correct, and that we can move forward and predict what will happen in the future from there. Maurice Jackson: Switching gears, talk to us about the capital structure. Bill Pincus: Miramont has 50 million shares outstanding. We have warrants priced at 45 cents that expire in Nov.19. We closed yesterday, at 26 cents Canadian. We have no debt, so I would call it a clean, simple capital structure. Most of the shares are fairly tightly held. Maurice Jackson: What keeps you up at night that we don't know about? Bill Pincus: Unanswered questions. You know, this project, Cerro Hermoso, has been really a lot of fun for me, and it's followed a pattern that I think is characteristic of excellent prospects, which is every time we go there, every time we take another look, every time we investigate something, we find something new that encourages us that there's significant mineralization in the system. You know, we've done all that work. Now, we had to test that with a drill rig, and I guess that's what keeps me up at night. What are we going to find with that drill rig? Maurice Jackson: Last question. What did I forget to ask? Bill Pincus: Well, I'm not sure. I can't think of anything off the top of my head. I would say that if any readers have any questions, they can get onto our website, where they could book a phone call with either myself or our vice president, Tyson King, 604.398.4493, and we'll be able to answer any follow-up questions they may have. Maurice Jackson: And Bill, in regards to that, if investors do want to get more information about Miramont Resources, please do share the website address with us. Bill Pincus: Quite simple, www.miramontresources.com. Maurice Jackson: And as a reminder, Miramont Resources trades on the CSE symbol MONT, and on the OTCQB symbol MRRMF. Last but not least, please visit our website www.provenandprobable.com where we interview the most respected names in the natural resource space. You may reach us at [email protected]. Bill Pincus of Miramont Resources, thank you for joining us today on Proven and Probable. Maurice Jackson is the founder of Proven and Probable, a site that aims to enrich its subscribers through education in precious metals and junior mining companies that will enrich the world. [NLINSERT] Disclosure: 1) Bill Pincus: I, or members of my immediate household or family, own shares of the following companies mentioned in this article: Miramont. I personally am, or members of my immediate household or family are, paid by the following companies mentioned in this article: Miramont. 2) Maurice Jackson: I, or members of my immediate household or family, own shares of the following companies mentioned in this article: No. I personally am, or members of my immediate household or family are, paid by the following companies mentioned in this article: None. My company has a financial relationship with the following companies mentioned in this article: Miramont is a sponsor of Proven and Probable. Proven and Probable disclosures are listed below. 3) The following companies mentioned in this article are billboard sponsors of Streetwise Reports: None. Click here for important disclosures about sponsor fees. 4) Statements and opinions expressed are the opinions of the author and not of Streetwise Reports or its officers. The author is wholly responsible for the validity of the statements. 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TICKERS: ALTA; EQTRF Source: Streetwise Reports (12/11/18) A junior holds a large tract of land in an area that has seen artisanal gold mining for generations that could turn out to be a major copper porphyry belt. A decade ago, what is now Altamira Gold Corp. (ALTA:TSX.V; EQTRF:OTCBB) started out as a private company called Alta Floresta Gold, which held a mineral property package in the heart of Brazil. In 2015, Alta Floresta Gold vended its properties into a public company that has since metamorphosed into Altamira Gold. President and CEO Michael Bennett told Streetwise Reports that the company went through major changes, "new management, change of directors, a name change to Altamira and a new shareholder base as management restructured the company to make it a financeable entity." Altamira's focus is centered on the Alta Floresta/Juruena Belt, which historically produced 7-10 Moz of placer gold, where its flagship Cajueiro property straddles the Brazilian states of Mato Grosso and Para and produced more than 250,000 ounces. The area is mostly cattle ranches and features a network of roads, highways and power lines with hydroelectric dams including the large Teles Pires facility, which recently came on line and is located near Cajueiro, as well as a regional airport at Alta Floresta. To date, Altamira has conducted over 14,000 meters of drilling in 105 holes and in 2017 completed over 2,800 meters of trenching at Cajueiro. A small NI 43-101 compliant resource covering less than 5% of Altamira's land at Cajueiro estimated a 214 Koz gold Indicated resource, 204 Koz Inferred resource, plus 79 Koz gold in the surface saprolite. All the data utilized for this resource was obtained from drilling prior to 2013. Late in 2017, three new high-grade zones were discovered at the Baldo East area of Cajueiro; trenching in 2018 discovered two more high-grade zones at the Matrincha area. These new zones trend east to west and are significantly higher grade than the north-south features that currently comprise the resource. Michael Bennett commented, "The recent discovery of two new high-grade mineralized zones in the BaldoMatrincha area of the Cajueiro project now brings the total number of sub-parallel east-west trending high grade structures to seven, with a cumulative strike length of more than 4km. We are delighted by the progress to date which suggests a much higher average grade to the Cajueiro deposit and leads us to believe that similar east-west mineralized structures will be found in the other target areas within the project area." Altamira notes that it will put together a detailed exploration plan that will include drilling these new high-grade areas for the first half of 2019 with the aim of updating the Cajueiro resource estimate. Just 13km south-southwest of Cajueiro, Altamira holds a claim covering the Porta Aberta property, where recent rock samples have returned values as high as 242 g/t gold. Like all of Altamira's projects, the depth extent of the gold mineralization is currently unknown. But the Alta Floresta/Juruena belt now appears to contain copper as well as gold on its vast lands. The belt has become the site of one of the largest staking rushes in South America over the last year, with some of the largest copper mining companies taking large land positions. In September 2017, Anglo American and Nexa Resources staked 3 million hectares through the belt and Chile's state-owned Copper giant Codelco recently staked 800,000 hectares in what could be the first known porphyry copper belt in Brazil. Altamira has continued to increase its initial land position by adding 58,000 ha at its Santa Helena property and more than 15,000 ha at Colider. Altamira has been and continues to be the only junior on the belt. Anglo American is actively drilling in the belt and flying district-scale airborne surveys throughout the region, which it's rumored to complete at the end of the year. "Earlier in the year there were rumors that Anglo American has made a significant copper porphyry discovery, since then all of the major mining companies' technical teams have been actively visiting, discussing and surveying the region. The airport close to our Cajueiro project has seen a steady flow of helicopters and service providers daily. Last month Anglo's CEO Ruben Fernandes hinted at a major copper discovery in the region and indicated that results may be available by the end of the year," Bennett told Streetwise Reports. Altamira is anchored by experienced management. President and CEO Michael Bennett is a geologist with over 30 years of mining experience, much of it in South America, and has the Cajueiro, Coringa and Puquio North gold discoveries to his credit. Chairman Alan Carter also has more than 30 years of mining experience under his belt, where he worked with major miners including Rio Tinto, BHP Billiton and then Peregrine Metals, Peregrine Diamonds, ECI, and was the founder of Magellan Minerals that was acquired by Anfield Gold (now Equinox Gold) in 2016. Altamira's general manager for Brazil is Sergio Amaro Aquino, who has over 35 years of experience including a successful track record of exploration, government and local relations, as well as development and construction of mining projects in Brazil. Altamira Gold has 57.6 million shares issued and outstanding, and 97.3 million shares fully diluted, with about 25 million shares closely held. Altamira's market cap is around CA$4.61 million. Disclosure: 1) Patrice Fusillo compiled this article for Streetwise Reports LLC and provides services to Streetwise Reports as an employee. She or members of her household own securities of the following companies mentioned in the article: None. She or members of her household are paid by the following companies mentioned in this article: None. 2) The following companies mentioned in this article are billboard sponsors of Streetwise Reports: Altamira Gold. Click here for important disclosures about sponsor fees. 3) Comments and opinions expressed are those of the specific experts and not of Streetwise Reports or its officers. The information provided above is for informational purposes only and is not a recommendation to buy or sell any security. 4) The article does not constitute investment advice. Each reader is encouraged to consult with his or her individual financial professional and any action a reader takes as a result of information presented here is his or her own responsibility. By opening this page, each reader accepts and agrees to Streetwise Reports' terms of use and full legal disclaimer. This article is not a solicitation for investment. Streetwise Reports does not render general or specific investment advice and the information on Streetwise Reports should not be considered a recommendation to buy or sell any security. Streetwise Reports does not endorse or recommend the business, products, services or securities of any company mentioned on Streetwise Reports. 5) From time to time, Streetwise Reports LLC and its directors, officers, employees or members of their families, as well as persons interviewed for articles and interviews on the site, may have a long or short position in securities mentioned. Directors, officers, employees or members of their immediate families are prohibited from making purchases and/or sales of those securities in the open market or otherwise from the time of the interview or the decision to write an article until three business days after the publication of the interview or article. The foregoing prohibition does not apply to articles that in substance only restate previously published company releases. As of the date of this article, officers and/or employees of Streetwise Reports LLC (including members of their household) own securities of Altamira Gold, a company mentioned in this article. Press Promotion 'Scotch Bonnets' created to reduce Angel's Share A Dundee-based company has come up with a simple device designed to ensure that minimises the 'Angel's Share', lost through evaporation. The device is inspired by the 'bonnet', a traditional Scottish cap that ensure heat stays in the body. The device has been under test for two and a half years and with the results so far encouraging, the financial savings for the whisky industry, and also the Bourbon and rum sectors, could be enormous. Named The Scotch Bonnet, it has been designed and patented by the firm Sangobeg Ltd, who are involved in the whisky industry, and it is currently undergoing evaluation within the trade to gauge its potential. Director, Ross Morrison, explains the background: It came about because were in the whisky industry. We build maturation bonds, so we see what happens in a maturation bond, and we see how things are stacked. We see that these barrels lose liquid through the wood over time, the famous Angels Share. He continues: It was one of these things. So simple, and we thought, would it work? Because weve got a simplified mind on these things rather than being technical experts in the whisky industry, we put it to a couple of guys in the industry. One of them is an engineering director and the other a maturation director at one of the very large distilleries. Their reply was, Yeah, it might work. The next stage in the development was to persuade the industry to trial the device. Morrison says: The maturation chap very kindly let us use their test facilities at one of their maturation bonds in Central Scotland. Thats where were getting all our figures from. The trials in February represented thirty two months of test, so in December, we will get thirty nine months results. The spirit is legally whisky after thirty six months and can be sold as Scotch Whisky, so we plan to have a blind tasting session with an independent expert just to confirm that there is no difference in taste. The Bonnet is made from fully compressed natural fibreboard. The device is fitted to the top of the whisky cask and attaches itself to one of the hoops on the cask via a set of self interlocking fibreboard modules. Morrison says: It doesnt stop the maturation process, of which the Angels Share is an essential component, but it cuts down the amount of alcohol being released through the top of the barrel by a significant amount. As the Angels Share comes out, the top of the barrel become more porous, and as it comes further down, it becomes more and more porous; what this device does is slow that down. In theory it should start working quicker as the barrel with the Scotch Bonnet saves more liquid. There are normally six casks on a pallet and each cask will have a bonnet fitted to it. The next pallet of six casks sits on top of the first pallet. This action causes the bonnet to provide a seal to the top of the cask. This process is normally repeated with pallets being stored between four and eight high. Morrison says: Two per cent per annum on average per year from Scotch barrels he says, But over in Kentucky you could be into double figures per annum. Weve only done our studies in the central belt in Scotland. We did our thirty two month figures in February this year, and its increasing in its savings per barrel. Our average saving per barrel was 1.6 litres of liquid in that period, but this is Scotland. What it would save in far warmer climates is the next answer we have to address. The Bonnets are durable and reusable, and when placed on another cask, they will start their saving process all over again. Morrison says: We now have worldwide patents. This is not just a Scotch thing, its for every alcohol that is matured in wooden barrels. It should work for brandy, tequila and rum, and as all of these are matured in very warm countries it should work even better in them. It was aimed basically at the Scotch industry because thats what we work in but as you learn more and more it should be aimed more and more at the bourbon industry and the rum industry, because they mature far quicker. You can get bourbons in two, three, and five years and thats them gone, so you should be able to save considerable amounts over a short period of time, but I dont know because we havent had any results from any tests yet in warmer countries. Weve now got three major distilleries testing the bonnets. From the one that weve had the longest well get our figures and then do the tasting. When thats done if its still continuing to increase in its savings we can then say that weve definitely got a very viable product, and we really need to get abroad and speak to the people in the whisky and Bourbon industry as well as the people in the Caribbean about the rum. 5 December 2018 - Sam Coyne The Drinks Report, editor Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Editorial Board (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Tue, December 11, 2018 08:50 1084 75e76da2d15e495661b6357e2e184d45 4 Editorial #Editorial,human-rights,Human-Rights-Day,United-Nations,democracy,Indonesia Free The Universal Declaration of Human Rights turned 70 years old on Monday, a relatively young age for a crucial global document. It was adopted in Paris at the United Nations General Assembly on Dec. 10, 1948, after the world witnessed the destruction of two world wars. In the past weeks, riots in Frances capital and other cities, initially against a higher diesel tax, suggest that even advanced nations struggle to keep their citizens content. This is why a fundamental agreement on what constitutes human rights is critical. Barely 20 years ago, Indonesias amendments of the 1945 Constitution finally incorporated universal basic rights. But to claim on Human Rights Day that our country has seen so much abuse and tolerates the neglect of human rights because we only just recently adopted them is irresponsible; it is also a weak excuse. The struggle for every Indonesians rights since 1998 shows people have a better understanding of what human rights are particularly when theirs are being trampled on. Therefore, after including universal rights in our Constitution, we are still in the phase of upholding them consistently for all citizens. Any form of neglect reflects the lack of exposure and the lack of victims ability to speak up apart from attempts to cover up rights abuses. Saturdays long march under black umbrellas in Jakarta is a case in point. It was a demonstration demanding the passing of a bill against sexual violence, with advocates arguing that the Criminal Code fails to address the wide range of sexual crimes. Many might wonder about all the fuss until an acquaintance or relative encounters harassment. The perpetrator usually gets off lightly for indecent behavior and that is if the victim was able to speak up and see the case through court despite threats, as this is too often the case. Some critics question the potential criminalization of husbands, saying it would be against their religion to recognize rape in marriage. But the Indonesian Congress of Women Ulema issued in 2017 a clear fatwa on this, declaring that all forms of sexual violence is haram inside and outside marriage. Another challenge in consistently upholding the universal rights of all Indonesian lies in the case of Papua. While we recognize the freedom of conscience, this often stops each year on Dec. 1 when Papuans rally to commemorate a different version of their independence than that understood by most Indonesians. Similar to the earlier cases of Aceh and Timor Leste (formerly East Timor), any voice for independence is greeted harshly as an act of subversion without asking why anyone would want to separate from the Republic, even amid earlier reports of harassment and discrimination against Papuans and despite the 2001 Papua Special Autonomy Law, which was deemed a breakthrough. Freedom of worship is another difficult lesson in consistency. Its among the prickliest issues ahead of each election, which means continued misery for minorities. We just hosted the Bali Democracy Forum for the 11th time, with the proposal for an inclusive democracy. At least this should mean ending inconsistencies on our own citizens rights. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Bobby Anderson (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Tue, December 11, 2018 15:52 1083 75e76da2d15e495661b6357e2e1a310d 3 Opinion Lion-Air,#LionAirJT610,JT610,plane-crash,management,flight-safety,aviation-security Free The recent crash of Lion Air flight JT610 might be technical in nature, but is also a manifestation of that airlines organizational failure. Theres no better place to explore this failure than with Lions logistical collapse during the February 2015 Chinese New Year holiday, which I unfortunately had unprecedented access to. In three days over 560 flights were delayed, and thousands of passengers stranded for 24 hours or more. Lion later claimed four planes taken out of service had a domino effect across their then fleet of 107 planes. This explanation was widely ridiculed. I was scheduled to depart Jakarta at 5:05 a.m. on Feb. 16, 2015, and arrive in Tual in Maluku at1:50 p.m., transiting Ambon. This itinerary devolved into a 30-hour trip. Some unusual standard operating procedures became apparent from my experience. No information is good information. I checked in for my 5:05 a.m. flight at 3:30 a.m., even though no plane was available: I confirmed this with Lion Air staff hours later. But no passengers were informed. At 5:30 a.m. Lion Air announced the plane would depart at 7 a.m. At 6:45 a.m. I asked the young worker manning the gate if the flight was still on schedule. Yes, he said. I wondered why he looked scared. I soon found out. Workers are expendable, and managers are cowards. It turned out many of these passengers were supposed to depart the day before. And they began to snap. By 8 a.m. that young worker was trapped behind the customer service counter by a mob which only had one demand: to know what time their flights would leave. He keyed his radio, asking for information. And he keyed it. And he keyed it again. Nothing. He tried to use his mobile to call the operations center. No answer. At around 8:45 a.m., with passengers screaming and knocking over a computer terminal, he tried to flee and was assaulted. Some of the passengers kept his radio. I spoke to other customers as they milled around, angry: one woman was trying to reach her fathers funeral in Surabaya; she missed it. Eventually the abandoned operations office downstairs was looted. If you cant fix a problem, send it somewhere else. A plane was found to take us to Ambon! A new Lion Air worker said the plane would transit Surabaya, with no de-planning required. But in Surabaya we were hustled off the plane by stewards who assured us the next flight was in 45 minutes. In the airport, however, we discovered there was no Ambon-bound plane. While another mob besieged the transit desk, surrounding yet more young staff abandoned by their managers, I spoke to another Lion Air staff member who said there was never an Ambon-bound plane, and that Lion Airs Jakarta tactic was to dissipate the concentration of enraged passengers to other airports. We were, to the airline, the mess that the mop pushed out the door. How did I get all this information? By being nice. The grassroots staff were as decent as their managers were not. They were desperately improvising to arrange tickets and transfers. One worker told me that, when he was hired two years before, he had gone through two weeks of training: the newest hires received two days. He managed to get me a flight not to Ambon, but to Makassar, South Sulawesi, which was at least closer. I asked him if I could write his managers telling them what an outstanding worker he is. Dont bother, he said. They dont care. Another worker told me she had been with Lion for two months and hated it, and she started to cry. These young people were not anomalies in an otherwise content workforce. Are all Lion Air staff similarly under-trained and under-appreciated, including mechanics, inspectors, and crew? Such failures are indicative of other failures that simply havent seen the light of day. And if the responsible people leave, what does that say about the ones who stay and become managers? Lion never adequately explained or took responsibility for the 2015 collapse. This failure is accepted: it starts at the top, with Rusdi and Kusnan Kirana, the brothers who implausibly claim that they pooled their money to buy a single plane in 2000 and built an aviation empire from it. The brothers are likely figureheads for a multitude of other unknown Indonesian investors. The main lesson from 2015 was that, after 14 years of operations, and an unnaturally high delay and cancellation rate, Lion Air had no risk management model, no contingency plan, no standard operating procedures. If they did have them, they existed only on paper. This same organizational culture surely links to JT610, which will likely be explained as a technical failure. But its actually an organizational one, akin to the crash of Adam Air flight 574 in January 2007, and Valuejet Flight 592 in May 1996. And I cant escape the image of a crew of underpaid, under-trained, and under-appreciated mechanics that couldnt get jobs with better airlines, fiddling with a manual and eventually allowing a plane to return to service with a faulty air speed indicator four times -- the last flight bearing 189 souls blown apart in the sea off Karawang in West Java. *** The writer is a research associate at the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London. His work on Asia includes traveling across Indonesia. Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the official stance of The Jakarta Post. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Bobby Anderson (The Jakarta Post) Yangon, Myanmar Tue, December 11, 2018 09:16 1084 75e76da2d15e495661b6357e2e187717 3 Opinion Papua,#Papua,Nduga,massacre,government,conflict,violence Free The massacre of construction workers pioneering a section of the trans-Papua highway in on Dec. 2 in Nduga, a remote area of highland Papua, has put that troubled province back in international headlines. And while the government of Indonesias ambitious road-building plan reflects in-part a coherent natural resource extraction policy, the killing of the workers implementing that policy serves to reflect a half-century of government failures when it comes to indigenous Papuans. With this in mind its useful to consider both Indonesian government and separatist initiatives to resolve Papuas myriad conflicts. Opposing sides cite the need for dialogue but the definition of dialogue has markedly different meanings for each. Dialogue first emerged as a policy tool in 2008 when the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) created a Papua policy road map for the consideration of the Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono government. The roadmap grouped the causes of Papuas conflicts under four categories: first, marginalization of and discrimination against indigenous Papuans; second, the failure of equitable development; third, contending accounts of the history of Papuas incorporation into Indonesia; and fourth, state violence against Papuans. LIPI then proposed a four-pronged policy platform: first, recognition of Papuans as the traditional owners of their land; second, a new paradigm of development focusing on Papuans; third, dialogue in order to reach agreement on a shared history; and fourth, reconciliation through justice for the victims of past abuses. While much of the roadmap is, for now, undeservedly and dangerously shelved, the dialogue it has recommended is not. It has become a scale upon which extreme positions are now marked. The Indonesian governments version of dialogue focuses on the less-political aspects of government involvement in Papua. The administration of President Joko Jokowi Widodo stated an intention to partly follow the roadmap recommendations, but the need to address human rights cases was soon deprioritized in favor of dialogue around service delivery, mainly health and education. Such a platform would likely lead to discussions beyond service delivery, and so the need for such a dialogue is there, but there is little appetite amongst elements of Papuan civil society for such discussions when government agents have and do kill Papuans with impunity. This leads to the separatist definition of dialogue, best found in the position of Benny Wenda and the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP). There, a dialogue is solely about Indonesias unlawful incorporation of Papua into Indonesia through the staged Act of Free Choice in 1969, as well as the multitude of rights abuses which preceded and followed that act. This dialogue would take the shape of an international tribunal, in English, and would then lead to a referendum on independence. Needless to say, a considerable gap exists between the two positions. Whether the gulf can be bridged in a manner acceptable to Papuan civil society and communities on one hand and the government of Indonesia on the other remains to be seen. When it comes to dialogue, if Jakarta wishes to be taken seriously by its own citizens, Papuan citizens in particular, then human rights must be on the agenda of any future discussion. This is particularly poignant given that we have just passed the fourth anniversary of the Enarotali massacre, when security forces shot dead four Papuan teenagers and wounded at least 17 others on Dec. 8, 2014. Jokowi himself promised justice for those victims but four years on none is forthcoming. The injustices of ruinous health and education systems are important, but not as important as an end to impunity. The government has the option to not discuss such human rights violations in a Papua dialogue only so long as it solves those cases outside of a dialogue. The ULMWPs position is as utopian as it is untenable. It is implicitly ahistorical in that it approaches the history of Papuas illegal incorporation into Indonesia as somehow unique in the annals of a historically amoral world state system. It is not: Papuas incorporation into the Indonesian state is another example of those on the margins contesting the sovereignty of exploitative states they felt and feel no part of. What sets Papua apart is that this incorporation is relatively recent, and that demands for independence are kept in the public eye by a media-savvy diaspora. Until recently this diaspora was most distinguished by the rivalries within it. That has changed with the emergence of the ULMWP a united front so far unique amongst Papuan independence advocates, although if history is a guide, it wont last. The ULMWP, and its Papuan wing, the National Committee for West Papua, are popular precisely because they are uncompromising in their pursuit of a referendum. But a lack of compromise is the privilege of a diaspora; ultimately, if the ULMWP wishes to maintain relevance, then it must both engage with the government of Indonesia and be pragmatic in its demands. The Indonesian government, for its part, needs to begin its own off-the-record discussions with ULMWP members. There is also more than one Papuan seat at this table. Papuan civil society and church representatives still in Papua better understand the parameters constraining utopian demands. Along with the ULMWP, the government must more proactively engage Papuan notables such as Neles Tebay, Benny Giay, Socrates Yeoman, Dorman Wandikbo and others in a dialogue that it will find uncomfortable: one with little room for a referendum but does have room for rights. Dialogue, for its part, must lead to policy changes. Ideally, it might lead to a broad-based renegotiation of a more equitable special autonomy package for Papua which might resemble Agus Sumules Otsus Plus (special autonomy plus) draft, which addressed migration, land rights and other issues palpable to the everyday lives of Papuans. Informed sources are already working with local stakeholders in Papua in pursuit of this. Pragmatism is paramount. As of 2018, unregulated migration into Papua seems to be a policy in itself. If an accurate census is ever taken, it will likely reveal that as much as half of the highland Papuan population only exists in inflated voter lists, and that non-Papuans are a majority. Papua may boil, but it never explodes, and the government has no pressing need to engage in negotiations with separatist elements that dont pose a threat to the state. The ULMWP is most relevant to the government of Indonesia through its engagement with other Pacific nations, but Indonesian outreach will further close an already small window of opportunity. The ULMWPs vision of the future is unrealizable, and it must act with the time it has. *** The writer is a Myanmar-based research associate at the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London. He authored Papuas Insecurity: State Failure in the Indonesian Periphery, East-West Center Policy Studies, 2015. Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the official stance of The Jakarta Post. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Inforial (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta, Indonesia Tue, December 11, 2018 11:10 1083 75e76da2d15e495661b6357e2e18cbd9 4 Inforial Free For the recent United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) assembly, which was held from Nov. 26 to 28 in Bangkok, Thailand, the Indonesian delegation chief H. Nofrijal had convinced delegates from 50 other Asia-Pacific countries to appoint Filipino delegate Juan Antonio Perez III to be the assemblys chair. With its slogan 70 years of connecting Asia and the Pacific, the ESCAP is the regional socio-economic development arm for the Asia-Pacific region. Nofrijal, who also serves as the National Population and Family Planning Boards secretary-general, said the Indonesian delegates supported Perez for his expertise on the issue of development and population, both highly pressing issues in Indonesia. Perez also serves as the executive director of the Philippines Commission on Population. The assemblys vice chairs are Afghanistans Abdul Naeem and Fijis Yosefa Korovuito, both of whom have doctoral degrees in the field of socio-economic development. The results of the assembly are to be presented at the upcoming 52nd UN Commission on Population and Development assembly from April 1 to 5, 2019 in New York, the United States, as well as at the 75th global ESCAP assembly in May 2019, also to be held in New York. The Asia-Pacific is home to 4.1 billion people, two-thirds of the worlds population, and it is made up of 53 member states and nine associate members, with a geographical scope that stretches from Turkey in the west to the Pacific Island nations of Kiribati in the east, in addition to the Russian Federation in the north to New Zealand in the south. Due to the size of the Asia-Pacific region itself, ESCAP has become the most comprehensive of the UNs five regional commissions, in addition to being the largest UN body serving the Asia-Pacific region with more than 600 staff members. Established in 1947 with headquarters in Bangkok, the ESCAP works to overcome some of the regions greatest challenges by providing result-oriented projects, technical assistance and capacity-building programs to its member states in the following areas: Macroeconomic policy, poverty reduction and financing for development; Trade, investment and innovation; Transportation; Environment and development; Information and communications technology, as well as disaster risk reduction; Social development; Statistics; Subregional activities for development; and Energy. ESCAP promotes rigorous analysis and peer learning in its core areas of work before translating its findings into policy dialogues and recommendations to provide good development practices, knowledge sharing and technical assistance to member states in their implementation of these recommendations. The organization uses its convening power to bring countries together to address issues through regional cooperation. ESCAP also provides a forum for its member states to promote regional cooperation and collective action in pursuit of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its sustainable development goals (SDGs) through the pursuit of economic growth and equity. Furthermore, ESCAP also gives stronger participation to the smaller and often left-out voices of the region, the least developed countries, the small island developing states and the landlocked developing states. In carrying out its activities, ESCAP is strengthened by its more than 50 years of experience as a regional think tank. The organization finds its biggest challenge in attempting to bring together the regions 680 million poor people into the economic mainstream to enable everybody to achieve a better standard of living as envisaged in the charter of the UN. The three-day assembly in Bangkok sought to be a new strategic milestone in ESCAPs career in socio-economic development. Furthermore, the assembly also served as an opportunity to evaluate the implementation of the resolutions formulated 24 years ago during the International Conference on Population and Development in Cairo, Egypt, according to ESCAP Executive Secretary Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana, also an economics professor at the University of Padjajaran in Bandung, West Java. Indonesian delegation chief and National Population and Family Planning Agency (BKKBN) principal secretary H. Nofrijal (second right) poses for photographs with the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) executive secretary Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana (left) and the Indonesian representative of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Melania Hidayat (third right) at the opening of the ESCAP assembly in Bangkok, Thailand. (./.) The conference, held in September 1994, was attended by representatives from 179 UN member countries, Indonesia included. Armida added that in the 24 years after the Cairo conference, the Asia-Pacific countries had witnessed various new emerging problems: its aging population, the emergence of the productive age cohort and rapid population growth. Armida, who from 2009 to 2014 served as Indonesias national development planning minister, added that although Indonesia had recently seen an increase of its middle class populace, but the region was still struggling with a high poverty rate. The regions biggest obstacle to achieving the 2030 SDGs, she asserted, was its high socio-economic inequality, which hampered the disadvantaged populaces access to social services. She also pointed to gender inequality in terms of job opportunities: Among members of the productive age cohort whom ESCAP had surveyed across 33 Asia-Pacific countries, female workers had 21 percent less access to job opportunities than their male counterparts. Besides Nofrijal and Armida being there, the three-day assembly was also attended by representatives from various Indonesian institutions that concern themselves with development and population issues, such as the prominent Indonesian Planned Parenthood Association and the Indonesian chapter of the UN Population Fund (UNFPA). The assembly also featured speeches by high-level delegates such as UNFPA New York managing director Laura London and Thailands Foreign Affairs Minister Vijayat Isarabakti. Besides the issues of aging population and socio-economic inequality, the region also faces huge problems related to non-communicable diseases, such as obesity, diabetes and their corresponding cardiovascular diseases. About 76 to 83 percent of the diseases total prevalence rate, according to regional research findings, have been caused by unhealthy lifestyles associated with the regions gradual transition into a more industrialized society. The assemblys delegates also addressed their own national issues. Iran, for example, recently faced some problems in the transition of its demographics from a productive age cohort into an aging population. In Cambodia, meanwhile, the countrys growing teenage population is facing a problem regarding proper reproductive health education. The Indonesian delegates in particular claimed in their statement that 24 years after the 1994 Cairo ICPD, Indonesia had already achieved significant improvements in the areas of birth control, reproductive health, gender equality and population control. The countrys total fertility rate, for instance, has already declined over the years to 2.4 children per mother, thanks to a supposed increase in the use of contraceptives. Indonesia is striving to mainstream its family planning program to villages and remote areas to maximize its implementation across the nation. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Apriadi Gunawan (The Jakarta Post) Medan, North Sumatra Tue, December 11, 2018 10:04 1084 75e76da2d15e495661b6357e2e188ff6 1 Health nasopharyngeal-carcinoma,health,Conference,Medan Free The 1st International Conference of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma was held from Dec. 6 to 7 at the University of North Sumatra (USU) and the Grand Mercure Hotel Medan, North Sumatra. The conference was hosted by USUs Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Science Center in collaboration with the Indocafe Foundation, and attended by 1,500 participants from Indonesia, the United States, Switzerland, Malaysia, Singapore, Japan, Thailand, Timor-Leste, the Philippines and Hong Kong. North Sumatra Deputy Governor Musa Rajekshah officiates the opening of 'The 1st International Conference of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma' in Medan, North Sumatra, on Dec. 6, 2018. (JP/Apriadi Gunawan) "This conference is a forum to present and share the latest innovations in the study of nasopharyngeal carcinoma," said committee head Farhat. Read also: Five types of cancer that could affect children Farhat explained that nasopharyngeal carcinoma was a form of cancer originating from nasopharyngeal epithelial cells in the back cavity of the nose and behind the palate of the oral cavity. It is among the five most common malignant tumors in Indonesia, he added. USU Chancellor Runtung Sitepu expressed hope that the conference would be a platform for the dissemination and exchange of scientific information. Meanwhile, North Sumatra Deputy Governor Musa Rajekshah, who also attended the conference, said the event could result in breakthroughs in nasopharyngeal carcinoma treatment and prevention, both in Indonesia and worldwide. (iru/wng) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Samir Tounsi with Kelly Macnamara in Oslo (Agence France-Presse) Kinshasa, DR Congo Tue, December 11, 2018 06:03 1084 75e76da2d15e495661b6357e2e181283 2 People Denis-Mukwege,Nobel-Peace-Prize,health,Sexual-assault,Congo Free In the Democratic Republic of Congo, they call him "Doctor Miracle" for his surgical skill and dedication in helping women overcome the injuries and trauma of sexual abuse and rape. Denis Mukwege is a crusading gynecologist who has spent more than two decades treating appalling injuries inflicted on women in the DRC. He has also emerged as an excoriating critic of President Joseph Kabila, set to be replaced in pivotal elections on December 23. A father of five, the tireless 63-year-old is an outspoken critic of the abuse of women in war and impunity for perpetrators. He has repeatedly accused the world of failing to act. "When one does not fight against an evil, it is like a cancer, it spreads and destroys the whole society," he told AFP in a weekend interview. The 2018 Nobel Peace laureate, who shares the prize with Yazidi activist Nadia Murad, has dedicated his award to all victims of sexual violence. Mukwege's Panzi hospital has treated tens of thousands of victims of sexual violence in his war-weary native province of South Kivu, part of an eastern region riven by a conflict involving government forces and countless rebel groups. His work was the subject of an acclaimed 2015 film titled The Man Who Mends Women. "Denis Mukwege is the foremost, most unifying symbol, both nationally and internationally, of the struggle to end sexual violence in war and armed conflicts," Nobel committee chairwoman Berit Reiss-Andersen said when the award was announced in October. Mukwege resists talking of his work in terms of statistics, because "each woman raped is one woman too many," and he fears people have become desensitized to the swelling toll. But he said his hospital alone has treated more than 50,000 women and girls for injuries from sexual violence, while stressing that this is "just the tip of the iceberg". Read also: Nobel laureates challenge world to end sexual violence - 'Atrocities on women's bodies' - In his French autobiography titled Plaidoyer pour la Vie (Plea for Life), Mukwege relates the "depths of horror" he encountered in South Kivu. Mukwege recounted how rapists had inserted a gun into a woman's vagina and fired. "Her whole pelvis was destroyed. I thought it was the work of a madman, but the same year I treated 45 similar cases," he said of the incident in 1999 -- the year he set up Panzi hospital in the provincial capital Bukavu. "I have witnessed mass atrocities committed against women's bodies and I cannot remain with my arms folded because our common humanity calls on us to care for each other." The 450-bed Panzi hospital treats more than 3,500 women a year, though not all for sexual abuse. It provides free consultations and performs reconstructive surgery on women who have suffered serious internal injuries. Mukwege's work has also put his own life on the line. He narrowly escaped an attack in October 2012 in which his guard was killed. He now lives under the permanent protection of UN peacekeepers at his hospital. - Tireless campaigner - Aid agencies have accused all sides in the conflicts that have ravaged the eastern regions of North Kivu and South Kivu of using "systematic rape" against women as a weapon of war. Mukwege told AFP such attacks have increased since 2016 and more and more victims are children. Up to seven percent of rape victims at his hospital are now infants -- up from around three percent. "I believe that in my life I have never been as disturbed, shocked, I don't have the words. When you see an innocent little baby, but bloody, with her genitals shredded, you ask yourself questions about humanity. "How could we get to this point? What happens to humans who have no rules? It has no limit." As well as his tireless medical work, Mukwege has fronted a worldwide campaign against trade in conflict diamonds and minerals. "The products of this looting, well we all have them in our pockets," he told reporters at a press conference on Sunday. "We all have a responsibility here." He expressed concern that this month's elections could spark further violence. DR Congo has not known a peaceful transition of power since gaining independence from Belgium in 1960. After Mukwege's Nobel award was announced, DR Congo authorities congratulated him for his "very important work", but accused him of mixing humanitarian work and politics. Read also: Nadia Murad: From jihadist slave to Nobel laureate - Many awards - Born on March 1, 1955, in Bukavu, the third of nine children, Mukwege was inspired to become a doctor by his father, a pastor who used to visit the sick. After studying medicine in neighboring Burundi, he returned to work at Lemera hospital, south of Bukavu, before pursuing specialist training in gynecology in France. Levi Luhiriri, who works as a doctor at the hospital, said Mukwege was fair but tough and strived for internationally recognized standards. He has been honored by the United Nations and has received many other international awards, including the Olof Palme Prize in January 2009 and the Sakharov Prize in 2014. In September 2016, he also won the Seoul Peace Prize. Like with his other awards, Mukwege said his share of the Nobel Peace Prize money -- around half a million dollars -- will go to his Panzi Foundation. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Kunang Helmi (The Jakarta Post) Paris Tue, December 11, 2018 17:14 1083 75e76da2d15e495661b6357e2e1a8544 3 Art & Culture Amnesty-International,Human-Rights-Day,human-rights-abuse,human-rights,photo-exhibition,Paris,France,exhibition Free Amnesty International is celebrating seven decades of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights with an innovative photo exhibition, which was inaugurated on Dec. 6. Besides the photo exhibition, visitors can also visit the Musee de lHomme at Place du Trocadero, but more about that later. The "Les Uns envers les Autres (Our Responsibilities to Each Other) exhibition, which is free of charge, is right in the center of Paris at Galerie Wanted, 23 Rue du Roi de Sicile and runs until Jan. 12. It is an important reminder that these basic rights are still vital to uphold because transgressions are constantly occurring all over the globe. The curators, Fany Dupechez and Pascal Michaut, were assisted by Alexandre Jalbert and Pauline David of Amnesty International Paris who managed to rope in the following artists or photographers: Bruce Gilden, Claudia Huidobro, Ulrich Lebeuf, Sebastian Liste, Lorenzo Meloni, Zanele Muholi, Yann Rabanier, Anton Renborg, Smith and the photo agency, Tendance Floue. Seven decades have elapsed since 48 nations were inspired to wipe out the horrors of World War II. At Palais de Chaillot, their representatives signed the declaration to protect human rights with 30 special articles, commencing with the basic right to be born in freedom, in dignity and with equal access to commodities such as food, water and housing. The 1948 declaration defined the ethical foundations designed to guarantee that such a war should never again take place because the dignity of every human being would be respected without any exception. The contemporary artists and photographers, mentioned above, studied each of the 30 articles contained in the declaration, and were asked to interpret their own innovative versions of how to uphold these basic human rights, or to present images illustrating those who should be protected. The curators appealed to their creative imagination to illustrate transgressions of these universal human rights up until our day. Mudawi Ibrahim Adam, the founder and former director of the Organization for Social Development in Sudan. (Magnum Photos/Bruce Gilden) Magnum photographer Bruce Gildens black and white portraits were imposing, considering their large size. One image was printed on a sheet and fluttered in the wind, while his other portraits were aligned one after the other. Spanish photographer Sebastian Liste paired color prints of indigenous Brazilian tribe members next to the environment that they inhabit and which is threatened by extinction. These impressive print diptychs perfectly illustrated ever-present dangers for indigenous peoples in general. Others participating in the show took a more artistic approach. As an example, contemporary artist Claudia Huidobro used paper photo prints from the archives of the Tendance Floue agency to pleat and frame in a novel approach. Read also: Exhibition showcases inmates' hopes and dreams At the opening, Huidobro admitted, I really had to wade through literally thousands of images from the archives until I narrowed my choice down to what I thought was essential. Thus, visitors are stimulated to comprehend the significance of the image, while also admiring the artistic liberty taken with the work of the photographers who were sent on mission all over the globe. The main objective for Amnesty International remains the fact that human liberty demands constant vigilance and energy to uphold and defend. Myths of justice in the Amazon Forest (NOOR Images/Sebastian Liste) Myths of justice in the Amazon Forest (NOOR Images/Sebastian Liste) A short, but pithy video shown here reminds visitors of what has happened since the original signature. Global events attest to the fact that we should remain vigilant and defend those who are weaker and less able to cope with violations of these basic rights. Ranging from the fate of refugees and the homeless, the rights of women, the rights of those who do not conform to societys norms to those who are employed and harassed by their superiors, we only have to open our eyes to take in what is happening around us. At the Musee de lHomme, a show is also celebrating the 70th anniversary of the declaration. The exhibition, focusing on human rights across the world, is by famous photographer Sebastiao Salgado and runs until June 30. Salgado and his wife curated the show, displaying about 30 huge black and white format prints in the auditorium hall of the museum. The stunning prints, which encapsulate over 40 years of his work, were chosen from many countries beginning with Afghanistan, including Indonesia. The Brazilian-born photographer is in fact known mainly for his landscapes that incorporate those who work under duress without any rights at all. In the case of Indonesia, indigenous tribes are being driven off their land due to various factors. The range of offenses against human dignity is indeed vast. Therefore, we should keep our eyes and senses open to all injustices being committed around us. (kes) Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the official stance of The Jakarta Post. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Mari Saito (Reuters) Shimonoseki, Japan Tue, December 11, 2018 22:06 1083 75e76da2d15e495661b6357e2e1af7a3 2 Food climate-change,food,Japan,fugu-fish Free The road, hemmed in on one side by empty warehouses and the other by a concrete seawall, ends abruptly in a desolate parking lot. Men step out of their cars and into the darkness, then slip behind the sliding doors of a warehouse. Inside, they huddle under floodlights and wait. A clock on the wall ticks to ten past three in the morning. "Ready? Ready? Ready?" shouts a man whose arm is covered to the elbow by a black nylon bag. One by one, the men step forward and their hands disappear into the bag. And so begins a surreal auction in this port city in southwestern Japan. The buyers grip the dealer's hand, and after a few seconds of secret gesturing felt only by the auctioneer, he yells out the winning bid. "13,000!" Thirteen thousand yen, or $114, a kilo. The furtive bidding, a relic of a time when fish traders wore kimonos whose sleeves obscured their hands as they signaled their bids, is part of the insular world of Japanese pufferfish, or fugu, a fish best known for its ability to kill a person in as little as a few hours. Although deaths are extremely rare, the whiff of danger associated with the fish's poison is a significant element of the delicacy's enduring allure in Japanese culture. A kilogram fetches as much as 30,000 yen at the market here, and in the December holiday season, when fugu is particularly popular, a luxury fishmonger in Tokyo can sell up to $88,000 worth of the fish on any given day. News of poisonings elicits fevered national coverage. When a supermarket in western Japan accidentally sold five packets of the fish without its poisonous liver removed in January, the town used its missile alert system to warn residents. And now, climate change is adding a new element of risk: Fishermen are discovering an unprecedented number of hybrid species in their catch as seas surrounding the archipelago particularly off the northeastern coast see some of the fastest rates of warming in the world. With pufferfish heading north to seek cooler waters, sibling species of the fish have begun to inter-breed, triggering a sudden increase in the number of hybrid fish. Hybrids are no more dangerous than your average lethal pufferfish. The problem is that they can be hard to distinguish from established species. To avoid accidental poisonings, Japan prohibits their sale and distribution. With the rise of these unclassifiable hybrids, fishermen and fish traders are having to discard a sizable share of their catch. Read also: Deadly fugu fish flub prompts Japan emergency warning Kaniya, a seafood-processing company here in Shimonoseki, is one of many in the industry frustrated by the government's rule to discard such hybrids, considering that most subspecies of pufferfish frequently found in Japan's northeastern waters have poison in the same organs and can be safely eaten if handled correctly. "But we have to follow the rules, because if there's any problems it leads to hysteria," says Naoto Itou, the gruff patriarch of the company. Out of 50 or so species of pufferfish found around Japan, 22 of them are approved as edible by the government. Chefs and fish butchers handling pufferfish are specially trained and licensed to remove its liver and reproductive organs, which contain tetrodotoxin, a potent neurotoxin. Confusingly, the location of the deadly neurotoxin differs in certain types of pufferfish; it can sometimes be found in its skin or muscle, as well as its reproductive organs. Every morning at 8 a.m., Kaniya receives boxes of pufferfish from fishermen in northern Japan. By 9, an experienced fish handler is at his post in an apron and hairnet, sorting as many as seven or eight different groupings of pufferfish at a metal counter. His bare hands moving quickly, the man picks up one slippery fish after another, holding it up for several seconds, examining its fins and checking for prickles. He pauses on one, turns it to the side, traces its back with his finger, then throws it into the discard pile. The entire process has a hazmat feel: Workers in latex gloves, white masks and plastic aprons gut the fish and take away the toxic parts and dump them into a lock box. The waste is then collected and incinerated. Asked why he would continue handling such inherently dangerous fish despite all the headaches surrounding hybrids, Itou points to two of his salesmen hovering nearby, fielding calls from buyers. "Isn't it a blessing to be able to handle something customers love and want so much? There aren't many other fish out there like this." Sweeping impact of climate change The rise in hybrid species is yet another example of the sweeping impact of climate change on marine creatures, which have undergone a mass migration as water temperatures increase. Hiroshi Takahashi, an associate professor at the National Fisheries University, first noticed the increase in hybrid pufferfish six years ago. He started receiving calls from a scientific facility on the northeastern coast of Japan's main island that had buckets of pufferfish it couldn't identify. In the fall of 2012, nearly 40 percent pufferfish caught in the area were unidentifiable, compared to less than 1 percent studied previously. Read also: Japan government to promote fugu exports to Asia "It wasn't one out of a thousand as it had been in the past; this was on a completely different scale," he says. To an untrained eye, hybrids are barely discernible. Even veterans in the industry say it's nearly impossible to tell apart "quarters," or second-generation offspring of hybrid fish. At the end of June, more than 20 percent of pufferfish caught in a single day off the Pacific coast of Miyagi prefecture, 460 kilometers northeast of Tokyo, were hybrids. Genetic tests found that the unidentifiable pufferfish were a hybrid of Takifugu stictonotus and Takifugu snyderi. Although they're close relatives, the T. stictonotus usually swim around the Sea of Japan and the T. snyderi in the Pacific Ocean. Takahashi believes that the T. stictonotus escaped their gradually warming habitat by riding the Tsushima current north and crossing the strait just below Japan's northern island of Hokkaido to emerge in the Pacific Ocean. There, they bred with their sibling species and multiplied. The resulting hybrid, which has fine spots and yellow-white fins, could pass for either one of its parent species. A division of Japan's health ministry in charge of food safety said it began collecting information about the reported increase in hybrid pufferfish in September. Each prefecture has its own tests for issuing licenses to chefs and others, and an industry group has pushed the government to standardize those tests. Before dawn on a recent weekday, dozens of hobby fishermen throng a deserted dock in the Ohara port, a two-hour drive from Tokyo, to get a chance to catch the creature. They return on the Shikishima-maru around noon, sunburnt and tipsy, carrying white buckets filled with pufferfish. While the anglers smoke cigarettes and hunch over noodles, Yoko Yamamoto grabs a knife and sits down on a low plastic stool. She works quickly, first striking the fish's spinal cord, then peeling back its skin to remove its poisonous outer layer. Her son, who captained the boat, then takes over and slashes the fish to its gills to remove its liver and intestines as a moored fishing boat with pastel pink bench seats blasts "Bohemian Rhapsody" from its speakers. We have to go a bit further now to find them," says Yukio Yamamoto, 49, crouching next to his mother. "You see all kinds of hybrids now; it's been this way for the past few years." Toshiharu Enomoto, a 71-year-old hobby fisherman, walks over after his lunch and ties a knot in a plastic bag filled with ice and a few pufferfish. Laughing, he talks about the little thrill of the poison. "Some people like it when they feel a bit of tingling on their lips," he says. The Japanese have eaten the fish for thousands of years. After it was outlawed by Toyotomi Hideyoshi, a samurai general who unified Japan in the 16th century, peasants continued to eat it in secret and died in droves. The ban on fugu was finally lifted after World War II following years of petitioning by avid fans. Despite its deadly nature, the fish has an almost comical face and, with its puffed cheeks and open mouth, looks as though it's perpetually surprised to be so sought after for special occasions. In Tokyo, high-end restaurants serving pufferfish rely on Otsubo Suisan, a luxury wholesaler at the Toyosu fish market. At the company's wide stall, Koichi Kushida taps his smartwatch and answers calls on his silver Sony Bluetooth. In the span of an hour, the 34-year-old sells thousands of dollars worth of pufferfish. "It's tasty, isn't it? It's a luxury and has class; that definitely attracts people," he says, deftly packing an airtight bag of gutted pufferfish into a golden box. With more hybrids appearing on the market, Kushida personally checks all the fish himself. "When we hand it to our customers, we have to be sure it's absolutely safe," he says. "We can't have any problems." Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Gyanindra Ali (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Tue, December 11, 2018 09:26 1084 75e76da2d15e495661b6357e2e1881b0 4 Food food-photography,photography,food,photo-exhibition,culinary,Indonesia,traditional-food,Goethe-Institute Free Food is key to bringing people of different backgrounds and cultures together, as the Indonesian Culinary Photography Exhibition shows at the GoetheHaus in Central Jakarta. The exhibition, which runs through Dec. 17, aims to raise awareness about the diversity of Indonesian cuisine and the importance of preserving it. We believe that preserving our culinary heritage strengthens us as a community, locally and globally, said Wilton Djaya, content creator of the Goethe-Institut and a juror of the photo exhibition. He said it was also important for Goethe-Institut to hold the exhibition, as food could be a medium of cultural exchange between Germany and Indonesia. The exhibition features works curated from the institutes Instagram competition on food photography held throughout the country. Fifteen photographs were selected from 321 submissions to portray Indonesias rich culinary diversity from Banda Aceh in Aceh to Timika in Papua. More than just showcasing the food, these photographs also tell the stories behind the food and how these dishes are able to portray their culture of origin. Bumbu Masakan Aceh by Ade Armanda (Courtesy of Goethe-Institut Indonesien/-) These 15 entries represent Indonesia not only with good quality photographic esthetics, but also regarding high-quality storytelling, said Wilton. Curator Ng Swan Ti wants to give visitors a taste of what it feels like to explore and travel multicultural Indonesia through these unique photographs of each regions signature dish. One of the more interesting and powerful photos in the exhibit is Babi Bakar Batu (Stone-Roasted Pork) by Albertus Vembri, who goes by his second name. The dish, which was photographed in the city of Timika, reveals the unique process behind its preparation. Unlike most roasting in which charcoal is used as main source of heat, babi bakar batu uses pre-heated stones. Vembri explained that the use of stones was significant not only in cooking the dish, but that it also served as a ritual to express happiness or grief, or when people begin a new community project. He agreed that a regions cuisine portrayed its culture and values, a correlation that was particularly evident in the cooking tradition of babi bakar batu. Luat Sarang Lebah (Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara) by Silvania Stella Epiphania Mandaru (Courtesy of Goethe-Institut Indonesien/-) Cuisine is interconnected to culture, Vembri said over phone. Babi bakar batu shows how people are able to work together as communities which community provides what ingredients, which community plays what role. They all work together and in the end, they enjoy the food together. It shows their togetherness, since babi bakar batu is never prepared by just one or two people. Another interesting photo is Luat Sarang Lebah (Beehive Expectorate) by Silvania Stella Epiphania Mandaru. Stella describes luat sarang lebah as a high-protein chili sauce made from bee larvae that is consumed at various events in the village of Amfoang in Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara. Like the other photos, Luat Sarang Lebah does not only reveal the dishs uniqueness as a cuisine but, most interestingly, showcases the ritual surrounding the dishs preparation. In harvesting the honeycomb, the villagers of Amfoang sing poetry to lull the queen bee into surrendering the honey willingly. In the description accompanying her photograph, Silvania said the ritual was performed because the people of Amfoang believed bees should be treated like beautiful women. Nasi Sayur Lodeh Ikan Tongkol (Malang, East Java) by Desy Bariyyatul Qibtiyah (Courtesy of Goethe-Institut Indonesien/-) Another photo, Bumbu Masakan Aceh (Aceh Seasonings) by Ade Armanda, captures the spices typically used in Acehnese dishes. The photograph portrays a vast array of the daily ingredients the people use in the region, which is known for its rich spices and spicy foods. Ade also provides a historical context for his photograph, explaining how Aceh used to be a hub of foreign trade and how it influenced the wide range of spices that are used in Acehnese dishes, even today. As part of the exhibit, the jury selected the five best photographs from those on display. Wilton said the jury was given different sets of criteria to assess the entries, such as original idea, storytelling and esthetics as well as whether the ingredients were indigenous to a remote area and whether the food would be appealing to the Goethe-Instituts target group. The five winners would receive awards, including dining at Goethes Magic Hour Dinner, an exclusive dinner event hosted by German chef Helge Hagemann and Indonesian chef Petty Elliott at a pop-up restaurant at Goethe-Institut Jakarta. As the curator of the exhibition, Swan Ti said she also learned about how rich and diverse Indonesias culinary traditions were. There were several foods that I was not familiar with before, she said, adding that she hoped visitors to the exhibit would also learn something similar. The writer is an intern at The Jakarta Post. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (Agence France-Presse) London Tue, December 11, 2018 11:32 1083 75e76da2d15e495661b6357e2e1905c6 2 Lifestyle Meghan-Markle,Prince-Harry,awards,Waight-Keller,wedding-dress Free Givenchy's artistic director Clare Waight Keller Monday received the British designer of the year womenswear award from Meghan Markle, whose dress she designed for her wedding to Prince Harry. "It is such a pleasure to be here celebrating British fashion," Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, said at the star-studded annual Fashion Awards at the Albert Hall. Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex made a surprise appearance at the Fashion Awards to present prize to her wedding dress designer Clare Waight Keller of Givenchy. Find out who won all the other prizes on a star-studded night here #fashionawards https://t.co/3XXLpq5OFQ pic.twitter.com/DCkjTQJRzk The Industry Fashion (@theindustryfash) December 10, 2018 The former US actress, who is pregnant, praised the "vision", "creativity" and also "the incredible kindness" of Waight Keller. The two women met in early 2018, before the designer created the dress worn by Meghan for her wedding to Harry on May 19. The British Fashion Awards also recognised Vivienne Westwood, winner of the award for positive change, for her commitment to the environment. The 77-old high priestess of punk took the opportunity to denounce the "rotten financial system" which the dame said was "the cause of all our problems". Read also: Fans face rain to greet Harry and Meghan on Down Under tour A long-time political campaigner, she also took aim at French President Emmanuel Macron who recently cancelled fuel tax increases in the face of the "yellow vest" protests. "This tax hurts the poor more than anybody," Westwood said, adding "he's not thinking that he has already given all these tax breaks to the rich people. So of course everybody is going to be annoyed." The model of the year award went to 17-year-old Kaia Gerber, following in the footsteps of her mother, former supermodel Cindy Crawford. "It's such an honour," said the young American, on the verge of tears. "I have just a small role in making a creative vision come to life but I'm so beyond grateful to be a part of it." Among the other awards, Italian fashion house Gucci was named brand of the year and Italian Pierpaolo Piccioli, artistic director of Valentino, won the best designer award. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, December 12, 2018 08:11 1083 75e76da2d15e495661b6357e2e1aabee 1 Entertainment Shopee,blackpink,music,K-pop,petition,change-org,Indonesia,KPI,Twitter Free The Indonesian Broadcasting Commission (KPI) sent out warning letters to 11 television stations on Tuesday for broadcasting a commercial of the online marketplace Shopee and a Shopee Road to 12.12 Birthday Sale program that featured South Korean girl group BLACKPINK. Posted on the KPI's official website and reportedly signed by KPI head Yuliandre Darwis, the letter said the commercial and program failed to adhere to decency norms as stated in the Broadcasting Code of Conduct and Program Standards (P3SPS). The letter said that a number of women singing and dancing while wearing little clothing in the commercial and program potentially violated Article 9 (1) of the P3SPS. The article states that a program should adhere to decency and morality norms upheld by the public. Read also: Of legs and Pancasila: Two petitions battle it out over BLACKPINK ad KPI commissioner and coordinator of broadcasting programs Hardly Stefano called for producers to adhere to brand safety in the making of commercials and promotions, as to not evoke negative perceptions, as quoted on the KPI website. Should we find similar programs to those mentioned in the warning letter, the KPI will impose sanctions based on existing regulations, he added. In response, Shopee Indonesias country brand manager Rezki Yanuar has released an official statement. It has been our main priority to put forward input from our loyal users for the companys progress and the general comfort of our community at large, especially relating to the whole online shopping experience. "We have learned and listened to the complaints regarding our advertisements that are often played ahead of our birthday sale campaign and we appreciate the feedback as this acts as a very useful input for our future actions. However, the aforesaid advertisement had been granted permission from the Indonesian Broadcasting Commission (KPI). We will always follow all existing regulations from every stakeholder in Indonesia and every country where we operate. "In response to the feedback that we received, we have worked closely with all parties responsible in managing the airing time to be more appropriate to the audience as a whole. We have also learned that the KPI has sent warning letters to TV stations broadcasting our ad. In accordance with the upcoming Hari Belanja Online (Online Shopping Day) campaign, the advertisement will be replaced with our new Shopee 12.12 as per today, Dec. 11. The KPI sent out the warning letters after a petition demanding the commission stop airing Shopee BLACKPINK commercial was started by Maimon Herawati on change.org on Dec. 7. In her statement, she said the girl bands outfits were too short. At the time of writing, the petition has garnered more than 101,260 signatures. "A group of women wearing skimpy outfits. What kind of subconscious values do we want to instill in our children with this vulgar ad that flaunts aurat [intimate parts]? The clothes do not even cover the thighs. Movement and expression are provocative. It is really far from Pancasila values," she wrote on the petition. In response, a fan of BLACKPINK started a petition for the KPI to not stop the ad on the same day. The petition currently has garnered more than 46,800 signatures. Indonesian K-pop fans, known for their dedication, fired back on Twitter after the KPI sent out its warning letters. The KPIs tweet received more than 800 replies, with most users denouncing its decision and declaring the commission was acting unfairly. KPI Minta Stasiun TV Hentikan Iklan Shopee Blackpink https://t.co/cx8mpkTNkK pic.twitter.com/vlYTnnyKXN KPI Pusat (@KPI_Pusat) December 11, 2018 One netizen pointed out how in the past Indonesian television series featured actresses wearing clothes that reveal their midriffs and cleavages and that it was not a big deal. KPI larang iklan shopee hahhaa kangen jaman dulu film jinny oh jinny, diana pungky pake baju udel sama belahannya keliatan tp kitanya jg biasa2 aja oyeah dan baywatch setiap jam 1 malem, mantap betul itu Damian Wayne (@dendiborneo) December 11, 2018 Another wrote: The KPI is giving a strict warning for TV stations to stop airing Shopee BP ads when theres a lot of more morally concerning contents still being broadcast shows how ridiculous the system in this country is. As if people cant stream the whole thing on YT [YouTube]. The hypocrisy jumps out. KPI giving a strict warning for TV stations to stop airing Shopee BP ads when there's a lot of more morally concerning contents still being broadcasted shows how ridiculous the system in this country is. As if people can't stream the whole thing on YT. The hypocrisy jumps out. G.O (@pinkot9) December 11, 2018 Ron, an Indonesian K-pop fan since 2008, said he found it reasonable for the KPI to send out the warning letters. "If what seems to be the problem is the broadcasting hour on television and there's a complaint from a member of the public, the KPI has done right by giving out a warning letter," he said via a text message interview. However, he also said he considered the petition for the ad to be stopped was excessive. "The only issue is [that] the broadcast time slot is near to a children's program. It should be a simple matter of moving [the commercial and the program] to a time slot when children won't see them. I think we cannot just stop an ad from running because it was considered it could corrupt the children as it featured sexy appearances of BLACKPINK. Parents play a big role in this matter," he said. Read also: BLACKPINK to perform in Jakarta in January Ron went on to say that K-pop groups or idols have long sported sexy clothing with no petitions stemming from their sartorial choices. "I tend to think this has something to do with the over-exposure of BLACKPINK," he said. The group is scheduled to perform in ICE BSD, South Tangerang, on Jan. 20, 2019 as part of their first world tour, In Your Area. The girl group has gained immense popularity since the release of their EP, Square Up, in June. The albums lead single, Ddu-du Ddu-du, peaked at No. 55 on the Billboard Hot 100, the highest ever for an all-female K-pop act, and its music video has more than 450 million views on YouTube. (wng) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Tue, December 11, 2018 08:48 1084 75e76da2d15e495661b6357e2e184a38 1 City trash,waste,Jakarta-Bay,jakarta,Bekasi,Tangerang,river Free Seven rivers in Jakarta and two rivers in its satellite cities of Tangerang, Banten, and Bekasi, West Java, are polluted by trash, dumping 21 tons of waste daily into Jakarta Bay, a researcher has calculated. The seven rivers include the Angke, Sentiong, Sunter, Cilincing and Marunda. Meanwhile, the two rivers in the satellite cities that flow into Jakarta Bay include the Dadap in Tangerang and Bekasi in Bekasi. "Of the seven rivers in Jakarta, one river in Bekasi and one river in Tangerang, the total waste that enters Jakarta Bay is 21 tons daily," said Reza Cordova, a sea chemical and ecotoxicology researcher from the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) oceanographic research center. According to Reza, most trash that flows into Jakarta Bay comes from Jakarta's sister cities because the trash management in Jakarta's rivers is "well-managed". "Waste in Jakarta is relatively less severe than those of Tangerang and Bekasi because there is a possibility that waste management in Jakarta is one of the best [compared to Greater Jakarta]," Reza said as quoted by wartakota.tribunnews.com on Monday. Reza added that the work of Jakarta's Public Facility Maintenance Agency (PPSU) personnel, popularly known as the "orange troops", contributed to the better waste management of rivers in Jakarta. "On average there is less that 1 ton of trash per day. In Tangerang and Bekasi, [the trash can reach] up to 7-8 tons per day," he said. The trash that goes into Jakarta Bay consists of wood, glass and mostly single-use plastic. (mai) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Tue, December 11, 2018 19:55 1083 75e76da2d15e495661b6357e2e1acaef 1 City road-repair,damage,Bekasi,river,restoration Free The Bekasi administration has allocated Rp 402 billion (US$27.4 million) to fund 740 road construction and water tunnel restoration projects in its 2019 budget. Bekasi Bina Marga and Water Resource Agencys planning division head Dicky Irawan said most of the money would be used for water tunnel restoration projects. We have received plenty of reports from people regarding water tunnel problems. Nearly all water tunnels in the city will be restored to control flooding, he said on Tuesday as quoted by wartakota.tribunnews.com. Dicky claimed that Bekasi would also receive an additional Rp 443 billion from the Jakarta administration, West Java province and the central governments 2019 budget. Of the figure, Jakarta contributed Rp 423 billion. According to Dicky, the money will fund four projects, namely the construction of the Cipendawa overpass (Rp 286 billion), Rawapanjang overpass (Rp 117 billion), an underground tunnel in Pondok Gede (Rp 15 billion) and street lighting (Rp 5 billion). Around Rp 11 billion from the central government is to fund the development of the Rawabaru inspection road, he added, mentioning the normalization of the Bekasi, Cakung and Sunter rivers along with the inspection road. The project will be under the Public Works and Housing Ministry through the Ciliwung-Cisadane Flood Control Office [BBWSCC]. The rivers often overflow and cause flooding affecting residences nearby, he said. (vla) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (Agence France-Presse) Sao Paulo, Brazil Tue, December 11, 2018 09:09 1084 75e76da2d15e495661b6357e2e186822 2 Business #USA,#Brazil,Boeing,Embraer,deal,Court Free An appeals court in Brazil on Monday overturned an order blocking a proposed $4.75 billion tie-up between US aerospace giant Boeing and the civilian business of Brazilian plane-maker Embraer. The ruling superseded a lower federal court decision in Sao Paulo last week that prevented the outgoing government taking any "concrete acts" on the deal, leaving it for incoming president Jair Bolsonaro administration, which takes office January 1. Appeals court judge Luiz Alberto de Souza Ribeiro said the lower court's order was "hasty and unfounded," and the public interest had not been shown to be at risk. Boeing and Embraer had announced their deal in July this year, under the government of outgoing center-right President Michel Temer. It was expected to be finalized by the end of 2019, the companies said. Under its terms, Boeing is to take an 80 percent stake in the Brazilian company's commercial business, thus allowing Boeing to offer planes with capacity of up to 150 seats -- a market in which it currently does not compete. Embraer's military aircraft business was excluded to overcome Brazilian government opposition to giving up a national champion to a foreign entity. The agreement was seen as a response to a similar strategic partnership announced in October 2017 between Boeing's European arch-rival Airbus and Canada's Bombardier. The American firm will have operational and management control over the new venture, which will be led by a Brazil-based chief who will report to Boeing chief executive Dennis Muilenburg, the companies said in July. The companies are creating another joint venture to promote their defense products and services, especially Embraer's KC 390, a military transport aircraft vehicle. Embraer, the third-largest aircraft manufacturer in the world, was founded as a state group in 1969 before being privatized in 1994, although the Brazilian government retains a "golden share" giving it the right to make strategic decisions for the company. Bolsonaro, a far-right politician with close ties to the military, had a long record as a nationalist and protectionist when it came to Brazil's economy. But he changed tack to win over voters and investors in the run-up to his November election by advocating privatizations. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Alice Ritchie and Dave CLARK in Brussels (Agence France-Presse) London, United Kingdom Tue, December 11, 2018 07:37 1084 75e76da2d15e495661b6357e2e182f43 2 World #UK,#Brexit,Theresa-May,delay,Brexit,deal,vote,EU,rejection,negotiation Free British Prime Minister Theresa May on Monday postponed a parliamentary vote on her Brexit deal to avoid a crushing defeat, saying she would head to Europe for further talks -- but the EU warned it would not reopen the agreement. In an emergency statement to the House of Commons, May conceded the draft divorce agreement she struck with the European Union last month faced defeat by a "significant margin" of MPs if held Tuesday. She vowed "no doubt this deal is the right one" but would seek "further assurances" over a controversial backstop clause relating to Northern Ireland. May said the date for a new vote depended on fresh talks with EU leaders, set to begin Tuesday in meetings with Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte in The Hague and then German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin. In response, EU President Donald Tusk called a special summit of the other 27 leaders to discuss Brexit on Thursday, at the start of a two-day Brussels meeting that May is due to attend. But he warned: "We will not renegotiate the deal, including the backstop, but we are ready to discuss how to facilitate UK ratification." The delay in signing off the deal, just months before Britain is set to end its four-decade membership of the bloc on March 29, sent the pound plunging to an 18-month low. Sterling sank by more than 1.5 percent to $1.2527, the lowest since April 2017. "This is yet another blow for companies desperate for clarity," said Carolyn Fairbairn, head of big business lobby the Confederation of British Industry. Both May and Tusk also said they would look at stepping up preparations for the potentially catastrophic possibility that Britain leaves the EU without any new legal arrangements in place. "For as long as we fail to agree a deal, the risk of an accidental no deal increases," May told MPs. - Deliver Brexit? - May faced a huge rebellion of her own Conservative MPs over the deal, primarily over the backstop clause designed to keep open Britain's border with Ireland. The embattled leader said she would relay concerns to EU leaders, but also warned it was one of several "inescapable" compromises needed to get an agreement. "If you take a step back it is clear that this House faces a much more fundamental question -- does this House want to deliver Brexit?" May added. Earlier, the European Court of Justice gave hope to a small but growing number of MPs seeking a second referendum on Brexit, ruling that Britain was free to halt withdrawal from the bloc unilaterally. - Cosmetic wording - May spoke at the weekend to Tusk, Merkel and Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar, raising speculation they offered some hope of further concessions. "We'll have to see what kind of assurances May wants. If the Brexit hardliners would be satisfied with some cosmetic wording, I don't know," a European diplomat said. EU leaders have repeatedly warned they have no appetite to reopen a divorce deal forged through lengthy tortuous talks. "It took over a year and a half to negotiate, it has the support of 28 governments, and it's not possible to re-open any aspect of that agreement without re-opening all aspects of it," Varadkar said. He spoke by phone to Tusk Monday, when both reiterated the deal "is the best option and could not be renegotiated", according to his office. "They also agreed that preparations for a 'no deal' outcome should intensify," it said. Some EU officials have however mentioned the possibility of changes to the accompanying political declaration on future trade ties. Charles Grant of the Centre for European Reform (CER) suggested May would only secure "very minor changes to her deal". "The substance of the Irish backstop will be unaltered. So I very much doubt that parliament will vote for the deal, when it has the chance to do so," he said. - 'Govern or quit' - Many lawmakers reacted furiously to the delay, with Tory MP Mark Francois MP branding it "shameful". "The government has gone away and hidden in the toilets," he said. MPs successfully called for a three-hour emergency debate on the situation Tuesday. Opposition lawmakers had shouted "resign" at the prime minister during her statement. "The government has lost control of events and is in complete disarray," said opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn. Labour had threatened to call a confidence motion in May if she lost Tuesday's vote, but pulled this after her Northern Irish allies pledged to support her. But she still risks a challenge from within her own party from eurosceptics. "We cannot continue like this," said leading Conservative rebel Jacob Rees-Mogg, who led a failed attempt to unseat May last month. "The prime minister must either govern or quit." Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Tue, December 11 2018 Lion Air said on Monday passenger numbers dropped by less than 5 percent in November compared to a year earlier, after one of its Boeing Co. 737 MAX jets crashed in late October killing all 189 people on board. There was a decline but it wasnt too significant, the airlines CEO Edward Sirait told television network CNN Indonesia. It was under 5 percent compared to the traffic at the same month last year. He said Lion Air did not clearly understand whether the crash was responsible for the fall in traffic in November, which he said was a low season for travel. to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,000/month Unlimited access to our web and app content e-Post daily digital newspaper No advertisements, no interruptions Privileged access to our events and programs Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Marguerite Afra Sapiie (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Tue, December 11, 2018 16:04 1083 75e76da2d15e495661b6357e2e1a3ddc 1 National Nduga,Papua,Wiranto Free Four workers of state-owned construction company PT Istaka Karya are still missing after an attack nearly two weeks ago led by an armed group with ties to the Free Papua Movement (OPM) in Nduga regency, Papua, a senior minister has said. Authorities have so far recovered the bodies of 17 victims who were killed in the attack, while another four workers were found alive, Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Wiranto told a press conference on Tuesday. A joint police-military task force is still searching for the remaining four missing workers, who, according to survivors accounts, had been able to escape but suffered from stab wounds, he said. "We hope that we will be able to find [the four] alive because they are actually our [infrastructure] development heroes," Wiranto said on Tuesday. The 25 victims, who were kidnapped by rebels from the Istaka Karya camp in Nduga on Dec. 1, had been working on the construction of a 275-kilometer stretch of road connecting Wamena and Mamugu as part of President Joko Jokowi Widodos flagship trans-Papua highway project. In the meantime, security forces have continued their hunt for a National Liberation Army of West Papua (TPNPB) faction led by Egianus Kogoya that had claimed responsibility for the deaths of the construction workers and one Indonesian Military (TNI) soldier. The TPNPB, however, claimed that the workers were not civilians, but members of the Indonesian Army Corps of Engineers (ZIPUR). "The enemy [TPNPB], who attempted to retaliate, have escaped and the authorities are still making an effort to run after them," Wiranto said, "They have spread propaganda to scare people [...] They have committed inhumane crimes and we must fight against them." Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Marguerite Afra Sapiie (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Tue, December 11, 2018 18:18 1083 75e76da2d15e495661b6357e2e1a94b3 1 Politics Jokowi,joko-widodo,human-rights,KontraS,Komnas-HAM Free President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo decided to skip an event commemorating International Human Rights Day on Tuesday amid criticism the incumbent is not doing enough to resolve past human rights abuse cases. Jokowi was initially scheduled to give a speech at the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) headquarters and accept the commissions recommendations, but the President delegated his vice president, Jusuf Kalla, to attend the event on his behalf instead. "The President apologizes that he is unable to attend the event because of his busy schedule," Kalla said in his speech. "I was supposed to attend a Human Rights Day event at the Law and Human Rights Ministry, but the President told me to go to Komnas HAM instead. If Jokowi had attended the event, he would be the first Indonesian president in the country's history to ever visit the office of the state rights body, which handles various cases of rights violations, including investigations into past human rights abuse cases. "It would have been a historic visit because, for the first time since Komnas HAM was established 25 years ago, a president visited our headquarters," Komnas HAM commissioner Beka Ulung Hapsara said after the opening of the event on Tuesday morning. Komnas HAM's recommendation included several suggestions for the country to resolve, among others, issues related to intolerance, agrarian conflicts and cases of gross human rights violations in the past, Beka said. Human rights activists hold a rally in front of the State Palace in Jakarta on Thursday, demanding justice for past human rights abuses. The rally, also known as Kamisan, has been held routinely every Thursday for more than 10 years. (The Jakarta Post/Dhoni Setiawan) In their 2014 presidential election campaign, Jokowi and Kalla promised to protect human rights as well as resolve cases of human rights violations. The promises were translated into their administration's nine-point development plan called Nawacita. The Jokowi-Kalla administration has promised to resolve at least seven cases of gross human rights violations in the past, including the 1965 communist purge and the 1998 riots, however, human rights activists and families of victims have criticized the government's sluggish efforts to settle the cases over the years. With Jokowi seeking re-election next year, facing his old rival Prabowo Subianto, a former military general with a checkered human rights record, the incumbent candidate is facing renewed pressures to keep his promises on human rights. A coalition of civil society groups, comprising the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras), the Jakarta Legal Aid Institute and the Foundation of the Indonesian Legal Aid Institute (YLBHI), as well as victims and families of victims of past human rights abuses, criticized Jokowi's no-show at the event. They described his decision to avoid meeting victims who had waited in front of Komnas HAM's office as "Jokowi and Kalla's political stance of showing no commitment to upholding human rights and resolving past human rights abuse cases and other violations". "[Kalla's] initial plan to leave from the [Komnas HAM offices] back door is very disappointing. Nawacita, which lists Jokowis and Kalla's promises, are just lies at the end," they said. "We require assurance that [Kalla's] attendance at the event was not just a gimmick ahead of the 2019 presidential election, but an occasion to discuss strategic and concrete ways to solve [human rights abuse cases]. Awalnya kami berbaris tertib. Kemudian kami di blokade oleh tiga lapis Polisi dan Tentara (tentara, padahal ini bukan lagi perang dan juga bukan di perbatasan negara). @jokowi @Pak_JK rezim pembohong, pecundang, represif. pic.twitter.com/BXJjIBZpWW KONTRAS (@KontraS) December 11, 2018 The activists also criticized what they perceived as Jokowis heavy-handed approach in dealing with criticism. With its Twitter account @KontraS, the human rights group took a direct jab at the Jokowi-Kalla administration by posting pictures and videos showing police and military personnel forming a blockade in front of activists and victims of human rights abuses, who stood in line while carrying signs of protest in front of the Komnas HAM headquarters. Many of them brought black umbrellas, the signature prop used by those who participate in the weekly Kamisan, a silent protest that has been held routinely every Thursday for more than 10 years to demand justice for victims of human rights abuse cases. "We initially lined up in order. Then we were blocked by three layers of police and military personnel (military, though we were not at war and not at the country's border) the @jokowi @Pak_JK regime is a liar, loser [and] repressive," Kontras tweeted. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Margioni Bermudez and Alexander Martinez (Agence France-Presse) Caracas, Venezuela Tue, December 11, 2018 08:28 1084 75e76da2d15e495661b6357e2e1847b6 2 World #Venezuela,#Russia,bombers,arrival,military-excercise Free Two Russian long-range strategic bombers landed in Venezuela Monday for what the government said were air force exercises aimed at strengthening the defense of the leftist-ruled South American country. General Vladimir Padrino, the Venezuelan defense minister, welcomed about 100 Russian pilots and other personnel after the two TU-160s and two other aircraft landed at the international airport that serves Caracas. Padrino said the deployment showed "we also are preparing to defend Venezuela to the last inch when necessary." "This we are going to do with our friends, because we have friends in the world who defend respectful balanced, relations," he said. The commander of the Russian Airforce's long-range aircraft, General Sergei Ivanovich Kobulash, said the exercises would provide "a profound exchange of experience between pilots and technical staff" from both countries. - Kremlin visit - The development follows hot on the heels of a visit to Moscow last week by President Nicolas Maduro during which he had talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, who expressed support for his beleaguered socialist government. Maduro often accuses the United States of plotting against his government, which has overseen the plunge of a once-rich petro state into a severe economic crisis. Besides the two bombers, the deployment included an An-124 transport plane and an Il-62 passenger plane, according to a Russian military announcement in Moscow. Padrino noted that Russian aircraft had visited before in 2013, but said their current deployment was part of a "new experience." He said exercises would be held to "raise the level of interoperability of the aerospace defense systems" of both countries. It was unclear how long the Russian deployment would last, and Padrino did not provide details about the exercises planned. In recent years, Venezuela has purchased millions of dollars in military equipment from Russia, he said. Venezuela acquired 24 Sukhoi-30 Russian fighters and signed a deal to purchase 53 MI-24 helicopter gunships and 100,000 Kalashnikov rifles in 2016. - 'Psychological warfare' - Former defense minister Raul Salazar said the exercises with Russia "are part of what is called psychological warfare." "The purpose is to increase the perception that Venezuela is supported by Russia, China and Belarus, that it has the support of a power, in case another power tries to invade," Salazar told AFP. Maduro on Sunday said Washington had set in motion a plan to overthrow him, with the support of neighboring Colombia. "Underway today is an attempt to disrupt the democratic life of Venezuela, coordinated directly from the White House," said Maduro, who claims he was the target of an August 4 drone attack hatched by Venezuela's opposition with the support of the US and Colombian governments. Caracas' defence minister said "nobody in the world should fear the presence of these strategic fighter bombers. We are builders of peace and not of war." Padrino added however that other countries in the region had created "political and military imbalances" against which the Venezuelan government could not stand idly by -- an apparent reference to Bogota, which Caracas has accused of harboring US military bases. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Tue, December 11, 2018 15:08 1083 75e76da2d15e495661b6357e2e1a044f 1 National Susi-Pudjiastuti,Twitter,sinking-boat Free Between her day job as a government official, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Minister Susi Pudjiastuti is well known as a cheeky Twitter user. She has become a favorite on the social media platform for her witty ways of informing people and raising awareness about fisheries, as well as her friendly responses. But sometimes the Twitteratis go too far. Bu Susi, is it true that the most noble profession is a fisherman? Because they help sinking fish. Is it really true that clown fish are often rented for birthday parties? Do they have a WhatsApp number?" Ibu, may I ask, if we can upgrade suckermouth catfish, can we call them vacuum cleaners?" After responding to too many jokes about fish, she finally had enough. Today's announcement from the Minister: To anyone who asked silly and weird questions about fish, I will sink you!!!!!!! she tweeted on Monday. Pengumuman hari ini dr Menteri KKP: yang bertanya macam & aneh & tidak masuk akal tentang Ikan, Saya tenggelamkan !!!!!!! Susi Pudjiastuti (@susipudjiastuti) December 10, 2018 This tweet got more than 3,000 retweets and 7,800 likes since it was posted. Tenggelamkan or sink it became a catchphrase after the administration of President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo began sinking any boats caught fishing illegally in the countrys waters. Susi has made waves since the beginning of her assignment as a no-nonsense leader by fearlessly enforcing tough measures in order to protect Indonesias waters. So far, Susi has ordered to sink 363 boats. In 2017, she ordered the sinking of around 87 boats. She said the boat sinking was part of the implementation of Law No. 45/2009 on fisheries. She added that the ministry only sank ships that had been found guilty of operating illegally by the courts. We only execute a court decision, she said as reported by kompas.com. (ggq) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Japan News/ANN) Tokyo, Japan Tue, December 11, 2018 09:54 1084 75e76da2d15e495661b6357e2e1885b9 2 World #Japan,#science,Kyoto-University,gene-editing,babies Free Kyoto Universitys Center for iPS Cell Research and Application (CiRA) has called for the prohibition of the use of genome-editing technology for human births at this time. The comment, announced on the center's website, was compiled by its ethics division, following reports of a Chinese researcher using genome-editing technology to genetically altered human embryos, which resulted in the birth of twin girls. The comments, dated Dec. 7, pointed out that genome-editing technology is still in the development stage, and the possibility remains that the twins could suffer unexpected health problems. It also expressed concern, saying that the recent action makes light of research ethics procedures and could undermine the trust by society in scientific research. The CiRA is headed by Nobel laureate Shinya Yamanaka. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Mary Schlangenstein (Bloomberg) Wed, December 12, 2018 01:05 1083 75e76da2d15e495661b6357e2e1b1077 2 News Delta-Air-Lines,flight,Airlines,travel Free Delta Air Lines Inc. is barring emotional-support and service animals that are less than four months old, while banning all support animals from flights longer than eight hours. The changes will take effect for tickets issued on or after Dec. 18, the carrier said Monday. Passengers who bought tickets before then and who already requested to travel with an emotional support animal will be allowed a grace period to fly as originally planned until a full ban starts Feb. 1. The changes dont affect pets that customers pay to take into the cabin in enclosed carriers. Delta is tightening rules for emotional-support animals after recording an 84 percent increase in incidents during the two year period ending in 2017. One attack involved a 70-pound dog, the carrier said. The airline also had incidents in which animals bit, urinated and defecated on planes. These updates support Deltas commitment to safety and also protect the rights of customers with documented needs, such as veterans with disabilities, to travel with trained service and support animals, said John Laughter, the companys senior vice president for corporate safety, security and compliance. Read also: Pebbles, the 'emotional support' hamster flushed down the toilet Industry shift U.S. airlines began changing the rules earlier this year, especially for emotional-support animals, after passengers brought not only dogs and cats but turkeys, goats, snakes and pigs onto planes. The carriers banned some animals outright and required additional documentation for others. The new age requirement aligns with the vaccination policy of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, Delta said. The eight-hour flight limit is consistent with the principles outlined in the U.S. Department of Transportations Air Carrier Access Act, the company said. Delta flies about 700 service animals per day, a 150 percent increase since 2015, the carrier said in January. NEW YORK, Dec. 10, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Levi & Korsinsky announces it has commenced an investigation of AmerisourceBergen Corporation (NYSE: ABC) concerning possible violations of federal securities laws. To obtain additional information, go to: https://www.zlk.com/pslra-1/amerisourcebergen-corporation-loss-form or contact Joseph E. Levi, Esq. either via email at jlevi@levikorsinsky.com or by telephone at (212) 363-7500, toll-free: (877) 363-5972. Levi & Korsinsky is a national firm with offices in New York, California, Connecticut and Washington D.C. The firms attorneys have extensive expertise in prosecuting securities litigation involving financial fraud, representing investors throughout the nation in securities and shareholder lawsuits. Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes. Mary Queen of Scots Image Credit: GabboT favourite View this post on Instagram A post shared by Shutterstock Editorial (@shutterstocknow) on Dec 10, 2018 at 11:30am PST Channelling View this post on Instagram A post shared by Gucci (@gucci) on Dec 6, 2018 at 6:10am PST Scots View this post on Instagram A post shared by CALVIN KLEIN (@calvinklein) on Mar 4, 2018 at 5:35pm PST View this post on Instagram A post shared by Saoirse Ronan (@saoirse_ronans) on Sep 13, 2018 at 9:19am PDT View this post on Instagram A post shared by Saoirse Ronan (@saoirse_ronans) on Mar 23, 2018 at 4:08am PDT colour View this post on Instagram A post shared by Saoirse Ronan (@saoirsexronan) on Jan 22, 2018 at 4:34pm PST colour View this post on Instagram A post shared by Elizabeth Saltzman (@elizabethsaltzman) on Mar 3, 2018 at 1:06pm PST View this post on Instagram A post shared by CUSHNIE (@cushnie) on Feb 6, 2018 at 10:18am PST View this post on Instagram A post shared by Saoirse Ronan (@saoirsenews) on Apr 23, 2018 at 1:03pm PDT View this post on Instagram A post shared by Saoirse Ronan (@saoirsenews) on Jan 3, 2018 at 12:22pm PST Eton College, Berkshire - independent, yearly fees of 40,668 King's College School, London - independent, yearly fees of 21,600 Magdalen College School, Oxford - independent, yearly fees of 18,477 St Paul's School, London - independent, yearly fees of 25,032, boarding of 37,611 per year St Paul's Girl's School, London - independent, yearly fees of 24,891 or 26,760 (Year 12 entry) Westminster School, London - independent, yearly fees of 27,174 or 29,709 (sixth form entry), boarding of 39,252 per year Hills Road Sixth Form College, Cambridge - state sixth form college Peter Symonds College, Hampshire - state sixth form college I see we continue to flog the dead horse that is Oxbridge Admissions Lola Olufemi (@lolaolufemi_) December 8, 2018 oxbridge is bad and should rightly be destroyed but I wish that people would spend anywhere near as long talking about the fact that a significant number of universities in the uk might not even survive marketisation amelia (@joan0fsnark) December 8, 2018 Using admissions data from 2015 to 2017, the study found that places were disproportionately awarded to students of just eight schools, most of them private. 1,310 places went to students from those schools, while 2,900 other schools, accounting for three-quarters of all secondary schools, made up just 1,220 of the remainder.While the charity was using anonymised data, it believes most of the places went to students from private schools, with several large sixth-form colleges in the mix. Published data indicates the following schools are likely to be in the top eight:The study blames the disparity on a lack of advice and guidance for applicants, and recommended better information be provided on entry requirements as well as for Oxbridge admissions to take candidates' backgrounds into account. However, inon the Cambridge University Student Union website, the SU's Access and Funding Officer Shadab Ahmed cautioned against drawing the wrong conclusions from this study. They wrote: "Whilst of course headlines are always written to be provocative, to pit two extremes of a radically unequal and unfair educational system against each other is completely unjust and fuels the divide that applicants often perceive, further dissuading them from applying. To compare the schooling of the super-elite top independent schools with comprehensives on the brink of closure is nonsensical." "Instead of focusing on the state vs independent dichotomy, external parties should be focusing on other metrics of disadvantage and under-representation: FSM, IMD, POLARand ethnicity for example. If addressed properly, we would indirectly increase the number of state-educated students, in a meaningful way. A more holistic view of the issue is needed." Some activists for the National Union of Students criticised the survey as well, with the former Cambridge SU Women's Officer and current NUS Women's Campaign NEC 2nd Place Lola Olufemi referring to it as "flog[ging] a dead horse" and NUS PGR Rep Amelia Horgan calling for attention to be focused elsewhere.The administrations at Oxford and Cambridge nonetheless acknowledged the scale of the problem. Martin Williams, Oxford University's pro-vice-chancellor for education, said: "We are very much aware that Oxford must work harder to attract a more representative selection of students from across the UK." A spokesman for the University of Cambridge welcomed the idea that "more support should be made available to students before they choose their A-level subjects and agree there should be more provision of careers advice", but rejected "lowering grade requirements" as it would "place unfair pressure on students and that is something the university cannot support". Notes:: Free School Meals: Indices of Multiple Deprivation, a measure of how deprived an area is relative to others: Participation of Local Areas, a measure of how likely young people are to participate in higher education Unfortunately, The Content Is Not Here You have arrived at this page because the page or post you were looking for no longer exists. Please check our main navigation pages for other content: Home Page At just two years old, its doubtful Ella Mae Kate will ever remember the events of Nov. 6. However, her parents will never forget the life-saving action taken that evening by Michigan State Trooper Jesse Graffagnino, and neither will the city of Riverview. The city recently honored Graffagnino with a Life Saving Award during a City Council meeting, which also provided an opportunity for the family to reunite with the trooper under considerably less stressful circumstances. Graffagnino, a 2013 graduate of Riverview Community High School who still resides in the city, was just about to cast his vote at his polling location, Forest Elementary School, when he heard screaming. It was Angel Wells-Young, who became frantic after her little girl stopped breathing. She was choking on a piece of candy her mother gave her shortly after entering the building. Trained in CPR, Graffagnino rushed over to Ella and immediately began choking protocol, dislodging the candy from her throat. Had he not been there, it would have been a lot worse, the girls mother said after the incident. You can only survive so long without oxygen. City officials expressed their gratitude to the trooper for saving the day. The award commends Graffagnino for his life-saving actions and for exemplifying the highest standards of his profession. Woolsey Fire destroys most of the homes in Latigo Canyon in Malibu. Two are saved by deployment of installed FS-PG Sprinkler System Houston, Texas, Dec. 10, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via NEWMEDIAWIRE FLAME SEAL PRODUCTS, INC. (OTC PINK:FLMP) a leading provider of Specialty Chemicals for the Passive Fire Protection Market today issues the following new report: Flame Seal Products, Inc. (FSP) wildfire products FS-PG (Perimeter Guard) provided real-world proof of effectiveness in the devastating California Woolsey Wildfire. The dramatically increasing incidence and severity of California wildfires demands effective protection for life and property caught in the path of these rapidly expanding infernos such as the Woolsey fire. For almost two weeks, this blaze spread to 97,000 acres, consumed 1,643 structures, killing three and destroying hundreds of high-end homes in Malibu. Fortunately, a farsighted homeowner in Latigo Canyon, who had installed a FS-PG sprinkler system, deployed the system which covered his house and grounds, as well as enough overspray on an adjacent neighbors house to save it. FS-PG protected the homes, a car parked outside, and even the portion of his landscaping covered by the retardant while all surrounding structures beyond the Perimeter Guard sprayed area were destroyed. This reported information comes from onsite inspection by Flame Seals Dylan Nowak and Ron Hodgson, our California Wildfire expert consultant. This was the second major wildfire where Flame Seals technology was employed and prevented the wildfire from destroying a home. The first was the widely reported save in Big Sur last year. https://www.ksbw.com/article/big-sur-woman-reveals-how-she-saved-home-from-soberanes-fire/10332920 All this provides additional proof, that FS-PG works under extreme conditions to save property and possessions. The technology can be applied to prevent the devastating effects to structures in wildfire prone areas. Without wildfire protection, such as Perimeter Guard, these areas may become extremely dangerous and uninsurable. Millions of Californians are in harms way in what is known as the wildland/urban interface (WUI). Flame Seals FX-WF and FS-PG installations and products should be a major part of the solution to prevent the loss of life and whole neighborhoods such as Malibu, Paradise, Redding and Santa Rosa in 2017. The FS-PG fire retardant can be applied in several ways. If investing in a storage and sprinkler distribution system is prohibitive, the product may be applied around the perimeter of your home with a simple backpack sprayer available at local hardware stores. Please visit our website for more information - www.flameseal.com. Wild Fire Protection Services (WFPS) is the national distributor for Flame Seal in North America. WFPS plans to expand marketing efforts for FX-WF and FS-PG storage and delivery systems in wildfire prone areas. About FS-PG FS-PG Perimeter Guard is a proprietary powder designed for dilution in water and applied as a passive fire retardant to the natural areas surrounding the perimeter of homes and other landscaped areas. Unlike other common fire retardants, FS-PG is a stable, non-separating solution, always ready for deployment. The product is applied to dry grasses, brush, wood and other cellulose type material, with minimal effect on the environment. The product has been developed to protect the ignition zone outside of the perimeters of structures or landscaped areas during wildfires. The product is a passive fire retardant and can be applied at the beginning of the fire season and will remain in place and effective unless rained upon or otherwise exposed to water. When areas treated with FS-PG are exposed to fire or extreme heat, the vegetation or wood forms a carbon-char, which interferes with combustion and prevents fire propagation. About FX-WF FX-WF is a single component, non-permanent, ready to use, fire protective coating. It is designed for application to structures in the immediate path of a wildfire. It can be applied up to several days, depending upon conditions, before the arrival of a fire. On exposure to fire, FX-WF produces thick intumescent foam, which acts as a heat and fire barrier, protecting the underlying structure. The coating swells up nearly 100 times in thickness when the heat of a fire approaches, therefore protecting and insulating the structure from the fire. By using FX-WF, the chances the structure will survive greatly increases. Where to buy The product can be purchased at the Flame Seal on-line store, www.flamesealshop.com. Contact Dylan Nowak at Dylan@flameseal.com for more information. Facebook, also, has pertinent information about Flame Seal products, including video and photos at https://m.facebook.com/Flamesealproducts/ . As we gather more information about the Latigo Canyon house in Malibu, well be posting on Facebook. About Flame Seal Flame Seal Products, Inc., manufacturer of the world's number one fire prevention technology, was founded in 1992 as a research and development company focused on the investigation and application of passive Fire Prevention Technologies. FLAME SEAL PRODUCTS, INC. (FLMP) began trading its common stock on March 27, 2000. Flame Seal Products, Inc. is also the Transfer Agent of record. The company offers a wide variety of Code Driven solutions for a number of diverse applications and industries, and has developed three passive fire prevention technologies which are the basis for the company's products. For more company and product information, go to: http://flameseal.com. For publicly disclosed information, go to www.otcmarkets.com - symbol FLMP. All press releases regarding FLMP results and corporate updates can be found in the News section and all financials are in the "Filing and Disclosure" section. Southern Pines, NC (28387) Today A few passing clouds. Low 34F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight A few passing clouds. Low 34F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph. LOS ANGELES , Dec. 10, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Glancy Prongay & Murray LLP (GPM) announces an investigation on behalf of Belden Inc. (Belden or the Company) (NYSE: BDC ) investors concerning the Company and its officers possible violations of federal securities laws. If you are a shareholder who suffered a loss, click here to participate. On December 3, 2018, the Company revealed that the Securities Exchange Commission (SEC) is conducting an investigation concerning the material weakness reported in its form 10-k filing for the year ended December 31, 2017. On this news, shares of Belden fell $5.43 or nearly 10% to close at $50.45 on December 4, 2018, thereby injuring investors. Follow us for updates on Twitter: twitter.com/GPM_LLP . If you purchased Belden securities, have information or would like to learn more about these claims, or have any questions concerning this announcement or your rights or interests with respect to these matters, please contact Lesley Portnoy, Esquire, of GPM, 1925 Century Park East, Suite 2100, Los Angeles California 90067 at 310-201-9150, Toll-Free at 888-773-9224, by email to shareholders@glancylaw.com , or visit our website at www.glancylaw.com . If you inquire by email please include your mailing address, telephone number and number of shares purchased. This press release may be considered Attorney Advertising in some jurisdictions under the applicable law and ethical rules. remaining of Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading. TORONTO, Dec. 10, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Former Deputy Prime Minister and Quebec Premier Jean Charest kicked off the first Vision 2025 engagement day in Toronto today, meeting with industry leaders, government officials and educators to begin charting a course for the future of aerospace in Canada. Global competition has never been fiercer, and were at a turning point where Canada must step up to compete, or risk being left behind, said Mr. Charest. Ontario has 21,000 aerospace jobs, and almost as many indirect jobs as well. We need to make sure that were looking forward, and safeguarding good jobs here, and across Canada. Mr. Charest held a roundtable with aerospace educators from Ontarios 16 colleges and universities that are host to 40 Aerospace Engineering and Applied Aerospace programs, and met with industry leaders and government throughout the day, including Ontario MPPs and the Hon. Todd Smith, Ontarios Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade. It was incredibly valuable to hear the insights, expertise and opinions on how we can come together and ensure a strong, vital aerospace sector that will propel Canadas economy now and in the future. Mr. Charest will be continuing his leadership of Vision 2025 engagement across Canada. Upcoming dates include: Montreal December 13 Vancouver January 10 Halifax January 17 Winnipeg January 28 While Canadas aerospace sector ranks fifth globally and contributed nearly $25 billion to the national economy and almost 190,000 jobs in 2017 alone, a comprehensive strategy to guide the countrys investment in the sector has not been proposed for decades. Vision 2025 will culminate in a report and recommendations that reflect input gathered from the Charest-led discussions in cities with strong aerospace presence, and will provide recommendations to spur growth in the aerospace sector. Were grateful to have an industry champion like Jean Charest lead us with Vision 2025, said Jim Quick, President and CEO of AIAC. We know that Canadian aerospace is at a critical juncture, and we need a long-term strategy and investment to keep Canada at the forefront of the global aerospace sector. More details on Vision 2025 are available at www.aiac.ca/vision2025 (English) or www.aiac.ca/fr/vision2025 (French). Media contact: Alissa Von Bargen T: 416-920-0716 ext. 210 C: 416-419-2810 avonbargen@counselpa.com MBABANE In anticipation of an acute decline in rainfall in the upcoming months, the minister of Agriculture has called on farmers in the country to grow drought-resistant crops. Drought-resistant crops are plants that can tolerate high temperatures, require less water and take a short period of time to grow. These include sunflower, cotton, beans, millet, sorghum, okra, and legumes. Minister Jabulani Mabuza said according to climate prediction, the country is anticipated to have inadequate rainfall. The minister said the country had received depressed rainfalls despite that it was already the rainy season. Improve Mabuza urged farmers to focus on early maturity drought-resistant crop varieties and small grains to improve their yields as the country prepared for erratic rainfall in the 2018/ 2019 summer cropping season. The erratic temperatures and rainfall signify climate change and therefore, farmers in the country need to cultivate crops that require less water during this period. Varieties He said in the absence of adequate rainfall, farmers should invest on early maturity drought-resistant crop varieties and small grains after the predictions of poor rains in the summer cropping season. This will increase the farmers chances of yielding in an inconsistent rainfall season. The minister encouraged farmers to adapt and to alleviate effects of climate change. Suppliers This season, he said, farmers had to work closely with their extension officers and input suppliers. This, he said, was to enable the farmers to buy appropriate seeds that could withstand the drought spell. Mabuza said according to weather forecasts, it was anticipated that the period of January and February would have the lowest rainfall collection. He further said farmers rearing cattle should start collecting bales so that their cattle could have feed during the dry period. Weather forecasters have said the rainfall season points to an El Nino effect. El Nino is the warming of ocean currents off the South American coast around December and causes below normal rainfall patterns and above normal temperatures in specific areas around the world. MBABANE Small and medium entrepreneurs need a tax holiday from government as the 27 per cent remitted to the Eswatini Revenue Authority (SRA) is too steep. Chief Executive Officer of Eswatini Business Community Duduzile Nhlengetfwa was responding to the interaction of politicians and SRA last week. During the workshop, the Minister of Information, Communication and Technology (ICT) said SRA was taxing the citizenry to the bone and by so doing driving away foreign direct investment while also destroying any prospects of local entrepreneurs succeeding in entrepreneurship. Stifled To this, Nhlengetfwa said entrepreneurs were being stifled by the corporate tax and pay-as-you-earn (PAYE) remitted to SRA on the first year of engaging in business. Nhlengetfwa said despite that most local entrepreneurs were SMEs and were breaking even in the first two years; they had to remit tax to government. This, she said, killed the business sector as there were no grants that were received by SMEs to cushion them while engaging in business. This is as good as taxing the capital used to establish the business entity, she said. Nhlengetfwa implored government to consider staggering the tax collected from entrepreneurs, more specially those in the infancy of their establishments. Empowering She said given the fiscal challenges that had engulfed the country, it would be prudent for government to consider empowering the business community through a tax-break of three to four years upon inception of a business entity. Despite the tax-holiday, the corporate tax should be less than the 27 per cent paid by entities that have been in the corporate world for decades. It should grow with time, she said. This, the entrepreneur and leader said, would empower SMEs to explore export-oriented opportunities for the growth of their business interests. Nhlengetfwa said the tax relief should be implemented in order to make the environment conducive for local entrepreneurs. MPOLONJENI The festive season has kicked off on a rather sad note for a family of Mpolonjeni after one of their own was kidnapped and later murdered. The victim has been identified as Sifiso Ndaba, a Manager at the Sincephetelo Motor Vehicle Accident Fund (SMVAF). It is believed that Ndaba was kidnapped while at his home at Mpolonjeni in the outskirts of Mbabane, later murdered and his body dumped at Sigombeni Mountains. Ndaba, who was an Internal Auditor at SMVAF was kidnapped from his home at around 3pm on Saturday while he was from attending a Mens Weekend Retreat at Evangelical Church in Matsapha. Ndaba is said to have met with his unexpected visitors inside his house, who had awaited him following a break-in through a back window. A family member who confirmed the death said the kidnappers broke into the house and made themselves comfortable in one of the rooms. Pounced She said when Ndaba alighted from his vehicle and was still shocked to see the doors wide open, the kidnappers pounced on him just as he was about to enter. Information she obtained from certain neighbours is to the effect that the kidnappers took out chilli sauce inside his refrigerator and smeared it in his eyes before wrapping masking tape all around his face. She said the kidnappers, who were driving in a vehicle which they had left by the roadside and walked towards the homestead which is at the centre of other homes, then led Ndaba back into his vehicle and drove off with him. When they took him, they put him inside his vehicle, an Audi, which we suspect was driven by one of the kidnappers, as Ndaba was helpless, the relative narrated. The other vehicle which the kidnappers were initially driving in followed Ndabas car. According to the relative, Ndabas car was found burnt and abandoned along Ludzeludze Road. However, sources close to the matter said there was no trace of his corpse in the burnt vehicle, which resulted in police officers continuing with the search. His body was found abandoned at Sigombeni Mountains. There are allegations that it was slightly burnt, though this information could not be confirmed. The family member could only confirm that Ndaba could have died from possible strangulation and suffocation as his throat was found with marks. When quizzed on what they suspected was the motive behind the kidnapping and eventual brutal murder of their relative, the family said it was clear that the people wanted Ndaba dead and just took the items inside the house as a by the way act. She said the kidnappers stole a television set, laptop, jewellery and cosmetics belonging to Ndabas wife. PIGGS PEAK It is not only superstars who continue to earn an income after death but even elderly folk from Eswatini. Several people have been exposed as still benefitting from social grants despite that they died. This publication can reveal that at least six names of deceased people were removed from the list of beneficiaries for elderly grants yesterday. Wandile Mamba, the Bucopho of Ludzibini under Timphisini, confirmed that at least six names were submitted to the officials under the Deputy Prime Ministers (DPM) office, yet these people had long passed away. Mamba said he could not tell whether other people had been collecting the social grants on behalf of their deceased relatives or not. He, however, mentioned that he was able to pick out names of some deceased beneficiaries from the list. I am aware that these people are deceased yet their names are still on the roll and certain people want to come get their money, said Mamba. He said this was also similar in some of the other chiefdoms under Timphisini Inkhundla. Assisting Yesterday was the first time Mamba had been assisting in the disbursement of social grants, as he was elected during the recent elections. The Principal Secretary (PS) in the DPMs office, Khangeziwe Mabuza, said it was wrong for anyone to collect the grants on behalf of another person. She said this was tantamount to fraud. Mabuza said it was not possible for her department to know when someone was deceased but said the only way was to rely on the honesty of relatives. She said the funds were distributed in conjunction with the local inkhundla, adding that they also assisted in identifying the people who were supposed to collect social grants. Ensuring that the right names were on the rolls was the responsibility of bucopho, according to Mabuza. She also warned that anyone found to have been collecting the funds on behalf of a person who was already deceased, could be charged with fraud and then prosecuted. In addition to being arrested and prosecuted, the person would also be liable to pay back the money from the time the person was deceased. MBABANE The High Court has issued yet another order for the seizure of a businessmans assets which are believed to have been obtained through criminal activities. The order was issued by Judge John Magagula following an application that was filed ex parte by the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP). The application was filed on the strength of the Prevention of Organised Crime Act (POCA) of 2018. The assets belong to Samuel Ndumiso Dlamini of Nhlambeni, who holds himself as a businessman. Dlamini is facing charges of tax evasion, bribery, corruption and contravening the Customs Act and investigations against him are ongoing. The assets which the Crown obtained the preservation order in respect of are a residential home situated at Nhlambeni, a plot measuring 737 square metres at Nkhanini Township, a BMW 330 silver grey sedan registered MSD 360 AS, white Mercedes Benz C200 registered SSD 140 CM and a white BMW 1 Series with registration numbers SSD 693 CM. phones His other property include household items found at the Nhlambeni homestead, cellular phones and an amount of E3 500 in the same homestead and E15 000 that was allegedly found at Buka, in Ezulwini. The DPP approached the court seeking orders permitting the State to preserve assets belonging to Dlamini who has allegedly acquired such property despite having no history of employment or business ventures. According to the Head of the Asset Forfeiture Unit, Principal Crown Counsel Elsie Matsebula, the application in court was aimed at preventing Dlamini from concealing the items sought to be seized or forfeited. Apart from being suspected to own properties in various areas, Dlaminis bank account has allegedly been found to be active with substantial sums of money being deposited or withdrawn. The orders prayed for by the Crown include prohibiting any person who has knowledge of the forfeiture order from dealing in any manner with the properties of the businessmen concerned. In such matters, the court issues the preservation order if it is satisfied that the information provided shows that there are reasonable grounds to believe that the properties are proceeds of criminal activities. The investigating officer in this matter stated that evidence showed that Dlamini allegedly had no known business trade or interest in the country. Tax He also submitted that a team of investigators established at the Eswatini Revenue Authority that Dlamini had allegedly never paid tax and had no tax record in the authoritys data base. MBABANE An evangelist has been taken to court for allegedly coercing congregants to turn against their pastor. Elmon Mfikile Fakudze has been taken to court by the New Gilgal Church in Zion, after he allegedly started planting anarchy in the church and further stealing members to join his new church. So serious is the situation that the church reported the matter at the Siphofaneni Police Station. The court has since issued an order directing Fakudze to forthwith stop evangelising and/or presenting himself as a pastor in the church. The court ordered that in the event he wished to come and attend church services, he would be allowed to do so as an ordinary member. Luke Mamba, who is the founder of New Gilgal Church in Zion, informed the court that in his quest to leave the church, Fakudze recruited a fraction of members to leave with him to the new church that he had professed to have formed. He alleged that by so doing, Fakudze had created division and caused a serious rift between the elders and some members of the church. According to Mamba, the members of the church who had left with Fakudze were being considered as traitors to the gospel Should this matter not be heard as one of urgency, there is a reasonable apprehension that there will be bloodshed as Fakudze is branded a traitor, a man who has no best interest of the church and a man who is hell-bent on exacerbating anarchy and division among the church members, contended Mamba. He highlighted that a chunk of the members of the church had joined Fakudzes church. Giving a background of the matter, Mamba stated that on or about 2006, through its directors at the time, the applicant (New Gilgal Church in Zion) acquired a piece of land at Macetjeni, through the Eswatini traditional system of kukhonta. He said the sole purpose of acquiring the land was to set up its headquarters (Sinothi) and further expand the vision of the gospel. The success of the church, according to Mamba, was the expansion and being supervisory to its seven branches namely; Gigal, Antioch, Dikapol, Ethembeni Church, Ekuphileni, Ekukhanyeni and Ecinisweni. commissioned He narrated that Fakudze had never been a pastor but was duly commissioned by the Antioch branch as an evangelist. Mamba pointed out that the church originally had it headquarters in New Castle in the Republic of South Africa. There were internal disputes that threatened the existence and oneness which resulted in a split. It was in January 2017 that a resolution was taken that removed church affiliation to the New Castle Headquarters, alleged Mamba. He told the court that this led to the chairman of the church, AT Ngubeni, taking members from the main church to form his own church. On the issue of Fakudze, Mamba alleged that the former was supposed to evangelise to branches and subs, but he allegedly failed and/or decided not to do that. Fakudze is alleged to have preferably used Antioch as his place of evangelism and not attend to other branches. Mamba averred that this turn of events was an inconvenience to the local pastor, as not only was Fakudze usurping his power but was being alienated from his flock. He alleged that the inconvenience felt by the pastor was also felt by the other congregants. A rift was created after the congregation either felt that the local pastor was not worthy of the office or that he was bulldozed and questioned at every turn, he argued. Mamba and the church were represented by Osborne Nzima of Nzima and Associates in Manzini. By Trend The Iran-Azerbaijan border is the border of friendship, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said Dec. 11. The president made the remarks after receiving a delegation led by the Islamic Republic of Iran Border Guard Commander Qasem Rezaee. The head of state hailed the successful development of bilateral relations between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Islamic Republic of Iran in a variety of areas, including border security cooperation. President Aliyev emphasized the departure and arrival of the two countries citizens and businessmen as well as cargo transportation between the two countries, and described the Iran-Azerbaijan border as the border of friendship. Hailing the importance of the meetings of heads of the two countries border services, the president noted that cooperation between the Border Guard services is of great significance in developing Iran-Azerbaijan bilateral relations. President Ilham Aliyev expressed hope that Qasem Rezaees visit to Azerbaijan will contribute to the expansion of bilateral cooperation between the two countries. Qasem Rezaee shared his pleasant impressions about Azerbaijan, and wished President Ilham Aliyev success in his tireless activities. Rezaee said he is pleased to meet with the Azerbaijani president again and hear the head of states recommendations and meaningful views relating to the development of relations between the two countries. The sides also exchanged views on prospects for bilateral cooperation between Azerbaijan and Iran. VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Dec. 11, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- International Cobalt Corp . (CSE: CO, the Company or International Cobalt) is pleased to announce the completion of a 2126-metre diamond drilling program to test for cobalt and copper mineralization on the Companys Ramsay Project in New Brunswick, Canada. The first 6 holes RC18-10 to RC18-15 all intercepted mineralized intervals visually consistent with core descriptions reported in 2004 from the Malachite zone. These intervals represent potential extensions of the Malachite zone over a strike length of 200 m and to a down-hole depth of 350 m. Assays are pending on 665 samples representing 770 m of core submitted for analysis as logging and sampling continue on the later holes. RC18-10 to RC18-13 were designed to trace and extend the Malachite zone 200m along strike and to test a deeper IP target as reported in a news release dated November 27, 2018. Hole RC18-14 was collared at the same site as historic hole M04-04 to test the Malachite zone and to test for a potential downward extension. Hole RC18-15 stepped out 100 m along strike from hole RC18-12 to test the potential extension of a deeper zone of mineralization reported in hole RC18-12. Hole RC18-12 intersected sulphide mineralization ranging up to 3% pyrite from 271 m to 317 m where the mineralized carbonate vein shown in Photo 1 occurs. A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/43b62f4f-baa2-4629-9a6b-33a5b7bda7a8 The reader is cautioned that the above photo is not necessarily representative of the mineralization hosted on the property. The 2126 m drilling program was designed to test for potential extensions of the Malachite cobalt zone drilled by previous workers in 2004. The Malachite zone was then described as silicified and potassic altered rhyolite (carbonate-altered sediments) cut by 2-5% brassy to dark grey pyrite veins, 1 mm to 3 cm. In the discovery hole, M04-04, the Malachite zone was reported at a grade of 0.35% cobalt over a 4.8 m core interval. This occurred within a 24.8 m core interval grading 0.180% cobalt and 0.182% copper from 24 to 48.8 m. These previous workers later reported a 0.8 m core interval grading 0.956% cobalt within a 4.8m core interval grading 0.352% cobalt in hole M04-05. (See news release dated March 13, 2018). The seventh and final hole, RC18-16 was designed to test a chargeability high and mag anomaly approximately 1,000 m north of the Malachite zone. This hole intersected grey to black slates. NI 43-101 DISCLOSURE All drill core was delivered from the Ramsay Cobalt project to a secure facility for logging. After logging, selected samples were split or sawn and placed in sample bags clearly identified with numbered tags. Standard and blank samples were inserted at regular intervals in the sample sequence. The samples were shipped to AGAT Labs in Mississauga, Ontario for analysis using Sodium Peroxide Fusion - with ICP-OES/ICP-MS Finish. Specified samples may also be subject to fire assay for gold. Mike Taylor P.Geo, a qualified person a qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101, supervised the preparation of the technical information for the Ramsay Cobalt Project contained in this news release. ABOUT THE RAMSAY PROJECT The 8,000-hectare Ramsay project is situated in the Bathurst mining camp (BMC) located in northern New Brunswick, approximately 25 kilometers west of the Caribou mine operated by Trevali Mining Corp. It straddles highway 180, locally known as the Road to Resources. With paved road access and nearby electric power, the project is close to well-developed infrastructure in a mining-friendly jurisdiction. ABOUT INTERNATIONAL COBALT CORP International Cobalt Corp. (CSE: CO) is a Canadian based mineral exploration and development business focusing on the burgeoning cobalt sector. The company has projects in the world class Idaho Cobalt belt, one of the premier locations to explore for primary cobalt deposits and in Atlantic Canada with a rich history of mine development and operation. International Cobalt is well funded to pursue its objectives and currently holds in excess of $7 million in treasury at the time of this publication. On behalf of: INTERNATIONAL COBALT CORP. Timothy Johnson Timothy Johnson, President Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This release includes certain statements that may be deemed to be "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements in this release, other than statements of historical facts, that address future production, reserve potential, exploration and development activities and events or developments that the Company expects, are forwardlooking statements. Although management believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance, and actual results or developments may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include market prices, exploration and development successes, continued availability of capital and financing, and general economic, market or business conditions. Please see our public filings at www.sedar.com for further information. Suite 810 789 West Pender Street Vancouver, British Columbia V6C 1H2 T: 604-687-2038 F: 604-687-3141 Saudi King Salman has launched the restoration of Unesco world heritage site at Al Turaif in Ad Diriyah region of the kingdom. A historical district, Al Turaif is said to be one of the only living museums and the largest mud-brick city in the world. This comes as part of a development program of the ancient Ad Diriyah city which is aimed at developing a vibrant, modern community for residents as a must-visit destination in the heart of the kingdom. Leading GCC dignitaries and top Saudi officials attended the event which is aimed at helping transform the Ad Diriyah city in Riyadh into a touristic and cultural hub in the heart of the kingdom. The Riyadh Development Authority (RDA), formerly Arriyadh Development Authority, was mandated to oversee the complex restoration and development program up until the launch. The Ad Diriyah Gate Development Authority (DGDA), formed in 2017 with a mandate from HRH Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman to preserve and develop Ad Diriyah, will now begin operating at Turaif and continue the journey to transform Ad Diriyah into a globally renowned gathering place with the support RDA and other authorities. DGDA Secretary General Ahmed Al Khateeb said: "Ad Diriyah has a special place in the heart of all Saudis. We thank our brothers and sisters at the Riyadh Development Authority for all the extensive work that has been conducted in this historic city as we pause to reflect on the rich history of our nation." "We are committed to developing Ad Diriyah Gate, starting with an extensive beautification project of the areas surrounding Ad Diriyah and Al Turaif and creating spaces for families. This work has already begun, with thousands of square meters of green surfaces added to Ad Diriyah, and 14,000 trees and shrubs planted," noted Al Khateeb. Al Turaif, he stated, is regarded as one of the only living museums and the largest mud-brick city in the world. "The site has been carefully preserved and refined to showcase the history of the first Saudi State (1744 1818) and invite visitors from around the world to experience Saudi culture and heritage first-hand. Guests will be welcomed into Turaif to walk in the footsteps of kings and heroes starting in 2019," he added.-TradeArabia News Service Advanced machine tooling equipment will now be available to industry in the region for the first time as complete solutions with the launch of Kingsburys operations in the UAE, the company said. The British production solution provider brings 60 years of expertise and a portfolio of state-of-the-art German machinery suitable for a wide range of industries. The machines being marketed are from Kingsbury's three divisions - LPM (large prismatic machines), MTG (milling turning grinding) and AM (additive manufacturing) - and are being offered for sale in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman and Kuwait. The company has launched operations in the region after identifying a high demand for metal-forming machines, as production manufacturing is placed to assist diversification in the growing regional economies. The precision machinery is used to manufacture products in the aerospace, transport, medical, industrial, and energy sectors. "We are delighted to be up and running in the GCC, said Richard Kingsbury, managing director of Kingsbury. Our strategy will be to transfer to this new market the same business model that has proved very successful for more than 60 years in the UK and Ireland. Until now, these were the only markets covered by the agency agreements between us and the machine tool manufacturers we represent. "Every manufacturer is a leader in their respective fields, which means we are able to provide customers with optimal production platforms in a wide range of industries, from the smallest medical component to the largest power generation part. "We are looking forward to bringing the same technology to the Middle East. To facilitate this, we will be recruiting and training highly professional sales, applications and service engineers to deliver manufacturing solutions that provide the lowest end-to-end cost per part coupled with the highest accuracy, reliability and repeatability," he said. More than half a century of experience in the sector provides Kingsbury Gulf with an unparalleled level of expertise and know-how in providing across the board support, said Kingsbury. The UAE and wider Gulf region is witnessing diversification away from traditional oil and gas economies towards more of a focus on high-value manufacturing, we feel that our products can help to play an important role in that change, said Neil Harrington, regional director and general manager, who heads the wholly-owned subsidiary in Dubai. There is a rising demand for machining equipment in the region and our expertise and experience will help to meet those demands. The manufacturing sector in the region is gathering momentum and as a result, we are expecting to see strong demand for the products and services we offer, added Harrington, who has long experience working in senior management positions in the Middle East. The company, which is headquartered in Gosport, Hampshire, in the United Kingdom has worked for decades with prestigious original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) together with a loyal and expanding customer base of sub-contractors. This makes Kingsbury machines represented in almost every aspect in various industries, across a wide range of applications, the company said. This extensive level of knowledge provides Kingsbury with a keen understanding of production requirements to go along with an impressive track record of enhancing machine efficiency and resolving manufacturing issues to reduce costs and maximise productivity. The comprehensive range of machines is sourced from respected leading German manufacturers: Burkhardt + Weber, Waldrich Coburg, Haas, Index Traub, SHW Werkzeugmaschinen, Hermle, Zimmerman and French manufacturers: AddUp a leading manufacturer of additive (3D printing) machine tools. This, together with an unrivalled technical expertise in Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machining as well as a background in providing comprehensive service support, means Kingsbury can offer the total solution to meet client needs, it said. Kingsbury Machine Tools DWC-LLC is based in, Dubai, UAE, and has a trading license to sell and service its principals' machine tools in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region. - TradeArabia News Service Dash to Acquire eRoom Securities Dash Financial Technologies, the industrys leading capital markets technology and execution provider, announced it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire eRoom Securities, LLC. eRoom, based in Chicago, provides multi-asset trading technology, agency execution, risk management, reporting and clearing services to professional traders, institutions and hedge funds. Dash will use the eRoom platform to launch Dash Prime, which will continue to be led by eRooms highly accomplished and experienced management team headed by Collin Carrico and Ben Schwartz. We are delighted to welcome Collin, Ben and the eRoom team into the Dash family, said Peter Maragos, CEO and Co-Founder of Dash Financial Technologies. The professional trading community requires the kind of high performance, customizable technology solutions that lend themselves perfectly to Dashs transparent, innovative and technology-driven approach. Collin and Ben have built a tremendous business with a loyal client following we look forward to partnering with their talented team to create Dash Prime and expanding the offering to deliver it to a wider segment of the professional trading community. Joining forces with Dash puts us at the leading edge of technology and enables us to broaden our prime services suite to create more opportunities for our current and future clients, said Carrico. With access to a much wider suite of institutional solutions, we can now offer our clients the ability to solve more problems while passing along the scale and efficiencies technology enables. The transaction is expected to close in Q1 2019 subject to customary closing conditions including regulatory approvals. Sandler O'Neill + Partners, L.P. served as eRooms financial advisor and Paul Hastings LLP served as its legal advisor. Kirkland & Ellis LLP served as Dashs legal advisor. About Dash Financial Technologies Launched in 2011, Dash Financial Technologies is the industrys leading capital markets technology and execution services provider. Dashs philosophy is simple: with technology, clients should be empowered to craft, analyze and refine bespoke solutions calibrated to their precise performance goals. Using the award-winning Dash360 platform, clients receive full routing and cost transparency and a comprehensive suite of tools to visualize all aspects of their orders in real time. With this emphasis on technology, Dash has become the industrys leading provider of wholly customizable and transparent trading solutions, routing approximately 14% of the daily OCC volume and an additional 25% touching its workflow and compliance tools. For more information go to www.dashfinancial.com. About eRoom Securities Founded in 1996, eRoom Securities, LLC provides multi-asset trading technology, agency execution, risk management, clearing and reporting capabilities to professional traders, institutions and hedge funds requiring advanced prime-brokerage solutions. Specializing in catering to firms using strategies involving equity derivatives, eRooms highly-experienced team tailors this comprehensive suite to best meet individual operational requirements and nuance, allowing clients to focus on the business of trading while ensuring best practices throughout the process. For more information on related topics, visit the following channels: New York UNDPs iconic Human Development Report will get a reboot over the next year led by a new Director, Pedro Conceicao, Administrator Achim Steiner announced today. I am pleased to announce that Pedro Conceicao will be leading our work to prepare the next generation of UNDP Human Development Reports, said Steiner. UNDP is committed to providing cutting-edge thinking and policy advice, and as part of that drive we will be reinvesting in the human development approach to reimagine what global, regional, and national human development reports can provide. Pedro brings an outstanding track record to this leadership position which combines excellence in the field of economics with a global track record in applied development policy. He has earned respect and admiration from both academics and practitioners, and is considered a peer in both communities. Championing an entirely new philosophy decades ahead of its time, the first Human Development Report in 1990 imagined a world where income was not the only measure of wellbeing. Instead, human development would measure whether people were able to live the lives they chose, whether they were healthy and educated, had sufficient income, and were free to make choices on how they wanted to live. The Human Development Report is the iconic product of UNDP, spawning hundreds of national and regional human development reports that highlighted critical issues like migration, youth and climate change, and anticipating future events like the Arab Spring, continued Steiner. By investing in new partnerships, advancing our thinking on new metrics of development, and affirming the editorial independence of this report, I am confident this report can break new ground and provide thought leadership while continuing to report on critical and often sensitive issues. Since October 2014, Pedro Conceicao has been UNDPs Director of Strategic Policy for the Bureau for Policy and Programme Support. Before that, he was Chief Economist and Head of the Strategic Advisory Unit at UNDPs Regional Bureau for Africa. Prior to this, he was Director of the Office of Development Studies (ODS) from March 2007 to November 2009, and Deputy Director of ODS, from October 2001 to February 2007. His work on financing for development and on global public goods was published by Oxford University Press in books he co-edited (The New Public Finance: Responding to Global Challenges, 2006; Providing Global Public Goods: Managing Globalization, 2003). He has published on inequality, the economics of innovation and technological change, and development in, amongst others journals, the African Development Review, Review of Development Economics, Eastern Economic Journal, Ecological Economics, Environmental Economics and Policy Studies, and Technological Forecasting and Social Change. He co-edited several books including: Innovation, Competence Building, and Social Cohesion in Europe- Towards a Learning Society (Edward Elgar, 2002) and Knowledge for Inclusive Development (Quorum Books, 2001). Prior to coming to UNDP, he served as an Assistant Professor at the Instituto Superior Tecnico, Technical University of Lisbon, Portugal, teaching and researching on science, technology and innovation policy. He holds degrees in Physics from Instituto Superior Tecnico and in Economics from the Technical University of Lisbon and a Ph. D. in Public Policy from the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas at Austin, where he studied with a Fulbright scholarship. Born in Portugal, Mr. Conceicao is married and has two children. Pedro Conceicao succeeds Selim Jahan who retired after over 25 years of service at UNDP. Mr. Steiner thanks Mr. Jahan for his leadership and integrity during his years with UNDP and his stewardship of the Human Development Report and its team. Thiruvananthapuram, Dec 10 (UNI) Mr Mark Van de Vreken, Consul General of Belgium in South India called on Kerala Governor Justice (Retd) P. Sathasivam at Kerala Raj Bhavan on Monday. During the discussion, the Consul General briefed the Governor about Belgium's role in developing smart cities and in developing thin chips for mobile phones. He offered help in dredging activities in Kerala through two Belgian firms operating in Chennai. They also discussed avenues of cooperation in Education in the context of thousands of Indians working in Universities and IT industry of Belgium. RJD holds Nitish responsible for higher rate of power 28 Nov 2021 | 10:37 PM Patna, Nov 28 (UNI) RJD on Sunday alleged that Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar was responsible for higher rate of power as he had not opposed certain provisions in electricity reforms act framed during the regime of Vajpayee government at the Centre when he was union minister. see more.. Meghalaya records 37 recoveries, 30 new COVID-19 cases 28 Nov 2021 | 10:34 PM Shillong, Nov 28 (UNI) Meghalaya recorded 37 more cases of recovery from Covid-19 related complications, which surged the number of recovered cases to 82,672 and 30 new cases of infection, which added up to 301 active cases on Sunday, with the state having so far registered 84,444confirmed Covid-19 cases, including 1471 cases of fatality, health officials said. see more.. Meghalaya TMC legislators to meet Mamata on Monday 28 Nov 2021 | 10:16 PM Shillong, Nov 28 (UNI) Twelve Congress legislators in Meghalaya who have merged with the All India Trinamool Congress on Sunday left for Kolkata, where they are scheduled to meet West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC Chairperson, Mamata Banerjee. see more.. Arunachal CM dedicates Monigong ADC HQs to the people of Shi-Yomi 28 Nov 2021 | 9:47 PM Itanagar, Nov 28 (UNI) Bringing the seat of local administration more close to the people for an efficient service delivery, Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu on Sunday dedicated the newly-upgraded ADC headquarters at Monigong to the people of Shi-Yomi district. see more.. Maduro calls EU observers at latest Venezuelan elections delegation of spies 29 Nov 2021 | 8:45 AM Caracas, Nov 29 (UNI/Sputnik) Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro says the EU observer mission at the latest regional and municipal elections "spied" on the social, economic and political life in Venezuela. see more.. Over 2,000 people protest against COVID-19 measures in Prague: Reports 29 Nov 2021 | 8:34 AM Prague, Nov 29 (UNI/Sputnik) More than 2,000 people took to the streets in the Czech capital on Sunday, protesting against fresh coronavirus restrictions, Czech TV reports. see more.. WHO says not clear whether Omicron more transmissible, causes more severe disease 29 Nov 2021 | 8:20 AM Geneva, Nov 29 (UNI/Xinhua) It is not yet clear whether the Omicron COVID-19 variant is more transmissible, or causes more severe disease compared to other variants including Delta, the World Health Organization (WHO) said. see more.. WHO says not clear whether Omicron more transmissible, causes more severe disease 29 Nov 2021 | 8:18 AM Geneva, Nov 29 (UNI/Xinhua) It is not yet clear whether the Omicron COVID-19 variant is more transmissible, or causes more severe disease compared to other variants including Delta, the World Health Organization (WHO) said. see more.. TORONTO, Dec. 11, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Wayland Group (CSE:WAYL) (FRANKFURT: 75M) (OTCQB:MRRCF) (Wayland or the Company) is pleased to announce it has entered into an agreement to purchase 819 hectares of existing developed agriculture land in San Juan Province in Argentina. San Juan Province is ideal for cannabis cultivation due to the provinces climate and altitude. The presence of a stable economy and infrastructure to support business development is another contributing factor for the Companys interest in the country. Recent construction of 120 MW of hydroelectricity production, new roads and a highly skilled labour pool, with a rich history of agricultural production and further processing capabilities make San Juan an ideal choice for development for Wayland. "We have been welcomed warmly by the government of San Juan and the people of Argentina. We look forward to developing this major global project which will directly impact and benefit the local community, state and country. We are committed to long term economic development that supports our global plan, to enhance lives through cannabis." Stated Ben Ward, Wayland Group CEO. Wayland has developed and is implementing a long-term growth strategy based on centres of efficiency from international operations which will result in greater long-term profitability. The Company continues to see the rapid global expansion of the regulated market for cannabis, replacing unregulated black markets. The Company is dedicated to providing safer products, and innovative delivery forms to patients and consumers. Following the legalization of cannabis in Canada, Wayland maintains its commitment to the medical market internationally, and building a truly global business focused on enhancing lives through cannabis. The medical cannabis industry is one of the fastest growing areas of business in the world, both for what it implies in the health sector and for the high economic performance per hectare. Wayland found in our province an ideal place because of the climate, the stable economy and the infrastructure that San Juan provides. The government of San Juan has been very cautious on this matter since we were looking for the establishment of serious pharmaceutical-grade companies to implement the new Medicinal Cannabis Law. As Governor I am proud to welcome a project of such magnitude to our Province. Stated Sergio Unac, Governor of San Juan Province. Total purchase price for the acquisition is USD$8.5MM comprised of USD$4MM in stock (3,225,806 shares based on a $1.65 stock price) and USD$4.5MM in cash. The payment in common shares is conditional on receipt of stock exchange and any other applicable approvals. Maricann Group Inc., through its subsidiaries, is operating under the Wayland Group name. For further details see the press release dated September 24, 2018. About Wayland Group Wayland is a vertically integrated cultivator and processor of cannabis. The Company was founded in 2013 and is based in Burlington, Ontario, Canada and Munich, Germany, with production facilities in Langton, Ontario where it operates a cannabis cultivation, extraction, formulation, and distribution business under federal licenses from the Government of Canada. The Company also has production operations in Dresden, Saxony, Germany, Regensdorf, Switzerland, Allesandria, Piedmont, Italy, Ibague, Colombia, London, UK and now Argentina. Wayland will continue to pursue new opportunities globally in its effort to enhance lives through cannabis. Forward Looking Information This news release includes forward-looking information and statements, which may include, but are not limited to, information and statements regarding or inferring the future business, operations, financial performance, prospects, and other plans, intentions, expectations, estimates, and beliefs of the Company. Such statements include statements regarding the Company's plans for its operations in Argentina, and the Companys continued global expansion, including with respect to the terms of the proposed transaction, its effect on the Companys global platform and the number and price at which Common Shares are expected to be issued. Forward-looking information and statements involve and are subject to assumptions and known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause actual events, results, performance, or achievements of the Company to be materially different from future events, results, performance, and achievements expressed or implied by forward-looking information and statements herein. Such assumptions, risks, uncertainties and other factors include, but are not limited to, that the proposed transaction will be completed on the terms and timelines anticipated by the Company or at all, the effect that the proposed acquisition, when completed, will have on the Companys global platform, that all necessary stock exchange, regulatory and other approvals will be received in connection with the proposed or potential issuances of Common Shares under the proposed transaction on the timelines anticipated or at all and that all other conditions to closing will be satisfied in the manner anticipated. Although the Company believes that any forward-looking information and statements herein are reasonable, in light of the use of assumptions and the significant risks and uncertainties inherent in such information and statements, there can be no assurance that any such forward-looking information and statements will prove to be accurate, and accordingly readers are advised to rely on their own evaluation of such risks and uncertainties and should not place undue reliance upon such forward-looking information and statements. Any forward-looking information and statements herein are made as of the date hereof, and except as required by applicable laws, the Company assumes no obligation and disclaims any intention to update or revise any forward-looking information and statements herein or to update the reasons that actual events or results could or do differ from those projected in any forward looking information and statements herein, whether as a result of new information, future events or results, or otherwise, except as required by applicable laws. The Canadian Securities Exchange has not reviewed, approved or disapproved the content of this news release For more information about Wayland, please visit our website at www.waylandgroup.com Contact Information: Investor Relations Graham Farrell VP, Communications Graham.Farrell@waylandgroup.com 647-643-7665 Media Inquiries: media@waylandgroup.com Corporate Headquarters (Canada) Wayland Group Corp. (Toronto) 845 Harrington Court, Unit 3 Burlington Ontario L7N 3P3 Canada 289-288-6274 European Headquarters (Germany) Maricann GmbH Thierschstrasse 3, 80538 Munchen, Deutschland (Dec. 11, 2018) Its the moment every UTSA student strives to achieve. After years of studying, researching and learning, more than 4,200 UTSA graduates will be eligible to cross the stage and receive their degrees at Fall Commencement this Sunday, Dec. 16 at the Alamodome. >> Celebrate success at UTSA Commencement. Graduates of the College of Architecture, Construction and Planning, College of Business, College of Education and Human Development and College of Public Policy will participate in the first ceremony beginning at 10 a.m. At 4 p.m., the second ceremony will be held to honor graduates from the College of Engineering, College of Liberal and Fine Arts, College of Sciences and the University College. Arcilia Acosta, president and CEO of CARCON Industries and Construction, founder and CEO of Southwestern Testing Laboratories and a member of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, will deliver the keynote address at both ceremonies. Every Roadrunner will cross the stage with a compelling story of perseverance. Jessica Le is a first-generation student and a young mother who persisted to defy the odds. Her humble background led her from Vietnam to Texas and ultimately to UTSA, where shes now conquering the world of cybersecurity. At UTSA, I discovered my passion for growing and helping others grow; I realized there was nothing more meaningful than to pursue a life of development and betterment, said Lee. My journey at UTSA allowed me to do what I truly love: helping others. Rambod Agharokh Aznavaleh will be receiving his B.A. in biology with a concentration in neurobiology. He says his experiences at UTSA taught him more than just the science of the nervous system. Attending UTSA has made me cognizant of social and political issues, understanding and open to viewpoints of varying disciplines, and made me an all-around better person, said Aznavaleh. I could not be more thankful. During Commencement, guests will notice graduates, President Taylor Eighmy and other UTSA faculty wearing different academic regalia. Learn the significance of the various robes, hoods and tassels. UTSA has also several unique Commencement traditions that make a statement during the ceremonies. Fall 2018 graduates are encouraged to arrive two hours prior to their ceremony for check-in, located on the ground level of the Alamodome. Family and friends are also welcome. All Roadrunners and their families and friends are encouraged to share their Commencement experience on social media using #UTSA and #UTSAGrad18. This falls graduating class will bring UTSAs alumni network to 126,000 Roadrunners strong. David Silva has a passion for developing faculty and student talent, particularly in increasing opportunities for first-generation and minority students. (Dec. 11, 2018) -- Astronomer David Silva, director of the National Science Foundations National Optical Astronomy Observatory, has been named Dean and Distinguished Professor of the UTSA College of Sciences. He begins his duties March 1, 2019. Dr. Silva is an international figure in the field of astronomy, and has worked on multimillion-dollar projects to design and operate astronomical observatories for the benefit of research communities around the world. He brings deep experience as a leader and collaborator as well as a research scientist to UTSA, said Kimberly Andrews Espy, provost and vice president for academic affairs. Just as important, as dean of the College of Sciences, he will bring an enthusiasm for supporting students in their academic careers, and curiosity for science and discovery that extends far beyond his own discipline. Silvas research focuses on stars and stellar systems, especially as tracers for how galaxies formed and evolved over the last 13 billion years. Since 2008, he has served as director of the National Optical Astronomy Observatory (NOAO), the U.S. national research and development center for ground-based, night-time, optical-infrared astronomy. At NOAO, Silva oversees scientific and technological research, development and operations at the Kitt Peak National Observatory and Community Science and Data Center, both located in Tucson, Arizona, as well as the Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory located in La Serena, Chile. In combination, these three centers provide a broad range of tools and services for observational and data-intensive research to the U.S. research community-at-large. In addition, NOAO has a strong education and public outreach mission, working closely with colleges and universities to train aspiring scientists and engineers and offering K-12 programming to promote understanding of the astronomical sciences. Silvas role at NOAO also includes developing and maintaining strategic partnerships. In that role, he engages with philanthropic organizations, federal agencies including the Department of Energy, NASA and the National Science Foundation (NSF) and other U.S. and international research institutions. For example, Silva catalyzed a collaboration between NOAO and the Departments of Computer Science and Mathematics at the University of Arizona to develop the Arizona-NOAO Temporal Analysis and Response to Events System (ANTARES), a software infrastructure system to process tens of millions of alerts per night generated by astronomical time-domain survey programs. This ongoing collaboration engages professors, graduate students, post-doctoral fellows, research scientists, software engineers and systems administrators from both NOAO and the University of Arizona in an NSF-funded project. More recently, under Silvas leadership, NOAO joined forces with the Thirty Meter Telescope International Observatory and the Giant Magellan Telescope Organization, two U.S.-based, international consortia seeking to construct extremely large next-generation astronomical observatories, to develop the U.S. Extremely Large Telescope Program. This trilateral collaboration intends to attract approximately $1 billion in funding from NSF to allow U.S. based scientists access to both of these observatories in the late 2020s and beyond. Such federal funding would leverage resources being provided by many other international and U.S. institutions and philanthropic organizations, including the University of Texas at Austin and Texas A&M University, which are contributing to the development of the Giant Magellan Telescope. After working in publicly funded astronomical observatories, Im excited to have this opportunity to translate my background to helping a publicly-funded research university achieve the exciting vision that UTSAs leadership has put forth, said Silva. The College of Sciences provides important coursework and programming to undergraduates to increase the STEM literacy of all students and prepare many of them for successful careers as STEM professionals in the 21st century. As a minority-serving university, UTSA is also well-placed to help improve diversity, equity, and inclusion in STEM. In turn, such preparation will help advance innovation and strengthen the economy in San Antonio, the state of Texas and the nation as a whole. Prior to his appointment at NOAO, Dr. Silva served from 2006 to 2008 as Observatory Scientist with the Thirty Meter Telescope International Observatory. Silva has served on the Thirty Meter Telescope International Observatory Board of Directors since 2013. From 1997 to 2005 he worked at the European Southern Observatory in Germany where he was responsible for data management and user support. He began his professional career at NOAO from 1990 to 1997, serving as a post-doctoral research associate then as project manager and astronomer. Silva earned his Ph.D. in astronomy from the University of Michigan and a bachelor of sciences degree in astronomy and physics from the University of Arizona. Since he joined NOAO as director in 2008, he also has held an affiliate faculty appointment in the Department of Astronomy at the University of Arizona. Silva says he hopes to collaborate with other researchers and administrators across the university to link astronomy and astrophysics with other disciplines focused on information technology, analytics and data science. More generally, there is a growing excellence in data-intensive science at UTSA, said Silva. Were in a moment in time when all scientific disciplines are confronted with the challenges of analyzing incredibly rich datasets that contain information about millions to billions of objects. I am eager to engage with students and colleagues within the College of Sciences and across campus with expertise in computer science, statistics, and machine learning to enrich and extend scientific research activities at UTSA, and thereby probe questions that simply were not answerable previously. Moreover, from the education perspective, I see a number of potentially exciting cross-department and cross-campus collaborations that could involve UTSA students, he continued. Data science and data analytics are basic skillsets that every College of Sciences major should be exposed to, and as many non-majors as possible, too. Indeed, basic training in digital literacy and data science skills has been recognized as a national priority by various federal agencies, including the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation. Silvas extensive experience as a researcher and collaborator makes him a strong fit for the deans position, said others. David Silva is a talented scientist with a prestigious background, and he has a passion for developing faculty and student talent, too, particularly in increasing opportunities for first-generation and minority students, said Bernard Arulanandam, UTSA interim vice president for Research, Economic Development, and Knowledge Enterprise. He also has worked cooperatively with a number of universities, federal agencies and organizations, and that experience will serve UTSA well in extending the reach of the College of Sciences beyond our community. David Silva shows a genuine excitement for UTSA, and hes ready to be an integral part of the growth of the university, added search committee member Brad Parman, principal of The Parman Group. A search committee comprising UTSA faculty and staff and community members initiated the national search for the next dean of the College of Sciences last summer. Campus and community members had opportunities to meet the finalists for the position at a series of forums held in October. I want to express my gratitude to Dean John Murphy and the entire search committee for their extensive work in this search process, said Espy. I particularly want to thank Brad Parman and other partners from UT Health San Antonio and Southwest Research Institute who served on the committee, as well as the alumni and friends of the College of Sciences who took the time to meet with candidates. Also, I am grateful to Howard Grimes for his continued leadership of the college during this transition, she said. Grimes, who has served as interim dean since July 2018, will continue in his role until March. The UTSA College of Sciences prepares the next generation of scientists in 13 undergraduate and 16 graduate degree programs offered through seven academic departments: Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Environmental Science and Ecology, Geological Sciences, Mathematics, and Physics and Astronomy. Through 10 research center and institutes, the college makes significant contributions in species conservation, nanotechnology, brain health, stem cells, medicinal drug discovery, infectious diseases and vaccine development, and cybersecurity. The college enrolled 5,446 students for Fall 2018. Committee to Plan UW-Casper Student Celebration The University of Wyoming at Casper has established a Celebration of Excellence committee to plan the details of the upcoming reception to acknowledge students who are completing their studies. If students wish to walk in a formal commencement ceremony, that event will be held in Laramie and coordinated by the student through that campus. The Celebration of Excellence, meanwhile, will be May 7, 2019, at the Central Wyoming Fairgrounds Industrial Building in Casper at 4:30 p.m. Students can attend both activities or choose between the two. The new committee consists of staff, faculty and students, including: Rosalind Grenfell, Valorie Lyman, Dana Volney, Brooke Knabenshue, Rochelle McCoy, Theressa Smith and Toni Lattea. The next step the committee will take is to secure speakers, photography options and light hors doeuvres for the celebration. A participation sign-up sheet will be at the main UW-Casper office. Students and their families and friends who plan to attend graduation in Laramie are strongly encouraged to make lodging reservations at their earliest opportunity, as accommodations fill quickly. It also is important they stay attentive to university announcements on graduation deadlines and instructions for ordering regalia, parking and other details. As information becomes available, details may be found on the UW commencement website at www.uwyo.edu/commencement/. RICHMOND, Va., Dec. 11, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Power Distribution, Inc. (PDI), a pioneer of innovative power transformation, power distribution, and intelligent power monitoring solutions for mission-critical operations, announced today that its Mission Critical award nominee, Douglas Harding, Manager of Facility Engineering at Digital Realty, is a runner-up for the Facility Manager of the Year awards. Harding was honored for his facilitys efficiency and innovation, due in part to his use of PDIs products. Three years ago, Mission Critical Magazine launched its Facility Manager of the Year Award with the intention of recognizing facility managers who demonstrate proficiency in three areas: efficiency, innovation, and management. Harding exemplifies these stated proficiencies with his thoughtful product selection as well as achieving LEED certification in each of the twelve facilities he manages, helping to create a MOP (Methods of Procedures) template that is still widely used within the industry, and exceeding customer expectations. Having started my career in this industry twelve years ago, I have learned a lot from working in multiple facilities in various states nationwide, in building them from the ground up, Harding said. Many thanks to PDI for all your support; it is a privilege to be recognized by Mission Critical Magazine. PDIs customers continue to excel in data center efficiencies and Doug Harding has gone beyond most of these lofty expectations, said Pat Boyle, Director of Strategic Accounts, PDI. Achieving the runner-up status from hundreds of potential winners, stands as testimony to Dougs data center innovations and an example for other facility managers to follow. Follow and engage with PDI via: LinkedIn Twitter Facebook About Power Distribution, Inc. (PDI) Power Distribution, Inc. (PDI) is a pioneer of innovative power transformation, power distribution, and intelligent power monitoring solutions for mission-critical operations. The company leverages their ISO standards-based manufacturing facilities in Virginia and California, as well as partner and customer collaborations, to create the broadest range of award-winning solutions in the industry. Through the PDI and ONYX brand names, these industry leading solutions are sought after by data center, industrial and other mission-critical facilities and backed by continued global service and support. The net result: One company to provide and to service the end-to-end power needs of a 24x7 connected world. For more information, please visit www.pdicorp.com. For more information, contact: Emily Gaudette BridgeView Marketing (for PDI, Inc.) 603.397.3144 emily@bridgeviewmarketing.com CALGARY, Alberta, Dec. 11, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- FLYHT Aerospace Solutions Ltd. (TSX-V: FLY) (OTCQX: FLYLF) (the Company or FLYHT) is pleased to announce it has, as part of the acquisition of Panasonic Weather Solutions (PWS) (previously announced October 10, 2018 ), reached an agreement with AirAsia to increase its installation base at the airline by an additional 100 aircraft across multiple Airline Operations Control (AOC) centers. This extension of the original hardware and service agreement with AirAsia signed in October 2015 brings the total number of equipped aircraft to 190. Installed in conjunction with the FlightLink aircraft tracking and flight deck communications system, Tropospheric Airborne Meteorological Data Reporting (TAMDAR) atmospheric sensors feed weather data from equipped AirAsia aircraft into AOC and Electronic Flight Bag (EFB) weather products that will have greatly improved accuracy as a result of the TAMDAR technology. Key enhancements to the products and services in this extension include the addition of an A320neo Supplemental Type Certificate (STC), improvements to the AirMap suite of AOC applications, including a TAMDAR-enhanced weather overlay and partnered operational weather solutions empowering improved operational planning and flight optimization. These additions will also enable greater fleet management, communications and aircraft tracking, ensuring aircraft stay connected to the airlines ground-based operations centers 24 hours a day with an improved awareness of weather throughout AirAsias network. FlightLink uses Iridiums global satellite-based communications system to support flight deck voice and data communication and autonomous GPS-based flight tracking everywhere AirAsia flies. Additionally, the system provides fully-integrated data communications for the aircrafts ACARS (aircraft communications addressing and reporting system) and operational weather modeling needs. FLYHT acquired the FlightLink, AirMap and TAMDAR sensor product lines in October 2018 through its acquisition of the PWS assets. AirAsia first installed the FlightLink system and activated AirMap services in 2016 and has since then installed the FlightLink system on nearly 80 aircraft. The financial impact of the remaining 110 installs was included in the press release noted above announcing the PWS asset acquisition. The services provided on these aircraft include: ICAO-compliant (International Civil Aviation Organization) aircraft tracking and alerting capabilities tailored for Malaysian and other regionally-specific regulations. Data and voice communications via global Iridium network, with aggregated voice and short burst data. Flight tracking, flight plan deviation, and fuel alerting in the AOC via AirMap Aircraft Situational Display Weather data downlink of relative humidity, temperature, winds, icing and turbulence By installing the FlightLink system and TAMDAR sensors on its aircraft, as well as AirMap fleet tracking and innovative weather technology in its operations, Air Asia is leading the industry in IATA safety and fleet management initiatives. The new amendment requires the following enhancements and improvements to the system currently in use as the primary AOC display for AirAsia: An A320neo STC for FlightLink and TAMDAR Integration of real-time TAMDAR weather data into the AirMap display Integration and delivery of an AOC weather display enhanced by TAMDAR data Integration and delivery of Electronic Flight Bag (EFB) weather applications enhanced with TAMDAR data About FLYHT Aerospace Solutions Ltd. 2018 marks FLYHTs 20th anniversary as a leader in real-time aircraft data streaming. FLYHTs mission is to improve aviation safety, efficiency and profitability (located in Calgary, Canada; publicly traded as: FLY:TSX.V; FLYLF:OTCQX). Airlines, leasing companies, fractional owners and original equipment manufacturers have installed the Automated Flight Information Reporting System (AFIRS) on their aircraft. The solution is used to capture, process and stream aircraft data providing real-time alerts. AFIRS sends this information through satellite networks to FLYHTs UpTime Cloud data center, which gives aircraft operators direct insight into the operational status and health of their aircraft, which in turn enables them to take corrective action to maintain the highest standard of operational control. The company recently acquired the assets of Panasonic Weather Services, including FlightLink Iridium Satellite Data Unit and Tropospheric Airborne Meteorological Data Reporting (TAMDAR) sensor. For more information visit www.flyht.com . Contact Information: FLYHT Aerospace Solutions Ltd. Alana Forbes Chief Financial Officer 403-291-7437 aforbes@flyht.com Adelaide Capital Markets Inc. Deborah Honig 647-203-8793 deborah@adelaidecapital.ca Join us on social media! www.facebook.com/flyht www.twitter.com/flyhtcorp www.slideshare.net/flyhtcorp www.youtube.com/flyhtcorp flyht.com Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. When it comes to Artificial Intelligence, the U.S. is definitely ahead of China as far as technology is concerned. However, China comfortably beats America in terms of data size and cheap labor, opening up the possibility that the communist nation may one day become an AI superpower. Cheap labor and AI In the U.S., AI research is largely driven by private businesses like Google and IBM, who have limited access to public data. These companies can only use data that the customer has shared with them. In contrast, the Chinese government funds many AI development efforts in their country. Even private businesses are given access to the humongous public data so that they can train AI to become smarter. Given that China essentially has 1.3 billion people and Beijing has no problem sharing all their information with AI developers, the U.S. is at a massive disadvantage against the Asian superpower. However, Chinas massive public data is just one aspect of its strength. Another advantage that China has over the U.S. is cheap labor. Almost all Artificial Intelligence systems in the world are still in their nascent stage. While AI may have vast storage and processing power, it does not yet possess the discrimination faculties of human beings. For instance, a child would know that a black cup and a red cup are cups. But this knowledge needs to be taught to an AI. This is done by tagging several black and red cup images and videos so that the AI can analyze the data and understand that both these objects, though different in color, are essentially cups. Tagging millions of photos is obviously a labor-intensive process. And this is where Chinas cheap labor comes into play. The huge government push in the AI sector is reportedly leading to the establishment of data factories where the only task workers have to do is to tag videos, photos, and other useful data. The data factories are popping up in areas far from the biggest cities, often in relatively remote areas where both labor and office space are cheap. Many of the data factory workers are the kinds of people who once worked on assembly lines and construction sites in those big cities. But work is drying up, wage growth has slowed, and many Chinese people prefer to live closer to home, according to The New York Times. The threat The U.S. and China are currently engaged in a silent arms race over AI, as both countries seem to realize that the one who builds the most advanced AI will soon dominate the world economically and militarily. The nature of AI itself is such that it will eventually spawn unknown weapons technologies and industries. Once a country possesses a machine with human intelligence, it could have the capability to keep all rivals at bay in perpetuity. But only China has made this a national strategic goal and put enormous sums behind getting there. The U.S. has yet to take this step, instead relying on private industry, in particular, Silicon Valley giants like Google and Microsoft, to carry the countrys interests, according to Axios. President Xi plans to make China a global leader in AI by 2030. Given that the communist government has used technology to censor free speech and crush opposing voices, having China as the worlds AI superpower does not bode well for the rest of the world or, of course, for the average Chinese citizen. Follow us on Twitter or subscribe to our weekly email Emmanuel Macron did not feel destined for a career in politics. As a young man, he hoped to become a philosopher, then a senior civil servant, then a business banker. To help him on his way, he frequented Uncle Sams fairy godmothers - the French-American Foundation and the German Marshall Fund of the United States. It was in this milieu that he met Henry and Marie-Josee Kravis, in their residence on Park Avenue in New York [1]. The Kravis couple, unfailing supporters of the US Republican Party, are among the great world fortunes who play politics out of sight of the Press. Their company, KKR, like Blackstone and the Carlyle Group, is one of the worlds major investment funds. Emmanuels curiosity for the can-do attitude was fascinating - the capacity to tell yourself that you can do anything you set your mind to. He had a thirst for knowledge and a desire to understand how things work, but without imitating or copying anyone. In this, he remained entirely French , declares Marie-Josee Drouin (Mrs. Kravis) today [2]. Bearing the double recommendation of the Kravis couple and Jean-Pierre Jouyet [3], he integrated the closed circle of Francois Hollandes campaign team. In an e-mail addressed to US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Director of political planning Jake Sullivan named the four principal members of the Socialist candidates campaign team, including the unknown Emmanuel Macron. He specified that Macron would probably become the Director General of the Treasury ( the top civil servant at the Finance Ministry ) [4]. However, when Francois Hollande was elected, Emmanuel Macron became the assistant General Secretary of the Elysee, a more political function. It seems that he had ambitions to succeed Jean-Pierre Jouyet as Director of the Caisse des Depots et Consignations (the Deposits and Consignments Fund), a post which was entrusted in May 2014 to the General Secretary of the Elysee. A few days later, proposed by the Kravis couple, he was invited to the Bilderberg Club, where he delivered a violent intervention in perfect English against his boss, Francois Hollande. When he returned to Paris, he resigned from Hollandes cabinet. The Kravis couple are among the main pillars of the Bilderberg Club, which is administered by Marie-Josee Drouin-Kravis. Contrary to a commonly-held belief, the Bilderberg is not a place where decisions are made. Its archives attest to the fact that it was created by the CIA and MI6, then became an organ of influence for NATO, which directly looks after its security [5]. Since Macrons intervention had been well received, he became one of NATOs men in France. Having left politics, he had no desire to return. He explained to his entourage on a number of occasions that he wanted to become a university professor. With the help of essayist Alain Minc (admitted to the Bilderberg Club in 2008), he obtained a post at the university of Berlin and another at the London School of Economics, but was unable to find a place at Harvard. However, in August 2014, three months after having left politics , and on a proposition by Jean-Pierre Jouyet (admitted in 2009 to the Bilderberg Club), he was named by Francois Hollande as Minister of the Economy, Industry and Digital Technology. In a book published in 2018, Francois Hollande assured that this choice had been his idea [6]. That may be, but would suppose that he had not been informed about Macrons intervention at the Bilderberg meeting although one of his Ministers and close friend Fleur Pelerin had also been present. In December 2014, Henry Kravis created his own Intelligence agency, the KKR Global Institute. He nominated at its head the ex-Director of the CIA, General David Petraeus. With the Kravis couples private funds (the KKR investment funds), and without referring to Congress, Petraeus pursued operation Timber Sycamore which had been initiated by President Barack Obama. This was the largest weapons traffic in History, implicating at least 17 states and representing many thousands of tons of weapons worth several billion dollars [7]. As such, Kravis and Petraeus became the main suppliers for Daesh [8]. The French President of Bilderberg, Henri de Castries, invited the Deputy Mayor of Le Havre, Edouard Philippe, to the annual meeting, which on this occasion was held in June 2015 in Austria. Philippe was to be re-invited in May 2016, this time in Germany. During the presidential campaign in France, both Henri de Castries and Edouard Philippe supported Francois Fillon, but dropped him as soon as Jean-Pierre Jouyet [9] handed the Canard Enchaine the financial documents collected by the Inspectorate of Finances concerning the suspicious employment of Madame Fillon [10]. They then joined Emmanuel Macrons camp. In April 2016, Emmanuel Macron founded his political formation En Marche!, whose marketing strategy was copied from that of Kadima (Forward!), Ariel Sharons pretended non-right, non-left party. As for Macrons programme, it was built on the notes of the OCDE [11] and those of the Institut Montaigne, of which Henri de Castries was president. In fact, En Marche! was created in the offices of the Institut. But Castries fooled Fillon into believing that this was pure coincidence , and that he did not support Macron. He continued for months telling Fillon that he was ready to become his Prime Minister. Initially, the financing of En Marche! was not supervised. It was a simple association which was allowed to receive gifts from abroad. The names of the sponsors were not revealed to the Tax Office. Arch-billionaire Henry Kravis was one of them. During his campaign, Emmanuel Macron regularly met with the ex-President of the IMF, Dominique Strauss-Kahn ( DSK ). These workshop meetings were denied until they were revealed by Le Parisien, much later, when his reputation as a sexual pervert had died down. DSK (admitted to the Bilderberg Club in 2000) brought both the support of senior government officials and that of French company management the sociological alliance which had supported the collaborationist regime of Philippe Petain and reformed again in the 1980s around the Fondation Saint-Simon. In June 2018, the Minister for Youth and National Education, Jean-Michel Blanquer, was invited on the proposition of Henri de Castries to the annual meeting of the Bilderberg Club, which was held this time in Italy. This lawyer, a specialist in Constitutional law, has always linked political science and education. He was one of the three central directors of the Ministry for Education, then director of the prestigious Ecole Superieure des Sciences Economiques et Commerciales (ESSEC). He has known Castries for many years, frequenting him at the Institut Montaigne. When the Yellow Vests crisis began in France [12], it quickly became evident that this was a profound problem which could only be resolved by addressing the question of global finance, which President Macron can not do. During his electoral campaign, he surprised sponsors at a dinner in New York by making accusations against the financialisation of the economy. It was no more than electoral rhetoric. He was taken to task by the Mr. and Mrs. Kravis financialisation is the system that enables them to operate the leveraged buy-outs , which have made them what they are. Faced with the Yellow Vest movement, President Macron will have to sacrifice his Prime Minister as an expiatory victim during the next elections (the European elections of May 2019, which will certainly be lost). But apart from the fact that he has to hang on for five more months, who is there to replace him? When you owe the financing of your electoral campaign and the choice of your Prime Minister to NATO, it is unthinkable to replace him without first referring to the Alliance. The ideal candidate for the job would therefore be Jean-Michel Blanquer. Thank you, Ian, for the kind introduction. Good morning to all of you; thank you for joining me here today. Its wonderful to be in this beautiful place, to get a chance to make a set of remarks about the very work that you do, the issues that confront the Marshall Fund and confront our region as well. Before I start today with my formal remarks, it would be I would be enormously remiss if I did not pay a well-deserved tribute to Americas 41st president, George Herbert Walker Bush. He was a many of you know him. He was an unyielding champion of freedom around the world first as a fighter pilot in World War II, later as a congressman. He was the ambassador to the United Nations, and then an envoy to China. He then had the same job I had as the director of the CIA I did it longer than he did. He was then the vice president under Ronald Reagan. I got to know him some myself. He was a wonderful brother, a father, a grandfather, and a proud American. Indeed, America is the only country he loved more than Texas. (Laughter.) I actually think that he would be delighted for me to be here today at an institution named after a fellow lover of freedom, George Marshall. And he would have been thrilled to see all of you here, such a large crowd gathered who are dedicated to transatlantic bonds, so many decades after they were first forged. The men who rebuilt Western civilization after World War II, like my predecessor Secretary Marshall, knew that only strong U.S. leadership, in concert with our friends and allies, could unite the sovereign nations all around the globe. So we underwrote new institutions to rebuild Europe and Japan, to stabilize currencies, and to facilitate trade. We all co-founded NATO to guarantee security for ourselves and our allies. We entered into treaties to codify Western values of freedom and human rights. Collectively, we convened multilateral organizations to promote peace and cooperation among states. And we worked hard indeed, tirelessly to preserve Western ideals because, as President Trump made clear in his Warsaw address, each of those are worth preserving. This American leadership allowed us to enjoy the greatest human flourishing in modern history. We won the Cold War. We won the peace. With no small measure of George H. W. Bushs effort, we reunited Germany. This is the type of leadership that President Trump is boldly reasserting. After the Cold War ended, we allowed this liberal order to begin to corrode. It failed us in some places, and sometimes it failed you and the rest of the world. Multilateralism has too often become viewed as an end unto itself. The more treaties we sign, the safer we supposedly are. The more bureaucrats we have, the better the job gets done. Was that ever really true? The central question that we face is that is the question of whether the system as currently configured, as it exists today, and as the world exists today does it work? Does it work for all the people of the world? Today at the United Nations, peacekeeping missions drag on for decades, no closer to peace. The UNs climate-related treaties are viewed by some nations as simply a vehicle to redistribute wealth. Anti-Israel bias has been institutionalized. Regional powers collude to vote the likes of Cuba and Venezuela onto the Human Rights Council. The UN was founded as an organization that welcomed peace-loving nations. I ask: Today, does it continue to serve its mission faithfully? In the Western Hemisphere, has enough been done with the Organization of American States to promote its four pillars of democracy, human rights, security, and economic development in a region that includes the likes of Cuba, Venezuela, and Nicaragua? In Africa, does the African Union advance the mutual interest of its nation-state members? For the business community, from which I came, consider this: The World Bank and the International Monetary Fund were chartered to help rebuild war-torn territories and promote private investment and growth. Today, these institutions often counsel countries who have mismanaged their economic affairs to impose austerity measures that inhibit growth and crowd out private sector actors. Here in Brussels, the European Union and its predecessors have delivered a great deal of prosperity to the entire continent. Europe is Americas single largest trading partner, and we benefit enormously from your success. But Brexit if nothing else was a political wake-up call. Is the EU ensuring that the interests of countries and their citizens are placed before those of bureaucrats here in Brussels? These are valid questions. This leads to my next point: Bad actors have exploited our lack of leadership for their own gain. This is the poisoned fruit of American retreat. President Trump is determined to reverse that. Chinas economic development did not lead to an embrace of democracy and regional stability; it led to more political repression and regional provocations. We welcomed China into the liberal order, but never policed its behavior. China has routinely exploited loopholes in the World Trade Organization rules, imposed market restrictions, forced technology transfers, and stolen intellectual property. And it knows that world opinion is powerless to stop its Orwellian human rights violations. Iran didnt join the community of nations after the nuclear deal was inked; it spread its newfound riches to terrorists and to dictators. Tehran holds multiple American hostages, and Bob Levinson has been missing there for 11 years. Iran has blatantly disregarded UN Security Council resolutions, lied to the International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors about its nuclear program, and evaded UN sanctions. Just this past week, Iran test fired a ballistic missile, in violation of UN Security Council Resolution 2231. Earlier this year, Tehran used the U.S.-Iran Treaty of Amity to bring baseless claims against the United States before the International Court of Justice most all of this malign activity during the JCPOA. Russia. Russia hasnt embraced Western values of freedom and international cooperation. Rather, it has suppressed opposition voices and invaded the sovereign nations of Georgia and of Ukraine. Moscow has also deployed a military-grade nerve agent on foreign soil, right here in Europe, in violation of the Chemical Weapons Convention to which it is a party. And as Ill detail later today, Russia has violated the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty for many years. The list goes on. We have to account for the world order of today in order to chart the way forward. It is what Americas National Security Strategy deemed principled realism. I like to think of it as common sense. Every nation every nation must honestly acknowledge its responsibilities to its citizens and ask if the current international order serves the good of its people as well as it could. And if not, we must ask how we can right it. This is what President Trump is doing. He is returning the United States to its traditional, central leadership role in the world. He sees the world as it is, not as we wish it to be. He knows that nothing can replace the nation-state as the guarantor of democratic freedoms and national interests. He knows, as George H.W. Bush knew, that a safer world has consistently demanded American courage on the world stage. And when we and when we all of us ignore our responsibilities to the institutions weve formed, others will abuse them. Critics in places like Iran and China who really are undermining the international order are saying the Trump administration is the reason this system is breaking down. They claim America is acting unilaterally instead of multilaterally, as if every kind of multilateral action is by definition desirable. Even our European friends sometimes say were not acting in the worlds interest. This is just plain wrong. Our mission is to reassert our sovereignty, reform the liberal international order, and we want our friends to help us and to exert their sovereignty as well. We aspire to make the international order serve our citizens not to control them. America intends to lead now and always. Under President Trump, we are not abandoning international leadership or our friends in the international system. Indeed, quite the contrary. Just look, as one example, at the historic number of countries which have gotten on board our pressure campaign against North Korea. No other nation in the world could have rallied dozens of nations, from every corner of the world, to impose sanctions on the regime in Pyongyang. International bodies must help facilitate cooperation that bolsters the security and values of the free world, or they must be reformed or eliminated. When treaties are broken, the violators must be confronted, and the treaties must be fixed or discarded. Words should mean something. Our administration is thus lawfully exiting or renegotiating outdated or harmful treaties, trade agreements, and other international arrangements that do not serve our sovereign interests, or the interests of our allies. We announced our intent to withdraw from the Paris Agreement on climate change, absent better terms for the United States. The current pact wouldve siphoned money from American paychecks and enriched polluters like China. In America, weve found a better solution we think a better solution for the world. Weve unleashed our energy companies to innovate and compete, and our carbon emissions have declined dramatically. We changed course from the Iran deal, because of, among other things, Tehrans violent and destabilizing activities, which undermined the spirit of the deal and put the safety of American people and our allies at risk. In its place, we are leading our allies to constrain Irans revolutionary ambitions and end Irans campaigns of global terrorism. And we neednt a new bureaucracy to do it. We need to continue to develop a coalition which will achieve that outcome which will keep people in the Middle East, in Europe, and the entire world safe from the threat from Iran. America renegotiated our treaty, NAFTA, to advance the interests of the American worker. President Trump proudly signed the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement at the G20 this past weekend in Buenos Aires, and on Friday will submit it to the Congress, a body accountable to the American people. The new agreement also includes renegotiation provisions, because no trade agreement is permanently suited to all times. We have encouraged our G20 partners to reform the WTO, and they took a good first step in Buenos Aires this last week. I spoke earlier about the World Bank and the IMF. The Trump Administration is working to refocus these institutions on policies that promote economic prosperity, pushing to halt lending to nations that can already access global capital markets countries like China and pressing to reduce taxpayer handouts to development banks that are perfectly capable of raising private capital on their own. Were also taking leadership, real action to stop rogue international courts, like the International Criminal Court, from trampling on our sovereignty your sovereignty and all of our freedoms. The ICCs Office of the Prosecutor is trying to open an investigation into U.S. personnel in connection with the war in Afghanistan. We will take all necessary steps to protect our people, those of our NATO allies who fight alongside of us inside of Afghanistan from unjust prosecution. Because we know that if it can happen to our people, it can happen to yours too. It is a worthy question: Does the court continue to serve its original intended purpose? The first two years of the Trump administration demonstrate that President Trump is not undermining these institutions, nor is he abandoning American leadership. Quite the opposite. In the finest traditions of our great democracy, we are rallying the noble nations of the world to build a new liberal order that prevents war and achieves greater prosperity for all. Were supporting institutions that we believe can be improved; institutions that work in American interests and yours in service of our shared values. For example, here in Belgium in 1973, banks from 15 countries formed SWIFT to develop common standards for cross-border payments, and its now an integral part of our global financial infrastructure. SWIFT recently disconnected sanctioned Iranian banks from its platform because of the unacceptable risk they pose to a system to the system as a whole. This is an excellent example of American leadership working alongside an international institution to act responsibly. Another example: the Proliferation Security Initiative, formed by 11 nations under the Bush administration to stop trafficking in weapons of mass destruction. It has since grown organically to 105 countries and has undoubtedly made the world safer. And I cant forget, standing here, one of the most important international institutions of them all which will continue to thrive with American leadership. My very first trip, within hours of having been sworn in as a secretary of state, I traveled here to visit with our NATO allies. Ill repeat this morning what I said then this is an indispensable institution. President Trump wants everyone to pay their fair share so we can deter our enemies and defend people the people of our countries. To that end, all NATO allies should work to strengthen what is already the greatest military alliance in all of history. Never never has an alliance ever been so powerful or so peaceful, and our historic ties must continue. To that end, Im pleased to announce that I will host my foreign minister colleagues for a meeting in Washington next April, where we will mark NATOs 70th anniversary. As my remarks come to a close, I want to repeat what George Marshall told the UN General Assembly back near the time of its formation in 1948. He said, quote, International organizations cannot take the place of national and personal effort or of local and individual imagination; international action cannot replace self-help. End of quote. Sometimes its not popular to buck the status quo, to call out that which we all see but sometimes refuse to speak about. But frankly, too much is at stake for all of us in this room today not to do so. This is the reality that President Trump so viscerally understands. Just as George Marshalls generation gave life to a new vision for a safe and free world, so we call on you to have the same kind of boldness. Our call is especially urgent especially urgent in light of the threats we face from powerful countries and actors whose ambition is to reshape the international order in its own illiberal image. Lets work together. Lets work together to preserve the free world so that it continues to serve the interests of the people to whom we each are accountable. Lets do so in a way that creates international organizations that are agile, that respect national sovereignty, that deliver on their stated missions, and that create value for the liberal order and for the world. President Trump understands deeply that when America leads, peace and prosperity almost certainly follow. He knows that if America and our allies here in Europe dont lead, others will choose to do so. America will, as it has always done, continue to work with our allies around the world towards the peaceful, liberal order each citizen of the world deserves. Thank you for joining me here today. May the Good Lord bless each and every one of you. Thank you. (Applause.) Clubhouse Gibraltar Thank GIBUNCO Clubhouse Gibraltar would like to thank GIBUNCO for funding the printing of their new brochures and stationery depicting their new logo. In their statement, the Charity said "We are delighted that the Community of Gibraltar are acknowledging the need for ongoing mental health support and are supporting our work." Clubhouse Gibraltar provides a work ordered day on a daily basis. For further information www.clubhousegibraltar.com e-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or Tel 20068423 First-ever Cannabis Drinks Expo to address Cannabis is the New Category as opportunities of game-changing cannabis legislation sweeps beverage industry SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 11, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via CannabisNewsWire Legalized cannabis is rapidly becoming a new consumer goods market possessing disruptive powers and new opportunities for all facets of the global beverage industry. Cannabis Drinks Expo, scheduled to debut at the South San Francisco Conference Center on July 25, 2019, will be the first event ever to tackle this issue head-on, making it a must-attend opportunity for traditional and emerging businesses in this rapidly evolving multi-billion-dollar industry. Cannabis Drinks Expo, hosted by the Beverage Trade Network, is being launched to help the global drinks industry better understand the challenges and potential opportunities surrounding the sale of legalized cannabis. Analysts predict the legal cannabis sector could reach $23 billion by 2021 with annual growth rates expected at over 30 percent. Legalization of recreational cannabis in Canada is now in force while the number of states in the U.S. approving sales of cannabis for recreational or medicinal use continues to grow. Among the first round of speakers for the 2018 Cannabis Drinks Expo are: Warren Bobrow, mixologist, author and journalist and the mastermind behind the award-winning cannabis cocktails and the Cocktail Whisperer website Michael Cooper, Managing Member, MadisonJay Solutions, LLC Omar Figueroa, founder of the Law Offices of Omar Figueroa, author and cannabis law expert Rebecca Stamey-White, Partner, Hinman & Carmichael LLP Alex Howe, co-founder and COO, Rebel Coast Winery Were really excited about the quality of speakers that weve already lined up for the Cannabis Drinks Expo. Our goal is to introduce both exhibitors and business conference participants to the tremendous dynamism that is occurring within the cannabis industry, said Ankita Okate, Chief Communications Officer of Beverage Trade Network. Were especially happy to be working with CannabisNewsWire as we leverage their distribution service and benefit from exposure on their syndication network of social media brands and news-oriented websites as we build this inaugural event. This unique, trade-only event will specifically address ideas and strategies the beverage industry must consider now to take advantage of this newly created consumer marketplace of legalized cannabis-infused drinks and related verticals. Speakers and attendees at the Cannabis Drinks Expo will explore: Innovative concepts to stay ahead of competitors as the cannabis drinks market begins to disrupt the traditional beverage industry Crossover appeal of cannabis with the much larger alcoholic drinks industry Steps businesses need to take now to comply with new cannabis legislation New routes to market and innovative distribution channels How traditional drinks industry suppliers and service providers can adapt to become equally relevant with current cannabis-industry producers Network opportunities that widen perspectives and open potential business partnerships Demand for this first-ever Cannabis Drinks Expo is expected to be high with a limited number of exhibition spaces available. Reserve your spot now with early bird pricing at Exhibitor Registration . Anyone curious about the future direction of the aggressively growing cannabis industry should plan to attend the inaugural Cannabis Drinks Expo in San Francisco on July 25, 2019. With a major theme of growing your business and growing your bottom line, any business looking for an on-ramp to this burgeoning marketplace will find Cannabis Drinks Expo the perfect platform. For more information about the show, please email Sid Patel at sid@cannabisdrinksexpo.com or visit www.cannabisdrinksexpo.com About Beverage Trade Network Beverage Trade Network (BTN) is a producer of competitions, conferences, expos and trade shows for the alcohol beverage trade industry around the world. BTN is the alcohol beverage industrys leading network and is committed to helping importers and distributors find new suppliers from all over the world. BTN hosts events in London, New York, and San Francisco, including the highly acclaimed International Bulk Wine & Spirits Show ( London and San Francisco ), the London Wine Competition (London) and the USA Trade Tasting show (New York). Beverage Trade Network Contact: www.beveragetradenetwork.com 855.481.1112 Office info@beveragetradenetwork.com At the kind invitation of the Indian Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC), the Policy Commission held its 80th Session in Mumbai from 3 to 5 December under the chairmanship of Mr. Enrique Canon, Director General of Uruguay Customs. The meeting was opened by the Indian Revenue Secretary, Mr. A.B. Pandey, and delegates were also addressed at the opening ceremony by the Minister of Finance of India, Mr. A. Jaitley, and the Chairman of the CBIC, Mr. S. Ramesh. During the three days of the meeting, the Policy Commission discussed a wide range of subjects, including a number of new topics on its Agenda : Monitoring/evaluation of the implementation of WCO instruments and tools; Review of the Harmonized System; Free Trade Zones; Small island economies; and the new Strategic Plan for 2019 to 2022. Delegates also engaged in a dialogue with a representative from the World Bank Group (WBG) who presented the WBGs latest work on Doing Business and its Trading across Borders section. The Policy Commission also received progress reports on several ongoing programmes and initiatives, including the four WCO Packages - on Economic Competitiveness, Compliance and Enforcement, Revenue, and Organizational Development (Capacity Building) - as well as the pilot project on the use of additional languages at the WCO. All these topics will be followed up over the coming months. The Outcomes of the Policy Commission session will be made available on the Members Website shortly. The Policy Commission delegates expressed their gratitude to the Chairman of the CBIC and his officials for their warm hospitality and the excellent organization of the session. In the course of the session, a Memorandum of Understanding formalizing the relocation of the East and Southern Africa Regional Intelligence Liaison Office to Harare was signed by the Secretary General and the Commissioner General of the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority. An Agreement was also signed with the President of Bahrain Customs to make Bahrain Customs Arabic translation of the Revenue Package documentation available to WCO Members. If you have an event you'd like to list on the site, submit it now! Submit Calvert City Jingle All the Way 5k and Fun Run set for December 4 Dublin, Dec. 11, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Bio-based Platform Chemicals - Global Market Outlook (2017-2026)" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. According to this report, the Global Bio-based Platform Chemicals market accounted for $13.83 billion in 2017 and is expected to reach $31.56 billion by 2026 growing at a CAGR of 9.6% during the forecast period. Excitability in crude oil costs, convenience of friendly government regulations towards bio-based products. In addition to this, growing acceptance of bio-based chemicals across various industries such as personal care, pharmaceuticals, food & beverages including others are some of the key factors driving the market growth. However, high yield cost of bio-based chemicals is likely to limit the market growth. By Geography, Asia Pacific region countries like China and India are more concerned towards green products and political turmoil regarding sustainability and effects of petroleum-based synthetic chemicals. Moreover, expansion of the manufacturing sector in countries like India, China, and Japan are augmenting the growth of the bio-based platform chemicals market in the region. What the report offers: Market share assessments for the regional and country level segments Market share analysis of the top industry players Strategic recommendations for the new entrants Market forecasts for a minimum of 9 years of all the mentioned segments, sub segments and the regional markets Market Trends (Drivers, Constraints, Opportunities, Threats, Challenges, Investment Opportunities, and recommendations) Strategic recommendations in key business segments based on the market estimations Competitive landscaping mapping the key common trends Key Topics Covered 1 Executive Summary 2 Preface 2.1 Abstract 2.2 Stake Holders 2.3 Research Scope 2.4 Research Methodology 2.4.1 Data Mining 2.4.2 Data Analysis 2.4.3 Data Validation 2.4.4 Research Approach 2.5 Research Sources 2.5.1 Primary Research Sources 2.5.2 Secondary Research Sources 2.5.3 Assumptions 3 Market Trend Analysis 3.1 Introduction 3.2 Drivers 3.3 Restraints 3.4 Opportunities 3.5 Threats 3.6 Product Analysis 3.7 Application Analysis 3.8 Emerging Markets 3.9 Futuristic Market Scenario 4 Porters Five Force Analysis 4.1 Bargaining power of suppliers 4.2 Bargaining power of buyers 4.3 Threat of substitutes 4.4 Threat of new entrants 4.5 Competitive rivalry 5 Global Bio-based Platform Chemicals Market, By Product 5.1 Introduction 5.2 Bio-1,4-Diacids 5.3 Bio Itaconic Acid 5.4 Ketones 5.5 Epichlorohydrin 5.6 Organic Acids 6 Global Bio-based Platform Chemicals Market, By Type 6.1 Introduction 6.2 C-3 Platform Chemicals 6.2.1 Glycerol 6.2.2 3-Hydroxypropionic Acid 6.3 C-4 Platform Chemicals 6.3.1 Succinic Acid 6.3.2 Fumaric Acid 6.3.3 Malic Acid 6.3.4 Aspartic Acid 6.4 C-5 Platform Chemicals 6.4.1 Levulinic Acid 6.4.2 Glutamic Acid 6.4.3 Itaconic Acid 6.4.4 Xylitol 6.5 C-6 Platform Chemicals 6.5.1 Sorbitol 6.5.2 Glucaric Acid 6.5.3 2, 5-Furan Dicarboxylic Acid 7 Global Bio-based Platform Chemicals Market, By Application 7.1 Introduction 7.2 Agriculture 7.3 Fertilizers 7.4 Health And Hygiene 7.5 Housing 7.6 Industrial 7.7 Pharmaceutical 7.8 Recreation 7.9 Textiles 7.10 Transportation 8 Global Bio-based Platform Chemicals Market, By Geography 8.1 Introduction 8.2 North America 8.2.1 US 8.2.2 Canada 8.2.3 Mexico 8.3 Europe 8.3.1 Germany 8.3.2 UK 8.3.3 Italy 8.3.4 France 8.3.5 Spain 8.3.6 Rest of Europe 8.4 Asia Pacific 8.4.1 Japan 8.4.2 China 8.4.3 India 8.4.4 Australia 8.4.5 New Zealand 8.4.6 South Korea 8.4.7 Rest of Asia Pacific 8.5 South America 8.5.1 Argentina 8.5.2 Brazil 8.5.3 Chile 8.5.4 Rest of South America 8.6 Middle East & Africa 8.6.1 Saudi Arabia 8.6.2 UAE 8.6.3 Qatar 8.6.4 South Africa 8.6.5 Rest of Middle East & Africa 9 Key Developments 9.1 Agreements, Partnerships, Collaborations and Joint Ventures 9.2 Acquisitions & Mergers 9.3 New Product Launch 9.4 Expansions 9.5 Other Key Strategies 10 Company Profiling 10.1 Aktin Chemicals Inc. 10.2 BASF SE 10.3 BioAmber Inc 10.4 Braskem 10.5 Cargill Incorporated 10.6 DowDuPont 10.7 Evonik Industries AG 10.8 GF Biochemicals 10.9 INEOS 10.10 Kawasaki Kasei Chemicals 10.11 Koninklijke DSM N.V. 10.12 LyondellBasell Chemicals 10.13 Mitsui Chemicals 10.14 Myriant Corporation. 10.15 Nippon Shokubai Co. Ltd. 10.16 Novozymes 10.17 PTT Global Chemical Public Company 10.18 Qingdao Kehai Biochemistry Co. Ltd. 10.19 Tokyo Chemical Industry Co. Ltd 10.20 Yantai shanshui chemical technology Co. Ltd. 10.21 Yield10Bioscience Inc. For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/svf4kg/worldwide?w=12 Research and Markets also offers Custom Research services providing focused, comprehensive and tailored research. Email To : Multiple e-mail addresses must be separated with a comma character(maximum 200 characters) Email To is required. Your Full Name: (optional) Your Email Address: Your Email Address is required. Advertisement By West Kentucky Star Staff Dec. 11, 2018 | BENTON, KY By West Kentucky Star Staff Dec. 11, 2018 | 09:58 AM | BENTON, KY A judge has issued rulings in several recent motions from defense lawyers in the case against accused Marshall County High School shooter Gabe Parker. Court documents show Judge Jamie Jameson considered three motions from the defense during a hearing on Nov. 30. The first one asked that Kentucky State Police be compelled to produce evidence in the case. At the hearing it was discovered that state police had already released the evidence in question. Since no further action was taken, Jameson denied this motion on Monday. The second motion asked the court to compel Parker's counselor to provide records of counseling sessions he had attended. Jameson ruled at the hearing that it was not necessary for him to order the records because it's possible for the defense to subpoena those records directly. Therefore, this motion was also denied. The third motion asks the court to determine the extent of possible witness interference in the case by Marshall County Schools attorney Michael Owsley. Parker's attorneys have argued that Owsley - and possibly school district staff - tampered with witnesses who may have been told not to speak with members of the defense team. This motion will be addressed at a Feb. 1 hearing at 9 am. By West Kentucky Star Staff Dec. 10, 2018 | 10:24 PM | GRAVES COUNTY A man was arrested in Graves County Monday on multiple burglary charges. According to the Graves County Sheriff's Office, deputies responded on Sunday to a home in the 2000 block of KY 1949 in Symsonia for a burglary complaint. The victim told police that a lawn mower and trailer were stolen out of a storage building. The suspect was identified as 39-year-old Albert Blalock, who was last seen driving a red Ford Ranger with gold trim. Monday morning, a deputy responded to a single vehicle collision in the 5000 block of KY 945. It was reported that the driver fled the scene after the collision. The deputy arrived and found a red Ford Ranger that had been involved in a collision in a wooded area. The truck was registered to the suspect, Albert Blalock. During the investigation of the collision, deputies were told that a man, identified as Blalock, was trying to break into the home in the 2000 block of KY 1949 again. When deputies arrived at the scene, they saw Blalock coming out the front door of the home. He was arrested without incident. Blalock was lodged in the Graves County Jail on charges of 2nd degree burglary, 3rd degree burglary and leaving the scene of an accident. Deputies say the stolen items were later found at a home in the Boaz area. By The Associated Press Dec. 11, 2018 | 05:31 AM | LOUISVILLE Seeking to stir support for a federal criminal justice bill, Sen. Rand Paul on Monday called on voters in the hometown of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to prod him to hold a vote on the measure. Paul said during an appearance at the Louisville Urban League that the measure would pass overwhelmingly if it received a Senate vote during Congress' lame-duck session. But McConnell has refused to bring the legislation forward in a standoff that's dividing the Republican majority. "We need the help of one person the one person who has the power to allow this vote," Paul said, a reference to McConnell, his fellow Kentucky Republican. "And I'm not saying he's stopping it. But there is one person he's from Louisville, he's fairly well-known. And he has the power to allow or disallow this vote. And I'm asking those in Louisville to call Sen. McConnell and say, 'Please let us have this vote.'" Sadiqa Reynolds, president and CEO of the Louisville Urban League, a social justice organization, immediately picked up on Paul's plea for constituents to reach out to the Senate leader's office. "Everybody call Sen. McConnell's office," she said. "Ask him to allow them to vote" on the measure. McConnell's office didn't immediately comment on Paul's remarks. Kentucky's senior senator has pointed to time constraints as Congress wraps up its work for the year and divisions among Senate Republicans as reasons the measure hasn't been voted on. At an event last week, McConnell said the measure has bipartisan support but that within the Senate GOP membership, it is "extremely divisive." He indicated he didn't have the time to get it through the Senate this year but expressed confidence that the measure would pass next year, given its broad support. Paul said the preference among the bill's supporters is to vote on it this month and not wait until next year. "A lot of us who are for (the) criminal justice (bill) don't want to push it to January because we kind of have a carefully worked out compromise between Republicans and Democrats, and it's not always that often that we can get together and all agree on something," he told reporters. Another possible option would be to try to attach the criminal justice provisions to a federal spending bill, Paul said. "Those rumors are floating about and I think there's a possibility that it could be done," he said. The criminal justice issue also stirred a recent tweet from President Donald Trump. The bill is a project of Trump's son-in-law, White House adviser Jared Kushner, and would be the biggest sentencing overhaul in decades. "Hopefully Mitch McConnell will ask for a VOTE on Criminal Justice Reform," Trump tweeted. "It is extremely popular and has strong bipartisan support. It will also help a lot of people, save taxpayer dollars, and keep our communities safe. Go for it Mitch!" The measure would reduce mandatory prison terms for certain drug crimes and give judges in some cases more discretion on punishments. It would allow about 2,600 federal prisoners sentenced for crack cocaine offenses before August 2010 the opportunity to petition for a reduced penalty. Roughly 90 percent of prison inmates are held in state facilities and would not be affected by the legislation. Senate opponents have said support for the measure has been exaggerated, and they also warn that Republicans would be blamed if a criminal is released and then reoffends. Paul said he supports tough punishment for violent criminals but said many people don't deserve long jail sentences for drug dependency. He also said lawmakers need to fix the "great racial disparity" in terms of who gets locked up for drug crimes. By The Associated Press Dec. 10, 2018 | 09:39 PM | FRANKFORT Kentucky's Democratic attorney general said Monday he has atoned for some tainted contributions to his 2015 campaign by donating more than $14,000 to a government watchdog group but it's not clear the group will accept the money. Andy Beshear, who is running for governor in 2019, said his campaign has sent a check for $14,302.79 to Common Cause of Kentucky. The money is meant to make up for some donations that were illegally funneled to his campaign by his former chief deputy. But Common Cause of Kentucky chairman Richard Beliles said he is not sure the organization will accept it. He noted that Common Cause is nonpartisan and does not normally accept money from political campaigns. He planned to talk with the group's national leaders before deciding. "Maybe by the miracle of transubstantiation, maybe this dirty money can be used for good government. So, we'll see" said Beliles, who noted he is an unpaid volunteer. Beshear's donation comes more than two years after his former chief deputy, Tim Longmeyer, pleaded guilty to masterminding a kickback scheme involving a state contract that he used to illegally funnel campaign donations to Beshear and other Democrats. Federal authorities have said Beshear did not know about the scheme. But his political rivals have criticized him for taking more than two years to return the money. Beshear said he was waiting for state officials to complete an audit of his 2015 campaign account, which they did in October. Just how much of Beshear's nearly $5 million in 2015 campaign contributions was tainted is hard to calculate. Longmeyer testified in a federal trial this summer that he received or controlled up to $400,000 from the scheme. He said he donated or directed about half of that money to political campaigns. State law limits individual contributions to $2,000 per campaign, but Longmeyer would bypass those caps by giving cash to friends and family and telling them where to send it. Records show Beshear received at least $22,000 from Longmeyer, his family, friends and others associated with the case. But it's unclear how much of that money is illegal. In October, the Kentucky Registry of Election Finance, which at the time consisted of four Republicans and three Democrats, agreed at least $4,000 in donations to Beshear's campaign could be proven to be illegal. "There was no reason we could find to believe (that) just because somebody gave (money) that was related to Longmeyer or had some connection there (that) it was necessarily tainted," said John Steffen, executive director of the Kentucky Registry of Election Finance. Republican Party of Kentucky spokesman Tres Watson said he was glad Beshear had donated the money, but said the amount of money he received in tainted donations "appears to be much higher than the sum he is sending to make good on." "He still has a long way to go to get this scandal behind him," he said. Beshear made the disclosure during his annual year-in-review news conference with reporters. In addition to running for governor, Beshear said he plans to focus on nine lawsuits his office has filed against opioid manufacturers and distributors. He also said he plans to ask the legislature to pass laws that would create a dedicated fund for drug treatment programs and to train commercial truck drivers to recognize signs of human trafficking. But with Republican majorities in both chambers of the state legislature, it might be difficult for Beshear to get bills passed in a year he is running for governor as a Democrat. "I'm not liberal or conservative, I'm practical," he said. "I start every legislative session with the hope that people will do the right thing." GOLDENDALE, Wash., Dec. 11, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Auscrete Corporation (OTC: ASCK) (The Company) announced today that the second tranche of funding was received in December, setting the stage for an exciting 1st quarter of 2019, with opening of the facility and the taking of firm orders. This enables ASCK to deliver revenue producing goods with earnings projected in the 2nd quarter of 2019. In the past few weeks, Auscrete Corporation has received unsolicited inquiries requesting bids for the construction of two independent buildings of 10,000 square feet. The buildings are for franchised retailers who are expecting construction in 2019. Company spokesman Lee Odom stated, In addition to Housing, Auscretes building products are consummately suitable for the construction of Commercial and Industrial Buildings. The construction of 2 buildings as described above would be in the million dollar plus area and this would not be much of a burden on production output. Leaving more than adequate facilities for Auscretes target market of Affordable Homes. Mr. Odom continued, As the facility opens in Goldendale, Washington, in the 1st quarter, the company is expecting commercial requests to really accelerate for the use of the revolutionary Auscrete Technology of hybrid insulated lightweight and durable concrete, that is both energy efficient and affordable to all structures. The Company plans to submit the paperwork to begin the up-listing process to the OTCQB in January which should have a positive impact toward enhancing shareholders value, which remains the constant goal of Management and the Board of Directors. Additionally, employment interviews have commenced for certain skilled positions with the Company and are being conducted by Auscrete CEO and Founder, Mr. John Sprovieri. For future updates regarding the launch process, follow our Blog at AuscreteBlog.com Safe Harbor Statement: Matters discussed in this press release contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. When used in this press release, the words anticipate, believe, estimate, may, intend, expect and similar expressions identify such forward-looking statements. Actual results, performance or achievements could differ materially from those contemplated, expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements contained herein. These forward-looking statements are based largely on the expectations of the Company and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties. These include, but are not limited to, risks and uncertainties associated with: the sales of the companys identity protection software products into various channels and market sectors, the issuance of the companys pending patent application, and the impact of economic, competitive and other factors affecting the Company and its operations, markets, product, and distributor performance, the impact on the national and local economies resulting from terrorist actions, and U.S. actions subsequently; and other factors detailed in reports filed by the Company. Over the weekend, the rapper posted a scathing response to Bow Wow, following his comments on Growing Up Hip-Hop: Atlanta about how easy she is. On the show, Bow said that his friend BT, who he'd set up on a blind date with Lil Mama, could "smash" her "in a week." Bow also intimated that Lil Mama had invited him to New York so they could get together. In a now deleted series of Instagram videos, Lil Mama offered a harsh rebuttal. "I want to start this off just by saying you played yourself, kid," the 29-year-old lyricist said in a brief clip. "Bow Wow, you know, that in all the years that I've ever known you, you have never known a n***a to f**k me in a week." Lil Mama clarified that she'd invited him to New York during his reported mental break to get him into a healthy environment, not to get with him. "I was trying to bring you around some real n****s," Lil Mama continued. "You want to commit suicide one day. You're going crazy here. You're going crazy there. I come from a grounded environment that I was trying to bring you to." She added, "You are far from the type of man that I could see myself being with, sleeping with or anything of that nature." On his Instagram story, Bow responded by posting, "2019...not responding to any of you n****s when it come to this Internet s***t. Yall gone be talking to a wall." He added, "Until then, Ima be petty. Happy holidays" -- and added a photo of Lil Mama crying. Copyright 2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. Denver, Dec. 11, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Symbia Logistics, a Colorado-based warehousing, logistics and e-commerce fulfillment company, is experiencing explosive growth. The company has closed on three acquisitions in recent months Mountain States Logistics, Innovative Fulfillment Solutions and Nevada Distribution Services and is preparing for the January 2019 grand opening of its new, state-of-the-art e-commerce fulfillment operation in Aurora, Colo. Symbia CEO Megan Smith, along with a team of seasoned logistics and fulfillment executives, says the company is on an aggressive growth path. We are very excited to announce that three quality companies have recently become members of our Symbia Logistics family. The broad range of services our combined operations can now provide gives us a unique edge over our competition. That means manufacturers and retailers coast to coast can rely on our extensive capabilities, whether they are a business-to-business (B2B) entity or a business-to-consumer (B2C) operation. Symbias first acquisition in April was Mountain States Logistics (MSL) in Denver. With its location on a rail line, MSL customers have access to mass distribution and economical rail-to-truck services. MSL offers customized solutions and personalized service to manufacturers of more industrial types of goods. MSLs founding partner, Rusty Walker, now serves as Symbias director of rail service operations. According to Walker, This merger is a huge win for all parties and most importantly, for our customers. Together we are working to make their dollar go further like all the way across the country. Shortly after acquiring Mountain States Logistics, Symbia acquired Innovative Fulfillment Solutions (IFS), headquartered in Kansas City, Mo. Founded in 1998, IFS pioneered third-party fulfillment services to e-commerce companies, serving customers worldwide. IFS founder Keith Milburn said, Since launching IFS, weve seen exponential growth in online shopping and e-commerce services. We are thrilled to know that the Symbia team will continue to treat our employees, our clients and their customers with the same care and exceptional customer service that we have committed to over the years. Symbias third successful acquisition was of Nevada Distribution Services (NDS). NDS provides supply chain, warehousing and logistics management solutions to both B2B and B2C marketers. Based in Reno, Nev., NDS meets the needs of customers across the country and around the globe. For some international clients it serves as a forwarding agent, routing cargo efficiently, safely and swiftly through a maze of regulations and U.S. and foreign customs. NDS president John McKinney said, Joining forces with Symbia was an excellent move for us and for our clients. With Symbias growth plans and commitment to customer satisfaction, everyone comes out ahead. Symbia CEO Megan Smith commented on the companys aggressive growth plans. When you consider our expanded capabilities as a result of these three transactions, add in the high-tech solutions in our Aurora facility, and combine that with our plans to continue growing through strategic acquisitions, the future for Symbia is extremely exciting. We have become a major 3PL player for companies looking for the broad capabilities of Amazon but with the high-touch customer service that only a family-owned business can provide. To learn more about Symbia Logistics expanded capabilities and future growth plans, visit GrowLikeSymbia.com. For a photo and bio of Symbia CEO Megan Smith, visit symbia.com/team . About Symbia Logistics Symbia Logistics is a privately held family business with warehouse facilities in the United States and Canada . The company has been developing customized solutions and processes for logistics clients since 1989. The Symbia Logistics team provides facility-based supply chain support to a variety of industries including sporting goods, apparel, dry grocery, health and beauty, aerospace, chemical, industrial goods, kitting, and direct-to-consumer fulfillment services. Company executives believe in establishing long-term partnerships with their clients and are committed to exceeding customer expectations. Symbia maintains its corporate headquarters in Edwards, Colo., and operates an executive office at its new facility in Aurora, Colo. For more information visit symbia.com. ### Attachments China News on Women Sorry, the page you requested was not found. If you're having trouble locating a destination on Womenofchina.cn, try visiting the Womenofchina Home page Last chance to have your say on plans to increase pupil numbers at Wrexham primary school This article is old - Published: Tuesday, Dec 11th, 2018 There is just one day left to have your say on plans to increase pupil numbers at a Wrexham primary school by more than 100. Wrexham Council have been seeking views on the proposals for Barkers Lane Community Primary School in Borras since October 2018. The proposed increase in capacity from 210 to 315 has been put forward as a result of what Wrexham Councils education department describe as a increase in demand in town centre schools. Speaking in September, Cllr Phil Wynn, lead member for education, explained that the plans would allow the education department to reduce the number of pupils in infant classes rather than increase the number of school places in Wrexham a policy in line with the Welsh Governments aims. The school would then continue to offer the 45 entry each subsequent year to nursery and reception pupils only. There would be no immediate availability to transfer into any of the higher year groups unless a space became available within the current 30 pupil planned admission number. It is hoped that these proposals will not only reduce infant class sizes at Barkers Lane CP, but also alleviate the current pressure on a number of town centre English medium schools. The findings will be presented to the executive board who will then make a decision on publishing statutory notices in March 2019. A final decision will then be taken in summer 2019. Subject to the approval and outcomes of the public consultation, such changes would be introduced in September 2020 for nursery and reception years. You can view the consultation documents and find out how you can have your say on the Wrexham Council website. The consultation closes on December 12th. New business rates scheme will certainly help the struggling high streets across Wales This article is old - Published: Tuesday, Dec 11th, 2018 A new enhanced package of support on business rates for the high street has been welcomed locally. The new enhanced scheme will go significantly further than in previous years, providing support to all retailers in Wales with a rateable value of up to 50,000. Although often called support for the High Street it will support retailers in other locations as noted here. Last month local Assembly Member Lesley Griffiths facilitated a discussion between fellow Welsh Government Cabinet Secretary and soon to be First Minister and local business representatives on the topic of business rates. Yesterday the plans were unveiled with enhanced business rates support for High Street by extending rates relief scheme. One person who attended the meeting last month was Alex Jones, the Chair of the Town Centre Forum, a group that has business rates on its agenda for several years. He reacted to yesterdays news, saying: After writing to Mr Drakeford and arranging a meeting with him regarding this issue we are pleased that the Welsh Government are bridging the gap on business rates. I would like to see a complete overhaul on the way rates are calculated and make it a fairer system which includes online businesses. High Streets have suffered enough over the years and now is the time to seriously look into how we can move forward and create a fair system. Forum Steering Group Chairman Sam Regan said: I welcome Mr Drakefords announcement today, as it will certainly help the struggling high streets across Wales. Its definitely a step in the right direct, but for the future of town centres a more detailed review has to take place. A better parity in rates needs to be found between online exclusive and traditional retailers. Wrexhams AM Lesley Griffiths told us: Traditional high street retailers have faced significant obstacles in recent times and the issue of business rates has been a growing concern in Wrexham and across the country. Having made representations on behalf of local businesses and recently helping facilitate a meeting between the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and local business leaders, its clear the Welsh Government has listened to the concerns and I am sure this additional support will be welcomed. Its estimated this enhanced scheme will support an additional 15,000 ratepayers across Wales which will not only make a positive difference to local traders, but will also help strengthen public services for the community. We also asked Wrexham Council for their reaction to the news however had no reply from them or a Lead Member. TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) The State/FEMA disaster recovery centers in Carrabelle (Franklin) and Chipley (Washington) will permanently close at 6 p.m. Wednesday, December 12. Many of the services are available by calling the FEMA helpline at 800-621-3362. Seven other recovery centers will remain open after December 12 to provide information and guidance for Hurricane Michael. To locate a disaster recovery center go to fema.gov/DRC, or call the FEMAhelpline at 1-800-621-3362 Representatives from the state of Florida, FEMA, the U.S. Small Business Administration and other organizations are at the centers to explain available assistance programs and help connect survivors with resources that best match their recovery needs. Residents of Bay, Calhoun, Franklin, Gadsden, Gulf, Holmes, Jackson, Leon, Liberty, Taylor, Wakulla, and Washington counties may register for disaster assistance to address losses as a direct result of Hurricane Michael. To register: Go online to DisasterAssistance.gov, or call 800-621-3362 (voice/711/VRS) or 800-462-7585 (TTY) anytime from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. local time, seven days a week. Multilingual operators are available. TAMPA, Fla. (AP) - A Florida woman accused of drowning her screaming 4-year-old daughter in a river in Tampa has been declared incompetent to stand trial. Hillsborough Circuit Judge Kimberly Fernandez on Tuesday reviewed reports from three doctors who have examined 26-year-old Shakayla Denson since her August arrest. The Tampa Bay Times reports the judge's ruling means Denson will be sent to a state hospital for treatment before the case can continue. Police have said Denson stole a car Aug. 2 and drove to the Hillsborough River, which runs through Tampa. Then she allegedly dragged her screaming daughter, Je'Hyrah Daniels, into shoulder-deep water and let her go. Currents swept Je'Hyrah away and she drowned. Denson was charged with first-degree murder, aggravated child abuse and grand theft auto. ___ Information from: Tampa Bay Times (St. Petersburg, Fla.), http://www.tampabay.com. (Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.) Tampa mom accused of drowning 4-year-old daughter held without bond TAMPA, FL (WWSB) - The mother accused of leaving her 4-year-old daughter in a river to drown will continue to be held in jail without bond. According to a Hillsborough County Court spokesperson, the judge granted the states' motion for pre-trial detention of Shakayla Denson, during a court hearing Wednesday. The judge heard testimony from two witnesses during the hearing that lasted about three hours. An arraignment will likely take place sometime in the next couple of weeks according to the Hillsborough County Court. Denson is charge with first degree murder, aggravated child assault and grand theft auto for allegedly taking her daughter to the Hillsborough River Wednesday Aug. 2, in a stolen vehicle, and leaving her to drown. Officers located the child, identified as Je'Hyrah Daniels, approximately 30 minutes after she was left in the river near North Rome Avenue and West Aileen Street, about 75-feet offshore. The child was rushed to St. Joseph's Hospital but was pronounced dead at 4:49 p.m. Copyright 2018 WWSB. All rights reserved. SAN DIEGO, Dec. 11, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- On December 5, 2018, a federal court judge in Texas ruled in Neologys favor that a lawsuit brought by Star Systems (SSI) belongs in federal court. The present lawsuit between Neology and SSI stems from a prior lawsuit between SSI and Neologys predecessor-in-interest, 3M. The prior lawsuit resulted in a consent judgment and a settlement agreement between 3M, SSI, and SSI employee Stephen Lockhart (Lockhart). In the consent judgment, the Judge granted judgment in favor of 3M, and against Lockhart and SSI stating, among other things, that Lockhart acknowledges that he retained and failed to return 3Ms confidential information and devices embodying such confidential information obtained during the course of his relationship and that Lockhart was not authorized to take or retain this information and doing so is in direct violation of the confidentiality provision in the Employee Agreement he had with 3M. In the present lawsuit, SSI sued Neology and accused Neology of defamation, business disparagement and other claims. Among other things, SSI alleged that a press release issued by Neology about the consent judgment between SSI, Lockhart and 3M was defamatory to SSI. SSI brought the lawsuit in a state court in Texas, and Neology removed it to a federal court. SSI asked the federal court to send the case back to the state court. On December 5, the federal court judge denied SSIs motion and sided with Neology. Neology is pleased with this procedural result and is confident that it will ultimately prevail on the merits too. The case is styled STAR SYSTEMS INTERNATIONAL LIMITED v. NEOLOGY, INC., 4:18-CV-00574 (Eastern District of Texas Sherman Division). About Neology: Neology is a leading provider of integrated end-to-end solutions for the tolling, electronic vehicle registration and public safety markets. The company is a pioneer and leader in the development of passive RFID technology, owning some of the earliest and most significant intellectual property (IP) in the industry. For more information, visit www.neology.net. Forward-Looking Statements: All forward-looking statements contained in this press release are based on assumptions, planning, and forecasts at the time of publication of this press release. Forward-looking statements always involve uncertainties. Business and economic risks and developments, the conduct of competitors, political decisions, and other factors may cause the actual results to be materially different from the assumptions, planning, and forecasts at the time of publication of this press release. Therefore, Neology does not assume any responsibility relating to forward-looking statements contained in this press release. Furthermore, Neology does not assume any obligation to update the forward-looking statements contained in this press release. Media Contact: Mark McFarlin Vice President International Sales Phone: 858-391-0260 x1126 mmcfarlin@neology.net www.neology.net TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - Many Florida towns continue to rebuild following Hurricane Michael, and Visit Florida wants to help. WTXL ABC 27's Jada Williams was live Tuesday morning with more on two new programs helping increase tourism in the places hit by the Hurricane. Gov. Rick Scott has unveiled two new disaster assistance programs with Visit FLorida all to help tourism in the counties hurt by Hurricane Michael. The counties eligible are those counties included in FEMA assistance. The Tourism Recovery Grant Program for Hurricane Michael helps counties come up with a marketing plan to sell what they have to offer through things like advertising, brochure production, and website development. The Hurricane Michael Recovery Marketing Program allows local businesses to join Visit Florida for free and receive more help from the organization through June 30, 2019. The goal is all to continue to grow tourism in the sunshine state. Ken Lawson, the CEO of Visit Florida, said:"Of course, the last 2 years, we've made sure to use the money to help all partners whether you are small, medium or large. Bottom line, tourism funds1.4 million Floridians jobs. Last year, we had over 118.5 million tourists come out of state to spend their money. Spend over $113 billion to make sure we don't have a personal income tax." This is in addition to the nearly $9 million marketing plan launched by Visit Florida in October. That plan is also aimed at helping devastated tourist attraction rebuild. More information is at visitflorida.org. TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - A Havana man has been arrested for following and shooting at his ex-girlfriend while she was driving home from work. Travis Bosby, 26, was arrested by the Tallahassee Police Department on Saturday. In November, TPD responded to Liberty Street in response to the victim reporting that her ex-boyfriend, Bosby, had just shot at her car. The victim told officers that they had an argument on Oct. 24 and had not spoken since that time. She stated that on her way home from work, she noticed Bosby following her in his car. As the victim continued to drive along Kissimmee Street approaching Mills Street, Bosby pulled ahead of her, came to an abrupt stop, and got out of his car. The victim said Bosby then fired one shot while pointing the gun at her as she was driving. According to court documents, the victim was able to drive around Bosby and go to a relative's house on Liberty Street. Officers tried to find Bosby at his listed address but were unsuccessful. Police said there were no impacts on the victim's car related to being hit by a bullet and she was uninjured. While driving around the area of Kissimmee and Mills Street, officers found a recently fired cartridge case of .380 ACP caliber in front of Argos Concrete Company. Employees with Argos told officers that the building which the bullet passed through was occupied at the time with Argos employees. Based on evidence and the victim identifying Bosby as the suspect, he is being charged with resisting officer obstruct without violence, aggravated assault with deadly weapon without intent to kill, and firing weapon into occupied structure. He was taken to the Leon County Detention Facility over the weekend and his bond has been set at $25,500. TIFT COUNTY, Ga. (WTXL) - Women across South Georgia are one step closer to receiving additional help when it comes to domestic violence. Ruth's Cottage held its groundbreaking ceremony Monday in Tift County. The Georgia Community Block Grant funded $750,000 toward the new 25-bed facility. Tift County gifted the land to Ruth Cottage, which currently operates out of five different facilities. TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - A man wanted for molesting a 9-year-old child is finally behind bars in Leon County after being on the run for two years. Devon Lee, 25, was taken into custody by the Leon County Sheriff's Office on Saturday. In September 2016, deputies responded to White Hill Lane in response to an attempted suicide. When deputies arrived on scene, they spoke with Lee, who had made the suicide attempt. Responding deputies ultimately placed him into protective custody under the Baker Act. While on scene, deputies spoke with the victim's parents, who said Lee made the victim feel uncomfortable. When asked to elaborate, the victim's parents said the victim had told them that Lee kissed the victim and "stuck his tongue in [the victim's] mouth." The victim's parents told investigators they believed Lee tried to commit suicide because he was confronted about the incident. While interviewing Lee at Tallahassee Memorial Hospital, he told deputies he hugged and kissed all of the children when he first got into town from North Carolina. When asked if he tried to prolong any of the kisses, he stated "No! I ain't no pervert." Lee then refused to talk to deputies any further. A couple days later, deputies were able to speak with the victim who said Lee arrived at the Tallahassee home from North Carolina and immediately began drinking heavily, becoming extremely intoxicated. According to court documents, Lee came into the living room and asked if the victim could keep a secret and took the victim into a bedroom. The victim told deputies that once in the bedroom, he grabbed the victim on the shoulders and kissed the victim on the mouth. Court documents state Lee let go of the victim once the victim told him to stop. The victim said that when someone opened the door, it startled Lee, at which point the victim ran out of the bedroom and told a parent. Court documents say one of the victim's parents stated Lee had a substance abuse issue and came to Tallahassee in an attempt to regain control of his life. They said he strongly denied doing anything inappropriate with the victim. After Lee was released from TMH, he went back to North Carolina and was on the run for a little over two years before being taken into custody. Based on the evidence, he is being charged with intentionally touching a child under 16 years of age in a lewd or lascivious manner. He was taken to the Leon County Detention Center where his bond has been set at $10,000. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-10 23:17:51|Editor: Chengcheng Video Player Close Nobel Peace Prize laureates Denis Mukwege (R) and Nadia Murad pose with their medals and diplomas at the award ceremony in Oslo, Norway, Dec. 10, 2018. Congolese gynecologist Denis Mukwege and Iraq's Yazidi human rights activist Nadia Murad received the 2018 Nobel Peace Prize on Monday at the award ceremony in Norway for "their efforts to end the use of sexual violence as a weapon of war and armed conflict." (Xinhua/Zhang Shuhui) OSLO, Dec. 10 (Xinhua) -- Congolese gynecologist Denis Mukwege and Iraq's Yazidi human rights activist Nadia Murad received the 2018 Nobel Peace Prize on Monday at the award ceremony here in Norway, for "their efforts to end the use of sexual violence as a weapon of war and armed conflict." At the ceremony held at the Oslo City Hall, Mukwege, 63, and Murad, 25, received medals and diplomas of the award. The two laureates "have made significant contributions to combating this type of war crime by focusing attention on the suffering inflicted on women in Iraq, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and everywhere else in the world where sexual violence is used as a weapon," said Berit Reiss-Andersen, chair of the Norwegian Nobel Committee. "The war waged on women through the use of sexual violence has been a hidden war," she said, adding "When the time has come for peace negotiations and transitional justice, these crimes have rarely been on the agenda." In their Nobel lectures, both Murad and Mukwege narrated their experiences in their war-torn countries and urged the international community to help the victims of sexual violence in wars and armed conflicts. Mukwege has spent large parts of his adult life helping the victims of sexual violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo as most of the abuses have been committed in the context of a long-lasting civil war, according to the Norwegian Nobel Committee. Murad, a survivor of sexual slavery by the Islamic State in Iraq, "has shown uncommon courage in recounting her own sufferings and speaking up on behalf of other victims," the committee said. File Photo: Convoys carrying food materials are seen through the humanitarian corridor from Sudan's El Obied to Bentiu in Bahr el Ghazal State of South Sudan, May 19, 2017. (Xinhua/Mohamed Babiker) UNITED NATIONS, Dec. 9 (Xinhua) -- The UN Security Council (UNSC) has condemned the incidents of sexual and gender-based violence against women near Bentiu in northern South Sudan in recent weeks. In a press statement released on Saturday night, the council expressed deep concern about the well-being of the victims, who, according to reports, included more than 150 women and girls who were attacked by armed men in military and civilian clothing, in government-controlled areas throughout Rubkona County. The UNSC called on the Government of South Sudan to condemn the attacks, to ensure that a full investigation is carried out and those responsible are held accountable, and to break the cycle of impunity for sexual and gender-based violence. Members of the council emphasized that those responsible for violations of international humanitarian law and violations and abuses of human rights must be held accountable, and that the Government of South Sudan bears the primary responsibility to protect its populations from genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing, and crimes against humanity. The UNSC called on South Sudan's leaders to meet without delay all commitments made under cessation of hostilities agreements, including to refrain from attacks on the civilian population and to refrain from any acts of rape, sexual abuse and torture, and to meet all commitments made under the revitalized peace agreement, including to cease all forms of sexual and gender-based violence. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-11 01:03:29|Editor: Chengcheng Video Player Close HEFEI, Dec. 10 (Xinhua) -- German carmaker Volkswagen and its Chinese partner Anhui Jianghuai Automobile (JAC Motors) on Monday started the construction work on its research and development center for their new energy vehicle (NEV) joint venture. The R&D center of the passenger car facility will be dedicated to the development of electric cars, technology for the Internet of Vehicles, autonomous driving and other future technologies. The center is located in the economic and development zone of Hefei, capital of east China's Anhui Province, where JAC Motors is headquartered. On Nov. 28, JAC Motors, Volkswagen China and its Spanish brand SEAT signed a latest Memorandum of Understanding to further confirm the development direction of the joint venture. JAC Volkswagen, founded in December 2017, is China's first Sino-foreign joint venture that is dedicated to new energy vehicles. Li Ming, president of JAC Volkswagen, said the company will embrace the auto industry's transformation and upgrading that points to an electric and smart future. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-11 02:33:46|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close VILNIUS, Dec. 10 (Xinhua) -- Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite said on Monday the European Commission's proposals on direct payments to Lithuanian farmers are "unacceptable". The country's farmers are planning to hold a demonstration in Brussels on Thursday. On Monday, Grybauskaite met with representatives of the Lithuanian farmers' organizations to discuss the EU's 2021-2027 budget and its financial support to agriculture. Lithuanian farmers want the European Commission to increase direct payments. Grybauskaite expressed support to the farmers, saying their demands are "reasonable," since the European Commission's relevant proposals are "unacceptable". "According to the 2021-2027 budget, the direct payments would again be lower than the EU average," said the President's Office in an announcement following the meeting. On average, direct payments in the EU amount to 266 euros per hectare eligible for payment, according to the European Commission. Currently, Lithuanian farmers receive direct payments of 170 euros per hectare on average, local media reports. "Up until now, after 14 years of Lithuania's EU membership, the EU still hasn't delivered the agreed and unanimous commitment to provide our farmers with non-discriminatory direct payments," said the President's Office. Oh Thursday, Lithuanian farmers are to stage a joint protest in Brussels with farmers from Latvia, Estonia, Poland, the Czech Republic and Slovakia demanding higher direct payments and "equal treatment". The European Council meets on Thursday and Friday to discuss the EU's long-term budget for the years 2021-2027. "Funding for agriculture is among the key negotiation points," Grybauskaite told representatives of Lithuanian farmers' organizations during the meeting. (1 euro = 1.14 U.S. dollars) HOUSTON, Dec. 11, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Riviera Resources, Inc. (OTCQX: RVRA) (Riviera or the Company) announces that it has signed a definitive agreement to sell its interest in properties located in the Arkoma Basin in Oklahoma to an undisclosed buyer for a contract price of $68 million, subject to closing adjustments. The estimated net proceeds from the sale are expected to be added to cash on the Companys balance sheet and will be used, in part, to fund the Companys previously announced share repurchase program. The properties to be sold consist of approximately 37,000 net acres in Oklahoma with third quarter net production of approximately 24 MMcfe/d, proved developed reserves of ~111 BCFE(1) and proved developed PV-10 of approximately $61 million(1). The sale is expected to close in the first quarter of 2019 with an effective date of August 1, 2018. This transaction is subject to satisfactory completion of title and environmental due diligence, as well as the satisfaction of closing conditions. (1) Proved developed reserves are as of year-end 2017, rolled forward to the effective date of August 1, 2018 and updated with pricing of $2.85 per MMBtu for natural gas and $65.00 per bbl for oil, and adjusted for basis pricing. PV-10 represents the present value, discounted at 10% per year, of estimated future net cash flows. The Companys calculation of PV-10 herein differs from the standardized measure of discounted future net cash flows determined in accordance with the rules and regulations of the SEC in that it is calculated before income taxes with the pricing and timing assumptions noted. ABOUT RIVIERA RESOURCES Riviera Resources, Inc. is an independent oil and natural gas company with a strategic focus on efficiently operating its mature low-decline assets, developing its growth-oriented assets, and returning capital to its stockholders. Rivieras properties are located in the Hugoton Basin, East Texas, North Louisiana, Michigan/Illinois, the Uinta Basin and Mid-Continent regions. Riviera also owns Blue Mountain Midstream LLC, a midstream company centered in the core of the Merge play in the Anadarko Basin. Forward-Looking Statements Statements made in this press release that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements. These statements are based on certain assumptions and expectations made by the Company which reflect managements experience, estimates and perception of historical trends, current conditions, and anticipated future developments. Such statements are subject to a number of assumptions, risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the control of the Company, which may cause actual results to differ materially from those implied or anticipated in the forward-looking statements. These include risks relating to our ability to consummate the tender offer, financial and operational performance and results, low or declining commodity prices and demand for oil, natural gas and natural gas liquids, ability to hedge future production, ability to replace reserves and efficiently develop current reserves, the capacity and utilization of midstream facilities and the regulatory environment. These and other important factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated or implied in the forward-looking statements. Please read Risk Factors in the Companys Registration Statement on Form S-1, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and other public filings. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information or future events. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-11 02:58:51|Editor: Chengcheng Video Player Close U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo (R) and Senegal's visiting Prime Minister Mahammed Boun Abdallah Dionne attend the signing ceremony of the pact between the U.S. government's Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) and the Senegalese government at the State Department in Washington D.C., the United States, on Dec. 10, 2018. The United States and Senegal on Monday signed a five-year power cooperation agreement worth 600 million U.S. dollars. (Xinhua/Liu Jie) WASHINGTON, Dec. 10 (Xinhua) -- The United States and Senegal on Monday signed a five-year power cooperation agreement worth 600 million U.S. dollars. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo met with Senegal's visiting Prime Minister Mahammed Boun Abdallah Dionne and participated in the signing ceremony of the pact between the U.S. government's Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) and the Senegalese government at the State Department. According to Pompeo's statement, the pact, with its full name of Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) Senegal Power Compact, included 550 million dollars of Senegal Power Compact and an additional 50 million dollars contributed by the government of Senegal. The compact aims to "modernize and strengthen Senegal's power sector ... through improved access to electricity," Pompeo said, noting it will also complement the "Power Africa" initiative implemented by the U.S. government to boost Sub-Saharan Africa's power sector. A separate statement issued by the MCC, an independent U.S. government agency working to reduce global poverty, the compact was developed to "meet the growing demand for reliable electricity in one of Africa's fastest growing economies ... in West Africa." The compact consists of three projects, namely, the Modernizing and Strengthening of Senelec Transmission Network Project, the Increasing Access to Electricity in Rural and Peri-Urban Areas Project and the Power Sector Enabling Environment and Capacity Development Project. These projects focused on improving the transmission network in and around the capital of Dakar, increasing electricity access in agricultural areas of the southern and central regions, and improving the overall governance of the sector. Created in 2004, the MCC provides time-limited grants and assistance to under-developed countries. Senegal is one of Africa's fastest growing economies in West Africa. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-11 03:59:09|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close UNITED NATIONS, Dec. 10 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Monday announced the appointment of Carlos Ruiz Massieu of Mexico as his special representative for Colombia and head of the UN Verification Mission in Colombia. Ruiz Massieu will succeed Jean Arnault of France. Ruiz Massieu brings to this position some 25 years of experience in public service and diplomacy, in both bilateral and multilateral contexts, said Guterres' press office. Most recently, he has been deeply involved in the establishment and support of UN peace operations, as well as in reforms to the organization through his service as chair of the UN General Assembly's advisory committee on administrative and budgetary questions since 2013. A distinguished career diplomat since 1999, Ruiz Massieu served as Alternate Representative of Mexico to the UN Security Council from 2009 to 2010. The UN Verification Mission in Colombia watches the reintegration of fighters of the former rebel Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia into political, economic and social life and their personal and collective security. "Yellow Vests" protesters confront police near the Arch of Triumph in Paris, France, on Dec. 8, 2018. (Xinhua/Chen Yichen) MOSCOW, Dec. 10 (Xinhua) -- The Kremlin said Monday that the allegations against Russia about its involvement in the recent large-scale protests in France are absolute "slander". "Any allegations about Russia's possible involvement are nothing but slander. Russia considers everything that is happening an exclusively internal affair of France," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in a briefing. He added that Moscow attaches great importance to the development of Russia-France relations, on which both sides are working hard. The "Yellow Vest" movement, which got its name from the fluorescent jackets worn by protesters, began on Nov. 17 in opposition to the government's planned fuel tax hikes. Ukraine's security services and British newspaper The Times said that Russia might have played a role in whipping up France's nationwide protests. French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said Sunday that the French authorities would launch investigations into Russia's alleged interference in the protests. "We have not interfered and we are not going to interfere in the internal affairs of any country, including France," Peskov said. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-11 05:04:29|Editor: Chengcheng Video Player Close "Fearless Girl" is seen on the street in front of the New York Stock Exchange in New York, the United States, Dec. 10, 2018. "Fearless Girl," a celebrated bronze statue located in New York City's Financial District, was unveiled at her new home in front of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) Monday morning. "Fearless Girl" was initially installed face to face with the iconic "Charging Bull" statue at the Bowling Green Park in Lower Manhattan, just blocks away from its current location, on the eve of the International Women's Day in March 2017 as a temporary display. (Xinhua/Wang Ying) NEW YORK, Dec. 10 (Xinhua) -- "Fearless Girl," a celebrated bronze statue located in New York City's Financial District, was unveiled at her new home in front of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) Monday morning. Commissioned by State Street Global Advisers (SSGA), the 50-inch-tall pony-tailed girl, with her chin up and her hands on hips, is meant to address women's role in Corporate America at the financial hub of the country. "We wanted to raise awareness about the need for more women leaders in the board room and in senior roles in management," said Lori Heinel, an executive at the Boston-based SSGA at the unveiling ceremony on Monday. "Fearless Girl" was initially installed face to face with the iconic "Charging Bull" statue at the Bowling Green Park in Lower Manhattan, just blocks away from its current location, on the eve of the International Women's Day in March 2017 as a temporary display. It instantly captured the hearts of New Yorkers and visitors as many regard it as a symbol of women's power and equality. The city government thus decided to make it stay after an online petition was started just days after its installation. The statue also drew critics, including Arturo Di Modica, creator of the "Charging Bull," who said the "Fearless Girl" tarnished the positive message of the bull. Others regard it as a commercial ad. The city government and SSGA announced a decision in April to move the statue to its current location outside the NYSE, a more pedestrian-friendly spot than the traffic island where it previously stood. A picture taken on March 14, 2014 shows a partial view of the ancient oasis city of Palmyra, 215 km northeast of Syria's capital Damascus. (AFP file photo) DAMASCUS, Dec. 10 (Xinhua) -- The Syrian Foreign Ministry on Monday condemned what it called the "illegal excavations" in historic sites in northern Syria by the United States, France and Turkey, state news agency SANA reported. The excavations are being carried out in the northern cities of Manbij and Afrin in Aleppo Province as well as in ancient sites in the northern cities of Idlib, Hasakah and Raqqa. The ministry said it has information that the illegal excavation work has been increased in the areas where the aforementioned forces have a presence and a clout over local militia groups. "These actions represent a new war crime added to the crimes committed against the Syrian people and the Syrian heritage," said the ministry, adding that the looting of artifacts is part of the scheme to destroy the cultural heritage and historic identity of Syria. The ministry, meanwhile, urged the UNESCO to condemn these "violations" and expose the sides standing behind it. The ministry's statement comes a day after Syrian Director General of Museums and Antiquities Mahmoud Hammoud charged that the United States, France and allied Kurdish militia are carrying out illegal excavations in ancient sites in northern Syria. "The excavations, looting and robbery are also taking place in the archaeological tombs in the eastern side of Manbij," Hammoud said. The official described these acts as "crimes and a violation of the Syrian sovereignty," noting that the museum and antiquities department in Syria is communicating with international organizations to condemn the violations of the Syrian cultural heritage. "We hope that the Syrian army would return peace and security to all those areas soon because it's the only force capable of protecting our heritage," he said. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-11 07:00:06|Editor: mmm Video Player Close TIRANA, Dec. 10 (Xinhua) -- Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama appealed on Monday to students, who have been protesting for rising fees for the seventh day in a row, to meet and discuss their requests. In a live stream connection Rama said that only if the government and the students sit and talk, they will be able to have lower fees and a concrete plan for the campus in Tirana. Rama also promised that he will discharge all board members chosen by the government in universities. "We can do more than halving fees. Besides halving fees based on meritocracy, we could offer free fees for those who receive economic welfare, and those who have excellent grades," said Rama. He said that the government will plan for new campus in Tirana and that the current dormitories will have intervention worth 18 million euros (about 20.4 million U.S. dollars). Meanwhile, the students responded negatively to the invitations for dialogue sent by the Albanian Ministry of Education and the prime minister. Students declared that they will keep protesting in front of the Education Ministry and they warned a massive protest on Tuesday. The opposition parties in the country and youth forums' representatives have made several efforts to join the protest, but the students have rejected them so far. Albanian students in the capital city Tirana started protesting on Dec. 4 against the rise of fees at universities around the country. On Dec. 6 the protest spread to other Albanian universities, including public universities in Elbasan, Durres and Korca. The latest changes in higher education requested students to pay another fee if they choose to take a test for a second time for grade improvement, a decision which was later cancelled by the Ministry of Education. Currently the students have a list of requirements for the government such as: the improvement of the conditions in the dormitories, a cut in half of the study fees and budget increase for education. Israeli soldiers deploy during clashes in the West Bank city of Ramallah following a raid on Dec. 10, 2018. (AFP photo) RAMALLAH, Dec. 10 (Xinhua) -- In a rare incident on Monday, an Israeli army force stormed the West Bank city of Ramallah, the unofficial capital of the Palestinian Authority. It was part of Israeli search for Palestinians who attacked a group of Israelis near the West Bank settlement of Ofra and wounded seven of them. Palestinians threw stones at the soldiers who responded with tear gas, Palestinian medical sources said, adding that 32 people were wounded, two by live bullets and the rest by rubber bullets and tear gas. During the incursion, the Israeli army surrounded several residential neighborhoods in the city. The army also raided the headquarters of the official Palestinian news agency WAFA and prevented staff from entering or leaving. Hanan Ashrawi, a member of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization, condemned the Israeli incursion. She told Xinhua that the absence of international accountability encourages the Israelis to expand their violations against the Palestinians. Palestinian youths challenge Israeli soldiers during clashes in the West Bank city of Ramallah following a raid on Dec. 10, 2018. (AFP photo) The Israeli army violated all bilateral agreements by storming Ramallah in broad daylight, shooting, terrorizing citizens, besieging homes and breaking into an official institution. The Palestinian official demanded that the international community shoulder its responsibility and put an end to "Israel's violations." Earlier in the day, Israeli forces surrounded the headquarters of the official WAFA agency and detained its crew in one room before confiscating the agency's surveillance cameras. Khuloud Assaf, the agency's editor-in-chief, told Xinhua that the storming of the agency's headquarters was "an Israeli crime against the Palestinian media." Assaf said Israeli forces detained more than a dozen journalists inside the agency's headquarters, prevented them from leaving the agency's editorial lounge and fired gas and sound bombs inside the offices. Meanwhile, Nasser Abu Baker, head of the Palestinian Journalists' Syndicate, condemned the incident, saying it was "a new crime and a flagrant violation" against the Palestinian media and its workers. Abu Baker said the syndicate will follow up on the serious attack with the International Federation of Journalists, the Union of Arab Journalists and all international bodies and organizations. The clashes between the Palestinians and the Israeli army erupted last night following a shooting attack that resulted in the injury of six Israelis in Ramallah. Since the incident, the Israeli army has closed the entrance to the northern city of al-Bireh, Etara and Ain Sinya, and tightened security along the Nablus-Ramallah road. Palestinian youths throw stones toward Israeli soldiers during clashes in the West Bank city of Ramallah following a raid on Dec. 10, 2018. (AFP photo) The Israeli army announced that at least six Israelis were injured in a Palestinian drive-by shooting attack in the Israeli-occupied West Bank on Sunday night. Video footage released by Ofra's security personnel showed a white car slowing down near a bus stop where a man sitting near the driver pulls out a gun and shoots at people waiting at the bus stop. "Shots were fired from a passing Palestinian vehicle toward Israeli civilians who were standing at the bus station," an Israeli military spokesperson said. The incident was the latest in a spate of Palestinian attacks in the form of knife stabbing, shooting, car-ramming and others, usually targeting Israeli soldiers, police officers and settlers. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-11 07:10:07|Editor: mmm Video Player Close BRATISLAVA, Dec. 10 (Xinhua) -- Slovakia and the European Investment Bank (EIB) signed Monday a deal, under which EIB will provide the country with a loan worth nearly 380 million euro (434 million U.S. dollars) to co-fund transport projects and ensure safety of nuclear power plants in the country. According to EIB Vice President Vazil Hudak, the money can be used to build missing sections of rail and road networks along European strategic transport corridors as well as for buying train engines and carriages. Hudak said the bank views the development of European corridors as a key factor for the Union's overall development. Under the deal, 319.6 million euros (365 million U.S. dollars) will be used for transport projects. Concerning the loan of 60 million euros (68 million U.S. dollars) signed with electricity utility Slovenske elektrarne, the bank is supporting nuclear safety in Slovakia. "I think it's important not only for the Slovak people but also for neighboring countries. At the same time it's also an expression of support for low-carbon and clean electricity sources, which is also part of the EIB's overall focus in terms of environmental protection and climate change mitigation," said Hudak. He added that the aforementioned agreement stems from legal regulations drawn up in particular following the problems at the Fukushima nuclear power plant in Japan, which were also included in Slovakia's National Action Plan. The EIB is a European Union bank providing long-term lending. Its shareholders are EU-member states. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-11 07:10:08|Editor: mmm Video Player Close HOUSTON, Dec. 10 (Xinhua) -- U.S. liquefied natural gas (LNG) export capacity will reach 8.9 billion cubic feet (1 billion cubic feet is about 28.3 million cubic meters) per day by the end of 2019, making it the third largest in the world, the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) said on Monday. Currently, U.S. LNG export capacity stands at 3.6 billion cubic feet per day, and it is expected to end the year at 4.9 billion cubic feet per day as two new liquefaction units, also known as trains, become operational. Commissioning of liquefaction facilities, which involves introducing natural gas feed into the train and ultimately producing LNG, contributes to the export capacity increase. Two more LNG export facilities - Cameron LNG in Louisiana and Freeport LNG in Texas - are currently being commissioned. Operating liquefaction trains expansion also contributes to the increase. The Elba Island LNG facility in the southeastern state Georgia, which consists of 10 small modular liquefaction units, is scheduled to become fully operational by the end of 2019. Project developers expect LNG production from the first train to begin early next year and from the remaining nine trains to commence sequentially through the rest of 2019. The second train at Corpus Christi LNG is scheduled to be placed in service in the second quarter of 2019. The final two trains of the U.S. liquefaction projects currently under construction - Freeport Train 3 and Corpus Christi Train 3 - are expected in service in the second quarters of 2020 and 2021, respectively. The U.S. Federal Regulatory Commission and the U.S. Department of Energy have approved four additional export terminals and another train. These proposed projects represent a combined additional LNG export capacity of 7.6 billion cubic feet per day. EIA forecasts that U.S. LNG exports to average 2.9 billion cubic feet per day in 2018 and 5.2 billion cubic feet per day in 2019 as the new liquefaction trains are gradually commissioned and ramp up LNG production to operate at full capacity. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-11 07:35:10|Editor: ZD Video Player Close WASHINGTON, Dec. 10 (Xinhua) -- The White House may nominate a vice president's aide as the new director of the top regulatory agency of U.S. housing market, according to a report released by U.S. media on Monday. The Wall Street Journal reported earlier Monday that the White House was preparing to pick Mark Calabria, chief economist to U.S. Vice President Mike Pence, as the director of Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA). FHFA is the regulator for the top two government-sponsored mortgage companies in U.S. housing market, the Federal National Mortgage Association and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation, better known as Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac respectively. Calabria was a supporter for reducing government subsidizes for mortgage rates. The market expected that FHFA under the command of Calabria could mean the end of the conservatorship of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, although the final decision of his nomination has not been announced yet. Calabria was the Director of Financial Regulation Studies at the Washington, D.C.-based think tank Cato Institute, before he became the chief economist to the vice president. Before joining Cato Institute in 2009, Calabria worked at the U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs for six years as a member of the senior professional staff. The current director of FHFA, Mel Watt, was expected to leave the post in January, 2019 after he finished a five-year term. MEMPHIS, Tenn., Dec. 11, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- AutoZone, Inc. (NYSE:AZO), announced it will hold its Annual Meeting of Stockholders on December 19, 2018, at the J.R. Hyde III Store Support Center in Memphis, Tennessee. The meeting will begin at 9:00 a.m. (EST). Additionally, this event will be webcast and can be accessed at AutoZones website at www.autozoneinc.com. About AutoZone: As of November 17, 2018, AutoZone sells auto and light truck parts, chemicals and accessories through 5,631 AutoZone stores in 50 states plus the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico in the U.S., and 567 stores in Mexico and 20 stores in Brazil for a total count of 6,218. AutoZone is the leading retailer and a leading distributor of automotive replacement parts and accessories in the United States. Each AutoZone store carries an extensive product line for cars, sport utility vehicles, vans and light trucks, including new and remanufactured automotive hard parts, maintenance items, accessories, and non-automotive products. Many stores also have a commercial sales program that provides commercial credit and prompt delivery of parts and other products to local, regional and national repair garages, dealers, service stations, and public sector accounts. AutoZone also sells the ALLDATA brand diagnostic and repair software through www.alldata.com. Additionally, we sell automotive hard parts, maintenance items, accessories, and non-automotive products through www.autozone.com and our commercial customers can make purchases through www.autozonepro.com. AutoZone does not derive revenue from automotive repair or installation. Contact Information: Media: Ray Pohlman, 866-966-3017, ray.pohlman@autozone.com Financial: Brian Campbell, 901 495-7005, brian.campbell@autozone.com Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-11 07:40:11|Editor: ZD Video Player Close MOSCOW, Dec. 10 (Xinhua) -- Ukraine's decision not to extend the friendship treaty with Russia is regrettable and against the Ukrainian people's interests, the Kremlin said Monday. "We can only express regret for the fact that the Ukrainian leadership is making such hasty decisions that, from our viewpoint, are a manifestation of disrespect for their own people and their interests," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters. Earlier in the day, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko signed a law to terminate the Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Partnership between Ukraine and Russia signed in 1997. Tensions have flared up recently in the Kerch Strait after Russia seized three Ukrainian naval ships which allegedly breached the Russian border, while Kiev denied Moscow's "provocation" allegations. Relations between Kiev and Moscow have been deteriorating since early 2014 over Crimea and eastern Ukraine. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-11 08:10:15|Editor: ZD Video Player Close UNITED NATIONS, Dec. 10 (Xinhua) -- The UN humanitarian chief said Monday that Yemen now has 42 percent more areas where people suffer severe food insecurity compared with figures from last year, citing a recent assessment. Mark Lowcock, the UN under-secretary-general for humanitarian affairs, said among the 333 Yemeni districts where the UN did the survey, 152 have a phase-four emergency of the food crisis system, known as the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), compared to 107 last year. Altogether, some 20 million Yemeni people are hungry, accounting for 70 percent of the entire population and representing a 15-percent increase year on year, he said. Alarmingly, about 250,000 Yemeni people have entered phase five of the IPC this year, he said, noting the number is 10 times larger than the people suffering the same food insecurity in South Sudan, the only other country that has a phase-five problem. "We had never documented people in phase five in the food crisis in Yemen," said the under-secretary-general, adding these people are overwhelmingly concentrated in four districts including the port city of Hodeidah where the conflict is raging intensely. Lowcock said the UN humanitarian operation is planning to reach 15 million Yemeni people or over half of the total population next year. "Among those, we plan to provide 12 million with food or money to buy food ... It compares with 8 million who we are reaching at the moment." To meet the target, the UN aims to appeal for 4 billion U.S. dollars in humanitarian aid for Yemen and the secretary-general is expected to host a pledging conference in Geneva in late February, Lowcock said. Yemen has been in civil war in the past three years pitting Houthi rebels against forces loyal to the government of Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi. Saudi Arabia leads an Arab military coalition to support the Hadi government. The Yemeni warring parties are currently holding peace talks in Sweden under the auspices of the UN. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-11 09:20:25|Editor: Chengcheng Video Player Close CANBERRA, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- Australia's national science agency has been enlisted by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to receive data from the Voyager 2 space probe. The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO) announced on Tuesday that its Parkes radio scope had joined NASA's Canberra Deep Space Communication Complex (CDSCC) to receive the unique data from Voyager 2 as it enters interstellar space. It marks only the second time that a spacecraft has entered interstellar space, approximately 18 billion km from Earth, after Voyager 1 did so in August 2012, 35 years after it was launched. The Parkes telescope will receive data into early 2019 after being enlisted to do so while the CDSCC was busy with communications from other deep space missions. Because of Voyager 2's location and distance from Earth, the two Australian telescopes are the only facilities in the world capable of receiving its data. "So we're proud to help NASA solve the scientific challenge of capturing this once in a lifetime opportunity as Voyager 2 ventures into interstellar space," Larry Marshall, chief executive of the CSIRO, said in a media release on Tuesday. "Our team at Parkes has partnered with NASA on some of humanity's most momentous steps in space, including the landing of the Mars Rover Curiosity and, almost fifty years ago, the Apollo 11 Moon landing. "Our long-standing relationship with NASA stretches back more than 50 years, creating breakthrough solutions from science, and fuelled by our shared ambition to push the boundaries of exploration to benefit life back on Earth." During its 41-year journey, Voyager 2 has flown past Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune, providing valuable data on all four planets. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-11 09:45:29|Editor: Chengcheng Video Player Close CANBERRA, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- Australian have a long life in spite of the highest rate of cancer among members of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), according to a new analysis. A new comparison tool, released by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) on Tuesday, helps compare key health indicators of OECD member nations. It revealed that Australia has the second-highest cancer rate within the OECD, behind only Denmark, and the highest rate for men. However, despite the high incidence of cancer Australia's life expectancy was still above the OECD average. "The data show that Australia performs relatively well across most of the indicators. For example, Australia has a life expectancy at birth of 82.5 years, above the OECD average of 80.6 years, and the sixth-highest among OECD countries," Claire Sparkle, an AIHW spokesperson, said in a media release on Tuesday. In addition to cancer, Australia also performed poorly in overweight and obesity, with 63 percent of the population considered overweight or obese compared to the OECD average of 58 percent. Australian men had the third-highest rate of being overweight or obese (71 percent), behind only the United States and Chile. According to the tool, Australia's long life expectancy can be attributed to its strong healthcare system. The average waiting time for most elective surgery procedures in Australia was only 13 days compared to the OECD average of 22 days. Australia's rate of daily smokers was 12 percent, the sixth-lowest across the OECD and well below the 18 percent average. Australians consumed more alcohol than average but were also less likely to be injured in a road accident, a category that was topped by New Zealand. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-11 10:50:42|Editor: Chengcheng Video Player Close WASHINGTON, Dec. 10 (Xinhua) -- The number of migrants seeking asylum in the United States doubled year-on-year in fiscal year 2018, according to data released Monday by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). In fiscal year 2018, which ended in September, a total of 38,269 migrants filed asylum requests at U.S. ports of entry along the southern border, while the figure was 17,284 in fiscal year 2017. Meanwhile, people who attempted to cross borders into the United States illegally before seeking asylum amounted to 54,690 in fiscal year 2018, or 14 percent of all illegal border crossers. In the previous fiscal year, the number was 38,300, or 13 percent of the total. A CBP officer, who spoke on condition of anonymity, was quoted by USA Today news portal as saying that the shift in numbers indicated that thousands more migrants are trying to enter the United States by requesting asylum, and that his agency is unable to handle the increasing amount. He added that the CBP was forced to let migrants queue and wait on the Mexican side of the border for days and weeks. U.S. President Donald Trump promised to build a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border during his presidential campaign in 2016. More recently, the president's accusation against the caravan migrants from Central American countries has stirred domestic controversy. He also deployed thousands of National Guard troops as well as active-duty military troops to guard the U.S. southern border. Asked why the country was able to send troops and construct temporary shelters along the border but unable to double down its effort to process more asylum seekers, the CBP officer told reporters in a conference call that improving asylum claims will sacrifice other priorities, such as national security and drug interdiction, USA Today reported. "To shift resources away from those other competing priorities so that we would process more migrants ...does come at a negative impact of those other missions," the official said. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-11 11:10:46|Editor: Chengcheng Video Player Close LONDON, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- British grandfathers will receive 4 percent fewer presents than family pets do this year, according to a new research by Britain's Barclays Bank. The research, after surveying 2000 British adults who celebrate Christmas, suggested that while the number of presents for family pets will reach 1.91, that number for grandfathers will only reach an expected 1.84. "Over a third (34 percent) of pet owners admitted they will splash out on Christmas presents for their furry friends, compared to 11 percent saying they will be buying for grandparents," the research said. The eldest child will be the most spoiled in the family, as they will receive an average of 5.45 presents, the research said. The youngest child, the middle child, the partner, granddaughters are ranked second to fifth on the list. The research also showed that "the average Brit will purchase 27 presents for their family and friends, typically spending 37 pounds (around 46.5 U.S. dollars) per gift," which means that Brits will spend a total of 17 billion pounds (around 21.4 billion U.S. dollars) on presents this Christmas. Top five worst presents to receive at Christmas are batteries, underwear, socks, a tie and soap, the research said, adding that "nearly a quarter (24 percent) of Brits have returned an unwanted gift." Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-11 11:25:48|Editor: Chengcheng Video Player Close YANGON, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) has begun safety audit in Myanmar under its Universal Safety Oversight Audit Program (USOAP), the official Global New Light of Myanmar reported Tuesday. The 12-day aviation watchdog task by a five-member team of the ICAO, which began on Monday, is to check if Myanmar's Civil Aviation Department is abiding by the recommended practices and standard for airline safety. The current visit of ICAO team is the third time to conduct verification on Myanmar's aviation safety. The ICAO's 32nd General Assembly in 1998 adopted the resolution to begin implementing the USOAP from 1999 and the program was verified under the comprehensive system approach (CSA) for audit in Myanmar. In the same year, the ICAO carried out checks at airlines of members under the continuous monitoring approach (CMA) for the development of capacity and safety of the airlines. Myanmar passed the verification of the ICAO's USOAP in 2010. In 2013, the ICAO team visited Myanmar to follow up on the action taken on suggestions made by the ICAO coordinated validation mission. Myanmar then passed with effective implementation of 65.92 percent. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-11 11:30:50|Editor: Yang Yi Video Player Close WASHINGTON, Dec. 10 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Assistant Secretary for Energy Resources Frank Fannon on Monday urged European nations to abandon their cooperation with Russia on the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline. Fannon made the remarks when briefing the media on European energy security and the Nord Stream 2 pipeline via teleconference. Fannon said that in his just-concluded trip to Europe, he talked with officials in Croatia, Hungary and Czech Republic about "the importance of diversification of energy sources, supplies, and routes to strengthen energy security, to do so in recognition of our shared values of our transatlantic alliance, and to do so away from Russian dependency." Russia's recent naval confrontation with Ukraine offered "a good time to spotlight our diplomacy on transatlantic energy security," he added. Speaking of the Nord Stream 2 and an expanded Turkish Stream pipeline, the U.S. diplomat said they "seek to deepen dependence rather than strengthen security." "They are not commercial projects; they are political tools," he said. "Through Nord Stream 2 Russia seeks to increase its leverage of the West while severing Ukraine from Europe." The U.S. Congress was reportedly considering to take actions in the coming days against the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, such as leveling sanctions against it. A vote on a non-binding resolution against the building of the pipeline was possible. "We anticipate that Congress' resolve on this issue and going after the Russian energy exports sector will only increase subsequent to that," Fannon said. "We've been monitoring the bill," Fannon added. Speaking of Germany, which has been reluctant to abandon its cooperation with Russia on the pipeline, Fannon noted: "We oppose Nord Stream 2 and we would call on all parties to exit the project." German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas told the media earlier this month that his nation would not withdraw its political support for the Nord Stream 2 pipeline. Steffen Ebert, German press spokesman of Nord Stream 2, also said earlier in November that the construction of about 100 km of gas pipelines on German territory for the Nord Stream 2 project was completed. For his part, Viktor Zubkov, the chairman of Russian energy giant Gazprom, said Friday that the construction of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline had been proceeding as scheduled. The Nord Stream 2 pipeline is the second gas pipeline that Russian sponsored to build to supply gas to Europe via the Baltic seabed, bypassing Ukraine, Belarus, Poland and other eastern European and Baltic countries. The project is planned, constructed and subsequently operated by a joint venture called Nord Stream 2 AG which embraces Gazprom and five European companies. It is designed to deliver 55 billion cubic meters of Russian natural gas annually to the European Union via the Baltic Sea and Germany. The project is expected to be put into operation by the end of 2019. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-11 12:46:03|Editor: Yang Yi Video Player Close MOSCOW, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- Two Russian Tupolev Tu-160 strategic bombers have arrived in Venezuela, the Russian defense ministry said in a statement on Monday. The two Tu-160 bombers took off from aerodromes in Russia and landed at the Simon Bolivar International Airport in Maiquetia near the Venezuelan capital city, covering a distance of 10,000 km over the Atlantic Ocean, the Barents, Norwegian and Caribbean Sea, the statement said. The flight was in strict compliance with the international rules of the use of airspace, added the statement. According to Russian news report, Venezuelan Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino Lopez welcomed the Russian warplanes, saying that Venezuela is getting prepared to defend itself when needed and the country will do it with the friends who advocate respect-based relations between states. It was not the first such flight performed by Russian Tu-160 warplanes. Such planes reached Venezuela in September 2008 and in October-November 2013. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-11 13:06:09|Editor: Chengcheng Video Player Close RIO DE JANEIRO, Dec. 10 (Xinhua) -- Brazil's federal intervention in its northern state of Roraima officially started on Monday, as an intervention decree signed President Michel Temer was published. With the intervention, Brazil's federal resources can be used and legislature can be bypassed to tackle public security issues in the state which has been suffering from prominent public and prison security crises. Last week, Temer reached an agreement with Roraima state officials for a federal intervention before the decree was published. The state of Roraima has been more prominent in Brazilian newscasts in the past couple of years due to a rise of immigration from Venezuela. The intervention will last until the end of the Temer administration on Dec. 31. It will be up to the next president, Jair Bolsonaro, to decide whether to extend the intervention or not. Brazil now has two states under federal intervention. Rio de Janeiro state's public security sector has been under federal intervention since the first quarter of 2018, after two years of increasing crime rates and the state's difficulty to keep payments of policemen and public security workers up to date. A legal challenge to block the American Museum of Natural History's $325 million expansion has been dismissed. However, the plaintiffs are considering an appeal. Earlier this year, the Community United to Protect Theodore Roosevelt Park sued New York City, saying it overstepped its bounds by allowing the museum to build a 230,000 square-foot wing upon the surrounding park space. This came after the city approved the project last December. The suit said, "Unless overturned, the determination, in violation of the New York City Charter, would, not only result in the loss of public parkland comprising cherished greenspaces in Theodore Roosevelt Park, but worse, the project, if completed, would cause catastrophic environmental damage to the area, posing a series of life-threatening health hazards to residents of, and visitors to, the Upper West Side of Manhattan." On Monday, Justice Lynn Kotler of the New York Supreme Court issued a decision upholding an original 1890s statute, which authorized the AMNH to construct multiple buildings in the surrounding park area, and the city's environmental review for the project. "We applaud Judge Kotlers decision today affirming that the Museum may proceed with construction of the Gilder Center and that all appropriate procedures in preparation for the project were followed," a spokesperson for the AMNH said. "The expansion will significantly enhance Museum education programs, visitors experience, and scientific work. We have also made a significant contribution to the ongoing maintenance and care of the park and will of course work closely with our partners to minimize any disruption throughout the construction project. We are very excited about moving forward and bringing this important project to fruition." Rendering of the exterior with the Gilder Center (Studio Gang) A spokesperson for City Law Department said, "We are pleased that the court agreed this project was fully authorized by law and that the City conducted a thorough environmental review. The City looks forward to the museum breaking ground on this important project which will benefit New Yorkers and many other museum visitors." Bill Raudenbush, from the Community United to Protect Theodore Roosevelt Park, told the West Side Spirit, "We are disappointed with the judges decision, as ultimately this means that the AMNH as it stands is entitled to build on the entirety of the park moving forward. We skeptically and eagerly await the AMNHs promises of little disruptions to the neighborhood both during and after this project and hope they can live up to their promises, but are also evaluating all of our options including an appeal. We hope our elected officials renew our calls for a master plan from the museum as we firmly believe it would go a long way to assuaging concerns about whether or not they are ultimately being a good neighbor with their development ambitions." According to the museum, 80% of the expansion will house the Gilder Center for Science, Education, and Innovation. Three existing buildings will be removed to limit expanding the footprint by only a quarter of an acre. Construction started in September and the museum is planning a 2021 opening. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-11 13:36:14|Editor: ZD Video Player Close MACAO, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- The government of China's Macao Special Administrative Region is to held an international parade on Sunday to mark the 19th anniversary of Macao's return to the motherland, the organizers said on Tuesday. The parade attracts more than 70 participating groups from the mainland and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, as well as those from other countries and regions such as Brazil, Japan, Portugal, Spain, Italy, France and Russia. The parade featured a series of performances such as folk dances, acrobatics, stilt walking, Chinese martial arts and puppet shows. As one of the major cultural events in Macao since 2011, the parade was organized by Macao's Cultural Affairs Bureau and the Macao government Tourism Office. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-11 13:41:17|Editor: Yang Yi Video Player Close VALLETTA, Dec. 10 (Xinhua) -- The Maltese government has said that it will not be reviewing agreements with Huawei, the Chinese telecommunications leader recently targeted by U.S. prosecutors, local media reported on Monday. "... no change in the current relationship is being envisaged at this time," the Times of Malta quoted a spokesperson for the government as saying. Malta signed a memorandum of understanding with Huawei over the introduction of 5G technology for Maltese businesses and citizens in July. Similar strategic agreements had been signed between the two sides. "Malta will not interfere in the trade dispute between two countries with which it has excellent relations," said the Maltese government spokesperson, referring to the United States and China. In a controversial case watched by international businesses and their executives amid trade tensions between the United States and China, Meng Wanzhou, Huawei's chief financial officer and daughter of the group's revered founder Ren Zhengfei, was arrested during her transit through Canada by officers acting upon a request from the United States. China has summoned the ambassadors of both the United States and Canada to lodge strong protests against the arrest without legal basis and the treatment of Meng, who was seen handcuffed and shackled in a Vancouver court before she was convicted of any crime and despite her health problems. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-11 13:41:18|Editor: Chengcheng Video Player Close KANDAHAR, Afghanistan, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- At least eight police officers and 11 Taliban militants were killed after clashes erupted in Afghanistan's southern province of Kandahar overnight, a local official said Tuesday. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-11 13:56:20|Editor: Chengcheng Video Player Close SYDNEY, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- An 18-year-old young man, found guilty by a jury in September, has been given a 16-year jail term with a non-parole period of 12 years in Australia on Tuesday, for plotting a terror attack when he was 16. "At the time of his arrest, the offender was ready, willing and able to carry out a terrorist attack," the judge who presided over the case Justice Geoffrey Bellew said in court. Arrested in October 2016, police became suspicious after the teenager downloaded materials from a known terror group which advocated for the murder of Australians. Later in the month, the young man then went to a gun store in Sydney to purchase knives and downloaded more terror materials which urged followers to use "fixed blade" in terror attacks. When he was swooped on by police, officers seized two backpacks containing knives, several items of clothing, neck gaiters and a handwritten pledge of allegiance to a terror group. "The evidence when viewed as a whole establishes a clear plan to use the knives to inflict death or serious injury," the judge said. "He was arrested in an area where he expected there would be appropriate targets... he purchased weapons he then secreted, he carried camouflage gear, he took steps to ensure he could not be traced," the judge said. "It reflects a considerable degree of forethought, intelligence and guile... I am satisfied the offender's return to extremist ideology was a product of his own volition, unencumbered by the influence of others," the judge said. The man will be eligible for parole in October 2028. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-11 14:01:20|Editor: Chengcheng Video Player Close KANDAHAR, Afghanistan, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- At least eight police officers and 11 Taliban militants were killed after clashes erupted in Afghanistan's southern province of Kandahar overnight, a local official said Tuesday. "Scores of armed militants stormed security checkpoints in Sandarz locality of Arghistan district, triggering heavy clashes between attackers and police personnel manning the checkpoints, lasting for hours," provincial government spokesman Aziz Ahmad Azizi told Xinhua. He said the attackers were fought back after additional security forces were dispatched in the area. Several militants were also wounded during the fighting. The Taliban militant group claimed responsibility for the attack. The violence has been on the rise as Afghan security forces struggle against a surge in attacks by anti-government fighters since the drawdown of foreign forces within the past four years. 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. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-11 14:06:23|Editor: ZD Video Player Close NANNING, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- How many languages can you say "hello" in? Xu Xiuzhen, 74, nicknamed "Mama Moon" by foreign tourists, who hails from Yangshuo County in southern China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, can exchange greetings in over 10 languages. Recently, a video of her giving directions in English to several lost foreign passengers near Yangshuo's well-known Mt. Moon scenic area started trending on China's social media. People were amazed by Xu's self-taught English level. Xu's ambition to learn English began in the late 1970s when Yangshuo became the country's first tourist destinations to welcome foreign visitors after China's reform and opening up in 1978. Yangshuo County is best known for its otherworldly limestone karst outcroppings and picturesque rivers that appeared on China's 20-yuan notes. "I began to see more foreign faces near Mt. Moon, and locals who spoke some English sold more bottled water than me," said Xu. "No English, no money." With the influx of foreign guests in Yangshuo, a craze for learning English began to sweep the county where a large number of villagers sought opportunities given the booming tourism market. Xu eagerly joined the craze. At that time, she made a living on farming and occasionally sold bottled water to tourists near Mt. Moon. "I used Pinyin to memorize the pronunciation of English words, but my strong southern accent made it quite difficult to understand," said Xu. "So, I turned to foreign visitors for help, and I always appreciate their feedback because they have helped me correct my word choice and pronunciation." It was in 1997 that Mama Moon had her first foreign guest, an Italian. She was paid 50 yuan (over 7 U.S. dollars) for an hour-long guided tour in English. Before that, she would only earn seven to eight yuan per day selling vegetables of her farmland and a meager profit from selling bottled water to tourists. Practice makes perfect. In 1998, Xu was bringing in a stable income of 400 to 500 yuan per month working as an English guide, and her sales of water increased rapidly. Over the past two decades, Xu continued learning and practicing. Since English is her second language, Xu is now learning her third, fourth and even tenth language, studying languages such as French, Spanish, Japanese and German as foreign visitors from all around the world pour in. Statistics show that Yangshuo received over 7.94 million visitors in the first half of 2018. The famous tourist destination is also seen by many a good place to practice English and other foreign languages. Xu's nickname "Mama Moon" is becoming familiar to more visitors and locals due to her inspiring story and her cheerful and friendly personality. Meanwhile, more local villagers are encouraged by Xu to learn English and have tried to cash in on the booming tourism. Xu never stops learning, always keeping up with the changing world. In 2010, she opened a guest farmhouse with 22 rooms, allowing her to bring in an annual income of over 200,000 yuan (29,000 U.S. dollars). She recently gained new skills, allowing her to put her farmhouse online and take online reservations and take mobile payments. This year marks the 60th year since the founding of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. Great changes have occurred in Yangshuo, a beautiful county of Guangxi that was thrust into the frontier of the country's opening-up 40 years ago. "Yangshuo was included on a high-speed rail line in early 2016. I have been considering taking a trip once business cools off during the off-peak season," said Xu. "I couldn't even think of it 40 years ago." Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-11 15:06:34|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close TRIPOLI, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations Support Mission in Libya on Monday condemned consecutive attacks in southern Libya. "The United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) expresses its strong condemnation of Sunday's consecutive, but unrelated, attacks against civilians and facilities in the South of Libya and calls on the Libyan authorities to take prompt and effective actions against the lawlessness engulfing the region," the Mission said in a statement late Monday. The murder of six hostages taken during Islamic State (IS) militants' attack on the town of al-Foqha on Oct. 28 "is particularly abhorrent," the statement said. "The senseless murders are a serious violation of international humanitarian law and may amount to war crimes," the statement said. IS militants have executed six hostages they kidnapped almost two months ago from Libya's central town of Fug'ha, some 650 km southeast of the capital Tripoli, local official revealed Sunday. The Mission also denounced forced shut down of the Al-Sharara oil field in southern Libya by armed groups, in which the state-owned National Oil Corporation (NOC) on Monday declared force majeure. "The forced shutdown of the Sharara Oil field by armed elements claiming attachment to the local Petroleum Facilities Guard, if sustained, will result in a production loss ...," the Mission said. A group of protesters, who call themselves "Anger of Fezzan (southern Libyan region)", earlier on Saturday shut down the Al-Sharara oil field, demanding better security and services. The Mission urged the Libyan government to "act quickly and decisively to step up service-delivery to the region and the UN stands ready to support." Al-Sharara, located some 750 km southwest of the capital Tripoli, is the largest oil field in Libya. It produces 270,000 barrels of oil per day, more than a quarter of Libya's daily oil production. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-11 15:11:35|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close RIO DE JANEIRO, Dec. 10 (Xinhua) -- President-elect Jair Bolsonaro said on Monday that he will rule for all Brazilians and asked those who did not vote for him to trust him. He made the remarks at a ceremony here to grant him the diploma for his new position as the head of state. "I thank the over 57 million Brazilians who honored me with their votes. To those who did not support me, I ask for their trust so that we can build a better future for our country together," he said. "From Jan. 1 on, I will be the president of all 210 million Brazilians. I will rule for everyone's benefit, without distinctions of social class, race, gender, skin color, age or religion," Bolsonaro added. The President-elect also provoked traditional media by saying that popular power "no longer needs intermediation." In his campaign, Bolsonaro eschewed traditional media and communicated almost exclusively through his social media. "Popular power no longer needs intermediation. New technologies allow for a direct relation between elector and representatives," he said. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-11 15:41:43|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close WASHINGTON, Dec. 10 (Xinhua) -- U.S. high-tech manufacturer General Dynamics (GD) announced on Monday that its subsidiary has been awarded a 346.5 million U.S. dollar contract modification to improve U.S. Navy nuclear-powered submarines. Under the contract modification, GD said its subsidiary Electric Boat would "undertake development studies and other work related to Virginia-class submarine design improvements." GD said its subsidiary would evaluate new technologies in newly built Virginia-class submarines, adding that the contract was initially awarded in 2016, with a potential value of 1.3 billion U.S. dollars through September 2019. The Connecticut-based Electric Boat is one of the two builders of the highly classified Virginia-class submarines. The other builder of the submarine is Newport News Shipbuilding in the state of Virginia. According to the U.S. Navy, the Virginia-class submarine is 115 meters long, with a 10.3-meter beam, and its nuclear-powered propulsion system can allow it to travel at a speed over 25 knots or 46 km/h. With a displacement of about 7,800 tonnes, the sub is manned by about 130 soldiers. The U.S. Navy sees Virginia-class submarine as a high-tech warship to fight against enemy submarines and ships, launch cruise missiles at ground targets and deploy special forces at hostile coasts. So far, 16 Virginia-class submarines have already been in service. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-11 15:41:45|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close by Xinhua writer Dong Yue BEIJING, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- China has once again garnered global attention by unveiling new measures to strengthen its reform and opening-up. In the global spotlight, the country's unremitting reform efforts to further open its economy are believed to promote both its own development and global prosperity. GREAT JOURNEY Since it embarked on the great journey of reform and opening-up 40 years ago, China has transformed itself into the world's second-largest economy, brought tremendous changes to its people's lives and significantly contributed to global economic growth. As Chinese President Xi Jinping said at the 2018 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) CEO Summit in Papua New Guinea, "over the past 40 years, the Chinese people, with vision, hard work and perseverance, have forged ahead and taken a historic stride. We have stood up, become prosperous and grown in strength." Over the past four decades, China's import and export of goods have increased by 198 times and those of services by over 147 times. The emerging economy has seen over 2 trillion U.S. dollars of foreign investment during the period. China has also become the world's largest trader of goods, the biggest tourism market and a major trading partner with over 130 countries. What makes China's achievements even more remarkable is its people-centered development philosophy, which enables the Chinese people to benefit from the country's accomplishments. From 1978 to 2017, China's per capita disposable income grew by 22.8 times. About 740 million people were lifted out of poverty and the number of jobs created was doubled. The past 40 years have also witnessed the establishment of a nationwide system of free compulsory primary and middle-school education, as well as the world's biggest social safety net. China has indeed embraced the world. Since the reform and opening-up, it has played an active and responsible role in such global issues as improving economic governance, supporting other developing countries and tackling the financial crisis. The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) proposed by China five years ago has grown into a platform for all parties to share opportunities and pursue common development. Over 140 countries and international organizations have signed BRI cooperation documents with China. Addressing the 2018 APEC CEO Summit, Xi said, "By so doing, China has contributed its vision and input to building a community with a shared future for mankind." UNREMITTING EFFORTS Forty years on, China has never hesitated to forge ahead on its journey of reform and opening-up because its past achievements have proved it is on the right path. "As we look back over the four decades of reform and opening-up, we in China are more convinced than ever before that only through reform and opening-up can China develop itself," Xi said in Papua New Guinea. Since the beginning of this year, China has announced a series of measures for further opening-up, which include creating a better investment and business environment, lowering the tariffs on numerous consumer and industrial goods, and releasing a new negative list on foreign investments. With a new round of tariff cuts coming into effect on Nov. 1, China's overall tariff rates have been reduced to 7.5 percent, lower than those of most developing countries and beyond the commitment China made upon its accession to the World Trade Organization. China has made it clear that the country views all companies, both Chinese and foreign, as equals. With full protection of the companies' legitimate rights and interests, China welcomes fair competition among them. Last month, the first China International Import Expo (CIIE) was held in Shanghai, attracting 172 countries, regions and international organizations, over 3,600 companies, and more than 400,000 Chinese and foreign buyers. The event, with deals worth about 58 billion U.S. dollars, is the world's first import-themed national-level expo and a new step taken by China to fulfill its commitment to trade liberalization and opening-up of its market. China's unremitting efforts will definitely make its economy an engine of global growth. DEVELOPMENT FOR ALL "China owes its progress to reform and opening-up, and will continue to advance on this path," Xi said in a statement at the first session of the 13th summit of the Group of 20 in Argentina on Nov. 30. The country's firm commitment and concrete measures to strengthen its reforms and expand its opening-up are highly appreciated by the international community. French President Emmanuel Macron said France spoke highly of Xi's statement on further reform and opening-up at the Boao Forum for Asia and the CIIE this year, and appreciates China's efforts to improve its business environment for foreign companies operating in China, during his meeting with the Chinese president on Dec. 1 in Argentina. When meeting with Xi on Dec.2, Argentine President Mauricio Macri congratulated China, upon the 40th anniversary of its reform and opening-up, on its enormous achievements. Calling China a major engine driving the world economy, Macri said China's development and the realization of the Chinese Dream have a major significance for the development of Argentina and Latin America, as well as world peace, stability and prosperity. The business and academic communities view China's continuing reform and opening-up as a benefit to all. Through its reform and opening-up, China has created prosperous lives for its people while helping foreign companies find business opportunities in the country and contributing to global growth, said Park Keun-tae, an entrepreneur of South Korea's food and logistics conglomerate CJ Group. "The prosperity of the Chinese people is the biggest change among others from China's reform and opening-up policy that has continued for the past four decades," Park said, emphasizing that the ongoing process "contributed much to the global development." Goro Takahashi, professor and director of the International Center for Chinese Studies at Japan's Aichi University, said China's reform and opening-up policy has been benefiting not only China itself, but also the world. Regarding the achievements made by China in the past 40 years as miracles in human history, Takahashi said "the policies that will make China more open are being welcomed by the whole world." (Xinhua reporters Yan Lei, Qian Zheng in Tokyo, and Yoo Seungki in Seoul also contributed to the story.) This morning's commute is canceled, at least for those unfortunate souls who attempted (and may still be attempting) to take the N/W line from Queens. Straphangers who showed up at the Astoria-Ditmars Boulevard stop were reportedly turned away after lining up just to enter the station at rush hour. We're told that MTA officials abruptly informed crowds that trains had stopped running and they'd need to find an alternate route, whichfrom that particular vantage pointdoes not exist, at least not by subway train. *Cue MTA cackle into the void* The scene at 30th Ave in #Astoria this morning. Couldn't even get up the stairs to the platform. @NYCTSubway pic.twitter.com/EX4O4ceFlB Karen Muehlbauer (@dreamstate08) December 11, 2018 Frustrated rider Josh Abrams told Gothamist that he waited for 20 minutes to get onto the platform at Astoria-Ditmars, his daily stop for over eight years. "I've never seen it this bad," he said. Around 8:19 a.m., Abrams continued, officials announced that everyone could just forget it: There would be no trains to Manhattan, and all these would-be passengers would need to find another way to get to work. "But they didn't bother to suggest one," Abrams added, "probably because there was no R service either." Even if there were, though, that wouldn't have immediately solved anyone's problem. Just take a look at the map as a sad trombone calls out somewhere in the distance: (MTA Info) Piling insult on top of egregious inconvenience, the New York City Transit Authority's Twitter apparently presented a different version of events. "Of course the subway Twitter feed was lying to us, claiming that trains were running with delays when they were not running at all," Abrams said. "I had to give up trying to get to work this morning since it was just hopeless at that point." Eventually, the transit authority did correct course, informing passengers that the wild delays they'd weathered stemmed from switch trouble in Brooklyn, which bled all the way up the line to Queens. As a result, the D, N, R, and W lines were perfectly screwed, along with everyone who attempted to ride them over the East River. Curiously enough, the MTA directed the masses to the E and F lines, which, again, look at the map. I mean come on. For service to/from Queens, consider taking an E or F train. Service has been further delayed because of a trains brakes activating near Union St. Weve been able to move that train & local service is restored between 36 St (Bklyn) & Atlantic Av-Barclays Ctr. (2/2) NYCT Subway (@NYCTSubway) December 11, 2018 Absent any other affordable choice, people flocked to the buses, triggering a separate shitshow: Everyone scrambling to catch the bus at Astoria Blvd @ 31 St. after being advised that n/b N and W trains not running. @NYCTSubway pic.twitter.com/jDmKC15rTK Terry Moseley (@NewsMaven) December 11, 2018 While the MTA presumably hunted for the source of this problem, stations overflowed with diverted straphangers waiting on trains and answers that would not come. "You cannot walk the platform or exit safely," one Twitter user complained. "This happens far too often." Dangerous crowding conditions in Astoria with no announcements being made in the station. Enough is enough!!! Why must I always be 45 minutes late to work in the morning?!?!! pic.twitter.com/gdTOQBpuBO Sam (@Ssssaaaammmmmmm) December 11, 2018 Apparently, a select few straphangers did eventually "enjoy" a train surprise? Who the hell knows. Pandemonium at 30 AV. After an announcement that train service was suspended, two trains showed up. Disgusting. Your new leadership regime has improved nothing. Amazin' Raisin' (@_AmazinRaisin) December 11, 2018 @NYCTSubway a Manhattan bound N train hasn't stopped at Astoria blvd for more than 15 min. But meanwhile I can see a train that's been sitting at ditmars blvd for 15 min and hasn't come toward us. What the hell is going on?! Matt Smith (@Matt_____Smith) December 11, 2018 The MTA seems to still be working out this particular kink, but I for one will be shattered if this latest collapse turns out to be the direct result of Brooklyn's newly installed fast trains. Please can we have just one nice and efficient thing to look forward to in this mandatory subway hell? Please?? Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-11 15:46:47|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close SEOUL, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- Hyundai Motor, South Korea's biggest carmaker, said Tuesday that it will expand hydrogen businesses beyond the automotive transportation sector in accordance with the global transition to clean energy. Hyundai announced its long-term roadmap to speed up the development of a hydrogen society, unveiling plans to boost its annual fuel-cell systems production capacity to 700,000 units by 2030 that includes 500,000 units for fuel-cell electric vehicles (FCEVs). A study by the global consulting firm McKinsey & Company estimated global demand for fuel-cell systems would rise to a range of 5.5 million-6.5 million units by 2030 globally. The fuel-cell system involves fuel-cell stack and relevant parts. Hyundai's fuel-cell system, which combines hydrogen fuel with oxygen taken from the air to produce electricity, emits only water as a by-product and helps purify polluted air. Hyundai aimed to expand hydrogen businesses beyond the automotive sector by supplying its fuel-cell systems to other manufacturers of drones, vessels, rolling stocks and forklifts as well as automobiles. It said demand for fuel-cell systems was expected to emerge quickly in the sectors beyond transportation, such as power generation and storage systems. "We will expand our role beyond the automotive transportation sector and play a pivotal role in the global society's transition to clean energy by helping make hydrogen an economically viable energy source," said Chung Euisun, executive vice chairman of Hyundai Motor Group that includes automotive brands Hyundai Motor and Kia Motors. Hyundai planned to increase its FCEV production capacity to 500,000 units a year by 2030, including passenger and commercial vehicles. Global demand for FCEVs was forecast to rise to about 2 million units a year by 2030, according to Hyundai's estimate. To meet the demand, Hyundai along with its suppliers will invest around 7.6 trillion won (6.7 billion U.S. dollars) in research and development (R&D) and facility expansion by 2030. It was expected to create some 51,000 jobs in the process, the company said. As a first step, Hyundai Mobis, the fuel-cell system manufacturing unit of Hyundai, held a groundbreaking ceremony for its second fuel-cell system plant in Chungju, 100 km south of Seoul, earlier in the day. It was attended by Sung Yun-mo, the minister of trade, industry and energy, and the Hyundai vice chairman. The second plant would increase Hyundai's annual fuel-cell system output to 40,000 units by 2022 from the current 3,000 units. The South Korean government actively supported the development of a hydrogen society as the hydrogen has high energy density and the ease of refueling. The government aimed to provide 16,000 FCEVs by 2022 and install 310 hydrogen fueling stations by that year. Six municipal governments nationwide planned to adopt some 30 hydrogen-powered intra-city buses for the next two years. The hydrogen society was expected to go global in the foreseeable future. The Japanese government aimed to offer 40,000 FCEVs and install 160 hydrogen stations by 2020. Germany recently launched the operation of the hydrogen-powered locomotive on a trial basis, while aiming to abolishing all diesel-powered trains by 2040. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-11 16:06:53|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close UNITED NATIONS, Dec. 10 (Xinhua) -- The UN Security Council on Monday welcomed the outcome of the recent Geneva Conference on Afghanistan that aims at reforms and peace prospects in the war-torn country. The Nov. 27-28 conference, co-hosted by Afghanistan and the United Nations, adopted the Geneva Mutual Accountability Framework (GMAF), aimed at guiding the Afghan government's reform activities for the period 2019-2020. In a press statement, the Security Council members welcomed the adoption of the framework, which they said "outlines measurable reform objectives and commitments for the government of Afghanistan and the international community for 2019-2020." As specified in its text, the GMAF is specifically aimed at monitoring concrete reform deliverables that support peace and development, reduce poverty and improve the welfare of the Afghan people. In the statement, the council members also welcomed the Geneva Conference Communique, which "acknowledged and reaffirmed the commitment of participants to an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace process, with full and meaningful participation of women." The Geneva Conference on Afghanistan was attended by delegations from 61 countries and 35 international organizations, representatives of civil society, the private sector and the media. UN Secretary-General's special representative Tadamichi Yamamoto has said the gathering was likely the first international meeting on Afghanistan when issues of "peace have been taken up with such weight." Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-11 16:21:56|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close SAN ISIDRO, Argentina, Dec. 10 (Xinhua) -- Chinese automobile manufacturer Changan made its official debut in Argentina on Monday, where it aims to capture a larger market share in the long term. The brand is partnering with Argentina's leading dealership Car One Group to venture into the local market with two SUV models known as CS15 and CS75. Changan unveiled the models in San Isidro, a city neighboring Buenos Aires. "Our main objective is always to outdo ourselves and be the leading company in China," said Wang Huanran, president of Changan International Corporation. "To do that, we invest 5 percent of our earnings each year in research and development, and for 10 years in a row we have been the number one in automobile research and development in China," Wang said. Three different versions of the CS15 will be on offer, including the Comfort line, with either manual or automatic transmission, and the Luxury line with automatic. Ban Shenzhen, Changan's director for the Americas region, told Xinhua "the Argentine market is a very important and big market for us, (representing) more or less one million units annually." "Argentina will increase in volume in the long term, and that's why we are entering the market now with our products," he said. Chinese-made vehicles are increasingly gaining market share in Argentina, with Chinese brands seen in Buenos Aires and other major cities. In September, China's JAC Motors joined 11 other Chinese automakers already operating in the South American country, such as Chery, Lifan, Great Wall, Haval, BAIC, DFSK, DFM, Foton, Geely, JMC and Shineray. JAC entered the local market with commercial and passenger vehicles, including SUVs, pick-ups, and light and heavy commercial vehicles. Changan has sold more than 270,000 vehicles since it went international in 1991, establishing 255 points of sale and service in more than 41 countries, with manufacturing plants in Russia, Vietnam and Egypt. Foreign sales totaled 41,000 units in 2017, up 53 percent year on year. The sales forecast for 2018 is 44,000 units, according to the company. One of the brand's important markets is Chile, where Changan began operating in 2008 and sold 14,000 units last year. Juan Deverill, marketing director for the automobile division of Car One Group, highlighted the company's business prospects. "Our business is a long-term business, and brands are built over the long term. We are going to start off with Changan with slow, firm steps, in a tough context but with a promising future, as Argentina develops," he said. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-11 16:26:56|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close BEIJING, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- A majority of Chinese listed firms expect improving profitability in 2018 as the country's economy is maintaining stable development. Some 1,218 listed companies had released their advance 2018 financial reports so far, with 781 companies expecting rising net profits or the turning of losses into gains, Tuesday's Shanghai Securities News reported. Profit growth of 344 companies is expected to exceed 50 percent, while 170 companies predicted their 2018 net profits will be more than doubled compared with 2017. The newspaper said the improvements were caused by factors including strong performance of their primary businesses, restructuring and extraordinary items. Sectors in chemicals, machinery manufacturing and electronics were bright spots, according to the advance financial reports. Rising prices of chemical products boosted profitability of the chemical industry, with 91 companies expecting profit growth, ranking the first, followed by 71 companies in machinery manufacturing and 68 companies in electronics. Yantai Jereh Oilfield Services Group Co. Ltd. predicted a net profit in a range of 529 billion yuan (about 76.67 million U.S. dollars) to 563 billion yuan, up 680 percent to 730 percent, due to recovery in the oilfield services market globally, which boosted demand for drilling equipment and oilfield technology services. Zhejiang Supor Co. Ltd., a cookware company, predicted a profit increase of up to 30 percent year on year, thanks to increasing sales of cookware and electronic equipment. Chinese economy showed strong resilience, with GDP expanding 6.7 percent in the first three quarters of the year, above the government's annual growth target of around 6.5 percent set for 2018. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-11 16:26:57|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close NEW DELHI, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- India's main opposition party, the Indian National Congress (INC), seems to have made an impressive comeback if the election results' trends in five states are any indication. Counting of votes is in-progress on Tuesday in the states of Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Telangana and Mizoram, which went to polls in recent weeks. The INC, which has been witnessing its toughest times for the past five years ever since the country's Independence in 1947, has seemingly gained its lost ground in the states of Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan, which are presently governed by the main ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The BJP has been the ruling party in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh for the past 15 years, having three consecutive terms, while it had government in Rajasthan for the past five years. According to the latest trends in counting of votes, both the INC and the BJP are running neck-and-neck in Madhya Pradesh even as each of them is ahead in as many as 110 Assembly constituencies, out of the total 230 constituencies. In order to form a government in the state, a party, or coalition of parties, needs the support of at least 116 lawmakers. In Rajasthan the INC is ahead in 97 Assembly constituencies whereas the BJP candidates are ahead in only 81 constituencies. There are a total of 200 Assembly constituencies in the state and for government formation, a party, or a coalition of parties, would need the support of at least 101 lawmakers. The situation in the state of Chhattisgarh is quite clear where the INC has comfortably thrown out the incumbent BJP government, even as its 62 candidates are ahead in their respective constituencies whereas the BJP candidates are ahead in 19 constituencies only. There are a total of 90 Assembly constituencies. In Telangana, the present state-level ruling party the Telangana Rashtriya Samithi (TRS) seems comfortable to form its second successive government. Out of the total 119 constituencies, the TRS seems to be winning in at least 91 constituencies where the INC and alliance partners are expected to win in only 20 constituencies. In northeastern state of Mizoram, the incumbent INC government seems to have lost badly, even as the state-level party the Mizo National Front (MNF) is winning at least 27 constituencies even as INC' candidates are ahead in only six constituencies, out of the total 40 Assembly constituencies. The Election Commission of India is expected to announce the final results in all the five states by late Tuesday evening. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-11 16:31:57|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close SEOUL, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- Almost four out of 10 South Korean newlyweds had no child as of 2017, a government data showed Tuesday. Among 1.1 million newlywed couples who have been legally married for less than five years as of Nov. 1 last year, 414,000 couples, or 37.5 percent of the total, were childless, according to Statistics Korea. It was up 1.2 percentage points from the previous year. In the case of the newlyweds both of whom work for a living, 43.3 percent had no child, while the reading stood at 32 percent for the couples with a single breadwinner. It raised concerns about the country's chronically low birthrate. The total fertility rate, which gauges the number of children a woman can bear during her lifetime, came in at 1.05 in 2017, down from 1.19 in 2008. South Korea is required to keep the total fertility rate at 2.1 to maintain the country's population at 51 million. A social trend has spread among the younger generation to delay marriage or give up on tying the knot and having babies altogether amid the high youth unemployment and the higher home price. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-11 16:31:57|Editor: Li Xia Video Player Close Photo taken on Dec. 11, 2018 shows a bell returning ceremony held at a Philippine air force base in Manila, the Philippines. After 117 years, the United States returned three original church bells taken by American soldiers as war booty during the Philippine-American war in 1901. (Xinhua/Zheng Xin) MANILA, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- After 117 years, the United States returned the three original church bells taken by American soldiers as war booty during the Philippine-American war in 1901. A U.S. Air Force plane bearing the three historic bells landed in the Philippines on Tuesday morning. U.S. officials led by U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines Sung Kim handed the bells to Philippine Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana at a Philippine air force base in Manila. "It is a most memorable day of our nation's history and we celebrate it with deep gratitude and respect for all those who helped to make this day happen," Lorenzana said during the handover ceremony, expressing hope that the return of the church bells will bring closure to the painful conflict 117 years ago. "The bells of Balangiga will once again peal. They will still remind the people of Balangiga of what happened in the town square more than a century ago, but they would also look at that history with more understanding and acceptance. These peals will be of joy, revelry and remembrance of shared histories and ideals of new beginnings," he said. Local Filipinos from Balangiga, a seaside town in Eastern Samar province in the central Philippines, used the church bells to signal an attack against American soldiers at the dawn of Sept. 28, 1901. Two of the bells have been on display at the Warren Air Force base in Cheyenne, Wyoming and another at a U.S. military facility in South Korea. A number of Philippine presidents and defense secretaries have demanded the return of Balangiga bells. During his second State of the Nation Address last year, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte specifically demanded the return of the bells. "Give us back those Balangiga bells. They are ours. They belong to the Philippines. They are part of our national heritage. Please return them. This is painful for us," Duterte said then. Duterte, who was initially scheduled to witness the handover ceremony on Tuesday, did not attend. After the handover ceremony held in Manila, the three bells will be flown by a Philippine Air Force plane to Eastern Samar for their return to Balangiga town church officials on Saturday. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-11 16:34:38|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close Photo taken on Oct. 4, 2018 shows interior view of Zeugma Mosaic Museum in Gaziantep, southeastern Turkey. Looted and missing pieces of the famous "Gypsy Girl" mosaic, found in the ancient Roman city of Zeugma which became the symbol of southeastern Turkey's Gaziantep, returned to Turkey recently from the United States after years of diplomatic efforts. (Xinhua/Qin Yanyang) Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-11 17:07:04|Editor: Xiang Bo Video Player Close BEIJING, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- Auto sales in China continued to decline last month, industry data showed Tuesday. A total of 2.55 million vehicles were sold in November, down 13.9 percent year on year, according to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM). In the first 11 months of the year, sales dropped 1.7 percent year on year to 25.42 million while output fell 2.6 percent to 25.33 million, the CAAM data showed. Auto sales for the whole of 2018 are set to post a decrease due to factors including slower economic growth, and sales for 2019 are expected to be flat, CAAM deputy secretary general Shi Jianhua told a forum last week. New energy vehicles (NEVs) will continue to become a driving force for China's auto market growth in 2019 and 2020, Shi noted. NEV sales rose 37.6 percent in November from the same period last year, outperforming the overall car market, according to the CAAM. In the Jan.-Nov. period, NEV sales jumped 68 percent year on year to 1.03 million, the data showed. China is the world's largest auto market and also one of the fastest-growing NEV markets, thanks to the government's preferential policies to boost clean energy use to curb pollution. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-11 17:27:10|Editor: Xiang Bo Video Player Close QUITO, Dec. 10 (Xinhua) -- Ecuadorian President Lenin Moreno's state visit to China will strengthen the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries, Chinese Ambassador to Ecuador Wang Yulin said. In a recent interview with Xinhua, Wang held Ecuador as "a very important partner ... for pragmatic cooperation in the region," highlighting the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries. The visit, scheduled for Tuesday to Thursday, will actively improve bilateral cooperation to yield "growth, maturity and shared gains in the process of cooperation," Wang told Xinhua in a recent interview. The trip will mark Moreno's first visit to China since he took office on May 24, 2017. The two countries raised ties to the level of a comprehensive strategic partnership in November 2016, during Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to Ecuador, the first by a Chinese head of state to the South American country since the two nations established diplomatic ties in 1980. Wang said he has witnessed numerous "memorable historic moments" in bilateral ties in the past three years as ambassador. Pragmatic cooperation between China and Ecuador in diverse areas has a "broad future," said Wang. Bilateral ties "have quickly progressed," especially following Xi's visit, and "are at a historic peak," the ambassador said. The two countries are stepping up exchange in a range of areas, from trade and economy to politics, science and technology, as well as culture and education, he added. China responded rapidly and effectively when Ecuador was hit by a devastating 7.8-magnitude earthquake that ravaged communities along the country's northern coast on April 16, 2016, leaving 673 people dead and extensive structural damage. "The Chinese government and people felt empathy for the Ecuadorian government and people suffering from the disaster, and offered timely aid," said Wang. "Close friendship shortens distances." Despite being separated by vast oceans, China and Ecuador "have become good friends with sincerity and mutual trust, and good partners in mutually beneficial cooperation," said the ambassador. He said the two countries have collaborated closely and supported one another in international and regional affairs. Ecuador "has not only been a strategic partner in energy (cooperation), a target country for Chinese financing and investment, and a market for infrastructure works, but also a trade partner with great potential in Latin America," said Wang. He noted that China is now Ecuador's second-largest trade partner after the United States, with bilateral exchange amounting to 4.62 billion U.S. dollars during the first 10 months of 2018, which marks a year-on-year increase of 36.6 percent. "More and more Ecuadorian bananas and shrimp are served at Chinese tables, and Ecuadorian roses are well-liked by Chinese consumers," said Wang. Currently, more than 90 Chinese companies are operating in Ecuador in sectors including energy, mining, construction and infrastructure. Wang highlighted that many projects involving Chinese companies have become emblems of the strategic bilateral cooperation, leading to tangible benefits for the Ecuadorian people. In January, at the second ministerial meeting of the China-CELAC (Community of Latin American and Caribbean States) Forum held in Santiago, Chile, Ecuador expressed an interest in participating in the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative to boost global trade and infrastructure, the diplomat said. Despite the geographic distance, there is "great potential and a positive outlook in bilateral cooperation in all fields," said Wang. "Those who unite behind same ideals can overcome all physical distance." News Here is what you need to know about consensual relationships under new law in UAE Any couple conceiving a child out of wedlock will be required to marry or singly or jointly acknowledge the child and provide identification papers and travel documents in accordance with the laws of the country of which either is a national, considering the applicable laws of that nation. Failing this, a criminal case would introduce a prison term of two years for both correspondents. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-11 17:57:15|Editor: Xiang Bo Video Player Close Photo taken on Nov. 2, 2018 shows one sheet of plans for cruiser Zhiyuan at the Tyne & Wear Archives in Newcastle, Britain. (Xinhua/Han Yan) by Xinhua writers Gui Tao, Gu Zhenqiu, Zhai Wei NEWCASTLE, Britain, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- Newly discovered plans in a British archive reveal details of a legendary Chinese warship destroyed more than 120 years ago during the First Sino-Japanese War. The recent discovery of a set of seven plans is described as "extraordinarily meaningful" by researchers in China, propelling into spotlight the famous old story of the cruiser Zhiyuan (also known as Chih Yuen), one of China's most heroic military vessels. ICONIC WARSHIP The iconic warship, built in Britain in the mid-1880s as part of an ambitious plan by the authorities of the Chinese Qing Dynasty to vie for the sea power, was sunk in September 1894 in the Sino-Japanese war commonly known in China as the Jiawu War. Chinese records show Rear Admiral and Zhiyuan's Captain, Deng Shichang, commanded the protected cruiser to ram a nearby Japanese cruiser while his ship was under siege. All but seven of the 252 crew members on board died after the ship was destroyed by an enemy shell and sank. Plans for the steering gear of Zhiyuan and a sister ship have been discovered by a Xinhua journalist at the Tyne & Wear Archives. They are believed to be the first Zhiyuan plans to be found in more than a century. Liu Qingzhu, a renowned Chinese archaeologist with the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told Xinhua that the newly discovered plans are expected to help find out what actually happened to Zhiyuan during the war. "The legendary cruiser is the embodiment of the Chinese people's patriotism and determined resistance against aggression," he said. "It is very important to figure out more historical details concerning the ship." The documents were referred to as "Cruisers. Nos493&4", with the numbers given by the shipyard in northeast England for Zhiyuan (493) and its sister ship Jingyuan (also known as Ching Yuen, 494), according to the local shipbuilding archives. "Shipyard convention is to mark everything pertaining to a ship under construction with the yard number, building berth, steel plates, plans, cost sheets -- everything," said Ian Whitehead, a renowned maritime historian and formerly keeper of maritime history for Tyne & Wear Archives & Museums. "So I have no doubt that this plan belongs to Chih Yuen and Ching Yuen." It is believed the shipyard under the Armstrong Whitworth company located in Britain's famous Tyneside shipbuilding area, designed and built four military cruisers, including Zhiyuan, for the then Chinese navy. Whitehead said the newly discovered plans show details of every major component of the steering gear system and particularly the kind of hydraulics and a steering quadrant. "There are large-scale drawings of them, so it looks to be pretty complete, or complete enough," he told Xinhua, adding that he thinks it would be possible to rebuild Zhiyuan's steering system based on the plans. COLLECTION Rachel Gill, an archivist who has been working with the Archives over the past 17 years, confirmed that they are original plans for the cruisers Zhiyuan and Jingyuan. "The plans were deposited with the then Municipal Industrial Museum (the predecessor of today's Discovery Museum which shares the building with the Archives) when the Elswick shipyard closed in 1937," he told Xinhua. "They were transferred to the Archives in 2001 to improve access," said Gill. The senior archivist said she believed the plans had been in the Archives for at least 20 years and as far as she knows, no one had been researching them previously. Tyne & Wear Archives is home to thousands of documents ranging from the 12th to 21st centuries and include building plans, school, hospital and church records as well as business records, especially those of important local industries such as shipbuilding, engineering and mining. Gill said the archives also contained a number of photographs of the cruiser Zhiyuan, as well as around 300 items of correspondence regarding the Chinese government's purchase of the Tyne-built warships. Armstrong Whitworth & Co. Ltd was a major British manufacturing company in the early years of the 20th century. Headquartered in Elswick, Newcastle upon Tyne, the company engaged in building armament, ships, locomotives, automobiles and aircraft. VERY MEANINGFUL Zhiyuan, which is a protected cruiser with armored deck and similar to armored cruiser in later times, was built between 1885 and 1887. The Army and Navy Gazette published at that time said, "It is humiliating but nevertheless an actual fact that the two cruisers of the Chinese squadron (the Zhiyuan and Jingyuan) are superior in certain novelties of construction to any of our own vessels." "In point of speed they cannot be touched by our swiftest cruisers," it said. Chinese experts call the latest discovery concerning the ironclad Zhiyuan very meaningful and highly researchable. "The discovery of some original plans for Zhiyuan is extraordinarily meaningful," said Zhou Chunshui, a senior researcher with China's National Center of Underwater Cultural Heritage. Zhou is also head of an archaeological team examining Zhiyuan's wreckage since four years ago. More than 100 relics have been salvaged so far from the wreckage. They are classified in three categories: ship-borne weapons, ship parts and articles for sailors' daily use. "The plans can be compared with what we have found underneath the water," Zhou told Xinhua. Zhang Liyuan, a researcher who has been following the Newcastle shipbuilding archives and history of the Beiyang Fleet to which Zhiyuan had belonged, said that with the newly discovered plans, for the first time, people can understand the details of the armor-plate and hull designing of the cruiser. "The newly discovered plans are also helpful in further analyzing the reason why Zhiyuan was sunk and its propelling system." Jiang Ming, an expert on the history of modern Chinese navy, said the discovery is "inspiring," and "The plans enable us to know more about the efforts made by our fathers to push the construction of the modern Chinese navy" partly through the search and employment of advanced vessels. But when Zhiyuan fought in 1894, years after being put into service, it had already lagged far behind Japanese warships in speed or firepower, said Fang Bing, professor with the National Defense University of People's Liberation Army (PLA) of China. "Technologies advance day by day," he said. In his opinion, chiefly due to the inferiority in military technology and armament, better-trained Chinese navy lost that fight to Japanese. (Xinhua reporters Jia Yuankun, Ju Zhenhua, Zhang Haopei contributed to the story.) (Video reporters: Di Wei, Gu Zhenqiu, Jin Jing, Liang Xizhi, Gui Tao, Zhang Haopei, Di Chun, Ju Zhenhua) (Video editors: Zhao Xiaoqing) Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-11 18:22:18|Editor: mym Video Player Close GUANGZHOU, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- Former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has said that eliminating poverty, the number one goal of the UN Millennium Development Goals, had been achieved thanks to the development of China. Speaking in an interview with Chinese media on the sidelines of a forum on international affairs in China's southern city of Guangzhou, Ban said China's reform and opening-up has lifted hundreds of millions, both in China and elsewhere, out of poverty. "The World Bank announced proudly in 2010 that the number one goal of the UN Millennium Development Goals was achieved, if we look at the statistics internally, it is because of China," Ban said. "China has also been contributing a lot to development issues," Ban said. "This is highly commendable contribution." Ban noted China's voiced determination to carry on with its reform and opening-up. "Now that you're beginning another forty years of reform and opening-up, I am quite confident that this will help greatly in implementing Sustainable Development Goals," he said. "Again, number one goal of Sustainable Development Goals is to eradicate all the absolute poverty around the world." The interview was conducted on the sidelines of the 2018 Imperial Springs International Forum, which gathered some 200 former world leaders, renowned scholars and business elites in Hangzhou for discussions on the theme of "Advancing Reform and Opening-up, Promoting Win-win cooperation." The South Korean career diplomat, who served as UN secretary-general from 2007 to 2016, also highlighted recent increasing challenges to multilateralism that had underpinned the world peace and prosperity over the past decades. "The international peace, security, and prosperity have been underpinned during last seven decades under the multilateralism systems, and multilateralism is now symbolized with the United Nations, and the United Nations Charter," Ban said. Some countries are "not respecting multilateralism, which has been backbones of international society. This is really worrisome," he said. Ban also mentioned the trilateral meeting between him and Chinese and American leaders during the Group of 20 (G20) Hangzhou Summit in 2016, when both China and the United States committed to the Paris Agreement. That has really accelerated the process of the Paris Agreement coming into effect. "... so that was a great step in terms of China's contribution to international multilateralism," he said. Ban said it is important that the United States and China, the two largest economies and most important leading countries, should be able to work together harmoniously, to deal with all global challenges. The diplomat said he was encouraged by the Belt and Road Initiative proposed by China, which means that people around the world can share the benefit from China's development achievement. "We share a future," said Ban, adding that the Belt and Road Initiative is in line with Chinese President Xi Jinping's vision of building a community with a shared future for mankind. "It's very important that the countries along the Belt and Road will benefit and corporate with each other, to build infrastructure and have economic and social development. This will help not only those countries, but also China. So it's a mutual cooperation," Ban said. "The global challenges require global solutions. We are all in this together. We have to work together." Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-11 18:27:19|Editor: mym Video Player Close MOGADISHU, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- Somalia's Mogadishu has become one of the most densely populated city in Africa as families flee to the capital to seek shelter, protection and aid, according to a report launched by a global charity on Tuesday. The report by Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC)'s Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC) blamed massive displacements on conflict and natural disasters experienced between 2017-2018. "Somali families are fleeing to Mogadishu seeking shelter, protection and aid. With nowhere else to go, they crowd into camps that are unhealthy and unsafe. This influx has made Mogadishu the most densely populated city in Africa, with more people arriving every day," said Evelyn Aero, Regional Adviser for NRC. The charity said conflict was played out in Mogadishu for many years, making the city both a battlefield that has triggered urban displacement and a sanctuary for hundreds of thousands of people fleeing insecurity and lack of opportunity in rural areas. For many internally displaced people (IDPs), however, the arrival in Mogadishu does not mark an end to their plight, says the report. According to the report, 2.6 million people are displaced within Somalia. Drought, competition for resources and poor living conditions has fuelled fighting in rural areas, and pushed people towards Mogadishu, said the charity. This, it said, has made Mogadishu the second most densely populated city in the world (after Bangladesh's Dhaka) and the most densely populated city in Africa. Aero said conflict and natural disasters force families to flee to cities, noting that many that flee fighting escape in a hurry, with just the clothes on their backs. "They arrive in Mogadishu without shelter, food or any means to support their families. More aid is needed to ensure that these people have a safe place to stay, with enough basic humanitarian aid to survive," said Aero. The report says Somali cities with overstretched resources are unable to cope with the demands of their fast-growing populations, and the added arrivals of people fleeing crises in rural areas. Mogadishu has been their main destination by far. "It is home to about 600,000 displaced people, most of whom live in informal camps. Between 2017 and mid-2018, 32 percent of new displacements recorded in the country were to, or within, the capital Mogadishu," the report says. The charity called on the international donor community to scale up funding to respond to the crisis, saying about 1.2 million children are projected to be malnourished in Somalia. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-11 18:32:21|Editor: Li Xia Video Player Close An Indian paramilitary trooper stands guard after militants attacked a police post in Srinagar city, the summer capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir, Dec. 11, 2018. At least three policemen were killed and one was wounded Tuesday after militants attacked a police post in restive Indian-controlled Kashmir, police said. (Xinhua/Javed Dar) SRINAGAR, Indian-controlled Kashmir, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- At least three policemen were killed and one was wounded Tuesday after militants attacked a police post in restive Indian-controlled Kashmir, police said. The policemen were attacked in Zainpora village of Shopian district, about 70 km south of Srinagar city, the summer capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir. "Today militants attacked a police post in Zainpora set up to guard members of minority community," a police official posted in Shopian said. "Three policemen were killed, while as one was wounded in the attack." Police said the wounded policeman was immediately sent to hospital. Reports said militants have managed to snatch four service rifles of the policemen during the attack. Following the attack, contingents of police, paramilitary and army were rushed to the spot to initiate searches for the militants. So far no militant outfit has claimed responsibility for the attack. A guerilla war is going on between militants and Indian troopers stationed in the region since 1989. However, of late Indian policemen too have been trained to fight them. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-11 18:47:23|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close WELLINGTON, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- A New Zealand government advisor suggested ways to end family violence in New Zealand on Tuesday, calling for concrete actions to prevent violence trauma and improve the lives of all New Zealanders. The report on preventing family violence and reducing incarceration rates, presented by Prime Minister's Chief Science Advisor Ian Lambie to Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Sexual and Domestic Violence Issues Jan Logie, comes as the government is developing a national strategy and action plan on family and sexual violence. "This report confirms that prevention is possible, and we can ultimately end family violence in New Zealand," Logie said. The priorities set out in the paper include a strong focus on repairing the harm done to children, the need for media and awareness-raising campaigns to challenge social norms and focus on prevention, and the investment required in workforce to ensure the necessary integration and collaboration, Logie said. "It also points to the importance of adequate income, housing, support for parents and wider environmental conditions in our efforts to reduce violence," Logie added. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-11 18:52:26|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close MOSCOW, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- A group of four Russian military aircraft landed Tuesday in the Maiquetia Simon Bolivar International airport of Venezuela, the Russian Defense Ministry said Tuesday. The group included two Tu-160 strategic missile-carriers, a heavy An-124 military transport aircraft and an IL-62 long-range aircraft of the Russian Aerospace Forces, it said in a statement. The group covered a distance of more than 10,000 kilometers, it said, adding that at certain stages of the route, the group was escorted by the F-16 fighters of the Norwegian Air Force. The Russian crews were met by the Minister of Defense of Venezuela Vladimir Padrino Lopez and representatives of the Russian embassy in Caracas. The flight was carried out in strict accordance with the International Airspace Use Regulations, the ministry said without commenting on its purpose. On Wednesday, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro visited Russia and met with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. On the same day, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu met Padrino to discuss bilateral military technical cooperation, the Russian Defense Ministry said on its website. During the meeting, Shoigu said he expected that the practice of flights of Russian military "aircraft to Venezuela's airfields would continue, and the ships of the Russian Navy would be able to call at the ports of that country," according to the ministry. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-11 18:57:26|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close PHNOM PENH, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations in Cambodia has embarked on a research initiative to establish why and how both the Belt and Road Initiative and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development are critical for realizing Cambodia's vision to become an upper middle-income country by 2030. The UN in Cambodia said in a press release on Tuesday that the UN has been working with a multi-disciplinary and diverse team of experts from Cambodia, China and Singapore. "On the Belt and Road Initiative and other related topics, we are determined to engage into deep analysis that rests on evidenced-based research," Pauline Tamesis, UN Resident Coordinator in Cambodia, said in the release. "Our intention is to move beyond the headlines and preconceived ideas, so we can explore sustainable development as it is - complex and multidimensional," she said. During the dialogue in Phnom Penh, a panel of experts shared their findings and recommendations from their respective research. The research highlights that Cambodia's economic success is closely linked to the performance of other economies in the region, the release said. It added that the Belt and Road Initiative provides several opportunities to sustain economic prosperity, along with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which has been recently localized by the Cambodian government through the Cambodia Sustainable Development Goals (CSDGs). The Cambodian government is committed to achieve the 2030 Agenda's vision, Ung Luyna, a member of the Supreme National Economic Council of Cambodia, said during the dialogue. "While BRI (the Belt and Road Initiative) has offered timely opportunities, Cambodia should have innovative policies and build robust institutions in order to maintain high growth and to achieve goals under the CSDGs," he said. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-11 19:17:31|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close RAMALLAH, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- Palestinian Ministry of Health said Tuesday that a Palestinian man was shot and killed on Tuesday in Idna, west of Hebron in the south of the West Bank. The man was identified as Omar Hasan Awad, 27 years old. The ministry said Awad was shot by several bullets in the back and left on the ground bleeding until a Palestinian ambulance arrived at the scene and transported him to hospital in Hebron, where he was proclaimed dead on arrival. Israeli media reports said that Israeli forces opened fire towards a vehicle after its driver refused to stop for checking at a military checkpoint. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-11 19:27:33|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close KUALA LUMPUR, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- Malaysian state-owned oil and gas company Petronas said Tuesday that it expects market volatility to persist next year, and remains cautious on new capital projects. "Greater market volatility is expected to persist in 2019. Petronas maintains its prudent view on the industry outlook and will respond with cautious optimism particularly on new capital projects," Samsudin Miskon, vice president of the group's procurement, said in an activity outlook report for the period 2019-2021. Oil prices have been fluctuating this year, with Brent crude oil prices rising to 86 U.S. dollars per barrel in early October, from 67 U.S. dollars per barrel at the beginning of the year. However, the prices declined by 30 percent to 57 U.S. dollars in early December due to oversupplied market. "Petronas remains prudent and will continue to adopt lower for longer approach until we are confident that the current uptrend is sustainable," it said while expecting oil prices to stay at 60 to 70 U.S. dollars per barrel moving forward. Amid the market volatility, Petronas opined that collaboration is fundamental for the industry to shift forward. As many of its key contracts are due for re-tendering in 2020-2021, the group also highlighted that it would be a good time for players to strategize on new technology offering and strategic partnership including manning and financial support. An average of about 1.7 million barrels of oil equivalent per day is forecast by the group over the next five years. The group is eyeing 50 projects over the period, which will include 20 greenfield projects, and 30 brownfield projects. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-11 19:42:38|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close JAKARTA, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- The Indonesian government on Tuesday launched a new map that provides more details on land usage, in a bid to avoid potential overlapping claims. The launch of the new map came amid rampant conflicts on land ownership, which has undercut the government's infrastructure construction drives. The new map was on a scale of 1:50,000, compared to the previous one on a scale of 1:250,000, which can curtail disputes over the issue of permits for the sectors of mining, plantation and forest conservation. "With the one-map policy, the overlapping claims which had frequently taken place can be settled. Development planning can be undertaken more accurately. In our country there have been too many overlapping usage of lands," President Joko Widodo said. Taking an example on the land dispute, the president said a total of 19.3 percent or 10 million hectares of the territory of the main Borneo island had overlapping land use. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-11 19:47:39|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close PHNOM PENH, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia exported 497,240 tons of milled rice in the first 11 months of 2018, down 13 percent compared to the same period last year, according to the latest report on Tuesday. Some 78 firms have brokered the country's rice for 61 countries and regions across the world, said the report from the Secretariat of One Window Service for Rice Export. China is still the top buyer of Cambodian rice, followed by France, the Netherlands, Poland and Britain, it said. Cambodia produced about 10.5 million tons of paddy rice in 2017, up 5.7 percent year-on-year, according to the Ministry of Agriculture. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-11 19:47:39|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close Members of Afghan security force inspect the suicide car bomb site in Kabul, Afghanistan, Dec. 11, 2018. At least five people including the attacker were confirmed dead and six others injured as a militant riding an explosive-laden car targeted a convoy of national spy service team in Paghman area outside Kabul City on Tuesday, an official said. (Xinhua/Rahmat Alizadah) KABUL, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- At least five people including the attacker were confirmed dead and six others injured as a militant riding an explosive-laden car targeted a convoy of national spy service team in Paghman area outside Kabul city on Tuesday, an official said. "It was around 9:20 a.m. local time when a terrorist driving an explosive-borne car targeted a convoy of National Directorate of Security (NDS) or the country's chief spy agency in Bala Chinar area of Paghman district, killing five including four NDS officers and the attacker on the spot," the official who declined to be named told Xinhua. Neither NDS nor Interior Ministry has made comment on the incident. However, unofficial sources believed that the number of casualties is higher than reported. According to locals at the site of the blast, at least three civilians were also killed by the bomb blast. Taliban militants claimed responsibility for the deadly attack. Zabihullah Majahid who claims to speak for the Taliban outfit, in contact with media said a suicide bomber exploded his explosive-laden car next to a joint convoy of Afghan and foreign troops in Paghman district Tuesday morning, killing and injuring over two dozen security personnel including foreigners. However, the official, on condition of anonymity, rejected Taliban's claim, saying only five people were killed and six others injured. According to the official, the Taliban outfit has lost capability to face security forces and therefore adopted suicide bombing to terrorize people. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-11 19:57:42|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close BEIJING, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- A guideline on the sustainable development of rural tourism has been jointly released by China's Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the National Development and Reform Commission and 15 other departments. The guideline put forward five major measures, such as strengthening planning to achieve coordinated regional development in rural tourism, and improving infrastructure and public services to make rural tourism more convenient. The others include enhancing the quality of products and the level of service and management, innovating the marketing mode of rural tourism, and paying more attention to the benefits of rural residents to help poverty alleviation via rural tourism. It also suggested other supporting measures such as improving the mechanism for financial investment, and further guarantees for land use for rural tourism, among others. According to Ning Zhizhong, chief designer of the tourism research center at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, around 70 percent of the country's tourism resources are in rural areas, proving that the potential for rural tourism is huge, and including rural tourism in regional social and economic development is significant to the prosperity of rural industries. The guideline will help create a win-win situation where the rural population leads better-off lives, investors are granted with their due rewards, and the rural environment keeps improving, said Wu Liyun, an associate researcher at the China Tourism Academy. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-11 20:07:43|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close BEIJING, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- China's new yuan-denominated loans stood at 1.25 trillion yuan (about 181 billion U.S. dollars) in November, up from 697 billion yuan in October, central bank data showed Tuesday. The November figure was 126.7 billion yuan more than that recorded in the same period last year, the People's Bank of China (PBOC) said in a statement on its website. The M2, a broad measure of money supply that covers cash in circulation and all deposits, rose 8 percent year on year to 181.32 trillion yuan at the end of last month, the PBOC data showed. The M2 growth was flat with that registered a month earlier and 1.1 percentage points lower than that of the same period last year. The narrow measure of the money supply (M1), which covers cash in circulation plus demand deposits, rose 1.5 percent year on year to 54.35 trillion yuan by the end of last month. New yuan loans made to households, mainly consisting of personal housing mortgages, reached 656 billion yuan in November, while those to non-financial enterprises and government institutions totaled 576.4 billion yuan, indicating solid credit demand from the real economy. Newly-added social financing, a measurement of funds that individuals and non-financial firms get from the financial system, was 1.52 trillion yuan in November, down 394.8 billion yuan year on year. China's central bank has said it will maintain a prudent and neutral monetary policy, easing or tightening it when appropriate, and make the financial sector better serve the real economy. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-11 20:17:45|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close KIGALI, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- Rwanda is looking for more private investments in agriculture to promote agribusiness and agro-industry sectors, Rwandan agriculture minister Gerardine Mukeshimana said Tuesday in the capital city Kigali. Scaling up private investments in agribusiness and agro-industry sectors will lead to employment creation and an increase in agriculture export revenues, Mukeshimana said at a national agriculture and agribusiness stakeholders forum. Rwanda has a lot of opportunities in agribusiness while the country is lacking in private investments to tap into its potential, she said. Successful agriculture transformation in Rwanda will be achieved through strong partnerships between the public and the private sector, she added. In 2017, Rwanda's agriculture sector contributed 31 percent to the GDP and generated 356.5 million U.S. dollars from agriculture exports, according to the minister. The one-day meeting organized by Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources and the World Bank Group is aimed at discussing ways to promote commercialization of agriculture through increased private investment. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-11 20:22:46|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close ROME, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- A fire broke out at dawn on Tuesday at a waste treatment plant in northeastern Rome, sending a vast cloud over residential neighborhoods, local media and and authorities reported. A firefighters helicopter video posted online by La Repubblica newspaper showed a huge mushroom-shaped black cloud towering over the Italian capital. Carabinieri police also posted a video of the cloud on Twitter, describing it as "a vast cloud due to a fire in a waste stocking site". At 11:45 a.m.local time, the national Firefighters Corps posted a video on Twitter showing firefighters spraying water on a massive pile of trash in a warehouse, writing that "the fire in the waste deposit is under control. Operations to put it out completely will take a long time." Speaking on RAI News 24 public broadcaster, city environmental council member Pinuccia Montanari urged residents "not to open their windows" as a precaution. Mayor Viriginia Raggi and Environment Minister Sergio Costa both visited the site, as well as prosecutors and police investigators who are trying to ascertain the causes of the fire, Italian news agency ANSA reported. The Lazio region where Rome is located tweeted that "regional authorities have been activated since dawn and (regional environmental protection agency) ARPA is at work to monitor air quality". On Facebook, regional authorities said that "no out of the norm levels have been recorded in terms of air pollution". Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA) President Stefano Laporta told ANSA that "the consequences of the fire will affect the waste treatment cycle for the entire city of Rome" and this cause for "concern". Local residents have been mobilizing for years to protest the waste treatment plant that opened in 2006, saying it gives off toxic gases that cause a number of symptoms including headaches, nausea, and respiratory ailments. "The facility built a few metres from a nursery school and thousands of homes in a sector with 40,000 residents is a problem due to miasmas and irritation to the eyes and throat," Corriere della Sera newspaper wrote. "Over 3,000 tonnes of trash had accumulated in the waste treatment plant where the fire broke out, whose maximum capacity is supposed to be 600 tonnes." Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-11 20:32:47|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close LONDON, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- Local police said on Tuesday that the man they had held at the British Parliament earlier was not involved in a terror-related incident. The confirmation came shortly after the Parliament was reportedly on lock-down as a man was tasered outside the gate. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-11 20:37:48|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close NEW DELHI, Dec. 11 Xinhua) -- India's federal government and Asian Development Bank (ADB) Tuesday signed a loan agreement of 31 million U.S. dollars to develop tourism and boost jobs in southern state of Tamil Nadu, officials said. The agreement was signed in New Delhi by Sameer Kumar Khare, a senior official of department of economic affairs representing government of India, and Kenichi Yokoyama, country director for ADB in India. Khare said the project was expected to improve the tourism infrastructure in Tamil Nadu and also help the state in preserving the natural and cultural heritage. Yokoyama said the increased tourism traffic generated by the project will generate extra jobs in Tamil Nadu, especially through skills training and community-based activities targeting the poor and women. "The project will support the conservation and restoration of eight heritage monuments, one museum, three temples, and a pond," an official statement said. "It will build various facilities at the sites, including information centres, rest centres, and toilet blocks, with facilities served by solar-powered lighting and energy efficient lighting." Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-11 20:47:50|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close SARAJEVO, Dec.11 (Xinhua) -- Members of Bosnia and Herzegovina(BiH)'s State Investigation and Protection Agency (SIPA) arrested colonel of BiH's Armed Forces on Tuesday here. Acting on the order of BiH's Prosecutors Office Special Department for Organized Crime, Economic Crime and Corruption, colonel Ramiz Micivoda, 49, was arrested, BiH Prosecutors Office said in a statement Tuesday. "Micivoda is charged of abusing his official position and authorization in time of being an active member of BiH Armed Forces (BiHAF). He was illegally requiring and receiving money, enabling persons to conduct their agricultural activities on land in the jurisdiction of Armed Forces," said the statement. By the investigation, it was found out that the suspect, on two occasions, arriving with his vehicle, outside the BiHAF official facilities and premises, requested and received money from these persons, taking advantage of his position and helped them in using the military land. "Investigative organs in BiHAF undertook legal actions prescribed by country's law and informed the relevant Prosecutor's Office of BiH on the abuse of power by Micivoda," BiHAF press statement said, adding that they will jointly continue taking all necessary actions against all forms of corruption. Micivoda is currently in SIPA's premises and will be handed over to the BiH Prosecutor's Office, which will then make a decision on further activities in the case. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-11 21:02:55|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close BEIJING, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- China and France have signed an agreement on bilateral financial regulatory cooperation during the sixth High-Level Economic and Financial Dialogue, according to the China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC) on Tuesday. The agreement, signed by the CSRC and its French counterpart, aims to strengthen cooperation in preventing market risks, financing the real economy, asset management and sustainable development of the financial sector, the top securities watchdog said on its website. The agreement clarifies plan for cooperation over the next two years, the CSRC said. The deal builds on a memorandum of understanding for regulatory cooperation on securities and futures signed by the two countries in 1998. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-11 21:07:56|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close TEHRAN, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. pressures cannot bring Iran back to the negotiating table over the existing issues, chief commander of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) said on Tuesday. "The idea that Tehran would agree to negotiate with Washington amidst its pressures is an illusion," Mohammad Ali Jafari was quoted as saying by Tasnim news agency. "There is nothing in history to show that Iran will surrender to the U.S.' demands even in the face of heavy economic pressure," he said. Iranian Foreign Minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif, said in Oct. that Iran would not sit for talks with the United States over the existing issues as the conditions was not ripe. Following U.S. President Donald Trump's decision to quit the historic Iran nuclear pact on May 8, the United States reimposed sanctions against Iran and vowed to inflict punishments like secondary sanctions on nations that have business links with Iran. Trump's administration has called for renegotiation of the Iranian 2015 nuclear deal as well as Tehran's developing missile program. Iran has ruled out possibility of talks over defense plans. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-11 21:12:59|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close RABAT, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- The Moroccan Security Services arrested on Tuesday three people with suspected links to the Islamic State (IS) group, the Interior Ministry announced in a statement. According to the statement, the suspects, aged between 21 and 31, were active in the city of Kenitra, 54 kilometers away from the capital Rabat. Initial investigations revealed that the suspects were glorifying and propagating IS ideology, the same source said, adding that they were also inciting for terrorist attacks in the kingdom. Investigations also showed that one of the suspects tried to join IS group before deciding to conduct terror attack in the kingdom. According to the Moroccan Interior Ministry, over 57 terrorist cells have been dismantled since 2015. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-11 22:03:16|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close KAMPALA, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- Uganda has announced new measures to fight corruption that is costing the country billions of U.S. dollars. President Yoweri Museveni, while addressing the nation at a ceremony held Monday in the capital Kampala, said corruption was frustrating foreign direct investments and hindering economic development. "I have put in place a unit that will be reporting directly to me, headed by Lt. Col. Edith Nakalema. She has her team and toll free lines. The public should not fear to call them and report anyone involved in corruption," Museveni said. He urged the public to spearhead the fight against corruption because those involved in the vice are well known to them. Among the new measures, Museveni said the property of those implicated in corruption would be confiscated by the government. Museveni also noted that permanent secretaries in ministries and chief administrative officers at the district level should be held responsible for every corruption scandal that occurs in their areas of jurisdiction. "We have very many educated Ugandans. Whoever is implicated will be sacked. Some of those government officials do not need to be taken to court when there is overwhelming evidence. We shall just send them home," Museveni said. About the new unit, Museveni said it will be investigating cases right from the grassroots and then report directly to him. "This does not mean the new unit is taking over the work of the Auditor General or the Inspectorate of Government. The unit will help coordinating the other arms so that there is quick action," he said. The president made the remarks as the East African nation marked the anti-corruption day under the theme, 'Citizen's participation in the fight against corruption: A sustainable path to Uganda's transformation'. Simon Lokodo, Uganda's minister of ethics and integrity recently told reporters that corruption in the country is now practiced in syndicates with high level of concealment. "The corrupt have built powerful cartels to entice, intimidate and in some instances disempower those tasked to fight the malaise," Lokodo said. A 2015 Uganda parliamentary report estimates that Uganda has lost more than 24 trillion shillings (about 6.5 billion dollars) to corruption in the last 10 years. The 2017 Transparency International survey ranked Uganda as the 25th most corrupt among the world's 167 countries. The report ranked the police force, tax officials, and judiciary as the most corrupt in the country. Lokodo argued that the vice has had a negative effect in the various sectors in the country for instance, health, education, economy, and democratic governance among others. Museveni on Dec. 4 while speaking at celebrations to mark the 25th anniversary of Transparency International Uganda put the blame on what he called a corrupt public service. He said although Uganda has the necessary laws and institutions to fight corruption, the challenge is now with the persons manning them. "The laws are there, the institutions are there but the personnel handling them are the problem. I don't need a frightened civil service. The country needs confident and able leaders who know what is right and do what is right," Museveni said. Activists argue that although Uganda has laws to fight corruption, they need to be implemented if the vice is to be reduced in the country. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-11 22:03:17|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close BEIRUT, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- Stefano Del Col, the United Nations Interim Forces (UNIFIL) head of mission and force commander, confirmed Tuesday the existence of a second tunnel running along the Blue Line between Lebanon and Israel, according to a statement issued by the agency. "Yesterday, a UNIFIL technical team verified the existence of a second tunnel north of the previous one in the same general area. UNIFIL is continuing to follow up on this issue in close coordination with the Lebanese Armed Forces," Del Col was quoted as saying in the statement. The UNIFIL had confirmed the existence of the first tunnel after a visit by its technical experts last week to a location near Metulla. Del Col said in the statement that he has met Tuesday with President Michel Aoun and House Speaker Nabih Berri and informed them about the latest developments. Meanwhile, President Aoun said Tuesday during his meeting with Del Col at Baabda Palace that Lebanon will respond to Israeli's allegations about the presence of tunnels dug by Hezbollah into northern Israel after the investigations into the claims are complete. "Lebanon is awaiting the results of the investigations handled by Lebanese and international commands to build its decision," he was quoted as saying by the National News Agency. The president said that Lebanon is keen on avoiding any practices that would lead to tension on the borders. Israel announced last Tuesday that the Israeli military had detected tunnels crossing from Lebanon into northern Israel and the country has started an operation to destroy them. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-11 22:13:18|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close JAKARTA, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- Indonesian national police will dispatch a massive security force to secure the forthcoming Christmas across the archipelagic nation which has weathered a series of militants' attacks in recent years. Churches and spots where mass are expected to gather would be heeded by the security force, in anticipating possible terrorist attacks, national police chief General Muhammad Tito Karnavian said here on Tuesday. A total of 48,794 churches would be among the focuses of security during Christmas, the general said. A security operation is scheduled to get underway from Dec. 22 to Jan. 2, involving nearly 95,000 police personnel, national police spokesman Brigadier General Dedi Prasetyo said. Tourist destinations are also among the focuses of security in addition to churches, Presetyo said. "We will be also supported by fellows from armed forces personnel and other volunteers," he said. A total of 13 provinces will be put in top priority of security, while the other 21 will be listed as the second priority. However, the brigadier general did not give a detail. Churches have been targeted by militants in Indonesia in past years, including the most recent suicide attacks in churches in East Java province in May which killed and injured dozens of people. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-11 22:13:18|Editor: Li Xia Video Player Close Supporters of the Indian National Congress (INC) celebrate election results in Kolkata, India, Dec. 11, 2018. After over 10 hours of continuous counting of votes in five states that went to polls recently, India's main opposition party the INC seemed comfortably positioned on Tuesday to grab three major states -- Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan, from the main ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). (Xinhua/Tumpa Mondal) NEW DELHI, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- After over 10 hours of continuous counting of votes in five states that went to polls recently, India's main opposition party the Indian National Congress (INC) seemed comfortably positioned on Tuesday to grab three major states -- Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan, from the main ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The election results assume enough significance in India's polity even as political analysts believe that the results might have an impact on the outcome of next year's general elections. The results are also taken as an indicator of rise in popularity, and political acceptance, of INC president Rahul Gandhi, who assumed the reigns of his party on Dec. 11 last year. Rahul Gandhi is the son of former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi, grandson of former prime minister Indira Gandhi and great grandson of India's first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru. The counting of votes is still on and the final results are yet to be formally announced by the Election Commission of India (ECI). The BJP ruled the states of Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh for 15 years, and for the past five years in Rajasthan. Now, all the three states are to go to the Congress' kitty. In Madhya Pradesh, which has a total of 230 Assembly constituencies, the INC is expected to win at least 115 constituencies, whereas BJP remains a close second with 106 seats. In Chhattisgarh, the INC seems to be winning 64 constituencies while the BJP is decimated with only 18 seats out of the total 90. Chhattisgarh chief minister, who belongs to the BJP, told media that he had tendered his resignation to the state governor during the day. In Rajasthan, the INC is expected to win nearly 102 constituencies out of the total 200, even as the BJP remains a distant second with wins in around 72 constituencies. After ruling for a decade, the INC lost the state of Mizoram in the northeast India to a state-level political party. Out of the total 40 constituencies, the INC could manage to win just five while the state-level party Mizo National Front (MNF) is expected to win around 26 seats. Political status quo was maintained in Telangana, even as the current ruling party -- the Telangana Rashtriya Samithi (TRS) won around 87 seats out of the total 119, and is comfortable to form its second consecutive government in the state. Considering the polls results going against the BJP, senior politicians opposed to it (BJP) have already started describing it as the "beginning of the end of its rule", besides also forecasting its defeat in the next year's general elections, slated to be held in April-May. In a sharp reaction to the BJP's defeat in three states, Chief Minister of eastern state of West Bengal Mamata Banerjee said that the just-concluded Assembly polls in five states were a semi-final ahead of the next year's "final" parliamentary polls. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejrival, who too is opposed to the BJP, said that the countdown had begun of the Modi regime. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-11 22:18:19|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close BEIJING, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- China slammed the use of bringing up human rights issues with political motives as "immoral", asking the U.S. side to seriously and objectively treat China's ways chosen by its people in dealing with human rights issues. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lu Kang made the request at a press briefing when commenting on U.S. Ambassador to China Terry Branstad's statement on Dec. 10, International Human Rights Day, in which the ambassador said he has witnessed China's "tremendous progress in many areas," while also making a groundless accusation concerning China's human rights situation. "It is impossible to accurately understand other countries while holding prejudice and thus enhance mutual trust," said Lu. The U.S. standard is a "one-size-fits-all", which is blind, and such a standard has proved to be a failure in many parts of the world, said Lu. During German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier's recent visit to China, some German reports said the German leader touched on human rights issues when meeting with Chinese leaders. When commenting on relevant questions, Lu said China holds an open attitude towards exchanges and dialogue on human rights on the basis of mutual respect. Lu noted that Sino-German exchanges and cooperation cover a wide range of fields, including human rights protection, immigrant issues, and challenges brought by digital development. He said as China and Germany differ in history, culture, development and social systems, their views on some issues may not be exactly the same. However, as long as the two sides insist on mutual respect and treat each other as equals, constructive talks and friendly exchanges can be carried out. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-11 22:23:20|Editor: xuxin Video Player Close NAIROBI, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- Kenyan authorities on Tuesday called on all stakeholders in financial and banking sector institutions to join efforts to strengthen the fight against mobile money fraud and cybercrime. Noordin Haji, director of Public Prosecutions said collaborative efforts are crucial in the fight against the crime which he said is rife in the east African nation. "There is need to include critical components of mobile money and fraud prevention strategy in order to collaboratively fight this crime which is evolving by the day," said Haji during a forum in Nairobi that brought together stakeholders in banking and financial sectors. The country's top prosecutor noted that there was need to fortify governance and law enforcement to fight crime. He noted that while all measures have been put in place to prosecute criminals, there was need to train officers and share intelligence which will be necessary to curb the crimes. Nicholas Mulila, Safaricom chief corporate security officer said that a lot of progress has been made in reducing mobile money losses, a move which has been driven by strengthening controls around the system and collaborating with all stakeholders. "We have made significant progress in the last one year, with mobile money losses moving from 90 million shillings (882,000 U.S. dollars) down to 20 million shillings this year," Mulila said. "We will continue to collaborate with investigative arms of government to ensure that we seal all loopholes that may expose our customers to criminals," Mulila added. This was the fourth mobile money fraud forum organized by Safaricom this year with an aim of bringing together stakeholders in financial and banking sectors as well as fintechs in an effort to discuss ways to curb mobile money fraud and cybercrime activities in the country. File Photo: A malnourished child is seen at a hospital in Hajjah province, Yemen, Oct. 1, 2018. (Xinhua/Mohammed Mohammed) UNITED NATIONS, Dec. 10 (Xinhua) -- The UN humanitarian chief said Monday that Yemen now has 42 percent more areas where people suffer severe food insecurity compared with figures from last year, citing a recent assessment. Mark Lowcock, the UN under-secretary-general for humanitarian affairs, said among the 333 Yemeni districts where the UN did the survey, 152 have a phase-four emergency of the food crisis system, known as the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), compared to 107 last year. Altogether, some 20 million Yemeni people are hungry, accounting for 70 percent of the entire population and representing a 15-percent increase year on year, he said. Alarmingly, about 250,000 Yemeni people have entered phase five of the IPC this year, he said, noting the number is 10 times larger than the people suffering the same food insecurity in South Sudan, the only other country that has a phase-five problem. "We had never documented people in phase five in the food crisis in Yemen," said the under-secretary-general, adding these people are overwhelmingly concentrated in four districts including the port city of Hodeidah where the conflict is raging intensely. Lowcock said the UN humanitarian operation is planning to reach 15 million Yemeni people or over half of the total population next year. "Among those, we plan to provide 12 million with food or money to buy food ... It compares with 8 million who we are reaching at the moment." To meet the target, the UN aims to appeal for 4 billion U.S. dollars in humanitarian aid for Yemen and the secretary-general is expected to host a pledging conference in Geneva in late February, Lowcock said. Yemen has been in civil war in the past three years pitting Houthi rebels against forces loyal to the government of Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi. Saudi Arabia leads an Arab military coalition to support the Hadi government. The Yemeni warring parties are currently holding peace talks in Sweden under the auspices of the UN. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-11 22:38:26|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close MOSCOW, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- The Moscow City Court gave a former police inspector of the Northern Medvedkovo district of the Russian capital, Alexander Zhitnyuk, a 13-year jail sentence for high treason, TASS news agency reported Tuesday. In addition, Zhitnyuk was deprived of the rank of senior police lieutenant, TASS said, quoting a court spokesman. Zhitnyuk was detained a year ago in a special operation, during which it was established that he had disclosed to Norwegian special services information constituting a state secret. In December 2017, Russian media reported that Zhitnyuk had been caught red-handed when he was passing on secret information about the Russian Navy to a Norwegian citizen allegedly linked to the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). Few details of the case ranked top secret were available, as the trial was held behind closed doors. But Interfax news agency quoted an unnamed source as saying that Zhitnyuk could get access to secret documents because after quitting his police job he was employed by the security service of a Moscow company supplying electronic equipment to the Russian Navy. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-11 22:38:30|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close ULAN BATOR, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- Twenty-two lawmakers of the ruling Mongolian People's Party said Tuesday that they are ready to voluntarily give up their parliamentary immunity to be investigated by prosecutors over a scandal involving financial irregularities. "We will soon submit an official letter on rejecting our parliamentary immunity to the Subcommittee on Ethics at the parliament in order to create justice in the country," the lawmakers said at a press conference, calling on other members of the parliament (MPs) to follow. The lawmakers made the statement after prosecutors said that the immunity of MPs has become a serious obstacle to investigating a scandal involving members of the parliament and the government. Parliamentary immunity means MPs are granted partial immunity from prosecution. Before prosecuting, it is necessary that the immunity be revoked. Reports were made public in late October that some members of the Mongolian parliament and government as well as high-ranking officials have obtained low-interest loans from a fund aimed at supporting small and medium-sized enterprises. Food, Agriculture and Light Industry Minister Batjargal Batzorig has resigned due to the scandal. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-11 22:43:31|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close ADDIS ABABA, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed will inaugurate the Chinese-built Dire Dawa industrial park located in the eastern part of the country on Sunday, state affiliated media outlet Fana Broadcasting Corporate reported on Tuesday. Dire Dawa industrial park constructed by China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) at a cost of 51 million U.S. dollars, is expected to host investors in textile and leather sectors, and construction input sectors, reported FBC. Stretched on 14,500 hectares of land, Dire Dawa industrial park will have 15 industrial sheds ready to accommodate prospective investors once it's fully commissioned. The industrial park is also expected to create employment opportunities to about 40,000 Ethiopians. Speaking to Xinhua recently, Zhu Lei, Deputy Manager of the Industrial Parks Group under the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) Ethiopia Office, said the industrial park has environmentally friendly waste discharge system. Zhu further said CCECC has already constructed and commissioned Hawassa, Kombolocha and Adama industrial parks, while it has completed 70 percent of construction work for Bahir Dar industrial park. CCECC was also a co-constructor of the 4 billion U.S. dollars Ethiopia-Djibouti electrified rail line which started commercial operations earlier this year. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-11 22:53:35|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close Wang Yang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China(CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference(CPPCC), visits a community in Nanning, capital of south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Dec. 11, 2018. Wang led a division of a central delegation to conduct the visit. (Xinhua/Liu Bin) NANNING, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- China's top political advisor Wang Yang on Tuesday visited local people in the city of Nanning, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, which is marking its 60th anniversary. Wang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, led a division of a central delegation to conduct the visit. During their visit to a local hospital, Wang stressed the importance to develop traditional medicine of ethnic minority groups, calling for efforts to promote the local traditional medicine to better serve the people. Wang also urged improving public service, environmental governance, and education when visiting a community, a wetland park, and Guangxi University. When addressing a symposium with local cadres and people, Wang said Nanning's significant progress is a microcosm of Guangxi's remarkable achievements during the past 60 years, attributing the progress to the Party's policies concerning ethnic groups, as well as the joint efforts of different ethnic groups. Wang called for more hard work to unite the cadres and people of all ethnic groups in the city and lead them to achieve greater success in its development in the new era. Four other divisions of the central delegation visited other areas of Guangxi on Tuesday. The delegation arrived in Guangxi on Sunday for the anniversary celebrations. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-11 22:53:36|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close BEIRUT, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- The Federation of Chambers of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture in Lebanon (FCCIAL), and the Arab Chinese Cooperation and Development Association (ACCDA) signed Tuesday an agreement to boost economic ties between Lebanon and China. "The agreement was signed between the two bodies to increase Lebanon's exports to China and the exchange of expertise and information between companies in the two countries," said a statement issued by the Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture of Beirut. Mohamed Choucair, FCCIAL chairman, emphasized the importance of increasing Lebanon's food and agricultural exports to China. "China is in need of these products," he said. Meanwhile, ACCDA's President Qassem Tofeily said his association will follow up on commercial and economic matters that are of interest for Lebanon and China. "We still have a lot to do but what is very encouraging is that Lebanon and China have a common will to push their economic cooperation forward," he said. Tofeily added that the association comprises businessmen who will do their best to achieve the desired goals. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-11 22:53:37|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close BEIJING, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- China will adopt the new definition of the kilogram from May 20 next year, embracing a weighty change in the international system of units for the development of next-level measurement. "The redefinition will enable physics, chemistry, and biology to gauge at the extreme level and revolutionize the industry of instruments and meters," Xie Jun, an official with the State Administration for Market Regulation told a news conference Tuesday. Though the change will not have a visible impact on people's daily lives, it is a game-changer for things like nuclear reactors, spacecraft and biological medicine, Xie said. The move follows a decision by multinational scientists to do away with the old kilogram prototype and determine the unit with a constant from quantum physics from May 20 next year, which is World Metrology Day. Since 1889, scientists have based their definition of the fundamental unit of mass on a physical object -- a shining platinum-iridium cylinder and its replicas. A kilogram is equal to the heft of such an aging piece of metal, and discrepancies of as much as 50 micrograms have been found in some replicas. Last month, members of the International Bureau of Weights and Measures from more than 60 nations and regions gathered in France and decided to update the definition with the "Planck constant," a fundamental constant of quantum physics that is reliable across time and space. China now ranks third in terms of calibration and measurement prowess in the world, Xie said, adding that the country has built a device to reproduce the newly-defined kilogram. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-11 23:08:41|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close GENEVA, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- UN agencies and NGO partners Tuesday released a 5.5 billion-U.S. dollar plan to back efforts in Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt, and Iraq to deal with the ongoing Syria crisis as Syrian refugee "new-borns" reach the one million mark. The 2019-2020 Regional Refugee and Resilience Plan, known as 3RP looks to the UN and its NGO partners to implement a wide-ranging response targeting over nine million people across the five countries, the UN refugee agency UNHCR said. "These one million children have largely been born into a situation where poverty and unemployment are common, early marriage and child labor occur, and an education is not always secure," said Amin Awad, UNHCR director for the Middle East and North Africa Bureau and Regional Refugee Coordinator for Syria and Iraq. Speaking at a UN media briefing here, he said the support foreseen in 2019 includes helping to address on-going protection challenges for refugees, getting more children into some form of education, enhancing essential services and economic opportunities, especially for women. It looks especially for women and leveraging the expertise of 3RP partners to strengthen the response capacity of national and local actors. UNHCR said Syria's neighboring countries "have remained incredibly generous in hosting large refugee populations since the start of the crisis," offering asylum and protection, making their public services available to refugees. These enable more and more refugees to participate in the local economy, despite the toll it has taken on their own development. Nevertheless, dealing with such an extremely high number of refugees remains challenging, said the refugee agency. Some 5.6 million Syrian refugees are currently registered across the region with around one million newly born in displacement. Awad said, "It is critical that the international community continues to recognize the plight of Syrian refugees and provides vital support to host governments and 3RP partners to help shoulder this massive burden while waiting for voluntary return in safety and dignity.". 3RP partners seek to directly assist some 3.9 million host community members, mainly through livelihoods and economic opportunities, essential services and supporting the work of local institutions and municipalities. "Communities in the region hosting refugees from Syria have shown tremendous generosity, yet are increasingly themselves under strain," said Mourad Wahba, assistant secretary-general and director of the UNDP Regional Bureau for Arab States. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-11 23:18:43|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close SHENYANG, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- A volume of books collecting Japanese Kwantung Army secret military files from the early 1930s was published by the September 18 Incident History Museum in Shenyang on Tuesday. The files, from the second day after the "Sept. 18 Incident" in 1931 to December 1935, were written by the Kwantung Army stationed in northeast China and presented as military reports. Edited into 20 volumes, it includes more than 560 files, totaling about 9,000 papers. These historical files serve as comprehensive records of the process that the Japanese Kwantung Army started the "Sept. 18 Incident" and the war of aggression against China. The files which were edited in chronological order record the Japanese Kwantung Army's attacks in a number of northeastern Chinese cities including Harbin, Qiqihar, Shenyang, Changchun and Jilin, said Fan Lihong, chief editor of the book and curator of the museum. The Kwantung Army reported details of the scale, plans, as well as casualties of warfare in northeast China to its superior army, according to Fan. "The reports were submitted by the Kwantung Army from the second day after Sept.18, 1931 to the end of 1935 without interruption to ensure the central Japanese army knew the progress of the war in northeast China," Fan said. "These reports have been well preserved and can serve as authoritative historical evidence, which reflect the Kwantung Army and Japanese army's crimes in northeast China." On Sept. 18, 1931, the Japanese Kwantung Army bombarded Shenyang under the excuse of explosions that occurred on the South Manchuria Railway. Since the "Sept. 18 Incident," China waged a war against Japanese aggression for 14 years and finally won the first full victory against foreign invasion since the Opium War in 1840 at the cost of over 35 million military and civilian casualties. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-11 23:23:46|Editor: Liangyu Video Player Close The Bronze Tiger Ying looted from Yuanmingyuan, or the Old Summer Palace, returns to China and is displayed at a ceremony to mark its entering the collections at the National Museum of China in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 11, 2018. The vessel was auctioned in April by Britain's Canterbury Auction Galleries. The buyer, through the auction house, contacted China's State Administration of Cultural Heritage (SACH) in late April and expressed hope for an unconditional donation. Resources show the vessel, once belonging to the royal family of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), was taken away by British military officer Harry Evans from the Old Summer Palace, which was sacked and destroyed in 1860 during the invasion of Anglo-French allied forces. Representatives from SACH and experts with the National Museum of China visited Britain in September to authenticate the bronze vessel, which dates back to the Western Zhou period (1046 BC-771 BC). "Chinese cultural relics lost overseas are an important component of the cultural heritage of our country," said Liu Yuzhu, head of SACH, adding they bear the profound history and cultural emotions of the Chinese people. Liu said SACH has in recent years successfully facilitated the return of many lost cultural relics to China. (Xinhua/Li He) BEIJING, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese bronze vessel looted from Yuanmingyuan, or the Old Summer Palace, has recently returned to China and entered the collections at the National Museum of China on Tuesday. The vessel, known as the Bronze Tiger Ying, was auctioned in April by Britain's Canterbury Auction Galleries. The buyer, through the auction house, contacted China's State Administration of Cultural Heritage (SACH) in late April and expressed hope for an unconditional donation. Resources show the vessel, once belonging to the royal family of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), was taken away by British military officer Harry Evans from the Old Summer Palace, which was sacked and destroyed in 1860 during the invasion of Anglo-French allied forces. Representatives from SACH and experts with the National Museum of China visited Britain in September to authenticate the bronze vessel, which dates back to the Western Zhou period (1046 BC-771 BC). "Chinese cultural relics lost overseas are an important component of the cultural heritage of our country," said Liu Yuzhu, head of SACH, adding they bear the profound history and cultural emotions of the Chinese people. Liu said SACH has in recent years successfully facilitated the return of many lost cultural relics to China, and the return of the Bronze Tiger Ying is a representative model. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-11 23:28:47|Editor: Li Xia Video Player Close YANGON, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- Myanmar and India signed on late Tuesday a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on state-level cooperation in science and technology for 2018-2021, said a release of the President's Office. The signing came after a meeting between Myanmar President U Win Myint and Indian President Ram Nath Kovind who is currently on a state visit to Myanmar. Another bilateral agreement was also signed on providing capacity building training to Myanmar'a judges and judicial officials. Also on the occasion, 50 prefabricated houses out of 250 for displaced persons in Rakhine state were handed over to Myanmar's social welfare, relief and resettlement ministry. During the meeting, the two leaders had discussions on promoting trade and investment between the two countries, granting special quota of beans for Myanmar traders to export to India, providing assistance to Myanmar in the fields of agriculture and livestock, development of information technology, extensive use of solar energy, and security and law enforcement in border areas. The Indian president also met with Myanmar State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi, during which views were exchanged on establishing an Indian embassy's liaison office in Nay Pyi Taw as well as on promoting bilateral cooperation in education, health, agriculture and economy sectors of the two countries. Kovind's five-day Myanmar visit until Friday is the first to the country by an Indian top leader in over a decade. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-11 23:33:49|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close KIGALI, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- Rwanda and Tanzania authorities on Tuesday agreed to speed up the process of putting in place cross-border Isaka-Kigali Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) project, infrastructure ministers of the two countries said Tuesday in Kigali, capital city of Rwanda. Rwanda and Tanzania have agreed to continue the bilateral discussion on financing options and speed up the whole process involved in the implementation of SGR project, said Rwandan Minister of Infrastructure Claver Gatete at a meeting with his Tanzanian counterpart Isack Kamwelwe. The planned railway is expected to reduce transportation cost, foster physical integration and improve social services across the East Africa region, said Gatete. "We are committed to strengthen our collaboration and ensure that the Isaka-Kigali railway project becomes a reality in shortest possible time," said Kamwelwe at the meeting aimed at laying out a plan on the implementation of the project. The two countries have agreed to look for funds to implement the project and modes of operation, he said. They are looking into the interest by the African Development Bank (AfDB) and considering its capability and commitment to financing the project, he added. The meeting followed weekend sessions in Kigali by senior technocrats from both countries who sought to explore the remaining details pertaining to the project. The Isaka-Kigali railway project was launched on Jan. 20 in Dar es Salaam, commercial capital of Tanzania, by the two governments. The 400-kilometer railway line from Tanzania's Isaka to Kigali will connect landlocked Rwanda to the Dar es Salaam port. It is estimated to cost 2.5 billion U.S. dollars, according to initial studies. Tanzania will foot a bill worth 1.3 billion U.S. dollars while Rwanda will raise 1.2 billion dollars, officials said during the launch. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-11 23:38:50|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close NAIROBI, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- Kenya's ministry of education and partners on Tuesday launched an initiative to boost school enrollment among girls in marginalized counties who bear the brunt of illiteracy linked to poverty and harmful cultural practices. Amina Mohamed, cabinet secretary in the Ministry of Education said the five-year Leave No Girl Child Behind initiative aims to achieve gender parity in school enrollment in remote parts of the country. "The Kenyan government recognizes that education for girls is not an option; it is a strategic development priority and we have put in place an appropriate legislative and policy framework to ensure no girl misses out on education," said Mohamed. Mohamed said the initiative that aims to benefit 342,000 girls in 19 marginalized counties will be a game changer in the quest to achieve sustainable development goal on gender parity in education. Kenya is among sub-Saharan African countries that have made progress in girl child school enrollment through enactment of affirmative action policies and robust campaigns targeting marginalized communities. Mohamed noted that introduction of free primary education coupled with other incentives like provision of free meals and sanitary pads has boosted school enrollment among girls in remote counties. She said that enactment of laws that criminalize harmful cultural practices like early marriage and female genital cut that are rampant in marginalized regions, has ensured that more girls attain basic education. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-11 23:43:53|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close JOHANNESBURG, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria on Tuesday dismissed axed South African Revenue Service (SARS) Commissioner Tom Moyane's bid for reinstating his old job. Moyane applied to the High Court to have President Cyril Ramaphosa's decision to sack him from his position reviewed and set aside. Handing down his ruling, Judge Hans Fabricius said: "It is my view that the application for interim relief such as it is must be dismissed." In the judgment, Fabricius was scathing of Moyane's abusive behavior and disrespect towards Ramaphosa and Nugent inquiry, which is in charge of inquiry into the SARS's operations during Moyane's tenure as commissioner. "From my judgment, the conduct of the applicant (Moyane) in these proceedings is particularly apprehensive and abusive. The office of the president has been insulted and defamed without any reasonable cause. No lawful grounds exist for an unwarranted attack on the integrity of the president," said the Judge. President Ramaphosa suspended Moyane in March, saying he had lost confidence in his ability to lead SARS. He fired Moyane last month after the Nugent commission of inquiry preliminary report investigating tax administrative and governance issues recommended his firing. In court papers filed last week, Moyane said he legally challenged his dismissal because it would negatively impact prospect of his future employment and dignity. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-12 00:39:07|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close KATHMANDU, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- Around 100 Nepali doctors, health professionals, researchers and students gathered in Kathmandu on Tuesday to learn about the Chinese traditional medicine, particularly acupuncture and moxibustion. A special event was organized by China Academy of Medical Sciences in coordination with China Cultural Center in Nepal to introduce various aspects of the traditional medical science to the Nepali health professionals and students. On the occasion, Chinese researcher Rong Peijing, who is the deputy director at Institute of Acupuncture-Moxibustion in China Academy of Medical Sciences, delivered presentation focusing on acupuncture including its history, innovation, treatment methods and latest study finding. "Traditional Chinese medicine believes that human body works closely with nature and surrounding. Acupuncture is a branch of same medicine which is a tried and tested healthcare system that has been practiced for thousands of years in China and the East," Rong said. The researcher highlighted that acupuncture is the stimulation of specific points through penetration of the skin with needles which aims to correct imbalances in the flow of qi, a concept of energy through energy channels. Addressing the session, Nepali medical professionals spoke highly of the Chinese traditional medicine, especially for countries where modern medical science is expensive. Dr K.K. Rai, Chief Advisor to Nepal's Deputy Prime Minister and Health Minister Upendra Yadav, said, "The Chinese traditional medical science has been used for thousands of years. It has been a continuous process and being passed from one generation to another generation. It is suitable for the country like Nepal, where health expenditure is too high." Dr Rai further shared that modern medical science is not accessible to all people and has many side-effects. "The Chinese traditional medicine is the best alternative to the public," he added. Built on a foundation of more than 2,000 years of practice, the Chinese medicine includes various forms of herbal medicine, acupuncture, massage, cupping, exercises and psychological therapy. On the occasion, Chinese researchers also demonstrated some acupuncture methods, which greatly amazed participants. According to health professionals, acupuncture has been a popular therapy in Nepal in recent times, as people adopt this treatment especially for joint pains and paralysis, among others. Chaitanya Kumar Manandhar, who runs an acupuncture clinic in Kathmandu, told Xinhua: "In the past, people had fear of needles. But now, they have strong trust and are more comfortable in acupuncture treatment. It is highly effective to resolve health problems." Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-12 00:49:09|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close KATHMANDU, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- Nepali Foreign Secretary Shanker Das Bairagi left for Beijing on Tuesday night. The foreign secretary will lead the Nepali delegation to attend the 12th meeting of the Joint Consultation Mechanism between the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of Nepal and China to be held in the Chinese capital on Thursday, according to officials. Before leaving for China on Tuesday, Bairagi told Xinhua that during the meeting, the two sides will review the status of Nepal-China relations and assess the progress made in the implementation of agreements reached between the two countries. "The meeting will be focused on the entire gamut of bilateral relations," the foreign secretary said, adding that the two sides will also exchange views on maintaining the tradition of regular exchange of high-level visits. The meeting will dwell on ways to further expand bilateral cooperation in the fields of cross-border rail and road connectivity, infrastructure development, diversification of Nepal's trade, promotion of investment and tourism under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), according to Bairagi. "Nepal has been making sincere efforts to implement the MoU on Belt and Road cooperation signed in May 2017. We are expecting to finalize some projects under the BRI framework very soon," he said. The 11th meeting of the Joint Consultation Mechanism between the two ministries was held in the Nepalese capital in June 2017. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-12 01:19:15|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close WASHINGTON, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump said Tuesday he will have the military build his promised wall on the U.S.-Mexico border if Democrats in Congress block the legislation approving the funding for the project. Trump made the threat in a series of tweets hours before a scheduled meeting with Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer and House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi. "If the Democrats do not give us the votes to secure our Country, the Military will build the remaining sections of the Wall. They know how important it is!" he said. The president said thousands of National Guard troops and active-duty military troops he deployed on the U.S. southern border "have done a FANTASTIC job," nonetheless stressing that "A Great Wall would be, however, a far easier & less expensive solution." The meeting with Schumer and Pelosi, which Trump said he looked forward to, is meant to avoid a potential partial government shutdown as funding for a number of federal agencies will expire on Dec. 21. Trump supported Pelosi's bid for House Speaker right after the midterm elections in November, but this time he criticized her and Schumer for opposing the border wall "for strictly political reasons," adding that they "do NOT want Border Security" and instead "want Open Borders for anyone to come in." "They will fight it at all cost, and Nancy must get votes for Speaker. But the Wall will get built," the president vowed. Trump has been asking Congress to include at least 5 billion U.S. dollars for the wall in the next funding package, something the Democrats have squarely rejected. Schumer and Pelosi issued a statement Monday saying the United States "cannot afford a Trump shutdown." They said Trump "knows full well that his wall proposal does not have the votes to pass the House and Senate and should not be an obstacle to a bipartisan agreement." Trump promised to build the wall during his presidential campaign in 2016, but his handling of migrants seeking to enter the United States via the southern border has been put a question mark. During a conference call on Monday, reporters challenged an official of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection by asking why the country was able to send troops and construct temporary shelters along the border but unable to double down on its effort to process more asylum seekers. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said improving asylum claims will sacrifice other priorities such as national security and drug interdiction. "To shift resources away from those other competing priorities so that we would process more migrants ...does come at a negative impact on those other missions," the official said. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-12 01:19:16|Editor: Li Xia Video Player Close British Prime Minister Theresa May (L) shakes hands with European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker during their meeting to discuss Brexit at the EU headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, on Dec. 11, 2018. Theresa May launched her mission Tuesday to attempt to rescue her Brexit deal with a round of meetings with European Union (EU) member leaders. (Xinhua) LONDON, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- British Prime Minister Theresa May launched her mission Tuesday to attempt to rescue her Brexit deal with a round of meetings with European Union (EU) member leaders. Political commentators described it as a mission impossible after Brussels indicated it would not alter the deal already agreed between the EU and May's government. Jean-Claude Juncker, president of the European Commission, said in Strasbourg there is no room whatsoever for renegotiating the Brexit deal. At Westminster a lengthy debate, won by the main opposition leader, Labour's Jeremy Corbyn, was expected to be highly critical of the way May handled the crisis on Monday by postponing a parliamentary vote on her deal. With no date set for MPs to vote, politicians fear it could roll over into the early weeks of 2019. Downing Street said at a briefing Tuesday that MPs will get to vote on the Brexit deal "before January 21". That date is seen as the deadline for a decision to give enough time to complete the process in the Houses of Parliament ahead of the March, 2019 departure date when Britain leaves the bloc. As the pound remained at a low level Tuesday, Dr. Mike Ellington, a finance expert at the University of Liverpool, told Xinhua that further depreciation later on in the week would show financial markets have no faith in May's announcements to address MP's concerns regarding the current Brexit proposal. "In other words, she has lost her credibility and there is absolutely no point in kicking the [Brexit] can down the road any longer," he said. Ellington added that over the medium-longer term, in light of the current proposal being rejected, Britain can fully expect to see increases in measures of economic policy uncertainty. This, he warned could ultimately lead to contractions in GDP growth and recession through a depletion in business confidence and investment. He told Xinhua: "I cannot see the EU agreeing to a new outline exit deal and the decision to hold off the vote suggests maybe Theresa May is coming to realize that any Brexit deal is inferior to the current status quo. In my view, the best thing to do is to get the MP vote over and done with so we can move forward." May is pinning her hopes of getting clearer assurances from EU about the fate of the border issue between Northern Ireland and Ireland. Although both Britain and the EU say they do not want to see the border return, if the backstop is implemented it would need approval from Brussels to remove it, potentially locking Britain into following EU rules indefinitely. It has that fear that has led to MPs of all parties, particularly Northern Ireland politicians, from refusing to accept May's deal. Juncker added in comments there was room for further clarifications on the deal, but commentators warned that may not be enough to win over critical MPs at Westminster. He told the European Parliament Tuesday the withdrawal agreement was the best and only deal possible. He added: "There is no room whatsoever for renegotiation but of course there is room, if used intelligently, to give further clarifications and interpretations without opening the withdrawal agreement. Everybody has to know the withdrawal agreement will not be reopened." In a radio interview Tuesday, the Leader of the House of Commons Andrea Leadsom said May was seeking to give the British Parliament a vote on whether to enter the backstop, and an annual vote on whether the country should remain in it. She said May was absolutely determined to get a deal Parliament can vote for. The thought of a backstop has infuriated the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) who have an arrangement to support May's minority government to give her a majority. In her keynote speeches on Brexit, May has constantly said that no British prime minister, including herself, would agree to a deal that involved different trading arrangements in any part of Britain, including Northern Ireland. Britain's national newspapers Tuesday gave their verdicts, with a range of critical headlines. The Daily Mail headlined "May's last roll of the dice", saying facing a humiliating defeat she was forced into a dramatic climbdown. The Guardian's front page said "Desperate May reveals her plan B -- to buy more time". Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-12 02:04:25|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close BEIRUT, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- British Ambassador to Lebanon Chris Rampling said that around 11,000 Lebanese soldiers will be trained by March 2019, according to a statement released by the British embassy on Tuesday. "This constitutes around one third of the Lebanese army's fighting force," he was quoted as saying by the statement which was published by the National News Agency. Rampling's remarks came following his meeting with the Lebanese Army Commander Joseph Aoun and U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon Elizabeth Richard to discuss the progress in the security project on the Lebanese-Syrian border. "Britain has committed over 69 million pounds (86.4 million U.S. dollars) to this project in recent years, alongside significant contributions from the U.S. and other international donors," he said. Rampling added that Britain will continue to be a strong partner for Lebanon in challenging moments as well as in its prosperous, secure and stable times. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-12 02:59:35|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close ABUJA, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- Four people have been confirmed dead following a recent outbreak of Lassa fever in a northeastern state of Nigeria, a health official confirmed on Tuesday. At least 53 suspected cases of the hemorrhagic fever were recorded during the outbreak in the state of Gombe since last month, Nuhu Bille, acting state epidemiologist, told reporters. The four victims died while receiving treatment at a government-owned facility, Bille said. Citing official data, he said the death toll of Lassa fever in the state had risen to 18, following the recent incidents. Over 546 others have been treated of the same disease this year, he added. Lassa fever is an acute viral hemorrhagic fever endemic in several West African countries. On Nov. 22, the Nigeria Center for Disease Control (NCDC) reported that there had been at least 143 Lassa fever deaths across the country. The fever has been reported in 22 states and 90 local government areas since the first case was detected on Jan. 1. At least 3,016 suspected cases have been recorded this year, according to the NCDC. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-12 03:14:37|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close CAIRO, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- The commercial flights between Egypt and the United States will resume since January 2019 after more than three years of suspension, official MENA news agency quoted a U.S. official as saying on Tuesday. U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen Nielsen made the remarks in a meeting with Egypt's Civil Aviation Minister Younis al-Masry on Tuesday, after she lauded the security measures taken at Egyptian airports over the past few years. Washington suspended cargo flights coming from Egypt in November 2015, a few days after a Russian plane crash in late October 2015 in Egypt's Sinai Peninsula killed all the 224 people on board and Russian investigations proved it was done by a bomb hidden inside the plane. The crash was later claimed by the Islamic State (IS) regional extremist group. The two ministers also tackled a number of issues of mutual concern regarding air transport industry, and agreed to develop a relevant memorandum of understanding signed between Cairo and Washington in 1997. Masry described Egypt's relations with the United States as "close and strategic," while Nielsen called for continuing bilateral coordination and cooperation to confront challenges facing air transport industry all over the world. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-12 03:19:39|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close UNITED NATIONS, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- The UN Security Council welcomed on Tuesday the progress in reconfiguration of the African Union-United Nations' operation in Darfur (UNAMID) and reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the transition from peacekeeping to peacebuilding and development in the Sudanese region. In a presidential statement, the council welcomed the continued improvements in the security situation across Darfur outside the Jebel Marra area and noted the continued handover of some UNAMID team sites to the government of Sudan. The council also noted the secretary-general proposed benchmarks and indicators of achievement for an exit strategy for UNAMID in his Oct. 12 report on Sudan and South Sudan and requested the secretary-general and the chairperson of the AU Commission to provide detailed reporting on the progress made toward achieving these benchmarks and indicators in the regular 90-day reports. It further requested the two leaders to attach particular priority to progress against the benchmarks and indicators focused on protection of civilians, particularly relating to internally displaced persons and returning refugees, humanitarian situation and disarmament. The council recalled the transition concept by the two leaders to be undertaken by UNAMID in collaboration with the UN Country Team over a two-year period with a view toward the exit of the mission on June 30, 2020 and its liquidation by December 2020. It also requested as part of this planning, due regard is given to ensuring sufficient human and financial resourcing is devoted to sustainable transition planning and activities. The western Sudanese region of Darfur has been plagued by a war between Sudanese government forces and the indigenous population since 2003. UNAMID was established by the Security Council in July 2007. Its mandate includes protecting civilians, facilitating the delivery of humanitarian aid, and mediating peace. Earlier this month, UNAMID Joint Special Representative Jeremiah Mamabolo acknowledged in Khartoum improvement of security situations in Darfur, but warned about fresh waves of displacement in the region. In its latest mandate extension (till June 30, 2019) by the council, UNAMID had its ceiling for troops reduced from 8,735 to 4,050 and that for police personnel maintained at 2,500. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-12 03:29:41|Editor: Li Xia Video Player Close People gather outside the Campinas Cathedral after a shooting in Sao Paulo state, Brazil, on Dec. 11, 2018. A gunman shot and killed four people at a church in Brazil on Tuesday before turning the gun on himself, according to local media. (Xinhua/AGENCIA ESTADO/CODIGO19/Denny Cesare) SAO PAULO, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- A gunman shot and killed four people at a church in Brazil on Tuesday before turning the gun on himself, according to local media. The shooting took place at the Campinas Cathedral in Sao Paulo state as midday mass was in progress, a spokesman for the local fire department told Globo TV news. The gunman was armed with two weapons and fired at least 20 times before police confronted him and he committed suicide in front of the altar. Authorities did not know the motive behind the killings, the spokesman added. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-12 04:04:47|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close OSLO, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- Al Gore, former U.S. vice-president and winner of Nobel Peace Prize 2007, said Tuesday that climate changes that result in increasing temperatures have consequences for everyone, public broadcaster NRK reported. He made the remarks in a keynote speech on global climate crisis at the 2018 Nobel Peace Prize Forum in Oslo, Norway. Referring to it as "a global emergency," Gore linked the climate change to conflicts about resources and the major migrant flows in the world. In his speech, Gore was calling for sustainable forestry and agriculture in response for the climate change. He also greeted the laureates of the 2018 Peace Prize, Congolese gynecologist Denis Mukwege and Iraq's Yazidi human rights activist Nadia Murad, who received the prize on Monday in Oslo for "their efforts to end the use of sexual violence as a weapon of war and armed conflict." "It was a magnificent statement that the world must, not only recognize, but accept global responsibility for ending sexual violence as an instrument of war," Al Gore said "Nadia Murad and Denis Mukwege are such inspiring individuals. These issues must receive not only global attention but determined follow-up," he said. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-12 04:04:47|Editor: Li Xia Video Player Close Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (Rear) speaks during a visit to the Northern Command Base in the northern Israeli town of Safed, on Dec. 11, 2018. Benjamin Netanyahu warned on Tuesday that the Lebanese Hezbollah militia will be dealt "unimaginable blows" if it resists Israel's recent operation to destroy cross-border tunnels. (Xinhua/JINI/Ayal Margolin) JERUSALEM, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned on Tuesday that the Lebanese Hezbollah militia will be dealt "unimaginable blows" if it resists Israel's recent operation to destroy cross-border tunnels. The remarks were made by Netayahu during a tour along the northern border, where the Israeli army has uncovered three Hezbollah tunnels crossing from southern Lebanon into Israeli territory. "The most important thing is the readiness here for a much stronger response if Hezbollah makes a major mistake and decides to attack us or oppose our action," Netanyahu said, according to a statement released by his office. "Hezbollah will be dealt unimaginable blows," he said. During the tour, Netanyahu, who is also Israel's defense minister, held a security meeting with Israeli army's Chief-of-Staff Gadi Eizenkot. "We are systematically dismantling the tunnels," he said, adding the operation will continue "as long as necessary." "We are carrying out exactly what we planned but we are ready for the unexpected. There is great firepower here," he added. Israel launched the "Northern Shield" operation on Dec. 4 in order to locate and thwart the cross-border tunnels built by Hezbollah, a Shiite militia backed by Iran. Israel has claimed that Hezbollah plans to use the cross-border tunnels to infiltrate into Israel. Israel and Hezbollah fought a month-long war in 2006 that ended in a ceasefire. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-12 04:04:47|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close KIEV, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- Ukraine kicked off preparations for the Sea Breeze 2019 international military exercises to be held in the Black Sea next year, the country's Defense Ministry said on Tuesday. Representatives of 11 countries attended a main preparatory conference for the drills, which co-hosted by Ukraine and the United States, the ministry said in a statement. Apart from the hosting countries, the conference attracted envoys from Bulgaria, Georgia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Denmark, Norway, Turkey and Moldova. Oleksiy Neyzhapa, the director of the exercises from the Ukrainian side, told the conference that the drills will be an important instrument for maintaining stability and security in the Black Sea. The Sea Breeze exercises, which started in 1997, are an annual military event involving the NATO and its partner countries. Usually, the event includes land, naval and air drills. More than 2,000 personnel, 30 vessels and an array of aerial vehicles from 19 countries participated in Sea Breeze 2018 held on July 9-21 this year in Ukraine's southern regions of Odessa, Mykolaiv and Kherson. Syrian refugees get on a bus to return to their homeland, in Tripoli, Lebanon, Dec. 6, 2018. (Xinhua/Khalid) MOSCOW, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- More than 1.55 million Syrian citizens have returned to their homes so far, head of the Russian National Defense Center said Tuesday. The number includes 1.26 million internally displaced persons and more than 290,000 people returned from abroad, Col.-Gen. Mikhail Mizintsev said at a meeting of Russian-Syrian headquarters for the coordination of the return of refugees. "The number of citizens arriving in the country continues to grow, and it is very important that the positive dynamics is maintained in the process of restoring social facilities and infrastructure of the Syrian Arab Republic," he said, according to the official transcript of his report. Centers for the reception and accommodation of refugees with a total capacity of 1.5 million people have been deployed in 412 localities formerly affected by hostilities, Mizintsev said. Russia took part in an anti-terrorist operation in Syria in September 2015 at the request of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. A year ago, the operation was completed with the Syrian army aided by the Russian Armed Forces liberating practically all of the country from Islamic State (IS) and other terrorists with just a few terrorist groups surviving in the east of the country and in the northwestern Idlib province. During the operation, 1,411 populated areas were freed with 96.5 percent of the country's territory retaken by government troops and the people's militia, Mizintsev said. The completion of the operation made it possible to significantly reduce the grouping of the Russian Aerospace Forces in Syria and to begin restoring peaceful life, he said. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-12 04:44:57|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close RIGA, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- Two months after Latvia's parliamentary election and two unsuccessful attempts to form a new coalition government, President Raimonds Vejonis on Tuesday met with all political parties represented in the parliament to sort out the situation and seek a way out of the political deadlock, local media reported. After the Oct. 6 election, which produced a highly fragmented parliament of seven factions, political parties nominated three leading candidates for Latvia's next prime minister -- Janis Bordans of the New Conservative Party, Aldis Gobzems of KPV LV party and Artis Pabriks of the liberal alliance For Development/For. Since the successive attempts by Bordans and Gobzems to form a cabinet failed, the president was widely expected to designate Pabriks as the next candidate tasked with forming the government. However, Pabriks withdrew his candidacy on Tuesday and his For Development/For alliance said they no longer insisted on his nomination. Instead, the alliance's representatives suggested they would support Krisjanis Karins of the center-right New Unity party for the premiership role. Ainars Latkovskis, chairman of the New Unity faction in parliament, said he was very surprised about the idea as nobody had approached the party with such a proposal before. In Latkovskis' opinion, For Development/For still should try to form a government because for, as a small parliamentary faction, it would be difficult for New Unity to maintain the necessary discipline within a larger coalition. However, if other parties agreed on New Unity's candidate as a comprise figure to end the impasse, New Unity would be ready to lead the government. Representatives of the right-wing National Alliance and the New Conservative Party hinted they too might back Karins' nomination as a comprise candidate. Vejonis is expected to name the next prime minister designate within the next few days. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-12 06:00:13|Editor: Li Xia Video Player Close ALGIERS, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- The anti-terror organs of the African Union (AU) and Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) on Tuesday signed a memorandum of cooperation (MOC) on fighting terrorism. The deal was signed by Larry Gbevlo-Lartey, director of AU's African Centre for Studies and Research on Terrorism (ACSRT), and Yevgeniy Sergeyevich Sysoyev, head of SCO's Regional Anti-terrorist Structure (SCO RATS), after two years of negotiations. It will allow both sides to cooperate through the sharing of experiences and good practises in the field of anti-terror fight. "The ACSRT is an important structure of the African Union Commission and we need to cooperate with other institutions to look for appropriate and adequate ways for better cooperation," Gbevlo-Lartey was quoted by the Algeirian state news agency APS as saying. He added that "the MOC will enable the establishment of a work plan and the identification of practical steps on which we will cooperate in terms of sharing experiences and information on terrorism in the two regions of Africa and Asia." For his part, Sysoyev said the deal will enable the two sides to exchange expertise and the best practises in the fight against terrorism, and the best methods and mechanisms to deal with the terrorist threat. SCO, established in 2001 in Shanghai, China, groups eight states including China, Russia, India, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Pakistan. ACSRT, established by the AU in 2004 in Algiers, aims to complement the international anti-terror fight by strengthening cooperation among African countries to prevent and combat terrorism. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-12 06:10:15|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close KHARTOUM, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- Sudan's National Assembly (parliament) on Tuesday approved a draft bill on joining the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), official SUNA news agency reported. "The National Assembly (parliament) approved, in its session Tuesday, the report of its financial and economic affairs committee, presented by the committee chairman Ali Mahmoud Abdul-Rasoul, on the draft bill on joining the AIIB for 2018," the report said. Abdel-Rasoul explained that the number of AIIB members now has reached 57 countries, in addition to 30 countries that have applied to join. He said that the AIIB, since its establishment in 2014, has implemented 28 projects in 28 countries with a total cost of 5.5 billion U.S. dollars. He added that the draft bill for joining the AIIB consists of 10 chapters and 60 articles, reviewing the benefits which Sudan would gain from joining the bank, particularly with regard to funding infrastructure projects. The members of the parliament who commented on the draft bill underscored the importance of Sudan's joining of the AIIB, commending China's role and its initiatives for boosting investment in the country. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-12 06:40:25|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close BUCHAREST, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- Romania decided to grant financial aid to landowners who want to afforest areas, Agency for Payments and Intervention for Agriculture (APIA) announced on Tuesday. According to APIA, owners of agricultural and non-agricultural land can access, from Dec. 11, 2018 to June 28, 2019, the state aid scheme for funding the creation of wooded areas in a program worth nearly 116 million euros (132 million U.S. dollars). "This scheme provides financial support for the establishment of forest plantations, namely the creation of forest bodies and forest protection curtains," APIA said in a communique. Fixed financial support is represented by standard costs per hectare for afforestation of agricultural and non-agricultural land, in the form of two premiums. Planting premium (premium 1) covers also the costs of elaboration of the technical afforestation project - granted to all beneficiaries of the scheme, while annual premium (premium 2) for a period of 12 years covers the costs of maintenance and care of the forest plantation and compensates for the loss of agricultural income due to afforestation. The latter is granted in depending on the category of the beneficiary and the type of land, said the communique. The maximum amount for a request under this scheme is 7 million euros (7.9 million dollars). Holders of agricultural or non-agricultural land owned by the state and by territorial administrative units, or their associations benefit only from the support granted on the basis of premium 1, said APIA. Romania's forest coverage is decreasing year by year due to illegal logging. According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, 28.6 percent or about 6,573,000 hectares of land in Romania is forested, of this 1,446,000 hectares being planted forest. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-12 06:45:25|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close SAO PAULO, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- A gunman shot and killed four people at a church in Brazil on Tuesday before turning the gun on himself, according to local media. The shooting took place at the Campinas Cathedral in Sao Paulo state as a midday mass was in progress, a spokesman for the local fire department told Globo TV news. The gunman was armed with two weapons and fired at least 20 times before police confronted him and he committed suicide in front of the altar. Authorities said they didn't know the motive behind the mass shooting, but it appeared the perpetrator had no specific target. "We think he was shooting at random, without looking for a clear target," the secretary of security in Campinas, Luis Baggio, told the TV network. Surveillance cameras showed the man entered the church like any other worshipper and sat in the back for a few minutes before getting up and firing his gun, a 9 mm handgun used by security forces, Baggio said. Another four people were injured and taken to hospitals. Eyewitness Pedro Rodrigues, 66, said he ran out of the building when he heard shots and realized what was happening. "The attacker entered and began shooting at a couple, and then continued firing in all directions. But I managed to get out. I'm very lucky to be alive," said Rodrigues. The shooting, which was rarely seen in the South American country, has shaken residents of Campinas, a city 100 km west of the state capital Sao Paulo. The Diocese of Campinas issued a statement asking for peoples' prayers at this "very painful time." Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-12 06:55:26|Editor: Mu Xuequan Video Player Close UNITED NATIONS, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will take part in the closing day of the intra-Yemeni political consultations on Dec. 13 in Sweden, his press office said Tuesday. Guterres will hold meetings with the two Yemeni delegations and address the closing session of this round of consultations, the office said. UN Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Yemen Martin Griffiths has engaged the two Yemeni warring parties in an intensive round of consultations outside Stockholm since Thursday, the first such talks in years. The two parties have been discussing the details of re-opening of the airport in Sana'a, the de-escalation measures in both Taiz and Hodeidah, and the implementation of the agreement on the exchange of prisoners, as well as the economic situation, Griffiths has said. He noted that tangible agreements will be announced by the end of this round. Yemen has been in a civil war since 2014 when the Houthi rebels overtook the capital Sana'a and toppled the government of Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi. A Saudi-led coalition has been fighting the Houthis since 2015. The war has killed more than 10,000 people and created the world's worst humanitarian crisis. The ongoing talks tackle a wide range of substantive issues, with the aim of putting Yemen back on the path of peace, and alleviating the suffering of the Yemeni people. Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-12 05:25:08|Editor: Li Xia Video Player Close Soldiers stand guard in the center of Strasbourg, France, on Dec. 11, 2018. At least two people were killed and eleven wounded in a shooting near a Christmas market in the French city of Strasbourg on Tuesday evening, local media reported. (Xinhua/Ye Pingfan) Paris, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- At least two people were killed and eleven wounded in a shooting near a Christmas market in the French city of Strasbourg on Tuesday evening, local media reported. French TV channel BFMTV said the suspect fled away, and security officers have cordoned off the area. Those injured have been transferred to a local hospital center, two are in very critical condition. The Ministry of Interior has called on the public to remain indoors in the wake of the "serious security event" in the city. According to sources from local authorities, the suspected gunman has been identified and was known to police for criminal activity. Police had reportedly exchanged gunfire with the suspect during the chase. The Prosecutor's Office said French counter terrorism prosecutor has opened investigation into the incident. Bordering Germany, Strasbourg is the capital city of the Grand Est region in northeastern France. Coun Perez reiterates warning to barangay leaders involved in drugs 07 Aug 2017 Hits:37 Comments(0) Liga ng mga Barangay President, Councilor Jerry Perez yesterday reiterated his warning to all barangay officials from using or selling drugs. Perez said he is closely monitoring the activities of all the barangay officials and vowed sanctions against erring leaders. Aqui gane na mio barangay ya quita ya iyo na puesto cunel dos barangay leaders quien mas temprano ya sale positivo na... Planta care contine cea mai multa vitamina C. Medic: Trebuie consumata din belsug Patrunjelul contine mai multa vitamina C decat sucul de lamaie, spune nutritionistul Mihaela Bilic. Legumele sunt mult mai bogate in vitamina C comparativ cu fructele, iar campionul este nimeni altul decat banalul patrunjel, atrage [citeste mai departe] Pennsylvania Auditor General Eugene DePasquale speaks at a news conference at the Royer's Pharmacy Tuesday Dec. 11, 2018 in Lancaster, PA. (Bradley C Bower for the Inquirer) Read more Pennsylvania Auditor General Eugene DePasquale is recommending ways that the state can better manage a layer of middlemen in its Medicaid program the pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) who handle billions in taxpayer funds and whose profits under the program varied widely in 2017, according to a report his office released Tuesday. Last year, three PBMs made between $2 million and nearly $40 million, the report said. They did this using a business practice called spread pricing, in which the companies charge the state a higher amount for a prescription than what they pay pharmacists for the drug. Through the arrangement, the three PBMs earned average profits between 28 cents and almost $13 per Medicaid prescription filled. This wide disparity in profit per prescription demonstrates the free rein PBMs have been given, said the report from DePasquale, who launched his review of the companies in June. The lack of transparency and government oversight have led to haphazard pricing schedules. At a news conference Tuesday inside Royer Pharmacy in Lancaster, DePasquale said he would like the state to contract with PBMs directly, so that they are a fiduciary of the state, and not a contractor of the insurers that help administer Medicaid. Two Republicans State Rep. Seth Grove and State Sen.-elect Kristin Phillips-Hill, both of York joined DePasquale, a Democrat, at the event. Grove noted that several measures aimed at PBMs passed unanimously in the House this year, and he called DePasquales recommendations a great starting point for the next legislative session. This has been a bipartisan movement, Grove said. PBMs are subcontractors in the states Medicaid program, and that means neither the auditor general nor the Department of Human Services can review its contracts, the report said. Taxpayers paid the companies $2.86 billion last year for Medicaid enrollees' drug needs, more than double the $1.41 billion the firms received in 2013. Some of that money covers the cost of doing business, the report said, but because PBMs' business practices are shielded from public or government scrutiny, theres no way to verify how much was profit. PBMs maintain that they save the state money by negotiating better deals with drug companies and pharmacists. And the industry says spread pricing is one strategy that clients choose to compensate PBMs for keeping costs lower. J.C. Scott, CEO of the Pharmaceutical Care Management Association, went further, saying the report is highly biased toward one special interest, the independent drugstore lobby. The report omits any mention of how PBMs are reducing prescription drug costs. DePasquales office requested three data points from five PBMs to calculate the reports spread pricing figures. These were the number of Medicaid prescriptions that each PBM handled last year, the amount each PBM billed the state for Medicaid-covered prescriptions, and the amount each PBM reimbursed pharmacies for those drugs. Staff declined to release those numbers Tuesday. DePasquales report called for giving the state authority to audit the subcontracts with PBMs each year and to oversee contracts between PBMs and the pharmacies they reimburse. PBMs handle prescription benefits for employers, health plans, and insurers. They are supposed to tamp down the costs of medications partly by securing rebates from pharmaceutical firms which want their drugs to be covered by a health plan and by getting discounts from pharmacies, which want the sales from belonging to a PBMs network. But as prescription drug costs have soared attracting the attention of lawmakers and President Trump PBMs and pharmaceutical companies have attacked one another in the debate over how best to lower prices. PBMs argue they are the only check on drugmakers who can charge whatever they want for their patented products. Pharmaceutical companies call PBMs costly middlemen that inflate prices. Across more than half a dozen states, legislators and regulators have been scrutinizing how PBMs operate within their Medicaid programs, a huge line item in any states budget. In neighboring Ohio, the states auditor focused on spread pricing, and identified $224.8 million in spread going to PBMs in one year. Ohio lawmakers decided to eliminate that payment model in Medicaid contracts. DePasquale began his review after pharmacists complained about PBMs to state officials and legislators, singling out CVS Caremark. Pharmacists said that they were losing money on some Medicaid prescriptions and that CVSs retail pharmacy unit sent letters offering to buy up community pharmacists around the same time. In April, lawmakers who chair the community pharmacy caucus asked DePasquale to investigate. CVS acknowledged that it lowered reimbursements on some drugs in the fall of 2017, and said it later raised those rates based on complaints from pharmacies. The companys director of government affairs testified at an October Senate committee hearing that the companys retail side did send out such letters but discontinued the practice. He also testified that CVS has stringent firewall protections" between its retail and PBM divisions. On Tuesday, CVS said it reimburses pharmacies fairly, and reduces drug prices for Pennsylvania patients and taxpayers. It blamed the drug manufacturing industry for driving up costs, which CVS noted is not represented in the auditor generals report. DePasquale is urging the Federal Trade Commission to investigate whether separation truly exists between the PBM and pharmacy acquisition segments of major companies that operate both. Absent a federal inquiry, the auditor generals report said legislators should consider preventing managed care companies from using a PBM for Medicaid if the PBM is part of a larger company that also owns retail pharmacies. The Human Services agency initiated its own changes to contracts with managed care organizations for next year, requiring that reimbursements to pharmacists be reported to the state. Patricia Epple, CEO of the Pennsylvania Pharmacists Association, said the auditor generals report shined a light on problems with PBMs, but she is still concerned about how much legislators will embrace the recommendations. PBMs, she said, have so many dollars riding on this. If they werent making so much money, they wouldnt be fighting it so hard. Pennovation, home to research labs, business and entrepreneurial offices, and educational facilities, will be officially dedicated in two weeks. (Margo Reed / File photo) Read more Aro Biotherapeutics, a start-up company based at the University of Pennsylvanias Pennovation Center, said it raised a total of $13 million from Johnson & Johnsons venture capital arm and from Cleveland-based BioMotiv LLC to develop its Centyrin group of protein-based drugs that target cancers and other diseases. The company, founded by Sue Dillon and Karyn ONeil, uses technology ONeil developed at, and exclusively licensed from, the founders former employer, J&Js Janssen Pharmaceutical Cos., the founders said in an interview. They are raising a second round of investment capital to bring the drugs toward clinical development, Dillon said. Centyrins are small, structurally simple, ultra-stable, highly soluble proteins containing around 100 amino acids, so they are far smaller and simpler to manipulate than the antibody molecules used in familiar therapies, Dillon said. Focusing the proteins on potent anti-tumor activity, she said, Aro is developing Centyrins in bacteria, including the E. coli bacteria endemic in human intestines, and plans to scale production up for clinical testing and rapid manufacture: It should be very cost-effective. She predicted Centyrin-based medicines will prove disruptive to existing therapeutics and can be targeted to so-far undruggable diseases. The founders say the proteins can be used to deliver high concentrations of medicine with low toxicity. The firms lead research program targets advanced, non-small-cell lung cancer. Other applications are in the works. Dillon, Aros chief executive, was global therapeutic area head for immunology at Janssen. She received her doctorate in immunology from Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia and completed a postdoctoral fellowship in immunology at Duke. ONeil, Aros chief scientific officer, was director of antibody discovery and venture leader at Janssens Centyrex unit, and is co-inventor on the Centyrin patents, among her 30 total patents. ONeil received her doctorate from the University of Pennsylvania, where she focused on protein engineering and protein biophysics. She is an editor of Protein Engineering, Design and Selection. Their new hires include Steve Nadler, Ph.D., Aros vice president of discovery and translational research, a Rutgers Medical School teacher and former executive director and head of immunoscience and cancer translational research at Bristol-Myers Squibb; Derek Miller, Aros chief business officer, who formerly held that title at Celator Pharmaceuticals; and Mark Laurenzi, a Johnson & Johnson veteran and biotech lawyer who is now Aros vice president of finance and operations. John C. Bogle, author of "Stay the Course" has qualms about the increasing power of mutual fund companies. Read more When shareholders of Camden, NJ-based American Water Works asked fellow investors to support a measure on corporate political spending accountability this year, Vanguard voted no. So it went for similar resolutions put forth at annual meetings for Range Resources -- one of the first companies to drill for natural gas in Pennsylvanias Marcellus Shale -- and at more than a dozen other companies, including Ford, PayPal, and Equifax. Shareholders calling for political spending disclosure and oversight policies didnt get support from mutual fund behemoth Vanguard -- which consistently voted against those resolutions when it came time to cast its proxy. Mutual funds that are investing money for workers and retirees hold a vast amount of the U.S. stock market, and, collectively, that gives them a lot influence over the slate of issues that shareholders vote on every year -- whether its electing board members, or weighing in on environmental, social and governance (ESG) resolutions. As Vanguard founder John Bogle outlined in the Wall Street Journal recently, U.S. index mutual funds now own more than 17 percent of the American stock markets value -- up from 4.5 percent in 2002. If historical trends continue, a handful of giant institutional investors will one day hold voting control of virtually every large U.S. corporation, Bogle wrote in the piece, adapted from his new book, Stay the Course: The Story of Vanguard and the Index Revolution. Public policy cannot ignore this growing dominance, and consider its impact on the financial markets, corporate governance, and regulation. Critics of Vanguards proxy voting record seem to agree with the inventor of the index fund. The Center for Political Accountability writes a model shareholder resolution on political spending accountability, and published an analysis this month of how mutual funds voted on it in 2018. Among 46 large asset managers, support for the resolution rose eight points this year -- from 45 percent in 2017, to 53 percent in 2018. But some of the biggest institutional investors on Wall Street defied that trend. "Vanguard, Fidelity and BlackRock really have had abysmal voting records on these resolutions, said Bruce Freed, the centers president. Both Vanguard and Fidelity had zero percent support for the resolution while BlackRock had 4.1 percent support. Freeds group argues that political spending is a significant risk management issue for companies. Its a reputational threat, its a business threat, and its a legal threat, he said, adding: You have consumers and employees who are very sensitive to how companies are spending money, and they will walk if they are disturbed by that." Vanguard defended its stance, saying in an emailed statement that the companys investment stewardship activities are not driven by any political, social, or environmental agendas. A spokesperson said Vanguard engages on topics "that we believe could affect our clients' investments outcomes. In addition to conducting corporate governance analysis, our investment stewardship team regularly evaluates whether and where environmental, social, or political risks could pose challenges to a companys long-term performance." Fidelity said it doesnt comment on specific companies or votes (though its written policies address ESG issues here and here). In contrast to those three money managers, firms such as PIMCO, Morgan Stanley and Lazard showed 100 percent support when their funds voted on the political spending resolution this year. The analysis is drawn from the Morningstar Fund Votes Database, which looked at how 115 fund groups voted this year and last. In total, 60 groups increased their support for political spending oversight in 2018, and 23 groups decreased their support for it. There is a growing realization among the largest asset managers that social and environmental issues are material investment considerations," said Jackie Cook, who founded Fund Votes in 2007 to track the positions of mutual funds on these issues. The investment research firm Morningstar, which provides ratings on funds, acquired the company this year. For the biggest funds, their power is in the votes they control, plus the example they set, Cook said. "When they vote in support of a resolution, they really are signaling something about this issue. Last year, for instance, Vanguard and BlackRock voted for the first time to support resolutions on climate change risk at ExxonMobil and Occidental Petroleum -- and both energy companies, in turn, agreed to start disclosing those types of risks. Trillium Asset Management, a shareholder advocate on ESG issues, sponsored the political spending resolution at American Water Works this year. It got nearly 40 percent support -- a level of support thats considered a strong signal to management. Because index funds have wide exposure across the overall market and economy, its in your interest as an investor to have a well-functioning political system, said Jonas Kron, Trilliums director of shareholder advocacy, "where theres a basic understanding of who is doing what spending, and who theyre trying to influence. Trillium has refiled the proposal for next year. The capital market economy that we have now and democracy grew up together hand in hand, he said. They dont exist in isolation. The Rev. Michael Doyle (left) and Eugene Dixon, former members of the group of Vietnam war protesters known as the Camden 28, reunite Dec. 6 in a Camden courtroom. Read more A public reunion of four members of the Camden 28, the peace activists who plotted to break in and destroy records at the city draft board office in 1971, offered a lively lesson about the turmoil that rocked the nation in the late 1960s and early 1970s. And while their faces were older and their hair shorter, their voices suggested the commitment for which they risked imprisonment a half-century ago has not diminished. We have to stop wars, and we have to learn to solve problems without guns, the Rev. Michael Doyle, 84, said during the event last week at 401 Market St. in downtown Camden the same building the Camden 28 targeted in 1971, and in the same courtroom where they were tried in 1973. The movement they joined was a call to peace and justice...and that larger movement is needed now more than ever," said Joan Reilly, 67, of Philadelphia. The three-month trial concluded with a jury declaring the defendants not guilty on May 20, 1973. After listening to Reilly, fellow activists Eugene Dixon and Keith Forsyth, and Doyle his brogue as mellifluous as ever, despite cancer and other ailments hes been fighting in recent years I can understand why. I was a happy fellow [when] we got arrested, he said. Because if we werent arrested, [the act of protest] would say nothing. The Camden County College Center and the New Jersey Council for the Humanities organized the program to highlight a local event that had great significance in national history, said center director John Pesda, He was not indulging in overstatement: Supreme Court Justice William J. Brennan Jr. called the Camden 28 proceedings one of the great trials of the 20th century. The four peace activists were joined by David Kairys and Carl Poplar, defense attorneys who handled the case; filmmaker Anthony Giacchino, whose 2007 documentary, The Camden 28, was broadcast nationally on PBS; and Senior US District Court Judge Joseph Rodriguez, who spoke about the riots that engulfed Camden days before the break-in at the courthouse. "Think times are troubling now? You have no idea what it was like to live through those days, " said U.S. District Judge Robert B. Kugler. The event was a reminder of how antagonistic the political left and right became 50 years ago, largely over the Vietnam War, and how rapidly public support for the war eroded in the 18 months between the break-in and the trial. Increasing numbers of Americans came to see the war as flat-out wrong, said Kairys. The Camden 28 story is relevant today because theres so much activism, said Haddon Heights High School junior Alex Sulock, 17. I could have been in the exact same position of the people who were being drafted and protesting, said Moses Scott-Ali, an 18 year-old Heights senior. Listening to the judges, the lawyers, and the former defendants was a powerful experience for me as well. The soldiers fighting and dying in Vietnam were the sons of fathers and mothers in the poor cities of the United States, and I knew that," Doyle said. "They were the sons of poor, powerless American people. That war was a mistake, he said. "It was a slaughter. It was outrageous. "There was no point in writing a letter. You have to act. Zenos Frudakis with the sculpture he was commissioned to create for the court next to the former Strawbridge & Clothier store at the Burlington Center mall in the early 1980s. He modeled the pachyderm on the Philadelphia Zoo's beloved African elephant Petal, who died in 2008. The mall closed earlier this year and the owners of the mall would like to donate the work of art to a nonprofit in the Philadelphia region. Read more A beloved South Jersey sculpture of a smiling boy atop a happy elephant must find a new home. But first, the 12- by 11-foot fiberglass work must escape the darkness of the doomed Burlington Center, where it served for years as the centerpiece of a fountain adjacent to a Strawbridge & Clothier store. Moonbeam Capital Investments, the owner of the mall in Burlington Township, plans to redevelop the site and is willing to donate the sculpture, which was commissioned by G. Stockton Strawbridge, top executive of the family-owned department store chain. Its a wonderful piece of art, Steven Maksin, a principal of Moonbeam Capital, told me from his New York office. He and his wife, Natalie, both believe the sculpture should be saved. Its part of the history of Burlington, of the area, and we are happy to donate it. Zenos Frudakis, whose public work includes the larger-than-life (and lately controversial) statue of Frank Rizzo across from City Hall, modeled the elephant on Petal, the popular Philadelphia Zoo pachyderm. Petal was one of a trio of African elephants scheduled to move to the Pittsburgh Zoo when she died unexpectedly on June 9, 2008. At 52, she was the oldest of her kind in an American zoo, and the sculptor had been allowed to meet her while doing research for the Strawbridge commission. Wow, Frudakis said Tuesday morning, as he took a look at his sculpture still impressive in the dry fountain, amid a semicircle of dead palm trees in the empty court next to what had been Strawbridges and later a Macys. Despite its forlorn surroundings, the piece remains very lively, he said, circling it to get a view from every direction. It was my first big job, said Frudakis, 67. I did a lot of research. I went to the Philadelphia Zoo, and they let me inside with Petal. I sketched her muscles ... but I didnt give her as many wrinkles. This is a stylized piece. A little Art Deco and a lot Beaux-Arts. And I would love to see it saved. Zenos and I have both been pretty worried the piece wouldnt find a home, said Rosalie Frudakis, owner of the Frudakis Studio in Glenside. All of his sculptures are like his children, and this was his first major public commission. The model for the boy was his godson, Scott Seraydarian. Known variously as The Boy and the Elephant, The Watering Hole (Stockton Strawbridges name for it), and Petal and the Boy, the piece has lots of fans, she said. READ MORE: All sales final: N.J.s worst and saddest shopping mall is going out of business "I hear from them all the time, asking whats going to happen to Petal? She was a bit of magic. You dont expect to see an elephant at the mall, added Frudakis, who is the sculptors business partner and former wife. We would love to find an appropriate home with a nonprofit, in a place where families and children can see her. In the meantime, the studio has set up a GoFundMe page to raise money to pay for the disassembly of the sculptures major components, removal from the mall, and transportation to safe storage until a recipient can be found. Burlington Center was the fifth and final regional shopping mall built in South Jersey between the early 1960s and 1980s, opening in 1982 and concluding an eight-year-long death spiral with the shutdown of Sears, its sole remaining retailer, last September. Maksin said his firm plans to begin redeveloping the mall within six months: All I can say is it will be a beautiful redevelopment. Spiro Agnew is having a moment. For one thing, Americas 39th vice president Richard Nixons attack dog for nearly five years in the late 1960s and early 1970s pioneered the art of blaming all of an administrations problems on impudent snobs and nattering nabobs of negativism in the news media, an tactic that would be taken to new lows under the current occupant of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. But thats not the main reason that 22 years after his death people are talking about Agnew, who was lifted from relative obscurity as Marylands governor to serve a heartbeat away from the Nixon presidency. Folks are suddenly recalling the White House years of Ted Agnew because the man was a crook. Agnew stunned America on the afternoon of Oct. 10, 1973, when with virtually no advance warning he walked into a Baltimore courtroom and pleaded nolo contendere (equivalent to a guilty plea, but with no admission of wrongdoing) to a single felony charge of tax evasion. A team of young federal prosecutors had actually compiled evidence of much, much more that throughout his rapid political rise Agnew had routinely pocketed envelopes stuffed with cash from contractors, even inside the White House. And yet the deal that Agnew accepted that day from the Nixon administrations U.S. Justice Department not only didnt charge the vice president with bribery but didnt require him to spend a single day in prison. Thats because it achieved the primary goal of then-Attorney General Elliot Richardson, which was forcing Agnew to resign immediately. The reason for that? Nixon was already deeply mired in his own scandal Watergate and there was growing talk of impeachment. Removing one president only to replace him in the Oval Office with a caught-red-handed criminal might have ripped America apart. I thought Elliot Richardson, in the end, made a deal because he saw this as a potential Constitutional crisis and a national disaster, Agnews then-defense lawyer, Marty London, recalled recently on a popular podcast about the Agnew case, Bagman, narrated by MSNBCs Rachel Maddow. Maddow wasnt shy in explaining why the podcast team had decided to relive the Agnew case in all its sleazy glory nearly a half-century later. What happened to a sitting vice president, she explained, raised so many of the same issues that America is confronting in 2018 with the now overlapping criminal probes of corruption surrounding President Trumps 2016 campaign and possible obstruction of justice by his White House. On Friday not long after the final episode of Bagman dropped federal prosecutors in Manhattan took a cue from their 1970s forerunners in Baltimore and accused President Trump (a.k.a. Individual-1) of taking part in a felony conspiracy to win the 2016 presidential election by funneling hush money to a Playboy model and an adult-film star whod had affairs with Trump, and flagrantly violating campaign finance laws to make it happen. That alone should have been enough to launch an immediate House impeachment inquiry, yet the Justice Department filing regarding Trumps confessed bagman," Michael Cohen, seemed just the tip of the iceberg. With a methodical slowness, special counsel Robert Mueller seems determined to dot all the is and cross all the ts on the questions of whether the presidents campaign colluded with Russian actors who interfered in the 2016 election and whether White House moves like the 2017 firing of FBI chief James Comey were meant to obstruct Muellers investigation. Interestingly, the Trump campaign-meddling-and-obstruction probe is remarkably similar to the Watergate scandal that ultimately sunk Nixon in August 1974, while the Trump-Michael-Cohen-Stormy-Daniels affair smacks more of Agnews plight, an open-and-shut felony by one of the top two officials in the land. In 1973, the idea that a known crook might spend the last 2-3 years of Nixons term in the Oval Office, with his finger on the nuclear button during the depths of the Cold War, was completely unacceptable to the wiser men in both political parties (including Richardson, a Republican who reported to Nixon until he was fired later that eventful October in the Saturday Night Massacre.) In 2018, with growing evidence of Trumps criminality? Meh. The Establishment doesnt seem to have to guts to confront whats directly in front of them. House Democrats, wholl be taking over the gavel in January, have grudgingly conceded that they might have to take the first steps down the road toward a Trump impeachment with about the same enthusiasm as a patient learning about his looming root-canal work. Republicans in both houses of Congress including some who voted for the impeachment or removal of Bill Clinton seem more determined now to move the bar on whether violating campaign finance laws to fool voters in a presidential election is really that bad. Team Trump is convinced the president can rally his base and even ride the ensuing chaos to win a second term which, bizarrely, would get him past the statute of limitations for the crimes he allegedly committed with Cohen. (One more fascinating thing that Bagman revealed was that Agnew may have also taken the resignation deal to prevent some embarrassment: Exposure of an extramarital affair, or affairs. In the Stormy Daniels era, that kind of embarrassment seems a nonfactor.) Spiro Agnew did try some now-familiar Trumpian tactics to save his job in 1973. When news of the investigation leaked, he gave fiery speeches that blamed the news media. Both Agnew and Nixon as Bagman revealed for the first time and allies like then-GOP national chair George H.W. Bush (perhaps youve heard of him?) tried to get their allies at Justice to quietly quash the probe. None of this got anywhere. Forty-five years ago, the right thing to do actually trumped whats good for the political Right. I would hope that it would feel that the interests of the nation have been placed first by all those concerned, including the Vice President himself, AG Richardson (reminder, again a Republican!) said in the wake of the Agnew resignation deal. He added that the outcome " demonstrated that the governmental and political process is capable of uncovering these things, and having uncovered them taking proper action." The system seems not very capable today. Whats changed in less than a half-century? Politics is more ideological and more partisan than it was in 1973, with liberal Republicans like Connecticuts Lowell Weicker who pressed hard on Watergate having gone the way, politically, of the brontosaurus. Some of that extreme partisanship is the result of gerrymandering and other antidemocratic (with a small "d") moves that incumbents have increasingly gotten away with. Today, Republicans who buck Trump are likely to lose their jobs in a gerrymandered primary especially when voters are whipped into a frenzy by right-wing media like Fox News or Rush Limbaugh that simply didnt exist four decades ago. To be sure, Democrats who held House and Senate majorities in 1973-74 played a key role in driving the Watergate investigations. But their effort would have gone nowhere if not for Republicans or conservatives the probing federal judge John Sirica, the whistle-blowers Mark Felt (top FBI official) and John Dean (whod been Nixons White House counsel), and GOP pols like Tennessee Sen. Howard ("What did the president know and when did he know it?) Baker. Richardson and Baltimore U.S. attorney George Beall, whose brother was a Republican senator from Maryland, played a similar role with Agnew. In the case of Nixon, his August 8, 1974, resignation only happened when top Republican senators like Barry Goldwater and the Philadelphian Hugh Scott trudged down Capitol Hill to personally deliver the news that the embattled president had no chance of surviving an impeachment trial. Today, a similar delegation of GOPers is the only way to end the long national nightmare of Trump. Monday night, 44 former U.S. senators emphasis on the word former published an extraordinary op-ed in the Washington Post which, although couched in frustratingly but understandably vague language, essentially urged todays Senate to channel the spirit of Watergate in navigating the flurry of revelations of high crimes and misdemeanors from Team Trump. A whopping 10 Republicans including Watergate hero Weicker, still plugging away at age 87 signed the letter. At other critical moments in our history, when constitutional crises have threatened our foundations, it has been the Senate that has stood in defense of our democracy, the letter stated. Today is once again such a time. It wouldnt take more than a handful of current Republican senators to again walk down that long hill to the White House to repudiate the cowardice of fearing a primary loss and instead do what whats best for the country by informing Trump that he could no longer expect to survive an impeachment trial. After all, it wasnt so long ago that America simply couldnt abide the notion of a criminal president named Spiro Agnew. Why should it be any different for a president named Donald Trump? Lt. Gov. Mike Stack III is using his last days in office to call for sweeping reforms to Pa.'s commutation process. Read more For the last four years, Kathleen Brown, a University of Pennsylvania nursing professor emerita, has been traveling to Pennsylvania prisons with her students, helping men and women serving life sentences petition the state Board of Pardons for clemency, their only hope of seeing some years outside prison walls. Now, shes contemplating quitting. After thousands of hours of volunteering all this time in prisons, I cant solicit hope from inmates if there isnt any, she said. Thats just ethically wrong. I cant do it, and I shouldnt ask students to do it." After all her efforts and under a Board of Pardons chaired by a lieutenant governor, Mike Stack III, who has made access to clemency his top priority just two lifers have been granted commutation since Gov. Wolf took office nearly four years ago. Its an indication, according to critics and Stack himself, that the system is broken. Stack, a Democrat who lost his reelection bid in the primary, is using his last days in office to call for sweeping reforms, including removing politicians from the Board of Pardons and eliminating the requirement for a unanimous vote to recommend that the governor commute a life sentence. Its rare, I guess, to hear people in politics and elective office say we need to get people in politics and elective office out of the process as much as possible, but thats what Im advocating, Stack said. "Politicians are susceptible to political pressure, and in criminal justice, that should not be the case. Attorney General Josh Shapiro the other politician on a five-member board that also includes a corrections expert, a psychologist, and a victim advocate declined to express an opinion on whether the process is working adequately or is in need of reform. However, he denied that politics figures in his decisions, each of which he said is rooted in a careful review of the case. Changing the composition of the board would require a constitutional amendment a process that takes several years, two acts of the General Assembly, a voter referendum, and towering heaps of political will. A more direct avenue, Stack said, would be through the legislature, where Philadelphia lawmakers this fall unsuccessfully pushed a bill that would have made lifers eligible for parole after 15 years. The way Stack sees it, something has to be changed. The number of people serving life without parole in Pennsylvania has more than tripled in 30 years to a total of 5,400, a record surpassed only by Florida. Whereas more than 600 Pennsylvania lifers were paroled from the 1930s through the 70s, and hundreds more received commutations, such opportunities grew scarce in the `80s and all but vanished in the 90s, after a lifer named Reginald McFadden went on a murder spree just days after being set free from Graterford Prison in 1994. Thats what prompted lawmakers to draft the constitutional amendment requiring commutation votes to be unanimous. Today, Stack said, politicians have not forgotten the disastrous consequences for Mark Singel, whose eight-point lead in the 1994 governors race evaporated when voters learned he had signed off as lieutenant governor on McFaddens release. According to the published Board of Pardons statistics, Wolf has not granted a pardon or commuted a sentence since 2016. A spokesperson for Wolf did not respond to questions about Wolfs views on the commutation process, instead providing a statement that changes [are] needed to make our criminal justice system fair. Thats not what this is supposed to be Out of more than 200 commutation applications the Board of Pardons looked at in four years, it recommended five to the governor. William Smith 76 years old and using a wheelchair became an example of the arduous and narrow path lifers face. Despite his age, his failing health, his half-century in prison, and his reputation as a model inmate, he was denied commutation this year when Shapiro voted against him. Shapiro later changed his vote after the son of Charles Ticktin, the victim in the fatal 1968 robbery, told an Inquirer reporter he did not oppose commutation, and after Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner indicated support for the application. Smiths petition is awaiting action from Wolf. But a series of subsequent rejections of men who are considered role models has sent waves of despair across the prison system, inmates said. One was Craig Datesman, 65, a Quakertown man who has maintained a misconduct-free record over 36 years, and served as a mentor and leader in prison. Datesman, who fatally shot Jeff Birli in an argument in 1983, waited 25 years before applying for commutation. I didnt want to file earlier, because I didnt know for sure how the victims felt, he said. But in 2009, Birlis sisters promised their support. In June, they made good. They took the day off work, and traveled two hours to Harrisburg to plead Datesmans case before the Board of Pardons. Mitzi Birli Foulke, 60, described how she was moved by Datesmans remorse and his commitment to improving himself and others. We thought ... Who wouldnt show compassion when two sisters of the victim were calling for it? she wrote afterward in an op-ed for the Inquirer. Sadly, our voices were ignored. Foulke even met with the Bucks County District Attorney, Matthew Weintraub. He was not persuaded. As far as who would be the perfect candidate [for commutation], thats not for me to say, Weintraub said. But when we write a letter in opposition, like we did in Mr. Datesmans case, we consider the nature of the crime, whether the person has expressed remorse, and also this is an overarching consideration in this case a jury ... made a determination after hearing all the evidence that Mr. Datesman deserved to spend the rest of his life in jail, and I think they are entitled to have that sentence upheld. Datesman is keenly aware that the majority vote he received for commutation would have been sufficient before the 1997 constitutional amendment. Because it has to be unanimous, he said, "Im at the whim of one person to vote no, and then the process stopped. The majority of those 200 applicants did not even receive a public hearing. For example, by a 4-1 vote, the board declined to hear the application of George Trudel, who has served more than three decades for a murder his friend committed in 1986 while Trudel stood by. The friend, who stabbed a man named Casimir Barowiec during an argument, was released after just seven years, but Trudel, who was tried separately, got a harsher sentence: life without parole. Hes been described as a model inmate who earned a bachelors degree in prison, one class at a time over 17 years. Brown described the resulting process as a sham." She believes the board is making decisions based on the crime, ignoring evidence of rehabilitation. Thats not what its supposed to be, she said. "Theyre supposed to be evaluating people as they are now. Stack confirmed that that has been a source of tension on the board. We have board members who sometimes re-litigate the crime. ... To me the only question should be: Has that person changed? Is that change so significant that this person has proved theyre worthy of a second chance? Its acceptable to be compassionate Stack made Pennsylvania history this year: He is the first incumbent lieutenant governor ever to lose his primary bid for re-election. That outcome, and the scandals that fueled it, could easily overshadow his accomplishments in improving access to pardons, which are typically granted for minor, long-ago offenses for which all time has already been served, and clear the record for people who may be applying for jobs, volunteer opportunities or professional licenses. Those initiatives include reducing the lag time on pardon applications from five years to 21 months, holding dozens of Pathways to Pardons workshops to encourage applications; and, coming soon, a far-simpler pardon application. In the future, applicants will not have to track down driving records and background checks, and the dreaded essay question will be optional. Stack said that if, for instance, a middle-aged man arrested for streaking in college doesnt, decades later, feel deep shame over the crime, he shouldnt have to write an essay professing that he does. So, hes starting a nonprofit, the Second Chances Foundation, to advocate for continuing and expanding this work. To his mind, the process is in dire need of modernization. Ideas include an app where one can apply for a pardon, pardons hubs where navigators can help people complete applications, paper-only consideration for decade-old, nonviolent cases in which a hearing is an undue formality, and automatic expungements for those who receive pardons. His larger goal, though, is to ignite a political movement. The criminal justice system is broken, and we have to let [politicians] know that its acceptable to be just and compassionate and theyre not going to get hurt politically and even if that is their biggest fear, they should get over it and do the right thing. In one of the last sessions in Stacks term as head of the pardons board, Darren Stephenson showed up to plead for clemency for his father, Larry, who at 69 has served 45 years of a life sentence. Darren was just 5 when his father participated in an armed robbery that proved fatal, though the father has said his gun discharged accidentally. According to a news account of the court proceeding, the sentencing judge assumed Stephenson would ultimately be paroled. Instead, his petition was denied unanimously by the Board of Pardons. Darren Stephenson said the process feels opaque and confusing. But his father took to heart the boards concern about respecting crime victims rights, and recently launched a campaign to get all lifers to donate $5 a month for a victim relief fund. He has not lost hope, although he could be 74 before he has another turn before the Board of Pardons. Hes trying to learn from this experience," Darren said, "to be ready the next time. In this image made from a video taken on March 28, 2018, Michael Kovrig, an adviser with the International Crisis Group, a Brussels-based non-governmental organization, speaks during an interview in Hong Kong. Canadian Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale confirmed on Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2018, that Kovrig, a former Canadian diplomat, was arrested Monday night in Beijing, China. The arrest comes amid a dispute between the two counties over Canada's arrest of a Chinese executive at the request of the United States. (AP Photo) Read more TORONTO (AP) A former Canadian diplomat has been detained while visiting Beijing amid a dispute between the two counties over Canada's arrest of a Chinese executive at the request of the United States. Canadian Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale on Tuesday confirmed the detention and said Canada is very concerned. Michael Kovrig, who previously worked as a diplomat in Beijing, Hong Kong and the United Nations, was taken into custody Monday night during one of his regular visits to Beijing, said the International Crisis Group, for which Kovrig now works as North East Asia adviser based in Hong Kong. The detention came after China warned Canada of consequences for its recent arrest of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou at Vancouver's airport. "We're deeply concerned," Goodale said in response to a question about Kovrig. "A Canadian is obviously in difficulty in China ... We are sparing no effort to do everything we possibly can to look after his safety." Goodale said there was no explicit indication at this point that it was related to the Meng arrest. "We have been in direct contact with the Chinese diplomats and representatives," Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said. "We are engaged with the file (case), which we take very seriously." The International Crisis Group, a non-governmental organization based in Brussels, said in a statement that it was doing everything possible to obtain additional information about Kovrig's whereabouts and that it would work to ensure his prompt release. The organization said Kovrig has been one of its full-time experts since February 2017. Its website says Kovrig previously worked as a Canadian diplomat in Beijing and Hong Kong and at the United Nations. Kovrig wrote on his LinkedIn profile that he had served as the political lead on a visit Trudeau made to Hong Kong in September 2016. He worked in Canada's consulate-general in Hong Kong at the time. Former Canadian Liberal Party leader Bob Rae said it was clear why Kovrig had been detained. "It's called repression and retaliation," Rae tweeted. Roland Paris, a former foreign policy adviser to Trudeau, said Chinese "retaliation against Canadian interests or Canadians would be unacceptable and pointless." "It would have zero impact on judicial proceedings in Canada," Paris tweeted. "Beijing should already know this from previous experience. Let cooler heads prevail." Jorge Guajardo, Mexico's former ambassador to China, said Canada needs to take dramatic action. "I'd be summoning the entire Canadian consular Corp in China home for training. If that means they can't issue visas in the meantime, certainly the Chinese would understand. These are special times," he tweeted. Hu Xijin, editor in chief of China's state-run newspaper Global Times, wrote on Chinese microblogging platform Weibo that there isn't any evidence Kovrig's detention was retaliation for Meng's arrest. But he added that the current situation was "highly sensitive" because of a "American-Canadian conspiracy" to arrest Meng. If people in the rest of the world make this association, its because Meng Wanzhous arrest was really way over the line. Naturally, people would think that China would take revenge, Hu said. The body of a West Chester University math professor who had been missing since last month in Ohio was identified Tuesday by the Cuyahoga County Medical Examiners Office, according to the university and news reports. Tom Short, who had worked at the university for about two years, was found Dec. 2 by Cleveland Metroparks Rangers at the Acacia Reservation, a 155-acre green space in metropolitan Cleveland, according to Fox 8 in Ohio. Authorities did not release a cause of death. Short had traveled to Ohio to have Thanksgiving dinner with family but did not show up, according to Patch. He had previously worked at John Carroll University in Ohio before taking the West Chester job. The university issued a statement to the community Tuesday afternoon. Our hearts are heavy with the tragic news of the death of Dr. Tom Short, said R. Lorraine Bernotsky, executive vice president and provost. Dr. Shorts untimely passing is a great loss for our community. Meek Mill performs on the Rocky Stage during the Made in America festival on Saturday afternoon, Sept. 01, 2018. HEATHER KHALIFA / Staff Photographer Read more Can you believe it's already December? The year has flown by, but luckily our movie, music, TV, and theater critics have been reflecting on the past 12 months to compile their Best of 2018 lists. Rediscover your favorite cultural moments of the year, find out what our critics deemed the cream of the crop, and let the debates begin. When you've finished your trip through time, you won't want to miss a tale from Lancaster County on the power that one Election Day vote can have. Reading this online? Sign up here to get this newsletter delivered to your inbox every morning. Aubrey Nagle (@aubsn, morningnewsletter@philly.com) Take a break from holiday stress to look back on the year in pop culture, thanks to the Inquirer Arts & Lifestyle critics' Best of 2018 lists. From theater to live music, from the big screen to the small screen, theyve named their favorites of the year. Think your vote doesnt make a difference? Then you should get to know Jeffrey Cutler. He was elected tax collector in 2013 in East Lampeter Township, Lancaster County by one vote his vote, a write-in. He set up shop as township tax collector and that's when, local and county officials say, things went sour. He's since been stripped of his office and has responded with a torrent of lawsuits. What you need to know today Through Your Eyes | #OurPhilly Did she say where she was going, @matthewscottbarber? Tag your Instagram posts or tweets with #OurPhilly and we'll pick our favorite each day to feature in this newsletter and give you a shout out! Thats Interesting Opinions "More than two million people are behind bars in the American criminal justice system. Almost all of them will eventually be freed. It is in no one's interest that they are ill-equipped to deal with that freedom when it comes." Beth Anne Mumford, Pennsylvania state director of Americans for Prosperity, on why Beth Anne Mumford, Pennsylvania state director of Americans for Prosperity, on why Senators Bob Casey and Pat Toomey should support the First Step Act. What were reading Your Daily Dose of | Puppy Love It was puppy love at first sight when a group of South Jersey veterans met their new service dogs, trained by inmates at the Camden County Correctional Facility, on Monday. President Trump and Vice President Pence meet with House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, at left, and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, not shown, in the Oval Office on Tuesday. Read more President Trump said he would be proud to shut down the government during a tense exchange with Democratic leaders Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York and Rep. Nancy Pelosi of California in the Oval Office Tuesday morning. If we dont get what we want one way or the other I will shut down the government. I am proud to shut down the government for border security, Chuck, Trump told Schumer as cameras rolled. I will take the mantle, I will be the one to shut it down." Vice President Pence sat silently during the back-and-forth, which lasted more than 15 minutes and featured a heated discussion over Trumps proposed wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. Trump is demanding $5 billion in funding for the border wall he had contended Mexico would pay for, and is threatening to shut down the government if Democrats dont agree to his terms. Trump threatened earlier Tuesday morning on Twitter that he would use money from the Pentagon to have the military build the wall, something top Democrats have warned is not within his power. At one point, Schumer explained to Trump that his arguments about border security taking credit for securing the border while arguing the country faces a crisis were at odds. Later, Schumer took a shot at the president for bragging that Republicans gained seats in the Senate during the 2018 election. When the president brags that he won North Dakota and Indiana, hes in real trouble, Schumer said. Trump also fought with Pelosi over the need for votes in the House, which Democrats will take control of in January after having gained 40 seats in the midterm election. At one point, Pelosi shot back when Trump said shes in a situation where its not easy to talk. Please dont characterize the strength that I bring to this meeting, Pelosi said. Following the meeting, the House Minority Leader told a group of colleagues in private that Trumps insistence on the border wall is a manhood thing." I was trying to be the mom, she said, according to Politico, but it goes to show you: You get into a tinkle contest with a skunk, you get tinkle all over you. Meanwhile, Schumer took to Twitter, calling the presidents display a temper tantrum. President @ realDonaldTrump wants to throw a temper tantrum and shut down the government, Schumer tweeted. The American people cannot afford that. Trumps tweets following the contentious meeting, meanwhile, focused on congratulating Sen. Mitch McConnell for agreeing to bring the Senate to a vote over criminal justice reform. Here is the full video of the White House meeting: Philadelphia is poised to take a hit of more than $42 million in its sale of the former Provident Mutual Life Insurance Co. building after abandoning plans to locate the citys police headquarters there. The city is under contract to sell the historic West Philadelphia property for $10 million after paying more than $52 million to buy it and begin renovating it for use by the Police Department, the Philadelphia Tribune newspaper reported last week. Philadelphia-based Iron Stone Real Estate Partners was selected by the city to develop the site at 46th and Market Streets based on its plan to transform the 325,000-square-foot insurance company building into a public health and community service center. Potential tenants include Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia medical offices and a YMCA-operated daycare center, Iron Stone representatives have said. City spokesman Paul Chrystie said in an email to the Tribune that bidding on the property had been is in line with the value identified by two independent appraisals. A bill authorizing the sale has been voted out of City Councils Public Property and Public Works committee and could be introduced to the full Council this week, with a vote potentially coming before the end of the month, the Tribune reported. Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell, whose district includes the site, said that she believed plans for the site were unfolding without sufficient input from her office and its constituents, and that she may vote against the sale, according to the Tribune. The Provident Mutual buildings namesake occupant moved out in 1983. City Council approved plans under then-Mayor Nutter in 2014 for its conversion into a police headquarters to replace the forces current home in the dated four-story concrete building at 750 Race St. known as the Roundhouse. Those plans were abandoned about three years later during the Kenney administration, when the city said it would instead seek to move the Police Department into the former Inquirer building at 400 N. Broad St. The department is expected to be in its new home by spring 2020 at an expense of $280.3 million. When Prime Minister Narendra Modi`s party won a landslide in India`s last general elections in 2014, it grabbed almost all the parliamentary seats in the heartland states of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh. But his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) looks set to lose power in the three states - after the results of recent state assembly elections will be announced from early on Tuesday - which would raise huge questions over Prime Minister Modi`s bid for re-election in polls due by May. Analysts say a big loss for the BJP in the states would indicate rural dismay and could help unite opposition to Prime Minister Modi, whose personal popularity remains high despite criticism that he failed to keep a promise of creating jobs for young people and improving the conditions of farmers. Indian share markets BSESN, NSEI and the rupee have already turned nervous, falling on Monday, the first trading day since exit polls said that the BJP would lose Rajasthan, with the other two going down to the wire. Equity analysts said that the surprise resignation of the Reserve Bank of India governor, Urjit Patel, late on Monday after a long tiff with the government, could send the markets crashing. "As the three erstwhile BJP states have a large agrarian population, the BJP`s drubbing could be interpreted to mean that farm unrest is real, and the much vaunted increase in farm minimum support prices haven`t yielded material political dividends," Nomura said in a research note. "A rout of the BJP on its home-ground states should encourage cohesion among the opposition parties to strengthen the non-BJP coalition for the general elections." The central states of Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, and the western state of Rajasthan, together account for 65 of the 543 seats in the lower house of Parliament. Several research firms have said markets could fall sharply if the BJP loses all the three states currently held by them. Regional parties are likely to retain two other smaller sates, Telangana in the south and Mizoroma in the northeast, that also report results on Tuesday, the polls show. The main opposition Congress party, led by Rahul Gandhi of the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty, has been trying to form a coalition of various regional groups, some headed by experienced firebrand, ambitious politicians. Congress has already said that it would not name Gandhi, who is seen as lacking experience, as a prime ministerial candidate, keeping in mind the "aspirations" of other opposition parties. OPPOSITION GATHERING Leaders of 21 opposition parties, including Gandhi and former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, also of the Congress, met in New Delhi on Monday as they sought to strengthen their stand against Prime Minister Modi. In a likely boost for the opposition, a federal minister, Upendra Kushwaha, said on Monday that he would pull his small party out of the BJP-led coalition. Media has speculated that he would join Prime Minister Modi`s opponents ahead of the general elections. The BJP says the planned opposition alliance would be fractious, would struggle to find focus and would be riven by competing interests. The BJP has also cast doubt on the exit surveys, saying they have underestimated its performance in the three states. While analysts have been warning it would be a mistake to rule out BJP wins in all main Hindi-speaking states, they have also warned that the party has lost the narrative to an extent. Sriram Karri, a political strategist and author, said the BJP government was losing its sheen because it was afraid to take "big bold moves", like including fuel in a unified goods and services tax and cutting income tax. Raipur: Counting of votes for the Chhattisgarh Assembly elections 2018 will be held on Tuesday. The election, this year, is being viewed as a prestige battle for three-term Chief Minister Raman Singh of the BJP while the opposition Congress' fight for resurgence. This year, the state, which has been dominated by BJP and Congress so far, witnessed a coalition among Mayawati-led Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), former chief minister Ajit Jogi's Janata Congress Chhattisgarh (J) and Communist Party of India (CPI), adding another dimension to the electoral politics. Tight security arrangements have been made at the counting centres in all 27 districts, particularly the Naxal-affected ones, where voting was held in two phases on November 12 and 20 to elect a new 90-member Assembly. The state had recorded 76.60 per cent voter turnout. "Counting for all 90 seats would start at 8 am at the 27 district headquarters. All preparations have been completed and a three-layer security has been arranged at each counting centre," an election official said. Counting of postal ballots will begin at 8 am and half-an-hour after they are counted, the process to count votes from the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) will begin, he said. As many as 5,184 counting personnel and 1,500 micro-observers have been appointed for smooth conduct of the process, he said. In every counting hall, 14 tables will be arranged in rows of seven tables each, apart from separate tables for the returning officer and for counting of postal ballots, the official said. The fate of 1,079 contestants, including the chief minister, his 11 ministers and state presidents of the BJP and the Congress will be decided on Tuesday. Most of the exit polls have predicted a close fight between BJP and Congress, but some of the agencies have given a slight edge to the Congress party. In the 2013 elections, the BJP won 49 seats, the Congress 39, while one seat each was bagged by the BSP and an Independent. The assembly elections are being seen as crucial for the BJP before the Lok Sabha elections in 2019. BJP is in power in three of states - Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan - where counting is taking place on Tuesday. It has been a tale of comebacks and holding the fort in the Assembly elections 2018 for Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Telangana and Mizoram. While the Congress put up a credible show in Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-ruled Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan where it secured a massive victory in the former and managed to secure a simple majority along with its allies in the latter, the Telangana Rashtra Samithi swept back to power in Indias newest state with a thumping 3/4th majority. In the tiny state of Mizoram, it was the Mizo National Front which unseated the Congress from the Northeastern state. However, the most thrilling and intense battle of the day was fought in Madhya Pradesh, where both the Congress as well as the BJP were locked in a tough and nail-biting contest. Heres a look at the verdict delivered by the five states: Madhya Pradesh: It was a neck-and-neck contest between the Congress and the BJP in Madhya Pradesh, with the tallies of both the parties going up and down with each passing hour. Even after more than 12 hours of counting of votes, the final picture remained unclear, even as Congress president Rahul Gandhi said that he was hopeful of a victory in the state. Though the results came as a setback to Shivraj Singh Chouhan-led BJP government, the ruling party ensured a photo finish despite the anti-incumbency factor. As the trends poured in through the day, it was also expected that smaller parties like the Bahujan Samajh Party (BSP) and Samajwadi Party, which won two seats and one seat respectively, would play the kingmaker. There were also reports of political consultations among all the parties over offering support to either the BJP or the Congress. The final picture in Madhya Pradesh is expected to get clear by late Tuesday night. Rajasthan: Another state that witnessed a close contest between the two major parties was Rajasthan, where the Congress, with the help of the RLD, managed to topple Vasundhara Raje-led BJP government with a wafer-thin majority. Of the 199 constituencies that went to polls, the Congress won 99, BJP bagged 73 while BSP and others got six and 21 seats respectively. Following the results, Vasundhara Raje conceded defeat as she submitted her resignation to the state Governor. Reacting on the loss, Vasundhara said that she expects the Congress to carry forward the works done by her government. With Vasundhara quitting her post, it is now awaited as to who the Congress would name as the next Chief Minister of Rajasthan. The frontrunners in the race are Ashok Gehlot and Sachin Pilot, and the Congress has said that a decision of the issue will be taken by Wednesday. Chhattisgarh: Chhattisgarh, which has been a BJP bastion under Raman Singh, has now decided to bring about a change in government. The Congress registered an impressive performance in the Naxal-hit state, security a two-third majority. As per official trends and results, the Congress tally will settle at 68 seats while the BJP would manage victory on 16 seats. The other alliance in the fray Janata Congress Chhattisgarh (JCC) and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) bagged six seats, not impacting the results majorly in any way. Raman Singh conceded defeat on Tuesday evening, saying that he took responsibility for the debacle as the elections were fought under him. The Congress is yet to decide on the Chief Minister. Telangana: Telangana delivered a clear verdict, giving absolute majority to K Chandrasekhar Rao-led Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS), which bagged as many as 88 out of 119 Assembly seats. Despite a united opposition in the form of Prajakutami, comprising the Congress, the Telugu Desam Party, the CPI and the Telangana Jana Samithi, KCR retained power with a thumping majority. Following the results, KCR said that he was in consultation with other parties and would certainly play an active role in the national politics. Asaduddin Owaisis All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), which had pledged its support to KCR even before the counting of votes, bagged seven seats. Mizoram: The Congress party lost its last bastion in northeast, Mizoram, in Assembly elections 2018. The Mizo National Front (MNF), led by Zoramthanga, winning 26 out of the 40 Assembly seats. The ruling Congress was decimated, by managing to win just five seats, and Lal Thanhawla said that the verdict was not something that the party had expected. Following the results, Zoramthanga said that it would form government on its own, adding that his party was not in need of any alliance partner. Mizo National Front (MNF) has crossed the half-way mark in Mizoram and is leading with 22 seats. Congress is standing on 10 seats. BJP remains with 2 seats, as per the latest trends. Counting of votes has begun. Results and trends will be available soon. If the exit polls are to believed, Mizoram may have a hung 40-member Assembly. As per CVoter, the ruling Congress is likely to get 14 to 18 seats and the Mizo National Front (MNF) 16-20. It has predicted 3-7 seats for the Zoram People`s Movement (ZPM). (Check the full list of MLAs in Mizoram.) According to India Today-Axis My India, ZPM may dent both the MNF and Congress in the state. According to Times Now-CNX, the MNF will win 18 seats and the Congress 16. The exit polls by Republic-C-Voter showed the MNF getting 16-20 seats. The voter turnout in Mizoram was 80.15 per cent. In 2013 elections, Congress had fielded 40 candidates while it won 34 seats, whereas Mizo National Front (MNF) secured only five seats after contesting 31 seats. Mizoram People`s Conference (MPC) had contested on eight seats but it managed to bag only one. Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla is contesting from two seats - Serchhip and Champhai South. In Serchhip, Thanhawla will be contesting against Zoram People`s Movement`s (ZPM) chief ministerial candidate Lalduhoma, Mizo National Front (MNF) nominee C Lalramzauva and People`s Representation for Identity and Status of Mizoram (PRISM) party chief Vanlalruata among others. In the Champhai South, the incumbent Chief Minister would contest against MNF`s T J Lalnuntluanga and ZPM`s C Lalremliana. The Congress is hoping to blunt the challenge put up by Mizo National Front even as the BJP tries to create in-roads in the state. While Congress and MNF candidates contested in all 40 constituencies, BJP fought in 39. The EC said that polling was completely peaceful and barring sporadic incidents of VVPAT machines malfunctioning, there was no impediment. Interestingly, Deputy Additional Chief Electoral Officer CC Lalchhuangkina said that 25% of the 7.68 lakh voters here had already cast their vote by 10 am. Congress gained a massive lead in Rajasthan on Tuesday and the incumbent Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) trailed shortly after the voting of assembly elections began. Congress chief Sachin Pilot was leading in Tonk constituency, while BJP's Vasundhara Raje was leading from Jhalraptan. As per the latest trends, former chief minister Ashok Gehlot is also leading in Sardarpura. Congress' Krishna Poonia and CP Joshi were leading from Sudulpur and Nathdwara constituency. A political party or bloc needs 101 seats to establish a majority in the Rajasthan state assembly. Counting of votes has begun. Results and trends will be available soon. Rajasthan recorded a turnout of 74.21 per cent in the Assembly election 2018, around 1.02 percentage point less than a turnout of 75.23 per cent in 2013. Top campaigners including Prime Minister Narendra and Congress president Rahul Gandhi had addressed 12 and 9 public meetings respectively in Rajasthan where assembly elections to 199 of the 200 seats were held on December 7. Contrary to the sea of crowd in the rallies, voting percentage in the respective areas was less. (Also check full list of sitting MLAs in Rajasthan.) After Prime Minister's rallies, voting percentage increased only in Dausa (78.41 per cent in 2018 compared to 75.68 per cent in 2013) and Nagaur (73.53 per cent in 2018 compared to 72.03 per cent in 2013). Voting percentage in other areas, including Bhilwara, Bharatpur, Sikar or Hanumangarh where the prime minister held rallies remained less than the previous assembly election. The exit polls predicted that the opposition party may form a government in the result. Most of the exit polls predicted the Congress' return to power in Rajasthan. It is a seen as a straight fight between the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Congress for about 130 seats. In other constituencies, groups like the Bahujan Samaj Party and rebels who are contesting against official party candidates may queer the pitch. If the Congress wins, it is expected to pick between former chief minister Ashok Gehlot and state party president Sachin Pilot for the top post in the state. In the current House, the BJP has 160 seats and the Congress 25. In Tonk, Sachin Pilot and Rajasthan Transport Minister and BJP candidate Yoonus Khan are face to face. Khan is the only Muslim candidate fielded by his party. After counting which went on for over 25 hours, the Election Commission (EC) on Wednesday morning announced the final results of Madhya Pradesh Assembly elections 2018. The Congress emerged as the single largest party winning 114 seats while the BJP won 109 seats, SP one, BSP two and Independents four seats. The counting in Madhya Pradesh turned out to be a nail-biting battle in Madhya Pradesh Assembly with the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Congress taking turns to overtake each other. Several times through the day, the BJP and the Congress hovered around the half-way mark. The Congress emerged victorious in the end but not before caretaker Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan gave him a tough fight throughout the poll process. (Also Read: Elections 2018 As it happened: Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Telangana, Chhattisgarh and Mizoram) Now, all eyes will be on the Congress to see who will be the next Chief Minister of the state. Party veterans Kamal Nath and Jyotiraditya Scindia are being seen as the strongest contenders for the top post. (Read full list of winners and MLAs) In the outgoing Assembly, the party-wise position was - BJP-165 seats, Congress-58 seats, BSP- 4 seats and Independents three. At a glance: The 25-hour counting in Madhya Pradesh: # Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Mayawati are likely to hold separate press conferences in the state to clear their stand on the Assembly Election results. Chouhan will brief the media at 10 am, Mayawati at 10:30 am. # EC declares Madhya Pradesh Assembly results: Congress-114 seats, BJP-109 seats, SP-1 seats, BSP-2 seats and Independents- 4 seats. ## According to latest ECI trends, Congress has won 88 seats and is leading in 26 seats; the BJP has won in 90 seats and is leading on 19 seats. ## According to latest ECI trends, the Congress has won 69 seats and is leading on 44 seats; the BJP has won 66 seats and leading on 44. The BSP and the Samajwadi Party are leading on two seats and one respectively. Three Independent candidates have won while one is leading. ## Battle for Madhya Pradesh continues. Latest ECI trends - Congress wins 67 seats, leads on 47 seats, BJP bags 65 seats and leads on 44. The BSP is leading on two seats while others have won 4 seats. ## As per latest ECI trends/results from Madhya Pradesh, the Congress and the BJP have won 44 seats each. In the remaining, the Congress is leading on 69 while the BJP is leading on 66. The BSP and others are leading on two and five seats respectively. ## Congress leaders AK Antony and Mallikarjun Kharge have been appointed as observers for Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, respectively. ## It's 8:30 pm, over 12 hours since the counting began, but there is still no clarity on whether it's the Congress or the BJP which is winning the elections. ## West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee also viewed the election defeat as a preview to the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. "This is the semi-final of the final match as 2019 elections will be held in next 2-3 months. For 2019 final match game is clear, now we are just waiting for the elections. The countdown for 2019 has begun. This is the beginning of the end," she said. ## Opposition parties through the day have been taking jibes at the BJP for its performance in the elections in the five states - Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Telangana and Mizoram. Among those leading the attack were Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav who spoke of Opposition unity. "One and one come together, it makes 11," he said. "Jab ek aur ek milkar bante hai gyaarah, tab badey bado ki satta ho jaati hai nau do gyaarah (when one and one come together, it makes 11, and the power of the bigwigs eventually fade away)," Akhilesh Yadav tweeted. ## According to Election Commission figures, the Congress has crossed the half-way mark in the state and is set to unset the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) which has ruled Madhya Pradesh for 15 years. The Congress is leading in 117 seats, BJP in 104 seats, Bahujan Samaj Party in 2 seats, Gondvana Gantantra Party in 1 seat, Samajwadi Party in 2 seats, Independents in 4 seats. ## Through there is no clarity on the numbers in Madhya Pradesh yet, Congress leader Kamal Nath has said his party will form a government in the state with a "full majority" in the 230-member Assembly. "The party will form the government with full majority," he said. ## The first official figures of a win in Madhya Pradesh have gone to the BJP. As per the EC data at 4 pm, the saffron party has won 1 seat, leading in 105 while the Congress is leading in 114 seats. # Jyotiraditya Scindia, Congress leader and a probable CM candidate if the party wins the state, said that the trends reflect the desire of the people for change. Scindia, who spearheaded the Congress campaign in Madhya Pradesh, said he was very confident that the Congress would form the government in the state. ## According to Election Commission trends, the BJP has lost its balance further. The Congress has taken lead in 113 seats while the BJP is leading in 106 seats. ## After being in the lead for almost an hour, the numbers for the BJP have fallen. As per the official Election Commission website, Congress is now leading in 112 seats while the BJP is leading in 108 seats. ## The first results have started coming in from MP. BJP's Chetanya Kasyap has bagged 67246 seats while the closest second is Congress's Premlata Dave who has bagged 29722 votes. ## Election results are tilting in the favour of the BJP and the Congress alternatively at the blink of an eye. At 2:15 pm, the BJP is leading in 111 seats while the Congress is leading in 109 seats. ## The Deotalab seat in Madhya Pradesh is witnessing a neck and neck battle with BJP's Girish Gautam leading against BSP's Seema Jaiveer Singh Sengar by a margin of mere 79 votes. ## If both the BJP and the Congress fail to reach the half-way mark, the Bahujan Samaj Party, Samajwadi Party and Independents will have the bargaining power. The talks of possible alliances have already begun with SP claiming that it will take a decision once the results are declared. "BJP's wrong policies have destroyed the country and this is a result of that. Any talk of an alliance will be done once the whole picture is clear," SP leader Ramgopal Yadav said. As of now, the BSP is leading in 4 seats, SP in 1 seat and others on 5 seats. The BJP is leading in 108 seats while Congress on 112. Ramgopal Yadav, SP: BJP's wrong policies have destroyed the country and this is a result of that. Any talk of an alliance will be done once the whole picture is clear #AssemblyElections2018 pic.twitter.com/0dmlXbyTEp ANI (@ANI) December 11, 2018 ## As per the official results from the Election Commission at 1 pm, BJP and Congress are tied at 109 seats each. As per reports, there are at least 7 seats on which the margin between the top two candidates is of less than 500 votes. Meanwhile, Shivraj Singh Chouhan is leading on his seat Budhni by over 19,000 votes. ## The leaders of the BJP and the Congress will be sitting with their fingers crossed in anticipation as results keep titling in favour of the other every minute. It's the Congress which has maintained its lead for now in 110 seats but BJP is close behind in 108 seats. ## Now, it's the Congress which is in the lead again! The Congress is leading in 117 seats while the BJP is leading in 102 seats now. The BSP and Others are winning on 5 and 5 seats respectively. ## The BJP has bounced back: Now, the BJP has crossed the half-way mark in Madhya Pradesh and is leading in 116 seats while the Congress is leading in 105 seats ## As a seesaw battle continues in Madhya Pradesh, Congress president Rahul Gandhi spoke to state Congress Committee president Kamal Nath over a call on Tuesday. ## The excitement in Madhya Pradesh is building as votes in favour of the BJP are increasing yet again. The Congress, which had earlier seemed to have reached the half-way mark as per the trends has taken a step back and is now leading in 113 seats. The BJP is leading in 103 seats while the BSP is leading in 5 and others in 9 seats. ## Kamal Nath, who is a probable Chief Ministerial candidate of the Congress in Madhya Pradesh, seemed confident as the party edges towards a victory in the Assembly polls. Reacting to the numbers, Nath said: "These are trends, but I am fully confident that we will get full majority." ## Congress reaches half-way mark in Madhya Pradesh: The Congress has reached the magic number of 116 in the 230-member assembly while the BJP is at the second spot with 104 seats. ## Markets are reacting sharply to BJP's loss in major states. The Sensex is down by over 300 points. ## At 10:30, the BJP is leading in 112 seats while Congress is ahead in 110. The Bahujan Samaj Party and others leading in 4 seats each. ## In news coming from other states where counting is underway, the TRS has made a clean sweep in Telangana and is leading in 92 seats, Congress has crossed the half-way mark in Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh and MNF has taken a decisive lead in Mizoram. Reacting to the poll results coming from all states, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh has hoped that the BJP improves its numbers in all states by the time the final results come in. Home Minister Rajnath Singh on #AssemblyElections2018 results: These are early trends. We hope to perform well. (File pic) pic.twitter.com/H4jel7L8wg ANI (@ANI) December 11, 2018 ## Counting in Berasia in Madhya Pradesh has been stopped due to some controversy, an official confirmation about the details are awaited. ## On 214 of 230 seats, BJP is leading in 108 while the Congress is leading in 106. The half-way mark for any party to form the government in a majority is 116. ## On 208 of 230 seats, BJP is leading in 105 while the Congress is leading in 103. Which party will get the magic figure of 116 will be clear in just a short while from now. Meanwhile, as per the official Election Commission data, website, BJP's Rajyavardhan Singh is leading in Narsinghgarh seat against Congress's Girish Bhandari. In Sihora, BJP's Nandani Maravi is leading against Congress's Khiladi Singh Aarmo. ## The BJP, Congress continue to be on the edge in Madhya Pradesh. At 9:15 am, BJP is leading in 90 seats while Congress is leading in 91 seats. ## Incumbent CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan who is contesting from Budhni is leading against Congress candidate Arun Yadav. Yadav had accused Shivraj of cheating people of his constituency and claimed that he is fighting a "devil". ## Another key BJP candidate and a scion of the erstwhile royal family Yashodhara Raje Scindia is leading from the Shivpuri seat against Congress leader Siddharth Ladha and Bahujan Samaj Party's Mohammad Irshad Rayeen ## Trends at 9 am from 98 seats shows Congress leading in 50 seats and BJP leading in 48 seats. ## At 8:50 am, trends from 63 out of 230 seats show the BJP leading in 33 seats while the Congress is ahead in 30. ## BJP, Congress on a seesaw: The BJP and the Congress locked in a close fight. The early trends revealed an initial lead for the Congress but soon Congress overtook the saffron party to a take slight edge. However, the BJP has taken the lead again. The fight between the two parties in the state is an extremely close one. ## As per the trends at 8:30 am from 14 seats, BJP is leading in 9 seats while Congress is ahead in 5. The Bahujan Samaj Party and others have not been able to take a lead in any seat so far. ## Congress has exuded confidence of winning polls in the state. As voting began on Tuesday, the state unit of the Congress wished the people who have supported the party. "Jai Congress, Vijay Congress," the party tweeted. ____ __ ____ __ ______ ____ __ ____________.._ -________ __ _______/________ __ ____ __ ______ __ _____ ___ ___ _______ ________ __ _______ ____/_____ __ ____ __ ____________ __ __ ________ __ ____________ ___ ____ __ ______ ______ __ ____ ________ "__ ________, ____ ________" MP Congress (@INCMP) December 11, 2018 Early trends as per the counting of postal ballots are indicating a lead for BJP in 2 seats and Congress in one seat. 8 am: Counting of votes has begun for Madhya Pradesh Assembly Elections 2018 ## The BJP has fielded candidates on all seats and the Congress on 229 as it left one seat for Sharad Yadav's Loktantrik Janata Dal. The BSP put up 227 candidates while the SP 51. The Aam Aadmi Party, contesting the state election for the first time, fielded candidates on 208 seats. Also testing their electoral fortunes are 1,094 Independent candidates. The state went to polls on November 28 with a voter turnout of about 75 per cent. As many as 2,899 candidates are in fray for 230 seats. (Also Read: Madhya Pradesh Assembly elections 2018: A look at Bharatiya Janata Party BJP, Congress heavyweights) ## Fifteen thousand employees have been drafted for the counting process which will be monitored through 1200 CCTV cameras installed at 51 centres across the state. Madhya Pradesh Chief Electoral Officer V L Kantha Rao said the maximum rounds of counting -- 32 in total -- would take place in the Indore-5 assembly segment due to the highest number of booths there. The lowest number of counting rounds (15) would be held in Kotma seat in Anuppur district. ## The campaign for the polls was a high-decibel one with star campaigners like Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress chief Rahul Gandhi mounting vitriolic attacks in their respective speeches. The prime minister had addressed ten public meetings across all regions of the state while BJP president Amit Shah held 26 public meetings and three road shows. ## Rahul Gandhi, on the other hand, addressed 22 public rallies and took part in about a dozen road shows. State unit Congress president Kamal Nath addressed over 60 public meetings while Jyotiraditya Scindia addressed 110 public meetings and participated in 12 road shows in 15 days preceding polling. The Congress party in Madhya Pradesh on Tuesday evening sought an appointment from the state Governor Anandiben Patel to discuss the formation of government in the state. The party sought an appointment late on Tuesday night. In a letter to the MP Governor, Congress state president Kamal Nath stated that the Congress party has "emerged as the single largest party with majority support". It also highlighted that all the Independents have assured support to the grand old party in the state. The letter further added that the Congress would want to meet the governor on Tuesday night with senior Congress leaders as soon as the results are officially declared. He added that the party would seek permission to form govt in the stat. However, the governor has turned down the approach of the party stating that an appointment would be given to the Congress only after the final official result is declared by the Election Commission. "An appointment will be given only after the situation is made clear by the Election Commission," replied the Governor House. Aizawl: Mizoram Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla on Tuesday evening submitted his resignation to Governor Kummanam Rajasekhar after the Congress suffered a humiliating defeat at the hands of opposition Mizo National Front (MNF), an official said. Thanhawla submitted his resignation to the Governor, who asked him to continue in office until the alternative arrangement are made, a Raj Bhavan official said. Thanhawla, who earlier successfully contested the Assembly elections a record nine times, this time lost in both constituencies -- Champai South and Serchhip -- from where contested. In Champai South, he was defeated by MNF`s T.J. Lalnuntluanga by 1,049 votes, while in Serchhip he was defeated by an Independent (Zoram People`s Movement-ZPM) candidate Lalduhoma by 410 votes. Thanhawla, 80, who was the Congress Chief Minister for 10 consecutive years, had won the Serchhip seat last time by 734 votes. The octogenarian tribal leader, who was also the Congress party chief in Mizoram, held the Office of the Chief Minister for the fifth time in the Christian-dominated northeastern state. JAIPUR: The counting of votes for December 7 assembly elections 2018 held in Rajasthan for 199 out of 200 seats has begun amid unprecedented security on Tuesday. The outcome of Rajasthan Assembly elections 2018 will show whether the ruling Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) will be able to beat the anti-incumbency factor in the state, where it has been in power for nearly two decades, or its main rival Congress will make a comeback. Tap here for Live Assembly Election Results 2018 Updates: Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Telangana, Chhattisgarh, Mizoram | Whichever party - BJP or Congress - wins in Rajasthan, the outcome of the keenly-contested December 7 assembly elections 2018 will surely impact the fast-approaching Lok Sabha elections in 2019. While the ruling party is confident of its victory here, Congress - the main opposition party - is equally hopeful of making a comeback in the state after staying out of power for nearly two decades. Polling was held in a single phase for 199 out of the 200 Assembly seats in Rajasthan on December 7, Friday. Polling in Alwar districts Ramgarh was postponed due to the death of BSP candidate Laxman Singh. Polling in Ramgarh will be held later. Though there were reports of EVMs malfunctioning at some polling booths, the polling was largely peaceful. According to state's Chief Electoral Officer Anand Kumar, a voter turnout of 72.62 percent was recorded in Rajasthan. A political party or bloc needs 101 seats to establish a majority in the Rajasthan state assembly. Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje has been challenged by Congress candidate Manvendra Singh, son of senior BJP leader Jaswant Singh, in Jhalrapatan, the constituency she has represented since 2003. Manvendra Singh switched to the Congress just before the elections. Ahead of the declaration of results, both the parties have exuded confidence that they will emerge as a winner in the crucial polls. The Congress claims that there is huge anti-incumbency. In the last round of by-elections in February, the party wrested the Ajmer and Alwar Lok Sabha seats and the Mandalgarh assembly seat from the BJP. While BJP has contested the polls with Raje as its main face, the Congress is yet to announce a chief ministerial candidate in Rajasthan. Congress party's election in-charge Sachin Pilot and former chief minister Ashok Gehlot both are seen as the front-runners for the top job. Electorally, Rajasthan has swung between the BJP and the Congress in the five elections since 1993. The Congress, which won only 21 assembly seats in 2013 against the BJP's 161, would need an 8 percent swing in its favour to win the elections this time. The exits polls conducted by a number of news channels recently indicated a clear majority for the Congress in Rajasthan. Times Now-CNX predicted the Congress prevailing in 105 seats in the 200-member Assembly and 85 being bagged by the BJP. India Today-Axis My India indicated 119 to 141 seats for the Congress and 55 to 72 for the BJP. Republic-C Voter, on the other hand, predicted a closer outcome, as it gave 81-101 seats to the Congress and 83-103 to the BJP. Jaipur: Vasundhara Raje submitted her resignation from the post of Rajasthan Chief Minister to the state's Governor on Tuesday after Congress registered a commendable comeback in the state. The BJP trailed Congress all of counting day with political analysts blaming anti-incumbency as a favour working against the Raje government. Voted to power in 2013 on the back of a resounding triumph, Raje said that she hoped the next state government carries on with the work done by her. "I want to take this opportunity to thank the people of Rajasthan for having put their faith in us for the last several years. I respect this verdict and would like to congratulate Congress. I hope the measures we took will be taken forward by the next government," she said. Raje had a special word of thanks for BJP leadership and for the party workers. "I thank the PM (Narendra Modi), national president (Amit Shah), state president (Madan Lal Saini) and party workers. Everyone worked tirelessly." While the BJP office in Jaipur wore a deserted look for most of Tuesday, the scenes of celebrations outside the Congress state office were quite boisterous. The comeback of Congress here may auger well for the party ahead of Lok Sabha elections next year but there has been no word on who between Ashok Gehlot and Sachin Pilot would take over the CM's post. New Delhi: Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday expressed his gratitude to voters and to party workers for the outcomes in the state assembly elections 2018 which largely favoured Congress. He, however, maintained that the issue of EVMs being open to tampering remains regardless of the most-recent electoral outcomes. Congress is set to form the next government in Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh, and was engaged in a neck-and-neck battle with BJP in Madhya Pradesh. While Rahul said the results were encouraging for his party and ominous for BJP, he maintained that EVMs cannot be given a clean chit. "The issue with EVMs is not specific to India and is universal. The world over, the possible problems with EVMs - that it has a chip that can be manipulated to affect or disturb elections - is recognised. Our problems with EVMs in India remains," he said. Congress has previously blamed EVMs for electoral losses but barring in Telangana this time, such complaints were missing on Tuesday. Critics blasted Congress for crying foul in Telangana and said that because it lost here, the state party unit was pointing fingers. They also said asked why Congress is not mentioning EVMs and how they can, apparently, be tampered with in states where Congress either won or had the lead. On his part, Rahul said paper ballot remains the preferred method because people - according to him - are not comfortable with EVMs. The much-awaited results of Assembly elections 2018 in five states Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Telangana and Mizoram are set to be declared today. The counting of votes in slated to begin at 8 am on Tuesday, and a clear trend can be expected by early afternoon. While some exit polls have suggested neck-and-neck contests, a few have given an edge to the Congress party in Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-ruled states like Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh. The results will be declared on eciresults.nic.in. While BJP leaders have sought to de-link the state polls from the next year's Lok Sabha elections, the Congress has asserted that the mandate from Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Telangana and Mizoram would send a "clear message" against the Narendra Modi government at the Centre. Over 8,500 candidates were in fray in polls for these assemblies and their electoral fate is currently sealed in over 1.74 lakh EVMs, stored in over 670 strongrooms across the five states. A total of 678 assembly seats across five states went for polls, after polling was countermanded in one seat in Rajasthan due to death of a candidate. Tight security arrangements have been made for the counting. The five states whose political fate will be decided are: Telangana: The stage is set for counting of votes in Telangana Assembly elections on Tuesday which will decide the fate of 1,821 candidates. Polling for 119-seat Telangana was held on December 7. The counting will begin at 8 am on December 11, Tuesday. Most of the exit polls for Telangana, where voter turnout was recorded at 73.20%, have suggested that incumbent Chief Minister and Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) supremo K Chandrasekhar Rao will retain power. Madhya Pradesh: After days of hectic campaigning involving acerbic allegations and counter allegations, Madhya Pradesh Assembly election results will finally be out on Tuesday to reveal whether the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) is able to retain the state or can the Congress unseat the ruling party. Counting for the 230-member Assembly will begin at 8 am on Tuesday. Incumbent Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has exuded confidence of winning the state for the BJP again. Rajasthan: In what is being seen as a big test for all political parties ahead of the crucial Lok Sabha elections in 2019, the counting of votes for the assembly elections held in Rajasthan on December 7 will take place on December 11, Tuesday. The outcome of the assembly elections will prove if the ruling BJP, which hopes to buck the two-decade trend of the incumbent losing power, will retain power in Rajasthan. Meanwhile, Congress the main opposition party is equally hopeful of making a comeback in the state. Chhattisgarh: Voting in Chhattisgarh was conducted in two phases on November 12 and November 20 while the counting of votes will be held on December 11, Tuesday. The term of the 90-seat Chhattisgarh Assembly will end on January 5, 2019. Tight security arrangements have been made in the state where at least 12 assembly seats are in Naxal-affected areas. Besides, there have been allegations related to the electronic voting machines (EVMs). Mizoram: In a state that has seen topsy-turvy political battles, the fight for power for long has been between the Congress and Mizo National Front. On counting day this Tuesday, the contest is once again expected to be between the two parties as Congress would be hoping to retain power while MNF would look at avenging its loss in the 2008 and 2013 elections. The incumbent CM Lal Thanhwala has put up a confident face and claimed that the people of Mizoram would reward him and the Congress party for the work done in his last two terms. Kolkata: Trinamool Congress chief and West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday hailed the performance of TRS in Telangana and that of Conrgess in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. She also issued a warning to BJP and said the pulse of the people in the country is against them. While TRS showcased a dominant performance in Telangana, Congress kept itself in the lead - either comfortably or by a whisker - in the states of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. Mamata said it is a sign that the country is siding with opposition parties and is punishing BJP. "See the results that have come out today. People in the states that polled recently have rejected BJP outrightly. The results show that the end is near for BJP and the countdown for 2019 (Lok Sabha) elections starts now," she said. Underlining that there is no reason to doubt unity among opposition parties, Mamata also said that any prevailing differences would be ironed out. "Ultimately, people are always the 'man of the match' of democracy." Semifinal proves that BJP is nowhere in all the states. This is a real democratic indication of 2019 final match. Ultimately, people are always the man of the match of democracy. My congrats to the winners 3/3 Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) December 11, 2018 Victory of democracy and victory against injustice, atrocities, destruction of institutions, misuse of agencies, no work for poor people , farmers, youth, Dalits, SC, ST, OBC, minorities and general caste 2/3 Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) December 11, 2018 People voted against BJP. This is the peoples verdict and victory of the people of this country 1/3 Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) December 11, 2018 Earlier, Mamata called K Chandrashekhar Rao and congratulated him for his party's strong showing in Telangana. Hyderabad: Bolstered by a strong performance in the Telangana assembly elections 2018, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen chief Asaduddin Owaisi tore into Rahul Gandhi and said that his Congress party has been outrightly rejected. Taking on Rahul for his remark that the AIMIM is the 'C Team' of BJP, Owaisi said that the outcome of the elections show Congress is no team at all. "It is time for Rahul Gandhi to introspect because people of Telangana have outrightly rejected Congress. I said that the TRS would perform very strong and that our AIMIM too would be backed by people and that is what has happened," he said. Owaisi also took on Chandrababu Naidu and said that he would visit Andhra Pradesh to show Naidu which way people there are leaning, politically. He had previously called the Congress-TDP alliance 'East India Company of 2018'. The AIMIM chief then congratulated K Chandrashekhar Rao and said that the result enables the winners to work for the development of the state and for the welfare of the people. JAIPUR: Even as votes were being counted for the keenly-contested assembly elections in five states, including Rajasthan, the Wikipedia on Tuesday projected state Congress leader Sachin Pilot as the new Chief Minister of the state. The Wikipedia page said Pilot assumed office on December 13, 2018, and succeeded incumbent Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje. Interestingly, the Congress central leadership has not yet declared its Chief Ministerial pick though Pilot and former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot are seen as frontrunners for the top job. Earlier in the morning, both the leaders said a decision on who will be the Chief Minister will be taken by the apex leadership of the party and its newly elected MLAs. Pilot on Tuesday said his party is in touch with all those who fought the assembly elections on the anti-BJP plank to bring them together and form a "people`s government." Sachin Pilot won from Tonk, defeating his BJP rival Yoonus Khan. Khan was the only Muslim candidate fielded by the BJP in the Rajasthan Assembly polls. Congress veteran Ashok Gehlot too got elected from the Sardarpura constituency, defeating BJP`s Shambhu Singh Khetasar. Notably, Though her party lost the elections, Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje won the Jhalrapatan Assembly seat, defeating her Congress rival Manvendra Singh. Singh, son of BJP stalwart Jaswant Singh, switched over from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) just a few weeks before he was fielded against the Chief Minister. Manvendra Singh was denied ticket in the last Assembly election and so he contested as an independent and lost. The family`s relations with the BJP turned sour from then on. The Supreme Court said on Tuesday that if there is a "common thread" among the murders of social activists Narendra Dabholkar, Govind Pansare, journalist Gauri Lankesh and rationalist M M Kalburgi, then one agency can investigate all the four cases. A bench of Justices U U Lalit and Navin Sinha asked the CBI to inform it by January first week as to why it should not investigate all the four cases if there appears a link among all the murders. The counsel for the Maharashtra government informed the court that the CBI is investigating the murder cases of social activist and professor Narendra Dabholkar after the Bombay High Court transferred the probes to the agency. The court, after perusing the status report of the Karnataka Police, said there appears to be a link between the murders of journalist Gauri Lankesh and rationalist M M Kalburgi. It asked the Maharashtra government's counsel about the status of the investigation into the Pansare murder case, to which the counsel said the case was pending before the Kohlapur trial court. Earlier in the day, the Karnataka Police had informed the apex court that there appears to be a connection between Lankesh and Kalburgi murder cases. The state police also told the apex court that it will file a chargesheet in the Kalburgi murder case in three months. The top court on November 26 had pulled up the Karnataka government for "doing nothing and just fooling around" in the investigation and had indicated that it may transfer the case to Bombay High Court. Noted scholar and rationalist M M Kalburgi was killed at Dharwad in 2015, Pansare, a social activist was also killed the same year. Lankesh, a journalist was killed on September 5, 2017 in Bengaluru whereas social activist and rationalist Dabholkar was assassinated on August 20, 2013. New Delhi: Bollywood actress Disha Patani is often making headlines owing to her alluring Instagram posts. Disha is quite active on the social media app and her pictures go viral in no time. The actress's fan-following is immense which is can be felt in the compliments that flood the comments section as soon as she posts a new pic. On Tuesday, the 'Baaghi' actress took to Instagram to share yet another picture that will set your hearts beating fast. Disha strikes a pose in a black lingerie and it is hard to take eyes off her in the pic! Check out the post here: Interestingly, comments are disabled for this particular post. Disha will soon light up the silver screen with her presence in 'Bharat'. The film is being helmed by Ali Abbas Zafar and has an ensemble star cast including Salman Khan, Katrina Kaif, Tabu, Sunil Grover to name a few. 'Bharat' will release in 2019 on the occasion of Eid and is high on the buzzword ever since it was announced. As per reports, Disha will play a trapeze artist in the film. Not much has been revealed about her role as makers remain tight-lipped about the whole affair. Coming to her personal life, the pretty actress is rumoured to be dating her 'Baaghi 2' co-star Tiger Shroff. Neither Disha nor Tiger have confirmed their relationship status. However, the two are often spotted hanging out together in Bandra and it tells that there is more than what meets the eye! Kabul: At least four people were killed in a suicide attack targeting an Afghan security forces vehicle in a district of Kabul province on Tuesday. The attack took place in the morning when a suicide bomber detonated himself in Kabul`s Paghman district, Interior Ministry spokesperson Najib Danish was cited as saying by TOLO news. He said that the death toll could increase. No rebel group claimed the attack. Afghan authorities do not reveal casualty figures among its personnel, but according to the US Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction, forces suffered a record number of casualties between May and October 2018 compared to earlier years. Washington: Saudi Arabian journalist Jamal Khashoggi, who was murdered in October in the kingdom`s Istanbul consulate, was on Tuesday named Time magazine's 'Person of the Year' along with several other journalists. Apart from Khashoggi, the honour was also given to three other journalists -- two Reuters scribes Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo jailed in Myanmar for their work exposing the mass killing of Rohingya Muslims, and Maria Ressa, the CEO of the Rappler news website, who has been made a legal target in the Philippines. The Capital Gazette newspaper of Annapolis, Maryland, where five staff members were gunned down in a newsroom shooting earlier this year was also honoured. "As we looked at the choices, it became clear that the manipulation and the abuse of truth is really the common thread in so many of this year's major stories, from Russia to Riyadh to Silicon Valley," Time magazine Editor Edward Felsenthal said on the "Today" show, where the announcement was made. Special counsel Robert S. Mueller III, who is investigating Russian interference in the 2016 election, was third and President Donald Trump was runner-up, Felsenthal said. "There's always a strong case for the President of the US, particularly this President," Felsenthal said. The magazine`s shortlist that was released on Monday included Trump, Mueller and Khashoggi. The magazine hailed Khashoggi, a Washington Post columnist and a supporter-turned-critic of Saudi Arabia`s Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman, who was killed on October 2 for daring "to disagree with his country`s government". "His death laid bare the true nature of a smiling prince, the utter absence of morality in the Saudi-US alliance and - in the cascade of news feeds and alerts, posts and shares and links - the centrality of the question Khashoggi was killed over: Whom do you trust to tell the story?" the Time's cover story said. More than two months since Khashoggi`s disappearance, Saudi Arabia is still facing international condemnation over his brutal killing and alleged dismemberment at the hands of a Saudi hit team. The 61-year-old`s body has still not been found and is thought by Turkish investigators to have been dissolved in acid. The magazine's short list had also included the more than 2,000 migrant families separated at the US border, Russian President Vladimir Putin, "Black Panther" director Ryan Coogler, California psychology professor Christine Blasey Ford, who alleged then-Supreme Court nominee Brett M. Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her when they were high school students, "March For Our Lives" activists fighting for gun-control reforms, South Korean President Moon Jae-in and former actress-turned-British royal Meghan Markle. Time magazine's person of the year started in 1927 and recognizes "the person or group of people who most influenced the news and the world -- for better or for worse -- during the past year". It is decided by the magazine's editors. THE HAGUE/BRUSSELS: British Prime Minister Theresa May was making the rounds of European leaders on Tuesday, seeking support for changes to her Brexit deal in a last ditch bid to save it, after calling off a vote that she admitted she was on course to lose. Less than four months until the United Kingdom is due to leave the European Union on March 29, Brexit was plunged into chaos on Monday when May accepted that British lawmakers would not accept her deal to keep close ties after leaving the EU. That leaves a range of possible outcomes - from a chaotic Brexit with no deal, which businesses say would cause an economic crisis by cutting off their supply lines, to risking the wrath of pro-Brexit voters by calling the whole thing off. May still hopes to hang on to power and revive her deal by agreeing "reassurances" from the EU to win over lawmakers. The British pound has plunged because of the uncertainty. Amid demands for a national election, ridicule and blunt warnings that her eleventh-hour bid for a changed deal was in vain, May pledged to seek EU support for changes to make it more palatable to lawmakers. The EU said it was ready to discuss how to ease ratification in Britain, but was adamant that the withdrawal agreement could not be renegotiated, including its most contentious element, a "backstop" for the Northern Ireland frontier. The backstop, assuring the only British-EU land border stays open no matter what, could require Britain to obey EU rules indefinitely. It cuts to the heart of the Brexit dilemma: Britain`s wish to set its own rules while still trading friction free with the world`s biggest market. "Sometimes I dont understand the world anymore. We spent so much time, energy and creativity to negotiate something we in Berlin and Brussels dont want. Nobody wants the UK to leave," Germany`s European Affairs Minister Michael Roth said. "I cannot imagine where we could change something substantial in the withdrawal agreement. We can not restart the talks because it was already difficult enough among the EU 27 and UK to agree on this deal." Monday`s line from EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker seemed to leave little wiggle room: "We have an agreement on the table," he said through a spokeswoman. "We will not renegotiate." May met Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte in The Hague for breakfast. She will later meet German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin and then Juncker and European Council President Donald Tusk, who will convene an EU summit on Thursday. BREXIT UNDONE? In a boisterous parliamentary debate on Monday May said the deeper question was whether lawmakers wanted to deliver on the people`s will from the 2016 referendum, or open up divisions with another national vote. "If you take a step back, it is clear that the House faces a much more fundamental question. Does this House want to deliver Brexit?" May said. Both May`s ruling Conservatives and the main opposition Labour Party have pledged to implement the results of the 2016 referendum in which British voters backed exiting the EU 52 percent to 48 percent. Three out of four living prime ministers and a growing chorus of backbench lawmakers say a new vote is the only way out of the impasse. Among Brexit opponents there is mounting enthusiasm for a chance to have another say. But many Brexit supporters say that would be a betrayal. Many business chiefs fear a chaotic Brexit that they say would wreck their supply lines. Some are hoping that May`s failure will bring an end to a Brexit they never supported. "We view the situation with a mixture of worry and hope," one CEO said of a FTSE-listed company said on condition of anonymity. "The hope comes from the fact that it`s now such chaos it gets called off." As investors and allies tried to work out the ultimate destination for the world`s fifth-largest economy, rebel lawmakers in May`s party said she had to go. "If we can`t go forwards with her deal ... then I`m afraid the only way to change the policy is to change the prime minister and I really think it` her duty to go," Brexit-supporting Conservative lawmaker Steve Baker said. A leadership challenge is triggered if 48 Conservatives write letters demanding one to the chairman of the party`s so-called 1922 committee, Graham Brady. The Labour Party was urged by other smaller opposition parties to trigger a vote of no confidence in the government but said it would not act right away. "We will put down a motion of no confidence when we judge it most likely to be successful," a spokesman said. Washington: Pakistan, China and Saudi Arabia are among countries added to a US blacklist of nations that violate religious freedom, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Tuesday. Pompeo said he has designated Pakistan, China, Saudi Arabia, Myanmar, Eritrea, Iran, North Korea, Sudan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan as "Countries of Particular Concern" in a congressionally mandated annual report. The development comes a year after the US State Department put Pakistan on a watchlist without legal consequences. Berdyansk port After the Russian ships attacked the Ukrainian boats near the Kerch Strait and introducing martial law in Ukraine, freight rates for the ships sailing to the Azov ports of Ukraines Berdyansk and Mariupol have increased significantly. The main consignors of the two ports have already experienced this: grain traders and metallurgists. We have found out that large companies are preparing to redirect their cargo flows to the Black Sea ports. If the situation does not change and Ukraine fails to unlock the Azov direction, the ports of Berdyansk and Mariupol might even cease to exist, experts assure The situation in the Sea of Azov hits the Ukrainian ports After Russia captured Ukrainian ships and sailors at the entrance to the Kerch Strait and then introduced martial law in Ukraine, the freight rates on ships sailing to the ports of the Sea of Azov have significantly increased. This was due to an increase in insurance payments, which are components of the transport tariff, said Captain Vyacheslav Kislovsky, general director of the Association of Crewing Companies All-Ukrainian Association. According to information received from shipowners' representatives, the freight rates for vessels traveling to the ports of Ukraine in the Sea of Azov increased by 2030% after martial law was introduced, Maksym Streletsky, head of the external communications and marketing department of the Seaport Administration, confirmed it to the agency. In addition, the shipowners began to shift all costs associated with regular downtime of ships in the Kerch-Yenikalya Canal to charterers, Streletsky said. According to the State Border Service, as of the morning of December 7, more than 140 vessels, 98 of which came from the Black Sea, were kept in the anchorages and raids, waiting for passage through the Kerch Strait. At the end of November, the number of ships in the Kerch Strait was over 400. In the first days of December, the situation stabilized somewhat, and their number dropped to 105, but in recent days it has increased again. The State Border Service noted that Russia deliberately continues to violate the provisions of the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea and the Treaty between Ukraine and the Russian Federation on cooperation in the use of the Sea of Azov and the Kerch Strait of 2003, so Ukrainian and foreign merchant ships are forced to wait for a long time. Interestingly, interference is created precisely by those merchant ships that are sent to the Ukrainian ports. The Ukrainian trade ports on the Azov Sea (Mariupol and Berdyansk) have been losing cargo flows since 2014, Maksym Streletsky noted: Three main factors affected the transshipment in the ports of Berdyansk and Mariupol. Military operations in Donbas led to a significant reduction in the cargo base at the expense of enterprises, caught in the uncontrolled territory, as well as deterioration of logistics in the region, as a result, some shippers were unable to deliver their cargoes to the port of Mariupol. Construction of the Kerch bridge in 2017 complicated navigation in the Kerch Strait and created additional restrictions on the size of vessels that can pass under the arch of the bridge. Therefore, Ukrainian ports in the Sea of Azov cannot now accept Panamax-class vessels, previously used to export products of Ukrainian enterprises to Latin America and South-East Asia. Finally, from April 2018, unreasonable inspections and delays of vessels sailing to and from the ports of Mariupol and Berdyansk through the Kerch Strait began." Another negative factor affecting cargo traffic in the ports of the Sea of Azov, was that since the beginning of the Russian aggression they were cut off from suppliers in the north of the country, Andriy Isaev, senior consultant of the Center for Transport Strategies, claims. According to him, cumulatively, the transshipment base of the two ports fell from the pre-war 17.7 million tons of cargo in 2013 to the current 9-10 million tons per year. Shippers go to the ports of the Black Sea For the last four years, the Berdyansk and Mariupol ports served for transportation of only local cargoes: mainly cereals, grown in the areas adjacent to them and were delivered to the port by road, and the products of the metallurgical plants. Berdyansk and Mariupol ports in 2017 collectively handled 1.85 million tons of grain cargo, Andriy Isaev specified. At the same time, the total volume of transshipment amounted to 8.9 million tons, a significant part of it is accounted for ferrous metals - 4.8 million tons. He also noted that the ports serve "for the import of goods that the steel plants use in their commodity chains (ore and coal)." Open source Mariupol port Last year only 255 thousand tons of ore were imported through the ports, this is not so much. Then they handled about 1 million tons of coal. This is especially important for the metal enterprises, given that after the trade blockade and the suspension of coal supplies from the uncontrolled territories in 2017, the only way for them was to import coal from abroad. For traditional senders, ports are beneficial because they are located close to their enterprises: they do not need to spend money on land logistics. Metinvest is currently exploring the possibility of reorienting export cargo traffic to the ports of the Black Sea: the final decision has not yet been made, but the company believes that the difference in transport costs (an increase due to transportation by rail) can be compensated by freight of ships with a large displacement and, accordingly, with a greater carrying capacity, which can go into the deep-sea ports of the Black Sea, our sources assure. Metinvest itself did not comment on the situation. The reorientation to the Black Sea ports will be accompanied by additional costs. Rail transportation is always more expensive than sea shipping, says Andriy Isaev. Grain traders can also reorient themselves to the Black Sea ports, Mykola Horbachov, president of the Ukrainian Grain Association, notes. According to him, "if the freight from popular export destinations to the Sea of Azov is about $ 30-35 / t, then a rise in prices of even 20% is about $ 7 to the rate. If you multiply this by the amount of grain that is loaded in total out of two ports per year, that's $ 14 million." At the same time, Ukrainian Grain Association assures that an increase in freight rates would not have a particularly negative effect: The volume of grain exports from the ports of the Sea of Azov is only 5% of the total from Ukraine. Considering that the annual volumes grain trade for export from Ukraine, the volumes sent through the ports of Azov are not that big. However, in order to completely minimize the negative effect of the growth of freight rates, grain traders will indeed redirect cargo traffic to the ports of the Black Sea, Horbachov said. If the grain traders leave the ports of the Azov Sea, it will have a negative impact on agricultural producers from the regions adjacent to the ports: Zaporizhia region, controlled parts of Donetsk and Luhansk. "Delivery of their grain to the ports of the Black Sea is an additional $ 15-20 per ton of additional costs. Approximately this amount will decrease the purchase prices from them, and this is cumulatively about 15-20 million dollars a year," Horbachov notes. Also, according to him, the load on the railway will increase. Russia is doing everything to close Ukraines Azov ports After the events of 2014, the Berdyansk and Mariupol ports lost investment attractiveness in the eyes of companies that could implement infrastructure projects in them. Due to the current situation after 2014, large investors did not particularly look towards the ports of Azov: over the years, infrastructure facilities were practically not built there. The exception is the Mariupol investment group, which built a large grain terminal in the Mariupol port, said Isaev. After 2014, private investors with infrastructure projects did not enter the Berdyansk commercial port at all. Now with the growth of freight rates and the delay of the vessels of the Russian Federation, the situation might deteriorate: with the departure of shippers to the ports of the Black Sea, the cargo turnover in the ports of the Sea of Azov will drop significantly. This means that the port infrastructure, which already needs to be modernized, will not improve soon. In addition, dredging works, which are critical for the ports of the Sea of Azov, will slow down. The maximum weight of the vessel that the port can accept depends on dredging: the smaller is the depth, the less is the tonnage of the vessel and the benefit for the shipper and the port. In Mariupol, in 2017, maximum navigable draught was reduced to 7.5 m. At the same time, sedimentations stemming in the Azov basin is particularly active, therefore dredging works in Berdyansk and Mariupol ports are a condition for their competitiveness. However, if Ukraine fails to defend its position in the Sea of Azov and Russia finally closes it for the passage of foreign ships to Ukraine, the existence of Berdyansk and Mariupol ports will be questionable, Andriy Isaev thinks. Read the original text at 112.ua. Open source 2. Ukrainians believe that they can solve their problem quickly and cheaply without insurance. While we have all the hospitals open and the doctors are ready to help, we go there only in need. You can solve the situation with a help of friends or give a bribe. After the introduction of compulsory medical insurance, hospitals will not be able to accept a patient without insurance. 3. Ukrainians worry about the quality of services paid by insurance companies. In the interests of the latter - to save on consumables and drugs. In Europe we see the same thing: having insurance, people wait for a planned operation for years, but if you pay the full amount on the spot, then they make the surgery almost the next day. Finally, it is worth adding that patients do not value those medical services which are 100% paid by the employer or the state. In the west, half the insurance is paid by the employer, and half by the employee, which encourages a more responsible attitude to the issue of health. However, the need for partial payment of insurance in Ukraine is caused by the economic situation. Ukrainians are not ready for this and will meet this news without enthusiasm. On the eve of the elections, deputies will not vote for decisions unpopular among the public. The first version of the bill from the Ministry of Health, which included the possibility of a partial payment of the insurance by the insured, did not pass the vote in the parliament. But miracles do not happen, money is nowhere to take. Sooner or later, such a bill should still be adopted: if not at the current parliamentary convocation, then at the next. One way or another, medical insurance is operating in almost all countries and helps to develop the medical industry as a whole. After all, now it is not the hospital bed that will be financed, but specific medical services. In the future, this means that the quality of services in private and municipal medical institutions should be equalized and compete with each other. International aspects of the use of weapons without warning by the ships of Ukraine's Marine Guard Open source Ukraines Verkhovna Rada decided to terminate the Treaty on Friendship, Cooperation, and Partnership between Ukraine and the Russian Federation. 277 deputies voted for this decision on December 6. Analyzing the bill 0206, we can recall that the official letter about the non-renewal of the validity of this agreement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine to the Russian Federation was sent back in September 2018. Indeed, according to the agreement, the issue of renewal is solved automatically (every 10 years) if one of the parties does not declare a desire to cease it. That is, in fact, the issue of the prolongation of this agreement for the next 10 years was withdrawn as early as September 2018, but in reality, this agreement ceased to operate with the beginning of the events of 2014. In other words, the Treaty on Friendship between Ukraine and the Russian Federation would not be prolonged on April 1, 2019, due to the reluctance of the Ukrainian side and would automatically lose its strength. But the question is as follows: why is this bill passed now, not in September? Moreover, this draft law does not mean an urgent unilateral break in the given agreement. It repeats what was said before; the termination of the Agreement from April 1, 2019. This suggests the idea that these actions and events were carefully planned and should have happened right now, on the eve of the presidential elections in Ukraine. Although it is necessary to pay tribute to the parliament and the president, that this decision was important and necessary. And he once again confirmed the vector of Ukrainian diplomacy and the choice of the Ukrainian society. Another bill (No. 8361) "On the Adjacent Zone of Ukraine" adopted by the Verkhovna Rada on December 6, is of particular attention too. Some provisions of the bill, which allegedly allow the State Border Service of Ukraine to use weapons without warning at a distance of 24 nautical miles from the border of the territorial sea (12 miles) has caused the main resonance. The essence and the purpose of this draft law and the relevant UN Convention should be considered in more detail. So, art. 33 of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (1982) states that in the zone adjacent to the territorial sea, which has the name of the adjacent zone, the state can exercise the necessary controls: a) to prevent violations of customs, fiscal, immigration or health laws and regulations within its territory or territorial sea; b) to punish for violation of the above laws and regulations committed within its territory or territorial sea. The contiguous zone might not extend beyond twenty-four nautical miles from the baselines from which the width of the territorial sea is measured. Considering the requirements of the UN Convention, the adjacent area might be introduced to prevent or punish only in cases of violations of customs, fiscal, immigration or health laws, and regulations within its territory or territorial waters. What are the territorial waters? The territorial waters (or closed sea) is a sea belt of 12 nautical miles wide, adjacent to the land territory of the state or its internal sea waters and part of the state territory, the legal regime of which is determined by the norms of national legislation and international law. Important: the sovereignty of the coastal state, according to the UN Convention, extends to the airspace, bottom, and subsoil of the borders of the territorial sea. Given the above and the norms of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (1982), it can be concluded that the adjacent zone is part of the high seas, but with its own special regime. Art. 17 of the 1982 Convention establishes: "Subject to this Convention, ships of all States, whether coastal or land-locked, enjoy the right of innocent passage through the territorial sea." The passage must be continuous and fast. A passage can be considered peaceful only if it does not violate the peace, law, and order or the security of the coastal state. Submarines must rise to the surface and raise their flag. The Convention (Art. 19) also contains a list of actions that violate the peace, order or security of a coastal state when a foreign ship passes through territorial waters: (a) any threat or use of force against the sovereignty, territorial integrity or political independence of the coastal State, or in any other manner in violation of the principles of international law embodied in the Charter of the United Nations; (b) any exercise or practice with weapons of any kind; (c) any act aimed at collecting information to the prejudice of the defense or security of the coastal State; (d) any act of propaganda aimed at affecting the defense or security of the coastal State; (e) the launching, landing or taking on the board of any aircraft; (f) the launching, landing or taking on the board of any military device; (g) the loading or unloading of any commodity, currency or person contrary to the customs, fiscal, immigration or sanitary laws and regulations of the coastal State; (h) any act of willful and serious pollution contrary to this Convention; (i) any fishing activities; (j) the carrying out of research or survey activities; (k) any act aimed at interfering with any systems of communication or any other facilities or installations of the coastal State; (l) any other activity not having a direct bearing on passage. Summarizing, it is necessary to say that the provisions of the aforementioned UN Convention are fairly well integrated into the text of draft law No. 8361 On the adjacent zone of Ukraine. This bill, after coming into force, will be able to significantly increase the legal influence of Ukraine in the waters of the Black and Azov Seas. With the adoption of the appropriate law, Ukraine will get a new format for the use of adjacent zones, including when martial law is declared in the country. The formation of this precedent can further drastically change the interpretation of the concept of adjacent areas in international law. Read the original text at 112.ua This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or 112.International and its owners. The Treaty of Friendship with Russia shall be no longer in force from April 1, 2019 The law on the termination of the RussianUkrainian Friendship Treaty is now officially published in Ukraines parliamentary newspaper Holos Ukrayiny, the law shall take force tomorrow, on December 12. The law on termination of the Treaty of Friendship with Russia shall be no longer in force from April 1, 2019. The law enters its force the next day after it has been officially published. The Treaty on Friendship, Cooperation, and Partnership between Ukraine and the Russian Federation, was signed in 1997. In early September 2018, the National Security and Defense Council supported Poroshenkos proposal on the non-renewal of the treaty with the Russian Federation for the next 10 years. On September 19, the decree on the enactment of the decision came into force. On September 21, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine sent a note to Russia on the non-renewal of the Treaty of friendship, cooperation, and partnership. Yesterday, November 10, President Petro Poroshenko signed a law on the termination of Russian-Ukrainian Friendship Treaty from April 1, 2019. The Head of the state claimed special status and special functions will allow such body to effectively protect national interests President Petro Poroshenko urged the Cabinet of Ministers to urgently create an inter-ministerial coordination body for forming Ukraines claims to Russia. The head of the state claimed this on Monday. The message was published on the Facebook page of the President. I demand from the Cabinet of Ministers urgent and effective ways to create an inter-agency coordinating body for the formation of a consolidated claim of Ukraine to Russia for the damage caused by the long-term armed aggression, Poroshenko claimed. Related: Poroshenko signs law on termination of Ukraine-Russia Friendship Treaty He said he was counting on the effective protection of national interests by such a body due to its special status and special functions. I demand from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to complete works on the inventory of the legal framework with the Russian Federation. We will continue to draw conclusions about the usefulness of certain agreements, Petro Poroshenko claimed. Related: Poroshenko urges to resist revenge of pro-Russian forces Reportedly, in March 2018, the Ukrainian Parliament urged the President to create a body for preparing the claim of Ukraine against the Russian Federation as an aggressor state. The Head of state has already asked the Cabinet of Ministers to create a body to recover damages from the Russian Federation. The original agreement was signed in 1992; the current action takes place according to the instruction of President Poroshenko Open source Ukraine's service for foreign intelligence began the official procedure of withdrawal from the CIS Agreement on Cooperation of Intelligence and Security Services. The press office of the Ukrainian authority reported that on Tuesday evening. The original agreement was signed in 1992. 'The part of Ukrainian intelligence in this agreement, standing next to the Russian special services is an absurd thing, taking into account the armed aggression of the Russian aggression against Ukraine, which lasts for four years now. The Ukrainian intelligence found out that the Russian special services used a powerful resource to prevent Ukraine's withdrawal from the Kremlin's influence orbit. It gets more and more obvious that the respective large-scale operation was conducted by the Russian special services in Ukraine far before the open armed attack on our state in 2014', the Ukrainian authority states. Previously, President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko signed the decree, which stipulates Ukraine's withdrawal from all authorities of the CIS. He also added that Ukraine would reconsider the international agreements signed within the CIS, retreating from those, which do not meet the country's national interests. The investigation applied to the court to get an access to the information about the phone talks of First Deputy Head of Foreign Intelligence Service Serhiy Semochko and his relatives Counterintelligence of Ukraines Security Service (SBU) confirms the Russian citizenship of common-law wife of First Deputy Head of Foreign Intelligence Service Serhiy Semochko as Ukrainian News reported citing the materials of the court. Thus, the Chief Investigative Department of SBU investigates the criminal proceeding opened due to the state treason on October 16. The chair of TOM14 organization stated that the journalist established the fact, which can be indicative of the connection of First Deputy Head of Foreign Intelligence Service with the Russian Federation through his family ties. According to the information of the Counterintelligence Department of SBU dated October 26, the common-law wife of Semochko and her daughter have the Russian citizenship. Due to this, the investigation applied to the court to get an access to the information about the phone talks of Semochko and his relatives. The court granted the application and provided the access to the information about the phone talks of First Deputy Head of Foreign Intelligence Service Semochko, his wife and daughter since January 1, 2014, up to November 23, 2018, to the SBU. Particularly, the investigation got the access to the documents, which contain the information on the duration, content, routes of the transmission of the telecommunications services and to the detailed information about the owners of the phone numbers, dates, time and duration of the incoming and outgoing phone connections; date, time of incoming and outgoing messages; data about the use of IMEI-terminals and IP-addresses and GPRS-traffic. National Investigation Bureau (NABU) opened a criminal proceeding under the article on illicit enrichment as a result of a journalistic investigation against Serhiy Semochko. Earlier, on October 1, the results of the journalist investigation were presented according to which Semochko owns expensive houses in Kozyn and Land Cruiser. Besides, as a result of his actions, 200 people died because of the absence of medicine for dialysis. The Chancellor of Germany Angela Merkel had a phone conversation with the Russian President Vladimir Putin, as the press office of Germanys Government reported. The situation on the Kerch Strait was the main topic of the conversation. The Chancellor stressed the necessity of the measures directed at the provision of free shipping through the Kerch Strait, the message says. Besides Merkel urged Russia to release 24 Ukrainian sailors detained while moving from Odesa to Mariupol. The parties discussed the transit of Russian gas through Ukraine after 2019, the message says. As we reported earlier, the coast guard ships of the Russian Navy acted aggressively against the ships of the Ukrainian Navy, which have been carrying out a scheduled transition from Odesa port to Mariupol port in the Sea of Azov. Today, November 25, the ships of the Ukrainian Navy with two armored gunboats and a sea mule tugboat have been carrying out a scheduled transition from Odesa port to Mariupol port in the Sea of Azov. The intention to make the transition was informed in advance in accordance with international standards in order to ensure the safety of navigation. However, contrary to the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea and the Treaty between Ukraine and the Russian Federation on cooperation in the use of the Sea of Azov and the Kerch Strait, the Russian coast guard ships - Sobol class patrol boat, Don border guard cruiser, Mangust class patrol boat and Suzdalets anti-submarine warfare ship performed blatantly aggressive acts against the ships of the Ukrainian Navy, reads the message. It is specified that Don border guard cruiser rammed the Ukrainian armored artillery boat, which led to the damage of the main engine. The Ukrainian Navy states that "the dispatcher service of the occupiers refuses to ensure the right of freedom of navigation, guaranteed by international agreements." Thus, according to the Ukrainian side, Russia has once again demonstrated its aggressive nature and complete disregard for the norms of international law. Related video: The institution made this decision due to Googles refusal to connect to the website registry banned in Russia for search results filtration Open source Google was fined for $7,500 by Russia's state-run communications service Roskomnadzor. The reason was the failure to comply with the Russian legislation, as the Head of the institution Oleksandr Zharov said, TASS reported. The institution made this decision due to Googles refusal to connect to the website registry banned in Russia for search results filtration. According to the official, Google has responded that the company believes that it respects Russian legislation. We believe that as we monitor the search result and as the websites of the unified registry of banned information are included in this results, it is an irrefutable proof that the relevant filtration is not performed, he said in a commentary for Interfax. Zharov warned that the institution might open new administrative cases on Google if it fails to comply with the legislation. Earlier, Roskomnadzor blocked a number of IP addresses of Google. On April 16, Roskomnadzor started blocking Russian Telegram due to the fact that the leadership of the messenger refused to pass Russias Security Service the keys to the encryption of users correspondence. Roskomnadzor included over 18 million IP addresses of Google, Amazon, Microsoft and Digital Ocean, which used messenger for interlock bypass to the banned website registry. Blockages performed by Roskomnadzor affected the operation of many websites which used the hosting of blocked providers. Yet, Telegram remains accessible to the users. Open source Russia's Justice Ministry has responded to the official request of the ECHR about the current location of the Ukrainian sailors captured by the Russian Spetsnaz in Kerch Strait last month. TASS news agency reported that on Tuesday evening. 'The ECHR is informed on the whereabouts of the detained Ukrainian citizens, their access to the medical assistance and the light wounds that three of the detainees suffered. They were provided with the necessary medical assistance. The Ukrainian citizens did not complain about anything; the situation is under permanent control by the ombudsman in the Republic of Crimea, Moscow and the Russian Federation', the Ministry reported. The Russian authority also charged the Ukrainian government with 'a number of procedural defects' while addressing them. The Russian side insists that Ukraine 'has been abusing the right for filing the interstate claims' and 'using the ECHR as a political tool'. As we reported earlier, the coast guard ships of the Russian Navy acted aggressively against the ships of the Ukrainian Navy, which have been carrying out a scheduled transition from Odesa port to Mariupol port in the Sea of Azov. Today, November 25, the ships of the Ukrainian Navy with two armored gunboats and a sea mule tugboat have been carrying out a scheduled transition from Odesa port to Mariupol port in the Sea of Azov. The intention to make the transition was informed in advance in accordance with international standards in order to ensure the safety of navigation. However, contrary to the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea and the Treaty between Ukraine and the Russian Federation on cooperation in the use of the Sea of Azov and the Kerch Strait, the Russian coast guard ships - Sobol class patrol boat, Don border guard cruiser, Mangust class patrol boat and Suzdalets anti-submarine warfare ship performed blatantly aggressive acts against the ships of the Ukrainian Navy, reads the message. It is specified that Don border guard cruiser rammed the Ukrainian armored artillery boat, which led to the damage of the main engine, planting and accommodation rail, life float is lost. The Ukrainian Navy states that "the dispatcher service of the occupiers refuses to ensure the right of freedom of navigation, guaranteed by international agreements. The Ukrainian Navy states that "the dispatcher service of the occupiers refuses to ensure the right of freedom of navigation, guaranteed by international agreements." Thus, according to the Ukrainian side, Russia has once again demonstrated its aggressive nature and complete disregard for the norms of international law. Related: Merkel urges Putin to release Ukrainian sailors Related: All captured Ukrainian sailors enjoy legal support, - ombudswoman General Producers of 112 Ukraine and NewsOne Artem Marchevsky and Vasyl Golovanov are in the EP with the official visit. Along with the British politician Jonathan Arnott, Germanys representative to the EP Arne Gericke and the representative to the EP from Great Britain Nathan Gill, they discussed the process of consideration of the draft resolution On freedom of speech in Ukraine General Producers of 112 Ukraine and NewsOne TV channels Artem Marchevsky and Vasyl Golovanov with the British politician Jonathan Arnott, Germanys representative to the EP Arne Gericke and the representative to the EP from Great Britain Nathan Gill in the European Parliament 112 Agency The directory of the TV channels told that the situation with the freedom of speech in Ukraine has not changed. The journalists of 112 Ukraine and NewsOne are still being suppressed and intimidated. The European parliamentarians notice continuous suppressions of the independent media by the Ukrainian authority journalists are being attacked, the authority is trying to shut down the TV channels. Weve been to Ukraine and we saw this situation with our own eyes. We raised this question in the European Parliament and we support the freedom of media in Ukraine. Therefore, a draft resolution on freedom of media in Ukraine was presented to the European Parliament. It is supposed to be a serious argument for the Ukrainian leadership. Ukraine has chances to become a European state by adhering to these requirements, Jonathan Arnott said. Jonathan Arnott, a British politician 112 Agency There are serious issues with the freedom of speech in Ukraine, so its important for Ukraine to become a strong country and to be independent from the Western or Eastern partners. Ukraine cannot be strong if there is no independent media and journalists are afraid of expressing themselves. If media workers are afraid that their statements might cost them security, Ukraine will never be a strong state and a European state, MP Arne Gericke noted. Today is a special day in the history of the relationships between Ukraine. For the first time, a process of draft resolution On freedom of media in Ukraine is being considered in the EP. Regular political pressure on the independent TV channels 112 Ukraine and NewsOne become the reason for that. The order on sanctioning these two broadcasters adopted by the Verkhovna Rada on October 4 was the peak. Since then, the managers and the journalists of the TV channels have conducted over twenty meetings with the European politicians. Also, Federica Mogherini, the High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy was informed about the fact of suppressing media. In her special statement, she stressed that the freedom of speech cannot be limited under the pretext of concern for national security. It is significant that the registration of the draft resolution coincided with the discussion of the process of implementation of the Association Agreement in the EU, according to which Kyiv obliged to respect the freedom of media. After formal legal procedures are completed, the draft resolution On freedom of speech in Ukraine will be presented to the consideration and discussion in the EP during one of the upcoming session at the beginning of 2019, 112 Ukraine General Producer Artem Marchevsky said in French Senate lobbies. NewsOne General Producer Vasyl Golovanov supported his colleague: Our todays visit to Strasbourg is very important. We met with three European parliamentarians, who are deeply concerned about the freedom of speech in Ukraine. The document which the MPs prepared will be presented in the EU today. I am convinced that it will not remain unnoticed among the MPs. Today is a historic day for our stated, as the situation with Ukraines democracy will be discussed from EP rostrum. Freedom of speech in Ukraine is the main question. In addition, 112 Ukraine will broadcast the session of the EP, where 112 Ukraine General Producer Artem Marchevsky and NewsOne General Producer Vasyl Golovanov will talk about the aims and accomplishments of the visit to the EP. 112 Ukraine is an informational and analytical TV channel which broadcasts 18,5 hours per day on air and uses modern technologies to be the first channel to provide the unbiased information on important and interesting events going on in Ukraine and in the world. This is mentioned in the respective statement by Artem Marchevskyi, the Chief Producer, and Yehor Benkendorf, Director General of 112 Ukraine. The preparation for the annual Ukrainian-American Sea Breeze-2019 drills has begun in Kyiv. The training will prepare the Ukrainian soldiers and will increase the level of the management of the armed forces to the NATO standards. Oleksiy Neizhpala, the Director of the drills from the Ukrainian side and Rear Admiral, made such statement as Defense Ministry of Ukraine reported. This year Sea Breeze-2019 drills are important as never before. We are working on the result: it is readiness for the management of the forces according to the NATO standards, achievement of the convergence of the detachments and ships, Neizhpala said. Besides, he pointed out that Sea Breeze-2019 can become a tool of stability and safety in the Black Sea. It is known that the members of NATO and countries, which joined NATO program Partnership for peace participate in Sea Breeze-2019 drills. Earlier President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko claimed that he is going to increase contingent of the members of the drills and extend the regions, where they are held. On January 29, President Petro Poroshenko has ratified the plan of conducting international military drills in 2018, as well as approved the admission of the foreign military for participation in the drills on the territory of Ukraine. It was planned to hold five drills with the participation of foreign troops in Ukraine in 2018. As it was reported earlier, the Black Sea waters hosted a joint exercise of the NATO combat vessels and Ukrainian Navy ships. On July 23, six Alliance vessels, including frigates and minesweepers reached the seaport of Odesa, southern Ukraine. The maneuvers began on July 26. Boudewijn Boots, the Commander of Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 said that this visit the third one since the annexation of Crimea by Russia clearly shows the Alliances support of Ukraine. Sea Breeze 2018 drills kicked off in Odesa on July 9. The exercises involved 30 vessels from naval forces of 19 countries, including a Turkish submarine. An important feature of the exercise was that the multinational staff was coordinating the actions of naval, air, and ground forces from USS Mount Whitney, the flagship of the 6th U.S. Navy Fleet. The parties also discussed the transit of Russian gas through Ukraine after 2019 The Chancellor of Germany Angela Merkel and Russias President Vladimir Putin had a phone conversation, as RIA News reported. The leaders have discussed the incident in Kerch Strait and the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, the situation in Syria, the message says. It was noted that Putin and Merkel expressed mutual interest in the prevention of escalation of the tensions in Azov and Black Sea waters. The parties discussed the transit of Russian gas through Ukraine after 2019, the message says. As we reported earlier, the coast guard ships of the Russian Navy acted aggressively against the ships of the Ukrainian Navy, which have been carrying out a scheduled transition from Odesa port to Mariupol port in the Sea of Azov. Today, November 25, the ships of the Ukrainian Navy with two armored gunboats and a sea mule tugboat have been carrying out a scheduled transition from Odesa port to Mariupol port in the Sea of Azov. The intention to make the transition was informed in advance in accordance with international standards in order to ensure the safety of navigation. However, contrary to the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea and the Treaty between Ukraine and the Russian Federation on cooperation in the use of the Sea of Azov and the Kerch Strait, the Russian coast guard ships - Sobol class patrol boat, Don border guard cruiser, Mangust class patrol boat and Suzdalets anti-submarine warfare ship performed blatantly aggressive acts against the ships of the Ukrainian Navy, reads the message. It is specified that Don border guard cruiser rammed the Ukrainian armored artillery boat, which led to the damage of the main engine. The Ukrainian Navy states that "the dispatcher service of the occupiers refuses to ensure the right of freedom of navigation, guaranteed by international agreements." Thus, according to the Ukrainian side, Russia has once again demonstrated its aggressive nature and complete disregard for the norms of international law. Related video: Ukraine newsn on 112.international People brought posters with the photos of the Ukrainian political and war prisoner Open source A rally in support of the illegally convicted Oleg Sentsov is held near the EU office in Kyiv. Twenty people are expected at the event, as the correspondent reported on air of 112 Ukraine. The rally has a slogan - #FreeSentsov. Around ten people are here. The organizers noted that the number of participants is not that important. The fact that they come matters, the message says. People brought posters with the photos of the Ukrainian political and war prisoner, and the articles from the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which were violated while detention. It was noted that rallies in support of Sentsov are being held not only in Ukraine, but also in the whole world, in the U.S., UK, Australia, and Israel. Recently, rallies were carried out in San Francisco. People drove by a convoy with Ukrainian flags and stickers Free Oleg Sentsov. Another rally took place in the UK. The organizers of the rally stated that such measures are necessary, as it spreads the topic which will facilitate the release of the prisoners. In addition, yesterday, Russian Federal Penitentiary Service of Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous District informed that Oleg Sentsov does not have serious health issues. He is to be transferred from the health centre. A hybrid form of yoga that combines traditional yoga postures with modern yoga moves and a silk hammock. Pre-registration required. Please note: Aerial Yoga at the Yoga Art Space studio requires pre-registration through our website at www.YogaArtSpace.com/calendar. If no one registers for a class, the class may be cancelled between 6-12 hours prior to the class start time. Though this event is shown as a regular, weekly class each week on the Alabi calendar, there are occasionally times when the class will be cancelled in advance such as for certain holidays. All updates and cancellations are on the studio calendar at www.YogaArtSpace.com/calendar. What is Aerial yoga? Aerial Yoga is a hybrid form of yoga that combines traditional yoga postures infused with modern yoga moves and an silk fabric hammock. Do I need Previous Yoga Experience? No previous yoga experience necessary to enjoy an Aerial yoga class. In fact it can be easier than normal yoga! The silk hammock acts like a support whenever you require it, almost like having your own personal yoga teacher giving you assistance throughout the entire yoga class! Another advantage of having the support of the hammock is that 90% of students are able to complete more challenging poses, such as handstands! Can Everybody do Aerial Yoga? Yes and no. Students who have had a previous injury can find Aerial yoga much easier to participate in then normal yoga. This is due to the the weight being evenly distributed between your body, the hammock and the earth. People who suffer any of following contraindications are advised NOT to participate in an Aerial yoga class: if you have had recent surgery of any sort, if you suffer glaucoma, if you are pregnant, if you suffer a heart condition (including very high or low blow pressure), if you get vertigo, if you have had a recent stroke or a hernia, if you have osteoporosis or any bone weakness, if you have carpal tunnel syndrome, or if you have had botox in the last six hours. What Should I Wear? All jewellery items must be removed before participating, a t-shirt must be worn to cover the armpit area and leggings are advised to avoid the silk rubbing on the skin and creating irritation. Please have clean feet or, alternatively, bring a pair of socks with you. PLEASE NOTE! Due to the March 23, 2020 NM DOH Public Health Order, These Event Listings Are Not Accurate! All non-essential businesses are closed, public gatherings are prohibited! (One day some of these events will be rescheduled or will resume, but they are not happening now!) New Braunfels, TX (78130) Today Mostly clear. Low around 40F. Winds light and variable.. Tonight Mostly clear. Low around 40F. Winds light and variable. Football second division side Cologne is briefly before returning to the elite class of German football. But what comes then? Who will be coach? What players come? The rise in the first Bundesliga is always the aim for the big clubs in the second division. So also at the Club from the Cathedral City. For the Cologne it looks-very bright with only five remaining games and second place in the table. Nevertheless, the mood in the environment is tarnished. The situation is too unclear. What will become of the trainer? What made the team? May the team in the first be League? So many questions now zip the FC fans through the head and everyone has his own ideas and solutions at hand. But when one are all sure rises FC and coach Christoph Daum leaving the Club. For more specific information, check out busy bodies. When it comes to the will of the fans they would prefer the ZDF national coach"Jurgen Klopp to Cologne to get. It might work if the goat bucks against Mainz win their last home game and the troop of Klopp thus the rise of spoil. The young trainer brings everything with what they need in the Cathedral City. New ideas, it can be attractive play and can handle very well with young players. He could build a powerful team to make the class receipt. But to someone like Jurgen Klopp to Cologne? A coach with format, such as: they can't afford to pay Jose Mourinho at FC. It will remain only a dream of the fans. But fortunately, there are indeed many coaches without work. Mirko Slomka was released recently on Schalke and the sacking of Dortmund's Thomas doll is only a matter of time. Also a Hans Meyer would be an idea. Falko Gotz is a name which is not called. He is a young coach and has shown at the Hertha Berlin, what's in it. He would be, if Klopp won't, probably the cheapest and best solution for the goat bucks. No matter who will be the coach. It will certainly not be easy to form a team that can keep the class. The departure of top scorer Patrick seems too difficult to weigh helmet and also his strike partner Milivoje Novakovi seems to leave the Club to want to. Mathias Scherz is 36 years long over its zenith with its. It at least a striker of format is used, better two. In the midfield, the demand is also high. In addition to Roda Antar and Thomas Broich, two experienced players missing in order to compete in the elite class. The situation in defence is more relaxed. In addition to the experienced players Kevin McKenna, Youssef Mohammad, umit ozat and Aleksandar Mitreski, the young talents of Kevin Schoneberg and Tobias Nickenig have to develop time. The goalkeeper position is top notch with Faryd Mondragon and with Thomas Kessler is also a more ambitious successor behind him. However, the biggest problem is not in the team, but in the media. 1.FC Cologne must find a coach that comes clear with the very high desires of the Cologne media landscape and can also set up a team that creates the class receipt. Everything else would be just wishful thinking. But are yet to complete 5 gravity games. Probably we know only after the final day where the road leads the 1.FC Cologne and who they serves as a trainer. Who knows, maybe yes but remains Christoph Daum and the adventure turns Bundesliga". As is known, Peru is home to breathtaking peaks all along the Andes mountain range. Below is a list of the seven highest. 1. Huascaran (Ancash region) Located in the Cordillera Blanca (White Mountain range), Huascaran is the Inca country's highest mountain and the fifth highest mountain in the Western Hemisphere. Its highest peak stands at 6,768 m.a.s.l. 2. Yerupaja (Ancash region) Peru's second highest mountain (6,6617 m.a.s.l.) is situated in the Huayhuash mountain range, considered the most spectacular one of the Peruvian Andes. Furthermore, this snow-capped mount is one of the most difficult to climb. 3. Coropuna (Arequipa region) This peak located in Ampato mountain range rises at 6,405 m.a.s.l. and is of volcanic origin. It should be noted American explorer Hiram Bingham joined by Yale University members reached the summit in 1911 and found Inca clothing in the area. 4. Huandoy (Ancash region) This snowcapped mountain (6,395 m) stands in front of Huascaran. Due to their proximity, legend has it they were a princess and a soldier god Huaylas turned into mountains. 5. Huantsan (Ancash region) This peak (6,395 m.a.s.l.) is also located in the White Mountain range; it is one of its most impressive mountains. It boasts an impressive yet dangerous summit for climbers. 6. Ausangate (Cusco region) This snow-capped peak is situated 100 km from Cusco city. It is part of the Vilcanota mountain range and stands at 6,384 m.a.s.l. 7. Chopicalqui (Ancash region) Although it is the Inca nation's seventh highest mountain (6,345 m.a.s.l.), Chopicalqui is one of the less complicated to climb, therefore its summit is quite popular among mountaineers. Another option: Winikunka Rainbow Mountain Unveiled to the world by global warming ice-melting, the unique Winikunka proves an increasingly popular destination in Andean Cusco region. Located in Canchis province, the Rainbow Mountain is an innovative option for those seeking natural tourist attractions. This colorful hill rises at over 5,000 m.a.s.l. and is accessible from a hiking trail that passes through breathtaking landscapes. Moreover, it has become the second-most popular destination in Peru after the archaeological park of Machu Picchu. (END) MAO/DTK/RMB Loading... Besides declaring 2002 the International Year of Mountains, the UN General Assembly designated 11 December as International Mountain Day in order to promote the importance of sustainable mountain development in the international community.Publicado: 11/12/2018 Mis declaraciones para @Agencia_Andina sobre #Referendum2018 https://t.co/pdYnGeKgpj Peruanos becados por Estado estudiaran en prestigiosas universidades YEREVAN, DECEMBER 11, ARMENPRESS. German Chancellor Angela Merkel sent a congratulatory letter to acting Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan, reports Armenpress. The letter runs as follows: Dear Mr. acting Prime Minister, I warmly congratulate you on your victory in the elections. The Federal Republic of Germany followed with a great interest the recent peaceful change in power in Armenia. We want to express our support to the implementation of reforms in Armenia and reaffirm the commitment reached during my visit to Yerevan on deepening our relations. In this context I will be happy to meet with you in the nearest future. Early parliamentary elections were held in Armenia on December 9. Based on the preliminary results, 3 political forces have been elected to the parliament: My Step alliance 70.44% of votes, Prosperous Armenia 8.27% and Bright Armenia - 6.37%. Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan YEREVAN, DECEMBER 11, ARMENPRESS. Public schools in Syrias Aleppo are introducing special methodologies for working with children that were forced to live among militants for a long time previously. Amin Hariri, a school principal from Aleppo, told reporters that the adaption process in difficult for the kids. We have 2700 children studying in our school, 400 of whom lived in among militants, Hariri said. The children were hostile at a time while speaking with us. But we were able to change their behavior in few months, the principal added. Earlier local authorities said that the Syrian government is planning to create rehabilitation centers, where children will be given psychological assistance. Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan YEREVAN, DECEMBER 11, ARMENPRESS. President Armen Sarkissian received Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Kazakhstan to Armenia Timur Urazayev, the Presidential Office told Armenpress. The sides touched upon the current agenda of the Armenian-Kazakh relations, and in particular the issues on deepening the humanitarian ties. President Sarkissian congratulated the Ambassador and the people of Kazakhstan on their upcoming national day, the Independence Day of Kazakhstan. Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan YEREVAN, DECEMBER 11, ARMENPRESS. Armenian exports have grew significantly during the ten months of the current year against 2017s same period, according to the statistical committee. Official data shows October to have the highest exports volumes worth a bit over $229,000,000. In May 2018 the indicator was 24,6% more than last years same month. In July, exports continued growing totaling $210,000,000 a 10,8% growth. The export indicator dropped in September 15,5%, but in October it soared up to $229,003,000 the highest number during the ten months period. It is also a 12,1% growth against last years same period. Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan YEREVAN, DECEMBER 11, ARMENPRESS. A Russian military serviceman has been arrested in connection with the death of a cleaning lady in Gyumri, general prosecution spokesperson Arevik Khachatryan told ARMENPRESS. She did not specify if the serviceman is from the 102nd Russian military base stationed in the city. A Russian serviceman has been arrested in the womans [manslaughter]case, Khachatryan said. The criminal case was launched on aggravated assault leading to involuntary manslaughter. Other details werent immediately clear. Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan YEREVAN, DECEMBER 11, ARMENPRESS. The 48,63% voter turnout in the December 9 parliamentary election is the lowest turnout in any general election of Armenia since the 1991 Independence Referendum. The 1991 Independence Referendum saw a 95,5% turnout, with 99,51%, or 2,042,627, establishing the III Republic of Armenia with their ballots. The highest turnout in a presidential election was in 1991, when Levon Ter-Petrosyan was elected 1st President of Armenia with 1,260,014 votes, or 83% of the 74% turnout. In terms of Constitutional Referenda, the highest turnout was in 2005 65,34%. 1,514,307 of the eligible 2,317,462 took part in the vote. The highest turnout in a parliamentary election, however, was in 2012. 1,572,858 voters (62,34%) from the 2,522,906 cast their ballots. The 2015 Constitutional Referendum, which eventually transitioned the countrys governance system from a presidential to a parliamentary one, saw a 50,74% turnout. And the subsequent 2017 parliamentary election had a 60,87% turnout. Sundays general election had the lowest turnout with only 48,63%. 1,260,840 voters from the 2,592,479 eligible voters cast their ballots. Republicans, the former ruling party that failed to garner sufficient votes to enter parliament, argues that the turnout is very low, however Central Electoral Commission president Tigran Mukuchyan disagreed. I dont agree that citizens were passive, he said. Voters have been fully informed about the election. I think the participation was normal. I think the morning passive participation was connected with bad weather, however activeness was observed in polling stations especially after midday. Caretaker Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, the leader of the My Step Alliance that garnered an absolute supermajority of votes, also weighed in on the turnout. Lets monitor the press of the past 15 years, lets see what the opposition is saying after the last elections, what the press is writing, and what the civil society is saying. They are saying that the government always has a few hundred thousands in resources, that it always uses: these are the absent voters, dead voters, and in addition in these vote people did not [forcibly] take citizens to the election, but citizens themselves went to vote by their will. I was also seeing an issue that people didnt see any intrigue in these elections, Pashinyan had said. When saying dead voters, Pashinyan was referring to accusations against the former ruling party that was widely believed to have rigged elections by using identities of deceased citizens. Caretaker Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyans My Step Alliance won a landslide victory in the general election with 70,43 %. Two other parties, Prosperous Armenia (BHK) and Luminous Armenia (LHK), were also elected to parliament with 8,27% and 6,37% votes respectively. The former ruling party, the Republican Party (HHK), failed to garner the minimum required votes to pass to parliament. Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan YEREVAN, DECEMBER 11, ARMENPRESS. Armenia has extradited American citizen Kevin (Kemal) Oksuz to the United States, the Department of Justice said. Oksuz is a Turkish-American lobbyist wanted by the United States for perjury regarding a controversial trip he organized for American lawmakers to Azerbaijan. He was arrested in Yerevan in pursuance of an American arrest warrant earlier in August. Earlier in November, Armenian authorites dropped a criminal investigation into Oksuz's activities in Armenia. The former president of a Texas-based non-profit pleaded guilty today for his role in a scheme to conceal the fact that a 2013 Congressional trip to Azerbaijan was funded by the Azerbaijan government. Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Departments Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu for the District of Columbia and Assistant Director in Charge Nancy McNamara of the FBIs Washington Field Office made the announcement. Kemal Oksuz, aka "Kevin Oksuz," 49, and previously a resident of Arlington, Virginia, pleaded guilty to one count of devising a scheme to falsify, conceal and cover up material facts from the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Ethics. Oksuz will be sentenced on Feb. 11, 2019 before U.S. District Court Judge Tanya S. Chutkan for the District of Columbia. According to admissions made in connection with his guilty plea, Oksuz lied on disclosure forms filed with the Ethics Committee prior to, and following, a privately sponsored Congressional trip to Azerbaijan. Oksuz falsely represented and certified on required disclosure forms that the Turquoise Council of Americans and Eurasions (TCAE), the Houston non-profit for which Oksuz was president, had not accepted funding for the Congressional trip from any outside sources. Oksuz admitted to, in truth, orchestrating a scheme to funnel money to fund the trip from the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan Republic (SOCAR), the wholly state-owned national oil and gas company of Azerbaijan, and then concealed the true source of funding, which violated House travel regulations. A five-count indictment was returned earlier this year in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia and ordered unsealed in September. Oksuz was recently extradited from Armenia where he was detained by authorities, pursuant to a warrant that was issued for his arrest. The investigation was conducted by the FBI. The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Marco Palmieri of the Criminal Divisions Public Integrity Section, Assistant U.S. Attorney David Misler and Will Mackie of the National Security Divisions Counterintelligence and Export Control Section. Assistance in the investigation was provided by Trial Attorney Amanda Vaughn of the Public Integrity Section, Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Hooks and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle Bradford of the District of Columbia. Trial Attorney Natalya T. Savransky of the Criminal Divisions Office of International Affairs handled the extradition request to Armenia. The Office of International Affairs, along with the U.S. Department of State and cooperating Armenian authorities provided substantial assistance with the extradition, the justice department said in a press release. Read more on the story: Oksuz case, PART 3: Arrested Turkish mystery-man under investigation by Armenian law enforcement for tax evasion involving Yerevan-based business Kemal Oksuz case, part 2: Top level anti-Armenian Gulenist lobbyist tied to infamous Azerbaijani Laundromat case Yerevan Police catch huge fish: Kemal Oksuzs controversial past raises eyebrows United States requests Armenia to extradite Kevin Oksuz. Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan YEREVAN, DECEMBER 11, ARMENPRESS. A Yerevan court is examining the motion on extending the pre-trial arrest of Vachagan Ghazaryan, a former ranking security official who was in charge of ex-President Serzh Sargsyans security detail. Ghazaryan was arrested by a court of first instance but later released on a sky-high 1,000,000,000 dram bail. Later, a higher court ordered him to be re-arrested. Ghazaryan served as first deputy director of the state protection service under the NSS until 2018 May 17. While in office, he was in charge of the security detail of then President Serzh Sargsyan. Vachagan Ghazaryan was detained by National Security Service (NSS) agents on June 25 and placed under arrest the same day. Two days later he was charged for illicit enrichment and false asset declaration. He was remanded in custody pending trial on June 28. Ghazaryan carried about half a million dollars in cash on him at the time of his arrest. He claimed that he withdrew the money from a bank with the purpose of returning it to the real owner of the money, without mentioning a name. Another 50,000 dollars was discovered in his car. The National Security Service said it had intelligence reports that Ghazaryan was planning to withdraw an additional 3,000,000 dollars from his and his wifes bank accounts. Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan YEREVAN, DECEMBER 11, ARMENPRESS. The man who is suspected of stabbing four men in an Armenian village on December 9 has turned himself in to authorities, police said. The incident took place around 21:00, December 9 during a brawl. The knife has been discovered at the crime scene. Authorities did not specify the health condition of the victims. Other details werent immediately clear. Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan YEREVAN, DECEMBER 11, ARMENPRESS. Yerevan Court of General Jurisdiction left to the consulting room to make a decision over the detention of retired general, MP Manvel Grigoryan, ARMENPRESS reports the verdict will be published on December 12, 14:00. Preliminary investigation body has submitted a motion to prolong Grigoryans pre-trial detention. Manvel Grigoryans lawyer Arsen Mkrtchyan told the reporters that they have submitted motion to the court to release him for 20 million AMD bail. This is a realistic sum, he said. To the question how they will collect that amount of money given that Manvel Grigoryans entire property is under ban, the lawyer said that Grigoryan has friends who are ready to give the money. MP Manvel Grigoryan has been charged for illegal possession of firearms and embezzlement. He was arrested on June 16 and on June 19 was stripped of immunity and remanded. His lawyers insist that he is in bad health and his life is under risk. Edited and translated by Tigran Sirekanyan The wiry 69-year-old still carries the scars and spirit of the old ways from this picturesque part of central Papua New Guinea, which Westerners reached only in the 1930s. It was honourable, he insists, even if an arrow once thumped within millimetres of his heart as he tried to axe a rival tribal fighter to death. Israel Laki misses the old days - just a few years ago - when clansmen would settle fights in what he deems the proper way: with bows, arrows, axes and spears. PILIKAMBI - Tribes in Papua New Guinea's rough and rugged highlands have fought one another for centuries, but a recent influx of automatic weapons risks turning minor beefs into all-out war. Even today, the modern state is little more than an abstract concept in the isolated region, where few respect the government. Old rivalries persist, as do fights over rape, theft and tribal boundaries. But tradition is increasingly melding with modernity, to devastating effect. Locals now speak darkly of an influx of American M16s and AR-15s and Belgian FNs - all brutally effective rifles designed for the military - and of roving mercenaries and arms dealers willing to work for cash, pigs or women. Papua New Guinea's population has more than doubled since 1980, placing increasing strain on land and resources and deepening tribal rivalries. Elsewhere in the country, however, tribal fights have become rare or ritualistic, thanks, in part, to urbanisation and the fear of firearms igniting an ever-escalating conflict. But in Enga province, regional police commander Joseph Tondop has already seen dozens die during the three months he has been on the job. "I was surprised to see people armed with very high-powered weapons and they were just killing one another by the side of the road," he told AFP. The surge in violence has prompted a company of around 100 government soldiers under the command of a Sandhurst-trained major to establish a makeshift garrison at a hotel in the main town of Wabag. "They decide to take the law into their own hands and apply justice amongst themselves. Jungle justice," said commander Tondop. Under this system, "one person's problem becomes everyone's problem". Military intelligence suggests the guns come from nearby Bougainville Island - where a civil war raged until 1998 - or from across the porous Indonesian border, or even from within the security services themselves. The police commander likens it to a tribal arms race. "When one clan knows that the other opposing clan has some weapons, they have to also acquire some weapons somehow. It's like warfare now." Commander Tondop hopes to introduce a gun amnesty next year, with rewards of up to K20,000 for turning in rifles. But he admits the real answer is better policing and a criminal justice system seen as fair and efficient. Outside the modest police headquarters at Wabag, the urgency of his task is clear. On a dusty patch of waste ground, a crowd of around 300 stern-faced Epok men gathered to demand justice for 16-year-old tribesman Chris Solomon. The teenager was recently shot dead and hacked to pieces by a rival clan as he returned home from his school. The school had become a flash-point for tribal violence and effectively been closed for months. But students were forced to return when they were told they would fail the year for non-attendance. After receiving assurances that commander Tondop would arrest the perpetrators, the tribesmen carried the schoolboy's body on a convoy of more than a dozen buses, flatbed trucks, and 4x4s back to their land. In the village of Pilikambi, almost a thousand people took part in a haus krai ceremony - the entire tribe circling the boy's coffin weeping, howling and chanting for more than an hour in the rain. Such ceremonies are ostentatious shows of grief, with each member of the tribe trying to outdo the sadness of the other. But there was also palpable anger. Around the edges of the haus krai, tribesmen whispered to one another, axes and sword-length machetes slung by their sides as they eyed outsiders warily. Heavily armed police and soldiers stood at a distance, watching for any potential outbreak of violence. If police are to contain the anger, they will have to act fast: to identify, find and apprehend suspects in this unforgiving terrain before the tribe's patience wears out. They know that with guns, the actions of young men looking for revenge, status or honour can quickly spiral into tit-for-tat murders. "I thought he was going to come back home," said Amgal Solomon, insisting his son was innocent. "They shot him down." "The government must take action," he said, making clear that if it does not, the tribe will choose another path. "If the government doesn't take any action, the violence will continue," he said grimly. "It will go big." As heads of state and government jetted out of Morocco on Tuesday after formally adopting a UN deal on migration, NGOs raised doubts about its implementation on the ground and the high seas. The Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration -- finalised at the UN in July after 18 months of talks -- was formally approved in Marrakesh on Monday in a ceremony attended by representatives of 164 governments. A host of European politicians including German Chancellor Angela Merkel have firmly endorsed the deal, even as the US and a string of other countries have shunned it amid a wave of anti-immigrant populism. While welcoming the agreement, the medical charity MSF and the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent (IFRC) pointed to policies by EU states that sit uneasily alongside the pact?s commitments to save lives and "eradicate trafficking in persons". "What we see right now is that months of government policies on migration are? deepening the suffering of migrants by basically offering them on a plate to criminal organisation networks," said Joanne Liu, international president of MSF. Last week, her organisation was forced to abandon its search and rescue missions in the Mediterranean ?- a key crossing for migrants and refugees travelling from Africa to Europe. The charity's vessel Aquarius has been blocked at the French port of Marseilles since losing its Panamanian registration and flag in September, amid what it has called a smear campaign led by Italy. Both Liu and the IFRC charged that European powers have facilitated the detention of migrants in Libya. "We have been very vocal in saying Libya is not a safe place," Liu told AFP on the sidelines of the Marrakesh conference. But "European governments have basically been using public money to? finance detention centres in Libya." IFRC president Francesco Rocca hit out at the EU for policies he said pushed migrants back to the highly unstable North African country, including the training of a nascent Libyan coastguard. "Nobody should be sent back to Libya. This is unacceptable. You cannot send anyone back to a place that is not safe, and we know perfectly well that Libya is not safe," he told AFP. - 'Feels like a balance' - Billed as the first international document on managing migration, the compact lays out 23 objectives to open up legal migration and discourage illegal border crossings. Many NGOs have raised concerns that it is non-binding, raising further questions about whether its provisions will be implemented. "States are not obliged to respect" the deal, said Michel Prieur of the International Centre for Comparative Environmental Law. Prieur was also disappointed that environmental factors feeding into migration -- including climate change, natural catastrophes and industrial disasters -- merited only three paragraphs in the 35 pages of the pact's text. He and others said civil society could have been better consulted. The agreement has been hit by a string of withdrawals by UN member states, with some claiming it infringes national sovereignty. The US disavowed the process late last year. Australia, Austria, the Czech Republic, Dominican Republic, Hungary, Latvia, Poland and Slovakia all pulled out in the weeks and months ahead of the pact?s adoption, while Chile withdrew the night before the conference and Brazil joined the defectors on Monday. Rows over the accord have erupted in several EU nations, hobbling Belgium's coalition government and pushing Slovakia's foreign minister to tender his resignation. Italy falls into a group of countries that UN migration chief Louise Arbour has said is still engaged in "internal deliberations" over the pact. For Sarnata Reynolds of Oxfam, the pact has been an achievement in a challenging global environment. It was a case of "governments getting together at a time that is quite heated for migration policies? to ultimately find something that feels like a balance", said the charity?s global head on displacement and migration. "There are some places in the contents of the compact where for example we would have liked to have seen the principle of non-refoulement, which basically means that a person can?t be returned to a country if they?re going to be harmed," Reynolds said. "But the global compact from Oxfam?s perspective is a chance to push further and get governments to do better," she added. The pact is due to be ratified by the UN General Assembly on December 19. United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres gives a speech during the UN conference on migration on December 10, 2018 in the Moroccan city of Marrakesh The bodies of two climbers who were last seen 30 years ago have been found on the edge of a glacier in the Himalayas. Kristinn Runarsson and Thorsteinn Gudjonsson were last seen alive at a height of 6500m on October 18, 1988. The remains of the two 27-year-old Icelandic climbers were discovered last month by an American mountaineer at the edge of a glacier on the Nepal-Tibet border. Steve Aisthorpe, 55, a mission development worker for the Church of Scotland who was on the expedition with the men, said it was likely the pair fell from the face of the mountain and their remains were slowly carried down by a retreating glacier over the last 30 years. The bodies were brought back to Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal, by a group of local climbers and a cremation service was attended by relatives, who then took the mens ashes home to Iceland. Kristinn Runarsson and Thorsteinn Gudjonsson were last seen alive at a height of 6500m on October 18, 1988. Source: Supplied The discovery of the remains of Thorsteinn and Kristinn after so many years have inevitably brought many emotions to the surface for all who knew and loved these wonderful guys, Mr Aisthorpe said. It has also brought people together and I pray will help with greater closure and, in time, peace. He revealed he now plans to go to Reykjavik to pay his respects to the mens family. Mr Aisthorpe, author of a book called The Invisible Church, said further clues about what exactly happened to the men could emerge because two camera films were found in a pocket of a jacket and have been sent to a specialist in Australia for development. During the four-man expedition up the challenging 7000m neighbour of Mount Everest, Mr Aisthorpe had begun to suffer from gastric flu and, along with another ill mountaineer, descended to the village of Pheriche to consult a doctor. Steve Aisthorpe was on the expedition with the men. Source: Supplied He was told that it would take a week for him to recover, so he sent a message back to the camp suggesting that Mr Runarsson and Mr Gudjonsson should feel free to make a summit attempt without him. They set off and were never seen again. Story continues Ive never felt as alone as the day I arrived back at our high camp, Mr Aisthorpe said. As I worked my way upwards, I desperately hoped that Kristinn and Torsteinn had descended safely and were now lying in their sleeping bags in the tiny red tent camp. As he approached the camp he began shouting their names but there was no response. Even as I finally reached and then unzipped the tent, I still nurtured a hope that the boys would be lying there, comatose, sleeping off the climb of their lives. But it was empty and I scanned our route up the steep face above, but nothing moved. It was then that my guts started to twist and a cold sweat began. Mr Aisthorpe said he summoned help and a helicopter search was finally launched five days after the men were last seen. Described by their friends as a breath of fresh air, Thorsteinn and Kristinn were considered to be Icelands leading exponents of Himalayan climbing at the time and were well-known for their open, easy-going personalities. However, the tragedy did not put Mr Aisthorpe off Nepal or mountaineering and over the following few years he returned to the country each spring and autumn to guide on some of the smaller peaks before moving to the country for 12 years with his wife Liz and two sons, John and Scott. A Canadian court has granted bail to a top Chinese telecom company executive wanted in the United States, as diplomatic tensions turned to the detention of a former Canadian diplomat in Beijing. Meng Wanzhou, the chief financial officer of Huawei, was released on Can$10 million (US$7.5 million) bail on Tuesday in a case that has rattled relations between China, the United States and Canada. Meng, who faces a US extradition bid on charges related to alleged violations of Iran sanctions, was also ordered to surrender her passport and will be subjected to electronic monitoring. "The risk of (Meng's) non-attendance in court can be reduced to an acceptable level by imposing the bail conditions proposed by her counsel," a judge in Vancouver said, prompting the courtroom packed with her supporters to erupt in cheers. Meng, who later left in a black SUV, will be allowed to stay at a luxury home owned by her husband, Liu Xiaozong, in Vancouver. Her December 1 arrest in Vancouver has shaken China's relations with Canada and the United States, and raised concerns that it could derail a US-China trade war truce. US officials have said the arrest was unrelated to the trade talks, but President Donald Trump told Reuters he "would certainly intervene" in the case if it can help strike a deal with China. "If US officials and the US government want to make positive efforts towards the right direction about the issue, we welcome them," Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang said Wednesday at a regular briefing. Huawei is a strategically key company for China's global high-tech ambitions but some of its services have been blocked in the United States, Australia, New Zealand and Britain over security concerns. Meng, who is the daughter of Huawei's founder, is accused of lying to bankers about the use of a covert subsidiary to sell to Iran in breach of sanctions. If convicted, she faces more than 30 years in prison. The extradition process, scheduled to start on February 6, could take months, even years, if appeals are made in the case. Her lawyer, David Martin, argued that she was not a flight risk because it would otherwise "embarrass China itself". She had also cited health reasons for requesting bail. During a pause in proceedings, Martin said Meng looked forward to spending time with family, reading novels and maybe applying to a doctorate program while the extradition case plays out. Huawei said in a statement it was confident that the courts would "reach a just conclusion" in the case and stressed that the company complies with all laws and sanctions. - Former diplomat detained - While Meng secured her release, the International Crisis Group (ICG) think tank said its North East Asia senior adviser, former Canadian diplomat Michael Kovrig, was detained by Chinese state security in Beijing on Monday and has had no information about him since then. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau voiced concern over the detention. "This has our attention at the very highest level of our government," said Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland. China had warned Canada of "grave consequences" over Meng's arrest as it demanded her release, although Canada said no link between the two cases had been established. But a former Canadian ambassador to Beijing, Guy Saint-Jacques, said Kovrig's detention was likely linked to Meng's case. "There is no coincidence in China," Saint-Jacques told AFP. "In this case it is clear the Chinese government wants to put maximum pressure on the Canadian government." Lu, the Chinese foreign ministry spokesman, said ICG was not legally registered in the country and its employees would be "in violation" of the law if they were engaged in activities in the country. Lu did not offer more details about the case. Some 20 Chinese police officers patrolled outside Canada's embassy on Wednesday but they refused to explain their presence. - 'He loves China' - Kovrig, a Mandarin speaker, was a political officer at the embassy from 2014-2016 who met with dissidents and travelled to China's restive far west Xinjiang region, Saint-Jacques said. He took an unpaid leave from the embassy because he "loves China" and wanted to continue to work in the country, the former ambassador said. "It's easy to concoct espionage accusations against someone in China," he said. "When I learned the news this morning it deeply saddened me because Michael was a good political officer, but he is not a spy at all." The US State Department called on China to "end all forms of arbitrary detentions." Brussels-based ICG said in a statement that it has received no information about Kovrig since his detention and is concerned about his health and safety. "Michael did not engage in illegal activities nor did he do anything that endangered Chinese national security," ICG president Robert Malley told AFP. "He was doing what all Crisis Group analysts do: undertaking objective and impartial research." The conditional release of Meng Wanzhou, the chief financial officer of Huawei, came hours after the detention of a former Canadian diplomat in Beijing further stoked tensions Terence Xu (L) and Ada Yu hold a sign in support of Meng outside her bail hearing Factfile on Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou, under arrest in Canada and facing extradition to the United States. The gruesome final words of murdered journalist Jamal Khashoggi have been revealed after an audio recording emerged. CNN reported on Sunday the Saudi contributor to The Washington Post, who was killed shortly after entering the kingdoms consulate in Istanbul on October 2, said I cant breathe before his death. CNN, citing a source who has read the transcript of the audio tape, reported the transcript made clear the killing was premeditated, and suggests several phone calls were made to give briefings on the progress. Jamal Khashoggi and his fiance Hatice Cengiz at an apartment building in Istanbul just hours before his death. Source: AP CNN said Turkish officials believe those calls were made to top officials in Riyadh. The transcript of the gruesome recording includes descriptions of Khashoggi struggling against his murderers, CNN said, and references sounds of the dissident journalists body being dismembered by a saw. The original transcript was prepared by Turkish intelligence services, and CNN said its source read a translated version and was briefed on the probe into the journalists death. CCTV shows Jamal Khashoggi before his death after visiting the Saudi consulate. Source: AP Saudi Arabias foreign minister on Sunday meanwhile rejected demands to extradite suspects connected to the murder of Khashoggi as sought by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Erdogan has repeatedly called on Saudi Arabia to hand over suspects in the killing. According to Turkey, a 15-member Saudi team was sent to Istanbul to kill Khashoggi. Saudi Arabia, however, holds that it was a rogue operation gone wrong a claim undercut by the reported transcript. Saudi contributor for The Washington Post Jamal Khashoggi died in October. Source: AFP For his part US President Donald Trump has refrained from blaming Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman, even though the CIA reportedly concluded that he ordered the assassination. The murder has damaged Riyadhs international reputation and Western countries including the United States, France and Canada have placed sanctions on nearly 20 Saudi nationals. A gunman opened fire Tuesday in a cathedral in the southeastern Brazilian city of Campinas near Sao Paulo, killing four worshippers before committing suicide as police shot at him, officials said. Paramedics told reporters the man fired a revolver and a .38-caliber pistol inside the cathedral at 1:00 pm (1500 GMT) as a sparsely attended mass was taking place, also wounding several people before killing himself. The motive of the shooting was not immediately known. Police speaking to the G1 news website identified the gunman as a 49-year-old who resided in Valinhos, a town near Campinas. "A man opened fire randomly on people inside until police intervened and shot at the gunman who then killed himself," the Security Secretariat for the state of Sao Paulo said in a statement. In addition to the gunman, four other people died and another four were wounded, it added. - Camera footage - The secretariat said footage from the cathedral's security cameras would be analyzed. News magazine Veja posted footage from one of the cameras inside the cathedral showing the gunman firing a handgun at worshippers as they sat in pews, moving toward his targets as he shot and headed to the altar. Some survivors were seen running out the door. Two police officers then entered with pistols drawn and moved out of the frame. "I had started to celebrate mass at 12:15 pm and at the end of the mass, a man entered and shot at his victims. Nobody was able to do anything," priest Amaury Thomazi said in a video published on social media. Images broadcast on television showed the lifeless body of the gunman, wearing a blue t-shirt, lying inside the cathedral, holding a discharged pistol in his right hand and a revolver tucked into his jeans. Paramedics treated several people outside the cathedral and there were multiple police cars in the street. "Everybody ran out. You can imagine that I'm shocked," one woman who was attending the mass told Globo TV. The archdiocese of Sao Paulo said on its Facebook page that the killings provoked "deep pain" and added that the cathedral would be closed for as long as required for the police investigation. - 'Innocent people' - A police officer told Globo TV that most of those in the cathedral at the time were elderly. "He opened fire on innocent people. It's a big tragedy," the officer said. Brazil is one of the most violent countries in the world. Last year, it registered a record 63,880 murders. Its homicide rate of 30.8 per 100,000 inhabitants is three times higher than the level the UN considers to meet the definition of "endemic violence." Seventy percent of murders in Brazil are committed with firearms, according to the Forum for Public Security monitoring group. The country's incoming president, Jair Bolsonaro, who takes office on January 1, easily won November elections on a platform that included promises to ruthlessly crack down on crime and ease gun laws to allow "good" people to defend themselves. The shooting took place during mass in the cathedral in downtown Campinas "Nobody was able to do anything," the cathedral's priest said, recounting the shooting Municipal workers remove bodies from the cathedral. Brazil is one of the most violent countries in the world Map locating Campinas, near Sao Paulo, where the shooting took place The motive and identity of the gunman were not immediately known India's ruling party looked set to lose power in at least one of three traditional stronghold states releasing election results Tuesday, in a blow to Prime Minister Narendra Modi ahead of national polls in 2019. Early election results in the central state of Chhattisgarh indicated the main opposition Congress party of Rahul Gandhi would win 59 seats compared to just 11 for Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party. The Hindu nationalist BJP has ruled Chhattisgarh for the past 15 years. The race looked closer in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, two other traditional strongholds of Modi's BJP that were also counting votes following elections in the states this month and last. In central Madhya Pradesh, home to 73 million people, early results put the BJP neck-and-neck with Congress, as observers said it was too early to call the result either way. Similarly in the western desert state of Rajasthan -- ruled by the BJP's Vasundhara Raje, a maharani or princess -- Modi's party was predicted to win 74 seats compared to 97 for Congress. Television footage showed Congress workers bursting firecrackers and dancing at regional party offices in both states. Tuesday's results are being seen as a referendum on 68-year-old Modi, who will be seeking a second term in the office in national elections due by May 2019. Defeats in Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan would dent his invincible image and put the party on the back foot. It would also strengthen 48-year-old Gandhi -- scion of the Gandhi-Nehru dynasty -- with Congress having lost more than a dozen states to the BJP since Modi became prime minister in 2014. The BJP currently rules 19 out of 29 Indian states either outright or in alliance with local parties. Congress rules just two states, including one in alliance with a regional partner. Political commentators have linked the BJP's apparent dwindling support to growing rural distress and unemployment rates in the country. Nearly 55 percent of India's 1.25 billion population is directly or indirectly dependent on agriculture, and farmers form an important voting bloc for parties. In two other states also releasing results Tuesday, Telangana in the south and remote Mizoram in the northeast, regional parties looked to be leading. Gandhi's Congress is leading efforts to stitch a larger alliance of regional parties to take on the BJP next year, convening a meeting to this effect on Monday in Delhi. Defeats in Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan would dent Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's invincible image and put his BJP party on the back foot British Prime Minister Theresa May will visit Germany's Angela Merkel Tuesday as she works to salvage her Brexit deal, the day after delaying a parliamentary vote on it to avoid a crushing defeat. May will first go to The Hague for talks with Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte before meeting Merkel in Berlin, as she struggles to unite British lawmakers behind her faltering plan. The embattled leader is facing a rebellion in her own party and from parliamentary allies that threatens to sink both the agreement and her leadership. "I will now do everything I possibly can to secure further assurances," May told mutinous MPs Monday on her planned dash to Europe ahead of an EU summit later this week. "I will discuss with them the clear concerns that this house has expressed," she said. But European Council president Donald Tusk warned the bloc would not reopen the agreement secured in November after months of negotiations, with Brexit looming on March 29. "We will not renegotiate the deal, including the backstop," he tweeted, referring to the contested clause in the deal relating to Northern Ireland. "But we are ready to discuss how to facilitate UK ratification." Tusk said the other 27 EU leaders would discuss Brexit at a special meeting on Thursday, at the start of a pre-planned summit in Brussels which May will attend. - Lawmaker outrage - MPs in the House of Commons were due to vote Tuesday night on the deal with Brussels, which covers the terms of Britain's withdrawal from the European Union after 46 years. But facing a huge rebellion of her own Tory MPs, primarily over the backstop clause designed to keep open Britain's border with Ireland, May conceded she expected to lose and delayed it. The decision sent the pound plunging, and both sides said they would step up preparations for the potentially disastrous scenario that Britain leaves with no deal. The delay also prompted outrage among lawmakers, with one leading Conservative rebel, Brexit-supporter Mark Francois, accusing the government of having "hidden in the toilets". In a sign of the uproar, an opposition Labour MP was ejected from the House of Commons after picking up the ceremonial mace in protest at the government's conduct. The mace -- a symbol of royal authority required to sit in its place for parliament to pass laws -- was last taken from its place in protest in 2009. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, who is facing calls to table a no-confidence vote in the prime minister, secured an emergency debate for Tuesday on the decision to pull the vote. "The government has lost control of events and is in complete disarray," he said. Labour added it would hold off on trying to unseat May for now. "We will put down a motion of no confidence when we judge it most likely to be successful," a party spokesperson said. - Political chaos - Guy Verhofstadt, the European Parliament's Brexit co-ordinator, expressed his disbelief at the political chaos engulfing Westminster. "After two years of negotiations, the Tory government wants to delay the vote," he tweeted. "It's time they make up their mind!" May spoke at the weekend to Tusk, Merkel and Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar, raising speculation they offered some hope of further concessions. EU leaders have repeatedly warned they have no appetite to reopen a divorce deal. But some bloc officials have mentioned the possibility of changes to the accompanying political declaration on future trade ties. Anand Menon, European politics professor at King's College London, said May needed Brussels to make it "absolutely clear" no major concessions are on offer -- no matter who is prime minister. "What they might do is add some language to the political declaration, not the withdrawal agreement," he added. "I imagine they'll add some language saying that both sides remain convinced that we'll never need to use the backstop". The embattled British leader is facing a rebellion in her own party and from parliamentary allies that threatens to sink both her Brexit agreement and her leadership Pound sterling versus dollar Embattled British Prime Minister Theresa May met sympathy but a firm rebuff on a lightning tour of European capitals on Tuesday, with EU leaders ruling out any renegotiation of the Brexit deal. A day after she postponed a crucial vote on the accord in the British parliament, May said she was urging EU counterparts to give a "reassurance" that a measure designed to avoid a hard Irish border would only ever be temporary. After a "long and frank discussion" with May the president of the European Council, a frustrated Donald Tusk, said he did not know what more they could do. In a tweet, he said it was clear that European leaders wanted to help, but added: "The question is how." In The Hague, Berlin and Brussels, May was told that, while some clarification about how the agreement will be interpreted is possible, the accord itself must stand. After her talks with May, Merkel told lawmakers of her CDU/CSU bloc that she saw "no way to change" the agreement, according to sources at the party meeting. May faces criticism in parliament over the so-called Northern Ireland "backstop" and hopes reassurances that it will not be invoked will persuade her rebellious Conservative party to support it. "Whatever outcome you want, whatever relationship you want with Europe in the future, there's no deal available that doesn't have a backstop within it," May told the BBC. "But we don't want the backstop to be used and if it is, we want to be certain that it is temporary, and it's those assurances that I'll be seeking from fellow leaders over the coming days." - 'The only deal possible' - In Brussels, May also met European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker for just over an hour, but neither made public statements and the EU leader's office said they would not react until Wednesday's regular press briefing. Juncker said ahead of the meeting that he was "surprised" at being asked for more talks since EU leaders had given their approval to the deal at an extraordinary summit on November 25. "The deal we have achieved is the best deal possible, it's the only deal possible," he told the European Parliament in Strasbourg. "There is no room whatsoever for renegotiation but of course there is room, if used intelligently, to give further clarification and further interpretations." MPs in the House of Commons were due to vote on the deal on Tuesday night, but May deferred it on Monday, admitting she expected to lose by a "significant margin". Her spokesman said Tuesday the vote would be rescheduled before January 21, with Britain due to leave the EU on March 29. Opposition Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn is now facing calls to table a no-confidence vote in the prime minister, but is holding off as the party believes May is likely to win. Eurosceptic MPs in May's Conservative party have also repeated calls for her to be replaced, with one warning it was time to "govern or quit". Tusk has called a special meeting of the other 27 EU leaders for Thursday to discuss the latest developments. They were due to meet Thursday and Friday at a regular summit where May was expected to put her case. - 'I'm very worried' - Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney said his government ruled out changes to the wording of the withdrawal agreement, but said there could be "a political declaration coming from a European Council". "The Irish government doesn't have an issue with providing reassurance if that's helpful," he told national broadcaster RTE. May is to visit Dublin Wednesday to meet Prime Minister Leo Varadkar. The backstop provision is designed to prevent a hard border reappearing between Ireland and Northern Ireland. But critics say it risks tying Britain into a customs union with the EU for years after it leaves the bloc -- far from the clean break that eurosceptics want. One of May's ministers, Martin Callanan, said in Brussels on Tuesday that Britain was seeking "additional legal reassurances that the UK cannot be permanently trapped in the Irish backstop". Even if no deal is secured, Britain remains on course to leave the EU on March 29 -- a scenario the government has warned will be hugely damaging to the economy. Tusk said Thursday's EU meeting would cover no-deal plans, while May's cabinet was also due to discuss the issue on Wednesday. France's minister for European affairs, Nathalie Loiseau, said the possibility of no deal was "not unlikely", adding: "I'm very worried." burs-dc/dl Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May had lunch with Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin on a tour of European capitals in a desperate bid to salvage her Brexit deal British Prime Minister Theresa May and European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker prior to their meeting on Tuesday British Prime Minister Theresa May was in The Hague Tuesday for talks with Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte before heading to Berlin to meet Angela Merkel and on to Brussels as she bids to salvage her Brexit plan Brexit timeline, 2016-2020 Murdered Melbourne woman Elly Warren will only get justice if the Australian Federal Police is given clearance to help with the African investigation, her mother believes. Ellys family have ramped up calls for the Australian government to apply strong diplomatic pressure on Mozambique following a number of revelations around the 20-year-olds unsolved death. The push for answers came after Ellys father Paul Warren travelled to the Mozambique beach town of Tofo, where she was found dead in November 2016. In only a few days, he uncovered vital information that appears to have been missed or overlooked by local authorities. Following renewed attention in the case, a Scottish woman told AAP how she escaped a sexual attack from a police officer in Tofo six years earlier, just 300 metres from where Ellys body was found. Elly Warren was found dead in Tofo in November 2016. Source: Change.org Prime Minister Scott Morrison has raised Ellys death with Mozambique authorities at the most senior levels. Labor Leader Bill Shorten has been campaigning on behalf of Ellys family, writing to Foreign Minister Marise Payne, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade secretary Frances Adamson and AFP commissioner Andrew Colvin. I am aware of apparent inconsistencies in the investigation into Ellys death conducted by the local authorities, including possible interference in the crime scene, and conflicting evidence, Mr Shorten wrote. Ellys mother Nicole Cafarella wants the government to keep asking questions in a bid to allow the AFP to assist in the investigation. Australian officials cannot go into another country to investigate the death of a citizen, but governments are able to invite foreign help in exceptional circumstances. Ms Warrens family has called for more to be done to find out what led to her death.Source: AAP There is precedent for that happening, with AFP officers travelling to Croatia in 2010 for a 10-day mission to investigate the death of Melbourne woman Britt Lapthorne, whose body was found in Dubrovnik two years earlier. After two years we felt like weve exhausted all avenues, Ms Cafarella told AAP. Story continues Weve realised theyre (Mozambique police) heavily involved and we feel theyre even responsible for Ellys murder and not willing to let the truth come out. This is not only to get justice for Elly, but to try and protect other tourists going there as well. Ms Cafarella said the family had cooperated patiently with authorities for two years, but felt nothing would ever be achieved by sitting back and waiting. Even if Ellys murder was solved, were still dealing with the loss of our daughter, so thats never going to change, she said. Theres reminders of her every day, but knowing theres somebody responsible for her murder out there and theyre not facing any consequences is even harder to take. A Change.Org petition in support of Ellys family and their push for answers is closing in on 50,000 signatures. Patriotic internet users in Myanmar have rushed to defend Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey, whose tweets following a visit to the "beautiful" country drew global scorn for failing to mention the persecution of Rohingya Muslims. Dorsey posted a series of gushing tweets on Sunday following a 10-day silent meditation retreat at a monastery near Mandalay, praising the country's food, people and natural beauty. But he did not mention the plight of the persecuted Rohingya, 720,000 of whom have fled a military crackdown in the last few years that has been called a genocide by UN investigators. Twitter lit up with outrage as Dorsey found himself pilloried on his own platform for being "tone-deaf" and "clueless" in his tweets. But in Myanmar -- where the plight of the Rohingya does not draw much sympathy -- internet users leapt to the defence of the Silicon Valley billionaire. "Many western people say they love democracy but they don't respect someone's inner peace," Aung Aung posted on Facebook, which is far more popular in Myanmar than Twitter. "We want to explain about ourselves to the world but we can't," another user Wunna posted. "Now the CEO of Twitter has explained it... we feel proud," he added. Tourism is a crucial source of income in the former military-ruled nation and has seen steadily rising numbers of visitors since the country started opening up in 2011, peaking at a total of 3.4 million last year. Industry insiders say the increasing number of regional tourists is helping to compensate for the major drop in western visitors since the Rohingya crisis, but revenues are down. Some experts have warned against boycotting the country, which was sealed off for decades by the former junta to all but the hardiest of travellers. Visitors staying away for ethical reasons could always donate their money instead, Vicky Bowman from the Myanmar Centre for Responsible Business pointed out. "I hope they will put their holiday budget towards humanitarian relief for refugees in Bangladesh and northern Myanmar," she told AFP. Dorsey has yet to respond to the criticism. It is not the first foot-in-mouth moment for the travelling tech mogul. While on a trip to India in November, Dorsey was accused of inciting hatred against the highest caste after he was photographed holding a poster declaring "smash Brahminical patriarchy". Twitter CEO and co-founder Jack Dorsey sparked online outrage with a series of tweets praising Myanmar, without making any reference to the persecution of Rohingya that has sent hundreds of thousands fleeing across the border A Palestinian was shot dead by Israeli forces near the flashpoint city of Hebron in the occupied West Bank on Tuesday during what Israeli officials said was an attack. Palestinian official news agency Wafa identified the dead man as Omar Awwad, 27, and said he was shot by Israeli forces near Hebron. The health ministry confirmed he had died after being taken to hospital. Israeli police said a man was shot after driving his car towards border police at a checkpoint. A statement said Israeli forces had reached Awwad's village Idna to take action against illegal burning of copper taking place there. "A Palestinian car driven by the suspect tried to escape the security forces, the car hit the supervisor's car and headed toward a border police officer who was securing the event," a statement said. "The officer fired at the car, hitting the man suspected of attempting to run him over," the police statement said, confirming Awwad's death. In a separate incident in the northern West Bank, a Palestinian car drove toward Israeli security forces involved in enforcing construction laws. Border policemen fired in the air and apprehended the driver, a 30-year-old resident of the village Jiftlik. Later Tuesday, Israeli forces entered the centre of the city of Ramallah, home of the Palestinian government, for the second day. Forces closed several roads near the Palestinian finance ministry, firing tear gas and sound grenades at protesters hurling rocks. Israeli forces in the West Bank have been on high alert since Sunday evening, when seven Israelis were wounded in a shooting at the entrance to a West Bank settlement. A woman and her prematurely delivered baby were still in serious condition on Tuesday, a hospital spokeswoman told AFP. "I wish a swift recovery to all those wounded," Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Tuesday at a ceremony marking the operation of a new junction in the West Bank. "We will chase down the perpetrators and settle the account with them." Netanyahu said the Palestinian attacks were aimed at forcing Israelis to leave the West Bank. "We will prove to them that their will to uproot us from our land will be met with a fortified wall," he said. "As long as I'm prime minister of Israel, no Jew will be uprooted from his home." There have been sporadic Palestinian attacks against Israelis in the West Bank. On November 26, a Palestinian rammed a car into Israeli soldiers, injuring three of them. The driver was later killed by Israeli forces. Israeli forcesin the West Bank have been on high alert since Sunday evening, when seven Israelis were wounded in a shooting at the entrance to a West Bank settlement Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday defended the jailing of an elderly rights activist over calls to protest, stressing he wants to prevent events like France's "yellow vest" revolt. The Russian leader was responding to an appeal to free 77-year-old Sergei Ponomaryov, a prominent rights activist who is serving 16 days in police cells for urging people to take part in an unauthorised rally. As a result, Ponomaryov was unable to attend the funeral Tuesday of a longtime comrade, veteran rights activist Lyudmila Alexeyeva, while Putin attended the memorial ceremony. Putin told the presidential rights council, an advisory body, that he would ask Russia's Prosecutor-General Yury Chaika "to look more carefully" at Ponomaryov's case but added that it was "very difficult" for him to question the fairness of court decisions. The president warned that calls to attend unauthorised protests such as those made by Ponomaryov could lead to unrest like that seen in France over the past month. "We don't want to have events in our country like in Paris where they are tearing up cobblestones and burning everything in sight," Putin said. "The country will then plunge into the conditions of a state of emergency," he added. Putin has previously warned against the risk of "colour revolutions" in Russia, referring to the pro-European uprisings in Ukraine and Georgia. Ponomaryov, head of the For Human Rights movement, was sentenced last week to 25 days behind bars for repeated calls to protest, while a higher court in Moscow reduced his sentence to 16 days on Monday. He filed a separate request to be allowed out to pay his last respects to Alexeyeva, who died on Saturday aged 91, but was denied permission. Popular historian Nikolai Svanidze told Putin at the meeting of the rights council that it was "a shame and a disgrace" that Ponomaryov was in jail on the day of Alexeyeva's funeral, which fell on the 100th anniversary of the birth of dissident writer Alexander Solzhnenitsyn. In late October, Ponomaryov made a public call for Russians to take part in an unauthorised rally in Moscow to protest a growing crackdown on young people including teenagers suspected of extremism. Eighteen people were detained for taking part in the rally, held near the building housing the FSB spy agency, successor to the Soviet-era KGB. Russia's President Vladimir Putin has previously warned against the risk of "colour revolutions" in Russia, referring to the pro-European uprisings in Ukraine and Georgia Russians on Tuesday paid their last respects to human rights icon Lyudmila Alexeyeva, with President Vladimir Putin expected to attend a memorial ceremony despite the activist's criticism of his rule. Alexeyeva died on Saturday at the age of 91 after an extraordinary seven-decade career that saw her promote human rights during the Soviet era and in modern Russia. Prominent opposition figures and ordinary Russians queued in the snow amid heavy security to pay their respects to the activist in central Moscow. But Alexeyeva's 77-year-old colleague Lev Ponomaryov, who is currently serving a 16-day jail sentence for calling protests, was absent after a court denied his appeal to attend. Top Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny, who has repeatedly been jailed for organising anti-Putin demonstrations, was at the event. Dmitry Gudkov, an opposition politician who queued to bid farewell to Alexeyeva, told AFP that Putin's expected attendance was "more than contradictory". "Ponomaryov is under arrest but everything is closed off so that Putin can come," he said. "He probably wants to look human. But it looks disgusting on the background of what's happening in the country," he added. Riot police lined the streets outside Moscow's Central House of Journalists where the ceremony was taking place. Mourners had to pass through metal detectors to get inside the building, which was cordoned off by police. "Everyone respected her," said Nataliya Magnitskaya, a pensioner who queued to bid farewell to Alexeyeva. Many carried flowers and some wore t-shirts bearing slogans in support of activists serving jail sentences in Russia. Olga Trusevich, a 54-year-old archivist, wore a t-shirt in support of Oyub Titiev -- a rights activist detained in Chechnya. Alexeyeva was the leader of the Moscow Helsinki Group, one of Russia's oldest rights organisations which she helped found in 1976. In the Soviet era, she campaigned against trials for dissidents and endured numerous searches and interrogations at the hands of the KGB. Alexeyeva continued to campaign for human rights in modern Russia, refusing to register the Moscow Helsinki Group as a "foreign agent" as required by a 2012 law. She slammed Moscow's seizure of the Crimea peninsula from Ukraine in 2014 for "bringing shame on my country". Alexeyeva died in a Moscow hospital on Saturday after a long illness. She will be buried at Moscow's Troyekurovskoye Cemetery. Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny pays his last respects to human rights icon Lyudmila Alexeyeva, a Soviet-era dissident who died at the age of 91 Prominent opposition figures and ordinary Russians queued in the snow amid heavy security to pay their respects to the activist in central Moscow An angry Donald Trump told Democratic leaders at the White House on Tuesday that he will shut down the US government because they refuse to approve billions of dollars in funding for his controversial Mexico border wall. The president and top opposition congressional leaders had been meant to hold a reassuring Oval Office photo-op. Instead, their blazing row in front of the world's media gave a preview of the stormy future facing Trump as legal scandals mount and his Republican party gives up its once total control of Congress. Chuck Schumer, the senior Democrat in the still Republican-dominated Senate, and Nancy Pelosi, who is likely to become speaker in the newly Democrat-controlled House of Representatives in January, bluntly told Trump that he had no chance of getting the $5 billion he wants for the wall. Exasperated, Trump doubled down on earlier threats to retaliate by refusing to sign a federal spending bill required by December 21 to avoid leaving swaths of the government without funding. "Yes, if we don't get what we want one way or the other..., I will shut down the government," he said. "I am proud to shut down the government for border security." Schumer objected, while Pelosi suggested that the debate shouldn't take place in front of journalists. But Trump, whose US-Mexico wall idea was at the center of his surprise 2016 election victory, could not control his irritation. Taking out two memo cards, he read off figures that he said showed a near end to illegal immigration at portions of the border already featuring high fences. "It's been very effective," he said. Pelosi parried that the statistics were incorrect. "What the president is representing (with) his cards over there, are not facts. We have to have an evidence-based conversation about what does work and what money has been spent and how effective it is," Pelosi said. Outside the White House afterwards, Schumer was even more scathing about Trump. "This temper tantrum that he seems to throw will not get him his wall and it will hurt a lot of people," he said. Pelosi was quoted by US media as telling fellow Democrats in Congress that Trump's wall push was "like a manhood thing for him, as if manhood could ever be associated with him." But Trump later played down the scene, saying the meeting had been "very friendly" and that he "respects them both." - First to blink? - Tweeting ahead of the White House meeting, Trump claimed that the wall was needed to prevent "large scale crime and disease" brought by illegal immigrants. The issue is popular with his political base, which wants radically tighter controls at the southern border, a magnet for impoverished Central Americans fleeing gang violence and seeking work in the United States. Opponents say the wall is not only a waste of money but has been used by the president to whip up xenophobia. Trump, who leads chants of "build the wall" at campaign rallies, has been frustrated in the first two years of his administration. Now, as the government funding deadline approaches, both sides will have to decide whether to blink. After the meeting with Pelosi and Schumer, Trump insisted that he'd hold firm. "I don't mind owning that issue," he said. "If we have to close down the country over border security I actually like that." Trump said earlier Tuesday that he could even order the military to do the work if Congress refused to fund construction -- although it was not clear that he had the authority. Washington has been paralyzed by political gridlock for most of Trump's two years in office and the partisan divide is set to intensify in January when Democrats take over the House majority. The power shift comes as Trump faces ever-growing peril from criminal investigations, with talk growing of possible impeachment proceedings against the president. President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence took part in a heated exchange with House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer at the White House Nancy Pelosi, expected to become speaker in the newly Democrat-controlled House of Representatives, told President Donald Trump his statistics on illegal immigration were incorrect After his meeting with Donald Trump, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer accused the president of throwing a "temper tantrum" to secure funding for his wall on the Mexican border Donald Trump's very public row with Democratic leaders came as he reels from the new reality of his Republican party no longer controlling Congress The United Nations said Monday it was seeking $4 billion to provide humanitarian aid to some 20 million Yemenis next year -- or about 70 percent of the war-stricken country's population. Each year, the world body needs an additional billion dollars, UN Under Secretary General and Emergency Relief Coordinator Mark Lowcock said. A donors' conference backed by Sweden, Switzerland and the UN is set to take place on February 26 in Geneva. "We didn't have a cessation of hostilities," although the violence appears to have decreased, added Lowcock, who recently traveled to the country, expressing hope for a positive outcome to peace negotiations taking place in Sweden between the parties under UN auspices. He denounced obstacles to the delivery of humanitarian aid, noting that Yemen also needs help to bring its economy back from the brink. "Hodeida port is crucial" for humanitarian aid, Lowcock said, referring to the flashpoint city at the heart of negotiations in Sweden. The Yemeni government, which is backed by Saudi Arabia and its military allies, has been battling the Iran-backed Huthi rebels for control of Yemen for nearly four years, spawning what the United Nations calls the world's worst humanitarian crisis. Yemeni women demand the reopening of Sanaa's airport to obtain medical aid on December 10, 2018 The UN Secretary-General will attend the closing session of talks between Yemen's government and rival rebels in Sweden this week, his office said Tuesday, amid a last-minute push to contain the violence in two of the war-torn country's hotspots. Nearly four years into a war that has pushed 14 million Yemenis to the brink of mass starvation, the Saudi-backed government of Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi and Huthi rebels, linked to Riyadh's arch-rival Iran, have been in UN-brokered talks since Thursday in the rural town of Rimbo in Sweden. Mediators are pushing for a de-escalation of violence in two flashpoint cities: rebel-held Hodeida, a port city vital to the delivery of humanitarian aid, and Taiz, Yemen's third largest city, scene of some of the most intense fighting of the war. The rival parties have not yet agreed to UN proposed drafts on Hodeida and Taiz. Both proposals include the de-escalation of hostilities. UN chief Antonio Guterres is scheduled to attend the last day of talks in Sweden on Thursday. He will "hold meetings with the two delegations and will address the closing session of this round of consultations," the UN said in a statement. Last week Guterres called for de-escalation around Hodeida in particular. While the Sweden talks do not aim to broker an official ceasefire, a UN official on Tuesday confirmed a draft for a full "political framework" had been submitted to both parties. The official declined to give further detail. Another round of talks has been tentatively scheduled for early 2019. - Prisoner swap - The Sweden talks are the first meeting between the two parties in the Yemen conflict in more than two years. The last round of talks, in 2016, collapsed after more than three months of negotiations. The two parties on Tuesday finalised an agreement on a massive prisoner exchange, the largest such deal between the rival parties since the outbreak of the conflict between the rebels and the government, backed since 2015 by a military coalition led by Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Askar Zaeel, a government negotiator on the prisoner swap, said the rebels had named 7,487 detainees whom they were willing to release. The government named 8,576 detainees, Zaeel said. Rebel negotiator Abdelkader Mourtada confirmed a total of more than 15,000 prisoners and detainees had been named in the swap, including UAE and Saudi citizens. He did not give further details. Zaeel told AFP the government demanded that the rebels hand over the body of Ali Abdullah Saleh, Yemen's former president who was killed at the hands of the Huthis after he broke a fragile alliance with the rebels to re-align with Saudi Arabia. Both parties said the exchange should be complete by January, pending final revisions of the lists. The International Committee of the Red Cross has confirmed it will oversee the exchange. - No truce - The government on Tuesday ruled out a truce, one day after the Saudi-led coalition said military operations were ongoing in Hodeida. The government alliance launched an offensive to retake the rebel-held city in June, sparking an international outcry over the fate of its 600,000 residents and a port crucial for food imports. "This has been proposed as part of the general framework, and this is what we came to make progress on: a full, complete ceasefire. But I think we will be unable to achieve this progress in this round," Zaeel told AFP. "This is a round of talks to prepare for that." More than 10,000 people have been killed since Saudi Arabia and its allies joined the government's war against the Huthis, triggering what the UN calls the world's worst humanitarian crisis. Both parties stand accused of failing to protect civilians. The Saudi-led alliance has been blacklisted by the UN for the killing and maiming of children. UN chief Antonio Guterres is scheduled to attend the last day of the Yemen talks in Sweden on Thursday Huthi representative Salim al-Moughaless (R) and Yemeni government representative Ahmed Ghaleb at talks in Sweden where the two sides have exchanged some 15,000 names for a prisoner swap War has pushed 14 million Yemenis to the brink of mass starvation The Saudi-backed government is battling Huthi rebels linked to Iran for control of Yemen The Board of Regents joined a coalition of education groups in calling for a sizable state aid increase next year for New York school districts. The Regents on Monday called for a $2.1 billion state aid increase. It would include $1.66 billion more in foundation aid, which is the base aid provided to districts, a $410 million increase in reimbursement-based aid, $25 million more to expand career and technical education programs and $26 million for universal prekindergarten. Regents also urged the state to fully phase-in the foundation aid formula over three years. That's the basis of the $1.6 billion in foundation aid sought by the board. They want to see that amount given to districts annually for the next three years. "The Board of Regents and I believe that all children should have access to a high-quality education regardless of their race, where they live or where they go to school," Regents Chancellor Betty Rosa said in a statement. Last week, the New York State Education Conference Board consisting of several stakeholders, including the New York State United Teachers union and the state School Boards Association, suggested a $2.2 billion education aid increase. The coalition's proposal was similar to what the Regents outlined. The groups called for $1.31 billion in additional foundation aid and $400 million more for reimbursement-based aid. NYSUT praised the Regents' proposal. In a statement, union President Andy Pallotta claimed it's a reflection of the investment needed to boost the state's public education system. "We welcome the Regents' strong, ongoing support for a significant new investment in public education one that would enable our school districts from Long Island to Buffalo to better meet students' growing needs," Pallotta said. The education groups and Regents traditionally request large state aid increases, but the actual amount provided in the state budget usually falls below the proposed levels. E.J. McMahon, research director at the Empire Center for Public Policy, analyzed the proposals Monday and wrote that the aid hikes would "consume virtually all allowable added state spending." He referred to Gov. Andrew Cuomo's self-imposed 2 percent state spending cap, which the state attempts to abide by in budget negotiations. There are other factors that could affect the state aid allocation. There is a projected budget deficit of $402 million the state must close this year, and McMahon also noted the stock market trend which could lead to a decline in state tax revenues. McMahon also panned the push by the Education Conference Board and the Regents calling for a "full phase-in" of the foundation aid formula. This refers to the 2007 Campaign for Fiscal Equity lawsuit and ongoing claims that the state hasn't lived up to its commitment of funding New York schools. "The annual Regents and school lobby budget wish lists form the basis for spending pressure by ECB legislative allies who maintain (falsely) that the original school aid overhaul enacted in 2007 by then-Governor Eliot Spitzer was a 'promise' the state has repeatedly broken since the Great Recession," McMahon wrote. Cuomo will release his executive budget proposal next month. The budget plan will include his proposal for state school aid. State lawmakers will release their own proposals in early 2019. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1 OWASCO A judge Monday ordered no further fines in the case of Joseph Tidd, an Owasco farmer cited by the town earlier this year after he housed workers on his farm in violation of a town order. Owasco Town Justice Mark DiVietro on Monday did not issue any new fines against Tidd, owner of Melrose Farms, but ordered a one-year conditional discharge that would allow the town to reopen the case against him and pursue further judgement if any new violations were found. Tidd was cited by the town in September after one of the dairy's workers came forward in a letter to say workers were still living in a building the town had months earlier ordered Tidd to stop using as housing. When the town first issued a cease-and-desist order in February, workers and their families, including toddlers, described unsafe conditions that included cockroaches and mice and exposed electrical wiring. In addition to the discharge, DiVietro ordered a two-year period during which the town's Code Enforcement Officer has the authority to inspect Tidd's property and ensure he is in compliance with the town's orders. "We will take the proper steps to do whatever," Tidd said when DiVietro told him to be sure to follow permitting and other procedures for any future work on the property. Tidd also told DiVietro that he had hired two new workers since closing the structure, but the men were living in Weedsport and not on his farm. While DiVietro did not order any new fines, Tidd previously reimbursed the town government for the $3,256 in attorney fees accrued litigating his case. The Cayuga County Board of Health, which had been investigating Tidd for a septic violation related to the same building he housed workers in, ordered a $500 fine, citing the "egregious nature" of his repeated violations. Both the town and county have reported that Tidd has complied with their orders, including the removal of electric, heating and septic systems, and has turned the structure into housing for calves. Members of the Worker's Center of Central New York, an advocacy nonprofit that represents several of Tidd's former workers, who attended the hearing Monday said they did not feel the ruling was adequate. "I don't feel it's very fair. He should have been fined because of all the consequences for other people," Crispin Hernandez, an organizer with the center said, with Lead Organizer Rebecca Fuentes translating. Hernandez, who frequently met with workers on the farm as part of an outreach program, said it was unfair for Tidd to not be fined when the workers not only endured the conditions on the property but lost their jobs as well. Although the specific ruling was less than satisfying, Fuentes said she hoped it would at least serve as a message to other farmers that once they house workers they effectively become tenants, with all the legal rights to dignified housing that entails. "Just because you are a farm worker and are from Guatemala or Mexico doesn't mean you deserve anything less," Fuentes said. Tidd declined to comment after his hearing Monday. Staff writer Ryan Franklin can be reached at (315) 282-2252 or ryan.franklin@lee.net. Follow him on Twitter @RyanNYFranklin. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 5 Here's a look at how calls from Britney Spears and her fans to #FreeBritney eventually worked. Now, what happens next? One-party rule in New York isnt likely to improve conditions where we need it the most improving the states notoriously toxic business climate. For years, the needs and concerns of job-creating businesses have taken a back seat to pricey gimmicks and giveaways that have failed to deliver promised economic energy. I spoke to the Business Council of New York State, Inc. this week, and it was a simple message Albany has not done nearly enough to help our home-grown businesses. Consider this: in 2016, Gov. Cuomo and legislative majorities formed the Business Regulation Council, a group charged with recommending ways to make the state friendly for job creators. In reality, this was nothing more than an attempt to ease the business communitys widespread anger after the $15/hour minimum wage hike was passed. The Business Regulation Council put out 26 recommendations. Two and half years later, only three have been implemented. Ironically, thats exactly the number of upstate casinos that were selected, sited and built in roughly the same amount of time. NEED A REAL ATTEMPT AT TURNAROUND Our bottom-of-the-barrel rankings on important economic measurements are well-chronicled. Various reports have graded New York as: 48th worst business tax climate; 48th for business friendliness, 50th for tax climate, 2nd-worst debt burden, and on and on. Whatever positive economic development gains we see are far too heavily tilted downstate. Between 2011 and 2018, New York state added 984,000 private-sector jobs, but only 19 percent of those landed upstate. In that same span, a total of 184,400 jobs were created upstate, while Brooklyn alone saw 164,000. Fully 22 upstate counties have not yet recovered the jobs lost during the 2009 recession. Desperate corporate handouts make good headlines but dont replace permanent, comprehensive policy. Despite the governors claims, New York is in very bad shape. Simply put, we are not competitive with the rest of the nation. BUSINESSES CANNOT THRIVE UNDER THESE CONDITIONS The business climate will not improve unless we lift the crushing taxes businesses face. I, alongside members of the Assembly Minority Conference, sponsored the Small Business Full Employment Act (A.5423) to provide tax and regulatory relief to small businesses, an important first step toward making macro improvements to the states economic outlook. The governor needs to realize, small businessesnot global, multi-billion dollar corporationsprovide jobs for more than half of the workers in this state. Our Conference is also calling for much-needed economic development oversight, regulatory relief, a permanent real property tax cap and a statutory spending cap. These measures, working in concert with one another, will correct the fundamental flaws in our business climate and economy. Putting more money in the pockets of our business owners, reducing mandates that hinder growth with no tangible benefit and facilitating job growth in every part of New York are required to stop the economic skid Gov. Cuomo has ignored. The Legislature is preparing to reconvene and begin our important work improving the quality of life for New Yorks residents. It is vital we look toward the job creators, the economic drivers and the backbone of our economyour business ownersas we start work anew in 2019. What do you think? I want to hear from you. Send me your feedback, suggestions and ideas regarding this or any other issue facing New York State. You can always contact my district office at (315) 781-2030, email me at kolbb@nyassembly.gov, find me by searching for Assemblyman Brian Kolb on Facebook and follow me on Twitter. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 The Finger Lakes are vital shared natural resources for watershed communities, providing recreational, aesthetic, financial value in addition to serving as the primary drinking water source for many residents both in the watersheds and beyond. Water quality issues, like toxic harmful algal blooms, are threatening the health of many Finger Lakes and what they provides for these communities. Non-point source pollution and nutrient loading from surface water runoff are major contributors to water quality issues, including HABs. Increasing riparian buffers, planting more vegetation, reducing fertilizer application, and other decisions we make on our landscapes can help protect water quality in the watershed. To engage and educate community members, property owners, and municipal officials in watershed on the importance of making decisions on their properties that protect water quality, like the ones listed above, Cornell Cooperative Extension Onondaga held a "Landscaping for Water Quality" event in the Skaneateles Watershed this Fall, co-sponsored by our partners at the Skaneateles Lake Association and the town of Skaneateles. Through presentations from experts and easy-to-use educational guides, watershed residents were connected with information, tools, and resources necessary to help reduce the negative impacts from storm-water runoff that leaves their properties to protect water quality in their community. Over 200 watershed residents, municipal officials, and watershed stakeholders attended the event and learned ways to make smarter decisions on the landscape to protect water quality. Skaneateles High School students were recruited as volunteers assist during the event. This connected them to opportunity to learn about the topic, gain volunteer experience related to protecting their watershed, and network with agency staff and professionals in the environmental and public service fields. Local nurseries who have many of the plant species recommended during event were present with materials and contact information to encourage attendees to take the next step and add plantings to their properties. All attendees left with the CCE publication "Landscaping for Water Quality," an easy-to-use guide for residents to implement the information they learned at the event on their property. For this publication, or for more information disseminated at the event, please visit cceonondaga.org. CCE Onondaga programming in the Skaneateles Watershed is funded by the City of Syracuse Water Department. Shannon Fabiani Syracuse Shannon Fabiani is a water and ecology specialist with Cornell Cooperative Extension in Onondaga County. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has put the brakes on a proposed law that would create a nationwide database of citizens who access porn online, according to a report by The Jerusalem Postin a country where hackers just seven years earlier leaked the personal information of every one of Israels nine million residents. But the bill, designed to create a complete ban on porn in Israel, may not be dead yet. The bill was introduced last week by Israeli Knesset (i.e. Partliament) member Miki Zohar of the conservative Likud Partythe party led by Netanyahu. "In the non-virtual world we have laws protecting minors to prevent them from venturing into sex shops and gambling centers, but online, children can be exposed to content that is unsuitable for their ages," said Zohar, according to an earlier Post report. "The Internet is a public space and along with the right and freedom of expression for every citizen lays the right and freedom of children to be in the public domain without encountering inappropriate content for their age. But privacy advocates said that the true purpose of the law was not to shield children from online porn, but to shame adults who choose to view the adult material, according to the Israeli newspaper Haaretz. The bill would require all internet service providers to install filters blocking online porn sites from their own customersbut also contained a provision allowing users to opt out of the anti-porn filtering system. But to opt out, users must upload personal information allowing them to obtain an access code for online porn, according to Haaretz. A revised version of the bill attempted to address privacy concerns by requiring ISPs to erase data on user behavior. Nonetheless, Haaretz reported, Zohar and a representative of telecom company Cellcom admitted that in the end, lists of porn users would be created, intentionally or not. Nir Hirshman, of Israels Digital Rights Movement warned that the bill would turn Israel into a nation of informants who look over their shoulder to see whos following them, and shady officials who have blacklists of deviants. Netanyahu, however, halted the billat least for nowby raising concerns of internet censorship at a weekly Likud meeting of government ministers over the weekend. My concern is that the internet, a space where there is [currently] no government regulation, will become regulated, the prime minister said, according to The Times of Israel. Who determines what content is permitted and what content is prohibited? Who will determine the interpretations? You have to be very careful when a regulator enters this space. Zohar nonetheless said that he believed Netanyahu would ultimately throw his support behind the bill. Similar concerns have been raised about a United Kingdom law, now scheduled to take effect next year, which as AVN.com has reported, would require U.K. internet users to upload personal data in order to verify that they were of legal age to view porn sites. Photo by Matty Stern / Wikimedia Commons HORSHAM, Pa.The newest products from Fredericks of Hollywood Toysthe Lipstick Vibe and the Lay On Vibeare now shipping from Xgen Products. Both items come ready to wrap with a gift tag, wrapping paper, decorative ribbon and a foil sticker for holiday gifting or for other occasions. Both vibes will retail between $59 and $79, making these the most affordable Fredericks of Hollywood Toys to date. These two new vibes from Fredericks of Hollywood Toys arrive just in time for the upcoming holiday season, said Andy Green, president of Xgen Products. Both vibes may be small in size, but still pack a punch while providing the quality and effectiveness that Fredericks name is known for. Plus, both are great stocking stuffers! The Lipstick Vibe is compact and features a powerful motor with nine vibrating functions that, while whisper quiet, will take things from stimulating arousal to off the charts orgasm. The discreet, lipstick-shaped vibrator comes in black and purple, and has a USB socket for easy charging without any messy cables. A satin storage bag is included. The Lay-On Vibe features nine vibrating functions along with a compact size and contouring shape that hits the right spot each time. Its ergonomic design fits perfectly between the legs (or other curved body parts) for grinding, clitoral stimulation, and more. Made of soft silicone and available in black or purple, the vibe is USB Rechargeable, body safe, splash proof and comes in a satin storage bag. To learn more about Xgen Products and its wide range of adult products and novelty items, visit XgenB2B.com. PHOENIXEntrnue is celebrating its 25th anniversary in business with a special 2019 calendar/catalog hybrid. The cleverand usefultool incorporates the boutique distributors colorful history with some of the companys top-selling products. The artful project offers customers a trip down memory lane with monthly homages to popular adult brands masterfully mixed with some of the most memorable moments of 1994, the year Entrenue was founded. As unique as it is handy, Entrenues 2019 calendar offers a fun flashback to a time before adult products were even a twinkle in the distributors eye. Founded in October 1994, Entrenue was primarily a book distributor and carried a bookshelfs worth of product until it began incorporating adult products into its growing catalog. Self-proclaimed CEO and owner Joe Casella bought the company in 2006 and, in just a few years, Entrenue expanded into a 12,500-square-foot warehouse. Soon the boutique distributor was setting precedents by being the first to carry what eventually became some of the industrys most notable and famous brands. Our catalog went from 80 to 450 pages by the time we stopped doing print catalogs entirely, and now were finding fun and creative ways to showcase our offerings while also giving customers something to enjoy month to month, Casella said. Our 2019 calendar was especially fun to put together because we got to highlight some of 1994s most memorable moments while also poking a little fun at ourselves. Be sure to check out the photo lineup in the back of the calendar each features an Entrenue staff member circa 1994. Bet you cant guess whos who! More than just a pretty face, Entrenues 2019 calendar is packed with practical features, including a brand index that thoughtfully highlights which are exclusives, woman-owned, made in the USA, and carry organic products. Customers also will appreciate a timeline of notable moments in Entrenues 25 years, including 2003 when the company introduced LELO to the adult market and 2008 when Entrenue partnered with We-Vibe and sent them their very first PO. Twenty-five years is a major milestone and the Entrenue team is excited to celebrate with our loyal customersbecause without them, we wouldnt be where we are today! Senior Account Executive and Buyer Kim Maty said. Our 2018 calendar/catalog hybrid was a hit with customers and even garnered three mainstream marketing and design awards, Entrenue Director of Sales and Marketing Lily Wang said. Well be submitting our calendar into this years awards circuit, too, and we cant wait to hear what our network thinks. The 2019 Entrenue Calendar is shipping now and all active Entrenue customers will receive theirs automatically. Sign up to be an Entrenue member to get yours while supplies last! To sign up or view Entrenues inventory, visit Entrenue.com, and to place an order, call (800) 368-7268 or email [email protected]. Further study the development of a statewide system for mental health screening of school children in North Carolina. Require a civic responsibility education in elementary, middle, and high school. This would include teaching students about respect for school personnel, responsibility for school safety, service to others, and good citizenship. Expand the first aid training requirement for students to include training in use of the automatic external defibrillator and bleeding control. Continuing and expanding the school safety grants from $30 million in recurring and nonrecurring funds in 2018 to more than $53 million in recurring and nonrecurring funds for 2019. Reintroduce school safety legislation which didn't pass in the 2017 legislative session. This includes establishing threat assessment teams and peer-to-peer support programs, establishing vulnerability assessments for all school buildings, and requiring all public schools in a county to comply with the county school board's state of emergency plan. Form a House Study Committee on School Safety during the 2019-20 legislative session to study other ways to improve school safety. After months of meeting across the state, the House Select Committee on School Safety met for the final time Thursday to approve another round of recommendations to make schools safer.The school safety committee was formed in the wake of the Feb. 14 shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, which left 17 students dead. Since the committee formed, lawmakers have approved more than $35 million for mental health services, additional school resource officers, and security equipment upgrades.The committee met several times across the state this year before finally meeting in Raleigh for the last time to approve a set of final recommendations. Legislation for them won't appear until next year.Co-Chairman Rep. John Torbett, R-Gaston, said.Lawmakers unanimously approved six recommendations at the Dec. 6 meeting.The recommendations are:Before lawmakers approved the recommendations, they heard a presentation from Charlotte-Mecklenburg County Superintendent Clayton Wilcox. The superintendent talked about the aftermath of the Oct. 16 shooting at Butler High School in Matthews where a 16-year-old boy was killed.The school district made changes after the shooting, including starting random screenings and bag searches, increasing investment in student support, and expanding video surveillance systems.Wilcox said.The CMS superintendent said the model of "see something, say something" has been working. The day after the Oct. 16 incident, a CMS student reported seeing a gun on campus. The incident was handled by authorities before anything could happen.Rep. Pricey Harrison, D-Guilford, suggested lawmakers should discuss gun access in future school safety committee meetings. While several Democratic lawmakers and Gov. Roy Cooper have advocated new gun control legislation to address school violence, Republican lawmakers have opted instead to focus on mental health services and physical security measure, including funding for more SROs.Rep. Craig Horn, R-Union, cautioned lawmakers that while it's important to fund mental health support, the state doesn't have a bottomless pot of money to draw from.Horn said.Wilcox said any investment in the social/emotional health of kids is wise.Wilcox said. The Farm Bill language released yesterday includes the Parity in Animal Cruelty Enforcement (PACE) Act, which clarifies that federal prohibitions against dogfighting and cockfighting activity apply to all U.S. jurisdictions, including the U.S. territories. Photo by Kendra Stanley-Mills/AP Images for the HSUS 5.7K shares Update! The U.S. Senate has just voted to approve the Farm Bill by a vote of 87 to 13. The bill did not include the dreaded King amendment that had the potential to nullify important state and local laws protecting animals, but senators approved three key measures that benefit companion animals. The House is expected to vote on the bill later this week, so stay tuned for more updates on the blog. The Farm Bill is not the most rousing of legislative packages, when it comes around every five years or so, but its mighty important in our fight to protect animals. For us, and for the Humane Society Legislative Fund, its become a last stand against one of the most reckless proposals ever introduced in any legislature an amendment that Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, has been attempting to foist upon his colleagues and the rest of us. Thankfully, the final Farm Bill language released last night by leaders of the U.S. House and Senate agriculture committees does not include the King amendment. So that dangerous amendment is going exactly where it deserves to go nowhere. The King amendment threatened to do immeasurable harm to animals, by nullifying state and local laws that address, among other issues, the consumption of horse and dog meat, ending the slaughter of horses, the extreme confinement of farm animals, shark finning and animals in puppy mills. But it also threatened to undermine the work states and localities do to protect their citizens in a broad range of policy areas, including food safety, child labor, opioids, pesticide exposure, fire-safe cigarettes, manure management and handling of diseased livestock. It was a straight-up attack on states rights to legislate to protect their citizens and animals, and its dead now. The Humane Society of the United States and the Humane Society Legislative Fund worked to marshal overwhelming opposition to the King amendment, bringing together a coalition of more than 225 groups across the political spectrum in opposition. There was still more good news in the package released last night as it also includes language incorporating three animal protection bills that humane advocates have been working throughout the last session to push through: The Pet and Women Safety (PAWS) Act will extend current federal domestic violence protections to include pets and authorize grant money to help domestic violence shelters accommodate pets (only three percent currently allow pets) or arrange for pet shelter. The measure was supported by a broad network of domestic violence, law enforcement, veterinary and animal welfare organizations and pet product companies. The bill was originally introduced by Sens. Gary Peters, D-Mich., and Dean Heller, R-Nev., and Reps. Katherine Clark, D-Mass., and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, R-Fla. will extend current federal domestic violence protections to include pets and authorize grant money to help domestic violence shelters accommodate pets (only three percent currently allow pets) or arrange for pet shelter. The measure was supported by a broad network of domestic violence, law enforcement, veterinary and animal welfare organizations and pet product companies. The bill was originally introduced by Sens. Gary Peters, D-Mich., and Dean Heller, R-Nev., and Reps. Katherine Clark, D-Mass., and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, R-Fla. The Dog and Cat Meat Prohibition Act will prevent this horrible trade from taking root here in the United States, and make it easier to advocate for its end worldwide. The consumption of dog and cat meat is already banned in some U.S. states, but if adopted, this provision in the Farm Bill would outlaw it nationwide. This gruesome trade kills some 30 million dogs and untold numbers of cats globally every year. Originally, the measure was introduced as a bill by Reps. Alcee Hastings, D-Fla., and Vern Buchanan, R-Fla., and Rep. Jeff Denham, R-Calif. Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y. and Pat Toomey, R-Pa., played key roles in getting it included in the Farm Bill. will prevent this horrible trade from taking root here in the United States, and make it easier to advocate for its end worldwide. The consumption of dog and cat meat is already banned in some U.S. states, but if adopted, this provision in the Farm Bill would outlaw it nationwide. This gruesome trade kills some 30 million dogs and untold numbers of cats globally every year. Originally, the measure was introduced as a bill by Reps. Alcee Hastings, D-Fla., and Vern Buchanan, R-Fla., and Rep. Jeff Denham, R-Calif. Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y. and Pat Toomey, R-Pa., played key roles in getting it included in the Farm Bill. The Parity in Animal Cruelty Enforcement (PACE) Act clarifies that federal prohibitions against dogfighting and cockfighting activity apply to all U.S. jurisdictions, including the U.S. territories. The amendment will protect animals from cruelty, communities from associated criminal activity, and the public from disease transmission in the food supply. The measure was originally introduced by Reps. Peter Roskam, R-Ill., and Earl Blumenauer, D-Ore., and Sens. Cory Booker, D-N.J., Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Marco Rubio, R-Fla., helped get it into the Farm Bill. Our work keeping the King amendment out of the Farm Bill language and securing these excellent reforms is a significant achievement, but we have more to do. In the coming days, we will need to keep up the fight to get the Farm Bill passed in its current form. Your support has been crucial in getting us to this point, and we need one more thing from you. Please call your U.S. Representative and urge that they support the 2018 Farm Bill. Among other things, you can remind them that Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Pat Roberts, R-Kansas, and Ranking Member Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., and House Agriculture Committee Chairman Mike Conaway, R-Texas, and Ranking Member Collin Peterson, D-Minn., worked hard to reach a strong bipartisan agreement on the Farm Bill. On those and other grounds, it deserves their support. This spells doom for Trump and the NRA. Paul Erickson, hope the sex was fantastic. Maria Butina, 30, was either a perky gun nut with a fetish for sex-starved GOP losers, or a secret agent in Russia's covert influence operation to influence the 2016 United States elections. We had a pretty good idea. But now we know. And she's flipping. Today Maria Butina's lawyers said she agrees to plead guilty to conspiracy and cooperate with federal, state and local authorities in any ongoing investigations. "The agreement, which Butina signed on Saturday, Dec. 8, also notes that the conspiracy charge carries up to five years in prison, but the deal could see Butina receive a lesser sentence, depending on the level of her cooperation, before likely being deported back to Russia." Previous reporting links her to the NRA. The already broke NRA is now in extremely deep shit. Butina is reported to have admitted, as part of the deal copy obtained by ABC News that is expected to be filed to the court, that. She and an unnamed "U.S. Person 1," which sources have identified as longtime Republican operative Paul Erickson, with whom she had a multiyear romantic relationship, "agreed and conspired, with a Russian government official ("Russian Official") and at least one other person, for Butina to act in the United States under the direction of Russian Official without prior notification to the Attorney General." Based on the description, the "Russian Official" appears to be Alexander Torshin, deputy governor of the Russian Central Bank and a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Under his direction, the agreement said, she "sought to establish unofficial lines of communication with Americans having power and influence over U.S. politics." The agreement, which Butina signed on Saturday, Dec. 8, also notes that the conspiracy charge carries a maximum penalty of up to five years in prison, but the deal could see Butina receive a lesser sentence, depending on the level of her cooperation, before likely being deported back to Russia. It is unclear what Butina's cooperation might entail, but federal prosecutors have reportedly notified Erickson that he is a target of an ongoing investigation. The target letter sent to Erickson is from federal prosecutors in Washington, sources familiar with the case told ABC News, and separate from any South Dakota-based federal fraud investigation into his business dealings that has been the subject of earlier media reports. Read the rest of the reporting at ABC News. Anyone seen "Sheriff" David Clarke lately? Also, from back in July, "We now know 'U.S. Person 2' is George O'Neill Jr, an heir to the Rockefeller fortune." Outgoing California congressman Dana 'I love Russia' Rohrabacher was also implicated, and it's possible any of her forthcoming cooperation could impact them both. Watch both of their names as Butina's case unfolds. They are in big trouble. Conspiracy. Not failing to register as a foreign agent, conspiracy. And a cooperation agreement? Oh my. https://t.co/sAHtBihbRJ Ed Bott (@edbott) December 10, 2018 After the meeting, Butina sent the Russian Official a message, which was translated as saying "We should let them express their gratitude now, we will put pressure on them quietly later."https://t.co/yCBg6OmIc7 Rachel Maddow MSNBC (@maddow) December 10, 2018 ABC got a copy of the Maria Butina plea agreement, which says she and an unnamed "person 1" (likely Erickson) conspired with a Russian government official and at least one other personfor Butina to act" as a Russian agent. https://t.co/UOiCpkHZPO Natasha Bertrand (@NatashaBertrand) December 10, 2018 "To have a Presidential candidate in the back pocket of Putin when we had such bad relations with him" "This is an all hands on deck emergency" Former Prosecutor @JonFlan pic.twitter.com/OKclsDcINO TheBeat w/Ari Melber (@TheBeatWithAri) December 10, 2018 Maria Butina, Accused Of Being Russian Agent, Reaches Plea Deal With Feds New Details Here https://t.co/j7XJuWAwHc Carrie Johnson (@johnson_carrie) December 10, 2018 Speaking of Maria Butina I'll never forget the time [NAME REDACTED] reached out to me and said, "Noah, I've found the real Trump-Russia connection." The result was this story:https://t.co/LIppQ1vh2O Noah Shachtman (@NoahShachtman) December 10, 2018 THREAD: Here's a nugget about televangelist Pat Robertson that didn't make it into our into our deep dive about alleged Russian spy Maria Butina, NRA leader David Keene, Jack Abramoff & GOP operative Paul Erickson https://t.co/BE3pKkbfjw Anna Massoglia (@annalecta) December 10, 2018 FARA records that revealed David Keene, Jack Abramoff & Paul Erickson lobbying together had a note about "Pat Robertson freelancing," claiming "we have no knowledge of "what he may do next." So why was a televangelist advocating for a dictator accused of human rights violations? pic.twitter.com/QmaQEZQk9f Anna Massoglia (@annalecta) December 10, 2018 Well, Pat Robertson's Operation Blessing planes were transporting diamond-mining equipment for the African Development Corporation, a Robertson-owned venture initiated with the cooperation of Mobutu Sese Sekothe Congolese dictator who paid for lobbying to seek entry into the US Anna Massoglia (@annalecta) December 10, 2018 * "Most Popular Intellectual Property Law Blawg" of all time according to Justia rankings , November 2021. * "Most Popular Copyright Blawg" of all time according to Justia rankings , November 2021. * PermaKat Eleonora Rosati listed as one of the World Intellectual Property Review's "Influential Women in IP" of 2020. * PermaKat Eleonora Rosati listed as one of the Managing Intellectual Property magazine's "Fifty Most Influential People" of 2018. * IPKat founder and Blogmeister Emeritus Jeremy Phillips listed as one of the Managing Intellectual Property magazine's "Fifty Most Influential People" of 2005, 2011, 2013, and 2014. * Recommended by the European Patent Office as reading material for candidates for the European Qualifying Examinations, 2013. * Listed as "Top Legal Blog" in The Times Online, March 2011. 2010 ABA Journal 100. * One of the only two non-US blogs listed in the Blawg100. * Court Reporter Top Copyright Blog award winner, November 2010. * Number 1 in the 2010 Top Copyright Blog list compiled by the Copyright Litigation Blog, July 2010. * Selected by the United States Library of Congress for inclusion in its historic collections of Internet materials related to Legal Blawgs as of 2010. * Top Patent Blog poll 2009: 3rd out of 50 in the "Favourite Patent Blog" poll and 2nd out of 50 in the "Most-read" poll. Blog of the Year, 20 August 2008. * ComputerWeekly IT Law and Governance, 20 August 2008. SantaCon, a public gathering of soon-to-be-drunk folks in Santa Claus outfits, generally turns destructive. SF city leaders attempted to regulate it this year. Apparently, that did not help much. Some revelers were real jerks. SFGate: Two female suspects vandalized and struck an employee of a San Francisco restaurant after they were repeatedly asked to leave, according to SFPD. Videos shared to Facebook by a regular of the restaurant show a chaotic scene outside Shalimar, a Indian-Pakistani restaurant at 1490 Polk St. during Saturday's Santa Con, the city's annual pub crawl. In one of them, a female suspect throws napkins at an employee. Another shows a female suspect taking a chair from outside the restaurant and repeatedly smashing the glass door of the restaurant, after being encouraged by rambunctious onlookers. Trafficking guns and explosives to the Irish Republican Army, running a massive criminal enterprise for years in Boston, extorting drug dealers so that they could do business on his turf, acting as an FBI informant and oh, so many murders: James "Whitey" Bulger's life was both colorful and poisonous, to say the least. His long career as a professional criminal came to an end in 2011. After over a decade on the FBI's Most Wanted Fugitives list, Bulger was located and charged with murder, conspiracy to commit murder, extortion, narcotics distribution and money-laundering. He was convicted and thrown in the clink in 2012. This past October, Bugler, 89 years old and confined to a wheelchair, was stabbed and beaten to death by his fellow inmates at the United States Penitentiary, Hazelton, in West Virginia. While it might be difficult for a lot of folks to have sympathy for a man responsible for so much pain, Bulger's family wants to know what happened inside of the penitentiary: why was Bulger sent to the cell block he was killed in? Why wasn't the murder, involving multiple inmates, stopped? They've filed a lawsuit to find out. From The Boston Globe: "It's important for the family and the public to know why the prisons decided to wheel an 89-year-old man with a history of heart attacks into one of the most dangerous prisons in the country," Hank Brennan, Bulger's attorney of seven years, told the Journal. The Globe reported in late November that Bulger had wished for a "peaceful death" in a series of letters written over the past several years to a former convict. Bulger was convicted in 2013 of participating in 11 slayings while he ran a criminal organization in Boston. Image: By Unknown United States Marshals Service (United States Department of Justice) personnel. The Patriot Ledger. Credited by source as "U.S. Marshals Service photo"., Public Domain, Link Never know what to get the person who has "everything"? It's pretty unlikely they'll have anything crafted by death row inmates, and that's where San Quentin State Prison's Handicraft Shop (aka the Hobby Shop) comes in. This unusual Marin County, California store is located right outside the penitentiary's gate and offers a wide assortment of prisoner-made artwork and crafts. That is, if you can get in. No, you don't have to go through security or be related to an inmate or anything like that to shop there. It just always seems to be closed, despite the posted hours. I first heard about the shop in the late 1990s and tried several times, unsuccessfully, to get in. Then, on one late December day some 11 years ago, I caught the attention of the then-new director of the prison's art program as he was closing up shop. He said couldn't let me in that day but promised if I emailed him, he'd get me in soon. Game on. On Christmas Eve day in 2007, myself and two friends got access. At the time, I didn't have the money to buy the bigger art (some of which was painted on the back of blue-and-white-striped mattress ticking). Instead, I bought a couple of inexpensive "Jailhouse Rocks," one for myself and one to use as a Yankee Swap gift I was attending that night. From what I gather, inmates can buy kits inexpensively that they can assemble and then sell for a small profit. The kits for the "Jailhouse Rocks" need actual stones from the prison's yard to complete which I found oddly charming. There were all kinds of handmade items in the shop, anything from knit and crocheted blankets (I inquired about a baby one inside a glass display case and was told a serial killer knit it) to sketches to the aforementioned kit crafts. I was told that the really good art, primarily paintings, never make it to the shop's floor. They get sent directly to dealers who have commissioned them for collectors. I was also told that the inmates, including convicted murderer Scott Peterson, make their shop offerings in their cells as part of the handicraft program. I haven't been back in years but I did drop by recently to show a pal. Once again it wasn't open, so I just took some photos by pressing my camera to the shop's windows. Wanna see if you can get in? Head to: San Quentin State Prison 156 Main Street San Quentin, Marin County, California 94964 Hours below. Bring cash, your credit/debit cards are no good here! photos by Rusty Blazenhoff News / National by Staff reporter ZANU-PF has allocated each district a bus to ferry delegates to the 17th Annual National People's Conference in Esigodini, Matabeleland South province, the party's Secretary for Transport and Welfare, July Moyo, has said.The serious business of the conference begins with a Politburo meeting today at the party's headquarters in Harare followed by a Central Committee meeting at the same venue tomorrow.On Thursday, delegates travel to the venue for the official opening of the conference on Friday by the party's First Secretary and President, Emmerson Mnangagwa.The conference, which is running under the theme: "Zimbabwe Is Open for Business: Peace, Unity towards an Upper Middle-Income Economy By 2030", is expected to attract about 5 000 delegates drawn from the country's 10 provinces.Speaking during a preparatory meeting at Esikhoveni Training Institute in Esigodini on Sunday, Moyo said the buses would be inspected first by the Vehicle Inspection Department (VID) for roadworthiness."We have allocated each district one bus to carry delegates to and from the conference and those buses will have to undergo vehicle examination by VID to determine their roadworthiness since they will be ferrying people to and from the venue of the meeting. We have identified strategic points where delegates will be picked up," he said.Moyo said his department would also engage the Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Development, Engineer Biggie Matiza, to address the issue of decongesting the Esigodini tollgate by introducing a manual system during the course of the conference."We are looking at the issue of decongesting the tollgate considering that there will be a lot of traffic during the conference. I am in the process of engaging my counterpart in the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure Development over the issue. A lot of civil works have been completed including access roads and the parking bay," he said.Moyo said 8,4 tonnes of meat is required to feed the delegates. So far Beitbridge has donated 14 cattle while Esigodini has offered a herd of 26 cattle.Zanu-PF provincial chairperson for Matabeleland South, Rabelani Choeni, yesterday said the province has handed over the venue of the conference to the national co-ordinating committee and they were in the process of finalising a few touch ups including mobilising cattle, which would feed delegates. He said the province has been allocated seven buses to ferry delegates to and from the conference."We would like to welcome delegates to the 17th National People's Conference, which we are hosting as Matabeleland South, a rainbow province with diversified culture. We also would like to urge delegates to desist from drinking and driving to save lives," Choeni said.He said the conference, the first in the Second Republic, would be one of the most successful conferences in the history of Zanu-PF. Choeni said the conference would consolidate national efforts towards reviving Zimbabwe's economy, a marked departure from the previous regime where politicking was the order of the day.In line with President Mnangagwa's enunciation that in the Second Republic the party has supremacy over Government, Zanu-PF is expected to come up with key economic decisions to be tabled before Government for implementation.The conference is the first to be officiated by President Mnangagwa in his capacity as First Secretary and President following his election at the party's Extraordinary Congress in Harare last year. The conference follows the party's thumping victory in the July 2018 harmonised elections. News / National by Staff reporter A POST-mortem report has revealed that a Zimbabwean woman based in the United Kingdom who was found dead last month was strangled and her husband was found hanging at their Leicester home.This follows false social media reports which claimed that Lorraine Mbulawa Sanchez (27) shot and killed her Caribbean husband Jesus Sanchez (31) before turning the gun on herself.The reports also falsely claimed that the woman had a mental illness.However, an inquest in the UK heard that the bodies of the couple were found by a family friend who went into the house through an open window.The inquest, presided over by assistant coroner for Leicester and South Leicestershire, Dr Christina Swann, heard that Mbulawa, who was born in Zimbabwe, was found face down on a bed, while Sanchez was found hanging on an upstairs landing.The media reports said Mbulawa died due to compression of the neck.The reports said a family friend broke into the couple's home shortly before midnight on November 27 when he became concerned after not having heard from them.According to the reports, Detective Inspector Jonathan Blockley of Leicestershire Police's Major Crime Unit, said Mahlon Hector went to the couple's home with family members, and found Mbulawa's body on November 27."A family friend, Mahlon Hector, who had not heard from the couple, attended the scene. He noticed an upper window was insecure, although the rest of the house was secure. He got a stepladder and managed to get in through a window and identified Lorraine lying face down on the bed."He opened the locked front door to allow in paramedics who attended and confirmed she was deceased. The post mortem examination was conducted by Dr Michael Biggs on Wednesday, November 28," said Detective Inspector Blockley.According to the post mortem conducted on Mbulawa's body, the provisional cause of death was compression of the neck and further toxicology and histology tests will be carried out on samples.In the second inquest Detective Inspector Blockley told the coroner that Sanchez, who was born in the Dominican Republic, had been found at the couple's home at the same time."Sanchez was found hanging. Paramedics confirmed life was extinct. The post mortem examination, conducted by Dr Michael Biggs, on Wednesday, November 28 gave the provisional cause of death as hanging, pending further toxicology and histology reports," he said.Detective Inspector Blockley added that further investigations and inquiries were being carried out into the deaths.Dr Swann, who authorised the release of both bodies to the families, suspended both inquests, provisionally until May 10 to allow the police to continue their investigation into the couple's deaths.In a statement posted on its Facebook site, St Matthews Seventh Day Adventist Church said it was deeply saddened by the loss of their members."Their passing has caused shock, hurt and grief to all of us who knew them. We as a church will continue to provide support and prayers for all of those affected at this time. We continue to place the respective families before God during their time of grief, who alone can bring peace and healing," said the church. News / National by Staff reporter The Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc) which was instrumental in enforcing repatriation of about $1 billion worth of stolen funds and property this year has opened an office in Bulawayo as it decentralises its operations.The new offices housed at Mhlahlandlela Government Complex are expected to handle graft cases from the southern region.Speaking during the belated commemorations of the United Nations Anti-Corruption Day combined with the official opening of Bulawayo offices and launch of the Client service charter at Mhlahlandlela Government complex yesterday, Zacc deputy chairperson, Dr Nanette Silukhuni, said the event marked exciting times as it effectively marks the genesis of the organisation's decentralisation efforts."As we commemorate these landmarks let us pause a little and reflect on the journey we have traversed so far and the policy initiatives we have registered as a nation to contain corruption," said Dr Silukhuni.She said in line with its mandate the commission works closely with the public and private sector and has assisted a number of organisations to develop their anti-corruption policy frameworks."In terms of investigations we have received nearly 400 cases for investigations compared to the previous year where 294 cases were received. Close to a billion dollars of stolen funds and assets domiciled in foreign lands have been repatriated," said Dr Silukhuni.She said the Commission supports President Emmerson Mnangagwa's clarion call for zero tolerance to corruption."I am pleased to note that fighting corruption is firmly on the Government's agenda as enunciated by His Excellency the President Emmerson Mnangagwa in the economic blueprint, the Transitional Stabilisation Programme 2018 to 2020."A special anti corruption unit was established in the Office of the President and Cabinet to improve efficiency in the fight against all forms of graft and to strengthen the effectiveness of national mechanisms for the prevention of corruption through this unit in collaboration with Zacc, police and we have seen an increase in the prosecution of a number of high profile cases," she said.Dr Silukhuni added that special anti corruption courts have been established in line with best practices. In the same vein court officials have been trained to handle corruption and economic cases."As the Zimbabwe Anti-corruption Commission we shall continue to forge ahead in raising awareness on the need for a common purpose in fighting corruption. Your Commission today unveils its client services charter which clearly sets out the service standards one should expect from the Commission and the rights and obligations preferred on you our valued client," she said.The Anti-corruption Day is commemorated on the 9th of December annually by United Nations member states.She said the Commission has completed and submitted the United Nations Convention against Corruption self assessment checklist as part of the country review to be conducted by Russia.Dr Silukhuni said complainants have a right to protection when they report a case, right to lodge a complaint without fear, right to access information as well as privacy and confidentiality.Dr Silukhuni said in line with its mandate Zacc has successfully undertaken system reviews at the country's four major referral hospitals with special emphasis to the recruitment of trainee nurses.She said the Bulawayo offices would be manned by Mr Artwell Mpofu and a Mr Ngwenya who have been transferred from Harare to commence work in Bulawayo.Guest of honour at the event, Bulawayo Minister for Provincial Affairs, Judith Ncube hailed the opening of the new offices."We are excited to have offices opened here in Bulawayo. This event is a symbol of his Excellency President Emmerson Mnangagwa's commitment to zero tolerance against corruption. Today's event shows the commitment of the Government of Zimbabwe to fight against corruption in order to assist stakeholders pursue developmental success," said Ncube."The reason why we are gathered here is that poor governance and entrenched systems of corruption remain a major challenge for sustainable development".She urged everyone to join in the fight against corruption.Ncube officially opened the new offices on the third floor of Mhlahlandlela building at the West Wing and also unveiled the client service charter.Officer Commanding Police Anti-corruption Unit Southern region, Superintendent Kennest Mpofu said the police are fully equipped to deal with corruption cases.Bulawayo Chief public prosecutor Ms Nonhlanhla Ndlovu said the setting up of Zacc offices in Bulawayo complemented the two anti-corruption courts set up in Bulawayo.The day began with a march from Tredgold Building to Mhlahlandlela Government Complex.The event was attended by stakeholders including Zacc commissioners, Government officials, security forces, the academia, church and business community. News / National by Mandla Ndlovu There was drama at Tendai Biti's trial on Tuesday after the lawyers representing Mr. Biti told presiding Magistrate Takundwa that a member of the prosecuting authority had insulted the magistrate."Prosecutor Michael Reza attempted to interfere with court proceedings after he allegedly criticised Magistrate Takundwa as either "stupid" or "brave" after she granted a ruling allowing live streaming of trial. Reza sent a message to his counterpart Tabani Mpofu."Deputy Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Fortune Chasi said, "I think one needs lots of courage to say that to a judicial officer"The Magistrate said she is referring the matter to the High Court for guidance.Biti is facing charges of announcing the just-ended 30 July election results, a mandate that is the sole duty of the electoral body, the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC), and declaring the MDC Alliance presidential candidate Nelson Chamisa as the presidential race winner.Further, Biti is being accused of having a hand in the post-election violence that saw the military intervening and shooting indiscriminately at protesters and unarmed civilians resulting in the death of six people and several injured.United States' Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Africa Matthew Harrington in a statement to the Senate Committee on foreign relations last week said Emmerson Mnangagwa's government should drop charges against former finance minister and opposition leader Tendai Biti to prove that the Harare administration is "serious about taking the country in a new, more positive direction". News / National by Staff reporter Former Technology minister Supa Mandiwanzira has expressed his displeasure over the State's ''inefficiency'' in handling his case after he was served with State papers minutes before his trial was meant to commence.Mandiwanzira is facing allegations of engaging a South African company, Megawatt to do consultancy work for NetOne without following procedure and of appointing his personal assistant to the Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (Potraz) board.Through his lawyer Brian Hungwe, Mandiwanzira objected to trial commencement, citing the State's failure to furnish him with court papers on time."The State has been very inefficient. Why should the State's inefficiency prejudice the accused person? There are a number of witnesses we need to engage and most of them are outside the country," Hungwe submitted.Hungwe suggested that the trial be rolled to January 28, 2019 so that he will be able to peruse the papers and contact his witnesses.On his initial appearance, Mandiwanzira was granted a trial date, with the State indicating he was going to be served with papers within a week.However, Hungwe said the papers were never availed.The Nyanga South legislator appeared in court again on November 20 for his routine remand and the State promised to furnish him the papers within a few days.Hungwe said: "I don't know what a few days meant. For the record we only got these papers today, to be precise an hour ago."In his response, prosecutor Michael Chakandida confirmed that he served the accused with the papers minutes before trial, indicating that the circumstances were beyond his control."The accused was indeed furnished with State papers this morning (yesterday) because of circumstances that were beyond my control as a trial prosecutor."I was only furnished with the docket on December 7 in the afternoon."Chakandida, however, opposed Mandiwanzira's application to remand the matter to January 2019, suggesting that trial should be dealt with within a reasonable time.Harare regional magistrate Francis Mapfumo ruled that there is no way trial would commence yesterday as Mandiwanzira was served with papers the very day.Mapfumo said the defence counsel needs time to go through the court papers to adequately prepare the accused person's defence outline. News / National by Mandla Ndlovu The fight for the control of Choppies Zimbabwe between Former Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko and his Botswana counterparts has once again taken a twist like a movie script with the Botswana business partners furnishing the media with copies of letters confirming deposit of dividends worth 7% of their shareholding.The documents seem to confirm the assertion from Choppies Entreprises that all along the Mphokos while they own 51% on paper, they have been getting dividends worth 7% which is the proper shareholding that was signed by both parties on the onset.The cover letter from the Botswana based Choppies Enterprise said, "Further to our message sent out on Sunday regards issues at Choppies, we hereby send you proof that we have been depositing funds to the Mphokos through their bank accounts. Attached to this e-mail is one of the deposit statements for the dividends that we paid out to them."Chopies Entreprises also emphasised that the Zimbabwe Investment Authority certificates that Mphoko's daughter Siduduzo availed to the public are simply as merely paper shareholding that was done to comply with the Zimbabwean laws of indigenisation."We take note that they have, through one of Mr. Mphoko's daughters, Siduduzile, sent you what you have described as V11s, simply put, evidence that the Zimbabwe Investment Authority (ZIA) did register the shareholding arrangement that was entered into between Choppies Enterprises and the Mphokos."It is this shareholding arrangement that we have tried to clarify and we hope that we have done justice to the query as to the best of our knowledge."Find Below Letter to Hon. Phelekezela MphokoIn a letter written to Bulawayo24.com on Sunday by the CEO of Choppies Enterprises Ramachandran Ottapathu, he alleged that the Mphoko Family own only 7% of the shareholding and the rest of the 44% was given to them so a fulfill the indigenisation laws of the country."Mphokos were given the 51% shares in an agreement which allows us to buy back the shares as and whenever we want as part of efforts to comply with the law. We gave them the shares on paper. Their 7% free carry shares was a way of thanking them for facilitating that we set up business in Zimbabwe." Ottapathu said.He further reiterated that the agreement they said with the Mphokos allow them to withdraw the 44% allotted to the Mphokos at any time they want to and that the other 7% shares can be bought back at US$1 per share. News / National by Mandla Ndlovu President Emmerson Mnangagwa is not going to allow for the constitution to be amended in order to revise the minimum presidential age from 40 to 52, a senior government official has revealed.Writing on his official Twitter account Deputy Minister of Media, Information and broadcasting services Energy Mutodi on Tuesday said, "Let me make it clear that His Excellency President Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa will not seek to outdo his rival in the last election Nelson Chamisa by increasing the age limit for Presidential candidates. Instead, his policies and actions will do the bidding for his next term."Mutodi's statements put to rest the speculation that President Mnangagwa was going to preside over a ZANU PF conference which will pass a resolution to amend the constitution.The Secretary General of the War Veterans Victor Matemadanda recently shocked the nation when he said, "(We) call upon the ZANU PF conference to ask Parliament to amend the age limit of those who can contest on the presidential election from the age of 40 to 52 so that ages for contesting (sic) will be as follows, council and MP, 18 years upwards, senator 40 years upwards, president 52 years upwards."The proposal has been viewed as an aim to block MDC leader Nelson Chamisa from contesting 2018 plebiscite.On Friday last week, ZANU-PF Women's League joined war veterans in pushing for a constitutional amendment to raise the presidential age limit from 40 to 52 years. Members of the league from the country's 10 provinces resolved to lobby for the amendment to ensure those who contest for the presidency are mature enough to fully grasp the gravity of what it means to run a country.The proposal has been condemned by Senior members of the ZANU PF Youth league in their individual capacities.The ZANU PF Conference kicked off on Tuesday in Esigodini Matabeleland South. News / National by Staff reporter The Zanu-PF 17th annual people's conference kicked off in earnest today with a Politburo meeting which set the tone for the indaba convened at the party headquarters in Harare this Tuesday afternoon.The Politburo heard the pre-conference resolutions submitted by all the 10 provinces, among them the unanimous endorsement of President Emmerson Mnangagwa as the party's 2023 presidential candidate.According to Zanu-PF Secretary for Information and Publicity, Ambassador Simon Khaya Moyo, the meeting kicked off with a few remarks from the President and First Secretary, Mnangagwa, who emphasised on the need for the meeting to build consensus on topical issues which are scheduled to be presented to the Central Committee meeting tomorrow.Ambassador Khaya Moyo said the party's National Political Commissar, Retired Lieutenant General Engelbert Rugeje gave a report on inter-provincial meetings held ahead of the annual conference across the country.The conference venue was handed over to the party's conference coordinating committee on Sunday and the party's National Chairperson, Oppah Muchinguri Kashiri gave a comprehensive report on the state of preparedness at the venue of the conference and other logistics.Khaya Moyo also said members of the media who have been accredited are welcome to cover the conference but should report factually.Politburo committee member, Advocate Jacob Mudenda presented a draft Central Committee report on behalf of the Secretary for Legal Affairs.The report covered various party activities sector by sector including political, economic and social matters, Ambassador Khaya Moyo said. News / National by Mandla Ndlovu President Emmerson Mnangagwa's government has threatened to shut down Non-Governmental Organisations that are involved in political activities.This was revealed by the acting Minister of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Kazembe in a press release on Tuesday."The government has not with great concerned that some private and voluntary organisations and/or NGOs are have negated their objectives and are now meddling in politics." Kazembe said."Should these organisations continue with this behaviour, the government will not hesitate to withdraw their registration certificates. This is within the confines of the PVO Act section 10 which gives government the mandate to deregister organisations which fail to comply with its terms of registrations."The Private Voluntary Organizations (PVO) Act, originally introduced by the Rhodesian government and revived in 2002, sets out registration and funding requirements for NGOs.Civic organizations must register with the Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare, and the minister appoints a PVO Board, which has extensive powers to scrutinize organizations' officers, finances, and activities.Organizations in violation of board standards may be fined, their registration revoked or amended, or their members imprisoned. In 2005, the finances of scores of NGOs were investigated by interministerial teams that included representatives of the Central Intelligence Organization.Parliament in 2004 passed the Non-Governmental Organizations Act, which bars the registration of foreign NGOs engaged in "issues of governance," including human rights organizations, and bans domestic "governance" NGOs from receiving foreign funding.The act also expanded the definition of NGO to include religious and environmental organizations and private trusts, and created an NGO Council with more oversight powers than the PVO Board. Former President Robert Mugabe declined to sign the act at the time, but many of its provisions have been enforced. News / Press Release by Jacob Mafume, MDC National Spokesperson The revelation that Michael Reza is questioning the decision by a Harare Magistrate allowing journalists to live stream Hon. Tendai Biti's trial is not only shocking but unacceptable.Lawyers representing the MDC Deputy Chairperson today presented before the court a leaked message he addressed to one Mr. Mpofu in which Reza referred to the decision as yet "another strange decision".He went on to say the Magistrate is "Brave or stupid or both."This is clearly contemptuous of the court and a clear expression of personal interest in the matter. Reza was ordered to recuse himself from the matter after the court found him to be biased after filing an offensive affidavit.This bias is however a reflection of a wider challenge within the National Prosecution Authority. The Constitution makes it clear that the NPA must be independent however Reza has exposed his bias in contravention of this principle.During the public interviews for a Prosecutor General, Mr. Kumbirai Hodzi who is currently occupying office in an acting capacity said he takes instructions from the executive on which cases to pursue.We argued then as we do now that such is a violation of the Constitution. We have also stated that all the cases against Vice President Morgen Komichi, Hon. Biti, Hon. Happymore Chidziva have nothing to do with prosecution but persecution.Reza's text message vindicates our view.We demand that he be removed from the NPA, that the institution be strengthened and independence ensured. More importantly the issue of threatening judicial officers must be a thing of the past. It also follows that all trumped up charges against members of the MDC must be dropped.Jacob MafumeMDC National Spokesperson Opinion / Columnist Zimbabwe's economic situation is getting worse and worse by the day; as much as President Mnangagwa and his Zanu PF friends would want to ignore it, it is now clear that they cannot do so. The regime has tried everything and nothing has worked and hence the panic. Inviting Nelson Chamisa into this government will be a public admission that Zanu PF has failed to govern, the one thing Mnangagwa and his junta had never considered. Anything to contain this worsening economic meltdown is now on the table!The Zimbabwe economic troubles date back to Robert Mugabe's days. When Mnangagwa seized power in November last year the country's unemployment rate was a nauseating 90%, the people queuing at the banks for the little cash was the norm, etc. Mnangagwa was cocksure he would make things better; nothing much changed until after the 30 July 2018 elections when things took a turn for the worse.There was panic buying as rumours spread that the country had no foreign currency to pay for imported goods such as fuel, wheat and medicine, etc. President Mnangagwa had soaked up most of the forex to pay for cars for Chiefs and other elections expenses.The new Minister of Finance, Professor Mthuli Ncube, had poured fuel to the volatile financial market with his foolish remarks undermining confidence in the country de facto local currency, the Bond Notes and the RGTS. The black market exchange rate of the Bond Notes to US$ was 2:1 before the elections suddenly shot up to as much as 10:1 on the back of Minister's statements.Finance Minister, Professor Mthuli Ncube, with his now familiar blundering incompetence, announced in his recent national budget that import duty on cars would be paid in foreign currency and not Bond Notes. He opened the Pandora box because now everyone else, Pharmacists, Petrol Stations, everyone with economic clout is demanding payment in US$.It is the ordinary Zimbabweans with no economic leverage who are suffering the most as they are forced to accept Bond Notes at the official exchange rate of 1:1 but forced to pay in US$ which they buy at the black market rate of 10:1 or whatever. The Minister has just thrown the country's poor and disadvantaged to the merciless wolves!"I have the key to the economic recovery!" Nelson Chamisa has often boasted, taking full advantage of the panic Zanu PF leadership!President Mnangagwa and his cronies know that the economic meltdown is socially, politically and morally unsustainable. There is a limit to how much suffering and deaths a people can endure in silence before they finally say enough is enough and revolt. The regime's pre-emptive "shoot to kill" barbarism on 1 st August was a timely remind to the populous of what Zanu PF will do to those who dare revolt. And yet even with the fear of being shot there is no doubt that rebellion is in the air in Zimbabwe.The cup is full to overflow, the day the nation's bottled anger is released it will send out a tsunami wave that will sweep away the regime and its trigger-happy thugs. Mnangagwa is not a particularly clever man but even he knows that he is now sitting on a time bomb!"Come lets talk!" Chamisa's call has echoed and grown louder and louder with each passing day. Zanu PF bigwigs are now openly talking about inviting MDC Alliance to join them in government."In an interview with our Bulawayo Bureau yesterday, VP Mohadi said Zanu-PF was not interested in coalition talks with the opposition as the ruling party had total control of Parliament," reported the Herald."We haven't heard anything of that sort or an approach from those that would want a Government of National Unity with us," said VP Mohadi."But if they want to discuss with us they can come, but certainly not on a GNU because we have got the mandate emanating from the two thirds majority in Parliament. We can do it alone unlike in 2008 where we had a sort of hung Parliament. This time there isn't going to be that kind of arrangement."The VP is lying, the 2008 GNU was NOT because there was "a sort of hung parliament". No one, absolutely no one, not even SADC and AU elections observers recognised the election as a democrat process because of the blatant cheating in the March 2008 vote. ZEC took six weeks to whittle down Tsvangirai's 73% vote, by Mugabe's own Freudian slip, to 47% to force the run-off. This was then followed by the wanton violence to punish the electorate for having rejected Mugabe in the earlier vote.Mugabe claimed victory but no one recognised him and his Zanu PF regime as legitimate. No one.It was SADC that proposed the formation of Government of National Unity (GNU) comprising Zanu PF and the two MDC factions as a way out of the political impasse. In the Global Political Agreement (GPA), which gave birth to the GNU, the three political parties agreed to implement a raft of democratic reforms and to write a new constitution whose principle purpose was to ensure future Zimbabwe elections were free, fair and credible.The 2008 GNU was supposed to make sure that the blatant cheating and wanton violence of the 2008 elections would never ever be repeated again.SA President Thambo Mbeki was the co-signatory to the GPA on behalf of SADC. The regional body was the guarantor of the agreement, the guarantor the GNU would implement the reforms and deliver free, fair and credible elections.Sadly, GNU failed to implement even one democratic reform and the new 2013 constitution was weak and feeble and so the GNU failed to deliver the free, fair and credible elections. Morgan Tsvangirai and his MDC friends, who were expected to implement the reforms, took their eyes off the ball.Zanu PF rigged the 2013 elections and, with still no meaningful reforms implemented, the party rigged this year's elections too!VP Mohadi can witter all he wants about Zanu PF having the "mandate emanating from the two thirds majority in Parliament". He knows that Zanu PF blatantly rigged the 30 July 2018 elections and has been told so to his face. The outgoing British ambassador to Zimbabwe, Ms Catriano Laing, told VP Mohadi, he was acting President with Mnangagwa attending the UN GA, that "electoral playing field was not level".It should be remember here that the British, especially the ambassador Laing, had worked tireless to get everyone else to accept the Mnangagwa regime, glossing over the many shortcomings of the regime. Glossing over the glaring electoral irregularities was a bridge too far even for the British!"I can solve your legitimacy problem!" said Chamisa, with the opportunistic flare of a vulture after scraps.This is just nonsense from Chamisa. Election observers condemn the July 2018 as flawed and illegal because the election results had "numerous errors and the figures could not be verified and traced". These problems did not just apply to Mnangagwa and Zanu PF's figures but to the opposition's figures too. There was no verified voters' roll, a legal requirement, for example. It was very naive on the opposition to agree to participate in an election without something as basic as a voters' roll.So Mnangagwa and Zanu PF have no electoral mandate to govern because no one could verify the authenticity of the voters who voted for them. Even if Chamisa was to accept Mnangagwa as dully elected, that will not change Mnangagwa's illegitimacy because it is not what Chamisa or anyone else say that matters here. The fact that the whole electoral process was flawed and illegal is all that matters here."We want unity, which is one of our mandates to get the people of Zimbabwe together and speak with one voice, work and progress together and this is important. In fact, we want them (opposition parties) to be part of Zimbabwe. We don't want them to be left out," said VP Mohadi.Yeah right! So Zanu PF blatantly rigged the July 2018 elections for the sake of "unity and bringing the people of Zimbabwe together"! If the economic and political situation in the country was not so perilous and a matter of life and death; one would laugh at the sheer stupidity of the statement.VP Mohadi, you and your Zanu PF cronies blatantly rigged the 30 July 2018 elections confident you will deliver economic recovery, if need be rig economic recovery. The worsening economic meltdown is forcing you to accept sharing political power with the MDC Alliance, hoping that will deliver the economic recovery.Let me tell you Sir for the umpteenth time, whatever power sharing arrangement you come up with MDC Alliance, it will not bring about any meaningful economic recovery. The root cause of Zimbabwe's economic meltdown is because the country is a pariah state ruled by corrupt, incompetent and vote rigging thugs. As long as Zimbabwe remains a pariah state there will never be an meaningful economic recovery.Zanu PF has rigged elections in the past and got away with it, not this time. A Zanu PF and MDC Alliance GNU will solve nothing as it will only be seen as Zanu PF in all but name. The only way forward this time is for Zanu PF leaders to step down and MDC leaders to step aside and let the nation appoint an interim administration that will implement the democratic reforms leading to the holding of free, fair and credible elections.Both Zanu PF and MDC leaders had many, many the golden opportunities to get Zimbabwe to end its curse of rigged elections and pariah state; they have wasted each and everyone of these opportunities. What the nation ask, indeed demand, of you VP Mohadi, Chamisa and your colleagues is to stop holding the nation to ransom!Zimbabwe's economic meltdown is real and the country is being dragged ever closer to the edge of the precipice with each passing day. The economic situation in the country is morally, socially and politically unsustainable and Zanu PF stepping down now is the only sure way to save the country! Time is running out Opinion / Columnist Being power hungry is like a curse as one does almost anything to get power. This has been the case with MDC Alliance party leaders Nelson Chamisa and MDC Alliance deputy National Chairperson Tendai Biti who have become so desperate for power and now want to subvert the will of the people by calling for a transitional government so as to be accommodated in government.Chamisa and Biti's call for political dialogue with President Mnangagwa have become so frantic after discovering that press conferences and demonstrations are not yielding anything. Instead of waiting and planning for 2023 elections the desperate MDC leadership want to get into government through the back door and by force.MDC Alliance produced a petition which they handed over to Parliament, the presidency, SADC Chairperson Hage Geingob of Namibia and African Union chairperson Paul Kagame. In the petition MDC Alliance said a Transitional Authority is the only viable way back to political legitimacy. The legitimacy they are questioning is that of President Emmerson Mnangagwa who in actual fact won the presidential elections free and fair.One should advise the MDC that with the issue of "illegitimacy" they won't get any takers, worst still with the regional bodies which have already certified the July 30 election as free and fair.Recent media reports have been claiming that President Mnangagwa and Chamisa are in talks for a Government of National Unity (GNU). Some publications have gone as far as claiming that some ZANU PF members said it is true because of Tendai Biti's links with USA. Vice President Kembo Mohadi has dismissed these claims. He instead said the opposition MDC Alliance were welcome for discussions, but not for a GNU. ZANU PF has two thirds majority in Parliament unlike in 2008 when the GNU was formed and that is reason enough for ZANU PF to now justify their unwillingness to have a national transition authority. President Mnangagwa won the elections with more than 50% majority and so MDC Alliance should just accept that and move on.In an interview with a journalist from Zimbabwe Independent, Elias Mambo on 'On the Headlines', Biti said "Attend to reforms and dialogue, Emmerson Mnangagwa needs to pick up the phone and call Nelson Chamisa." What is so special about MDC Alliance and Chamisa that President Mnangagwa has to speak to Chamisa yet there are several other opposition parties which have accepted their loss and moved on? Chamisa will have to wait longer for that call, because President Mnangagwa has moved on from the election and is busy with the reconstruction of the economy.Biti alleges that President Mnangagwa is an amateur yet he has been in Government way longer than any of them and knows his way around. If anything Biti brash talk will scuttle any chances of talks if ever they were any.It seems Biti thinks he now has the crown of glory after some pronounced him the most powerful politician in Zimbabwe. This came after US Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Africa Matthew Harrington said, Zimbabwe should drop charges against Biti, dictating further conditions for the dropping of the illegal sanctions.Once bitten twice shy, ZANU PF knows all too well the MDC shenanigans in the inclusive government and would not want a repeat of the same. MDC just have to wait for the 2023 elections as the back door into Government is firmly shut. Photo credit: STR - Getty Images From Popular Mechanics A Chinese Air Force colonel has suggested ramming U.S. ships sent to challenge Beijings control of the South China Sea. Col. Dai Xu made the remarks at an event sponsored by Global Times, published by the Chinese government. Dai also recommended invading Taiwan when the opportunity presented itself, even at the cost of economic growth. The remarks were published in Global Times on December 8, 2018. During a panel discussion on the South China Sea, (Dai) said he didn't understand why some people were afraid when Chinese warships intercepted US warships. If the US warships break into Chinese waters again, I suggest that two warships should be sent: one to stop it, and another one to ram it. In our territorial waters, we won't allow U.S. warships to create disturbance. Photo credit: DigitalGlobe/ScapeWare3d - Getty Images China has claimed roughly ninety percent of the South China Sea, including waters and minor terrain features such as atolls and islets, trampling competing claims by smaller countries such as the Philippines, Malaysia, Vietnam, Brunei, Indonesia, Taiwan, and others. Beijing has enlarged many of these smaller features by dredging sand from the sea floor, creating larger islands equipped with radars, guns, missiles, ports capable of handling warships, and military-grade airfields. Chinese forces regularly harass ships and aircraft of other countries entering the South China Sea. U.S. Forces, including P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft and guided missile destroyers, have repeatedly ventured near these islands on freedom of navigation operations, or FONOPS. FONOPS are designed to assert the right of the U.S. military-and by implication anyone-to sail in waters the U.S. believes are international waters and not controlled by any particular country. The U.S. doesnt deny that states have control over who enters and leaves their sovereign territory, but it does sometimes have issues with how that territory is defined. Photo credit: STR - Getty Images Naturally, U.S. FONOPS in the South China Sea have raised tensions with the Chinese. Chinese military air traffic controllers and warships routinely warn U.S. forces conducting these missions to leave the area immediately. These confrontations on the Chinese end have recently escalated to include laser strikes against U.S. military aircraft and the shadowing of U.S. warships by Chinese warships, including an unsafe incident in which the Chinese warship closed to within 45 yards of an American guided missile destroyer . Story continues Dai also seemed hawkish on the matter of Taiwan, to the point of slowing Chinas economic progress to achieve forced reunification with Taipei. Though the economy is the most important aspect of overall development and we should definitely focus on saving it, once the opportunity for reunification comes, why not take it? Dai asked. Tensions will accelerate reunification and will only be the beginning of Taiwan's war of liberation. Therefore, we do not have much to fear, so let's just wait and be prepared. Once a strategic opportunity emerges, we should be ready to take over Taiwan. Photo credit: U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Benjamin Dobbs An invasion of Taiwan would almost certainly result in economic sanctions imposed on China by the United States and Europe and, given that Taiwans security is guaranteed by the United States, even the intervention of U.S. forces if Beijing invades. In other words, what Dai envisions as a China-Taiwan war could become a China-United States war-with all the inherent dangers of two nuclear powers slugging it out with one another. How much credence should the rest of the world put in Dais statements? Dai may be playing to nationalist sentiments at a nationalist publication, but hes also a senior member of the Chinese military. Chinas state media is heavily censored and regulated. Although Dais comments may not be policy, but by allowing them to be published the Chinese government is signalling it doesnt have a problem with them. That these comments are being made in a time of physically dangerous escalation between U.S. and Chinese forces is worrying. Source: Task & Purpose ('You Might Also Like',) David Saint-Jacques, Canada's newest astronaut, on Monday gave reporters his first account of being aboard the International Space Station (ISS), saying it has been a bit of an adjustment but there have been moments he will "never forget." Saint-Jacques, American astronaut Anne McClain and Russian cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko blasted off to the space station last Monday. Saint-Jacques told reporters via a video call that he already has been hard at work. On Thursday, he began a new set of experiments on perception, part of a study by York University in Toronto. It's expected that he will conduct about 200 experiments while aboard the ISS. "Adjusting to space is a new thing for me," Saint-Jacques said of his first few days on the station. "But none of the training you get prepares you for weightlessness. So I do the typical rookie mistakes trying not to crash anywhere." As for some of the challenges he has been facing, Saint-Jacques said that initially, he was struggling to determine which way was up and which was down. On Earth, it is determined in part by what is going on with your inner ear and your eyes. But, he says, he has been relying more on his vision to gather a sense of direction. He's also finding that he's a bit congested, an effect caused by being in microgravity. Asked about his initial impression on looking back at Earth, Saint-Jacques said it's not something he'll soon forget. "During the launch on the Soyuz, it was very familiar. We were all very, very busy doing our procedures in a spacecraft that looks exactly like the simulator, and then we got to zero gravity at engine cutoff and then it was all really strange, but it was nighttime," he said. "Then there was our first sunrise on orbit, and that was quite an emotional moment. As I looked out the window and this little blue crescent started to get brighter and brighter, I realized, wow this is actually the curve of the Earth. That first sight, that first sunrise, I will never forget." Story continues This is the first time a Canadian has been in space since Chris Hadfield returned in 2013. It's also the first crewed mission since two astronauts were forced to abort less than a minute after launch on Oct. 11. "It is a very humbling privilege to be here," Saint-Jacques said. Saint-Jacques will spend about 6 months in space, returning in June. dress (55% off)| similar bag | similar sandals | hat | sunglasses | bracelet Im so excited to share our Marrakech and Oualidia #ltkgetaway photos with you guys! I had full intentions of sharing it on Friday, but I unexpectedly got sick so I needed some time to rest up because this post has so much to cover! Morocco is stunning, and we had the most amazing time documenting it. That being said, there were literally around 1,000 photos to thumb through, so thank you for giving me grace! I have been working with rewardStyle since around 2011, and my relationship with this company has naturally deepened over the years. Ive explained how LiketoKnow.it works before, but rewardStyle is the parent company to LTK. By serving as the middle man between influencers and brands, they provide valuable and extremely useful tools to thousands of content creators. Ive loved working with this team of hardworking and driven women, and its been a privilege to be a small part of their growth and success. So when the opportunity came to join the LTK team for an #ltkgetaway to Morocco I couldnt wait to explore this gorgeous country with some fabulous people. I joined Jamie Chung, Christine Andrews and Wendy Nguyen (and their handsome significant others), and we had a truly magical time exploring Marrakech and Oualidia! There were so many photos taken on this trip (I mean, as someone who loves capturing new places, how could you not), so today Im going to dig into Marrakech, and tomorrow well move onto Oualidia. Marrakech Where We Stayed We stayed at La Sultana Marrakech and WOW. WOW WOW WOW. This hotel absolutely blew our minds. The detail in every single corner is breathtaking and will leave you speechless. It is exactly what you dream about when you think of the architecture of Morocco, and each room has different theme! We were in the camel room (which was amazing), and at night we would lie in bed and look at the ornate lantern above us and columns all around us. Ive never experienced anything like it. If you plan on spending time in Marrakech, I cant recommend this hotel enough. If we were ever so lucky to return, this is absolutely the hotel I would choose. Where We Ate We ate all of our meals at the hotel and they were my favorite meals of the entire trip. There was one night where we had an huge round table that seated 8 of us with dozens of these small meze plates of appetizers. There had to be at least 30 of them. Almost all of the dishes were vegetarian (yay for me!), and there was so much flavor on these tiny plates it was my favorite meal of the entire trip. Activities Spa | La Sultana has multiple pools and their spa is absolutely stunning (pictured below). I was thankfully bold enough to try the traditional Royal Hammam, and Im so glad I did. Its this very peaceful yet intimate full body scrub, and you can read more about the treatment in detail here. It was followed by a massage, and this spa treat was truly a beyond perfect way to start a vacation after 15 hours of travel. So therapeutic! Market | You cant visit Marrakech and not take a trip to the market (pictured above). When we went into town, it exceeded all of my expectations! We were lucky to be guided around by Yusra of Moroccan Must Haves, and she was beyond helpful making sure we hit all the best spots while also knowing how to be respectful of the culture (asking for permission before photographing, not showing affecting to significant others, covering our shoulders, etc.). I purchased a traditional teapot, some vases, spices and soaps. Christian snagged the most darling espresso cup and saucer. I need to polish my teapot and make some mint tea to try to transport myself back to this dreamy trip. Cooking Class | We took a group cooking class together (pictured below), and it was so interesting learning how to cook Moroccan dishes. Many Moroccan dishes are cooked in a tagine, and we learned how to cook fish tagine with peppers (similar to this). It was delicious, and I have a pretty strong feeling I could never make it as well at home! similar suit here and here | earrings | hat courtesy of La Sultana (there is one on every pool chair, its adorable!) dress, also love this one and this one | similar heels | similar bag here and here | bracelet dress (old) similar styles here, here, here and here | earrings | similar sandals similar turtleneck | pants (run TTS) | heels, love these for less | bag | scarf | similar earrings hat | dress (55% off) | similar bag | scarves here and here | similar sandals | sunglasses scarf | bodysuit | pants, also love these and these | sandals | bracelet | belt bag similar sweater here and here | pants, also available here (run big, size down!) | similar bag here and here | heels, similar look for less here | necklace 1, 2 | earrings dress (on sale), also love this one (on sale) | similar sandals | scarves here and here | sunglasses | necklace Have you ever visited Marrakech or is it on your bucket list!? I think it would be the most epic honeymoon or anniversary spot. The hotel is so romantic. There were so many times I stopped to hug Christian and tell him how grateful I was that he could come with me. I cant imagine having this experience with anyone else! It was my first time in North Africa, and we really were completely blown away with its beauty and hospitality. It was sensory overload, in the best possible way. A trip of a lifetime, and Im so thankful to the LiketoKnow.it team for including us on the opportunity to visit such an amazing country. Thank you so much for reading and sharing! Tomorrow we will cover Oualidia, and it was gorgeous and wonderful in a completely different way. Stay tuned! XO 10 years on, Khaireni bridge still incomplete The construction of motorable bridge at Khairenighat in western part of Ramechhap district remains incomplete after ten years. Off the back of a tremendously successful brand re-launch at last months China International Import Expo., and a 4.5 million RMB win in Chinas IP courts, CBI member Lego has kicked off one of its largest ever social responsibility campaigns, Build to Give, in Shanghai. The Lego Build to Give campaign hopes to provide toys for up to 160,000 children in China from disadvantaged backgrounds this Christmas, in partnership with the Chi Heng Foundation in Shanghai, which provides help to orphaned children, and the Aiyou Future Foundation in Shenzhen. The initiative will cover six provinces. The Build to Give campaign builds on Legos current educational outreach programmes offered the length and breadth of the country, which, according to Katharine Muff, vice president of Lego Group for Social Responsibility and Engagement, have already helped some 300,000 children in China. The campaign will run throughout the month of December, and Lego has pledged that for every Lego model built in the companys Shanghai stores, a Lego set will be donated to its charity partners. This will be the second year that the Lego Group has run the Build to Give campaign, and it is the companys intention to increase engagement by 25% worldwide. Last year, the project reached 500,000 children from over 20 countries. The scheme adds a further dimension to the Danish toy manufacturers re-launch in China. At the CIIE, Lego CEO Niels Christiansen announced that the company was enjoying very positive China sales and re-launching the brand based on confidence in the governments efforts to improve the IP environment in China. Lego currently has 3% market share in China. However, the company is confident that the countrys IP environment will improve, and that Legos market share will increase as a result of copy-cat products being removed from the market. The company was rewarded for its belief in the governments reform efforts last month, when it won an IP lawsuit in China after a court agreed with the Danish toy manufacturer that a local company had copied its trademarked building blocks and miniature figures under the Lepin brand. The court in Guangzhou ruled that the local company should cease production immediately and pay 4.5 million RMB in damages. This is the 3rd IP case Lego has won in China. Last year, the Beijing Higher Court passed a ruling that recognises the Lego logo and name in Chinese as being trademarked in China, and the company won a copyright court case against a local Chinese company, Bela. Finally, in addition to wins in Chinas IP courts, the company has expanded its offices in Shanghai and has announced that it will break with tradition, by launching the first country-specific Lego sets in the companys 90-year history next month with the launch of a series of sets to celebrate Chinese New Year. Please read more here: There are some very unique qualities to the Wayfarer especially the way the sweet notes hit the tongue. Overall, Serino Cigar Companys sophomore release comes through with flying colors. Wrapper: Ecuadorian Corojo 99 Binder: Jalapa, Nicaragua Filler: Nicaragua Country of Origin: Nicaragua Factory: La Corona Cigars S.A. Corona Gorda: 6 x 46 Price: $7.70 Review: Wayfarer Corona Gorda by Serino Cigar Company (2/14/18) Appearances on Countdown (By Year/Company): 2 (2017, 2018) Coming in at #26 is the Wayfarer Corona Gorda by Serino Cigar Company. This cigar made its debut late in 2017 as Serino Cigar Companys sophomore brand. Serino Cigar Company was launched in 2016 by Anthony Serino. The company began with the four blend Serino Royale line. Serino teamed up with Omar Gonzalez Aleman of the La Corona factory in Esteli, Nicaragua to produce this line. The Wayfarer was a real second generation effort as it was a project spearheaded by Tonys son Carson, who worked with Omar Gonzalez Alemans son Luis Omar Gonzalez. The line was inspired by Carsons passion for travel and backpacking. On a backpacking trip he made to Iceland, Carson had forgotten to pack cigars. Once he arrived in Iceland he went to stock up on cigars. Carson soon discovered the majority of the cigars available in Iceland were Cubans. As he started to smoke the Cuban cigars, he was inspired to develop a cigar with that type of profile, thus the Wayfarer line was born. Wayfarer is highlighted by an Ecuadorian Corojo wrapper over Nicaraguan binder and filler. There are five sizes to the Wayfarer. The Corona Gorda size which makes the list is a 6 x 46 vitola. One unusual thing about the Wayfarer is the use of different caps on the cigars. These include the use of a 109 cap (Toro), and a fan-tail cap (Robusto), As for the Corona Gorda, it uses a classic Cuban triple cap. The Wayfarer is not a powerhouse cigar. It starts out mild to medium in strength and body and progresses to medium in the second half. Flavor-wise, the cigar delivers notes of natural tobacco, citrus, hay, pepper, cedar, and a distinct honey-like sweetness that I found was a differentiator during the smoking experience. The Wayfarer succeeds at bringing out some Cubanesque qualities along with putting its own signature on this cigar. There is a unique sweetness to this cigar, yet it doesnt go overboard. If you havent checked out this cigar, its one definitely worth picking up. For details of the 2018 Cigar of the Year Countdown, see our 2018 criteria. Photo Credits: Cigar Coop Apex court serves show cause to NCP, poll body The Supreme Court has issued a show cause notice to the Election Commission and the ruling Nepal Communist Party how the two parties were registered with similar names. Pakistan: Challenges in food trade by Mohiuddin Aazim December 11,2018 | Source: Dawn Can Pakistan boost food exports to its neighbouring countries such as Afghanistan, China, India and Iran? The answer is yes. But exploiting the food export potential requires more than meets the eye. Foreign trade with each of these countries has its own challenges. In Afghanistan, its our involvement in the peace process along with the United States and China that have an impact on trade. In China, we can get a bigger market share only if we produce quality foodstuff that meets high standards of the second largest economy on earth. Food exports to the neighbouring countries cannot rise unless the government devises a pragmatic strategy with the help of the provinces In the case of India, both Islamabad and New Delhi need to defuse political tensions first to be able to trade more. Our food exports to Iran can grow despite the re-imposition of US sanctions on that country as food trade is largely exempt from the sanctions. But the problem is that we have already lost Iranian markets to competitors due to years of lethargy and regaining ground is not that easy. Keep this in mind and then switch over to the issue of food security. Our fast-growing population continues to erode exportable surplus of food grains and we have not been able to develop our value-added food industries and made them viable for exports. Political issues aside, it will take a couple of years and exceptional hard work on our part in areas like meeting quarantine and quality standards of China, India and Iran and the production of value-added products to increase our food exports there, officials of the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) say. In the case of Afghanistan, we will have to be more competitive as India, Iran and the Central Asian countries have lately captured a large part of Afghan food import markets, they say. The government has so far not rolled out any plan on meeting these and other challenges. The discourse on agriculture and food exports has remained general in nature and specifics are missing. In the last fiscal year, Pakistans food exports grew 29 per cent to $4.8 billion from $3.71bn a year earlier a substantial gain of $1.08bn. But destination-wise, only a small part of this growth originated from within the neighbouring markets as a whole. For example, rice shipments to China grew to $129 million from $105m. But that was offset by a decline in rice exports to Afghanistan to $54m from $77.5m. Exports of fish, seafood and their by-products to China went up to $84m in 2017-18 from $59m in 2016-17. But such exports to other three neighbouring countries were next to zilch. Sugar exports to Afghanistan, China and India, however, increased substantially as a bumper sugar cane output created a glut-like situation in Pakistan, forcing millers to export it on reduced rates. Currently, the implementation of deep-sea fishing policy has brought to a near-halt the operations of fishing trawlers. It has already started affecting fresh supplies of fish in local markets. It is feared that exports of fish and fish products will suffer, too. This federal policy has annoyed the Sindh government. The provincial assembly has asked the federation to abolish it as it violates the 18th constitutional amendment that makes agriculture, including fisheries, a completely provincial subject. Trading with the neighbours is more cost effective than trading with the rest of the world. Exporters prefer trading with neighbouring countries for several reasons, including a reduced shipment time and smaller overland transportation cost. We can sell more rice and seafood to China. The potential market for meat and meat products is just too large, but the problem is that Chinese have issues with our meat processing. Officials claim that they have shown interest in setting up large meat processing facilities in special economic zones in Pakistan. That can help in augmenting meat exports in particular and pushing our total food exports in the process. Officials of TDAP estimate that the share of exports to four neighbouring countries stood around 10pc. We often forget that our large population (20.7m as of 2017) and high population growth (2pc per annum) is going to leave little exportable surplus in the years to come. Our crop yields are growing slower than those in the rest of the world. We are not investing much in producing high-value cash crops, like oilseeds and pulses. Our food processing industries find it easier to produce value-added products for the local markets where the number of end-consumers is growing as a rise in income levels has enabled them to consume costlier products. Keeping a check on population growth, boosting crop yields, investing in high-value smaller crops and encouraging food industries to produce more for export markets is, therefore, necessary. It is also necessary to boost the output of grains and food products suitable for the neighbouring export markets. A diversification of the basket of export items with a greater focus on products that have a higher per-unit price is the key to earn more export dollars. For the past few years, an increased output of sugar cane, for example, created an exportable surplus of sugar. But the output of brown sugar, the demand for which is growing not only across the globe, including in China and India, remains too little. Chinese prefer parboiled rice of high quality, but creating a large exportable surplus of this kind of rice is a challenge in the absence of proper technology. In Afghanistan, the use of sugar made from sugar beets, gur (lumps of raw sugar) and corn and corn products is common, but we are not supplying these items to Afghan markets in a big way. Pakistani veggies and fruits, especially onions, potatoes, kinnows and mangoes, have high demand in Iran, India and China, but the area remains untapped. Even our cooking oil and ghee that used to be exported in large quantities to Afghanistan are now facing a tough competition there from India. Food exports to the neighbouring countries cannot be boosted unless the government devises a pragmatic strategy with the help of the provinces and the private sector. Just celebrating the Chinese promise to grant us greater market access or offering an olive branch to India or sweet-talking to Iran or helping in the Afghan peace process wont work in this case. India: Sharks and rays: an ancient species on the brink of extinction by Bhanu Sridharan December 11,2018 | Source: Mongabay In the already ancient marine world, sharks and their close relatives, rays and skates, can claim a unique early ancestry. Their first ancestor is estimated to have arrived around 350 million years ago, before our earliest human ancestors, before even most plants had colonised land. But this long evolutionary history offers no protection to this distinctive group of fish, from human beings. Across the planet, entire populations of sharks and rays are being overfished, in some cases leading them to the brink of extinction. The situation is particularly grim in the Arabian Sea where, according to a new study, over 50 percent of the shark species found in these waters are threatened. And as one of the top shark fishing nations in the world, India is leading the charge. With a little help from Hollywood, the image of sharks is generally that of a fearsome predator, eating everything in its way. But sharks and their relatives, rays, are a diverse group. They include some of the largest carnivores in the world, like the great white shark that live in cool open waters around the globe and feed on large marine mammals like seals and dolphins. In the coral reefs of the Lakshadweep Islands, diminutive reef sharks hunt small fish in packs. The whale shark, the largest fish species in the world and Indias first to be protected, feeds on plankton. No matter the shape, size, habit or habitat, humans have found a way to catch most sharks and use every single part of them. Export products include skin as leather for boots and bags and liver for oil. Cartilage, the primary component of sharks skeletal system, is powdered and used as medicine. Shark fins are harvested for shark fin soup, a sought after delicacy in southeast Asia and China. Shark meat, both fresh and dried, is consumed locally and in great demand during certain festivals. In 2017, 25 marine biologists from institutions across the world including India, came together to assess the status of the sharks and rays in the Arabian sea and the adjacent Red Sea, Gulf of Aden and Sea of Oman. Coastal communities from 20 countries live and fish by these waters, including hundreds of millions of people from the west coast of India. Combining data from the International Union for Conservation of Nature and scientific studies and reports of fisheries departments of the countries that shared these waters, the study creates a profile of the types of sharks found in the Arabian Sea, the extent to which they are fished and the state of their population. The results were troubling. Dr. Rima Jabado, the lead researcher on the study and the regional co-chair for the IUCN Shark Specialist Group, said that the Arabian Sea and adjacent waters had some of the most threatened populations of sharks and rays in the world. Collating population data, threat information and fisheries information from 153 species of sharks, Jabado and her colleagues found that over 50 percent of the species were highly threatened and at risk of extinction. India second largest shark fishing nation in the world The main threats to sharks and rays around the world are primarily fisheries (particularly the fact that most species are caught as bycatch in fisheries targeting other commercially important species) and habitat modifications for coastal development, from pollution and so on, explained Jabado. Fisheries however, she stressed, was the main threat to sharks at least in the Arabian Sea. A common way of assessing if a particular species of fish is declining is to head to the harbour when fishers return with their catch. Fisheries researchers then assess how much of any particular species was caught and landed. Looking at this landing data over time gives some insight into how much fish catch has changed. The threatened species were identified by looking at the data on how many sharks were caught and landed in harbours by fishers and whether their catch reduced. According to a 2015 report by the Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI), India is the second largest shark fishing nation in the world, after Indonesia. Between 1985-2013, India was catching 50,000-70,000 tonnes of sharks annually. This number has remained the same but there had been a 64 percent decline in shark catch in proportion to the rest of the fishery. What this means is that in the 1980s sharks and rays formed a huge proportion of all fish caught, but by 2013 that proportion fell by 64 percent. So far, no institutions seem to have undertaken a more recent nationwide assessment. The west coast is the leading shark fisher contributing to almost 70 percent of Indias shark fishery. Collapse is not always so gradual. Deep sea sharks, living at depths between 200-1000 metres, are sought after for their liver oil in countries like Japan. For 20 years, the island of Maldives was the main supplier, exporting tonnes of sharks such as the gulper sharks. Then in the early 2000s the entire fishery collapsed, with no more deep sea sharks to be found around the Maldives. It was then that K.V. Akhilesh, a scientist at CMFRI and one of the co-authors on this study, noticed that the west coast of India seemed to have stepped up to supply the liver oil market. Between 2002 and 2008, Akhilesh documented a steady increase in deep sea shark catch. Fishermen would travel the length and breadth of Indian waters in large mechanised boats casting lines and nets bringing in a massive supply of gulper sharks. In 2009, the entire fishery stopped. Catch had declined, the sharks were becoming smaller and other fishing grounds in other parts of Asia were probably discovered, speculated Akhilesh. Similarly, in Tamil Nadu, researchers Divya Karnad and Mayuresh Gangal reported an 86 percent drop in catches of rays like guitar fish and wedge fishes. These declines seem to be happening despite an increase in fishing effort. Fishers today spend more days out at sea but return with smaller catches. Such rapid fall in populations are because many of these species such as gulper sharks are slow-growing and take time to become sexually mature. They also dont reproduce too often. So, even when shark fishing stops as has happened in Maldives, populations dont recover or take a long time. Problems with solutions The problem in this region, said Jabado, is that we have large coastal communities that depend on seafood for their animal protein intake, fisheries that are at capacity but with increasing effort, weak governance and often no political will for governments to take actions to remedy this situation. While Jabado is talking about the entire Arabian Sea region, this analysis may certainly hold true for India. We need to now focus on protecting the species that are most threatened and support management measures to ensure that other species dont reach this threshold of exploitation, asserted Jabado. Out of the approximately 160 species of sharks in Indian waters, 10 are legally protected. The first shark species (and consequently the first fish species) to ever be protected in India was the whale shark which was placed under the Schedule 1 species list of the Wildlife (Protection) Act in 2001. Nine more species were added to this list, including the Ganges river shark (one of few freshwater and estuarine sharks in the world), the Pondicherry shark which may already be extinct and the giant guitarfish, an exceedingly rare species that is sought after for shark fin soup in Southeast Asia and China. The problem with these measures is that it ignores how fishing is actually done in India. Since sharks are part of multi-species fisheries, it is almost impossible to put species-wise restrictions to reduce landings of sharks (or any other species for that matter), explained marine biologist Divya Karnad, who has been studying how fisher communities manage fisheries in coastal Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra. Shark fishing in India is rarely a targeted activity. Almost all the targeted shark fishing in India is done by one community, from the village of Thoothoor, in the Kanyakumari district. Since the time of artisanal, small boats, shark fishing in India has been incidental. Which sharks and rays are scooped up depends on the location of the fishing expedition, the gear being used that day and the size of the boat. The fishermen have repeatedly mentioned that it does not make sense to single out the group sharks and ask questions about their status and conservation, said Karnad, who is not associated with the study. It only makes sense to talk about the fisheries as a whole. Wildlife protection laws for specific shark species can also be difficult to implement because fishermen and law enforcement officers are often not able to identify specific shark species. Enforcement agencies require adequate resources and training to implement management, said Peter Kyne, Senior Research Fellow at Charles Darwin University and Red List Authority Coordinator for the IUCN SSG and one of the co-authors of the study. Even researchers often find it difficult to identify certain species, pointed out K.V. Akhilesh. Mostly our landing places or harbours are having early landing schedule and it will be mostly busy and crowded. In rush hours only mostly easily, identifiable species are recorded and others will be mostly [sic] put in generic category. Species like the whale shark are also protected by international laws like the CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species) that blocks countries from trading in these species. India has also banned the export of shark fins. Kyne expressed fears that without adequate enforcement the ban on the export on fins would just drive the trade underground. Akhilesh agreed, pointing out how customs agencies could be fooled by simply not declaring the true nature of products in export containers. Inspection of all export containers is quite impossible, he added. Even after the fin trade ban, few exporters are trying to smuggle out shark fins out of India, in wrong labels and wrong declaration due to high price in east Asian countries. However, the ban on shark fin export has been of little importance to Indian fishers who did not see big profits from them. Karnad points out that fishers have alternate markets to sell sharks for meat and other products. It is the traders and exporters who are feeling the pinch. What about following in Maldives footsteps and banning the entire shark fishery? Karnad and Akhilesh are against this move. Karnad pointed out the futility of such a move since most sharks are caught incidentally. She advocated the need to first prepare fishing communities for any changes in their practices. It has to be supplemented with training and technology to actually prevent sharks being trapped in fishing gear, as well as an overall enhancement of the ecosystem to ensure that there are enough other fish that can compensate fishermen for the loss of this part of their livelihood. Jabado believes that managing fisheries needs to go hand in hand with the controlling demand for shark products pointing to the importance education and awareness among consumers. A number of Chinese youths are now choosing to have shark fin soup-free weddings which highlights that some of the campaigns that has been run in China and Hong Kong have been successful, she said. But we still have a lot of work to do to be able to understand the dynamic trade in shark products. Karnad stressed on shifting focus from just sharks adding, we should be looking more at ecosystem based management, to try and conserve all marine species including sharks and ensure that they are fished at sustainable levels. This is not to say, however, that sharks only have to be spoken about in conservation terms because they do form part of the fishing economy. - Globally, entire populations of sharks and their relatives, rays and skates, are being overfished to the brink of extinction. Over 50 percent of sharks and their relatives in the Arabian Sea are threatened, finds a new study. - Researchers point out that the Arabian Sea region has large coastal communities that depend on seafood for their animal protein intake. Additionally, fisheries are at full capacity while fishing effort is increasing and there is a lack of political will to take actions to remedy the situation. - Enforcing fishing regulations for sharks is not straightforward, as sharks are usually hauled in as bycatch when fishers are out targeting economically lucrative species. - Experts recommend interventions at both levels: at the consumer level to decrease demand for shark products and at the level of fishing communities to bring in sustainable fisheries and ecosystem-based management which would conserve all marine species, including sharks. Bhutan refugees rally for help to go back home The Bhutanese refugees, who have been languishing in Beldangi Camp, Jhapa for the past 26 years, have urged the human rights bodies to take initiative for their repatriation. Goa: Modalities being worked out to provide relaxation to small-time fishermen December 11,2018 | Source: The Navhind Times Health Minister Vishwajit Rane on Monday said that modalities are being worked out to grant relaxation to small-time fishermen, who have been procuring fish from within 60 km vis-a-vis Sindhudurg and Karwar areas of the neighbouring states. He said that during a meeting held on Monday at the Secretariat with the secretary (health) and other concerned officials, it was decided to depute South Goa designated officer of Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) Iva Fernandes at the Margao wholesale fish market from December 11. The minister said that many fish traders without permission are trying to enter Goa with fish vehicles through small-time fishermen, which will not be allowed. We are not trying to create trouble for anybody, but want to help the fish traders get valid permissions. The government is taking one step forward and we expect the same cooperation from the other side to resolve the issue, he said. The Health Minister reiterated that all the fish traders need to fulfil the requirements and comply with the directives of FDA. He said that fish boxes confiscated on Saturday have been sent to the Saligao garbage treatment plant to destroy the fish. Meanwhile, Maharashtra minister for state Deepak Kesarkar held a meeting with Rane at the Secretariat over fish. Rane said that a discussion was held on a proposal to start wholesale fish market in Pernem for Sindhudurg fish. He said that the Maharashtra government is ready to spend money on the proposed project. Meanwhile, no trucks carrying fish consignments entered the wholesale fish market on Monday. The fish available in the market was brought by Goan trawlers and ramponnkars. Sources in the FDA said that a rickshaw carrying fish was stopped at the Pollem border and as the owner could not provide details of the consignment, the vehicle was sent back from the border area. Food and Drug Administration officials visited the wholesale fish market in the wee hours of Monday but did not check for fish samples, as no fish-laden trucks entered the market. A couple of fish trucks were seen parked since Sunday night at the wholesale fish market even though the South Goa Planning and Development Authority (SGPDA) has clearly given instructions not to park the vehicles inside the fish market after 9 am till 3.30 am or 4 am the next day. Sources said that the export of fish was also limited on Monday. Andaman and Nicobar Islands: CRZ nod for submarine cable project with riders December 11,2018 | Source: The Echo of India In a big stride towards execution of the most ambitious Submarine Cable project, the Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) of the Ministry of Environment and Forest for projects related to Coastal Regulation Zone has recommended the project for IPZ/CRZ clearance recently. In the 203rd EAC meeting held on the 28th of last month at New Delhi, the Committee, however, laid down certain conditions. As part of Detailed Project Report (DPR) to be carried out, a road map for conducting additional marine EIA study through NIOT, Chennai especially in areas likely to pass through corals shall be submitted within three months from the date of clearance to the Ministry and also to NIOT, Chennai. The study shall explicitly spell out additional mitigation measures required to be undertaken along the route of the cable laying including financial implication that will have to be met by the project proponent. Thereafter, the study shall be completed within three months. The measures so suggested by the study shall be further prescribed either by way of a corrigendum or an amendment to the IPZ/CRZ clearance by the Ministry, as per documents accessed by EOI. The EIA also suggested that an inbuilt monitoring and compliance of the measures suggested by NIOT, Chennai shall be prepared by the project proponent and the same reported to the concerned departments/agencies including MoEFCC and NIOT, Chennai. The project proponent shall ensure that NIOT, Chennai is associated as a third party observer in the cable laying system until its final completion. NIOT, Chennai shall give advice from time to time during the period and the project proponent shall take measures accordingly, said the Committee. The project proponent shall earmark a special budget for marine protection measures and in particular for coral transplantation or coral plantation in the region along the cable route. Defence clearance as admissible shall be obtained prior to undertaking the work of cable laying and utmost care shall be taken while transferring and storage of construction material to project site so that the IPZ/CRZ characteristics of the site / route is least disturbed. All beach manhole (BMH) locations must be on landward side and not on the beach, instructed the Committee. The submarine OFC cable system will connect eight islands in these islands namely Port Blair, Little Andaman (Hut Bay), Car Nicobar, Kamorta, Great Nicobar (Campbell Bay), Havelock Long and Rangat Islands) with Chennai. During the meeting, officials of the UT Administration told that Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF), Department of Telecommunication (DoT) proposed plan of connecting the Andaman and Nicobar (ANI) group of islands (eight nos. of islands) with mainland in India at Chennai through submarine optic fibre cable system on a fast mode as Andaman and Nicobar Islands telecommunication connectivity is in a very poor state and the UT Administration and its population have long been deprived of reasonable acceptable connectivity unlike mainland India. The Committee was also informed that the submarine cable system in addition to being an initiative of better connectivity of the A&N Islands has also a segment purely dedicated for Defence sector. The Cable will land at beaches and terminate in the proposed Beach Manhole (BMH) locations. Cable from BMH will then be taken to cable landing station (CLS) for distribution. All 8 BMHs and 3 CLS falls within the ICRZ area as per the survey conducted by IRS, Anna University, Chennai. Cable will be laid in sea bed but if the depth is more than 1 km then it is buried upto 0.6 to 1 m depth through the ROV equipment. Total segments of submarine cable will be 8, total cable length will be 2245.96 km and total route length will be 2199.66 km. Karnataka: KSCZMA approves sand extraction in CRZ limits by Manjushree G Naik December 11,2018 | Source: Deccan Herald Karnataka State Coastal Zone Management Authority (KSCZMA) has given approval for the extraction of sand in seven identified sand bars on rivers banks that come under CRZ (coastal regulation zone) limits in Brahmavar and Udupi taluks. According to a press release issued by the Department of Mines and Geology-Udupi, the seven-member committee gave approval for sand mining in seven out of the nine sand bars at a meeting held recently. The members while giving their approval had taken into consideration the objections submitted against sand mining at two sand bars on River Seetha. Fourty five licence holders had applied for sand mining activity through traditional method, sources said. The district administration had arranged a training session, conducted by Rane T4U GPS company, for the 45 licence holders on the method of generating the trip sheet. The licence holders were instructed to stock 10% of the sand extracted at a yard in Nejar for Nirmithi Kendra. As many as 30 sand bars had been identified in the rivers that come under Non-CRZ areas. Of them 8 are in Udupi and Brahmavar taluk, 9 in Karkala and Hebri taluks and 13 in Kundapur taluks. Notification was issued to extract sand from 23 sand bars. Of the 23 sand bars, sand extracted from six sand bars will be utilised for government projects. Tender has been called for the remaining 17 sandbars. As many as 40,000 metric tonnes of sand are stocked at Gangolli and Kodi area, the release stated. City mayor vows to prove himself after slow start In the run-up to the mayoral race, Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) Mayor Bidya Sundar Shakya unveiled an ambitious poll manifesto, promising to accomplish 101-tasks within the first 100 days in office. It was evident from the beginning Shakya promised far too much than his rivals to win the elections. Nigel had work to do today so he went off for a couple of hours this morning and I scrapped. I wanted to record the amazing diner we went to in Portsmouth New Hampshire and I ended up doing something I almost never ever do - a double page! But there were too many pictures to use to tell the story. Last night when tidying I found an old box of Provo Craft letters that have to be 12 years old or more and I was determined to use them. After Nigel came home for lunch we then went together to do the Swanage and Corfe Castle calls and it was a lovely drive out, a nice walk and the calls only took 10 minutes, so whilst it was technically work it is that nice sort of balance! There is a definite chill in the air of late and I love it because when it is cold the cats de-camp to their bunk beds and are so cute. I am so pleased we made their bunk beds. And Fiki seems to like my Rangtan and in case anyone hasn't seen the wonderful Greenpeacerangtangfilm I post it here - hence the Rangtang whose purchase helps the baby orangutans ... I can't copy the Greenpeace film here so this is the Iceland advert that was banned as it was political. I think Iceland was very clever as they must have known it would be banned as political advertising is not allowed, but they knew they would get more publicity for them and for the project through social media with a banned advert. The palm oil debate is one with a lot of grey areas - I have spent a long time researching different arguments - but if something can help these beautiful creatures - and others - then all to the good. Today I am thankful for a lovely day - simple but perfect I am a retired newspaperman. I live in Poca, WV, with my wife of 44 years, Lou Ann. I grew up in Cleveland. Three kids. Grandfather. Report all errors to DonSurber@GMail.com An airline venture between AirAsia and Thien Minh Group is expected to start operations in August 2019. Photo by Reuters A new Vietnam-based airline set up by Malaysian budget carrier AirAsia and a local company is expected to fly by next August. Bloomberg quoted Tran Trong Kien, CEO of Hanoi-based resort ooperator Thien Minh Group, AirAsias partner, as saying applications for aviation licenses would be made next February and likely obtained in six months. Vietnam will become the newest market for AirAsia, the largest low-cost carrier in Southeast Asia, which has affiliates in India, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Thailand. Kien said Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc had expressed support for the airline, which has yet to be named. The airline plans to deploy five or six Airbus SE A320 and A321 aircraft on domestic and regional routes, and expand the fleet to 30 within three years, he added. Last week Thien Minh Group signed a memorandum of understanding with AirAsia for setting up the new airline with a capital of VND1 trillion ($44 million). AirAsia will hold a 30 percent stake in it, and Thien Minh, 70 percent. The new airline would be a direct competitor to Vietnam's budget carriers Vietjet Aviation and Jetstar Pacific, according to industry insiders. Vietnam Airlines is currently the biggest airline in terms of passengers carried. Bamboo Airways, owned by private corporation FLC, last month received a license and expects to make its maiden flight on December 29. It is allowed to operate 10 aircraft on domestic and international routes. There are five carriers in Vietnam: Vietnam Airlines, Vietjet Air, Bamboo Airways, Jetstar Pacific and VASCO. Vietnam Airlines owns VASCO and has a 70 percent stake in Jetstar Pacific. Vietnam received 14.12 million foreigners in the first 11 months of the year, up 21.3 per cent year-on-year, according to the General Statistics Office. Eighty percent of foreign tourists arrive by air. Vietnam's aviation market has averaged 17.4 percentage growth in the past decade, far higher than the 7.9 percent rate for the Asia-Pacific, according to the International Air Transport Association. AirAsia almost struck a deal with Vietjet, but in 2010 the deal collapsed. Former deputy governor Dang Thanh Binh at the appeal trial in Ho Chi Minh City Monday. Photo by VnExpress/Ky Hoa A HCMC appeals court has commuted the three-jail sentence handed to a former deputy head of the central bank to a suspended sentence. Dang Thanh Binh, former deputy governor of the State Bank of Vietnam, had been found guilty of "negligence, causing serious consequences" for losses of over VND15 trillion ($653.25 million) at the Vietnam Construction Bank (VNCB). The trial courts decision Monday was based on several factors including his clean record and old age. Two Vietcombank officials who had been sentenced along with him in July also had their sentences commuted: from one year imprisonment to a suspended sentence in the case of one, and from one and a half years to one year in the case of the other. Binh, who served as deputy governor of the State Bank of Vietnam from 2005 until he retired in 2014, had been held accountable for massive losses suffered by VNCB in the biggest ever fraud to rock the country's banking sector. He had been assigned by the central bank to restructure several weak banks, including VNCB, which is now the Construction Bank. In August 2012, he signed a central bank proposal to restructure VNCB that was approved by the government. But he let the restructuring plan fall apart and opened the way for Pham Cong Danh, former chairman of VNCB, to cause losses of more than VND15 trillion ($653.25 million) to the bank. In 2016 a court convicted Danh and 35 of his subordinates of stealing more than VND9 trillion ($400 million). They had illegally withdrawn money from customers savings accounts and pocketed it. Danh was sentenced to 30 years in jail, while the others received sentences of up to 22 years. Binh was found guilty of not fulfilling his responsibilities as a deputy governor and not following the approved plan to restructure VNCB. Binh had also failed to follow the governments instructions to appraise Danhs qualifications to become the banks chief. The Vietnamese Zen Master who has guided millions to inner peace has returned to where an incredible journey began. Pho Tam, journalist and Buddhist follower "Every bird likes its own nest" might be the best way to describe the homecoming of Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh. The Master is back at the Tu Hieu Pagoda the place he studied and practiced Zen Buddhism from 1942, when he was 16. Now sitting in a wheelchair, a sequela of cerebral hemorrhage, his eyes are still bright and full of inner strength, and every gesture he makes to communicate is still clear. And although he sits still, he never stops looking around, observing. As he has written: "Sitting still," to see things clearer. I experienced that stillness with the Master more than once between 2005 and 2008, when I had the opportunity to attend talks between him and leaders of the Buddhist Sangha of Vietnam, as well as dharma talks and meditation courses in which he guided intellectuals and entrepreneurs in Vietnam. In two "Breathe and smile" courses in Ho Chi Minh City and the ancient town of Hoi An back in 2008, the Zen Master spread the energy of peace and awareness to everyone just by putting his right hand on his heart and then looking down at the audience in the hall. As he sat in the lotus position and talked, I felt the peacefulness fill up every corner of the large hall and turn into a stream that flowed into me. I did not want to break that state. And when I looked around, hundreds of people were all silent and attentive. Sitting still is one of the core topics that the Master has talked about often. "Normally when we pour apple juice into a glass, the juice would be cloudy. And if we want to have a glass of clear apple juice, we would have to leave the glass still for five-ten minutes so that all the dregs in the juice will have time to sink down to the bottom of the glass. Also, if you allow your body to sit still, keep your spine straight, relax both the mind and the body and observe your breath with mindfulness, you can calm your body and mind and find inner peace. "Sitting still and focusing on our breath, being aware that we exist is a great happiness. Sit still and dont try to become another person. When our mind is at rest, we can get in touch with the miracles that have always been there around us." Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh waves at monks and followers after he arrives at Tu Hieu Pagoda in Hue on October 28, 2018. Photo by VnExpress/Vo Thanh During talks with the Master, Vietnamese entrepreneurs said they were too busy and always found themselves in a race against time with mountains of work that they can never say when they can finish. Some of them said they could not find anyone to do the jobs on their behalf, so they did not even have time to have breakfast or other meals with their families. The Master said it is because of such people, who always have to rush and cannot have time to be aware of each step or each meal they take, that we "all have to support each other to take a break." If we miss our moment in the here and now, we lose our life, he said. We all understand that. But the problem is that we still live our daily life as though we had never known or heard of this miraculous tenet. We have fallen too deeply into worries, fear and the race against time. Thanks to the Master, I have learned how to deal with sadness and pull myself together, through each and every behavior and gesture I make. I have learned that our true home is here and now, on the island of the self. "Every day, each person should spend five-ten minutes and if you can, make it 20-30 minutes, sitting still to recognize ourselves. Sitting still to celebrate life," he said. He guided us on how to have our meal with mindfulness: swallow slowly and be aware of what we are eating. He guided us on how to meditate while walking on a grass field in Van Thanh Park in Ho Chi Minh City and the beach in Hoi An. Intellectuals and entrepreneurs whod heard of the Zen Master for decades and only known him through books and video clips shone brightly as they were guided directly by him. Other masters from the Plum Village gave psychological advice to each attendant and guided 500 of them to relax their mind and body, let them lie down on the grass and observe their breath. Some attendants could not fight back the smooth feeling and fell asleep halfway. We left the courses feeling grateful and joyful, absorbing a significant amount of positive energy - the energy of self-awareness, and knowing how to breathe and smile. These days, every time I look at pictures of a paddy grain sprouting in a bowl, the symbol of "breathe and smile," I always smile to myself. Many Vietnamese later expressed the wish to have more meditation courses with Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh in Vietnam, but it was a pity that for some reason, all such programs closed since 2009. But now, his homeland has him back. As he famously said: I have arrived, I am home In the here, in the now I am solid, I am free In the ultimate, I dwell. His condition has changed much after the cerebral hemorrhage, even though his recovery has been called miraculous by the American doctors who treated him. But for a meditator who has awakened, found peace and true happiness like him, obstacles caused by sickness are just one of the obvious stages in the process of "being born, growing old, getting sick and dying" that the Buddha had pointed out, a process that all living creatures in the universe have to go through. Now at 92, the journey of the Zen Master from the Plum Village has turned to the origin of spirituality, going back to the principle he endorses: no birth, no death, no fear, in which he recommends ways to let go of fear and grief: nothing dies, it only changes form. I have promised myself that I will visit the Master at the Tu Hieu Pagoda in the central town of Hue, to once again absorb the priceless peace he has gifted, not just me, but humanity as a whole for over 40 years, planting the seeds of mindfulness. *Pho Tam is a journalist who practices Thich Nhat Hanhs teachings. The opinions expressed here are his own. Two more top officials arrested for $4.5 million misappropriation at state shipyard Truong Van Tuyen (L), former head of Vinashin, and Pham Thanh Son, its deputy general director, have been arrested for involvement in a banking graft case. Photos by VnExpress/File A former Vinashin chief and a serving deputy chief of its successor company SBIC have been arrested for abetting misappropriation of $4.5 million. Police took Truong Van Tuyen, retired general director of the state-run shipbuilding giant, and Pham Thanh Son, deputy general director of the Shipbuilding Industry Corporation (SBIC), Monday for "abuse of power or position to appropriate property" while at Vinashin. According to investigators, the two had abused their authority to illegally approve the deposit of the companys money in the scandal-hit OceanBank, making them accomplices of former chief accountant Tran Duc Chinh, who is already in custody. Chinh allegedly stole interest of over VND105 billion ($4.5 million) the bank had paid in excess of what it legally should have. He and Vinashin's former chairman, Nguyen Ngoc Su, were arrested for questioning. Chinh was sentenced to 18 months in prison last August for a similar crime he had committed while serving as chief accountant of PetroVietnam's Vietnam Petroleum Institute. The investigation into the misappropriation at Vinashin is part of the investigations into a multi-million dollar graft case at OceanBank. The police last week also began questioning the bank's former chairman Ha Van Tham, former deputy general director Le Thi Thu Thuy and former accounting director Vu Thi Thuy Duong for allegedly violating accounting regulations. Between 2010 and 2014 OceanBank paid interest above the ceiling rates regulated by the State Bank of Vietnam to customers on Thams orders, causing losses of over VND1.576 trillion ($67.4 million), authorities said. A Hanoi court sentenced Tham to life imprisonment in September last year after holding him mainly responsible for the excessive interest the bank had paid, resulting in the losses. He claimed it was a strategy to attract deposits, but the court rejected this argument. Nguyen Xuan Son, the bank's former general director and a former chairman of PetroVietnam, was sentenced to death for appropriating VND246 billion ($10.5 million) from what were claimed to be excess interest payments. The second phase of investigation into OceanBank is among the major cases the Party and government are "determined" to pursue, General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, who is spearheading the countrys anti-corruption campaign, has said. Trong, 74, has described the campaign as reaching an "all-time high," and urged authorities to sustain the momentum. A Saigon man has collected bells from around the world, including a 1,000-year-old Champa relic. After more than 10 years of collecting, Bui Duc Tam, 68, of HCMC now has 200 antique bells of various shapes and sizes and from various countries around the world. He first fell in love with bells during one of his trips to Khanh Hoa Province when he luckily got a 1,000-year-old piece. The majority in his collection are 50 to 1,000 years old. The bells are either displayed neatly in glass cabinets or dangle from the ceiling. He spends a lot of time searching in flea markets during trips abroad or asks his friends for help. His hobby is expensive but he considers his collection priceless. Tam says: "Each bell and its ring represent a unique aspect of the culture and country it came from. From the standard bells to bells in temples, churches, from the sounds of tea bells to the ringing of school bells, cowbells ... they are all very interesting. Even the way parents call their children has a ring to it." The oldest bell in his collection, one he bought in the central town of Nha Trang, is around 1,000 years old. It is a relic from the ancient Champa culture. Champa was a collection of independent Cham polities that extended across the coast of what is today central and southern Vietnam from approximately the 2nd century AD before being absorbed and annexed by Vietnamese Emperor Minh Mang in AD 1832. A 150-year-old Vietnameses bell he found in the ancient central city of Hue is only as big as his palm. Tam bought this centuries-old bell during a trip to France a decade ago. The bell appears to be Indian. This bell from Tibet is shaped like a bowl and has an image of the Buddha carved inside. "This is called a standing bell or sometimes Tibetan singing bowl. Rotating a mallet around the outside rim of the bowl can make it emit a very loud ring," Tam says, demonstrating it. This bell is more than half a century old, and was used during church services. It was given to him by a priest. "This is a service bell used at restaurants to call a waiter to your table. I bought it from a friend in Long An (in the Mekong Delta)." This bell is also from France. It was placed outside houses and served as a doorbell when electricity was not widespread. "In the old times, elders used this bell to call their children or grandchildren when they needed help. This originated in India, but I bought it in France. Now, most people use electronic bells, so this item is very valuable." "This one I bought at an antique market in Saigon. I only know that the bell belonged to an American soldier who was fighting in Southern Vietnam in 1972. There are many bells in my collection that I have not been able to date or identify yet." A string of rattles worn on horses drawing carriages dating back half a century. Other types of bells worn on cattle, goats and sheep in Vietnam and other countries are also in his collection. UXO, while posing a serious threat to Quang Tri people, has also given them a unique occupation: collecting war scrap. Photo by VnExpress/Hoang Tao Despite the dangers, the bomb-riddled fields of Quang Tri Province have for decades been the main source of income for many local families. During the Vietnam War, Quang Tri, the location of the demilitarized zone (DMZ) that separated the North and South, was the site of the fiercest battles and the most intense bombings. After Vietnam reunified in 1975, only three out of Quang Tri's 11,000 villages remained intact and over 390,000 hectares (964,000 acres) of land, or 82 percent of its total area, was feared to have unexploded bombs and explosives. According to the Quang Tri Military Command, there are still over 100,000 tons of unexploded ordnance (UXO) underground or underwater, including bombs, mines, missiles, rockets, artillery and mortar shells, and other explosive devices. This massive quantity of UXO, while posing a serious threat to locals, has also given the people of Quang Tri a unique occupation: collecting war scrap. Forced by poverty Quang Tri's bomb-riddled fields have for decades been the main source of income for many local families. Photo by VnExpress/Hoang Tao Situated along the Ben Hai River, next to the iconic Hien Luong Bridge that connected North Vietnam and South Vietnam, Trung Giang Commune was a key bombing target during the war. And in the 1980s collecting bomb remains was a popular vocation in the commune. Duong Duc Thanh, 53, remembers the ground being littered with bombs and bullets. For four years until 1985 he and his fellow middle schoolers spent half the day accompanying their mothers around to collect scrap bronze, aluminum and iron. "[Life was] too tough, there was no food or clothing, my father's small fishing boat was not enough to feed the whole family and so we had to rely on war scrap." Scrap buyers would visit his house every 7-10 days, and each time the money they paid would be enough only to feed the family for a few days. From 1990, after most of the war scrap above ground had been collected, scrap collectors in the province began to use metal detectors. Since Quang Tri's dry land was not suitable for agriculture and its economy was underdeveloped, most locals had no other work to do, and soon virtually every household was equipped with a simple metal detector. No other option To this day Nguyen Van Toan of Ward 4, Dong Ha Town, has vivid memories of June 1994, when he, then 13, first started accompaying his elder brother into the forest to collect scrap. On one such trip an accident occurred and Toan's brother lost his life. Toan then inherited his brother's metal detector and, together with his wife, continued to follow the profession despite seeing many fellow collectors die or become disabled. While they have been luckier Toan and his wife have also had countless close calls, accidentally striking UXO while digging. Despite the hardships and danger, Toan has refused to give up the job he has been doing for a quarter century. He never received education and scrap collecting has almost become a habit. Every day at the break of dawn he and his wife leave home on their old motorbike with lunch. Their destination, while rarely predetermined, is usually somewhere in the mountains or forests 50-70 kilometers (31-43 miles) from home. Toan says: "In the past there were days when we could collect 100 kilograms [220 pounds] of iron but it was cheap. Nowadays we only get 40-50 kilograms, which we sell for VND150,000 [$6.5]." To help with the family situation, Toan's first child plans to drop out of school after 9th grade to start working. Only livelihood In recent years the price of scrap iron has been dropping and scrap metal has increasingly rare, forcing most collectors to look for other work. Tan Hiep Village in the province's Cam Tuyen Commune is one such place. Nguyen Quoc Tich, 59, who lost both his hands and eyes to UXO, said a decade ago everyone in the village, regardless of age and gender, worked as scrap collectors and would together collect up to 5 tons of scrap a day. However, an irrigation dam was built in the area five years ago, enabling Tan Hieps residents to finally start growing rice. The villagers also received vocational training in masonry and carpentry if they were seniors and afforestation and harvesting pine resin in the case of young people, which helped them give up scrap collecting. Hoang Lien Son, chairman of Cam Tuyen Commune, says thanks to rice and forest cultivation, the lives of people in the commune have improved considerably. "It was only because there was no work to do that the people did this life-threatening work for a living and no one has ever gotten rich from it. This commune has had many people killed or maimed because of this job." According to statistics from Quang Tri's Legacy of War Coordination Centre, 8,540 people in the province have fallen victim to UXO since 1975, 3,431 of them dying. Many had been collecting scrap when an explosive went off. The skyline of central Bangkok and the Chao Phraya river are seen during sunrise in Bangkok. Photo by Reuters/Kham Thailand will hold a much-delayed general election on Feb. 24, 2019, the Election Commission said on Tuesday. The annoucement was made after the junta lifted a ban on political activity it imposed after taking power in a coup in 2014. The junta imposed the strict ban on political activity citing the need for order after months of street protests against the democratically elected government of former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra. The election, which many hope will restore democracy in Southeast Asia's second-biggest economy, will likely pit the populist political movement backed by former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and supported by many in rural areas against the military and royalist establishment. The Bangkok-based establishment seized power in successive coups in 2006 and 2014 and now has its own proxy political parties. The junta began easing the ban in September, when it allowed political parties to resume organising ahead of an election expected in February. It still retains sweeping powers to maintain law and order despite lifting the ban, including conducting searches, freezing assets, and making arrests. The Election Commission confirmed the Feb. 24 election date on Tuesday, just before a statement announcing the ban on political activity had been lifted was published in the Royal Gazette. "The people and political parties will be able to take part in political activities during this period leading up to the election in accordance with the constitution," the statement said. Thailand last held a successful election in 2011 but the Election Commission said it was ready to go ahead with the Feb. 24 poll. "The lifting of the ban means political activities can resume, including political campaigning, but this has to be done under the law," Deputy Election Commission Secretary-General Sawang Boonmee told Reuters. Owners of ships that blocked Kerch Strait do business in Ukraine media investigation Their company is engaged in smuggling and systematic violations of the sanctions regime against the occupied Crimea, according to some media reports. If you see a spelling error on our site, select it and press Ctrl+Enter Dahal says party has agreed to increase elderly allowance Nepal Communist Party (NCP) Chairperson Pushpa Kamal Dahal said his party has agreed to increase elderly allowance from next year. While no new sanctions against Russia are likely, EU leaders are expected this week to prolong existing economic sanctions against Russia over its annexation of Crimea and destabilization of Ukraine. The European Union is studying ways to help bolster the economy in strife-torn eastern Ukraine, the EUs top diplomat said Monday, amid tensions with Russia over a naval confrontation in the Black Sea last month. Ukraine has been seeking help from its international partners at the EU and NATO since Russian border guards fired on three Ukrainian navy vessels in the Black Sea on Nov 25. The crews were captured and the ships seized, The Associated Press recalls. But the 28-nation bloc is unlikely to impose any fresh sanctions on Russia over its actions in the annexed Crimea region and the Sea of Azov, which is an important part of Ukraines economy. For us what counts the most is the practical support we can give, EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini told reporters in Brussels after chairing a meeting of European foreign ministers, including talks with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin. Mogherini said the EU is looking into what measures it can take to help support the region around the Sea of Azov, where the busy trading port of Mariupol is situated. Read alsoWith Azov escalation, Moscow tests West's response - expert She said the EU is looking at projects it can finance and European Investment Bank assistance, but she didnt go into detail. Mogherini will hold talks with Ukraine's prime minister on EU-Ukraine relations in Brussels on Dec 17. Klimkin said he had asked for four things: help to secure release of the captured sailors, pressure to ensure freedom of navigation in the regions waters with perhaps the use of observers, the addition of more Russians to the EUs sanctions list and possible retaliatory measures against Russian port facilities, and the provision of infrastructure, water and energy projects to boost the economy. While no new sanctions against Russia are likely, EU leaders are expected this week to prolong existing economic sanctions against Russia over its annexation of Crimea and destabilization of Ukraine. Read alsoWest slow with response to Russian aggression Ukrainian MP The extension of those sanctions is tied to progress on implementing the Minsk peace agreement meant to end the conflict in eastern Ukraine. As there is no progress in putting into effect the Minsk agreement, theres no need to modify our policy, Belgian Foreign Minister Didier Reynders said. Separately, the EU added nine more people to another sanctions list over illegal elections in eastern Ukraine last month. The foreign ministers imposed asset freezes and travel bans on the nine local government and election officials in Donetsk and Luhansk. It brings to 164 the total number of people under sanctions for actions undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine. Forty-four entities, like companies or organizations, are also on the list. The growing agricultural sector has also benefited the development of the Ukrainian organic food sector. The Ukrainian agriculture sector has seen huge growth in the first 10 months of 2018. Between January and October 2018, the foreign trade turnover of agricultural products amounted to US$19.2 billion, an increase of five per cent compared to the previous year. "Ukrainian agricultural exports increased by almost US$165 million in the first 10 months of 2018," announced Olga Trofimtseva, Ukraine's deputy minister of agriculture and food, according to Emerging Europe. "Our main trading partners are Asian countries, followed by the European Union and Africa," added Ms. Trofimtseva. Read alsoGrain harvest in Ukraine may exceed 70 mln tonnes experts The growing agricultural sector has also benefited the development of the Ukrainian organic food sector, which only began to gain traction a decade ago when organic products started appearing on the shelves of Ukrainian shops. Since then, the internal organic market has bloomed. According to a market study carried out by Organic Standard, the first Ukrainian national certification body that provides services in inspection and certification of organic production, there are now over 35 companies in Ukraine producing organic products. Due to the growing popularity of Ukraine's organic produce on foreign markets, the Reform Support Office under the Ministry of Agriculture and Food reported that in 2017 the total volume of exports of organic products amounted to 260,000 tonnes. "Our organic products are supplied to the Netherlands, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Austria, Poland, Switzerland, Belgium, Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Hungary, the USA, Canada, Australia and some Asian countries," said a ministry representative. So big has been the push towards organic produce that the ministry, in partnership with the Western NIS Enterprise Fund, the Swiss-Ukrainian Organic Market Development project and the Research Institute of Organic Agriculture has created a campaign to promote organic farming to global investors. The video features Jamala, who represented Ukraine and won the Eurovision Song Contest 2016 with her song "1944." Ukraine police to receive Airbus H145 helicopters with modern avionics Minister The minister inspected the assembly of H145 helicopters for Ukraine at a Munich plant. If you see a spelling error on our site, select it and press Ctrl+Enter Electricity price may grow in Ukraine due to rising cost of coal deliveries from Rotterdam The relevant issue is on the agenda of the NEURC meeting to be held on December 14. If you see a spelling error on our site, select it and press Ctrl+Enter Uzbekistan resumes sugar imports from Ukraine In mid-November, Uzbekistan suspended customs clearance of sugar and other cargoes coming from Ukraine. If you see a spelling error on our site, select it and press Ctrl+Enter A residential development in Sant Just Desvern, Barcelona. Joan Sanchez (EL PAIS) The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is calling on Spain to monitor the price of real estate following a rebound of the property market after years of crisis. After analyzing late 2017 statistics, the global agency has detected early signs of a slight overvaluation, although it stressed that there is still nothing like a new housing bubble in Spain. The IMF has been telling Spain for years to create an agency to monitor systemic risks Even though there is no clear evidence so far of a generalized house price overvaluation, it is critical that the Bank of Spain has a comprehensive toolkit at its disposal so that it can act promptly should misalignments emerge, says the IMF in its annual report on Spain. House prices have increased in recent years, although from a low level and without signs of a construction boom. While there is no clear evidence of a significant price misalignment yet, the authorities need to be vigilant. The set of macroprudential tools should be expanded to deal with potential financial stability risks, write the analysts in a side box to the report titled Developments in the Housing Market: Already a Cause of Concern? The IMF finds that house prices increased by around 15% between 2014 and 2017, but that sales are being driven by existing housing stock rather than new housing. Another change from pre-crisis days is that the home ownership rate has dropped from 80% to 77% as people increasingly turn to the rental market. The economy is showing nothing like the kind of effervescence that once drove the speculative debt bubble The Spanish economy is showing nothing like the kind of effervescence that drove the speculative debt bubble prior to 2008. Rising home prices are not being matched by a rise in credit flows. Private debt levels are not growing and the exterior balance is positive. Gone are the days when Spain was borrowing around 100 billion a year, fundamentally to fund the purchase of overvalued homes. But analysts are nevertheless concerned about the new upward trend of housing prices, which could lead to excessive trust and a relaxation of loan-application requirements and building criteria. Additionally, household savings levels are at historic lows as homeowners believe themselves to be wealthier. One should never underestimate the speed at which these processes gain traction, said a high-ranking government official. The IMF report notes that banks are highly exposed to real estate sector developments, and therefore the macroprudential toolkit should be expanded to deal with risks associated with that exposure. One should never underestimate the speed at which these processes gain traction Government official This means that Spanish supervisors should be granted new powers to limit mortgage approvals based on the value of the home, the borrowers income or the payment deadlines. The Socialist Party (PSOE) administration of Pedro Sanchez is currently working on a decree to give the Bank of Spain these powers. The IMF has been telling Spain for years to create an agency to monitor systemic risks, or in other words, to assess financial hazards in order to prevent imbalances and bubbles. And now that the property market is picking up speed again, there is an added sense of urgency. The previous Popular Party (PP) administration delayed the creation of this oversight body, but current Economy Minister Nadia Calvino has a blueprint on her desk for an agency that would bring together the Bank of Spain, the CNMV national securities watchdog and the Economy Ministry. Under the proposed terms, the Bank of Spain would gain the power to rein in the concession of loans and tighten conditions for mortgage approvals. English version by Susana Urra. Demonstrators burn effigies of PM and Home Minister demanding justice for Nirmala Members of Nepali Congress aligned Nepal Student Union (NSU) and Nepal WomensAssociation (NWA) staged a demonstration in front of the office of Province 7 Chief Minister and Council of Ministers in Dhangadi, Kailali on Tuesday demanding the government identify and punish the perpetrators involved in the rape and murder of 13-year-old Nirmala Pant. US$30m OPEC Fund loan to Ameriabank to promote sustainable energy and support small businesses in Armenia Black Friday at ucom: up to 70% discount for smart home devices, gadgets and smartphones 116 million AMD assistance to minors with disabilities in Shirak Province from Mikayel Vardanyan Discussion on the topic IT infrastructure as the basis of the digital economy with the participation of the heads of telecommunication companies in Armenia Google Ad Statement nn the ongoing Aggression by Azerbaijan against the Republic of Armenia "We condemn any attempts at borderisation, as observed since the incursion of Azerbaijani troops into Armenian territory on 12 May" Joint statement The United States is deeply concerned about reports of intensive fighting today between Armenia and Azerbaijan.ANTONY J. BLINKEN Statement of the MFA of Armenia Ookla has awarded Ucom with The fastest fixedline network in Armenia award UCOM keeps on supporting the 42 YEREVAN programming school Recognizing the One-Year Anniversary of the Ceasefire Declaration Between Armenia and Azerbaijan They should not be positioned near civilian communities neither in Armenia nor in Artsakh Humanitarian and human rights protection needed following the 2020 outbreak of hostilities between Armenia and Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh Galaxy Group of Companies expands its activities in Belarus: a new TIME and Pandora store launched I think its a good moment to invest in Armenia. Head of Markets at Symbiotics Vincent Lehner Ameriabank has Raised USD 17.5M Tier 2 Capital Google Ad UNIGHT TO UNITE. UCOM CELEBRATED ITS REBIRTH Ameriabank and HSBC Armenia to provide their customers access to each others ATMs without additional fees Ameriabank. 62.5% Growth in Taxes YOY Mikayel and Karen Vardanyans have provided 300 million AMD to overcome the infertility in Armenia UCOM has officially launched the sale of IPHONE 13 Six servicemen were wounded by the attack of the Azerbaijani armed forces in Artsakh, two of them in critical condition S&P Improved the Outlook on Ameriabank to Positive Ararat Mirzoyan to visit to Minsk Foreign Minister of India visits the Memorial of Armenian Genocide 1217 new cases Global Finance Names Ameriabank the Safest Bank in Armenia Statement by the Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group At UCOM only: Tv sets at 10% discount + 1 month free UMIX package + 4k tv channel Ara Babloyan: I hope you will succeed Speaker of the Parliament of Armenia Ara Babloyan addressed congratulatory message on the December 9 snap parliamentary elections: Dear compatriots, dear colleagues, one of the key events in the new history of the Republic of Armenia the snap elections of the National Assembly, is over. Regardless of the disagreements between the political forces, their competition and decisive fight, such an atmosphere has been formed during this period which enabled the citizen of Armenia to make a decision and outline his/her future expectations and dreams by that. The election results are as pleasing for the political forces elected to the Parliament as they are obliging because by receiving the trust of the voters the political forces must always remember that they have assumed the commitment to exercise the expectations and dreams of the same voters which they should do with a great responsibility. I hope you will succeed. Dear colleagues, I congratulate you on the formation of the new Parliament and wish you new achievements and success in the future legal activities for the sake of Armenias strengthening, security of Artsakh and welfare of our people. US$30m OPEC Fund loan to Ameriabank to promote sustainable energy and support small businesses in Armenia Black Friday at ucom: up to 70% discount for smart home devices, gadgets and smartphones 116 million AMD assistance to minors with disabilities in Shirak Province from Mikayel Vardanyan Discussion on the topic IT infrastructure as the basis of the digital economy with the participation of the heads of telecommunication companies in Armenia Statement nn the ongoing Aggression by Azerbaijan against the Republic of Armenia "We condemn any attempts at borderisation, as observed since the incursion of Azerbaijani troops into Armenian territory on 12 May" Joint statement The United States is deeply concerned about reports of intensive fighting today between Armenia and Azerbaijan.ANTONY J. BLINKEN Statement of the MFA of Armenia Ookla has awarded Ucom with The fastest fixedline network in Armenia award UCOM keeps on supporting the 42 YEREVAN programming school Recognizing the One-Year Anniversary of the Ceasefire Declaration Between Armenia and Azerbaijan They should not be positioned near civilian communities neither in Armenia nor in Artsakh Humanitarian and human rights protection needed following the 2020 outbreak of hostilities between Armenia and Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh Galaxy Group of Companies expands its activities in Belarus: a new TIME and Pandora store launched I think its a good moment to invest in Armenia. Head of Markets at Symbiotics Vincent Lehner Ameriabank has Raised USD 17.5M Tier 2 Capital Google Ad UNIGHT TO UNITE. UCOM CELEBRATED ITS REBIRTH Ameriabank and HSBC Armenia to provide their customers access to each others ATMs without additional fees Ameriabank. 62.5% Growth in Taxes YOY Mikayel and Karen Vardanyans have provided 300 million AMD to overcome the infertility in Armenia UCOM has officially launched the sale of IPHONE 13 Six servicemen were wounded by the attack of the Azerbaijani armed forces in Artsakh, two of them in critical condition S&P Improved the Outlook on Ameriabank to Positive Ararat Mirzoyan to visit to Minsk Foreign Minister of India visits the Memorial of Armenian Genocide 1217 new cases Global Finance Names Ameriabank the Safest Bank in Armenia Statement by the Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group At UCOM only: Tv sets at 10% discount + 1 month free UMIX package + 4k tv channel The European Union (EU) will disburse a first tranche of the EU macrofinancial assistance in the amount of EUR 500 million to Ukraine, European Commission Vice-President for the Euro and Social Dialogue Valdis Dombrovskis has said. "Today the EU disburses EUR 500 million of macro-financial assistance to Ukraine. The EU continues its strong engagement in Ukraine, and support for its people," he wrote in his Twitter microblog on Tuesday. As reported, the European Commission on November 30, 2018 made a favorable decision on the provision of a first tranche of the fourth macrofinancial assistance of the EU to Ukraine in the amount of EUR 500 million. According a report of the European Commission, Ukraine has fulfilled the policy commitments agreed with the EU for the release of the first payment under the programme. These included important measures to step up the fight against corruption, improve transparency of company registers, enhance the predictability of the tax environment and strengthen the governance of state-owned enterprises. Ukraine has also agreed with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on a new Stand-by Arrangement, which will replace its previous programme under the IMF's Extended Fund Facility, thus continuing the country's engagement with the IMF. "The EU will continue working with the Ukrainian authorities on its reform agenda, including in those areas related to the next disbursement of the MFA programme. These include further measures in the fight against corruption, such as progress in making the High Anti-Corruption Court of Ukraine operational, public financial management, the continuation of reforms of the energy and banking sectors and reforms in the area of social policy," the commission said. With this disbursement, the total macrofinancial assistance extended to Ukraine by the EU since 2014 will reach EUR 3.3 billion, the largest amount of such assistance directed at any non-EU country. Health Ministry to sign agreement with NBME for $575,000 for intl study of higher education quality The Health Ministry of Ukraine intends in December 2018 to sign an agreement with the National Board of Medical Examiners of the United States of America (NBME) for the purchase of services for conducting international monitoring research on the quality of higher medical education in 2018 regardless of the subordination and ownership of the institution for a total of $575,000. According to the ProZorro public procurement system's website, tender offers were disclosed on December 5, 2018. The deadline for providing the service is May 17, 2019. The Ministry of Health intends to conclude an agreement with the NBME through a negotiation procedure due to lack of competition. Russian-led occupation forces have mounted 12 attacks on Ukrainian troops in eastern Ukraine over the past 24 hours. "No casualties among Ukrainian troops have been reported in the past day. According to intelligence reports, one enemy fighter was killed and another three were wounded," the press center of Ukraine's Joint Forces Operation (JFO) said in an update on Facebook on December 11, 2018. Russian occupation forces opened aimed fire from grenade launchers of various types, heavy machine guns, and small arms as they attacked the defenders of the town of Maryinka, and the villages of Novozvanivka, Berezove, Nevelsk, and Chermalyk. The enemy also employed 120-mm mortars near the villages of Novo-Oleksandrivka and Pisky, while those near the villages of Vilny, Zaitseve, Pisky, and Butivka coal mine came under fire from 82-mm mortars. "Since Tuesday midnight, Russian-led forces have attacked the Ukrainian positions near Pisky. No heavy weapons were used. No casualties among Ukrainian troops have been reported since the start of the day," the JFO report said. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has lambasted critics for blocking the government's plan to join international anti-money laundering conventions such as the Financial Action Task Force (FATF). Without cooperation with foreign banks, the cost of living would be 20 percent higher. Passing FATF bills means costs would decrease 20 percent, Rouhani said on December 10 at a meeting with officials from the Roads and Urban Development Ministry, reported official news agency IRNA. It is not acceptable that some organizations come up with rhetoric (against passing such bills) without telling people the consequences of not doing so, he added. Dismissing critics comments as "hollow slogans," Rouhani insisted that if people say they are seeking an "expensive life" they would accept the logic behind such slogans. Is it possible to not work with foreign banks today? Rouhani asked, adding that some people are creating propaganda against the issue and saying signing the convention would lead to a weakening of Islam. If they understood Islam, they wouldnt say that, he added. Rouhani was referring to the proposals by his administration collectively known as the Palermo bills. The proposals, if passed, would pave the way for the country to meet FATF requirements -- as well as those of the United Nations Convention Against Transnational Organized Crime (UNTOC), Combatting the Financing of Terrorism (CFT), and the United Nations Office of Drugs and Crimes -- in the hope of reducing international pressure on Irans deteriorating economy. Originally proposed in November 2017, the bills have met with staunch resistance from hardliners, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who says the agreements were cooked up by foreign enemies. The opponents are mainly Friday Prayer leaders, Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps commanders, and other conservative allies of Khameneis. They argue that passing the bills will threaten Irans security, whereas analysts say the real fear in circles loyal to the supreme leader is that adhering to rules for financial transparency would prevent Tehran from funding the Lebanese Hezbollah and Palestinian Hamas militant groups. Speaking to ministry officials on December 10, Rouhani maintained that if it doesnt join FATF Tehran will be forced to use foreign exchange bureaus for foreign financial transactions, which costs 20 percent more than using the international banking system. Iran's economy faces serious crises as the United States has imposed stringent sanctions on the country's banking and oil sales. Throughout the year, multiple protests and labor strikes have ignited the danger of new unrest in the authoritarian country. Last June, members of the parliament discussed the CFT accession bill, which is one of the Palermo bills, along with a proposal to adopt FATF standards. The bill was shelved for two months. Later, it was approved by the parliament but rejected by the conservative-dominated Guardian Council. The parliament also approved a bill on the countrys accession to UNTOC, also known as the Palermo Convention, but it was rejected by the Guardian Council. The parliament has since referred the bill to the Expediency Council to make a final decision. An amendment to Irans anti-money laundering law proposed by Rouhanis government met a similar fate; it was approved by the parliament but rejected by both the Guardian Council and Expediency Council. An amendment to Irans law against financing terrorism was approved by both the parliament and the Guardian Council and signed into law by Rouhani, state-run Mehr News Agency reported. While the heated debate over the Palermo bills continues, several members of the parliament, including Tehran MP Parvaneh Salahshouri, have said they have received death threats for voting for the bills. FATF has given Tehran until February to either endorse UNTOC or be added to its blacklist of countries refusing to cooperate in the fight against money laundering and financing terrorism. The International Monetary Fund is urging Tehran to endorse the bills. Iran and North Korea are the only countries on the FATF blacklist, but the Paris-based organization has suspended countermeasures against Tehran while it works on reforms. Meanwhile, on December 10, Israel became a full member of FATF, the international body set up to combat money laundering, terrorist financing, and other threats to the international financial system. Israel takes its place alongside 37 other members -- including most of the G20, the worlds 20 leading industrialized and emerging economies -- just 16 years after being blacklisted by the organization, local news outlets reported. "Joining FATF is a national achievement on a political level, contributing to Israel's ability to fight terrorist financing internationally, and strengthening the Israeli economy," Israeli Justice Minister Ayelet Shaket told journalists on December 10. Devotees start flocking to Janakpur for Ram Janaki marriage festival Thousands of devotees have started to arrive in Janakpur to mark the annual Ram Janaki festival. More than 100 Nobel laureates have called upon Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, to allow ailing Iranian Swedish dual national, Dr. Ahmadreza Jalali (Djalali) to "return home" to his wife and children. Jalali, 46, a resident of Sweden since 2009, is a physician and researcher focused on crisis management affiliated with the Karolinska Institute near Stockholm. While on an official academic visit hosted by Tehran University, Jalali was accused of collaboration with a hostile government and arrested in April 2016. Since then, he has been kept behind bars at Tehrans notorious Evin prison. In their letter, 121 Nobel Laureates have addressed Khamenei asking him to ensure that Jalali receives the best possible medical care, is treated humanely and fairly, and to allow Dr. Jalali to return home to his wife and children and continue his scholarly work for the benefit of mankind. Jalali was tried by a notorious Judge, Abolqassem Salavati in a Revolution Court and sentenced to death for corruption on Earth on October 21, 2017. Salavati is well-known for issuing harsh sentences, especially in political cases. Jalalis family and colleagues initially kept news of the arrest under wraps in an attempt to prevent the situation from escalating but spoke out following the death penalty verdict. Iranian Supreme Court upheld the death sentence in December 2017. A few days later, Irans state television broadcast what it described as the confessions of Jalali who it said had provided information to Israel to help assassinate several senior nuclear scientists. However, his wife, Vida Mehran Nia told Radio Farda at the time that her husband had been forced by his interrogators to read the confession. Amnesty International (AI) also emphasized that Jalali has been under pressure to sign documents, admitting that he had collaborated with a 'hostile government.'" When Jalali refused, he was threatened with being charged with waging a war against God, which is punishable by death in Iran, AI noted, adding, There has been no evidence showing Jalai has ever had any activity outside the academic domain. Sweden also condemned the sentence and said it had brought the matter up at high-level meetings with Iranian representatives in Stockholm and Tehran. The New York-based Center for Human Rights in Iran (CHRI), which has published a copy of the letter, reported on Monday, "The letter was featured by supporters of Djalali at the Nobel Prize Award Ceremony in Stockholm on December 10." "We now hear that Dr. Jalali's medical condition is declining rapidly and he is in a hospital and in desperate need of the best possible medical care. In light of the evidence of which we are aware, he deserves a fair trial, which should lead to his release," the Nobel Laureates have asserted in their new letter. On behalf of the signatories to the letter, the winner of 1993 Nobel Prize in Medicine, Sir Richard Roberts, has addressed Khamenei, saying, "In November 2017, and again in February 2018 I wrote on behalf of a consortium of Nobel Laureates about the plight of a medical scholar, Dr. Ahmadreza Djalali, who was arrested on an academic visit to Tehran in April 2016." Furthermore, Dr. Roberts has noted, "We now have 121 Nobel Laureates supporting this cause, and we would urge you to attend to this case personally and make sure that Dr. Djalali is treated humanely and fairly and is released as soon as possible." This is the third letter signed by Nobel Laureates, calling for the unconditional release of Jalali. Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 11 Trend: Students of Baku Higher Oil School (BHOS) attended a ceremony of awarding the winners of the Second national innovation contest titled National Innovation Challenge Azerbaijan 2018. At the event, Minister of Economy of Azerbaijan Shahin Mustafayev presented the winners certificates and cash prize of 5,000 manat to the BHOS students who participated in the contest with ThermoNorth start-up project and took the first place. Speaking at the ceremony, BHOS student Alexander Oborovsky thanked all organizers of the event and expressed special gratitude to the Ministry of Economy. Then he and other BHOS team members including undergraduates Husseyn Aliyev, Elmar Askarzada, Yadigar Nazarov, Murad Rahimov and their research supervisor, associate professor Amir Reza Vakhshouri made a presentation of the ThermoNorth project and told about its goals and objectives. The Second national innovation contest of Azerbaijan was jointly organized by the Ministry of Economy, the Ministry of Transport, Communications and High Technologies, the State Agency for Public Services and Social Innovations under the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Azerbaijani National Academy of Sciences and United National Development Program (UNDP) in Azerbaijan. Nearly 220 projects were presented by young Azerbaijani researchers and scientists participating in the National Innovation Challenge Azerbaijan 2018. Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 11 Trend: A commemorative stamp dedicated to the nations children has been unveiled by Azerbaijans national postal stamp agency, Azermarka, to commemorate the 25th anniversary of UNICEFs partnership with the country. The unveiling took place at a special event today led by Ms. Leyla Gulaliyeva, President of Azermarka under the Ministry of Transport, Communications and High Technologies and Edward Carwardine, UNICEF Representative to Azerbaijan. UNICEF is proud to mark a quarter of a century of working in Azerbaijan to build a brighter future for every child in this young nation, said Mr. Carwardine. As Azerbaijan continues to grow rapidly, economically and socially, UNICEF remains committed to a vision of a future where all children enjoy the same opportunities, the same chances in life and the same respect for their rights. We are delighted to witness this new postage stamp issued by Azermarka, as a symbol of the progress made for children over the last 25 years. The postage stamp features a silhouette of a child under an umbrella and shielded by an adults hand, symbolizing the importance of care and protection for every child. The special edition stamps will be available in limited numbers and on sale at post offices and branches of Azermarka. Working together with the Government, international partners, civil society, the private sector, and local communities, UNICEF has supported significant progress for children and women in Azerbaijan, including amongst other successes helping to make Azerbaijan a polio-free country and reducing the prevalence of other preventable diseases, introducing universal iodisation of salt to reduce conditions such as stunting, raising primary school enrolment rates to over 90 per cent, introducing the first school preparedness programme for five-year olds, and halving the number of children living in institutions. About UNICEF UNICEF promotes the rights and wellbeing of every child, in everything we do. Together with our partners, we work in 190 countries and territories to translate that commitment into practical action, focusing special effort on reaching the most vulnerable and excluded children, to the benefit of all children, everywhere. For more information, please contact: Ayna Mollazade Communication and Partnership Specialist [email protected] 99412 4923013 (ext.109) Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 11 Trend: Russia-Azerbaijan relations are a factor of peace not only in the Caucasus, but also in the wider region, Director General of the Rossiya Segodnya news agency, popular Russian TV anchor, journalist Dmitry Kiselev said in a conversation with Vestnik Kavkaza news and analytical agency, Trend reports. Kiselev was speaking on the sidelines of the presentation of his book in collaboration with Russian political scientist, President of the Center on Global Interests Nikolai Zlobin. Azerbaijan quite successfully acts as a kind of mediator between Russia and Iran, even a partner in our tripartite projects, he said. Kiselev drew attention to the fact that the national leader of the Azerbaijani people Heydar Aliyev made an important contribution to the development of modern mutually beneficial and constructive strategic relations between Russia and Azerbaijan. It seems to me that he laid a healthy foundation, Kiselev noted. The idea [by Heydar Aliyev] was to build a triangle of Russia-Azerbaijan-Iran relations, and this triangle turned out to be quite balanced, thanks to which Russia-Azerbaijan relations became a factor of settlement in the Caspian Sea. President Ilham Aliyev continues the line of his father in this sense, Kiselev said. Azerbaijan is developing at a fairly rapid pace, the country feels confident in the international arena, while stable and balanced society lives inside the country. Speaking about the Caucasus as a whole, Kiselev noted that the region should remain self-sufficient and peaceful. I think the Caucasus should manage its destiny on its own, he added. Our North Caucasus is also many-sided, multifaceted and multicolored, and it is better that everything remain in balance. The Russian concept, which implies multipolarity, is harmonious enough for the Caucasus. Headline changed, details added (first version posted on 10:53) Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 11 Trend: The Iran-Azerbaijan border is the border of friendship, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said Dec. 11. The president made the remarks after receiving a delegation led by the Islamic Republic of Iran Border Guard Commander Qasem Rezaee. The head of state hailed the successful development of bilateral relations between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Islamic Republic of Iran in a variety of areas, including border security cooperation. President Aliyev emphasized the departure and arrival of the two countries citizens and businessmen as well as cargo transportation between the two countries, and described the Iran-Azerbaijan border as the border of friendship. Hailing the importance of the meetings of heads of the two countries border services, the president noted that cooperation between the Border Guard services is of great significance in developing Iran-Azerbaijan bilateral relations. President Ilham Aliyev expressed hope that Qasem Rezaees visit to Azerbaijan will contribute to the expansion of bilateral cooperation between the two countries. Qasem Rezaee shared his pleasant impressions about Azerbaijan, and wished President Ilham Aliyev success in his tireless activities. Rezaee said he is pleased to meet with the Azerbaijani president again and hear the head of states recommendations and meaningful views relating to the development of relations between the two countries. The sides also exchanged views on prospects for bilateral cooperation between Azerbaijan and Iran. Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 11 Trend: The Assembly of Canadian Azerbaijani Organizations and the Canadian Society of Azerbaijanis for the Arts sent a message to the local structures, Trend reports citing the Azerbaijani State Committee on Work with Diaspora. The message was sent in connection with hanging a flag of the separatist regime illegally created in the occupied Azerbaijani territories, together with the state flag of Canada, on the building of the Armenian Youth Center of Toronto and the Armenian Apostolic Church. According to the message, the hanging of the flag of the separatist regime created in the occupied Azerbaijani territories is a violation of international law and principles, in particular, the four resolutions adopted by the UN Security Council and the rules of other documents prepared by international organizations. In this regard, the Azerbaijani community expressed deep concern and urged the leadership of Toronto not to remain indifferent to this sensitive issue. "Many members of the community are Canadian Azerbaijanis who moved to Canada as a result of the occupation of the Nagorno-Karabakh region by the Armenian armed forces and ethnic cleansing of Azerbaijanis, the message said. Presently, these people live near the church and youth center and when they go to work they must go past these flags. The separatists flag symbolizes deliberate criminal acts, genocide against Azerbaijanis. In the message, the Azerbaijani community expressed dissatisfaction with the fact that such injustice occurs in Canada and appealed to remove these "flags". A letter of protest signed by 16 diaspora organizations, including the Assembly of Canadian Azerbaijani Organizations, was sent to Mayor of Toronto John Tory, city councillor Shelley Carroll, MP, minister of Canadian heritage and multiculturalism and corresponding structures. 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, Dec. 11 Trend: Iran supports the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan and its fair position on the settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Major General Qasem Rezaee, commander of Irans Border Guard, said at the meeting with Azerbaijans defense minister, Colonel General Zakir Hasanov Dec. 11, Trend reports citing Azerbaijans Defense Ministry. Hasanov brought to the attention of the guests the military-political situation in the region, stressing that the unresolved Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict still poses a threat to regional stability. Noting that religious, historical and cultural ties between Azerbaijan and Iran are based on good, friendly traditions, Rezaee stressed that, like in other areas, there is also great potential for cooperation between Iran and Azerbaijan in the military sphere. During the meeting, the parties held a comprehensive exchange of views on the prospects for military cooperation between the armies of Azerbaijan and Iran, as well as other issues of mutual interest. 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, Dec. 11 By Rufiz Hafizoglu - Trend: The memory of Heydar Aliyev, the national leader of the Azerbaijani people, will live forever in Turkey, the Presidential Administration of Turkey told Trend on Dec. 11. The administration noted that the great leader Heydar Aliyev was not only the founder of Turkish-Azerbaijani relations, but also one of the authoritative leaders of the Turkic world. "Heydar Aliyev played an exceptional role in the formation and development of Turkish-Azerbaijani relations on the principle of 'one nation - two states'," the presidential administration said. Strengthening the bilateral relations, the national leader laid the foundation for important energy projects, the administration added. "Today, the policy of further strengthening relations between Turkey and Azerbaijan is being pursued by President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev," the presidential administration said. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @rhafizoglu Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 11 Trend: A working group for organization of the 36th International Conference on Fighting Drug Trafficking has been established in Azerbaijan, Trend reports referring to the Cabinet of Ministers. The conference will be held on April 16-18, 2019, in Baku. In this regard, Prime Minister of Azerbaijan Novruz Mammadov has signed a relevant order. The working group, established to fulfill the presidential order on creating an Organizing Committee to hold the 36th International Conference on Fighting Drug Trafficking in Baku in 2019, will be headed by Natig Mammadov, deputy head of the Office of the Cabinet of Ministers. Control over the execution of the order is entrusted to Deputy Prime Minister Ali Hasanov. Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 11 Trend: NATOs Supreme Allied Commander Europe Curtis Scaparrotti and Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces Valery Gerasimov will meet in Baku on Dec. 12, Trend reports citing Scaparrotti, who was received by President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev. Scaparrotti expressed gratitude to the president for the meeting to be held in Baku. He added that Baku is a perfect place for holding a meeting in the NATO-Russia format and stressed the importance of holding such a meeting by Azerbaijan for the second time. Scaparrotti also said Azerbaijan is a reliable and active partner of NATO, appreciated the country's contribution to the Resolute Support Mission in Afghanistan and the service of the Azerbaijani military in Afghanistan, as well as the highly professional service of the country's servicemen in NATO headquarters and their participation in NATO exercises. Elaborate security plan for Bibaha Panchami The security agencies have made a detailed security plan for the upcoming Bibaha Panchami festival in Janakpur. Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 11 Trend: President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has received a delegation led by NATOs Supreme Allied Commander Europe Curtis Scaparrotti. Saying that long-term Azerbaijan-NATO partnership has a broad agenda, the head of state recalled his latest visit to the NATO headquarters and participation in the summit held in Brussels. The President said this has had positive impact on the development of relations. President Ilham Aliyev described all his visits to the NATO headquarters as positive. The head of state said Azerbaijan is actively involved in NATO`s Resolute Support Mission in Afghanistan, noting that the country increased the number of its servicemen there and provides necessary transit and logistic support to the states involved in operations. President Ilham Aliyev said Azerbaijan provides support to Afghanistan on a bilateral basis, adding that transport projects initiated by and involving Azerbaijan open up new opportunities for Afghanistan. The head of state said the visit of the high-level NATO delegation creates favourable opportunities for discussing the issues on the agenda of the bilateral partnership. NATOs Supreme Allied Commander Europe Curtis Scaparrotti thanked the President for receiving him and his delegation and for hosting a meeting with the Chief of General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation to be held in Baku on December 12. He said Baku is a perfect venue for a meeting in NATO-Russia format, stressing the importance of Baku`s hosting such an event for the second time. Curtis Scaparrotti described Azerbaijan as NATO`s reliable and active partner, hailing the country`s contribution to the Resolute Support Mission, Azerbaijani servicemen`s professional service in Afghanistan and in NATO headquarters as well as their participation in NATO trainings. President Ilham Aliyev described the fact that Azerbaijan was chosen from among a number of countries to host discussions of crucial issues of global security as a sign of respect for and trust in the country. The head of state said this is also indicative of Azerbaijan`s role in ensuring regional security, development and stability as well as of the policy the country is pursuing. Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 11 Trend: EY becomes the first global financial services firm to support a nationwide Innovations Contest in Azerbaijan initiated by a number of government agencies. The contest, held every year, serves to promote innovations and sustainable development in the country. In a ceremony in the capital, Baku, EY Azerbaijan signed a memorandum with the Ministry of Economy, the Ministry of Transport, Communications and High Technology, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the State Agency for Public Services and Social Innovations and the National Academy of Sciences. As part of the agreement, EY Azerbaijan will now support the organisers of the annual Innovations Contest. Ilgar Veliyev, Country Managing Partner for EY Azerbaijan said: As a company representing the private sector, we recognise our responsibility to support the country in its attempts to follow the global sustainable development agenda. This contest is an excellent opportunity to encourage genuine innovation and support aspiring start-up entrepreneurs and innovators. By joining this initiative, we are setting an example for other major players in the private sector to assist the government in achieving its sustainability goals. About EY EY is a global leader in assurance, tax, transaction advisory, financial advisory and advisory services. The insights and quality services we deliver help build trust and confidence in the capital markets and in economies the world over. We develop outstanding leaders who team to deliver on our promises to all of our stakeholders. In so doing, we play a critical role in building a better working world for our people, for our clients and for our communities. EY in Azerbaijan EY pledged its commitment to the development of Azerbaijan and the wider region by establishing its office in Baku 24 years ago. Over this period, we have turned into the leading professional services firm in the region. For nearly a quarter of a century, we have successfully assisted both local and international companies, as well as government agencies, to meet the challenges of the global economy. Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 11 By Fikret Dolukhanov Trend: Indias Rising Hongfa Heavy Machinery will build in Uzbekistan a plant for the production of modern concrete materials worth about $3 million a year, Trend reports referring to the State Investments Committee of Uzbekistan. The corresponding agreement was signed between Ozqurilishmateriallari (Uzbuildmaterials) and Rising Hongfa Heavy Machinery during the first official visit of President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev to India. The investment project provides for the construction of a modern plant in 2020 for the production of new types of refractory, waterproof and insulating concrete wall slabs for the needs of the construction industry. The preliminary location of the plant is Bekabad. In order to discuss the further stage of the project implementation, the Indian delegation visited Uzbekistan on Dec. 1-8. During the working visit, meetings were organized with the Ministry of Healthcare, the Agency for the Development of the Pharmaceutical Industry, Ozqurilishmateriallari, Ozmetkombinat (Uzbek Metallurgical Combine), as well as an acquainting visit to Bekabad. At the Agency for the Development of the Pharmaceutical Industry, representatives of the Indian delegation expressed their willingness to expand cooperation in this area, including the production of pharmaceuticals in Uzbekistan. The parties agreed on the exchange of necessary information on current benefits and preferences in the pharmaceutical industry for investment cooperation. Rising Hongfa Heavy Machinery is engaged in the production of construction equipment and building materials, has four factories in India. The geography of product supplies covers 80 countries of the world, including the USA, Russia, Australia, Brazil, and the countries of Central Asia. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @FDolukhanov Tehran, Iran, Dec.11 Trend: Iran has held talks to establish virtual gateway for common trade with five major business partners - whose names are not specified - to reduce the risk of smuggling. According to the head of Iran Customs Administration Mehdi Mirashrafi, Iran is doing it to lower down cases of smuggling and diversions, Trend reports via Fars News Agency. The Iranian official has not named the mentioned five countries, but said talks were held with representatives from India, South Korea, China, Italy, France, Brazil and UK on the sidelines of the regional meeting of World Customs Organization held in Jaipur, India. He has recently attended the meeting where he discussed the ways to prevent smuggling goods. "The lack of transparency in foreign trade can be prevented by demonstrating the origins and destination of goods by exchanging electronic data. This requires infrastructure in the countries and policy making among organizations," he said. "Iran seeks to exchange trade information and data on imports with five major countries to solve the smuggling problems and create more transparency in foreign trade", he said. "Domestic regulations create limitations and there is a need for cooperation between official organizations in the country to establish virtual gateway for common trade. If it has a successful result, many customs diversions would be reduced", he added. According to Tehran's Chamber of Commerce, goods worth $20 billion get smuggled into Iran every year. Home appliances, computer equipment and cosmetics are on the top of the list. Meanwhile, Iran's fuel smuggling to other countries has soared. Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 10 By Elnur Baghishov Trend: Iran's Plan and Budget Organization and Ministry of Industry, Mine and Trade have signed an agreement to create 270,000 jobs in industrial and mining sectors, Trend reports citing ISNA. According to the agreement, 210 trillion rials (about $5 billion) are planned to be allocated for the creation of 270,000 jobs. Iran's Minister of Industry, Mine and Trade Reza Rahmani and Chairman of Plan and Budget Organization Mohammad Bagher Nobakht attended the signing ceremony. Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 11 By Sara Israfilbayova Trend: Azerbaijan and Turkey may create joint ventures in agriculture, Azerbaijans Agriculture Minister Inam Karimov said at the Azerbaijani-Turkish Business Forum being held in Baku, Trend reports. He said that the economy is the most important area of cooperation between the two countries. Karimov stressed that relations between the two countries have a long history and they are strengthened every day thanks to the efforts of the leaders of both countries. The trade turnover in the field of agriculture between Azerbaijan and Turkey amounted to $192 million in 2017, said the minister. In 2013-2017, the value of agriculture products exported from Azerbaijan to Turkey increased by 65.3 percent, and imports grew 2.3 times. Speaking about regional cooperation, the minister touched upon the projects being implemented together with Turkey, such as Baku-Tbilisi-Kars and the Southern Gas Corridor. The minister also talked about the development of agriculture in Azerbaijan, and noted that the development of grain, cotton and hazelnut growing is the priority for the government in the agriculture sector. The main task of the state is to diversify the economy and great attention is paid to agriculture, which is one of the main areas of the non-oil sector, the minister said. The development of this area is impossible without innovative technologies. Therefore, steps are being taken to introduce technologies in the agriculture sector. In addition, the state strongly supports entrepreneurs operating in the field of agriculture, by offering benefits and exempting them from taxes, he noted. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @IsrafilbekovaS Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 11 By Elnur Baghishov Trend: Iran exported goods worth $860 million to Pakistan during the eight months of this Iranian year (started on March 21, 2018), which is 25 percent more ($688 million) compared to the seventh month, Iran's commercial attache to Pakistan Mahmoud Haji Yousefipour said. The trade turnover between the two countries was more than $1 billion over the past eight months, Trend reports citing Shata news agency. Lubricants, crushed stone, date, pistachio, chocolate, flooring materials, cement, industrial equipment were exported from Iran to Pakistan, Yousefipour said. Meanwhile, Iran would like to benefit from the Pakistani markets through the development of trade infrastructure. Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 11 Trend: During eleven months of 2018, Heydar Aliyev International Airport served 4.1 million passengers. This indicator exceeds the same indicator of the previous year by 9 percent. National air carrier Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL) carried 1 million 756,000 passengers, while national low-cost airline Buta Airways 411,000 passengers. 3.54 million passengers (86 percent of passenger traffic) accounted for international flights since the beginning of the year. 34 percent of total number of international passengers accounted for AZAL, while 11.6 percent - Buta Airways. In addition to AZAL and Buta Airways carrying out international passenger flights in November, the top ten airlines also included FlyDubai, Turkish Airlines, Air Arabia, Aeroflot, UIA (International Airlines of Ukraine), Qatar Airways, Utair, SCAT, Lufthansa and S7 Airlines. In total they served 118,000 passengers. Currently, Heydar Aliyev International Airport serves more than 30 airlines on over 40 destinations. Top ten most popular international destinations include Istanbul, Moscow, Dubai, Kiev, Sharjah, Tehran, Baghdad, Tbilisi, Doha and Tel Aviv. 196,000 passengers traveled to these destinations during this period. The new airport terminal of Heydar Aliyev Airport (Terminal 1) was put into operation in April 2014. Its total area is 65,000 square meters. Heydar Aliyev International Airport was awarded the category of "4 stars" by the Skytrax, which is influential British consulting company specializing in the study of the quality of services provided by various airlines and airports worldwide. Baku Heydar Aliyev Airport was named the best airport among airports of Russia and CIS countries for the level of the provided services, being awarded the prestigious Skytrax World Airport Awards for the second year in a row. Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, Dec. 11 By Huseyn Hasanov Trend: A reporting meeting was held in the central building of the oil and gas complex of Turkmenistan, chaired by Deputy Prime Minister for the Fuel and Energy Complex Myratgeldi Meredov, Trend reports citing the Turkmengas State Concern. At the meeting, information was provided on the progress of the construction of the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline, which is carried out in accordance with the planned schedule. In this regard, the deputy prime minister instructed the heads of the relevant departments to keep under special control the construction of the TAPI gas pipeline. The construction of the pipeline began in December 2015. The possible costs of the TAPI project vary within $7-10 billion. The consortium, with the participation of the Asian development Bank (ADB), continues active negotiations with all interested parties. Various options of participation in the project, such as participation in the company's share, project financing, financing through international development banks and with the help of export credit agencies from around the world are being examined. As the leader of TAPI Pipeline company Limited, Turkmengas State Concern, which has a controlling stake, acts as the main financier and project manager. The consortium also includes the Afghanistan Gas Corporation, Inter State Gas Systems (Private) Limited and Indian GAIL. The total length of the pipeline, with a capacity of 33 billion cubic meters of gas per year will be 1,840 kilometers. The fuel will be supplied from the Galkynysh gas field in Turkmenistan, the second largest in the world. The length of the Turkmen section will be 205 kilometers. Then, this energy bridge will pass through the Afghan cities of Herat and Kandahar (816 kilometers), through the cities of Quetta and Multan across Pakistani territory (819 kilometers), and reach the settlement of Fazilka in India. Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 11 By Rashid Shirinov Trend: President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev has ordered to launch the construction of Saryarka main gas pipeline within the framework of Industrialization Day, Trend reports citing the Kazakh media. The gas pipeline is designed to provide gas to the central and northern parts of Kazakhstan. "Saryarka main gas pipeline will run along the Kyzylorda-Zhezkazgan-Karaganda-Temirtau-Astana route. Its length is 1,061 kilometers with a capacity of 2.2 billion cubic meters of gas per year," said Director General of AstanaGas KMG JSC Sagidulla Makashev during the national teleconference with Nazarbayev. Makashev noted that the implementation of this project will provide gas to 2.7 million Kazakhs. The Kazakh president, in turn, pointed out that Saryarka is the largest project in the country. "Finally, Kazakhstan as a state producing oil and gas will begin to provide the center and north of the country with natural gas. I wish you good luck and completion of this facility construction in time," Nazarbayev said. The total cost of the project is 370 billion tenge. In the future, it is planned to build the Astana-Kokshetau gas pipeline with a length of 276 kilometers, and then the Kokshetau-Petropavlovsk gas pipeline with a length of 177 kilometers, as well as to build Zhezkazgan and Temirtau compressor stations. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @ShirinovRashid Fault lines in federalism Unless the concerns of the states are addressed, stagnancy will prolong Chip supplier Qualcomm Inc on Monday said it had won a preliminary order from a Chinese court banning the importation and sale of several Apple Inc iPhone models in China due to patent violations, though Apple said its phones remain available in the country, Reuters reported. The preliminary order affects the iPhone 6S through the iPhone X sold with older versions of Apples iOS operating system. Qualcomm, the biggest supplier of chips for mobile phones, initially filed its case in China in late 2017. The ruling came from the Fuzhou Intermediate Peoples Court in China, the same court that earlier this year banned the import of some of memory chip maker Micron Technology Incs chips into China. Yiqiang Li, a patent lawyer at Faegre Baker Daniels not involved in the case, said the type of injunction granted to Qualcomm by the Fuzhou court does not go into effect until there has been an appeal to a higher court. The court found Apple violated two of Qualcomms software patents around resizing photographs and managing applications on a touch screen. Apple continues to benefit from our intellectual property while refusing to compensate us, Don Rosenberg, general counsel of Qualcomm, said in a statement. Apple shares were down 2 percent. Because the patents concern software, Apple could make changes to its software to avoid the patents and still be able to sell its phones. In a statement, Apple said that all iPhone models remain available for its customers in China. New iPhones use Apples latest version of its mobile operating system, iOS 12. Qualcomms effort to ban our products is another desperate move by a company whose illegal practices are under investigation by regulators around the world, Apple said in its statement. The patents in the suit, which Qualcomm said on Monday had been upheld by the Chinese patent office, are separate from those being contested in other cases in its wide-ranging legal dispute with Apple. Qualcomm has also asked regulators in the United States to ban the importation of several iPhone models over patent concerns, but U.S. officials have so far declined to do so. Li said the Chinese injunction could put pressure on Apple to reach a settlement of its patent dispute with Qualcomm globally. The specific iPhone models affected by the preliminary ruling in China are the iPhone 6S, iPhone 6S Plus, iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus, iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus and iPhone X. A Decade of Legal Assistance to the Population, held by the Center for the Coordination of State-Guaranteed Legal Assistance under the Ministry of Justice of the Kyrgyz Republic, took place in Kyrgyzstan from December 3 to 10, said Director of the Center for the Coordination of State-Guaranteed Legal Assistance under the Ministry of Justice Akjol Kalbekov, Trend reports referring to kabar.kg. He said that, for the most part, the center had received appeals concerning inheritance - 220, right of ownership of movable and immovable property - 670, family law - 1 thousand 459, labor law - 569, criminal law - 15, administrative offense - 19, land questions - 508 and housing - 250, social protection - 1 thousand 678, issues related to the passport and other identity documents - 165 and other issues. During the decade, free legal assistance centers under the territorial justice departments throughout the country provided free legal advisory assistance to 1,291 people, state notaries 780 people. In addition, the coordinators for the provision of guaranteed state legal assistance provided support to 366 citizens, lawyers included in the registry of the coordinators for the provision of guaranteed state legal assistance provided services to 344 citizens, individual non-commercial organizations for the provision of legal aid and a legal clinic assisted 32 citizens, Kalbekov said. He also noted that similar campaigns for providing free legal assistance to the population had been carried out in the shopping centers of the capital and in the regions. The purpose of these campaigns, besides providing legal assistance, was to disseminate information about the Law on State-Guaranteed Legal Assistance and about the existing Centers for the provision of free legal assistance. For the purposes of conducting a large-scale information campaign, lectures were also held in 18 major universities of the country, Kalbekov said. In his opinion, the main goal of the decade was to increase the level of legal protection of vulnerable groups of the population, to provide legal assistance, legal education, access to justice, assistance in the exercise of the rights, freedoms and legal interests of citizens. I would like to express gratitude to our partners who have assisted in carrying out the campaigns. The decade was held with the support from the project of Finnish Foreign Ministry, UNDP project, USAID joint management program and the European Union Rule of Law in Kyrgyzstan 2 phase program, which is implemented by the German Society for International Cooperation (GIZ) and Soros-Kyrgyzstan, Kalbekov said. Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, Dec. 11 By Huseyn Hasanov Trend: The Turkmen Foreign Ministry hosted a meeting with the Belgian Ambassador (with residence in Baku) Bert Schoofs, Trend reports citing the Turkmen Foreign Ministry. The sides considered the possibility of organizing contacts between the president of Turkmenistan and the prime minister of Belgium in 2019 within multilateral formats, or during possible tours, the report said. The issue of holding political consultations in Ashgabat in 2019 was discussed. The Belgian ENEX Process Engineering SA company, which cooperates in the processing and chemical industry, telecommunications, and the introduction of environmentally friendly energy-saving technologies, has its official representative office in Ashgabat. Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec.11 Trend: The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan Rashid Meredov, held talks with the delegation of the United States of America led by the US Special Representative for Afghanistan, Zalmay Khalilzad on Dec.11, Trend reports citing embassy of Turkmenistan in Baku. During the meeting, noting the positive results of joint cooperation in enhancing bilateral relations between Turkmenistan and the United States of America, the sides expressed interest in their further diversification. After exchanging views on the development of the political situation around Afghanistan, the parties considered the possibilities of intensifying bilateral political and diplomatic cooperation. In particular, it was stated that Turkmenistan, being an active participant in international formats for Afghanistan, for a number of years regularly takes steps to establish peace in Afghanistan. In this context, special attention was paid to the initiative of President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, about the readiness of the country to provide a political and diplomatic space to prepare for the establishment of a peace process in neighboring Afghanistan. Waving the Afghan theme, Khalilzad praised the infrastructure projects being implemented in Afghanistan and noted their importance in strengthening the security of neighboring Afghanistan and in the region as a whole. The implementation of the gas pipeline (TAPI), power lines and fiber-optic communications on the route Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan (TAP), as well as the Serhektabat-Turgundi-Herat, Imamnazar-Akina-Andkhoy railways, are designed to seriously change the geopolitical map of the region. Stressing the need for further progressive expansion of Turkmen-US cooperation, the sides discussed issues of its further expansion on a mutually beneficial basis. Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 11 By Elnur Baghishov - Trend: Iran has lifted restrictions on incoming foreign currency, Ali Magouli, the director general of the Import, Special and Free Zones Department of Iran's Customs Administration, said, Trend reports referring to Iranian media. Each individual and legal entity, abiding to the rules defined by Iran's Central Bank, may bring any amount of currency to the country, Magouli said. He added that no security, law enforcement or customs authority has the right to intervene, and any interference is considered a violation of law. Magouli also noted that anyone who violates the law will be expelled from work for a period of six years and will be punished more heavily if the violation is repeated. Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 11 By Elnur Baghishov - Trend: The 160-megawatt Hormoz Combined-Cycle Power Plant in Irans Hormozgan Province has been commissioned in the Persian Gulf Mining and Metal Industries Special Economic Zone, said Mehdi Khabbazpisheh, director of private power plant projects at the Thermal Power Plants Holding Company, Trend reports citing IRNA. Irans Vice President Es'haq Jahangiri attended the inauguration of the plant. Khabbazpisheh said the power plant was built in two years with the investments of the private sector and under the supervision of foreign observers. He noted that 35-40 million euros have been spent for the construction of the plant. The power plant will supply electricity to the Persian Gulf Mining and Metal Industries Special Economic Zone and transmit additional electricity to the countrys grid when needed, he added. The Revolutionary Guards officials comment came after U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeos assertion earlier this month that Iran had test-fired a missile capable of carrying multiple warheads and reaching the Middle East and Europe ,Trend reports citing Reuters. We will continue our missile tests and this recent action was an important test, Guards aerospace division head Amirali Hajizadeh was quoted as saying by the semi-official Fars news agency. The reaction of the Americans shows that this test was very important for them and thats why they were shouting, he added, without specifying what type of missile had been tested. The U.N. Security Council met last week to discuss the test, which the United States, Britain and France said flouted U.N. restrictions on Tehrans military program. U.S. President Donald Trump pulled out of an international agreement on Irans nuclear program in May and reimposed sanctions on Tehran. He said the deal was flawed because it did not include curbs on Irans development of ballistic missiles or its support for proxies in Syria, Yemen, Lebanon and Iraq. Iran has ruled out negotiations with Washington over its military capabilities, particularly the missile program run by the Guards. It says the program is purely defensive and denies missiles are capable of being tipped with nuclear warheads. Hajizadeh said Iran holds up to 50 missile tests a year. The issue of missiles has never been subject to negotiations and nothing has been approved or ratified about its prohibition for the Islamic Republic of Iran in (U.N.) resolution 2231, Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said on Tuesday, according to the Tasnim news agency. Our defense doctrine is basically founded upon deterrence. Under U.N. Security Council Resolution 2231, which enshrined the nuclear deal in 2015, Iran is called upon to refrain from work on ballistic missiles designed to deliver nuclear weapons for up to eight years. Some states argue the language does not make it obligatory. Last month, Hajizadeh said U.S. bases in Afghanistan, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar, and U.S. aircraft carriers in the Gulf were within range of Iranian missiles. Iranian ambassador to Japan stressed the important role of cultural and art associations in reinforcing relations between Iran and Japan, Trend reports referring to IRNA. Morteza Rahmani Movahed made the remarks Tuesday in a meeting with Chairman of Tokai-Iran Friendship Association Masaaki Kanda. He appreciated efforts made by Tokai-Iran Friendship Association for introducing Iranian culture. Rahmani Movahed also pointed to cultural commonalities as cause of developing ties between two countries. Iranian envoy described the role of cultural officials and researchers as constructive in establishing friendly interactions among countries. Meanwhile, Kanda referred to cultural commonalities between Iran and Japan. He elaborated the activities of the association over the recent years. Pointing to the 90th anniversary of Iran-Japan diplomatic ties, he invited Iranian ambassador to visit works made by Iranian and Japanese artists. The Georgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs says that a Foreign Policy report stating that the Georgian government has rejected the candidacy of US foreign service officer Bridget Brink as the next ambassador is far from reality, Trend reports referring to Agenda.ge. Foreign Policy wrote yesterday that Brink, who was slated to be named the new ambassador to Georgia, was allegedly rebuffed because of fears that she looks too favorably upon former Georgian president Mikheil Saakashvili. Current and former officials in Washington told Foreign Policy that Georgia has indicated it will not sign a diplomatic agreement accepting the nomination of Bridget Brink, because of her alleged [positive] predisposition towards former Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili, FP reported. Georgian Deputy Foreign Minister Khatuna Totladze says that the information is false, and that the repetition of incorrect information is harmful. We are speaking about the US, which is a strategic partner of Georgia. The information is far from reality and its repetition, even from the media, is harmful, Totladze says. Ruling Georgian Dream party member Giorgi Volski says that it is the decision of the United States who is appointed to the role. He says that the Georgian government has no resources to influence the decision of the government of the United States. Ambassador Ross Wilson arrived to take up duties as charge daffaires, ad interim [a diplomat who head a mission in the case of absence of an ambassador], at the American Embassy in Tbilisi on 8 November 2018. Over the course of a thirty-year career in the U.S. Foreign Service, he served as American ambassador to Turkey (2005-2008) and Azerbaijan (2000-2003). Elsewhere overseas, he held assignments at U.S. embassies in Moscow and Prague and the Consulate General in Melbourne, Australia, the US Embassy to Georgia reports. The Deputy Chief of mission is Elizabeth Rood. Gold smugglers use Malagadhi route after police crackdown Following the major crackdown on gold trafficking in Rasuwagadhi and other northern border points, gold smugglers have started to use a new illegal trading point in Malagadhi, an area that lies near Nepal-China border in Rasuwa, to smuggle gold from China. The Georgian Ministry of Internal Affairs is investigating a rally and its consequences which is underway at the Tbilisi Justice House triggered by the 7 December verdict of the Georgian Constitutional Court which temporarily removed the ban on the sale of agricultural lands to foreign nationals, Trend reports referring to Agenda.ge Protesters, which include opposition members, nationalist groups and a lawmaker from the Alliance of Patriots opposition, are not allowing people that do not look like Georgians to enter the Justice House. They say that the individuals might be foreigners who wish to register lands in Georgia. The Interior Ministry is investigating the incident as a criminal case of ethnic discrimination, which is punishable by fines or imprisonment. Several of the rally organisers and participants have been summoned for questioning. Georgian Minister of Justice Thea Tsulukiani have called upon the public and addressed the protestors not to create problems for up to 10,000 people who visit the Justice House daily to receive dozens of important services. Tsulukiani said that given that no foreign residents filed an application yesterday to register agricultural lands in Georgia, the protest is meaningless. The Georgian Constitutional Court partially removed a ban on the sale of Georgian agricultural lands and annulled a moratorium declared by the Georgian government back in 2017. The verdict was delivered after two citizens of Greece filed against the moratorium as they were not able to register their inherited lands in Georgia. Only individuals, not companies, are allowed until 16 December to register agricultural lands in Georgia, as on the day a new Georgian constitution comes into play which prohibits the sale of agricultural lands to foreign citizens and companies. The restoration of Syrias membership in the League of Arab States will help the process of a political settlement of the crisis and push the refugees toward return, said head of the Russian National Center for Defense Management Colonel General Mikhail Mizintsev at a session of the headquarters of Russia and Syria on the repatriation of refugees, Trend reports referring to TASS. "The restoration of Syrias position on the global scene, in particular its membership in the League of Arab States is an extremely important issue. It will serve as a convincing signal for the international community about the return of the country to peaceful life and the promotion of the process of the political settlement of the crisis, as well as push the refugees toward making positive decisions on the return to their homes," Mizintsev said. He asked the Foreign Ministry representatives to place this issue under special control. The head of the national center also asked to control the situation at the Al Rukban camp, which is seeing heavy humanitarian problems. Almost 300,000 refugees have returned to Syria from abroad, with a total of more than 1.55 million Syrians repatriated, Mizintsev also noted. "More than 1,550,009 Syrian citizens returned to their homes today, of them more than 1,259,731 internally displaced people and more than 290,278 refugees from abroad," the Russian official stressed. More than 291,000 Syrians returned to their homes since the beginning of the year, including almost 114,000 from abroad. The main flow of refugees returning to Syria goes through the borders with Lebanon and Jordan, the general said. The Nasib checkpoint is operating most actively: more than 31,000 people returned through it from Jordan since the launch of the initiative to repatriate Syrians. About 20,400 people crossed the Nasib checkpoint last month, head of the Russian Center for the Reconciliation of the Conflicting Sides and Control of the Refugees Movement Sergei Solomatin specified. Solomatin said that about 4,670 people crossed the Abu al-Duhur checkpoint from the Idlib de-escalation zone. British Prime Minister Theresa May will seek German Chancellor Angela Merkels support on Tuesday for changes to the Brexit deal in a last minute bid to avoid a disorderly exit that would silt up the arteries of trade and roil financial markets, Trend reports referring to Reuters. Less than four months until the United Kingdom is due to leave the European Union on March 29, Brexit was plunged into chaos on Monday when May finally acknowledged that British lawmakers would not accept her current deal. Amid demands for a national election, ridicule and blunt warnings that her eleventh-hour bid for a changed deal was in vain, May pledged to seek EU support for changes to make it more palatable to lawmakers. The EU said it was ready to discuss how to smooth ratification in Britain, but that neither the withdrawal agreement nor the contentious Irish backstop would be renegotiated. May is due to meet Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte and German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Tuesday, Downing Street said. Brexit will be discussed at a previously scheduled EU summit on Dec. 13-14. Without a deal, the options for the worlds fifth largest economy include a last-minute agreement, probably struck in 2019, another EU referendum or national election, or a potentially disorderly Brexit without a deal. The ultimate outcome will shape Britains $2.8 trillion economy, have far-reaching consequences for the unity of the United Kingdom and determine whether London can keep its place as one of the top two global financial centers. 06:26 (GMT+4) Three people have been killed and 12 others wounded in a shooting in the eastern French city of Strasbourg, Trend reported citing BBC. The gunman, known to security services, is on the run and is being hunted by police. "He fought twice with our security forces," said Interior Minister Christophe Castaner. The shooting happened close to a Christmas market near one of the central squares, Place Kleber. France's counter terrorism prosecutor has opened an investigation. Six of the injured are said to be in a serious condition, while six others suffered light injuries, police said. Confirming that three people had died, Mr Castaner said that border controls had been strengthened, with 350 security agents hunting for the gunman. He added that security at all Christmas markets would be stepped up. Police said the 29-year-old suspect was born in Strasbourg and was already known to the security services as a possible terrorist threat. According to France's BFM TV the man had fled his flat in the Neudorf district of the city on Tuesday morning as it was being searched by police in connection with a robbery. Grenades were found during the search. Residents in Neudorf have been urged to stay indoors amid unconfirmed reports he has been tracked down and cornered by police in the area. The European Parliament, which is nearby, was placed on lockdown. The parliament's president, Antonio Tajani, tweeted to say it would "not be intimidated by terrorist or criminal attacks". French President Emmanuel Macron, who had attended a crisis meeting with cabinet officials in Paris, later tweeted that the "solidarity of the entire nation" was with Strasbourg, the victims and their families. 03:32 (GMT+4) A gunman killed at least four people and wounded 11 others near a Christmas market in the French border city of Strasbourg on Tuesday evening before being cornered by police, Trend reports citing Reuters. The motive was not immediately clear but, with France still on high alert after a wave of attacks commissioned or inspired by Islamic State militants since early 2015, the counter-terrorism prosecutor opened an investigation. Some two hours after the attack, elite police cornered the suspect and shots were fired, a source close to the operation said. French media reported the assailant was holed up in a store on the Rue Epinal. Interior Minister Christophe Castaner said the gunman was known to security services, and the local prefecture said he was on an intelligence services watchlist. People in the citys Neudorf area and Etoile park were told to stay where they were as officers hunted the shooter on the ground and from the air. A Reuters reporter was among 30 to 40 people being held in the basement of a supermarket for their own safety, waiting for police to clear the area. Lights were switched off and bottles of water handed out. The European Parliament, which is sitting in Strasbourg this week, was put into lockdown. 02:12 (GMT+4) A lone gunman shot dead at least two people and wounded 11 others near a Christmas market in the city of Strasbourg on Tuesday evening before fleeing, police said, Trend reports citing Reuters. The motive was not immediately clear but, with France still on high alert after a wave of attacks commissioned or inspired by Islamic State militants since early 2015, the counter-terrorism prosecutor opened an investigation. Interior Minister Christophe Castaner said the gunman was known to security services, and the local prefecture said he had previously been identified as a danger to security. People in the citys Neudorf area and Etoile park were told to stay where they were as officers hunted the shooter on the ground and from the air. The European Parliament, which is sitting in Strasbourg this week, was put into lockdown. 00:50 (GMT+4) At least one person was killed and 10 people were wounded in a shooting near a Christmas market in the French city of Strasbourg on Tuesday, the local prefecture said, Trend reports citing Reuters. Police locked down the area and launched a hunt for the shooter, who fled the scene, the police sources said. They said the gunman had been identified. Local authorities told people in the citys Neudorf area and Etoile park to stay where they were. There were gunshots and people running everywhere, one local shopkeeper told BFM TV. It lasted about 10 minutes. France remains on high alert after a wave of attacks commissioned or inspired by Islamic State militants since early 2015, in which about 240 people have been killed. The Christmas market was being held amid tight security this year, with unauthorized vehicles banned from surrounding streets during opening hours and checkpoints set up on bridges and access points to search pedestrians bags. A source at the prosecutors office said the motive for the shooting was not immediately clear and that an investigation was under way to see if it was terrorism-related. President Emmanuel Macron was informed of the shooting and was being updated as events unfurled, an Elysee Palace official said. Interior Minister Christophe Castaner was on his way to Strasbourg, which lies on the border with Germany. Ecology Minister Francois de Rugy tweeted: Solidarity and support for the people of Strasbourg. Our support too for the security forces. We are united and determined to protect the French people. In 2016, a truck plowed into a Bastille Day crowd in Nice, killing more than 80, while in November 2015, coordinated attacks on the Bataclan concert hall and other sites in Paris claimed about 130 lives. There have also been attacks in Paris on a policeman on the Champs-Elysees avenue, the satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo and a kosher store. Almost exactly two years ago, a Tunisian Islamist rammed a hijacked truck into a Christmas market in central Berlin, killing 11 people as well as the driver. 00:05 (GMT+4) Gunshots in the center of the French city of Strasbourg on the German border on Tuesday left one dead and three injured, the local fire department told Reuters, Trend reported. The killing took place near Strasbourgs Christmas market, which draws millions of tourists every year, a source at French security forces said. France remains on high alert after suffering a wave of attacks commissioned or inspired by Islamic State militants in 2015 and 2016, which killed more than 200 people. Australia is reportedly set to formally recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital, Australian public television station SBS reported on Tuesday, Trend reports referring to The Jerusalem Post. The station cited local paper The Australian, saying that the decision is to be ratified by the cabinet at a meeting on Tuesday after its approval by the country's national security committee on Monday. The move would be officially announced on Wednesday, according to the report. "However, the embassy won't be moved from Tel Aviv just yet," the report said. "Instead a consular office will be opened, the sources said, due to the cost of the move, pegged at $200 million." In October, new Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said he was "open" to moving his country's embassy to Jerusalem. After his election in August, he was invited by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Jerusalem. The move would follow the US recognition of Jerusalem last December and subsequent embassy move in May. Guatemala followed suit and opened an embassy in Jerusalem last May. Paraguay also moved its embassy last May before returning it to Tel Aviv in September. Italian Deputy Premier and Interior Minister Matteo Salvini responding to The Jerusalem Post and other international media at a Rome Foreign Press Association conference on Monday, day before leaving for Israel, stated that "Israel is one of the greatest and most modern democracies on the planet", and his visit needed no other justification. He again confirmed that "anti-Semites are imbeciles and delinquents" and that as Interior Minister he would do everything possible to counter it, Trend reports referring to The Jerusalem Post. Antisemitism is growing in Europe and "Islamic extremism is the prime enemy of civil society and social peace, both in Italy and in Israel", he said. Asked whether he would propose moving the Italian Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, he replied smiling, "Let me make this journey in peace for now. You know my views, we can talk again when I return, although I am not the Prime Minister or President of Italy." Rumors that President Reuven Rivlin had turned down an appointment with him were "false news", he said, since he had "not requested one. Meetings with Israel's Premier, with the Ministers of Justice, of the Interior, and of Tourism are sufficient for a 24 hour visit." He will also visit with Israel's Italian Jewish Community as well as Yad Vashem (where he had already done on a previous trip). He will be joined by Israel's Ambassador to Italy, Ofer Sachs, who is already in Jerusalem attending an international ambassadors meeting. At the international press meeting in Rome, Interior Minister Salvini defended Italy's much criticized new laws restricting residence permits to "political refugees" while cancelling those for "humanitarian or economic" reasons. He cited statistics regarding illegal migrants who practice criminal activities such as trafficking drugs, prostitution, and unauthorized commercial activities, but also those of the large percentage of integrated, productive, tax-paying immigrants in Italian society. He believes that controlled migration is a weapon against the criminal life-threatening business of the gangs who get paid by desperate refugees to make crossings into Italy from Libya on flimsy rubber rafts. A letter was published Monday in "La Repubblica", signed by 100 Italian Jews demanding Salvini publicly condemn "the acts of antisemitism and aggression against foreigners, Romas and migrants by Rightist movements and parties in Italy and the rest of Europe." While, in contrast to countries like France and Belgium, antisemitism very rarely becomes violent in Italy, a silent vigil was organized Monday by Jewish Community and municipal authorities on a Roman street where 20 "stumbling stones" cemented on the sidewalk in memory of victims of Nazi-Fascism 80 years ago, had been vandalized, ripped off and robbed. An unknown assailant on Tuesday shot dead four people in a Catholic cathedral in the Brazilian state of Sao Paulo, after which he killed himself, Trend reports citing Sputnik. The attack occurred in the city of Campinas. Three more people were injured. The reports follow earlier shooting incident that took place in Brazil last month when a astor pat the Temple of Angels church in Brazilian Mogi das Cruzes was shot during a sermon that was broadcast live on Facebook. The last reported deadly mass shooting in Brazil occurred in 2015 in the southeastern Brazilian city of Belo Horizonte when a young man ran into the school, opened fire and shot one of the victims in the head and neck. As a result, one person died and four were wounded. The next meeting between Georgian Prime Ministers Special Envoy for Relations with Russia Zurab Abashidze and Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Grigory Karasin will be held in the second half of January in Prague, Trend reports referring to TASS. "A preliminary agreement has been reached with Mr. Karasin that our next meeting in Prague will be held in the second half of January next year," Abashidze told TASS on Tuesday. He also noted that the parties "will address specific issues related to cooperation between the two countries in trade, economy, transport and humanitarian problems that have piled up over the past few months and the prospects for developing cooperation in these areas." He added that the meeting in Prague would be attended by "representatives of the Georgian and Russian Foreign Ministries, Economy and Transport Ministries and, just like during the previous meetings in that format." Karasin earlier said in Moscow that he planned to meet with Abashidze next year. "The meeting will be held next year, after the New Year holidays," he said answering a question from a TASS correspondent. Tbilisi severed diplomatic relations with Moscow in 2008 after Russia had recognized Abkhazias and South Ossetias independence. The Georgian Foreign Ministry said back then it would maintain consular relations with Russia. In November 2012, Georgias then Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili established an office of prime ministers special envoy for relations with Russia and appointed diplomat Zurab Abarshidze, Georgias former ambassador to Russia in 2000-2004, to that post. On December 14, 2012, Abashidzes first meeting with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Grigory Karasin took place in a Geneva suburb. It resumed direct dialogue between the two countries officials suspended after the 2008 developments. Further meetings were held in Prague, with the latest one taking place in October 2018. Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 11 By Rufiz Hafizoglu - Trend: Turkish police resumed anti-terrorist operations against FETO (the movement of Fethullah Gulen) in nine provinces of the country, Trend reports referring to Turkish media. During the operations, 29 people were detained, five of whom were military personnel. Earlier, 103 military men were detained in Istanbul and 188 in Ankara, all of whom were accused of contacts with the Gulen movement. Earlier, Turkish Minister of National Defense Hulusi Akar said 15,153 people were dismissed from the Turkish Armed Forces as part of the fight against the FETO terrorist movement. Fethullah Gulen and his supporters are accused of the July 15, 2016 military coup attempt in Turkey. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @rhafizoglu Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 11 By Rufiz Hafizoglu Trend: Armenia must withdraw its troops from the occupied Azerbaijani lands to normalize relations with Turkey, the Turkish presidential administration told Trend on Dec. 11. The administration was commenting on the recent statement of Armenian acting Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan about Armenias readiness to establish diplomatic relations with Turkey, but without preconditions regarding the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. "Turkey stands for stability and peace in the region, the administration said. There cannot be stability in the region without the withdrawal of the Armenian troops from the occupied Azerbaijani territories. The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts. Armenia must also renounce the claims for the 1915 events as there was no genocide of Armenians during those events, the administration added. Armenia and the Armenian lobby claim that Turkey's predecessor, the Ottoman Empire, allegedly carried out "genocide" against the Armenians living in Anatolia in 1915. ---- Follow the author on Twitter: @rhafizoglu Oli government on the path to authoritarianism: Nepali Congress The Nepali Congress (NC) has remarked that the recent series of attacks on the spirit of constitution by the ruling Nepal Communist Party (NCP) has raised doubts about its belief and commitment to democracy. Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 11 By Rufiz Hafizoglu Trend: Turkey is entitled to become a full EU member, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said. It is unfair that the EU hasn't abolished the visa regime with Turkey, and Ankara is working to eliminate that, Cavusoglu said, Trend reports citing the Turkish media. "Turkey will carry out reforms and achieve the abolition of the visa regime with the EU," Cavusoglu said. An association agreement between the EU and Turkey was signed in 1963. Ankara filed an application for membership in the EU in 1987, but accession negotiations were launched in 2005. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @rhafizoglu Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 11 By Rufiz Hafizoglu - Trend: Head of the Police Department of Turkey's Rize Province Altug Verdi was attacked, Trend reports referring to Turkish media. The attack was committed by an officer of the Rize police department and the officer was detained after the incident. Altug Verdi died after being taken to a hospital. The reasons that led to the attack are not reported. The minister of internal affairs of Turkey, Suleyman Soylu, went to Rize in connection with the attack, Turkish media reported. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @rhafizoglu The United States continues holding the 55 km zone around the Syrian community of al-Tanf where 6,000 militants are staying, Head of Russias National Defense Control Center Colonel-General Mikhail Mizintsev said on Tuesday, Trend reports referring to TASS. "Perhaps, only our American partners do not want to see up to date how much has been done to revive peaceful life in Syria. They are holding with incomprehensible stubbornness the occupied 55 km area around al-Tanf where 6,000 armed militants are on the loose and are preventing the disbanding of the Rukban refugee camp," the general said at a session of the inter-departmental coordination headquarters of Russia and Syria for the return of refugees to Syrian territory. According to Mizintsev, this is actually the last stronghold of evil, injustice and horror for ordinary Syrian citizens set up by the United States on the territory of the independent state. "I would like to emphasize once again that Rukban is the territory illegally occupied by the United States and that is why the entire responsibility for the conditions of the life of Syrian citizens is borne solely by the United States," Mizintsev pointed out. Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Igor Tsarikov said that the ministry was concerned over the dubious activity of the United States and its allies in Syria. "There is growing concern related to the dubious activity of the United State and its allies in Syria. The illegal occupation of the 55 km zone around the base in al-Tanf continues to be the basic source of destabilization in that part of Syria," he said. According to Tsarikov, the humanitarian operation held in early November was a failure from the organizational standpoint. Representatives of the UN and the Syrian Red Crescent Society were not let into the occupied US zone, he said. "The humanitarian aid was distributed by militants of the Magawir al-Saura armed grouping. In the absence of the required control, a considerable part of the humanitarian aid failed to reach those who needed it and got into the hands of illegal armed formations," the Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman said. While the United States bears full responsibility for the plight of civilians in that area, the mistakes of the first humanitarian convoy may be repeated at the UN tacit consent in the period of conducting the second humanitarian operation in the Rukban camp, he said. "In our opinion, reputable international organizations, including the International Committee of the Red Cross and the Syrian Red Crescent Society, should be involved not only in the delivery but also in the distribution of humanitarian aid. We are insistently calling on our partners to avoid the repetition of mistakes committed while the basic efforts have to be focused on disbanding this camp and resettling its inhabitants," Tsarikov said. US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that he will announce his new chief of staff within the next two weeks, Trend reported citing Sputnik. "We have a lot of great people for chief of staff, a lot of people who want the job," Trump told reporters. "Over a period of a week or two or maybe less we'll announce who it's going to be." Earlier, US media reported the White House was ready to name Nick Ayers, the chief of staff for Vice President Mike Pence, the new chief of staff. But the negotiations failed to leave the administration with a list of candidates which included Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, and Office of Management and Budget Director Mick Mulvaney. In separate interviews, these possible candidates said they would rather keep current jobs. US Congressman Mark Meadows said in a Monday statement he would be honored to serve as Trump's new chief of staff. Trump told reporters on Saturday that John Kelly, who has been serving as chief of staff since July 2017, will leave the White House by the end of the year. It remains unclear what exactly led to Kelly's resignation. To share with friends and brethren The Gospel of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (the Everlasting Gospel), and to prepare a people to stand when He returns to redeem His remnant. Also, to share relevant information of current events, and to show how they relate to prophecy; By means of articles, editorials, opinions, scripture readings, and poetry. Disclaimer Endrtimes does not necessarily endorse or agree with every opinion expressed in every article/video posted on this site. The information provided here is done so for personal edification; It's up to the reader to separate truth from error, and to examine everything (like the Bereans) from a Biblical perspective. Let the Holy Scriptures be you guide! - - - FAIR USE NOTICE: These pages/videos may contain copyrighted () material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. Such material is made available to advance understanding of ecological, POLITICAL, HUMAN RIGHTS, economic, DEMOCRACY, scientific, MORAL, ETHICAL, and SOCIAL JUSTICE ISSUES, etc. It is believed that this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior general interest in receiving similar information for research and educational purposes. KYODO NEWS - Dec 11, 2018 - 19:09 | All, Japan Humanoid robots developed by Hitachi Ltd. that speak Japanese, English and Chinese started guiding on Tuesday tourists visiting a high-rise commercial complex in Yokohama amid the growing number of foreign visitors to Japan. The foot-wheel 90-centimeter robot called EMIEW3 helps visitors buy tickets or explains the views from the observation desk at the 70-story, 296-meter Yokohama Landmark Tower. An EMIEW3 robot welcomes customers at the reception area on the second floor of the building, and three other robots are placed at the observation deck. "By using robots, we're hoping to help solve social problems including a lack of workforce and better serve the increasing number of overseas tourists," Takeshi Yamamoto, the head of Hitachi's robot division, said at a press conference. During a demonstration of the robots, an EMIEW3 talked with two foreign visitors in English, Chinese and Japanese about tourist spots in Yokohama such as Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse. "Where are you from?" the robot asked one of the visitors in English during their conversation. Developed in 2016, EMIEW3 can walk autonomously with four tires and dance and give quizzes to visitors. Hitachi aims to introduce the robot in other places, such as commercial facilities, stations and airports, and plans to upgrade it to have it speak Korean and other languages. The government aims to boost the number of foreign tourists by about 40 percent from 2017 to 40 million in 2020, the year the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics are held. The Farm Laws Repeal Bill-2021 has been listed in Lok Sabha for consideration and passage on Monday. Here is a quick scan of todays news headlines Here are the news headlines you would want to scan before you retire for the day. Anil Giri is a reporter covering diplomacy, international relations and national politics for The Kathmandu Post. Giri has been working as a journalist for a decade-and-a-half, contributing to numerous national and international media outlets. Laws are not enough A complaint panel should be formed to deal with sexual harassment in organisations A ground-breaking study has revealed how spending time in and around Hong Kong's 'blue spaces' (harbours, coastlines and beaches) is linked to better health and wellbeing, especially for older adults. The team found that local residents with a view of the water from their home reported better health. Meanwhile, those who regularly visit such environments in their free time reported higher wellbeing and had a lower risk of depression. The study, published in Health and Place, is believed to be the first of its kind to be conducted in Asia, and in a city as large as Hong Kong anywhere in the world. The research is the result of a collaboration between the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) and the University of Exeter in the UK, as part of the Joint Centre for Environmental Sustainability and Resilience (ENSURE). Lead CUHK researcher Professor Martin Wong and his team surveyed 1,000 people visiting a cancer screening centre linked to the Jockey Club School of Public Health and Primary Care. The nature of the screening meant that 80 per cent of respondents were aged over 50. They asked participants questions about their contact with the sea and other water bodies, as well as their health and wellbeing. Dr Jo Garrett, from the University of Exeter, said: "Our evidence suggests that Hong Kong's harbours, beaches and other natural blue spaces could be an important public health resource, at least for older residents. We found that people with a view of these environments reported better health, while those who visited regularly reported better wellbeing. We can't yet say that the contact with blue spaces caused this improvement - however we accounted for factors such as income and age, so we're confident in our results." The researchers found that people were more likely to visit Hong Kong's blue spaces if they lived within a 10-15 minute walk and felt there were good facilities and wildlife to see. Visiting for at least an hour or more, and engaging in higher-intensity activities while there, were also linked to higher wellbeing. CUHK's Professor Martin Wong, concluded: "This study contributes to a growing body of evidence worldwide suggesting that contact with blue spaces benefits human health and wellbeing. The study could help shape preservation efforts, and future programmes to encourage people to optimise the potential benefits of experiencing their natural water environments, both here in Hong Kong and globally. We're now engaged in research with our Exeter colleagues to see if these findings are replicated globally." ### The paper, entitled 'Urban blue space and health and wellbeing in Hong Kong: Results from a survey of older adults' is published in Health and Place. Fridays-Sundays, 5-9 p.m., Through Dec. 23, 5-9 p.m. and Through Dec. 30, 5-9 p.m. Continues through Dec. 19 Henson Robinson Zoo 1100 E. Lake Shore Dr., Springfield Lake Springfield Area Adults $7, kids 3-12 $5, ages 2 and under are free Holiday Happenings Take a stroll through the zoo and enjoy thousands of lights and displays. Enjoy the hot cocoa bar or roast a marshmallow over the fire pit for a delicious s'more. Grab the family and gather at one of the photo opportunities for your holiday pics! See the Zoo animals as they enjoy the lights too; red wolves, arctic fox, eagles, barnyard, cougars, birds of prey and many others that are all out on the grounds or viewable still this time of year! There will be bonus features scheduled for certain dates, so keep an eye on our schedule for all. 217-585-1821 VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) A Canadian court granted bail Tuesday to a top Chinese executive arrested at the United States' request in a case that has set off a diplomatic furor among the three countries and complicated high-stakes U.S.-China trade talks. Hours before the bail hearing in Vancouver, China detained a former Canadian diplomat in Beijing in apparent retaliation for the Dec. 1 arrest of Meng Wanzhou, chief financial officer of Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei and daughter of the company's founder. After three days of hearings, a British Columbia justice granted bail of $10 million Canadian (US$7.5 million) to Meng, but required her to wear an ankle bracelet, surrender her passports, stay in Vancouver and its suburbs and confine herself to one of her two Vancouver homes from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. The decision was met with applause in the packed courtroom, where members of Vancouver's Chinese community had turned out to show support for Meng. She left the courthouse late Tuesday surrounded by a security detail and was driven away in a black SUV without responding to questions from reporters. Amid rising tension between China and Canada, Canadian Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale confirmed earlier that a former Canadian diplomat had been detained in Beijing. The detention came after China warned Canada of consequences for Meng's arrest. "We're deeply concerned," Goodale said. "A Canadian is obviously in difficulty in China. ... We are sparing no effort to do everything we possibly can to look after his safety." Michael Kovrig, who has worked as a diplomat in China and elsewhere, was detained by the Beijing Bureau of Chinese State Security on Monday night during one of his regular visits to Beijing, said the International Crisis Group, for which Kovrig works as North East Asia adviser. Rob Malley, head of the Brussels-based non-governmental group, said Canadian consular officers had not been given access to Kovrig. He thinks Kovrig was in Beijing on a personal visit and definitely not there for any reason that would undermine Chinese national security. Story continues Canada had been bracing for retaliation for Meng' arrest. The Canadian province of British Columbia canceled a trade mission to China amid fears China could detain Canadians to put pressure on Ottawa over Meng's detention. "In China there is no coincidence," Guy Saint-Jacques, a former Canadian ambassador to China, said of Kovrig's detention. "Unfortunately Canada is caught in the middle of this dispute between the U.S and China. Because China cannot kick the U.S. they turn to the next target." Earlier in the day, China vowed to "spare no effort" to protect against "any bullying that infringes the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese citizens." Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi didn't mention Meng by name. But ministry spokesman Lu Kang said Wang was referring to cases of all Chinese abroad, including Meng's. Washington accuses Huawei of using a Hong Kong shell company to sell equipment to Iran in violation of U.S. sanctions. It says Meng and Huawei misled banks about the company's business dealings in Iran. On Tuesday, U.S. State Department spokesman Robert Palladino told reporters in Washington "the charges against Meng pertain to alleged lies to United States financial institutions" about Huawei's business dealings in Iran. "It is clear from the filings that were unsealed in Canada, Meng and others are alleged to have put financial institutions at risk of criminal and civil liability in the United States by deceiving those institutions as to the nature and extent of Huawei's business in Iran," Palladino said. Meng has denied the U.S. allegations through her lawyer in court, promising to fight them if she is extradited to face charges in the United States. "We have every confidence that the Canadian and U.S. legal systems will reach a just conclusion in the following proceedings," Huawei said in a statement. "As we have stressed all along, Huawei complies with all applicable laws and regulations in the countries and regions where we operate, including export control and sanction laws of the UN, US, and EU. We look forward to a timely resolution to this matter." Huawei, the biggest global supplier of network gear for phone and internet companies, is a target of U.S. security concerns. Washington has pressured other countries to limit use of its technology, warning they could be opening themselves up to surveillance and theft of information. The U.S. and China have tried to keep Meng's case separate from their wider trade dispute and suggested Tuesday that talks to resolve their differences may resume. But President Donald Trump undercut that message in an interview Tuesday with Reuters, where he said he would consider intervening in the case against Meng if it would be in the interest of U.S. national security or help forge a trade deal with Beijing. Roland Paris, a former foreign policy adviser to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, called Trump's comments troubling. "Canada is fulfilling the terms of its treaty obligations and upholding the rule of law in good faith, and paying a price to do so. If the U.S. is not equally committed to the rule of law in this case, the extradition request should be withdrawn immediately," Paris tweeted. News that China's economy czar had discussed with U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Trade Rep. Robert Lighthizer for talks aimed at settling the two countries' difference lifted share prices around the world on Tuesday. The United States has slapped tariffs on $250 billion in Chinese imports in response to complaints Beijing steals American technology and forces U.S. companies to turn over trade secrets. Tariffs on $200 billion of those imports were scheduled to rise from 10 percent to 25 percent on Jan. 1. But Trump agreed to postpone those by 90 days while the two sides negotiate. ___ Associated Press writer Jim Morris reported this story in Vancouver, AP writer Rob Gillies reported from Toronto and AP writer Paul Wiseman reported from Washington. AP writers Matthew Lee in Washington and Joe McDonald in Beijing contributed to this report. The appeal of a Canadian drug smuggler sentenced to death in China has deepened a diplomatic rift between Beijing and Canada (AFP Photo/JASON LEE) Washington (AFP) - A Canadian former diplomat has been detained in China, the think tank where he now works said Tuesday, amid Beijing's outrage over the arrest of a senior technology executive. The International Crisis Group said it was aware of reports of the detention of Michael Kovrig, a Chinese-speaking expert who served as a Canadian diplomat in Beijing, Hong Kong and at the United Nations. "We are doing everything possible to secure additional information on Michael's whereabouts as well as his prompt and safe release," the think tank said in a statement. Kovrig went to work last year for the International Crisis Group, which is known for its research on peaceful solutions to global conflicts. There was no official word from China but the detention comes as Beijing voices anger over Canada's arrest of Meng Wanzhou, the chief financial officer of leading technology company Huawei. Meng was stopped while changing planes in Vancouver on an extradition request from the United States, where prosecutors allege she violated US sanctions on Iran. China earlier Tuesday warned that it would not tolerate any "bullying" of its citizens abroad and has demanded Meng's release. U.S. and Chinese flags are seen before Defense Secretary James Mattis welcomes Chinese Minister of National Defense Gen. Wei Fenghe to the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, U.S., November 9, 2018. REUTERS/Yuri Gripas/Files By David Shepardson and Ben Blanchard WASHINGTON/BEIJING (Reuters) - China has agreed to cut tariffs on U.S.-built cars and auto parts to 15 percent from the current 40 percent, a Trump administration official said on Tuesday, setting the stage for a new talks aimed at easing the bitter trade war between the world's two largest economies. Washington still had not received documentation nor timing details of the tariff reduction, the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. China's plan was communicated during a phone call between Chinese Vice Premier Liu He, U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin on Tuesday morning Beijing time, the official said. News of the move, also reported by other media outlets and automotive executives briefed on the talks, boosted automakers' shares and helped lift U.S. shares more broadly before worries about a U.S. government shutdown prompted a pullback. Meanwhile, U.S.-China tensions over the Canadian arrest of a top executive at Chinese telecoms giant Huawei Technologies [HWT.UL] appeared to rise, as Canada confirmed that one of its citizens had been detained in China. Canada said there was no direct link to the Huawei case, but two sources said the U.S. State Department was considering a travel warning of risks to U.S. citizens in China due to retaliation over the Huawei case. TRADE TRUCE, SCANT DETAILS U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed at a Dec. 1 meeting in Argentina to a truce that delayed by 90 days a planned Jan. 1 U.S. increase of tariffs to 25 percent from 10 percent on $200 billion worth of Chinese goods. But few details of plans for talks have emerged since then. The two sides are expected to negotiate over U.S. demands for stronger Chinese protections for U.S. intellectual property, an end to forced technology transfers and greater market access to China for U.S. companies. Lighthizer has said March 1 is a "hard deadline" for increasing U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods if no deal can be reached by then. Trump, without providing details, wrote in an early morning post on Twitter: "Very productive conversations going on with China! Watch for some important announcements!" Story continues White House adviser Kellyanne Conway welcomed reports of the auto tariff cut. "It's really great news, and I hope our friends in the auto industry see it that way as well," she told reporters at the White House. Officials at the U.S. Treasury and U.S. Trade Representative's office declined to provide details of the trade call. China's commerce ministry said, "Both sides exchanged views on putting into effect the consensus reached by the two countries' leaders at their meeting, and pushing forward the timetable and road map for the next stage of economic and trade consultations work." TARIFF CUT, INCREASE, CUT China had cut its global auto import tariff to 15 percent from 25 percent in May, but in July added on a punitive 25 percent tariff on U.S.-produced autos in response to an initial round of U.S. tariffs on $50 billion worth of Chinese goods. That brought Beijing's total tariff rate on U.S. autos to 40 percent, hitting growing U.S. exports of luxury cars and sport-utility vehicles, including those from BMW (BMWG.DE), Ford Motor Co (F.N), Mercedes (DAIGn.DE) and Tesla (TSLA.O). Daimler shares closed 2.7 percent higher, while BMW shares rose 1.8 percent. GM (GM.N) shares were up 1.4 percent in late U.S. trading, while Ford rose 0.5 percent and Tesla rose 1 percent. The Wall Street Journal, citing people familiar with the issue, said Liu planned to go to Washington after the new year. U.S. Trade Representative officials have declined to comment on plans for any new U.S.-China trade meetings. The Harvard-educated Liu, Xi's top economic adviser, is leading the talks on the Chinese side. In comments reported separately by China's foreign ministry, the government's top diplomat, State Councillor Wang Yi said, "If China and the United States are antagonistic, then there are no winners, and it will hurt the whole world." The United States should look at China's development in a more positive light, and constantly look to "expand the space and prospects for mutual benefit," he told a forum. Global financial markets have been jittery about the clash over China's huge trade surplus with the United States and Washington's claims that Beijing is stealing intellectual property and technology. (Reporting by Ben Blanchard and Lusha Zhang in Beijing; Reporting by David Shepardson and David Lawder in Washington; editing by Shri Navaratnam, Robert Birsel, Bernadette Baum and Jonathan Oatis) (Adds Deutsche Telefonica comment) By Foo Yun Chee BRUSSELS, Dec 11 (Reuters) - Vodafone's purchase of Liberty Global's assets in Germany and east Europe may damage competition in Germany and the Czech Republic, EU antitrust regulators said on Tuesday, as they opened a full-scale probe into the $21.8 billion deal. The deal between the world's second-largest mobile operator and U.S. cable pioneer John Malone's Liberty would enable Vodafone to compete more effectively with Deutsche Telekom in the German rival's home market. It also expands Vodafone's reach in broadband, cable and mobile services elsewhere in Europe as it includes Liberty Global assets in the Czech Republic, Hungary and Romania. The European Commission said some rivals might be shut out of the Czech market, where Vodafone offers mainly mobile telephony services and Liberty Global offers fixed services. In Germany, the deal might reduce competition in the retail fixed telecoms markets and retail TV markets, curb investments in next-generation networks and give the merged firm more power as a TV broadcaster, the EU competition enforcer said. It saw no issues in Romania and Hungary and said it will decide whether to clear the deal by May 2. The deadline can be extended if Vodafone offers concessions. Reuters reported on Nov. 30 that the watchdog was set to launch a full-scale probe into the deal. Vodafone said it still expected EU approval by mid-2019. "On balance, we conclude based on the language in the press release that this transaction remains on track for a Phase II approval and closing," Bernstein wrote in client note. The telecoms industry is hoping for a lighter regulatory touch from the Commission after it cleared without conditions Deutsche Telekom's bid to acquire Tele2's Dutch business despite earlier qualms. Telefonica Deutschland, which has called for the deal to be blocked, said it expected Vodafone to make every effort to avert the negative effects singled out by the Commission. (Reporting by Foo Yun Chee, additional reporting by Douglas Busvine in Frankfurt; Editing by Gabriela Baczynska, Edmund Blair and Alexander Smith) Ministry to keep close watch on online stores The Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies is creating a guideline to keep tabs on online shopping platforms amid concerns over possible fraud and business misconduct. (Bloomberg) -- Carlos Ghosns lawyers said the prosecutors case against the fallen car executive is flawed, ramping up their defense of the ousted Nissan Motor Co. chairman following his indictment for financial crimes in Japan. On Monday, Tokyo prosecutors indicted Ghosn for understating his income, charges theyve said previously could put him in jail for at least 10 years. While the prosecutors didnt provide further detail on the substance of their case, the pay Ghosn is said to have deferred until his retirement so that it doesnt fall under reporting rules is said to be a focus. Ghosns lawyers say the charge that Ghosn helped himself by converting compensation to deferred pay is flawed because the compensation agreement wasnt properly ratified, according to a statement by the office of Motonari Otsuru, Ghosns lawyer, and provided to Bloomberg News. Nissan, which removed Ghosn as chairman three days after his arrest, declined to comment. Inquiries related to criminal charges should be made to the Prosecutors office, the company said. Ghosn was indicted Monday, three weeks after he was detained in Tokyo with Nissan saying the 64-year-old understated his income and used company money for personal purposes. In the first sign of blowback from the scandal for Nissan, the company was also indicted for breaching Japans financial instruments and exchange law by under-reporting Ghosns compensation. To contact the reporters on this story: Kae Inoue in Tokyo at kinoue@bloomberg.net;Ma Jie in Tokyo at jma124@bloomberg.net To contact the editors responsible for this story: Anand Krishnamoorthy at anandk@bloomberg.net, Reed Stevenson For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com 2018 Bloomberg L.P. (Bloomberg) -- Google Chief Executive Officer Sundar Pichai, responding to a question from Congress on the companys potential return to China, said access to information is an important human right, rebutting criticism from lawmakers and some of Googles own employees. Pichai has been under pressure from politicians, activists and staff to stop building a censored search engine for China. The company has said its not close to launching such a product, although details of the project were exposed by media reports earlier this year. Late on Monday, a coalition of human rights groups asked Google to commit to not working with the Chinese government on censorship and surveillance. "Right now, we have no plans to launch in China," Pichai said during a congressional hearing on Tuesday. "We dont have a search product there. Our core mission is to provide information to users. Getting access to information is an important human right." To contact the reporter on this story: Gerrit De Vynck in New York at gdevynck@bloomberg.net To contact the editors responsible for this story: Jillian Ward at jward56@bloomberg.net, Alistair Barr, Mark Milian For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com 2018 Bloomberg L.P. (Bloomberg) -- Google Chief Executive Officer Sundar Pichai kicked off his first appearance before Congress Tuesday refuting claims of bias, explaining the companys privacy approach and stressing its American roots. As the hearing began, the heads of both political parties led with questions about Googles data collection. Republican Bob Goodlatte asked how much personal information Google absorbs via its Android mobile software. Pichai stressed that users opt in to certain data-tracking features, giving the example of fitness apps that measure steps. However, the CEO did not directly respond to a question about whether Android device users fully understand the terms of the operating system. "Beyond the terms of service, we actually offer, we remind users to do a privacy check up," he said. "And we make it very obvious." Republican Lamar Smith asked whether Googles search engine is biased against conservatives, citing studies. Pichai refuted those findings and said no employees have the ability to skew search results. "There are always studies which can show one set of data and arrive at a conclusion," Pichai said. "But we have looked at results on our top news category. We find that we have a wide variety of sources." Pichais testimony was overshadowed by the memory of his empty chair from a September hearing he skipped. It caps a year filled with setbacks and stumbles that chilled relations between tech giants and Capitol Hill. "It was necessary to convene this hearing because of the widening gap of distrust between technology companies and the American people," House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy said, citing China, antitrust and anti-conservative bias as concerns. McCarthy, a California Republican once viewed as close to tech, has been a prime mover behind the hearing and accusations of political bias. Democrats, who will take over the committee in 2019, have also previously pushed Silicon Valley officials on concerns about their size, foreign countries use of tech platforms to try to influence elections and a lack of workforce diversity. Story continues The much-watched hearing got off to a boisterous start with Donald Trump associate Roger Stone in the room along with far-right conspiracy theorist Alex Jones, who shouted at Pichai about China as the CEO entered the hearing room. "You bet on the wrong country, Sundar!" Jones said, calling the company "absolutely the most evil corporation on Earth." The Infowars personality, who has accused tech platforms of censoring him, previously appeared outside a September hearing with Twitter Inc. CEO Jack Dorsey and Facebook Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg, which resulted in his ban from Twitter for abusive behavior. Concerns about Googles plans to re-enter China, codenamed "Dragonfly," have upset some employees of company and members of Congress. Pichai has insisted the initiative is an experiment. "In order to protect free speech we need to have companies that are promoting that and are negotiating and holding out for that in countries like China," Goodlatte, the panels Republican chairman, said in a Monday interview with Fox Business. Politicians have already demanded to know why Google seems willing to censor search results at the behest of Chinese Community Party but has pulled back from two contracts with the U.S. military. "Right now, we have no plans to launch in China," Pichai said on Tuesday. "We dont have a search product there. Our core mission is to provide information to users. Getting access to information is an important human right." Google stopped providing its search engine in China in 2008 after the government demanded results be censored. But the worlds largest internet market is attractive to any global company, and a return could signal Google is prioritizing its business over human rights. In several exchanges, Pichai described Dragonfly as an "internal effort" and said the number of employees working on it was "limited." However, he declined to answer direct questions on whether Google staff have stopped working on the project or if he would commit to not launch a product that could be used as a surveillance tool by China. "As an American company, we cherish the values and freedoms that have allowed us to grow and serve so many users," Pichai said in opening remarks released by the committee on Monday. "I am proud to say we do work, and we will continue to work, with the government to keep our country safe and secure." He also reiterated Googles support for a national privacy law, which could gain momentum next year, in part because diverse business groups have backed plans that would preempt Californias stringent new privacy law. Such a law would represent yet more regulation of the tech sector, after Google lost a battle earlier in the year to stop Congress from increasing internet platforms liability for online sex trafficking. Pichai isnt the first tech titan to undergo a grilling on Capital Hill. Two of his fellow CEOs, Mark Zuckerberg of Facebook Inc. and Twitters Dorsey already endured hours of often-hostile testimony even as trade tensions, European antitrust probes and angry tweets from President Donald Trump accusing the social media companies of silencing conservatives rattled markets. The industry has also been criticized for spreading misinformation and extreme content online, while privacy breaches and other mishaps have shaken the publics faith in its ability to keep customer data safe and use it wisely. Were long past that high water mark of Silicon Valleys belief that they can solve these problems on their own or ignore the public pressure, said Danny OBrien, international director with the Electronic Frontier Foundation, an advocacy group. (Updates with China comments in 16th paragraph.) --With assistance from Naomi Nix and Gerrit De Vynck. To contact the reporters on this story: Ben Brody in Washington at btenerellabr@bloomberg.net;Mark Bergen in San Francisco at mbergen10@bloomberg.net To contact the editors responsible for this story: Sara Forden at sforden@bloomberg.net;Alistair Barr at abarr18@bloomberg.net For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com 2018 Bloomberg L.P. Harvard Universitys endowment is reportedly buying up vineyards in Californias wine country, along with the water rights belonging to those properties. Instead of making the land purchases in its own name, Harvard is using a wholly owned subsidiarynamed Brodiaea after the scientific name for the cluster lilyto buy vineyards. Harvard created Brodiaea in 2012, and by 2015 the unit had already purchased 10,000 acres in Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties for about $60 million, according to an earlier report by Reuters. Earlier this year, the Harvard Crimson reported that Brodiaea had continued to buy up land in the area, especially vineyards with good access to ground water. Unlike many California vineyards, the ones owned by Harvard dont welcome tourists to tastings but instead feature no trespassing signs on the properties, the Wall Street Journal said on Monday. Californias central coast has, like much of the states farming region, suffered a long and serious drought since 2011. The drought has led many farms and vineyards to draw from ancient aquifers, making land rights to their underground water an increasingly precious resource. According to UC Berkeleys California magazine, more than 100 water basins throughout the state have reached critical levels of overdraft. While some local farmers say they arent worried about Harvards purchases of vineyards, othersas well as some local politiciansare expressing concern that the groundwater will be used to benefit landowners who are based far away. Upper Tamakoshi contractor pledges to pick up pace Texamo, the Indian contractor executing the hydro-mechanical works of the Upper Tamakoshi Hydropower Project, promised to get its act together and expedite work to meet the new deadline of mid-November 2019 after a pep talk by the energy minister. (Bloomberg) -- A Canadian judge said Monday he wasnt satisfied with a bail proposal from the lawyers for jailed Huawei Technologies Co. Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou, who faces a U.S. extradition request. Justice William Ehrcke of the British Columbia Supreme Court voiced doubts that Mengs husband, Liu Xiaozong, could act as her "surety" -- that is, a type of guarantor or community jailer" who would be responsible for ensuring she meets bail terms and who would lose a proposed C$15 million in cash and properties if she were to violate conditions. The judge adjourned the case until Tuesday, saying he wouldnt give a decision until both sides better addressed "the necessity and/or strong desirability of a surety being a resident of the province." At issue is the fact that Liu doesnt have the legal immigration status to reside in Canada -- he arrived in Vancouver last week on a multiple-entry visitor visa that expires in February -- meaning theres no guarantee he would be physically present for an extradition proceeding that could potentially last years. Someone here on a visitors visa is not a resident of B.C. Its as simple as that, isnt it? the judge asked Mengs lawyer David Martin. On the other hand, the judge also said its impossible to completely eliminate flight risk -- as demanded by the prosecution -- and that doing so shouldnt be a condition of her bail. The defense had two witnesses from private security companies testify how Meng could be tracked minute-to-minute by a GPS-equipped anklet and how her home could be put under 24-hour surveillance. Crown attorney John Gibb-Carsley argued neither company could completely eliminate the risk of escape. The judge said such a guarantee "would be impossible and thered be no point in setting up such a statutory scheme" for bail if that were a requirement. "Its a condition that could never be fulfilled, never," said Ehrcke. Story continues "We will continue to follow the bail hearing tomorrow," Huawei said in an emailed statement. "We have every confidence that the Canadian and U.S. legal systems will reach a just conclusion." The defense proposed to pledge bail of C$15 million ($11 million) -- C$1 million in cash and the remainder in equity in the couples properties in Vancouver. They own two homes valued at more than C$20 million with a combined C$7.5 million in mortgages, according to property records and an affidavit from Meng. Crown attorney Gibb-Carsley has argued against granting Meng bail because shes so wealthy that she will easily be able to pay whatever is required and then flee. But if bail were to be granted, he requested that the amount be half in cash and half home equity. Meng would pay for the security costs of minimizing her flight risk if released, her defense has said. Today, it called executives from two companies -- Lions Gate Risk Management Group and Recovery Science Corp. -- to describe how Mengs whereabouts could be secured, including assigning two officers at a time to her home, a driver, a vehicle, and GPS trackers. Still, Ehrcke circled back to the difficulty of even contemplating a release order without addressing the issue of surety, asking how Liu could possibly serve as his wifes jailer" if he cant order Liu to remain in the country. "It would be a frustrating and unfortunate exercise if I were to make an order and then you find that there is no suitable surety," the judge said. "If the conditions cant be fulfilled, shes held in custody so Im thinking ahead to make sure that you dont find yourself potentially in that situation." The high-profile case has transfixed investors on both sides of the Pacific as it stokes U.S.-China trade tensions. Meng followed the proceedings through an interpreter at the back of the Vancouver courtroom. Meng was arrested Dec. 1 during a stopover in Vancouver on her way to Mexico. The 46-year-old mother of four is accused of guiding a global effort by the Chinese telecom equipment giant to mask violations of sanctions on sales to Iran. Its an unprecedented effort to hold accountable a senior executive whos considered part of Chinas inner circle -- the daughter of billionaire Huawei founder Ren Zhengfei. Mengs lawyers have argued their client has no criminal record, cited high-profile character witnesses to vouch for her, and say she has substantive ties that ensure she would remain in Vancouver. Theyve also cited health issues, including daily medication, to argue for her release from a Vancouver-area detention center. She is a woman of character and dignity, Martin told the court, describing her as a "national hero" in China who wouldnt sully her reputation by fleeing justice. She would comply with your order. Mengs only two valid passports -- from China and Hong Kong -- have already been confiscated, preventing her from boarding any commercial flights. The only place she could flee to by land is the U.S., the very country that seeks her extradition, they argue. The case has upended the relationship between Washington and Beijing as they scramble to avert higher tariffs on $200 billion of goods that could depress an already slowing Chinese economy -- with potentially grave global consequences. The move by the U.S. to reach across borders to arrest a prominent Chinese national comes as U.S. political leaders seek to contain the Asian countrys rapid ascent, while holding it accountable to allegations of intellectual property theft and protectionism. The hearing in Vancouver is the start of a long legal process in Canada that could end with Meng being sent to the U.S. to stand trial. Even though the North American neighbors have a longstanding treaty governing extradition, it can take months, even years, for a defendant to be handed over, if at all. Should a judge agree to extradite Meng, she would have multiple chances to appeal the decision. (Updates with Huawei comment, quotes throughout.) To contact the reporter on this story: Natalie Obiko Pearson in Vancouver at npearson7@bloomberg.net To contact the editors responsible for this story: David Scanlan at dscanlan@bloomberg.net, Tom Giles, Peter Elstrom For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com 2018 Bloomberg L.P. (Bloomberg) -- The shock arrest of Huawei Technologies Co.s chief financial officer as she switched planes in Canada is disturbing all Chinese executives, according to Zhang Ruimin, chairman and chief executive officer of household appliance maker Haier Group. What we worry about is, you cant without reason impede a business persons legitimate rights, even personal safety, Zhang said in an interview in Qingdao on Monday. No country would accept that, and the U.S. likes to talk about human rights the most. Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou was detained Dec. 1 in Canada at the request of the U.S. on charges that she conspired to defraud banks so that they cleared millions of dollars in transactions linked to Iran, in violation of American sanctions. Zhang, who is one of Chinas most well-known corporate titans, said that the U.S. and Canada havent given clear reasons for the detention of Meng, who is also the daughter of Huaweis founder, Ren Zhengfei. It has created a shadow in everyones hearts, and anyone traveling for business will be concerned, Zhang said. The CEO has transformed Haier from a collective enterprise in eastern Shandong province into one of the worlds biggest appliance makers. Unsettled Markets Mengs arrest unsettled global markets and thrust Chinas biggest technology company into the heart of sensitive negotiations between the worlds two largest economies. Zhangs sentiments revealed corporate Chinas frustration with what they perceive to be a growing American effort to obstruct their legitimate business activities. Besides the ongoing trade war thats levied a 10 percent tariff on $200 billion of Chinese exports to the U.S., authorities have also blocked Chinese acquisitions of American companies. Haier acquired General Electric Co.s appliances arm in 2016 for $5.4 billion, a deal Zhang acknowledged might be harder to pull off in todays climate. Haier helped bring the Louisville, Kentucky-based unit back to life and wants to contribute to the U.S., not harm it, said Zhang. Story continues GE has seriously declined, and our GE Appliances employees are feeling fortunate that Haier acquired this company, he said. If not, they might have been laid off. To contact Bloomberg News staff for this story: Rachel Chang in Shanghai at wchang98@bloomberg.net To contact the editors responsible for this story: Eric Pfanner at epfanner1@bloomberg.net, Thomas Mulier, John J. Edwards III For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com 2018 Bloomberg L.P. By Nidhi Verma NEW DELHI (Reuters) - Top Indian gas importer Petronet LNG is looking to sign a deal in a year's time to buy at least 1 million tonnes of U.S. natural gas annually for a period of up to 10 years, as it pushes to diversify its supply sources beyond the Middle East. As part of any deal, the firm could potentially take a stake in a U.S. liquefied natural gas (LNG) project, said Petronet's managing director, Prabhat Singh. "The U.S. market is open compared to other markets where the state is (often) the controller of minerals," Singh told Reuters late last week. "The U.S. offers lots of opportunities and we would like to explore that properly and make a venture (there)," he said. Petronet currently runs a 15 million tonnes per annum (mtpa) liquefied natural gas (LNG) regasification site at Dahej in the western state of Gujarat and a 5 mtpa plant at Kochi in southern India. It has long-term deals to buy 10 mtpa of LNG, with 8.5 mtpa of that coming from Qatar's RasGas. Singh said Petronet was in talks with various companies including Tellurian Inc about a potential U.S. deal. Singh had said in November that Petronet and ONGC Videsh were jointly in talks to buy a stake in Tellurian's proposed Driftwood project in Louisiana. "If the pricing is right then India has appetite for huge volumes," he said last week. Natural gas accounts for about 6.5 percent of India's overall energy needs, far lower than the global average. The government wants to lift that to 15 percent in the next few years. "The U.S. market is so developed that niche service providers are available on a shoestring budget, which means less overheads," Singh said. A glut of natural gas in the United States in the wake of the rapid development of shale fields there has kept benchmark U.S. prices for LNG at almost half Asian levels. Meanwhile, Singh said Petronet was also in talks to invest in exploration and LNG projects in Qatar, as well as continuing to scout for opportunities in Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. Australia overtook Qatar as the world's largest exporter of LNG for the first time in November, data from Refinitiv Eikon showed on Monday. (Reporting by Nidhi Verma; Editing by Joseph Radford) (Bloomberg) -- A Chinese courts preliminary ban on iPhone sales is another step toward a potential settlement of the long legal battle between Apple Inc. and Qualcomm Inc. A decision on Monday by the Fuzhou Intermediate Peoples Court made the two-year dispute over complex smartphone patents very real for Apple investors and analysts. The court issued an injunction against the sale of several iPhone models. Apple called it a "desperate move" and said the company intends to fight. Apple and Qualcomm are fighting over intellectual property covering wireless networks and devices. Apple has accused Qualcomm of illegally charging too much for licenses. The chipmaker is using other patents that cover some aspects of the way phones work to attack back. It has used the common industry tactic of seeking bans on potentially infringing products to try to force a settlement. Mondays ruling is the first instance of this approach producing real-world results. "Apple will eventually have to come to the negotiating table with Qualcomm, said Timothy Lesko, a fund manager at Granite Investment Advisors. In addition to the Chinese case, Qualcomm has filed complaints against Apple in Munich and Mannheim, Germany, and lodged another one with the U.S. International Trade Commission in Washington. All three venues offer it the chance, if successful, to shut down or limit the sale of the iPhone, a product that generates the majority of Apples revenue. While injunctions produce dramatic headlines and often force companies to take a more constructive approach to negotiations, theyve seldom led to widespread sales bans. The threat does get people serious about trying to settle things, said Paul Berghoff, a patent lawyer with McDonnell Boehnen Hulbert & Berghoff. Whether it will work depends on how much pain this inflicts on Apple. In December 2011, Motorola Mobility won a court ruling in Germany banning several iPhone and iPad models from being sold in the region. This went into effect in February 2012, and Apple pulled the devices from its online store there. But the company got the injunction suspended soon after and won ongoing protection from the original ruling. Story continues Courts in Germany have so far declined take the same drastic action as the Fuzhou Intermediate Peoples Court. In the U.S., a trade judge recommended against an import ban on Apple, even if the iPhone maker is found to infringe Qualcomm patents. Indeed, Mondays decision in China excludes the latest iPhones, and Apple said its handset are still on sale there. But the ruling increases political risks for Apple, which is embroiled in a broader trade dispute between the U.S. and China, according to analysts. Aaron Rakers at Wells Fargo Securities said the Fuzhou courts decision was politically motivated. China accounts for about 18 percent of iPhone shipments, Rakers said, citing data from research firm IDC. Qualcomm needs to settle the dispute more than its legal opponent. Apple stopped paying licensing fees -- the chipmakers main source of profit -- and no longer uses its chips in the iPhone. Thats contributed to a string of annual revenue declines for Qualcomm. To contact the reporters on this story: Ian King in San Francisco at ianking@bloomberg.net;Susan Decker in Washington at sdecker1@bloomberg.net;Mark Gurman in San Francisco at mgurman1@bloomberg.net To contact the editors responsible for this story: Jillian Ward at jward56@bloomberg.net, Ian King, Alistair Barr For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com 2018 Bloomberg L.P. A man stands in front of an electronic board displaying market data at the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange, in Tel Aviv, Israel January 29, 2017. REUTERS/Baz Ratner/File Photo JERUSALEM (Reuters) - All companies listed on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange should be allowed to report in English to help them to attract more international investment, Israel's market regulator proposed on Sunday. Most companies in Tel Aviv must currently report in Hebrew, with the exception of high-tech and dual-listed firms that are permitted to use English. The new proposal offers the option to all businesses and is meant to bring Tel Aviv in line with leading global exchanges, where English is commonly accepted. "Giving the option to report in English is expected to remove the language barrier and further open the Israeli market to the world," said Anat Guetta, chair of the Israel Securities Authority (ISA). Israel has been taking steps over the past few years to boost trading volumes in Tel Aviv, reducing regulations and encouraging dual-listings. The public has until Jan. 16 to respond to the proposal. If it is accepted and the law is amended, companies making an initial public offering in Tel Aviv could choose English, while those already listed would need board and shareholder approval to switch languages. (Reporting by Ari Rabinovitch; Editing by Keith Weir) PARIS (AP) The latest on the fatal shooting at a Christmas market in Strasbourg (all times local): 2:40 a.m. France's interior minister says a gunman "sowed terror" in three parts of the eastern city of Strasbourg with a shooting spree that killed three people and left six others with serious injuries. Earlier police union officials had said four people were killed. Officials did not explain the reason for the conflicting death tolls. Interior Minister Christophe Castaner said early Wednesday that some 350 security officers and two helicopters are involved in the search for the assailant after the Tuesday night attack. He told reporters in Strasbourg that France is raising its terror alert level and sending security reinforcements to Strasbourg. At the same time he said the city is lifting its confinement order after hours of lockdown in multiple neighborhoods. A terrorism investigation has been opened. The motive for the attack is unclear. ___ 1:45 a.m. Strasbourg police are starting to release thousands of people confined in buildings in the area of a deadly terrorist attack near the French city's Christmas market. An Associated Press photographer was among about 5,000 people in a basketball stadium at the time of the Tuesday night shooting when everyone was ordered to lock down and stay inside. He described stupefaction among the crowd, which included some families. Police started letting them out some five hours later, in groups of about 100. A police helicopter is circling overhead, and entire neighborhoods of the city remain cordoned off. The stadium is across from the European Parliament, where those inside were also put on lockdown. It's unclear whether they are also being released. The shooter is still at large. A terrorism investigation is under way. ___ 12:10 a.m. The mayor of Strasbourg says the gunman behind the fatal shootings near the French city's Christmas market got inside a security zone to stage the attack. Story continues Mayor Roland Ries said on BFM television that about 100 people still were locked down in restaurants and other buildings in the area late Tuesday. The gunman is still at large, but reportedly wounded. French news reports suggested there was scattered shooting in multiple locations over several hours. Ries said in a Facebook post the famed Christmas market would be closed Wednesday and reopened after that, He is considering closing schools as well. The mayor lamented that a "catastrophe" occurred despite what he called "draconian security measures" around the market since the terrorist attacks in Paris three years ago. He said it was unclear how the attacker entered the "interior of the (security) bubble." A terrorism investigation was opened but the motive for the attack is unclear. ___ 11:50 p.m. A witness in France has told the BBC that one of the people shot and killed in the city of Strasbourg was a Thai tourist who suffered a head wound and didn't respond to efforts to revive him. Peter Fritz said after the gunfire near a Christmas market: "We tried our best to resuscitate him. We applied CPR. We dragged him into a restaurant close by." He says the man was in his 30s and his wife appeared to be unharmed but in shock. Fritz says it took more than 45 minutes for an ambulance to arrive. He said an emergency doctor advised by telephone "that any further efforts would be futile." Fritz said of the victim: "He is still here in this restaurant but we have abandoned all hope for him." ___ 11:35 p.m. Residents of central Strasbourg describe hearing a series of gunshots and screaming in the street during an attack near a Christmas market that killed four people. Resident Yoann Bazard said by telephone he heard "two or three shots" and the screams before he went to a window and saw people running Tuesday night. The 27-year-old said: "After that I closed the shutters. Then I heard more shots, closer this time." Bazard continued: "There were two or three episodes like that....As it got close, it was really shocking. There were a lot of screams." Freelance journalist Camille Belsoeur says he was at a friend's apartment on the same street and at first mistook the gunfire for firecrackers. Belsoeur said: "We opened the window . I saw a soldier firing shots, about 12 to 15 shots." He says other soldiers yelled for people to stay indoors and shouted 'Go home! Go home!'" to those outside. ___ 11:20 p.m. Two French police union officials say four people have died after a gunman started shooting near Strasbourg's Christmas market and the suspect was wounded, but is still at large. One of the officials, Stephane Morisse from the FGP Police union, told The Associated Press authorities went to the alleged assailant's residence earlier Tuesday to arrest him but the 29-year-old suspected of ties to radicalism wasn't there. Morisse says police found explosive materials at the home. Morisse said that after the evening shooting, soldiers guarding the Christmas market shot and wounded the suspect before he escaped. A terrorism investigation has been opened into Tuesday's attack, which put parts of the city on lockdown. ___ 11 p.m. The European Parliament president says that legislative sessions will continue for the rest of the week despite the attack in Strasbourg and the lockdown of the building. Antonio Tajani said that the legislature "will not be intimidated by terrorist or criminal attacks. Let us move on." Several MEPs were close to the market when the shooting started and have in holed up in hotels, restaurants or the legislature itself as police were looking for the suspect. At least two people have been killed and 11 others wounded, several of them in critical condition. The gunman is still at large and French prosecutors have opened a terror investigation. ___ 10:25 p.m. French prosecutors say a terror investigation has been opened into the shooting at a Christmas market in Strasbourg that has left two dead and up to eight wounded, including several in critical condition. The Paris prosecutor, who is in charge of anti-terror probes in France, is heading to Strasbourg, according to a statement from his office. The prosecutor's office says the investigation is for murder and attempted murder in relation with a terrorist enterprise. The gunman, who is at large, has been identified and has a criminal record. The prefect of the Strasbourg region says the gunman had been flagged as a suspected extremist. ___ 10 p.m. France's interior minister says that two people have been killed and up to eight wounded in a shooting near Strasbourg's Christmas market. Christophe Castaner told reporters that several of the wounded are in critical condition. He said that the gunman, who is still at large, has been identified and he has a criminal record. It wasn't immediately clear if terrorism was the motive behind the attack. Castaner added that police operations were still underway and that he would not give further details, saying he would travel to Strasbourg. ___ 9:50 p.m. A French regional official says that a shooting in Strasbourg has left at least one dead and 10 wounded in the city center near a world-famous Christmas market. The prefect of France's Bas-Rhin region says the gunman, who is still at large, has been identified. Authorities haven't given a motive for the shooting. The European Parliament spokesman, meanwhile, says that the building is on lockdown in Strasbourg. Jaume Duch said that "the European Parliament has been closed and no one can leave until further notice." It wasn't immediately clear how many people were inside. ___ 9 p.m. French media have reported a shooting in Strasbourg, and the Interior Ministry has called on the public to remain indoors amid a "serious security event" in the city center. Local authorities in the Grand-Est and Bas-Rhin region tweeted for the public to "avoid the area of the police station," which is close to the city's Christmas market. French news broadcaster BFM TV said there were "several people injured," citing local police. Some Strasbourg residents have reported hearing gunfire in some parts of the city center. Google CEO Sundar Pichai arrives to testify before the House Judiciary Committee to be questioned about the internet giant's privacy security and data collection, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2018. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Latest on Google CEO before Congress (all times local): 12:10 p.m. Google CEO Sundar Pichai is reiterating the company's position that it has no plans "right now" to launch a censored search engine in China. That, of course, leaves the option open to launch one down the road. Pichai is being grilled by members of the House Judiciary Committee on various topics, including perceived bias against conservative viewpoints, something Google denies. Google has not offered search services in China since it largely left the country in 2010. If that changes, Pichai promised to be "fully transparent" about the move. Pichai, who became CEO in 2015, has said in the past that he wants Google to be in China serving Chinese users. ___ 11:30 a.m. Republican lawmakers are grilling Google CEO Sundar Pichai on what they perceive as a bias against conservative viewpoints on the search giant's services. House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy says he's concerned Google's business practices may have been influenced by employees' political bias against conservatives. The question has dogged tech companies for years, but there has been no credible evidence that political leanings factor into Google's search algorithm. Rep. Jerrold Nadler of New York, the committee's top Democrat, called the notion of bias a "delusion" and a "right-wing conspiracy theory." Nadler says Tuesday's hearing is the House Judiciary Committee's fourth one to address political bias. He says lawmakers should instead examine issues such as the spread of misinformation and Russia's efforts to influence U.S. elections online. ___ 10:25 a.m. A House committee has kicked off its grilling of Google CEO Sundar Pichai. House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy is asking if tech companies are "serving as instruments of freedom or instruments of control" in the U.S. and beyond. McCarthy, a California Republican, says Google had to testify because of the "widening gap of distrust" between tech companies and the American people. Story continues Pichai is facing the Republican-majority House Judiciary Committee before Democrats take control of the House in January. Lawmakers are asking him about alleged bias in the company's search results, as well as its reported plans to launch a censored search engine in China. ___ 3 a.m. Google's CEO faces a grilling from U.S. lawmakers on how the web search giant handled an alarming data breach and whether it may bend to Chinese government censorship demands. CEO Sundar Pichai's appearance Tuesday before the House Judiciary Committee comes after he angered members of a Senate panel in September by declining their invitation to testify about foreign governments' manipulation of online services to sway U.S. elections. Pichai's no-show at that hearing was marked by an empty chair for Google alongside the Facebook and Twitter executives. Pichai went to Washington later in September to mend fences. He took part last week in a White House meeting with other tech industry executives that focused mainly on getting government and businesses working more closely on accelerating emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence. 1. Yes. The new strain spreads quickly; experts are concerned. It might be in our area soon. 2. Yes. The new variant may be vaccine-resistant, which would be a huge threat. 3. No. Health experts have moved quickly to contain it; it may not reach our community. 4. No. Even if the variant arrives in Texas, researchers may have some answers by then. 5. Unsure. Its hard to say until experts have had a chance to monitor it for a while. Vote View Results (Bloomberg) -- Some small U.S. phone companies fear theyll be forced to rip out network equipment made by Huawei Technologies Co. as tensions rise following the arrest of the Chinese gear makers chief financial officer. The Rural Wireless Association in a filing to the U.S. Federal Communications Commission asked for funding and time to rip and replace if U.S. officials order carriers to remove equipment from Huawei, which Congress has identified as a security threat for its ties to the Chinese government. Huaweis Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou was arrested in Vancouver on Dec. 1 on the orders of U.S. authorities for allegedly violating American sanctions on selling technology to Iran. The arrest has become a flash-point in ties between the U.S. and China thats rattled investors and sent stock markets tumbling. The rural wireless trade group submitted its filing to the FCC, which is considering barring some subsidy funding for carriers that use Huawei gear, generally regarded as less expensive than competitors equipment, out of security concerns. Rip-and-replace costs vary by carrier, but are significant, the trade group representing carriers with fewer than 100,000 subscribers said in the filing posted Monday on the FCCs website. One carrier -- Sagebrush Cellular Inc. of Scobey, Montana -- estimated it would cost $57 million to replace its network, an amount that for a small rural carrier is prohibitive without replacement funding the trade group said. The arrest of Meng, 46, a daughter of Huaweis founder, Ren Zhengfei, has become an international incident, with China summoning the American ambassador and demanding her release. President Donald Trumps staff is seeking to insulate trade talks with China from the arrest. A Huawei representative in Washington didnt return a telephone call Monday. In a Dec. 7 filing to the FCC, the company said the agency cant rely on an American defense measure, which became law in August,to act against Huawei, since the law restricts the provision of loans and grants rather than the subsidies the FCC is weighing. Story continues In earlier filings at the FCC, the Shenzhen-based networking giant said its presence in the U.S. has been artificially restricted by unfounded allegations and suspicions based solely on misperceptions about its relationship with Chinas government. The agency under Chairman Ajit Pai, who was appointed to his post by Trump, has proposed barring telecommunications companies from using a federal subsidy to buy gear from companies such as Huawei and ZTE Corp. that are judged to be a national security risk. The agency hasnt indicated when it may vote on the measure. Japans top three carriers -- NTT Docomo Inc., SoftBank Group Corp. and KDDI Corp. -- will ban telecommunications equipment by Huawei and ZTE, Kyodo News reported. The news agency didnt offer any specifics beyond saying that the ban would impact equipment at base stations. Huawei, Chinas top telecommunications equipment vendor and a leading smartphone maker, was founded in 1988 by Ren, a former Chinese army engineer. To contact the reporter on this story: Todd Shields in Washington at tshields3@bloomberg.net To contact the editors responsible for this story: Jon Morgan at jmorgan97@bloomberg.net, John Harney For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com 2018 Bloomberg L.P. In the latest twist to a prolonged legal battle, a court in China has ruled that Apple Inc. AAPL-manufactured iPhones have infringed on two patents of QUALCOMM Incorporated QCOM. Consequently, the judge has issued an embargo on sales of some iPhone models in China although legal experts and intellectual property lawyers remain skeptic of the enforcement of the ban. The Fuzhou Intermediate People's Court in China held Apple guilty of twin patent infringement and ordered an immediate ban on sales of older iPhone models, from the 6S through the X. Qualcomm will need to file a separate complaint in the enforcement tribunal to enforce the ban as provincial Chinese courts do not have the legal right to do so. Apple will also have the right to defend itself and appeal against the verdict in the enforcement tribunal, which is likely to delay the process and further extend the legal imbroglio. However, the nature of the verdict given by two different courts in two different countries appears interesting. Qualcomm had initiated a patent infringement case in International Trade Commission against Apple in July 2017. A U.S. International Trade Commission judge gave verdict in October 2018 that Apple infringed on one of Qualcomms patents related to power management technology, but refused to ban the import of the mobiles in the United States, citing broader public interests. Some critics view the verdict by the Chinese court as being politically motivated and the result of the continued trade war and Sino-American tensions related to Huawei, the leading telecom manufacturer in China. Meng Wanzhou, the chief financial officer of Huawei, was arrested in Canada in early December and faced probable extradition to the United States over potential violations of sanctions on Iran. China has issued strong protests against the perceived undemocratic act and the matter has remained a potboiler. Moreover, Apple is viewed as the direct competitor of Huawei, while Qualcomm is the leading supplier of chips to various leading smartphone brands in China like Xiaomi Corp, Oppo, Vivo and OnePlus. As a result, the verdict is alleged to be motivated by national protectionism and is deemed to be unfair on Apple. Some even argue that this could prompt Apple to reach an amicable settlement with Qualcomm, restricting the collateral damage within its sovereign territories and prevent China from gaining a political mileage from the dispute. Qualcomm has recorded an average loss of 11.8% in the past year while the industry has gained 6.4%. Story continues Whether a core business focus and favorable verdicts can indeed help the company to turn tables and improve its sagging shares remain to be seen. Nevertheless, we remain impressed with the inherent growth potential of this Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) stock. Other top-ranked stocks in the same space include Juniper Networks, Inc. JNPR and Harris Corporation HRS, both carrying a Zacks Rank of 2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank stocks here. Juniper Networks surpassed estimates in each of the trailing four quarters, the average positive earnings surprise being 11%. Harris outpaced estimates in each of the preceding four quarters, the average earnings surprise being 7.1%. Will You Make a Fortune on the Shift to Electric Cars? Here's another stock idea to consider. Much like petroleum 150 years ago, lithium power may soon shake the world, creating millionaires and reshaping geo-politics. Soon electric vehicles (EVs) may be cheaper than gas guzzlers. Some are already reaching 265 miles on a single charge. With battery prices plummeting and charging stations set to multiply, one company stands out as the #1 stock to buy according to Zacks research. It's not the one you think. See This Ticker Free >> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Juniper Networks, Inc. (JNPR) : Free Stock Analysis Report QUALCOMM Incorporated (QCOM) : Free Stock Analysis Report Harris Corporation (HRS) : Free Stock Analysis Report Apple Inc. (AAPL) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Photo credit: FEDERICO PARRA - Getty Images From Popular Mechanics Two Russian nuclear-capable bombers flew all the way from their home base in Russia to Venezuela, the first such flight in five years. The bombers, which are not carrying weapons, flew non-stop from their base near Saratov, Russia to Caracas, Venezuela-a distance of more than seven thousand miles. The bombers will undertake military exercises with the Venezuelan military. According to the Russian Strategic Nuclear Forces Blog, the two bombers are the Vasili Reshetnikov (No. 2) and Nikolai Kuznetsov (No. 10). The two Tu-160 bombers, known as White Swans in Russian Aerospace Force service and Blackjack to NATO, represent one eighth of Russias Tu-160 bomber force. The bombers are typically stationed at Engels Air Base outside Saratov. Photo credit: FEDERICO PARRA - Getty Images Russias Interfax news agency reported the two bombers flew more than six thousand miles, flying over the Atlantic Ocean, the Barents Sea, the Norwegian Sea, (and) the Caribbean Sea." The route, which bypassed western Europe to pass over the Norwegian Sea, likely spanned more than seven thousand miles. The bombers were accompanied by one Antonov An-124 Ruslan heavy military transport plane and an Ilyushin Il-62 military passenger plane. The An-124 is the second largest military transport in the world and was likely hauling spare parts for the two aging bombers, while the Il-62 probably carried spare bomber crews and maintainers to keep the planes flying. Over the Norwegian Sea the bombers were intercepted by a pair of Norwegian Air Force F-16 fighters. As the bombers flew westward they prompted the RAF to scramble two Typhoon fighter jets from RAF Lossiemouth in Scotland. The two Typhoons were carrying Meteor air-to-air missiles for the first time. The Meteor is considered on of the most advance if not the most advanced missile in the world, due to its ability to travel at speeds of up to Mach 4. The bombers steered far from the continental U.S. and were not intercepted by U.S. forces. The planes proceeded to the Venezuela, where they landed at Maiquetia Airport outside Caracas. There they were met by Venezuelan F-16s and upon landing the crews were greeted by Venezuelan officials. Heres a Russian Ministry of Defense video of the moment the two bombers touched down in South America: Story continues Russian bombers previously made the trip to Venezuela in 2008 and 2013 . The Tupolev Tu-160 heavy strategic bomber first flew in December 1981. The Tu-160 resembles the American B-1B bomber, with a pointed nose, variable geometry wings and a sleek, tapered body. The Tu-160 is actually bigger than the B-1B but there are fewer of the Russian jets and a long-postponed effort to upgrade them only recently began. The bomber was nicknamed the White Swan due to its sleek, graceful appearance and white paint job. The Tu-160 is primarily a cruise missile carrier, typically carrying twelve Kh-55 nuclear-capable cruise missiles or 24 Raduga Kh-15 short range nuclear attack missiles. Russia has used Tu-160 bombers to launch conventionally armed cruise missiles against Islamic State forces in Syria. Photo credit: FEDERICO PARRA - Getty Images The flight follows a state visit by Venezuelan President Nicholas Maduro to Venezuela. At the time, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu stated that, according to Interfax, the practice of flights of Russian military aviation to Venezuelas airfields will continue, and the ships of the Navy will enter the ports of this country. ('You Might Also Like',) Snowden Adds Voice to Calls for Google to Stay Out of China (Bloomberg) -- On the eve of Google Chief Executive Officer Sundar Pichais testimony to Congress, a coalition of human rights groups and activists, including former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden, are demanding more details on the search giants potential plans to build out its China business. Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and the Committee to Protect Journalists are among the organizations and individuals who signed the letter, which asks Google to promise it wont create a search engine for China that contributes to censorship and political repression in the country. Facilitating Chinese authorities access to personal data, as described in media reports, would be particularly reckless, the letters authors write. There is a real risk that Google would directly assist the Chinese government in arresting or imprisoning people simply for expressing their views online, making the company complicit in human rights violations. The activists also released a letter they obtained from Googles senior vice president for global affairs, Kent Walker, responding to an earlier set of protests and statements made by Amnesty International and others in October. Walker references Googles goals of connecting people in emerging markets to the internet and repeats statements made by Pichai that project Dragonfly, as the search engine was known internally, was not close to being launched formally. He refrains from making any commitments about censorship though, instead saying the company will weigh all feedback carefully before making a final decision. Dragonfly has caused an uproar inside and outside of Google, with many employees expressing concern about the company potentially working with the Chinese government after pulling out of the country in 2010 precisely because Chinese authorities were pushing Google to help them monitor their citizens. The conversation will come to a head on Tuesday, when Pichai answers questions at a committee of U.S. lawmakers. Some have already questioned why Google is considering a China search engine while backing away from some of its work with the U.S. military. Story continues Were hoping that folks on the hill will ask Google some hard questions, said Cynthia Wong, a senior researcher at Human Rights Watch. To contact the reporter on this story: Gerrit De Vynck in New York at gdevynck@bloomberg.net To contact the editors responsible for this story: Jillian Ward at jward56@bloomberg.net, Molly Schuetz, Andrew Pollack For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com 2018 Bloomberg L.P. (Bloomberg) -- Uber Technologies Inc. has selected Morgan Stanley to lead its public offering next year, according to two people familiar with the matter, meaning the investment bank will reap a larger share of the fees associated with a listing valuing the company at as much as $120 billion. Its another big win for Morgan Stanley banker Michael Grimes, who has become the go-to adviser for many of Silicon Valleys largest IPOs. Goldman Sachs Group is also expected to play a role in shepherding Uber through the IPO process, according to the people, who asked not to be identified because the decision hasnt been made public. Morgan Stanley declined to comment. Goldman Sachs didnt respond to a request for comment. Ubers public offering could be one of the five largest of all time in the U.S. and is expected to be the biggest listing next year. The San Francisco-based startup filed confidentially Thursday after rival Lyft Inc. announced that it had filed, one of the people said. Bloomberg previously reported that Morgan Stanley helped Uber to draft its IPO prospectus. Uber hasnt yet selected other banks to fill out the IPO paperwork but will round out the syndicate as it gets closer to going public. JPMorgan Chase & Co. is leading Lyfts public offering with the help of Credit Suisse Group AG and Jefferies Financial Group Inc. Bankers have told Lyft it could be valued anywhere from $18 billion to $30 billion, people familiar with the matter have said. Underwriters can typically expect to make fees equal to about 3 percent to 5 percent of the gross proceeds from the offering on larger IPOs, though companies may try to negotiate even lower fees on particularly big and high-profile listings. Goldman Sachs is ranked No. 1 for taking the lead left role on IPOs on U.S. exchanges so far in 2018, working on $3.4 billion of deals including iQIYI Inc.s $2.4 billion listing, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. Morgan Stanley is a close second, with Credit Suisse ranked third and Bank of America Corp. at No. 4. Story continues While other startups are studying Spotify Technology SAs decision to list directly, Uber and Lyft appear to be charting more traditional courses. Uber could likely benefit from some help selling prospective investors on its vision. The company needs a generous revenue multiple if it wants to achieve the $120 billion valuation that bankers have pitched the company on. The exact timing of Ubers public offering will depend on market conditions, but Chief Executive Officer Dara Khosrowshahi has told investors that the company is targeting an offering in the first half of the year. Khosrowshahi faces a financial incentive to raise Ubers valuation to $120 billion. The company needs to list by the end of next year or some investors will be free to sell their shares on the private markets. Lyft plans to list as soon as March or April, people familiar with its plans have said. Uber lost $1.1 billion in the third quarter on $2.95 billion in revenue. Growth slowed to 38 percent as the ride-hailing company manages an ambitious portfolio. In most of the world, Uber either operates a market leading ride-hailing business or owns a significant stake in the player who does. Uber is quickly building one of the worlds biggest food delivery companies. Its investing in electric scooters and bikes. And its building a logistics operation. Dont forget its struggling self-driving car effort, either. Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs will have to help Uber stitch together how those new and established businesses add up. (Updates with underwriter details in the seventh paragraph.) --With assistance from Matthew Monks and Elizabeth Fournier. To contact the reporter on this story: Eric Newcomer in San Francisco at enewcomer@bloomberg.net To contact the editors responsible for this story: Mark Milian at mmilian@bloomberg.net, Molly Schuetz, Alistair Barr For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com 2018 Bloomberg L.P. Stephen L. Kass The nations of the world, including the United States, have gathered in Katowice, Poland for the last two weeks to urge each other to do more than pretend to address climate change. There is now near-universal recognition (Donald Trump excepted) that their rhetorical commitments at Paris three years ago will, even if honored, be insufficient to slow climate change enough to keep average global temperatures below, or even at, 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit) above average temperatures at the start of the industrial revolution in 1750. And the shameful fact is that the Paris commitments are not being honored in practice, either in the United States under Trump or in major developing countries such as Brazil and Indonesia. While China and possibly even India may be able to meet their Paris commitments by reducing (China) or limiting (India) future greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, those commitments are, according to Climate Action tracker, grossly insufficient to bring their emissions down to the levels required for the world to avoid an increase of 3 degrees Celsius (5.4 degrees Fahrenheit) or more over pre-industrial levels. If U.S. and E.U. GHG emission reductions do not meet their Paris commitments (and Poland, an E.U. member is currently racing to build more coal plants) and developing country emissions continue to increase sharply, average global temperature could even increase by 4 degrees Celsius (7.2 degrees Fahrenheit) by the end of our century, making large parts of the world uninhabitable and changing dramatically the natural environment in which human life has flourished over the past five thousand years. As I have written before, these efforts to sharply reduce (or mitigate) GHG emissions are essential to a livable world. However, it is clear now that they are not sufficient and absolutely must be matched by a parallel effort, equally urgent, to help the world adapt to climate change and its impacts that are now inevitable because of the continuing failure of both developed and developing countries to reduce their GHG emissions since the adoption of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in 1992. Carbon dioxide and other GHGs can remain active in the atmosphere for a century or more, and the Earths oceans, which absorb more than 90 percent of the excess heat from the atmosphere and are already warming and experiencing increased acidification, could take several millennia to return to normal conditions after our GHG emissions are stabilized. There is no government, either democratic, hereditary or even dictatorial, that can survive conditions in a Four Degree World, when tens of millions of its citizens lack food, water, homes, medical care and the ability to withstand extreme heat, floods and fires and when conflict over scarce resources makes civil society (including the rule of law) a distant memory for even well-intentioned democratic governments. If current level of migration from Africa, the Middle East or Latin America threaten democracy and the rule of law in the E.U. (and the United States), consider the reaction when migrant levels rise exponentially over the next several decades as climate change accelerates under the influence of GHGs already in the atmosphere and oceans. (As it happens, representatives from 164 countries met in Marrakech, Morocco this past Monday to adopt a new Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regulation Migration, a landmark agreement that is, unfortunately, non-binding. Under Trump, the United States has denounced this important new Compact, and Australia, Hungary and Poland have refused to sign). Meaningful and rapid adaptation is therefore a necessity, particularly in developing countries, which are widely predicted to bear the brunt of climate impacts. With few exceptions, those nations have done the least to cause our current crisis, will suffer the most direct consequences and have the fewest financial and institutional resources to help their citizens adapt to and survive the conditions described above. In terms of environmental justice, this may be the most extreme example of environmentalinjustice our world has yet seen. In terms of enlightened self-interest, the failure of the developed world to assist in that adaptation is startling. The focus of the Poland climate change conference, like earlier conferences in Paris and Copenhagen, has largely been on mitigating GHGs rather than climate adaptation. Yet there are some promising signs, largely beyond the spotlight, that show what might be done if a similar effort were directed at adaptation. Unlike mitigation, adaptation can also be carried out in concrete steps that have significant near or medium-term benefits for local communities and lend themselves to tangible cooperative efforts by the international community. There are two separate U.N.-sponsored organizations aimed at climate adaptation, a specialized Adaptation Fund established in 2010 following the Copenhagen conference and the Green Climate Fund (GCF) established the following year at the Cancun climate conference. Although the GCFs mandate also includes mitigation, it has approved, often in conjunction with other public funding agencies, a broad array of climate adaptation and cross-cutting projects in developing countries. These projects, which are summarized on the GCF website (www.greenclimatefund.org), focus largely on rural programs to improve weather forecasting, irrigation, crop substitution, refrigeration, solar-powered wells and similar small-scale initiatives to help local farmers in Africa, Asia and Latin America (many of whom are women) adapt to abruptly changing rainfall and drought patterns and to compete in an increasingly global marketplace. In a few cases, the GCF has also been able to help finance broader rural adaptation efforts in Bangladesh, Senegal, India and elsewhere aimed at preserving threatened coastlines, replenishing shallow aquifers or, in one case, diverting a river to meet farmers irrigation needs. Urban adaptation, which is often far more expensive because of the need to relocate major infrastructure or whole communities, appears to have been largely out of reach for the GCF, presumably because of the GCFs own limited budget. Initial funding for the GCF amounted to approximately $10 billion for both mitigation and adaptation projects, of which approximately $1.5 billion has been approved and some $650 million actually disbursed to date. The GCF is currently seeking additional funding commitments from the parties to the UNFCCC. The Adaptation Fund (www.adaptationfund.org) has approved some $530 million in climate adaptation projects in Africa, Asia, the Middle East and Latin American since 2010 and reports that has received requests for approximately $270 million in project assistance during the past year. These projects too are largely, and reasonably, aimed at rural adaptation farming needs, though some focus on the needs of internally displaced persons (IDPs). A number of Adaptation Fund projects also take a regional perspective by helping adjacent countries carry out coordinated planning projects for shared water resources, as Kenya, Tanzania, Burundi, Rwanda and Uganda are doing in the Lake Victoria basin in East Africa and as Benin, Burkina Faso, Cote dIvoire, Ghana, Mali and Togo are doing in the Volta Basin in West Africa. While the adaptation projects currently under way or undergoing review by the Green Climate and Adaptation Funds are important first steps and likely necessary to test their respective financing models, it must be said that the scale of their combined operations is inadequate to the challenge faced by developing countries, and thus inadequate for the developed world as well. This is surely not the Funds fault, for they are still in start-up mode. However, there is simply no way that the $10 billion pledged to the GCF or the less than $1 billion in projects approved by the Adaptation Fund will be adequate to permit the most vulnerable countries carry out both the thousands of local adaptation projects and the hundreds of large-scale urban, coastal, regional and cross-border adaptation project that will be required over the next decade to help farmers adjust to new flood, drought and market conditions and aid cities in managing their growing populations at the same time that water and food availability is reduced and municipal services are overwhelmed by both natural disasters and internal migration. The combined efforts of the two Funds, as well as other multilateral efforts, are still nowhere near the $100 billion annually that the Paris Agreement promised would be made available to developing countries for adaptationand even that global figure was inadequate when compared to the $80 billion or more that individual U.S. cities and states needed after devastating storms. Where is that money going to come from? If developed countries were unwilling to appropriate the necessary funds when they were enjoying the recent economic surge and the United States was fully committed (at least verbally) to addressing climate change, how likely is it that they will now substantially increase their contributions to $100 billion annually during a brewing global trade war, ensuing economic slowdown, rising domestic unrest and an absence of any U.S. leadership? Moreover, long-term adaptation projects need long-term financing commitments, which are hard to make even if adequate resources are appropriated for a year or two by donor governments. While some opportunities may exist for public-private partnerships in mitigation projects, it is much more difficult to identify similar opportunities for adaptation projects, which are less likely to yield reliable near-term profits for investors. What is needed, in short, is a reliable multi-year source of increased adaptation funds that is not dependent either on annual appropriations by donor governments or short-term private sector investment decisions. As indicated in previous columns, I believe the best way to secure those funds on an on-going dedicated basis is through a small charge (amounting to a few basis points) on all international financial transactions, as recommended by the New York City Bar Associations Task Force on Climate Adaptation three years ago. All proceeds from such a charge, which could be imposed by the G-20 countries (or even their major clearinghouse banks), would be dedicated to either the GCF, the Adaptation Fund or a comparable World Bank or other facility and used solely for climate adaptation programs of the sort described above, but scaled up to meet the foreseeable demand for such assistance over the next 25 years. With international money transfers providing a reliable basis for dedicated funding, it would then become possible for both of the Funds, and possibly other programs as well, to provide the assistance required to go beyond their initial projects to help countries prepare their citizens to survive foreseeable climate impacts. Such a financial transaction charge would also help place at least some of the burden of climate adaptation on the global marketplace, which has contributed significantly to the accelerating pace of climate change in all countries. Even with a dedicated funding source, there would be projects that would fail for poor planning or implementation, and some funds would inevitably be lost through corruption. Nevertheless, such an international financial transaction charge (or mini-tax) would go a long way toward helping developing countries plan for and implement the kind of systemic adaptation necessary to save their rural farms, manage their growing cities, provide for their internally displaced citizens and accommodate refugees from neighboring countries. Perhaps it is time for the Bar Association proposal to receive the attention it deserves now that the urgency of climate adaptation is finally being recognized. Hopefully the parties meeting in Poland this week can make that, and climate adaptation generally, a priority equal to the mitigation commitments they are seeking from their reluctant partners. Stephen L. Kass is senior environmental counsel at Carter Ledyard & Milburn and an adjunct professor at Brooklyn Law School and NYUs Center for Global Affairs. He chairs the New York City Bars Task Force on Climate Adaptation. Google will be opening a large new campus in Manhattan and doubling its New York City workforce to 14,000 over the next decade (AFP Photo/PATRICIA DE MELO MOREIRA) Google is taking steps to set up an office in Vietnam to comply with a new law, Hanoi said Tuesday, as the communist country prepares to enact a controversial cyber bill that critics say is aimed at silencing dissent. The cybersecurity law, which mirrors China's repressive web regulations, will come into effect on January 1 and in its current draft will require internet companies to host local servers and offices in the single-party state. It will also require firms like Google and Facebook to remove "toxic content" and hand over user data when requested by the government -- clauses activists say is designed to scrub out online criticism. Internet companies have largely been silent on the incoming law -- criticised by the US, the EU and the UN -- though Google's vice president for global affairs reportedly said his company was taking steps to open a local office, according to a report on Vietnam's government website on Tuesday. "Google is currently looking at steps to open representative office in Vietnam," the report said after Google's Kent Walker met with deputy prime minister Vuong Dinh Hue. The requirement in the cybersecurity law to open offices in Vietnam and host servers has been among the bill's most controversial articles. Google has offices throughout Asia-Pacific, including its regional headquarters in Singapore, but not in Vietnam. The company did not reply to AFP's request for comment on Tuesday. Vietnam has already asked Google to remove more than 6,700 items since 2009, according to the tech giant's latest transparency report. The majority of requests were lodged last year citing content listed as "government criticism", and Google has removed more than 3,000 videos, the report added, without providing a timeline. Vietnam has long come under fire for jailing activists critical of the government, many of whom use social media as a crucial platform to voice discontent. Story continues All independent media is banned in the country and protests of any kind are not allowed. The government announced last year it had deployed a 10,000-strong cyber taskforce to monitor online posts and in October said it had set up an office capable of screening millions of news items per day. Activists have told AFP that their critical posts have been trolled by pro-government commenters, and several dissidents have had their accounts temporarily blocked. Youtube banned Gavin McInnes, the founder of far-right mens group the Proud Boys, leaving him without access to any major social media sites. The Daily Beast first reported the news. A message on McInnes Youtube page on Monday read that his account had been terminated due to multiple third-party claims of copyright infringement regarding material the user posted. McInnes reportedly had more than 200,000 subscribers to his channel, the Daily Beast reported. YouTube was the last major social media platform McInnes could use to spread his conservative message. McInnes was suspended from Twitter in August and he was kicked off of Facebook and Instagram in October, all due to the social media sites various policies dealing with violent, extremist or hate groups. The Verge reported that McInnes, in a statement to media outlets, said that the bannings meant he could no longer respond to various criticism. McInnes, who co-founded Vice media but left the company 10 years ago, founded the Proud Boys in 2016. Over the weekend, McInnes lost his job at CRTV, a conservative video site. Blaze Media no longer has a relationship with Gavin McInnes, and per company policy, cannot comment on personnel matters. BlazeTV (@CRTV) December 9, 2018 In a Clark County, Wash. investigative report, the FBI indicated that the Proud Boys was classified as an extremist group with white nationalist ties, however the FBI has since clarified that the designation was unintentional. Though they call themselves a fraternal organization that allows all races, the Proud Boys also describes its members as believing Euro-American culture is superior to other cultures. They have also been linked to violent protests across the country, including Unite the Right protest in Charlottesville, Va., which led to dozens of injuries and the death of counterprotester Heather Heyer. Social media sites have recently come under fire for their contribution to spreading misinformation and violent messages. YouTube has cracked down on its content in 2018, leading them to ban users like conspiracy theorist Alex Jones and remove content such as videos involving weapons. Susanna Maestas and husband Ben Kirk were pretty sure they were having a boy, though perhaps it was wishful thinking. After all, her husband already had two daughters, and six other females had been born between both families. It was time for some testosterone. But instead of finding out at the ultrasound appointment, they had a gender reveal party, a trendy way to let friends and family share in the excitement. Sometimes the parents already know and are revealing to others, and other times it's a surprise for the parents too. "I'm very social," said Maestas, whose first child is due in July. "Ben and I wanted to know before the birth, but we wanted our best friend to do it in a fun way. Editor's note: Police revised the amount of cash seized in this investigation from $1.8 million to $1.375 million. This story has been updated to reflect the correction. More than $1.3 million in unreported cash, 60 firearms and more than 100 pounds of refined weed, edibles and concentrates were confiscated during an investigation of eight marijuana businesses reported to be operating illegally in Colorado Springs, police said Monday. Jon Vincent Martinez, 37, was arrested on suspicion of distributing and possessing large quantities of marijuana, court records show. He is scheduled for a first court appearance Thursday. The Marijuana Regulatory Team investigated stores purported to be selling pot for recreational use, which is prohibited by city and El Paso County ordinances, police said in a news release. Only two recreational pot shops operate legally in the county, both in Manitou Springs. Police raided eight stores: Toke-a-Lot, at 507 Security Blvd. Vapers Choice, 509 Security Blvd. Toke-a-Lil, 2549 Delta Drive Primos Smoke, 1748 Shasta Drive Best Bud Gifts and Peak Ascension, both at 1617 Lashelle Way Blazed & Confused, 603 W. Colorado Ave. Church of the Most High, 2402 E. Boulder St. Martinez owns at least six of the stores, his arrest affidavit shows. Before the raids, detectives conducted multiple controlled narcotics purchases at the shops, the affidavit says. Martinez allegedly sold marijuana to undercover detectives at Toke-a-Lot. During the raids, police recovered more than $10,000 and 100 pounds of refined marijuana produces, including buds, edibles and concentrates. Police said they also searched the homes of Martinez and three other people involved in those businesses. At Martinezs home, police said, they found more than 60 guns, six of which were reported stolen in other city crimes, and an undisclosed amount of cocaine, methamphetamine and ecstasy. They also reportedly confiscated five vehicles, a motorcycle, high-end jewelry and several Rolex watches. That bust led to additional raids at undisclosed locations in the city and county, leading police to confiscate another $1.375 million in cash. In total, the seized property is worth more than $2 million. Anyone with additional information about Martinez or the businesses is asked to call police at 719-444-7000 or leave an anonymous tip at Pikes Peak Crime Stoppers, 719-634-7867. The Gazettes Ellie Mulder contributed to this story. Contact the writer at 719-636-0362 or find her on Twitter: @njKaitlinDurbin. By Moses Kyeyune. PARLIAMENT: The Minister of State for disaster preparedness Musa Ecweru has asked members of parliament not to adopt a report by the Presidential Affairs committee, lest they cast victims of landslides in the Elgon region into gross suffering. The Minister has been presenting a re-battle statement to the committee report, which recommended for the cancellation of Bulambuli land deal, citing unresolved ownership questions. If the MPs go by the recommendation, Ecweru says, the people will continue to suffer and government will at the same time lose money. Ecweru has also cautioned that, in case Parliament decides to cancel the entire land acquisition process as recommended by the Committee, there is a likelihood of Government incurring huge financial losses and more deaths as a result of the anticipated landslides. The committee chaired by Adjumani Woman MP Jesca Ababiku wants the government to find land elsewhere and not Bulambuli. But Enweru says there was no financial loss caused to Government and the people of Uganda by OPM. Whereas the report faulted the political leaders within the Office of the Prime Minister, calling for their implication Ecweru says they acted diligently and that technical Officers acted professionally in executing their work to the conclusion of the assignment and there is value for money. WOODLAND PARK Missing 29-year-old mother Kelsey Berreth apparently had planned to be gone from her job as a flight instructor for Doss Aviation in Pueblo for a week after Thanksgiving. But she still hasnt returned home. Now a nationwide search is underway for Berreth, who moved to Woodland Park in 2016 with her fiance, the father of her 1-year-old daughter. Fourteen news cameras were at a news conference Monday at City Hall, where Police Chief Miles De Young and mother Cheryl Berreth gave an update on the case, after national ABC News reports Sunday night and Monday morning. This is a missing person case, and right now, there are a lot more questions than there are answers, said Susan Medina, spokeswoman for the Colorado Bureau of Investigation. Our bottom line is: We want to find Kelsey. Cheryl Berreth said she hasnt heard from her daughter in 19 days. She reported her missing Dec. 2. Police checked Kelseys apartment, where cold baked cinnamon rolls were on the counter, and she had left her makeup bag, two vehicles, suitcases and other possessions, said Police Chief Miles De Young. Armed with a search warrant, they also combed through her vehicles, De Young said. Shes not the kind that runs off, her mother said. This is completely out of character. She loves her God, family and friends, her job. Shes reliable, considerate, honest. Police have no suspects, De Young said. Officers have interviewed her fiance, Patrick Frazee. Asked whether police will search his home, De Young said, Thats something were going to have to look into. All options are on the table. Shes a missing person. Were going to explore every avenue. Police had not responded to domestic violence calls involving the couple. Frazee said he last saw Kelsey on Thanksgiving, when she handed off their daughter to him, De Young said. He never lived with Kelsey, Cheryl Berreth said. Frazee was not at the news conference. Asked whether he is a suspect, De Young said, At this point, he is the father of Kelseys daughter. Surveillance cameras at the local Safeway store show Kelsey buying groceries with her daughter at 12:22 p.m. Thanksgiving Day. Frazee told police he last heard from her three days later, on Nov. 25, the day she told her boss she wouldnt be at work that week. Kelsey works in the Pueblo office of Doss Aviation, which provides flight training for the U.S. military and international armed services, a spokeswoman confirmed. We are aware of the current missing persons investigation by local authorities, she said. We extend our support to the family of Ms. Berreth and hope for her immediate safe return. The company does not release information on employees, she said, so she could not say how long Kelsey has worked there. Kelseys cellphone pinged in southern Idaho, in a town called Gooding, on Nov. 25, De Young said. Although she has family in Idaho, Kelsey never showed up at relatives homes there, nor had she voiced plans to go there, Cheryl Berreth said on Facebook. Woodland Parks Cody Ritchie, who said hes lived in the mountain community of about 8,000 residents off and on for a few years, said he saw the familys pleas on Facebook to find Kelsey. Thats sad, Ritchie said Monday in the Safeway parking lot. This is a small town with a friendly vibe, so its kind of crazy that happened. I hope shes all right. The CBI and FBI are working the case with local law enforcement, including the Teller County Sheriffs Office. We have a number of agents and officers asking the same questions, conducting interviews in the community, with multiple canvasses conducted, said the CBIs Medina. Report information about Kelsey Berreth to police at 719-687-9262, or email Cmdr. Christopher Adams, cadams@city-woodlandpark.org. While tiny homes are becoming increasingly popular, zoning regulations and land use development codes in counties across Colorado make placing the structures a challenge. Because the homes are considered recreational vehicles, most jurisdictions in Colorado have rules that prevent them from being used as permanent housing. But, at Peak View Park in Woodland Park, owners of tiny houses are able to circumvent the rules because the former mobile home park outdates the county regulation that stipulates RVs can only be used as temporary housing. (Photo by Dougal Brownlie, The Gazette) Danish English Company announcement no. 66/2018 Holmens Kanal 2-12 DK-1092 Kbenhavn K 11 December 2018 Danica Pension sells its pension activities in Sweden Danica Pension, Livsforsikringsaktieselskab, which is part of the Danske Bank Group, has entered into an agreement with an investor consortium consisting of the Nordic private equity fund Polaris and the German private equity fund Acathia on the takeover of Danske Pension Forsikringsaktiebolag (publ) (Danica Pension Sweden). In addition to Polaris and Acathia, the institutional investors Sampension and Unigestion are part of the consortium. We refer to Danske Bank A/Ss company announcement no. 64 of 6 December 2018. It has also been agreed that Danske Bank and Danica Pension Sweden will continue their business partnership on the distribution of pension products in Sweden. Danica Pension Sweden has seen strong developments in the past several years and has created good solutions for our customers, says Jacob Aarup-Andersen, Member of the Executive Board of Danske Bank. With this transaction, Danica Pension Sweden will continue, together with its new owners, to further develop the company, and this was an important factor for us. In addition to an attractive sales price, we have ensured that the strong cooperation on pension customers between Danske Bank and Danica Pension Sweden will continue, to the benefit of our customers in Sweden. We will continue to focus on further developing the best pension solutions in Denmark and Norway, where our business models are more aligned and there are synergies across the markets. The sale does not affect Danske Banks growth strategy in the Nordic markets, neither generally nor in the Wealth Management area, where we see good growth. Danica Pension Sweden has some 60 employees, 150,000 personal customers and 15,000 business customers. A price of around SEK 2.6 billion, the equivalent of around DKK 1.9 billion, has been agreed, of which around SEK 2.35 billion is a cash payment and the remainder is in the form of a debt instrument from the seller. The sale is not expected to impact the net profit of Danske Bank A/S for 2018, as payment of the purchase sum awaits completion of the sale. The sale is conditional on approval by the relevant authorities. Final approval is expected in the first half of 2019. Danske Bank A/S Attachment English Lithuanian Lietuvos Energijos Gamyba, AB identification code 302648707, registered office placed at Elektrines str. 21, LT-26108 Elektrenai, Republic of Lithuania (hereinafter referred to as the Company). The total number of registered ordinary shares issued by the Company is 648 002 629; ISIN code LT0000128571. Please be informed that the Board of the Company on 10 December 2018 decided to terminate the exploitation of Unit 8 of Lithuanian Power Plant from 1 January 2019 and to put it into preservation mode. The Unit will be put to preservation mode in such way that: i) Under the instruction of LITGRID AB and / or Ministry of Energy of the Republic of Lithuania it would be possible to put it into operation again expeditiously (within a period not exceeding three days), and/or ii) The Unit could take part in the Baltic insulated work test (including preparation for the testing), and/or iii) It would be possible to perform the required compulsory testing on the block. The decision was made by the Board of the Company after having assessed the scope of services provided by Lithuanian Power Plants units in 2019, the market situation of electricity production and system services, changes in the regulatory environment and prospects. The Supervisory Board of the Company did not object to the decision of the Board of the Company to put the Unit 8 into preservation mode from 1 January 2019. The same conditions apply to the Unit 7 of the Lithuanian Power Plant, the exploitation of which has been terminated by preserving it from 1 January 2018. By Sam Ssebuliba. The Uganda Electoral commission has announced the grand budget that is required to organise the 2021 general election. Speaking during the launch of the 2021 general the road map the commission secretary general Sam Rwakojo said that the commission requires a total of 868.14 billions to conduct all elections including for administrative unites. He however said that that this budget does not include operational costs including wage bills , capital funding and other annual expenses. He said that factors behind this huge budget is the increase in number of districts from 112 in 2016 to 144 in 2021, while the number of voter will be 19 millions He has now asked government to avail government to avail funds in a phased manner to enable timely planning English German Pratteln, Switzerland, December 11, 2018 - Santhera Pharmaceuticals (SIX: SANN) announces that a vast majority of shareholders approved the ordinary capital increase at today's Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM). Participating shareholders represented a total of 2'953'737 shares or 39% of the share capital. "We are thankful to Santhera's shareholders for their support which we take as a strong vote of confidence in our growth strategy," said Elmar Schnee, Chairman of the Board of Directors. "The additional share capital will allow us to raise the funds needed to complete the acquisition of the sub-license option to vamorolone from Idorsia and, at the same time, expedite the filing of idebenone in Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) in Europe and the US, advance our pipeline projects and execute on our commercial plans." The EGM followed the motion of the Board of Directors (BoD) and approved an increase of the Company's ordinary share capital from CHF 7,527,479 to a maximum of CHF 12,527,479 through the issuance of up to 5,000,000 new registered shares with a nominal value of CHF 1 per share. The BoD has decided to fully exploit the approved increase and to proceed with a placement of new shares by means of an accelerated book building (ABB). Besides the upfront cash payment of USD 20 million to Idorsia for the acquisition of the option for the exclusive sub-license of vamorolone, the Company intends to use the net proceeds from the share placement to fund ongoing business activities including the commercialization of Raxone in Leber's hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON), market entry preparations for idebenone in DMD, and the development of POL6014 for the treatment of cystic fibrosis. EGM agenda Agenda and amended proposal are available on the Company's website at www.santhera.com/investors-and-media/investor-toolbox/shareholder-meetings. From the end of this week, the minutes of the EGM 2018 will also be available. About Santhera Santhera Pharmaceuticals (SIX: SANN) is a Swiss specialty pharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of innovative medicines for rare and other diseases with high unmet medical needs. The portfolio comprises clinical stage and marketed treatments for neuro-ophthalmologic, neuromuscular and pulmonary diseases. Santhera's Raxone (idebenone) is authorized in the European Union, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Israel for the treatment of Leber's hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON) and is currently commercialized in more than 20 countries. For further information, please visit www.santhera.com. Raxone is a trademark of Santhera Pharmaceuticals. For further information please contact: public-relations@santhera.com or Eva Kalias, Head External Communications Phone: +41 78 671 98 86 eva.kalias@santhera.com For Investors: investor-relations@santhera.com or Christoph Rentsch, Chief Financial Officer Hans Vitzthum, LifeSci Advisors Europe: +41 61 906 89 65 US: +1 212 915 2568 christoph.rentsch@santhera.com hans@lifesciadvisors.com Disclaimer / Forward-looking statements This communication does not constitute an offer or invitation to subscribe for or purchase any securities of Santhera Pharmaceuticals Holding AG. This publication may contain certain forward-looking statements concerning the Company and its business. Such statements involve certain risks, uncertainties and other factors which could cause the actual results, financial condition, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such statements. Readers should therefore not place undue reliance on these statements, particularly not in connection with any contract or investment decision. The Company disclaims any obligation to update these forward-looking statements. # # # Atlanta, Dec. 11, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Gray Television, Inc. (Gray) (NYSE: GTN) announced today its appointment of Josh Young as the General Manager of CBS affiliates KWTX in Waco and KBTX in Bryan-College, Texas. Gray selected Josh from among a panel of highly qualified internal and external candidates. Currently, he serves as the General Manager of KWES-TV/KTXC-FM, Raycom Medias NBC affiliate in Midland/Odessa, Texas. Prior to joining KWES-TV/KTXC-FM in 2016, Josh spent sixteen years years at KCBD-TV (NBC) in Lubbock, Texas, including eleven as the stations Director of Marketing. Originally from Abilene, Texas, Josh attended Texas Tech University. He and his wife have one son. He will begin his role as General Manager of KWTX/KBTX in January. About Gray: Gray owns and/or operates television stations in 57 television markets broadcasting over 200 separate programming streams, including over 100 affiliates of the CBS/NBC/ABC/FOX networks. Based on the consolidated results of the four Nielsen sweeps periods in 2017, our stations achieved the number-one or number-two ranking in both overall audience and news audience in all 57 of our 57 markets. We have entered into an agreement to combine with Raycom Media, Inc. in a transformational transaction. Following the consummation of the acquisition, the combined company will own leading television stations and digital platforms serving 92 markets. The combined company will also include video program production, marketing, and digital businesses including Raycom Sports, Tupelo-Raycom, and RTM Studios, the producer of PowerNation programs and content. For further information, please visit www.gray.tv. # # # Attachment TORONTO, Dec. 11, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Datametrex AI Limited (the Company or Datametrex) (TSXV: DM, FSE: D4G) is pleased to share that it has been invited to attend the 16th Canada-Korea Forum held in Seoul, South Korea December 13th-15th. The subject of the forum is Strategic and Technological Transformation in the Making: Challenges and Opportunities for Canada-Korea Cooperation. The Canada-Korea Forum meets annually to discuss the state of relations between Canada and Korea, to challenge the status quo, and to provide insights and forward-looking advice to governments, businesses and others involved in the relationship. It is made up of a small group of senior level Koreans and Canadians largely drawn from business, academic institutions, think tanks, and politics, as well as former government officials. Some of this years attendees include: Ambassador Michael Danagher, Canadian Ambassador to the Republic of Korea, Ian Shugart, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Global Affairs Canada, Lana Novikova, Founder and CEO of Heartbeat AI Technologies and Leonard J. Edwards, Distinguished Fellow, Centre for International Governance Innovation and former Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Global Affairs Canada. It is a huge honour to be asked to attend this conference. We are proud of the work we are accomplishing in both Canada and Korea and even more so to be recognized as leaders in AI and Machine Learning in both countries. Recently Claude Theoret, President of Nexalogy was asked to speak at the G7 AI Conference in Montreal and now DM is invited to attend the Canada-Korea Forum to discuss Cooperation in the Age of Technological Innovation with a specific focus on AI, says Andrew Ryu, CEO and Chairman of the Company. About Datametrex AI Limited Datametrex AI Limited is a technology focused company with exposure to Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning through its wholly owned subsidiaries, Nexalogy ( www.nexalogy.com ) and Canntop AI ( www.canntop.com ) and Implementing Blockchain technology for secure Data Transfers through its investee company, Graph Blockchain (www.graphblockchain.com). Additional information on Datametrex is available at: www.datametrex.com To stay informed about Datametrex, please join our Investor Group on 8020 Connect http://bit.ly/8020DM for all upcoming news releases, articles comments and questions. For further information, please contact: Jeffrey Stevens President & COO Phone: (647) 400-8494 Email: jstevens@datametrex.com Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. Forward-looking information is not a guarantee of future performance or results, since it involves risks and uncertainties. There is no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in forward-looking statements. Except as required by law, the Company does not assume and expressly renounces any obligation to update any forward-looking information, which is only applicable on the date on which it is given. BANGKOK, Thailand, Dec. 11, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Anantara Vacation Club, Asias premiere shared holiday ownership programme, has added Oman Air, Omans flagship carrier, to its roster of partners in the Middle East to enhance the benefits available to Anantara Vacation Club Points Owners and Oman Airs Sindbad members. As of today, Club Points Owners can convert their points into Sindbad air miles, while Sindbad members will be able to earn Sindbad miles when staying at select Anantara Vacation Club resorts. This new partnership brings greater flexibility to Club Points Owners while providing increased earning opportunities for Oman Airs Sindbad members. When booking stays with Anantara Vacation Club in Phuket and Bangkok, Oman Airs Sindbad members will receive discounts of over 70%, earn 3,000 miles and enjoy additional benefits. Offering an exclusive collection of luxurious holiday ownership resorts and suites, Anantara Vacation Club is the ideal choice for discerning travellers seeking the certainty of luxury-brand quality and the opportunity to explore Asias top destinations. Meanwhile, Anantara Vacation Clubs Diamond Ownership tiers and above will be offered the opportunity to convert their Anantara Vacation Club Points into Oman Air Sindbad miles, providing them with access to over 35 destinations worldwide. With direct flights to Oman being offered from Thailand, Malaysia and China, this partnership makes it more convenient for our Ownership base to make use of their Anantara Vacation Club Points to explore the Middle East or enjoy a stay at our newest Royal Escape, Anantara Al Jabal Al Akhdar Resort, said Maurizio Bisicky, Anantara Vacation Clubs Chief Operating Officer. Located on the fabled Green Mountain just a two hours drive from Muscat, Anantara Al Jabal Al Akhdar Resort reveals dramatic canyon views as one of the worlds most elevated hotels and recently was named as a global winner in the Luxury New Hotel category at the World Luxury Travel Awards. Eligible Club Points Owners will be able to convert their Club Points at the rate of 1,000 Anantara Vacation Club Points for 2,500 Oman Air Sinbad miles. Oman Air joins the likes of Cathay Pacifics Asia Miles, Thai Airways Royal Orchid Plus Miles and Gulf Airs Falconflyer programmes to have partnered with Anantara Vacation Club to offer Club Points conversion options. It is also the latest member of Anantara Vacation Clubs growing number of alliance partners in the region, including Emirates Skywards, Gulf Air and Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank. About Anantara Vacation Club Anantara Vacation Club is Asias premier vacation ownership programme. It was launched in 2010 by Minor International PCL, the owner of Minor Hotels. The Club offers a portfolio of nine luxurious Club Resorts across Thailand, Indonesia, China and New Zealand and provides Club Points Owners and their guests with the opportunity to explore top holiday destinations. Club Points Owners travel opportunities are further enhanced through the use of the flexible Club Escapes and Global Traveller programmes, which provide access to hundreds of partner resorts and hotels internationally. For more information, please visit www.anantaravacationclub.com , or follow Anantara Vacation Clubs blog or social media channels on Facebook , Twitter , Instagram and Weibo . About Minor Hotels Minor Hotels is an international hotel owner, operator and investor currently with 160 hotels in operation. Minor Hotels passionately explores new possibilities in hospitality with a diverse portfolio of properties designed intelligently to appeal to different kinds of travellers, serving new passions as well as personal needs. Through our Anantara, AVANI, Oaks, Elewana, Tivoli, Four Seasons, St. Regis, Marriott and Minor International properties, Minor Hotels operates in 26 countries across Asia Pacific, the Middle East, Africa, the Indian Ocean, Europe and South America. With dynamic plans to expand existing brands and explore strategic acquisitions throughout opportunistic markets, Minor Hotels pursues a vision of a more passionate and interconnected world. For more information, please visit www.minorhotels.com . A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/c8283705-08e2-4d22-a1df-e78ae1b35d7e MILLBRAE, Calif. and TORONTO, Dec. 11, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Stem, Inc., the world leader in Artificial Intelligence (AI)-driven energy storage services, announces the acquisition of a majority of the assets of Constant Power Inc. and the hiring of a Country Manager for Canada. Based in Toronto, Canada, Constant Power Inc. (CPI) is a developer, integrator, and operator of distributed energy resources with an Energy Storage as a Service solution. Stem is assuming responsibility for CPIs Toronto, Canada office including the hiring of CPI staff with experience in developing, financing, implementing, and operating distributed energy resources. The transaction includes the purchase by Stem of all of the contracted systems, commercial pipeline, and all technology and related intellectual property of CPI. The industry recognizes Stem as the leader in artificial intelligence and proven energy storage services, so gaining access to their advanced controls platform was a natural decision for Constant Power, said Bryan Elliott, Founder and Chairman of CPI. In addition, Stem is announcing the companys new Country Manager for Canada, Brad Marks. Marks brings extensive experience in energy management including Industrial Commercial Institutional (ICI) and utility infrastructure, distributed energy resources, operational and information technologies and services and project delivery. For over the past decade, Brad has held leadership roles with Survalent, Oracle, and General Electric, where he led commercial efforts into the Canadian electric utility market to deliver cost savings, operational efficiency and network reliability. Stems proven predictive peak demand capabilities, local expertise and nationally-recognized Ontario partners are a clear advantage to industrial leaders who want to enhance their competitiveness, said Marks. As businesses in Ontario look to grow and remain competitive, Stem provides them with a solution to reduce costs, without interruption to operations, and do so with trusted, experienced partners in Ontario. The announcement comes on the heels of many Stem investments in Ontario, including the addition of the Ontario Teachers Pension Plan as an equity partner , a project development partnership with Ontario Power Generation, and the raise of C$200 million in project finance from Ontario Teachers specifically for the Ontario market. This has been a strong year for Stem in Ontario and significant traction with customers, local partners, and hiring of local talent, said John Carrington, CEO of Stem, Inc. Stem continues to expand our investments in the Ontario market with a strong commitment to assist the provinces energy infrastructure planning and business competitiveness. Stem is the global leader in AI-driven energy storage services, with over 1,250 energy storage systems and software platforms installed or under contract across six U.S. states, Ontario, and Japan. Stems AI platform, Athena, is the first of its kind for energy storage on customers sites, performing real-time energy optimization that reduces onsite peak demand and enables customers to access additional market opportunities via Stems network. About Stem, Inc. Stem creates innovative technology services that transform the way energy is distributed and consumed. Athena by Stem is the first AI for energy storage and virtual power plants. It optimizes the timing of energy use and facilitates consumers participation in energy markets, yielding economic and societal benefits while decarbonizing the grid. The companys mission is to build and operate the smartest and largest digitally-connected energy storage network for our customers. Headquartered in Millbrae, California, Stem is directly funded by a consortium of leading investors including Activate Capital, Angeleno Group, BNP Paribas, Constellation Technology Ventures, Iberdrola (Inversiones Financieras Perseo), GE Ventures, Magnesium Capital, Mithril Capital Management, Mitsui & Co. LTD., Ontario Teachers Pension Plan, RWE Supply & Trading, Temasek, and Total Energy Ventures. Visit www.stem.com for more information. For further information, please contact: Ian Martorana The Bulleit Group for Stem 863-581-2111 Stem@bulleitgroup.com 2018 Stem, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Stem and the Stem logo are registered trademarks of Stem Incorporated in the U.S. SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 11, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco is matching the charitable donations of its members to organizations helping victims and communities affected by recent natural disasters and is announcing several changes to expand this effort. The Bank has increased the total amount available for disaster relief matching donations from $150,000 to $250,000, has increased the maximum match per member financial institution from $5,000 to $10,000, and has expanded the program to include all three states in the Eleventh Federal Home Loan Bank DistrictArizona, California, and Nevada. When we first introduced the donation match program in the fall of 2017, we were responding to the devastating wildfires in Northern California, said Greg Seibly, president and chief executive officer of FHLBank San Francisco. We wanted to do our part, and also support our members efforts to respond to the urgent needs of their local communities. To date, 25 FHLBank members have contributed or pledged a total of $398,000 to organizations serving fire victims and affected communities, and the Bank has donated or pledged $127,500 in matching funds to the same organizations. The Bank will now match up to $10,000 per member for donations made to local organizations providing services and support to disaster victims. The match is available to both newly participating members and members who have previously accessed the program, on a first-come, first-served basis. In addition to matching members charitable donations to a variety of charities, the Bank has made $100,000 in direct donations in 2017 and 2018 in response to wildfires in California. The Bank directly donated $25,000 to the American Red Cross-California Northwest Chapter to support victims of the 2017 North Bay fires and $25,000 to the United Way Thomas Fire Fund for victims in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties. In response to the two most recent California wildfire disasters, the Woolsey Fire in Los Angeles and Ventura County and the Camp Fire in Butte Country, which was the largest and most deadly fire in California history, the Bank has pledged to directly donate $25,000 to the North Valley Community Foundation and $25,000 to the Ventura County Community Foundation. FEDERAL HOME LOAN BANK OF SAN FRANCISCO The Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco delivers low-cost funding and other services that help member financial institutions make home mortgages to people of all income levels and provide credit that supports neighborhoods and communities. The Bank also funds community programs that help members create affordable housing and promote community economic development. The Banks members are headquartered in Arizona, California, and Nevada and include commercial banks, credit unions, industrial loan companies, savings institutions, insurance companies, and community development financial institutions. Contact: Mary Long, 415-572-6717 KAMLOOPS, British Columbia, Dec. 11, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Day Scholars reacted to news that Canada has entered into a settlement agreement regarding the Indian Day Schools class-action lawsuit by questioning why Canada has not yet resolved a similar class action lawsuit brought on behalf of Day Scholars who attended Indian Residential Schools. Day Scholars are individuals who attended a federally owned and operated Indian Residential School during the day but returned home at night. Day Scholars suffered many of the same harms and abuses as other students at Residential Schools. We are happy that the pain and suffering our brothers and sisters endured in Day Schools is being recognized and compensated. But I cant help but feel angry and frustrated that once again we are being left behind, said Jo-Anne Gottfriedson, the Tkemlups Day Scholar coordinator and Day Scholar Executive Committee Chair. I am optimistic that we will include the excluded and settle a fair and just settlement for those day scholars who suffered as a result of residential schools. Councilor Selina August, Sechelt First Nation stated, Too many Day Scholars have already died waiting for justice. When will it be our turn? When will the horrific wrongs done to us by Canadas shameful Residential School policy be recognized and made right? Lawyers say that Day Scholars are one of the few remaining groups who suffered the evils of Canadas Residential School policy who have yet to receive proper compensation. The Day Scholars class action was certified by the Federal Court in 2015, and yet Canada continues to delay reaching a fair resolution of the claim. Lawyers for Day Scholars are in active negotiations with Canada with the goal of reaching a positive settlement of the class action. The next negotiation session is scheduled for January 2019. Enough is enough. We urge the government of Canada to come to the table in the spirit of reconciliation with a fair offer. This should happen now, before one more Day Scholar dies without having received justice, said Doctor Matthew Coon Come, former National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations. Contact information: Jo-Anne Gottfriedson TteS-SFN-JBC Day Scholar Executive Chair Jo-anne.gottfriedson@kib.ca NEWMARKET, Ontario, Dec. 11, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- AirBoss of America Corp. (TSX: BOS) announced today that its Rubber Solutions segment is expanding its mixing capabilities at its plants in Scotland Neck, North Carolina and Kitchener, Ontario. AirBoss has operated a 150,000 square-foot rubber compounding facility in Scotland Neck, North Carolina since 2004. As announced by the North Carolina government earlier today, AirBoss will be the recipient of a performance-based grant from the One North Carolina Fund to help facilitate the expansion of this facility. The expansion will consist of the addition of a new rubber compounding line which is expected to double this facility's rubber mixing capacity and should be fully operational by July of 2019. In addition to the Scotland Neck, North Carolina expansion, an additional expansion is planned at AirBoss' one-million-square foot plant in Kitchener, Ontario. AirBoss Kitchener facility is already one of the largest custom rubber compounding facilities in North America and will soon be poised to better serve the specialty compound market. The expansion at this plant will consist of the addition of a new dedicated white and colour mixing line. This state of the art mixing line is expected to increase AirBoss' market penetration in the areas of white and coloured specialty rubber compounds driven by improved quality and decreased production costs for these types of products. This new mixing line is expected to be fully operational by March of 2019. The aforementioned expansions are part of the overall strategy for AirBoss Rubber Solutions that has driven the need to build greater regional capacity in the United States, while also installing unique assets that will allow for enhanced penetration in the higher-end colour and specialty product market. AirBoss of America Corp. is a group of complementary businesses using compounding technology and engineering expertise to create value for its customers. With a capacity to process approximately 400 million turn pounds of rubber annually, AirBoss Rubber Solutions is one of North Americas largest custom rubber compounding companies and a leading supplier of essential calendered and extruded products for a broad range of applications. AirBoss Engineered Products is a world leader in the supply of life saving products for the military and a leading supplier of innovative anti-vibration solutions to the North American automotive market. The Companys shares trade on the TSX under the symbol BOS. Visit www.airbossofamerica.com . AIRBOSS FORWARD LOOKING INFORMATION DISCLAIMER Certain statements contained or incorporated by reference herein, including those that express managements expectations or estimates of future developments or AirBoss future performance, constitute forward-looking information or forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws, and can generally be identified by words such as will, may, could is expected to, believes, anticipates, forecasts, plans, intends or similar expressions. These statements are not historical facts but instead represent managements expectations, estimates and projections regarding future events and performance. Statements containing forward-looking information are necessarily based upon a number of opinions, estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by management at the time the statements are made, are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive risks, uncertainties and contingencies. AirBoss cautions that such forward-looking information involves known and unknown contingencies, uncertainties and other risks that may cause AirBoss actual financial results, performance or achievements to be materially different from its estimated future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking information. Numerous factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking information, including without limitation: impact of general economic conditions; dependence on key customers; cyclical trends in the tire and automotive, construction, mining and retail industries; sufficient availability of raw materials at economical costs; weather conditions affecting raw materials, production and sales; AirBoss ability to maintain existing customers or develop new customers in light of increased competition; AirBoss ability to successfully integrate acquisitions of other businesses and/or companies or to realize on the anticipated benefits thereof, changes in accounting policies and methods, including uncertainties associated with critical accounting assumptions and estimates; changes in the value of the Canadian dollar relative to the US dollar; changes in tax laws and potential litigation; ability to obtain financing on acceptable terms; environmental damage and non-compliance with environmental laws and regulations; potential product liability and warranty claims and equipment malfunction. This list is not exhaustive of the factors that may affect any of AirBoss forward-looking information. All of the forward-looking information in this press release is expressly qualified by these cautionary statements. Investors are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking information. All subsequent written and oral forward-looking information attributable to AirBoss or persons acting on its behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by this notice. Forward-looking information contained herein is made as of the date of this press release and, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, AirBoss disclaims any intent or obligation to update publicly this forward-looking information except as required by applicable laws. Risks and uncertainties about AirBoss business are more fully discussed under the heading Risk Factors in our most recent Annual Information Form and are otherwise disclosed in our filings with securities regulatory authorities which are available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. MFIN Pierre Gramegna at the signing ceremony MFIN Pierre Gramegna at the signing ceremony The theme of the 2019 Annual Meeting is Cooperation and Connectivity in recognition of the economic and social benefits to be realized through better connectivity within and between countries and regions, including Europe and Asia. The Memorandum of Understanding for the 2019 Annual Meeting was signed in Luxembourg by Pierre Gramegna, Minister of Finance of Luxembourg, and Sir Danny Alexander, Vice President and Corporate Secretary of AIIB. As a leading EU financial center with longstanding expertise in sustainable finance and an innovative approach to digitalization, Luxembourg looks forward to hosting delegates from around the world interested in cooperating to guide and finance the sustainable infrastructure of tomorrow, said Minister Gramegna. The 2019 Annual Meeting will provide a great opportunity for Europes financial leaders to contribute to the dialogue on developing innovative financing solutions to better connect Asia and Europe. The 2019 Annual Meeting will bring together AIIBs Governors and Directors to engage with delegations from members, prospective members, partner institutions, business leaders, civil society and experts from a range of fields. The dialogue will focus on how cooperation and strategic investments in sustainable infrastructure can contribute to deeper integration and stronger economic growth via enhanced and strengthened connectivity. Furthermore, with Luxembourg as the host of major European institutions, including the European Investment Bank and the European Stability Mechanism, the 2019 Annual Meeting presents an opportunity for greater dialogue on the importance of multilateral cooperation between AIIB and its European partners. A series of lead-up events will be held in the first half of 2019 at the Luxembourg Chamber of Commerce and also in other European AIIB member countries, with the objective of cultivating more consensus around infrastructure development and finance, as well tightening the ties between AIIB and its stakeholders in Europe. The potential of sustainable infrastructure is not limited to the region it is located, and further cross-border cooperation will only strengthen international trade and contribute to fighting climate change, said Alexander. The 2019 Annual Meeting in Luxembourg is a great opportunity for European countries to contribute to the dialogue around the benefit of multilateral relations and market integration. As a global center of finance and innovation, Luxembourg is the perfect location for the Banks first annual meeting in Europe. The second Asian Infrastructure Forum will also be held as part of the 2019 Annual Meeting. The forum is focused on creating connections and business development opportunities for participants from the Greater Luxembourg Region and beyond, drawn from project sponsors, financiers, project delivery companies and governments. Visit aiib.org/annualmeeting for more information on the 2019 Annual Meeting and previous annual meetings. About AIIB The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) is a multilateral development bank with a mission to improve social and economic outcomes in Asia. Headquartered in Beijing, we began operations in January 2016 and have now grown to 87 approved members worldwide. By investing in sustainable infrastructure and other productive sectors in Asia and beyond, we will better connect people, services and markets that over time will impact the lives of billions and build a better future. About the Ministry of Finance of the Grand-Duchy of Luxembourg In 2015, Luxembourg was the first European country to sign up as a founding member of AIIB. The Bank has chosen Luxembourg as the location of its fourth Annual Meeting, taking place from July 12-13, in Luxembourg City. Press release by the Ministry of Finance / Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) By Moses Kyeyune. The Chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee on Commissions, Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises Abdu Katuntu has re-assured the public of transparency in the ongoing probe into Bank of Uganda. The committee is probing the perceived illegal closure of commercial banks, characterized by hideous tendencies and collusion as reported by the auditor general. However, President Yoweri Museveni said yesterday that the process in which the committee is conducting business is ugly, saying that a closed door probe would be more desirable. But Katuntu, in his response this morning says that a closed door process would cause public speculation and that there is no call for worry in the path taken by the committee. By Ritah Kemigisa. The opposition Democratic Party has criticized the newly launched anti-graft unit and strategy by President Yoweri Museveni calling it a mock fight. Addressing journalists at city house, the party president Norbert Mao said corruption in the country can only be wiped out if the president himself acts as an example by standing for the truth. Mao says the current government cannot fight corruption because it is allegedly using it to sustain themselves. He adds that creating many anti-graft agencies affiliated to the presidents office is not a guarantee that corruption will be wiped out. He is now advising government to first evaluate the performance of the existing agencies and why they have failed to deliver before creating new ones. Related Stories.. Museveni hits at critics on corruption fight By Moses Kyeyune. Uganda foreign affairs minister Sam Kutesa will have to explain allegations of pocketing $500, 000 (Shs1.8 billion) in a US scam, President Museveni has said. Museveni was last evening addressing the media on matters pertaining the fight on corruption. This comes after US based court on Thursday convicted Patrick Ho Chi Ping, the man accused of compromising Mr Kutesa by the Federal Bureau of Investigations. The convict allegedly offered the bribe and gifts to President Museveni through Kutesa, to secure support for China Energy Fund Committee, a Shanghai-based rising star of Chinas energy industry. However, Museveni says that Kutesa, in his own confession said, the money was meant for charity, a matter that is being investigated by the government. Related Stories.. US court convicts Sam Kutesa accomplice IceViking strongly condemns physical attacks and harassment directed towards them. They are also often victims of the Islamic idea. This is true when it comes to the cruel and tragic treatment of Muslim women and children when it is in accord with the Koran, the example of Mohammed and Islamic law, Sharia, which may be applied regardless of where a Muslim male may find himself in the world, whether in a Muslim or non-Muslim country. However, in no way, shape or form should one judge all Muslim men because of what is in Islamic scripture and what constitutes the Islamic law, Sharia. "Race", ethnicity or basically anything that you are "merely" born with should never be a basis for bigotry and discrimination. Apostates from Islam have been executed for 1400 years in accord with the Koran and the words and actions of the Islamic prophet Mohammed and Islamic law, Sharia. They should be lovingly helped. Furthermore, approximately as many as 11,000,000 Muslims may have been killed by other Muslims since 1948. To quote the website The Religion of Peace (TROP), edited by Glen Roberts: While it may be safe to say that a true Muslim would not intentionally kill another true Muslim ( 4:92-93 ), the Quran places no such value on the life of a Muslim who is not true. Consider verse 9:73 : Strive hard against the disbelievers and the hypocrites, and be harsh against them, their abode is Hell. The Arabic for strive hard uses the same root as Jihad - and the context in this sura is holy war (see v. 86 and 91). Thus, there are two distinct classes of people that a true Muslim is to target with harshness: disbelievers and hypocrites. A disbeliever obviously refers to a non-Muslim, so a "hypocrite" must be a Muslim of some sort. In fact, hypocrites are those who say they believe, but do not act as they should. In other words, they are "Muslims", but not true Muslims. They will go to hell just as unbelievers do, and so, according to the verse, their lives matter for naught. The same sura says that a hypocrite can be recognized not just by lack of piety (reluctance to follow Sharia), but by fear of death ( 9:56 ), reluctance to fight ( 9:44-45 ) and even friendliness toward non-believers ( 9:67 ). A true Muslim would thus be a pious person who relishes martyrdom, is eager to fight, and shuns non-believers. Even the Quranic passage that warns against killing "believers" ( 4:88-94 ) is more complicated than it first appears. It never says that a true Muslim is incapable of killing another Muslim, just that it should not be done. In fact, it makes exceptions for the unintentional killing of "believers" in war and mandates the killing of "hypocrites." Verse 17:33 says, "Do not kill anyone which Allah has forbidden, except for a just cause" . The greatest cause of all is that Islam be superior ( 9:33 ), which is exactly what Islamic terrorists say is their goal. Thus believing Muslims are allowed to be collateral damage in the war on unbelievers. There is sadly a phenomena that I`ve noticed in Sweden and elsewhere of people using true facts about Islamic doctrine and history as a cover for all sorts of irrational targeting of Muslims, ranging from xenophobia and racism to verbal abuse and physical attacks. This is strongly condemned by this website and does not in any way serve serious criticism of orthodox Islam and other important work. It`s also important that one tries to express oneself in a civilized way. Words matter. In this bloggers humble opinion the root cause of the problem is the ancient doctrine of orthodox Islam. In simple terms a non-Muslim is a Kafir. " The Koran defines the kafir and kafir is not a neutral word. A kafir is not merely someone who does not agree with Islam, but a kafir is evil, disgusting, the lowest form of life." An exact quote, as stated in the writings of Dr. Bill Warner in the article "Kafir" at http://www.politicalislam.com/kafir . In the perfect Koran (Allah`s direct and literal word as revealed to Mohammed through the angel Jibril), Muslims are told 89 times to emulate Mohammed in all ways (see Koran 33:21 for instance). Mohammed`s example, the Sunna, is found in the Hadith (stories of what Mohammed said and did) and the Sira (biographies of Mohammed). Islamic law, Sharia , is directly derived from these unchanging scriptures. It is based on the Koran`s numerous commands to obey Allah and obey the Messenger, that is Mohammed (see Koran 4:59 for instance). Islam is Sharia. Sharia is Islam. It is a capital crime for Muslims to deny Sharia in any way. A Muslim is someone who submits to Islam and submitting to Islam means obeying the Sharia of Allah. Sharia law includes pronouncements for both Muslims and non-Muslims (Kafirs). Islam is a "complete way of life", a "complete code of life", a "complete system of life". Islam is not just a religion but also a comprehensive ideology. Islam is a supremacist ideology. Islam is a totalitarian and imperialistic ideology akin to Communism and Nazism. Islam is a civilization. Islamic law, Sharia, is a manual for a civilization. Islamic law, Sharia, governs every aspect of life. It has a say about every conceivable human act . Non-Muslims are morally and legally inferior in Islam. Women are morally and legally inferior in Islam. The History of Jihad: From Muhammad to ISIS by Robert Spencer is the first one-volume history of jihad in the English language and a great book on the topic. Allah guarantees Paradise to those who "kill and are killed" for him (Koran 9:111). A hadith depicts a Muslim asking Muhammad: "Instruct me as to such a deed as equals Jihad (in reward)." Muhammad replied, "I do not find such a deed." (Bukhari 4.52.44) Muhammad himself said: I have been commanded to fight against people so long as they do not declare that there is no god but Allah, and he who professed it was guaranteed the protection of his property and life on my behalf except for the right affairs rest with Allah. (Sahih Muslim 30) Freedom of speech, human rights, democracy, science and human lives are all at stake in the fight against the Islamic Jihad. As of August 26th, 2021 Yahoo India will no longer be publishing content. Your Yahoo Account Mail and Search experiences will not be affected in any way and will operate as usual. We thank you for your support and readership. For more information on Yahoo India, please visit the FAQ Many in Iran and outside are acknowledging that the Iranian Resistance group, the Peoples Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) are heavily involved in the planning of these demonstrations. Some regime officials, like the head of the Iranian judicial authority Ayatollah Sadegh Larijani, are even reporting that the Regime must do something to prevent the MEK from turning these individual protests into an uprising that will unseat the mullahs, but its far too late for that. The MEK, which works underground inside Iran to provide resistance to the Iranian Regime, has been leading these protests across Iran for nearly a year; at least since the December 2017 protests over the dire economic situation in Iran erupted. Since then, the Regime has only seen the economy fall, the protests grow in size and scale, and the MEK increase in strength. The Regime has tried several times to take charge of the situation and failed. The Regime has launched a brutal crackdown on protesters; killing dozens and arresting thousands, but this has failed to stop the people from taking to the streets. The Regime has tried to discredit the MEK both domestically and internationally by stepping up their disinformation campaign and propaganda machine, but the Iranian people righty recognises the lies for what they are and continue to support the MEK. The Regime has even potted terror attacks targeting the MEK or Iranian opposition activists in France, Albania, Denmark, and the US so far in 2018 and that is only the plots that we know about. Nothing the Regime is doing to stop the protests or prevent the MEK from helping the Iranian people to fight for freedom is working. The protests are continuing and the MEK is gaining more support. Recently, MEK resistance units have even begun setting fire to posters of Iranian Regime leaders as a way to show the Iranian Resistance as a whole that Iran is ready for revolution. While outside of Iran, the MEK is continuing to publish the real stories of resistance that are often suppressed by the Regime and never make it to the outside media. They are also publicising the peoples protests and getting worldwide attention for the Iranian workers plight, which has led to politicians, human rights groups, and unions supporting the strikes. Maryam Rajavi, the president-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), of which the MEK is the biggest constituent group, said: [The Iranian city of] Shoosh has risen with the cries of workers, and solidarity and strike of youth, teachers, and merchants of the bazaar. The enemy attempts in vain to silence the Haft TAppeh deprived workers by suppressing and arresting them, but the cry of we are hungry, hungry of the children of [Shoosh], calls the conscience of every human being to rise up against the oppressor mullahs. In this part, we will be looking at how the Iranian Regime suppresses women. In Iran, millions of women are subjected to humiliation, violence, and abuse every single day. This takes many forms, but according to Maryam Rajavi, the most pervasive is the regular organized campaigns to enforce the forced veiling of women. Maryam Rajavi reports that Iran increased the monitoring of womens clothing a couple of years ago when they introduced The National and Popular Veil and Virtue Front, which is made up of 301 associations and institutes across Iran that are dedicated to making sure that women are publically observing the mandatory hijab. Now, the Regime uses unofficial and plainclothes agents to inflict brutal violence upon women who do not wear the hijab, while Hossein Ashtari, Commander of the State Security Force, has even bragged that some 2,000 women per day are arrested for improper veiling. Maryam Rajavi explained during her speech that one of the most obvious examples of abuses committed by the Regime with regard to the hijab was the 2014 serial acid attacks on women in Isfahan, which shocked the nation and the world. These were no rogue criminals, but part of the Regime-backed Ansar-e Hezbollah vigilantes. Of course, the mandatory hijab is far from the only way the Regime ensures a systematic clampdown on women. Sexual violence against women is common, especially in the places that a woman should feel safe like at home or in the workplace. Some 180,000 girls are forced into early marriages every year, which accounts for 24% of yearly marriages. These girls have little recourse against an abusive husband and are often subject to domestic abuse. While the International Labor Organization (ILO) refers to the sexual abuse of women at work as the poison of [the] work environment, with many women reluctant to come forward as they lack any form of legal support and risk being fired. It is perhaps most common, though, in Irans prisons, where rape is used as a well-established form of torture. Maryam Rajavi said: Women are not free to speak out under the mullahs suffocating repression. They cannot speak about sexual abuses particularly when the abuser is one of the regime officials or an agent of security and intelligence services who enjoys immunity before the law and authority to repress and intimidate. As such, they have an open hand in sexually assaulting women. In this respect, Iran is one of the worst countries in the world, today. For further proof, Maryam Rajavi advises that we look at the serial rapes of 41 women and girls in Iranshahr last spring. The rapists had public ties to those at the top of the Regime, which eventually led to them escaping justice and the Iranian judiciary punishing instead the people who protested the crime or published news reports of it. Women are also the main victims of poverty, high prices and economic bankruptcy, with some 3.5 million now serving as the heads of households, which makes them most vulnerable strata of Iranian society. Maryam Rajavi said that all Iranian womens lives are currently intertwined with violence and degradation, which is appalling. So what is the solution? In our next piece, we will be looking at how Maryam Rajavi and the Iranian Resistance would seek to eliminate violence against women in Iran after the mullahs have fallen, including how Maryam Rajavis 10-point-plan for a free Iran fits in. By Ssebuliba Samuel. The prime minister of Uganda Dr Ruhakana Rugunda has lauded the electoral commission for timely release of electoral road map for the 2021 general elections. Today the commission released the strategic plan and road map indicating that elections for both presidential and local government are scheduled for 9th February 2021. Speaking to media shortly after the release, Rugunda said that this will give enough time to the commission and government to prepare in time in the interest of a free and fair election. He said that now all intending candidates have time to prepare in time to embrace this process as opposed to last minute rushing. It is no secret that the Iranian regime uses, and has been using for many years, terrorist proxy groups and militias the whole way across the Middle East. It has backed, funded and supported a number of attacks carried out by Iraqi Shiite militants. It has also armed many Sunni extremists. Prosecutors now need to ensure that it is clear that Iran responsible for a number of attacks. And to make sure that there is no room for reasonable doubt. Iran drew the United States into the Iraq conflict. American troops were faced with a number of obstacles, not least EEPs explosively formed penetrators that were able to get through the armour on their tanks after being employed by both Sunni and Shiite militants. These devices came from Iran. Four American soldiers were kidnapped and eventually killed by Asaib Ahl Al-Haq in 2007 during a raid on the Karbala coalition headquarters. This Iraqi militia was set up by the Iranian regimes notorious Qassem Soleimani. Leaders and affiliates of Asaib Ahl Al-Haq were captured after the raid and it has since become known that members of the group confirmed that Soleimani was in charge of getting funds and weapons to militants. Qais Al-Khazali, with links to the group, said that Irans goal is to destroy the Americans. He said that the regimes tactics included advancing its goals in the background while the United States and Iraq were fighting each other in the forefront. Iran, for so many years, has got away with its bloody interventions in the Middle East and its impunity should not be allowed to continue. It has been involved in a number of atrocities in the region, including in Iran itself. In 1988, the Supreme Leader at that time issued a fatwa calling for the execution of political prisoners. Around 30,000 prisoners, most of whom were affiliated with the main opposition to the regime, were murdered. To this day, the Iranian regime has not been held accountable for this crime against humanity. And to make the situation even more difficult to digest, many of the members of the so-called death commissions rose through the ranks of the regime to hold significant responsibility, including ironically the position of justice minister. One was even a presidential candidate that lost to Rouhani. Irans role in Iraq is very worrying because its allies have won parliamentary seats and are involved in allocating government positions. However, it is encouraging that there are a number of trials going on in the United States examining the role of Iran in Middle Eastern politics and affairs. It was wrong for international players to let Iran expand in the first place and it is time for action to be taken to stop the regime and its proxies from infiltrating more foreign systems. By Ivan Ssenabulya. The US ambassador to Uganda Deborah Malac has challenged government to do more in protecting citizens fundamental rights. The ambassador says much as collective efforts are needed, its the states obligation to protect peoples rights. This was during a panel discussion in Kampala, organized by USAID as part of the International Human Rights Day celebrations. Among the discussants were players in the human rights circles and Lady Justice Lillian Tibatemwa. - There was a viral social media post which claimed that Filipinos were being abused in Malaysia - They were being abused for allegedly entering Malaysia without passport - However, this claim was debunked by a French news agency PAY ATTENTION: Click "See First" under the "Following" tab to see KAMI news on your News Feed A Facebook post claimed that there were illegal Filipino workers who were being abused in Malaysia. KAMI learned that the post reached more than five thousand of likes and 300,000 shares since it was posted on Facebook last September. KAMI brings this news to the readers to verify the information in the said post about the allegedly abused Filipino workers. In the caption it said, Nananawagan ako sa prisendent sa pinas. Sana tolongan nya po ang kababayan natin dito sa Malaysia tingnan nyu kawawa po walang kalaban laban. Ang kaso po walang passport or iligal intry po. Kawawa po naghanap buhay lng po sila. PLEASE PO E SHARE NINYO TO. Along with the post were photos of the alleged abused workers as reported by Inquirer. Screenshot courtesy of AFP Source: Facebook However, a French news company, Agence French-Presse (AFP) said that the post was misleading and that the claim was false. PAY ATTENTION: Using free basics app to access internet for free? Now you can read KAMI news there too. Use the search option to find us. Read KAMI news while saving your data! According to AFP, the photos came from a news report by Mongabay Indonesia back in 2014. It was about Indonesians who were caught in a clash with authorities in South Sulawesi. Screenshot from Youtube Source: Facebook "A clash happened between members of Pamona indigenous community and the police, following a land conflict between the former and a company in South Sulawesi province. The clash took place in Teromu village, Mangkutana district, East Luwu regency. At least 57 people were injured and arrested by East Luwu police, as stated in the report quoted by AFP. A copy of the video was also uploaded on Youtube. There, it can be seen that one man was wearing a jacket with POL PP at the back. Screenshot courtesy of AFP Source: Facebook As reported by AFP, according to the official website of the Cabinet of the Republic of Indonesia, POL PP means Polisi Pamong Praja or Civil Service Police in Indonesia. Enjoyed reading our story? Download KAMI's news app on Google Play now and stay up-to-date with major Filipino news! KAMI received a message from a netizen seeking advice. She is in love with a married man twice her age, with 3 kids. He is ready to leave his wife for her. She doesn't know what to do in this situation. Check out our other awesome videos on KAMI HumanMeter YouTube channel! Source: Kami.com.ph - Catriona Gray admitted that she encountered a problem during the national costume show - She said a technical error occurred during her ramp - Catriona also responded to critiques about her awkward walk PAY ATTENTION: Click "See First" under the "Following" tab to see KAMI news on your News Feed Binibining Pilipinas Universe Catriona Gray finally spoke up about the national costume mishap that she experienced during the first event of Miss Universe 2018. KAMI learned that the beauty queen wore an outfit that represented the three main regions of the Philippines which are Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. Catriona was able to catch a lot of attention from viewers with her huge lantern-inspired props that was put on her back to add to the aesthetic and cultural appeal of her costume. However, some netizens noticed that the Filipina models walk was a bit awkward on the event since the outfit that she was wearing was evidently heavy. There were also other social media users who suggested that it would have been better if the lantern-inspired prop was lit up to really feel the essence of Christmas. Because of this, Catriona unhesitatingly explained that her costume actually had LED lights but there were just technical errors when she flaunted it already. The beauty queen admitted that she did try to test the lights of her costume days and hours before the show and they were working then. Just before I went out on stage, I tried to turn it on again and again and it was working so I am not sure if the wires just got moved during the transport here to Thailand or what happened, she quipped. It just so happened that on the day itself and on the time that I walked out of stage, yung ilaw ko or the lights, they werent working and I am really, really sad about it, she added. PAY ATTENTION: Using free basics app to access internet for free? Now you can read KAMI news there too. Use the search option to find us. Read KAMI news while saving your data! With regards to criticisms that she walked awkwardly during the much-awaited show, the Philippines bet reasoned out that her costume was too heavy and its wheels did not cooperate well during her ramp. She explained that the wheels on her outfit can only function well on a tiled or wooden floor and tshe did not expect that a carpet will be put on the stage. The parol itself is really heavy. I was initially supposed to carry it but the weight was just too heavy and it was on my shoulders so we just had to put it on wheels, Catriona stressed. The wheels that we prepared for is for the flat floor, tiled or wooden floor, just a smooth floor and I didnt expect that the floor for the national costume competition would be carpet so when I walked on the carpet, the wheels were not running smoothly and its really hard to pull, she added. Here is the video of her full statement after the national costume show: In a previous article by , the Bicolana model wowed a lot of netizens with her national costume which she called LuzViMinda. Catriona is a Filipina beauty queen who is dubbed as the strongest contender of the Philippines in Miss Universe. She will try to bring home the 4th crown for the country on December 17. Enjoyed reading our story? Download KAMI's news app on Google Play now and stay up-to-date with major Filipino news! Chambe Hit Song - Our Low-Budget Version. Alex Gonzaga, what an amazing song you have come up with! We can only try to reach the stars with our low-budget versions. But we are doing our best! - on HumanMeter! Source: Kami.com.ph Freely accessible local news is vital. Please power our reporters and help keep us independent with a donation today. Start your day with LAist Sign up for the Morning Brief, delivered weekdays. Subscribe Mayor Eric Garcetti got shut down Monday by protesters accusing him of hypocrisy and lies when it comes to human rights violations here in Los Angeles. In the midst of the mayor's speech at USC's Bovard Auditorium to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the protesters became so disruptuve that Garcetti finally just walked offstage. A handful of videos of the protests were posted by NOlympics LA, which claimed credit, along with the Democratic Socialists of America's Los Angeles chapter, for the disruption. In the video below, a man accuses Garcetti of conspiring to rig the Skid Row neighborhood council elections. "Why?" the protester asks rhetorically. "To keep people on Skid Row from having the ability to represent themselves. You should be ashamed of yourself." You cant #StandUp4HumanRights and sit back and let Eric Garcetti lie his face off - and were not going to.#HumanWrongs #Garcettiville pic.twitter.com/8GCLiwow0f NOlympics LA (@NOlympicsLA) December 10, 2018 Protesters sang at Garcetti to the tune of "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town": "Eric Garcetti keeps telling us lies / 'cause human rights violations / happening now." Pete White of @LACANetwork shutting down MEGs asinine claim that handing over LA to the IOC and global real estate speculators for the Olympics will support human rights by...paying for a few swimming lessons.#Standup4HumanRights #Garcettiville #HumanWrongs #NOlympicsLA pic.twitter.com/vrdiEm3hF4 NOlympics LA (@NOlympicsLA) December 10, 2018 Here, a man speaks out against Los Angeles' high homelessness rate and gentrification displacing "entire communties of color to make way for whiter, wealthier residents." This is a Mayor who cares more about bringing the Olympics to LA than solving LAs homelessness crisis.#NOlympicsLA #StandUp4HumanRights #Garcettiville pic.twitter.com/CPxRhkNaiK NOlympics LA (@NOlympicsLA) December 10, 2018 As of publishing, Garcetti had not commented publicly on the disruption. Hey, thanks. You read the entire story. And we love you for that. Here at LAist, our goal is to cover the stories that matter to you, not advertisers. We don't have paywalls, but we do have payments (aka bills). So if you love independent, local journalism, join us. Let's make the world a better place, together. Donate now. Freely accessible local news is vital. Please power our reporters and help keep us independent with a donation today. Start your day with LAist Sign up for the Morning Brief, delivered weekdays. Subscribe A Los Angeles County sheriff's deputy has been charged with voluntary manslaughter for the fatal shooting of an unarmed motorist almost three years ago at a gas station in Norwalk. Luke Liu was arraigned Tuesday for the death of 26-year-old Francisco Garcia, entering a plea of not guilty. The charge included a special allegation "that he personally and intentionally discharged a firearm," according to a press release from the office of L.A. County District Attorney Jackie Lacey. The case against the 40-year-old Liu marks the first time in nearly 20 years that the DA has filed charges against a law enforcement official involved in an on-duty shooting. BREAKING: LA Sheriffs Deputy Luke Liu (right) pleaded not guilty to voluntary manslaughter today in 2016 fatal shooting of driver of fleeing car in Norwalk. He is first LA cop in nearly 20 years to be criminally charged for shooting someone. @KPCC @LAist pic.twitter.com/8kZ553sEZo Frank Stoltze (@StoltzeFrankly) December 11, 2018 On Feb. 24, 2016, Liu was on duty patrolling the 10900 block of Alondra Boulevard, when he spotted a car he believed to be stolen and approached the driver, later identified as Garcia, prosecutors said. They say Liu approached the driver's side door, then moved to the rear of the vehicle. "When he returned to the driver's side door, [Garcia] began to drive away at approximately 5 mph," the DA's release said. Prosecutors allege Liu then drew his gun, "ran alongside the car and fired seven shots at Garcia." Four bullets hit the victim, killing him. The whole incident lasted about 20 seconds, according to prosecutors, and was witnessed by civilians and partially captured on video. "We believe the officer's use of deadly force was unjustified and unreasonable under the circumstances," Lacey said. Judge Teresa Sullivan set Liu's bail at $1.1 million, per statutory guidelines for a voluntary manslaughter charge. He was expected to post bond after the arraignment. If convicted, Liu would face a maximum of 21 years in state prison. DA spokesman Ricardo Santiago said Lacey declined further comment beyond her remarks in the office's press release. The sheriff's department issued a statement expressing its "complete confidence in the criminal justice system ... The facts will be presented and the ultimate outcome of the case will be determined in a court of law." The statement noted that Liu was placed on administrative leave on Monday. About 30 sheriff's deputies, including several members of the board of their union, the Association for Los Angeles Deputy Sheriffs, sat in court as a show of support for Liu during the arraignment, held in Department 30 of the Clara Shortridge Foltz Criminal Justice Center in downtown L.A. Many wore blue shirts with "ALADS" emblazoned on the front. A union statement issued later Tuesday implied that the charge against Liu is unwarranted. "Based on what we know, Deputy Liu's in-the-moment actions were justifiable given his interaction with a suspect who, while under the influence of methamphetamine and driving a stolen car, disobeyed lawful orders and struck Deputy Liu while speeding away," the statement said. It noted that after the shooting, Liu "immediately administered CPR to the suspect." The union said Liu "has been honorably serving as a deputy for 11 years and has had no prior disciplinary issues," adding that he "has received commendations including a life-saving award." Frank Stoltze and Ryan Fonseca contributed to this story. UPDATES: 5:44 p.m.: This article was updated with a statement from the sheriff's department. 12:08 p.m.: This article was updated with additional reporting from the arraignment. 3:05 p.m.: This article was updated with information from the ALADS statement. This article was originally published at 11:28 a.m. Hey, thanks. You read the entire story. And we love you for that. Here at LAist, our goal is to cover the stories that matter to you, not advertisers. We don't have paywalls, but we do have payments (aka bills). So if you love independent, local journalism, join us. Let's make the world a better place, together. Donate now. Freely accessible local news is vital. Please power our reporters and help keep us independent with a donation today. Start your day with LAist Sign up for the Morning Brief, delivered weekdays. Subscribe In May, as a stream of abuse allegations against former USC gynecologist George Tyndall turned into a fast-moving river, USC created a telephone hotline for victims to report what had happened to them. In promoting the hotline on its website, the university said, "We understand how difficult this may be, and we pledge to handle your outreach with compassion and sensitivity." But a number of women who called the hotline told LAist the experience left them feeling a mixture of anger and betrayal. Almost all of the two dozen students we interviewed talked of long waits, a lack of emotional support and few follow-ups (though a few said they did get follow up calls and referrals to counseling). "THEY WEREN'T PARTICULARLY COMFORTING." "I called the hotline, it took me hours," said Ariel Sobel, one of more than 400 current and former USC students who sought help. "I had to fill out forms to get my own medical records," she said. "It was a very delayed process and I was terrified; they weren't particularly comforting." When news of Tyndall's alleged abuse broke, Sobel started talking to her friends. Many told her they also had been treated by him and said they'd been touched inappropriately. In a nearly three-decade career at USC, Tyndall saw about 10,000 patients, according to the Los Angeles Police Department, which has an open criminal investigation against him. Hundreds of women have filed lawsuits against Tyndall, accusing him of performing improper pelvic exams, making crude sexual comments during appointments and taking pictures of them naked. Tyndall has denied he did anything wrong. Ariel Sobel created Justice for Trojans earlier this year to help fellow students who had been abused by former USC campus gynecologist George Tyndall. (Photo by Adolfo Guzman-Lopez/LAist) "SHOULD I JUST KEEP IT TO MYSELF?" For senior Mai Mizuno, news of the allegations against Tyndall brought back memories of her appointments with him during her first semester at USC. She said she saw him a few times and he was physically inappropriate with her. (Here is our LADYist column explaining what to expect when you visit the gynecologist for the first time) Fast forward to earlier this year, when Mizuno received an email from USC President Max Nikias sent to all USC students announcing the hotline. "I didn't know if I should tell people that, hey, I was a victim too," she said. She summoned the courage to call the hotline. "I thought it would be a really good thing to call in, and I really trusted the administration and the steps they were taking," Mizuno said. But the experience of calling made her more anxious. "That is so much effort and then just being on hold for an hour, and every few minutes oscillating between, do I really want to do something like this or should I just keep it to myself?" she said. Mizuno eventually decided to submit information on the USC web site. The more she learned about how complaints against Tyndall went unaddressed, she said, the more she felt betrayed by the university. "I HAVEN'T HEARD ANYTHING FROM THEM SINCE." In October, lawyers for 93 women held a press conference across the street from USC to announce lawsuits filed against Tyndall -- for abuse -- and USC -- for negligence. Fifteen plaintiffs attended the press conference. Nearly all said they called the hotline and had off-putting experiences. USC student Daniella Mohazab had a mixed experience calling the USC hotline set up for abuse victims. (Photo by Adolfo Guzman-Lopez/LAist) "I called them as soon as I saw the first story," said Grace Bandeen, a recent USC graduate. "Clearly they just had standard staff answering the phones," she said. "They expressed disbelief, and they said, 'Thank you for sharing,' and that's that, and I haven't heard anything from them since. They never followed up, no calls, no emails." Some of Bandeen's fellow plaintiffs said they were taken aback by the difference in tone between how the USC hotline handled their calls and the way police investigators talked to them. "I was struck by the humanity and the kindness of the officer who took my testimony," said Dana Loewy. "The first thing out of his mouth was, 'I am very sorry that this happened to you.' That melted my heart. Sometimes it takes very little to be heard and to be acknowledged." CAN A UNIVERSITY CARE LIKE A PERSON? It's not unreasonable for college students to expect their school to take care of them, said Occidental College Professor Caroline Heldman, who studies how universities respond to abuse allegations. "They are eating their meals there, they are living there, they are learning there, they develop community there," she said, adding that schools have a built-in disadvantage when trying to deal with these kinds of situations. "I'm not entirely sure that any institution, this kind of nameless, faceless, in some sense corporate model, can truly care about its constituents in a way that feels personal and actually is personal," said Heldman. Several women said they did get support from USC's sexual violence prevention center. Another source of help came from Ariel Sobel, one of those who found little comfort when she called the hotline. She created a one-woman help center and called it Justice for Trojans. "There was a point where it was like a second-time job, because you could call me at any point in the day and you could text me, message me, and I would immediately get you whatever you needed," she said. Sobel refers women to mental health counselors and lawyers, and talks to those who just need to talk. "I've stayed up late at night with people crying, being like, 'I don't know how to tell my daughter that I've been sexually abused and I don't know how to prevent her from going through something like this,'" she said. Sobel gave out her telephone number and returns the calls, she said, because she believes in a communal responsibility to help people heal. WHY DOES THE WAY YOU'RE TREATED ON A PHONE LINE MATTER? Before USC and George Tyndall made headlines, it was USA Gymnastics and Larry Nassar. "Out of every crime that's committed on a surviving victim, sexual assault has the longest-term ramifications," Rachael Denhollander, one of the USA gymnasts allegedly abused by Nassar, told a news conference. She's become an advocate and says abuse victims have high rates of suicide and substance abuse. "When a victim discloses publicly, when they're believed, when they're protected, when their voices are heard, that incidence of long-term ramification is drastically reduced," said Denhollander. USC says it's heard the feedback and has made changes. To improve the caller's experience, the university says it has replaced the hotline with a new number answered by a company that specializes in dealing with sexual abuse. "Our policy is to respond to every caller with compassion and return every message promptly," USC said in a written statement sent to LAist. "We deeply regret if there was any person who called and did not have the responsive experience they deserved," it said. "Trained staff members are individually assessing each report and referring appropriate situations for additional investigation. We continue to provide free counseling for students who want it with a provider of their choosing." Hey, thanks. You read the entire story. And we love you for that. Here at LAist, our goal is to cover the stories that matter to you, not advertisers. We don't have paywalls, but we do have payments (aka bills). So if you love independent, local journalism, join us. Let's make the world a better place, together. Donate now. Man Charged with Killing 77-Year-Old Woman in Hit-and-Run A man has been charged with fatally hitting a 77-year-old woman with his vehicle and then fleeing last month in South Los Angeles, the Los Angeles County District Attorneys Office announced. Brandon Rosendo Mazariego (dob 4/2/93) of South Los Angeles was charged with one felony count of hit-and-run driving resulting in death to another person in case BA472974. The charge includes allegations of a prior felony conviction. The defendant is scheduled to be arraigned today in Department 30 of the Foltz Criminal Justice Center. The case was filed on Nov. 19. ADVERTISEMENT On Nov. 13, Mazariego was allegedly driving an SUV on Budlong Avenue and turned onto West 28th Street, where he is accused of striking Maria Asuncion Reynoso with his vehicle, said Deputy District Attorney Jane Brownstone. He allegedly made no effort to stop and continued driving, the prosecutor said. The victim, who lived a few blocks away, died of her injuries. Mazariego was arrested two days later. He faces a possible maximum sentence of eight years in state prison if convicted as charged. The prosecutor is recommending that bail be set at $125,000. Mazariego was convicted in October 2016 of one felony count of first-degree burglary, person present, according to the criminal complaint. The case remains under investigation by the Los Angeles Police Department, South Traffic Division. Widows Film Review Widows was a British TV series which enjoyed a two-year run from 1983 to 1985. Created by legendary English author Lynda La Plante (Prime Suspect), the popular crime show was nominated for a BAFTA award in the Best Television Drama category. In 2002, ABC turned Widows into a four-part miniseries starring Brooke Shields and Rosie Perez, but that substantially-revised overhaul failed to resonate with the American audience. Now, Academy Award-winning director Steve McQueen (for 12 Years a Slave) has brought a much more faithful adaptation to the screen, although the setting has been shifted from London to Chicago. The crime caper revolves around a trio of widows who opt to follow in their late husbands felonious footsteps in the wake of a botched bank heist. McQueen assembled an A-list ensemble featuring Oscar-winners Viola Davis (for Fences) and Robert Duvall (for Tender Mercies), as well as nominees Liam Neeson (for Schindlers List), Daniel Kaluuya (for Get Out) and Jacki Weaver (for Silver Linings Playbook and Animal Kingdom). The impressive cast also includes Colin Farrell and Michelle Rodriguez. ADVERTISEMENT Not long past the point of departure, veteran bank robber Harry Rawlings (Neeson) masterminds a robbery in which he and his partners perish. Trouble is, Harry died indebted to a couple of South Side mobsters (Kaluuya and Brian Tyree Henry) to the tune of $2 million. Given a month to come up with cash (or else), Harrys widow Veronica (Davis) hatches a plan to raise the money by burglarizing a safe in the mansion of a well-connected family headed by corrupt, Windy City Alderman Tom Mulligan (Duvall). To that end, she recruits a couple of the other grieving widows (Michelle Rodriguez and Elizabeth Debicki) and a getaway driver (Cynthia Erivo) with promises of a multimillion-dollar payday. The plot proceeds to thicken in convincing fashion while touching on such timely themes as politics, loyalty, race and class. Since it would be a crime in itself to spoil the ensuing developments even one iota, suffice to say McQueen slowly ratchets up the tension in a searing, multi-layered suspense thriller not to be missed. With the help of a delicious script expertly executed by a coterie of her talented co-stars, the incomparable Ms. Davis steals the show and delivers yet another Oscar-quality performance. Vintage Viola! Excellent (4 stars) ADVERTISEMENT Rated R for violence, sexuality, nudity and pervasive profanity In English and Spanish with subtitles Running time: 129 minutes Production Studios: Regency Enterprises / Film4 / See-Saw Films / New Regency Pictures Studio: 20th Century Fox To see a trailer for Widows, visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nN2yBBSRC78 Woman Sentenced for Killing 6 in 2014 Fatal Car Crash on 60 Freeway A 26-year-old Fontana woman was sentenced today to 30 years to life for killing six people in a wrong-way car crash on the 60 Freeway four years ago, the Los Angeles County District Attorneys Office announced. Olivia Carolee Culbreath (dob 11/3/92) pleaded no contest in May to six counts of second-degree murder in an open plea to the court. The open plea means a sentence was not negotiated with the District Attorneys Office. Deputy District Attorneys Elizabeth Padilla and Casey Higgins of the DUI Training and Prosecution Section co-prosecuted the case. ADVERTISEMENT On Feb. 9, 2014, Culbreath drove her car against traffic on the 57 and 60 freeways in the city of Diamond Bar, prosecutors said. The defendant was driving northbound on the southbound lanes of the 57 freeway and then traveled eastbound in the westbound lanes of the 60 freeway when she collided head-on with another vehicle, prosecutors said. All four occupants were killed. Two passengers in Culbreaths car, including her sister, also died in the collision, prosecutors added. According to evidence presented at the preliminary hearing, Culbreath had previously been arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol resulting in a collision. She was warned by the court about the dangers of driving under the influence of alcohol and also was admonished that such future conduct could result in murder charges. In addition, evidence was presented that Culbreath had a .15 percent blood alcohol content approximately three hours after the fatal crash. Case KA104665 was investigated by the California Highway Patrol. The University of Michigan Law School invites junior scholars to attend the 5th Annual Junior Scholars Conference, which will be held on April 26-27, 2019 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The conference provides junior scholars with a platform to present and discuss their work with peers, and to receive detailed feedback from senior members of the Michigan Law faculty. The Conference aims to promote fruitful collaboration between participants and to encourage their integration into a community of legal scholars. The Junior Scholars Conference is intended for academics in both law and related disciplines. Applications from postdoctoral researchers, lecturers, fellows, SJD/PhD candidates, and assistant professors (pre-tenure) who have not held an academic position for more than four years, are welcomed. Monday, December 10, 2018 A twelve-month suspension has been imposed by the Georgia Supreme Court based on an attorney's voluntary petition for discipline In her petition, Saunders explains the circumstances leading up to her misuse of the client funds. She explained that her boyfriend, with whom she shared an apartment, had an emotional downward spiral and failed to pay his portion of the expenses. Saunders, who had practiced on her own for less than a year, was unable to meet the couples shared financial obligations, her credit was destroyed, and her car was repossessed. Her boyfriend then became abusive, causing Saunders to leave the apartment with only the clothes on her back and to give up her office space so that he would be unable to find her. Then in 2015, Saunders obtained $26,283.50 in an arbitration proceeding on behalf of an incarcerated client. She used the portion of the funds to which she was entitled as her fee to purchase a car, but the car broke down. Because Saunders was too embarrassed to seek help, she converted the clients funds for her own personal use to recover from the financial challenges brought on by her former relationship. In mitigation, Saunders states that the client has been repaid in full; she has no prior disciplinary history; she cooperated with the disciplinary process by submitting a detailed letter of her misconduct to the Investigative Panel member assigned to the case; her actions were due to extreme emotional distress stemming from domestic violence; she has undergone counseling to rebuild her self-esteem to avoid similar problems in the future; she otherwise has good character and reputation as shown by letters of support from the legal community; and she is remorseful. The court rejected one mitigating factor The State Bar also argues that there is an additional mitigating factor Saunderss inexperience in the practice of law. But inexperience in the practice of law is not mitigating; even a first-year law student should understand that conversion of client funds for personal use is impermissible. Cf. In the Matter of Jones, 293 Ga. 264, 267 (2) n.8 (744 SE2d 6) (2013) (Whether a lawyer has been practicing for thirty years, or only for a few days, he ought to know that an attorney should not smuggle contraband to a client in jail. This is not the sort of case in which experience in the practice of law has any relevance to the misconduct.). (Mike Frisch) https://lawprofessors.typepad.com/legal_profession/2018/12/a-twelve-month-suspension-has-been-imposed-by-the-georgia-supreme-court.html Tuesday, December 11, 2018 The Ohio Supreme Court sanctioned a California attorney for unauthorized practice as reflected in this summary from Dan Trevas The Ohio Supreme Court today fined a California lawyer and his firm $2,000 for representing an Ohioan in a debt collection case in the state without having a license to practice law in Ohio. In a per curiam decision, the Supreme Court ruled that Michael J. Klosk and Klosk Law Firm Inc. informed an attorney for CitiFinancial that it represented an Ohio client and sought to negotiate a settlement of the debt owed the institution by the client. Neither Klosk nor anyone associated with his firm is licensed to practice law in Ohio. Klosk minimally cooperated with Ohio authorities investigating his activities. However, he did indicate that he did not accept any Ohio clients since June 2011 and virtually ceased all activity in the state at that time. Chief Justice Maureen OConnor and Justices Terrence ODonnell, Sharon L. Kennedy, Judith L. French, Patrick F. Fischer, R. Patrick DeWine, and Mary DeGenaro joined the opinion. Justice R. Patrick DeWine concurred in judgment only. Firm Engages in Debt Settlements Klosk and his firm provide counseling and assistance to individuals seeking to reduce their consumer debt. Once retained, the firm contacts their clients creditors and attempts to negotiate reductions in outstanding debts. In January 2010, an Ohio debtor granted Klosk power of attorney to communicate with creditors. Klosk communicated with the Ohio lawyer representing CitiFinancial, and in a letter to the institution indicated the Klosk Law Firm represented the debtor. Klosk also sent CitiFinancials lawyer a copy of the power of attorney form. Bar Association Claims Rule Violation The Ohio State Bar Association became of aware of Klosks activities and filed a complaint with the Board on the Unauthorized Practice of Law in November 2013. Klosk initially responded, admitting some of the conduct, but denied that it constituted the unauthorized practice of law. Klosk asked, and was granted, a delay in responding to the charges by the board. In December 2015, the bar association served requests for admissions on Klosk and his firm.Nearly a year later, Klosk had not answered those requests, and the board deemed them admitted. It later granted summary judgment to the bar association, finding Klosk violated the law. Court Supports Sanction The Courts opinion stated that the unauthorized practice of law in Ohio includes both rendering of legal services for another, and holding out to the public that one represents oneself as authorized to practice law when the person is not admitted to practice in Ohio. The Court stated that in prior decisions it has ruled that an individual who negotiates legal claims on behalf of another in Ohio without being admitted to the practice of law in this state is violating the law. It also noted that being granted a power of attorney is not a defense to the charge of the unauthorized practice of law. The Court stated there is no doubt Klosk and the firm violated the Ohio law. Along with the fine, the Court granted an injunction that prevents Klosk and the firm from practicing in the state. 2018-0533. Ohio State Bar Assn. v. Klosk, Slip Opinion No. 2017-Ohio-4864. (Mike Frisch) https://lawprofessors.typepad.com/legal_profession/2018/12/the-ohio-supreme-court-the-ohio-supreme-court-today-fined-a-california-lawyer-and-his-firm-2000-for-representing-an-ohioan.html Major repairs to the Church of the Nativity are lifting spirits in the town of Bethlehem just before Christmas. Many Christians around the world celebrate Christmas on December 25. That is the day they believe Jesus was born. Many believe the Church of the Nativity was built on the site where Jesus was born. Bethlehem city officials hope the repairs to the church will bring in more visitors and improve the weak economy in the West Bank. They also hope the repairs might help keep more Christians in the area. Bethlehem Mayor Anton Salman told the Associated Press that Christians are leaving the area, known as the Holy Land, because of conflict and economic difficulties. Repairs to the Church of the Nativity started in 2013. That came a year after the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, or UNESCO, declared the church a world heritage site. The repairs are expected to be completed by the end of next year. The Palestinian Authority, which governs the territory, formed a committee of local Christian leaders to lead the project. They also employed an Italian company to carry out the repairs. Ziad al-Bandak is head of the committee. He said the group has collected $14 million out of $17 million needed. Almost half of the money has come from the Palestinian Authority, and local Muslim and Christian businesses. The rest came from foreign donations. It has become such a beautiful church, he said. Every Christian in the world would love to see it now. The church is considered one of the holiest places in Christianity. It was built in the 4th century by Saint Helena over a cave where the Virgin Mary, Jesuss mother, is said to have given birth. The church was destroyed by fire and rebuilt in the 6th century under Byzantine Emperor Justinian I. For years there had been no repairs done to the building. The roof of the church was leaking, windows were broken, art was covered in dirt and walls and support structures were damaged. After five years of work, it has been completely changed. Emad Nassar is a Palestinian engineer with the repair project. He said the project started with the roof. Some of the roof supports were replaced with wood imported from old destroyed churches in Italy. Windows were fixed, and outside stones and walls were repaired. The biggest problem has been repairing the badly damaged 2,000 square meter wall mosaic. So far, 120 square meters have been cleaned, showing images of Jesus and other Christian figures. Workers are also repairing a floor mosaic. Why was the church left in such condition? Under a 19th-century agreement, the Roman Catholic, the Greek Orthodox and the Armenian churches have been responsible for their own areas of the church. Disagreements among the three Christian organizations have left the church in a state of disrepair. The Palestinian Authority has been credited with settling the dispute. But the repairs have not included the altar with the 14-point silver star that marks where Jesus was said to have been born. Bethlehem depends heavily on visitors around the Christmas holiday. Local hotels, restaurants and gift stores do much of their business during the short holiday season. The repaired church has become a popular destination. After dropping in 2015 and 2016, the number of visitors has risen in the past two years, officials say. The mayor said he expects 1.2 million visitors this year. I'm Caty Weaver. And Im Ashley Thompson. Mohammed Daraghmeh wrote this story for the Associated Press. Pete Musto adapted this story for VOA Learning English. Hai Do was the editor. We want to hear from you. What affect do you think these repairs will have on the numbers of Christians living in the area? Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story church n. a building that is used for Christian religious services nativity n. the birth of Jesus original adj. happening or existing first or at the beginning heritage n. the traditions, achievements and beliefs that are part of the history of a group or nation roof n. the cover or top of a building or vehicle replace(d) v. to be used instead of something mosaic n. a decoration on a surface made by pressing small pieces of colored glass or stone into a soft material that then hardens to make pictures or patterns altar n. a raised place on which sacrifices and gifts are offered in some religions sometimes used figuratively Farmer Jamie Butler is testing a new worker on his farm in Englands Hampshire countryside. Butler hopes the new worker will help the 180-hectare farm produce more wheat and not harm the environment. The laborer does not say a thing while inspecting Butlers winter wheat crop for other plants and insects. Why all the silence? Because it is a four-wheeled robot named Tom. It uses signals from satellites orbiting the Earth, artificial intelligence and communications technology to map the field. Toms creator is the Small Robot Company of Portsmouth, England. It is one of several start-up businesses working to change the way crops are produced. Farmers are facing economic pressures because of the need to keep down food prices, a rising world population and climate change. Most robots are still being tested, but they show ways that automated machines can move from manufacturing businesses to farm communities. Holding costs down by being on the leading edge of technologies as one method of doing that, then thats a really, really good thing, said Jamie Butler. He is one of 20 British farmers taking part in a yearlong experiment. Next year, the British company plans to start testing two more robots controlled by an artificial intelligence system that will work alongside Tom. It will be doing seeding, feeding and weeding without human involvement. The aim is to cut down on fertilizer and pesticide used to lower costs and increase profits for struggling farmers. This not only helps them economically, but it also lowers the effects of farming on the environment. What were doing is stuff that people cant do, said Ben Scott-Robinson, who helped to set up the Small Robot Company. He noted that his companys robot can inspect each plant and treat its condition as needed, something a farmer cannot do. Sales of the autonomous robot system are still years away, with more testing planned for 2021. The tests represent the next step in the growth of automation for farms. Self-driving farm equipment and robotic milking machines have been in use for years. Recently, unmanned drone aircraft began watching crops from the sky. Soon, farms will be able to automateeverything, said Tim Chambers, a fruit farmer who is not involved in the tests. Some jobs are harder to automate, such as collecting fruit by hand, but even that is coming, said Chambers, a member of Britains National Farmers Union. The United States, Spain, Britain and Belgium all have companies that are developing robots for harvesting fruits such as strawberries, but there are problems. The main issue will be the cost of building those robots and the research that has to go into making them, Chambers said. The low cost of air shipping could still make it less costly to fly in fruit from other countries, where labor is also less costly, he said. To ease financial pressure on farmers who are afraid to make a big investment in equipment, the Small Robot Company plans to sell its services at a monthly cost, charging about $765 per hectare a year. On Butlers farm, Tom takes hundreds of thousands of pictures of crops during the growing season. The images are fed to Wilma, the artificial intelligence platform, which is being trained to tell the difference between wheat and weeds. In 2019, the company will start trials for two more robots, Dick and Harry. Dick will provide fertilizer directly to plants. Harry will put seeds into the earth, and there will be no need for tractors. Im Susan Shand. The Associated Press reported this story. Susan Shand adapted it for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story artificial intelligence - n. an area of computer science that deals with giving machines the ability to seem like they have human intelligence automate - v. to run or operate something, such as a factory or system by using machines, computers, etc., instead of people to do the work weed - n. a plant that grows very quickly where it is not wanted and covers or kills more desirable plants pesticide - n. a chemical that is used to kill animals or insects that damage plants or crops tractor - n. a large vehicle that has two large back wheels and two smaller front wheels and that is used to pull farm equipment drone - n. a type of small aircraft that flies without a pilot platform - n. a program or set of programs that controls the way a computer works and runs other programs Tech companies have been working toward delivering always on, and always connected computers for years. Now theyre kind of here but its unclear how big a market there is for them. The first Windows 10 on ARM computers with Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 chips started shipping earlier this year and promised super-long battery, quick resume from sleep, and always-connected capabilities thanks to an integrated 4G LTE modem. But they were so sluggish that it was hard to justify the relatively high price tags. Recently we started to see new models with faster Qualcomm Snapdragon 850 chips. And next year we should see laptops, tablets, and convertibles with the even-faster Snapdragon 8cx, which the company says is competitive with Intels Core i5 chips. Thats exciting for folks hoping for thin, light, and fanless devices with all-day battery life. But it remains to be seen whether people really care about the cellular capabilities. Not only does an integrated 4G (or 5G) modem drive up the cost of the hardware, but in most markets youll either need to sign up for a new cellular data plan or pay extra to add a laptop or tablet to your account. In the US those plans can be expensive and come with restrictions on usage (including data caps and/or limits on what you can actually do with your data). Say you pay $800 for the Lenovo Yoga C630, a 13 inch convertible notebook with a Snapdragon 850 processor, 8GB of RAM, and a 128GB solid state drive. What you get is a 2.9 pound convertible PC thats a bit slower than most Intel-powered laptops for most tasks, is completely incapable of running some applications altogether, but which should offer speedy boot and resume times, long battery life, and the ability to connect to the internet and stay connected whether youre at home, at work, or on the go. But to get those always-connected features youll also need to sign up for a data plan with a wireless carrier and pay a monthly fee. Verizon charges $20 per month for 2GB of data, which doesnt sound too bad but odds are youll burn through it pretty quickly if you use your computer the same way with mobile data that youre used to using it over WiFi. Watch a few Netflix videos and say goodbye to your $20. Want to upload a 4K video you shot with your camera to YouTube? Good luck. You can pay for more data, but the prices get pretty crazy at the high end: 2GB for $20/month 4GB for $30/month 6GB for $40/month 8GB for $50/month 10GB for $60/month 12GB for $70/month 14GB for $80/month 16GB for $90/month 18GB for $100/month 20GB for $110/month 30GB for $185/month 40GB for $260/month 50GB for $335/month 60GB for $410/month 80GB for $560/month Thats just Verizon. Other US carriers have different plans, and many other countries treat mobile data differently. But while Im kind of excited to see if Qualcomm and other ARM processor makers can give Intel and AMD a run for their money in the PC market in the future, Im much more interested in what it means for competitive pricing and features (like low power consumption and performance-per-watt) than I am about the always-connected capabilities. And thats because I just cant see myself paying the monthly data charges to keep using an always-connected PC. If Qualcomm can deliver on its performance promises, I could maybe see enterprise customers buying a bunch of always-connected PCs and handing them out to their road warrior sales teams, field workers, or other employees who spend a lot of time out of the office. But I doubt Im the only consumer/end user unwilling to foot the bill for another data plan. In fact, I know Im not alone. Engadget spoke with folks at Lenovo and Qualcomm and found that most of the customers for existing always-connected PCs are buying them for the battery life, not the 4G LTE features. Maybe US wireless carriers will change the way they charge for data in the future, making the proposition of always-connected computers more attractive. But for now Im happy to use my phone for incoming messages at all hours and just switch to my laptop when I want a bigger screen and keyboard. From time to time when I do need to get some work done and WiFi isnt an option, I can use my phone as a hotspot. What about you? Do you care about always-connected PCs at all? Google may be planning to launch a cheaper Pixel 3 smartphone called the Pixel 3 Lite, and weve already seen hands-on photos of the phone a few times. But it looks like the Pixel 3 Lite may not be the only new Pixel on the way. 91mobiles and @OnLeaks have shared a set of images and videos that allegedly show what both the Pixel 3 Lite and the Pixel 3 Lite XL will look like. These arent real-world photos. Instead theyre high-resolution renders that are said to be based on factory designs. Theres a chance the information is incorrect or that something could change before Google brings the phones to market (if it ever does). But theres a pretty decent chance that if we do see a line of Pixel 3 Lite phones in the coming months, theyll look a lot like these images. That means, among other things, that we can expect these phones to be notch-free. While they all have wide aspect ratios (or tall of youre holding the phone in portrait mode, I guess), there are top and bottom bezels rather than screens that wrap around a camera cut-out. The Pixel 3 Lite is expected to have a 5.5 inch display, whiel the Pixel 3 Lite XL will have a 6 inch screen. Both are expected to have FHD+ displays with 18.5:9 aspect ratios. While the Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL have edge-to-edge glass and stereo speakers, the Lite edition phones have some left and right bezels and single speakers. These phones also have single front-facing cameras instead of dual selfie cameras. On the back of the phone, theres a familiar dual-tone design, with glass covering the top. But the rest of the body is polycarbonate rather than glass. Probably the best thing about these phones is that theyre expected to feature the same high-quality 12MP cameras as their more expensive Pixel 3 siblings. The second-best thing may be that the phones have headphone jacks as well as a USB Type-C port (Google did away with the 3.5mm audio jack when it launched the Pixel 2 last year). Earlier reports have suggested the smaller model will have a Qualcomm Snapdragon 670 processor, 4GB of RAM, and 32GB of storage plus a 2,915 mAh battery and Android 9 Pie software. Theres no word no word on whether youll be able to find models with more storage, how much the phones will cost, or when theyll be available. Im also curious to find out whether the Snapdragon 670 chip is powerful enough to handle all of the software-enhanced photography features available in Pixel phones such as Night Sight and Super Res Zoom. You know how Google was planning to shut down its social network next year because apparently Google+ is a buggy mess riddle with security vulnerabilities that the company cant be bothered to fix because not enough people actually use it anyway? Yeah, apparently Google found another security vulnerability recently. And while its been patched up, rather than continue supporting Google+ until August as planned, the company says its moving up plans to shut down the service. Google+ is now scheduled to go offline in April of 2019, while the company will shut off Google+ APIs even sooner something within the next 90 days. According to Google, the most recently discovered security bug affected ore than 52 million users, allowing apps to access user information (including names, email addresses, ages, and occupations) even if that data wasnt set to be publicly visible. Google says financial data, passwords, and other more sensitive information wasnt shared, but its still a pretty significant bug. The company also notes that this wasnt a breach it was a bug that granted third-party app developers access to data for about 6 days. Google also notes that it has no evidence that developers who inadvertently had this access misused it or even were aware of it. But it is an example of the sort of thing that can go wrong when youve got a massive web service like Google+ and youre not particularly committed to supporting it. The death of a prominent Chinese scientist in the U.S. has passed comparatively unnoticed beside the blizzard of global headlines devoted to the Huawei dispute, yet the tragedy bears upon another important aspect of Beijings quest for technological leadership. Zhang Shoucheng, an internationally recognized Stanford University physicist and venture capitalist, died on Dec. 1, the same day that the chief financial officer of Huawei Technologies Co. was arrested in Vancouver. The 55-year-old had been battling depression, the South China Morning Post reported, citing an email from the Shanghai-born scientists family. In a later statement, the family said there was no truth in speculation on Chinese social media that Zhangs death was connected to a possible U.S. government investigation into his venture capital fund, the newspaper reported. The scientist, who had been tipped as a future Nobel Prize winner for his work on quantum physics, founded a USD400 million fund that invests in Silicon Valley startups and was active in helping U.S.-trained Chinese researchers to return home. His death highlights a deep pool of Beijing-backed money that has been passing under the public radar. Consider the fund Zhang founded. Danhua Capital was cited in a report last month by the Office of the United States Trade Representative after an investigation into Chinas technology policies and practices. The way the USTR sees it, China is infiltrating Silicon Valley. Between 2015 and 2017, 10 percent to 16 percent of venture capital deals counted Chinese investors as participants. The report singled out Zhangs firm as an example of the new tactics China is using to obtain U.S. technology. The fund lists 113 U.S. companies in its portfolio, most falling within emerging sectors that the Chinese government has identified as strategic priorities, according to the report. At least one has reportedly decided to reduce operations in Silicon Valley and open operations in China, it said. For years, China relied on government subsidies to encourage development of key industries. But starting in 2014, subsidies gave way to so-called guidance funds, or state-backed funds of funds that act like venture capital and private equity firms. As of the first half, various levels of the government had established 1,171 guidance funds, aiming to raise and deploy a staggering 5.9 trillion yuan ($858 billion). Danhua Capital, also known as Digital Horizon Capital, is a major beneficiary of Chinas shift into guidance funds. It counts Zhongguancun Development Group, a state-backed investment fund with more than 10 billion yuan in assets, as a major investor. The firm invests in artificial intelligence, big data, blockchain and other disruptive technology sectors. To be sure, there is no evidence that Danhua Capital has been following Beijings bidding. And government- backed venture capital funds arent a Chinese invention. Beijing may have been inspired by the U.S., where the Small Business Innovation Research program made early investments in Apple Inc. and Intel Corp. The U.S. Small Business Investment Co. has $26 billion in assets under management. But one can see why these Chinese state-backed funds make the U.S. government nervous. The scale is unprecedented. For instance, the $21 billion China Integrated Circuit Industry Investment Fund, established in September 2014 and nicknamed the Big Fund, is reportedly raising another $47 billion this year. In addition, theres already evidence that shows China is abandoning fund-of-funds best practices. In a 2014 interview, Zhongguancun, set up in the early 2000s long before the recent explosion of guidance funds, said that it would contribute to no more than 30 percent of the total capital of venture capital funds in which it invested, and that it would not interfere with fund managers decisions. In other words, it would act only as a passive investor. But the new kids on the block arent abiding by the old rules. For instance, this May, Chinas largest chip foundry company, Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp., partnered with the Big Fund to establish a new 1.8 billion yuan venture capital vehicle. The fund is clearly in the drivers seat: It contributed 49.5 percent of the capital and owns 15 percent of SMIC. In August, the U.S. government signed an update to legislation for the Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S., broadening governmental scrutiny to vetting VC-backed, and especially Chinese state-funded, investments in U.S. tech startups. With Zhangs death, China has lost a valuable connection to the newest technology in Silicon Valley. But my bet is that Beijing wont ease back on its aggressive tactics. The wall of money is too big and the strategic imperative to upgrade Chinas technology is too great. Shuli Ren, Bloomberg British Prime Minister Theresa May says her Brexit divorce deal with the European Union is still the best deal that is negotiable, as she aimed to win Parliaments support. In a stinging statement yesterday to the House of Commons, May reminded lawmakers that any Brexit deal would require compromise. She then asked whether or not the House of Commons really wanted to deliver Brexit and if it was willing to re-open the political division within the country by challenging the 2016 vote of the British people to leave the bloc. Mays comments came after she postponed the vote in parliament on her EU divorce deal, acknowledging she would have lost todays vote by a significant margin. The decision throws her Brexit plans into chaos. Mays Conservative government does not have a majority in the House of Commons, and opposition parties as well as dozens of Conservative lawmakers said they would not back the divorce deal that May and EU leaders agreed on last month. Pro-Brexit lawmakers say the deal keeps Britain bound too closely to the EU, while pro-EU politicians say it erects barriers between the U.K. and its biggest trading partner and leaves many details of the future relationship undecided. The main sticking point is a backstop provision that aims to guarantee an open border between EU member Ireland and the U.K.s Northern Ireland after Brexit. The measure would keep Britain under EU customs rules, and is supposed to last until superseded by permanent new trade arrangements. Critics say it could leave Britain tied to the EU indefinitely, unable to strike new trade deals around the world. Pro-Brexit lawmakers said they wouldnt support Mays agreement unless she renegotiated it to remove the Irish backstop. Steve Baker, a leading Conservative Brexiteer, said Monday that May should go back to Brussels and demand a better deal. EU leaders insist the Brexit withdrawal agreement cant be changed. The deal is the deal, Irish Foreign Minister Simon Coveney said yesterday. Its taken two years to put together. Its a fair deal for both sides. However, while the 585-page withdrawal agreement is set, an accompanying declaration on future relations between the EU and Britain is shorter and vaguer and may be open to amendment. Postponing the vote can give May more time to seek concessions from the EU, which is due to hold a summit in Brussels on Thursday and Friday. She spoke over the weekend to European Council President Donald Tusk and to European leaders including Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar, amid signs she was seeking to tweak the deal. Of course we can improve this deal, and the prime minister is seeking to improve this deal, British Environment Secretary Michael Gove told the BBC. In the EU, though, there is exasperation at Britains indecision. Guy Verhofstadt, the European Parliaments Brexit Coordinator, tweeted : I cant follow anymore. After two years of negotiations, the Tory government wants to delay the vote. Just keep in mind that we will never let the Irish down. This delay will further aggravate the uncertainty for people & businesses. Its time they make up their mind! The Brexit disarray leaves both May and her minority government on shaky ground. The main opposition Labour Party has said it may call for a no-confidence motion in the government, and Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said her Scottish National Party would support an attempt to topple the government and trigger an election. This shambles cant go on so how about it? Sturgeon tweeted at Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn. In another twist in the Brexit tale, the EUs top court ruled yesterday that Britain can change its mind over Brexit, boosting the hopes of British people who want to stay in the EU that the process can be reversed. The European Court of Justice ruled that when an EU member country has notified the bloc of its intent to leave, that member state is free to revoke unilaterally that notification. Britain invoked Article 50 of the EUs Lisbon Treaty in March 2017, triggering a two- year exit process. But a group of Scottish legislators had asked the ECJ to rule on whether the U.K. could pull out of the withdrawal procedure on its own. The Luxembourg-based ECJ said that, given the absence of any exit provision in Article 50, countries are able to change their mind in line with their own constitutional arrangements and that such a move reflects a sovereign decision. It said the British government is free to do so as long as no withdrawal agreement has entered force. May has repeatedly said the government will not seek to delay or reverse Brexit. Gove, who helped drive the Brexit campaign, said the court ruling would have no real impact. We dont want to stay in the EU [] so this case is very well, but it doesnt alter the referendum vote or the clear intention of the government to make sure that we leave on March 29, Gove said. MDT/AP A U.S.-based advocacy group says dozens of Christians have been detained in a raid on a prominent Chinese church that operates outside the governments official protestant organization. ChinaAid says at least 80 churchgoers and seminary students from the Early Rain Covenant Church were taken away in the southwestern city of Chengdu beginning Sunday night. It says they include the churchs pastor, Wang Yi, and his wife, Jiang Rong. China has cracked down heavily on independent church groups this year as part of an assault on all religions. China requires that Protestants worship only in churches recognized and regulated by the Three-Self Patriotic Movement. Even within that framework, the officially atheist ruling Communist Party has been seeking to rein in religious expression, including removing crosses from official and unofficial churches. Pingdu Court charges 10 over riot at a military veterans protest China state media say 10 people have been charged with various offenses over rioting at a gathering of military veterans protesting for better benefits. It wasnt clear whether the suspects are veterans. However, the violence at the Oct. 4-7 gathering in the eastern city of Pingdu points to continued tensions between the authorities and ex-servicemen despite the establishment this year of a Cabinet agency to oversee veterans affairs. Multiple protests have been staged in recent years, including in the capital, Beijing, to demand better pensions and health care. Violence is rare though, and organizers generally try to keep a low public profile to avoid drawing the ire of Communist authorities, who seek to prevent any demonstrations that could challenge their control over society. The government refused to confirm the Pingdu riot at the time and censored reports about it on the internet. Some of the suspects have past records for obstructing official business, causing disturbances, drug abuse, theft and swindling, Xinhua said. Hong Kong Runaway school bus plows onto Hong Kong sidewalk, killing 4 A runaway school bus with no one aboard accelerated downhill and plowed into pedestrians in Hong Kong yesterday, killing four people and injuring 11 others, authorities said. Dash-cam video from another vehicle, posted online by the Apple Daily newspaper, shows a man who appears to be the driver standing outside the bus, closing the door and then running in front of it as it starts to roll away. The 62-year-old driver attempted to block the bus but was dragged for 20 meters as it gained speed, police said. The bus crossed a bustling thoroughfare, slammed into two taxis, and ran onto a sidewalk and into a store. Three people were pinned under the wheels of the yellow 19-seat bus. One person was pronounced dead at the scene, a fire department spokesman said at a news briefing. Six of the 12 injured are in critical condition, including the driver, who has been admitted to an intensive care unit, police said. The driver had just finished his last shift shortly before 2 p.m. The hand brake appeared not to be engaged, police said. Authorities are investigating. Lawmaker Ng Kuok Cheong has urged the government to review the citys Central Provident Fund system. In his written inquiry provided to the government, Ng asked the government to report on the fund participation of the six gaming operators and the nearly 40 hotels that also have casinos within their premises. The lawmaker questioned why some casinos do not participate in the fund. In addition to casinos, Ng also pointed out the participation situation of special concessionaires, education and social service organizations, which are subsidized by the government, in the Central Provident Fund. IPIM corruption case still under investigation On Sunday, Commissioner Against Corruption Cheung Weng Chon and Prosecutor General of the Public Prosecutions Office Ip Son Sang said that authorities were still investigating the misconduct of the President of the Macao Trade and Investment Promotion (IPIM), Jackson Chang, as well as that of two other high-ranking officials. Cheung said that when authorities sue the three, the Commission Against Corruption (CCAC) would reveal the accusations to the public. Ip also said that the case needs a longer period for analysis, further noting that once the court has an official trial schedule, the prosecution authority will announce the detailed accusations. Regarding whether or not the three men are involved in corruption, Ip said that it would be unfair to the suspects at the current stage to reveal the accusations. Wong: No extreme situation concerning illegal tour guides The Secretary for Security Wong Sio Chak said that the Public Security Police (PSP) and the Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO) have been working closely to combat mainland tour guides who practice in Macau. Ever since the opening of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge, mainland tour guides have reportedly been leading tour groups to visit Hong Kong and Macau. Wong said that once PSP finds any illegal tour guides, it will inform MGTO. However, at this stage PSP does not have data to indicate whether or not there is an abnormal situation with illegal tour guides. Taiwan-Macau fuel surcharge decreased The fuel surcharge for all flights departing Taiwan and arriving in Macau has been decreased from USD20 to USD17.50, with the change taking effect from Sunday. According to a notice on the Air Macau website, the fuel surcharge, which is adjusted in accordance with fuel prices on a monthly basis, will be applied per flight sector and collected based on the journeys [origin]. The charge is applied to adults, children and infants. Legal Affairs Bureau organizes Greater Bay common heritage workshop The Legal Affairs Bureau (DSAJ) will co-organize a workshop on the Common Cultural Heritage of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area with the Institute of European Studies of Macau (IEEM) in the Lotus Room of the Grand Lapa Hotel, Macau on Thursday from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. The workshop is incorporated in the 3rd Cooperation Program in the Legal Area between the Macau SAR and the EU. With the themes of the Preservation and Protection of Cultural Heritage in the Greater Bay Area and the Common Lingnam Cultural Heritage in the Greater Bay Area: Current Perspective and Preservation of Tangible and Intangible Heritage, the workshop aims at providing a common platform for academics and experts in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area, with a view to exchange professional knowledge about the common cultural heritage and its legal implications as well as the best practical implications in this area in order to contribute to the preservation of the common cultural heritage in the Greater Bay Area. It was right after his masterclass on Sunday that we were able to flash interview Nicolas Cage. During the one-hour class moderated by Mike Goodridge and attended by hundreds of fans, film professionals, journalists and critics, Cage reviewed his career and particularly his major contributions to cinema Moonstruck, Vampires Kiss, Raising Arizona, Wild at Heart, Leaving Las Vegas, Face/Off, Con Air, Adaptation He looked to Marlon Brando and James Dean for inspiration, just as he looked to Elvis and Andy Warhol. He wanted to break rules, combine all these actors or artforms and create something new for himself, moving away from naturalism to a sort of art-synchronism. I could very easily [have gotten] fired for doing that, he teased. Instead, David Lynch and the Coen Brothers welcomed his wild performances. Mickey Rourke, at a point, was [his] mentor, long after his father introduced him to the classics and horror movies played at home with a very old film projector. The most difficult character Nicolas Cage ever had to perform was that of a man who drank to his death in Las Vegas after enduring a divorce and losing his job in Los Angeles. Cage told the audience in a ballroom at Wynn Macau how he got inspiration from famous drunks of the silver screen: Jack Lemmon (Days of Wine and Roses), Dudley Moore (Arthur), and, mostly, Albert Finney (Under the Volcano). That guy [Finneys character] is REALLY drunk! he laughed. Luckily [Leaving Las Vegas] was shot in six weeks; I couldnt bear it if it were six months. The film was being rejected at first. It was too dark for Hollywood, he recalled studio managers reaction to the script. Eventually, it was made by a big studio and Hollywood applauded Cages deadly performance, giving him the Oscar for Best Actor. International Film Festival and Awards Macao (IFFAM)s most talented ambassador was about to leave Macau when we met briefly, with a promise to return. He likes it here and finds the place extremely cinematic. Macau Daily Times It is not the first time you have come to Macau, and you seem to like it here. Why did you accept the role of Talent Ambassador for IFFAM2018? Nicolas Cage I do like it here! I accepted the invitation to be the Talent Ambassador as its an exciting opportunity to meet other people who are as enthusiastic about international cinema as I am. MDT What are your expectations of the festival and your participation in it? NC My expectation is for festivalgoers to enjoy a really marvelous lineup of movies that are the best in the industry so far, as well as exploring emerging new talent. I hope my participation in the festival helps raise awareness of the class and seriousness of IFFAM as it expands its worldwide reach. MDT You are probably the best-known Hollywood actor in China and Asia. What in your filmography do you think appeals to these audiences? NC I think much of my success in this region is down to working with Chinese and other Asian filmmakers like John Woo and the Pang Brothers. I have been coming here for many years and have developed a great relationship with the people of China and I hope that will continue for a long time. MDT Your latest movie Mandy (premiered) here at the festival. What is your take on the film? NC I think the film is a unique experience made by a visionary filmmaker in Panos Cosmatos it is an intense visionary nightmare. MDT Do you find Macau, its ambiance and history, attractive for a Hollywood production? Would you like to shoot here? NC I would love to shoot in Macau! Its the wonderful confluence of the Chinese and Portuguese cultures that makes for the perfect place to shoot a film. The combination of the architecture, the food, and the people is fantastic. Especially the people they are just warm and welcoming. I would not hesitate to come back. The global medical community is distancing itself further from the researcher whose controversial gene-editing work has been condemned by scientists and the Chinese government. A Chinese branch of the World Health Organization has withdrawn an application to register He Jiankuis project in its clinical database. The move comes after Chinas government halted Hes work, saying it would take a zero tolerance attitude in dealing with dishonorable behavior in research. He has faced a global backlash after claiming to have produced the worlds first gene-edited babies in a bid to make them HIV-resistant. The project drew international criticism for its lack of transparency, with health officials and other scientists concerned that it raises ethical questions that will taint other work in the field. The application to enter the database of the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry was rejected because the original applicants cannot provide the individual participants data for reviewing, according to the registrys website. The application was uploaded to the website on Nov. 8 and updated on Nov. 30, the registry said. The site serves as a registry of Chinese trials. If the application is successful, project information is sent to the clinical trial platform of the WHO, and that data is then searchable on its global website. Hes whereabouts are still unknown. Hong Kong newspaper Apple Daily cited unnamed sources earlier this month that the researcher was put on house arrest by his university, Southern University of Science and Technology in Shenzhen, but representatives of the university and Hes lab both declined to comment. Bloomberg Thousands of people in Indian-controlled Kashmir joined a funeral procession yesterday for two teenage rebels who were killed over the weekend in a long gunbattle with Indian troops in the disputed region. Villagers carried the teens bodies to a martyrs graveyard in the northern town of Hajin, chanting slogans eulogizing anti-India militants and demanding an end to Indian rule over the Himalayan region. Funeral prayers were held at least three times, to accommodate the large number of people arriving from different places in the area. According to police, the two friends, 14-year-old Mudasir Rashid Parray and 17-year-old Saqib Bilal Sheikh, joined the rebel ranks in late August. Police said Parray was the youngest rebel killed in the three decades of armed conflict in Kashmir, a territory divided between India and Pakistan but claimed by both in its entirety. The two remained friends in life and in death, said Azhar Ahmed, a local resident. Weve lost two lively boys in our neighborhood. Everyones eyes are moist. They lived and died for the same cause. The two teens and a militant commander were killed Sunday in fighting with government forces that lasted nearly 18 hours, triggering anti-India protests and clashes in the region that left at least five people injured. At least two counterinsurgency police officers and a soldier were wounded in the gunfight. Police identified the slain insurgent commander as a Pakistani national who trained the two friends and recruited them into Lashkar-e-Taiba, a militant group New Delhi blames for a 2008 attack that left 166 people dead in Indias commercial capital of Mumbai. Shortly after the burial, hundreds of people, mainly youths, chanted slogans including Go India, go back and We want freedom as they hit streets in Hajin and clashed with government troops. Police and paramilitary soldiers fired shotgun pellets and tear gas to combat stone-throwing protesters. No one was immediately reported injured in the clashes. Most Kashmiris support rebel demands that the territory be united either under Pakistani rule or as an independent country, while also participating in civilian street protests against Indian control. In recent years, mainly young Kashmiris have displayed open solidarity with the rebels and sought to protect them by engaging troops in street clashes during military operations. Rebels have been fighting Indian control since 1989. India accuses Pakistan of arming and training the rebels, a charge Pakistan denies. Nearly 70,000 people have been killed in the uprising and the ensuing Indian military crackdown. The two deaths, especially of Parray, triggered a debate among Kashmiri netizens, with some arguing that rebel groups should not permit the recruitment of young boys. We as a society, state and resistance have failed to provide a ray of hope for the new generation, Mushtaq Ul-Haq Ahmad Sikander, a Kashmiri political commentator, wrote on Facebook. Others highlighted the need to urgently resolve the Kashmir dispute. How can we simply sit back and generically imbibe the news of combatants and noncombatants killed and properties devastated, Ather Zia, who teaches anthropology at the University of Colorado Boulder, wrote on Facebook. The occupation that pushes our children into the mouth of death must die. This systemic violence meted on Kashmiri lives has to end. Aijaz Hussain, Srinagar, AP The main jury of the third International Film Festival and Awards Macao (IFFAM) commended the event for featuring films directed by young directors, thus calling on the festival to be a platform for emerging directors. The jury features Chinese director Chen Kaige, Hong Kong filmmaker Mabel Cheung, Indian actress Tillotama Shome, Australian producer and director Paul Currie and Bosnian director Danis Tanovic. At a press conference held yesterday at the Macau Museum of Art, the jury recalled the first films and film festivals they had participated in at the beginning of their careers. For Chen, who is the president of the jury, his first movie King of Children was initially introduced at the Cannes Film Festival. I knew nothing about Cannes [] I was like an idiot just looking around without any idea of what was going to happen. I did not really expect to win an award but I learned a lot, Chen told the press. I was encouraged by the main festivals and I hope IFFAM can do the same for the younger generation of filmmakers, he added. Chen is a leading figure in the Fifth Generation of Chinese cinema and is the only Chinese filmmaker to have won the Palme dOr at Cannes, which he won for Farewell My Concubine in 1993. When commenting on the competition section of this years IFFAM which highlights movies that have been directed by young filmmakers for the first and second time Chen commended the directors, describing their films as poetic. I can see some new talents just coming out and [it is] something different from other generations. I think that some of them did really well from an artistic point of view. You can see that their movies are kind of poetic, the Golden Globe winner said, There are a lot of new talents. Whether they studied at Beijing Film Academy or not, there is a voice from them. I think its wonderful [as] everybody knows that the market is becoming bigger [] so [we] need to continue to make good movies, he added. This year, IFFAMs competition focused on the first and second movies of young filmmakers. The 11 selected films include Aga, All Good, Clean Up, Jesus, Scarborough, Schools Out, Suburban Birds, The Good Girls, The Guilty, The Man Who Feels No Pain and White Blood. Tanovic also remarked that first- and second-time film direction is no easy task, citing several challenges including funding. His movie No Mans Land won the screenplay prize at the 2001 Cannes Film Festival, and won the Academy Award and Golden Globe for best foreign language film in 2002. What happens when you make your first film that is good is it puts you in the spotlight. Its not easier to make it, but at least people know about you, and its never easy to get money to make films, but at least there are some people who are interested that come and try to help you, said the Oscar-winning Bosnian director. I was joking the other day that Bosnia is a country with 3 million people and a good movie might not be seen by a lot of people, [while a] bad film in China at least will be seen by 50 million [people], Tanovic joked. Meanwhile, Currie remarked that it is important for film festivals to be open to new voices and their ways of telling stories to audiences. I love that [the festival features] first- and second-time directors. I think they are really in a critical time in their career to reach a spotlight and have a focus on them. We can make a huge difference, said Currie. I think its wonderful when festivals really look at next generation talents because our industry keeps growing and gets better. There are richer stories, more access but different cultures, he added. Meanwhile, Cheung remarked, I can see the energy and lack of burden and their willingness to try. Everything is new so we should approach every film like them. China raised the pressure on the United States and Canada as a bail hearing for a top Chinese technology executive was set to resume today [Macau time] in Vancouver, British Columbia. A headline in a Communist Party newspaper called Canadas treatment of Meng Wanzhou, the chief financial officer of Huawei Technologies, inhumane. The editorial published in yesterdays Global Times followed formal government protests to the ambassadors of both Canada and the United States over the weekend. Meng was detained on Dec. 1 while changing planes in Vancouver. The U.S. wants her extradited. It alleges Huawei used a Hong Kong shell company to evade U.S. trade curbs on Iran. Her arrest could fuel U.S.-China trade tensions at a time when the two sides are seeking to resolve a dispute over Beijings technology and industrial strategy. Both sides have sought to keep the issues separate, at least so far. This is a criminal justice matter, U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer said on CBS Face the Nation. It is totally separate from anything that I work on or anything that the trade policy people in the administration work on. [] We have a lot of very big, very important issues. Weve got serious people working on them, and I dont think theyll be affected by this. The hearing on whether to grant her release on bail was due to resume today. Canadian prosecutor John Gibb-Carsley asked the court Friday to reject Mengs bail request. Justice William Ehrcke said he would think about proposed bail conditions over the weekend. Vice Foreign Minister Le Yucheng summoned Canadian Ambassador John McCallum on Saturday and American Ambassador Terry Branstad on Sunday. He called Mengs detention extremely egregious and demanded that the U.S. vacate the arrest warrant, the official Xinhua News Agency said. Le warned both countries that Beijing will take steps based on their response. Asked yesterday what those steps might be, a Foreign Ministry spokesman said only that it totally depends on the Canadian side itself. The Canadian province of British Columbia has already canceled a trade mission to China amid fears China could detain Canadians in retaliation for Mengs detention. Commercial retaliation against firms from countries at odds with China has grown increasingly common as Beijing exercises its leverage as the worlds second largest economy. Authorities closed most of Lottes supermarkets in China after the South Korean retailer sold land at home for a U.S. anti-missile system that was stridently opposed by Beijing. At least two companies are rallying to support Huawei. Shenzhen Menpad Technology Group, which makes teleconferencing, security monitoring and hotel TV systems, is offering a 15 percent subsidy to employees who buy Huawei mobile phones. It also said it would not buy American vehicles, computers and other office equipment and that employees buying Apple iPhones would be fined. A major wine importer is offering employees a 10 percent discount on Huawei products for the next six months, according to a notice circulating on social media. While such movements have grassroots support, they are almost certainly countenanced by the ruling Communist Party. The government doesnt confirm its role to avoid damaging its image as a champion of free trade. Huawei, the biggest global supplier of network gear for phone and internet companies, has become the target of U.S. security concerns because of its ties to the Chinese government. The U.S. has pressured other countries to limit use of its technology, warning they could be opening themselves up to surveillance and theft of information. Canadian officials have declined to comment on Chinese threats of retaliation, instead emphasizing the independence of Canadas judiciary and the importance of Ottawas relationship with Beijing. Both the Global Times and the China Daily noted that Meng had been handcuffed and wore ankle restraints. It is hard to escape the conclusion that her treatment is something of a show trial intended to humiliate her and the Chinese people, the China Daily said in a Monday editorial. While protesting what it calls Canadas violation of Mengs human rights, the Communist Party is regularly accused by outsiders of rights violations at home. They include the widespread interment of Muslims in restive regions without due process to refusing to allow citizens of other countries to leave China to pressure their Chinese relatives living overseas and accused of financial crimes. Ken Moritsugu, Beijing, AP New Zealands Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern made an emotional apology yesterday to the family of a 22-year-old British tourist who police say was murdered. Ardern spoke about the nations reaction to the case several hours after the man that police accuse of killing Grace Millane made his first appearance in court. Police on Sunday found a body in a forested area near Auckland which they believe is Millanes. From the kiwis I have spoken to, there is this overwhelming sense of hurt and shame that this has happened in our country, a place that prides itself on our hospitality, Ardern said at her weekly media briefing, using a colloquial term for New Zealanders. On behalf of New Zealand, I want to apologize to Graces family, Ardern said, her voice breaking with emotion. Your daughter should have been safe here, and she wasnt. And Im sorry for that. Ardern said it wasnt necessarily her role to apologize for individual acts of violence, but shed sensed that New Zealanders were feeling a collective sense of shame over the case and that many were taking it personally. Earlier, the 26-year-old man accused of killing Millane stared at the floor while a judge addressed him during his brief appearance at the Auckland District Court. The man has not yet entered a plea on murder charges and the court has temporarily blocked his name from being published. Millanes father, David Millane, traveled to New Zealand last week after his daughter vanished, and Judge Evangelos Thomas addressed him and other family members. I dont know what to say to you at this time, but your grief must be desperate, he said, according to television station Three. We all hope justice will be fair and swift and ultimately bring you some peace. As the man was led away from the dock, somebody in the public gallery yelled out Scumbag! Three reported. The case has riveted people both in Britain and New Zealand. Described by her father as fun-loving and family-oriented, Grace Millane had been traveling in New Zealand as part of a planned yearlong trip abroad that began in Peru. She went missing Dec. 1 and failed to get in touch with her family on her birthday the next day, or on the days that followed, which alarmed them. Before she vanished, Millane had been staying at a backpacker hostel in Auckland and left some of her belongings there. Detective Inspector Scott Beard said she met a man for a couple of hours in the evening before surveillance cameras showed them entering the CityLife hotel at about 9:40 p.m. A week after Millane disappeared, police detained a man for questioning and later charged him with murder. Nick Perry, Wellington, AP Prosecutors have charged Nissan Motor Co.s former chairman Carlos Ghosn, another executive and the automaker itself for allegedly violating financial laws by underreporting income. The charges imposed yesterday involve allegations Ghosns pay was underreported by about 5 billion yen (USD44 million) in 2011-2015. The prosecutors said earlier that the allegations were the reason for Ghosns arrest on Nov. 19. The arrest of an industry icon admired both in Japan and around the world has stunned many and raised concerns over the Japanese automaker and the future of its alliance with Renault SA of France. The prosecutors issued statements yesterday outlining new allegations against Ghosn and Greg Kelly, the other executive. Those are of underreporting another 4 billion yen ($36 million) in 2016-2018. Nissan as a company was not mentioned in the latest allegations, which did not give details about the income thought to have been underreported. In Japan, a company can be charged with wrongdoing. A court date is still undecided as the prosecutors continue to question Ghosn and Kelly. The maximum penalty for violating Japans financial laws, as the prosecutors allege, is 10 years in prison, a 10 million yen ($89,000) fine, or both. Some kind of action by the prosecutors had been expected because the detention period allowed for the allegations disclosed earlier was to end yesterday. Nissan Motor Co. confirmed the charges against it in a statement and vowed to strengthen its governance and compliance. Nissan takes this situation extremely seriously, it said. Making false disclosures in annual securities reports greatly harms the integrity of Nissans public disclosures in the securities markets, and the company expresses its deepest regret. Kelly, 62, an American, is suspected of having collaborated with Ghosn. Kellys attorney in the U.S., Aubrey Harwell, told The Associated Press earlier this month that his client is asserting his innocence. He said insiders at Nissan and outside experts had said the handling of the income reporting was legal. Ghosn has not commented. He was ousted as Nissan chairman and Kelly lost his representative director title following their arrests. They both remain on Nissans board pending a shareholders meeting. Ghosn, 64, was sent to Nissan by its partner Renault SA of France in 1999. He led a dramatic turnaround of the near- bankrupt Japanese automaker. But his star-level compensation drew attention since executives in Japan tend to be paid far less than their international counterparts. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told a news conference yesterday that relations between Japan and France are unshakable despite concerns over the future of Nissans alliance with Renault after Ghosns indictment. It is important to maintain stability in the Nissan-Renault-Mitsubishi alliance, which is a symbol of industrial cooperation between Japan and France, he told a televised news conference Monday, adding that Japan will promote improved corporate governance in line with global standards. It is typical in the Japanese legal system for there to be little access to comment by suspects. Prosecutors have also said little. Only Ghosns attorneys and embassy officials from Lebanon, France and Brazil, where he has citizenship, have been allowed to visit him. Shin Kukimoto, deputy chief prosecutor at the Tokyo District Prosecutors Office, declined Monday to say if the suspects were rejecting the allegations. He said Ghosn and Kelly were being detained because they are considered flight risks. Japans criminal justice system long has been criticized for detaining people for extended periods to pressure them to confess. The conviction rate for those charged is more than 99 percent. Kukimoto denied that prosecutors were working to force confessions. We do not have such a scenario. There is no such thing and we do not force suspects to make confessions to fit the story, he said in response to a reporters question. Meanwhile, the Securities and Exchange Commission said it had filed criminal complaints against Ghosn, Nissan and Kelly, paving the way for the prosecutors to charge them. A commission official said Monday that Nissan, Ghosn and Kelly were suspected of falsifying reports on millions of dollars worth of Ghosns income. Nissan has said that an internal investigation found three types of misconduct: underreporting income to financial authorities, using investment funds for personal gain and illicit use of company expenses. Mari Yamaguchi, Yuri Kageyama, AP Lawmaker Sulu Sou has asked the government to explain the reasoning behind big budget increases for celebrations of the 20th anniversary of the handover in particular. I believe that, in the name of the handover celebration, public funds, which will be spent across all kinds of activities, related projects and human resources, will be countless. It is worth examining which expenditures may not be necessary, Sou wrote in his inquiry to the government. The 2019 budget for the Protocol, Public Relations and External Affairs Office was increased by 131.5 percent, from MOP76 million this year to MOP176 million. The government explained that it [the budget] serves to bear the budgets for preparing a series of activities for the celebration of the 20th anniversary of the handover, Sou wrote, listing other budget increases also justified using the 20th anniversary of the handover. In view of the facts that the budget of many departments, for instance, the Protocol Office, surged by 100 million simply because of the handover celebration, and that other departments and autonomous organizations have also seen a significant increase in the budget related to the handover celebration, how will the government review the relevant budget expenditures in line with the principle of no waste? Sou asked. May I ask the SAR government to summarize the respective budget amounts of the departments and the autonomous organizations related to the handover celebration and also the total amount? Sou asked. South Korean prosecutors said yesterday that they have charged four people with illegally importing North Korean coal via Russia in violation of U.N. sanctions. The indictments, handed down on Friday, came four months after customs authorities accused three of the four of using forged documents to illicitly import 35,000 tons of North Korean coal and other minerals worth USD5.8 million. South Korean media said prosecutors found an additional person implicated in the case during an investigation. Prosecutors said in a statement that the four people and their five entities were charged with violating a law requiring government approval to bring North Korean products into the South. U.N. sanctions that were toughened in 2017 ban member states from importing North Korean coal and other minerals that had been key sources of foreign currency for the impoverished yet nuclear- armed country. The prosecutors statement said the four people attempted to get profits by selling North Korean minerals whose prices dropped in the wake of the sanctions. It said they used falsified documents and transshipments at Russian ports to disguise North Korean minerals as Russian ones. North Korea has been seeking sanctions relief in return for some of the measures the country has taken since entering nuclear talks early this year, such as dismantling its nuclear testing site and suspending weapons tests. U.S. officials want the North to take more significant steps. South Koreas liberal president, Moon Jae-in, who favors a negotiated solution to the nuclear issue, has facilitated U.S.-North Korea diplomacy this year. But when he met President Donald Trump recently on the sidelines of the G-20 summit in Argentina, the two agreed that sanctions would remain in place until North Korea completes its nuclear disarmament. A South Korean Foreign Ministry official said the indictments should be seen as an effort by the government to abide by U.N. sanctions. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because she wasnt authorized to speak to reporters on the issue. Hyung-Jin Kim, Seoul, AP Russian President Boris Yeltsin has ordered tanks and troops into the rebel region of Chechnya. Hundreds of tanks and armoured personnel carriers closed in on the territorys capital of Grozny at first light this morning. The Russian army says its mission is to restore constitutional order in Chechnya. The mostly Muslim region declared independence from Moscow three years ago under the leadership of former Soviet air force general Dzhokhar Dudayev. Since that time armed opposition to Dudayev, secretly funded and supported by Moscow, has been active in the region. In August this year Moscow set up a provisional council in an attempt to overthrow Mr Dudayev. President Boris Yeltsin then issued an ultimatum saying that if fighting did not stop Russia would formally intervene. The decision to send in troops, which comes after a two-week bombing campaign failed to quell the troubles, is a huge gamble for President Yeltsin. His supporters say he cannot let such an important region of Russia break away as it could start the break-up of the rest of the country. Others say it could lead to another Afghanistan. Mr Dudayev is defiant saying he has always been willing to hold talks with President Yeltsin in return for recognition as a sovereign state. He said: We are right in the eyes of the world because were defending our lives and our freedom. We wanted talks but instead Russia started a war. Chechnya, which has a population of about one million which has struggled against Russian rule for two centuries. Many are unable to forgive and forget the way they were treated in 1944 when Stalin ordered the entire nation to be deported to bleak camps in Siberia and Central Asia. Courtesy BBC News In context A 20-month war between Chechen rebels and Russian forces followed. An estimated 100,000 people lost their lives and many Chechen towns and villages were reduced to rubble in the bitter fighting. Hugely outnumbered and outgunned, Chechen fighters nonetheless outfought badly led and unmotivated Russian conscripts. Peace accords signed in 1996 gave Chechnya substantial autonomy but not full independence. The Chechen chief of staff, General Aslan Maskhadov, was elected president. However, Chechnya had been reduced to ruins by the war and Russia failed to invest in reconstruction. General Maskhadov could not control brutal warlords who grew rich by organised crime and kidnapping. In August 1999, Chechen fighters crossed into the neighbouring republic of Dagestan to support a declaration by an Islamic body of an independent Islamic state in parts of Dagestan and Chechnya. By now Vladimir Putin was Russian prime minister. He put down the rebellion within a couple of weeks. The late summer of the same year saw several explosions in Russia in which hundreds died. The Russian authorities blamed the Chechens. President Putin sent the army back to subdue the republic by force in a second brutal campaign. The Kremlin called a controversial referendum in March 2003 which approved a new constitution giving Chechnya more autonomy but stipulated it remained a part of Russia. Some months after the referendum Akhmad Kadyrov was elected Chechen president with strong backing from the Kremlin but he was assassinated in May 2004. Question: Should prison medical staff know it violates the Eighth Amendment to take someone they knew or should have known was female and lock her up with male inmates? District courts answer: no? Eleventh Circuits answer: What? Obviously yes. The issue was not so much the facts, which are outrageous, but the doctrine of qualified immunity, which is designed to give officials the benefit of the doubt in certain cases. It requires a plaintiff to allege facts showing not only that the defendants violated a constitutional right, but that the right at issue was clearly established at the time of the violation. Prison officials get sued a lot, and the idea is that they shouldnt be held liable in difficult cases if the law was unclear at the time they acted. This wasnt one of those cases, the appellate court said. The plaintiff is Fior Pichardo de Veloz, a lawyer and elected official from the Dominican Republic who was 50 years old at the time of the incident in 2013. She had flown to Miami to be present for the birth of a grandson, but when she arrived, she was arrested on an outstanding warrant and taken to jail. According to some reports, the warrant was for a cocaine-possession charge dating back to 1988. For purposes of her lawsuit, it doesnt matter what she was arrested for. But Im going to mention anyway that (1) if someone in Miami possessed cocaine in 1988, the statute of limitations would most likely have expired decades ago; and (2) itd probably be difficult to find someone in Miami who didnt possess cocaine in 1988. But our drug warriors are, of course, eternally vigilant. So to jail she went. And what allegedly transpired over the next 24+ hours is absolutely baffling. Because even though she had been strip-searcheddegrading, but usually standard practice before incarcerationother officials eventually reclassified her as male and put her in a cell overnight with male inmates. The main culprits, according to the complaint, were a nurse who insisted Pichardo was a man, apparently based on a note in the medical file saying she was taking hormone replacement pills, and a doctor who reclassified her as male for the same reason. This was despite the strip search, her persistent denials of maleness, and their admitted knowledge that there is more than one possible reason for hormone replacement therapy. The doctor said he asked Pichardo if she had all of her sex parts, but didnt ask her why she was taking hormone replacement pills because he felt that was a difficult question to ask. Even more bafflingly, the nurse then flat-out lied to an officer and told her during this second evaluation, everything fell outmeaning male sex partsthough the nurse had not been in the room and hadnt spoken to the doctor at all. (Seems likely the nurse had decided Pichardo was transgender and was discriminating against her on that basis.) Eventually, someone ordered that Pichardo be reclassified as male, and she was transferred to a male facility where she spent the next seven hours or so hoping not to be raped by her 40 male cellmates. The next day, she was re-reclassified and released shortly thereafter. Lawsuit followed. The defendants, not surprisingly, argued qualified immunity. This is not surprising partly because, as we have seen before, some courts interpret the defense to mean that unless theres a prior case where almost exactly the same conduct was found unconstitutional, the defendants couldnt possibly have known they were doing something wrong. That can yield some pretty ridiculous results. See, e.g., Padilla v. Yoo (holding it wasnt clear in 2003 that torture was torture) and Mullenix v. Luna (holding it wasnt clear in 2010 that shooting a guy in the chest to stop a high-speed chase might have been a little excessive). The district court held not only that all the defendants were entitled to immunity, but that the doctor and nurse didnt have the necessary subjective knowledge required to support a civil-rights claim. Pichardo did not appeal that decision as to the prison officers, who could at least say they had relied on a decision made by medical personnel (even though the officers clearly had their doubts). But she did argue that the doctor and nurse were not entitled to immunity from a deliberate indifference civil-rights claim, and the Eleventh Circuit agreed. As it pointed out, even under current law there doesnt need to be a prior case right on point if the the constitutional violation is obvious. This one was: [Any] reasonable prison officer and medical personnel would have known that wrongfully misclassifying a biological female as a male inmate and placing that female in the male population of a detention facility was unlawful. The conduct at issue here lies so obviously at the very core of what the Eighth Amendment prohibits [that its unlawfulness would have been] readily apparent. Accordingly, neither [defendant] is entitled to qualified immunity. Not that it would have been okay under other circumstances, but its worth a reminder that even where qualified immunity is concerned, courts may be especially likely to frown on government officials engaging in pointless humiliation of grandmothers. Credit: CC0 Public Domain The human brain needs to suppress obvious ideas in order to reach the most creative ones, according to scientists at Queen Mary University of London and Goldsmiths, University of London. Creativity requires us to break away from more common and easily reached ideas but we know little about how this happens in our brain. A new study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, shows that brainwaves play a crucial role in inhibiting habitual thinking modes to pave the way to access more remote ideas. The researchers found that these brainwaves, or alpha oscillations in the right temporal area of the brain, increase when individuals need to suppress misleading associations in creative tasks. These obvious associations are present in both convergent thinking (finding an 'out-of-the-box' solution) and also in divergent thinking (when individuals have to come up with several creative ideas). Higher levels of alpha brainwaves enable people to come up with ideas which are further away from the obvious or well-known uses. The researchers show that stimulating the right temporal part of the brain in the alpha frequency increases the capability of inhibiting obvious links in both types of creative thinking. This was demonstrated by applying an electrical current to the brain through a non-invasive technique called transcranial alternating current brain stimulation (tACS) which causes minimal to no side effects or sensations. The findings have implications for how we understand creativity and opens up potential ways of affecting the creative process including by using tACS. Lead researcher Dr. Caroline Di Bernardi Luft, from Queen Mary University of London, said: "If we need to generate alternative uses of a glass, first we must inhibit our past experience which leads us to think of a glass as a container. Our study's novelty is to demonstrate that right temporal alpha oscillations is a key neural mechanism for overriding these obvious associations. "In order to understand the processes underlying the production of novel and adequate ideas, we need to break down its constituent processes, dissecting creativity as much as possible at first, and then analysing them in context, before putting them back together to understand the process as a whole." The researchers demonstrated the neural mechanism responsible for creativity by monitoring the brain's electrical activity through an electroencephalogram (EEG) which picks up electrical signals through small sensors placed on the head. Using tACS also enabled them to probe the waves' causal role. The experiments they conducted looked at how the brain tackles a series of creative tasks such as finding words that link to one another. For example, every time we search for concepts associated with a word we start from stronger associations to move progressively towards weaker or more remote ones (e.g. cat > dog > animal > pet > human > people > family). Previous studies show that some people are more creative than others because they are able to avoid strong associations in order to reach more remote ones and this study demonstrates that the alpha brainwaves are crucially involved in this process. Goldsmiths, University of London's Professor Joydeep Bhattacharya, a co-author of this study, added: "Two roads diverged in a wood, I took the one less travelled by. And that has made all the difference,' wrote Robert Frost in his famous poem." "Taking a less travelled route is needed for thinking creatively, and our findings provide some evidence on how this is done in our brain." The researchers hope to understand how neural processes are integrated when solving creative problems out of the laboratory settings and whether it is possible to build stimulation devices which can monitor the brain and stimulate creativity whenever needed. Explore further Scientists improve people's creativity through electrical brain stimulation More information: Caroline Di Bernardi Luft el al., "Right temporal alpha oscillations as a neural mechanism for inhibiting obvious associations," PNAS (2018). Journal information: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Caroline Di Bernardi Luft el al., "Right temporal alpha oscillations as a neural mechanism for inhibiting obvious associations,"(2018). www.pnas.org/cgi/doi/10.1073/pnas.1811465115 Credit: Michigan Technological University Adaptive aids are expensive. Additive manufacturing, using low-cost 3-D printers, can save upwards of 94 percent for simple household items. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that almost a quarter of the U.S. population lives with some form of arthritis. Daily taskslike opening drawers, turning door handlescan be difficult, so people turn to adaptive aids. Many are small pieces of plastic. "It never ceases to amaze me what a small piece of plastic sells for," said Joshua Pearce, the Richard Witte Endowed Professor of Materials Science and Engineering at Michigan Tech. "Anyone who needs an adaptive aid for arthritis should be 3-D printing it." So, Pearce had his class take a shot. Now, Pearce is a co-author and corresponding researcher on a new study that analyzes how 20 of the 3-D printed adaptive aids his class printed see huge cost savings and either meetor improvestandards for existing products. The study was published this week in Geriatrics and is co-authored by student research assistant Nicole Gallup and orthopedic surgeon Jennifer Bow, who is also a visiting scholar at Michigan Tech. More Pain, No Gain Adults with arthritis and other rheumatic conditions earn less than average Americans, yet spend more on medical expenses: on average about 12 percent of the average family's income. To boot, the adaptive aids they may need to purchase to help them pull on socks, hold toothbrushes, knit, pull zippers, cut food and many other everyday tasks are pricey. Credit: Michigan Technological University Adaptive aids range from a cheap pop can opener for $5.99 to pill splitter for $23.75 to a phone holder for $49.99. With 3-D printing, those costs can come down to 45 cents to pop tabs, $1.27 to split pills and 79 cents plus a rubber band to hold a phone. The 3-D printed versions are not only cheaper but customizable. Dr. Bow recommended students take a look at designing adaptive aids because the customization available from 3-D printers could help her arthritis patients and others throughout the world. Subsequently, the group Makers Making Change approached Pearce because they needed to improve some existing designs that can be shrunk, expanded and tweaked to match different hand sizes, grip strengths, color preference and task modification. "This is the difference between needing to go to someone to get your nails cut and being able to do your own, which, yes, there's cost savings, but it's also personal pride and being able to take care of yourself," Pearce said. "And if your only problem is that the standard nail clipper is too tiny, we can fix that." Cost for individual items may not be too onerous. However, following a diagnosis, some patients need to overhaul or install many adaptive aids, like putting light switch flippers throughout the house, which adds up quickly. 3-D printing can trim that cost, and Pearce's team only used printers that cost $500 or less, but the upfront cost of a printer may curb some people's enthusiasm. Also, some people do not have to pay the full price for adaptive aids if Medicare or their insurance policy helps cover the purchases. Pearce says neither substantially affects the numbers. Credit: Michigan Technological University "We printed and analyzed 20 different products and each one has a great return on investment, even for people who can use insurance to purchase adaptive aids with a co-pay, and a printer pays for itself easily," Pearce said, explaining that the true challenge is not economic. "It's a slam dunkbut the question becomes how do people get these aids?" Access to 3-D Printing People can save a lot having a 3-D printer on their kitchen table. Not everyone is ready for the distributed manufacturing wave in their home, but there are still many ways to bring 3-D printed goods to people with arthritis, particularly older patients. We're not saying an 85-year-old with no personal computer experience is developing a CAD from scratch and prototyping a design 12 times," Pearce said, explaining the open source designs are available for free online at Appropedia and MyMiniFactory. Credit: Michigan Technological University Pearce sees nursing homes, doctor's offices and physical therapy clinics as the ideal hubs for 3-D printed adaptive aids. Local makerspaces and libraries also provide access to printers, designs and knowledgeable people in exchange for fees that cover plastic and printing costs; some businesses even make a living providing 3-D prints. Printed for Class With that dream in mind, Pearce says his class started with base functionality. Their assignmentturned around in a week was printed on Rep-Rap printers that the students built themselves in the first two weeks of class. They did all their adaptive aid prints with PLA plastic, focused on handheld items, and many of the students designed features with a loved one, friend or acquaintance in mind. They all work, but there's always room for improvement. "All the designs could be made much prettier and betterand that's the beauty of open source. Because I hope in a couple years that we have a whole array of each one of these ideas that's built out much further, applied all over the world and customized for individual people," Pearce said. "This is a new field of 3-D printing design that's just getting started. Lots of people can make real, honest-to-goodness, concrete contributions." Credit: Michigan Technological University Small, dexterous motions like nail clipping is difficult with hand arthritis; an adaptive aid that holds the clipper in place while using a larger handle helps. Credit: Michigan Technological University All the adaptive aids were printed with PLA plastic. Credit: Michigan Technological University Explore further Researchers calculate major cost savings of 3-D printing household items More information: Nicole Gallup et al. Economic Potential for Distributed Manufacturing of Adaptive Aids for Arthritis Patients in the U.S., Geriatrics (2018). Nicole Gallup et al. Economic Potential for Distributed Manufacturing of Adaptive Aids for Arthritis Patients in the U.S.,(2018). DOI: 10.3390/geriatrics3040089 Researchers predict that death rates from cancer will fall in 2018 in Australasian countries and in Russia. However, a greater proportion of the population will die in Russia from the disease than in any of the other countries, mainly because of the large numbers of men who still smoke. In a study published in the leading cancer journal Annals of Oncology today, researchers led by Carlo La Vecchia (MD), Professor at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Milan (Italy), predict that 158,950 men and 137,810 women will die in 2018 in Russia, representing age-standardised rates of 158.5 men and 84 women per 100,000 of the population . Out of the ten major cancers the researchers investigated, lung cancer accounted for the greatest number of deaths among Russian men (about 40,000), while about 9000 women are predicted to die from it39.7 men and 5.3 women per 100,000 of the population. By contrast, in countries such as Australia, Israel and the Philippines 101, 95 and 84.5 men and 74.7, 76.5 and 70 women respectively per 100,000 of the population will die from any cancer in 2018. In Australia, for example, 4,970 men and 3,600 women are predicted to die from lung cancer in 201819.7 men and 13.65 women per 100,000 of the population. Prof La Vecchia said: "There is an urgent need for further improvement in cancer prevention and treatment in Russia. Given the high lung cancer rates among Russian men, stopping smoking remains a priority there. This is particularly important among middle aged and elderly men who started smoking during the Soviet era. "The comparatively low rates of cancer deaths in Australia are partly, but not only, due to its low lung cancer rates." Prof La Vecchia and his colleagues from Italy, Switzerland and the USA collected data on total cancer deaths and deaths from ten major cancers (stomach, colorectum, pancreas, lung, breast, uterus and cervix, ovary, prostate, bladder and leukaemias) from the World Health Organization between 1970 and 2015 for the Russian Federation, Israel, Hong Kong, Japan, the Philippines, the Republic of Korea and Australia. They used these figures to make predictions for cancer deaths in 2018. The results of their research have public health implications, and are also relevant for the organisation of cancer management and care. Although they predict that death rates from cancer will decline in all seven countries, the actual numbers of deaths will continue to rise because of the growing population of elderly people. By looking at the number of deaths from cancer in 1993 and projecting the number of deaths that would have been expected in 2018 if deaths had continued at the same rate, the researchers estimated that a substantial number of cancer deaths have been avoided over that period: one million in Russia, 40,000 in Israel, 63,000 in Hong Kong, about 650,000 in Japan, 330,000 in Korea and 180,000 in Australia. There was no appreciable reduction observed in the Philippines. "The Philippines had, and still have, low rates of deaths from cancer. These are partly influenced by under-registration of causes of death, particularly in the past. Even so, the low lung cancer rates in both sexes are probably real, reflecting past low smoking prevalence. Stomach cancer rates are also low," said Prof La Vecchia. About 17.9 men per 100,000 of the Philippine population will die from lung cancer in 2018, and 2.1 per 100,000 from stomach cancer. Death rates among women are similarly low with 6.3 per 100,000 dying from lung cancer and 1.25 from stomach cancer. The researchers found there were persistently high rates of deaths from stomach cancer in some of the other countries, despite declines in recent years. In Russia, 13.6 men and 5.8 women per 100,000 will die from stomach cancer; in Japan, 13 men and 4.8 women per 100,000 will die; and in Korea 10 men and 4 women per 100,000 will die. A rise in cancers of the uterus (womb) and cervix is predicted for 2018 in Russia, Israel, Hong Kong and Japan; only a slight decrease is predicted for the Philippines. "In Russia and the Philippines this is probably due to inadequacies in cervical cancer screening, as these countries have comparatively high rates10.2 and 7.4 per 100,000 in Russia and the Philippines respectively versus less than five per 100,000 in the European Union," said Prof La Vecchia. "The other countries that have seen an increase have relatively low rates." Out of the seven countries considered, the lowest cancer death rates predicted in men in 2018 were in the Philippines (84.6 per 100,000), and the lowest rates among women were in Korea (52.5 per 100,000). The greatest fall in death rates between 2012 and 2018 occurred in Korean men: the researchers predicted a 20% decrease. Prof La Vecchia concluded: "Overall, we predict falls in death rates from cancer for 2018. However, these are less pronounced and have occurred later compared to the EU and USA. Mortality from lung cancer among women is low in Russia compared to the EU and North America, reflecting the low prevalence of smoking among Russian women, in sharp contrast with figures for Russian men. However, the rise in the lung cancer death rates among women aged 25 to 44 years in Israel is particularly worrisome. This underlines the need for urgent measures on tobacco control, particularly in countries like Russia with exceedingly high lung cancer rates in men." Editor-in-chief of Annals of Oncology, Professor Fabrice Andre, Professor in the Department of Medical Oncology, Institut Gustave Roussy, Villejuif, France, commented: "The predictions made in this study by Carlo La Vecchia and his colleagues are important for policy-makers and health providers to help them to make plans for the future prevention and treatment of cancers. This study shows that there is still a lot of work to be done, particularly in Russia, on encouraging people to stop smoking and to prevent them starting in the first place." Treebeard Registered User User ID: 473707 12-11-2018 05:52 PM Posts: 4,307 Post: #1 Russia warns US: your troops are embedded in Ukraine combat zone Advertisement Russia calls on US not to turn a blind eye on Kievs preparations for Donbass offensive December 11, 8:10 UTC+3 WASHINGTON, December 11. /TASS/. Russia calls on Washington not to turn a blind eye on active military buildup by the Ukrainian forces and right-wing extremists along the contact line in Donbass that could trigger the implementation of a bloody scenario, the Russian Embassy to the US said. The Embassy urges the US State Department to recognize the presence of US instructors in the zone of combat actions, who are involved in a command and staff and field training of Ukraines assault airborne brigades. "We expect that the US will bring to reason its proteges. Their aggressive plans are not only doomed to failure but also run counter to the statements of the administration on its commitment to resolve the conflict in eastern Ukraine by political and diplomatic means," the statement said. More: http://tass.com/world/1035380 ----------------------------------- According to the information, in the opinion of the leadership of the RPD, the Armed Forces of Ukraine will start the attack on December 14. Evidence was obtained on the preparation of an offensive in the region of the Ukrainian city of Mariupol by the Ukrainian military, according to the deputy commander of the RPD Peoples Militia, Eduard Basurin, aiming at conquering the regions of Novoazovsk and Telmanovo on the border with Russia. The offensive grouping of enemy attack that has been formed, totaling more than 12,000 troops, is concentrated along the line of contact in the area of the following settlements: Novotroitskoe, Shyrokino and Rovnopol [settlements in the south of the Donetsk region controlled by the more than 50 tanks, 40 multiple rocket launchers and 180 artillery and mortar shells], said Basurin. Basurin said the offensive is scheduled to start on the morning of December 14, after an artillery barrage, with the advance of sub-units of Brigades 128 and 79 in the direction of Klinkino village, aiming to reach the DPR border on the 15th of December. He added that the offensive could begin with a provocation organized by security forces at a metallurgical plant in Mariupol where there is a significant reserve of ammonia. Part of Mariupol, with a population of about 50,000 people, would be in the contamination zone, explained Basurin. The conflict in Donbass began in 2014 when Ukrainian authorities launched a military operation against the self-proclaimed peoples republics of Donetsk and Lugansk, which refused to recognize the new government of Kiev. The sides of the conflict later agreed to stop hostilities in the region through a truce agreement, but the situation remains tense with mutual accusations of cease-fire violations. https://www.fort-russ.com/2018/12/ukrain...t-donbass/ ------------------- Emergency briefing of the head of Donetsk Peoples Republic Militia Basurin on the situation on 10.12.2018 2488 Views December 11, 2018 http://thesaker.is/emergency-briefing-of...0-12-2018/ Translation : "I would like to make the following statement. Our intelligence obtained irrefutable evidence about the Armed Forces of Ukraine AFU preparation to attack us at the direction of Mariupol. The information obtained from reliable sources fully reveals the plans of the Ukrainian security forces. The purpose of this planned attack is to seize the territory of Novoazovsky and Telmanovsky districts and establish control over the section of the border between the DPR and Russia in the area of villages Konkovo and Kholodnoye. The enemy offensive strike group has been already formed in total of more than 12 thousand people. Its concentrated along the line of contact near the village of Novotroitskoe, Shirokino, and Rovnopol. The strike group consists of more than 50 tanks, 40 multiple launch rocket systems, 180 guns and mortars, all are concentrated here at this location. The first echelon consists of the 128th Mountain Assault and 79th Assault brigades. The second echelon includes the 56th Infantry Brigade and the 36th Marine Brigade. The basis of the artillery group consists of two divisions of The 27th Rocket Artillery Brigade Sumy and a rocket division of the 15th artillery regiment. In addition, 12 units of MLRS Smerch of the 40th Artillery Brigade had been urgently transferred to the area of the village Volodarskoye. In the reserve of this strike group tactical group Mariupol is deployed consisting of the 73rd Naval Special Purpose Center from Ochakiv (the US Navy base) of about 500 troops, in addition to two self-propelled howitzer battalions of the 1st and 406th Artillery Brigades. The functions of a detachments assigned to the bandits of the Azov regiment. According to the plan of the Ukrainian command, on the morning of December 14th, after artillery preparation, the advance elements of the 128th and 79th brigades will to go on the offensive from the line of Granite Shirokino in the direction of village Klinkino with the task to get to the state border of the DPR near villages Konkovo and Holodnoe, by the end of December 15th. For further development of this offensive operation and to cover the advancing units of the 79th Brigade, the second echelon of this strike group consisting the 56th infantry brigade is planed to enter the battle at the direction of Primorskoe Shevchenko in the direction of the village Klinkino. [[[ two paragraphs removed for space limits, see link ]]] In conclusion I will add that the Peoples Militia of the DPR is ready to meet uninvited guests. We will protect our citizens! The enemy will not pass!" Additional recent news: Ukrainian Air Force Deployed Combat Drones To Carry Out Chemical Provocation In Donbass: DPR Military ---------- Poroshenko Signs Law Abrogating the Treaty of Friendship with Russia (Dec 10) https://www.fort-russ.com/2018/12/porosh...th-russia/ ---------- Ukraine council to meet on Dec 15 to form independent church - president Filaret says he will be patriarch of extracanonical Ukrainian church 'until his death' December 11, 8:10 UTC+3WASHINGTON, December 11. /TASS/. Russia calls on Washington not to turn a blind eye on active military buildup by the Ukrainian forces and right-wing extremists along the contact line in Donbass that could trigger the implementation of a bloody scenario, the Russian Embassy to the US said.The Embassy urges the US State Department to recognize the presence of US instructors in the zone of combat actions, who are involved in a command and staff and field training of Ukraines assault airborne brigades. "We expect that the US will bring to reason its proteges. Their aggressive plans are not only doomed to failure but also run counter to the statements of the administration on its commitment to resolve the conflict in eastern Ukraine by political and diplomatic means," the statement said.More:----------------------------------- DONETSK, Novorusiya The Peoples Militia of the self-proclaimed Peoples Republic of Donetsk (DPR) reported on the concentration of more than 12,000 Ukrainian security forces and 90 units of military equipment in the south of the Donetsk region.According to the information, in the opinion of the leadership of the RPD, the Armed Forces of Ukraine will start the attack on December 14.Evidence was obtained on the preparation of an offensive in the region of the Ukrainian city of Mariupol by the Ukrainian military, according to the deputy commander of the RPD Peoples Militia, Eduard Basurin, aiming at conquering the regions of Novoazovsk and Telmanovo on the border with Russia.The offensive grouping of enemy attack that has been formed, totaling more than 12,000 troops, is concentrated along the line of contact in the area of the following settlements: Novotroitskoe, Shyrokino and Rovnopol [settlements in the south of the Donetsk region controlled by the more than 50 tanks, 40 multiple rocket launchers and 180 artillery and mortar shells], said Basurin.Basurin said the offensive is scheduled to start on the morning of December 14, after an artillery barrage, with the advance of sub-units of Brigades 128 and 79 in the direction of Klinkino village, aiming to reach the DPR border on the 15th of December.He added that the offensive could begin with a provocation organized by security forces at a metallurgical plant in Mariupol where there is a significant reserve of ammonia.Part of Mariupol, with a population of about 50,000 people, would be in the contamination zone, explained Basurin.The conflict in Donbass began in 2014 when Ukrainian authorities launched a military operation against the self-proclaimed peoples republics of Donetsk and Lugansk, which refused to recognize the new government of Kiev. The sides of the conflict later agreed to stop hostilities in the region through a truce agreement, but the situation remains tense with mutual accusations of cease-fire violations.-------------------Emergency briefing of the head of Donetsk Peoples Republic Militia Basurin on the situation on 10.12.20182488 Views December 11, 2018: "I would like to make the following statement. Our intelligence obtained irrefutable evidence about the Armed Forces of Ukraine AFU preparation to attack us at the direction of Mariupol. The information obtained from reliable sources fully reveals the plans of the Ukrainian security forces.The purpose of this planned attack is to seize the territory of Novoazovsky and Telmanovsky districts and establish control over the section of the border between the DPR and Russia in the area of villages Konkovo and Kholodnoye.The enemy offensive strike group has been already formed in total of more than 12 thousand people. Its concentrated along the line of contact near the village of Novotroitskoe, Shirokino, and Rovnopol.The strike group consists of more than 50 tanks, 40 multiple launch rocket systems, 180 guns and mortars, all are concentrated here at this location.The first echelon consists of the 128th Mountain Assault and 79th Assault brigades. The second echelon includes the 56th Infantry Brigade and the 36th Marine Brigade.The basis of the artillery group consists of two divisions of The 27th Rocket Artillery Brigade Sumy and a rocket division of the 15th artillery regiment. In addition, 12 units of MLRS Smerch of the 40th Artillery Brigade had been urgently transferred to the area of the village Volodarskoye.In the reserve of this strike group tactical group Mariupol is deployed consisting of the 73rd Naval Special Purpose Center from Ochakiv (the US Navy base) of about 500 troops, in addition to two self-propelled howitzer battalions of the 1st and 406th Artillery Brigades.The functions of a detachments assigned to the bandits of the Azov regiment.According to the plan of the Ukrainian command, on the morning of December 14th, after artillery preparation, the advance elements of the 128th and 79th brigades will to go on the offensive from the line of Granite Shirokino in the direction of village Klinkino with the task to get to the state border of the DPR near villages Konkovo and Holodnoe, by the end of December 15th.For further development of this offensive operation and to cover the advancing units of the 79th Brigade, the second echelon of this strike group consisting the 56th infantry brigade is planed to enter the battle at the direction of Primorskoe Shevchenko in the direction of the village Klinkino.[[[ two paragraphs removed for space limits, see link ]]]In conclusion I will add that the Peoples Militia of the DPR is ready to meet uninvited guests. We will protect our citizens! The enemy will not pass!"Additional recent news: DPR army got data on Ukrainian preparation of air strike ----------Poroshenko Signs Law Abrogating the Treaty of Friendship with Russia (Dec 10)---------- UC Berkeley researchers have discovered that the brain neurotransmitter dopamine has a yin-yang personality, mediating both pleasure and pain. Credit: Christine Liu graphic For decades, psychologists have viewed the neurotransmitter dopamine as a double-edged sword: released in the brain as a reward to train us to seek out pleasurable experiences, but also a "drug" the constant pursuit of which leads to addiction. According to a new study from the University of California, Berkeley, that's only one face of dopamine. The flip side is that dopamine is also released in response to unpleasurable experiences, such as touching a hot tea kettle, presumably training the brain to avoid them in the future. The yin-yang nature of dopamine could have implications for treatment of addiction and other mental disorders. In illnesses such as schizophrenia, for example, dopamine levels in different areas of the brain become abnormal, possibly because of an imbalance between the reward and avoidance circuits in the brain. Addiction, too, may result from an imbalance in reactions to pleasure and pain. "In addiction, people only look for the next reward, and they will take a lot of risk to get the next shot of drugs of abuse," said Stephan Lammel, a UC Berkeley assistant professor of molecular and cell biology and the senior author of a paper describing the results in the journal Neuron. "We currently do not know the neurobiological underpinnings of certain high-risk behaviors of individuals with addiction, such as sharing drug paraphernalia despite the proven risk of mortality and morbidity associated with it. An understanding of how drugs change neural circuits involved in aversion may have important implications for the persistent nature of drug-seeking behavior in the face of negative consequences." Although some neuroscientists have long speculated about dopamine's potential role in the signaling of aversive events, its dual personality remained hidden until recently because the neurons in the brain that release dopamine in response to rewards are embedded in a different subcircuit than the neurons that release dopamine in response to aversive stimuli. Johannes de Jong, the first author of the study, was able to simultaneously record from both dopamine subcircuits by implanting fiber optic cannulas in two brain regionsseparated by just a few millimetersusing a new technology called fiber photometry. "Our work delineates for the first time the precise brain circuitry in which learning about rewarding and aversive outcomes occurs," Lammel said. "Having separate neuronal correlates for appetitive and aversive behavior in our brain may explain why we are striving for ever-greater rewards while simultaneously minimizing threats and dangers. Such balanced behavior of approach-and-avoidance learning is surely helpful for surviving competition in a constantly changing environment." The newly discovered role for dopamine aligns with an increasing recognition that the neurotransmitter has quite different roles in different areas of the brain, exemplified by its function in voluntary movement, which is affected in Parkinson's disease. The results also explain earlier conflicting experiments, some of which showed that dopamine increases in response to aversive stimuli, while others did not. "We have moved away from considering dopamine neurons as just a homogeneous cell population in the brain that mediates reward and pleasure to a more defined, nuanced picture of the role of dopamine, depending on where it is released in the brain," Lammel said. Studies of the dopamine-producing area of the midbrain called the ventral tegmental area (center) have mostly focused on dopamines role in reward. However, some evidence suggests that dopamine also plays a role in learning about aversive events, though the precise nature of the neural circuitry through which dopamine signals either reward or aversion is incompletely understood. In a new UC Berkeley study, researchers recorded from the axons of midbrain dopamine neurons that project to two areas of the nucleus accumbens (top) and discovered that there are two populations of neurons in the midbrain: the well-known circuit responding to positive motivational stimuli, but a parallel circuit responding to aversive events (blue). They also found that neurons from the lateral hypothalamus (bottom) were critical to priming aversion-sensing neurons to respond to painful stimuli. Credit: University of California - Berkeley Reward prediction errors Most of what is known about dopamine has been inferred from studies in rodents and monkeys, where researchers recorded from cells in a specific region of the brain that only contains reward-responsive dopamine neurons. It is possible, Lammel said, that through sampling biases, dopamine neurons that respond to aversive stimulation had been missed. According to the reigning "reward prediction error hypothesis," dopamine neurons are activated and produce dopamine when an action is more rewarding than we expect, but they remain at baseline activity when the reward matches our expectations and show depressed activity when we receive less reward than predicted. Dopamine changes neural circuits and trains the brainfor better or worseto pursue the pleasurable and avoid the unpleasurable. "Based on the reward prediction error hypothesis, the established tendency has been to emphasize dopamine involvement in reward, pleasure, addiction and reward-related learning, with less consideration of the involvement of dopamine in aversive processes," Lammel said. To dissect the different dopamine subcircuits, de Jong and Lammel collaborated with the laboratory of Karl Deisseroth at Stanford University, who developed the fiber photometry technology a few years ago. Fiber photometry involves threading thin, flexible fiber optic wires into the brain and recording fluorescent signals given off by neurons and their axons that release dopamine. The fluorescent markers are inserted into the neurons via a virus that targets only these cells. In previous experiments in monkeys, Lammel said, scientists had recorded from dopamine cells without knowing where in the brain the cells' axons reached, which could be areas millimeters from the cell body. Working with mice, de Jong recorded simultaneously from dopamine axons in the lateral and medial regions of an area called the nucleus accumbens, considered an integral part of the brain's reward circuits. He thus captured the activity of cells whose axons reach into these regions from the dopamine areas in the midbrain, specifically the ventral tegmental area. To their surprise, axons in the medial area released dopamine in response to an aversive stimulusa mild electrical shock to the footwhile those in the lateral area released dopamine only after positive stimuli. "We have two different subtypes of dopamine cells: one population mediates attraction and one mediates aversion, and they are anatomically separated," Lammel said. He hopes that these findings can be confirmed in monkeys and humans, and lead to new approaches to understanding and treating addiction and other brain maladies. Explore further Dopamine drives early addiction to heroin More information: Johannes W. de Jong et al, A Neural Circuit Mechanism for Encoding Aversive Stimuli in the Mesolimbic Dopamine System, Neuron (2018). Journal information: Neuron Johannes W. de Jong et al, A Neural Circuit Mechanism for Encoding Aversive Stimuli in the Mesolimbic Dopamine System,(2018). DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2018.11.005 Instagram posts rarely show Bird e-scooter users with helmets or other protective gear, USC researchers say. Credit: Photo/USC News staff Are electric scooters promoted on social media with safety in mind? A USC study of one company's Instagram feed suggests not. Posts to the Instagram account of Bird, a leader in the e-scooter market, rarely show e-scooter users with helmets or other protective gear, potentially normalizing unsafe behavior, according to new research in Preventive Medicine Reports. "E-scooter companies like Bird should consider the importance of road safety," said study author Jon-Patrick Allem, an assistant professor of research in the Department of Preventive Medicine at the Keck School of Medicine of USC. "Communicating safety on forums like Instagram should be part of the process." Instead, Allem noted, Bird sponsored a bill recently passed by the California Legislature that allows adults to ride e-scooters without helmets. The USC study represents a growing body of research at the intersection of social media and science. Similar to other research, the paper examines how new media affects behaviors with potential health outcomes. A USC-led study this spring found that people are more likely to endorse violence via Twitter when an issue is cast as a moral issue on social networks. Another study led by Allem found automated social media accounts promote e-cigarettes as a way to stop smoking, a conclusion not definitively supported by research. For the electric scooter study, Allem and Anuja Majmundar, a doctoral student at USC, analyzed the 324 posts on Bird's Instagram account published between Sept. 22, 2017 and Nov. 9, 2018. Bird has about 69,000 Instagram followers. Among all posts, 6 percent featured people wearing protective gear. E-scooter injuries are rising The user agreements for Lime and Bird, as well as decals on the scooters, mention the use of helmets, but that emphasis is mostly absent on social media. "Modeling safe riding practices through social media is a win-win for all stakeholders, including e-scooter companies," Majmundar said. Reports of e-scooter injuries are beginning to increase. A class-action lawsuit filed in October in Los Angeles County Superior Court accuses Bird, Lime and other e-scooter companies of "gross negligence" and "aiding and abetting assault" stemming from scooters crashing into pedestrians. Allem cautioned that the study is limited to one social media account from a single e-scooter company, and this study does not address the effectiveness of protective gear to prevent injuries. Explore further Madrid orders removal of electric scooters More information: Jon-Patrick Allem et al. Are electric scooters promoted on social media with safety in mind? A case study on Bird's Instagram, Preventive Medicine Reports (2018). Journal information: Preventive Medicine Jon-Patrick Allem et al. Are electric scooters promoted on social media with safety in mind? A case study on Bird's Instagram,(2018). DOI: 10.1016/j.pmedr.2018.11.013 Researchers have demonstrated that influenza virus impairs the immune response to pneumococcus, especially monocyte activity. A software tool developed with FAPESPs support was used to interpret the data. Credit: Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine The relationship between influenza and pneumonia has long been observed by health workers. Its genetic and cellular mechanisms have now been investigated in depth by scientists in a study involving volunteers and conducted in the United Kingdom. Published in the journal Nature Immunology, the paper describes for the first time a cellular mechanism that controls the proliferation of pneumococcithe Streptococcus pneumoniae bacteria that cause pneumoniaand their movement from the nose to the lungs. It also reports that in humans, the inflammation caused by the influenza virus impairs the innate immune control of pneumococci. The study was performed by scientists at the Center for Research on Inflammatory DiseasesCRID, a Research, Innovation and Dissemination CenterRIDC funded by Sao Paulo ResearchFAPESP, and the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (LSTM) in the UK. It was supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the UK Medical Research Council (MRC), and the Brazilian Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES), as well as FAPESP. "Based on our understanding and analysis of the cellular, genetic and immune response mechanisms, we were able to prove that most flu-related deaths are due to post-flu pneumonia rather than to influenza virus itself," said Helder Nakaya, a researcher affiliated with CRID and a coauthor of the paper. The main reason, according to the results of the study, is that influenza virus silences the organism's innate immune response, in particular inhibiting the action of monocytesthe main type of leukocyte or white blood cell responsible for expelling foreign bodies such as viruses and bacteria. To conduct the study, the researchers recruited volunteers to be inoculated with attenuated influenza virus and pneumococcus. This procedure is permitted in the UK. No volunteers suffered from pneumonia during the study. Researchers on the Brazilian side analyzed and interpreted genetic and cellular data using CEMiTool bioinformatics software developed at the University of Sao Paulo's Pharmaceutical Science School (FCF-USP) with FAPESP's supportunder the aegis of its Young Investigators grant program. "The software tool enabled us to analyze the interaction among the various genes in a very large number of samples, given that 140 volunteers took part in the study," Nakaya said. Journey of pneumococcus Live attenuated influenza viruses were obtained from the flu vaccines (Fluenz/Flumist) administered every winter in the U.K. Three days after receiving the flu virus, the volunteers received pneumococcus via nasal spray. Blood samples, nasal swabs and nasal cells from the volunteers were analyzed throughout the study, which lasted an entire winter. "In order for pneumonia to develop, the bacterium must be in the lungs. This same bacterium can live in the nose for a long time without causing symptoms, especially in healthy adults. For some reason, however, especially in more vulnerable patients, the bacterium travels from the nose to the lungs. Our study focused precisely on the mechanisms that clear the bacteria from the nose and prevent it from traveling to the lungs, and on how influenza virus alters this process," said Daniela Ferreira, a professor at LSTM and principal investigator for the study. The findings showed that the number of bacteria in the nose increased significantly because of the influenza virus. "Another important point is that excessive multiplication of pneumococcus heightens the patient's predisposition to transmit it to other people," Ferreira said. "So there are two problems: an increase in individual susceptibility to pneumonia, and an increase in transmission of pneumococcus in the general population." The bacteria multiply in the nose when the influenza virus impairs the immune response by inhibiting monocyte antibacterial activity. "We analyzed the genes and mechanisms involved in the bacterium's journey to the lungs. We also identified biological markers that are more expressed in an individual with the virus and uncontrolled bacterial infection. In future we'll be able to use all this information to develop better vaccines and therapies," Ferreira said. Different in humans The mechanisms of the immune response to colonization by pneumococcus have been thoroughly studied in mice but remain poorly understood in humans. Using for the first time a human experimental challenge model with the attenuated flu virus and pneumococcus, the researchers discovered that in humans, unlike mice, nasal bacterial infection leads quickly to the activation of neutrophils, another type of lymphocyte always present in the human nose, and to the recruitment of monocytes, which clear the nostrils of bacteria by rupturing their vesicles (lysis). Neutrophil recruitment results in control of the bacteria in mice, instead of monocyte recruitment. This finding "underlin[es] the importance of confirming mouse findings with human data," the authors stress in the article. Another finding was that the live attenuated influenza vaccine can be used to control pneumonia, which is a major global health problem and kills more children under five than any other disease. It is also particularly dangerous to the elderly and people with chronic lung disease, immunosuppression and viral coinfection. "The most important point about this entire process is that people need to be immune to flu. The flu vaccine also proved beneficial to avoiding pneumonia," Ferreira said. The researchers are now analyzing the converse situation when infection by the bacteria occurs first and is followed by influenza virus infection. Explore further Bacterial respiratory tract colonization prior to catching the flu may protect against severe illness More information: Simon P. Jochems et al, Inflammation induced by influenza virus impairs human innate immune control of pneumococcus, Nature Immunology (2018). Journal information: Nature Immunology Simon P. Jochems et al, Inflammation induced by influenza virus impairs human innate immune control of pneumococcus,(2018). DOI: 10.1038/s41590-018-0231-y Rapid Entire Body Assessment of Singapore homemakers drying laundry. Credit: IOS Press Drying laundry on bamboo poles in confined spaces puts Singaporean homemakers housewives and househusbands at increased risk of musculoskeletal disorders, the first-ever biomechanical study of laundry-related housework has revealed. Singapore's pipesocket system involves attaching washed clothes onto a series of bamboo poles, which are then slotted into sockets outside kitchen windows, much like flagpoles. One of two main systems (the other involving two plates supporting both ends of the laundry pole), the pipesocket system is provided in the older public housing estates, which house the majority of the country's population. This unique system enables laundry drying in the humid city where open space is at a premium and tumble dryers are scarce. But with homemakers those responsible for compulsory household maintenance work comprising 2 in 10 of those presenting upper-limb musculoskeletal disorders at Singapore's hospitals, occupational therapists set out to investigate why drying laundry can cause such pain. Five homemakers drying a standardised basket of laundry in their own homes were videoed by a team led by Lee Hong Rui, Principal Occupational Therapist at Singapore General Hospital, and who completed the study as part of her MSc in Occupational Therapy at Brunel University London in the UK. The researchers used the Rapid Entire Body Assessment (REBA) method to analyse each of nine distinct tasks in laundry drying and assess the risk posed to each homemakers. The most taxing tasks involved retrieving bamboo poles from the typically high overhead racks at the beginning of the process, and returning the poles at the end, presenting high musculoskeletal risk. Overall, laundry drying posed a medium risk to participants, with an average REBA score of 4.3 to 5.4 significantly higher than the safe value of 2. Laundry hung out to dry using Singapore's pipesocket system. Credit: Wikimedia Commons "Our study showed that narrow workspaces and this unique practice of laundry drying result in homemakers adopting extreme or awkward postures," said Ms Lee. "Standing on tiptoes to reach poles, reaching out of windows often stretching over household equipment such as the washing machine to insert poles into sockets, and doing all of this repetitively and with poor posture, all present risks to the neck, trunk, shoulder and wrist." Repetitive motions in extreme positions can cause a reduction in how well muscles perform their functional capacity. Homemakers can compensate using coping strategies, but these often result in poorer posture, such as increased trunk twisting or shoulder elevation. Over time, this can result in conditions such as carpal tunnel syndrome, rotator cuff tendonitis and tension neck syndrome. The findings provide some potential directions to assist homemakers in formulating control strategies, such as: reorganising a workspace to reduce the need to over-stretch using an assistive stick to retrieve and return bamboo poles to avoid having to stand on tiptoes adopting workrest strategies to avoid muscle fatigue, given that the highest average REBA score was seen when working with bamboo pole number three out of six. The bamboo poles are usually stored in high overhead racks. Credit: IOS Press "This is the first quantitative study, with concrete evidence on the positive association between the physical work environment of homemakers in Singapore and their musculoskeletal risk exposure," added Ms Lee. "Our recommendations can also be used by clinicians to provide preventive intervention strategies to homemakers during consultation, reducing the burden that future injuries would pose to individuals and to the Singapore healthcare system." Explore further Hospital more than four times as likely for under-6s after laundry pod detergent contact More information: Lee Hong Rui et al. A pilot study: Exploring the musculoskeletal risk exposure associated with drying laundry using the public housing pipe-socket system amongst women in Singapore, Work (2018). Lee Hong Rui et al. A pilot study: Exploring the musculoskeletal risk exposure associated with drying laundry using the public housing pipe-socket system amongst women in Singapore,(2018). DOI: 10.3233/WOR-182809 Credit: CC0 Public Domain (HealthDay)Smoking tobacco is a risk factor for cognitive dysfunction in patients with fibromyalgia (FM), according to a study presented at the 17th Annual Pain Medicine Meeting, a meeting of the American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine, held from Nov. 15 to 17 in San Antonio. Ryan D'Souza, M.D., from the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, and colleagues surveyed 668 patients with FM to examine the correlation between tobacco smoking and cognitive function. The primary outcome of interest was cognitive function as measured by the 38-question multiple-ability self-report questionnaire (MASQ). The researchers found that 14.07 percent of the patients self-identified as smokers. In unadjusted analysis, smoking was identified as a significant risk factor for lower total cognitive functional score and lower MASQ subscale scores in language, verbal memory, visual-spatial memory, and attention. After adjustment for age, gender, body mass index, marital status, and education level, smoking was identified as a significant risk factor for lower total cognitive functional scores and lower MASQ subscales in language, verbal memory, visual-spatial memory, and attention. In univariate analysis adjusting for the same factors, smoking was a significant risk factor for greater FM symptom severity, worse quality-of-life measures of bodily pain and mental component scale, greater sleep problems, and increased anxiety and depression. "In FM patients, smoking is a risk factor for cognitive dysfunction," the authors write. "Moreover, FM patients who smoked were also more likely to report increased FM symptom severity, worse quality of life indices, worse sleep, and increased anxiety and depression." Explore further Living in deprived area is risk factor for cognitive dysfunction Copyright 2018 HealthDay. All rights reserved. Reshma Jagsi, M.D., D.Phil. Credit: Michigan Medicine A new analysis finds striking inconsistency in parental leave policies at the nation's top residency programs, illustrating the enormous challenge these programs face balancing training the next generation of doctors and supporting trainees' personal and family needs. On the one hand: Hospitals depend on the clinical care their residents provide. Extended family leaves can affect staffing, as well as residents' ability to build competency. On the other hand: New parents have physical and emotional needs, and aspiring doctors should not have to delay having children beyond their peak years of fertility. "Becoming a doctor includes a long period of training and service. At the same time, we are seeing growing attention in medicine to the integration of career and family. It's extraordinarily complicated and challenging to balance the competing demands here," says Reshma Jagsi, M.D., D.Phil., director of the Center for Bioethics and Social Sciences in Medicine at the University of Michigan, and co-senior author of the study. She and colleagues at five other institutions assessed formal leave policies for residents who have a new baby. They looked at the top graduate medical education programs, according to two different published rankings. Using institutional websites, they searched for policies regarding parental leave for residents. Policies were verified by the institutions. Results are published in JAMA. Of 15 teaching hospitals, eight had an institutional policy providing paid childbearing or family leave for residents. The average maternity leave was 6.6 weeks. For same-sex couples, adoptive parents or fathers, paid leave policies averaged 3.9 weeks. "In my opinion, there is an urgent need for medical schools to create more generous family leave policies for all of their trainees," says co-senior study author Christina Mangurian, M.D., MAS, professor of psychiatry and vice chair for diversity and health equity at UC San Francisco. "Regarding birth-mothers specifically, I believe that expanding childbearing leave will not only benefit the mental and physical health of these mothers and their babies, but will also support our long-term goal to have women thrive in medicine by providing support when they need it most." A recent report found that the average childbearing leave for faculty physicians at 12 top medical schools was 8.6 weeks. Of the institutions representing the residency programs studied, all of them had policies for faculty physicians. "It's remarkable that nearly half of these institutions lacked a common institution-level policy for resident parental leave, even though they all had at least some policy to support faculty leave. In some cases, even where policies did exist, it was difficult to find out what they were. And the policies that did exist typically didn't cover common concerns, like whether on-call duties have to be paid back. Certainly, department-level policies exist in some cases and individual accommodations occur. But it's challenging for individuals to make family planning decisions when accommodations are ad hoc, expectations are opaque, and policies vary so widely," Jagsi says. The authors emphasize that there's likely no magic formula for parental leave for residents. Instead, they encourage developing transparent and consistent policies that take into account both the importance of medical training and the need to honor childbearing years. "Teaching hospitals are directing greater attention to the challenges of parenting during graduate medical training, amid a sharper focus on physician well-being overall. Change is certainly occurring, though not as quickly as we'd like," says study author Debra Weinstein, M.D., vice president of graduate medical education at Partners HealthCare and associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School. "Failing to recognize and accommodate the physical and emotional needs of childbirth and parent-child bonding is inappropriate within a profession that, at its core, seeks to promote human health. Simply put: no one should have to choose a medical career at the cost of being able to have a family," Jagsi says. Explore further AAP endorses parental leave for pediatric residents (HealthDay)Those Sunday crossword puzzles may not prevent the aging brain from slowing downbut they might protect it in a different way, a new study suggests. Researchers looked at the "use it or lose it" theory on brain health. The concept holds that mentally engaging activitiesfrom reading to crosswords to board gamesmay help the brain resist dementia later in life. In this study, older adults who said they enjoyed those pastimes were no less likely to show signs of mental decline over time, versus other older folks. But they did, on average, score higher on standard tests of mental sharpness. That means that while they did decline over time, they did so from a higher "starting point," the researchers explained. "The results indicate that a lifetime of engagement lifts you to a high point from which you decline, and that can be considered as passive cognitive reserve," said lead researcher Roger Staff, of the University of Aberdeen in Scotland. "Starting from a high point," he said, "will mean that the threshold at which you are considered impaired will be farther into the future." "Cognitive reserve" can be seen as the brain's ability to find alternative ways to get things done. In theory, a person with greater cognitive reserve may be able to withstand pathological changes in the brain for a longer time before showing signs of dementia. "The idea is that yes, you'll declinebut the higher the level you start from, the more years you'll have with good functioning," said Keith Fargo, director of scientific programs and outreach for the Alzheimer's Association. Fargo, who was not involved in the study, saw the results in a positive lightagreeing that they support the cognitive reserve hypothesis. However, he said, they do not actually prove that study participants' penchant for puzzles directly boosted their brain power. That takes "intervention trials," Fargo saidwhere people would be randomly assigned to engage in certain mentally stimulating activities or not. The Alzheimer's Association is launching a trial, dubbed POINTER, that will test the effects of mental stimulation along with other lifestyle changesincluding exercise, social engagement and better control of health conditions such as high blood pressure and diabetes. It will look at whether those measures can protect mental function in older adults at increased risk of decline. The latest study included nearly 500 older British adults who had all taken the same intelligence test when they were about 11back in the 1940s. Starting at the age of 64, they answered questions about whether they engaged in intellectually stimulating activities, such as solving puzzles, playing board games, reading or going to museums. They also took standard tests of memory and thinking over the next 15 yearsup to five times. Overall, the study found, people who liked to challenge their minds were no less likely to show mental decline over time. But they did perform better on the memory and thinking testsespecially those who enjoyed problem-solving activities like puzzles. That was true even when the researchers factored in childhood intelligence and education level. The results were published Dec. 10 in the BMJ journal. Staff agreed that the findings do not prove a cause-and-effect link. But, he said, they do support the importance of feeding the mindideally starting early in life. "Have a hungry mind," Staff advised. "It's like money in the cognitive bank." But is it ever "too late" for older adults to take up chess or crosswords? Fargo said there's not enough evidence to answer that question. But, he stressed, research does suggest that adults can help protect their brain health through various lifestyle choices. Those include exercising regularly, eating healthfully, not smoking, getting enough sleepand, yes, staying mentally active. And if you don't like puzzles, find something else that uses your mental skills in a fun way. "Most people do get some enjoyment from challenging themselves," Fargo said. Explore further Regular problem solving does not protect against mental decline More information: Roger Staff, Ph.D., honorary lecturer, University of Aberdeen, Scotland; Keith Fargo, Ph.D., director, scientific programs and outreach, Alzheimer's Association, Chicago; Dec. 10, 2018, BMJ, online Roger Staff, Ph.D., honorary lecturer, University of Aberdeen, Scotland; Keith Fargo, Ph.D., director, scientific programs and outreach, Alzheimer's Association, Chicago; Dec. 10, 2018,, online The Alzheimer's Association suggests 10 Ways to Love Your Brain. Journal information: British Medical Journal (BMJ) Copyright 2018 HealthDay. All rights reserved. Credit: CC0 Public Domain The well known 'use it or lose it' claim has been widely accepted by healthcare professionals, but researchers in the Christmas issue of The BMJ find that regularly doing problem solving activities throughout your lifetime does not prevent mental decline in later life. However, they say don't cross the shiny new chess board or bumper puzzle book off the Christmas list just yet, as the results suggest that regularly engaging in intellectual activities boosts mental ability throughout life and provides a "higher cognitive point" from which to decline. Previous studies have suggested that mental ability can be maintained or improved by exercising the mind in brain teasers such as Sudoku and crossword puzzles. They also suggest that reading from an early age, playing board games and playing musical instruments at least twice a week is linked with reduced risk of dementia. But there is a lack of historical childhood mental ability data, and the effect of practice on improving test scores has often been overlooked in mental ageing studies. So a team of researchers led by Roger Staff at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary and University of Aberdeen set out to examine the association between intellectual engagement and mental ability in later life. The study used data from the archives of the Scottish Council for Research in Education (SCRE) who had maintained population-based records of the Scottish Mental Surveys of 1947. The 498 participants were all born in 1936 and had all taken part in a group intelligence test (The Moray House Test) at the age of 11. They were around 64 years old at the start of the study. They were recalled for memory and mental processing speed testing up to 5 times over a 15 year period. Each person's education history and National Adult Reading Test Score (NART) were recorded at the start of the study. The researchers also tested current adult ability using the Digit Symbol Substitution Test (DSST) - a test of matching symbols with digitsand the Auditory-Verbal Learning Testa verbal memory test. In addition, they used a version of the TIE questionnaire (Typical Intellectual Engagement) to test levels of existing interest in reading and problem solving, consideration of ideas and intellectual curiosity. After taking into account potentially influential factors, the researchers found that engaging in intellectually stimulating activities on a regular basis was linked to level of mental ability in old age, having the largest association with improving cognitive performance during the course of life. But such activities had no effect on the rate of mental decline associated with ageing. Dr. Staff, Honorary lecturer at the University of Aberdeen and Head of Medical Physics at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, suggests that while those who regularly engage in problem solving puzzles could potentially enhance their mental ability, this does not "protect an individual from decline but imparts a higher starting point from which decline is observed". This is an observational study, and the authors stress that it is "impossible for a causal effect to be inferred" because of other unmeasured factors, such as personality. They suggest that "personality may govern how much effort older people put into such activities and why". However, they highlight the importance of a "predisposition toward mental engagement" and the positive influence that regularly participating in intellectually engaging activities can have on mental ability across lifetime. Explore further Mental well-being related to better brain health in older adults All of the following happened during a three-week stretch in August: A nurse at Texas Children's Hospital in Houston posted a comment on an anti-vaccine Facebook page about the city's first measles case in five years. She said the young boy, whom she described as "super sick," was the first case of measles she and others at the hospital had ever seen. But she said that despite the child's "terrible" condition, she still had no regrets about opposing the use of vaccines. The nurse was subsequently fired. According to the hospital, it was because she had posted health information about a patient on social media. The upper house of Italy's parliament voted to suspend a requirement that children receive 10 vaccines before they enter preschool. The populist coalition now controlling the government supports the position that the decision to vaccinate should be left to a child's parents. A study published in the American Journal of Public Health found that the propaganda efforts of Russian internet trolls and bots have included tweets weighing in on the subject of vaccine safety. While the bots focused on attracting clicks through provocative anti-vaccine comments, the approach of the trolls was more nuanced. According to the study, they disseminated both pro and con messages, with the goal of sowing discord and creating a false sense of equivalency. The World Health Organization reported that the number of measles cases in Europe reached a record high through the first six months of 2018. More than 41,000 children and adults contracted the disease from January through June, almost double the total for the region during all of 2017. Thirty-seven people died from measles during the same period. These are confounding times when it comes to vaccines. Critics of their required use have made inroads with the public, and yet the medical community hasn't wavered in its belief that they are safe and effective. In fact, a 2014 Pew Research Center survey found that 86 percent of medical scientists believe vaccines should be mandatory. Vaccines also are clearly effective. Take, for instance, their impact on the spread of measles. In the decade before 1963, when a vaccine first became available, an estimated 3 to 4 million Americans became infected with the disease every year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. An estimated 400 to 500 people died each yearmost of them childrenand another 48,000 were hospitalized. By 2000, the number of new measles cases per year had plummeted to fewer than 100. Overall, vaccines have eradicated or brought under control seven major human diseasessmallpox, diphtheria, tetanus, yellow fever, whooping cough, polio, and measles. It's been estimated that the elimination of smallpox has saved 40 million lives. Deaths from polio worldwide have dropped by 99 percent since 1988only 22 were reported in 2017and more than 16 million people have been saved from paralysis, according to the WHO. Despite those impressive statistics, anti-vaccine activists have been successful in raising doubts about vaccination safety, primarily by promoting a debunked myth of a link between measles vaccine and autism. The recent spike in measles cases in Europe and several outbreaks of the disease in the U.S.including one in early 2015 in which 147 people contracted measles traced to exposure at two Disney theme parks in Californiais likely a reflection of that vaccine skepticism. A 2016 survey, called the Vaccine Confidence Project, found that 41 percent of the French population disagreed with the statement, "Overall, I think vaccines are safe." The percentages were also relatively high in Greece and Ukraine (one out of four people) and Italy (one out of five). About 14 percent of Americans surveyed had doubts about vaccine safety, slightly above the global average of 12 percent. The measles vaccination rate in the U.S. remains above 91 percentthe WHO goal is 95 percentbut public health officials here worry about an uptick in communities where clusters of parents are choosing not to have their children vaccinated. Daniel Salmon believes that the number of Americans adamantly opposed to vaccinations is actually quite small, maybe lower than 1 percent. But as director of the Institute for Vaccine Safety at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, he is painfully aware of how well the anti-vaccine movement has been able to aggressively use the internet and social media to raise uneasiness or suspicion among those known as the "vaccine-hesitant." He points out that it's not unusual for young parents to be anxious about their babies getting inoculated. Maybe as many as one in three has serious concerns about it, Salmon suggests. "Think about the number of vaccines given to a child at one time, in their first few months," he says. "Parents want to protect their child. It's understandable why people have concerns. That doesn't make them anti-vaccine." But that natural parental anxiety has been intensified by a darker fear, one that has its roots in a 1998 study published in The Lancet, the British medical journal. That research, led by Andrew Wakefield, then a gastroenterologist, suggested a connection between MMR vaccine (measles/ mumps/rubella) and the onset of autism. Ultimately, after an investigation called into serious question both the research and Wakefield's ethicshe never disclosed funding by lawyers hired by parents suing vaccine-producing companiesthe study was retracted by The Lancet, and he lost his medical license. Wakefield, who has since moved to Austin, Texas, insists that he was the victim of a campaign by the medical establishment to discredit him and remains active as an anti-vaccine speaker. He and others in the anti-vaccine movement have been able to generate revenue through appearing at seminars and selling books and "wellness" supplements. "The starting point was the Wakefield study," says Meghan Moran, an assistant professor in the Bloomberg School of Public Health and a researcher who focuses on the communication of health information to the public. "It was a study by a real scientist and published in a real medical journal. Folks who didn't like vaccines to begin with were able to point to a specific study. We later found out it was fabricated and withdrawn from the literature. But the fact that it was withdrawn can be twisted into the belief that the medical industry doesn't want the real knowledge to come out. Because of social media, that idea can be disseminated much more rapidly and more widely today." One recent example of how scientists have begun to push back against the autism claim in more personal ways is the publication of a book titled Vaccines Did Not Cause Rachel's Autism. Written by Peter Hotez, director of the Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development at Baylor College of Medicine, it presents his perspective both as a scientist and the father of an autistic child. "Yes, the anti-vaccine and anti-science people are aggressive and have had an impact," he says. "But their activities actually stimulated me to write this book." The truth is, vaccine skeptics have been around as long as the treatment itself. Though he was not the first to do so, British physician Sir Edward Jenner was an early advocate of protecting people from smallpox by injecting them with cowpoxa related but milder virus. His first paper, describing a successful inoculation in 1796, was rejected by the Royal Society in London as too revolutionary. Even after a later paper documenting more vaccinations was published, Jenner was widely ridiculed, particularly by the clergy, who found the practice "unnatural" and "unchristian." A cartoon published in 1802 went so far as to show small cows sprouting from the mouths, noses, and ears of people who had been inoculated. Once smallpox vaccinations were adopted by the medical community, anti-vaccine organizations and journals sprang up in Europe and the U.S., particularly after communities began passing laws making smallpox vaccinations mandatory. Some still distrusted the science; others objected to what they saw as a loss of personal freedom when it became illegal to refuse vaccinations for children. In time, vaccination opposition waned, only to surge again late in the 20th centuryfirst in the 1970s when questions were raised about the safety of DTP vaccine (diphtheria/tetanus/ pertussis or whooping cough), then more recently, with Wakefield's discredited claim about autism. The irony is that vaccines have likely come under more scrutiny because of their success. Smallpox has been gone from the U.S. and Europe for almost 70 years, and a shrinking number of people have personal memories of the polio epidemics of the 1940s and 1950s that killed or paralyzed as many as half a million people a year, most of them children. By 2000, measles was considered eliminated in the U.S. "Fear shifts from the diseases that are effectively controlled to the vaccines themselves," Salmon says. Another complication, he notes, is that the first signs of developmental problems, such as autism, occur around the same time that an infant is vaccinated. So, people have found it easier to believe a connection between the two. "It's a normal, understandable fallacy, but it presents a problem for vaccines. We also tend to fear things we have no control over. With vaccines, people feel they have no control." Andrew Read, director of the Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics at Penn State University, also teaches vaccine safety. He raises another issuethe difference in how scientists and the general public perceive risk. Researchers know there's always a risk of side effects from vaccines, albeit very small. Occasionally, a child receiving the measles vaccine could experience seizures or a temporary low platelet count, and in extremely rare cases, deafness or a coma, according to the CDC. But the anti-vaccine movement has raised expectations that no risk should be acceptable. And that notion, while quite unrealistic, has become part of the public discourse. "To me, it's a miracle that a small injection of a clear liquid can protect you for life from these debilitating diseases," Read says. "The risks of vaccines are actually pretty small compared to a lot of things you do in life. But people hear stories, and horror stories are horror stories." That's in line with Moran's experience. "Understanding risk can be tough for a person who may have no experience with a disease like measles," she says. "They haven't known anyone who has had it. That could be going up against some anecdote about a kid who has had one of the very rare side effects. That story is a lot more vivid." Moran knows what medical and public health professionals are up against when it comes to countering vaccine deniers. A few years ago, she led a team that analyzed nearly 500 anti-vaccination websites. It was a sobering undertaking. About two-thirds insisted that vaccines cause autism. Many of the sites also took findings from peer-reviewed research and misinterpreted or distorted them. One other feature of at least a third of the sites is that they relied heavily on personal anecdotes, rather than emphasizing scientific research. While the toll of anti-vaccine sentiment related to measles has been considerably less in the U.S. than in Europe, the incidence of the disease has been creeping up since dropping to only 86 cases nationwide in 2016. Through mid-August, 124 cases had been reported in 2018, including nine different "outbreaks"that's three or more linked cases. One concerning trend is a rise in the number of nonmedical exemptions. These have been granted to parents who for religious or philosophical reasons request that their children not be vaccinated. Currently, 18 U.S. states permit philosophical exemptions and, according to a study published in PLOS Medicine last June, the number in 12 of those states has increased since 2009. The states with rising philosophical exemptions are Arkansas, Arizona, Idaho, Maine, Minnesota, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Utah. The study also identified what were described as "hot spots"communities with larger than ordinary numbers of these exemptions and, therefore, more susceptible to outbreaks. These included rural communities in Wisconsin, Idaho, and Utah, and also metropolitan areas, such as Seattle, Portland, Houston, Austin, Fort Worth, Phoenix, Salt Lake City, Detroit, Kansas City, and Pittsburgh. It's still a small number of children who aren't vaccinated for philosophical reasonsfewer than 50,000 kindergartners nationwidebut it's growing. In Texas, for instance, the percentage of children opting out of vaccinations for nonmedical reasons doubled from the 201112 school year to last year. The problem comes when there are clusters of unvaccinated children in a community. That minimizes the effect of what's known as "herd immunity"when roughly 90 percent of a population has been inoculated, greatly reducing the chance of a contagious disease spreading. Without that, outbreaks are more likely, such as one in which 383 Amish residents of central Ohio were infected with measles in 2014, and another in Minneapolis in 2017 when 79 Somali-American children contracted the disease. Often overlooked is how much strain disease outbreaks can place on local public health departments. An analysis published in JAMA Pediatrics last summer found that during a 2013 measles outbreak of 58 cases in an Orthodox Jewish community in Brooklyn, 87 members of the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene spent more than 10,000 total hours tracking and trying to control the spread of the disease. The cost to the city? Just under $400,000. The outbreak among Somali-Americans in Minnesota was particularly frustrating for local clinicians and public health officials. At one point, that community had had one of the higher vaccination rates in the state. But by 2014, only 42 percent of its children were being inoculated against measles. The big reason was fear of autism. Some members of the close-knit group had read about the rumored link between vaccination and autism on the internet, and their fears were fanned by anti-vaccine activists in the Minneapolis area. Those activists even invited Andrew Wakefield himself to meet with Somali-American families, which he did several times in 2010 and 2011. The clear message was that if parents didn't want to vaccinate their kids, they didn't need to. It was only after imams from local mosques began endorsing vaccines that fear of inoculations started to ease. As director of the University of Minnesota's Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy, Michael Osterholm witnessed firsthand how mistrust helped fuel the outbreak. "One thing we need to take seriously is that we always thought that more education was all it would take for people to come to the right answer," he says. "We now realize that's simply not the case." Those who oppose mandatory vaccinations often say they aren't actually anti-vaccine but rather pro-choicethat it should be a decision left up to the parents. It's a position that appeals to a broad spectrum of skeptics, according to Paul Offit, director of the Vaccine Education Center at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia: "On the right, it's more of a libertarian argument: 'I don't think I should be made to have a biological fluid injected into myself or my child. Let me do my own research and I will make the best decision for my family. Get the government off my back.' On the left, it's 'I want all things natural. Injecting a biological thing into my child's arm is not a natural thing to do.' Two different arguments, both ill-founded." The challenge is that the persistent and strategic use of social media by the anti-vaccine movement has enabled it to have an outsize influence. Michael Kinch, director of Washington University's Center for Research Innovation in Business, remembers the reaction to his recent book, Between Hope and Fear: A History of Vaccines and Human Immunity. "Within the first few hours the book was out, the anti-vaxxers went on Amazon and smeared it," he says. "This group is very organized. Anyone who underestimates them does so at their own risk. When they do things like this, you just have to assume that they mean well. They're convinced that vaccines cause harm." Beyond that, it's been suggested that the ability of activists to cherry-pick negative results from vaccine studies may be having a chilling effect on research. In an op-ed article in The New York Times in August, science and health writer Melinda Wenner Moyer wrote: "Scientists are so terrified of the public's vaccine hesitancy that they are censoring themselves, playing down undesirable findings and perhaps even avoiding undertaking studies that could show unwanted effects." Osterholm acknowledges that he has been "shot many times from both the back and the front," including, he says, by colleagues. "Some supporters of vaccines have actually done us a disfavor in some cases," he says. "They have made it seem that any criticism of a vaccine is more detrimental than it is helpful. And I absolutely disagree with that. The most important thing is that we tell the truth." Kinch agrees that it's important to acknowledge risk when it exists. "To suppress negative research is scientific malpractice in my opinion," he says. "The fact is that there's never a perfect solution to anything. Just because a vaccine isn't perfect doesn't mean you don't take it. What makes science unique is that as we go along, we refine ideas. The beauty of science is that you're continually improving." While the depth of vaccine angst is hard to measure, it apparently has risen to the point where it's now considered a topic polarizing enough to be exploited by Russian internet trolls and bots. That was the surprising conclusion of the aforementioned study, which found that those disinformation social media tools disproportionately mentioned vaccines. "The agenda of Russian trolls is to sow conflict and mistrust among the population," says Mark Dredze, an associate professor of computer science at the Whiting School of Engineering and one of the study's researchers. "So the fact that they chose a health topic was a wake-up call to us. This isn't just a foreign power trying to interfere with an election and being disruptive to politics. It's a broader effort to polarize society around a host of topics. And vaccinations are now one of them. "It should be scary to us that medicine and health could become polarized," he adds. "Vaccines have not really been a partisan issue. The fact that outside powers are trying to push us in that direction is a huge concern. Once this door has been opened and this has been identified as a topic that can be divisive, I fully expect people to do it again." Prior to his election, President Donald Trump tweeted vaccine messages dozens of times, including one in 2014 when he said: "Healthy young child goes to doctor, gets pumped with massive shots of many vaccines, doesn't feel good and changesAUTISM." He met with Andrew Wakefield and later invited him to one of his inaugural balls. A survey in December 2016 by YouGov, a global public opinion and data firm, found that one out of three Trump supporters believed vaccines could cause autism. Just before he was inaugurated, Trump also told Robert Kennedy Jr., another high-profile vaccine skeptic, that he wanted him to head up a commission to review vaccine safety. To date, no such commission has been created. In Europe, however, politicians in a number of countries, including Italy and France, have made a point of weaving anti-vaccine stances into populist agendas. In France, right-wing presidential candidate Marine Le Pen campaigned against mandatory vaccinations. The Five Star Movement, Italy's most popular party, has opposed policies increasing the number of required vaccines, and Matteo Salvini, the country's deputy prime minister and minister of the interior and one of its most powerful politicians, has declared vaccinations "useless and, in many cases, dangerous." Perhaps not surprisingly, measles cases have shot up in Europe in the past few years, from 5,273 in all of 2016 to almost eight times that number during just the first six months of 2018. More than half of those cases were in Ukraine, but in six other countriesFrance, Italy, Greece, Russia, Georgia, and Serbiamore than 1,000 people were infected with measles in the first half of this year. "Any time science is politicized, it can be harder to do our jobs because it touches on that trust issue," Moran says. "We need to work harder on communicating that we are looking out for everybody." Salmon agrees. "It's a real challenge for public health. Trust in government is at an all-time low. And the public health agencies that strongly promote vaccines are government agencies. One of the outstanding questions is how do we maintain and improve trust in public health agencies." So, it has become that much more important to find the most effective ways to ease the anxiety of parents. Salmon says it starts with health professionals taking those concerns seriously, then responding appropriately. "We need to identify those concerns and address them, not in isolation but in the context of a larger message that emphasizes the risk of disease, and the benefits of vaccines in addressing the specific concerns you have. That's what the evidence shows is most likely to work. Simply hitting back at myths can backfire. For example, if a person is concerned that a flu vaccine can cause the flu, we don't have the doctor say, 'I understand why you worry about the flu vaccine giving you the flu' because even if they go on to debunk that myth, by mentioning it you reinforce it. "So, instead the doctor might say, 'I understand why you want to prevent the flu. Let me explain to you that the vaccine can't cause the flu. The best way to prevent the flu is the vaccine.' You want to show empathy, but do so carefully." Both Salmon and Meghan Moran think timing also is critical. Ideally, a doctor should discuss vaccinations when a woman is pregnant with her first child, which Salmon describes as a "teachable moment." An expectant mother usually hasn't given much thought to vaccines at that point, and probably hasn't already formed negative opinions. "People are more likely to latch on to something if it fits with what they already believe," Moran says. "If they already are a little iffy about vaccines, they might be more likely to blow something negative out of proportion." They also say it's increasingly important for medical professionals to address any fears empathetically, rather than dismissing them or trying to simply counter them with scientific data. "One or two bad experiences can be enough to break somebody's trust, and it can fuzz out into mistrust of the whole system," Moran says. "Someone whose doctor doesn't take their concerns seriously may then have an experience with an alternative health care provider who does take them seriously. And then there's now this whole other system they're placing their trust in that may or may not be evidence-based." While she believes it's important to be very clear about the facts of vaccination, Moran thinks coupling them with an anecdote can make them more memorable. "It's one thing to read a bulleted list of what can happen if you get measles, but it's another thing for someone to hear a parent talk about how their baby was too young to get vaccinated and came into contact on the playground with someone with measles. And their baby contracted measles and they had to rush him to the ER and they stuck tubes down his throat. Having someone tell that story in vivid detail has much more impact. If the listener is a parent, they know what it's like to see their child in pain." Moran also feels that, like it or not, health professionals need to realize there sometimes may be better people to deliver a vaccine safety message. The impact of the imams in Minnesota is a telling example. "You need to find people with whom they already have a trust relationship," she says. "They could be in churches or schools, even beauty salons. You need people who can help you get around the distrust of the medical community. "It's our job to meet people where they are. If you're doing public health and you're not getting your message across, it's not your audience's fault." Explore further Fighting the vaccine wars on the side of science Dr. Weeks and co-author Alan West, PhD, used the most current publicly available data to compare health outcomes for VA and non-VA hospitals within 121 local healthcare markets that included both a VA medical center and a non-VA hospital. Credit: The Dartmouth Institute The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) is the largest integrated health care system in the United States, providing care at 1,243 health care facilities, including 172 VA Medical Centers and 1,062 outpatient sites. Many of the 9 million veterans enrolled in the VA healthcare program will, at some point, have to decide whether to seek care at a VA or non-VA facility. In a new study, researchers from The Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice and the White River Junction VA Medical Center in White River Junction, Vermont, used the most current publicly available data to compare health outcomes for VA and non-VA hospitals within 121 local healthcare markets that included both a VA medical center and a non-VA hospital. In their findings, recently published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, Dartmouth Institute Professor William Weeks, MD, Ph.D., MBA, and Alan N. West, Ph.D., of the White River Junction VA Medical Center note that several recent studies using broad representative samples of VHA patients with representative samples not in the VHA system have found that outcomes at VA hospitals are at least as good as those in the private sector. Several circumstances they say could account for these findings: The VHA may provide better care than the private sector in every local area. Alternatively, non-VHA care may be better than VHA care in more local areas but by a small amount, whereas VHA care may be better than non-VHA care in fewer local areas but by a large amount in each area. The average across all patients and hospitals would favor the VHA in the former circumstance and might favor the VHA in the latter. "We wanted to take a closer look at local healthcare markets and specific health conditions because if you're a veteran deciding where to seek treatment what you're really concerned with are the outcomes at your local VA," Weeks says. Weeks and West identified 15 outcome measures that were reported by VHA and non-VHA hospitals by using data from Hospital Compare, a Centers for Medicaid & Medicare Studies (CMS) website which provides information on how well hospitals provide recommended care to their patients. These measures included 30-day risk-adjusted mortality rates for four common diseasesacute myocardial infarction, COPD, heart failure, and pneumoniaplus 11 additional patient safety indicators. They used each hospital's ZIP code to assign the hospital to one of 306 hospital referral regionslimiting their analyses to the 121 regions in which at least one VHA and one non-VHA hospital reported at least one of the measures. (The Dartmouth Atlas of Health Care defines these regions as distinct health care markets.) The researchers found that VA hospitals were likely to provide the best care in a local health care market and rarely provided the worst care in local markets. "Our findings suggest that, despite some recent negative reports, the VA generally provides truly excellent care," Weeks says. "If that is the case, outsourcing VA care to non-VA settings solely for patient convenience should be reconsidered." However, Weeks and West also raise the possibility that VA and non-VA hospitals may report data differently to Hospital Compare. If so, the authors recommend the VA and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) take steps to adapt reporting methods to ensure fair comparisons by end users who are trying to make healthcare decisions. Explore further Having hospital palliative care doesn't impact Tx intensity More information: Peter E. Rivard et al, Testing the Association Between Patient Safety Indicators and Hospital Structural Characteristics in VA and Nonfederal Hospitals, Medical Care Research and Review (2009). Journal information: Annals of Internal Medicine Peter E. Rivard et al, Testing the Association Between Patient Safety Indicators and Hospital Structural Characteristics in VA and Nonfederal Hospitals,(2009). DOI: 10.1177/1077558709347378 According to George A. King III of the New York Post, the Mets have continued to show interest in signing free agent reliever David Robertson. King also notes that the Red Sox have heavy interest in the former Yankee, as they hope to fill possible holes in their bullpen with Joe Kelly and Craig Kimbrel both free agents. Robertson, who is representing himself, is not in Las Vegas at the Winter Meetings. The Mets continue to explore the bullpen market after getting closer Edwin Diaz from the Seattle Mariners. Robertson has been a workhorse and strikeout machine over his 11-year big league career. The 33-year old has only landed on the disabled list twice and has pitched 60 or more innings every year but his first two in the league. The righty began his career with the New York Yankees in 2008. He served as Mariano Riveras set-up man before jumping into the closer role prior to the 2014 season. Robertson recorded 39 saves while posting a 3.08 ERA, a 1.057 WHIP, and averaging 13.4 K/9 over 64 innings that year. Prior to the 2015 season, Robertson signed a deal with the Chicago White Sox. Over three seasons, he posted a 3.28 ERA with 208 strikeouts, just 56 walks, and averaged 11.8 K/9 over 159 innings. At the 2017 trading deadline, Robertson was shipped back to New York to help solidify the Yankees bullpen for the playoff push. Over 35 innings, he posted a 1.03 ERA and averaged 13.1 K/9. Last season he continued his success in pinstripes, as he worked 69 games and registered a 3.23 ERA,1.033 WHIP and 11.8 K/9 out of the Yankees bullpen. By Alex Harris, Miami Herald Staff Despite the fact that Florida is the most vulnerable state in the nation to climate change, Governor-elect Ron DeSantis has shied away from discussing the issue or his plans to address it. On Tuesday morning, environmental groups delivered DeSantis a petition with more than 3,400 signatures asking him to acknowledge the threat and become the Governor who saved our state. This is a nonpartisan issue that affects all Floridians. The Governor-elect has no choice but to make climate action a top priority. We are running out of time, Florida Conservation Voters Executive Director Aliki Moncrief said in a statement. DeSantis did not specifically detail his potential plans for climate action, but said in a statement: The Governor-elect has always made clear he will take on the issues facing our state head-on. That includes fighting for clean water, protecting Floridas coastlines and conserving our natural environment. In previous press statements, the Governor-elect has said he is unclear on the cause of climate change (the majority of scientists say its from fossil fuels burned by humans), although he sees the effects and wants to address them. The sea rise may be because of human activity and the changing climate, maybe it is not, I do not know, he told Miami Herald news partner CBS4. What I do know is I see the sea rising. I see the increase in flooding in South Florida. I think you would be a fool to not consider that is an issue we need to address. In the letter, co-signed by Miamis CLEO Institute, Environment Florida and the Sierra Club, petitioners asked DeSantis to help Florida transition to renewable energy, protect the states waterways, charge polluters and institute a Florida Future Fund to pay for resilient infrastructure. Its a brisk Monday night in December and Andrew Gillum is standing on a small stage above a lively crowd gathered amid tiki torches on an outdoor second-floor terrace of a teachers union headquarters overlooking Biscayne Boulevard. The race for Florida governor was called for Republican Ron DeSantis nearly three weeks prior following a controversial recount, but the runner-up is still campaigning. In the wake of his narrow loss, Gillum continues to tour the state and country in promotion of the progressive causes that took him within a rounding error of becoming the governor-elect. He is still attracting crowds. Still courting the press. And on this night, he is in Miami sounding like a man with unfinished business. Let us know that we still have work to do, Gillum says, riffing in seemingly one single breath through part of an 11-minute thank you speech that detoured onto education, wages, healthcare, the environment and guns. Those challenges are still real today. They will be challenges for us tomorrow. Not one of us can take this election, put up our hands and walk away like the job is done. Its not done for me. A woman shouts 2020! Someone yells Run for president! Despite losing by 33,000 votes to Republican governor-elect Ron DeSantis, Gillums post-script campaign is still going strong even now, a full two years after he first sat in the home of then Florida Democratic Party chairwoman Alison Tant to discuss a dark-horse run for governor. He is, for the first time since his days in college, without a political position, having stepped down as the mayor of Tallahassee last month. And he is without a political organization to represent after giving up his longtime job with People for the American Way in order to launch his gubernatorial campaign. But the framework of Gillums campaign apparatus still exists, and he still has access to a network of thousands of volunteers and staffers who helped him become a national figure for Democrats during the 2018 midterms. Meanwhile, his state political committee continues to raise small-dollar donations. And he continues to generate buzz despite grousing among some Florida Democrats who believe he might have beaten DeSantis had he run a better campaign. Still, with the 2020 presidential contest already looming, Gillums name is now being floated among the dozens of Democrats who might challenge Donald Trump. A December meeting with Barack Obama in Washington and a report by the Associated Press of a Tuesday return to the nations capital to speak with Democratic donors have done nothing to tamp down those rumors. Nor has Gillum, who deflects when asked if hes considering a run. For now, he says his only concrete plans are to continue promoting a progressive network in Florida rather than letting it atrophy and collapse. Hes also taken a once-a-week teaching gig at Harvard Universitys John F. Kennedy School of Government. After I get a little renewal from that process, were going together do the work thats required to transform the future of the state of Florida, Gillum told the crowd Monday at the United Teachers of Dade complex, where he laid out plans to champion new election laws, engage in field organizing and help with outreach to some 1.4 million felons whose voting rights are set to be restored next month following a state constitutional amendment. After his speech, Gillum sat down for an interview with the Miami Herald to talk about his future, his chat with Obama, and whether a presidential run is in his future. Click here for excerpts from the conversation. @alextdaugherty The House of Representatives formally approved a bill by Miami Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen that would limit U.S. loans to Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortegas government until the longtime president carries out democratic reforms. Ros-Lehtinen's Nicaraguan Investment and Conditionality Act, which passed the U.S. Senate earlier this month with additional penalties on Nicaragua sponsored by Florida Sen. Marco Rubio and New Jersey Sen. Bob Menendez, now heads to President Donald Trump's desk for his signature. The bill passed the House by a voice vote on Tuesday. "With the final passage of the amended NICA Act, Congress took a leap forward in creating further accountability against the heinous abuses committed by Ortega and his puppets," Ros-Lehtinen said in a statement. "In a desperate effort to cling to power, Ortega and his thugs have continued to clamp down on free speech and peaceful demonstrations. The United States has answered the call of the Nicaraguan people and will continue to do so in support of much needed electoral and human rights reforms. The bill also includes more sanctions for individuals who can be connected to violent acts against anti-Ortega protestors. Though the NICA Act passed the House of Representatives earlier this year by a voice vote, Florida Republican Rep. Francis Rooney and Nicaraguan businessman reportedly lobbied against its passage in the Senate. Ros-Lehtinen was also worried that the bill's passage could get hung up on procedural grounds at the end of this Congress. Any bill that doesn't pass by the end of the year would need to start over in the next Congress, and Ros-Lehtinen is retiring. "We are one step closer to expanding sanctions and other pressures against the oppressive Ortega regime and sending a clear message that the United States will not tolerate the ongoing human rights violations,"Rubio said in a statement. "I thank Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, who spearheaded these efforts, for her tireless work in support of democracy in the Western Hemisphere." Liquid Telecom announced that it is investing $400 million in network infrastructure and data centres in Egypt over the next three years. Telecom Egypt CEO Ahmed El Beheiry and Econet executive chairman Strive Masiyiwa signed the infrastructure development agreement at the Africa 2018 Forum. This network will be used to connect Egyptian businesses to the rest of Africa, and Telecom Egypt will also partner with Liquid Telecom to build data centres across the country. The signing of this agreement follows the recent completion of Liquid Telecoms Cape to Cairo terrestrial fibre network. Through its data centre offering, Africa Data Centres (ADC), Liquid Telecom is facilitating the growth of Africas cloud by providing a platform for cloud services to be delivered locally in many markets for the first time, it said. South Africa faces no choice but to assume some of the debt of its troubled power utility, Eskom Holdings SOC Ltd., said Martin Kingston, the chief executive officer of Rothschild & Co.s operations in the country. The state-owned company has incurred debt of 419 billion rand ($29 billion), which it is struggling to service, and inadequate spending on maintenance of its power plants has led to a series of scheduled power cuts this month, potentially harming economic growth. It has proposed that the government take over 100 billion rand of that debt, according to a fund manager who attended meetings with Eskom executives in London. The debt on their balance sheet is unsustainable and it can only be addressed by the providers of capital taking a write-off, unacceptably high tariffs or the debt being taken on by a third party with that being government, Kingston said. South Africas government has said its working with Eskom to resolve the debt crisis, adding any solution should be deficit neutral and ruling out the privatization of some of its assets. Analysts and bank CEOs have proposed solutions ranging from the government servicing Eskoms debt to the utility selling its newest power generation assets. Critical Utility Its not credible to assume that Eskom could be allowed to default or become a major risk to the system, he said. The nettle that needs to be grasped is that we have a critical utility of which the fundamental health of South Africa depends. Most of Eskoms borrowings are guaranteed by the government and taking on more debt could push the countrys credit ratings further into junk. Kingston said he believes ratings companies would have taken Eskoms debt and the need for a possible rescue by the government into account when making their assessments. NPP will not shy away from ... Besides recognizing FOMO, here are other ways to be a savvy shopper on Cyber Monday, which is the Monday after Thanksgiving. Also, check out more of the week's best money tips from experts. UpValley Family Centers is seeking Volunteers to assist with their Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program (VITA) in 2019. For 17 years, the UpValley Family Centers has helped low-income individuals and families with free tax preparation assistance. Since 2010 the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program has helped generate over $5.4 million in refunds, providing a significant boost for low-income households and for the local economy. The Centers offer tax assistance services from January through April at their offices in St. Helena and Calistoga, as well as on site at the St. Helena Library. We are looking for volunteers who would like to give back to their local community, said Joleen Cantera, UVFCs Economic Success Manager. No experience is required, UVFC will provide free training and materials. Continuing education credits may also be available. If preparing taxes is not for you, UVFC is also seeking volunteers to help check in clients and prepare intake forms. Both English and Spanish-speaking individuals are invited to apply. All VITA volunteers are required to complete a certification before working with clients. In addition, volunteers will gather in January to become familiar with VITA locations and procedures, and to meet other VITA volunteers. All volunteers may choose their preferred shift at the time of sign-up and will commit to their shift during the tax season of January to April. Volunteering with VITA was a rewarding experience, said Tim Knutson, retired Chevron Senior Counsel and 2018 VITA volunteer. It opened my eyes to the challenges local families are facing. I very much enjoyed working with UpValley Family Centers; its value to the community is obvious. If you are interested in volunteering, please contact Joleen Cantera at 707-965-5010, ext. 311 and register by selecting your preferred site in St. Helena or Calistoga by visiting: https://volunteer.uwba.org/eks-napa. This program is generously funded by Citibank, Mechanics Bank, Napa Valley Community Foundation, Auction Napa Valley/Napa Valley Vintners, United Way of the Bay Area, Wells Fargo Bank, and many individual donors. Recently, Nic Jones, chef for St. Helenas Goose & Gander, was wearing a new pair of boots, trying to break them in before he headed off to a snowy Virginia. He and St. Helena native Loren Gardner have spent the last few days teaching a live fire workshop with wild game. They spent three days hunting their own game deer, geese and duck and then preparing for a party held on Saturday, for 60-70 people at Abingdon Vineyard & Winery. Before the trip, Jones said, Well be hunting our own game and cooking a dinner and also showcasing different methods of live fire. Well be doing some wine pairing as well, since he is a certified sommelier. Loren is a more experienced hunter, then Ill show him the cooking side, Jones said, adding he and Gardner have done a number of live fire events before. They have cooked whole hogs and lambs Asado style, which is where the meat is attached to a metal cross and cooked over a fire. As it cooks, we baste it with a juniper chimichurri sauce, Jones said. He added Goose & Ganders bar team has created a gin cocktail that is designed to pair with venison. Were bringing our bar there, too, to represent what Goose & Gander stands for. Were known for our cocktails as well as our food, Jones added. Loren Gardner and his wife, Elizabeth, bought the 45-acre property Abingdon Vineyard & Winery in southwest Virginia in July, after having fallen in love with the property while helping their friends move from California to Virginia. Currently, 10 acres are planted in vines and the winery produced 1,800 cases of wine. The website lists 18 wines, made from Bordeaux and native Virginia grapes, ranging in price from $15 to $25. Bob Carlson and Janet Nordin started the winery in 2001. Kevin Sutherland has been vineyard manager and cellarmaster since 2005. Before leaving on the trip, Jones estimates the venison will take four to six hours to cook. Weve been watching the weather, it will probably be snowing, which means it will take longer to cook, he said. Gardner is a welder and is expected to weld all the equipment needed, including the cross for the venison and a planchet, which is a large cast-iron skillet that goes over the fire. Well be blanching the Brussel sprouts and put a couple of other items in there, Jones said. Game birds will hang over the fire on poles, other items will be cooking in the coals all to showcase different methods of live fire. The wood for the fire will include a few different hardwoods, fruit and nut woods, including maple, almond and hickory. It will be harvested from the property. Jones and Gardner offered a live fire cooking workshop on Saturday for about 10 people, who learned recipes and techniques and helped in the kitchen, including plating and serving the food. They also were a part of the dinner, Jones said. Jones left on Dec. 5, the party was Dec. 8 and Jones was expected back on Dec. 12. Jones has been executive chef at Goose & Gander for the past 18 months, before that he was at Farmstead for five years, where he was responsible for live fire cooking three days a week. Pop the cork on Napa Valley wine! Discover the hidden stories of Napa Valley wine and the people behind it -- plus expert analysis from our columnists and more with our weekly email newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. St. Helena firefighters are hoping their latest fundraising appeal will bring them one step closer to acquiring a new fire engine capable of defending the citys wooded outskirts. The fire department is raising money for a Type 3 Wildland Fire Engine designed to fight fires in the wildland-urban interface neighborhoods along Howell Mountain Road, Big Rock Road, Bieber Road and Spring Mountain Road. The price is $430,000, plus another $50,000 or more to outfit the engine with hose, portable pumps, self-contained breathing apparatus and other equipment. When we had our fires in 2017, all those other agencies came here, and thats the ideal engine for that kind of wildfire, Fire Chief John Sorensen said. The Type 3 is similar to the four-wheel-drive rigs used by Calfire. It would be the departments first four-wheel-drive engine. The new engine would be stationed at the main firehouse in place of Engine 217, which would be designated as a reserve and stationed at the secondary firehouse on Dowdell Lane. Engine 217 isnt that old, but it seen a lot of miles and a lot of abuse, which means a lot of problems, Sorensen said. The department previously bought a Type 6 Wildland Engine, which is smaller and lighter than the Type 3, using funds entirely raised at the annual Lobster Feed. The city can contribute some money toward the new engine, using funds it will receive from the state in exchange for serving on strike teams at other fires around California. The next payments received from the state in connection with the most recent fires will bring the fund to about $235,000. If the replacement fund and the fundraising appeal still leave the fire department short of the necessary $480,000-plus, the balance will come from the 2019 Lobster Feed. Hopefully none of the General Fund will have to be used on this purchase, Sorensen said. Contributions may be made online at https://shvfd.ejoinme.org/support or mailed to the St. Helena Fire Department, P.O. Box 266, St. Helena, CA 94574. Tuesday, Dec. 4 0021 A man reported hed been punched in the face. A second caller reported a fight inside a Main Street bar. Police responded and took a report. 1038 Plants were reported stolen from a front yard on Spring Street. 1254 Medical aid for someone having a seizure on Library Lane. 1417 Medical aid for an elderly fall victim on Hunt Avenue. 1855 Medical aid for an elderly fall victim on Spring Mountain Road. 2148 Police found a yellow lab wandering Spring Street. Wednesday, Dec. 5 1200 Police had lunch with students at local schools. 1248 Report of a semi truck and trailer blocking one lane of Stockton Street. 1341 Police arrested someone in connection with a domestic violence report. Thursday, Dec. 6 1124 Report of an IRS phone scam. 1334 Report of an illegal leaf blower on Spring Street. 1358 Medical aid on Stockton Street. 1446 Report of an unwanted petitioner on Pratt Avenue. 1527 Report of a drunk driver in a BMW near Main/Charter Oak. Friday, Dec. 7 No logs available Saturday, Dec. 8 1217 A caller said a passing driver hit her parked car. The other driver got out, told her he would take care of the damages, but then left without leaving any information. Police arrested the 47-year-old St. Helena man on suspicion of DUI. 1613 Report of a gray Acura passing in the center lane of Main Street. 1834 A Guatemalan ID was found downtown, turned into the police, and mailed to its owner. 1852 A mother who lives on Silverado Trail said shed refused to give her 15-year-old daughter a ride to a friends house on McCorkle, so the girl had left on foot. She was reported as missing. The mom called back 15 minutes later to reported shed found her daughter and everything was OK. 1858 A restaurant was having problems with very low water pressure. The water department had said it was the property owners problem, but a plumber had said the problem was at the meter, which is the citys property. Police contacted Public Works. 2311 A man asked police to check on his girlfriend, who hadnt answered her phone or responded to his texts for the last hour. 2318 Report of a little pug barking and whining very loudly on Mariposa Lane. Sunday, Dec. 9 0106 Report of people talking on Doris Avenue. Police contacted three people. Two were sent on their way and the third, an underage girl with alcohol, was driven home. 0142 Police were told to be on the lookout for a hit-and-run suspect on Silverado Trail, driving a car with major damage to its right side. 2241 An officer found four open bottles of wine left in a lounge tent in Lyman Park. 2354 Report of a man passed out or asleep in the drivers seat of a car with its engine running on Main Street. Police contacted the man, who was just taking a nap before his late-night shift. Monday, Dec. 10 0136 Police cited a van parked in the wrong direction on Mariposa Lane. 0317 Medical aid for a man feeling ill on Del Rio Court. The massive tent encampments and dilapidated RVs lining neighborhood streets make it clear theres a problem, but according to a new report, the Bay Areas homelessness crisis is even worse than previously thought. There were an estimated 25,951 people living without homes in the Bay Area last year, researchers with housing and real estate website Zillow calculated in a report released Tuesday. Thats over 6,000 more than were officially counted by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Zillow analysts built algorithms that took into account cities populations, poverty rates, rent affordability and other metrics, and calculated by how much the official counts were likely to be off. The company hopes the new numbers can give struggling cities a more realistic picture of homelessness in their communities, and help them come up with better solutions. To really get the scope of this problem, having more accurate numbers is important to really justify that this is an issue that deserves attention, said Skylar Olsen, director of economic research and outreach for Zillow. Its long been common knowledge that the HUD-mandated Point-in-Time homeless counts which rely on volunteers and city and county staff performing a visual count of homeless residents every two years undercount communities homeless residents. Just think about the sheer logistical challenge of counting a population which is transitory, possibly moving around, and could have every incentive to hide themselves, Olsen said. Zillow estimates there were 10,121 homeless residents living in Santa Clara County last year up from the 7,394 counted by the HUD census. In Alameda County, Zillow estimated there were 6,975 homeless compared to 5,629 counted by HUD. And in San Francisco, Zillow estimated a homeless population of 8,855 up from the 6,858 counted by HUD. As rents continue to rise in the Bay Area, those numbers will get worse, Olsen said. In the San Francisco area, where the median rent is $4,331, a 2 percent increase could make 67 more people homeless, while a 5 percent increase could cost 173 more people their homes, according to the Zillow report. In the San Jose area, where the median rent is $3,542, a 2 percent increase in median rents could push 59 more people into homelessness, and a 5 percent increase could lead to 147 more people becoming homeless. Its a national problem, Olsen said. Zillow estimated there were 661,000 homeless residents living in the U.S. last year. That means HUD reports undercounted the homeless population by more than 100,000 people. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Thousands of Kaiser Permanente mental health clinicians across California walked off the job during a five-day strike starting Monday, calling for the HMO to increase staffing and resources for mental health services. Patients often wait more than a month for an appointment because there is only one full-time mental health clinician for every 3,000 Kaiser members in California, according to the National Union of Healthcare Workers. Clinicians are booked solid for weeks and patients are waiting far too long for therapy appointments, said Clem Papazian, a Kaiser-licensed clinical social worker. Psychologists, therapists, social workers, psychiatric nurses and addiction medicine specialists are among 4,000 clinicians on picket lines at several locations around the state, including at Kaisers San Francisco Medical Center and the San Jose Medical Center, said union spokesman Matt Artz. Kaiser representatives on Saturday maintained the unions stance at the bargaining table was not about improving care and access for patients. Rather, in addition to seeking even higher wages and benefits, the union is demanding changes to performance standards that would reduce, not increase, the availability of mental health care for our patients, said Michelle Gaskill-Hames, chief nurse executive for Kaiser Permanente Northern California. Kaiser has been hiring therapists, increasing staff by 30 percent since 2015 and has invested $175 million to expand and improve mental health care offices, Gaskill-Hames said. Former U.S. Rep. Patrick J. Kennedy, founder of The Kennedy Forum, was to join the clinicians strike Monday in San Francisco and Tuesday in Oakland. Kennedy is scheduled to appear at a mental health care forum from 3 to 5 p.m. Tuesday at the Oakland Masonic Center, 3903 Broadway. The CDC recently reported that life expectancy has dropped yet again due to rising numbers of overdoses and suicides, Kennedy said in a union news release. Timely access to care is critical. Insurers who subject those with mental health and substance use disorders to a separate and unequal system of care must be held accountable. All Kaiser hospitals and medical offices will remain open during the strike, Gaskill-Hames said. Patients needing urgent mental health or other care will receive the services, but some non-urgent services are being postponed, she said. Thousands of Kaiser Permanente mental health clinicians across California will walk off the job during a five-day strike starting Monday, calling for the HMO to increase staffing and resources for mental health services. Patients often wait more than a month for an appointment because there is only one full-time mental health clinician for every 3,000 Kaiser members in California, according to the National Union of Healthcare Workers. Clinicians are booked solid for weeks and patients are waiting far too long for therapy appointments, said Clem Papazian, a Kaiser-licensed clinical social worker. Psychologists, therapists, social workers, psychiatric nurses and addiction medicine specialists will be among 4,000 clinicians on picket lines at several locations around the state, including at Kaisers San Francisco Medical Center and the San Jose Medical Center, said union spokesman Matt Artz. Kaiser representatives on Saturday maintained the unions stance at the bargaining table was not about improving care and access for patients. Rather, in addition to seeking even higher wages and benefits, the union is demanding changes to performance standards that would reduce, not increase, the availability of mental health care for our patients, said Michelle Gaskill-Hames, chief nurse executive for Kaiser Permanente Northern California. Kaiser has been hiring therapists, increasing staff by 30 percent since 2015 and has invested $175 million to expand and improve mental health care offices, Gaskill-Hames said. Former U.S. Rep. Patrick J. Kennedy, founder of The Kennedy Forum, will join the clinicians strike Monday in San Francisco and Tuesday in Oakland. Kennedy will also appear at a mental health care forum from 3 to 5 p.m. Tuesday at the Oakland Masonic Center, 3903 Broadway. The CDC recently reported that life expectancy has dropped yet again due to rising numbers of overdoses and suicides, Kennedy said in a union news release. Timely access to care is critical. Insurers who subject those with mental health and substance use disorders to a separate and unequal system of care must be held accountable. All Kaiser hospitals and medical offices will remain open during the strike, Gaskill-Hames said. Patients needing urgent mental health or other care will receive the services, but some non-urgent services are being postponed, she said. Thousands of Kaiser Permanente mental health clinicians across California will walk off the job during a five-day strike starting Monday, calling for the HMO to increase staffing and resources for mental health services. Patients often wait more than a month for an appointment because there is only one full-time mental health clinician for every 3,000 Kaiser members in California, according to the National Union of Healthcare Workers. "Clinicians are booked solid for weeks and patients are waiting far too long for therapy appointments," said Clem Papazian, a Kaiser-licensed clinical social worker. Psychologists, therapists, social workers, psychiatric nurses and addiction medicine specialists will be among 4,000 clinicians on picket lines at several locations around the state, including at Kaiser's San Francisco Medical Center and the San Jose Medical Center, said union spokesman Matt Artz. Kaiser representatives on Saturday maintained the union's stance at the bargaining table was not about improving care and access for patients. "Rather, in addition to seeking even higher wages and benefits, the union is demanding changes to performance standards that would reduce, not increase, the availability of mental health care for our patients," said Michelle Gaskill-Hames, chief nurse executive for Kaiser Permanente Northern California. Kaiser has been hiring therapists, increasing staff by 30 percent since 2015 and has invested $175 million to expand and improve mental health care offices, Gaskill-Hames said. Former U.S. Rep. Patrick J. Kennedy, founder of The Kennedy Forum, will join the clinicians' strike Monday in San Francisco and Tuesday in Oakland. Kennedy will also appear at a mental health care forum from 3 to 5 p.m. Tuesday at the Oakland Masonic Center, 3903 Broadway. "The CDC recently reported that life expectancy has dropped yet again due to rising numbers of overdoses and suicides," Kennedy said in a union news release. "Timely access to care is critical. Insurers who subject those with mental health and substance use disorders to a separate and unequal system of care must be held accountable." All Kaiser hospitals and medical offices will remain open during the strike, Gaskill-Hames said. Patients needing urgent mental health or other care will receive the services, but some non-urgent services are being postponed, she said. December 20 marks the 50th anniversary of the Zodiacs first known murder, and several dozen die-hard aficionados planned a bus tour to remember the occasion. However, a man some think is dangerously delusional has threatened to kill anyone who shows up on the desolate Lake Herman Road site on the anniversary, so the trip is canceled, its organizer said. Zodiac obsessive and author, Mark Hewitt of Santa Rosa, plans to mark the event at some point, anyway, he said. Solano County has reports of a murder threat surrounding the event, but Im planning to be (there,). I know others who will not be due to the threat, he said, placing his faith in the belief that people who make threats like this, rarely carry them out. Another longtime Zodiac obsessive, Tom Voight, who maintains a website on the case, planned the bus tour, but canceled it and refunded peoples money, Hewitt said. Hewitt said he got an email alerting him to the change of plans: Mark I have some bad news about Lake Herman Road, please let Ricardo know. Solano County Sheriffs department was told that (a Santa Rosa man), who wants to kill Ricardo and I, has threatened to kill everyone at Lake Herman Road on Dec 20th!, the email says. Tom just sent me an email to refund the money to everyone. I know this guy is very dangerous and was being treated for mental illness. Please pass this on to the rest of our group. Thanks. No one from the Solano County Sheriffs Office returned calls for comment. Voight said hed planned an event similar to one he hosted for the 40th anniversary of the slayings, but the threat posed by the man was enough to warn him off. Hes a mental patient with a history of stalking us at past Zodiac gatherings, and making terroristic threats, he said. Id never heard of him, but he started contacting me at least a month ago on Facebook. Another member of the Bay Area Zodiac group, Sandy Betts, said shes been the target of death threats from this same person. She said she thinks he poses enough of a threat to keep her away on the anniversary, as well. I am scared to death to go, she said. I contacted the FBI about the threat of this guy who threatened to kill us all if we showed up there. The Solano County Sheriffs office said they didnt think it would be safe for us to go there. Saying shes met the man and describes him as a nut, Betts agreed with the other two targets that he thinks his father is the Zodiac and that we are all part of a Satanic cult trying to kill him. Voight and Betts said their contacts with the man were escalating from Facebook posts to threatening phone calls and personal emails. He believes his father is the Zodiac and tried to kill him and went to prison for it, Voight said. He believes everyone who doesnt believe what he does is part of a pedophile ring. He warned everyone not to go near Lake Herman Road on that date, and I couldnt risk continuing with the event. Some of the targets of the threats said they notified the Federal Bureau of Investigation. I can confirm that the FBI San Francisco received a public tip regarding an upcoming gathering in Solano County and promptly disseminated the information to the Solano County Sheriffs Department, San Francisco FBI agent Cameron Rogers Polan said in an email. An accurate threat assessment would need to come from the Solano County Sheriffs office as it is their jurisdiction. Our office felt it a priority to pass along the information to the SCSO, but did not involve the FBI Sacramento Division (Solano County is Sacramentos territory.) Voight said he had about 30 people already signed up for the tour when he canceled it, and figured the bus would have been fully booked, with about 60 people, had it gone forward. I was going to have security and all that, but if someone is hiding behind a tree determined to do damage..., he said. Theres a big difference between someone making threats and someone who poses a threat. He poses a threat, and I dont want to press my luck. Ive been 22 years dealing with zodiac stuff and I dont spook easily, but this is a bad one, and there are four more 50th anniversaries next year. One tweet allegedly from the threatening man, says, they need to arrest tom voigt (sic) and all the exploiters stonewalling and antagonizing me for survivng(sic) organized pedophelia(sic) related to the zodiac cases. tom is got to burn eternally in hell for provoking and stalking me and my peers. Betts said she plans to mark the occasion as best she can without taking the risk. Hes threatened me and many other people, and Im hoping they arrest him, she said. Its a shame. We had plans. I made two crosses for Betty Lou (Jenson) and David (Faraday) and decorated them, and wanted to take them out to the site. They will be put up one way or another. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. The State Department is sending out a seasonal message of good cheerand safe travelto the millions of Americans who will travel internationally this holiday season. Last December, according to National Tour and Travel Office data, nearly 8 million Americans traveled out of the country, making it the fourth-busiest month of the year. (The peak summer season swept the top spots.) To assist the traveling masses, the State Department has created a holiday checklist with the tagline: Travel Smart. Travel Safe. Travel Well. The tips appear on the agencys travel landing page and social media accounts. Among the suggestions: Familiarize yourself with your destination at travel.state.gov/destination; the country profiles include such essential information as Safety and Security, Health and Travel and Transportation. Notify your bank and credit card company about your upcoming trip. If you are carrying medications, consult with the embassy or consulate in your host country on whether they are legal. For example, the U.S. Embassy in Japan warns travelers that it is illegal to transport a number of over-the-counter medicines, such as select inhalers and allergy and sinus medications. And of particular urgency this time of the year, stay alert in venues with large crowds, such as holiday markets, houses of worship and transportation hubs. The threats range from terrorism to pickpockets. For additional questions or concerns, reach out to the department via Twitter. If you ask, they will answer. The department also encourages Americans to sign up for its Smart Traveler Enrollment Program, a free service that sends alerts and updates to members. Its Twitter account is also a good source of newsy bits, such as this recent tweet: Demonstration Alert: March planned for December 8, and may continue in the coming weeks. The announced route is from Place de la Bastille to the Arc de Triomphe. Expected gathering points and routes include areas in the 1st, 4th, 8th, 16th, and 17th arrondissements. U.S. citizens in France who enrolled in STEP received this message directly on their gadgets. Water supply is clearly the most important long-term issue affecting Californias future. Its also the most politically complicated. Incremental changes in California water policy typically take years, if not decades, to work their way through seemingly infinite legal, regulatory and political processes at federal, state and local levels and the conflicts often are over the processes themselves. Often, too, seeming breakthroughs on specific conflicts crumble into dust once they are revealed to the hundreds of stakeholders. Given that history, one should view somewhat skeptically the recent announcement of a bipartisan, state-federal agreement on one key piece of the water puzzle. Two top Democratic officials, U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein and Gov. Jerry Brown, along with Congressman Kevin McCarthy, a Bakersfield Republican and GOP floor leader of the House, support an extension of the two-year-old Water Infrastructure for Improvements for the Nation (WIN) Act, aimed at resolving a conflict over water flows through the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. Browns State Water Resources Control Board has been demanding that farmers along the lower San Joaquin River and its tributaries use less water so that more can flow through the Delta to enhance habitat for fish and other species. Using the pending board order as a political club, Brown wants the farmers to voluntarily improve habitat restoration so that the diversions into the Delta could be eased. However, the Donald Trump administration simultaneously has been pushing to give more water to farmers and, inferentially, send less through the Delta, offsetting federal court orders that have reduced agricultural supplies. The WIN Act extension would, at least in theory, make restoration easier and make farmers water deliveries more predictable. It also would provide more than $670 million in federal funds for water storage projects that farmers and other water interests have been demanding to increase supply. While Feinstein, Brown and McCarthy are supporting the deal, it still must pass muster with the rest of Congress and, most importantly, get Trumps blessing. Neither is guaranteed if for no other reason than its being attached to a broader spending bill thats hung up over Trumps demand for money to build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. Environmental groups dislike the proposal, seeing it as a backdoor way of reducing Delta flows and/or a way of expediting one of Browns pet projects, twin tunnels that would divert Sacramento River water under the Delta, rather than through it. Brown told reporters a couple of weeks ago that he wants a comprehensive water deal before leaving office implicitly one that would clear away potentially toxic opposition to the $20 billion tunnel project that would be the last big piece of the State Water Plan his father, Pat Brown, launched nearly 60 years ago. The Feinstein-Brown-McCarthy agreement would be an important component of such a deal, but time is quickly running out in Washington with McCarthys Republicans about to cede House control to the Democrats, and in Sacramento, where Brown has just a few weeks remaining in his governorship. Its a game of political chicken. Implicitly, Brown is telling farmers to make a deal with him rather than take their chances on his successor, Gavin Newsom, who might not be as willing, and on a water board thats poised, with strong support from environmental groups, to shift a lot of their water from fields into the Delta. CALmatters is a public interest journalism venture committed to explaining how Californias state Capitol works and why it matters. For more stories by Dan Walters, go to calmatters.org/commentary. So Saturday, the 119th meeting between the two academies took place with Army prevailing and extending a winning streak to three games. So much tradition and history surround the rivalry. I am proud to be a part of it as a fan since the mid 1950s. Both my father (class of 1937) and older brother (class of 1965) were Naval Academy graduates. As such, I was early on a Navy fan, and have continued rabidly to this day. It turned out it was good training to learn how to balance my fanny on the end of a chair for three hours, as I am also a Michigan Wolverine stalwart. Until recently, the contest was always described as a battle between the Cadets of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and the Midshipmen of the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis. The teams were, therefore, directly representing their peers who were four-year students of Military and Naval academics, discipline, and technology. Since 1999, however, Army officially changed the team to the Black Knights of the Hudson (as in the Hudson River, location of West Point in New York). Navy continues as the much less vividly named Midshipmen. I have always felt that Army had the better list of alternative descriptors, in particular The Long Gray Line and The Corps of Cadets. Its impossible to say those and not think of General Douglas MacArthurs famous speech at West Point to The Corps and the importance of Duty, Honor, Country. To give Navy some credit, I think they have always had the best animal mascot, and was chosen before Army had one. We now have Billy the XXXIII, a magnificent goat. Soon after Billys inauguration in 1893, Army felt obligated to have one, and they chose a mule. For many reasons, I believe, the goat is a superior choice. Not the least of which based on the fact that Billy is capable of producing offspring (he is the 33rd after all), and the mule is, well, sterile. I lost my brother earlier this year and if he were still with me I am certain we would be discussing this topic today. As I cannot, I do appreciate your indulgence, dear reader. And to my brother, I would say Stan, what do you think about we work on changing the Navy to 'The Blue Mariners Of the Severn?' I do believe he would like that. Eric Zimny Napa For seven decades, a rail line along California's North Coast carried logs, lumber and passengers. The track was extremely expensive to maintain because of the regions rugged terrain and heavy winter rains. Improvements to Highway 101 eventually made it obsolete and it was deactivated in the 1960s. After decades of disuse and much lobbying by regional economic and political interests, the rail line was reactivated in 1989, at least on paper, with the creation of the North Coast Railroad Authority. The NCRA actually ran some trains for a few years until federal rail safety officials shut down service in the 1990s because of track deterioration. It then became a paper railroad that existed primarily to extract handouts from state and federal governments. In 2000, political enablers cranked up a fundraising drive that generated about $60,000 for then-Gov. Gray Davis campaign treasury. Davis subsequently allocated $60 million in so-called congestion relief funds for the railroad. Some of the $60 million was designated to repay half of a $12 million federal loan that local congressman Mike Thompson had obtained for the NCRA. Thompson later arranged for the loan to be forgiven. The taxpayer funding was based on assurances that the rail line could operate again. It hasn't, although some very limited freight service in Sonoma County has been provided. The authoritys officials told the California Transportation Commission last year that the agency had never been financially self-sufficient and has crushing debts. This year, the NCRA proposed a tourist train around Humboldt Bay, but the transportation commission said it was too sketchy to warrant support and suggested that the Legislature revisit its 1989 decision to create the NCRA. A Senate bill has currently been introduced to dissolve the NCRA, which should never have been created in the first place. It would transfer NCRA property closest to San Francisco Bay to the Sonoma-Marin Rail Transit District for local transportation use and other rights-of-way to the Great Redwood Trail Agency for conversion into hiking trails. Finally, therefore, one embarrassing boondoggle may be given a merciful death. But how about that bullet train to nowhere? Texas is building a 240-mile train between Houston and Dallas for $15 billion without any tax dollars. Environmental issues in Texas, unlike California, are not used to extort business or the public. The Texas project is based on the free market where business people are free to make their own decisions and take the risks involved. Governor Brown's plans would spend upwards of $200 billion tax dollars to build a train (which will not be high speed) to nowhere. Once built, there will be no money to operate the system. The "High Speed Rail" plan involves high costs and high taxes and guaranteed failure as the result. Jack Gray, Director Napa County Taxpayers Association Sensation prevails across Baksa district in the Bodoland Territorial Area Districts (BTAD) following the recovery of a rocket launcher along the bank of river Balti near Bimalanagar village under Nagrijuli police outpost in Baksa on Tuesday. According to eye witnesses, in the morning on Tuesday, some children were playing along the bank of the river Balti and found a rocket launcher lying on the sand of the river. The children informed it to the villagers. Getting the information about the rocket launcher, villagers gathered on the spot. The villagers informed the police of Nagrijuli police outpost about the rocket launcher. After receiving information, Nikhil Singha, in-charge of Nagrijuli police outpost with a police team rushed to the spot and recovered the rocket launcher and took it to the Nagrijuli police outpost, said police. The police informed the bomb squad of the Indian Army about the rocket launcher and in the evening, a bomb squad of the Army reached Nagrijuli and defused. The Army in presence of police also destroyed the rocket launcher. According to police, there was a firing range of the Indian Army along the Indo-Bhutan border and the rocket launcher was perhaps left by mistake by the Army. Talking to media persons Nikhil Singha, in-charge of Nagrijuli police outpost on Tuesday said, Two months back one more rocket launcher was found in the same village which was also defused and destroyed by the Army. Asima Kalita, Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO), Tamulpur, also reached Nagrijuli police outpost and took stock of the situation. Ebrahim Raisi, Ilham Aliyev hold their first meeting in Ashgabat Meeting of Erdogan and Aliyev held in Ashgabat Armenia opposition "5165" movement to not work with Liberation Movement anymore, to act alone and meet with forces Armenian newspaper: Identities of remains of 11 servicemen transferred to Armenia established South African doctor states unusual symptoms of new Omicron coronavirus variant Francis Fukuyama: Ukraine's use of Turkish drones could be a complete game-changer Tehran, Baku sign agreement on natural gas supplies from Turkmenistan to Azerbaijan through Iranian territory Armenia Parliament Deputy Speaker, member of ARF-D holds meeting in Hrazdan city of Kotayk Province Armenia Parliament Speaker touches upon need for Karabakh conflict settlement at IPU Assembly Iran President: Any change of political geography of the region will incite further tension Erdogan declares that so-called 'Zangezur corridor' is 'important' Pro-government alliance of parties in the lead during parliamentary elections in Kyrgyzstan Raisi: Cooperation with countries of Asia and the Caucasus is a priority for Iran Fire breaks out in kindergarten in Armenia's Kartchevan village Aliyev believes 'Zangezur transport corridor is becoming a reality' "Arush Arushanyan" Alliance calls on residents of Armenia's Goris to support arrested mayor Iran declares need to revive natural gas deal with Turkmenistan Isn't Moscow concerned about Turkey's attempts for control over natural gas route from Turkmenistan to Europe? Turkey seeks to enhance relations and increase trade with Turkmenistan up to $5 bln Two Azerbaijani soldiers blow up on mine in Karabakh's occupied Varanda region Iran FM welcomes holding of trilateral meeting of Russian, Armenian and Azerbaijani leaders in Sochi Iranian and Turkish presidents discuss regional issues Members of Armenia's Liberation Movement initiative take pilgrimage to Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin New Zealand MP cycles to hospital to give birth Russians create rock that can track Russia's enemies 25-year-old citizen's suicide attempt prevented at Yerevan bridge Iran's Raisi to meet with his Turkmen counterpart 409 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Guterres talks Russian role in continuation of contacts between Armenia and Azerbaijan Cavusoglu and Bayramov discuss situation in Ashgabat region More than 30 flights delayed or canceled at Moscow airports Aliyev told Lukashenko over Russia, Azerbaijan and Armenia leaders' meeting Artsakh citizen returning from Azerbaijan is under medical supervision World Medical Association boss compares new strain of COVID-19 with Ebola ECHR rules on application of interim measure in respect of 4 Armenian POWs Armenia PM participates in Board of Trustees of Hayastan All-Armenian Fund meeting Gyumri ex-mayor's son found and apprehended Russia and China call for peaceful coexistence of countries with different ideologies 517 new cases of COVID-19 reported in Armenia per day Ombudsman rejected after applying to initiate proceedings against Armenia Security Council Secretary Karabakh emergency situations service: Remains of one serviceman found in Varanda Armenia defense minister meets with Karabakh President, situation on Artsakh-Azerbaijan line of contact discussed Armenia State Revenue Committee ex-chief appointed Armavir Province governor Putin to inform Russian Security Council about meeting with Aliyev and Pashinyan Putin: Russia attaches importance to strategic and allied nature of relations with Armenia Aliyev: A 'thorough and sincere conversation' was held with Putin and Pashinyan Pashinyan: I affirm Armenia's and its government's willingness to open an era of peace Meeting of Vladimir Putin and Nikol Pashinyan kicks off Putin gifts Pashinyan and Aliyev olive branches Armenia's Pashinyan, Russia's Putin and Azerbaijan's Aliyev adopt joint statement Putin: There is an agreement to create mechanisms for demarcation and delimitation of Armenia-Azerbaijan border Putin, Pashinyan and Aliyev making joint statement Putin-Pashinyan meeting is underway Meeting of leaders of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Russia ends in Sochi Armenia Fund's 24th Telethon helps raise nearly $12,351,000 in donations and pledges Republican Party of Armenia: Capitulator didn't say a word about Karabakh's independence Traffic is paralyzed in Verin Khotanan section of "Goris-Kapan" alternative road Inecobank introduces BNPL, the latest trend in worldwide shopping, to Armenia Azerbaijani SOCAR sets up petrol station on Armenia's Goris-Kapan motorway Turkish court refuses to release Osman Kavala again Erdogan: Armenia needs to appreciate the hand that is extended for peace Armenia Liberation Movement initiative's rally kicks off at Republic Square in Yerevan Armenia's newly appointed Deputy PM meets with Karabakh President Russia's Putin: We are reaching agreement on demarcation and delimitation of Armenian-Azerbaijani border NEWS am daily digest: 26.11.21 Armenia PM sends condolence telegram to Russia's Putin Armenia President sends condolence telegram to Russian counterpart Aliyev: Azerbaijan has offered the Armenian side to start working on peace treaty Armenia Justice Ministry has new General Secretary Armenia PM: Many issues can be resolved in the trilateral and even bilateral formats Armenia Parliament Speaker attends session of Council of CIS Interparliamentary Assembly Putin: The aim of all our efforts is to create conditions for rebirth of region Head of Armenia's Tatev village: During meeting with PM, I recommended creating self-defense forces in Syunik Province CSTO Secretary-General sends congratulatory message to Armenia defense minister Armenia ex-PM Vazgen Manukyan on Putin-Pashinyan-Aliyev meeting, possible outcomes Turkologist: Aliyev is declaring Armenia's elimination, while Pashinyan still has doubts about that Aliyev to Putin: It is important to work on a comprehensive settlement of Armenian-Azerbaijani relations Putin talks Russian-Azerbaijan strategic partnership development Karabakh President sends condolence telegram to Russia President Armenia Parliament Deputy Speaker receives China Ambassador Putin: Russian peacekeepers play a positive role in Nagorno-Karabakh Peskov: Putin-Aliyev talks underway in Sochi Armenia, Azerbaijan, Russia leaders' meeting kicks off in Sochi Sochi: Moscow expects it will be possible to outline directions to normalize Yerevan-Baku relations Six people were apprehended during Yerevan protests Nikol Pashinyan arrives in Sochi Armenia confirms reports that Azerbaijan transferred 2 POWs Putin highlights importance of Russia-China cooperation in science Pashinyan's second negotiator with Azerbaijan was Hrachya Tashchyan Aliyev arrives to Sochi for talks with Putin and Pashinyan Azerbaijan informs about transfer of 2 POWs to Armenia 675 new cases of COVID-19 reported in Armenia per day PM Pashinyan leaves for Russia on a working visit Zatulin: Last year's war in Karabakh caused tremendous damage to not only Armenia, but also Russia Alexander Rahr: In regard to Karabakh conflict, West will support territorial integrity Russian political scientist: Moscow not concerned about Pashinyan-Aliyev meeting in Brussels Armenia acting commander of battalion arrested under criminal case of regarding Nov. 16 attack Turkish aggressor declares that Armenia 'needs to assess extended hand for peace as a chance' Armenian analyst says Iran is not interested in transfer of any sector of Armenia Armenian official: MFA hasn't raised issue to review CEPA with regard to Karabakh Thailand will hold a much-delayed general election on Feb. 24, 2019, the Election Commission said on Tuesday, after the junta lifted a ban on political activity it imposed after taking power in a coup in 2014, Reuters reported. The election, which many hope will restore democracy in Southeast Asias second-biggest economy, will likely pit the populist political movement backed by former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and supported by many in rural areas against the military and royalist establishment. The people and political parties will be able to take part in political activities during this period leading up to the election in accordance with the constitution, the statement said.. Thailand last held a successful election in 2011 but the Election Commission said it was ready to go ahead with the Feb. 24 poll. The lifting of the ban means political activities can resume, including political campaigning, but this has to be done under the law, Deputy Election Commission Secretary-General Sawang Boonmee told Reuters. Oil refiner Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corp. confirmed its interest to buy crude oil from the Alegria oil and gas onshore discovery in Cebu for use in its Batangas refinery, a top executive said. We are always evaluating whatever may be feasible. What is tricky is if it is compatible to our refinery and is the pricing sufficient for us to make margins but we are open minded, Pilipinas Shell president Cesar Romero said. Sources from China International Mining Petroleum Co. Ltd., which owns the service contract for the Algeria oil and gas discovery, said they were hoping to supply up to 10,000 barrels to Shell by early next year. Tests are ongoing in Hong Kong for the compatibility of the Alegria crude to Shells 110,000-barrel- per-day refinery. We are actually interested on that, provided its economically feasible in terms of compatibilityThere is no negative bias for local source but it is only a question of pricing, yield and when we need it at a particular time, Romero said. He said the type of crude of Alegria must be matched with the demand profile and capability of the refinery. Shell previously submitted a letter of intent to purchase the Alegria crude. The letter stated that initial analysis of the quality of the crude oil produced by CIMP found it to be acceptable as a feedstock to Shells refinery, but it is subject to further detailed analysis. The letter also set out that the price of the crude oil produced by CIMP and additional contractual terms and clauses will be subject to negotiations. A formal sales and purchase agreement will be negotiated and executed once negotiations are finalized.CIMP holds Petroleum Service Contract No. 49 which covers the Alegria oilfield, an onshore site in the fourth-class town of Alegria in the southern part of Cebu province. CIMP acquired an 80-percent stake in the participating interest of the SC 49 project and became its operator in July 2009. The contract covers a 25-year production period. Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi earlier said the Alegria oil field could power up to 60 megawatts of natural gas-fired power plant and produce up to 360 barrels of oil per day. There are two wells that already produced 180 barrels per day. They are ready so we are just scheduling when will be the first delivery, first output, Cusi said. He said while the oil flow was minimal compared to the countrys fuel requirements, the Alegria oil discovery would help the local economy because it will support the local industry, cement factories and local factories using crude oil for fuel. That will be a big help even if its small at 360 bpd but a positive development for our exploration. This is onshore and I understand there were attempts for the past 100 years but it is only now that we have this kind of development, Cusi said. Cusi said CIMP was also preparing to put up a natural gas plant. Its small but [it] will help Visayas and Cebu, Cusi said. A soldier from the 102nd Russian Military Base in Gyumri, Armenia, has been detained along the lines of the criminal case into the beating of a 57-year-old woman to death, in the city. Arevik Khachatryan, head of the public relations division at the Prosecutor Generals Office, informed the above-said, in response to a respective query by Pastinfo. A female worker from the housing and environmental protection department of the Gyumri city hall was brutally beaten in a city street, on December 3. According to preliminary information, the woman had gone to work at early dawn. But someone had followed her and, subsequently, brutally beaten this woman. The woman was taken to hospital where she was diagnosed with brain injury. But she could not be saved and was pronounced dead. The investigative body has submitted new petition to the Yerevan general jurisdiction court to prolong the arrest of retired general Manvel Grigoryan by another two months. Grigoryan fell ill during the hearing of the petition and an ambulance was called. He received medical assistance there and the examination continues. Manvel Grigoryan was arrested on June 19. He is charged with unlawfully keeping weapons and ammunition, and committing large-scale embezzlement. At least 22 members of the criminal gang, which consisted of citizens of Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan, were detained in Lyon, France. "On December 10 a large-scale special operation "VORS 69-01" was held in Lyon, France, following which 22 members of the organized criminal group operating in France and Belgium were arrested, Georgias Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) reported. The Armenian Parliament will not elect the Prime Minister after the new National Assembly be formed. According to Armenian Constitution, after the formation of the Parliament, the Armenian President appoints the PM candidate proposed by the majority. Proceeding from Article 150, the cabinet is formed after the appointment of the prime minister within fifteen days, while after the formation of the Government, the leader must submit within 20 days to the National Assembly a program of the Cabinet of Ministers. According to preliminary data, the first meeting of the parliament will be held on December 24. Anush Balasanyan, 59, her daughter Vahanush Hakobyan, and 12-year-old grandson have died early Tuesday morning in a fire in Stepanavan town of Armenias Lori Province, the Stepanavan city hall informed. The initial cause of the fire was a short circuit, the city hall added. [But] it will be clearer only after the investigation. Balasanyans son, Davit Hakobyan, 26, was injured in the fire. He is in critical but stable condition, and later he will be transferred to capital city Yerevan. It was found out that the fire had broken out in an apartment of a two-story wooden building. French President Emmanuel Macron has declared a state of emergency in the country over the Yellow Vests crisis, TASS reported. "First of all, I would like to declare a state of economic emergency in the country," he said in a televised address to the nation on Monday. The French leader condemned acts of violence committed by protesters against police during Yellow Vests riots. He called for calm and order in the country. "I believe together we will be able to find a way out of the crisis," he said. German Chancellor Angela Merkel sent a congratulatory letter to acting Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan, the press service of the PM's office reported. The United States also congratulated the people of Armenia on the conduct of their December 9 parliamentary elections; this is said in a press statement by the deputy spokesperson of the US Department of State. The European Union (EU) looks forward to working with the democratically elected new parliament and the future government of Armenia. The spokesperson for EU Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations has issued a statement to this effect, and on the snap parliamentary elections that were conducted in Armenia. Senator Grace Poe was very happy to see her pet legislationthe First 1000 Days, finally became a law which seeks to scale up nutrition during the first 1,000 days of life. Also known as the Kalusugan at Nutrisyon ng Mag-Nanay Act, Republic Act 11148 was signed by President Rodrigo Duterte on November 29. The senator said that RA 11148 will provide proper maternal and child health care to prevent stunted growth of children. Sa wakas, batas na ang ating pet legislation, ang First 1000 Days! Para ito sa lahat ng ina at bata, ngayon at sa mga susunod na henerasyon. Thank you, Lord, at sa lahat ng nakipagtulungan para matupad ang pangarap nating ito para sa ating mga kababaihan at kabataan, said Poe in her official Facebook page. Under the First 1,000 Days Law, the government is mandated to prioritize the nutrition of pre-pregnant, pregnant and lactating women, infants and young children. It will also provide a comprehensive strategy to address health and nutrition of children and institutionalize and scale up investment plans for health and nutrition in the regional and local development units. The Senate unanimously approved the measure, or Senate Bill 1537 known as "Healthy Nanay and Bulilit Act"in March this year while the House of Representatives passed it in September last year. At least P17 billion will be needed to implement the 1,000 days program which will inoculate 2.7 million pregnant women against tetanus and diphtheria. The new law seeks to strengthen the enforcement of Executive Order 51 or the Milk Code, and Republic Act 10028, or the Expanded Breastfeeding Promotion Act of 2009, which promotes optimal infant and young child feeding and maternity protection. Several groups hailed the signing of new law with Save the Children Philippines saying that the measure will ensure children of poor families of access to governments quality health and nutrition services. In an ABS-CBN news report, the group claimed some 95 children below five years old die every day due to preventable diseases caused by undernutrition. The group said there are also at least 3.6 million stunted children in the country.In its Facebook post, National Nutrition Council said the new law will provide support and training for mothers on how to ensure her and her childs health and nutrition. The barangay health workers will also undergo training to be conducted by the Department of Health. Meanwhile, Senator Sonny Angara said that the signing of the First 1,000 Days Law, calling it an important step towards securing a brighter future for Filipino children. Angara said that mothers and their children are now assured of better health care services during the early days of child development with the enactment of Kalusugan at Nutrisyon ng Mag-Nanay Act. The law aims to improve child survival and development with the first 1,000 days of life from conception up to two years of age, as it would protect both the mother and the child against malnutrition, diseases and even death, he said. He reiterated that every Filipino child deserves a fair start in life that will enable them to reach their full potential. According to studies, a human beings first 1,000 days is the critical window particularly in preventing child stunting and wasting. Proper child nutrition during this period would not only prevent one-third of child deaths per year, but would also improve school attainment necessary to curb poverty and increase wages, studies further show. Data from the Food and Nutrition Research Institute indicate that chronic malnutrition among Filipino children under five years old has increased to 33.5 percent in 2015 from 30.5 percent in 2013. I am confident that the First 1,000 Days Law would boost maternal and child health and nutrition that would provide a pathway to good education and out of poverty, and cut child deaths in the country, Angara said. He added that Child deaths and malnutrition remain highest in the poorest sector of society. We should put an end to this. From the forests of Madagascar to studying coral reefs in the deep blue waters off Cuba, University of Miami doctoral students Shireen Rahimi and Alize Carrere have been exploring the world and gaining new scientific knowledge with the help of an Early Career Grant from National Geographic. Now, following the launch of its inaugural On Campus program at UM in November, National Geographic is offering three new scholarships of $5,000 each exclusively to UM students studying in the fields of science, storytelling, and education. With their own experiences under their belt, Rahimi and Carrere both advise students to create a proposal that is clear and well thought out. Rahimi believes it all begins with a good idea. It doesnt matter if that idea is something really familiar or boring, she said. The whole point is that you are exploring something that is unknown, or in a new way, to bring a new sense of wonder into the world. Rahimi was award ed her grant in the summer of 2017. She got the opportunity to combine her ecological studies with photography and film to document the differences between coral reefs in Cuba and Florida. She spent the summer traveling between the two locations, exploring and studying the differences in the health of coral reefs despite their close proximity geographically. I had full control of all the decision-making, so it made me want to pour my heart into it and make it a labor of love. It was really critical to developing my confidence as a filmmaker, said Rahimi. Carrere, who is now studying for a Ph.D. in ecosystem policy at the Abess Center , was awarded her grant in 2013 while attending McGill University in Montreal. She used the money to travel to Madagascar for three months and research how farmers were adapting to severe deforestation. Once back in Canada, Carrere said she was launched into the National Geographic community, transforming her life as she knew it. Its amazing to be connected to such a tight-knit community because they do such a fantastic job of helping you succeed, she said. Ive done many unique things for the brand. I even ended up working for Lindblad/National Geographic Expeditions, leading voyages aboard the National Geographic Orion. Her initial expedition inspired her to continue her research and apply for two other grants where she traveled to Bangladesh and India to study how communities are innovatively adapting to climate-related changes on a landscape level. Carreres journey shows how an idea can flourish into something bigger than first thought. She urges future students who are interested in applying for a grant to reach out to professors for support. I think thats something a lot of undergraduate students tend to underutilize as a resource. Reaching out for help is such a good way to get ideas, especially if they are specializing in research connected to what youre interested in, said Carrere. Rahimi is now motivated to continue pursing photography and filmmaking in the future. Im interested in creating content that tells the story of people who are living on a changing planet, said Rahimi. I want to make sure my work is different and new, but also speaks to wide audiences, especially in the face of climate threats that have already transformed the world we live in. Carrere continues to work on a digital series that she started thanks to support from her National Geographic grants. She said through this journey shes grown to love science communication. Ive learned the power of communication when it comes to sharing very difficult and complex subjects. National Geographic is all about the visuals. They train you how to share these messages that impact a wider audience, said Carrere. Applications for the National Geographic On Campus Scholarship are due by March 30, 2019. National Geographic On Campus Scholarship Chicago consumer law attorney to keynote Women in Leadership dinner by Pete Rosenbery CARBONDALE, Ill. Aurora Abella-Austriaco, a Chicago consumer law attorney and past president of the Chicago Bar Association, is the keynote speaker at the SIU School of Law Women in Leadership networking dinner at Southern Illinois University Carbondale in January. The Jan. 11 dinner is the final event for a two-day Women in Leadership Workshop that prepares students to be leaders in the legal profession and in their communities after graduation. Approximately 32 female and male law students who are participating in the workshop will learn about being strong leaders in a diverse workforce. Media Advisory Reporters, photographers and camera crews are welcome to attend the workshops and the dinner featuring Aurora Abella-Austriaco. For more information or to arrange interviews contact Michele Mekel, director of external relations, at mmekel@siu.edu or 618/453-8768. The workshop is for SIU School of Law students, but the dinner also recognizes female leaders in the legal profession and is open to the public. The dinner cost is $25 per plate or $150 per table with a Jan. 4 online registration deadline. The dinner begins at 6 p.m. in the SIU Student Center, Ballroom B. Visit the Women in Leadership Program page for dinner registration information and additional workshop details. Leadership Award recipients will be honored Last year, the law school started a tradition of honoring women and supporters who represent the legal professions best. This years honorees, with their respective award, are: Women in Leadership Lifetime Achievement Award : Dr. Marsha Ryan. Ryan, of Murphysboro, practiced general surgery and breast surgery for 36 years before her retirement in 2017. She earned her law degree from the SIU School of Law in 1987 and taught there as an adjunct professor until 2017. In January 2017 she was appointed to the SIU Board of Trustees. : Dr. Marsha Ryan. Ryan, of Murphysboro, practiced general surgery and breast surgery for 36 years before her retirement in 2017. She earned her law degree from the SIU School of Law in 1987 and taught there as an adjunct professor until 2017. In January 2017 she was appointed to the SIU Board of Trustees. Trailblazer Award: Kimberly Kuhlengel-Jones. The award recognizes a person who has made outstanding contributions to the legal community, shown a commitment to womens issues and is emerging as a leader early in her career. Kuhlengel-Jones earned her bachelors degree from SIU in 1992 and her law degree from the law school in 1995. She has been practicing adoption law Kimberly Kuhlengel-Jones. The award recognizes a person who has made outstanding contributions to the legal community, shown a commitment to womens issues and is emerging as a leader early in her career. Kuhlengel-Jones earned her bachelors degree from SIU in 1992 and her law degree from the law school in 1995. She has been Organizational Award: Keuler, Kelly, Hutchins, Blankenship & Sigler, LLP, Keynote speaker has varied career Abella-Austriaco is a founding partner and shareholder in Valentine Austriaco & Bueschel, and concentrates her practice in several areas of commercial and real estate litigation, with clients that range from multinational corporations to small and startup companies and individuals. Abella-Austriaco was born in the Philippines and came to the United States when she was 18 years old. Abella-Austriaco is a 2014 appointee to the 16-member Illinois Courts Commission and chair of the Cook County States Attorney Asian Advisory Council. She has been a board member of Attorneys Title Guaranty Fund, Inc., since 2006. She is on the Maine Township School District 207 school board and was named for several years by Leading Lawyers as one of the top 10 women consumer law attorneys in Chicago. Her experience also includes 12 years on the Cook County Human Rights Commission and nine years on the Park Ridge Planning and Zoning Commission. Abella-Austriaco earned her bachelors degree from De Paul University and her law degree from the De Paul University School of Law. Workshop will focus on importance of diversity in leadership In its ninth year, the workshop, Jan. 10-11, will feature programs for participating students that highlight the benefits diverse leadership bring to the public and private sector, said Angela Upchurch, professor at the law school. Recent events demonstrated the recognition of a desire for more diversity in leadership roles. This program helps develop SIU Law students, both women and men, to be strong leaders in a diverse workforce, she said. The workshop runs from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. in the Hiram H. Lesar Law Building. The workshop will include discussions on different types of diversity, including ethnic and racial diversity, but will focus primarily on issues of gender in the workplace said Cindy Buys, interim dean and workshop co-creator. Lawyers, judges and law professors teach different segments of the workshop, and students earn one hour of academic credit. We help them think about what makes a good leader; provide them with skills they will need to become effective leaders; and guide them in developing an individual leadership plan, she said. Women in the legal profession The last two years represent the highest number of women at the law school and Buys attributes that in part to a national trend of more women attending law school. In addition, women students benefit from several great female faculty who are role models for our students, she said. Geneva (AFP) - A quarter of a million Syrian refugees could return home next year, despite massive hurdles facing returnees, the UN said Tuesday, urging support to the millions still in neighbouring countries. "We are forecasting ... up to 250,000 Syrians go back in 2019," Amin Awad, who heads the UN refugee agency's Middle East and North Africa operations, told reporters in Geneva. "That figure can go up and down according to the pace with which we are ... removing the obstacles to return," he stressed. There are currently 5.6 million Syrian refugees living in the region, including around one million born into displacement, according to UNHCR data. The agency said that 117,000 refugees had returned to Syria since 2015, including 37,000 this year. "These are organised returns, completely voluntary, in safety ... and of course with UNHCR involvement," Awad said. Despite the winding down of Syria's devastating conflict, which has killed more than 360,000 people since 2011, Awad said returnees face a whole host of obstacles. These range from documentation confirming identity and property in Syria to a dire lack of education, healthcare and sanitation in the places to which they return. There are also issues related to conscription and questions around those who deserted the army when they left Syria, Awad said. And there are obstacles related to physical security even in places where the fighting has stopped, including large amounts of unexploded ordinance. UNHCR is working with the Syrian government to try to improve conditions for those who wish to return, Awad said. The UN refugee agency, along with the development agency, meanwhile launched an appeal for $5.5 billion to support national efforts in 2019 and 2020 in Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt and Iraq to continue hosting the millions of Syrians still not ready or able to return home. "It is critical that the international community continues to recognise the plight of Syrian refugees and provides vital support to host governments ... to help shoulder this massive burden," Awad said. Tuesday's appeal is to help 5.6 million Syrian refugees as well as 3.9 million members of vulnerable host communities. "Communities in the region hosting refugees from Syria have shown tremendous generosity, yet are increasingly themselves under strain," Mourad Wahba, head of UNDP's Arab States region, said in a statement. The Department of Justice has asked a Manila City court to allow a former aide of Kerwin Espinosa to become state witness in the drug trade conspiracy filed case against the self-confessed drug trader. In a motion, DOJ prosecutors said that the testimony of accused Marcelo Adorco is "absolutely necessary as there is no other direct evidence available for the prosecution of the offense committed." "The testimony of the said accused can be substantially corroborated in its material points," the motion said, in seeking to discharge Adorco as an accused to become a state witness. Like Espinosa, Adorco is accused of violating Section 26(b) in relation to Section 5 (conspiracy to commit illegal drug trading) of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 before the Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 51.Aside from Espinosa and Adorco, the other accused in this case are convicted drug lord Peter Co, alleged drug supplier Lovely Impal, and Ruel Malindangan, who is at large. Alleged drug lord Peter Lim, also at large, is among their co-accused in separate court cases in Makati and Manila. The Revised Rules on Criminal Procedure provide that the prosecution can move for the discharge as state witness of one or more persons accused of an offense after the presentation of supporting evidence. The DOJ prosecutors told the Manila City court that Adorco has consented to become a state witness against his former boss. The Daily Beast Clemens Bilan/Getty ImagesA new book claims Prince Charles privately discussed with his wife the likely complexion of any children of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.The potentially devastating accusation appears in the latest book by the New York Times best-selling author Christopher Andersen. But the author stops short of directly alleging that Charles is the royal racist who expressed concerns to Prince Harry over the skin color of the couples children, as Meghan Markle told Oprah in a bo WASHINGTON Maria Butina, a Russian national charged with conspiracy and acting as the agent of a foreign government, joined prosecutors Monday in asking a judge to schedule a hearing for her to change her plea. Butina has pleaded innocent so far in the case in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. She has been jailed since July, largely in solitary confinement. But now lawyers for both sides are asking for a plea hearing Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday. The parties have resolved this matter, the two-page filing said. The latest court filing suggests that Butina could be preparing to plead guilty to charges involving what prosecutors claim were efforts to infiltrate U.S. political organizations in order to advance Russia's interests. A plea deal could shed further light on her activities. On Friday, U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan appointed public defender A.J. Kramer as an advisory counsel to Butina without further explanation. The move came after Chutkan held a phone conference with Butina's defense lawyers, Robert Driscoll and Alfred Carry, and assistant U.S. attorneys Erik Kenreson and Thomas Saunders. This Friday, Aug. 17, 2018 photo provided by the Alexandria, Va., Detention Center shows Maria Butina, accused of being a Russian spy. Chutkan earlier placed a gag order on both the federal prosecutors and the defense team that prevents them from speaking publicly about the case. The case against Butina was filed by the U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia and is unrelated to Justice Department special counsel Robert Mueller's ongoing inquiry into Russia's interference in the 2016 presidential election. Butina, who entered the United States in 2016 on a student visa, has been jailed as a flight risk without bond in Alexandria, Virginia, since her arrest in July. She has been held for months in solitary confinement, which keeps her in "a steel door cage the size of a parking space" for 22 hours each day, according to one of her court filings. She asked Chutkan to allow her into the jail's general population, but was rejected. Story continues The Russian Embassy has called repeatedly for her release, most recently on Thursday. #FreeMariaButina We will continue demanding the release of Maria, victim of the blatant outrage. Meanwhile, we have heard numerous statements by #US officials as regards the detained Ukrainian sailors. No such measures have been imposed on any of them https://t.co/pwVzG7GFGI pic.twitter.com/5Y7r2M6lBx Russia in USA (@RusEmbUSA) December 6, 2018 Butina is accused of engaging in a years-long campaign as a covert agent for the Kremlin in an attempt to "advance the interests of her home country." She is accused of infiltrating multiple political organizations, including the National Rifle Association, to gain influence for Russia. In the original charging documents filed in July, prosecutors claimed that Butina worked at the direction of "a high-level official in the Russian government who was previously a member of the legislature of the Russian Federation and later became a top official at the Russian Central Bank." The official, whose description matches Alexander Torshin, had been sanctioned by the Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control in April 2018 and is prohibited from traveling to the U.S. The pair identified political organizations and politically connected individuals who they could "exploit," the indictment said. She has been active with the NRA in recent years and is credited for creating a Russian version of the gun-rights organization, which officials have pointed to as a way for her to gain contacts and supporters. A March report issued by Democrats on the House Intelligence Committee referred to the public reporting about Butina and Torshin, claiming that Butina "sought to facilitate meetings with Trump campaign officials and between President Putin and candidate Trump during the election." This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Accused Russian agent Maria Butina asks judge to change plea in conspiracy case Activists again demand Green New Deal; stage demonstration at Dem leaders' offices originally appeared on abcnews.go.com Hundreds of pro-environment activists lobbied lawmakers on Capitol Hill Monday in an attempt to pressure Democratic leaders to endorse a Green New Deal for the new majoritys agenda in the next Congress. Protesters staged sit-ins at the congressional offices of Reps. Nancy Pelosi, Steny Hoyer and Jim McGovern, calling for a transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy and urging Democrats to leverage their power in the 116th Congress to enact green legislative proposals championed by progressives. The U.N. says we have 12 years to transform our economy and avert catastrophe, said Varshini Prakash, Sunrise co-founder, as the sit-in began at Pelosis office. Over 1,000 young people took over Capitol Hill today because we all deserve good jobs and a livable future. The Democrats need a plan to make it happen. (MORE: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez opens freshman orientation by leading protest at Nancy Pelosi's office) Another speaker at the demonstration, the Rev. Lennox Yearwood, Jr., said Americans of all backgrounds are fighting for existence in the face of climate change. This is not about Republican. This is not about Democrat. This is about humanity! Yearwood, Jr., the president and CEO of the Hip Hop Caucus, exclaimed. Climate change is a civil rights issue. We have a right to clean air, we have a right to clean water and we will fight not for ourselves but for the next generation. PHOTO: Environmental activists occupy the office of House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi of California, as they try to pressure Democratic support for a sweeping agenda to fight climate change, on Capitol Hill, Dec. 10, 2018. (J. Scott Applewhite/AP) Jeremy Ornstein, 18, of Watertown, Massachusetts, called on House Democratic leaders to step up for my generation and support the Green New Deal. Were fighting for survival and were also fighting for dignity, Ornstein said. The Democrats might say that theyre our climate champions but theyve gotta step up and back a Green New Deal if they wanna prove it. (MORE: Pelosi wins nomination for House speaker in a closed-door caucus meeting) Story continues Pelosi, who is facing a test of her leadership as she builds support in her bid for House speaker, has already announced plans to reconvene a select committee on climate change in the next Congress. After Mondays demonstration, Taylor Griffin, a spokeswoman for Pelosi, reiterated that addressing climate change remains a top priority for Pelosi. She has proposed reinstating a select committee on climate and looks forward to caucus-wide discussions with the committees of jurisdiction to determine the appropriate path forward, Griffin stated. Hoyer, D-Maryland, also expressed harmony with the activists. I welcome visitors from @sunrisemvmt to my office today, and I'm happy to hear from them about one of the most pressing issues of our time. Speaking out is exactly what our democracy is all about, and I appreciate their passion. The new Dem Majority will #ActonClimate. Steny Hoyer (@WhipHoyer) December 10, 2018 Of the targeted lawmakers, Sunrise Movement said McGovern addressed the demonstrators and pledged his support, but none of the other lawmakers were present during the sit-ins. PHOTO: House Minority Leader Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) speaks during her weekly news conference, Dec. 6, 2018 in Washington, D.C. (Alex Wong/Getty Images) Initial reactions from Democrats did not satisfy many of the activists marching around Capitol Hill Monday. Speaker Pelosi proposed bringing a committee back from years ago -- a committee that would gather evidence. We dont have time to gather evidence anymore, Ornstein said. We need climate action and we have all the evidence we need. Each of the Democratic leaders has an office in the U.S. Capitol where access is restricted to official business. But access for the public is not limited in the House office buildings, forcing Sunrise organizers to execute their protests there. U.S. Capitol Police eventually moved in, warning protesters to leave or face arrest. There were 138 protesters who were arrested and charged with crimes related to unlawfully demonstrating in the Cannon and Longworth House Office Buildings. Last month, a similar protest in Pelosi's office led to 51 people being arrested. Rep.-elect Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-New York, visited the protest, but she did not participate on Monday. Marrakesh (Morocco) (AFP) - As heads of state and government jetted out of Morocco on Tuesday after formally adopting a UN deal on migration, NGOs raised doubts about its implementation on the ground and the high seas. The Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration -- finalised at the UN in July after 18 months of talks -- was formally approved in Marrakesh on Monday in a ceremony attended by representatives of 165 governments. A host of European politicians including German Chancellor Angela Merkel have firmly endorsed the deal, even as the US and a string of other countries have shunned it amid a wave of anti-immigrant populism. While welcoming the agreement, the medical charity MSF and the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent (IFRC) pointed to policies by EU states that sit uneasily alongside the pacts commitments to save lives and "eradicate trafficking in persons". "What we see right now is that months of government policies on migration are deepening the suffering of migrants by basically offering them on a plate to criminal organisation networks," said Joanne Liu, international president of MSF. Last week, her organisation was forced to abandon its search and rescue missions in the Mediterranean - a key crossing for migrants and refugees travelling from Africa to Europe. The charity's vessel Aquarius has been blocked at the French port of Marseilles since losing its Panamanian registration and flag in September, amid what it has called a smear campaign led by Italy. Both Liu and the IFRC charged that European powers have facilitated the detention of migrants in Libya. "We have been very vocal in saying Libya is not a safe place," Liu told AFP on the sidelines of the Marrakesh conference. But "European governments have basically been using public money to finance detention centres in Libya." IFRC president Francesco Rocca hit out at the EU for policies he said pushed migrants back to the highly unstable North African country, including the training of a nascent Libyan coastguard. Story continues "Nobody should be sent back to Libya. This is unacceptable. You cannot send anyone back to a place that is not safe, and we know perfectly well that Libya is not safe," he told AFP. - 'Feels like a balance' - Billed as the first international document on managing migration, the compact lays out 23 objectives to open up legal migration and discourage illegal border crossings. Many NGOs have raised concerns that it is non-binding, raising further questions about whether its provisions will be implemented. "States are not obliged to respect" the deal, said Michel Prieur of the International Centre for Comparative Environmental Law. Prieur was also disappointed that environmental factors feeding into migration -- including climate change, natural catastrophes and industrial disasters -- merited only three paragraphs in the 35 pages of the pact's text. He and others said civil society could have been better consulted. The agreement has been hit by a string of withdrawals by UN member states, with some claiming it infringes national sovereignty. The US disavowed the process late last year. Australia, Austria, the Czech Republic, Dominican Republic, Hungary, Latvia, Poland and Slovakia all pulled out in the weeks and months ahead of the pacts adoption, while Chile withdrew the night before the conference and Brazil joined the defectors on Monday. Rows over the accord have erupted in several EU nations, hobbling Belgium's coalition government and pushing Slovakia's foreign minister to tender his resignation. Italy falls into a group of countries that UN migration chief Louise Arbour has said is still engaged in "internal deliberations" over the pact. For Sarnata Reynolds of Oxfam, the pact has been an achievement in a challenging global environment. It was a case of "governments getting together at a time that is quite heated for migration policies to ultimately find something that feels like a balance", said the charitys global head on displacement and migration. "There are some places in the contents of the compact where for example we would have liked to have seen the principle of non-refoulement, which basically means that a person cant be returned to a country if theyre going to be harmed," Reynolds said. "But the global compact from Oxfams perspective is a chance to push further and get governments to do better," she added. The pact is due to be ratified by the UN General Assembly on December 19. Small Cap Growth fund seekers should consider taking a look at Alger Small Cap Focus A (AOFAX). AOFAX carries a Zacks Mutual Fund Rank of 2 (Buy), which is based on nine forecasting factors like size, cost, and past performance. Objective AOFAX is part of the Small Cap Growth category, and this segment boasts an array of many other possible options. Small Cap Growth mutual funds usually focus their portfolios on stocks with large growth opportunities and a market cap of under $2 billion. These portfolios tend to feature small companies in up-and-coming industries and markets. History of Fund/Manager Alger Funds is based in New York, NY, and is the manager of AOFAX. Alger Small Cap Focus A debuted in March of 2008. Since then, AOFAX has accumulated assets of about $103.50 million, according to the most recently available information. The fund's current manager, Amy Y. Zhang, has been in charge of the fund since February of 2015. Performance Obviously, what investors are looking for in these funds is strong performance relative to their peers. This fund has delivered a 5-year annualized total return of 13.47%, and is in the top third among its category peers. But if you are looking for a shorter time frame, it is also worth looking at its 3-year annualized total return of 20.25%, which places it in the top third during this time-frame. When looking at a fund's performance, it is also important to note the standard deviation of the returns. The lower the standard deviation, the less volatility the fund experiences. Compared to the category average of 10.09%, the standard deviation of AOFAX over the past three years is 18.43%. The standard deviation of the fund over the past 5 years is 16.69% compared to the category average of 10.16%. This makes the fund more volatile than its peers over the past half-decade. Risk Factors It's always important to be aware of the downsides to any future investment, so one should not discount the risks that come with this segment. Story continues Nevertheless, investors should also note that the fund has a 5-year beta of 1.17, which means it is hypothetically more volatile than the market at large. Alpha is an additional metric to take into consideration, since it represents a portfolio's performance on a risk-adjusted basis relative to a benchmark, which in this case, is the S&P 500. The fund has produced a positive alpha over the past 5 years of 1.05, which shows that managers in this portfolio are skilled in picking securities that generate better-than-benchmark returns. Expenses For investors, taking a closer look at cost-related metrics is key, since costs are increasingly important for mutual fund investing. Competition is heating up in this space, and a lower cost product will likely outperform its otherwise identical counterpart, all things being equal. In terms of fees, AOFAX is a load fund. It has an expense ratio of 1.20% compared to the category average of 1.29%. From a cost perspective, AOFAX is actually cheaper than its peers. Investors should also note that the minimum initial investment for the product is $1,000 and that each subsequent investment needs to be at $50. Bottom Line Overall, Alger Small Cap Focus A ( AOFAX ) has a high Zacks Mutual Fund rank, and in conjunction with its comparatively strong performance, worse downside risk, and lower fees, Alger Small Cap Focus A ( AOFAX ) looks like a good potential choice for investors right now. This could just be the start of your research on AOFAXin the Small Cap Growth category. Consider going to www.zacks.com/funds/mutual-funds for additional information about this fund, and all the others that we rank as well for additional information. If you want to check out our stock reports as well, make sure to go to Zacks.com to see all of the great tools we have to offer, including our time-tested Zacks Rank. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Get Your Free (AOFAX): Fund Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Christmas trees have been in short supply - Duncan McGlynn Americans are facing a potential Christmas tree shortage this year in a lingering effect from the financial crisis a decade ago. Some tree growers went out of business as the economy buckled in 2008. Because trees take seven to 10 years to reach an acceptable size for buyers the effect is only being felt now. Jane Waterman, of Uptown Christmas Trees which sells festive firs in New York, told the Wall Street Journal: "We were able to cobble together enough trees, a few from this farmer, a few from that farmer. Were going to have enough trees, but they were very expensive." Additional factors contributing to soaring tree prices included bad weather in northern growing areas, a shortage of migrant workers to cut them down, and increased red tape for trucking companies bringing trees from Canada. Doug Hundley, spokesman for the National Christmas Tree Association, said many new Christmas tree businesses opened around 2005. The market was flooded and when the recession hit a few years later production plummeted. He said the problematic "balance between supply and demand" meant there had been a 17 per cent increase in average tree prices since 2015. Bill Campbell, owner of Campbells Christmas Trees, told The Daily Item: "The market was overproducing, overproducing for years and years and years, and then the recession hit and prices fell. Many guys couldnt afford to stay in the business anymore." Scott Lechner, of SoHo Trees in New York, said customers were flooding in looking for trees. He told the Wall Street Journal: "Just like the groundhog can predict winter I can predict the economy. Not by Christmas trees but by the ancillary sales of tree stands, ornaments, lights. People are buying them, the economy is rolling." Story continues His sales included a 24ft tree that went for $2,900. The National Christmas Tree Association denied there was a shortage. Tim OConnor, a spokesman, said: "There is no shortage. There are enough Christmas trees available. Everyone who wants one will be able to get one." As Prime Minister Theresa May battles to save her Brexit plans from failure, one question remains for Americans: what the hell is happening on the other side of the pond? New exclusive research published by The Independent over the weekend shows that, for the first time this year, a majority of British citizens support staying in the trading bloc, with 52 per cent of support to remain in the European Union. Those figures arrive as the prime minister struggles to garner support for her plans, delaying a Tuesday vote that could have derailed the process entirely. Just two years ago, the country was much more in favour of withdrawing and Americans appeared to support the breakup as well. Up to 80 per cent of US citizens supported the departure on the night of the Brexit referendum in the summer 2016, according to data also published by The Independent. However, now that the complexities of Brexit are becoming a reality for those who voted to leave the EU, it seems as if hearts and minds could be changing on the issue across the globe. We recently asked a dozen New Yorkers for their thoughts on Brexit to gain a better understanding of whether Americans were still tuning in to the latest developments out of Britain. Despite the near-daily controversies arising out of the White House soaking up much of the domestic news cycle since Donald Trumps 2016 upset victory, the people we spoke to appeared up to speed on the latest general updates and each person had an opinion on whose side they were on. Several people pointed to the apparent similarities between Brexit and the election of Mr Trump, with one woman suggesting its a sign the divide is just getting bigger and bigger. People need to get along and figure out how to negotiate with each other even though their differences are so wide, the woman, whose name is Maggie, told The Independent. I just see as in England with Brexit her in America, the divide is just getting bigger and bigger. Story continues Others claimed the Brexit vote may have been an impulse decision for many, with British voters now facing buyers remorse according to another New Yorker. I think it was an emotional decision and I think that they kind of have buyers remorse, the man, whose name is Jacob, said about the countrys first vote on Brexit. I think there should be a second referendum. I dont know if thats possible, I dont know if its legal, I dont know, but I think they should give it time now that theyve really had the time to educate the people. The majority of New Yorkers we spoke to said they supported a second referendum, with one father named Eric saying, Im sure at this point people are more informed than they were when they first voted. I think that the British people should be given another opportunity to have a vote on the matter, a second referendum, he said. They probably just jumped on the bandwagon. You know, everyone is afraid of terrorists and people from other countries taking their jobs who might work for less pay, but I think those are easy trigger phrases in situations to get people to act in extreme ways. Interestingly, the only person The Independent spoke to for this (albeit brief) temperature check on American attitudes towards Brexit was one German-native who happened to be vacationing in New York when a reporter was speaking with locals about the latest developments. That German resident was a financial consultant who told The Independent he was excited about the prospect of banks moving to Frankfurt, Germany. In my opinion, the second referendum will be that the UK people will say Nope, we want to be in the EU because of all the consequences that are coming out of this. All the things that they dont have in their mind are now going to happen, he added. I think that wasnt clear when they voted. By Marc Frank HAVANA (Reuters) - U.S. travel to Cuba is bouncing back a year after Hurricane Irma and the Trump administration delivered a one-two punch to visits by Americans to the once-forbidden island, according to data from the Cuban Tourism Ministry. The number of Americans traveling to Cuba through September totaled 460,646, according to ministry figures seen by Reuters, down 8.8 percent from the same period in 2017 but significantly better than the 24 percent decline year-on-year reported through June. That mirrors signs that Cuba's tourism sector in general is gradually recovering from a difficult year marked by hurricanes that devastated the Caribbean and U.S. President Donald Trump's reimposition of sanctions after his predecessor Barack Obama restored diplomatic relations and visited the island with his family. Tourism Minister Manuel Marrero last month said that total arrivals this year would top the previous years 4.7 million despite a slow start, while next year visits would reach 5.1 million. A majority of American visitors through September came by cruise ship, travel that is led by the likes of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd, Carnival Corporation and Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd, but agencies that bring groups of Americans said their business was also picking up. Analysts say the cruises, which began in 2017, tend to cater to a sector with less income than group or individual travelers, whose trips can be quite expensive. Cruises also appeal to the less adventurous as the companies guarantee the legality and safety of their trip. The number of Americans arriving by cruise ships through September was double that of 2017. Meanwhile, 222,000 flew in for longer stays on the island at hotels and private bed and breakfasts, a drop of 42 percent according to the ministry report. Cruise passengers spend little on land, while those vacationing on the island spend much more at hotels, bed and breakfasts and restaurants. That drop in tourism revenue is painful for Cubas private sector, which operates 2,000 restaurants and rents out 24,000 rooms, as well as for the Communist-run government, which owns most hotels and is struggling with declining export revenues and dwindling support from crisis-hit ally Venezuela. GROUP TRAVEL RECOVERING A Reuters survey of a dozen U.S. agencies that bring groups of Americans to Cuba for longer stays found unanimous agreement that bookings were recovering for this season beginning after Christmas. Collin Laverty, president of Cuban Educational Travel, which brings hundreds of groups to Cuba every year, said business was up 25 percent over 2017. "You can feel it in the streets if you walk around Old Havana," Laverty said, with the colonial district of the city behind him and facing two huge cruise ships docked in Havana Bay. "The cruise terminal is filled. I have never seen airfares so high. Obviously, demand is outstripping supply, so things are looking good." The U.S. trade embargo restricts Americans who visit the island to non-tourist activities such as cultural, religious and educational travel or family visits. The Trump administration has made it more difficult for Americans to travel to Cuba on their own and banned them from patronizing military-owned hotels and other establishments. Further complicating matters, the administration cut its Havana embassy to a skeletal staff in 2017 and issued a travel warning, which it only recently downgraded, after 26 of its diplomats were sickened by what it views as possible sonic attacks. Travel providers said all the bad news was fading, with Cuban music, art and the prospect of adventure once more enticing clients. "American memories are short," said Steve Cox, executive director of Alabama-based International Expeditions. "Interest in going to Cuba has come back and we are looking forward to a much better year in 2019." The figures do not include Cuban-Americans, more than half a million of whom arrive every year to visit family and friends on U.S. carriers American Airlines, United Airlines, JetBlue, Delta Air Lines and Southwest Airlines. (Reporting by Marc Frank; Editing by Steve Orlofsky) Photo credit: Westend61 - Getty Images From Men's Health When it comes to talking about anger, the conversation usually turns to how and why we should free ourselves of the emotion. As the thinking usually goes, anger is bad for our health and fosters negativity. But the emotion has potential to do more than just turn you into a bright red rage monster. Sometimes it's okay-and even healthy-to be angry, as Charles Duhigg points out in The Atlantic. Duhigg spent a year researching the most common roots of anger in Americans, especially in light of today's hyper-charged political climate. Surprisingly, Duhigg found that anger isn't always as bad as everyone makes it out to be. Anger gets a bad rep because the emotion is often linked with violence-but the two aren't necessarily related. In a 2003 American Psychological Association article, Howard Kassinove, PhD and co-author of Anger Management: The Complete Treatment Guidebook for Practice, explained that anger leads to aggression roughly 10 percent of the time. He further notes that lots of aggressive acts are committed without anger. 2/ The first surprise: I went into this project thinking of anger as a negative emotion. But when I looked at the social science, I learned that anger can be a powerful force for good. - Charles Duhigg (@cduhigg) December 10, 2018 Instead, the frequently maligned emotion can actually serve you well. Here's how. Anger Helps You Speak Clearly Sure, you may want to say a few choice words to that cubicle mate who listens to music without headphones, but chances are you won't actually go through with the scolding. People generally use a filter when communicating their feelings so they don't appear brash or insensitive. But getting angry allows you to remove that filter and say what you really feel, says Ken Yeager, PhD, LISW and Clinical Director of the Stress, Trauma and Resilience program at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. Story continues "Too often people are busy trying to say it in a way thats polite, but meaning gets lost in the process," he tells MensHealth.com. "When a person is angry, theyre in the midst of flight or fight. Theyre going to say exactly what they need, exactly what they think to get their point across." Photo credit: PeopleImages - Getty Images Anger Helps You Negotiate Shockingly, angry conversations don't usually result in blowout screaming matches. Duhigg's article cites the findings of Massachusetts at Amherst Psychology Professor James Averill, who studied anger and response in the late 1970s. Averill surveyed people about how often they got angry and were asked to describe a particularly upsetting experience. Averill discovered that angry people were able to resolve their problems favorably. Case in point: an angry teen had his curfew changed after shouting at his parents. "In the vast majority of cases, expressing anger resulted in all parties becoming more willing to listen, more inclined to speak honestly, more accommodating of each others complaints," Duhigg writes. However, the intensity of your anger is important for making this work. Earlier this year, researchers at Rice University found that people who were moderately angry negotiate their needs better than people who were either very angry or had little anger. Photo credit: ONOKY - Eric Audras - Getty Images Researchers believe this is because moderately angry people are viewed as tough, while people who express even more extreme emotions are viewed as inappropriate. Anger Motivates Us Anger can be the kick in the butt people need to start a new project or make a change because it fuels passion, says Yeager. Duhigg sees this phenomena most in American politics, as he believes successful politicians win because they tap into people's anger and inspire them to vote. This is why Averill never discounted the strength of current President Trump's unlikely candidacy, according to Duhigg's reporting. There's no denying that the result of the 2016 Presidential election caused anger. Shortly after Trump's inauguration in 2017, angry Americans took to the streets and marched in protest of the President's policies. Around the world, more than five million people marched in protest and to advocate for women's rights in January 2017. Photo credit: Anadolu Agency - Getty Images But not all fear-induced change has to be big. Anger can spark creativity at work and allow us to develop new initiatives or campaigns, says Yeager. "If you let go of your anger, you understand that theres a change possible," he says. "A lot of people stay stuck in 'thats the way weve always done it.' Nothing creative comes out of that." Anger is Cathartic Think about the last time you skipped the B.S. and told someone what you really thought. It felt pretty good, right? Averill found that people were happier, more optimistic, and relieved after yelling during an argument. Although we associate aggression with anger, the two aren't as intermingled as we think. In fact, our brains experience anger in a positive way, Dacher Keltner, the director of the Berkeley Social Interaction Lab, tells The Atlantic. When we look at the brains of people who are expressing anger, they look very similar to people who are experiencing happiness, Keltner said. When we become angry, we feel like were taking control, like were getting power over something. Photo credit: JGI/Jamie Grill - Getty Images But before you unleash a year's worth of annoyance onto your friends and family, just remember that anger is like most things: best in moderation. "A little anger is a good thing, and a lot of anger is not a good thing," says Yeager. You'll know you've tiptoed the line when being angry is all you can think about. Personal attacks, insults, and demeaning comments are also destructive. "Thats when you fall into potential for violence," says Yeager. Outside of that, Yeager says it's okay to get a little heated. "Arguments are healthy," he admits. The next time you lose your cool, just remember: it's not all that bad. Harness those feelings to get something done, and you'll be the better for it. ('You Might Also Like',) Time magazine on Tuesday announced a group of journalists it called The Guardians as 2018 Person of the Year, referring to individuals who have taken great risks in pursuit of greater truths. Slain journalist Jamal Khashoggi was among several individuals named in the award, along with Filipina journalist Maria Ressa and Reuters Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo. The Capital Gazette, the Maryland media company that lost five staffers to a mass shooting in June, also was included in the honor. Time editor in chief Edward Felsenthal announced the 2018 Person of the Year on NBCs Today show, noting this was the first time the weekly newsmagazine chose someone who is no longer alive. As we looked at the choices, it became clear that the manipulation and abuse of truth is really the common thread in so many of this years major stories from Russia to Riyadh to Silicon Valley, Felsenthal said. This is the first time weve chosen someone no longer alive as Person of the Year, but its also very rare that a persons influence grows so immensely in death. TIME Editor-in-Chief @efelsenthal talks Jamal Khashoggis 2018 Person of the Year cover pic.twitter.com/KTbgsK0AFt TODAY (@TODAYshow) December 11, 2018 Khashoggi, a Washington Post columnist and critic of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, was killed in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in October. The CIA determined the crown prince ordered Khashoggis assassination, but President Donald Trump shrugged off the evidence and said the U.S. will continue to partner with the Middle Eastern kingdom. Its very rare that a persons influence grows so immensely in death, Felsenthal said. [Khashoggis] murder has prompted a global reassessment of the Saudi crown prince and a really long overdue look at the devastating war in Yemen. Story continues Ressa is a veteran reporter on global terrorism and CEO of Filipino news site Rappler. Shes helped drive the sites highly critical coverage of Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte and his violent drug war. Last month, the Duterte administration charged Ressa and Rappler with multiple counts of tax fraud in what Ressa described as trumped-up charges meant to harass and intimidate. She could face up to 10 years in prison. Reuters Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo were arrested in Myanmar in December 2017. They were investigating a mass grave for Rohingya villagers, victims of what the United Nations has called the genocidal intent of Myanmar officials. Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo were found guilty of illegally obtaining secret state documents, even though a Myanmar police captain testified the two journalists had been framed. They were sentenced to seven years in prison. .@TIME's four 2018 Person of the Year covers "The Guardians and the War on Truth" https://t.co/L9dDgH409J pic.twitter.com/570Xi6veRK TODAY (@TODAYshow) December 11, 2018 Times annual Person of the Year feature profiles an individual or individuals who had the biggest effect for better or worse on news headlines over the previous 12 months. Time announced its shortlist for this years nominees on Monday, which included Trump, special counsel Robert Mueller, Black Panther director Ryan Coogler, research psychologist Christine Blasey Ford, March for Our Lives activists, Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, and families separated at the U.S.-Mexico border. Trump, who was named Person of the Year in 2016, was named this years runner-up. Mueller came in third place. Last year, Time chose The Silence Breakers as its Person of the Year, referring to the individuals who set off a national reckoning over the prevalence of sexual harassment. The cover image for the 2017 selection featured women who spoke out against sexual misconduct, from high-profile figures, such as Taylor Swift, to lesser-known survivors, such as former Uber engineer Susan Fowler and Mexican migrant farmworker Isabel Pascual. K-pop band BTS won this years Time reader poll for Person of the Year, narrowly beating out Planet Earth. In third place were the Thai cave divers, whose heroic rescue mission to save a trapped youth soccer team and their coach captivated the world. In November, Trump told reporters outside the White House that he should be Times 2018 Person of the Year. I cant imagine anybody else other than Trump, the president said. Can you imagine anybody other than Trump? Head over to Time to read the 2018 Person of the Year cover story. Related Coverage Time Names 'The Silence Breakers' As 2017 Person Of The Year It's No Surprise Who Donald Trump Thinks Should Be Time's 2018 'Person Of The Year' 'Separated Families' Are In The Running For Time Magazine's 2018 Person Of The Year Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today. This article originally appeared on HuffPost. Trillanes lawyers to appeal case at SC posted December 11, 2018 at 11:30 pm by PNA December 11, 2018 at 11:30 pm Defense lawyers of Senator Antonio Trillanes IV have formally informed the Makati Regional Trial Court Branch 148 that it will appeal its case to the Supreme Court (SC). In a seven-page motion and notice of appeal dated Dec. 10, Trillanes' counsel Reynaldo Robles told the Makati court that they will be taking the case directly to the high court, where a pending suit filed by Trillanes is also pending. "Please take notice of the intention of former accused Trillanes to appeal the order and the joint order of the court finding that Proclamation No. 572 series of 2018, was legal and / or constitutional, on purely legal issues and/ or questions of law directly to the Honorable Supreme Court particularly in relation to GR 241494, which is currently pending before the Supreme Court en banc," the motion said.In its joint resolution, Makati RTC Branch 148 Judge Andres Soriano turned down the motions for partial reconsideration filed by the government and Trillanes. The lawmakers counsels had asked to declare President Rodrigo Duterte's Proclamation 572, which invalidated his amnesty as illegal and/or unconstitutional after Soriano upheld the legality of the presidential directive last month. COMMENT DISCLAIMER: Reader comments posted on this Web site are not in any way endorsed by Manila Standard. Comments are views by manilastandard.net readers who exercise their right to free expression and they do not necessarily represent or reflect the position or viewpoint of manilastandard.net. While reserving this publications right to delete comments that are deemed offensive, indecent or inconsistent with Manila Standard editorial standards, Manila Standard may not be held liable for any false information posted by readers in this comments section. Beijing (AFP) - Apple stores in China continued with business as usual Tuesday despite a court-ordered ban on iPhone sales, but the US tech giant faces a growing nationalist backlash over the US-sought arrest of a Huawei executive. According to US chipmaker Qualcomm, which requested the ban, the Fuzhou Intermediate People's Court ordered four Apple subsidiaries to stop selling older models of the iPhone, including the 7, 7 Plus, 8, and 8 Plus. But Apple stores contacted by AFP in Beijing, Shanghai and Fuzhou said they were still selling those older models -- confirming a company statement that all remain available. Sales staff at a Beijing Apple store said they had not yet received any internal notices about the court injunction on iPhone sales. "If the ban is ultimately imposed, there will be no Apple products under 6,500 yuan ($940) in China," noted Wang Xi, a senior market analyst at research firm IDC. That would give Chinese smartphone brands, such as Huawei, "more opportunities in the high-end market", he told AFP. Qualcomm's request to halt iPhone sales is part of a long-running patent dispute with Apple. Separately, Apple is also the target of nationalist sentiment over the arrest of Huawei's chief financial officer in Canada at the behest of the United States on alleged Iran sanctions violations. The Chinese government has condemned the arrest and demanded her release. - Nationalist backlash - Some Chinese netizens and companies have also turned against Apple. "What if China banned Apple the way the US has banned Huawei?" wrote one user on Twitter-like Weibo in a post that garnered more than 500 likes. "What if Apple lost its manufacturing centre in China?" Leaked company documents announcing rewards for Huawei purchases and penalties for owning Apple products are also circulating on Chinese social media. A tech firm based in southwestern China, Chengdu RYD Information Technology, said it would reward employees who bought Huawei products with subsidies in an internal notice that it later confirmed via its official WeChat account. Story continues The Shanghai Nanchong Chamber of Commerce confirmed that it too was offering subsidies for Huawei smartphones, and that staff and executive members of the business group would "lose their positions" if found with Apple products. It seems that "general sentiment is gradually turning to against Apple and support Huawei now," due to recent events, such as Meng's arrest and the US-China trade war, said Wang. - Qualcomm battle - China is a crucial market for Apple, but is has been overtaken by Chinese competitors in recent years. According to a 2018 financial report, China, Hong Kong and Taiwan were together Apple's third largest market by net sales, after the Americas and Europe. Apple chief executive Tim Cook has also made regular visits to China, and has touted the company's inroads in the Chinese market as well as its manufacturing there. But Apple's premium-priced products remain out of reach for many users, increasing the appeal of more affordable phones produced by local companies. Apple has the fifth largest market share in China, trailing behind Huawei, Oppo, Vivo, and Xiaomi, according to data from IDC. Qualcomm, the leading supplier of chips for mobile devices, serves several Apple competitors in China, including Huawei, and has been in a prolonged legal battle with Apple in recent years. Apple has claimed that Qualcomm is abusing its market power over certain mobile chipsets in order to demand unfair royalties, joining a string of antitrust actions against the chipmaker. Qualcomm has countersued Apple and earlier this year escalated its legal fight, claiming the iPhone maker stole trade secrets and shared them with mobile chip rival Intel. According to Qualcomm's US lawsuit, Apple's goal was to buy mobile chips from Intel instead of depending on Qualcomm. An Apple statement to AFP called Qualcomm's effort to ban iPhone sales in China a "desperate move by a company whose illegal practices are under investigation by regulators around the world," and added that "we will pursue all our legal options through the courts". Australian truck and transport insurance company National Transport Insurance (NTI) has revealed that it is partnering with BeefLedger, an Australian blockchain platform on a pilot program that will deploy blockchain technology for end-to-end tracking of Australian beef exports. Aimed at improving food safety, export security and animal welfare in Australia, the program will use a distributed ledger platform alongside cutting-edge packaging technology and Internet of Things system to create and provide constant real-time data on beef product credentials and supply chain performance. Necessary Partnership According to BeefLedger, the goal of the partnership is to utilise technology to create a multi-layered framework for enhanced product security and credentialing, which will no doubt be of key interest to NTI due to the potential for reduced insurance risk. Similar projects have been launched in recent months across the Asia-Pacific region as food safety and credentialing becomes an increasingly important issue. In September, CCN reported that the Wuchang municipal government in the northeastern Heilongjiang province of China entered a similar blockchain partnership with Ant Financial and Alipay with a view to curbing food fraud and restoring consumer trust in the regions high-quality rice following a series of counterfeiting incidents. In the same month, it was revealed that Alibaba is at work on an anti-food fraud blockchain partnership with global consultancy firm PwC in Australia. NTIs partnership with BeefLedger will see premium Australian livestock credentialed and transported with real-time location updates from South Australias Limestone Coast to a processing plant in Casino, New South Wales, before being frozen and exported to its destination market in Shanghai, China. Expressing optimism about the programs potential to create value, NTI CEO Tony Clark said: Were excited by the prospects this presents across several streams of Australian industry: agriculture, animal welfare, transport and logistics. While its early stages, were optimistic of the outcomes and learning, and what it potentially means for Australian suppliers, exporters and consumers. Story continues The partnership comes at an important time for the Australian beef industry, which is a key foreign exchange earner for the countrys economy, with the countrys 45,000 cattle producers cumulatively making it the worlds third largest beef exporter behind only India and Brazil. According to BeefLedger chairman Warwick Powell, the pilot program is particularly important because rising wealth in China has led to a spike in demand for Australian beef, which comes with a risk of food fraud and poor adherence to safety standards. In his words: Research shows us that ethical standards and concerns for animal welfare, along with authenticity and proof of product origin, are amongst the top priorities for Chinese consumers. Its also whats driving consumer interest in Australian products. Featured image from Shutterstock. The post Australian Insurer Announces Blockchain Trial For Beef Export Supply Chain appeared first on CCN. May: Prince Harrys wedding to Meghan Markle Prince Harry and former actress Meghan Markle tied the knot at St Georges Chapel at Windsor Castle on May 19 2018. The bride wowed in a pure white double-bonded silk cady wedding dress, designed by Clare Waight Keller of Givenchy [Photo: Getty] This year has been a busy one for the Royal Family, with Prince Harry and Meghan Markles wedding topping the most searched-for royal moments by Yahoo users in 2018. The couple were married at St Georges Chapel at Windsor Castle surrounded by family and A-listers, in a ceremony that was watched by an estimated 1.9m people around the globe. Of course that wasnt the only royal wedding Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank announced their engagement back in January and tied the knot in an autumnal ceremony at the same venue as Harry and Meghan in October. The youngest royals have stolen the limelight on more than one occasion and theres also been two new arrivals to the fold with the birth of Kate and Williams third child Prince Louis in April and a second daughter Lena for Mike and Zara Tindall in June. And just five months after their fairytale wedding, Harry and Meghan got Yahoo readers excited for another royal baby, as they announced theyre expecting their first child in spring 2019. The news came as the couple embarked on their whirlwind tour of Australia, Fiji, Tonga and New Zealand. Turning to the most senior members of the Royal Family, the Prince of Wales celebrated his 70th birthday in November and got the family together for an adorable photoshoot to mark the milestone occasion. As with every official duty or family moment, its also the opportunity for the royals to show off their style credentials. From designer gowns to high street outfits, the Duchesses of Cambridge and Sussex have proved the royal effect is still going strong. Take a look back at the 10 most searched-for royal moments of 2018. Follow us on Instagram and Facebook for non-stop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day. For Twitter updates, follow @YahooStyleUK. Read more from Yahoo Style UK: From Meghan Markle to Kate Middleton, the royals we obsessed over most this year Meghan Markles style file: Every outfit the Duchess of Sussex has worn Every look the Duchess of Cambridge has worn in 2018 Taiwan PresidentTsai Ing-wen and her ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) were left reeling after a crushing defeat in local elections over the weekend. Tsai, who resigned as head of the party in response, remains as president though analysts are divided on whether she can come back and win re-election in 2020. China prefers the opposition Kuomintang (KMT) party, which traditionally seeks closer economic relations with the mainland. Voters in Taiwan delivered a crushing blow to President Tsai Ing-wen and her independence-leaning ruling party during the weekend's local elections, leaving China with the upper hand, analysts say. Tsai's Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) lost mayoral elections in key cities to the opposition Kuomintang (KMT), or Nationalist Party. The DPP lost its stronghold of Kaohsiung, the southern port city where it had held power for more than 20 years, during the nationwide vote Saturday for local posts . "It was a huge defeat," Sean King, senior vice president at Park Strategies, told CNBC's Akiko Fujita on Monday on "Squawk Box." While the vote was largely focused on economic concerns rather than the long-simmering issue of Taiwan's political status, China came out in a strong position, according to King. "I think it was issues like labor and pension reform, a lackluster economy, that did her in. But China's definitely going to claim victory here." Relations across the Taiwan Strait ebb and flow depending on who holds power in Taipei and tensions with Beijing have risen since the DPP swept to power two years ago. China prefers the Kuomintang, which avoids talk of going it alone and stresses economic ties with the mainland, from which KMT troops fled in 1949 after defeat in the Chinese Civil War. Taiwan-China relations flourished when the KMT ruled Taiwan from 2008 to 2016. Leaders from both sides Chinese President Xi Jinping and Taiwan's then-president Ma Ying-jeou met in Singapore for a historic summit in 2015. Story continues 'Major comeback' Analysts say that China is widely seen as having tried to influence the local elections through economic pressure on the self-governing island, including by discouraging tourism. King said he expects China to reach out to KMT politicians ahead of Taiwan's next presidential vote in early 2020. The election results left Tsai reeling, prompting her to resign as head of the DPP to take responsibility, even though she remains as Taiwan's president. Analysts, however, were divided on her political future. "I still think she'll be the candidate (for the ruling DPP) but there is going to be challenge from within," King said. "It's an uphill battle." The Kuomintang will now be hoping the local polls will pave the way for success in the 2020 presidential elections. "The results were a major comeback for the KMT party, which began a process of intra-party reformation after losing the presidential election in 2016," the Eurasia Group risk consultancy said in an analysis dated Sunday. "Beijing will view the results of this election as a solid endorsement of its pressure campaign against the DPP." Eurasia Group added that it sees Tsai who was technically not on the ballot as the biggest political loser of the weekend elections, with the DPP unlikely to back her for a second term in hopes that voters will accept someone else. WATCH: Is China threatening Asia's financial center? More From CNBC Ross Atkins was a surprisingly straight shooter on Monday. (CP) LAS VEGAS If theres one thing Toronto Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkin isnt known for, its being blunt. Atkins tends to choose his words exceedingly carefully, winding around his points to allow for a number of interpretations without making much explicit. Thats why it was a little bit surprising when he made his primary goal at the Winter Meetings crystal clear on Monday. We would rather have more flexibility or complete flexibility to know what our opportunities will be on the starting pitching front before we are aggressive with relievers, he said, after acknowledging slow-playing the relief market like he did last year was a probable strategy for the Blue Jays. Another rare definitive statement came in a declaration that the starting talent on hand simply isnt good enough. We can put together a major league rotation and a Triple-A rotation without going into free agency, Atkins said. We need to make it much better than the one that exists, and we will. Its hard to dispute those words. Right now, the Blue Jays have a rotation headed by two talented starters coming off rough years in Marcus Stroman and Aaron Sanchez, with a lot of uncertainty behind them. Will Ryan Borucki be able to repeat his strong rookie season despite the lack of a swing-and-miss breaking ball? Is Sean Reid-Foley ready to hold down a rotation spot all year with his inconsistent command? Can Sam Gaviglio break through his presumed sixth-starter ceiling? Only an unrealistic optimist would assume all of these things will be true in 2019. The Blue Jays know they need to add. Whether they do that in Vegas or not is up for debate. The latest on Troy Tulowitzki Given that Tulowitzki lives in Las Vegas, the possibility for a meeting with the Blue Jays front office is there. That hasnt happened yet, though. Instead, Atkins met with Tulowitzskis agent on Monday. Hes in incredible state of mind and he feels great physically, the general manager said. He looks great, hes moving around well. All positive signs. Story continues Tulowitzki didnt play at all in 2018, managed 66 games in 2017, and at 34 hes ancient for a shortstop. Its hard to imagine him playing much of a role for the Blue Jays in 2019. The Blue Jays arent shopping anyone Despite trade rumours surrounding both Russell Martin and the Stroman-Sanchez duo, Atkins insisted his club isnt shopping anyone. That doesnt mean he isnt leaving the door open. We would consider some opportunity if there was one to move him for talent that makes sense for the organization, he said on Martin. He also described trading one of his top two starters as unlikely but hinted that other teams were getting closer to valuing him as highly as the Blue Jays. That sounds rather innocuous, but when two clubs value a player at the same level, thats when trades happen. Atkins says Blue Jays wont sign players with flipping them in mind On a day where the Detroit Tigers signed Tyson Ross to a one-year deal, implicitly with the idea of moving him at the deadline, Atkins dismissed the notion the Blue Jays might sign free agents with a mid-season deal in mind. I dont expect us to be acquiring someone to trade them. I think well being acquiring guys who can help make the organization better, he said. If we are then in the position where it makes sense to move them we would consider that. Looking for free agent pieces with the goal of trading them is not where we are today. That leaves the door open, though, and it certainly wouldnt be a shock to see Toronto peddling some rentals come deadline time. More Blue Jays coverage on Yahoo Sports Kristinn Runarsson and Thorsteinn Gudjonsson, who were last seen alive at a height of 21,650ft on October 18, 1988, on the Nepal-Tibet border. The bodies of two climbers who were last seen 30 years ago have been found on the edge of a glacier in the Himalayas. Steve Aisthorpe, 55, was part of an expedition to Pumori with Kristinn Runarsson and Thorsteinn Gudjonsson, who were last seen alive at a height of 21,650ft on October 18, 1988. The remains of the two 27-year-old Icelandic climbers were discovered last month by an American mountaineer at the edge of a glacier on the Nepal-Tibet border. Mr Aisthorpe, a mission development worker for the Church of Scotland, said it is likely the pair fell from the face of the mountain and their remains were slowly carried down by a retreating glacier over the last 30 years. Steve Aisthorpe, 55, was part of an expedition to Pumori with Kristinn Runarsson and Thorsteinn Gudjonsson, who were last seen alive at a height of 21,650ft on October 18, 1988. The bodies were brought back to Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal, by a group of local climbers and a cremation service was attended by relatives, who then took the mens ashes home to Iceland. Mr Aisthorpe, of Kincraig near Aviemore in the Highlands, said: The discovery of the remains of Thorsteinn and Kristinn after so many years have inevitably brought many emotions to the surface for all who knew and loved these wonderful guys. It has also brought people together and I pray will help with greater closure and, in time, peace. My diary of the expedition reminds me of how, as someone who had only recently embraced the Christian faith, I found comfort and guidance as I turned to God in prayer. Steve Aisthorpe, 55, was part of an expedition to Pumori with Kristinn Runarsson and Thorsteinn Gudjonsson, who were last seen alive at a height of 21,650ft on October 18, 1988. In the midst of the desperate tasks of searching and then leaving the mountain alone, the words of a psalm were a personal reality God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. I plan to go to Reykjavik in Iceland to meet their families soon and pay my respects. Mr Aisthorpe, author of a book called The Invisible Church, said further clues about what exactly happened to the men could emerge because two camera films were found in a pocket of a jacket and have been sent to a specialist in Australia for development. During the four-man expedition up the challenging 23,494ft neighbour of Mount Everest, Mr Aisthorpe had begun to suffer from gastric flu and, along with another ill mountaineer, descended to the village of Pheriche to consult a doctor. Story continues He was told that it would take a week for him to recover, so he sent a message back to the camp suggesting that Mr Runarsson and Mr Gudjonsson should feel free to make a summit attempt without him. They set off and were never seen again. Ive never felt as alone as the day I arrived back at our high camp, Mr Aisthorpe said. As I worked my way upwards, I desperately hoped that Kristinn and Torsteinn had descended safely and were now lying in their sleeping bags in the tiny red tent camp. As it came into view, I called out at the top of my voice my calls echoed from the rocks and ice before fading. But the silence was palpable. Even as I finally reached and then unzipped the tent, I still nurtured a hope that the boys would be lying there, comatose, sleeping off the climb of their lives. But it was empty and I scanned our route up the steep face above, but nothing moved. It was then that my guts started to twist and a cold sweat began. Mr Aisthorpe said he summoned help and a helicopter search was finally launched five days after the men were last seen. He added: A couple of weeks later I left the area, convinced that Kristinn and Torsteinn must have fallen somewhere high on the face and their remains swallowed by the cavernous crevasse below. This was what I explained to their families and friends on a visit to Reykjavik shortly after my return from Nepal. Described by their friends as a breath of fresh air, Thorsteinn and Kristinn were considered to be Icelands leading exponents of Himalayan climbing at the time and were well-known for their open, easy-going personalities. However, the tragedy did not put Mr Aisthorpe off Nepal or mountaineering and over the following few years he returned to the country each spring and autumn to guide on some of the smaller peaks before moving to the country for 12 years with his wife Liz and two sons, John and Scott. Watch the latest videos from Yahoo UK Ricardo Salles, who was appointed by Brazilian president-elect Jair Bolsonaro as environment minister, has said his nation should remain part of the Paris Agreement: AFP/Getty Brazils future environment minister has said his nation should remain part of the Paris Agreement despite doubts cast by president elect Jair Bolsonaro during his election campaign. However, he also emphasised that Brazil must be allowed to retain its autonomy when making environmental decisions. Mr Bolsonaro sparked international concern when he said on the campaign trail he may pull out of the Paris accord, which sets targets for cutting greenhouse gases to avoid catastrophic global warming. Since being elected he has sent mixed signals about his green intentions, saying Brazil could stay in the agreement if certain conditions are met but also indicating he wishes to strip powers from his nations environment agencies. My inclination is ... to say that we shouldnt leave the agreement, Ricardo Salles, who is tipped to become minister after Bolsonaro assumes office on 1 January, said in an interview. But on the other hand, it doesnt signify that we will accept any and all sanctions, restrictions and programmes indisputably. All countries must respect Brazilian autonomy to manage its territory and to decide its environmental policies internally, he said. Brazil has committed to cutting emissions 37 per cent by 2025 and 43 per cent by 2030 under the agreement, although the country has yet to fully lay out how it will meet those goals. Brazil will use common sense in the details of how it will deal with the agreement, and the country thus far has been very responsible in preserving a large proportion of its native vegetation, the incoming minister said. Mr Salles, who previously served as the top environmental official for the state of Sao Paulo, said he does believe climate change exists, although he could not say for sure whether it is human-made or a change that is occurring naturally. Brazil should leave that question to academics and get on with the less charming business of environmental protection, he said, including dealing with waste, biodiversity, soil issues and converting the car fleet to lower emission biofuels. Story continues Mr Bolsonaro will not cut the budget of the ministry and environmental agencies government oversees, which include enforcer Ibama the Brazilian Institute of Environment and Renewable Natural Resources and conservation area administrator ICMBio, Mr Salles said. But environmental agencies are not producing the results they should be with the resources they are given, and he said he will seek to correct this mismanagement and inefficiency. Asked about whether Brazil should reconsider Ibamas decision last week to deny Total SA a permit to drill in the sensitive Foz do Amazonas basin near the Amazon rainforest, Mr Salles said it would have to make sure ideology did not enter into the decision and that it was based solely on facts. The country must strike a balance in environmental licensing, whether for farms or mines, and development, as overly strict rules drive people to illegality or lead producers to exit the market, he said. Though Mr Bolsonaro has not been as forthcoming about his views on climate change as US president Donald Trump, he has been associated with known climate change deniers, including his new foreign minister who called global warming a Marxist plot. When Mr Trump first announced his decision to quit the Paris accord, the Brazilian president elect shared an article defending the decision on Twitter titled the greenhouse fables. Recently he criticised the Brazilian governments environment agencies and said he will take away their powers to impose fines all over the place. Attendees at the UN COP24 climate summit currently underway in Poland have expressed concerns that under Mr Bolsonaros leadership Brazil could be turned into a climate rogue state. Additional reporting by Reuters The military is not discounting the possibility that some Department of Education officials and personnel were threatened by the New Peoples Army to allow the operation of Salugpungan schools in the Davao Region. This was stated by Armed Forces of the Philippines public affairs office chief Col. Noel Detoyato in a message to the Philippine News Agency Monday. We are not discounting that angle. The enemies of [the] state particularly the CPP-NPA [Communist Party of the Philippines-New Peoples Army] has a way of using threat and intimidation to attain their objective, Detoyato added. He added that they have requested the DepEd to conduct an investigation on the matter. The AFP will just bring up the matter to the DepEd and its the department call to act on the matter, he said. Salugpungan schools came to light after they were discovered as being used to recruit minor members of Indigenous People to fill up the NPA ranks. With this development, IP leaders urged government agencies to close the above-mentioned facilities. Detoyato said that they are monitoring the Salugpungan schools in the wake of this development. We are monitoring them and we are banking on the actions to be taken by the DepEd to resolve this matter, he added. Earlier, Mindanao Indigenous Peoples Council of Elders chairman Lipatuan Joel Unad said the NPA targets communities, where settlers are particularly uneducated.Pinipili nila [ang] mga ignoranteng tribo, doon sa mga di marunong magbasa, doon sa mga parents na walang alam kundi magtanim ng kamote, maghanap ng usa at baboy ramo, iyon ang pinupuntahan nila (They choose those ignorant tribes. Those who dont know who to read, whose parents only livelihood is to plant sweet potatoes, to hunt for deer and wild boars. Thats their target), he said. Showing parts of the MIPCEL Resolution No. 20, Series of 2018, Unad, who personally submitted the document at the Commission on Human Rights office in Quezon City, urged the body and other groups to start a probe over alleged human rights violation against IPs in the region. Unad said the 52 IP signatories to the resolution represent 18 major tribes in Mindanao. Yong nag-attend ng emergency meeting almost 51. Ang context doon, i-condemn ang ginawa ni Satur Ocampo. Pangalawa, declaration na kailangan ipasara na ng DepEd ang Salugpungan, kung hindi nila maipasara, ang IP mismo ang magpapasara (Those who attended the emergency meeting reached almost 51. Its context is to condemn the actions of Satur Ocampo. Second, a declaration that the DepEd must close Salupungan. If it cant close it down, the IPs would close it for them), he said. Unad and Datu Jomar Bucales submitted the MIPCEL resolution before the CHR office on Thursday. The resolution surfaced right after former Bayan Muna Rep. Satur Ocampo and 17 others were arrested over alleged trafficking and kidnapping of 14 minors, who were students of the Salugpungan TaTanu Igkanogon Community Learning Center Inc. in Talaningod, Compostela Valley. The DepEd, meanwhile, said that it has already agreed to work closely with the AFP to monitor community schools reported as breeding grounds for future members of NPA. We are closely working with the AFP because this is not just an issue of education, national security also, DepEd Undersecretary Annalyn Sevilla said in an ambush interview. Sevilla added that DepEd will make sure that all schools, especially the community schools in far-flung areas, have permits to operate to ensure proper regulation and control over the management of such institutions. City of London. Photo: Reuters Uncertainty over the Brexit deal is continuing to hurt banking jobs. According to data sent to Yahoo Finance UK from global professional services recruiter Morgan McKinley, Brexit is taking a considerable bite out of banking jobs and with an ambiguous Brexit deal on the table, the Citys bracing for more pain ahead. Month-on-month data in November, shows that there was a 4% decrease in jobs available and a 39% decrease in jobs available year-on-year. Chart: McKinley Meanwhile, there was a 14% decrease in professionals seeking roles month-on-month, equating to a 28% decrease year-on-year. Average salary change for November was 21%. Chart: McKinley Britain has just under four months to go until it leaves the European Union. The likelihood of the UK crashing out of the bloc grows by the day. This week, prime minister Theresa May delayed the crucial parliamentary Brexit vote on the agreement she sealed with the EU, as it was likely that shed suffer a devastating defeat. The cancellation of the vote sent the pound into a downwards spiral. The uncertainty is a huge issue as it makes it highly difficult for banks, businesses, and citizens to understand what the rules and regulations will be around trade and immigration when Brexit occurs on 29 March 2019. McKinley noted that while Brexit is unlikely to stop ambitious professionals from around the world seeking out London for career advancement, clarity over immigration rules is essential for financial services to manage their future workforce. If visa regulations arent modernised, the government will shrink the Citys talent pool, effectively shrinking the economy, said Hakan Enver, Managing Director, Morgan McKinley. McKinley said it hopes that even if the UK government decides to curb migration from the EU, it will be offset by the easing of visa barriers for qualified professionals from highly competitive hubs in Asia and the United States. We are forced to think outside the EU paradigm, which is uncomfortable and disappointing, but also offers opportunities for a truly meritocratic visa system that would enable recruitment from top financial services cities and tech hubs worldwide, said Enver. Story continues Over the last two years, banks have been moving jobs and their European headquarters away from London, in a bid to prepare themselves for the worst case Brexit scenario. Most recently, Bank of America (BAC) completed the move of its European headquarters from London to Dublin while more than 100 British funds are seeking post-Brexit licences in Dublin. In June, more than a third of the 222 large UK-based financial services firms tracked by global accounting firm EY said that they were either considering or had decided to move some operations or staff from the UK to elsewhere in the EU. There is a lot to be liked about BYD Electronic (International) Company Limited (HKG:285) as an income stock. It has paid dividends over the past 10 years. The company currently pays out a dividend yield of 2.5% to shareholders, making it a relatively attractive dividend stock. Does BYD Electronic (International) tick all the boxes of a great dividend stock? Below, Ill take you through my analysis. View our latest analysis for BYD Electronic (International) 5 questions to ask before buying a dividend stock When assessing a stock as a potential addition to my dividend Portfolio, I look at these five areas: Does it pay an annual yield higher than 75% of dividend payers? Has it consistently paid a stable dividend without missing a payment or drastically cutting payout? Has it increased its dividend per share amount over the past? Can it afford to pay the current rate of dividends from its earnings? Will it be able to continue to payout at the current rate in the future? SEHK:285 Historical Dividend Yield December 10th 18 How well does BYD Electronic (International) fit our criteria? The current trailing twelve-month payout ratio for the stock is 22%, meaning the dividend is sufficiently covered by earnings. In the near future, analysts are predicting a payout ratio of 22%, leading to a dividend yield of around 2.8%. Moreover, EPS should increase to CN1.12. When thinking about whether a dividend is sustainable, another factor to consider is the cash flow. A company with strong cash flow, relative to earnings, can sometimes sustain a high pay out ratio. If there is one thing that you want to be reliable in your life, its dividend stocks and their constant income stream. In the case of 285 it has increased its DPS from CN0.15 to CN0.23 in the past 10 years. It has also been paying out dividend consistently during this time, as youd expect for a company increasing its dividend levels. These are all positive signs of a great, reliable dividend stock. Compared to its peers, BYD Electronic (International) has a yield of 2.5%, which is on the low-side for Communications stocks. Story continues Next Steps: Taking into account the dividend metrics, BYD Electronic (International) ticks most of the boxes as a strong dividend investment, putting it in my list of top dividend payers. Given that this is purely a dividend analysis, I recommend taking sufficient time to understand its core business and determine whether the company and its investment properties suit your overall goals. There are three essential factors you should further research: Future Outlook: What are well-informed industry analysts predicting for 285s future growth? Take a look at our free research report of analyst consensus for 285s outlook. Valuation: What is 285 worth today? Even if the stock is a cash cow, its not worth an infinite price. The intrinsic value infographic in our free research report helps visualize whether 285 is currently mispriced by the market. Other Dividend Rockstars: Are there better dividend payers with stronger fundamentals out there? Check out our free list of these great stocks here. To help readers see past the short term volatility of the financial market, we aim to bring you a long-term focused research analysis purely driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis does not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements. The author is an independent contributor and at the time of publication had no position in the stocks mentioned. For errors that warrant correction please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. By Ginger Gibson WASHINGTON (Reuters) - California Attorney General Xavier Becerra is assessing whether the state can take legal action over the Trump administration's use of force against a caravan of migrants or a decision and future threats to shut the border with Mexico, he said in an interview with Reuters on Wednesday. "We have been approached by folks who have expressed complaints," Becerra, who is the son of Mexican immigrants, said. "We are monitoring what's occurring." Should California opt to take legal action, they would join a growing public protest over the implementation of President Donald Trump's hardline immigration policies, including the use of tear gas against the Central American migrants at the border and the decision to separate migrant children from their parents. California has limited jurisdiction to insert itself despite the clashes taking place on the state's border because the federal government has sweeping control over border and immigration administration. But Becerra suggested that if a state resident was being affected, including by shutting of the border, the state could have cause to intervene. "I can't act unless the rules are on our side," Becerra, who is the son of Mexican immigrants, said. Becerra, a Democrat and former member of Congress who helped negotiate comprehensive immigrants reform that was never passed, used his role at state attorney general to intervene on behalf of child immigrants known as Dreamers when Trump sought to revoke their legal status. The border crisis has unfolded in the past week as thousands of migrants who have made their way north through Mexico from violent and impoverished Central American countries attempted to enter the United States to seek asylum. On Sunday, U.S. authorities fired tear gas canisters toward migrants in Mexico - near the border crossing separating Tijuana from San Diego, California - when some rushed through border fencing into the United States. During the melee on Sunday, U.S. authorities shut San Ysidro, the country's busiest border crossing, for several hours. Trump has since threatened to "permanently" lose the U.S.-Mexican border if Mexico does not deport some 7,000 Central Americans gathered there. (Reporting by Ginger Gibson; Editing by Susan Thomas) Security at Cal State University Northridge (CSUN) is on alert after two notes threatening mass shootings were discovered on campus in one week. Last Wednesday, hateful graffiti, including a swastika and the threat of a mass shooting on December 12, 2018, was discovered in a bathroom at the California college's Sierra Hall. The latest threat came in the form of a handwritten letter, which was discovered early on Monday morning in a classroom at CSUN's Redwood Hall, KTLA reports. The author of the expletive-filled note states intention to launch a deadly attack on campus on the same date mentioned in the first note, killing as many victims "as I possibly can." The letter also suggests that the author has an accomplice at nearby Cal State Northridge Academy High School (NAHS) who will carry out a similar attack on Dec. 12. "I have kids from NAHS that are going to do the same," the letter continues. "He's gonna give bullys (sic) what they deserve. Death." "Hope y'all are ready to die," it adds. The note then turns its attention to teachers and professors, saying they are "surely" going to die for "making students depressed" and giving them "b******t work that will never serve us good in life (sic)." CSUN police and the Los Angeles Police Department are investigating both of the threatening messages, which they believe were written by two separate suspects. CSUN President Dianne F. Harrison announced in a Tuesday statement that the campus will remain open on Wednesday and that scheduled finals will still take place despite the threats. Harrison did mandate, however, that professors do not require students to be physically present on campus tomorrow to take their exams: Los Angeles (AFP) - Two Catholic school nuns in California have admitted to embezzling about $500,000, and using the funds over the years for travel and gambling in Las Vegas, their order said on Monday. Sisters Mary Margaret Kreuper and Lana Chang, who are said to be best friends, took the money from tuition, fees and donations at St. James Catholic School in Torrance, south of Los Angeles. "We do know that they had a pattern of going on trips. We do know they had a pattern of going to casinos, and the reality is, they used the account as their personal account," an attorney for the school told parents and alumni at a recent meeting, the Press-Telegram reported. The Archdiocese of Los Angeles said the missing money was discovered during a routine audit and it is believed the nuns operated their scheme over at least a decade. Kreuper was principal at the school for 29 years until her retirement earlier this year. Chang was a teacher for 20 years and she also retired this year. "Our community is concerned and saddened by this situation and regret any injury to our long relationship with the families of the school," the Sister of St. Joseph of Carondelet, the nuns' order, said in a statement sent to AFP. "The Sisters of St. Joseph both desire and intend to make complete restitution to St. James School." - 'Deep remorse' - Parents were informed about the nuns' misdeeds in a November 28 letter from the school's pastor, Monsignor Michael Meyers. The letter, a copy of which was obtained by AFP, states that Kreuper and Chang had taken a "substantial" amount of school funds for their personal use and the matter was uncovered during an audit conducted after Kreuper's retirement. "Sister Mary Margaret and Sister Lana have expressed to me and asked that I convey to you, the deep remorse they each feel for their actions and ask for your forgiveness and prayers," Meyers wrote. "They and their order pray that you have not lost trust or faith in the educators and administrators of the school." Story continues He added that no other school staff were implicated in the theft and that police had been alerted. Meyers said the school did not wish to pursue criminal proceedings against the pair, who spent decades as students' moral enforcers. However, Adrian Alarcon, the head of media relations for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, told AFP on Monday that the Archdiocese didn't want to just let the matter drop and planned to "become a complaining party." The nuns allegedly got away with their crime by depositing some checks made out to the school for tuition and other fees into a bank account different than the one used by the school. Meyers told parents in his letter that the two Sisters were cooperating with an investigation to determine the full amount of misappropriated funds. "I want to assure you that the investigation has disclosed that, notwithstanding this misappropriation, no student or program at St. James has suffered any loss of educational resources, opportunities, or innovations," he added. "In sum, the education of your children has not and will not be affected by these events." Taxes arent fun, but its pretty easy for Canadian businesses to file (Giphy) Few business owners will tell you they like taxes. But when it comes to ease of paying them, Canada leads the G7. Thats according to a new report from PwC and the World Bank group. The report measured the relative ease of paying taxes by looking at the time the company requires to prepare, file and pay its taxes, the number of taxes it has to pay, the method of that payment, and the total tax liability as a percentage of its commercial profits. Overall, Canada ranks 19th out of 190 countries studied. Ease of paying taxes (PwC) Hong Kong took the top spot, followed by a tie between Qatar and United Arab Emirates. Canadian small to medium-sized businesses make eight payments a year on average, compared to a global average of 24. It takes 131 hours in Canada, but 237 globally. Finance Minister Bill Morneau has so far been unwilling to match President Trumps tax cuts in the U.S. That means Canada has to find other ways to compete. The competitiveness of Canadas tax regime was put front and centre when the U.S. announced its tax reform, says Peter van Dijk, National Tax Policy Leader, PwC Canada. Canadas federal governments response in the latest fall economic update was a solid step in the right direction to encourage investments by small, medium and large businesses, and most importantly, to protect Canadian jobs. Good for smaller businesses, not big corporations The report found Canadas tax regime favourable for small and medium-sized businesses, but significantly less attractive for large companies to do business. The authors call the Canadian tax system a critical component of the countrys investment climate. In previous years, Canadas comparatively low corporate tax rate was attractive, but now the U.S. tax reform poses a serious risk to future investments, says van Dijk. The report calls on Canada to review its corporate taxation system, if it wants to remain competitive on the global stage and attract large, multinational firms. Download the Yahoo Finance app, available for Apple and Android. By Lisa Rapaport (Reuters Health) - - When it's unclear whether the potential benefit of breast cancer screening outweighs the possible harms, doctors should encourage women to make an informed decision based on their personal preferences, Canadian doctors recommend. The new guidelines released today by the Canadian Task Force on Preventive Health Care are similar to recommendations released in 2011, researchers note in CMAJ. But the updated recommendations may encourage more women, particularly those under 50, to opt against screening mammograms, said vice-chair of the task force Dr. Ainsley Moore. "The evidence continues to show a close balance between potential benefits and harms of breast cancer screening," Moore said by email. "This balance appears to be less favorable for younger women." The goal of mammograms is to detect tumors before they can be felt in a physical breast exam, catching cancer sooner when it's easier to treat. Ideally, this should mean fewer women are diagnosed when tumors are bigger, rapidly growing, and harder to control. But a growing body of evidence suggests that widespread breast cancer screening may catch more small, slow-growing tumors that are unlikely to be fatal, without curbing the number of cancers that are diagnosed at a late stage. And catching more small, slow-growing tumors may needlessly expose women to invasive follow-up testing and treatments. For the current recommendations, researchers examined the latest evidence on the outcomes from screening mammograms, which are done for women without symptoms and do not include patients who feel a lump in their breast. Among other things, researchers examined 29 studies assessing the value women place on the anticipated benefits and harms from screening. The task force recommends against screening women aged 40 to 49 years but encourages women in this age range who prefer to be screened to discuss this with their doctor. Women in this age group face a higher risk of potential harms from false positives, overdiagnosis and overtreatment compared with other age groups, and the absolute benefit is smaller, researchers note. From age 50 to 74, women should get a screening mammogram every two to three years, the task force recommends. This is also dependent on women's own values and preferences, and women may choose not to be screened if they are concerned about overdiagnosis. While the task force recommends mammograms, it advises against screening with magnetic resonance imaging, tomosynthesis and ultrasonography in women not at high risk for breast cancer. "The studies of mammography are reassuring in that they suggest that women who start screening after age 50 do not lose much in terms of breast cancer outcomes - that's why many guidelines don't recommend beginning until later," said Dr. Deborah Korenstein of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and Weill Cornell Medical College in New York City, who wrote an editorial published with the study. "It's clear that starting screening later prevents unnecessary tests and treatments," Korenstein said by email. However, screening younger women does save some lives. When women get screened in their 40s, this saves one life for every 1,700 people screened, Korenstein said. "For some women that small benefit might lead them to want screening despite the potential downsides, which highlights the important of taking personal preferences into account," Korenstein added. SOURCE: http://bit.ly/2B6ZJ71 CMAJ, online December 10, 2018. A Canadian court has granted bail to a top Chinese telecom company executive wanted in the United States, as diplomatic tensions turned to the detention of a former Canadian diplomat in Beijing. Meng Wanzhou, the chief financial officer of Huawei, was released on Can$10 million (US$7.5 million) bail on Tuesday in a case that has rattled relations between China, the United States and Canada. Meng, who faces a US extradition bid on charges related to alleged violations of Iran sanctions, was also ordered to surrender her passport and will be subjected to electronic monitoring. "The risk of (Meng's) non-attendance in court can be reduced to an acceptable level by imposing the bail conditions proposed by her counsel," a judge in Vancouver said, prompting the courtroom packed with her supporters to erupt in cheers. Meng, who later left in a black SUV, will be allowed to stay at a luxury home owned by her husband, Liu Xiaozong, in Vancouver. Her December 1 arrest in Vancouver has shaken China's relations with Canada and the United States, and raised concerns that it could derail a US-China trade war truce. US officials have said the arrest was unrelated to the trade talks, but President Donald Trump told Reuters he "would certainly intervene" in the case if it can help strike a deal with China. "If US officials and the US government want to make positive efforts towards the right direction about the issue, we welcome them," Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang said Wednesday at a regular briefing. Huawei is a strategically key company for China's global high-tech ambitions but some of its services have been blocked in the United States, Australia, New Zealand and Britain over security concerns. Meng, who is the daughter of Huawei's founder, is accused of lying to bankers about the use of a covert subsidiary to sell to Iran in breach of sanctions. If convicted, she faces more than 30 years in prison. Story continues The extradition process, scheduled to start on February 6, could take months, even years, if appeals are made in the case. Her lawyer, David Martin, argued that she was not a flight risk because it would otherwise "embarrass China itself". She had also cited health reasons for requesting bail. During a pause in proceedings, Martin said Meng looked forward to spending time with family, reading novels and maybe applying to a doctorate program while the extradition case plays out. Huawei said in a statement it was confident that the courts would "reach a just conclusion" in the case and stressed that the company complies with all laws and sanctions. - Former diplomat detained - While Meng secured her release, the International Crisis Group (ICG) think tank said its North East Asia senior adviser, former Canadian diplomat Michael Kovrig, was detained by Chinese state security in Beijing on Monday and has had no information about him since then. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau voiced concern over the detention. "This has our attention at the very highest level of our government," said Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland. China had warned Canada of "grave consequences" over Meng's arrest as it demanded her release, although Canada said no link between the two cases had been established. But a former Canadian ambassador to Beijing, Guy Saint-Jacques, said Kovrig's detention was likely linked to Meng's case. "There is no coincidence in China," Saint-Jacques told AFP. "In this case it is clear the Chinese government wants to put maximum pressure on the Canadian government." Lu, the Chinese foreign ministry spokesman, said ICG was not legally registered in the country and its employees would be "in violation" of the law if they were engaged in activities in the country. Lu did not offer more details about the case. Some 20 Chinese police officers patrolled outside Canada's embassy on Wednesday but they refused to explain their presence. - 'He loves China' - Kovrig, a Mandarin speaker, was a political officer at the embassy from 2014-2016 who met with dissidents and travelled to China's restive far west Xinjiang region, Saint-Jacques said. He took an unpaid leave from the embassy because he "loves China" and wanted to continue to work in the country, the former ambassador said. "It's easy to concoct espionage accusations against someone in China," he said. "When I learned the news this morning it deeply saddened me because Michael was a good political officer, but he is not a spy at all." The US State Department called on China to "end all forms of arbitrary detentions." Brussels-based ICG said in a statement that it has received no information about Kovrig since his detention and is concerned about his health and safety. "Michael did not engage in illegal activities nor did he do anything that endangered Chinese national security," ICG president Robert Malley told AFP. "He was doing what all Crisis Group analysts do: undertaking objective and impartial research." Amkor (AMKR) expands its MEMS and Sensor Package Platform to serve the growing needs of the optical market. Shares of Canopy Growth CGC were up more than 6% in late afternoon trading Tuesday, as investors expressed optimism about the Senates hemp legalization bill and managements comments about interest from institutional investors. Members of the U.S. Congress added a hemp legalization provision to the final version of the 2018 Farm Bill, and that law is now expected to be voted on later today. The provision received bipartisan support, with Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) helping the Democratic push and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) signing the final bill language with a hemp pen on Monday. McConnell called the inclusion of a hemp legalization provision a victory for farmers and consumers throughout our country, while Wyden declared it a huge win for Oregon farmers and rural communities across the country. The news also excited investors following Canadian marijuana stocks, as hempa species of cannabis with limited psychoactive effects but high value for production of papers, textiles, and other materialsoffers a potential entrance to the U.S. market. Other news on this front was breaking on Tuesday afternoon, too. According to the New York Post, aides said today that New York Governor Cuomo will introduce a plan for legalizing marijuana in the state. Cuomo recently held listening sessions across New York to gather residents thoughts on legal cannabis, and now his team will review that feedback in the hopes of releasing a comprehensive proposal in early 2019. A study published earlier this year by Comptroller Scott Stringer projected that legal marijuana could be a $3.1 billion market in New York State, the Post reported. This could potentially generate hundreds of millions of dollars in state and city tax revenue. Canopy Growth CEO Bruce Linton appeared on BNN Bloomberg earlier Tuesday to tout the recent institutional support witnessed by cannabis producers. Story continues What youre seeing is retail jumping in and out. But when they get out, I think a lot of stockslike oursare getting institutional support, the CEO said. Were going to see a shift in the 2019 theme: those which are institutional investable and those whose aunts and uncles buy and sell in the morning and afternoon. Canopy Growth has seen larger investments from Canadian pension funds and familiar institutions such as Vanguard Group, Morgan Stanley, and Macquarie Group. Beer maker Constellation Brands STZ also owns a good chunk of Canopy Growth, upping its stake from 10% to 38% earlier this year. Lintons comments and todays legalization news follow another massive partnership in the cannabis space, with fellow Canadian producer Cronos Group CRON announcing this week that tobacco behemoth Altria MO has agreed to take an approximately C$2.4-billion equity investment in the former. Will You Make a Fortune on the Shift to Electric Cars? Here's another stock idea to consider. Much like petroleum 150 years ago, lithium power may soon shake the world, creating millionaires and reshaping geo-politics. Soon electric vehicles (EVs) may be cheaper than gas guzzlers. Some are already reaching 265 miles on a single charge. With battery prices plummeting and charging stations set to multiply, one company stands out as the #1 stock to buy according to Zacks research. It's not the one you think. See This Ticker Free >> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Constellation Brands Inc (STZ) : Free Stock Analysis Report Altria Group, Inc. (MO) : Free Stock Analysis Report Cronos Group Inc. (CRON) : Free Stock Analysis Report Canopy Growth Corporation (CGC) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research SAO PAULO/TOKYO Ousted Nissan Chairman Carlos Ghosn sought to retrieve "personal belongings, documents, cash, objects and art pieces" from a Rio de Janeiro apartment that the carmaker says could contain evidence of financial misconduct, according to a Brazil court filing by Nissan last week. The previously unreported court papers show the extent of the legal dispute between Ghosn and Nissan over access to the apartment, one of several the former executive had access to around the world. Ghosn is accused of underreporting his income by tens of millions of dollars. The Rio apartment, which the carmaker says it owns, contains three safes that Nissan has yet to open, according to the filing. The carmaker said it found the safes when it did an audit of the apartment following Ghosn's firing. It added the apartment also has "designer furniture, artwork and decorative objects." The court proceedings started Nov. 29 when a lawyer for Ghosn asked a judge to grant him access to the apartment. Nissan says granting Ghosn access would "represent an incalculable risk of destruction of potential evidence of crimes allegedly committed." Ghosn has so far been denied access. A lawyer for Ghosn, Jose Roberto de Castro Neves, told Reuters he was unaware of the existence of three different safes and that it was "absurd speculation" that they may contain evidence of wrongdoing. "He's a very smart guy," de Castro Neves said. "If he had done something wrong, he would never leave it in the apartment." Tokyo prosecutors on Monday indicted Ghosn for under-reporting his income and also officially charged the automaker, making the firm culpable for the financial misconduct scandal. Ghosn was arrested on Nov. 19 on suspicion of conspiring to understate his compensation by about half of the actual 10 billion yen ($88 million) over five years from 2010. He has been held in a Tokyo jail since then for questioning, but had not been officially charged until now. Prosecutors re-arrested him on Monday on fresh allegations of understating his income for three more years through March 2018. Nissan, which fired Ghosn as chairman days after his arrest, has said the misconduct was masterminded by the once-celebrated executive with the help of former Representative Director Greg Kelly, who was also indicted for the first time on Monday. Ghosn and Kelly have not made any statement through their lawyers, but Japanese media reported that they have denied the allegations. Calls to Ghosn's lawyer, Motonari Otsuru, at his office went unanswered. Nissan, indicted for filing false financial statements, said it takes the charge seriously. "Making false disclosures in annual securities reports greatly harms the integrity of Nissan's public disclosures in the securities markets, and the company expresses its deepest regret," it said, adding it will correct past financial reports to include appropriate compensation figures. Japan's securities watchdog, the Securities and Exchange Surveillance Commission (SESC), said the crime carried a fine of up to 700 million yen ($6.2 million). Analysts and legal experts say it will be difficult for Nissan and its Chief Executive Hiroto Saikawa to avoid blame, regardless of whether other executives knew about Ghosn's misconduct or that the company lacked internal controls. "It becomes difficult to overlook Saikawa's role in all of this. That becomes the main focus now," prominent lawyer and former prosecutor Nobuo Gohara said. Ghosn, if convicted, faces up to 10 years in prison and/or 10 million yen in fines. Related Video: Voting 224-22-3, the House of Representatives on Wednesday approved on third and final reading a resolution that amends the 1987 Constitution to effect President Dutertes proposed shift to a federal form of government. Resolution of Both Houses 15 (RBH 15), or the draft federal charter, was approved in plenary session with Deputy Speaker and Sorsogon Rep. Evelina Escudero as the presiding speaker. Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo said the passage of the federal charter was a priority, but Buhay Party-list Rep. Lito Atienza, who voted against it, said rewriting the Constitution should involve peoples participation and said federalism would not solve the countrys pressing problems but would divide the nation. The House-approved resolution will be transmitted to the Senate through the Houses Office of the secretary general. The approved draft resolution includes lifting term limits of legislators and local officials. Rep. Vicente Veloso of Leyte, chairman of the House committee on constitutional amendments, said the congressmen were unanimous in approving the lifting of term limits.Under the House draft constitution, the president and vice president will be elected with each other to serve four-year terms, subject to one reelection. The approved resolution also provides that lawmakers, who must be holders of college degrees, will also serve four-year terms. The proposal states that the first election under the proposed Constitution will be held on the second Monday of May 2022. The proposal, which calls for a presidential-bicameral-federal system, is different from the draft charter submitted by the Consultative Commission organized by Duterte. Veloso, a former Court of Appeals associate justice, said the House may file a petition with the Supreme Court to compel the senators to act on the measure if they do not. Clocking in at a brisk 128 minutes, Mortal Engines is a relatively slight blockbuster when compared to the lengthy run times of Peter Jacksons Lord of the Rings and Hobbit films. The film (in cinemas now) is adapted from Philip Reeves 336-page novel, and while Jackson the films co-writer and producer says the book was trimmed down a little bit, here and there, there were a number of scenes and sequences from the book, or from the shoot that didnt make into cinemas. The film tells the story of Hester Shaw, a young girl who seeks to uncover the truth behind her mothers murder, set to the backdrop of giant mobilised cities battling it out in a wasteland. Heres what we learned about the deleted scenes of Mortal Engines. Minor Mortal Engines spoilers incoming The stars of Mortal Engines share their most missed moments. Shrike and Hesters backstory After Hester flees London, the ancient warrior cyborg Shrike is dispatched to track down the would-be assassin. It later transpires that Hester and Shrike have a long history, and some of that was cut from the finished film. There was a little bit more of Shrike raising Hester, Jackson tells Yahoo Movies UK. The extended scene could turn up on the films DVD extras. Anna Fang and Tom talk Hester Another scene that was cut sounds like a touching character moment between Anti-Traction League leader Anna Fang (played by Jihae) and London exile Tom Natsworthy (Robert Sheehan). Theres a scene with [Anna Fang] that I always really liked, Hera Hilmer, who plays Hester Shaw, explains. Anna Fang is talking to Tom about Hester. And I just really loved that scene because it really was an insight into not everything is what it looks like on the outside, and if you look deeper you understand more what people have been through and who they are. More Magnus Crome The first cut of the film had more of Patrick Malahide as Magnus Crome, the Mayor of London, who regularly clashes with Hugo Weavings Thaddeus Valentine, the Head of the Guild of Historians. Story continues I had some scenes with Patrick Malahide, the wonderful actor that Patrick is Weaving tells us. Those were truncated and made into one scene. We got to reshoots, so we ended up doing those two separate scenes into one scene. So we lost a bit of the political battle between these two figures and the ideology that they both hold. Mortal Engines is in cinemas now. Watch a clip below. Read more The most searched movies of 2018 The stars we lost in 2018 Incredible actor transformations Hanukkah, one of the biggest Jewish holidays, is a time of year when families come together to celebrate the festival of lights and recount centuries of traditions and history. The Jewish Family and Children's Service of Greater Philadelphia (JFCS) brings together all the generations, from Holocaust survivors to children, to strengthen lives and specifically, to provide help to the survivors with all their needs. Watch more on this episode of "Holiday Heroes." Quinquen (Chile) (AFP) - In Quinquen, an indigenous community in southern Chile, Ricardo Melinir shows off a forest of Chilean pine trees -- the araucaria araucana, a "living fossil" seen as sacred by several local tribes. He managed to save the "Monkey Puzzle" trees -- some of which are 1,000 years old or more -- from logging companies, but they are still under threat from blight and climate change. "It is difficult to say how old these pines are," says the 60-something Melinir, shivering in the cold. He points to a giant tree felled in the winter months earlier this year, a victim of heavy snow and old age. The forest is located in Araucaria province, in the Chilean Andes about 600 kilometers (375 miles) south of the capital Santiago. The trees, declared a part of Chile's national heritage in 1976, can grow up to 60 meters (200 feet) in height and three meters in diameter. In Quinquen, at least 40 percent of the pine tree forests are wild, says Melinir, who is the head of the Pehuenche community, which takes its name from the tree's fruit. In 1991, the restoration of a democratic government in Chile following the Pinochet dictatorship that began in 1973 allowed the Pehuenche to recover their ancestral lands, which they had lost 50 years before. Today, 50 or so families -- a total of 200 people, all of them named Melinir -- live throughout the area, which is the first indigenous conservation zone established in Chile. But climate change has meant more wildfires, and many trees have been destroyed. Their pine nuts -- prized by chefs the world over -- have been stripped from what Neruda once called "Chile's towers." All told, the trees are more vulnerable than ever. - Disease - Researchers are in a race against time to try to identify a new blight that has devastated the forests in recent years. It could stem from a combination of environmental stress due to drought and the appearance of one or more types of mushrooms that dry out the tree's branches and kill it. Story continues According to a study published in the Chilean daily El Mercurio, 90 percent of the trees are already affected, and two percent of those are dead. The Chilean pine grows very slowly, and needs other male and female trees in order to ensure pollination and survival. It has dark brown male "flowers" at the tips of its branches, and female yellow-green pine cones. The two "fall in love" in the boreal spring, Melinir says with a flourish. Seeds appear in March and April, before the first snowfall. Then, it's a long wait -- 20 to 25 years -- before the tree sprouts. Ruben Carrillo, a researcher at University of La Frontera, is putting pressure on Chile's environment ministry to put the tree on the list of endangered species, saying all of the procedures have been fulfilled. "All we need now is for the decree to be published in the government gazette!" says the university scientist, who notes that the araucaria is the only species associated with an indigenous people. - Ecotourism a possibility - In recent years, Carrillo says the pine forests have shrunk to some 260,000 hectares (640,000 acres) in Chile. They are also found in Argentina. "The pine nut is our only way of surviving, the only crop we have," says Rene Melinir, Ricardo's chef son. The nut can be used to make flour and drinks. It can be eaten raw or cooked. Some even use it to make jam, as well as savory or sweet pies. "The pine nut contains lots of protein and calories. It has no salt or gluten, which makes it more healthy," says Rene. In the shade of the araucaria trees, the community in Quinquen wants to get into the ecotourism business -- a new way to boost its income, confined to farming and raising livestock. About 200 tourists, most of them French, came in 2017, according to Alex Melinir, the president of a cooperative of about 15 members seeking to live in harmony with the environment, as their ancestors did. By Josh Horwitz and Sijia Jiang SHANGHAI/HONG KONG (Reuters) - Even before the arrest of its CFO last week, pressure from the United States had forced China's Huawei [HWT.UL] onto the back foot in markets from London to Tokyo. But the detention of Meng Wanzhou in Canada over U.S. allegations she misled banks about Huawei's control of a firm operating in Iran could encourage more customers to stay away. "The U.S. messaging is undoubtedly having an influence (in Europe)... if not directly then definitely because it has helped create a hostile environment," a Huawei executive told Reuters, adding that many in Huawei were "shell-shocked" by the arrest of the daughter and heir apparent of founder Ren Zhengfei. Huawei and its lawyers have said it operates in strict compliance with applicable laws, and is confident that both the Canadian and U.S. legal systems "will reach a just conclusion". Washington's long campaign to convince the world that Huawei's ties to Beijing make the network equipment it sells to telecoms firms a security risk has already taken its toll. Meng's arrest has raised concerns that European countries in particular could follow the United States, Australia and New Zealand in restricting Huawei's access to those markets. Huawei, which has repeatedly denied accusations it facilitates Chinese espionage operations, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Of Huawei's 22 commercial contracts for next-generation 5G telecom networks, 14 are in Europe, where nearly every major carrier on the continent is a customer. In Britain alone, Huawei says it has spent 1.3 billion pounds ($1.65 billion) on investment and procurement over the last five years. Europe, Middle East and Africa was Huawei's biggest region for sales outside China last year, its annual report says, accounting for 164 billion yuan, or 27 percent, of total sales. Huawei says it employs more than 11,000 people in Europe, including 1,900 in research and development, and spends "billions of euros per year" in procurement from the region. Story continues Until recently its position in Europe seemed secure, with governments resisting U.S. pressure to block Huawei. But there have been signs of a mood change, with some German government officials arguing that Huawei should be banned, Reuters reported last month. In Britain, a critical government agency report prompted Huawei to announce that it would spend $2 billion on a security overhaul. Meanwhile, Japan's top telecom operators, including Softbank Group, are re-evaluating possible use of Huawei equipment for upcoming 5G networks, Kyodo News reported. Huawei is already trying to assuage European fears, including the spending proposal to Britain's National Cyber Security Council, the company executive said. It has also opened a laboratory to enable source code reviews in Germany and has plans to open another in at least one other European country. And on Monday, Huawei assured the Danish government's Defense Committee that its equipment was safe amid scrutiny of its role as a supplier to the nation's largest telecom carrier. SALES BAN FEARS Risks for customers, as well as for Huawei, are heightened by the possibility that the sanctions investigation in the United States could lead to a ban on the purchase of U.S. components. Such a ban nearly put ZTE Corp <00063.SZ> out of business before it was lifted. At a summit for its vendor partners in early November, Huawei published a list of 92 "core suppliers." Of these, 33 were from the United States and include household names like Intel, Qualcomm, and Oracle, as well as lesser-known industry players like Seagate, Marvell, and Wind River. (https://tmsnrt.rs/2QGyAlh) Although Huawei has its own semiconductor division, making it somewhat less vulnerable than ZTE, even that operation depends on U.S. design software. "Many of the products sold to Huawei by American suppliers cannot be easily substituted with made-in-China alternatives," Stewart Randall, who tracks China's semiconductor industry at Shanghai-based consultancy Intralink, said. The possibility of a ban on U.S. companies supplying components and software further raises the risks for carriers relying on Huawei gear. "In the worst case, if Huawei is found to have been involved, the United States will likely immediately impose an export ban on Huawei, forcing its business to come to a halt," brokerage Jefferies said in a report. (Reporting by Josh Horwitz in Shanghai, Sijia Jiang in Hong Kong and Emil Gjerding Nielson in Denmark; Writing by Adam Jourdan; Editing by Jonathan Weber and Alexander Smith) By Stephen Nellis and Adam Jourdan SAN FRANCISCO/SHANGHAI (Reuters) - A Chinese court has ordered a sales ban of some older Apple Inc iPhone models in China for violating two patents of chipmaker Qualcomm Inc, though intellectual property lawyers said enforcement of the ban was likely still a distant threat. The case, brought by Qualcomm, is part of a global patent dispute between the two U.S. companies that includes dozens of lawsuits. It creates uncertainty over Apple's business in one of its biggest markets at a time when concerns over waning demand for new iPhones are battering its shares. Apple said on Monday that all of its phone models remained on sale in mainland China and that it had filed a request for reconsideration with the court, the first step in a long appeal process that could end up at China's Supreme Court. "It's incredibly unlikely, I'd say almost impossible (that Apple would have to stop sales)," said a Beijing-based IP lawyer who is not directly connected with the Qualcomm case but has worked with large U.S. tech firms. "In all likelihood it will drag on for some time. It's worth keeping in mind that this is just one battle in a larger rift", he said, referring to the legal fight between Qualcomm and Apple that stretches from European courts to South Korea. Qualcomm said in a statement the Fuzhou Intermediate People's Court in China found Apple infringed two patents held by the chipmaker and ordered an immediate ban on sales of older iPhone models, from the 6S through the X. Apple said the trio of new models released in September were not part of the case. "Qualcomm's effort to ban our products is another desperate move by a company whose illegal practices are under investigation by regulators around the world," Apple said. Reuters couldn't immediately reach the court for comment. China, Hong Kong and Taiwan are Apple's third-largest market, accounting for about one-fifth of Apple's $265.6 billion in sales in its most recent fiscal year. Story continues Qualcomm, the biggest supplier of chips for mobile phones, filed its case in China in late 2017, arguing that Apple infringed patents on features related to resizing photographs and managing apps on a touch screen. COURT BATTLE OVER DETAILS In July, the same court banned the import of some microchips by Micron Technology Inc into China, citing violation of patents held by Taiwan's United Microelectronics Corp (UMC). In the provincial Chinese court, which is separate from China's specialized intellectual property courts in Beijing, one party can request a ban on an opponent's product without the opponent getting a chance to present a defense. IP lawyers said that an appeal process could take the case up to the Fujian provincial high court and then go as far as the Supreme Court in Beijing, a process that would likely take many months given the high-profile nature of the case. To enforce the ban, Qualcomm separately will have to file complaints in what is known as an enforcement tribunal, where Apple will also have a chance to appeal. Yiqiang Li, a patent lawyer at Faegre Baker Daniels, said the Chinese injunction could put pressure on Apple to reach a global settlement with Qualcomm. Apple shares rose less than 1 percent to $169.60, recovering from an early drop when it became clear phones were still on sale, and Qualcomm stock rose 2.2 percent to $57.24. TRADE WAR IMPACT? The ruling comes as Beijing and Washington are locked in a tense trade dispute. The two sides have agreed to trade negotiations that must be concluded by March 1. While IP lawyers said the case wasn't directly political, most agreed it could be drawn into broader Sino-U.S. trade tensions, where technology and IP have been a core focus. The specific iPhone models affected by the preliminary ruling in China are the iPhone 6S, iPhone 6S Plus, iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus, iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus and iPhone X. Erick Robinson, a patent lawyer in Beijing and former Qualcomm lawyer, said that while Chinese courts had become fairer in recent years, nationalism could sometimes be a factor in rulings. Qualcomm is a key technology vendor to China's rising smart phone brands such as Xiaomi Corp, Oppo, Vivo and OnePlus, while Apple competes directly against Huawei Technologies Co Ltd [HWT.UL], China's top homegrown maker of premium-priced smartphones, whose CFO was arrested this month for allegedly violating U.S. sanctions. "There is probably a political play here. Apple is a direct competitor to the biggest companies in China, whereas Qualcomm is a supplier," Robinson said. Qualcomm officials said tensions between the two nations had no bearing on the ruling. The company has had its share of troubles in China, from an unfavorable 2014 antitrust ruling to regulatory limbo that doomed its $44 billion bid for Dutch chipmaker NXP Semiconductors. (Reporting by Stephen Nellis in San Francisco; Additional reporting by Jan Wolfe in Washington and Cate Cadell in Beijing; Editing by Lisa Shumaker, Peter Cooney and Muralikumar Anantharaman) Zagreb (AFP) - Croatian gay rights groups on Tuesday slammed a new law that blocks same sex couples from becoming foster parents and vowed to fight it in the country's top court. The new law was adopted by parliament last Friday after a heated debate in the staunchly Catholic country over whether same-sex couples should be eligible to take in children. "As soon as this discriminatory law enters into force we will file a complaint with the constitutional court," Daniel Martinovic of Rainbow Families association, an association of same-sex parents, told AFP. It "once again sends a message to (LGBT) 'life partners' that they are second-class citizens, and also doesn't take childrens' best interests into account," he said. Croatia, which joined the European Union in 2013, has seen a gradual liberalisation of gay rights in recent years. Homosexual couples are unable to marry legally but can register as "life partners" since 2014. During the debate on the law, Stevo Culej, an MP of the ruling conservative HDZ, asked another deputy whether he would "give a child to two (participants) of the gay pride parade with bare butts." The comments were lambasted in local media as deeply homophobic. Ahead of the vote, more than 200 prominent Croatian psychologists and sociologists in a statement voiced hope that lawmakers would not be led by "prejudices and stereotypes" and deprive children of a chance to be paired with foster parents "regardless of their sexual orientation." Afterwards, Mladen Kozic and Ivo Segota, a gay couple aspiring to become foster parents, wrote an open letter to the government saying that by "refusing to include life partners' families in the law ... you further boosted stigma and gave it a legal framework." Around 262 gay couples have registered as life partners in Croatia. "Democrats and Trump critics are now using the 'I' word." Europe with two of its leading countriesFrance and Great Britainis in turmoil. Paris, the city of lights, has been darkened and rocked by massive street protests not seen since the turbulence of 1968. French President Emmanuel Macron who is only on the first year and a half of his term is facing calls to resign by demonstrators protesting the tax hike on fuel. French police are fighting the violence by firing teargas into the rowdy crowd who defied truncheons and sporadic gunfire. Macron was to talk to labor unions, student groups and other leaders at the forefront of these protests which could bring down the government. In Britain, Prime Minister Teresa May is also facing a challenge to her leadership on the issue of Britains exit from the European Union. A vote by Parliament on the issue has been delayed and MPs opposing Brexit and the Prime Minister have grown in number and making Mays own political future uncertain. It has begun to appear that Brexit poses serious hardships for the Brits. They cannot avail of the EU benefits without paying for them. This includes British security under the mantle of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Entry of British products into the EU market including Ireland will be met with stiff tariff barriers. There is also the prospect of Scotland which is part of the United Kingdom disengaging from the UK. The Brexit fever has also caught up in Italy where the Italians are grappling with the budget and encountering financial issues with the Brussels-based EU.Across the Atlantic, US President Donald Trumps legal problems has reached a level where critics and the Democrats are using the I word for the first time. Talk of impeachment and possible jail time are now circulating in the US capital. Washington is abuzz after former Attorney General Robert Mueller and Federal Bureau of Investigation Director James Comey issued statements that Trump and his campaign team associates lied about Russias role in the 2016 political campaign by providing derogatory information on Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. Trump is also under fire for being soft on Middle East ally Saudi Arabia which is being condemned worldwide for the killing of critic journalist Jamal Khashoggi inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. Adding to Trumps mounting problems is the revolving door turnover of his appointed officials with very few takers for their replacement. Trumps America First policy has also dragged the US into an undeclared trade war with a rising China which some global analysts fear could lead to a military confrontation. The flashpoint in this looming clash between the two military powers is the freedom of navigation in the South China Sea which the US is trying to protect from the aggressive Chinese which is militarizing the area. The US also has its hands full dealing with the nuclear weapon ambitions of Iran and North Korea. Trump met with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un but the latters pledge to dismantle his missile and nuclear arsenal appear to be just an empty promise. Satellite surveillance showed that Pyongyang is hiding these weapons from inspection by the UN monitoring agency. In eastern Europe, there is a crisis in the Crimean peninsula where Russia detained a Ukrainian ship and its men after a clash off Stavasnopol, the strategic naval base taken over by the Russians. Moscow has warned Kiev that an all-out war could erupt if Ukraine does not desist from its aggressive moves in the area. Stavasnopol is vital to the Russian fleet in the Black Sea. It can be likened to the importance of Subic Bay to the United States Seventh Fleet in Asia and the Pacific. Subic with its natural cove protects US warships from turbulent typhoons that often visit the Philippines. Observers view the departure of the Americans from Subic and Clark Air base to have emboldened China to pursue its aggressive moves in Southeast Asia. At stake under the South China Sea is the vast potential of oil, gas and mineral resources China needs to replace the US as the bigger superpower. Shares of Canadian cannabis company, Cronos Group Inc. CRON soared after the company announced that leading tobacco company, Altria Group, Inc. MO will make an approximately C$2.4-billion equity investment in the former. Notably, Cronos Groups shares have gained 38.7% in the year so far, against the industrys decline of 22.6%. Financial Details of the Transaction The investment will be made on a private-placement basis in exchange for common shares in the capital of the company. Per the agreement, Altria has agreed to acquire 146.2 million shares at a price of C$16.25 per share. As a result, Altria will have roughly 45% ownership in Cronos Group. In addition, Altria will also receive warrants of Cronos Group that, if fully exercised, would provide the former with an additional approximately C$1.4 billion of proceeds. Moreover, the exercise of the warrants would result in incremental ownership of 10% for a total potential ownership position of 55%. The transaction is expected to close in the first half of 2019, subject to certain customary closing conditions including the receipt of approval from the TSX, and the receipt of regulatory approval pursuant to the Investment Canada Act. Strategic Value of the Transaction The influx of funds will provide Cronos Group with additional financial resources, product development and commercialization capabilities, which, in turn, will enable the company to compete, scale and lead the rapidly growing global cannabis industry. The additional capital will allow Cronos Group to achieve a better position to support cannabinoid innovation, create differentiated products and brands across medicinal and recreational categories, and expand its global footprint and grow its production capacity. Moreover, Altria has decades of experience in regulatory and government affairs, compliance, product development, and brand management that Cronos Group expects to leverage, particularly with markets for cannabis opening up around the world. Cronos Group also anticipates to take advantage of Altrias expertise to rapidly expand its offerings including its device technology. Story continues Altria has significant expertise that can serve as building blocks for cannabis vape products. Moreover, Altria also brings considerable experience in large-scale manufacturing automation, pre-roll technology and supply-chain management. Further, Cronos Group expects other medicinal and consumer-focused companies to invest in the company, following the investment by Altria. On the other hand, Altria has agreed to make Cronos Group its exclusive partner for pursuing cannabis opportunities globally, under the Investor Rights Agreement Both the companies are likely to enter into commercial support agreements, under which Altria will provide services related to marketing and brand management, government affairs, regulatory affairs and research and development. We note that in October 2018, Canada became the first G7 country and the second country in the world to legalize cannabis sales for adult recreational use. This, in turn, should lead to many such deals for companies like Cronos Group. The cannabis space is grabbing headlines, lately. In August 2018, Constellation Brands, Inc. STZ also increased its stake in Canopy Growth CGC. Zacks Rank Cronos Group currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. Looking for Stocks with Skyrocketing Upside? Zacks has just released a Special Report on the booming investment opportunities of legal marijuana. Ignited by new referendums and legislation, this industry is expected to blast from an already robust $6.7 billion to $20.2 billion in 2021. Early investors stand to make a killing, but you have to be ready to act and know just where to look. See the pot trades we're targeting>> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Constellation Brands Inc (STZ) : Free Stock Analysis Report Altria Group, Inc. (MO) : Free Stock Analysis Report Canopy Growth Corporation (CGC) : Free Stock Analysis Report Cronos Group Inc. (CRON) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research John Steinbeck, winner of the 1940 Pulitzer Prize for his novel "The Grapes of Wrath." When we awarded Jenner & Blocks Susan Kohlmann Litigator of the Week last year for a win on behalf of John Steinbecks stepdaughter in a long-running family feud over book rights, it was with a caveat: This was unlikely to mark the end of the battle. Sure enough, the family members on the losing side have appealed the $13.5 million jury verdict to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. The nitty-gritty of their copyright dispute is agonizingly long and complex. Steinbeck, who died almost exactly 50 years agoon December 20, 1968split his estate between his third wife, Elaine, and his two sons from his second marriage, Thom and John IV. Who got what percent of royalties from which works has been in dispute almost ever since. The wife and both sons are now dead, but the fight lives on between Steinbecks daughter-in-law Gail Steinbeck and his step-daughter Waverly Scott Kaffaga. Theres more at stake than selling paperback copies of The Grapes of Wrath or Of Mice and Men to high school sophomores. Universal Studios was interested in producing East of Edenwhich at one point was set to star Jennifer Lawrenceand DreamWorks wants to remake Grapes of Wrath, perhaps to be directed by Steven Spielberg, possibly starring Daniel Day-Lewis. Jenna Greene The step-daughter, Kaffaga, said Gail and Thom mucked up negotiations with the film studios by improperly trying to get a cut of the fees, causing Universal to pull the plug on East of Eden. In 2016, U.S. District Judge Terry Hatter agreed, granting summary judgment for breach of contract and slander of title. In 2017, a federal jury in Los Angeles awarded Kaffaga $7.9 million for punitive damages and $5 million in compensatory damages. Many of the specific questions on appealWere termination rights transferred? Was a prior agreement between the parties an agreement to the contrary? Should film rights be considered recaptured rights?only a copyright lawyer could love. Still, a few things stand out about the appeal. One is Gail Steinbecks choice of counsel: Matthew J. Dowd of Dowd Scheffel in Washington, D.C. In addition to his private practice, Dowd is the regional director of retired Seventh Circuit Judge Richard Posners new Posner Center of Justice for Pro Ses. Which makes the first sentence of his Ninth Circuit brief for Gail Steinbeck fitting: This case involves a copyright dispute with a tortuous history, including a messy record due in part to sincere pro se filings. Dowds 86-page filing doesnt actually make much of the pro se angle, though it mentions, for example, that Gails pro se opposition to the summary judgment was not the gold-standard in advocacy. (Which is a tactful way to put it.) Considering that summary judgment is central to whats now being litigated, it was a bad time to be without representation. Gail did however have counsel at trialthe Matthew I. Berger Law Group. Moreover, Thom was without counsel when he was deposed. At the time, he was in poor health and on oxygen. He died in 2016. Dowd also forcefully argues that the $7.9 million award for punitive damages should be vacated. California law authorizes punitive damages in noncontract cases where the defendant has been guilty of oppression, fraud, or malice, express or implied, he notes, which must be proven with clear and convincing evidence. Here, he argued that his clients genuinely believed that they did have rights and control over at least some of Steinbecks work. Gail did not act with ill will, he argued. While possibly mistaken, and at times apparently angry, she did not intend to harm the estate or the Steinbeck works. Her goal was to vindicate her legal rights (or her belief in those rights) and maximize the value of the works, Dowd wrote. Gail would have no reason to sabotage any deal because she stood to benefit from them. She was simply trying to ensure the best outcome for Steinbecks legacy. Plus she cant afford to pay $7.9 million. Not even close. For one thing, she has been without a permanent residence because her rental home, including her personal and business belongings, were severely damaged or destroyed in the Montecito mudslide. She has not had a permanent place to stay, largely due to the adverse judgment in this case. She gets between $120,000 and $200,000 a year in royalties from Steinbecks work. Which is not bad, but shes also footing the bill for kids in college. Needless to say, to satisfy the judgment of $13 million would require decades of royalty payments, Dowd wrote. To pay the $7.9 million punitive award would take Gail at least 65 years, assuming an annual gross income of $120,000 from the Steinbeck royalties and assuming every penny of that went to satisfy the punitive damages debt. Story continues What Im Reading Michael Cohen's Guilty Plea Puts Spotlight on Role of Defense Lawyers Cohen was represented by McDermott partner Stephen Ryan at the time he made the false statementsbut Ryan is far from the only attorney who has had a client go astray in government interviews. Tesla Tapped a Trial Lawyer as GCWhat Might That Mean? One recruiter said that in his experience, companies hire corporate lawyers six out of seven times. The ones who want litigators (surprise) often anticipate lots litigation coming their way. EU Takes a Big Step Toward Allowing Class Actions as U.S Chamber Legal Arm Objects The law would create a whole new world of litigation in Europe. Judge Rejects ESPN's Motions to Toss Portion of Adrienne Lawrence Sex Harass Lawsuit Lawrence, a former attorney herself, leveled claims against ESPN stating the network tried to damage her credibility after she accused SportsCenter anchor John Buccigross of sexual harassment. Supreme Court Rule Puts a Crimp in Crowd-Funded Amicus Briefs Anonymous Go Fund Me contributions are a no-no. NY Judge Set to Weigh Arguments for Release of Bronx Zoo Elephant Animals have historically been seen in the eyes of the law as "things," but the group argues that Happy the elephant is an autonomous nonhuman being who can take on complex tasks like recognizing her own reflection and who is entitled to the common-law right of habeas corpus. In case you missed it Daily Dicta: Is That the Worst Youve Got on Bill Barr? In whats become a rite of passage for high-profile Trump administration figures, Attorney General nominee William Barr was mocked over the weekend on Saturday Night Live. But if this is the worst theyve got, hes in for smooth sailing. David Cameron has insisted he has no regrets about calling the Brexit referendum, despite the chaos in the Commons this week. The former prime minister had previously warned that leaving the European Union would be an act of economic and political self-harm. The ex-Conservative leader said he had honoured his election promise to hold the referendum and was now supportive of Theresa Mays efforts, even after she was forced to defer an MPs vote on her Brexit withdrawal plan. Approached by Sky News while getting into his car, Mr Cameron said: I dont regret calling a referendum. David Cameron called the Brexit referendum in 2016 (Picture: PA) I made a promise in the election to call a referendum and I called the referendum. Obviously Im very concerned about whats happening today but I do support the prime minister in her efforts to try and have a close partnership with the European Union. Thats the right thing to do and she has my support. MORE: Woman feeling Claus-trophobic after falling through ceiling getting Christmas decorations MORE: Shocking images show horrific injuries suffered by woman, 50, robbed in her own home Just before the 2015 general election Mr Cameron told voters they faced a simple and inescapable choice stability and strong government with me, or chaos with Ed Miliband. During campaigning on the EU membership issue Mr Cameron said leaving the single market would be needless and reckless and that cutting ties with Brussels would hit our service industries hard. After insisting he would stay on whatever the outcome of the vote, he resigned the day after the narrow Leave win on June 24, 2016. David Cameron helping prime minister Theresa May with campaigning for an October 2016 by-election (Picture: PA) Some MPs have been critical of his decision to leave front-line politics, like Labours Barry Sheerman, who recently said Mr Cameron and George Osborne ran away from their responsibilities. A more colourful intervention came from EastEnders actor Danny Dyer, who told Good Evening Britain in June: How comes he can scuttle off? He called all this on. Where is he? Hes in Europe, in Nice, with his trotters up, yeah, where is the geezer? I think he should be held to account for it. Mr Cameron is currently writing his memoirs and is now the president of Alzheimers Research UK and chairman of youth development programme National Citizen Service (NCS). He was recently rumoured to be gearing up for a return to politics. By Gene Emery (Reuters Health) - - Having a baby temporarily increases the risk of breast cancer by about 80 percent compared to the risk in women who have never given birth, researchers behind a new study have concluded. But the 80 percent-higher breast cancer risk is not as scary as it first sounds because "fortunately, breast cancer is uncommon in young women," chief author Dr. Hazel Nichols told Reuters Health in a telephone interview. Nichols and colleagues found that the breast cancer risk peaks 4.6 years after a woman's most recent birth but then begins to fall. After another 19 years, the risk returns to the same level as a woman who has never given birth. And from there, it continues to drop. By 34.5 years after birth of the youngest child, the breast cancer risk is 23 percent lower than the risk in women who had never been pregnant. While a 45-year-old woman who had never given birth had a 0.62 percent chance of being diagnosed with breast cancer up to that point in her life, the breast cancer odds for a woman of the same age who had given birth in the past three to seven years were only slightly higher, at 0.66 percent. Similarly, by age 50, the odds of being diagnosed with breast cancer were 1.95 percent for the childless women and 2.20 percent for women with a recent pregnancy, a difference of only one quarter of a percentage point. Women who had given birth to their first child before age 25 did not have any elevated risk at all. "This should not dictate when women decide to have their children because while we are seeing this extra risk after childbirth, this is a period of time when risk overall is exceptionally low," said Nichols. "This is not translating to a large number of additional breast cancers." Mia Gaudet, scientific director for epidemiology research at the American Cancer Society, agreed. The findings "shouldn't change women's behavior with regard to when a woman decides to have a first child," Gaudet told Reuters Health in a telephone interview. "It may perhaps change how and when a woman begins to be screened for breast cancer," added Gaudet, who was not involved in the study. The conventional wisdom has been that pregnancy and childbirth protect women from breast cancer, but that belief had come from looking at the cancer rates among women age 60 and older. In fact, half of women with breast cancer are diagnosed before age 62. The new findings, reported in the Annals of Internal Medicine, come from combining data from 15 studies of nearly 890,000 women of varying ages across three continents. They confirm what smaller studies have suggested. With the aggregated data, "we got a rich picture not only of when women have their children but whether they had a family history of breast cancer, whether they breastfed their children, and the type of cancer that developed," said Nichols. "We are not the first to see the short-term increase in risk after childbirth, but we are now able to see whether or not other factors like breastfeeding your children make a difference. When it came to breastfeeding, it did not." But Gaudet of the Cancer Society said the breastfeeding conclusion is questionable because the Nichols study only looked at whether breastfeeding ever occurred. That's important because "prior studies have shown that it's the duration of breastfeeding, not whether they ever breast fed or not" that's key, she said. Those studies show that breastfeeding lowers the breast cancer risk. The Nichols team also found that women with the most children and those who had children later in life had highest risks. Having a family history of breast cancer doubled the odds of a breast tumor compared to other mothers. The higher risk for mothers is probably due to the fact the breast tissue divides rapidly during pregnancy, increasing the likelihood that a copying error will be made in the genetic code, said Nichols of UNC's Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. SOURCE: http://bit.ly/2wYH0qu Annals of Internal Medicine, online December 10, 2018. If you own shares in Cloud Peak Energy Inc. (NYSE:CLD) then its worth thinking about how it contributes to the volatility of your portfolio, overall. In finance, Beta is a measure of volatility. Volatility is considered to be a measure of risk in modern finance theory. Investors may think of volatility as falling into two main categories. The first category is company specific volatility. This can be dealt with by limiting your exposure to any particular stock. The second sort is caused by the natural volatility of markets, overall. For example, certain macroeconomic events will impact (virtually) all stocks on the market. Some stocks see their prices move in concert with the market. Others tend towards stronger, gentler or unrelated price movements. Beta can be a useful tool to understand how much a stock is influenced by market risk (volatility). However, Warren Buffett said volatility is far from synonymous with risk in his 2014 letter to investors. So, while useful, beta is not the only metric to consider. To use beta as an investor, you must first understand that the overall market has a beta of one. A stock with a beta greater than one is more sensitive to broader market movements than a stock with a beta of less than one. View our latest analysis for Cloud Peak Energy What CLDs beta value tells investors Given that it has a beta of 1.97, we can surmise that the Cloud Peak Energy share price has been fairly sensitive to market volatility (over the last 5 years). If this beta value holds true in the future, Cloud Peak Energy shares are likely to rise more than the market when the market is going up, but fall faster when the market is going down. Many would argue that beta is useful in position sizing, but fundamental metrics such as revenue and earnings are more important overall. You can see Cloud Peak Energys revenue and earnings in the image below. NYSE:CLD Income Statement Export December 11th 18 Could CLDs size cause it to be more volatile? Story continues With a market capitalisation of US$55m, Cloud Peak Energy is a very small company by global standards. It is quite likely to be unknown to most investors. It has a relatively high beta, suggesting it is fairly actively traded for a company of its size. Because it takes less capital to move the share price of a small company like this, when a stock this size is actively traded it is quite often more sensitive to market volatility than similar large companies. What this means for you: Beta only tells us that the Cloud Peak Energy share price is sensitive to broader market movements. This could indicate that it is a high growth company, or is heavily influenced by sentiment because it is speculative. Alternatively, it could have operating leverage in its business model. Ultimately, beta is an interesting metric, but theres plenty more to learn. In order to fully understand whether CLD is a good investment for you, we also need to consider important company-specific fundamentals such as Cloud Peak Energys financial health and performance track record. I highly recommend you dive deeper by considering the following: Future Outlook: What are well-informed industry analysts predicting for CLDs future growth? Take a look at our free research report of analyst consensus for CLDs outlook. Past Track Record: Has CLD been consistently performing well irrespective of the ups and downs in the market? Go into more detail in the past performance analysis and take a look at the free visual representations of CLDs historicals for more clarity. Other Interesting Stocks: Its worth checking to see how CLD measures up against other companies on valuation. You could start with this free list of prospective options. To help readers see past the short term volatility of the financial market, we aim to bring you a long-term focused research analysis purely driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis does not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements. The author is an independent contributor and at the time of publication had no position in the stocks mentioned. For errors that warrant correction please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. Assessing Koninklijke Philips NVs (AMS:PHIA) past track record of performance is a useful exercise for investors. It allows us to understand whether the company has met or exceed expectations, which is a great indicator for future performance. Below, I assess PHIAs latest performance announced on 30 September 2018 and evaluate these figures to its historical trend and industry movements. View our latest analysis for Koninklijke Philips Did PHIA beat its long-term earnings growth trend and its industry? PHIAs trailing twelve-month earnings (from 30 September 2018) of 1.0b has jumped 23% compared to the previous year. Furthermore, this one-year growth rate has exceeded its 5-year annual growth average of 12%, indicating the rate at which PHIA is growing has accelerated. How has it been able to do this? Lets see whether it is only attributable to industry tailwinds, or if Koninklijke Philips has seen some company-specific growth. ENXTAM:PHIA Income Statement Export December 11th 18 In terms of returns from investment, Koninklijke Philips has fallen short of achieving a 20% return on equity (ROE), recording 9.1% instead. Furthermore, its return on assets (ROA) of 4.5% is below the NL Medical Equipment industry of 8.8%, indicating Koninklijke Philipss are utilized less efficiently. However, its return on capital (ROC), which also accounts for Koninklijke Philipss debt level, has increased over the past 3 years from 8.7% to 11%. What does this mean? Koninklijke Philipss track record can be a valuable insight into its earnings performance, but it certainly doesnt tell the whole story. While Koninklijke Philips has a good historical track record with positive growth and profitability, theres no certainty that this will extrapolate into the future. I recommend you continue to research Koninklijke Philips to get a more holistic view of the stock by looking at: Future Outlook: What are well-informed industry analysts predicting for PHIAs future growth? Take a look at our free research report of analyst consensus for PHIAs outlook. Financial Health: Are PHIAs operations financially sustainable? Balance sheets can be hard to analyze, which is why weve done it for you. Check out our financial health checks here. Other High-Performing Stocks: Are there other stocks that provide better prospects with proven track records? Explore our free list of these great stocks here. NB: Figures in this article are calculated using data from the trailing twelve months from 30 September 2018. This may not be consistent with full year annual report figures. To help readers see past the short term volatility of the financial market, we aim to bring you a long-term focused research analysis purely driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis does not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements. The author is an independent contributor and at the time of publication had no position in the stocks mentioned. For errors that warrant correction please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article is for investors who would like to improve their understanding of price to earnings ratios (P/E ratios). Well show how you can use Jiangxi Copper Company Limiteds (HKG:358) P/E ratio to inform your assessment of the investment opportunity. Jiangxi Copper has a P/E ratio of 13.87, based on the last twelve months. That corresponds to an earnings yield of approximately 7.2%. Check out our latest analysis for Jiangxi Copper How Do I Calculate Jiangxi Coppers Price To Earnings Ratio? The formula for P/E is: Price to Earnings Ratio = Price per Share (in the reporting currency) Earnings per Share (EPS) Or for Jiangxi Copper: P/E of 13.87 = CN8.17 (Note: this is the share price in the reporting currency, namely, CNY ) CN0.59 (Based on the trailing twelve months to September 2018.) Is A High Price-to-Earnings Ratio Good? A higher P/E ratio implies that investors pay a higher price for the earning power of the business. That is not a good or a bad thing per se, but a high P/E does imply buyers are optimistic about the future. How Growth Rates Impact P/E Ratios Earnings growth rates have a big influence on P/E ratios. Thats because companies that grow earnings per share quickly will rapidly increase the E in the equation. That means unless the share price increases, the P/E will reduce in a few years. Then, a lower P/E should attract more buyers, pushing the share price up. Notably, Jiangxi Copper grew EPS by a whopping 47% in the last year. And its annual EPS growth rate over 3 years is 36%. Id therefore be a little surprised if its P/E ratio was not relatively high. But earnings per share are down 24% per year over the last five years. How Does Jiangxi Coppers P/E Ratio Compare To Its Peers? The P/E ratio indicates whether the market has higher or lower expectations of a company. As you can see below, Jiangxi Copper has a higher P/E than the average company (7.9) in the metals and mining industry. Story continues SEHK:358 PE PEG Gauge December 11th 18 That means that the market expects Jiangxi Copper will outperform other companies in its industry. Shareholders are clearly optimistic, but the future is always uncertain. So further research is always essential. I often monitor director buying and selling. A Limitation: P/E Ratios Ignore Debt and Cash In The Bank Its important to note that the P/E ratio considers the market capitalization, not the enterprise value. Thus, the metric does not reflect cash or debt held by the company. Theoretically, a business can improve its earnings (and produce a lower P/E in the future), by taking on debt (or spending its remaining cash). Such expenditure might be good or bad, in the long term, but the point here is that the balance sheet is not reflected by this ratio. Is Debt Impacting Jiangxi Coppers P/E? Jiangxi Coppers net debt is 6.3% of its market cap. So it doesnt have as many options as it would with net cash, but its debt would not have much of an impact on its P/E ratio. The Verdict On Jiangxi Coppers P/E Ratio Jiangxi Coppers P/E is 13.9 which is above average (10.6) in the HK market. While the company does use modest debt, its recent earnings growth is impressive. So it is not surprising the market is probably extrapolating recent growth well into the future, reflected in the relatively high P/E ratio. When the market is wrong about a stock, it gives savvy investors an opportunity. As value investor Benjamin Graham famously said, In the short run, the market is a voting machine but in the long run, it is a weighing machine. So this free report on the analyst consensus forecasts could help you make a master move on this stock. Of course you might be able to find a better stock than Jiangxi Copper. So you may wish to see this free collection of other companies that have grown earnings strongly. To help readers see past the short term volatility of the financial market, we aim to bring you a long-term focused research analysis purely driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis does not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements. The author is an independent contributor and at the time of publication had no position in the stocks mentioned. For errors that warrant correction please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. Donald Trump has suggested he may have to find an interim replacement to John Kelly - REUTERS Donald Trump is scrambling to find a new chief of staff after leading contenders for the role reportedly rebuffed his advances. The US president announced on Saturday that John Kelly would be vacating the post at the end of the year but he has yet to find a replacement to run the White House. While traditionally a widely sought after job, Mr Trump is now looking to find his third chief of staff in two years and is reportedly struggling with the search. Nick Ayers, the 36-year-old chief of staff to Mike Pence, the US vice president, was widely considered the front-runner to replace Mr Kelly. But Mr Ayers took Washington by surprise at the weekend by turning down the role, announcing that he too was leaving the administration at the end of the year. Nick Ayers, left, was reportedly being lined up to replace John Kelly, right Credit: Reuters It is thought that Mr Ayers, who has been seen as a potential candidate for statewide office in Georgia, was reluctant to tie himself to Mr Trump for what will be a difficult final two years of his first term. The young and ambitious aide was known to be a favourite with the president's daughter Ivanka Trump and her husband Jared Kushner. The pair, who both serve as advisers to Mr Trump, are reported to have repeatedly clashed with Mr Kelly over the past two years and sought to replace him with an ally. Mr Kelly, a retired four-star general, is credited with bringing order to the White House after a chaotic first six months, but his desire for structure and hierarchy is said to have increasingly grated on the president. His departure had long been rumoured, with Mr Kelly reportedly frustrated at Mr Trump's freewheeling style. According to reports, Mr Kelly was planning to announce on Monday that he was standing down but Mr Trump let slip the news during an on-camera briefing with reporters on Saturday. Mark Meadows, the leader of the hard line conservative Freedom Caucus, and Steven Mnuchin, the Treasury Secretary, were reported to head the list after Mr Trump's first pick dropped out. Story continues Robert Lighthizer, the US trade representative, is also being considered. However both Mr Lightizer and Mr Mnuchin are said to be reluctant to leave their current positions. Mr Meadows told reporters on Monday that serving as Mr Trump's chief of staff "would be an incredible honour", suggesting he is eager to take up the role. The North Carolina congressman is known to be a fierce supporter of the president and his experience on Capitol Hill will be an advantage in 2019. Chris Christie, a former Republican governor and presidential candidate, and Mick Mulvaney, the budget and management director, have also been floated as potential replacements. Whoever is at the helm of the White House in 2019 will face a number of legal battles and a tough re-election campaign. The criminal investigation into potential collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia is expected to produce a report on its findings within the next year. Meanwhile Mr Trump is facing allegations that he directed illegal hush money payments to women ahead of the 2016 election. Some Democrats, who now hold the majority in the House of Representatives, have vowed to launch impeachment proceedings against the president if they find evidence of wrongdoing. Beni (DR Congo) (AFP) - A key opposition candidate in DR Congo presidential elections launched his campaign Wednesday in a city caught between an Ebola epidemic and militant attacks in one of the country's most dangerous regions. Martin Fayulu, vying to replace President Joseph Kabila in the pivotal December 23 poll, was greeted by thousands at a small airport near the restive eastern city of Beni in North Kivu, a region blighted by armed conflict hampering efforts to curb the Ebola outbreak. Supporters spilled onto the tarmac to encircle the MP's plane, an AFP reporter witnessed, before Fayulu was driven to the centre of Beni along a road that many local people avoid taking by night for fear of attack. Fayulu is among a host of candidates contesting this month's high-stakes vote in a nation that has not known a peaceful transition of power since gaining independence from Belgium in 1960. He is less well known than rivals such as opposition scion Felix Tshisekedi or hardline former interior minister Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary, Kabila's hand-picked successor. In all, 21 candidates are registered to run in the race to replace 47-year-old Kabila, who has ruled since 2001. Kabila's second and final elected term ended nearly two years ago, but he has remained in office thanks to a caretaker clause in the constitution. Tshisekedi and his running mate Vital Kamerhe, a former parliamentary speaker, cancelled a planned trip to another part of North Kivu Wednesday over security concerns, a source close to his campaign said. - Poor and battle-weary - Fayulu is backed by ex-warlord and vice-president Jean-Pierre Bemba and former governor and businessman Moise Katumbi, both barred from running. Originally from western DR Congo, Fayulu held a public meeting as night fell in Beni, after promising last week to relocate a large army base from Kinshasa to the region to boost security. Impoverished and battle-weary residents of the Beni region are hoping the polls will bring some respite from inter-ethnic violence, and the spreading Ebola epidemic which has claimed an estimated 268 lives. Story continues A shadowy armed group rooted in Ugandan Islam, the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) militia based in the mineral-rich east, has killed hundreds of people since 2014. Last month, seven peacekeepers were killed, 13 wounded and two others reported missing in a joint military operation with DR Congo troops against rebels in the east. The national army also reported losses. Numerous armed groups operate in the region, wreaking havoc in the decades since the official end of a 1998-2003 war which claimed millions of lives. "The Universal Declaration of Human Rights is the most translated document in the world, now available in more than 500 languages." It is not a good time for human rights in many parts of the world. That is sad to say on Human Rights Day, which we observe every year on 10 Decemberthe day the United Nations General Assembly adopted, in 1948, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. In 2018, we commemorate the 70th anniversary of the adoption of this Declaration, which has been described as a milestone document that proclaimed the inalienable rights which everyone is inherently entitled to as a human beingregardless of race, color, religion, sex, language, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status. According to the United Nations website, the UDHR is the most translated document in the world, now available in more than 500 languages. Drafted by representatives of diverse legal and cultural backgrounds from all regions of the world, the declaration proclaims universal values and establishes the equal dignity and worth of every person. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet, former President of Chile, in her statement for this years Human Rights Day, believes that the human rights ideal, laid down in this Declaration, has been one of the most constructive advances of ideas in human historyas well as one of the most successful, but she acknowledges that this progress is under threat today. According to Bachelet: We are born free and equal, but millions of people on this planet do not stay free and equal. Their dignity is trampled and their rights are violated on a daily basis. In many countries, the fundamental recognition that all human beings are equal, and have inherent rights, is under attack. The institutions so painstakingly set up by States to achieve common solutions to common problems are being undermined. And the comprehensive web of international, regional and national laws and treaties that gave teeth to the vision of the Universal Declaration is also being chipped away by governments and politicians increasingly focused on narrow, nationalist interests. We all need to stand up more energetically for the rights it showed us everyone should havenot just ourselves, but all our fellow human beingsand which we are at constant risk of eroding through our own, and our leaders forgetfulness, neglect or wanton disregard. The Philippines is no exception. We have entered into a dangerous phase for human rights when no less than the President calls for the organization of death squads, when the law is manipulated to attack opposition politicians like Senator Trillanes or media personalities and organizations like Maria Ressa and Rappler, when defenders of human rights like Attorney Ben Ramos are assassinated or harassed as in the Talaingod 18, or when the Departments of Education and Social Welfare and Development are being weaponized against indigenous peoples as is happening in many places in Mindanao. I write this column from the great city of Krakow, home of the kings of Poland, where not so very far away, in Auschwitz, the worst human rights atrocities were inflicted during World War II on the Jews of Poland, Germany, and Eastern Europe. But from this city also came Saint Pope John Paul II who consistently taught that it is in this dignity of the person that human rights find their immediate source. And it is respect for this dignity that gives birth to their effective protection. In Krakow can also be visited the factory owned by Oskar Schindler, from where he saved 1200 Jewish lives. According to the Talmud, he who saves one life saves the entire world. Schindler saved 1200 lives but because many of them had children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren later on, he saved thousands more and continue to save new generations being born from those lines now. As we speak, there are people like Schindler in the Philippines and elsewhere, those who save lives in standing up for human rights. In the 2019 elections, we can even elect some of them to be senatorscertainly Chel Diokno, Neri Colmenares, Erin Tanada, and Samira Gutoc are known first of all as human rights defenders. And there will be justice and accountability. The recent announcement of the International Criminal Court Prosecutor that it continues to investigate the crimes against humanity in the country is reassuring. Martin Luther King is definitely right: the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.Last Friday, participants of the conference The Real Score: The Real Score: Upholding Life, Dignity and Justice Amidst Dutertes War on Drugs issued its conference statement entitled Life, dignity and justice, not tyranny and death! I make mine these words: We, families of victims of extrajudicial killings, religious and lay persons of different faith traditions, human rights advocates, and concerned citizens from various walks of life, gathered in conference to uphold the sanctity of life, the dignity of every person, and justice for all men and women, hereby state the following: We recognize the gravity and prevalence of drug addiction as a social problem and health issue that are rooted in mass poverty, marginalization, inadequate awareness and hopelessness. We believe that any solution to the illegal drug problem should, be intentionally for the rehabilitation of those who have fallen prey to drug addiction and misuse. This includes providing better social conditions for them and their families to assist them in extricating themselves from poverty and injustice. Such efforts, like socio-economic interventions, should respect of the rights and dignity of everyone involved. In this light, we are appalled by the continuing killings and human rights atrocities being committed in the name of President Rodrigo Dutertes so-called war on drugs. It is unthinkable that almost 5,000 drug suspects have been killed in police anti-drug operations, and 16,000 others in yet unknown circumstances, since the start of this war. These are human beings whose rights to life and due process were violated with impunity by killers who seem to be above or beyond the law. Such victims often leave behind surviving families and relatives who are traumatized, stigmatized and suffer the difficult loss of a bread winner. We have learned that such brutal and purely police approaches to the drug problem have been tried in other countries and have miserably failed. President Duterte has also clearly bungled his campaign promise to rid the country of illegal drugs in three to six months; he has even admitted that he will not be able to solve the drug problem within his term. And yet, he has vowed that the campaign will be as relentless and chilling as when it started. Meanwhile, drugs continue to proliferate, as it appears to be business as usual for drug lords, smugglers and their protectors in government. With sufficient drug rehabilitation facilities sorely lacking, little to nothing has been done to reintegrate former drug users or small-time dealers. Similarly, livelihood opportunities for the poor, as well as projects and programs to provide jobs and overcome poverty, are sorely lacking. Worse, the President has announced his plan to organize a Duterte Death Squad to extend the same bloody approach to suspected rebels and political dissenters, possibly leading to even more killings and human rights violations. We cannot stand idly in the midst of such wanton desecration of human life, dignity and justice. We therefore pledge to: ORGANIZE and support the victims of the drug war and their families for them to rise and lead better lives, free from the scourge of illegal drugs. DEMAND that President Duterte--including his government and law enforcers--stop committing, encouraging or condoning extrajudicial killings, whether in anti-crime or internal security operations. All cases of extrajudicial killings should be seriously investigated and prosecuted, starting with those committed by suspected state or state-backed agents. WORK with all stakeholders in addressing the illegal drug menace in an effective and comprehensive manner, specially addressing health and socio-economic aspects of the problem. ACT to end the killings and other forms of tyranny and to uphold human rights, dignity and justice in all our endeavors. Join us and together let us defeat those who would take away our human rights. Shape of You is now most streamed song on Spotify. (PA Images) Ed Sheerans 2017 track Shape of You from his Divide album is now the most streamed track on Spotify ever. The hit song, which reached number one in dozens of countries around the world, including the UK and America, has to date had over 2 billion streams on the music platform. Sheeran, who is believed to be worth an incredible 80 million, celebrated the achievement on his official Instagram account. The 27-year-old wrote Thank you world. First song to 2 billion streams on @spotify xx accompanied with an official Spotify video stating the same. Despite the songs phenomenal success, it has not been without controversy. Sheeran originally released the song in January 2017 as written by himself, Steve Mac and Snow Patrols Johnny McDaid. However, many listeners claimed that the chart-topping track sounded eerily similar to TLCs 1999 hit No Scrubs. While it is unknown whether any legal action was taken, Sheeran added the writers of the TLC track to the Shape of You credits two months after its initial release. As of March 2017 Sheeran, Mac and McDaid are listed alongside Kandi Burress, Tameka Cottle and Kevin Briggs as the writers of the track. Xscape bandmembers Kandi and Tameka are credited among the writers of Shape of You. (REX) Sheeran was the most listened to artist in the world on Spotify in 2017, and despite not releasing a new album this year, he is Spotifys most streamed British artist of 2018. He has slipped to fifth most streamed artist internationally this year. Ahead of him is J Malvin, XXXTENTACION, Post Malone and at first place Drake. Canadian rapper Drake also had the most listened to single and album of this year both in the UK and internationally, with Gods Plan and Scorpion respectively. While Ariana Grande was the most streamed female artist internationally and Dua Lipa was the most streamed female artist in the UK. Story continues Read more Ed Sheeran paid more UK taxes than Starbucks and Amazon Ed Sheeran sued over Marvin Gaye copying claims Eric Cowells music debut Baby Shark gets mixed feedback Cairo (AFP) - Egypt has warned it will take legal action against Apple if the US tech giant fails to remove alleged "restrictions" on local distributors within 60 days. A decree threatening action was published in the official gazette on Monday after accusations from Egypt's Competition Authority that Apple had violated the country's competition law. It said the company had "isolated the Egyptian market geographically" by restricting sales to distributors in the country from their counterparts abroad. The authority also alleged Apple had restricted "parallel imports" of its products on the Egyptian market. "Apple has managed, through its marketing strategy and contracts, to ban all forms of parallel imports and banned distributors generally and authorised ones in Egypt particularly from importing from any authorised distributor outside Egypt," the statement read. According to the authority, Apple's actions had caused an "unjustified" increase in prices of its products in Egypt, exceeding those in the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait as well as the United States. Legal action would be pursued against Apple and Arab Business Machine (ABM), Apple's distributor based in the UAE, if the company does not eliminate the restrictions within 60 days, the decree said. Apple did not immediately respond to an AFP request for comment. Ellen DeGeneres stopped by Jimmy Kimmel Live, where she shared a couple of stories about getting out of speeding tickets just because she's a good person. DeGeneres told a story about a cop pulling her over for driving 35 mph in a 30 mph zone. Upon realizing who she was, the officer said "You do a lot of good for the world." And then he let her go without a ticket. Another instance occurred last year, shortly after the after the Thomas fire and subsequent mudslides that affected the Montecito, California community. DeGeneres has a home there and publicly praised the first-responders and firefighters for the tireless efforts they put into saving the town. DeGeneres had some of the firefighters on her show, Ellen. She also made multiple donations to local firehouses. DeGeneres has long been a supporter of emergency services, in fact she just recently donated $100,000 to the Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation. All of Degeneres's kind deeds and donations have not gone unnoticed. She said she pulled over in the Montecito area and the officer was so excited to meet her that he didn't issue a ticket. Instead, the two took a selfie and Degeneres went on her way. Jimmy Kimmel Live! airs weeknights at 11:35 on ABC. Watch clips and full episodes of Jimmy Kimmel Live! for free on Yahoo View. STRASBOURG (Reuters) - The European Union is willing to give Britain further clarifications on its Brexit deal but will not renegotiate the treaty or its protocol on the Irish border, EU chief executive Jean-Claude Juncker said on Tuesday. Addressing the European Parliament in Strasbourg, the European Commission president said he was "astonished" at Prime Minister Theresa May's inability to get the package agreed with the EU last month through the British parliament. Noting that he would meet May in Brussels on Tuesday evening ahead of an EU summit on Thursday and Friday, Juncker said: "The deal we achieved is the best possible. It's the only deal possible. There is no room whatsoever for renegotiation." "But of course there is room enough to give further clarifications and further interpretations without opening the withdrawal agreement," he said. "The withdrawal agreement will not be reopened." Juncker repeated that neither side wanted ever to use a "backstop" that would keep Britain in a customs union with the EU in the absence of a better way to avoid extensive border checks between Northern Ireland and EU member Ireland. "We have a common determination to do everything to be not in a situation one day to use that backstop but we have to prepare. It's necessary for the entire coherence of what we have agreed. It's necessary for Britain and it's necessary for Ireland. Ireland will never be left alone." (Reporting by Alastair Macdonald in Brussels) Japanese prosecutors Monday formally charged Carlos Ghosn with financial misconduct for under-reporting his salary and also served him a fresh warrant on separate allegations, meaning the tycoon will likely spend Christmas in a cell. It represents a stunning turnaround for the 64-year-old Franco-Lebanese-Brazilian executive, a once-revered colossus of the auto sector who won wide acclaim in Japan for saving car giant Nissan. In a move that sent shockwaves through the business world, the former Nissan chairman was arrested on November 19 on suspicion of under-declaring his income by some five billion yen ($44 million) between 2010 and 2015. Prosecutors on Monday pressed formal charges on Ghosn -- and key aide Greg Kelly -- over this allegation, which both men are said to deny. The pair were also immediately re-arrested over fresh allegations that they conspired to under-declare Ghosn's income by a further four billion yen over the past three years. Under Japanese law, suspects can be re-arrested several times for different allegations, allowing prosecutors to question them for prolonged periods -- a system that has drawn criticism internationally. Monday was the final day prosecutors could hold Ghosn and Kelly, 62, before either charging or re-arresting them, and the fresh arrest gives them up to another 22 days of questioning. In addition to charges against Ghosn and Kelly, prosecutors also indicted Nissan itself, as the company submitted the official documents that under-reported the income. Nissan shares dropped 2.90 percent to 945 yen in Monday trading and the firm voiced "its deepest regret" over the affair. The manufacturer said it would "continue its efforts to strengthen its governance and compliance, including making accurate disclosures of corporate information". The Japanese firms in the three-way alliance with Renault -- Nissan and Mitsubishi Motors -- have both sacked Ghosn as chairman. But amid reports of tension within the tie-up, which outsold all rival groups last year, the three companies last month said they were "fully committed" to the alliance. Story continues - 'Combative' frame of mind - The millionaire auto sector star, who attracted some criticism for a perceived lavish lifestyle, is now alone in a spartan cell in a Tokyo detention centre, in a tiny room measuring just three tatami mats -- around five square metres. He has reportedly told embassy visitors he is being well treated but has complained of the cold, with Monday's temperature in the Japanese capital hovering around five degrees Celsius. He spends his time reading books and news reports and is said to be unhappy about the rice-based food. But he is in a "combative" frame of mind, according to sources at Renault, the company he still formally leads -- even if the French car giant has appointed an interim chairman. According to local news agency Kyodo, he has admitted signing documents to defer part of his salary until after retirement but said this amount did not need to be declared as it has not yet been definitively fixed. A source close to the investigation has said Ghosn and Kelly allegedly put the system in place after a new law came in obliging the highest-paid members of the firm to declare their salary. Ghosn is suspected of deferring part of his pay to avoid criticism from staff and shareholders that his salary was too generous. Nissan is appealing to a court in Rio de Janeiro to block access by Ghosn's representatives to a luxury apartment on Copacabana Beach. "We are closely watching if he is actually indicted and then found guilty," said Satoru Takada, an analyst at TIW, a Tokyo-based research and consulting firm. "If he is exempted from prosecution or found innocent, it is going to create huge confusion in Nissan's management," Takada told AFP. - 'Lebanese phoenix' - It is unclear if Ghosn will be bailed before a potential trial. In Japan, prosecutors and defendants begin a trial at a district court and can appeal to a high court and the Supreme Court. It may take several years before reaching a final judgement. If found guilty, Ghosn could face a 10-year prison sentence. Shortly after Ghosn's indictment, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe reiterated the need to maintain the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi alliance, calling it "a symbol of Japan-France industrial cooperation". "I expect that the parties involved will hold constructive discussions among them," he said. "I am certain that (Japan-French relations) would not be shaken by incidents such as this one." The affair represents a staggering fall from grace for a figure celebrated for saving Nissan from the brink of bankruptcy and rebuilding it as a money-making subsidiary of Renault. Nissan has begun the process of choosing Ghosn's successor, with the final decision expected on December 17. His arrest has sparked incredulity at Renault, which now owns 43 percent of Nissan and says it has not seen a detailed account of the charges against Ghosn. It has also fuelled anger in Lebanon, with digital billboards around Beirut proclaiming "We are all Carlos Ghosn" under a picture of the magnate. "A Lebanese phoenix will not be scorched by a Japanese sun," Interior Minister Nohad Machnouk has declared. "This is irresponsible and absurd." All progress made during the first week of climate negotiations in Katowice, Poland was overshadowed by the deportation of at least 12 civil society representatives and the no-holds-barred promotion of the coal industry at the official conference venue. This seems not only ironic and distasteful but a violation of the principles of climate justice, human rights and transparency for a conference supposedly bringing the world together to further climate action. Hours before the climate march, a peaceful non-violent action organized by civil society representatives, organizations like 350.org received disturbing messages from colleagues informing them of being held by authorities at the airport. People are detained for long periods in ill-fitted rooms, searched and interrogated. Then they are deported, says Svitlana Romanko, regional coordinator of 350 in Eastern Europe, Caucasus and Central Asia. The representatives, deemed as threats to national security, are now safe and demanding accountability from both Polish leaders, as host of the COP, and world leaders, as they supposedly also represent interests of non-party stakeholders, such as observer organizations. Nugzar Kokhreidze, whose passport was taken away at passport control upon his arrival at the Katowice International Airport last week, says that one of the key values of the UN democratic process is participation. Climate change is a challenge for all. Thats why participation of all sectors into the negotiation process is important and must be provided by the UN and the country where the conferences happen. As of this writing, Kokhreidze is still at the Katowice airport, demanding an explanation from the Polish government on why he is deemed a threat to safety. Maria Kolesnikova, on the other hand, was stopped at Warsaw International Airport and told the official reason for this was also public safety. She was pressured to sign a document in Polish and threatened that refusing would mean a permanent mark in her visa history. If the world stays silent and doesnt condemn Polish authorities, it can definitely embolden future host countries to do the same with activists, she said.Meanwhile, aside from being allowed to bankroll the negotiations through corporate sponsorships, the coal industry was allowed to figure prominently in the conference exhibit areas. The official booth of the city of Katowice displayed coal behind glass panes as well as other materials made from coal, such as earrings and soap bars. Representatives of United States President Donald Trump himself also made a presentation about the benefits of coal, natural gas and nuclear power. As icing on the cake, it was also extremely disappointing to hear how the US, including Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Russia, furthered their anti-science agenda by blocking nearly 200 nations in welcoming the IPCC 1.5 reportwhich highlights the urgency of the climate crisis by concluding we have more or less 12 years to keep warming at 1.5by suggesting the conference merely take note of its conclusions. How all this wasnt termed a threat to national security, considering the wealth of scientific literature confirming the fossil fuel industrys contributions not just to climate change but to the decline of health in surrounding communities, remains a question. As the greatest challenge of our generation, it will take bold ideas and bottom-up organizing amplified by political will to shape the future in the era of climate change. The solutions involve everyone and not just those with resources to spring for side events or conference exhibits. Indeed, there is no one way to go about solving this crisisbut it is clear what we must not do. Intimidating and silencing activists and rubbing elbows with the industry responsible for the loss of lives and livelihoods of thousands every year is the height of regression, and we simply must do better. Hijacking the negotiations to put one industry or one countrys interests before the worlds is irresponsible and absurd considering climate change is a global problem that requires a global approach. The full participation of civil society as observers who keep our leaders in check in these multilateral processes is as much of a non-negotiable as shunning those who put power and profit before a just, sustainable world. Facebook shareholders enjoyed a healthy stock price bump on Monday something that stands out considering the social networks rocky 2018 after the company announced it would buy back $9 billion worth of shares. The buyback was approved by the companys board last Thursday and disclosed in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission on Friday afternoon. Wall Street responded positively on Monday, with Facebook shares increasing 3.2 percent to hit $141.85 per share. Facebook shares have dropped 22 percent since the start of 2018 (via Google) Also Read: Facebook Documents, Emails Seized by British Parliament in Cambridge Analytica Probe The $9 billion buyback adds to an aggressive stock repurchase plan Facebook already had in place, with the companys board approving a $15 billion buyback last year. The latest repurchase plan does not have an expiration date, according to the companys SEC filing. Despite Mondays rally, its been a trying year for Facebook and its shareholders. Company shares are down 22 percent since the beginning of 2018 amid a series of highly-publicized scandals chief among them being the Cambridge Analytica data leak in March, which exposed the profile information of up to 87 million unwitting users to the political data firm. Facebook shares briefly rebounded in May, but the companys struggle to grow its massive user base of 2.2 billion people, coupled with underwhelming revenue growth, has allowed the company to get pushed down during the recent tech industry swoon. Read original story Facebook Shares Rally After Social Network Announces $9 Billion Stock Buyback At TheWrap U.S. District Judge Robert Scola of the Southern District of Florida. Photo by Jill Kahn. U.S. District Judge Robert Scola of the Southern District of Florida. Photo by Jill Kahn. In the latest chapter in years of legal battling, a federal appeals court has rejected arguments by the Seminole Tribe of Florida in a dispute about whether the state should be able to tax electricity used on tribal land. A three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit on Friday upheld a lower-court decision that dismissed a lawsuit filed by the tribe against the Florida Department of Revenue. The lawsuit was the second filed since 2012 about whether the tribe should be shielded from state utility taxes, and the second time the appeals court has ruled against the tribe. The cases have involved issues such as tribal sovereignty and federal limits on the power of the state to impose taxes on tribal land. After losing the first case, the tribe filed a second lawsuit that more narrowly focused on the constitutionality of taxing 14 types of activities on tribal land, including law enforcement, education, health care, agriculture and gaming. But in upholding a decision by U.S. District Judge Robert Scola to dismiss the case, the appeals court Friday ruled that the lawsuit was effectively an attempt to relitigate issues from the earlier case, even though the tribe focused on the 14 types of activities. The tribe had a full and fair opportunity to litigate its challenge to the utility tax and could have advanced its more specific arguments in the first action, said the 26-page ruling by Judges Beverly Martin, Robin Rosenbaum and Jill Pryor. Because the tribe has already had its day in court, it cannot now continue to litigate its challenge with the benefit of our analysis in the first case of the shortcomings of its earlier arguments. In a 2015 ruling in the first case, the appeals court said that what is known as a state gross receipts tax on electricity is imposed on utility companies and not directly on customers. The tribe had argued that the tax dollars would come from the Seminoles for electricity used on tribal lands. As a result, the tribe argued it should not have to pay the state tax. Attorneys for the tribe contended in a legal filing last year that the legal issues in the second case were different, at least in part because of the focus on the 14 types of activities instead of a broader question about the utility tax. In the prior case, the Eleventh Circuit held that federal law does not generally preempt the utilities tax on all utilities services used on tribal land as a matter of law simply because some of the services are used to conduct activities that are exclusively and pervasively regulated by federal law, the filing said. That holding is not an issue in the current case. In the current case, the tribe asked the court to determine whether the federal regulation of any or all of 14 specifically enumerated activities is exclusive and pervasive, such that federal law preempts the utilities tax on utilities services used to conduct those activities. Jim Saunders reports for the News Service of Florida. Based on the fact that hedge funds have collectively under-performed the market for several years, it would be easy to assume that their stock picks simply aren't very good. However, our research shows this not to be the case. In fact, when it comes to their very top picks collectively, they show a strong ability to pick winning stocks. This year hedge funds' top 30 stock picks easily bested the broader market, at 6.7% compared to 2.6%, despite there being a few duds in there like Facebook (even their collective wisdom isn't perfect). The results show that there is plenty of merit to imitating the collective wisdom of top investors. First American Financial Corp (NYSE:FAF) investors should be aware of an increase in hedge fund sentiment recently. FAF was in 33 hedge funds' portfolios at the end of the third quarter of 2018. There were 26 hedge funds in our database with FAF holdings at the end of the previous quarter. Our calculations also showed that faf isn't among the 30 most popular stocks among hedge funds. In the 21st century investors toolkit there are many tools stock market investors have at their disposal to value publicly traded companies. Some of the less utilized tools are hedge fund and insider trading sentiment. We have shown that, historically, those who follow the best picks of the best investment managers can beat the broader indices by a significant margin (see the details here). D. E. Shaw Let's view the new hedge fund action surrounding First American Financial Corp (NYSE:FAF). What have hedge funds been doing with First American Financial Corp (NYSE:FAF)? At Q3's end, a total of 33 of the hedge funds tracked by Insider Monkey were long this stock, a change of 27% from one quarter earlier. By comparison, 27 hedge funds held shares or bullish call options in FAF heading into this year. With the smart money's positions undergoing their usual ebb and flow, there exists a few noteworthy hedge fund managers who were boosting their holdings meaningfully (or already accumulated large positions). Story continues No of Hedge Funds with FAF Positions When looking at the institutional investors followed by Insider Monkey, John W. Rogers's Ariel Investments has the largest position in First American Financial Corp (NYSE:FAF), worth close to $229.4 million, amounting to 2.5% of its total 13F portfolio. The second most bullish fund manager is AQR Capital Management, led by Cliff Asness, holding a $84.5 million position; the fund has 0.1% of its 13F portfolio invested in the stock. Some other professional money managers that are bullish encompass Ken Fisher's Fisher Asset Management, Israel Englander's Millennium Management and D. E. Shaw's D E Shaw. Consequently, some big names were breaking ground themselves. Carlson Capital, managed by Clint Carlson, created the most outsized position in First American Financial Corp (NYSE:FAF). Carlson Capital had $19.2 million invested in the company at the end of the quarter. Paul Marshall and Ian Wace's Marshall Wace LLP also initiated a $5 million position during the quarter. The other funds with new positions in the stock are Michael O'Keefe's 12th Street Asset Management, Matthew Tewksbury's Stevens Capital Management, and Alec Litowitz and Ross Laser's Magnetar Capital. Let's also examine hedge fund activity in other stocks - not necessarily in the same industry as First American Financial Corp (NYSE:FAF) but similarly valued. We will take a look at Lazard Ltd (NYSE:LAZ), Newfield Exploration Co. (NYSE:NFX), Dr. Reddy's Laboratories Limited (NYSE:RDY), and Starwood Property Trust, Inc. (NYSE:STWD). This group of stocks' market values resemble FAF's market value. [table] Ticker, No of HFs with positions, Total Value of HF Positions (x1000), Change in HF Position LAZ,17,468779,0 NFX,39,375919,16 RDY,9,72351,-2 STWD,21,187809,2 Average,21.5,276215,4 [/table] View table here if you experience formatting issues. As you can see these stocks had an average of 21.5 hedge funds with bullish positions and the average amount invested in these stocks was $276 million. That figure was $620 million in FAF's case. Newfield Exploration Co. (NYSE:NFX) is the most popular stock in this table. On the other hand Dr. Reddy's Laboratories Limited (NYSE:RDY) is the least popular one with only 9 bullish hedge fund positions. First American Financial Corp (NYSE:FAF) is not the most popular stock in this group but hedge fund interest is still above average. This is a slightly positive signal but we'd rather spend our time researching stocks that hedge funds are piling on. In this regard NFX might be a better candidate to consider a long position. Disclosure: None. This article was originally published at Insider Monkey. Related Content Reports of Michael Kovrig's detention come after China warned Canada of consequences for its December 1 arrest of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou - AP A former Canadian diplomat has been arrested in China, amid tensions over the recent detention of a Chinese telecom executive in Vancouver. "We have been in direct contact with the Chinese diplomats and representatives," Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said. "We are engaged with the file (case), which we take very seriously." Canadian Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale on Tuesday confirmed the detention of Michael Kovrig. "We're deeply concerned," he said. "A Canadian is obviously in difficulty in China. We are sparing no effort to do everything we possibly can to look after his safety." The International Crisis Group said on Tuesday it was aware of reports that Mr Kovrig, its North East Asia senior adviser, had been detained. The Brussels-based non-governmental organisation said in a statement that it's doing everything possible to obtain additional information about Mr Kovrig's whereabouts and that it will work to ensure his prompt release. The Globe and Mail in Toronto and the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. reported the arrest, citing unnamed sources. Reports of Mr Kovrig's detention come after China warned Canada of consequences for its December 1 arrest of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou at Vancouver's airport. It's unclear if there's any link between the cases. Ms Meng was detained over US allegations she misled banks about Huawei' s control of a firm operating in Iran. Yesterday (Tues), the Washington Post reported that the US government is to take action against China over hacking and economic espionage,using sanctions and indictments. The report could not immediately be confirmed. The International Crisis Group said Mr Kovrig has been one of its full-time experts since February 2017. The organisation's website says Kovrig previously worked as a Canadian diplomat in Beijing and Hong Kong and at the United Nations. Story continues Canada's Global Affairs department didn't immediately respond with comment. Former Canadian Liberal leader Bob Rae said it's clear why he's been detained. "It's called repression and retaliation," Mr Rae tweeted. Paris (AFP) - The "yellow vest" protests that have made headlines around the world are garnering France some unwanted attention, particularly from foreign leaders not exactly known for their defence of liberal democracy. French officials have gone so far as to accuse other nations of "interference" in its domestic affairs over claims the crisis has laid bare the shortcomings of President Emmanuel Macron's policies. Both Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Italy's far-right leader Matteo Salvini have criticised Macron over the violent protests, as has his "friend" US President Donald Trump. "Very sad day & night in Paris. Maybe it's time to end the ridiculous and extremely expensive Paris Agreement and return money back to the people in the form of lower taxes?" Trump tweeted over the weekend. The comments earned him a stern rebuke from Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian, who on Sunday told the US leader to "leave our nation be". France is also looking into claims that Russian-linked social media accounts are trying to stir up trouble by spreading misinformation designed to amplify the protests. A source close to the inquiry told AFP that the prime minister's security and defence directorate was coordinating the investigation of suspect accounts. But the source said it was too early to confirm a claim in Britain's Times newspaper that hundreds of accounts linked to Russia were being used to stoke the demonstrations. Bloomberg news, citing the US-based Alliance for Securing Democracy, has also reported that #giletsjaunes ("yellow vests") has become the top hashtag on 600 Twitter accounts promoting Kremlin views. "That's a pretty strong indication that there is interest in amplifying the conflict," Bloomberg quoted the alliance's social media analyst Bret Schafer as saying. A Kremlin spokesman rejected the accusations Monday as "nothing but slander". Story continues "We have not interfered and we don't plan to interfere in the domestic affairs of any country, including France," the spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, said. - 'Exploiting the situation' - Italy's Salvini has also tried to fuel a narrative that the protests, which originated over anger at fuel tax hikes, underscore the failings of Macron's push to reform the French economy. The "yellow vest" movement has since ballooned into a protest against declining living standards, in particular in rural and small-town France. The government has already backed down on a hated fuel tax increase set for January, and Macron is expected to announce other measures in a televised address Monday night. "Now those left behind are on the street, the thousands of honest people who have been massacred by the French government," Salvini posted on Twitter on Sunday. Salvini has been a particular target of Macron, who is trying to forge an alliance of pro-European centrists to counter the populist waves in several countries ahead of European Parliament elections in May. Steve Bannon, the architect of Trump's nationalist-populist campaign who is now preaching a rightwing revolt across Europe, said in Brussels over the weekend that "Paris is burning." "The yellow vests... are exactly the same type of people who elected Donald Trump... and who voted for Brexit," Bannon said. Turkey's Erdogan, meanwhile, went so far as to accuse French police of "disproportionate violence" against the demonstrators. "Disorder reigns in several European countries, starting with Paris. TVs and newspapers are filled with images of burning cars, looted shops, and the violent police response against the protesters," he said Saturday. France's Health Minister Agnes Buzyn denounced the comments as unacceptable "interference". "I am furious when I hear these extremist politicians exploiting this situation," she told LCI television Sunday. "These people are exploiting the situation to justify their own anti-climate, totalitarian policies," she said. The boss of Google - under fire over allegations of political bias and its failure to protect personal information - is to tell congress it supports government legislation that defends against privacy violations. On the day Google announced it was to terminate earlier than planned its modestly-used social media network Google Plus because of a flaw that had leaked the personal information of 52.5m users, CEO Sundar Pichai made clear he would defend the company against accusations of favouritism or predisposition. I lead this company without political bias and work to ensure that our products continue to operate that way, Mr Pichai will say in prepared remarks he is due to deliver on Capitol Hill. To do otherwise would go against our core principles and our business interests. He added: We are a company that provides platforms for diverse perspectives and opinions - and we have no shortage of them among our own employees. Some of our Googlers are former servicemen and women who have risked much in defence of our country. Some are civil libertarians who fiercely defend freedom of expression. The comments come after Donald Trump warned this summer that tech companies including Google, Twitter and Facebook were treading on very, very troubled territory and have to be careful. He also accused Google of altering search results to prioritise negative coverage and left-leaning outlets. Google has really taken advantage of a lot of people and I think that's a very serious thing and it's a very serious charge, Mr Trump told reporters in August. They better be careful because they cant do that to people. He also tweeted: Google search results for Trump News shows only the viewing/reporting of Fake New Media. In other words, they have it RIGGED, for me & others, so that almost all stories & news is BAD. Fake CNN is prominent. Republican/Conservative & Fair Media is shut out. Mr Pichais scheduled appearance before the House of Representatives judiciary committee comes three months after the tech boss turned down a previous invitation to give testimony, something that angered some politicians. Story continues Some members of congress are now mulling tougher regulations to curb the power of Google, Facebook and other technology companies, in addition to tighter controls over digital privacy, the Associated Press reported. Facebook has had even more trouble guarding the personal information that it obtains through its social networking service, which now has more than 2.2bn users. The most obvious breakdown came in March when the company admitted the personal information of as many as 87m of its users had been shared with Cambridge Analytica, a data mining firm affiliated with Mr Trump's 2016 campaign. Mr Pichai is just the latest in a succession of tech leaders to appear on Capitol Hill, as congress seeks to increase its scrutiny of an industry that for many years appeared to do as it pleased. In September, Facebook CEO Sheryl Sandberg and Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey testified before the Senate intelligence committee about their attempts to try and stop foreign interference in elections held in the US. On that occasion, Google was represented by an empty chair, given that neither Mr Pichai or his boss Alphabet CEO Larry Page agreed to appear. Burke/Triolo Productions/Thinkstock Dolly Parton's "Girl in the Movies" has been nominated for Best Song at the 24th Annual Critics' Choice Awards, which will air live on The CW Network on Sunday, January 13. The song, from the Netflix movie Dumplin', is also up for a Golden Globe. Blake Shelton will host NBC's Elvis All-Star Tribute Special on February 17. It commemorates the 50th anniversary of The King's '68 Comeback Special. Golden State natives Jon Pardi, Brett Young, Cam, Devin Dawson, Tyler Rich and Gary Allan have teamed up to offer the Cali Love T-shirt, to help victims of the California wildfires through the Salvation Army. You can buy one for $30 online. Copyright 2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. Packers beat Rams, 36-28, cruise into bye week with 9-3 record Aaron Rodgers showed no ill effects from playing on a broken toe, completing 28 of 45 passes for 307 yards and two touchdowns and also ran for a TD. "These are interesting times, indeed." Just as Christmas is a few days away, and the bells of Balangiga have arrived and will soon toll in historic Samar as it presagesthroughout the nation, several disruptions are happening, not only in the country, but around the world. In Britain, the Brexit debate which should have gone to a vote yesterday in parliament was tactically withdrawn by Theresa May, as it faced defeat. It puts the Conservative government in a bind. Having spent months and months of crossing the English Channel to the various capitals of Europe and to Brussels to forge a smooth disengagement from the EU, May now finds her efforts going, going, and unless she and the Tories still behind her can help it, gone. Brussels has staunchly declared that it will not renegotiate a new deal, but Labor and many in the British Parliament are adamant in questioning the terms of the exit deal. Brexit was a disruption that shook Europe and the world when it narrowly won in a referendum on June 2016. Two and a half years after, the terms of disengaging the British economy from the European Union are facing rejection by her peers. If Theresa Mays delaying tactic does not work in her favor, the disruption that Brexit was would be discombobulating for her, her government, the British pound and the economy. * * * Across the Channel, Emmanuel Macron, just a year and a half ago the acclaimed poster boy of European strength as he triumphed from left field in a historic French election, finds his economic reforms disrupted by a leaderless cri de coeur from disenchanted people wearing Gilets Jaune (yellow vests). The violent protests in the French capital and elsewhere against increased fuel taxes has forced Macron to retreat from his former hardline stance in favor of reforming the economy of a country that has been used to the perks of a quasi-socialist populism. Whether the Gilets Jaune movement could discombobulate the French president who styles himself as a modern-day Napoleon but has suffered an awesome drop in popularity within a year of his political ascendancy remains to be seen. * * * Across the Atlantic, the irascible Donald Trump is facing more and more challenges to his leadership.His stance vis-a-vis the Saudi Arabian Crown Prince who is clearly involved in the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi inside the Saudi consulate in Turkey has caused rebellion within the Republican Party itself. With his thin victory in the Senate in the last elections, and the Democratic Partys reclaim of the House of Representatives, the crisis bodes ill for his stay in power. More seriously, the Russian connection during his quest for the White House which has implicated more than a dozen of his closest aides and tacticians is closing in, as Robert Mueller peels off one confession after another, one revelation after another. It has become so bad for Trump, despite his much-touted early successes on turning around the American economy, that he has had a difficult time looking for a replacement for the White House Chief of Staff. No president has experienced the embarrassment of offering such a high and sensitive position to many yet be politely refused. It is a clear sign that the American president is increasingly getting isolated. Just yesterday, 44 former senators of the Union wrote a letter to the Washington Post warning about the crisis of the time, and appealed to present senators to always stand for the Constitution and for country, as if expecting an impeachment trial would soon reach the Senate. Disruptive from the start, which could have been a good thing for a lethargic American economy, Trump is finding himself politically discombobulated instead. * * * And across the Pacific Ocean, here at home, approval of the budget is being disrupted by the discovery of not interstices, but slabs and slabs of pork hidden in favored districts of the lower House. Not a few millions here and there, but billions in a few districts. The perennial nemesis of pork, Senator Panfilo Lacson, is gung-ho about uncovering the sleight-of-hand that some congressmen were able to insert into the general appropriations bill that the President wants the Senate to pass, pronto. Else we are saddled by a reenacted budget that could create mayhem to the governments spending priorities for 2019. But Lacson is not one who would relent from disruption, because this has been his career-long crusade, and in a government that vows to stop corruption, his disruption ought to be for good. But it could also be politically discombobulating. Not that Lacson would mind that at all. * * * Disruption is good, if through it, change for the better happens. But when it discombobulates May, or Macron, or Trump, or our Congress, it can devastate political careers. How the disruptors and the disrupted comport themselves amid these challenges will determine whether they would fall, or wither, or rise to greater heights. Interesting times, these. Theresa May promotes her Brexit deal before deciding to pull the vote - Getty Images Europe The government spent almost 100,000 on Facebook adverts to promote Theresa Mays Brexit deal in the week running up to her decision to pull the Commons vote. Figures released by the social media giant showed the government spent 96,684 on 11 adverts from December 2 to 8 as it became increasingly clear the prime minister faced defeat over her deal. It dwarfed the 50,000 the government spent on Brexit social media ads in the previous three months to November 20. Three videos, intending to explain the deal in terms of free trade, the economy and controlling our borders, cost between 10,000 and 50,000 each to promote, reaching between 500,000 and 1m Facebook users apiece. The money also included videos on what the Brexit Deal means for you - explained in 60 seconds and others focusing on immigration and jobs. Last night the spending was slated as an inappropriate and wasteful use of taxpayers money. Jon Trickett, Shadow Cabinet Office minister, said: "Not only is this a completely inappropriate use of public money, but it turns out to have been entirely wasted. When official resources are used for the Prime Minister's personal purposes it threatens our democracy." Layla Moran, LibDem education spokesman, said: Given that the vote wont even happen now, it is an absolute insult to taxpayers that the Prime Minister has been throwing our money down the drain promoting a deal that not even she can back. Eloise Todd, head of the Best for Britain campaign group, said the absurdity of spending almost 100,000 on a vote that you know you are going to pull shows flagrant disregard of taxpayers cash to waste it like this. The figures showed the Conservative Party also spent 39,967 on Facebook adverts supporting the deal. Theresa May is listed as spending 1,659. The government spending was double that of the Peoples Vote, of 47,313. TELEMMGLPICT000180968189.jpeg The figures were published by Facebook as part of new advert transparency measures following sustained criticism of the platform through 2018. It included the Vote Leave campaign being sanctioned over advertising spending on the social network during the Brexit campaign. Story continues A government spokesman said: Communicating government policy effectively to the public is a core function of the Civil Service. We have reached a deal that is good for the UK, good for its citizens, and good for business and we will be communicating that to the country. Any costs associated with this will be published in the usual way." Adverts have included one paid for to push it to the top of Googles rankings and linked to a website called Brexit Deal Explained which sets out the governments case for the EU withdrawal agreement - and warns about the dangers of a no-deal Brexit. Another Facebook video featured the prime minister hailing the deal as offering certainty for business and economy, concluding: Now is the time to come together to build a brighter future. Before putting in our own effort and resources into finding a good investment, we can quickly utilize hedge fund expertise to give us a quick glimpse of whether that stock could make for a good addition to our portfolios. The odds are not exactly stacked in investors' favor when it comes to beating the market, as evidenced by the fact that less than 49% of the stocks in the S&P 500 did so during the 12-month period ending October 30. The stats were even worse in recent years when most of the advances in the market were due to large gains by FAANG stocks. However, one bright side for individual investors was the strong performance of hedge funds' top consensus picks. This year hedge funds' top 30 stock picks outperformed the S&P 500 Index by 4 percentage points through the middle of November. Thus, we can see that the tireless research and efforts of hedge funds to identify winning stocks can work to our advantage when we know how to use the data. While not all of their picks will be winners, our odds are much better following their best stock picks than trying to go it alone. Enbridge Inc (NYSE:ENB) investors should be aware of an increase in hedge fund sentiment in recent months. ENB was in 21 hedge funds' portfolios at the end of September. There were 16 hedge funds in our database with ENB holdings at the end of the previous quarter. Our calculations also showed that ENB isn't among the 30 most popular stocks among hedge funds. At the moment there are many signals shareholders have at their disposal to analyze publicly traded companies. Two of the most useful signals are hedge fund and insider trading interest. We have shown that, historically, those who follow the top picks of the best money managers can outclass the S&P 500 by a healthy margin (see the details here). CITADEL INVESTMENT GROUP Let's also examine hedge fund activity in other stocks - not necessarily in the same industry as Enbridge Inc (NYSE:ENB) but similarly valued. These stocks are Ecopetrol S.A. (NYSE:EC), Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC), Simon Property Group, Inc (NYSE:SPG), and Lloyds Banking Group PLC (NYSE:LYG). All of these stocks' market caps are closest to ENB's market cap. Story continues ENB_dec2018 More specifically, Magnetar Capital was the largest shareholder of Enbridge Inc (NYSE:ENB), with a stake worth $82.1 million reported as of the end of September. Trailing Magnetar Capital was Citadel Investment Group, which amassed a stake valued at $43.2 million. Renaissance Technologies, Millennium Management, and SIR Capital Management were also very fond of the stock, giving the stock large weights in their portfolios. As aggregate interest increased, specific money managers have been driving this bullishness. Renaissance Technologies, managed by Jim Simons, established the biggest position in Enbridge Inc (NYSE:ENB). Renaissance Technologies had $30.3 million invested in the company at the end of the quarter. Michael Platt and William Reeves's BlueCrest Capital Mgmt. also initiated a $2.1 million position during the quarter. The following funds were also among the new ENB investors: Paul Marshall and Ian Wace's Marshall Wace LLP, Matthew Tewksbury's Stevens Capital Management, and David Costen Haley's HBK Investments. Let's now take a look at hedge fund activity in other stocks - not necessarily in the same industry as Enbridge Inc (NYSE:ENB) but similarly valued. These stocks are Ecopetrol S.A. (NYSE:EC), Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC), Simon Property Group, Inc (NYSE:SPG), and Lloyds Banking Group PLC (NYSE:LYG). This group of stocks' market values match ENB's market value. [table] Ticker, No of HFs with positions, Total Value of HF Positions (x1000), Change in HF Position EC,13,308393,2 NOC,33,1286673,-8 SPG,25,812090,5 LYG,5,285815,-1 Average,19,673243,-0.5 [/table] View table here if you experience formatting issues. As you can see these stocks had an average of 19 hedge funds with bullish positions and the average amount invested in these stocks was $673 million. That figure was $185 million in ENB's case. Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) is the most popular stock in this table. On the other hand Lloyds Banking Group PLC (NYSE:LYG) is the least popular one with only 5 bullish hedge fund positions. Enbridge Inc (NYSE:ENB) is not the most popular stock in this group but hedge fund interest is still above average. This is a slightly positive signal but we'd rather spend our time researching stocks that hedge funds are piling on. In this regard NOC might be a better candidate to consider a long position. Disclosure: None. This article was originally published at Insider Monkey. Related Content The first affordable, carbon-free home community AP Photo/Garret Fischer First, at vero eos et accusamus et iusto odio dignissimos ducimus qui blanditiis praesentium et accusamus et iusto odio dignissimos ducimus qui voluptatum. 1/12 Image via Pearl Homes Image via Pearl Homes Image via Pearl Homes Image via Pearl Homes Image via Pearl Homes Image via Pearl Homes Image via Pearl Homes Image via Pearl Homes Image via Pearl Homes Image via Pearl Homes Image via Pearl Homes A new Florida neighborhood will allow residents to live a cleaner lifestyle than any other development in the country, while feeling safe in the event of major hurricanes. The builders of the development say the time for affordable carbon-free living via energy storage, home automation and home building has now come. Two companies, Pearl Homes and sonnen, paired up to create a community of solar plus storage smart homes using Google Home. The community of homes, named 'Hunters Point - Pearl Homes Community and Marina,' is the first community designed to help decarbonize Manatee County near Sarasota, Florida, and surrounding regions of Florida by making green living affordable to a broader market. The second sonnen community to launch in the U.S. market will be installed at Hunters Point in the small fishing village of Cortez, Florida. It is comprised of 148 homes pursuing the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Platinum certification, a way to define and measure "green buildings," that empower residents to be pioneers in energy and join a movement creating net-zero energy communities. Each home will be equipped with rooftop solar panels, a new and affordable sonnen energy storage system designed for mass market appeal, a smart thermostat and an electric vehicle charger, all controlled by way of sonnen's powerful new energy automation and artificial intelligence (AI) software platform. The builders are designing the homes with hurricanes in mind, by adding carbon fiber in the building materials. Those materials will help the houses meet the standard for a Category 5 storm, which by law, the builders only have to meet a Category 3 standard. Story continues If a storm harms the electric grid, the solar panels and batteries can keep the power on in the neighborhood after the storm passes. "As long as the sun is shining-and the good news is you're in Florida, so there's usually going to be lots of sun-we should be fine for perpetual backup," said Blake Richetta, senior vice president and head of sonnen's U.S. operations. Hunters Point - Pearl Homes Community and Marina represents the first time an energy storage system has worked in concert with Google Home in a master-planned development, capable of maximizing the intelligent use of each household's renewable energy. In initial tests, it was determined that the already-built homes are generating approximately 96 percent of their own clean power, with the goal of being fully net-zero. Pearl Home Model Exterior 1.png Image via Pearl Homes Following the installment of the first 148 homes, Pearl Homes will commence a second development comprised of 720 apartments, making additional living options possible for those who don't currently own a home but wish to make a difference for the environment. It will be the first net-zero rental community of this size, with cost-affordable pricing designed to provide people of varying income levels with the opportunity to live in a greener residence. "We are thrilled to partner with Pearl Homes, the unparalleled leader in building LEED Platinum homes in the U.S., as we upend the traditional homebuilding vision and replace it with one based on decarbonizing the grid and establishing a complete solution for green living that is affordable for a much broader market," said Richetta. "Together with our partners at Pearl Homes and Google Home, we are effectively demonstrating the intersection between renewable energy, home automation and homebuilding, establishing a blueprint for the affordable clean energy home of the future," Richetta said. The first-of-its-kind community is designed to declutter wires of the local utility grid, providing load-shaping throughout the day to support intelligent demand management. It will also establish smart configurable backup that provides resiliency and peace of mind for homeowners in the face of storms and other natural disasters all while living a cleaner lifestyle than any other development in the country. "For years, energy experts have sought an answer to the solar conundrum: how to generate and store enough solar for our homes," said Marshall Gobuty, president of Sarasota, Florida-based Pearl Homes. Pearl Home Model Master Bedroom 2.png Image via Pearl Homes "Sonnen's technology in combination with our LEED Platinum home design has changed the equation for the ability to truly optimize smart homes using solar plus storage to the point where we are capable of building sustainable communities that share solar and decarbonize the region, one Pearl Home at a time," Richetta said. Rayonier Inc.s RYN portfolio of timberlands in some of the most productive timber-growing regions of the U.S. South, Pacific Northwest and New Zealand offer the company geographic diversity. However, cut-throat competition from national and local players, regarding a number of factors, including quality and price, remains a concern. Notably, the companys timberlands are strategically located near the pulpwood consuming mills which manufacture products for growing end-markets, offering it a higher pricing power. Moreover, favorable demand-supply dynamics, opportunities to capitalize on the export market and increasing demand for softwood pulpwood support the overall composite pricing in Rayoniers market. To further fortify its portfolio, the company remains focused on accretive acquisitions. Timberland buyouts for the nine-month period ended Sep 30, 2018, and full-year 2017 aggregated $39 million and $242.9 million, respectively. These efforts also upgraded Rayoniers U.S. South and Pacific Northwest portfolio. In fact, timber harvest and real estate sales account for majority of the companys cash flow from operations. Importantly, its operations generate a consistent cash flow, as a result of which it does not have to depend much on other capital resources. Recurring cash generation from operations provides sufficient capacity to pursue timberland acquisitions. Over the past three months, Rayoniers shares have declined 10.7% which is narrower than its industrys loss of 27.1%. Encouragingly, the trend in estimate revisions of current-year net income per share indicates a favorable outlook for the company. In fact, the stock has seen the Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2018 net income per share being revised 17.4% upward in two months time. Nonetheless, wood products, in general, encounter rising rivalry from a variety of substitute products, like non-wood and engineered wood products. Additionally, its New Zealand Timber segment has been experiencing intense competition from domestic peers and exporters. This may impact the Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) companys pricing power. Story continues Furthermore, an international footprint makes its earnings susceptible to foreign-exchange fluctuations. Particularly, the Pacific Northwest exports huge volumes of timber to China, while the New Zealand Timber segment exports to markets in China, Korea and India. Also, since timberland REITs have to comply with strict regulatory requirements compared with other industries, frequent changes in laws may affect the business of industry players, including Rayonier. Key Picks Some better-ranked stocks from the real estate investment trust (REIT) space are OUTFRONT Media Inc. OUT, PS Business Parks, Inc. PSB and Cousins Properties Incorporated CUZ, each carrying a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. OUTFRONT Medias funds from operations (FFO) per share estimates for 2018 have been marginally revised upward to $2.09 in the past 60 days. Its shares have gained 3.8% in the past six months. PS Business Parks Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2018 FFO per share moved 0.9% north to $6.45 over the past month. Its shares have returned 13.4% over the past six months. Cousins Properties FFO per share estimates for 2018 have been revised marginally up to 62 cents in 60 days time. Will You Make a Fortune on the Shift to Electric Cars? Here's another stock idea to consider. Much like petroleum 150 years ago, lithium power may soon shake the world, creating millionaires and reshaping geo-politics. Soon electric vehicles (EVs) may be cheaper than gas guzzlers. Some are already reaching 265 miles on a single charge. With battery prices plummeting and charging stations set to multiply, one company stands out as the #1 stock to buy according to Zacks research. It's not the one you think. See This Ticker Free >> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Rayonier Inc. (RYN) : Free Stock Analysis Report PS Business Parks, Inc. (PSB) : Free Stock Analysis Report OUTFRONT Media Inc. (OUT) : Free Stock Analysis Report Cousins Properties Incorporated (CUZ) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research SEOUL (Reuters) - Hyundai Motor Co <005380.KS> on Tuesday began South Korean sales of its Palisade large sport utility vehicle (SUV), a model it hopes will spearhead a sales recovery in the United States when launched in its major overseas market next year. Consumer preferences have shifted rapidly to SUVs in recent years, impacting Hyundai with its sedan-heavy line-up. The automaker has since introduced new SUVs, including a redesigned Santa Fe this year, but its U.S. sales still fell 1.6 percent in January-November in a near flat market. Weak sales in the United States and China has left Hyundai bracing for a fifth consecutive year of annual profit decline. In South Korea, the Palisade's price starts at 36.22 million won ($32,224.20), slightly higher than the smaller Santa Fe. "I think it will sell well in Korea because of its price competitiveness, though the model could cannibalize sales of the Santa Fe," said auto analyst Sean Kim at Dongbu Securities. Hyundai has not yet disclosed U.S. pricing for the three-row, eight-seat car, which will compete with the likes of Toyota Motor Corp's <7203.T> Highlander and Ford Motor Co's Explorer. At home, the automaker has embarked on a marketing blitz for the new model, including a full, front page teaser ad in a major newspaper, an endorsement by pop star BTS and featuring the car in television drama Encounter. The Palisade will replace the larger version of the Santa Fe as Hyundai's biggest SUV. The automaker is looking to end a poor record in the large SUV segment, where it discontinued its Veracruz in 2013 as sales dwindled. The new model will help Hyundai raise its number of SUV models to six next year, from two last year. Its premium brand Genesis also plans to launch its first SUV next year. (Reporting by Hyunjoo Jin; Editing by Christopher Cushing) Investors in MetLife, Inc. MET need to pay close attention to the stock based on moves in the options market lately. That is because the Dec 14, 2018 $30 Put had some of the highest implied volatility of all equity options today. What is Implied Volatility? Implied volatility shows how much movement the market is expecting in the future. Options with high levels of implied volatility suggest that investors in the underlying stocks are expecting a big move in one direction or the other. It could also mean there is an event coming up soon that may cause a big rally or a huge sell-off. However, implied volatility is only one piece of the puzzle when putting together an options trading strategy. What do the Analysts Think? Clearly, options traders are pricing in a big move for MetLife shares, but what is the fundamental picture for the company? Currently, MetLife is a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) in the Insurance Multi line industry that ranks in the Top 39% of our Zacks Industry Rank. Over the last 60 days, three analysts have increased their earnings estimates for the current quarter, while none have dropped their estimates. The net effect has taken our Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current quarter from $1.31 per share to $1.32 in that period. Given the way analysts feel about MetLife right now, this huge implied volatility could mean theres a trade developing. Oftentimes, options traders look for options with high levels of implied volatility to sell premium. This is a strategy many seasoned traders use because it captures decay. At expiration, the hope for these traders is that the underlying stock does not move as much as originally expected. Looking to Trade Options? Each week, our very own Dave Bartosiak gives his top options trades. Check out his recent live analysis and options trade for the NFLX earnings report completely free. See it here: Bartosiak: Trading Netflix's (NFLX) Earnings with Options or check out the embedded video below for more details: Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report MetLife, Inc. (MET) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research Matthew Whitaker, a former attorney in Iowa, was involved in a patent company found to be cheating investors of millions The acting attorney general, Matthew Whitaker, served on the advisory board for World Patent Marketing, which was shut down by federal regulators after fraud was discovered. Photograph: Jamie Squire/Getty Images Legal authorities in Iowa are considering an ethics complaint filed against Donald Trumps acting attorney general, Matthew Whitaker, over his involvement in a company that defrauded customers. The complaint accuses Whitaker of violating Iowas rules for attorneys through his work for World Patent Marketing. If upheld, it could ultimately result in Whitakers license to practice law being revoked. It was filed by Gregory Sarno, an attorney in California opposed to Trumps agenda. A disciplinary panel at the Iowa supreme court received the complaint late last month, according to records seen by the Guardian. Sarnos complaint said Whitaker served as an enforcer for World Patent Marketing, which was shut down in May by federal regulators who found it had cheated hopeful inventors out of millions of dollars. Whitaker was paid almost $10,000 to serve as a member of the firms advisory board. Matthew G Whitaker allegedly aided and abetted a fraudulent marketing scheme that cheated thousands of consumers, Sarnos eight-page complaint said. Trump installed Whitaker as acting attorney general last month after firing Jeff Sessions. The president said last week he intended to nominate William Barr, an attorney general under former president George HW Bush, to be Sessionss replacement. Whitaker, a 49-year-old former federal prosecutor in southern Iowa, is licensed to practice law in the state and in Minnesota, where he worked as a private attorney from 1995 to 2001. Iowas rules of professional conduct state that it is professional misconduct for an attorney to engage in conduct involving dishonesty, fraud, deceit, or misrepresentation. The rule, cited in Sarnos complaint, applies even if the attorney is acting as a businessperson rather than giving legal representation. Emails filed to court show that in August 2015, Whitaker sent a threatening email to a customer of World Patent Marketing who had complained about the company to the Better Business Bureau. Story continues I am assuming you understand that there could be serious civil and criminal consequences for you, Whitaker wrote in the email. Understand that we take threats like this quite seriously. Records released last month by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) showed Whitaker received emails from World Patent Marketing customers about the companys mistreatment of customers, typically forwarding them by email to the companys founder, Scott Cooper. Despite records and online video clips showing otherwise, Whitaker last year told the FTC inquiry into the company that he never emailed customers and wouldnt have personally ever said anything about the business, according to an investigators notes. Sarnos complaint about Whitaker cites media reporting on his involvement in World Patent Marketing, including a Guardian article on military veterans who lost their life savings in the fraud. Kerri Kupec, a justice department spokeswoman, did not respond to a request for comment. Previously she has said: Acting Attorney General Matt Whitaker has said he was not aware of any fraudulent activity. Any stories suggesting otherwise are false. The FTC concluded that customers paid World Patent Marketing tens of thousands of dollars to patent and market their inventions based on bogus success stories and often did nothing. After stringing consumers along for months or even years, the defendants did not deliver what they promised, and many people ended up in debt or lost their life savings with nothing to show for it, the FTC said. The complaint also accuses Whitaker of violating rules on truthfulness in statements to others. Under Iowa court rules, the complaint against Whitaker is confidential and will first be reviewed by the state supreme courts attorney disciplinary board, which is made up of nine lawyers and three non-lawyers. The board may dismiss the complaint, recommend a reprimand of Whitaker, or decide to prosecute the complaint at a private hearing of a grievance commission, which is made up of four lawyers and one non-lawyer. Whitaker would be entitled to defend himself. The commission may also dismiss the complaint, privately or publicly reprimand Whitaker, or recommend the suspension or revocation of Whitakers license. If the complaint against Whitaker were to get that far, the Iowa supreme court would then consider the commissions findings and issue a verdict on his punishment. "With the coming holidays, be thankful that your country remains peaceful and safe." During the weekend while I was in my library, I came across a small book titled 12 Little Things Every Filipino Can Do To Help our Country. It was written by Alexander Lacson and published in 2005. The 12 things are the following: Follow traffic rules. Follow the law. Whenever you buy anything, always ask for an official receipt. Dont buy smuggled food. Buy local and buy Filipino. When you talk to others, especially foreigners, speak positively about us and our country. Respect your traffic officer, policeman and soldier. Do not litter. Dispose of your garbage properly and segregate. Recycle and conserve. Support your church. During elections, do your solemn duty. Pay your employees well. Pay your taxes. Adopt a scholar or a poor child. Be a good parent. Teach your kids to follow the law and love our country. Since it was 13 years ago when Alex published his book, with my sincere apology to him, I would like to add other little and not-so-little things a Filipino can do for the country. If you get stuck on Edsa in a traffic jam, just grin and bear it. Things could be worse. If you take the MRT and get offloaded along the way, thank your lucky stars that the doors did not open. Dont use illegal drugs so you do not become a statisticor worse, become a victim of extra-judicial killings. If you are in government, dont commit graft and corruption. The President will fire you on the spot, unless you are a former military man. If this is the case, the President will recycle or even promote you. If you are a priest of bishop, dont criticize the President or else he will have you killed. But dont take him seriously because he is just joking. If you are a Roman Catholic, dont believe the President when he tells you to stop going to Church.If the President tells you about corrupt and lecherous members of the clergy, just pray for him. He is not the first man to condemn the church. This coming elections, do not vote for candidates leading immoral lives. Dont vote for those who are just popular, or who are lackeys of others. This Christmas season, when you are invited to a buffet, dont waste food. Think of the many Filipinos going hungry. If you are one of hundreds of thousands of Filipinos whose plates have not yet been delivered, dont fret or think you have been swindled by your government. With the coming holidays, be thankful that your country remains peaceful and safe. * * * With the acquittal of former Senator Ramon Bong Revilla, there are those who say he still has to return the money he allegedly received from his assistant as kickback from the pork barrel scam. Father Rannie Aquino, whose opinion I respect, even used an analogy that like somebody who took the wallet of his companion in office with all the money in it, Revilla must return the money he allegedly received from his assistant. Aquino said that the evidence for a criminal case should be different from a civil liability. For a criminal case, there needs to be proof beyond reasonable doubt. For a civil liability, its a preponderance of evidence. But I do not agree with Father Rannie, even though he is more knowledgeable than I, a two-bit lawyer and journalist. Since the Sandiganbayan acquitted Revilla for lack of proof beyond reasonable doubt, it follows that he has no civil liability. With all due respect to Fr. Aquino, I think his analogy is wrong. As for the Anti-Money Laundering Council report that Bong has unexplained wealth, my gulay he could have gotten that from other sources! * * * The controversy over the proposed extension of martial law for another year is not too difficult to resolve. If you are a Mindanaoan, your answer would be yes. Most of the critics of martial law are from Luzon who are too far from the area in question. The justification for the extension are manifold. Primarily, its a good measure to counter communism or terrorism. Those who are crying out against martial law in Mindanao must first go there. * * * We know that the pork barrel system gives lawmakers the opportunity to commit anomalies. They get at least a 20-percent kickback from the projects. This practice has to stop. Jerusalem (AFP) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned Hezbollah of reprisals after the military said on Tuesday it had uncovered a third "attack tunnel" infiltrating its territory from Lebanon. "If Hezbollah makes the serious mistake of attacking us or confronting what we are doing now it will face unimaginable blows" in retaliation, Netanyahu said during a visit to northern Israel. "We will pursue this operation as long as the threat of Hezbollah tunnels persists," the premier, who was accompanied by the army chief of staff, said in a statement released by his office. His warning came after the army said it had uncovered a third Hezbollah "attack tunnel" infiltrating Israel from Lebanon, which like the other two "does not pose an imminent threat". The military, which started a search and destroy operation along the border last week, did not reveal the exact location of the third tunnel. "Explosive devices have been placed inside the tunnel by the IDF (Israel Defence Forces)," it said in a statement. The army announced an operation on December 4 dubbed "Northern Shield" to destroy tunnels it said were dug under the border by the Shiite militant group Hezbollah. "The Lebanese government is held accountable for the attack tunnels dug from Lebanese territory," the military statement said. "IDF troops will continue to operate in accordance with the approved plan to locate and expose the Hezbollah terror organisation's attack tunnels." Israel fought a war against Iran-backed Hezbollah in 2006 that was halted by a UN-brokered truce. Hezbollah is the only group in Lebanon not to have disarmed after the country's 1975-1990 civil war. Netanyahu on Tuesday said that an Israeli army delegation would be visiting Moscow to brief Russian counterparts on operation "Northern Shield". He said the delegation, would also explain "as clearly as possible that Israel has the right and the duty to fight against Iranian military presence and act against Hezbollah's bid to attack through tunnels". The military has said the delegation would fly to Moscow on Tuesday for a day-long visit and led by the head of army operations General Aharon Haliva. Italy's far-right Interior Minister Matteo Salvini, who arrived in Israel on Tuesday, said on Twitter that he was flying by helicopter to see for himself the tunnels built by "Islamic extremists". Charlene Sargeant, 24, was jailed for life for the murder of her mother (Picture: SWNS) A woman who stabbed her mother to death after arguing over household bills has been jailed for life. Charlene Sargeant, 24, murdered her mother, Rocky, 53, after flying into a rage and repeatedly plunging a knife into her throat. The victim suffered 18 knife wounds, including having her throat slashed, in the brutal attack at the home they shared in Cheadle, Manchester. Sargeant dialled 999 and told an ambulance call-handler her mum had cut her own throat. Emergency crews went to their home at 9am on March 16, and found Mrs Sargeant lying in a pool of blood in the kitchen. A neighbour told police she had been woken by a woman screaming: Leave me alone, back off. Sargeant was found guilty of murder at Stafford Crown Court and on Tuesday was jailed for life and ordered to serve a minimum of 14 years behind bars. MORE: Woman feeling Claus-trophobic after falling through ceiling getting Christmas decorations MORE: Shocking images show horrific injuries suffered by woman, 50, robbed in her own home Judge Michael Chambers said: You repeatedly stabbed her in the kitchen using a knife you had taken from the kitchen drawer. She did not deserve to die, particularly in the way she did. You had a volatile relationship with your mother. You came down at 7am. She came down. There was a heated argument over household bills. You took a knife from the drawer and repeatedly stabbed her. There are clearly tragic features of this case and the public are rightly appalled by the crime of matricide. Jurors heard that ambulance control called police to say a woman had cut her own throat. Prosecutor Sally Howes said Sergeant had said: My mum has killed herself. I just found her dead. Shes cut her throat. On arrival, the first paramedic found Mrs Sargeant with a horrific wound to the side of her throat. Sargeant was arrested on suspicion of murder and cautioned. She said: She drove me to it. I killed her. The case was heard at Stafford Crown Court (Picture: PA) The victims adopted mother, Greta Egglestone, told the court her daughter and granddaughter had also argued about the amount of time Sargeant would spend on her laptop. Story continues In a police statement, Sargeant said: I lost control following eight years of abuse and picked up a kitchen knife from the draining board and I stabbed my mother with the knife. It was a cry for help because I was emotionally unstable. Charles Miskin QC, defending, said the pair had been living in poverty and distress. He said: This house was like a powder keg. Matricide is an unusual crime. This was the product of sustained stress over a long period. Detective Inspector Victoria Downing, of Staffordshire Police, said: We are glad that this case, which has clearly been distressing for the family of Rocky, as well as the wider community in Cheadle, has now concluded. Sadly, nothing will change what happened that day. We are grateful for the support from the community in bringing this case before the court. Watch the latest videos from Yahoo UK Neo-Nazi James Alex Fields Jr. was sentenced Tuesday to life in prison for killing Heather Heyer in a vehicular attack in Charlottesville, Virginia, last year. A jury sentenced Fields to one life term for the murder, along with 419 years for another nine charges, according to NBC Washington. The jury also recommended he be fined nearly half a million dollars. The 21-year-old extremist, who is associated with the hate group Vanguard America, was charged with first-degree murder and nine other felonies after he intentionally rammed his vehicle into anti-racist counterprotesters following the Unite the Right rally on Aug. 12, 2017, killing one and injuring dozens more. Fields was found guilty of all 10 charges on Friday, and faces 30 charges in a separate federal case concerning the same attack. He reportedly showed no emotion during his sentencing. On Monday, Heyers mother, Susan Bro, said in emotional testimony that Fields tried to silence an activist by killing her daughter. Heather was full of love, justice and fairness, Bro said, according to the Richmond Times-Dispatch. Mr. Fields tried to silence her... I refuse to let him. During the trial, prosecutors showed evidence that Fields referred to Heyer as that one girl who died, or whatever and that he said her death doesnt fucking matter, according to BuzzFeed. Days before the deadly rally in Charlottesville, he sent a photo of Adolf Hitler to his mother, along with the text, Were not the one [sic] who need to be careful. A formal court date was scheduled for March 29, when a judge is expected to recognize the sentence. #BREAKING: Total sentence for James Fields: 1 life term for the murder and 419 years for the other 9 charges. He also faces nearly a half million dollars in fines @nbcwashington pic.twitter.com/h0U7ZHoarK Julie Carey (@JulieCareyNBC) December 11, 2018 Also on HuffPost Story continues Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today. This article originally appeared on HuffPost. (Credit: Eon/United Artists) All those vodka martinis appear to have become a problem for 007, according to public health researchers. In fact, given the amount hes drunk on screen, hed be considered a chronic alcohol user, who should be given assistance from his employers, MI6. Thanks to some number crunching by the University of Otago in Australia, Bonds booze intake has been totted up over 24 movies. A report on the findings finds: There is strong and consistent evidence that James Bond has a chronic alcohol consumption problem at the severe end of the spectrum. The report has been published in the Medical Journal of Australia, and found that in all, Bond drank 109 times, meaning 4.5 times per movie on average, and is often seen undertaking risky activities such as high-speed driving or fighting while under the influence. The worst instance of 007s boozing was found to be in 2008s Quantum of Solace, in which he managed 24 units of alcohol. (Credit: MGM) It would have left him with a potentially fatal blood alcohol level. Bonds drinking was assessed according to The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, which is used by mental health professionals to diagnose such disorders. The data from the movies found Bond to display six, and possibly as many as nine of the 11 factors used to diagnose an Alcohol Use Disorder, leading the to the conclusion that he has a drinking problem that could be classified as severe. Some of the blame should also fall to MI6, however, the report suggests, rather than simply Bond himself, who should be working to redefine Bonds job to reduce his stress levels The papers lead author Professor Nick Wilson, of the University of Otagos Department of Public Health, told The Daily Telegraph: To start with, M should no longer offer Bond drinks in workplace settings. Read more Emily Blunt avoided watching original Poppins The Bumblebee reviews are amazing The most searched for movies of 2018 In October, the government of Japan hinted its plans to ease the process of taxing crypto investments to refrain impractical taxation frameworks from negatively affecting the local market. At the time, a committee of tax experts that is tasked to advise the government on taxation matters encouraged the authorities to simplify the complex process of disclosing taxable amounts that occur in investing in the crypto market. Prior to that, a local analyst said: If the rapid growth of the cryptocurrency sector in late 2017 is considered, 331 is a number that is simply too low to be true. A large portion of cryptocurrency investors probably did not declare their earnings to the government. This week, Takeshi Fujimaki, a Japanese congressman and lawmaker, proposed four major changes to the taxation policies surrounding the digital asset market with the objective of revitalizing the market. Decreasing Taxes Taxing cryptocurrency returns is difficult because of the wild volatility of the market. An investor could generate a 50 percent profit in one week and lose all of it the next week. To reduce the burden on investors and in consideration of the characteristics of the cryptocurrency market, congressman Fujimaki proposed the following changes: Reduction of crypto tax gains from up to 55 percent to a fixed 20 percent rate on gains. Carry forward losses across quarters and years, until the cryptocurrencies are cashed out No taxes in trading crypto-to-crypto No tax on small cryptocurrency payments All four proposed changes will positively affect investors in the market and provide a fairer environment for investors to trade in. The second rule change is especially important because under the current taxation policy in Japan, which is the same in the U.S. and other major markets, if a cryptocurrency investor loses out in the previous year but records a profit this year, the investor still has to pay taxes on the gains generated this year. Vice versa, if an investor records massive gains the year before but loses all of the profits this year, the investor is still required to pay taxes on the gains made in the previous year. Story continues The rule change allows investors to invest in the digital asset market without the risk of being charged with absurdly large amounts of taxes. Fujimaki emphasized that the abovementioned changes to the taxation framework have been proposed to improve the local market and potentially recover the damaged sector. The congressman also stated that the proposal to exempt taxes for crypto-to-crypto trades is to help exchanges bump up their daily volumes once again. He said: In order to increase the volume of transactions between virtual currencies and to revitalize the virtual currency market, trading between virtual currencies should be tax exempt. Will it Affect South Korea? Historically, South Korea, the third largest cryptocurrency exchange market behind the U.S. and Japan, has tended to follow the regulatory frameworks adopted by Japan to govern its local digital asset sector. The positive rule changes of Japan, if implemented, could encourage startups and major exchanges in South Korea to lead talks with the government to implement similar policies. Featured image from Shutterstock. The post Japanese Regulator Aims to Reduce Crypto Tax to Revitalize the Market appeared first on CCN. Pic: Reuters Major warns The greatest danger to the union would be a hard border that damaged jobs and prosperity in Northern Ireland Former prime minister John Major has accused some Unionist politicians of breathtaking ignorance in the Brexit debate, saying that they are oblivious to the likely impact of unsettling the Good Friday Agreement. He countered suggestions that the backstop in Theresa Mays Brexit deal, which aims to prevent a hard border in Northern Ireland, was a bogus ploy to keep the UK in a customs union. Major said, in truth, a backstop is of vital national interest for Ireland and for the United Kingdom. READ MORE: What is the Irish backstop in Theresa Mays Brexit deal? The former Conservative leader, who served as prime minister from 1990-1997, was speaking on Monday in Ireland at the inaugural memorial lecture for former Irish prime minister Albert Reynolds. In 1993, Major and Reynolds signed the Downing Street Declaration that led to an IRA ceasefire in Northern Ireland and laid the groundwork for the historic Good Friday Agreement. Brexiteers claim that the backstop damages the union. I think thats wholly misguided, he warned. The greatest danger to the union would be a hard border that damaged jobs and prosperity in Northern Ireland and undermined the Good Friday agreement. He also called for a return to power-sharing in Northern Ireland, which has been without a devolved government since January 2017, following a breakdown in talks between Arlene Fosters Democratic Unionist Party and the republican Sinn Fein. A hard border in conjunction with the lack of a power-sharing executive, he said, could see those living in Northern Ireland look once again at a united Ireland and put peace at risk. Irish politicians have warned that there would be a return to violence in Northern Ireland within a week if a hard border is erected. READ MORE: Hard border will see return to violence within a week And if the House of Commons cannot find a way forward, Major said, then the risk of a hard border remains possible. Even if, at some date, the prime minsters plans are approved, the problem is not solved. It is temporarily put on hold, put on hold until a frictionless border moves from myth to reality, or until a long-term deal is reached that removes the need for any border at all. Story continues Major said, however, that he did not believe a majority of MPs would allow a hard border to become a reality, and called reckless those who are careless of its likely effect. Any new border, however gentle its intent, he said, would become a symbol and thus a target. Both physically and emotionally, it would not only present a barrier between North and South, between Unionists and Nationalists, but between the United Kingdom and its nearest neighbour. It would be a tragedy, he said, if Brexit created an impediment to the excellent bilateral relations between the UK and Ireland. Los Angeles (AFP) - A US federal judge in California has ordered porn star Stormy Daniels to pay Donald Trump nearly $300,000 for filing a defamation suit against the president that was dismissed. US District Judge S. James Otero said Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, must pay Trump $293,000 to cover the president's attorney fees and costs plus $1,000 in sanctions for filing the lawsuit. Daniels in her dismissed suit had accused Trump of defamation for characterizing as a "total con job" her claims of a presidential affair. Otero, however, ruled that the language Trump used in his tweet was "rhetorical hyperbole" and therefore protected under the First Amendment. Trump's attorney Charles Harder hailed the ruling, along with an earlier one dismissing Daniels's defamation case, as a "total victory for the president, and a total defeat for Stormy Daniels in this case." Clifford has also sued Trump over a non-disclosure agreement. The judge has not dismissed that case. Daniels's attorney Michael Avenatti said in a tweet after the latest ruling that his client planned to appeal and will likely never have to pay a dime. "Charles Harder and Trump deserve each other because they are both dishonest," he wrote. "If Stormy has to pay $300k to Trump in the defamation case (which will never hold up on appeal) and Trump has to pay Stormy $1,500,000 in the NDA case (net $1,200,000 to Stormy), how is this a Trump win?" Prime minister Theresa May and EU commission president Jean-Claude Juncker (Getty) Theresa May has set-off on a diplomatic blitz of Europe in a last ditch bid to improve the Brexit deal but EU leaders have warned the prime minister she will not come away with any concessions. After postponing the meaningful vote to avoid a humiliating defeat, embattled May is embarking on a whistle stop tour of European capitals to ask for help in getting the deal past MPs. After visits to the Hague and Berlin, her final stop on Tuesday will be Brussels where she will meet European commission president Jean-Claude Juncker. But Juncker has already crushed any hopes May had of making substantial changes to the deal especially over the backstop. There is no room whatsoever for renegotiating, Juncker said during a speech to the European parliament just hours ahead of his meeting with May. This will not happen everyone needs to know the withdrawal agreement will not be reopened. I will meet @theresa_may this evening in Brussels. I remain convinced that the #Brexit deal we have is the best and only deal possible. There is no room for renegotiation, but further clarifications are possible. Jean-Claude Juncker (@JunckerEU) December 11, 2018 European parliament president Antonio Tajani added: Its good to have discussions, to meet with Mrs May but we wont be changing our position. And, speaking as he arrived at an EU meeting in Brussels, German Europe minister Michael Roth described any further negotiations as a fantasy. Expressing the sense of Brexit fatigue on the EU side, he said: We spent so much time, energy and creativity to negotiate something we in Berlin and Brussels dont want. Juncker recognised that the backstop is a big problem for many MPs, but insisted it is necessary for the entire coherence of what we have agreed with Britain. Story continues The commission chief said though that there is room for further clarifications and further interpretations without opening the withdrawal agreement. Two UK MEPs told him that would not be enough to win over the Commons. Labours Richard Corbett warned: Im convinced that when this deal, even with extra clarifications, comes back to the British parliament it will still be rejected. And the DUPs Diane Dodds said: Quite frankly, to believe that this will succeed in the House of Commons is indeed magical thinking. READ MORE: EU offers to help May sell Brexit deal to MPs but rules out renegotiation As well as Juncker, May is meeting with Dutch prime minister Mark Rutte, German chancellor Angela Merkel and European council president Donald Tusk. The meetings come ahead of a summit of EU leaders in Brussels which begins on Thursday. Brexit was not meant to be on the agenda but was added at the last minute after Mays failure to get the deal through the UK parliament. Brexit minister Martin Callanan told reports in Brussels that May will seek additional reassurances that MPs have asked for that the UK cannot be trapped permanently in the backstop. The prime minister is likely to come away from the summit with a statement from the EU clarifying that it is not their intention to use the backstop. It is likely t be similar to the statement given to Spanish prime minister Pedro Sanchez at the last summit to placate his protects over Gibraltar. While it was substantial politically, it was not legally binding. Manfred Weber, the frontrunner to replace Juncker as Commission president, told MEPs the best way to avoid the backstop being used was for the UK to agreed a Norway-style deal with the EU, which would involve accepting freedom of movement. European parliament Brexit coordinator Guy Verhofstadt also told May: If she is looking for a closer relationship with the EU to avoid the use of this backstop, there will be no obstacle, no problem. READ MORE: EU politicians dismiss almost insane idea of renegotiating Brexit deal Three killed and 11 injured in shooting at Christmas market Injured terror suspect identified as Cherif C remains on the run Police raided suspect's home on morning of the attack Attacker armed with an automatic pistol and knife A suspected terrorist is on the run after killing at least three people and injuring 11 more in the eastern French city of Strasbourg near its Christmas market. Around 350 people, including police, troops and helicopters were on the heels of the attacker who had "sowed terror" in the city, Interior Minister Christophe Castaner said. French authorities are treating the shooting as a terrorist act after identifying the gunman, named Cherif C, as a radicalised 29-year old from the city on a S security and terror watch list. Anti-terrorist prosecutors have opened an investigation. Questions were being raised over how the assailant had managed to evade capture on Tuesday morning. Police were due to arrest him over a botched armed robbery but he had escaped and grenades were found at his home. He was being investigated over an attempted murder, a source told AFP. Hours later, shortly before 8pm, the assailant went on the rampage in Strasbourgs city centre in the bustling rue des Ofrevres armed with an automatic pistol and knife. Police reported the attacker was shot and wounded by patrolling soliders before he fled the scene. According to France Info, the wounded suspect took a taxi driver hostage to escape soldiers. The driver reportedly escaped unharmed. Cherif C, the Strasbourg terror suspect Credit: Twitter "The government has raised its security threat to the highest level and is bolstering border controls," Mr Castaner told a late-night news conference. "We will also reinforce security at all Christmas markets to prevent copycat attacks." Mr Castaner said the suspect has an existing criminal record. The mayor of Strasbourg, Roland Ries, said the gunman got inside a security zone of the Christmas market to stage the attack. Story continues More than seven hours after the bloodshed, the regional prefect said that 11 other people had been injured, five seriously, downgrading the minister's earlier count of 12 injured. Theresa May said she was "shocked and saddened" by the "terrible" attack in Strasbourg. She tweeted: "My thoughts are with all of those affected and with the French people." Terrified residents and tourists sought cover in bars and restaurants and footage on social media showed at least one victim lying on the ground as others screamed. At least two of the wounded were said to be in a critical condition. The gunman was wounded by soldiers on patrol as part of Frances Sentinelle anti-terror operation but managed to flee, said police. One of the soldiers was wounded in the hand in the exchange. A local man named Philippe told Europe 1 radio: I saw a person on the ground, unconscious and bleeding. There was another person on the ground just behind, and one or two more a bit further along the street. One eyewitness, who tried unsuccessfully to resuscitate a Thai tourist shot by the gunman, said: I though it was just firecrackers but it turned out to be actual gunshots. I saw one person lying there, a tourist from Thailand accompanied by his wife or girlfriend was unhurt. We tried resuscitation efforts for 45 minutes. We dragged him into a restaurant close by and we tried our best to bring him back to life with CPR but it seemed that that was futile. The European Parliament was in lockdown, with MEPs, staff and journalists unable to leave the building, a few kilometres from the square. Caught in drama was Sajjad Karim, the British MEP who survived the 2008 Mumbai terror attack in which 174 died by hiding in the basement. He said: I am in the EP completely safe and unable to leave at present. Its an unfolding situation: and my thoughts are with the victims. Thoughts with victims in #Strasbourg shootings - I am safe and in @Europarl_EN Sajjad Karim MEP Conservative (@SHKMEP) December 11, 2018 Richard Corbett, a Labour MEP, tweeted that he was in a restaurant in the centre of Strasbourg, adding: Restaurant locked and not letting anyone in or out. Jean-Claude Juncker, president of the European Commission, said: Our thoughts are with the victims of the Strasbourg shooting which I condemn with great firmness. Strasbourg is par excellence a town that symbolises peace and European democracy. Across the city centre people were ordered to stay put, with some 5000 spectators still being held at a basketball game at 1am local time. Spectators who were trapped at the SIG Strasbourg basketball game reportedly began singing the French national anthem "to pay homage to the victims of the shootings". They eventually were allowed to leave, with those with nowhere to go housed at a gymnasium, the prefect tweeted. The Interior Minister announced that protests would be banned on Wednesday in order for police to be "mobilised completely". Police officers secure a street and the surrounding area after a shooting in Strasbourg Credit: VINCENT KESSLER/Reuters French MPs at the National Assembly expressed their solidarity and the Senate held a minutes silence. President Emmanuel Macron held a crisis meeting with cabinet officials in Paris shortly after midnight. Francois de Rugy, the French ecology minister, tweeted: Solidarity and support for the people of Strasbourg. Our support too for the security forces. We are united and determined to protect the French people. But some already started criticising Mr Macrons security credentials. How many terror attacks by those on S watchlist do we have to suffer before adapting our law to the fight against terrorism. What are we waiting for to finally wage war to eradicate Islamic fundamentalism that has declared war on us?, asked Laurent Wauquiez, the Right-wing Republicans party leader. Far-Right leader Marine Le Pen said: A radical change must happen as terrorism policy is clearly failing. French police say several people have been injured in the city centre Credit: petervdalen/Twitter France remained on high alert after a wave of attacks commissioned or inspired by Islamic State militants since early 2015, in which about 240 people have been killed. Fears of terror strikes had waned in recent months. Instead, the country has been more concerned about an ongoing nationwide yellow vest revolt as protesters call for lower taxes and higher wages. However, four radicalised men were arrested at the start of the revolt in early November and charged with plotting to carry out a terror attack during the first yellow vest protest. A hunting rifle was found and police said there was evidence they were trying to acquire a Kalashnikov. Christmas markets have been considered a terror target ever since the foiled terror attack in December 2000. The al-Qaeda plot, in which a truck bomb was due to be detonated beneath the steps of Strasbourg cathedral, next to the market, has been described as blueprint for would-be attackers. The plot failed when British intelligence tipped off the French and German authorities after intercepting a call to the suspected paymaster in London. Raids in France, Germany and Britain followed and the ring leaders were arrested in Frankfurt, where bomb making materials were found. Security was stepped up at Christmas markets across Europe two years ago when a stolen lorry was driven into pedestrians in Berlin, killing 11 pedestrians and injuring 56. Some two million people attend the Strasbourg Christmas market every year. Roland Ries, the mayor of Strasbourg, said the Christmas market will be closed on Wednesday and flags will be lowered to half-mast. He tweeted: "A book of condolences will be opened at the Town Hall from today. "I want to thank the people of Strasbourg and visitors to the city for their patience and understanding. "A discussion is under way with the education authorities about possible closures to schools on Wednesday." 10:50PM May 'shocked' by Strasbourg shootings Prime Minister Theresa May has said she is "shocked and saddened" by the "terrible" attack in Strasbourg. Mrs May tweeted: "My thoughts are with all of those affected and with the French people." Shocked and saddened by the terrible attack in Strasbourg. My thoughts are with all of those affected and with the French people. Theresa May (@theresa_may) December 11, 2018 10:37PM More from the ground in Strasbourg A student, Glenn Essoly, says she has sought refuge with other people in a library. We dont know how long well have to stay here. Were hoping it wont be all night. We really hope it will be over soon but we dont have any information. A waiter from a restaurant near the scene of the shooting described on BFM TV how staff and customers tried to save a man who stepped outside and was shot in the head. We used napkins to try to stem the blood, he said. He said the man had died. 10:23PM Reports of a second suspect According to Strasbourg town hall, another operation is taking place at Place Broglie. "There is a strong suspicion that a second person" may be implicated in the shooting, police sources told Le Figaro. 10:15PM Attacker's date of birth released French media have given the attackers date of birth - 4 February 1989 - but officials have yet to release a name. 10:13PM Border checks strengthened With the attacker still on the run, the French and German authorities have strengthened checks on the border, which is near Strasbourg. 10:06PM Witnesses describe seeing multiple victims Alain Moyemont, a witness, told BFM TV: I saw people in the crowd running in panic after the shooting started. At least two people were on the ground. Philippe, a local resident, told Europe 1 radio: I saw a person on the ground, unconscious and bleeding. There was another person on the ground just behind, and one or two more a bit further along the street. 9:56PM 'European Parliament will not be intimidated' President of the European Parliament, Antonio Tajani tweeted a message of condolence and defiance against the attacker. I express all my sorrow for the victims of the Strasbourg attacks. This Parliament will not be intimidated by terrorist or criminal attacks. Let us move on. We will continue to work and react strengthened by freedom and democracy against terrorist violence. Antonio Tajani (@EP_President) December 11, 2018 9:49PM Grenade found at attacker's home Police raided the attackers home this morning in connection with another case, and found at least one grenade, BFM TV reports 9:48PM French terror attacks The Strasbourg attack is the latest in a string of recent terror attacks in France. In August 2017, a BMW 2-Series Active Tourer was driven into a group of soldiers in a suburb of Paris. Six people were injured, three seriously. The driver was then stopped on the A16 motorway, being shot several times in the process. That June, a Renault Megane containing explosives and weapons was driven into a Gendarmerie vehicle on the Champs-Elysees in Paris . Only the attacker was killed in what is understood to be a 'botched' suicide attack. In July 2016, a lorry was driven into crowds celebrating Bastille Day near the seafront in Nice killing. 87 people, including the attacker, and injuring a further 458. 9:28PM Shooter born in Strasbourg The Strasbourg attacker is said to be aged 29 and Strasbourg-born, but now name has been disclosed. According to BFM TV, the attacker is on the S file terror watch list. The man was identified thanks to security footage, according to Le Parisien. 9:10PM Soldiers wounded attacker The attacker was wounded by soldiers before fleeing, police say. The soldiers who wounded the attacker were on patrol in Strasbourg as part of the Sentinel anti-terrorism operation. Armed soldiers and police have been patrolling the streets of French cities since the 2015 Paris attacks. 9:07PM Shooting being treated as terror attack Authorities say they are treating the attack as a terrorist act. Anti-terrorist prosecutors have opened an investigation. 8:53PM Death toll rises to two Two people are now reported dead and 11 injured, with at least two in critical condition after the attack. 8:51PM Emergency phone line The French authorities have set up an emergency line for people with relatives or friends who may have been caught up in the attack . It is: 00-33- (0)811 000 667. 8:45PM Attacker identified The attacker, who is "on the run, has been identified, the Prefecture says, but it has not made the name public. Police continue to hunt for the attacker. 8:29PM Macron informed on Strasbourg latest The office of Emmanuel Macron says the President is being kept informed of unfolding events in Strasbourg as the Interior Minister travels to the scene. Police secure a street and the surrounding area after a shooting in Strasbourg Credit: VINCENT KESSLER/Reuters 8:25PM Attacker on the run The regional state prefecture has confirmed that an attacker is "on the run". 8:22PM Fire brigade increases number of injured The local fire brigade have reported one person dead and nine injured. The motive for the shooting and the identities of the attackers are still unknown. 8:17PM Residents told to stay inside The French Interior Minister is advising residents of the eastern city to stay indoors as more details begin to emerge on the shooting incident. 8:15PM European Parliament on lockdown A contact at the European Parliament in Strasbourg has told the Telegraph that all EU staff and MEPs have been locked inside the building. "We ask you to stay calm and stay safe within EP premises," read a message to staff. VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) The latest on the arrest in Canada of Chinese tech executive Meng Wanzhou. (all times local): 4:25 p.m. President Donald Trump says he would consider intervening in the Justice Department's case against a top Chinese executive if it would be in the interest of U.S. national security and help forge a trade deal with China. Trump told Reuters in an interview Tuesday at the White House that if he thinks it would be good for what will "certainly be the largest trade deal ever made" he would intervene if necessary. A Canadian court granted bail on Tuesday to the top executive of Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei. She was arrested at the United States' request in a case that has set off a diplomatic furor among the three countries and complicated high-stakes U.S.-China trade talks. ___ 3:30 p.m. A Canadian judge is setting a string of conditions on a top Chinese executive facing possible extradition to the U.S. while releasing her on 10 million Canadian-dollar ($7.5 million) bail. Meng Wanzhou is required her to wear an ankle bracelet, surrender her passports, stay in Vancouver and its suburbs and confine herself to one of her two Vancouver homes from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. Justice William Ehrcke of the Supreme Court of British Columbia says he is satisfied Meng, a well-educated businesswomen with letters of reference, does not pose a flight risk. Meng is the chief financial officer of telecommunications giant Huawei and also the daughter of its founder. She was detained at the request of the U.S. during a layover at the Vancouver airport on Dec. 1 the same day that Presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping of China agreed to a 90-day cease-fire in a trade dispute that threatens to disrupt global commerce. The U.S. has accused Huawei of using a Hong Kong shell company to sell equipment in Iran in violation of U.S. sanctions. It also says that Meng and Huawei misled banks about the company's business dealings in Iran. Story continues On Monday, China detained a former Canadian diplomat in Beijing in apparent retaliation. ___ 3:15 p.m. A Canadian judge has granted bail to a top Chinese executive facing possible extradition to the U.S. in a case that has led to the apparent detention of a former Canadian diplomat in Beijing and complicated high-stakes U.S.-China trade talks. Justice William Ehrcke announced his decision to grant Meng Wanzhou bail Tuesday after 2 1/2 days of hearings. Meng is the chief financial officer of telecommunications giant Huawei and also the daughter of its founder. She was detained at the request of the U.S. during a layover at the Vancouver airport on Dec. 1 the same day that Presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping of China agreed to a 90-day cease-fire in a trade dispute that threatens to disrupt global commerce. The U.S. has accused Huawei of using a Hong Kong shell company to sell equipment in Iran in violation of U.S. sanctions. It also says that Meng and Huawei misled banks about the company's business dealings in Iran. On Monday, China detained a former Canadian diplomat in Beijing in apparent retaliation. ___ Previously from Toronto: 3:25 p.m. A Canadian judge says he will announce his decision later Tuesday on whether to grant bail to top Chinese executive facing possible extradition to the U.S. Justice William Ehrcke says he will give oral reasons for his decisions after lunch. The case has fueled U.S.-China trade tensions and roiled financial markets. Meng Wanzhou is the chief financial officer of telecommunications giant Huawei and also the daughter of its founder. She was detained at the request of the U.S. during a layover at the Vancouver airport on Dec. 1 the same day that Presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping of China agreed to a 90-day cease-fire in a trade dispute that threatens to disrupt global commerce. The U.S. has accused Huawei of using a Hong Kong shell company to sell equipment to Iran in violation of U.S. sanctions. It also says Meng and Huawei misled banks about the company's business dealings in Iran. The ruling is set for 5 p.m. _______ 2:45 p.m. The lawyer for a top executive at Chinese tech giant Huawei says his team worked through the night to make changes to its bail plan for Meng Wanzhou to help satisfy concerns that have been raised about her release. David Martin says they contacted four potential sources to offer sureties for Huawei's chief financial officer and prepared affidavits after the judge and a federal prosecutor questioned whether Meng's husband would be a suitable person to ensure she complies with any bail conditions. Martin says one person who is proposed to offer a financial guarantee is a realtor who met Meng in 2009 and sold two properties to the couple. The man has pledged his home, valued at $1.8 million Canadian (US$1.3 million), and says he understands he would lose it if Meng violated the conditions of her release. Martin also read from the affidavit of another man who says he worked at Huawei in China in the mid-1990s and got to know Meng on a personal level. He is vouching for Meng's character to comply with any conditions imposed by the B.C. Supreme Court and has pledged $500,000 Canadian (US$373,000) from the equity on his home in Vancouver, which is valued at $1.4 million Canadian ($1 million). Justice William Ehrcke questioned whether Liu Xiaozong could provide a surety because he is on a six-month visitor's visa to Canada and the form to provide the financial guarantee says it must be provided by a resident of British Columbia. The U.S. wants Meng to face allegations of fraud as it says Huawei used unofficial subsidiary Skycom to do business with Iranian telecommunications companies between 2009 and 2014 in violation of sanctions. Meng has denied the allegations through her lawyer in court, promising to fight them if she is extradited for face charges in the United States. _______ 2:10 p.m. Canada's public safety minister says the government is deeply concerned about a Canadian detained in China confirming that a former Canadian diplomat is being held in Beijing amid a dispute between the two counties over Canada's arrest of a Chinese executive. Minister Ralph Goodale said Tuesday the government is sparing no effort to look after the Canadian's safety. The comment came in response to a question about reports that former diplomat Michael Kovrig had been arrested in China, though he did not mention him by name. The detention follows Chinese warnings to Canada of consequences for its recent arrest of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou at Vancouver's airport. Goodale said there is no explicit indication at this point that the cases are related and he said Canada is working to determine why he was detained. _______ 11:51 a.m. A former Canadian diplomat is reportedly under arrest in China. The International Crisis Group said Tuesday it's aware of reports that its North East Asia senior adviser Michael Kovrig has been detained. Reports of Kovrig's detention come after China warned Canada of consequences for its recent arrest of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou at Vancouver's airport. It's unclear if there's any link between the cases. Yet former Canadian Liberal leader Bob Rae says the motivation for the arrest is clear. In a tweet, Rae calls it "repression and retaliation." _______ 10:45 a.m. China's foreign minister is vowing to defend its citizens abroad as a Chinese executive arrested in Canada waits to see if she will be released on bail. Foreign Minister Wang Yi didn't mention the executive, Huawei's Meng Wanzhou. But a spokesman says the minister is referring to cases that included Meng's. Meng was arrested Dec. 1 in Vancouver on U.S. charges related to possible violations of trade sanctions on Iran. "If the case of Pepsi is included, will this also mean the same for Maria Ressa?" Last month, the Senate and the House of Representatives passed a tax amnesty measure that could become a law in time for the tax filing period in April next year. The measure aims to grant general amnesty to those with unpaid internal revenue taxes for 2017 and previous years. It also includes estate taxes, tax delinquencies and certain cases of tax evasion. My, there are certain misgivings on how the amnesty would treat cases that are currently in litigation or for where formal complaints have been filed. Last Nov. 26, for instance, thecarried a news item about allegedly unpaid taxes of almost P1.5 billion that the Bureau of Internal Revenue had been trying to collect from Pepsi Cola Philippines since 2015. The BIR assessed Pepsi for unpaid taxes from July 2009 to December 2010, totaling more than P1.498 million. This includes deficiencies in income tax, withholding tax on compensation, value-added tax, expanded withholding tax and documentary stamp tax. But Pepsi ran to the Court of Tax Appeals for succor. It filed a petition for review claiming that the assessments were null and void for having been issued beyond the three-year period allowed by law. It also contended that the assessments had no factual and legal basis. The tax court is still hearing the case. The amnesty law is supposed to cover cases in 2017 and prior years. So will this include Pepsis alleged tax deficiencies in 2009 and 2010? If yes, how much does the BIR hope to recover from Pepsis purported tax deficiency? Pepsi Cola is a multi-brand manufacturer of softdrinks, beverages, juices and energy drinks. It is co-owned by Lotte Chisung, one of the biggest beverage firms in South Korea and a Pepsi bottler in that country. It is the biggest single stockholder of Pepsi Philippines, which used to be controlled by the Lorenzo family. Obviously, the South Korean government has been investigating top officers of Lotte Chilsung for tax evasion and some other serious charges. It may just be strange coincidence but the parallelism concerning the troubles of Pepsi Cola in the Philippines and in South Korea is rather striking. In October 2016, for instance, Lotte Chairman Shin Dong-bin and several relatives were indicted among others for alleged tax evasion amounting to $76 million. Based on the December 2017 exchange rate of P52.70, this comes up to a whopping P4 billion plus. Prosecutors also interrogated Shins 95-year-old father and Lotte founder Shin Kyuk ho on suspicion of evading up to P600 billion Korean won in taxes through questionable transfers of assets to his wife and his daughter. Although acquitted in December 2017 on the tax evasion case, the father was sentenced to four years on embezzlement and breach of trust. He however was allowed to remain free due to poor health and advanced age. The son got a 20-month prison termbut the sentence was suspended for two years. In February this year, another Seoul court sentenced the Lotte chairman to three months imprisonment on charges of bribery for giving $6.5 million to a friend and adviser of then South Korean President Park Geun-hye in exchange for favors. Last month, a Korean appeals court upheld the sentence. It may be pure speculation, but some are wondering whether the tax issues involving Lottes top officials are somehow connected to the tax problems of the local firm.In this regard, perhaps we can also ask if the alleged tax offenses of Rappler CEO Maria Ressa would be included in the amnesty. * * * If you look at history during the Spanish colonial days, you would see that the Spaniards did not also like the Chinese. They discriminated against them. The reason was that Chinese businessmen had cornered retail businesses. This drove the Spaniards to round off all the Chinese in Manila to confine them at the Parian Gate at Intramuros. Soon enough, the Chinese captives were sent to Laguna where they were massacred. The Sinophobia persisted. Many Filipinos became envious of the prosperity of the Chinese. The discrimination continued for decades such that the Chinese were confined to the Binondo District. Still the Chinese prospered, because of their hard work, patience and perseverance. Compared to the Chinese, we Filipinos are generally lazy. We also like sayingFor them, however, there is no substitute for hard work. Soon enough, they were able to send their children to Ivy League schools in the US. Now these Chinese families are billionaires. Don Albino Sycip, the father of Washington Sycip, who was then chairman of China Bank, was my good friend. He would tell me stories about the Chinese and why they prospered. There was an unwritten code that Chinese should help each other in times of need. Another friend, the lawyer Leonardo Siguion Reyna, told me that when he was counsel of a big Chinese bank he had to quit as member of the executive committee that approved loans. The committee said yes to loans without collaterals in violation of central bank rules and regulations. I am not at all surprised why descendants of Chinese immigrants now control the economy. * * * If there is one thing newspapers can do to stop widening the gap between the rich and the poor, it is to stop the display of conspicuous consumption. Society pages contain almost the same people getting together for some fancy celebration. AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) The Latest on the U.S. House race in Maine (all times local): 3:30 p.m. Republican U.S. Rep. Bruce Poliquin, of Maine, isn't conceding defeat in the first use of ranked balloting in a U.S. congressional race. He said in a statement Thursday he "won the constitutional 'one-person, one-vote' first-choice election" on Election Day. He said he isn't abandoning his federal lawsuit in which he seeks to have Maine's new ranked-choice voting system declared unconstitutional. Election officials declared his Democratic opponent, Jared Golden, the winner Thursday after a federal judge denied Poliquin's request to halt additional tabulations. Poliquin received the most first-place votes on Election Day but additional tallies were required because no one won a majority. The ranked-choice system lets voters rank all candidates and then eliminates last-place candidates and reallocates votes to ensure there's a majority winner. __ 1:50 p.m. A Democrat who came from behind to defeat Republican U.S. Rep. Bruce Poliquin says he's the "majority consensus winner" following the final tabulations under Maine's new voting system. Jared Golden told reporters Thursday that he doesn't think a legal challenge to Maine's ranked- choice voting system will prevent him from being seated in January. He was declared the winner after a federal judge denied Poliquin's request to halt tabulations. But the lawsuit remains alive. The Marine Corps veteran said he'd like to see more of the leadership he saw in the Marines leaders focused on getting things done instead of getting credit. He said he's willing to work with Republicans and that his focus will be on getting things done, not in the ongoing investigations of President Donald Trump. He also said he wouldn't vote for Democratic California Rep. Nancy Pelosi to serve as House speaker. ___ 12:30 p.m. A Democrat who finished behind Republican Rep. Bruce Poliquin in the first round of balloting has come from behind to flip the seat in the second of its two U.S. House races. Story continues Election officials declared Jared Golden the winner Thursday after a federal judge denied Poliquin's request to halt tabulations under Maine's new voting system. The outcome was a dramatic reversal in a four-way race. Poliquin received the most first-place votes on Election Day but additional tallies were required because no one won a majority. The ranked-choice voting system lets voters rank candidates from first to last on the ballot. It provides for eliminations of last-place candidates and reallocations of votes. Maine's election marked the first use of the system in U.S. House and Senate races. A lawsuit by Poliquin contends the system is unconstitutional. ___ 10:50 a.m. A federal judge has declined to halt tabulations under Maine's new voting system, putting the state on the path to declaring a winner in the second of its two U.S. House races. Republican U.S. Rep. Bruce Poliquin is challenging the constitutionality of Maine's ranked-choice voting system used for the first time in congressional races in Maine. Judge Lance Walker declined Thursday to stop the process. Final tabulations are expected around Thursday afternoon in the race between Poliquin and Democrat Jared Golden. Poliquin, who had an edge in first-round votes, said he has a duty to challenge the new voting system on constitutional grounds. Voters approved it in 2016. The lawsuit remains alive because Walker didn't rule Thursday on the constitutionality of the system. ___ 10:30 a.m. Maine election officials are preparing for final tabulations in the first congressional election to be decided by ranked balloting even as they await a federal judge's ruling on a request to halt the tallies. The secretary of state declined a request by Republican U.S. Rep. Bruce Poliquin to stop the election process without a court order. Final tabulations and an announcement of the winner are expected around noon Thursday. A federal judge, meanwhile, said he aims to weigh in Thursday on Poliquin's lawsuit seeking to overturn Maine's new voting system. Poliquin is in a tight race with Democrat Jared Golden. Both candidates collected about 46 percent of Maine's 2nd Congressional District votes in the first round of counting. The ranked system requires additional voting rounds until someone receives a majority. ___ 12:20 a.m. The counting continues in the first U.S. House race to be determined by a ranked balloting system, while a decision looms on a lawsuit designed to stop it. A federal judge said he aims to weigh in Thursday on a lawsuit joined by Republican U.S. Rep. Bruce Poliquin seeking to overturn Maine's new voting system. Poliquin's in a tight race with Democratic state Rep. Jared Golden, who has a chance to win the seat based on second-choice ballots. The secretary of state declined Poliquin's request to stop the election process without a court order. Workers continue counting ballots Thursday. Both candidates collected about 46 percent of Maine's 2nd Congressional District votes in the first round of counting. Poliquin held a slim edge, and declares himself the "fair and square" winner. JACKSON, Miss. (AP) The Latest on a U.S. Senate special election runoff in Mississippi (all times local): 7:45 p.m. A white Republican U.S. senator from Mississippi has apologized for complimenting a supporter by saying she would attend a "public hanging" if he invited her to one. In a debate Tuesday night, Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith said she was apologizing to anyone offended by her comments. She says she meant no "ill will" and said critics have "twisted" her words to use as a "political weapon" against her. Hyde-Smith's Democratic challenger, Mike Espy, says the words came out of Hyde-Smith's mouth and were not twisted. He says her statement gave Mississippi a "black eye" it doesn't need. Mississippi has a history of racially motivated lynchings. Espy, a former congressman and former U.S. agriculture secretary, is seeking to become the state's first African-American senator since Reconstruction. The winner of a Nov. 27 runoff gets the final two years of a term. ____ 3:05 p.m. President Donald Trump is praising the embattled Republican candidate in Mississippi's U.S. Senate runoff who thanked one of her own supporters by mentioning a "public hanging." Trump calls Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith a "tremendous woman." Trump is set to campaign for Hyde-Smith at two places Monday in Mississippi, the night before the Nov. 27 runoff. A video clip released Nov. 11 shows Hyde-Smith praising a supporter at a Nov. 2 campaign event by saying of the man: "If he invited me to a public hanging, I'd be on the front row." Trump says Tuesday at the White House her comment was "said in jest." Hyde-Smith faces Democrat Mike Espy, a former congressman and former U.S. agriculture secretary who is seeking to become the state's first African-American senator since Reconstruction. ___ 11:15 a.m. A Walmart spokeswoman confirms the corporation is asking U.S. Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith to return its $2,000 campaign contribution after a video showed the Mississippi Republican praising someone by saying she would attend a "public hanging" if he had one. Story continues Walmart spokeswoman LeMia Jenkins says Tuesday that the company donated Nov. 8 two days after Hyde-Smith and Democrat Mike Espy advanced from a field of four candidates to go to a Nov. 27 runoff, but three days before release of the video showing Hyde-Smith making the hanging comment. Jenkins says Hyde-Smith's "recent comments clearly do not reflect the values of our company and associates. As a result, we are withdrawing our support and requesting a refund of all campaign donations." A Hyde-Smith campaign spokeswoman did not immediately return a call Tuesday. ___ 11:13 p.m. Candidates in the last unresolved U.S. Senate election are set for their only debate in Mississippi. It's a contest has that gained national scrutiny amid a white Republican senator's caught-on-video remarks that reflect lingering division over Mississippi's history of racial violence. Republican Cindy Hyde-Smith was appointed to the Senate in April to temporarily succeed longtime Sen. Thad Cochran, who retired amid health concerns. She is challenged by Democrat Mike Espy, a former congressman and former U.S. agriculture secretary who is seeking to become Mississippi's first African-American senator since Reconstruction. Hyde-Smith and Espy are set for a one-hour televised debate Tuesday night in Jackson. Mississippi hasn't elected a Democrat to the U.S. Senate since 1982, and Republicans hold all but one statewide office. Still, Espy is seeking a longshot victory. QUINTON, Okla. (AP) -- Drilling company officials ignored multiple warnings that safety equipment at an Oklahoma gas well was malfunctioning before an explosion that killed five workers and badly injured another, the family of one of the dead workers contends in a recent court filing. Parker Waldridge's family alleges in a Dec. 4 amendment to their wrongful death lawsuit that a "cascade of errors and multiple departures from safe drilling practices" by drilling company Patterson-UTI Drilling led to the Jan. 22 blowout near Quinton, which is about 125 miles (200 kilometers) east of Oklahoma City. The lawsuit alleges that at least two days before the explosion, the rig superintendent, manager and several other Patterson employees received email results of a laboratory test warning of problems with the rig's accumulator, a piece of safety equipment that closes part of the well to prevent an uncontrolled release of fluids. The warnings even came with a "skull and crossbones graphic (literally)," the lawsuit said. The accumulator wasn't able to fully close the well on the day of the blast, the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board found. "Patterson Drilling had the most direct control over the drilling operations and emergency response to changing conditions and failed to use ordinary care with respect to its conduct," the lawsuit alleges. Red Mountain Energy, which owns the well and hired Patterson to work it, issued a statement saying that Patterson's "gross negligence led to a terrible tragedy." "The facts cited in the amended petition demonstrate exactly which parties failed to perform basic safety procedures prior to this accident," said Red Mountain, which is also a defendant in the lawsuit. Patterson, meanwhile, issued its own statement, calling Red Mountain Energy's allegations "inflammatory" and blaming the company for the well's design and drilling program. "It is important to note that Red Mountain was the lease holder and operator of the well, which was drilled under its direction, supervision and control," Patterson said." Killed in the explosion were Waldridge of Crescent; Matt Smith of McAlester; Roger Cunningham from Seminole; Josh Ray of Fort Worth, Texas; and Cody Risk of Wellington, Colorado. Autopsies determined all five men died of burns and smoke inhalation. The families of each dead worker and Kevin Carrillo, who was badly injured, have filed lawsuits over the explosion, The Tulsa World reported . The explosion was the deadliest drilling accident since the Deepwater Horizon rig exploded in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010, killing 11 people. Darwesh Khan gets treated for Leishmaniasis at the Naseerullah Babar Memorial Hospital in Peshawar, Pakistan - Saiyna Bashir /The Telegraph Darwesh Khan's trouble began with just a little itching in his hands and what he believed was a pimple on his cheek. The labourer thought little of either until painful ulcers began to grow over his fingers making it difficult to move them. At the same time, another disfiguring lesion started to blossom and spread under his right eye. Fearing he would be unable to work if they got worse, he sought medical advice. But in his home of Charsadda district in Pakistan's northern east, that treatment was of little use, even if it cost a large chunk of his meagre wages. After shelling out $100 for medicine from private doctors, the sores kept getting bigger. Four months ago it became very serious, he explained. I spent a lot of money with no improvement. The 41-year-old had caught cutaneous leishmaniasis, a parasitic disease spread by blood-sucking sandflies that causes skin lesions in up to a million people around the world each year. Darwesh Khan's Leishmaniasis infection began with a little itching in his hands and what he believed was a pimple on his cheek Credit: Saiyna Bashir /The Telegraph While the disease is not fatal, it causes gruesome, lifelong scarring that can disfigure faces and limbs. Because it is not deadly, and because its victims are normally the rural poor, the disease is also neglected. Many health workers in Pakistan do not know how to recognise it, or how to treat it, but that may soon have to change. The disease has long been endemic in the remote districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Baluchistan, but it appears to be spreading and becoming more common, not just in Pakistan, but around the world. It is increasing, said Suzette Kamink, who researches the disease for the Doctors Without Borders (MSF) aid agency. Increasing in places where we did see them before, but also we see cases now in different areas where we have not seen them before. Exact numbers for cases and how they are rising are hard to come by in Pakistan. Doctors must notify local authorities of cases of cutaneous leishmaniasis, but reporting is patchy. Reasons for the increase are also unclear. Afghan refugees have brought cases with them in the past, but these are not thought to be responsible for the recent increase, Ms Kamink said, because they have been crossing the border to flee the war for decades. Story continues Climate change may be a factor. The sandfly which carries the protozoan Leishmania parasites is very susceptible to temperature. Small fluctuations can mean that the parasite spreads in areas it previously found inhospitable. Changes in rainfall or humidity can also alter the flies' range. The weals start appearing three months after a patient is bitten. They will heal if left untreated, which gives rise to one of the conditions nicknames, saldana or one-year-blister. But that process takes months and leaves deep scarring. Patients wait outside the Cutaneous Leishmaniasis Treatment Centre at Naseerullah Babar Memorial Hospital Credit: Saiyna Bashir /The Telegraph Somehow it is neglected because people don't die from this disease, but they are quite affected by the big scars or big wounds on their faces, Ms Kamink said. The main disadvantage of this disease is psychological, especially for females with lesions on their face. They are rejected by society, added Dr Parvez Khan, medical activity manager at the clinic. Those struck with the disease also often fall prey to medical quacks, or at best are given incomplete or expired doses of medicine. The only effective drug has to be imported into Pakistan by the World Health Organisation and MSF. The need for treatment is obvious at MSF's clinic in Peshawar's Naseerullah Babar Khan Memorial Hospital. Since opening in May, the numbers attending have climbed steadily each month. It has received more than 1,200 cases and is operating flat out. Khandad Khan, a soldier in the military, is treated for his Leishmaniasis infection Credit: Saiyna Bashir /The Telegraph Many travel for hours to reach it and receive a course of 20 to 30 daily injections free of cost. Khandad Khan, a lance corporal in the Frontier Constabulary, said between 60 and 70 of his colleagues stationed at Darazinda in Dera Ismail Khan had been struck with the parasite. It's very difficult to walk, he told The Telegraph, wincing as a nurse changed the dressing on an open ulcer on a big toe. The flies don't bite the locals, they just bite us. A 10-year-old named Mohammad from Bannu district was delighted that his ulcer on his nose was gradually receding when The Telegraph visited the clinic last month. I noticed a small pimple on my nose and I didn't know what it was. Then it gradually got bigger and bigger. Ten-year-old Muhammad said his infection is beginning to recede after treatment Credit: Saiyna Bashir /The Telegraph My friends told me my nose was increasing in size day by day and they teased me. My mother also has the same problem in her hands, he explained. Darwesh Khan's course of injections have reversed his own infection and he is happy to show off his ulcer-free fingers. But sparing the time to attend the clinic for dozens of injections can be a heavy burden for day labourers like him. Health officials hope to set up smaller sub centres closer to patients, with the first in Nowshera. They cannot afford to spare the time to come here. I have had one patient who begged me to give him all the injections at once, explained one hospital official. Protect yourself and your family by learning more about Global Health Security Paris (AFP) - French President Emmanuel Macron's measures to help low-income families and so end the "yellow vest" protests will blow a hole in the budget and perhaps his reputation too, analysts say. The 40-year-old leader came to power in May 2017 promising a new business-friendly France with healthy public accounts, ending the chronic deficits which have been the norm since the 1970s. But economists estimate the cost of the sweeteners he announced in an address to the nation on Monday could reach 11 billion euros ($12.5 billion) -- a blowout for a country already struggling to meet EU budget rules. The minimum wage will be hiked next year, labour taxes on overtime will be scrapped and a tax rise on pensioners introduced this year will be rolled back. "Emmanuel Macron's positive image in Brussels as a good steward of the budget is going to take a serious hit," French financial daily Les Echos commented Tuesday. The total bill for all the measures announced since last week to help mostly low-income "yellow vest" protesters from small-town or rural France is estimated at 15 billion euros -- and counting. Under EU rules that underpin the euro common currency, France is obliged to keep its budget deficit under 3.0 percent of gross domestic product -- something it failed to do repeatedly until 2017. Last year marked the first time in more than a decade that the country was under the limit -- with a deficit of 2.6 percent -- thanks to cost-cutting measures and higher-than expected economic growth. Next year, the government had forecast a slide back to 2.8 percent -- even before the start of the protests, which are expected to have hit already slowing economic growth. "In the first phase, there will be an increase in the budget deficit. We need to be clear. It's obvious, it's a question of priority," Environment Minister Francois de Rugy told Radio Classique on Tuesday. "We aren't saying that long term the debt isn't a problem. But the first priority is not to discuss this with Brussels, but with the French people," he added. Story continues Economists said Monday night's measures would likely push the budget deficit out to between 3.0 and 3.5 percent of GDP. It could also tip France's total accumulated debt above 100 percent of GDP for the first time, well beyond the EU's 60-percent ceiling. - A gift for Italy? - Macron has previously said he wants to reform and strengthen the eurozone single currency area, urging member states to stick to the rules. Italy has found itself in particular difficulty with as its populist coalition government comprising the far-right League and the anti-establishment Five Star Movement (M5S) struggles to get its big-spending budget through in Brussels. The European Commission in Brussels, which is responsible for policing EU budgets, has rejected the spending plans on the grounds that they will increase Italy's debt mountain and not deliver the growth promised. France's failure to respect the rules could easily open up a new front in the dispute, with Italy claiming it is not alone in breaching the rules as it tries to get its economy going again. "Christmas may well have come early for Italian deputy PMs Matteo Salvini and Luigi di Maio as they look to force the EU to back down," CMC Markets commented in London. Macron's decision to loosen the purse strings will also affect how he is viewed by other leaders in the EU, especially in Germany, the Netherlands and Nordic countries which have long pushed for France to rein in public spending. Macron sees sound financial stewardship as key to earning credibility in Europe, especially with German Chancellor Angela Merkel. "He has turned from darling to fallen angel very quickly," Kallum Pickering, an economist at the Berenberg private bank, commented on the turnaround in Macron's image since his election in May 2017. But Pickering offered support for the centrist, saying that the hand-outs did not mean that the president was reversing course on his larger agenda of making France a better place to do business. Macron has also vowed not to re-instate a top-up tax on high-earners, which he abolished in 2017 to attract investors, and will continue to cut business taxes and invest in workplace education. "As long as he continues with pro-growth supply-side reforms, the French economy can strengthen over time despite a cyclical slowdown now," Pickering said in a note. "Of course, we now have to watch how much he may lose his ability to legislate additional pro-growth reforms beyond the ones he has already delivered," he added. 'Yellow vest' protesters watch Emmanuel Macron address the nation in a bid to quell the revolt gripping France - REUTERS Emmanuel Macron on Monday night decreed a state of social and economic emergency in France, offering a string of generous sweeteners he hopes will quell a month-long yellow vest revolt that has left his young presidency on the ropes. In a pre-recorded national address broadcast across various media and no doubt the most crucial in his 18-months in office, Mr Macron said France was at a historic juncture and issued a mea culpa saying: I know that I have managed to wound some of you through my comments. Acceding to several key demands of the yellow vests, the president pledged to raise the minimum wage by 100 per month from 2019 without costing a euro to the employer. Overtime will be free of tax and charges, he said, while businesses who gave end-of-year bonuses would pay no extra taxes. Mr Macron also announced he would reverse a new levy for pensioners with incomes less than 2,000 per month. The effort asked of them was too great and not fair, he said. However, many gilets jaunes protesters around France appeared unconvinced. The 40-year old centrist was under intense pressure to avoid fresh damage and bloodshed after successive weekends of violent riots in Paris and other cities that have seen 4,523 arrests and already stripped France of 0.1 per cent of GDP growth, according to its finance minister. Meanwhile, thousands of gilets jaunes have been blocking roads and roundabouts for almost a month in an outpouring of anger over perceived high taxes for the poor and overwhelming accusations that he is an arrogant, out-of-touch president of the rich. Many were furious that he had remained silent to their fury, hunkered down in the Elysee over the past few days despite the ambiance of quasi-insurrection. Many simply want the ex-banker to step down. The pre-recorded address was the most crucial of his 18-month presidency Credit: AFP But Mr Macron stood firm on Monday night on his controversial decision to partially scrap Frances totemic wealth tax - another key demand from many gilets jaunes. To do so, he said, would weaken us. Story continues The president, who has abruptly become the least popular leader in modern French history after a dream start, said that the anger of peaceful yellow vest protesters was fair and can be our opportunity. He said that their movement was the result of forty years of malaise that we ended up getting used to.. out of cowardice. However, he slammed the unacceptable outpouring of violence of vandals. No anger justifies attacking a police officer or public property," he said. Mr Macron also made it clear he intended to push on with planned reforms of social security and pensions. He also said he would start a tour of Frances mayorships during three months of local talks. We will not simply start our lives back up as before as if nothing had changed, he promised. Despite a string of concessions ahead of his speech, including scrapping the green tax on diesel and petrol that sparked the unrest, many protesters had already taken to social media to call for an Act V of radical action. Stunned by the savagery of the personal attacks and violence of the protests, Mr Macron had gone off radar for a week, with some aides even fearing he could be the victim of an attempted putsch. I have never known under the Fifth Republic such hostility against a president, said political analyst Jerome Jaffre. It is a personal affair between a part of the country and president, hence the incredible stakes of this speech. This is the start of Act II of his presidency where Macron II fiercely has criticised Macron, he said. Political opponents dismissed the proposals. Eric Woerth of the opposition Right-wing Republicans said tomorrows purchasing power will pay for todays measures. Far-Right leader Marine Le Pen said Mr Macron had given up on some his tax errors, so much the better, but said he refused to admit that it is the model he champions that is contested. Meanwhile, Jean-Luc Melenchon, head of the Leftists Unbowed France party, called on protesters to take to the streets once again next Saturday. As for the gilets jaunes, reactions were mixed. Jeremy Clement, one yellow vest spokesman, said the proposals were a start and coherent but remained crumbs. We cant be content with a 100 rise (in minimum wage), he said. In one hall in Galargues, in the Herault, southern France, some pensioners applauded at the tax breaks but many said they would continue the protests. Karl Toquard, yellow vest spokesman at a roundabout in Gaillon, Normandy, was adamant. He told the Telegraph: There was nothing for us. Were staying put. New York state Senate chamber New York state Senate chamber. Photo Credit: Westpoint/CC State Sen. Brad Hoylman, D-Manhattan, will serve as the next chairman of the New York State Senate Judiciary Committee, the Senate Democratic Conference announced Tuesday morning. The position will give Hoylman wide-ranging power over appointments to the judiciary that require a vote in the Senate and legislation that impacts the states court system. Its the first time a Democrat will chair the committee since former Sen. John Sampson, D-Brooklyn, chaired the committee in 2010. Its also the first time a member of the LGBT community will hold the post. Hoylman is currently the highest-ranking Democrat on the Judiciary Committee, which is chaired by Sen. John Bonacic, R-Orange. Republicans lost majority control of the State Senate in this years general election when Democrats flipped eight seats in the chamber. Democrats now hold a firm majority. Republicans will now have to choose who will lead their conference on the Judiciary Committee. Bonacic chose not to seek re-election earlier this year and the conference has not announced its picks for committee leaders. Hoylmans new position will afford him more power to advance legislation directly affecting the states court system. That legislation more often involves changes to the states civil practice law rather than criminal procedure law, which is typically amended by the chairman of the Senate Codes Committee. State Sen. Jamaal Bailey, D-Bronx, was selected to head that committee. The position is not always hands-off when it comes to criminal justice issues, especially when it comes to the administration of the states courts. The committee is known to handle legislation that affects court employees, such as court officers, who work in the states criminal courts. Hoylman has also introduced a bill that would allow jury trials for low-level misdemeanors in New York City, which is currently not mandated. Hoylman, who was first elected to the State Senate in 2012, has been known to be outspoken when it comes to issues involving the judiciary, the environment, human rights, gun control and government ethics. He sponsored a bill during the last legislative session that would have capped the amount of income lawmakers are allowed to earn outside of their government salary. That concept was recently adopted by a special committee tasked with regulating the pay of lawmakers. Hes held positions as the ranking Democrat on the Government Operations and Environmental Conservation committees as well. Hoylman was not immediately available for an interview on his new position Tuesday morning. READ MORE: No Decision Yet on New State Senate Judiciary Chair, Democratic Leader Says New York State Needs More Judges, Outgoing Senate Judiciary Chairman Says 6 New Attorneys Elected to NY State Senate, as Democratic Majority Prepares to Take Control AP Maria Butinas lawyers and federal prosecutors have filed a request for a court hearing so that the accused Russian agent can change her plea from not-guilty, a joint filing shows. The court filings follow after it was revealed that Ms Butina and her attorneys had been actively negotiating a settlement for her case. She had previously pleaded not guilty on charges of conspiring to take actions on Russias behalf and acting as an agent of Russia. The request shows that Ms Butina and her lawyers may have managed to negotiate such a plea deal with federal prosecutors, who have accused the former American University student of attempting to infiltrate Republican political circles during the 2016 election in order to advance Russian interests. During her attempts to infiltrate Republican political circles, prosecutors say Ms Butina was in regular contact with politically powerful Russians about her activities. Ms Butina has maintained that she is innocent since she was arrested earlier this year in August. She has remained in US custody since her arrest for illegally acting as a foreign agent. The alleged Russian agent is being held in an Alexandria, Virginia jail following her indictment by a grand jury earlier this year. She has been accused of working to infiltrate the National Rifle Association and other US political groups. Her lawyers, so far, have argued that she was simply attempting to develop relationships with Americans. The Russian embassy in Washington has called Ms Butina's charges politically motivated, and have complained about poor jail conditions. They have indicated previously through a post on their website that they would fight for Ms Butina by writing a letter to the US State department "demanding to stop psychologically pressuring and humiliating our fellow citizen". It seems as if Washington is trying to force her to cooperate with the investigation by making her living conditions as difficult as possible," the embassy wrote in a Twitter post earlier this year. Ms Butina has been denied bail, with the courts citing a significant chance that she may flee the country should she be let out of US jails before her court date. SkyWest (SKYW) posts decline in November block hours, in sync with its fleet transition plans. Rise in load factor is a positive. On the lookout for a Pacific Rim - Equity fund? Starting with Matthews Asia Dividend Fund Investor (MAPIX) is one possibility. MAPIX possesses a Zacks Mutual Fund Rank of 2 (Buy), which is based on nine forecasting factors like size, cost, and past performance. Objective MAPIX is one of many Pacific Rim - Equity funds to choose from. Pacific Rim - Equity mutual funds typically invest in companies throughout the dominant export-focused markets of Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan, and Korea. Since Japan mutual funds are already popular in their own right, these Pacific funds will usually invest less than 10% of their assets in Japanese companies. History of Fund/Manager MAPIX is a part of the Matthews Asia family of funds, a company based out of San Francisco, CA. Since Matthews Asia Dividend Fund Investor made its debut in October of 2006, MAPIX has garnered more than $2.98 billion in assets. A team of investment professionals is the fund's current manager. Performance Of course, investors look for strong performance in funds. MAPIX has a 5-year annualized total return of 4.56% and is in the top third among its category peers. If you're interested in shorter time frames, do not dismiss looking at the fund's 3-year annualized total return of 6.32%, which places it in the top third during this time-frame. When looking at a fund's performance, it is also important to note the standard deviation of the returns. The lower the standard deviation, the less volatility the fund experiences. Over the past three years, MAPIX's standard deviation comes in at 11.44%, compared to the category average of 11.17%. The fund's standard deviation over the past 5 years is 11.42% compared to the category average of 11.2%. This makes the fund more volatile than its peers over the past half-decade. Risk Factors One cannot ignore the volatility of this segment, however, as it is always important for investors to remember the downside to any potential investment. In MAPIX's case, the fund lost 34.87% in the most recent bear market and outperformed its peer group by 23.1%. This might suggest that the fund is a better choice than its peers during a bear market. Story continues Nevertheless, investors should also note that the fund has a 5-year beta of 0.78, which means it is hypothetically less volatile than the market at large. Because alpha represents a portfolio's performance on a risk-adjusted basis relative to a benchmark, which is the S&P 500 in this case, one should pay attention to this metric as well. MAPIX has generated a negative alpha over the past five years of -3.77, demonstrating that managers in this portfolio find it difficult to pick securities that generate better-than-benchmark returns. Expenses As competition heats up in the mutual fund market, costs become increasingly important. Compared to its otherwise identical counterpart, a low-cost product will be an outperformer, all other things being equal. Thus, taking a closer look at cost-related metrics is vital for investors. In terms of fees, MAPIX is a no load fund. It has an expense ratio of 0.99% compared to the category average of 1.41%. Looking at the fund from a cost perspective, MAPIX is actually cheaper than its peers. While the minimum initial investment for the product is $2,500, investors should also note that each subsequent investment needs to be at least $100. Bottom Line Overall, Matthews Asia Dividend Fund Investor ( MAPIX ) has a high Zacks Mutual Fund rank, and in conjunction with its comparatively strong performance, average downside risk, and lower fees, this fund looks like a good potential choice for investors right now. Don't stop here for your research on Pacific Rim - Equity funds. We also have plenty more on our site in order to help you find the best possible fund for your portfolio. Make sure to check out www.zacks.com/funds/mutual-funds for more information about the world of funds, and feel free to compare MAPIX to its peers as well for additional information. And don't forget, Zacks has all of your needs covered on the equity side too! Make sure to check out Zacks.com for more information on our screening capabilities, Rank, and all our articles as well. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Get Your Free (MAPIX): Fund Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research Brussels (AFP) - Frustrated EU leaders were resigned to providing Theresa May with a stage for more Brexit theatrics to help convince Britain she really fought for the best divorce possible. The British premier was touring The Hague, Berlin and Brussels on Tuesday to seek reassurances that Europe will not use her Brexit deal to bind Britain into an indefinite customs union. May hopes that if the sting is taken out of the so-called "Irish backstop" -- designed to prevent the return of a hard border in Northern Ireland -- British MPs will endorse her plan. But European leaders have been adamant: They will not renegotiate the text of the 585-page Withdrawal Agreement they concluded with May as recently as November 25 to great fanfare. Merkel made that much clear again, saying she saw "no way to change" the agreement after meeting May in Berlin. The frustration and annoyance at having to accomodate Britain's Brexit torment is mounting. "If they want us to put some soothing ointment on the treaty, we'll put some ointment on it, but we won't change it," said Philippe Lamberts, a Green MEP after he met EU negotiator Michel Barnier. "We won't change anything of a legally binding nature," he told AFP. "If they want a declaration of intent that we won't hang on to the backstop longer than is necessary, we can do that. But I don't think the Brexiteers will be content with a declaration of good intentions." Manfred Weber, leader of the conservative European People's Party, the largest bloc in the European Parliament, was scathing. "We lost already enough time discussing Brexit," he declared. "We do not play this game, especially on the Irish backstop." May is nevertheless expected in Brussels later Tuesday for talks with the president of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker and the president of the European Council, Donald Tusk. Both have said they will not "renegotiate" the deal, even if Juncker told the EU parliament that there is room for "further clarification and further interpretations." Story continues So why come at all, just one day after May's humiliating climbdown in cancelling a House of Commons vote and two days before she is due back in Brussels for an EU leaders' summit? "It's theatre. She wants to show that she fought hard," a European official confided to AFP. Another official explained: "The United Kingdom has never been able to form a negotiating position because of the promises it made before the referendum, most of them unrealistic." The eurosceptic voters who won Britain's 2016 referendum on quitting the EU were promised that they would have a brighter economic future outside the 28-nation bloc. For European officials, however, the reality always was that post-Brexit Britain could never enjoy the same unfettered access to the single market without accepting EU payments and regulation. - European mini-break - With the upbeat economic promises contradicted by the British Treasury's own dismal forecasts, May has to show that she at least defended her red lines on migration and Northern Ireland sovereignty. And, most of all, she has to show that Europe did not get everything its own way, hence her last minute European mini-break. "Theresa May wants to show that she got something out of this," said a European official, explaining that EU negotiator Barnier would try to find a reassuring form of words. The former French minister's team are working on a possible written declaration that can be made after May's visit, and a Brexit date scheduled for Wednesday in Strasbourg has been cancelled. They will make it clear that they hope never to have to invoke the Irish backstop, that it is simply and insurance policy -- but they will also warn that they will not abandon continuing member Ireland. And it is far from clear if Barnier's promise will be legally binding. That, according to British junior Brexit minister Martin Callanan, is what May wants. It seems unlikely that that is what she will get. Both French minister for Europe Nathalie Loiseau and Germany's Michael Roth insist the deal can not be renegotiated, and Paris has made it clear it is now preparing for a "no deal" Brexit. San Miguel Corp.s strategy is to help people enjoy and make progress in their lives through the many products and services San Miguel offers. In brief, San Miguel aims to make the world better. We are enabling people by investing in industries that will make the biggest difference in their lives, says its website. Ramon S. Ang is vice chairman, president and chief operating officer of SMC. At the helm since 2002, he has drastically recast San Miguels mission and vision to create a greater impact on the lives of Filipinos, in particular, and on the future of the Philippines in general. Before 2002, RSA was chief adviser to Danding Cojuangco, the SMC chairman and CEO. Our new vision very clearly reflects how we see ourselves in the context of our countrys development, SMC Chief Financial Officer Ferdinand Constantino pointed out at the annual stockholders meeting on June 14, 2018. It puts emphasis on us having a strong sense of social, environmental, and economic responsibility, and declares our commitment to deliver on our nations goals, he said. FKC elaborated: Within the next three years, complete the largest capacity expansion in the history of our food and beverage businesses, to meet growing demand for our products and maintain cost affordability. Construct a new brewery in Misamis Oriental, Mindanao. Expand the capacity of our bottling plant in Sta. Rosa, Laguna. Put up additional breweries in Luzon, where demand is growing. Build a total of 17 facilities for our food business. In 2018, SMC completed and inaugurated its new hotdog manufacturing facility in Cavite, effectively doubling capacity. SMC also completed a feedmill in Mariveles, Bataan, and is completing another one in Bulacan province. This expansion seeks to address the rising demand by consumers of quality products at affordable prices. At the same time, such expansion will provide thousands of new jobs and spark growth in local economies in various regions nationwide, gushed CFO Constantino. He added: The impact of this unprecedented expansion of our food and beverage businesses becomes even more compelling in light of our decision to consolidate San Miguel Brewery, San Miguel Pure Foods, and Ginebra San Miguel, into one powerhouse company: San Miguel Food and Beverage Inc. We are the biggest consumer company in the Philippines. By doing this, we will be able to extract significant synergies and use their combined strengths to great advantage, Constantino said. San Miguel Foods and Beverage Inc. did an IPO in a bearish 2018 market. It quickly became the darling of the market. SMFB became more valuable than the mother company, SMC. SMFBs market cap reached P496.37 billion, compared with SMCs market cap of P404.11 billion. SMFB is the largest and most diversified food company in the Philippines. San Miguel has invested $10 billion to modernize Petron Corp., the Philippines biggest petroleum refining and marketing company. It has a significant presence in Malaysia, with more than 600 retail stations. In the Philippines, it has more than 3,000 retail stations. San Miguels power generating capacity reached 4,293 megawatts.SMC is completing its 89.2-km Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway is nearly complete. It plans to extend TPLEX to be near Baguio. Its 14.82-km Skyway Stage 3 (from Makati to Balintawak, connecting the South and North Expressways), 22-km MRT-7 (from Quezon City to San Jose del Monte, Bulacan), Boracay Airport expansion, and Bulacan Bulk Water Supply projects, are all on track. Its newest infrastructure projectsthe 58.09-km South East Metro Manila Expressway, or Skyway 4 (from FTI to San Jose del Monte, Bulacan); and the 56.86-km SLEX-TR4 (from Sto. Tomas, Batangas to Lucena) are in the early stages of development. San Miguel is also modernizing the 52-ha. Manila North Harbor. An absolute game changer is San Miguels plan to build a $15-billion brand new airport on 2,500 hectares in Bulacan, 17 minutes by Skyway from Manila. It will have four runways with plans for another two later; passenger terminals to serve 100 million, scalable to 200 million. It will also have a modern air cargo complex. San Miguel is more than a manufacturing. It is an even bigger infrastructure company. Its infra portfolio is the largest in the country. With 24 percent of the company, RSA increased the value of his holdings from $748 million in 2016 to $1.79 billion this November, a huge $1.042 billion or 139-percent jump. Add the value of RSAs 87 percent ownership of newly listed Eagle Cement Corp. (which had market capitalization P75 billion), and RSA is easily worth $3 billion, making him the seventh richest Filipino. Tycoon Eduardo Cojuangco Jr. recruited RSA to SMC in January 1999. The conglomerate had lost its moorings. In 2002, RSA took active and aggressive management of SMC as its vice chairman, president and chief operating officer. Cojuangco told him to manage the behemoth as he deemed best. Ramon was a diamond in the raw, says Danding with evident pride of his prized catch. The CEO says now he could not have found a better man to manage the company. And the rest is history. Ramon Ang has transformed San Miguel in ways no one could have imagined or have done better. No Philippine company or conglomerate has transformed itself so dramatically and radically in the last decade as has San Miguel. Even while growing and strengthening its traditional core businesses like beer, foods, and packaging, SMC went into petroleum refining and marketing, power generation, infrastructure, airports, mining, mass transit, and airline. RSA disrupted the business of utilities, power generation, and infrastructure. SMC moved into these businesses far ahead of the others. The sea change was so revolutionary and seamlessly successful it changed or disrupted the way business is done in the Philippines and in the region. It also gave San Miguel size, scale and sustainability that will make it extremely difficult for its rivals to catch up. Between 1998 and 2017, the impact of San Miguels acquisitions and investments was spectacular. New York (AFP) - McDonald's announced a plan on Tuesday for a phased reduction of antibiotics in beef, expanding a health-oriented reform to a new meat source other than chicken. The fast-food giant described a three-stage process where it would first undertake a study of its top 10 beef sourcing markets of current antibiotic use in livestock and by 2020 establish reduction targets. Starting in 2020, McDonald's will begin reporting progress against antibiotic reduction targets. "McDonald's believes antibiotic resistance is a critical public health issue and we take seriously our unique position to use our scale for good to continue to address this challenge," said Keith Kenny, McDonald's global vice president for sustainability. McDonald's, Walmart, Tyson Foods and others have already announced plans to restrict or phase out antibiotic use in chickens. The shift follows warnings about antibiotic resistance from health officials and a September 2016 United Nations General Assembly resolution that pledged coordinated action to address overuse. But despite the wave of announcements on chicken, there has not been comparable progress on beef, said Lena Brook, a food policy expert at the Natural Resources Defense Council, who praised the company for taking leadership following pressure from her group and others. Brook said 43 percent of medically important antibiotics sold to the livestock industry go to the beef industry, compared to only six percent for chicken. "The vast majority of these drugs are routinely distributed en masse in feed or water -- often to animals that are not sick to help them survive crowded and unsanitary conditions on industrial farms," Brook said in a blog post. "Even as a wave of reform took hold in the chicken industry, the US beef industry has flown under the radar on this issue for far too long," Brook said. "In the ongoing fight to end antibiotic overuse, this step up from McDonald's sends a clear message that business as usual will no longer be acceptable (Reuters) - Mexico will invest more than $30 billion in its poor southern states over the next five years, the foreign minister said on Monday, boosting the region economically as part of efforts to curb migration. Under pressure from the United States, Mexico is grappling to halt the northward flow of migrants fleeing violence and poverty in Central America. Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard told a United Nations-backed conference on migration in Marrakech that the investment would accompany a broad policy shift he expected would stem migration better than "containment measures." He did not detail what policies Mexico may change, or exactly how the $30 billion investment will be funded and deployed. "What happens to a migrant today in our nation is a disgrace," he said, seated beside counterparts from El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras who have pledged to work together on regional development. "Mexico can't let this happen anymore." Several thousand people set off on foot in a caravan from Honduras in October, enduring hot sun and rain on the long route in hopes of reaching the United States. Roughly 6,000 made it to Mexico's northern border city of Tijuana, many encountering hostility from locals and dirty conditions at crowded shelters. Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, who took office on Dec. 1, is pushing for U.S. support to fight poverty and crime in Central America that prompt thousands of people to abandon their homes every year and risk the journey north. He says his plans for major infrastructure projects, including a refinery and two railways, will provide jobs to both Mexicans and Central Americans. Ebrard previously said Mexico was likely to invest more than $20 billion in southern Mexico, and that El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras should each match that sum. On Monday, he added that the three countries just south of Mexico had finished an initial "diagnostic" and were expected to present their priority projects at the beginning of 2019. (Reporting by Diego Ore and Daina Beth Solomon; Editing by Clarence Fernandez) Roughly 4.2 million people who dont have health insurance could get coverage for free if they act fast. No, thats not the tagline from a late-night television ad. Its the real-life finding of a new report from the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. The finding, like those schlocky TV spots, comes a big catch. The coverage itself would be threadbare. Most of those consumers would probably be better off paying the modest monthly premiums it would take to get insurance thats a lot more generous. Regardless, the statistic is a reminder that millions of people without any health insurance can still get covered for not a lot of money but only if they sign up before the end of open enrollment, which in most parts of the country is Dec. 15. For More Information: Health Insurance Exchange Enrollment Is Back. Here's What You Need To Know. The Kaiser report focuses on the availability and prices of bronze plans, which are the least generous of four types of health insurance that the Affordable Care Act has made available to people buying coverage on their own, rather than through an employer. These are the plans sold through HealthCare.gov or one of the state-run marketplaces, like Covered California or Maryland Health Connection. (A full list of state-run exchanges is here.) People who buy those plans may qualify for tax credits that discount premiums, sometimes substantially by hundreds or even thousands of dollars a year. The sizes of the tax credits vary with income so people who need more help can get it. But the sizes of the tax credits also vary from market to market to adjust for local insurance prices. In some places, and for some people, the tax credits are so big that they cover the entire cost of a bronze plan. In those instances, people can get bronze coverage for 2019 and spend literally nothing on premiums. Kaiser researchers ran the numbers and figured out that, among people who are eligible to buy coverage through one of the marketplaces, about one-quarter of those who still dont have insurance could get free bronze plans. That works out to about 4.2 million people. Story continues Of course, bronze plans are cheap for a reason. They cover preventive care for free, as all plans that comply with the Affordable Care Act must. But they dont pay for much else until bills hit a deductible which, this year, averages $6,258 for an individual policy. That is why policy experts, enrollment counselors and consumer advocates typically urge would-be buyers to check out silver plans, which are more generous. Silver plans arent generally going to be free, even with large tax credits. The premiums are too high for that. But people with relatively low incomes in other words, the ones who would get the big tax credits still wont have to pay much. And they will be eligible for a special version of the silver plans that have lower out-of-pocket costs. For people with incomes no higher than two times the poverty line, which is about $24,000 for an individual, average premiums for the typical silver plans are $20 to $130 a month, according to Kaiser, with annual deductibles between $239 to $3,169. Thats probably a better deal than bronze for most people even the consumers who could get bronze at no cost. If you have significant medical needs, paying a bit more each month for a silver plan can actually cut your potential health spending in half, Cynthia Cox, co-author of the report, told HuffPost. She said that a low-income person who ends up in the hospital could end up with $7,000 in bills with a bronze plan, but less than $3,000 with a silver plan, even including the premiums, depending on the circumstances. One reason for big discounts, ironically, is President Donald Trumps efforts to sabotage the Affordable Care Act. In late 2017, he decided to cut off one set of federal payments to insurers. Insurers had to raise premiums in response. But in most states, they deliberately raised premiums on only a small subset of plans in a way they knew would trigger bigger subsidies from the government. The result for the federal government was higher federal spending. The result for consumers was more financial assistance and some pretty good deals. Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today. This article originally appeared on HuffPost. Abidjan (AFP) - Mining companies have invested at least $5 billion towards gold exploration in West Africa in the last decade but significant reserves are under-exploited, mineral industry experts said on Tuesday. Delegates at the Ecomof mining and petroleum forum in the Ivory Coast commercial capital Abidjan were told that more must be done to attract international investors to develop mining potential. "Throughout West Africa there are interesting minerals, gold, iron, nickel, manganese among others," said Kadjo Kouame, managing director of Sodemi, the Ivory Coast mining development company. Ivory Coast and Ghana are among the world's top cocoa producers but are now seeking to diversify their economies by mining precious metals and newly discovered reserves of oil. "But there is a real job to do to attract investors and diversify projects, too focused on gold," Kouame added. Gold is currently attracting the most investment, according to figures shared at the forum, with West Africa now the world's fourth-largest gold region. Ghana is Africa's second largest gold producer after South Africa. Some 8 million ounces of gold were mined in West Africa 2016, according to figures from the World Trade Council supplied by Endeavour Mining. Between 2006 and 2019, new gold deposits of 79 million ounces were discovered in West Africa -- the highest in the world. A third was located in Burkina Faso, followed by Ghana, Mali and Ivory Coast, the forum was told. Consider the doughnut. Good, right? Now consider that doughnut made with gourmet ingredients like creme de cassis, stuffed with fresh fruit or topped with chocolate pearls. Really good, right? At this time of year in Israel, that and more can be found. Israeli chefs are giving the traditionally basic Hanukkah doughnut -- called "sufganiyot" in Hebrew -- a higher purpose as Jews indulge in the sweet, doughy treat for the holiday. "Not only do we use the best products, but we have a secret," said Yitzhak Kadosh, chef at his family's Jerusalem cafe Kadosh, known for its high-quality sufganiyot at Hanukkah time. There is a story behind the doughnuts and the eight-day celebration of Hanukkah, or Festival of Lights, which began on Sunday night. The holiday commemorates one of the great victories in Jewish history, when in the 2nd century BC, after defeating the Seleucids ruling the Holy Land, a small group of Jews led by Judah Maccabee reconsecrated the desecrated Temple of Jerusalem. Tradition says that when they sought to relight the temple's menorah, only one day's worth of undefiled oil remained. It miraculously burned for eight days, allowing time to prepare more oil. To mark the holiday, Jews light one candle on a hanukiah candelabra each night. The traditional hanukiah includes nine branches, with one serving to kindle the others. Here's where the doughnuts come in. It is also part of the holiday tradition to eat foods fried in oil, including sufganiyot. The basic jelly-filled sufganiyot and variations on it can be found all over this time of year, with colourful rows of them set out on tables at cafes, shopping malls and market stalls. But some have sought to turn the doughnuts into a product if not as miraculous as the miracle Hanukkah celebrates, then at least something that's really worth savouring. For Kadosh, a regular doughnut just won't do -- at least not when it's time to celebrate Hanukkah. Story continues The 46-year-old who has studied in Paris and Vienna won't give away his secret, but explained that it involves a way of keeping his doughnuts from becoming too greasy. - 'A French touch' - Last year, Kadosh cafe celebrated its 50 years in business by offering 50 different versions of sufganiyot. Among its most original creations have been doughnuts made with creme de cassis liqueur, salted caramel, pistachio and pastry cream. Kadosh sells between 2,000 and 3,000 doughnuts per day during the Hanukkah season -- though with the higher quality comes a higher price. They run from seven shekels ($1.90, 1.65 euros) for the classic doughnut filled with strawberry jam to 16 shekels for the more sophisticated. Elsewhere, most sell for between five and 12 shekels. In total, around 20 million sufganiyot will be sold in Israel during Hanukkah, according to an industry association. The doughnut tradition has been written about since the Middle Ages, but dates much further back than that. They would be recognisable to much of the world -- cousins of the American "donut" and the German "Berliner", for example. After stores begin stocking them in the run up to Hanukkah, Israeli newspapers start rolling out their annual lists of the best, the least fattening and the most original. At Jerusalem's Franck Delights, whose chef arrived from France 22 years ago, fewer than 10 different doughnuts are offered, but the bakery highlights its French roots. "We offer light doughnuts that allow several to be eaten -- real pastries with a French touch that Israelis appreciate," said Samantha Assuli, the store manager and wife of Chef Franck. The gourmet examples have become numerous: raspberry, mango, lemon, hazelnut, almond, vanilla cream -- even baba au rhum. Some even offer vegan donuts, while others have gone in a completely different direction with cheese or meat. New Delhi (AFP) - India's ruling party suffered stinging election defeats in at least two stronghold states, results showed Tuesday, in a big blow to Prime Minister Narendra Modi before national polls in 2019. The votes held earlier this month and in November were seen as a dress rehearsal for next year when Modi will likely go head-to-head with a emboldened Rahul Gandhi of the Congress party for a second term. "We accept the people's mandate with humility," Modi said late Tuesday on Twitter. "I thank the people of Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan for giving us the opportunity to serve these states. The BJP Governments in these states worked tirelessly for the welfare of the people." "We defeated the BJP today, we will defeat them in 2019 too," Indian media quoted Gandhi as saying. "Mr Modi sold a vision to the country five years ago. India had the patience to give them five years. But they have failed." In both the central state of Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan in the west, the chief ministers from Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) conceded defeat, while in Madhya Pradesh the outcome was on a knife-edge. In Chhattisgarh, ruled by the BJP for 15 years, initial results showed the BJP winning just 16 seats, down from 49 in the outgoing parliament, trailing Congress on 68 in the 90-seat state parliament. Congress also trounced the BJP in Rajasthan, governed since 2013 by the BJP's Vasundhara Raje, an unpopular local princess, winning 99 seats ahead of the BJP on 73 -- 89 fewer than in the last election. Television footage showed jubilant Congress workers bursting firecrackers and dancing at regional party offices in both states. In neighbouring Madhya Pradesh the BJP also suffered from voter fatigue after 15 years in office, with Congress set to be two seats short of a majority and five ahead of the BJP. In two other smaller states also releasing results Tuesday, Telangana in the south and remote Mizoram in the northeast, regional parties looked to be leading. Story continues Congress's five-time Mizoram chief minister Lal Thanhawla was routed by the regional Mizo National Front, a BJP ally. In Telangana the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi won handsomely -- at the expense of Congress. - Cow Belt - But it was Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh that mattered most for the Hindu nationalist BJP, which swept to power nationally under Modi in 2014. They form part of the "Hindi Belt" or "Cow Belt" region of around 475 million people -- more than the United States, Canada and Mexico combined -- where the right-wing BJP has its core support base. Before the recent five elections, the BJP ruled 19 out of 29 Indian states either outright or in alliance with local parties. Congress rules just two states, including one in partnership. But the latest results are a blow to the image of Modi as an invincible vote-winner, and puts the 68-year-old on the back foot months before he seeks a second term in office. It also strengthen 48-year-old Gandhi -- scion of the Gandhi-Nehru dynasty -- with Congress having lost more than a dozen states to the BJP since Modi took office in 2014. The results could also help his party cobble together a grand alliance of smaller parties to take on the BJP next year, with Gandhi at its head. "The message (from voters) is very clear. (Modi) needs to address the main issues of employment, corruption, and damage to economic structures," Gandhi said on Tuesday. Analysts have linked the BJP's apparent dwindling support to growing rural distress and unemployment. Nearly 55 percent of India's 1.25-billion population is directly or indirectly dependent on agriculture, and farmers form an important voting bloc for parties. "The verdict is the cumulative result of the issues faced by people in these states," Gurpreet Mahajan, a political scientist at Delhi's Jawaharlal Nehru University told AFP. "Victory and defeat are an integral part of life," Modi said in a second tweet. "Today's results will further our resolve to serve people and work even harder for the development of India." Mother of a 9-year-old girl who took her own life believes that it was bullying by her classmates that led to her daughters death. (Photo: Jasmine Adams Head) A 9-year-old died by suicide in Alabama, and her mother is blaming bullying. McKenzie Adams, a fourth-grade student in Demopolis, Ala., died on Dec. 3, Birmingham news station WIAT reports. The girls mother, Jasmine Adams, says she can point to multiple occasions on which her daughter was bullied that could have pushed the little girl over the edge. She told me that this one particular child was writing her nasty notes in class, Adams told WIAT. Things you wouldnt think a 9-year-old should know. And for my baby to tell me some of the things they had said to her, I was like, Where are they learning this from?' Adams also believes that race played a part in her daughters suffering. Part of it could have been because she rode to school with a white family, she said. And a lot of it was race, some of the student bullies would say to her, Why you riding with white people? Youre black. Youre ugly. You should just die. McKenzies aunt, Eddwina Harris, elaborated on the bullying her niece had experienced. She was being bullied the entire school year, with words such as Kill yourself, You think youre white because you ride with that white boy, You ugly, Black bitch, Just die, she told Tuscaloosa News. McKenzie attended U.S. Jones Elementary School in Demopolis. Certainly, our hearts [go] out to the family and friends of McKenzie and her fellow students as well as her teachers, school officials said in a statement provided to WIAT. Demopolis school system has provided grief counselors and crisis counselors at the school since this and ministers and youth ministers have been at the campus since the date of this incident. Demopolis City Schools attorney Alex Braswell said the case is being investigated, WIAT reports. But Adams feels that the school could have done better. I just felt that our trust was in them that they would do the right thing, she told WIAT. And it feels like to me it wasnt. This wasnt even the first school at which McKenzie had experienced bullying. According to the Tuscaloosa News, McKenzie transferred to U.S. Jones Elementary School after her mother and grandmother complained to the State Board of Education that she was being bullied at her other elementary school in Linden. Story continues And McKenzie tried to put a stop to it at her new school. The student told her teachers and her assistant principal she had been bullied multiple times, according to WIAT. A friend of the family has started selling buttons featuring McKenzies face on Facebook. One of the buttons says, Gone to Soon, and the other says, Stop Bullying. The buttons are $7, with the proceeds going to the Kenzie Foundation, according to the Facebook post. Just seeing my baby laying there and not being able to say nothing to me is whats gonna really do it, Adams said to WIAT, through tears. That was my angel. If you or someone you know is experiencing suicidal thoughts, call 911, or call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 1-800-273-8255 or text HOME to the Crisis Text Line at 741741. Read more from Yahoo Lifestyle: Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter for nonstop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day. MPs will have their say on Theresa Mays Brexit deal before 21 January, Downing Street has said (Reuters) MPs will vote on Theresa Mays Brexit deal before 21 January, a Downing Street spokesperson said. The meaningful vote on the deal was due to take place later today, but was delayed by the PM after she conceded the outcome would be a bruising defeat. This buys Mrs May six weeks in which to try and secure concessions from the EU to make her deal more palatable to MPs. The issue of the Irish backstop the back-up plan to avoid a hard border between Northern Ireland and Ireland if a free trade agreement cannot be reached before the end of the transition period remains the most significant hurdle to securing parliamentary support. The backstop would see the entire UK kept within a customs union with the EU for an indefinite period of time, which Brexiteers argue could trap Britain into abiding by EU rules and making financial contributions forever. The DUP, on whose support Mrs May relies to get legislation through the Commons, argue that backstop would separate Northern Ireland from the rest of Britain. The Prime Minister has gone back to Europe for crisis talks to try and rescue her deal. Theresa May and Jean-Claude Juncker will meet later today for crisis talks. (Reuters) But any hopes of a renegotiation on the backstop have been dashed after European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker insisted there is no hope of making substantial changes to the agreement. There is no room whatsoever for renegotiating, he said during a speech to the European parliament, a few hours ahead of his meeting with Mrs May. This will not happen everyone needs to know the withdrawal agreement will not be reopened. Mr Juncker offered a glimmer a hope, saying that further clarifications are possible. It is unlikely a non-binding clarification will be enough for the PM to get her deal past MPs, a huge number of whom publicly oppose the agreement. MPs will told an emergency debate later today discussing the delay to the Brexit vote. The discussion is likely to be highly hostile towards Mrs May, who is facing a wall of criticism from opposition parties and her own Conservative colleagues. A Muslim woman was reportedly expelled from a school in Tennessee for wearing a religious head covering. (Image: Getty Images) A Muslim woman was allegedly expelled from a Murfreesboro, Tenn., college earlier this year because she covered her hair for religious reasons, according to the Tennessean. According to the outlet, Linde McAvoy was attending the Georgia Career Institute when she experienced discrimination against her religion. Muslim Advocates and a New York law firm sent a letter to the college stating that McAvoy is owed thousands of dollars worth of tuition she paid to be a part of the schools esthetics program. GCIs conduct is completely unjustified. No person should be forced to choose between receiving an education and complying with their sincerely held religious beliefs, the letter read. The GCI must take immediate steps to remedy this discriminatory situation. Muslim Advocates and Beldock Levine & Hoffman LLP, on behalf of McAvoy, are demanding that GCI compensate the student for the discrimination she experienced, as well as amend its dress code to allow religious clothing and to provide staff with anti-discrimination training. Joyce Meadows, the president and CEO of GCI, informed the outlet that students are allowed to wear religious head coverings should they bring a letter from a religious leader that explains why they need to wear it. She never produced [the letter]. End of story, Meadows told the outlet, who on Tuesday morning had not yet seen the demand letter. Were not discriminating against anybody. We would be delighted to have her to come in with her headdress. Its no problem. According to the letter, McAvoy was told to stop wearing her hijab because Meadows said it violated the schools dress code. However, the dress code does not prohibit religious head coverings. McAvoy continued to wear her hijab and was repeatedly ejected from her classes. She declined to show proof that she wore it for religious reasons. GCI expelled McAvoy on or around Feb. 23, 2018, according to the letter. Meadows told the outlet that the dress code required students to have their hair and makeup done. Students who did not do their hair had tried to cover it with a hat or other headgear, she said, and the policy was created to prevent that, not for discriminatory reasons. She asserted that other Muslim students have followed the rule. Story continues If they abide by the policy, then theres no issue, Meadows said. Read more from Yahoo Lifestyle: Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter for nonstop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day. Cameras were rolling inside the White House on Tuesday during a meeting between Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., California Democratic House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence to discuss border security. Trump threatened to shut down the government if Democrats and Republicans couldnt reach an agreement to fund the border wall, whereas Schumer and Pelosi hoped Trump would agree to one of their proposed solutions. What resulted was an unorthodox debate among the trio that involved interruptions, accusations and visible frustration. Despite pleas from Pelosi and Schumer to send the press away so they could debate behind closed doors, Trump kept the conversation going. And along with refusing to let the press leave, Trump refused to accept anything less than his border wall proposal. If its not good border security, I wont take it, Trump said of their proposed solutions. If we dont have border security, well shut down the government. This country needs border security. The wall is part of border security. Many praised Pelosi for her patience and poise while standing up to Trump. @NancyPelosi was the badass DRAGON , in the room, SPITTING FIRE at @realDonaldTrump without ANY fear, or doubt, with FACTS, and INTELLIGENCE! @SenSchumer threw a few heavy HITS at CHUMP TRUMP, before hitting him with a KNOCKOUT , in the end. Apache_Five (@Apache_Five) December 11, 2018 Today you and @SenSchumer won my respect. Schooling Trump in his own house, on national television.THANK YOU. Leah J (@SwoonTheMoon) December 11, 2018 Some on Twitter thought the president showed great leadership in the meeting and supported his stance on border security. Story continues Excellent. A government prostituted by @SenSchumer and @NancyPelosi as an open border sanctuary cannot nor should not stand. If Pelosi and Schumer will not support border security, which includes a wall, then the government should shut down. j (@itmatters2me) December 11, 2018 @NancyPelosi @SenSchumer we want the #Wall Mexico has a wall on most of it's southern border, we need a wall!! It is NOT immoral to protect our borders and enforce our laws! KMGPHD (@kmgilyard) December 11, 2018 Shut down! Obama punished the GOP by shutting down all the parks and vet monuments. Trump isn't vindictive; he's just right! Flavia Eckholm (@FlaviaArt2) December 11, 2018 People went wild over a photo of Pelosi leaving the meeting that quickly made the internet rounds as well. This Picture of Nancy Pelosi leaving the White House today is ICONIC. Sums up the meeting. pic.twitter.com/PZePbD8dw4 del. (@dilemmv) December 11, 2018 Exiting the White House, @NancyPelosi is wearing her Orange You Sorry You Started This Fight Coat. pic.twitter.com/QjUfLvdTJZ Karen DaltonBeninato (@kbeninato) December 11, 2018 Nancy Pelosi leaving the Oval Office today is a mood. pic.twitter.com/ViXw3BoCen Steven Soto (@stevenhardn) December 11, 2018 After the meeting, Pelosi explained why she and the Senate minority leader wanted to have the debate behind closed doors. We didnt want to contradict the president when he was putting forth figures that had no reality to them, no basis in facts, Pelosi said. I didnt want to, in front of those people say, You dont know what youre talking about. Watch the Fox & Friends First segment that may have spawned Donald Trumps smocking gun tweet: Read more from Yahoo Entertainment: Tell us what you think! Hit us up on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram, or leave your comments below. It has been over a month since the inauguration of the Paranaque Integrated Terminal Exchange, envisioned to instill a semblance of order in the way Filipinos going to and from areas adjacent to the south of the metro travel to schools and workplaces. The PITX was also established to limit the number of provincial buses in Metro Manila to ease the congestion on Edsa. Unfortunately, the past month has been characterized by reports of inefficiency and inconvenience, such that the people supposed to benefit from the new structure find themselves suffering more in terms of additional travel time and unavailability of travel options. Many find themselves still waiting for vehicles in the late hours. The already-difficult daily commute has become even more punishing. Now the Department of Transportation and the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board are saying they will review the operations of the terminal. Why only now?We do not doubt that the PITX was established with good intentions. But it is not a solution descending from heaven. It will not magically eradicate the problems existing before and automatically institute a seamless, organized way from people to get from one place to another. To overlook or ignore that certain routines and practices have been existing before is to be grossly naive. At the outset, there should have been consultations to find out what people were actually doing, and what improvements would make their experience better. Its bad enough that things are not changing. It is doubly worse if the situation would deteriorate. That all this is happening in December, during the buildup to the holiday season, does not help commuters one bit. An orderly, transparent transport hub is still possible, if sound planning, common sense and just a bit of hard work accompanied its establishment. Without these, the PITX would just be another expensive, useless, senseless edifice. Stephen Curry, winner of the 2018 Kyrie Irving Conspiracy Theory Award (note: not a real award), said on a podcast that he doesnt think man has ever landed on the moon, and mentioned a few popular conspiracy theories about the landing being faked. Not surprisingly, that didnt go over too well with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, more commonly known as NASA. After Currys comments about the moon landing started getting attention on Monday, the New York Times checked in with NASA. NASA has dealt with moon landing deniers and conspiracy theories before, and spokesman Allard Beutel was ready to give Curry a chance to change his mind. Wed love for Mr. Curry to tour the lunar lab at our Johnson Space Center in Houston, perhaps the next time the Warriors are in town to play the Rockets, said Allard Beutel, a NASA spokesman. We have hundreds of pounds of moon rocks stored there, and the Apollo mission control. During his visit, he can see firsthand what we did 50 years ago, as well as what were doing now to go back to the moon in the coming years, but this time to stay. An invitation to the NASA Space Center in Houston to look at moon rocks AND information about a future moon base? Thats an incredible offer from NASA. Its not just about showing Curry proof of the moon landing, but educating him about how they managed to land men on the moon nearly 50 years ago, and what they hope to do on the moon in the future. But if looking at moon rocks isnt enough proof for Curry, both England and Russia independently tracked Apollo 11 from takeoff to moon landing and back again. They can provide third-party evidence that man actually landed on the moon. And if he wants some tough love about the moon landing he can talk to 88-year-old Buzz Aldrin, the second man to walk on the moon, who once punched a moon landing denier in the face. Currys team, the Golden State Warriors, will play the Houston Rockets in Houston on March 13, 2019. As the NASA spokesman said, that would be the perfect time for Curry to visit the Space Center. Curry has yet to follow-up on his comments about the moon landing, but when he does, perhaps hell accept NASAs invitation. Golden State Warriors Stephen Curry shoots in the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Cleveland Cavaliers, Wednesday, Dec. 5, 2018, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Tony Dejak) More from Yahoo Sports: Fired Packers coach makes puzzling Rodgers comment RB Bell celebrates Steelers shocking loss to Raiders Was this key play in MNF game actually illegal? Emotional final meeting for Wade and LeBron The New York Police Department is investigating a video shared on Facebook that shows officers yanking a 1-year-old baby from his mothers arms at a government assistance center. The roughly 2 1/2-minute video, captured Friday by Nyashia Ferguson on her cellphone at a city Human Resources Administration office in Brooklyn, is troubling, the NYPD said in a statement on Sunday. It added that investigators were looking into the incident with the HRA. The video, which caused a public outcry after it began circulating on social media, shows three NYPD officers restraining a woman, identified as 23-year-old Jazmine Headley, as they wrestle away her wailing 1-year-old son, Damone, during a struggle at the HRA office in the Boerum Hill neighborhood. I was just so disgusted, Ferguson told CBS New York. I couldnt believe they were doing that to that child. I just couldnt believe it. It was crazy. Yes, thats the NYPD trying to yank a baby from the arms of his mother. Follow Monae Sinclairs Facebook link to see the entire clip, including the part where a cop waves a Taser at the bystanders who dared to suggest there was a better way to do this. https://t.co/d7MmxEglSI pic.twitter.com/GughC2nqwm Pat Kiernan (@patkiernan) December 10, 2018 The chaos unfolded after Headley sat on the floor of the offices crowded waiting room with her son as she awaited a child-care voucher, according to Ferguson. A security guard told Headley that she had to get up, according to the police statement, but she refused, and office staff called 911 due to her disorderly conduct towards others, and for obstructing the hallway. According to Scott Henchinger, director of policy at Brooklyn Defender Services, the public defender organization representing Headley, the mother had been waiting at the office for four hours without a place to sit. Thats why she sat on [the] ground, Henchinger tweeted Monday. Story continues Arriving police officers ordered Headley to leave. When she refused, police said officers arrested her and Headley resisted. Theyre hurting my son! Theyre hurting my son! Headley is heard yelling in the video, cradling her son on the floor as police attempt to restrain her. Im begging you, please. Onlookers can be heard crying out in horror as the officers pull Headleys son away. One officer wielded a yellow stun gun, prompting an onlooker to yell out, She has a fucking baby in her hands! Police charged Headley with several misdemeanor offenses, including resisting arrest, acting in a manner injurious to a child, and criminal trespass. This is unacceptable, appalling and heart breaking, tweeted New York City Council Speaker Corey Johnson. Id like to understand what transpired and how these officers or the NYPD justifies this. Its hard to watch this video. A family member took custody of Headleys son following her arrest, according to police. As of Monday night, Headley was being held without bail on Rikers Island, Henchinger said. This is fourth night shell be sitting on Rikers. Away from her infant. Shes never been to Rikers before. https://t.co/zLvxdWyYga Scott Hechinger (@ScottHech) December 11, 2018 The HRA security officers who called the police on Headley have reportedly been placed on leave. NYPD Commissioner James ONeill said in a Monday statement that an internal investigation into the video was ongoing. Ill tell you the video is very disturbing to me, ONeill said, adding that police have a very tough job. We were called to a chaotic situation & were looking at all available video to determine why certain decisions were made, he said. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said on Twitter that the NYPD & HRA will get to the bottom of what happened. A representative of NYPDs 84th Precinct did not return HuffPosts request for additional comment. This article has been updated throughout with additional details about Headleys arrest. Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today. This article originally appeared on HuffPost. Theresa May cancelled MPs vote on her Brexit deal after conceding she was heading for a humiliating defeat (PA Images) Bookies have slashed the odds of a second Brexit referendum to their lowest ever levels after Theresa May cancelled MPs vote on her deal after conceding she was heading for a bruising defeat. Betfred is offering odds of 11/10 on another Brexit vote, the shortest price since the first Brexit vote in 2016. Last month the odds of another referendum were 6/4. Betfreds Peter Spencer told Yahoo News UK: The chaotic scenes in the Commons were replicated here, with hundreds of bets placed yesterday. As the chaos ensues the odds of another referendum are tumbling. Were seeing political betting go through the roof because everyone thinks they know whats going on, but yesterday took everyone by surprise. Coral is now offering odds of 6/5 for there to be another referendum before the end of 2019, also the shortest offered since the 2016 referendum. This is down from odds of 3/1 in October before the Prime Minister presented the deal she agreed with the EU to MPs. William Hill has seen a major change in the likelihood of the UK revoking Article 50 effectively calling off Brexit since and EU court ruled it could do so without the permission of other European countries. At 8:30 this morning we were 5/1 that the UK would revoke Article 50, that price has been hammered and we are now just 6/4, said William Hill spokesman Rupert Adams. In a few days it could be as if Brexit never happened. William Hill and Betfred both have Boris Johnson as the favourite to take over the Conservative Party is Theresa May is ousted. Theresa May is heading to Europe for crisis talks to try and rescue her ailing deal after cancelling MPs meaningful vote yesterday,. But European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker has warned that there is no room for manoeuvre over the controversial Irish backtstop the element of the deal that most irks Brexiteers. EU assembly Brexit negotiator Guy Verhofstadt warned Mrs May that the EU would not be budging over Ireland. Story continues He said: We have two messages for her. The first is whatever the request may be we will never let down our Irish friends. It is out of question to renegotiate the backstop on Ireland. However he did signal that the EU may be willing to talk again about the future relationship, with a view to emphasising the fact that the EU does not want the backstop to come into force. Watch the latest videos from Yahoo UK By Nate Raymond (Reuters) - An Olympus Corp subsidiary pleaded guilty on Monday and agreed to pay $85 million to resolve charges that it failed to file reports with U.S. regulators regarding infections connected to its duodenoscopes while continuing to sell the medical devices used to view the gastrointestinal tract. Olympus Medical Systems Corp and Hisao Yabe, a former senior executive at the company in Japan, pleaded guilty in federal court in Newark, New Jersey, to distributing misbranded medical devices, the U.S. Justice Department said. As part of a plea deal, U.S. District Judge Stanley Chesler sentenced Olympus to pay an $80 million fine and forfeit $5 million, the department said. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued a new warning https://bit.ly/2L9erPx on Monday about the persistent threat of contamination from reusable duodenoscopes. In preliminary studies, the FDA said, 3 percent of samples collected from duodenoscopes by manufacturers tested positive for "high concern" bacteria, such as E. coli, that are often associated with disease. Olympus in a statement said it had agreed to take steps to enhance its regulatory processes and that the investigation did not identify any direct harm to patients caused by its failure to file the reports. Yabe's lawyer had no immediate comment. Yabe, 62, is scheduled to be sentenced on March 27, and faces a maximum of one year in prison. Duodenoscopes are flexible tubes with lighted video equipment that are snaked down a patient's throat to diagnose or treat disorders of the gastrointestinal tract. At least 35 patients in U.S. hospitals have died since 2013 after developing infections tied to contaminated Olympus duodenoscopes, according to hospitals and public health officials. Olympus issued a safety alert about duodenoscopes in Europe in 2013. But it did not warn U.S. hospitals about the risk of contamination until 2015, after there had been so-called superbug outbreaks in Seattle, Pittsburgh and Los Angeles. In 2016, Olympus recalled its TJF-Q180V duodenoscopes and made alterations to reduce the risk of contamination. Prosecutors said the Tokyo-based company admitted that in 2012 and 2013 it failed to file with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration adverse event reports relating to infections in Europe connected to the TJF-Q180V. The FDA compiles reports of illnesses and injuries associated with drugs and devices it has approved in order to monitor potential problems once they are on the market. The Justice Department said the adverse events Olympus failed to report included the infection of 22 patients with Pseudomonas aeruginosa in the Netherlands in early 2012 and the E. coli infection of three patients in France in November 2012. Prosecutors said Yabe was personally responsible for the failure to file the information with the FDA relating to infections in the Netherlands when he was the company's top regulatory official. (Reporting by Nate Raymond in Boston, Chad Terhune in Los Angeles and David Alexander in Washington and Aakash Jagadeesh Babu in Bengaluru; editing by Lisa Lambert, Bill Berkrot and Richard Chang) Theresa May is to embark on a frantic round of European diplomacy in a final attempt to salvage her Brexit deal Opposition leaders rounded on Theresa May last night as they accused the Prime Minister of showing contempt for Parliament over her botched Brexit vote. In a highly unusual move, they have sent a joint letter to the Prime Minister expressing concern about her sudden cancellation of a crunch Commons vote on the Brexit deal that was due to be held on Tuesday. Details of the letter emerged as Mrs May urged rebel MPs who oppose her Brexit deal to come up with a better solution or back her. The joint letter sent by opposing leaders to Prime Minister Theresa May. (Twitter) Jeremy Corbyn criticised Theresa May for her handling of the Brexit process (PA) The letter, signed jointly by the leaders of Labour, the SNP, the Lib Dems, Plaid Cymru and the Greens, says: We believe that this deferral shows a contempt for Parliament. It adds: You admitted in the House that you are running from a heavy defeat on your deal in the House of Commons. It cannot be right that the Government can unilaterally alter the arrangements, once this House has agreed on a timetable, without the House being given the opportunity to express its will. Brexit countdown The PM was told yesterday she must govern or go as she delayed her crucial Brexit vote to avoid a significant defeat. The letter, signed by Labours Jeremy Corbyn, SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford, Liberal Democrat leader Sir Vince Cable, Plaid Cymrus Liz Saville Roberts and co-leader of the Greens Caroline Lucas, demanded assurances from the PM on what happens next. The opposition leaders want to know if the Brexit deal is dead and if revised proposals will be substantially different. They want assurances that the Commons will be given sufficient time to debate the Governments negotiating objectives. The opposition leaders have urged the PM to allow the Commons to vote on her move to defer the Brexit deal vote, and they want to know when a meaningful vote on a Brexit deal will be held, and if a Government requirement to make a statement to the House on a no-deal scenario by January 21 still applies. The Government was last week found by MPs to be in contempt of Parliament for not publishing the full Brexit legal advice. Ministers then made the advice public. Scientists fear that too much food in formative years may rewrite the genetic code - Alamy Overeating in teenage years could damage the lifespan of future grandsons, a new study suggests. Researchers in Sweden looked back at 9,039 grandparents born between 1874 and 1910, and followed their grandchildren until 2015. After comparing information from harvests, they found that that the grandsons of grandfathers who had eaten well from bountiful harvests during their formative years, were three times more likely to have died from cancer. They were also 50 per cent more likely to have died from all causes, than children whose grandparents grew up in leaner times. While the risk of early death was 10 per cent over the study period overall, it rose to 15 per cent for the descendants of those who ate well. Likewise, cancer deaths rose from two per cent to six per cent. The scientists believe that eating too much may rewrite the genetic code, in a way which could increase the risk of disease for future generations - a process known as transgenerational epigenetic inheritance, which was thought impossible just a few years ago. In Britain 32.4 per cent of children are now overweight or obese by the age of 11, and the figures are worse for boys, with 36 per cent classed in the heaviest categories. Denny Vagero, Professor of Medical Sociology at Stockholm University, said: We should probably be concerned about over-eating, also in terms of future generations health. We prefer to be very cautious about the actual mechanisms. However, the results are unlikely to be due to confounding from cultural or social factors. We discuss whether new mutations, due to 19th century farming practices, could be the mechanism, but found this less likely. It is therefore worth exploring further the possibility that there is an epigenetic, male-line, transgenerational mechanism which can be triggered during boys childhood, pre-puberty. Stephen Frankel in Bristol, in his paper from 1998, showed that children with the highest calorie intake had a doubled cancer mortality risk as adults. We speculate that this effect becomes transgenerational in men. Story continues The study did not find any link between grandmothers and their grandchildren, nor granddaughters and their grandfathers. The team said further research was needed to find out if the genetic code really was changing before they could say that the food intake was definitely causing an epigenetic change. The research was published in Nature Communications. Tianna K. Kalogerakis. A mere four years after The Legal Intelligencers founding in 1843, the story of blacks seeking admission to the legal profession in Pennsylvania began. Despite nearly 175 years of black Pennsylvania lawyers overcoming obstacles to entry of the legal profession, institutional barriers persist, leaving blacks and other minorities in the state still in search of meaningful access in the legal profession. In 2018, law firms that are not intentional about cultivating diversity may be unintentionally discriminating against diverse candidates. To tell the story of diversity in the legal professionspecifically when discussing the black lawyerone must first acknowledge the role of slavery in America. People of color were held in bondage for decades against their will and the ownership of humans by other humans was sanctioned by the laws of this country. Enslavement and discrimination of individuals based on their skin color was codified into our federal and state systems of government and dictated the daily interactions of individuals. These codifications and the resulting caste system became the foundations of the institutional barriers minorities continue to face today. Initially, it was explicit bias that blocked blacks from entering the legal profession in Pennsylvania. In 1847, George Boyer Vashon sought admission to the Allegheny County Bar. Vashon was denied admission not because of any lack in his legal capabilities (he became the first black person admitted to the New York Bar in 1848), but because he was not a white man. Vashon was denied admission to the Allegheny County Bar a second time 20 years later in 1867. Vashon was posthumously admitted to the Pennsylvania Bar in 2010 through the efforts of his great-grandson, Nolan N. Atkinson Jr., a trailblazer in his own right who, among other notable accomplishments, helped found the Philadelphia Diversity Law Group. In 1865, Jonathan Jasper Wright became the first black person admitted to practice law in Pennsylvania. Another factor that further limited access of black attorneys at this time was the fact that the 54 counties in existence had independent jurisdiction over admissions to their local bar. Testing and fitness standards for a candidate to pass differed from county to county, and an attorney was limited to practicing in the county in which they were admitted unless they met the requirements of admission in another county. It was not until 1902, when the Pennsylvania Supreme Court appointed the Pennsylvania State Board of Law Examiners that uniform, statewide standards for admission to the Pennsylvania Bar were established. Following the standardization of the Pennsylvania admission process, the number of black attorneys grew slowly and inconsistently. By 1900, there were 10 black lawyers practicing in Philadelphia. From 1908 to 1920, not one black person was admitted to the Pennsylvania Bar. By 1925, the number of black lawyers in Philadelphia increased to 18. In 1927, Dr. Sadie Tanner Mossell Alexander was the first black woman admitted to the Pennsylvania Bar and remained the only black woman lawyer in Philadelphia until 1949. From 1933 to 1943, not one black person was admitted to the Pennsylvania Bar. While the number of black lawyers in Philadelphia slowly crept upward, black Philadelphia lawyers achieved historic firsts and engineered sweeping societal change on national, local and statewide levels by challenging institutional norms. In 1948, William T. Coleman Jr. became the first black person to serve as a law clerk at the Supreme Court of the United States. In 1952, he would become the first black associate in a majority firm, Dilworth Paxson, and there became the first black partner at a majority firm in 1957. Coleman served as co-counsel with Thurgood Marshall in Brown v. Board of Education wherein the Supreme Court held that separate but equal facilities in public accommodations unconstitutional in 1954. That same year, Coleman and Raymond Pace Alexander filed a petition to desegregate Girard College which was created in 1833 by the will of Stephen Girard to benefit "poor, white orphan boys." The quest to desegregate Girard College would take 14 lawsuits, an eight-month protest of the school led by Cecil B. Moore, and last 15 years before the Girard College Board of Trustees would vote to admit black students. In 1950, Curtis C. Carson, Thomas Reed, Arthur Thomas, Robert W. Williams, and Charles Wright founded Barristers Club, now known as the Barristers Association of Philadelphia Inc., which continues to serve the professional needs of black Philadelphia lawyers today. In 1951, Philadelphia became the first city in America to ban racial and religious discrimination in city employment, services and contracts by adopting the Philadelphia Home Rule Charter. Sadie Tanner Mossell Alexander is credited as the principal drafter of this provision. In 1953, prominent black lawyer J. Austin Norris of Norris, Schmidt, Green, Harris, Higginbotham & Brown asserted that the Pennsylvania Bar examination discriminated against black applicants. A committee consisting of Abraham L. Freedman, G. Ruhland Rebmann Jr., and Theodore G. Spaulding, and Judge William H. Hastie of U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuitknown as the "Hastie Committee"was appointed to investigate racial discrimination in Pennsylvania Bar examinations and procedures. In 1954, the Hastie Committee found "no discriminatory practices" of the Pennsylvania Bar examination, but Norris remained unconvinced. In 1970, along with Ricardo C. Jackson, then-president of the Barristers Association, and others, Norris again argued that the Pennsylvania Bar examination process discriminated against black applicants. The Philadelphia Bar Association appointed a Special Committee on Pennsylvania Bar Admission Procedures dubbed the Liacouras Committee after the chair of the committee, Peter J. Liacouras, to investigate. Together, Jackson (who later became a judge on the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas), Liacouras, then-Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas Judge Clifford Scott Green, then-Philadelphia Municipal Court Judge Paul Dandridge and W. Bourne Ruthrauff concluded that the Pennsylvania Bar exam as developed and administered is invalid and discriminatory, and circumstantial evidence leads to the strongest presumption that blacks are indeed discriminated against when they take the exam. Before the Liacouras Committees report was issued, the Pennsylvania Board of Law Examiners regularly asked for pictures of each applicant and seated all of the black applicants together to take the exam. Further, 98 percent of white applicants passed the exam as compared to 70 percent of blacks. Following the Liacouras Committee report, Nolan Atkinson Jr. and Professor Paul Bender of the University of Pennsylvania School of Law successfully negotiated with the Board to change the administration of the exam. Whereas 83 black lawyers were admitted to the Pennsylvania Bar from 1955 to 1970, as a result of the Liacouras Committees efforts, 82 black lawyers were admitted to the Pennsylvania Bar within a mere two years of the changes in administration of the exam. The number of blacks admitted to the Pennsylvania Bar has grown steadily ever since. By 1994, there were 865 black lawyers in the City of Philadelphia and the number of black lawyers in Philadelphia is currently unknown. This initiative executed by a few organized individuals created change at the top an institution which exponentially expanded opportunities for others. Thanks to the efforts of the black attorneys and allies mentioned and unmentioned here, black people garnered increased entry into the Pennsylvania Bar and have evidenced possibility by simply working in their respective legal capacities. Increased entry of blacks in the legal profession has also encouraged the entry and growth of other minorities into the Pennsylvania legal community. However, removing explicit bias from the institution that certified that a minority candidate is competent to practice law did not result in easier entry into law firms, which as independent institutions with their own internal systems, have struggled to recruit diverse attorneys and retain them. By not being intentional about diversity, firms uphold the barriers to entry black Pennsylvania lawyers faced throughout history. For 10 of its 175 years in circulation, The Legal has provided Pennsylvania lawyers with an important metric to discuss the gains (or lack thereof) in diverse plaintiffs attorneys in the state through its annual plaintiffs bar diversity survey. Loyal Legal readers reviewing these surveys yearly have likely noticed that the gains in diversity of firms measured in the survey have doubled. It is important to note two things about the findings in these surveys. First, even though the percent of minority attorneys in the plaintiffs bar has doubled since the first survey in 2007 from 3 percent to 8 percent, the total percentage of minority lawyers of the firms surveyed has yet to reach even 10 percent. Stated another way, the total number of black, Hispanic, Asian Pacific, South Asian, and American Indian lawyers taken together do not amount to 10 percent of the plaintiffs firms surveyed. Thus, doubling the number of minorities total over a 10-year period is simply not enough. For example, blacks make up 43.9 percent of the population of Philadelphia, and the diversity of this city is not reflected in the plaintiffs bar. The Legal surveys consistently discuss whether the path to increasing diversity at Pennsylvania plaintiffs firms should be organic or strategic. Black and minority lawyers in Pennsylvania have only begun to enter the practice of law in a ratio comparable to whites since 1970. That is 48 years of playing catch-up after starting centuries behind. Diversity is a moral imperative and enhances the range of perspective of any organization where diverse voices have a seat at the table. Firms cannot responsibly continue to rely on antiquated practices to get candidates by looking at a select few schools, finding people through word of mouth, or passively posting opportunities to fill vacancies. To increase the entry and access of minority attorneys at a more respectable pace, firms need to make institutional changes from the top of their respective organizations to recruit and retain minority attorneys, be mindful of the role implicit bias may play in filling vacancies, and actively seek diverse talent. Diverse talent has always existed. The pioneering black Pennsylvania lawyers mentioned or unmentioned here were exceedingly qualified to practice law. Yet, for each one of them who will be remembered for their achievements or accomplishing a "first," how many of their qualified peers were prevented from pursuing the law altogether or not afforded a similar opportunity to prove themselves? Likely many minorities are still seeking the chance to prove themselves today. Firms looking for these qualified candidates will find them in abundance in minority bar associations. Minority bar associations, like the Barristers Association of Philadelphia, continue to serve as resources to diverse attorneys and employers alike and are an excellent source of talent. As a benefit to our members, the Barristers Association sends employment opportunity announcements directly to our members email at least once a week. This practice is not exclusive to the Barristers. By taking the extra step of sending job announcements to minority bar associations, employers increase their reach and improve the probability that they will have diverse candidates to interview. To increase retention of minorities, plaintiffs firms need to support their diverse employees through business development, mentorship and creating a sense of value for the lawyer. In addition to advocating for their members and creating professional and business opportunities, minority bar associations also function as spaces where similarly situated individuals can seek advice about advancing their careers or addressing challenging dynamics with peers. Minority bar associations are also where diverse lawyers can find reassurance that they are not, in fact, alone in their experiences although they are often the only minority in their workplace. Employers can support their minority lawyers by paying their membership dues to a minority bar association and attending programming of the organization organization or offering resources to assist in executing the programming. In turn the firm benefits from the perspective of the diverse lawyer and the proven financial gains that flow from having a diverse workforce. Entry to the profession is not the same as inclusion. Retention of minorities is a serious growth area for firms. Black partners at large majority firms are almost nonexistent, and the numbers are mostly stagnant despite the increase of minority hires. This means black attorneys are not granted full access in the profession if they cannot reasonably expect to make it to the highest levels of their profession. To illustrate, here are the numbers of black partners over an approximate 35-year span for a few Philadelphia law firms. Story continues Firm Black Partners 1984 Black Partners 1994 Black Partners 2018 Blank Rome 1 1 2 Dechert 0 1 1 Drinker Biddle 1 1 1 Morgan Lewis 0 3 2 Pepper Hamilton 2 1 4 Schnader 1 1 1 *These metrics were presented by the Tucker Law Group at the firm's CLE presentation titled, "Standing on the Shoulders: the Black Philadelphia Lawyer." After nearly 175 years, there is still much progress to be made. The Pennsylvania legal community should not underestimate the impact changing institutions has on creating opportunity for individuals. With institutions like the The Legal continuing to provide diversity metrics, chronicling the triumphs of black and minority Pennsylvania lawyers alike, and connecting the legal community, we can hope to keep firms accountable and accelerate progress. Talented, diverse attorneys are ready for the opportunity, firmslearn from historyswitch it up and get ready for the benefits. Tianna K. Kalogerakis, an associate at Kang Haggerty & Fetbroyt, concentrates her practice on commercial litigation and business disputes such as breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty, and business torts. She also serves at the president of the Barrister's Association of Philadelphia, which provides a forum for discussion and dissemination of information of matters of particular interest to Black attorneys and the Philadelphia Black community at large. Honolulu (AFP) - Pacific island nations have vowed to oppose US efforts to increase its catch limit in the world's largest tuna fishery, saying the proposal does nothing to improve sustainable fishing. The United States is expected to try to increase its quota for bigeye tuna at a meeting of the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) taking place in Honolulu this week. The meeting brings together 26 nations to determine fishing policy in the Pacific, which accounts for almost 60 percent of the global tuna catch, worth about $6.0 billion annually. It is mostly made up of small island nations but also includes so-called "distant-water nations" that come from as far afield as Europe, China, the United States, South Korea, Japan and Taiwan to fish Pacific tuna. Island nations regularly accuse them of being reluctant to curb the lucrative industry in the interests of long-term conservation. President Donald Trump's administration will push this year to catch more bigeye -- one of the most sought after species of tuna for sashimi -- as a reward for complying with the commission's monitoring rules. All fishing fleets are supposed to carry independent fisheries observers on at least five percent of their boats as means of ensuring quotas are not exceeded and to collect accurate data. However, most nations aside from the United States ignore the monitoring requirement. Ludwig Kumoru, chief executive of a Pacific island grouping called the Parties to the Nauru Agreement, said the US bigeye quota should not be lifted simply because it was following the rules. "Good reporting should not be used as a condition to increase catch," he said Monday. "We should instead concentrate on bringing conservation measures that actually support sustainable fishing." The head of the Pacific Islands Forum's fisheries agency FFA, Manu Tupou-Roosen, said her aim was to "maintain the strength of the tropical tuna measure (protections) and not to weaken the existing provisions". Story continues The Pew Charitable Trust described the US proposal as "an interesting idea" but was cautious about any measure that lifted the overall bigeye catch. "If you increase the catch of bigeye through one proposal, you need to kind of rein it in (elsewhere) in a different way," the environmental group's tuna conservation specialist Dave Gershman said. "If they can structure it in a way where it doesn't lead to an increase in bigeye catch then that would be the way to go, but at this point, not sure about that." The meeting in Honolulu ends on Friday. Pembina Pipeline (NYSE: PBA) recently outlined its 2019 capital plans and earnings forecast. That outlook has the Canadian midstream company on track for continued growth in the coming year. Add that to the company's 5.4%-yielding dividend -- which it pays monthly -- and Pembina Pipeline is an intriguing stock for income-seeking investors. Drilling down into Pembina Pipeline's budget for 2019 Pembina Pipeline expects to invest 1.6 billion Canadian dollars ($1.2 billion) on expansion projects in the coming year. About 53% of those funds will go toward projects in its pipeline division, including the phase VI and VII expansions of its Peace Pipeline system, which should enter service in the second half of 2019 and the first half of 2021, respectively. In addition to that, Pembina will invest funds to complete two other projects that should both start up in the second half of next year. Several pipelines with the sun shining brightly. Image source: Getty Images. Meanwhile, a quarter of the company's budget will fund projects in its facilities division, including the development of Duvernay II and III, which are gas-processing plants supported by 20-year contracts with Chevron (NYSE: CVX). Those projects should start up at the end of 2019 and in mid to late 2020 and will enable Chevron to ramp up its activities in Canada's Duvernay shale play. Most of the rest of Pembina's spending will go toward longer-term capital projects. These investments include funds to progress its proposed Jordan Cove LNG project on the coast of Oregon and to further advance a major petrochemical joint venture in Canada. Pembina currently believes it will receive approval to build Jordan Cove by the end of next year, which puts it on track to begin exporting LNG by 2024. Meanwhile, the company and its Kuwaiti joint venture partner are working toward making a final investment decision on their petrochemical project by early next year. The fuel to continue growing Pembina Pipeline is currently working on starting up 750 million Canadian dollars ($560 million) of expansion projects. Those new additions, when combined with the ones it expects to finish in the second half of 2019, have the company on pace to generate CA$2.8 billion to CA$3 billion ($2.1 billion to $2.2 billion) of adjusted EBITDA next year. At the midpoint, that forecast implies about 4% growth from the middle of this year's guidance range, which should provide the company with enough fuel to increase its dividend by a similar pace in 2019. While that's a much slower pace than the 14% earnings increase the company expects on a per-share basis in 2018, that's because Pembina closed its acquisition of Veresen near the end of 2017 and had completed a large slate of expansions in the past year to fuel accelerated growth in 2018. Story continues Meanwhile, with several long-term projects either under way or in development, Pembina Pipeline should continue growing for the next several years. In the company's view, the secured capital projects it has under way, which currently total CA$3.1 billion ($2.3 billion), should provide it with CA$300 million to CA$400 million ($224 million to $298 million) of incremental EBITDA as they come online through 2021. Meanwhile, the company has another CA$4.5 billion ($3.4 billion) of other expansion projects in development and could invest more than CA$10 billion ($7.5 billion) building Jordan Cove and the petrochemical complex. Those opportunities could give Pembina the fuel to grow earnings and its dividend at a healthy rate for the next several years. Another step forward 2019, with even more upside ahead Pembina Pipeline's earnings growth rate will slow down in 2019 as it has fewer expansion projects entering service. However, that still positions the company to continue increasing its dividend in the coming year. Meanwhile, Pembina has several large-scale projects in development, which could fuel faster growth in the future. That upside potential makes it an interesting pipeline stock for income investors to at least put on their watchlists. More From The Motley Fool Matthew DiLallo has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Maureen Whale died on December 5 the day after being burgled while she was home alone. A post-mortem examination has revealed stress as a result of the burglary triggered heart problems that caused her death. A pensioner who was burgled while alone in her lifelong home died of heart problems triggered by shock and stress, a post-mortem examination has confirmed. Retired medical secretary, nurse, librarian and air stewardess Maureen Whale, 77, collapsed at home while on the phone to a 999 operator shortly before 6pm last Tuesday. She died the next morning. Detectives are now treating her death as manslaughter as they hunt three burglars linked with four break-ins in her neighbourhood. Police have released CCTV of suspects after Maureen Whales home in Barnet was burgled on December 4. One climbed over the outside gate of her home in Barnet, opened the gate, then entered the house with an accomplice while a third kept look-out at the window. They stole her handbag and today a picture of her brown leather purse was released by police in an attempt to help the investigation. They also took jewellery and around 30 worth of Turkish Lira and 100 of Euros. A spokesman for Scotland Yard said: A post-mortem examination on Friday at Northwick Park Hospital gave the cause of death as coronary heart disease death brought on by the stress of the incident, caused by the stress of the break-in. Her death is now being treated as manslaughter. Maureen Whale died of stress as a result of the burglary. On Tuesday her family paid tribute to Maureen, saying she was looking to celebrate her 78th birthday this week. Her nephew Lawrence and her niece Gina said in a statement: It is heart-breaking that our Aunt Maureen is no longer with us; this last week has felt like a nightmare. She should have been safe in the house that she lived in all her life and we now ask how this could have happened? The last thing she or anybody else would have ever expected, is for burglars to break in whilst she was at home. This must have been a truly terrifying ordeal for her. All we think about now, is of how vulnerable and scared she must have felt. Police have released an image of a car that was in the neighbourhood the night Maureen Whale was burgled while she was home alone. She died as a result of heart complications triggered by stress and the Met Police has confirmed a manslaughter investigated is under way. Detectives today urged two boys on a bike who may have witnessed the four-minute break-in at her home to come forward. Scotland Yard also urged the criminal underworld to shop the trio in. Story continues Police outside the home of pensioner Maureen Whale, in Barnet, who died after stress triggered a heart condition when she was burgled while home alone on December 4. (SWNS) Detectives are linking the manslaughter in Bells Hill, Barnet, with two other break-ins in the same road and another in Sampson Avenue, Barnet. The break-ins at Bells Hill were reported to police at 6.20pm having happened around 5.35pm. Three quarters of an hour later police were told the trio struck again half a mile a way in Sampson Avenue breaking in after 11.45am. Again the broke in by rear patio doors stealing between 200 to 300 as well as around $900. Detectives have also linked a further attempted burglary at Raydean Road. I cant breathe. These were the final words uttered by Washington Post jounalist Jamal Khashoggi after he was set upon by a Saudi Arabian hit squad inside the countrys consulate in Istanbul on Oct. 2, 2018, reports now say. The gruesome details of Khashoggis murder surfaced after a transcript of an audio recording of his painful last moments was released by Turkish intelligence. A source briefed on the investigation who read the transcript of the audio recording and talked to CNN said Khashoggi almost immediately realized that all was not well when he recognized a former Saudi diplomat and intelligence official working for Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. He asks the man what he is doing there. You are coming back, the man says. You cant do that, Khashoggi replies. People are waiting outside. Without any further dialogue, the source said, the transcript indicates that several people set upon Khashoggi. Noises follow, and very quickly Khashoggi is fighting for air. As the transcript continues, it is clear Khashoggi is not yet dead. The transcript notes the noises that can be heard on the tape.. Scream. Scream.Gasping. After uttering his last words, Khashoggi falls silent. Then, the transcript notes the sounds of Khashoggis body being dismembered by a saw. Saw. Cutting. The perpetrators are then advised to listen to music to block out the sound. The transcript indicates that a series of phone calls are then made, suggesting a senior official in Riyadh was being briefed on the progress. The latest revelations seem to dovetail with the CIA conclusion that the crown prince had personally ordered Khashoggi, who has been critical of him, killed. They also seem to contradict the official Saudi line that the murder was a rogue operation gone wrong. To a less extreme extent, the Duterte administration has also exhibited an unhealthy tendency to silence its critics, whether they be the political opposition, journalists that are critical of President Duterte, or troublesome 71-year-old nuns who are too outspoken for their own good. The notion that a healthy debate allows the best ideas to surface and is essential to democracy does not seem to figure in the current political equation. Tying up the political opposition and critical news organizations in lawsuits seem to be de rigueur these days, while deportation seems rather effective against missionaries and other foreign critics. As for the pesky Catholic bishops, the President made clear that he believes they should be killed because these fools are good for nothing except criticizing the government. Will he provide a saw as well, we wonder. Photo credit: Getty Images From Car and Driver UPDATE 12/27/18: The Reuters news service is reporting that ousted Nissan chairman Carlos Ghosn paid a Saudi Arabian businessman, using what were allegedly Nissan funds, in exchange for helping him wipe away personal losses. Ghosn's representatives reportedly said the payments, which totaled $14.7 million between 2009 and 2012, were made for "legitimate business purposes," although it is entirely unclear what these payments were for or how exactly Ghosn was allegedly involved. Reuters, citing two unnamed company sources, said the Saudi, whom it named as Khaled Al Juffali, had previously arranged a letter of credit for Ghosn to help him out of a financial reverse. Japanese authorities have re-arrested Ghosn; this is his third arrest on financial charges. UPDATE 12/20/18: Carlos Ghosn was reportedly granted the possibility of posting bail, then saw the offer revoked after less than a day, the Wall Street Journal is reporting. The Tokyo District Court rejected prosecutors' request to extend his detention time, but then new charges were filed claiming he violated Japan corporate law by passing nearly $17 million in losses in 2008 to Nissan from a company he owned personally. These charges, the paper reports, are stopping him from posting bail to leave jail. The ousted Nissan chairman and his associate Greg Kelly were arrested on November 19 on financial misconduct charges and have been held in the Tokyo Detention Center. UPDATE 12/13/18: The embattled former leader of Renault, Nissan, and Mitsubishi, still in jail in Japan over financial irregularity charges from Nissan, is retaining his status as chairman and CEO at Renault. The French automaker's board of directors met today and made that announcement, stating that it finds Ghosn's compensation reports were "in compliance with applicable law" in France. Photo credit: Renault - Car and Driver Japanese prosecutors have formally charged Renault CEO Carlos Ghosn for making "false disclosures" about his income with Nissan, the automaker said on Monday. Ghosn had been Nissan and Mitsubishi chairman before his arrest in Japan in November. Now, stripped of those titles and three weeks into his detention in a Tokyo prison, he may face a 10-year sentence if convicted. Story continues The alleged crime is that Ghosn violated Japan's Financial Instruments and Exchange Act by omitting tens of millions of dollars of his income from Nissan's public filings. The automaker was swift to condemn Ghosn and came close to admitting its own share of fault as prosecutors charged the company with the same crime. "Nissan takes this situation extremely seriously," the company said in a statement. "Making false disclosures in annual securities reports greatly harms the integrity of Nissans public disclosures in the securities markets, and the company expresses its deepest regret." Nissan CEO Had Been in Ghosn's Sights for Removal In an interesting bit of timing, according to unnamed sources speaking to the Wall Street Journal Ghosn had been trying for months to remove Nissan CEO Hiroto Saikawa to "shake up the senior-management ranks" and was set to propose that the board remove Saikawa at a meeting in November. Ghosn was arrested in Tokyo on November 19. Since then, Ghosn has not been allowed bail, was initially arrested without any charges, and a court extended his prison stay while investigators questioned him. In Japan, such due process for criminal suspects is far different from what would take place under U.S. and European laws. According to the Wall Street Journal, prosecutors will pile more charges on him to "reset the clock," effectively keeping Ghosn in jail for another three weeks and possibly longer unless he confesses to their charges. Nissan may be fined the equivalent of $6.2 million for each year of affected financial statements, and Ghosn and former board director Greg Kelly each face up to 10 years in prison. At this time, prosecutors have not charged Ghosn with improper use of company assets, such as the Dutch subsidiary that Nissan has alleged he created to buy homes in Brazil and Lebanon. Ghosn, indirectly through reports in Japan's media, maintains that the unreported income was deferred until his retirement and that the amounts were not fixed. What is most perplexing is why Nissan's top accounting executives, knowing exactly how much the company paid Ghosn each year, approved his disclosed pay in securities filings over the past decade and only now have run into trouble. ('You Might Also Like',) Additions Pittsburgh firm Pollock Begg Komar Glasser & Vertz announced the addition of Ashley M. Majorsky. Majorsky, a divorce attorney and certified business valuation analyst, joins as an associate. She will focus her family law practice on meeting the unique equitable distribution, custody and support needs of clients with complex financial histories. Majorsky began her career as a certified business valuation analyst before attending the University of Pittsburgh School of Law. She worked as a law clerk for the Family Law Clinic and Pollock Begg. She is admitted to practice in Pennsylvania and maintains active membership in the Allegheny County, Westmoreland County and Pennsylvania bar associations. ***** Grim, Biehn & Thatcher of Perkasie added attorneys Julieanne E. Bateman, Mitchell H. Baylarian and Ian W. Peltzman to the firm. Bateman's areas of practice include civil litigation, employment law, domestic relations and criminal law. Prior to joining the firm, she was an assistant district attorney in Franklin County and clerked for Bucks County Court of Common Pleas Judge Robert O. Baldi. She received her law degree from The Catholic University of America's Columbus School of Law. Baylarian's areas of practice include family law and criminal law. Baylarian previously worked at the Chester County Public Defenders Office and at a law firm in Doylestown. He was appointed by the Bucks County Court of Common Pleas in 2016 as a conflict attorney representing parents in children and youth matters. He received his law degree from Pennsylvania State University. Peltzman practices in elder law, estate planning and estate administration. Peltzman recently completed the Mediation/Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Training Certification course. He received a law degree from Boston College and is currently pursuing a master of laws degree at Temple University. Speakers Henry M. Sneath of Houston Harbaugh was lead presenter of How to Keep Secrets SecretThe Litigation and Defense of a Defend Trade Secrets Act (DTSA) Case to the Q. Todd Dickinson Intellectual Property American Inn of Court. The event took place in U.S. District Judge Cathy Bissoon of the Western District of Pennsylvania's courtroom. The presentation focused on recent developments and litigation strategies under the Defend Trade Secrets Act. Sneath is chair of Houston Harbaughs intellectual property practice and co-chair of the firms litigation practice. He has federal and state court trial experience and has represented clients in numerous DTSA and intellectual property matters. He also serves as an adjunct professor of law at Duquesne University School of Law where he teaches trade secret law, and the law of trademarks and unfair competition. Story continues Announcements The Legal and Pennsylvania Law Weekly are looking for verdicts and settlements to report. If youre a plaintiffs or defense attorney who has obtained a verdict or settlement in Pennsylvania county or federal court recently, email Zack Needles at zneed Gavin McInnes, the founder of the violent neo-fascist gang the Proud Boys, was fired from Blaze Media, and his YouTube account was disabled the latest in a series of professional setbacks for the far-right bigot. The Blaze, founded by conservative pundit Glenn Beck, merged with CRTV last week to form right-wing media giant Blaze Media. McInnes hosted a podcast with CRTV called Get Off My Lawn, which he used to discuss his anti-Muslim and misogynistic beliefs. Blaze Media no longer has a relationship with Gavin McInnes, and per company policy, cannot comment on personnel matters, the company tweeted Saturday. Blaze Media no longer has a relationship with Gavin McInnes, and per company policy, cannot comment on personnel matters. BlazeTV (@CRTV) December 9, 2018 Asked for comment Monday about his firing, McInnes told HuffPost he believed there has been a concerted effort to de-platform me and claimed he was the victim of lies and propaganda. Someone very powerful decided long ago that I shouldnt have a voice, he wrote in an email. Im finally out of platforms and unable to defend myself. ... We are no longer living in a free country. McInnes, who co-founded Vice before leaving the media company in 2008, quit the Proud Boys last month a day after a report indicated that the FBI had described them as an extremist group with ties to white nationalism. The FBI has since denied classifying the group as an extremist group, The Washington Post reported Friday. In October, members of the Proud Boys violently assaulted leftist protesters outside the Metropolitan Republican Club in Manhattan, where McInnes spoke earlier that evening. At least nine of them were arrested days later. His ouster from Blaze comes after several social media platforms, including Facebook and Twitter, banned him over their policies prohibiting hate speech and violent extremist groups. He has also been kicked off Amazon and PayPal. Story continues The Daily Beast reported Monday that McInnes YouTube profile and channel have been deleted. McInnes said YouTube received complaints about copyright violations for old videos featured on his page. A statement on his channels now-defunct page reads, This account has been terminated because we received multiple third-party claims of copyright infringement regarding material the user posted. Asked if McInnes has been banned from the platform, a YouTube spokesperson said in a statement Monday that the company terminates the accounts of repeat offenders. When a copyright holder notifies us of a video that infringes on their copyright, we act quickly to remove content, as is required of us by law, the spokesperson said. According to YouTubes copyright strikes policy, a copyright offender may submit a counternotification arguing that a video in question was misidentified as infringing or qualifies as a potential fair use. McInnes told HuffPost he plans to file counternotifications for the copyright complaints. This story has been updated with additional comments from YouTube and McInnes. CLARIFICATION: A previous version of this story stated the FBI labeled the Proud Boys an extremist group. The bureau has denied making that classification. Related Coverage The Proud Boys, The GOP And 'The Fascist Creep' FBI Categorizes Proud Boys As An Extremist Group, Documents Reveal The Proud Boys Are Imploding Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today. This article originally appeared on HuffPost. retire in germany Germany has become a popular destination for American retirees due to its reasonable costs, excellent healthcare system and well-kept infrastructure. The weather may not be on the level of Thailand or Portugal, but if you dont mind some chilly winters, Germany could be the retirement destination youre looking for. Average Cost to Retire in Germany As any financial advisor will tell you, one of the most important factors to consider when building a retirement plan is your cost of living. Like any other country, how much money youll need to live in Germany will depend on the city you choose. According to Numbeo, a website that collects pricing data from citizens, the average monthly budget youll need in Germany (excluding rent, but including food, utilities, transportation and recreation) would be the equivalent of around $920. This will be slightly higher in the biggest cities like Munich, Hamburg or Berlin, and it will be lower in smaller cities like Dresden and Hanover. Thats about the same monthly budget youd need to live in a U.S. city like Atlanta, Georgia, and cheaper than a large city like Chicago, Illinois (which would require a monthly budget of around $980). Rent in Germany is 31.09% lower than in the U.S., according to data from Numbeo. Rent on a one-bedroom apartment in the center of the city can cost you as much as $1260 in a city like Munich and as low as $590 in a city like Leipzig. This wide range in rent prices is similar to the U.S., where a one-bedroom in New York City can easily clear $3,000 a month, and an identical apartment in Albuquerque, New Mexico can go for $830. Healthcare in Germany Health insurance is mandatory for all permanent residents of Germany. The majority of residents receive publicly financed insurance from one of 124 Statutory Health Insurance (SHI) insurers, also known as sickness funds. SHI coverage includes preventive services, inpatient and outpatient hospital care, physician services, mental health care, dental care, optometry, physical therapy, prescription drugs, hospice and palliative care. SHI plans typically have copayments of between $6 and $13 for prescription drugs or medical devices. For an inpatient hospital stay, the copayment is typically around $11.50 per day for the first 28 days. Story continues There are more than 100,000 SHI-accredited physicians in Germany working in ambulatory care. Roughly half of these are general practitioners, internists and pediatricians. The other half are specialists. These physicians are typically compensated on a fee-for-service (FFS) basis that follows a uniform fee schedule. Physicians and SHI insurers negotiate to come up with the fee schedule. Hospitals work slightly differently. Roughly half of hospital beds are in public hospitals; about a third are in private, not-for-profit hospitals; and the rest are in private, for-profit hospitals. The doctors in hospitals are salaried and mostly work only in inpatient care. Unless youre dealing with highly specialized services or an emergency, youll most likely need a referral for inpatient care. For inpatient care, you pay per admission according to a system of diagnosis-related groups (DRGs) that are revised each year. If your income is above $71,564, you have the option to opt out of SHI coverage and purchase private coverage instead. Only 11% of the population in Germany, or one fourth of eligible residents, choose this route. Visas for Retirees in Germany As an American, you can stay in Germany for up to 90 days without a visa. To stay longer, youll need to apply for a temporary residence permit (Aufenthaltserlaubnis) during your initial 90 days. This will more than likely require your passport, proof of German address, proof of health insurance and evidence that you can financially support yourself without working. Temporary residence permits last one year, and theyre fairly easy to renew. Once youve spent five years in Germany, you can receive a more permanent settlement (Niederlassungserlaubnis). Depending on your specific circumstances, this may require you to demonstrate knowledge of the German language and society. If you prefer, you can also apply for your temporary residence permit through the German consulate while youre still in the U.S. This may be the safer plan; while plenty of Americans obtain permits for retirement, receiving one isnt guaranteed. retire in germany Housing in Germany Even in retirement, home buying isnt as widespread in Germany as it is in the U.S. According to Statista.com, only 51.4% of German residents owned a home in 2017, one of the lowest figures in Europe and well below the U.S. rate of 64.4%. If you are looking to buy a property, youll need a mortgage from a German bank. Youll need to assure the bank that you intend to stay in Germany for the long haul in order to secure approval. Additionally, you should be ready to pay more than 20% for your down payment, as some banks and sellers view expats as riskier buyers than locals. Youll also need to pay some extra fees including property sale tax, notary fees, registration fees and estate agents fees. All of these can add up to around 10% of your propertys price. Because of the complications that come with home buying, you may choose to rent a place in Germany. One thing to know about renting in Germany is that many apartments dont come equipped with appliances like refrigerators or dishwashers. Youll likely need to purchase those separately. Air conditioning isnt essential for summers, but youll definitely need heat for the winters. Weather in Germany is similar enough from city to city. You can expect the temperature to peak in the low 70s (Fahrenheit) in the summer and drop to the high 20s in the winter. Taxes for Retirees in Germany Exactly how youll be taxed once you retire in Germany will come down to a number of factors that are specific to you. However, there are a few broad guidelines that you can plan ahead for. First, youll have to pay some sort of income tax in Germany. For income above $10,263 but below $62,666, youll be taxed at a rate of 14%. Above $62,666, youll be taxed at a much higher rate of 42%. Any income that surpasses $297,119 will be taxed at a 45% rate. The German tax year is the same as the U.S. tax year: January 1 to December 31. The typical deadline to submit tax returns in Germany is May 31. Youll still need to file a U.S. tax return as an expat, even if you dont end up having to pay any U.S. taxes. Its unlikely youll have much income originating from outside the U.S. in retirement. If you do, however, you can use a few different provisions to reduce your U.S. taxable income. These include the foreign earned income exclusion, the foreign tax credit and the foreign housing exclusion, among others. Due to Article 19 of the U.S. German Tax Treaty, your U.S. Social Security income will have German taxes levied on it, but not U.S. taxes. If youd like to forecast your tax burden more specifically, you may want to consult with a tax expert who is familiar with both U.S. and German tax laws. retire in germany Bottom Line If youre looking to spend your third act abroad, Germany has a lot to offer. Youll have access to the resources of a developed country without paying an arm and a leg for it. While it may not be replete with pristine beaches or cloudless skies, Germany could be just the right place for you. Tips for Saving for Retirement An essential part of saving for retirement is making sure the money you save remains untouched. Dipping into your savings may seem tempting if youre low on cash, but youll pay for it down the line. Consider creating an emergency fund instead. There are many different ways to save for retirement. Youll most likely need to supplement the income you receive from Social Security; the most popular vehicles are an IRA or a 401(k) plan. Whatever you do, start early so you can take advantage of compound interest. While retirement preparation is extremely important, it can also be confusing and overwhelming. If youd rather not go it alone, talking to a financial advisor could be a big help. SmartAssets financial advisor matching tool can pair you with up to three qualified financial advisors in your area. All you have to do is answer a few questions about your financial situation. Then, the tool will do the rest of the work for you so you can get the help you need. Photo credit: iStock.com/serts, iStock.com/kzenon, iStock.com/LukasBischoff The post How to Retire in Germany appeared first on SmartAsset Blog. Related Articles: MOSCOW (Reuters) - Two Russian cosmonauts have taken samples of their capsule's exterior in the sixth hour of a spacewalk seeking to resolve the mystery of a small hole found in the craft docked at the International Space Station, a live broadcast by Russian space agency Roscosmos showed early on Wednesday. Roscosmos has ruled out a manufacturing defect causing the 2 mm-wide hole found in August on the Russian Soyuz capsule, but NASA has sought to dampen speculation of sabotage. The puncture has since been sealed, halting the oxygen leak. Officials said the crew - three U.S. astronauts, two Russian cosmonauts and one German - were never in danger. Oleg Kononenko and Sergey Prokopyev's spacewalk, originally expected to last for six hours, began at 1600 GMT on Tuesday. After more than five hours of a rare broadcast - showing the cosmonauts in space trying to cut through an insulate of the spacecraft with a knife - they uncovered the external part of the hole, originally discovered in the capsule's internal covering, and took samples of the exterior insulation. In line with the instructions from the control center, they also took pictures of the external side of the hole. "It is time to go home," a voice from the control center said shortly before the cosmonauts started moving back toward the space station. (Reporting by Polina Devitt; editing by Andrew Cawthorne, G Crosse) Moscow (AFP) - Russians on Tuesday paid their last respects to human rights icon Lyudmila Alexeyeva, with President Vladimir Putin expected to attend a memorial ceremony despite the activist's criticism of his rule. Alexeyeva died on Saturday at the age of 91 after an extraordinary seven-decade career that saw her promote human rights during the Soviet era and in modern Russia. Prominent opposition figures and ordinary Russians queued in the snow amid heavy security to pay their respects to the activist in central Moscow. But Alexeyeva's 77-year-old colleague Lev Ponomaryov, who is currently serving a 16-day jail sentence for calling protests, was absent after a court denied his appeal to attend. Top Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny, who has repeatedly been jailed for organising anti-Putin demonstrations, was at the event. Dmitry Gudkov, an opposition politician who queued to bid farewell to Alexeyeva, told AFP that Putin's expected attendance was "more than contradictory". "Ponomaryov is under arrest but everything is closed off so that Putin can come," he said. "He probably wants to look human. But it looks disgusting on the background of what's happening in the country," he added. Riot police lined the streets outside Moscow's Central House of Journalists where the ceremony was taking place. Mourners had to pass through metal detectors to get inside the building, which was cordoned off by police. "Everyone respected her," said Nataliya Magnitskaya, a pensioner who queued to bid farewell to Alexeyeva. Many carried flowers and some wore t-shirts bearing slogans in support of activists serving jail sentences in Russia. Olga Trusevich, a 54-year-old archivist, wore a t-shirt in support of Oyub Titiev -- a rights activist detained in Chechnya. Alexeyeva was the leader of the Moscow Helsinki Group, one of Russia's oldest rights organisations which she helped found in 1976. Story continues In the Soviet era, she campaigned against trials for dissidents and endured numerous searches and interrogations at the hands of the KGB. Alexeyeva continued to campaign for human rights in modern Russia, refusing to register the Moscow Helsinki Group as a "foreign agent" as required by a 2012 law. She slammed Moscow's seizure of the Crimea peninsula from Ukraine in 2014 for "bringing shame on my country". Alexeyeva died in a Moscow hospital on Saturday after a long illness. She will be buried at Moscow's Troyekurovskoye Cemetery. SeaChange (SEAC) came out with a quarterly loss of $0.05 per share in line with the Zacks Consensus Estimate. This compares to earnings of $0.09 per share a year ago. These figures are adjusted for non-recurring items. A quarter ago, it was expected that this video software company would post a loss of $0.17 per share when it actually produced a loss of $0.21, delivering a surprise of -23.53%. Over the last four quarters, the company has surpassed consensus EPS estimates just once. SeaChange, which belongs to the Zacks Communication - Components industry, posted revenues of $18.61 million for the quarter ended October 2018, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 7.49%. This compares to year-ago revenues of $23.43 million. The company has topped consensus revenue estimates three times over the last four quarters. The sustainability of the stock's immediate price movement based on the recently-released numbers and future earnings expectations will mostly depend on management's commentary on the earnings call. SeaChange shares have lost about 55.2% since the beginning of the year versus the S&P 500's decline of -1.5%. What's Next for SeaChange? While SeaChange has underperformed the market so far this year, the question that comes to investors' minds is: what's next for the stock? There are no easy answers to this key question, but one reliable measure that can help investors address this is the company's earnings outlook. Not only does this include current consensus earnings expectations for the coming quarter(s), but also how these expectations have changed lately. Empirical research shows a strong correlation between near-term stock movements and trends in earnings estimate revisions. Investors can track such revisions by themselves or rely on a tried-and-tested rating tool like the Zacks Rank, which has an impressive track record of harnessing the power of earnings estimate revisions. Ahead of this earnings release, the estimate revisions trend for SeaChange was mixed. While the magnitude and direction of estimate revisions could change following the company's just-released earnings report, the current status translates into a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) for the stock. So, the shares are expected to perform in line with the market in the near future. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. Story continues It will be interesting to see how estimates for the coming quarters and current fiscal year change in the days ahead. The current consensus EPS estimate is $0.15 on $26.07 million in revenues for the coming quarter and -$0.21 on $70.22 million in revenues for the current fiscal year. Investors should be mindful of the fact that the outlook for the industry can have a material impact on the performance of the stock as well. In terms of the Zacks Industry Rank, Communication - Components is currently in the top 26% of the 250 plus Zacks industries. Our research shows that the top 50% of the Zacks-ranked industries outperform the bottom 50% by a factor of more than 2 to 1. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report SeaChange International, Inc. (SEAC) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research The US has installed a number of observation posts overlooking the Turkish border in Kurdish-controlled parts of northern Syria, in a move that has antagonized Washingtons Nato ally, as it prepares for an offensive on its southern border. The observation posts are being established in areas along the border where there is a potential for clashes between Turkey and Kurdish forces, Nouri Mahmoud, a spokesperson for the Kurdistan Workers Party (YPG) told the United Arab Emirates publication, The National, on Tuesday. The Kurdistan Workers Party is a militia waging a decades-long insurgency against the Turkish government. He refused to disclose how many observation posts the US has established, but said the regions of Tel Abyad, Ras Al Ain and Kobane, were among the places were observation posts were deemed necessary. Iraqi Kurdish outlet Rudaw reported on Friday that US forces have established at least five posts along the border, the National recalled. Spokesman for the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces Mustafa Bali told The National that their purpose was to deliver a message to Turkey that the coalition and its Kurdish partners in Syria do not pose a threat to Turkeys security. Turkish Vice President Fuat Oktay called on the US on Monday to act as a partner that respects Ankaras operations against Kurdish rivals stationed across the border. As Turkey, our expectation from the US is for it to act according to the spirit of the alliance in every single area, Mr Oktay was quoted as saying by Turkeys state-run Anadolu Agency. We also want to see an America that respects Turkeys fight against terrorist organizations, he said, adding that an operation against Kurdish groups positioned in areas adjacent to Turkeys southern border is on the agenda. Earlier on Friday, Turkeys Defence Minister Hulusi Akar told US Syria envoy Jim Jeffrey that the US should stop building posts along the border. The US should cut ties with the YPG, which is no different from the PKK, Mr Akar told the US envoy, according to Anadolu Agency. The PKK group is designated a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States and the European Union and works closely with the YPG. The US should also call off its plan to set up observation points in northern Syria, Mr Akar said. President Recept Tayyip Erdogan has sent troops into northern Syria to attack Kurdish positions before and is reportedly angered by the observation posts. According to US Defense Secretary James Mattis, the posts are there to warn its NATO ally of any threats to Turkish territory. Turkish leaders see it as a plan to protect the Kurds. London (AFP) - Will Britons end up stranded at Heathrow? Will UK shops run out of Swiss cheese and French wine? The possibility of Britain breaking off from its main trading partner without any arrangements in place are growing as the March 29 exit date nears. MPs return from their winter breaks Monday with little having changed since Prime Minister Theresa May aborted a December vote on a draft agreement she reached with Brussels because of its certain defeat. The truth is no one really knows what would happen in case of a "no-deal Bexit" because Britain is the first to leave the bloc. But here are some things London is telling its citizens to brace for in the first days of a worst-case scenario. - Rip-off roaming - Phone addicts could be out of luck. 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 Northern Ireland to watch out for "inadvertent roaming" when straying too close to the EU border with 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 have lost their licences would create chaos that ripples across the world. London and Brussels are making contingency plans that will allow UK carriers to continue flying to EU countries even if the draft withdrawal agreement is never approved. But these are bare-bones arrangements that do not allow British airlines to conduct intra-EU flights. - Forms, forms, forms - Britons could need to start signing their name. A lot. Thousands of companies in Britain that do business with Europe would have to fill out reams of customs and duties declarations. British tourists to the EU 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 have new passports. Story continues 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 months 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 an online store might start looking slightly less tempting post-Brexit. The British government says "increased costs and slower processing times" for payments made in euros are a possibility. Parcel deliveries could also 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 become harder. Britons could theoretically lose access to streaming services while abroad -- everything from Spotify to Amazon Prime -- because the UK would no longer be in Europe's "digital single market". And the Eurostar service itself might be in trouble because old licences 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. The nations 86 GI-protected products make up a quarter of 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. This is the moment former cabinet minister Sir Norman Tebbit was spoken to by police after he apparently ran over a tourists foot in his car outside Parliament. Video footage of the aftermath shows a furious elderly Dutch tourist lashing out at Margaret Thatchers former trade secretary on Monday. Sir Norman, 87, was briefly spoken to by an officer before being allowed on his way whilst the angry pedestrian argued with the policeman. The entire episode was caught on camera by David Clews, 36, who was filming a live video on the Brexit protests for his Facebook page. Lord Norman Tebbit was spoken to by police after appearing to run over the foot of a Dutch tourist outside the Houses of Parliament. (SWNS) In the clip he immediately recognised the driver of the black Chrysler Grand Voyager as the former Chingford MP Norman Tebbit. Mr Clews continued to film as he approached the entrance to a members car park outside the Houses of Parliament just after midday. From a distance, the video shows the car stopping, reversing, and then the elderly man getting up from the floor ahead of the vehicle. Sir Norman, who is now a Conservative peer in the House of Lords, served under Margaret Thatcher as both Secretary of Employment and Secretary for Trade and Industry in the early 80s. Lord Norman Tebbit was spoken to by police after appearing to run over the foot of a Dutch tourist outside the Houses of Parliament. (SWNS) Speaking on the video, the cameraman said: Someones just been run over. Someones just been run over. The guy just ran over someone. Ladies and gentlemen, Norman Tebbit. No its not Norman Tebbit is it? Is that? Its Norman Tebbit. Are you Norman Tebbit? You just ran over someone. Sir Norman Tebbit, pictured her attending the funeral of Baroness Thatcher at St Pauls Cathedral in London, in 2013. Video shows Sir Norman being spoken to by police after apparently running over a mans foot outside the Houses of Parliament. (PA) When he is asked if he is Norman Tebbit, the pensioner appeared to say: Pardon? He then looked away from the camera and did not confirm his identity and drove forward. He is then stopped by the victim who comes to the open drivers side window. Dressed in a cream coloured coat and with a camera hanging around his neck, he told the former MP: No you listen to me you listen to me, I looked. No, no, no, no, no. Lord Norman Tebbit was spoken to by police after appearing to run over the foot of a Dutch tourist outside the Houses of Parliament. (SWNS) He also appeared to slap Sir Normans hand which was hanging out of the window during the encounter. A woman then joins the grey-haired gentleman and spoke to Sir Norman before the uniformed officer rejoined the group. Story continues The tourist gestured at his foot and at the car tyres as the officer asks him if he is ok. He then said this guy and pointed at Sir Norman and the road while gesticulating angrily. Sir Norman did not get out of the car during the incident and instead watched on from the drivers seat while a police officer dealt with the tourist. Just before he walked away from the car, the officer tapped the inside of the drivers window and nodded at Sir Norman, who then put the car into gear and drove forward. Speaking after the incident, Mr Clews said: It was absolutely crazy the things you see in Parliament Square. I turned around and Norman Tebbit was in this car and even though he had gone over the mans foot he just kept going. The guy was shouting at him and at one point he slapped his hand. Usually at that car park, people pump their horn to let pedestrians know they are trying to turn in but Tebbit didnt do that. The guys foot looked sore. I chatted to him afterwards and he told me he was Dutch and visiting London. Sir Norman was made chairman of the Conservative Party in 1985 but retired from cabinet in 1987. The life peer then retired from Parliament in 1992 and has since sat in the House of Lords as Baron Tebbit of Chingford. Mr Clews, a pro-Brexiteer had been broadcasting the protests in the area for his page Unity News Network. A spokesperson for the Met Police said they had not been contacted following the incident. The spokesperson said: No complaint has been made to police. Theres not much we can do about it. Sir Norman has yet to comment. Katowice (Poland) (AFP) - Ministers from nations imperilled by rising seas and temperatures on Tuesday called for drastic action at UN climate talks deadlocked over a refusal by big polluters to embrace landmark environmental data. The COP24 summit in Poland is scheduled to finish at the end of the week but delegates are still worlds apart when it comes to agreeing on a rulebook making good on the promises nailed down in the 2015 Paris climate accord. Tuesday saw ministers begin to put forward their country's case for action, with several from small island states threatened with oblivion pleading for progress. "We all need to act now and fast, but I must stress it requires a strong political will by us leaders," said Taneti Maamau, president of Kiribati in the Pacific. The Paris deal committed nations to limiting temperature rises to well below two degrees Celsius (3.6 Fahrenheit) and beneath the safer cap of 1.5C if at all possible. But in the three years since, greenhouse gas emissions have continued to rise and there are fears the political will to act is waning. The talks were thrown into tumult over the weekend when the United States, Saudi Arabia, Russia and Kuwait blocked a proposal from 44 small island nations for the UN body to "welcome" a recent UN report that drew the starkest climate picture to date. Unveiled in October, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) "special report" concluded that CO2 emissions must drop a quarter within 12 years to stay under 2C, and by nearly half to cap warming at 1.5C, seen as a safer guardrail against catastrophic extreme weather. The four nations disagreed with the motion, and proposed that the UN climate body simply "note" the report, rather than "welcome" it. - 'We can avert disaster' - This added yet another hurdle to the already painstaking negotiating process. A draft summary of the concluding COP24 text seen by AFP suggests nations "acknowledge the report and/or its quality" and invites them "to use the information in the report" -- far from what the at-risk countries are demanding. Story continues US President Donald Trump, who said last month he did not believe his own government's climate change predictions, has said he will renege on the Paris pledges. But the US is still part of the UN climate process as its pre-standing commitments last until 2020. Without naming any of the four hold-outs, Cook Islands Prime Minister Henry Puna accused some nations of "not willing to accept the stark realities outlined in this report." The situation was so sensitive that UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres made an unscheduled return to the talks on Tuesday as he was "concerned about how the COP was going", a UN source told AFP. "Science has provided unequivocal evidence to prove we can avert this dire situation and achieve a 1.5C scenario for our planet but we need selfless and visionary leaders with the political courage and conviction to act together now," Samoan Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi told delegates. Patricia Espinosa, the UN's climate chief, said Tuesday that "many political divisions remain". Addressing ministers during a plenary session, she added: "Each one of you has the power to finish what you were sent here to do. This is the time for concensus, for compromises to be reached for the good of all people." The same storm system that unleashed rain and heavy mountain snow in the Northwest early this week will deliver a fresh blanket of snow to ski resorts across the Rockies into Wednesday night. As the snow streaks into the Rockies on Wednesday, accumulating snow will be confined to the ski resort areas and higher elevations. The reason that any significant amount of snow will fail to reach lower valley locations is because the storm will be splitting into two pieces as it moves eastward. The first piece will move into central Canada by Thursday, while the second piece diving into the southern Plains spawns the storm system expected to bring milder air and soaking rain to the southern and eastern United States late in the week. In addition, gusty, westerly winds will shred the snow apart as it tries to move off the mountains and into the valleys. Thus, Denver and Havre and Great Falls, Montana, should only receive a few snow flurries while less than an inch of snow falls in Salt Lake City and Boise, Idaho. Rockies midweek snow 12.12 AM "Despite the lower snowfall amounts, gusty winds will lead to blowing and drifting snow and reduced visibility at times," AccuWeather Meteorologist Brett Rathbun warned. Wind gusts frequenting 50-70 mph are forecast for many areas from western and central Montana to north-central and northeastern Colorado as a Chinook wind event unfolds through Wednesday night. Download the AccuWeather app to stay on top of the latest winter storm watches and warnings. Rockies Winds 12.12 AM "Some of the peak gusts may reach 80 mph through some of the passes and along the adjacent eastern slopes, which are strong enough to cause damage and pose danger to motorists," according to AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Alex Sosnowski. Rathbun said that the highest snowfall amounts are expected to occur across Yellowstone National Park in northwestern Wyoming, where 6 or more inches are possible. Although the snow will create slick roadways and cause slippery travel for motorists venturing out across the region, ski resorts in the mountains of Colorado and Utah suffering from below-normal snowpack will welcome any snow that can give a boost to the industry. Story continues TradeWx - Stop worrying TradeWx provides access to the CX weather market to allow you to trade the results of different weather events. Learn more on TradeWx.com. cyberbullying This article appeared in Cybersecurity Law & Strategy, an ALM publication for privacy and security professionals, Chief Information Security Officers, Chief Information Officers, Chief Technology Officers, Corporate Counsel, Internet and Tech Practitioners, In-House Counsel. Visit the website to learn more. As convenient, useful and cool mobile technology and interconnected devices are, they come with risks that remain largely unseen or, worse, ignored. Some pose security risks, like those present in voice-activated devices that can access bank information, unlock doors, and control water temperature, and others pose privacy risksespecially for children. For manufacturers, they also pose regulatory litigation, and insurance risks, especially when children end up using their smart products. For example, Californias recently passed Internet of Things cybersecurity law will be requiring reasonable security features. In addition to data breaches involving this sensitive datacompromises that could follow a child through his or her entire lifeone of the key laws that makers of IoT devices have to worry about is COPPA, the Children Online Privacy Protection Act. Collecting Data Under COPPA Under COPPA, any company that collects information, directly or indirectly, must provide parents with detailed terms and conditions, allow parents to stop the company from gathering data at any time, take reasonable steps to safeguard the data, and delete the data once the purpose of the collection has been fulfilled. Furthermore, the company is not allowed to distribute any childs information to any third party, with a few, limited exceptions. But, why would, say, a refrigerator maker have to worry about COPPA? If the smart refrigerator incorporates voice-activated apps designed to promote healthy eating among children, for example, a 12 year old could have her voice listened to, potentially recorded and acted upon. Suddenly, this refrigerator manufacturer can be subject to regulatory fines for not following COPPA to the letter. Traditionally, only companies marketing to children had to concern themselves with COPPA, but with the IoT and even expansion of targeted, online advertising, more companies potentially fall into COPPAs net. To determine whether a company is marketing to children, the FTC will look at: the subject matter of the site or service, visual and audio content, the use of animated characters , the age of models, the presence of child celebrities or celebrities who appeal to kids and other factors. However, COPPA also contains a catchall provision for any operator that has actual knowledge that it is collecting personal information from a child. If a companys website or services ask for age, grade, or any other details that allow a company to identify the age of users, then they could have actual knowledge of children. For example, as a result of collecting age data, the FTC fined Yelp $450,000 because, by requesting age when registering an account, they were aware of the collection of information on children under 13, and they failed to follow the COPPA notice and parental consent requirements. While Yelp was not designed to help children find a review on the latest craft breweries or get revenge for a cold burrito, the FTC invoked the actual knowledge clause to fine them. But lets say you arent actually a website provider, but instead are in the industry of pop-up ads and spam content. Even these industries may be exposed to liability under COPPA. Third party services providers, including ad network and plug-in operators can be liable under COPPA if they are informed about the child-marketing nature of the sites for which they provide ads or plug-ins. This means even though a ten-year-old may want to learn how a startup company has revolutionized car insurance in their zip code or how scientists are baffled by this one neat trick to lose weight fast, those ads may be subject to COPPA penalties, even if it is not being marketed to children intentionally. Conversely, if you are the operator of a childrens website or app and you allow third parties to collect advertising information, you can be the one held liable. For example, the app developer Retro Dreamer was fined $300,000 for allowing third-party advertisers to gather information that originated in their apps like Ice Cream Jump, Happy Pudding Jump, Ice Cream Drop, Sneezies, Wash the Dishes, Cat Basket and Tappy Pop. Story continues COPPA Penalties The penalties for violating COPPA vary, but they can be up to $41,484 per violation. These numbers can add up quickly, and a seven-figure settlement is not unheard of. In a recent case, the childrens tech company VTech was fined $650,000 for violating COPPA following a data breach that led to the disclosure of 6.3 million childrens profiles that VTech collected. Whether through integrating smart components or through integrating ad companies on your website, new COPPA pitfalls abound. And there are many challenges to COPPA compliance, especially if you do not fully realize you are subject to COPPA. Of particular interest is the requirement to delete data collected from minors, even without any request to do so. As the FTC reminded companies in a May 2018 press release, COPPA requires the data be deleted once it has fulfilled the purpose for which the information was collected. This means the burden is on companies to determine when the data has served its purpose, and they must act unilaterally to delete unused data. For those already undertaking GDPR compliance, the concept of data minimization is already familiar, even if it remains painful. But, even for those companies that have escaped the GDPR, if they collect childrens data, they must know to delete it. Another requirement concerns location information. The FTC has recently warned two foreign companies, Gator Group Co. Ltd. and Tinitell, Inc., over the distribution of mobile phones and smartwatches that were marketed to children. These devices gathered location information through the use of a GPS receiver without prior parental consent (yes, location of a child is protected by COPPA as well). These warnings also indicate FTCs determination to exercise jurisdiction even over non-US companies. Furthermore, in a 2014 incident, Mattel was fined $250,000 for embedding YouTube videos in their websites that enabled Google to track the demographics of the user. While Mattel was careful with most of their sites, this oversight allowing for third-party tracking was still sufficient for the FTC to levy a fine. Situations such as Mattel are easily repeatable across any IoT device or website that could have third party data tracking, if the manufacturer of the device either markets to children, or knows children are using their devices. The IoT complicates companies duties and requirements under COPPA by putting devices in the hands of children everywhere. For example, in the VTech case, VTechs software was designed to work across various devices, some of which were portable. This highlights the threat of IoT childrens devices and toys when data breaches occur. However, given the soon to be ubiquity of sophisticated IoT devices, there is a real danger that children could be entering personal information in devices that were not designed as childrens toys and lack the appropriate COPPA disclosures. For a more interesting hypothetical, lets say that an ambitious engineer decides it would be a fun feature to have a smart toaster sing Happy Birthday to you every year and congratulate you on your age (Im sure wed all love to hear our toaster remind us of our age every year). Without realizing it, that company may have just produced a non-COPPA compliant smart toaster if the device recorded a name and birth date. While it seems like a ridiculous example, it highlights the possible risks that the IoT pose to unsuspecting and well-intentioned companies. Audio and Visual Recordings While our Smart-Toaster (patent pending) is certainly a threat under COPPA and totally fabricated, the most realistic, novel risk under COPPA comes from the changes in the data that is protected by the Act. COPPA protects the usual personal information such as Social Security numbers and names, but it was extended in 2013 to have a significant IoT impact. In 2013, the FTC added any photograph, video, or audio file that contains a childs voice or image to its list of protected information. The FTC clarified their position in October 2017, in the eloquently named Enforcement Policy Statement Regarding the Applicability of the COPPA Rule to the Collection and Use of Voice Recordings. In the FTCs Policy Statement, the Commission delivers good news and bad news. On a positive note, the FTC clarified that this rule is not intended to require each and every voice recording to need parental consent to be recorded. For voice-activated devices (a key feature of IoT devices), voices can be collected so long as they are a replacement for written words that is used to perform a search or fulfill a verbal instruction. However, these recording may be kept for only a limited time, and must be deleted almost immediately after use. Furthermore, the companies who record these voices are still required to give notice provided by the COPPA Rule, including clear notice of its collection and deletion policy. Finally, these guidelines do not modify COPPA in any way, so if a child is asked to give his or her name verbally or the device saves a recording online, and the company knows the speaker is under 13, there is an immediate trigger of the full COPPA rule. A very concerning aspect of IoT devices and COPPA stems from the risk of the audio and video recordings if there is a data breach. As we saw in VTech, a company may fall victim to COPPA violations if they fail to reasonably safeguard their data. If, for instance, a company is maintaining video or audio recordings of children, even with parental consent, and there is a breach of that data, the company will likely face COPPA and private actions. It is one thing to lose names of children, but when associated pictures and voice recordings get stolen, record breaking COPPA fines and class actions may ensue. Insurance Concerns Whether it is VTech purposely gathering information about children or a Happy Birthday-singing smart toaster gone rogue, the companies that produce IoT devices may be hit by numerous claims stemming from the same cyber incident. On one hand, the FTC and state governments may bring a COPPA action on behalf of the affected individuals; on the other hand, the consumers themselves (or their parents) may have a private right of action for the theft of their data and invasions of their privacy. Additionally, the recent trend is for consumers to also push for a quasi-COPPA claim on the basis of state laws before they experience any harm following a breach. Currently, companies are fending off the recent quasi-COPPA classes. VTech managed to defeat two class action certification attempts using conventional cyber defenses, first on a lack of standing without actual harm, and second, by defeating an implied promise of security argument. The plaintiffs of these quasi-COPPAs have taken various approaches ranging from the breach of contract/implied promises in VTech to the more recent purported class against YouTube utilizing the California constitutional right to privacy as the cause of action. Regardless of the certification of any of these classes (which to date, we do not believe any court has certified a quasi-COPPA based action), the costs associated with defending a large class action can quickly escalate. As troubling as it is to incur the costs of litigation, IoT manufacturers may also start to feel equal heartburn over how to pay for these fines and lawsuits. Traditionally, a refrigerator or a toaster was only a risk for product defects, which are covered through a casualty policy. However, as companies continue to integrate technology into their devices, there is an opening for cyber liabilities that traditional insurance policies may not cover. For instance, suppose a smart device with a camera is hacked, revealing access into a consumers home and capturing family videos. In this Big Brother-esque scenario, the average casualty policy would not likely be available to cover the loss that arises due to a software vulnerability. Furthermore, as insurers continue to tighten the wording of so-called silent cover (coverage for cyber events in property or casualty policies) the window is closing on companies abilities to get coverage for cyber events through non-cyber policies. Analysis Given all of this, what should be taken away from this discussion of COPPA and IoT? First is that COPPA is growing as a security and privacy risk for a variety of advertising companies, e-commerce platforms, and for manufacturing companies across the board looking to develop integrated or smart products. Violating COPPA does not come cheap, and it can be another kick when a company is still down from a data breach. While no court has found that a data breach creates a per se violation of COPPAs reasonable security standard, it seems like the two actions may occur hand-in-hand when childrens information is lost or stolen. Second, whether class actions succeed in certifying or not, private class actions will occur under quasi-COPPA theories, and that can create high defense costs regardless of the outcome. Third, even if a company doesnt market to children, a COPPA claim can be a threat within the IoT if a child inputs their personal information and a company doesnt have parental permission to collect that information. Fourth, insurance coverage should be re-evaluated with an eye to cyber risks. Finally, if your childs toys start asking too many personal questions, disconnect them from Wi-Fi. Jeff Higel is a Vice President Claims Expert at Swiss Re Corporate Solutions, handling Cyber, Aviation, and Technology claims. Jeff is a New York licensed attorney. Michael Bahar, a partner at Eversheds Sutherland (US) LLP, is the co-lead of the Global Cybersecurity and Data Privacy team. He was previously Staff Director and General Counsel for the Minority Staff of the U.S. House Intelligence Committee, and prior Deputy Legal Advisor to the National Security Council. Mike Nelson co-chairs the Eversheds Sutherland (US) Class Action Team where he represents publicly traded companies and privately held corporations in complex business litigation. This article is intended to be used for general informational purposes only and is not to be relied upon or used for any particular purpose. Swiss Re shall not be held responsible in any way for, and specifically disclaims any liability arising out of or in any way connected to, reliance on or use of any of the information contained or referenced in this article. The information contained or referenced in this article is not intended to constitute and should not be considered legal, accounting or professional advice, nor shall it serve as a substitute for the recipient obtaining such advice. U.S. stocks returned to the green in another volatile trading session for investors, after Trump says he would be Proud to shutdown the government if he doesnt get a border wall. Plus, Cowen says Amazon stock could jump 40%. Its our call of the day. And, where do you hide in this market? Veteran trader Lee Munson gives us the playbook. Plus, believe it or not, companies are leaving China because of its tariffs. We have the latest. Josh Carlton made off-color comments to a high school theater class about the recent suicide of the school principal. (Photo: Facebook/JoshSCarlton) A substitute teacher has been dismissed from a high school in Springfield, Ore., and banned from the entire school district for making inappropriate jokes about sexual abuse, harassment and suicide that hit close to home for students. The transgression was brought to light by a students secret audio recording, in which the teacher, Josh Carlton, can be heard delivering an impromptu comedy routine to a theater class of 20 to 30 kids at the Academy of Arts and Academics on Thursday, according to the Register Guard newspaper. Most of Carltons jokes allegedly addressed the recent death by suicide of the schools former principal, Mike Fisher, who, at the time of his death, was under police investigation for allegedly sexually abusing and raping a student for years, starting when she was 14. Sometimes I look through old texts, you know, because Im lonely, and I run into a conversation with my old boss, Carlton said about Fisher, his former supervisor, in the recording. And its weird because he was reminding me that I need to get certified to teach science, but I wasnt reminding him not to hang himself after his 10 years of sexually assaulting and abusing a former student. Carlton went on to critique the kind of culture that leads to sexual abuse and lamented his inability to confront Fisher while he was alive for being sexist, according to the Register Guard. I had the power to say something, but I let my fear of confrontation get in the way, and now hes dead and Im glad hes dead because he was terrible, Carlton is heard saying. He added that his jokes wouldnt add insult to injury because Fisher is already dead. But it was the students he apparently hurt by making the off-color jokes in class; some of the teens can allegedly even be heard gasping in shock during the recording. Students told the Register Guard that Carltons skit made them uncomfortable while they were trying to move on from the distressing events. Story continues It makes me feel disappointed that its still going on almost a year to the date, one student told reporters. That he would still mention it and speak to kids about it a lot of people are still in shock, and its a fresh wound and its shocking and disgusting. Springfield Public School District spokeswoman Jen McCulley addressed the situation on Monday, calling Carltons observational humor inappropriate and absolutely inconsistent with the districts expectations of its faculty. She confirmed that Carlton was the teacher who joked about the suicide and that he had taught math at the high school nicknamed A3 for 40 days at the beginning of the school year until a permanent replacement was hired. After the concern was brought to our attention he was removed from our system and will not be working in Springfield classrooms moving forward, McCulley said. Carlton has taught at many local high schools, according to his LinkedIn profile, including Roseburg High School and Phoenix Charter School. In a statement to Yahoo on Tuesday, Carlton expressed regret for the incident, calling the comments to students an unprofessional choice. He explained that he had been planning to try his hand at standup comedy in the fall, and the jokes he had written were inspired by the #MeToo movement. I started thinking about how our culture feels designed to let all men get away with so much, which started me thinking about the ways I am complicit in that culture, he said. Thats when memories of Principal Fisher burst through into his writing. I was often frustrated because it felt like Mike didnt listen to women, but I didnt say anything about this to him. I made comments not really jokes, even about my weakness to stand up for women in this way and made some connections to how those small steps might lead to a better culture. Still, Carlton admits the students at A3 were not the appropriate audience for his material. When I wrote those jokes I decided I could never tell them in Eugene or Springfield, because it would be too close, he said, but he claims he caved after one of the theater students urged him to perform the jokes. I gave in to the request, against my better judgment. Students and faculty at A3 have been riding a tumultuous wave following the scandal and ensuing death of Principal Fisher on Feb. 1. It was originally a charter school, but in March, the district announced it would be taking over. Its charter status was dissolved, and it was declared an alternative high school before being categorized recently as a regular high school, according to the Register Guard. A new principal has since been hired as the community recovers. Yahoo Lifestyle has reached out to the Springfield Public School District for additional comment. Read more from Yahoo Lifestyle: Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter for nonstop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day. A sign is pictured at the entrance to a Planned Parenthood building in New York: Lucas Jackson/Reuters The Supreme Court has sided with Planned Parenthood in its fight for funding, denying appeals by Kansas and Louisiana who sought to end its public funding through Medicaid, Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Brett Kavanaugh unexpectedly aligned with four liberal justices in declining to review the petitions that would have placed a ban on abortion providers. Defunding Planned Parenthood has been a key priority for Republicans, with Mr Kavanaughs controversial confirmation sparking concerns among reproductive rights activist that he would back moves to overturn or restrict legal rights and access to abortions. The top court left the rulings from the lower court that halted Kansas and Louisiana from revoking public healthcare funding from Planned Parenthood and its affiliates. Although Planned Parenthood affiliates in Louisiana does not perform abortions, some in Kansas do. Only in extreme circumstancesincluding a situation where a womans life is in dangerwill Medicaid pay for abortions. We regret todays decision from the US Supreme Court announcing that it fell one vote short of taking our case against Planned Parenthood, Kansas Governor Jeff Colyer, a Republican, said in a statement. Those who dissented were Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito and Neil Gorsuch.In order for an appeal to be reviewed, four justices must agree to accept the case. Mr Thomas argued that his opposing colleagues opted to cower to politics instead of the law. So what explains the courts refusal to do its job here? I suspect it has something to do with the fact that some respondents in these cases are named Planned Parenthood, Thomas wrote in dissent. Some tenuous connection to a politically fraught issue does not justify abdicating our judicial duty, he added. Several states attempted to defund the womens health organisation after undercover video footage in 2015, filmed by anti-abortion activists, portrayed Planned Parenthood making profits from selling fetal tissue and body parts from abortions. Planned Parenthood has outright denied these claims, citing that the videos were heavily edited and misleading. After a series of investigations, the authorities found no evidence done of wrongdoing done by the organisation. Story continues The 5th US Circuit Court of Appeals blocked Louisianas Medicaid cuts in 2016, saying defunding the organisation would harm patients. The 5th Circuit also said there was no dispute that Planned Parenthood was qualified to provide medical services, and that Louisiana was seeking to eliminate funding for reasons unrelated to its qualifications. The 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a lower court ruling in February that Kansas does not have the right to end Medicaid funding to Planned Parenthood, arguing states cannot halt funding for reasons unrelated to the providers competence and the quality of the healthcare it provides. In addition, four other appeals court ruled in favour of Medicaid patients having the right to access the provider of their choice. On the other hand, the 8th US Circuit Court of Appeals held a conflicting ruling that said states have the power and right to terminate a providers Medicaid contract, and that patients cannot challenge that decision. The Monday SCOTUS ruling allows for the split decisions to stand in different federal circuits, POLITICO reported. Planned Parenthood has praised the Supreme Courts decision to protect its government funding. We are pleased that lower court rulings protecting patients remain in place,Leana Wen, president of Planned Parenthood Federation of America, said in a statement published on Monday. Every person has a fundamental right to healthcare, no matter who they are, where they live or how much they earn. The U.S. Supreme Court declined its first opportunity to rule on abortion since the confirmation of Justice Brett Kavanaugh. The news on Monday may come as some consolation to abortion rights advocates who opposed Kavanaugh, fearing that the judge who was replacing moderate retiring Justice Anthony Kennedy would immediately work to restrict access to abortions. However, both supporters and opponents of abortion rights argue that the Supreme Court may have simply wanted to avoid taking on an abortion-related case so soon after Kavanaughs rancorous confirmation fight, and that the justices will likely return to the issue in the future. The cases, Gee v. Planned Parenthood of Gulf Coast and Andersen v. Planned Parenthood of Kansas and Mid-Missouri, both questioned whether Medicaid recipients have the right to challenge a states decision to block Planned Parenthood from receiving federal funding. The Supreme Court opted not to hear appeals of lower court rulings that were favorable to Planned Parenthood. The cases were only tangentially related to abortion federal dollars cannot fund the procedure. The states had instead cut off funding for other services at Planned Parenthood, including sexually transmitted infection and cancer screenings. Abortions accounted for 3% of the medical services Planned Parenthood provided in 2016, the group said. Planned Parenthood received about $544 million in government funding about 37% of total revenue. The decision split the conservative-leaning justices. Three justices, Samuel Alito, Clarence Thomas and Neil Gorsuch, issued a dissenting opinion, but Chief Justice John Roberts and Kavanaugh did not join them. What explains the courts refusal to do its job here? I suspect it has something to do with the fact that some respondents in these cases are named Planned Parenthood, Thomas wrote in his statement. He noted that the cases werent directly related to abortion. In public statements, officials from Planned Parenthood declared the Supreme Courts decision to be a victory both for their organization and for womens access to healthcare. Story continues We are pleased that lower court rulings protecting patients remain in place, said Dr. Leana Wen, President of Planned Parenthood Federation of America. Every person has a fundamental right to health care, no matter who they are, where they live, or how much they earn. As a doctor, I have seen whats at stake when people cannot access the care they need, and when politics gets in the way of people making their own health care choices. Outgoing Kansas Gov. Jeff Colyer said in a statement that the failure of his states case would not affect his resolve to cut funding to Planned Parenthood. We regret todays decision from the U.S. Supreme Court announcing that it fell one vote short of taking our case against Planned Parenthood, Colyer said. My support of the pro-life movement will not be diminished by todays development, and I look forward to future victories in defense of the right to life. Melissa Murray, a New York University law professor who specializes in constitutional and reproductive law and testified against Kavanaughs confirmation, says the Supreme Courts decision not to hear the case will protect healthcare access for women who rely on Medicaid, including those who are indigent, live in rural areas and have limited financial resources. However, Murray cautions that the courts decision on Monday should not be taken as a sign that the new court will not address abortion-related cases in the future. Instead, she says, Roberts and Kavanaugh may have wanted to combat the public perception that the addition of Kavauagh would make the court more conservative. [Chief Justice Roberts] might be loathe to have the case before the court right now, Murray says. Murray says that it is also possible that the justices had decided not to hear the case for a banal reasonsuch as wanting to prioritize other cases. Nevertheless, Murray says, it is unusual that three justices wrote a dissent to the courts decision not to hear a case. Their opinion suggests that they are seeking to address abortion in future cases, Murray says. Its clear that there are three justices that are dying to hear this case, Murray says. She added that Kavanaugh and Thomas decision to withhold a dissent does not mean that they did not agree with the dissenting justices, but only that they did not want to hear the case at this time. Catherine Glenn Foster, President and CEO of Americans United for Life, argued that there is a clear split in the lower courts and that the Supreme Court is neglecting its duty to clarify the law. The very role of the Supreme Court is to clarify issues like this for the people and for the states and theyve left people without guidance. Foster says that she agreed with Thomass implication that the court was unwilling to decide on cases that are related to abortion care. However, she says she strongly suspects that the cases or another like them will return before the court soon. This issue is far from over, Foster says. Sooner or later the court is going to have to make a decision. The Arab League has written a letter to Brazils right-wing President-elect Jair Bolsonaro to warn him against moving Brasils embassy in Israel to Jerusalem. The body said that any such move would harm the South American countrys ties with Arab allies, according to the text seen by Reuters. Mr Bolsonaro comes into office on January 1 and has mooted relocating the diplomatic representation to the contested city after US President Donald Trump made the same move in May. His son Eduardo said after meeting Mr Trumps son-in-law Jared Kushner last month that the move was not a case of if, but of when. Ambassadors from Arab nations are expected to meet in Brasilia on Tuesday to discuss the future Brazilian leaders plan. The letter to Bolsonaro from the leagues Secretary General Ahmed Aboul Gheit was delivered to Brazils foreign ministry. The letter said the decision on where to locate an embassy was the sovereign decision of any country. However, it added, the situation of Israel is not normal, seeing that it is a country that has been occupying Palestinian territories by force among them East Jerusalem. Moving the embassy to Jerusalem would be considered a violation of international law and the United National Security Council resolutions, the letter said. Israels embattled Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has hailed Mr Bolsonaro for signaling that he will follow Mr Trumps suit. The Israeli leader, who is facing a wave of corruption allegations at home, is to attend the Brazilians inauguration ceremony. Credit card rewards are a great way to earn extra money, and people typically make good use of them such as for extra cash to spend as a credit against their bill. But there are many other creative uses for your credit card rewards points, which can help you save money in all areas of your life. Here are some of the more unexpected ways to use your credit card rewards to revamp your finances in 2019. Save for Your Future If you really want to maximize your rewards, you should be saving them for the future. You can deposit your cash-back rewards into a savings or investment account, then watch them add up and earn interest. Another option is to put your cash-back rewards into a retirement account, like a Roth IRA, that you dont touch until its time to retire. No matter what savings vehicle you choose, the key is to funnel all your cash back into the account and leave it there until you need it. Save for Your Kid's Future College is getting more expensive every year, and with so many other financial obligations, saving for college can be challenging. Putting your cash rewards toward a college fund when your kids are little can go a long way. Open a 529 college savings plan and deposit all your credit card rewards into it every single year. When the time comes to pay for college, your cash rewards will have grown, and you wont pay taxes on qualified withdrawals. Help Out Your Kids at College Once your kids get to college, youll find theres a lot more to pay for than just tuition. They need money for books, their dorm room and for food. Some credit cards allow an authorized person to redeem the rewards points earned on the primary cardholders account. So if your child has a credit card, or another account like savings or checking, they can easily redeem the rewards points youve earned to pay for their late-night study snacks. This is a nice way to slip your kids a few extra bucks at college without having to drain your savings. Story continues Pay Off Your Student Loans Are you still paying for your own college experience? Your credit card can be used to chip away at those loans so you can pay them off once and for all. Simply let your rewards points or cash-back rewards accrue, and when your balance reaches a certain level either one youve set or the minimum amount for your card redeem the rewards and put the money toward your student loans. To pay your loans off faster, make sure you still pay your minimum balance each month, and any additional payments you make using your credit card rewards or otherwise goes towards reducing your principal balance. Related: How This Expert Paid Off $40,000 in Student Loans in 7 Months Chip Away at Your Mortgage It can be challenging to find extra money to throw at your mortgage so you can pay it off faster. But by exchanging your rewards points for cash and directing that to your mortgage, you can put a little extra money towards your principal balance every month, so youll pay less interest overall and pay off your mortgage faster. Build Your Emergency Fund Finance experts agree that the first step toward financial independence is to have an emergency fund with three to six months of living expenses set aside. This will protect you in the event of a job loss, medical emergency or another unforeseen crisis. Its not easy to put that money aside for emergencies, especially if youre just starting out or are paying student loans. Taking the money from your credit cards cash back or rewards program and putting it straight into your emergency fund will help you get where you need to be faster. Go On the Vacation of a Lifetime If you travel frequently, you might have a travel credit card that gives you miles or points that you can use to save on even more travel. You could just use your rewards to take a few dollars off your next trip. Or, you could save up those miles and, when you have enough, trade them in for a trip youve always dreamed about. Save up enough points and you can pay for airfare, hotel, a rental car even meals and spending money at an exotic destination. Save for your dream trip even faster by looking for a travel credit card that offers a welcome bonus. Read This: Best Time to Travel in 2019 Plan a Family Reunion Family reunions are an event for everyone to look forward to, but with so many people involved, it can make planning and paying for things that much more complicated. Some credit cards allow you to pool your rewards points with other people who have the same card. By pooling points with your family members, your whole family can contribute towards paying for everyone to get together at a family reunion. Invest It Financial experts and self-made millionaires agree that investing is one of the best ways to build wealth. Putting your cash-back rewards or rewards points into an investment account is a great way to build yourself a nest egg. Whether youre adding to an existing account or starting a new one with your rewards, regular contributions, even if theyre small, will help you build wealth. Do Your Holiday Shopping If youre getting a new rewards credit card that comes with a welcome bonus, you could use those points to make a big dent in your holiday shopping. If youre already spending the money, it doesnt hurt to get rewards or cash back. Depending on how many people are on your shopping list, that bonus can cover all or most of your holiday shopping. Related: Save Money on Holiday Travel and Fly on These Days Give to Charity You can donate your rewards to charity directly by selecting this option through your credit card issuer. Some charities will take rewards points to use for necessary travel or to fund their efforts. The IRS says rewards points are discounts, not income, so you cant take a tax deduction for the points. You also have the option to redeem your points for cash and send a cash donation to the charity. Choose this option if you want to get a tax deduction for your donation. Use It for 'Fun' Money Everybody has a purchase theyd like to make, if only they had the extra money. Perhaps putting aside those credit card rewards will let you save up the money you need to buy that special item youve had your eye on but couldnt justify until now. These creative ways to use your credit card points or miles will make them feel like the rewards they are supposed to be. Up Next: Easy Ways to Save for Your Next Big Vacation This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: Surprising Uses for Your Credit Card Rewards One of the best investments we can make is in our own knowledge and skill set. With that in mind, this article will work through how we can use Return On Equity (ROE) to better understand a business. By way of learning-by-doing, well look at ROE to gain a better understanding Suumaya Lifestyle Limited (NSE:SUULD). Over the last twelve months Suumaya Lifestyle has recorded a ROE of 5.9%. One way to conceptualize this, is that for each 1 of shareholders equity it has, the company made 0.059 in profit. Check out our latest analysis for Suumaya Lifestyle How Do I Calculate Return On Equity? The formula for return on equity is: Return on Equity = Net Profit Shareholders Equity Or for Suumaya Lifestyle: 5.9% = 14.539045 247m (Based on the trailing twelve months to March 2018.) Most know that net profit is the total earnings after all expenses, but the concept of shareholders equity is a little more complicated. It is the capital paid in by shareholders, plus any retained earnings. The easiest way to calculate shareholders equity is to subtract the companys total liabilities from the total assets. What Does Return On Equity Signify? Return on Equity measures a companys profitability against the profit it has kept for the business (plus any capital injections). The return is the profit over the last twelve months. The higher the ROE, the more profit the company is making. So, as a general rule, a high ROE is a good thing. That means it can be interesting to compare the ROE of different companies. Does Suumaya Lifestyle Have A Good ROE? One simple way to determine if a company has a good return on equity is to compare it to the average for its industry. Importantly, this is far from a perfect measure, because companies differ significantly within the same industry classification. If you look at the image below, you can see Suumaya Lifestyle has a lower ROE than the average (7.9%) in the luxury industry classification. Story continues NSEI:SUULD Last Perf December 11th 18 That certainly isnt ideal. It is better when the ROE is above industry average, but a low one doesnt necessarily mean the business is overpriced. Still, shareholders might want to check if insiders have been selling. How Does Debt Impact Return On Equity? Most companies need money from somewhere to grow their profits. That cash can come from retained earnings, issuing new shares (equity), or debt. In the case of the first and second options, the ROE will reflect this use of cash, for growth. In the latter case, the debt used for growth will improve returns, but wont affect the total equity. Thus the use of debt can improve ROE, albeit along with extra risk in the case of stormy weather, metaphorically speaking. Combining Suumaya Lifestyles Debt And Its 5.9% Return On Equity While Suumaya Lifestyle does have a tiny amount of debt, with debt to equity of just 0.042, we think the use of debt is very modest. Its ROE is rather low, and it does use some debt, albeit not much. Thats not great to see. Judicious use of debt to improve returns can certainly be a good thing, although it does elevate risk slightly and reduce future optionality. But Its Just One Metric Return on equity is useful for comparing the quality of different businesses. In my book the highest quality companies have high return on equity, despite low debt. If two companies have the same ROE, then I would generally prefer the one with less debt. But when a business is high quality, the market often bids it up to a price that reflects this. It is important to consider other factors, such as future profit growth and how much investment is required going forward. Check the past profit growth by Suumaya Lifestyle by looking at this visualization of past earnings, revenue and cash flow. Of course Suumaya Lifestyle may not be the best stock to buy. So you may wish to see this free collection of other companies that have high ROE and low debt. To help readers see past the short term volatility of the financial market, we aim to bring you a long-term focused research analysis purely driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis does not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements. The author is an independent contributor and at the time of publication had no position in the stocks mentioned. For errors that warrant correction please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. Under the 2017 tax law, some churches, charities and other nonprofit organizations are being hit with a new tax on the value of transportation benefits provided to employees, including free parking. The Treasury Department has said it cant repeal or delay the tax on its own, but on Monday it offered new guidance that provides a way for some nonprofits to avoid the tax altogether. The new tax created by last years law was part of an effort to equalize the treatment of for-profit and nonprofit groups. It has been roundly criticized by nonprofit groups across the country. The new Treasury Department workaround allows nonprofits to simply remove reserved spots in their parking lots by taking down signs. This could be particularly beneficial for churches and other religious organizations, The Wall Street Journal says. Heres an example from the Journal of how it could work: [C]onsider a church with a 500-space parking lot where 50 spaces are reserved for employees and the remainder are open for parishioners. The church would have to pay taxes on 10% of its costs. But every reserved-parking sign the church removes between now and March 31 could reduce its tax bill. Once the taxable income goes below $1,000, nonprofits dont owe tax and dont have to prepare a special return. Not everyone is happy with the latest guidance, however. David Thompson of the National Council of Nonprofits told the Journal that the rules were too complicated. Repeal of the provision is the only reasonable response, he said. Like what you're reading? Sign up for our free newsletter. BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thailand will hold a much-delayed general election on Feb. 24, 2019, the Election Commission said on Tuesday, after the junta lifted a ban on political activity it imposed after taking power in a coup in 2014. The junta imposed the strict ban on political activity citing the need for order after months of street protests against the democratically elected government of former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra. The election, which many hope will restore democracy in Southeast Asia's second-biggest economy, will likely pit the populist political movement backed by former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and supported by many in rural areas against the military and royalist establishment. The Bangkok-based establishment seized power in successive coups in 2006 and 2014 and now has its own proxy political parties. The junta began easing the ban in September, when it allowed political parties to resume organizing ahead of an election expected in February. It still retains sweeping powers to maintain law and order despite lifting the ban, including conducting searches, freezing assets, and making arrests. The Election Commission confirmed the Feb. 24 election date on Tuesday, just before a statement announcing the ban on political activity had been lifted was published in the Royal Gazette. "The people and political parties will be able to take part in political activities during this period leading up to the election in accordance with the constitution," the statement said.. Thailand last held a successful election in 2011 but the Election Commission said it was ready to go ahead with the Feb. 24 poll. "The lifting of the ban means political activities can resume, including political campaigning, but this has to be done under the law," Deputy Election Commission Secretary-General Sawang Boonmee told Reuters. (Reporting by Panarat Thepgumpanat and Panu Wongcha-um; Editing by Paul Tait) WASHINGTON Thousands of active-duty troops deployed by President Donald Trump to the southwest border will be returning to their homes before the holidays, according to a Defense Department official. Most of those coming home will be troops deployed to the Texas-Mexico border, said the official who was not authorized to speak publicly about the matter because it has not yet been announced. The precise number of those returning is unclear, the official said. Trump ordered the deployment of active-duty troops to the border before the election in November to prepare for caravans of migrants from Central America who were streaming north toward the United States. The deployment was set to end Dec. 15, but it was extended for some last week by Defense Secretary Jim Mattis. There are about 5,200 active-duty troops assigned to duty on the border, including 2,200 in Texas, 1,650 in California and 1,350 in Arizona, said Army Lt. Col. Jamie Davis, a Pentagon spokesman. The deployment of some units is scheduled to end on Dec. 15, Davis said, but he did not have a precise number for those leaving. Mattis last week signed orders extending deployments for some troops through January. However, he told reporters Dec. 5 that troop levels would depend on requests from the Department of Homeland Security that the military is best able to perform, such as fortifying entry points. Much of that work has been completed in Texas, Mattis said, adding that some combat engineers will remain behind. "But a number of these troops will be coming off," Mattis said. "In other words, the continuation, first of all, is not of everybody. The missions that are done, they're coming home. So that will leave a modicum of engineers out there. You don't need many to move the last Jersey barriers or barbed wire barricades into position." The Pentagon has provided Homeland Security with helicopter transportation units and military police. There are an additional 2,100 National Guard troops on the border, and they are expected to remain there, Mattis said. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Thousands of active-duty troops to return from missions on the southwest border BETHLEHEM, West Bank, Dec 10 (Reuters) - Bethlehem is enjoying its busiest Christmas season on record, the Palestinian Ministry of Tourism said on Monday, with hotels in the birthplace of Jesus almost fully booked for the holiday. Tourism has recovered following a fall in knife and car-ramming attacks which helped push visitor numbers in the biblical city to a 10-year low in 2015. Bethlehem store owners also said they were benefiting from a surge of visitors to Israel in its 70th anniversary year. Filing past a sixteen-meter Christmas tree in Manger Square, lines of pilgrims squeeze through the narrow sandstone entrance to Bethlehem's Church of the Nativity, a centuries-old basilica whose grotto, Christians believe, is where Jesus was born. "We have never received this number of tourists coming to Palestine," said Palestinian Minister of Tourism Rula Maayah. "Especially in a city like Bethlehem, tourism creates waves throughout the economy." Hotel occupancy rates in Bethlehem are expected to exceed 95 percent by the end of December, the city's hoteliers' association said. "We are fully booked during the Christmas season," said Wissam Salsa, Manager of the Walled Off Hotel, a quirky Bethlehem guesthouse designed by the British street artist Banksy. "But of course, our hotel is fully occupied all of the time," Salsa added. "It is in the West Bank." The hotel overlooks a towering concrete section of the barrier that Israel has built through the occupied West Bank, cutting off Bethlehem from Jerusalem. Israel says the barrier stops suicide bombings, while Palestinians complain that it loops around Israeli settlement blocs in the West Bank, where they want to set up a state. Some American pilgrims in Bethlehem seemed to regard their visit as a continuation of a tour through Israel, rather than a trip to a Palestinian city. "Coming to Israel has always been on my bucket list," said Robyn Jackson, 36, a travel adviser from Phoenix, Arizona who was shopping for souvenirs in a Bethlehem street leading to Manger Square. "Being in Bethlehem and all the places where Jesus walked is amazing." Story continues For one group of American travelers, Israel's anniversary together with U.S. President Donald Trump's decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and to open an embassy there was certainly a factor. "I think excitement has been stirred because of the embassy move," said Keith Jiles, 55, a pastor from Atlanta, Georgia. "People had been afraid in the past to come. But excitement has built. And you're gonna see more tourism because of it," he said. Trump's Jerusalem decisions delighted Israelis but infuriated Palestinians and their allies, who warned that a unilateral move could lead to turmoil and hamper U.S. efforts to restart long-stalled Israeli-Palestinian peace talks. The last round of negotiations broke down in 2014. (Reporting by Rami Ayyub and Mustafa Abu Ganeyeh, editing by Ed Osmond) Donald Trump is set to announce his third chief of staff next week after revealing John Kelly would be leaving at the end of the year. The president's prime candidate for the job appears to be Nick Ayers, who currently serves in the same role for vice president. Mr Trump has held discussions with Mr Ayers about the job for months, an official told the Associated Press. More than two dozen senior figures in the administration have now been fired or quit since he took office in January 2017. Mr Trump has had the highest turnover of senior staff of any of the past five presidents, according to the Brookings Institution think tank. The growing list of political figures with whom he has parted company reveals two years of acrimony and chaos at the Trump White House. Heres a run-down of all the firings and resignations. John Kelly December 2018. Mr Trump has been in discussions for months about replacing Mr Kelly. The retired Marine Corps general was hired in July 2017 to bring order to the White House, but ultimately fell out with his boss. Matthew Whitaker December 2018. He was named acting attorney general in November this year, replacing Jeff Sessions. But he immediately came under scrutiny over past remarks about the investigation into possible Russian collusion with Mr Trump's presidential election campaign. Mr Trump said instead, he would be nominating William Barr as the next attorney general. Nikki Haley December 2018. She revealed in October she would be stepping down as US ambassador to the UN at the end of the year. Mr Trump has put forward State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert as her successor. She is also subject to Senate review. Jeff Sessions November 2018. After months of being attacked and ridiculed by the president, the former senator was forced out as attorney general, having served as the nations top law enforcement official since February 2017. Don McGahn October 2018. Mr Trump revealed in August that the White House counsel would leave following strains between the two over Robert Muellers investigation. Story continues Scott Pruitt July 2018. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) chief quit after he came under fire over a series of ethics controversies. David Shulkin March 2018. He left his position the Veteran Affairs secretary, telling the media he had been fired rather than resigning. HR McMaster March 2018. Mr Trumps national security adviser was replaced by John Bolton. Andrew McCabe March 2018. The deputy FBI director was fired by Jeff Sessions 26 hours before his scheduled retirement. He was accused of leaking information to the media. Rex Tillerson March 2018. The secretary of state was fired by the president on after a series rifts. Mr Trump tweeted earlier this month that Mr Tillerson was dumb as a rock and lazy as hell", after Mr Tillerson was fired in March (AP) Gary Cohn March 2018. The National Economic Council director and former Goldman Sachs president said he resigned his advisory role. Hope Hicks February 2018. The White House communications director, a long-serving and trusted Trump aide, decided to resign. Rob Porter February 2018. The White House staff secretary stepped aside following accusations of domestic abuse from former wives. Omarosa Manigault Newman December 2017. The former star of The Apprentice was fired as assistant to the president, and would go on to write a book about her time in the White House called Unhinged. Former reality TV star lasted a year at the White House (Reuters) Richard Cordray November 2017. The US Consumer Financial Protection Bureaus first director quit his administration role. Tom Price September 2017. The Health and Human Services secretary quit under pressure from Mr Trump over travel practices. Stephen Bannon August 2017. Mr Trumps chief strategist was fired in after clashing with other top White House figures, including the presidents son-in-law Jared Kushner. Anthony Scaramucci July 2017. The White House communications director was fired by Mr Trump after only 10 days on the job. Mr Scaramucci had openly criticised Mr Bannon. Mr Scaramucci last just 10 days (EPA) Reince Priebus July 2017. Replaced as chief of staff by John Kelly, Priebus lost Mr Trumps confidence after setbacks in Congress. Sean Spicer July 2017. Resigned as White House press secretary, ending a turbulent six-month tenure. Walter Shaub July 2017. The head of the US Office of Government Ethics, who repeatedly clashed with Mr Trump. Michael Dubke May 2017. Resigned as White House communications director. Former FBI director James Comey speaks during a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing (AP) James Comey May 2017. The FBI director, who led the Russia probe before Mr Mueller, was fired by Mr Trump. Katie Walsh March 2017. The deputy White House chief of staff was transferred out to a Republican activist group. Michael Flynn February 2017. Resigned in as Mr Trumps national security adviser. Mr Flynn later pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI. He is set to be sentenced later in December. Sally Yates January 2017. Mr Trump fired the acting US attorney general after she ordered Justice Department lawyers not to enforce is immigration ban. At least two opposition protesters were killed and several others wounded in Togo on Saturday when security forces opened fire to quell anti-government demonstrations in capital Lome. The opposition members, with their red T-shirts, chanting anti-government slogans were killed in the north of Lome. Protesters have held several rallies since August 2017, demanding an end to Togos 50-year ruling family dynasty. They want to see constitutional reforms introduced, including a two-term limit for presidents. President Faure Gnassingbe has been in power since February 2005, after the death of his father President Gnassingbe Eyadema who ruled the country for 38, since 1967. The country, ruled by Africas longest serving political dynasty will hold legislative elections this month as well as a referendum on constitutional reforms, the national poll body said. The main opposition coalition in the tiny west African nation is denouncing the December 20 legislative polls and called for new protests between 8 -18 December to halt the electoral process. Togolese security minister, Yark Damehane told AFP that an 8-year old was shot dead by individuals driving a non-registered 4X4 vehicles. He said a search was underway to find the vehicle and the crime perpetrators. On Thursday (Dec. 6), the government banned the planned protests citing very high risk to public order . Togo is among the lowest-ranking countries in the Human Development Index, according to 2015 United Nations data. Emmanuel Vitus, Berlin By Jeff Mason WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump is considering Republican Representative Mark Meadows, former campaign adviser David Bossie, and former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie for White House chief of staff, a source familiar with the search said on Monday. Another source said Trump was also looking at U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer for the job. The search comes after the president's initial choice for the job, Nick Ayers, bowed out on Sunday and as the White House braces for an onslaught of political and legal challenges in the coming year. On Saturday, Trump said his current chief of staff, retired General John Kelly, would be leaving the White House at the end of the year. The two men had clashed for months. Ayers, who is Vice President Mike Pence's chief of staff, had agreed to come on for an interim period but declined to commit to stay for the remaining two years of Trump's term. The new chief of staff will have to navigate a challenging political environment as Trump begins his third year in office and prepares for a 2020 re-election campaign. Democrats take control of the House of Representatives in January, and U.S. prosecutors are intensifying their probe into potential collusion between Trump's 2016 presidential campaign and Russia. Trump has denied any collusion, while calling the probe a "witch hunt." A White House official said Trump was considering four people for the position, but declined to give names. Other names that have come up for the job include Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, but a person familiar with Mnuchin's thinking said he believed he could serve better in his current position. White House budget director Mick Mulvaney is no longer interested in the job, said a source close to him, adding he would prefer to serve at the Department of Commerce or Treasury "if that's where the president needed him." Neither of those Cabinet-level secretary jobs is open at the moment. Lighthizer has gained prominence in the administration for his handling of trade negotiations. He is the point person for talks between the administration and China over trade, an issue likely to dominate the first part of 2019 and beyond. "The argument for Lighthizer is he'll be able to navigate trade negotiations - which could be a defining part of the presidency, and has run a major company," said one official familiar with the process. "The argument for Meadows is (Trump) ultimately wants a political strategist going into 2020 - which Mark is." Meadows said in an interview with Fox News Channel that he had not had a conversation with Trump about the opening since Ayers declined the offer, but added that serving as chief of staff was an honor and he was "favorably inclined to at least have a discussion with the president." Trump is expected to make a decision about the position by the end of the year. (Reporting by Jeff Mason; Additional reporting by Steve Holland and Makini Brice; Editing by Paul Thomasch and Peter Cooney) By Roberta Rampton and Susan Cornwell WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump openly fought with the top two Democratic lawmakers in the Oval Office on Tuesday about government funding, throwing into question whether a deal was possible ahead of a deadline later this month. In a remarkable public argument, the likes of which is seldom seen before cameras, Trump brawled with U.S. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer and House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi about funding for the wall he has promised to build on the southern border with Mexico. "If we dont get what we want, one way or the other - whether its through you, through a military, through anything you want to call - I will shut down the government," Trump said as the heated argument drew to a crescendo. "I am proud to shut down the government for border security, Chuck, because the people of this country dont want criminals and people that have lots of problems and drugs pouring into our country," he said before reporters left their ringside seats. Vice President Mike Pence sat beside Trump, silent and stone faced. Congress wants to finalize spending before a Dec. 21 deadline. While Trump's fellow Republicans control the House of Representatives and Senate until next month, Democratic support is needed to pass spending legislation. If the impasse cannot be resolved by Dec. 21, about one-quarter of the federal government immediately would be left without funding. Money for the rest of the government already has been appropriated. Ironically, in boasting he was "proud" to shut down the government for border security, Trump would be shuttering the very agency in charge of border security - the Department of Homeland Security. In past shutdown battles, workers deemed "essential" were instructed to work. Other federal agencies that also would face closures include the departments of State, Commerce and Agriculture, while visitors would not be allowed into federal parks. Trump has asked Congress for $5 billion for border security, while Schumer and Pelosi said they offered to extend funding at current levels, around $1.3 billion. That is less than the $1.6 billion a bipartisan Senate committee approved. When he ran for president in 2016, Trump vowed that a U.S.-Mexico border wall would be built and that Mexico would pay the full cost, an idea the Mexican government never embraced. The meeting did not last long after reporters were ushered out of the Oval Office. White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said in a statement it was a "constructive dialogue" and said Trump was "grateful" cameras captured him fighting to protect the border. Back on Capitol Hill, Schumer accused Trump of throwing a tantrum but said Trump told the Democrats he would consider their budget proposals, Schumer told reporters. Pelosi, who told reporters she thought the Democrats had left things "in a pretty good place," said she had asked Trump to pray to about resolving the dispute, recounting the biblical story of King Solomon asking God for wisdom. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Republican, told reporters, "I'd still like to see a smooth ending here and I haven't given up hope that's what we'll have." 'IT'S CALLED TRANSPARENCY' This rocky meeting was the first Trump held with Pelosi and Schumer since Democrats won control of the House in Nov. 6 elections, possibly foreshadowing battles to come next year. The fight kicked off when Pelosi told Trump that Americans did not want to see a "Trump shutdown," touching a nerve. Trump cut off Pelosi, arguing that he could not advance a funding bill without Democratic votes in the Senate. "If I needed the votes for the wall in the House, I would have them in one session, it would be done," Trump bragged. "Well then - go do it, go do it," Pelosi shot back. Senior White House staff watched the melee from the edges of the room, among them Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump, outgoing Chief of Staff John Kelly, immigration adviser Stephen Miller and Shahira Knight, his legislative director. "I don't think we should have a debate in front of the press on this," Pelosi said. "We're doing this in a very friendly manner," Trump said. Then Schumer brought up "Pinocchios" that Trump had been awarded by the Washington Post for misstatements on the issue and accused him of wanting to get his own way. "Let's call a halt to this," Pelosi said as the two went at it. "It's not bad, Nancy - it's called transparency," Trump said. When Pelosi brought up Republican election losses in the House, Trump retorted that his party won the Senate. "When the president brags that he won North Dakota and Indiana, he's in real trouble," Schumer said to the astonished press capturing the back-and-forth. Trump said that both sides agreed there was a need for border security. "Yes, we do," Schumer said. "Good," Trump said. "We do," Schumer said. "See, we get along," Trump said. (Reporting by Roberta Rampton, Susan Cornwell Doina Chiacu, Amanda Becker, David Alexander, Lisa Lambert and Susan Heavey; additional reporting by David Morgan; writing by Richard Cowan; editing by Phil Berlowitz and Cynthia Osterman) By David Shepardson WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Two U.S. senators from Ohio on Tuesday asked General Motors chief executive Mary Barra to commit to building all future electric vehicles for U.S. buyers at home and to provide more details of plans to cut back on car production in North America. The letter from Republican Senator Rob Portman and Democrat Sherrod Brown demanding answers to questions by Dec. 21 is the latest effort by Congress and the White House to press GM into reversing its decision to halt production at four U.S. plants and cut thousands of jobs. The senators also asked if GM will produce additional electric cars or shift to building EV SUVs and crossovers. The letter asks GM to disclose how many people at its suppliers in Ohio will lose their jobs if GM closes its Lordstown Assembly plant as well as how much it will cost to close the plant. GM plans to discontinue U.S. production of the Chevrolet Cruze, which is made in Lordstown. GM is unlikely to build a new vehicle at Lordstown once it halts Cruze production in March, company officials say, and GM executives have told Congress it would take two years or longer to develop and prepare the plant to assemble a new vehicle. Barra said last week she would keep an "open mind" about the plant's future. The final decision will be made during contract talks in 2019 with the United Auto Workers union, she added. On Friday, four members of the U.S. House wrote President Donald Trump inviting him to join them in visits to the closing plants and urging him to intervene "in every manner possible to seek both short and long term remedies for these workers." GM, which is holding a two-day board meeting this week, did not immediately comment on the letter. The company cut hundreds of contract product development jobs in Michigan last week as part of its plan to cut around 8,000 salaried positions in North America by early 2019. GM said in October 2017 it would launch at least 20 new all-electric vehicles by 2023, but has not said where they will be produced. GM builds the EV Chevrolet Bolt at a plant in Michigan, but plans to end production next year of its plug-in hybrid Chevrolet Volt in Detroit. Story continues GM builds the Buick Envision in China and exports it to the United States. The company asked the Trump administration in July to exempt the vehicle from a new 25 percent U.S. tariff. The White House favors ending the $7,500 electric vehicle tax credit. GM and Tesla Inc have been lobbying Congress to extend the credit to cover additional vehicles. (Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Sonya Hepinstall) The nuns used the funds for travel and gambling (File photo: PA) Two nuns have admitted embezzling about $500,000 (400,000) and spending it on gambling in Las Vegas. Sisters Mary Kreuper and Lana Chang, who worked at St James Catholic School in the city of Torrance, California, stole the money from school funds and gambled with it in casinos. The nuns, said to be best friends, took money from an account used for tuition fees and donations, and were caught during a routine audit. They had previously avoided detection by depositing cheques made out to the school into their own separate bank account. The nuns spent some of the money gambling in Las Vegas (Picture: PA) The sisters, who have just retired, have expressed remorse for their actions, and although the police have been informed, the school is not bringing criminal charges against them. MORE: Woman feeling Claus-trophobic after falling through ceiling getting Christmas decorations MORE: Shocking images show horrific injuries suffered by woman, 50, robbed in her own home Sister Mary was the principal of the school for 29 years, while Sister Lana was a teacher there for about 20 years. It is thought they spent the stolen money over a period of at least 10 years on gambling and travel. In a statement, the Sisters of St Joseph of Carondelet, the pairs order, said: The Sisters have confirmed the misappropriation of funds and have co-operated in the investigation. Our community is concerned and saddened by this situation and regret any injury to our long relationship with the families of the school. In a letter to parishioners, the monsignor of the church, Michael Meyers, wrote: Sister Mary Margaret and Sister Lana have expressed to me and asked that I convey to you, the deep remorse they each feel for their actions and ask for your forgiveness and prayers. Parents of pupils at the school were reportedly told about the misappropriation of funds earlier this month. By John Davison and Ahmed Rasheed BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraq will send a delegation to the United States seeking an exemption from sanctions against Iran that would allow it to keep importing Iranian gas, Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi said on Tuesday. Washington gave Iraq a 45-day waiver for imports of gas from Iran when it reimposed sanctions on Iran's oil sector on Nov. 5. Iraqi officials have said they need around two years to find an alternative source. "The American side is cooperating with Iraq to find solutions that would remove pressure on Iraq because the (Iranian) gas is linked to a very sensitive issue which is electricity," Abdul Mahdi told a news conference. Washington is seeking to roll back Iranian influence in the Middle East, including in Iraq, where Iran holds broad sway over politics and trade. Abdul Mahdi, who assumed office in October after six months of political uncertainty following an inconclusive election, on Tuesday met U.S. Energy Secretary Rick Perry in Baghdad. "Sanctions were mentioned, they're a reality, they're there," Perry told reporters in Baghdad, after meeting Iraq's oil and electricity ministers. Abdul Mahdi's office said Perry was in Baghdad with a delegation of over 50 business people. Perry spoke at a conference organized by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, which Oil Minister Thamer Ghadhban also attended, and said they had "talked about some very positive opportunities". Iraq has reached a deal with U.S. energy giant General Electric and German rival Siemens to install liquefied natural gas-operated mobile power units at some small southern oil fields, Iraq's state newspaper reported last month. The Financial Times reported in October that the U.S. government had intervened in favor of GE for a contract sought by both companies to supply 11 gigawatts of power generation equipment, reportedly worth around $15 billion. (Reporting by John Davison and Ahmed Rasheed; Writing by Ahmed Aboulenein; Editing by Kevin Liffey) By Anshuman Daga SINGAPORE (Reuters) - U.S. private investment firm Castlelake LP has struck a deal to buy a portfolio of about 30 narrowbody planes from AirAsia Group Bhd for a total price of roughly $800 million, people familiar with the transaction said. The deal underscores the strong appetite of funds to invest in the global aircraft leasing sector, which is benefiting from growing demand on the back of a rise in low-cost carriers and passenger traffic. For AirAsia, the deal marks another move to monetize its assets as Asia's biggest budget airline seeks to transform itself into an asset-light, digitally focused firm. The carrier is cashing in on a booming leasing sector after ordering hundreds of Airbus SE planes at bargain prices in recent years to become one of Airbus' biggest customers. Castlelake, a global fund focused on alternative investments, has been stepping up its exposure to aviation assets. In June last year, it raised $1 billion from investors including family offices, sovereign wealth funds, endowments and pension funds. "Castlelake is growing at a fast pace and looking to buy aviation assets," said one of the people. "This is one of their biggest deals in Asia with one airline." Castlelake clinched the deal from Malaysia's AirAsia after edging out U.S. lessors, funds and leasing units of major Chinese banks in a tightly contested deal, said the people, who did not wish to be identified as they were not authorized to speak publicly about the transaction. Castlelake and AirAsia are expected to close the deal in the next few weeks, the people said. Castlelake and AirAsia declined comment. Earlier this year, AirAsia agreed to sell part of its aircraft leasing portfolio in a staggered deal for $1.2 billion to firms managed by BBAM Ltd, one of the world's largest aircraft portfolio managers. Castlelake is buying older aircraft which are under lease to AirAsia's affiliated airlines, the people said. AirAsia's leasing subsidiary, Asia Aviation Capital, manages AirAsia's planes. Story continues "This is an upcoming sector for asset managers. They see an opportunity to buy older aircraft and sell them once the lease expires," said another person familiar with the transaction. Castlelake was ranked as the 32nd biggest lessor with the value of its total fleet estimated at $2.1 billion in consultancy FlightGlobal's ranking of top global lessors as of September 2018. Chinese bank-owned leasing units and the likes of U.S. listed AerCap Holdings NV and General Electric Co's GE Capital Aviation Services dominate the leasing industry, but the share of asset managers and funds is gradually rising. (Reporting by Anshuman Daga; Editing by Christopher Cushing) WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States said on Monday it had sanctioned three North Korean officials, including a top aide to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, for serious human rights abuses and censorship. The U.S. Treasury named the men as Ryong Hae Choe, an aide close to Kim who leads the Workers' Party of Korea Organization and Guidance Department; State Security Minister Kyong Thaek Jong; and Propaganda and Agitation Department head Kwang Ho Pak. It was not clear whether the decision to sanction the three men was related to U.S.-North Korean nuclear diplomacy, which has made little obvious progress since Kim and U.S. President Donald Trump met in Singapore in June. The sanctions, which freeze any assets the officials may have under U.S. jurisdiction and generally bar them from transactions with anyone in the United States, were announced as the U.S. State Department released a six-monthly report on North Korean abuses. "Human rights abuses in North Korea remain among the worst in the world and include extrajudicial killings, forced labor, torture, prolonged arbitrary detention, rape, forced abortions, and other sexual violence," State Department spokesman Robert Palladino said in a statement accompanying the report. North Korea has repeatedly rejected accusations of human rights abuses and blames sanctions for a dire humanitarian situation. Pyongyang has been under U.N. sanctions since 2006 over its ballistic missiles and nuclear programs. There was no immediate reaction from North Korea to the sanctions against the three. But in a commentary on Tuesday, the North Korean state newspaper Rodong Sinmun criticized a Nov. 29 decision by Trump to renew sanctions over alleged human trafficking, denouncing it as "an unpardonable political provocation." "The U.S. would be well-advised to get rid of the stale habit of confrontation and hostility at an early date, mindful that the trite 'human rights' racket against the DPRK will bring only disgrace upon the U.S.," the newspaper said, using the initials of the country's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. The U.S. Treasury said Monday's sanctions "shine a spotlight on North Koreas reprehensible treatment of those in North Korea, and serve as a reminder of North Koreas brutal treatment of U.S. citizen Otto Warmbier." Warmbier was an American student who died in June 2017 after 17 months of detention in North Korea, which contributed to already tense exchanges between Pyongyang and Washington, primarily over North Korea's nuclear development program. In the lead-up to the historic Trump-Kim summit in June, North Korea released three American prisoners, although talks between the two countries have since stalled. Last month, North Korea said it would deport another detained U.S. citizen. Talks that had been planned for Nov. 8 between U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and senior North Korean official Kim Yong Chol and that aimed to pave the way for a second summit were canceled with 24 hours' notice. Trump has said he and Kim are likely to meet a second time in January or February, with three sites for a summit under consideration. (Reporting by Tim Ahmann, Susan Heavey and Arshad Mohammed; Additional reporting by Josh Smith in Seoul; Editing by Frances Kerry and Peter Cooney) Lately, most of the media sources have been buzzing with the news of the United States becoming a net exporter of crude oil during the week ended Nov 30, 2018. Well, the nation is surely sprinting toward the path of energy independence with the shale boom, as well as Trumps efforts to revitalize the oil and gas sector. However, the above news reported by many publications is not exactly true. While the nations crude oil exports of 3.2 million barrels per day (MMbpd) rallied about 139% from the year-ago figure, the country is still the net importer of oil to the tune of 4 MMbpd. Nonetheless, the fact that the country became the net exporter of oiland other petroleum products combined for the first time in almost 75years is indeed remarkable. The Math Behind the Net Exporter Tag Per the latest Energy Information Administration (EIA) report for the week ended Nov 30, 2018, U.S. crude oil production came in at 11.7 MMbpd, representing nearly 20% increase from the year-ago figure. Then there is another line item, namely Other Supply (which represents natural gas liquids, renewable fuels, fuel ethanol, et al), which totaled 6.9 MMbpd. Hence, the domestic production of oil and other fuels totaled 18.6 MMbpd. Notably, product supplied (which represents the approximate consumption of petroleum products) totaled 20.5 MMbpd. Importantly, the figure is around 2 MMbpd higher than the total production. However, one must not reach a conclusion right away because the figures do not account for exports. Now,delving deeper, we note that during the said week, the nation imported around 7.2 MMbpd of oil while exported about 3.2 MMbpd. Interestingly, the United States imports and exports oil at the same time because there are different grades of crude, and it has to be carefully assessed which is best suited for the domestic refineries. As a result, the country imports crude thatcomplements better with its refineries. However, that aside, the point to be noted here is the fact that the United States still remains the net importer of crude oil to the tune of 4 MMbpd. Story continues Nonetheless, when it comes to Other Products,including the NGLs, gasoline, ethanol, etc., the country exported a total of 5.8 MMbpd compared with imports of just around 1.6 MMbpd. As such, the countrys net export of other refined and petroleum fuels were 4.2 MMbpd. Hence, taking into account the net oil import of 4 MMbpd and net finished products exports of 4.2 MMbpd, the United Nations did become a net exporter of crude oil and other fuels to the tune of 0.2 MMbpd. Shale Revolution, End of 40-Year Ban Boost Exports While the countrys shift from being the net importer to net exporter may be short lived, it is does highlight the fact that the United States is heading toward energy independence. Despite the steep fall in oil prices in the past month, the U.S. oil production continued to surge, coming in at 11.7 MMbpd, which is more than the oil pumped by Russia and Saudi Arabia in November. Technological advancements and shale revolution, leading to higher output from prolific plays like Permian, Bakken, Marcellus etc., have buoyed up the production numbers. Notwithstanding volatile crude prices and pipeline concerns, production from Permian continues to ramp up to nearly 3.7 MMbpd in November 2018 from around 2.8 MMbpd in January 2018. In fact, the rapid rise in production from the lucrative basin has fueled strongearnings and cash flow growth for pure play operators like Diamondback Energy, Inc. FANG, Concho Resources Inc. CXO, Parsley Energy PE, Callon Petroleum Co. CPE among others. Notably, all these companies carry a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. Apart from fracking boom, the lifting of the 40-year ban on oil exports in 2016 also helped lift production levels, which in turn led to the spike in the U.S. oil exports. The removal of the embargo has unleashed a shale revolution, eroding OPECs dominance by seizing the market share of many of its member countries. Notably, so far this year, Canada and China have accounted for almost 35% of the total U.S. oil export. With signs of the trade war between the United States and China abating, the exports are not likely to be considerably impacted. What Lies Ahead For 2019? It seems that Trumps pro-energy reforms and shale revolution are likely to enable the country reach its production target of 14 MMbpd in the coming years. The country is on its way of becoming a major player in the exports market and has been making efforts to redesign its export infrastructure in order to expand capacity. OPECs recent decision to curb output by a total of 1.2 MMbpd in the first half of 2019 has risked the loss of more market share to the United States by giving the American producers further incentive to increase their production. Moreover, according to recent reports, the nations largest oil play, Permian, has more-then-expected crude reserves to offer, which will help to contribute even more in the nations oil boom. Further, with many new pipelines coming online in the near future, the prospects of the U.S. energy sector is likely to shine brighter in the coming years. Today's Stocks from Zacks' Hottest Strategies It's hard to believe, even for us at Zacks. But while the market gained +18.8% from 2016 - Q1 2017, our top stock-picking screens have returned +157.0%, +128.0%, +97.8%, +94.7% and +90.2% respectively. And this outperformance has not just been a recent phenomenon. Over the years it has been remarkably consistent. From 2000 - Q1 2017, the composite yearly average gain for these strategies has beaten the market more than 11X over. Maybe even more remarkable is the fact that we're willing to share their latest stocks with you without cost or obligation. See Them Free>> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Concho Resources Inc. (CXO) : Free Stock Analysis Report Diamondback Energy, Inc. (FANG) : Free Stock Analysis Report Parsley Energy, Inc. (PE) : Free Stock Analysis Report Callon Petroleum Company (CPE) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research President of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Joseph Kabila, on Sunday said he plans to stay in politics when he steps down after elections on December 23. He does not rule out running again for president in 2023. Kabila in an interview with Reuters said his role will be to make sure that the mineral-rich country doesnt go back to square one. He said he was satisfied with his performance during his 17 years in power. As to his plans after 2023 and his returning to politics, he said you shouldnt rule out anything because anything and everything is possible. General elections are scheduled to be held in DRC on 23 December 2018. The polls were originally scheduled for 27 November 2016, but were delayed with a broken promise to hold them by the end of 2017. Observers hope the polls will bring the DRCs first democratic transfer of power, but many fear further destabilization and conflict in an already unstable region. President Joseph Kabila, who has ruled since his fathers assassination in 2001, is backing his former interior minister Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary against opposition coalitions. The election is expected to be a tight contest between Shadary, opposition leader Felix Tshisekedi and business tycoon Martin Fayulu Madidi. Jean-Pierre Bemba, a former warlord and vice-president has been banned from participating in the December poll on legal grounds, while Moise Katumbi, a wealthy businessman and former governor of Katanga Province, has been stopped from returning home. Many provinces are gripped in armed conflict and millions have had to flee from their homes. Officials in the DRC claim only 230,000 people have been displaced, which is a fraction of the UNs estimate of 4.5 million. (Reuters) - Britain's government will continue granting contracts to Interserve Plc as the debt-laden outsourcing company battles to avoid a Carillion-style collapse, the Financial Times reported on Tuesday. Britain does not see Interserve as another Carillion , the construction and outsourcing company that collapsed in a mass of debt and pension dues in January, the FT reported, citing government sources. Government tenders expected to be released early next year include a contract to provide housing for asylum seekers and another running a back-to-work program for the unemployed, the newspaper said. A UK Cabinet Office spokesperson said a ban on one company bidding for government contracts would not be lawful. "Public sector procurement rules require that bids are evaluated based on specific requirements and selection criteria," the spokesperson said in an emailed statement. "For any major contracts this includes a test to see whether the bidding company has the economic and financial standing to undertake the contract". Interserve had no immediate comment when contacted by Reuters. Shares in Interserve lost more than half their value on Monday after the company announced a rescue plan that envisaged converting much of its debt into new shares, potentially handing control of the company to its creditors. The Reading-based outsourcer, which employs 75,000 worldwide and has thousands of British government contracts to clean hospitals and serve school meals, said on Sunday it would seek to cut its debt to 1.5 times core earnings in talks with lenders that it hopes to complete early next year. Interserve also announced on Monday it had been awarded a 25 million pound ($32 million) contract from Cwm Taf University Health Board as part of a 36-million-pound redevelopment of Prince Charles Hospital in Merthyr in Wales. (Reporting by Samantha Machado in Bengaluru; Editing by Edmund Blair and Sonya Hepinstall) eddie hughes parliament united kingdom bitcoin crypto A member of the British Parliament wants UK residents to be able to pay their local taxes and utility bills using bitcoin. Eddie Hughes, a conservative MP (member of Parliament) for the Walsall North constituency, said this would be a great first step toward mainstream adoption of crypto. Hughes said its time for other members of Parliament to familiarize themselves with cryptocurrencies and blockchain because the revolutionary technologies and the buzz surrounding them arent going away, Express UK reported. Crypto is Talked About a Lot in UK It gets talked about a lot wherever you go in the UK, and as MPs we have a duty to understand it, said Hughes, a self-proclaimed crypto enthusiast with amateur knowledge. The 50-year-old lawmaker noted that the British charity RNLI (Royal National Lifeboat Institution) recently started accepting cryptocurrency donations. If we can do that, whats to stop us being able to pay council tax and other bills with bitcoin? Hughes asked. Ohio Businesses Can Pay Taxes with Bitcoin Hughes suggestion comes two weeks after Ohio became the first US state to allow businesses to pay taxes using bitcoin. The state government has partnered with crypto payment processor BitPay to manage the payment in crypto and conversion to dollars, as CCN reported. The idea is the brainchild of Ohios Republican state treasurer, Josh Mandel, a cryptocurrency fan who says bitcoin is a legitimate form of currency. Mainstream: Ohio Businesses Can Now Pay Taxes with Bitcoin https://t.co/hH7dcLItRj CCN (@CryptoCoinsNews) November 26, 2018 Mandel, an attorney, said he birthed the idea because he wants his state to become a leader in the US crypto market. Ohio is a place thats embracing cryptocurrency, embracing blockchain technology, and sending the message to the rest of the country to software developers, to entrepreneurs and others that Ohio is open for business, Mandel gushed. Story continues Youre Either Ahead of the Curve or Behind Similarly, MP Eddie Hughes wants the UK to plant a flag and become a world leader in the burgeoning cryptocurrency industry. Youre either ahead of the curve or youre behind the curve, Hughes said. Our country is in an interesting position right now. We are at a crossroads and were about to determine our future one in which taking the lead in this field could prove very beneficial. Hughes said part of the reason why cryptocurrencies are not more widely adopted is because many people are unfamiliar with them. People not understanding how the transaction works is holding us back in terms of mass adoption, he said. Hughes insists that once people understand how blockchain and crypto work, they will embrace it. US Lawmakers: Let Crypto Fuel Economic Boom Eddie Hughes sense of urgency is mirrored across the pond by crypto-savvy US lawmakers. As CCN reported, theres a major push among some US Congressmen to position the United States as a leader in the crypto industry. Last week, Reps. Darren Soto and Ted Budd introduced two bills to prevent cryptocurrency price manipulation and enhance the United States position as a market leader. US Bills Seeks to Protect Cryptocurrency Investors from Market Manipulation https://t.co/xeTXBHA5vZ CCN (@CryptoCoinsNews) December 7, 2018 In a joint statement, Soto and Budd said cryptocurrencies and blockchain have profound potential to bolster the economy. Virtual currencies and the underlying blockchain technology have a profound potential to be a driver of economic growth, the congressmen said. Thats why we must ensure that the United States is at the forefront. Soto and Budd said the laws they proposed would protect investors without hampering the environment of innovation that would maximize the groundbreaking potential of these technologies. Featured Image from Wikimedia Commons The post UK Parliament Member Wants You to Pay Your Taxes with Bitcoin appeared first on CCN. WaveOptics wants to make AR glasses cheaper - WAVEOPTICS UK technology startup WaveOptics has raised 20m in a new funding round, as the maker of specialist components for augmented reality (AR) glasses pushes to expand its business worldwide. Founded in 2014, WaveOptics has developed a method for printing nano-structures directly onto optical glass, allowing for the production of augmented reality glasses at lower cost and on a larger scale than was previously possible. The technology is used in the lenses of AR glasses and allows high resolution computer generated images to be overlaid on the real world. The components are currently used in AR headsets sold by companies such as Microsoft and Magic Leap. WaveOptics said the new funds will enable the company to expand its operations in Asia and the US. David Hayes, chief executive of WaveOptics, said the new funds will "give us everything we need to expand globally". He added: "It means we will see millions of units a year of our specialist components being manufactured, which will allow our customers to build up their product portfolios. The funding round for the Abingdon-based company was led by Octopus Ventures, a London-based venture capital firm that is one of WaveOpticss largest shareholders. Mr Hayes added that his companys cheaper lens design is special because it allows AR products to become affordable for a greater consumer market. He said AR devices could be sold for under $600 (469) by the end of 2019. They currently sell for over $1,000 (780). The business is also investing in its overseas operations, having recently opened offices in Los Angeles and Taipei. It plans to open a new office in Beijing next year. The investment represents the largest AR hardware fundraising of its kind in Europe in 2018. WaveOptics is in advanced discussions with potential new shareholders and strategic partners regarding participation in a second stage. Story continues The latest investment was supported by other existing shareholders in the company including IP Group, Robert Bosch Venture Capital, Gobi Partners and Optimas Capital Partners. The global augmented reality market is expected to reach $70bn by 2023, according to forecasts from Mordor Intelligence. The firm expects to see a compound annual growth rate in augmented reality of 51pc over the next five years. WaveOptics also recently signed a deal with Goertek, a Chinese producer of consumer electronics. Rimbo (Sweden) (AFP) - Another round of talks on the Yemen conflict will likely take place in the coming months, sources said Sunday, as warring parties met for UN-sponsored talks in Sweden. The Sweden initiative marks the first meeting between the two sides since the 2016 breakdown of talks to end the Yemen war, which has claimed more than 10,000 lives since 2015 when Saudi Arabia and its allies joined the government's fight against the Iran-backed rebels. The conflict has triggered what the UN calls the world's worst humanitarian crisis, with nearly 14 million Yemenis at risk of mass starvation as violence, poverty, disease and blockades bring the impoverished country to its knees. The talks are not aimed at finding a solution to the Yemen conflict, according to the UN. Instead, they are focusing on a few key areas, the humanitarian corridors, a prisoner swap, the reopening of the defunct Sanaa international airport and the fate of Hodeida, the rebel-held Red Sea city that has proved an impasse in the talks. Speaking on condition of anonymity, a UN source at the talks in the rural village of Rimbo said both the government and rival rebels had indicated they were willing to hold further talks in coming months. - International pressure - An international campaign has been mounting to deescalate hostilities in Yemen, where Saudi Arabia and Iran -- archrivals both facing pressure by western states-- back opposite sides. "If we do not get the support of key states, then there will not be a solution," said the UN source. Ambassadors of states with embassies in Yemen, including Saudi Arabia, Britain and France, are also present in Rimbo, although they have not attended any of the talks, according to UN sources. Legislators in the United States, along with France and Britain, a major arms supplier to Saudi Arabia, have grown increasingly critical over US support for the Saudi-led military campaign in Yemen after the murder of Jamal Khashoggi. Story continues Khashoggi, a Saudi Arabian columnist for the Washington post and critic of the kingdom's powerful Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, was dismembered inside his country's consulate in Istanbul on October 2. The Senate may vote next week to force the US to end its military support to the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen. US President Donald Trump has dismissed the notion of ending arms sales. While the government and rebels on Sunday ruled out a ceasefire, representatives of both parties said they were open to further negotiations. "If we leave these consultations having made progress -- progress in building confidence and finding a framework -- we can hold a new round of talks" in the coming months, Huthi spokesman Mohammed Abdelsalam told reporters. - Hodeida 'most difficult' - Yemeni Foreign Minister Khaled al-Yamani on Saturday proposed that the government-controlled city of Aden could be used as the location for the country's main airport, with rebel-held Sanaa international turning into a domestic terminal -- a proposal swiftly dismissed by the rebels. But the Yemeni city of Hodeida, home to both a valuable port and frontlines, has proved the "most difficult" issue at the Sweden talks, according to the UN source. The Huthi rebels seized the Red Sea city of Hodeida, a traditional conduit for 90 percent of food imports to impoverished Yemen, in a massive territorial takeover in 2014, sparking the intervention of Saudi Arabia and its allies the following year. Shipments to Hodeida, including humanitarian aid, have been severely restricted by the coalition, which accuses Iran of smuggling arms to the rebels through the port and Sanaa airport. Tehran denies the charge. Both parties have agreed to grant the UN a supervisory role in the port -- but the government demands the rebels withdraw completely, and the Huthis, now ensconced in residential neighbourhoods to fight government forces, have repeatedly refused. The Saudi-led alliance launched an offensive to retake densely-populated Hodeida in June, sparking fears of a fresh humanitarian crisis in a country already on the verge of famine. United Nations (United States) (AFP) - The United States has dropped a bid to hold a UN Security Council meeting on North Korea's human rights record after failing to garner enough support for the talks, diplomats said Friday. The decision to scrap the meeting held every year since 2014 also comes as the United States is seeking a second summit between President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. North Korea had written to council members last month to urge them to block the US request for the meeting that shines a spotlight on Pyongyang's dismal record. The US has, every year since 2014, garnered the nine votes needed at the council to hold the meeting, despite opposition from China. But diplomats said that only eight countries supported the US request this year, with non-permanent member Ivory Coast refusing to bow to pressure to lend its backing. China, which has strong expanding ties in Africa, has argued that the Security Council is not the venue to discuss human rights as a threat to international peace and security. Beijing says it should be raised in the Geneva-based Human Rights Council. Every year, China has requested a procedural vote but failed to derail the meeting due to the nine "yes" votes secured by the United States. "They don't have the numbers this year," a Security Council diplomat told AFP. "Cote d'Ivoire is not on board," he added, using the official name of Ivory Coast. The meeting had been tentatively set for Monday. A US official however suggested the meeting could still take place at a later date, but not in December, when Ivory Coast holds the monthly rotating presidency of the Security Council. "If we are unable to hold this important discussion this month, we hope to revisit holding this meeting in the new year," said the US official. "We continue to believe that discussions on human rights -- and particularly concerning human rights abuses in North Korea -- are a crucial part of the maintenance of international peace and security and worthy of the UN Security Council's attention." Story continues - Swimming against the current - North Korean Ambassador Kim Song last month told council members in a letter that criticism of Pyongyang's human rights record would "swim against the current trend" of rapprochement and "stoke confrontation." A historic summit between Trump and Kim in June opened up dialogue on denuclearization of the Korean peninsula between the two countries after months of military threats. A second summit is expected to be held next year, but North Korea has taken few concrete steps to abandon its nuclear and ballistic missile programs. The Security Council has slapped a series of tough economic sanctions on North Korea over its nuclear tests and ballistic missile firings. The United States maintains that UN sanctions will remain in place until North Korea has fully scrapped its weapons programs. A landmark 2014 report by a UN Commission of Inquiry documented human rights abuses on an appalling scale in North Korea, describing a vast network of prison camps where detainees are subjected to torture, starvation and summary executions. The report accused leader Kim Jong Un of atrocities and concluded that he could be prosecuted for crimes against humanity. North Korea has rejected the report as a fabrication, based on testimony from dissidents living in exile. Washington (AFP) - The US Supreme Court on Monday blocked an effort by some states to halt public abortion funding, even though three of the conservative justices wanted the case to be heard. Louisiana and Kansas had asked the highest court in the land to intervene after losing their case against leading family planning group Planned Parenthood before federal judges. The Supreme Court left in place lower court decisions that found that states violate federal law when they terminate Medicaid contracts for Planned Parenthood. It provides family planning care for low-income women. "States may not terminate providers from their Medicaid program for any reason they see fit, especially when that reason is unrelated to the provider's competence and the quality of the health care it provides," a panel of judges on the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals held in February. In order for the case to be heard at the Supreme Court, at least four of the nine justices would have had to agree. But only three backed such a hearing -- conservatives Clarence Thomas, Neil Gorsuch and Samuel Alito. "So what explains the Court's refusal to do its job here?" asked Thomas, speaking for the trio. "I suspect it has something to do with the fact that some respondents in these cases are named 'Planned Parenthood.' That makes the Court's decision particularly troubling, as the question presented has nothing to do with abortion." Abortion remains a hot button in the United States, where the Supreme Court legalized abortion in its 1973 Roe v. Wade decision, with many measures being implemented in recent years to complicate access to services to terminate a pregnancy. During his presidential campaign, Donald Trump vowed to name anti-abortion conservatives to the high court, hinting at possibly overturning the landmark ruling. His nominees Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh now sit on the bench. By Sheila Dang and Sonam Rai (Reuters) - Verizon Communications Inc said on Tuesday it will take a $4.6 billion charge related to its Oath media assets - which includes digital media sites Yahoo and AOL - and a severance charge of up to $2.1 billion for voluntary buyouts in the fourth quarter. The largest U.S. wireless carrier by subscribers said in a regulatory filing that it saw fewer benefits than it expected from the combination of businesses that make up Oath. Verizon bought Yahoo for $4.48 billion in 2017 and AOL for $4.4 billion in 2015. In the third quarter, Oath's revenue fell 7 percent to $1.8 billion, putting it far off from its goal of $10 billion in revenue by 2020, which Verizon said it did not expect Oath to achieve. [nL3N1X36DP] Oath has struggled to improve its digital advertising business, competing with the likes of Facebook Inc and Alphabet Inc's Google for ad dollars. Verizon said in September that Tim Armstrong, Oath chief executive and architect of the group, would step down and appointed Guru Gowrappan as his replacement. Armstrong's departure came after The Wall Street Journal reported people within Oath felt they did not have enough access to Verizon's wireless subscriber data to improve Oath's advertising. Verizon had said that about 10,400 employees will leave the company by the middle of next year as part of its voluntary separation program. The employees will get a salary of up to 60 weeks, bonus and benefits, depending on their length of service. The New York based-company said the severance charge was mainly due to the buyouts announced on Monday as well as other headcount reductions. Verizon, which had 152,300 employees as of the quarter ended Sept. 30, has been looking to cut costs as it ramps up investment in its next-generation 5G network, which is expected to fuel its future growth. It said severance charges in the fourth quarter would come to $1.3 billion to $1.6 billion after tax, with the Oath charge amounting to $4.5 billion after tax. Story continues Analysts on average expect Verizon to post a profit of $1.08 per share for the current quarter, according to IBES data from Refinitiv. The company is set to post its fourth-quarter results on Jan. 29. Shares of Verizon were up 1 percent to $58.89 in afternoon trading. (Reporting by Sonam Rai in Bengaluru; Editing by Jonathan Oatis and Phil Berlowitz) Washington (AFP) - US telecomm group Verizon announced Monday it would slash its workforce through a voluntary buyout plan as the company strives to better position itself for the coming of new cellular technology. Verizon accepted 10,400 employees for the buyout, which will grant more than a year's salary plus a bonus and other benefits, the company said in a statement. "These changes are well-planned and anticipated and they will be seamless to our customers," Verizon CEO Hans Vestberg said. The changes, which coincides with a restructuring announced last month, will help the company "to begin to better serve customers with more agility, speed and flexibility," he said. Verizon rearranged its business lines to take effect January 1, with 5G poised to dominate the mobile industry. Verizon has plans to release 5G phones in the first half of 2019. Workers accepted for the separation program will be notified Monday whether their last day will be the end of December, March or June, depending on the needs of the business. The company had 152,300 employees at the end of the third quarter. vermont blockchain The second-smallest state in the United States by population has formed a working group consisting of state agencies with a view toward studying blockchain technology. This was announced by Vermonts attorney general, T.J. Donovan, who disclosed that the blockchain working group would commence work next year in January. The working group which will seek input from stakeholders, blockchain associations, and other experts in the industry will be made up of four state agencies: the Agency of Commerce and Community Development, the Secretary of State, the Department of Financial Regulation, and the Office of the Attorney General. In an era of persistent data hacks, security breaches, and online activity, exploring new and innovative ways to protect our data is essential. And, we must strive to balance economic opportunity with consumer protection, Donovan said in a statement. Specific Tasks The responsibilities of the working group will include determining whether blockchain-specific legislation will be necessary. Additionally, the working group will be required to identify the challenges, concerns, and opportunities that distributed ledger technology may present for the state of Vermont as well as finding the best way to protect consumers who may use the technology or be impacted by it. vermont blockchain Speaking to WCAX-TV, Donovan observed that one of the most likely use-cases for blockchain technology in the state would be tracking agricultural products meant for human consumption to ensure safety: I think food is a big one tracking where food is coming from, all the way from farm to table. Whether or not were looking at a potential marijuana industry in this state, to make sure that its safe, that its not gonna impact public health or the public. So, it really gives you, I think, security, in tracking back where things went. States Pass Pro-Blockchain Laws Earlier this year, the governor of Vermont, the sixth-smallest state in the U.S. by area, signed into law a bill which sought to enhance the adoption of distributed ledger technology in the state and allow blockchain startups to flourish. The piece of legislation, which became law on May 30 this year, had also called for a study to be conducted with a view of determining how blockchain applications could be harnessed to benefit Vermonts economy. Story continues In August, Vermont Gov. Phil Scott also signed into a bill which mandated a review of how blockchain technology could be used in public records. At the time, Scott observed that the legislation supporting the use of distributed ledger technology would benefit taxpayers: This new legislation holds the promise of making government more efficient, cost effective and ultimately saving Vermonters money, he said. Featured Image from Shutterstock The post Vermont Government Forms Working Group to Explore Blockchain Technology appeared first on CCN. Shanghai (Gasgoo)- Chongqing Changan Automobile Co.,Ltd (Changan Automobile) announced that its Nov. sales tumbled 39.6% over a year earlier to 161,458 units and also declined 5.3% from a month ago. It is the seventh month in a row for the automaker to face year-on-year drop. For the first eleven months, Changan Automobile sold 1,979,649 vehicles in total, a rather steep YoY decrease of 23.5%. The sales of Changan Automobile's self-owned brand amounted to 118,902 units in the past November among which 5,278 units were new energy vehicles. As to the performance of specific models in November, the sales of the CS55 and CS75 SUVs reached 15,777 units and 12,036 units respectively. The CS35 Series had a sales volume of 12,751 units. Meanwhile, a total of 9,343 EADO sedans were delivered last month. The automaker didnt reveal the sales of the Raeton sedans. Changan Ford's Nov. sales plummeted 70.2% from the year-over period to 24,437 units. Besides, the joint venture saw its year-to-date (YTD) sales halved over the previous year to 359,972 units. Changan Ford's annual sales peaked at around 957,000 units in 2016, yet failed to keep the rising momentum or even stay flat afterwards with its sales dropping 14% YoY to around 827,000 units in 2017. After compiled the sales data released by Changan Automobile each month, Gasgoo found out that Changan Ford has experienced YoY drop for 11 consecutive months from the beginning of 2018. Changan Mazda's year-to-date (YTD) sales were 154,762 units, declining 11.3% over the same period a year ago when the sales were significantly growing thanks to the launching of the second-generation Mazda CX-5 and soon-to-be-cancelled vehicle purchase tax exemption. The joint venture launched the Mazda CXa brand-new large-sized 7-seater SUV model on December 7, which is expected to further promote the overall sales. World leaders are gathering in Morocco this week for the Intergovernmental Conference to adopt the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration. The Moroccan city of Marrakech is hosting the event this December 10 to 11. Delegates from more than 150 countries are joining the United Nations conference to discuss means to better manage international migration, address its challenges and strengthen migrants rights while contributing to sustainable development. UN Special Representative for International Migration Louise Arbour told a news conference on Sunday that the pact is not legally binding but can provide very useful guidance for countries facing migration. Louise Arbour, who serves as the Secretary General of the intergovernmental conference, said many challenges will stand in the way of its implementation [the pact] not least the toxic and ill-informed narrative that too often persists when it comes to migrants. United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres who thanked the Moroccan Government upon arriving in Marrakesh Sunday, had said many months of inclusive dialogue have produced an impressive document on one of the most pressing global challenges of our times. He urged world leaders to breathe life into what has been agreed on, and demonstrate the Compacts utility: to Governments as they establish and implement their own migration policies; to communities of origin, transit and destination; and to migrants themselves. As a reminder, the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration (GCM) is the first-ever inter-governmentally negotiated agreement to cover all dimensions of international migration. Data from the UN migration agency, the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), shows that so far this year, refugees who have fled their countries to escape conflict and persecution totalled 25.4 million, 2.9 million more than that of 2016. The Global Compact for Migration is the culmination of more than 18 months of discussions and consultations among Member States and stakeholders including local officials, civil society and migrants, in accordance with the New York Declaration, which was adopted unanimously by the United Nations General Assembly in September 2016. It is the first-ever United Nations global agreement on a common approach to international migration in all its dimensions. It is an opportunity to maximize the contribution that millions of migrants are already making to our societies and to agree a set of actions to ensure that the rights of all migrants are fully respected, the Secretary-General said at the launch of his report Making Migration Work for All. While the ultimate aim of the Global Compact for Migration is to improve the cooperation and management of cross-border movements of people, the Global Compact also makes clear that it is legally non-binding, fully respecting the sovereignty of all States. The Global Compact encompasses 23 objectives to help manage migration at all levels global, national and local. Among others, it addresses such issues as adverse drivers that impede people from accessing sustainable livelihoods in their countries of origin; risks and vulnerabilities faced by people during various stages of migration; concerns of States and communities; the economic and social effects and implications migration may have on social and environmental levels as communities undergo demographic changes; and it strives to create conditions to help migrants add value to societies through their human, economic and social contributions to sustainable development. PARIS (Reuters) - French media conglomerate Vivendi said on Tuesday that it would look to call upon a new shareholders meeting to change the board members at Telecom Italia and get rid of those proposed by activist fund Elliott. Vivendi added that Telecom Italia's decision earlier this month not to convene a shareholders meeting to choose new auditors went against the principles of proper corporate governance. "For this reason, Vivendi has decided to write to the Board before the end of the week, to urge it to convene a Shareholders Meeting as soon as possible to appoint new financial auditors, revoke five current Board members from the Elliott list of ten, particularly those who were involved in these governance issues, and propose five new ones," Vivendi said in a statement. (Reporting by Sudip Kar-Gupta; Editing by Leigh Thomas) Victoria Staffords father Rodney Stafford is overcome with emotion after he was told of charges being laid by police in the case of his missing eight-year-old daughter in Woodstock, Ont., May 20, 2009. (Photo from The Canadian Press/Dave Chidley) Life for Rodney Stafford remains on hold, as he continues to fight the transfers of his daughters killers to more lenient facilities. When Stafford learned of Terri-Lynne McClintics transfer to an Indigenous healing lodge this year, he stepped away from his daily life to focus on changing the penal system that placed her in the minimum-to-medium security healing lodge among less violent offenders and their families. Lacking a clear answer from Correction Service Canada about why McClintic, a convicted kidnapper and murderer, was taken out of prison and placed in a healing lodge, Stafford set about to reverse the transfer. McClintic has since returned to a medium-security facility. This week, still waiting for answers about McClintics transfer, Stafford learned that Michael Rafferty had been transferred to from a maximum-security prison to a medium-security one. The co-accused in Tori Staffords 2009 killing was moved to the facility in March, according to a Facebook post by Stafford. Stafford spoke with Yahoo Canada shortly after learning of McClintics move to a healing lodge. In all honesty I dont think anybody in higher authority can give me any answers as to why this happened, he said. It stems all the way down to the person who lowered her security status in the first place, all the way up to [Correctional Service Canada Commissioner] Anne Kelly and [Public Safety Minister] Ralph Goodale. Goodale was confronted in Question Period on Monday by Conservative MP Candice Bergen over the transfer of Rafferty. I will examine the facts of this case to ensure that all the proper rules and procedures have been followed and that Canadians are safe, he said. McClintic and her then-partner Rafferty were convicted in 2010 of the kidnapping and murder of eight-year-old Tori Stafford in Woodstock, Ont. She was sentenced to life in prison with no parole for 25 years, but was downgraded to medium-security status in 2014 and transferred from Grand Valley Institution for Women in Kitchener, Ont. to a healing lodge in Saskatchewan in early 2018. Story continues Rafferty was sentenced to life in prison in 2012. According to Stafford, Rafferty was transferred in March 2018 from Port Cartier Institution, a maximum-security facility northeast of Quebec to the medium-security La Macaza Institution almost 200 kilometres northwest of Montreal. Stafford didnt learn about McClintic nor Raffertys transfers until nine months after they had happened. Spurred into action by McClintic transfer Determined that McClintic should serve out at least the first 25 years of her sentence in a conventional prison, Stafford took time off work and campaigned throughout October to have her removed from Okimaw Ohci Healing Lodge. The decision to leave work was not ideal, but something he felt he couldnt avoid. I couldnt go to work and focus, he told. I couldnt concentrate. With McClintic back behind bars, Stafford continues to fight to have her returned to maximum-security risk and classified as a dangerous offender a designation reserved for Canadas most violent repeat criminals and sexual predators. Theres a lot to go, but we can only take it step by step and I have to somehow try to maintain my focus on daily life, he said. Im still off on sick leave right now because this is all too much on my brain. Ive got to finish: Pushing for Toris Law His next hurdle will be to push for general reform within Canadas correctional system. While Stafford is grateful to Correctional Service Canada for reversing McClintics transfer, he wants to see more oversight and accountability at every level of the institution to prevent transfers like McClintics from happening in the future. In November, Correctional Service Canada announced its decision to return McClintic to prison along with new rules that will make it harder for federal prisoners serving long sentences to secure transfers to low-security institutions. Before he can tackle the penal system, though, Stafford said he needs to see his work on McClintics file through to completion. Ive got to finish working on Terri-Lynne first before we can kind of put together Toris Law, so we know from beginning to end what we need changed, he said. Through Toris Law, Stafford hopes to change how people convicted of murdering vulnerable victims are sentenced and how their sentences are carried out. Not yet introduced in legislature, the proposed law would ensure those convicted of murdering vulnerable people including children, seniors and people with physical or mental disabilities carry out their full sentences, without the possibility of parole, lowered security status or day passes. If you take the life of somebody whos vulnerable, you should have to serve your life behind bars, he said. Theres no reason why any of these people should be leaving the system. While he vowed not to make the transfers a partisan issue, Stafford said Toris Law is a different matter. He wont shy away from partisan politics if a particular party or MP goes to bat for it. I honestly believe if we start to put the right pressure on the right places with other issues, everything else is going to move just as quickly, he said. Because it affects the whole public. Those interested in Rodney Staffords progress can follow his Facebook group, Justice 4 Tori ~ Protest For Change. Donald Trump is scrambling to find a chief of staff amid mounting chaos in the White House, as Robert Muellers investigation gets ever nearer to the Oval Office. The president has claimed he is in the process of interviewing some really great people for a position that is considered key to the functioning of any administration. But after he announced over the weekend that the current chief of staff, John Kelly, was stepping down, and the man expected to replace him ruled himself out, the process started to look increasingly shambolic. Fake News has been saying with certainty it was Nick Ayers, a spectacular person who will always be with our #MAGA agenda. I will be making a decision soon, Mr Trump tweeted. The Trump administration has accomplished more than any other US Administration in its first two (not even) years of existence, and we are having a great time doing it! All of this despite the Fake News Media, which has gone totally out of its mind truly the Enemy of the People. Reports said Mr Ayers, 36, currently chief of staff to vice president Mike Pence and considered a tough and effective political operator, had been in talks for several months to take over from Mr Kelly. Reuters said he had been unable to agree terms with the president and would instead leave the administration and return to the state of Georgia, where he worked before joining Mr Pences team. With him out of the running, attention has focussed on treasury secretary Steven Mnuchin, conservative congressman Mark Meadows and US trade representative Robert Lighthizer. Reports suggested former New Jersey governor Chris Christie, who was once close to Mr Trump but later sidelined after the 2016 election, was also being considered. Yet, the position of Mr Trumps third chief of staff, may have few high calibre applicants. The president notoriously hates to be managed, preferring to make decisions and announcements on the cuff, even if doing so undermines others in the administration. Story continues The job is grinding at the best of times. Barack Obama had five chiefs of staff over his two terms. Mr Kelly, 68, a former Marine Corps general, who took on the job in July last year, was brought in to bring about order after several months of sheer turbulence in the White House, when the presidents first chief of staff, Reince Priebus, tried in vain to juggle the West Wings various factions. Mr Priebus later told Chris Whipple, author of a book on White House chiefs of staff entitled The Gatekeepers: Take everything youve heard and multiply it by 50. The job of chief of staff is persistently one of the toughest in DC, Jeanne Zaino, professor of political science at New Yorks Iona College, told The Independent. Given that Donald Trump is probably more difficult to control or manage than others, it makes it that much more difficult. Ms Zaino said anyone coming into the job would immediately be confronted by a large number of challenges a newly invigorated, Democratic-controlled House of Representatives, a potential trade war with China, an expected downturn in the economy, plus the relentless investigation by Mr Mueller into Russias alleged interference in the 2016 campaign and possible collusion by the Trump campaign. David Corn, political editor of Mother Jones magazine, said: I cant figure out for the life of me any accomplished and serious person who would want to take on that job. Few leave the Trump administration with their reputationsand perhaps even their soulsunscathed. Its true mystery. But ambition can always find a date. Last week, it was revealed Mr Trumps former personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, told prosecutors he had broken the law and paid hush money to women on the eve of the election, at the behest of the candidate. With respect to both payments, Cohen acted with the intent to influence the 2016 presidential election. Cohen coordinated his actions with one or more members of the campaign, including through meetings and phone calls, about the fact, nature, and timing of the payments, said a sentencing filing. In particular, and as Cohen himself has now admitted, with respect to both payments, he acted in coordination with and at the direction of Individual-1 [Mr Trump]. Ms Zaino said the White House would sooner or later pick a new chief of staff. Thats not the question, she said. The question will be about the quality of the person. On Monday, Mr Trump described the payments Cohen made to former model Karen McDougal and adult actor Stormy Daniels, a private matter, after Democrats threatened to seek his impeachment. Congressman Jerrold Nadler, who will lead the judiciary committee when Democrats take control of the House next month, said on Sunday if the payments were found to violate campaign finance laws, it would be an impeachable offence. His counterpart on the intelligence committee, Adam Schiff, said the president could be indicted once he left office and could face the real prospect of jail time. Reuters said under US law, campaign contributions, defined as things of value given to a campaign to influence an election, must be disclosed. Such payments are also limited to $2,700 per person. Earlier this year, Mr Trump acknowledged repaying Cohen for the $130,000 paid to Ms Daniels. He previously disputed knowing anything about the payments. On Monday, the president again denied any wrongdoing and sought to shift blame to Cohen. Democrats cant find a smoking gun tying the Trump campaign to Russia after James Comeys testimony. No smoking gun ... No collusion, he tweeted, referring to a Fox News comment on the case. So now the Dems go to a simple private transaction, wrongly call it a campaign contribution, which it was not. Rimbo (Sweden) (AFP) - The UN Secretary-General will attend the closing session of talks between Yemen's government and rival rebels in Sweden this week, his office said Tuesday, amid a last-minute push to contain the violence in two of the war-torn country's hotspots. Nearly four years into a war that has pushed 14 million Yemenis to the brink of mass starvation, the Saudi-backed government of Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi and Huthi rebels, linked to Riyadh's arch-rival Iran, have been in UN-brokered talks since Thursday in the rural town of Rimbo in Sweden. Mediators are pushing for a de-escalation of violence in two flashpoint cities: rebel-held Hodeida, a port city vital to the delivery of humanitarian aid, and Taiz, Yemen's third largest city, scene of some of the most intense fighting of the war. The rival parties have not yet agreed to UN proposed drafts on Hodeida and Taiz. Both proposals include the de-escalation of hostilities. UN chief Antonio Guterres is scheduled to attend the last day of talks in Sweden on Thursday. He will "hold meetings with the two delegations and will address the closing session of this round of consultations," the UN said in a statement. Last week Guterres called for de-escalation around Hodeida in particular. While the Sweden talks do not aim to broker an official ceasefire, a UN official on Tuesday confirmed a draft for a full "political framework" had been submitted to both parties. The official declined to give further detail. Another round of talks has been tentatively scheduled for early 2019. - Prisoner swap - The Sweden talks are the first meeting between the two parties in the Yemen conflict in more than two years. The last round of talks, in 2016, collapsed after more than three months of negotiations. The two parties on Tuesday finalised an agreement on a massive prisoner exchange, the largest such deal between the rival parties since the outbreak of the conflict between the rebels and the government, backed since 2015 by a military coalition led by Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Story continues Askar Zaeel, a government negotiator on the prisoner swap, said the rebels had named 7,487 detainees whom they were willing to release. The government named 8,576 detainees, Zaeel said. Rebel negotiator Abdelkader Mourtada confirmed a total of more than 15,000 prisoners and detainees had been named in the swap, including UAE and Saudi citizens. He did not give further details. Zaeel told AFP the government demanded that the rebels hand over the body of Ali Abdullah Saleh, Yemen's former president who was killed at the hands of the Huthis after he broke a fragile alliance with the rebels to re-align with Saudi Arabia. Both parties said the exchange should be complete by January, pending final revisions of the lists. The International Committee of the Red Cross has confirmed it will oversee the exchange. - No truce - The government on Tuesday ruled out a truce, one day after the Saudi-led coalition said military operations were ongoing in Hodeida. The government alliance launched an offensive to retake the rebel-held city in June, sparking an international outcry over the fate of its 600,000 residents and a port crucial for food imports. "This has been proposed as part of the general framework, and this is what we came to make progress on: a full, complete ceasefire. But I think we will be unable to achieve this progress in this round," Zaeel told AFP. "This is a round of talks to prepare for that." More than 10,000 people have been killed since Saudi Arabia and its allies joined the government's war against the Huthis, triggering what the UN calls the world's worst humanitarian crisis. Both parties stand accused of failing to protect civilians. The Saudi-led alliance has been blacklisted by the UN for the killing and maiming of children. For Immediate Release Chicago, IL December 11, 2018 Zacks.com announces the list of stocks featured in the Analyst Blog. Every day the Zacks Equity Research analysts discuss the latest news and events impacting stocks and the financial markets. Stocks recently featured in the blog include: Altria Group MO, Cronos Group CRON, Constellation Brands STZ, Canopy Growth CGC and ETFMG Alternative Harvest ETF MJ. Here are highlights from Mondays Analyst Blog: Cronos-Altria Deal Boosts Marijuana ETF: Will This Continue? The marijuana industry is super busy with deal activities. A number of alcoholic beverage companies are investing or partnering with cannabis producers in a move to benefit from Canada's move to legalize marijuana for recreational use. The latest catalyst is Marlboro cigarette maker Altria Group, which announced that it will invest $1.8 billion (C$2.4 billion) in Canadian cannabis producer Cronos Group. As part of the deal, Altria will buy 146.2 million Cronos shares at C$16.25 a piece, which marks a 16.2% premium to the Dec 6 close on the Toronto Stock Exchange and a 41.5% premium to the company's 10-day volume weighted average price ending Nov 30. The investment will represent a 45% equity stake in Cronos with a warrant to increase ownership to 55% over the next four years. The transaction is expected to finalize within the first half of 2019. Shares of CRON rallied 21.7% at the close on Dec 7 (read: Another Cannabis ETF on the Way). The news sparked a rally in the broad cannabis sector and raised hopes of further investments. Corona beer maker Constellation Brands in August announced a $4 billion investment in Canadian cannabis producer Canopy Growth, marking the biggest investment in the industry. In other news, Aurora Cannabis jumped 10.8% after it announced its expansion into Mexico with the establishment of an exclusive supply deal with Farmacias Magistrales S.A. The company said Farmacias, a pharmaceutical manufacturer and distributor that reaches 80,000 retail points and 500 pharmacies and hospitals, recently received the first import license graded from the Mexico's Federal Commission for Protection Against Health Risks, which allows the company to import medical cannabis containing THC. Story continues Leafbuyer Technologies recently partnered with recreational and medical cannabis dispensaries throughout several legal markets to bring consumers the best deals for the 2018 Green Friday Deals Event in late November. As such, ETFMG Alternative Harvest ETF the first and only pure ETF targeting the cannabis/marijuana industry surged nearly 5% on the news. The fund has been on a tough ride this quarter on a profit taking and weak earnings after an astounding surge in the third quarter. From a year-to-date basis, the ETF is down 10.8% (read: Top and Flop ETFs at Half-Way Q4). MJ in Focus The fund tracks the Prime Alternative Harvest Index designed to measure the performance of companies within the cannabis ecosystem, benefiting from global medicinal and recreational cannabis legalization initiatives. The fund holds 38 securities in its basket and Canadian firms make up for half of the portfolio, while American firms comprise 36%. The ETF has AUM of $622.5 million and trades in a good volume of around 710,000 shares. It charges 75 bps in annual fees. What Lies Ahead? The pot industry has been emerging and is poised for rapid growth given its widespread legality. Though cannabis remains illegal at the federal level in the United States, nine states and the District of Columbia have legalized recreational marijuana while 30 states have legalized medical weed. Canada is now the second country in the world to legalize the drug for both medical and recreational use, trailing Uruguay and the first country among the G-7 nations (read: Will Cannabis ETFs be on a High Again?). According to the Arcview Market Research, the U.S. legal cannabis market is projected to reach $11 billion in consumer spending this year and more than $23 billion by 2022. Per an analyst at Cowen, the U.S. legal cannabis industry is expected to reach $75 billion in sales by 2030, surpassing the carbonated soft drink market in 2017. Want key ETF info delivered straight to your inbox? Zacks free Fund Newsletter will brief you on top news and analysis, as well as top-performing ETFs, each week. Get it free >> Media Contact Zacks Investment Research 800-767-3771 ext. 9339 support@zacks.com https://www.zacks.com Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Inherent in any investment is the potential for loss. This material is being provided for informational purposes only and nothing herein constitutes investment, legal, accounting or tax advice, or a recommendation to buy, sell or hold a security. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. It should not be assumed that any investments in securities, companies, sectors or markets identified and described were or will be profitable. All information is current as of the date of herein and is subject to change without notice. Any views or opinions expressed may not reflect those of the firm as a whole. Zacks Investment Research does not engage in investment banking, market making or asset management activities of any securities. These returns are from hypothetical portfolios consisting of stocks with Zacks Rank = 1 that were rebalanced monthly with zero transaction costs. These are not the returns of actual portfolios of stocks. The S&P 500 is an unmanaged index. Visit https://www.zacks.com/performance for information about the performance numbers displayed in this press release. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Constellation Brands Inc (STZ) : Free Stock Analysis Report Altria Group, Inc. (MO) : Free Stock Analysis Report Cronos Group Inc. (CRON) : Free Stock Analysis Report Canopy Growth Corporation (CGC) : Free Stock Analysis Report ETFMG-ALT HRVST (MJ): ETF Research Reports To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research What is lurking beneath the surface? (Getty) Deep beneath the surface of our planet lurks an immense amount of life, with tiny life forms such as zombie bacteria amounting to a mass 245 to 385 times greater than the carbon mass of all humans on the surface. A 10-year international effort to reveal our planets secrets found that the deep biosphere amounts to 15 to 23 billion tonnes of life far more than previously believed. Scientists with the Deep Carbon Observatory drilled 1.5 miles into the seabed, and sampled microbes from mines and boreholes up to three miles deep. The scientists say that the hitherto unknown microbes deep inside our planet are like a new Galapagos, the islands which helped to inspire Darwins theory of evolution. :Life persists even miles below the surface (Getty) Two types of microbes bacteria and archaea dominate Deep Earth. This so-called microbial dark matter dramatically expands our perspective on the tree of life. Sientists now believe that about 70% of Earths bacteria and archaea live in the subsurface Deep microbes are often very different from their surface cousins, with life cycles on near-geologic timescales, dining in some cases on nothing more than energy from rocks. MORE: Woman feeling Claus-trophobic after falling through ceiling getting Christmas decorations MORE: Shocking images show horrific injuries suffered by woman, 50, robbed in her own home The findings have led some experts to question whether life actually began deep beneath the surface, either within the crust, near hydrothermal vents, or in subduction zones, then migrated upwards towards the sun. Fumio Inagaki, Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology says, Even in dark and energetically challenging conditions, intraterrestrial ecosystems have uniquely evolved and persisted over millions of years. Expanding our knowledge of deep life will inspire new insights into planetary habitability, leading us to understand why life emerged on our planet and whether life persists in the Martian subsurface and other celestial bodies. Watch the latest videos from Yahoo UK EU Monitoring Mission mandate extended to 2020 On Monday 3 December, the 28 EU member states formally extended the mandate of the EU Monitoring Mission (EUMM) in Georgia for a further two years, until 14 December 2020.The basic mandate, organization and staffing levels remain unchanged, while some concrete adjustments of the Mission will be undertaken. Among other things, the Mission will strengthen its analytical work and reinforce its focus on some concrete areas in its monitoring and reporting including minority issues, hybrid threats, and issues related to cultural heritage.On the occasion of the extension, Head of Mission, Erik Hoeg states: I appreciate the decision of EU member states to extend the mandate for two more years. It means that we can continue to contribute to stability 24/7 as the only international monitoring presence of the ground. The decision reflects an enduring commitment by the EU to regional stability.BackgroundEUMM is an unarmed, civilian Mission of the European Union. It was deployed on the 1st of October 2008 to monitor compliance with the agreement - the Six Point Agreement - that ended the August war. The Mission recently marked 10 years of deployment in Georgia. EUMM experts patrol 365 days of the year and regularly reports their observations to EU member states and EU institutions.The Mission presently has 319 staff members in 4 different locations a Headquarters in Tbilisi and Field offices in Mtskheta, Gori, and Zugdidi. A total of 26 EU member states are represented in EUMM staff.With over 200 monitors from across the EU deployed in Georgia, the Mission represents the continued commitment of the EU to peace and stability in the region. Presently the EUMM is the only international monitoring presence on the ground. The Mission is currently headed by Erik Hoeg, a senior Danish diplomat.The main tasks of EUMM Georgia are:- Stabilization: monitoring the situation on the ground, particularly along the Administrative Boundary Lines between the territory under the administration of the Georgian government and the breakaway regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia. In addition to regular patrolling, the Mission helps to maintain stability by operating a Hotline to deal with incidents in real time.- Normalization: monitoring the impact of the conflict on the people living near the Administrative Boundary Lines or displaced from their homes as a result of the 2008 war.- Confidence building: contributing to the reduction of tensions through liaison and facilitation of contacts between the parties to the conflict.- Informing EU policy: providing information and analysis to policy-makers of the EU member states. In this courtroom sketch, Meng Wanzhou, right, the chief financial officer of Huawei Technologies, sits beside a translator during a bail hearing at British Columbia Supreme Court in Vancouver, on Friday, Dec. 7, 2018. Meng faces extradition to the U.S. on charges of trying to evade U.S. sanctions on Iran. She appeared in a Vancouver court Friday to seek bail. (Jane Wolsak/The Canadian Press via AP) In this courtroom sketch, Meng Wanzhou, right, the chief financial officer of Huawei Technologies, sits beside a translator during a bail hearing at British Columbia Supreme Court in Vancouver, on Friday, Dec. 7, 2018. Meng faces extradition to the U.S. on charges of trying to evade U.S. sanctions on Iran. She appeared in a Vancouver court Friday to seek bail. (Jane Wolsak/The Canadian Press via AP) (Bloomberg) -- China accused Canada of violating a bilateral agreement by failing to speedily inform its consulate of the arrest of Huawei Technologies Co. Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou -- an accusation the Canadian government denies. According to the China-Canada consular agreement, if a Chinese citizen is arrested by the Canadian government, the Canadian government should immediately notify the Chinese embassy, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang told reporters in Beijing on Monday. But the Canadian government didnt do that. Despite follow-up questions on when Beijing found out about the detention, Lu declined to provide more details. Canada, however, said it notified Chinese envoys on the day of the arrest. Chinas consulate general in Vancouver was notified of Ms. Mengs detention on Dec. 1, the same day that the detention took place, Philip Hannan, a spokesman for the countrys foreign ministry, said in a written statement Monday. Consular access was provided later that day. Chinas Ambassador in Ottawa was also in contact with Canadian officials later that same day to discuss the situation. Strained Relations Over the weekend, Chinese authorities separately summoned the ambassadors of Canada and the U.S. to protest Mengs arrest on allegations she committed fraud to sidestep sanctions against Iran. The case has become a flash-point in ties between the U.S. and China thats rattled investors and sent stock markets tumbling. Vice Foreign Minister Le Yucheng warned Canadas ambassador that his nation could face "severe consequences" if it didnt release Meng immediately. Le said earlier in a separate statement that U.S. actions have violated the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese citizens and are extremely bad in nature, while also pledging further action. China and the U.S. are grappling with how to react to the incident, which threatens to upend progress in trade talks achieved in Argentina. President Donald Trumps trade team sought to insulate talks with China from the growing dispute on Sunday, while officials in Beijing have debated the pros and cons of retaliation. Story continues On Friday, the U.S. began a case against the Chinese telecoms giant in a Vancouver courtroom, alleging Meng had hidden ties between Huawei and a company called Skycom that did business in Iran, a lawyer representing Canada said during the court hearing. Canada is presenting the case on behalf of the U.S., which wants to extradite Meng. Her lawyers have cited health issues in a bid to free the Huawei finance chief, painting a picture of a cancer survivor whos undergone multiple surgeries and needs daily medication to cope with a plethora of health issues. They also outlined how her entire family has deep roots in Vancouver, where shes being held. Shes also offered to put up a couple of multi-million-dollar homes as collateral. Equipment Bans Mengs case has struck a nerve with Chinese officials in part because Huawei, founded by her father Ren Zhengfei, is a national champion at the forefront of President Xi Jinpings efforts for China to be self-sufficient in strategic technologies. Along with Huaweis growing prominence has come increased scrutiny from the U.S. and its allies over fears its equipment could be used for spying, with Kyodo News reporting that Japan could join Australia and New Zealand in keeping Chinese equipment away from their phone networks. China seeks fair, transparent and non-discriminatory treatment from Japan, Lu said. Lu also pushed back against comments from those in other nations who allege Huawei may pose a security threat, saying there isnt any evidence of cyber-security problems. "I want to stress that the Chinese laws and regulations do not authorize any institutions to force any enterprise to install forced backdoors," Lu said. "The Chinese government always encourages its enterprises to abide by international rules and local laws." (Updates with Canada reaction in third and fourth paragraph.) To contact Bloomberg News staff for this story: David Ramli in Beijing at dramli1@bloomberg.net To contact the editors responsible for this story: Daniel Ten Kate at dtenkate@bloomberg.net, Stephen Wicary, Chris Fournier For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com 2018 Bloomberg L.P. With a few days to digest the specifics of the OPEC+ deal, most analysts deem the result a success. But that does not mean that there are no pitfalls left for the oil market. On its face, the numbers are impressive. The group will cut a combined 1.2 million barrels per day (mb/d) beginning in January. This agreement provided relief to oil markets, with Brent prices up $3/bbl initially, and the accompanying decline in fundamental uncertainty should further help reduce price and implied volatility levels from their recent highs, Goldman Sachs wrote on Friday after the agreement was announced. OPEC will cut by 0.8 mb/d and non-OPEC will reduce by 0.4 mb/d. Crucially, because the baseline for the cuts is October and not November, the cuts will be significant. By our calculations, this means that OPECs January output will be 31.7mb/d, about 1.2mb/d less than November; a significantly larger fall from current output than the 0.8mb/d headline OPEC cut might suggest, Standard Chartered wrote in a note. We have previously suggested that any reduction that takes OPEC output below 32mb/d should be considered bullish. Saudi Arabia will cut output to 10.2 mb/d in January, down about 0.9 mb/d from November levels. We think the projected level of output will balance the global market in 2019, Standard Chartered concluded. Other analysts agreed. The announced reduction should lead to a relatively balanced global oil market and will likely push Brent and WTI prices back to our respective expected averages of $70/bbl and $59/bbl in 2019, Bank of America Merrill Lynch wrote in a note. The investment bank said that the Brent futures market should flip back into a state of backwardation, in which front-month oil futures trade at a premium to longer-dated futures. That implies a bit of bullishness in the market. Related: Geopolitical Stakes Are Huge On This Tiny Island There are also the mandatory cuts from Canada to consider roughly 325,000 bpd will go offline in January for a period of time until surplus inventories are drained. Combined with the production cuts in Canada, approx. 1.5 million fewer barrels per day will thus be available to the oil market in early 2019. This should be more or less sufficient to rebalance the oil market next year, Commerzbank wrote. But thats not all. Although several troubled countries received exemptions, including Libya, Iran and Nigeria, the odds of further losses from them are relatively high. Goldman Sachs forecasts 0.5 mb/d of declines from those countries. So, we have 1.2 mb/d of reductions from OPEC+, 0.5 mb/d of declining production from the exempted countries, and 325,000 of cuts from Canada. There are still a lot of uncertainties in terms of compliance and unexpected events, but on its face, those reductions together total somewhere close to 2 mb/d. Of course, things arent that simple, and Saudi Arabia in particular will likely adjust output levels in response to market conditions. If the losses from Iran, Libya or Nigeria are larger than expected, for instance, Riyadh could put supply back onto the market. As such, supply probably wont fall by 2 mb/d. Related: OPEC+ Succeeds, Whats Next For Oil? Moreover, the lack of country-specific production quotas leaves another aspect of uncertainty. Hard data on reductions may be necessary before oil prices can really climb higher. [W]e reiterate our view that this additional price upside will need to be driven in coming months by evidence of (1) the implementation of the cuts in loadings data, as well as (2) a normalization of excess inventory levels, the stated goals of the agreement, Goldman Sachs wrote. The need for this physical evidence emanates from both the surprisingly large surplus of the global oil market in 2H18as well the absence of a clear picture on the implementation of the cuts. Nevertheless, the supply picture is set to tighten significantly as we head into 2019. Many oil watchers see a somewhat balanced market in the first half of the year. Supplies could even tighten further if the Trump administration takes a hard line on Iran, with sanctions waivers set to expire in May. The flip side is that the global economy is starting to show wider cracks. Oil fell quite a bit on Monday, dragged down by the broader gloom spreading over financial markets. By Nick Cunningham of Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: OPEC and its non-OPEC partners are set to officially sign a cooperation agreement in March of next year, the UAEs energy minister Suhail al-Mazrouei said, according to Reuters. The agreement will be officially signed in March in Saudi Arabia, the oil minister said, and will seek to align OPEC with non-OPEC oil producers, most importantly Russia, on matters likely to include achieving market balancespecifically production quotas. The term market balance is the new phrase OPEC is using instead of referencing specific oil prices, after OPEC in October steered its members away from any words that may put it at odds with proposed U.S. legislation called the NOPEC Act. OPEC and a group of non-OPEC members reached an agreement on Friday to cut production starting in January 2019. OPECs portion of the production cuts was 800,000 bpd, with Saudi Arabias accounting for 500,000 bpd of that. The non-OPEC countries agreed to 400,000 bpd of the production cut, with Russia accounting for approximately 230,000 bpd of the 400,000. Russia, for its part, said it would take months for that level of cut to be achieved. Likewise, OPECs production cuts are unlikely to shrink by 800,000 bpd immediately on January 1st, and will more than likely take months as well. Oil prices ticked upward on Friday, but failed to stay up on Monday, even as OPEC member Libya, exempt from the most recent production cut deal, declared a force majeure on Monday as protests hit the nations beleaguered oil industry, shutting in production of its biggest oilfield, Sharara. The idea of making an OPEC/non-OPEC alliance official has been bandied about for some time, most recently by Khalid al-Falih, who said in late October that he hoped to set up an official OPEC+ governing body to preside over oil market coordination. we want to sign a new cooperation agreement that is open-ended. That does not expire after 2020 or 2021. We will leave it open, Al-Falih told TASS at the time, adding that Russia would likely assume the leadership role in this endeavor. By Julianne Geiger for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Oil prices bounced on Tuesday after losing ground on Monday as news of unexpected outages in Libya helped buoy sentiment. (Click to enlarge) (Click to enlarge) (Click to enlarge) (Click to enlarge) U.S. LNG export capacity is expected to more than double by the end of 2019, rising to 8.9 Bcf/d, up from 3.6 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) currently. That will be enough to make the U.S. the third largest LNG exporter after Australia and Qatar. The U.S. only began exporting LNG in early 2016. Market Movers * ConocoPhillips (NYSE: COP) said that its shale output will grow by 25 percent next year even with the prospect of oil prices much lower than 2018 levels. Conoco says its Eagle Ford, Permian and Bakken assets can make a return even with oil at $50 per barrel. * BP (NYSE: BP) agrees to consider a climate resolution at its 2019 annual general meeting, pushed by activists investors. The resolution would call on BP to set and publish targets in line with the Paris Climate agreement. * HESS (NYSE: HES) announced a $2.9 billion spending program for 2019, forecasting a 12 percent increase in production. Hess also said that 2019 will be the peak spending year for the Liza 1 development in Guyana, which is on track to come online in 2020. Tuesday, December 11, 2018 Saudi Arabia to cut oil exports by 1 mb/d in January. Saudi Arabia will lower oil exports by 1 mb/d beginning in January. Sources told Reuters exports will drop to 7.3 mb/d, down from 8.3 mb/d in November. Libya declares force majeure. Libyas National Oil Corp. declared force majeure on crude loadings at its Sharara field because of the presence of a militia, according to S&P Global Platts. The shutdown of Sharara will result in a daily site production loss of 315,000 b/d, with an additional loss of 73,000 b/d at El Feel due to its dependence on Sharara for electricity supply, NOC said in a statement. Related: Saudi Arabias Biggest Geopolitical Error Markets rocked by trade war fears. Despite the hyped Trump-Xi truce, the trade war may only be on hold. U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer said on Sunday that tariffs would rise on March 1 if a significant deal cannot be reached. Meanwhile, the political turmoil in the UK following the cancelled parliamentary vote on the Brexit package also fed uncertainty. Financial markets started the week in the red. Russia to only cut by 50,000-60,000 bpd. Russia and other non-OPEC producers agreed to cut a combined 400,000 bpd at the OPEC+ meeting, but the reality is beginning to sink in. The cuts may only be phased in over time. Russia may only cut output by 50,000 to 60,000 bpd in January, according to Russian energy minister Alexander Novak. That could mean that actual reductions from the entire group may trail the headline figure of 1.2 mb/d in cuts. OPEC+ deal may not impact U.S. shale significantly. The U.S. shale industry is likely rejoicing after the successful OPEC+ meeting, which should tighten the market and push up prices. But some analysts believe the deal wont significantly alter the shale supply picture. I just think there's a lot of uncertainty and this is a pretty small cut, Amy Myers Jaffe, director of the Council on Foreign Relations' energy security and climate program, told S&P Global Platts. The duration of the deal is an open question, as is compliance. The outlook for the global economy could loom much larger for shale operators. I don't think OPEC has the will to make the kind of cuts we'd need to make if we saw a real recession, Myers Jaffe said. Analysts say OPEC+ deal should balance market. Most major investment banks were in agreement that the OPEC+ deal should eliminate the supply surplus in the first half of 2019. Yet, oil prices have not jumped as much as many expected. The current price weakness is all the more surprising given that just short of 400,000 barrels per day of Libyan oil are currently missing because production has been interrupted at Libyas largest oil field, Commerzbank said in a note. Nevertheless, the cuts should do the trick. We believe that the cuts, if strictly implemented, will rebalance the oil market next year. Trump water rule could pave way for new pipelines. The EPA is unveiling a proposed roll back of federal water protections this week, a move that could make it much easier to build new oil and gas pipelines. An estimated 60 to 90 percent of U.S. waterways could lose federal protection. Morgan Stanley cuts oil pricing forecast. Morgan Stanley expects Brent to reach $67.50 per barrel in the second quarter of 2019, a downward revision by $10 from its prior forecast. The investment bank said that non-OPEC supply growth could still overwhelm demand, which should keep a lid on prices. The OPEC+ deal helps erase some of the surplus, but also removes some risk from non-OPEC suppliers. Related: Is This The Next Big Petrochemical Hub In The U.S.? Citi: Oil flat in 2019. Citibank forecasts Brent to average just $60 per barrel in 2019, or essentially flat from todays level. That forecast is notable given the sizable cuts from OPEC+. Citi says the cuts could actually sow the seeds of another selloff. OPEC+ did the work of drawing down inventories that otherwise would have to be done through a painful period for shale producers, Citi said in a research note. [T]he more OPEC+ tries to support prices by withholding oil from the market, the more they give the US shale sector an out from rationing supply growth themselves. Global investors say lack of climate action risks financial crash. Global investors managing a combined $32 trillion in assets warned negotiators at the UN climate summit that the lack of action on climate change could provoke a financial crisis much deeper than the 2008 meltdown. For instance, investment firm Schroders said that the global economy could see losses of $23 trillion in the long run without rapid action. On the contrary, a rapid clean energy transition could result in enormous benefits. The low-carbon economy presents numerous opportunities and investors who ignore the changing world do so at their own peril, said Thomas DiNapoli of the $207 billion New York State Common Retirement Fund. Atlantic Coast pipeline delayed. A major natural gas pipeline intended to carry Marcellus shale gas to the U.S. South just hit another setback. A federal court ordered the project to halt construction, suspending federal permits because of potential impacts on wildlife. Iran says oil exports improving. Iranian president Hassan Rouhani said that oil exports from the country have improved since November. The goal of the Americans was to block our oil exports. I want to say frankly to our people that our oil exports after (Nov. 4) have improved by degrees, Rouhani said. So the Americans have been unsuccessful with regard to the oil issue. Much of it is likely bluster, but there are reports that Japan and South Korea, at least, intend to buy more oil from Iran after obtaining waivers from the U.S. Treasury Department. By Tom Kool for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Weve been here before and since global oil markets are indeed cyclical, Citis new oil price forecast for 2019 should not come as much of a surprise. The bank forecasts that global oil prices will average $60 per barrel in 2019, remaining near current levels as OPEC+ led production cuts encourage American drillers to pump more crude oil. In its primary forecast, Citi said it sees Brent crude trading at $55 to $65 per barrel in 2019, as global oil stockpiles continue to rise through the middle of the year. Citis forecast comes after the so-called OPEC+ group of oil producers, which includes production heavyweights Saudi Arabia and Russia, agreed on Friday to trim production by 1.2 million barrels per day (bpd), starting in January and lasting for a period of six months, with a review set for April. The production cut immediately put a floor under prices that had slid around 30 percent from multi-year highs in October for both global benchmarks, London-traded Brent crude futures and U.S.-oil benchmark, NYMEX-traded West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude. However, on Monday prices slid again, the most in two weeks, as traders reportedly grew skeptical whether or not the OPEC+ group can cut will be enough to drain down global oil supply levels. Per terms of the agreement, OPEC members will shoulder most of the production cuts, coming in at 800,000 bpd, while non-OPEC countries including Russia will pick up the slack. Venezuela, Iran and Libya were exempted from the cuts as a result of geopolitical and economic pressures that already limit those OPEC nations production capabilities. Citi said that an earlier round of production cuts from the OPEC+ alliance has only delayed the inevitable in oil markets. Rather than putting oil on a steady upward trajectory, the new supply cuts almost certainly set up another sell-off, the bank claims. OPEC+ did the work of drawing down inventories that otherwise would have to be done through a painful period for shale producers, Citi said. The bank added in a note that the more OPEC+ tries to support prices by withholding oil from the market, the more they give the U.S. shale sector an out from rationing supply growth themselves. Related: Former Venezuelan General Takes Helm Of OPEC While an argument can be made to counter Citis assertion that the first OPEC+ production cuts set up another sell-off, the bank hits the nail on the head when referring to the impact the cuts will have on U.S. shale oil production. Resilient U.S. shale oil producers U.S. producers had been sweating it out in recent months as oil prices tanked on over supply worries, geopolitical concerns, and questions whether global oil demand growth will indeed flatten out. With prices last week threatening to settle in the $40s per barrel range for WTI, many shale producers would have been breaching or at least nearing crucial oil production break even points. Citi said that oil prices would need to settle at $45 per barrel to keep U.S. production flat. Now that prices have support amid the Saudi-Russian output cut, U.S. shale oil producers are breathing a collective sigh of relief. This is the point where deja vu sets in. Rewind a few years to late 2014 when global oil markets where so awash with oil that Saudi Arabia gave up conventional oil markets wisdom it had adhered to for decades as global oil markets swing producer and instead of trimming production, decided to open the oil production floodgates to not only protect market share but to drive prices to a point where U.S. shale oil producers, blamed for the supply glut all along, would be put out of business. However, Saudi Arabia miscalculated and almost drove itself to the point of economic and financial collapse amid multi-year low oil prices. Moreover, while some U.S. shale oil producers were put out of business, a plethora of other producers simply tightened their belts, secured enough cash to make it thorough, increase drilling efficiencies and reduced their oil production break-even points. This set up the first OPEC+ production agreement in January 2017, which eventually worked enough to return OECD oil inventory levels to five year averages, while restoring oil market equilibrium, and driving prices up to recent multi-year levels. These prices encouraged U.S. shale oil producers, now with improved drilling technology and lower production costs, to jump on the oil price bandwagon and open up the output floodgates once again, thanks in large part to the Saudis and Russians. Related: Is Gasoline Demand Really Slipping? This same scenario could play out in similar fashion in 2019 if the OPEC+ output deal to trim 1.2 million bpd of oil from markets work with corresponding higher oil prices. However, therein lies the quandary for all involved, both Saudi Arabia and Russia and oil market pundits, including established forecasters like Citi. Unknown variables At the end of the day, nobody at this point can clearly answer unknown variables that will determine where prices and even demand are headed, including the success or dismal prospect of no new trade deal being reached between Washing and Beijing by March 1. No new trade deal would dampen global oil demand and prices, while unforeseen geopolitical developments, including the constant possibility of more fallout from the always volatile middle east as Saudi Arabia and Iran continue to jockey for geopolitical hegemony in the region in Syrian, Yemen and other areas, would spook markets and cause prices to increase. Finally, the one factor in the equation that isnt as hard to forecast is U.S. production. Even if prices tank, and remain at the low $50s price point, U.S. shale production will continue likely unabated. However, if prices head north expect even more idled oil rigs, particularly in the prolific Permian Basin, to be restarted, pushing the U.S. well past the U.S. Energy Information Administration's 12.1 million bpd forecast. By Tim Daiss for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: War is inherently risk-intense, and therefore is not by any to be entered into unadvisedly or lightly. The more comprehensive the engagement the less predictable the outcome. So it is with the Saudi Coalitions present intervention in Yemen. Nothing is more important than having clear, strategically valid goals and absolute imperatives before engaging in warfare. Moreover, given its unpredictability, direct conflict should be initiated as a course of last resort. Any power initiating a physical war automatically engages target and contextual factors beyond its control, quite apart from the mastery which an initiator must have over its own population, resources, and capabilities. Factors of strategic, geographic, and industrial depth, and coherently managed willpower increase in significance as the scale of the conflict increases. And the nature, duration, and scope of a conflict and its ramifications mostly evolve in ways little considered at the outset. Few wars, however, are begun consciously and deliberately. Rather, they stem from an accretion of events which lock into what become predictable trajectories, usually before planning even begins. So wars are rarely begun as the result of an exhaustive examination by the initiating power of its specific goals, and of all its own options and resources. Most significant are the moral factors (as Napoleon Bonaparte termed them): the psychological factors, of which willpower, legitimacy, and prestige are paramount. Still less does an initiator ever fully chart those options and resources human as well as physical which are at the immediate command of its target. Nor are those factors which the initiation of war may later cause to be made available to the adversary, the target of the aggression. And rarely is the area of broader strategic context including history, current global trends, and other things comprehensively examined or understood. Failure to give respect to the risks of warfare could not have been more clearly dramatized than in the case of the war which the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia formalized against elements in Yemen in 2015. By that time, longstanding Saudi concerns and prejudices regarding the various (and diverse) Yemeni socio-political landscapes had already predisposed Riyadh to certain courses of action, shaped even before the Saudi- Yemeni war of 1934 (which resulted in the Saudi annexation of portions of Yemeni territory). The North Yemen Civil War of 1962 to 1970 also entailed a significant amount of direct and indirect intervention by Saudi Arabia and Egypt, as well as the USSR and Britain. And the merger of the Yemen Arab Republic (YAR: North Yemen) and the Peoples Democratic Republic of Yemen (PDRY: South Yemen) into the Republic of Yemen in 1990 was, as much as anything, not the result of a common desire for a unified Yemen as much as it reflected the coup in the PDRY in January 1986 and the declining ability of the USSR to support South Yemen. The unraveling of Yemen could easily take parts of it back to before the creation on February 11, 1959, of the Federation of Arab Emirates of the South, which grew to become the 15-state Federation of South Arabia on April 4, 1962, adding the Aden Colony on January 18, 1963, before the Upper Aulaqi Sultante built the Federation up to include 17 sovereign states. The day that sovereignty was subsumed when, on November 30, 1967, the Peoples Republic of Southern Yemen was formed (becoming the PDRY in 1970). What is significant is that many of these sovereign members of the Federations did not acquiesce, and go quietly into history. Some of the royal families of the Hadhramaut and other areas of what was South Yemen wait in exile many in Saudi Arabia as insurgency movements fight to restore local autonomy.1 Ownership of the Yemeni political space thus became confused, but there was no doubting the reality that Riyadh felt a sense of suzerain authority and a fear that Yemeni republicanism, on the one hand, and resurgent Zaidi influence on the other could challenge Saudi primacy on the Red Sea littoral. But it was more than that. There was also the question of the evolution of a sense of infallibility within some of the Saudi hierarchy. A sense of I am rich, therefore I must be smart. The Yemenis were poor, therefore they must play supplicant to Riyadh. Related: Houthis Accuse Saudi Coalition Of Blocking Oil Ships From Yemens Ports All of that may merely be window- dressing to the reality that Riyadh was happy to intervene increasingly in the Yemeni troubles which followed the removal from office of its President, Field Marshal Ali Abdullah Saleh, on February 27, 2012. But this paternalistic engagement by the Saudis in Yemeni affairs compounded with the death of Saudi King Abdallah bin Abd al-Aziz al Saud on January 23, 2015, and the sequence of events heavily supported by the US Barack Obama White House of the supplanting of King Abdallahs line in the Saudi power structure. The leadership of the Kingdom slipped from the weakened grasp of whatever adults remained in the palace. The new King, Salman bin Abd al-Aziz al Saud, who had been Minister of Defense, was already suffering from the onset of age-related mental decline, and his youngest son, Prince Mohammed bin Salman (known as MBS), was not only vaulted into the post of Minister of Defense, but also into effectively running the Kingdom in his fathers name, although he lacked the years and experience to do so. On April 30, 2015, I noted: Saudi Arabias leadership succession restructuring and Cabinet reshuffle on April 29, 2015, offered important clues for the strategic shape of the region in the coming few years, and these may not be positive for the Kingdom. The leadership changes pulled the Kingdom back into its historically conservative shell even though the changes were billed in the media as bringing youth to the succession process and this will serve to further alienate the Nejdi, Wahhabist Sunni ruling group from the Kingdoms Shia population in the East and South of Saudi Arabia. Rather than moving to represent all of the Kingdoms communities, the Crown has reasserted its model of top-down leadership. Much of this is a result of Saudi Arabias indirect war with Iran and Shiism, which the House of Saud regards as an existential competition. The change in the Saudi succession line-up also reflected a profound internal success for the Sudairi side of the Royal Family, and a success for US Pres. Barack Obama, who had strenuously opposed the rise of King Abdallahs designated second-in- line, Prince Muqrin bin Abd al-Aziz. Thus, the only clear strategic objective in the minds of the Kingdoms de facto decisionmaker, MBS, was to somehow deter any growth in Iranian dominance over the region. And it was more belief than intelligence that Iran was driving the revival of the Zaidi adherents among the mainly North Yemeni tribes. This seemed of greater concern to MBSs Riyadh than the fact of the possible break-up of Yemen. Perhaps he would welcome that, but certainly no coherent strategic goals have been articulated publicly. A desire to help end the Yemeni civil war might seem admirable, but to intervene only to exacerbate the problem throws that goal into doubt. Poor intelligence and comprehension of the overarching strategic framework meant that Saudi Arabias creation of a Coalition to challenge the Zaidis on the basis that they were merely forces controlled by Iran actually caused the Zaidis to turn increasingly to the Iranians for military support. Saudi Arabias posturing ensured that former Pres. Saleh was replaced by his Vice-President, Maj.-Gen. (rtd.) Abd al-Rab Mansour al-Hadi, a Sunni (nominally) from the former South Yemen. The recognition of Hadi as the legitimate leader of Yemen and causing all Saudi allies to accept him essentially overturned the victory of North Yemen in the conflict which led to the creation of a unified Yemen in 1994. And the more that the Yemeni military (that is the mainly North Yemeni units which found themselves out of Yemeni Army with the removal of Pres. Saleh) succeeded in resisting the Saudi Coalitions forces, the more that it behooved Riyadh to claim that the Saudi failures were the product of Iranian support for the Houthis (the Zaidis). MBSs persistence in continuing a war without purpose has largely been a matter of ego, and the very real fact that a perceived massive failure of his expensive war (at a time of declining Saudi economic fortunes) would greatly encourage his enemies within the House of Saud, has meant a downward spiral of coherent military and political strategic thinking in the Kingdom. The real enemies, for MBS, then, are those who would challenge his credibility and legitimacy. This was very much at the heart of the thinking when he, or those he trusted to do his bidding, took the decision to abduct and murder, as it transpired a well-placed Saudi who had become a dissident, a supporter of the Ikhwan (Muslim Brothers), and sometime journalist, Jamal Khashoggi inside the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul on October 2, 2018. Related: The Real Implications Of The New Permian Estimates What is ironic is the reality that the assassination of Khashoggi may have shaped international public and political opinion against the Saudi Crown Prince even more than the deaths of as many as 200,000 Yemenis, possibly 12,000 due to the direct and the rest to indirect effects of the conflict, and the several million displaced Yemenis sent into profound suffering (along with the entire country) because of the Saudi Coalitions actions. Meanwhile, peace talks between Yemeni factions began in Sweden on December 6, 2018, as a result of a call by US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, on October 30, 2018, for a ceasefire in the war, and for the start of peace talks. But the real driver for the talks is the growing weakness of MBS and of Saudi Arabia. The war has taken an increasing amount of the declining Saudi economy, and the fact that Saudi forces cannot significantly impact the situation in Yemen as well as MBS growing international isolation over the Khashoggi case means, collectively, that it is time for Riyadh to reconsider its sponsorship of the war. It is assumed that Saudi Arabias key allies (the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain) will follow whatever Riyadh does. This all may leave Iran with an advantage in the region, but it is an advantage which is the result of Saudi ineptitude. In any event, it is the siege of Saudi Arabia, both economically and because of its hubris in the assassination of Jamal Khashoggi, which is driving events. The question is what is next for Yemen? Saudi Arabia may well attempt to keep much of the country intact under Gen. al-Hadi, but he commands little grassroots support. Is it possible that we could see a coherent state emerge in the north, once again, under the Zaidi? Is it possible that we can see the re-emergence of the pre-1959 sovereign monarchies of the Hadhramaut and South Yemen? Of considerable concern is that Saudi Arabias own cohesiveness comes increasingly into question.2 Where does all this leave the US in the region, bearing in mind that US Pres. Donald Trump has come under severe pressure for not condemning the Saudi killing of Khashoggi? The reality is that the US is now so disadvantaged in the Middle East that it cannot, geopolitically, afford to lose Saudi Arabia. Without the Kingdom, it loses most of its leverage in the region. Its ties to Qatar, Bahrain, and Oman would not compensate for the loss of Saudi Arabia. Neither do US ties to Israel, and its now more correct ties with Egypt. Washington has burned its bridges with Pakistan, and the golden days of the Shahs friendship with the US were destroyed by US Pres. Jimmy Carters hubris and the malign influence of his Ambassador to Iran, W. H. Sullivan. Saudi Arabia may manage its decline by replacing MBS, but the region itself has now fundamentally changed. The changes are very directly related to the failures of the Saudis, particularly since 2015 or so, but over many decades, and by the US since the end of the Richard Nixon Administration in 1974. Is it too late to plan for a new future? Indeed it is not. But it will be a very different future, whatever happens, and it will require a clean sheet of paper, and a real understanding of history. By Gregory Copley via Defense and Foreign Affairs More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: The commissioning of a mega refinery and petrochemical complex worth US$44 billion and involving Saudi Aramco and ADNOC has been pushed out by two years to 2025, a top executive at the Indian consortium part of the project told Reuters on Tuesday. Ratnagiri Refinery & Petrochemicals Ltd (RPPL), the joint venture company responsible for the huge 1.2 million bpd complex construction and development, had initially scheduled the commissioning for 2023. According to the website of the joint venture, the refinery is expected to be commissioned by the year 2025, and is planned to produce high-quality automotive and aviation fuels, plus a wide range of petrochemical products. The project will be completed in 2024 and commissioning will be in 2025, B. Ashok, the chief executive of RPPL, told Reuters on Tuesday. The joint venture company now has more detailed information on the refinery configuration and the availability of people to build it, according to Ashok. In June this year, Saudi Aramco and the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) signed a framework agreement and a memorandum of understanding with a consortium of Indian national oil companies to join the mega project at Ratnagiri in the Maharashtra state on Indias west coast. Related: The Dangers Of Chinas Growing Oil Demand Saudi Aramco and ADNOC will jointly own 50 percent of the new joint venture company RRPCL, while the other 50 percent will be held by the Indian consortium. The parties agreed to explore a strategic partnership and co-investment in the development of the US$44 billion mega refinery. By investing in the giant Indian refinery, the national oil companies of leading OPEC producers Saudi Arabia and the UAE would secure off-take for their crude in a strategic fast-growing oil market in Asia. However, the process of land acquisition for the new giant complex has been put on hold due to strong opposition from local farmers, many of whom depend on their land for their income and livelihoods, the chief minister of Maharashtra, Devendra Fadnavis, said in November. According to Reuters, thousands of farmers are not eager to give up their land. By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Chinas crude oil imports averaged more than 10 million bpd for the first time ever in November, as they beat the previous record for highest crude imports set in October, according to Chinese customs data, as carried by Reuters. Chinese crude oil imports surged to an all-time high of 10.43 million bpd last month, up by 8.5 percent compared to November 2017 and beating the previous record of 9.61 million bpd, which was set just a month earlier and was driven by smaller independent refiners who were rushing to fulfill their 2018 oil import quotas before they expire. In November, independent refinersthe so-called teapotscontinued to buy high volumes and some of them increased intake as they start trial runs at newly-built oil refineries. Private firm Hengli is planning trials at its new 400,000 bpd refinery at Dalian, a port city in northeastern China, while Zhejiang Petrochemical is also expected to begin trial runs at some units of its refinery with 400,000 bpd capacity at Zhoushan. According to Reuters, Zhejiang Petrochemical has imported several cargoes of crude oil from Oman this quarter. Two months ago, China raised by 42 percent the oil import quota for its non-state refinersmost of which are the independent refinersfor 2019 as new refinery capacity is planned to enter into operation next year. China is allocating a total of up to 202 million tons, or 4.06 million bpd, of import quota to non-state refineries for next year, according to S&P Global Platts. Independent refiners had until November 10 to apply, and those who havent imported crude oil in 2018 will not be allocated quotas for next year. This weekend, Chinese customs data also showed that crude oil imports between January and November averaged 9.17 million bpd, higher than the level of imports in the same period last year, and putting China on course to set a new record for crude oil imports in 2018. By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Libya is facing a major oil crisis as a group comprising local tribesmen and members of the fields security guard seized the largest field in the country, Sharara. Reuters reported the field had already shut down on Sunday, quoting petroleum engineers working on the site. At the time, however, The National Oil Corporation said in a statement quoted by S&P Global Platts, The oilfield at present remains open. Today, however, Reuters carried a report citing a statement from NOC that said the company had declared force majeure on exports from the Sharara field. The danger of it shutting down, however, remains serious as NOC acknowledged in its statement. "A shutdown of the Sharara field would result in a production loss of 315,000 b/d, with a knock-on effect of 73,000 b/d at El Feel due to its dependence on Sharara electricity supply," the company said, adding "Supply to the Zawiya refinery would also be affected. This would equate to a combined daily cost to the Libyan economy of $32.5 million. The occupation of the field comes on the heels of a rough weather spell that caused floods and shut down all four export oil terminals in Libya temporarily, slashing the countrys production. Currently, according to NOC, Libya produces crude at a daily rate of 900,000 bpd, down 300,000 bpd from last month. All export terminals have reopened but a Sharara shutdown would make this fact more or less irrelevant in light of Libyas plans to recover production to pre-war levels, when it stood at 1.6 million bpd. The latest bad news from Libya comes as the North African country won another exemption from the OPEC-wide production cuts that aimed to arrest and hopefully reverse an oil price decline that worried the oil-reliant economies of the cartel. So far, the decision to cut 800,000 bpd from OPECs daily production plus another 400,000 from Russia and several other producers has failed to have any significant effect on international prices, with the improvement possibly a lot more modest than expected by OPEC. By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Russia is planning to reduce its oil production by 50,000 bpd to 60,000 bpd in January as part of the new OPEC+ deal, and will not be cutting its 228,000-bpd share outright at the start of the agreement, Russias Energy Minister Alexander Novak said on Tuesday. Russia has already drafted a timetable for how much oil production it would reduce each month until it reaches its share of the OPEC/non-OPEC production cut, Novak said, reaffirming Moscows position that its reduction would be gradual, just like in the previous agreement between OPEC and the Russia-led non-OPEC partners. While Russia will be making the lions share of the non-OPEC 400,000-bpd cut, it would take months to reach the 228,000-bpd production reduction, Novak said on Friday, after OPEC and its allies sealed the deal. The agreement calls for 2.5 percent cuts from the October production levels, which for Russia was a post-Soviet record high of 11.4 million bpd. The oil production will be reduced, just as two years ago, as quickly as possible in terms of technology. I think it will take several months, Novak said at the after-meeting press conference. Speaking to reporters in Moscow today, Novak said that the Russian monthly production-cut schedule entails a gradual reduction in line with agreements. Russia plans to cut at least 50,000 bpd-60,000 bpd in January, Novak said. By the end of this year, the energy minister will meet with representatives of Russias oil companies to discuss the implementation of the cuts, he noted. The key goal of the new deal is to reduce the inventories, just like last time, Novak said. Inventories have been rising for seven consecutive weeks and there is an oversupply on the market, the minister said, adding that OPEC and allies would attempt to keep inventories from rising above the five-year average. By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: A large group of Syrian civilians took control over several oil wells in eastern Syria after clashes with rebel group Syrian Democratic Forces, Iranian Fars News reported today, citing information from the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. According to the report, the rebel group, which comprises Kurdish and Arab fighters supported by the United States, had been hoarding fuel, refusing to supply it to communities in the eastern Syrian province of Deir ez Zor, and as a result caused a spike in prices. Deir ez Zor is home to one of Syrias biggest oil fields, Al Omar, which prior to the civil war in Syria pumped 30,000 bpd of crude. Islamic State, which featured prominently in the Syrian civil war, controlled the field in 2015, when the U.S.-led coalition against the terrorist group destroyed it, cutting off a revenue stream that generated an estimated US$5.1 million from oil sales per month. Clashes between the SDF and local communities have been going on for a while in Deir ez Zor, but now Islamic State is reportedly re-establishing itself in both Syria and Iraq, and the situation in eastern Syria, already difficult, may become even more difficult as the terrorist group would certainly seek to eventually regain control over oil fields. According to a report in the Financial Times from last week, Islamic State militants have been kidnapping and killing people, and setting bombs in the territories it used to control between 2014 and 2017 when it was driven out from most of what it had called a caliphate in Iraq and Syria. In fact, the Financial Times quoted a SDF spokesperson, Kino Gabriel, as saying Our estimation of Isiss power was wrong. We realised that there are more Isis fighters than we thought, echoing earlier warnings from geopolitical analysts that defeating the Islamic State would be an ongoing challenge, despite the liberation of former strongholds such as Raqqa in Syria and Mosul in Iraq. By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: U.S. Secretary of Energy Rick Perry reiterated the need for stable supply and market values during talks with Saudi Energy Minister Khalid Al-Falih in Saudi Arabia, the U.S. Department of Energy said on Monday, in a first U.S.-Saudi meeting after Fridays OPEC+ deal to cut oil production again. Neither U.S. departments, nor President Donald Trump have officially commented yet on the agreement of OPEC and its non-OPEC partners to cut a total of 1.2 million bpd of their oil production starting in January 2019 for an initial six-month period with an option to review in April. Energy Secretary Perry made a two-stop Middle East visit in the weekend, and held bilateral meetings with al-Falih, and the CEO of Saudi Aramco and other energy industry stakeholders operating in Saudi Arabia. During the talks, the Secretary expressed that the United States continues to view Saudi Arabia as an important ally, particularly in the energy space. Perry and Al-Falih spoke about last weeks OPEC announcement of production cuts and Perry reiterated the need for stable supply and market values. They also discussed the 2018 increase in Saudi oil production and the impact it has had on world markets in the wake of the Iran sanctions, the U.S. Department of Energy said. Perry and al-Falih also continued dialogue on a possible agreement between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia on nuclear energy for civil purposes. Cooperation with the United States in the field of nuclear power is only possible for countries that sign the so-called 123 agreement, which stipulates a clear distinction between using nuclear technology for civil and for military purposes, and binds the signee to utilizing the technology for civil purposes only. Before landing in Saudi Arabia, Secretary Perry was in Qatar, which said just last week that it was quitting OPEC as of January. Secretary Perry advocated for the expansion of joint partnerships with the United States as Qatar seeks to grow its LNG operations around the world, the Department of Energy said. By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: MANILA (Updated) -- The bells that were taken by American soldiers from a church in Balangiga, Eastern Samar are finally back in the Philippines after 117 years.The three bells landed at the Philippine MANILA (Updated) -- The bells that were taken by American soldiers from a church in Balangiga, Eastern Samar are finally back in the Philippines after 117 years. The three bells landed at the Philippine Air Force headquarters in Villamor Air Base, Pasay City around 10:30 a.m. onboard a US Air Force C-130, which departed from a United States military base in Okinawa, Japan. Watch this video of the historic turnover Tuesday, December 11. (function(d, s, id) { var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0]; if (d.getElementById(id)) return; js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id; js.src = 'https://connect.facebook.net/en_US/sdk.js#xfbml=1&version=v3.2'; fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs); }(document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk')); HAPPENING NOW:The historical turn-over of the Balangiga bells by the United States to the Philippines Posted by SunStar Philippines on Monday, December 10, 2018 In behalf of the Philippine government, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, together with Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea and Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo, received the three bells turned over by the American executives led by United States Ambassador to the Philippines Sung Kim. In his speech, Lorenzana said the return of the bells signifies respect and strengthens the relationship of the US and Philippines. "It's time for healing. It's time for closure. We should look ahead as two nations and allies...Let the bells toll strong and loud for our countries," he said. Reynaldo Mapagu, undersecretary of the Civil, Veterans and Retiree Affairs, said the return of the bells more than a century after they were taken as war trophies by the American soldiers was a result of high-level bilateral talks between Lorenzana and US Defense Secretary James Mattis. The bilateral talks started after President Rodrigo Duterte called for the bells' return during his State of the Nation Address (Sona) in 2017. Story continues "Give us back those Balangiga bells. They are ours... Isauli naman ninyo. Masakit yun sa amin (Return them to us. This is painful for us)," said Duterte during his Sona. Former President Fidel V. Ramos also made the same request to the US in 1994. The bells were taken on September 29, 1901 after Filipinos in Balangiga launched an attack against the 9th Infantry Regiment of the US, killing 48 soldiers and wounding 12 others. The incident was described by the US Army as its "worst defeat" since the Battle of the Little Bighorn in 1876. In retaliation, following the orders of their commanders, American soldiers killed all male persons from age 10 and above in Balangiga town. They also burned the entire town and turned it into a "howling wilderness." The incident became known as the Balangiga massacre. American soldiers then took the three Balangiga bells from the church of the San Lorenzo de Martir as "war trophies." Before their return to the Philippines, one of the bells was housed at the 9th Infantry Regiment at Camp Cloud in South Korea, and the two others were placed in a former base of the 11th Infantry Regiment at F. E. Warren Air Force Base in Cheyenee, Wyoming. Mapagu said the bells' return was made possible through the efforts of both the Filipinos and Americans, who worked together "to defend our common interests." He said the bells will be transported back to Balangiga in Eastern Samar before the Misa de Gallo or Christmas dawn masses begin. "The sound of the bells will once again ring not just for the Balangiga people, but for all Filipinos across the world," Mapagu said. US Ambassador to the Philippines Sung Kim is hoping that the return of the bells will close that "painful chapter in our history" and reflect the "strong balance and mutual respects between our two nations and people." "The return of the bells demonstrates our determination to honor the past and sacrifices made together by Americans and Filipinos and it heralds a bright future as friends, partners and allies," he said. "The bells of Balangiga are now home, in the Philippines where they belong," Sung added. Residents of the Balangiga town who attended the ceremonial turnover Tuesday, December 11, were elated by the bells' return. Nemesion Duran, descendant of the Vicente Candilosis who rang the Balangiga bell that signals the launch of the attack in 1901 and the founder and president of the Balangiga Historical and Cultural Foundation Inc., said they have an indescribable feeling now that the bells have been returned. Sobrang saya naman, hindi ko ma-describe. Imagine ang tagal-tagal naming pinakikiusapan ang Amerika, ngayon lang naibalik, he said. (Very happy, I can't describe it. Imagine, we appealed for so many years, and the bells are just returned today.) Sagisag yan ng aming pagkatao at pakikipaglaban ng aming mga ninuno (The bells symbolize our identify and the bravery and sacrifices of our forefathers), he added. Duran also commended Duterte whom he said was the main reason for the bells' return. Kung hindi siguro dahil kay Duterte, hindi ito maibabalik. Sumulat kami sa mga dating president para maibalik ang bell, pero walang nangyayari, he said. (The bells would not have been returned if not for Duterte. We wrote to former presidents for the bells' return but nothing happened.) The return materialized after US President Donald Trump signed the US National Defense Authorization Act of 2018, allowing Mattis to decide on the matter of returning the bells to the country. The bells will be made available for public viewing at the Philippine Air Force Museum in Villamor Air Base on December 12 and 13 before they will be flown back to Balangiga. (With LMY/SunStar Philippines) China's ambitious drive to dominate next-generation 5G technology faces a sudden reality check as fears spread that telecom companies like Huawei could be proxies for Beijing's intrusive security apparatus. Fifth-generation mobile communications are the next milestone in the digital revolution, bringing near-instantaneous connectivity and vast data capacity. They will enable the widespread adoption of futuristic technologies such as artificial intelligence and automated cars and factories -- advances China is desperate to lead. With 5G's rollout expected to gain pace in coming years, the race to dominate standards and control security and data traffic underpins much of the current high-tech rivalry between the United States and China, technology experts said. Huawei's status as a leading world supplier of the backbone equipment for telecoms systems -- mostly in developing markets -- gives China an inside track. But analysts said mounting concern over Huawei imperils that lead. "This is a big threat because if Huawei loses access to lucrative Western markets, this will impact its ability to grow and finance R&D," said Paul Triolo, a global technology policy expert with risk consultancy Eurasia Group. It also could hinder the deployment of 5G networks in China, which are "a key piece of China's overall effort to upgrade its industrial base", he added. The US defence establishment fears China's dominance of critical 5G infrastructure could enable it to disrupt American military communications or otherwise wage asymmetrical warfare in a confrontation. Triolo warned of potentially disastrous fallout for China if US law-enforcement efforts -- in the spotlight after the arrest of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou in Canada -- result in a ban on sales of US chips and other vital technology to Huawei. "This could be catastrophic for China's tech ambitions, threatening (Huawei) itself, supporting industries, and future development," he said. - Burglar with a key - New Zealand recently joined Australia and the US in essentially barring use of Huawei equipment in domestic networks. Following Meng's arrest on December 1, similar sentiments have arisen from Tokyo to Brussels. On Monday, Kyodo news agency reported Japan's top three telecom companies would forego equipment from Huawei and another big Chinese player, ZTE. US officials and lawmakers have long expressed concern that China could use its tech firms to steal trade secrets -- accusations Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang dismissed on Monday as "ridiculous." "These people do not provide a single (piece of) evidence to show how Huawei affects their national security," Lu said. Distrust of Huawei stems in part from the background of founder Ren Zhengfei, a 74-year-old former People's Liberation Army engineer. The US has already put the squeeze on ZTE, which faced insolvency earlier this year after the Trump administration temporarily banned American companies from selling it vital components. Huawei has secured many leading 5G patents and supplied networking equipment for telecom systems around the world that will inevitably carry huge amounts of US data, putting that information at potential risk. "One way to envision (the threat) is to imagine the person who built your house decides to burgle it," James Lewis, a technology policy expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, wrote in an analysis last week. "They know the layout, power system, access points, (and) may have kept a key." - 'We don't like it' - But US firms like Intel and Qualcomm produce the advanced chips critical for 5G, giving Washington huge sway over Huawei, which depends heavily on those technologies. If the US cuts off Huawei's chip supply and further isolates the company, the blow "will be huge, bigger than ZTE", said Shi Yinhong, an expert on China-US relations at Beijing's Renmin University. "If Huawei is hit hard, China will lose its 5G lead." China observers say President Xi Jinping's more assertive global stance bears much of the blame for Huawei's troubles. Late leader Deng Xiaoping famously observed that China's strategy should be to "hide your strength, bide your time", to avoid triggering a crippling foreign backlash. But Xi has dumped that, accumulating one-man power, scrapping term limits and openly declaring China's ambition to become a high-tech power. Beijing also passed a law in 2015 obliging its corporations to aid the government on matters of national security. These moves have sparked alarm in the West, and the US has accused Chinese entities of massive cyber-attacks. "One of the biggest criticisms of Xi in China is: 'did he take the stage too fast, did he try to push Chinese power too soon?'" said Christopher Balding, a China expert at Fulbright University in Ho Chi Minh City. "He has behaved as near-totalitarian and is acting similarly internationally and people are saying 'we don't like it.'" Two forklift drivers were Tuesday charged in Singapore with accepting Sg$1 (72 US cent) bribes and are facing fines of up to Sg$100,000 and jail time, highlighting the city-state's tough anti-corruption stance. The Chinese men are accused of accepting the small kickbacks from drivers on several occasions in exchange for not delaying the collection or return of containers onto their trucks, Singapore's graft-fighting agency said. Chen Ziliang, 47, and Zhao Yucun, 43, are alleged to have committed the offences over several years at a shipping container depot in the affluent port city, which is a global trading hub. The agency said the pair had obtained bribes of around Sg$1 multiple times, in contravention of the tightly-controlled country's laws, but did not say how much in total they are accused of accepting. "Bribes of any amount or any kind will not be tolerated," the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau said in a statement. Anyone found guilty of corruption faces a fine of up to Sg$100,000 ($72,000) and a maximum jail term of five years, the agency said. Singapore, a thriving business hub and financial centre, has consistently ranked in surveys as among the least corrupt countries in the world. Its government ministers are the world's best-paid politicians, with salaries starting at Sg$1.1 million, in what authorities argue is partly a bid to deter corruption. The South Korean taxi driver who died Monday after lighting himself on fire in front of the National Assembly in Seoul left a note addressed to a senior politician and prominent journalist. The 57-year-old surnamed Choi, who self-immolated in protest of an Uber-like ride-hailing app, addressed the two-page note to Lee Hae-chan, leader of the ruling Democratic Party, and Sohn Suk-hee, a news anchor with broadcaster JTBC. In the note, which was published by Korean media, Choi listed demands for how the government should respond to the upcoming launch of the app, which taxi drivers fear will decimate their already meagre earnings. Among other demands, Choi asked that his body be placed outside the headquarters of the apps creator, Kakao Mobility, until the government decided to ban the service. Kakao expressed condolences over the death of Choi, who left behind a 1-year-old grandchild, but has not commented on whether it will delay the apps launch. Its sad and heartbreaking that something like this has happened, said a spokesman. We are mourning the death of a taxi driver who was burned to death in protest against the carpool service on Thursday. Self-immolation as a form of protest has a long history in South Korea. In 1970, 22-year-old Jeon Tae-il set himself on fire to protest poor working conditions in garment factories in one of the most famous cases of deadly protest in the country. Other protests have seen demonstrators cut off fingers or their hair. The protests these days are way more tame than they used to be, said Michael Kim, a history professor at Yonsei University in Seoul. But then recently this taxi strike threatens to become very violent. Taxi drivers have waged a fierce campaign to protect their livelihoods ahead of the launch of the ride-hailing service. Kang Shin-pyo, chairman of South Koreas taxi union, said drivers were prepared to fight and that an upcoming rally on December 20 could be the most intense yet. Story continues In response to Chois death, ruling party Rep. Kim Nam-kwon announced an emergency meeting at the National Assembly on Tuesday to find a way for the taxi industry to coexist with the carpooling service. The app, which entered the beta testing stage last week, is set to launch on December 17. The stand-off between taxi drivers and Kakao dates back to October, when the tech giant best known for KakaoTalk, South Koreas most popular messaging app, started accepting applications from drivers. Taxi drivers quickly mobilised in a repeat of protests that forced the exit of Uber from the country in 2015. In October, about 60,000 taxi drivers gathered outside Seoul City Hall to protest what they saw as the tech firms betrayal. Until then, taxi drivers had worked amicably with Kakao through their Kakao Taxi app, which connects customers with official taxis. That changed after Kakao announced its own Uber-like app, marketed as a carpooling service to avoid the same legal roadblocks that caused Uber to stumble. South Korean law forbids private vehicles from being used for business purposes but makes an exception to help ease traffic during commuting hours, without specifying when those hours begin or end. Kakao has taken advantage of the grey area, while the South Korean government has given it the green light to operate. Some taxi drivers have boycotted Kakao Taxi, opting for a competing service called T Map Taxi, which also connects customers and taxis. The apps use skyrocketed from 30,000 users in June to 102,000 in November, according to SK Telecom. But the boycott is unlikely to be enough, with attitudes around transport shifting in South Korea. Passengers have voiced complaints about the shortage of taxis during peak hours and poor service from drivers, expressing enthusiasm for the sharing economy. This article For South Koreas struggling taxi drivers, ride-hailing app a matter of life and death first appeared on South China Morning Post For the latest news from the South China Morning Post download our mobile app. Copyright 2018. Taiwan baker Wu Pao Chun who is at centre of cross-strait storm just wants to make friends through bread An internationally acclaimed baker from Taiwan has found himself at the centre of a cross-strait row as the opening of his first shop on the mainland sparked accusations that he was an advocate for independence for the self-ruled island. Wu Pao Chun, who was awarded the title of Master Baker in the bread category of the 2010 Masters of Boulangerie competition in Paris, had previously expressed indifference about the mainland market, in remarks which re-emerged with the establishment of his new shop in Shanghai, due to open officially next Tuesday. The mainland bakery, which has been on a trial run since Friday, has met with negative reviews and online calls for a boycott, but Wus efforts to defuse the situation have led to complaints in Taiwan. Wu, who owns four shops in Taiwan, took to Facebook and Weibo Chinas Twitter-like social media service on Monday to say that he was from Chinese Taiwan and supported the 1992 Consensus, the understanding reached between representatives of Beijing and Taipei in 1992 that Taiwan and the mainland belong to a single sovereign nation. Today he fronted the media in Taiwan to try and cool pro-independency advocates there who were upset by his statement. I am a baker and I just want to make friends through bread, Wu told the Taiwanese United Daily News. The new mainland-friendly mayor of Kaohsiung Han Kuo-yu, whose Chinese Nationalist Party swept to victory in Taiwans recent local elections, showed up to give his support to the beleaguered baker. He is a pure businessman and does not wish to be involved in politics too much hes been under too much pressure and hopes all Taiwanese people can support him, Han said. Wus troubles started two years ago, when he was quoted by the Taiwan People News as saying: although the Chinese market has 1.3 billion people, there are over 7 billion people around the world. I wont set my sight on China only. Story continues His remarks won applause at the time from pro-independence advocates in Taiwan and triggered an outcry on the mainland. In March, he came under fire again when Singaporean bakery BreadTalk announced it would partner with Wu to open bakeries under his name in several major Chinese cities, as well as in Hong Kong and Singapore. The Shanghai shop, the first to open under the partnership, has been removed from Dianping, Chinas biggest online restaurant review platform, after being flooded with malicious reviews and ironic images. One post, which called Wu the light of Taiwan who vowed not to come to the mainland even if hes starving, has been widely circulated in the past few days on Chinas most used social media platform WeChat. I never said such a remark as never come to the mainland even if Im starving. I support the 1992 Consensus and wish to contribute to the economic and commercial exchanges across the strait, Wu said in his statement on Monday. My team and I have been looking forward to opening new stores on the mainland. But because many things were not ready, we wished to meet you when we were fully prepared. We finally come here with sincerity after several years of preparation, he said. While the statement helped him win back some support on the mainland, it sparked an uproar among the Taiwanese public, with many saying they were ashamed and would no longer buy his bread. In order to earn the Chinese yuan, you desert the new Taiwanese dollar, forget your original intention, and lick the communist partys boots. Thats really making people shiver, one user commented on Facebook. Some mainland customers avoided the political furore and confined their remarks to the prices, with many saying they were too high. Lychee Rose Royale and Red Wine Longan, the bakerys two award-winning products, are priced at 95 yuan (US$13.70) each in the Shanghai store, which is slightly higher than the price in Taiwan. Ive never bought such expensive bread. This is too high. Although its big, my family wont be able to eat so much bread at a time, said a customer named Wu Lili. She bought a few other items, priced between 10 yuan and 20 yuan, which she called reasonable. Despite the stir online, the store has received a steady number of customers over the past days, according to a staff member who declined to be named. This article Taiwan baker Wu Pao Chun who is at centre of cross-strait storm just wants to make friends through bread first appeared on South China Morning Post For the latest news from the South China Morning Post download our mobile app. Copyright 2018. Top Chinese and US trade negotiators have discussed plans for renewed trade talks, the first time senior officials from both countries have had official contact since the presidents of China and the United States reached a truce on tariffs earlier this month. Despite tension over the arrest of a Huawei executive in Canada at Washingtons request, Chinese Vice-Premier Liu He, US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer discussed the plans over the phone on Tuesday morning in a sign that the two nations still want to engage in trade talks. In a brief statement, the Chinese Ministry of Commerce said the three men exchanged views on the next step in a road map for consensus. The talks follow a decision by Chinese President Xi Jinping and his US counterpart Donald Trump in Argentina two weeks ago to hold off on further trade war tariffs for 90 days. China also planned to send a 30-member delegation to the US this week as a follow-up to the Xi-Trump meeting, but a US business sector source said the trip might be delayed due to complications over the trade talks. Even with the truce, uncertainty hangs over the China-US trade relationship. Washington insists China has to tackle a wide range of trade disputes such as forced technology transfer by March 1. If there is no deal at the end of the 90 days, the US will raise tariffs on US$200 billion worth of Chinese goods from 10 per cent to 25 per cent. Trump imposed the tariffs not only to try to force Beijing to take measures to close a decades-old US trade deficit with China but also with the aim of giving US companies easier access to Chinese markets. Beijing responded with pledges to raise foreign ownership caps in its financial sector and to import more soybeans, but Trumps team rejected these measures as inadequate. Ties have also been complicated with the arrest in Canada of Sabrina Meng Wanzhou, the chief financial officer of Chinese telecom giant Huawei. The US has requested that Meng be extradited, accusing her of fraud by covering up Huaweis links to a company that traded with Iran in breach of US sanctions. Story continues Chinese analysts said the contact between Liu, Mnuchin and Lighthizer was to send a message that both sides had not wavered from the agreement reached in the Buenos Aires. Zhang Yansheng, chief researcher at the China Centre for International Economic Exchanges, said he believed an understanding had been reached and this would not be derailed by the Meng arrest. Although it would be very difficult for the Chinese side to accept what the US has done in the Meng incident, this would not overturn the agreement made during the head-of-state meeting in Argentina, Zhang said. Mengs case has only just started, while the trade war discussion is a different issue that has been ongoing. Zhang Zhexin, research fellow at the Shanghai Institutes for International Studies, echoed this view, saying the phone conversation showed that the trade talks were progressing. This is reassurance of the will to work towards reaching a common goal, and discuss the substantial details of the steps of future negotiations, he said. Zhang Zhexin said that although Mengs arrest was meant to put pressure on China in the 90-day grace period, more of [the incident] would still be related to independent actions from the US Department of Justice. But, observers are split on whether 90 days is long enough for the two sides to resolve t heir trade differences. Mnuchin warned after the Xi-Trump meeting that Beijing should avoid soft commitments in talks, according to the Financial Times. There is a 100 per cent unanimous view on our economic team that this needs to be a real agreement, Mnuchin was quoted as saying. The White House said in a statement after the Xi-Trump meeting that the countries would talk to address non-tariff market barriers, cyber theft and forced technology transfer the latter two of which Beijing denies take place. Additional reporting by Wendy Wu This article Top Chinese and US envoys discuss next step in trade war talks first appeared on South China Morning Post For the latest news from the South China Morning Post download our mobile app. Copyright 2018. In their Journal of Superhero Science publication, Max Mikel-Stites (center) and Anne Staples (right) explained how Ant-Man could overcome the 'death zone dilemma' while shrinking down to a size of an insect. Afreen Khoja (left), an undergraduate biological systems engineering major, is currently researching Princess Mera's hydrokinetic powers for the group's upcoming article on DC Comics characters Aquaman and Mera. Credit: Virginia Tech Max Mikel-Stites and Anne Staples were searching for a sequel. This summer, Staples, an associate professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering and Mechanics in the College of Engineering, and graduate student Mikel-Stites published a paper in the inaugural issue of the Journal of Superhero Science titled, "Ant-Man and the Wasp: Microscale Respiration and Microfluidic Technology." Now, they needed a new hero. The two were working with a team of graduate students, brainstorming who could be the superhero subject for their next scientific inquiry. Superman? Batgirl? Aquaman? Mikel-Stites lobbied for an investigation of Dazzler's sonoluminescent powers. Staples was curious how Mera, The Princessof Atlantis, used her hydrokinetic powers. It turns out, comic books are a great inspiration for scientific discovery. This month, Mikel-Stites is presenting the findings of their paper at the American Physical Society's Division of Fluid Dynamics meeting. The wonder team's paper looked at how Ant-Man and the Wasp breathe when they shrink down to insect-size and Staples' lab studied how fluids flow in nature. Insects naturally move fluids and gases efficiently at tiny scales. If engineers can learn how insects breathe, they can use the knowledge to invent new microfluidic technologies. "Before the 2018 'Ant-Man and the Wasp' movie, my lab was already wondering about insect-scale respiration," said Staples. "I wanted to get people to appreciate different breathing mechanisms." For most of Mikel-Stites' life, he had been nit-picking at the "science" in science-fiction movies. "I couldn't watch 'Armageddon' once they got up to space station Mir and there was artificial gravity. Things like that have always bothered me. But for 'Ant-Man and the Wasp' it was worse," he said. Staples and Mikel-Stites decided to join forces to research Ant-Man's microscale respiration. Mikel-Stites was stung by what he dubbed "the altitude problem or death-zone dilemma." For Ant-Man and the Wasp to shrink down to insect size and still breathe, they would have to overcome an atmospheric density similar to the top of Mt. Everest. Their tiny bodies would also require higher metabolisms. For their survival, the Marvel comic universe had to give Ant-Man and the Wasp superhero technologies. "I thought it would be fun to find a solution for how this small-scale respiration would work,"said Mikel-Stites."I started digging through Ant-Man's history. I looped through scenes in the 2015 movie where we could address the physics. Then I did the same thing with trailers from the 2018 movie. I used that to make a list of problems and a list of solutions." Ant-Man and the Wasp solve the altitude problem with their superhero suits. In their publication, Mikel-Stites and Staples write that the masks in Ant-Man and the Wasp's suits contain "a combination of an air pump, a compressor, and a molecular filter including Pym particle technology," that allows them to breathe while they are insect-sized. "This publication showed how different physics phenomena can dominate at different size scales, how well-suited organisms are for their particular size, and what happens when you start altering that," said Mikel-Stites. "It also shows that Hollywood doesn't always get it right when it comes to science!" Their manuscript was accepted by the Journal of Superhero Science before the release of the sequel, "Ant-Man and the Wasp." Mikel-Stites was concerned the blockbuster might include new technologies or change Ant-Man's canon. If the Marvel comic universe changed between the 2015 'Ant-Man' movie and the sequel, their hypotheses would be debunked and they would be forced to retract their paper. "I went to the 2018 movie before the manuscript came out in preprint so that if the movie contradicted us we could catch it. But the 2018 movie actually supported everything we had said, which was really nice," said Mikel-Stites. Most moviegoers simply watched the special effects and left the theater entertained. But Mikel-Stitesleft the movie with confirmation of the paper's hypotheses. The Staples lab members are not the only ones interested in tiny technologies. From lab-on-a-chip microfluidic devices to nanoparticles that deliver drugs directly to cells, consumers will ultimately benefit from this small scientific field that delivers big results. "In both the movies and science, shrinking is a common theme and has been for the last 50-60 years. This idea is something that we all like to think about. Given enough time, we can reach the point where science can take it from the realmsof magic into something that we actually have an explanation for," Mikel-Stites said. In fact, the Staples lab group has already done just that. While Mikel-Stites is presenting his superhero science at the APS meeting, his colleague Krishnashis Chatterjee, who recently completed his Ph.D. in engineering mechanics will be presenting his research on fabricating and testing four different insect-inspired micro-fluidic devices. From fiction to function, the Staples lab likes to have fun along the way. "I think that it is really important to connect with people and be engaged in science with topics they already know about. With this superhero science paper I wanted to support this mission," Staples said. And who did the lab mates choose for their next superhero science subject? The Princess of Atlantis, Mera. They hope they can publish another superhero science paper that really makes waves. Explore further Helping Marvel superheroes to breathe More information: Ant-Man and The Wasp: Microscale Respiration and Microfluidic Technology, journals.library.tudelft.nl/in ro/article/view/2474 Ant-Man and The Wasp: Microscale Respiration and Microfluidic Technology, DOI: 10.24413/sst.2018.1.2474 Credit: CC0 Public Domain Assigning chores to children equally, giving them unsupervised freedom outdoors, and providing good career role models would help address workplace gender inequality, according to University of Queensland research. The Hands Up for Gender Equality study, launched by the Australian Institute for Business and Economics Centre for Gender Equality in the Workplace, explores how gender impacts self-confidence and career intentions in teenagers. Centre Director and UQ Business School researcher Dr. Terry Fitzsimmons said the study filled a large gap in the knowledge required to address workplace gender inequality, starting with the education of young people. "There have been few examinations into whether boys and girls actually differ in self-confidence, and what experiences, activities and decisions impact on levels of self-confidence in adolescents, which is a marker for future career success," Dr. Fitzsimmons said. "We set out to comprehensively understand what factors contribute most to developing a young person's self-confidence and shaping their career preferences, how these differ for girls and boys, and how they change in high school. "By understanding these important factors and their levels of influence, we can help schools and parents more effectively develop self-confidence, career intention and leadership capacity in young people." The study surveyed more than 10,000 students aged 12-17 years from single-sex schools across South East Queensland. Students were asked about leadership and travel experiences, self-confidence levels, types of and time spent on chores, part-time work and study commitments, and career motivations and preferences including engagement with science, technology and maths subjects. Dr. Fitzsimmons said he hoped the insights and recommendations from the study would positively influence family routines, school and government policies. "Key recommendations include urging parents to assign and pay chores equally, encouraging schools to prioritise excursions to help develop self-confidence, and urging industries traditionally dominated by one gender to send diverse role models to schools to talk about careers," he said. "Correcting the gender imbalance in the workforce and creating a more equal and fair society is everyone's responsibility and it's important we start now. "We hope our research will empower caregivers and teachers to inspire confidence and purpose in young adults, especially when they are deciding on their subjects and careers, which can be as early as 13 years of age." "We also hope parents adopt these practical measures in their own homes and practices, to ensure our future leaders consider all careers equally, and have a solid understanding of fairness and equality in all aspects of their lives." Explore further Dads who do chores bolster daughters' aspirations More information: Hands Up for Gender Equality: Hands Up for Gender Equality: bel.uq.edu.au/files/28153/Hand _Gender_Equality.pdf A composite image of the Western hemisphere of the Earth. Credit: NASA Throughout Earth's long geologic history, the magnetic pole has not remained stable. For reasons that are still little understood, the Earth's magnetic field can suddenly and without warning weaken, start to shift around, and even completely reverse direction. Records indicate that over the last 160 million years, the magnetic pole has reversed its polarity at least several hundred times. Called a "geomagnetic field reversal," this has resulted in the poles swapping positions, with magnetic north becoming magnetic south, and vice versa. The magnetic pole has also undergone what are called "excursions." During an excursion event, the earth's magnetic field weakens and begins to drift but does not reverse itself. The field re-strengthens and the poles finally return to their initial position. UC Santa Cruz geology professor Robert Coe will be presenting his paper, "What We Know and Don't Know about Reversals" during the upcoming American Geophysical Union (AGU) meeting in Washington, D.C. this December. Coe is an emeritus professor of geophysics, and has had a long and distinguished career. He has received numerous awards and recognition for his many research accomplishments. He received his Ph.D. at the University of California, Berkeley, and did postgraduate work in Australia before returning to the States where he joined the UC Santa Cruz faculty in 1968. He has made significant contributions in a number of areas, including volcanology, geochemistry, and tectonics. In the 1970s, he developed a method of more accurately measuring the intensity of the magnetic field in rocks a method that bears his name. Perhaps his most significant contribution, however, has been in paleomagnetism, where he has been a pioneer in the study of magnetic field reversals. "The Earth's magnetic field is restless," said Coe in a recent interview. Evidence for this restlessness first came to light in the early twentieth century when geologists recognized that certain rocks exhibited magnetism that was different in orientation from the Earth's then current magnetic field. While given little consideration at the time, geologists eventually acknowledged the significance of this observation and became interested in investigating the phenomenon. A number of influential papers published in the 1960s including a number of papers authored by Coe shed considerable light on the process by identifying polarity transitions in both lava flows and sediments. The process by which rocks get magnetized occurs when they are formed, Coe explained. Scientists know much more about how volcanic rocks become magnetized than they do about sedimentary rocks. As igneous rocks cool, for example, they become magnetized in the direction of the field prevailing at the moment. This process may take a few days or a few years and provides a "snapshot" of the Earth's magnetic field, he added. Consequently, by studying many different rocks formed during different geologic periods, researchers can create a record of the Earth's history of magnetic wanderings. One of the best records of the earth's magnetic reversals comes from Steens Mountain in southeastern Oregon. Here, a series of overlapping Miocene-age basaltic lava flows record a complex history of several thousand years of Earth's geomagnetic history. Significantly, the Steens Mountain record bears evidence of a complete magnetic reversal that occurred at an extraordinarily rapid pace (between 3 and 8 degrees per day) some15.5 million years ago. Unfortunately, magnetic reversals can be far more complex than even the best, most detailed paleomagnetic record on hand. Volcanic records are limited by the "discontinuous and episodic nature of volcanic eruptions," Coe said. To better understand Earth's geomagnetic history, Coe emphasized, we need to have excellent records not only from volcanic contexts but also from sedimentary data. Highly detailed deep-sea cores recently obtained during drilling operations in the North Atlantic might provide the lynchpin. These were obtained from a vertical section of the ocean floor and provide a continuous sequence of magnetized strata. "The North Atlantic records give one hope," Coe said. Today, much has been learned about reversals in the Earth's magnetic field. It is now known, for example, that magnetic reversals happen much more frequently than previously surmised, and that they can often occur at incredibly rapid clips. It is also known that the last complete reversal, which occurred 770,000 years ago, occurred over a span of less than 100 years. Much more, however, is still to be learned. Most importantly, geologists continue to debate the cause of these reversals. "A magnetic reversal certainly has a large random or chaotic aspect," Coe said. "And it's active over many time scales." Although a number of theories have been posited, the prevailing explanation suggests that reversals are ultimately tied to the Earth's convective motion. "The Earth's magnetic field comes from a dynamo-like action arising from the motion of the metallic fluids in the outer core," he said. Scientists have also debated whether a reversal can cause major hazards, especially to technology. Some have argued that a reversal would cause the failure of the worldwide electronic and communication systems. The question, however, is controversial and remains unanswered. Geologist Patricia Corcoran places geodes to detect and measure seismic activity in vineyards at Pelee Island. Credit: University of Western Ontario About 150 years after grapes were first cultivated on a small strip of Pelee Island, vineyards now cover two-thirds of the island and have become its major agricultural enterprise. Today, Pelee Island Winery produces ice wines and Pinot Noirs that rival the centuries-old winemaking pedigree of the Bordeaux and Rhinegau regions. While much credit for Pelee's remarkable success goes to the island's unique microclimate, some of its future growth may come about because of transformative soils research by Western Geology professor Patricia Corcoran and her team. "Grapes don't grow everywhere in Canada. There are a few vineyards in the Okanagan valley, and the Niagara region, but Pelee Island is the perfect place to grow grapes because the surrounding water keeps the air above the island warmer," Corcoran said. "This ensures a longer harvest period." During the past year, a team of geologists led by Corcoran and Earth Sciences professor Elizabeth Webb have collaborated with Bruno Friesen to fine-tune the soil management practices at renowned Pelee Island Winery. Friesen is the vineyard manager, and one of his puzzles is why grapes don't grow as well in the easternmost part of the island. "Bruno thinks that the grapes don't grow well on the island's east because the soils are deeper over there,' said Webb. "This summer when we looked yes, the soils were deeper there." But if shallow soils correlate to healthier grapevines, it opens up a new question does the basement rock influence the soil minerals above it? To tackle that question, Corcoran is using a fine fingerprinting technique that examines whether the proportion of the rock's rare earth elements (REEs) has changed over time through movement from its underlying tectonic plates. "If the basement rock's REE signature matches the soil's, then we know that the basement rock is weathering into the soil," said Corcoran. 'That would confirm Bruno's hunch to fertilize a strip depending on how deep the soil is beneath it.' A seismic survey analysis has already been performed to locate the basement rock across the vineyard. The team is also tracking the abundance of nitrogen in the soil, and its movement between the soil and plant. Understanding this process will help guide Friesen's fertilizer practices. Yet, the biggest mystery may be why grapes grow well here at all. Pelee Island was once a marsh, and it is unheard-of to grow grapes on clayey marsh lands. Instead, they usually prefer sandy soil. 'What makes that soil so special?' Corcoran asked. The secret might lie in the type of clay. "Bruno noticed that the grapes didn't grow so well in a specific region. This summer when we looked, we found that unlike the rest of the island, this region was lacking a clayey band beneath the soil. Soon, we'll have the geochemical data to go with our results," said Webb. "By treating the soil with hot water and weak acids we simulate the vine's root conditions and observe what specific elements are released from the soil," she said. The next step would be to correlate the soil's properties with the elemental composition of the leaves discovering, for example, whether calcium-enriched leaves grow from clay soil and if magnesium-deficient leaves are the result of shallow soil. Understanding how soil types affect the leaf's elemental composition will inform Bruno on which grapevines will grow best in a specific region. The island was home, in 1871, to one of Canada's earliest wineries, and grape-growing was one of its major activities until the Great War and crop disease caused the Pelee industry to wither on the vine. Six decades later, grapes were reintroduced to the island and Pelee Island Winery was born. This novel research collaboration between Pelee Island Winery and Western University began serendipitously. "Originally. we were not aiming to work with a winery," recounted Corcoran. Rather, they intended to work with a fertilizer company and to inspect a carbonatite deposit in Northern Ontario. Before the work began, though, the company owner sold the firm but not before introducing the team to Friesen, one of his customers. "Bruno wanted to know how geology affects the types of plants you grow,' Corcoran said. Explore further Winery wastewater a viable water source for vineyards A paper published recently in Nature Geosciences describes how a multitude of satellite images have been used to reveal that there has actually been a slowdown in the rate at which glaciers slide down the high mountains of Asia. This animation simply shows how glaciers in Sikkim in northeast India have changed between 2000 and 2018. One of the images is from the NASA/USGS Landsat 7 mission captured on 26 December 2000 and the other is from Europes Copernicus Sentinel-2A satellite captured on 6 December 2018. Credit: NASA/USGS/University of Edinburgh/ETH Zurich/contains modified Copernicus Sentinel data (2018) Providing water for drinking, irrigation and power, glaciers in the world's highest mountains are a lifeline for more than a billion people. As climate change takes a grip and glaciers lose mass, one might think that, lubricated by more meltwater, they flow more quickly. However, satellite images from over the last 30 years show that it isn't as simple as that. A paper published recently in Nature Geoscience describes how a multitude of satellite images have been used to reveal that there has actually been a slowdown in the rate at which glaciers slide down the high mountains of Asia. High-mountain Asia stretches from the Tien Shan and Hindu Kush in the northwest, to the eastern Himalayas in the southeast. The area is also part of what is known as 'the third pole' because these high-altitude ice fields contain the largest reserve of freshwater outside the polar regions. The source of the 10 major river systems, the third pole provides freshwater for over 1.3 billion people in Asia nearly 20 percent of the world's population. For more than a decade, satellite data have documented that Asia's high-mountain glaciers are thinning and losing mass owing to melting. "However, it has not been entirely clear what this loss of ice means for their rate of flow," said Lead author Amaury Dehecq from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) and from the University of Edinburgh. Scientists need to understand what regulates glacial flow speed to predict how meltwater will affect the region's supply of freshwater in the future, and how meltwater adds to sea-level rise. The study, which was started under ESA's Dragon programme, uses images from the US Landsat satellites, which are ESA Third Party Missions. Dragon is a joint undertaking between ESA and the National Remote Sensing Centre of China that promotes the use of ESA, Third Party Mission, Copernicus Sentinel and Chinese satellite data for science and applications. Third Party Missions are not ESA satellite missions, but under an agreement, the data from these missions is also processed and archived by ESA's multi-mission ground systems. The US Geological Survey and NASA Landsat missions fall under this agreement. Dr. Dehecq and his colleagues analysed almost two million pairs of Landsat satellite images gathered between 1985 and 2017 and used automatic feature tracking to measure the distance that distinctive features on the glaciers, such as crevasses or patches of dirt, had travelled between earlier and later images. Picture taken from Mera glacier in Nepal, showing Kusuk Khangkaru and Kyashar peaks. Providing water for drinking, irrigation and power, glaciers in mountains such as these are a lifeline for more than a billion people. High-mountain Asia stretches from the Tien Shan and Hindu Kush in the northwest, to the eastern Himalayas in the southeast. The area is also part of what is known as the third pole because these high-altitude ice fields contain the largest reserve of freshwater outside the polar regions. However, research published recently Nature Geosciences describes how a multitude of satellite images have been used to reveal that there has actually been a slowdown in the rate at which glaciers slide down the high mountains of Asia. Credit: A. Dehecq Alex Gardner, also from JPL, added, "We did this millions of times to see changes in velocity in the order of one metre a year." They found that ice-thickness outweighs any other factor in regulating flow the thinner the glacier the slower it flows. This challenges the more intuitive theory of glaciers flow quickens because of the lubricating effect of meltwater at their base. One of the reasons for this slowdown is gravity. Gravitational pull is related to mass, so as a glacier loses mass, the pull weakens causing it to flow slower. Likewise, in the few locations where glaciers have been stable or where they are thickening rather than thinning, flow speeds have been increasing slightly. Noel Gourmelen from the University of Edinburgh said, "What's surprising about this study is that the relationship between thinning and flow speed is so consistent. "These findings should help us better understand how glaciers behaved in the past and better project their contribution to water availability and sea level as they respond to climate change. "Being able to monitor these remote regions from space over long periods of time is extremely important to understand what is happening. We also now have Europe's Copernicus Sentinel missions, which also play a crucial role in this kind of monitoring." With such a large portion of the world's population dependent on water from these cold heights, changes in the size and flow of these glaciers can bring serious consequences for society. It is clearly important to continue monitoring this fragile region as recently highlighted by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) in the National Science Review: Scaling the peaks for social benefits. In recognition of the need to address ease of access to reliable, policy-relevant information on water resources, by integrating emerging knowledge on the accelerated changes in high-mountain cryosphere, the WMO High Mountain Summit will take place in October 2019. Explore further Greenland ice loss quickening More information: Jane Qiu. World Meteorological Organization: scaling the peaks for social benefits, National Science Review (2018). Jane Qiu. World Meteorological Organization: scaling the peaks for social benefits,(2018). DOI: 10.1093/nsr/nwy115 Amaury Dehecq et al. Twenty-first century glacier slowdown driven by mass loss in High Mountain Asia, Nature Geoscience (2018). DOI: 10.1038/s41561-018-0271-9 Journal information: Nature Geoscience Google CEO Sundar Pichai, testifying at a House Judiciary Committee hearing, said there is no "political bias" in its search results Google chief executive Sundar Pichai parried US lawmakers Tuesday over complaints of political bias and intrusive data collection as the internet giant came under heavy criticism from conservatives. "We build our products in a neutral way," Pichai said in one exchange with a lawmaker, and added later: "We approach our work without any political bias." Pichai was called to the House Judiciary Committee following a series of attacks by President Donald Trump and his supporters claiming that Google and other internet platforms were suppressing conservative voices, despite persistent denials from the companies. The hearing on Google's "data collection, use and filtering practices" offered an opportunity for lawmakers to confront the CEO over claims that the internet giant skews its search results for political reasons. Google angered lawmakers earlier this year by refusing to send a top executive to a similar hearing with Facebook and Twitter. The latest hearing comes with Silicon Valley under fire over privacy practices and manipulation, including by foreign governments, and possible monopoly practices. Committee chairman Bob Goodlatte said it would be "sinister" for Google to manipulate its search engine because of its vast ability to control information people see online. US House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (L), Republican of California, shakes hands with Google CEO Sundar Pichai as he arrives to testify during a House Judiciary Committee hearing "The American people deserve to know what kinds of information they are not getting when they are doing a search on the internet," Goodlatte said. Pichai, dressed in a dark suit, calmly responded to questions, repeating on several occasions that the company seeks to serve a range of viewpoints without bias. He took on Republican Representative Lamar Smith of Texas, who said it was "irrefutable" that Google's search results were biased. Pichai replied that "providing users with high-quality and trusted information is sacrosanct to us... we find we have a wide variety of sources including from the left and the right." He said search algorithms reflect factors such as "relevance, freshness (and) popularity," and added that "we try to reflect what is newsworthy, what is currently being discussed." 'Fake news' Trump earlier this year took aim at Google, tweeting that search results were "rigged" against him, promoting negative stories from media outlets he considers "fake news." A demonstrator holds a sign in protest as Google CEO Sundar Pichai testifies during a House Judiciary Committee hearing that examined the internet giant's exploration of a search engine that would satisfy the Chinese government Some lawmakers raised the prospect of new regulations or modifying the exemption from liability that internet firms enjoy for content from third parties. Louie Gohmert, a Texas Republican, argued that Google was "surrounded by liberality" and did not recognize its own bias. But Democrat Jerry Nadler called the bias issue a "fantasy" drummed up by conservatives and said "no evidence supports this right-wing conspiracy theory." California Democrat Ted Lieu called the hearing "a waste of time" and ridiculed the comments about constitutional rights under the First Amendment. "The First Amendment limits what the government can do on regulating speech, it does not limit Google," Lieu said. What does Google know? Pichai also faced comments and questions about Google's data collection and privacy practices, and its discussions on creating a search engine that could be used in China. Google CEO Sundar Pichai responded to questions on political bias and data protection at a House Judiciary Committee hearing Goodlatte said the tech giant was "able to collect an amount of information about its users that would even make the NSA (National Security Agency) blush," arguing that the company needed to be more transparent about what it does with location and other data on Android-powered devices. Pichai said the data collected would depend on the applications installed and privacy options chosen. "We remind users to do a privacy checkup and we make it very obvious... they can clearly see what information we have," he said. He also sought to deflect criticism over "Project Dragonfly," a hotly contested project that could offer a search engine that would satisfy Chinese censors. "Right now we have no plans to launch in China," he said. Explore further Google CEO to appear before US House panel December 5 2018 AFP Using data gleaned from historical reports, researchers have now identified the sources of some of the most destructive Indonesian earthquakes in Java, Bali and Nusa Tenggara, using these data to independently test how well Indonesia's 2010 and 2017 seismic hazard assessments perform in predicting damaging ground motion. The study published in the Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America concludes that the hazard assessments do well at predicting damaging ground motion in key Javanese cities, but that there is much more to learn about earthquake sources in the region. Indonesia has made earthquake risk prediction a priority after the magnitude 9.1 Sumatra-Andaman megathrust earthquake and tsunami in 2004, but to date most of the research on regional earthquake hazard has concentrated on Sumatra, at the expense of studies further east in Java, said Jonathan Griffin of Geoscience Australia and colleagues. More than 57 percent (about 140 million people) of Indonesia's population lives in Java, "on a relatively small island roughly the same area as New York State, or the North Island of New Zealand, that faces many natural hazards," explained Griffin. "Getting the hazard levels right to underpin building codes is therefore critically important for a huge number of people, particularly combined with rapid economic growth and urbanization in Indonesia." Probabilistic seismic hazard assessments or PSHA is a method that calculates the likelihood that certain levels of earthquake-related ground shaking will exceed a specific intensity at a given location and time span. PSHA calculations are based on data from earthquakes detected by seismographs, however, so some of the largest and most damaging earthquakes in a region may not be included in the assessments if they occurred before instrumentation in a region. Griffin and colleagues analyzed historical catalogs and accounts of earthquakes in Java, Bali and Nusa Tenggara from 1681 to 1877, to determine the source and shaking intensity for some of the region's historically destructive earthquakes. The most significant tectonic feature of the Indonesian region is the collision and subduction of the Indian and Australian tectonic plates under the Sunda and Burma tectonic plates, generating megathrust earthquakes like the 2004 Sumatra quake. However, the researchers found little evidence for the occurrence of large earthquakes on the Java Megathrust fault during the historic time period they studied. Instead, they concluded that large intraslab earthquakes (earthquakes that occur within a subducting tectonic plate) were responsible for some of Java's most damaging historic quakes, including a magnitude 7.4 earthquake near Jakarta in 1699 and a magnitude 7.8 quake in Central Java in 1867. The researchers also noted a cluster of large earthquakes occurring on the Flores Thrust to the east of Java in 1815, 1818 and 1820, as well as earthquakes on shallow crustal faults on Java that had not been mapped previously. The Flores Thrust was responsible for two magnitude 6.9 earthquakes in Lombok in August 2018 that together killed more than 500 people. Intraslab earthquakes are well-known in the region, including recent events such as the magnitude 7.6 quake in West Sumatra and the magnitude 7.0 quake in West Java that together killed more than 1000 people in 2009, said Griffin. "However we were surprised that we didn't find conclusive evidence for a large megathrust event during the time period we examined." Although it can be difficult to distinguish between megathrust and intraslab earthquakes using the data analyzed by the researchers, Griffin said that the data he and his team analyzed fit better with an intraslab model. "So while the intraslab models fit the data better for earthquakes in 1699 and 1867, we also rely on an absence of tsunami observations from coastal locations where ground shaking damage was reported to make the case that intraslab events were the more likely source," he added. "The absence of strong historical evidence for a large megathrust earthquake south of Java over the past 350 years is a really interesting problem," said Griffin. Javanese and Dutch population centers "were historically on the north coast facing the calmer Java Sea, so we only have limited data from the less hospitable south coast. So it's quite likely that smaller megathrust earthquakes have occurred that aren't captured well in the historical records, but we'd be surprised if a really large earthquake went unnoticed." Previous research suggests that that the length of time between earthquakes on the Sumatran megathrust varies considerably, said Griffin. "So the lack of large megathrust events south of Java over the past few centuries could just imply that we have been in a period of relative inactivity, but not that large earthquakes occur less frequently here on average over the long-term." Currently only around 2% of the UK's Early Years Education (EYE) workforce are malea figure that has remained stubbornly resistant to change for several decades. Now new research, funded by the Economic and Social Research Council, at Lancaster University aims to improve understanding of the obstacles that stand in the way of more men taking up employment in the EYE workforce. Working with the Fatherhood Institute, the team, led by Dr. Jo Warin of the University's Educational Research Department, will learn about possible solutions that can help the UK diversify the gender of its workforce in the most efficient and effective ways possible. The GenderEYE (Gender Diversification in Early Years Education) team will work with hubs of EYE professionals, located in four English locations, who are interested and active in advocating an increase of men in EYE and engaged in supportive Men in the Early Years regional networks and national conferences. They will also work with academics and practitioners from Norwaywhich has the highest percentage of male EYE professionals in the world (around 10%) - and whose national 'gender equality action plan' calls for regional and national recruitment strategies to achieve a government target of 20% men in kindergartens. Strategic focus will be on best practice recruitment, support and retention. The Research team have just returned from a knowledge exchange event at Queen Maud University College, Trondheim, Norway's lead institution in preparing teachers for Early Childhood Education, and will cascade their learning to EYE colleagues, engaging eight different settings (pre-schools and primary school Reception classes) who will then form a sample of case studies. The team will also administer a survey to the wider sector, seeking data on male recruitment and retention, and information. "The study will provide a much needed evidence base for understanding what men's contribution is and could be" said Dr. Warin. And Dr. Jeremy Davies, of the Fatherhood Institute, added: "There's a growing sense that the UK needs to rethink its approach on this: the lack of gender-diversity in our EYE workforce has been allowed to go unchecked for too long. We hope that by focusing on what's worked in Norway, we can develop some clear, achievable strategies for accelerating the pace of progress." Early findings, based on the knowledge exchange event, indicate that a concerted effort at grassroots, local and regional levels supported by government interest, and target setting, as illustrated in Norway, can produce a slow but steady change in the direction of an improved gender-sensitivity amongst the EYE workforce. Key messages from the event include: Norway has a wide-ranging gender equality plan covering everything from parental leave and free childcare, to actions to reduce the gender pay gap and a target of 20% male participation in the early childhood education workforce. Earmarked government funding has been provided to support male recruitment at regional and local level. Strong leadership and belief in the benefits of a mixed-gender workforce is important. Support and networking opportunities for male practitioners can improve retention. Explore further Practical measures to help bridge gender gap in young adults Peters' wrinkle-lipped bat in flight over rice fields in Madagascar. Credit: Adria Lopez-Baucells A new study shows that several species of bats are giving Madagascar's rice farmers a vital pest control service by feasting on plagues of insects. And this, a zoologist at the University of Cambridge believes, can ease the financial pressure on farmers to turn forest into fields. There are few places in the world where relations between agriculture and conservation are more strained. Madagascar's forests are being converted to agricultural land at a rate of one per cent every year and much of this destruction is fuelled by the cultivation of the country's main staple crop: rice. A key reason for this is that insect pests are destroying vast quantities of rice, leading local subsistence farmers to destroy even more forest to create new paddies. The result is devastating habitat and biodiversity loss on the island. But not all species are suffering. In fact, some of the island's insectivorous bats are thriving, and this has important implications for farmers and conservationists alike. Co-leading an international team of scientists, Ricardo Rocha from the University of Cambridge's Zoology department Conservation Science Group, found that several species of indigenous bats are taking advantage of habitat modification to hunt insects swarming above the country's rice fields. They include the Malagasy mouse-eared bat, Major's long-fingered bat, the Malagasy white-bellied free-tailed bat, and Peters' wrinkle-lipped bat. University of Cambridge zoologist, Ricardo Rocha, talking about bats with children living among the rice fields of southeastern Madagascar. Credit: Joan de la Malla "These winner species are providing a valuable free service to Madagascar as biological pest suppressors," Rocha said. "We found that six species of bat are preying on rice pests such as the paddy swarming caterpillar and grass webworm. The damage that these insects cause puts the island's farmers under huge financial pressure and that encourages deforestation." The study, published in the journal Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment, used state-of-the-art ultrasonic recorders and molecular analysis to investigate the feeding activity of insectivorous bats in the farmland bordering the Ranomafana National Park in the southeast of the country. The researchers recorded over a thousand bat 'feeding buzzes' (echolocation sequences used by bats to target their prey) at 54 sites, to identify their favourite feeding spots. This revealed that bat activity over rice fields was much higher than it was in continuous forestseven times higher over irrigated rice fields, and sixteen times higher over hillside fieldswhich clearly shows that the animals are preferentially foraging in these man-made ecosystems. The researchers suggest that the bats favour hillside fields most because lack of water and nutrient run-off make these crops more susceptible to insect pest infestations. The team next used DNA barcoding techniques to analyse droppings collected from bats captured within the rice plantations and nearby forest. All six species of bats were found to have fed on economically important insect pests. While the findings indicated that rice farming benefits most from the bats, the scientists also found pests of other crops, including the black twig borer (a pest of coffee), the sugarcane cicada, the macadamia nut-borer, and the sober tabby (a pest of citrus fruits). Rice farmer in southeastern Madagascar holding some of the pests eating her crops. Credit: Adria Lopez-Baucells "The effectiveness of bats as pest controllers has already been proven in the USA and Catalonia," said co-author James Kemp, from the University of Lisbon. "But our study is the first to show this happening in Madagascar, where the stakes for both farmers and conservationists are very high." The researchers argue that maximising bat populations has the potential to boost crop yields and promote sustainable livelihoods. They are now calling for further research to quantify this contribution because Madagascar's bats currently fall under game species legislation and are not actively protected in the country. Bats comprise roughly one-fifth of all Malagasy mammal species and thirty-six recorded bat species are endemic to the island, making Madagascar one of the most important regions for conservation of this animal group anywhere in the world. "Bats have a bad reputation in Madagascar because they are seen as a nuisance when they roost in buildings," Rocha said. "The problem is that while these bats are benefiting from farming, deforestation is also denying them places to roost. With the right help, we hope that farmers can promote this mutually beneficial relationship by installing bat houses." Local people may have a further reason to be grateful to the animals. While bats are often associated with spreading disease, Rocha and his team found evidence that Malagasy bats feed not just on crop pests but also on mosquitosvectors of malaria, Rift Valley fever virus and elephantiasisas well as blackflies, which spread river blindness. Explore further Feeding habit of Malaysian fruit bats More information: James Kemp et al, Bats as potential suppressors of multiple agricultural pests: A case study from Madagascar, Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment (2018). James Kemp et al, Bats as potential suppressors of multiple agricultural pests: A case study from Madagascar,(2018). DOI: 10.1016/j.agee.2018.09.027 Changes to how Lyft and Uber drivers get paid in Manhattan will impact New York Citys taxi drivers, too. But what will happen with traffic as the changes come into effect? Credit: Dan McCoy, NARA Lyft, Uber and companies like them have rewritten what transportation looks like in the 21st century. They've been living in a four-wheeled wild west, though, without many restrictions on what they do and how they do it. A new set of rules came into being last week in New York when the city adopted recommendations put forth by Michael Reich, professor of economics and chair, center on wage and employment dynamics at the Institute for Research on Labor and Employment at UC Berkeley, and James Parrott, an economist at The New School in New York. For the first time, drivers will have an earnings standard to fall back on. Berkeley News sat with Reich to discuss how the new rules on paying drivers came to be and if San Francisco Bay Area users of ride share services will soon find themselves following the New York model. Berkeley News: Uber and Lyft are both headquartered in San Francisco. Why was this deal struck in NYC? Michael Reich: Uber and Lyft operate in all the major urban markets in the U.S. The app-rides industry is very lightly regulated in most locations. But New York City's Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC) has substantial regulatory power over Lyft and Uber, as well as taxis. What led the TLC to initiate this policy? In New York, the 100,000 or more taxi, Lyft and Uber drivers have banded into their own organizations. They have been telling the TLC that driver pay is too low and that many of the drivers are very stressed financially and mentally. Indeed, over a half-dozen drivers committed suicide within a six-month period. As a result, the TLC wanted to study the pay and working conditions of the drivers and possibly establish a minimum earnings standard. Keep in mind that the drivers are independent contractors, not employees, and therefore they are not covered by the New York City minimum wage (going up to $15 on December 31, 2018). All expenses are paid by the drivers. Companies save by not having to pay employer taxes for Social Security, unemployment and other charges. What was the purpose of your study? The TLC commissioned James Parrott, an economist at The New School, and me to conduct a study of the industry in New York. We wanted to obtain a detailed picture of driver pay, after expenses, as well as how much the companies were making on each ride. We used data that the TLC collects from all the companies and a driver survey; we looked at drivers' expenses: fuel, depreciation, insurance. Our study is the first to have data on the industry as a whole. Previous studiesmost commissioned by Uberhave used data on Uber only. But many drivers work with multiple companies.The Uber-only studies suggested that the drivers are mainly part-time and they have a lot of flexibility to gain additional income by using the car they already own. What did your study find? We found that full-time drivers accounted for 80 percent of the rides in New York City and that most of these drivers had made substantial investments to acquire a vehicle so they can operate in the industry. Their pay is indeed low, not just because fares per trip were low, but also because most drivers have too few paying trips per hour. They cruise without passengers about 40 percent of their working time. Our proposal established a minimum earnings standard per trip and a reward for companies who increased the use of their drivers during their working hours. The companies could increase driver utilization simply by limiting the supply of new drivers. The drivers would benefit by getting more paying trips per hour. We estimated that the effects on passengersfares and wait timeswould be minimal, that service would not be disrupted and that traffic congestion would be eased. How was your report received? We released our study on July 2, 2018. The study received national attention, including in all the media in New York City. Very soon after, the New York City Council voted to approve the general policy recommendation in our report. In his subsequent op-ed in the New York Daily News, Mayor de Blasio credited our report for making the policy recommendations credible and compelling. What has happened since? The TLC has been putting together the detailed regulations. At an October hearing, many drivers testified that their expenses were much higher than our report estimated. We then recalculated their expenses with better methods and newer data and the TLC used our estimates in their final proposal. That proposal was passed on December 4. The changes go into effect in January. Why is this decision a big deal? Ninety-six percent of the drivers will get a pay increase of about $10,000. It is a big deal for their families and communities. Moreover, this is the first time that workers in the gig economy will be subject to an earnings standard. It will be interesting to see whether other cities follow New York. What about the taxi drivers? Haven't they been hurt by the rise in competition? They have, and the new TLC policies will help them by creating a minimum driver pay norm. The taxi drivers' organization supported the policy change. However, it remains to be seen whether the policy will help the taxi drivers. Is something similar planned for San Francisco and the Bay Area? And how badly (or not) is it needed in this area? The San Francisco Metropolitan Traffic Commission has found that the growth of Uber and Lyft in the city has substantially slowed down traffic. There are no local studies of Uber and Lyft driver earnings, in part because the companies have resisted providing the city with the data they are required to provide in New York. One San Francisco supervisor has proposed a tax on Uber and Lyft rides. His concern seems to be about easing traffic congestion. Last April, the California Supreme Court ruled in an unrelated case that most independent contractors should be classified as employees. The number of independent contractors working in California has soared in recent years. The California Legislature will be reviewing the Supreme Court decision. It is possible that all Uber and Lyft drivers in California might have to be reclassified as employees and therefore subject to minimum wage laws. That is already the case in other countries, such as the UK. Lyft is saying it is going to go public soon and trade on one of the stock markets. Is what happened in NYC likely to help or hinder the stock price? Uber has also announced it wants to go public. Uber has lost many billions of dollars in bad bets on autonomous cars and on failed expansions in Asia and Latin America. But both Uber and Lyft make very large profits in their existing urban markets. The driver pay policy could squeeze those profits some, but we estimated that their profitability will remain high, well above other companies that are also basically software platform intermediaries, such as Visa and MasterCard. More information: James A. Parrott and Michael Reich. Report for the New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission. James A. Parrott and Michael Reich. Report for the New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission. An Earnings Standard for New York City's App-based Drivers: July 2018 Economic Analysis and Policy Assessment. Credit: Courtesy of Manvir Singh The names may varymedicine man, witch doctor, holy man, prophetbut the notion of the shaman, someone who uses trance to commune with the supernatural and effect real-world change, is one that crosses virtually all cultural boundaries. The question of why is among the central puzzles of anthropology. At least part of the answer lies with the way humansfrom hunter-gatherer tribes in the rainforest to people living in a modern cityare wired to think about the world and other humans, contends Manvir Singh, a graduate student in the Department of Human Evolutionary Biology in the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, whose paper was published in Behavioral and Brain Sciences. Singh's paper, along with more than two dozen commentaries from researchers in a host of fields, argues that shamanism develops as specialists compete to provide magical services to their community. The outcome is a set of traditions that hacks people's psychological biases to convince them that they can control the uncertain. "The theory is that there are important things we really want to have control overcalling rain, summoning animals, healing illness," he said. "All around the world, people believe that these important, uncertain outcomes are influenced by invisible forcesgods, witches, their ancestors, fairies, and more. But a shaman says, 'I can control that. I can talk to fairies. I can see signs of witches. I can be possessed by a god or speak to them.'" To understand how shamanism emerges, Singh first had to address a nagging question in anthropologywhat exactly is a shaman? Manvir Singh (right) interviewed members of the Mentawai tribe during his research on shamanism. "In the most general terms, a shaman is a person in a group who enters a type of trance a very foreign behavioral and psychological state to provide services to the community," he said. Credit: Manvir Singh "It's a hugely debated and contested idea," he said. "But in the most general terms, a shaman is a person in a group who enters a type of trancea very foreign behavioral and psychological stateto provide services to the community." Those services, Singh said, could range from healing disease to exorcising evil spirits to telling fortunes, or even changing the weather. The key to the community's trust that a shaman has those abilities, Singh said, comes from the belief that the shaman is transformed into something more than human, and able to interact with supernatural forces. That transformation can be permanent, like the supposed acquisition of new organs, or temporary, as when shamans dance for hours and enter exhausted trance states. "There are several lines of research that show people believe other people have different powers when those people diverge from humanity," he said. "One great example of this is the superhero narrative. In those stories, the reader has to believe this person has powers normal humans don't, so the writers often include an origin myththis person was bitten by a radioactive spider, or they have some genetic mutation, or they're actually an alien." In different societies, shamans may claim that they create a new skeleton, are devoured and resurrected, or magically alter their eyes so they can see spirits. "The point is they are biologically or physiologically a different kind of being," Singh said. "And that gives us some insight into what's going on with these shamanic practices. They become an individual who can engage with the supernatural. They become a different kind of human." A shaman becomes a specialist in the community's hierchy. Credit: Manvir Singh Singh said the transformation process helps explain how shamans became the first professional class in human societies. "To become one of these people who can oversee these uncertain events, you have to undergo this transformation. That creates two classes of individualsthose who have been transformed and those who have not," Singh said. "This creates a separate class of individuals where there is an entry requirement, and where they have near-exclusive jurisdiction over these services." That professionalization, Singh said, is different from the loose specialization that often appears in small-scale societies. While some members of the community might have a talent for making canoes or bows, there is no social barrier that prevents another person from making his or her own canoe or bow. "Meanwhile for shamans, it quickly develops into a system where, to become a shaman, you have to undergo a transformative ritualthere are these entry requirements," he said. Going forward, Singh said he hopes to explore the variety of powers shamans claim and how those alleged supernatural abilities translate to power in their communities. He is also working on understanding why other near-universal cultural practices develop, including music and belief in witchcraft. "Shamanism is only one of countless cultural practices that emerge nearly everywhere, yet exhibit very particular and odd features," he said. "These social and cultural universalspunitive justice, dance music, witchcraft, initiation ceremonies, and so onare among the most fundamental puzzles of anthropology. Given how much we've come to know about human psychology and sociality, now is an exciting time to investigate why human societies everywhere look so strikingly similar." Explore further South Korean shamans fluidly absorb cultural change More information: Manvir Singh. The cultural evolution of shamanism, Behavioral and Brain Sciences (2017). Manvir Singh. The cultural evolution of shamanism,(2017). DOI: 10.1017/S0140525X17001893 This story is published courtesy of the Harvard Gazette, Harvard University's official newspaper. For additional university news, visit Harvard.edu. In this image from video made available by NASA, Russian cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko cuts into the insulation on the Soyuz spacecraft attached to the International Space Station on Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2018. Kononenko and Sergei Prokopyev are investigating a mysterious leak which appeared on Aug. 30. (NASA via AP) Spacewalking astronauts ripped through thick insulation on a capsule docked to the International Space Station on Tuesday, looking for clues to a mysterious drilled hole that leaked precious cabin air four months ago. Russians Sergei Prokopyev and Oleg Kononenko spotted the tiny hole in the external hull of the Soyuz capsule, more than five hours into their grueling spacewalk. "That is exactly the hole we've been looking for, guys," radioed Russian Mission Control outside Moscow. The spacewalkers reported seeing no drill marks around the black dot, like on the inside. Back in August, the station crew patched the hole in the Soyuz capsule, plugging it with epoxy and gauze. Russian space officials wanted the site surveyed from the outside, before the capsule's return to Earth next week with Prokopyev and two others. This part of the capsule will be jettisoned as usual before atmospheric re-entry, and so poses no risk for descent. Prokopyev and Kononenko had to use a pair of telescoping booms to reach the Soyuz. It took nearly four hours for them to cross the approximately 100 feet (30 meters) to get to the capsule. Then the insulation proved harder to remove than expected, taking another one to two hours of effort. To expose the external hull, Kononenko needed to cut away a 10-inch (25-centimeter) swatch of thermal insulation and debris shield. In this image from video made available by NASA, Russian cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko, right, and Sergei Prokopyev perform a spacewalk outside the Soyuz spacecraft attached to the International Space Station on Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2018. They are investigating a section where a mysterious leak appeared on Aug. 30. (NASA via AP) Bits of shredded silver insulation floated away like confetti, as the two slashed at it with a knife and long cutters. Mission Control repeatedly urged the spacewalkers to take a few minutes' rest, in their bid to collect samples of the black epoxy sealant protruding from the hole, just one-tenth of an inch (2 millimeters) across. The capsule leak caused a flap between the U.S. and Russian space agencies, following its discovery at the end of August. Russian space chief Dmitry Rogozin observed that the hole could have been drilled during manufacturingor in orbit. The space station's commander at the time flatly denied any wrongdoing by himself or his crew. Rogozin has since backpedaled his statement, blaming the news media for twisting his words. In this image from video made available by NASA, Russian cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko performs a spacewalk outside the International Space Station on Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2018. Kononenko and Sergei Prokopyev are inspecting a section where a mysterious leak appeared on Aug. 30. (NASA via AP) A Russian investigation is ongoing, according to Rogozin, and samples collected during the spacewalk will be returned to Earth on the Soyuz. The spacewalk findings could lead to better repair techniques in the future, officials said. The Soyuz is scheduled to depart the orbiting lab on Dec. 19, U.S. time, with Prokopyev, American Serena Aunon-Chancellor and German Alexander Gerst, the station's current skipper. It ferried them up in June. Remaining aboard the 250-mile-high (400-kilometer-high) outpost for the next six months will be an American, Russian and Canadian who arrived last week. Explore further Cosmonauts start spacewalk from ISS to examine mystery hole (Update) 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. Wild bee Credit: Nigel Raine Pesticide regulations designed to protect honeybees fail to account for potential health threats posed by agrochemicals to the full diversity of bee species that are even more important pollinators of food crops and other plants, say three new international papers co-authored by University of Guelph biologists. As the global human population grows, and as pollinators continue to suffer declines caused by everything from habitat loss to pathogens, regulators need to widen pesticide risk assessments to protect not just honeybees but other species from bumblebees to solitary bees, said environmental sciences professor Nigel Raine, holder of the Rebanks Family Chair in Pollinator Conservation. "There is evidence that our dependency on insect-pollinated crops is increasing and will continue to do so as the global population rises," said Raine, co-author of all three papers recently published in the journal Environmental Entomology. With growing demands for crop pollination outstripping increases in honeybee stocks, he said, "Protecting wild pollinators is more important now than ever before. Honeybees alone simply cannot deliver the crop pollination services we need." Government regulators worldwide currently use honeybees as the sole model species for assessing potential risks of pesticide exposure to insect pollinators. But Raine said wild bees are probably more important for pollination of food crops than managed honeybees. Many of those wild species live in soil, but scientists lack information about exposure of adult or larval bees to pesticides through food or soil residues. The papers call on regulators to look for additional models among solitary bees and bumblebees to better gauge health risks and improve protection for these species. "Everybody is focused on honeybees," said Angela Gradish, a research associate in the School of Environmental Sciences and lead author of one paper, whose co-authors include Raine and SES Prof. Cynthia Scott-Dupree. "What about these other bees? There are a lot of unknowns about how bumblebees are exposed to pesticides in agricultural environments." She said bumblebee queens have different life cycles than honeybee counterparts that may increase their contact with pesticides or residues while collecting food and establishing colonies. "That's a critical difference because the loss of a single bumblebee queen translates into the loss of the colony that she would have produced. It's one queen, but it's a whole colony at risk." Like honeybees, bumblebees forage on a wide variety of flowering plants. But because bumblebees are larger, they can carry more pollen from plant to plant. They also forage under lower light conditions and in cloudier, cooler weather that deter honeybees. Those characteristics make bumblebees especially vital for southern Ontario's greenhouse growers. "Greenhouse tomato producers rely on commercial bumblebee colonies as the only source of pollination for their crops," said Gradish. The new studies stem from workshops held in early 2017 involving 40 bee researchers from universities and representatives of agrochemical industries and regulatory agencies in Canada, the United States and Europe, including Canada's Pest Management Regulatory Agency. "I hope we can address shortfalls in the pesticide regulatory process," said Raine, who attended the international meeting held in Washington, D.C. "Given the great variability that we see in the behaviour, ecology and life history of over 20,000 species of bees in the world, there are some routes of pesticide exposure that are not adequately considered in risk assessments focusing only on honeybees." Explore further Bee flower choices altered by exposure to pesticides When U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Acting Administrator Andrew Wheeler visited Pittsburgh on October 24 last year, his first order of business was to visit a Range Resources well-pad outside Washington, Pa., announcing that the EPA would continue removing regulatory barriers and leveling the playing field for American companies. Politicians, billboards and commercials on local TV have for several years touted the economic benefits and energy independence the natural gas industry delivers. Some 29,000 oil and gas jobs have been created in Pennsylvania alone. But the work of extracting natural resources can forever change the landscape in rural areas where it happens. And the human cost to those living nearby has been difficult to tally. Writer and poet Eliza Griswolds absorbing new non-fiction book, Amity and Prosperity: One Family and the Fracturing of America assesses the fallout by focusing on the deeply-affected Haney and Voyles families in our southwest corner of Pennsylvania. Griswold, prize-winning author of The Tenth Parallel: Dispatches from the Fault Line Between Christianity and Islam, is a Distinguished Writer in Residence at New York University. The book was seven years in the making, In A Note on Sources, she says the book was born in Nigeria in 2007 after a bridge collapsed I decided it was time to come home, to turn my attention to how we tell stories about systemic failings here in the United States. From her experiences abroad, Griswold begins thinking about the Resource Curse phenomenon, where the poorest people in the world live on some of the most resource-rich land and how it applies to Marcellus Shale-gas-rich Appalachia. The book expertly weaves three threads: the insightful history of mineral extraction in and around Washington County, a pathos-driven narrative tending to focus heavily on Stacey Haney, and the legal challenges facing those battling energy companies, using husband-and-wife lawyers John and Kendra SmithMr. and Mrs. Atticus Finchas strong characters and expert guides. These aspects revolve around a central conflict Griswold states early-on: Exploiting energy often involves exploiting people and has long fed a sense of marginalization and disgust. While the Smiths do yeomans work representing the little guy in the face of mounting legal costs, the books resolution may not be as tidy as some might hope for. Fracking has become yet another fault line in our increasingly divided politics, pitting environmentalists against landowners looking to get paid in areas with little to offer economically. This is the crux where Stacey Haney finds herself. She is a divorced mother of two, registered nurse and owner of land thats been in her family for 150 years. A self-described Hoopy, or hillbilly, shes passionately self-reliant saying, Theres a difference in Amity women we dont have to have a man in our lives. But when neighbors begin leasing their land to Range Resources and start getting generous payouts, Stacey imagines how it might change her and her childrens lives, allowing her to make improvements to her house and barn. The boon for the Haneys and their neighbors, John and Beth Voyles, turns out to have unforeseen consequences after waste ponds are dug and filled less than a half-mile away. Both humans and animals begin showing symptoms of chemical exposure. With little peer-reviewed research to rely on, Stacey is left to her own devices to make sense of why her teenage son Harley is testing positive for arsenic poisoning. Griswold expertly renders these travails of a sick kid who doesnt want to leave his basement room in heartbreaking ways. The industry points to fracking as being safe. Existing law allows drillers to remain exempt from disclosing chemicals and from provisions of the 1974 Safe Drinking Water Act unless diesel fuel is used in the process. But conservation efforts in Pennsylvania going back to Gifford Pinchot, a former governor and first chief of the U.S. Forestry Service, continue to try to balance the practical necessity of exploiting natural resources with the need to protect them. A tricky line to walk, for sure. Griswold explains the fracking process in easy to understand ways. But the fact that it takes 3,343,986 gallons of water to frack a single well, and the process uses some chemicals harmless as soap while others include ethylene glycol, a neurotoxin, and elements of BTEX, the shorthand for benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene gives readers pause to consider what this means to drinking supplies. Ten Mile Creek, above which the Haneys place sits, flows into streams that run into the Ohio River basin, which supplies drinking water to 8% of Americans. Its a stunning fact that puts some of this progress in perspective. It also complicates matters. As a counterpoint, pig-farmer Jason Clark bristles at the notion that those who lived on the front lines of Frackistan were somehow being duped by the shadowy forces of industry. Instead, his anger is directed at People who live in Pittsburgh or Philadelphia [being] bottom-feeders who dont want to know where their meat or their energy is coming from. Griswold seeks out myriad perspectives, interviewing scores of people from Amity and Prosperity locals to doctors, scientists, activists and industry people, all offering their perspectives on the complex issue. In a book full of troubling moments, perhaps the most disturbing portrayal isnt Range Resources execs buying 4-H livestock from winning local kids at the Washington County Fair as a kind of emotional bribery, but the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection shown as feckless and toothless. In one instance, a DEP employee is overheard asking drillers if Range was hiring while he was out inspecting a possible environmental violation. Such behavior plays into the already high distrust of the government among some local residents. In an interview with Kara Holsopple of The Allegheny Front, Griswold further elaborates, saying of area residents, They began as skeptical of the federal government. One of the romantic notions of where that skepticism comes from, of course, is the long, long history with the Whiskey Rebellion, and the opposition, historically, dating back centuries, of people in rural western Pennsylvania who have seen the federal government come in and been rapacious at bestand actually taken up arms against them. So theres a long history of, what exactly does the federal government want from us? And Stacey doesnt want government in her life. Yet because of this experience, she thought maybe the federal government will step in and protect us. And yes, the federal government also failed them. All told, Amity stands as an important book for coming to understand this reason. search giant, Google have fined 500,000 roubles ($7,530) by the Russia on Tuesday, over the tech company's failure to comply with legal requirement to remove certain entries from its search results, TASS news agency says. Last month, a civil case was opened against Google for not joining the country's registry which contain lists of banned websites that Moscow believes contain illegal information and was therefore not compliant with the law. TASS reports that the head of Russia's communications watchdog Roscomnadzor, Alexander Zharov, threatened a new case against Google if it did not fall in line with the law. In Russia, tougher internet laws have been introduced in the the past five years, which required search engines to delete some search results, messaging services to share encryption keys with security services, and social networks to store Russian users' personal data on servers within the country. [December 11, 2018] ACEDS Announces BDO as Newest Gold Level Affiliate Partner EAGAN, Minn., Dec. 11, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The Association of Certified eDiscovery Specialists (ACEDS), part of legal education leader, The BARBRI Group, is pleased to announce that BDO is the association's newest "Gold Level" affiliate partner. This prestigious status allows BDO to leverage and contribute to the full breadth of ACEDS education, marketing, training and professional development resources to enhance the overall electronic discovery skills and capabilities of eDiscovery practitioners. As part of this exciting partnership, George Socha, Managing Director, Technology and Business Transformation Services at BDO will be providing a monthly ACEDS blog submission to share with the association's community as well as his weekly industry insights into breaking news and what is happening in the eDiscovery space and beyond. "ACEDS is so very grateful to BDO for sharing the insights that only George Socha can bring to our global eDiscovery community," said Mary Mack, ACEDS Executive Director. "Not only is George the VP of our thriving Twin Cities chapter, he has graciously agreed to publish with us on a regular basis with a monthly blog and weekly industry insights. It doesn't get better than that and we look forward to working with George and the talented team at BDO!" Among the ACEDS opportunities and resources availble to BDO and other members are leading-edge job tools, networking forums and opportunities through a global chapter network and events, a best-practice-oriented community of professionals, and the exclusive preparation and exam for the career-enhancing CEDS professional certification, as well as ACEDS new eDiscovery Executive Certificate Program. "We are thrilled to join ACEDS as its newest affiliate partner," said Socha. "Especially under Mary Mack's leadership, ACEDS has become a key resource for anyone hoping to improve their eDiscovery expertise as well as any organization seeking to move its people to the next level. We welcome the opportunity to help further that mission." About BDO Global. Mobile. Experienced. With our team of seasoned professionals and an extensive network of global resources including 30 labs on six continents, BDO focuses on our clients' technical demands, regulatory environments, and industry dynamics to deliver customized, analytics-driven E-discovery solutions at a time when data has become increasingly global and complex. We have significant experience delivering high quality E-discovery solutions in a variety of situations. Veterans of complex, high-stakes litigation, class actions, monitorships, and investigations, BDO professionals have also testified and presented extensively before regulatory, governmental, and international arbitration bodies. Established 1910...People Who Know, Know BDO Website URL: https://www.bdo.com/ About ACEDS The Association of Certified E-Discovery Specialists (ACEDS), part of leading legal education provider The BARBRI Group, is a membership association committed to promoting and verifying eDiscovery skills and competence through training, education, and certification to organizations and individuals. The association's goal is to help professionals and organizations reduce the costs and risks associated with eDiscovery and realize the advantages of performing it effectively. ACEDS awards the Certified E-Discovery Specialist (CEDS) credential, which is held by practitioners at AmLaw 200 firms, government agencies, including the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and U.S. Justice Department, and some of the largest corporations in the world. Contact: Cindy Parks 913-526-6912 cindy@parkscommunications.com View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/aceds-announces-bdo-as-newest-gold-level-affiliate-partner-300763355.html SOURCE ACEDS [ Back to the Next Generation Communications Community's Homepage ] The Bitcoin rout has claimed many victims, from everyday investors to medium-sized miners, but now, even some of the industrys biggest names are being forced to face the music. Bitmain Cuts The Fat Bitmain, which has cautiously been working to gather its strength in recent months for an IPO push, has recently announced that it will be closing the doors of its Israeli development center. The crypto market has undergone a shake-up in the past few months, which has forced Bitmain to examine its various activities around the globe and to refocus its business in accordance with the current situation, said Gadi Glikberg, Bitmains Vice President of International Sales and Branch Manager at the development center. Launched in 2016, the Israeli facility focused on the development of blockchain solutions, the Connect BTC mining pool, and artificial intelligence for the Sophon project, a chip used in security, surveillance, super computers and data centers. According to Israeli business publication Globes, the companys 23 development center employees will be let go, though there is no word on the future of the projects the team was managing. Bitmains shuttering of its development center, caused by current market conditions and mounting regulatory pressure, has cast a shadow over the future if its IPO ambitions. Though Bitmain may still have a chance to tackle the challenges ahead, other miners may not be so fortunate. Canaan Fails To Renew IPO Application Last week, the deadline for Canaans IPO application came and went, surpassing its six-month lifespan, according to the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. No official statement has been released regarding the choice to let the application lapse, but Hong Kong-based independent investment banking expert Philippe Espinasse offered a possible explanation, This often happens because of issues related to due diligence and disclosure, or because of market conditions when the valuations expected by legacy shareholders are at odds with what investors are prepared to pay. Though Canaans application has lapsed, Hong Kong Stock Exchange rules allow a little leniency, leaving a three-month window for applicants to re-submit their paperwork as a continuance of the original letter. Related: Can Crypto Outperform Equities In The Long-Term? Despite this window, however, few expect Canaan to resubmit anytime soon. The Clock Is Ticking For Ebang Like Bitmain and Canaan, Ebang International Holdings, the worlds second largest mining equipment producer, had filed the paperwork for a now-uncertain IPO. Ebang, for its part, is running out of time. With a deadline as soon as December 24th, its looking increasingly likely that the mining giant will follow in Canaans footsteps and allow the application to lapse. Jasper Lee, managing director at eToro in Shanghai explained: There is a very high chance that Ebang's IPO application will lapse," adding "Fundamentally, there is no big difference between Canaan and Ebang. If Canaan couldn't respond to questions regulators have had, I don't see how Ebang would be able to do so. Bear Market Woes Persist Though financial disclosure is a rare occurrence in the world of bitcoin miners, the general assumption is that the three companies are being forced to adjust their valuations as a result of the downturn in crypto markets. Additionally, there are larger regulatory factors at play, which some market analysts suggest could also be impacting the miners decisions. Zennon Kapron, founder of Shanghai-based Kapronasia noted, "If it is a conscious decision by the government to let it lapse, then it is certainly not very positive for Bitmain or Ebang to succeed in their listing, adding "Those are bitcoin mining companies which are somewhat controversial. Getting an approval is never going to be easy. So the fact that there is a delay is not entirely surprising." By Michael Kern via Crypto Insider More Top Reads From Safehaven.com With France teetering on the brink of a full-blown disaster threatening to destabilize one of the European Unions leading democracies, French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday pledged to raise minimum wage next month and cut taxes for pensioners. Macron hosted a crisis meeting with trade unions and employers organizations on Monday to try and defuse violent protests that have rocked Paris and other cities and challenged his authority. We will respond to the economic and social urgency with strong measures, by cutting taxes more rapidly, by keeping our spending under control, but not with U-turns, Macron said in a TV address to the nation. France has recorded four consecutive weekends of yellow vest protests against rising fuel taxes, the high cost of living and other issues. Diesel prices have climbed 23 percent over the past year with Macrons January decision to impose additional taxes of 6.5 cents on diesel and 2.9 cents on petrol enraging protesters. Macron blamed high world oil prices at the time but also pointed out that higher taxes on fossil fuels were necessary to fund investments in renewable energy. The rallies have been dubbed "yellow vest" or "gilets jaunes" movement because protesters take to the streets donning high-visibility yellow jackets required for every vehicle under French law. Never one to miss a beat, President Trump has seized the opportunity to pin the blame for the protests on the Paris Climate Agreement, causing uproar amongst French politicians. The Trump administration announced the controversial withdrawal of the United States from the landmark agreement in June 2017, labeling global warming a Chinese hoax and the agreement a scam for some countries to make lot money. (Click to enlarge) Economic Crisis The demonstrations have escalated into epic proportions, prompting finance Minister Bruno Le Maire to declare the situation an economic catastrophe and a crisis for both society and democracy. Saturdays protests were particularly virulent with an estimated 136,000 protesters taking to the streets and burning 50 vehicles, smashing windows and vandalizing shops. The French retail federation now estimates that retailers in the country have lost a staggering 1bn ($1.1bn; 900m) since the protests begun on November 17. Yet, the total economic damages could get much worse. Related: This 7-Year Old Is Earning 8 Digits Just last week, Le Maire reported that restaurant trade had declined by 20-50 percent and it is feared that the tourism sector could be adversely affected as well after last years record number of 40 million tourists visiting the country. Meanwhile, Francois Asselin, head of the confederation of SMEs, figures that the protests could cost his members about 10 billion. On Monday, the Bank of France cut its economic growth forecast for the final quarter of the year from 0.4 percent to 0.2 percent as a result of the protests. The French government has already made some concessions after agreeing to scrap the fuel tax increases and also frozen electricity and gas prices, but Macron on Monday refused to reinstate a wealth tax. Related: Can Crypto Outperform Equities In The Long-Term? Protesters had come up with a laundry list of demands including higher wages, better pensions, lower taxes, and easier university entry requirements. This has now devolved into a full-scale revolt against President Emmanuel Macron himself, including his perceived aloofness and reforms that favor the moneyed elites. Macron's ratings have plunged to an all-time low of 23 percent and now faces an uphill task trying to win back the trust of a people baying for his blood and demanding to Hang the King. (Click to enlarge) Source: BBC.com The latest opinion poll showed a dip in support for the protests but still stood high at 66 percent. Italy Latches On Trump isnt the only world leader using the French protests for political leverage. Italys deputy prime minister and interior minister Matteo Salvini is at it, too, defending the countrys expansionary budget saying that it will help prevent the kind of unrest in France from repeating itself there: There are several million forgotten Italians we are taking care of so that what has been happening in France doesnt happen in Italy, declared Salvini. Italy has drafted an ambitious 2018/2019 budget that will see the heavily indebted country sink even deeper into debt and raise the budget deficit to 2.4 percent of GDP from last years 1.8 percent. Italy wants to introduce a citizens wage to support the poor which, together with a reduction in the retirement age, will cost state coffers an additional 16 billion euros ($18.22 billion) every year. Brussels has refused to endorse the budget thus setting the stage for increased tension within the EU. Its quite remarkable that Italy has not recorded any significant social unrest in recent years despite the economic situation there being more dire than it is in France. By Alex Kimani for Safehaven.com More Top Reads From Safehaven.com This report was compiled by Lisa Andre. You can reach her at landre@leecentralcoastnews.com. Follow her on Twitter @LAndreSYVNews Kevin Merrill of Mesa Vineyard Management is a board member of the Santa Barbara County Farm Bureau, and director on the Santa Barbara County Fair Board. He can be reached at kmerrill@mesavineayrd.com Two remakes of note and a nifty animated special are all on their way. Jake Gyllenhaal will star in an English-language remake of Gustav Moller's The Guilty, according to Variety. The original Danish thriller, which I very much enjoyed, follows a police detective on probationary duty who takes a phone call that proves to be life-threatening. Moller and original producer Lina Flint will serve as executive producers on the project. See my interview with Moller for more insight into his development of an idea into a very tense, real-time thriller. Another European thriller is also heading for an English-language remake. Jodie Foster will star in and direct a new version of Woman at War, per Deadline. The original Icelandic war-thriller, directed by Benedikt Erlingsson (Of Horses and Men), follows a music teacher in her 50s who is an eco-terrorist on the sly. Then, her long-awaited application for adoption is approved, causing her to become torn between saving the environment and becoming a single mother. As might be expected, Foster will move the setting from Iceland to the U.S., specifically to the American West. Like The Guilty, Woman at War has been submitted for Academy Award consideration in the foreign-language category. Even though I am not a "holiday person," I truly loved Aggretsuko, the fabulous animated series about the collision between death metal as a saving influence in the humdrum life of an office worker, so I am happy to share the advertisement Netflix recently posted about the upcoming holiday-themed special that will be debuting on the service on December 20, We Wish You a Metal Christmas. Enjoy! "The Electric Chair Is Back and the Death Penalty Is on Life Support" | Main | Sixth Circuit panel overturns ruling that Ohio's lifetime sex-offender registration rules violate procedural due process rights December 11, 2018 "Charlottesville Jury Recommends 419 Years Plus Life For Neo-Nazi Who Killed Protester" The title of this post is the headline of this NPR piece reporting on a high-profile jury sentencing verdict this afternoon. Here are the details: The 21-year-old avowed neo-Nazi who murdered a woman when he plowed his car into a crowd of counterprotesters last year at a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Va., will likely spend the rest of his life in prison. A jury in Charlottesville said Tuesday that James Alex Fields Jr. should be sentenced to life plus 419 years in prison and $480,000 in fines, for killing Heather Heyer and seriously injuring 35 others. Judge Richard Moore will decide whether to sign off on the recommended sentence at a hearing on March 29. The life sentence was in response to Fields' first-degree murder conviction. The jury arrived at 419 additional years, The Associated Press reports, by recommending "70 years for each of five malicious wounding charges, 20 for each of three malicious wounding charges, and nine years on one charge of leaving the scene of an accident." A day earlier, jurors heard emotional testimony from Heyer's mother, Susan Bro, and from several victims struck by Fields on Aug. 12, 2017, during the Unite the Right rally that weekend. "Heather was full of love, justice and fairness," Bro said, according to the Richmond Times-Dispatch. "Mr. Fields tried to silence her. ... I refuse to let him." Bro also told the jury that she does not hate Fields for killing her daughter, a loss she described as an "explosion" that has blown up her family. Meanwhile, Fields' attorneys asked the jury to consider their client's mental state on the day of the murder. A psychologist "testified that Fields was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and schizoid personality disorder at the ages of 6 and 14, respectively," the Times-Dispatch reported.... Fields also faces federal hate crime charges, which allow for the death penalty. I think it at once silly and telling when defendants are facing or are given sentences that are much longer than the United States has been a country. And here, of course, Fields will have to be in prison until the year 2437 and then face a life sentence! Jokes aside, the interesting questions now are (1) whether the Virginia judge will adopt the jury's sentencing recommendation, and (2) whether federal prosecutors will still be eager to pursue federal charges to possibly seek a death sentence for Fields. Prior related post: December 11, 2018 at 04:56 PM | Permalink Comments Plus, once he's done that life sentence, he can start working on those $480,000 fines. Also, by statute, Virginia has something called post-release supervision. If the Judge doesn't suspend any time, he will tack an independent period of suspended time at the end of the sentence where he can be supervised after release. My guess is three years on each charge not carrying life suspended for three years supervision. Posted by: Erik M | Dec 11, 2018 5:58:30 PM Post a comment Congress finally enacts "Paroline fix" that should improve victim restitution in federal child porn cases | Main | "The Electric Chair Is Back and the Death Penalty Is on Life Support" December 11, 2018 Senate leader Mitch McConnell says in floor speech that he will bring up FIRST STEP Act for a vote!! Most everything that happens inside the Beltway tends to make me sad and frustrated, but I was feeling especially sad and frustrated by report that the FIRST STEP Act would not even get a vote in the Senate this year. But, providing a belated Hannukah gift and an early Christmas gift is this exciting news via the Washington Post: "McConnell to bring up criminal-justice bill for a Senate vote." Here are the details: Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said Tuesday that the Senate will vote on a sweeping overhaul of the criminal justice system that has proven deeply controversial within the Senate Republican ranks. McConnell said in a floor speech Tuesday morning that the Senate will take up the legislation, written by Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Charles E. Grassley (R-Iowa), Sen. Richard J. Durbin (D-Ill.) and several other Democratic and Republican senators, in December, perhaps as early as the end of this week. He also warned that because of the decision to add the criminal justice bill to the Senate agenda, members should now be prepared to work between Christmas and New Years. He urged senators to work together or prepare for a very, very long month. Since I am regularly working usually grading, researching and blogging between Christmas and New Year's, I am not at all troubled that Senators will also have to squeeze in a little extra work to earn their final 2018 paychecks. This report is certainly something to celebrate among everyone eager to see some any positive reforms to our federal criminal justice system. But, of course, having a bill enacted and signed by the Prez is critical before a full celebration is appropriate. In addition, various reports of various carve outs in order to garner GOP support for various part of the bill suggest that the final legislation could prove especially modest in various particulars. Still, as I see it, something is always better than nothing, and any version of the FIRST STEP Act is likely to be something. Some of the most recent of many prior related posts: December 11, 2018 at 10:36 AM | Permalink Comments Doug: You really should ask the Law School to pay you as much a a U.S Senator makes, for similar work and hours. Posted by: James Gormley | Dec 11, 2018 2:28:53 PM Actually, James, I believe a first-year associate at a large NYC firm now makes more than a US Senator, so we really cannot fairly complain about what they make. I also sense they do work pretty hard, so I really did not mean to take a personal swipe here. That said, I appreciate you looking our for me! Posted by: Doug B. | Dec 11, 2018 4:41:14 PM Post a comment The newly opened Sinamale Bridge formerly known as the China-Maldives Friendship Bridge after a major funding input from China in the Maldives capital Male. (Photo: Getty Images) By Iain Marlow and Dandan Li In late August, President Abdulla Yameen of the Maldives hailed the opening of a Chinese-built bridge connecting two islands in the archipelago as the gateway into tomorrow and the opportunities beyond. One month later, Yameen was voted out and the new government of the palm-fringed nation off the coast of India began to uncover the mountain of debt with which hed saddled the country. A pro-China strongman who jailed opponents and judges, Yameen borrowed heavily from Beijing to build a new runway for the main airport, housing developments and a hospital, as well as the 2.1 kilometer (1.3 mile)-long China-Maldives Friendship Bridge. On a recent trip to New Delhi, Maldives officials opened up about their frustration over the scale of the debt to Chinathe equivalent of almost 20 percent of GDPand the inexplicable preference given to Chinese financing under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). In just one example, the previous government rejected a $54 million hospital bid in favor of an inflated Chinese offer of $140 million. We have been burned, said Economic Development Minister Fayyaz Ismail. (Source: Bloomberg) The tourist paradise of the Maldives isnt the only Asian nation to discover that the promise of Chinese President Xi Jinpings signature infrastructure program was too good to be true. After an unprecedented run of funding large-scale investments in projects from railways to highways in poorer countries across Asia, governments are adopting a far more cautious approach to Chinas grand plans for what it regards as its backyard. From Malaysia to Sri Lanka, simmering voter anger over deals perceived as unfair or corrupt are prompting close examination, investigation and even suspension of projects until recently taken for granted. The first phase of the Belt and Road is effectively over, said Andrew Small, a senior fellow with the German Marshall Funds Asia program. A new model has not yet emerged, but it is clear that the old one, almost entirely focused on speed and scale, is no longer sustainable. Story continues Chinese authorities have noted the examples of misconduct and are reassessing and tweaking their global infrastructure plans, said a senior Chinese official who asked not to be named discussing strategy. They are well aware that poorly executed projects can hurt Chinas reputation and are alert to the potential for resentment to spread, the official said. Asia is in desperate need of infrastructure upgrades and no country other than China has the appetite or the ready resources to meet the demand for large-scale investments. Yet the criticism in Asia comes at a sensitive time of growing international skepticism of Chinas global intentions. While much of the focus is on President Donald Trumps standoff with Xi over trade, technology and market access, governments across Europe, in Australia and in Japan are tightening up their vetting of Chinese investments, particularly in critical infrastructure such as key ports and network systems. China has commissioned internal reports that have highlighted the backlash, with the aim of continuing Xis outward push at a time when the economy is struggling. Authorities have stepped up scrutiny of BRI projects and investment and are deliberating possible regulations, the official said, adding that China is ready to take measures to clamp down on misconduct. That translates into more willingness to renegotiate terms, more focus on project quality, more efforts to cooperate with third-country partners such as Japan, and greater sensitivity to political and macroeconomic risk, said the German Marshall Funds Small. A bulldozer operates on a development site on Marine Drive in Gwadar, Balochistan, Pakistan. (Photo: Getty Images) The shift in sentiment among Asian governments is already tangible, and has burst into the open in recent months. In Pakistan, Chinas all-weather ally for decades, militants angered by Chinese investment in a remote area bombed and attacked the Chinese consulate in Karachi last month, killing seven people. In Sri Lanka, there is growing anger over Chinas vast economic influence as a threat to the countrys sovereignty, while a Myanmar government adviser criticized as absurd the $7.5 billion price tag for its Chinese-backed port, which was agreed to under the previous military government. In Malaysia, Mahathir Mohamad was elected prime minister in May after questioning Chinese investments on the campaign trail. In office, he slammed a new version of colonialism, as his government moved to suspend a $20 billion Chinese railway project, and later cancelled three China-backed pipeline projects worth $3 billion. Mahathir Mohamad, Malaysias prime minister, pauses during a news conference at the Japan National Press Club in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo: Getty Images) Indian officials have long objected to the Belt and Road program because it funds $60 billion worth of infrastructure in Pakistan, including in parts of disputed Kashmir, which India claims as its own. And though New Delhi lacks the cash to compete against Beijing, Indian diplomats insist countries have been lured into debt traps and view the recent criticism as legitimizing their long-standing position. Indeed, a report this year by the Washington-based Center for Global Development identified eight nations at risk of debt distress from Chinese financing, among them Pakistan, the Maldives, Laos, Mongolia and Djibouti, where China has its only overseas military base. Vietnams clashes with Beijing in the South China Sea meanwhile mean security fears there risk overshadowing investment projects. Increasingly, bashing China makes sound electoral sense in parts of Asia. Indonesia, where the campaign for an April ballot could bring heightened scrutiny of Chinese projects, is an example of how Chinas investments are often pulled into emerging market elections, according to Kelsey Broderick, an Asia associate at the Eurasia Group. Candidates around the world have used public concerns over Chinese debt as part of their successful challenges to incumbent candidates who have embraced BRI with open arms, said Broderick. He cited Jair Bolsonaros successful run for the Brazilian presidency on an anti-China platform, and said Kenya, Zambia and Thailand could face similar debates. Part of the concern comes from perceptions that, apart from contributing to unsustainable debt levels, Chinas loans serve Beijings strategic goals in the Indian Ocean region key to global shipping routes at a time when China is building islands in the South China Sea. The piers for the Luang Prabang railway bridge, a section of the China-Laos Railway built by the China Railway Group Ltd., stand under construction near Luang Prabang, Laos. (Photo: Getty Images) In the Maldives, former strongman Yameens increasingly overt pro-China policies included ramming a free trade agreement with China through parliament and denying work visas for professionals from Chinas rival India. The strong-arm tactics ultimately backfired: New Maldivian Finance Minister Ibrahim Ameer has asked for $200 million of Indian loans and pledged to pursue an India-first foreign policy, a sharp rebuke to Beijing. The Trump administration meanwhile has honed its message against the Belt and Road. Vice President Mike Pence told leaders at the recent Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit in Singapore that the U.S. doesnt offer a constricting belt or a one-way road. The U.S. has set up an agency to lend as much as $60 billion for infrastructure, and last month backed a plan to build a $1.7 billion electricity grid in Papua New Guinea as part of a push to provide countries with alternative lending schemes. Still, that number pales in comparison to the Belt and Road, which Morgan Stanley says may total $1.3 trillion by 2027. Asia clearly needs more infrastructure: The Asian Development Bank forecasts the region needs $26 trillion worth of highways, railroads and other infrastructure over the next decade or so. In the absence of viable alternatives, China is likely to remain the first port of call. In any case, many countries in Asia and Africa still prefer Chinese loans that come with no governance or accountability commitments, said Broderick. In the five years since Xi launched Belt and Road, China has been on a learning curve, said Pang Zhongying, an international relations professor from Macau University of Science and Technology. Its the right thing to do for China to reassess its BRI projects and put more emphasis on risk control. 2018 Bloomberg L.P Dec 11 (Reuters) - Airasia Group Bhd: * MALAYSIA AIRPORTS (SEPANG) SERVED UNIT WITH WRIT OF SUMMONS OF 9.4 MILLION RGT OVER PASSENGER SERVICE CHARGES THAT UNIT HAS NOT COLLECTED * SAYS TO DEFEND PROCEEDINGS Source text for Eikon: [https://bit.ly/2C5Hb8T] Further company coverage: JustCo at Marina Square mall in Singapore. Photo: JustCo Co-working space operator JustCo plans to open centres in Seoul, Melbourne, Sydney and Taipei by the first quarter of 2019, as it forges ahead with its expansion plan. JustCos founder and chief executive officer Kong Wan Sing told Yahoo News Singapore that the company plans to open four centres in Seoul, two each in Sydney and Melbourne and four in Taipei. Its part of a blueprint to open 100 fully operational centres by 2020, up from the current 19. On Friday (7 December), the company opened two new centres in Jakarta with its joint venture partner, Indonesian conglomerate Gunung Sewu. This takes the companys total floor space to more than 650,000 square feet now, from 316,000 sq ft in 2017. Kong added that JustCo plans to open its flagship centre in Sequis Tower in the first quarter of 2019. JustCo centre at The Plaza in Jakarta, Indonesia. PHOTO: JustCo On 6 December, JustCo officially opened a 60,000 sq ft centre in Marina Square, making it the only co-working centre in a mall with capacity for over 1,000 clients, or members. In October, its secured a lease for the entire second floor of China Square Central. Flexible workspace stock in Singapore nearly tripled to about 2.7 million sq ft as of end-June, from approximately 1 million sq ft at the end of 2015, according to the Collier International report Breaking New Ground in September. For the full-year, Colliers expects total flexible workspace to grow between 30 to 35 per cent from a year ago, or an expansion of about 670,000 sq ft. Colliers believes the increasing adoption of a flex office component as part of corporations commercial leasing strategy in sectors including banking and financial services, insurance, and technology will be a crucial catalyst for the sustainable, long-term growth of the flexible workspace sector. Based on Colliers research, the typical price of a dedicated desk within the Central Business District (CBD) ranges from $700 to $900 per month, implying an average lease rate of about S$7 to S$9 per sq ft monthly, assuming 100 sq ft of office space per desk. Story continues By comparison, the average CBD premium and grade A gross effective rents in the second quarter was $8.82 per sq ft every month. Collaboration and Community Kong Wan Sing, JustCo founder and CEO. Photo: JustCo Now work is about cooperation and community and thats why people want to come here instead of renting a space and renovating it, said Kong. Today, millennials make up about 50 per cent of the workforce and their attitudes and behaviour are very different. They like a lot of collaboration, not just in their personal lives but in their professional lives as well. Justco has about 18,000 members in Singapore. Corporations make up 60 to 70 per cent of JustCos clients, and start-ups account for 10 to 20 per cent, he said. They include Wilson Associates and BlackRock, Goodman Fielder and Allianz. JustCo also helps to curate and manage Verizon Communications first Asian innovation space located within its 20,000 sq ft Singapore headquarters at Ocean Financial Centre. JustCo has less than 10 shareholders, including two strategic investors, GIC Real Estate and Frasers Property investing a combined US$177 million in May, taking its valuation to over US$500 million. Thai developer Sansiri took a 6.09 per cent stake in JustCo in Series B funding for US$12 million completed in September last year. The company plans to raise more funds in its Series D funding before the end of the second quarter, Kong said. He declined to say when the company will conduct an initial public offering. The financial environment in Singapore is flush with investment options. Among them, there are Unit Trusts, which are elsewhere known as Mutual Funds. Unit trusts in Singapore are in huge supply. That means you can get access to the investment vehicles easily. Usually, before making any investment decision, it is always useful to understand the asset. Particularly, this entails the risks involved and even the gains forgone to achieve an income. Further, the understanding will help towards picking the best plan available. However, before making the step towards understanding what unit trusts are, you should first understand yourself. Here, you will be able to understand what kind of investor you are. Why is this important? Unit trusts are high risk investments. You will simply be putting your capital at risk by buying into fund managers. Further, understanding yourself will help you to know if you really need to invest in unit trusts. This is because such investments are ideal for super-busy people who cannot manage their own portfolios. What are unit trusts? Unit trusts consist of pools of money gathered from various investors which are then invested in a range of products. Normally, a fund manager may decide to invest in bonds or equity. As a result, you will find bond funds and equity funds respectively. Investing in unit trusts has a range of benefits. Firstly, the unit trusts have professional fund managers who understand the market very well. Therefore, there is a high chance that you make a good profit out of the investment. Secondly, unit trusts expose you different markets both in geography and offering. Also, there is a guarantee of constant income from the investments. Interestingly, unit trusts earn income according to the level of risks that the funds are exposed to. If a fund invests in high risk products, you will earn quite high if the numbers are positive. Low risk funds guarantee constant income but quite comparatively low. Story continues What you need to know about Unit Trusts in Singapore for 2019 In finance, the past always informs the future. This is especially true in markets that earn better returns in long-term investment models. Therefore, we shall have a look at how the unit trusts performed in 2018 and other key issues. Usually, investment vehicles have specific aspects that one looks out for to determine their profitability. These are the things you need to know before making that decision to buy. For instance, it is important to have an idea of how the various major funds available performed. Also, if they pay dividends, how much they pay. Other aspects include the fees that you part with. Fees and how they affect earnings It is important to understand how much it costs to access certain funds. Further, it will be prudent to know how much the fees affect your earnings. Particularly, all unit trusts have fees associated with specific aspects of the assets. However, the size of the fees and how they are structured affect how much income you end up earning. This year experienced a lot of financial turmoil, especially in international market. Considering that Singapore is intricately a part of the global financial system, the turmoil can reach us. Normally, whenever such issues arise, funds are likely to increase their management fees. This goes for other fees so that they can cover the risks of investments going sour. Performance To get a good grasp at the performance of the unit trusts, we shall consider one fund that is popular in Singapore. UOB United SGD Fund Class A SGD Acc ranks among the ten best performing funds in the Asia region. Particularly, the fund focuses on the Singapore money markets. According to Morning Star, the fund invests in short term interest bearing debt instruments. Also, it invests in bank deposits where it aims to achieve a yield enhancement over Singapore dollar deposits. Looking at the funds performance the last three years, the trend is positive. However, the last few months have seen the fund post negative trailing returns. In particular, the fund posted -0.38% year-to-date returns as at November 20 2018. Interestingly, the trend looks like the returns could go further south in the coming year. However, the returns will also heavily rely on how the companies whose stock it owns will perform. The table below represents a snapshot of the funds performance. Looking at the example above, it is apparent that investors in unit trusts should look out for certain indicators. First, they should look at the performance of the companies whose stock the funds own. In particular, the performance of the stocks heavily affects the return on the funds investments. Like earlier mentioned, equity funds are high risk investments. As the business space falters, the risks heighten. Therefore, investors in equity funds should know the kind of equities the funds are investing in to gauge risk. Also, we know that you cannot find unit trusts on Singapore Exchange Limited (SGX). However, this is not to say that there are immune to investor sentiment. Interestingly, the companies that offer the unit trusts affect the sentiment investors have on the funds. In particular, if the DBS Bank performed poorly for this year, this would affect DBS Unit Trust fund. Specifically, investors tie the performance of the funds to their parent companies. This arises from the psychological significance in the name of the fund and the parent company. Therefore, it is important to know about the parent companies, if any and how they are performing. Further, unit trusts are as competent as the fund managers doing the actual work of choosing the assets. This is to say that if a manager does not have a good track record, he/she is unlikely to attract investors. Therefore, you should enquire about the manager and seek specific information regarding certain aspects. The aspects include professional qualification, their risk appetite and if they are able to beat the market. This implies that you will have to do some really heavy lifting in terms of background checks. (By Neha Gupta) Related Articles - Top 8 Mutual Funds or Unit Trust to Invest in Singapore 2018 - Investing in Single-Premium ILP vs Unit Trusts. What should you choose? - Key considerations before investing in an actively managed Singapore unit trust Chinas message to the US: dont create new opponents or bully Chinese citizens Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Tuesday called on the United States not to create new opponents and warned it against bullying Chinese citizens. Wang made the remarks in a speech at the annual Symposium on International Developments and Chinas Diplomacy, hosted by a government think tank and its foundation in Beijing. It came after the worlds two biggest economies agreed to a 90-day truce in their trade war, and following the arrest of Huawei Technologies chief financial officer Sabrina Meng Wanzhou in Canada on December 1. The US is seeking Mengs extradition on multiple fraud charges. The US should abandon its zero-sum game mindset, take a positive view of Chinas development and continuously expand the mutually beneficial space and prospects, Wang said. There is no need to artificially create new opponents, but there is a great need to avoid self-fulfilling prophecies, he added. Wang said the ups and downs over the two countries 40 years of bilateral relations offered plenty of lessons in particular that cooperation benefits both the US and China, while confrontation hurts both sides. This year marks the 40th anniversary of the joint communique signed by China and the US establishing their formal diplomatic ties. Wang also said in the speech that the safety and security of Chinese compatriots is our priority China will never sit idly by and ignore any bullying that violates the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese citizens. We will fully safeguard the legitimate rights of Chinese citizens and return fairness and justice to the world, he said. Wang did not directly refer to the detention of Meng, whose bail hearing at British Columbias Supreme Court was adjourned on Monday without a decision. The arrest raised concerns that China-US trade talks could be derailed, but on Tuesday Beijing indicated they were going ahead. Story continues After his criticism of the US, Wang was full of praise for Beijings relations with Moscow, saying Sino-Russian ties have survived the test of international upheavals and reflect fortitude and stability. He said high-level exchanges between Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin had taken their cooperation to a higher level. Now, ties between China and Russia have become an important bedrock for safeguarding world peace, promoting justice and advocating cooperation and win-win [situations], Wang said. China and Russia are drafting a pact to boost the use of their national currencies in bilateral and international trade, underscoring their intent to cut their reliance on the US dollar. The impetus for creating a new financial infrastructure is the continued deterioration in both countries relations with the US and the threat that Washington will impose more economic sanctions on one or both of them. This article Chinas message to the US: dont create new opponents or bully Chinese citizens first appeared on South China Morning Post For the latest news from the South China Morning Post download our mobile app. Copyright 2018. Chinese man arrested in Thailand on suspicion of drowning wife insured her for millions, say relatives A man from northern China has been arrested in Thailand for killing his wife in a hotel swimming pool in Phuket, mainland media reported. Family of the victim, whose name was not revealed in the report, said Zhang Yifan, a resident of Tianjin, killed his wife to claim insurance policies worth more than 30 million yuan (US$4.35 million). Relatives claimed that he had taken out many policies for her in the months before her death and said he forged her signature on the contracts, news portal enorth.com.cn reported. Three men arrested in Thailand for killing British millionaire and wife Last week, Tianjin police agreed to investigate a claim of fraud against Zhang made by the womans father. The victims parents said they hoped Zhang could be extradited to China, where they believed he is more likely to be sentenced to death if found guilty of killing his wife. Lawyers advised them extradition from Thailand to China on such a serious charge was complex, so the father decided to make the fraud claim. Zhang took his wife and their 20-month-old daughter to the Thai island on October 27. Three days later, the man informed his parents-in-law that his wife drowned in the hotel pool on October 29. Zhang returned to Tianjin with his daughter on October 31. He flew back to Phuket with his in-laws to deal with the aftermath of his wifes death. The parents of the victim suggested reporting the death to Thai police and seeking compensation from the hotel. Zhang agreed to their proposal. They went to the police station on November 2, where Zhang was asked by officers to stay for questioning. Some hours later, Zhang admitted to police that he had killed his wife because he did not want to live with her any longer. He told police that he beat his wife before holding her head under water until she drowned. Thailand carries out first execution in nine years The womans parents said they had suspected Zhang was lying as their daughter was a good swimmer. Their doubts were reinforced when they saw bruises on her body. Story continues Other relatives of the woman found 18 life insurance policies bought by Zhang at his house. They were worth a total of more than 33 million yuan to the husband. This article Chinese man arrested in Thailand on suspicion of drowning wife insured her for millions, say relatives first appeared on South China Morning Post For the latest news from the South China Morning Post download our mobile app. Copyright 2018. China has launched a plan to develop the worlds most powerful brain scanner, one that could generate an extremely strong magnetic field to observe for the first time the structure and activities of every neuron in a living human brain. The goal is to build the worlds most powerful magnetic resonance imaging device. The projected scanner would not only produce a snapshot with details far beyond what existing instruments can provide, but also track various types of chemical agents including sodium, phosphorus and potassium that pass critical signals along neural fibre networks to study consciousness and brain-related diseases such as Parkinsons. The billion-yuan device will revolutionise brain studies, said a senior scientist working on the project, which is based in the city of Shenzhen in southern Chinas Guangdong province. The total budget for the facility, which is still under construction, will exceed that of FAST (Five Hundred Meter Aperture Spherical Telescope), the worlds largest telescope in Pingtan, Guizhou province, said the scientist, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the programme has not gone fully public. But instead of aiming at the sky, this powerful telescope would peer inward to probe the origin and evolution of consciousness, the scientist said. It will show us a different world with phenomenon unseen before maybe even the soul, he said. The soul or human consciousness remains the stuff of heated debate, the researcher said. From religious leaders to philosophers to ordinary individuals, many people believe it exists and have theories to describe or explain it. But the scientific community has not found any physical evidence to support these claims. The Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, released a statement late last month announcing that the first phase of the project had recently been approved by the central government. Story continues The prominent physicist Zhao Zhongxian, winner of Chinas top science award for his contributions in superconducting material science, is the programmes science adviser, the statement said. Zhao said that China had a solid foundation and advantages in numerous areas like superconducting materials, imaging electronics and engineering equipment. He urged the project team to beat competitors in other countries and said that the only way to do so was by independent innovation. Human tissues such as organs, muscles and brain contain a large amount of water. In a strong magnetic field, the nuclei of hydrogen in water molecules, for instance, align and spin in the same direction. By applying radio waves to the magnetic field, scientists can make the nuclei flip their spins in opposite directions. By then gradually reducing the strength of the magnetic field, the nuclei would return to their normal state one after another, releasing a weak radio signal radiation. Detecting and measuring the signal can reveal the internal structure of tissues, direction and speed of blood flows or the intensity of oxygen consumption. In brain science, researchers can use the information to deduce, for example, which areas of the brain are turned on or switched off when engaging in certain types of cognitive tasks. The technology, known as magnetic resonance imaging, can also help study or diagnose neurodegenerative conditions including Parkinsons disease and Alzheimers. Generally, hospital MRI scanners generate between 1.5 and three tesla the unit of magnetic strength named after the Serbian-American physicist Nikola Tesla although more powerful machines generating up to 11 tesla have been built in the US and Europe. The new Chinese device could generate up to 14 tesla. While existing MRI scanners can only resonate hydrogen nuclei, at 14 tesla, the magnetic field would be strong enough to excite the nuclei of other, heavier elements. Molecules containing sodium, phosphorus and potassium, for instance, play important roles in the transmission of electrochemical signals from one neuron to another. If we can make these elements resonate in the same manner of the hydrogen, the information we obtain will increase like boom, boom, boom, said a Beijing-based physicist also involved in the project. We may for the first time capture a full picture of human consciousness or even the essence of life itself. Then we can define them and explain how they work in precise physical terms just like Newton and Einstein defined and explained the universe, he said. The cell body of a neuron has a diameter of four to 100 micrometres. The most powerful MRI machines today cannot see objects smaller than 1mm (1,000 micrometres) in diameter, but the resolution of the new device in Shenzhen will be up to one micrometre, the researcher said. Scientists involved in the project are excited not only because of the new potential discoveries that could be made by the device, but also for the technical challenge ahead. Earlier this year, researchers at the University of Minnesota in the US took the first picture of a human body with a 10 tesla machine, with the university saying only that the device promises to produce scans at a finer level of detail. Images of the scan were not made available. The construction of an 11 tesla device was also recently finished in France, but it could still only resonate hydrogen nuclei not generate stronger fields because the superconducting material used was the same as in standard hospital machines. Superconductivity lets electric current run through a coil without resistance. Without it, the coil that generates the magnetic field could melt. The usual superconducting material is a compound of niobium and titanium, a soft material that can be easily rolled around the coil, but which starts losing superconductivity beyond 10 tesla. Another compound, consisting of niobium and tin, can maintain superconductivity in a high magnetic field, and has been used in large-particle colliders and experimental fusion reactors. However, the compound also has some shortcomings. The magnetic field it generates, for instance, is uneven. The strength could be higher in one location and lower in another. In large, powerful machines such as a large-particle collider, the error could be tolerated, but for an MRI device it could ruin the entire picture of the brain being scanned. This material is also fragile, unable to withstand the pulling force the magnetic field can generate, the equivalent of 100 tonnes on a one-metre-long coil. To meet the project requirements we need to develop some new superconducting materials, said a materials scientist involved in the project. As far as we know, other countries might have some ideas, but China is the only country taking action to bring the idea to life, thanks to the increasing support to fundamental research by the government, he said. The project team said that safety was a priority. No human would enter the device until extensive tests on animals like monkeys had been conducted to prove that the experiment would do no harm to health, the researchers said. It is expected that developing the technology and coming up with a design will take five years before the construction could start. Because of the technical challenges, the scientists said, there may well be an escalating budget and additional delays. For instance, the 11-tesla project in France cost 200 million euros (US$228 million) and 10 years to build, and still has yet to release an image. Professor Lu Haidong, a brain scientist at the State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience at Beijing Normal University, said that MRI technology generally had an important advantage over other imaging methods like X-rays. MRIs did not emit a radioactive beam, so did not harm the tissue, he said. Studies by health authorities such as the US Food and Drug Administration have found no evidence of lasting side effects on patients who have had MRI scans. But the strength of magnetic fields in medical practice has only been one-tenth of the power of the planned device. No human beings has been exposed to a magnetic field as strong as 14 tesla, Lu said. Some side effects such as internal heating may occur. The safety risk must receive stringent evaluation before scanning a living human, he said. Wu Shengjun, a professor of quantum physics in Nanjing University in east Chinas Jiangsu province, said he also had concerns about the possible effects on health. It is just a hunch, there is no evidence suggesting the device will be unsafe, but I will definitely not go in there, he said. Professor He Rongqiao, a researcher at the Institute of Biophysics under the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing who studies the health effects of magnetic forces on the brain, said he did not believe the machine would see the soul or consciousness. What is consciousness? There is not even a scientific definition. If you cant even define it, how do you know what you see is what you are looking for? he said. The machine should be safe for humans, according to the theory of physics, he said, but in real life accidents happen. A power blackout, for instance, could put the patient at high risk. The strength of the magnetic field must decrease gradually. If it disappears suddenly, the breaking of alignment can be violent and cause damage, He said. It will be like falling off the roof of a tall building. This article Chinese scientists go in search of the soul with worlds most powerful brain scanner first appeared on South China Morning Post For the latest news from the South China Morning Post download our mobile app. Copyright 2018. A top executive of Chinese telecom giant Huawei sought release from Canadian detention Monday, offering to submit to strict electronic monitoring, as Beijing escalates its protests over her arrest on a US warrant. Meng Wanzhou, Huawei's chief financial officer, faces US fraud charges related to alleged sanctions-breaking dealings with Iran, and has been awaiting a Canadian court's bail decision -- which after two days of hearings was put off until Tuesday. She was detained in Vancouver on December 1 while changing planes during a trip from Hong Kong to Mexico, for possible extradition. Her arrest has infuriated Beijing, rocking stock markets and raising tensions amid a truce in the US-China trade war. Beijing's latest outcry over the case also led to the suspension of a planned Canadian forestry trade mission to China this week. Meng has agreed to surrender her passports and submit to electronic monitoring if she is released, pending the outcome of the extradition case. "Given her unique profile as the face of a Chinese corporate national champion, if she were to flee or breach her order in any way in these very unique circumstances, it does not overstate to say she would embarrass China itself," Meng's lawyer David Martin told the court. He had a tracking bracelet on hand in case she was immediately released. In a 55-page sworn affidavit, Meng said she has been treated in hospital for hypertension since her arrest. "I continue to feel unwell and I am worried about my health deteriorating while I am incarcerated," the affidavit read. Meng said she'd suffered numerous health problems, including surgery for thyroid cancer in 2011. "I wish to remain in Vancouver to contest my extradition and I will contest the allegations at trial in the US if I am ultimately surrendered," she said. - Ambassadors summoned - A Chinese vice foreign minister summoned the US and Canadian ambassadors over the weekend, demanding that the US withdraw its arrest warrant and warning Canada that it faces "grave consequences." Foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang was critical of Meng's treatment, citing China's state-run Global Times newspaper as reporting that "it seems that the Canadian detention facility is not offering her the necessary health care." "We believe this is inhumane and violates her human rights," Lu said at a regular press briefing. Canadian Crown prosecutor John Gibb-Carsley has asked for bail to be denied, saying Meng faces serious criminal accusations of fraud and poses a flight risk. "Underneath the core of the fraud, a financial institution in the US is being induced to violate sanctions against Iran," Gibb-Carsley said. Meng is specifically accused of lying to bankers about the use of a covert subsidiary to sell to Iran in breach of sanctions. If convicted, she faces more than 30 years in prison. The extradition process could take months, even years, if appeals are made in the case. - Trade talks - Meng said she has ties to Vancouver going back 15 years. She and her husband Liu Xiaozong own two homes in the city, and she even had a Canadian permanent residency permit that she has since renounced. Liu, who was at the hearing, has offered the residences and Can$1 million in cash -- for a total value of Can$15 million -- as a surety for his wife's release, the court heard. Police were reportedly called to one of the houses, in Vancouver's Dunbar neighborhood where she proposes to stay, about a possible break-in early Sunday. Analysts say Meng's arrest -- the same day that presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping agreed to a 90-day tariffs truce -- could be used as a bargaining chip in trade negotiations between the United States and China. But US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer rejected suggestions that the case could affect the talks while Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has said politics played no part in the decision to arrest Meng. In a sign that the row has not derailed the truce, top Chinese and US negotiators held telephone talks on Tuesday to discuss the timetable of trade talks, the Chinese commerce ministry said. The ministry said in a statement that Vice Premier Liu He spoke with US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer. The two sides "exchanged views on the implementation of the consensus" reached by Trump and Xi as well as the timetable for the next round of negotiations, it said, without offering more details. Huawei's affordable smartphones have made strong inroads in the developing world, but the company has faced repeated setbacks in major Western economies over security concerns. Also the world's largest telecommunications equipment maker, Huawei faces being shut out of Australia, New Zealand and US 5G rollouts, and British telecom group BT revealed last Wednesday it was removing Huawei equipment from its core cellular network. Iraq's premier on Monday marked a year since his country declared victory against the Islamic State group by pledging to fight corruption next, even as he faces a political crisis within his government. A year ago, his predecessor announced the conclusion of a three-year battle to oust IS, putting an end to the so-called jihadist "caliphate" straddling Syria and Iraq after they seized swathes of Iraq. It was "the biggest victory against the forces of evil and terrorism," said Prime Minister Adel Abdel Mahdi on Monday, speaking at a ceremony at the ministry of defence. He said Iraq could now turn to a host of other challenges, including hundreds of thousands of people still displaced, widespread unemployment, and rampant corruption. "The final victory we hope for is achieving our people's ambitions and hopes," he said. "Corruption was and remains one of the many faces of ruin and terrorism. If we do not eliminate corruption, our victory will be lacking." In a congratulatory note on Twitter, Iraqi President Barham Saleh said Monday marked "the anniversary of victory over the ugliest criminal assault that history has seen". "Our heroes achieved military victory at a high price, giving us the duty to achieve the final victory with a political, social, and cultural win," he said. - 'A new start'? - IS, which traces its roots to Al-Qaeda in Iraq, sent shockwaves across the world when it swept across a third of Iraq in 2014. It swiftly took over the northern city of Mosul, making it the de facto capital of its "caliphate". For three years, Iraqi government troops, paramilitary units, and US-led coalition forces waged a brutal fight to oust the jihadists, finally recapturing Mosul in June 2017. In the early hours of December 9, then-premier Haider al-Abadi announced "victory" over IS, and the following day was declared a national holiday. To mark the one-year anniversary on Monday, checkpoints and military vehicles across the capital Baghdad were decorated with balloons. The government said it would reopen part of the high-security Green Zone, home to key official offices and western embassies, for five hours each evening starting Monday. But beyond the celebrations, the country remains mired in crisis. Parliamentary elections in May produced no clear ruling coalition, with political divisions paralysing Abdel Mahdi's efforts to fill key cabinet positions. "Lacking both a political and a popular base, Abdel Mahdi has found himself hostage to the very vested interests and political forces that Iraqis hoped his government would stand up to," said Fanar Haddad, an Iraq expert at the National University of Singapore's Middle East Institute. "The prolonged government formation process has had far too much business-as-usual for a population that was expecting -- indeed demanding -- a new start following the territorial defeat of IS." - Hit-and-runs - Abdel Mahdi's pledge to stamp out corruption is identical to the one made by Abadi when he announced the win against IS last year. The former premier was unable to tackle embezzlement of public funds in Iraq, which is the 12th most corrupt country in the world according to Transparency International. The challenges extend beyond the political. Much of the country remains in ruins, including large swathes of the north, as authorities struggle to gather funds to rebuild. More than 1.8 million Iraqis are still displaced, many languishing in camps, and 8 million require humanitarian aid, according to the Norwegian Refugee Council. Observers also fear an outbreak of violence either between rival political forces once united against IS, or between authorities and a protest movement angered by lack of services and jobs. And while IS no longer holds large chunks of territory, it can still wage hit-and-run attacks that chip away at the sense of security many hoped would return. The guideline developed by the Association of Banks in Singapore is known as the Adversarial Attack Simulation Exercises (AASE) MWR InfoSecurity, a cybersecurity consultancy, made headline after it praised Singapore for the development of security assessment guidelines called the Adversarial Attack Simulation Exercises (AASE). AASE is a form of cyber security assessment designed to test the robustness of financial institutions cyber defenses. The system applies a simulated cyber-attack using tactics, techniques, and procedures that are commonly employed by threat actors. Another moniker of the guidelines is Red Teaming, developed by the Association of Banks in Singapore (ABS), supported by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS). Also Read: Koreas Viva Republica raises US$80M to expand in Southeast Asia These guidelines are said to be aimed at strengthening the cyber resilience of the countrys financial sector. It will allow financial institutions to identify gaps in their people, processes and technologies. Cybersecurity attacks against financial institutions are evolving in scope, complexity and sophistication. Financial institutions are already deploying layers of defensive two measures, solutions, and controls to reduce their exposure to attacks and improve their response readiness, and AASE guidelines shall complement these institutions existing testing programmes said OngAng Ai Boon, director of ABS. Benjamin Harris, technical director, MWR InfoSecurity said that both ABS and MAS has successfully set highly relevant guidelines considering cybercriminals are operating on unprecedented scales targeting organisations of all sizes. From state-sponsored adversaries attempting significant thefts from central banks to numerous complex and aggressive attacks on various global banks, the threat landscape continues to evolve in both sophistication and audacity, said Harris. Founded in 2003, MWR InfoSecurity provides advice and solutions in all areas of security, from professional and managed services to developing commercial and open source security tools. Story continues AASE, said Harris, has the edge because it employs a holistic approach when compared to traditional penetration testing exercises. Where penetration testing focuses on validating technical controls or identifying technical weaknesses in specific assets, AASE place emphasis on the target organisations ability to prevent, detect, and respond to adversaries targeting critical functions, across multiple technical and non-technical domains, said Harris. Also Read: Grab launches R&D centre in Malaysia AASEs capabilities make it a complementary to the organisations defensive capabilities, and will ultimately lead to identifying areas for enhancement and strengthening. These guidelines will further contribute to the enhancement of security and operational integrity of the financial sector in Singapore, cementing Singapores position as a leading financial hub within the Asia-Pacific region and throughout the world, closed Harris. Image Credit: MWR InfoSecurity The post Singapores financial sector cyber security guidelines have received praise appeared first on e27. Osome uses artificial intelligence to help SMEs perform business management processes more conveniently Singapore-based artificial intelligence (AI) platform for business management Osome today announced a US$2 million seed funding round led by Berlin-based venture capital firm Target Global. Phystech Venturess, AD.RU funds, and several angel investors also participated in the funding round. Osome plans to use the funding round to develop new products and expand their services into new markets, starting with Australia and Hong Kong. Launched in January, Osome facilitates business managements for small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) by utilising AI. It uses chatbot to run tasks that include business registration, company record-keeping, accounting, filing of annual returns, corporate secretary services, and payroll management, enabling users to cut down on middlemen and perform these tasks more conveniently. Also Read: Digitalising cashflow management and what it means for businesses On the Osome platform, company registration for Singaporeans takes less than one hour and costs S$350 (US$255), including government fees. osome_funding_2 Osome Founder & CEO Victor Lysenko. Image Credit: Osome Foreigners can incorporate companies for S$2,550 (US$1,860) while a corporate secretary annual package is S$300 (US$218) per year. By delegating these routine tasks to robots, we are able to ensure greater quality of work, and in most cases, this turns out to be even more cost effective for our customers, said Osome founder Victor Lysenko in a press statement. Prior to founding Osome, Lysenko had co-founded mobile financial service Rocketbank, which had secured funding from Runa Capital and Life.SREDA before it was acquired by the Otkrytie, a large private bank in Russia. He had also co-founded and led Darberry, which was later acquired by Groupon and became its Russian subsidiary. Outside of his entrepreneurial activities, Lysenko was an Assistant Professor at his almamater Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (MIPT); a Senior Implementation Officer at Strategy Partners, a leading Russian management consulting company; a co-founder of IST Laboratories; and a developer of web-based CRM and accounting systems. Per November 2018, Osome said that it is being run by a team of 42 and has acquired more than 600 customers. The post Singapores Osome raises US$2M in seed funding to enter Australia, Hong Kong appeared first on e27. The United Nations has encouraged its top officials to carry out their duties with the utmost integrity, after three former presidents of the UN General Assembly were named in the US$2.9 million bribery scandal of former Hong Kong minister Patrick Ho Chi-ping. Replying to questions from the Post, Farhan Haq, a spokesman for UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, said the world body had cooperated extensively with United States investigators in the case, by making thousands of pages of documents available and providing access to its personnel. The three officials named in the case were former General Assembly presidents: Sam Kutesa from Uganda and his predecessors Vuk Jeremic from Serbia and John William Ashe from Antigua. General Assembly presidents are elected for a year-long term, during which they preside over sessions of the world body at its New York headquarters. Asked if the UN now had sufficient safeguards against corruption, Haq told the Post: We have encouraged all presidents of the General Assembly to carry out their duties with the utmost integrity. Ho, a prominent eye surgeon who was Hong Kongs secretary for home affairs from 2002 to 2007, was convicted by a New York court last Wednesday on seven of eight counts of bribery and money laundering. These included paying US$500,000 to Kutesa, a long time foreign minister of Uganda, after he ended his UN term in 2015. The payment was made in exchange for oil rights by Chinese oil conglomerate CEFC China Energy in Uganda. Ho headed a think tank fully funded by CEFC, which had also been accredited with special consultative status to the UN Economic and Social Council since 2011. The think tank hosted at least four UN General Assembly presidents on visits to Hong Kong. Ho was also found guilty of offering US$2.4 million in bribes to the president of Chad for similar oil rights, and to the middleman acting on Hos behalf, former Senegal foreign minister Cheikh Gadio, a key witness in the case. Story continues In addition to Kutesa, his immediate predecessors Ashe and Jeremic also figured in the case. Ashe was arrested and charged for corruption in 2015, but died in a weightlifting accident before he could be tried. During a wiretapped phone conversation with Ho in 2014, Ashes aide hinted that Ho could offer a large contribution to Ashe after he left his UN job. Ho replied that it was a matter of give and take. Hos think tank also hosted a visit by Ashe. Jeremic, who was General Assembly president just before Kutesa, introduced Gadio to Ho. Testifying at Hos trial, Jeremic admitted that he made business referrals to CEFC while in office at the UN, but denied any wrongdoing. Soon after he stepped down from the UN job in 2014, Jeremic was hired as a consultant by CEFC and was paid US$330,000 a year to open doors to energy and state officials. CEFC also fully funded the setting up of Jeremics Serbia-based think tank, the Centre for International Relations and Sustainable Development. Responding to the Post, UN spokesman Haq said several presidents have made pledges of transparency. A number of measures were also put in place after Ashes arrest to ensure integrity at the top. Since 2016, General Assembly presidents have had to make a pledge of transparency while taking their oath of office. That year too, a code of ethics was passed, under which the president must refrain from using the office for private gain or giving preferential treatment to any state, organisation or person. The two most recent presidents also made voluntary disclosures of their personal finances. In its dealings at the UN and in the US, Hos think tank pushed for the Belt and Road Initiative, Chinas flagship trade and geopolitical strategy. Despite the bribery scandal, Haq said secretary general Guterres still believes the Belt and Road Initiative is a positive one for the entire region. Asked how the UN would deal with the special consultative status enjoyed by Hos think tank, Haq said: The decision to withdraw accreditation from NGOs is in the hands of the member states of the UN Economic and Social Council; those states can choose to withdraw the accreditation if they so wish. This article UN Secretary Generals spokesman says top officials encouraged to act with utmost integrity after three former presidents named in Patrick Ho trial first appeared on South China Morning Post For the latest news from the South China Morning Post download our mobile app. Copyright 2018. Two executives from a near-bankrupt state-run shipbuilding company have been arrested in Vietnam on accusations of embezzling $4.5 million in collusion with a scandal-plagued bank, as the one-party state broadens its unprecedented corruption crackdown. The once high-rolling bigwigs are the latest ex-officials ensnared in a tangled web of corruption cases linking several state-run firms to banks accused of mismanagement and graft. Dozens of bankers, businessmen and former officials have been jailed as part of the anti-graft campaign waged by a conservative leadership in charge since 2016. Truong Van Tuyen, the former director of Vinashin -- a once-massive firm saved by the state from collapsing under heavy debt in 2010 -- and current deputy director Pham Thanh Son were arrested Monday, the ministry of public security said in a statement. They were being investigated for "abusing position and power to appropriate assets", it added. The pair is accused of illegally approving deposits into Ocean Bank, a private bank embroiled in its own corruption scandal that has seen dozens convicted. Tuyen and Son allegedly pocketed $4.5 million along with a former Vinashin chief accountant who is already behind bars. The disgraced shipbuilding firm was once a crown jewel among communist Vietnam's 500 or so state-run enterprises. But a series of missteps involving investments in the real estate and energy sectors ultimately hobbled the huge firm with heavy debts, nearly collapsing it in 2010. The state stepped in to save it, and today the slimmed-down company still makes ships but had dropped its side ventures. The firm has already been crippled by corruption scandals. Two former executives of Vinashinlines, a Vinashin subsidiary, were sentenced to death for embezzlement last year after they were found guilty of stealing $11.3 million in shipping deals made between 2006 and 2008. Vietnam has long vowed to quash rampant corruption, but observers say the current campaign to jail graft-prone officials is unprecedented in its scope and scale -- and could be fuelled by political infighting. Over the weekend, a former deputy chairman of the southern financial hub Ho Chi Minh City was arrested, accused of illegally approving downtown land sales. Vietnam is ranked 107 out of 180 on Transparency International's Corruption Perceptions Index, among the lowest in the region. Washington has asked the city to devote additional resources to enforce international sanctions on North Korea and Iran, it was disclosed on Monday, amid the high-profile arrest of a Huawei Technologies executive for allegedly trading with Iran via a Hong Kong shell company. A press release dispatched on Monday by the United States Consulate General in Hong Kong and Macau said that Washington also noted Hong Kong had taken steps to enact laws to make it harder to operate shell companies in the city, but wanted checks on re-exports of strategic commodities to be tightened. The requests were put forward to Hong Kong last week when senior delegations from the US Department of State and US Department of Commerce were in the city to meet local officials to review the citys performances in sanctions enforcement and strategic trade controls. The meeting coincided with the arrest of Sabrina Meng Wanzhou in Canada, for possible extradition to the US. Meng is the deputy chairwoman and chief financial officer of Chinas Huawei Technologies. She is accused of lying about Huaweis ties to a Hong Kong shell company named Skycom that traded with Iran. Meng allegedly tried to sell telecoms equipment made by US manufacturer Hewlett-Packard to Iran through the shell company. The US team recommended that Hong Kong improve the flow of enforcement cooperation information, and devote additional resources to sanctions enforcement US Consulate statement Shell companies are legitimate corporations, but do not possess significant assets or maintain active business operations. To set up a company in Hong Kong, one needs a director and a company secretary based in Hong Kong. The system is designed to make Hong Kong an easy place to do business. But there have been concerns about possible abuse that companies are being set up to conceal the real identities of the entities behind these firms. Earlier this year, Hong Kong tightened its money-laundering laws to hold lawyers and other professionals responsible if they were found to be negligent in monitoring the flow of huge unidentified amounts of funds and to prevent shell companies from laundering money. A licensing scheme is also in place for those who help set up shell companies. Story continues The US Consulate General in Hong Kong and Macau said in its release that US delegations visited Hong Kong from Wednesday to Friday last week. The statement said: The US team recommended that Hong Kong improve the flow of enforcement cooperation information, and devote additional resources to sanctions enforcement, particularly with respect to shipping activities that violate United Nations sanctions on North Korea and Iran. Our system has won recognition and respect by trade partners. We have been keeping regular contact and cooperation with the US to exchange views Trade and Industry Department spokesman On exports controls, the US delegation sought further improvements in Hong Kongs tracking of strategic commodities and controlled items building on recent progress, and additional action and assistance in enforcement of restrictions on re-exports, so as to prevent diversion of such items to the development and production of weapons of mass destruction and unauthorised military end users, it continued. A US consulate spokesman declined to further comment on the timing of the meeting. A Hong Kong government source said that the meetings had nothing to do with the Huawei incident as they had been arranged long before. Another Hong Kong government source also said they were working-level meetings held regularly between both sides and that the Hong Kong side had briefed the US officials on the citys work. Hong Kong lawmaker Kenneth Leung, who chairs a Legislative Council subcommittee to examine the institution in Hong Kong of United Nations Security Council resolutions relating to sanctions, said he was satisfied Hong Kong had done much in implementing them. But he agreed that the timing of the issuance of the release was sensitive. The Trade and Industry Department of Hong Kong said: Hong Kong had been observing strictly and comprehensively strategic trade control to prevent Hong Kong from being used as a conduit for the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. Our system has won recognition and respect by trade partners. We have been keeping regular contact and cooperation with the US to exchange views, the spokesman said. Additional reporting by Alvin Lum and Gary Cheung This article Washington asks Hong Kong to devote additional resources to enforce North Korea and Iran sanctions first appeared on South China Morning Post For the latest news from the South China Morning Post download our mobile app. Copyright 2018. "Another tribute wall for one of our friends. Giving thanks that once again it was a white turkey!" Sharron Russell Pint was this week's winner. The winner's name will be put into a drawing for a free month subscription or extension. Look for a new photo Monday. Like health care, climate policy could tip elections Posted on 11 December 2018 by dana1981 In the November 2018 midterm elections, Democrats won the U.S. House of Representatives popular vote by a margin of about 8.6 percent and gained 40 seats in that chamber. For perspective, President Obama won his convincing 2008 and 2012 elections by 7.2 percent and 3.9 percent, respectively. While Republicans increased their Senate hold in 2018 by two seats and strengthened their majority control, they won races only in states that had voted for Donald Trump for President in 2016, and Republican Senate candidates lost races in eight states that Trump had won. It was a decisive Blue Wave election, and when asked what they considered the most important issue in exit polls, 41 percent of voters listed health care, and three-quarters of those voted for Democrats. That was the issue Democrats campaigned most heavily on in 2018, and it helped sweep them back into power in the House. And some eerie similarities are emerging between health care and climate change in the American political landscape. Republicans have rejected compromise When the Obama administration took office in 2009, its three highest priorities were passing a stimulus package to pull America out of the Great Recession, implementing health care reform, and tackling climate change. President Obama set out to negotiate with congressional Republicans on all three. For example, Obama agreed to a much smaller stimulus than he earlier had wanted, and one that was significantly cheaper than the tax cut Republicans passed in 2017 during strong economic conditions. On health care, Democrats albeit often with reluctance and only in the face of insurmountable opposition cast aside their preference for universal health care or even a public option. They lent support instead to a more conservative policy based on Romneycare, named after 2012 Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romneys approach in Massachusetts. (Romney in November was elected to the U.S. Senate from Utah.) Despite Democrats efforts to seek a health care compromise, no Senate Republicans voted for the legislation, and congressional Republicans subsequently tried 70 times to repeal, modify or otherwise curb the Affordable Care Act. With that history, many Democrats appear to have grown tired of trying to protect Obamacare as it now stands, and party leaders are lending support to some version of Medicare-for-all. In short, Republican lawmakers rejected a conservative health care policy solution, and they have been unable to come up with and pass a preferred alternative. Their constituents concerns over health care cost many congressional Republicans in the 2018 elections. And now they see an incoming Democratic majority in the House, come January 3, embracing a more liberal government-based policy approach over the more market-based compromise solution. Health care and climate similarities The similarities between health care and climate policymaking are striking. In 2009, House Democrats also had chosen to advance a compromise climate policy solution in cap-and-trade. It was an approach favored at that time by another recent Republican presidential candidate in this case, 2008 nominee Senator John McCain (R-AZ). And cap-and-trade too, in the late-1980s, was originally a conservative invention, championed by then-President George H.W. Bush to tackle the problem of acid rain. But once again, the compromise proposal faced overwhelming opposition from Republican lawmakers. Just eight of 178 Republicans voted in favor of the cap-and-trade bill that House Democrats passed, and the issue was never brought up for a vote on the Senate floor for fear of a Republican filibuster. On climate change, Republicans have another chance As with health care, many liberals appear tired of pursuing compromise policy solutions on climate change only to be rewarded with what they see as obstruction from Republican lawmakers. Many Democrats are now instead championing a Green New Deal: details have yet to be fleshed out, but it would involve a vast government intervention in support of green technologies and would thus be far less compatible with conservative, libertarian, or free-market principles. And, again, as with health care, many Democrats see climate change as a winning issue for them. According to the latest Climate Change in the American Mind survey datafrom Yale and George Mason, 62 percent of Americans are worried about climate change, up from 51 percent five years ago. This number even includes 55 percent of liberal/moderate Republicans. As temperatures continue to rise and as climate impacts like Californias record wildfires grow yet more severe, we can expect voters to increasingly demand policy solutions. In a new NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist poll, 15 percent of Democrats said climate change should be the new Congress top priority, statistically tied for second with the economy and gun control, behind only you guessed it health care. The GOP is thus left with two options. Republicans can continue to cede the issue to Democrats, possibly hurting their election chances and leading to growing support for a more activist ultimate policy solution; or they can throw their support behind free market, small government policy solutions. A few House Republicans, in the days immediately after the November election wave, have chosen the latter path. Representatives Francis Rooney (R-FL), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), and Dave Trott (R-MI) have co-sponsored a revenue-neutral carbon tax bill with Democrats Ted Deutch (D-FL), Charlie Crist (D-FL), John Delaney (D-MD), and Anna Eshoo (D-CA). The legislation mirrors the fee-and-dividend proposal by the grassroots organization Citizens Climate Lobby. It would implement an aggressively rising carbon tax with 100 percent of the revenue returned to Americans via monthly dividend checks. The bill would prohibit EPA carbon pollution regulations as long as strict emissions reductions targets are met, which should please conservatives. The equal distribution of revenue rebates to all individuals is a progressive tax policy that would protect low-income households from higher energy bills, which should please liberals. A 2014 study found that under such a policy, American carbon pollution would fall by 33 percent after only 10 years and by 52 percent after 20 years, while having a modestly beneficial impact on the economy. Proponents defend it as a smart, effective, compromise climate change solution. Is compromise still possible? Click here to read the rest Netflixs newest film is not your average heist movie. No, these men are not Takers or part of Danny Oceans crew. This isnt a revenge job with a Mini Cooper car chase. This is an all-American heist tale of justice and fighting for the true American Dream. With a cast including Ben Affleck, Oscar Isaac, Pedro Pascal, Garrett Hedlund, and Charlie Hunnam, Triple Frontier follows five former Special Forces operatives who come together to rob one of the most dangerous cartels in South America. Angered by the lack of financial security provided by their country after completing several dangerous tours of duty, the men decide to use their skill sets for the betterment of self rather than country. Advertisement Triple Frontier is clearly marketed toward Netflixs loyal Narcos viewership, and while the audience will surely be drawn in by the familiar backdrop of the Latin American drug trade, the film has found a new villain for the audience: the United States. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Everything weve done for the last 17 years, with nothing to show for it? ponders Isaacs character Pope in the trailer. The veteran and his group of outlaw peers are angry and ready to be properly compensated for their protection of their country. The financial struggles of the five veterans are not uncommon. The issues tackled in Triple Frontier are very much in line with the difficulties military veterans currently face. In 2017, the Washington Post reported that a staggering 27 percent of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans are struggling to put food on the table. With Triple Frontier, Netflix has found a way to tap into the opportunistic spirit of its most popular kingpins while delivering justice to one of our countrys most seemingly forgotten groups. Youve been shot five times for your country, and you cant even afford to send your kids to college. If we had accomplished half the things that weve accomplished in any other profession, wed be set for life, says Pope. Triple Frontier will be in select theaters and on Netflix in March 2019. According to a recent Page Six report, Leonardo DiCaprio may be looking to expand his already formidable art collection with a particularly rare acquisition: a $2.5 million piece on exhibit as part of Art Miami that includes 150-million-year-old skeletons of an Allosaurus mom and baby from Wyoming, which took more than two years to excavate. For anyone who, like me, considers themselves an expert on all the wild things rich people can do with their money, the possibility that DiCaprio could theoretically just buy a dinosaur skeleton raises a whole bevy of questions. Advertisement So wait, how much do these dinosaur bones cost again? The piece that includes them was priced at $2.5 million, according to the unnamed art spies who informed Page Six that DiCaprio expressed interest in the piece through an art advisor. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Art spies? Apparently, yes. Its definitely worth taking this story with a grain of prehistoric salt. For sure. But generally speaking, is $2.5 million a good price for a fossil? Its not bad! Compared to the $8.36 million that the Chicago Field Museum paid for the T-rex known affectionately as Sue in 1997 and to the approximately $2.1 million an anonymous buyer paid for a fossil, excavated in Wyoming in 2013 thought to be from the Allosaurus genus of dinosaur, it seems like DiCaprio would be getting a deal for not just one Allosaurus skeleton but two. Advertisement Is this a new interest of Leos? Surprisingly, no! In fact, you might even say its his thing. The first mention of DiCaprios fossil fixation is from 2007, when he was outbid by Nicolas Cage for the stolen 67 million-year-old head of a Tyrannosaurus bataaran Asian cousin of the Tyrannosaurus rex. The most recent Wait, wait the dinosaur head was stolen? Yes, but assumedly Cage and DiCaprio had no idea about the skulls origins when they were bidding on it. According to a 2013 report from the Telegraph, the auction house in Beverley Hills, California, that sold the fossil to Cage for $276,000 had obtained it from Eric Prokopi, a self-described commercial paleontologist who pleaded guilty to illegally importing fossils from Mongolia and China. The Telegraphs use of quotes around commercial paleontologist suggests that they view the title with as much skepticism as I do. Cage agreed to return the stolen artifact to Mongolia in 2015. Advertisement Advertisement And this wasnt Leos last attempt to buy dinosaur bones? It wasnt even his last attempt to specifically buy a dinosaur skull. Russell Crowes divorce auction this spring included, alongside the jock strap he wore during Cinderella Man, the mounted fossilized skull of Mosasaur. That skull had apparently been purchased from his good friend DiCaprio in 2008, and while we dont know how much DiCaprio sold it for, someone bought it from Crowe for $79,300. A steal, considering someone bought a piece of Crowes Gladiator costume for $152,500 at the same auction. Advertisement So ultimately youre telling me that you can just go out there and buy fossils? Yep. I, too, was surprised that there exists a robust world of flashy auctions for dinosaur bones. Although I suppose no one at this point should be shocked at what exactly a lot of money can buy. Advertisement Is this something to be concerned about? What about, like, science? Good question! According to a recent Wired U.K. article, non-commercial paleontologists are largely disapproving of the thriving private fossil industry that sees around five dinosaur skeletons a year pass through auction houses, usually initially obtained from private fossil hunters who fund their own digging expeditions. Sometimes these commercial dealers are even commissioned by museums; its when theyre not that the bones end up on the auction block. Fossils are not like ordinary art objects, the president of the Society for Vertebrate Paleontology told Wired. [They are] a unique and irreplaceable piece of evidence of earths past, and in that sense its important to all of us. Private auctions can not only keep rare dinosaur skeletons out of the hands of researchers attempting to piece together the record of life on earth, but also drive prices higher than a lot of museums can afford. While Sue, the most complete T. rex skeleton found to date, was eventually sold to the Field Museum, it required funds donated by the Walt Disney Parks and McDonalds. Ammon Bundy is an unlikely hero of the resistance. In 2016, he led an armed citizen takeover of a wildlife refuge in Oregon, in protest of federal land-management issues. Two years earlier, he was on the scene of another armed anti-government confrontation at his fathers ranch in Nevada, this time over grazing rights. In the wake of those two standoffs, the 43-year-old has attracted thousands of fans and followers who revere him as a militia leader willing to take a stand against government overreach. Advertisement Then a few weeks ago, Bundy seemed to go rogue, posting a 17-minute video to his Facebook page in which he criticized Trumps fearmongering approach to the caravan of migrants approaching the U.S.-Mexico border. Trump has basically called them all criminals, Bundy said in the video, which has since been deleted. But what about the individuals? What about the fathers, the mothers, and the children that have come here and are willing to go through the process to apply for asylum so they can come into this country and benefit from not having to be oppressed continually by criminals? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Twitter, some dubbed him Woke Ammon Bundy. But the backlash from Bundys supporters was swift and harsh. Commenters on his popular Facebook page accused him of being paid by globalists. In response, Bundy shut down his social media accounts and told reporters that he had grown disenchanted with the patriot movement as a whole. Its like being in a room full of people in here, trying to teach, and no one is listening, he told BuzzFeed. The vast majority seemed to hang on to what seemed like hate, and fear, and almost warmongering, and I dont want to associate myself with warmongers. Advertisement The split between Bundy and his followers exposes the complicated allegiances and divisions within the militia movement in America, and the far right more broadly. Since the movements first major rise in the 1990s, it has included white nationalists, extreme libertarians, gun rights enthusiasts, Tea Party followers, paranoiacs, and a wide range of others. These factions share many sympathies, but not all. In publicly criticizing Trump, Bundy has highlighted the weakness of the allegiance between the pro-Trump and anti-authoritarian wings of the movement. (Should it really be surprising, after all, that an anti-government activist has some issues with the head of the federal government?) In publicly criticizing Trump, Bundy has highlighted the weakness of the allegiance between the pro-Trump and anti-authoritarian wings of the movement. Bundy later disputed the idea that he was formally quitting the movement, as BuzzFeed and other news outlets had characterized the move. I never joined a movement, he told the Washington Post, so he couldnt possibly quit one. He is simply getting off Facebook, he said. But hes also taking pains to distance himself from his followers, seemingly at significant expense to his own influence among conservatives. Advertisement Bundy told the Post that he started reading about the Central American caravan because so many people had asked him for his thoughts. He didnt know much, so he started researching. He found no evidence that the caravan was funded by George Soros, or posed an economic or physical threat to American citizens. Hes grateful for Trumps pardon of several ranchers involved in an arson case that preceded the 2016 Oregon standoff, he told BuzzFeed, and he supports many of the presidents policies. But Trump, Bundy said, is a nationalist, by which he meant that the presidents priority is the nation as a whole, rather than the individuals who populate it. That is not freedom, and that is not what America was built upon, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As unexpected as it might seem, Bundys heterodoxy didnt come out of nowhere. For one, he is Mormon. Mormon voters support Trump at much lower rates than their white evangelical peers, although both groups overwhelmingly vote Republican. And the church has a reputation for moderate views on immigration in particular. Not incidentally, the churchs earliest followers were persecuted violently within the United States in the 19th century and forced to flee west until they reached a safe haven in Utah. Fear is the opposite of faith, Bundy said in his video, and faith is the opposite of fear. Bundys personal history is instructive here too. His father, Cliven, is a cattle rancher, an industry that relies on immigrant labor, including many workers who have entered the country illegally.* Cliven has spoken out against Trumps immigration policy too, telling the Guardian last month, I dont like walls. Advertisement In his Facebook video, Ammon Bundy explicitly linked his religious beliefs and his familys needs for labor, as Joness post points out. We have been asked by God to help, to be welcoming, to assist strangers; to not vex them, Bundy tells the camera. And one way I can think immediately is, this country is in a labor crisis. Our labor workforce is so minimal that every employer will tell you that they cannot find the employees needed to fill the positions in their businesses. And yet now we have thousands of people willing to come in here, and it appears that theyre willing to work. My family would love to sponsor a couple of their families. In an open letter in the Washington Post Monday, 44 former U.S. Senators issued an ominous plea to current and future members of the upper chamber: defend American democracy. We are at an inflection point in which the foundational principles of our democracy and our national security interests are at stake, and the rule of law and the ability of our institutions to function freely and independently must be upheld, the senators warned. The inflection point is not just President Trump and his administrations conduct writ large, but the coming reckoning over whatever it is that Robert Mueller ends up finding after rooting around in felonious life and times of Donald J. Trump. We are on the eve of the conclusion of special counsel Robert S. Mueller IIIs investigation and the Houses commencement of investigations of the president and his administration, the letter reads. The likely convergence of these two events will occur at a time when simmering regional conflicts and global power confrontations continue to threaten our security, economy and geopolitical stability. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It is a bipartisan call that doesnt exactly single out Donald Trump and is enablers directly, and could conceivably be read as an appeal to better angels on both sides, but the subtext of the letter is pretty clear as are the leanings of the former senators who signed. Of the signatories to the letter, just 10 are Republicans and not frothing-at-the-mouth Fox Newsified Republicans of the post-Tea Party era. The GOP senators who signed on are more the Chuck Hagel (R-Neb.), William Cohen (R-Maine), and John C. Danforth (R-Mo.) type of Republican, which, in itself, feels like a a throwback to a simpler time. The complete list of signatories includes: Max Baucus (D-Mont.), Evan Bayh (D-Ind.), Jeff Bingaman (D-N.M.), Bill Bradley (D-N.J.), Richard Bryan (D-Nev.), Ben Nighthorse Campbell (R-Colo.), Max Cleland (D-Ga.), William Cohen (R-Maine), Kent Conrad (D-N.D.), Al DAmato (R-N.Y.), John C. Danforth (R-Mo.), Tom Daschle (D-S.D.), Dennis DeConcini (D-Ariz.), Chris Dodd (D-Conn.), Byron Dorgan (D-N.D.), David Durenberger (R-Minn.), Russ Feingold (D-Wis.), Wyche Fowler (D-Ga.), Bob Graham (D-Fla.), Chuck Hagel (R-Neb.), Tom Harkin (D-Iowa), Gary Hart (D-Colo.), Bennett Johnston (D-La.), Bob Kerrey (D-Neb.), John Kerry(D-Mass.), Paul Kirk (D-Mass.), Mary Landrieu (D-La.), Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.), Blanche Lincoln (D-Ark.), Richard Lugar (R-Ind.), Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.), Ben Nelson (D-Neb.), Sam Nunn (D-Ga.), Larry Pressler (R-S.D.), David Pryor (D-Ark.), Don Riegle (D-Mich.), Chuck Robb (D-Va.), Jay Rockefeller (D-W.Va.), Jim Sasser (D-Tenn.), Alan Simpson (R-Wyo.), Mark Udall (D-Colo.), John W. Warner (R-Va.), Lowell Weicker (I-Conn.), Tim Wirth (D-Colo.) At other critical moments in our history, when constitutional crises have threatened our foundations, it has been the Senate that has stood in defense of our democracy, the letter concludes. Today is once again such a time. If there were any lingering doubt that Donald Trumps latest plan to curb asylum is flatly unlawful, Judge Jay Bybee quashed it on Friday. In a meticulous 65-page opinion, Bybeea conservative George W. Bush appointeeexplained that the president cannot rewrite a federal statute to deny asylum to immigrants who enter the country without authorization. His decision for the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals is a twofold rebuke to Trump, halting the presidents legal assault on asylum-seekers and undermining his claim that any judge who blocked the order is a Democratic hack. The reality is that anyone who understands the English language should recognize that Trumps new rule is illegal. Like so many of Trumps attention-grabbing proposals, this doomed policy should never have been treated as legitimate in the first place. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Fridays ruling involves a proclamation that Trump signed on Nov. 9, ostensibly to address the continuing and threatened mass migration of aliens with no basis for admission into the United States through our southern border. The order alluded darkly to the caravan of asylum-seekers then approaching the border, which Trump tried and failed to exploit as a campaign issue. To remedy this crisis and protect the integrity of our borders, he directed the federal government to deny asylum to any immigrant who enters the United States unlawfully. Ten days later, U.S. District Judge Jon S. Tigar halted the new rule, holding that it likely exceeded the presidents authority. Trump responded by dismissing Tigar, a Barack Obama appointee, as an Obama judge. The comment led to a rare rebuke from Chief Justice John Roberts, who told the AP: We do not have Obama judges or Trump judges, Bush judges or Clinton judges. What we have is an extraordinary group of dedicated judges doing their level best to do equal right to those appearing before them. Advertisement As Trump escalated his feud with Roberts, his Department of Justice appealed Tigars ruling to the 9th Circuit. It faced a seemingly propitious panel: Bybee, Judge Edward Leavy, and Judge Andrew D. Hurwitz. Bybee is a very conservative jurist who authored the original torture memo, justifying the Bush administrations brutal interrogation of detainees. Leavy is a staunchly conservative Reagan appointee; only Hurwitz, an Obama appointee, leans to the left. Under Trumps partisan vision of the judiciary, the DOJ would seem to have a good shot at reviving the asylum rule. Obviously, the Trump administration has not persuaded Congress to overhaul asylum law. But Bybee didnt bite. In a crisp and rigorous opinion for the court, he wrote that Tigar was correct to conclude that the policy almost certainly violates the law. The problem, Bybee explained, is that Congress expressly provided asylum-seekers with the right that Trump now seeks to revoke: an ability to apply for asylum regardless of how they came into the country. The Immigration and Nationality Act states that [a]ny alien who is physically present in the United States or who arrives in the United States (whether or not at a designated port of arrival ), irrespective of such aliens status, may apply for asylum in accordance with this section. This provision implements the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees, which the United States has ratified. It directs signatories not to impose penalties [on refugees] on account of their illegal entry or presence. Advertisement Advertisement The plain text of the law couldnt be clearer: Immigrants in the U.S. are eligible for asylum whether they arrived legally (through a designated port of arrival) or illegally. If the president wants to change that fact, hell have to convince Congress to break its treaty obligations and alter the law. Advertisement Obviously, the Trump administration has not persuaded Congress to overhaul asylum law. So it tried to work around the existing statute by allowing unauthorized immigrants to request asylumthen directing the government to deny their application. Bybee easily disposed of this semantical workaround. It is the hollowest of rights, he wrote, that an alien must be allowed to apply for asylum regardless of whether she arrived through a port of entry if another rule makes her categorically ineligible for asylum based on precisely that fact. The technical differences between applying for and eligibility for asylum are of no consequence to a refugee when the bottom lineno possibility of asylumis the same. Advertisement In light of the proclamations fundamental illegality, Bybee, joined by Hurwitz, affirmed Tigars nationwide restraining order. Leavy dissented in a curious five-page opinion insisting that the INA grants the executive branch power to bring safety and fairness to the conditions at the southern border. His anemic analysis is no match for Bybees thorough demolition of the DOJs illogical position. It seems quite likely that a lopsided majority of the Supreme Court will eventually agree with Bybees majority opinion. It is satisfying to see a Bush judge (in Trumpian parlance) hand the president such a stinging legal defeat. Roberts overstated the case in totally dismissing the role of partisanship in the judiciary; of course some judges are political. But for now, a majority of the federal judiciary remains willing to stand up to the president, at least when he issues blatantly illegal orders. Judges like Roberts and Bybee may let Trump manipulate ambiguous laws to do some very bad things to immigrants. But they are not willing to let the president ignore a clear and constitutional directive from Congress. The next time Trump floats a flagrantly lawless idea, then, its worth remembering that nativist bluster cannot transmogrify an illegitimate command into a permissible executive order. Just because the president considers ending citizenship for the children of unauthorized immigrants, for instance, does not mean he can actually get away with it. Like the INA, the Constitution grants certain rights that the president cannot unilaterally rescindincluding birthright citizenship. Bybee felt no compunction to pretend that Trumps illicit scheme has any legitimacy. Neither should the rest of us. Fun stuff in the New York Times about the practice of government in the United States! The regime of Congolese leader Joseph Kabila, under threat of being sanctioned for human rights violations and corruption, threw a big, fun party on the roof of a hotel in Washington, D.C. in July. One of the people at the party happened to be the presidents personal lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, who says he was there because he was trying to impress a lady: Advertisement In an interview in September, he initially said he stopped by the reception for a half-hour to say hello to people and to impress a woman with whom he had been dining by taking her to the top of the Hay-Adams to see a Washington party with a great view. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In an classic mix-up, the Congolese ambassador to the U.S. seems to have ended up with the impression, which he conveyed in an interview with the Times, that Giuliani had been at the party because he was working with the Congo to let us know when and how to hold new elections that would convince the Trump administration not to impose sanctions. The Times notes that no further sanctions have, in fact, been imposed since Kabilas government announced that there would be an election in December. Advertisement In an even crazier coincidence, it turns out that Giuliani is now working on a deal to get paid to do consulting for Congo: Someone familiar with Mr. Giulianis business affairs said that one of his companies has recently been negotiating a consulting deal to work in the Democratic Republic of Congo In text messages on Sunday, Mr. Giuliani said that if I do it, it would only be security consulting similar to what he does in other countries, not lobbying. Giuliani is ostensibly working pro bono for Trump, a generous arrangement that gives him regular access to the president at the same time he continues to work for clients in Brazil, Colombia, Iran, Ukraine, and now possibly Congo, all of which is hopefully, at the least, very impressive to the woman Giuliani was at dinner with before the hotel party, assuming it was an actual woman and not just a stack of dollar bills that had been arranged into a human shape and stuffed inside a cocktail dress. Giulianis defense of his behavior, per a Washington Post piece linked above, is that he doesnt have any conflicts of interest because he doesnt formally lobby Trump on his clients behalves. Meanwhile, a number of recently proposed laws that would toughen or overhaul the regulation of foreign money and the definition of foreign lobbying have stalled in Congress, Politico and Roll Call have reported, after encountering resistance from uh foreign corporations and lobbyists. So, things are fine. Its fine. With special counsel Robert Mueller and other federal prosecutors appearing to narrow in on President Donald Trump himself in recent weeks, concerns have been raised about the potential for presidential interference with Mueller and his investigation into the 2016 presidential election campaign. Republican Sen. Jeff Flake of Arizona has refused to advance Trumps judicial nominees as long as a bill to protect the special counsel is held up in the Senate, while Democrats have again sounded the alarm over the potential that Trump might fire Mueller. The pending attorney general nomination of William P. Barr, an aggressive defender of executive power, to again head the Justice Department does nothing to ease that nervousness. Advertisement Muellers fate aside, one of the most critical tools in the special counsel investigation has been the Washington, D.C. federal grand jury empaneled by Judge Beryl Howell in 2017. Commentators have divided on the question of whether the grand jury could proceed on its own without Muellers participation should he be dismissed. However, analysts who have answered this question both affirmatively and negatively have generally not analyzed an important, though perhaps unprecedented option: Howell should have the power to appoint a new prosecutor should Mueller be fired and the Justice Department not replace him with someone to lead its investigation to conclusion. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Despite the common perception that grand juries are prosecutorial tools, they are not part of the executive branch. The Supreme Court has said that the whole theory of its function is that it belongs to no branch of the institutional government, serving as a kind of buffer or referee between the Government and the people. The fact remains, however, that grand juries are constituted by courts, not by the Justice Department, and they have ancient historical ties to the judiciary. Further, although the supervisory powers of the empaneling judge are limited, grand juries depend on court subpoenas to compel the appearance of witnesses and the production of material evidence. It is the court that will sanction a witness for contempt if he or she disobeys a subpoena without adequate excuse, not the prosecutor. Advertisement Its worth considering the closest historical parallel when reviewing options for Howell to keep the grand jury going even in the aftermath of hypothetical presidential interference. After Richard Nixon ordered the dismissal of Archibald Cox as the Watergate special prosecutor, Judge John J. Sirica, who had convened two Watergate-related grand juries, contemplated just such a course. As the Washington Posts David Ignatius recalled in a column last April, Sirica wrote in his memoir, To Set the Record Straight: The Break-in, the Tapes, the Conspirators, the Pardon, that his first concern [after Coxs firing] was that the grand juries be protected. Three days after the Saturday Night Massacre, he assured the grand jurors: These two grand juries will continue to function and pursue their work. You must steadily and deliberately pursue your investigations. Advertisement Advertisement So what would happen if, say, Mueller were dismissed and the Justice Department failed to volunteer another prosecutor to assist the grand jury? Although there may not be a clear answer, it is certainly conceivable that the grand jury might turn to Howell and formally ask her to request the Justice Department to provide a successor. If the Justice Department declined, it is plausible that Howell would have inherent judicial authority to appoint private counsel to perform that role. Advertisement How might that work? The Constitution expressly authorizes the appointment of inferior officers by courts of law. For example, federal law currently allows the attorney general to appoint an acting U.S. attorney for 120 days in any judicial district where a vacancy occurs. But if 120 days pass without the appointment of a duly nominated and confirmed successor, the district court for such district may appoint a United States attorney to serve until the vacancy is filled. Advertisement There is no doubt that, in granting a grand jury request for a prosecutorial appointment, Judge Howell would be breaking new ground. Further, the judiciary has inherent power to appoint prosecutors to defend the autonomy and integrity of the judiciary. Under the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure, a court that thinks itself the target of criminal contempt must request that the contempt be prosecuted by an attorney for the government, unless the interest of justice requires the appointment of another attorney. But [i]f the government declines the request, the court must appoint another attorney to prosecute the contempt. As the 9th Circuit has recently observed, Rule 42 is rooted in the longstanding inherent power of the judiciary to appoint disinterested private attorneys as special prosecutors to pursue criminal contempt proceedings in federal court when government prosecutors are unwilling or unable to perform that function. In other words, a court need not depend on a recalcitrant executive branch when self-help is necessary to vindicate a courts judicial powers. Advertisement Advertisement The grand jurys work may be of constitutional dimension, even if it does not culminate directly in a criminal indictment of the president. Leon Jaworski, Coxs successor as Watergate special prosecutor, doubted his authority to indict Nixon for obstruction of justice. Yet he led a grand jury to approve a report, only recently unsealed after being stored behind closed doors for decades at the National Archive, that has come to be known as the Watergate Road Map. Advertisement Unlike the controversial Starr report regarding Bill Clinton, the Road Map steered away from recommendations or legal conclusions. It instead just recited the grand jurys key findings of fact, each statement linked by annotation to its substantiating evidence. On behalf of the grand jury, Jaworski sought and obtained Siricas approval to transmit the document to the House Judiciary Committee. And importantly, in granting the transmittal request, Sirica affirmed his courts authority to determine both the reports propriety and its limited disclosure. The evidence quite likely proved critical to the committees determination to impeach Nixon for obstruction of justice. Advertisement There is no doubt that, in granting a grand jury request for a prosecutorial appointment, Howell would be breaking new ground. And a Barr Justice Department, instead of refusing to appoint a successor special counsel, might instead select a prosecutor to assist the grand jury by cutting off its investigation and refusing to compile its findings. That could confront Judge Howell with yet another conundrum: Should the grand jury resist and seek to complete its report, she would have to decide how far to go in preserving its independence. This would no doubt require careful inquiry into the traditional authorities of the grand jury and the separation-of-power implications of allowing the jury to circumvent its assigned prosecutor and provide a Russiagate Road Map. Uncertainty as to the future of the Russia investigation will surely not abate amid the presidents Twitter storms. But as Americans contemplate the ways in which the Trump administration has blasted through norms essential to democracy and the rule of lawand the prospect of more to comeit is worth considering that we might have in place a constitutional framework that allows the courts to play a checking-and-balancing role that will allow the facts to come to light. Brooklyn, New York, District Attorney Eric Gonzalez has dropped charges against 23-year-old Jazmine Headley related to her arrest at a social services office on Friday, he announced Tuesday. Headley was charged with resisting arrest, acting in a manner injurious to a child, obstructing governmental administration, and trespassing after security guards called police over a dispute that apparently began because she was sitting on the floor while she waited with her 1-year-old son to renew a child-care benefit. (A witness to the incident who recorded it on a widely viewed video has said the office was very crowded and there were no chairs available.) Responding officers pulled Headleys son out of her arms while she was struggling on the ground and threatened bystanders with a stun gun; the NYPD says it is investigating the officers actions. Gonzalez, the DA, said he was horrified by the video of the incident and that the consequences this young and desperate mother has already suffered as a result of this arrest far outweigh any conduct that may have led to it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Headley, however, remains in custody at New Yorks Rikers Island jail because a New Jersey judge has not yet decided whether she should be extradited across state lines to face 2016 charges of credit card fraud. In fact, NJ.com reports, New Jersey hasnt even been formally notified that Headley was arrested: While the DAs office said staff are working with Mercer County authorities to speed up the process that will see Jazmine Headley either released or extradited on the warrant, New Jersey court officials have said the state courts havent even been notified that shes being held. An official in Mercer County Superior Court said the judge who issued the warrant last summer has not been notified by New York officials that Headley is being held on the warrant. Thus, he has not been prompted to make a decision about whether she should be released and given a new court date in New Jersey, or held pending extradition. Advertisement The public defenders office representing Headley has filed a motion requesting her release from Rikers. (Update, 4:30 p.m.: A New York judge has granted the motion and Headley will be released. The credit card case has not yet been resolved; a relative of Headleys told NJ.com that those charges are without merit.) Advertisement A review of Rikers data by New York Mayor Bill de Blasio in 2015 showed that 1,500 inmates at the facility had been held while awaiting trial for more than a year, essentially punishing them with long-term incarceration before theyd been convicted of anything. (Roughly half of individuals held awaiting trial at Rikers are there because they cant afford bail rather than because theyve been deemed a flight risk or danger to the community.) In one notorious case, a teenager named Kalief Browder spent three years in Rikers over minor charges (he was accused of stealing a backpack) that were ultimately dropped; Browder later took his own life. The Global Compact on Migration (GCM), which was adopted on Monday in Marrakech, was hailed by world leaders, senior Govt officials, representatives of civil society and migrants as a historic event and the best way to address the issues of migration at the local, national, regional and global levels. Participants in the two-day Intergovernmental Conference on GCM seeking to ensure a safe, orderly and regular migration, said this global agreement expresses collective commitment to improving cooperation on international migration which affects countries, communities, migrants and their families. The opening ceremony of the UN conference was marked by the message addressed by King Mohammed VI of Morocco to participants, stressing the importance of the venue since there is no better place to host the UN-sponsored Intergovernmental Conference than Africa. But we still have a lot more to do, said the Monarch in his message read out by Head of Govt Saad-Eddine El Othmani. Morocco is a country of origin, transit and destination for migrants, and Marrakech is a cross-roads for all civilizations, added the King in his message. He called for a shared responsibility to stem chaos and ensure that the migrants human rights are upheld. This is a page of history we are writing in Marrakech, underlined the Moroccan Sovereign, affirming that todays step towards fairer migration should be a source of global pride. For his part, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres described in opening remarks the Global Compact as a road map to prevent suffering and chaos. The Global Compact provides a platform for humane, sensible, mutually beneficial action resting on two simple ideas: that migration should be well managed and safe, and that national policies are far more likely to succeed if coupled with international cooperation. He stressed that GCM is not a treaty and does not impose policies on UN member States, nor is it a legally binding instrument. We must not succumb to fear or false narratives about migration, he said, denouncing the many lies spread on this agreement, which must now be the subject of a final vote of ratification, December 19 at the UN General Assembly. The UN Chief expressed hope that the countries which are not present today in Marrakech will see the Global Compacts value and join in this common venture. Some States, including the United States, which did not endorse the Compact, and more than a dozen other countries either chose not to sign the accord or are still undecided, mostly because of the pressure exerted by nationalist movements. General Assembly President Maria Fernanda Espinosa Garces acknowledged that, while negotiations were long and difficult, they were worth it as the Global Compact is the best consensual way to tackle migration issues. Moroccan foreign minister Nasser Bourita, President of the Intergovernmental Conference to Adopt the GCM, said : we have spared no effort to undertake our responsibility as a leader on the migration issue and in defending the principles of common responsibility and consensus on migration, and combating smuggling of refugees and migrants. Referring to Mr. Guterres who challenged the myth that developed countries no longer need migrant labor, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said her country will need more skilled labor from outside the European Union and has a vested interest in legal migration. States cannot accept that traffickers are the ones deciding who crosses borders. We must settle such matters among us, she said, supporting multilateralism to address migration challenges. Chairman of the African Union Commission Moussa Faki Mahamat stressed the need to build international consensus on migration, saying that the African continent backs consensual solutions and shows deep commitment to multilateralism. Mr. Suleyman Soylu, Turkish interior minister, said his country is not trying to prevent migration, but rather to manage it by controlling its land and maritime borders. There are 3.6 million Syrians under Turkish protection and more than 322,000 tons of assistance has been delivered through 14 Turkish border gates, he recalled. For Cheryl Perera, founder of OneChild, an organization that empowers young people to act against sex trafficking of minors, the global compact on migration does not end in Marrakech. She urged Governments to provide young people with a seat at the table in its implementation, follow-up and review. For nearly two years, retired Marine Gen. John Kelly has served as chief of staff to President Donald Trump.* On Saturday, he announced that hell end that tenure by the end of this year. Hell leave the White House as chaotic and disordered as it was when he took the job. But the ins and outs of Kellys performance are less interesting than what he stood for in the larger context of the Trump era. If Trumpism has any meaning or ideological content separate from Donald Trump himself, it had a representativeif not an embodimentin Kelly. What the outgoing chief of staff lacks in Trumps intemperate attitude and undisciplined behavior, he makes up for in his commitment to basic elements of the presidents ideologyincluding his casual cruelty and tolerance for bigotry and bad behavior. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We saw these traits during Kellys spat with Florida Rep. Frederica Wilson, which started after Wilson criticized the president for his insensitivity toward the widow of a slain soldier, who was black. Kelly accused Wilson of taking false credit for the construction of an FBI field office in Miami, calling her an empty barrel more concerned with herself than the FBI agents. Kelly supposedly made this accusation on the premise of Wilsons speech at the building dedication ceremony, but video of the event shows the oppositeshe had not, in fact, taken credit for the buildings funding. Kelly refused to apologize, signaling his disdain for Wilson, part of a pattern of open disrespect for black female critics of the administration. Advertisement We saw these traits in an interview with Fox News where he blamed the Civil War on the lack of the ability to compromise, and praised Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee as an honorable man along with the men and women of good faith on both sides of the conflict. (The Civil War broke out after more than a decade of conflict over the expansion of slavery.) Compounding the problem of these remarks was the context: They came just a few months after Unite the Right, a rally of white nationalists in Charlottesville, Virginia, that ended in violenceone counterdemonstrator was killed and dozens more were injured. In the wake of that tragedy, President Trump used the same both sides language to defend the actions of the racist protesters. Advertisement Kelly might value normalcy and temperance over chaos and impulse, but he shares the presidents basic worldview. We saw them again following allegations of domestic abuse against Rob Porter, a senior aide to the president who had previously served as chief of staff for Kelly himself. Porter resigned his position after two ex-wives came forward with accusations and evidence of verbal and physical abuse, including kicking, throwing, and choking. But in the lead-up to that resignation, Porter was defiant, calling the allegations outrageous. Kelly knew that Porter had been subject to a protective order obtained by his second wife. Still, he backed him, calling Porter a man of true integrity and honor. Kelly was practically indifferent to the charges, an attitude that might have made this the most consequential scandal of his tenure, if not for what followed. Advertisement Advertisement What followed next was child separation. John Kelly didnt just defend the administrations zero tolerance policy toward immigrants who crossed the border illegally, criminally prosecuting them and placing their children in detention campshe was one of its architects. And when asked if it was cruel and heartless to take a mother away from her children, Kelly shrugged. The children will be taken care ofput into foster care or whatever, he said in an interview with NPR. Advertisement It was pure Trump: a succinct encapsulation of everything that defines the presidents rotten ideology, from the casual cruelty to the bigotry behind the dehumanization of an entire class of people. And it came from the adult in the room, the man who was supposed to tame Trumps worst impulses and give the world a more measured, responsible administration. Advertisement But therein lies the error. Kelly might value normalcy and temperance over chaos and impulse, but he shares the presidents basic worldview. Even if he could have wrangled Trump into something like a typical president, the Trump administration would likely still display the same enthusiasm for cruelty and contempt for common decency. Indeed, it might have been worse; a more disciplined Trump would be a more effective one, better able to translate his ethnonationalist instincts into concrete, actionable policy. In which case, its to our collective benefit that Kelly failed to control the president. To that point, if theres any lesson to take from John Kellys tenure in the White House, its that the appearance of moderation is not moderation. And while official Washington might pine for someone to take the reins of the administrationfor someone to truly be an adult in the roomthe Kelly experience shows that this is overrated. What matters is the ethos of the administration, and that flows inexorably from the man at the top. Advertisement In July, a Russian woman named Maria Butina was indicted for what the FBI described as a successful effort to infiltrate the National Rifle Association and Republican Party on behalf of the Russian state. Butina had lived and worked in the U.S. under her real name, engaging in activities you might describe as networking and informal lobbying, and didnt hide her past connections to the Russian government; the feds, however, alleged that she broke the law by not formally registering as a foreign agent and implied that she may have specifically worked on the behalf of Russian intelligence services. It wasnt clear when Butina was indicted whether she was believed to have actually done anything more nefarious than cultivating relationships between American right-wingers and Russian nationalists, nor was it clear whether her work had any specific connection to Russias pro-Trump hacking and propaganda campaign in 2016. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to a new court filing Monday, Butina has reached an agreement with prosecutors to plead guilty to a charge of conspiracy and agreed to cooperate with investigators. We still dont know whether her case has anything to do with Trump; we do know that the agreement exists and that lawyers are due in court Wednesday to discuss it: Lawyers for the US Attorney in Washington DC and accused Russian agent Maria Butina have "resolved this matter," and are asking a judge to set a hearing for a plea, they report in a new court filing. Carrie Johnson (@johnson_carrie) December 10, 2018 Advertisement Just in: Change of plea hearing set for Weds., Dec. 12 at 3:15pm https://t.co/AdXmeM2BQC Carrie Johnson (@johnson_carrie) December 10, 2018 So see you Wednesday! Here is @lloyd_rm grabbing the mace just now pic.twitter.com/SEUEWz5w3F Daniel Kraemer (@dcakraemer) December 10, 2018 Advertisement Things got very British in London on Monday, as during the debate over the debate about Brexit, a member of Parliament swiped the mace from floor of Parliament, setting off a tizzy in Westminster. Labour MP Lloyd Russell-Moyle, in a symbolic gesture, walked to the center of the chamber and took the five-foot silver and gold staff that is brought to the floor each day by the sergeant-at-arms and represents the monarchs authority, and technically must be present for the House of Commons to meet and pass laws. (The U.S. House of Representatives uses one, too.) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Russell-Moyle backpedaled to the center of the room and was jeered by opposing party Tory MPs as he headed for the exit. Put it back!; expel him!; name him!, they shouted with British accents. Russell-Moyle was quickly intercepted by two parliamentary staffers, who returned the mace to its resting place on the chamber floor. Russell-Moyle was then expelled from the session by Commons Speaker John Bercow and could face further sanction. After the rare lack of extreme decorum, shouting and heckling are commonplace, the Labour MP exited the chamber and, in classic British style, headed straight for the pub! The symbolic gesture of lifting the mace and removing it is that the will of Parliament to govern is no longer there has been removed, Russell-Moyle said from the Red Lion pub just up the road from Parliament. I felt Parliament had effectively given up its sovereign right to govern properly. They stopped me before I got out of the Chamber and I wasnt going to struggle with someone wearing a huge sword on their hip. The Oval Office meeting late Tuesday morning between President Donald Trump and congressional Democratic leaders Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer was supposed to begin with a brief photo opportunity and the chance for the participants to offer a bland nicety or two for the cameras. Instead, the cameras stayed for about 15 minutes as the three got into a comical argument about the topic at hand: funding for Trumps proposed border wall, the impasse at the center of an end-of-year government-funding negotiation. Though the bickering wasnt a flattering look for any of the leaders in attendance, Democrats ultimately secured the sound bite they wanted, with Trump welcoming blame for any shutdown that might come. Advertisement The meeting began earnestly enough, with the president welcoming Pelosi and Schumer and sharing the news about how bipartisan criminal justice reform and farm bills would be moving through Congress soon. He first brought up the wall in joking fashion, describing it as the easy issue Congress still had to resolve. From there, though, he went into talking points about the necessity of the wall. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The wall will get built, Trump said, but we may not have an agreement today. After this monologue, he asked Pelosi if she had anything to say. She did. She observed that the American people recognize that we must keep government open, that a shutdown is not worth anything, and that you should not have a Trump shutdown. Advertisement Did you say Trump? Trump asked. And we were off. Pelosi and Trump got into a lengthy argument about whether a bill meeting Trumps full wall-funding request of $5 billion could pass the House. Trump said that he would have it passed [in the House] in two seconds, but that it wouldnt matter, since it would get filibustered in the Senate. Pelosi, whos just a little better of a vote-counter than Trump, urged him, then, to go do it if it really could pass the House, to at least start the discussion. You will not win, she said. It was around here that Pelosior Nancy, as the president consistently referred to the current minority leader and speaker-designatesuggested for the first time that the meeting could be more productive if the press werent there. But no way was the press going to leave the room. Advertisement Advertisement Then it was time for Chuck to speak. While the Pelosi-Trump exchanges were between two leaders with very different styles, the Schumer-Trump exchanges had the tenor of an argument about the Yankees bullpen. Several times, when Schumer urged him not to shut down the government, Trump shot back that Schumer was blamed for the last shutdown. This spiraled downward, Pelosi interrupted, again. The two somehow came to argue about election results. Trump bragged about how they gained seats in the Senate, to which Schumer responded that when the president brags that he won North Dakota and Indiana, hes in real trouble. Advertisement I did, Trump chimed in. We did win North Dakota and Indiana. Trump mocked Pelosi, too, saying she was in a position where its not easy for her to talkas in, she has been trying to corral 218 votes for speaker and couldnt show any weakness on wall funding. Advertisement Mr. President, Pelosi said, please dont characterize the strength that I bring to this meeting as a leader of the House Democrats who have just won a big victory. Elections have consequences, Mr. President, Schumer said. Thats why the country is doing so well, Trump added. Advertisement Vice President Mike Pence sat silently in crossfire of the whole spectacle, trying to disappear into the furniture. Though Schumer and Pelosi seemed uncomfortable in the setting for much of the meeting, they were ultimately successful in getting what they wanted. When Schumer observed that the president had said 20 times that he would shut down the government if he didnt get his wall, Trump bit. You want to know something? the president said. Schumer sure did. Ill take it. You know what Ill say? Yes. If we dont get what we want, one way or the other, whether its through you or through military or anything you want to call, I will shut down the government. Advertisement Fair enough, Schumer said, toning down his enthusiasm. I am proud to shut down the government for border security, Chuck, he continued. Because the people of this country dont want criminals and people that have lots of problems and drugs pouring into our country. So I will take the mantle. I will be the one to shut it down. Im not going to blame you for it. The last time you shut it down, it didnt work. I will take the mantle of shutting it down. Im going to shut it down for border security. Advertisement Schumer, somehow, resisted the urge to do a chefs kiss. Heres the full video: On the Saturday episode of Slates Supreme Court podcast, Amicus, Dahlia Lithwick spoke with Mimi Rocah, who is Pace Law Schools distinguished fellow in criminal justice. Rocah previously served as an assistant U.S. attorney in the Southern District of New York from 200117. In her role, Rocah successfully prosecuted and tried cases, including some high-profile organized-crime cases, so she joined the show to talk about the Mueller probe and to help us do a little sorting of forest from trees. Advertisement A transcript of their discussion, which has been condensed and edited for clarity, is below. Dahlia Lithwick: We thought wed start this show with the swirling legal story of the endlessly complicated Robert Mueller probe. It now seems to be accelerating. Its heating up in what I think we could probably just call the Special Counsel December Advent Calendar, where every single day we get some new revelation. So, I think what I want you to do is help us with this one mystery question, which is collusion, because, you know, the president, he likes to tweet, No collusion, no collusion, but as you know better than anybody, theres not really a thing that is collusion. Can you help us understand what comes into the bucket, to the extent that the president is accused of colluding, or people in his campaigns are accused of colluding? What are the conspiracies that were talking about? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mimi Rocah: First of all, I think that you said it correctly. Its not collusion. Its really conspiracy, if were talking about looking at it from the legal framework, because there is no charge of collusion. But there are certainly charges of conspiracies, and conspiracies can take many different forms. Just to get in the weeds for a second: Theres Statute 18 U.S.C. 371 and it has two different kinds of conspiracy. One is a criminal agreement to commit a crime. So, for example, if we agree to rob a bank and we take steps to further that, were committing a crime under that statute. Then theres a separate one, which is conspiracy to defraud the United States, and that basically says that you commit a crime against the United States when you interfere with a proper functioning of the laws of the United States. So its similar, but a little bit different. Its much less frequently used. I dont think Id ever charged anything under that prong, but its a perfectly legitimate statute thats there. In fact, I think a judge recently upheld it in Concord Managementthe case against some of the Russians that Mueller has already chargedupheld it as a valid theory. Advertisement Advertisement I think by charging it under that conspiracy prong, Mueller really captures the purpose of the acts and the individual crimes that people are committing. What were starting to inch closer toward and understand a little bit more is, were there American citizens, people here who were involved in those kinds of crimes in different ways, small or large? Lithwick: So Im gonna ask you something totally unfair, which is when Donald Trump tweets, They tell me theres no collusion. I know theres no collusion. My lawyers say no collusion. What does he mean, do you think? What does that mean to him? Advertisement Rocah: Well yeah, Ive been saying this actually since he first started tweeting. I think first of all, Trump has no idea what the conspiracy law means and how it works. So when he says, Its a witch hunt, no collusion, what he was actually saying is, I had no phone calls. I had no meetings. I didnt do this. And I think he may actually believe that as long as he didnt do that, and this is common. I mean, we should point out this is common amongst criminals. Advertisement Advertisement I cant tell you how many people, cooperators I met with, who thought they hadnt done anything wrong because they hadnt actually had face-to-face or phone-to-phone conversations or email contact with the other person whom they were charged in a conspiracy with. It took a while. It would take a while in those proffer sessions to explain to people. You dont have to. Thats not how conspiracy law works. This is a widely used law that is very broad and you can actually join a conspiracy with someone you actually have never even met. Thats sort of the point of the law, right? Its to capture whether youre working toward a common scheme. So I think Trump doesnt understand that even if he didnt know, lets assume for a moment, every part of what was going on here: how they were going to throw the election, or when exactly that was going to happen. As long as he had some idea of the understanding of the broad purpose of what they were doing and he did something, anything material to sort of facilitate that in some way, that could put him in that conspiracy. Advertisement Advertisement I cant tell you how many people thought they hadnt done anything wrong because they hadnt actually had conversations or contact with the other person whom they were charged in a conspiracy with. Mimi Rocah So again, we dont know all of the facts, but I think he has a fundamental misunderstanding of the law. So, when he says no collusion, hes actually talking about very specific conduct that may be true. That may be actually right that he didnt have phone calls with Russians about hacking the emails and throwing the election, but thats not whats required under the law. Lithwick: And I just wonder because, as youre talking, Im thinking: But this is what makes it so easy to say witch hunt, witch hunt, right? Isnt the breadth of it the very thing that allows Trump and his defenders to say, oh my god, Mueller has a license to tag anyone who ever talked to anyone about anything and thats the problem with these really broad conspiracy laws? Advertisement Rocah: Well look, I mean, without getting into sort of a constitutional analysis of the conspiracy, first of all, I think its fair to say people are charged and convicted under this law every single day, all across the country. So Trump isnt being sort of put under a microscope that every other American citizen isnt who gets investigated for a crime. He happens to have a really good prosecutor holding that microscope, Robert Mueller, but its a very widely used law. Advertisement Advertisement Second of all, there are knowledge requirements. So you dont have to have direct contact and phone calls and things like he seems to be thinking, but you do have to have knowledge of what is going on, so to speak, and what this scheme is and the goals of it, and further it in some way. You cant just be passive. You wouldnt be charged if you were just a passive participant or were being duped in some way. And third, I think the facts as theyre starting to play out here really show us that Trump and people around him were much more invested in this than hes certainly letting on and even than some of us who have been following this previously understood. So for him to say, its a witch hunt because I didnt know it was going on, I think is really not going to be borne out by the facts here. In 2014, American Eagles underwear brand, Aerie, announced that it would no longer be airbrushing its models. We want to help empower young women to be confident in themselves and their bodies, Jennifer Foyle, who is now the brands global president, said in a press release at the time. Sales have soared ever since, and the brand never looked back. A slogan on the website today reads: Girl power. Body positivity. No retouching. How did these ads, with their more realistic depictions of bodies, affect the teen girls who shop at Aerie? Researchers have attempted to suss this out. A team at San Diego State University used photos of a model from the Aerie ad (for the purpose of the study, the researchers changed the name of the brand to the fictional Anea) to assess what signals in the adsthe image itself, or text describing how it was createdleft an impression on the consumer. The young woman in the ad they selected is thin, white, with effortlessly wavy hair, lying on a bed on her side in a pink bra and neon green undies. One version of the ad bears the words, The girl in this photo has been retouched; a second reads, The girl in this photo has not been retouched. (In a control, there was no text.) In each case, the photo was otherwise exactly the same: The model is well-lit with smooth skin. To my eye, the only difference between this and a traditional ad is that you can see a little bit of the outline of her abs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The researchers showed a version of the ad to 230 female college students (the majority of whom were happy with their appearance, had high self-esteem, and appeared to have a healthy BMI). After seeing it, subjects rated both their own appearance and their interest in purchasing the featured lingerie. There wasnt a significant difference between the results for the ad with no text and the one with the disclaimer that the ad was retouched, a finding that has been borne out in other research. Millennials, the researchers concluded, are familiar with the fact that much of the stuff they see is a poreless, airbrushed fiction. The addition of token flaws seems to have allowed the brand to sport a label of authenticity while still adhering to a societal norm. Interestingly, though, the condition in which the ad noted that it had not been retouched correlated with the women in the study saying that they were more satisfied with their own looks (they rated their own appearance 10 points higher on a scale of 0 to 100 compared with those who viewed the retouched ad). This suggests that, via its no-photoshopping policy, Aerie may be making tangible improvements to how advertising makes us feel. At the same time, these results are a positive only if we take advertising that deploys womens bodies as a given; the study did not address if the unretouched images improved self-esteem versus viewing nothing, or how the women would feel about themselves if the ad, say, featured a picture of the undies and bra laid out by themselves. And even in the context of traditional ads, the wider literature is inconsistent on how much good labels can do: In a 2013 study, researchers at Flinders University in Australia found that showing unaltered images of a fashion shoot with and without a label resulted in the same thing: body dissatisfaction. Advertisement Advertisement Whats clearer is how a vocal-but-flimsy (the model was still a thin, conventionally attractive brunette woman*) social effort plays out for a brand. In the Anea study, participants liked the labeled ad more overall and expressed a greater interest in buying undies from the fictional Anea. The same happened in real life with the Aerie campaign: Sales have increased since 2014, and at a faster pace than for the mothership brand, American Eagle. Aerie is simply on fire, Foyle told investors, Business Insider reported earlier this year. The brand continues the practice of not airbrushing and, this spring, ran a campaign centered on role models who, in addition to posing in Aerie undies for photos, gave motivational talks inwhere else?Aerie stores. Advertisement Advertisement That even just a small note about no airbrushing was enough to make participants in that study, and presumably in the real world, feel warmer toward the brand suggests advertisers can capitalize on body positivity without fundamentally changing much about the ad itself (moreover, it is not enough to simply do the right thing; you have to be loud about it). Aeries unretouched lingerie ads are still in principle the same as other lingerie ads, offering a fantasy of attractive and relatively skinny folks wearing their goods. When the brand made very white and thin and smiley Emma Roberts a spokesmodel (sans airbrushing, of course), one writer noted with frustration, Aeries campaigns are a body positivity fiction. Sizing for the brand still tops out at 40DD for bras and XXL for briefs. Larger sizes are available online only; it was a shock for me to walk into an Aerie store several years into the campaign and find that I could still not try on bras that fit me. Overall, the addition of token flaws and loud campaigns about diversity seems to have allowed the brand to sport a label of authenticity while still in key ways adhering to a societal norm. Advertisement Advertisement Authenticity got a boost last week when Jameela Jamil, an actress on NBCs The Good Place, made headlines by announcing that she, a conventionally attractive person, wants to ban airbrushing too. She detailed her reasoning in a BBC opinion piece: Its used to lie to consumers, it can contribute to eating disorders, and it whitewashes away ethnicity. Shes not wrong, and her candor about how these images affect even her, a successful, powerful person, helps to underscore the scope of the problem. Her insistence on going airbrush-free in ads and magazine covers is a positive choice against unrealistic standards, even if its a pretty small one. Advertisement But its worth realizing that her wider call against retouching feels a little bit limp when you realize that Jamil is a woman who doesnt need to be airbrushed to grace magazine covers or sell things. Indeed, in committing to the ideas espoused in her op-ed, she seems to be fashioning herself into a human version of Aerie: Shes a pretty and professionally styled person for whom a performance of authenticity might also, conveniently, be used to sell things. As she told Nylon in a December cover story: Im about to shoot a swimwear campaign without any retouching, which will be the rare opportunity to see cellulite on the side of a bus or building. Small win for improving beauty standards, big win for Jamil. Advertisement Advertisement None of this is to criticize Jamil for modeling bathing suits. It is pretty much in the job description of a modern famous person to produce images to sell goods and magazines, and even if her efforts are frustratingly small, she is at least attempting to change the broader narrative while still holding down a career. The real problem, according to mental health professionals, isnt so much the airbrushing of the media that we constantly see, but the prevalence of media that is perpetually centered on womens bodies as props in a fantasyland of products and editorial spreads. These images attempt to invoke the desire to be better and prettier and now a tad realer through buying things. When I asked psychologists who work with teens with eating disorders whether going airbrush-free could help their patients, they agreed that it was technically better than nothing. But really, limiting media consumption is the preferred route. Ideally, none of us would engage in comparisons, period, said Deborah Glasofer, a psychologist at Columbia, who advises paying attention to what kinds of media make you feel good vs. crappy and curating a selection along those lines. When it comes to comparison-inducing images, were bombarded, says Michelle Miller, a psychologist at NYU.* She further pointed out that eating disorders, like unrealistic images, predate airbrushing. Miller encourages patients to skip beauty magazines altogether. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Even if images from Aerie and Jamil track a bit closer to reality, they wont necessarily help women who are struggling the most. As the lines between real life and fantasy life blur on sponsored Instagram posts and in campaigns that play up realness, it is important to understand what these images are: attempts to invoke the desire to be better and prettier and now a tad realer through buying things. What Jamil is successfully doing is positioning herself to be the kind of cover girl whos friendly in a post-Aerie advertising world. This trend is visible more broadly: Victorias Secret is on the downswing, while ModCloth, which sells a more inclusive look that is still uniformly pretty, is gaining popularity. Millennials are skeptical, says Erlinde Cornelis, an assistant professor of marketing at San Diego State University and the first author on the Aerie/Anea study. Traditional advertising doesnt have much of an effect. Advertisement Companies know this, and theyre getting craftier. An open letter in the New York Times lambasted Victorias Secrets chief marketing officer for proudly putting on a fashion show as fantastical and harmful standardspacked as possible. Sounds cool. But the open letter was printed on paid ad space: It was a stunt from ThirdLove, a bra company. Jamil has fashioned herself as a rebel boldly speaking out against beauty standards, but as companies increasingly move to apply a sheen of authenticity atop expert lighting and makeup, shell fit right in. Oakland, Californias Lake Merritt is the oldest wildlife refuge in North America and home to dozens of bird species. Within its 3.4 miles of shoreline, its not uncommon to see great blue herons and snowy egrets soaring over flocks of bobbing ruddy ducks. But over the past year, another birdwell, a Birdhas joined the other lake denizens. Just in October, cleanup crews fished out of the lake more than 60 electric scooters, made by Bird and its competitor Lime as well as lesser-known comers like Scoot and Wind, according to James Robinson, executive director of the Lake Merritt Institute. Robinson recently met with representatives from Lime and Bird as well as Oaklands Department of Transportation to address what hes calling a crisis for the lake. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Oaklands not the only place youll find troubled waters. In Portland, Oregon, so many scooters have ended up in the Willamette River that some disgruntled Portlanders made a website, scootersintheriverpdx.com, that documents just what its URL promises: How many scooters have been thrown into the Willamette River? Portland police have responded to several reports of people throwing the scooters into the river. In Los Angeles, maintenance workers have reported seeing the electric conveyances tossed into the Pacific Ocean around Venice Beach, where Instagram shots of half-sunken scooters abound. In Spokane, Washington, two Lime scooters were found in the Spokane River in October, and Lime has fished its scooters out of the Trinity River in Dallas, too. In Indianapolis, council member Zach Adamson found one in the Broad Ripple Canal and lamented, Its not OK to throw scooters in our waterways. In San Francisco, its become routine to see a Bird or Lime scooter washed up along the rocky shores of the Bay. Advertisement Bird and Lime pitch their devices as environmentally friendly alternatives to cars, since theyre electric and are attractive options for short trips within cities. But the companies have also taken a rapid approach to expansion, sometimes launching in cities without regulators permission. Even when local governments do sign off on the scooterswhich users can rent with an app, and leave on any sidewalk when theyre doneits not clear how closely the companies are working with cities to ensure these new streetscape additions arent too nettlesome. Its anyones guess why so many of these vehicles are ending up in lakes and rivers, but one reason might be that some people just find them enraging, or at least annoying enough to hurl into the nearest body of water. But that hasnt slowed down the scooter-makers: Both Bird and Lime have raised hundreds of millions in venture capital funding, poising the companies to continue expanding across the country. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In places such as San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Raleigh, North Carolina, officials have moved to cap the number of scooters allowed on their streets. In Oakland, scooter company officials have met with the city multiple times and heard complaints from the nonprofit Lake Merritt Institute, which has argued that its staff should be compensated for their time and efforts to remove scooters from the lake. While the companies did not directly address the problem of scooters dumped in the lake, they said that they would retrieve scooters within 24 hours when notified, read the September Lake Merritt Institute newsletter following a meeting with Oaklands Shared Mobility Committee. Robinson said in a more recent update that actions from that meeting havent stopped scooter-dumping. Advertisement Advertisement Anyone can sign up to be a charger for Bird and its competitors, which means collecting scooters on the street at night and charging them in your home, for which the companies compensate you. The toolkit these chargers use provides a useful window into the bodies-of-water problem. Using the apps maps, as well as third-party sites like Scooter Map, they can see where there are scooters in need of more power. And those locations often include lakes and other waters. One Bird charger in Los Angeles shared screenshots showing six scooters in the water in the Marina del Rey area and off Dockweiler State Beach. Advertisement Advertisement Dozens more scooters (mostly Birds) in Marina del Rey appear to have been left right on the waters edge for dayssome for months, according to Scooter Map. The maps show where the scooters were when their GPS last picked up a signal, which means that they could very well be in the water and pinged their apps right before getting tossed in. One Bay Areabased charger I interviewed, Nicholas Abouzeidwho has been collecting and charging scooters for Lime, Bird, and Scootsays that he hasnt seen scooters on the map that are blatantly in the ocean because the GPS itself sucks, placing the scooter at random places and because companies clear out the ghost scooters after the GPS goes offline. Ghost scooters may show up on the map but arent actually there or arent retrievableperhaps because they are already in a lake. Advertisement When I asked one of the people behind Scooters In the River why he began documenting scooters thrown into the Willamette River, he said it was the environmental impact, plain and simple. The Willamette River has been abused enough, it doesnt need any additional toxic compounds from decomposing scooter batteries. The maker of the website, who asked to remain anonymous, hasnt heard from any of the scooter startups. Advertisement Advertisement But scooter companies are very aware of the problem. We have our local ops team patrolling [Lake Merritt] for scooters on a daily basis, Lime spokeswoman Mary Caroline Pruitt wrote in an email, adding that the company acts immediately if it receives a report of a scooter in Lake Merritt. Lime has also implemented a no parking zone around the lake to prevent passersby from throwing the scooters in the watermeaning the scooters wont be able to end their rental session in the lakes immediate vicinity.* Pruitt added that Lime plans to donate to the Lake Merritt Institute to help compensate its cleanup efforts. Bird says it investigates all instances of vandalism and works with law enforcement to take appropriate measures when a scooter has been damaged, like by being thrown in a lake. Neither company commented on larger plans they have to prevent their scooters from polluting waterways in cities where they operate. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its hard to know exactly how damaging a deluge of scooters is for a body of water and its denizens. Dozens of scooters regularly being thrown in a lake is certainly going to be incredibly disruptive to ecosystems, says David Cwiertny, a professor of environmental engineering and director of the University of Iowas Center for Health Effects of Environmental Contamination. Whats going to make this problem hard to address is that there are unanticipated consequences. Rechargeable lithium-ion batteries, the kind that power laptops, smartphones, and electric scooters, commonly contain nickel that can leach out into the environment over time, Cwiertny said. The Environmental Protection Agency warns that in high concentrations, nickel is a dangerous pollutant for aquatic life. Advertisement The case for putting more scooters in more cities, like bike-share systems before them, is clearly attractive: Give people more ways to get aroundparticularly ones that can fill the gaps of public transitand theyll probably use cars less. But its hard to know what the prescription is to address the vandalism that seems to afflict these vehicles. Even when these scooters dont end up abandoned in waterways, many of them end up trashed, either because they werent built for such sustained use or because vandals rip them to pieces. One company, Scoot, which was permitted to operate scooters in San Francisco in October, told the Wall Street Journal that within two weeks of launching, more than 200 of the 650 scooters they introduced had been stolen or irreparably destroyed.* The need to constantly re-supply these fleets should, at minimum, complicate the narrative of low environmental impact that these companies pitch. Still, for now Bird and Lime appear to have cash to spare, and are using a chunk of it to absorb the cost of the vandalism and fishing their devices out of rivers, oceans, and lakeseven if their efforts have thus far failed to stop the problem. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Whats a concerned, marine lifeloving human to do? Even if one claims that scooter vandalism is a protest against the intrusion of VC-backed startups into our communities, it still doesnt explain what good putting one in a lake or river will do, Scooters In the Rivers creator told me. Theres a billion better ways to fight the man. Congressional interrogations of tech executives have become so frequent that there now seem to be a set of rituals associated with such hearings. On Tuesday morning, Google CEO Sundar Pichai appeared before House Judiciary Committee to answer questions about the companys handling of privacy, data security, controversial viewpoints, and dealings in China. And as has become custom, a familiar cast of protesters came to make their cases against big tech. InfoWars conspiracy theorist Alex Jones showed up in the halls of Congress before the hearing to cause a ruckus about allegations that he is being censored on major platforms. Jones reportedly followed Pichai as he was walking to the hearing room, yelling that the CEO lied to Congress. (This is Pichais first time testifying, so its unclear what Jones was referring to.) Police told Jones to calm down or risk arrest. Jones also made an appearance at a Senate hearing in September to raise similar concerns with Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey and Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg, a stunt that ultimately got him banned from Twitter and Periscope after he berated a CNN reporter who was covering the proceedings. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In September, Jones was accompanied by fellow right-wing trolls Jack Posobiec and Laura Loomer. This time around, Jones companion was Trump associate Roger Stone. Another familiar face at Tuesdays hearing was Ian Madrigal, a consumer protection activist and skilled photobomber who sat behind Pichai in the hearing room conspicuously dressed as the Monopoly Man. Madrigal told the Hill that they were there to protest Googles monopoly power and lobbying influence over politicians. Advertisement Madrigal had worn a Russian troll costume for Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerbergs Senate hearing in April, and the Monopoly Man monocle and black top hat in March for a hearing with executives at Equifax. Like Jones, Madrigals outlandish stunts are sure to produce gawking tweets and news posts, a cheeky diversion for reporters covering knotty tech issues. While Madrigal typically does not draw the ire of Capitol Police and members of Congress, theres always a strong chance at least one protester will disrupt the proceedings. During Tuesdays hearing, House Judiciary Chairman Rep. Bob Goodlatte called out a protester who entered the courtroom with a poster apparently denouncing Googles work in China, enjoining him to put it down. Advertisement Advertisement A protester just opened the doors to the hearing room Google CEO @sundarpichai is testifying in and held up this sign. pic.twitter.com/MRj8sM7H1P Oliver Darcy (@oliverdarcy) December 11, 2018 Loomer notably began shouting about alleged censorship during the September hearing with Dorsey and Sandberg, which led to her removal. Capitol Police also confiscated signs from members of Code Pink during the Zuckerberg hearings. This story was originally published by Grist and has been republished here with permission from Climate Desk. If you ask anyone about the future of the auto industry, its all about electrification, ride-sharing, and autonomous driving. But in the short term, at least for automakers, its pure anxiety. Not only did General Motors recently reveal plans to discontinue six of its car models by the end of 2019 (including its groundbreaking plug-in hybrid, the Chevrolet Volt; it will continue to offer its all-electric Bolt, which is an alternative to to Teslas Model 3), the Trump administration announced last week that it intends to end automaker subsidies for electric cars after 2022.* If pleasing the consumer werent enough, now car manufacturers have to worry about a president who clearly doesnt grasp the complexities of their industry. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Caught between the consumer demands of today and the technology of tomorrow, American auto manufacturers are being pulled in two very disparate directions. Case in point, the Los Angeles Auto Show, which kicked off to packed crowds, has come to be about two, at times, contradictory concepts: luxury and the environment. Finally, for those awaiting an electric car that doesnt look like a science experiment, theres the Range Rover Plug-In hybrid, Jaguar I-PACE (a hybrid SUV), and BMW i8 Roadster and convertible. Despite the death of the Chevy Volt, nearly every manufacturer is making some sort of entry into electric vehicles, meaning there is more room for fun. EVs arent just econo-boxes anymore; the technology is reaching into all aspects of the auto industry, which offers (greener) hope for their future. Advertisement In the meantime, however, American car companies still rely heavily on sales of pickup trucks and SUVs. In recent years, the balance in the car world has shifted from passenger sedans to SUVs and pickup trucks. When General Motors recently announced it was restructuring, laying off nearly 15 percent of its salaried employees and changing its production offerings, it wasnt so much an industry shake-up as an aftershock. Ford and Chrysler have largely abandoned sedans. GM is the last of the big American carmakers to make the move. Even if the current administration isnt interested in electric vehicles, California, China, and European nations surely are. So how can industry aficionados pursue both what we want (SUVs) and what we need (new electric options, both snazzy and standard)? The L.A. Auto Show says as much about the city as it does the state of the industry. The City of Angels is one of the biggest and most important car markets in the U.S., and what happens at this auto show has consequences. As someone whos been covering the industry for nearly a decade, theres a lot on display beyond the shiny coats of wax and ginormous red bows. Advertisement Advertisement Heres what the auto shows offerings say about the future direction of the auto industry. SUVs are getting greener. In the U.S., more SUVs and pickup trucks are sold than cars. But that doesnt necessarily mean people want to drive gas guzzlers. Consumers are flocking to more fuel-efficient crossover SUVs, such as the Honda CR-V. Companies such as Volvo are introducing hybrids, and Kia unveiled its Niro EV. SUVs are getting more fuel-efficient, though three-row SUVs are showing no signs of going awayFords Lincoln brand debuted a new Navigator and BMW showed off its xDrive40i model. Advertisement Electric vehicles are still the future (globally). At a time when other automakers are turning out new hybrid models, what are we to make of GM putting the Volt on the chopping block? Its not the first time the car company has done away with its electric-vehicle offerings. (GM killed the EV1 back in the 90s, then introduced the Volt in 2011.) Advertisement Environmentalists have long worried carmakers would abandon electric vehicles due to lagging sales (as they have before). And despite all the space on the show floor for electric cars, U.S. consumers have still not embraced them. Without the federal government incentivizing EVs, youd expect carmakers to be running in the other direction. But the good news is even if the current administration isnt interested in electric vehicles, California, China, and European nations surely are. China has followed the Golden States lead in pushing hard for electric vehicles. Air quality in China is an important political issue. On a tour I took of Chinese manufacturers last year, officials admitted that party leaders feel popular opinion about the environment could threaten their hold on power. Advertisement Because of the Chinese and European commitments to electric vehicles, the global market for EVs doesnt appear to be facing extinction. But despite Teslas popularity, EV sales are not what they need to be domestically to make them major market winners. Advertisement Advertisement Vehicles are getting more autonomous and more crazy. Veteran car journalist Jean Jennings told me, with a bit of regret in her voice, that the future of the industry is shared rides, electric cars, and autonomous. In many ways, Jennings says the work that its going to take for GM to get to a cleaner, safer, profitable future demands rethinking how the cars are madeand that mean no drivers instead of no gas. A person driving a 2003 Honda Civic would barely recognize the driver-assist technology of today, like automated braking and adaptive cruise control. Now, the most exciting tech geared toward driver assist includes I-cant-believe-its-not-magic features that allow a driver to essentially see through the engine block (making parking easier) and map-the-city visualizations that use the pipes and wires under the road to help autonomous vehicles find their way. Advertisement Tough air-quality standards are likely here to stay. Californias Air Resources Board, soon to be led by California Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom, is expected to fight a long battle with federal regulators to preserve the right for the state to set tougher emissions standards than the rest of the country. Trump being in office might seem like an opportune moment for the auto industrys air-quality standards to relax significantly, but China is the market driving these regulations now, and people there really care about air quality. Advertisement Advertisement Politics and the auto industry typically do not mix well. The talk of this auto show was GM, in part because so many GM workers at the show only have months left at their jobs. It was these job cuts, after a bailout from taxpayers, that drew the ire of President Tariff Man Trump, whose threats to discontinue electric-car subsidies have not played well with industry professionals. Advertisement Advertisement President Trump isnt the first politician to try to use auto executives as a convenient punching bag. CEOs of car manufacturers havent done themselves any favors by, say, opposing air bags and fuel-economy standards in the past. But this administrations public feud is causing major road burn in the industryand not only for GM. If the president intended to punish the Detroit-based company, he failed to grasp an important part of the electric-vehicle rules from the Obama era: Because GM got in early on plug-in electric vehicles, its already used up most of its federally backed incentives to sell electric cars (and its credits drying up is what made the Volt expendable). Buckle up, because auto trends are part of a cycle. If the future of the industry were a race, itd be the Indianapolis 500: fast and circular. Take GMs cuts: The auto industry is cyclical, and layoffs are no surprise. Reshaping the current GM lineup also seems to this reporter (the child and grandchild of autoworkers) to be a part of that cycle. Advertisement Advertisement Whats interesting to me about this auto show is the feeling of deja vu. American carmakers are turning away from sedans, just as they did in the early 2000s. The shift may not be foreverespecially considering that some companies, such as Honda, are investing more money in its small cars. As Honda executive Sage Marie pointed out, the company is both investing in sedans and looking to emerging markets, while American car companies stay wedded to pickups. So when it comes to predicting the future of the auto industry, dont get trapped by whats just around the bend. Automakers are still, in general, looking toward a greener future but there might be a few pit stops along the way. Eric Martin and Rene Perez are civil rights activists with a very specific passion: They record the police. When Martin and Perez see law enforcement officers performing their duties, they take out their phones to capture the scene on camera, ready to film any misconduct that might occur. Officers sometimes retaliatePerez says they have even grabbed his phoneso both would like to film in secret. But they have a problem: Massachusetts wiretap law prohibits the covert recording of anyone, even government officials doing their jobs in public. Violators can be imprisoned for up to five years. Advertisement But on Monday, U.S. District Judge Patti B. Saris blocked the wiretap laws application to the secret filming of police in public, ruling that it infringes upon freedom of expression. Her ruling is an important step forward for the First Amendment right to record, which has become increasingly valuableand hotly contestedat a time when images of police brutality often go viral. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Massachusetts has a dark history of punishing civilians who dare to record cops. In 2007, police arrested Simon Glik for filming officers as they punched a man on Boston Common. Prosecutors charged Glik under the wiretap law, known as Section 99, though a trial court dismissed the charges. Aided by the American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts, Glik then filed a lawsuit against the police department, alleging a violation of his civil rights. In 2011s Glik v. Cunniffe, the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals found that the officers had, indeed, infringed on Gliks freedom of speech. It expressly affirmed the right to record, noting that the First Amendment bars the government from limiting the stock of information from which members of the public may draw. Advertisement The police department eventually admitted it was wrong and settled the lawsuit for $170,000. Yet Massachusetts police continued to suppress recordings, arguing that the First Amendment did not protect the secret filming of law enforcement. In 2012, the Shrewsbury Police Department charged Irving Espinosa-Rodriguez under Section 99 for teaching a passenger how to covertly record his interaction with an officer during a traffic stop. In 2014, the Chicopee Police Department charged Karen Dziewit under Section 99 for secretly filming police officers as they arrested her. In 2015, the Hardwick Police Department charged Destiny McKeon as an accessory to illegal wiretapping because she knew about another persons secret recording of a traffic stop and did not alert the officers. Advertisement Advertisement This pattern of persecution is deeply disturbing. Although the Supreme Court has never specifically discussed the right to record, the 1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th, 9th, and 11th U.S. Circuit Courts of Appeals have all held that the First Amendment plainly protects the filming of officers and public. And for good reason: A long line of Supreme Court precedents confirms that the government may not repress speech by silencing certain voices at any of the various points in the speech process. As the 7th Circuit explained, the act of making a recording is a corollary of the right to disseminate the resulting recording. The right to publish or broadcast the recording would be insecure, or largely ineffective if the recording itself were banned. Nobody seriously argues that the government could forbid us from taking notes in public to detail police officers behavior. Why should it be permitted to ban audiovisual recordingswhether covert or conspicuous? Advertisement Advertisement Massachusetts, however, has refused to modernize Section 99 to comply with these legal developments. (It has also been slow to roll out body cameras for cops, which would theoretically create continuous video of their public activities.) So, in 2016, the ACLU of Massachusetts sued again, this time on behalf of Martin and Perez. It argued that police were working around the landmark Glik decision by targeting secret recordings, when the Glik court made no distinction between open and furtive filmings. Advertisement The evidence is undeniable: Massachusetts officers dont just continue to arrest individuals who record them. The Boston Police Departments official training material actually instructs officers that they may arrest and charge people who secretly record them performing their duties in public. The Boston Police Academy even issued a training bulletin informing officers that they can arrest individuals who surreptitiously record them doing their job. It also put out a training video that instructs officers they can take charges out against an individual who secretly records them. Advertisement Judge Saris disagreed. As a content-neutral restriction on conduct protected by the First Amendment, she wrote, Section 99 must be narrowly tailored to serve a significant government interest to pass constitutional muster. It is not. The diminished privacy interests of government officials performing their duties in public, Saris held, must be balanced by the First Amendment interest in newsgathering and information-dissemination. Here, the First Amendment wins out: Section 99 is not narrowly tailored to protect privacy, but is rather a blunt instrument that officers can exploit to suppress expression. The Constitution does not permit public officials to limit the stock of public information in this way. The Boston Police Departments official training material actually instructs officers that they may arrest and charge people who secretly record them performing their duties in public. Oddly enough, Saris decision consolidated the Massachusetts ACLUs case with a similar lawsuitone brought by Project Veritas, James OKeefes undercover troll operation. While the ACLU and Project Veritas didnt work together closely, their suits took aim at the same statute. Unlike the ACLUs plaintiffs, who wish to capture potential police misconduct, OKeefe wants to film progressive public officials, then release heavily edited videos falsely implying that they broke the law. The cause may be less noble, but the First Amendment protects the act of filming these officials all the same. Thanks to the ubiquity of smartphones and the vigilance of courageous bystanders, police brutality and misconduct are increasingly difficult to cover up. The killings of Eric Garner and Walter Scott are lodged in the public consciousness, vivid reminders of the cruelty, racism, and injustice that still infects American policing. Saris decision ensures that Massachusetts cops cant invoke Section 99 to censor secret videos of their work. Martin and Perezand, yes, even OKeefecan finally record Massachusetts public officials clandestinely without fearing their films will land them in prison. Morocco and the African Union choose Marrakech, which is hosting this Dec.10-11 the Intergovernmental Conference on Migration, to sign the headquarters agreement of the African Migration Observatory. The setting up of the African Migration Observatory, to be headquartered in Rabat, was proposed by King Mohammed VI, in his capacity as the AU leader on the issue of migration. The proposal was endorsed by African heads of State at the 31st AU Summit held in Nouakchott last July and was included in the Marrakech Compact. The African Agenda has dedicated a fully-fledged institution to migratory dynamics, the African Observatory for Migration and Development, which will have its headquarters in the Kingdom of Morocco and which is explicitly mentioned in the Compact, King Mohammed VI said in his message to the Marrakech Conference. My hope is to see the work of this Observatory effectively enhanced through networking with similar institutions in other regions, he said, adding that the African continent will not be the subject of the Global Compact, but will be a key actor of the compact. The African Agenda on Migration has laid out its roadmap. It has played a pioneering role, anticipating the importance of being aware of migratory dynamics, something which has been acknowledged by the Global Compact, he said. The headquarters agreement was initialed by minister of Foreign Affairs Nasser Bourita and chairman of the African Union Commission, Moussa Faki Mahamat, who is attending the Marrakech Conference that was marked by the adoption Monday of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration. The African Migration Observatorys work is based on the triptych understanding, anticipating and acting. It is tasked with collecting information, promoting exchange of data and facilitating coordination between African countries on migration issues. In a statement to the press following the signing ceremony, Faki stressed that this Observatory is an important tool for analyzing the phenomenon of migration and for obtaining reliable statistics that are specifically African. It is time for Africans to manage this (migratory) issue on their own, said Faki, highlighting Africas strong adherence to the Global Compact on Migration, which includes important provisions to protect migrants. The adoption of the Global Compact on Migration in Marrakech is the best illustration that migration is now at the heart of the Global and African Agenda, he said. The Observatory is the beginning of the implementation of the Global Compact on Migration, which emphasizes that better knowledge of this phenomenon will lead to better management, Bourita said on his part. Tips for the top 10 events in the capital between December 14 and December 23, plus regular services in different languages, training, temporary exhibitions and highlights of the year. Font size: A - | A + Comments disabled These tips are prepared in cooperation with Eventland. Download the app and see what's going on around you wherever you are (Android, iOS). Top 10 EVENT: Christmas Street Food; Starts: Dec 14-16 MARKET: SAShE Christmas market; Starts: Dec 15, 9:00 CONCERT: Piotr Rubik; Starts: Dec 15, 19:00 RUN: Cake Half-marathon; Starts: Dec 16, 9:00 MARKET: Good market; Starts: Dec 16, 10:00 EVENT: Christmas gifts; Starts: Dec 16, 12:00 CONCERT: Hilaris Chamber Orchestra Christmas concert; Starts: Dec 16, 18:00 MARKET: Fresh Market; Starts: Dec 17-22 PARTY: Christmas party 2018, Starts: Dec 17, 19:00 MARKET: Grand bazaar - Christmas edition; Starts: Dec 22, 9:00 Religious Services for non-Slovak speakers Galleries in Bratislava: Temporary exhibitions Training in English Highlights of the year (selection of events for which it's advisable to obtain tickets early) Top 10 Christmas Street Food Tyrsovo nabrezie, Petrzalka, Friday - Sunday, December 14-16 The Christmas Street Food is a gastronomic event with a cultural program. In addition to excellent street food, you can also enjoy a Christmas flea market at the same place. We recommend you come hungry. Admission is free. SAShE Christmas market Stara trznica, Namestie SNP, Bratislava-Old Town, Saturday, December 15, 9:00 SAShE Christmas market will take place on December 15 at the Old Market. Visitors will be able to find anything that they might need pre-Christmas. On the lower floor, you can buy vegetables, smoked meat, cabbage, bread and cakes. Upstairs there will be 50 SAShE brands where you will be able to buy handcrafts, cosmetics, jewelry, handbags, clothing, and accessories for loved ones. Admission is free. More info: https://www.facebook.com/events/1220894358076336/. Piotr Rubik EXPO-Arena, Incheba Expo Bratislava, Viedenska cesta 3409, Petrzalka, Saturday, December 15, 19:00 Do not miss a unique musical encounter with Piotr Rubik. "My History" is a concert of his greatest hits like Straznik raju, Most dwojga serc, Sweat Sie nie konczy, Niech mow, Psalm dla ciebie, Psalm kochania, Milosc to slowa dwa and many others. Admission: 19-36. video //www.youtube.com/embed/ywLlbnIjbgY Cake Half-marathon Zelezna studnicka, Nove Mesto, Sunday, December 16, 9:00 Traditional December Fun - Taste all kinds of homemade Christmas pastries in the sixth year of the Cake Half-marathon. Anyone can come - women, men, children, dogs. Invite your friends! What to bring? Cakes are compulsory and Christmas costumes are welcomed too. More info: www.facebook.com. Illustrative Stock Photo (Source: AP/TASR) Good market Namestie SNP, Bratislava, Sunday, December 16, 10:00 This will be a challenge! Are we going to fill one of the biggest squares in Bratislava with stands, program and entertainment? Buy original Christmas presents in the magic atmosphere of the Old Market and the entire SNP Square at the Good Market on the last Sunday before Christmas. Admission is free. More info: https://www.facebook.com/events/328066934656513/. (Source: Courtesy of Dobry Trh) Christmas gifts Nova Cvernovka, Racianska, Bratislava, Sunday, December 16, 12:00 Come see a Christmas distribution of presents in the form of a festival full of vegan food, clothing, presentations about veganism, activism, vegan fashion, sport and art. Enjoy evening concerts, screening of the movie Bold Native along with the launch of two books - an illustrated book for kids Vtedy Svet by Michaela and Lukas Vincourovi and a Czech translation of How to Create a Vegan World by Tobias Leenaert. Are you stressed out because of Christmas? Struggling with buying presents? Come and surround yourselves with an atmosphere full of selflessness and compassion. Let's celebrate Christmas with love and compassion towards all living beings! Admission is free. Hilaris Chamber Orchestra Christmas concert Mirror Hall, Primacialny palac, Primacialne square, Old Town-Bratislava, Sunday, December 16, 18:00 After a successful sold-out concert of Tribute to Vivaldi, Hilaris Chamber Orchestra presents another attractive project. At the concert led by Alan Vizvary, the founder and leader of the Hilaris Chamber Orchestra, there will be beautiful and exciting works by prominent music composers such as J. S. Bach, A. Vivaldi, A. Corelli and W. A. Mozart. As a Christmas concert, traditional Slovak and foreign Christmas carols are also included in the program. Admission: 15-17. More info: www.ticketportal.sk. video //www.youtube.com/embed/kHvl2OGxzQ8 Christmas market at Fresh Market Fresh Market, Roznavska, Monday - Saturday, December 17-22 Enjoy Christmas markets at Fresh Market! You can also do your Christmas shopping at Fresh Market. There will be fish, trees, decorations, sauerkraut, honey and other materials for your Christmas table. And you can look forward to traditional snacks! Admission is free. Christmas party 2018 Satori Stage, Mickiewiczova 9, Bratislava, Monday, December 17, 19:00 Christmas is almost here. And we can again say, "It was a great year!" That's why we want to conclude and celebrate this year with you. It will not be a silent or holy night! We look forward to seeing you at this party. Admission: 22. Grand bazaar - Christmas edition Stara trznica, Namestie SNP, Bratislava-Stare Mesto, Saturday, December 22, 9:00-15:00 Last minute Christmas gifts? Not a problem! We are preparing a special Christmas edition of Grand Bazaar on the Saturday before Christmas Eve. If you're looking for something original that you cannot find in stores, you're in the right place. Antiques, vintage and retro - all this is offered at the Old Market Hall along with a food market and children theaters. Admission is free. Do you want to know more? Download Eventland's app and see what is going on around you wherever you are (Android, iOS). TRAINING: Pilates in English; Starts: Every Monday evening, 20:30 TRAINING: Yoga in English on Thursdays; Starts: Every Thursday, 18:30 TRAINING: Yoga in English at Indian Embassy; Starts: Monday to Friday, 11:00, 16:00, 18:00 TRAINING: Pilates in English The class is in English, suitable for men and women, beginners and advanced, Slovaks and foreigners. The venue is equipped with Pilates requisites, a shower and a kitchen. (you do not need to bring a mat). Andreas classes are a mix of Pilates exercises for a strong core and and flexible body, and also Yoga exercises for stretching the stiff muscles caused by a sedentary lifestyle. Her classes end with the all-important relaxation of Body and Mind. She also uses highly qualitative etheric oils (doTerra) during the class. Refreshments, tea, fruits are included in the price. Starts: Every Monday evening, 20:30; Open Mind centrum, Mickiewiczova 2. Admission: 8 (one-time charge). More info: www.internationals.sk. TRAINING: Yoga in English on Thursdays - You need to make reservation via yoga@internationals.sk. This is a beginners & intermediate class and you do not need any pre-knowledge. We will practice Dynamic Flow yoga. Take a look on one of our sessions: https://www.facebook.com/InternationalsBratislava/videos/1604953649521444/ Tea, water, fruit, showers are available to use for free. In this classes we are going to perform exercises that will make us stronger, more flexible, obtain balance and have fun while doing it. Starts: Thursday 18:30; Open Mind Centrum, Mickiewiczova 2. Admission: 8 (one-time charge) or 59 for a 10 session ticket you can use within 12 weeks. More info: www.internationals.sk. TRAINING: Yoga in English at Indian Embassy - The Embassy of India in Bratislava is happy to announce the commencement of Yoga classes. The classes will be conducted by Ms. Jaiwanti, Yoga Teacher. The classes will cover Asanas, Pranayama, Meditation and Relaxation techniques. People interested in joining the Yoga Classes are requested to fill in the attached Registration Form. The Registration Form may then be sent to email: eindia.iccr@mail.telekom.sk. For any clarification/further information, you may contact Ms. Jaiwanti at Tel: +421-2-5296 2916/7/8 or email: eindia.iccr@mail.telekom.sk. Admission is free. Starts: Monday to Friday, 11:00, 16:00, 18:00, Dunajska 4, Bratislava. More info: www.indianembassy.sk Illustrative Stock Photo (Source: AP/SITA) SLOVAK NATIONAL GALLERY The eights; Open: Tue Wed 10:00 18:00, Thur 12:00 20:00, Fri Sun 10:00 18:00 until Dec 31, 2018 Useful Photography. Photography in Contemporary Slovak Art; Open: Tue Wed 10:00 18:00, Thur 12:00 20:00, Fri Sun 10:00 18:00 until Feb 17, 2019 DANUBIANA Adam Szentpetery: Geo Codes; Open: Tue Sun 10:00 18:00 until January 13 Milan Lukac: Paintings and Sculptures; Open: Tue Sun 10:00 18:00 until January 13 Peter Roller: Messages; Open: Tue Sun 10:00 18:00 until January 13 Karol Kallay: Unforgettables; Open: Tue Sun 10:00 18:00 until January 13 KROKUS GALLERY Erik Sille: Black Melon; Open: Wed-Sat 14:00 18:00 until December 21 TEMPORARY EXHIBITION IN SLOVAK NATIONAL GALLERY: The eights - The exhibition project The Eights is unconventionally conceived for the atrium as a series of small exhibitions for the anniversaries of the eights: February 1948, August 1968 and October 1918. The basis of the exhibition is a long, 3-meter high wall - "gallery noticeboard" - on which the visual collages will be rotated according to the anniversaries. The results will be a draft or materialised Pinterest board, a reminder of socialist "noticeboard culture". The collages will consist of artistic materials of various types (paintings, photographs, documents), primarily from the collections of the SNG. The final layout, the conflict of the artworks next to each other, their juxtaposition will speak about the nature of the historical event. Open: Tue Wed 10:00 18:00, Thur 12:00 20:00, Fri Sun 10:00 18:00 until Dec 31, 2018. More info: www.sng.sk Useful Photography. Photography in Contemporary Slovak Art This exhibition will not present photography as a useful, fast recording medium, "a document of the period", or as an instrument of digital manipulation, but as a tool that is suitable for a wide range of use in contemporary art. In their response to the era of digital technology, artists use the photo medium much more freely but in a more sophisticated way. Appropriated documented reality is constructed, arranged, staged anew, but with the use of purely photographic methods and classical approaches. The collection will focus on events in the past 10 to 15 years, examples of artistic techniques and strategies within the wide spectrum of possibilities of this medium. It will also take into consideration a relatively new phenomenon - the impact of foreign training and long-term stays on the work of Slovak artists. Open: Tue Wed 10:00 18:00, Thur 12:00 20:00, Fri Sun 10:00 18:00 until Feb 17, 2019. More info: www.sng.sk. TEMPORARY EXHIBITION IN DANUBIANA Adam Szentpetery: Geo Codes - This individual exhibition of prominent Slovak artist Adam Szentpetery features a retrospective view of his painting career in the visual language of geometry. Line, colour and plane are the basic building blocks of his visual system. Over the course of four decades Szentpetery has created a monolithic painting program in the field of geometric abstraction which is the essence of mental contraction, rational practices and protestant economy of form. The exhibition presents basic themes and series of works, but without any linear sequence. On the contrary, they run parallel to each other or emerge in a later period in a transformed shape. Open: Tue Sun 10:00 18:00 until January 13, Vodne dielo Cunovo. More info: www.danubiana.sk. Milan Lukac: Paintings and Sculptures - Sculptor Milan Lukac is one of the most well-known artists in Slovakia and his name resonates in a wider European context, particularly in France and Austria. Thanks to the universal language of his paintings and sculptures he can address a broad audience as his work conveys a convincing testimony of the state of the world in its endless forms and shapes. Sometimes it has an eminently intellectual and even philosophical charge with distinctive human overtones; at other times it interprets the fragility of interpersonal relations, but frequently it casts a lighter view of the endless realm of nature, its mysteries and its metamorphosis. Open: Tue Sun 10:00 18:00 until January 13, Vodne dielo Cunovo. More info: www.danubiana.sk. Peter Roller: Messages - Peter Roller is an inventive Slovak sculptor who has mastered space, form and the material itself. Since entering the art world in the 1970s, he has created a special associative and metaphoric language of sculpture. He equally enjoys working with stone, wood and metal. Light has played important role in his work from the very beginning. For Roller, the material building of sculptures and objects is a philosophical utterance whose outer expression is dependent on the inner construction. The light of the environment, which turns the sculptures surface into shadows, emphasizes and complements the quality of the form by its various intensity. Open: Tue Sun 10:00 18:00 until January 13, Vodne dielo Cunovo. More info: www.danubiana.sk. Karol Kallay: Unforgettables - Karol Kallay entered the world of Slovak photography in his own way. In 1942, at the age of sixteen, he won his first award (gold medal for first place) for his photograph entitled Asfalteri / Asphalters at a national competition. In 1950, he definitely decided to devote his life to photography, and he began to work as a freelance photographer and travel the world. In the mid-1950s he brought motion to fashion photography by taking models outside and away from the photo studios and breathing life into his shots. His work was well received in Germany and France; he even received an offer for cooperation from Moscow. Open: Tue Sun 10:00 18:00 until January 13, Vodne dielo Cunovo. More info: www.danubiana.sk. TEMPORARY EXHIBITION IN KROKUS GALLERY Erik Sille: Black Melon - Erik Sille (1978), painter and graduate of the Academy of Fine Arts and Design in Bratislava, has been nominated for the Tatra Banka Art Award 2018 for his solo show error at Kunsthalle Bratislava in 2017, and the monograph Erik Sille Happiness Is Within Reach (published by Krokus and Slovart) is in the final selection of the National Design Prize 2018. Open: Wed-Sat 14:00 18:00 until December 21, Namestie 1. Maja 3. More info: www.krokusgaleria.sk. Religious Services for non-Slovak speakers SERVICE: Apostolic Church; Starts: Sundays, 9:30, Bratislava City Church, Trnavske myto 1, English SERVICE: Bratislava International Church, Starts: Sundays 10:00 English, Maly kostol, Panenska Street (entrance from Lycejna Street) SERVICE: Brotherhood Church (Cirkev bratska); Starts: Sundays 10:00, Cukrova 4, English MASS: The Church of Saint Ladislav; Starts: Sundays 11:00, Spitalska, English MASS: Church of St. John of Matha; Starts: Sundays 9:00 Latin MASS: St. Martins Cathedral; Starts: Sundays 7:45 German, 9:00 Latin MASS: Church of the Merciful Brothers; Starts: Sundays 11:30 Italian SERVICE: Small Evangelical Church; Starts: Sundays 9:00 Hungarian, 10:00 English, 11:30 German, Maly kostol, Panenska Street (entrance from Lycejna Street) SERVICE: Citylight Church, Starts: Sundays 10:00 English, Namestie 1.maja 1 SERVICE: Bratislava International Fellowship, Starts: Sundays 10:00 English, Trnavske myto 1, (Istropolis) SERVICE: International Baptist Church; Starts: Sundays 10:00 English, Sulovska 2 JEWISH SERVICE: Synagogue on Heydukova Street; Starts: Friday evening (before twilight), Saturday morning (usually at 9:00), and during feasts, Hebrew Highlights of the year CONCERT: Glenn Miller Orchestra; Starts: January 15, 19:00 CONCERT: Steven Wilson: To the Bone Tour 2019; Starts: February 10, 20:00 CONCERT: Nicki Minaj & Future; Starts: February 22, 2019, 19:30 EVENT: Lord of the Dance; Starts: Mar 1, 20:00 CONCERT: Paul Kalkbrenner; Starts: Mar 7, 19:30 CONCERT: Eros Ramazzotti; Starts: Oct 5, 2019 CONCERT: Glenn Miller Orchestra - The original American Glenn Miller Orchestra was founded in the thirties of the last century. Founder Glenn Miller is considered one of the greatest shining stars of the American jazz scene for more than 35 years. Glenn's career lasted only five years, but this time was long enough for Glenn Miller to become a leading personality of the world's most popular swing orchestra, which remains under the name of "Glenn Miller Orchestra". Dutch conductor and keyboardist Wil Salden has been conducting the orchestra for several decades. You can enjoy his amazing talent and work live on January 15, 2019 in Bratislava. They will play favourites such as Sunrise Serenade, Moonlight Serenade, Moon Love, Over The Rainbow, Blue Orchids, Careless, When You Wish Onon, and Imagination. Starts: January 15, 19:00, Istropolis, Trnavske myto 1. Admission: 45-59. CONCERT: Nicki Minaj & Future World hip-hop icons Nicki Minaj and Future have their first shared tour, NickiHndrxx. The show is great for those who love hip-hop and mainstream music. The several award-winning musicians are well-known for their hits that reach top places in the music rankings. Together, they will bring an unforgettable show to the stage. Starts: February 22, 2019, 19:30, Ondrej Nepelas Winter Arena, Odbojarov 9, Bratislava. Admission: 69-109. More info: www.ticketportal.sk. CONCERT: Steven Wilson: To the Bone Tour 2019 - Steven Wilson, composer, musician, producer and leading personality of contemporary progressive rock, will perform for the first time in Slovakia. His successful show, To the Bone enriched by Porcupine Tree, will be presented on February 10, 2019 in the Bratislava refinery gallery. Steven Wilson has published more than fifty albums over his thirty-year career. The current, To the Bone, is his most successful record. After being released in August last year, he reached third place in the UK Album Chart, 2nd in Germany, and even in August 2017 his was among the 10 best-selling albums in Europe. To the great pleasure of intelligent progressive rock fans, Steven Wilson continues his successful worldwide tour To the Bone in 2019. Starts: February 10, 20:00, Refinery Gallery, Vlcie hrdlo, Bratislava. Admission: 39.5 - 50.5. More info: https://listocheck.sk/en/detail/steven-wilson. EVENT: Lord of the Dance: Dangerous Games The Famous Lord of the Dance returns to Slovakia to perform in front of our public. Their last visit in 2017 was rewarded with record audiences. A brand new dancing performance, great visual technology, sound, beautiful costumes, new music by composer Gerard Fahy and 40 talented young artists from around the world are the core of Dangerous Games. Starts: Mar 1, 20:00, Viedenska cesta 3-9, Incheba arena. Admission: 23-78. More info: www.ticketportal.sk. CONCERT: Paul Kalkbrenner - Paul Kalkbrenner is ranked among the best electronic musicians in the world. The DJ from Berlin caught the attention of Slovakia in 2012 and after seven years he is returning to Bratislava with new work. The best electronic concert of the year 2019 will be played at the Refinery Gallery and you must be there! Starts: Mar 7, 19:30, Refinery Gallery, Vlcie hrdlo, Bratislava. Admission: 39. More info: www.ticketportal.sk. CONCERT: Eros Ramazzotti Italian pop-rock star Eros Ramazzotti has announced his world tour and also a new studio album. Slovaks can also look forward to well-known songs such as Fuoco nel fuoco and Piu bella cosa, LAurora, Un altra te, Dove c e musica, Se bastasse una canzone. Starts: Oct 5, 2019, Ondrej Nepelas Winter Stadium. Admission: 39-79. More info: www.ticketportal.sk. As a result, they will see their income increase by about 1,000. News: Receive favorite authors articles by email. Try the new feature and turn on the subscription. Font size: A - | A + Comments disabled Salaries of MPs will rise by several hundred euros in 2019. Despite previously announced steps, parliament has not frozen them as in previous years. Also, no system solution was approved. Our colleagues Robert Fico (Smer) and Andrej Danko (SNS) stopped what we proposed, so there is no system solution, said Bela Bugar, chair of Most-Hid, as quoted by the TASR newswire. Smer and the Slovak National Party (SNS) should have proposed another solution, but this did not happen, he added. At the same time, Bugar admitted that a salary increase of 1,000 would not be readily accepted by the public. There will be certainly be waves of indignation, we can count on that, he said, as quoted by TASR, adding that it was important to know that salaries had not been increased for years. Several Smer MPs did not want to comment specifically, remarking that they did not know anything about it. Dusan Jarjabek (Smer) said that salaries would not be frozen again; there is no reason for it as Slovakia has an historically balanced budget. This is not only about the increase in salaries, it brings the issue in line with the law again, he said, as quoted by TASR. The freeze was a sign of good will linked to the economic situation at the time. System solution Jaroslav Paska, first deputy of the SNS, said that their party stopped being involved in the issue when Anton Hrnko (SNS) who was looking for consensus, had not been understood or his ideas accepted. We tried to solve it and did everything that was needed from our point of view, he said, as quoted by TASR. Veronika Remisova of the Ordinary People and Independent Personalities (OLaNO) said that OLaNO proposed an amendment to freeze salaries again in October, but without success. There was no alternative proposal, the coalition is probably satisfied with the situation, she said, as quoted by TASR, adding that she was for a system solution. It is unacceptable to increase salaries by such a big leap, she said. The liberals have been against the freeze in recent years, said Lubomir Galko of Freedom and Solidarity (SaS). If the coalition came up with a reasonable proposal, we would support it, he said, as quoted by TASR, adding that they do not want the freeze to continue. Salaries for MPs have been frozen since 2008. Debate on a system solution for salaries started last year, when the issue of the discontinuation of the freeze caused the discussion to become tense. The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) in Strasbourg rejected his complaint. News: Receive favorite authors articles by email. Try the new feature and turn on the subscription. Font size: A - | A + Comments disabled The Czech Prime Minister of Slovak origin, Andrej Babis, will remain in the registers of the communist-era secret police StB agents, since the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) dismissed a complaint he filed against Slovakia on June 14, the Czech weekly Respekt wrote on its website. Babis wanted to make an official declaration that he did not knowingly collaborate with StB. It is unknown what the complaint contained in detail, but the reports suggest that he argued that the Slovak courts had breached his rights, Respekt reported. Read also: Read also: Czech PM files lawsuit against Slovakia at ECHR Read more The ECHR rejected the complaint on November 20, 2018. Babis's court campaigns in Slovakia Babis has been trying to have his name deleted from the StB files since entering politics. When he first turned to the courts, he won. The judge predominantly took into account the testimonies of former StB officers, stating that Babis had not been an agent. However, historians and experts studying StB claimed that Babiss code name Bures is mentioned in 12 volumes of StB records, Respekt reported. The Constitutional Court in Slovakia later ruled testimonies of ex-StB officers cannot be taken as credible. Upon this ruling, other courts had to decide in a way that Bures will not be erased from the list. Precitajte si tiez: Precitajte si tiez: We are sorry about Babis. We aren't all like him Read more Yet, Babis took to court the Nations Memory Institute (UPN), which collects all the documents in regard to communism in Czechoslovakia, not the Slovak Republic in this case. The Supreme Court in Slovakia also confirmed the previous rulings. As a result, Babis turned to the ECHR, unsuccessfully. Respekt has speculated that Babis could file another complaint, this time against Slovakias Interior Ministry. Amnesty International writes in its report on human rights. News: Receive favorite authors articles by email. Try the new feature and turn on the subscription. Font size: A - | A + Comments disabled The year 2018 has seen a growing xenophobic rhetoric and repressive measures, the human rights organisation Amnesty International (AI) said, giving Hungary, Poland, and Russia as examples. Slovakia also did not escape criticism after AI published its annual report on the state of human rights, titled Rights Today. Precitajte si tiez: Precitajte si tiez: Slovakia has extradited Yandiev to Russia Read more The organisation has criticised Slovakia for extraditing Aslan Yandiev, an asylum seeker, to Russia, despite the possibility of torture. Moreover, Slovakia is not monitoring Yandievs whereabouts in Russia sufficiently. Lack of transparency Apart from that, Slovakia has failed to transparently publish data on its export of conventional weapons once again. As a result, adequate public control cannot be carried out, the AI report suggests. The country has also been advised to do more to make sure the arms trade does not contribute to the violation of human rights. Women vs world leaders Another significant feature of 2018 was the fight of women for equality. The expression of power by world leaders pursuing misogynist, xenophobic and homophobic policies have again threatened personal rights and freedoms, AI has warned. The female defenders of human rights have shown us this year the indomitable vision of fighting these negative phenomena, said Rado Sloboda of Amnesty International Slovakia, as quoted in a press release. Read also: Read also: Istanbul ratification still nowhere in sight Read more AI has pointed to the fact that the Slovak government failed to submit the Istanbul Convention to the parliament for ratification. The document, authored by the Council of Europe, proposes to create a European legal framework for the protection of women against all forms of violence. But women were the ones fighting for human rights on the frontline across the globe in 2018, the report reads. Roma issues European Commissioner for Justice, Consumers and Gender Equality, Vera Jourova, and the Commissioner for Human Rights expressed concern over the continued discrimination and segregation of Roma children in education, AI wrote in the report. Precitajte si tiez: Precitajte si tiez: Five years after the Moldava raid, the victims have turned into perpetrators Read more The new law prohibits discrimination and segregation in education, but many Roma children are still placed in special schools and classes for children with intellectual disabilities, the report reads. Moreover, the European Commission continues the proceedings against Slovakia for breaching the Racial Equality Directive. The European Roma Rights Centre also brought an action in March for the unreasonable use of force by the police against Roma in the town of Moldava nad Bodvou (Kosice Region) in 2013, to the European Court of Human Rights, AI wrote in the report. Six Roma who complained about the brutality of the police were charged with perjury. They now face five years in prison. Peter Hrasko will officially leave the police corps at the end of the year. News: Receive favorite authors articles by email. Try the new feature and turn on the subscription. Font size: A - | A + Comments disabled Peter Hrasko, head of the National Criminal Agency (NAKA), will leave the police corps. He has already given his termination notice, as the police reported on Facebook. Police Corps President Milan Lucansky has accepted it and agreed that Hrasko will leave on December 31, 2018, the police wrote. Precitajte si tiez: Precitajte si tiez: NAKA head leaves due to investigation by the For a Decent Slovakia initiative Read more Lucansky hinted in November that Hrasko would leave NAKA as its head, aiming to offer him another position in the police. The temporary police corps president has decided not to appoint a new NAKA head, leaving the decision to his successor, who will be officially appointed following new rules adopted by the parliament. Hrasko is leaving following the mistakes made in regard to the anonymous criminal complaint filed against the For a Decent Slovakia initiative and their subsequent hearings. Though the New York State capital region is most known for its politics, in recent years, Troy (just eight miles from Albany) has blossomed into an experimental arts community filled with a pink church-turned-artist residency and the playful graphic designs of Yesfolk Tonics (supplying to NYC favorites like Dimes and Trst). At the forefront of the scene right now is Superior Merchandise Company: a coffee spot, curated retail shop, event space, and soon-to-be coffee roastery. Superior Merchandise Company is co-run by Felicity Jones and partner Mike Romig, who purchased the once-derelict building that houses the shop in 2015, setting up their personal residence in the floors upstairs. Jones, a graphic designer who specializes in brightly colored abstract designs, and a lifelong resident of the region, has guided the aesthetic of the unpretentious cafe, allowing local artisans to punctuate the space with color and whimsy. And that same creativity found in Superiors branding and selection of goods is complemented by a lively, seasonally-inspired coffee program. Espresso drinks, pour-overs, and batch brews are supplied by Passenger Coffee. But beyond the classics, the clear crowd favorites are the shops more experimental drinks: the Blue Bouquet Latte (blueberries, lavender flowers, vanilla, a shot of espresso, and milk) and the Corn Silk Lassi have made specialty coffee approachable in an area where the scene is still nascent. Overall, Superior hopes to provide a chance to bring people from all disciplines and ages in the Troy community under one roof. While customers hang out and sip their coffee, theyll also find a selection of textile designer Christin Ripleys hand-marbled notebooks and shirts, and Good Thing pastel bowls and trays. Jones has also introduced diverse event programmingLatte Art Throwdowns to a Moms Night Out coloring event. Theyve even had taco night. As for the food on the menu, its as local and charming as the inedible goods here. With their small, in-view toaster oven, Superiors crew prepares toasts with lovage, shungiku flowers, sesame brittle, and daikon. They source from farmers and producers in the area like Flower Scout. There was clearly an opportunity in Troy for young entrepreneurs to pursue their risky, untested ideas and a welcoming community to offer support, says Jones. Yiyi Mendoza, another Troy resident, is a co-founder of Yesfolk Tonics (who collaborated on the menus Yespresso, combining tonic, fizzy water, and espresso) and a ceramicist who worked with Superior Merchandise on the unique wares for the space. Handmade ceramics are often too big of a financial undertaking for cafes, but Mendoza appreciates the way Superior Merchandise made the decision to prioritize the custom design detail. We considered size, volume, form and color, thickness of walls, the transfer of heat, comfort, glaze texture, and the way each form would hold the aromas of coffee. Its pretty wild for me to walk in there and see people holding those pieces and drinking out of them, she says. Later this year, a backyard carriage house will transform into a coffee roasting facility and learning lab, for their coffee brand Touchy Coffee. The couple looks forward to serving a continued range of out-of-town visitors throughout the year with their expanded offerings. Being about two hours from NYC, Troy is somewhat insulated from the tourism seasonality thant a lot of the more popular Hudson Valley towns experience, says Romig, adding that he sees Superior Merchandise as a destination for locals and downstate folks alike, year-round. Indeed, the owners hope the cafe can be a draw on multiple fronts. The values that persist throughout the coffee producing chaindutiful stewardship of craft, conscientiousness, precise executionare the same values that make art and design so exciting for us, says Romig. When combined, its clear coffee is only the jumping off point. Superior Merchandise Company is an design-minded incubator for the Troy community that is worth a visit. Emma Orlow is a freelance journalist based in Brooklyn, writing for Saveur, Dazed Magazine, and MOLD. Read more Emma Orlow on Sprudge. Photos courtesy of Superior Merchandise Company. The United States Harness Writers Association's National Committee has unanimously voted Joe Pennacchio this years recipient of National Amateur Driver of the Year. Although having prominent stats, which Pennacchio has, it takes more than that for award consideration. Besides being a member of many amateur organizations, Pennacchio is the president of the Florida Standardbred Breeders and Owners Association and sits on the board of the USTA. Since he purchased his first horse in 1987, over the years he has owned more than 100 Standardbreds. In 2004, his then-three-year-old trotter Yankee Slide won the prestigious Breeders Crown at Woodbine Racetrack with Brian Sears in the sulky. Yankee Slide was trained by Steve Elliot and was sent off at odds of 40-1 and man we were pleasantly surprised with his victory, recalled Pennacchio, who can still remember the first horse he ever purchased. In 1987, I bought a pacer by the name of Skipper Marlow and raced him at Monticello under the care of Craig Mosher. In 1995, I drove for the first time and had two wins in three starts. That year both wins were with a trotter by the name of Fox Valley Trump. I won at Delaware, Ohio and then at the Red Mile. After that, I was hooked. The next year, Pennacchio and Fox Valley Trump won the $30,000 final of the Billings Series at Freehold Raceway. Pennacchio has won 176 races since then. This past season he tallied 65 starts, 14 wins, 11 seconds and four thirds for a .330 UDR. He currently owns 14 racehorses. Pennacchio's Florida contingent is handled by Jim McDonald, while Allen Sisco trains his stock in New York. Joe Pennacchio, pictured victorious with Cheeky Little Miss Over the years, Pennacchio has won races on all sizes of racetracks and has enjoyed some nice horses along the way. He has even won races in Europe and thoroughly enjoys the sport and the horses he's owned. Although, his favorite is arguably Super Manning, who is still racing today. The veteran trotter has won $650,000 thus far in his career. Pennacchio is a retired CEO who spent most of his career in department store retailing. His last assignment was as the president of Jordan Marsh department stores in Boston. He has had significant experience in running companies with both United States and foreign facilities and has served on several boards for both private and public companies. He will receive his National Amateur Driver of the Year Award when the US Harness Writers Association holds its annual awards banquet in Florida in late February. (With files from USHWA) The upstate New York chapter of the United States Harness Writers Association has announced that Riley Asher-Stalbaum has been named its 2018 Rising Star at Batavia Downs. Asher-Stalbaum was born to race and hit the ground running in 2018, which was her first year of training. Her hard work and perseverance has paid instant dividends. The daughter of accomplished trainer Kim Asher and longtime driver Larry Stalbaum was brought up in the business. Having her folks first as parents and then as tutors has helped Riley to become very successful in life as a young lady and also in harness racing. Riley raced a small but powerful stable in 2018 which featured win-machines Quicksilvercandy A, Kaitlyn Rae and Empire Earl N, who combined amassed a total of 38 victories and $231,488 in purses during the campaign. At Batavia Downs her numbers showed 124 starts with 17 wins, 15 seconds, 17 thirds and $133,409 in earnings all of the statistics are very impressive for a first year trainer that is only 11 days removed from her 19th birthday. Riley aspires to make a living doing what she loves and follow in the footsteps of her parents and if the results of her first year are any indication, the business better take notice of the girl in the red and white silks in the coming years. Riley will receive her trophy in the Purple Haze Winner's Circle during the Night of Distinction at Batavia Downs on Friday night (Dec. 14). (With files from USHWA) After 28 weeks of voting, the results from the final installment of the 2018 Hambletonian Society/Breeders Crown Standardbred Poll have been tallied. After a hard-fought, 19-race campaign, McWicked, S S G Stables iron-tough son of McArdle, has again been the No. 1 point-getter in the weekly tallies. The Casie Coleman trainee attracted 27 first-place votes and 341 overall points. Brian Sears and David Miller performed the bulk of the driving duties behind the seven-year-old horse, while Bob McClure also guided the $4 million career earner through some of his miles at Woodbine Mohawk Park. McWicked truly was something to watch in 2018, as he paced to a record of 12-3-2 from 19 starts, hauled down multiple high-end stakes, and rolled to a scintillating 1:46.2 mark-lowering victory over the Red Mile in Lexington, Kentucky. He finished 2018 with $1.66 million in seasonal earnings. Within the span of three races from mid-June to early July, McWicked swept the $500,000 Ben Franklin at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono and snared the $471,100 Haughton Memorial at the Meadowlands Racetrack. He drew off on his rivals in early September at Woodbine Mohawk Park while capturing the $600,000 Canadian Pacing Derby. He went on a tear roughly a month later, as he won the $179,000 Allerage at the Red Mile in 1:46.2 and followed that up with an open-lengths score in the $250,000 Dan Rooney at Yonkers Raceway. After having dominated in his $430,000 Breeders Crown final at Pocono, he went on to capture the $350,000 TVG Open Pace at the Meadowlands. Although it is commonplace in todays racing climate for intact world champions to be hustled to the lucrative breeding shed, McWicked will be back to fight another day in 2019, if all goes according to plan. McWickeds trainer, Casie Coleman, stated via social media in late October that there have been many offers to stand the $3.8-million career earner at stud, but that is not the plan at the moment. Thanks to all the breeding farms who have contacted us to stand McWicked [at stud], Coleman wrote, adding that the connections really appreciate all of the offers that have been submitted. Owner Ed James (of S S G Stables) loves watching his horse race and has made his decision, Coleman explained. Shartin N (321 points) and Atlanta (234) rounded out the top three on the final poll, respectively. Shartin N has been nothing short of sensational since coming over to North America in January of this year. The five-year-old daughter of TinTin In America won 19 of her 24 seasonal starts and almost $1.1 million in purse earnings. She captured major stakes on both sides of the border for trainer Jim King Jr. and owners Richard Poillucci and Joann Looney King and was the overwhelming force in the aged mares pacing division. Atlanta was sensational in 2018, as the three-year-old daughter of Chapter Seven flew to a seasonal record of 12-5-2 from 24 starts. The Rick Zeron-trained and Scott Zeron-owned filly bested the boys in the $1 million Hambletonian at the Meadowlands in August and excelled in heat racing yet again in October, as she triumphed in the $224,000 Kentucky Filly Futurity at the Red Mile. Her sophomore campaign came to an end after her Breeders Crown final, where she was just collared by a head in the $500,000 tilt. Atlanta is owned by Rick Zeron, Crawford Farms, Holland Racing Stable, Howard Taylor and Brad Grant. The results from Week 28 of the poll appear below. (Rank Horse [first-place votes] Total Points Previous Rank) 1. McWicked (27) - 341 - 1 2. Shartin N (8) - 321 - 2 3. Atlanta - 234 - 3 4. Woodside Charm -222 - 4 5. Kissin In The Sand - 177 - 5 6. Gimpanzee - 146 - 6 7. Tactical Landing - 135 - 7 8. Six Pack - 86 - 8 9. Dorsoduro Hanover - 73 - 9 10. Courtly Choice - 59 - 10 Also: Captain Crunch 32; Homicide Hunter 27; Jimmy Freight 22; Emoticon Hanover 14; Manchego 11; Warrawee Ubeaut 10; Marion Marauder 5; Crystal Fashion 4; Plunge Blue Chip, Prescient Beauty 2; Lather Up, Pure Country 1. The Hambletonian Society/Breeders Crown poll is voted on by harness racing media representatives that cover North American Standardbred racing. The rankings are based on the votes of harness racing media representatives on a 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 basis. The Hambletonian Society/Breeders Crown poll does not determine Horse of the Year. The U.S. Harness Writers Association votes in December on all Dan Patch Award division winners plus Trotter of the Year, Pacer of the Year and Horse of the Year. The Dan Patch Awards are separate from the O'Brien Awards, which recognize Canada's top Standardbreds of a given racing season. City to Conservatism: Drop Dead. Photo: Stephanie Keith/Getty Images The modern conservative movement cherishes Americas cities as generators of wealth for its patrons to hoard, and reservoirs of non-white criminality for its media outlets to decontextualize and demagogue. It has less fondness for Americas urban centers as actual human societies; to the contemporary conservative, New York City is a nice place to vilify (and/or invest in), but you wouldnt want to campaign there. Donald Trump has spent much of his political career validating exurban conservatives most hallucinatory prejudices about inner-city life. In the moguls telling, Americas urban centers are crime-infested disaster areas where there are no jobs, no educational opportunities, you get shot walking to store, everything is perpetually on fire, and beleaguered white workers are constantly rioting against an imperial liberal elite that insists on helping MS-13 murder their daughters. Meanwhile, in the telling of normal Republican politicians, people who chose to live in such Gomorrahs dont necessarily deserve the franchise. Last week, the Republican speaker of the Wisconsin State Assembly argued that his legislative majority (which was elected by a minority of voters) had more political legitimacy than the incoming Democratic governor (who was elected by a plurality of them) because, if you took Madison and Milwaukee out of the state election formula, we would have a clear majority We would have all five constitutional officers and we would probably have many more seats in the Legislature. It might seem unwise for a national political movement to make open contempt for all of the fastest-growing parts of the country a pillar of its messaging. But the structural biases of Americas governing institutions which grossly inflate the electoral clout of low-density areas make the gambit politically viable for the medium-term future (with a healthy dose of voter suppression, anyway). And anyhow, there is simply no way for the conservative movement to reconcile its ideological commitments with substantially improving its electoral performance in urban centers. Or so I (and, ostensibly, most GOP operatives) believe. The National Reviews Kevin Williamson begs to differ. In a column titled, Well Always Have Fort Worth, Williamson chastises his fellow reactionaries for assuming that the GOPs electoral impotence in cities indicates a problem with the cities rather than a problem with us before clarifying that by us he means conservatives who are less worldly and more nativist than I. Specifically, Williamson suggests that if Republicans would only dial down the xenophobia and turn up the paeans to free enterprise they could paint Manhattan red: Republicans do very well with people who drive an F-350 to work and God bless them. Republicans and, more important, conservatives do not seem to have very much to say to people who take the subway to work. Which is a real missed opportunity: If you live in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, and work in Manhattan, then you get an object lesson in the failures of statism and centralization every damned work day twice. If you live in Philadelphia and have school-age children, you dont need to read Milton Friedman: You know from bitter experience what a blessing it is to be free to choose and what a curse it is to have choices taken away. American conservatives have always been at their best when they speak to Americans aspirations. Alex P. Keaton or, in the real world, William F. Buckley Jr. never worried about being denounced as an elitist. Ambition for advancement, and the wealth and status that comes with it, was until five minutes ago part and parcel of American conservatism. That was the best message American conservatives ever had: Being rich and happy is awesome! Heres how you can do it, too. And there are still millions of Americans who want to advance and to enjoy the best things that American life has to offer, many (though by no means all) of which are to be found in the greatest abundance in American cities and in the cosmopolitan culture that America conservatives once took for granted as something of their own. What do we have to offer them? When is the last time we asked them what it is they like about Brooklyn and Austin? When is the last time we considered their personal and cultural aspirations with anything other than resentment, contempt, and outrage? At a time when Republican officeholders are openly championing urban Americas disenfranchisement, these sentiments are mostly beneficent. But theyre also delusional. Williamson offers few details about what he believes a politically viable urban conservatism might look like. But the substance of his vision can be gleaned from his past writings. Williamsons brand of conservatism has always been rooted in a meritocratic misanthropy. The columnist managed to climb up Americas socioeconomic ladder, even as the class he hails from was tumbling down it. He credits American capitalism for his success and thus, insists it played little role in his peers failures. As Williamson wrote in 2016, the economic changes of the past few decades do very little to explain the dysfunction and negligence and the incomprehensible malice of poor white America. So the gypsum business in Garbutt aint what it used to be. There is more to life in the 21st century than wallboard and cheap sentimentality about how the Man closed the factories down. Much like Ronald Reagan, Williamson harbors contempt for the poor but no ill-will toward immigrants who, by and large, appreciate the opportunities for self-betterment that American capitalism provides, and work hard to make good on them. Unlike Reagan, Williamson has little patience for anti-intellectualism, or right-wing populism of any kind; this is a man who once threw a philistines smartphone against the wall of a theater because her texting was detracting from his enjoyment of an electro-pop opera based on War and Peace. Thus, its fairly clear what aspects of contemporary conservatism Williamson is prepared to dispense with, for the sake of winning metropolitan Americas hearts and minds he could do without the xenophobia and demagogic hostility to cultural elites (i.e., the aspects of conservatism that actually have some mass appeal). And its equally clear which aspects of GOP orthodoxy Williamson considers non-negotiable: Given that hes described Elizabeth Warrens proposal for giving workers representation on corporate boards as the wholesale expropriation of private enterprise in the United States and (infamously) championed the death penalty for women who abort their pregnancies it seems safe to say that he isnt suggesting conservatives make peace with the New Deal and sexual revolution. Which means that he isnt suggesting a remotely viable strategy for building conservative power in Americas big cities. Williamson is correct that many New Yorkers are dissatisfied with the quality of public transportation in their city. But to say, Brooklynites are sick of subway delays, ergo theyre natural supporters of the Republican economic agenda is a bit like saying, Comcast subscribers are sick of service outages, therefore, theyd love it if you smashed their television screens, and then force-fed them shards of glass. The problem with the New York City subway is not that it is centrally operated, and state controlled. Most of the worlds highest-performing metro systems are monopolies that are (at least partially) owned and operated by the state. The MTAs shortcomings can be more plausibly attributed to Republican opposition to federal funding for mass transit than its status as a public benefit corporation. Granted, one could argue (as New Yorks Josh Barro has) that the MTAs main problem is its extraordinary construction costs, which are themselves the product of overly powerful labor unions. But in the United States, insisting on the necessity of increasing investment in public goods while promising to deliver higher returns on those investments, by taking on organized labor is the vocation of moderate Democrats, not conservatives, who oppose increasing investment in just about all public goods that cant be used to kill people overseas. (Somewhat similarly, its generally technocratic liberals who advocate for increasing housing affordability by relaxing existing zoning laws, not conservative activists.) Williamsons jab at the quality of urban public schools is even more of a non sequitur. The conservative movements leading lights have spent the past decade pushing cuts to public education so steep, they forced many red-state school systems to adopt four-day weeks and inspired many red-state teachers to go on strike. Meanwhile, in Congress, Paul Ryan has been trying his darndest to cut federal funding for education by roughly $150 billion. If you live in Philadelphia, and send your kids to an underperforming public school, you (almost certainly) dont need to read The Upshot to know youd benefit from an increase in federal funding for education; nor, for that matter, would such a parent typically need to read Ta-Nehisi Coates to think structural racism a genuine problem (rather than a big lie propagated to ensure full-time jobs for graduates of grievance-studies programs, as Williamson has suggested). The fundamental problem with Williamsons proposition is that there is no mass constituency for his ideological commitments anywhere in the United States let alone, the rest of the developed world. In democracies with less archaic and anti-majoritarian constitutions than our own, conservative parties do not share the GOPs maniacal hostility to social welfare spending, or its fanatical commitment to the upward redistribution of economic resources because virtually no voters, rural or urban, believe that poor people should die preventable deaths so that rich people can write off the costs of their private jets. The U.K.s Tory prime minister, Theresa May, recently called for 2 billion in new funding for public housing, while lamenting the stigma that still clings to such accommodations. Meanwhile, Canadas conservatives proudly support single-payer health care, boasting earlier this year that, under Stephen Harpers leadership, the party increased funding for health care to record levels, and promising that if Canadians return the right wing to power, it will continue to increase funding for health care at 6 per cent a year to ensure that all Canadians have access to high-quality health care regardless of ability to pay. By contrast, Americas ruling conservative government has attempted to slash funding for public housing, gut federal health-care spending (from a baseline that leaves more than 40 million Americans without any form of health insurance, and in the middle of an official public health emergency), and provide trillions of dollars in tax breaks to an economic elite that was already claiming a far higher share of after-tax income than their peers in Western Europe. The Republicans aberrant ability to advance an unabashedly plutocratic economic agenda, while still winning elections, may be partially attributable to Americas exceptional individualism. But it is nevertheless (almost certainly) dependent on our countrys abysmally low voter turnout rates; a two-party system that gives the Republicans a monopoly on cultural conservatism; and the potency of racial demagogy in a nation founded on white supremacy. Which is to say: American conservatisms electoral viability rests on the anti-democratic features of our political system, combined with the resilient strength of our nations cultural traditionalism, racial animosities, and vestigial distrust for centralized authority. Unfortunately for conservatives, those last three enabling factors are inherently less operative in big cities. That peculiarly American, anti-statist ethos that imagines churches and families as adequate stand-ins for the welfare state and government regulation as inherently dubious has long been anachronistic, even in rural America. But to the residents of major urban centers, the frontier ideology of rugged individualism is manifestly absurd. Millions of people cant efficiently move about a 23-square-mile island without heavily regulated, centralized systems of public transit. Nor can human beings feel safe in the company of so many strangers, unless the state aggressively restricts the prevalence of deadly weapons. And since a significant portion of any citys population consists of transplants seeking opportunity far from their hometowns, the idea that social welfare should be provided networks of kinship, rather than public programs, has little purchase in high-density zip codes. There is a reason why there were sewer socialists in Milwaukee before the 19th century even ended (and social democracy in New York City, before Ford let it drop dead): The logic of urban life bends toward collectivism. Further, metropolitan areas have always been less hospitable to cultural conservatism than rural ones. In most urban environments, a modicum of tolerance for cultural pluralism is less of an abstract value, than a prerequisite for comfortably navigating social life. Without question, there is no shortage of racial and ethnic tensions in American cities. And reactionary, racial politics have often prevailed in urban centers (particularly, in eras with higher crime rates than our own), while just about every municipal government in the United States is implicated in an indefensible level of de-facto segregation, and discriminatory policing. Nevertheless, it is the case that, in the aggregate, urban whites tend to have an easier time identifying with their non-white compatriots than rural ones do. And mass opposition to redistributive programs is much harder to sustain in presence of cross-racial solidarity. Finally, since time immemorial, sexual mores dictated by familial and religious authorities have proven less compelling in such economically dynamic, pluralistic environments than in small-town, U.S.A. In Americas cities where women are far more likely to be unmarried than in rural areas Williamsons authoritarian attitudes toward reproductive rights makes his libertarian economic vision less politically palatable, not more so. In sum, Williamson is right to insist that conservatives respond to their movements eviction from Americas cities by asking what they can do to win over urban voters (instead of how to disenfranchise them). But hes wrong to presume that the answers to that question would he compatible with his worldview. If there were a brand of cosmopolitan conservatism capable of winning power in urban America, Kevin Williamson wouldnt want anything to do with it. And, more importantly, neither would the conservative lawmakers who are trying to nullify the votes of Madison and Milwaukee. The protests in France have been raging for a number of weeks now, with many calling for the resignation of President Macron writes The Syria Times. Nearly 31,000 people have reportedly joined the Yellow Vest anti-government protests, which started on Nov. 17, 2018, in France, amid the failed attempts by the French government to contain the crisis with an extensive crackdown and mass arrests. The Syria Times interviewed the retired French Colonel Alain Corvez to talk about the goals and causes of the protests and how it will end. The main goals of the protests are against tax increases, but you can guess that it is also against the EU, even if it is not expressed, because everybody knows that French laws are the expression of Brussels technocratic regulations, the retired colonel said. He affirmed that French politics do not feel France and the deep roots of French people. They are like oligarchs living in an artificial world seeing the EU as the best future for France. When Macron said during his election campaign and since that he has been elected by a kind of media plot, and that he will do his best to accelerate the European construction, he meant he will accelerate the destruction of European nations, starting with France, to integrate them into a federal organization, cancelling the sovereignty of nations, Mr. Corvez stated. He described the French government as a technocratic one, which is incapable of empathising with the deep feelings of simple people who have to fight to feed their family every day. The retired colonel asserted that there was no foreign intervention needed to start the genuine movement of protestors against a government that does not understand their grievances. But he pointed out that the bandits, black blocks and others could be now supported by foreign organizations like the Muslim Brotherhood. He ruled out the involvement of the Soros because his constructions are being attacked. Frances Catastrophic Foreign Policy Regarding the protestors call for the French President Emmanuel Macrons resignation, the retired colonel made it clear that Mr. Macron no longer has any legitimacy to go on with his reform plan and should therefore leave. 80 precent of public opinion is against him. Its a pity because some of his internal reforms were good and necessary, Mr. Corvez said, criticizing what he described as the catastrophic foreign policy of the French President. Mr. Macron thinks that France cannot exists by itself and must be merged into a supranational organization like the EU. He already contemplated sharing an EU seat on UN Security Council with Germany and building up a European Defense, sharing our nuclear deterrent with Europe, he added. The retired colonel concluded by raising the following question, Whom in Europe would press the button with us? This article was edited by The Syrian Observer. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author. Lawyers are saying that the Syrian judicial system is in desperate need of a complete overhaul to tackle corruption writes Al-Ayyam. Justice Minister Hisham al-Shaer acknowledged that there were many wronged people in the prisons as a result of malicious reports that had spread throughout the war. Shaer told Al-Ayyam that there were a number of truthful personal allegations in some cases, but that judges did not have all the available evidence. He said that there were agencies that were reviewing these allegations before they reached the courts. We cannot prevent anyone from making a claim. He said that the sorting process was completed according to the Prisons Directorate, and that the Justice Ministry had nothing to do with it. Shaer added that holding the judicial conference in Aleppo under this slogan required a basing in reality and that they consider their capabilities with much insight and awareness. He said that a sound legal system and developed legislation would fill the gaps and fill the cracks that produce corruption. He said that the Ministry had taken a great interest in the informational, documentation and archival side. Lawyer Hassan al-Hassan said that judicial corruption had spread during the war, with the methods varying, according to him. For example, judges might take either financial or in-kind bribes, he added that the financial route was the most widespread at the moment, especially with issues related to terrorism, given the ease of dealing with them to achieve the highest level of secrecy and vigilance. The money is placed into a paper envelope, and takes into account the judges feelings to ensure they are tactful in the dealing, and then it is directly handed over. In some cases, the judge refuses the money, saying it is a small amount. Hassan said that every one of these corrupt judges had a key, and each key had a secret number and they would not open any doors without paying this amount. The key could be a clerk, attorney, or lawyer, or one of the disputing parties who has a shared relation with the judge, such as a friend or relative. The lawyer Mohamed Dajj says that the judiciary is suffering from a sort of collapse, adding that corruption has spread among some judges and lawyers. Dajj said that, The independence of the judiciary from the executive authorities is just ink on paper. The judges are appointed according to nepotism. Dajj said that total reform in the judicial system is needed, and that judges needed to have knowledge, neutrality, integrity and diligence, so that the Arab judiciary can emerge in its own right. He said that Syria is still rich in legal scholars in terms of skills and knowledge. This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author. Syrian regime media denied an attack near Damascus airport after reports that explosions were heard in the area reports Al-Araby al-Jadeed. Syrian regime media denied an attack near Damascus airport after reports that explosions were heard in the area. Tags: Syria, airport, blast On Sunday, Syrian regime media said that air defenses had opened fire near Damascus airport, before withdrawing the report after what appeared to be a false alarm. Our air defences engaged hostile aerial targets in the vicinity of Damascus International Airport, the official SANA news agency said, without providing more details. But the report was later withdrawn by both SANA and state television without explanation. SANA then quoted sources at the airport as saying that there was no aggression and that traffic was normal. A well-informed source told AFP that there was evidently a false alarm. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the sound of explosions rocked an area close to the airport and fire from air defences was also heard. The latest incident comes just over a week after Syria accused Israel of striking south of the capital. The Britain-based Observatory said those were the first missiles to hit Syria since an air defence upgrade after the downing of a Russian plane in September. Israel has carried out hundreds of airstrikes in neighbouring Syria against what it says are Iranian targets, many of them in the area south of Damascus. Iran and Russia are the governments key allies in the civil war that has raged Syria since 2011, and Moscows intervention in 2015 dramatically turned the tables against the rebels. The accidental downing of a Russian transport aircraft by Syrian ground batteries during an Israel airstrike on Sept.17, 2018, killed 15 service personnel. Moscow pinned responsibility for the downing on Israel, saying its fighter jet used the larger Russian plane for cover, an allegation Israel disputed. Russia subsequently upgraded Syrian air defences with the delivery of the advanced S-300 system, which Damascus insisted would make Israel think carefully before carrying out further air raids. The move raised fears in Israel that its ability to rein in its arch foe Irans military presence in Syria would be sharply reduced. But Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Russia that Israel would continue to hit hostile targets, while also maintaining security coordination with Moscow. This article was edited by The Syrian Observer. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author. The Foreign and Expatriates Ministry has described the excavation works as a new war crime reports SANA. Syria condemned the illegal excavation works targeting its antiquities by US, French, and Turkish forces and their backers in the areas under their occupation. On Monday, an official source at the Foreign and Expatriates Ministry told SANA that the Ministry condemns all illegal excavation works conducted by the US, French and Turkish troops and their agents in Manbij, Afrin, Idleb, Hassakeh, Raqqa and other areas under their occupation. There is an increase in excavations, looting and the theft of Syrian cultural heritage, which contributes to destroying it, the Ministry said. Such works constitute a new war crime that is added to the crimes committed against the Syrian people, its history and civilization, the Ministry said, adding that terrorist organizations and their supporters have been stealing antiquities and Syrian cultural heritage since the beginning of the war in Syria, as part of a scheme aimed at destroying Syrian cultural heritage and depriving the Syrian people of their past. The Ministry called on the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to condemn these grave violations affecting Syrian cultural heritage and to expose the tools implemented and those behind them. The Ministry reiterated the Syrian Arab Republics insistence on liberating all of its territories and preserving its national identity and culture heritage. This article was edited by The Syrian Observer. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author. The latest report by the Syrian Observatory of Human Right offers a grim picture of Syria. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights issued a statistical report on the number of Syrian victims on the occasion of World Human Rights Day on Dec. 10, 2018. The statistics showed that 560,000 people have been killed since March 2011, including civilians, soldiers, rebel fighters, and martyrs who died under torture in the regime prisons. The Observatory said in its report, Over 93 months and hundreds of days, Syrians have been crushed between the jaws of death, with each day declaring a decrease in their numbers, and the great disaster that has befallen them, on their land, with both Syrian and non-Syrian dead. It added, Syrian citizens have turned, from one thing to another. From people calling for their freedom and dignity and for principles, such as democracy and justice and equality, into fighters and warriors in a major battle, in which everyone displays their rifles and shoots their traditional and non-traditional weapons to kill and displace and expel and destroy the past and present of the country and its people. A halo of uncertainty surrounds the future of these citizens. The Observatory documented in its report the deaths of 104,000 Syrians under torture in the regimes prisons, stating that 83 percent were executed inside these prisons between May 2013 and October 2015, when 30,000 were killed in Saydnaya prison alone, according to the Observatory. The Observatoryaccording to its reportwas able to document the deaths of 367,965 people on Syrian territory since the start of the Syrian revolution in March 2011, until today, Dec. 10, 2018. The number of Syrian civilians who were killed stood at 111,330, including 20,819 children and 13,084 women. The Observatory also documented the deaths of 63,561 Syrian fighters in the opposition ranks (and the Syrian Democratic Forces) and Islamist brigades. The Observatory documented the deaths of 65,048 members of the regime army, while 50,296 members of pro-regime militias had been killed. The number of Hezbollah militia members killed was 1,675, while the number of non-Syrian members of Shia militias killed was 8,049. The report also documented the deaths of 65,108 non-Syrians who were part of Hayyat Tahrir al-Sham and the Islamic State (ISIS), as well as other Islamist groups. As for the groups carrying out the violations, the Observatory said, The human toll at the hands of the regime army and allied militias has reached 43,575 civilians, in addition to the deaths of 25,581 civilians killed by warplanes and helicopters. With airstrikes and rocket attacks, Russia has killed 7,988 civilians, while the International Coalition has killed 3,709 civilians with airstrikes. During its bombardments inside Syria, Turkey killed 836 civilians, and 415 Syrians have been killed by Turkish border guards. The report said that rebel groups had killed 7,807 civilians, while ISIS had killed 5,356 civilians: 4,517 men, 467 children under 18, and 372 women. Regarding the number of wounded in Syria, the Observatory said that, The ongoing military operations, bombardments and explosions have resulted in more than 2 million Syrians being wounded to varying degrees and suffering permanent disabilities. About 12 million have been displaced, including hundreds of thousands of women and children. This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author. Tuesday, December 11, 2018 Florida Politics, Bill Galvano Outlines Path to Rename FSU Law School: The new leader of the Florida Senate wants to afford more freedom to state universities wishing to rename buildings previously designated by the state Legislature. Senate President Bill Galvano, after assuming the chambers top spot last week, told reporters that he supports a framework for universities to do their naming and having flexibility, instead of having the Legislature micromanage that issue. That means legislation likely wont specifically address Florida State Universitys law school building. It currently is named after the late Florida Supreme Court Chief Justice B.K. Roberts. Instead, expect any forthcoming bills to target naming decisions as a whole. FSU President John Thrasher announced in July that the university would seek to rename the law school building after a special panel recommended the change. Roberts wrote the state Supreme Courts 1957 majority opinion to deny law school admission to an African-American student, Virgil Hawkins. The opinion is considered a pro-segregation action that defines a more troublesome legacy than his instrumental role in spawning the universitys law school, Thrasher wrote. To keep the name of B.K. Roberts on the law school building would continue to honor someone whose decisions and actions do not reflect Florida State Universitys values or the rule of law, continued Thrasher, a former House Speaker and state Senator. In 1973, the Legislature designated the law school buildings name. https://taxprof.typepad.com/taxprof_blog/2018/12/senate-president-outlines-path-to-rename-florida-state-law-school-to-distance-itself-from-segregatio.html Under the proposed deal, Pelosi could wield the Speakers gavel through 2022 at the very least. Photo: Alex Wong/Getty Images In a deal designed to pull just enough Democratic rebels over the line to ensure Nancy Pelosis election as Speaker in January, shes reportedly near an agreement on a term-limit proposal that would cap her hold on the gavel at four years. Politico has the story: The idea is part of a broader deal being floated that would limit the time all House Democratic leaders can serve, including Pelosis two longtime lieutenants, Reps. Steny Hoyer of Maryland and James Clyburn of South Carolina Under the terms of the deal, Pelosi, Hoyer and Clyburn would be able to serve three terms with an option for a fourth term if they can win the support of two-thirds of the caucus, according to multiple Democratic sources. The effect would be retroactive, meaning the two terms the trio ruled in the majority from 2007 to 2011 would count against their tenure. So if Democrats hold onto the House in 2020, Pelosi and her lieutenants would step down at the end of 2022, when Pelosi and Clymer will be 82, and Hoyer will be 83. If Republicans take back the House in 2020, however, the Pelosi gang would, in theory, be able to hang around until such time as they registered two more years in the majority. There are two tricky things about this proposed deal. One is that Hoyer and Clymer reportedly arent jazzed about it. The other is that it is closely associated with the more controversial idea, which the anti-Pelosi rebels are also promoting, of term limits on committee chairmanships. Republicans introduced that kind of term limit way back in 1995, but House Democrats have until now refused to go along, mostly because of strong opposition from the Congressional Black Caucus, whose members are finally achieving enough seniority to claim gavels largely denied to them in the past. So the leadership term-limits idea will probably be separated from broader limits on seniority: Pelosi and her detractors are also considering a plan to impose term limits on committee chairs, but that part of the deal is still fluid, according to Democratic sources with knowledge of the talks. A deal on term limits for committee chairs could be agreed to separately and at a later date. Or not at all. To some extent, the deal, if it happens, is a face-saving measure for the once-formidable anti-Pelosi crowd, which couldnt find a candidate to run against her in the closed-caucus vote on the leadership, and doesnt have enough committed votes in the January floor showdown to push her into retirement. The odds were high that Pelosi would have hung it up by 2022 anyway. But now, at least younger aspirants for the leadership will be assured the field will be cleared for them eventually. 35 minutes ago Nissan investing in electric vehicles, battery development TOKYO (AP) Nissan said Monday it is investing 2 trillion yen ($17.6 billion) over the next five years and developing a cheaper, more powerful battery to boost its electric vehicle lineup. The Japanese automaker's chief executive, Makoto Uchida, said 15 new electric vehicles will be available by fiscal 2030. Read Article Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. May was given an impossible task. Photo: Jasper Juinen/Bloomberg via Getty Images Pity Theresa May. After trying so hard at the impossible task of negotiating Brexit, the hard-luck British prime minister on Monday postponed a Parliament vote on the draft agreement she had reached with E.U. negotiators in November. Had the vote gone ahead today, she acknowledged, it would have been defeated by a significant margin. She doesnt have the votes. She never did and most likely, she never will. Indeed, Mays Brexit deal was practically dead the moment she first unveiled it, with over 60 members of Parliament rejecting it out of hand. The objections came from all quarters: pro-Europe MPs who didnt support Brexit at all, hard-line members of her Conservative party who wanted a harder Brexit, and Northern Irish allies of the Tories who consider her plan for the Irish border unacceptable. The prime minister had a scant two weeks to whip dozens of votes into her column, but by Monday, if anything, opposition to the deal had only grown. Facing the prospect of a three-digit defeat that would likely spell the end of her tenure at 10 Downing Street, May wiped the vote off the calendar and promised to go back to her E.U. counterparts to seek further assurances on Parliaments concerns. Markets shuddered and the pound fell as investors priced in the increasing likelihood of a no-deal Brexit. Its not clear what those assurances would entail, but if they mean additional concessions from the E.U., they wont be forthcoming. European Council president Donald Tusk responded that the bloc was prepared to discuss ways to facilitate U.K. ratification of the deal but ruled out renegotiating any part of it. May will spend today meeting with her Dutch and German counterparts, in addition to Tusk, before a special session on Brexit at a previously scheduled E.U. summit in Brussels on Thursday. Realistically, its highly unlikely that these meetings will break the impasse. The key element of the deal that has caused consternation among Mays colleagues is the backstop provision for the Irish border: the only land border between the U.K. and another E.U. country (Gibraltar has been a whole other headache, but its a British overseas territory, not strictly part of the U.K.). Under the deal, if the Brexit transition period ends in December 2020 without a separate trade agreement, the U.K. will be placed in a single customs territory with the E.U. effectively a euphemism for keeping the U.K. in the E.U. customs union indefinitely. Northern Ireland would still follow most of the rules of the European single market, which would minimize the need for border controls. Mondays announcement was just the latest humiliation for May in a year-and-a-half-long ordeal that has consisted of little else. The deal that wont be voted on today was itself an admission of defeat: The status quo would remain in place for nearly two years, after which London would still have to play by some E.U. rules and offer permanent residency to any E.U. nationals who moved to the U.K. during that time. The Irish border has been the heaviest albatross around Mays neck throughout the negotiations, as her coalition demanded a border hard enough to control immigration, but soft enough not to disrupt the considerable amount of commerce that flows across it daily, without keeping the U.K. in the customs union or forcing Northern Ireland to remain bound by E.U. regulations. This was always a pipe dream: The deal Mays allies really want would require the E.U. to create a special exception to its rules for the U.K., which European leaders were not at all inclined to do, as it would open the floodgates to other wayward member states using the threat of withdrawal to extort similar concessions. Unfortunately, May was forced to contend with her own extortionists in her Northern Irish coalition partners, the Democratic Unionist Party, who allowed her to remain in government by forming a tenuous pact with the Tories after their disastrous showing in a snap election she called in the summer of 2017. Hard-line Brexiteers in her own party were also dead-set against anything short of a complete severance from the E.U. single market and the customs union but preferably with special treatment that would allow that severance to be consequence-free for Britain. None of this was ever going to happen. Time and again over the past two years, May has been hamstrung by a constituency whose position was akin to demanding alimony in a divorce for which they were entirely at fault. The reason she has been unable to make a deal that works for both her European counterparts and her fellow British lawmakers is that no such deal exists: The two parties nonnegotiables have always been mutually exclusive. This was true from the start and is proving still to be true at the end. The future of Brexit is now officially up in the air: May has set a deadline of January 21 to either hold a vote or make a statement to Parliament on how her government will proceed. In the meantime, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn is pushing for a general election, while Mays rivals in the Conservative Party are threatening a challenge to her leadership. Both Labour and the Tory backbenchers had been looking forward to voting down her deal as a means of advancing their respective agendas, and were furious that they wont get the chance. Other possible paths forward include a cross-party coalition to block a no-deal Brexit (if MPs can unite around a specific plan other than Mays) or a second referendum: a once-remote possibility that is looking more possible as the March 29 Brexit deadline approaches. Assuming May manages to hang onto her job for the next month, the only strategy left for her is to play chicken with Parliament, running out the clock and forcing MPs to choose between her deal and no deal, which really are the only options short of canceling Brexit altogether. On that point, the European Court of Justice issued an emergency judgment on Monday, giving the U.K. a green light to renege on Brexit without the assent of the other E.U. member states. Anti-Brexit politicians in the U.K. welcomed the ruling, but foreign minister Jeremy Hunt called it irrelevant as there was no chance of the government changing course. If the government were to cancel Brexit, public opinion on that choice would be varied. Even as the potential consequences have become clearer, the British public remains divided roughly 50-50 on whether Brexit is a good idea. The outcome of a second referendum would not be entirely predictable. The pro-remain voters who stayed home in 2016, thinking leave had no chance, would probably turn out this time around, but they would be matched by leavers outraged that the government hadnt delivered what they voted for the first time. Britains far-right nationalists, meanwhile, would make a roaring comeback (theyre already gearing up for it) and the backlash to a canceled Brexit could get ugly. Mays deal is a bad one, but its the best deal Brexiteers could possibly hope for. If it fails, which it probably will, the U.K. faces a crashout scenario with all its attendant miseries: a currency crisis, a labor shortage, shocking disruptions to the flow of trade, chaos at airports, and so forth. Companies that conduct business across the English Channel are already activating their contingency plans for a no-deal Brexit, stockpiling materials in the U.K. and relocating employees to Europe. Overall, however, Britain is scarcely prepared for the rude awakening that awaits the country on March 29. Photo: Win McNamee/Getty Images If Congress and the White House cannot strike a budget agreement in 11 days, the federal government will shut down. The key barrier to such a deal is Donald Trumps border wall. With Democrats set to inherit the House in January and the presidents monument to American xenophobia still unbuilt Trump has been loath to accept that there still arent 60 Senate votes for seizing a bunch of Americans private property, so as to stack concrete in the desert. Democrats are willing to a pay a modicum of tribute to nativist paranoia. Chuck Schumer has offered Trump a $1.3 billion increase in funding for border security measures other than his wall (which is to say, border security measures that are less symbolically fraught, but potentially, more concretely harmful). But Trump insists on at least $5 billion in funds earmarked for his signature structure. Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer will head to the White House today for talks with the president. According to Politico, they have no intention of giving an inch: Trump can either have six new appropriation bills, and a yearlong continuing resolution for Homeland Security funding (which would spare speaker Pelosi from having to fight over border policy for a long time), or else, he can have no new appropriation bills, and a yearlong continuing resolution on everything. Clearly then, the deal-maker-in-chief will have his work cut out for him. Fortunately, our presidents world-renowned negotiating skills are definitely, totally, completely, not up to the challenge. On Tuesday morning, Trump opened talks with an ultimatum: Democrats must fund the wall unless they dont want to, as it makes literally no difference either way. As the president explained in a series of tweets: Ice, Border Patrol and our Military have done a FANTASTIC job of securing our Southern Border. A Great Wall would be, however, a far easier & less expensive solution. We have already built large new sections & fully renovated others, making them like new. The Democrats, however, for strictly political reasons and because they have been pulled so far left, do NOT want Border Security. They want Open Borders for anyone to come in. This brings large scale crime and disease. Our Southern Border is now Secure and will remain that way. I look forward to my meeting with Chuck Schumer & Nancy Pelosi. In 2006, Democrats voted for a Wall, and they were right to do so. Today, they no longer want Border Security. They will fight it at all cost, and Nancy must get votes for Speaker. But the Wall will get built. People do not yet realize how much of the Wall, including really effective renovation, has already been built. If the Democrats do not give us the votes to secure our Country, the Military will build the remaining sections of the Wall. They know how important it is! [my emphasis] The presidents statement is, of course, a ridiculous lie. But if Trump has now decided that hed be content with an imaginary win on the border wall, then perhaps Democrats should entertain broader negotiations. Perhaps, if Schumer and Pelosi agreed to tearfully announce that the president (using his supernatural deal-making skills) had tricked them into paying for the wall personally and now, America was finally safe again, while their families were ruined Trump would sign his name to a Dream Act, in recompense. If someone like Mark Meadows succeeds John Kelly, sirens should go off. Photo: Alex Wong/Getty Images The position of White House chief of staff (first officially occupied by Eisenhowers top aide Sherman Adams) has been an intermittently powerful and perilous job, used in different ways by different presidents. Some, like Adams and Richard Nixons H.R. Haldeman, were virtually surrogate presidents with unlimited authority only restrained by personal loyalty to POTUS. Others, like Fords young CoS Dick Cheney (you may have heard of him) and Bushs Andrew Card, shared actual power with other key aides. Still others (JFKs Kenneth ODonnell and Clintons Mack McLarty) were personal confidants of the president more than power brokers. And a number of presidents had serial chiefs of staff who focused on different tasks at different times (e.g., Obama employed former congressman Rahm Emanuel to push his legislative agenda, and later turned to Bill Daley to improve his relationship with business leaders). It has never been clear what exactly the 45th president wanted from a chief of staff, or whether he really wanted one. At least one past president, Jimmy Carter, was thought to have wanted to be his own chief of staff, and that did not work out well. Donald Trump was said to have decided to hire John Kelly to instill discipline in the White House, but to the limited extent Kelly tried to do so, his boss didnt really have his back, and 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue is as dysfunctional as ever. So if that model has been discarded or never seriously pursued, it will be interesting to see what other options Trump is considering. One alarming possibility has been raised by the apparent self-promotion of right-wing congressman Mark Meadows of North Carolina as a candidate for the gig via the Washington bulletin board of Politico: Serving as Chief of Staff would be an incredible honor, Meadows told POLITICO Playbook. The President has a long list of qualified candidates and I know hell make the best selection for his administration and for the country. Meadows is the chairman of the House Freedom Caucus, the assemblage of archconservative House members who have been a regular thorn in the side of their own partys leadership in that chamber, and self-appointed guardians of Trumpism against the temptations of compromise or bipartisanship. Politico suggests that Meadows as CoS would represent a skilled brawler who would be ideally suited to serve as a sort of one-man War Room during House Democratic efforts to investigate the president and his cronies: Meadows and his best friend Rep. Jim Jordan, a Fox News TV star and hero on the right, have almost single-handedly pushed Republican chairmen and GOP leaders to start counter-investigations of the FBIs handling of the Russia investigation, a key talking point for Trump whos panned the probe as a witch hunt. The duo is often on TV assailing special counsel Robert Muellers investigation and touting Trumps legislative achievements. And with Mueller closing in on Trump and newly empowered Democrats eager to highlight scandal out of the West Wing, Meadows knowledge of Congress and willingness to fight for him has appealed to Trump, White House insiders say. So to put it mildly, Meadows would not likely serve as some sort of intermediary with congressional Democrats, or as a conciliatory public face of an administration needing allies. And just as clearly, hed be someone whose relations with standard-brand Republicans would be characterized by threats and intimidation more than sweet murmurings. Meadows was, after all, a key figure in two recent conservative revolts against the GOP, the 2013 government shutdown and the political defenestration of then-House Speaker John Boehner in 2015. And he played a role in negotiations that made his partys legislation to repeal and replace Obamacare too toxic to pass the Senate. More subtly, Meadows as White House chief of staff would be in an ideal position to render moot conservative elite efforts to maintain some sort of independence from Trump. As the presidents loyal satrap, hed represent the fusion of movement conservatism and Trumpism. And without question, hed project himself as totally loyal: White House officials describe Meadows as a man on a mission trying to charm the president. From the outset of the administration, Meadows energetic defenses of Trump on television earned him several invitations to the Oval Office for signing ceremonies, where Trump advisers noticed he would linger to regale the president with compliments. Among other things, Meadows has been overheard telling Trump what a historic leader he is, how extraordinary and unprecedented the Trump administration is and how awful the media can be. All in all, if Trump goes in this direction it should be interpreted as a declaration of total war against all his enemies in both parties and in the hated news media. There are already many signs that Trump thinks intensified polarization is his best defense against both political and legal threats to his presidency; if the institutional GOP and his electoral base regard any allegations against the president as yet more evidence of a partisan witch hunt, then hes insulated against impeachment and probably need not worry about legal consequences for his and his campaigns actions so long as hes in office. And near-universal reflexive support from Trumps party would also keep some of the scarier extra-constitutional options for survival on the table, as nightmare material if not imminent realities. Meadows or someone like him as chief of staff is probably the closest Trump can come to occupying that position himself, with the added advantage of having a hatchet man whos well known in Congress and the news media. If it happens, look out for a very Trumpy future. Peruvian prosecutors reached a cooperation agreement with Brazil's construction giant Odebrecht on Sunday that will unleash information on bribes that could send four Peruvian ex-presidents to prison. The agreement "is the most important part of a broad and profound process of collaboration with authorities in Peru," read an Odebrecht statement released in Lima. Odebrecht began cooperating with Peruvian prosecutors two years ago, but this agreement guarantees that Peru will not use information from crimes confessed by company officials to prosecute them or the company. Odebrecht will "recognize its responsibility, apologize to society and show its willingness" for reparations, the statement added, mentioning no amounts of money. The IDL Reporteros website however said that Odebrecht will pay $182 million in reparations to the Peruvian government, a figure based on four bids that the company won by allegedly bribing senior government officials. Peru's last four presidents -- Alejandro Toledo, Alan Garcia, Ollanta Humala and Pedro Pablo Kuczynski -- have been linked to illicit Odebrecht payments. All four are under investigation, while Toledo, currently living in the United States, has been formally charged with taking a $20 million Odebrecht bribe. The construction conglomerate was at the center of the sprawling Car Wash corruption probe that stained the biggest names among Brazil's political and business elite. The Brazilian probe also revealed that for years Odebrecht doled out hefty bribes across Latin America. In 2016 Odebrecht acknowledged in a US case that it doled out $29 million in bribes in Peru between 2005 and 2014. Emergency services reported a number of car crashes on Monday evening: Between Bissen and Bavigne, in Diekirch, Kirchberg, and in Bettembourg. A crashed into a tree on the side of the road between Bissen and Bavigne just after 9pm on Monday, one person was injured. Two people were injured in an incident in Sauerwiss in Diekirch at around 7pm when two cars crashed into each other. A pedestrian was hit by a car and injured at about 5.30pm on boulevard Konrad Adenauer in Kirchberg. At about the same time, a driver crashed into a number of parked cars on route de Luxembourg in Bettembourg. One person was injured. Wonder Caves: Ideal Spot for Hikers and Cave Explorers Former Vice President Joe Biden takes a selfie with supporters of Senator Claire McCaskill at a get out the vote rally on October 31, 2018 in Bridgeton, Missouri. Photo: Scott Olson/Getty Images Shortly after Novembers midterm elections, Harold Schaitberger picked up his phone and found an old, friendly voice on the line. It had been three years since the mustachioed president of the International Association of Firefighters union briefly shook Democratic politics by backing his group off its planned endorsement of Hillary Clinton, just in case thenVice-President Joe Biden decided to get into the 2016 presidential race. Now, with the 2020 contest around the corner, Biden wanted to catch up. The 40-minute call came just as wildfires devastated swaths of California. Biden wanted to know how he could help, and Schaitberger directed him to the unions relief effort. Soon after, Bidens political group emailed supporters asking for donations. When the conversation turned to politics, however, it felt like a reunion. We joked that we were the only union to endorse him, and he didnt even announce last time, said Schaitberger, whose organizations members ended up voting overwhelmingly for Donald Trump over Clinton, according to its internal polling. The union still has to go through a formal process, he made clear on the phone to Biden, but Im pretty confident that if he makes the decision to [run] which I think will happen right after the first of the year we will be with him from Day One. Biden is 76 years old. Hes either run for president or gotten close six times now, and each experience weighs on him in its own way from the misery of his aborted 1988 run to the delayed triumph of 2008, to the agony of 2016, when he passed on running in the aftermath of the death of his son. But, say over half a dozen Democrats whove spoken with him recently, hes never been more convinced that hes the man for our time. As hes traveled for the last two years, Bidens made little secret of the fact that he thinks his party, and the nation, made grave errors in 2016 and that he could repair a lot of the damage if he runs for, and wins, the White House. Calls and meetings like these are the exact kind of reinforcement hes seeking. I said to him in recent times, and two years ago, that had he made the decision to run and of course you have to win the nomination, but I think that was doable theres little question in my mind that if he were the nominee, hed be the president of the United States right now, said Schaitberger. And I think he believes that, too. But Biden, of course, has not yet decided to run in 2020, despite the encouragement of political allies and the parade of polls, both public and private, showing him ahead of the rest of the bursting prospective Democratic field, let alone Trump. Instead, the man whos grown notorious among his friends for taking his time to make big decisions is moving even more deliberately than usual, weighing whether the personal toll of yet another campaign is worth it, for him and for his family, which has endured a brutal few years. Top potential supporters are left reading the tea leaves: Some days it feels like hes 75 percent of the way committed to running, some days 25, said one who keeps in touch with him. If he runs, Biden is sure to face obvious, and potentially devastating, knocks on his record and his age, from the left and from younger candidates many of whom are convinced his current lead in polling is ephemeral, based only on his fame and not his real viability. Hed be putting his status as the partys beloved elder statesman especially in places that arent always friendly to Democrats to the test. And hed be sacrificing his newly found personal financial comfort, after a lifetime of tight budgets. So hes wading, slowly, through what it means to have not a shred of doubt that hes the right man for the time, but also a real fear that the time is no longer right for him. Joe Biden speaks to supporters of Senator Claire McCaskill in Bridgeton, Missouri. Photo: Scott Olson/Getty Images When he left the White House in early 2017, Biden has since revealed to friends, he was presented with a four-year, $38 million deal proposal from a speaking agency. Biden, who was out of an elected job for the first time in 47 years, and who still talks with a certain pride about not coming from wealth, rejected it, wary of the 2016 example. Then, Clintons lucrative paid speeches became a major point of attack against her both in her primary against Bernie Sanders, and then against Trump. Biden had already made clear to allies that he wanted to be part of the 2020 discussion, and he didnt want to rule himself out. Not like this. (A Biden aide couldnt confirm the numbers, but said it was true he had received such offers and turned them down.) Instead, he embarked on a book tour and agreed to occasional, carefully selected, paid speeches while surrounded by a familiar group of aides and advisers that have been at his side for years, creating a cocoon of relative silence compared to the rumors flying around other potential White House aspirants camps. Biden has instructed this team to keep his options open, but not to start building any national operation quite yet. If Biden were to run, it wouldnt be as a Barack Obama retread its unclear how much of his former bosss electoral coalition, or political magic, hed be able to re-create. While Obama and Biden remain close, prominent members of Obamas inner orbit for a while seemed more interested in the potential candidacy of former Massachusetts governor Deval Patrick, and the former president himself has said little about Bidens possible campaign. At least two other members of the Obama administration are still considering runs, even as Biden looms: former attorney general Eric Holder and former Housing secretary Julian Castro. The former president, in other words, is hardly in the Biden-or-bust camp. Instead, Bidens plan for steering his party back to presidential power is straightforward: During the midterms he and his team pitched him as the guy who could help win back onetime Democrats whod drifted toward Trump even while exciting reliable liberal voters who miss Obama, according to party players involved with midterm decision-making. A recent poll circulating in Democratic circles showed Biden leading Trump in a hypothetical matchup in Ohio, the critical midwestern battleground that the president won after Obama took it twice. A Biden candidacy would likely serve as a flashpoint for Democrats central disagreements in the post-Obama, post-Clinton era: Some of his supporters are explicitly talking about it as a chance to win over white working-class voters who swung to Trump, and to reject what they think of as their partys overreliance on identity politics that they fear alienates those voters. The Democratic Party has a huge decision to make, and I think the members of our union, and our view of the political environment, speaks to a lot of other working-class, middle-class, middle-of-the-road slices of the electorate, said Schaitberger. And I think theres no question that there is no other candidate that, with sincerity and experience and personal commitment, can speak to that part of the electorate. To Schaitberger, Biden could answer an existential question for Democrats. Is the party now going to become fundamentally, and only, a party of identity politics? And rightfully so a party of wonderful diversity and colors and ethnicities and lifestyles? Or is it a party that I would hope understands that [to win] a presidential election, theyve still got to succeed in America, fundamentally, between the two coasts? A lot of Bidens critics and a big part of the Democratic Party disagree vehemently with this analysis, of course, which is just one part of why theyre concerned about the prospect of Biden 2020. (Bernie Sanders, for one, has made clear to his team that hes wary of a Biden candidacy; Biden has occasionally taken to throwing quick digs at Sanders into his speeches.) Biden allies are well aware that a primary would likely be bruising, no matter what: He would have to explain his actions during the Anita HillClarence Thomas hearings, for one, and hed be put on the defensive over his relationship with Delawares credit-card industry. Sanders allies have already projected a willingness to attack his role in passing the 1994 crime bill (We forget that Bill Clinton and Joe Biden are the fathers of mass incarceration in this country, said Sanderss campaign manager Jeff Weaver at Hunter College in October), and others still have pointed to Bidens penchant for nostalgia as an obvious weakness in a party thats increasingly young and increasingly diverse. Last year, while campaigning for Doug Jones in Birmingham, Alabama, Biden reminisced about how when he first arrived in the Senate, the Democratic Party still had seven or eight old-fashioned Democratic segregationists. Youd get up and youd argue like the devil with them. Then youd go down and have lunch or dinner together. The political system worked. We were divided on issues, but the political system worked. (Responding to that speech, Daily Kos founder Markos Moulitsas told the New Republic at the time, If Bidens solution to eight years of Republican obstruction and conservative slash-and-burn tactics against him and Barack Obama is to talk about bipartisanship and consensus, then he might as well pack up and go home. Because if hes that stupid to believe that shit, then hes no longer got any business being in the public face.) Possible opponents also believe Bidens lead in the polls at this early point is largely based on his name recognition compared to the other candidates. He is easily recognized by every Democratic primary voter, but other contenders have not yet had the chance to introduce themselves, or try to knock Biden down. And his age is inescapable, too. Of the possible field, only Sanders is older. No Democrat in the modern era has won the presidency after previously seeking it, and one clear lesson from the 2018 elections was the partys willingness to reward new faces. Nonetheless, Bidens family looms larger for him than any potential political pitfalls especially since the 2015 death of his son, Beau, say people whove discussed his considerations with him. Biden is still recovering from Beaus death from cancer, and his other son, Hunter, closed a divorce last year, as tabloids reported his new relationship with Beaus widow. Bidens family has been supportive of his runs in the past (his brother, Frank, was tweeting articles about Joe 2020 as recently as late last year; hes since locked his account), but the prospect of a brutal, personal battle against Trump is still a painful one. Its already stopped one potential candidate from running: Patrick bowed out last week, citing how the cruelty of our election process would ultimately splash back on people whom [his wife] Diane and I love, but who hadnt signed up for the journey. And then theres the fact that Biden, for the first time in his life, is now financially comfortable after signing his reported $8 million book deal last year, and taking in money from occasional speaking engagements. Yet Bidens made one thing clear to anyone wholl listen: He still thinks hes the man for the job, as he spelled out in plain terms at a book event in Missoula, Montana, last week. Ill be as straight with you as I can, he said. I think Im the most qualified person in the country to be president. And he keeps hearing from some longtime allies that hes the most qualified to pull the country together, too. Ive made that same very strong case to him last time when he was considering that there was only one person who could bring our nation together, who could remind us were Americans before were Republicans or Democrats, and we have a shared value set, said former South Carolina legislator James Smith, who ran unsuccessfully for governor in 2018 at Bidens urging. Biden acknowledges that hed be the oldest-ever president, but brushes aside concerns that he might no longer be up for the job. His allies bristle when its pointed out to them that he ended up campaigning a lot, but less than expected, for others in the home stretch of 2018. Unlike Obama, Biden has relished playing a major public role in the age of Trump, extending his book tour for over a year and holding more 2018 campaign events and candidate fundraisers than just about any other major Democratic figure. Hes used this schedule these speeches, rallies, and interviews to try to solidify what he sees as his role as Democrats top public counterweight to Trump. He also thinks the dynamics this cycle are different from any other, so dismisses concerns that hes never gotten very far when hes tried running for president in the past. Still, in private, he occasionally recites his aphorism in politics, youre either on your way up, or your way down and makes clear to allies that he doesnt want to do anything that could set him on a path down. Hes concerned that if he runs and loses in the primary, thats exactly what would happen, and hed find himself sidelined during the general election, as he felt he was in 2016. Thats got to be part of your thinking, especially at his age, said one former Biden aide who keeps in touch with his circle. Nonetheless, Bidens often noted that hes experienced real loss in his life, and its not political loss that concerns him. His aides have yet to pull together a national or early-voting state staffing, or finance plan, believing that those pieces will be easier for him to pull together than for an average candidate. Biden, whos never been a fundraising dynamo, has still spent significant time wooing his partys major financiers in recent months, though his team acknowledges behind the scenes that even if he wouldnt need as much money to start as lesser-known contenders, the new primary calendar in 2020 heavy with expensive states up front may necessitate a serious financial operation before long. (It could turn into a huge struggle, said the former aide, if he doesnt hit the ground running.) Bidens met with scores of prospective donors in the last two years, often handing them copies of books that have stuck with him recently, including White Working Class by Joan C. Williams, The Soul of America by Jon Meacham, and How Democracies Die by Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt. In the 2018 election cycle, he raised (and spent) over $2 million through his American Possibilities PAC, and federal filings reviewed by New York show that the groups brought in cash from a whos who of major contributors, including, but not limited to: Hollywood executive Jeffrey Katzenberg; director Steven Spielberg; hedge-fund manager Jim Simons; entrepreneur Tim Gill; investor Jim Chanos; venture capitalist Chris Sacca; entrepreneur Sean Parker; investor Ron Conway; Philip Munger, the son of Warren Buffetts business partner Charles Munger; real-estate investor Mel Heifetz; and former HP executive and 2010 California GOP gubernatorial candidate Meg Whitman. And hes keeping them close. Bidens backers and supporters last week received invitations to a holiday reception hes hosting in Washington on December 12, according to an invitation obtained by New York. His inner circle, meanwhile, hasnt changed: He still consults Ted Kaufman, his longtime adviser and briefly his successor in the Senate, and political consultant Mike Donilon on almost every decision; Steve Ricchetti, his old chief of staff, is in the room, too. Greg Schultz, a longtime political aide, is responsible for helming the political group Biden launched to help Democrats in the midterms and lay basic groundwork for a potential campaign. Bidens sister, Valerie Biden Owens, is in on the conversations. The former vice-president keeps in touch informally with a handful of other former senior aides who are tasked with regularly checking in with a slightly larger orbit of supporters. Hes kept top political allies, like Schaitberger, in the loop on his thinking, as well, though he hasnt done the kind of outreach to potential influential activist supporters in Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina, and Nevada as other possible candidates have since November. Its not that he isnt paying attention to whats going on there, though he resisted traveling to Iowa or New Hampshire during the midterms for fear of drawing too much attention to his potential 2020 plans, and away from candidates, until the very end, when Iowa congressional candidate Abby Finkenauers team asked for his help. Hed been following her race closely, and agreed to swoop into Cedar Rapids. Its also that he doesnt think he needs to: In some of those states, he has a network of backers ready to spring to action if called upon. In South Carolina, for example, his top would-be lieutenants keep in regular touch, said Smith. And yet, every day that Biden doesnt send a public signal about what hes planning in 2020, some of his supporters grow more concerned that hes going to keep putting it off. Already, multiple major backers have met recently with other potential candidates, including Montana governor Steve Bullock. Some have spoken highly of Ohio senator Sherrod Brown and Minnesota senator Amy Klobuchar as appealing options, if Biden doesnt make a move. For some, the worry is that his timeline will slip, and that he may decide to wait past the first quarter of 2019, to avoid the inevitable flurry of coverage about Q1 fundraising and endorsements. Hes told everybody to be ready, said one informal adviser. But, said that Democrat, Be ready doesnt necessarily mean hes going to run. Biden used to say out loud that hed decide whether to run by the end of the year. Before too long, he started telling friends hed decide around January 1st. When he visited Iowa this fall, he told locals hed make a decision only after the holidays, said Bret Nilles, the Linn County Democratic Party chairman. Now, his closest associates expect him to at least talk with his family about it when hes with them over the holidays, if not make a final decision. In 2015, there was not only personal politics, but there was the reality: the path to victory, does it make sense? The political considerations? The money? This time, thats not where it is, at all. Its a gut check, personal decision, said the adviser. Last week, in Missoula, he said hed decide in six weeks to two months. Were at the point where hes just going to have to make a decision. Photo: Courtesy of the retailers To be Strategist editors, we have to be obsessive, exacting, and a little bit crazy when it comes to finding things to buy on the internet so that you, the reader, dont have to be. Which is why we thought that letting you in on the holiday gifts well be giving this year (and the gifts we want) might be useful. See what we gave last year, too. Mom, dad, friends please dont read this. Margaret Rhodes, senior editor | What I want Birkenstock Boston Soft Footbed Clog $140 I have a long personal history of mulling over certain purchases for months, and Ive mulled over these Jonah Hill-esque Birkenstock Boston slip-ons (in forest green) for so long that Ive made it to Christmas and decided to just ask my dad for them. Its never seemed quite right to ask my dad for shoes or clothing or any kind of fashion item (what does he care? He wears old rugby T-shirts and Keens), but my stepmom owned, no joke, around 20 pairs of them that she accumulated over the years. So I know my dad gets Birkenstocks. $140 at Zappos Buy No.6 Pull On Shearling Clog Boot $390 I feel some resistance towards these, because every other woman walking around Brooklyn has worn them for years. But Im tired of my toes going numb in the winter, and not a single pair of my wool or Heattech socks has ever really made a difference, so I do really want these shearling-lined boots. The crucial detail, to me, is that the ones I want dont have the pale wood sole. This dark sole makes them a hint more anonymous and not as heavily No.6-branded. $390 at No. 6 Buy What Im giving Savino Glass Wine Preserver $60 My mom reads the Strategist, so I wouldnt dare say what I bought for her, but I do feel safe sharing some of what she specifically asked for. That wine-saving carafe looks cool, she told me. It took me a beat to realize she meant the Savino wine preserver from our gifts-for-moms post. And then I realized of course this is the perfect gift for the mom (or the anybody) who doesnt want to ruin a bottle after pouring out just one Tuesday-night glass. $60 at Amazon Buy $60 at Amazon Buy Hay Moroccan Vase $75 Every time I go home, there are fresh flowers in my mothers kitchen, and some waiting for me in my old bedroom. But my mother has just informed my sister and me that shes always frustrated with my vases. My favorite one is done must have broke. We had a little wave of vase coverage on the site last week, with these bud vases and some of the taller vessels I picked to go with pampas grass. I think my mom would still prefer a glass vase over something ceramic, but for the sake of not buying a generic clear glass one, Im thinking about this two-toned tumbler-shaped vase from Hay. $75 at HAY Buy Patagonia Better Sweater Zip Front Vest $99 This fall, my dad and I went on a father-daughter trip to Portland, Maine, and somewhere between the oysters and beers on that trip he lost his fleece vest. So hed like another one. He couldnt care less about the Patagonia label, but he did specify that he wants pockets on his vest. For that reason (and because he lives in very cold central Oregon), Im leaning towards this one. $99 at Nordstrom Buy Tommy John Womens Lounge Henley $58 Tommy Johns press team sent a few cold-weather items over to my desk recently, and I dont even have words to describe how soft some of their stuff is. We included them in an article on startup underwear this year, but the items I liked best this go-around are the lounge pants and this henley, which Ive been living in at home for the past week. Im not even sure who Im buying this for yet, but my sister lives in a frigid climate and skis almost every weekend, so Im thinking shell be a good recipient for some extra-soft, long-underwear kind of clothing. $58 at Tommy John Buy Maxine Builder, writer | What I want Veja V-10 Sneakers $150 Ive been coveting sneakers from sustainable French brand Veja for months. I first learned read about them from the Strategist specifically from Loris roundup of the best white sneakers for women back in February. Then, while on vacation in Paris in June, I spotted stylish women in these sneakers all over the city, and even held a pair in my hands in a very nice boutique off the Canal Saint Martin, but I didnt follow through with the purchase. When I spotted them in the window of Madewell on Broadway in Soho last month, I understood that we were meant to be together as soon as someone else buys them for me this holiday. $150 at Shopbop Buy Nike Free TR 8 LM $100 Every Christmas for as long as I can remember, all eight of my cousins have participated in a Secret Santa gift exchange, and for the last several years, Ive asked for the same thing: a new pair of running sneakers, so I can get a jump-start on my New Years resolution to finally run ten miles in 90 minutes. (To no ones surprise, this has been my New Years resolution for a while, and no, I have never achieved it.) I was pretty charmed by the A.P.L. sneakers in this megapost about the best sneakers for every type of workout, but I think Ill ask for these Nikes in a subdued mauve and gray. $100 at Zappos Buy Y7 Studios 15-Class Bundle $295 One hobby that Ive picked up this year is going to Y7. Its Vinyasa yoga in a hot, dark room with no mirrors, but also the soundtrack is hip-hop instead of sitar-inflected New Age music, and can you say you really lived through 2018 if you didnt balance in Warrior III pose while listening to Nice for What by Drake, featuring Big Freedia? I try to go once a week, just to break up my regular gym routine, so a 15-pack of classes will last me well into the spring. $295 at Y7 Studio Buy What Im giving Bose QuietComfort 35 (Series II) Wireless Headphones $179 $299 now 40% off $179 Now that my parents understand what I do at the Strategist, they came prepared with their Christmas wish lists on Thanksgiving and insisted I buy everything for them on Black Friday, to ensure we got the best deals. My mother requested a pair of noise-canceling headphones from Bose (which I bought on sale for $299) $179 at Amazon Buy $179 at Amazon Buy HP 13.3 Chromebook $539 while my dad wanted a new Chromebook to replace the tiny Gateway laptop hes been using since 2009 and is still running on Windows 7, if you can even imagine that. We settled for this HP laptop, which is plenty powerful enough for him to read the New York Times and send emails and take meeting notes in his role as treasurer for his road association. $539 at Best Buy Buy Tonys Chocolonely Milk Chocolate With Mulled Wine My go-to thank-you gift or stocking stuffer this year is a chocolate bar from Tonys Chocolonely, specifically their seasonal chocolate bar made with milk chocolate and mulled wine. It tastes delicious, the packaging is so colorful it doesnt need to be wrapped, and the Dutch company is committed to ethically sourcing its cocoa, as well as to educating consumers about what a fair trade really means. Its very much a look-good, feel-good kind of gift, so I like to have a few on hand to give out as needed. Buy at Amazon Buy Buy at Amazon Buy Karen Iorio Adelson, writer | What I want CJW Netflix & Chill Silk Blend Sleep Shirt & Eye Mask $250 Ive been obsessed with this silk sleep shirt (and matching eye mask!) from artist and designer Christina J. Wang since I first noticed it while browsing Nordstrom on Black Friday. Of course it wasnt on sale, and its kind of stupidly expensive, but I love the adorable illustrations of all the things that go into a perfect lazy Sunday Netflix, cozy slippers, sheet masks, Chinese takeout, and cookies. Its not something Id buy for myself but it would make the perfect extravagant gift. $250 at Nordstrom Buy What Im giving Timbuk2 The Closer Case $159 My husband is incredibly hard to shop for because he never wants nor buys anything, so I was ecstatic when he casually mentioned that hes been thinking of replacing his backpack with a messenger bag. I dove into the search with some Strategist-level vigor and Im fairly certain Ive narrowed it down to this one. Itll fit his 15-inch work laptop and it looks business-appropriate. $159 at Zappos Buy Lauren Ro, writer | What I want Kalon Caravan Crib From $1,195 When I discovered Kalon in my previous job as an editor in the home space, I was instantly charmed. I even met the companys co-founders, whose design philosophy and process impressed me. Now that Im in the thick of shopping for baby stuff, Ive returned to the studios Caravan Crib, probably its most popular product. I love the minimal lines and pale natural finish, but especially the smooth, tapered legs. No other crib looks as streamlined or refined. But lets be real: no child has any business sleeping in a $1,200 crib unless theyre royal or celebrity progeny. But this is a fantasy wish list. It even converts to a toddler bed, which a lot of other normal-priced cribs also do, but as long as were trying to justify the cost, its a feature worth mentioning. (For the record, my husband thinks Im crazy for even entertaining the idea of buying this thing.) From $1,195 at Kalon Studios Buy What Im giving Russ and Daughters New York Brunch $140 When I was a kid growing up in L.A., my parents would take us to lunch at Canters Deli for its corned beef sandwich every Sunday after church. Thats where I developed a taste for pickled herring, my dads all-time favorite snack. When my family visited New York recently, I took them to Russ and Daughters, where my dad naturally had to try the pickled herring. One bite was enough to convince him that it was the best hed ever had. Since Im not flying home for Christmas this year, Im planning on sending my family a box of the delis New York Brunch kit and two kinds of pickled herring cream with onions and plain with onions. While the overnight shipping costs are steep (it was $55 when I sent him a box for fathers day), its certainly cheaper than a cross-country plane ticket during the holidays. $140 at Russ & Daughters Buy Katy Schneider, associate editor | What I want No.6 Black Mohair Ingrid Wrap Coat $795 I have been looking for an elegant coat that I can wear during the winter when my puffer isnt appropriate. And last week, while scrolling feverishly through Bona Drags outerwear section, I came upon this No.6 mohair shawl-coat. Its so beautiful! So soft-looking! So miserably expensive. Im Jewish, which means Hanukkah is behind me and Christmas is not in front of me, but heres hoping someone thinks I deserve a late December gift just for being me. $795 at Bona Drag Buy Leanne Shapton, Goblin Market, Pears II, 2018 $240 $240 Ive also had my eye on these relatively inexpensive Leanne Shapton prints, which are currently on sale at Picture Room. Ive loved Shapton since I read her Important Artifacts and Personal Property from the Collection of Lenore Doolan and Harold Morris, Including Books, Street Fashion, and Jewelry a fictional auction catalogue listing 325 items (love notes written on playbills, a pair of movie tickets to see Annie Hall at Film Forum) belonging to a recently broken-up couple back in 2010. $240 at Picture Room Buy Lori Keong, Writer | What I want Kaiu Vinyl Record Storage Holder $34 I really try not to hoard records anymore because I move so often (half of my record collection is at my parents house for that reason) but Ive also never really known how to store the ones that I do have with me. This table stand was the first thing I found online that wasnt an ugly-looking milk crate or a bulky cabinet. It also takes up very little space and itll help me pack light once I decide to move on from my current apartment. $34 at Amazon Buy $34 at Amazon Buy Sky Blue Crewneck Sweater $99 The one thing thats been eluding me in my winter clothing shopping this year has been a thick, chunky, knit sweater (I own lots of cashmere but I want something thicker, with texture, to round out my collection). I saw the Frankie Shop post a pile of these colorful sweaters on Instagram recently and a lightbulb went off in my head. This is exactly it. Now I just have to choose a color. $99 at The Frankie Shop Buy What Im giving Oxo Good Grips Non-Stick 12 Open Frying Pan $59 My mom doesnt read my byline (sad but true) so I feel comfortable sharing that I drew her name in my familys first Secret Santa this year. On the phone this weekend, she revealed unprompted that she was asking for this Oxo frying pan because Americas Test Kitchen said it was the best. I guess my work here is done, but Ill probably end up throwing some retinol cream in there to round it out. $59 at Amazon Buy $59 at Amazon Buy Made by True Biltong $7 Little-known fact: I grew up in Georgia, but was born in Johannesburg, where air-dried jerky is a delicacy. We love a good biltong, but you usually cant find the right stuff in the States unless you shop at a dedicated South African store. I received a bunch of samples of this Made by True biltong, though, which I will happily dole out as stocking stuffers this year. Its actually very good and well-seasoned, and comes in lots of different flavors, from garlic and herbs to coriander and spice. True story: my dad once parked our cars in the driveway so he could use the whole garage to air dry his own deer biltong (both a Georgian and a very South African thing to do). Once he knows about this stuff, he wont need to make his own. $7 at Made By True Buy Lord Jones CBD Mango Chili Holiday Gum Drops $50 My roommate is an angel and has significantly reduced my stress levels since I moved in with him this year. Weve both bonded over being highly anxious people and have discussed our dabblings in CBD before, so I think Im going to give him one of Lord Jones highly giftable gum drop sets as a token of my appreciation. Ive tried these mango chili gum drops before and theyre delicious: they taste just like lychee but with a hint of spice. $50 at Lord Jones Buy Simone Kitchens, senior editor | What I want Gifts Im Giving Hawkins New York Recycled Glass Tumbler $8 Like you, I have quite a few holiday parties to go to over these next few weeks. One of them is my good friends joint holiday/housewarming party. And since showing up with a bottle of wine is sort of required party-guesting, Im going to pick up four of these (elegant but not too pricey) recycled glass tumblers to gift along with that wine. $8 at Need Supply Buy Liza Corsillo, writer/editor | What I want Eufy RoboVac 11S $230 now 40% off $138 Two months ago, I moved into my boyfriends much bigger apartment and so far it has gone remarkably well. I want to keep it that way, which is why Ive been thinking a lot about robot vacuums. Dust and dirt from outside are unavoidable facts of life, especially in a Brooklyn apartment. But keeping them at bay feels insurmountable and stresses me out. Eliminating a task like vacuuming would give me peace of mind and us more time to actually hang out. $138 at Amazon Buy $220 at eBay Buy M.N. Davis & Son Dog Waste Bag Dispenser $24 Heres another practical gift, and one that I would never buy for myself. Most doggie waste bag dispensers are made of hard plastic and arent very stylish. This one, however, is made of waxed canvas and comes in four handsome neutral colors. Its like a tiny Filson bag that I can use for poop bags or as a mini-wallet on weekends for dog walks/coffee and bagel runs. $24 at Etsy Buy Penfield Kirby Parka $300 Despite my many hours of online research, I have never been able to pull the trigger on a true winter parka. I am looking for something extremely warm, lightweight, and sleek enough that it wont ruin a fancy outfit. My main problem, aside from being easily attracted to trendy coats that arent warm enough or are too heavy, is that the market is oversaturated with good options. But last week, Jason Chen arrived to work in his traffic-cone orange Penfield puffer and I was reminded of the brand. This parka might just check all the boxes, and its jet-black fur trim adds a level of sophistication to the sporty silhouette. $300 at Penfield Buy What Im giving Buck Mason Alpine Fleece Trouser $85 $85 This summer, when my dad was in the city visiting me and my brother for the day, we walked into the Nolita Buck Mason store, where I insisted that my father try on a pair of chinos. The look on his face when he came out of the dressing room was priceless. Thats how I know their sweatpants will fit him too. Buck Mason sweats are the menswear equivalent of a set of silk pajamas. I would honestly buy these for any of the men in my life (and several of the women): theyre flattering enough to be worn out, cozy, and made to last. $85 at Buck Mason Buy Dominique Pariso, intern | What I want Sqirl Bimonthly Jam Club From $60 I dont usually go for subscription boxes, as Im usually way too picky to outsource decision-making. That being said, Ive never met a Sqirl jam I didnt like. With this service, Sqirl will send two jars of jam every other month in 4, 6, or 12-month installments. By my estimation, Ive guaranteed myself a little Christmas cheer well into April (just when its in shortest supply). Plus, every order comes with a free tote bag, so you can advertise that youre in the know to the toast elite. From $60 at Sqirl Buy Skinceuticals CE Ferulic $166 My New Years resolution is to finally banish the dark marks my battle with cystic acne has left on my chin. By all accounts, this is the grand dame of vitamin C serum that will help me do it. Ive been eyeing it for years but couldnt bring myself to buy it. Now I wont have to! Thanks, Santa! $166 at Dermstore Buy $166 at Skinstore Buy Alvar Aalto Vase $125 I moved into a new place recently (two and a half months still counts as recent, right?) but I still feel like my apartment is missing a certain something. Specifically, a fun vessel right by the door for me to plop my keys in. This squiggly Alvar Aalto vase fits the bill. $125 at Need Supply Buy Gifts Im giving Tamagotchi $21 I love gift-giving, but sometimes I cant quite shake the feeling that it has never been as fun as it was when I was a kid. So, in the name of nostalgia and arrested development, Im buying a bunch of these in different colors: one for my adult brother, one for each of my adult cousins, and one for myself. $21 at Amazon Buy $21 at Amazon Buy Susan Alexandra Shrimp Studs $65 This one is a little strange, but bear with me: my best friend and I have a years-long inside joke involving the tempura shrimp emoji. We pretty much use it interchangeably with the red heart emoji. These Susan Alexandra studs are whimsical and affordable. And what better way to show somebody you care this holiday season than with shrimp? $65 at Susan Alexandra Buy Jason Chen, deputy editor | What I want Furbo Dog Camera $169 Last year, the gift I said I wanted on this annual post was actually given to me, so its with genuine hope and sincerity that I am putting this out into the universe. I got a dog this year and spend approximately 80 percent of the workday worrying about what hes up to, and this little camera can keep track of whats going on at home, send real-time bark alerts, and even toss him treats. Im choosing this over the similar PetCube only because its a good deal cheaper and has slightly better (and more) reviews. $169 at Amazon Buy $169 at Amazon Buy What Im giving David Notis, writer | What I want Patagonia Mens Re-Tool Snap-T Fleece Pullover $119 I have had my eye on this fleece for way too long. I have a similar Patagonia half-zip-style fleece Ive worn for maybe ten years and Im long overdue for a refresh. I know Patagonia fleeces are supposed to be for people who need a practical mid-layer while theyre hiking or climbing or whatever, but I almost exclusively wear mine when Im sick or when Im cold in my apartment in the winter. This one is basically a more stylish version of the one I already have, and since I wont associate it with ten years of seasonal colds, who knows, maybe I will feel comfortable taking it for a spin outside or on some sort of outdoorsy activity. $119 at Patagonia Buy Lodge 10.25 Inch Pre-Seasoned Cast Iron Skillet $27 now 33% off $18 This has been in my Amazon cart for probably five years. Whenever I get close to clicking Check Out, I start getting neurotic and Google how to care for cast-iron pans a black hole of conflicting internet advice and then I feel guilty for not appreciating my simple nonstick pan which has served me well enough. This cycle repeats every couple months, whenever I see one of those cast-iron pan glamor shots on Instagram. Everyone who has one tells me its really not a big deal to care for, so I think I just need someone to buy me one and save me from overthinking it. $18 at Amazon Buy $18 at Amazon Buy Portolano Mens Ribbed Hat $75 I almost never approach people I dont know about this sort of thing, but the other week I saw a guy wearing a beanie that just looked perfect, so I couldnt help asking where he got it. It was a cashmere beanie from Portolano; he said he has it in a few colors and wears them all the time. $75 at Neiman Marcus Last Call Buy What Im giving Chinese Money Plant $25 $25 I like giving people plants, and the pilea is the perfect gift plant. Its quite Instagram-friendly, (maybe too Instagram-friendly, actually, but lets not hold that against the plant). Its relatively easy to care for. And it is known for shooting out little baby plants that are easy to propagate and give to other people, so its a gift that keeps on giving. $25 at Water & Light Buy get the strategist newsletter Actually good deals, smart shopping advice, and exclusive discounts. Email This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Terms & Privacy Notice By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Notice and to receive email correspondence from us. The Strategist is designed to surface the most useful, expert recommendations for things to buy across the vast e-commerce landscape. Some of our latest conquests include the best acne treatments, rolling luggage, pillows for side sleepers, natural anxiety remedies, and bath towels. We update links when possible, but note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change. Every editorial product is independently selected. If you buy something through our links, New York may earn an affiliate commission. Seventeen conventional-cab firms in Vietnam have formed an alliance in an unprecedented gesture of solidarity in a technology-driven era to combat rising ride-share services that are endangering their income security. The Vietnam Taxi Alliance was unveiled on Monday, together with the ride-booking app EMDDI, developed by the Vietnam National University-Hanoi, one of the countrys two collegiate universities. The union now has a collective fleet of 12,000 taxis from 17 member companies located in 40 of Vietnams 63 provinces and cities. It is planning to be present in all provinces and major cities nationwide next year, when its taxicab number is slated to nearly double to 20,000. The fledging alliance said passengers take one or two minutes to get connected to drivers via the app and fares will remain unchanged even at rush hour. One of its representatives said the union, formed on a voluntary basis, has not offered an across-the-board pricing scheme and this means the fare depends on the charges of individual member firms for the time being. Like the Grab app, the groups EMDDI presents drivers identity and license number, the route and booking times, which can be used as evidence against any driver who is accused of overcharging or refusing to pick passengers due to short routes. The smartphone program makes a link to the nearest cab if customers have failed to choose a ride-providing company. Taxis which can be hailed by EMDDI a common app operated by 17 Vietnamese taxi companies park in front of a building in Hanoi, Vietnam, December 10, 2018. Photo: Tuoi Tre The alliance includes taxi operators of high-quality services and has put together a task force that carries out checks on its members performance and handles customer complaints, the representative said. Le Vinh Quang, the Vietnam Taxi Alliances deputy head, said at its opening ceremony that traditional taxi companies in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City had to reinvent themselves and become more competitive in the face of rival ride-sharing corporations with financial and technological superiority. The cooperation between taxi operators would yield a competitive edge, as a resultant high density of available cabs can reduce customers waiting time, said Dao Kien Quoc, who works at the Vietnam National University-Hanoi. Some were optimistic about the prospect of the alliances income in a country where more than seven ride-sharing services are operating. The synergy flowing from the unions solidarity and transparent app-based service will attract customers, according to Vu Tien Loc, director of the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry. But others were not so sure. They said the alliance would be hardly effective because of discrepancy in service quality between the members. Its numerical advantage does not guarantee success since customer satisfaction is also based on service quality and driver attitude, they added. Prior to the birth of the union, the largest taxi firm group had been established in Hanoi on November 12, comprising three local operators Thanh Cong Taxi, Ba Sao Taxi and Sao Hanoi Taxi. With a fleet of 3,000 cabs, the syndicate is called G7 Taxi and has the eponymous ride-booking app. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Vietnam is determined to make institutional reforms in order to integrate into global trade, with one of its goals cutting red tape by 50 percent, according to the president of a business community representative. Speaking at a dialogue in Ho Chi Minh City on December 7, Dr. Vu Tien Loc, president of the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI), had some inspirational words on Vietnams efforts to reach global institutional standards. VCCI is a nonprofit that represents the business community, employers and business associations across all economic sectors in Vietnam. Determination in institutional reform toward the highest standards of global trade is the driving force for Vietnams reforming efforts, Dr. Loc said. We have done a lot of things regarding this direction. From beginning of this year, businesses have appreciated some aspects of the governments efforts. Among them is a bid to firmly cut 50 percent of business and administrative procedures, the president said, adding that it is very strong resolve and a rarity that countries can do the cut in one year. Vietnam is seeking to officially sign the European Union Vietnam free trade agreement (EVFTA) by the end of this year. Meanwhile, Hanoi is also a member of another huge pact, the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), which includes 11 countries Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam whose combined economy represents 13.4 percent of global GDP, approximately US$13.5 trillion. It will come into force on December 30. Both EVFTA and CPTPP require law amendments which Vietnam is given deadlines to complete. As the Southeast Asian country is bracing for legislative challenges ahead of joining international free trade agreements, Hanoi has a lot of work to do. But according to Dr. Loc, all the obstacles seem to be overcome with Vietnams willingness. Vietnam is focusing on opening up integration and institutional reforms, he underlined. Even being the economy with the lowest development level in CPTPP and compared to the European Union members, Vietnam still accepts the highest commitments, the president said. We are heading for being one of the four economies with the highest competition and institutional quality in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Dr. Vu claimed that Vietnam is moving toward the highest institutional standards of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). And not only in ASEAN, Prime Minister [Nguyen Xuan Phuc] has emphasized that, in line with the resolution of the Vietnamese government, Vietnam is moving toward meeting the OECD standards, those of the United States, of Europe, and of Japan. We are ready to move toward the highest institutional standards of market economies, he added. On Vietnams future orientation, Dr. Loc said that the Southeast Asian country is promoting sustainable development, heading for sustainable development, and is in a new phase of investment in a high-tech, high value-added, standards-driven economy. The VCCI president believes that investment and technology imports from the United States, among others, will be one of Vietnams main objectives in import and investment strategies. President Donald Trump is concerned about the trade deficit between the U.S. and Vietnam, then I would tell him one thing that please help Vietnamese businesses be stronger, help the Vietnamese economy be stronger, because when we have more money, we can import more goods from the U.S That is also the logic of strengthening trade relations, he concluded. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Vietnams Nghi Son oil refinery has officially begun commercial production following months of tests, the owner of the refinery said on Monday. Commercial production had begun from Nov. 14, Nghi Son Refinery and Petrochemical LLC said in a statement, while a source at the refinery told Reuters the refinery was operating smoothly. The $9 billion refinery is 35.1 percent owned by Japans Idemitsu Kosan Co, 35.1 percent by Kuwait Petroleum (IPO-KUWP.KW), 25.1 percent by PetroVietnam and 4.7 percent by Mitsui Chemicals Inc. The 200,000 barrels-per-day (bpd) Nghi Son refinery, 260 km (160 miles) south of Hanoi, offered its first gasoline export cargo in September after receiving approval from the government to begin exporting fuel products. Nghi Son and the 130,000-bpd Dung Quat refinery, which began production in 2009, are together expected to meet about 70 percent of Vietnams refined oil product demand. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Here are todays leading news stories: Society -- An excavator operator was knocked unconscious and wounded Monday when a bomb exploded next to his machine at a construction site in the Vietnamese southern city of Can Tho. The excavator could have triggered the blast as it hit the weapon that apparently remained underground after war, according to local authorities. -- Truong Van Tien, former director of state-run Shipbuilding Industry Corporation, was arrested Monday on charges of abuse of power for property misappropriation purposes. Many of the corporations former leaders were implicated in one of Vietnams most scandalous cases where they caused immense financial damage to the government over four years ago. -- A man was found dead on a portion of Vietnams lifeline National Route 1 in Phu Yen Province, south-central Vietnam, on Monday after his motorcycle hit a gaping pothole there, police said. -- A Buddhist nun discovered a three-kilogram newborn dead in a duffle bag hung on her pagoda entrance gate in Dong Nai, a neighboring province of Ho Chi Minh City, on Monday. Police said the infant still had an umbilical cord and died presumably of suffocation. -- A Vietnamese man died on the spot after having a crash with a tractor-trailer while he was riding in the motorbike-banning lane on Saigon Bridge in Ho Chi Minh City on Monday. -- Rescue workers evacuated over 1,800 families to safety on Monday after heavy rain starting a day earlier caused widespread serious flooding in the central province of Quang Nam. -- The sky over Ho Chi Minh City turned overcast, with frequent lightning and rain on Tuesday morning, exacerbating traffic congestion that is already a thorny problem in the metropolis. Business -- Ho Chi Minh City held a ceremony to welcome French passenger Tissot Jean-Claude, who was the seven-millionth foreign visitor to the southern metropolis on Monday. -- Seventeen Vietnamese taxi operators announced Monday that they had gathered themselves into a union using one same ride-booking app to compete against ride-hailing services such as Grab. -- The administration in the south-central tourist city of Nha Trang is planning to allow motorbikes to turn right at the red light and turn multiple streets into one-way traffic roads in early 2019, as ways to reduce nagging traffic congestion. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! One person died and two others remained missing as of Tuesday morning as a downpour starting the previous day caused widespread inundation and severely disrupted road traffic in the two central Vietnamese provinces of Quang Nam and Thua Thien-Hue. A 66-year-old woman in Quang Nam was swept away by floodwaters on Monday while she was attempting to pedal along a submerged part of a road during a morning shopping trip. Her body was found next to a rice paddy later on the same day. Two men, one in Quang Nam and another in Thua Thien-Hue, were unaccounted for after floodwaters carried them away on Monday and late Sunday evening. A man waded in floodwaters in Quang Nam Province, central Vietnam, December 10, 2018. Photo: Tuoi Tre An excavator removes garbage stuck on a major road in Quang Nam Province, central Vietnam, December 10, 2018. Photo: Tuoi Tre The deluge that came on Sunday brought a rainfall ranging from 30 to 650 mm, followed by a flood in multiple areas of the two provinces. It caused damage to rice paddies and forced over 1,800 families in Quang Nam to be evacuated to safety. Police blocked a seriously inundated portion of National Route 1 one of Vietnams longest road routes in the province to divert traffic. Schools across the two provinces are closing on Tuesday. The authorities warned of heavy rain, resultant flashfloods and landslides in the area on Tuesday. Residents sit an elevated place above floodwaters in Quang Nam Province, central Vietnam, December 10, 2018. Photo: Tuoi Tre A truck runs near a flooded part of a road in Quang Nam Province, central Vietnam, December 10, 2018. Photo: Tuoi Tre Motorcyclists take shelter as the road to their homes was submerged by water in Quang Nam Province, central Vietnam, December 10, 2018. Photo: Tuoi Tre Police block traffic to a flooded road portion in Quang Nam Province, central Vietnam, December 10, 2018. Photo: Tuoi Tre Pigs are moved to a higher ground following a flood in Quang Nam Province, central Vietnam, December 10, 2018. Photo: Tuoi Tre Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Authorities in the south-central Vietnamese province of Binh Dinh on Monday forced evacuation for nearly 150 households in My Chanh Commune of Phu My District, as a local dam is expected to fail due to serious flooding affecting the area. Recent flooding from nearby La Tinh River is threatening an already fragile dam on Can river, according to Phu My chairman Nguyen Van Dung. Dung said authorities have immediately announced the mandatory evacuation in light of past experience. The chairman elaborated that in 2016, a flood resulted in a dam failure and wreaked havoc on dozens of households as it swept in to the mainland. This time seems none the wiser, so evacuation is a must, he affirmed. Pham Thai Binh, chairman of My Chanh Commune, also inputted that members of the local military unit and youth union had reinforced Can river dam with a sandbag barrier measuring 50m wide and 0.5m high. However, whirlpools on Monday morning immediately broke a ten-meter section of the sandbag barrier, allowing floodwater to reach My Chanh residential area, leaving one house completely submerged and threatened the likelihood of 500 others. Twenty-four locals comprised of the elderly, women with child, and children have been led to safety at the commune administrations headquarters. Another 140 households have also been encouraged to temporarily leave their houses for higher ground. The local artillery brigade 572 has thoroughly seen to the welfare of the citizens by leashing its combat vehicles and personnel to provide relief, assist the evacuation efforts, and station on alert abound the affected vicinity. Devastating outcome According to Binh Dinh hydro meteorological forecasting center, while the flood, which receded later on Monday, only lingered for two days, its destructive power was disastrous. The latest statistics released on Monday night showed that 5,000 houses throughout Binh Dinh were flooded, while five houses collapsed completely in the disaster. By Tuesday morning, 2,000 of these houses remained submerged in floodwater. Nearly 7,000 hectares of rice crops, and 370 hectares of other produce farms were destroyed. Three sections of the national railway fell victim to landslides on Sunday, and the rail service passing here was not restored until Monday afternoon. More than 238,000 students of all grades across Binh Dinh were given a day off on Monday for safety reasons. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! The Congress party is taking a clear lead in Rajasthan with the election trends showing the party ahead in more than 108 seats while the BJP trailing behind with a little over 76 seats. In Chhattisgarh again, the Rahul Gandhi-led party has been able to take a strong lead on 59 seats, while the BJP has been ahead on just 29 seats. Supporters have gathered at the Congress headquarters in New Delhi as the party seems to be set to beat the BJP in the two big states Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh. In MP, the contest is close between both the parties. While the BJP is ahead on 111 seats in MP, while Congress is leading on 107 seats. Poll analysts say the state could lead to hung Assembly. A victory in these elections will give Rahul Gandhi's party a strong momentum ahead of the General Elections in 2019. The Assembly Election results will decide the fate of as many as 8,500 candidates across five states, including Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhatisgarh, Telangana and Mizoram. Also read: Election Results 2018: Watch live coverage on Aaj Tak Follow LIVE updates of the Assembly Elections Results 2018 here: 8.09pm: We defeated the BJP today, we will defeat them in 2019 [General Elections] too, says Rahul Gandhi. 7.54pm: "There are serious questions being asked about the future of youngsters. One of which is how the government wants to give jobs to millions of Indians, and people feel that the PM has broken the promise of jobs. The same discontent is among the farmers. I think that had a big impact on these elections. And we are going work in these states to give a bright future to these people," said Rahul. 7.45pm: "I want to congratulate all the people and party workers, and the political parties that won in Telangana and Mizoram," says Congress President Rahul Gandhi. 7.01pm: Congress leader Sajay Jha congratulated Rahul Gandhi for the party's per performance in Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, and MP. #RahulGandhi; Hats off to you for being such a thorough gentleman, such a fine, decent human being, unperturbed and unruffled amidst all the abuse, attacks, ridicule and insults your family and you relentlessly face. Congratulations on a great win. We are with you, Captain! - Sanjay Jha (@JhaSanjay) December 11, 2018 Dear All, Thanks for your wonderful support to all of us in the Congress party through difficult times. It has not been easy, but we have all hung in together. To all those who fight relentlessly alongside us for the Idea of India ( a liberal democracy), this is your victory too. - Sanjay Jha (@JhaSanjay) December 11, 2018 @INCIndia - Sachin Pilot (@SachinPilot) December 11, 2018 Congress candidate Sachin Pilot thanked the people of his constituency, Tonk, for making him victorious. 6.38pm: Ashok Gehlot is the frontrunner to for the Chief Ministerial's post in Rajasthan, reported India Today. If he is appointed as the CM, he will take the oath for the third time. 6.31pm: Raje is all set to lose Rajasthan. Raje may be losing Rajasthan, but she has won her seat in Jhalrapatan#RajasthanElections2018#AssemblyElections2018https://t.co/me8t57Z8pzpic.twitter.com/MKjv9LRXw5 - India Today (@IndiaToday) December 11, 2018 6.32pm: This is a grand victory, says Ashok Gehlot. Ashok Gehlot, Congress: This is a grand victory. We're forming govt in 3 states what can be better than that. The way Rahul Gandhi ji tackled Modi ji&Amit Shah ji in Gujarat, after that graph of Congress is going up and the graph of Modi ji is constantly going down. It's a sign. pic.twitter.com/xTaaqhhF7B - ANI (@ANI) December 11, 2018 6.30pm: Accepting the defeat in Chhattisgarh, Chief Minister Raman Singh said he takes moral responsibility for the BJP's defeat. "When the party got victory, credit was given to me. Similarly, when the party lost, I take the responsibility for it," he added. 6.25pm: AIMIM Chief Asaduddin Owaisi, who won seven seats in Telangana, said he stands with KCR. "People of Telangana have rejected opportunist Congress and BJP. They have rejected Rahul Gandhi who called us Team C," he added. 6.20pm: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has joined the anti-Modi rant, saying this is the countdown of the Modiraj. - Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) December 11, 2018 4.17pm: Official ECI trends: Congress leading on 98 seats, BJP leading on 65 seats, BSP on 5, CPM on 2 and others on 16 seats in Rajasthan. Official ECI trends: Congress leading on 98 seats, BJP leading on 65 seats, BSP on 5, CPM on 2 and others on 16 seats in Rajasthan. #AssemblyElections2018pic.twitter.com/j7suZRKY19 - ANI (@ANI) December 11, 2018 2.50pm: After KCR's big victory, and the party's astounding performance in the state, the party workers have decided to celebrate the moment with a 90 kg cake. 2.45pm: TRS President and Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao wins by over 50,000 votes from Gajwel constituency. The TRS looked set to form its second successive government in Telangana with a thumping majority after taking an unassailable lead in 90 seats. 2.07pm: Sanjay Kakade, BJP Rajya Sabha MP, told ANI: "I knew we would lose in Rajasthan & Chhattisgarh but MP trends have come as a surprise. I think we forgot the issue of development that Modi took up in 2014. Ram Mandir, statues & name changing became the focus." 2.03pm: The Congress party workers across the country have started celebrating the party's possible victory in three biggest states -- Rajasthan, Chhatisgarh, and MP. 1.40pm: SP leader Ramgopal Yadav says the BJP's wrong policies have destroyed the country and this is a result of that. "Any talk of an alliance will be done once the whole picture is clear," he told ANI. 1.38pm: The battle in Madhya Pradesh is still tight. Both the BJP and the Congress are leading on 110 seats. BSP is leading on just four seats, while the SP is leading on just 1. 1.18pm: The toughest contest between the Congress and the BJP in Madhya Pradesh. The BJP leading on 111 seats, while Congress on 108 seats, others are ahead on 11 seats in Madhya Pradesh. 1.14pm: As per the latest trends, the BJP is just five seats behind the Congress in Rajasthan, which is leading on 92 seats. Others are ahead on 21 seats. Sachin Pilot says he is in touch with all independents to join the government, which he claims will be formed by the Congress. The current trend is the BJP 84; Congress 93; and others 22. 1.06pm: A dicey situation in MP. As per India Today, the Congress and the BJP is touch with the BSP to seek support. Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan is personally taking care of it for the BJP camp. 1.05pm: The Congress party workers have started celebrating the victory in Chhatisgarh. Congress workers celebrate in Raipur as trends show the party leading in #Chhattisgarh#AssemblyElections2018pic.twitter.com/DmNTvetTAW - ANI (@ANI) December 11, 2018 1.01pm: "We are confident of forming the government with full majority in Rajasthan. Its a big verdict against the BJP ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections," says Congress leader Sachin Pilot. Also read: Rajasthan Election Results 2018 LIVE: Congress ahead, Gehlot says open to alliances 12.57pm: These are the live trends in five states where the counting of votes is going on. MP (230 seats): BJP 107; Congress 109; and others 14 Chhattisgarh (90 seats): BJP 22; Congress 59; and other 09 Rajasthan (199 seats): BJP 80; Congress 94; and others 25 Mizoram (40 seats): Congress 06; MNF 27; BJP 01; and others 06 Telangana (119 seats): TRS 90; Congress 19; and BJP 02 12.24pm: The Congress set to form the government in Chhattisgarh. While the Raman Singh-led BJP has been reduced to 18 seats in the state, the Congress is leading on 64 seats. Others are ahead on eight seats. 12.22pm: Shiv Sena indirectly slams the BJP; says self-reflection is needed as these are not the victories of the Congress party but the anger of the people of the state. Sanjay Raut, Shiv Sena: I won't say these are victories of Congress but this is an anger of the people. Self-reflection is needed #AssemblyElections2018pic.twitter.com/YL1gNECx5a - ANI (@ANI) December 11, 2018 12.14pm: Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh has congratulated the political parties that are winning across the five states in the state Assembly elections 2018. However, he says that the Mahagathbandhan has failed "terribly" in Telangana. 12.13pm: Ashok Gehlot says "we will get full majority. Despite that, we will welcome whosoever would want to join us." Ashok Gehlot, Congress on #RajasthanElections results: Congress has won the mandate. No.s can go up & down but public's mandate is in the favour of Congress. We will get clear majority, still we would want independent candidates & parties other than BJP to support us if they want pic.twitter.com/BOuqebSkJk - ANI (@ANI) December 11, 2018 12.08pm: The Congress party seems to be celebrating the victory of the party in Madhya Pradesh, even though the trends are suggesting otherwise. Its star leader Jyotiraditya Scindia says he hopes the party's enthusiastic leaders will fulfill the expectations of the public. 12.08pm: In Mizoram, the MNF seems to be all set to form govt. Sweets being distributed at Mizo National Front office (MNF) as the party leads in trends in Mizoram, reports ANI. 11.55 am: TRS set to form government in Telangana. KCR-led party leading on 90 seats, while the Congress surging on just 16 seats. Official ECI trends: TRS leading on 90 seats, Congress leading on 16 seats, AIMIM on 5 seats, BJP leading on 1 seat, and others on 3 seats in Telangana. #AssemblyElections2018pic.twitter.com/z5UUBs0EIy - ANI (@ANI) December 11, 2018 11.38am: Shivraj Singh Chouhan could well be back in Madhya Pradesh. The recent poll numbers show the BJP is staging on 112 seats, while the Congress is behind the BJP, surging ahead on 108 seats. 11.35am: Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee's Uttam Kumar Reddy on Assembly Election2018 results: "I am having doubts on results we're getting in Telangana ballot paper counting. We're doubting that tampering could have been done in EVMs. Slips should be counted in VVPATs." Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee's Uttam Kumar Reddy on #AssemblyElection2018 results: I am having doubts on results we're getting in Telangana ballot paper counting. We're doubting that tampering could have been done in EVMs. Slips should be counted in VVPATs. (File pic) pic.twitter.com/oqGpsaikjf - ANI (@ANI) December 11, 2018 11.25am: Rajasthan Congress leader Sachin Pilot says the initial trends have indicated the Congress is leading in all the three states, and the party hopes it will be replicated at the all-India level. "The decision about the post (of CM) is decided by the high command. This is a big gift for Congress president Rahul Gandhi, who was elected as the party president exactly one year ago. The Assembly Election results in Rajasthan show the people of the state have rejected the BJP in all the three states, including Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh," says Pilot. 11.12am: In Rajasthan, the Congress is already ahead on 106 seats, while the BJP is surging on 96 seats. 11.10am: Senior Congress leader and former Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot says: "Usually, these decisions are discussed at the higher level, and there's never any disappointment after such discussions but, let the results come, we are confident the Congress will form the government," said Gehlot. Ashok Gehlot, Congress: Party President will decide on who will be the Chief Minister #RajasthanElections2018pic.twitter.com/UDPx7W79v7 - ANI (@ANI) December 11, 2018 11.04am: Kamal Nath, who is a nine time MP from Madhya Pradesh, says the Congress will form the government in the state. Under his leadership, the party is leading on 108 seats in MP. Also, a big win for Rahul Gandhi-led Congress Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh. 10.59am: KCR-led TRS all set for a big win in Telangana; the party members celebrate outside party office in Hyderabad. Telangana: TRS members celebrate outside party office in Hyderabad as the party leads in trends. #AssemblyElections2018pic.twitter.com/dJIxlJF3Tf - ANI (@ANI) December 11, 2018 10.53am: Union Minister Rajnath Singh says he still believes that the BJP will do well in these states. "These are initial trends. Let the results come. We hope to do well," said Rajnath Singh. Early trends show BJP losing to Congress in Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh." 10.41am: The Congress party has crossed the halfway mark in Madhya Pradesh for the first time with lead of 116 seats. The elections for the 230-member Assembly in Madhya Pradesh were held on November 28. 10.40am: Prime Minister Narendra Modi says the Winter Parliament session of Parliament is important as far as concerned about benefit of the common people. "I hope all members of the Parliament will respect this feeling and talk about issues from all areas...I request all members to discuss all important matters to take them to a final conclusion." 10.33am: Official ECI trends: Congress leading on 21 seats, BJP leading on 5 seats, Janata Congress on 2 seats in Chhattisgarh. Official ECI trends: Congress leading on 21 seats, BJP leading on 5 seats, Janata Congress on 2 seats in Chhattisgarh. #AssemblyElections2018https://t.co/CZD3pnpXmw - ANI (@ANI) December 11, 2018 10.32am: Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje leading by 8,845 votes from Jhalrapatan, Congress leader Ashok Gehlot leading by 5,112 votes from Sardarpura, Congress' Sachin Pilot leading by 5,295 votes from Tonk, reports ANI. 10.27am: Watch uninterrupted coverage on #Results18 from India Today digital studio LIVE. 10.25am: The Congress party workers have started celebrations outside the party headquarters in New Delhi. 10.22am: As per the Election Commission of India website, the Congress party is leading on as many as 82 seats in Rajasthan, while the BJP is leading on 62 seats, others on 21 seats. 9.50am: According to official ECI trends, former Chhattisgarh CM Ajit Jogi is at third position at Marwahi. The BJP is leading and Congress at second. According to official ECI trends, former Chhattisgarh CM Ajit Jogi is at third position at Marwahi. BJP is leading and Congress at second ( file pic) #ChhattisgarhAssemblyElections2018pic.twitter.com/fhzR0IZIKl - ANI (@ANI) December 11, 2018 9.43 am: The BJP and the Congress are still in a tight contest in Madhya Pradesh. Still, there is some hope left the both the parties in the 230-Assembly state. Also read: Madhya Pradesh Assembly Elections 2018: Congress, BJP neck-and-neck in early trends 9.39 am: You can watch live coverage on the Assembly Elections Results 2018 onIndia Today TV. 9.35am: Rajasthan Election Results 2018: In Rajasthan, the BJP is ahead on 72 seats while the Congress party is leading on 92 seats. Also read: Rajasthan Election Results 2018 LIVE: Sachin Pilot leads in Tonk, Raje in Jhalrapatan 9.32am: Sensex, Nifty sink in opening trade on RBI governor's sudden exit, assembly election results trend. The BSE SENSEX plunged 299.49 points, or 0.86 per cent, in opening trade to 34,660.23, and the NSE Nifty opened at 10,346.90, down by 141.55 points or by 1.35 per cent. Also read: Sensex, Nifty sink in opening trade on RBI governor's sudden exit, assembly election results trend 9.26am: The Congress party workers have already started celebrating the victory of their party outside the residence of Sachin Pilot. Jaipur: Congress workers celebrate outside Sachin Pilot's residence as initial trends show the party leading #RajasthanElections2018pic.twitter.com/BeT2GR0gxy - ANI (@ANI) December 11, 2018 8: 40 am: Celebrations have begun in the Congress headquarters in New Delhi with the early trends showing the party lead in Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh. Firecrackers brought to Congress office in Delhi by party leader Jagdish Sharma as counting is underway for assembly elections in five states pic.twitter.com/vq5dZB2Gta - ANI (@ANI) December 11, 2018 8:35 am: RAJASTHAN - CM Vasundhara Raje visited a temple as the counting began in the state elections. 8:32 am: Close finish expected in Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh. Early trends show the Congress and the BJP to be neck and neck. 8:21 am: TRS is leading in 1, Congress is leading in 1 in Telangana elections. Congress is leading in 5 seats and the BJP in 3 seats in Rajasthan. BJP is leading in 3 seats and Congress in 2 in Madhya Pradesh. 8:13 am: TELANGANA - 2 leads for TRS, 1 for the Congress in early trends. These are early trends and not a strong indicator yet of how the results will shape out. 8:05 am: In the history of MP, there's never been a hung assembly; but things may be different this year. All kinds of possibilities are open at the moment. 8:00 am: Counting has begun in the five states for the assembly elections. 7:40 am: MIZORAM - Three layered security has been arranged for the counting in Mizoram. Total 209 candidates have contested the polls, including 15 women. Congress and MNF contested in all 40 seats. BJP contested on 39 seats in Mizoram. Counting is taking place in total 40 halls across the state in Mizoram. Around 1400 officials will be counting the votes in these 40 counting halls. 7:35 am: Security is tight at the counting centres in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh. Bhopal City SP told ANI that there was a 3-tier security system at the counting centre. 7:34 am: Security forces were spotted at the votes counting centre in Raipur, Chhatisgarh Visuals from outside a counting centre in Raipur. Counting of votes for #ChhattisgarhAssemblyElection2018 will start at 8 am today. pic.twitter.com/yxbCQnywhS - ANI (@ANI) December 11, 2018 7:32 am: People at the counting centre in Aizwal, Mizoram have started gathering. Visuals from outside a counting centre in Aizawl. Counting of votes for #MizoramAssemblyElections2018 will start at 8 am today. pic.twitter.com/BB2jxdz0mI - ANI (@ANI) December 11, 2018 7:30 am: Counting will begin at 8 am in the states that have voted in the assembly elections 2018. The defamation case involving Craig McLachlan, ABC and the Sydney Morning Herald is set to get particularly ugly after Supreme Court Justice Lucy McCallum allowed the media outlets to amend their defence. Both have now been given the green light to include a new contextual meaning that McLachlan is a sexual predator in that he has indecently assaulted and sexually harassed female colleagues in the workplace. Justice McCallum had previously struck out contextual meanings pleaded by the media organisations on the basis they were insufficiently precise, including a broader meaning pleaded by the ABC that the actor was a sexual predator. The claim comes despite ABC happily working with McLachlan across 5 seasons of The Doctor Blake Mysteries and 1 telemovie, seemingly without complaint. But the addition of a contextual truth defence will now allow the media outlets to raise allegations from women who worked with McLachlan on The Doctor Blake Mysteries, in addition to the Rocky Horror Show. McLachlan, 53, denies the claims published in an article and broadcast by 7:30 in January, and maintains the allegations defamed him. A month-long trial is due to start on February 4 in the NSW Supreme Court before a four-person jury. Cookies op Tweakers Tweakers maakt gebruik van cookies Tweakers is onderdeel van DPG Media en maakt gebruik van cookies, JavaScript en vergelijkbare technologie om je onder andere een optimale gebruikerservaring te bieden. Functionele en analytische cookies die door Tweakers zelf geplaatst worden, worden gebruikt om de website goed te laten functioneren, bezoekersstatistieken bij te houden en a/b-testen uit te voeren. Ook kan Tweakers hiermee het gedrag van bezoekers vastleggen en analyseren. Cookies kunnen daarnaast worden gebruikt om op Tweakers advertenties te tonen die aansluiten bij je interesses. Daarbij kan gebruikgemaakt worden van bezoekersprofielen die door derden zijn opgesteld. Ook kunnen derden je internetgedrag volgen, zoals bijvoorbeeld het geval is bij embedded videos van YouTube. Tot slot kunnen cookies worden gebruikt om op sites van derden relevante advertenties te tonen. Content van derde partijen, zoals embedded videos van YouTube, wordt met een trackingvrij abonnement standaard uitgeschakeld. Indien je deze content wilt zien, kun je hier expliciet toestemming voor geven. Wil je meer informatie over cookies en hoe ze worden gebruikt? Bekijk dan ons cookiebeleid. Accepteer cookies ... Om deze pagina op Tweakers te kunnen bekijken, moet je cookies accepteren. Cookies accepteren Heb je al een account? Dan kun je hier inloggen! A man opened fire in a cathedral in southern Brazil after mass, killing four and leaving four others injured before turning a gun on himself, authorities said. The shooting occurred right after mass at the Metropolitan Cathedral in Campinas, a city about 60 miles north of Sao Paulo, according to Wilson Cassante, a spokesman for the archdiocese. He said the officiating priest had left before the shooting began. A spokesman for Sao Paulo state firefighters said four injured people had been taken to local hospitals. Their conditions were not immediately known. People gather outside the Metropolitan Cathedral after a fatal shooting (VIctor R. Caivano/AP) Mr Cassante said church officials did not recognise the gunman or have any ideas about his motive. Its so sad, said Mr Cassante. Its hard to imagine the pain this has caused. Hamilton Caviola Filho, a police investigator, told news portal G1 that authorities had reviewed surveillance footage from inside the cathedral. Two people shot by a gunman lie wounded at the entrance of the Metropolitan Cathedral (Campinas City Hall/AP) The gunman came into the church, sat on a chair, with time to think, and then got up and starting shooting, said Mr Caviola Filho. The investigator also said that before shooting himself in the head, the suspect took a bullet in the ribs from responding police. In total, the suspect fired at least 20 shots, said Mr Caviola Filho. The Metropolitan Cathedral after the shooting (VIctor R. Caivano/AP) Images on Globo News showed paramedics taking bodies and injured from the church. Firefighter Alexandre Monteiro told G1 that the four injured were in stable condition. The motive was not clear. Authorities have yet to release the name or age of the suspect. While Brazil leads the world in total annual homicides, mass shootings are relatively rare. BRUSSELS (Reuters) - There is no scope to re-negotiate the agreement on Britain's withdrawal from the European Union as the existing deal was difficult enough to reach, Germany's EU affairs minister Michael Roth said on Tuesday. He described talk of reworking the deal as a "fantasy". British Prime Minister Theresa May is on a tour of European capitals, visiting the Netherlands, Germany and Brussels to seek clarifications on the part of the deal that concerns avoiding a physical border between Ireland and Northern Ireland. "Sometimes I dont understand the world anymore," Roth said on entering a meeting of European ministers in Brussels to prepare a summit that starts on Thursday. "We spent so much time, energy and creativity to negotiate something we in Berlin and Brussels dont want. Nobody wants the UK to leave." Asked if Britain's withdrawal agreement could be still be changed, Roth said: "I cannot imagine where we could change something substantial in the withdrawal agreement. We can not restart the talks because it was already difficult enough among the EU 27 and UK to agree on this deal." (Reporting By Jan Strupczewski and Peter Maushagen; Editing by Alastair Macdonald) Lenders to the troubled outsourcing group Interserve (Frankfurt: 860509 - news) have drafted in bankers to stitch together a make-or-break restructuring that is likely to see them take control of the company. Sky News has learnt that Interserve's creditors have appointed Lazard (Frankfurt: A0DQP8 - news) to help thrash out the details of a debt-for-equity swap and share issue that have become necessary to salvage its future. Interserve, which employs roughly 45,000 people across the UK and is one of the government's biggest private sector contractors, saw its shares plunge by more than half on Monday after warning that investors were likely to see "material dilution" from its debt reduction efforts. Sources said that Lazard would join EY, the accountancy firm, as an adviser to Interserve's lenders - reuniting the team which worked for the board of Carillion (Frankfurt: 924047 - news) prior to its collapse in January. The company is understood to be drawing up plans to convert more than half of its debt-pile to equity, with investment banks including JPMorgan (LSE: JPIU.L - news) , Numis and Peel Hunt expected to be engaged to assist with a further equity fundraising. Interserve, which works on major construction and renovation projects, is one of the UK's biggest private sector employers, providing support to Britain's armed forces in Cyprus, Gibraltar and the Falkland Islands. The crisis surrounding its finances has persisted for more than a year, initially blaming economic uncertainty and weak government spending for a massive profit warning in the autumn of 2017. Led by chief executive Debbie White, Interserve said in a statement to the stock market that the company and its lenders "are engaged in constructive discussions regarding the agreement and implementation of a deleveraging plan which would deliver a strong balance sheet". The company is the latest in a string of UK outsourcers to face material uncertainty over its finances, with Carillion's insolvency coming in the wake of rescue efforts at Capita (LSE: CPI.L - news) and Serco. In recent weeks, Kier Group (LSE: KIE.L - news) , another major industry player, has announced plans to raise more than 250m by selling new shares - a move which has caused its own share price to plummet. Italy's Deputy Prime Minister Luigi Di Mao said Tuesday that Frances recent budget concessions risk breaching European Union rules, just like Italys have done, adding that he ... An increased deficit "will create a French problem, after the Italian problem, if the rules are the same for everyone," Di Maio said Tuesday, after France joined Italy in putting its spending interests ahead of the European Unions budget rules. Italy's budget for 2019 was the first in history to be rejected by Brussels for breaking previous commitments to reduce borrowing. and the populist government of Di Maio's Five Star Movement (M5S) and Matteo Salvini's far-right League is trying to come up with another draft. Meeting the EU's three percent deficit limit had been a centrepiece of Macron's European strategy in order to win the trust of powerful Berlin and its backing for EU reforms. That was before the "yellow vest protests," which have rocked his government to the core. Rising deficit Looking to defuse countrywide protests, Macron on Monday announced a raft of concessions that risk shunting Frances 2019 deficit above 3 percent. Among the potentially costly measures, include a 100 euro monthly increase in the minimum wage as of next year paid for by the government, not employers. The 40-year-old centrist also announced he would roll back most of an unpopular increase in taxes on pensioners introduced by his government. And he called on all businesses "that can afford it" to give employees a one-off "end of year bonus" which would be tax free. If the deficit/GDP rules are valid for Italy, then I expect them to be valid for Macron, Di Maio said, as his government works to reconcile its own big-spending budget with EU disciplinary measures. The Congress-led alliance is a distant second as Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) races ahead as per early trends. CVoter had earlier predicted such a scenario where the two would be battling it out. While the gap between the two is significant, these are still early trends. TRS is shooting for the top with a lead of 77 seats, while Congress is a far second with 28 seats. BJP is leading in 2 seats, while others are leading in 4. K Chandrasekhar Rao is leading from Gajwel against Vanteru Pratap Reddy of Congress. The fate of 1,821 candidates, including 135 women who contested from India's youngest state Telangana's will be decided today. The elections were held on December 7 after the state's legislative assembly was dissolved in September, before the end of its term, giving way to the early elections. The important players in the state of Telangana are KCR-led TRS, the Congress-led four-party People's Front, BJP and MIM. Most of the 119 constituencies will see a triangular contest between TRS, People's Front and BJP. The Bahujan Left Front (BLD) led by the Communist Party of India Marxist and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) are also contesting. Some of the big names to look out for in Telangana today are: K Chandrashekar Rao (KCR), Gajwel seat: The Gajwel seat is KCR's home ground which was divided between the talks of development by the ruling TRS and oppositions' allegations of an "unreachable" CM. KCR would be looking for re-election from Gajwel today - a seat he won with a margin of nearly 20,000 votes in 2014. Congress and BJP had fielded Vanteru Pratap Reddy and Akula Vijaya from Gajwel respectively. V Reddy would be hoping to turn the tide and would hope to give KCR a tough fight. Also Read: Election Results 2018: Watch live coverage on Aaj Tak Also Read: Election Results 2018: Watch live coverage on India Today TV Reddy is a Congressman and is backed by Chandrababu Naidu's TDP. The TRS' Patnam Narender Reddy and BJP's N Namaji are other two important candidates from here. T Harish Rao, Siddipet seat: Five times MLA, Rao is KCR's nephew and is expected to face a tough fight from M Bhavani Reddy of TJS and BJP's Narottam Reddy. KT Rama Rao, Sirsilla seat: KT Rama Rao will be hoping to get re-elected today. He is the caretaker IT and Industries minister in the KCR government and son of TRS president. On the other hand, Congress' Mahender Reddy is a popular leader who was at the forefront of the Telangana movement. T Raja Singh, Goshamahal seat: BJP's T Raja Singh would be hoping to get re-elected from Goshamahal constituency. The Goshamahal consists of sizeable Muslim voters. The TRS' Premsingh Rathod and Congress' Mukesh Goud will also have their fate decided today from Goshamahal. Akbaruddin Owaisi, Chandrayangutta seat: The firebrand Akbaruddin Owaisi, younger brother of AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi, would be hopeing for a win today from the Chandrayangutta seat. Exit poll predictions In Telangana, exit polls show Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) chief KCR's gamble of dissolving the state assembly paying off. The TRS will get 65-90 of the state's 119 assembly seats, where the majority mark is at 61. The Congress-Chandrababu Naidu combine will get approximately 35 seats and the BJP 3-5 seats. In 2013, when the state was formed, the TRS won a simple majority in the House winning 63 seats, while the Congress won only 21. Meanwhile, the TDP and the BJP won 15 and 5 seats respectively, while the MIM won its traditional strongholds in 7 seats. Also Read: Rajasthan Election Results 2018: Will BJP buck anti-incumbency? Also Read: Madhya Pradesh Assembly Elections 2018: Will BJP be able tobeat 15-year anti-incumbency? Also Read: Chhattisgarh Election Results 2018: CM Raman Singh's winningstreak faces threat from a resilient Congress Also Read: Mizoram Election Results 2018: Tight fight between MizoNational Front, Congress Cape Town - Miss South Africa, Tamaryn Green, showcased her blue crane inspired costume at the Miss Universe national costume show on Monday. The 24-year-old medical student's one-of-a-kind costume was inspired by South Africa's national bird, the blue crane. Tamaryn's light blue costume was accompanied by a headpiece and train made out of feathers. Tamaryn's costume was created by the same designers who created, Miss Universe 2017 Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters' national costume. The national costume competition is always one of the highlight's of the prestigious pageant, with 94 contestants taking to the stage to show of their national pride. (CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE FULL SHOW) The official Miss Universe pageant will take place on Monday, 17 December in Thailand, and will be broadcast live on 1Magic (DStv channel 103) from 02:00 South African time. ALSO READ: PICS: Tamaryn Green's first week in Thailand for Miss Universe TAKE A LOOK AT PHOTOS FROM THE NATIONAL COSTUME SHOW HERE: 1. Miss South Africa Tamaryn Green 2. Miss Angola Miss Angola 3. Miss Bolivia Miss Bolivia 4. Miss Barbados Miss Barbados 5. Miss Brazil Miss Brazil 6. Miss Argentina Miss Argentina 7. Miss Canada Miss Canada 8. Miss Chile Miss Chile 9. Miss Bahamas MissBahamas 10. Miss China Miss China 11. Miss Albania Miss Albania 12. Miss Curacao Miss Curacao 13. Miss Denmark Miss Denmark 14. Miss Dominican Republic Miss Dominican Republic 15. Miss Ecuador Miss Ecaudor 16. Miss El Salvador Miss El Salvador 17. Miss India Miss India 18. Miss Jamaica Miss Jamaica 19. Miss Kenya Miss Kenya 20. Miss Kazakhstan Miss Kazakhstan 21. Miss Laos Miss Laos 22. Miss Namibia Miss Namibia 23. Miss Thailand Miss Thailand 24. Miss Philippines Miss Philippines 25. Miss Spain Miss Spain (Photos: Getty) UN-mediated political consultations held in Sweden to end the civil war in Yemen appear to have made some breakthroughs which may pave the way to future peace talks.It's the first time parties in ... Yemens civil war between the former government of Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi and the Houthis has been going on now for nearly four years. The war has killed some 65,000 and created a one of the worst famines, with some 85,000 children thought to have died from hunger. The United Nations is now seeking five billion dollars in humanitarian aid to help 70 percent of Yemenis that have been effected by the fighting. Previous talks over the years have proven futile, with the last round not even resulting in face-to-face discussions. Since 6 December, progress has been made at these discussions being held in the Swedish town of Rimbo until 13 December. Milestones so far Firstly, representatives from the two sides, from the Houthis and from al-Hadi's government, are meeting face to face. Secondly, on 10 December, the UN plan proposed today to seek control of the Hodeida air and sea port. This is the port that has been fought over ferociously by the Houthis and the Saudi-led coalition. The proposal sets out joint committees between the Houthis and the Hadi government explains Hisham Al-Omeisy, an analyst on the Yemen war. And they [the UN] will oversee the demilitarization of Hodeida city initially, not the governorate." "And the ports are going to be run by the UNVIM, which is basically the monitoring institution. He adds the UN would also oversee the demining of Hodeida city. So in short it's going to be joint committees and non-military committees which is a good thing" notes Al-Omeisy. Prisoner swap major step forward And thirdly, there was an agreement to exchange prisoners on both sides, between 5000 to 6000. The prisoner swap is seen as a major stepping stone. "Both sides have been involved in extra-judicial detentions as well as forcible disappearances" says Al-Omeisy. Story continues People have been captured from both sides, they are going to be exchanging prisoners from both sides. So the people captured by the Houthis are going to be moving to areas that are under control of Hadi's government, and vice-versa from the Hadi government .So there's a highly unlikelihood of them being captured again. But while these are indeed milestones, Al-Omeisy cautions that these are not peace talks. The current political consultations [will] hopefully develop into peace talks he says. US vote on Senate Joint Resolution 54 Another player in this situation has been the United States. This week a resolution for Washington to stop helping the Saudi-led coaltion will be voted on in the Senate. Al-Omeisy says regardless of the outcome, little impact will be felt given the coalition will do whatever it wants in the region regardllles of who supports it. But Will Picard from the Yemen Peace Project see it differently. Although President Donald Trump has said if the resolution is passed he will not abide by it, he adds there is an unprecedented level of opposition to the war in both the Senate and House of Representatives, so it is likely we'll see more efforts to limit or end US support for the Saudi-led coalition in the coming months. Picard adds that such action, regardless of the outcome, will still send a powerful message. Best case scenario? At this point, assuming all parties abide by a UN-controlled port Hodeida, and that the prisoner swap goes ahead, then peace talks can be put into place soon. At some point there will hopefully be talk of a transitional government. Two coalitions at this point cannot work. And tensions will immediately erupt if one side takes over from the other. At this point there has been no significant military win. So perhaps a transitional government would be the next significant step in ending the war in Yemen. Theresa May to skip France in appeal to European leaders British Prime Minister Theresa May was heading to Europe on Tuesday to seek last-minute concessions on her Brexit deal, after abandoning a vote at home. May met with Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte on Tuesday morning before setting off for talks with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, European Union President Donald Tusk and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker. Significantly, however, the British Prime Minister was not to meet French President Emmanuel Macron. Mays European tour comes a day after she admitted the deal would not have the backing of British parliament because of a clause relating to the border between Northern Ireland, which is part of the UK, and the Republic of Ireland, which remains in the EU. May said she would ask for further pledges that neither the EU nor the UK would use a backstop that would keep Britain in a customs union with the EU in the absence of a better way to avoid extensive checks on the border. I will now do everything I possibly can to secure further assurances, May told MPs on Monday. The decision to sidestep France comes at a time when Macron is busy dealing with the social unrest of the Yellow Vest protests. But the French president also warned, as London and Brussels finalised the deal on 25 November, that the UK risked being left in the customs union unless it agreed to allow EU vessels the same access to British waters as they have now. The issue has been contentious in ongoing dispute over fishing rights between France and the UK. Mays office retorted that such a threat, if carried out, would amount to a breach of good faith under the withdrawal agreement. France warns no-deal Brexit is not unlikely Juncker told European Parliament in Strasbourg that he was astonished that May had been unable to win the support of MPs and warned that there would be no changes to the deal finalised between London and Brussels on 25 November. There is no room whatsoever for renegotiation, Juncker said. But of course there is room, if used intelligently, to give further clarification and further interpretations. Story continues France echoed warnings from Brussels that the deal could not be negotiated. The withdrawal agreement is the only one possible, said Nathalie Loiseau, minister for European affairs. Our responsibility is to prepare for a no deal because its a hypothesis that is not unlikely, Loiseau added, referring to the approaching date of 29 March 2019, when Britain would be due to leave the EU whether it approves a deal or not. Irelands foreign minister said the country would ramp up plans for a no-deal Brexit, including the recruitment of 1000 customs officials. We are now actively not only preparing for that, but taking actions to ensure that if necessary we will be ready on March 29 for Britain to leave the EU without a deal, Simon Coveney said. Donald Tusk said the 27 remaining EU leaders would discuss Brexit at the start of a summit that begins Thursday. By Michelle Nichols UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - Two launch units for anti-tank guided missiles recovered by a Saudi-led military coalition in Yemen appear to have been manufactured in Iran during 2016 and 2017, according to a confidential United Nations report seen by Reuters on Tuesday. But U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres does not specifically state whether the discovery of the units in Yemen was a violation of a U.N. resolution that took effect in January 2016. It prevents Iran from importing and exporting arms or related materiel unless the Security Council has given approval. "The Secretariat found that they had characteristics of Iranian manufacture and that their markings indicated production dates in 2016 and 2017," Guterres said in his biannual report to the Security Council on the implementation of sanctions on Iran. "The Secretariat also examined a partly disassembled surface-to-air missile seized by the Saudi-led coalition and observed that its features appeared to be consistent with those of an Iranian missile," he wrote. A proxy war is playing out in Yemen between Iran and Saudi Arabia. The Saudi-led coalition intervened in 2015, backing government forces fighting the Iran-allied Houthis. The Houthis have been subject to a separate arms embargo since 2015. Iran has repeatedly denied supplying weapons to the Houthis. The U.N. Security Council is due to discuss the latest report from Guterres on Wednesday, diplomats said. The United States has loudly and unsuccessfully pushed the United Nations to hold Iran accountable over accusations it is meddling in the wars in Syria and Yemen and elsewhere in the Middle East. In February Russia vetoed a Western attempt to have the Security Council call out Tehran in a resolution on Yemen. Guterres also said the United Nations had also examined the debris of three more ballistic missiles fired at Saudi Arabia on March 25 and April 11, 2018, and found "specific key design features consistent with those of the Iranian Qiam-1 short-range ballistic missile." However, it could not determine if it was a violation as it was unknown when they were transferred to Yemen. Story continues He said the United Nations "is still working on establishing the production date range of guidance subcomponents with the assistance of the foreign manufacturers." In his June report, Guterres said debris from five missiles fired at Saudi Arabia by the Houthis since July 2017 "share key design features with a known type of missile" manufactured by Iran and some components were manufactured in Iran, but also could not determine when they were transferred to Yemen. Most U.N. sanctions imposed on Iran were lifted in January 2016 when the U.N. nuclear watchdog confirmed that Tehran fulfilled commitments under a nuclear deal with Britain, France, Germany, China, Russia and the United States. But Iran is still subject to a U.N. arms embargo and other restrictions. The U.N. sanctions and restrictions on Iran are contained in a resolution that also enshrines the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, which U.S. President Donald Trump withdrew Washington from in May. European powers have been scrambling to salvage the deal. In the U.N. report, Guterres called on all countries to "ensure the continuity of this agreement that is fundamental to regional and international peace and security." (Reporting by Michelle Nichols; editing by Jonathan Oatis) Day 1 of the 50,000 EPT Super High Roller is in the books here in the Hilton Prague after eight levels of play. In total there were 28 entries which included 7 reentries and 14 made it through to Day 2 here at the 2018 PokerStars European Poker Tour Prague. Claiming the Day 1 chip lead is Hungarys Andras Nemeth with 1,817,000 in chips. Nemeth joined the field in the third level of the day and doubled a level later with pocket tens against the ace-king of Martin Winkler who was chip leading earlier in the day. A big double-up, later on, went Nemeths way when a raising war on the flop caused Nemeth to go all-in against Ahadpur Khangah with the straight which he held on to until the river was dealt. In the last level of the night, Nemeth cemented his chip lead by winning a big pot against Elias Talvitie and eliminating Orpen Kisacikoglu in the last hand of the night. Nemeth had flopped a flush draw against the two pair of Kisacikoglu but hit a runner-runner straight to send Kisacikoglu back to his hotel room having to reenter tomorrow before the start of Day 2. Trailing Nemeth in second place is Tuan Tran, the Vietnamese player collected 877,000 chips after having had a pretty bad start to the day. But after doubling up and winning big pots, left, right, and center a few times, the happy, sort of singing, chanting, player bagged a more than respectable stack to play with on Day 2. Matthias Eibinger is third in the chip counts with 818,000 in chips. Eibinger chipped up steadily all day through, winning chips from Winkler and eliminating Khangah. Finally, theres Britains Sam Grafton as the only other player who managed to bag above average with 545,000. The absolute short stack is Daniel Dvoress from Canada, Dvoress chucked 40,000 into his Day 2 bag and will need some extra luck if he wants to run as deep as he did earlier this week when he finished in fourth place in the 10,300 No-Limit Hold'em for 42,390. Also through to Day 2 are Stefan Schillhabel, Juha Helppi, Luc Greenwood, Steve ODwyer, Elias Talvitie, Sam Greenwood, Liang Xu, Michael Addamo, and Timothy Adams, the defending champion. Lucas Reeves, Ali Reza Fatehi, Thomas Muehloecker, Winkler, Khangah, Joao Vieira, and Kisacikoglu all fell during the day and might be back at the start of Day 2 as late registration and reentries are possible until 12:30 PM local time, Tuesday, December 11. Day 2 will start with Level 9 which features a small blind of 3,000, big blind of 6,000 and a big blind ante of 6,000. Make sure to return to PokerNews.com to keep following our coverage of the 50,000 EPT Super High Roller here in Prague! On December 6, liquor baron Vijay Mallya took to Twitter and said, "Respectfully to all commentators, I cannot understand how my extradition decision or the recent extradition from Dubai and my settlement offer are linked in any way. Wherever I am physically, my appeal is please take the money. I want to stop the narrative that I stole money." Words coming from a man who is facing both criminal and civil litigations in many Indian courts and has been living in the UK since 2016. Now, let's not get confused with the criminal proceedings against Vijay Mallya under PMLA (Prevention of Money Laundering Act) and Fugitive Economic Offenders Bill in the Bombay HC and the efforts for Mallya's extradition from the UK by the Enforcement Directorate. At hand is a civil matter, public sector bank consortium looking to get back the money they lent to now defunct Kingfisher Airlines and United Breweries Holdings Limited which stood as it guarantor. Following the winding up order passed by Karnataka High Court and the appointment of an official liquidator there after, United Breweries Holdings Limited or UBHL filed an appeal in the Karnataka High Court against this very order, a company which once was the parent holding of UBL and USL and MCFL. Following a long drawn litigation with the banks which has now lasted over 6 years, early January last year, the Debt Recovery Tribunal in Bengaluru passed an order asking the company to pay over RS 6200 crore with an interest of 11.5 per cent per annum till the recovery. The loan amount as admitted to by UBHL counsel as of today stands at around Rs 10000 crore and the company owes another Rs 2000 crore to the trade creditors. On June 22 this year, Vijay Mallya through his counsel filed an interlocutory application seeking relief, of appointment of a court committee to crystallise his assets, so that there could be a definitive sum made available to service all the debts. The revised and the latest offer made by him on August 16 sets out a complete list of assets that are at existing to service the existing debts. Business Today perused the 8 page document where Mallya lists assets of over 15,000 crores. The documents sets out the market value of the attached assets and sums deposited with various courts that are available at the disposal whose value if realised could benefit all parties. Now according to the documents the attachment of shares by UBHL and other entities by the Enforcement Directorate through various directions stands at a value of Rs 1526.52 crore. While the DRT attachment of bank FDs, dividend receivables from UBL and investments in mutual funds of both Vijay Mallya and UBHL stand at Rs 205.09 crore, the deposits with the high court and the interest earned there off and the amount recovered through sale of Kingfisher villa by bankers, all of the above assets of UBHL bring in another Rs 1559.63 crore to the table. According to the offer all these assets that are lying with various authorities if realised would yield around Rs 15,076.36 crore. This is the premise on which Vijay Mallya has been contending that he would not only be able to pay off the banks but also would be left with surplus and even if any other claim arising as an off shoot could be settled. While the banks have asked UBHL to agree for part payments through consent to use the money deposited in the court to show goodwill and intent to settle, the company is yet to agree. The Karnataka High court has now agreed to hear the appeal along with the application filed for settlement on December 17. University of North Georgia (UNG) students and others from the college, military and corporate worlds have an opportunity to win $100,000 if they can be the first to complete a daunting cybersecurity task. UNG is teaming up with Israeli security company Cyber 2.0 and Conexx: America Israel Business Connector for the USA Hackers Challenge on Feb. 14 at Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI). Those competing must be present in person. Competitors may register at the USA Hackers Challenge website. No registration fee is required. Cyber 2.0 will provide competitors with the administrator password and Internet Protocol addresses for a target network. While that's usually enough to compromise a network, Cyber 2.0 believes competitors still won't be able to access and copy a file from the server. The company says most people are willing to accept their networks being 95 to 99 percent secure, while Cyber 2.0 says it can offer "total defense against the spread of cyber attacks." If a competitor can access and copy a confidential file from the server, he or she will win $100,000. Cyber 2.0 also will be able to use that information to improve its security service. But it is a tough task. No one claimed the prize during a similar competition held by Cyber 2.0 in Israel. "They're actually testing this against some of the best hackers in Israel, some of the best hackers in the U.S.," said Dr. Bryson Payne, professor of computer science and director of the UNG Center for Cyber Operations Education. "And so far the system has held up." Payne said the event will be interesting to UNG students learning ethical hacking and penetration testing in their courses. "To be able to apply the skills our students are learning in a realistic business network environment will be really important," he said. The competition will be capped at 225 entrants. While the event is open to those outside universities, the challenge is being advertised mainly to the some 250 National Centers of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education, including UNG. NYU student Nick Gregory won Atlanta Cyber Challenge hosted by UNG online from Oct. 10-12. UNG's Bryson Payne, Ryan Duff from Point 3 Security, UNG President Bonita Jacobs, and DataPath's John Chesser made a virtual check presentation Nov. 1 to Gregory for the $10,000 prize. The event will run from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Feb. 14. It will include some short presentations and opportunities for competitors and sponsoring faculty to meet with vendors to learn more about cutting-edge cybersecurity approaches. The USA Hackers Challenge comes on the heels of UNG hosting the Atlanta Cyber Challenge online from Oct. 10-12. New York University student Nick Gregory won the $10,000 top prize in the contest sponsored by Point 3 Security and DataPath. UNG President Bonita Jacobs, Payne and representatives from Point 3 and DataPath made a virtual check presentation to Gregory on Nov. 1. UNG launched a bachelor's degree in cybersecurity this fall and is part of a variety of efforts to help meet the job needs of the cyber market. With Congress leading in Rajasthan but with a narrow margin, the role of independents could be critical to government formation. Congress is leading in 94 constituencies and BJP is ahead on 80 seats while as many as 14 Independents are surging ahead. The Congress in Rajasthan is preparing to form the government, even if the numbers are not a clear majority. Sachin Piolet held a press onference and said, "We are in touch with anti-BJP candidates (winners). From CPM to BSP to other parties, we request whoever worked against BJP, to contact us. We are in touch with most already." "People have outright rejected BJP in Rajasthan," he said. "The BJP government has damaged most institutions. The people have spoken. Seeking votes on religion will not work," Pilot asserted. Former Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot said, "Congress has won the mandate. The numbers can go up and down the but public's mandate is in the favour of Congress. We will get clear majority, still, we would want independent candidates & parties other than BJP to support us if they want." Also, Sachin Pilot said, "Rahul Gandhi became party president exactly a year ago this day, so this result is a gift for him. Congress will form Govt in three states". Not to be missed in the high drama battle between the Congress and the BJP, the other candidates have also managed to gain leads in the polls. Here are the numbers on the leads: Bahujan Samaj Party -- 2 Rashtriya Loktantrik Party --3 Independent (Congress rebels) -- 6 Independent (BJP rebels) -- 5 Independent (unaffiliated) -- 5 Also Read: Election Results 2018: Watch live coverage on Aaj Tak Also Read: Election Results 2018: Watch live coverage on India Today TV Sachin Pilot, the Congress stalwart in Rajasthan is expected to reach party office in Jaipur by noon. If Sachin Pilot wins the elections, it would be an excellent achievement for a young leader who was handed over a party in January 2014. Sanjay Raut, a politician from Shiv Sena party said, "I won't say these are victories of Congress but this is an anger of the people. Self-reflection is needed." BJP is contesting election under leadership of chief minister Vasundhara Raje. Speaking of the Congress, Ashok Gehlot, a two-time former chief minister of Rajasthan, and Jyotiraditya Scindia, a young and promising MP from Scindia family that once ruled in Gwalior, are two popular faces for the chief ministerial candidate. Since 1998, Rajasthan has alternated between the Congress and the BJP. Neither party has been able to retain power for consecutive terms. It would be interesting to see if the BJP may defy tradition and CM Vasundhara Raje will break the cycle and win a second term, or the Congress will regain lost ground in the 200-member assembly. Also Read: Madhya Pradesh Assembly Elections 2018: Will BJP be able tobeat 15-year anti-incumbency? Also Read: Chhattisgarh Election Results 2018: CM Raman Singh's winningstreak faces threat from a resilient Congress Also Read: Mizoram Election Results 2018: Tight fight between MizoNational Front, Congress Also Read: Telangana Election Results 2018: Will TRS' gamble pay off? The Delhi Development Authority's (DDA) much-delayed new housing scheme is reportedly likely to be launched in February 2019. But according to The Times of India, the upcoming scheme will not only be smaller than anticipated in terms of the number of flats on offer, but will also largely feature one-bedroom flats for the Economically Weaker Sections (EWS). "We will be offering flats that are ready with us and would need about two more months to wrap up the process and then launch the housing scheme," a DDA official told the daily. "The number of flats will range between 15,000 and 20,000. Most of the flats, however, will be one bedroom flats or those in EWS category. There will be some two-bedroom flats as well." The land-owning agency was expected to launch a mega scheme with 30,000 flats on offer in June and then October this year, but was compelled to postpone plans. The arrest of principal commissioner (housing) JP Agrawal, who was in charge of the housing scheme project, in April by the CBI on a bribery case played a big part in stalling the rollout. The good news is that that the latest housing scheme will boast better-designed and bigger flats compared to the previous schemes. "These one-bedroom flats would have a minimum size of 40 square metres, which would make these much more spacious than the older flats that were about 30 square metres in size," the official added. About 6,500 flats allotted last year under the DDA's 2017 housing scheme were surrendered by the allottees, Minister of State (Independent Charge) of Housing and Urban Affairs Hardeep Singh Puri had informed the Lok Sabha in February. The minister had added that some of the applicants had pointed out that the built-up area of the allotted flats was not sufficient to meet their requirements. According to the daily, the number of surrendered DDA flats from previous schemes stand at nearly 8,000, but these won't be included in the new housing scheme. The government is instead looking for "bulk buyers, which could be government departments or PSUs" for those flats. "We are working to launch the housing scheme as soon as possible," DDA vice-chairman Tarun Kapoor told the daily. With PTI inputs Wine type Red Cabernet sauvignon Cabernet blend Cabernet Shiraz Pinot noir Shiraz Shiraz blend White Chardonnay Riesling Semillon Fortified Heritage 1 3 1 Exceptional 3 1 1 8 1 1 1 1 Outstanding 8 5 2 6 17 5 2 1 Excellent 12 6 2 6 27 2 5 4 2 2 State New South Wales Queensland South Australia Tasmania Victoria Western Australia Heritage 1 3 1 Exceptional 2 10 3 2 Outstanding 1 25 1 12 6 Excellent 5 36 1 19 7 Geographical Indication Adelaide, SA Barossa Valley, SA Beechworth, Vic Canberra District, NSW Clare Valley, SA Coonawarra, SA Eden Valley, SA Frankland River, WA Geelong, Vic Goulburn Valley, Vic Grampians, Vic Heathcote, Vic Henty, Vic Hunter Valley, NSW Langhorne Creek, SA Macedon Ranges, Vic Margaret River, WA McLaren Vale, SA Mornington Peninsula, Vic Pyrenees, Vic Riverina, NSW Rutherglen, Vic South Gippsland, Vic Sunbury, Vic Tasmania Yarra Valley, Vic South Australia South-Eastern Australia Western Australia Heritage 1 1 1 1 1 Exceptional 4 1 1 2 1 1 1 1 2 1 1 1 Outstanding 12 4 2 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 1 2 4 3 1 1 1 3 2 1 1 Excellent 1 10 2 4 10 2 1 2 1 4 1 7 4 3 2 1 2 1 1 5 4 I have previously written about Australia's most collected wines . These are the wines that are among the most commonly found in wine-storage facilities, which means that they are suitable for at least short-term cellaring. Another way to investigate the wines most suitable for cellaring is to look at which wines appear most commonly at auctions, on the basis that these wines were originally purchased for storage and later sale (at a profit).This is precisely what Langton's Fine Wine auction house has done, with their Langtons Classification of Distinguished Australian Wines , currently in its VIIth edition. This lists the most collectable wines, as determined by their auction sales records. Langton's was originally an independent organization, but it is now owned by Australia's larger alcohol retailer (with just over 50% of the market), the Woolworths supermarket chain.The Classification is updated roughly every 4.5 years, with lists produced in 1991, 1996, 2000, 2005, 2010, 2014 and 2018. Langtons says the classification is compiled by analyzing the track records in the Australian wine auction market over several years Its a combination of the volume of wine sold and prices achieved, balanced against release price. Our number crunchers use this combination of elements to arrive at a number, which is what determines the classification. This has been likened to the process used for the 1855 classification of Bordeaux wines, but without the politics (see Introducing the fine wines of Australia ).The current Classification has three main levels (in increasing order): Excellent, Outstanding and Exceptional. However, the best of the Exceptional wines are distinguished as being Heritage. Previous classifications have used somewhat different names for the groups, and four of them (II-V) had an extra Distinguished level at the bottom.The current classification contains 136 wines 5 Heritage, 17 Exceptional, 46 Outstanding, and 68 Excellent. The previous classifications mostly had fewer wines 34 (Classification I), 63 (II), 89 (III), 101 (IV), 123 (V), 139 (VI). Wines have come and gone among the classification lists, with a total of 185 wines having appeared among the seven classifications, although only 21 of them have appeared in all seven of the lists.Most wine producers have only one wine in the Classificxaiton, although some of them do better than this Grosset, Mount Mary, Vasse Felix, and Wynns Coonawarra Estate (3 each), Henschke (4), Wendouree (5) and Penfolds (10). The latter producer (part of Australia's biggest wine company, Treasury Wine Estates) is probably the best known among the appreciators of fine-wine outside Australia.The Classification contains 116 red wines, 17 white wines, and 3 fortified wines. This extreme bias is the basic limitation of using auctions to classify wines most people don't cellar white wines and put them up for sale on the auction market; and most Australian fortified wines are ready to be drunk when released, and so there is no point in storing them. We cannot treat this as a quality classification of Australian wine in general.This next table shows the distribution of grape varieties among the wines. As expected, Australia's icon grape type is Shiraz, which makes wines stylistically quite different from the Syrah wines of the rest of the world fully 40% of the wines are straight Shiraz. These are the Australian wines most beloved of Robert M. Parker, Jr (see The Parker influence ). Next, 29% of the wines have Cabernet sauvignon as the dominant component, which generally produces a somewhat less heavyweight wine. Indeed, at least one of the Heritage cabernets has not at all met with Parker's approval (see Sharp differences of opinion over Mount Mary ).As for the origin of the wine grapes, 54% of the wines come from the state of South Australia, with Victoria producing another 26%, as shown in the next table. Most wines from South Australia can be considered to be warm-climate wines, while those from Victoria are mostly cool-climate. It is somewhat surprising that Western Australia still produces such a small percentage of the classified wines (11%), given its rapidly rising status over the past decade. It is, however, not surprising that New South Wales has so few wines when I was young it was considered to be a premium wine-grape state, but it is now over-shadowed by most of the other states.The next table shows the situation when we dig deeper, into the Geographical Indication areas (you can check out their locations in my prior post: Welcome to the wine regions of Australia ). The world-renowned Barossa Valley is way out in front, with 19% of the classified wines. Margaret River, the best region in Western Australia, is next (10%), followed closely by Coonawarra, the coolest region in South Australia (9.5%). The Clare Valley is surprisingly next (8%), given that it is an often-overlooked region.Finally, it is worth noting that the the last three of the regions listed refer to wines blended across several GIs. This includes 10 of the wines, notably, which has always been at the top of the Classification, as Australia's most common auction wine. Worldwide, it is unusual for blended wines to be considered premium indeed, it has been suggested that "the great contribution of Australia to the world of wine has been lifting the art of blending to a whole new level" ( Specific site or blending? ).Mind you,currently retails for a price that far exceeds its recent auction value (for details, see Penfolds Collection 2018 An outstanding release but theres a twist ) currently, it loses a third of its value during the year immediately after release. This has been going on for at least a decade (see Making, selling, Grange and other wine business ).Presumably, we are meant to infer from the relative stability of the wines numbers over the past three classifications that things are becoming settled. However, 16 wines were dropped between Classifications VI and VII, with another 13 being added. Furthermore, 13 of the wines went up at least one level and 15 went down. This means that 42% of the Classification changed in some way between 2014 and 2018.There is nothing unusual about this instability, given what has happened in previous classifications. Of the 185 wines that have appeared among the seven classifications, 21 of them have appeared in all seven of the lists, and 25 of them in six out of the seven; 27 wines have appeared only once, and 34 twice. The Australian fine-wine market is not a stable one, at least as far as auction sales are concerned.So, it has been pointed out that the Classification portrays an evolving winemaking culture in Australia. However, few people seem to have looked at this evolution (eg. A look at Langton's Classification from 1991 to 2005 ). I may do this at some time in the future; but for now I will simply look at which wines have been most consistently present in the Langton's Classification.To do this, I have compiled all seven of the lists, which was no mean feat, given that Langton's literally replaces each list with the new one, and that the available documentation is unclear about Classification II (variously 62, 63 or 64 wines). I then simply scored each of the wines as 1-4 based on their classification level. From this, I have constructed a network of the 90 wines that had the highest average score across the lists, and were classified as Outstanding at least once. (Fortified wines were excluded, because they were not present in Classifications III-V.)The 18 wines at the top-right of the network are those that have always been classified highly presumably, these are the cream of the crop.Those wines at the lower-right did not make it into the first and / or second classification lists. On the other hand, those at the top-middle have dropped down or off the list in recent classificationsThose wines at the top-left moved to the top of the list in Classifications IV or V, while those at the bottom-left moved to top in Classification VI. Those wines at the bottom-middle made it to the top only in the current classification (VII).Neither the Langton's list of wines nor the Wine Ark list (as discussed in the previous post on cellaring wines) can be considered to represent all of Australia's finest wines. Indeed, I noted last time that there are notable differences between the two lists (and they also differ from the results of both wine shows and critic reviews see How to find consensus on the top drops for your cellar ).Both lists refer solely to wines preferred for long-term storage, and therefore white wines and sparkling are severely under-represented (there have only ever been two of the latter on the list) people buy most white and sparkling wines to drink soon, not to store (or sell). Indeed, the best sparkling wines are often not released until they are ready for drinking (most of these are from Tasmania), and neither are the fortified wines (mostly from northern Victoria, and South Australia).Cult wines are also excluded, because they are not made in enough volume to affect the auction market, or to occupy much space in cellar-storage facilities. Quite a number of such wineries survived the cult-wine boom of the 1990s (see InvestDrinks ), including the wines of Clarendon Hills, Fox Creek, Greenock Creek, Noon Winery, Three Rivers (aka Chris Ringland), and Wild Duck Creek Estate. The main cult winery in the Langton's list is Wendouree (with all five of its wines!). Jeremy Cliffe in New Statesman: It says something about Lin-Manuel Mirandas genius that he even managed to make fiscal integration catchy. In his musical Hamilton, the eponymous treasury secretary raps: If we assume the debts, the union gets A new line of credit, a financial diuretic How do you not get it? If were aggressive and competitive The union gets a boost Youd rather give it a sedative? Miranda picked his subject well: resurrecting Alexander Hamilton from the economic history books and remaking him as a Broadway icon. Hamilton deserved no less. From a post-revolutionary muddle of individual American states he forged a coherent and unified nation, defying states-rights zealots such as Thomas Jefferson and using debt mutualisation to bind the new federation together. Even today, American power and prosperity rests on Hamiltons intellectual victory over Jefferson. It is much harder to imagine a hit Broadway musical about Olaf Scholz, the former mayor of Hamburg and Germanys current finance minister: Im a Hanseat/Savings where Im at/That dude Salvini will make me rupture a spleen-i/If he persistently defies the Stability and Growth Pact. If Europe was ever to experience a Hamiltonian moment, a grand mutualisation of debts forging a world-beating, unified economy, it would probably have begun in 2018. Unfortunately, it did not. More here. As much as we all love to receive gifts during the holidays, the real reward comes when we give back. And as this year has proven, there are plenty causes that need your helping hand or generous donation. With so much going on in the world right now, from wildfires to the White House, it can be overwhelming to know where to start. We've put together a list of places where you can offer support and make a difference. Help the Homeless in the Bay Area See on Instagram Homelessness is a major issue facing San Francisco. Take time during the holidays to show you care. Donate to Simply the Basics , a San Francisco-based charity that provides basic needs to those who need them; simplythebasics.org. , a San Francisco-based charity that provides basic needs to those who need them; simplythebasics.org. Through Episcopal Community Services of SF , you can help those who are less fortunate. $10 can feed one person for a day, $35 will provide two meals and a bed, and $100 will give someone a G.E.D. test and prep materials. Help fund a meal at ecs-sf.org. , you can help those who are less fortunate. $10 can feed one person for a day, $35 will provide two meals and a bed, and $100 will give someone a G.E.D. test and prep materials. Help fund a meal at ecs-sf.org. HandUp is now part of South Oakland Shelter's mission to "build communities that end homelessness." You can learn the stories of individuals and families that you can donate to directly, find campaigns to help, or donate to the HandUp Fund. Learn more at handup.org. is now part of South Oakland Shelter's mission to "build communities that end homelessness." You can learn the stories of individuals and families that you can donate to directly, find campaigns to help, or donate to the HandUp Fund. Learn more at handup.org. There are over a dozen giving opportunities that will help those of the Bay Area's Women & Children's Center. This includes helping to buy library books for Tenderloin students, and donating a percentage of eligible Amazon purchases to this nonprofit resource center. See how you can help at bawcc.org/Ways-to-donate. Donate Blood See on Instagram It's been said that by donating blood, one person can help save the lives of up to three people. Every three seconds, someone needs a blood transfusion, so the need for donors is constant (especially in times of disaster). Vitalant is a one-stop resource to find donation centers and schedule appointments; bloodheroes.com. is a one-stop resource to find donation centers and schedule appointments; bloodheroes.com. The Stanford Blood Center is another option for donating blood, platelets, and even coordinating your own blood drive. Learn more a bloodcenter.stanford.edu. Support Our Animal Shelters See on Instagram Our furry friends need love too, and can use assistance around the holidays, whether you donate your time, money, or items. You can: Donate towels, linens, and blankets (for kennels) to your local shelter or pet hospital. Donate pet food, cat litter, baby food, bowls, litter boxes, toys, and any other pet necessitiesas well as your time and dollarsto shelters such as Nine Lives Foundation, Humane Society Silicon Valley, and the San Francisco SPCA. Give Back to the Planet See on Instagram Our seas are rising and our flora and fauna are dwindling. Don't sit bythere are things you can do to help reverse the effects of severe climate change: The Environmental Defense Fund is perhaps the most wide-ranging organization out there to give back to. All donations go toward funding anything from "climate refugee efforts" to on-the-hill political lobbying for a net-zero carbon future. is perhaps the most wide-ranging organization out there to give back to. All donations go toward funding anything from "climate refugee efforts" to on-the-hill political lobbying for a net-zero carbon future. The Nature Conservancy safeguards ecologically important lands and waters around the world, putting scientists on the ground to deliver groundbreaking research. Every dollar donated goes toward future findings that could, ultimatley, help save the planet. safeguards ecologically important lands and waters around the world, putting scientists on the ground to deliver groundbreaking research. Every dollar donated goes toward future findings that could, ultimatley, help save the planet. The Save The Redwoods League has worked to safeguard and restore our native redwood forests for now over a century, connecting people to these giant sequoia's' boundless beauty as often as possible. Every donation, no matter the monetary amount, will help the non-profit create and protect these ancient forests of tomorrowand you'll get some cool, eco-savvy swag sent to your doorstep, to boot. has worked to safeguard and restore our native redwood forests for now over a century, connecting people to these giant sequoia's' boundless beauty as often as possible. Every donation, no matter the monetary amount, will help the non-profit create and protect these ancient forests of tomorrowand you'll get some cool, eco-savvy swag sent to your doorstep, to boot. The Trust for Public Land constructs parks and protects land for people, solidifying healthy, sustainable communities for generations to come. constructs parks and protects land for people, solidifying healthy, sustainable communities for generations to come. The Sierra Club Foundation is the monetary sponsor of the Sierra Club's charitable environmental programs, all of which help educate, empower, and embolden people to protect and improve the natural and human environment. Rajasthan Congress chief Sachin Pilot exuded confidence that the party will form the government in the state and Rahul Gandhi, as well as party's MLAs, will decide on who will be the chief minister. He said the Congress was marching towards victory in Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh and the trend would continue in the future in the rest of India. "People have blessed us. We should get a comfortable majority in Rajasthan," Pilot told reporters here. Asked about who will be the chief minister, Pilot said Congress chief Rahul Gandhi and party's MLAs would decide on it. Asserting that it is a decisive day today, Pilot recalled that exactly a year ago Gandhi became the chief of the party. "What could be a better gift to him than victory in these states," Pilot said. Cash-strapped East Delhi Municipal Corporation (EDMC) on Monday proposed two new taxes and an education cess in its budget for 2019-20. EDMC Commissioner Puneet Kumar Goel made the announcement while presenting the budget at the civic agency's Patparganj headquarters. He also presented the revised budget estimates for 2018-19. Professional and betterment taxes and an education cess have been proposed to augment the corporation's income, a senior official said. Recently, the civic bodies for north and south Delhi had also proposed the two taxes in their respective budgets. The EDMC's revised budget estimate for the current financial year stands at Rs 4,391.35 crore, while the budget estimate for the next fiscal year is Rs 4,616.26 crore. "In 2018-19, Rs 80 crore was earmarked for construction and upgrading roads and drains, which is to be increased to Rs 100 crore in the revised estimates. And Rs 80 crore has been proposed for year 2019-20," the EDMC said in a statement. It said the collection of property tax is likely to fetch another Rs 271 crore, besides what has already been collected in this financial year. "For the financial year 2018-19, the EDMC has set a target of Rs 314 crore with respect to income from property tax, and Rs 133.20 crore has been collected up to November 2018," the statement said. A plan has also been proposed for irrigation of parks using 'treated effluent' coming out of Kondli and Yamuna Vihar sewage treatment plants (STPs), the EDMC said. Irrigation work will be carried out in 1,338 parks under this scheme. The estimated cost of this work is about Rs 96 crore, it said. Also Read: Election Results 2018: Watch live coverage on Aaj Tak Also Read: Election Results 2018: Watch live coverage on India Today TV 16-year-old boy dies in Friday wreck south of Florence A 16-year-old died in a one-vehicle wreck about five and a half miles south of Florence Friday afternoon, according to a news release from the state. The United Nations and aid agencies have stepped up their warning about famine-like conditions in Yemen, saying the civil war is putting more and more civilians on the brink of starvation. In a new analysis, a consortium of U.N. agencies, aid groups and experts said that a total of 16 million people, or more than half the population, was now considered food insecure, even when factoring in the substantial food aid being provided across Yemen. Of those, 11 million were categorized as bring in phase 3 of a five-stage scale for hunger. Another 5 million were considered to be in phase 4, an emergency situation, while another 65,000 were in catastrophe conditions or phase 5, according to the report from the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), which assesses food crises worldwide. For the first time, food security assessments have confirmed the worst levels of hunger in Yemen, said the report, which was released over the weekend. Immediate responses are required to save lives and livelihoods of millions not to slide to the next worse case which is famine. The IPC said it was not ready to declare famine in Yemen, a step that would require meeting a set of conditions including at least a fifth of households suffering from extreme food shortages, a third of children under five afflicted by acute malnutrition, and at least two out of every 10,000 people dying daily. Scott Paul, who leads humanitarian policy at Oxfam America, said the situation is urgent nevertheless. What we have is a complete data set saying that things are terrible and getting worse, he said. The announcement comes as the war in Yemen faces mounting opposition in Congress, where lawmakers have criticized American military support for the Saudi-led coalition that is battling Houthi rebels. The Houthis, who have received some support from Iran, took over the Yemeni capital of Sanaa in late 2014 and since then have been seeking to defeat local forces backed by Saudi Arabia and its ally, the United Arab Emirates. The Houthis have also fired missiles, which Washington and Riyadh allege were supplied by Tehran, into Saudi Arabia. But the Saudi coalition has been criticized for what critics see as a heavy-handed response triggering extensive civilian casualties. World attention on Yemen has been galvanized in recent months by the humanitarian crisis now deemed the worst in the world and by scrutiny of U.S. ties with Saudi Arabia following the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul. In Yemen, famine-like conditions have been driven by restricted imports and rising prices but also by loss of work and displacement by the war, aid workers say. Acute malnutrition among children remains particularly high. Sheba Crocker, vice president for humanitarian policy and practice at aid group CARE, said the report was a call to action at a moment when the war has created conditions pushing Yemens most vulnerable into greater deprivation. All parties to the conflict should at least pause fighting and address humanitarian need, because aid alone cannot mitigate conditions created by the war, she said. Humanitarian assistance is a short-term fix to much more fundamental problems, she said. WASHINGTON The Supreme Court declined Monday to review lower-court decisions that blocked state efforts to cut off public funding for Planned Parenthood, a move that suggests a majority of the court may be steering clear of controversial issues at least for now. New Justice Brett Kavanaugh did not join the courts three most conservative members in calling to accept the cases. Justice Clarence Thomas rebuked his colleagues for what he said was a dodge, attributing it to their aversion to taking up the issue of abortion that lurked in the case. Some tenuous connection to a politically fraught issue does not justify abdicating our judicial duty, Thomas wrote. If anything, neutrally applying the law is all the more important when political issues are in the background. Thomass dissent from the courts decision to pass on the case revealed a split among the courts five conservatives: Justices Samuel Alito Jr. and Neil Gorsuch signed on to the statement. Kavanaugh and Chief Justice John Roberts Jr. did not. It takes the votes of four justices to accept a case. The action is another example in which Kavanaugh has laid low after his divisive confirmation hearings, after which he was narrowly approved in October on a largely partisan vote. The contentious fight put the court in an uncomfortable political spotlight. Since then, the majority of justices have not exhibited a rush to tackle emergency requests from the Trump administration or take up controversial issues that have arisen from the lower courts. The caveat is that justices know that there will be plenty of future opportunities including in the very issue on which the court demurred Monday. The cases, which the court has been pondering since September, have to do with whether individual Medicaid recipients who receive services from providers such as Planned Parenthood have a right to challenge a states decision to cut off funding to the providers. Five regional courts of appeal have said they do, while one has said they do not. That is the kind of split that normally prompts the Supreme Court to act. What explains the courts refusal to do its job here? I suspect it has something to do with the fact that some respondents in these cases are named Planned Parenthood, Thomas wrote. Louisiana and Kansas, the two states at issue in the cases before the court, announced plans to terminate funding for Planned Parenthood through Medicaid after an antiabortion group released videos in 2015 it said showed Planned Parenthood executives discussing the sale of fetal tissue. Planned Parenthood denied the allegations, saying the videos were heavily edited, misleading and discredited. The organization sued in federal court, joined by individuals who said the efforts to cut funding violated a federal law that gives Medicaid patients the right to seek service from the accredited providers they choose. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit, ruling in the Kansas case, said states have power in deciding which providers to fund. But states may not terminate providers from their Medicaid program for any reason they see fit, especially when that reason is unrelated to the providers competence and the quality of the health care it provides, a panel ruled. The state asked the Supreme Court to review that ruling. We regret todays decision from the U.S. Supreme Court announcing that it fell one vote short of taking our case against Planned Parenthood, Kansas Gov. Jeff Colyer, a Republican, said in a statement. Thomas mentioned the videos in his dissent. It is true that these particular cases arose after several states alleged that Planned Parenthood affiliates had, among other things, engaged in the illegal sale of fetal organs and fraudulent billing practices, and thus removed Planned Parenthood as a state Medicaid provider, Thomas wrote. But these cases are not about abortion rights. They are about private rights of action under the Medicaid Act. Resolving the question presented here would not even affect Planned Parenthoods ability to challenge the states decisions. Planned Parenthood had told the high court that it was not necessary to review the lower-court decisions at this time. Every person has a fundamental right to health care, no matter who they are, where they live, or how much they earn, Leana Wen, president of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America, said in a statement. As a doctor, I have seen whats at stake when people cannot access the care they need, and when politics gets in the way of people making their own health care choices. We wont stop fighting for every patient who relies on Planned Parenthood for lifesaving, life-changing care. Abortion opponents said they hope the court will take up the issue in future cases. AUL is disappointed that the Court declined to hear argument in these cases, and we join the dissent in calling on the Court to do its duty, said Catherine Glenn Foster, president of Americans United for Life. But the good news is that there are other similar cases pending in lower courts, which may give the Supreme Court another opportunity to decide this important issue. The cases are Gee v. Planned Parenthood of Gulf Coast and Andersen v. Planned Parenthood of Kansas and Mid-Missouri. The court did decide to add a case to its docket that will please conservatives who think federal agencies have too much power. The new case Kisor v. Wilkie involves the Department of Veterans Affairs, and asks the court to reexamine its 1997 decision in Auer v. Robbins, which said courts should defer to an agencys interpretations of its own regulations. Such agency deference has been criticized by conservative justices, including Thomas, Kavanaugh and Gorsuch. Video: The Posts Robert Barnes explains how Justice Brett M. Kavanaughs first weeks on the bench differ from President Trumps other Supreme Court appointee.(Monica Akhtar/The Washington Post) SANTA FE Gov.-elect Michelle Lujan Grisham wont be at the mercy of the elements when shes sworn in as New Mexicos 32nd governor on New Years Day. Thats because Lujan Grishams inauguration will be held at the Santa Fe Community Convention Center, where it presumably will be decidedly warmer than the 5-degree mark registered when outgoing Gov. Susana Martinez was sworn into office on the Santa Fe Plaza in 2011. The Jan. 1 event will start at noon, with doors opening at 9 a.m. and seating on a first-come, first-serve basis, according to the chairwoman of Lujan Grishams inauguration. Lujan Grisham, a Democrat, defeated Republican Steve Pearce in this years governors race and will succeed Martinez, who was barred from seeking a third consecutive term in office. More inaugural details are expected to be released this week, including the time and location of the traditional inaugural ball. In addition, Lujan Grishams inauguration chairwoman Caroline Buerkle said all contributions and expenditures will be publicly reported online. Copyright 2018 Albuquerque Journal Bernalillo County may become the next public entity to boost law enforcement salaries in response to mounting competition for badged personnel. Deputies with the Bernalillo County Sheriffs Office could see their hourly rate jump 11 percent in January under a new memorandum of understanding signed by the county manager and the deputies union. They would make $30 per hour, up from $27.03. The deal also would increase wages for sergeants and lieutenants and raise compensation for longevity and special skills, such as canine handling and speaking more than one language. The agreement which goes before the County Commission tonight for final approval would cost the county about $4.3 million a year. Budget documents call it critical for recruiting and retention purposes as the county strives to remain competitive with area agencies. County Manager Julie Morgas Baca contends the expense is necessary but also sustainable. Bernalillo County has lost a number of highly trained deputies due to higher salaries in the area, she said in a prepared statement. The county understands the importance of retaining highly skilled and experienced deputies. In an effort to remain financially competitive with other law enforcement agencies in the area, Bernalillo County has elected to increase the salaries of our sheriffs deputies, she said. The city of Albuquerque has set off something of an arms race with its aggressive strategy to bolster its officer ranks. The Albuquerque Police Department earlier this year raised hourly officer pay to $29 an hour and upped longevity compensation. In recent months, Santa Fe, Rio Rancho and the University of New Mexico each have announced new financial incentives to attract or keep police. All have seen officers leave for APD, which has been conducting lateral police academies for officers joining from other departments. APDs two lateral academies have drawn 59 officers; 11 of them came from BSCO, records show. The new agreement between the county and the Bernalillo County Deputy Sheriffs Association means starting hourly pay for a first-class deputy exceeds APDs rate by $1; however, most of the incentives in the deal mirror Albuquerques. Deputy Chris Toledo, the union president, did not return a Journal message Monday. But Toledo told the Journal in October that BSCO had lost nearly all of its K-9 deputies to Albuquerque, describing the potential outflow as catastrophic. Sheriff Manuel Gonzales, however, said then that the department had weathered departures and remained fully staffed. A BCSO spokeswoman said Monday afternoon that she could not immediately provide current staffing or vacancy figures. WASHINGTON The Trump administration is poised to roll back Clean Water Act protections on millions of acres of streams and wetlands, following through on a promise to agriculture interests and real estate developers to rewrite an Obama-era rule limiting pollution. The administrations plan for a vastly scaled-down Clean Water Rule is expected to be released as soon as Tuesday. Officials said almost a year ago that they had begun the process of reversing the rule President Barack Obama put in place, and internal talking points laying out its case were disclosed late last week by the environmental media outlet E&E News. The talking points signal that the Environmental Protection Agency intends to strip federal protections from all of the nations wetlands and many streams that do not flow year-round. The administration has not challenged the accuracy of the talking points. The previous administrations 2015 rule wasnt about water quality, the draft talking points said. It was about power power in the hands of the federal government over farmers, developers and landowners. At stake are billions of dollars in potential development rights, the quality of drinking water for tens of millions of Americans and rules that affect farming in much of the country, as well as wildlife habitat for most of the nations migratory birds and many other species. Under the administrations plan, the Clean Water Acts protections would no longer apply to most ponds, wetlands and streams that form major parts of drinking-water systems and fisheries throughout the nation, particularly in the arid West. As many as one in three Americans drink water derived in part from seasonal streams that would no longer get protections, according to scientific studies the Obama-era EPA relied on in writing the original rule. In California, where many significant stretches of fresh water dry up in the summer, as much as 80 percent of the states fresh water could lose federal protection. The waters would continue to have protection under state law, but few states are in position to replace the regulatory systems currently run by federal officials. The fight over how broadly the Clean Water Acts protections reach has been going on for decades. The EPA and the Army Corps of Engineers share authority over development that affects lakes and rivers used in interstate commerce. But because pollution flows downstream, the government also has taken jurisdiction over non-navigable waters that connect to those. The issue that has generated battles through four consecutive administrations involves how far upstream the governments reach can extend. Environmentalists have pushed to extend protections to seasonal waters, seeing them as key resources for healthy ecosystems. Agricultural and real estate interests have pushed back hard, complaining of intrusions by heavy-handed bureaucrats. Farmers have argued the Obama-era rules could force them to get costly and cumbersome permits just to dig a drainage ditch. Developers warned the new restrictions could needlessly complicate home building. Under Obama, the EPA ultimately found many of those fears exaggerated. The agency concluded that the protections it put in place would actually create a net economic benefit for the nation of as much as $550 million a year. You cant protect the larger bodies of water unless you protect the smaller ones that flow into them, said Ken Kopocis, who was the chief EPA water official under Obama. You end up with a situation where you can pollute or destroy smaller streams and bodies, and it will eventually impact the larger ones. All of the historic federal water cleanups have involved repairing damage that was done to intermittent streams flowing into a major navigable river or lake, he said. Because of conflicting court rulings, the Obama rules have been in effect in only part of the country. Federal courts covering 22 states, including the West Coast, New England, the mid-Atlantic and parts of the upper Midwest, have allowed the rules to go into effect. In those states, mostly controlled by Democrats, state governments have generally supported the Obama-era rules. Courts covering most of the South, the Great Plains and the Rocky Mountain states have put the rules on hold in response to suits brought by developers, farm groups and conservative states that have sought to overturn the Obama rules. In those states, regulators have provided protections to intermittent streams and wetlands on a case-by-case basis. Those legal battles came nearly a decade after the Supreme Court waded into the issue, with the justices split on what waters warrant Clean Water Act protections. A deciding opinion by former Justice Anthony M. Kennedy created a path for the Obama administration to apply its rules to seasonal streams and wetlands. Environmental groups warn the new Trump rules would restrict the EPA from any enforcement, leaving the job entirely to the states and giving some of the most crucial bodies of water the least amount of protection they have had in decades. It is hard to overstate the impact of this, said Blan Holman, managing attorney at the Southern Environmental Law Center, an advocacy group. This would be taking a sledgehammer to the Clean Water Act and rolling things back to a place we havent been since it was passed. It is a huge threat to water quality across the country, and especially in the West. 2018 Los Angeles Times Visit the Los Angeles Times at www.latimes.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. - PHOTO (for help with images, contact 312-222-4194): TRUMP-CLEANWATER DURANGO, Colo. The trial of a Colorado man accused of killing his 13-year-old son has been pushed back, but a new date has not yet been set. The Durango Herald reports a four-week trial for Mark Redwine was scheduled to begin in late February, but it will likely be moved to the summer as a judge is expected to rule on dozens of pretrial motions in the coming months. Redwine appeared in court last week as attorneys argued motions to determine what evidence will be allowed at trial and where the trial will be held. Redwine has pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder and child abuse resulting in the death of his son Dylan. Dylan disappeared in November 2012 while visiting his father in Vallecito. His remains were found near Redwines home. ___ Information from: Durango Herald, http://www.durangoherald.com WASHINGTON The Black Death of the 14th century killed as much as 60 percent of Europes population. A cause of the disease was the bacterium Yersinia pestis, but lacking microscopes, many at the time turned a keen eye on the Jews and killed them by the thousands. Still, somehow, the plague persisted, with the old and children dying off, but young adults often hanging on. What followed was a goodly amount of war. This is what young men tend to do. Barbara Tuchman made that point in her 1978 book about that squalid century, A Distant Mirror. Young men having grown up in an age of chivalry, tournaments, jousting and other precursors of the mayhem we have today mixed martial arts, for instance turned to war for recognition and to win the hand of some damsel whose father was not in debt. Chaos ensued, because as all but young people know, young people are fools. As luck would have it, some contemporary examples come to mind. The crown prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman, known as MBS, is a mere 33 years old. Since rising to become the kingdoms effective ruler, hes widened a war in Yemen, kidnapped the Lebanese prime minister, gotten into a snit with Qatar, imprisoned womens rights activists and murder most foul almost certainly ordered the killing of Jamal Khashoggi, a U.S. resident and Washington Post columnist. The murder itself was a teenagers way of apparently settling a score and was immediately followed by an arrogant and clumsy cover-up. MBS revealed himself to be highly inept, stubbornly sticking to the story that the dead and already dismembered Khashoggi had left the building, amid mounting evidence to the contrary. The world has always had a weak spot for cruelty, but not for appalling incompetence. Even some of the businessmen around Donald Trump, the avaricious sword dancers of yesteryear, might hesitate to do deals with such a clod. MBS telephone pal in Washington is Jared Kushner, just 37 and, until recently, hugely inexperienced in Middle East diplomacy. He is now in charge of getting Israelis and Palestinians to stop killing one another. Kushner is Trumps son-in-law and also a real-estate mogul in his own right, having worked his way up in his fathers business much as Trump did in his. As a business plan, it seems to be all the rage. The world is full of other leaders who have yet to grow into their jobs. Kim Jong Un of North Korea is only 35 and armed with nuclear weapons. He, too, took the family path to reckless power, succeeding his father and, reportedly, executing his own dear uncle. I am even beginning to have some doubts about Emmanuel Macron, just 40. He rushed through an economic-reform package that is now bringing him loads of trouble in the street. That, coupled with his Louis XIV airs, has given him a life-threatening approval rating of about 26 percent. He may soon be gone. Paradoxically, the youngest leader on the world stage may well be Donald Trump. He is 72, of course, but since ignorance is the functional equivalent of youth, he is forever young. The presidents head is uncluttered with the facts, not to mention the contradictions and paradoxes that come with knowledge and experience. For instance, his anti-NATO posture was clearly based on not knowing the underlying reasons for its creation. Trump saw it solely as an anti-Russia alliance, which it always was in part, but to him Moscow was just a nice place to build a hotel not an enemy at all. But the desire to keep the U.S. engaged in Europe was beyond his ken. The young their minds concentrated by the military draft got the folly of Vietnam. But the apparent current conviction that young is better because it is young is a prescription for disaster. The young are flattered by a popular culture that cherishes them as customers, by a mass media that longs for their patronage and by politicians who beg them just to vote. It makes their young heads swim. Age is not a panacea. The experienced people who led us into the Vietnam War could hardly have done worse. Iraq was no different. But the impetuosity and, often, rage of young men the building blocks of all armies have always been a cause for worry. Tuchman offered us a distant mirror but the ones we are seeing now are strictly for vanity. E-mail cohenr@washpost.com. India on Monday expressed "deep satisfaction" over the judgement of a UK court which ordered Vijay Mallya's extradition after concluding that the "flashy billionaire" does have a case to answer in the Indian courts over substantial "misrepresentations" of his financial dealings. Chief Magistrate of the Westminster Magistrates' Court in London, Judge Emma Arbuthnot ordered Mallya's extradition, in a major boost to India's efforts to bring back the 62-year-old former Kingfisher Airlines boss wanted for alleged fraud and money laundering charges amounting to an estimated Rs 9,000 crores. External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said India will continue to work with the British government for "expeditious" implementation of the court order. "We express our deep satisfaction at the judgement and note that justice has been delivered today. We thank the UK authorities for their help in this matter," Kumar said. "We will continue to work with the UK Government for expeditious implementation of today's court order and early extradition of Mallya to India," he added. Delivering the verdict at Westminster Magistrates' Court, Judge Arbuthnot said there is a prima facie case against Mallya and that she is satisfied that his human rights would not be infringed in Barrack 12 of Arthur Road Jail in Mumbai, where he is to be held on being extradited. The court accepted the Indian government's contention that because Mallya has such a "high profile", his trial in India will be under great scrutiny and he will be able to raise with the court any overly prejudicial publicity. Addressing the jail conditions, the judge expressed her satisfaction with the evidence provided by the Indian government, describing the video of Barrack 12 at Arthur Road Jail as an accurate portrayal of the conditions which will apply to Mallya. However, the court made a specific reference to special medical conditions being made available to the businessman, who is described as "far from healthy". The court also dismissed the defence's attempts to dispute Indian prison conditions as a bar to his extradition on human rights grounds, saying the video of the Barrack 12 of Mumbai's Arthur Road Jail, where Mallya would be held, "gives accurate portrayal and has been recently redecorated". Also Read: Election Results 2018: Watch live coverage on Aaj Tak Also Read: Election Results 2018: Watch live coverage on India Today TV WASHINGTON When you strike at a king you must kill him, Ralph Waldo Emerson once said. Well, this year China tried to strike at President Trump for daring to launch a trade war with Beijing and missed the mark entirely. After Trump imposed massive tariffs on Chinese goods earlier this year, Beijing responded in June with what appeared to be a clever strategy: targeting retaliatory tariffs against Trump voters in rural farming communities across the United States. China is the largest importer of U.S. soybeans, buying $14 billion of them in 2017. Three of the biggest soybean-producing states, Indiana, Missouri and North Dakota, not only voted for Trump, but also in the 2018 midterms had Democratic senators, Joe Donnell, Ind., Claire McCaskill, Mo., and Heidi Heitkamp, N.D., who were up for re-election. If Beijing imposed painful tariffs on soybeans, Chinese leaders likely calculated, they could create a rift between Trump and rural voters who put him in the White House, give Senate Democrats a boost and force Trump to back down. But Trump did not back down. He countered by announcing $12 billion in aid for farmers, threatened to increase his tariffs on Chinese goods and asked his rural base to stick with him while he faced down the economic predators in Beijing. That is exactly what they did. Far from abandoning the president, rural voters hurt by Chinese tariffs rallied around Trump and the GOP. They threw Donnelly, Heitkamp and McCaskill out of office, allowing Republicans to expand their Senate majority. And while Republicans lost control of the House, few of the GOP losses came from rural districts. Competitive rural districts mostly ended up staying Republican; it was the urban-suburban districts that flipped to the Democrats. Chinas tariff ploy didnt just fail to sway the 2018 midterms; it actually backfired. The tariffs made the U.S. soybeans that China depends on more expensive, and Beijing soon found that alternative suppliers in South America could not produce enough to meet Chinese demand, leading to shortfalls. In other words, China went for a kill shot and ended up shooting itself in the foot. That has emboldened Trump in his negotiations with Chinese President Xi Jinping as shown by news last week that a senior executive of Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei had been arrested in Vancouver, at the request of the United States, on charges of violating sanctions on Iran. China demanded her release but nonetheless affirmed that it will still observe the 90-day tariff cease-fire Trump and Xi reached during their meeting in Buenos Aires putting off a scheduled Jan. 1 escalation of U.S. tariffs from 10 percent to 25 percent on $200 billion of Chinese goods while the two sides negotiate a deal. Trump has leverage going into those talks. The U.S. economy is booming, while China has just posted its weakest growth in nearly a decade. Moreover, during the Group of 20 meeting in Argentina, Xi saw how Trump has been able to bend his trade rivals to his will, and deliver trade victories for his working-class political base, when he held an elaborate signing ceremony for the new U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade agreement. China will of course be a much tougher adversary than Mexico or Canada. As my American Enterprise Institute colleague Derek Scissors points out, the Chinese Communist Party controls the economy through state ownership and massive subsidies in dozens of sectors where U.S. goods and services cant compete fairly. Lifting tariffs is easy. Getting China to change its entire industrial policy will be hard as will stopping Chinas theft of U.S. intellectual property. But Trump knows he has no chance of doing so by filing complaints with the World Trade Organization. So Trump is playing a game of chicken with Xi, appearing to calculate that the United States is in a better position to survive an all-out trade war. The markets panicked this week over Trumps recent pronouncement that he would be just as happy imposing tariffs as cutting a deal with China, but getting this message through to Xi is the only way to force his hand. As Trump tweeted, We are either going to have a REAL DEAL with China, or no deal at all at which point we will be charging major Tariffs against Chinese products being shipped into the United States, adding, remember I am a Tariff Man. He means it. Trump actually believes that tariffs are good for the U.S. economy. The question is whether Xi believes he believes it. The answer may determine whether we get a deal or a trade war. Twitter, @marcthiessen. (c) 2018, The Washington Post Writers Group. Copyright 2018 Albuquerque Journal Two detectives assigned full time to the Victoria Martens homicide case will begin work on unrelated investigations after attempts to identify an elusive fourth suspect have stalled, according to the District Attorneys Office. In the absence of Jessica Kelleys continued cooperation following the District Courts rejection of her plea agreement, the investigation into the unidentified male has stalled, Michael Patrick, DAs Office spokesman, said in a statement. Detectives will continue to work any new leads that are developed, but it is our understanding that they will also support other investigations. In September, Kelley had been set to plead guilty to multiple charges under an agreement that required her to testify at related trials and to offer statements to authorities. District Attorney Raul Torrez said then that her cooperation was critically important to the states investigation into the well-dressed stranger that Kelley says killed the 10-year-old girl. But Judge Charles Brown rejected the plea, saying he was not presented with enough evidence that Kelley committed the crimes to which she was pleading. Gilbert Gallegos, spokesman for APD, said the detectives hit a critical point in their investigation into the mystery suspect and expressed to their supervisors that they felt like they could be doing additional work (in other cases) while they wait for these new leads. Theyre still on the case theyll still be prepared to go forward if they develop new leads, he said. A new lead could come in any number of ways. City spokeswoman Alicia Manzano said in an email Monday that the city is committed to seeing the case through to the end, but the police department is also working on other crimes throughout the city, and needs to make the best use of resources, including detective time. Kelley is set for trial next month; her attorney declined to comment on the development. But the announcement came as no surprise to Steve Aarons, the Santa Fe attorney who is representing Kelleys cousin and co-defendant, Fabian Gonzales. The fourth suspect is a figment of Jessica Kelleys imagination, just one more false statement to avoid life in prison for her murder of Victoria Martens, he wrote in an email. Baby sitter high on meth Kelley said during a September hearing that she was high on meth and baby-sitting Victoria when a man she did not know walked in and killed the girl. Prosecutors said he then told Kelley to clean up the mess or she and her children would be next. Prosecutors say the child was killed in an act of retaliation after Gonzales made threats to members of a rival gang. When police were called to the Martens familys apartment on the West Side hours later, they found the childs body burning in a bathtub. Kelley and Gonzales, who was dating Victorias mother at the time, are accused of dismembering the girl. Michelle Martens, the childs mother, has pleaded guilty to various crimes and faces up to 15 years in prison. Contrary to early accounts of the crime, prosecutors say neither she nor Gonzales was at the apartment at the time of Victorias death. Kelley had been expected to plead guilty to child abuse resulting in death and lesser charges, and she faced nearly 50 years in prison. But Brown said he would not accept that agreement, saying there was no indication that Kelley knew or should have known that the person who entered the apartment intended to kill the child. In a press conference shortly after that hearing, Torrez suggested that the rejection would harm his offices ability to prosecute remaining suspects and to identify the fourth one. And Gallegos said Monday that if Kelley were to accept another plea agreement, detectives could wind up with new leads. At trial, she faces numerous charges, including murder and child abuse resulting in death. Detectives disappeared Mondays announcement regarding the investigation comes after the two APD detectives working the case cleared out their workspace at the DAs Office on Thursday night and left their key cards behind without first notifying prosecutors, Patrick said Friday. Theres no reason for it. Theyve been investigating this case for the better part of two years, Patrick said. Suddenly theyve without notice or even a phone call theyve disappeared. They had been working in a shared space with the DAs Office, focusing solely on the Martens case. Gallegos said that night that the detectives received permission from their supervisors to work on additional investigations in the department while the prosecution wraps up its trial work in this case. He said detectives would be available to pursue new leads as they arise. By Saturday morning, Patrick said he had been told by APD leadership that the two detectives will be back on Monday. It doesnt appear that the mayor knew that they had been pulled, Patrick wrote in a text. Patrick sent an email Monday afternoon acknowledging the detectives would be working other cases as well. Journal staff writer Matt Reisen contributed to this report. Copyright 2018 Albuquerque Journal It was mid-July when a state judge ruled New Mexico isnt giving at risk students a sufficient education something ensured to them by the state Constitution. A consolidated lawsuit, filed by the New Mexico Center on Law and Poverty and the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund, argued that the states schools are inadequately funded. In the judges landmark decision was a crucial deadline: April 15. By that date, which is after next years legislative session, the state, the Public Education Department and the Legislature have to take immediate steps to ensure that New Mexico schools have resources needed for a sufficient education. Two key legislative committees have been working together on a plan, which is expected to cost in the hundreds of millions of dollars. On Friday, the New Mexico School Boards Association, or NMSBA, brought together key players of the lawsuit for a panel discussion and asked what their top remedies would be moving forward. Tom Sullivan, retired Moriarty-Edgewood superintendent, introduced what would become the panels consensus: New Mexico needs to increase teacher salaries by substantial margins to help with recruitment and retention woes. Gail Evans, lead counsel at New Mexico Center on Law and Poverty, proposed raising the pay tiers to $45,000, $55,000 and $65,000. In Albuquerque Public Schools, the scale is $36,000, $44,000 and $54,000 currently. She also included what she called no brainer stuff. She said such areas as increasing funding so schools can hire the needed staff and invest in their programs and making sure students have the instructional materials and technology needed to learn can be implemented right away. The need for teachers and resources to support those teachers was echoed by Santa Fe Public Schools Superintendent Veronica Garcia, who said schools and districts cant implement changes without the personnel. She highlighted a teacher shortage the state is facing. Both Garcia, who was a witness for the lawsuit, and Guy Archambeau, president of the Grants Cibola Board of Education, saw the need to invest more in pre-kindergarten and initiatives that increase time in kindergarten through third grade. Archambeau also emphasized the importance of bringing cultural songs, stories and philosophies into schools. When our children read stories about kids in Kansas, it doesnt connect, he said. Ernest Herrera, Mexican American Legal Defense Fund attorney, urged alterations to the funding formula and at-risk index, which puts money toward students such as English Language Learners, students with disabilities and economically disadvantaged students. Not just increasing it but also including in it all students who are economically disadvantaged and all those who qualify for free and reduced lunch, he told the NMSBA crowd. Each panelist was asked to give three top priorities for fixing public education, and most either provided more than that or suggested priorities that are multifaceted. State Sen. Mimi Stewart, an Albuquerque Democrat and chairwoman of the Legislative Education Study Committee, told the crowd the LESC and the Legislative Finance Committee have been working together to draft a plan. I can tell you we are going to do everything that everyone talked about, she said, referencing the panels suggestions and saying bigger changes will be implemented over time. Stewart didnt share any cost figures, saying the work with the LFC isnt done yet. Preliminary estimates, based on pages and pages of proposals from the community and plaintiffs attorneys, have ranged anywhere from $350 million to $1 billion. A final price tag has not been confirmed. SANTA FE A case that started more than four years ago when a dog pooped in a well-known artists car is still playing out in state courts. It has come to involve legal questions about public records and police immunity from liability while on the job. The case is now before the state Court of Appeals, and a side issue over access to a police belt recording is the subject of a new court complaint. In 2015, Native American painter Mateo Romero, whose work was used on one of the annual posters for Santa Fe Indian Market, filed a lawsuit alleging violation of his constitutional rights from an incident a year before that he says began when his Shih Tzu defecated in his car. He pulled into a driveway on Old Santa Fe Trail to clean up the mess, but the female occupant of the house soon pulled into the driveway behind him and called police to report a potential burglary. His suit says responding officer Christopher Mooney held a rifle on Romero to get him on the ground, and that he was handcuffed and placed in the back of a patrol car for 20 minutes before he was let go. In the citys version, according to court documents that cite police audio and video recordings, Romero was handcuffed for 13 or 14 minutes, acknowledged it was unwise to pull into the womans driveway and told officers that he appreciated their professionalism. Last year, District Court Judge David Thomson dismissed the suit based on qualified immunity, the legal tenet that officers on duty arent liable when they dont violate clearly established law. Actions by officer Mooney were objectively reasonable given (his) obligation to respond to what he thought was a burglary in progress, Thomson wrote. A ranking officer, Louis Carlos, now police chief in Espanola, also responded. Two police car dash-cams and an officers belt recorder recorded the incident and showed officers acted well within constitutional limitations, and indeed, as necessary for their safety, throughout their brief encounter with (Romero), the judge found. On appeal, two lawyers for Romero including one with the American Civil Liberties Union maintain the officers waited to uncuff and release Romero for some period after they knew no crime had been committed. Their brief also says there was no justification to use an assault rifle to take down a compliant, peaceful and unarmed Romero, who had his hands up. Last week, Romeros lawyers filed a new complaint alleging violation of the state Inspection of Public Records Act. The city failed to provide Mooneys belt recording when Romero asked for it along with other documents soon after the incident. The city claimed no belt recordings existed. But two years later, when the city filed its motion to dismiss Romeros lawsuit, it cited evidence from the belt recording, as well as dash-cam video that had in fact been provided to Romero. This was the first time Romero knew the belt recording existed, the new complaint states. The city still has not amended its IPRA response to provide the recording, nor corrected its false claim that there were no belt recordings, the new complaint says. When this issue previously came up during the lawsuit proceedings, the city said in a filing that it was unclear whether the city records custodian had the belt recording when Romero made his IPRA request. The city also argued that its failure to hand over the belt recording didnt prejudice Romeros case in part because the dash-cam videos that were provided to him captured audio and video of the entire incident. The city filed a copy of the belt recording as an exhibit with its motion to dismiss. Alamogordo Daily News TULAROSA Otero County Sheriffs Office deputies arrested two Tularosa men at a home on Old Mescalero Road on outstanding warrants for two unrelated cases that caused Tularosa school students to shelter in place Friday afternoon. Sheriff Benny House said OCSO deputies were assisted by the Alamogordo Police Department, Tularosa Police Department, New Mexico State Police and U.S. Border Patrol. House said Daniel McKinley, 34, was arrested on a warrant charging McKinley with three counts of second-degree felony trafficking a controlled substance by possession with intent to distribute (methamphetamine, heroin, cocaine), two counts of third-degree felony tampering with evidence, two counts of fourth-degree conspiracy to tamper with evidence, one count of third-degree conspiracy to trafficking controlled substances, one count of fourth-degree possession of a firearm and misdemeanor of a stolen firearm. He said McKinley was also arrested on a second warrant charging him with one count of third-degree felony tampering with evidence and fourth-degree possession of a firearm. McKinley was jailed at the Otero County Detention Center on a $50,000 bond for his first warrant and a no-bond hold for his second warrant pending his appearance in court. House said Jeremy Ray Coble-Ramirez was arrested on a warrant for failure to appear after OCSO found Coble-Ramirez at the Tularosa residence while searching for McKinley. Coble-Ramirez was jailed at OCDC on a no-bond hold pending his appearance in court. House said OCSO deputies received information that McKinley was at a Tularosa home on Old Mescalero Road early Friday morning. FARMINGTON A former Farmington-area priest has been added to the Diocese of Gallups list of priests the diocese states have been credibly accused of sexually abusing children. Rev. Eugene Bowski, who served at St. Marys Parish in Farmington in the mid-1990s, was added to the list of credibly accused in late November, according to a press release from the diocese. In a letter included with the press release, Bishop James Wall stated that the diocese has begun publishing the names of priests and church workers who have served in the Diocese of Gallup and have had credible allegations made against them for abuse that occurred outside of the Diocese of Gallup. The press release states the Diocese of Gallup learned on Nov. 28 that Bowski had been added to the list of credibly accused for the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston, West Virginia. While in West Virginia, he allegedly sexually abused a child in 1982. The Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston states a credible accusation means there is reasonable cause to believe that an offense occurred based on factors like time, place, age of the parties, background and history available, personnel files and other pertinent facts. Bowski served at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish in Franklin, West Virginia, from June 1980 until March 1982, according to the list released by the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston. The list states the alleged abuse was reported on March 25, 1982, which is the same day the list states his time ministering for the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston ended. Diocese of Gallup spokeswoman Suzanne Hammonds said the diocese is trying to learn why the diocese was not notified about the alleged abuse when Bowski was assigned to the Diocese of Gallup. She said the Diocese of Gallup asked if Bowski had any abuse allegations against him prior to Bowski coming to the diocese. Wall barred Bowski from ministry within the diocese in 2014 after Bowski allegedly solicited an 18-year-old man for sex. He hasnt been able to do any kind of public ministry since 2014, Hammonds said. Hammonds said because the man was an adult when Bowski allegedly solicited him for sex, Bowski was not added to the list of credibly accused. However, she said Bowski began grooming the man while he was a minor. We are currently in the midst of a very painful period in the Church, and there is still much work to be done in order to ensure that children and vulnerable persons are protected, Wall said in a letter included in the press release. Please continue to pray for survivors of abuse, and for me, as your shepherd. Bowski served in Farmington from Sept. 1, 1995 until July 1996. He also served in Chinle, Arizona, as well as Cuba, Grants, Pinehaven and Ramah. The Diocese of Gallup states Bowski had two assignments for the Archdiocese of Santa Fe. These assignments were at St. Bernadette Parish in 2003 and as a chaplain at the University of New Mexico Hospital. He was in Albuquerque from late October 2002 until 2009. Hammonds said if anyone knows of abuse that has taken place or is taking place, they should contact law enforcement officials. The diocese also allows people to make confidential claims to the victims assistance coordinator at 505-906-7357. Hannah Grover covers government for The Daily Times. She can be reached at 505-564-4652 or via email at hgrover@daily-times.com. 2018 The Daily Times (Farmington, N.M.) Visit The Daily Times (Farmington, N.M.) at www.daily-times.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. VANCOUVER, British Columbia A Canadian court granted bail Tuesday to a top Chinese executive arrested at the United States request in a case that has set off a diplomatic furor among the three countries and complicated high-stakes U.S.-China trade talks. Hours before the bail hearing in Vancouver, China detained a former Canadian diplomat in Beijing in apparent retaliation for the Dec. 1 arrest of Meng Wanzhou, chief financial officer of Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei and daughter of the companys founder. After three days of hearings, a British Columbia justice granted bail of $10 million Canadian (US$7.5 million) to Meng, but required her to wear an ankle bracelet, surrender her passports, stay in Vancouver and its suburbs and confine herself to one of her two Vancouver homes from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. The decision was met with applause in the packed courtroom, where members of Vancouvers Chinese community had turned out to show support for Meng. She left the courthouse late Tuesday surrounded by a security detail and was driven away in a black SUV without responding to questions from reporters. Amid rising tension between China and Canada, Canadian Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale confirmed earlier that a former Canadian diplomat had been detained in Beijing. The detention came after China warned Canada of consequences for Mengs arrest. Were deeply concerned, Goodale said. A Canadian is obviously in difficulty in China. We are sparing no effort to do everything we possibly can to look after his safety. Michael Kovrig, who has worked as a diplomat in China and elsewhere, was detained by the Beijing Bureau of Chinese State Security on Monday night during one of his regular visits to Beijing, said the International Crisis Group, for which Kovrig works as North East Asia adviser. Rob Malley, head of the Brussels-based non-governmental group, said Canadian consular officers had not been given access to Kovrig. He thinks Kovrig was in Beijing on a personal visit and definitely not there for any reason that would undermine Chinese national security. Canada had been bracing for retaliation for Meng arrest. The Canadian province of British Columbia canceled a trade mission to China amid fears China could detain Canadians to put pressure on Ottawa over Mengs detention. In China there is no coincidence, Guy Saint-Jacques, a former Canadian ambassador to China, said of Kovrigs detention. Unfortunately Canada is caught in the middle of this dispute between the U.S and China. Because China cannot kick the U.S. they turn to the next target. Earlier in the day, China vowed to spare no effort to protect against any bullying that infringes the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese citizens. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi didnt mention Meng by name. But ministry spokesman Lu Kang said Wang was referring to cases of all Chinese abroad, including Mengs. Washington accuses Huawei of using a Hong Kong shell company to sell equipment to Iran in violation of U.S. sanctions. It says Meng and Huawei misled banks about the companys business dealings in Iran. On Tuesday, U.S. State Department spokesman Robert Palladino told reporters in Washington the charges against Meng pertain to alleged lies to United States financial institutions about Huaweis business dealings in Iran. It is clear from the filings that were unsealed in Canada, Meng and others are alleged to have put financial institutions at risk of criminal and civil liability in the United States by deceiving those institutions as to the nature and extent of Huaweis business in Iran, Palladino said. Meng has denied the U.S. allegations through her lawyer in court, promising to fight them if she is extradited to face charges in the United States. We have every confidence that the Canadian and U.S. legal systems will reach a just conclusion in the following proceedings, Huawei said in a statement. As we have stressed all along, Huawei complies with all applicable laws and regulations in the countries and regions where we operate, including export control and sanction laws of the UN, US, and EU. We look forward to a timely resolution to this matter. Huawei, the biggest global supplier of network gear for phone and internet companies, is a target of U.S. security concerns. Washington has pressured other countries to limit use of its technology, warning they could be opening themselves up to surveillance and theft of information. The U.S. and China have tried to keep Mengs case separate from their wider trade dispute and suggested Tuesday that talks to resolve their differences may resume. But President Donald Trump undercut that message in an interview Tuesday with Reuters, where he said he would consider intervening in the case against Meng if it would be in the interest of U.S. national security or help forge a trade deal with Beijing. Roland Paris, a former foreign policy adviser to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, called Trumps comments troubling. Canada is fulfilling the terms of its treaty obligations and upholding the rule of law in good faith, and paying a price to do so. If the U.S. is not equally committed to the rule of law in this case, the extradition request should be withdrawn immediately, Paris tweeted. News that Chinas economy czar had discussed with U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Trade Rep. Robert Lighthizer for talks aimed at settling the two countries difference lifted share prices around the world on Tuesday. The United States has slapped tariffs on $250 billion in Chinese imports in response to complaints Beijing steals American technology and forces U.S. companies to turn over trade secrets. Tariffs on $200 billion of those imports were scheduled to rise from 10 percent to 25 percent on Jan. 1. But Trump agreed to postpone those by 90 days while the two sides negotiate. ___ Associated Press writer Jim Morris reported this story in Vancouver, AP writer Rob Gillies reported from Toronto and AP writer Paul Wiseman reported from Washington. AP writers Matthew Lee in Washington and Joe McDonald in Beijing contributed to this report. TAIPEI, Taiwan Taiwan is mulling an expansion of its five-year-old ban on network equipment produced by Chinese companies Huawei Technologies and ZTE Corp. amid security concerns. Officials sought over the weekend to reassure lawmakers and the public that such measures have been effective and the threat to the communications sector is minimal. On Monday, legislators called for extending the ban on Huawei to the financial industry, where it has reportedly sought business providing digital finance services. Financial Supervisory Commission Chairman Wellington Koo was quoted by local media as saying the government would consider such a move based on provisions under Taiwanese law and World Trade Organization rules. Most Taiwanese banks use components made by IBM in their servers and Huawei doesnt have a high market share in terms of such equipment, he was quoted as saying by the newspaper Taipei Times. The commission itself does not use any Chinese-made cybersecurity equipment, Koo said. Huawei, based in southern Chinas Shenzhen, near Hong Kong, is the worlds largest supplier of network gear. ZTE is one of its rivals Huawei has established a presence in Taiwan, with its handsets among the top sellers. The company also sponsors a Christmas extravaganza in a Taipei suburb that features a giant Santa emblazoned with Huaweis logo. While several countries have similar bans in place, the risk for Taiwan is potentially greater since China claims the island as its own territory and threatens to use military force to bring it under its control. Back-doors that some allege Huawei has built into its products could give Beijing access to military and economic secrets or even to disable crucial infrastructure in the event of a conflict. Taiwan has already accused China of meddling in last months local elections by spreading false news online. HOBBS, N.M. When Karli McMurray went to the West African country of Ghana for legal studies in 2009, what she saw was so shocking that it put her life on a new course. The Odessa American reports the Hobbs native visited an area without clean water and promised the villagers she would do everything in her power to change their lives for the better. What had dismayed McMurray was seeing women and children walking long distances and carrying back containers full of dirty river and surface water, she said. And since then the Oklahoma City University School of Law graduate and directors and advisory board members of the nonprofit One Love Worldwide have seen to it that 40 fresh water wells were either drilled or refurbished for 50,000 people in 34 villages in an area known as the Eastern Region of Ghana. I witnessed unimaginable living conditions and suffering that I had never known existed, said McMurray, 34. I thought I could use my education to help these people and I made a promise to the village of Teacher Mante that I would do my best somehow to bring about a positive change. It is my fulltime job. Raising $130,000 and spending $90,000 last year, OLW prides itself on transparency, McMurray said. Its hard to get things accomplished there, especially for an American who is used to a fast pace, she said. Corruption is a problem. Too often, by the time funds trickle down there is nothing left for these villages. A community can never develop without access to clean water. Water dictates their way of life. She described drilling from 60 to 200 feet to hit water two or three times but said most of the villages had pumps and wells that had become inoperable but were restorable. A big part of the project is to organize community involvement water teams and train people to maintain the wells. McMurray said the water is sold for an average of a penny per gallon and the money managed by the water teams. Her supervisors in Ghana, working from the two-acre OLW headquarters in Teacher Mante, are the sisters Esinam and Sealci Dufe, who also manage health care and pay school fees for eight children. McMurray noted that Ghana is an oil-rich nation with numerous Americans working at off-shore wells but that only one of five people in the nation of 28 million has access to clean water. She has been to Ghana 10 times and has had malaria more times than I care to remember, she said. OLW Treasurer Kelli Claussen of Lubbock said McMurrays hallmark is her resolve. Karli has always had to work and she is determined to make it happen, whatever it is, Claussen said. Nothing stops her. Noting McMurrays parents Pat and Becky are retired public school educators, Claussen said, I didnt know she had gone to Ghana, but she came home a changed person. Karli has always been a person who couldnt see there was a problem and not do something about it. She says, Everybody deserves a shot. There are still a lot of villages that need help. We are also big on sustainability, growing their own crops, education and helping girls. Other board members are Sarah Yelverton of Houston, Ashley Gallegos of Denver, Andrea Rodriguez and Kristi Goodwin, both of Hobbs, and Secretary Katy Jones of New York City. This is an AP Weekend Member Exchange shared by the Odessa American Loading the player... Meanwhile, it will be months before the Indian government is able to bring back the former Kingfisher Airlines boss to face the Indian courts over allegations of fraud and money laundering amounting to an estimated Rs 9,000 crores. Mallya has an automatic right to appeal in the UK High Court against the Chief Magistrate's order but is yet to confirm if he plans to do that. Surjit Bhalla resigns from PM Modi's economic advisory council Rupee opens 114 paise lower after RBI governor Urjit Patel resigns Huawei exec to seek Canada bail on health grounds India has expressed "deep satisfaction" over the judgement of a UK court which ordered Vijay Mallya's extradition after concluding that the "flashy billionaire" does have a case to answer in the Indian courts over substantial "misrepresentations" of his financial dealings. External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said India will continue to work with the British government for "expeditious" implementation of the court order.Indian economist Surjit Bhalla resigned from Prime Minister Narendra Modi's economic advisory council effective December 1, a spokesman in Modi's office said. News about Bhalla's resignation comes a day after the Reserve Bank of India's governor Urjit Patel quit abruptly after a months-long tussle over policy with the government. Modi formed the council late in 2017 to address issues of macroeconomic importance.The rupee opened lower in trade today after the surprise exit of RBI governor Urjit Patel with immediate effect. The currency tumbled 114 paise in early trade to 72.46 level compared to yesterday close of 71.32 level against the US dollar.However, it recovered some losses and was trading at 72.14 level in the forex market at 10:00 am. RBI is the nodal agency which keeps a strict vigil on the rupee movement in the country.Stating that he was saddened but not surprised by RBI Governor Urjit Patel's resignation, former finance minister P Chidambaram has alleged that no self respecting scholar or academic can work in the NDA Government whose immediate agenda was to "grab the reserves" of the central bank to meet its fiscal deficit target. In a series of tweets, the senior Congress leader said one should not make any mistake about the government's intention, which is to make RBI "a Board-managed company".A top executive of Chinese telecom giant Huawei will seek release from Canadian detention Monday on health grounds, as Beijing escalates its protests over her arrest on a US warrant. Meng Wanzhou, Huawei's chief financial officer, faces US fraud charges related to alleged sanctions-breaking dealings with Iran, and has been awaiting a Canadian court's bail decisionNiti Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant Monday said if India wants to grow at 8 per cent plus annually for next three decades then the country must focus on improving its human capital and physical quality of life. Kant while speaking at an event organised by industry body FICCI stressed that development of social sector is crucial to harnessing the country's demographic dividend. He also pointed out that no country in the post World War II period has grown rapidly without following exports led strategy. INCLINE VILLAGE, Nev.- If you are planning on travelling through Tahoe Dec. 11th-13th, take note that Highway 28 will be under construction, causing delays during the day and closures overnight. Nevada transportation officials plan to close a stretch of this highway at Incline Village and Sand Harbor State Park near the northwest shore of Lake Tahoe from 8 p.m. until 6:30 a.m. all three days. The highway is being closed so that bridges for a new shared path for bicycles and pedestrians can be built. CHICO, Calif. - Staff at Chico State and a popular online shoe company, joined forces to help a survivor of the Camp Fire. Graduating Senior Aaron Byers lost everything in the fire except the clothes on his back. With a size 16 foot, it's hard for Byers to find a pair of shoes that fit. To make the situation even more of a challenge, Byers had a big job interview lined up. "I talked to one of my professors and I was like, 'Do I email the company saying beforehand saying hey I'm going to wear some Vans because I don't have any shoes, because all my stuff burnt down,'" Byers said. "But I didn't want to seem desperate and I don't want to put that pressure on a new employer." Professor Colleen Robb posted a request on Chico State's Facebook Page Rise Wildcats. It caught the attention of students and the online retailer company, Zappos. After hearing his story, the company stepped up and donated three pairs of black leather shoes to Byers. Uni of Adelaide wine researcher is Superstar of STEM Tuesday, 11 December 2018 A University of Adelaide researcher who helps viticulturists worldwide to produce quality wine has been named among Australia's latest Superstars of STEM. This year, 60 outstanding women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) have been chosen as Superstars of STEM, announced by the Minister for Industry, Science and Technology, the Hon. Karen Andrews. Run by Science & Technology Australia, the Superstars of STEM program supports and trains women to share their passion for STEM with the Australian community, through the media, social media and on stage. Among them is Dr Roberta De Bei, a Research Fellow in the University of Adelaide's School of Agriculture, Food and Wine. Funded by Wine Australia, Dr De Bei's research focuses on helping viticulturists to improve their vineyard management so that quality wine can be consistently produced. Despite growing up in the only province of Italy where there is no wine production, Dr De Bei pursued a career in viticulture. She moved to Australia after completing her PhD at the University of Padova. This year marked Dr De Bei's 10 years at the University of Adelaide, where her research interests include vine physiology, vine performance and sustainable vineyard management. Dr De Bei is passionate about delivering practical outcomes for the wine industry and is the co-inventor of a smartphone App that enables real-time monitoring of grapevine canopy architecture to improve vineyard management. She won the Australian Women in Wine award for Researcher of the Year in 2016 for her contribution to the Australian wine industry. "Being a Superstar of STEM is exciting for many reasons," Dr De Bei says. "My participation in this program is a great opportunity to broaden my skillset and build on my commitment to championing change for women in STEM. This will improve my effectiveness in communicating with the media, in public forums, and with high-profile members of the community. "I would also like to fulfil the program aim of becoming a role model for girls and young women, especially those of migrant descent who are like me, by showing that a career in STEM is fun and attainable." Photo: Dr Roberta De Bei, Research Fellow in Agriculture, Food and Wine, and Superstar of STEM. Contact Details Media Release In its continuous efforts to strengthen the vision of becoming the `Most Trusted Retailer in the country, Walmart India today announced key leadership moves in the company. Sameer Aggarwal has been made Chief Business Officer of Walmart India with immediate effect. In this expanded role, Sameer, currently Chief Strategy & Administrative Officer, will now lead Strategy, Merchandising, Cost Analytics, E-Commerce, Technology, Marketing and Replenishment. He will continue to report directly to Krish Iyer, President & CEO, Walmart India. Prior to joining Walmart India in April 2018, Sameer was Chief Finance, Development & Supply Chain Officer for KFC, Thailand. Before KFC, Sam worked with Sainsburys in UK & China as Head of Strategy and Executive Assistant to the CEO. Sam also worked with McKinsey & Co, UK & Australia as an Associate Partner. He holds a Masters Degree in Business Administration from the London Business School and is a fellow member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India. Anuj Singh has joined as Head - Category Merchandising of Walmart India and will lead Category Merchandising, Merchandise Planning & Execution and Private Brands development. Anuj will report to Sameer Aggarwal. Anuj comes with 23 years of experience in leading consumer goods organizations across India, Europe & Middle East. Before joining Walmart, Anuj was Business Executive Officer responsible for Nestles Food Services business in the South Asia Region. Earlier, he worked with organizations such as Philip Morris International, Hindustan Lever Limited, ITC Limited and Asian Paints. Anuj holds Masters Degree in Business Administration from London Business School, Meanwhile, Devendra Chawla, EVP & Chief Operating Officer - Merchandising, Marketing, and eCommerce, has decided to move on to pursue other opportunities outside Walmart India. Announcing the changes, Krish Iyer, President & CEO, Walmart India said, I am extremely pleased to announce Sameer Aggarwal as our Chief Business Officer. Sam joined Walmart India in April this year and within a short period of time he has developed a great understanding of our company and our culture. He has already made very good contributions to the business and also developed strong relationships internally and externally. He brings an international and strategic perspective to our business in India. His experience of supporting the governance functions at Walmart India will help us grow further in the right way. He is passionate about growing people and making them successful. I have no doubt he will lead and support his teams to strive for excellence in everything we do. I am very happy to welcome Anuj Singh into the Walmart India family. Backed with rich experience of 23 years in India and international markets, I am confident he would lead the business to achieve more success. I am very excited with the progress we are making in the country. We recently opened our 23rd Best Price Store and the second Fulfillment Centre in the country and are excited at the opportunity of continuing to create shared value for kiranas, resellers, small businesses, small farmers, associates, and the community at large. With our expansion, we are opening up our mission to more members and helping them save money to live better while enabling kirana/reseller members to prosper by efficiently managing their inventory and lowering their operational costs. While growing the business, we will set new benchmarks in the B2B Cash&Carry format, create thousands of local jobs and continue to invest in making our operations sustainable through renewal energy, waste management, water recycling and replacing single-use plastic with sustainable solutions in a phased manner. I wish Sam & Anuj the very best in their new roles. I would also like to thank Devendra Chawla for his contributions to the company, especially for making a difference to our Private Brand business. I wish him good luck in his future endeavors. Banking services could be severely affected around Christmas as members of Indian Bank's Association (IBA) have proposed a two-day strike to protest the merger of public sector banks. The All India Bank Officers' Confederation (AIBOC) and United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU) have called for strikes on December 20 and December 26, respectively. The bank unions have called for a strike to protest against the merger of Bank of Baroda, Dena Bank, and Vijaya Bank. The merger of these three banks was approved by the government in September this year. Ashwani Rana, the vice president of National Organisation of Bank Workers, has said all unions under UFBU will take part in the strikes. The UFBU is an umbrella body comprising of 9 employee and officer unions. The AIBOC has also written an appeal for rescinding the proposed merger of the PSBs to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The letter questioned the capability of the merged entity: "In the issue of merger of Vijaya Bank with Bank of Baroda and Dena Bank we find this is pertinent to mention here for greater clarity that NPA (%) has reached a whopping 24.9% (Rs. 16,361 crore) in respect of Dena Bank, while it is 13.2% (Rs 56,480 crore) and 6.5% (Rs 7,526 crore) for Bank of Baroda and Vijaya Bank respectively as at 31st March 2018." "The question that naturally comes knocking is how does creating a new bank with bad loan ratio of 24.9 % (Dena Bank) & 13.2% (Bank of Baroda) respectively genuinely helps any one? On the contrary it will pull down the performance of Vijaya Bank. What it does is that it sweeps under the carpet the bad state of Dena Bank and BoB". The letter further said: "...available reports from print and electronic media suggest a much wider and extensive plan to usher in a large scale exercise aimed at bringing in a slew of questionable measures to disrupt the normal functioning of a number of public sector banks in order to give controversial and uncertain birth of a few so called big banks." "There is further angst that as a collateral damage to the entire banking system of the country the commanding heights of the banking activity will successively and systematically slip from the hands of public sector banks to the existing and the opportunistic emergence of new private sector banks, fin tech companies and NBFCs," it added. The AIBOC strike on December 20 is also against Indian Banks' Associations (IBA) move to leave officers of scale IV and above out of the bipartite wage settlement scope. Also read: Corp Bank, BoI, Oriental Bank show signs of revival under RBI's PCA watch Would you like to receive breaking news notifications from The Post and Courier? Sign up to receive news and updates from this site directly to your desktop. Breaking News Columbia Breaking News Greenville Breaking News Myrtle Beach Breaking News Aiken Breaking News N Augusta Breaking News Click on the bell icon to manage your notifications at any time. Success! Please click the 'Allow' button in the 'Show Notifcations' alert in your browser if one is available. Thank you for signing up! Please enable notifications in your browser and reload the page. On the eve of an unprecedented vote to end US support for the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen, Senate Republican leaders are hoping to secure bipartisan support for a resolution formally condemning Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for his alleged role in murdering journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Despite being nonbinding, the resolution would serve as a strong, bipartisan rebuke against the crown prince as senators try to agree on more concrete policy measures to take against Saudi Arabia. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., himself is co-sponsoring the bill, which Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Corker, R-Tenn., intends to introduce as early as today. Its a strong statement of our condemnation of what has happened, Corker told Al-Monitor. To me thats important, even though it doesnt affect policy. The senator said the resolution would also reference Riyadhs 18-month-old blockade against its neighbor Qatar and the crown princes apparent abduction of Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri last year. Corker said that his resolution is closely modeled on another bipartisan resolution that Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., introduced last week, except for a few minor changes. That resolution states that Congress has a high level of confidence that Mohammed bin Salman was complicit in the murder of Jamal Khashoggi and calls on the Donald Trump administration to hold the crown prince accountable for the murder. Should the resolution pass both chambers of Congress, Trump would be forced to decide whether to override Republican leadership with a veto. The president has so far resisted holding the crown prince accountable despite the CIAs reported conclusion that he was likely involved in the assassination. Corker has held talks on the resolution with Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., the Foreign Relations Committees top Democrat. But Democrats have kept their attention focused squarely on this weeks vote to force the Trump administration to end US support for the Saudi-led campaign against Yemens Houthi rebels. The vote on that resolution, introduced by Sens. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., Chris Murphy, D-Conn., and Mike Lee, R-Utah, is scheduled for Wednesday. It is widely expected to succeed with a handful of noninterventionist Republicans joining Democrats despite legal concerns raised by the Trump administration. My sense is Democrats are concerned that somehow this is an attempt to undermine Lee-Sanders, said Corker. It isnt. Ive assured them its just not. Its totally unrelated. Corker predicts that he can secure Democratic backing for the Senate to move on his resolution shortly after Wednesdays Yemen vote. Even if the Senate passes the Yemen resolution, the House will likely not move on it until Democrats take control next year, meaning the upper chamber would have to vote on it again before it headed to Trumps desk for a likely veto. Nonetheless, supporters contend that the resolution has prompted the Trump administration to take UN-backed peace talks in Sweden more seriously. I think that the Trump administration is taking these peace negotiations more seriously than I might have thought two weeks ago, Murphy told Al-Monitor. Ive had a decent amount of communication with the administration over the last week and Im pleased that these peace negotiations are increasing in priority. And I dont think thats coincidental to the debate were having here. In the meantime, Menendez has offered legislation with more bipartisan support that addresses both Khashoggis murder and the Yemen war. That bill would ban offensive arms sales to Saudi Arabia and sanction Saudi officials and members of the royal family suspected of playing a role in Khashoggis murder and in blocking humanitarian aid flows to Yemen. It would also ban US midair refueling for the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen, which the Trump administration ended last month. But Corker wants to amend that bill with provisions that Menendez contends would water it down. Speaking to reporters Monday, Menendez contended that Corkers proposed amendments would significantly detract from the sanctions on Khashoggis murder by not making them mandatory. He also said that another proposed amendment would shorten the bills ban on arms sales to Riyadh, which expires in 2020 under the current version of the bill. There are other good things in the bill, but thats a problem for me, said Menendez. If were going to have a real consequence for the Saudis, lets have a consequence. ALEPPO, Syria Dec. 1 was Kenana Abdul Razzaqs first day of work on the local council of Ain Jara in western Aleppo province. Her election Nov. 24 marked the first time women have been allowed to run or vote in this area held by the Free Syrian Army (FSA). Out of four female candidates, Abdul Razzaq was the only one elected to the 15-member council, which represents the town and surrounding rural areas. At the council's first meeting, the members elected a president, vice president and members of the executive bureau. I will be running the women's affairs office in the local council, and I will be focusing my efforts on supporting and empowering women at the educational, social and health levels during this one-year term," Abdul Razzaq told Al-Monitor. She said her ambition is to see women assume a greater role on the local council. Running in the elections has been a distinguished experience. For the first time, women were able to run and vote in the FSA-held areas in the Aleppo countryside," she added. "I really hope that the same applies to the other cities and towns in order for women to be actively involved in the political, social and economic spheres. Turnout for the area was strong, especially among women, according to Asma Mohamad al-Mahmoud, who acted as an election monitor for the local administration councils unit of the Free Aleppo Governorate Council. Of the 11,000 people eligible to vote in the council race, 5,000 actually cast ballots. Voter turnout ... was unexpectedly high, particularly among women. The turnout of women voters exceeded 50% of the overall voters, which means that they outnumbered men," Mahmoud told Al-Monitor. One can say that the electoral process has been a success, with great transparency and impartiality. Such an experiment is the first of its kind in the FSA-held areas in the Aleppo countryside, she added. The upcoming local councils elections in Aleppo [province] scheduled for early 2019 will witness improvements, and we will have a major role in training candidates and raising awareness in towns and cities where local elections will take place. Although the election monitoring organizations pointed out some violations at some polling stations, and organizational mistakes in the electoral process, such as when the ballot boxes could be opened, this first experiment has been fruitful for local councils and civil organizations in the area. Police were part of the monitoring process, securing the polling stations and imposing tight measures to avoid any security incident. Before the elections, the Free Aleppo Governorate Council, the Local Development and Small Projects Support Office and the Syrian Feminist Society held workshops to raise awareness among candidates of the electoral process and platforms, and educated them about how elections are monitored in Ain Jara. Hasna Barakat, a representative of the Syrian Feminist Society, told Al-Monitor that the organizations helped the candidates with their campaigns, "with posters and banners filling the streets of the town and surrounding villages. Barakat said, "An electoral committee consisting the Free Aleppo Governorate Council, as well as representatives of the candidates and organizations in every polling station, was set up. ... All 35 candidates attended multiple training sessions the election support organizations gave in the town. [The sessions] provided an explanation of the electoral mechanism, electoral laws, violations, electoral fraud, and voting eligibility. [Candidates] were also trained on how to put in place electoral and working programs, she noted. As for the Syrian Feminist Society ... we focused on supporting the four female candidates and marketing their candidacy via posters in the streets. The United States and the European Union are publicly at odds over whether Iran can play a constructive role in Yemen peace talks, further splitting the two allies regarding how best to deal with Tehran. The Donald Trump administration had asked the UN to reject Irans request to have a senior Foreign Ministry official attend this weeks talks in Sweden between President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadis government and the Houthi rebels, Al-Monitor first reported last week. On Monday, that same official Hossein Jaberi Ansari addressed the EUs Foreign Affairs Council in Brussels, which subsequently praised Irans endorsement of the peace talks under the auspices of UN envoy Martin Griffiths. This is the result of the dialogue we have put in place with Iran on regional issues, EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini told reporters after the meeting between Ansari and representatives from Great Britain, France, Germany and Italy. Iran has used its influence on the Houthis to start discussions in Sweden, under the UN auspices something we have very much insisted on and supported. Why it matters: The European Union has placed the survival of the 2015 nuclear deal, despite the US withdrawal, at the heart of its Iran policy. Mogherini said Monday that the EUs full and continued implementation of the deal served as the basis for our regional dialogue with Iran on topics including Yemen, the war in Syria and Irans ballistic missile program. She added that an EU-Iran trade vehicle to circumvent US sanctions could be in place by the end of the year. The Trump administration has taken the opposite approach. It believes that Iran has no positive role to play in Yemen or Syria and that the rest of the world should be united in shunning Tehran. Its certainly possible that the United States, the EU and the UN all privately agree that having Iran show up at the first round of Yemen talks since 2016 would have been counterproductive. But the hint of public disagreement over their role is but the latest cleavage that the Iranians may seek to leverage to pit the EU against the United States. Whats next: Griffiths' team today confirmed that a draft proposal for a full political framework had been shared with both parties. Mediators continue to press for a decrease in the fighting over Hodeidah, a key entry port for aid, and Taiz, Yemens third-largest city. Know more: Read Washington Editor Julian Pecquets scoop on the Trump administrations efforts to ice Iran out of the Yemen talks here. - Julian Pecquet Weeks ahead of the deadline to reduce promoter holdings, private sector lender Kotak Mahindra Bank on Monday, moved the Bombay High Court challenging the RBI decision rejecting its sale dilution announced in August. The promoter Kotak family owns over 30 per cent in the bank and has to reduce it by a little over ten percentage points by December 31 to take it under 20 per cent. In August, it had tried to lower the holdings through a complex perpetual non-cumulative preference shares sale but did not make the regulatory cut. In the petition, the bank is seeking a widening of the definition of the paid-up equity capital to include these preference shares as well beyond the present equity voting capital. It is also questioning the laws related to the capping of the shareholding at a more fundamental level, asking if there is a legal basis to have shareholding caps. Sources said the bank had sought the opinion from a host of senior lawyers on the matter, who, mentioning the past precedents, including Supreme Court judgements, have supported the lender's stance. They said one of the cases where the broader definition of shareholding was used and accepted by both the NCLT as well as NCLAT was in the ongoing Cyrus Mistry-Tata Sons matter. These precedents, however, does not find a mention in the petition be filed by Kotak Bank but will be cited during the arguments stage, sources said. After the filing of the petition earlier during the day, the matter was mentioned before a division bench of justices BP Dharmadhikari and SV Kotwal who have kept it for hearing on December 17. In August, Uday Kotak, the founder and promoter of Kotak Mahindra Bank, had said his family's stake was pared down to 19.70 per cent from about 30 per cent following the issuance of preference shares. However, within a few days, the Reserve Bank rejected the stake dilution method adopted by Kotak saying it did not meet its regulatory norms, something the private sector lender contested in its reply to the regulator. "We continue to believe that we have met the requirement and will engage with RBI in this behalf," Kotak Mahindra Bank informed the exchanges Monday citing its regulatory filing on August 14. In a regulatory filing today, the bank said it has since clarified and conveyed to the RBI its "position in relation to perpetual non-cumulative preference shares (PNCPS) being a part of paid-up capital and the legal basis on the matter of dilution of shareholding under the Banking Regulation Act." Further, Kotak Bank said it has also shared with RBI the opinions of eminent jurists and very senior legal counsels which confirm its understanding. "However, we have not heard from RBI on the above matter. Given the milestone of December 31, 2018, we have been left with no option but to protect our interest. "By way of abundant caution, the bank has today filed a writ petition with the Bombay High Court to validate the bank's position," it said. Earlier, the RBI had asked promoters to bring down their stake to under 20 per cent by December 30, 2018, and to 15 per cent by March 2020 in line with the guidelines for new bank licences released four years ago and then under 10 per cent later on. On last Friday, speculation about Warren Buffet's Berkshire Hathaway took a 10 per cent stake in the bank, had led to a 14 per cent surge in the Kotak stock. The scrip closed sharply down at Rs 1,198.15 a piece on the BSE Monday shedding 6.56 per cent, as against a 2 per cent plunge in the benchmark. In an attempt to address economic issues and root out corruption, Irans judiciary has handed out another death sentence and dozens of long prison sentences for economic charges. According to judiciary spokesman Gholam Hossein Mohseni-Ejei, Irans Supreme Court upheld the death sentence of Hamid Bagheri Darmani. He was originally arrested in 2014 and charged with corruption on earth, which carries the death sentence. Bagheri Darmani was accused of embezzlement at a number of Iranian companies, including at Jey Oil Refining Company, Bank Melli Iran, Iran Insurance Company and Tourism Bank. Bagheri Darmanis arrest was long before the latest crackdown by the judiciary to stamp out corruption in the exchange market and other general economic corruption. However, the announcement by the judiciary and headlines in Iranian media suggest it is being packaged in a manner that it is part of the judiciarys heavy-handed measures to demonstrate that there will be little leniency with economic charges. In relation to the cases stemming from the exchange rate fluctuation earlier in the year, Mohseni-Ejei announced 30 convictions in Tehran and Shiraz for disturbing the economic system. The sentences ranged from one year to 10 years in prison, heavy fines, and confiscation of property and finances. In November, Iran hanged two men one of them dubbed Sultan of Coins after they were accused of manipulating the currency market. Their cases made international news. Mohseni-Ejei said that in the last month there have been 36 new indictments related to the economic corruption cases that are being handled by special courts, and there are currently seven branches of these special courts handling the economic corruption cases in Tehran, Bandar Abbas, Esfahan and Shiraz. He said the judiciary will pursue the economic corruption cases with certainty and speed. While the judiciary continues to hand out heavy sentences in order to bring stability to the exchange markets and address other economic corruption issues, President Hassan Rouhani has been fighting a battle to bring about a bill that would bring some economic transparency to the countrys financial sector. During a Dec. 10 speech, Rouhani addressed the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) bills that some conservatives have opposed but administration officials claim are necessary to facilitate banking transactions with European countries. Is it possible in todays world to not work with international banks? Rouhani rhetorically asked, adding, Then some people come and I dont know where this idea comes from but they provoke people and say that if such a contract or convention is signed or that if we work with this financial group then Islam will be lost. Rouhani said, How will Islam be lost? Only if you understood Islam. He continued, The costs must be told to the people that if we dont do this, how much of the costs will come out of their pockets, and if we do it, then what conveniences have we provided for them. Iranian parliamentarian Mohsen Koohkan denied the presidents comments that anyone had claimed the FATF bills endanger Islam. He accused the president of using the same harsh language to describe his opponents as he did when he was selling the nuclear deal to the public. During that, there were a lot of attacks against opponents of the nuclear deal, but after the exit of the United States, he did not make even one small apology despite the fact that his opponents were right. And now hes criticizing the FATF opponents with the same methods. Earlier this month, an interim agreement on free trade between Iran and the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) was approved at the regional body's summit in the Russian city of St. Petersburg. After relevant legal procedures in Iran are fully carried out, the deal is expected to take effect as of early 2019. Seen as Iran's biggest ever deal on free trade with foreign partners, the document is aimed at the formation of a full-scale free trade zone between Iran and the EAEU member states, under which the two sides will be decreasing or removing export-import duties from bilateral trade. Meanwhile, within one year into the provisional deal's implementation, negotiations on a full transition and perpetuating the agreement will kick off and are scheduled to be concluded by 2020. In case of failure within that time frame, the two sides will then decide on whether to maintain the interim agreement, which can end up in the attachment of a protocol. Holding 84% of the EAEUs gross domestic production, Russia is the body's leading member state. Iran has in recent years turned into Russia's geopolitical partner and is now seeking to become its geo-economic one as well. With the recent reimposition of US sanctions on Iran following the former's withdrawal from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), Tehran has been trying to boost business with Moscow and has prioritized that in its economic diplomacy. To that end, Iran is determined to both augment and consolidate non-oil exports to Russia. Yet to turn into Russia's geo-economic partner in particular, and to become a close business ally of the EAEU in general, Iran faces a complicated and lengthy process. The country's foreign trade statistics for March-November 2018 reported $236.3 million in exports to the union member states. During the same period, Iran imported commodities worth $807 million from them, of which $723 million was Russia's share. The EAEU member states were the destination of 1% of Iran's total exports, while they made up 3% of the entire volume of commodities imported by Iran. Russia has been Iran's 22nd export partner, while standing ninth on the list of countries Iran imported goods from. Imports from Russia also witnessed a 76% jump compared to the same period in 2017. Iran also doubled its imports from the EAEU member states. The bulk again belonged to Russia that grabbed 75%. Likewise, Russia was the key market for Iranian commodities. Of the EAEU's 1% share of Iran's total exports, Russia held 49%. Fifty-six percent of Iranian crude is destined for its neighbors. However, three of those neighbors, while being in the EAEU, maintain a considerably low share of Iran's overall foreign trade. Furthermore, despite leading the EAEU, Russia's trade with Iran has not witnessed significant growth during the past decade (March 21, 2008-March 20, 2018). In contrast, during the same period, Afghanistan's trade with Iran, for instance, doubled. Those figures indicate that the Iran-EAEU trade agreement is just a very first step on the tough path of bilateral trade. On another front, Iran is also going the extra mile to play the big part in the North-South Transport Corridor and act as a link between the two giant regional economies, namely Russia and India, and pursue developing ties with the countries in the north and south of the Eurasia region. Conscious about its geo-economic standing, Iran is also preparing ground to play host and facilitator for India-EAEU economic relations. With their shared engagement, Iran, India and Russia follow common interests in the implementation of the transport corridor megaproject. According to Iranian officials, Russians have already allocated 3 billion euros ($3.4 billion) to advance the project's rail construction. And more has yet to come. New Delhi has assumed a $500-million obligation to develop Iran's southeastern strategic port of Chabahar. It is now also enjoying exemption from US punishment, which could slap any entity over trade with Iran. The other partner in the project Azerbaijan has approved the injection of $500 million into the Rasht-Astara railway, and that comes before the launch in the coming months of the key Qazvin-Rasht rail connection. With those steps taken one after another, the strategic corridor seems to be just around the corner and once opened, it is expected to give a tremendous boost to the volume of Iran-Russia and Iran-EAEU trade. As Iran and India are negotiating a preferential trade agreement, the latter is also talking free trade with the EAEU. If a deal is on the horizon between India and the EAEU, then Iran will find fresh opportunities to further expand ties with the EAEU member states and improve its geo-economic status by facilitating Russia-India interactions. At a macroscopic level, Iran's trade deal with the EAEU, its relentless efforts to speed up the North-South Transport Corridor megaproject and its special focus on the development of the port of Chabahar fall within Iran's overall Look East approach. In the fallout of Washington's JCPOA withdrawal, this has taken an even faster track in Iran's foreign policy and has been translated in expanding ties with Russia, India and China. Beyond doubt, for Iran to become Russia's and the EAEU's geo-economic partner, the process cannot be completed overnight. Having recognized the increasing value of its eastward approach, however, Tehran will not stop intensifying efforts to reach the goal. The more the tension rises between Israel and its regional foes Iran and Hezbollah, the more the talk of war becomes louder. This dynamic has been at play for years; as each side gains more power, the greater the public fear of war. Yet the possibility of a real war occurring keeps falling despite all the hot air. Since Dec. 4, the world has been following Israels Operation Northern Shield on its border with Lebanon. The operation, according to Israeli officials, is aimed at uncovering and destroying Hezbollahs network of tunnels that reach into Israel. Briefing foreign ambassadors Dec. 6, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Hezbollah seeks to send entire battalions into his country including via the tunnels Israel is now tackling in order to seize land and to kidnap and kill Israelis. A few days earlier, on Dec. 3, Netanyahu and the Mossad chief met with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in Brussels. The Israeli prime minister was reported to have told Pompeo that Israel could take military action if Beirut does not clamp down on Hezbollah, as Israel is concerned that Tehran has begun shipping advanced arms directly to Hezbollah in Lebanon rather than through Syria. Despite the Israeli rhetoric, Iran and Hezbollah have kept silent over the accusations and the operation. Indeed, only a few days prior to the beginning of Northern Shield, Hezbollah had issued a video showing aerial footage of vital Israeli facilities, including the Ministry of Defense, accompanied with a message in Hebrew reading, If you dare attack, you will regret it. The video emerged after it had been reported that there had been a Nov. 29 strike by Israeli planes on positions in Syria thought to be controlled by Iran and Hezbollah. Such a strike would have been the first since mid-September, when Syrian air defenses downed a Russian military plane during an Israeli airstrike, prompting Moscow to provide Syria with its advanced S-300 missile defense system. However, an Iranian field commander told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity, There was no [Nov. 29] strike on our bases in Syria. There have been no strikes in Syria since September. The fact of the matter is that a false alarm caused the Syria anti-aircraft defense systems to operate sporadically. The source confirmed what a senior Hezbollah source told Reuters on Dec. 3, Iranian and Hezbollah positions in Kiswah, in southern Syria, were not exposed to any bombardment. The Iranian commander said, Israels attempt to spread fake news by claiming that Iran is transferring its strategic weight from Syria to Lebanon is funny. Hezbollahs capabilities in Lebanon have been there for years, and whatever is needed to defend Lebanon against Israeli aggression is in the hands of Hezbollah nothing has changed. The commander said Israeli officials used to justify their strikes in Syria by saying they are aimed at preventing the resistance [Hezbollah] from acquiring game-changing weapons and delivering them to the front in south Lebanon. Now that they know that all their efforts failed, they are trying to divert attention from their failure in Syria to new allegations against Lebanon. Israel well knows that its not capable of launching a war. Hosam Matar, author of The soft power war between the US and Hezbollah, said all parties recognize the enormous price of any future war in the region. He told Al-Monitor, The implications of such a war cant be compared to any previous war. This makes the choice of war, with the uncertainty of a decisive or clear victory, an irrational choice. Matar said the resistance axis succeeded in transforming the threat for the Israeli internal front from a minor one to a broad and comprehensive one, placing it high within the Israeli calculations of future war. He said this puts pressure on Israel, which lacks a vital geographical depth, to avoid anything that might lead to war. In this sense, Israel lost the ability of [having] the strategic initiative to launch a large-scale war outside its territory and tried to compensate for it with an ongoing deterrence, i.e., tactical action to prevent its opponents from accumulating power or preventing them from attacking it. In the current situation, given Iran's and Hezbollahs presence in Syria and the apparent outcome of the war there namely the advances of the Syrian government it appears that any future war wont be fought within either the borders of Lebanon or Syria, Syrian journalist Rida al-Basha told Al-Monitor. Basha, who has covered the Iranian role in the Syrian war for the past four years, said, From Aleppo to the countryside of Hama, and the countryside of Homs to that of Damascus, these areas are a concern for Israel. They constitute areas in which the Syrian army operates alongside Hezbollah and Iran and there are also forces that were trained by the resistance axis. Basha said more than 15,000 Syrian troops have been trained at the highest levels and with modern weapons, such as anti-aircraft and guided missiles, adding, They fought in different battles, some with air cover and others without. I personally saw these forces on the ground in the battles, and they showed a high combat capability of infiltration and break-in [penetration] or defense and they are compared in efficiency to Hezbollahs Radwan Force, or even the Iranian [Islamic] Revolutionary Guards [Corps], or IRGC. Basha said these forces will likely be part of any future war from the Syrian side. He said this force is known as the Qasem force, in reference to the commander of Irans Quds Force, the foreign operations branch of the IRGC, Maj. Gen. Qasem Soleimani. The level of deterrence on the borders along with the wide potential area of confrontation between Iran and its allies on one side and Israel on the other makes a future war unlikely. Indeed, this is due to the fact that such a war will probably draw in other parties, which could make it a regional confrontation that no one in the world would want to see. Telegram has become the biggest social networking app in Iran, used by millions of individuals and entities. The app, founded by Russian entrepreneur Pavel Durov, allows users to set up groups and "channels" for communication and is believed to have played a significant role in mobilizing anti-government protests that hit Iran in late December 2017 and early January 2018. In the wake of the deadly unrest, the popular social media app began to be perceived as an enemy of the state. Still, President Hassan Rouhani has been accusing conservative rivals of restricting the media. "I'm wondering why some hate social media networks and why they can't stand the flow of information to the public," he said during an April 21 address in Tehran. Now a hard-line politician has reignited the unending blame game over who blocked Telegram. "It was the president who ordered it during a meeting of the Supreme National Security Council," Ezzatollah Zarghami told a group of students in Tehran Dec. 10. Zarghami is a member of the Supreme Council of Cyberspace and a former CEO of Iran's state-funded public broadcaster. During his tenure as IRIB chief from 2004 to 2014, he faced accusations of bias, censorship and refusing to give voice to the opposition, particularly during the country's 2009 protests over the disputed presidential election that landed Mahmoud Ahmadinejad a second term in office. "Telegram was banned under a verdict from the judiciary," responded Alireza Moezzi, a top public relations official at the presidential office. "We are not suffering from memory loss! Who was behind banning Facebook and Twitter?" he added, implying that it is the conservative camp, which makes great efforts to impose such bans. In contrast, Zarghami's comment was interpreted by some as a sign of Rouhani's hypocrisy and treason against the nation. Earlier this year, the social media app's growth in Iran prompted senior Iranian authorities to promote domestically developed messaging networks in an effort to fight Telegram's monopoly. It began when the supreme leader's office decided to close down its Telegram channel despite having over a million subscribers. Many other officials followed suit, including Rouhani and his First Vice President Ishaq Jahangiri. The trend was expected to spark a mass exodus from Telegram to indigenous apps. However, government statistics revealed little public interest and indicated that Telegram was still an inseparable part of the Iranians' daily lives. Many users seem to be quietly returning, with official news channels and institutions reconstructing their channels on Telegram after finding a cold public reception through Iranian apps. For that failure, many conservatives blame Mohammad Javad Azari Jahromi, the minister of communication and information technology and the youngest member of the Rouhani cabinet. Jahromi has been under immense pressure and faces accusations that he is tightening the purse strings on domestic apps while embracing Telegram. The minister flatly denies the charge, but he has been a fervent advocate of lifting bans on Twitter and Youtube, which are both openly used as key platforms by top Iranian officials. Jahromi was also ordered by Rouhani during a speech January not to touch the "filtering button" when it comes to freedom of speech. But a few months later, conservative media outlets published a confidential letter attributed to Rouhani and addressed to the minister. Among other things, the document included the president's directive on blocking the virtual private networks used to circumvent bans on social media. BAGHDAD Deputy Justice Minister Hussein al-Zuhairi recently said Bahaism is not a religion or faith during a dialogue with the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination as it considered a report on measures taken to implement the provisions of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination. Zuhairi expressed the Iraqi governments commitment to legislation prohibiting the Bahai religion in 1970 and added that there is no religion above Islam since the Iraqi Constitution set the tenets of Islam as a source of law. He said that as Iraqi society is Muslim, it is not possible to ignore the tenets of Islam in legislation. Zuhairis statement angered representatives of civil society and the delegations of organizations that presented parallel reports to the governments report in which they outlined the Iraqi governments and the Kurdistan Regional Governments violations of the rights of minorities. Al-Namaa Center for Human Rights director Hassan Wahab said, The parallel reports put forward by civil society organizations confirmed that minorities face discrimination. The religious discrimination against Bahais has created controversy given the statements of the head of the Iraqi governments delegation. Hasso Hormi, head of the Yezidi Foundation in the Netherlands, was part of the civil society delegation. He said the governmental delegation of 23 representatives left a negative impression of the Iraqi governments commitment to human rights, especially after Zuhairis statement. Hormi said, The statements on the Bahais were warning signs as they revealed a dangerous shift in the Iraqi governments mentality. This shift will negatively impact the future of minorities and lead to draining Iraqs rich diversity whether at the cultural or identity levels. The official representative and advocate for Bahai rights at the Kurdistan Regional Governments Ministry of Endowment and Religious Affairs, Sarmad Moqbel, disagreed with Hormis opinion. Moqbel did not find that such statements represent a new negative shift in the governments mentality. He said the development is nothing new and does not provide any new information on the official attitudes of the Iraqi government toward Bahais but only expresses a predominant point of view within Iraqi government. Moqbel said, The statement reveals the issue of how the government deals with factions having different beliefs and thoughts. Those groups have a right to be different, and we cannot breach peoples freedom to choose the ethical path they are convinced with or coerce them into giving up their different convictions. We cannot impose conformity to the majoritys mentality and beliefs. While official Bahai representatives in Baghdad reiterated their belief in a harmonious and peaceful national spirit based on accepting all citizens and their religious diversity as an intrinsic economic and social component, they said Bahai institutions are concerned because Zuhairis statement could encourage extremist and discriminatory attitudes. They also expressed worries that such statements could tarnish Iraqs international reputation and status as they reflect Iraqs lack of commitment to international statutes and agreements guaranteeing human rights and freedom of religion. This is particularly dangerous since Iraq has signed such agreements and has a legal obligation to maintain its promises. Iraqs 2005 constitution includes no mention of Bahais as an acknowledged religious minority. Baha'is feel threatened by this lack of acknowledgment and because Iraqi governments since the 2003 invasion that eventually brought Shiite Muslims to power did not establish any initiative to eliminate Law No. 105 of 1970, which prohibited all Bahai activities. As a result, the law entered into force despite its being unconstitutional under the 2005 constitution, which states in its articles the need to guarantee freedom of religion and belief for all citizens. Bahais today are not just asking for the annulment of the mentioned law, but also asking for the removal of all instructions to implement it in the first place, namely Regulation 358 of 1985 of the Department of Civil Status Affairs. The latter prohibits the issuance of new identity cards to Bahai faith followers and alters their civil status so that they register as Muslims. Bahais have not gotten back their administrative buildings, which were confiscated after the Bahai ban law was issued. Bahais have other more complicated demands that the Iraqi government cannot easily solve. For instance, they are demanding the restitution of one of the key holy Bahai landmarks, which is the house Baha'u'llah inhabited in Baghdad near Al-Karkh, after he was sent into exile from Iran in 1853 during Qajar Dynasty rule. This holy site for Bahais around the world, which is also a place of pilgrimage, was destroyed in July 2013 even though it had been classified as a heritage site in Baghdad. The Shiite Awqaf in charge of religious endowments currently controls the site, which had been turned into a Shiite mosque in the 1920s. The site now has a husseiniya, or Shiite congregation hall. The destruction occurred less than two years after Iraqi Culture Minister Saadoun al-Dulaimi issued a decree deeming Baha'u'llah's house a heritage site; his pronouncement is found in Statement No. 42 published in issue 4224 of Iraqi Facts on Dec. 26, 2011, Zuhairis statements raised Bahai peoples concerns and indicate that the Iraqi government cannot solve the conflict between respecting human rights called for in its constitution and the Islamic principles that are a key source of legislation. This divergence likely will always cause problems, such as Zuhairis statement regarding the Bahai faith, and will continue to worry other unrecognized minorities in Iraq such as Zoroastrians and Kakais. On Dec. 9, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu threw a bucket of cold water on the anti-pornography bill being advanced by Knesset member Miki Zohar from his own party and Knesset member Shuli Mualem of HaBayit HaYehudi. I am bothered by laws that want to censor social networks and the internet, said Netanyahu at a meeting of Likud ministers. We do not want children to be exposed to offensive content, but my concern is that the internet a space where there is [currently] no government regulation will become regulated. Who determines what content is permitted and what content is prohibited? Who will determine the interpretations? Netanyahu asked. It is worth noting that the proposed legislation does have a worthy purpose. It is intended to protect minors from harmful content appearing on the internet. The problem is that the proposed bill has more far-reaching implications. It infringes on personal privacy, and there are considerable technological difficulties involved in implementing it. These were not taken into consideration when the bill was first proposed and only became evident during the ensuing discussions and debates. As a result of this, politicians who originally supported the bill, such as Knesset member Meirav Ben-Ari of the Kulanu Party, withdrew their support. Ben-Ari told Al-Monitor that after rereading the bill and understanding its full implications, she decided to withdraw her name as a co-sponsor because, Ultimately, I do not want to infringe on the rights of the individual, and this [bill] does so disproportionately. As mature adults, we want to prevent legislators from involving themselves in content as much as possible. This left just Zohar and Mualem, each of whom already made a big show of proposing legislation on the same issue in 2016. Now, however, they are lone wolves in this campaign. With the prime minister himself now putting the brakes on their bill, the chances of their anti-pornography legislation passing seem slim at best, even though the original proposal has been toned down significantly. Netanyahu kept his promise on Dec. 10, when he met with Knesset member Zohar in an effort to delve deeper into the issue. Apparently, he was not convinced. At the end of the meeting, Zohar said that the prime minister asked to see a final draft of the bill so that he could study it further before making his final decision. Attempts to pass legislation to block internet users from visiting porn sites are not new to Israel. As far back as 2004, Knesset member Yehiel Hazan of the Likud proposed a similar bill, which got nowhere. In the following years, other Knesset members, particularly from the religious parties, tried to push similar legislation but failed. This time, however, the bill proposed by Zohar and Mualem seemed to have a chance. These two prominent members of the coalition managed to win the support of many other Knesset members. Their initial proposal called for the complete blocking of pornographic websites by internet service providers. Users who wanted access to pornographic sites would then have to identify themselves with their ID cards. Once the enormous implications of this became clear in terms of invasion of privacy, the two Knesset members decided to temper their proposal. On Dec. 10, a very toned-down version of the proposed legislation was brought before the Knessets Interior Committee, chaired by Knesset member Zohar. It immediately came under vocal opposition from Knesset members from all sides, who argued that it was disproportionate and impossible to implement. Unlike earlier iterations of the bill, this version said the blocking of websites would not be the default. Instead, users would have to approve it, with the partial or full filtering of harmful websites based on a password system. Mature users would have to type in a password, while minors in the same household would be protected. How would it work? Internet providers would be required to ask users if they want a total or partial block on content, or if they want to avoid any blocking of content at all. Subscribers who fail to respond to the service providers communications would be asked twice more. If they still fail to respond, the provider will block contentious websites until the subscriber says otherwise. Providers would also be required to erase any information that they have about users viewing habits. This was decided in response to criticism from computer experts, who claimed that the law could be exploited in this way to create blacklists. Zohar explained that he wants to transfer responsibility to the users, so once every three months, internet subscribers who opt out of any blocking would be sent a warning with information about the dangers inherent in exposing children and teens to pornography. Knesset member Haim Jelin of Yesh Atid, who attended the Interior Committees meeting this week, argued that one problem with the legislation was that it would encourage minors to develop the technical skills needed to circumvent the blocks. In an interview with Kan and in an article he wrote, information security expert Ran Bar-Zik explained that the law is unnecessary and would be a waste of public funds. He says there is a consensus among all technical experts in Israel that it would be impossible to implement. Bar-Zik apparently referred to the fact that Israel is known as the champion of illegal downloading of movies and series. Such illegal uploading causes the devices from which such transfers are made to be easily exposed to pornographic content. Anyone who has experienced this before knows this. Illegal downloads open the phones to pornographic content that does not even come from legal internet suppliers. Yet the new legislation is aimed only at legal suppliers who will not be able to block such content. Given the overwhelming opposition to the bill, including opposition from Likud party activists, it is hard to imagine how it could pass three readings in the Knesset all the more so now that the main impediment to its passing is the prime minister himself. His opposition extends beyond the technical obstacles too. It is based on his concern that it could open the door to regulation of the entire internet. As someone who lives online and has the most popular Twitter, Facebook and Instagram accounts of any politician in Israel, Netanyahu realizes that this bill should it become law could lead to future initiatives to impose oversight on the internet and ban certain other content. Netanyahu says so explicitly: Who determines what content is permitted and what content is prohibited? Furthermore, as far as he is concerned, the regulation of content could eventually infringe on his ability to share favorable content with millions of users. This includes, for example, legislation that would allow users to ask internet providers to block content from specific politicians. Today, Netanyahu can share his messages with millions with just a single click. He did exactly that on Dec. 10, when he posted his support for his son Yair, who posted that same day that journalists and politicians from the left are traitors. While Netanyahu disavowed his sons use of the word traitors, he also posted a clip to show how people on the left use that term to attack him. Raja Zaatry is a friend of mine on Facebook. I couldnt remember who he was and never saw any of his posts until I came across his name in connection with his controversial appointment as deputy mayor of the mixed Jewish-Arab city of Haifa (under a power-sharing agreement, he will only take office in 2021). The storm even led Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Interior Minister Aryeh Deri to oppose the nomination. Zaatry, an Arab citizen of Israel and head of the pro-Communist Arab-Jewish Hadash Party branch in Haifa, made headlines in recent days after politicians on the right accused him of supporting terrorism. Deri is trying to prevent Zaatry from taking office by virtue of his authority as minister of interior, and Knesset coalition whip David Amsalem tabled a proposed bill to thwart the appointment. Within two days, over 7,100 people had signed an online petition calling to revoke Zaatrys appointment. Haifas newly elected mayor, Einat Kalisch Rotem, has not given in to pressure to rescind the appointment, pressure that included a call from Netanyahu trying to dissuade her from going ahead with the controversial move. She will now have to contend with Deris attempts to depose her putative (future) deputy, which include hints of budget cutbacks and pay cuts to the unwanted deputy. It all started on Dec. 8 when Zaatry refused to grant a live studio interview to the Ynet news site after journalist Attila Somfalvi accused him of disrespecting the symbols of the state because he wants people "to talk about him." In a lengthy Facebook post later that day, the journalist claimed Zaatry had compared Israel to Hezbollah. Zaatry took to Facebook the following day with a lengthy response, in Hebrew. " When he, as a journalist and interviewer, chooses to start out the discussion with despicable theories propounded by the Shin Bet claiming the Arab public is moderate but its leadership is radical,' it reflects the level of decency I can expect in the interview I am not a Hezbollah man, not a Hamas man and not a Daesh [Islamic State (IS)] man. I am an Arab Communist from Haifa who grew up in a building with mostly Jewish neighbors. Some of my childhood memories are of the candy I got from our [Jewish] neighbor Aliza and the smell of bourekas from the apartment of Mrs. Sarah filling the stairwell. You will not find rifles in my home, nor guns, nor manuals on how to make explosives. But if you look carefully, in the drawer at the entrance to the kitchen you will find the keys to the apartment of our Tunisian [Jewish] neighbors Simone and Maimon, may they rest in peace which we have kept for decades in case one of the kids or grandkids comes to town when theyre not home." Talking to Al-Monitor, Zaatry did not deny having compared Zionism to IS. In hindsight, he concedes, the analogy was too harsh for Jewish Israeli ears, which cannot bear to hear that their countrys (1948) War of Independence was not a paragon of morality. There was a plan to empty the land of its Palestinian people. I am not saying, God forbid, that there was mass extermination, but there was ethnic cleansing. There were massacres as proven by historical research, he said. When I protested against the comparison with a horrifically murderous terrorist organization, Zaatry claimed that Israeli Col. (Res.) Yigal Carmon, a Middle East scholar and former counterterrorism adviser to three prime ministers, had done so before him. Zaatry was referring to November 2014 comments by Carmon, the founder of the Middle East Media Research Institute: Daesh is similar in many respects to Zionism. I know this parallel is hard for people in Israel but it helps explain Daesh stirs up an emotional storm throughout the Muslim world, especially in the West, the same way Zionism stirred up a storm in the Jewish world. They call for hajara the same way the Zionists called for hagira. (Both words mean "immigration.") Four months later, during a panel discussion at Bar-Ilan University about the upcoming Knesset elections in March 2015, Zaatry said Daesh had drawn inspiration from Zionism. His comment followed invective hurled at him by students who also dubbed Israeli Arab Knesset members Daesh. Zaatry told Al-Monitor that like his fellow Arab Israelis, he is constantly under pressure to be a sort of condemnation machine. He cynically and contemptuously mimics those who keep asking, Do you condemn Hamas? Do you regard them as a terrorist organization? Quick answer: Yes or no? The same goes for Hezbollah and the Syrian genocide, he said, adding, But there is never a deeper debate about questions that cannot be answered with one word. The campaign against his appointment started on residents Facebook pages and was taken up by the right-wing Im Tirzu movement, which started flooding social media with comments Zaatry had made in the past, including some that he claims were distorted. He was accused of being active in the anti-Israel boycott, divestment and sanctions movement, despite his denials. I do not support Hamas. I am a Communist, he told Al-Monitor. From an ideological standpoint, political Islam is no less of an enemy than Zionism, in the sense that I perceive it as racist. I took part in the panel and someone shouted at me, Say Hamas is a terror organization, and I said 'no.' I say Hamas is a political movement, a popular resistance movement that also contains elements of terrorism. Regarding Hezbollah, he said, I dont support Hezbollah, but I say it is a Lebanese movement that has played a role in the resistance. But in discussion with the [Jewish] Israelis, unless you immediately obey their demands, you yourself are considered a terrorist. Zaatrys views about Hamas and Hezbollah are not necessarily unusual among Israels 20% Arab minority. Knesset members of the Arab Joint List have made similar comments on various occasions. The prevailing sentiment in Israel is that quite a few young Arab Israelis hold similar views (on Hamas and Hezbollah), the result of a split national identity in the state of the Jewish people. I am an Israeli who was born here, I am not a migrant, Zaatry said. My parents and grandparents lived under Israeli military rule and could not express their opinions. I live in a democratic state and can express views that are different without fearing arrest. The reality in the Middle East and the reality of a Palestinian in Israel is complex and complicated. I cannot accept everything the Israelis dictate when everything is considered treason. The novice mayor, Kalisch Rotem, is in a bind. If she keeps backing Zaatrys appointment, she will be attacked for naming an Israel basher to the municipal job. If she goes back on her coalition agreement with his Hadash Party, she will be perceived as attacking the Arab population of a city that prides itself on coexistence. On Dec. 11, Kalisch Rotem reportedly asked Zaatry to clarify his past remarks. Zaatry does not intend to make things easier for her. I did not go into politics on a Hezbollah platform or on a platform of discussing what is resistance and what is terrorism, he told Al-Monitor earlier. What interested me are the [disadvantaged] neighborhoods [such as] Wadi Nisnas, pollution and education. Now everything has gone beyond the boundaries of Haifa. The Likud is already planning a political initiative to ban coalition deals with the Joint List or any of its elements [such as Hadash] so that the Arabs are placed beyond the legitimate borders of the Israeli political field. Education Minister Naftali Bennett, leader of the right-wing HaBayit HaYehudi, continues to advance a proposal for the annexation of parts of the West Bank. Bennett, it seems, is not pinning his hopes on the current president of the United States or any other conservative figure to fulfill his pro-settler vision. He is not betting that Sheldon Adelson, the right-wing Jewish American gambling tycoon, will suggest to his good friend Donald Trump that he forget about the ultimate deal he promised to make between Israelis and Palestinians. Bennett is also not counting on the claim that God gave the Jews the Land of Israel, stretching from the Mediterranean to the Jordan River. In addition, unlike his settler friends who adopted at face value that our future lies not in what the Gentiles will say, but in what the Jews will do a famous saying by Israels first prime minister, David Ben-Gurion Bennett takes seriously both the Gentiles and homegrown Israeli left-wingers. In fact, Bennett is taking what he estimates to be a pragmatic approach. The HaBayit HaYehudi leader has been fully aware of claims over the years by Palestinians, human rights groups, Israeli left-wingers and the international community about Israels apartheid-like policy vis-a-vis the Palestinians under Israeli occupation and military rule. Bennett wants to sideline such criticism while also promoting the settlement enterprise. In order to do that, he argues, pulling the rug out from under the claim that Israel practices apartheid requires a blueprint allowing Israel to deepen its settlement in the territories while at the same time ensuring equal rights for the Palestinians living there. In addition, the plan must avoid a demographic shift detrimental to the Jews. Obviously, these goals cannot be achieved across the entire West Bank, where 2.5 million Palestinians live. Israel annexing all of the West Bank would create a bi-national state in which Jews would not be the majority. To get around this, Bennett has turned to the Oslo Accords, much reviled by the right-wing settler camp, and has decided that he can make do with annexing Area C, over which Israel has full civil and security control. Area C constitutes some 60% of the West Bank. Bennett proposes turning the Interim Agreement (Oslo II), which gave Israel full control over this territory, into a permanent situation. The annexation would make the Israeli settlements an organic part of the State of Israel, like Tel Aviv and Haifa are. The legal status of the 413,000 Jewish residents there would be identical to that of their brothers and sisters in Israel, which enjoys full international recognition. Annexationists are aware of the tens of thousands of Palestinians in the dozens of villages the length and breadth of Area C who refuse to vacate their lands to make way for the settlers. To downplay this problem, Bennett has shrunk their number to 50,000, whereas data compiled by the United Nations and human rights organizations has their number at four times that or more. Imagine for a moment, however, that Bennett is correct, and no more than a few tens of thousands of Palestinians live in the coveted territory. Would annexing the area and turning them into full-fledged Israeli citizens, as he has said, pull the rug out from under the apartheid claim? While South African apartheid was based on racial segregation, the charge of apartheid to which Bennett refers is based on nationalism. When South Africa revoked its apartheid system in 1994, people of all races were granted equal political rights. Israels record on the rights of the people it annexes is hardly encouraging, to put it mildly. Since Israel's unilateral annexation of East Jerusalem in 1967, the citys Palestinian residents have had the status of permanent residents, similar to that of foreigners who move to Israel. The status of Palestinian residents of Jerusalems annexed Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood is different from that of their neighbors across the street in the Jewish settlement of Maalot Dafna. The Palestinians are entitled to vote in municipal elections, but not in general elections for the Knesset, and they cannot obtain an Israeli passport. The Israeli Ministry of Interior rejects the majority of citizenship applications by Jerusalems Palestinian residents. For instance, in 2016, only 223 of 1,081 applications were approved. Israels annexation of East Jerusalem is far from being an exemplary model of equal rights in other ways as well. According to the National Insurance Institute, 76% of East Jerusalem Palestinians and 83.4% of their children live below the poverty line, compared with 21.7% and 30%, respectively, of all Israeli residents and their children. An August 2017 report by Ir Amim, a nongovernmental organization dedicated to equality in Jerusalem, indicates that 14.6% (18,600) of school-age Palestinians in East Jerusalem are not registered at a school known to authorities. The shortage of classrooms has reached a staggering 2,500. Jerusalem planning authorities have not promoted a single zoning plan for the citys Palestinian residents for more than a decade. Meanwhile, local neighborhood zoning plans initiated by the municipality are stuck in a bureaucratic netherworld. On the other hand, authorities display great diligence in razing illegally built Palestinian homes in East Jerusalem. Israelis, it appears, have no problem with any of this. The results of a survey dubbed the aversion poll, announced Dec. 10 on Channel 10, indicate that Israeli Jews feel just fine in a culture of apartheid. For example, 41% believe Jews should enjoy more rights than Arabs. The annexation of Area C would grant a legal imprimatur to the de facto policy of prioritizing Jewish construction by virtue of the newly adopted Nationality Law, which encourages Jewish settlement. One cannot pull the rug out from under the claim that Israel practices apartheid in the West Bank without granting equal political rights to all people living under Israeli control, not to mention those within Israel's borders. This last distinction was not made by an Arab member of the Knesset. Rather, it is from a February 2017 speech by Israels premier citizen, President Reuven Rivlin, at the annual conference of the right-wing Besheva media group. While expressing support for the annexation of West Bank territories, the president stressed, Sovereignty over a certain territory grants citizenship to all who reside there. There cannot be one law for Israelis and another one for non-Israelis. Nonetheless, even Rivlins views are tinged with arrogance toward another people. The very idea of imposing annexation on millions without recognizing their right to self-determination in their homeland exudes the stench of nationalism. This past Nov. 15 marked the 30th anniversary of the Algiers Declaration, the Palestinian independence manifesto that recognized Israel within its 1967 borders and paved the way for the Oslo Accords. As long as Israel continues to make unilateral decisions over the heads of the Palestinian people, without their consent, full civil equality cannot be achieved. Any attempt by the stronger side to force an agreement on the other will not ease the conflict or absolve Israels rulers of the shameful stigma of apartheid. On Dec. 6, Qatari envoy Mohammed al-Emadi crossed from Israel into Gaza to deliver $15 million in cash, the second installment of his countrys six-month aid package for the Strip. The following day, using part of the Qatari grant, Hamas paid the wages of thousands of its employees. Prior to the delivery, Israel and the Qatari ambassador negotiated over how to transfer the funds. On Nov. 8, Hamas disseminated photos of suitcases stuffed with cash arriving in the Strip in order to show the world that the Islamist organization ruling Gaza had been successful in bending Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to its will. The documentation did, indeed, embarrass Netanyahu, who came in for harsh criticism both from the political right and the left for giving in to Hamas blackmail in return for its pledge to prevent Palestinian rioting along the Gaza border fence with Israel. Avigdor Liberman, who resigned as defense minister last month over Netanyahus Gaza policy, called the payments protection money. This time, little documentation of the transfer was published. There were pictures of Emadi entering the Strip and photos of long lines of Palestinians waiting outside Gaza banks for a bit of oxygen, as they described the cash infusion, with a slight smile of relief. Thus, the Qataris completed the second round of monthly funding out of the six transfers they pledged. Some 30,000 civil servants received sums ranging from $100 a month for junior workers to $1,600 for senior ones. Part of the money went to pay monthly stipends to the needy, among them war victims and family members of those killed in war. According to Netanyahu, Israel is overseeing the transfer of funds to Gaza residents to ensure the money does not go to the armed wing of Hamas or anyone serving in its security apparatus. When the money came from Qatar, we said we want to supervise. You want the money? We want a photocopy, signature and fingerprint (of each recipient). The Qatari envoy passes along these data in an organized fashion, and this is how we know where the money is going, a senior Israeli official told reporters. Netanyahu accused Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas of imposing sanctions on Gaza that resulted in a humanitarian crisis that threatened also to harm Israel. Theres no choice but to do so (let in Qatari funds) to prevent a humanitarian collapse. We are now in a lull and I dont know if it will continue. Our condition for a cease-fire arrangement with Hamas is a solution to the issue of our captives and missing, and supervision (of entry of goods) through Cyprus, Netanyahu said. The supervision is so tight that last month some $186,000 of the payment allocated for Hamas officials was left over after some did not pick up their money. The Qataris proudly reported this to Israel as proof that the oversight was effective and that the money was not falling into the wrong hands. The question now is what happens in four months, once the six-month Qatari grant runs out in April. For now, no one in Israel or Gaza knows. Judging by the experience of the past two months, the system seems to be working other than the botched Israeli commando operation in Gaza in which an Israeli officer and six Gazans were killed Nov. 11, setting off a brief, violent skirmish with Hamas that culminated in a controversial cease-fire. If calm is maintained in Gaza over the next four months, the sides can then proceed to the next stage in a long-term cease-fire deal that has been months in the making the return of the bodies of Israeli soldiers and of Israeli civilians held by Hamas, as Netanyahu hinted. This, in turn, would be followed by the establishment of a naval passage to Gaza through Cyprus that would allow supervision of goods entering the Strip. There remains, however, the significant question of who will replace the Qataris and donate money for the salaries of the Hamas employees. After all, even if a cease-fire deal is reached with Israel and the Gaza economy shows signs of life, a miracle is not in the cards. It will take more than a decade to rehabilitate the coastal enclave. The issue of the deal with Israel and the heavy-handed conditions it imposes on money transfers to Gaza is creating a rift within the Hamas leadership. Hamas is a somewhat secretive organization, generally presenting an outward image of unity, but this image to the exterior is false. Various sources are reporting that the rift between Hamas Gaza leader Yahya Sinwar and the head of the organizations political bureau, Ismail Haniyeh, is very deep. A source in the rival Palestinian Fatah organization who lives in Gaza tells Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity that everyone knows about this falling out and that the two men are not speaking. Haniyeh believes Hamas should not have given in to Israels demands to stop the weekly protests along the Gaza border until Israel agrees to lift its siege of the Strip, the source said. Sinwar, on the other hand, wants to give the deal a chance, and since he enjoys the backing of the armed wing, his influence in Gaza is greater than Haniyehs. On Nov. 22, journalist Daniel Siryoti reported on the leadership rift in Israel Hayom. The clash is so severe, he reported, that the organization had split into two camps one supporting Sinwar, the other Haniyeh and senior officials had resigned as a result. According to the same report, the former head of the political bureau, Khaled Mashaal, has been asked to serve as a go-between, but his efforts thus far have failed. A political source within Hamas, who spoke with Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity, confirmed the crisis and tension at the top, but added that the reports in both Israel and the Palestinian Authority are highly exaggerated. The entire Hamas leadership, he said, both the political and military wings have one goal to bring about an end to the siege. Even if the source is right, it is unclear what Sinwar and Haniyeh will do in four months once the Qatari money dries up. Hamas cannot administer civilian life in Gaza while holding both ends of the stick: on the one, continuing to strengthen its armed wing and to threaten Israel, and on the other demanding a lifting of the siege and opening of passages into Israel. The situation in Gaza under Hamas control for over a decade has deteriorated to the point of a total system collapse. Even if a miracle occurs and all the crossings into Israel and Egypt are opened, it will take a generation for its residents to recover and its economy to become independent. Meanwhile, the 2 million residents are having to make do with the Qatari donation and wondering, rightly so, what will happen in 120 days. No one has an answer for them now. The Jordanian government withdrew its cybercrime bill from parliament Dec. 9 upon the request of Parliament Speaker Atef Tarawneh. The move comes in the wake of protests against the bill and demanding political and economic reforms. Jordanians organized a sit-in on Thursday near the government headquarters in Amman in protest of the economic situation, chanting slogans against the income tax and cybercrime laws. Government spokesperson Jumana Ghunaimat said in a press statement that the decision was made in response to the demands of representatives of civil society, syndicates and political parties, among others, during their meeting with Prime Minister Oman al-Razzaz. The amendments made to the draft law had raised the concerns of Jordanian activists who feared it would undermine freedom of expression. A Jordanian court sentenced six journalists to six months in prison and fined them $80,000 on Nov. 27. Royal Court Secretary General Youssef Issawi had filed a complaint In October 2017 to the Anti-Cybercrime Unit at the Public Security Directorate because of a video the journalists posted on Facebook and other online media about the construction of his palace. The journalists accused Issawi of appropriating government funds and state lands to build a road to his palace. Like other Jordanian lawmakers and officials who have filed lawsuits against citizens over social media posts, Issawi, who headed the committee for the implementation of royal initiatives, based his complaints on the cybercrime law passed in 2015. In September, the Jordanian government sent the parliament amendments to the law that include intensifying sanctions and expanding the scope of cybercrime to encompass hate speech. The amendments' 13 provisions included one defining hate speech as a statement or act that is prone to fuel religious, sectarian, ethnic or regional sedition. The proposed amendments also increased the penalty from one week to three months and no more than one year in prison and raised the fines for perpetrators from $140-$280 to $700-$1,400. The amendments raised the concerns of rights activists and advocates who feared the bill would restrict freedom of speech online. Jordanian activists launched a social media campaign Nov. 19, calling on the government to withdraw the cybercrime law. In October, King Abdullah II published an article called Social or antisocial media? in which he condemned what he called rumor-spreading and slander. Hala Ahed, a legal adviser for the Jordanian Womens Union, said that opponents of the amendments are worried about the political atmosphere, fearing the leadership "aims to control social media and clamp down on strikes and public freedoms. Ahed told Al-Monitor, The amendments reflect a climate hostile to freedoms and an attempt to restrict any calls from citizens to protest or hint at corruption cases on social media. We have lost our right to freedom of expression, and consequently our ability to defend our other rights, like our right to education, health, a decent living and fighting corruption. Ahed added, The government claims the bill aims to defend individuals rights, but this is not accurate because some articles in the penal code criminalize slander and defamation, among other things. Rights activists also protested Article 11 of the existing law, which states that anyone who intentionally sends, resends or publishes data or information through an information network, website or any other information system with the purpose of slander, defamation or derogation shall be punished by imprisonment for a term of no less than three months and by a fine no less than $140 and no more than $2,800. Nidal Mansour, executive director of the Center for Defending Freedom of Journalists, told Al-Monitor, There is no need to amend the cybercrime law because other legislation like the penal code punish slander, defamation, derogation, hate speech and similar crimes. The Legislation and Opinion Bureau, a government institution that gives a binding legal opinion in the event of disagreement over legislation's constitutionality, held that cybercrimes of slander and defamation are subject to the provisions of Article 11, rather than the press and publications law, which does not include sanctions that deprive journalists of their freedom. The bureau's ruling, issued in 2015, allows the public prosecutor to arrest online journalists. The Center for the Freedom and Protection of Journalists launched a Facebook campaign in 2016 called Talking is not a crime to educate the public about restrictive legislation on media and expression, notably Article 11 of the cybercrime law. Mansour also criticized the bill's definition of hate speech. He said that the government vaguely defined it as offenses like stirring regional and sectarian tensions. He told Al-Monitor, What are the international standards they relied on in this definition? Jordanian legislation is rife with vague terms like undermining the political regime, gossiping, changing the structure of society and sparking regional tensions. As a result, over the years, especially after the Arab Spring, many political activists, retired military officials and professors have appeared before the State Security Court after they expressed their opinions on social media or staged peaceful protests. Mohammad Qteishat, director of the Jordan Media Commission, a government institution that oversees licensing and regulating of the media sector, believes the amendments protect the peoples interests. He said, The amendments added four main crimes: hate speech, privacy violation and extortion, electronic fraud and sexual exploitation through social media. Qteishat told Al-Monitor, These amendments protect the interests of individuals rather than those of the state. He agrees with those calling for removing hate speech provisions from the law to avoid vague terms that would restrict freedom of expression, emphasizing, The right to criticism is guaranteed for journalists and citizens under the penal code. During a Nov. 27 dialogue session about ways to deal with rumors in social media, Jordanian government spokesperson Joumana Ghneimat said, The cybercrime law does not aim to silence people. The goal is to protect the rights of citizens and prevent meddling in their personal lives and defaming them. The organizer, All Jordan Youth, was established in 2006 by the Royal Court to promote dialogue among young people. Ghneimat added, When criticism is objective and professional and does not infringe on privacy or defame people or fabricate lies, the law does not apply. The complaint of any person who submits proof of corruption of any party or public employee to the Integrity and Anti-Corruption Commission will be accepted, and they are protected under the law. The commission is a governmental institution. According to the Public Security Department's Anti-Cybercrime Unit, 6,200 cybercrimes were recorded in 2018. The colorful hijabs of the women and the smoke of the hookahs welcome the patrons at Book Forum (Multaqi al-Kitab), a literary cafe near the University of Mosul, in the eastern part of the city. Old photos of Mosul in the 1930s and portraits of poets and writers decorate the walls. The famous Arab 10th-century poet Al-Mutanabbi shares the same wall with Palestinian poet Mahmoud Darwish, and both enjoy the company of Fyodor Dostoevsky, the Russian master of 19th-century novels. It was difficult to imagine a place like Book Forum a year ago, when the Iraqi government announced the defeat of the Islamic State (IS), which had taken control of a third of the Iraqi territories. But the literary cafe opened its doors on Jan. 1. Book Forum attracts both women and men, and especially students. Maslawis as the people in Mosul are known in Iraq enjoy getting together at the cafe to talk, read and smoke the hookah. The bookshelves are filled with thousands of Arabic novels, poetry books and masterpieces of the past, in addition to French, English, Spanish and Russian literature. Patrons can buy tea, coffee and juices and order pizzas, salads and sandwiches from a nearby cafe and enjoy the meal at Book Forum. During [IS'] occupation I stayed at our familys house in west Mosul, Harith Hussein, a civil engineer and one of the co-founders of Book Forum, told Al-Monitor. At the time, I owned a shop in my neighborhood al-Mamoun for repairing computers and electronic devices. Some IS members those dressed in qandahari, the Afghan-style pants [that the soldiers wear] used to come to my shop. I sometimes pretended not be able to repair their computers. I did not want to help them." After the liberation of Mosul, Hussein met with Fahd Salah, also an engineer, to talk about opening a literary cafe. A place like this in Mosul was much needed, Hussein said. There was no a mixed-gender place where men and women could sit in the same space and also read. Roua Almemari, a young woman studying for a master's degree in agriculture, is responsible for running the bookshop. Five waiters work every day in shifts from 9 a.m. until 10 p.m., except for Friday morning when the cafe is closed until 3 p.m. Many university students come to the cafe to study for their exams and to meet their professors. Marwa, a French literature student, visited Book Forum in October to meet French writer and traveler Sylvain Tesson. I did not come simply to listen to a French writer and to practice my French, Marwa told Al-Monitor. I came because I am curious to know what he learned about other cultures through his travels. The Facebook page of Book Forum shows its logo, which is a cup of tea shaped like a book with a saucer. More than 11,000 people, including foreign journalists and authors who have visited the cafe or donated books, have liked the cafe's Facebook page. We brought all our books here, we bought others some were donated by friends from all over Iraq and abroad, Hussein noted. We have almost 4.000 books. From France we received a donation of 300. Some international organizations also donated books. Book Forum organizes performances of the traditional oud, a luth-like Middle Eastern instrument, and poetry evenings. The cafe participates in book fairs, and it encourages writers to publish their texts. Sharing 50% of the costs of the publications, authors' books are introduced to the public with a launch event, where the authors tell their story and reads from their book. The cafe also hosts meetings of young civil society activists, who organize workshops and peace-building activities in the region. In March, Book Forum organized an event titled "Mosul Talks," where issues such as "governance and social reconciliation in Mosul after IS" and "transitional justice after IS" were discussed. In January, a debate was organized on whether Mosul had lost its identity after two occupations, in collaboration with activists from the Gilgamesh Center for Antiquities and Heritage Protection. Iraq is renowned in the Middle East for its literary culture. Hussein noted, "Book Forum is in contact with bookstores on the famous Al-Mutanabbi Street in Baghdad and the main publishing houses in the country. When new books are printed, we receive copies. Hussein said that he wants to heel the wounds of war. Whenever I think about the bad memories of war and the occupation, I feel sad. We survived the battles and once our area was liberated by the Iraqi forces, I spent my time burying corpses. I buried 31 bodies together with three men from my neighborhood. Now I only want to touch books, he concluded. Turkeys sizable Alevi community, which represents a distinct and often stigmatized branch in Islam, has won an important legal victory in its efforts to push the government to grant Alevi places of worship the same privileges that the mosques of the Sunni majority enjoy. In late November, the Appeals Court ruled that the state should meet the electricity expenses of cemevis, the Alevi houses of worship, just as it does for mosques. The ruling meant also an acknowledgment of the cemevi as a house of worship. The ruling of the Appeals Court is important, but the problem is hardly a new one. A similar lawsuit had made its way to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) in 2016. The courts Grand Chamber ruled that the Turkish state should meet the expenses of cemevis as well. Ankara, however, did not heed the judgment. While the government failed to implement the ruling, Alevis did so in a de facto manner. Izzettin Dogan, the head of the Cem Foundation, a leading Alevi organization that initiated the legal struggle, told Al-Monitor that cemevis affiliated with the foundation stopped paying electricity bills in the wake of the European courts ruling. We have maintained that the state cannot discriminate between its citizens, both under its own laws and the ECHR ruling, Dogan said. Quite a lot of debt accumulated, and when the companies asked for payment, we would say, Well, go ahead and cut off the electricity of the cemevis. They could not dare to go ahead as they knew they would confront the Alevis if they did. We are still not paying the electricity bills. Thats how the situation stands on the ground, but a legal guarantee remains important for the Alevis because, for them, this is not simply a question of expenses. The struggle they have launched with the electricity demand is, in fact, a struggle for a recognition by the state and, furthermore, a struggle for secularism. In further remarks to Al-Monitor, Dogan said, The ECHR ruling of 2016 was not implemented. The arrangement was necessary to maintain and strengthen internal peace [in Turkey], but no move has been made thus far. If the government fails to do what it has to do by the local elections on March 31, 2019, Turkey might face a more serious situation. Citizens could take certain actions to demand their rights, and we have occasionally warned the government on the issue. We do not want peace in the country to be disrupted in any way, no matter for what reason. According to Dogan, the Alevi struggle for rights amounts to a struggle for secularism amid growing criticism over political Islam against Turkeys new presidential governance system that took effect in June. We want to make sure that the republican principles, which have secularism as their linchpin, live on. Alevis feel they have a responsibility here, Dogan said. He added, Mosques are being built all around, [and] they want to use mosques as a political tool. They want to have prayer rooms even in schools. This approach could lead to very unpleasant consequences. Ninety-five percent of the [Turkish people] are in favor of secularism. The current government acts with a singular understanding of Islam, carrying out activities that raise suspicion. This is irking the people. In such a political climate, the Appeals Court ruling recognizing cemevis as places of worship comes as a breath of a fresh air for the Alevis. Dogan hailed the ruling as a rare exemplary decision by the much-criticized Turkish judiciary but expressed pessimism that the government would abide by it. Alevi pessimism is tangible on the political arena as well. Kemal Bulbul, an Alevi lawmaker for the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, is similarly concerned over political Islam. There is a single house of worship inside the [recently built] presidential complex, and it is a mosque. Why wouldnt they build a church, a synagogue and a cemevi as well? This outlook alone speaks of the [governments] one-religion approach, Bulbul told Al-Monitor. According to the lawmaker, the Religious Affairs Directorate (Diyanet), which enjoys a rapidly growing budget, has been tasked with conducting and protecting this singular approach to religion. Bulbul believes that the Diyanet functions as a tutelage institution over all faiths in Turkey and is thus unlikely to heed the Appeals Courts ruling in favor of the Alevis. Back in 2013, when he was still prime minister, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had dismissed Alevi demands for the official recognition of the cemevi as a house of worship. There is one house of worship in Islam, and it is the mosque, he said. Then, in the run-up to the June 24 elections this year, Erdogan promised reform to meet Alevi demands. We will continue to improve our democracy [and] will elevate it to an upper league. We will grant legal status to cemevis, he said. In the six months since the polls, however, his pledge has not materialized. Should Erdogans promise become true in the coming days, this would not only mean the satisfaction of Alevi demands but would also signify a choice by the new governance system between secularism and political Islam. It's looking like a new wave of government purges is about to crash down on Turkey's military. Statements from officials and developments on the ground signal the government is about to move on thousands of suspected members of the Gulen movement, which is blamed for the July 15, 2016, coup attempt. Security sources speaking to Al-Monitor confirmed the signs. Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu, addressing a parliamentary committee Nov. 19, emphasized that even more than two years after the failed coup, the struggle hasn't ended against the Gulenist network. The network, which the government defines as a terrorist organization, is named after Fethullah Gulen, a Sunni cleric and Turkish national who now lives in the United States. We have [another] task to complete together with our Ministry of Justice," Soylu said. "Yes, we will be more at ease then, although it wont mean that the threat is totally eliminated." Soylu said anti-Gulen operations are at a critical juncture." Until now, the most significant steps taken since the failed coup have been to identify and dismiss personnel who had downloaded certain messaging applications, such as Bylock, Eagle and Tango, to their smartphones or computers. Based on these criteria, tens of thousands of civil servants and hundreds of active-duty officers, noncommissioned officers and sergeants working under contract were dismissed from the service. Now there's talk in Ankara corridors of a new purge of about 4,000 military personnel. This time, suspicions are focused on what investigators consider an unusual pattern of phone use from landlines and public phones. According to prosecutors, if a military member is called from a public phone twice or more in succession, this is seen as abnormal use. The caller and the person who was called are then labeled suspects, and officials launch investigations. This is why tens of millions of calls from landlines all over Turkey since 2012 are being checked, one by one. Security sources who spoke to Al-Monitor without identifying themselves believe this sequential-calls system provides stronger evidence than the possession of Bylock, Eagle or Tango apps used by the Gulenist network to communicate between critical posts of their affiliated officers, police and judges. Prosecutors, carefully studying suspects' testimonies, think covert Gulenist group leaders frequently used this method to arrange secret meetings between small groups of two- or three-person cells. Ankara is taking the process very seriously because over the past two years the struggle has led to the detentions of 8,508 military suspects in operations carried out in 75 provinces. According to figures released by Turkeys state-run news outlet Anadolu Agency, of these suspects, 3,341 were subsequently arrested, 4,538 were released conditionally, 574 were acquitted and 55 are thought to remain in custody pending resolution of their cases. Some 46% of the suspects reportedly confessed. Ministry of Interior figures show the most soldier suspects, 892, have been detained in Ankara. Of these, 427 were arrested and some were released conditionally by confessing. Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said 150 Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) generals, 7,595 officers, 5,723 NCOs, 1,261 contract sergeants and 424 civilian staff for a total of 15,153 personnel had been discharged as of November as part of the anti-Gulen campaign. When no evidence was found against 323 mostly low-ranking officers, they were reinstated. In the past two months, the Ministry of Defense has ordered an increasing number of discharges: more than 100 officers and NCOs. Security sources speaking to Al-Monitor said currently some 15,000 soldiers, including 4,000 in Istanbul, are under investigation for their landline phone use. Some 4,000 people are expected to be purged from the different branches of the armed forces including land, navy and air force commands, gendarmerie command and Coast Guard. What hasn't been decided yet is whether the government will discharge the anticipated 4,000 sequential-caller suspects in a single move or in smaller batches. The answer to this question is directly related to the internal climate of the country. My take is that it's essential for the government to maintain the publics belief that the "Gulenist threat continues as the March local elections approach. The best way to sustain that perception is to dismiss military personnel on charges that they are Gulenists. To preserve the pace of tension and perhaps reinforce the perception that the Gulenists might attempt another coup, the government might decide to discharge the soldiers in small batches. The dominant thinking in Ankara nowadays is that Gulenists must be pursued decisively, no matter how it could hamper the TSK's operational effectiveness and harm morale and motivation especially at junior ranks. That means, given that 15,000 are under investigation, purges of personnel of all ranks could well continue even after the elections. Turkey is truly going through interesting days. A ranking TSK officer may be expelled just because he is called from a landline even if he never lifts the receiver. An officer speaking to Al-Monitor without giving his name said the officers most affected are those with children attending elementary school and those whose children make playful phone calls to their fathers. Under new arrangements, the Supreme Military Council's approval of expulsions from the TSK is no longer mandatory. Allowing the Defense Ministry to make such decisions without obtaining legal rulings has truly facilitated the discharge process. An officer with the slightest suspicion against him can easily be expelled with an administrative decision from the ministry. This would require each accused to spend money, time and effort to prove to the state, his colleagues and the people around him that he is not a Gulenist network member. This process will naturally wear down officers and their families. Every work of art is beautiful and meaningful in the place where it belongs. In a statement that is also a political manifesto, Turkeys Minister of Culture and Tourism Mehmet Nuri Ersoy welcomed back 12 fragments of precious Roman-era mosaics on Dec. 8. at the Zeugma Mosaic Museum in the southeastern city of Gaziantep. They were illegally excavated in the Hellenistic city of Zeugma in Southeastern Turkey and smuggled to the United States in the 1960s. We will chase and bring back home all the cultural wealth that have been pillaged from this geography, the minister said. The fragments, about 50 by 50 centimeters (20 by 20 inches) each, depict theatrical masks, river birds and minor deities. They were identified by experts only a few years ago and recovered by Turkish authorities through an agreement with Ohio's Bowling Green State University, which had acquired them in good faith. In the last 15 years, Ankara has tried every possible means to reclaim its cultural heritage improperly taken abroad, from international tribunals to strong-arm tactics such as revoking excavation permits to archaeological missions. On many occasions, it worked. Since 2002, Turkey has recovered more than 4,000 artifacts, including a Hittite sphinx from the Pergamon Museum in Berlin, the upper half of a Weary Heracles statue from the Boston Museum of Fine Arts and golden jewelry from the Penn Museum now proudly shown at the new Troy museum. The Zeugma Museum, which opened in 2011, is a converted factory leftover from the state-owned alcohol and tobacco company. It claims to be the largest in the world exclusively devoted to mosaics. It exhibits in a spectacular display more than 5,000 square meters of floor decorations, dating from the second, third, fifth and sixth centuries CE. Some of them have been placed in their original settings complete with frescoed walls and meticulously reconstructed ornamental swimming pools. The mosaics were discovered in the luxury villas of Zeugma on the Euphrates River in the mid-20th century as well as in other archaeological sites and Christian churches in the surrounding area. Some are colorful descriptions of scenes from Greek mythology, such as Eros and Psyche and the abduction of Europa. Others are geometric patterns. Today, most of it is housed in the twin buildings of the museum, which also features storage and restoration laboratories. The Zeugma Museum is very popular with tourists, both Turkish and foreign, attracting an average 200,000 people every year. In the first 11 month of 2018 the total has already jumped to a record of 251,000. Zeugma and its mosaics became famous worldwide when they were excavated in the '90s, saved before part of the ancient city was submerged by the waters of a giant reservoir. Archaeologists are still at work in the higher areas. Gods and other characters from the Greco-Roman cultural tradition such as Poseidon and sea nymphs, Oceanos and Tethys and Achilles and Ulysses capture visitors' imaginations with their realistic portraits, vivid colors and refined craftsmanship. The museums best known piece, The Gypsy Girl, is misnamed. Displayed alone in a darkened room suffused with soft music, hung on a wall like a painting, this piercing-eyed young maenad an uninhibited follower of Dionysos, god of wine and ecstatic debaucheries has become the symbol of the museum and of Gaziantep itself. She has been misidentified as Gaia, the personification of Earth, and even as Alexander the Great. Others still have compared her to Mona Lisa for the enigmatic look in her eyes. She is an ideal icon for book covers and merchandising. The bit of mosaic floor was found under a broken column in the middle of the dining room of the famous House of the Maenads in Zeugma. Not much else remained, as most of the mosaic was apparently broken and removed by smugglers. The 12 fragments repatriated from the United States are just a portion of the missing pieces. Their story reads like a thriller, its plot full of twists. They were bought by BGSU from an art dealer for $35,000 in 1965. Their origin was believed to be legal excavations in Antakya, not far from Zeugma, but their provenance was never certified. The 12 panels stayed in storage for decades and nearly forgotten. It was only in 2010-2011 that they were restored and exhibited in the new arts center of the university. However, while planning a conference to present the mosaics to an academic audience, professors Stephanie Langin-Hooper and Rebecca Molholt realized that there was no documentation whatsoever of the findings in the archives, not even sketches, that the shape and dimensions of the blocks roughly chopped were typical of smuggling and that the geometric motifs and style of shading were perfect matches to the mosaics of the House of the Maenads, a very well known site. BGSU immediately canceled the symposium and posted a press release online Feb. 7, 2012. The two professors published their conclusions in a scholarly journal the following year. The Turkish authorities wasted no time in asking for the restitution of the mosaics but an agreement was reached only last May. Bowling Green will receive high-quality replicas and a plaque explaining their journey over the Atlantic. The professors and the university also received high praise and warm thanks from Turkey's culture and tourism minister at the ceremony. In Gaziantep, exotic birds, theatrical masks, the satyr Silenus (a companion to Dionysus) and another maenad are now displayed in a temporary setup. Museum director Emine Ozturk explained to Al-Monitor that it will take another two or three months to design and build a permanent display. Her idea is to exhibit them together with the other pieces already in the museum, so as to recreate the original floor. However beautiful in its decorations, it will contain many gaps, as many more fragments, illegally removed and sold, still need to be identified and retrieved. Alabama added seven names to the Fallen Heroes Memorial at the State Capitol during a re-dedication of the memorial and a wreath-laying ceremony on Monday. Gov. Kay Ivey and Alabama National Guard Adjutant General Sheryl Gordon participated in the event, part of the Wreaths Across America program to honor men and women who died in military service to the country. When we lay a wreath, we are signaling that we will never forget their sacrifices, Ivey said. And very importantly, we are showing our young people and future generations that they can never, ever take our freedoms for granted. The Fallen Heroes Memorial at the Capitol honors service members who died on active duty in the support of the war on terrorism in a foreign field of operations. The deaths could be the result of hostile or non-hostile actions. Todays rededication was the first since 2012. The seven names added: Nehamon Lyons IV, Navy operations specialist 2nd Class. Died on Sept. 11, 2001 in the attack on the Pentagon. Marsha Ratchford, Navy information systems tech 1st Class. Died on Sept. 11, 2001 in the attack on the Pentagon. Michael S. Cote Jr., Army specialist. Died on Sept. 19, 2009 in Balad, Iraq. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 52nd Aviation Regiment, Task Force 49, Fort Wainwright, Alaska. James L. Skalberg, Jr., Army sergeant. Died on June 27, 2012 in Wardok province, Afghanistan. Assigned to 1st Armored Division, Fort Bliss, Texas. Julian L. Colvin, Army Private 1st Class. Died on July 22, 2012 in Kandahar province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to the 508th Special Troops Battalion, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C. Errol D.A. Milliard, Army private 1st Class. Died on July 4, 2013 in Farah province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to the 2nd Engineer Battalion, 36th Engineer Brigade, White Sands Missile Range, N.M. Timothy G. Santos Jr., Army lieutenant. Died on Aug. 18, 2013 from an illness diagnosed while on duty in Kuwait City, Kuwait. He was assigned to the 4th Battalion, 501st Aviation Regiment, 1st Armored Division, Ford Bliss, Texas. Carla Colvin, mother of Julian Colvin, attended Mondays ceremony. Protesters demonstrating against the fatal police shooting of a black man at Alabamas largest shopping mall are trying to expand an economic boycott over the killing. Activists went to the state capital of Montgomery on Tuesday asking supporters to quit spending money at businesses which have stores at the Birmingham-area Riverchase Galleria mall where Emantic "EJ" Bradford Jr. was killed on Thanksgiving by police who mistook him for a shooting suspect. Participants say expanding a boycott that so far has targeted the bedroom community of Hoover will redistribute the pain from Bradford's death. A Hoover police officer fatally shot Bradford after mistaking him for the gunman in a mall shooting. A forensic examination released by Bradford's family shows he was shot three times in the rear of his body. Protests have been held almost daily since the shooting. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Army Corps of Engineers has proposed a set of changes to the controversial Waters of the U.S. rule, clarifying which water bodies can be regulated under the Clean Water Act. Under the new proposal, groundwater would not be covered by the protections included in the Clean Water Act, nor would streams that only flow after rain events, most roadside or farm ditches, prior converted cropland, stormwater control features and waste treatment systems. Our proposal would replace the Obama EPAs 2015 definition with one that respects the limits of the Clean Water Act and provides states and landowners the certainty they need to manage their natural resources and grow local economies, EPA Acting Administrator Andrew Wheeler said in a news release. For the first time, we are clearly defining the difference between federally protected waterways and state protected waterways. "Our simpler and clearer definition would help landowners understand whether a project on their property will require a federal permit or not, without spending thousands of dollars on engineering and legal professionals. While many farming and manufacturing groups cheered the move as bringing clarity to the regulated groups, environmental groups labeled the move as a giveaway to polluters," that would allow unpermitted and unmonitored discharges of pollutants that would eventually make their way to a major river system or other drinking water source. Alabama was one of 27 states to challenge the 2015 Waters of the U.S. rule that was implemented by the Obama administration as overly broad, and said it would allow the EPA to regulate small ditches and ponds. Court battles over the old rule have continued as the new EPA looks to narrow the scope of which bodies of water can be regulated under the Clean Water Act. Former EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt signed a proposal to repeal the old WOTUS rule in 2017 as the agency worked to create a new rule defining the boundaries of the federal environmental law. Alabama Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries John McMillan said the new proposed rule would benefit farmers in the state. "This user-friendly amendment will restore landowners rights, McMillan said. The prior rule greatly expanded Washingtons control over local land use. These necessary changes will assist landowners in understanding whether a project needs federal permits, thus saving our producers both time and money. Jimmy Parnell, president of the Alabama Farmers' Federation (ALFA), also released a statement supporting the changes. "The proposed rule is good news for Alabama farmers and restores common sense to Clean Water Act enforcement, Parnell said. For several years, farmers, businesses and homeowners have lived under the threat of government intrusion and costly penalties due to overaggressive actions of the Obama-era EPA. We appreciate the Trump administration, current EPA administration, Alabamas congressional delegation and our state attorneys general for standing by farmers and landowners as weve fought back against the WOTUS rule. Environmental groups, meanwhile argue the change would allow industries to dump potentially harmful pollutants into ditches or ephemeral streams without any limitations or public notice. Big polluters could not have crafted a bigger free pass to dump if they wrote it themselves, said Blan Holman, managing attorney for the Southern Environmental Law Centers Charleston office. This administrations efforts to dismantle the Clean Water Act are a full-frontal assault on one of our countrys most important and longstanding environmental safeguards that has prevented unchecked and unlimited pollution from contaminating our waterways and drinking water sources for nearly 50 years. "Protecting the Souths waters against pollution is our top priority. In the face of this serious threat, SELC and our partners will fight this dangerous proposal in court. The proposed rule will be open for public comment for 60 days. Comments on the proposal should be identified with Docket ID No EPA-HQ-OW-2018-014 and may be submitted online at regulations.gov. The EPA has set up an informational site on the proposal at epa.gov/wotus-rule. An Alabama-made missile successfully shot down an intermediate range ballistic missile target off the coast of Hawaii Tuesday, according to the Missile Defense Agency. The test was the second consecutive successful intercept for the Standard Missile-3 Block IIA missile. The interceptor missile was launched from land using the Aegis Ashore system; the target was fired from a U.S. Air Force C-17. thousands of miles away. "Today's successful flight test demonstrated the effectiveness of the European Phased Adaptive Approach Phase 3 architecture. It also was of great significance to the future of multi-domain missile defense operations and supports a critical initial production acquisition milestone for the SM-3 Block IIA missile program," MDA Director Lt. Gen. Sam Greaves said in a statement. According to Raytheon, the test was the first successful intercept from a land-based launch and the first intercept of an intermediate-range ballistic missile target. The test was also the first intercept using tracking data from remote sensors, a process known as engage on remote. MDA said preliminary data shows the test met its objectives. The SM-3 and Standard Missile-6 are integrated and tested at Raytheons $75 million facility at Huntsvilles Redstone Arsenal. The SM-3 Block IIA is the latest variant of the missile, with a larger rocket motor and bigger kinetic warhead. Jeff Sessions, the first U.S. senator to endorse candidate Donald Trump, a key member of the presidents cabinet and later the target of Trumps trademark brand of ridicule, was back on friendly turf today. Sessions spoke to the Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce at its annual conference, his first speaking appearance in Alabama since resigning as attorney general five weeks ago at Trumps request. More than 600 people were on hand at the Renaissance Hotel and Convention Center. Sessions' resignation has sparked speculation about his political future, including whether he will try to reclaim in 2020 the Senate seat he gave up to serve in Trumps cabinet. Speaking to the chamber today, Sessions, 71, gave no indication of his political plans. During an upbeat message that lasted about 20 minutes, he praised his former boss and said he poured his heart into supporting the presidents policies, which were my policies and good for America, I believe. Sessions said he believes the work of the Justice Department during his time as AG met the highest standards in upholding what he called the greatest legal system in the history of the world. He said he believes initiatives started on his watch helped curb violent crime. The audience laughed when Sessions made references to the volatility of his 21 months as attorney general and the criticism Trump directed at him, often via Twitter. So, personally, Im attempting to chill out a bit, Sessions said. And you can be sure I dont follow tweets as closely as I used to. Sessions said he knew that hed face controversy and tough decisions as attorney general because of his previous experience in the Justice Department and 20 years of service on the Senate Judiciary Committee. But this very public adventure, Ive got to say, exceeded my expectations, Sessions said, drawing laughter again. Sessions said he believes Trump is driven to succeed and gets frustrated because bureaucracies move slowly. He quoted a musical artists characterization of the president. As Kanye West said, he has dragon energy, Sessions said. "I think thats a good description of him, really." Sessions praised his former boss for his federal judicial appointments, saying he was nominating neutral umpires. He noted press reports about the state of the nations economy, including wage growth and low unemployment. Sessions said that when he became attorney general last year, the murder rate was on the rise after 30 years of decline. He said the diversion of prescription opioid drugs was causing a shocking increase in overdose deaths. And I strongly believed that these trends could not continue and that we could make a difference, Sessions said. He said Trump sent down orders to support police and reduce the crime rate, orders that Sessions said he embraced. Look, police are not the problem, Sessions said. Criminals are the problem. Police are the solution to the problem. Sessions said he believes initiatives such as law enforcement task forces are getting results. He said homicides fell last year and are expected to be lower again this year when the final numbers are in. Sessions became the first Alabamian to serve as U.S. attorney general when the Senate confirmed him in February 2017. He had first endorsed Trump at a Madison County rally in 2016 and was an adviser to the Trump campaign before getting the presidents nod for attorney general. Sessions fell out of favor with Trump after recusing himself from the investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 election and whether there was collusion between the Russians and the Trump campaign. Trump, who called the investigation a witch hunt from its outset, said he regretted appointing Sessions because of the recusal and accused Sessions of being weak. While Sessions was still attorney general, he mostly responded to his bosss criticism by saying he would continue to lead the Justice Department as he saw fit and would not be improperly influenced by political considerations. He said his priorities as attorney general were to reduce violent crime, enforce immigration laws, protect religious liberty and promote economic growth. Before joining Trumps cabinet, Sessions served in the Senate from 1997 to 2017. Before that, he was attorney general of Alabama and a federal prosecutor for the Southern District of Alabama. In the 1980s, President Reagan nominated Sessions for a federal judgeship, but the Senate Judiciary Committee rejected the nomination because of allegations of racism that Sessions staunchly denied. Sessions first run for elected office came in 1994 when he was elected attorney general of Alabama. Sessions supported staunch enforcement of immigration laws well before his relationship with Trump, who shared those views. Today, Sessions touched on the subject only lightly, saying, Weve taken many actions to limit illegal immigration. Sessions said other priorities the Justice Department pursued under him were to defend religious freedom, reduce government regulations and defend free speech on college campuses. Sessions said he discouraged the use of consent decrees in federal lawsuits because he said they turn the control of a government agency over to federal judges with lifetime appointments. He said he believes such agreements have become too common. Reckon Radio presents, Recused, the untold story of Jeff Sessions, from some of the people who knew him best. In 2016, Jeff Sessions was announced as President Donald Trumps pick for attorney general. For nearly two years, he held his dream job but the experience turned into something of a nightmare due to ongoing investigations into allegations of Russian meddling in the 2016 election. Sessions recused himself, drawing the ire of the president. But did you know Sessions political career was almost over before it began. In episode one of Recused, were going back to a 1986 judicial confirmation hearing. Sessions became just the second person in 50 years to be rejected for an appointment to the Federal bench, due to allegations of racism that would haunt him for the rest of his career.We know how Sessions story ends. But how did it begin? And what was the fallout for others involved?Listen to the first episode of Reckon Radios Recused here. Next week, well look at another story from Sessions past, similar to the Russia investigation, when Sessions refused to call off an investigation into Alabamas Republican governor. Dont miss out. Subscribe today wherever you listen to your podcasts. More than 29,000 pounds of Jimmy Dean sausage links have been recalled due to the possibility of metal contamination. The U.S. Department of Agriculture said CTI Foods LLC is voluntarily recalling ready-to-eat pork and poultry sausage links, specifically 23.4-oz. packages of Jimmy Dean Heat n Serve Original Sausage Links Made with Pork & Turkey. The use by date on the package is Jan. 21, 2019. The recalled packages bear the establishment code M19085 or P19085 and a UPC number of 0-77900-36519-5. Cases containing the product are marked with the lot number A638216800 or A638216801. The recall comes after consumers said they found small, string-like fragments of metal in the product. No injuries were reported associated with the fragments. The company said customers who have purchased any of the affected items should cut the UPC and date code from the packaging, discard the product and call 1-855-382-3101. A man who was arrested last week for the rape of a three-year-old child 29 years ago will face a hearing in Mobile Wednesday. Timothy Robinson, 49, was arrested Friday after a grand jury indicted him in late October of raping the child in June 1989. A nationwide initiative that helps retest old rape kits helped investigators catch Robinson, who was in jail on sexual abuse charges when the match came back. While Robinson was released in October this year after serving the 10-year prison sentence for the 2011 sexual abuse of an 8-year-old child, he wasnt arrested for the 1989 charge until he went to register as a sex offender Friday. He is currently being held in Mobile County Jail on a $100,000 bond. Robinson has been arrested multiple times for domestic violence and drug issues, according to court documents. The case is the latest in a string of historical unsolved rapes that have been reinvestigated thanks to a nationwide initiative that helps pay for old rape kits to be retested. Along the way, Mobile's team has had a rare string of funding success. In 2015 the Mobile Police Department got a grant for $828,203 from the Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (SAKI), a program run by a branch of the Department of Justice known as the Bureau of Justice Assistance. That principally paid for testing of hundreds of evidence kits, some from as far back as 1979. It was a three-year grant and it has taken that long to work through the inventory and submit kits for testing; the last few recently have been sent to the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences. This is an opinion column. Forgive me Father, for I have sinned. Sometimes thats just not enough. Sometimes its not complete. Sometimes its too little too late, too half-hearted, too forced and weak and watery. Like tears of a condemned man. Like the Catholic Archdiocese of Mobile, with its late and lame revelations that dozens of priests and other clergy abused and molested and scarred children for decades in churches and schools across south Alabama. It had the ring of a deathbed confessional. The Archdiocese last week released 29 names of Catholic priests, deacons and brothers accused of sexually abusing children since 1950. Most of them are dead or dying. Forgive me Father, for I have sinned, and lied about it, and covered it up while the guilty grew old in their own beds while victims grew up in torment and anger and a guilt they did not earn. Yeah, forgive them. For the crimes perpetrated in Gods name, covered up for generations in Gods name, revealed only after Gods name was sullied, defiled, slandered by those who wore his cloth and used it to commit the most heinous of acts. What in Gods name? Of course, too late is better than never. Of course, after the emperor has been shown naked in the streets it is a relief when he puts on some boxers. Deathbed mercy pleas are perhaps preferable to unending guilty silence, and the silencing of victims. But this chapter is not over. This admission is not purifying, or final. It does not absolve those who committed the crimes or covered them up. Even with the pretty words written by Archbishop Thomas Rodi as he released the names of Catholic priests and other church workers many of them dead or dying or so old they cannot properly answer for their actions who have been credibly accused of sexually abusing children. Rodi asked forgiveness, as he should. The most vulnerable members of the Church, the children, have been grievously hurt by clergy and religious, the very people who should have been trusted to help and not to injure, he wrote. In addition, the Church has at times failed to act as it should have to immediately protect children and to promptly remove those who have preyed upon them. To all the people of the Church, and especially to the victims of child sexual abuse by clergy and religious, I ask for your forgiveness. From the depths of my heart, I ask your forgiveness. As he should. But theres more he should do. Theres more the church can do. Rodi, when asked by AL.coms Chris Harress, who has followed this case for weeks, said the church reached out to the handful of those on the list who are still alive, warning them their names would be released. But he would not say if those men were asked if they committed crimes, or if he believed the allegations against them were true. It would be for them to say that, Rodi said. Its for us to say our investigation is credible. Archbishop Thomas Rodi of the Archdiocese of Mobile has released the names of 29 church workers accused of child abuse since 1950. Its a start. Its better than we saw from a string of apologist archbishops in years past. But it is not transparency, or release, or anywhere near enough. It is not enough to name names of the dead and dying, to apologize and close the book. There must be more. The diocese must turn the names over to prosecutors, with evidence of any misdeeds. The Mobile District Attorneys office should pursue it as far as it can go. Those who helped cover this up for generations should be held to account as accessories and conspirators. They should be treated as criminals and villains. Alabama law, which allows only a small window of time for the abused to challenge their abusers in civil court, is archaic and must be changed. Let Heaven forgive, if it can. Let the people of Alabama pursue justice. For Gods sake. John Archibald, a Pulitzer Prize winner, is a columnist for Reckon by AL.com. His column appears in The Birmingham News, the Huntsville Times, the Mobile Register and AL.com. Write him at jarchibald@al.com. Time magazine has chosen "The Guardians," - journalists targeted for their work - as Person of the Year. The recipients were highlighted on a series of Time covers highlighting the War on Truth. One of the covers includes Jamal Khashoggi, a Washington Post contributor who was killed at the Saudi Arabian consulate in Istanbul in October. Khashoggi is the first deceased person to be named Person of the Year. Another cover shows the wives of Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo, two Reuters journalists imprisoned in Myanman for their stories about killing of Muslims in the country. Another covers shows a group of journalists from the Capital Gazette, the Maryland newspaper where five people were killed by a gunman in June. The fourth features Maria Ressa, a Philippines news executive, who was indicted last month on tax evasion charges, allegations that many people feel are politically motivated. In describing this years choice, Time said: This ought to be a time when democracy leaps forward, an informed citizenry being essential to self-government. Instead, its in retreat. Three decades after the Cold War defeat of a blunt and crude autocracy, a more clever brand takes nourishment from the murk that surrounds us. The old-school despot embraced censorship. The modern despot, finding that more difficult, foments mistrust of credible fact, thrives on the confusion loosed by social media and fashions the illusion of legitimacy from supplicants. Efforts to undermine factual truth, and those who honestly seek it out, call into doubt the functioning of democracy. Freedom of speech, after all, was purposefully placed first in the Bill of Rights, it added. Robert Mueller, the special counsel investigating Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election, was named runner-up Person of the Year. The GuardiansJamal Khashoggi, the Capital Gazette, Maria Ressa, Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Ooare TIME's Person of the Year 2018 #TIMEPOY https://t.co/HvoEaW5oUi pic.twitter.com/9Mr0wBTmvj TIME (@TIME) December 11, 2018 See why Special Counsel Robert Mueller was named as a runner up for TIME's Person of the Year 2018 #TIMEPOY https://t.co/oWEw7ij2Mo TIME (@TIME) December 11, 2018 A woman shot to death midday Monday in Birminghams Smithfield public housing community has now been identified. The Jefferson County Coroners Office identified the victim as Venus Felicia Godhigh. She was 38 and lived in Anniston. The gunfire erupted at noon in the 900 block of Second Street North. Two other women also were shot. One underwent surgery Monday night and the other has been treated and released from the hospital. Their names have not been released. Authorities said two of the women were in an SUV on Second Street North talking to the third woman who was outside the vehicle when a suspect or suspects walked up to the vehicle and opened fired. The SUV then traveled across the street, into a grassy common area and stopped just short of the porch of someones apartment. All of vehicles windows were shattered by the gunfire. Godhigh, who authorities believe was the driver of the SUV, was pronounced dead on the scene at 12:08 p.m. The shooter or shooters fled on foot. No arrests have been announced nor have investigators released a possible motive. Godhighs death is the citys 101st homicide this year and sent Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin and other police and city officials door to door Monday night, offering their reassurance and asking for help from any potential witnesses. We are concerned and were not just going to sit by idly, Woodfin said. And thats not just for this incident but for the 101 victims weve lost to senseless gun violence this year. Woodfin was joined in Smithfield Monday night by Assistant Police Chief Allen Treadaway, Birmingham city councilmen John Hilliard and Steven Hoyt, and Housing Authority of the Birmingham District President/CEO Michael Lundy. Prior to meeting with the media, the city and police officials talked with residents individually and privately about the triple shooting. Woodfin said he is outraged and concerned. In that outrage, we are throwing every resource we can, not just at this shooting but the same shooting that occurred yesterday and all of these styles of shootings where victims are dying either by a drive-by, a drive-up or in this case today, based on initial information, a possible walk-up, Woodfin said. Crime Stoppers is offering a reward of up to $5,000 for information in the shooting. Tipsters can call Crime Stoppers at 205-254-7777 or Birmingham homicide detectives at 205-254-1764. Morehouse College senior Jarrell Jordan came back Monday to Birminghams Avondale Elementary School -- where he started school -- to kick off the Importance of Education tour and tell the schools nearly 100 fourth- and fifth-graders how education has impacted his life in a positive way. Jordan said he hopes to show students one thing: Where their education can take them. Two years ago, Jordan, 26, served as an ambassador for Historically Black Colleges and Universities, or HBCUs, under former President Barack Obama. He started the tour in 2016, he said, as a way to talk with students about the opportunities available to them when they work hard in school. If I can go from a student at Avondale to a student at Putnam to a student at Woodlawn to a student at Morehouse to working for the first black president, Jordan said to students, what can you do? Jordan, a 2015 graduate of Woodlawn High School and a Gates Millennium Scholar, told students about the importance of getting good grades early on to help earn scholarship money for college down the road. The Gates scholarship, he told students, will pay for all of his college education, from undergraduate through doctorate, however far he wants to go. The theme of this years tour, Jordan said, is Choosing Education Over Crime. Avondale was the first of 16 stops the tour is making at public and private elementary, middle and high schools in the Birmingham area through Monday, Dec. 17. Each age group has different issues, Jordan said, so its important to talk with them on their level about the issues they face every day. Speaker after speaker emphasized the need for students to do well in school. Students were quizzed about everything from what an intern does to how they plan to use what they learned at the event. Small prizes were given to students answering questions. Birmingham Police Capt. Janice Blackwell, a 31-year veteran of the police force, told students to make the most of their time. Learn as much as you can, she said. If you have a lot of free time, read a book. Birmingham police Chaplain Marvin Neal told students that freedom is the most prized commodity to mankind. He talked about the four Ps of authority---parents, pastor, principal, and police---and how important it is to be respectful to authority. Birmingham Municipal Judge Kechia Davis drove that point home, saying, If you follow the four Ps, then you will never have to see me. Judge Davis encouraged students to use their phones and tablets to read. You have, really, a library at your fingertips, she said. So you can skip a couple of hours of Fortnite, she added, and read about what it takes to be what they want to be when they grow up. Local radio host Kris Campbell shared his moving story of tragedy and loss, including a car wreck that killed his brother a decade ago, while stressing the importance of making good choices in the face of bad situations. Jordan Davis, a junior at Morehouse, told students that each of them has within them a passion that should be used to better the world. Davis said he always listened when his father told him, Do what you have to do now, in order to be able to do what you want to do later on. A 57-year-old New York believed to be missing in Birmingham has been located. Birmingham police on Dec. 4 said Sinclaire Chaneyfield was last seen at the Motel 8 in Birmingham on Sept. 30 and last spoke with family members on Oct. 29. He had not been heard from or seen since Chaneyfield is a New York resident but was most recently believed to be in Birmingham. Sgt. Johnny Williams on Tuesday said Chaneyfield had contacted family members and stated he was fine. The man charged with killing two Irondale motel owners went back twice and tried to remove their bodies from the crime scene, police said Tuesday during a court hearing. Steven Richard Mulkey, 28, is charged with capital murder for the September deaths of 77-year-old Ching Kao and his wife, 76-year-old Siumei Kao. Following a preliminary hearing Tuesday morning, Jefferson County Circuit Judge Virginia Vinson bound over the case to a grand jury for possible indictment. During the hearing, police said Mulkey beat the couple to death with a hammer or pipe and also cut Siumei Kaos throat with a knife. The Kaos owned the Siesta Motel in Irondale and police said Mulkey worked as a handyman for the couple. Irondale police Det. Clint Ballard testified during Tuesdays hearing. He said on September 21, the Kaos' daughter hadnt heard from her parents in several days and went to the Siesta Motel to check on them. Although the motel wasnt operational at the time, the Kaos still lived there. The daughter said she arrived at the motel office and saw the safe was gone, so she called police. When officers arrived, Ballard said, they and the couples daughter noticed spots of blood on the floors and found Ching Kaos drivers license, along with a pair of bloody shorts. Ballard said officers knew the Kaos had surveillance video on the property, so their granddaughter pulled the footage for police. According to Ballard, the footage timestamped September 16 at 6:20 p.m. showed someone, who police identified as Mulkey, talking to the victims in the motel office. The conversation moved to the lounge area off the office, and Ballard said it was apparent Mulkey and the Kaos were arguing. Then, he said, the footage showed Mulkey pull a hammer or pipe out of his back pocket and strike the victims. Ballard said after the beating, Mulkey pulled the bodies into the office and then left the property. The next day, Ballard said, video showed Mulkey return to the motel office and try to load the victims into a wheelbarrow. The wheelbarrow tipped forward and it appeared he might of panicked, Ballard said. Mulkey dragged the bodies back in the office and left, Ballard said. On September 18 just after 1 a.m., Ballard said the video showed Mulkey come back to the motel office with a grocery store shopping cart. Ballard said the footage shows Mulkey push the cart into the office and come out with something in the cart, and also get the safe. Ballard said the video was too dark to see what was inside the cart. According to Ballard, Mulkey then got into the victims Chevrolet Impala and left the parking lot. Coincidentally, officers stopped him in the car that same night and were later able to identify Mulkey as being the driver. The couples daughter told officers on September 21 that her parents car was missing, and Ballard said patrol officers located that car in the nearby U.S. Economy Lodge parking lot. Mulkey wasnt staying at that motel at the time, though. Police searched the car using a spare key left in the Siesta Motel office and found the empty safe in the cars trunk and noticed spots of blood. On September 24, Mulkey was arrested by the U.S. Marshals in Virginia. When Irondale police were notified, Ballard said he went to Virginia and interviewed Mulkey. According to Ballard, Mulkey said he did odd jobs for the Kaos and cut grass at another property they owned on the day of the slayings. Following his job, Mulkey said Siumei Kao picked him up and brought him back to the Siesta Motel. Mulkey met with the couple in the office and asked them for $50 for the job, but the couple refused and said they would only give him $20. Ballard testified that Mulkey said he was not appreciated for the work he had done, so he struck and killed the Kaos. Mulkey said Siumei Kao fought him way too much, so he grabbed a knife and also cut her throat. Ballard said Mulkey also talked about how there wasnt much in the Kaos safe, other than Korean money. Mulkey said he dumped the bodies in Leeds and pointed out to officers on an iPad map where he believed the bodies were. The next day, Ballard said officers went to Leeds and located the victims bodies. Ballard said he was familiar with the Kaos because they were nice to police and often delivered boxes of shrimp to the police department. The couple had also made calls to police before about suspected drug activity or overdoses at the motel when it was operational. While Ballard said his experiences with the Kaos were positive, he heard they could sometimes be hard to deal with. Jefferson County Deputy District Attorney Joe Roberts is prosecuting the case; Christopher Daniel and Kathy Luker are representing Mulkey. A broad-daylight triple shooting that left one woman dead and two others injured Monday sent Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin going door-to-door in the neighbor to assure residents the city cares about them and needs their help in solving such crimes. We are concerned and were not just going to sit by idly, Woodfin said. And thats not just for this incident but for the 101 victims weve lost to senseless gun violence this year. The gunfire erupted at noon Monday in the 900 block of Second Street North in the citys Smithfield public housing community. Authorities said the three women were in an SUV on Second Street North when, investigators believe, a suspect or suspects walked up to the vehicle and opened fired. The SUV then traveled across the street, into the grassy common area and stopped just short of the porch of someones apartment. All of vehicles windows were shattered by the gunfire. One of the women in the SUV was pronounced dead on the scene. Two others were rushed to UAB Hospitals Trauma Center. As of Monday night, one of the women was in surgery and the other had already been treated and released. Their names have not been released. The shooter or shooters fled on foot. No arrests have been made. The deadly shooting marked the citys 101st homicide so far in 2018, and came less than 24 hours after a double shooting in Ensley that killed one man and wounded another. The city ended 2017 with 111 homicides. Woodfin was joined in Smithfield Monday night by Assistant Police Chief Allen Treadaway, Birmingham city councilmen John Hilliard and Steven Hoyt, and Housing Authority of the Birmingham District President/CEO Michael Lundy. Prior to meeting with the media, the city and police officials talked with residents individually and privately about the triple shooting. Woodfin said he is outraged and concerned. In that outrage, we are throwing every resource we can, not just at this shooting but the same shooting that occurred yesterday and all of these styles of shootings where victims are dying either by a drive-by, a drive-up or in this case today, based on initial information, a possible walk-up, Woodfin said. We wanted to come personally to talk to residents in Smithfield, the mayor said. We didnt want to do that on camera because we wanted them to be open to share with us if they heard something and, more importantly, if they saw something so that we could get that information to investigators. Some of the residents described for Woodfin and the others what they did when the shots rang out. Police said multiple bullets were fired and one officer described it looking like a war zone. One lady shared that she dropped to the floor with her children. Another gentleman in a wheelchair and a lady across the street also had to drop to the ground, he said. Smithfield is a neighborhood where residents are concerned about each other and really care. I think theyre distraught. A couple of them are sad. I think theyre in shock, Woodfin said. Theyre not used to this type of violence. It doesnt matter whether one of these situations happens in Smithfield or Ensley or any of the other 97 neighborhoods, we all should outraged, Woodfin said. None of us have the luxury to be numb to these types of things and go on about our day. The mayor said it was important to him to share with the residents that city and police officials believe they deserve to be safe. He also wanted to emphasize the importance of residences sharing any information they may have that could help progress the shooting investigation. We cannot put a camera on every corner yall. We cannot put a police officer on every corner, Woodfin said. For our police officers and our detectives to investigate and solve crimes and have leads to bring justice to these victims as well as these victims families requires community support, residences speaking out and as we say, anybody who saw something to say something. The mayor said by talking with residents, he hopes they will talk with him if theyre not comfortable talking to police about what may have happened. Im here as a citizen and the mayor to let them know were we are here and dont be afraid to talk to us, he said. The more reckless people we can take off the streets who have a reckless disregard for other peoples lives, the more I believe we can decrease these types of crimes. Woodfin announced that a Crime Stoppers' reward of up to $5,000 is offered for any information on the Smithfield shooting. Tipsters are asked to call Crime Stoppers at 205-254-7777 or Birmingham homicide detectives at 205-254-1764. The mayor is committed, and the department is committed to making this the safest city in America, Treadaway said. In order to do that, weve got to have community buy-in. CPEC is a national priority: Pak Foreign Secretary ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Monday reaffirmed its commitment to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) by pledging to complete it as a national priority. The assurance was conveyed to the Chinese side by the Foreign Office at the inaugural round of bilateral political consultations. Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua led the Pakistani delegation at the meeting, while the Chinese side was headed by Vice Foreign Minister Kong Xuanyou. Pakistan side conveyed that CPEC is a national priority for the government and Pakistan remains committed to the successful implementation of CPEC, the FO said in a statement on the meeting. The two sides also resolved to work together towards completion of the ongoing projects and agreed to expand CPEC to new areas of cooperation in line with the vision of the leadership of Pakistan, it added. The reiteration comes ahead of the upcoming meeting of the Joint Coordination Committee (JCC) of the CPEC in Beijing next week. Prime Minister Imran Khan had last month paid his maiden visit to China. During the trip, which analysts say reinforced Pak-China bond, the two countries showed complete consensus on the future trajectory of CPEC, timely completion of its ongoing projects and joint efforts for realisation of its full potential with a focus on socio-economic development, job creation and livelihoods and accelerating cooperation in industrial development, industrial parks and agriculture. However, there is speculation that despite the positivity exhibited during Mr Khans Beijing trip, the Chinese have concerns about the future of the CPEC. The Pakistani and Chinese delegations at their political consultations agreed to build on the consensus developed during Mr Khans visit, the FO said. They reaffirmed all-weather strategic cooperative partnership between the two countries and expressed their satisfaction at the strong bilateral ties in political, economic, security, cultural and other spheres, the statement said. Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Kong Xuanyou also called on Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi after the political consultations. Mr Qureshi said the prime ministers visit to China marked a milestone in the history of bilateral relations and has deepened the bond of trust and friendship between two nations. Reassuring the Chinese delegation about the CPEC, he said Pakistan would complete this project as envisaged by the leadership of both countries. Mr Qureshi confirmed Pakistans participation in the 2nd meeting of China-Afghanistan-Pakistan foreign ministers trilateral mechanism to be held in Kabul on Dec 15. The Chinese vice foreign minister also visited the General Headquarters for a meeting with Army Chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa. During the meeting matters of mutual interest, regional security and enhanced bilateral cooperation came under discussion, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said. Gen Bajwa underscored that Pak-China relations were all-weather and based on mutual trust and confidence. The visiting dignitary commended the sacrifices and resilience of the people and armed forces of Pakistan and appreciated the role Pakistan Army has played in battling the scourge of terrorism, the ISPR said. House prices and living costs are rising in Bo Kaap, a Cape Town neighbourhood. Its residents are putting up a fight. Cape Town, South Africa Noor Osman looks out from the Bo Kaap neighbourhood of Cape Town and counts the mosques dotted throughout the nearby city centre. Wherever you can see a mosque, he says, there were Muslim people living around there. Over the years, the demographics and boundaries of central Cape Town have changed. During apartheid, Bo Kaap was declared a Muslim-only area with a number of now-residents uprooted and forced to move there from other parts of the city. Many recall tales of forced evictions and houses being seized with little compensation. But while the era of racial segregation ended in the 1990s, Osman now fears another type of apartheid is beginning to menace the traditionally working-class community gentrification. The issue of economic apartheid is actually being perpetrated right now, Osman says, stressing the urgency of the situation. Bo Kaap has become the scene of a bitter battle between residents and property developers in recent months. The colourful low-rises of Bo Kaap [Erica Jenkin/Al Jazeera] The area is known for its coloured houses and distinct history. It is home to the oldest mosque in South Africa and once housed slaves, political exiles and convicts sent from countries including Malaysia, Sri Lanka and Indonesia as far back as the 17th century. Yet with new developments, including luxury flats, and wealthy outside buyers investing in Bo Kaap homes as Cape Town property prices soared, the neighbourhoods heritage is under threat. In South Africa, the lingering effects of apartheid add an extra layer of complexity to the gentrification debate. Bo Kaap residents protest in the streets [Erica Jenkin/Al Jazeera] Much of Cape Towns non-white population was moved out of central areas to the Cape Flats on the extreme outskirts of the city during apartheid. Bo Kaap managed to avoid that fate due to the vagaries of apartheid planning. Today, its predominantly Muslim population is unsure about what the future holds. Residents of Bo Kaap, many of whom refer to their neighbourhood as the cradle of Islam in South Africa, increasingly fear being priced out. A new development rises above Bo Kaap [Erica Jenkin/Al Jazeera] Fowzia Achmat, vice chair of the Bo Kaap Civic and Ratepayers Association, says that people whose families have owned properties in the neighbourhood for generations simply cannot afford to live in the area, where house prices are rocketing, and are faced with the dilemma of selling up or struggling on. Others have been forced to club together to be able to remain in the area. Mishka Samie, a member of the Bo Kaap Collective activist group, says there are some situations where 15 to 20 people are living in a two bedroom flat. Theres a definite housing problem, she adds. Gin bars and coffee shops 180712071530833 While central Cape Towns natural geography, squeezed between Table Mountain and the Atlantic Sea, creates a spectacular setting, it also means space is limited. Bo Kaap is centrally located, within walking distance to the city centre and the redeveloped waterfront area. This has seen it become an attractive location for buyers and developers. Tanja Winkler, associate professor of architecture, planning and geomatics at the University of Cape Town, says Bo Kaap is following a similar trajectory to nearby working-class areas like Woodstock and Salt River, which have become home to gin bars and coffee shops in recent years. Residents of Bo Kaap attend a busy community meeting to discuss the development of their area [Erica Jenkin/Al Jazeera] While some external buyers have moved into Bo Kaap and engaged with the community, which locals mostly welcome, others look to buy properties for investment purposes or to rent on sites like Airbnb, she says. New developments, meanwhile, tower over existing buildings and are aimed at wealthy buyers and those looking for holiday homes, Winkler adds. Tensions around the situation have come to the fore in recent weeks. When Al Jazeera visited in late November, residents old and young blocked roads to prevent trucks and building materials coming in. Residents protest in Bo Kaap, where house prices are rising [Erica Jenkin/Al Jazeera] In the days before, police tried to forcibly remove those blocking the arrival of a crane. Footage posted on social media appeared to show stun grenades being thrown and protesters, including elderly women, being manhandled. At a packed community meeting soon after, around 600 residents lamented that peaceful protesters had been met with violence and reiterated their resolve to preserve their homes and heritage. Protecting living history Al Jazeera spoke to several residents critical of the Democratic Alliance-led (DA) city council for not listening to their concerns. Others slammed developers for not consulting with the local community. Yet while sympathising with residents, DA councillor for Bo Kaap, Brandon Golding, says the city is limited in what it can do. The council cannot prevent the sale of private properties between individuals, he says. A new development in Bo Kaap rises above one of the neighbourhoods colourful traditional homes [Erica Jenkin/Al Jazeera] Existing zoning rules also appear to provide developers with a wide remit in terms of how they build on land or redevelop properties legally acquired. Golding says that he and the council have sought to listen to residents concerns and are looking for solutions. He adds that some financial assistance is available for pensioners and low-earners who may be struggling. Residents believe more affordable housing should be a key priority, something Golding says is difficult as the local government doesnt own much land in Bo Kaap. Many also hold out hope that securing heritage status for Bo Kaap will at least rein in new developments. Placards are tied to a railing at a protest in Bo Kaap [Erica Jenkin/Al Jazeera] As things stand, any property over 60 years old is protected by heritage rules in Cape Town. Bo Kaap residents want their entire area to receive heritage status for its built and living history. The community applied for a form of heritage protection with local authorities as far back as 2013 that would have forced developers to convince the city any new buildings would maintain and be sensitive to Bo Kaaps heritage. But the application remained in limbo, unapproved by the council before being halted in 2016. In early December, the citys mayoral committee said it would again try to secure heritage status. Yet many residents remain sceptical, given past delays which have allowed developments to progress. They have also begun to look to the national government for help. A brightly painted mosque is pictured in the neighbourhood of Bo Kaap [Erica Jenkin/Al Jazeera] Osman says the community is engaging with the South African Heritage Research Association (SAHRA) to look to protect the entirety of Bo Kaap, and is hopeful that process will progress soon. Until that happens, however, Bo Kaap residents have vowed to continue their protests and challenge existing developments in the courts. We have to show resistance, says Osman. We cant just let these guys come in and do what they want. Kenitra, Morocco A kindergarten called Hope operates in the middle of a residential neighbourhood 50km from Moroccos capital, Rabat. The name aptly describes the activities taking place inside the brightly coloured building in Kenitra. It is Moroccos first refugee cooperative, run by a group of Yemenis who came to the country to study but could not go back because of the war in Yemen. Morocco is home to about 7,500 refugees and asylum seekers from more than 50 countries. Syrians form the bulk of that group more than 3,000 but there are also about 700 Yemenis who have fled the three-year-old war. Among them is Abdullah, who arrived in Morocco almost three years ago. The idea to open a school came during a brainstorming session between me and some other Yemeni PhD students here, said Abdullah, who worked in the education sector in Yemen for a decade before leaving the country in order to follow his studies. A high percentage of refugees and migrants, especially from sub-Saharan Africa who arrive in Morocco, want to carry on the journey and reach Europe. In 2013, Morocco launched a migrant regularisation programme through which it has granted residency permits to more than 50,000 people in a move designed to change its image from that of a transit country to a host nation. It also aimed to provide funding and assistance to those who want to launch their own projects. In 2015, Morocco was a transit country then it became progressively a destination country for part of the refugees, said Bettina Gambert, the UN refugee agencys deputy representative in Morocco. Since then, the refugees have started staying here longer. If they are registered and assisted here, they will stay. After the December 9 summit in Riyadh, it became clear that the GCC has lost its raison detre. For the second time since the beginning of the Qatar blockade, 18 months ago, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) summit failed to bring together the leaders of the six member states to address the most serious crisis in its three-decade history. Last year, the emir of Qatar was the only head of state, besides the host, to attend the GCC summit in Kuwait. In response, this week Qatar sent a low-level delegation to the Riyadh summit. It was yet another clear indication that the Gulf crisis is unlikely to be resolved anytime soon. Over the past 18 months, it has become increasingly clear that GCC members have developed diverging interests, foreign policy options, and threat perceptions, which have seriously undermined the organisations raison detre. Threat perception In 1981, Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, the late ruler and brother of the current emir of Kuwait, Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, suggested the establishment of a collective security organisation in the Gulf to ward off the threat Iran posed to the region. Just two years earlier, the conservative pro-west regime of the Iranian shah had been toppled in Tehran and a revolutionary regime had been established. The new Iranian government had demonstrated its intention to export its Islamic revolution to the region, calling for the overthrow of Arab governments and inciting uprisings among the local Shia communities. The threat from revolutionary Iran had overshadowed that from secular, pro-Soviet Iraq, which had been supporting leftist movements in the Gulf for decades. Iraq saw a threat in the Iranian revolution as well and decided to act preemptively. Taking advantage of the political chaos in Tehran following the fall of the shah, it attacked in September 1980. With its invasion, Iraq sought to nullify the provisions of the 1975 Algiers agreement, by which it was forced to cede the strategically important Shatt al-Arab waterway to Iran. Understandably, the Gulf states sided with Baghdad, pouring billions of dollars in cash into its economy in support of the war effort, which Tehran interpreted as an act of hostility. In response, it unleashed a series of destabilising acts against Gulf states, and particularly Kuwait, attacking Kuwaiti-bound ships to punish the state for its overt support for Iraq. To create a united front against the Iranian threat, the Gulf leaders met in Riyadh in May 1981 and announced the creation of the GCC. In the following three decades, despite several internal disputes among the member states some involving military skirmishes, such as the 1986 clash between Qatar and Bahrain and the 1992 Saudi attack on a Qatari border post the biggest threat for the six GCC countries remained an external one: Iran (and to a certain extent Iraq, especially after the 1990 invasion of Kuwait). This seems to have changed now. The revelation by the emir of Kuwait that his diplomatic efforts prevented military action against Qatar in the summer of 2017 sent shock waves across the GCC. Although there was a Saudi-backed coup plot against the Qatari leadership in 1996, this was indeed the first time that a full military invasion seemed to have been contemplated by members of the GCC against another member and in a coalition with a non-member state (Egypt). Qatars break with the status quo Collective security regimes and regional alliances are either about a set of shared values or about common interests and objectives. The dispute between Qatar and Saudi Arabia and the UAE has revealed that the two sides have neither at this point; in fact, they have significantly diverging visions for the future of the region. Since Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani took power in Qatar in 1995, the country has sought a more independent foreign policy vis-a-vis its big sister, Saudi Arabia, and has tried to challenge the Saudi-favoured status quo. To realise these two objectives, Qatars regional role was fundamentally transformed and a more dynamic and flexible foreign policy approach was embraced, allowing Doha to balance relations between its two big neighbours Saudi Arabia and Iran while maintaining close relations with the United States. It was able to do this by hosting the largest US military base outside US territories at Al Udeid, while simultaneously establishing strong ties with some of US rivals, including Iran. Qatar also pursued a more prominent role in the greater Arab world. In 1996, Al Jazeera was established, offering a unique media perspective, covering topics other news channels shied away from and hosting Arab intellectuals and political activists with a variety of political convictions. The channel quickly became the trend-setter in Arab society, swaying the public opinion and sparking major political debates. Although not a democracy in itself, Qatar appeared to be championing human rights and freedom of expression and defending the cause of democracy across the Arab world. This set of liberal political values went against the very logic of the GCC, a club of rich, conservative and non-democratic countries. No wonder that other GCC countries, and Saudi Arabia in particular, viewed the growing influence of Al Jazeera with concern. When the 2011 Arab revolutions broke out, Al Jazeera was absurdly blamed for orchestrating them. Peaceful protests by young Arabs won admiration worldwide, leading western governments, particularly the US, to consider abandoning traditional allies, such as President Hosni Mubarak in Egypt. For Saudi Arabia and the UAE, the toppling of the Egyptian regime was a strategic loss. They viewed the arrival of the Muslim Brotherhood to power in the biggest Arab country as a major security threat. In fact, the election of Mohamed Morsi as president of Egypt constituted a strategic shift in the balance of power in the Middle East. The three major regional powers in the Middle East (Turkey, Iran and Egypt) were now being ruled by unfriendly Islamic or Islamically-oriented governments. With Yemen already in turmoil, Saudi Arabia and the UAE felt surrounded on all sides. Qatar seemed to have truly succeeded in challenging the status quo in the region and in engineering a new Middle East security architecture. A reversal of fortunes was quick to follow, however. Unfinished business In 2013, the revolutionary momentum began to fade across the Middle East. Egypts Islamists could not manage the transition to democracy and the army also could not resist the temptation to seize power. Backed by Saudi Arabia and the UAE, counter-revolution forces charged forward against Morsis government and ushered in the July 3 coup. The events of that summer finally exposed the rift between the GCC countries. In the spring of 2014, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain withdrew their ambassadors from Doha, in a marked escalation against Qatar, which lasted nine months. But lack of support from the Obama administration prevented Saudi Arabia and the UAE from taking further measures against Qatar. Then in November 2016, Donald Trump was elected president and Riyadh and Abu Dhabi saw an opportunity. The Trump administration enabled the alliance between the Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed of Abu Dhabi and then-Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia to finish some unfinished business with Doha. The siege imposed on Qatar on June 5, 2017, hammered another nail into the coffin of the GCC. Eighteen months into the crisis, the GCC once described as the most successful collective security organisation in the Middle East seems to have lost its raison detre. With no shared values, no collective interest, and no perceived common threat, there seems to be very little reason for the block to continue to exist. Yet, nobody seems willing to pronounce it dead either. Qatar is still eager to keep its membership despite the blockade. The resurrection of the GCC would require grand statesmanship and wisdom, especially in Riyadh and Abu Dhabi, but for now, there is no sign that there is political will to pursue that course of action. The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial stance. The US and Russia have bypassed the Afghan government and engaged the Taliban directly. This could be disastrous. At last months Geneva Ministerial Conference on Afghanistan, it was clear that the presidential elections were less than five months away. Afghan President Ashraf Ghani put a lot of effort into making sure he appeared to be the right man for his job. He took the opportunity to read out a list of achievements in the areas of security, womens rights, justice and the anti-corruption effort. As usual, international donors applauded the achievements, re-affirmed their support for the Afghan government, and pledged more military and humanitarian aid. But President Ghani did not stop there. He also announced a roadmap to peace his administration had prepared in order to launch peace talks with the Taliban. As part of that plan, he announced the formation of a 12-members team, headed by presidential chief of staff Salam Rahimi, to engage in direct negotiations with the Taliban. Ghani made it clear that the peace process has to be Afghan-owned and Afghan-led, implying his administration cannot be excluded from the process. The Afghan president has been facing major challenges at home, suffering a number of major failures on the political and security fronts. Against the backdrop of a deteriorating situation at home, launching and owning a peace process seems to be the only achievement that can ensure his political survival and potential re-election next year. In this sense, the conference in Geneva was an opportunity for him to convince the international community that the Afghan government possesses the operational capacity to bring the Taliban to political reconciliation through diplomatic means. Ghani also declared that he was running in the next presidential race in order to finish the job and warned the international community of dire consequences if his reforms and peace plan were abandoned. But by linking his presidential bid to the success of peace talks, Ghani is making a risky move. Past attempts to start talks with the Taliban by both him and former President Hamid Karzai have failed and he is already facing a number of challenges that put his success in doubt. First and foremost, the Taliban have demonstrated a number of times that they do not see a reason to negotiate with Ghani; they see him as a Western puppet and prefer to reach out directly to major international players, including the United States. Second, Ghanis peace initiative has been criticised by different stakeholders, including Afghan political figures and some factions of the civil society. The critics have repeatedly raised concerns about the lack of transparency over the terms of negotiations and have warned against concluding a deal that would roll back some of the achievements that have been made in recent years in areas such as girls education, political participation and economic development. Third, there are some players in the international community who are already looking into direct engagement with the Taliban, bypassing Ghanis administration. Russia and the US, for example, have recently held talks with the Taliban, without actively engaging the Afghan government. 181113160715311 Ghani tried hard to undermine the Moscow-sponsored conference on Afghanistan initially scheduled for August by refusing to participate; when Russia made clear its commitment to it, he asked for it to be postponed. In November, when the Russians pushed forward with the event, despite Ghanis protestations, he was forced to send an unofficial representative. A month earlier, the US strategically kept the Afghan government out of its meeting with the Taliban in Doha. US Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad met representatives from the Taliban and discussed a number of issues, including the withdrawal of US troops. By engaging directly with the Taliban, countries like the US and Russia are able to pursue their own geopolitical interests. The US is eager to stabilise Afghanistan and secure its continuing presence in the country to stave off Chinese, Iranian and Russian influence in the region. And Russia is seeking to reassert itself in Afghanistan after a 30-year absence to potentially curtail the emergence of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) on its southern flank and to open another front in its soft confrontation with the US. But by conducting direct talks with the Taliban, the two countries demonstrate that they perceive Ghanis administration as weak and incapable of undertaking a viable peace process. Thus, the international community, led by the US and Russia, are effectively shunning the Afghan government and taking over negotiating peace on its behalf. This is not only bad news for Ghani himself, who is hoping to use the peace talks as leverage for his re-election, but also for the Afghan state in general. External actors bypassing elected bodies in the country could be significantly damaging to Afghanistans political institutions. It would delegitimise the Afghan government and legitimise an armed group which has wreaked havoc in the country for decades. In other words, if the peace process proceeds along the unilateral paths that the US and Russia have taken up, this would result in a weaker Afghan government (whether Ghani-led or not) which would undermine whatever peace agreement is eventually reached. Afghanistan needs a strong state to ensure stability and security, not a weak one. The only way forward should be for the international community to channel any peace initiative through the Afghan government and institutions. The Afghan people must be part of the process for peace to truly be achieved. They must also be free to decide who gets to lead this effort on their behalf Ghani or someone else when the elections are held next April. The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial stance. Figure may change according to the pace with which obstacles to return to the war-torn country are removed, UNHCR says. As many as 250,000 Syrian refugees could return to their homeland in 2019 despite massive hurdles facing them, the United Nations refugee agency said. Some 5.6 million Syrian refugees remain in neighbouring countries, namely Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt and Iraq, Amin Awad, UNHCR director for the Middle East and North Africa, told reporters in Geneva on Tuesday. They include one million Syrian children born abroad whose foreign birth certificates the Syrian government has agreed to recognise, he said. 181208090613294 We are forecasting up to 250,000 Syrians go back in 2019. That figure can go up and down according to the pace with which we are working and removing these obstacles to return, Awad stressed. Now, by and large, the war has ended. We have a few pockets [of hostilities], including Idlib, and there is a negotiated ceasefire and a de-escalation zone. About 37,000 refugees returned to Syria this year, according to UNHCR figures. Awad said they went mainly to the governorates of Deraa, Damascus and Homs. Obstacles remain However, the most important obstacles to return remain documentation for the refugees and their property and homes, Awad said. Then there are issues related to conscription, there are issues related to amnesty for those who deserted the army. These are drivers that would basically keep people away, they are obstacles. 180727114737285 Other hindrances include mines and unexploded ordnance, and it will require a huge demining operation to clear agricultural and civilian areas, Awad said. The UNHCR appealed to donors for $5.5bn on Tuesday to support neighbouring countries in providing health, water, sanitation, food, education, and psycho-social support to Syrian refugees. Their living conditions have deteriorated as their existence in exile prolongs. They have been borrowing money, they are indebted and a lot of them are living below the poverty line 70 to 80 percent of them are living below the poverty line in their host communities or countries, Awad said. We are asking donors to stay the course. The refugees fate is important to Lebanon, Turkey and Jordan, which have each buckled under the strain of hosting so many, but also to Europe, where the refugee crisis has caused political ructions. It will play a critical role in shaping Syrias own gradual economic recovery too. About half Syrias prewar population fled after war broke out in 2011, 6.3 million of them as refugees abroad, and 6 million displaced in their own country. Many were forced to flee numerous times. About a million remain in Lebanon, 3.6 million in Turkey and nearly 700,000 in Jordan, the UNHCR said. One million Syrian children have been born in exile as refugees since the crisis began. At least 12 killed, six wounded in a Taliban ambush that hit a convoy of security personnel in Kabul. The death toll from a suicide bombing targeting a security forces convoy outside Kabul jumped to 12, officials said, with eight civilians killed in the latest Taliban-claimed attack near the Afghan capital. The blast took place in Paghman district in western Kabul early on Tuesday as the vehicles returned from an overnight operation, the interior ministry said. Twelve people including four members of the security forces were killed, ministry of interior deputy spokesman Nasrat Rahimi said. Attacks on Afghan forces by the Taliban have inflicted record-high casualties on security personnel this year. The early morning attack in Kabul came hours after an overnight assault by Taliban fighters on a checkpoint in Arghistan, a district in southern Kandahar province. At least eight police officers were killed, according to the provincial media office. An estimated 2,798 civilians have been killed and 5,252 others wounded in attacks across the country from January to September this year, according to the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA). Last month, President Ashraf Ghani said 28,529 Afghan security forces had been killed since the start of 2015, a figure far higher than anything previously acknowledged. That is an average of about 20 soldiers killed every day. The surge in violence comes as the United States is pushing for a peaceful resolution to the 17-year-old conflict, while the Taliban has increasingly asserted control over vast tracts of the country. {articleGUID} US President Donald Trumps administration is holding direct talks with the Taliban, which was toppled following a US-led invasion in 2001. Taliban officials have held three days of talks with US special representative for Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad in Qatar aimed at renewing the peace process. Last month, Ghani formed a 12-member team to hold peace talks with the Taliban as his government tries to bring peace ahead of next years presidential elections. Alliance of Arab nations says moving Brazils embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem would violate international laws. The Arab League, comprising 22 member states, told Brazils right-wing President-elect Jair Bolsonaro that moving Brazils embassy in Israel to Jerusalem would be a setback on relations with Arab countries, in a letter seen by Reuters on Monday. The move planned by Bolsonaro, who takes office on January 1, would be a sharp turn in Brazilian foreign policy, which has traditionally backed a two-state-solution on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Ambassadors representing Arab nations are expected to meet in Brasilia on Tuesday to discuss Bolsonaros plan, following US President Donald Trumps decision to relocate the countrys embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, according to an Arab diplomat who asked not to be named. 180514142652207 Brazil would become the second major country after the United States to do so. The letter to Bolsonaro from the leagues Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit, delivered to Brazils foreign ministry, said the decision on where to locate an embassy was the sovereign decision of any country. However, the situation of Israel is not normal, seeing that it is a country that has been occupying Palestinian territories by force among them East Jerusalem, the letter said. Moving the embassy to Jerusalem would be considered a violation of international law and the United Nations Security Council resolutions, Aboul Gheit said. The embassy move has been praised as historic by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who plans to attend Bolsonaros presidential inauguration, according to the Brazilian president-elects transition team. The Arab world has much respect for Brazil and we want not just to maintain relations but improve and diversify them. But the intention of moving the embassy to Jerusalem could harm them, the diplomat said. Jerusalem as a capital Israel claims the entirety of Jerusalem as its united capital, and its annexation of occupied East Jerusalem in 1967 effectively put the entire city under de-facto Israeli control. Palestinians, however, view East Jerusalem as the capital of their future state. In December, President Trump reversed long-standing US policy and recognised Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, prompting Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to boycott his administration. After the US embassy was moved to Jerusalem, the Arab League called it a blatant attack on the feelings of Arabs and Muslims and a grave violation of the rules of international law that would destabilise the region. Brazil was among the 53 countries with diplomatic missions in Israel that did not accept the invitation to the opening ceremony of the US embassy in Jerusalem. Halal export Brazil is one of the worlds top halal meat exporters and that trade could run into trouble if Bolsonaro angers Arab nations by moving the embassy. That could hurt exports to key Middle Eastern markets for Brazilian beef and poultry producers, BRF SA and JBS SA. Halal meat is butchered and prepared as prescribed by Muslim law. The meat exporters lobby has pressed the incoming president not to move the embassy, and he appeared to change his mind. But the president-elects son, Eduardo Bolsonaro, speaking after recently visiting Trump adviser and son-in-law Jared Kushner at the White House, said the embassy move was not a question of if, but of when. Ontario rights watchdog report says the citys black citizens are disproportionately discriminated against by police. A black person is 20 times more likely to be shot dead by police than a white person in Canadas largest city, according to a new damning report from Ontario provinces human rights watchdog. The Ontario Human Rights Commission studied seven years of data related to interactions between police and black residents in Toronto for the report, which was released on Monday and found that the citys black citizens are disproportionately discriminated against by police. The group also spoke to 130 people in black communities about their experience of fear, trauma and humiliation, which has fostered mistrust and expectations of negative treatment by police. Even where individuals did not have first-hand experiences, high-profile incidents or experiences of friends and family reinforced community distrust, the report said. 160803042719539 The study found that, although fewer than 10 percent of Torontos 2.7 million people are black, they account for 30 percent of police use-of-force incidents that result in serious injury or death, 60 percent of deadly encounters with police and 70 percent of fatal police shootings. The figures have not changed since 2000. The report also said officers involved in incidents sometimes provided biased and untrustworthy testimony, inappropriately tried to stop incidents from being recorded and failed to cooperate with the investigating unit. We spoke to 130 individuals in Black communities. We heard first-hand about their experiences and the resulting fear, trauma, humiliation, mistrust and expectations of negative treatment by police. Read #ACollectiveImpact: https://t.co/89KlZgi0J7 Share: https://t.co/cuJApEyixh pic.twitter.com/w8RGoEfGGj The OHRC (@OntHumanRights) December 10, 2018 This interim report is the latest in a body of reports, findings and recommendations over the past 30 years that point to persistent concerns about anti-black racism policing in Toronto. Our interim findings are disturbing and call for immediate action, Renu Mandhare, Ontarios human rights commissioner, told reporters on Monday. No institution immune from bias In addition to use-of-force, the report examined carding a process where police stop individuals and collect personal information saying that there was often no legal basis to stop people and that the encounters often included inappropriate or unjustified searches and unnecessary charges or arrests. The report said such encounters risk reducing the effectiveness of Torontos police force by creating a fractured relationship between black residents and police. Toronto Police responded on Monday by issuing a statement acknowledging the concerns raised in the report and promising to build upon efforts to address bias. 171112170623609 We recognise that there are those within Torontos black communities who feel that, because of the colour of their skin, the police, including when it comes to use of force, have at times, treated them differently. We understand that this has created a sense of distrust that has lasted generations. We the Board and the Service know that only by acknowledging these lived experiences can we continue to work with our community partners to achieve meaningful changes. The Board and the Services acknowledge that no institution or organisation, including the Toronto Police, is immune from overt and implicit bias We have been working for several years to confront these challenges in a variety of ways. The police have accepted the commissions recommendation that it continues to support the inquiry into racial profiling and discrimination against black people but said another recommendation that police be required to collect and publicly release race-based data relating to when they stop, search and use force on civilians will require further study. CPEC to be expanded in new areas of cooperation ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and China on Monday agreed to expand the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) to new areas of cooperation in line with the vision of the Pakistani leadership and build upon the consensus reached between the leadership of two countries during the visit of Prime Minister Imran Khan to China last month, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement. During the first round of political consultations between Pakistan and China, led by Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua and Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Kong Xuanyou, both sides resolved to complete the ongoing projects. Pakistan reiterated that CPEC was a national priority for the government and it remained committed to the successful implementation of the mega project, the statement added. During the meeting, both sides also held comprehensive discussions on the entire gamut of the bilateral relations. They reaffirmed the all weather strategic cooperative partnership between the two countries and expressed satisfaction at the strong bilateral relations in political, economic, security, cultural and other spheres. Both sides exchanged views on international political situation with a particular focus on Afghanistan and South Asia. They also expressed satisfaction at their robust cooperation in multilateral fora and reiterated their resolve to further augment it in the future. Later, Vice Foreign Minister Kong called on Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi. They exchanged views on regional situation and multilateral issues of mutual interest and agreed to deepen strategic coordination and communication at all levels. Qureshi congratulated Vice Minister Kong on the successful conclusion of the Pakistan-China bilateral political consultations. Recalling Prime Minister Khans successful visit to China in November, Qureshi observed that it marked a milestone in the history of bilateral relations and had deepened the bonds of trust and friendship between two nations. Highlighting the importance of CPEC, Qureshi reiterated Pakistans commitment to complete this project as envisaged by the leaderships of both the countries. He said that he was looking forward to participate in the 2nd meeting of China-Afghanistan-Pakistan Foreign Ministers trilateral mechanism to be held in Kabul on December 15. Huaweis CFO was arrested on a US warrant in a case that has frayed ties between China and North American countries. A court in Canada has granted bail to a top executive of Chinese telecom giant Huawei while she awaits an extradition hearing, 10 days after her arrest at the request of the United States sparked a diplomatic dispute. Meng Wanzhou, Huaweis chief financial officer, faces US accusations that she misled multinational banks about the companys business dealings in Iran, putting the lenders at risk of violating Washingtons sanctions. Justice William Ehrcke, at a court hearing in Vancouver on Tuesday, granted bail to Meng subject to a guarantee of C$10m ($7.5m) and other conditions, including wearing an ankle monitor and staying at home from 11pm to 6am. Five friends pledged equity in their homes and other money as a guarantee she will not flee. 181208010817198 The risk of her non-attendance in court (for a future extradition hearing) can be reduced to an acceptable level by imposing the bail conditions proposed by her counsel, the judge said, prompting the court packed with her supporters to erupt in cheers. Meng, the daughter of Huaweis founder, was arrested as part of a US investigation on December 1 as she was transferring flights in Vancouver. If a Canadian judge rules the case against Meng is strong enough, Canadas justice minister must next decide whether to extradite her to the US. If so, Meng would face US charges of conspiracy to defraud multiple financial institutions, with a maximum sentence of 30 years for each charge. The 46-year-olds arrest roiled financial markets and complicated efforts to resolve a bitter trade war dispute between the US and China, the worlds two largest economies. President Donald Trump told the Reuters news agency on Tuesday he would intervene in the US Justice Departments case against Meng if it would serve national security interests or help close a trade deal with China. What happens next is that the US has until January 8 to file a formal request with Canada for Meng to be extradited to the US, Al Jazeeras Rob Reynolds, reporting from Vancouver, said. Canadian ex-diplomat detained in China China had threatened severe consequences unless Canada released Meng immediately. Amid rising tension between Beijing and Ottawa, Canadas Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale confirmed on Tuesday that a former Canadian diplomat had been detained in China. Were deeply concerned, Goodale said. A Canadian is obviously in difficulty in China. We are sparing no effort to do everything we possibly can to look after his safety. Michael Kovrig, who previously worked as a diplomat in China and elsewhere, was taken into custody by the Beijing Bureau of Chinese State Security on Monday night during one of his regular visits to Beijing, said the International Crisis Group, for which Kovrig works as North East Asia adviser. Rob Malley, head of the Brussels-based non-governmental group, said Canadian consular officers had not been given access to Kovrig. He thinks Kovrig was in Beijing on personal matters and was definitely not there for any reason that would undermine Chinese national security. Jury recommends life in prison for man who rammed his car into a crowd of anti-fascists at 2017 white nationalist rally. A jury has recommended life in prison plus 419 years for a man convicted of killing a woman and injuring dozens when he drove his car into counterprotesters at a white nationalist rally in Virginia. James Alex Fields Jr stood with his hands folded in front of him as a court clerk on Tuesday read the verdict, which now must be taken under advisement by the judge, who will issue the final sentence. Judge Richard Moore scheduled a sentencing hearing for March 29. The jury reached its verdict after deliberating for about four hours over two days. Judges in Virginia often impose the sentence recommended by juries. Under state law, they can impose lower sentences than what the jury recommends, but cannot increase them. Before issuing its recommendation, the jury asked Moore if the sentences would run consecutively or concurrently. He replied that sentences usually run consecutively, but that jurors could recommend concurrent sentences if they choose. Forever scarred by the pain The jury deliberated for just under two hours on Monday after hearing emotional testimony from the mother of Heather Heyer, a 32-year-old paralegal and activist who was killed when Fields rammed his car into a crowd at a Unite the Right white nationalist rally in Charlottesville on August 12, 2017. 171002123412523 Susan Bro told the jury her daughters death has been like an an explosion in our family. We are forever scarred by the pain, she said. Jurors also heard from several people who suffered severe injuries. A psychologist testifying for the defence said Fields has a long history of mental health issues, including bipolar disorder. Jeanne Star Peterson said her life has been a living nightmare since she was hit by Fieldss car. Her right leg was shattered and shes had five surgeries to try to repair it. She also suffered a broken spine and still hasnt been able to return to work. I will be dealing with the aftermath of Fieldss choices for the rest of my life, Peterson said. A counterprotester holds a photo of Heather Heyer at a Free Speech rally in Boston [File: Michael Dwyer/AP Photo] Fields drove to Virginia from his home in Maumee, Ohio, to support the white nationalists. During the rally, the 21-year-old had been photographed marching with Vanguard America, a neo-Nazi group, during the rally. Throughout the day, rally participants clashed with community members, anti-racists and anti-fascists across the city. Unite the Right, called to oppose Charlottesvilles decision to remove a Confederate statue, was the largest white nationalist rally in the United States in recent times. The rally brought out thousands of supporters of the alt-right, a loosely-knit coalition of white supremacists, white nationalists and neo-Nazis. 180611161531088 After the rally, as a large group of counterprotesters marched through Charlottesville singing and laughing, he stopped his car, backed up, then sped into the crowd, according to testimony from witnesses and video surveillance shown to jurors. Wednesday Bowie, a counterprotester who got caught on the boot of Fieldss car when he backed up and was then slammed into a parked truck and thrown to the ground, told the jury that in addition to a broken pelvis and other physical injuries, she has been hospitalised three times for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) over the past year. She told the jury, Please know that the world is not a safe place with Mr Fields in it. Fascinated with Nazism Testifying for the defence, University of Virginia School of Medicine professor and psychologist Daniel Murrie told the jury that while Fields was not legally insane at the time, he has a long history of mental health issues. Fields had inexplicable volatile outbursts as a young child and he was diagnosed with bipolar disorder at age six, Murrie said. He was later diagnosed with schizoid personality disorder. Murrie said Fields went off his psychiatric medication at age 18 and built an isolated lifestyle centred around being alone. 170814093145904 A video of Fields shown to the jury during the first phase of the trial showed him sobbing and hyperventilating after he was told a woman had died and others were seriously injured. Fieldss lawyer Denise Lunsford called him a mentally compromised individual and urged the jury to consider his long history of mental health issues when considering a sentence. Following the 2017 Unite the Right, President Donald Trump inflamed tensions even further when he said both sides were to blame, a comment some saw as a refusal to condemn racism. According to one of his former teachers, Fields was known in high school for being fascinated with Nazism and idolising Adolf Hitler. Jurors were shown a text message he sent to his mother days before the rally that included an image of the notorious German dictator. When his mother pleaded with him to be careful, he replied: Were not the one (sic) who need to be careful. Fields also faces dozens of federal charges, including hate crimes, which could result in the death penalty. The next step in that case is scheduled for the end of January. Heyer was among 18 people killed by white supremacists in the US last year, according to the Anti-Defamation League. White nationalist, neo-Nazi and far-right groups that took to the streets in Charlottesville saw permits for a spate of subsequent public events pulled or denied while hosting services, social media outlets and tech companies cracked down on far-right individuals and groups. Earlier this month, the FBI released its annual hate crimes report for 2017. It says, hate crimes grew for the third consecutive year, increasing by 17 percent. Top officials from worlds two largest economies discuss plan for next stage of their trade negotiations. Senior Chinese and American negotiators have held telephone talks to discuss the plan for the next stage of their trade discussions, according to Chinas government. Vice Premier Liu He spoke with United States Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer on Tuesday 10 days after Presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping agreed to a truce that delayed a planned January 1 increase of tariffs by Washington from 10 percent to 25 percent on $200bn of Chinese goods. A 90-day deadline was set to reach an agreement, but no date has been announced for the next round of talks and tensions have risen anew following the arrest of a top executive of Chinese telecom giant Huawei by Canada at the behest of the US. 181208010817198 In a brief statement, the Chinese commerce ministry said Liu had spoken with Mnuchin and Lighthizer on a pre-arranged telephone call. Both sides exchanged views on putting into effect the consensus reached by the two countries leaders at their meeting, and pushing forward the timetable and roadmap for the next stage of economic and trade consultations work, the ministry said, without elaborating. Global markets are jittery about a collision between the worlds two largest economic powers over Chinas huge trade surplus with the US and the latters claims that Beijing is stealing intellectual property and technology. On Tuesday, Asian equities struggled again despite a bounce in New York as investors fret over a perfect storm of issues, including fears that the arrest of Meng Wanzhou, Huaweis chief financial officer, in Canada could further inflame the China-US trade dispute. Huawei is the biggest global supplier of network gear for phone and internet companies. This year, it dethroned Apple as the worlds second largest smartphone maker. Juan Antonio Pereira watched as soldiers gunned down his wife and children. Now, the accused are finally standing trial. El Mozote, El Salvador Juan Antonio Pereira knows who killed his wife and children. But nearly four decades later, the men responsible continue to walk free. On the day of the massacre December 12, 1981 Pereira, 43 at the time, was at home in the Salvadoran village of Los Toriles with his wife. He was worried. The country was in the early years of a brutal civil war between the Salvadoran military and left-wing guerrillas. He had been hearing a steady stream of gunshots since the day before and he went next door to check in on his mother. While walking back to his home, he saw soldiers approaching and decided to hide. Pereira, recalling the event 37 years later, said from where he hid, he saw the soldiers murder his wife Natalia, their 10-year-old son Mario and 14-year-old daughter Maria. Fourteen of Pereiras family members were shot dead that day, including his mother and both brothers. Nearly 1,000 people mostly women and children were killed in the nearby El Mozote and the surrounding towns from December 11 to 13, 1981 in what has been deemed one of the worst massacres in modern Latin American history. It hurts my soul still to remember it, Pereira, now 80 years old, told Al Jazeera while sitting in his niece Sofias house in El Mozote. They are two of a small group of remaining survivors of the Pereira family. In the years that followed the massacre, no one would be punished for the grave human rights abuses committed on that day. But with a case against 18 military officials set to resume this week, justice seems within reach. The law will punish for the crimes, Pereira said. Divided into groups, raped and killed The case against the officials was only made possible in 2016 after the Supreme Court struck down a 1993 amnesty law that prohibited the prosecution of crimes committed during the war, which ended with a peace accord in January 1992. 201010201973653123 The amnesty law came five days after the UN published a truth commission that detailed atrocities in El Mozote and many other towns. According to the truth commission, Salvadoran soldiers part of the Atlacatl Battalion arrived in El Mozote on December 10, ordering the residents to stay inside their homes or be shot. The next day, they forced the men, women and children to separate into three groups. Survivors later reported hearing the screams of women and young girls being raped. The soldiers then gunned down each group and burned the homes, the church and convent where the families were being held. On December 12, the battalion moved on to the town of Los Toriles where Pereira lived. They shot dead residents there as they had done in El Mozote. The mass shootings continued until December 13. There was no compassion, Pereira said, recalling the scene he witnessed that day. A dress found at an exhumation site is photographed in the village of El Mozote, Meanguera [File: Jose Cabezas/Reuters] After the massacre, Pereira and other survivors fled to a town near the border with Honduras. We had to flee without having committed any crime, he said. They stayed there until they believed it was safe to come back to El Mozote in 1990. That same year, Pereira and a group of other survivors, launched an investigation into the perpetrators of the massacre with the help of Tutela Legal Maria Julia Hernandez, a local human rights organisation. The groups independent investigation compiled dozens of testimonies and ordered exhumations of the area to create a timeline of the massacres and detail how they were carried out. But the amnesty law three years later blocked any real hopes of justice. Supposedly that was the end of it, said Ovidio Mauricio Gonzalez, director of Tutela Legal. But we kept doing exhumations and we kept pressuring for an investigation into the participants of the acts. God sees everything In 2012, the Inter-American court ordered the Salvadoran government to recognise the massacre in El Mozote and provide reparations for the victims. Six years later, the amnesty law was struck down. A year later, the government published a list of 978 names of the victims of the massacre. More than half were children. Lawyers of Tutela Legal reopened the case against the perpetrators, which continues today. The military maintains the deaths were the result of a confrontation between guerrilla fighters and the battalion. But extensive testimonies, along with forensic evidence showing the age and gender of the victims, strongly contradict the state narrative. The truth commission reported it was a common military practice to kill residents of rural villages near where the guerrilla operated to cut off their lifeline. In 2011, the countrys leftist government apologised for the killings. Members of the forensic team work at an exhumation site in the village of La Joya as they search for human remains of the El Mozote massacre in the town of Meanguera [File: Jose Cabezas/Reuters] Every person has a right to access justice and this right cant be denied because of a manipulation by the state, especially when it comes to crimes against humanity and war crimes, Tutela Legals Gonzalez said. Its about recognising the dignity of the victims who were massacred for the simple fact of living in a place that was of guerrilla influence. The responsibility for the crimes extends beyond the Salvadoran state, Gonzalez said. The US embassy was aware of the massacre as early as January 1982, but worked to cover up the horrid events, according to a 1993 investigation by The New Yorker. The Atlacatl Battalion had been trained by the US before it was sent to El Mozote to rid the area of guerrilla presence. The US had also sent billions of dollars to the Salvadoran government during the countrys 12-year civil war to fight communism. The US government has yet to recognise its role in the El Mozote massacre. They want to cover the sun with their finger, but we were witnesses. Some people are telling the truth and some people are lying. But God sees everything. Juan Antonio Pereira, survivor The US should also recognise that it has its share of participation in these acts, Gonzalez said. For now, though, survivors and rights advocates hold on to the case against the 18 officers. The trial was suspended in August 2018 to await results of exhumations ordered by the judge. It is set to resume on Friday and will likely continue for six months to a year. They want to cover the sun with their finger, but we were witnesses, Pereira said. Some people are telling the truth and some people are lying. But God sees everything. Gonzalez added that carrying out justice would show that this country has really changed. And that this type of conduct isnt tolerated. Meng Wanzhous bail hearing resumes but court is adjourned for a day as no decision is reached in high-profile case. The chief financial officer of Chinese telecom giant Huawei has offered to submit to strict electronic monitoring as she sought release from Canadian detention but will have to wait at least one more day to see if she will be granted bail. Meng Wanzhou was arrested at the request of Washington during a layover at the Vancouver airport on December 1, the same day that the leaders of China and the United States agreed to a 90-day truce in their countries trade war that has threatened global economic growth. The 46-year-olds arrest rocked financial markets and infuriated Beijing, fuelling tensions between the worlds two largest economies and complicating efforts to resolve their trade dispute. Washington has accused Huawei of using a Hong Kong shell company to sell equipment to Iran in violation of US sanctions. It also says Meng, daughter of founder Ren Zhengfei, and Huawei misled banks about the companys business dealings in Iran. 181208010817198 China protested over the weekend by summoning the US and Canadian ambassadors, demanding that Washington withdraw its arrest warrant and warning Ottawa that it faces grave consequences. Packed courtroom The hearing, which began on Friday, has sparked widespread interest. On Monday, the courtroom was packed again with media and spectators, including some who came to support Meng. One man in the gallery brought binoculars to have a closer look at the 46-year-old executive, while outside court a man and woman held a sign that read Free Ms. Meng. After a second daylong session on Monday, Justice William Ehrcke said the bail hearing would continue on Tuesday. In urging the court to reject Mengs bail request, prosecutor John Gibb-Carsley said the Huawei executive has vast resources and a strong incentive to flee as she is facing fraud charges in the US that could put her in prison for 30 years. Gibb-Carsley later told the judge that if he does decide to grant bail it should include house arrest. David Martin, Mengs lawyer, said she was willing to pay for a surveillance company to monitor her and wear an ankle monitor but she wanted to be able to travel around Vancouver and its suburbs. Scot Filer of Lions Gate Risk Management group said his company would make a citizens arrest if she breached bail conditions. 181129084943877 Martin said Mengs husband would put up both of their Vancouver homes plus $1m Canadian ($750,000) for a total value of 15 million Canadian dollars ($11.2m) as collateral. The judge cast doubt on that proposal, saying Mengs husband is not a resident of British Columbia a requirement for him to act as a guarantor that his wife will not flee and his visitor visa expires in February. The prosecutor said her husband has no meaningful connections to Vancouver and spends only two or three weeks a year in the city. Gibb-Carsley also expressed concern about the idea of using a security company paid by Meng. He said later that $15m Canadian ($11.2m) would be an appropriate amount if the judge granted bail, adding that half should be in cash. Damocles sword hanging over Chinese government Mengs arrest has come at a time when the two countries are seeking to resolve a dispute over Beijings technology and industrial strategy. Washington has slapped tariffs on $250bn in Chinese imports, charging that Beijing steals US technology and forces US companies to turn over trade secrets. Tariffs on $200bn of those imports were scheduled to rise from 10 percent to 25 percent on January 1. But over dinner with his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping in Buenos Aires, Argentina, US President Donald Trump on December 1 agreed to delay the increase for 90 days, buying time for more negotiations. Both sides have sought to keep the trade talks and the arrest separate, at least so far, but the developments in Canada roiled markets. Stocks around the world fell on Monday over investor concerns about the continuing trade dispute, as well as the cloud hanging over Brexit negotiations after the UKs prime minister postponed a vote on her deal for Britain to quit the European Union. In the US, stocks were volatile, tumbling in the morning and then recovering in the afternoon. Bill Perry, a trade lawyer with Harris Bricken in Seattle, said Chinas decelerating economy is putting pressure on Xi to make concessions before US tariffs go up. They need a trade deal. They dont want the tariffs to go up to 25 percent, said Perry, who produces the US-China Trade War blog. This is Damocles sword hanging over the Chinese government. Over the weekend, Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Le Yucheng summoned Canadian Ambassador John McCallum and US Ambassador Terry Branstad. Le warned both countries that Beijing would take steps based on their response. Asked on Monday what those steps might be, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lu Kang said only, It totally depends on the Canadian side itself. The Canadian province of British Columbia has already cancelled a trade mission to China amid fears China could detain Canadians in retaliation for Mengs detention. Huawei, the biggest global supplier of network gear for phone and internet companies, has become the target of US security concerns because of its ties to the Chinese government. The US has pressured other countries to limit the use of its technology, warning they could be opening themselves up to surveillance and theft of information. Lu, the foreign ministry spokesperson, accused unspecified countries of hyping the so-called threat. I must tell you that not a single piece of evidence have they ever presented to back their allegation, he said. To create obstacles for companies normal operations based on speculation is quite absurd. Canadian officials have declined to comment on Chinese threats of retaliation, instead emphasising the independence of Canadas judiciary and the importance of Ottawas relationship with Beijing. Analysts say a big loss for prime ministers ruling party could unite opposition ahead of elections next year. Indias ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) looked set to lose power in three key states, official vote counts showed on Tuesday, likely handing Prime Minister Narendra Modi his biggest defeat since he took office in 2014, and only months ahead of a general election next year. Analysts said a big loss for the BJP would signal rural dismay and help unite opposition to Modi, though his personal popularity remains high despite criticism that he was unable to deliver on promises to create jobs for young people and improve conditions for farmers. The elections are also a test for Rahul Gandhi, the chief of the main opposition Congress party, who is trying to forge a broad alliance with regional groups to mount the most serious challenge to Modi yet in the election that must be held by May. 180923150942147 In the most populous state at stake, Madhya Pradesh, Congress is leading with 117 seats, against BJPs 104 seats in the 230-seat state assembly, according to the Times of India count. A total of 116 votes is needed to achieve a majority. Weve all voted for Congress this time and our candidate is winning here, said Bishnu Prasad Jalodia, a wheat farmer in Madhya Pradesh. BJP ignored us farmers, they ignored those of us at the bottom of the pyramid. In the western state of Rajasthan, the Congress was leading with 101 seats of the 199-member assembly against the BJPs 73, according to the same count. In the central state of Chhattisgarh, Congress looks like a big winner, leading in 64 races against 17 of the BJP in the 90-seat regional assembly. Meanwhile, in Telangana, the regional party Telangana Rashtra Samithi has crossed the 60-seat majority threshold, winning at least 87 seats in the 119-seat parliament. Congress said it was confident of forming governments in all of the three big states, where it is leading in the count. The BJP has been ruling in all three. The BJP said the state results would not necessarily dictate what happens in next years general election. 180526135103642 Investors said the BJP had not fared as badly as feared, and nationally it would still likely have an edge over an opposition coalition in the general election. Markets recovered from sharp early losses, though the central bank governors resignation on Monday kept investors nervous. Local issues usually dominate state polls, but politicians are seeing the elections as a pointer to the national vote just months away. The Indian rupee, however, dropped as much as 1.5 percent to 72.465 rupees to the dollar. Equity analysts had warned that Mondays surprise resignation of Urjit Patel, the governor of the Reserve Bank of India, after a long tiff with the government, could send the markets crashing. Gandhi, the fourth generation scion of the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty, has sought to build a coalition of regional groups, some headed by experienced firebrand, ambitious politicians. When one and one become eleven, even the mighty can be dethroned, opposition leader Akhilesh Yadav said of the prospect of growing opposition unity. Opposition Congress partys impressive gains in regional polls put it back in the race for the 2019 general elections. Indias ruling party lost power in three key states on Tuesday, dealing Prime Minister Narendra Modi his biggest defeat since he took office in 2014 and boosting the opposition ahead of general elections next year. The results in the northern states of Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh could force the federal government run by Modis Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to raise spending in the countryside, where more than two-thirds of Indias 1.3 billion people live. Political analysts said the BJPs defeat underscores rural dismay with the government and could help unite the opposition led by the Congress party. Modi's image has been weakened... The message of these election results is that he is not infallible Apoorvanand, activist Sanjay Jha, a spokesman of the Congress party, said that farmers distress, joblessness of the youth and rising inequalities in the society were the main agenda during the elections. He told Al Jazeera that the attacks on the Dalits and the minorities under the BJP governments also made electorate turn away from the right-wing party. Divisive campaign Activists and opposition parties have accused the BJP of running a divisive campaign and allowing Hindu far-right groups to run amok on the issue of cow slaughter, which is a crime in most Indian states. 181120160323155 Dozens of people, a majority of them Muslims, have been killed by so-called cow vigilantes in the past four years since Modi took power. The Hindu nationalist party deployed Yogi Adityanath, known for his vitriolic anti-Muslims rhetoric, as the chief campaigner in the state elections. Adityanath, a monk-turned politician, was appointed the chief minister of Indias most populous and politically significant state of Uttar Pradesh in 2017. There is a feeling among people that the promises made by the prime minister ... have not been fulfilled Rahul Gandhi, Congress party leader A legislator for the BJP said it had erred in focusing its campaign on partisan themes, such as the building of a Hindu temple in Ayodhya at a site disputed by Muslims, instead of offering jobs and growth. We forgot the issue of development that Modi took up in 2014, said Sanjay Kakade. Jha, the Congress spokesman, said: The BJP has collapsed on the [issue of] governance and just tried to polarise elections by playing communal politics. 180923150942147 Prime Minister Modi late on Tuesday congratulated the Congress and other regional parties for their victories. We accept the peoples mandate with humility, he tweeted. Victory and defeat are an integral part of life. Todays results will further our resolve to serve people and work even harder for the development of India. Congress comes back to power The Congress party is all set to form governments in the states of Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan after getting majority while it emerged as the single largest party in Madhya Pradesh. The results came as a shot in the arm for Congress leader Rahul Gandhi [Anushree Fadnavis/Reuters] In the central state of Chhattisgarh, Congress won 68 of the 90 seats at stake, with the BJP managing to get only 15, according to data from the Election Commission of India. The mineral-rich state has been ruled by the BJP for three consecutive terms. The Congress won 101 of the 199 seats contested, against 73 for the incumbent BJP in Rajasthan. In Madhya Pradesh, the most important of the five states that have held assembly elections in recent weeks, Congress emerged victorious on 114 seats, while the BJP managed to hold on to 108 out of 230 seats. Two regional parties have already extended support to the Congress party boosting its chances of forming a government after 15 years of the BJP rule. The results came as a shot in the arm for Rahul Gandhi, president of the Congress party, who is trying to forge a broad alliance with regional groups and present Modi with his most serious challenge yet in a general election due by May. Congress has ruled India for most of its post-independence era after 1947 but was decimated by Modis BJP in national polls in 2014. Since then, it had struggled to make inroads into even state polls. Gandhi, the fourth generation scion of the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty, has sought to build a coalition of regional groups. Hindutva ideology On Tuesday, celebrations erupted outside the Congress party headquarters in New Delhi, with supporters dancing, setting off firecrackers and brandishing posters praising Gandhi. We are going to provide the states with a vision and a government they can be proud of, Gandhi told reporters at a press conference in New Delhi. There is a feeling among people that the promises made by the prime minister have not been fulfilled. 171211112550054 Analysts believe that the verdict is indicative that people are no more buying the Hindutva (Hindu nationalism) ideology. In the past five years, a vast section of people across caste, region and religion realised that they have got nothing. There are no jobs and development, political analyst Sajjan Singh said. Modi governments decision to ban high denomination currency notes in 2016, Singh said, was a suicidal move, which brought unimagined difficulties upon rural and weaker sections. The cash-based rural and informal sector economy which sustains a large part of the Indian society has been destroyed, he told Al Jazeera. The botched implementation of a federal Goods and Services Tax (GST) last year has angered small traders. Regional parties won in two smaller states that also voted Telangana in the south and Mizoram in the northeast. The Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) registered a thumping victory in Telangana state, while in Mizoram state, the Mizo National Front trounced the Congress party. In the past five years, a vast section of people across caste, region and religion realised that they have got nothing. There are no jobs and development Political analyst Sajjan Singh Failing to deliver jobs Maoist rebels have been running decades-long armed rebellion in the state against what they say is the exploitation of the mineral resources by the corporates. Modi has been criticised for failing to deliver jobs for young people and better conditions for farmers issues that opposition is likely to raise during the general elections less than six months away. The BJP, however, said the state results would not affect its prospects in the general elections. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley told ANI news agency that BJP leadership and cadres would pause and analyse the results and take corrective steps that may be required before the polls. But political commentator Apoorvanand said the election results will have a psychological impact on the voters during the upcoming elections. It is a signal to many who believed that the BJP could not be defeated, Apoorvanand, a professor at Delhi University, said. Modis image has been weakened. He looks frustrated and fallen. The message of these election results is that he is not infallible. Additional reporting by Manira Chaudhary from New Delhi. She tweets at @ManiraChaudhary Reports that Israeli forces disguised themselves as aid workers during assassination operation in Gaza condemned. Since the exposure of Israeli undercover forces by Hamas fighters in the occupied Gaza Strip on November 11, an incident that triggered the most intense round of escalation since 2014, a number of reports have emerged about the circumstances surrounding Israels thwarted raid. On November 22, Hamas published photos of individuals it said were involved, images that Israels military censor immediately subjected to a publication ban. Since then, a number of articles in Israeli and international media have claimed the Israeli forces impersonated humanitarian workers, used fake ID cards of real Palestinian residents, and operated inside Gaza for weeks with a cover story of distributing medical equipment and wheelchairs. Such reports have caused consternation; as one Israeli human rights campaigner and journalist put it: If true, the operation could put bona fide humanitarian operations and employees at risk in the coastal strip, where two-thirds of the population is reliant on humanitarian aid. Israels actions may also have constituted a violation of international humanitarian law. Soldiers who disguise themselves as civilians endanger civilians and thus frustrate the objective of the principle of distinction, Yael Stein, head of research at Israeli human rights NGO BTselem, said. One danger that the prohibition seeks to prevent is that civilians would be marked for attack because of the suspicion they are combatants in disguise, she said. In this last case, theres also the danger to the status of international aid workers that the local population might suspect in the future, putting their lives in danger and their much-needed work in question. Stein further noted that while undercover operations can be lawful in the context of law enforcement operations, since Israel claims theres a situation of war in Gaza, it cannot claim that these operations are legal. Israeli authorities did not respond to several requests for comment. Undercover forces For human rights lawyer Eitay Mack, the operation in Gaza shows the cynicism of the Israeli government, who for years have claimed that Palestinians are using humanitarian disguises for terrorist activity, allegations even used as an excuse for rejecting Palestinians seeking exit permits from the Gaza Strip for medical treatment. Israeli authorities do indeed frequently claim that Palestinian fighters deliberately disguise themselves as civilians in May, Israels ambassador to the United Nations told the Security Council that even Great March of Return demonstrators were terrorists disguised as civilians. According to Diana Buttu, a lawyer and former adviser to Palestine Liberation Organization negotiators, this isnt the only thing that Israel has lied about. 181119055712784 For example, Israel has routinely used Palestinians as human shields and it has routinely covered military targets in civilian areas while wrongly alleging that Palestinians do this, she said. The botched mission inside Gaza threw light on the Israeli militarys broader use of undercover forces in the occupied Palestinian territory, including in the West Bank. In October 2015, Israeli forces were captured on film infiltrating a protest, assaulting Palestinian youths and shooting a detained demonstrator in the leg. Weeks later, undercover forces including one pretending to a pregnant woman raided a Hebron hospital and killed an unarmed civilian. A spokesperson for prisoners rights NGO, Addameer, told Al Jazeera undercover forces are usually seen in protests, raids or arrest operations, adding that the group sees those kinds of arrests as more like a kidnapping operation than an arrest. Addameer stressed it considers all arrests in the West Bank to be carried out illegally especially because almost none of them would have a legal arrest warrant to present during the arrest. While the NGO does not hold exact statistics as to how many Palestinians are arrested in this manner, it pointed to an example earlier this year of Israeli undercover forces raiding Birzeit University campus reportedly posing as journalists to detain the student union head. No accountability Such actions, however, generate little to no debate within Israel, according to Mack. Nobody is talking about it, what it means in terms of international law, he said. And in the case of Gaza, for most Israelis its not even that they dont care they simply dont even see that there is a place called Gaza. Its a blind spot; what happens in Gaza is left in Gaza. In the absence of public pressure, there is even less possibility of accountability, observers say. In Israel, no one pays for undertaking covert operations, killing Palestinians and placing foreign workers at harm, Buttu said. Sadly, the international community has barely spoken out, preferring instead to focus on ceasefires and condemning both sides. Mack similarly believes that the silence of the international community including humanitarian organisations is part of what emboldens Israel to conduct such operations. Its very, very worrying, because one of the basic principles of international humanitarian law is that the fighting groups will not use humanitarian groups as symbols to shield themselves. This kind of operation always has a risk, Mack continued, so if the Netanyahu government felt that there would be international accountability for using a humanitarian NGO as a cover, it wouldnt do it. Yet not only has there been no accountability, but there are signs that the Israeli authorities own efforts to censor the story are being supported by Twitter, with a number of accounts ordered to delete tweets pertaining to Israeli undercover forces actions in Gaza. Stein told Al Jazeera she would be surprised if anyone would be held to account for the actions in Gaza. According to publications in the press, this operation was approved by high-ranking officers in the army and in the political level, she said. And in any case, as BTselem has written in the past, the so-called law enforcement system in the army hardly results in meaningful action against any of the forces involved and is more concerned with whitewashing than with justice and truth. The museum was gutted by fire in September, which destroying the vast majority of its 20 million piece collection. Researchers from Brazils National Museum said on Monday that they had recovered more than 1,500 pieces from the debris of the building following a massive fire. The September 2 blaze, which gutted one of the worlds oldest museums, destroyed much of the 20-million-piece collection, and recovering objects from the ashes has been a slow process. The work must be done very carefully and patiently, said Alexander Kellner, director of the museum. The items recovered so far include indigenous arrowheads from Brazil, a Peruvian vase and a pre-Colombian funeral urn In October, researchers recovered skull fragments and a part of the femur belonging to Luzia, the name scientists gave to a woman who lived 11,500 years ago. The fossils are among the oldest ever found in the Americas. 180903053116437 The update on recovery efforts on Monday was accompanied by details of a $205,385 donation from the German government for conservation equipment. Klaus Zillikens, the German consul general to the Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro, said his government was committed to the rehabilitation of the museum. For us, watching over our culture is both a political and societal duty, and in such, immediately after the fire we looked into helping the museum with the restoration, he said at a press conference to announce the partnership. Zillikens said the donation was the first part of a potential $1.3m made available for the restoration, depending on need. 180903164748551 Authorities have yet to say how the blaze started, but for many Brazilians, the fire became a symbol of endemic negligence and underfunding by successive governments. Museum officials have said that the 200-year-old building was lacking many necessary security features, including a sprinkler system, and that the fire safety risks were well known. The disaster prompted an outpouring of international support, including a visit by a group of UNESCO specialists in recovery and reconstruction. London, United Kingdom Mondays are rarely fun. But for British Prime Minister Theresa May and her embattled government, Monday, December 10, 2018, will likely go down as a particularly lousy day. It all started in the morning when in a landmark ruling the European Unions top court said the UK may unilaterally reverse its decision to leave the 28-member bloc prior to its scheduled exit on March 29 next year. By early noon, Mays already tenuous grip on Brexit appeared further weakened as whispers began to circulate that she would postpone a parliamentary vote on the widely criticised Brexit deal she negotiated with the EU, contradicting statements made by several officials earlier in the day. 181208151546829 It was only a matter of time then before the uncertainty which has come to dominate British politics since the countrys decision to quit the EU in a divisive June 2016 referendum went into overdrive. When May finally announced that Tuesdays vote was being delayed, acknowledging that her agreement would have been rejected, opposition MPs accused her of losing control of events and members of her own ruling party called on her to govern or quit. The situation is utterly confused, said Simon Usherwood, a reader in politics at the University of Surrey and deputy director of the UK in a Changing Europe group. May wont go; critics wont press for motions of confidence or leadership challenges; and nothing has a majority in the House of Commons except a desire to avoid a no-deal Brexit, which is going to happen unless they can agree to something else and they dont seem to be able to do that, he added. We end up with a zombie government: unable to get its key policy through parliament but unable to be killed off in short, no ones in charge. We need a new prime minister With May in a precarious position, Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said she will back the main opposition Labour party if it lodges a no-confidence motion on Mays rule, as it had threatened if the prime minister lost Tuesdays vote. This shambles cant go on so how about it? Sturgeon tweeted at Jeremy Corbyn, the Labour leader. So @jeremycorbyn if Labour, as official opposition, lodges motion of no confidence in this incompetent government tomorrow, @theSNP will support & we can then work together to give people the chance to stop Brexit in another vote. This shambles cant go on so how about it? Nicola Sturgeon (@NicolaSturgeon) December 10, 2018 In a statement later on Monday, a Labour spokesperson said the party would put down a motion of no confidence when we judge it most likely to be successful. A Labour MP, meanwhile, was ejected from parliament after picking up the ceremonial mace in protest against the governments handling of Brexit. The flared tempers which raged throughout the UKs corridors of powers seemed to spill outwards and across the road from the House of Commons to Westminsters College Green. A small but raucous crowd of demonstrators spanning both sides of the Brexit divide descended on the small park and busied themselves making a commotion to rival the din which greeted Mays afternoon statement to parliament. Featuring a pavement preacher shouting Britain needs God, not the European Union and a Santa Claus impostor brandishing a pro-Remain sign, the gathered protesters were united in dissatisfaction over the prime ministers approach to Brexit. Its disgusting that this is all still going on, Catherine Ginn, a 54-year-old business owner, said. May has chickened out of this vote because its clear shes not going to get her deal through. But I dont care about this deal, the only deal I care about is remaining Article 50 needs to be withdrawn, she added, referring to the exit clause in the EUs constitution. A small crowd of demonstrators spanning both sides of the Brexit divide protested outside parliament [Phil Noble/Reuters] Nearby, standing in the midst of competing five-metre-high Union Jack and European Union flags, 59-year-old retiree Tony Blighe was also unimpressed with the governments efforts. Mays deal is appalling because it puts us in a state where we could be put into a backstop position and cant get out of it, Blighe said. She is well past her sell-by-date and we need a new prime minister someone to stand up and say negotiations have failed and we are leaving on March 29 under World Trade Organization rules, he added, referring to the economic terms under which the UK would trade with the EU in the event of a no-deal departure from the bloc. May to go back to Brussels The rumblings inside and outside of parliament highlighted the lack of clarity over how May now intends to deliver a Brexit divorce deal. At the heart of the turmoil is the contentious backstop proposal, a safety net provision which guarantees no hard border being erected on the island of Ireland in the event post-Brexit trade negotiations between the UK and the EU prove unsuccessful. The clause proposes that the whole of the UK, including Northern Ireland, will remain in a customs union with the EU unless and until the bloc agrees there is no prospect of a return to a hard border. But critics argue that the measure could tie Britain into the EUs orbit indefinitely. 181210211708710 In her statement to the Commons, May pledged to seek further reassurances on the brokered withdrawal agreement from EU leaders before rescheduling a parliamentary vote at an as-of-yet unspecified date but no later than January 21. But in Brussels, EU leaders had none of it. We will not renegotiate the deal, including the backstop, warned EU President Donald Tusk. But we are ready to discuss how to facilitate UK ratification. Agata Gostynska-Jakubowska, a senior research fellow at the Centre for European Reform, said It would be naive to think that the other 27 EU member states would be open to substantial changes to the backstop and wider exit plan after months of fractious back-and-forth negotiations. And any significant redrafting of the provision concerning Northern Ireland is unlikely because many EU capitals already see the final shape of the backstop as a compromise, she added. Brussels is looking at all of what is happening in Westminster with amazement the UK used to be seen as a down-to-earth, sensible partner and all of a sudden thats gone. A plunging pound The political uncertainty spilled over into the economy, too, with the British pound sinking to its lowest level against the US dollar since April 2017. Market analysts said the plunge was caused by the heightened prospects of a no-deal Brexit, which the government has forecast could cause a potential economic slump of more than nine percent in Britains gross domestic product (GDP). Theres so much risk right now, we could certainly see further falls depending on what May can do, or if she falls, Neil Wilson, chief market analyst at Markets.com, said. Businesses are very worried, he added. The British pound fell sharply against the US dollar and Euro on Monday [Benoit Tessier/Reuters] But Gostynska-Jakubowska suggested that a spooked market could play into Mays favour and force parliamentarians to back her deal as the clock ticks ever closer towards the March 29 deadline. If she decides to push for the parliamentary vote on her deal around January, when the financial markets will have become very uneasy about the possibility of a no-deal Brexit, then MPs who may have been willing to vote down the deal tomorrow will reconsider this, she said. Its a very dangerous game to play and a thin line that she is walking [but] the later she brings the vote to parliament, the better for her. Want our country back from Brexit Back in Westminster, where the sun set on parliament as a truck laden with a papier-mache image of May as a devilish Brexit monster trundled past College Green, confusion mixed with anger as Mondays political chaos only served to exacerbate the growing uncertainty over what tomorrow will bring and on what terms. There is potential for quite a big political crisis parliament will not be settling down before Christmas, said Maddy Thimont Jack, a specialist Brexit researcher at the UKs Institute for Government, adding that the unrest did not put MPs in the best light. 181205180031581 Meanwhile, ordinary people and businesses are not going to have any better idea of whats actually going to be happening [with Brexit] and time is running out. But Giuseppe Bignardi, a 62-year-old doctor and a campaigner for a second referendum, said the crisis had already reached a tipping point. We have been in complete paralysis for two-and-a-half-years with no significant legislation nothing, just Brexit, he said. Many people, like me, want our country back from Brexit, Bignardi added. We want to return to normal politics now. Dams have become indispensable for our future generations: CJP Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar Monday said new dams have become indispensable for the future generations. Dams have become indispensable for our future generations. For Gods sake, love this country give one year to this country and see what it becomes. We will leave a precious gift for the future generations, the top judge said while addressing a ceremony in Quetta. Speaking about his campaign to raise funds for the construction of Diamer-Bhasha and Mohmand dams, the chief justice said, It is our responsibility to correct ourselves and look inwards to fix our faults. Urging the nation to love Quaid-e-Azams Pakistan, the top judge questioned, What are the reasons that today after 40 years we are thinking about the issue water will be extremely precious in Balochistan after seven years. Did people not know how significantly the water level has been dropping in the province? Questioning what measures were taken in light of the significant drop in water level in Balochistan, the chief justice said, No one will hold these people accountable. Now is the time to give back to the country and people should come forward for this noble cause. The chief justice said institutions are not affected by whether someone remains or not and that those who will fill the post after his retirement are better than him. Three months ago, we increased the number of judges in high courts and made it nine plus one instead of six plus one. The representation of Balochistan in the Islamabad High Court is inevitable, he said. Stating that institutions are not affected by who is in charge at a given time, the chief justice said, It does not matter whether someone stays or not and whether I remain or not, the institution that is the Supreme Court will remain. The people who will come after me are better than me. The chief justice shared that Balochistan High Court judges and staff have handed him a cheque of donation for the dam fund. Earlier in the day, the chief justice inaugurated the newly constructed building of the Supreme Court registry in Quetta. Speaking on the occasion, he said the project has been completed as a result of collective efforts of the officials concerned and engineers. War monitor says it documented more than 3,000 deaths as the Saudi-UAE coalition intensified raids ahead of peace talks. Rimbo, Sweden November was one of the bloodiest months in the war in Yemen with at least 3,058 documented deaths, a war monitor has said, as the Saudi-UAE coalition intensified its bombing campaign ahead of UN-sponsored peace talks in Sweden. The Armed Conflict Location and Event Data (ACLED) reported on Tuesday that at least 28,182 fatalities were recorded in the first 11 months of this year, marking a 68 percent increase compared with 2017. It said at least 60,223 people had been killed since January 2016, nine months after Saudi Arabia launched a massive aerial campaign against its impoverished southern neighbour, a figure six times higher than the frequently cited UN figure of 10,000. ACLEDs estimation of Yemens direct conflict deaths is far higher than official estimates and is still underestimated, Clionadh Raleigh, ACLEDs Executive Director said. Fatality numbers are only one approximation of the abject tragedy and terror forced upon Yemenis from several sides. This cannot be overstated. 181202101535422 Yemen has been devastated by a multi-sided conflict since 2014 involving local, regional, and international actors. The Houthis, a group of Zaydi Shia Muslims, exploited widespread anger against President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi in 2014 and toppled his government in early 2015, triggering one of the worlds worst humanitarian crises. Groups such as Save The Children have recently reported that an additional 85,000 children may have died from hunger and starvation since the start of the Saudi-led offensive. The ACLED said the port city of Hodeidah witnessed the greatest escalation of violence in 2018, with an 820 percent increase in total conflict-related fatalities. Fighting in Hodeidah the main gateway for imports of relief supplies and commercial goods into the country escalated on June 13 when the Saudi-UAE alliance launched a wide-ranging operation to retake the city from the Houthi rebels. Riyadh and Abu Dhabi see Hodeidah as the main entry point for weapons for the Houthis and have accused their regional rival Iran of sending missiles to the rebels, a charge Tehran has denied. Aid agencies have long warned that the assault on Hodeidah could shut down one of the last remaining lifelines for millions of hungry civilians. Out of a population of 28 million people, a staggering eight million a number greater than the entire population of Switzerland are on the verge of famine. Smiles and handshakes The countrys warring sides have been meeting in the Swedish town of Rimbo, some 60km north of the capital Stockholm, since Thursday to discuss ways to end the fighting. While they appeared to have reached a stumbling block over the fate of the port of Hodeidah, they edged closer to securing a deal on prisoners on Tuesday. 181130095711884 Representatives from the Yemeni government and Houthi rebels exchanged two lists containing a combined total of 15,000 names, according to Hamza al-Kamali, a member of the Yemeni government accompanying the delegation at the talks. Kamali told Al Jazeera that after a closed-door meeting, which included smiles and handshakes, the Houthis were expected to release several high-ranking commanders within the coming days, including the former minister of defence, General Mahmoud Al Subaihi, and relatives of President Hadi. A document obtained by Al Jazeera said the Houthis would release more than 800 teachers, 359 children, 357 tribal figures, 200 Imams and 88 women. The talks in Sweden have come at a critical time as about 20 million Yemenis, more than two-thirds of the country, are going hungry and in urgent need of food assistance. Yemens currency, the riyal, has depreciated by nearly 180 percent in recent months, pushing even more communities towards starvation. Food prices have increased by an average of 68 percent and the price of commodities such as petrol, diesel and cooking gas has increased substantially. Israeli forces shoot dead 27-year-old near a checkpoint in the occupied West Bank city of Hebron. Israeli forces have shot dead a Palestinian man in a village in the occupied West Bank after he allegedly attempted a car-ramming attack near a checkpoint, local media reported. The Palestinian was identified by local media as 27-year-old Omar Hassan Awad from the town of Idhna in Hebron. According to the Palestinian Authoritys health ministry, Awad succumbed to his wounds after he was shot in the back several times while driving his vehicle near a checkpoint. According to Wafa news agency, Awad was left bleeding for some time before a Palestinian Red Crescent ambulance was allowed to enter the scene to take him. He was pronounced dead upon arriving at the hospital. Palestinian Maan news agency reported that the Israeli army claimed its soldiers shot at the car when the driver refused to stop for inspection. It alleged that this placed the lives of the soldiers in danger, which prompted them to open fire. The incident comes a day after Israeli forces raided the West Bank city of Ramallah in search of gunmen, who on Sunday wounded seven Israeli Jewish settlers near the illegal settlement of Ofra in a drive-by shooting, according to the Israeli army. A number of local and international human rights groups have raised concerns that Israeli security forces have employed a shoot-to-kill policy when confronting Palestinians. The Israeli police relaxed its open-fire regulations in December 2015, permitting soldiers to open fire on those throwing stones or firebombs as an initial option, without having to use non-lethal weapons first. The Palestinian village under threat of demolition by Israel The International Criminal Court is investigating Israels planned eviction of the people of Khan al-Ahmar. Marrakech, Morocco The sea route between Libya and Italy is the worlds deadliest for migrants and refugees, according to the UN refugee agency, the UNHCR. More than 2,000 people have died trying to cross the Mediterranean this year, according to the International Organization of Migration. Medical humanitarian organisation Doctors Without Borders (known by its French acronym MSF) was forced last Thursday to shut down its search-and-rescue operations in the Mediterranean on board the vessel Aquarius, blaming a dishonest smearing and obstructive campaign. MSF said its activities on Aquarius, carried out jointly with SOS Mediterranee, assisted nearly 30,000 people in international waters between Libya, Italy and Malta since the operations started in February 2016. 181210092353957 Al Jazeera spoke to MSFs International President Joanne Liu on the sidelines of an intergovernmental conference on global migration about Aquarius future, the campaign against migrants, and the detention centres in Libya that the rescued migrants will be taken back to. Al Jazeera: How difficult was it to continue operations in recent months and what forced you to stop them? Joanne Liu: The last few months, rescuing people in the Mediterranean was made more and more difficult for us. We were regularly blocked and impeded in trying to save lives. We tried to get a flag for several weeks but things didnt work out. First Gibraltar and then Panama, under increasing pressure from different states, decided to withdraw the flag. So we decided that we needed to close that sequence and see how we go forward. Al Jazeera: What kind of pressure from states were you under? Liu: Reality is that it was part of a bigger obstructive campaign, a dishonest smearing campaign that attacked us for being in collusion with the smugglers and the mafia. Al Jazeera: What happens now with the Aquarius and the rescue mission? Liu: With the sabotage of the Aquarius, gone is the most basic humanitarian and legal commitment: saving lives at sea. For the time being, we are re-assessing so its a bit too early to answer that. We cant resume unless we have a boat flag. Theres no sign of that happening right now. We are here at the conference in Morocco that is looking for safer migration routes. We will talk to the countries present and put forward what the reality is. Its clear that migration is a very, very politically loaded issue. Countries need to understand that human rights of a person do not disappear as soon as they cross the border. We just cant understand why saving lives has become illegal. Al Jazeera: What are the countries opposing your operations saying to this? Liu: Right now, it is being portrayed that the number of migrants reaching the shores of Europe is decreasing. Thats being shown as a success story by these people. But on the flip side, thats because more and more people are being rescued by the Libyan coastguards and taken back to the filthy, overcrowded detention centres in Libya where almost 5,000 of them are living in inhumane conditions. Were telling them that the cost of their success is human lives and dignity. Al Jazeera: What is the condition of these detainees in those centres? Liu: These people are deprived of their human rights just because they are migrating somewhere and asking for protection. At the centres, we have been told stories of harassment, abuse and rape. These people are kept in unventilated, filthy rooms. They are underfed and deprived of basic humanitarian conditions. These places are basically centres for abuse. For people who wanted safety for themselves and their families. /news/2018/12/refugee-ship-aquarius-stop-rescue-mission-mediterranean-181207062845983.html Al Jazeera: So will this UN migration pact, agreed upon by 164 countries, make a difference to these peoples lives? Liu: Things change when you want them to change. We have more than 160 countries who have adopted the Global Compact for Migration (GCM). Now its important to keep the pressure on them so that it translates into concrete action instead of just being government policies that is deepening the suffering of the population along the migratory routes. Saving lives is non-negotiable. Saving lives is what we do, what we will continue to do and fight for, and what we urge you to defend. Security forces have become a prime target in the restive region as violence has surged in Kashmir. Srinagar, Indian-administered Kashmir Four policemen were killed when rebels stormed a police post in the southern part of Indian-administered Kashmirs Shopian district. The state police chief Dilbagh Singh told Al Jazeera the police were attacked on Tuesday while they guarded four families of a minority Hindu community of Kashmiri Pandits. Four policemen were killed and this shows the desperation of the militants who do not only come to shoot but snatch the weapons. This is an unfortunate incident, said Singh. 181115090344905 The attack happened in Zainapora village in Shopian, a district that has turned into a stronghold of armed fighters in the divided Himalayan region. Three officers were killed instantly and the fourth was critically wounded and later died in a hospital, police officials said. The members of the Hindu community being guarded by the policemen were not harmed in the incident. Jaish-e-Muhammad, a Pakistani-based armed group, claimed the responsibility for the attack in a statement to a local news agency. A senior police official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Al Jazeera that security forces based in isolated areas have become the soft target of the militants. Policemen have become the prime targets of rebels in the restive region as the violence has seen an uptick with increased confrontations between the rebels and Indian security forces. More than 40 officers have been killed this year compared with 32 in 2017. Operations intensified Earlier, in August, at least a dozen policemen and their kin were abducted by the suspected rebels and many of them were later shot dead. Last month, the Indian forces intensified operations against fighters in the region killing more than 30 rebels in one month including some top commanders. The latest attack on the policemen comes a day after security forces killed three rebels of Lashkar-e-Taiba, including two teenagers 14 and 17, in a gunfight in the outskirts of regions main city sparking clashes. Last month, rebels carried out a spree of abductions in Shopian and killed three civilians suspected of being army informers. Videos of the killings were posted on social media where the rebels warned locals of collaborating with the Indian forces. More than 1,500 policemen have been killed in Kashmir since the armed rebellion began in 1989. In Tanzania, teenage pregnancy can cost young mothers the opportunity to get an education. President John Magufulis decree banning teenage mothers from returning to public schools is strictly enforced, and teachers who refuse to comply are disciplined. In the northern town of Shinyanga, where more girls get pregnant than anywhere else in the country, blocking girls from returning to schools after their babies are born is putting more pressure on non-governmental organisations, like the Agape Knowledge Open School. The non-profit centre in Shinyanga rescues girls from early marriages and provides shelter to pregnant teenagers. Sofia, 16, told Al Jazeera she was raped by her brother-in-law. She has a one-year-old baby. Her brother-in-law, a teacher, has gone into hiding after she took the matter to the police. After the incident, I told my sister his wife but she would not believe me. She started mistreating me, beating me saying I must have been promiscuous, Sofia said. Some of the girls say that they were taken in by men, often older than them, who showered them with money. Jacqueline, 17, is six months pregnant and says she was drawn to the generosity of her unborn babys father a 22-year-old casual labourer. He gave me money and gifts. I would buy my personal things like underwear with the money, she said. My parents they dont have much money and they are burdened with taking care of my five siblings and I, she added. The government estimates that there were nearly 70,000 teen pregnancies last year. Shinyanga has the highest rate in the country. Lack of alternative President John Magufulis decree to keep the girls out of school highlights the scale, not only of teen pregnancies but also child marriages. They account for more than 35 percent of all weddings in the country. Pregnant girls and young mothers are allowed to go to vocational centres or private schools. But there are few non-profit ones such as Agape. Others are too expensive for many. Education stakeholders and ministry officials had made good progress in working out a framework to amend the law and allow such girls back to schools. The presidential decree means those plans are now on hold, John Josephat Myola, programme director for the Agape Aids Control Programme in Shinyanga told Al Jazeera. Some human rights campaigners say womens rights in Tanzanian laws are vague, conflicting and discriminatory. One part of the law recognises that anyone below 18 years old is a child and needs to be protected, Felista Mauya, acting chief executive officer of Legal and Human Rights Centre, told Al Jazeera. Then there is a marriage act that says that a 15-year-old can get married with the consent of parents. We have signed several children and women rights charters but not domesticated. All these issues need to be looked into. For many of the girls, they say all they want is a second chance and to go to school. Deal will cover 8,576 people detained by the Houthis, including teachers and children, and 7,487 Houthi fighters. Rimbo, Sweden Yemens warring sides have agreed terms on a large-scale prisoner swap with more than 16,000 detainees expected to be released early next year. After a closed-door meeting at peace talks in Sweden, which concluded with handshakes, hugs and kisses; Askar Zouail, a member of the governments delegation, said his side had submitted the names of 8,576 detainees to the UN, while the Houthis submitted the names of some 7,487 people. According to a document obtained by Al Jazeera, the government requested that at least 800 teachers, 359 children, 357 tribal figures, 200 Imams, and 88 women, be among those released. One source said the Houthis were expected to release several high-ranking commanders as part of a confidence-building measure, with the former minister of defence, General Mahmoud al-Subaihi, and relatives of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi, expected to be released in the coming days. 181202101535422 We have also requested that the rebels hand over the body of Ali Abdullah Saleh, Zouail added. Saleh, who was an ally of the Houthis, was killed in December 2017 after he publicly said he was willing to engage in talks with Saudi Arabia if it stopped its bombing campaign. Abdul Qader al-Murtada, a member of the Houthi delegation, didnt specify the names of any high-profile officials the Zaydi Shia movement wanted released, instead saying the process would begin on January 20. Both sides have agreed that the prisoners will be flown out of Sanaa and Seiyoun airport and the Red Cross will be the one to provide planes, he said. Still major obstacles to overcome Maysa Shuja al-Deen, a non-resident fellow at the Sanaa Center for Strategic Studies, said the lifting of the siege on Taiz and resolving the dispute over Sanaa airport could also be addressed before the talks are scheduled to end on December 14. Its great news for the thousands of people detained that they will now be released, but this isnt a major breakthrough. There are still major obstacles to overcome if these talks are to be successful Hodeidah city and its port. Hodeidahs port is a lifeline for humanitarian supplies entering Yemen, but restrictions by the Saudi-UAE coalition on commercial goods have exacerbated the war-torn countrys humanitarian crisis, with some 22 million Yemenis currently needing assistance. Riyadh and Abu Dhabi see Hodeidah as the main entry point for weapons for the Houthis and have accused their regional rival Iran of sending missiles to the rebels, a charge Tehran has denied. The Yemeni government, which claims its forces are only 3km from the port, is demanding the Houthis relinquish complete control and withdraw from the city entirely. The Houthis have said they are prepared to hand over the port to the UN, but only if the Saudi-UAE coalition stops its air raids. Lifting the blockade on the city on Taiz should also be something easy to address, the rebels havent engaged in fierce fighting there for more than a year, Shuja al-Deen said. Addressing the issue of Sanaa airport should also be easy, but well have to wait and see what happens next. Death toll continues to rise Yemen has been devastated by a multi-sided conflict since 2014 involving local, regional, and international actors. The Houthis, a group of Zaydi Shia Muslims who ruled a kingdom in northern Yemen for nearly 1,000 years, exploited widespread anger against Hadi in 2014 and toppled his government in early 2015, triggering one of the worlds worst humanitarian crises. The warring sides have been meeting in the Swedish town of Rimbo, 60km north of Stockholm, since Thursday for talks aimed at discussing ways to end the fighting that has killed an estimated 60,000 people. Earlier on Tuesday, the ACLED, (Armed Conflict Location and Event Data), a war monitor, reported that at least 28,182 had been killed in the first 11 months of this year a 68 percent increase on figures from 2017. It said at least 3,058 were killed last month, despite pressure from Western powers on the Saudi-UAE coalition to roll back its bombing campaign ahead of the UN-sponsored peace talks. The talks in Sweden have come at a critical time with a staggering eight million people a number greater than the entire population of Switzerland on the verge of famine. Yemens currency, the riyal, has depreciated by nearly 180 percent in recent months, pushing even more towards starvation. Food prices have increased by an average of 68 percent and the price of fuels such as petrol, diesel, and cooking gas has increased substantially. France raises security alert level after gunman opened fire near a Christmas market in Strasbourg, killing three. A manhunt is under way in northeastern France for a gunman who killed three people and wounded at least 13 others at a Christmas market in the French city of Strasbourg on Tuesday evening. The attacker opened fire at around 8pm local time (19:00 GMT) on one of the citys busiest streets, sending crowds of evening shoppers fleeing for safety. Interior Minister Christophe Castaner said the gunman, who exchanged shots with security forces twice as he escaped, had evaded a police dragnet and was on the run, raising concerns of a follow-up attack. The government has raised its security threat to the highest level and is bolstering border controls, Castaner told a late-night news conference held in the city. We will also reinforce security at all Christmas markets to prevent copycat attacks. Police detained five people in overnight searches around the city, Laurent Nunez, secretary of state for the Interior Ministry, said on France Inter radio. Nunez said eight of the injured are in serious condition, while the city mayor said some had head wounds. The motive for the attack is not known. The counterterrorism prosecutor opened an investigation while 350 security agents and two helicopters were hunting for the attacker. Jailed for burglary Police identified the suspect as Strasbourg-born Cherif Chekatt, 29, who was known to intelligence services as a potential security risk. The hunt is continuing, Nunez said on France Inter radio, adding that its possible that the suspect might have left France. Officials said German police have tightened border controls across the Rhine river. Nunez said the suspect has a police record and had been in jail several times, most recently at the end of 2015. German authorities said on Wednesday that the suspect served a year in prison for burglary in Germany before being expelled to France. He was sentenced to two years and three months for burglaries in the city of Mainz and in Baden-Wuerttemberg state, and jailed in 2016. According to the Tagesspiegel newspaper, the man broke into a dentist practice in Mainz, Rhineland Palatinate state, in 2012, making away with cash, stamps and gold used for tooth fillings. Four years later, he hit a pharmacy in the Lake Constance town of Engen, Baden-Wuerttemberg, where he took cash. German authorities were on the lookout for the fugitive along the Rhine river region, Baden-Wuerttembergs interior ministry spokesman said. But at the moment we do not believe that he has crossed into the country, he added. Police union officials told the Associated Press news agency that authorities went to the alleged attackers residence earlier on Tuesday to arrest him, but did not find him there. People in the citys Neudorf area and Etoile park were told to stay where they were as officers hunted the attacker on the ground and from the air. Later on Tuesday, police started to release thousands of people confined in buildings, in groups of about 100. A police helicopter is circling overhead, and entire neighbourhoods of the city which lies on the border with Germany remain cordoned off. Lockdown in parliament The European Parliament, which is sitting in Strasbourg this week, was put into lockdown. Emmanuel Maurel, a member of the European Parliament, said he heard the shots. From my hotel window, I saw passersby dragging someone who was injured and onlookers panicking, he wrote on Twitter. Soldiers and police have cordoned off the area. Were being told to stay in the hotel. 181208081650213 A local shopkeeper told BFM TV that the shooting lasted for about 10 minutes. There were gunshots and people running everywhere, the shopkeeper added. The Christmas market was being held amid tight security this year, with unauthorised vehicles excluded from surrounding streets during opening hours and checkpoints set up on bridges and access points to search pedestrians bags. A Reuters news agency reporter was among 30 to 40 people being held in the basement of a supermarket for their own safety in central Strasbourg, waiting for police to clear the area. Lights were switched off and bottles of water handed out. Resident Yoann Bazard told the AP by telephone that he heard two or three shots and screams before he went to a window and saw people running. After that, I closed the shutters. Then, I heard more shots, closer this time, the 27-year-old said. There were two or three episodes like that As it got close, it was really shocking. There were a lot of screams. Security forces stand guard after a shooting near a Christmas market in Strasbourg, France [Frederick Florin/AFP] President Emmanuel Macron was informed of the shooting and was being updated as events unfurled, an Elysee Palace official said. My thoughts are with the victims of the Strasbourg shooting, which I condemn with the utmost firmness, tweeted Jean-Claude Juncker, head of the European Commission, the EU executive. Strasbourg is an excellent symbol of peace and European Democracy. Values that we will always defend. France has been put on alert in recent years after attacks targeted crowded spaces. In 2016, a truck rammed into a crowd on Bastille Day in Nice, killing more than 80 people, while in November 2015, coordinated attacks on the Bataclan concert hall and other sites in Paris claimed about 130 lives. The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS) claimed responsibility for the attacks. There have also been attacks in Paris on a policeman on the Champs-Elysees avenue, the satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo and a kosher store. Tanzanias teenage mums: Government bans mothers from school Banned from school, Tanzania forces pregnant girls to choose between an education and their unborn child. Nawaz Sharif medical treatment in UK cost $327,927.45 ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi informed the National Assembly on Monday that former prime minister Nawaz Sharifs medical treatment in the United Kingdom cost $327,927.45 to the national exchequer. Mr Sharif stayed in the UK from May 22 to July 9, 2016, and returned after his heart surgery. During the question-hour, the minister in a written reply told the house that the former prime minister had gone to London by a special aircraft. After his medical treatment, a special aircraft arrived in London in July 2016 and departed back the same day with the former prime minister, Mr Qureshi said. While sharing the breakdown of expenditure, the minister said $29,777.41 was spent on daily allowances for delegations, $56,657.97 on aircraft charges, $28,981.52 on hiring of transport and $5,840.73 was spent renting of information technology equipment. He said the expenditures also covered establishment of a camp office. In addition to these expenditures, he said $3,519.57 was spent on renting of mobile phones, $960.75 on miscellaneous items, $28,462.23 on meals arrangement and $173,562.15 on hotel accommodation, while $165.12 was spent on purchase of newspapers. The minister said: PIA authorities were approached to share details of expenditure and revenue loss on the aircraft. Informally it has been conveyed that an amount of Rs34,527,268 was incurred on the VVIP flight on July 9, 2016 over and above the expenditure mentioned in para B (above mentioned breakdown). A formal reply including revenue loss is awaited, he said. MNA Aurangzeb Khan had asked the minister to state whether it is a fact that a special PIA plane was sent to the UK for bringing back equipment, which were originally sent for setting up a camp office there during the former prime ministers stay. The foreign minister said that no equipment was sent from Pakistan for setting up the camp office in London nor a PIA plane was sent for bringing the equipment back to the country, as the former prime minister did go to London by a special aircraft. However, due to his medical treatment, the visit was prolonged, he added. Mr Qureshi said that as per standard practice, the camp office was established at the Hyatt Regency (the Churchill Hotel), for administrative and protocol requirements. Announcement is followed by military government saying it is lifting a four-year ban on political activities. Thailands much-delayed general election will be held on February 24, the electoral officials commission has said, shortly before the military government announced the lifting of a ban on political campaigning. The military government had imposed the strict prohibition after taking power in 2014, citing the need to restore order after months of street protests. It partially relaxed it in September, allowing political parties to resume organising. The election commission has set February 24, 2019, as election day, Deputy Election Commision Secretary-General Nat Laosisawakul told reporters on Tuesday. His comments were followed by the military government lifting the ban on political activities. Political parties should be able to campaign to present their policies, an order published by the Royal Gazette said, adding that it comes into immediate effect. The race is again expected to pit former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatras red shirt followers against the military and royalist establishment, which has its own proxy political parties. Thaksins camp, which has won every election since 2001, has seen its administrations overthrown twice in military coups. The first one was in 2006, when Thaksin was prime minister, and the second in May 2014, when the current military government removed his sister Yingluck Shinawatra from office after sometimes violent political demonstrations on the streets of the capital, Bangkok. Yingluck fled Thailand last year to avoid conviction in a criminal negligence case she says was politically motivated. The military government has sought her extradition from Britain. Journalists from Myanmar, Philippines, Saudi Arabia and a newspaper in the US named as 2018s Guardians of truth. Time magazine has named a newspaper and four journalists, including Washington Posts murdered Saudi columnist Jamal Khashoggi, as its Person of the Year. The Capital Gazette in the US state of Marylands Annapolis, two Reuters reporters Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo, Philippine journalist Maria Ressa, as well as Khashoggi, were recognised as Guardians of truth, Times editor-in-chief Edward Felsenthal announced on Tuesday. They are representative of a broader fight by countless others around the world as of December 10, at least 52 journalists have been murdered in 2018 who risk all to tell the story of our time, Felsenthal wrote in an essay titled The Guardians and the War on Truth. Time selected them for taking great risks in pursuit of greater truths, for the imperfect but essential quest for facts that are central to civil discourse, for speaking up and speaking out. Those chosen this year will appear in four different cover photos. The nominees The Capital Gazette newspaper lost four journalists and a sales assistant in June when a gunman entered their newsroom and opened fire. Khashoggi, who was killed two months ago at the Saudi consulate in Turkeys Istanbul, is the first person to be nominated by the magazine post-mortem, Felsenthal said. But its also very rare that a persons influence grows so immensely in death, he said of Khashoggi. His murder has prompted a global reassessment of the Saudi crown prince and a really long-overdue look at the devastating war in Yemen. The two Reuters journalists have been imprisoned for nearly a year in Myanmar after investigating a massacre of Rohingya. Ressa is an award-winning Philippine journalist who, along with the online news service she heads, Rappler, has been sued for tax evasion. Her website has been critical of the government of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, and she says the charges are politically motivated. She told Al Jazeera from Manila the nomination showed how difficult it is to be a journalist. This year we cant get away from the impunity and the brutal killing of Khashoggi, the jailing of the Reuters journalists and the challenges we face here [in the Philippines], whats happening in the United States, she said. Journalists are under attack both online and in the real world and these real-world dangers are something we have to fight to just be able to do our jobs. In her own case, she said the law had been weaponised against Rappler. She vowed to keep on fighting in court. Time has made the designation every year since 1927. The magazine says the Person of the Year title is not necessarily an honour or award, but representative of the influence the person or idea has had on the news within the past year for better or worse. US president repeats threat to shut down the government if Democrats dont agree to fund wall on southern border. US President Donald Trump openly fought with the top two Democratic politicians at an Oval Office meeting on Tuesday about government funding, throwing into question whether a deal was possible before a deadline later this month. In a rare public argument, Trump bickered with US Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer and House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi about funding for his proposed border wall. If we dont get what we want, one way or the other whether its through you, through a military, through anything you want to call I will shut down the government, Trump said as the heated argument drew near a close. I am proud to shut down the government for border security, Chuck, because the people of this country dont want criminals and people that have lots of problems and drugs pouring into our country, he said before reporters left the room. Congress is seeking to finalise spending before some federal government funding expires on December 21. While Trumps fellow Republicans control both the House and the Senate until next month, Democratic support is needed to pass any spending legislation. The president has called for $5bn to fund the barrier along the US-Mexico border, a campaign promise that he has made into a focal point. He ended the argument by saying he was willing to make good on his repeated threat to shut down the federal government over the issue. In a poll related on Tuesday by NPR/PBS NewsHour and Marist Poll, 57 percent of Americans said Trump should compromise on the wall to avoid a government shutdown. About 36 percent said he should not. Trump shutdown Tuesdays spat was the first time Trump met Pelosi and Schumer since the Democrats won control of the House of Representatives in the November 6 congressional elections a rocky start to the relationship the White House will have with the opposition party, with which it needs to deal to advance any priorities. The fight kicked off when Pelosi told Trump that Americans did not want to see a Trump shutdown, touching a nerve. Trump cut off Pelosi, arguing that he could not advance a funding bill without Democratic votes in the Senate. I dont think we should have a debate in front of the press on this, Pelosi said. Were doing this in a very friendly manner, Trump said, as Vice President Mike Pence sat beside him, silent and stony-faced. Trump has threatened to shut down the government if he doesnt receive his border wall funding [Mark Wilson/Getty Images/AFP] Senior White House staff watched the melee from the corners of the room, among them Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump, outgoing Chief of Staff John Kelly, immigration adviser Stephen Miller, and Shahira Knight, his legislative director. Then Schumer brought up the Pinocchios that Trump had been awarded by the Washington Post for misstatements on the issue and accused him of wanting to get his own way. Lets call a halt to this, Pelosi said as the two New Yorkers went at it. Its not bad, Nancy its called transparency, Trump said. When Pelosi brought up Republican election losses in the House, Trump quickly retorted that his party won the Senate. When the president brags that he won North Dakota and Indiana, hes in real trouble, Schumer said to the astonished press capturing the back-and-forth. Trump says military will build wall if theres no funding Trump has sought to sow fear over thousands of migrants and refugees who have recently arrived at the border as part of an exodus, initially dubbed the Central American caravan. More than 6,000 people are currently waiting in Tijuana to file for asylum in the US. Rights groups estimate many will have to wait up to two months before being allowed in the US to submit their claims. Many of the refugees and migrants have told Al Jazeera they are fleeing violence, poverty and political persecution. Trump has sent more than 5,000 troops to the border to offer logistic support to border patrol agents. The Department of Defense approved a plan to extend the deployment of about 4,000 active-duty troops through January. Prior to Tuesdays public spat, Trump said the military would build his promised border wall if Congress did not sign off his funding proposal. It was unclear how Trump would try to use the US Department of Defense to build the wall, given that defence and military construction appropriation bills were signed into law for the 2019 fiscal year without any wall funding. Notices posted by Jewish settlers feature Mahmoud Abbas in the crosshairs and labelled a supporter of terrorists. Hardline Jewish settlers have hung posters of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas in the occupied West Bank calling for his assassination. The posters were stuck on concrete blocks by the Huwwara intersection near the city of Nablus. According to local news agency Maan, the Israeli army, deployed in the area, did not remove these posters. The notice, which featured Abbas caught in the crosshairs, labelled him a supporter of terrorists. In a statement, the Palestinian Authority said the threats to kill Abbas crossed all red lines. In their weekly meeting in Ramallah, the PAs Council of Ministers strongly condemned the settlers overt calls to attack Abbas and said they are taking the threats very seriously. Headed by Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah, the council called on the international community to also voice its condemnation, and said it holds the Israeli government fully responsible for the consequences of what it termed a provocative incitement to assassinate the president. The council also condemned the Israeli raids of Palestinian cities, towns and villages on Monday in Area A which as stipulated by the Oslo Accords is under Palestinian civil and security control. Israeli military vehicles and soldiers carried out incursions in Ramallah, the de facto capital city of the PA, and stormed the headquarters of its official news agency Wafa and prevented staff from leaving the building. Palestinians stage a protest against the Israeli raid on Palestinian news agency Wafa in Ramallah [Anadolu Agency] The raids were carried out to allegedly search for the suspect who shot and wounded seven Jewish settlers on Sunday night from a moving vehicle near the illegal Ofra settlement, east of Ramallah. Dozens of Palestinians protesting the Israeli forces were injured by tear gas canisters, rubber-coated bullets and live ammunition. Saeb Erekat, the secretary of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), called the threats against Abbas as a declaration of the public assassination of the peace path pursued by the president and the Palestinian leadership. It is a call for dragging the region to clashes and violence, for which the occupation government and [US President Donald] Trump administration will be responsible for, Erekat said in a statement. US-sponsored peace talks between the PA and Israel collapsed in 2014 over the latters refusal to halt settlement building in the occupied West Bank. Suspected members of an armed group have killed nine civilians in an attack in the Democratic Republic of Congos troubled east, according to government officials and the military. The massacre occurred overnight in the town of Oicha, in the Beni region of DR Congo, local administrator Donat Kibwana told the AFP news agency on Tuesday. The assailants were suspected members of the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), an armed group blamed for hundreds of killings since 2014. They entered Oicha late at night, they pillaged and made off with farm animals. We lost nine people in the attack, Kibwana said. The death toll was confirmed separately by military spokesperson Mak Hazukay. The ADF got around our position and carried out their dirty work in eastern Oicha there are nine civilians dead, he said. Local teacher Prospere Kasereka said, The ADF arrived in my area around 7:30pm. They started looting, smashing down doors and firing guns. I fled when they got in my house. I saw the bodies of nine inhabitants this morning, Kasereka said. The ADF is a group that arose in western Uganda in 1995 under the leadership of Jamil Mukulu, a Christian-turned-Muslim. Forced out of Uganda, it operates in the border area in the DRCs North Kivu province, an area where other armed groups are also active. It has been blamed for recruiting and using child soldiers, killing hundreds of civilians since 2014, as well as 15 Tanzanian peacekeepers who died in an attack in December 2017. In the past month, 47 deaths in Beni have been attributed to the ADF, including seven United Nations peacekeepers who were killed in an operation against the group, according to an AFP report. The violence has cast a shadow over efforts to roll back an outbreak of Ebola in eastern DR Congo. It could hamstring efforts to hold presidential and legislative elections in the region on December 23, the UN said. Tanzania is one of the last two African countries to lift the ban that keeps pregnant schoolgirls from school. Peaceful protest is right of every citizen: Shireen Mazari 11 December, 2018 Related News Imran Khan distributed loan cheques under Kamyab Jawan Programme PTI govt to face all challenges coming its way: Imran khan More on this View All Top 2021 Accessories We Know You Will Love Types of Casino Payment Methods Tips for Taking Incredible iPhone Travel Photos Are Slot Developers Important for players? Best Poker Hands ever played on a Casino Hand Wash and Toiletries in Pakistan And the Role of DUPAS in Reshaping the Industry Woke Bingo ISLAMABAD: Minister for Human Rights Dr Shireen Mazari Monday said peaceful protest is the right of every citizen in a democratic set-up and no one including Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM) and any minority community would be stopped from holding a peaceful protest for their genuine rights. She was responding to PTM MNA Mohsin Dawar, who regretted that party chief ManzoorPashteen was not allowed at Quetta airport with an excuse that he was banned for three months in the province, and was sent back to Karachi. Dawar claimed there were no human rights in Pakistan because even the elected parliamentarians were not allowed to hold protest rallies for their genuine demands. Mazari thanked PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari for allowing PTM to hold a protest rally despite a ban by the Sindh government. She claimed that genuine demands of every protestor should be accepted. All issues should be resolved through dialogue, she said, and assured that privilege of every elected member should be respected. Mazari said the government is committed to resolve the issue of missing persons. Responding to a point of order, she said no democratic society permits abduction of citizens in the darkness of night. She said all the fair demands of Baloch and Pashtoon people, minorities and other oppressed segments should be accepted and stressed the need to adopt an inclusive approach in this regard. Responding to a question during the question hour, Parliamentary Secretary for Foreign Affairs Andleeb Abbas told the House that Pakistan had been continuously raising the issue of Pakistani prisoners detained in Afghanistan. She said it was regrettable that Afghan government had not provided information about the number of Pakistani nationals imprisoned there. She said the government was also working on an MoU for transfer of offenders. She said Pakistan embassy and consulates in Afghanistan, through other sources like International Committee of Red Cross and released prisoners, get information about Pakistani detainees and extend all possible assistance to them. Andleeb claimed that the Afghan government was not allowing consular access to the prisoners. She said the Pakistani embassy was not also being informed about the charges against the prisoners. Pakistan was providing complete cooperation to the Afghan embassy in Islamabad, she said, and regretted that Pakistani embassy in Kabul was not getting any such cooperation. She said most of Pakistani prisoners in Afghanistan were facing terrorism charges, adding that the government has also taken up the issue with top Afghan officials. Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Ali Muhammad Khan informed the House that a total of 2,041 families comprising over 10,000 temporarily displaced persons were still residing at Baka Khel Camp situated in Frontier Region Bannu. He said currently the camp is being used as a transit hub of TDPs who fled to Afghanistan and it would be de-commissioned as soon as areas of their return are declared safe and repatriation of these families commences. He said the TDPs would continue to get assistance under the TDPs status till they are repatriated and settled at their places. Minister of State for Communication Murad Saeed said that the government was taking several steps for well-being of Pakistani workers in the Gulf countries. Responding to a question, he said numbers of community welfare attaches were being increased to safeguard the interests of Pakistani workers. He said Pakistani Missions abroad were providing legal assistance to resolve issues of Pakistani diaspora. He said it was also being ensured that benefits under work agreements of Pakistani citizens could be protected. Responding to another question, Parliamentary Secretary for Foreign Affairs Andleeb Abbas said that 15 agreements and MoUs relating to various sectors were signed between Islamabad and Beijing during the recent visit of Prime Minister Imran Khan to China. She said the focus of MoUs was on enhancing cooperation in socio-economic development, agricultural cooperation, poverty reduction, strengthening trade and economic relations and expanding, ties in science and technology, climate change and security fields. The House unanimously passed a resolution expressing its commitment to undeniable rights of every individual and urged upon the government to ensure the fundamental rights guaranteed by the constitution of Pakistan. The resolution, moved by Minister of Human Rights Dr Shireen Mazari, called for freedom of speech, including the freedom of press. The resolution stated that the State must ensure implementation of all obligations related to social and economic wellbeing of the people. It said all political parties resolve to work together for prosperity, interfaith harmony, minorities rights, women empowerment, sustainable development and peace. On August 6, 2018 President Trump announced the reimposition of nuclear-related sanctions on Iran following his announcement in May that the U.S. would withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal (aka the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action or JCPOA). These announcements were geared at precluding Iran from receiving funding from sanctions-free trade that it could use toward any secret nuclear weapons-related work. However, Europe, led by Germany and France, is attempting to rescue Irans flailing economy by bypassing U.S. sanctions. The Iran nuclear deal was based on a lie. It was claimed that the deal would allow Iran substantial sanctions relief, and in return delay Irans development of nuclear weapons. This lie was promoted by many world leaders, nations, and organizations, and culminated in the 2015 signing of the JCPOA. It was not until President Trump became leader of the free world that the United States stopped enabling Irans nuclear ambitions and made it clear that anyone seeking to continue doing business with Iran would face sanctions. The sanctions were reinstated on some sectors of the Iranian economy on August 7, 2018 and the remaining ones went into effect on November 5. President Trump explained the importance of sanctions, stating: The JCPOA, a horrible, one-sided deal, failed to achieve the fundamental objective of blocking all paths to an Iranian nuclear bomb, and it threw a lifeline of cash to a murderous dictatorship that has continued to spread bloodshed, violence, and chaos. Since the deal was reached, Irans aggression has only increased. The regime has used the windfall of newly accessible funds it received under the JCPOA to build nuclear-capable missiles, fund terrorism, and fuel conflict across the Middle East and beyond By exiting the JCPOA, the United States is able to protect its national security by applying maximum economic pressure on the Iranian regime. In contrast to claims by the Obama administration, in all likelihood Iran is heavily invested in a secret nuclear weapons program that is hidden from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and any other inspectors because they are at military sites. Ayatollah Khamenei declared in June 2015 that all Iranian military sites are off-limits, without exception. In a 2016 National Review article, Reagan and Clinton administration officials note that Iran is deceiving the world in order to finance its secret military nuclear program that no doubt continues underground. The article, co-authored by former CIA director James Woolsey, William Graham, Henry Cooper, Fritz Ermarth, and Dr. Peter Vincent Pry, warns: Iran sacrificed its overt civilian nuclear program to deceive the Obama administration, to lift international sanctions, to prevent Western military action, while a clandestine military nuclear program no doubt continues underground. That is why Iran, under the nuclear deal, will not allow inspection of its military facilities and prohibits interviewing scientists -- it is concealing the dimensions and status of Irans nuclear-weapons program. On April 30, 2018 Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu revealed 100,000 files and 180 CDs found in a secret atomic archive of Iranian nuclear documents. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said that the documents show that Iran had a secret nuclear weapons program for years. In confirmation of the 2003 IAEA report, these documents confirm that Iran had an implosion testing chamber, a neutron generating device, and what appears to be work geared at making a neutron initiator. In a speech to the UN in September, Netanyahu revealed that the IAEA has not taken action to inspect any nuclear sites discovered in Irans nuclear archive. He disclosed a new nuclear site that remained uninspected and that he said already had 15 kilograms of radioactive material recently removed by Iranian officials. While a 2007 U.S. National Intelligence Estimate claimed that in 2003 Iran had halted work toward a nuclear weapon, internal Iranian memos reveal extensive plans to continue several nuclear projects covertly. In a memo dated September 3, 2003, an Iranian official writes of the nuclear program: Let there be no mistake: the amount of personnel in the overt and covert parts will not decrease. The structure will not become smaller, and every sub-project will supervise both its overt and covert parts. According to multiple German intelligence reports, Iran has made frequent attempts to procure illegal nuclear technology in a clandestine manner aimed at acquiring technology, particularly goods that can be used in the field of nuclear technology at a quantitatively high level. And, according to the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), there are multiple sites currently active that comprise the core of Irans covert nuclear weapons program. (The NCRI was responsible for revealing Irans covert military sites at Natanz and Arak in August 2002. In December 2002 this was confirmed by the United States). Notwithstanding all the evidence, and Irans explicit and public calls for the destruction of the United States and Israel, a recent report in the Wall Street Journal reveals that Europe, led by France and Germany, have joined forces to rescue a European effort to create a payments channel to keep trade flowing with Iran, defying U.S. attempts to take the air out of the plan. In response, the U.S. ambassador to Germany said that the US will consider sanctions on those entities that seek to evade sanctions. This payments channel is being pushed forward while reports have emerged that Iran has more than doubled the number of missile tests in the past year. According to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo , Iran recently test-fired a medium-range missile capable of carrying multiple warheads in violation of UN Security Council Resolution 2231. In his UN speech, Prime Minister Netanyahu referred to the European Unions attempt to circumvent U.S. sanctions on Iran as appeasement, adding, Have these European leaders learned nothing from history? Will they ever wake up? The Iranian regime seeks to bring widespread calamity to the world. It seeks to wipe out those whom they consider to be infidels, led by the U.S. but including Europe, in the process of preparing for their Messiah. And, all the while, for the sake of short-term financial windfalls, Europe willfully turns the other way, enabling the extremist Iranian regime to threaten the world like never before. There is no doubt that the Iranian regimes feverish work on a clandestine nuclear weapons program threatens the world. There is also no doubt that many European and other nations seem intent on allowing it to continue for the sake of trade with Iran. This is why the United States is correct in imposing tough sanctions on Iran and must ensure that any nation or entity that evades those sanctions face debilitating sanctions that it will never forget. The European appeasers must not be permitted to unleash the Iranian monster; otherwise it risks Iran wreaking devastation on the world. Obama knows. John Kerry knows. And Al Gore, the man who has made an enormous amount of money perpetuating the biggest hoax foisted on the human race, knows. Human-inspired climate change is a ruse. It is all a control-grabbing, land-grabbing, money-grabbing hoax. For instance, Al Gore, the king of carbon credits, whose home has a giant carbon footprint, and who flies all over the world in private jets, has raked in millions from his green investments and "sustainability research." This, after preaching (An Inconvenient Truth) that fossil fuel is the culprit in global warming. The real inconvenient truth is that the earths climate has been warming, cooling and dramatically changing since the beginning of time. How many of us know that Chinese sea captains reported melting ice caps as far back as 1434? Mega earthquakes and tsunamis as well as blizzards, raging fires, crippling droughts, powerful storms, horrific tornadoes and scorching heat waves have been around since antiquity. Climate deniers, as the alarmists so lovingly refer to us, do acknowledge changes in the climate, but most of us do not accept the premise that human activity the cause. Recently, the hoax has been ramping up. President Obama, who has been likened to Spock by his climate change cheerleaders, exhorts that slow climate change progress can be blamed on confused, blind, racists shrouded with hate Americans. Obama is a far cry from a cool, rational Spock character; his cynical rhetoric continues to divide Americans and cuts off debate. The latest forecast from the UNs Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change adds fuel to the fire. Their scare tactic is to tell us that we are "doomed. The panel decries that carbon emissions must fall 45% by 2030. Their forecast is, of course, more poppycock emanating from liberal progressives throughout the world. And on top of that, in the Federal Climate Assessment report just issued, out has come a dire warning to Americans that climate change will negatively affect Americans physically, socially, and economically. That fact is elementary. Horrible weather does and has had severe ramifications for humans throughout the world since the beginning of time. Rising sea levels, ocean change, and global warming, (now referred to as climate change) have become part of the vernacular despite severely flawed global warming models. However, local and global foot soldiers of the liberal progressive Socialist agenda that was hatched at the UN Brundtland Commission in 1987 continue to foster this ruse about "sustainable development," its principal buzzword. And a word to the wise, changing code words faster than the weather does not change facts. Liberal progressives very effectively created this giant hoax. The UN and its sycophants realized, brilliantly I might add, that to continue their agenda, they would have to go beyond the Brundtland Report, and would then require the targeting of private property with oppressive regulations, had to be established on a local level first, e.g., Agenda 21. Agenda 21 is not just a toothless socialist agenda, but rather, it is a radical extremist environmentalist agenda that poses a threat to our liberties. Recognizing that local governments (Agenda 21) are agents of change, the UN began redrafting a so-called environmental constitution. This covenant, as they call it, gives the UN authority over the entire globe. Unbelievably, it is being enforced despite the fact that the science behind the ruse is seriously flawed. And, history affords us the inconvenient truth that historical facts put a giant hole in their human inspired climate change theory. Environmentalists have been gobbling up land with regulations based on bad science and greed for years. Consider the fact that if we get rid of fossil fuels by making them non-competitive, radical environmentalists, with their sketchy green technology, are poised to sashay in to take unprecedented control over private property and pocket billions of more dollars: climate change hype is a giant cash cow. I wonder, do these environmentalists gone crazy, who have outstripped the reasoned environmentalists of the past, truly believe that carbon emissions interfere with the cycles of nature? It is audacious to think that some of us, including a hefty number of scientists (whose numbers are shrinking) believe that humans, who are tiny in the scheme of things, have a whit to do with climate changes and sea-level rises and falls. The hubris here is mind-boggling. Even James Lovelock, whose Gaia Hypothesis is the founding platform for global warming hysteria, and who predicted the death of billions of humans because of it, now admits that he was an alarmist and is debunking the entire cabal. Lovelock has stated that the idea that humans are responsible for changes in the climate is not credible. Lovelock further suggested that the modern green movement has become a religion that uses guilt to gain support. The operative question is, do We the People of our great nation really want to be manipulated by the UN and its minions? Do we care that the UN invasion into our country will ultimately strip away our freedoms? Do we care that climate change hype is a sinister means of enforcing the idea that the collective takes a front seat to individual rights? To make matters worse, liberal progressive socialists have very effectively (as they always doa la Saul Alinsky) demonized and dismissed the canaries in the coal mine as wacky, racist, paranoid, conspiracy theorists. Not so fast. The canaries understand that the invasion of the UN agenda, with the help of liberal progressives socialists has ushered in abuses, controls and illegal appropriations that the Constitution of the United States has warned would strip us of our liberty and freedoms. Enough is enough. Liberal progressive scientists and politicians, not science, are dictating our carbon regulations. These modern environmental extremists have shot way past stewardship of the planet. It is up to reasoned citizens of our great country to have our voices heard. So what can we do? The best place to have the voices heard from those of us who understand that private property is the most important guarantee of our freedoms is by taking seats on local boards and commissions. Also of importance is to determine if your city or town is a member of Agenda 21. If yes, it is up to those who understand the ramifications of that to challenge the membership. And most importantly, although it's a monumental task, the youth of our nation who have been indoctrinated since grammar school, must come to understand that much of what they were spoon-fed in school is liberal progressive save the planet moral masquerading. For their own edification, our youngsters might want to hear from the canaries exactly how the hoax will affect their future. Unfortunately, many of the youth in America suffer deep scars from years and years of indoctrination. Inanition, anger, and arrogance, are some of the lingering effects of the sinister propaganda inflicted on our youth by liberal progressive socialists. But we must not give up trying. Allison Nichols has a M.Div. (Master of Divinity) degree. Most of the US media loathes President Donald Trump, never expecting him to be elected, and after he surprised everyone, they did everything in their power to discredit his presidency, turn public opinion against him, and drive him from office, either through impeachment or resignation. Thus far their efforts have failed, but not for lack of trying. US media coverage of Trump is 92 percent negative. Im surprised that number isnt larger as I dont recall seeing any remotely positive recent Trump stories. The foreign press isnt much better. Most major cities in Europe and elsewhere follow the lead of the New York Times or Washington Post. Even in the far reaches of the Southern Hemisphere, thousands of miles across the Pacific Ocean from America, Trump Derangement Syndrome is flourishing in the local media. I speak of New Zealand, a small country in the South Pacific, about the size of Colorado, in area and population, with breathtakingly beautiful scenery, wonderful people, and delicious coffee. On a recent trip down under, I watched how their media portrayed President Trump. Borrowing characters from the Lord of the Rings, filmed in New Zealand, was Trump a clever but harmless hobbit? Or was he a brain-dead nasty orc? Or was he the dark wizard Sauron, the epicenter of evil and malice in Middle Earth? A few weeks spent perusing the New Zealand Herald, the countrys main newspaper, gave me the answer. Positive stories about Trump were as elusive as the now extinct Moa bird, once flourishing in New Zealand before the country was colonized by those nasty humans. And centuries before global warming became a fad. My conclusion was that Trump was indeed Sauron, the dark lord of America and the source of all evil in the world. Lets look at a sampling from the New Zealand Herald, their paper of record. If not for the stories about rugby, I could be reading the New York Times or Washington Post. Or the UK Guardian. Shortly after the midterm elections, Trump visited Paris. The NZ Herald described the visit as Five days of fury: Inside Trump's bad Paris temper, election woes and staff upheaval. That was the trip where Trump had to explain that nationalism, or putting the interests of ones country first, didnt mean resurrecting the Third Reich. Trump was simply doing something the left loves, speaking truth to power, not having a temper tantrum. Another headline was beneath even the NY Times level of animus toward Trump, Commander in crap: Donald Trump toilet brush making bathrooms great again. The article described a toilet cleaning brush in detail, The ever-popular brush features a fitting of Trump's face, his blue suit and red tie, and a rather bushy version of his fantastic blonde hair. I dont recall any articles about toilet brushes featuring the heads of Barack or Michelle. Aside from Trump being a rube, he is apparently not long for the presidency, despite his near 50 percent approval halfway through his first term. The left always pokes fun at conspiracy theories on the right, but the NZ Herald signed on to their own such theory, Speculation mounts of a daring plan to take down Donald Trump. What daring plan you ask? Actually, its not speculation as the Obama deep state holdovers have been trying to take down Trump since he announced his candidacy. Its also ironic that the Five Eyes spy network, of whose eyes New Zealand owns one, may have spied on Trump, attempting to undermine his candidacy and presidency. Trump is also a serial liar, according the NZ Herald, unlike those before him who were unscrupulously honest about such things as Obamacare, Benghazi, and Iranian nukes. They ran this headline, It's easy to fact check Trump's lies. He tells the same ones all the time. How original. They sound like Don Lemon or Jim Acosta. And we cant forget impeachment. Heres a story making the case, Has Trump crossed a legal line? 'Abuse of power' could trigger impeachment. This is news? We have been hearing the same story for the past two years. New Zealand takes immigration seriously, to their credit, far more so than the US. But that doesnt prevent a dig at Trump trying to safeguard his own country. How Trump planted a seed about terrorism and the migrant caravan was a recent headline. Perhaps because there were criminals and potential terrorists in the caravan? Im sure residents of New Zealand would not be pleased if say 10,000 young men from Pakistan or Syria showed up on their shores, soon bringing their siblings and relatives, as they are doing in much of Europe. First Lady Melania Trump isnt exempt from derision. After news that she recommended that a White House staffer be fired, the NZ Herald described the incident as, "extraordinary", "stunning" and even "dangerous", with news outlets noting how rare the outburst was for the notoriously quiet First Lady. They seemed to have forgotten Hillary Clintons far more nefarious activities as First Lady, including throwing a lamp at her husband. The paper doesnt like former model Melanias fashion sense either writing, Melania Trump's $13,000 Dior 'turkey coat' mocked at Thanksgiving. I wonder how many of Michelle Obamas fashion faux pas were similarly reported? Ivanka Trump didnt get a pass, as the newspaper tried to create a false equivalency between White House advisor Ivankas use of private email and the former Secretary of States use of an unsecure email server in her home used to traffic classified government documents, many of which ended up on Anthony Weiners laptop, all in violation of the law. Here is how they described Ivanka, The stunning rise and spectacular fall of Ivanka Trump. Compare Trumps coverage to how those in the last US administration are treated, years out of office. Barack Obama, the quintessential statesman in the eyes of the NZ Herald, receives this headline, Barack Obama slams Donald Trump, warns of dangerous times. Note how Trump is associated with dangerous times. Not mentioned is who is making the times dangerous by trying to overthrow a duly elected president. While Melania is mocked for her clothes, Michelle Obama is praised, with this headline, Michelle Obama dons leather corset for Elle magazine interview with Oprah. Imagine the exploding heads at the newspaper if Melania wore a corset to an interview. And we cant forget slow Joe Biden. No stories about how he inappropriately touches women and young girls, but instead his new best friend, a rescue dog. Former Vice President Joe Biden adopts rescue dog was a recent headline. Newspapers are free to advocate for political causes rather than objectively report the news, but on the editorial pages, not the front page. Otherwise it turns journalism into a political campaign, diminishing its credibility and relevance. Whats interesting is that this isnt just a US phenomenon. Those thinking they can leave America to escape the inexorable leftward slide toward socialism should think again. Meet the new country, same as the old country. Photo credit: author Brian C Joondeph, MD, MPS, a Denver based physician and writer. Follow him on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter. In August 2018, Michael Cohen entered a guilty plea and admitted to violating campaign finance laws by arranging hush-money payments under the direction of an "unnamed candidate." Four months later, Robert Mueller and the Special Prosecutor's Office for the Southern District of New York submitted several memos dealing with alleged Russian collusion, obstruction, and campaign illegalities. Despite all of the media hoopla, the memos did not disclose anything new that definitively established a campaign finance violation against the president. According to CNN, prosecutors from the Manhattan U.S. attorney's office wrote: "In particular, and as Cohen himself has now admitted, with respect to both payments, he acted in coordination with and at the direction of Individual-1." Individual-1 is the term prosecutors have been using to refer to the president. As Andy McCarthy pointed out in a recent Fox News article, while a candidate may spend as much as he wants on his campaign, he must report the amount spent to the Federal Election Commission. Also, in 2016, contributors like Cohen were limited to $2,700 in donations. With regard to the first count involving Karen McDougal, McCarthy stated: The sentencing memo for Cohen argues that the hush money payments were not merely unreported. It states that Cohen and the Trump organization the president's company went to great lengths to conceal them by fraudulent bookkeeping. Equally significantly, Cohen was not charged with merely making illegal donations. He was charged in the first campaign finance count with causing a company to make illegal donations. Cohen, therefore, pleaded guilty not to making his own excessive contribution but to causing a third party to make an illegal contribution. Cohen says he was operating at Trump's direction. Logically, then, if this is true and Cohen caused the third-party illegal contribution, so did the president. Per McCarthy, the second campaign finance charge involving Stormy Daniels involved similar issues. More particularly, if President Trump directed Cohen to make an illegal contribution or expenditure, this could be problematic for the president. Some of this information is not new. Cohen admitted in August to committing campaign finance violations. His assertion that he acted in coordination with and at the direction of the president is uncorroborated, and the memos failed to provide any independent evidence to substantiate Cohen's claims other than Cohen's own assertions. In a recent article in LifeZette, former U.S. attorney Joseph diGenova stated that "what we learned" from Friday's filings "was that there's no evidence, again, of Russian collusion with the Trump campaign, and certainly nothing with the president personally." We learned that Michael Cohen is a kind of rather unscrupulous individual who sought to enrich himself through the campaign and did some pretty sleazy deals after the campaign ... [b]ut, in fact, there is no suggestion whatsoever that the president did anything wrong, committed any crimes or certainly had any contact with Russians. Cohen's words should be taken in the proper context. First, Cohen has very little credibility. For example, in February, Cohen told the New York Times that "[n]either the Trump Organization nor the Trump campaign was a party to the transaction with Ms. Clifford, and neither reimbursed me for the payment, either directly or indirectly." This statement directly contradicts his most recent statements. Moreover, according to CNN, the recently filed memos referenced the fact that Cohen lied about a variety of issues. As a result, federal prosecutors in New York indicated that Cohen should receive a substantial prison sentence for tax fraud and campaign finance crimes. Now, despite the repeated claims that Cohen has been untruthful, Mueller and federal prosecutors in New York expect people to believe his most recent statements? Assuming that they do not have any additional and credible corroborating evidence, this is unlikely. More importantly, the memos failed to include any corroboration that the president intended to commit a campaign finance violation, which would be required in any subsequent prosecution. (Even if this is established, there remains a legitimate question as to whether a sitting president can be indicted). As diGenova explained, there is a difference between hush money to keep the president in a good light with his wife and business colleagues and hush money "to further the campaign." While Mueller could have additional evidence to support this claim, the memos are devoid of any such evidence. Several other points are noteworthy. According to Mark Levin, "[a] campaign expenditure must be solely for a campaign activity. It must come from a campaign activity, not an activity that occurred before a campaign. A candidate who spends his own money or even corporate money for an event that occurred not as a result of the campaign is not making a campaign expenditure." Per Mr. Levin, it is not a campaign expenditure if a candidate tells his lawyer to obtain a non-disclosure agreement and offers to pay the funds out of the candidate's own pocket so "Mrs. X" doesn't attack the candidate for something that happened before the campaign. Another example cited by Mr. Levin involves a person running for Senate. During the campaign, someone accuses the candidate of something and threatens to ruin his campaign. If the candidate tells his lawyer to obtain a non-disclosure agreement and agrees to pay out of his own pocket or out of corporate funds to keep the threat quiet, that does not constitute a campaign expenditure. If, on the other hand, the "hush money" was paid from campaign funds that were being raised, that would be illegal. While the recent memos provided some additional insight regarding Cohen's and Paul Manafort's "misdeeds," they did not appear to include any "smoking gun" against the president. One of the main items missing is that Trump knew that such payments are illegal, which would be a necessary showing. There is also no verification or corroboration that Trump directed Cohen to make such payments. Time will tell if Mueller or N.Y. prosecutors have additional information that has yet to be disclosed to support their claims. Until then, if Congressional Democrats attempt to impeach President Trump solely on the word of Michael Cohen, they will likely face stiff resistance from their Republican friends. Mr. Hakim is a writer, commentator, and attorney. His articles have been published in The Washington Examiner, The Daily Caller, The Federalist, American Thinker, and other online publications. https://thoughtfullyconservative.wordpress.com Twitter: @ThoughtfulGOP Image: James Ledbetter via Flickr. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is upset that people don't appreciate her intelligence and depth. It turns out that people notice when she says stupid things, such as nattering on about the "three chambers of government" or not understanding that Pentagon accounting errors don't yield a pot of money available for her pet scheme of "Medicare for All." Preparing to become a solon in the House of Representatives is not at all like being a hot chick working her previous occupation of bartending, where pretty much anything she said was eagerly appreciated by her male customers. Lots of generous tips, but few factual corrections in that environment for a slender, comely female with high cheekbones and a taste for fashionable clothing. YouTube screen grab, cropped. In my imagination, I hear her with a whiny voice, stomping her feet, as she tweeted: Double standards are Paul Ryan being elected at 28 and immediately being given the benefit of his ill-considered policies considered genius; and me winning a primary at 28 to immediately be treated with suspicion & scrutinized, down to my clothing, of being a fraud. https://t.co/KipcyHaaAb Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@Ocasio2018) December 10, 2018 If she doesn't want scrutiny, she shouldn't run for office, and then, after a victory that grabbed a national spotlight, shoot her mouth off over complex policy issues that she hasn't thought through. Whatever his faults, Paul Ryan has a well deserved reputation as a policy wonk and has never said anything remotely as stupid as her claim that "unemployment is low because everyone has two jobs. Unemployment is low because people are working 60, 70, 80 hours a week and can barely feed their family." If she doesn't want to be mocked, she should not venture into policy recommendations she must retreat from, admitting, "I am not an expert." Her Twitter complaint is fully resonant with this immortal moment from one of the greatest movies in history, creating the expression "going Fredo" (hat tip: Kurt Schlichter): I have to wonder if in addition to going Fredo, she is also "going Fauxcahontas" with this claim, which seems to be trading on the ethnic stereotype of Jews as smart. She certainly didn't emphasize this point during the campaign and revealed it only now, when she is fighting back against charges of being stupid. Congresswoman-elect Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has claimed that she is descended from Sephardic Jews who were forcibly converted to Catholicism. Ocasio-Cortez, who was elected last month to the US House of Representatives for New York State's 14th congressional district, told supporters at a Hannukah party organized by the left-wing Jews for Racial and Economic Justice that she has Jewish heritage. "A very, very long time ago generations and generations ago my family consisted of Sephardic Jews," Ocasio-Cortez said. "The story goes, during the Spanish Inquisition, so many people were forced to convert on the exterior to Catholicism, but on the interior continued to practice their faith and continued to be who they were, even though they were pressured to not be that on the outside world." Her family later fled to Puerto Rico to escape persecution, Ocasio-Cortez said. Hmm..."generations ago" might yield percentages similar to Elizabeth Warren's 1/643 to 1/1,028 Native American claim, which generated mockery. Just the thing for Ocasio-Cortez to stay in character. Hat tip: Mark J. Fitzgibbons Another possible government shutdown showdown just ahead of Christmas, along with news of massive protests in France against unfair and unsustainable tax policies, has comments sections on conservative sites buzzing with calls to just "shut it down" if funding for the border wall is not included in the budget. Candidate Trump's "forgotten" men and women are getting antsy. On January 20, 2017, during his inaugural address, newly elected President Trump rightly declared: [T]he wealth of the middle class has been ripped from their homes and redistributed[.] ... Every decision on trade, on taxes, on immigration, on foreign affairs will be made to benefit American workers and American families. We must protect our borders from the ravages of other countries[.] Ironically, as the Democrats and their RINO pals ride roughshod over our liberties and undermine the president's accomplishments at every turn, President Trump's middle-class revolution has spread across the ocean to France. France's President Macron's climate change agenda prompted him to raise fuel taxes, which in turn fueled riots in Paris and other cities. Macron's belief in lower carbon emissions is not at all different from Obama and his would-be successor in the U.S. who vowed to bankrupt coal. It seems, sooner or later, citizens of socialist and socialist-lite countries wake up to the machinations of the ruling-class elites and their self-serving policies. Americans witnessing leftist-funded caravans of third-world invaders at the border these past few months may be akin to the French hit with another tax. Nancy Pelosi, waiting in the wings to destroy the president and all of his achievements, called the protection of our border with a wall "immoral." This, as she goes home to a million-dollar mansion surrounded by a beautiful white wall! More and more people, liberal and conservative, are questioning the left's hypocrisy and the insanity of allowing millions of illegals to be rewarded with our tax dollars. If we dare protest against elected representatives force-feeding us their liberal propaganda about our duty to the "poor migrants," we are essentially told to sit down and shut up. The problem for Pelosi and her ilk, like Macron of France, is that they never really know when Americans paying their salaries will have had enough. French teacher and journalist Marie Brunerie, writing from the class struggle angle, says Macron's latest announcement of a fuel tax hike roused "diverse, if not totally incompatible" groups to rally in the streets with cries of "enough is enough." Even after the French government promised subsidies for those buying less polluting cars, protesters interviewed by Brunerie repeated the same frustration over and over again: "How can I even think of buying an electric car when I can't pay for my rent and I am out of cash by the tenth day of the month?" In her op-ed, Brunerie concedes that the French are paying the price for their support of a "free" education system from elementary school to university and what she sarcastically says is their "world-famous" "social security system," which pays all medical costs. On December 3, the New York Times agreed with Brunerie, reporting that the yellow vest protest movement in France included "a mix of small-business owners, independent contractors, farmers, home aides, nurses and truck drivers. They live and work primarily in rural towns and in the suburbs or exurbs of France's big cities, many earning just enough to get by." Does all this sound familiar? Here, in the United States, Americans on both sides of the ideological divide believe that the reliance on working and middle classes to finance the estimated $135 billion-per-year cost of illegal immigration may eventually drive the 63 million Americans who voted for Trump into the streets. When the American middle class pays the highest price for the left's agenda of open borders and social welfare programs while simultaneously being called "racist," "irredeemable," and "fascist," it is only a matter of time before Americans start donning their own version of yellow vests. Donald Trump will meet with Democratic leaders Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer to discuss a spending bill to fund about 25% of the government through September 30, 2019. Before the election in November, Trump had signed off on a spending package that funded the Pentagon and most other federal agencies. But spending for Homeland Security, Agriculture, and HUD is currently being funded by a continuing resolution that expires December 21. If no agreement is reached by then, there will be at least a partial government shutdown. The biggest stumbling block is funding for Trump's border wall. Trump wants $5 billion to begin construction, while Democrats are willing to give him $1.3 billion for "border security," which would not include any funds for the president's "immoral" wall, according to Pelosi. There are other issues as well. Reform of the SNAP program funded by the Agriculture Department and contained in a gigantic farm bill and a bid by Democrats to formally rebuke Saudi Arabia for the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi are also points of contention. But it is funding for the wall that will be a major barrier to an agreement. Washington Post: With Republicans about to lose their majority in the House, the president and his GOP allies are determined to make one last attempt to get money for the wall Trump promised to build along the U.S.-Mexico border. Trump claimed during the campaign that Mexico would pay for the wall but now wants U.S. taxpayers to foot the bill instead. In a joint statement issued Monday evening, Pelosi and Schumer said the country cannot afford "a Trump Shutdown" at this time. The president, the statement said, "knows full well that his wall proposal does not have the votes to pass the House and Senate, and should not be an obstacle to a bipartisan agreement." At a Kansas City, Mo., event Friday, Trump accused Democrats of playing "political games" and said he thought it was a political disadvantage for Democrats to fight funding for the wall. "The number is $5 billion. If there is a better way to get there than what the president has laid out, then they need to come with an alternative," House Majority Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.) said Monday on Fox News. "They can't come and say they want to shut the government down for no reason because they don't want border security." An agreement does not sound promising at this point, with both sides digging in. An NPR poll found that 57% of Americans want Trump to compromise on the wall. Since most people want to sound reasonable, "compromise" is a loaded term especially since no one can say what sort of a compromise Trump can agree on with Democrats who are as adamantly opposed to a wall as Trump is in support of it. The country is split down the middle on building a wall, so neither side has much leverage in that regard. But Democrats fear the prospect of appearing intransigent immediately following their House takeover. They won't cave on the border wall. Will Trump? I don't think it's going to be a very merry Christmas for the 600,000 federal employees who face a furlough right before the holiday. The 100th anniversary of possibly the greatest writer of the tortured 20th century has predictably and justly given rise to numerous encomiums, such as this one from one of the great man's best interpreters. There is no doubt that Aleksander Solzhenitsyn, if not St. John, to whom he has been compared, in his epochal struggle with communist totalitarianism, at the very least drove a key nail in the coffin of communist inhumanity. What he did without any doubt was to open the eyes of the West to the reality of the murderous Stalinist regime in the Soviet Union, and also in Eastern Europe, in China, and wherever communism had triumphed. Expose it he did in all of its genocidal fury, the left's unwillingness to 'fess up to it notwithstanding. All of this is well established, and Solzhenitsyn's reputation as a giant among writers is secure and unshakeable. Yet there is another side to him that justifies us in breaking the Latin admonition "de mortuis nihil nisi bonum," or not speaking ill of the dead. Contrary to what some in the West have argued, it is not his criticisms of the messiness of democracy, or the libertinism of Western society, that are at issue here, but much graver errors of judgment, such as denying the Holodomor, which he called a "loony fable," years after Robert Conquest's magisterial Harvest of Sorrow established the facts of this Stalinist genocide in Ukraine beyond doubt. Or the fact that for over 100 million Ukrainians, Poles, Balts, Romanians, Bulgarians, and other Eastern Europeans, Solzhenitsyn remains a Russian imperialist par excellence and, as such, a mortal danger of the first order. Nor is his devotion to the Russian Orthodox church, for which he is praised by many, a great virtue. That church has always been and remains under Putin a fateful servant of Russian imperialism. If one was to mark the great writer's sad descent into an apologist for the thugs ruling over Russia today, a good place to start is his return to Russia in the Summer of 1994. Traveling by train from Vladivostok to Moscow, Solzhenitsyn accepted to be squired everywhere by militia cars with blazing sirens and lights like a communist mandarin and then to settle in the exclusive dacha settlement Sosnovka for Soviet leaders and oligarchs. (Link is in Russian.) Things went downhill fast from there. Solzhenitsyn first denounced the reformers Boris Yeltsin and Yegor Gaidar as thieves and then threw his support behind Putin after 2006. He did so in words that barely distinguished him from Putin's own malignant propaganda. In just one example, Solzhenitsyn parroted Putin's nonsense about NATO's willful encirclement of Mother Russia that was just about to rob it of its sovereignty. In doing this, willingly or not, the famous author contributed to the creeping re-Stalinization of Russia under Putin. The end result of all of this is that as we celebrate the 100th anniversary of the greatest intellectual enemy of communist totalitarianism, fewer and fewer people remember him or read his books. A recent Russian poll indicates that only 44% of the 18- to 24-year-old cohort have ever heard of Stalin's murderous repressions, and 43% of those who have think they were justified, and 63% are in favor of having Stalin's bust displayed in Russia. The author of The Gulag Archipelago may be turning in his grave, but there is no question that he is at least partly to blame for this sad outcome. Alex Alexiev is chairman of the Center for Balkan and Black Sea Studies (cbbss.org) and can be reached at alexievalex4@gmail.com. Image credit: Kremlin.ru. Beached whales sometimes spontaneously explode due to build up of gases, mostly methane, as the carcass decomposes. Occasionally, whale carcasses are also exploded using actual explosives, after they have been towed out to the sea, to dispose them quickly. Explosives have also been used to euthanize beached whales. The most famous case of a whale exploding happened in the city of Florence, Oregon, in November 1970, when a dead sperm whale was blown up using dynamite resulting in unintended consequences. A beached whale. Photo credit: Isabelle OHara/Shutterstock.com On November 9, 1970, a forty-five-foot long, eight-ton sperm whale washed ashore near Florence on Oregon's south coast. Authorities became concerned that the whale would rot and become a massive stench problem. So the agency responsible for maintaining Oregons beaches, the Oregon State Highway Division, was called in to remove the whale. After consulting with U.S. Navy, Assistant District Highway Engineer George Thornton decided to use dynamite to tear the body into smaller pieces that could be easily removed. The idea was to gently break up the body, not vaporize it. Unfortunately, Thorton didnt know how much dynamite he needed. He ended up using too much of ithalf a ton to be exact. On November 12, a crowd of spectators and local reporters gathered on the beach to watch, standing back from the carcass by what they thought was a safe distancea quarter of a mile. At exactly 3:45 PM, a hundred-foot-high column of sand and blubber erupted on the beach. Seconds later thousands of pieces of foul-smelling rotten meat rained down on the spectators and on buildings nearby. A sedan parked near the onlookers was reportedly crushed by a large chunk of blubber. Only a small part of the whale was pulverized. Most of it remained on the beach and had to be cleared away by workers. The incident was much ridiculed in the media. News reporter Paul Linnman of KATU-TV gave a memorable account of the exploding whale joking that the blast blasted blubber beyond all believable bounds. Eugene Register-Guard from Nov. 13, 1970, the day after highway crews tried to blow up a dead whale. Thornton maintained that the operation went just exactly right, except the blast funneled a hole in the sand under the whale. He felt the operation had been an overall success and it was the hostile media that turned the incident into a public-relations disaster. While people laughed at the folly, it was Thornton who had the last laughhe was promoted to the Medford office about six months after the incident. The tale of the exploding whale became a cautionary one. In 1979, when forty-one sperm whales beached and died on a beach south of Florence, state park officials buried the carcasses instead. Shahbaz Sharif house declared sub-jail ISLAMABAD: The capital administration on Monday declared the house of the opposition leader in National Assembly located in the Ministers Enclave a sub-jail to detain PML-N President Shahbaz Sharif in connection with a National Accountability Bureau (NAB) case against him. The house will remain a sub-jail till the conclusion of the National Assembly session, which started on Monday. A notification issued by the capital administration said: In exercise of powers vested in under Section 541 of the Criminal Procedure Code 1860 read with Section 3 of the Prison Act 1894 and all other powers enabling in this behalf vide Ministry of Justice and Parliamentary Affairs notification issued in pursuance of Article 2 of Islamabad Capital Territory Administration Order 1980 and a request of Government of Punjab, the chief commissioner Islamabad is pleased to declare the premises of House No 26 Ministers Enclave as a sub-jail for keeping Mian Mohammad Shehbaz Sharif, under trial prisoner in NAB case, from Monday Dec 10 and till the conclusion of this session(s) of National Assembly. The outer guard of the premises will be provided by the capital police, it added. According to an official in the ministry, the secretary interior was requested in writing by the Home Department that Mr Sharif was being taken to Islamabad to attend the National Assembly session starting on Dec 10 which may continue for two weeks. It was further requested that the residence of the opposition leader in Islamabad be declared a sub-jail till the conclusion of the session. Another officer of the capital administration said the Home Department had been informed about the fulfillment of its request and asked to arrange staff for the sub-jail. Later, he added, a team of officials from Adiala reached the Ministers Enclave and took the sub-jail into their custody. The story of the Pied Piper of Hamelin is well known. This dark European folktale with unsettling themes of ingratitude and terrible vengeance has been told and retold for generations. The tale goes something like this: In the year 1284, there was a serious rat problem in Hamelin, which was at that time a prosperous port on the river Weser in Lower Saxony, Germany. Barges full of corn and wheat arrived every day which was ground in the mills and made into bread and cakes in the bakeries. But the rats came and ate all the corn and the wheat, and the bread and the cakes, and there were fleas everywhere. Life in Hamelin became a nightmare. Desperate for a solution, the town mayor announced a prize of one thousand gold guilders to anyone who could free Hamelin of the rats. The very next day a mysterious man in bright colorful clothing arrived in town. He claimed to be a rat-catcher, and he promised to get rid of all the mice and rats in Hamelin for the promised sum. The Pied Piper then took out a small fife from his pocket and began to play a tune. And as the townsfolk watched in awe, thousands of rats came scurrying out of houses and gutters and warehouses and bakeries and began to follow the Pied Piper. Still playing his fife, the Piper led the mass of mesmerized rats out of town and into the Weser River where they jumped one by one into the water and drowned. When the Pied Piper returned to the town square to collect his prize, the mayor laughed and gave him only fifty guilders. Enraged, the Piper stomped out of town but not before swearing revenge. A few days later was Saint John and Paul's day, and while the adults were in church, the piper returned dressed in green and began playing a different tune. This time time it wasnt rats or mice but the towns children who came running and dancing towards him. The swarm followed him into the mountain where he disappeared along with the children. Only a lame who couldnt follow quickly enough, a deaf who couldnt hear and a blind child remained behind. A total of one hundred thirty children were lost that day. For a long time, the legend of the Pied Piper was mere folktale kept alive by generation after generation of Hamelin residents until the tale started receiving broader audience through the retelling by the Brothers Grimm. But the tale is much more than fiction. There are evidences that suggest that something deeply traumatic did happen in the German town on 26th of June 1284. Evidences from the past We know the precise date from an inscription on a stained-glass window on the towns church, which stood on the towns square until it was destroyed in 1660. The window bore the image of a piper and the words: In the year 1284, on the day of John and Paul, it was the 26th of June, came a colourful Piper to Hamelin and led 130 children away. The date appears again in Hamelins town chronicle. Against the year 1384, the entry simply said, It is 100 years since our children left. The oldest picture of the Pied Piper copied from the glass window of the Market Church in Hamelin. Accounts of the tale began to appear in subsequent centuries, with the story remaining invariably the same. In a mid-15th century reference found in the Latin chronicle from the German town of Lunenberg, the piper is described as a handsome and well-dressed man about thirty years of age who entered Hamelin and began to play all through the town a silver pipe of the most magnificent sort. The central character of the story, the Piper, was common in medieval times. Pipers were often employed to lead civic celebrations. They wore multicolored dresses, or pied clothes, which was a symbol of low status usually worn by other entertainers such as court fools and executioners. Most pipers lived a vagrant life and were often troublemakers. The original tale didnt include rats. The rodent started appearing only in the 16th century, at a time when Europe was gripped by plague, and so the connection between the piper who brought trouble and the vermin who brought illness is not difficult to imagine. At any rate, rats became an important part of the story and it was this version that was popularized by the likes of Robert Browning and Brothers Grimm. What really happened? The most common theory behind the tale is that the children died of natural causes such as epidemic, and the Piper was just an allegory of death. Others believe that that they may have joined the failed Children's Crusade of 1212 where thousands of children set off for the Holy Land, but many died on the way or were sold to slavery. But the theory does not explain why the story is set so firmly in Hamelin. Besides the Children's Crusade occurred some seventy years before the alleged incident in Hamelin. A new theory suggest that the phrase children of Hamelin was not meant to convey literal youths, but rather inhabitants of the town, and that following the Pied Piper was actually a metaphor for emigrating. In the 13th century, many Germans were persuaded, by offering rewards, to settle in Moravia, East Prussia, Pomerania or in the Teutonic Land by landowners. Consequently, thousands of young adults from Lower Saxony and Westphalia headed east and settled there as evident from dozens of Westphalian place names that show up in this area. Historian Jurgen Udolph believes that many residents from Hamelin wound up in what is now Poland. In the regions of Prignitz and Uckermark and in the former Pomeranian region, Udolph found families with the same dynastic names as in Hamelin with amazing frequency. Udolph surmises that the children were actually unemployed youths who had been sucked into the German drive to colonize its new settlements in Eastern Europe. Landlords often employed certain characters called lokators who roamed northern Germany trying to recruit settlers for this purpose. Like a medieval piper, some of them were brightly dressed and all were silver-tongued. A 14th century portrayal of a lokator (with a special hat). In the upper panel he is shown receiving the foundation charter from the landlord. The settlers clear the forest and build houses. In the lower panel, the lokator acts as the judge in the village. An eerily similar tale also exist in the German town of Brandenburg, where a man appeared with a hurdy-gurdy and lured the children away by its beautiful music. In another legend, more than a thousand children left the city of Erfrut singing and dancing in the year 1257 and arrived at Arnstadt, where the citizens there took them in. When parents back home were notified, they brought their children back, but who led them away remained a mystery. Folktales of rat-catchers are also abound in Germany. In German lore, there is a shape-shifting sprit called Katzenveit who once came to Tripstrille as an exterminator and claimed he cloud drive away the rats. Like the Piped Piper story, he was denied payment and as revenge he led all the cats away from their owners. Related: Mary And Her Little Lamb The Pied Piper is a central figure in Hamelin today, although the dark elements to the tale are overlaid with a spirit of fun and merriment. There are Pied Piper-themed restaurants and businesses whose name reflect the legend, and a street named Bungelosenstrasse ("street without drums") purported to be the very street via which the children were led away from the town. No music is played in this street today as a gesture of respect to the towns lost children. Every Sunday, throughout summer, in the old town center of Hamelin, actors gather to re-enact the tragic tale that befell the German town centuries ago. In addition, each year the city marks June 26 as "Rat Catcher's Day". "The Pied Piper of Hamlin", a 16-foot long mural by American painter Maxfield Parrish, at Palace Hotel, San Francisco. Photo credit: Plum leaves/Flickr A rat tile on the streets of Hamelin. Photo credit: Taylor Sargeant/Flickr Sculpture of the Pied Piper in Hamelin. Photo credit: hydebrink / Shutterstock.com Google Chief Executive Officer Sundar Pichai today spent nearly four hours in Washington being grilled by the U.S. House Judiciary Committee on a wide variety of matters as part of a comprehensive hearing on transparency and accountability, two things the tech giant has been accused of lacking in recent times. While the discussed topics were numerous, every single member of the panel was only allowed a five-minute window with the industry veteran, which limited the extent of Mr. Pichais testimony by a substantial degree, albeit some issues kept arising as certain Representatives continued to press on them. As a result, the industry veteran ultimately did provide some insight in regards to how Google is run, how it views itself in the grand scheme of things, and what acts and episodes its not proud of. Here are the five biggest such takeaways: Images of Trump being the top result for idiot arent evidence of bias: Pichai One of the most curious exchanges between Mr. Pichai and the Judiciary Committee was initiated by Democratic Representative Zoe Lofgren from California who inquired how Google Search determines to show dozens of images of President Donald Trump when users search for the term idiot. The CEO went on to explain the basics of Googles algorithms, reiterating how Search draws many of its smarts from user data attributed to Internet content and essentially shows what the users are expecting to see, maintaining that none of its technologies have any inherent political inclinations. Rep. Lofgren agreed with the assessment, concluding the incoming Democratic House thats being sworn in this January is hoping to keep collaborating with Google on what it deems are more important issues. Advertisement How not telling the truth does not constitute lying Ohio Republican Jim Jordan inquired with Mr. Pichai on a 2016 letter from Google multicultural marketing chief Eliana Murillo who explained how the company modified Search features in order to increase the Latino vote turnover during the 2016 election. While the CEO insisted the effort was part of a broader initiative meant to get more people to vote on a national level, Ms. Murillos email specified the activity only took place in key states where the vote mattered the most. As that demographic traditionally leans to the left, Rep. Jordan questioned Googles claims of unbiased Internet services and political neutrality. When Mr. Pichai insisted Googles own look into the previously leaked email showed no evidence of such targeted political activity, Rep. Jordan asked the CEO whether hes saying Googles own executive was lying as the comment implies she pulled that information out of thin air. Mr. Pichai repeatedly evaded the question before conceding her claims of such acts being conducted in key states were not accurate. Google still insisting the widely reported China Search project is no big deal Advertisement Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX) was the first to ask a question about Project Dragonfly, a highly controversial initiative whose existence only became known this August, more than a year following its inception. The main goal of the effort is a relaunch of Google Search in China in a manner that would make the service compliant with Beijings strict censorship laws, preventing users from searching for terms such as human rights and Nobel prize winners and providing the communist government with any user data it requests. Mr. Pichai stuck to his previously voiced stance about Project Dragonfly not being a done deal, maintaining Alphabets subsidiary currently has no plans to relaunch Search in China. The statement is directly contradicted by a recent report detailing how Google suppressed employee voices opposing the initiative which came from the same source that unveiled the existence of the effort four months ago. According to that expose, a censored version of Google Search for China may be ready to debut as early as April 2019 and come in the form of a mobile app for Android and iOS smartphones and tablets. Mr. Pichais comments suggest Google will be pushing ahead with its China ambitions at all costs or at the very least wont be basing its strategy for the Far Eastern country with what the U.S. Congress thinks about dealing with the countrys largest economic rival. Stricter U.S. privacy regulations are incoming and Google made peace with that This September, Google proposed a federal legislative framework meant to regulate data privacy, having done so immediately after California enacted its own privacy act akin to the European Unions General Data Protection Regulation. During todays hearing, Mr. Pichai repeatedly voiced support for federal-level regulation of the manner in which the tech sector collects, stores, manages, and uses data. While the companys business model is largely reliant on technically free services that collect information and use it for targeted advertising opportunities sold to marketers meaning any additional regulations would stifle its ability to monetize its solutions and please investors California appears to have opened the floodgates as talks of similar laws are currently ongoing in a number of other states and Google would obviously prefer keeping things tied to a single framework instead of creating and maintaining 50 different versions of its services for the U.S. alone. Naturally, thats not how Mr. Pichai put it and he instead chose to frame that stance as a noble endeavor meant to increase the overall level of digital privacy American consumers can expect during his Tuesday hearing. Advertisement Google insists its mostly tracking you because you want it to On the subject of intrusive Android tracking practices that are presently the subject of a number of lawsuits in the United States, Googles CEO unsurprisingly stuck with the companys official stance that all of its tracking activity is done not only with users consent but by their very desire. If someone uses a navigation app, they obviously want to have their location tracked, the executive argued, albeit without directly referencing scenarios wherein that isnt the case. Mr. Pichai only acknowledged that IP addresses can contain location data, whereas Google was proven to have previously harvested such information from Wi-Fi details as well, even with Android location tracking settings turned off. Google Chief Executive Officer Sundar Pichai is scheduled to be grilled by the United States House Judiciary Committee later today, at 10:00 AM EST. As is usually the case with public hearings organized by major legislative bodies in the country, todays gathering will be broadcast and anyone interested in watching the livestream of the thereof can find one below this writing. The hearing itself has already been postponed once due to the funeral of President George H. W. Bush and while its approximate scope has already been publicized as well, the exact questions Mr. Pichai will field during his Capitol Hill appearance remain unknown. The main subject of the gathering comes down to Googles accountability and transparency, with the committee being set to examine the manner in which the company collects, manages, uses, and stores user data. The House body will pay special attention to allegations of political bias that have been following Google for numerous years now and became more intense than ever in the run-up to the 2016 presidential election. Theyre still hovering around the company to date as even the very top of the GOP including President Donald Trump repeatedly accused Alphabets subsidiary of silencing conservative voices online and giving unfair attention to liberal worldviews. Such filtering practices will be another topic of interest at todays hearing. A troubled year for the tech giant Advertisement Outside of political bias accusations, Mr. Pichai will almost certainly be facing questions about Googles ambitions in China where the company is presently planning to launch a censored version of its Search service with a long list of banned terms such as human rights and student protests. The controversial initiative code-named Project Dragonfly has been in development since last year in total secret and its existence only became known this August, prompting massive backlash from government officials, general public, and Googles own employees. Mr. Pichai previously went on record to claim Google has yet to greenlit Project Dragonfly for commercialization, maintaining the initiative remains highly experimental in nature. However, a later report suggested that statement was not only patently false but revealed the extraordinary extent of the tech giants efforts to suppress mounting internal opposition to the project. Google China head Scott Beaumont is said to have maintained an openly adversarial relationship with the firms legal and privacy teams that regularly review all of the companys products prior to any concrete commercialization decisions being made. That reportedly wasnt the case with Project Dragonfly which is understood to have been pushed forward through backchannels and in a highly secretive manner, with its existence being known to only several hundred employees, or less than 0.5-percent of Googles global workforce. Two months prior to the revelation of the controversial initiatives existence, Google opted not to renew its contract for Project Dragonfly, another polarizing effort aimed at AI weaponization, albeit one thats been jointly pursued with the Pentagon. The fact that the company dropped its collaboration with the U.S. Military while simultaneously doubling down on China didnt sit well with many legislators and regulators and is expected to be yet another topic Mr. Pichai will be questioned on later today. Samsung is preparing to bring forward a portfolio of blockchain-related offerings under the brandings of Blockchain KeyStore, Blockchain Key Box, and Blockchain Core, based on recent IP documentation reviewed by AndroidHeadlines. The documents dont provide too many details but each filing appears to be directly related to one another and is categorized by classification as being related to smartphones and software. That, in combination with the names chosen, seems to indicate that each represents an individual piece of a larger solution. In the context of a blockchain, a key can take two forms private or public. Both essentially represent hashed data, in some cases cryptocurrency, technically taking the form of long integers but most often presented in a format comprised of both letters and numbers. As the names suggest, the private key is kept private and generates the public key thats shown publicly to create the hash function others see. Together, those form the basis for generating signatures in the public digital ledger of the blockchain. Samsungs Blockchain key box likely pertains to a secure storage method by which various keys from a users transactions are kept on-device and readily viewable with all of the relevant details for any given blockchain ledger transaction. That could also allow multiple accounts to be stored, acting as a central place for accessing a users own blockchain activity. Conversely, Blockchain KeyStore would seem to refer to a central location for accessing blockchain based software or solutions. The blockchain is still relatively young and is most commonly thought of as a way to store and manage cryptocurrencies but several games have also been made using the blockchain as a foundation and its use can extend far beyond those types of transactions. Finally, the name Blockchain Core would seem to imply that the final piece to the puzzle is Samsungs underlying solution for enabling the transactions between a smartphone and the blockchain. In summary, its not unlikely that would form the foundation that Blockchain key box and KeyStore are built on. Background: Although speculative, the abovementioned conjecture isnt entirely baseless. Samsung has been discussing and exploring the prospects presented by the blockchain since at least the beginning of the year. In April, Samsung SDS Blockchain Head Song Kwang-woo indicated that it was considering the use of a blockchain ledger system alongside AI to manage its operations. In 2018, the company had expected to manage as many as 488,000 tons of air cargo and the equivalent of over 20-million-feet of shipping units. The task of ensuring the supply chain is secure from end-to-end without some form of an advanced modern ledger is daunting, bordering on impossible. The blockchain represents one way that can be handled with the added benefit of including a publicly viewable and tamper-evident log of transactions. Advertisement More closely tied to the recent IP filings, Samsung announced the decision to move forward with an AI and blockchain-based digital financial business referred to as Nexfinance in June. That was billed at the time as a central platform including big data analysis and intelligent process automation offered to financial services providers to augment the services they offer over the blockchain. Summarily, Nexfinance was revealed to be a product for enterprise customers rather than the general consumer base delivering secure digital identification methods, financial concierge services, and A.I.-driven automation for services such as filing an insurance claim. With that under consideration, the new Blockchain key box, Blockchain KeyStore, and Blockchain Core could be intended to bridge the gap between those financial service providers and consumers. More recent reports in August suggested that experts in cryptocurrencies had argued that a smartphone with Trusted Execution Environments (TEE) such as Samsungs own Knox, are not suitable for storing blockchain assets. In opposition to arguments presented by the Korean tech giant, the experts indicated that although those solutions are secure, they are susceptible to a number of attack vectors that only really vary based on how the TEE is implemented. As a result, they are not a good enough option on their own to protect the assets associated with blockchain-based holdings or cryptocurrency. It isnt unfeasible that indirect feedback from experts in the technology is at least partially responsible for Samsungs new Blockchain-branded solutions. Namely, they could simply be intended to supplement Knox on its flagship smartphones in order to ensure that cryptocurrency holdings and other assets stored on a Samsung device are kept more secure. Impact: Samsung has been exploring blockchain-related solutions on its own mobile platforms for some time now and each of its newly filed marketing terms, at the surface, seems intrinsically linked to those efforts and one another. In the context of Samsungs past efforts and plausible directions the company might be looking to take, Blockchain Core seems to represent the groundwork for securing transactions and stored assets. Blockchain key box could, in turn, act as a user-facing or hidden storage for private and public keys that allow transactions. That might also present details about transactions while adding an additional layer of security on top of Knox and Blockchain Core. Finally, Blockchain KeyStore would represent the place where transactions actually take place the blockchain store. All of that would be stored on and accessed via a users smartphone whether as an app or a web service. That would presumably be limited to Samsung devices where the company has more control over the security underpinning the solutions. Advertisement Samsung could also be headed in a completely different direction and may not ever release any products under those brandings at all. However, that doesnt seem likely with consideration of how adamant it has been about blockchain solutions in the past. There arent enough details in the IP documents to determine when such a product might release or exactly what they might pertain to. Regardless, the fast-tracked status of each individual filing seems to imply that the company is more than ready to move forward with something on the consumer-ready blockchain front. So it should only be a matter of time before Samsung brings products forward either under the branding or directly related to it. Verizon has confirmed 10,400 employees have opted to accept the companys separation offer and will be voluntarily leaving the US carrier by the middle of next year. Although the exact departure date for select employees will vary depending on the companys needs with Verizon confirming there are three preset departure times that have now been set, consisting of the calendar end of 2018, March 2019 and with June 2019 acting as the final exit period. By which point all of the 10,400 employees will have left. While it seems strange for so many people to be willing to leave a job in the current climate, it is likely the package Verizon was offering was tempting enough for many to see the gamble as a worthwhile one. Speaking of which, Verizon today confirmed those employees who have opted to leave will be eligible to receive up to 60 weeks salary, bonus and benefits however this will vary greatly at the individual level with each package based on the employees length of service. No further explanation on how the early-retirement package breaks down were provided although the company did state that affected employees were contacted today confirming they had been selected and advised of which employment termination cycle they are now part of. Not the usual job loss situation Advertisement Unlike the typical instances where companies announce they are cutting back on employees, and especially when the numbers are similar to whats noted here, the Verizon situation is not a sudden or unexpected one. As back in September of this year it was reported the company had launched a voluntary early-retirement scheme for employees to take advantage of. Therefore this latest announcement is effectively a follow on to the launch of the scheme which confirms the company received a fairly healthy response to its offer. Its also worth noting that Verizon is understood to have offered the option to leave to four times as many people as were accepted. Therefore, it could be the case that while this is a fairly sizable number of leavers in itself, it might not have been as much as Verizon had initially hoped or planned for. This is not the first time the company has offered a voluntary exit plan to its employees although the last time was in 2003, and while the number of departing workers in this cycle is significant, the last one was even more so considering more than 21,000 people agreed to leave the company in exchange for a buyout. Therefore, while this is a large decrease in the number of employees, it only represents about half the number who decided to take advantage of the last opportunity. Cutting jobs to focus on the future Advertisement Verizon has made no bones that it wants to cut down on the number of employees it has, and while doing so is an excellent way to cut costs and help the companys bottom line, thats not entirely the purpose here as Verizon is not looking to get rid of workers simply for the sake of it but instead has embarked on this choice due to the increased investment the company has made in newer technologies, such as 5G . An aspect that was touched upon again in todays announcement with Verizon stating these changes will help the company to better positions itself for future growth and a move that coincides with the companys organization structure designed to optimize growth opportunities in the 5G era. Undeniably, this 7-percent drop in workforce is a large drop, although its also a necessity one due to the sheer volume of investment thats now being shifted to 5G and especially considering Verizon is now in a race with AT&T to be the first to market with a working network. Unlike previous network expansions, 5G has required an almost system-wide change and this will of course mean aspects like workforce will need to be redistributed or in this case, decreased. In addition, the pace set by AT&T and Verizon has resulted in a landscape where both companies seem to be continuously accelerating as a means to ensure they offer access to as many customers as they can, as quickly as they can. Both AT&T and Verizon were present in Hawaii last week and demonstrating the progress they had made so far at Qualcomms Snapdragon Tech Summit. No effect on customers Advertisement Besides the move to 5G and the changes such a move naturally results in, Verizon has been decreasing its number of employees over a number of years now and in addition to the announced job losses today, the company also seems to have seen a slight decrease in its employee count in the last quarter alone. It was previously reported that at the end of the second-quarter of 2018 the employee count stood at 153,000. Verizon today confirmed that as of the end of the third-quarter it had approximately 152,300 employees a difference of 700 between the two quarters. Of course, that quarter-over-quarter drop will pale into insignificance by June of 2019 as by then the company will have seen a sizeable portion of its entire workforce gone. However, as these are orchestrated and voluntary redundancies, Verizon has made the point that the reduction in workforce is not expected to result in any impact on its customers. If anything, the company argues the changes are happening to further help with improvements to the service, with Verizon stating the goal is to better serve customers by adopting an approach that allows the company more agility, speed and flexibility. Whether or not that is the case remains to be seen although with these being such highly-organized exits that are spread out over at least three major departure points, it would seem likely that Verizon is accounting for areas where issues might otherwise surface due to the high number of job losses. In either case, cutting as much as 7-percent of the entire companys workforce is likely to significantly help with Verizons more grander ambitions of saving as much as $10 billion by 2021. An ambition which the company has made clear will be helped through the greater adoption of network virtualization. And Verizon is not expected to be alone in this respect, as indications point to an increased use of network virtualization in general during the early stages of 5G. 40 Civil Society Organizations Urge UN to Support Resolution on Human Rights in Iran 11/13/18 Source: Center for Human Rights in Iran Forty civil society organizations including the Center for Human Rights in Iran (CHRI) have signed a letter urging UN member states to support Canada's resolution on human rights in Iran that will be presented to the Third Committee of the UN General Assembly on November 14, 2018. "The continued attention of the international community is required to ensure Iran upholds its international human rights obligations," says the letter drafted by Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch. "By supporting resolution A/C.3/73/L.42, the UN General Assembly will send a strong signal to the Iranian authorities that the promotion and respect of human rights is a priority, and that genuine and tangible improvements to the situation are expected to ensure the dignity inherent to all persons in Iran." Following is the full text of the letter. Monday, 12 November 2018 TO: All Permanent Missions to the United Nations in New York Your Excellencies, The undersigned national, regional and international civil society organizations urge your government to support resolution A/C.3/73/L.42 on the promotion and protection of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran, which has been presented to the Third Committee in the framework of the 73rd session of the United Nations General Assembly. This annual resolution provides an opportunity for the General Assembly to take stock of human rights violations in Iran over the last year and the many other human rights concerns that remain unaddressed in the country, as detailed in reports recently issued by the UN Secretary-General and the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Iran, and offers key recommendations for how the Government of Iran can better implement its national and international human rights obligations. We echo the Secretary-General's observation that this year has been "marked by an intensified crackdown on protesters, journalists and social media users", in the wake of the wave of protests that erupted across Iran in December 2017 and continued into 2018. The Iranians authorities have stepped up their repression of the rights to freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly, jailing hundreds of people on vague and broadly worded national security charges. Those targeted include peaceful political dissidents, journalists, online media workers, students, filmmakers, musicians and writers, as well as human rights defenders, including women's rights activists, minority rights activists, environmental activists, trade unionists, anti-death penalty campaigners, lawyers, and those seeking truth, justice and reparation for the mass executions and enforced disappearances of the 1980s. In a worrying development, the Iranian authorities this year arbitrarily arrested and detained, prosecuted and imprisoned on spurious criminal charges lawyers representing civil society activists and others charged for politically motivated reasons. Judicial authorities have denied detainees accused of national security-related charges access to a lawyer of their choice, particularly during the investigation process. The resolution also acknowledges positive steps taken by the Government, including putting into effect an amendment to the country's drug law which has resulted in fewer executions for drug-related offences being carried out in the country. Nonetheless, Iran's wide use of the death penalty remains of great concern. Iranian law still retains the death penalty for a wide range of drug trafficking offences. Iran also continues to use the death penalty for vaguely worded offences such as "enmity against god" (moharebeh) and "spreading corruption on earth" (efsad-e fel arz), which do not amount to an internationally recognizable criminal offence. The death penalty is also retained for acts that should not even be considered crimes including some consensual same-sex sexual conduct and intimate extra-marital relationships. The penal code also continues to provide for stoning as a method of execution. Also deeply concerning is Iran's continued use of sentencing to death and executing those who were under the age of 18 at the time of the crime. Despite repeated condemnations by UN bodies, to date in 2018, the Iranian authorities have executed at least five people who were under the age of 18 at the time of the crime of which they were convicted; according to Amnesty International, at least 85 others remain on death row and the real number could be much higher. This horrific practice is a flagrant violation of Iran's human rights obligations under the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights as well as under customary international law, and requires urgent action by UN member states. We, as civil society actors, believe that the UN's ongoing engagement is necessary in order to press Iran to undertake long-overdue reforms and respect the human rights of all in the country. The Secretary-General and the Special Rapporteur have repeatedly stressed that various laws, policies and practices in Iran continue to seriously undermine the fundamental rights of the people of Iran, including their rights to life; freedom from torture and other ill-treatment; fair trial; freedom of religion or belief; peaceful exercise of the freedom of expression (online and offline), association and assembly; and equal enjoyment of all to education, to health and to work. Violence and discrimination, in law and practice, against individuals on the basis of gender, religion, belief, ethnicity, language, political opinion, sexual orientation and gender identity, among other grounds that are universally recognized as impermissible under international law, also remain widespread and continue to be sanctioned by laws, policies and government practices. Women and girls experience pervasive discrimination, in law and practice, and receive little or no protection against cruel, inhuman or degrading practices, including domestic violence, marital rape, early and forced marriage and forced veiling. In addition, the systematic persecution of Baha'is continues unabated. Other religious minorities including Christian converts, Yaresan (Ahl-e Haq) and Sunni Muslims also face systematic discrimination. This year the authorities have subjected Gonabadi Dervishes to a harsh crackdown, with hundreds arrested and subjected to torture and other ill-treatment, and over 200 sentenced after grossly unfair trials to harsh prison terms, floggings, internal exile, travel bans, and/or a ban on membership of social and political groups. Ethnic minority activists, including Arabs, Baloch, Kurds and Azerbaijani Turks have also been subjected to widespread patterns of abuse and serious violations of their rights. Further to this, Iran has by and large failed to implement key recommendations by UN human rights bodies. For instance, torture and other ill-treatment at the time of arrest and in detention, including prolonged solitary confinement, continue to be committed on a widespread basis and with complete impunity. Judicial authorities also continue to impose and implement sentences that constitute cruel, inhuman or degrading punishments, including floggings and amputations, which amount to torture. Cooperation with UN human rights mechanisms is lacking. The Government's engagement with these entities, including the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Iran, has been cursory. Despite the Government's issuance of a standing invitation to the UN Special Procedures in 2002 and dozens of UN recommendations urging the Government's cooperation with them, pending requests for country visits from 10 thematic procedures remain unaddressed. No special procedure has been allowed to visit Iran since 2005. Furthermore, individuals, including human rights defenders, have faced reprisals on the basis of real or perceived contact with UN bodies. The continued attention of the international community is required to ensure Iran upholds its international human rights obligations. By supporting resolution A/C.3/73/L.42, the UN General Assembly will send a strong signal to the Iranian authorities that the promotion and respect of human rights is a priority, and that genuine and tangible improvements to the situation are expected to ensure the dignity inherent to all persons in Iran. Abdorrahman Boroumand Center for Human Rights All human rights for all in Iran Amnesty International Arseh Sevom Article 18 ARTICLE 19 ASL19 Association for Human Rights in Kurdistan of Iran - Geneva AHRAZ - Association for the Human Rights of the Azerbaijani people in Iran Balochistan Human Rights Group Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies Ceasefire Centre for Civilian Rights Center for Human Rights in Iran Centre for Supporters of Human Rights Child Rights International Network (CRIN) CIVICUS : World Alliance for Citizen Participation Conectas Direitos Humanos Ensemble contre la peine de mort (ECPM) Gulf Centre for Human Rights Human Rights Activists in Iran (HRAI) Human Rights Watch Impact Iran International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (ILGA) International Movement Against All Forms of Discrimination and Racism International Service for Human Rights Iran Human Rights Iran Human Rights Documentation Center Iranian Queer Organization (IRQO) Justice for Iran Kurdistan Human Rights Network Minority Rights Group International OutRight Action International Reprieve Siamak Pourzand Foundation Small Media The Advocates for Human Rights United for Iran World Coalition Against the Death Penalty 6Rang (Iranian Lesbian & Transgender Network) by Iranian poet Saadi (~1200-1292) Excellent Air offers its customers a full-service, door-to-door charter experience on its twin-engined Cessna business jets. Under the agreement signed at MEBAA 2018 in Dubai, Jet Aviation becomes the preferred handling service provider for Excellent Air at its FBO locations in EMEA. As the name suggests, we at Excellent Air are committed to service excellence, seamless travel and absolute quality whether in the air or on the ground, says Excellent Air CEO, Richard Hekker. We appreciate Jet Aviations commitment to safety and the highest service standards, readily evidenced by the IS-BAH Stage 2 Safety Certificates conferred on them just yesterday, and are pleased to entrust our customers to their care. Oliver Bergsch, Jet Aviations VP of sales management for EMEA and APAC, adds, We are delighted to partner with Excellent Air and look forward to welcoming their customers at our facilities in Berlin, Dubai, Dusseldorf, Geneva, Moscow, Munich, Vienna and Zurich. The good news is that theres been very little ideologically-based destruction of the kind ISIS perpetrated in Syria and Iraq; the damage is almost entirely collateral, the by-product of the warring sides shooting at each other. The bad news is that the worst of the damage has been caused by Saudi Arabia with American and European weapons. Hyperallergic Jamas nos callaran Fisica y culturalmente Nec plus ultra, nec variatur Precio del Brent To get the BRENT oil price, please enable Javascript. Precio del WTI To get the oil price, please enable Javascript. Paginas vistas en total Dolar USA Vs Euro Sin ellas, no seremos Deja vu Nada que celebrar Hasta cuando? Colombia Hoy Para nunca olvidar 'Parasite' painted on a statue of Queen, Elizabeth in Kent, England Sin palabras La UE le apunta a la paz Cada vez mas solo Precio del Oro To get the gold price, please enable Javascript. LULA y su Pueblo Bye Bye Homenaje al genial Quino Fueron ellos Una imagen que resume Tan bajo ha caido que se deja tocar el trasero? Porky y el Nene (archiconocido narcotraficante) Ladrones al poder Asi mira el perrito a su amo Crazy Clamor popular La nueva inquisicion Bolivia Chile Hoy Eso es todo amigos! Piensalo! Pinerachet No More Trump Adios Macri, hasta nunca La Marioneta se desinfla Asi o mas cinico Almugre Mexico en 1794 Mas arrastrado imposible Hasta cuando! La pura verdad Solidaridad con Palestina Serie Capitalismo Espejismos de la clase trabajadora Asi es! Comerciantes o delincuentes No pasaran! Asi es la vida USA HOY 01/01/1959 La avaricia no tiene limites AYUDA HUMANITARIA? Chile Hoy Asi son las cosas Mapa Electoral de Venezuela Patagonia argentina? Un aniversario mas del mayor genocidio de la Humanidad Retrato del franquismo en Espana Visca Catalunya! El Chulo de Madrid Cuando la policia se roba la democracia Una imagen dice mas que mil palabras La purita verdad Asi gobierna la maldita burguesia Mi pobre clase media Como Chavez nadie Comparte La Colmena via twitter Twittear Programa de la MUD Asi o mas clarito Por que Trump no ataco Corea del Norte? Hace 15 anos Por que la OEA no se pronuncio? Una verguenza nacional La luz que nos guia La Union Europea Premio Nobel de la Paz? Feudalismo ayer y hoy Obama, el mentiroso Curiosa coincidencia Un mundo de cerdos No es extrano? La Marioneta Los ricos protestan, los pobres celebran MARICORI Y OBAMA Cuantas muertes este ano? 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Por culpa de Chavez Cerveza Polar Algun dia Colombia volvera a la ideologia de Bolivar Translate LOS REVOLUCIONARIOS NO TOMAN CACA-COLA No se trata solamente de un capricho, sino de una sana actitud en todos los sentidos. Desde la solidaridad con el pueblo colombiano donde la empresa Caca-Cola ha cometido los mas grandes abusos contra sus trabajadores incluyendo el presunto secuestro y asesinato de los dirigentes del sindicato, hasta la proteccion de la salud de nuestros hijos, enviciados por ese jarabe de cola y azucar, que les produce obesidad prematura. Pensemos tambien los revolucionarios, que ese dinero que gastamos en los refrescos es utilizado por esas empresas para financiar el terrorismo en nuestro pais. Es cierto, no se trata solo de la Caca-Cola, sino tambien de la cerveza, de los cigarrillos y todos esos articulos innecesarios y mas que eso, daninos para nuestra salud. Podriamos incluso pensar en un dia de parada para cada uno de ellos. Es cuestion de irnos organizando. Pero para empezar, que tal si dejamos de comprar Caca-Cola y sus similares? Cuando lo extraordinario se vuelve cotidiano... Discurso del Acto de Grado en Barinas en 12 de Febrero del 2005 Queridos Graduandos: Mas que un discurso, quiero dirigirles algunas palabras que escribi anoche, despues de visitar en las clinicas, a los estudiantes heridos, a consecuencia de los enfrentamientos con la policia de hace apenas dos dias. Me ha tocado por razones del destino, ser la persona que les otorgue el titulo que bien merecieron con sus estudios. Y me siento sumamente orgulloso de serlo. Me consta que la Universidad de Los Llanos Occidentales Ezequiel Zamora, a pesar de lo dicho por los enemigos de esta universidad, es una universidad de primera. No tendremos la mejor planta fisica, en los salones hace calor. En el comedor hace calor. Pero no es en lo material que las cosas deben valorarse. El mayor capital es el ser humano. Y en eso, nuestra UNELLEZ, lo digo con conocimiento de causa, esta sobrada. Los llaneros venezolanos son nobles, valientes, de coraje. En la UNELLEZ hacen vida, en este momento, aproximadamente 67000 personas. El 97% de ellas son estudiantes. Jovenes que, como Ustedes hasta el dia de hoy, buscan ese titulo, que constata los anos de dedicacion y de estudio. Los jovenes son el rio de la vida, ustedes graduados deben ser los capitanes de esos barcos que naveguen por el rio de la vida. Nuestra Patria atraviesa momentos muy dificiles porque decidio dejar de ser esa matrona de edad vetusta y complaciente, para ser joven, rebelde y altanera. Nuestra imagen ya no es la de una acaudalada ricachona mayamera. En nuestro rostro brilla ahora la sonrisa del Che Guevara, con su diente delantero torcido, su pelo largo y su boina con la estrella. Entender esto, a mi me ha tomado practicamente toda la vida. Tengo 53 anos, y ya perdi mi oportunidad de derramar sangre joven a causa de un ideal. Ustedes son jovenes, estan en la flor de la vida. No cometan por favor el error de renunciar a su instinto de rebelion. El Che Guevara fue Ministro de a Economia en Cuba. Los billetes y las monedas se adornaban con su rostro. Nada de eso le importo. Primero fue a Angola donde paso un penoso ano de combate. Despues se fue a Bolivia, donde encontro la muerte. El Che era el ultimo que comia, el que cargaba la mochila mas pesada. Siempre se sacrificaba por los demas en un estoicismo que mas parecia fervor religioso que ideologia marxista. Si quieren un modelo de vida. Ahi lo tienen. Dije hace unos momentos que el 97% de la poblacion de la UNELLEZ es estudiante. Se imaginan Ustedes la Universidad que podriamos tener si todos los estudiantes tuvieran la abnegacion, la combatividad del Che? Los momentos que se avecinan van a requerir de una gran unidad del pueblo venezolano. La alternativa de continuar siendo libres o regresar a la pobreza se nos planteara en los proximos dias de forma enmascarada, o quizas peor, desenmascarada, vestida con uniforme de soldado del Imperio. Por nuestra parte podemos esperar lo mejor. La macroeconomia no podria ir mejor, la justicia social ha mejorado notablemente. Las misiones ocupan un papel muy importante en el pago de dicha justicia social. Aqui en Barinas ya hemos cumplido con dos de las misiones, la mision Robinson y la mision Sucre. No hay analfabetismo y no hay exclusion en la educacion superior, en estas tierras de Zamora. Pero ay malhaya! Son precisamente estos exitos los que nos hacen mas antipaticos al Imperio. Para ellos, somos inclusive un mal ejemplo que se esta contagiando al resto del continente y cuidado sino al resto del mundo. Nunca venceremos al Imperio. Estara siempre ahi, acechando. Por lo menos hasta que el mismo no se autodestruya. Porque, sepanlo senores, el neoliberalismo es canibal. Cuando le ataque el hambre, se devorara a si mismo. Ustedes, queridos graduandos, a partir de hoy pasan a conformar la elite profesional que debe sostener este pais en los proximos cuarenta o cincuenta anos. Anos decisivos para el logro de nuestra libertad y del rescate de nuestra Soberania. No se dejen comprar. No se dejen corromper. No se dejen gritar. No se dejen pisar. Que nadie les diga que comer, o que vestirse, o que leer. Sean siempre autenticos, rebeldes, contestatarios. Pero eso si, profundamente patriotas, dignos de ser hijos de Bolivar. Muchas gracias y que Dios los bendiga. Alguna duda? Medio siglo de Holocausto Palestino Oscar Zanartu Nacio en Caracas en 1960. Ha realizado exposiciones individuales en las galerias Minotauro, Clave y San Francisco, y en salas de Coro, estado Falcon, y Puerto Ordaz, estado Bolivar. En Paris su obra ha sido exhibida en el Centro Cultural Tanagra, en la Exposicion Cite Internationale des Arts, en las galerias De Mars y Arver Space, al igual que en la Galeria Municipal Levallois, en Levallois Perret (Francia). En muestras colectivas, su obra se ha expuesto en Belgica, Francia, Estados Unidos y Venezuela; en Caracas intervino en la exposicion "Del genesis a la memoria", 1995, organizada por la Fundacion La Previsora. En 1982 obtuvo el Premio Nacional Critven y en 1990 la Mencion de Honor Jose Antonio Paez, en la Embajada de Venezuela en Paris. En 1991 se le concedio el primer premio de Pintura Itinerante, en Levallois Perret, Francia. OZ1 OZ2 OZ3 OZ4 Homenaje a Jason Galarraga La Victoria de Samotracia Odalisca Mas fotos de la nevada del pasado agosto 2008 La Sierra Nevada de Merida Nuestro precioso Churum Meru Homenaje a Picasso Autoretrato Sabes lo que bebes en una Coca-Cola? La formula de la Pepsi tiene una diferencia basica con la de la Coca-Cola y es intencional, para evitar el proceso judicial. La diferencia es a proposito, pero suficientemente parecida como para atraer a los consumidores de Coca-Cola que prefieren un gusto diferente con menos sal y azucar. Mi profesion? Tuve que aprender quimica, entender todo sobre componentes de gaseosas, conservantes, sales, acidos, cafeina, enlatado, produccion, permisos, aprobaciones y muchas otras cosas. Monte mi propio mini-laboratorio de analisis de productos. Sal en la Coca Cola? A patadas. El Cloruro de Sodio no solo refresca sino da mas sed, como para pedir otra gaseosa. Y no resulta desagradable porque la sal mata literalmente la sensibilidad al dulce... del que por cierto tambien tiene mucho: 39 gramos de azucar. De los 350 gramos de producto liquido, mas del 10% es azucar, o sea que en una lata de Coca-Cola mas de un centimetro y medio es puro azucar en polvo. Aproximadamente tres cucharadas soperas llenas de azucar por lata!!La formula de la Coca Cola es muy sencilla: Concentrado de azucar quemado caramelo- para dar color oscuro y gusto Acido fosforito (para darle el sabor acido) azucar (HFCS-jarabe de maiz de alta fructosa) Extracto de hojas de la planta de Coca (Africa e India) y otros pocos aromatizantes naturales de otras plantas Mucha Cafeina Conservante que puede ser Benzoato de Sodio o Potasio Dioxido de Carbono en cantidad para sentir freir la lengua cuando se bebe Sal para dar la sensacion de refrigeracion El uso del acido fosforito y no del acido citrico como en todas las demas gaseosas, es para dar la sensacion de dientes y boca limpia al beber. El acido fosforito literalmente frie todo y dana el esmalte de los dientes, cosa que el acido citrico lo hace en menor grado.Trate de comprar acido fosforito para ver las mil recomendaciones de seguridad que te dan para su manipulacion (quema el cristalino del ojo, quema la piel, etc...). Esta prohibido usar el acido fosforito en cualquier otra gaseosa; solo la Coca Cola tiene permiso. Porque claro, sin el acido fosforico, la Coca Cola sabria a jabon.El extracto de coca y otras hojas casi no cambia en nada el sabor. Es mas bien un efecto cosmetico. El extracto forma parte de la Coca-Cola porque legalmente tiene que ser asi. Pero sin el, no se nota ninguna diferencia en el gusto, que esta dado basicamente por las cantidades diferentes de azucar, azucar quemada, sales, acidos y conservantes.Sabor a que...? ja, ja, ja. Aqui en Bartow, sur de Orlando, hay una empresa quimica que produce aromatizantes y esencias para zumos. Envian diariamente camionadas de sales concentradas y esencias para las fabricas de helados, gaseosas, jugos, enlatados y comida colorida y aromatizada.Cuando visite por primera vez la fabrica, pedi ver el deposito de concentrados de frutas, que deberia ser inmenso, especialmente los de naranja, pina, fresa y tantos otros. El encargado me miro, se rio y me llevo a visitar los depositos inmensos... pero de colorantes y componentes quimicos. Las gaseosa de naranja no contiene naranja. En los zumos dizque de fresa, hasta los puntitos que quedan en suspension estan hechos de goma (una liga quimica que envuelve un semi-polimero). Pina, es un popurri de acidos y goma. La esencia para helado de aguacate usa peroxido de hidrogeno (agua oxigenada) para dar la sensacion espumosa tipica del aguacate. Bebidas Light? Quieres saber la cantidad de basura que tiene un refresco 'light'? Yo ni siquiera los uso para destapar mi lavaplatos pues temo que danen los tubos de PVC. Los productos endulzantes 'ligth' tienen una vida media muy corta. Por ejemplo el Despues de toda mi experiencia con la produccion de bebidas embasadas, puedo afirmar sin dudar un segundo: la mejor bebida es el agua, como tambien los jugos exprimidos de naranja o limon. Nada mas, cero azucar y cero sal. Publicado por loretahur En realidad, la formula secreta de la Coca-Cola se puede detallar en 18 segundos en cualquier espectrometro optico, y basicamente la conocen hasta los perros. Lo que ocurre es que no se puede fabricar igual, a no ser que uno disponga de unos cuantos millones de dolares para ganarle la demanda que te metera la Coca-Cola ante la justicia (ellos no perderian).La formula de la Pepsi tiene una diferencia basica con la de la Coca-Cola y es intencional, para evitar el proceso judicial. La diferencia es a proposito, pero suficientemente parecida como para atraer a los consumidores de Coca-Cola que prefieren un gusto diferente con menos sal y azucar.Tuve que aprender quimica, entender todo sobre componentes de gaseosas, conservantes, sales, acidos, cafeina, enlatado, produccion, permisos, aprobaciones y muchas otras cosas. Monte mi propio mini-laboratorio de analisis de productos.A patadas. El Cloruro de Sodio no solo refresca sino da mas sed, como para pedir otra gaseosa. Y no resulta desagradable porque la sal mata literalmente la sensibilidad al dulce... del que por cierto tambien tiene mucho: 39 gramos de azucar.De los 350 gramos de producto liquido, mas del 10% es azucar, o sea que en una lata de Coca-Cola mas de un centimetro y medio es puro azucar en polvo. Aproximadamente tres cucharadas soperas llenas de azucar por lata!!La formula de la Coca Cola es muy sencilla:Concentrado de azucar quemado caramelo- para dar color oscuro y gustoAcido fosforito (para darle el sabor acido)azucar (HFCS-jarabe de maiz de alta fructosa)Extracto de hojas de la planta de Coca (Africa e India) y otros pocos aromatizantes naturales de otras plantasMucha CafeinaConservante que puede ser Benzoato de Sodio o PotasioDioxido de Carbono en cantidad para sentir freir la lengua cuando se bebeSal para dar la sensacion de refrigeracionEl uso del acido fosforito y no del acido citrico como en todas las demas gaseosas, es para dar la sensacion de dientes y boca limpia al beber. El acido fosforito literalmente frie todo y dana el esmalte de los dientes, cosa que el acido citrico lo hace en menor grado.Trate de comprar acido fosforito para ver las mil recomendaciones de seguridad que te dan para su manipulacion (quema el cristalino del ojo, quema la piel, etc...). Esta prohibido usar el acido fosforito en cualquier otra gaseosa; solo la Coca Cola tiene permiso. Porque claro, sin el acido fosforico, la Coca Cola sabria a jabon.El extracto de coca y otras hojas casi no cambia en nada el sabor. Es mas bien un efecto cosmetico. El extracto forma parte de la Coca-Cola porque legalmente tiene que ser asi. Pero sin el, no se nota ninguna diferencia en el gusto, que esta dado basicamente por las cantidades diferentes de azucar, azucar quemada, sales, acidos y conservantes.Sabor a que...? ja, ja, ja.Aqui en Bartow, sur de Orlando, hay una empresa quimica que produce aromatizantes y esencias para zumos. Envian diariamente camionadas de sales concentradas y esencias para las fabricas de helados, gaseosas, jugos, enlatados y comida colorida y aromatizada.Cuando visite por primera vez la fabrica, pedi ver el deposito de concentrados de frutas, que deberia ser inmenso, especialmente los de naranja, pina, fresa y tantos otros. El encargado me miro, se rio y me llevo a visitar los depositos inmensos... pero de colorantes y componentes quimicos.Las gaseosa de naranja no contiene naranja.En los zumos dizque de fresa, hasta los puntitos que quedan en suspension estan hechos de goma (una liga quimica que envuelve un semi-polimero).Pina, es un popurri de acidos y goma.La esencia para helado de aguacate usa peroxido de hidrogeno (agua oxigenada) para dar la sensacion espumosa tipica del aguacate.Quieres saber la cantidad de basura que tiene un refresco 'light'? Yo ni siquiera los uso para destapar mi lavaplatos pues temo que danen los tubos de PVC. Los productos endulzantes 'ligth' tienen una vida media muy corta. Por ejemplo el aspartamo , despues de tres semanas mojado, pasa a tener gusto de trapo viejo sucio.Para evitar eso, se agregan una infinidad de otros productos quimicos, uno para alargar la vida del aspartamo, otro para neutralizar el color, otro para mantener el tercer quimico en suspension porque sino el fondo de la gaseosa quedaria oscuro, otro para evitar la cristalizacion del aspartamo, otro para realzar el sabor, dar mas intensidad al acido citrico o fosforito que perderia su sabor por el efecto de los cuatro productos quimicos iniciales... y asi sucesivamente.Un consejo final !!Despues de toda mi experiencia con la produccion de bebidas embasadas, puedo afirmar sin dudar un segundo: la mejor bebida es el agua, como tambien los jugos exprimidos de naranja o limon. Nada mas, cero azucar y cero sal.Publicado por loretahur MARGARINA o MANTEQUILLA La margarina fue producida originalmente para engordar a los pavos; cuandolo que hizo en realidad fue matarlos.Las personas que habian puesto el dinero para la investigacion quisieronrecobrarlo asi que empezaron a pensar en una forma de hacerlo.Tenian una sustancia blanca, que no tenia ningun atractivo como comestible,asi que le anadieron el color amarillo, para venderselo a lagente en lugar de la mantequilla.Que tal esa?... Ahora han sacado algunos nuevos sabores para vender mas alos incautos como usted y yo.CONOCE USTED la diferencia entre la margarina y la mantequilla?Siga leyendo hasta el final... porque se pone bastante interesante!Comparacion entre mantequilla y margarina: 1.- Ambas tienen la misma cantidad de calorias. 2.- La mantequilla es ligeramente mas alta en grasas saturadas: 8 gramos,comparada con los 5 gramos que tiene la margarina. 3.- Comer margarina en vez de mantequilla puede aumentar en 53% el riesgo deenfermedades coronarias en las mujeres, de acuerdo con un estudiomedico reciente de la Universidad de Harvard. 4.- Comer mantequilla aumenta la absorcion de gran cantidad de nutrientesque se encuentran en otros alimentos. 5.- La mantequilla provee beneficios nutricionales propios mientras lamargarina tiene solo los que le hayan sido anadidos al fabricarla. 6.- La mantequilla sabe mucho mejor que la margarina y mejora el sabor deotros alimentos.7.- La mantequilla ha existido durante siglos mientras que la margarinatiene menos de 100 anos. Ahora... sobre la margarina: 1.- Es muy alta en acidos grasos trans. (Si, esos que recien ahora loscientificos descubrieron que son malisimos y los gobiernoscomenzaron a prohibirlos) . 2.- Triple riesgo de enfermedades coronarias. 3.- Aumenta el colesterol total y el LDL (el colesterol malo) y disminuye elHDL (el colesterol bueno). 4.- Aumenta en cinco veces el riesgo de cancer. 5.- Disminuye la calidad de la leche materna. 6.- Disminuye la reaccion inmunologica del organismo. 7.- Disminuye la reaccion a la insulina. Y he aqui el factor mas inquietante (AQUI ESTA LA PARTE MAS INTERESANTE! ):A la margarina le falta UNA MOLECULA para ser PLASTICO...!!Solo este hecho es suficiente para evitar el uso de la margarina de porvida, y de cualquier otra cosa que sea hidrogenada (esto significaque se le anade hidrogeno, lo cual cambia la estructura molecular de lassubstancias).Usted puede ensayar lo siguiente:Compre un poco de margarina y dejela en el garaje o en un sitio sombreado.Dentro de unos dias notara dos cosas: * No habra moscas; ni siquiera esos molestos bichos se le acercaran (esto yale debe decir a usted algo). * No se pudre ni huele mal o diferente porque no tiene valor nutritivo; nadacrece en ella. Ni siquiera los diminutos microorganismos puedencrecer en ella.Por que? Porque es casi plastico!! No a la guerra, Si a la Paz Misterios de la ciencia... Los costos de la guerra medicos y capitalismo... Capitalismo... medicos (2) Quien educa a nuestros hijos? Los Medios... Sin Palabras... Chistes feministas - Cual es el problema, Eva? - Se que me has creado, que me has dado este hermoso jardin, todos estos maravillosos animales y esa serpiente con la que me muero de risa... pero no soy del todo feliz... - Como es eso, Eva? - replico Dios desde las alturas. - Me encuentro sola, y ademas estoy harta de comer manzanas... - Bueno Eva, en tal caso, tengo una solucion... creare un hombre para ti. - Que es un hombre? - Un hombre sera una criatura imperfecta, con muchas artimanas. Mentira, hara trampas, sera engreido... vamos, que te va a dar problemas... Pero, va a ser mas fuerte y rapido que tu y le gustara cazar y matar cosas... Tendra un aspecto simple, pero como te estas quejando, le creare de tal forma que satisfaga tus... eh... necesidades fisicas... Y tampoco sera muy listo, y destacara en cosas infantiles como pegarse o dar patadas a un balon... Necesitara tu consejo siempre para actuar cuerdamente. - Suena bien - dijo Eva, mientras levantaba la ceja ironicamente. - Cual es el truco?. - Pues... que lo tendras con una condicion. - Cual? - Como te decia, sera chulo, arrogante y muy narcisista... asi que le tendras que hacer creer que le hice a el primero... recuerda... es nuestro secreto... de mujer a mujer. Por que a los hombres no les puede dar la enfermedad de las vacas locas? Porque todos son unos cerdos Un dia, en el Paraiso, Eva llamo a Dios: Tengo un problema.- Cual es el problema, Eva?- Se que me has creado, que me has dado este hermoso jardin, todos estos maravillosos animales y esa serpiente con la que me muero de risa... pero no soy del todo feliz... - Como es eso, Eva? - replico Dios desde las alturas.- Me encuentro sola, y ademas estoy harta de comer manzanas...- Bueno Eva, en tal caso, tengo una solucion... creare un hombre para ti.- Que es un hombre?- Un hombre sera una criatura imperfecta, con muchas artimanas. Mentira, hara trampas, sera engreido... vamos, que te va a dar problemas... Pero, va a ser mas fuerte y rapido que tu y le gustara cazar y matar cosas... Tendra un aspecto simple, pero como te estas quejando, le creare de tal forma que satisfaga tus... eh... necesidades fisicas... Y tampoco sera muy listo, y destacara en cosas infantiles como pegarse o dar patadas a un balon... Necesitara tu consejo siempre para actuar cuerdamente.- Suena bien - dijo Eva, mientras levantaba la ceja ironicamente.- Cual es el truco?.- Pues... que lo tendras con una condicion.- Cual?- Como te decia, sera chulo, arrogante y muy narcisista... asi que le tendras que hacer creer que le hice a el primero... recuerda... es nuestro secreto... de mujer a mujer.Por que a los hombres no les puede dar la enfermedad de las vacas locas? Porque todos son unos cerdos Ellas... Ellas (2)... Tres venganzas femeninas VENGANZA NUMERO 1 Hoy mi hija cumple 21 anos y estoy muy contento porque es el ultimo pago de pension alimenticia que le doy, asi que llame a mi hijita para que viniera a mi casa y cuando llego le dije: -Hijita, quiero que lleves este cheque a casa de tu mama y que le digas que: Este es el ultimo maldito cheque que va recibir de mi en todo lo que le queda de su puta vida!!! Quiero que me digas la expresion que pone en su rostro. Asi que mi hija fue a entregar el cheque. Yo estaba ansioso por saber lo que la bruja tenia que decir y que cara pondria. Cuando mi hijita entro, le pregunte inmediatamente: -Que fue lo que te dijo tu madre? -Me dijo que justamente estaba esperando este dia para decirte que no eres mi papa! VENGANZA NUMERO 2 Un hombre que siempre molestaba a su mujer, paso un dia por la casa de unos amigos para que lo acompanaran al aeropuerto a dejar a su esposa que viajaba a Paris. A la salida de inmigracion, frente a todo el mundo, el le desea buen viaje y en tono burlon le grita: - Amor, no te olvides de traerme una hermosa francesita Ja ja ja!! Ella bajo la cabeza y se embarco muy molesta. La mujer paso quince dias en Francia. El marido otra vez pidio a sus amigos que lo acompanasen al aeropuerto a recibirla. Al verla llegar, lo primero que le grita a toda voz es: - Y amor me trajiste mi francesita?? - Hice todo lo posible, - contesta ella - ahora solo tenemos que rezar para que nazca nina. VENGANZA NUMERO 3 El marido, en su lecho de muerte, llama a su mujer. Con voz ronca y ya debil, le dice: - Muy bien, llego mi hora, pero antes quiero hacerte una confesion. - No, no, tranquilo, tu no debes hacer ningun esfuerzo. - Pero, mujer, es preciso - insiste el marido - Es preciso morir en paz. Te quiero confesar algo. - Esta bien, esta bien. Habla! - He tenido relaciones con tu hermana, tu mama y tu mejor amiga. - Lo se, lo se Por eso te envenene, hijo de puta!!! machismo y cibernetica Chiste machista La NASA ha enviado al espacio una mision experimental tripulada por dos monos y una mujer.Apenas abandona la atmosfera, se establece comunicacion con Houston. -Atencion, simio 1, verifique sistemas hidraulicos, controle adecuada presion de los propulsores de arranque. A 60.000 pies disminuya un 25% la velocidad. El simio hace la sena de OK. -Atencion, simio 2, nivele al cruzar la estratosfera y active sistemas anticongelantes. No olvide monitorear sistemas de comunicacion e indicadores de presion. Comprendido?. El simio hace la sena de OK. -Atencion, Houston llamando a mujer: no se olvide. -Mujer: Si, si, ya se! -interrumpe enojada- que no me olvide darles de comer a estos monos de mierda y que no se me vaya a ocurrir tocar nada!. .Spaghetti, Spaghetti, Spaghetti, Spaghetti, Spaghetti. Un abogado mantiene un romance con su secretaria.Al poco tiempo, esta queda embarazada y el abogado, que no quiere que su esposa se entere, le da a la secretaria una buena suma de dinero y le pide que se vaya a parir a Italia.Esta pregunta: Y como voy a hacerte saber cuando nazca el bebe ? El abogado responde: Para que mi mujer no se entere, tan solo enviame una postal y escribe por detras: Spaghetti. Y no te preocupes mas, que yo me encargare de todos los gastos. Pasan los meses y una manana la esposa del abogado lo llama al bufete, algo exaltada: Querido, acabo de recibir el correo y hay una postal muy extrana viene desde Italia. La verdad, no entiendo que significa.El abogado, tratando de ocultar sus nervios, contesta:Espera a que llegue a casa, a ver si yo entiendoCuando el hombre llega a casa y lee la postal, cae al suelo fulminado por un infarto.Llega una ambulancia y se lo lleva. Ya en el hospital, el jefe de cardiologia se queda consolando a la esposa y le pregunta cual ha sido el evento que precipito tan masivo ataque cardiaco. Entonces la esposa saca la postal y se la muestra diciendole: No me explico, doctor; el solamente leyo esta postal. Vea usted mismo lo que trae escrito.Spaghetti, Spaghetti, Spaghetti, Spaghetti, Spaghetti."Tres con salchicha y albondigas y dos con almejas Gol !!!! Chistes de Borrachos Entra un borracho a su casa todo manchado con lapiz labial por todos lados hecho un desastre, y la mujer le pregunta:-Hombre que te paso?Y el borracho le responde:-No me vas a creer, me pelee con un payaso! Este es un borracho que entra en un bar y le dice al camarero:-Me da cinco copas de whisky?Al rato:-Me da cuatro?Al rato:-Me da tres copas?Despues:-Me da dos copas?Luego le dice:-Me da una copa?Y le dice al camarero:-Ves? Cuanto menos bebo, mas borracho estoy! Do it yourself if you can We accept in principle that private equity can deliver (somewhat) excess returns over most other asset classes. But there are a lot of qualifications attached to that, and most of them are very relevant to whether and how pension funds should invest in private equity. QMS will take a 40% stake in the combined business, while 60% goes to funds managed by Oaktree Capital Management, the owner of MediaWorks. Michael Anderson, MediaWorks chief executive, will be CEO of the merged business. Corporate partner Mark Forman heads the MinterEllisonRuddWatt deal team, which is working closely with the MediaWorks legal team led by Alex Nicholson and Oaktree Capital. The Chapman Tripp team was led by partner Fiona Bennett, who was supported by partners Hamish Foote and Bevan Miles; senior associates Colin Fife and Stephanie Muller; senior solicitors Thomas Joseph and Victoria Joseph; and solicitors Sam Steven, Dan Chan, Michelle Chan, and Charlotte Hooper. The merger is a transformational agreement and enables MediaWorks to provide integrated advertising services across TV, radio, online, and outdoor media platforms, Forman said. The merger is subject to approvals, including from New Zealands Overseas Investment Office. She is the fourth female partner to join Piper Alderman this year. In March, the firm welcomed partner Joanne Hardwick in Melbourne. In April, partner Sarah Johnson joined the firms Sydney shop. Last month, Piper Alderman brought in partner Andrea Beatty and her team in Sydney. Piper Alderman said that Walkers experience will complement the current Adelaide-based team, which includes Ashley Watson in the environment and planning team and Martin Lovell in the energy infrastructure practice. The recent major mandates of the new partner include advising South Australias first electricity buying group and acting on South Australias big battery project with advice on National Energy Market compliance. Her skills are very much aligned with our existing practice, complementing our current offering in Adelaide and nationally, said Tony Britten-Jones, Piper Alderman managing partner. Kobre & Kim has secured an important win by enforcing an arbitration award against Chinese billionaire Jia Yueting, the high-profile businessman who founded tech conglomerates Le.com and LeEco. The global firm says it is the first known success by Jia Yuetings creditors to freeze and enforce against his assets outside of China. Jia Yueting was placed on Chinas list of debt defaulters in 2017 and has since remained in the US despite the Beijing Bureau of the China Securities Regulatory Commission openly ordering him to return to China. Jia Yueting has claimed that he is staying in the US to perform his duties as the CEO of Faraday Future, an electric vehicle start-up company based in California which is co-founded and substantially owned by him. By PixOne/Shutterstock.com By PixOne/Shutterstock.com The Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has indicated that the Government is discussing cutting the number of immigrants given visas to live and work in the country.In a speech he hinted that States could be given more of a say in determining immigration levels and this would put an end to the current national cap on numbers.His hints come at a time when immigration if already falling, with 162,417 permanent visas granted in the last year, a fall of 10% and the lowest level for 10 years. The numbers are not expected to rise.One of the biggest drivers behind cutting immigration is the fact that most people want to move to the big cities like Sydney and Melbourne where rising populations are putting pressure on housing, education, the health service and infrastructure.Morrison acknowledged that voters in Australia's biggest cities 'are concerned about population. They are saying: enough, enough, enough. The roads are clogged, the buses and trains are full. The schools are taking no more enrolments. I hear what you are saying. I hear you loud and clear. That's why we need to improve how we manage population growth in this country,' he said.But he also believes that 'controlled' immigration is important for Australia so he is keen to see some kind of system that encourages, even incentivises, people to move to where they are needed the most and where they will be less of a burden on services.He believes that there needs to be mechanisms in place to direct new migrants to the areas where there are the jobs, services and opportunities and he pointed out that Australia needs steady population growth to sustain economic growth, particularly over the next three decades as the ageing of the population impacts of workforce participation.He also pointed out that immigrants are younger on average, and mainly employed. 'Without migration, Australia's workforce would be shrinking by 2020. With migration, the Productivity Commission estimates that labour force participation will be around 10% higher in 2060,' he said.He also stressed the economic benefits associated with temporary migration. 'This year, we have almost 600,000 foreign students studying in Australia. From the cafes of Glebe and the bars of Parramatta, to the computer stores of Canberra and the laundromats of Coffs Harbour, these students are supporting jobs,' he told the audience.Morrison added that he will be putting in place a conversation about population with state and territory leaders. It comes a time when figures show that three quarters of Australia's population growth is in Melbourne, Sydney and South East Queensland, while areas such as Tasmania, Adelaide and Darwin are crying out for more people.High rates of population growth are putting pressure on parts of Sydney, according to New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian. 'We need to look at encouraging people to consider living in different parts of Sydney, the surrounding regions and in regional New South Wales,' she said. HID More to the point, the Detroit Hamtramck facility where the LaCrosse is manufactured alongside the Chevrolet Volt, Impala, and Cadillac CT6 will go offline on March 1st , spelling the end of U.S. availability for those models too. Because sedans are losing the battle against crossovers, SUVs, and trucks, were not exactly surprised about this decision. GM Authority reports the refreshed full-size sedan will go on sale in China in early 2019, featuring styling upgrades and more technological trickery than the pre-facelift. Care to guess how the LaCrosse stacks up in terms of sales?Over in the Middle Kingdom, Buick sold 99,609 examples of the breed in 2017. The most recent figures are for September 2018, when the LaCrosse sold 6,108 units. As for the United States, make that 20,161 last year and 2,071 in March 2018. Make no mistake about it, General Motors is losing a lot of greenback in the U.S. as a result of changing trends.With the help of SAIC, GM will assemble the 2020 LaCrosse at the Jinqiao South plant in Shanghai alongside the Regal and Cadillac ATS-L. For the final model year in the United States, the full-size sedan introduced the Sport Touring trim level and a couple of new exterior colors.The cheapest specification is priced at $29,570 excluding destination charge, boasting 18-inch wheels,headlamps with LED daytime running lights, and touchscreen infotainment with Apple CarPlay. At the other end of the spectrum, the Avenir adds the Black Ice mesh grille, panoramic power moonroof, satellite navigation, and wireless charging for $45,795.In addition to the standard 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine with eAssist mild-hybrid technology, customers can opt for the available 3.6-liter V6 with Stop/Start, Active Fuel Management, and 310 horsepower. Depending on the layout of the drivetrain, there are two transmission options to choose, sporting eight and nine speeds, respectively. Polarizing is the word that defines the exterior design of the Juke , but that didnt stop Nissan from selling more than one million examples of the quirky crossover. Back in August 2018, word was that the second generation would debut within months. The Speedtail marks a major shift in the way McLaren does business. It is to be the first of many new models that will be launched with the goal of making the company appealing for a broader customer base.As part of this shift comes a more careful approach when it comes to advertising the McLaren products. The Woking-based carmaker is now more visible than before, and it will probably become even more so thanks to partnerships with big names of other industries.Usually, carmakers the likes of McLaren partner with prestige watchmakers . But that doesnt mean products proprietary to the modern world are excluded.On Tuesday, McLaren and OnePlus unveiled at the McLaren Technology Centre a purpose-built version of the 6T smartphone, the first of many to come as part of a collaboration between the two companies.Compared to a regular 6T, the McLaren Edition comes with a staggering 10 GB of RAM, becoming one of the most potent gadgets out there.Also different from the stock 6T is a new charging system, one the phone maker calls Warp Charge 30. This can send power into the 3700 m Ah battery 50 percent faster than before, meaning a full day worth of power can be stored in just 20 minutes.As for the McLaren branding of the phone, this comes in the form of Papaya Orange detailing around the bottom edge of the phone and on the cord cable, carbon fiber pattern on the back of the phone and an illuminated McLaren logo.The phone goes on sale two days from now, on December 13, in Western Europe and North America. In Europe, it is priced at 699 EUR, in the UK at 649 and in the U.S. at $699. The wrongdoing's interval ranges between 2006 and 2018, and just to bring the point home, pre-production vehicles are supposed to be crushed at the end of the development period. Handelsblatt reports these cars and crossovers were manufactured before the launch of series production, but Volkswagen chose to sell them as new or second-hand vehicles.Without homologation from the motor transport authorities, the Volkswagen Group has once again ignored the letter of the law, taking the hard-earned cash from customers who have been deliberately tricked by the German automaker and the dealership network.Volkswagen has no knowledge of any accidents according to Handelsblatt , which is an insult to those customers considering the audit team pointed out the issue to the higher-ups more than two years ago. Volkswagen relayed the information to the Federal Motor Transport Authority of Germany in September 2018, which goes to show that someone has been keeping quiet despite knowing the consequences that would succeed. Der Spiegel has additional information on the matter, claiming that the audit came up with a population of up to 17,000 vehicles. Up to this point, Volkswagen confirmed the 6,700 mentioned beforehand for recall.So how will the Wolfsburg-based automaker take responsibility for this mess-up? Over in Germany, the authorities are preparing fines in the thousands of euros per each vehicle. Other European countries and the United States will more or less mirror this procedure, but only time will tell how much Volkswagen will have to pony up for this hubris.Even though the German media didnt mention which models are affected, it is understood that other brands within the group arent affected. Last, but certainly not least, Volkswagen hasnt publicized the recall on its official channels or media websites. Boeing introduced its newest business jet this week at the Middle East Business Aviation Association Show, in Dubai, noting that it can fly between any two points on Earth nonstop, and announced a new order for the airplane. The BBJ 777X, a new Boeing Business Jet model, can fly farther than any business jet ever built, says Boeing. Our most exclusive customers want to travel with the best space and comfort and fly directly to their destination, said Greg Laxton, head of Boeing Business Jets, at the show. The new BBJ 777X will be able to do this like no other airplane before it, redefining ultra-long-range VIP travel. The BBJ 777-8 can fly up to 11,645 NM and its cabin covers 3,256 square feet, says Boeing. The BBJ 777-9 provides an even larger cabin, measuring 3,689 square feet, with a maximum range of 11,000 NM. BBJ also unveiled interior concepts for the spacious cabin from three design firms: Greenpoint Technologies, Jet Aviation and Unique Aircraft Design. Diamond Aircraft, of Austria, announced this week at the Middle East Business Aviation Association Show in Dubai they have agreed to sell 60 airplanes, including both the single-engine DA40 NG and the DA42-VI twin, over the next five years to the Saudi National Company of Aviations CAE Authorized Training Center. The new 10-acre center, announced at last years show, is based at King Fahad International Airport in Dammam, the kingdoms third largest city. Deliveries of the first 12 Diamond airplanes will begin in February. The two airplane types represent the newest versions of Diamonds piston aircraft fleet, the company said. The aircraft are equipped with jet-fuel piston Austro engines and Garmin G1000 NXi avionics systems. This purchase agreement is one of the largest in history of aviation academies in Saudi Arabia and perhaps the Middle East region, said Anthony Miller, director of business development at the SNCA-CAE center. We at SNCA-CAE Authorized Training Center are determined to provide the aviation industry with highly qualified male and female pilots that are able to advance within the aviation industry and serve as an integral tool for development in the region. As tensions with China grow deeper, media giants could look to further ties in India, where the mobile economy is booming. Why it matters: India is one of the fastest-growing internet markets in the world. But few consumers have the disposable income to pay for multiple services, which will make it hard for some companies to conquer the country. Background: Like many developing countries, India is mostly a mobile-only internet economy. "India's story is not an evolution story, it's a revolution story," says Ravi Agrawal Managing Editor of Foreign Policy and author of "India Connected: How the Smartphone Is Transforming the World's Largest Democracy." "Hundreds of millions are getting online through smartphones with cheap data plans....That growth is the reason corporate America is bee-lining there." By the numbers: Unlike the largely saturated North American digital market, India's still has room to grow. With nearly 500 million internet users and roughly 530 million smartphone users, India is the second-largest online and smartphone market in the world next to China. Roughly 40% of the country's total population is using smartphones and is accessing the internet. The number of internet users is expected to roughly double over the next four years, according to Cisco's latest Virtual Networking Index. Expand chart Adapted from eMarketer; Chart: Axios Visuals Internet adoption is driving unprecedented advertising growth in India, as many consumers are more comfortable with paying for content via data-based ads. India will be the third-biggest contributor to ad spend growth globally between 2018 and 2021, according to a new report from global media agency Zenith. The media scramble: Western tech and media companies have been expanding their presence in India to take advantage of and cover the growing economy. News companies, like the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times and NPR have expanded staff or products in India over the past few years to cover the growth story. like the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times and NPR have expanded staff or products in India over the past few years to cover the growth story. Tech companies like Google and Facebook, that serve as big distributors of information in India, have pushed to expand internet access in the region to increase the internet population. Google launched its "The next billion users" plan to conquer India last year. Facebook's "Free Basics" program was rejected by regulators in 2015. like Google and Facebook, that serve as big distributors of information in India, have pushed to expand internet access in the region to increase the internet population. Google launched its "The next billion users" plan to conquer India last year. Facebook's "Free Basics" program was rejected by regulators in 2015. From a social media perspective, Google is now looking to take on Facebook's social media and messaging dominance in India with a new hyper-local social network called Neighbourly, Amazon officially rolled out its social e-commerce site Spark, in India last week. Major streamers are also looking to conquer the territory. India will remain the fastest-growing video market, per Media Partners Asia. Netflix, which has been in India since 2016, scored big last summer with its massive hit "Sacred Games," its first piece of Indian original content with a mix of Hindi and English. Netflix has said it would consider cheaper pricing tiers to lure more subscriptions in India. which has been in India since 2016, scored big last summer with its massive hit "Sacred Games," its first piece of Indian original content with a mix of Hindi and English. Netflix has said it would consider cheaper pricing tiers to lure more subscriptions in India. Amazon, meanwhile "has no fewer than 30 Indian originals in different stages of production and recently developed a dedicated Hindi-language version of its platform for India," according to the Hollywood Reporter. meanwhile "has no fewer than 30 Indian originals in different stages of production and recently developed a dedicated Hindi-language version of its platform for India," according to the Hollywood Reporter. Spotify, a Swedish company, is expected to launch in India within the next 6 months, per Bloomberg's Lucas Shaw. But it may face challenges: "Streaming services have about 100 million users in India, but a tiny fraction pay for the services." a Swedish company, is expected to launch in India within the next 6 months, per Bloomberg's Lucas Shaw. But it may face challenges: "Streaming services have about 100 million users in India, but a tiny fraction pay for the services." YouTube, as Shaw notes, is the "most popular online music source in the country," in part because it's free. It's grown so big that one of Indias largest record labels is expected to surpass the most-subscribed-to YouTube channel in the world, PewDiePie, which has held the top spot for the past five years. Between the lines: Compared to China, India is a much more lenient entry-point from a regulatory perspective. Recent trade tensions between China and the U.S. have helped strengthen the trade relationship between China and India. That could be driving India to start erecting new barriers to U.S. companies. "As for protectionist policies, we have taken much relaxed approach than China," says Manish Singh, a tech reporter in New Delhi who contributes to CNBC and VentureBeat. "It was only recently that the Indian government began to think about things like having Silicon Valley companies store specific data such as payment transaction info in locally stored servers," says Singh. India's slow middle class growth means fewer internet users are willing to pay for subscription services. Language and cultural differences can also be a challenge. Cash payments have been used by Indian internet upstarts to drive transactions, says Agrawal. For example, Flipkart (India's Amazon equivalent) and Ola (India's Uber equivalent) accept cash payments upon delivery or a completed transaction. have been used by Indian internet upstarts to drive transactions, says Agrawal. For example, Flipkart (India's Amazon equivalent) and Ola (India's Uber equivalent) accept cash payments upon delivery or a completed transaction. "Indians don't trust credit cards and generally don't like to pay online. There's a local distrust of digital commerce for now at least. Western players need to be aware of it," says Agrawal. Language barriers also presented a barrier to digital growth in India, which hosts hundreds of dialects and over 20 official languages. Today, voice technologies and artificial intelligence help bring down those barriers to entry, though there are still difficulties with content production. Be smart: Western companies already have big stakes in the Indian market. Twenty-first Century Fox-owned TV streaming company Hotstar is by far the biggest over-the-top TV provider in India with roughly 100 million subscribers, followed by Voot, which is jointly-owned by Viacom and Mumbai's TV18. NASA's OSIRIS-REx spacecraft, which has intercepted the near-Earth asteroid Bennu, has recently found molecular evidence of water locked deep inside the asteroid, NASA said Monday. Why it matters: This is NASAs first asteroid sample return mission, and analyzing Bennu could provide scientists with a trove of new information about the asteroid's composition and ultimately lead to new discoveries about how life evolved in the universe. Asteroids are time capsules of the early solar system and are believed to contain information about the origins of planets and the natural resources that enabled life to develop. Details: Data obtained from the spacecrafts two spectrometers show that molecules containing oxygen and hydrogen bonded together, known as hydroxyls, are present on the asteroid. Researchers involved in the project think that hydroxyls are located across the asteroid in water-containing clay minerals. This revelation means that water was present at some time on Bennus parent body, which was a much larger asteroid, according to NASA. This confirms scientists' suspicions about this asteroid, which made it a prime target for a mission in the first place. Bennu is considered to be too small to currently host liquid water. What's next: OSIRIS-REx will attempt to land on the asteroid to retrieve samples and return them to Earth in 2023. Such analysis could greatly improve our understanding of asteroid composition as well as prove concepts that could be used in new industries, such as space mining. Go deeper: NASA spacecraft arrives at near-Earth asteroid Bennu 1 big thing: Energy fault lines at UN talks Axios' Amy Harder reports from Poland on the U.S. position at UN climate talks, where a senior Trump official said the White House posture is gaining support from other countries. Driving the news: Australia's environment ambassador joined a U.S. event Monday focused on nuclear power and a continued-but-cleaner use of fossil fuels. Afterwards senior White House energy adviser Wells Griffith told reporters: There was a lot of interest [in the event]. We had a lot of people [from other countries] reach out, some gauging interest, asking about what it was, looking to participate. Were happy to engage in these realistic conversations about global energy systems. Why it matters: The U.S. stance is much friendlier to coal and oil than nations calling for very steep emissions cuts to stave off high levels of warming. The big picture: Griffith wouldnt name countries expressing interest in the U.S. position. But a few data points suggest more support for this perspective compared to last year, when the administration held a near identical event. The new inclusion of Australia's Patrick Suckling indicates support by that nation, which is a big fossil fuel producer like the U.S. The conference was thrown into disarray last weekend after the U.S. joined Russia, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait in refusing to officially "welcome" a recent landmark UN scientific report on climate change. The U.S., Russia and Saudi Arabia are the world's 3 largest oil producers. What they're saying: The New York Times reports that the U.S. alignment with those nations "injected a new dynamic that several diplomats said they found worrisome." The U.S. along with Saudi Arabia are playing a clear and calculated spoiling role in the climate change negotiations, Ian Fry, a top diplomat for the island nation Tuvalu, tells NYT. Threat level: The ambition around the world for the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement is lessening, fueled by nationalistic leaders like President Trump and Brazils President-elect Jair Bolsonaro, who has criticized the deal and withdrew from hosting this same conference next year. As political support for the agreement is wavering, carbon dioxide emissions are rising. Fossil fuels provide 81% of the energy consumed in the world. That figure that has not changed in 30 years, a reality Trump administration officials emphasize. Reality check: The current administration supports technologies that capture and store carbon dioxide from emitting facilities like coal and cement plants. But most of its policies are loosening not tightening standards that would make fossil fuels cleaner. Trump also doesnt acknowledge that climate change is a problem at all, casting doubt on his administrations efforts to genuinely push a technology that exists solely because of said problem. What's next: "National leaders and ministers are preparing for the final stretch of U.N. climate talks, with just days left to break through thorny issues that diplomats have struggled to resolve," AP reports. 1 big thing: May's epic retreat as Brexit deadline nears Prime Minister Theresa May executed a political retreat of historic proportions today, admitting her Brexit deal would be rejected by a significant margin in the House of Commons if tomorrows vote went ahead. The big picture: She scrapped the vote, but not before warning that if Parliament refuses to accept reality, and the need for compromise with the EU, it will soon be too late to get any deal at all. Where things stand: It has been 900 days since the U.K. voted to leave the EU and 621 days since May triggered the Article 50 exit clause. With just 109 days left before Brexit Day, things are moving backward. It has been 900 days since the U.K. voted to leave the EU and 621 days since May triggered the Article 50 exit clause. With just 109 days left before Brexit Day, things are moving backward. May is heading on a European tour tomorrow in search of a lifeline for her deal and her premiership. Both sides are anxious to avoid a "no deal" exit that could result in shortages and severe economic pain. in search of a lifeline for her deal and her premiership. Both sides are anxious to avoid a "no deal" exit that could result in shortages and severe economic pain. European Council President Donald Tusk says he's "ready to discuss how to facilitate U.K. ratification," but will not reopen negotiations. May says she remains convinced there is a parliamentary majority for her deal if she can obtain additional reassurances from the EU over the so-called backstop. Catch up quick ... The backstop is a complex solution engineered to avoid the possibility of a "hard border" between Ireland and Northern Ireland after Brexit, explains Axios Chief Brexitologist Shane Savitsky. Under May's deal, the U.K. would remain aligned with the EU's customs union (and trading rules) for as long as it takes to negotiate the terms of their future relationship, including a trade deal. The U.K. has no right to unilaterally withdraw from the backstop, so hardline Brexiteers see Mays solution as a trap that could keep the U.K. under effective EU control in perpetuity. What's next? Peter Foster, the Daily Telegraph's Europe Editor, has spoken to a senior EU source who says Brussels will make some cosmetic changes to the legal language around the backstop. Then ... "May hopes that by playing for time and grinding out this 'concession' she will persuade her mutinous backbenchers to belatedly back the deal. That might seem far-fetched at the moment, but as the threat of no deal rises, Downing Street will hope that such a legal statement will 'give comfort to those willing to be persuaded.'" "The question is whether there will ever be enough MPs who are 'willing to be persuaded.'" "The longer Britain goes with no idea whats going to happen on Brexit Day," Axios Chief Financial Correspondent Felix Salmon emails, "the more fear and uncertainty will eat at the economy." "The only silver lining comes from the European Court of Justice, which has affirmed Mays ability to deliver the mother of all U-turns. She desperately wants to avoid any outcome where Britain remains in the EU, but the looming catastrophe of a no-deal Brexit might force her to change her mind at the very last minute." The bottom line: That is one point on which May is, for the time being, standing firm. She said today that overturning the result of the referendum "risks dividing the country again." Imagine what that might feel like. The United States and the European Union have praised Sundays parliamentary elections in Armenia, echoing the votes positive assessment by European observers. They also pledged to help Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian, whose political alliance won a comfortable majority in the Armenian parliament, carry out political and economic reforms promised by him. The United States congratulates the people of Armenia on the conduct of their December 9 parliamentary elections, a spokesman for the U.S. State Department, Robert Palladino, said in a statement issued late on Monday. The United States concurs with the OSCEs preliminary conclusions that the elections process enjoyed broad public trust and respected fundamental freedoms, he said. We look forward to working with the new Armenian Parliament and Government to deepen our bilateral partnership and cooperation to strengthen the rule of law and democratic institutions, combat corruption, promote trade and investment, and safeguard regional and global security, added Palladino. The early parliamentary elections were important in terms of enhancing public trust towards the electoral process in Armenia, read a separate statement released by Maja Kocijancic, an EU foreign policy spokeswoman. We look forward to working with the democratically elected new Parliament and the future Government to deepen our political and economic relations based on the joint commitments of the EU-Armenia Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement, she said. German Chancellor Angela Merkel was apparently the first European leader to congratulate Pashinian on his blocs election victory. In a congratulatory message cited by the Armenpress news agency, Merkel reaffirmed support for his reform agenda. In their preliminary report, the more than 300 monitors deployed by the OSCE, the EU and the Council of Europe noted a general absence of electoral malfeasance in the snap polls held over seven months after Pashinian-led mass protests toppled Armenias former government. U.S. President Donald Trump said in a September letter to Pashinian that those protests ushered in a new era in Armenia. The State Department spokesman likewise noted the remarkable change in Armenia. Incidentally, both the U.S. and the EU gave largely positive assessments of the previous Armenian parliamentary elections held in April 2017. The U.S. Embassy in Yerevan said at the time that voters were able to freely exercise their right to vote. The EU declared, for its part, that the official election result reflects the overall will of the Armenian people. The 2017 vote was won by then President Serzh Sarkisians Republican Party (HHK) amid opposition allegations of widespread vote buying and pressure on voters. In the latest polls, the HHK narrowly failed to clear a 5 percent vote threshold to enter the parliament. Pashinian has repeatedly pledged to deepen Armenias relations with the U.S. and EU. He has made clear at the same time that his country will remain allied to Russia. A fugitive nephew of former President Serzh Sarkisian accused of illegal arms possession and drug trafficking faces extradition to Armenia after being arrested in the Czech Republic last week. The man, Narek Sarkisian, fled Armenia shortly before his familys villa in Yerevan was searched by the National Security Service (NSS) in early July. The NSS claimed that the 37-year-old had asked one of his friends to hide his illegally owned guns, cocaine and other drugs in a safer place. It released a video showing two suitcases purportedly filled with those items. The Armenian police reported last week that Czech law-enforcement authorities have tracked down Sarkisian in Prague. A police statement said that during the arrest he produced a fake Guatemalan passport identifying him as Franklin Gonzalez. A spokesman for the Czech capitals police department, Jan Danek, told RFE/RLs Armenian service (Azatutyun.am) on Tuesday that Sarkisian was detained on December 6 on an international arrest warrant issued by Armenia. His fate is now in the hands of a Prague district court, Danek said, adding that the court will decide whether to extradite him to Armenia. The authorities in Yerevan have not yet formally requested the extradition. A spokeswoman for Armenias Office of the Prosecutor-General said the request will be filed in due course. Sarkisians younger brother Hayk was arrested and charged with attempted murder and illegal arms possession in July. A Yerevan court freed him on bail in September. Hayk and Narek are the sons of Serzh Sarkisians younger brother Aleksandr. The latter has repeatedly caused controversy in the past with his flamboyant behavior and insults addressed to critics of Armenias former governments. Aleksandr Sarkisian, who is thought to have made a big fortune in the past two decades, was briefly detained during the NSS raid on his luxury residence. A $30 million Armenian bank account of Aleksandr Sarkisian was frozen this summer as part of a separate inquiry conducted by the NSS. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian publicly demanded in September that he return the money to the state budget. The ex-presidents brother insisted that Pashinians demand and the freezing of his bank account are illegal. He said that the authorities have not come up with any proof that the sum was earned illegally. Still, the 62-year-old made clear that he will be ready to donate a part of the financial means legally belonging to me to the state if his and his family members assets are unblocked. A leader of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (Dashnaktsutyun) on Tuesday criticized as politically motivated criminal charges brought against former President Robert Kocharian following this springs regime change in the country. Kocharian was arrested again on Friday on charges stemming from the deadly break-up of post-election protests in Yerevan during the final weeks of his 1998-2008 presidency. Law-enforcement authorities claim that he illegally used the armed forces against opposition supporters who protested against alleged fraud in a disputed presidential election held in February 2008. They say that amounted to an overthrow of the constitutional order. Kocharian strongly denies the charges, saying that the current government is waging a political vendetta against him. His arrest was condemned on Friday by the opposition Republican Party of Armenia (HHK) whose top leader, Serzh Sarkisian, succeeded Kocharian as president of the republic in April 2008. Dashnaktsutyuns Armen Rustamian also saw political motives behind the high-profile case. He said investigators should prove the alleged overthrow of the constitutional order before holding anyone responsible for it. I dont want to go into legal details, but I can say that the accusation contains political subtexts, Rustamian told reporters. They have come up with an accusation that will lead to a very dangerous situation in the sense that it has not yet been proved whether or not the constitutional order was overthrown. While criticizing the criminal proceedings, Rustamian made clear that he and his associates do not plan to join street protests against Kocharians arrest. The first such protest was staged by several dozen angry supporters of the ex-president on Tuesday. They rallied outside Armenian prosecutors headquarters in Yerevan to demand his release from prison. Dashnaktsutyun was allied to Kocharian throughout his decade-long rule. The latter lifted a controversial ban on the partys activities in Armenia when he came to power in 1998. Like Sarkisians HHK, Dashnaktsutyun failed to win any parliament seats in snap general elections held on Sunday. By Narmina Mammadova The role of hydrocarbons as a raw material for the non-oil sector is increasing, and therefore the Azerbaijani State Oil Company (SOCAR) confidently breaks out in first place in the list of exporters of non-oil products. In January-October 2018, the Department of Marketing and Economic Operations of SOCAR delivered non-oil products for $151.5 million, which is 28.9 million, or 23.6 percent more than in the same period of last year, the report Export Review of the Center for Analysis of Economic Reforms and Communications said. According to the results of January-October 2018, the total export of the non-oil sector amounted to 1.351 billion manats, which is 132 million, or 11 percent, more than in January-October 2017 - and, in this indicator, SOCAR accounted for 11.5 percent. At the same time, the share of non-oil products of the Azerbaijani State Oil Company should quickly grow. In July 2018, the polypropylene plant SOCAR Polymer was launched. At the first stage, SOCAR Polymers production capacity will be 120,000 tons of polyethylene and 184,000 tons of polypropylene. The volume of exports of the plant, according to forecasts, this year will be 15,000 tons. By 2021, the total capacity can reach 570,000 tons of products. The plant will produce 19 types of products from polypropylene and 12 types of products from high density polyethylene. The products will be used, in particular, in the food and medical industries, as well as in agriculture and car manufacturing. The supplier of raw materials for the plant is Azerkimya PU. After switching to full capacity, the plant will purchase 23 tons of propylene per hour from the Azerikimya. Nitrogen installation for plants for the production of polypropylene and high density polyethylene are based on the most advanced technical and engineering solutions. The SOCAR Polymer project is the first of such a scale in the petrochemical industry of Azerbaijan for the last 40 years. The second plant was expected to be put into operation in the last quarter of 2018. The total investment costs of the project are estimated at $816 million. The credit in the amount of $489 million has been allocated to SOCAR Polymer by Russian Gazprombank for a period of 10 years. The production of raw materials at the SOCAR Polymer plants will contribute to the creation of hundreds of small and medium-sized enterprises and to the development of production of various types of import-substituting products. According to calculations, the activity of the plants producing polypropylene and high-density polyethylene SOCAR Polymer will yield an income of $8 billion. At present, Azerbaijan imports polypropylene and thanks to the launch of the plant, it is planned to fully meet domestic demand and increase export potential. It is expected that 30 percent of the products will be sold on the domestic market, the rest will be exported to Turkey, Europe and the CIS countries. In general, fruit and vegetable products traditionally lead in the export of the Azerbaijans non-oil sector, the export of which amounted to $ 405.5 million in January-October 2018. So, given the potential of the SOCAR Polymer plant, this will probably push the production of fruits and vegetables to the background in national non-energy exports very soon. Thus, the main growth in exports of non-oil products of SOCAR can be expected in 2019. SOCAR Polymer was established in July 2013 to accelerate the development of the chemical industry. The company received the status of the second resident of the park. SOCAR Polymer covers 30 hectares of the park territory. SOCAR is a wholly state-owned national oil company headquartered in Baku, Azerbaijan. The company produces oil and natural gas from onshore and offshore fields in the Azerbaijani section of the Caspian Sea. The company includes three production associations, one oil refining and gas processing enterprise, an oil flotilla, a deep-water base plant, two trusts, one institute, and 23 structures. It has representative offices in Georgia, the U.S., Turkey, Romania, Austria, Switzerland, Kazakhstan, Great Britain, Iran, Germany, Ukraine, Belgium and Canada. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Abdul Kerimkhanov Azerbaijan and India will sign an intergovernmental agreement on cooperation and mutual assistance in the field of customs, said Lieutenant-General of the Customs Service Safar Mehdiyev, the State Committee reported. A meeting of the Chairman of the State Customs Committee of Azerbaijan Safar Mehdiyev with the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of India to Azerbaijan Sanjay Rana was held on December 11. During the meeting, it was said that this agreement, which is expected to be signed soon, will give impetus to the development of ties between the customs services of both countries. The chairman noted that Azerbaijan is interested in the further development of cooperation ties with India. Mehdiyev spoke about the activities carried out to more efficiently and transparently implement customs activities, and noted that these reforms create opportunities for flexible and efficient business activities. The ambassador stressed that relations with Azerbaijan are important for India, and also said that Azerbaijan and India have historical ties. Rana noted the expansion of mutual relations between Azerbaijan and India and added that this cooperation has great potential in many areas, including customs. During the meeting, an exchange of views on other issues of mutual interest also took place. In particular, they discussed the introduction of information and communication technologies in the customs system, the joint struggle against customs offences. Diplomatic relations between the two countries were established on February 28, 1992. India and Azerbaijan enjoy close and friendly relations and have an active cooperation between them in many areas including political, commercial and investment, educational and cultural. The two sides had held the fourth meeting of bilateral Inter-Governmental Commission in October 2016 during which they discussed proposals for cooperation in a variety of fields including trade and investment, transportation, energy, chemicals and fertilizer, agriculture, science & technology, information and communication Technology (ICT), health care and pharmaceuticals, education, culture, and youth and sports. Azerbaijan imports many goods from India including pharmaceuticals products, engineering goods, automobiles and spares, agricultural and meat products and IT services, while Indian companies regularly purchase oil from Azerbaijan. --- Abdul Kerimkhanov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @AbdulKerim94 Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Trend Azerbaijan and Turkey may create joint ventures in agriculture, Azerbaijans Agriculture Minister Inam Karimov said at the Azerbaijani-Turkish Business Forum being held in Baku, Trend reports. He said that the economy is the most important area of cooperation between the two countries. Karimov stressed that relations between the two countries have a long history and they are strengthened every day thanks to the efforts of the leaders of both countries. The trade turnover in the field of agriculture between Azerbaijan and Turkey amounted to $192 million in 2017, said the minister. In 2013-2017, the value of agriculture products exported from Azerbaijan to Turkey increased by 65.3 percent, and imports grew 2.3 times. Speaking about regional cooperation, the minister touched upon the projects being implemented together with Turkey, such as Baku-Tbilisi-Kars and the Southern Gas Corridor. The minister also talked about the development of agriculture in Azerbaijan, and noted that the development of grain, cotton and hazelnut growing is the priority for the government in the agriculture sector. The main task of the state is to diversify the economy and great attention is paid to agriculture, which is one of the main areas of the non-oil sector, the minister said. The development of this area is impossible without innovative technologies. Therefore, steps are being taken to introduce technologies in the agriculture sector. In addition, the state strongly supports entrepreneurs operating in the field of agriculture, by offering benefits and exempting them from taxes, he noted. -- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Trend Iran supports the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan and its fair position on the settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Major General Qasem Rezaee, commander of Irans Border Guard, said at the meeting with Azerbaijans defense minister, Colonel General Zakir Hasanov Dec. 11, Trend reports citing Azerbaijans Defense Ministry. Hasanov brought to the attention of the guests the military-political situation in the region, stressing that the unresolved Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict still poses a threat to regional stability. Noting that religious, historical and cultural ties between Azerbaijan and Iran are based on good, friendly traditions, Rezaee stressed that, like in other areas, there is also great potential for cooperation between Iran and Azerbaijan in the military sphere. During the meeting, the parties held a comprehensive exchange of views on the prospects for military cooperation between the armies of Azerbaijan and Iran, as well as other issues of mutual interest. The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Trend The Assembly of Canadian Azerbaijani Organizations and the Canadian Society of Azerbaijanis for the Arts sent a message to the local structures, Trend reports citing the Azerbaijani State Committee on Work with Diaspora. The message was sent in connection with hanging a flag of the separatist regime illegally created in the occupied Azerbaijani territories, together with the state flag of Canada, on the building of the Armenian Youth Center of Toronto and the Armenian Apostolic Church. According to the message, the hanging of the flag of the separatist regime created in the occupied Azerbaijani territories is a violation of international law and principles, in particular, the four resolutions adopted by the UN Security Council and the rules of other documents prepared by international organizations. In this regard, the Azerbaijani community expressed deep concern and urged the leadership of Toronto not to remain indifferent to this sensitive issue. "Many members of the community are Canadian Azerbaijanis who moved to Canada as a result of the occupation of the Nagorno-Karabakh region by the Armenian armed forces and ethnic cleansing of Azerbaijanis, the message said. Presently, these people live near the church and youth center and when they go to work they must go past these flags. The separatists flag symbolizes deliberate criminal acts, genocide against Azerbaijanis. In the message, the Azerbaijani community expressed dissatisfaction with the fact that such injustice occurs in Canada and appealed to remove these "flags". A letter of protest signed by 16 diaspora organizations, including the Assembly of Canadian Azerbaijani Organizations, was sent to Mayor of Toronto John Tory, city councillor Shelley Carroll, MP, minister of Canadian heritage and multiculturalism and corresponding structures. The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Trend Finalizing the Caspian Sea safety protocol and using the capacities to promote peace and security are the economic priorities of the region, Trend reports as IRNA cited Nader Pasandeh, Director General of Safety & Marine Environment Protection in Iran's Ports and Maritime Organization (PMO). "The Caspian Sea belongs to five states and the regional countries should use the resources to establish peace and security," he added. "Representatives of Iran, Russia, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan seek to finalize the safety protocol during the two-day meeting," he noted. Meanwhile, Head of Maritime Safety Department at the State Maritime Administration of Azerbaijan Vamik Rahimov stressed on the Caspian Sea environmental issue. "All the Caspian Sea states should make efforts to preserve the environment," he said. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Leman Mammadova As many as 60,000 tons of sheep wool was exported to Russia through Azexport portal of the Center for Analysis of Economic Reforms and Communications, Azertac reported. Official figures show that over the past 10 years, wool has not been exported from Azerbaijan to Russia. It should be noted that, despite the wool production in the Republic of Azerbaijan is increasing in recent years, there are some problems with its export. In 1985, about 11,000 tons of wool production was registered, 9,000 tons in 1995 and in 2015, about 17,000 tons of wool was produced. Wool producers do not know how and whom to sell the product they produce. Now, they are able to take advantage of Azexport portal. Azexport.az portal contributes to the growth of export of sheep wool from our country, as well as expansion of export geography. Azexport portal creates equal opportunities for everyone. Moreover, as a digital platform, Azexport helps entrepreneurs get export permits, logistics, marketing, and more, as well as enter the foreign market. It is not difficult for big business, it is important to ensure access of the major small and medium entrepreneurs to the foreign market, said Head of Azexport portal Zaur Gardashov. "Azexport.az" portal of the Center for Analysis of Economic Reforms and Communications was created under the Order of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan dated September 21, 2016 "Establishing Unified Database of Goods Manufactured in the Republic of Azerbaijan". Portal offers entrepreneurs the opportunity to export goods produced in our country to traditional and new markets via international e-trading platforms. The mission of Azexport.az is to provide information about products of Azerbaijani origin and become beneficial platform for their sales in foreign and domestic markets. Azexport.az, integrated with the most popular electronic trading platforms, makes the products available to potential buyers from anywhere in the world. In October, Azerbaijani entrepreneurs have received $ 23 million worth orders through the Azexport.az portal. According to the report of the Center for Analysis of Economic Reforms and Communications, the value of export orders for the portal in January-October amounted to $ 433 million, which is 10 percent more than in the same period of last year. The cost of export orders from 108 countries of the world to Azexport.az for the period from January 2017 to October 31, 2018 (within 22 months) amounted to $ 908 million. The Azexport portal contributes to the promotion and sale of Azerbaijani non-oil products. Strengthening the place of the non-oil sector in the country's economy plays an exceptional role in a period when oil and gas reserves are running out. Looking at the non-oil sector in general, according to the Export Review of the Center for Analysis of Economic Reforms and Communication for November 2018, in January-October 2018 export of non-oil sector increased by $ 132 million or 11 percent in January-October compared to the same period of 2017, and amounted to $ 1.351 billion. During the first ten months of this year exports to Russia amounted to $ 467.1 million, Turkey - $ 293.8 million, Switzerland - $ 114.4 million, Georgia - $ 106.5 million and Kazakhstan - $ 38.4 million. In the list of non-oil goods exported during January-October 2018, tomatoes ($ 149.9 million) were the first, gold - (not used in coin cutting, in other untreated forms - $ 99.9 million ) in the second place. The initial polyethylene with a specific mass of less than 0.94 ($ 68.5 million) is on the third place in this list. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Leman Mammadova Azerbaijan presented data on its daily oil production in November 2018 to the OPEC Joint Technical Committee as part of the Vienna Agreement, Trend reports citing the Azerbaijani Energy Ministry. Daily oil production stood at 801,000 barrels in November 2018, of which 733,000 barrels accounted for crude oil and 68,000 barrels for condensate, while 6,000 barrels of oil products were exported. In January 2018, daily oil production stood at 814,600 barrels, in February 2018 at 806,000 barrels, in March 794,000 barrels, in April 785,700 barrels, in May 801,000 barrels, in June 792,000 barrels, in July 773,000 barrels, in August 774,000 barrels, In September 796,000 barrels and in October 783,000 barrels of oil per day. OPEC Joint Technical Committee was created on Jan. 22, 2017 to monitor the implementation of countries' commitment to cut oil production. Major oil producers have reached a deal to reduce oil production by 1.2 million barrels per day at the 5th meeting of OPEC and non-OPEC ministers held in Vienna on December 7. It has been agreed to reduce daily oil production by 800,000 barrels per day for OPEC countries in the first six months of 2019. Non-OPEC countries have agreed to reduce oil production by 400,000 barrels a day. The agreement will enter into force on January 1, 2019. The next meeting of OPEC and non-OPEC format will be held in Vienna in April next year to revise the agreement. Azerbaijan was represented by Energy Minister Parviz Shahbazov at the meeting. Azerbaijan also supported the decision to reduce oil production and joined the agreement to support the process of world oil market regulation. The decision to reduce oil production, taken at the end of the OPEC+ meeting, is an important step for the development of the oil market and the oil industry, said Shahbazov, commenting on the decision of the cartel. He appreciated the decision of the OPEC + countries to regulate the oil market and stabilize the oil prices. In recent years, due to the political and economic factors, the price of oil has dropped, and the process has been continuing. The over-consumption of production in the market and predicting the decline in the world economy for the next year would have helped to reduce oil prices. Only the OPEC + countries could support the oil market. Today's decision is a very important step for the oil producers, the oil market and the future of the oil industry, he said. Azerbaijan has pledged to cut production by 20,000 barrels per day. Thus, if the daily oil production in October was 783,000 barrels, from next year Azerbaijan will maintain this figure at 763,000. Saudi Arabia will be the country to witness the most significant drop in oil production among OPEC member countries. Saudi Arabia is currently the world's largest oil exporter. Russia is the second largest crude oil producer in the world after the United States. Its oil production level of 11.4 million barrels per day will be reduced by about 2 percent, to 228 thousand barrels. Some countries have been applied a compromise within the framework of the agreement on reduction of oil production. Iran has been compromised as well as Libya and Venezuela, considering U.S. sanctions. According to the OPEC's latest report, 15 countries represented in the organization produced approximately 33 million barrels of black gold (about a third of crude oil production worldwide) in October. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), the demand for crude oil produced by OPEC countries at the world market is currently at 31.3 million barrels. OPEC and non-OPEC producers reached an agreement in December 2016 to curtail oil output jointly and ease a global glut after more than two years of low prices. OPEC agreed to slash the output by 1.2 million barrels per day from January 1. Non-OPEC oil producers such as Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Brunei, Equatorial Guinea, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Mexico, Oman, Russia, Sudan, and South Sudan agreed to reduce output by 558,000 barrels per day starting from January 1, 2017. OPEC and its partners decided to extend its production cuts till the end of 2018 in Vienna on November 30, as the oil cartel and its allies step up their attempt to end a three-year supply glut that has savaged crude prices and the global energy industry. Major oil producers have reached a deal to reduce oil production by 1.2 million barrels per day at the 5th meeting of OPEC and non-OPEC ministers held in Vienna on December 7. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Abdul Kerimkhanov Extraordinary parliamentary elections in Armenia held on December 9 were described by many as "shameful" or simply called a "political show". As it was expected, Nikol Pashinyan has "won" the elections having gathered 70.43 percent (884,456) of votes. The second place from 8.27 percent (103,824) was taken by the Prosperous Armenia party, whose leader repeatedly expressed support for Pashinyan. Light Armenia party, with 6.37 percent (80,024) ranked third. It was rather an interception of power rather than a true choice of Armenian citizens. Some political figures even hint that the pre-election campaign did not last long, but remembered by threats and cases of violence by the ruling force. As many as 11 political forces fought for parliamentary seats, including two blocs and nine parties. Political parties had to overcome the five percent barrier and seven percent for the blocks to enter parliament. According to the Central Election Comission, after counting 100 percent of ballots, the final voter turnout in the early parliamentary elections in Armenia was only 48.63 percent. Compared with the previous parliamentary elections held on October 2, 2017, voter turnout was lower by more than 12 percent. Then, turnout reached 60.86 percent by the end of the voting. The level of trust in Nikol Pashinyan and his bloc was far below expectations. The unwilingness of people to vote shows that people have lost their hopes to have a leader who could bring the country to prosperity. Pashinyan has been in power for a long time already, and the only thing he has done over for passed time was giving out empty promises and voicing provocative statements. Pashinyan's actions in the role of prime-minister will unlikely bring the country any positive developments, as he lacks necessary political experience or economic background. In live broadcast on Facebook, Nikol Pashinyan explained the high turnout in the last election using dishonest tricks. The activity at the parliamentary elections is low because vehicles were not organized in the morning, as was the case at all previous elections. Of course, we do not use such methods as the former authorities, he said. Nikol Pashinyan himself, who came to the polls around 13:00, did not hesitate to talk about his own popularity and the predetermined result. According to opinion polls, there will be no coalition, he told reporters. The first and third presidents of Armenia, Levon Ter-Petrosyan and Serzh Sargsyan also attended polls, but both of them refused to talk to the press. Puzzling results The results of the December 9 parliamentary elections in Armenia are discussed in the Russian expert community. The assessment is mostly restrained, without applause for the winning power and at the same time without mistrust of its victory. Moscow from the very beginning of the revolution in Yerevan held a reserved position. The unprecedentedly low voter turnout in the elections was of a particular concern. It occurred in the background of pre-election announcements that the people were comprehensive and massively supporting the new authorities. Russian political analyst Grigory Trofimchuk considers that during the velvet revolution, that is, in April-May, the majority of protesters, according to many analysts, came to Armenia from abroad. The correctness of these experts was proved on election day, December 9, when many polling stations remained empty. The Russian expert also believes that, although the parliament now has a "revolutionary majority," it is, in fact, not absolute. "If the turnout was close to 70-80 percent, then at the present time Nikol Pashinyan could celebrate a definite victory. But, there was no such turnout," the analyst said. Another Russian expert Sergey Markedonov expressed the opinion that given the low voter turnout, its not possible to talk about total support for the people of Pashinyan. He also noted that the participants of the election battles showed that they are not ready to "play the role of extras" under Pashinyan. For the first time in the history of Armenia, the majority of voters ignored the elections. And this is the most obvious vote of no confidence in Nikol Pashinyan. At least half of the citizens of Armenia who have the right to vote considered the boycott of the elections to be correct. More than half of Armenian citizens do not believe the words of Pashinyan and his team. However, the elections showed that the citizens of Armenia do not like the previous government either. The RPA gained a little more than 59,000 votes, or 4.7 percent instead of the threshold 5 percent. Thus, the former ruling, and now the opposition RPA, following the results of the early parliamentary elections, for the first time did not go to the National Assembly of the country. Remarkable that RPA was represented in the National Assembly of all six convocations since the founding of the legislature in 1995. Despite the failure of the elections, Serzh Sargsyans party is not going to give up. Republicans had previously announced their intention to become a radical opposition. The most unpleasant thing for Pashinyan will be that this is not a street convocation party, but a well-prepared political organization. Without a doubt, the fact that citizens who did not come to the vote is a potential electorate of RPA, which will surely vote for the Republicans when it becomes clear that the new government is not able to fulfill any of its promises. The people in Armenia were waiting for something quite different, real change and a better life. Instead, they witnessed how the populists came to power, spoiling the relations of this country even with its allies in the CSTO. It is highly likely that there will be a continuation of the course on creating obstacles for the development of Russian-Armenian relations. RPA in the parliament of Armenia could act as a counterweight to anti-Russian decisions that can be made by Yerevan. But RPA could not overcome the 5 percent barrier and it will not be in the new parliament. The Prosperous Armenia, which has received the mandates, will not risk opposing the anti-Russian policy although its leader Gagik Tsarukyan has connections and business in Russia. And the third force, headed by Edmond Marukian, has a pro-Western orientation. Thus, there are no obstacles to the adoption of anti-Russian steps by the new authorities of Armenia. Arpine Hovhannisyan, the former head of the Ministry of Justice of Armenia, said that despite assurances at the highest level, people understand that these elections do not reflect the real situation; holding elections during this period is an imposed choice. Many have found a way to express their disappointment at not coming to the polls, she added. From the Hovhannisyans statement, it can be concluded that there is no real hope for the appearance of light at the end of the tunnel. The moment of truth comes for Pashinyan. Now its impossible to write off that someone is disturbing him. The people will demand from him to realize what he came to power with. But yet it is doubtful whether this will happen. --- Abdul Kerimkhanov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @AbdulKerim94 Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Abdul Kerimkhanov Low turnout in Armenia shows people's disappointment in Pashinyans promises, Evgeny Mikhailov, Russian political analyst and expert on international issues, said in an interview with Azernews. He was commenting the results of early parliamentary elections held in Armenia on December 9. "The low turnout of the population at the polling stations showed the new leadership of the republic in the person of Nikol Pashinyan that the people are already disappointed in his promises and do not understand where Pashinyan leads Armenia to," the expert said. Mikhailov believes that Pashinyan urgently needs to build a dialogue primarily with Russia, which has recently also been disappointed with the anti-Russian attacks from Pashinyans supporters. "This is the only way out. The rest of the world does not need Yerevan, and in vain the new government feels hope for some Western countries and their help. The republic will simply be sold off in parts, and the population will leave the country. Again, if Moscow does not intervene. The return of the Nagorno-Karabakh to Azerbaijan and talks on assistance from Baku, can be the way out of the crisis for Armenia, but this issue will be decided upon apparently by the government," he said. The analyst noted that it is more difficult to build relations with Pashinyan. "On the contrary, having pro-Western views, he is inclined to try to unleash a conflict and draw some international forces and, above all, the U.S. into it. That is, taking into account the above-mentioned facts, it can be assumed that Russia will sharply oppose this, including by increasing pressure on Yerevan in the soonest possible restoration of the protectorate of Azerbaijan in its occupied territories," said Mikhailov. 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. As a result of Armenia's armed invasion into Azerbaijan's legal territory, the two neighboring countries have remained locked in a bitter territorial dispute over the Nagorno-Karabakh region, which Armenia-backed separatists seized from Azerbaijan in a bloody war in the early 1990s. 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 regions. Despite Baku's best efforts, peace in the occupied lands remains a mirage in the distance as Armenia refuses to comply with international law. --- Abdul Kerimkhanov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @AbdulKerim94 Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Trend There are 3,611,834 Syrian refugees in Turkey, Turkish Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu said on Dec. 10. Meanwhile, 612,846 Syrian refugees are children, 303,228 - teenagers, Trend reports citing the Turkish media. "Presently, 916,074 Syrian refugees are studying in Turkey," Soylu said. Soylu also stressed that after the Olive Branch and Euphrates Shield operations were conducted, 285,000 Syrian refugees returned to Syria. Presently, there are 3 million Syrian refugees in Turkey. On Jan. 20, the Turkish Armed Forces, together with the Free Syrian Army, launched the Operation Olive Branch in Afrin, Syria. On Aug. 24, 2016, units of the Turkish Armed Forces began the Operation Euphrates Shield against the "Islamic State" and with the support of the Syrian opposition liberated the border town of Jarablus in northern Syria, as well as al-Bab. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Trend In October 2018, 2,940,381 out of 3,755,467 tourists who visited Turkey arrived in the country via air transport, which accounts for 78.30 percent of the total tourists arriving in the country, the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism told Trend on Dec. 10. "In October 2018, 121,679 tourists arrived in Turkey by sea, which is 3.24 percent of their total number," the ministry said. According to the ministry, the remaining 693,407 tourists arrived in Turkey by road and rail transport. In October 2018, 1,356,263 tourists arrived in Antalya by air. In Istanbul this figure stood at 1,226,737. During the 10 months of 2018, 11,977,414 tourists arrived via air transport in Antalya and 11,309,545 arrived in Istanbul. In January-October 2018, 35,571,419 tourists visited Turkey, which is 22.43 percent more than in January-October 2017. The ministry said that in October 2018, 1,359,212 tourists visited Antalya, while Istanbul's visitors amounted to 1,230,070 tourists. In January-October 2018, Antalya and Istanbul were visited by 12,008,939 and 11,340,081 tourists, respectively, the ministry added. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Trend Iran and China have already resumed financial transactions, Trend reported citing Majid Reza Hariri, deputy head of the Iran-China Joint Chamber of Commerce, as saying. After the events of November 4, a new phase of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action has been launched, Tasnim News Agency reported. The relations between Iranian and Chinese banks should be regulated as a result of those events, he said. This issue was solved last Friday, Hariri added. As Saturday and Sunday are the days off in China, financial transactions between Iran and China will begin with Bank of Kunlun, he said. Hariri added that $1 billion was imported from China last month. Demand for currency over the last two months has increased by $2 billion as a result of serious problems in the financial transactions between the two countries, he said. Therefore, there will be some problems at the initial stage, he said. Hariri said the situation will improve in 7-10 days. Iranian economists, exporters and importers hope for quick solution to this problem, he added. Hariri said that the business process between Bank of Kunlun and Iranian economists has not changed. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Trend Iran has lifted restrictions on incoming foreign currency, Ali Magouli, the director general of the Import, Special and Free Zones Department of Iran's Customs Administration, said, Trend reports referring to Iranian media. Each individual and legal entity, abiding to the rules defined by Iran's Central Bank, may bring any amount of currency to the country, Magouli said. He added that no security, law enforcement or customs authority has the right to intervene, and any interference is considered a violation of law. Magouli also noted that anyone who violates the law will be expelled from work for a period of six years and will be punished more heavily if the violation is repeated. -- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Abdul Kerimkhanov The lack of diplomatic relations between Yerevan and Ankara is the painful problem of the Armenians. Armenia found itself in a political isolation and economic deadlock, being in the status of a vassal country, having lost any relationship with its powerful regional neighbors due to the short-sighted policy of the previous authorities. Now, with the advent of the new government, this issue immediately appeared on the political agenda of Yerevan. Armenia is ready to establish diplomatic relations with Turkey, but without preconditions regarding Nagorno-Karabakh, said Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, on December 10. "We are ready to establish direct relations with Turkey without any preliminary conditions, and we hope that Turkey will take the same position. But relations with Turkey are connected with the issue of Nagorno-Karabakh, with a third country. I mean Azerbaijan," he said. Nikol Pashinyans ambiguous statement about Armenias readiness to establish relations with Turkey without preconditions calls into question the policy of the Armenian state in the Karabakh settlement. He apparently forgot that Turkish officials have repeatedly stated that if Armenia dreams of good neighborly relations with Turkey, it will have to abandon its aggressive policy against Azerbaijan, sit at the negotiating table and begin de-occupation of the Azerbaijani territories. As long as it ignores the negotiation process, delaying the status quo, this is unacceptable for Azerbaijan and Turkey. Without settling the Karabakh conflict, Armenia should not count on relations with Turkey. Besides, Armenia should put an end to territorial claims against Turkey itself, as well as a century-old political adventure about the far-fetched "genocide." In order for Turkey to agree to restore diplomatic relations with Armenia and open its state border, all these important conditions must be met in Yerevan. Armenia should show readiness for a compromise not in words but in real actions. And in fact, the resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh problem is the most important condition not only for sustainable peace and stability in the Caucasus but also for the normalization of Turkish-Armenian relations. Armenia says that the Nagorno-Karabakh problem does not depend on Armenian-Turkish relations, but at the same time, it neglects the fact that Turkey closed the border with it, primarily because of this conflict. Therefore, active lobbyists support the normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations and the opening of the border should be viewed from the current destructive policy of Armenia as well. Armenia must withdraw its troops from the occupied Azerbaijani lands to normalize relations with Turkey, the Turkish presidential administration told Trend while commenting on the statement voiced by PM Nikol Pashinyan. "Turkey stands for stability and peace in the region, the administration said. There cannot be stability in the region without the withdrawal of the Armenian troops from the occupied Azerbaijani territories, the Turkish presidential administration stressed. It was noted that Armenia should also renounce claims about the events of 1915 since there was no genocide of Armenians during these events. On March 1, 2018, Armenia announced the annulment of the protocols on the normalization of Armenia-Turkey relations. The protocols on normalization of relations between the two countries were signed by the foreign ministers of Turkey and Armenia on October 10, 2009, but have not been ratified. Armenia and the Armenian lobby claim that the predecessor of Turkey - the Ottoman Empire - committed the so-called genocide against the Armenians living in Anatolia in 1915. --- Abdul Kerimkhanov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @AbdulKerim94 Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz Birthday wishes Call 281-422-8302 or email david.bloom@baytownsun.com to wish someone a happy birthday. We will print your birthday wish on Page 2 of The Sun. Happy Birthday Wishes By Abdul Kerimkhanov German airline Lufthansa intends to resume flights to Uzbekistan. In particular, the airline plans to change flights on the route Frankfurt - Baku - Ashgabat to Frankfurt - Baku - Tashkent with a frequency of three times a week. This was discussed during the talks between Lufthansa regional director in Russia and the CIS countries Ronald Schultz and Deputy Prime Minister of Uzbekistan Aziz Abdukhakimov, Uzbek media reported. The meeting also considered the possibility of using the German airline regional airports in Karshi and Andijan on the principle of "open sky". Perhaps in the future, one of these airports will turn into a Lufthansa transit hub used for flights from Europe to South-East Asia. The European company flew to Uzbekistan from 1993 to 2001, carrying out direct flights from Frankfurt to Tashkent and back. However, in 2001, cooperation with Uzbekistan was stopped. The resumption of flights was reported in March 2010 - then Lufthansa opened the route between the capital of Uzbekistan and Munich, but then the company turned off this direction. Lufthansa is the largest German airline and, when combined with its subsidiaries, also the largest airline in Europe, in terms of fleet size, and the second largest airline in terms of passengers carried during 2016. It operates services to 18 domestic destinations and 197 international destinations in 78 countries across Africa, the Americas, Asia and Europe, using a fleet of more than 270 aircraft. The airline Lufthansa is the main structural part of the largest aviation concern in Europe, Deutsche Lufthansa AG (Lufthansa Group). In 2017, the company's turnover amounted to 35.58 billion euros, net profit recorded at 2.37 billion euros. During the year, the concern transported about 130 million people, of which 65 million belonged directly to Lufthansa. Currently, there is one airline in Uzbekistan - Uzbekistan Airways (Uzbekistan Airlines), which is responsible for all issues related to civil aviation. In the 10 months of the current year, the carrier served 2.6 million passengers, 1.2 million of them are in the CIS countries, 908,000 in non-CIS countries, and 510,000 in domestic flights. In late November, Uzbek president Shavkat Mirziyoyev signed a decree on the reorganization of the monopolist. The national airline, in particular, will lose the right to manage airports and transfer control over the use of the country's airspace to the government. Lufthansa's registered office and corporate headquarters are in Cologne. The main operations base, called Lufthansa Aviation Center, is at Lufthansa's primary hub at Frankfurt Airport, and its secondary hub is at Munich Airport where a secondary Flight Operations Center is maintained. Lufthansa is Europes first and only 5-star airline and has thus joined the list of the worlds ten best premium airlines. --- Abdul Kerimkhanov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @AbdulKerim94 Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Trend The Turkmen Foreign Ministry hosted a meeting with the Belgian Ambassador (with residence in Baku) Bert Schoofs, Trend reports citing the Turkmen Foreign Ministry. The sides considered the possibility of organizing contacts between the president of Turkmenistan and the prime minister of Belgium in 2019 within multilateral formats, or during possible tours, the report said. The issue of holding political consultations in Ashgabat in 2019 was discussed. The Belgian ENEX Process Engineering SA company, which cooperates in the processing and chemical industry, telecommunications, and the introduction of environmentally friendly energy-saving technologies, has its official representative office in Ashgabat. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz By Trend Turkey is entitled to become a full EU member, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said. It is unfair that the EU hasn't abolished the visa regime with Turkey, and Ankara is working to eliminate that, Cavusoglu said, Trend reports citing the Turkish media. "Turkey will carry out reforms and achieve the abolition of the visa regime with the EU," Cavusoglu said. An association agreement between the EU and Turkey was signed in 1963. Ankara filed an application for membership in the EU in 1987, but accession negotiations were launched in 2005. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 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 You can reach Sam Morgen at 661-395-7415 or smorgen@bakersfield.com. You may also follow him on Twitter @smorgenTBC. Oregon Coast Officials Seek Input on Bike Route, Kite Festival Theme Published 12/10/2018 at 3:49 AM PDT By Oregon Coast Beach Connection Staff (Oregon Coast) Oregon officials are seeking public input in two ways regarding the Oregon coast. The state is seeking opinions on what should be done with coming improvements to the Oregon Coast Bike Route, while the town of Lincoln City needs helping naming next years kite festival theme. Explore Lincoln City is holding a contest to come up with next year's kite festival theme, which happens June 22 and 23. This time around it must begin with the letter Z, and the contest ends on New Years Eve. The lucky winner will be picked in the New Year and get to name the theme for the 2019 Kite Festivals. Last year, Melissa Rosin, of Salem, Oregon was the 2018 winner of the theme contest. Her submission of Year of the Kite was picked from hundreds of entries. Multiple entries per person are allowed, provided that each submission is unique. Festival organizers will determine the winner based on the most creative use of the letter Z in relation to kite flying. In the event of duplicate winning submissions, a winner will be selected at random. Must be 18 years of age or older to participate. For more information about the Kite Theme Contest, visit ExploreLincolnCity.com or call 541-996-1274. The Oregon Department of Transportation wants the publics help as it undertakes a major planning effort to identify improvements to the Oregon Coast Bike Route (OCBR), a popular bike route that runs the length of the Oregon coast. Public input is a key part of the OCBR plan, and will set the stage for improved safety, accessibility and enjoyment for residents, visitors and all users of the route. The public has a chance to provide input and share ideas about improving the OCBR by visiting an Online Open House through Jan. 31, 2019. The public input and ideas will help ODOT to better understand where the issues and gaps are along the route. Every year more than 6,000 people ride the OCBR. The route, designated in the early 1980s, attracts tourists from all over the world and is a treasured resource for many visitors and coastal residents. For more information please view the attached factsheet and visit the website at www.OregonCoastBikeRoute.org. While ODOT does not currently have funding identified for improvements, the Oregon Coast Bike Route Plan will set the stage for future investments. The plan will identify needs and prioritize improvements to the route to increase safety, accessibility and enjoyment for residents, visitors and all users. Oregon Coast Lodgings in these areas - Where to eat - Maps - Virtual Tours SPOTLIGHT: : The Ocean Terrace Condominiums - 4229 SW Beach Ave. Lincoln City, Oregon. (541) 996-3623. www.oceanterrace.com More About Oregon Coast hotels, lodging..... More About Oregon Coast Restaurants, Dining..... Coastal Spotlight LATEST Related Oregon Coast Articles Back to Oregon Coast Contact Advertise on BeachConnection.net All Content, unless otherwise attributed, copyright BeachConnection.net Unauthorized use or publication is not permitted Meteor Shower, Comet Above Oregon and the Coast - Sort Of Published 12/11/2018 at 4:49 AM PDT By Oregon Coast Beach Connection Staff (Oregon Coast) It's enough to give you the astronomy version of road rage: two intensely bright sky displays are headed for Oregon and the coast but it will likely be too cloudy to see them. The most intense meteor display of the year happens right about now and a magnificent comet is making a splash in the night. (Above: the moon and stars make streaks at Manzanita with a long exposure). What may be the brightest meteor shower of the year is underway right now, running until December 16. The Geminid meteor shower actually peaks on December 13 and 14, but the Oregon coast probably won't get to see it as the forecasts are calling for cloudy skies at night. However, Oregon forecasters haven't nailed some of the sunnier moments that popped up recently around the coastline, so there's always that chance they're wrong and there will be some breaks in the night sky. Inland Oregon, such as around Portland, will see some minor clearing during those overnight hours, which should make for some sightings on Thursday morning and Friday morning. You'll need to head to less well-lit regions in the vicinity of major towns. As many as 120 streaks per hour may be visible, and winter skies are much clearer than other times of the year. According to Jim Todd of Portland's OMSI, the Geminids will generally be coming from all directions in the sky, but many will have a path traceable to the constellation Gemini near the star Castor. If you can, start looking just after skies get really dark: they hit the atmosphere at a shallow angle and then burn slowly across the sky. The Geminids are debris from an asteroid called 3200 Phaethon, which has some unusual characteristics in its orbit. It behaves a little more like a comet: since it does actually move in an orbit it's been nicknamed the rock comet. If you're looking for another reason to feel frustrated with Oregon coast weather this time of year, the brightest comet of 2018 will give you plenty of astronomy rage. Comet 46P/Wirtanen passes Earth every 5.4 years, but on Monday, December 16, it will zip by at its closest distance to our blue world. It's also known by the name "Christmas Comet." Monday is looking cloudy for both the Oregon coast and the inland region, however. Its orbit is one of the closest to the Earth since the 1950s, but it is not exactly completely visible with the naked eye. You'll find it in the eastern horizon, showing itself as a faint blue dot. On December 16, it will be approximately between Aries and Taurus, rising higher in the night sky each consecutive night. (You can see photos of the comet here). Currently, NASA reports some 3,535 known comets. Like all of them, 46P is a loosely bound conglomeration of ice and rock, with the tail showing because the trail of debris it leaves behind gets heated up by the sun. See Oregon Coast Weather. Oregon Coast Lodgings for this event - Where to eat - Maps - Virtual Tours More About Oregon Coast hotels, lodging..... More About Oregon Coast Restaurants, Dining..... Coastal Spotlight LATEST Related Oregon Coast Articles Back to Oregon Coast Contact Advertise on BeachConnection.net All Content, unless otherwise attributed, copyright BeachConnection.net Unauthorized use or publication is not permitted Some 367 workers at a local call center will be out of a job by late January. Alorica, an international customer service communications company, will close its facility at 4645 Concord Road in Beaumont Jan. 25. The center served clients in the financial services and utility and energy industries, company spokeswoman Erica McCarthy said. Affected employees were notified of the closing Nov. 7. In a letter to the Texas Workforce Commission, the company said the operation is closing due to business needs and operational efficiencies. As we continue to stay on top of market trends and evolve with our clients business needs, we sadly must make changes that sometimes impact our people, the company said in a statement. Alorica is offering available positions at other sites in Humble and Corpus Christi as well as work-at-home opportunities, according to the statement. According to Aloricas website, the company has 71 domestic locations in more than 75 cities across 30 states. No other Alorica locations were listed on the workforce commissions weekly layoff notice. The Beaumont Chamber of Commerce is aware of the closure and is working on a response for the laid-off workers, president and CEO Bill Allen said. Allen didnt return requests for more information on that response. kaitlin.bain@beaumontenterprise.com twitter.com/KaitlinBain Two Southeast Texas WWII veterans on Tuesday were awarded the Medal of Knight in the French Legion of Honor, the highest French order of merit, established by Napoleon Bonaparte in May 1802. Lester Trauth, 93, and William Lakey, 95, were honored for their role in the liberation of France from Nazi Germany. Consul General in Houston Alexis Andres handled the honors. I feel very moved, both as a representative of the French government in Texas, and as a French citizen, bestowing the Legion of Honor to these two American Veterans of the Second World War, Andres said during a ceremony. Its one more example of the deep friendship between our two countries. Andres emphasized how much the actions of Trauth, Lakey and all the others who fought in France meant to him personally. I wouldnt be here if those heroes hadnt made that sacrifice to leave their country at a very young age not even 20, most of them come to a land that was foreign to them, but still fought for liberty and freedom, being ready to make the ultimate sacrifice. Those gentlemen are heroes and that is why it was so important to be able to thank them and recognize their merits, he said. A day like this never comes more than once in a lifetime, Lakey said after receiving the medal. I feel proud real proud I was able to do my little part. Mary Williams of the Military Veterans Peer Network elaborated on the Silsbee natives little part, which helped secure the Allied victory. On Feb. 23, 1943, (Lakey) joined the U.S. Army to serve his country, but also contribute to stop the oppression on foreign soil, she said in a speech. Trained as a truck driver, he landed in Normandy in June 1944 with the 300th Engineers. From the bridge of Carentan, which they repaired, William Lakey and his companions set to work on building bridges, repairing roads and helping people in need, all the way to Central Europe. Trauth was 18 when he was drafted in September 1943. He shipped out for England after basic training, but he wasnt there for very long, according to Williams. I fought all the way through France into Germany, said Trauth, a Louisiana native who now lives in Beaumont. Trauth was a part of the 79th infantry that landed on Utah Beach on D-Day, June 6, 1944, for an effort that largely shaped the world as we know it today, Williams said. During the Normandy invasion, he narrowly avoided a grenade that detonated a mortar nearby. But the blast broke five of his ribs. On another occasion, he was almost paralyzed by shrapnel tearing though his backpack. Yet because his injuries never broke the skin, Trauth was never awarded a Purple Heart. All of this was all messed up, said Trauth, pointing to his left side. They put me in the hospital, patched me up and sent me to the front line. Words cant explain how I feel right now because its such a distinct honor and a privilege for them to receive this award, Williams said. This is the highest medal that the country of France hands out. We do not have a lot of WWII veterans left in the world, period. Theyre in their 90s now, so were losing them very fast. She noted that Tuesdays ceremony came just days after former president and WWII veteran George Bush was laid to rest. He was the last president that was living from WWII, so theyre all gone now, which is sad, Williams said. But that makes it such an honor for Trauth and Lakey to be here to receive this medal. haley.bruyn@beaumontenterprise.com twitter.com/HaleyWrites_BE The Jefferson County Commissioners Court wants residents to help determine whether to spend $2.5 million on buyouts or acquisitions. Buyouts mean the county would purchase homes at pre-disaster fair market value and maintain the land. Acquisitions would allow the county to buy homes at post-disaster values, and it could sell the property as long as the future buyer agrees to build based on an updated flood plain. With acquisitions, youre offering them what they could get from every other buyer, said Jefferson County Judge Jeff Branick. We just become a buyer. Aside from the upkeep bill that taxpayers get saddled with when the city acquires new property and other trickle-down costs, buyouts often are the best option for residents who need the assistance. Weve done (buyouts) in the past, Commissioner Brent Weaver said. So it must have been a good thing in the past. However, the federal funding being sent through the General Land Office would likely pay for the buyout of only 10 to 20 homes flooded by Tropical Storm Harvey. Thats compared to post-Hurricane Ike funding, which Branick said could have paid for about 100 homes. The majority of the commissioners seemed to be leaning toward acquisitions at a Monday workshop session largely because few residents have called the county interested in either program. And acquisitions carry lower long-term costs to the county. Commissioner Michael Sinegal said acquisitions also give the county an opportunity to continue trying to entice people to come back to the area, instead of creating more open space. Ive been saying, especially in my precinct, I cant afford to lose population, he said. As a result, the Commissioners Court tabled the conversation to a later meeting in hope that residents who might be interested in such a program will share their opinions. Commissioners in early November approved a contract with Griffith, Moseley, Johnson & Associates should the county choose to take either action. Should the county pursue either program, the contractor will have to meet with and inform landowners of the process and any offers from the county. It also would be expected to determine relocation benefits for eligible tenants. kaitlin.bain@beaumontenterprise.com twitter.com/KaitlinBain Guiseppe Barranco/The Enterprise, Photo Editor Jefferson County said no to treated waste on Monday in hope of avoiding a smelly standoff. Commissioners Court voted unanimously to prohibit the disposal of treated municipal or industrial waste anywhere in unincorporated areas of the county. A man wanted for battering his girlfriend took his own life Tuesday afternoon after wounding a Harris County Sheriffs Office sergeant and two agents with the Texas Attorney General's Office during a gun battle at a Houston home, according to authorities. The three officers are in stable condition after being shot around 12:50 p.m. by suspected gunman Daniel Trevino, who was the target of their arrest warrant being served at a home in the 5000 block of Hartwick Road. The shooting prompted a five-hour-long standoff with Trevino, who was barricaded inside the home. Authorities were in contact with Trevino during the standoff and Harris County Sheriff's Office Chief Deputy Edison Toquica said he offered to come out. He never did. The standoff ended at 6:15 p.m. when police found him dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound inside the house, Toquica announced at a news conference. Trevino had been wanted for more than a week since he allegedly violated a protective order from his girlfriend, officials said. During a Dec. 2 encounter, he accused the woman of infidelity and head-butted her. She told police later that day he came to her home, but she did not want to press charges because she feared for her life, according to documents. Trevino was charged with aggravated assault on Sept. 20 about a week after he allegedly confronted his girlfriend with a revolver. He threatened to kill her and her two children because he believed she had cheated on him, according to court documents. She told police Trevino forced her family to stay inside the apartment until her kids could muster $360 in rent he demanded back. He then hit her legs repeatedly with the handgun, police said. He was arrested on Oct. 25 and released after posting a $40,000 bond on Oct. 31, records show. The protective order against Trevino was issued on Oct. 26. As last week's warrant for violating the protective order was issued, prosecutors requested that Trevino not be allowed a bond. Police tracked Trevino to the north Harris County home where he is believed to have shot the three officers. The officers managed to return fire, police said. A police escort tailed the ambulances carrying the wounded officers to Ben Taub Hospital, all of which arrived within minutes of each other. The officers all suffering gunshot wounds were awake as first responders wheeled them into the hospital. One of the agents, who was shot in the face, torso and leg, was spotted entering the hospital with a neck brace. The sheriff's sergeant took a bullet to his right hand, Harris County Sheriff's Office Major Mike Lee said. The wound, which was bandaged when he reached Ben Taub, that Lee believes could cost him a finger. The other agent was shot in the foot, Lee said. Attorney General Ken Paxton identified the wounded agents as Capt. Wes Hensley and Sgt. Mark Rychen, both of whom are members of the state's fugitive apprehension unit. One of the agents was on a week-long assignment in Houston from his home city of Austin, according to Lee. The sheriff's deputy was not identified. Gov. Greg Abbott tweeted his support of the officers. "Prayers up for these law enforcement officers shot in the line of duty," he tweeted. "We thank and support those who risk their lives to keep us safe." Trevino's criminal history includes several assault arrests, theft and illegal firearm possession. Here are nine updates on ASC companies and industry-relevant companies to note: Dallas-based Tenet Healthcare appointed Ernest Franklin, MD, as the chief medical operations officer. Nashville, Tenn.-based Envision Healthcare named Teresa Sparks its executive vice president and CFO. Nashville, Tenn.-based Surgery Partners plans to hold a multifacility job fair Dec. 5 in Tampa, Fla., encouraging medical professionals to kickstart their careers before the New Year. Nashville, Tenn.-based TriStar Health System filed an application to construct a medical office building and ASC in Brentwood, Tenn. The Joint Commission awarded Muve Lakeway (Texas) Ambulatory Surgery Center and Muve Lakeway Surgical Stay Suites its Gold Seal of Approval. Both ASCs are owned by Leawood, Kan.-based ValueHealth, the parent company of Leawood-based NueHealth and Denver-based Muve Health. Anchor Health Properties and Knoxville-based Tennessee Valley Eye Surgery Center opened an 18,000-square-foot ASC in Knoxville. Irving, Texas-based NorthStar Anesthesia named Adam Spiegel the company's new CEO and appointed Sean Richardson COO. Melville, N.Y.-based North American Partners in Anesthesia acquired Bethesda, Md.-based Aisthesis Partners in Anesthesia Care, expanding NAPA's ASC presence in Washington, D.C. and Delaware. Exeter (N.H.) Hospital's 14 physicians and its certified registered nurse anesthetist team joined North American Partners in Anesthesia. Springfield, Mo.-based CoxHealth plans to build a $42 million replacement facility for its 65-year-old hospital in Monett, Mo., according to the Joplin Globe. Here are four things to know: 1. The 70,000-square-foot replacement hospital will house an enhanced emergency department, multiple operating rooms, a physician office building, 40 exam rooms and a cardiac rehab unit. 2. "Our current hospital has served the community well over these six decades, but we believe it's time to grow, and a new facility is part of that," Darren Bass, president of Cox Monett Hospital told the Joplin Globe. "We're very excited for this project, and [we] believe it will raise the standard of care we're able to offer patients in this region." 3. Officials will break ground on the project within months. Construction is expected to take two years. 4. Hospital officials are considering options for the current hospital building. Holy Cross Hospital in Taos, N.M., is hiring a consultant to help it improve billing and collections, according to The Taos News. The hospital reportedly had about $8 million in total accounts receivable as of early December. Patients also have indicated bills are delayed and at times take several months to arrive after they receive services, according to The Taos News. Holy Cross CEO Bill Patten attributed many of the delays to compatibility issues between the hospital's office management system, Evident, and its former billing consultant, Resolution. The facility's conversion to a critical access hospital was also a factor in billing delays. But Mr. Patten said he expects improvements after hiring TruBridge, another consultant and sister company to Evident. "By being a sister company, they will have a better understanding of our current system," Mr. Patten told The Taos News. "They will be able to ensure the system is configured correctly and will be able to educate our staff to use it efficiently." The TruBridge contract will begin Jan. 2. More articles on healthcare finance: For-profit hospital stock report: Week of Dec. 3-7 MedPAC considers direct Medicare billing for NPs, PAs Volatile net revenue continues to challenge nonprofit hospital CFOs Emails from a regional New York development agency suggest it attempted to fix the results of a study meant to determine the site of a new hospital in Utica, N.Y., a charge the agency's executive director denies, according to the Observer-Dispatch. Downtown Utica beat out two other locations as the hospital site. Mohawk Valley Economic Development Growth Enterprises commissioned Elan Planning, Design and Landscape Architecture to conduct a study that would determine where Mohawk Valley Health System's newest hospital campus would be. Emails from the development agency's executive director Steve DiMeo seem to show that he wanted to encourage the architecture firm to say the campus should be located downtown. "My whole thought process in bringing Elan on board is to make sure that we guide siting decision in favor of downtown," Mr. DiMeo wrote in a 2015 email to other project partners. The study ended up scoring the proposed downtown location better than the two other sites. "I don't know why he said that," Lisa Nagle, a principal at Elan, said of the email. "We always conduct ourselves in the utmost professional way. This was pretty much a black-and-white analysis. We do a lot of work of this type. I do a lot of work with communities and economic development entities such as EDGE, and we are always professional and independent with our thinking and we report the facts." Mr. DiMeo denied that the email proves any intent to direct the site selection process. "I dont know," said Mr. DiMeo. " It certainly wasnt meant to say we were going to steer this with one outcome." New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy has reportedly selected an interim CEO to replace Newark, N.J.-based University Hospital's outgoing chief executive who resigned last week, according to nj.com. Three anonymous sources told nj.com Mr. Murphy's administration has selected Judith Persichilli, BSN, RN, to succeed outgoing CEO John N. Kastanis, whose resignation will be effective on Dec. 14. However, the hospital's board of directors declined to vote on her appointment during a meeting Dec. 10. Ms. Persichilli, who served as the CEO of Newtown Square, Pa.-based Catholic Health East before its 2013 merger with Livonia, Mich.-based Trinity Health, was responsible for crafting a report on the hospital's finances and leadership decisions in recent years. The 37-page report, released Dec. 10, surmises the hospital has suffered a leadership void since the state dissolved its parent company roughly five years ago. It also states Mr. Kastanis alienated the community and the state health department, and that the board of directors failed to hold hospital leadership accountable. "The organization does not have a strategic plan and as such does not have a financial plan," the report stated. Such mismanagement was evident in the hospital's handling of a bacterial outbreak in its neonatal intensive care unit earlier this year, during which at least three infants died, according to the report. The report reveals the bacterial infection was initially discovered in June and that staff took preventive measures to contain the spread of the bacteria. However, "leadership throughout the organization was either not aware of the issue or did not appear to respond effectively when made aware," the report claims. The report also suggests University Hospital re-examine its financial commitments, particularly with regard to its clinical services agreement with its physicians and emergency department, which the report states is routinely overcrowded and maintains higher-than-average wait times for patients. Mr. Kastanis joined University Hospital in March 2016. To access the full report, click here. CNN named Dr. Ricardo Pun-Chong its 2018 "Hero of the Year" during the broadcast network's 12th annual ceremony honoring citizen heroes Dec. 9. Online voters selected Dr. Pun-Chong from among the network's top 10 CNN Heroes finalists, which included Dr. Pun-Chong and another New York-based physician. Dr. Pun-Chong completed his medical training in Lima, Peru, and treated hundreds of families who often could not afford hospital visits and traveled long distances to obtain care. In 2008, he founded the nonprofit Inspira, which aims to provide free housing, meals and support for sick children and their families while they undergo treatment. The organization has helped more than 800 families to date, according to the report. As "Hero of the Year," Dr. Pun-Chong will receive a $100,000 prize to be used toward his cause. Each finalist will also receive a $10,000 cash award. Beginning Dec. 9, each donation made to the top 10 CNN Heroes' designated nonprofit will be matched up to $50,000 by Subaru through Jan. 2, 2019. Dr. Pun-Chong said during the ceremony he plans to use the funds to build a new shelter and triple their financial assistance to families. "The real heroes are our kids. Infinite thank yous to each one of you for trusting us and showing us that love has no borders," he said. To access the full report, click here. St. Joseph, Mo.-based Mosaic Life Care has reached an agreement to acquire St. Francis Hospital in Maryville, Mo., expanding its rural presence in the state, according to the St. Joseph News-Press. Almost one year after selling its network of clinics in the Kansas City region, Mosaic has doubled down on its efforts to establish a foothold in the 41-county service area surrounding St. Joseph. The system will now own two northwest Missouri hospitals outside of St. Joseph. "It is a tremendous privilege to serve the people of Maryville and surrounding communities," said Mark Laney, MD, CEO of Mosaic. "It's our opportunity to broaden the scope of healthcare services to ensure the long-term sustainability of high-quality health care in the area. Accessible and excellent care will remain close to home." Two healthcare executives pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud Dec. 7, according to the Department of Justice. Lisa Carol Raymond and Robert Paul Maglicic were charged with participating in a scheme to defraud the South Carolina Medicaid program through Southern Support Services, a provider in Florence, S.C. Southern Support Services' owner, Shepard Lee Spruill, was previously prosecuted for defrauding North Carolina's Medicaid program and sentenced to eight years in federal prison in July 2018. According to the Department of Justice, Mr. Maglicic and Ms. Raymond fabricated records to support billings from Southern Support Services. The provider fraudulently billed the South Carolina Medicaid program between October 2013 and November 2014 for more than $595,000 in fictitious behavioral health services, according to the allegations. The Medicaid program also paid Southern Support Services another $1.4 million for behavioral health services it did not render between December 2014 and April 2015, according to the accusations. In total, the department projects Medicaid paid more than $2 million due to improper billing on behalf of the defendants. Mr. Maglicic and Ms. Raymond face up to 10 years in prison for their alleged participation in the scheme, as well as fines, supervised release and mandatory restitution, according to the department. More articles on legal and regulatory issues: Hospitals sue HHS over site-neutral payment policy Tennessee nurse pleads guilty in $65.7M telemedicine fraud scheme 7 New York hospitals reach settlement, agree to stop improper billing of rape survivors A Latina former nurse at Pasadena, Calif.-based Huntington Hospital filed a lawsuit against the facility Dec. 7, alleging managers demonstrated racial discrimination and fired her on false claims of unprofessional conduct, reports the San Gabriel Valley Tribune. Martha Beltran, RN, started working at Huntington Hospital as a housekeeper in 1984. She went on to pursue an education in nursing and worked as a registered nurse at the hospital between 2001-03 before becoming a charge nurse and nursing instructor. The lawsuit claims Latino and black nurses were harassed, given poor performance evaluations, removed from advisory boards and denied promotions when two new supervisors took over Ms. Beltran's department in 2017. Ms. Beltran had several meetings with human resources in late 2017 regarding anonymous employee complaints filed against her. Ms. Beltran told HR she was being discriminated against due to her race and that "a white nurse who was the subject of a similar complaint was given a fair chance to defend herself," according to the San Gabriel Valley Tribune. In a second meeting regarding co-worker complaints against Ms. Beltran, she asked to revert to a previous nursing position, but officials told her the hospital does not allow demotions, according to the lawsuit. Huntington leaders fired Ms. Beltran in January 2018 for allegedly violating the hospital's professional conduct codes. Thirteen co-workers signed a letter to Huntington Hospital management opposing the action. They claimed the allegations against Ms. Beltran were racially motivated by a small group of white nurses who were "targeting women of color," according to the lawsuit. Ms. Beltran filed an internal grievance with the hospital, alleging she was a victim of racial discrimination. However, the hospital sent her a letter in February upholding her termination. In a statement to Becker's Hospital Review, a spokesperson for Huntington Hospital said, "We do not comment on employee matters or pending litigation." Physicians treating pregnant patients for other medical conditions are often put in a bind due to the lack of research to inform their decision-making, according to NPR. Here are three things to know: 1. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends pregnant women with pre-existing hypertension continue to use their usual blood pressure medications. Women who develop hypertension while pregnant can receive "emergency treatment" with some prescribed medication. "Gestational hypertension itself is a separate condition, and we actually don't have any medications that are developed specifically for that," Catherine Spong, MD, chief of maternal-fetal medicine at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, told NPR. 2. Pregnant women are generally excluded from medical research due to scientists and medical ethicists' concern of how experiments could pose harm to women or their fetuses. "Pregnant women are considered a vulnerable population, so, in general, researchers aren't permitted to experiment on pregnant women," said Jacqueline Wolf, PhD, a professor of the history of medicine in the Department of Social Medicine at Athens-based Ohio University. 3. Few studies conduct a placebo drug comparison study on pregnant women or how women are affected by existing medication when they become pregnant. However, in September 2018, a federal task force studying the gaps in healthcare knowledge about pregnant and lactating women issued a 388-page report recommending pregnant women be included in studies and stating that the government should develop new drugs to treat problems related to pregnancy and breastfeeding. HHS Secretary Alex Azar will respond to the task force's recommendations by December's end and did not respond to NPR's request for comment. More articles on clinical leadership and infection control: Non-children's hospitals fall short when treating kids for pneumonia, study finds Olympus settles federal scope investigation for $85M VA hospitals outperform peers in care quality, study finds The South Sudan Ministry of Health has vaccinated its health workers on the border of the Democratic Republic of Congo, according to Business Today. The World Health Organization assisted in the vaccine campaign, which targets healthcare and frontline workers in high-risk areas. South Sudan borders Congo, where the an ebola outbreak has been active since August, claiming 271 lives as of Dec. 6, according to Business Today. The country has been affected by a civil war for the last five years, which has killed about 400,000 people. About 4 million people have fled. About 2,160 doses of an experimental Ebola vaccine have been sourced to South Sudan for the vaccination campaign that will start Dec. 19. The trial vaccine is not licensed, but is safe for use "under the compassionate-use guidelines in response to the ongoing Ebola outbreak in DRC", the WHO said, cited by Business Today. More articles on clinical leadership and infection control: CDC confirms record number of AFM cases: 4 things to know Long-term care options limited for kids after NJ adenovirus outbreak Adverse events affect 21% of Medicare long-term hospital patients, OIG finds Sexually transmitted diseases diagnoses have increased by 23 percent between 2014 and 2017 in adults over the age of 60, according to an analysis conducted by athenainsight. Seven things to know: 1. Among all ages groups STDs are rising, according to U.S. News & World Report. In 2017, there were about 2.3 million reported cases of chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis in the U.S. 2. Adults over the age of 60 had a 23 percent increase between the years 2014 and 2017, while other age groups saw an 11 percent increase. "Although it appears that there's an increase in rates, the rates [of sexually transmitted infections among older adults] are still exceedingly low," Stacy Lindau, MD, professor of obstetrics and gynecology and medicine-geriatrics at the University of Chicago, told U.S. News & World Report. 3. The increase in STD cases were more prevalent in men than women and more prevalent in men having sex with men, said Lisa Granville, MD, professor of geriatrics at Tallahassee, Fla.-based Florida State University College of Medicine. However, everyone within the age group 60 years or more is at risk. 4. The increase in STDs in older patients could be attributed to physicians not asking older patients if they need to be tested or should be tested. Another reason may be that patients are not seeing their physicians annually. 5. The STD rate may have not increased, but "an improvement in detection" leads to a higher amount of reported numbers, according to Dr. Granville. 6. More effective FDA-approved medications to treat sexual male dysfunction may also be contributing to the STD increase among older adults, Dr. Lindau said. "We may see more sexual activity in older age groups than we did 20 or 30 years ago," said Dr. Lindau. "More sexual activity does increase the probability of sexually transmitted infections in the population, especially if the population is not targeted with effective messaging either from the public health sphere or their doctors about safe sex." 7. Dr. Granville said the exchange of educational materials between sexual partners and patients and providers is highly encouraged in stopping sexually transmitted diseases, regardless of age. More articles on clinical leadership and infection control: South Sudan health teams vaccinated amid Congo's Ebola outbreak CDC confirms record number of AFM cases: 4 things to know Long-term care options limited for kids after NJ adenovirus outbreak U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs hospitals often demonstrate higher care quality ratings on Hospital Compare than non-VA hospitals in the same market, according to a study published in Annals of Internal Medicine. For the study, researchers analyzed care quality data from Hospital Compare for 135 VA hospitals and 2,988 non-VA hospitals across 121 regional healthcare markets. The VA hospitals consistently demonstrated better performance on every quality measure than their peers in all 121 markets. For nine of 15 quality measures assessed, the VA facilities offered the best care in the region. "Assuming the measures are calculated in a fair and comparable way, our findings suggest that, for these measures, VA quality is at least as good as non-VA quality and often better," study co-author William Weeks, MD, PhD, a researcher at the Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice in Lebanon, N.H., told Reuters. Researchers noted the study does have some limitations, but said the findings suggest outsourcing veterans' healthcare to non-VA facilities should be reconsidered. More articles on clinical leadership and infection control: South Sudan health teams vaccinated amid Congo's Ebola outbreak CDC confirms record number of AFM cases: 4 things to know Long-term care options limited for kids after NJ adenovirus outbreak Despite efforts by its manufacturer to ramp up deliveries and production, the national shortage of Shingrix, a new vaccine to protect against shingles, is worsening, according to The Washington Post. Demand for GlaxoSmithKline's two-dose Shingrix vaccine skyrocketed this spring after it was found to be more effective than the older single-shot vaccine. In addition, demand increased sharply last year after federal regulators recommended all healthy adults receive the vaccine at age 50. As a result, GSK officials now estimate about 115 million people in the U.S. are eligible for the vaccine a number they did not initially anticipate. Consumers have been struggling to find Shingrix doses at pharmacies across the U.S. In one instance, a Pennsylvania man said his wife was told by her local supermarket pharmacy that time on the waiting list to get the Shingrix vaccine was about 12 months. In a separate instance, a CVS pharmacist told the Post that their location hadn't received a shipment since August. "It's worse now," an unnamed pharmacist at Walgreens told the Post. The pharmacy is not keeping a waiting list because "there's no promise of when it's going to come out again." To help combat the worsening shortage, GSK said it has increased supply of Singrix in the U.S., shipping large volumes every two to three weeks. Beginning in December, the company said it's moving to a twice-monthly schedule. GSK makes Shingrix at its facility in Belgium, which is already at capacity, according to a GSK spokesperson. The company said it is struggling to meet demand, but plans to bring more doses to the U.S. next year. Read the full report here. The Virginia Institute for Robotic Surgery at Reston (Va.) Hospital Center acquired its second Mazor X system. Here are three insights: 1. The hospital sought out a second surgery system to expand its rapidly growing spine program. Reston Hospital Center is among the select few hospitals in the nation to have two Mazor X systems. 2. Reston Hospital Center acquired its first robotic spine surgery system in 2016. Since then, the hospital estimates it performs more than 1,500 spine surgeries annually, with more than 600 using the Mazor X system. 3. Surgeons from around the world travel to Reston Hospital Center to train on the latest Mazor technology. Christopher Good, MD, is among the surgeons who leads the training. Danish fashion brand Vila will open its first Northern Ireland store in Belfast's CastleCourt Shopping Centre on Friday. The popular label, which has previously only been available at independently owned stores here, will occupy a 2,300sq ft retail space selling women's clothing, footwear, accessories and lingerie. It is the latest name to sign up to CastleCourt and brings the number of retailers and food units in the Royal Avenue centre to 90. Discount retailer Matalan opened its first UK city centre outlet at CastleCourt in October. Vila's arrival follows the city centre opening of Irish department store Guineys, as well as Saturday's launch of Primark's new shop at the back of the fire-damaged Bank Buildings. Michael Wright, director at CastleCourt owner Wirefox, said: "Attracted by a strong city centre location, strong footfall growth and further planned investments in an enhanced shopping environment, our latest signing means that we are well on the way to approaching our full capacity target and to ensuring that CastleCourt retains its premier retail ranking in the UK and Ireland." Founded in 1994, Vila has 110 stores across Europe. In the last decade, tourism has been a success story in Northern Ireland. The number of visitors and their increased spending have injected useful economic activity. The private sector has sensed the scope to develop a profitable larger market, particularly in investment in accommodation facilities, led by the major increase in the number of hotels across the main tourist centres. Tourism Ireland has launched an increased programme to market the whole island in 2019. The overall marketing spend is expected to reach 45m (40m). The evidence from Tourism Ireland points to the continuing interest of more external visitors in coming to this island. There is, however, a risk that Northern Ireland, given the continuing political uncertainty, will not benefit as fully as might be hoped. The degree of uncertainty about NI's ability to maintain its share of the business from external visitors serves to challenge local stakeholders to maximise the tourism results. Part of the challenge is to monitor and offer critical commentary on the marketing efforts of Tourism Ireland. In parallel, Tourism NI (which has marketing responsibilities across all-Ireland) will be targeting an increasing tourism value added from staycationers: leisure seekers and holidaymakers who live on this island. There are important issues to be debated about the evolution of the tourism sector. The recently established, mainly private sector-led NI Tourism Alliance suggests that the growth of the sector 'needs more than financial investment.' Having asked that question, the alliance sets the scene for a discussion of what form 'the more than financial assistance' should take. The Tourism Alliance also headlines the threats associated with the delivery of Brexit. Finalising the Brexit agreements, or disagreements, is bringing uncertainty in a number of ways. If trading conditions for businesses, north and south, tourism led or other sectors, remain uncertain, there are the obvious down-side effects of business decisions postponed. Northern Ireland is seen as more vulnerable than the Republic of Ireland, although both areas would not be helped by the threat of instability and lack of a clear Brexit agreement. Brexit uncertainty could have a wider impact. In 2019, exchange rate volatility threatens, but with the unexpected perverse advantage that external visitors using sterling may get better value for their own currency. However, international visitors will have heard the complex debate about 'no border on this island' and the impact of that uncertainty will not be helpful. Searching for longer-term success from a larger tourism sector now is a convenient moment to ask questions about tourism policies, north and/or south, but particularly from a Northern Ireland stance. Sources of public sector funding will remain constrained and evolving policy options need to be prioritised. An easy starting point must emphasise value-for-money in policy delivery. Alongside that constraint there should be direct questions on sustainability and self-funding. There would be little support for policies which suggested continuing subsidies for parts of a sector which would be expected to pay their way. The early ideas in the Belfast Region City Plan (the City Deal) illustrate a group of enhanced tourism amenities that, subject to tests of value for money, would offer an initial programme, later to be supplemented by ideas from other parts of NI. These include: Belfast's story as a destination hub Gateway to the Mournes Hillsborough Castle and heritage village Gobbins pathway: phase II Whitespots (country park in Co Down) Game of Thrones legacy attraction, Moneyglass Carrickfergus Castle, walls and public realm Bangor waterfront regeneration St Patrick's Barracks regeneration Newry regeneration These new project ideas will be expensive. However, they will have a continuing impact, as will the still to be confirmed projects from the North West City Deal. The potential benefits of new projects of these types will probably outscore the suggested VAT concessions or the net cost to Stormont of abolishing Air Passenger Duty. Operational decisions on the Belfast City Deal are urgently awaited. Northern Ireland business leaders have warned that the decision to postpone today's crucial vote on the EU withdrawal deal will cause more instability for the economy and firms here. Prime Minister Theresa May told the House of Commons yesterday that the resistance to the backstop provision for the Irish border within the deal had left her little choice but to defer the vote until she made efforts to address the concerns. It's understood she will seek some concessions on the backstop when speaking to EU leaders later in the week. The move prompted the pound to slump to $1.255, its lowest level since April 2017. Retail NI chief executive Glyn Roberts said: "While it was very clear that the Prime Minister would have lost the vote on the draft deal, its postponement and more negotiations with EU causes ever more instability for the economy and the business community." He said there's real concern among the business community that the stalemate is edging the UK closer to a no-deal scenario. Ann McGregor, chief executive of the NI Chamber, said the frustration among businesses continues to grow. "Many business leaders will be extremely frustrated by yet another delay in this drawn-out process, which impacts real-world business conditions, not least currency markets," she said. "Businesses are clear that time is rapidly running out. With just over 100 days to go until March 29, many are already enacting contingency plans in the absence of clarity from Westminster." Ms McGregor said recent research by NI Chamber indicated that 37% of its members were actively scaling down or freezing growth plans because of Brexit. "Even basic business planning for next year has become difficult, if not impossible, for many firms and their investors," she said. "Businesses are clear that they do not want a messy and disorderly exit, which both government and far too many firms are under-prepared for." Stephen Kelly, who represents Manufacturing NI, said its members watched yesterday's developments with growing concern. "Each are worried, many are angry. The country is clearly divided, Parliament even more so. Yet, apart from the withdrawal agreement, nothing else is real. "If a better deal is available, it has yet to be articulated, nevermind negotiated, and we have no idea if it is practical and workable for the businesses who have to pay wages this Friday and every week beyond March 29, 2019. "We need a deal and we need it now so we can avoid a disastrous no-deal outcome, bank the transition period and get on to the more important long-term future relationship negotiations." Aodhan Connolly of the NI Retail Consortium said any delay to securing an agreement was "extremely concerning". "With just three months to go until the UK leaves the EU, it is imperative to retailers in Northern Ireland that they get clarity about their future trading relationship with our neighbours," he said. "A no-deal outcome would result in higher costs, harming consumers in NI who already suffer from having half the discretionary spending power of those in the rest of the UK. Parliament must urgently find a workable proposal to avoid a cliff-edge no-deal scenario. The Brexit clock is ticking loudly." Tina McKenzie, who chairs Northern Ireland's biggest business organisation, the Federation of Small Businesses, said while the draft Agreement was "far from perfect", she said it had offered assurance for continuity of trading beyond March 29. She said any improvements to the deal would be welcomed. "However, the latest moves increase the risk of a no-deal Brexit, which is regarded by businesses as the most damaging outcome. We have clearly moved into a significantly more uncertain period which will doubtless cause concern amongst the whole business community," she added. Colin Neill of Hospitality Ulster said last night: "We are following developments in Parliament very closely, but as previously stated, 74% of our members support the current withdrawal agreement rather than crashing out without a deal." The UK can remove the threat of no-deal by halting or delaying Brexit, Leo Varadkar said (Niall Carson/PA) The UK can remove the threat of no-deal by halting or delaying Brexit, the Irish Taoiseach said. Leo Varadkar said he wanted to help give assurances which Britain may need to ratify the draft withdrawal treaty, without changing its substance. The Irish Government is accelerating recruitment of customs officers and veterinary officers, and putting infrastructure in ports and airports, but not the land border between Northern Ireland and the Republic. Mr Varadkar told the Dail parliament in Dublin: It remains in the hands of the UK to decide that we dont end up in a no-deal scenario. The option is there to revoke Article 50, the option is there to extend Article 50 and while there may not be a majority for anything, or at least any deal, at the moment in the House of Commons, I do believe that there is a majority that the UK should not be plunged into a no-deal scenario. It is in their hands at any point in time to take the threat of no-deal off the table, either by revoking Article 50 or, if that is a step too far, by extending itLeo Varadkar It is in their hands at any point in time to take the threat of no-deal off the table, either by revoking Article 50 or, if that is a step too far, by extending it. Article 50 is part of the Lisbon Treaty giving any EU member state the right to quit unilaterally and the mechanism by which the UK triggered the process of leaving the EU. Withdrawal is due to take place next March. I have decided to call #EUCO on #Brexit (Art. 50) on Thursday. We will not renegotiate the deal, including the backstop, but we are ready to discuss how to facilitate UK ratification. As time is running out, we will also discuss our preparedness for a no-deal scenario. Charles Michel (@eucopresident) December 10, 2018 Mr Varadkar held a telephone conversation with European Council President Donald Tusk on Monday afternoon ahead of this weeks meeting of leaders in Brussels. The Irish premier added: Our approach is that we have a deal on the table, a deal that has the support of 28 Governments, negotiated over 15 months. Our objective is to get the deal ratified by the House of Commons and that is what we will be working on over the next couple of weeks, giving the UK the assurances it may need but never compromising on the basic fundamental substance and written letter of the backstop. Theresa May will travel to Dublin following Cabinet on Wednesday afternoon for talks on Brexit with Taioseach Leo Varadkar, the Prime Minister's official spokesman has announced. Mrs May will fly on to Brussels later that evening ahead of the European Council meeting on Thursday, but no further meetings in the Belgian capital have yet been announced. Read More She is also planning to speak by phone with Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz on Tuesday while she is in Brussels for meetings with Donald Tusk and Jean-Claude Juncker. Read More It comes after a day of turmoil in the Commons on Monday which resulted in the Prime Minister pulling her meaningful vote on securing parliament backing for the withdrawal agreement. Mrs May is meeting with various European leaders in a bid to get assurances over the contentious Irish backstop, which has seen large numbers of MPs unite in opposition to the deal. The Irish Government has said it is intensifying its no-deal Brexit preparations. The UK Government, meanwhile, has confirmed the withdrawal agreement will return to the Commons before January 21. The DUP has said it will need to be significantly altered in order to garner its support. Arlene Foster's lawyer has said it will be for the RHI Inquiry to decide if she could have done anything differently to avoid the disastrous outcome of the scheme that left the taxpayer with an estimated 490m bill. The comments were made in a legal submission by Mrs Foster's barrister Julie Ellison in one of 16 closing statements by key witnesses published last night by the inquiry. Read More The RHI probe, which is led by retired judge Sir Patrick Coghlin, will hear closing submissions over three days from tomorrow. This will include a short presentation of the evidence already heard over 111 days, as well as oral submissions from lawyers representing three key players - the Department for the Economy, the Department of Finance and regulator Ofgem. Oral submissions will also be heard from some of the 27 individuals and organisations who were granted enhanced participatory rights. These include Mrs Foster, former DUP minister Jonathan Bell, a number of the party's special advisers (Spads) and some senior civil servants. Mrs Foster was in charge of the Stormont department that set up the flawed scheme. As details of the scandal emerged later, she faced calls to stand down as First Minister. When she refused to step aside, Sinn Fein collapsed the Executive in January 2017. The public inquiry has since exposed internal rows between senior DUP members and the power wielded by unelected Spads, as well as how codes that set standards for public life were apparently ignored routinely to get business done. In a closing statement to the inquiry, during which Mrs Foster gave five days of evidence, her lawyer said it will be up to the panel to determine the impact of a "lack of ministerial input" on certain key issues. Mrs Foster, who launched the RHI scheme in 2012 when Enterprise Minister, previously admitted to the inquiry that she did not read the legislation she introduced to the Assembly in her name. She also said that she was "accountable but not responsible" for her former Spad Dr Andrew Crawford. Mrs Foster said Dr Crawford never raised allegations that the RHI scheme was being abused with her, or the potential for a spike in applications. She told the inquiry she now believes both of those issues should have been brought to her attention when she was Finance Minister in 2015. In her statement last night, Ms Ellison said Mrs Foster had been "clear that she is accountable to the Assembly for the failings that occurred within Deti during her tenure as minister of that department". "She has welcomed the inquiry as a means of establishing the facts of what went wrong with the scheme and how to ensure it does not happen again. "It is clear, however, that there were many issues that were not raised to ministerial level for either information or decision-making. "It will be for the inquiry to determine the impact the lack of ministerial input on certain key issues has had, and whether, in light of the issues that were not raised, Mrs Foster was in a position to have done anything differently such that the scheme's adverse outcomes could have been avoided." At the DUP's annual conference last month, Mrs Foster said her party was "deeply, deeply, sorry" for its handling of the RHI scandal, which saw the Northern Ireland taxpayer open to a huge overspend because the scheme paid out more in subsidies than the cost of the fuel, leading to a "burn-to-earn" incentive. Last night her barrister repeated Mrs Foster's apology "for the mistakes made" by her party in the handling of the failed green energy scheme and that the RHI crisis has been the former First Minister's "biggest regret both politically and personally". Guwahati: The city based scribes maintain good health as most of them have performed well in a recent blood screening camp conducted by Assams celebrated healthcare institute Dispur Hospitals. Nearly 80 scribes, age limit from 30 to 60 years, participated in the free camp, where their blood samples were collected to test thyroid, haemoglobin and sugar. Kathleen McCarry, the sister of Eddie Doherty, with supporters outside court yesterday The credibility of an eyewitness to the Ballymurphy massacre has been challenged after he claimed a soldier laughed when he shot a man. Last week, Joseph McAreavey told an inquest he caught father of four Edward Doherty (31) in his arms when he was shot by a soldier in west Belfast on August 10, 1971. He stated he carried Mr Doherty over his shoulders to a nearby house where he died within minutes. His evidence was contradicted in court yesterday, with a statement from Mr Doherty's sister Kathleen McCarry who said her brother had actually been talking to another man when he was shot. A barrister for the next of kin, Fiona Doherty, told Mr McAreavey his story had changed "significantly" since an original statement he gave to a solicitor in 1971. The Ballymurphy massacre saw 10 people killed over three days in August 1971. Mr Doherty died after being shot in disputed circumstances near a barricade on the Whiterock Road. A soldier, known as M3, claimed he shot Mr Doherty from the cab of an army tractor as he attempted to throw a petrol bomb at him. Mr Doherty's family and other witnesses deny he had a petrol bomb and that he was running away when the gun fired. During Mr McAreavey's second day of evidence yesterday he added a new detail to his story, that the soldier laughed after firing from the cab of an army tractor stuck in the barricade and boasted: "I got one." Counsel for the coroner Sean Doran asked him: "Has this image just come into your mind?" He replied: "I actually saw it, I'm adamant about it. He was gloating about it, it's a sin he'll have to carry for the rest of his life." Asked why he had never raised this in previous statements over the past 47 years, he said the memory had come back to him during questioning. Ministry of Defence barrister Kevin Rooney also asked the witness if he was making parts of his evidence up. "No I'm not," he said. "I'm telling you the God's honest truth." The court was later read a statement taken this year from Mr Doherty's sister Kathleen McCarry who was present in court. She said that when her brother was beside the barricade, he had approached another man named Billy Whelan (now deceased). Ms McCarry said she was told he asked Mr Whelan if he could still make his way to a nearby street. "The next thing he was lying at his feet," she said. Her statement denied that her brother was throwing petrol bombs or had been involved in any paramilitary activity. "First of all the Army portrayed him as a shooter, then a petrol bomber. He was neither," the statement read. Her statement said there was "no way" her brother could have been in the IRA as he was not politically minded and had served in the Territorial Army. During his testimony, Mr McAreavey was also questioned about previous evidence to the inquest from eyewitness Martin McLaughlin who was nine years old at the time. He had been watching events unfold from his bedroom window close to the barricade on Whiterock Road. Mr McLaughlin said he saw two men talking beneath his window, one with his back to the barricade. He said one looked over his shoulder and jerked, causing him to fall forward before a pool of blood appeared. Mr McLaughlin also claimed he saw crates of petrol bombs and a number were thrown before he heard gunfire. "That is a lot of bunkum," said Mr McAreavey. "There was empty bottles in crates because (of milk and bread being brought to local families), there was no petrol bombs." He said those who claimed to see petrol bombs were "fantasising" and questioned if the evidence of a nine-year-old from nearly 50 years ago was reliable. Last week, a former pathologist who carried out the autopsy on Mr Doherty said he was informed he was shot after throwing petrol bombs, but didn't include it in his report as it was "hearsay". Professor Thomas Marshall added there was no smell of petrol on Mr Doherty's clothes. The inquest is due to continue today. One of the injured is carried down Chamberlain Street in Derry during Bloody Sunday A former paratrooper being investigated by the PSNI for his part in Bloody Sunday has said the army's actions on the day were a "job well done". He made the comments on a BBC Radio Four documentary on the Troubles, set to air on Tuesday. Eighteen ex-paratroopers are waiting to learn if they will face prosecution in relation to the events in Londonderry on January 30 1972. Thirteen people died when paratroopers opened fire on civil rights marchers, with a 14th victim dying later. The landmark Saville Inquiry concluded in 2010 that all those killed or injured were innocent. It was not a job well done, innocent people died and we have to acknowledge the actions on that day were wrong, unjust and unjustifiable. A Complete breakdown in C2. https://t.co/S2Oz7EfEVn Doug Beattie (@BeattieDoug) December 11, 2018 Prime Minister David Cameron issued an official apology in the House of Commons, describing the killings as "unjustified and unjustifiable". In 2012, the PSNI launched a murder investigation into Bloody Sunday and passed the files to the PPS in 2016. The police concluded that charges related to Bloody Sunday could be brought against 18 former soldiers. In addition, action is being considered against two individuals connected with allegations of Official IRA activity that day. Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Previous Next Close Scenes from 'Bloody Sunday' in Londonderry, Northern Ireland Paddy Doherty, who was killed on Bloody Sunday. 30th January 1972: An armed soldier and a protestor on Bloody Sunday when British Paratroopers shot dead 13 civilians on a civil rights march. Frederick Hoare A young Fr Edward Daly carries a blood-soaked hankie as he leads a group of men trying desperately to carry John 'Jackie' Duddy to safety. Duddy (17) was the first fatality of Bloody Sunday after being shot from behind by paratroopers A young Fr Edward Daly carries a blood-soaked hankie as he leads a group of men trying desperately to carry John 'Jackie' Duddy to safety. Duddy (17) was the first fatality of Bloody Sunday after being shot from behind by paratroopers Bloody Sunday A scene showing a British paratrooper near Glenfada Park in Derry where Bloody Sunday took place. Hugh Gilmore (third left) seen clutching his stomach as he is shot during Bloody Sunday. PA William McKinney, killed on Bloody Sunday. Lt Col Derek Wilford, the former commander of the members of the Parachute Regiment involved in the Bloody Sunday shootings PA A protest parade in was staged in Londonderry in January to mark the 40th anniversary of Bloody Sunday Hugh Gilmore who was killed on Bloody Sunday. Bloody Sunday Trust Michael McDaid who was killed on Bloody Sunday. Bloody Sunday Trust Bloody Sunday: Up to 20 soldiers still face being formally questioned by police for alleged murder, attempted murder or criminal injury during the notorious incident Fred Hoare Soldiers taking cover behind their sandbagged armoured cars during Bloody Sunday PA Lord Chief Justice, Lord Widgery in his room at the Old Bailey as he looks through his report on the "Bloody Sunday" shootings PA Jim Wray who was killed on Bloody Sunday. Bloody Sunday Trust John Young who was killed on Bloody Sunday. Bloody Sunday Trust William McKinney who was killed on Bloody Sunday. Bloody Sunday Trust Kevin McElhinney who was killed on Bloody Sunday. Bloody Sunday Trust Gerard McKinney who was killed on Bloody Sunday. Bloody Sunday Trust Gerald Donaghey who was killed on Bloody Sunday. Bloody Sunday Trust Alana Burke who was eighteen when she was run over by an armoured personnel carrier on Bloody Sunday. Bloody Sunday. January 1972 Patrick Doherty who was killed on Bloody Sunday. Bloody Sunday Trust Bloody Sunday. Funeral. Mrs Ita McKinney, 9 months pregnant cries behind the hearse carrying her husband James from St Mary's, Creggan. 2/2/1972. Michael Kelly who was killed on Bloody Sunday. A man receiving attention during the shooting incident in Londonderry, which became known as Bloody Sunday Bloody Sunday. 30/1/1972 Bloody Sunday. 30/1/1972 Bloody Sunday. 30/1/1972 JAMES WRAY IN HIS HOME IN THE BOGSIDE DERRY HOLDING THE COAT WITH BULLIET HOLES IN THAT HIS SON ALSO CALLED JAMES WRAY WAS KILLED ON BLOODY SUNDAY The start of a grim day in Derry. Civil Rights marchers make their way through Creggan. They defied a Government ban and headed for Guildhall Square, but were stopped by the Army in William Street. 31/1/1972 Bloody Sunday 1972 Linda Nash carries flowers with the number 14 inscribed during yesterdays annual Bloody Sunday Parade in Derry. Picture Martin McKeown. Inpresspics.com. 29.1.12 Martin McKeown A memorial to those killed on Bloody Sunday in the Bogside area of Derry The memorial to the 14 people who died on Bloody Sunday in Derry rises from among the sea of umbrellas as all the families came together in an ecumenical service. This year marks the 40th anniversary of the Civil Rights mark.The service included contributions from Father Michael Canny and Reverend David Latimer, left. Picture Martin McKeown. Inpresspics.com. 29.1.12 Martin McKeown / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Scenes from 'Bloody Sunday' in Londonderry, Northern Ireland An IRA member told the Saville Inquiry they had fired on soldiers in retaliation for the shooting of two protesters. One of the soldiers charged told the BBC documentary that "I served my country and I've served that, I think, well for 22 years. Now I'm being told I'm a murderer". He claimed that the three people he shot at on Bloody Sunday were armed, despite the Saville Inquiry findings. "Stick me in a jail, for what end? To what end would that help the situation in Northern Ireland?," he said. Sinn Fein MLA Raymond McCartney said the soldiers comments had caused renewed hurt to the families of victims. These comments are offensive and extremely hurtful to the families of those who died on Bloody Sunday, the Foyle MLA said. They also fly in the face of the findings from the Saville Inquiry which clearly demonstrated how the victims had been murdered by the British Army. This was not a job well done. It was a massacre of innocents." In October 14 Bloody Sunday compensation claims were settled against the Ministry of Defence, with a further 900,000 to be paid out. In September a judge also awarded Michael Quinn 193,000 for the injuries he received after being shot in the face as a schoolboy. The subject of soldier prosecutions has long caused outrage among veterans' groups and many unionist politicians who label them a witch-hunt. Theresa May will bring her Brexit deal back before the House of Commons before January 21, Downing Street has announced. The Prime Minister has embarked on a whirlwind tour of European capitals to seek reassurances to get her deal through Parliament, after cancelling a vote scheduled for Tuesday which she accepted she would lose heavily. But she was dealt a blow as European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker declared there was no room whatsoever for renegotiation of the Withdrawal Agreement reached last month. Mr Juncker told MEPs the agreement was the best deal possible and the only deal possible. But he offered a glimmer of hope to Mrs May by saying there was room to give further clarifications and further interpretations without opening the Withdrawal Agreement. Expand Close European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker addressed MEPs in Strasbourg (European Commission Audiovisual Services/PA) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker addressed MEPs in Strasbourg (European Commission Audiovisual Services/PA) The delay to the so-called meaningful vote by MPs means that ratification may not be possible until as late as 10 weeks before the scheduled date of Brexit on March 29. But Mrs Mays spokesman insisted she continues to believe that necessary preparations can be completed within that time. The Prime Minister held talks over breakfast with her Dutch counterpart, Mark Rutte in The Hague, which Downing Street described as constructive. Mrs May told the Dutch PM that additional assurances would be needed on the backstop arrangement to keep the Irish border open after Brexit if the deal was to get through Parliament. The leaders agreed that the backstop was only ever intended to be temporary, the Prime Minister set out the concerns held by many about it in the UK, said her spokesman. She discussed the need for additional assurances on this point in order for the deal with the EU to pass the House of Commons. The Prime Minister and Prime Minister Rutte agreed to work together to find a way through. Mrs May then flew on to Berlin for a meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and was due to travel later in the day to Brussels for talks with Mr Juncker and European Council president Donald Tusk. The weekly Tuesday morning Cabinet meeting was postponed because of Mrs Mays travels and will now be held on Wednesday afternoon, when preparations for a no-deal Brexit will be on the agenda. Mrs May will then return to Brussels on Thursday for the two-day European Council summit, though it was unclear whether she would be invited to join leaders of the other 27 member states when they discuss Brexit. Mrs Mays move to abandon a crunch Commons vote, scheduled for Tuesday, on her Brexit deal drew howls of condemnation from the opposition as well as a number of Tories. Expand Close (PA Graphics) Press Association Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp (PA Graphics) Leading Conservative Brexiteer Steve Baker suggested that that PM had a duty to stand down in order for a new leader to deliver EU withdrawal. What I would like to happen today is for Conservative Members of Parliament to realise that we simply cannot go staggering forward any longer like this and Im afraid to put their letters of no confidence in, Mr Baker told BBC Radio 4s Today programme. But Mrs Mays spokesman responded: The Prime Minister believes it is her duty to deliver on the will of the British people and take us out of the EU. Asked if the PM continued to have full confidence in chief whip Julian Smith, the spokesman replied: Yes. Mr Juncker won applause from MEPs as he said: There is no room whatsoever for renegotiation, but of course there is room if used intelligently, there is room enough to give further clarifications and further interpretations without opening the Withdrawal Agreement. I will meet @theresa_may this evening in Brussels. I remain convinced that the #Brexit deal we have is the best - and only - deal possible. There is no room for renegotiation, but further clarifications are possible. Jean-Claude Juncker (@JunckerEU) December 11, 2018 This will not happen: everyone has to note that the Withdrawal Agreement will not be reopened. He confirmed he would meet Mrs May on Tuesday evening but reiterated: The deal we have achieved is the best deal possible it is the only deal possible. It came as Commons Leader Andrea Leadsom suggested Mrs May was seeking changes that would give Parliament an additional democratic ability to decide. That might include an addendum to the Withdrawal Agreement that sets out that Parliament will vote prior to going into a backstop, should that prove necessary, and potentially that the EU Parliament and UK Parliament must vote every year thereafter to provide that legitimacy for the UK to stay in the backstop, should that prove necessary, she told BBC Radio 4s Today programme. So there are plenty of options for the PM to talk to the EU about that dont involve reopening the Withdrawal Agreement, but that would provide the legal text as a part of the Withdrawal Agreement, through perhaps an addendum. Expand Close Theresa May has faced repeated calls from leading Tory Brexiteers to be replaced as PM (David Mirzoeff/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Theresa May has faced repeated calls from leading Tory Brexiteers to be replaced as PM (David Mirzoeff/PA) Downing Street declined to be drawn on the specific form of reassurance being sought by the PM, saying only that she needed to be sure that it was something which would satisfy MPs. As anger at Westminster continued to fester over the PMs move to cancel the Brexit vote, MPs were poised for an emergency debate on the situation called by Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn on the day the meaningful vote was initially scheduled to take place. Mr Corbyn told MPs Mrs May was making an abject mess of the Brexit negotiations, and said his party would do the appropriate thing at the appropriate time when asked whether he would table a motion of no confidence in the Government. We have no confidence in this Government. We need to do the appropriate thing at the appropriate time to have a motion of no confidence in order to get rid of this Government, he said. The gunman in the murder of Jim Donegan - who was shot eight times as he waited to pick up his son from a Belfast school - "casually" used the pedestrian crossing with primary school-aged children moments before carrying out the brutal assassination, CCTV has revealed. Police described the footage as "chilling" and said those children then witnessed the horrific attack. The officer leading the investigation said he believed the gunman - described as a "cold, callous and calm individual" - had killed before. It was also revealed he held his hand up to stop traffic in order to cross the Glen Road and make his escape. "To do this in broad daylight, in the presence of children, is just barbaric," said Detective Chief Inspector Pete Montgomery as police returned to the scene one week on in a renewed appeal for information. Mr Donegan (43) died instantly in the 3.10pm attack on Tuesday, December 4. Hundreds of children were leaving school at the time and his 13-year-old son missed the attack by seconds and was spared having to see the killing. "No child should have to witness what happened," DCI Montgomery said. "Mums, dads, grandparents, young siblings and people in the community also saw the brutal slaying. The callous actions of the gunman will have catastrophic psychological effects on them all." Read More He added: "I need to remove this dangerous man from our streets. A man who thought it was acceptable to traumatise young children. "Children who should be dreaming of presents and the magic of Christmas, who, are now, instead having nightmares." A dissident republican element is the main line of investigation and a 47-year-old was arrested on Tuesday in connection with the attack. He was later released unconditionally. Police stopped traffic and spoke with parents arriving to pick up children from the two schools in the area on Tuesday. DCI Montgomery said the investigation was the largest he had ever assembled in his career with 40 detectives working on the case. "I don't believe he wears a mask, he walks among this community and I hope someone will recognise him." Expand Close Jim and Laura Donegan wed two years ago / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Jim and Laura Donegan wed two years ago Known as JD, father of two Mr Donegan lived in the Lisburn area with his family. He had been sitting in his red Porsche Panamera, registration JDZ34, car before he was killed. The gunman was wearing a high visibility, hip-length yellow jacket, with Security written on the back, dark bottoms, with a grey coloured hat or hood and carrying a black or dark bag over his shoulder. His murderous actions have left Jims family devastated, which is even more poignant at this time of the year. Jim was a husband, a brother, a father to two sons and a stepfather," said DCI Montgomery. Read More Police appealed for anyone in the area at the time to contact detectives. Detective Chief Inspector Montgomery added: "I would like to hear from anyone who saw the gunman or was in the area during these times. Were you driving in the area and have dash-cam footage which could be of use to our investigation? I also want to speak to anyone who was in the area at the time, even if you did not witness the attack or see the gunman as I need to eliminate you from my enquiries." Police can be contacted on 101. A quantity of cigarettes were stolen during a burglary in Co Down in the early hours of Tuesday morning. Police are investigating the incident at a service station on the Saintfield Road, Ballygowan. Detective Sergeant Lauren Edwards said: Shortly after midnight, the roller shutter door and front door to the premises were forced and entry gained, with a quantity of cigarettes then stolen. Our enquiries are at an early stage but we believe at this time that at least two men were involved in the burglary and that they made off from the scene in a car. I would ask anyone who noticed any suspicious activity in the area or who has any information which could assist with our enquires to contact detectives in Bangor on 101 quoting reference number 34 11/12/18. Alternatively, information can also be provided to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 which is 100% anonymous and gives people the power to speak up and stop crime. The scene of the robbery at Keady The scene of the robbery at Ballyclare Fourteen cash machines have been targeted by criminals in Northern Ireland in the first half of 2018. This is up from 10 attacks in the whole of 2017, with one ATM operator voicing concern at the "steep rise" in incidents. The number of ATM attacks emerged in a report published by independent cash machine provider Cardtronics. It has warned the UK is experiencing an "epidemic" of criminal attacks on cash machines - costing in excess of 150m over the last year. Rural areas are increasingly at risk, its report found, leaving people living in remote areas struggling to access cash from elsewhere while machines are being repaired or replaced. While 31% of UK-wide ATM attacks were carried out in rural areas in 2013, the number has risen to more than two-fifths (42%) in 2018. Over 40% of attacks in the first half of 2018 were carried out in areas where there was a maximum of one bank branch open, the report said. Cardtronics said the frequency of ATM attacks generally has surged from 400 in 2014 to 722 in 2017. The report also predicts that the number of attacks could more than triple between 2016 and 2025. It said that criminals today are increasingly using dangerous methods - such as explosions or ram-raids - to remove cash from machines. The report said it can take up to four and a half months for an ATM to reopen following an attack - impacting on the local economy and depriving nearby residents of their access to cash for a significant time period. The report concludes that on top of the direct cost of the attacks, estimated to be 46.8m, criminals could have put as much as 110m of direct community spend at risk in the past 12 months. The direct cost of attacks includes damage done to ATMs and property, while the calculation for money lost through direct community spend is based on how much money withdrawn from local ATMs tends to be spent by consumers in the immediate surrounding area. In October a stolen digger was rammed into a petrol station on the Templepatrick Road in Ballyclare. Thieves used a yellow digger to remove an ATM machine from the building. In another incident in March, thieves used a forklift to rip an ATM from the wall of a building in Keady, Co Armagh. Considerable damage was caused by the forklift and the cash inside the ATM was stolen. Tim Halford, managing director of Cardtronics UK and Ireland, said the wider damage caused by ATM attacks is far greater than the direct impact to cash machines or the building they are located in. "ATM attacks are not victimless crimes, which is why we need the Government, police forces, civil society organisations and the ATM industry to take action now to contain the threat of future ATM attacks," he said. Cardtronics said it wants to see a "zero tolerance" policy on ATM crime, harsher prison sentences for criminals and enhanced surveillance equipment to provide evidence of cash machine crime. Leading loyalist David Dee Stitt on Tuesday was fined 300 after he admitted having a taser. Leading loyalist David Dee Stitt was fined 300 on Tuesday after he admitted having a Taser. Newtownards Magistrates' Court heard how the prohibited weapon was found hidden in a tupperware box in the boot of Stitts Mini Cooper car, parked outside his home at Lord Wardens Park in Bangor. A prosecuting lawyer told the court that when officers told 47-year-old Stitt having the weapon was a crime, he replied to police: I didnt even know that". Asked why he had the item during later interviews, Stitt told them it was for personal safety, Im under death threat". Defence Solicitor Darren Duncan said that having received a significant number of warnings from the police that he was under threat, Stitt bought the weapon, a Taser and torch combined, through Ebay, adding that even though it's illegal, its still available today. He purchased it for that reason but when he bought it, he realised that from his point of view, it wasnt very powerful so it was put in a box in the boot of his car and thats where it was found, said the solicitor. Mr Duncan told the court the Taser had never been used on anyone and conceded that while Stitt had a previous conviction, its of some vintage dating back 25 years ago. He submitted that since his release from jail, Stitt has made a positive contribution to society having gained a masters in social science, was the chief executive of a local charity for 10 years and was now a co-ordinator for a local business which employs six people. He is highly unlikely to come back before the court in any regard so I would ask you to deal with the matter today, Mr Duncan suggested to the judge. District Judge Mark Hamill said even though Stitts previous offence was 25 years ago, the thing is he now has an up to date record. Imposing a 300 along with an offender levy of 15, the judge ordered the weapon to be destroyed and allowed Stitt 16 weeks to pay the fine. Stitt, clean shaven and wearing a knee length brown coat over a suit, shirt and tie, left the court saying thank you to the judge. A disgraced former Boys' Brigade captain who admitted swindling more than 34,000 from the organisation he led for 19 years walked free from court yesterday after being handed a community service order. David Morrow stood with his head bowed in Downpatrick Courthouse as Judge Piers Grant attacked his "arrogance" over how he "spitefully" betrayed the trust of the congregation of Killinchy Presbyterian Church in Co Down. The judge told Morrow, who is 55 and from Ballydorn Road, Killinchy, that he had lost his reputation in the community and added: "You should be utterly ashamed. You inflicted enormous damage on the community and on the church." Judge Grant said that what Morrow did caused "enormous division and tension" and he added that it was a matter of concern that the accused hadn't shown any insight into, or real concern for, what he had done. Morrow, a former bank official, had earlier pleaded guilty to a series of charges including false accounting, fraud by abuse of position, fraud by false representation and transferring criminal property. The offences were committed between July 2009 and May 2011. The court was told that Morrow had paid back over 34,000, which was fractionally more than what was stolen. Prosecution lawyer David McClean said that Morrow was stood down as captain of 1st Killinchy BB attached to the local Presbyterian church in November 2010 after "spiritual differences". Mr McClean said Morrow was asked to return all the BB's books, accounts and records, but it emerged that he destroyed some of the material "due to anger". The Crown said two boxes of material were destroyed to cover up what Morrow had done. Morrow, the court was told, had control of the BB's money and because he was trusted and a bank official, no one had previously questioned his accounts. Mr McClean said that Morrow eventually handed over 12.09, claiming that was the remaining balance in the BB account, but church officials were "surprised" because there were around 100 boys in the company and they had paid a subscription of 25 each. The Presbyterian Church then brought in an accountant and a solicitor before calling in the police. Mr McClean said the PSNI carried out a lengthy and complex investigation and 25 different bank accounts were found, a number of them personal ones set up by Morrow. It was also stated that Morrow had received gift aid money of over 4,000 after falsely representing himself as still captain of the BB company. Mr McClean revealed that Morrow had said he used the vast majority of the money to fund other church groups in the Killinchy area. He said the defendant was interviewed 20 times by police and told them he believed that even though he wasn't captain of the BB, he still believed that he was the organisation's treasurer. Defence barrister Conor Holmes stressed that Morrow had paid back 34,500 and that he had pleaded guilty, avoiding a trial that could have lasted up to three weeks with over 4,000 pages of disclosure evidence. Mr Holmes said that Morrow had for 19 years as Boys' Brigade captain made a massive impact on the organisation and on Killinchy. And he said that after the fall-out he had tried to use most of the money at the centre of the charges to provide a massive amount of facilities for the youth of the area. Morrow was said to have put some of the other money into his own accounts from which he claimed he had paid BB bills. Mr Holmes said his client had not benefited personally and he added that a number of references had been handed into the court in praise of the accused's contribution to the community, working seven to eight hours a day to help others, not himself. But he said the defendant was under no illusion that he had destroyed his reputation and his "previous good character". Judge Grant said he had read a victim impact statement on behalf of the Down Presbytery of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland outlining the damage done to the church in Killinchy. He said Morrow had shown an arrogance and an attitude that "he could do as he liked". But Judge Grant told Morrow that he wasn't going to impose a custodial sentence on him and instead ordered him to do 200 hours of community service, which he said was at the top scale of the sentencing that he could impose. The retired clerk of session of the Killinchy church, Joe Tate, said in a statement: "We are pleased that this long and drawn-out saga has come to end and that Mr Morrow has rightly admitted his wrongdoing. "We may now hope that the healing process can begin and that Killinchy Presbyterian Church and the wider community, in a spirit of forgiveness, can move forward from here." An elderly man has escaped injury after an arson attack involving two wheelie bins in Co Tyrone. The incident happened at a residential premises in the Beechway area of Cookstown, with the police receiving a report shortly before 3.45am on Sunday. Two wheelie bins were placed at the front door off the flat and set on fire. Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service attended the scene and extinguished the fire. Detective Sergeant Robinson said: "Enquiries are continuing and we would appeal to anyone with any information to contact detectives on 101, quoting reference number 321 9/12/18." Information can also be passed to independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. Prime Minister Theresa May making a statement in the House of Commons yesterday, in which she deferred the meaningful vote on the Withdrawal Agreement while she plans to renegotiate with the EU Arlene Foster has accused the Government of having a "chaotic" approach to Brexit as she warned the Prime Minister that verbal promises aren't enough and the backstop must be binned. The DUP leader was speaking as Theresa May called off a vote on the Withdrawal Agreement in Parliament so she can return to Brussels and attempt to secure concessions. But Taoiseach Leo Varadkar last night warned against re-opening negotiations around the backstop. The Prime Minister had faced defeat by a wide margin with Tory rebels set to join the DUP, Labour and the opposition parties in voting down her deal. Mrs Foster said the deferral of the vote summed up "the chaotic nature" of the Government's approach. "The Prime Minster was warned that this deal would not work but did not listen. The fundamentally flawed Withdrawal Agreement would have undermined our UK economy and the Union itself," she said. "The backstop would have left Northern Ireland trapped as a hostage to the EU. The Prime Minister must get rid of the backstop. It is not needed. No one is building a 'hard border' between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland." The DUP leader said her "message was clear" in a telephone conversation with Mrs May. "I was categorical that pledges, promises or piecemeal remedies will not work. Unless it is part of the legally binding international treaty, it will not fly with the DUP," she added. But the Taoiseach said: "The Withdrawal Agreement, including the Irish backstop, is the only agreement on the table. "It took over a year and a half to negotiate and has the support of 28 governments and it's not possible to reopen any aspect of that agreement without reopening all aspects of it. "I have no difficulty with statements that clarify what is in the Withdrawal Agreement but no statement of clarification can contradict what is in the Withdrawal Agreement." Sinn Fein president Mary Lou McDonald described Brexit as a shambles. "Theresa May and the British Parliament are deluding themselves if they think that Irish interests will simply be cast aside to facilitate the fantasy Brexit they are pursuing," she said. "The Irish Government and the EU need to stand by their commitments and defend Irish interests: there can be no hard border; no diminution of our rights; and protection for the Good Friday Agreement in all its parts." SDLP leader Colum Eastwood said the Prime Minister may be able to change her mind multiple times on the backstop but the European Commission and the Irish Government can't and won't. "Whether it is Theresa May, Jeremy Corbyn, Boris Johnston or any other future British Prime Minister, they need to come to terms with the fact that there will be no deal without a backstop," he warned. Ulster Unionist leader Robin Swann said the Government had "driven itself into a cul-de-sac" and the backstop was an insurance policy NI did not need. "Northern Ireland's position within the UK should not be the compromise sought for the sake of delivering a deal," he said. "The Prime Minister should stand up and be uncompromising in her role as a defender of the economic and constitutional integrity of the United Kingdom." TUV leader Jim Allister said: "Mrs May's humiliating climbdown highlights her folly in trying to push ahead with a deal that will never fly in Parliament. "But, clearly, she has learned nothing because all she is now talking about is 'assurances', which will be meaningless in comparison to the legal text of the Withdrawal Agreement which she is not seeking to change." The TUV leader accused Mrs May of "peddling nonsense" that the Good Friday Agreement required the backstop. "The Belfast Agreement does not require Northern Ireland to be in the EU Customs Union; the backstop does," he said. "The Belfast Agreement does not require a border down the Irish Sea; the backstop does. "The Belfast Agreement does not prohibit border infrastructure, but who would build this infrastructure, which is emotively called a 'hard border'? Dublin says it won't. The UK says it won't. So, why is she insisting on a destructive backstop on this false premise?" Alliance leader Naomi Long stressed the need to "bank the backstop" and advised the Prime Minister to call a second referendum. Mrs Long said the delayed vote represented "further instability and challenges for jobs and growth" in Northern Ireland. She accused MPs who opposed the Withdrawal Agreement of offering no alternative. "It now looks increasingly likely that Brexit is undeliverable. Those who campaigned for it are entirely responsible for the failure. They had no plan and completely unrealistic expectations of the UK's negotiating strength against 27 other nations in the EU," she said. "Instead of accepting the Withdrawal Agreement which would ensure an orderly, managed Brexit could proceed, they instead want to drag the country over a cliff edge into a chaotic future." A care home is back in trouble for failing to meet basic safety standards three years after falling foul of inspectors. The Graan Abbey in Enniskillen has been given a failure to comply notice for failing to address concerns raised by Northern Ireland's health watchdog three months earlier. The Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority (RQIA) carried out an inspection of the care home on November 27 and uncovered a series of issues about the care being delivered there. The RQIA said the failings "had the potential to impact on the health, safety and well-being of patients". The findings of the inspection of The Graan Abbey are the latest blow for people in the area who rely upon residential care homes to care for their loved ones. Less than three months ago, Drumclay Care Home in Enniskillen shut its doors as it was unable to recruit enough trained staff to work there. And in August last year, the RQIA took the unprecedented step of closing Ashbrooke Care Home, also in Enniskillen, amid concerns over safety. The Western Trust did not provide details of the number of people who are currently living at The Graan Abbey after being moved from Ashbrooke and Drumclay care homes. The trust also did not comment on the situation at The Graan Abbey, an 86-room facility that cares for people with a range of conditions, including dementia, motor neurone disease and cancer. It has emerged that three areas for improvement identified during a pharmacy inspection of the home in August had not yet been addressed during the most recent RQIA inspection. The RQIA visit in November found discrepancies in the administration of prescribed medication for a number of residents. Nurses had signed for medication they had not administered and not signed for medication they had given to residents. During the visit, it also emerged that where nurses had identified issues relating to medication, they were not reported properly and no action was taken to ensure an investigation was carried out. There was no evidence that residents were not still getting medication they no longer required. The temperature of the medicine refrigerator was not being monitored and nothing was being done when the temperature was outside the recommended range. The RQIA has ordered management of The Graan Abbey to take action to address the concerns by January 15, 2019. Among the action required is for management to ensure all nurses are aware of their professional accountability in relation to medication and to take appropriate action if concerns arise about the competency of nurses. The latest sanctions imposed on the home come three years after the home was severely criticised by the regulator. It carried out an inspection of the home in April 2015 to investigate allegations made by a whistleblower. Despite the owner being advised to address the issues urgently, when inspectors returned in June 2015, the nursing home had not complied with the recommendations, prompting the RQIA to issue a failure to comply notice. Carol Kelly, from Carewell Homes, the company that owns the home, said they are entirely focused on addressing the specific areas for improvement identified during the most recent inspection. She said: "We would like to reassure our residents and their families that we are taking the recommendations by the inspectors very seriously and will take the necessary measures required - including a continued review of our procedures, additional staff training, and a number of internal audits - to ensure that our residents continue to receive the high standard of care that they have come to expect from Carewell Homes. "Following an inspection in August of this year, we immediately took action to address the recommendations raised by RQIA in relation to some aspects of the management of patient medication, and successfully implemented a number of changes with regards to our processes. "Following the follow-up inspection on November 27, we will continue to work on these processes to ensure that the highest levels of medication management are in place by the compliance reinspection due on January 15, 2019." Former Prime Minister, John Major, has warned that a hard border will pose a serious risk of Northern Ireland returning to the Troubles. Speaking at the inaugural Albert Reynolds Memorial Lecture in Co Longford yesterday, Mr Major said peace is not secure and the introduction of a hard border will have grave consequences for Northern Ireland. His comments came just hours after Theresa May delayed the vote on her Brexit deal. A hard border now or at any time would be disastrous, he warned. That said, I do not believe a majority [in Westminster] will commit to a hard border becoming a reality. Of course, a new border will not remotely resemble its hated predecessor, with barbed wire, listening processes and Army checkpoints. But any new border, however gentle, will become a symbol, both physically and emotionally. It will prevent not only a barrier between North and South, unionists and nationalists, but between the UK and her nearest neighbour. Mr Major said any border would disrupt the work done to secure peace in Northern Ireland. Peace is not secure, it never is, and any new border will be a focus to the wild men on the fringes to reactivate old disputes and hatreds that should be laid to rest forever. The detective leading the investigation into the murder of a father outside a school in Belfast said the lone gunman appears a cold, callous and calm individual, who he believes has struck before. Jim Donegan, 43, died after the attack as he waited in his Porsche Panamera to collect his 13-year-old son from St Marys Christian Brothers Grammar School. Scores of youngsters were leaving various schools sited close together on the Glen Road in the west of the city on Tuesday December 4 as the gunman fired eight shots at Mr Donegan. A funeral will take place for Mr Donegan on Thursday. Detective Chief Inspector Pete Montgomery, who is leading the police investigation, described the incident as a cold callous assassination of a father. A number of motives are being considered in the murder probe, he added. The Police Service of Northern Ireland last week released CCTV footage of the man they believe shot Mr Donegan, walking towards the scene. It shows a figure wearing a high visibility jacket with the words security on the back. On Tuesday, a week on from the shooting, police released new CCTV footage which shows the alleged gunman crossing at a pedestrian crossing in the company of primary school children. Expand Close The PSNI has released new CCTV footage which appears to show a gunman who shot dead a man outside a Belfast school walking to the scene. (PSNI/PA) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The PSNI has released new CCTV footage which appears to show a gunman who shot dead a man outside a Belfast school walking to the scene. (PSNI/PA) Mr Montgomery said the new footage shows him raising his hand to stop traffic before fleeing the scene on foot. He said at a press conference at the scene on Tuesday that the gunman appears to be a very cold, callous and calm individual, adding he believed he had done this before. The chilling CCTV footage shows him walking down the Glen Road before stopping outside Christian Brothers Secondary School, he said. Expand Close Detective Chief Inspector Pete Montgomery has made a re-appeal for information one week after the murder f Jim Donegan. (Rebecca Black/PA) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Detective Chief Inspector Pete Montgomery has made a re-appeal for information one week after the murder f Jim Donegan. (Rebecca Black/PA) He then activates and waits at the pedestrian crossing for the green man before walking casually across the road in front of schoolchildren. He then shoots Jim and while fleeing from the scene, walks out in front of cars, holding his hand up to stop them, before jogging back along the Glen Road and into Clonelly Avenue, where he disappears. Were you standing beside the gunman at the lights? Were you driving one of the cars stopped at the pedestrian crossing as he walked across? Were you the driver of one of the cars when he stepped out on to the road after hed murdered Jim? If you were, please get in touch with me or one of my detectives as you may have information which is vital for my investigation. Police have said an "improvised weapon" was found following a four-day security operation in west Belfast. Hundreds of homes had to be evacuated and a school closed for the day after police received reports an explosive device had been left somewhere near Upper Dunmurry Lane. The area was cordoned off first on Saturday and into Sunday as police and Army bomb squad officers searched the area. They returned again on Monday. On Tuesday evening the security alert was brought to a close. The weapon was made safe and taken away for forensic examination. Police commander Chief Inspector Kellie McMillan said: "While we believe this weapon was designed to kill or seriously injure police officers serving the local community in west Belfast, it was left in a position where there is every possibility that it could have killed or maimed members of the public. "Those responsible have shown callous disregard for the local community and the police officers serving that community." she added: "I would like to thank the local community for their patience and understanding during the course of what has been a protracted security operation. "I understand it has caused significant disruption to people in the area, but our main concern throughout the operation was the safety of the community. "Responsibility for this incident lies squarely on the reckless individuals who placed this device in a built up residential area. The overwhelming number of people in the community do not want this type of activity and we as a police service will continue to work to bring those responsible before the courts. An investigation has begun by the PSNI's terrorism unit. Anyone with information is asked to contact 101 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. Theresa May has been dealt a heavy blow in her bid to secure new reassurances from fellow EU leaders over her Brexit deal, as the European Commission president declared there was no room whatsoever for renegotiation. Jean-Claude Juncker said the Withdrawal Agreement on offer was the best deal possible and the only deal possible as the Prime Minister embarked on emergency Brexit talks with her Dutch counterpart Mark Rutte in The Hague. He offered a glimmer of hope to Mrs May by saying there was room to give further clarifications and further interpretations without opening the Withdrawal Agreement. The Prime Minister will also meet German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Tuesday in her bid to gain reassurances on the exit deal from European leaders ahead of a crunch EU summit on Thursday, after leaving Westminster in turmoil. She will then travel on to Brussels, where she is due to meet European Council president Donald Tusk at around 4pm and Mr Juncker at 6.15pm, UK time. Mrs Mays move to abandon a crunch Commons vote, scheduled for Tuesday, on her Brexit deal drew howls of condemnation from the opposition as well as a number of Tories. Mr Juncker won applause from MEPs as he said: There is no room whatsoever for renegotiation, but of course there is room if used intelligently, there is room enough to give further clarifications and further interpretations without opening the Withdrawal Agreement. This will not happen: everyone has to note that the Withdrawal Agreement will not be reopened. He confirmed he would meet Mrs May on Tuesday evening but reiterated: The deal we have achieved is the best deal possible it is the only deal possible. I will meet @theresa_may this evening in Brussels. I remain convinced that the #Brexit deal we have is the best - and only - deal possible. There is no room for renegotiation, but further clarifications are possible. Jean-Claude Juncker (@JunckerEU) December 11, 2018 It came as Commons Leader Andrea Leadsom suggested Mrs May was seeking changes that would give Parliament an additional democratic ability to decide. That might include an addendum to the Withdrawal Agreement that sets out that Parliament will vote prior to going into a backstop, should that prove necessary, and potentially that the EU parliament and UK parliament must vote every year thereafter to provide that legitimacy for the UK to stay in the backstop, should that prove necessary, she told BBC Radio 4s Today programme. So there are plenty of options for the PM to talk to the EU about that dont involve reopening the Withdrawal Agreement, but that would provide the legal text as a part of the Withdrawal Agreement, through perhaps an addendum. Mrs May, who is facing repeated calls from leading Tory Brexiteers to be replaced as PM, was forced to abandon the Commons vote as the scale of opposition to the Brexit deal, especially regarding proposed backstop arrangements for the Irish border, threatened a crushing rejection of her plans. As anger at Westminster continued to fester over the PMs move to cancel the Brexit vote, MPs were poised for an emergency debate on the situation called by Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn on the day the meaningful vote was initially scheduled to take place. International Trade Secretary Liam Fox said it would be difficult to get the Brexit deal through Parliament without reassurances the UK would not be trapped in backstop measures ensuring no return to hard border in Ireland. The backstop would see the UK obey EU customs rules after a transition period if a wider trade deal has not been agreed with the EU by then. Expand Close Theresa May is facing repeated calls from leading Tory Brexiteers to be replaced as PM (Yui Mok/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Theresa May is facing repeated calls from leading Tory Brexiteers to be replaced as PM (Yui Mok/PA) Referring to Mrs Mays lobbying mission in Europe, Dr Fox told BBC2s Newsnight: My colleagues will want to see that their fears of being trapped in a backstop cannot be realised. Without the ability to genuinely reassure my colleagues that they could not legally be kept in the backstop against their will, it will be difficult to get this through the House of Commons. With Jeremy Corbyn under pressure from a significant number of MPs and peers to force a confidence vote on the Government, Labour former Cabinet minister Lord Mandelson said the opposition had not laid a glove on the Government. He told the BBC: I think the Labour Party, the Labour leadership, is facing a bit of a dilemma. I mean, they want to straddle, and retain the support of the third of Labour voters who backed Leave in 2016, and the two-thirds of Labour voters who backed Remain. Well, what happens when you, you know, ride two horses like that, you end up doing the splits. Floral tributes left at the scene of the murder of Padraig Fox. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye Police pictured outside a property on Burrendale Park Road area of Newcastle after a 29-year-old man's body was found on Saturday. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye Police pictured outside a property on Burrendale Park Road area of Newcastle after a 29-year-old man's body was found on Saturday. The PSNI have since launched a murder investigation. Picture by Jonathan Porter/PressEye Police released an image of Padraig Fox after opening a murder investigation into his death. A 21-year-old man has been charged with the murder of Padraig Fox and is to appear in court on Wednesday morning. Another man, aged 26, has been charged with related offences including perverting the course of justice. Both will appear in front of a judge at Newtownards Magistrates' Court. As is usual procedure all charges will be reviewed by the Public Prosecution Service. Padraig Fox (29) was found dead in a flat in the Burrendale Park Road area of Newcastle on Saturday. A post mortem confirmed he had been murdered. Theresa May is heading to Europe with a mindset that will "guarantee she comes back with nothing which is going to alleviate the fears" of the DUP, its Brexit spokesman Sammy Wilson has warned. The East Antrim MP hit out at the Prime Minister for continuing to support her deal despite widespread opposition to it in Parliament. Read More He warned on BBC Radio 4's Today she could only come back from talks with reassurances over the Irish border backstop which "don't mean anything when they are put against a legally-binding international agreement". Mr Wilson told Today that holding and losing a meaningful vote would have strengthened Mrs May's bargaining position and urged her to call the EU's bluff by forcing it to choose between a no-deal Brexit or greater flexibility. We have a Prime Minister who seems to look for brick walls to bang her head against. How many bloody noses will it take before she recognises that the @HouseofCommons will not accept this rotten deal? Its time for her to get tough! @BBCPolitics Sammy Wilson MP (@eastantrimmp) December 11, 2018 He said: "The pressure is on the EU because don't forget the European Union say they don't want no-deal either. The EU want our money and there is 39 billion resting on it. "Do they really want to have to run around the capitals of Europe trying to fill up the hole in the budget which a no-deal situation would result in? "Secondly, they need to have access to our market. Don't forget the EU countries have a 92 billion trade surplus with us so they cannot afford the impact which it may have on their jobs, on their factories, on their industry and their economies. "We are always told the pressure is on Britain, (but) the pressure is on the EU unless we buckle." Leaving the European Union without a deal in place could prove "disastrous" for the Union, the Northern Ireland Secretary warned last night. Karen Bradley's bombshell statement followed a day of high drama at Westminster that saw Theresa May cancel a key vote on her Brexit plans because she faced a crushing defeat. Mrs Bradley said she fully supported the Prime Minister's decision, but said the deal was still in the best interests of Northern Ireland. "The deal protects our precious Union with the 1998 Belfast Agreement, and the consent principle at its heart, fully maintained. "That is the constitutional guarantee for Northern Ireland and this Government will always uphold it," Mrs Bradley said. "The deal ensures that there will be no customs border down the Irish Sea, with free and unfettered access for Northern Ireland goods and services into its most important market, Great Britain." She said the withdrawal agreement offered "huge gains... for those of us who believe strongly in the Union". And she warned: "I am convinced that leaving the EU without an agreement would be disastrous for Northern Ireland and potentially for the long-term future of the Union. "I am not prepared to take risks with or gamble the Union of the United Kingdom." Earlier the Prime Minister suggested that a united Ireland could move dramatically closer if the backstop is removed from the Brexit deal. In a warning that caused significant surprise in Dublin, Mrs May openly admitted that voters in Northern Ireland may want to join the Republic rather than see border posts re-erected. "Businesses operate across that border. People live their lives crossing and recrossing it every day," she said. "I've been there and spoken to some of those people. They do not want their everyday lives to change as a result of the decisions we have taken. "They do not want a return to a hard border. And if this House cares about preserving our Union, it must listen to those people because our Union will only endure with their consent." An Irish Government source said: "We have been very careful not to talk about a united Ireland during this, so to hear it from the British Prime Minister was extraordinary." On another day of shambolic politics in Westminster, the Prime Minister delayed today's so-called meaningful vote on the withdrawal agreement and vowed to seek further reassurances from the EU on how the backstop will work. Mrs May's U-turn came after she and senior ministers had spent days insisting the vote would go ahead despite the scale of opposition. Her statement to MPs is also a clear signal that her relationship with the DUP, who had been propping up her Government, is all but over. Addressing the Commons, the PM accepted that there was "widespread and deep concern" among MPs over the backstop, designed to keep the border open if the EU and UK fail to strike a wider trade deal. But she insisted that there was "no deal available that does not include the backstop". Mrs May is now expected to canvass EU leaders in a bid to secure additional reassurances for MPs on the backstop. It is believed she is seeking a declaration of sorts on the backstop which would underline its temporary nature in an effort to win over critics in the Commons. She will hold crisis talks with German Chancellor Angela Merkel today and will meet Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte in The Hague. In her statement to MPs, Mrs May also said the Government was stepping up preparations for a possible no-deal Brexit, despite saying that this would cause "significant economic damage to parts of our country". Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said the Government was "in disarray" and told Mrs May she should step aside if she was unable to deliver the "fundamental changes" needed to her plans. But Labour made clear it will hold back on a confidence motion until after Mrs May returns to the Commons with whatever assurances she secures from EU leaders. Northern Ireland's most senior fireman has been suspended from duty. In a statement last night, the Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service said Gary Thompson had been placed on "precautionary suspension". The service described the move as a "neutral action" but did not state the reasons why. It comes after the Fire Service confirmed to BBC NI's Spotlight programme last month that it was investigating firefighters' involvement in an investment scheme. The organisation told the BBC ahead of the broadcast late last month that the process was "robust and independent" of the chief fire officer. Mr Thompson was appointed in November 2016 after 22 years with the Fire Service, describing it as an "honour". He said he was "proud to work" with the "exceptional" people involved in with the service. He was described as a "committed and dedicated firefighter" bringing a wealth of operational and strategic leadership experience to the role. On his appointment, Carmel McKinney, chair of the Fire & Rescue Service Board said Mr Thompson would provide the "best possible fire and rescue service to the community through prevention, protection and emergency response, whilst adhering to the highest standards of leadership, governance and accountability". In a statement last night, the Fire Service announced his suspension from duty. "Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service (NIFRS) confirms that the Chief Fire & Rescue Officer, Mr Gary Thompson, has been placed on precautionary suspension with effect from December 10, 2018. "Precautionary suspension is a neutral action in line with NIFRS policies and procedures. "NIFRS is not in a position to make any further comment at this time. "The NIFRS Board, in conjunction with Department of Health, will now consider and put in place interim arrangements to ensure the continued delivery of our service to the public." The author of this page will appreciate comments, corrections and imagery related to the subject. Please contact Anatoly Zak Russian cosmonauts prepare for a spacewalk in search of Soyuz hole evidence In the process of planning the work on the exterior of the station on Dec. 11, 2018, specialists at RKK Energia, the Soyuz manufacturer, had conducted a series of simulations to prepare cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko for the two most challenging tasks of the spacewalk: first getting to the location of the hole on the Soyuz spacecraft using an extendable Strela boom controlled by Prokopiev and then cutting the exterior layers of the Soyuz MS-09 spacecraft. Previous chapter: Plans for a spacewalk to investigate the Soyuz MS-09 hole mystery A view from the Russian Segment of the ISS on a Soyuz spacecraft docked at the Rassvet module, where Oleg Kononenko will be traversing to reach the ship's Habitation Module, BO. From the publisher: Pace of our development depends primarily on the level of support from our readers! Kononenko was to use a platform with foot restraints at the end of the Strela boom to position himself in front of the workplace. Kononenko will then cut the insulation and micro-meteoroid shielding to access the hole area. He will then swap the surface around the hole with a special brush in the hope of picking up traces of the sealant thought to have been applied to the hole by the perpetrator who had drilled it. RKK Energia released a video showing preparations for the spacewalk and selected views from that footage are annotated below: A test rig allowing to simulate operations in a spacesuit on a segment of the Soyuz spacecraft (center), using the Strela (arrow) translation boom (left). Engineers instruct cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko (right) on the use of the foot restraint system integrated with the Strela translation boom. Initial puncturing of the soft thermal insulation of the spacecraft was planned to be made with a regular knife. Specialists apparently advised Kononenko to count visible grid lines on the insulation from the bottom of the Roskosmos logo on the Habitation Module to precisely navigate the blade to the area around the hole. Kononenko (right) wearing spacesuit gloves practices cutting through insulation layers on the mockup segment of the Habitation Module, BO. A test specialist wearing Orlan spacesuit tries out cutting operations. A close-up view of cutting through the meteoroid shielding. A test specialist peels off meteoroid shielding over the hole area. After the hole area has been exposed, a test specialist prepares a sampling kit. Sampling of materials around the hole area. The Cupola module on the US Segment of the ISS provides good vantage point for monitoring operations during the VKD-45a spacewalk. ISS crew during preparation for the VKD-45a spacewalk. Next chapter: VKD-45a spacewalk Rescuers walk in the streets of Strasbourg, eastern France, after a shooting breakout, on December 11, 2018. (Photo by Murielle KASPRZAK / AFP)MURIELLE KASPRZAK/AFP/Getty Images Police, firefighters and emergency services intervene on Place Gutenberg after a shooting on December 11, 2018 in Strasbourg, eastern France. (Photo by Patrick HERTZOG / AFP)PATRICK HERTZOG/AFP/Getty Images Sinn Fein MEP Martina Anderson has said she was in the centre of Strasbourg when gun shots went off saying there was a panic in the city with people including young children running for their lives. The UUP MEP Jim Nicholson said he and his team were safe while the DUP's Diane Dodds was at a restaurant near the scene. She said police had entered the premises and they were waiting for the area to be declared safe. "Terrible incident," she tweeted. In a statement the prefect of France's Bas-Rhin region confirmed that two people had died, seven were in a serious condition and four others had been injured. The public has been urged to stay indoors saying a "serious public security incident" was ongoing. President Emmanuel Macron cut short an engagement to be briefed on the incident. The incident happened close to a Christmas market in one of the city's central squares, Place Kleber. Security cordons are in place. Local authorities in the Grand-Est and Bas-Rhin region tweeted for the public to "avoid the area of the police station", which is close to the city's Christmas market. Police in Germany have said they are strengthening controls at the Franco-German border near Strasbourg. The police force of Baden-Wurttemberg, a state in south-west Germany bordering Strasbourg, tweeted they were taking the extra measures at the border because of the shooting. The city is home to the European Parliament. We were in the centre of #Strasbourg town when gun shots went off No confirmed reports but footage out of people on the ground injuries if not worse - My thoughts & prayers with all who are injured.#StrasbourgMarket Martina Anderson Sinn Fein (@M_AndersonSF) December 11, 2018 Terrible incident in Strasbourg tonight. City centre is on lockdown. We are safe. Police entered our restaurant near the scene. Now waiting for the area to be declared safe. Diane Dodds MLA (@DianeDoddsMLA) December 11, 2018 Thanks also to those who have been in touch since the news broke. My team and I are safe and well. Jim Nicholson (@JNicholsonMEP) December 11, 2018 The Sinn Fein MEP Martina Anderson said she was in the centre of the town when she heard shots. "My thoughts & prayers with all who are injured," tweeted Ms Anderson. She said the incident had shocked the city. "I was in the city centre at the time and heard the gunfire and people, including young children, running away in panic," she said. "This incident has caused panic in the area with crowds of people out enjoying the Christmas markets. "Details of the incident are still emerging but my thoughts are with those injured and all of those caught up in this incident." Yorkshire and Humber MEP Richard Corbett said on Twitter that he was in a restaurant in the city "where shots (were) fired". He said the restaurant was "not letting anyone in or out". The European Parliament has been put on lockdown. Thorbjorn Jagland, Secretary General of the Council of Europe, based in Strasbourg, wrote on Twitter: "The police informed me tonight of a shooting in Strasbourg with possibly one victim and several wounded. "The perpetrator is still on the run. "This is a serious incident and I advise all staff and visitors to stay at home or indoors for the moment." Strasbourg Christmas market is one of the oldest in Europe with 300 wooden chalets set up in the city's historic centre from November 23 to Christmas Eve. One of the biggest Christmas trees in Europe is put up in Place Kleber, the largest square in the city, which was named after French general Jean-Baptiste Kleber who was born in Strasbourg in 1753. The fire at the Bank Buildings in August 2018 The Land & Property Services (LPS) is offering rates relief to Belfast businesses affected by the Primark fire. LPS is encouraging businesses who have lost out due to the fire at the historic Bank Buildings to contact them about help paying their rates. Read More Business owners who are experiencing cash flow difficulties as a result of the fire can also contact LPS to discuss an extended payment arrangement. Fourteen businesses within the cordon were closed following the August 28 fire with a number reopening this week following the installation of a temporary walkway in the area. A Primark store reopened on Castle Street on Saturday, while Argento, McDonald's, Spar and Skechers reopened last week. Zara, Tesco Metro and British Heart Fountain remain closed while works continue to secure Bank Buildings, and City Picnic (extra market stalls in Donegall Place) and Abacus Beads (Queen's Arcade) continue to trade from their temporary premises. Information has been circulated to city centre businesses on how to apply for Hardship Rate Relief. The scheme helps businesses recover from a temporary crisis, financial or otherwise as a result of exceptional circumstances. Businesses must still pay their rates while the LPS considers an application for assistance, the money will then be refunded if the application is succesful. Applications for relief must be received by March 31, 2019. Police at the scene of a security alert on the Upper Dunmurry Lane in west Belfast A Belfast primary school is to remain closed this morning as a bomb alert enters its fourth day. A "significant" number of residents were forced to spend last night out of their homes due to the potential threat. Police closed off Upper Dunmurry Lane yesterday after receiving further information about a possible explosive device left in the area. It followed a weekend of disruption with reports of a device on Saturday sparking an alert which lasted until Sunday with nothing found. Police said further information had been received on Monday and they returned to the scene. As a precaution they evacuated homes, a primary school and the local church. Our Lady Queen of Peace Primary School said it had been advised to remain closed today. There was anger in the area over the ongoing disruption. Sinn Fein councillor Charlene O'Hara said: "Those responsible for causing this alert in the area have brought local people nothing but disruption and chaos in the month of Christmas. "If anyone has any information about it then they should bring it forward to the police." SDLP councillor Brian Heading expressed his "deep regret" over the disruption. "These attacks on the community must stop," he said. "People are entitled to lives in peace and safety. "Anyone who has any information should contact the police." Superintendent Melanie Jones explained: "I fully understand the evacuation and road closures are causing significant disruption. "However, public safety is our primary concern and we will not take any risks. "I thank the community for their patience and understanding as we continue what may be a protracted operation." Sinn Fein president Mary Lou McDonald has called for the Irish Government to commit to holding a border poll if the United Kingdom crashes out of the European Union. She said that the British Prime Minister Theresa Mays decision to delay the so-called meaningful vote in the House of Commons has caused significant concern across Ireland. Irelands Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney said the Government is stepping up its preparations for a no-deal Brexit and will be briefing the Cabinet about its contingency planning for a crash. Uachtaran Sinn Fein @MaryLouMcDonald has told the media that the Brexit backstop is not up for negotiation & that in the event of a crash, the issue of a referendum on Irish Unity will advance. The North must be protected throughout #Brexit. pic.twitter.com/8GLUIe5B1b Sinn Fein (@sinnfeinireland) December 11, 2018 Ms McDonald called for ministers to share their ideas on preparing for a no-deal scenario. I would like to know the extent to which the Government is making preparations for constitutional transition and for the possibly of a referendum on unity because, if there is a crash, the damage arising from that will not be fleeting, it will be long term, she said. Speaking to the media on Tuesday, Ms McDonald said she has made Mrs May aware that, in the event of Britain crashing out of the EU, a referendum on Irish unity would advance very quickly. They couldnt expect that, in a crash scenario, Ireland would endure so much damage and simply be prepared to soak that up. That would not be an acceptable position, she added. I am due to have a call with Mrs May this (Tuesday) evening. I will reiterate our view and the vast view of the people in the north and south that the Withdrawal Agreement is only possible with the minimal protections within it intact. If she has any notion of diluting that down or negotiating back from that then she is very misguided. In the reality in the event of a crash there is only one way to protect Irish interests, and that is to remove the borderMary Lou McDonald, Sinn Fein Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said he wanted to provide assurances which the UK may need without changing the fundamental substance of the draft withdrawal deal. He added: Demands for Irish unity and border polls I believe are disruptive and destructive to trying to achieve what we want to achieve, which is the ratification of this agreement. Ms McDonald accused hard-line Brexiteers of failing to accept that protections in the Withdrawal Agreement are necessary for Northern Ireland and the Republic. In the reality in the event of a crash there is only one way to protect Irish interests, and that is to remove the border. We cannot have a hard border or hardening of the border, she continued. I want to know what is the state of preparedness of the Irish State to provide for a process of constitutional transition and a unity referendum which I believe will happen in any event. I believe that is the course we are on. In the event of a crash Brexit and no deal, it moves the timeline for all of that dramatically forward. The question for the Taoiseach (Leo Varadkar) and for all of Government is Have you prepared for all of that? Are you ready for that? This is a profound, political and social and economic crisis and challenge for us so the response has to be deeper than short-term measures. Theresa May has brushed aside speculation of an impending vote of no confidence in her as Prime Minister, insisting she is focused on securing reassurances from EU leaders about her Brexit deal. After calling off a parliamentary vote on the deal planned for Tuesday, Mrs May has spent the day in talks with fellow leaders including Germanys Angela Merkel and Mark Rutte of the Netherlands. She said she had found a shared determination to address MPs concerns about the proposed backstop arrangement for the Irish border, in order to allow the deal to be brought back to the House of Commons and ratified. Downing Street announced that the motion on the Brexit deal will come back to the Commons before January 21, with MPs expected to complete the final two days of debate before the momentous vote. I have seen a shared determination to deal with this issueTheresa May But Mrs Mays decision to delay the vote sparked a fresh wave of speculation at Westminster about new letters of no confidence being submitted by Conservative MPs to the chair of the backbench 1922 Committee, Sir Graham Brady. After reports that some members of the European Research Group of Eurosceptic Tory MPs were claiming that enough letters had been submitted to trigger a vote, Mrs May was asked whether she had been told the threshold of 48 letters had been reached. She replied: No, I have been here in Europe dealing with the issue I have promised Parliament I would be dealing with. Mrs May said: Whatever outcome we want, whatever relationship we want with the European Union in future, there is no deal available that doesnt have a backstop within it. But we dont want the backstop to be used and if it is, we want to be certain it is only temporary. It is those assurances that I will be seeking from fellow leaders over the coming days. Long and frank discussion with PM @theresa_may ahead of #Brexit summit. Clear that EU27 wants to help. The question is how. Charles Michel (@eucopresident) December 11, 2018 Mrs May held breakfast talks with Mr Rutte before flying to Berlin for lunch with Mrs Merkel and then on to Brussels to speak with European Council President Donald Tusk and Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker. Mr Tusk described their meeting as long and frank, adding: Clear that EU27 wants to help. The question is how. Earlier in the day, Mr Juncker told the European Parliament that there was no room whatsoever for renegotiation of the Withdrawal Agreement reached between the EU and UK last month. Mr Juncker told MEPs the agreement was the best deal possible and the only deal possible. But he offered a glimmer of hope to Mrs May by saying there was room to give further clarifications and further interpretations without opening the Withdrawal Agreement. Expand Close European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker addressed MEPs in Strasbourg (European Commission Audiovisual Services/PA) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker addressed MEPs in Strasbourg (European Commission Audiovisual Services/PA) The delay to the so-called meaningful vote by MPs means that ratification may not be possible until as late as 10 weeks before the scheduled date of Brexit on March 29. But Mrs Mays spokesman insisted she continued to believe that necessary preparations can be completed within that time. Downing Street described talks with Mr Rutte as constructive and said the leaders agreed to work together to find a way through, while in Berlin Mrs May and Mrs Merkel agreed to keep in close touch on this in order to get the deal over the line. Mrs Mays predecessor as Conservative PM, Sir John Major, called for an immediate halt to the two-year Article 50 process leading to UK withdrawal from the EU on March 29, declaring: The clock must be stopped. Speaking in Dublin, he warned that any return of a border between Northern Ireland and the Republic risked reviving memories of the worst days of the Troubles. And Irish Taoiseach Leo Varadkar told the Dail Parliament in Dublin that the UK had the power to avoid a no-deal Brexit by revoking or extending Article 50. While there may not be a majority for anything or at least any deal at the moment in the House of Commons, I do believe that there is a majority that the UK should not be plunged into a no-deal scenario, said Mr Varadkar. It is in their hands at any point in time to take the threat of no-deal off the table, either by revoking Article 50 or, if that is a step too far, by extending it. Following a delayed Cabinet meeting on Wednesday, Mrs May will travel to Dublin for last-minute talks with the Taoiseach ahead of Thursdays crunch European Council summit in Brussels. She was also speaking by phone with Austrian President Sebastian Kurz, whose country holds the rotating six-month presidency of the Council. Commons Leader Andrea Leadsom suggested Mrs May was seeking changes that would give Parliament an additional democratic ability to decide. That might include an addendum to the Withdrawal Agreement that sets out that Parliament will vote prior to going into a backstop, should that prove necessary, and potentially that the EU Parliament and UK Parliament must vote every year thereafter to provide that legitimacy for the UK to stay in the backstop, should that prove necessary, she told BBC Radio 4s Today programme. Expand Close (PA Graphics) Press Association Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp (PA Graphics) Downing Street declined to be drawn on the specific form of reassurance being sought by the PM, saying only that she needed to be sure that it was something which would satisfy MPs. Mrs Mays decision to defer Tuesdays vote was condemned by the opposition as well as a number of Tories. Leading Conservative Brexiteer Steve Baker said that PM had a duty to stand down in order for a new leader to deliver EU withdrawal. What I would like to happen today is for Conservative Members of Parliament to realise that we simply cannot go staggering forward any longer like this and Im afraid to put their letters of no confidence in, Mr Baker told BBC Radio 4s Today programme. I will meet @theresa_may this evening in Brussels. I remain convinced that the #Brexit deal we have is the best - and only - deal possible. There is no room for renegotiation, but further clarifications are possible. Jean-Claude Juncker (@JunckerEU) December 11, 2018 Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn told MPs Mrs May was making an abject mess of the Brexit negotiations, and indicated that his party was ready to trigger a confidence vote in the Prime Minister at the appropriate time. Speaking at a Commons debate called by Labour on the PMs decision to pull the so-called meaningful vote on Brexit, Mr Corbyn said: We have no confidence in this Government. We need to do the appropriate thing at the appropriate time to have a motion of no confidence in order to get rid of this Government. The window of the car was smashed by thieves / Credit: PSNI Two people have been arrested less than two hours after a smash-and-grab robbery at a forest park in Northern Ireland. Police have warned the public to be vigilant about leaving valuables in sight when parking their vehicles as doing so could entice opportunistic theives. Over the weekend a couple out for a walk in Randalstown Forest Park returned to their car to find a window had been smashed and a handbag stolen from within. On PSNI Antrim Facebook page a police spokesperson wrote: "With the help of witnesses and different departments in the police, two arrests were made within 90 minutes of it being reported and thankfully some of the victim's property recovered. "This female has learnt the hard way about leaving belongings in plain sight for opportunistic dishonest people. For the rest of us, please take this as a reminder not to leave belongings in your vehicles. Lock it out of sight or better still take them with you!" Neighbours have paid tribute to a "very vulnerable young man" who was murdered inside a flat in Co Down. Padraig Fox (29) was found dead at around 1.45pm on Saturday inside a property on Burrendale Park Road in Newcastle. He had only moved into the block of flats a few months ago. It is understood his body was discovered in a neighbour's flat. It is not yet clear what happened inside the property. Yesterday detectives were given an additional 36 hours to interrogate a 26-year-old man who has been arrested on suspicion of murder. A 21-year-old man has also been arrested. He was last night in police custody assisting with enquiries. While police continued the murder probe yesterday, local residents described how CCTV cameras installed on their properties show the victim arriving home at around 6.15am with a number of men. "They left within three hours and then the next thing Paddy was found dead," one distressed neighbour said. "It's disgusting to think that he was left there alone like that." Thomas Menagh (47), who lives in the same building, paid tribute to his friend who "never got into trouble" and "never drank alcohol". "I always kept an eye on him, he was a very vulnerable young man," he said. "He was a good kid who would do anything for anyone. He didn't deserve this." Mr Menagh offered his condolences to Padraig's mum Marie, who he said regularly visited her son at his new home. "She should have been looking forward to helping her son celebrate Christmas in his new home, but now she's getting ready to bury him," he added. One of Padraig's two sisters lives just a few miles from where her brother was killed. The murder inquiry was launched when the results of a post-mortem came back on Sunday afternoon. Another shocked neighbour said her 14-year-old daughter has been left badly shaken and unable to sleep as a result of the incident. "It's a terrifying thing for a teenager to take in," the woman said. The mother-of-four also said Padraig had "a heart of gold" and "made many new friends" despite only being in the area a short time. "He went out of his way to help people and everyone had a wee soft spot for him," she said. Other residents also expressed frustration about ongoing anti-social behaviour in the area, which has left people too scared to leave their homes at night. SDLP MLA Colin McGrath described the murder as "a chilling tragedy" which has stunned everyone in the community and offered his condolences to the victim's family. Following Prime Minister Theresa May's decision to postpone the vote on her draft Brexit withdrawal deal, we took to the streets of Belfast to ask people to give us their views on Brexit. Speaking in the House of Commons on Monday Mrs May accepted that the deal would not have passed had a scheduled vote gone ahead on Tuesday evening as planned. Read More She said she was committed to looking at "new ways" of giving the House of Commons a say in enforcing the backstop to secure "democratic legitimacy". The Prime Minister said that she hoped changes to the deal would "reassure members we would never be trapped in the backstop indefinitely". As she travelled Europe on Tuesday attempting to secure changes to her deal, we asked the public what they made of the Brexit situation so far, and what should come next. David Peden told us that he felt Mrs May's participation in the Remain campaign has led to her failure to deliver Brexit. "Personally I'd just tell the EU to go and get stuffed and leave. I think Britain's in a position of power, the EU's breaking up, so they are in a position of power," he said. "She never wanted Brexit in the first place in my opinion. She should resign." Suzanne McKee said that she supported the Prime Minister's current deal and hoped that the Brexit saga would come to an end soon. "I've wanted to remain the whole time, so I'm kind of getting bored of it. I'm just sick of it, I'd like it all over now," she said. "It's not a great deal, but for us it's ok. I'd be happy enough if we just go with that now. A second referendum would just cause too much of a big stir again." Stephen Garrett felt it was important not to crash out of Europe with no deal. "I think we need to leave with some sort of a deal, I wouldn't like to leave without a deal. I actually feel sorry for Theresa May, although she probably only has her self to thank for it. I'd rather not be in her position," he said. "I think as far as the EU's concerned what you have is what you have, you never know but I wouldn't be hopeful." Conversely James Burrell said that he preferred a no deal scenario, and wanted out of the EU at any cost. "I think it's a shambles, I really do. I can't understand this government, why they don't back the Prime Minister up, they are supposed to be all working together, but they are all stabbing each other in the back." Gwyn Hughes also waned to leave the EU, saying the UK should be proud of the Parliament and traditions it has. "I have great sympathy for Theresa (May), she's come through quite a lot. Certainly she hasn't done enough to keep Parliament happy and she would have lost that vote and possibly a general election. The biggest mistake she ever made was going for the general election previous to that," he said. "All I want to do is to leave Europe and get out of the clutches of the European Court." Harry Glover told us that he favoured another referendum to give people the opportunity to change their minds. "I'm fed up with it, I've really had enough of it. I would have been a remainer and I think its shown that the whole thing has been a disaster from start to finish. I think our future is in Europe," he said. "I don't see why we shouldn't have another referendum. People make their decisions in elections and after 11 months, they have had elections again. Sure look at this place, never done with elections." Joyce Scott believed that Boris Johnson was the man to deliver Brexit. "I think it'll be like it was going to be at the Millennium. Planes were going to fall out of the sky, computers would die, everything would collapse, I think we'll get through it. It never happened," she said. "I want to get out (of the EU). My opinion of Theresa May is zero, she's no Maggie (Thatcher), I think she's made a mess of it. She should go, Boris, a maverick though he is, could get us out of it." Gerry Kayes believed a lack of preparation ahead of the Brexit vote was the reason for current problems. "There's quite a lot of parties, and quite a lot of people within the parties who all want it for their own selfish reasons and that's why none of them can agree. It's as simple as that," he said. "I've been a remainer, but I'd be democratic and I think they should have left and had it all organised before they had the vote. She's on a hiding to nothing." Welsh First Minister Carwyn Jones arrives to give evidence at the inquest into the death of Welsh Assembly Minister Carl Sargeant at Ruthin County Hall. The family of Welsh politician Carl Sargeant would be given a real slap in the face if departing First Minister Carwyn Jones was awarded a peerage, according to Mr Sargeants son. Jack Sargeant said Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn should not nominate Mr Jones for a seat in the House of Lords while questions surrounding his fathers death remained unanswered. The First Minister will tender his resignation to the Queen following his final questions session on Tuesday afternoon, bringing an end to nine years in power and making way for new Welsh Labour leader Mark Drakeford to take his place. Despite delivering Welsh Labours best election result in 2011, Mr Joness reign has ended with him under fire for his conduct towards Mr Sargeant, who was found hanged at his home four days after being sacked amid allegations of sexual misconduct in November last year. Mr Sargeants son Jack, who succeeded him as AM for Alyn and Deeside following a by-election in February, said speculation that Mr Jones could be given a peerage after leaving the Welsh Government was distressing. Expand Close Jack Sargeant and mother Bernadette arrive at the inquest into the death of Carl Sargeant (PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Jack Sargeant and mother Bernadette arrive at the inquest into the death of Carl Sargeant (PA) He said: Nothing could be more distressing for the family and friends of Carl to know that such an accolade could be bestowed when there are so many unanswered questions regarding the First Ministers conduct. It would be a real slap in the face to those of us already suffering Carls loss. If Jeremy Corbyn gives the nod to Carwyn Jones to go into the House of Lords, we will be distraught. He also said he felt his fathers inquest has been subjected to unnecessary delaying tactics by the First Ministers office, and questioned whether there was a plan to ensure he was out of office before the inquest concluded. The inquest into Mr Sargeants death has been adjourned indefinitely for Mr Jones to be recalled as a witness and to allow a legal challenge by his representatives. Leighton Andrews, a former minister for education and skills in Mr Joness cabinet, said unresolved issues over Mr Joness handling of the allegations against Mr Sargeant before his death could taint his legacy as First Minister. Mr Andrews, professor of practice in public service leadership and innovation at Cardiff University, said: The difficulty for him is that at the point he leaves, all of these issues of sacking Carl Sargeant remain unresolved. I think its cast a shadow over his time in office and over his departure from the government. Expand Close Carwyn Jones, front centre, with members of his Cabinet in 2009 (Welsh Assembly Government/PA) Press Association Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Carwyn Jones, front centre, with members of his Cabinet in 2009 (Welsh Assembly Government/PA) Mr Joness nine-year stint leading Wales saw him guiding the country into an era where its Assembly now has lawmaking and tax-raising powers for the first time. He led Welsh Labour to its best election result in 2011, two years after he took up the position. He took the decision for the Welsh government to purchase the under-performing Cardiff Airport, which has since seen a rise in passenger numbers and improved facilities, passed the Human Transportation Act, which brought in the opt-out organ donation system, and was the first leader in the UK to bring in a levy on plastic bags. Professor Roger Awan-Scully, head of politics and international relations at Cardiff University, said: Electorally, Carwyn Jones has been a giant. Even last year in the general election when Labour was really up against it, he took control of the Labour campaign in Wales front and centre, really risked everything, and of course Labour came out with a really good result in Wales, gaining several seats away from the Conservatives. I think electorally his party may only really fully value him when hes gone. But he said critics would argue Mr Joness popularity with the public failed to translate into success with key public services. I think the key questions of his legacy are in terms of public policy. Has he delivered enough improvement in Wales in terms of economic performance, has he been able to deliver real and sustainable improvements in key public services that are devolved, such as health and education, and people will argue that backwards and forwards. His critics will say, though he was popular electorally, he didnt do enough with that in government. British backpacker Grace Millane was found near a beauty spot on the outskirts of Auckland (Auckland City Police/PA) Police investigating the murder of British backpacker Grace Millane are looking for a shovel believed to be connected to the inquiry. Ms Millane, 22, went missing from a hostel in Auckland on December 1 and a body was found in the Waitakere Ranges on Sunday. A 26-year-old man, who cannot be named, has been charged with murder and appeared in an Auckland court on Monday. Expand Close Police are looking for a shovel in connection with the inquiry (Auckland City Police/PA) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Police are looking for a shovel in connection with the inquiry (Auckland City Police/PA) Detective Inspector Scott Beard addressed speculation about the case and said the University of Lincoln graduates body was found intact and said officers were looking for a long-handle shovel. He said: At this point we dont know where this item is. It could be anywhere between the Scenic Drive and central Auckland areas. Someone may have come across it, picked it up and taken it home. We need to speak to that person or anyone who has seen it. Officers said they have received hundreds of calls about the case and investigators are trying to establish a timeline of events. On Monday, New Zealands prime minister Jacinda Ardern gave an emotional apology to Ms Millanes family, saying: Your daughter should have been safe here, and she wasnt, and Im sorry for that. I cannot imagine the grief of her family and what they would be experiencing and feeling right now. Detectives said they had identified a location of interest after the investigation led them to a spot on Scenic Drive, a country road about 12 miles west of the city centre, on Saturday night. Expand Close Police said the disappearance of the British backpacker is now being treated as a suspected murder (Lucie Blackman Trust/PA) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Police said the disappearance of the British backpacker is now being treated as a suspected murder (Lucie Blackman Trust/PA) Speaking at the scene on Sunday afternoon, Detective Inspector Scott Beard said investigators had located a body which we believe to be Grace about 10 metres from the roadside. The last confirmed sighting of Ms Millane was at 9.41pm on December 1, the day before her birthday, at the Citylife Hotel, when she was seen with a male companion. Since arriving in New Zealand from Peru on November 20, she had been in near-daily contact with her family. Expand Close Ms Millane was recorded on CCTV at the Sky City centre on Saturday evening (Auckland Police/PA) Press Association Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Ms Millane was recorded on CCTV at the Sky City centre on Saturday evening (Auckland Police/PA) Police received a missing person report on Wednesday and began a major search and public campaign that saw dozens of calls made to a helpline. Ms Millanes father, David Millane, flew to Auckland and made a public appeal for help finding his daughter, who he described as lovely, outgoing, fun-loving (and) family-orientated. Her brother, Declan Millane, paid tribute by sharing pictures on social media of him and his sister, adding the lyrics of You Are My Sunshine. He wrote on Instagram: You are my sunshine, my only sunshine. You make me happy when skies are gray. Youll never know, dear, how much I love you. Please dont take my sunshine away. The Duchess of Cambridge arrives at Evelina Childrens Hospital in London (Steve Parsons/PA) The Duchess of Cambridge has been named as the new patron of a childrens hospital ahead of a visit to the institution with her husband. Kate is the official figurehead for the Evelina London Childrens Hospital, a role which will give her the opportunity to champion medical professionals working on the front line in childrens healthcare, and shine a light on their work supporting youngsters in their early years. The hospital, which marks its 150th anniversary next year, is part of Guys and St Thomas NHS Foundation Trust. The Duchess of Cambridge has become Patron of @EvelinaLondon, ahead of her visit to the Hospital with The Duke of Cambridge today: https://t.co/kyXCwTjzKu The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (@KensingtonRoyal) December 11, 2018 Marian Ridley, director of Evelina London, said: We are absolutely delighted and deeply honoured the Duchess of Cambridge has chosen to become our patron. The duchess shares our passion for giving children and young people the very best start in life and her royal highnesss support will help champion the life-saving care our staff are providing to our patients. It is a huge pleasure to welcome their royal highnesses back to our hospital and we are absolutely delighted that they are able to join us as we begin to celebrate our milestone 150th anniversary. During their visit to Evelina London, William and Kate will meet youngsters receiving care and their parents. Expand Close The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge arrive at Evelina Childrens Hospital in London (Steve Parsons/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge arrive at Evelina Childrens Hospital in London (Steve Parsons/PA) The hospital provides comprehensive health services to children and families from before birth, throughout childhood and into adult life, and also offers specialist services for youngsters with rare and complex conditions from across south London, Kent, Surrey, Sussex and beyond. Later, the couple will travel to the St Vincents Centre of the homeless charity The Passage to hear from frontline workers about the challenges relating to street homelessness, including drug addiction and mental health issues. Established in 1980, The Passage provides resources to encourage, inspire and challenge homeless people to make lasting and long-term changes to their lives. William first visited the charity in 1994 with his younger brother, Harry, when the pair were 12 and 10, alongside their mother, Diana, Princess of Wales. In 2016 the duke reopened the newly refurbished St Vincents Centre in Victoria, central London. During their visit, William and Kate will also meet people using The Passages services and join them in an arts and crafts workshop preparing gifts ahead of the centres Christmas party. New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern has given an emotional apology to the family of murdered British backpacker Grace Millane. Ms Millane (22) went missing from a hostel in Auckland on December 1 and a body was found in the Waitakere Ranges on Sunday. A 26-year-old man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, has been charged with murder and appeared at an Auckland court yesterday. Ms Ardern said: "I cannot imagine the grief of her family and what they would be experiencing and feeling right now. "My thoughts and prayers are with her father David, who is in the country, her mother Gillian, who cannot be here, and her wider family, friends and loved ones. "From the Kiwis I have spoken to, there is this overwhelming sense of hurt and shame that this has happened in our country, a place that prides itself on our hospitality, on our manaakitanga (a Maori term meaning kindness and generosity) especially to those who are visiting our shores." Appearing to become choked with emotion, she added: "So on behalf of New Zealand, I want to apologise to Grace's family. Your daughter should have been safe here, and she wasn't, and I'm sorry for that." Earlier, her alleged murderer faced court for the first time. Judge Evangelos Thomas told members of the Millane family, who were in court: "Your grief must be desperate. "All of us hope justice for Grace is fair, swift and ultimately brings you some peace." Documents submitted to the court suggested police believe the University of Lincoln graduate was killed between December 1 and 2, her birthday. A charge sheet also listed the suspect as living at the hotel where she was last seen alive. Detectives said they had identified a "location of interest" after the investigation led them to a spot on Scenic Drive, a country road about 12 miles west of the city centre, on Saturday night. On Sunday, detective inspector Scott Beard said investigators had "located a body which we believe to be Grace" about 10 metres from the roadside. The last confirmed sighting of Ms Millane was at 9.41pm on December 1 at the Citylife Hotel, when she was seen with a "male companion". Since arriving in New Zealand from Peru on November 20, she had been in near-daily contact with her family. The Duchess of Cambridge met children and families at Evelina Childrens Hospital in London (Chris Jackson/PA) The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge met young patients at Evelina London Childrens Hospital following the announcement the duchess was to become its new patron. William and Kate were greeted at the hospital by six-year-old Tiana Hayles who gave the duchess, who was wearing a green and white polka dot LK Bennett dress, a bunch of posies. Evelina London will be celebrating its 150th anniversary in 2019, and to celebrate the duke and duchess unveiled and helped to complete a piece of specially commissioned artwork with some of the children. In a short speech the Duchess said: Thank you to everyone here, you do such an amazing job supporting children and their families both here and out in the community. Expand Close The Duchess of Cambridge during a visit to Evelina Childrens Hospital in London (Chris Jackson/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The Duchess of Cambridge during a visit to Evelina Childrens Hospital in London (Chris Jackson/PA) The couple made their way through the hospital reception hall where they were greeted by smiling families, children and hospital staff. They then met privately with families who use the hospital services regularly, as well as those who may have used them in the past. One of those families was Debbie Brown and her son, Cruz Brown, 4, who has been attending Evelina since he was born due to his kidneys not functioning. Ms Brown said the royal couple were interested to hear about the hospital and how they found out Cruz was unwell. Cruz receives dialysis three times a week, for four hours a time at Evelina. They were excited about the slides!, Ms Brown said, referring to the large helter skelter slide in the entrance hall. Theyre saying its weird for a hospital to have all of those things in it, but you say look its something for the kids. But yeah, I was telling them when Cruz comes here, he doesnt really want to leave, hes like yeah! The duke and duchess both participated in Christmas crafting with some of the families in Evelinas sunny atrium, where the hospitals choir sang carols. Preminy Kamalanathan and her three children were crafting with William. Her daughter Harini has MSUD, a condition which means the body cannot process amino acids, which she was diagnosed with when she was nine days old. Ms Kamalanathan said William was really listening when she explained Harinis condition. Her youngest son, who is 3, was showing William his dinosaur toy. He talked about dinosaurs didnt he? Ms Kanalanathan said. And he said George loved dinosaurs too! The Duchess of Cambridge has become Patron of @EvelinaLondon, ahead of her visit to the Hospital with The Duke of Cambridge today: https://t.co/kyXCwTjzKu The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (@KensingtonRoyal) December 11, 2018 Kate sat with Kayleigh Rockwell, her wife Kirsty and their children Oscar, 5 and Nancy, 3. Nancy has been receiving treatment at Evelina since she was born after it was discovered she had heterotaxy syndrome. Heterotaxy syndrome is a rare birth defect which means Nancys organs are misplaced, missing or misshaped [sic], Mrs Rockwell said. On the announcement of the duchess becoming a patron Mrs Rockwell said: Its really good, I knew that they were very heavily involved in the Evelina which I think is amazing. The fact that theyre helping to make the Evelina as well known as GOSH [Great Ormond Street Hospital]. GOSH is very much charity work, this is all NHS, this is very overlooked, not a lot of people know about it so its good to get the name out there. The Evelina is part of Guys and St Thomas NHS Foundation Trust, of which the Queen is Patron, and treats children with complex and rare conditions from birth into adulthood. Marian Ridley, director of Evelina London, said: We are absolutely delighted and deeply honoured the Duchess of Cambridge has chosen to become our patron. Expand Close The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge arrive at Evelina Childrens Hospital in London (Steve Parsons/PA) PA Wire/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge arrive at Evelina Childrens Hospital in London (Steve Parsons/PA) Later, the couple will travel to the St Vincents Centre of the homeless charity The Passage to hear from frontline workers about the challenges relating to street homelessness, including drug addiction and mental health issues. Established in 1980, The Passage provides resources to encourage, inspire and challenge homeless people to make lasting and long-term changes to their lives. William first visited the charity in 1994 with his younger brother, Harry, when the pair were 12 and 10, alongside their mother, Diana, Princess of Wales. In 2016 the duke reopened the newly refurbished St Vincents Centre in Victoria, central London. During their visit, William and Kate will also meet people using The Passages services and join them in an arts and crafts workshop preparing gifts ahead of the centres Christmas party. The DUP's only MEP has shot down any prospect of Theresa May's withdrawal deal making its way through the House of Commons without significant changes. Speaking to MEPs in Strasbourg on Tuesday, Diane Dodds took aim at what she described as "magical thinking" from the EU in its belief further clarifications could make the agreement more palatable for MPs. "The decision to delay the meaningful vote at Westminster reflects widespread opposition to the Prime Ministers deal right across the political spectrum in the United Kingdom. "MPs recognise that the backstop is a threat to Northern Ireland and the integrity of our Union. "They recognise that it is an indefinite threat to the independence and sovereignty of the UK Parliament and they recognise that without substantive renegotiation it cannot succeed in the House or Commons." Addressing the House of Commons on Monday, Theresa May confirmed a vote scheduled for Tuesday on backing the withdrawal deal had been postponed over the issue of the Irish backstop. The Prime Minister has undertaken a whistle stop tour to meet with European leaders to secure "further reassurances" on plans for the Northern Ireland border, and it is understood she is seeking a legal guarantee the UK will not be trapped in the backstop plan indefinitely. European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker has said ahead of his meeting with Mrs May there will be no changes to the deal. MEP Mrs Dodds added: "Mr Tusk has said he wants to facilitate UK ratification without reopening the deal on the table. Mr Juncker has said this morning he is ready to offer clarifications. Quite frankly to believe that this will succeed in the House of Commons is indeed magical thinking. "So we face many questions. Is the EU serious about delivering a deal for all of its citizens? Is it genuine about avoiding a no deal outcome? Is it sincere about protecting businesses and families in the Irish Republic relying on the Great Britain market? These questions matter. Police are appealing for anyone with information to come forward (Andrew Matthews/PA) Police have named a teenager killed in south-east London over the weekend as Aron Warren. The 18-year-old was stabbed at a residential address in Greenwich on Saturday evening. Officers from the Metropolitan Police were called to Topham House on Prior Street at 9.41pm, alongside paramedics from the London Air Ambulance, but Aron was pronounced dead a short time later. Detectives are continuing to appeal for information following the murder of 18-year-old Aron Warren [pic] at Topham House on Prior Street in #Greenwich https://t.co/oHuGgPZ5RZ pic.twitter.com/L0Y8KUUQUS Metropolitan Police (@metpoliceuk) December 11, 2018 Officers have appealed for anybody with information to get in touch. Detective Chief Inspector Larry Smith said on Tuesday: While we continue to work to piece together the events that led to Arons murder, I would appeal to anyone who was in the vicinity of Topham House in Prior Street around 9.15pm to contact police. We believe Aron was attacked inside the flat where he was residing in Topham House, so I am particularly keen to speak to anyone who let someone into the building prior to the murder or who saw anyone fleeing the scene. A 17-year-old boy previously arrested in connection with the incident has been released with no further action. Israeli forces have shot and killed a Palestinian man in the West Bank after he attempted to ram his car into them, police said. Officers said the driver struck a police vehicle and then attempted to hit forces securing an area near the city of Hebron. Police say officers opened fire at the car and no Israeli forces were harmed. Police said the driver was taken to hospital and died there. The Palestinian Health Ministry confirmed the death but did not identify the man. In a separate incident in the northern West Bank, police said another Palestinian drove his car towards Israeli forces, who opened fire and arrested the driver. Expand Close Israeli soldiers clash with Palestinians during a search for suspects (Majdi Mohammed/AP) AP/PA Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Israeli soldiers clash with Palestinians during a search for suspects (Majdi Mohammed/AP) The incidents come as Israeli troops hunt for suspects who shot and wounded seven Israelis outside a Jewish settlement this week, including a pregnant 21-year-old whose baby was prematurely delivered by Caesarean section after the attack. The baby remains in critical condition. Following that attack, the military carried out a series of raids in the city of Ramallah, bursting into stores and the offices of the official Palestinian news agency. Speaking at the opening of an interchange near an Israeli settlement, Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned the shooting and promised to hunt down those responsible for the attack and make them pay. Security forces are also still searching for a Palestinian who killed two Israelis in an attack at a West Bank industrial zone in October. Mr Netanyahu said the attackers intended to push Israel out of the West Bank but that Israel would deepen its ties to the territory under his leadership. As long as I am prime minister, not even one Jew will be uprooted from his home. Not only will they not be uprooted from their homes, they will build more homes, he said. Israel captured the West Bank, along with east Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip, in the 1967 war. Some 600,000 Jewish settlers live in the West Bank and east Jerusalem, while Israel withdrew from Gaza in 2005. The Palestinians seek all three territories for their future state and view the settlements as a major obstacle to peace. Most of the international community views the settlements as illegal. Prime Minister Theresa May making a statement in the House of Commons yesterday where she told MPs that todays meaningful vote on her Brexit deal had been deferred Have you ever seen such a shambles in your life? The House of Commons is beginning to resemble a den of wild Kilkenny cats: fighting, biting, snarling. The government seems to be disintegrating before our very eyes, with its unprecedented number of resignations - and the Conservative Party is in the process of tearing itself to shreds. Today's critical Commons Brexit vote - the outcome of which would determine the UK's future for years to come - was called off yesterday amid mounting evidence that it would fail, with the Prime Minister's Chequers plan ground to dust. What now for Theresa May? She has announced she will go to Brussels to try to renegotiate a deal, but her position is much weakened. The hard-headed Brussels negotiators - who, like Shylock, will try to extract every last drop of blood out of the UK economy - will show no sympathy for the beleaguered Prime Minister. A government defeat today would have led to a vote of no confidence in Mrs May, which she would probably have survived. But she is a strong woman who, to her immense credit, has not wavered one inch throughout these tempestuous events. She takes pride in being a difficult woman. The Prime Minister and her loyal supporters are working like beavers to achieve a deal she can sell to parliament. Some believe she can still do it. But you would not want to risk your life savings on that happening. It is inevitable that, amid all this turmoil, there is now open talk of a replacement for Theresa May at 10 Downing Street. Needless to say, Boris Johnson's name is on many lips as a contender. He refused, the other day, to answer - except by a lot of meaningless political rigmarole - whether he would take on Mrs May. And another former Cabinet minister, Esther McVey, has already indicated that she would probably have a go - if she were asked. And no doubt there will be others who will throw their halos into the ring. But history tells us that it is certainly not always the perceived favourites who get the job. Michael Heseltine was odds-on to succeed Margaret Thatcher, but suddenly John Major appeared out of nowhere. And both Michael Foot and Jeremy Corbyn were highly unlikely choices to lead the Labour Party. So, it is still far from being a done deal. Meanwhile, Corbyn must be looking on and rubbing his hands with glee as he watches the Tory party in such a calamitous state. Meanwhile, Ukip is, if anything, in an even worse state than the Tory party. Nigel Farage, former Ukip leader, has been as good as his word and quit the party over the appointment, in an advisory capacity, of hardline right-wing activist Tommy Robinson. Other prominent Ukip figures have followed in Farage's footsteps. Farage - a man who does not merely talk, but acts as well - is considering setting up a new party, as he fears Ukip turning into a latter-day BNP. He wants to recruit business people - and not merely those with an overwhelming political background. New political parties are difficult to form and invariably have a distressingly short lifespan. However, Farage, with his energy, verve and commitment, might just be the man to make one succeed. Did the John Major government make a huge mistake in re-privatising the railways - a move which not all Tories at the time approved? Judging by the state of the railways today, it was probably not a wise policy. The system is bedevilled by virtually constant strikes; overcrowded, dirty and unpunctual trains; increased fares and flawed timetables. Why can't our system be as good and smart as the impeccable Japanese railways, for instance? No Tory government likes to interfere in private business. But isn't it time for Transport Secretary Chris Grayling to brandish his big stick and tell the myriad railway companies to improve their performance - or else? Jeremy Corbyn has vowed that a Labour government would re-nationalise the railways if he gets the key to 10 Downing Street. Amid their apoplexy over the EU withdrawal agreement, the DUP's MPs might have enjoyed Theresa May's abject discomfort in the Commons yesterday. It represented a victory - if perhaps a temporary one - for Nigel Dodds and his Westminster colleagues. Humiliatingly, the Prime Minister was forced to abandon a vote to avoid a rout. She acknowledged it was the "Irish backdrop" that was causing most angst among parliamentarians, well beyond the DUP 10. Quite why it took until yesterday for the PM to realise her chances of winning a parliamentary majority were akin to those of the DUP taking West Belfast at the next election, one can only wonder. The Prime Minister offered precious little to assuage DUP anxieties. Going back to Brussels to seek clarification of the backstop arrangement seems a colossal waste of time. The legal text the PM has signed is clear. Her Attorney General certainly grasped it. The backstop can only be ended by joint agreement between the EU and the UK. Theresa May can promise as many Commons votes as she wishes and they could all be 643-0 results in favour of ending the backstop. But if the EU says we cannot leave as, in its view, this risks hardening the border, we cannot quit the backstop. Such Commons votes might as well be pulled. At least there's expertise in that now. The meaningful vote surely ought to have taken place before the PM signed the deal. Instead, we now face many more weeks arguing over a deal already signed. Cry January, anyone? There is much irony in all this. The European Court of Justice ruled yesterday that we can readily tear up our solemn letter of EU withdrawal without fuss. It's actually harder for my students to pull a rubbish essay once submitted. Yet in the event of withdrawal going ahead, Northern Ireland might never be able to depart a purportedly temporary backstop. Even in the absence of a vote, yesterday was a day of reckoning for the Prime Minister: comeuppance for not being straight with the DUP. For all the (considerable) merits of her deal, did she really expect the DUP to support her wholesale removal of the local veto over regulatory alignment that the party insisted upon - and she agreed to - 12 months ago? Did the PM honestly think that the DUP would readily accept checks upon British goods arriving at Northern Ireland's ports and airports? Did she genuinely believe that a potentially unlimited alignment of Northern Ireland - alone - within EU rules would be swallowed by one of the most belligerent, hardline parties anywhere in western Europe? If the answers are yes, the PM hasn't acquired much knowledge of her erstwhile parliamentary allies since she signed a deal with them 18 months ago. Yet the naivety continues - or perhaps the PM simply no longer cares. Even though Arlene Foster categorically ruled out "domestic tinkering", the PM hopes that making the political declaration a bit 'nicer' for the DUP might somehow change the music. Equally, though, yesterday's humbling of the PM did not mean DUP victory. The fracture between political and economic unionism - for decades marching in step (literally, in days of yore) - that has emerged in recent weeks is serious and potentially irreparable. All the survey evidence from LucidTalk suggests a growing shift in favour of Irish unity among Northern Ireland's population. A border poll may not be long delayed. Theresa May got one clear message across in the Commons yesterday: that an absolutist defence of the Union may endanger its existence. 'Soft' unionists may be malleable in their constitutional preferences in a way not associated with their forebears. Offer them a Northern Ireland very closely aligned to the rest of Ireland within a prosperous overarching EU framework and they may take the deal. It may represent a reconstituted Britishness more cognisant of an economically and politically shared territory. If their unionism ultimately dissipates as a consequence, the DUP is fishing in shallower waters - while demographic changes do not help the party. The DUP still has a decent chance of seeing an all-UK denouement to this sorry saga. May's deal cannot fly unless miraculously modified. No deal could happen by default but there is only modest parliamentary support. Norway-plus is really 'EU-minus', which would put all of the UK where the EU plans to put NI - not a problem for the DUP. A second referendum, the odds on which have been shortening for some time, could be awkward, though. The DUP would have to again campaign for a Leave vote, placing the party at odds with majority Northern Ireland opinion. But at least it would produce a UK-wide outcome and consequences. That is, unless the current withdrawal agreement appears on the ballot paper. And if the British people vote for that, the DUP might feel betrayed not merely by Theresa May, but by many millions of its fellow UK citizens. Jon Tonge is Professor of Politics at the University of Liverpool Theresa May's tenacity and battling qualities have won her admiration even among political foes. But yesterday was far from the Prime Minister's finest hour. She was akin to the Grand Old Duke of York - except she only marched her troops halfway up the hill before she led them down again. And boy, did she make them look like eejits. Cabinet ministers and Government spokespersons were insisting all morning that the vote on the Prime Minister's Brexit deal was going ahead. "Definite, 100%," Environment Secretary Michael Gove told Radio Four. Scottish Secretary David Mundell was equally certain. A lot of people were made to look ridiculous by Mrs May's 11th-hour-and-59th-minute U-turn. She is hardly over-run with friends and political allies as it is. She cannot afford to alienate those she retains by treating them this way. Whatever loyalty she commands in Tory ranks is surely ebbing away as a result of yesterday's fiasco. This was a monumental mess created by the Prime Minister herself and it will damage her immensely among those who until now have respected her grit. She is running the risk of losing the loyalty of the colleagues who have stood with her through thick and thin until now. Last week, despite the odds, she was confident and chirpy as she opened the debate on her Brexit deal at Westminster. Yesterday, she wasn't crumbling but she did look like a woman under pressure as she faced MPs. Labour's David Lammy called her a coward. "Does she appreciate that other prime ministers under pressure did not delay their legislation? "Margaret Thatcher didn't delay the poll tax, Tony Blair didn't delay the Iraq War decision, John Major didn't delay Maastricht," he said. That will have hurt. Fellow MP Dennis Skinner was equally scathing. "Mrs Thatcher had a word for it, what she's done today, F-R-I-T, she's frit," he said, referencing the term the Iron Lady used for frightened political opponents. Mrs May had no choice but to command a retreat in the House of Commons yesterday. Had she not done so, the scale of her defeat in the vote would likely have resulted in her political obituary. But the writing was on the wall for her deal for weeks, and her refusal to read it is what's damning. She is now going back to Brussels to try to do what she has spent the past month telling everybody was impossible - renegotiate the deal. But she is truly deluded if she believes the DUP and Tory rebels will be won over by verbal reassurances or political statements regarding the backstop. Trust in Theresa May is non-existent. Without changes to the legal text, it's impossible to see this deal getting through Parliament. If, as predicted, the EU sticks to its position that the backstop won't be binned, a way forward is very hard to envisage. Westminster sources don't believe the Prime Minister will bring anything back to MPs this side of Christmas. The ultimate deadline for any vote is January 21. The Liberal Democrats, SNP and an increasing number of backbench Labour MPs are calling on Jeremy Corbyn to propose a vote of no confidence in Mrs May. But any such move seems doomed to failure as neither the DUP nor Tory rebels have a desire to bring down the Government. The danger for the Prime Minister is that yesterday's shambles will lead to more Tory MPs submitting letters of no confidence in her and triggering a leadership contest. Of course, the men in grey suits could come calling regardless if they decide that she is just too damaged to continue with any credibility. Boris Johnson remains the bookies' favourite to succeed her, with former Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab a serious challenger. But for now the Prime Minister is still hanging on - by her fingertips. Freed from jail after more than 100 days in custody without charge, prominent Bangladeshi photojournalist Shahidul Alam spoke out during an interview with BenarNews against government efforts to silence him and other free-minded people. The government made a calculation that misfired by moving to arrest him on Aug. 5 on suspicion of violating Bangladeshs defamation laws, Alam told BenarNews. The wide-ranging interview is among the first he has given following his release on bail Nov. 20 after a half dozen attempts by his legal team to secure bail. I think it was a message being given, he said about his arrest. There was a certain calculation and I suspect it was a message and a signal to others who might dare to speak, that this is the position that they take. Alam said the government was not prepared for the international reaction to his arrest. They clearly miscalculated, not only what I did, but also what everyone else did, particularly the people outside the jail, the huge resistance that came out, the fact that people were as defiant as they were, despite the fear, despite the intimidation, he said. Alam said he was dragged from his home on Aug. 5 by five or six people over comments he made in YouTube postings and an interview with the Al Jazeera television network. In Sundays interview, he did not back down from the TV interview that drew the governments attention in the first place. Everything I said on the Al Jazeera interview is something I stand by and something that pretty much everyone else, including the government, really knows. In terms of what bothered them the most, its difficult to say, but its quite possible that questioning their legitimacy at this particular time would be of concern to them, he said. Alam was arrested after giving the interview to the Al Jazeera TV network about street protests in Dhaka that followed the deaths of two students who were run over by a bus. Prosecutors alleged that, in the interview with the TV network, he had labeled Prime Minister Sheikh Hasinas government as unelected. Recounting his arrest in August, Alam said he was alone at his home when a young woman rang the doorbell and addressed him as Uncle Shahidul. He opened the door and a group rushed in and forcibly dragged him out. I knew I was alone in the house, I wanted to alert other people, so I started shouting out so people could hear me, he said, adding, I tried to slow everything up as much as I could. As Alam resisted by sticking his legs out as the group shoved him into a van, his captors talked about slamming the door on his legs. They also tried to quiet him. They tried to gag me to stop me from shouting, so I bit the hand that was trying to gag me. They handcuffed me behind my back, they blindfolded me and they drove away, he said. Life behind bars Alam described prison conditions as horrendous. I noticed there were no pillows, no sheets, one toilet for them to share. The prisoners were using their sandals as pillows, he said. The photojournalist praised his fellow prisoners and his wardens for looking out for him while he was locked up. At the beginning he shared a cell with a convicted murderer just the two of them while as many as 170 prisoners, according to Alams head count, were housed in an amdani or large intake room. The people within the jail were very respectful toward me, particularly the prisoners. They brought me bananas, they brought me fruit juice, they brought me milk, he said. I was very lucky because I was recognized, and I believe I got a huge amount of support from people at all levels of the jail, particularly with fellow prisoners. They looked after me, they made sure that nothing untoward was happening to me, and I think the jailers and the wardens themselves recognized who they were dealing with. His experience in jail gave taught him a lot about Bangladeshs prison system, Alam added. I now know what jail is like. I now know how many innocent people are in jail, who should not be there in the first place, he told Benar. [S]o jail reform is something that I very much want to work on. As for the future, Alam said he would not change his attitude. I spoke the truth then, I speak the truth now. They had no right to arrest me then and they dont have any right to arrest me now, he told BenarNews. I will continue to speak as a free man. Supporters of former Jakarta Gov. Basuki Ahok Tjahaja Purnama light candles and shout slogans during a rally outside Cipinang Prison after a Jakarta court sentenced him to two years in prison, May 9, 2017. Former Jakarta Gov. Basuki Ahok Tjahaja Purnama, a Christian sentenced to two years in prison after being convicted for blaspheming Islam, may be released in January after getting a Christmas sentence reduction, an Indonesian corrections official said Tuesday. Ahok, a member of Indonesias ethnic Chinese minority, has been serving his sentence at the Mobile Brigade Police headquarters in Depok, south of the capital Jakarta, after he was found guilty in May 2017. Officials said he did not serve time in a regular prison due to security concerns. If he gets a one-month sentence cut on Christmas, he is expected to be free on Jan. 24, 2019, said Ade Kusmanto, spokesman for the Law and Human Rights Ministrys directorate-general of corrections. Ade said Ahoks attorney had filed a Christmas remission application for the former governor. We are considering the proposal and can grant it if Ahok consistently adheres to the rules and behaves well, Ade told BenarNews, adding that a decision on granting a petition to slash his sentence would be made by the corrections office on Dec. 25, Christmas Day. Generally, inmates who behave well get sentence cuts on Indonesias national day, Aug. 17, and on major religious holidays. Ahok has so far received three and a half months in sentence cuts, Ade said. In 2016, Muslim groups started holding large protests to demand Ahok be tried for blasphemy after a video and an incomplete quote attributed to him posted on Facebook made it appear like he was saying that the Quran deceived people. Many political analysts saw Ahoks conviction as skewed against him. The court convicted him of blasphemy, even though the prosecution had dropped that charge, citing insufficient evidence. Ahoks six-month trial in 2017 took place in the heat of a gubernatorial race in Jakarta and amid a series of massive street demonstrations staged by conservative Muslim groups who clamored for the governor to be ousted from office. He lost a runoff vote to former Education Minister Anies Baswedan, despite being the initial favorite in a three-way, first-round race. Ahoks attorney, I Wayan Sudirta, said his client was in good health. Pak Ahok has become more patient. His emotions are sound and he is forgiving, said Wayan Sudirta, using the Bahasa Indonesian honorific for father. The point is hes become a better person, better physically and mentally, he told BenarNews. Wayan declined to say what Ahok was planning to do after his release. There have been local media reports that he might join the ruling Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P). An aide to Ahok, Ima Mahdiah, said he had received invitations to speak in parts of the country, as well as overseas. [He will talk] about his life experience and his time as governor, she said. Santi Siriat (center), whose son was killed in a massacre of construction workers by suspected rebels in Indonesias Papua province, grieves following the arrival of his coffin in Serdang Bedegai, North Sumatra province, Dec. 8, 2018. Political leaders in Indonesias troubled Papua province urged the National Human Rights Commission on Monday to send a team to investigate violence in Nduga regency that killed about two dozen people this month. The heads of the Papuan Representatives Council (DPR Papua) and Papuan Peoples Assembly (MRP) made the calls after security forces allegedly killed four civilians during an anti-insurgency operation last week that followed the slayings of 19 construction workers and a soldier by separatist rebels. We ask the National Human Rights Commission to conduct a thorough investigation. They must investigate not only this December incident, but also what happened last July, Yunus Wonda, chairman of the council, told BenarNews. The Indonesian military and police had deployed helicopters in Nduga in July after suspected separatist rebels reportedly killed three civilians during an attack on security personnel being deployed to safeguard a local election. DPR Papua will set up a special committee to conduct an inquiry into what happened, Yunus said. We currently cannot get there because the area is still closed, he said. Timotius Murib, chairman of the peoples assembly, said the MRP has formed a committee to investigate the Dec. 2 and 3 attacks by separatist rebels that left the construction workers and a soldier dead. The West Papuan National Liberation Army (TPNPB), an armed separatist group, claimed responsibility for those killings. Sebby Sanbom, a spokesman for the rebels, said last week that an exchange of fire took place and those killed were soldiers from the Indonesian armys engineering detachment, not civilian workers. Because this MRP is a representative body for Papuan Indigenous People, we dont see the Nduga case as a separate issue, but part of what has happened so far in Papua, Timotius told BenarNews on Monday. The Papua office of the National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) has been tasked with monitoring a police investigation into the killings, Komnas HAM Chairman Ahmad Taufan Damanik said. It does not have to be the form of an investigation team, but National Human Rights Commission officials in Papua are directly monitoring the progress of the investigation, he told BenarNews. On Sunday, U.S.-based Human Rights Watch (HRW) issued a statement deploring the killings of the construction workers and pressing police to investigate. A Papua militant groups attack on a worksite raises grave concerns that require a full investigation, the statement quoted Elaine Pearson of HRW as saying. Militants and responding security forces should not inflict harm on ordinary Papuans. Four civilians killed' Meanwhile on Monday, a local youth leader alleged that security forces shot dead four civilians on Dec. 3 and Dec. 5, including at least one clergyman, while troops were trying to retrieve bodies of the workers killed by TPNPB guerrillas in the Mbua, Yall and Yigi districts of Nduga. Two [were killed] in Mbua and two in Yigi. One [of those killed] in Mbua is my uncle. His name is Yulianus Tabuni, Samuel Tabani, a Papuan youth leader who once ran for office as the regent of Nduga, told BenarNews. My uncle was a member of the church assembly in Mbua, Samuel said. He said relatives told him that government forces had pressured several pastors in the area to give them information about the rebels. Rev. Benny Giay, who chairs the Kingmi Papua Synod, said church members notified him that Yulianus had been killed. The synod has around 60,000 members in Nduga. Members of the Evangelical Tent Church (Kingmi) reported that Yulianus was shot dead by security forces in the church while they were evacuating victims of the Nduga incident, but we dont know why, Benny told BenarNews. Papua police spokesman Commissioner Ahmad Mustafa Kamal said officers were trying to verify the information about the alleged killings of four civilians. We also dont know if they were members of the KKB, he told BenarNews, using a law enforcement term for the separatist group. They might have attacked [security forces], and there was an exchange of gunfire. Some of them might have been shot. We dont know. There needs to be identification, he added. Displaced people In related news, hundreds of families were reported to have fled to the forest for fear of becoming victims of anti-insurgency operations by government forces. Some of those who fled were members of the synod, Benny said. About five clans had fled to the forest since a manhunt for the insurgents was launched, he added, citing reports from his congregation in Mbua. It is estimated that more than 1,500 people have been displaced, Benny said. He said he feared that the displaced people would suffer starvation and health problems. However, Lt. Col. Candra Dianto, the local military commander, said residents who fled had come home on Sunday with assistance from troops. They have returned to their respective villages because they feel it is safe, he said. Body found On Sunday, the decomposed body of a worker believed to be among those attacked by the rebels was found in Puncak Kabo, near the scene of the Dec. 2 and 3 killings, police said. The body of the man identified as Matius Palinggi had gunshot wounds and was found about 1.5 km less than a mile from where the corpses of 16 other victims of the shooting were found. Security forces were still looking for the bodies of four others who were still missing. The killings occurred after police arrested more than 500 activists in rallies across Indonesia on Dec. 1, the date regarded by most Papuans as their independence day from the Dutch. Papua, Indonesias easternmost province, is rich in natural resources but one of the countrys most impoverished regions. Papua declared its independence from rule by the Netherlands on Dec. 1, 1961, but that was rejected by the Dutch and later by Indonesia. In 1963, Indonesian forces invaded the region and annexed it following a contentious referendum in 1969. During the plebiscite, according to rights groups, security forces selected only more than 1,000 people to agree to the regions formal absorption into the archipelagic nation. Tria Dianti in Jakarta contributed to this report. A Philippine military officer lowers one of the Bells of Balangiga after its removal from a crate following its arrival in Manila, Dec. 11, 2018. American and Filipino officials on Tuesday hailed a bright future and the end to a dark episode in their nations longtime alliance as the United States brought back to Philippine soil three bells looted from a local church in 1901. After a U.S. Air Force plane carrying the Bells of Balangiga landed in Manila, the American ambassador to the Philippines signed them over to Filipino Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana in a ceremony filled with symbolism. The return of the Bells of Balangiga lets us reflect on the U.S.-Philippine relationship where we have been, where we are, where we are going, U.S. envoy Sung Kim said during a handover witnessed by kin of Filipinos who were killed by American forces in the sacking of Balangiga town, in the central Philippines, during the Philippine-American War 117 years ago. American troops at the time claimed the church bells as war booty. The bells were flown in on a U.S. military cargo plane named after late American Gen. Douglas MacArthur, who once famously declared that he would return to liberate the Philippines a U.S. colony at the time from Japanese occupation during World War II. Kim said the ties binding the two allies were ironclad and consecrated by the service and sacrifice of the Americans and Filipinos who fought side-by-side for freedom. On behalf of the United States, it is my great honor to be here at this closing of a painful chapter in our history, he said. The bells return reflects the strong bonds and mutual respect between our nations and our people. It demonstrates our determination to honor the past and the sacrifices made together by Filipinos and Americans. And it heralds our bright future as friends, partners, and allies. While Kim noted that past Philippine presidents had worked to have the bells returned, President Rodrigo Duterte took the Americans to task over them. The presidents rhetoric and threats to sideline Washington while the Philippines sought closer ties with U.S. rivals China and Russia were largely seen as having sped up legal work needed to repatriate the church bells. The history of these bells spans the entire relationship between the United States and the Philippines. In the process, they have touched many lives. And their return underscores the enduring friendship between our countries, our shared values and shared sacrifices, Kim said. The bells soon will be reinstalled at the Church of San Lorenzo de Martir in Balangiga, Samar province, a fitting Christmas gift to the mostly Catholic town that was pining for the return of the historical artifacts. With the bells finally back on Philippine soil, both countries can now move on, Lorenzana said. They are going back to where they belong. It is time for healing. It is time for closure. It is time to look ahead as two nations should which shared history as allies, the Philippine defense chief said. Theres no need to argue who is wrong and who is right. But it is safe to say these bells come to symbolize a painful episode in the history both the Philippines and U.S., he said. Philippine Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana (center), leads a handover ceremony in Manila after the United States returned the Bells of Balangiga while officials from both countries look on, Dec. 11, 2018. [Jason Gutierrez/BenarNews] Heading home Duterte will be present during the handover of the Balangiga bells on Saturday in Eastern Samar. In the town of Balangiga, residents were excited for the historic homecoming of the three bells, and local officials have tightened the security in time for the arrival ceremony. For the first time in more than a century, the bells will peal to mark this years nine dawn Masses before Christmas. We are praying we will have a good weather on the day of arrival, said Fe Campanero, a town tourism officer, adding that the bells will be open for a public viewing for locals and tourists after the turnover. The bells of Balangiga were considered war trophies by the U.S. Army after reprisals that followed the infamous Balangiga Massacre on Sept. 28, 1901. The massacre was ordered to avenge the deaths of 45 American soldiers who were attacked by Filipino guerrillas. The bells were taken by American soldiers because they were used to signal a surprise attack by Filipino revolutionaries. After being removed from the Philippines, one of the bells wound up with the U.S. 9th Infantry regiment at Camp Red Cloud in South Korea, while the two others ended up were at F.E. Warren Air Force Base in Cheyenne, Wyo. President Duterte used the story of the Balangiga Massacre to cast aspersions on the U.S. government after it questioned his administrations war on drugs that has left thousands dead since mid-2016. He then demanded the return of the bells, and accused Washington of being hypocritical for calling him out on alleged rights abuses when the American military had committed past atrocities. "Knowing that, it made me want to be a flight instructor too. So, I signed up for the elective of CFI and I just fell in love with teaching. Its a great way to give back to aviation and all of the people who helped me get to where I am today." In addition to her co-op as a flight instructor, Schieberl interned as a dispatcher at the flight center. She also served, fueled, cleaned and towed airplanes. "Jessica has a determination within her to accomplish anything she desires," said Catherine E. Smith, chief flight instructor and faculty senior lecturer at BGSU. "She sets her focus, works with incredible diligence, reaches her goal and sets her sights higher. "She is an incredible role model to students in the aviation program and a joy to have had the opportunity to walk alongside during her academic pursuits at BGSU Aviation." Other highlights for Schieberl include flying to Arkansas and flying solo for the first time. A plane needed a paint job, so along with an instructor, she flew to Arkansas and back to log cross-country time for her commercial pilot course. "We did it all in one day," she said. "just being able to get away from Bowling Green and go so far south it was great. The experience I got from that, I actually got to see some other terrain besides the flatlands of Bowling Green and talk to some different controllers it was really cool." Schieberl said she always will remember the date of her first solo flight: October 27, 2016. "We were taxiing back after a flight I was actually driving home to Cleveland that night and my mom was expecting me to be home in a couple hours and my instructor gets out of the airplane and says, Im going to take my stuff out, but youre not," Schieberl said. "I was like, are you kidding? He signed my logbook and everything and he sent me solo.I think I finally realized for the first time that I am in this plane by myself I am flying this airplane and that is the most liberating feeling. Really, at that moment, other than my first flight, it just really reinforced why I want to do this and why I want to be at BGSU." For now, Schieberl wants to get more experience as a flight instructor at BGSU, and is open to working for a corporate company or a regional airline in the future. She, however, has an even loftier goal. "If I could do something for the rest of my life, it would probably be flying for the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration)," she said. "Its going to take a lot of work to get up to that point, but Id like to do that." Schieberl said BGSU offered everything she ever dreamed of in a university, and shes so happy she found aviation during SOAR. "I couldnt think of a better home-away-from-home family than people at the BG Flight Center," she said. "From the day I came here until the day I leave my job as a flight instructor, Ill always know I have family here." Every human being today lives at the nexus of the old and the new.1 The end times or "last days" are already and not yet. Like the Early Church, we find ourselves living in that tension of realization and expectation.2 The question of whether we are living in the last days is answered without the slightest vagueness by the New Testament authors: Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son (Hebrews 1:2). God chose him as your ransom long before the world began, but he has now revealed him to you in these last days (1 Peter 1:20 NLT). Learning to live in the tension of the already and the not yet of the End Times is no blind faith to be taken lightly, but rather faithful living to be cultivated prayerfully. For Advent, the best lived-in description of discussing the End Timesis a season of waiting. And waiting is not what we do best. The stilled, Simeon-like posture of simple believers waiting on the Lord is too often juxtaposed with multi-million-dollar bestsellers with kitschy covers of the Apocalypse. Somewhere between the unbridled extremes of neglect and mania lies the unpretentious truth of an ancient memorial acclamation from the liturgy of the Eastern Church: Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again.3 That singular and early memorial is often recited today in Anglican, Methodist, Presbyterian, and other Protestant congregations, as well as in Roman Catholic and Orthodox communities. Millions recite the words, Christ has come. Christ will come again.4 Millions more distort, ignore, or forget the meaning of the words. The old saying sounds simple, sane, and certain; because it is. But the extremes too often get the headlines and in doing so cloud the otherwise clear Biblical truth for others. In one extreme corner are the cynics, the unconcerned, and the unmovable. They are like the aging protagonist in Margaret Atwoods The Blind Assassin: But why bother about the end of the world? It is the end of the world every day, for someone." With all due regard to the character in Mrs. Atwoods novel, this que sera, sera attitude is part of Peters warning to the Church: "Above all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires (2 Peter 3:3 NIV). Then, in the other corner, there are sensationalists, who use the End Times like stolen Bitcoins for buying publicity to convert their obscurity into spectacle. One late, infamous, modern-day diviner-of-dates sadly deluded into thinking that he had inside information on how to use Biblical mathematics, predicted the end of the world no fewer than 12 times.5 There is no delight in taunting his tall tales; only pity. But what does the Bible say about the End Times and Last Days? The little memorial affirmation of faith Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again is at once simple, satisfying, and correct.6 But let us examine the depth of that confession by carefully answering common questions surrounding the Last Days or End Times. EDITOR'S NOTE: This previously-written article has become a resource for many seeking to understand if the Coronavirus pandemic is an End Times plague. We hope it can direct you toward scriptural truths about plagues and a study of the Book of Revelation. In addition, the following articles may offer more encouragement for all to remember as we face the trials of COVID-19 together: What Do the Words End Times Mean in Scripture? One contemporary evangelical theologian gave a succinct response to the meaning of the end times or last days as used in the Holy Scriptures: The end-time period surrounding Jesus second coming is variously called the last times, last hour, last days, day of the Lord, day of judgment, day of Gods wrath, time of punishment, end of the ages, end of all things. The temporal finality of these expressions highlights the firm New Testament belief that the present course of history will come to an end when Jesus returns. The certainty of the first advent guarantees the certainty of the second (Acts 1:7).7 Bible scholars agree that the Early Church adopted the simple framework of apocalyptic dualism. Apocalyptic dualism, a fancy phrase for a plain teaching, means Jesus Christ comes to earth twice. His first Advent brought a New Covenant. The Second Advent will bring a New World. Thus, once the first coming was accomplished, the Second Coming is awaited. Such a position is consistent with Scripture. To wit, Yes, we live in the last days and we have been since Christ returned to Heaven. No less than the Lord, the Holy Spirit, through the inspired writers of the Old and New Testaments, declares that we are in those last days now. The Apostles Paul, Peter, and the writer to the Hebrews, each support the other in saying that the resurrection and ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ inaugurated the end of days. Key Bible Passages On the Last Days One must be careful in rightly dividing the Word when considering Old Testament teaching on the End Times or Last Days. The writer could be prophesying about the first or second Advent of the Messiah. Two good examples of this are Daniel and Joel. Daniel is an apocalyptic bookthat is, a genre of Biblical literature that dispatches imagery, mystery, and symbolism to speak of the end times, or the latter days. The prophet Joel is an Old Testament book that not only speaks to the last days before the end of the world but signals that the last days begin with the Spirit-inaugurated event after Jesus ascension. How do we know that? Peter interprets Joel 2:28 in his sermon at Pentecost by applying its truth to that moment: And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams (Acts 2:17 ESV). Again, for Peter, in Acts 2:17, we are in the end times. This passage is important to unlocking the language of the Bible about the end times. New Testament insight is necessary to interpret the Old. Old Testament prophecy gives appreciation for the Plan of God across the Ages. So, let us focus on a few of the many passages that teach us about the end times. The Teaching of Jesus Mark 13 is arguably one of the most vital passages for understanding the last days or end times. In it Jesus moves, sometimes in the same sentence, between speaking of the last days as referring to the destruction of Jerusalem (AD 70, sacked by Rome) and His Second Coming. Do you see these huge buildings? Jesus asked. Not one stone here will be left on top of another. Every stone will be thrown down (Mark 13:2 ESV). You will hear about wars. You will also hear people talking about future wars. Dont be alarmed. Those things must happen. But the end still isnt here. Nation will fight against nation. Kingdom will fight against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in many places. People will go hungry. All of those things are the beginning of birth pains (Mark 13:7, 8 ESV). There is an ebb and flow to the message that should bring humility to the believer in such matters. God knows the timing. We dont. Yet, the era between the First Advent and the Second Advent of Jesus is marked by precisely what we see today (and throughout history): deceitful pretender-messiahs who claim to know the date! Many will come in my name. They will claim, I am he. They will fool many people (Mark 13:6 ESV). At that time someone may say to you, Look! Here is the Christ! Or, Look! There he is! Do not believe it. False Christs and false prophets will appear. They will do signs and miracles. They will try to fool Gods chosen people if possible. Keep watch! I have told you everything ahead of time (Mark 13:21-23 ESV). Jesus shows in Mark 13 that we are in the end times. We do not know where we are on that continuum. But we know that various disruptions of the heavens and the earth, continuing catastrophic events will happen, but we are not to be caught like a deer in the headlight by such incidents. But there is a sign. If the end times begin with the inauguration of the missionary activity of the Church at Pentecost, it also will be consummated by the successful preaching of the Gospel to all nations. Then the end will come (Mark 13:10). The Apostles Teaching As we have noted, the writer to the Hebrews and the Apostle Peter teach that we are now in the last days. In like manner, St. Paul wrote to his protege, Pastor Timothy, that he was ministering at Ephesus in the last days. When Paul instructed the young pastor about the last days, he was not referencing some future date that Timothy would never see. Paul was warning Timothy that the last days were here: But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty (2 Timothy 3:1). What Is the Rapture? One of the most interesting developments in the history of the Church has been the concept of the Church being secretly removed from the earth. While a millenarian impulse (a literal one-thousand-year reign of Jesus Christ upon the earth, in the presence of sin, and a final rebellion by Satan) has been a minority strain of eschatology (the study of the last things) in the Churchs history, the concept of a secret rapture is relatively new.8 The doctrine (and the English word used to describe it) emerged from a study of 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18. There Paul is speaking pastorally to believers about the state of those who have died in faith and the Second Coming of Christ. Rather than a speculative, sensational presentation of a secret removal of believers, the miraculous revelation is one of the loudest verses in the Bible.9 The passage in question reads: But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. For this, we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. Therefore encourage one another with these words (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 ESV). For most of church history, the passage sought to bring comfort to those who were awaiting the coming of Christ. In the nineteenth century, John Nelson Darby (18001882), an Irish lawyer-turned-priest-turned-entrepreneur, became increasingly involved with the development of a highly distinctive ecclesiology and a complex system of eschatology. With an emphasis upon Futurism (the study of how events are destined to create a certain future that can be known and prepared for), Darby developed a doctrinal framework that became known as Dispensationalism.10 While there is no scholarly biography on the Irish religious leader (he did not believe in clergy or ordained ministers in the Church), it is safe to say that through his booklets and pamphlets his cryptic system of the future that included an arbitrary division of history outlasted his own life and, undoubtedly, became more popular in the United States and Canada than it ever was in the British Isles.11 Nevertheless, the teaching of 1 Thessalonians 4 certainly includes a sudden appearance of the Lord Jesus and a reanimation and miraculous resurrection of those who have died in Christ, followed by those who are alive at His coming. The case of the rapture and the various eschatological schools of thought tend to reveal the mystery rather than clarity. Much unnecessary division has come upon the Church because of placing schools of interpretation above love. However, all agree to the essential truthonce more to our ancient phraseChrist has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again. Revelation, the Antichrist, The Man of Sin, the Beast, and 666 There are, of course, other important matters revealed in the Bible about these last days. The Man of Sin, the Antichrist, the many antichrists, the Beast, and other apocalyptic persons and images. These all remind us that the letters, e.g., 2 Thessalonians and The Revelation of Jesus Christ to the Apostle John, were written to real people facing menacing powers that threatened their lives, that threatened the Body of Christ in the world. The beastly powers of Statism (the tyrannical rule of human government denying the God-given rights of people)with the dictatorial the mark of the Beast (666 or never 7, never 7, never 7; the Hebrew word for the number seven being the word marking the completion, the resting, of God from creating the cosmos; 666 is always man, always man, never Gods).12 Each and all have meaning, to those under persecution then and now. The symbols move before us in Scripture like a reel on fast-forward. But the background is still and clear: He came. He's coming again. The return of Jesus is the next great event in the unfolding drama of the ages. That is where we are today. How Shall We Then Wait? The cross of Christ is the supreme sign staked out by God Himself in the historical pathways of this old world. There was life before Christ, anticipating His first Advent. There is life after Christanno Domini, in the Year of our Lordnot only awaiting His Second Advent, but actively fulfilling Gods mission in the world. The entire epic of redemption in the coming of the God-Man, Jesus of Nazareth His life lived for us, His sacrificial death on the cross for us, His burial, resurrection, appearances, ascension, and the Holy Spirit coming upon the disciples gathered in the Upper Room, catapulting the Kingdom of Christ unto the ends of the earthinaugurated the final act in the Plan for a New Heaven and a New Earth. We must faithfully seek answers to our questions about the last days in the larger cosmic context of the panorama of redemption. Rather than quarreling over the sequence, details, and apocalyptic imagery designed to say, whatever you think, its greater than that, we are called to just wait. To borrow a title from Lewis, the End Times is Mere Waiting. Holy Waiting. But holy waiting is not passive. Holy waiting is active: living the Gospel, teaching the Gospel, and proclaiming the Gospel, so that there will be a multitude of souls safe in the arms of Jesus when He comes again. To wait by working in the Temples of our lives we fulfill Gods mission. And it is true: Mission is not primarily an activity of the church, but an attribute of God. God is a missionary God . . .13 When are the End Times? We have always lived in the End Times. Each day is a sacred gift of life at the nexus of time and eternity. We are called to receive the gift of this day, not in futile speculation, but in bowed doxological humility. As C.S. Lewis wrote, Now, today, this moment, is our chance to choose the right side. God is holding back to give us that chance. It will not last forever. We must take it or leave it.14 And sometimes we are so thrilled with the glorious vision of Paradise Regained, that we cant help but whisper a prayer as we witness the morning sun painting the eastern skies: Even so, come, Lord Jesus.15 Michael A. Milton, PhD (University of Wales; MPA, UNC Chapel Hill; MDiv, Knox Seminary), Dr. Milton is a retired seminary chancellor and currently serves as the James Ragsdale Chair of Missions at Erskine Theological Seminary. He is the President of Faith for Living and the D. James Kennedy Institute a long-time Presbyterian minister, and Chaplain (Colonel) USA-R. Dr. Milton is the author of more than thirty books and a musician with five albums released. Mike and his wife, Mae, reside in North Carolina. References/Notes: 1. The compelling phrase, living at the intersection of time and eternity led me to my own description. I credit Laurence Hull Stookey, Calendar: Christs Time for the Church (Abingdon Press, 2011). 2. G. E. Ladd and D. A. Hagner, A Theology of the New Testament (Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1993), 368. 3. Donald S. Armentrout and Robert Boak Slocum, An Episcopal Dictionary of the Church: A User-Friendly Reference for Episcopalians (New York: Church Publishing, 2000), 267. 4. Consider the music, Michael Anthony Milton - Topic, Christ Is Risen (Chattanooga: Sound Design Resources, n.d.), accessed December 1, 2018, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1fZ5hkuy65U. 5. See Mitchell Landsberg, Harold Camping Dies at 92; Preachers Rapture Forecasts Fizzled, Los Angeles Times, December 18, 2013, accessed December 1, 2018, http://articles.latimes.com/2013/dec/18/local/la-me-harold-camping-20131218. 6. The memorial was included in the 1979 U.S.A. edition of the Book of Common Prayer, following the Institution of the Lords Supper. The affirmation is preceded by the words, Therefore we proclaim the mystery of faith. See Holy Eucharist: Rite II, Book of Common Prayer Online, last modified 1979, accessed December 1, 2018, https://bcponline.org/HE/he2.html. 7. H. Douglas Buckwalter, Time, Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology, Baker Reference Library (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1996), 775. 8. See Michael A. Milton, Millenarianism, in The Jonathan Edwards Encyclopedia (Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 2017). 9. From Robert L. Reymond, A New Systematic Theology of the Christian Faith: Revised and Updated (Thomas Nelson, 2010). 10. See, e.g., C. F. Stunt and Jonathan D. Burnham, JN Darby and the Irish Origins of Dispensationalism, JETS 52 (2009): 56977. 11. There is an ambitious and helpful project being undertaken at Darbys alma mater, Trinity College, Dublin. The Trinity Millennialism Project was established to study millenarianism in the Church. 18. I owe the expression, Always Man, Always Man, Always Man; Never God, Never God, Never God to the late Dr. Robert L. Reymond. See, e.g., Robert L. Reymond, A New Systematic Theology of the Christian Faith: -Revised and Updated (Thomas Nelson, 2010). 19. David J. Bosch, Transforming Mission: Paradigm Shifts in Theology of Mission (Orbis books, 1991), 390-391. 20. C. S. Lewis, Mere Christianity (HarperCollins-Zondervan, 2001), 65. 21. Revelation 22:20 in the Authorized Version of the Holy Bible: He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus. Photo credit: GettyImages/Arrangements-Photography This article is part of our larger End Times Resource Library. Learn more about the rapture, the anti-christ, bible prophecy and the tribulation with articles that explain Biblical truths. You do not need to fear or worry about the future! Battle of Armageddon Tribulation Signs of the End Times The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse The Seventh Seal Opened What Is the Death Angel? Dresden 28 years after the end of the German Democratic Republic (GDR), the Stasi Records Agency (BStU) thought it knew all the secrets from the past. However, newly discovered documents reveal that the former KGB officer and present ruler of the Kremlin, Vladimir Putin (66), was a member of the infamous State Security Service until the fall of the Berlin wall! Major Vladimir Putin, who was 33 at the time, received the ID on December 12, 1985 from the Ministry of State Security. The ID was renewed on a quaterly basis. It carried his signature and an official stamp and was valid until the end of 1989. The document was placed in a file at the former Stasis own department for Cadre and Training in Dresden. Konrad Felber (65), Head of the Stasi Records Agency says: Up to now, it was unknown that Putin who had worked as KGB agent in Dresden until 1990 was in possession of a Stasi ID. His name does not appear in the only file that lists all Soviet military personnel who had been given identity cards." What has been known is that KGB spy Putin was working in the KGB villa at 4 Angelika Street, in Dresden, with other agents. His wife Ljudmila, who was 25 at the time (they are now divorced), came over with their daughter Marija in the autum of that year. They lived in a six-storey panel house at 101 Radeberger Street (678 square foot). His second daughter Katerina was born in Dresden in 1986. Putin was a member of the fishing club, took trips with his Lada Shiguli and drank Radeberger beer in his favourite bar Zum Thor. No one knows precisely the impact his work has had. One thing is certain however: he was recruiting German agents. But what did he need a Stasi ID for? Auch Interessant Felber: Agents can hide under a variety of covers. Because he had an ID, he was able to enter and leave the department without any issues whenever he pleased. Police officers were saluting him due the powerful badge. Im sure, it made it also easier for him to recruit new agents, since he didnt have to reveal that he works for the KGB. It is unclear, why Putin didnt destroy his ID and instead returned it before he went back to Moscow at the beginning of 1990. By the way, Putin still has fond memories of his time in Dresden. He speaks German to Chancellor Merkel and she still sends him sometimes Radeberger beer to Moscow On this exclusive, members-only event, Bill breaks down what you need to know about The Real Joe Biden. Who is he and how will he directly affect you and your family? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices For Immediate Release, December 11, 2018 Contact: Brett Hartl, Center for Biological Diversity, (202) 817-8121, bhartl@biologicaldiversity.org Kelly Hunter Foster, Waterkeeper Alliance, (212) 747-0622 x 160, kfoster@waterkeeper.org Trump Administration to Slash Clean Water Act Protections for Rivers, Streams, Wetlands Radical Proposal Would Disproportionally Harm Western United States, Putting Over 75 Endangered Species on Fast Track to Extinction WASHINGTON A Trump administration proposal today to radically slash Clean Water Act protections would free industry to dump toxic waste into streams across the United States and allow the destruction of millions of acres of wetlands critical to endangered wildlife. By limiting protections only to wetlands and streams that are physically and meaningfully connected to larger navigable bodies of water, the proposal would virtually eliminate the Clean Water Acts protections across the arid West, from West Texas to Southern California, including most of New Mexico, Arizona and Nevada. An initial analysis by the Center for Biological Diversity estimates that todays proposal from the Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers would cut Clean Water Act protections for streams and wetlands across 3,000-plus watersheds in the western United States. The plan could accelerate the extinction of more than 75 endangered species, from steelhead trout to California tiger salamanders. This sickening gift to polluters will result in more dangerous toxic pollution dumped into waterways across a vast stretch of America, said Brett Hartl, government affairs director at the Center. The Trump administrations radical proposal would destroy millions of acres of wetlands, pushing imperiled species like steelhead trout closer to extinction. The proposed rule could be finalized next year. It was prompted by President Trumps Executive Order 13778, which urged the Environmental Protection Agency now headed by Andrew Wheeler to protect only those waters that have a relatively permanent surface connection to a traditionally navigable body of water such as a major river. The executive order followed the legal view of the late Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, which was not adopted by the Supreme Court. In rushing to publish the proposed rule, the two agencies failed to comply with either the Endangered Species Act or National Environmental Policy Act. Both laws require the federal government to look before you leap and ensure that the environmental consequences of a particular action will not cause unintended environmental damage. EPA and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers are attempting to reduce or eliminate Clean Water Act protections for the majority of our nations waters in violation of our most basic procedural and environmental laws," said Waterkeeper Alliance Senior Attorney Kelly Hunter Foster. "The agencies should be working to protect the public and restore our nations waters not engaging in this elaborate multi-year plot to legalize more water pollution. For Immediate Release, December 10, 2018 Contact: Nathan Donley, (971) 717-6406, ndonley@biologicaldiversity.org Antibiotic Use on Oranges Gets Trump Administrations Approval Antibiotic Oxytetracycline Allowed Across Nearly Half a Million Acres of Citrus Fruits in Florida, California SACRAMENTO, Calif. The Trump administration has approved the use of the medically important antibiotic oxytetracycline as a pesticide on citrus fruits like grapefruits, oranges and tangerines anywhere they are grown. The Environmental Protection Agencys decision, released late Friday, comes just days after the agency approved residues of the antibiotic on fruit. The EPAs latest decision paves the way for up to 480,000 acres of citrus trees in Florida to be treated with 388,000 pounds of oxytetracycline per year to combat citrus canker and citrus greening disease. Estimates also indicate 23,000 citrus acres are likely to be treated each year in California. The approval comes as the rise in deaths due to antibiotic-resistant bacteria has spurred leading researchers to caution against expanding use of antibiotics like oxytetracycline that are used to treat respiratory infections such as pneumonia. Spraying this antibiotic on millions of oranges could blunt an important weapon against harmful diseases in people, said Nathan Donley, a senior scientist with the Center for Biological Diversity. As researchers push to curb nonmedical antibiotic use, the EPA is approving a 20-fold increase in oxytetracycline use on citrus farms. Thats bad news for human health and wildlife. The analysis that accompanied the decision indicates that there is a high probability the use of oxytetracycline on citrus will lead to antibiotic-resistant bacteria and a medium risk of human health being adversely impacted. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that more than 2 million people are now infected with antibiotic-resistant organisms each year, leading to an estimated 23,000 deaths. Both the European Union and Brazil have banned the use of oxytetracycline on agricultural plants. The EPA greenlighted the approval nationwide, despite the fact that the agency failed to fully assess risks to endangered plants and animals and found that treating plants with the antibiotic can harm small herbivorous mammals, like rabbits and chipmunks. The approval also ignores research indicating oxytetracycline use in agriculture can degrade soil health by killing the beneficial bacteria and fungi that help decompose organic matter into nutrients that plants can use. The EPA approval came despite numerous concerns about the risks expressed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration. Trumps EPA is giving a gift to agribusiness that will endanger human health and wildlife, said Donley. Citrus greening disease is serious, but using important antibiotics with limited effectiveness against the disease is a terrible idea for fixing the problem. This decision is part of a major push to use medically important antibiotics in plant agriculture. Streptomycin, another medically important antibiotic, and oxytetracycline calcium, a different form of the recently approved oxytetracycline, are both in the process of being approved for similar uses on citrus crops. For Immediate Release, December 11, 2018 Contact: Jeff Miller, (510) 499-9185, jmiller@biologicaldiversity.org Senate Hears Bill to Shoot or Evict Native Elk From California National Park WASHINGTON A Senate subcommittee Wednesday will consider legislation to allow native tule elk to be shot or removed from Californias Point Reyes National Seashore, the only national park where these elk exist. The bill would enshrine private cattle ranching on 28,000 acres of public lands, sabotaging a public-planning process aimed at evaluating livestock damage and resolving commercial ranching conflicts with native wildlife. This despicable bill would ban Californias tule elk from a key portion of the only national park where they live and allow them to be captured or shot, said Jeff Miller with the Center for Biological Diversity. Our public lands are supposed to provide protection for native wildlife, not the cattle industry. This bill completely ignores the wishes of the public and puts a target on these beautiful animals. H.R. 6687, sponsored by Reps. Jared Huffman (D-Calif.) and Rob Bishop (R-Utah), would require the Interior Department to give 20-year leases for private cattle grazing and would allow the Park Service to shoot or remove tule elk from any ranch lease areas. More than 7,000 public comments have been submitted in favor of keeping elk on these public lands and removing or scaling back ranching. In 2017 conservationists, ranchers and the Park Service agreed on a four-year plan to address cattle ranching and tule elk conflicts at Point Reyes through a public environmental review process and an amendment to the national seashores management plan. The reintroduction of tule elk to the Point Reyes peninsula has so far been a success story for the conservation of native species and restoring ecosystems, in keeping with the mission of the National Park Service. The Drakes Beach elk herd, which the legislation aims to remove, is one of two free-roaming herds in the park. Letting elk roam free is critical to their survival. More than half the elk in the Tomales Point herd, which is fenced in on a peninsula to appease ranchers, died during a recent drought because of a lack of water and food. For Immediate Release, December 11, 2018 Contacts: Dustin Cranor, Oceana, (954) 348-1314, dcranor@oceana.org Anne Hawke, Natural Resources Defense Council, (646) 823-4518, ahawke@nrdc.org Mike Mather, Southern Environmental Law Center, (434) 333-9464, mmather@selcva.org Maggie Caldwell, Earthjustice, (415) 217-2084, mcaldwell@earthjustice.org Kristen Monsell, Center for Biological Diversity, (914) 806-3467, kmonsell@biologicaldiversity.org Gabby Brown, Sierra Club, (914) 261-4626, gabby.brown@sierraclub.org Angela Howe, Surfrider Foundation, (949) 732-6414, ahowe@surfrider.org Groups Sue Feds to Stop Seismic Airgun Blasting in Atlantic Ocean First Step Toward Offshore Drilling Jeopardizes Critically Endangered North Atlantic Right Whales, Puts Marine Life at Risk CHARLESTON, S.C. Leading environmental groups sued the federal government today to prevent seismic airgun blasting in the Atlantic Ocean. This extremely loud and dangerous process, which is used to search for oil and gas deposits deep below the oceans surface, is the first step toward offshore drilling. If allowed seismic airgun blasting would harm marine life, including whales, dolphins, fish and zooplankton the foundation of the ocean food web. The lawsuit, filed in South Carolina, claims that the National Marine Fisheries Service violated the Marine Mammal Protection Act, Endangered Species Act and the National Environmental Policy Act when it issued Incidental Harassment Authorizations (IHAs) in late November. Those permits authorize five companies to harm or harass marine mammals while conducting seismic airgun blasting in an area twice the size of California, stretching from Cape May, N.J. to Cape Canaveral, Fla. The legal complaint is here. The government has estimated that seismic airgun blasting in the Atlantic could harass or harm marine mammals like dolphins and whales which depend on sound to feed, mate and communicate hundreds of thousands of times. Seismic airgun blasting would also jeopardize the iconic North Atlantic right whale, a critically endangered species, according to 28 leading right whale experts. Below are statements from the groups involved in the lawsuit. This action is unlawful and were going to stop it, said Diane Hoskins, campaign director at Oceana. The Trump administrations rash decision to harm marine mammals hundreds of thousands of times in the hope of finding oil and gas is shortsighted and dangerous. Seismic airgun blasting can harm everything from tiny zooplankton and fish to dolphins and whales. More than 90 percent of the coastal municipalities in the blast zone have publicly opposed seismic airgun blasting off their coast. We won this fight before and well win it again. The Trump administration has steamrolled over objections of scientists, governors and thousands of coastal communities and businesses to enable this dangerous activity. Now it wants to steamroll the law, said Michael Jasny, director at the Natural Resources Defense Council. Allowing seismic blasting at this scale in these waters is not consistent with the laws that protect our oceans. Ignoring the mounting opposition to offshore drilling, the decision to push forward with unnecessarily harmful seismic testing defies the law, let alone common sense, said Catherine Wannamaker, senior attorney for the Southern Environmental Law Center. An overwhelming number of communities, businesses, and elected officials have made it clear that seismic blasting a precursor to drilling that no one wantshas no place off our coasts. Seismic airgun surveys pose a dual threat to the biologically rich waters off the Atlantic coast, said Steve Mashuda, managing attorney for oceans at Earthjustice. Their continuous blasts can injure and deafen whales, dolphins and other marine life, and they are the sonic harbingers of even greater risks associated with offshore oil and gas drilling. The Trump administration is letting the oil industry launch a brutal sonic assault on North Atlantic right whales and other marine life, said Kristen Monsell, oceans program legal director at the Center for Biological Diversity. Right whales will keep spiraling toward extinction if we dont stop these deafening blasts and the drilling and spilling that could come next. Thats why were taking the administration to court. South Carolina has spoken: We dont want offshore oil and gas drilling, said Laura Cantral, executive director at South Carolina Coastal Conservation League. Seismic blasting is a big step in that direction, threatening our fragile coast and economy. We will firmly defend our communities and vulnerable marine life. Seismic blasting poses unacceptable risks to vulnerable marine wildlife, especially the critically imperiled North Atlantic right whale, said Jane Davenport, senior staff attorney at Defenders of Wildlife. The species already faces effective extinction within a few short decades. The right whale simply cannot withstand the direct harm and habitat degradation seismic blasting will cause. Seismic testing and offshore drilling is incompatible with our coast in North Carolina, said Todd Miller, executive director at North Carolina Coastal Federation. Theres never a window that would be a good time for seismic testing to happen. Studies show that seismic affects the behaviors of marine mammals, fish and zooplankton, and seismic is harmful for fisheries. And on top of all that, its a precursor to offshore drilling which is strongly opposed here in North Carolina. With a vibrant commercial fishery industry and the only known calving ground for endangered North Atlantic right whales just off our coast, Georgians oppose seismic testing for offshore oil exploration and the threats it poses to our states wildlife, wild places, and quality of life, said Alice Keyes, vice president at One Hundred Miles. Our coastal communities have spoken out for years against seismic testing and offshore drilling because they understand whats at stake risks to our coastal economy and wildlife ranging from right whales to zooplankton. We are proud to stand with our fellow Georgians and thousands of others across the East Coast in opposition to this dangerous plan. As usual, the Trump administration is pulling out all the stops to give favors to the fossil fuel industry, whatever the cost to coastal communities and wildlife, said Athan Manuel, program director at Sierra Club. We will continue to fight back against their dangerous plans to subject our coasts to seismic blasting and expanded offshore drilling. Seismic testing can be harmful and even fatal to the hundreds of thousands of dolphins, whales and other marine animals in the Atlantic, said Angela Howe, legal director at the Surfrider Foundation. This litigation is aimed at protecting the AtlanticOcean from the destruction of seismic testing, which is the first step of proposed offshore oil drilling. We will continue to stand up to protect our marine environment and our ocean ecosystems for this and future generations. As of today opposition and concern over offshore drilling activities in the Atlantic includes: Governors of Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts and New Hampshire; More than 240 East Coast state municipalities; Over 1,500 local, state and federal bipartisan officials; An alliance representing over 42,000 businesses and 500,000 fishing families; All three East Coast Fishery Management Councils; Commercial and recreational fishing interests such as Southeastern Fisheries Association, Snook and Gamefish Foundation, Fisheries Survival Fund, Southern Shrimp Alliance, Billfish Foundation and International Game Fish Association. Background In April 2017 President Trump issued an executive order to expedite permitting for harmful seismic airgun blasting, reversing the previous administrations decision to deny all pending permits for such activity in the Atlantic. The Obama administration concluded that the value of obtaining the geophysical and geological information from new airgun seismic surveys in the Atlantic does not outweigh the potential risks of those surveys acoustic pulse impacts on marine life. NMFS issued permits to five companies on Nov. 30, 2018. Before those companies can begin seismic airgun blasting, they must also receive permits from the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management. A recent economic analysis by Oceana finds that offshore drilling activities, including seismic airgun blasting, along the Atlantic threaten over 1.5 million jobs and nearly $108 billion in GDP, and would yield less than seven months-worth of oil and less than six months-worth of gas. A May 2017 poll by Oceana, NRDC and the International Fund for Animal Welfare revealed that 76 percent of Americans support protecting marine mammals from threats, including injury and death resulting from offshore oil and gas drilling. WASHINGTON The Navy announced its findings Dec. 11 after a two-year study into what sank the World War I cruiser USS San Diego (ACR 6). Alexis Catsambis, Ph.D., of the Naval History and Heritage Commands Underwater Archeology Branch, based at the Washington Navy Yard, led the project and chaired a panel discussion for media at the American Geophysical Unions (AGU) Fall Meeting. Although the original court of inquiry believed the explosion that sank the 500-foot armored cruiser was caused by a mine, later speculation raised the theory that it might have been a torpedo. After examining new survey data, additional archival research, computer impact and flooding models, the area of the ocean floor in which the wreck rests, and other elements related to the ships loss, Catsambis announced that research team believed the explosions cause was a mine. In fact, they believe it was one of two types of mines laid by German submarine U-156. The legacy of the incident is that six men lost their lives on July 18, 1918, Catsambis said. With this project we had an opportunity to set the story straight and by doing so, honor their memory and also validate the fact that the men onboard did everything right in the lead up to the attack as well as in the response. The fact that we lost six men out of upwards of 1,100 is a testament to how well they responded to the attack. In addition to Catsambis, the panel participants included Ken Nahshon, Ph.D., of the Naval Surface Warfare Center Carderock Division in Bethesda, Maryland, and Arthur Trembanis, Ph.D., from the University of Delaware in Newark, Delaware. The 15,000-ton armored cruiser San Diego sank off Long Island, New York, losing six sailors from a crew of 1,100. German submarines had mined the coast, implicating a mine. But the ships captain was perplexed that the explosion occurred aft of the ships widest point, which gave rise to the notion the explosion might have been caused by a torpedo even though no submarine or torpedo trail had been spotted. Later theories suggested a coal bunker explosion or sabotage, but the source of the explosion remained a mystery. During the presentation, the scientists detailed how each of their teams used historical analysis, archaeological research, site investigation, and impact and flood modeling to eliminate other possibilities that might have caused San Diegos sinking such as sabotage, accident or enemy torpedo. Trembanis explained how the use of underwater robotics and remotely deployed instruments including an autonomous underwater vehicle allowed researchers to collect high-resolution 3D images of the site to support their conclusion. The format of the 3D modeling data makes analysis readily comparable, said Nahshon. Before we started this, I wasnt familiar with the ability to do this underwater; above the water we do it all the time, but below water collecting 3D data is a challenge. Ive learned that the sheer amount of expertise thats needed to interpret it is a credit to the advances of technology in sea floor mapping. Before taking questions, Catsambis shared why this research is important for the U.S. Navy and how learning from the past will help to prepare for the future. The collection of archeological and hydrographic data establishes a baseline informing site formation processes and management of USS San Diego, said Catsambis. Lessons learned here are applicable to other U.S. Navy sunken military craft. This endeavor also provided real-world training opportunities for U.S. Navy divers, archaeologists, historians, modelers, naval engineers and graduate students. To commemorate the 100th anniversary of the loss of San Diego, the only major U.S. warship sunk in World War I, a multipartner investigative campaign dubbed the USS San Diego Project was launched in 2017; mapping the wreck, assessing the wrecks state of preservation, modeling its sinking, and uncovering the weapon that likely sank it. Dive training at the site occurred in August 2016 and June 2017, with the site investigation commencing September 2017, followed by the commemoration and diver survey July 2018. A major goal of the project is to raise awareness of the importance of preserving the wreck site into the future. ODay Brings Global Pharmaceutical Leadership Experience Across Geographies and Therapeutic Areas Gilead Sciences Inc. a research-based biopharmaceutical company that discovers, develops and commercializes innovative medicines in areas of unmet medical need has announced that its Board of Directors has named Daniel ODay Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer, effective March 1, 2019. ODay is currently the CEO of Roche Pharmaceuticals. He has held the position since 2012, and prior to that led Roche Diagnostics. His career spans three decades of diverse leadership roles across North America, Asia Pacific and Europe. The Board has also appointed Gregg Alton as interim Chief Executive Officer for the period of January 1, 2019 until ODays start date of March 1, 2019. Alton has held a number of executive positions at Gilead over the past 20 years, with experience in legal, medical affairs, policy and commercial. He previously served as general counsel and in August of this year, was appointed Chief Patient Officer. Following a comprehensive search, the Board became convinced that Dan is the right leader to bring Gilead into the future, said John C. Martin, PhD, Chairman, Gilead Sciences Board of Directors. He is uniquely qualified to take on this role given his track record of success in highly scientific and competitive therapeutic areas, deep understanding of the evolving healthcare environment around the world, and unwavering commitment to driving innovation across all aspects of a business, which will serve Gilead and our stakeholders well. Additionally, Dan brings expertise and values that are aligned with our organization, and I, along with Gileads entire Board, am confident in his ability to work alongside our talented leadership team and deliver on our ambitious goals. After joining Roche Pharmaceuticals in 1987, ODay held various positions in the United States before moving to Roche headquarters in Switzerland in 1998. During his time in Switzerland, he held leadership roles in Global Marketing and Lifecycle Management. In 2001, he moved to Tokyo to become Head of Corporate Planning for Roche Pharmaceuticals in Japan and later moved to Denmark to serve as General Manager. He became President of Roche Molecular Diagnostics in California in 2006 and subsequently returned to Roche headquarters to lead the Diagnostics Division before assuming his current position. He is a member of the corporate executive committee of F. Hoffmann La Roche AG and a member of the boards of Shanghai Roche Pharmaceuticals Ltd., Roche (China) Holding, Roche Pharma Schweiz AG, Genentech, Inc., Chugai Pharmaceuticals Co., Ltd., Flatiron Health, Inc., and Foundation Medicine, Inc. Additionally, he has served as a member of the board of the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations. ODay holds a Bachelor of Science in Biology from Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. and an MBA from the Columbia Business School at Columbia University in New York. I have long admired Gilead for its work to develop medicines that have fundamentally changed the way HIV and viral hepatitis are treated. The company has successfully grown into a global organization, providing access to people around the world, while maintaining its focus on innovative science, said ODay. Together with the Board, leadership team and Gileads 11,000 employees, I look forward to building on this in ways that I believe will in keeping with Gileads mission transform the lives of millions of individuals. As previously announced, Dr. Martin will step down from the companys Board of Directors, effective March 1, 2019, ODays first day of employment. Also as previously announced, John F. Milligan, PhD, will step down from his role as President and Chief Executive Officer and as a member of the Board at the end of 2018. In his expanded position, Dr. Singh will have responsibility for both the Discovery and Analytical Solutions (DAS) and Diagnostics operating divisions of the Company. PerkinElmer, Inc., a global leader committed to innovating for a healthier world, has announced that its board of directors has named Dr Prahlad Singh as president and chief operating officer, effective January 1, 2019. In his expanded position, Dr. Singh will have responsibility for both the Discovery and Analytical Solutions (DAS) and Diagnostics operating divisions of the Company. This change is being made to better facilitate synergies across the businesses to identify incremental growth opportunities, create operating efficiencies, and most importantly, accelerate the pace of innovation across the Company. Dr. Singh, along with the leaders of the Companys corporate functions, will continue to report to Robert F. Friel, PerkinElmers chairman and chief executive officer. Dr. Singh joined PerkinElmer in 2014 as president of the Diagnostics business. He was elected an officer of PerkinElmer in 2016 and executive vice president in March 2018. Dr. Singh served as general manager of GE Healthcares Womens Health Business, responsible for the mammography and bone densitometry businesses. Before that, Dr. Singh held senior executive level roles in strategy, business development and M&A at both GE and Philips Healthcare. From 1995 to 2007, he held leadership roles of increasing responsibility at DuPont Pharmaceuticals and subsequently Bristol Myers Squibb Medical Imaging which included managing the Asia Pacific and Middle East regions. PD program aims to establish sustainable cataract care practices by helping surgeons learn and adopt the latest techniques for advanced cataract procedure and strengthen the capabilities of surgical teams in communities. Phaco Development (PD) program, a unique initiative between Alcon and specialist training institutes that builds cataract surgical capabilities across Asia and Russia is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year. Over the last decade, the Alcon Phaco Development program (PD), along with its partner faculty & partner institutes, has supported eye care surgeons to build sustainable practices in local communities in countries like India, China, Vietnam, and Bangladesh. Introduced in India in 2010, the program has helped more than 1500 eye surgeons and a million people regain their sight. India has among the worlds highest proportion of blind people (numbering nearly 12 million) against 36 million globally which makes India home to one-third of the worlds blind population. Lack of skilled professionals when it comes to number of ophthalmologists is one of the main reasons for the lack of quality eye care services in the country. In India, there are an estimated 18,000 ophthalmologists which is well below the World Health Organizations recommended ratio of 1 ophthalmologist per 25,000 population. The PD program is dedicated platform for providing the most up-to-date eye knowledge to ophthalmic surgeons and support teams globally. PD program aims to establish sustainable cataract care practices by helping surgeons learn and adopt the latest techniques for advanced cataract procedure and strengthen the capabilities of surgical teams in communities. The strength of the program comes from its partnerships and dedication to improving eye surgery outcomes for patients. In India, Alcon partners with Centres for Excellence such as key teaching institutions like Aravind Eye Care Hospitals, LV Prasad Eye Institute, Dr Shroff Charity Eye Hospital, Shri Sadguru Seva Sangh Trust, ICARE Eye Hospital, Susrut Eye Foundation etc. across states. These institutes host the initial training and house the wet labs on their premises. The program provides the support team, the surgical equipment and consumables for the learning. The program is aligned to Skill India campaign launched by The Prime minister of India in 2015. This program is helping in capacity building & skilling eye care professionals in far flung areas enabling them to serve the unserved and the underserved for their unmet eye care needs. Thanks to the hard work of our consultant ophthalmologists and partner institutes, the unique Phaco Development program has helped bring sight back to a million people in India over the last 8 years., says Dr Rashmi Rani Alcons Head of the Phaco Development Program across South East Asia. Some make the assumption you can graduate from medical school and immediately do challenging eye surgery but its not that simple. Just like driving a car, you have to practice to improve and gain confidence. Our program ensures physicians get the practice and support they need to do effective, quality surgeries in their hometowns, and closer to their patients. Dr. Umang Mathur, Cornea and Phaco cataract surgeon from Dr. Shroff's Charity Eye Hospital says, The initiative is one-of-its kind partnership to support the development of practicing ophthalmologists through an innovative education and training program. In partnership with the institutes, the program provides eye surgeons with an excellent support system which ensures successful implementation of the techniques in order to help ophthalmologists after the program to shift from conventional surgical techniques such as small incision cataract surgery to what is now the global standard, phacoemulsification cataract surgery. The practical training approach starts with pre-course support and a 4 to 11-day intensive training program that combines both theory and wet lab experiences (hands-on surgical practice with artificial eyes. An experienced Consultant ophthalmic surgeon leads this part of the training with the Phaco Development program specialists assisting participants with the surgical equipment in the wet lab Once the program participants graduate from the course, the Phaco Development program team accompanies the ophthalmologists to their local clinic or hospital and works alongside them providing the support needed to improve their confidence in surgical pathway and equipment use. This follow-up support happens over a period of up to six months. Since 2008, the program has enrolled over 2500 ophthalmic surgeons across Asia and Russia who have performed almost 3 million patients regain their eyesight worldwide. The World Health Organization indicates that having a cataract is one of the top two causes of vision impairment globally. In low to middle-income countries it is a leading cause of blindness. Unfortunately, almost 18 million people globally are blinded in both eyes due to having cataracts. The International Association for the Prevention of Blindness estimates that one ophthalmologist should be able to complete up to 2,000 cataract surgeries per year, when they have the right infrastructure and support team in place, and patients can access the facility. It was organised in partnership with National Neonatology Foundation, Paediatric Academy of Telangana State and Obstetrics & Gynaecological Society of Hyderabad (OGSH). Apollo Hospitals, Apollo Cradle and Apollo Fertility hosted a two-day National Cradle Conference, 2018 on December 08 and 09 at Park Hyatt, Hyderabad. The conference was inaugurated by Dr Prathap C. Reddy, Chairman, Apollo Hospitals Group and the focussed was completely on Obstetrics, Gynaecology, Fertility and Neonatology. It was organised in partnership with National Neonatology Foundation, Paediatric Academy of Telangana State and Obstetrics & Gynaecological Society of Hyderabad (OGSH) and was attended by over 600 delegates from across the country and over 80 renowned national faculty including international experts from USA, UK, Canada and Australia. The distinguished personalities who were presented at the occasion were Shobana Kamineni, Vice-Chairperson, Apollo Hospitals Group; Sangita Reddy, Joint Managing Director, Apollo Hospitals Group and Chandrashekar, CEO, Apollo Health & Lifestyle Ltd. These days the biggest healthcare concern in India has been the high Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR), though it has declined to 130 deaths per 100,000 women giving birth in 2014-16. The southern states performance is much better than the rest of the country. Union health ministry is attributing this improvement mainly to the rise in institutional deliveries across the country. Institutional deliveries has improved from 26% to 81%. Apollo Cradle has built a reputation for clinical excellence, and has the capabilities to handle high risk pregnancies and complex pre-term babies. Through the recently launched, first of its kind eNICU, Apollo Cradle specialists will now be able to monitor minute details - including medication levels, nutrition, feeding pattern, calorie and growth charts of babies in NICU, whilst in the hospital and also remotely. This eNICU will also help Apollo Cradle doctors to support NICUs in smaller towns says Dr Prathap C. Reddy. Speaking on the occasion Shobana Kamineni said, Apollo has been playing a stellar role in the mission to reduce Maternal Mortality Rate and Child Mortality rate, we have done over 1.5 lakh deliveries and continue to take great care for each mom and baby. The various Healthcare initiatives being undertaken by the Government like medical insurance to ten crore needy families under the Ayushman Bharat scheme, establishing 1.5 lakh Health and Wellness Centers across the country will all give tremendous impetus to mother and child care and should see drastic improvement in the health indices in the coming years. It is crucial for a developing nation like India to provide a healthy and happy childhood for its children and participation and cooperation of both Public and Private sectors is paramount to accomplish this. The specialties of Fertility, Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Pediatrics and Neonatology are so much interlinked, yet the approach has been to look at them as standalone areas of expertise. There is a great need to integrate these for optimum outcomes and this Conference is a step in that direction. It is bringing the eminent specialists in each of these fields on a single platform for a better understanding and synchronization says Sangita Reddy. A Case Study of Eight Heritage Speakers of Czech: Identity and Cultural Problems 11. 12. 2018 / Karen von Kunes cas cteni 33 minut Studii profesorky Karen von Kunes z Yale University o kulturnich a jazykovych problemech tzv. "heritage speakers", deti ceskych imigrantu do USA, prineseme v brzke budoucnosti take v ceskem prekladu. Zde je mezitim anglicka verze. Maria Polinsky and Olga Kagan define heritage speakers language as a language typically acquired before a dominant language that is not completely acquired because of the individuals switch to that dominant language. In the traditional terminology, the dominant language has been known as native language, as defined by Noam Chomsky and other prominent linguists, and perceived by individual communities as the language of a speaker who is a part of their community and has an intuitively innate sense of correct phonological, morphological and syntactic patterns. In her contribution to PMLA on non-native speakership, Claire Kramsch noted: Chomsky seems to conceive his ideal speaker-listener as a monolingual individual whose intuitions perfectly match the expectations of one homogeneous standard community. Such a standard community is increasingly difficult to find in multiethnic industrialized urban societies. Maria Polinsky and Olga Kagan define heritage speakers language as a language typically acquired before a dominant language that is not completely acquired because of the individuals switch to that dominant language.In the traditional terminology, thehas been known as, as defined by Noam Chomsky and other prominent linguists, and perceived by individual communities as the language of a speaker who is a part of their community and has an intuitively innate sense of correct phonological, morphological and syntactic patterns. In her contribution toon non-native speakership, Claire Kramsch noted: Chomsky seems to conceive his ideal speaker-listener as a monolingual individual whose intuitions perfectly match the expectations of one homogeneous standard community. Such a standard community is increasingly difficult to find in multiethnic industrialized urban societies. For our current findings it is necessary to define heritage speakership in a broader sense to avoid a limited perception of the study subjects. Thus, the terminology heritage speakers/speakership is used in a larger sense of affinity, not only linguistic, but above all cultural and psychological. This paper presents a case study of eight subjects chosen among Czech immigrant population residing on the United States East Coast and affiliated with higher education institutions. The research was conducted as a cultural inquiry rather than a study in theoretical linguistics, and its findings reflect this purpose. Each subject has been given a letter name in alphabetical order so as to be easily identified. All interviewed subjects reside in the United States; seven have been single and two got married in recent years. All were born between the early 1980s to late 1990s; thus, roughly representing a generation of millennials. Five participants are male and three are female. All hold a B.A. degree, and three hold a graduate degree or are currently enrolled in M.A. or Ph.D. programs in cultural history, law and education. One subject has received additional intensive training in computer science, and another has been completing his second professional degree. Interviews with two subjects were conducted in English over the telephone and were brief (circa 20 minutes), and the interviews with the six subjects completed in person were more extensive (circa two hours) and conducted in Czech. The two subjects interviewed in English were unable to form and understand full Czech sentences, and would be at the Novice Low to Mid scale according to the ACTFL Proficiency Scale testing. Each subject was presented with a range of questions on which they could elaborate freely, such as talking about their families, their childhood memories, and their goals for immediate future. Additionally, two short reading textsone from a newspaper and the other from Vaclav Havels play Vernisazwere presented to each subject interviewed in person. The subjects were asked to identify textual terminology that was unknown to them, and then to write two sentences in Czech what the context of the two readings meant to them. All the subjects permitted their findings to be published in a case study provided their names were withheld and geographical positions were somewhat altered. The subjects A and B were born in Prague and spent their early childhood in the Czech Republic (former Czechoslovakia), attending a pre-school. The subject A was born to Czech parents, but his parents divorced shortly after his birth, and the household became a single-parent unit, supervised by his mother and grandparents. This subject left the country at the age of five with his mother who re-married a British citizen and moved to the US West Coast with her new husband. At the time of interviewing, the subject A had an inadequate recollection of linguistic, social and emotional transition from his native Czech to his dominant language, English. He was placed in a private school one grade below his age in order to benefit from an additional year for his linguistic and social adjustment. The family spoke English, and the subject A easily adapted to social environment, quickly building his new cultural and linguistic identity. However, several years later his stepfather passed away in unusual circumstances, and he and his mother switched back to speaking Czech. At this juncture, the subject As native Czech (heritage language, or L1) became the weaker language, both structurally and functionally. While his knowledge of Czech stabilized with time, it did not progress in phonology, morphology, syntax and semantics due to a limited access, if any, to a Czech community and to formal Czech educational structure unavailable on the West Coast. Thus, within the linguistic heritage speaker terminology, the subject A became an unbalanced bilingual (or sequential bilingual), retaining his L1 at the Intermediate High level, but differing from his Superior Level of his dominant language, English. Quoting H. Seliger and other linguists, the authors of the study Heritage language and linguistic theory suggest that the second language (L2, or dominant language) sometimes encroaches on the structure of the native language in systematic ways. The subject As incomplete acquisition (or using currently preferred expression, lack of mastery) of Czech was emphasized by the reality that he had lost contacts with his biological father and grandparents. Thus, his L1 input was limited to communication with his mother only. The outcome of his trajectory was L1 attrition, which is defined as reaching full mastery of L1 grammatical structure before suffering its weakening or complete loss. Several years later, the subject A made a consistent attempt to regain his proficiency and reach attainment (or the Advanced High level of Czech) by reading books on various topics, but this strategy did not advance his performance satisfactorily. He confirmed that he had become frustrated due to the lack of his efficient reading skills, grammar and advanced vocabulary. Subsequently, during the next decade, the subject As knowledge of L1 regressed, reaching a higher level of temporary attrition: he experienced difficulties constructing complete sentences and making grammaticality judgments. However, since 2008, he began visiting his close relatives in Prague on a somewhat regular basis. This allowed him to reconnect with his biological father and his half-related siblings, forcing him to retrieve structural aspects of the dormant knowledge of spoken Czech, especially since his fathers English was non-existent. He made a conscious attempt to formalize his knowledge by reading journals and news-papers, and once in college he took private tutorials with his professors, in addition to attending classes in Czech language and literature. Within several years, his exposure to a written register provided him the opportunity to expand his semantic and syntactic repertoires. He was able to rebuild a baseline of heritage learners platform that allowed him to be proficient in both colloquial and literary Czech and to become a decent writer of literary texts. With additional editing by native speakers, he succeeded to publish several articles in the Prague press. In oral expression, the subject A shares common characteristics with the subject B, who left Prague with his parents at the age of four. In pronouncing Czech words during the interviews, both subjects neglected the length of Czech long vowels and mumble difficult sounds, such as [-r-] and [ch]. Their pronunciation was choppy and sounded somewhat artificial. Their accent was placed in the middle of words, seldom on the first syllable as Czech requires. By native speakers, both subjects would be immediately recognized as second-language heritage learners. This is a natural phenomenon, as the authors of the study Heritage Languages and Their Speakers: Opportunities and Challenges for Linguistics claim: Native speakers of a language intuitively recognize fellow native speakers upon seeing or hearing them. The subjects As and Bs word order, which plays a crucial role in Czech sentence patterns, was usually assembled in their speech correctly by preserving the rigidity of positioning particles se, si, mi, ti, nam, etc., called enclitics, in the second position in a sentence. While heritage speaking, reading and writing abilities and their productions in both subjects exhibited persistent signs of similarities, their personal histories and their emotional and cognitive responses to their heritage backgrounds have been substantially different. The subject Bs father, a Czech, was employed in international services, and his mother was a Vietnamese. When residing in Prague, the mother spoke Czech to her son. Czech was her acquired third language, and she retained a Vietnamese accent. Neither did she attain full acquisition of syntactic and morphological features of Czech and its wealth in semantic complexity. The subject Bs pronunciation reflected his mothers phonetic deficiencies; i.e., Vietnamese mispronouncing of certain Czech sounds, such as [c], despite the fact that he hardly spoke any Vietnamese. His childhood recollections of his Prague pre-kindergarten have not been encouraging: he recalled being punished by standing for prolonged periods in a corner of his classroom and not understanding why. These daily punishments lasted until his mother entered the school grounds to pick him up. The preschool teachers immediately changed their attitudes by becoming polite and nice, praising the boy; albeit remaining distant. The subject B encountered a similar attitude in his fathers family. He was convinced that his Czech grandparents, living in a small village of white Caucasians only, seemed to have difficulty in accepting the fact that their son married an Asian woman and their grandson inherited physical Eurasian features. As a result of encountering discrimination in his first years of life, the subject B has not developed a strong emotional affinity to his Czech relatives, or to his heritage language and his native land (at the time of interviewing, he had no other citizenship and passport than Czech). He felt much stronger family and cultural connections to his mothers side in spite of his very minimal knowledge of her native Vietnamese. In addition, he grew up with a notion that his mothers side family belonged to the upper crust of Vietnamese society, and he has himself identified with that attitude, striving to interact socially with children from well-to-do families. Furthermore, he perceived his Vietnamese relatives as hard working, ambitious and focused people, while he saw his Czech relatives as less accomplished and ambitious, if not envious folks. As pointed out, his situation has been complicated by his dominant language, as well as by his citizenship status. His father brought the family to the United States on Czech passports and temporary visas, and the subject B was sent to a private French school. Thus, growing up, he essentially had no dominant language; he could have been considered a trilingual native speaker (Czech, French and English) or a four-lingual heritage speaker, provided that his significantly low-level (or Novice Low) Vietnamese with a strong emotional attachment to its culture would be categorized as his second heritage speakership. Definitions of heritage speakership vary, for little attention has been paid to learners whose family and linguistic backgrounds fluctuate among several cultures. The cultural axiom of the subject B is the following: his native Czech was not replaced by English, the dominant language of his country of residence, but by French, the dominant language of his school environment. Can it be claimed that the subject B had two dominant languages, French and English or that he had two heritage languages, Czech and French? Given the ambiguity of the definition of heritage learners and speakers, it would be difficult to categorize and define the subject Bs acquisition of his three languages and four cultural backgrounds. He has not received a sufficient input to qualify his English, in which he has retained an accent, for his dominant language or his heritage language. While he himself considered French to be his dominant language, his affinity to French culture was weak, due in part to a cognitive context that he had no French relatives and had not lived in a French-speaking country. As for the subject A, after reviving his family ties with his biological father and his second family, he felt much stronger emotional and ethnic affinity to his heritage. In addition, his mother regained a partial residence in Prague, which made him feel more at home when visiting her in Prague. These circumstances established his motivation to further improve his knowledge of Czech, and by the same token, it reinforced his hopes to move to Prague in the future, if only for limited periods. But he was fully aware of his partial attainment of heritage speakership and of disadvantages and difficulties it could bring along. He was now well aware that he would not become fully assimilated in Czech culture. He felt comfortable speaking Czech on one-on-one basis but was fully aware of his morphosyntactical inadequacies and felt unsure and uncomfortable in a group situation of native Czechs, or in public situations as a group speaker. In her article The Privilege of the Nonnative Speaker, Claire Kramsch claimed: Speakers with nonstandard accents and speakers of local varieties of the standard language are placed below the top of the hierarchy of social acceptability. Thus, the subjects A and B have been forced by circumstances to take into consideration their social status and acceptance whenever tempted to formalize their heritage speakership. However, the situation might be gradually changing. In their study, Elabbas Benmamoun, Silvina Montrul and Maria Polinsky noted that acquisition of a second language traditionally belonged to the fields of bilingualism, linguistic anthropology, sociolinguistics and/or historical linguistics. Those were the fields whose experts expressed interest in the language of immigrants, but today the world of globalization and population movements has made the study of heritage speakers more prominent, and it lies at the forefront of language development in migration contexts, becoming a cultural and linguistic field of primary attention and larger social acceptance. The subject C has been free from psychological constraints that we have observed in the subjects A and B. Like the subject B, her heritage speakership sprang from a tree of cultures and languages. Born in the USA to immigrant parents, the subject C as a child was exposed to two heritage cultures, Czech and Japanese. Her mother would fall into the category of multi-dimensional immigration: she left her native Prague with her parents for Finland at the age of twelve, and later with her husband for the United States. While the subject Bs mother seemed to be highly functional as a L1 speaker of Czech (in part because by puberty she covered most grammatical domains of her native Czech), she has instilled the heritage speakership to her daughter only partially. She spoke to her, read fairytales and took her to Prague to visit relatives about every two years with gaps in between. The subject C took a private Czech course one summer in Prague, and in college she enrolled in Czech classes after studying Japanese for several years. Compared with the subjects A and even B, her knowledge of Czech culture was less sophisticated. Like the subject B, she held her Japanese heritage, linguistic and cultural, in higher esteem than Czech heritage. After college she has chosen to spend several years living and working in Japan, not in the Czech Republic. As she explained during the interview, she perceived Japanese economic and work culture better focused and more accomplished than Czech. Before she decided to improve her knowledge of Czech heritage speakership, she spoke very little Czech; however, her pronunciation and understanding of morphological structure patterns were excellent. Initially, her vocabulary was limited to basic words of everyday objects and fairy tales, often in their diminutive forms, such as, chlebicek, satecek, perinka, prsticek, panenka, zili byli, kdysi, etc. As a student majoring in languages, she was highly motivated and thorough in her daily routine of learning Czech. Growing up in a family of immigrant parents with two different L1 speakers, and no siblings or relatives in her community, she developed a degree of uneasiness when it came to socializing and absorbing American culture of free spirit on college campuses. She did not appear to have many friends in her childhood; she felt excluded from childhood activities typical in American culture. Clearly, she was a low-level heritage speaker of two cultures (Novice Mid- to High), but due to her diligence and hard persistent work, she reached the Intermediate High level of Czech and most likely the Advanced Mid- to High levels of Japanese (she confirmed that she knew Japanese far better than Czech). As a child, she made several trips to visit her mothers parents in Finland and thus was also exposed to her grand-parents dominant language, Finish, in which they had not attained complete mastery. It is questionable whether her heritage language acquisition could be viewed as sequential bilingual, particularly in regard to her Japanese, for her exposure to a home language was highly accented English of each parent, and in both cases, diverged from the native baseline since Czech and Japanese were rarely spoken to her. Her back-ground is somewhat similar to the subject D. The subject Ds mother has been a multilingual Czech national, and his father a monolingual American. The subject D was exposed to a small amount of hearing Czech in his early childhood; the language spoken at home was English. When he was seven years old, his mother received a research grant for Prague, and took her son with her, sending him to a Czech neighborhood school for one year. Within six months he acquired spoken communicative competence and limited written competence close to the level of his age. He excelled in math and English but had problems with Czech and other non-visual subjects. On the one hand, his speech rate was slow and his knowledge of lexical items much lower than his native baseline and/or than typical for local Czech children of the same age. In addition, morphosyntactical features of his Czech were not yet organized in consistent manner. He would confuse verbal past tense with the present tense, and misplaced the position of jsem, jsi, se, si, etc. On the other hand, he absorbed Czech culture common for his peer group, such as playing Czech games, understanding December customs of Mikulas a Cert, Easters pomlazka, etc. After returning to his American school, where he previously spent two years (Kindergarten and First Grade), the subject D showed problems of re-adaptation, and to appease them his mother stopped speaking Czech to him. He reverted to his dominant language, but encountered a severe attrition of heritage Czech as a result, and gradually lost his interest in retaining the heritage language and knowledge of culture. Clearly, he cannot be classified as an unbalanced, simultaneous or sequential bilingual; however, because he had been exposed to some Czech from infancy through his mother, he would fall into a loosely defined category of heritage speakers. Culturally, ethnically and socially, he felt that his place was in the United States; however, he gained renewed interest in Czech heritage after finishing his high school education. He has remained in touch with his Czech friend from Second Grade that he has considered till this date as one of his best friends. He used to travel to Prague to visit him about every second or third year and recently met with him in Indonesia where his Czech friend became a construction company manager. The two friends have been using English as a language of communication. The subject D showed no strong ties to his cousins in Prague because of the large disparity in their ages. The subject E stated that he had no real knowledge of Czech nominal and verbal morphology. He claimed that he hasnt been using his heritage language professionally and that he invents endings when speaking with his relatives in the Czech Republic. When tested, his reading performance was comparatively higher than his speaking ability. Since he has not received formal education in his L1 Czech, he exhibited errors in gender and case agreement, especially in abstract and uncommon words (mluvim o tom starozitnostu, s tim Vernisazem, to je takova gesta, etc.) and had difficulties finding Czech words to complete a sentence. His mother had a turbulent trajectory, ethnically and professionally. Born during WWII in Istanbul to a Czech father (a high military General), she was taken home to Czechoslovakia at the age of two. Before being born, her fatherthe subject Es grandfatherwas stationed in several European countries and became personally acquainted with Charles de Gaulle. He spoke to his daughter only in French, even after their return to Prague. But during Klement Gottwalds leadership, he was arrested for anti-regime involvement and his family was exiled to a small town 100 kilometers south of Prague. In the turmoil of the Warsaw Pact Occupation of Czechoslovakia in 1968, the subject Es mother left for Vienna and then emigrated to the United States, where she taught Czech at Cornell University while completing her Ph.D. At Cornell she met the subject Es father, and they moved to Australia. The subject Es mother was employed in Foreign Services, and her son was born in Washington, D.C. He grew up in three countries (US, Australia and Germany) and since the age of eight, he was spending summers in Prague. He completed his education in the D.C. area in a private establishment. Despite his difficulty writing in Czech (his spelling is based on English phonetics, such as, ahoy, vajichko), he has been maintaining correspondence with his aunt, uncle and cousins who still have been residing in the Czech Republic. Because of his mothers and grandfathers complex history, he seemed to be proud of his Czech heritage, romanticizing it as a fascinating asset for his family. He has not experienced emotional or ethnic anxieties, social barriers, or shame for his linguistic inadequacies in L1. On the contrary, the subject F has appeared confused about his ethnic, linguistic, geographical and emotional identity. Like the subject E, he was born in the Washington, D.C. area to an American-Jewish mother and Czech-Jewish father. His grandparents on both sides were well-respected families, prominent in politics and arts. His father took the entire family back to the Czech Republic once he received a teaching position at an American university that had opened its campus in Prague. The subject Fs first memories were tied to Prague: he remembered growing up in a college dormitory and spending his summer in his grandparents house in Philadelphia. When he was five years old, his family moved to an apartment in Prague 6. By this time, he was perfectly bilingual; he didnt distinguish between the two languages, switching easily to English when speaking with his mother and her relatives who didnt speak or understand much Czech. He entered a Jewish nursery in his Prague neighborhood, and a year later started First Grade in a Czech school. Due to the lack of flexibility, the subject F lasted in this school only two months, complaining to his parents about rigid rules he had to observe: how to sit, how to write, how to play, etc. His parents transferred him to the British International School, which provided education in both English and Czech. He recalled that Czech teachers used to assign a lot of homework to keep up with the pace of the Czech state schools curriculum. By the age of 11, the subject F mastered two dominant languages, Czech and English, escaping linguistic anomalies that he would have encountered as a non-native heritage speaker. Growing up hearing, speaking and being schooled in two majority languages simultaneously, he felt confident and comfortable in two, if not three, cultures and identities, if adding his Jewish ethnicity. In his Prague environment, he was a Czech of Jewish descent, and when spending summers in his grandparents house, he was an American. Once his family returned to Washington, D.C., he went through a cultural and linguistic shift, searching for his emotional and ethnic identities. The permanent geographical move has made him feel less American than ever before: his classmates considered him a foreigner and his gaps in literary English became evident. He became aware that he was lacking a degree of sophisti-cation not only in L2 but also in culture, including a range of humanitarian or sport activitiesan approach emphasized in America from childhood as a crucial segment in childrens education. One of the familiar facts to all learners of foreign languages has been supported by a cultural linguists theoryClaire Kramsch stated that whereas students can become competent in a new language, they can never become native speakers of it. The participant F, however, was not subjected to this phenomenon. After taking intensive courses in English and American literatures, he significantly enlarged his lexical and syntactic register by the time he reached the age of 18. Prague and its culture became a distant vision, and his L1 regressed significantly. His father and younger sister remained the only two people he would communicate with in Czech. When visiting the Czech Republic seven years after he had moved to D.C. with his parents, he felt profound effects of globalization and displacement. In his view, the Prague airport lost its specificity, looking like any other modern airport around the world. The presence of commercial chains, such as KFC, McDonalds and Starbucks, only reinforced the subject Fs feeling of lost identity, evoking too familiar uniformity. The subject F admitted that he felt like Franz Kafkaalienated from and depersonalized in each of his three identities, which he considered almost mutually exclusive: Czech, American and Jewish. His attrition in L1 reached its peak; he was unable to think spontaneously in Czech, painstakingly searching in his morphological and semantic repertoires to recover what only several years ago seemed so natural and easy going. During the interview, he asked how to say in Czech to distinguish, what means nesrovnatelne, etc. His sister, a few years younger, is the subject G of our case study. Her trajectory is a reminder of her brothers but in a less significant or dramatic form. When residing in Prague with her parents and siblings, she attended the British International School like her brother, but because she was younger when they moved to the US, she did not reach the same level of morphosyntactical fluency in Czech as he did. In addition, her identity was not at stake: she has felt at home in America and has preserved dear recollections of her journey in Prague. Interestingly, she extended the idea of the Czech Republic to a larger European context. In her view, daily life in Europe was less superficial than in the United States and for that reason, she expressed a desire to live and work in Europe, at least temporarily. However, she was convinced that she would never give up her US citizen-ship. Unlike her brother, she felt that her native language has always been English, though she recalled speaking L1 Czech since her infancy. Whereas her acquisition of L1 and L2 was simultaneous rather than sequential (the latter usually taking place after the onset of schooling), the subject Gs L1 oral expression has been lower (the Intermediate Low level) than her brothers and phonologically slightly digressed from native speakership. In her speech, the three-gender morphological system of hard- and soft-endings of animate and inanimate nouns correlated with her smaller lexical repository. She showed occasional hesitations in speech, especially when using literary words in the plural, such as o spisich (instead o spisech), ty filozofi (instead of ti filozofove), etc. She had problems with writing, saying that she didnt know how to spell Czech words. She said that she occasionally spoke Czech with her brother, especially if they didnt want people around to understand them. With their younger siblings, they both spoke only English because the level of linguistic comfort of L1 of their younger siblings was not adequate (estimated Novice Mid- to High levels). The subject G felt that she had acquired knowledge of L1 history and culture, including customs practiced during holidays (Easter, Christmas, etc.) mostly through her father. She remarked that in schools she attended in the US, cultural courses in Czech language and history had not been offered. But in high school she found a friend, Sarah, whose mother was also a Czech, and the girls cherished cultural affinity that had brought them together. One of the greatest advantages of heritage speakers, in the subject Gs view, was the edge that one got when writing an SAT essay for a college admission in the United States. Finally, the subject H is the one who underwent an almost complete attrition of her L2. Born in Cambridge, MA, and speaking only English, she attended a Czech nursery school, jesle, in Prague 6 Na Petrinach between the ages of two and three. Within three months, she spoke Czech at the level of any 3-year old. In fact, when people heard her speaking English, they were impressed by the childs knowledge of English, assuming she was Czech born. While she has retained Czech citizenship (in addition to several other citizenships), she has lost her linguistic ability of acquired heritage Czech because her parents did not continue speaking Czech to her after their return to North America. However, due to her cultural exposure to childrens activities, albeit infrequent, and her several trips to the Czech Republic, she has retained an affinity for the country and a dormant knowledge of the language that, if necessary, could be brought forward by consistent heritage speakers training to regain Intermediate Mid-range fluency. In conclusion, each of the eight subjects interviewed showed cultural affinity, albeit not always positive, to their Czech heritage. For instance, as a heritage speaker the subject D had a great disadvantage in comparison with the subjects A, B and C, but from an emotional viewpoint, his identification was strong as a citizen of the United States and a bearer of American cultural background. The subject C, while showing strong ties to Americaher native countryexhibited characteristics of a person growing up in a displaced family. These characteristics were most prominent in the subject B, a born Czech and bearer of Czech citizenship, and yet feeling not at ease with his heritage background. The subject A was a classic example of double heritage: he could easily identify with either culture but at the same time was smart enough to weigh advantages of each heritage. In his case, one could believe that he would leave his future to the destiny, but would remain in a close contact with his L1. The subject E appreciated his L1 Czech heritage with pride and acceptance of his deficiencies in his L1 language. While the subject F has been tormented by a variety of his linguistic and cultural exposures, his L1 Czech has been at the highest speaking, reading and writing levels of all the interviewed participants. The subjects G and H gave the impression of being content with their own linguistic and cultural L1 affinities. They perceived their knowledge, no matter how good or bad, as a non-compromising advantage. The richness of personal stories of the studied subjects emphasizes the need of rethinking approaches to current teaching and learning of foreign languages (in our case of Czech) in the United States, and of showing more understanding and empathy for immigrant speakers and their children. In the past two decades, many educational institutions have made a conscious attempt to expose their students to ethnic, linguistic and social diversity by establishing summer and semester programs in countries around the globe. Inasmuch as the dominance of technology facilitates easily accessible acquisition of global cultures and languages, the predominance of English as a world language, frailty of migrant resettlements and political unstabilities make heritage learning of languages in many ways more complex and further confusing. Czech, a language spoken by a miniscule percentage of global population, has been vulnerable even more. Czechs in the United States strive for full assimilation, and unless they maintain close ties with their native country, they do not necessarily see the purpose of transferring their own heritage to their children and grandchildren. As if an outspoken rule governs: The more successful, the more American! A good example is the three oldest children of the current President of the United States. American media seem to ignore their Czech heritage, and the Presidents children do not identify themselves as ethnically half Czech; at least not publicly. Notes The author would like to express gratitude to each interviewed participant to make this case study possible. Sources used Simone H. Hrouda, Czech Language Programs and Czech as a Heritage Language in the United States, Heritage Briefs. Her contribution contains additional bibliography specifically concerning Czech immigration and heritage speakership. http://www.cal.org/heritage/pdfs/briefs/czech-language-programs-in-the-united-states.pdf K. Hannan, Reflections on assimilation and language death in Czech-Moravian Texas, Kosmas: Czechoslovak and Central European Journal, 2003, Vol.16, No. 2, pp. 110-132. Maria Polinsky, Heritage Language Narratives, in D. Brinton, O. Kagan & S. Bauckus (eds.), Heritage Language Education. A New Field Emerging, New York: Routledge, 2008, pp. 149164. D. Biroczi, The Maintenance of Czech Identity in the Contemporary USA, Czech Language News, No. 30, 2008, pp. 9-11. Montrul, Silvina, Second language acquisition and first language loss in adult early bilinguals: Exploring some differences and similarities. Second Language Research, No. 21 (3), 2005, pp. 199249. Meisel, Jurgen, First and Second Language Acquisition. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2011. Footnotes: 0 Reciba en su email: noticias de ultima hora, analisis tecnicos o el cierre de mercado Email no valido Nombre requerido Recibira las informaciones mas relevantes del dia en tiempo real Que informacion desea recibir? 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Through this contract Centurion Pharma has acquired an exclusive commercial license for Turkey. "The introduction of IFNalpha Kinoid for the treatment of Lupus in Turkey is part of our corporate strategy to bring innovative treatment in the field of healthcare into our country, which will reach 90 mio inhabitants in a few years" declares Ersin M. Erfa, CEO of Centurion Pharma. In this context, Centurion Pharma could take specific initiatives towards health authorities in Turkey. According to Turkish regulations an import and marketing authorization on a name patient basis could be obtained, once such marketing authorization is obtained in another country. A status of ODD (Orphan Drug Designation) is actually being prepared for filing in South Korea. The approval of such a status would allow an accelerated submission for registration. On a global basis Neovacs is actually preparing the protocol of the Phase III trial and working on the strategies for registration of IFNalpha Kinoid. The agreement with Centurion Pharma has foreseen a global payment of 6 mio to Neovacs. A first payment has been made at the signature of this exclusive license agreement with Centurion Pharma in 2017. Further payments are foreseen according to defined clinical and regulatory milestones. Neovacs will also receive royalties based on net sales of IFNalpha Kinoid in Turkey. About Centurion Pharma Since 1979, Centurion Pharma has been serving the Turkish market with therapeutic care products for the treatment of specific and rare diseases encountered in Turkey as well as biological, biotechnological and hospital products through collaborations with leading pharmaceutics of the world. Centurion Pharma head office is located in Istanbul and the Company expanded its production activities in Ankara for biosimilars, vaccines, orphan drugs and hospital generics. The R&D activities are located at the Centurion Pharma production area with a main focus on specific therapeutic areas. The company will expand the business for neighborhood countries like Middle East, CIS, Africa and Balkan countries after the start of local production. http://www.centurion.com.tr/ About NeovacsListed on Euronext Growth since 2010, Neovacs is today a leading biotechnology company focused on an active immunotherapy technology platform (Kinoids) with applications in autoimmune and/or inflammatory diseases. On the basis of the company's proprietary technology for inducing a polyclonal immune response (covered by four patent families that potentially run until 2032) Neovacs is focusing its clinical development efforts on IFNalpha Kinoid, an immunotherapy being developed for the indication of lupus, dermatomyositis and also in preclinical trial for Type 1 diabetes. Neovacs is also conducting preclinical development works on other therapeutic vaccines in the fields of auto-immune diseases, oncology and allergies. The goal of the Kinoid approach is to enable patients to have access to safe treatments with efficacy that is sustained in these life-long diseases. www.neovacs.fr Contacts NEOVACS - Corporate Communication & Investor RelationsCharlene Masson+33 1 53 10 93 [email protected] NEWCAP- Media Annie-Florence Loyer +33 1 44 71 00 12 / + 33 6 88 20 35 [email protected] Lea Jacquin +33 1 44 71 20 41 / +33 6 58 14 84 [email protected] PR Newswire TORONTO, Dec. 10, 2018 TORONTO, Dec. 10, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- CellCube Energy Storage Systems Inc. ("CellCube" or the "Company") (CSE CUBE) (OTCQB CECBF) (Frankfurt 01X, WKN A2JMGP) is pleased to announce the appointment of Stefan Schauss, to the Board of Directors. Mr. Schauss is also President and CEO of CellCube's wholly-owned subsidiary, Enerox GmbH (announced June 25, 2018). He is a leader in the field of strategic sales, business development and financial management of CellCube's Vanadium Redox Flow Batteries. He has extensive global experience in the Energy Storage industry, with 10 years prior experience in management roles of Gildemeister GmbH in Austria. During his energy storage industry career, he further worked in roles for project development of large scale energy storage and renewable projects. Prior to the energy industry he worked in semiconductors with a 10 year track in Silicon Valley companies. Stefan holds a graduate degree in Physics MSc. from The Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz., and speaks several languages. He also sits on the board of directors of Wealth Minerals Ltd. Mr. Schauss will be replacing Greg Gibson on the board. The Company would like to extend our thanks for his service. About CellCube Energy Storage Systems Inc.CellCube is a Canadian public company listed on the Canadian Securities Exchange (symbol CUBE), the OTCBB (symbol CECBF), and the Frankfurt Exchange (Symbol 01X, WKN A2JMGP) focused on the fast-growing energy storage industry which is driven by the large increase in demand for renewable energy. CellCube supplies vertically integrated energy storage systems to the power industry and recently acquired the assets of Gildemeister Energy Storage GmbH, now Enerox GmbH the developer and manufacturer of CellCube energy storage systems. CellCube recently acquired EnerCube Switchgear Systems (formerly Jet Power and Controls Ltd.) and Power Haz Energy Mobile Solutions Inc. (formerly HillCroft Consulting Ltd.) and has also invested in an online renewable energy financing platform, Braggawatt Energy Inc. CellCube develops, manufactures, and markets energy storage systems on the basis of vanadium redox flow technology and has over 130 project installations and a 10 year operational track record. Its highly integrated energy storage System solutions features 99% residual energy capacity after 11,000 cycles with the focus on larger scale containerized modules. Basic building blocks consist of a 250kW unit family with 4, 6 and 8 hours variation in energy capacity. On Behalf of CellCube Energy Storage Systems Inc.,Mike Neylan, CEO, Director Glenda Kelly, Investor Communications Telephone 1-800 882-3213Email: [email protected] www.cellcubeenergystorage.com This news release contains certain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts which address events, results, outcomes or developments that the Company expects to occur; they are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects", "plans", "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "projects", "aims", "potential", "goal", "objective", "prospective", and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will", "would", "may", "can", "could" or "should" occur. Forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs, estimates and opinions of the Company's management on the date the statements are made and they involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Certain material assumptions regarding such forward-looking statements are discussed in this news release and the Company's annual and quarterly management's discussion and analysis filed at www.sedar.com. Except as required by the securities disclosure laws and regulations applicable to the Company, the Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements if management's beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change. Neither the CSE nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the CSE) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/stefan-schauss-joins-cellcube-board-of-directors-300763100.html SOURCE CellCube Energy Storage Systems Inc. If you are currently a print subscriber but don't have an online account, select this option. You will need to use your 7 digit subscriber account number (with leading zeros) and your last name (in UPPERCASE). Faith-based organizations in Westman are welcoming scheduled changes to the Canada Summer Jobs program after the federal government announced last week it would drop a requirement asking applicants if they support abortion rights. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 11/12/2018 (1083 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Advertisement Advertise With Us Faith-based organizations in Westman are welcoming scheduled changes to the Canada Summer Jobs program after the federal government announced last week it would drop a requirement asking applicants if they support abortion rights. The federal Liberals have altered the 2019 process to ask applicants instead to declare that they wont work to infringe on any Canadians legal rights. FILE Dwayne Dyck, executive director of Youth for Christ Westman, says hes pleased the federal government has dropped a requirement asking Canada Summer Jobs program applicants whether they support abortion rights. The change to the wording comes after organizations across the country, including in Westman, were denied funding this year because they chose not to check the attestation box on the application form affirming their respect for "individual human rights in Canada," including "reproductive rights." Dwayne Dyck, executive director of Youth for Christ Westman, said the Liberals appeared to be taking a certain ideological stance on the issue, which ultimately made it harder for students to find work over the summer. Youth for Christ Westman received funding to hire two summer students, even though the organization crossed out the portion on its application form about reproductive rights and wrote in its own statement. "I think the Liberals have an agenda and this was just one way theyre trying to move things in an ideological direction, and I dont like it," he said. "Theyre not the first government to do that, but I dont like it when governments push their ideology that way. So Im happy that they stepped back from that." The Canada Summer Jobs program provides wage subsidies to employers so they can hire secondary and post-secondary students. In 2017, only 126 applications were rejected, but that number rose to more than 1,500 this year after the federal government added in its attestation on reproductive rights. Along with removing the section on abortion, the federal government plans to also open up the 2019 program to anyone between the ages of 15 to 30, whether they are students or not. Dyck said this will allow Youth for Christ Westman to hire more young people with certain lived experiences, but he was concerned about the funding pool being "watered down" if the eligibility requirements are expanded too much. John Jackson, who was hired as the Samaritan House Ministries Inc. executive director in the fall, said he still needs to review the changes with his board of directors. Samaritan House was denied funding for all three of the full-time students it hoped to hire for the summer, but Jackson said he would be interested in applying again as long as the organization wouldnt have to compromise on its "established values." But with so many non-profits, each with their own backgrounds and philosophies, he said the challenge will be finding one system that works for everyone. "I think things are changing for the non-profit sector in both Manitoba and nationally across Canada, and theres many different stakeholders, many different voices and requirements, and so the challenge is, as things change, finding a way to ensure organizations values can be respected, but at the same time satisfy the voices of other stakeholders," he said. Groups, such as the Spruce Woods InterVarsity Circle Square Ranch, joined many others across the country in sending their applications, but without having signed off on the attestation. Circle Square Ranch did not receive funding for two summer students as a result. But co-executive director Dan Ingram was encouraged to see the federal government remove the attestation and said he plans to apply for the next round of funding. "Its quite hopeful," he said. In a Facebook post on Saturday, Brandon-Souris Conservative MP Larry Maguire thanked the thousands of Canadians who opposed the attestation, pointing to its withdrawal by the government as an admission of wrongdoing. "As a result of the Liberals values test, more than 1,500 Canada Summer Jobs applications were rejected in 2018, up from 126 rejections in 2017," he said. "Hundreds of other organizations withdrew their applications or did not apply at all due to their inability to sign the attestation. Justin Trudeau must immediately apologize for targeting the personal beliefs of individuals who run organizations that provide much needed services to Canadians." mlee@brandonsun.com, with files from The Canadian Press Twitter: @mtaylorlee TORONTO - Black people living in Toronto are far more likely to be injured or killed in interactions with city police, Ontario's Human Rights Commission said Monday as it called on the force to deal with what it described as a serious problem. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 10/12/2018 (1084 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. TORONTO - Black people living in Toronto are far more likely to be injured or killed in interactions with city police, Ontario's Human Rights Commission said Monday as it called on the force to deal with what it described as a serious problem. The findings were contained in an interim report on the commission's probe into racial profiling and discrimination by the Toronto Police Service. After analyzing numbers from the force as well as an agency that investigates police complaints, Chief Commissioner Renu Mandhane said the data including a finding that black people were nearly 20 times more likely to die in a police shooting than their white counterparts should stand as proof that the force needs to take urgent action. "The Ontario Human Rights Commission's findings ... are disturbing and they demand an explanation," Mandhane said at a news conference outlining the investigation's initial findings. "At this interim stage, we are calling on the Toronto police to acknowledge the commission's very serious human rights concerns." Much of the data in the report was derived from cases probed by Ontario's Special Investigations Unit, an agency that looks into incidents involving police in which someone is killed, injured or accused of sexual assault. An examination of SIU cases involving Toronto police officers between Jan. 1, 2013 and June 30, 2017 suggested black people's interactions with city police were disproportionate to their representation in the population. The report found that although black residents comprised 8.8 per cent of Toronto's total population, they accounted for 25 per cent of SIU investigations during the time period studied. Black complainants were involved in 28 per cent of all use-of-force investigations, with their representation trending sharply upward as the seriousness of the force used increased. The commission said black people were involved in 36 per cent of police shootings they studied, 61 per cent of police use-of-force cases involving civilian death, and 70 per cent of fatal police shootings. While 67 per cent of all those involved in SIU cases were unarmed at the time, the commission found white people were more likely than black people to be armed at the time of the encounter with Toronto police. In fatal shooting cases, the report found 20 per cent of white people were armed compared to 11 per cent of black people. The report further found that 54 per cent of white people involved in SIU cases had a criminal record compared to 44 per cent of black people. Data suggested 62 per cent of white suspects allegedly threatened or attacked city officers compared to 44 per cent of black suspects. The report also suggested black people are overrepresented in cases of inappropriate stops, searches or charges, adding those issues would be explored more thoroughly in its next report on racial profiling. The commission made five interim recommendations, including urging the force and its board to acknowledge that racial disparities raise "serious concerns." It also urged the Toronto Police Services Board to begin collecting and publicly sharing race-based data on all stops, searches and use-of-force incidents, a practice the board has not been observing to date. The force and the board issued a joint statement saying they accepted the commission's recommendations, but noted that the practice of collecting race-based data will require study and consultation. They also said it would be important to "scrutinize" the methodology and data behind the commission's findings, but did not offer any specific red flags. Force spokeswoman Meaghan Gray said the organizations were already taking steps to improve trust with the black community and said the conversation around the issues raised needs to involve questions about poverty, social inequality and the root causes of crime. "Once the police are involved, it is often after all other systems have failed," the statement said. "This is not to say that this explains even a perceived disproportionate use of force by police; but it does highlight the reality that once the police have been called, the incident is often one of crisis." Toronto Mayor John Tory said he was pleased to see the force accept the commission's recommendations and pledged to ensure the city is an inclusive space for all. "Much work has been done over the last few years to improve the police service's policies and procedures that contribute to discrimination and racial profiling," he said. "But much more remains to be done." Valerie Steele of the Black Action Defence Committee said the commission's findings do not come as news to black residents who often take deliberate steps to avoid the risk of needless interactions with police. "What is happening now has been happening for decades," she said. "It is wrong, it is racist, it must be stopped. The time has come." QUEBEC - The governing Coalition Avenir Quebec has passed its first electoral test since winning the Oct. 1 provincial vote, easily capturing the riding of Roberval left vacant by former Liberal premier Philippe Couillard. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 10/12/2018 (1084 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. QUEBEC - The governing Coalition Avenir Quebec has passed its first electoral test since winning the Oct. 1 provincial vote, easily capturing the riding of Roberval left vacant by former Liberal premier Philippe Couillard. With three-quarters of the votes counted in a byelection Monday, Coalition candidate Nancy Guillemette, director of a local mental-health organization, was well ahead with more than 50 per cent of the total. Premier Francois Legault joined Guillemette on stage to celebrate the win. On Twitter he wrote, "Thanks to this victory, we now have 75 elected members. Not bad for a new party!" Couillard had won the riding in Quebec's Lac-Saint-Jean region by a wide margin Oct. 1, taking 42 per cent of the votes compared with 24 per cent for the second-place Coalition candidate, Denise Trudel. The seat has been empty since Couillard quit politics days after his party's crushing loss. With the win, the Coalition Avenir Quebec, founded by Legault in 2011, has 75 seats in the 125-seat legislature. It is followed by the Liberals at 29 and the Parti Quebecois and Quebec solidaire at 10 each. There is one Independent member. Parti Quebecois candidate Thomas Gaudreault was in second place Monday with about 18 per cent of the votes, and Liberal William Laroche had 15 per cent. Quebec solidaire candidate Luc-Antoine Cauchon was fourth with about 12 per cent, and three other candidates split the remainder. Just over a third of eligible voters cast a ballot, according to preliminary figures from Elections Quebec. TORONTO - An Ontario judge erred in ruling the Charter of Rights and Freedoms does not apply to a Toronto-area woman because she has been declared brain dead, the woman's family argues in challenging a decision that would have taken her off life support. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 11/12/2018 (1083 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. TORONTO - An Ontario judge erred in ruling the Charter of Rights and Freedoms does not apply to a Toronto-area woman because she has been declared brain dead, the woman's family argues in challenging a decision that would have taken her off life support. Taquisha McKitty was 27 when doctors declared her "dead by neurological criteria" in September of last year following a drug overdose that left her unconscious on a Brampton, Ont., sidewalk. McKitty's family turned to the courts to prevent doctors from taking her off life support, saying her Christian faith defines death as the cessation of heartbeat, not of brain function. Citing charter protections, they argued doctors should make accommodations for religious beliefs in making a determination of death, and obtained an injunction to keep her on a respirator while the case was before the courts. An Ontario Superior Court judge ruled against them over the summer, saying the charter does not apply to McKitty because the document only protects "persons" and McKitty, because she is clinically brain dead, is not legally a "person." The judge also said in her ruling that death could not, in Ontario, be subject to a person's wishes or beliefs because that could lead to "an unacceptable level of medical, legal and societal uncertainty" and cause potential adverse effects on the health-care and organ donation system. McKitty's family is asking Ontario's highest court to overturn the decision, set aside her death certificate and refer any dispute about her treatment to the Consent and Capacity Board, an independent provincial tribunal that rules in matters involving issues such as a person's capacity to consent to or refuse treatment. Lawyers representing McKitty's doctor, meanwhile, say the family's appeal relies on evidence that was rejected by the lower court and misstates a number of facts. They say the judge correctly found that brain death is death in the eyes of the law, and that this definition does not infringe on charter rights. The appeal is expected to be heard in Toronto on Wednesday. In court documents filed ahead of the hearing, McKitty's family argues determining and certifying death is a delegated state function, and therefore subject to scrutiny under the charter. The lower court's finding that McKitty's designation as brain dead means the charter doesn't apply to her "puts the cart before the horse" because her beliefs should have been considered before doctors made that decision, they argue. "To the extent that a decision is made to end life and withdraw medical support, it must be done only after appropriate accommodation is provided where required," the documents read. "In those rare cases where a dispute arises as to the withdrawal of treatment and where the determination of death is in dispute, an open and transparent process before an independent decision-maker must allow family and doctors to make submissions on individual wishes and beliefs and medical considerations relative to the decision to end life." They further argue that in preferring a uniform definition of death based on secular and medical criteria, the court is in fact favouring some belief systems over others. "The state and court below have consciously or tacitly taken a position on the question of what constitutes death in Canadian society, one that is at odds with the sincerely held religious beliefs of certain religious minorities, and Taquisha in particular," the documents say. McKitty's family also argues the lower court judge was wrong to disqualify the expert opinion of a family witness, and wrong not to allow McKitty's movements to be filmed for a 72-hour period to assess whether she meets the criteria for brain death. They have argued her movements are more than just spinal cord reflexes, which can occur after brain death. Documents filed by those representing Dr. Omar Hayani, who declared McKitty brain dead, say the family appears to be asking the appeal court to re-try the case, which is not its role. The lawyers further say relief cannot be sought under the charter after a person has died, unless a charter breach contributed to the person's death. "This is not such a case, as it is without question that Ms. McKitty's death was caused by her drug overdose that occurred outside of the hospital," they say. They argue that the doctor is neither a representative of the government or engaging in governmental function, and therefore is not subject to scrutiny under the charter. The doctor's team also says the Consent and Capacity Board no longer has jurisdiction once a person has died. "The appellants have not demonstrated any errors in law, any extricable errors in principle, or any palpable and overriding errors of fact in the decision," they write in calling for the appeal to be dismissed. OTTAWA - The federal Liberals are turning to a broad group of officials from provinces, territories, Indigenous groups and medical organizations for solutions to mounting allegations from Indigenous women that they were victims of coerced and forced sterilizations. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 10/12/2018 (1084 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Jane Philpott, Minister of Indigenous Services, stands during question period in the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Monday, Dec. 10, 2018. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick OTTAWA - The federal Liberals are turning to a broad group of officials from provinces, territories, Indigenous groups and medical organizations for solutions to mounting allegations from Indigenous women that they were victims of coerced and forced sterilizations. Valerie Gideon, a senior assistant deputy minister in the Indigenous Services Department, told a Commons committee on Monday that two cabinet ministers are co-signing a letter to their provincial and territorial counterparts outlining the plans to discuss cultural safety in medicine. The Liberals have been pressed for a rapid response to recent reports on the sterilizations, which dozens of women say have been inflicted on them against their will when they gave birth. Coerced sterilization amounts to a violation of human rights and medical ethics, Gideon told the committee, noting it is also a form of gender-based violence. "Sterilization is not something that any one profession or order of government can address alone," she said. "Federal, provincial, territorial, Indigenous governments and organizations all have a role to play." Doctors and those who regulate the profession must be involved, she added, saying sterilization is a "matter of the practice of medicine" and that only surgical practitioners can perform procedures such as tubal ligations. Last week, the United Nations Committee Against Torture said Canada must stop the "extensive forced or coerced sterilization" of Indigenous women and girls in Canada, adding all allegations must be impartially investigated. In question period Monday, NDP MP Romeo Saganash pushed Indigenous Services Minister Jane Philpott to detail what the Liberal government will do to implement the UN recommendations, including holding people accountable, providing redress for the victims and adopting legislative policy measures to outlaw forced sterilization. In response, Philpott said the government is working to make sure "this never happens again." She also stressed Ottawa will work with provinces, territories, health providers and medical associations to make sure the "concept of informed consent is well understood and that culturally safe care is also well taught." Tubal ligations carried out on unwilling Indigenous women is one of the "most heinous" practices in health care happening across Canada, according to Ontario Sen. Yvonne Boyer, a Metis lawyer and former nurse. In 2017, Boyer and Metis physician and researcher Dr. Judith Bartlett produced a report on Indigenous women who were coerced into tubal ligations the severing, burning or tying of the Fallopian tubes that carry eggs from the ovaries to the uterus after childbirth in the Saskatoon Health Region. The region subsequently apologized. Some Indigenous women interviewed for the report felt pushed into signing consent forms for the procedures while they were in active labour or on operating tables, Boyer said. Last year, two of the affected women launched a class-action lawsuit against the Saskatoon Health Region. The proposed class action led by lawyer Alisa Lombard and her firm Maurice Law names the Saskatoon Health Authority, the Saskatchewan government, the federal government and a handful of medical professionals as defendants. More women have since come forward to disclose their experience with coerced sterilization. About 100 women have now come forward to report they have been forcibly sterilized, Lombard said an additional 40 women since The Canadian Press published a story in November detailing Boyer's push to study the issue nationally. Follow @kkirkup on Twitter OTTAWA - The federal government can award a contract to design the country's $60-billion fleet of new warships after a trade tribunal reversed an earlier order not to finish the deal. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 11/12/2018 (1083 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. People surround a Bae Systems Type 26 Global Combat Ship at the Canadian Association of Defence and Security Industries CANSEC trade show in Ottawa on Wednesday, May 30, 2018. The federal government is being given the green light to award a contract for the design of the country's new $60-billion warships after a trade tribunal reversed course on an earlier order not to finish the deal. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang OTTAWA - The federal government can award a contract to design the country's $60-billion fleet of new warships after a trade tribunal reversed an earlier order not to finish the deal. The Canadian International Trade Tribunal ordered the government last month to postpone awarding the high-stakes design contract until it had a chance to determine whether the deal is kosher. But the tribunal rescinded the order Monday after the federal procurement department warned against delaying the warship project, which will see 15 new vessels built to replace Canada's frigates and destroyers. In a letter to the tribunal, Andre Fillion, head of military and maritime purchases for Public Services and Procurement Canada, said the deal "is urgent" and "a delay in awarding contracts would be contrary to the public interest." The decision paves the way for the government to sign a deal with U.S. defence giant Lockheed Martin, whose warship design beat out two others following a long and controversial competition. Fellow competitor Alion Science and Technology of Virginia has alleged that Lockheed's design, which is based on a new British frigate called the Type 26, did not meet the government's requirements. The tribunal's initial order not to award a contract to Lockheed came after Alion asked it and the Federal Court to determine whether the Type 26 should have been eliminated from the design competition. Alion unsuccessfully tried to convince the tribunal not to rescind its earlier order, noting in its own letter that Fillion offered "no reasons nor any justifications" to support his warnings about a delay. Public Services and Procurement Canada did not immediately respond to questions. The 15 new warships will start to be built at Halifax-based Irving Shipbuilding in the next three or four years and replace Canada's aging Halifax-class frigates and retired Iroquois-class destroyers. They're to be the navy's backbone for most of the century. The federal government and Irving launched negotiations with Lockheed in October after it was tapped as the preferred bidder in the long and extremely sensitive design competition, beating out Alion and Spanish firm Navantia. But Alion alleges Lockheed's design did not meet three of the navy's stated requirements two related to the ship's speed and one related to the number of crew berths and should have been eliminated from contention. The bid by Lockheed, which also builds the F-35 stealth fighter and other military equipment, was contentious from the moment the design competition was launched in October 2016. The federal government had originally said it wanted a "mature design" for its new warship fleet, which was widely interpreted as meaning a vessel that has already been built and used by another navy. But the first Type 26 frigates are only now being built by the British government and the design has not yet been tested in full operation. There were also complaints from industry that the deck was stacked in the Type 26's favour because of Irving's connections with British shipbuilder BAE, which originally designed the Type 26 and partnered with Lockheed to offer the ship to Canada. Irving, which helped run the design competition, also worked with BAE in 2016 on an ultimately unsuccessful bid to maintain the Canadian navy's new Arctic patrol vessels and supply ships. Irving and the federal government have repeatedly rejected such complaints, saying they conducted numerous consultations with industry and used a variety of firewalls and safeguards to ensure the choice was completely fair. But industry insiders had long warned that Lockheed's selection as the top bidder, combined with numerous changes to the requirements and competition terms after it was launched including several deadline extensions would spark lawsuits. Follow @leeberthiaume on Twitter OTTAWA - Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says his government has contacted Chinese authorities about the detention of a sometime Canadian diplomat in China at a time of intensifying tensions between the two countries. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 11/12/2018 (1083 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. OTTAWA - Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says his government has contacted Chinese authorities about the detention of a sometime Canadian diplomat in China at a time of intensifying tensions between the two countries. Trudeau spoke briefly to reporters Tuesday about the unexplained case of Michael Kovrig, an international-affairs analyst who worked as a political lead for the prime minister's official visit to Hong Kong in 2016 when he was posted there by the Canadian government. Michael Kovrig is shown in this undated handout photo. A former Canadian diplomat has been arrested in China, according to media reports and the international think tank he works for. International Crisis Group says it's aware of reports that its North East Asia senior adviser Michael Kovrig has been detained. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO - International Crisis Group "We have been in direct contact with ... Chinese diplomats and representatives," Trudeau said in Ottawa. "We are engaged on the file, which we take very seriously and we are, of course, providing consular assistance to the family." News of Kovrig's detention comes after China warned Canada of consequences for its recent arrest of Huawei chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou at Vancouver's airport. A Vancouver judge released her on bail and under strict conditions Tuesday afternoon. So far, it's unclear whether there is any link between the two cases, though a former Canadian ambassador says he has little doubt of it. "It's clear that China is trying to put as much pressure as possible on the Canadian government to force us to return Ms. Meng to China," said Guy Saint-Jacques, a career diplomat who was Canada's ambassador to China from 2012 to 2016. "I can tell you that based on my 13 years of experience in China, there are no coincidences... The Chinese government wanted to send us a message." Saint-Jacques said Kovrig wanted to stay in China beyond his assignment. "At the end of his posting, he told me he loved China, he loved the Chinese people," Saint-Jacques said. He said he advised Kovrig to take an unpaid leave from the diplomatic corps so he could return to it someday if he wanted to. Kovrig has been working for the International Crisis Group since February 2017 as its senior adviser for northeast Asia. One of his colleagues wrote in a short email that the organization had few details about his detention. "We are doing everything possible to secure additional information on Michael's whereabouts as well as his prompt and safe release," said a statement from the group, which states its goals are to prevent wars and help shape policies to promote peace. Active diplomats can be expelled by a host country fairly easily but arresting and holding one would be extraordinary. "In this case, it's getting as close to that as possible," Saint-Jacques said. "Clearly, they wanted to catch the attention of everyone in Ottawa." Kovrig's experience means he'll know what to expect. "He knows that the Chinese will put him through the process with interrogations and staying in a cell with probably 20 other people... He knows he is in for a tough time," Saint-Jacques said. The former ambassador said he expected retaliation after Meng's arrest. Cancelled official visits, aborted contracts perhaps. "But to escalate that to that level, at this stage, took me a bit by surprise," he said. He said the Canadian government must seek clarity on whether Kovrig is accused of something specific yet and should explain to the Chinese that "we must find ways to lower the temperature because this could get out of control very rapidly." Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale was asked Tuesday about the possibility Kovrig's detention was retaliation for Meng's arrest. "We're obviously worried about whenever a Canadian is put in a situation that puts them at some risk or jeopardy, where there's no apparent or obvious cause or trigger for that," Goodale said. "So, before we characterize it, we want to make sure we get all the facts. But at the same time we are sparing no effort to do everything we possibly can to look after his safety." China's embassy in Ottawa did not respond to requests for information about Kovrig. His LinkedIn profile says he served as the "political lead" on Trudeau's visit to Hong Kong in September 2016. At the time, Kovrig worked in Canada's consulate-general in Hong Kong. He also describes himself as an international policy analyst and strategist "at the intersection of communication, politics, economics and global security." He says he has 20 years of international experience and about 10 years working for Canada's foreign-affairs department, which included postings in Beijing, Hong Kong and its United Nations mission in New York. A profile on the International Crisis Group's website says Kovrig, who speaks Mandarin, conducts research and analysis on foreign affairs and global security issues in northeast Asia, particularly China, Japan and the Korean peninsula. Roland Paris, who served as Trudeau's senior foreign-policy adviser until June 2016, wrote on Twitter on Tuesday that Chinese "retaliation against Canadian interests or Canadians would be unacceptable and pointless." "It would have zero impact on judicial proceedings in Canada," wrote Paris, a professor of international affairs at the University of Ottawa. "Beijing should already know this from previous experience. Let cooler heads prevail." Meng's arrest in Vancouver has opened a deep rift with the Asian superpower, which is Canada's second-largest trading partner. The United States is seeking to have Meng extradited on allegations that she tried to bypass American trade sanctions on Iran. Beijing has warned Canada of unspecified "grave consequences" for the arrest of Meng, who is the daughter of Huawei founder Ren Zhengfei and has been described in some circles as "corporate royalty" in China. Huawei is one of the world's largest telecom companies. The evolving dispute has created fresh uncertainties for Canadians who spend time in China. Dan Kelly, head of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, said it could cause senior executives from Canada to think twice about upcoming trips to China. "The personal security issue isn't generally a concern on the part of people that visit China, but now it's a new ballgame," Kelly said. International Trade Minister Jim Carr and Small Business Minister Mary Ng, both of whom recently returned from official visits to China, recommended Canadians conduct business as usual in the Asian country, even with the heightened tensions and threats that have followed Meng's arrest. "Just keep doing what you're doing," Carr said Tuesday in an interview. "It's a very sophisticated relationship that goes back decades ... It's in the interests of both countries to broaden and deepen the trading relationship." Carr and Ng had spoken just before news spread of Kovrig's detention, but one of their staffers said later that their views were unchanged. Kovrig's case quickly made international waves Tuesday. A spokesman for the U.S. State Department said Washington is concerned by reports that China has detained a Canadian citizen. "We urge China to end all forms of arbitrary detention and to respect the protections and freedoms of all individuals under China's human rights and consular commitments," Robert Palladino said. Kovrig made headlines in August 2006 for very different reasons. While he was a public-affairs officer at the Canadian mission to the UN, Kovrig surprised his girlfriend with a marriage proposal after luring her into the empty UN General Assembly hall. His girlfriend, who grew up in Afghanistan, said yes. "The General Assembly hall is a place for announcing commitments to the world," Kovrig said at the time. "Our romance has been international, so it seemed appropriate to make the commitment on international territory." OTTAWA - The federal Liberal Party has moved a fundraising event featuring Prime Minister Justin Trudeau that was originally booked on a Canadian Forces base and might have violated military rules. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 10/12/2018 (1084 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Reservists help pack military vehicles with boats and fuel at CFB Kingston Kingston, Ont., on Tuesday, May 9, 2017. The federal Liberal Party has moved a fundraising event featuring Prime Minister Justin Trudeau that was originally booked on a Canadian Forces base and might have violated military rules. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Lars Hagberg OTTAWA - The federal Liberal Party has moved a fundraising event featuring Prime Minister Justin Trudeau that was originally booked on a Canadian Forces base and might have violated military rules. The fundraiser is scheduled for Dec. 19, with tickets costing up to $400. Initially slated to occur in the Vimy Officers Mess at CFB Kingston, it has since been moved across town to St. Lawrence College. Party spokesman Braeden Caley blamed capacity, accessibility and other logistical issues for the decision to change venues, saying in an email that "there's been a very strong response to the upcoming event." The largest space in the officers' mess holds 240 people, according to CFB Kingston. St. Lawrence College has a conference centre that can hold 350. While the officers' mess is regularly rented out for private functions such as weddings, CFB Kingston spokesman Capt. Jeremy Mathews said the staff members who booked the Liberal event "were not aware of its fundraising nature." "While CFB Kingston staff were checking into the issue, the booking party moved the event to another location, thus resolving the issue," Mathews said in an email, adding: "CFB Kingston is apolitical, and does not allow political meetings on the base." Even if the mess is available for private functions, lawyer and retired colonel Michel Drapeau said protecting the military from real or perceived political bias is essential which is why such fundraising events are banned. "The military has to be seen and to be perceived as apolitical and it would be wrong to use a defence establishment, a government property established under military control, for any political purposes," Drapeau said. "The optics of that would go against the apolitical status of the military in a democracy." The Liberals began to give advance notice of political fundraising events last year after the prime minister was roasted for months for attending exclusive events at private homes, where donors paid up to $1,550 to rub shoulders with him. FREDERICTON - A Fredericton man accused of murdering four people in an August shooting spree has been ordered to undergo a 60-day psychiatric assessment. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 11/12/2018 (1083 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Matthew Vincent Raymond, charged with four counts of first degree murder, is taken from provincial court in Fredericton on Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2018. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Andrew Vaughan FREDERICTON - A Fredericton man accused of murdering four people in an August shooting spree has been ordered to undergo a 60-day psychiatric assessment. It will determine if Matthew Raymond can be found criminally responsible for the crimes he has been accused of. He is charged with four counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of Fredericton police constables Sara Burns and Robb Costello, and civilians Donnie Robichaud and Bobbie Lee Wright. Raymond was previously found fit to stand trial after a shorter assessment. Details of the arguments seeking the assessments are under a publication ban Defence lawyer Alison Menard said Tuesday the longer assessment is to assess the mental state of an accused at the time of an alleged offence. "Did they suffer from a mental disorder which would exempt them from responsibility?" she said outside court. "In certain circumstances, people who suffer from a mental disorder can be found not criminally responsible because they are lacking the intent element of the offence because of the mental disorder." The case returns to court on Feb. 8, 2019. Raymond is alleged to have fired from his apartment window with a long gun, killing the two civilians as they loaded a car for a trip on Aug. 10, and the two police officers as they responded to the scene. Raymond has previously told a judge there is evidence that would allow him to be "exonerated" immediately because of temporary insanity. As he has in previous court appearances, Raymond stood in court Tuesday, and complained to the judge about the jail-issued orange jumpsuit and orange sweatshirt he was wearing. "I should be in casual clothes. I'm not supposed to be in orange at all," he said. Raymond was also upset over documents he took from a file folder and waved in the air. "It concerns these documents I should not have in my possession. There are photographs and evidence. Only the court should have these documents," he said. The documents concerning the investigation are under a publication ban, but Raymond said guards where he's being held are able to see them. He said a guard came into his cell in the middle of the night and was looking at the documents. "There's no (expletive) way someone should be in my (expletive) cell in the middle of the night looking at my (expletive)," he said. Former friends and acquaintances of Raymond have offered varying memories of the accused murderer, ranging from a boy who retreated into video games, a pleasant supermarket co-worker and an increasingly isolated loner in recent years. Some business owners have described Raymond, who is in his late 40s, as becoming reclusive and occasionally unpleasant in the year before the alleged shootings. MONTREAL - Provincial police are asking anyone with information about a missing 41-year-old Quebec woman to come forward after she failed to return as planned last week from a beach holiday in Mexico. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 11/12/2018 (1083 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. MONTREAL - Provincial police are asking anyone with information about a missing 41-year-old Quebec woman to come forward after she failed to return as planned last week from a beach holiday in Mexico. Christine St-Onge hasn't been heard from since speaking to a member of her entourage on Dec. 4 while vacationing. Her travel companion returned home a day earlier than planned and died of an apparent suicide. Christine St-Onge is shown in this undated handout photo. Authorities are asking for the public's help in finding a 41-year-old Quebec woman who left on vacation to Mexico last month and never returned home. Quebec provincial police say Christine St-Onge of the Montreal suburb of Laval travelled to Los Cabos, Mexico on Nov. 29 with a male friend. They were supposed to return to Canada Dec. 6. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO Police appealed for the public's assistance late Monday. St-Onge, of the Montreal suburb of Laval, travelled to Los Cabos, Mexico on Nov. 29 with a male friend. They were supposed to return to Canada Dec. 6. But the friend arrived home Dec. 5 and died by suicide the following day, Quebec provincial police Sgt. Audrey-Anne Bilodeau said Tuesday. St-Onge's family have not heard from her, and she never returned to Canada from the town located on the southern tip of Mexico's Baja California Peninsula. "She may still (be in Mexico). We are working with the Mexican authorities and the RCMP on this case," Bilodeau said. She said St-Onge and the man were friends but declined to elaborate on the nature of their relationship. Eric Forget, the head of Voyages Terre et Monde in Terrebonne, Que., said St-Onge has worked as an independent travel agent affiliated with his firm for the past three years. Forget said in an interview that investigators came to the office last week. "Last Friday, Quebec provincial police came asking about her, and that's when we realized it was our Christine from the agency," he said. "We're shocked that one of our agents has been reported missing." St-Onge has blue eyes and blond hair. She is five-foot-four and weighs 122 pounds. OTTAWA - The union representing Canada Post employees is taking the Trudeau government to court over the legislation that ended rotating strikes by its members. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 11/12/2018 (1083 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. OTTAWA - The union representing Canada Post employees is taking the Trudeau government to court over the legislation that ended rotating strikes by its members. The Canadian Union of Postal Workers said Tuesday it plans to file a constitutional challenge in Ontario Superior Court, arguing Bill C-89 violated the rights of workers to bargain new contracts. Canada Post workers spend the last hours on the picket line before returning to work after the government ordered them to end their rotating strike Tuesday, November 27, 2018 in Montreal. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz "You cannot legislate labour peace," CUPW national president Mike Palecek said in a statement announcing the court challenge. "This law violates our right to free collective bargaining under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms." The legal move comes one day after the government appointed a mediator to bring the labour dispute to an end. Former Canada Industrial Relations Board chair Elizabeth MacPherson has been given up to 14 days to try to reach negotiated contract settlements between the Crown corporation and the union. The two sides have not been at the bargaining table since the Liberals introduced Bill C-89 to halt rotating walkouts that had sporadically shut down postal sorting plants across the country since mid-October. The legislation was fast-tracked through the House of Commons and Senate before becoming law Nov. 27. Failing an agreement between the Crown corporation and CUPW, MacPherson will have the authority to impose a settlement through binding arbitration. Canada Post said it would "fully participate" in the mediation process while CUPW said it would do so "reluctantly." The union's lawyer said the back-to-work legislation was passed after Canada Post created a "false emergency" over a backlog of parcels at the Crown corporation's sorting plants. "The Liberal government's legislation, just like the previous Conservative's, unilaterally prohibits any lawful strike," Paul Cavalluzzo said in a statement. "This legislation was enacted under circumstances that did not justify the interference of constitutional rights." In 2011, the Conservatives under Stephen Harper legislated an end to a two-week lockout at Canada Post. Ontario Superior Court Justice Stephen Firestone later ruled that the legislation violated the rights of postal workers to freedom of association and freedom of expression. In 2015, the Supreme Court of Canada declared the right to strike to be fundamental and protected by the Constitution. Both Canada Post and Labour Minister Patty Hajdu's office said Tuesday they wouldn't comment on the latest court filing. The government has previously said that while the 2011 bill imposed contract terms on the two sides, this year's imposes a more evenhanded process. Canada Post said Monday that, while letter mail is moving well since the rotating walkouts were brought to an end Nov. 27, parcel deliveries are moving slowly and delivery delays are expected through January as a result of the job action and other factors including weather and occasional protests in support of the postal workers. HALIFAX - The Nova Scotia government has rolled out a list of programs and services to help the almost 700 ServiCom call centre workers who lost their jobs last week in Cape Breton. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 11/12/2018 (1083 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. HALIFAX - The Nova Scotia government has rolled out a list of programs and services to help the almost 700 ServiCom call centre workers who lost their jobs last week in Cape Breton. The Labour Department issued a statement Tuesday saying the former employees in Sydney are eligible for a six-week training program that will build their skills while they search for work. The workers did not receive advance notice of the facility's closure last Thursday, and they are owed almost four weeks in back pay. The government says the Employment Skills and Job Search Program, which starts next Monday, will provide financial support during the training period. The program covers a number of topics, including networking, conflict resolution, first aid, computer and communication skills, and stress management. As well, the department says the workers can apply to receive $200 through a rebate program to help them cover their home heating costs. "This is a targeted, short-term support given the unique circumstances of the ServiCom closure," the department said in a statement. On Monday, more than 400 ServiCom workers attended an information session in Sydney that included speculation suggesting an unnamed Iowa-based businessman is waiting in the wings to buy the call centre and reopen it early in the New Year. Cecil Clarke, mayor of the Cape Breton Regional Municipality, and Nova Scotia Business Minister Geoff MacLellan have both said the businessman is keen to buy the profitable call centre. Todd Riley, the call centre's former director, has said the deal won't go ahead until a judge in Connecticut makes some key decisions in bankruptcy proceedings involving ServiCom's U.S. parent, JNET Communications LLC. The New Jersey-based company filed for protection from its creditors on Oct. 19. Riley had said the judge was expected to take part in a hearing Tuesday with JNET, its creditors and the businessman. However, Riley could not be reached for comment by late Tuesday. JNET's lawyers and the Office of the U.S. Trustee were also unavailable. A spokesman for the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in New Haven, Conn., said it appeared that a hearing for the JNET case was scheduled for Wednesday. ServiCom provided customer support to major firms, such as OnStar Corp., a subsidiary of General Motors, Sirius XM Satellite Radio, AT&T Inc. and Allstate Insurance company. --- www.facebook.com/events/2205251843023271/ OTTAWA - China's economic and political rise may be bad news for North American workers but the U.S. pursuit of a Huawei executive is a separate legal matter, says Donald Trump's envoy to Canada. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 11/12/2018 (1083 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. People hold a sign at a B.C. courthouse prior to the bail hearing for Meng Wanzhou, Huawei's chief financial officer on Monday, December 10, 2018. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward OTTAWA - China's economic and political rise may be bad news for North American workers but the U.S. pursuit of a Huawei executive is a separate legal matter, says Donald Trump's envoy to Canada. Ambassador Kelly Craft said Tuesday it was "absolutely false" to assume a political motive behind the controversial arrest of Meng Wanzhou, the Chinese telecom giant's chief financial officer. Canada detained Meng at the request of the United States when she was passing through Vancouver on Dec. 1. The United States wants Meng to face charges related to possible violations of trade sanctions against Iran. "It is a very delicate process, and I don't want to be involved in something that is an ongoing, independent judiciary process. Our law enforcement work very closely together," Craft told a small group of journalists at her Ottawa residence on Tuesday. Craft's view is in lockstep with the Trudeau government, which has repeatedly stressed the role of an independent law-enforcement and legal system in Meng's case. The Chinese Embassy in Ottawa has loudly protested Meng's arrest as a violation of her human rights and Chinese state-controlled media have been fanning the flames against the Canadian action. "(W)hat's certain is that Canada cannot fool China with its simple excuse of an independent legal system, and, given China's strong response and the tempest of public protest it has caused, the move will not bode well for Canada in many aspects," says a column in the China's Global Times this week. Canada now finds itself in the unenviable position of being caught between two superpowers, but China's pressure will ultimately prove futile, said retired Canadian diplomat Philip Calvert, who held several China-related economic and political posts during his career. "Canada's best defence is to scrupulously follow an objective legal process that is divorced from political influence. It is called the rule of law and China could do with more of it," wrote Calvert, a senior fellow with the China Institute of the University of Alberta, in an op-ed for the Nikkei Asian Review. Craft went beyond the Meng case on Tuesday. The U.S. wants the Five Eyes intelligence-sharing network that also includes Canada, Australia, Britain and New Zealand to shun Huawei. So far, New Zealand and Australia have banned the company from their 5G networks while Britain has expressed concerns. Craft reiterated her government's desire to see its allies keep Huawei products out of their infrastructure, something Canada has yet to do. Without naming it, Craft referred to Beijing's ambitious "Belt and Road'' investment program as a worrying development. The multibillion-dollar infrastructure project spans continents to create land and sea trade routes connecting China with Europe, Africa and the rest of Asia. It's been embraced in many countries, including many in the developed world, while richer countries especially the U.S. are suspicious of Beijing buying power and influence. "I think we all should be concerned," Craft said. "We need to be very cautious and keep our eyes open, just be very concerned about the countries that are affected by China with their infrastructure projects. I think that is something that we've all been talking about, all three countries." Craft said the infrastructure inroads that China has made in Africa, lending money for massive projects like ports and railways built by Chinese contractors, will leave many countries indebted and will deprive young, upwardly mobile Africans of opportunities. "So, therefore it turns into an ownership situation. And it's really displacing the generation of workers that are college-educated and that need careers because they (China) are bringing in their own workers. So that's just displacing that generation." Craft made clear the implications of China's rise were a big topic around the bargaining tables during the renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement. The ambassador said her government insisted on inserting a new provision into the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement to strengthen North America's economy against non-market economies. The controversial new clause calls on all three North American partners to notify each other if they engage in free-trade talks with a non-market economy, widely understood to mean China. Craft said the new NAFTA also has strengthened e-commerce provisions that will protect the continent's intellectual property and biotechnology from the Chinese theft. "I can't speak for your government but I can certainly speak for the fact that during USMCA it was a topic that we discussed very openly at the table intellectual property, cybersecurity," she said. Craft said her government's top priority is to ensure all three countries ratify the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement in the new year. She said the recent signing of the deal by the three North American leaders was interpreted as a sign of goodwill following the "harsher tone" earlier in the year. Craft steered clear of mentioning the spat that erupted between Canada and the U.S. when President Donald Trump tweeted insults at Prime Minister Justin Trudeau after leaving a G7 meeting in Quebec in June. She attributed some of the acrimony to the heat of the negotiations and her president's own personal style, which has been consistent since he entered politics. During a trade negotiation, "you're not worried about niceties," she said, but added that "the president is very fond of Justin Trudeau." The Kentucky-born Craft also made clear that she brings her own personality to the job of representing Trump in Canada. "All that I can do is maintain the person that I am," Craft explained. "I would hope that people, when dealing with me, would see, maybe, a different genteelness." Engineers Ireland has become one of the first organisations to sign an agreement with its counterpart in the UK to ensure ongoing recognition of qualifications between the jurisdictions post-Brexit . The group, the professional membership body for engineers in Ireland say the deal will allow ongoing mobility for engineers coming to the Republic and for Irish engineers going to the UK. [December 10, 2018] Navy Federal Improves Member Access to Credit-Building Credit Cards Navy Federal Credit Union recently made an update to its secured credit card to further improve member access to credit-building products. Building upon the card's market leading rates and rewards program, the credit union enhanced the card by decreasing the security deposit from $500 to $200, making it more accessible to its eight million members worldwide. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181210005850/en/ Navy Federal's nRewards Secured Credit Card (Graphic: Business Wire) "We're committed to the financial success and well-being of our members," said Aaron Aggerwal, assistant vice president of credit cards at Navy Federal. "Many of them are looking for a card that helps them establish or build credit, but the reality is not everyone has $500 to invest in a secured card. By lowering the nRewards security deposit to $200, we're able to provide more credit-building opportunities for those that need it most." Additional nRewards features include: No annual fee No balance transfer fees No foreign transaction fees Rewards: 1 point per dollar spent 1 Variable APR between 10.99% - 18.00% 2 Free FICO score access Monthly account reviews starting at 6 months to determine eligibility for security deposit refund nRewards Secured Credit Card has been recognized by WalletHub as 2018's Best Military Credit Card for Credit Building. The credit union also offers a financial resource center called MakingCents, which provides borrowers clear, step-by-step information needed to make smart financial decisions. Navy Federal members can apply for the card online or through the mobile app, call the 24/7 contact center or visit any of its 324 branch locations. About Navy Federal Credit Union: Established in 1933 with only seven members, Navy Federal now has the distinct honor of serving over eight million members globally and is the world's largest credit union. As a member-owned and not-for-profit organization, Navy Federal always puts the financial needs of its members first. Membership is open to all Department of Defense and Coast Guard Active Duty, veterans, civilian and contractor personnel, and their families. Dedicated to its mission of service, Navy Federal employs a workforce of over 18,000 and has a global network of 324 branches. For more information about Navy Federal Credit Union, visit navyfederal.org. Federally insured by NCUA. FICO is a registered trademark of Fair Isaac Corporation in the United States and other countries. Equal Opportunity Employer. 1Rewards are earned on eligible net purchases. Details about eligible purchases and other rewards information can be found in the nRewards Secured Program Description located on our website at navyfederal.org. 2Rates based on creditworthiness. ATM cash advance fees: None if performed at a Navy Federal branch or ATM. Otherwise, $0.50 per domestic transaction or $1.00 per foreign transaction. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181210005850/en/ [ Back To SIP Trunking Home's Homepage ] China's economy tsar and the US Treasury secretary have discussed plans for talks on a tariff battle, the government in Beijing said. In an indicating negotiations are going ahead despite tension over the arrest of a Chinese tech executive, vice premier Liu He and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin talked by phone about "the promotion of the next economic and trade consultations," a Commerce Ministry statement said. The announcement indicated talks are on track despite China's weekend threats of unspecified "grave consequences" if the Huawei Technologies Ltd executive is not released. She was arrested in Canada on US charges of possible violations of trade sanctions on Iran. President Donald Trump agreed on December 1 to postpone more US tariff hikes on Chinese imports for 90 days while the two sides negotiate over American complaints about Beijing's technology policy. The Huawei chief financial officer, Meng Wanzhou, was arrested the same day in Vancouver, British Columbia. Despite that, the Commerce Ministry said last week Beijing would carry out terms of the cease-fire and expressed optimism a deal can be reached during the 90-day period. The Chinese government raised more doubts over the weekend when it demanded Canada and the United States withdraw the charges and release Meng, the daughter of Huawei founder Ren Zhengfei, or face unspecified "grave consequences". Mr Trump approved tariff hikes of 25% on 50 billion dollars (44bn) of Chinese goods and 10% on another 200 billion dollars (175bn) of imports in response to complaints Beijing steals or pressures companies to hand over technology. China retaliated with penalties on 110 billion dollars (96.5bn) of American goods but is running out of imports for retaliation due to their lopsided trade balance. Mr Trump has threatened to expand charges to all goods from China. PA A Tokyo court has ruled that Nissan's former chairman, Carlos Ghosn, and another executive will remain in custody until December 20, more than a month after their arrest. Their detention could continue for months more under the Japanese legal system. Tokyo District Court said it had rejected a protest filed by Ghosn's lawyer against the prolonged detention. The court decision came a day after Ghosn, fellow Nissan executive Greg Kelly and Nissan Motor were charged with violating financial laws by underreporting Ghosn's pay by about 5 billion yen (38.9m) in 2011/15. They were arrested on November 19 and are being held at a Tokyo detention centre. The extension of their detention is to allow time for investigations into additional allegations prosecutors issued on Monday, against Ghosn and Kelly, of underreporting another 4 billion yen (31m) in 2016/18. The arrest of the man credited with saving Nissan when it was on the verge of bankruptcy two decades ago has stunned many and has raised concerns over the Japanese car maker and the future of its alliance with Renault of France. No trial date has been set as is routine in Japan. Prosecutors can add more allegations to extend detention, and it remains unclear when Ghosn and Kelly might be released. The prosecutors say they consider the two men flight risks. Ghosn's legal team has not issued an official statement, but those close to him have said he is asserting his innocence. The US lawyer for Kelly, Aubrey Harwell, has said his client insists he is innocent and that Nissan insiders and outside experts had advised him that their financial reporting was proper. The maximum penalty for violating Japan's financial laws is 10 years in prison, a 10 million yen (77,000) fine, or both. The conviction rate in Japan is over 99%. Nissan has said an internal investigation found three types of misconduct: underreporting income to financial authorities, using investment funds for personal gain, and illicit use of company expenses. Nissan, as a legal entity, was also charged. The firm is not under supervision or being monitored, although it is co-operating with the prosecutors' investigations, according to company spokesman Nicholas Maxfield. Nissan said in a statement that it takes the indictment "extremely seriously", and promised to strengthen its governance. PA The National Transport Authority, Dublin Bus and Bus Eireann launched the Low Emission Bus Trial yesterday. The trials are taking place on selected routes in Dublin and Cork and will test a range of technologies and fuels under real-driving conditions. Full electric, hybrid-electric, hydrogen and compressed natural gas/biogas buses are being tested alongside retrofitted diesel buses. The trials will run until April of next year with the buses being assessed under a number of headings including CO2 and air quality pollutant emissions, energy efficiency, costs and infrastructural requirements. The buses will be trialled on the Number 9 route in Dublin City and on the Number 207a route in Cork City over the next four months. Simulating real-driving conditions, the buses will stop at or near bus stops with the doors opening and closing but the buses will not carry any passengers. The buses involved in the trials will not affect existing schedules or services and normal bus services will continue on these routes. The NTA, alongside the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Dublin Bus & Bus Eireann recently launched the Low Emission Bus Trial, to test a range of alternatively-fuelled buses under real-driving conditions on selected Dublin & Cork routes. https://t.co/pNAnySFZQJ pic.twitter.com/lbnH4liP6t Transport for Ireland (@TFIupdates) December 11, 2018 Where possible, the buses will be identifiable by their front scroll reading 'Low Emissions Bus Trial - Not in Service' as well as signs affixed to the windows. Minister for Transport Shane Ross welcomed the trials saying that this year has been "a watershed year" for Ireland in recognising the impacts of climate change. Minister Ross said: "We are determined that the choice of fuels or technologies that we make will be the right one for our urban bus fleets and will support the continued provision of effective public transport services as well as contributing to decarbonising the transport sector and improving our urban air quality." The launch of the trials yesterday coincided with the release of a report which saw Ireland ranked as the worst performing European country for action on climate change. The Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI) said that "existing climate mitigation efforts will not enable Ireland to achieve either its EU 2020 or 2030 targets domestically. "The long-standing lack of implementation of substantive measures to put the country on a well-below-2C pathway results in a very low rating for Irelands national policy performance." Digital Desk A former senior manager at Irish Nationwide Building Society (INBS) has been fined 23,000 and disqualified for 18 years by the Central Bank after his involvement in breaching financial services law. However, when asked if any other members of credit committees across other financial institutions had been sanctioned for lending activities during the boom years, the Central Bank would only say it "does not comment on ongoing or potential enforcement cases" but that it was committed to holding individuals to account where their actions warrant it. Tom McMenamin was senior manager of commercial lending INBS and admitted his participation in multiple failures by the former building society to adhere to its own policies and procedures in relation to commercial lending and credit risk between August 1, 2004, and September 30, 2008. These included not properly documenting commercial loan applications including borrower information; not following loan approval processes; not following processes in relation to security and loan to value ratios and not monitoring commercial lending. The Central Bank said the breaches warranted a fine of 250,000 but that legislation did not allow it to impose a fine that would bankrupt a person. "In such circumstances and having regard to the current financial position of Mr McMenamin, the Central Bank has imposed a reduced monetary penalty of 23,000," it said in a statement. In deciding on the appropriate sanctions to impose, the Central Bank said it took a number of factors into account. These included the "reckless" nature of Mr McMenamin's conduct, his "admitted failure to meet the required standard of competence, skill, and professionalism" in carrying out his responsibilities and the "extended duration" of the admitted breaches. The Central Bank said the failings admitted by Mr McMenamin demonstrated "a serious lack of due skill, care and diligence" in carrying out his role and responsibilities as senior manager of commercial lending at the former financial institution. "Mr McMenamin accepts that he participated in a pattern of systemic policy breaches by INBS leading to poor risk management, ineffective governance and an overall culture of high-risk lending. In this respect, his actions and/or omissions were not deliberate or dishonest. INBS financial instability lead to its ultimate collapse," said the Central Bank. Director of enforcement and anti-money laundering Seana Cunningham said he had failed in responsibility as the most senior manager of commercial lending at INBS and has been sanctioned accordingly. "He failed to discharge his responsibilities in the day-to-day management and operation of the commercial lending function and disregarded requirements for commercial loans to comply and adhere to INBS policies on commercial lending and credit risk. "The sanctions imposed on Mr McMenamin reflect the serious nature of his conduct. This type of behaviour gave rise to a pattern of systemic policy breaches by Irish Nationwide Building Society leading to poor risk management, ineffective governance and an overall culture of high-risk lending," she said. Tributes have been paid to a force of nature in the Cork legal community who also made a tremendous success of the Cork Midsummer Festival the late Jane Anne Rothwell. Father of the Cork Bar, Donal McCarthy, said of his young colleague at a special sitting of Cork Circuit Court, Vivacious and outgoing, a light has gone out in the Bar room. Judges Sean O Donnabhain, Gerard OBrien and Brian OCallaghan presided over the tribute attended by Jane Anne Rothwells husband, Steven ONeill, parents, John and Parfrey family, relatives and friends. Mr McCarthy BL said it was appropriate that the tributes would be paid to her in the room in which she did much of her work. He recounted how she had become an expert in family law but said her talents were in tremendous organisational skills which she extended to an extremely successful tenure at the Cork Midsummer Festival, the fruits of which were enjoyed by many people in Cork and visiting the city. Solicitor Gerard OFlynn on behalf of the Southern Law Association said: Jane Anne was a great colleague and highly respected, both as a person and in her chosen profession of barrister. She was vibrant, energetic, honourable, hard-working and diligent and always fought the good fight, never leaving a stone unturned in her efforts to win a case for her client. She lived her all-too-short life to the full. James Duggan, barrister, said he was speaking yesterday in his capacity as chairman of the Cork Grocers Club and recalled fondly how she used her powers of persuasion to become the first lady member of Cork Grocers Club, a club that was established as a gentlemans club in 1862. A feisty woman, he concluded. Mary Crowley, on behalf of the Court Service, said Ms Rothwell seemed to have been in a hurry to achieve so much in her short life and would be warmly remembered by court staff in Cork and Kerry, where she also worked. Martin ODonovan, on behalf of court registrars, joked that the hearts of registrars sank when Jane Anne entered the courtroom fully geared up for battle we knew there would be no settling the case. Mr ODonovan said the barrister was a live wire and a force of nature and had a word for everyone in the course of her day. Finally, Judge Sean O Donnabhain said the dignity, courage and cheerfulness with which she met the challenge of her fatal illness and transcended it was an example to everyone. We should all look at the way she dealt with adversity and we should learn from it, Judge O Donnabhain said. The backstop must be removed from the Withdrawal Agreement, Arlene Foster has insisted. The Democratic Unionist leader was speaking ahead of a planned meeting with British Prime Minister Theresa May on Wednesday. A parliamentary vote on the deal planned for today was called off as it became clear it was unlikely it would be passed by MPs. Mrs May spent the day instead in talks with fellow leaders, including Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel and Mark Rutte, prime minister of the Netherlands. She said she had found a "shared determination" to address MPs' concerns about the proposed backstop arrangement for the Irish border, in order to allow the deal to be brought back to the House of Commons and ratified. Mrs Foster said she has a simple message for Mrs May - that the backstop must be removed from the deal. "This has been our message from the day a backstop was conceived," she said. "With London, Dublin and Brussels guaranteeing that no-one will build a hard border between NI and RoI in any circumstances, there is no genuine need for the backstop. "The electorate voted to leave the EU and that vote must be respected. "People wanted Parliament to take back control of our money, laws and borders. "The Prime Minister's flawed Withdrawal Agreement gifted control back to Brussels. "That is why Parliament would have been right to reject it." Mrs Foster emphasised she was seeking more than assurances. "We want to see the Withdrawal Agreement fundamentally changed," she said. "The Prime Minister must stand up to the EU and robustly defend the constitutional and economic integrity of the United Kingdom. "I am very grateful for the support we have received from across the House in opposing this dangerous Withdrawal Agreement." A former nurse has said she is considering making a complaint to gardai and contacting her solicitor, after claiming she received an anonymous text message warning her not to speak to the media about her experiences as an in-patient at University Hospital Limerick (UHL). Sinead Johnson, (48), claimed the message, sent to her last Friday, warned that if she continued to speak to the media, journalists would be tipped off she had suffered with her mental health. The mother of two said she sees this as a disturbing attempt to discredit her and to shut her up. Ms Johnson, a native of Parteen, Co Clare, and living in Ballybunion, Co Kerry, outlined a series of serious allegations on the Limerick Today programme on Limericks Live 95FM, Monday. She told presenter Joe Nash that despite having being treated for severe depression from 2007-2010, this did not define her as a person. It does not undervalue me, and it does not remove my rights to have a voice...I am not going to be bullied into being quiet, she added. Ms Johnson, who is a former director of nursing at a private nursing home company, highlighted what she said were torturous conditions in the hospital during last summer's heatwave, when the temperature in her hospital room soared to 42C as it had no air-conditioning system. Ms Johnson said she spoke to reporters about the issue because nurses had asked her to highlight the poor conditions. The Clare native, who suffers with a chronic debilitating condition that prevents her from absorbing food, had attended UHL last April for a routine procedure. However, she ended up spending four months as an inpatient after she developed sepsis and other complications which left her fighting for her life. Among other claims, Ms Johnson has said staff were in a rush to perform the procedure and ignored her repeated requests to be taken back to her ward to receive sedation. 'Dehydrated' She said she was initially told she would be fasting but then informed she should have tea and toast as she was dehydrated and that the procedure would not happen until later in the evening. However, she claimed she was wheeled into the surgical room around 11am, an hour after eating, and that staff informed her she would have to have the procedure without sedation, to prevent a risk to her airway as she had consumed food and fluids. In a letter of complaint sent to the hospital, dated July 21 last, Ms Johnson explained that, prior to having the procedure, she had agreed instructions with a member of her surgical team that she would only have it done under sedation. She said this was agreed as she had previously been through a number of painful procedures during her long hospital stay. She alleged that just before the procedure got underway a hospital staff member informed the surgeon that Ms Johnson had given consent to having the procedure performed without sedation, despite Ms Johnson claiming that, in fact, she had repeatedly told staff that she would only undergo it under sedation. Ms Johnson has been referred to a UK hospital for further surgery. When contacted, a spokesperson for UL Hospitals Group said they had not been aware of Ms Johnsons claims about the text message. They confirmed however that UHL has fully investigated her complaints in relation to her medical care at the hospital. In a statement received last night, UHL said: We would like to confirm that a full investigation was carried out into the complaint made by Ms Johnson. Correspondence was issued in November which outlined options for the patient to have her complaint reviewed should she wish, which is in line with the Your Service Your Say complaints processes, it added. UL Hospitals Group sincerely regrets that any patient has a poor experience and welcomes feedback from patients and families so that we can improve services. It also stated: UL Hospitals Group would appreciate if Ms Johnson were able to provide details of the text message that she received...Any assertions that the text message came from an employee of UL Hospitals Group is very concerning and requires investigation. We would welcome Ms Johnson's support in helping us do that, the statement concluded. Meanwhile, a letter dated August 1 last, and received by Ms Johnson, which was signed by a senior UHL staff member, stated they were so sorry to hear of your experience with our service. The senior hospital staff member said they would be reviewing your correspondence with the relevant staff involved in your care and will issue you with a response on or before 12th September 2018. Speaking last night, Ms Johnson said she had not received this response from UHL, nor any other correspondence, nor any apology from the hospital. A man is in a critical condition after a four-vehicle traffic collision in Co. Wicklow. The accident happened at 4.30pm today on the Bray to Greystones Road, around one mile outside Bray. A driver of one of the cars, a man aged 47, is in a critical condition at St Vincent's Hospital and the injuries of the other people involved are not believed to be life-threatening. The road has been closed for a forensic examination and diversions are in place. Witnesses to the collision are asked to contact Bray Garda station on 01 6665300, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111 or any Garda station. I have not been updating this blog for years, but Im keeping it around because it has many of my posts from a decade ago! For the moment, heres why you c... 8 months ago 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 Fianna Fail leader has told party colleagues he will meet the Taoiseach tomorrow to discuss the future of the confidence and supply deal. Micheal Martin told his parliamentary party meeting he intends to meet Leo Varadkar to talk about the future - and that Brexit will be the biggest issue on the agenda. Tanaiste Simon Coveney will go before Cabinet this morning to discuss contingency plans if there is a no deal Brexit. "I still think a no deal Brexit is unlikely, but we have to be prepared to it," he told RTEs Morning Ireland. Mr Coveney said he did not believe that British Prime Minister Theresa May had said she was going to seek the removal of the backstop, but that she recognised many were worried and she wanted to seek reassurances about the backstop and the issues around it. The EU had made it very clear, he said, that the backstop is not going to change. The text of the withdrawal agreement had been hard won. It had taken two years to put together. Mr Coveney said he doesn't believe the wording of the withdrawal agreement will change, but that the EU will work to provide more clarity. The Irish government has no issue with offering reassurances. With regard to the back-stop, it was only ever intended to be temporary, he said. The DUP has changed it into something that it isn't, they've created fear. There is no threat to the sovereignty of Northern Ireland. Theresa May understands the fragility of the peace process on the island of Ireland, he said. The back-stop is not something to be feared. There was no ulterior motive in it, it is consistent with the promises to the people of this island. Mr Coveney added that plans are underway for Brexit with or without a deal. I'm bringing a detailed paper to Cabinet about contingency plans. Ireland has to prepare for a Brexit deal (2-4 years transition) and a no deal Brexit which would not be good news for anyone, so that if necessary we would be ready. We will have to be ready to speed up plans. Move from the planning stage to taking action. He pointed out that plans will have to be in place for Department of Agriculture and Health inspectors at ports and airports. Plans will also have to be in place for aviation, fisheries and for recognition of standards and quality assurances. I still think a no deal Brexit is unlikely, but we have to prepare for it. Meanwhile, the European Commission President says there is "no room whatsoever" for any renegotiation of the Brexit deal. Jean Claude Juncker insists the withdrawal agreement on the table is the "best and only possible deal". British Prime Minister Theresa May has begun a tour of Europe to try and convince leaders to give some ground on the backstop. It's after she delayed a crucial House of Commons vote due to the risk of a heavy defeat by MPs. - Additional reporting Digital Desk British Prime Minister Theresa May is coming to Dublin tomorrow to meet Taoiseach Leo Varadkar. The Prime Minister's official spokesman announced that Mrs May will fly on to Brussels later that evening ahead of the European Council meeting on Thursday, but no further meetings in the Belgian capital have yet been announced. She is also planning to speak by phone with Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz on Tuesday afternoon while she is in Brussels for meetings with Donald Tusk and Jean-Claude Juncker. The Taoiseach has called on the British government to get rid of the threat of a no-deal Brexit by either cancelling Brexit or delaying it. Meanwhile, Sinn Fein president Mary Lou McDonald has called for the Irish Government to commit to holding a border poll if the United Kingdom crashes out of the European Union. Speaking in Dublin today, she said: "I want to know what is the state of preparedness of the Irish State to provide for a process of constitutional transition and a unity referendum which I believe will happen in any event. I believe that is the course we are on. "In the event of a crash Brexit and no deal it moves the timeline for all of that dramatically forward. "The question for the Taoiseach, and for all of Government, is 'have you prepared for all of that, are you ready for that?'" By Anne Lucey Three members of the Traveller community who were served lunch but refused alcohol have failed in their claim of discrimination. Judge David Waters at the District Civil Court in Killarney said a license holder was entitled to refuse people drink for a variety of reasons, and refusing to serve someone did not necessarily mean discrimination. The court heard that other members of the Traveller community who were at The Killarney Court Hotel for a Christening party were being served at the same time as the applicants. The hotel, on the Rock Road/Ring Road in Killarney, also hosted the meetings of Tom Rights, a Traveller group formed to highlight alleged discrimination in Killarney pubs and hotels, it also emerged. The application was brought under Section 19 of the Intoxicating Liquor Act 2003 and the Equal Status Act 2000. Penalties include temporary closure and compensation. Solicitor for the hotel, Conor Murphy, said his client, Killarney Court Hotel and licensee Riobard Lyne were so against discrimination that his premises has been used by Travellers to discuss discrimination. My client will say you were barred from the premises previously, Mr Murphy put it to complainant Vera ODonovan. Ms ODonovan of 36 Deerpark Crescent, Killarney, denied she had ever been barred previously for insisting on being served after the bar had closed. She described how on March 23, accompanied by her elderly parents and her husband, she had lunch at the hotel as part of a birthday celebration. They had been served food. But when she tried to buy drinks at the bar, she was refused and the security person called. Ms ODonovan said the barmaid told her she had instructions to serve her food only, and not drink. She said I can give ye food, not drink. I got offended by it when she said ye". I took it to mean ye meant Travellers, Ms ODonvoan told Judge Waters. She did not seek an explanation and did not meet the security man because her elderly parents were with her and she did not want to delay. She agreed with Mr Murphy that a Christening party was taking place at the same time and other members of the Traveller Community were being served alcohol. A second person, John OBrien of 211 Ballyspillane, Killarney, said on the day in question he went to order two Baileys for himself and his wife but was refused. "They cant take your money for food and hunt you out for drink, Mr OBrien said. He rejected the hotels claim he had previously been barred, saying he had never been barred and never been in trouble because of fighting. He said he saw other Travellers at a Christening party being served, but assumed he was refused because he was a Traveller. Asked by the judge if he understood what discrimination was, Mr OBrien replied: I do very well. All my life. The hotel had a reputation for serving certain members of the Traveller Community, but it did not serve all Travellers, Mr OBrien insisted. Judge Waters said for the case to succeed under the Equal Status Act, the sole reason" to refuse drink had to be because of membership of the Traveller community. He also said a licensee was entitled to serve food and not serve drink. A publican has a duty of care and can refuse for a variety of reasons with impunity, but what they cant do is discriminate, Judge Waters said. What appears to have happened is for some reason alcohol was not served to them and Im being asked to make a leap and say thats because they were members of the Traveller Community, the judge remarked. However other members of the Traveller community were being served. Clearly there is not discrimination on the basis of membership of Traveller Community. They may be refused for some other reason, I dont know, Judge Waters said. That the applicants had been refused purely on the basis of being Travellers had been flatly contradicted, the judge also said. The Simon Communities says the number of people it helped over a two-year period has risen to over 13,000. The homeless charity's annual report shows there's been a two-thirds increase in demand for its services between 2015 and 2017. It also says 2018 is set to be a record year - with over 3,000 families going to it for help up to June. Spokesperson Niamh Randall says the crisis can be solved - but the government's policies need to change: "There are solutions and it is about making the correct political decisions and we should never accept that homelessness is normal. We should never accept that living with such fear and uncertainty and trauma and difficulty is normal. The numbers have increased year on year, but 2018 looks like its going to be a record year in terms of people accessing our services, which is a huge disappointment, that's not where we want to be, we want to see numbers reducing, we want to see more people moving into their homes. What we saw from January to June 2018 was an increase in people accessing our emergency accommodation services - 1,200 people, that was less than 1,000 people for the whole of 2017, we also saw 3,140 families, that figure was 2,006 for the whole of 2017. We are anticipating that 2018 will be a record year, unfortunately. - Digital Desk with reporting from Vivienne Clarke Llanelli fly-half Stephen Jones will wear Wales number 15 jersey after coach Graham Henry today took a major selection gamble for the Six Nations Championship opener against England in Cardiff. It will be Jones first Test match start as full-back, having been preferred to Rhys Williams. Cardiff youngster Williams, who endured a Heineken Cup nightmare at Gloucester last Saturday, is in the Wales A line-up for Friday nights appointment with England at Wrexham. Jones last major full-back experience came three years ago when Llanelli played Cardiff in a European play-off game. But Scarlets team manager Anthony Buchanan said today: Stephen is confident, committed, brave and strong. Even though he is sure to be tested by England I have every confidence in him. Williams, centre Allan Bateman, prop Peter Rogers, hooker Garin Jenkins and flanker Nathan Budgett all drop out of the side beaten 23-13 by South Africa last November. Swansea star Mark Taylor replaces Bateman despite completing just one comeback match since undergoing knee surgery two months ago. Henry was sufficiently impressed by Taylors performance when Swansea crashed out of the Heineken Cup at Leicester two days ago to reunite him with regular club and country midfield partner Scott Gibbs. Fit-again prop David Young, Wales Six Nations skipper last season, returns to lead the side so Darren Morris switches from tight-head to loose-head and Peter Rogers is omitted. Jenkins, the most-capped hooker in Welsh rugby history, makes way for Llanellis Robin McBryde. The 30-year-old former Scarlets captain made his Test debut against Fiji in 1994 but subsequently took a back seat to Jenkins, making just three further appearances after that. Cardiff flanker Martyn Williams, whose last Wales outing came as a substitute during the 46-12 defeat by England at Twickenham last season, also wins a recall. Colin Charvis moves to the blindside, accommodating Williams, with Jenkins and Bateman on replacement duty alongside uncapped Llanelli wing Mark Jones while Budgett drops into the A side. Wales team to play England in the Six Nations Championship at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff on Saturday: S Jones (Llanelli); G Thomas (Cardiff), M Taylor (Swansea), S Gibbs (Swansea), D James (Llanelli); N Jenkins (Cardiff), R Howley (Cardiff); D Morris (Swansea), R McBryde (Llanelli), D Young (Cardiff, capt), I Gough (Newport), C Wyatt (Llanelli), C Charvis (Swansea), M Williams (Cardiff), S Quinnell (Llanelli). Replacements: G Jenkins (Swansea), S John (Cardiff), A Moore (Swansea), G Lewis (Swansea), R Moon (Llanelli), A Bateman (Northampton), M Jones (Llanelli). Two Catholic nuns have admitted embezzling about half a million dollars from a school in California. The best friends took the money from tuition fees and donations and used it for travel and gambling in Las Vegas. Britain's Labour leader's Jeremy Corbyn has accused the British Prime Minister of demeaning her office by calling off today's Commons vote on Brexit. Mr Corbyn said: "She let down all MPs and the people we represent on both sides of this House. "The overwhelming majority at home know this deal is dead and want to go on with putting a realistic solution in place." It comes as Downing Street announced that a new vote on the Theresa Mays Brexit deal will be held in the House of Commons before January 21. It comes as Mrs May travels Europe, trying to persuade leaders to back changes to her agreement. Back in the UK, Labour has yet to pull the trigger on a threatened no-confidence vote in the British government. The shadow business secretary Rebecca Long-Bailey said: "What we have got to do as an Opposition is assess the best time, where we know we will deliver a successful outcome oin that vote of no-confidence. "A little bit of parliamentary drama, it might make people feel a bit better, but if we don't win that vote of no-confidence it would have been completely pointless." In the House of Commons, Mr Corbyn said he had tabled the emergency debate motion on the Brexit vote process, adding: "We have no confidence in this Government. "We need to do the appropriate thing at the appropriate time to have a motion of no confidence in order to get rid of this Government." Mr Corbyn said: "This runaway Prime Minister is not even seeking to negotiate. She confirmed she's only seeking reassurances. Our Prime Minister is traipsing round the Continent in pursuit and search of warm words when she can get out of the car to hear them. It really is, Mr Speaker if I may say so, the unspeakable in pursuit of the unwritten. A waste of time and a waste of public money." He added: "If the Prime Minister comes back with nothing more than warm words then she must immediately put her deal to the House. No more delays, no more tricks, let Parliament take control. "If not then frankly Mr Speaker she must go, we cannot tolerate delay any longer." "With a legally enshrined exit date of the 29th March 2019, just over 100 days away, we cannot allow this shambles to endure and neither can we risk falling into a no deal." The Labour leader concluded by demanding Parliament have a say on Mrs May's "shabby deal". He said: "This Government has lost the ability to lead, the ability to negotiate and the ability to speak for this House in those negotiations." Latest: As Theresa May arrived in Berlin for talks with Angela Merkel, she was briefly stuck in her limousine as the car door would not open. TV cameras captured the moment as an official struggled for more than 10 seconds to open the door, before Mrs May emerged to shake hands with Mrs Merkel. Theresa May gets locked inside her car as she attempts to meet German Chancellor Angela Merkel Read the latest on Theresa May's tour of European leaders here: https://t.co/BdWa4K5WMy pic.twitter.com/h6066HP7o3 Sky News Politics (@SkyNewsPolitics) December 11, 2018 Meanwhile, it has been confirmed by the British Prime Minister's spokesman that Theresa May will bring her Brexit deal back to the House of Commons "before January 21". The spokesman said that Mrs May would observe the "spirit" of the EU Withdrawal Act, which requires the British Prime Minister to make a statement to the Commons "before the end of January 21" if no agreement in principle has been reached with Brussels. There was confusion at Westminster yesterday over whether the January 21 deadline applied, as a withdrawal deal has been reached. But Commons authorities suggested it did not, saying that in principle the ratification vote could take place as late as March 28 - the day before Brexit is scheduled to happen. The delayed Cabinet meeting which was due to take place today will now happen on Wednesday following Prime Minister's Questions in the Commons. Asked if Mrs May continued to have full confidence in chief whip Julian Smith, the spokesman replied: "Yes." And asked whether she agreed with former minister Steve Baker's suggestion that it was now her "duty" to stand down, the spokesman said: "The Prime Minister believes it is her duty to deliver on the will of the British people and take us out of the EU." Mr Baker told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "If we can't go forwards with her deal ... then I'm afraid the only way to change the policy is to change the Prime Minister, and I really think it's her duty to go." The Government was found in contempt of Parliament. If we cant go forwards with her deal, then Im afraid that the only way to change policy is to change the Prime Minister. I really think its her duty now to go. @SteveBakerHW #StandUp4Brexit #DitchTheDeal pic.twitter.com/eTPpmwxK1T #StandUp4Brexit (@StandUp4Brexit) December 11, 2018 SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford insisted Jeremy Corbyn needed to table a no confidence motion in the British Prime Minister by the end the day, stating: "I think Jeremy has until the close of business today." Mr Blackford said other opposition parties would have to act if Labour did not. Protestors in Westminster, London, this morning. Pic: Kirsty O'Connor/PA Wire 'No renegotiation': Juncker deals May heavy blow on Brexit Update 11.20am: Theresa May has been dealt a heavy blow in her bid to secure new reassurances from fellow EU leaders over her Brexit deal, as the European Commission president declared there was "no room whatsoever for renegotiation". Jean-Claude Juncker said the Withdrawal Agreement on offer was the "best deal possible" and the "only deal possible" as the British Prime Minister embarked on emergency Brexit talks with her Dutch counterpart Mark Rutte in The Hague. British Prime Minister Theresa May and Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte at the start of a meeting in The Hague this morning. Pic: AP Photo/Peter Dejong, Pool He offered a glimmer of hope to Mrs May by saying there was room to give "further clarifications and further interpretations without opening the Withdrawal Agreement". Mrs May will also meet German Chancellor Angela Merkel today in her bid to gain reassurances on the exit deal from European leaders ahead of a crunch EU summit on Thursday, after leaving Westminster in turmoil. She will then travel on to Brussels, where she is due to meet European Council president Donald Tusk at around 4pm and Mr Juncker at 6.15pm, Irish time. The deal we have achieved is the best deal possible. Its the only deal possible - @JunckerEU says no room for renegotiation of #Brexit deal as UK PM Theresa May meets EU leaders for talks https://t.co/PBz8Uqxbnm pic.twitter.com/40uADYpBP2 BBC News (UK) (@BBCNews) December 11, 2018 Mrs May's move to abandon a crunch Commons vote, scheduled for today, on her Brexit deal drew howls of condemnation from the opposition as well as a number of Tories. Mr Juncker won applause from MEPs as he said: "There is no room whatsoever for renegotiation, but of course there is room if used intelligently, there is room enough to give further clarifications and further interpretations without opening the Withdrawal Agreement. This will not happen: everyone has to note that the Withdrawal Agreement will not be reopened. He confirmed he would meet Mrs May on Tuesday evening but reiterated: "The deal we have achieved is the best deal possible - it is the only deal possible." It came as Commons Leader Andrea Leadsom suggested Mrs May was seeking changes that would give UK Parliament an additional "democratic ability to decide". "That might include an addendum to the Withdrawal Agreement that sets out that Parliament will vote prior to going into a backstop, should that prove necessary, and potentially that the EU parliament and UK parliament must vote every year thereafter to provide that legitimacy for the UK to stay in the backstop, should that prove necessary," she told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. "So there are plenty of options for the PM to talk to the EU about that don't involve reopening the Withdrawal Agreement, but that would provide the legal text as a part of the Withdrawal Agreement, through perhaps an addendum." Leader of the House of Commons, Tory MP @andrealeadsom says she was "astonished" at the "fake politics" and "outrage" from MPs yesterday. "Government decides the business, the prime minister is listening and is determined to get a deal that Parliament can support" #r4today BBC Radio 4 Today (@BBCr4today) December 11, 2018 Mrs May, who is facing repeated calls from leading Tory Brexiteers to be replaced as British Prime Minister, was forced to abandon the Commons vote as the scale of opposition to the Brexit deal, especially regarding proposed backstop arrangements for the Irish border, threatened a crushing rejection of her plans. As anger at Westminster continued to fester over the PM's move to cancel the Brexit vote, MPs were poised for an emergency debate on the situation called by Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn on the day the "meaningful vote" was initially scheduled to take place. International Trade Secretary Liam Fox said it would be difficult to get the Brexit deal through Parliament without reassurances the UK would not be "trapped" in backstop measures ensuring no return to hard border in Ireland. The backstop would see the UK obey EU customs rules after a transition period if a wider trade deal has not been agreed with the EU by then. Referring to Mrs May's lobbying mission in Europe, Dr Fox told BBC2's Newsnight: "My colleagues will want to see that their fears of being trapped in a backstop cannot be realised. My greatest fear is not getting Brexit at all - International Trade secretary Liam Fox tells us he worries the UK gets stuck in limbo and may never leave the European Union#newsnight | @LiamFox pic.twitter.com/J9VdtCVklY BBC Newsnight (@BBCNewsnight) December 10, 2018 "Without the ability to genuinely reassure my colleagues that they could not legally be kept in the backstop against their will, it will be difficult to get this through the House of Commons." With Jeremy Corbyn under pressure from a significant number of MPs and peers to force a confidence vote on the Government, Labour former Cabinet minister Lord Mandelson said the opposition had not laid a glove on the Government. He told the BBC: "I think the Labour Party, the Labour leadership, is facing a bit of a dilemma. "I mean, they want to straddle, and retain the support of the third of Labour voters who backed Leave in 2016, and the two-thirds of Labour voters who backed Remain. "Well, what happens when you, you know, ride two horses like that, you end up doing the splits." PA Latest: The death toll has risen to four according to local media quoting police sources. It was also reported that the Strasbourg home of the 29-year-old suspect was searched by police executing a warrant relating to a robbery on Tuesday morning but he was not there. Grenades were found by police, BFM TV said. Update 10:24pm: A suspected extremist is on the run after a shooting which left two people dead near a Christmas market in the French city of Strasbourg. Live from Strasbourg pic.twitter.com/MF28PUaMc3 (@RBaruch) December 11, 2018 French authorities have launched a terror investigation into the shooting which left seven people in a serious condition and four others injured. The office of the Paris prosecutor said it was investigating a terrorist murder and attempted murder. A photo from the Twitter page of Robbert Baruch @RBaruch of emergency services at the scene in Strasbourg tonight. The gunman has been identified, has a criminal record and, according to the prefect of the Strasbourg region, had been flagged as a suspected extremist. It is reported he was injured after exchange of gunfire with a soldier. The suspect was said to have entered central Strasbourg via the Corbeau bridge to the south of the city centre, before heading to Rue des Orfevres, a popular shopping street close to the cathedral, where he opened fire. There were unconfirmed reports of people being injured in several streets south of Place Kleber in central Strasbourg. It is thought he may then have headed south of the city centre to the Neudorf or Place de l'Etoile area where people were advised to stay indoors. The European Parliment, which is around two miles away from the city centre, was in lockdown and French President Emmanuel Macron adjourned a meeting at the presidential palace to be able to monitor the events. Earlier: Two dead, 11 injured, in Strasbourg shooting In a statement the prefect of France's Bas-Rhin region confirmed that two people had died, seven were in a serious condition and four others had been injured in the Strasbourg shooting. The prefect of France's Bas-Rhin region said the gunman, who is still at large, has been identified. Authorities have not given a motive for the shooting. The European Parliament spokesman, meanwhile, said that the building was on lockdown in Strasbourg. Jaume Duch said "the European Parliament has been closed and no one can leave until further notice". In a statement Sinn Fein MEP Martina Anderson said: "Tonight's shooting incident at the Christmas markets at Place Kleber in Strasbourg has shocked the city. "I was in the city centre at the time and heard the gunfire and people, including young children, running away in panic. "This incident has caused panic in the area with crowds of people out enjoying the Christmas markets. "Details of the incident are still emerging but my thoughts are with those injured and all of those caught up in this incident." Earlier: One dead, six injured, in shooting near Strasbourg Christmas market Reports from France say shots have been fired in the north-eastern city of Strasbourg. It is believed to have happened close to a popular Christmas market. The Reuters news agency is reporting one person has been killed and six others are injured, but this has not been confirmed. Police in Germany have said they are strengthening controls at the Franco-German border near Strasbourg. The police force of Baden-Wurttemberg, a state in south-west Germany bordering Strasbourg, tweeted they were taking the extra measures at the border because of the shooting. UPDATE: One dead, six injured in gunshot attack in Strasbourg, gunman on the run - French police sources pic.twitter.com/TKKjsKoet7 Reuters (@Reuters) December 11, 2018 The French Interior Ministry is urging people there to stay indoors. Sinn Fein politician Martina Anderson, a Member of the European Parliament representing Northern Ireland, tweeted: "We were in the centre of Strasbourg town when gun shots went off." She added: "My thoughts & prayers with all who are injured." We were in the centre of #Strasbourg town when gun shots went off No confirmed reports but footage out of people on the ground injuries if not worse - My thoughts & prayers with all who are injured.#StrasbourgMarket Martina Anderson Sinn Fein (@M_AndersonSF) December 11, 2018 The European Parliament building is around two miles from the centre of Strasbourg. Local authorities in the Grand-Est and Bas-Rhin region tweeted for the public to "avoid the area of the police station", which is close to the city's Christmas market. Thorbjorn Jagland, Secretary General of the Council of Europe, based in Strasbourg, wrote on Twitter: "The police informed me tonight of a shooting in Strasbourg with possibly one victim and several wounded. "The perpetrator is still on the run. The Police informed me tonight of a shooting in Strasbourg with possibly one victim and several wounded. The perpetrator is still on the run. This is a serious incident and I advise all staff and visitors to stay at home or indoors for the moment. Thorbjrn Jagland (@TJagland) December 11, 2018 "This is a serious incident and I advise all staff and visitors to stay at home or indoors for the moment." Several other MEPs tweeted to say that both they and their staff were safe and accounted for. Strasbourg Christmas market is one of the oldest in Europe with 300 wooden chalets set up in the citys historic centre from November 23 to Christmas Eve. One of the biggest Christmas trees in Europe is put up in Place Kleber, the largest square in the city, which was named after French general Jean-Baptiste Kleber who was born in Strasbourg in 1753. (Mirror) As the global movements for sexual and gender equality have intensified over the last 50 years, queer storytellers continue to hold an integral role. Queer stories connect us, and they can convey what queer utopian ideals look like in action. Storytellers help us remember what is at stake. Earlier this year, moderator Dylan Barallobre convened a panel of queer writers at the Books & Books in Suniland to discuss what its like to be a queer author in South Florida in 2018. Christopher Alonso, Cathleen Chambless, JV Portela, and Freesia McKee shared lessons from their journeys in writing and publishing. Some of these responses are included below. What has your experience been like writing and publishing as a queer author? Christopher Alonso:Writing as a queer person has forced me to become hyperaware of how I read and engage with my own work and that of others. While in an MFA program, I was nervous to share my work as most of it dealt with queer characters and themes. As the only out queer person that I knew of in the workshop, I was afraid that my fiction would be critiqued differently than that of others. That wasnt the case, except for one isolated incident. As a Cuban-American, I also write about Latinx people, all of them queer, so Spanglish dialogue and narration often made others uncomfortable and pulled them out of the story. However, after finally selling my first professional story, the editors of the magazine never once batted an eye at the queer characters or Spanglish. I realized that people are hungry for stories where they might see themselves reflected, stories that paint their world the way they see and live it. I think thats the beauty of many online short fiction publications, and I can only hope this trend continues for others as it has for me. What kind of feedback have you gotten regarding you and your work? JV Portela:The heart of the suffering inherent to my poetic practice has been confusion about whether to write in Spanish, my native language, or English, my adopted language. If I choose English, theres a stop/start process. I spend time thinking, Whats that word in English? when its coming to me only in Spanish. When Im writing a poem in both, I dont have to make those kinds of choices. The process is lubricated, to put it in queer terms. Eventually, I resolved to write in both languages at once. I started sharing these poems because I was excited at the ease and the drive of moving between both. My mothers rejection of these poems has more to do with migrant shame and fear of not understanding, but a lot of my peers, especially peers who did not speak Spanish, would share feedback like, That part of your poem is alienating. I cant connect. It seems like you dont want me to understand. Its ironic, considering that poems are not about being understood. Youre not picking up a phone to tell somebody something. My poems are centered on my experience. They are coming out of a personal language. The idea that I would be trying to entertain anything other than confusing someone was already funny, but also, my peers were replicating the colonial logic of Englishs primacy. Its not just a rejection of Spanish. Its a rejection of poetry, which is a rejection of difference. Theyre saying, Im uncomfortable with being uncomfortable. Im uncomfortable with not understanding. That, to me, sounds like being uncomfortable with poetry. Who was your first LGBT literary inspiration? Cathleen Chambless:My first LGBT literary inspiration was Michelle Tea. Her novel Valencia specifically inspired me. She wrote about being a young queer punk growing up in the Castro in the 90s. She was completely unapologetic in the way she wrote, so unapologetically queer. Michelle Tea gave me the permission I [needed] to write the way I wanted to, and still want to. How, in your opinion, has LGBT literature evolved in your lifetime? Freesia McKee: In society at large, there are more allies than there were 15 or 20 years ago, but I think that many of these allies are still reluctant to read queer authors. The types of queer narratives that enjoy more attention these days tend to remain limited. Sarah Schulman recently made the point in her Publishing Triangle Award speechthat there is little correlation between quality and reward. This is important to remember as we think about how queer lit will evolve in the future and as we make decisions as readers about what books to pick up. Theres also the question of who has the time and space to write stories in the first place, and who must devote all or most of their time and energy to surviving day-to-day. We need to face the fact that queer lit simply does not yet contain a full range of experiences, which is exacerbated by bias and gatekeeping in the business of publishing. This is why its important for writers to also be activists. I think that in some ways, the survival of our society depends on it. What advice would you give to young, aspiring writers? Cathleen Chambless: Write fearlessly. If anyone tries to stifle your voice, telling you to "tone it down," flat-out refuse. It's not your job to make your narrative "appropriate" for a mainstream/heteronormative audience. So many other queer folks are waiting to hear your voice. You never know who you will inspire, or what movement you can start just by unapologetically expressing yourself. Also, workshop with fellow queer writers. They will immediately understand what you are trying to express, and they will help you take your work to new levels because of this unique understanding. Community is everything, really. It's important for queer artists to support each other and get to know each other, even across artistic genres. I have done some really excellent collaborations this way, just by mixing genres with other queer artists. Check out SFGN'S Nov issue of TheMirrorMag Check out a few related stories from SFGN Taco Bell will return to NSW for the first time in more than a decade next year, with plans afoot for two operators of the Tex-Mex fast-food chain to open more than 110 outlets in Australia and New Zealand by 2024. New Zealand fast-food operator Restaurant Brands said on Tuesday morning it had struck a deal with Taco Bell's global owners to bring the brand to NSW, the ACT and New Zealand, and would open stores in each region in 2019. Collins Foods' first Taco Bell in Annerley, Brisbane. Credit:Dylan Evans Two previous attempts to transplant the American chain to Australia have failed, but Restaurant Brands said it would open more than 60 new stores across Australia and New Zealand by June 2024. Australian fast-food giant Collins Foods, which is the country's largest owner of KFC restaurants, has the rights to operate Taco Bell in Victoria, Queensland and Western Australia, and plans to roll out more than 50 additional Taco Bell outlets by 2021. Small business minister Michaelia Cash is backing Facebook and Google as the government launches a $9 million program partnering with the tech giants to help small businesses use technology. The announcement of the small business digital champions program comes the day after the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission's released a report revealing several ongoing investigations into potential misuses of market power by the digital giants and proposing sweeping regulatory controls. The watchdog's report raised concerns around the lack of transparency on the algorithms that are used to rank and display advertisements and news giving Google and Facebook the ability and incentive to favour businesses with which they have commercial relationships. Kaylie Smith, of Facebook, and Michaelia Cash, Minister for Small and Family Business, launch the program at Facebook's headquarters in Melbourne. Credit:Simon Schluter Partnership with the private sector A controversial coal mine planned for the Southern Highlands has hit a major hurdle with the government finding groundwater effects "would be the most significant for any mining project that has ever been assessed in NSW". The damning view of the proposed Hume Coal Project and its associated Berrima Rail Project is contained in the Department of Planning and Environment's assessment, released on Tuesday. A long-running dispute over the proposed Hume Coal mine in the Southern Highlands has taken a new turn. Credit:Sylvia Liber The report examined impacts of extracting as much as 3.5 million tonnes a year - split between coking and thermal coal - from an underground mine. It noted the project planned to use methods of extraction not previously used in Australia and also relied on storing "produced" mine water in its completed mine workings. "[The] department does not consider that the economic benefits of the projects outweigh the likely adverse impacts on the environment and community," it said in a statement. "[The] projects are not in the public interest and should not be approved." A man who raped his future sister-in-law while she slept at home will spend double the time in prison after prosecutors successfully appealed his sentence. The man, who cannot be identified, was originally sentenced to spend five months behind bars but the ACT Court of Appeal added another five months. The man was engaged to be married to the victim's sister when he sexually assaulted her. The victim was at a family dinner with the man on the evening of March 2 before going back to her home to sleep. At about 3.15am the man woke up 'feeling the urge', he later told police. He said the victim was on his mind because after dinner she said "come over to my house, the kitchen door is open". A local prosecutor with more than 16 years of experience was announced Tuesday as the new ACT Director of Public Prosecutions. The appointment of Shane Drumgold, who is currently deputy director of the ACT office, was welcomed by the legal community who recognised his significant professional and life experience. And the man who he will succeed in the role, Jon White SC, said Mr Drumgold had forged a reputation during his career as a fearless and scrupulously fair advocate. The new ACT DPP Shane Drumgold. Credit:Dion Georgopoulos He said his deputy's appointment as the new director was a vote of confidence in the office. The state government is likely to be on the hook for a "significant" bill if the competition regulator is successful in forcing it to unwind restrictions on the Port of Newcastle building a container terminal, analysts say. The Labor Opposition has also vowed to subject the privatisation of the state's ports four years ago to greater scrutiny if it wins the election in March by adding it to a judicial inquiry it has already committed to for Sydney's WestConnex motorway and light rail projects. "That bad deal that stops a container terminal from being built at Newcastle needs to be unravelled and the ACCC, I hope, will unravel it," Labor leader Michael Daley said on Tuesday. "If they won't ... we will have a look at it when we are in government." A boy who drank pure methanol and fell "extremely ill" was rushed to the Queensland Children's Hospital overnight. The boy, described as primary-school aged, drank more than 30 millilitres of pure methanol and was flown from Emerald in central Queensland to Brisbane by a LifeFlight Air Ambulance. The boy was described as 'extremely ill' by the Air Ambulance crew and rushed to Queensland Children's Hospital. Credit:Christopher Frederick Jone He was loaded into the aircraft about midnight and escorted to Brisbane by a critical care nurse and a specialist paediatric team from the hospital. The jet landed in Brisbane about 3.30am and the boy was transferred to hospital by ambulance. A newly-minted Queensland union boss ordered two officials to burn tonnes of documents and when that didn't work hired a truck to dump them at an Ipswich tip, a court has heard. David Arthur Hanna is accused of destroying, concealing or mutilating documents in April 2014 that could have been required as evidence at a royal commission into alleged trade union corruption. Ex-CFMEU boss Dave Hanna (right) arrives with his lawyers at the Supreme Court in Brisbane. Credit:AAP The former president of the Queensland CFMEU is on trial in the Brisbane District Court, where prosecutors on Monday argued he deliberately buried reams of documents soon after taking on the senior role. Prosecutor Glen Rice, QC, told the court Mr Hanna deliberately set out to destroy nearly seven tonnes of documents after learning the Trade Union Royal Commission would focus on the CFMEU. The Internets LGBT community may need to take on a new face. Facebooks updated content policy is specifically banning sexual slang, and hints of sexual roles, [and] positions, PCMAG reported. Facebook added the policy to stop sexual solicitation, but critics fear censorship of legitimate content. Facebook, today: If you talk about being gay, you could get banned from the site. Tech blogger Aditya Mukerjee joked on Twitter. Facebook quietly changed its content-moderation guidelines in October, but following the recent adult content crackdown on the blogging site Tumblr, many have noticed and are worried about Facebooks new policy, fearing that any mention of sex and sexuality will get their content taken down. Tumblrs own announcement was condemned by the sites LGBT community, who attacked the flawed automated system flagging content as explicit, and warned it would lead to mass censorship of the sites many queer communities, Pink News reported. In response to these fears of Facebooks new community guidelines, a spokesperson for Facebook told The Verge that people should feel free to talk about their orientation without fear of their content being deleted. Whats key to remember about this policy, the spokesperson said, is that Groups and Pages may be spared from censorship, so long as there arent people who report a groups content. Content needs to be reported before its taken down or reviewed, the article stated on their correspondence. If youre in Messenger and chatting with someone who wants to talk about sex, they likely wouldnt report your message, and Facebook wouldnt remove it. The article goes on to report, So yes, these sex-related Groups, Pages, and conversations could be at risk of takedowns, but only if someone is watching and reporting. Whats happening Dec. 17 Vox reported that in April, President Trump signed into law a set of controversial bills intended to make it easier to cut down on illegal sex trafficking online The House bill known as FOSTA, the Fight Online Sex Trafficking Act, and the Senate bill, SESTA, the Stop Enabling Sex Traffickers Act. These bills, with the explicit purpose of curbing sex work online, make websites with advertisements for sex work legally responsible for hosting them, and therefore vulnerable to lawsuits. In the immediate aftermath of SESTAs passage on Mar. 21, numerous companies took action to censor or ban parts of their platforms preemptively in response. According to Motherboard, in late March sex workers began reporting that their Google Drive files were mysteriously locking or vanishing. Microsoft officially banned 'inappropriate content' from Skype, Xbox, Office and other services on May 1st, according to CSO Online. The Verge reported that Tumblr is slated to ban adult content altogether following Dec. 17, which is also known as International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers. Many more websites besides Facebook may be following suit in the coming weeks. A Brisbane man has been charged with common assault after allegedly fronting a former co-worker with a replica gun. Grant Benjamin Sheean, 39, from Mount Gravatt is accused of assaulting another man at a warehouse at Murarrie on Monday afternoon. A 39-year-old man charged with common assault allegedly fronted the Tritium warehouse at Murarrie on Monday afternoon. Credit:Google Streetview The factory was home to electric car battery manufacturers Tritium. Mr Sheean has been granted bail and is not allowed within 500 metres of the business nor permitted to speak to any Tritium employees. A former Queensland union official was told to throw away evidence that her boss had paid for almost seven tonnes of documents to be dumped at an Ipswich tip ahead of a probe into alleged trade union corruption, a court has heard. David Arthur Hanna is on trial for destroying, concealing or mutilating documents in April 2014 that might have been needed as evidence during the Trade Union Royal Commission. Ex-CFMEU boss Dave Hanna (right) arrives with his lawyers at the Supreme Court in Brisbane. Credit:AAP Cheri Michelle Shaw, a former finance officer who worked alongside Mr Hanna at the Queensland CFMEU, told the Brisbane District Court on Tuesday he had asked for $770 in petty cash to cover the cost of hiring an excavator. "He told me it was for burying documents," she said. The Chinese Communist Party has argued that Tibet has long been a culturally distinct part of China. But in the nearly seven decades since the occupation, China has kept a grip on Tibetan monasteries, even destroying some, and restricted aspects of Tibetan culture, like the Tibetan language and Buddhist religious practices. Palden Gyatso with a Tibetan flag at the Tibet Freedom March in London in 2015, the 50th anniversary of the Tibetan People's Uprising. Credit:Alamy Gyatsos soft voice became one of the strongest against Beijings continuing hold on his homeland after China occupied it in 1950 beginning what many Tibetans consider a long and brutal occupation. Palden Gyatso, a Tibetan Buddhist monk who defied Chinese control of his homeland, and who then fled to tell the world his story of more than three decades of hardship in Chinese prisons and labor camps, died on Nov. 30 in Dharamsala, India. He was 85. China has said that reports of human rights abuses and detention camps for political agitators there are unfounded. But Gyatso painted a different picture. He said he was first imprisoned in 1959, having been arrested in an uprising that ended after the Dalai Lama, Tibets spiritual and governmental leader, escaped to India. He remained incarcerated almost continuously until 1992, he said, enduring starvation, hard labor and torture. Inmates, especially political prisoners, often subsisted on one watery cup of barley soup a day, Gyatso said, adding that he survived by sucking the marrow from bones and chewing on the leather of his shoes. His captors made political prisoners pull ploughs as if they were human yaks, he said, and then beat them when they were too exhausted to work. He spent long periods shackled at the ankles and hanging by the arms from chains. Guards beat him with metal bars, whipped him and shocked him with cattle prods, he said. One guard jammed a cattle prod down his throat, shocking him unconscious and knocking out many teeth. All Gyatso had to do to end the torment, he said, was to agree with his captors that Tibet was historically a part of China, and that it should remain so. Of course, I would never say that Tibet is not independent, Mr. Gyatso said in an interview with Peace Magazine in 1998. The Chinese government released Gyatso in 1992 in part, he said, because of pressure from groups like Amnesty International and protests by Tibetan exiles. A woman who tried to intervene during an argument in a Melbourne supermarket has suffered serious injuries after she was punched in the head. St Kilda police are hoping to identify a man after a woman was punched in the head at a supermarket in Balaclava on October 30. Credit:Victoria Police Police are now searching for a man following the alleged attack, which took place in a supermarket on the corner of Camden and Carlisle Streets in Balaclava, in the city's south-east. The woman was in the line at the checkout about 7.45pm on October 30 when a verbal altercation broke out in front of her between a man and the sales assistant. When the woman tried to intervene, the man punched her in the head. An image showing the man being robbed after he was bashed unconscious. Shocking footage has emerged of the moment two men were ambushed and bashed unconscious in an unprovoked, random, senseless and brutal attack by a group of 20 youths on the St Kilda foreshore. The victims were left unconscious, and one was robbed, after being repeatedly kicked and punched in the random assault on December 1. Totally unprovoked attack, Detective Senior Constable Nathan Sheppard said. Three [friends] were walking along the foreshore and there was nothing to indicate a cause. The Victorian Liberals secretly considered setting time limits on underperforming MPs and creating an A-List of women for preselection, but failed to act in time to avoid a rout at this year's election. Internal documents obtained by The Age reveal that the bold ideas to deal with a lack of diversity in the party's ranks came out of a confidential Liberal survey five years ago of almost 1400 branch members, amid growing concerns that the party was not doing enough to renew itself. Michael O'Brien is the new leader of the Liberal Party, with Cindy McLeish as his deputy. Credit:Paul Jeffers The study also confirmed that Liberal men and women are treated differently as part of the preselection process, with 13 percent of male branch members believing women do not have the same ability as men to be an MP, and nearly one third of all respondents saying women with children were unable to put in the hours required. The survey was conducted in December 2013 as part of an internal scholarship awarded to then MP Margaret Fitzherbert. It was presented to senior officials months before the Napthine Government lost office the following year after a single term. "The scores don't really matter, you have to put your hand up, have conversations with people, be passionate," he said. "The whole ATAR thing puts a lot of pressure on kids. They can still be what they want to be." Jordan, who scored below 50, made her way part-time through Victoria University Polytechnic as a pathway into the university proper. "It was an ongoing, evolving thing. Just chipping away," she said. She said the family was feeling "pure excitement" about their move stateside. "It's going to be a massive experience," Jordan said. "That's the thing, life is such a long journey and there's no point stressing over [the VCE] when there are heaps more things to get through." Marcus Pearl: Chief executive A score of 52.15 did little to set back the fortunes of corporate high-flyer Marcus Pearl. Marcus Pearl turned his career fortunes around after a disappointing VCE score. In the 20 years since leaving school, Marcus has turned his low grade into a stellar finance and insurance career including a stint as a director of Global Financial Markets at ANZ. He is currently chief executive of insurance company Primacy Underwriting Management and a ward councillor at the City of Port Phillip. With his final two years at high school marred by the death of his mother, Marcus said he needed some time off after his disappointing results to recalibrate. "If I was talking to a teenager in my position then I would say now's the time to think laterally," he said. "Take action to get the experience you need to work out what you want to do with your life, seek out experts in that field to help you. "The thing that got me to the positions I hold now is work experience." As well as work placement, he made his way through TAFE then to Deakin University to leave with a Bachelor of Commerce with first class honours. Marcus, who lives with his wife and three-year-old daughter in Albert Park, said the most important thing to help a teen through a dispiriting score was kindness from others. "For the people around that person, if you have a friend who hasn't done that well, it's very important to be supportive and also for the parents to be supportive. "It was my friends who told me 'you have nothing to worry about, we'll get through this and help you'. The only negative reactions I got were from people's parents." "The score is not a branding on a person." Dan Hong: Executive chef School just wasn't the right fit for Dan Hong. The high-profile chef is a big proponent of hard work, just not homework. Dan Hong went from slack student to executive chef. Credit:Eddie Jim "I hated school, I hated studying," he said. "Before cooking, I never knew I was good at anything before. When I realised I was pretty good at it, I thought I would try my best." It was his mother, who ran successful Vietnamese restaurants, who suggested cooking as a career move when it was clear academia wasn't an option. Dan failed his HSC but happily took up an apprenticeship. Now, as an executive chef for Sydney's lauded Merivale restaurant group, he helms eateries such as Mr Wong and est. and caters big-name events including the Melbourne Cup as well as appearing on television in SBS series The Chef's Line. The 35-year-old said finding his passion for the hands-on hard work and practicality of the kitchen was life-changing. "I never take for granted my position where I am now," he said. Litigants are waiting for as long as five years for judgments to be delivered after cases are heard in Perth's Federal Circuit Court, which has appointed a new judge to deal with a backlog of hundreds of cases. Delays in the court, which handles less complex matters in jurisdictions such as bankruptcy, migration and family law usually heard in the Federal Court, has been a cause for frustration among Perth lawyers. Some litigants are waiting for as long as five years for judgments of the Federal Circuit Court in Perth. Credit:Nathan Hondros According to the court, there have been 727 matters filed in the court's Perth registry in the past 12 months, with a backlog of 734 matters waiting to be heard. A recently delivered judgment relating to a Sri Lankan asylum seeker took five years to be handed down after being heard in November and December, 2013. "[It's] a great idea. Disgraceful that the bosses of the rock lobster fishing industry in WA are so greedy that they think they should have exclusive access to something that is a community resource. What do WA residents get out of 95 per cent of the rock lobsters that are shipped to China? "In coastal communities all over WA where the rock lobster industry operates, it's nearly impossible for local people to even buy decently-priced fresh rock lobsters in their own town. "What kind of message does this send to tourists and why should the commercial fishermen have the right to ship everything offshore simply because they can get the highest price for it in China? Fishermen, no, you DON'T own the ocean. Park some of that greed and develop a bit of compassion for the communities that keep you in business." - Anonymous Commercial fishermen are concerned about the proposal. Credit:Glenn Campbell GMC "I am a recreational lobster fisher and have watched the industry nearly close due to over fishing, in recent years as science has studied the numbers where improvement has allowed bag limits to gradually increase, where or how does Mr Kelly think it is sustainable to suddenly take an extra 1500 tonne? "All primary business uses resources that could be said, using his argument, belong to the state, water, land, mineral deposits, timber and now fish, will Mr Kelly claim 17 per cent of the wheat harvest when he thinks bread is too dear?" - Robert "So does this mean we will be seeing the government intervene in the oil and gas industry so that West Australians can get cheap gas and oil? It is our resource like the crayfish! I know which one would provide better results to our economy but crayfishers are a far softer target. I feel very sorry for the crayfishers who have done so much work to build value into their industry over the years." - Ian "As a Recreational License Holder I am absolutely amazed at the minister's plan to increase the catch to over 8000 tonnes - it will becomes more difficult to catch my bag limit and there will be greater conflict sharing this resource - RecFishWest must intervene and stop this immediately." - Anonymous "Good idea, more crays for the local WA market is great." -Anonymous "Good move, now extend to prawns and winkles." -Anonymous What stakeholders are saying Council chairman Kim Colero called the package a major and never before seen intervention into fisheries by the state government, and said the ownership stake raised questions about how the industry would operate in the future. The council has sought urgent talks with the state government about the proposal. Credit:File photo/Glenn Campbell The Seafood Industry Australia has also agreed with the council's concerns, and raised its own about whether the government should have intervened in the first place. "The Labor governmen's intervention and claiming of a commercial stake in this fishery has far reaching repercussions for wild-catch fishers across Australia, chief executive officer Jane Lovell said. The decision by the McGowan government to take control of more than 17 per cent of the western rock lobster fishery has the potential to dramatically devalue the entire industry. Governments are there to govern, not to become commercial entities competing with business. This move ... has significant negative repercussions on property rights nationally, and not just within the seafood industry. It is unclear how it is considered appropriate for a regulator to grant themselves quota and the associated financial benefit. We urge the government to reconsider and reopen negotiations with [the council] to find a more appropriate way forward." Despite some backlash, the state government has stood by its plan and Premier Mark McGowan appeared on Radio 6PR on Tuesday morning in order to reiterate the goals of the package. "What we're doing is expanding the catch ... that's scientifically proven to be sustainable," he said. "Currently rock lobsters are virtually entirely exported. What we're going to do is make sure there's an allocation for local restaurants, local supermarkets and local fish shops so West Australians can go to the shops and buy rock lobsters at a more affordable price. Premier Mark McGowan. "The part that we're making available for sale with conditions is currently un-allocated ... so the industry will actually get a greater allocation than they ... have. Labor proved its tactical edge on health policy five months ago when it used community fears about hospital funding to demolish the Coalition. Voters in Longman, just north of Brisbane, were repeatedly told the Turnbull government was cutting $2.9 million from the public hospital in Caboolture. The cut was difficult to calculate, given it was based on questionable assumptions, but the claim was lethal. Voters swung to Labor in the July 28 byelection and turned a marginal seat into a relatively safe one. This was just a taste of the attacks being prepared for Scott Morrison in the general election campaign next year. (AP) To protect the environment, many couples are saying "I do" to Zero-Waste weddings, focusing on sustainability for everything from floral design and dresses to invitations and food. The goal is to recycle, reuse, compost and otherwise keep anything from becoming trash in a landfill. Whether or not couples succeed in reaching the Zero-Waste goal, "they're certainly more conscious of the ecological impact of what they do, and are aiming for something as close to that as possible," says Rachel Sylvester, lifestyle editor at Real Simple magazine. The key to success, experts say, is letting wedding planners, vendors and your reception venue know from the start that you're serious about going Zero Waste. Then be flexible enough to facilitate that. "Flexibility and creativity are essential," Sylvester says. Bea Johnson, one of the pioneers of the Zero-Waste movement, says, "You'd be amazed at what you can find second-hand if you're open-minded and really look around." Her Zero Waste Home blog features a "bulk finder" tab that helps locate businesses selling food, drinks and other items free of plastic packaging. Focusing on quality instead of quantity also helps, Johnson says: "The smaller the party, the easier it is to make it truly Zero Waste." Her own Zero-Waste wedding was on a yacht, so space constraints limited the guest list to 40. Kathryn Kellogg, who wrote extensively about her Zero-Waste wedding on her Going Zero Waste blog, hosted a reception for 60 people on a shoestring budget of $200 for everything. She bought bedsheets from a thrift shop to use as tablecloths, and borrowed dishes, tables and seating from friends and family. "We were on a tight budget, so we were married at city hall with our closest family there, had a separate reception for about 60 people, and decided to save most of our money for a really great honeymoon in Maine," she says. "Honestly, the hardest part was convincing our families to go along with it all. My biggest tip is not to stress things, and to balance expectations with reality. Ours may not have been the perfect Pinterest wedding, but that didn't make it less fun or meaningful." Some Zero-Waste wedding tips: FOOD AND DECOR Choose cloth napkins, and authentic tableware, glassware and plates, rather than disposables. "It's easy enough to rent, borrow or find things at thrift shops," says Kellogg, who used her abundant collection of Mason jars and borrowed items for her reception. "Sometimes an eclectic mix of plates and glasses can be fun," says Johnson. As for food, Kellogg says, "I took my Crock-Pot to the butcher, had him put in 4 or 5 pounds of pork shoulder, and served pulled pork and pulled jackfruit for the main dishes," Kellogg says. She and Johnson both recommend colorful displays of fruits, vegetables or even flower petals as table centerpieces that guests can take home and enjoy. GIFTS "Instead of traditional wedding gifts, we asked guests to each bring a side dish or something to drink, and contribute to our honeymoon fund," Kellogg says. Other couples ask for donations to their favorite charity, or contributions toward a goal, such as a down payment on a house. INVITATIONS "For my wedding invitations, I bought card stock and painted a design on the front, but these days I'd say paperlesspost.com or another e-mail option would be the best Zero-Waste option," says Johnson. If you're set on paper though, "go for recycled paper with vegetable ink," says Sylvester. Some papers are embedded with seeds, so guests can even soak the invitation in water and then plant it. ATTIRE Like tables, chairs and linens, wedding dresses and tuxedos can be rented. Vintage or second-hand dresses are also popular, and can be tailored to size. Some designers now make Zero-Waste dresses using fabric scraps otherwise destined for the trash. "Zero-Waste weddings are a recent trend in France. This year I even designed for a client a wedding dress made from pieces of her grandmother's wedding dress," says Laetitia Drouet of the French-based Kamelion Couture. FLOWERS Choose locally grown, seasonal flowers, "certainly from a carbon-footprint perspective if not a waste perspective," says Ariella Chezar, author of the forthcoming book "Seasonal Flower Arranging: Fill Your Home with Blooms, Branches, and Foraged Materials All Year Round" (Ten Speed Press). To cut back on waste, make sure your florist isn't using foam in centerpieces and other arrangements. "It's one of those products that is non-biodegradable and is totally unnecessary," says Chezar. Next, plan how your florals will be repurposed after the event, she says. Many organizations will pick up arrangements and give them to nursing homes and other institutions. If nothing else, make sure flowers are composted instead up ending up in a landfill somewhere. "Or you can forgo cut flowers altogether in favor of potted plants, which can then be gifted or planted. There's certainly no waste there," Chezar says.___ PARTY FAVORS Centerpiece and other decor items, like flowers, fruits or vegetables, can double as gifts for guests, as can things like votive candles. Prime Minister Scott Morrison will unveil a $1.25 billion offer to fund cancer treatment, drug and alcohol clinics, chronic disease programs and other services in a dramatic policy move to fend off Labor accusations of cuts to hospitals and healthcare. Mr Morrison will take the plan to the meeting of state and territory leaders on Wednesday amid a stand-off with Labor governments in Victoria and Queensland, which are refusing to sign a new hospital funding deal on the grounds it does not offer enough new cash. The funding boost aims to leapfrog Opposition Leader Bill Shorten in a vital policy contest ahead of next year's federal election, offering an estimated $486 million more than the equivalent Labor program over the next four years. Mr Shorten is promising benefits for every hospital and patient in the country from a Better Hospitals Fund that will cost $764 million over the next four years, enabling him to finance local projects the government has struggled to match. Taxpayers shelled out $4.5 million in severance fees to government staffers as a result of the change of prime minister in August. Nearly $1.9 million was paid to 35 former prime ministerial staffers, including ousted prime minister Malcolm Turnbull's most trusted adviser Sally Cray. More than $560,000 was paid out to 12 of Julie Bishop's staff following the member for Curtin's failed leadership bid and subsequent departure from the foreign ministry to the backbench. Malcolm Turnbull. Credit:AAP One of the largest payouts would have gone to Ms Bishop's long-serving staffer Murray Hansen who, as her chief of staff, was on one of the higher salaries in the government. Juveniles locked up in youth detention are almost guaranteed to reoffend, Queensland's Youth Safety Minister Di Farmer says. Ms Farmer released the state's first Youth Justice Strategy on Tuesday, which the government said would help cut juvenile crime by 5 per cent within two years. Child Safety Minister Di Farmer has released the Youth Justice Strategy. Credit:Fairfax Media "The community doesn't want to see young people reoffending," she said. "If we send them to detention, if we lock them up and throw away the key, we know that they are almost guaranteed to reoffend. Suspended Logan mayor Luke Smith has failed to block an order to hand over a list of his assets to crown prosecutors in Queensland. Mr Smith was charged in March with official corruption, failing to correct his council register of interests and two counts of perjury. Suspended Logan mayor Luke Smith. Credit:Robert Shakespeare It came after the Crime and Corruption Commission alleged Mr Smith had lied during a hearing related to an investigation into donations focusing on the March 2016 council elections. In October 2017, the CCC released a report that found the company Logan Futures, which Mr Smith set up, created an "artificial separation" between the mayor and his donors and was poorly governed, reducing the transparency of donations. Ms Ratnam said she was devastated that four progressive Greens women had not been re-elected. She said the Greens took full responsibility for the campaign and would review it to see how they could improve but also took a shot at preference whisperer Glenn Druery, who was paid by some minor parties to arrange mutually favourable preference swaps. Greens leader Samantha Ratnam. Credit:AAP Ms Ratnam said it was questionable if the result reflected the will of voters and said it demonstrated the need for reform of the voting system. The Greens received 9.25 per cent of the primary vote and won one seat, compared with Derryn Hinch's Justice Party, which received 3.75 per cent and won three seats, and the Liberal Democrats, who received 2.49 per cent and won two seats. Transport Matters won a seat despite receiving just 0.62 per cent of the vote. Ms Patten said she wanted to continue working on drug law reform and tax transparency for religious institutions. Loading She said projects such as the supervised injecting room did not turn voters off. Ms Patten welcomed the Andrews governments promise of a royal commission into mental health. But I see things like social isolation and social inclusion and loneliness as a separate issue that could be dealt with alongside the royal commission, she said. Ms Patten also hit out at Mr Druery, saying his work could only go so far. She has made a complaint to police about Mr Druerys preference deals. Mr Bourman said his top priorities were jobs for Gippsland and helping farmers through tough economic conditions. However, he said he had no interest in forming blocs with the other crossbenchers although he was open to working with any of them. When its in our best interest as a group to work together Im more than happy to, he said. Fiona Patten congratulates Geoff Bourman. Credit:Chris Hopkins Ms Cumming said she would set to work on trying to establish a sex offender register and looking after the vulnerable. Ms Cumming, a former mayor of the Maribyrnong City Council, said she would also make sure the state government kept its promises. Asked how closely the party would work with Mr Hinch, she said: Derryn is currently looking to be re-elected in the federal parliament. We, as a group, will be looking at state issues and we expect that every state issue that comes up well be able to address over the next four years. Rod Barton of the Transport Matters Party said voters had given the Andrews government a mandate and he would not be obstructive. Rod Barton is a former taxi driver. Credit:Chris Hopkins But he said he hoped his party would act as a conscience for a government whose reforms of the taxi and hire car industries had left many people in the industry materially worse off. Weve got to make sure that people arent trampled when all these things are going through, Mr Barton said. Loading Successful Animal Justice Party candidate Andy Meddick said his heart was still pounding in his chest after the results were confirmed. This isnt an overnight result," he said. "Weve been planning this for a long time. Eight years of hard work has gone into this." But Mr Meddick said his partys policies extended beyond the welfare of wild and domestic creatures. Were here to represent all animals, human and non-human, he said. However, he said there would be some challenges in working with people such as dairy farmers. The door is always open; Ive always said nobody wins an argument, Mr Meddick said. Mr McGowan told Gareth Parker on 6PR's Morning Show that The Australian had "attacked" Mr Yang with its reporting. He also mounted an emotional defence in Parliament to reports he was posted by the Australian Army to a Chinese vessel security analysts alleged was conducting espionage operations during the search for missing plane MH370. Premier Mark McGowan has hit out at how journalists have covered embattled MP Pierre Yang. Credit:AAP/Tony McDonough Mr Yang quit his membership of two pro-Beijing associations last week after it was revealed by The Australian he failed to declare them on a parliamentary register of personal interests. "[Yang] is an Australian Army officer, he went on an Australian Army posting and he was attacked for it," he said. "It was a pretty bad set of stories, they were bad and they were an attack on him. "I went to sea. I went on board Chinese ships Chinese fishing boats actually I've never been attacked for that, when I was in the Navy, but he went and did that and he was attacked." Last week in Parliament Labor's upper house leader Sue Ellery accused the opposition of encouraging reports about Mr Yang and attacked media coverage. "The actions of one of your members in starting the dogs on the honourable Pierre Yang is one of the lowest acts I have seen in my time in politics," she said. Shanghai/Beijing: A former Canadian diplomat has been detained in China, two sources said on Tuesday, and his current employer, the International Crisis Group, said it was seeking his prompt and safe release. Michael Kovrig's detention comes after police in Canada arrested the chief financial officer of China's Huawei Technologies on December 1 at the request of US authorities, a move that has infuriated Beijing. It was not immediately clear if the cases were related, but the arrest of Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou in Vancouver has stoked fears of reprisals against the foreign business community in China. "International Crisis Group is aware of reports that its North East Asia senior adviser, Michael Kovrig, has been detained in China," the think tank said in a statement. Washington: An old cheque allegedly exposed decades of lies. For nearly 28 years, Sister Mary Margaret Kreuper was the principal at St James Catholic School, an elementary school in Torrance, a coastal suburb southwest of Los Angeles. Around the same time when Kreuper announced she was retiring earlier this year, a family at the school asked for a copy of an old cheque they had written to St James. When staff members found the cheque, the Long Beach Press-Telegram reported, they realised it had not been deposited in St James's account but a different bank account. That was among the first clues that would unravel a vast fraud that was allegedly conducted by Kreuper and Sister Lana Chang, another nun and long-time St James's teacher. Latest News Revealed: Australia's fastest growing brokerages Who won the inaugural Fast Brokerages awards? 20% rise in property prices charted in regional areas, despite city slowdown Further evidence of two-speed property market as new figures reveal extent of growth despite city slowdown A tech firm which aims to help the finance industry manage their data has launched a new app for brokers who find marketing and lead generation a challenge. CashDeck, which earlier this year launched a tool for brokers called Credit Ready, has now released Wealth Desk on Apple and Android. In the MFAAs Young Professionals Report 17/18, 65% of mortgage brokers said marketing and lead generation was a challenge. Wealth Desk aims to assist those brokers as well as their clients. According to CashDeck, for the broker it acts as a sales tool, an ice-breaker, a database builder and a way to get their business onto thousands of smartphones. The groups chief commercial officer, Owen Joyce, said they set three goals a year ago. He explained, One, build an app that is useful to its user in less than two minutes after they download it. Two, create a platform that means a mortgage broker can have their own branded app on both app stores in minutes, not months. And three, make it affordable, $50 per month for a broker and free for their clients. Were proud to say that weve achieved all three. Using the app, brokers are provided with a custom landing page to send their prospects or clients to. Once registered, the client can download the app to their preferred device and when they log in for the first time the app knows who their broker is and rebrands itself. The user can manage all their accounts, loans, properties and super funds in one place and the app will give them a live, automatic living expense analysis so they know where there money is going. Discussing the 65% figure from the MFAA report, Joyce said, There are a number of reasons for this including high levels of competition, it can be hard to stand out. A key reason is that many mortgage brokers arent comfortable with approaching new clients coldit can be daunting. The app means the broker can give prospects something they will value, and this is a great way to start a relationship. Brokers can provide the Wealth Desk app to their clients for free with different plans allowing for different numbers of downloads. Wayne Robinson, the companys chief technology officer said the company was continuing to support the broker market. He added, Every piece of tech we create is designed to fix a big problem that effects most brokers. Were proud to have more than 1,000 brokers using our services so far and we think this new product will mean we can help significantly more of them. (DB) A Virginia school district has fired a teacher who refused to use male pronouns to refer to a transgender student. WTVR, a Richmond television station, reported Peter Vlaming, a French teacher at West Point High School, refused to identify a student who had recently transitioned as he and him in October while he was in his classroom. The West Point Public School Board on Dec. 6 voted unanimously to fire Vlaming after a 5-hour hearing. WTVR reported West Point Public Schools Superintendent Laura Abel recommended Vlamings termination after he refused to refer to the student by male pronouns, despite numerous requests that he do so. Vlaming said his Christian faith influenced the way he treated the student. We are here today because a specific world view is being imposed upon me, Vlaming told the school board before it fired him. James Parrish, executive director of Equality Virginia, a statewide LGBT advocacy group, in an email to supporters defended the boards decision to fire Vlaming. Transgender students, like all students, deserve the opportunity to do well in school and that means classrooms should be spaces where students feel safe, supported, and respected, said Parrish. But, transgender students are too often targeted for bullying, harassment, or mistreatment. Families expect teachers to support their children, not target them as different. The high school at which Vlaming taught is roughly 40 miles east of Richmond. Gavin Grimm, a student at Gloucester County High School, which is about half an hour southeast of West Point High School, in 2015 filed a federal lawsuit against the Gloucester County School Districts policy prohibiting students from using bathrooms and locker rooms that dont correspond with their biological gender. Grimm and lawyers with the American Civil Liberties Union who represented him said the policy violated Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 and the 14th Amendments Equal Protection Clause. The U.S. Supreme Court in 2017 declined to hear Grimms case, but a federal judge in Norfolk later upheld the Title IX claims. The chief executive officer of Alphabet Inc's Google on Monday defended the integrity of the company's products a day ahead of a congressional hearing where he is expected to face tough questions from U.S. lawmakers. The technology company has been under fire on Capitol Hill over issues including why it delayed disclosing vulnerabilities with its Google+ social network, whether it will restart its search engine in China and if it is biased against Republicans. Three Democratic senators wrote the Federal Trade Commission in October asking the agency to investigate ... Dear Reader, Business Standard has always strived hard to provide up-to-date information and commentary on developments that are of interest to you and have wider political and economic implications for the country and the world. Your encouragement and constant feedback on how to improve our offering have only made our resolve and commitment to these ideals stronger. Even during these difficult times arising out of Covid-19, we continue to remain committed to keeping you informed and updated with credible news, authoritative views and incisive commentary on topical issues of relevance. We, however, have a request. As we battle the economic impact of the pandemic, we need your support even more, so that we can continue to offer you more quality content. Our subscription model has seen an encouraging response from many of you, who have subscribed to our online content. More subscription to our online content can only help us achieve the goals of offering you even better and more relevant content. We believe in free, fair and credible journalism. Your support through more subscriptions can help us practise the journalism to which we are committed. Support quality journalism and subscribe to Business Standard. Digital Editor (DV) There were four openly-LGBT gubernatorial candidates across the U.S. running in this years mid-term elections. Dallas Countys former sheriff, Latina lesbian Lupe Valdez was one of them. While Valdez did not succeed in her bid to oust Republican incumbent Greg Abbott, she brought in nearly 43 percent of the vote an amazing feat for an openly-LGBT Democrat in a state-wide race in such a deep red Republican stronghold. Valdezs campaign signaled a huge step forward for LGBT candidates indeed, for all progressive candidates in Texas. And for that reason, Dallas Voice names Lupe Valdez as our LGBT Texan of the year. Valdezs race was, transformative, said LGBT Victory Fund CEO Annise Parker, the former mayor of Houston who is herself a history-making LGBT candidate in Texas. And, she added, Valdez knew when she got into it that her run for governor was a long shot, a total uphill race. Still, Parker said, Valdez is an experienced candidate with a compelling personal story. Valdez is the child of migrant workers. She grew up in San Antonio, in a neighborhood without paved streets. On the campaign trail, she often told the story of commuting across town to attend a better high school and stopping in the bathroom when she got to school each morning to wipe the mud off her shoes. After she graduated from high school, Valdez paid for her own college and earned a masters degree in criminology from UT Arlington. Valdez joined the U.S. National Guard, reaching the rank of captain. She then went on to work as a federal agent, investigating fraud and abuse in the U.S. and working undercover in South America to gather information about drug traffickers and money launderers. In 2004, Dallas County Sheriff Jim Bowles, who had been in office for 20 years, was fighting allegations of corruption. A 30-year veteran of the sheriffs department defeated Bowles in the Republican Primary, and Valdez won the Democratic Primary. The Latina lesbian was all but written off in the general election, but she surprised just about everyone by winning. With that victory, Valdez joined a handful of other Democrats to become the first Democrats to win county-wide office in Dallas in years. It was the year that Dallas County turned blue. When she took office, Valdez knew that very few people in the sheriffs department supported her. So she spent quite a bit of her first year as the countys top cop winning over the support of her staff and then replacing those who refused to accept the leadership of the countrys first lesbian Latina sheriff. One of her biggest challenges as sheriff was bringing the county jail up to standards. Poor sanitation, an inadequate smoke evacuation system and substandard medical and mental health care plagued Lew Sterrett Justice Center. And the number of guards at the jail fell below a legally mandated guard-to-inmate ratio. In 2010, the jail finally passed state and federal inspection for the first time in years. In 2016, Valdez hit the national stage when she was a prime-time featured speaker at the Democratic National Convention, and rumors that she was planning a run for higher office began to fly. But Valdez remained as sheriff until 2017, when she officially declared her candidacy for governor. At that time, Kate Brown, who identifies as bisexual, had been governor of Oregon since 2015. The countrys only other LGBT governor was New Jersey Gov. Jim McGreevey, who came out in 2004 and immediately resigned from office amid scandal. This year, in addition Valdez here in Texas and Brown, who won her re-election in Oregon, transgender candidate Christine Hallquist ran for governor of Vermont and Jared Polis, who is gay, ran for governor of Colorado. Hallquist lost in Vermont, but in Colorado, Polis made history as the first gay men elected governor of a U.S. state. While Valdez didnt win the governors seat in Texas, her campaign still has some victories to claim: Valdez closed the electoral gap between herself and Abbott by 6 percent compared to the 2014 election when Abbott defeated popular and high-profile Democratic state Sen. Wendy Davis. Valdez got more than 1.7 million more votes than Davis did, and almost 800,000 more votes than Abbott did in his first governors race. In addition to being the first lesbian to run for governor in Texas, she was the first Latina to run for the office. And she was only the fourth woman to receive a major partys nomination for governor in Texas. Had she won, Valdez would have been only the third Catholic governor in Texas Abbott is Catholic, as was Francis Lubbock who served from 1861 to 1863. But Valdez would have been the first Texas governor to have been born Catholic rather than converting after marrying a Catholic. All of those factors figured into making her election a long shot in red Texas. But Valdez addressed that the night she won her runoff against Andrew White, son of former Gov. Mark White: I am constantly hearing this is going to be such an uphill battle, she told a crowd of supporters gathered for her runoff. Please, tell me when I didnt have an uphill battle. Parker said Valdez connected to everyday people across Texas. Lupe is Texas, Parker said. She built bridges. She connected to kids facing their own challenges. Win or lose, she was inspirational. While she doesnt expect Valdez to run another statewide race, she said she hopes she stays engaged, especially with the states growing Spanish-speaking population. She can, Parker predicted, be an amazing bridge-builder with that community. Valdez has been part of the Victory Fund family since her first campaign, and Parker said she expects the former sheriff will remain involved, teaching a new generation of candidates across the country how to run for office. For Equality Texas CEO Chuck Smith, Valdezs story is compelling. Shes who we are as Texans, he said. She demonstrates our grit; our resourcefulness. We persevere through anything. She speaks to many people. And incoming Stonewall Democrats President Brandon Vance called Valdez an inspiration. Her race was great in that way, especially to black and brown children, Vance said, noting that young minority children can look at Valdez and said, I can serve the public. She just did it. Vance said she inspired him to become the first African-American president of Stonewall and to run for public office himself. Most recently, Vance was a candidate in the Dallas City Council District 4 special election in November. Vance also praised Valdez for being openly LGBT, too. Over the years, shes been open about who she is, he said, noting that the first time he met Valdez, he was at the Round-Up Saloon. A friend told Vance, Hey, theres the Dallas County sheriff, and he responded, Whats she doing here? His friend answered, Just enjoying herself with friends. So Vance walked over and introduced himself to the sheriff who was, he said, warm and gracious. Vance said he told her then that she made him proud. Resource Center CEO Cece Cox praised Valdezs gubernatorial campaign for raising visibility. In Texas, its no small feat to run as an openly gay candidate, Cox said. We know she didnt win, but her race was an act of bravery in itself. And, Cox said, Valdez inspired other people to run and be involved during her tenure as sheriff. What I have noticed is that she showed up everywhere, even though she could have played it safe by staying on the sidelines of the LGBT community, Cox said. But a lot of organizations would ask her to do things and she would show up every time, Cox said. She was engaged with the community. There are very few female sheriffs, Cox said. So having an out, elected official in a position traditionally held by a man, that again opens up those doors and conversations and opportunities for people who come after her. Maybe someday well get to a place where sexual orientation doesnt matter, a time when what matters is what kind of person we are and how well we do our jobs. But we arent there yet. Mark Phariss, who ran for a state Senate seat in Far North Dallas and Collin County, called the Valdez campaign historic. I went block walking with her and shes a hard worker, Phariss said. She very savvy. I respect her as a campaigner and like her as a person. I enjoyed spending time with her. Dallas Gay and Lesbian Alliance President Patti Fink said Valdez has given people in the community hope. Shes been elected four times, Fink said. Shes shown you can be LGBT, elected and out. She called Valdez an amazing leader in the past and expects her to continue to be a role model for the LGBT community in the future. The Tuesday deferred to next month the hearing on Maharashtra government's appeal challenging the refusal to extend the 90-day limit for filing charge sheet in the Koregaon-Bhima violence case. The top court, which had asked the state government to submit the "gist" of allegations and the probe report filed against rights activists arrested in the case, took note of the submissions of a senior lawyer, appearing for one of the accused, that the hearing be adjourned. "We cannot hear this today in any case. We have not read the documents, running into 8,000 pages (charge sheet and gist)," a bench headed by told senior lawyer who mentioned the matter and sought adjournment of today's scheduled hearing. The bench suggested that the hearing be adjourned "sine die" (adjournment of proceedings with no date of resumption). Jaising, representing accused Surendra Pundlik Gadling, opposed it saying that all the accused are in jail and let the case be listed for hearing on January 8. "Madam (Jaising), you cannot have both ways!," the bench said, but later assured that a date for hearing would be fixed shortly. Earlier, the apex court had directed the state government to to submit before it by December 8 the "gist" of allegations and the charge sheet filed against arrested rights activists in the case. It had fixed the case for hearing on December 11. The bench had said that it wanted to see the "charges" against the accused, who are in jail since their arrest in June this year. It had also asked the state government to file a detailed report to the allegation that police had foisted another criminal case against Gadling. The top court was hearing an appeal of the state government against a order refusing to extend the time limit of 90 days by another 90 days for filing the probe report in the violence case. ALSO READ: Submit chargesheet of Koregaon-Bhima case by Dec 8: SC to Maharashtra govt The apex court had stayed the order. The had on October 25 moved the apex court challenging the Bombay High Court order by which the extension of time granted to state police to conclude probe in the violence case was set aside. The charge sheet has already been filed by the state police before a local court in the case. The apex court had earlier refused to interfere with the arrest of five rights activists by the in connection with the Koregaon-Bhima violence case and declined to appoint a SIT for probe into their arrest. The Pune Police had arrested lawyer Surendra Gadling, Nagpur University professor Shoma Sen, activist Sudhir Dhawale, activist Mahesh Raut and native Rona Wilson in June for their alleged links with Maoists under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). ALSO READ: Bhima Koregaon violence: Cops file chargesheet in Elgar Parishad case The arrests had followed raids at their residences and offices in connection with the Elgar Parishad conclave held in Pune on December 31 last year, which, the police claimed, had led to violence at Bhima Koregaon the next day. Under the UAPA, a charge sheet must be filed within 90 days of arrest. However, the prosecutor can file a report before the trial court, explaining the reasons for the delay, and seek more time. If satisfied, the court can extend the time by 90 days. In the present case, the Pune sessions court had granted the police the additional 90 days, following an application from the investigating officer (IO) and written submissions by an assistant commissioner of police (ACP). Gadling had challenged this, saying the report and the submissions came from the police, not the prosecutor. Under the Act, the report should be filed by the prosecutor, he said. The petition filed in the top court by the state government said the investigating officer had filed an application in the trial court under his signature giving reasons for extension of time on August 30, 2018. "On the very same day, the public prosecutor submitted her report/application carving out the grounds for extension of time.The public prosecutor, by way of abundant precaution, took signature of the investigating officer. But the High Court was carried away by the fact of signature of the investigating officer and arrived at a conclusion that the report/application was not by the public prosecutor," the plea had said. It had also said that the high court should not have been carried away by the fact of mentioning of names of parties in detail. Probably for the first time, Pakistan has acknowledged that India has stakes in and its cooperation is necessary for the peace process in the war-torn country. Speaking in the Assembly on Monday, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said Pakistan alone could not bring peace in as it was a "shared responsibility" of regional countries. "Prime Minister Imran Khan had said that peace could not be established in through military power. Today the US, Pakistan, Afghanistan and also wanted a solution through dialogue," The Express Tribune quoted Qureshi as saying. "Some meetings have taken place [among key stakeholders] for establishment of peace in Afghanistan. India also has stakes in Afghanistan and its cooperation will also be needed," Qureshi said. The US has indicated that it plans to give a role to India in Afghanistan, whereas Pakistan's stance over the years was quite clear that India had no role to play in Afghanistan. Pakistan perceives India's development contributions in Afghanistan as part of New Delhi's strategic encirclement policy that Islamabad feels would leave it vulnerable in any potential conflict. He said US president Donald Trump in a letter to Prime Minister Khan had asked Pakistan to help and facilitate the peace process in Afghanistan which Qureshi said Pakistan was already doing. Speaking about relations with India, Qureshi expressed the hope that New Delhi will reciprocate Pakistan's goodwill gesture of taking the initiative to open the Kartarpur corridor for Indian Sikh pilgrims. The (BJP) government of India "unwillingly" had to accept the Pakistani offer to open the corridor and they later approved it through a resolution in a Cabinet meeting, he said. Pakistan hopes that India will review its policy in Kashmir, he said. In a bid to boost people-to-people relations with India, will provide visa-on-arrival for Indian tourists, said Tuesday as he began his five-day visit to the country. Kovind's visit to will continue India's high-level engagements with under the rubric of 'Act East Policy' and 'Neighbourhood First Policy'. "Coinciding with Kovind's visit, and to further people-to-people relations, Myanmar has also announced a visa-on-arrival facility for Indian tourists entering the country through the international airports of Nay Pyi Taw, and Mandalay," the president's office tweeted. The President said that residents of India's Northeast region have particularly welcomed and are beginning to reap the benefits of the Land-border Crossing Agreement concluded recently. The landmark Land Border Crossing Agreement between and Myanmar, signed on May 11, 2018, was brought into effect in August with the simultaneous opening of international entry-exit checkpoints at the Tamu-Moreh and the Rihkhawdar-Zowkhawtar border between the two nations. "They look forward to the early conclusion of the Motor Vehicles Agreement," Kovind said. Several agreements are expected to be signed during the President's visit which comes amid China's foray into the southeast Asian country with which it has signed a mega port deal. Prime Minister visited Myanmar last year, while Myanmar's State Counsellor Daw visited in January for the India-ASEAN Commemorative Summit. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Country's largest lender (SBI) Tuesday said extradition of fugitive liquor baron from the UK to India will speed up the recovery of over Rs 90 billion of loans. In a major boost to India's efforts to bring back Mallya, who is wanted for loan default worth around Rs 90 billion to a consortium of 13 banks led by SBI, a UK court Monday ordered his extradition. "It (higher recovery of loans) is a possibility. The message is very loud and clear. What we have to understand is that it (extradition) is a message that you just can't default and run away from the country," SBI chairman Rajnish Kumar told reporters. He said Mallya's extradition will have a deep impact on the overall lender and borrower relationship. "Lending is an important business for both lenders and borrowers as we need investment in the country. But the message is that you have to do clean banking and you have to be very careful about what is the purpose of the money lent," said Kumar. The 62-year-old former boss of now defunct fled to the UK in March 2016. Mallya has been fighting a legal battle against his extradition to India, claiming that he has been falsely dubbed as a defaulter by politicians and media. In a recent tweet, Mallya had offered to pay back the full amount of the principal loan he owed to multiple banks. "The most important point is the public money and I am offering to pay 100 per cent back. I humbly request the banks and government to take it. If payback refused, WHY (sic)," Mallya had said in his tweet. However, Kumar said the bank has not received any formal offer from Mallya for settlement of loans. "SBI is the lead consortium (to loans given to Kingfisher Airlines), and, as of date, we don't have any offer on our table," he said. Kumar further said with Mallya's extradition, the process to extradite Nirav Modi and Mehul Chowksi, wanted in the biggest-ever banking fraud of over Rs 130 billion at state-run Punjab Bank, will also pick up pace. When asked for his response on the surprise resignation of (RBI) governor Urjit Patel, Kumar said, "That is one question which I am not answering." Patel unexpectedly resigned Monday citing 'personal reasons', amid rift between the central bank and government. To a query on whether he sees any relaxation in RBI's February 12 circular on one-day default norms post resignation of Patel, he said, "I don't know whether there will be relaxation or no relaxation. It is very difficult to predict." On the issue of resolution of stressed power companies, Kumar said he expects resolution in six to seven firms. On the issue of promoter's holding in a bank, he said a wider ownership is always preferred. "It is a good thing for Indian financial system to have a diversified ownership rather than a concentrated ownership," said Kumar. Its not known what a new governor at Mint Road does in his first few hours after taking over office, but if as economist Alice Rivlin said, the job of the central bank is to worry, Shaktikanta Das the 25th governer of the Reserve Bank of Indias (RBI) in Mumbai will have plenty of it. Ask Duvvuri Subbarao, former RBI governor, to suggest a way out of the current impasse, and he says: The way forward is to take corrective actions because the credibility of the central bank is important. First of all, the RBIs stated positions on a ... With the entire dispensation caught off guard a day before the results of five Assembly elections were to be out and four days ahead of the RBI board meeting, the government quickly got into action to shortlist the names of suitable candidates for the next governor. ALSO READ: Urjit Patel's quiet exit from Reserve Bank doesn't really help India A source close to the development confirmed that there was ... Dear Reader, Business Standard has always strived hard to provide up-to-date information and commentary on developments that are of interest to you and have wider political and economic implications for the country and the world. Your encouragement and constant feedback on how to improve our offering have only made our resolve and commitment to these ideals stronger. Even during these difficult times arising out of Covid-19, we continue to remain committed to keeping you informed and updated with credible news, authoritative views and incisive commentary on topical issues of relevance. We, however, have a request. As we battle the economic impact of the pandemic, we need your support even more, so that we can continue to offer you more quality content. Our subscription model has seen an encouraging response from many of you, who have subscribed to our online content. More subscription to our online content can only help us achieve the goals of offering you even better and more relevant content. We believe in free, fair and credible journalism. Your support through more subscriptions can help us practise the journalism to which we are committed. Support quality journalism and subscribe to Business Standard. Digital Editor When Shaktikanta Das retired as secretary, Department of Economic Affairs, in May 2017, he got a Rs 1 note from the government with his signature on it as a farewell gift. Das, who was appointed 25th governor of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Tuesday, will now have his signature on all the banknotes that are printed during his three-year tenure. As early as Wednesday, Das is expected to move to the Mint Road corner room, vacated by Urjit Patel after his sudden exit as RBI governor. While theres been much speculation on whether the RBI board meeting scheduled for December ... The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) might have lost the battles in Madhya Pradesh (MP), Chhattisgarh, and Rajasthan, but the war for 2019 still remains. And, the ruling party is most likely to go in for a course correction like it did after losing the Assembly elections in 2015. Failing to win any of the five states, results for which were declared on Tuesday, is a wake-up call for the BJP. The Lok Sabha elections slated 2019 are only four months away. In 2015, the BJP had lost the Assembly elections in Delhi and Bihar. It had forced Prime Minister Narendra Modis ... The AAP's attempt to expand outside Delhi failed again on Tuesday as it drew a blank in assembly polls and the NOTA bagged more votes than the party. In Madhya Pradesh, the AAP fielded 208 candidates and a majority of them had their deposits fortified. Its chief ministerial candidate and Narmada Bachao Andolan member Alok Agarwal bagged 823 votes as against 29,789 garnered by a Congress candidate and 29,396 by a BJP candidate from the Bhopal Dakshin Paschim seat. The counting for the seat was still on. In Chhattisgarh, the party fielded candidates on 85 seats, on 41 in Telangana and on 142 in Rajasthan. The results showed that this was yet another election when the AAP was unable to make a mark outside Delhi. It somehow succeeded in Punjab last year, where it is the principal opposition party but its legislators are at odds with the central leadership. It put up a poor show in Goa last year. The NOTA or none of the above option appeared to have outperformed several political parties, including the AAP and the Samajwadi Party, which contested the assembly polls in the five states, including Mizoram. According to Election Commission's website at 5.45 pm on Tuesday, the NOTA votes ranged as high as 2.1 per cent in Chhattisgarh to a low of 0.5 per cent in Mizoram. AAP's leadership refrained from commenting on the party's performance in the However, Chief Minister said the poll results were an indication that the countdown for the end of the Modi-rule has begun. Party leaders said the AAP did not wholeheartedly participate in the polls and the exercise was undertaken to keep the organisation intact in most of the states. A party leader said the central leadership also did not show interest in other states as it showed in Punjab and Goa in 2017. "We did not project ourselves as the Congress and the BJP did during the polls. We could not match their resources," Agarwal told PTI. Interestingly, Kejriwal last visited Madhya Pradesh in July, Agarwal said. "In Telangana, we contested to make our presence felt and also for our organisation," AAP MLA and the party's Telangana in-charge Somnath Bharti said. In Rajasthan, the AAP had to sort out its internal squabbles. Last year, the party made rebel leader Kumar Vishwas in-charge of the state. He quit the post, alleging that the leadership was not supporting him. The party's affairs in Rajasthan were then handed over to Deepak Bajpai. Results for five assembly elections will be declared today and trends indicate that the BJP may draw a blank as far as majority in any state assembly is concerned. In the three Hindi heartland states where the BJP had been in power, the Congress looks to be on its way to power to Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan while the result in Madhya Pradesh is nothing short of a cliffhanger. Even though the final result is some time away, we can look at the big takeaways from these trends. In the long run, demonetisation was a good thing When it was announced in November, 2016, ... The Congress, which was out of power for 15 years in mineral-rich Chhattisgarh, staged a stunning comeback on Tuesday, courtsey a key promise to waive off bank loans to millions of farmers who were reeling under steep debts. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) bit the dust in its bastion as it refused to honour its commitment to help out farmers in a state which is categorised the rice bowl of the country. And insiders admitted that the arrogance and deep-rooted corruption in the rank and file of the BJP government scripted its crushing defeat. Former Chief Minister Ajit Jogi, who aligned with the BSP and the CPI in a bid to win a few seats to use it as a bargaining chip in the case of a hung Assembly, was left high and dry because of the landslide victory of the Congress. The Congress is expected to win a two-third majority in the 90-member Assembly. With counting over in only one seat, officials said the BJP tally was expected to drop steeply from 49 in the outgoing house to 18 or 19 while the Congress strength would zoom from 39 to 45-50. Analysts say that the Congress promise to write off bank loans of farmers within 10 days of coming to power and give a massive hike in minimum support price (MSP) and slash power tariff up to 50 percent were the prime reasons for the Congress win and the downfall of BJP's longest serving Chief Minister Raman Singh, who began his political career in 1983 as a councillor. Bhupesh Baghel, the Congress prime face for Chief Ministerial candidate and incumbent Pradesh Congress Committee chief, told IANS: "It's a decisive mandate for the Congress to restore quality governance in Chhattisgarh. People wanted change as the BJP fooled every community." He credited the win to the leadership of Congress President Rahul Gandhi. The victory in the Congress has already set off serious competition among five key contenders for the Chief Minister's post. Baghel clearly leads the pack but political pundits are also betting on Rahul Gandhi's blue eyed boy and party's lone Lok Sabha MP from Chhattisgarh Tamradhwaj Sahu, former union Minister Charandas Mahant and scion of erstwhile Surguja royal family T.S. Singhdeo. Raman Singh looked down and out as the results became known. BJP leaders privately conceded defeat. The humiliating defeat of the BJP in a state having 20 percent of India's coal and iron ore reserves is expected to unleash open infighting in the party. A section of powerful leaders led by seasoned politician and cabinet Minister Brijmohan Agrawal were waiting the right time for years to settle scores with Raman Singh. Party insiders say that BJP national General Secretary and Rajya Sabha MP Saroj Pandey is also known as Raman Singh's foe and she was pushing for a long time in party for a change of leadership. With the Congress set to snatch Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh from the BJP and locked in a neck and neck fight with the party in Madhya Pradesh, the challenge from Rahul Gandhi to the Narendra Modi-led government appears more serious than ever before, and is expected to reflect in 2019, say experts. The gains for the Congress in the Hindi heartland states -- exactly a year after Gandhi took charge of the grand old party -- assume significance through the party suffered a severe drubbing in Telangana and Mizoram. The BJP has been in power in the politically crucial states of Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh, which played a key role in the saffron party's spectacular performance in the 2014 polls. The three states have a total of 65 Lok Sabha seats out of which BJP won 62. A good leader must understand the aspirations of people and Gandhi has been learning from his past mistakes, said political analyst Sushila Ramaswamy "It was not that Rahul Gandhi was not prepared before. A good leader must be connected to the people and know what their aspirations are," Ramaswamy, who teaches at Delhi University's Jesus and Mary College, told PTI. The result of the in the three states is likely to help the Congress re-energise party workers, who have been demoralised by a string of electoral defeats in a number of states, including Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Assam. It was the first major electoral fight for Gandhi after he took the reins of the Congress on December 11 last year, and the results are expected to help it take a central role in the "mahagathbandhan" (grand alliance) of opposition parties to take on the Modi-led NDA in 2019. The outcome is also seen as a validation of Gandhi's leadership as he was mocked regularly by the BJP following a string of electoral defeats since the 2014 Lok Sabha polls. "It is a good performance by Rahul Gandhi but it is not a decisive performance. He could have done better in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. The election results will give a boost to opposition's preparations for 2019 polls," said Manisha Priyam of the Centre for Advocacy and Research. According to the political analyst, Gandhi's success as a leader in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls will depend on how he takes along other opposition parties in forming a formidable alliance to take on Modi. "He has taken Modi head on and has been successful in touching base with rural India," Priyam said. The Congress was leading in Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh and appeared to be able to form government on its own in the two states. Madhya Pradesh was witnessing a neck and neck fight with the Congress marginally ahead of the BJP. K Chandrasekhara Rao's Telangana Rashtra Samiti will retain power in Telangana while the Mizo National Front was poised to appearing to wrest power from the Congress in Mizoram. In Priyam's view, the results in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh have punctured the myth that the Modi- combination was invincible. Ramaswamy added that Gandhi's real test will be the Lok Sabha polls, asserting that the credit for victory should also go to state leaders of the Congress. to the five states were seen as a semifinal before the mega parliamentary polls next year. Close to 20 opposition parties are holding talks to form a grand alliance to throw a serious challenge to Modi in upcoming mega fight. "The semifinal proves that BJP is nowhere in all the states. This is a real democratic indication of the 2019 final match. Ultimately, people are always the man of the match' of democracy," said West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee as trends showed that BJP was looking at serious reversals in the polls. Rajasthan lived up to its 25-year-old record of throwing out the incumbent government. However, few had expected the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to put up as spirited a fight as it eventually did, or that the Congress would shoot itself in the foot so grievously in its ticket distribution that it would struggle to reach the majority mark of 100 seats. For months, the word on the street in Rajasthan was that it would yet again throw out the incumbent government, as it has consistently since 1993. People pointed at several reasons, including Chief Minister Vasundhara Rajes ... British Prime Minister Theresa May was making the rounds of European leaders on Tuesday, seeking support for changes to her Brexit deal in a last ditch bid to save it, after calling off a vote that she admitted she was on course to lose. Less than four months until the UK is due to leave the EU on March 29, Brexit was plunged into chaos on Monday when May accepted that British lawmakers would not accept her deal to keep close ties after leaving the EU. That leaves a range of possible outcomes from a chaotic Brexit with no deal, which businesses say would cause an ... A former Canadian diplomat has been detained in China, two sources said on Tuesday, just hours before a top executive at Chinese telecoms giant Huawei Technologies was set to return to a Vancouver courtroom for a bail hearing that has angered Beijing. It was not immediately clear if the cases were related, but Canadian analysts had already predicted China would retaliate after the arrest of Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou at the request of US authorities. The former diplomat is Michael Kovrig. He works for the International Crisis Group, which said it was seeking his prompt and safe ... China and the United States discussed a roadmap for the next stage of their trade talks on Tuesday during a telephone call as a report that China is moving to cut tariffs on American-made cars boosted automakers' shares. US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed at a Dec. 1 meeting in Argentina to a truce that delayed a planned Jan. 1 US increase of tariffs to 25 per cent from 10 per cent on $200 billion worth of Chinese goods. China's commerce ministry said in a statement that Vice Premier Liu He had spoken to US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin ... Climate negotiations at Katowice hit a rough patch with the Africa Group of Nations, representing all African countries boycotted talks at the negotiator level. They did so after the US and other developed countries went back on even the proposals they had agreed to over the first week at Katowice over rules for climate finance and global stocktake under the Paris Agreement. Even as the Polish hosts arranged pairs of ministers to take over talks, the negotiators from 197 countries were tasked to reduce the differences between them till Tuesday evening. But, on Monday evening, ... Britain's parliament will vote on whether to approve Prime Minister Theresa May's Brexit deal before January 21, her spokesman said on Tuesday. May had been due to hold the vote later on Tuesday, but on Monday announced she would defer it and seek extra reassurances from the European Union to make sure it got through parliament. May is looking to resolve the impasse over her deal as quickly as possible and intends to get the assurances she needs from European leaders before Jan. 21, the spokesman told reporters. ALSO READ: A very British protest as anger boils over ... President Emmanuel Macron is leaning on France Inc to help address public anger focused on pay and living costs. Some large companies are heeding his call. After four weeks of sometimes violent protests by a grassroots movement called Yellow Vests that started out as an opposition to a fuel-tax hike before morphing into a catchall for all French anger, Macron on Monday unveiled measures to calm things down. The measures will cost the public coffers as much as $11.4 billion. The president also called on the private sector to do its part, asking that companies that are able to should ... The United States on Tuesday returned the trophy bells taken from the Philippines during the 1901 war after 117 long years. Balangiga bells were ferried to the capital city of Manila and were received by Defence Secretary Delfin Lorenzana at a military base, reported The New York Times. "It has been a very long road home. Many Filipinos and Americans worked tirelessly for decades to make today possible," said Kim, the United States ambassador to the Philippines. In July 2017, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte had firmly asked the US government to return the bells, stating that they reminded Filipinos of how their forefathers resisted American colonisers. "They are ours. They belong to the Philippines. They are part of our national heritage," he had asserted. According to Al Jazeera, Duterte will lead their reinstallation in Balangiga in a ceremony later in the week in an effort to reaffirm the two countries' ties. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Alleged middleman in Central Bureau of Investigation's (CBI) bribery case, Manoj Prasad on Tuesday refuted all claims made by Satish Sana in his complaint and asserted that he has 'never-ever' met CBI Special Director Rakesh Asthana. Earlier, Satish Sana, who is facing a CBI probe in a corruption case involving meat exporter Moin Qureshi, had alleged to have met Manoj Prasad in Dubai, who had informed him about having 'very good connection' in CBI and assured him of helping in the case through his brother Somesh Prasad. However on Tuesday, Prasad claimed all of it was a lie and 'completely fabricated'. Replying to questions from mediapersons, Prasad, while appearing in Delhi's Patiala house court on Tuesday, said: "It is all a lie. Everything is fabricated. Whatever they have claimed, nothing such happened. I have never taken money and have never-ever met Asthana. I don't know who Asthana is." On being asked as to who he thinks is behind this, or if it is a conspiracy, Prasad said: "Let the investigation find the source." On a question whether he is satisfied with the probe, Prasad said: "Not at all, I am suffering." He, however, confirmed to have known Sana for a decade, though claiming that he has nothing but only lies in his complaint. "It is all lie; I have never taken any penny from him. Satish Sana has lied. I have known him for 10 years, doing business with him, so there is a business relationship, nothing more than that. I don't know how Rakesh Asthana looks like, I have never met him," reiterated Prasad. Sana's complaint was received by CBI on October 15 and an official FIR against Asthana was registered on October 21. Prasad was arrested on October 17 by the CBI for allegedly seeking Rs 5 crore from a Hyderabad businessman Satish Sana for getting him relief from the CBI's summons. Complainant Sana, in his letter to the Director of CBI had alleged that Manoj Prasad's brother, Somesh Prasad asked him to pay an amount of Rs 5 crore to get favour in the case from a CBI officer. The complainant had further claimed that upon query about CBI officer to which Somesh was speaking, he showed him a WhatsApp profile picture of his contact which reportedly was of Special Director Asthana. Thereafter, the complainant alleged to have paid a sum of 2.95 crore to Somesh Prasad and one of his accomplice in two instalments. Sana, had also alleged of later confronting Manoj Prasad about the previous payment and the promise of relief in the case, on which Prasad reportedly informed him that 'he had to pay the balance amount of Rs 2 crore to avoid issuance of further notices from CBI and get full relief from CBI'. Meanwhile, in a latest development in the case, earlier on Tuesday, Sana has been asked to join the CBI investigation on December 17 at 10 am, after he had missed a few summons. Sana had on Monday approached Delhi High Court seeking protection from arrest. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Balochistan is a victim of Pakistan's nuclear proliferation activities, said Naela Quadri Baloch, an activist for Baloch rights, who led a protest here on 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. "Balochistan is a victim of nuclear proliferation activities of Pakistan and Iran while the early phase of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) has directly victimised 1,00,000 people in the region," she said. Braving rain and freezing temperature, the Baloch community held a protest camp in British Columbia in support of Voice of Baloch Missing Persons (VBMP) against enforced disappearances of 40,000 Baloch people, including women and children, by the armed forces of Pakistan and Iran, said a press release. "Balochs are facing genocide. Being a Baloch is a crime in Pakistan and Iran. Every day, Balochs including women and children are targeted by the state armed forces. Every day, we get many new pains of abductions, rape, torture and mutilated bodies without organs," Naela said. "Balochistan is a victim of nuclear proliferation activities of Iran and Pakistan, resulting in safety threats, drought, extinction of wild species, food and water scarcity and displacements," Naela said while holding her 9-month-old granddaughter, Gul Zarina Quadri Baloch while protesting. "Around 1,00,000 people are directly victimised by the early phase of CPEC that includes forceful abductions, kill and dump, torture and rape as tool of colonising, stoppage of water supply and fishing routes for indigenous people, demolishing and setting on fire the whole populations from the sites of CPEC," she further stated while appealing to the United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres for an urgent intervention to save Baloch people. Protestors distributed copies of an open letter to the UN Secretary-General, which appeals for urgent intervention in Balochistan to rescue Baloch people. Youth at the Art Gallery, Vancouver, stood in solidarity with the Baloch people and held banners at the protest. The protestors also shed light on the Baloch Voice Association, led by Muneer Mengal, which has continuously raised concerns on the situation of enforced disappearances in United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) for years, only for their pleas to fall on deaf ears. VBMP continues to hold protests which have now lasted 4,000 days for the release of 40,000 enforced disappeared Balochs. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Early trends in Rajasthan show a neck and neck fight between main contenders- the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) and Congress. Election Commission (EC) trends reflect Congress leading on 25 seats, while BJP is ahead on 23. Before the counting began, incumbent Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje offered prayers at at Tripura Sundari Temple in Udaipur. Bhartiya Janata Party's (BJP) Raje is vying for a majority on the 199 out of 200 seats that went to polls on December 7. Congress members, in a show of confidence, have brought firecrackers to their Jaipur party office. They also celebrated outside state party president Sachin Pilot's residence in Jaipur as he is leading from Tonk constituency, as per early figures. The Election Commission of India had set up as many as 52,000 polling booths, including at least one all- women booth in each constituency of the state for the smooth and peaceful voting experience. A total of 2,274 candidates including 187 women were in the fray for 199 Assembly seats. Raje, who also served as the chief minister from 2003 to 2008, is looking at retaining power in the state for the third consecutive time. The tenure of Rajasthan assembly will end on January 20, 2019. The main contenders are Raje's BJP and the Indian Congress. However, the Aam Aadmi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party are also contesting along with several other political quarters. Along with Rajasthan, the results of the other four states Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Telangana and Mizoram will also be announced today. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A Delhi court on Tuesday granted the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) access to the handwriting and signature of Christian Michel, the alleged middleman in the Rs 3,600 crore AgustaWestland VVIP chopper scam. Raising concerns, Michel's lawyer Aljo Joseph told the CBI special court that samples should be "sent to the right place," which was objected to by the CBI lawyer, who said that Joseph's concerns question the integrity of the institution. Michel's counsel also pleaded the court to allow him to speak with his step-brother, a barrister, which the CBI counsel strongly objected to. The court declined the request owing to the step-brother's suspected involvement in the scam, and allowed Michel to only speak with his wife and children. The court also specified that the medium of conversation will be English and all conversations will be held over a loudspeaker. On Monday, the CBI special court had extended Michel's custody by five days before approving the British High Commission's request for consular access to Michel. Michel, the alleged middleman in the AgustaWestland case, was extradited to India on December 4 after the Dubai Cassation Court approved his extradition on November 19. The Rs 3,600 crore AgustaWestland VVIP helicopter deal, finalised during former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's tenure, was mired in allegations of kickbacks. The 54-year-old Michel is an accused in the case along with former India's Air Chief Marshal SP Tyagi among others. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) New Delhi, Dec 11 (ANI) A project to boost tourism in Tamil Nadu will be funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to the tune of $31 million (about Rs 222.84 crore). An agreement in this regard was signed here on Tuesday between the government of India and ADB. After the signing of the loan, Additional Secretary of the Department of Economic Affairs, Sameer Kumar Khare, said that the project is expected to improve tourism infrastructure in Tamil Nadu and help the state in preserving its natural and cultural heritage. The activities under the project would also boost economic opportunities for the local people, he added. The loan was signed for Infrastructure Development Investment Program for Tourism (IDIPT), which aims to build opportunities for local communities and boost the local economy by enhancing tourism in three other states - Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand- besides Tamil Nadu. "This will be achieved through developing and preserving sites of natural and cultural heritage, and building connectivity, capacity, and infrastructure around State tourist sites. The project will support the conservation and restoration of eight heritage monuments, one museum, three temples, and a pond. It will build various facilities at the sites, including information centers, rest centers, and toilet blocks, with facilities served by solar-powered lighting and energy-efficient lighting," a statement issued by the Ministry of Finance read. The total cost of the project is USD 44.04 million, of which the government will provide USD 13.04 million. The estimated completion date is June 2020. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) One CRPF jawan has been critically injured in an improvised explosive device (IED) blast in Chintagupha region here on Tuesday. The IED blast occurred while the troops of 150 Battalion of CRPF were out for area domination duty. The evacuation process is underway. Further details are awaited. In a similar incident on November 27, a District Reserve Guard (DRG) jawan sustained injuries in an IED blast in the Minpa forest area here. The explosion took place when the troops of 206 CoBRA and DRG were returning to their base camp in Chintagupha region. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) After President Donald Trump announced on 20 October that the USA was considering pulling out of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty -- a voluntary agreement between Russia and the USA signed by Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev -- the Chinese Foreign Ministry warned of "many negative effects". Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying commented: "We hope that the relevant country can cherish the hard-won outcomes achieved over the years, prudently and properly handle the issues related to the treaty through dialogue and consultation, and think twice before withdrawing." She added: "China has always adhered to the defensive nature of its national defence policy and protects its own state interests. China will not tolerate any blackmail from any country." These were interesting comments from a country that is not party to the INF Treaty. Yet Beijing is right to weigh in on the issue, because any abandonment of the treaty is extremely pertinent to China. Indeed, Adam Ni, a visiting fellow at the Strategic and Defence Studies Centre of the Australian National University in Canberra, confirmed to ANI that because China is not a signatory to the INF Treaty, this has enabled it to "rapidly develop its conventional and nuclear missile forces for decades". In China the People's Liberation Army (PLA) has taken full advantage of Moscow's and Washington's voluntary self-restrictions by creating an enormous arsenal of short-range (SRBM), medium-range (MRBM) and intermediate-range ballistic missiles (IRBM). Among these classes are the PLA Rocket Force's (PLARF) DF-11, DF-15, DF-16, DF-21 and DF-26 missile. The DF-21 family includes the DF-21D anti-ship ballistic missile, while the DF-26 can carry either conventional or nuclear warheads and it puts American military bases as far away as Guam within easy reach. Under no illusions, Ni warned that "Russia is a sideshow" and that the "real action" is against China in terms of Trump's proposed withdrawal from the INF Treaty. He noted that SRBMs to IRBMs "are key tools for China to raise the risk of US military intervention in Asia against China, such as in a Taiwan scenario or over the South China Sea". Both of these are hotspots and the focal point for Sino-US tensions, with the PLARF's missile arsenal posing a serious disincentive for the US military to do anything too provocative. The Australia-based academic elaborated, "This means that China is placed at an advantage in Asia-Pacific vis-a-vis the Americans when it comes to intermediate-range missiles. The US, bound by the treaty, is unable to deploy intermediate-range nuclear and conventional ground-launched ballistic and cruise missiles. China's anti-access/area denial (A2/AD) strategy is made more effective for the lack of equivalent US missile forces to hold Chinese targets at risk." Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on December 4, that it would give Moscow 60 days to desist from any testing that it deems in breach of the treaty. The USA is particularly concerned about the 2,500km-range SSC-8 cruise missile, believed to be a ground-launched version of the Kalibr weapon, and the RS-26 ballistic missile. Although the latter is supposed to be an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) with a beyond-5,500km range, it has been test-fired at ranges of around 2,000km. Trump had noted, "Unless Russia comes to us and China comes to us and they all come to us and say, 'Let's really get smart and let's none of us develop those weapons.' But if Russia's doing it and if China's doing it and we're adhering to the agreement, that's unacceptable." The INF Treaty was signed in 1987, preventing the USA and Russia from possessing, producing or testing nuclear-tipped ballistic missiles and conventional cruise missiles with a range of anywhere from 500km to 5,500km, which encompasses short ranges to intermediate ranges. Admiral Harry Harris, former head of the US military's Pacific Command and now the US ambassador to South Korea, claimed in a testimony that the PLARF has "the largest and most diverse missile force in the world, with an inventory of more than 2,000 ballistic and cruise missiles". He alleged that 95% of these missiles would violate INF Treaty regulations if China had been a signatory. Ni outlined for ANI the broader background: "I think the key reason for a potential US withdraw would be Washington's view of strategic competition in the Asia-Pacific against China. For many years now, US strategists and policymakers have argued that the INF Treaty hinders US military strategy against China in the Asia-Pacific." "Rising US-China strategic competition and the rapid modernisation of Chinese military capabilities gives added impetus for the US to rethink the efficacy of the INF Treaty," Ni shared. Beijing knows that an American pullout from the treaty will directly impinge upon the current military balance in Asia. Ni pointed out the impact: "The key implication for China.is that its A2/AD strategy would be less effective, and that its military power projection would be constrained within the disadvantageous confines of the First Island Chain." Apart from brusque statements from the Foreign Ministry, what other reactions might we expect from China? Gazing into his crystal ball, Ni predicted: "Beijing is likely to respond to potential US deployments through accelerating the modernization of capabilities required to ensure local superiority, such as missile and information warfare systems. If that happens, we should expect a marked rise in China's conventional missile arsenal." Deeper questions also need to be asked what the USA gains from deliberately spurning the INF Treaty. For example, is Washington DC likely to introduce new types of short- and intermediate-range missiles that could target China? Certainly, new missiles that possess different ranges gives the US more regional strike options, but it already has numerous capabilities at its disposal from submarines, warships and aircraft. The Tomahawk cruise missile and AGM-86 Air-Launched Cruise Missile (ALCM) are already available, with the latter soon be replaced by the Long Range Stand Off (LRSO) Weapon. Developing new ballistic missiles is an expensive business, although the US has the knowhow and military industry to rapidly develop and produce such missiles that were formerly banned. An advantage of potentially deploying such land-based missile systems in Asia, to Guam for example, would reduce US reliance on major naval assets such as aircraft carriers and submarines in a US Navy fleet that is stretched thin. "This would also add to the US ability to hold targets in China and in the region at risk,' Ni explained. He elaborated: "If the USA withdraws, we are likely to see moves to deploy intermediate-range land-based missile systems to Asia. This will take many years to pan out. Negotiations between the US and its allies for potential deployments of land-based missile systems would be required. Potential candidates include Japan, the Philippines, Australia and Guam." At this point, however, there may be little stomach in countries around Asia to house US ballistic missiles, especially when China can already blanket these territories with its own arsenal of weapons. The Philippines, for example, is in China's pocket, and such a thought would be anathema to the current president. South Korea has already tasted the ire of China after it agreed to allow the US Army to deploy a Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery to its territory. That permission resulted in a bitter feud that hit South Korean businesses hard. Seoul is concerned almost exclusively about the North Korean missile threat, so any decision to base American ballistic missiles there is a nonstarter. There are two countries that could benefit from regional deployments of new US missiles, however, and those are Taiwan and Japan. Ni elaborated, "If potential deployments end up in Japan, then China is going to find it harder to coerce Japan without an added risk of escalation. This is also an opportunity to renew and deepen the US-Japan alliance in the face of China's rise." However, Japan has had a very strong anti-pacifist bent since the end of War II, and there would be massive anger amongst the populace about any efforts to base new nuclear weapons on the island nation. "For Taiwan, it would mean that the USA would have a cheaper and less risky tool at its disposal to respond against China in a Taiwan scenario. It would no longer have to risk its forces directly, but punish potential Chinese aggression through missile strikes against the Chinese mainland," Ni said. Interestingly, Asian allies of the US have remained largely silent on the issue of the INF Treaty. The sudden announcement by Trump would not have helped the levels of trust that some Asian countries have in the US administration. The bottom line is that any American move to deploy new ground-based ballistic missiles in Asia would be hugely contentious and would result in acerbic pushback from China at levels hitherto unseen. Indeed, some argue that Washington is therefore making a mistake by threatening to leave the INF Treaty. Not only will a withdrawal enable Russia to saturate Europe with missiles it has already developed, but it will also gain few new opportunities for itself in the Asian theatre. To date, there has been no indication that the USA will try to create a replacement treaty for the INF Treaty, one that would include China, for instance. It is unimaginable that Beijing would willingly submit to any such treaty, especially when it has worked so hard to build up an advantage in these categories of missiles. It poses a considerable threat to US naval shipping, so there is no conceivable reason why Beijing would throw that away when the USA has no bargaining power over it. The final question to ask is what impact a US withdrawal from the treaty will have in the short term. The Australian National University fellow concluded: "I think the US force posture will improve in Asia in the short term if such deployments were to happen. This, however, would drive Chinese renewed effort at pulling back the advantage." However, major question marks remain over what advantage intermediate-range nuclear forces would give the USA in Asia, especially when it does not really have anywhere to put them. It might therefore only result in more money being poured into missile programs that are not needed, at the expense of other more important areas of defence spending. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) After witnessing volatility through the day, the Sensex on Tuesday closed after trading up 190.29 points at 35150.01, while the Nifty soared 60.70 points at 10549.20. After witnessing a sharp fall of 482.68 points in the opening trade, the Sensex gained positivity and advanced in total of 1623 shares, against a decline of 771 shares, while 139 shares were unchanged. Amongst sectors, pharmaceuticals, PSU banks, consumption, IT and automobiles, among others, were big gainers. On the other hand, shares such as Yes Bank and Sun Pharma were the top gainers, while HDFC Bank, Bharti Airtel, HPCL and IOC lost on charts. The plunge in the market comes on a day when the ruling BJP's performance in the Assembly elections painted a dismal picture for the party. Election trends during the market closing signaled chances of government formation for Congress in the three major states that went to polls- Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh. Earlier on Monday, RBI Governor Urjit Patel stepped down just ahead of the scheduled meeting of the RBI board on December 14th to consider proposals like RBI governance and providing liquidity for Non Banking Financial Companies (NBFC's). The central bank chief announced step owing to some personal reasons. "I have decided to step down from my current position, effective immediately," he said in a statement. "It has been my privilege and honor to serve in the Reserve Bank of India in various capacities over the years," he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Congress appeared set to dislodge the BJP from power in Rajasthan on Monday as the party won 2 seats and was leading at 100 others. The ruling BJP won 4 seats and was leading at 65 others, according to the latest trends available from the Assembly results. Among others, CPI(M) was leading at 2 seats, BSP at 5 seats, RLD at one seat and Independents were leading at 12 seats. In the 200-member Rajasthan Assembly, the majority mark is 101. Despite appearing to be in a position to form the government in Rajasthan, the Congress has initiated talks with other parties and Independents for a possible alliance. Sachin Pilot, a front runner for Chief Ministership, said the party is confident of getting a majority but is still in touch with "like-minded and anti-BJP parties". "We are moving towards a full majority and I am sure it will be clear once final numbers are in. Still we welcome all like-minded and anti-BJP parties to support us and we are in touch," the state Congress president said. Pilot said the people have rejected Prime Minister Narendra Modi's campaign speeches and BJP President Amit Shah's ways of working. "Anybody who is winning, we will talk to them to get their support," he said. Echoing similar thoughts, former chief minister and senior party leader, Ashok Gehlot also urged Independents to join hands with Congress. Gehlot is another front-runner for the top post. "Congress has won the mandate. Numbers can go up and down but public mandate is in favour of Congress. We will get clear majority. Still we would want independent candidates and parties other than BJP to support us if they want," Gehlot stated. Of the total 200 Assembly seats, election was held at 199 seats and not on one because of the demise of a candidate. Before the counting began, Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje offered prayers at the Tripura Sundari Temple in Udaipur. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Digvijaya Singh on Tuesday expressed confidence that the Congress party will form the government in Madhya Pradesh, as counting for the state assembly elections went underway along with Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Telangana and Mizoram. "It's too early. Anything can be said only after 12 pm. Leads of only postal ballots have come till now. I am confident that in Madhya Pradesh, Congress will form government," Singh told ANI. Singh served as the chief minister of Madhya Pradesh for two terms from 1993 to 2003. Rahul Gandhi-led Congress party is hoping to make a comeback after the party lost the polls to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the central state. The senior Congress party leader also expressed hope that his party will also emerge victorious in other states as well. "We have favourable situation in Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh also," Singh added. Madhya Pradesh, with 230 assembly seats, witnessed a high decibel campaign for the poll, which remained a direct battle of ballots between the ruling BJP and the Congress. Most exit polls suggest that the Congress party has an edge over the BJP in Madhya Pradesh, which went to polls on November 28. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Congress on Tuesday appeared set to snatch the reins of power from the three-term BJP government in Chhattisgarh, as the the Opposition party was poised for a sweep. The Congress was leading at 59 of the 90 seats, leaving the BJP way behind with 17, according to the last figures available. Raman Singh, Chief Minister since 2003, was leading from Rajnandgaon after initially trailing for a brief period. The two-phased Assembly Elections in the state were held on November 12 and 20. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Uttar Pradesh Police has said that (BJP) Pratyushmani Tripathi, who was allegedly stabbed to death by unknown miscreants on December 3 in Lucknow, had allegedly staged the attack on himself. The police said that Tripathi planned the attack to make a strong case against some people he had a dispute with. Police have arrested five persons in connection with the murder on the basis of call records and CCTV footages and claimed that they are known to the deceased. According to the Superintendent of Police (SP) Lucknow, Harender Kumar those arrested have confessed to their crime. The accused have been identified as Anil Kumar, Ashish, Mahendra Gupta, Prabhat Kumar and Amit Awasthi. "Five persons have been arrested and they have confessed to their crime. They are not the ones named in the FIR by his wife. Tripathi had a scuffle with the two persons named in FIR by his wife on November 25," said SP Kumar. "Those named by his wife were not seen in the CCTV footages and neither their location was traced at the murder spot," he added. The police official further said that both the parties had filed FIR against each other on November 25. "Tripathi wanted to make a strong case against his opponent so that he doesn't get a bail and hence he staged the attack on himself. But the knife damaged his vital parts resulting in his death," added the official. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister declared a compensation of Rs 1 million for the wife and children of the deceased Seems like The Duchess of Sussex doesn't want to abide by rules of The Royals! Meghan Markle, who made an unannounced appearance at the British Fashion Awards held at Royal Albert Hall in London on Monday, seems to have broken another royal protocol by wearing dark nail paint. According to Vogue Australia, wearing a nail colour darker than Queen's favourite pink or a nude shade is an unofficial offense. Although the rule has never officially been confirmed as a strict order, but nonetheless, no other royal ladies have openly decided to ignore them in years. Meghan, who looked ethereal in a one-shoulder black silk Givenchy gown, delved into a whole other spectrum of maroon nail colour, probably to match her dress. She complimented her look with a sleek bun and golden heels and bracelets. Since the announcement of her engagement to Prince Harry, Meghan has generally followed this rule at various events. But, this is not the first time Meghan ditched the rules. Back in July, she debuted a dusky pink sleeveless trench on a visit to the Nelson Mandela Centenary Exhibit at London's Southbank Centre with her husband. Also, Meghan had a fashion faux pas on her six-day royal tour of Australia and South Pacific. She accidentally left the tag at the bottom of her self-portrait dress which read "Returns will only be accepted if this tag remains attached". The royal couple, who got married at Windsor Castle's St. George's Chapel on May 19, is also expecting their first child in 2019. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Economist Dr Surjit S Bhalla on Tuesday announced that he has resigned as a part-time member of EAC-PM (Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister). Bhalla, who was amongst the economists who had hailed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for demonetisation in 2016, was appointed to EAC-PM last year. "I resigned as part-time member PMEAC on December 1st," Bhalla informed on Twitter. He was appointed as a member of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Economic Advisory Council in 2017, soon after it was formed. Bhalla has several feathers on his cap. He is a senior India analyst for New York-based macroeconomic policy advisory firm- the Observatory Group, besides being a Chairman of Oxus Research and Investments. He served as executive director of the Policy Group, India's first non-government funded think tank. Since 1999, he has been on the governing board of India's largest think tank, National Council of Applied Economic Research. According to the information on EAC-PM's website, Bhalla has worked as a research economist at the Rand Corporation, the Brookings Institution, and at both the research and treasury departments of the World Bank, and as a consultant to Warburg Pincus. He has also worked on Wall Street in Deutsche Bank and Goldman Sachs. He called the note-ban as a bold step by the Centre. When Prime Minister Modi revived EAC-PM in September 2017, Bhalla was inducted as one of its members. The role of the EAC- PM is to "analyse issues, economic or otherwise, referred to it by the Prime Minister and advising him thereon," according to the information on its website. It also addresses issues of macroeconomic importance and presents views thereon to the Prime Minister. "This could be either suo-motu or on reference from the Prime Minister or anyone else," states its official website. The economic body is headed by Dr. Bibek Debroy, who is also a member of the NITI Aayog. The news of Bhalla's resignation came a day after Urjit Patel stepped down as the governor of the RBI. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) With the (BJP) heading towards losses in all five state assemblies that went to polls recently, a number of opposition leaders have expressed their delight over the same. Addressing the media, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) chief MK stressed on the impact of the on the 2019 General "Before Parliament election, the polls in five states show it was a mini-parliamentary election. My greetings to all the winning parties," said. Stalin's sister Kanimozhi tweeted: "The much promised #AccheDin #GoodDay has finally arrived. @RahulGandhi". Meanwhile, Makkal Needhi Maiam chief said that the results were "The first sign of the new beginning". "This is the judgment of the people," the actor tweeted. Delhi Chief Minister Aravind Kejriwal also took to Twitter and said the countdown for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's reign to end has begun. "Modi raj ki ulti ginti shuru ho gayi," Kejriwal tweeted. (RJD) leader also revelled in the BJP's failures ahead of the 2019 General Elections, saying, "This is a victory of the public and democracy. The public saw how the government institutions were threatened, the manner in which people have indulged in 'jumlebaazi'. The public is angry with this tyranny". He further expressed gratitude towards the people of the states which ousted governments from power. "I thank people of Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and for the way they have voted against this tyranny. I think this was needed; it was needed to teach a lesson to those people who indulge in 'jumlebaazi'. It's just the beginning, people will give them a true reply in 2019," Tejashwi said. While the Telangana Rashtriya Samiti (TRS) and the Mizo National Front (MNF) registered thumping victories in Telangana and Mizoram, respectively, the is on the verge of replacing governments in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Chhattisgarh. A convoy of Afghan security forces was targeted by a suicide bomber in Paghman district in west Kabul on Tuesday morning in which four persons were killed. Ministry of Interior spokesperson Najib Danish said the explosion took place in Bala Chinar area in Paghman district at around 9.20 am while a convoy of security forces was passing through the area. "It is still not clear whether the attacker was on foot or driving a vehicle," he told Al-Jazeera. Taliban has claimed the responsibility for the suicide blast. The attack comes hours after an overnight assault was carried out by Taliban fighters on a checkpoint in Arghistan, a district in southern Kandahar province. According to the provincial media office, at least eight police officers were killed in the attack. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Free Balochistan Movement (FBM) held several simultaneous protests and awareness campaign in London, Germany, Netherlands, USA, Canada and Austria on December 10 to mark the 'International Human Rights Day'. The FBM activists distributed several thousand leaflets during their three-day campaign in Germany's Braunschweig city asserting that Baloch people are facing torture, abductions, mass executions and military operations among other human rights abuses and violations. In a nutshell, Baloch people face state genocidal policies from Pakistan and Iran just because they own a land rich in resources. "Today we are marking the day in Germany and many other countries simultaneously as the 'International Human Rights Day' declared by the United Nations in 1948, the same year when Pakistan occupied Balochistan. Since then, Balochistan is struggling for their basic right of freedom and liberty but it is sad to see the Baloch voice has always been unnoticed and unheard," the FBM activists highlighted. They Baloch activists have urged all free-born human beings to come forward, raise voices and fulfil their moral responsibilities, so that "we, Baloch, also avail our right to live free and get rid of the inhuman treatment from ruthless Islamic fanatics who are also responsible for terrorising the " The enforced disappearances are an urgent issue in Balochistan. The Pakistani army and security forces have abducted and disappeared, at least 20,000 Baloch political and human rights activists since 2000. So far mutilated bodies of about 6000 of these victims have been discovered in different parts of Balochistan. In London, the FBM activist though a letter informed Amnesty International that enforced disappearances of Baloch political and human rights activists are not a new occurrence. The Punjabi army of Pakistan illegally occupied the independent state of Balochistan in March 1948. "To this day, Pakistan has carried out five major military operations in Balochistan. As a result of which thousands of Baloch have been killed, disappeared and over a million have been displaced. The policy of abduction, torture, rape, and killing of Baloch women and children in Balochistan started with illegal occupation of Balochistan by Pakistan army. Targeting Baloch women and children has been a chief policy of Pakistan to pressurise the Baloch political and human rights activists to stop their activities for independence and for the Baloch freedom fighters to hand themselves into the Pakistani army," the speakers explained. The participants said that for the recovery of their loved ones, the Baloch families have organised the longest march in human history from Shal, the capital city in eastern Balochistan, to Islamabad capital city of Pakistan about 3000 kilometres in 2013. These families have also been sitting in from Quetta Press Club for more than 3400 Days. "East Balochistan is under total military occupation of Pakistan and all news about Balochistan is controlled by the Pakistani army. There is no independent media, reporter or a human rights organisation in Balochistan," Baloch leader Shahzavar Baloch said. The FBM activists have urged Amnesty International and other Human Rights activists to take a few steps for ending enforced-disappearance in Balochistan. They have demanded a formation of an independent committee comprising the representatives of the UN, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Asian Human Rights Commission, Red Cross, Independent academics and Baloch representatives to investigate and report openly all cases of Baloch abducted and disappeared persons by the Islamic State of Pakistan. The Baloch activists also require free access to all independent media to every corner of Balochistan to reveal the true situation and to report actual facts about Balochistan to the They also sought for an immediate release of all abducted Baloch political and human rights activists, especially innocent Baloch women and children. Lastly, they also demanded an identification and prosecution of all members of the Punjabi army of Pakistan and their proxies who have committed crimes against humanity in Balochistan in an open and independent court. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Six images showing the host galaxy of the newly discovered supernova ASASSN-18bt. The top row shows three images from before the explosion taken by Pan-STARRS, ASAS-SN, and Kepler. The bottom row shows images from ASAS-SN and Kepler after the supernova was visible. The discovery image from the ASAS-SN team is in the bottom middle. To its left is a version with all the surrounding stars eliminated, showing only the new supernova's light output. On the bottom right is a Kepler image from after the supernova was detected. Kepler's precision was crucial to understanding the light from ASASSN_18bt in the early hours after the explosion. A supernova discovered by an international group of astronomers including Carnegie's Tom Holoien and Maria Drout, and led by University of Hawaii's Ben Shappee, provides an unprecedented look at the first moments of a violent stellar explosion. The light from the explosion's first hours showed an unexpected pattern, which Carnegie's Anthony Piro analyzed to reveal that the genesis of these phenomena is even more mysterious than previously thought. Their findings are published in a trio of papers in The Astrophysical Journal and The Astrophysical Journal Letters. Type Ia supernovae are fundamental to our understanding of the cosmos. Their nuclear furnaces are crucial for generating many of the elements around us, and they are used as cosmic rulers to measure distances across the universe. Despite their importance, the actual mechanism that triggers a Type Ia supernova explosion has remained elusive for decades. That's why catching them in the act is crucial. Astronomers have long tried to get detailed data at the initial moments of these explosions, with the hope of figuring out how these phenomena are triggered. This finally happened in February of this year with the discovery of a Type Ia supernova called ASASSN-18bt (also known as SN 2018oh). ASASSN-18bt was discovered by the All-Sky Automated Survey for Supernovae (ASAS-SN), an international network of telescopes headquartered at the Ohio State University that routinely scans the sky for supernovae and other cosmic explosions. NASA's Kepler space telescope was simultaneously able to take complementary data of this event. Kepler was designed to be incredibly sensitive to small changes in light for its mission of detecting extrasolar planets, so it was able to obtain especially detailed information about the explosion's genesis. "ASASSN-18bt is the nearest and brightest supernova yet observed by Kepler, so it offered an excellent opportunity to test the predominant theories of supernova formation," said Shappee, who is lead author on the on the discovery and early time light curve paperand one of our Carnegie alumni. Combining data from ASAS-SN, Kepler, and telescopes around the world, the astronomers realized that ASASSN-18bt looked unusual during its first couple of days. "Many supernovae show a gradual increase in the light they put out," said Drout, who is jointly appointed at the University of Toronto. "But for this event, you could clearly see there's something unusual and exciting happening in the early times--an unexpected additional emission." Type Ia supernovae originate from the thermonuclear explosion of a white dwarf star--the dead core left over by a Sun-like star after it exhausts its nuclear fuel. Material must be added to the white dwarf from a companion star to trigger the explosion, but the nature of the companion star and how the fuel is transferred has long been debated. One possibility is that this additional light seen during the supernova's early times could be from the exploding white dwarf colliding with the companion star. Although this was the initial hypothesis, detailed comparisons with Piro's theoretical modeling work demonstrated that this additional light may have a different, unexplained origin. "While the steep increase in ASASSN-18bt's early brightness could indicate that the explosion collides with another star, our follow-up data don't fit predictions for how this should look," Holoien said. "Other possibilities, such as an unusual distribution of radioactive material in the exploded star, are a better explanation for what we saw. More observations of ASASSN-18bt and more early discoveries like this one will hopefully help us differentiate between different models and better understand the origins of these explosions." "Nature is always finding new ways to surprise us, and unique observations like this are great for motivating creative new approaches to how we think about these explosions, "added Piro. "As a theorist at the Carnegie Observatories, it's so helpful and inspiring to be right near the observers who are making these key measurements." This supports a hypothesis put forward in recent work from the Carnegie Supernova Project, led by Maximilian Stritzinger ofAarhus University and co-led by Shappee and Piro, that there may be two distinct populations of Type Ia supernovae--those that show early emission and those that do not. Thanks to ASAS-SN and the next generation of surveys that are now monitoring the sky every night, astronomers will find even more new supernovae and catch them at the moment of explosion. As more of these events are found and studied, they will hopefully home in on the solution to the longstanding mystery of how these stellar explosions originate. ### The researchers were supported by a NASA Hubble Fellowship, the Villum Foundation, the U.S. National Science Foundation, the NSFC, the Research Corporation, NASA, the David G. Price Fellowship for Astronomical Instrumentation, the Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for All Sky Astrophysics in 3 Dimensions, a sabbatical grant from Aarhus University's Faculty of Science & Technology, the Gordon & Betty Moore Fation, the Heising-Simons Foundation, the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, and the David and Lucile Packard Foundation. This work was made possible by the use of the AAVSO Photometric All-Sky Survey, funded by the Robert Martin Ayers Sciences Fund. ASAS-SN is supported by the Bordon and Betty Moore Foundation and the NSF. This research made use of the NASA/IPAC Extragalactic Database, which is operated by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Caltech, under contract with NASA. This research has made use of NASA's Astrophysics Data System Bibliographic Services. IRAF is distributed by the National Optical Astronomy Observatory, which is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy under a cooperative agreement with the NSF. Pan-STARRS (PS1) is supported in part by NASA. The Dark Energy Camera (DECam), which was constructed by the Dark Energy Survey (DES) collaboration. Funding for the DES Projects has been provided by DOE, NSF, MISE, STFC, HEFCE, NCSA, KICP, CCAPP, MIFPA, CNPQ, FAPERJ, FINEP, MINECO, DFG, and the collaborating institutions in the Dark Energy Survey,. Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory, National Optical Astronomy Observatory is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA) under a cooperative agreement with the National Science Foundation. The Carnegie Institution for Science (carnegiescience.edu) is a private, nonprofit organization headquartered in Washington, D.C., with six research departments throughout the U.S. Since its founding in 1902, the Carnegie Institution has been a pioneering force in basic scientific research. Carnegie scientists are leaders in plant biology, developmental biology, astronomy, materials science, global ecology, and Earth and planetary science. Please follow SpaceRef on Twitter and Like us on Facebook. Congress party maintained suspense over the chief ministership in Rajasthan amidst indications that the party could be in the position to form government in the state. "The party president will decide on who will be the chief minister," senior party leader Ashok Gehlot said on Tuesday. The BJP office in Jaipur wore a deserted look as latest trends painted a dismal picture for the ruling party. Figures showed opposition Congress leading on 91 seats, while the BJP lagged far behind on 79. Independents led on 14 seats, while others were ahead on five, according to the official trends. 200 seats are up for grabs in the Rajasthan Assembly. Among the prominent contestants, Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje was leading by 13,440 votes in Jhalrapatan constituency, Congress' Pilot was leading by 9748 votes in Tonk constituency and Ashok Gehlot was leading by 5,112 votes in Sardarpura constituency. Home Minister Gulab Chand Kataria was trailing by 3897 votes in Udaipur. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi has expressed hope that the next government in India would show a positive attitude for holding talks to solve bilateral issues. While speaking at the National Assembly on the relations of its neighbours, Qureshi on Monday said that there is no way out except for negotiations when it comes to relations between India and Pakistan, Geo News reported. The Pakistan government, led by Imran Khan has been indicating towards the resumption of bilateral dialogue with India, for which New Delhi has made it clear that it first wants a conducive atmosphere that is free from terrorism. In September, India cancelled the proposed meeting between External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Qureshi on the sidelines of the 73rd United Nations General Assembly in New York, after two Special Police Officers and one policeman in Jammu and Kashmir were kidnapped and brutally killed by the terrorists. In October, Khan said that he would resume peace talks with India after the 2019 general elections. Speaking at the Future Investment Initiative held in Riyadh, he claimed that his olive branch to India had been "rebuffed" by the Indian side due to the upcoming polls, as an "anti-Pakistan rhetoric brings in votes" in the nation. "When I won the elections and came to power, the first thing I tried to do was extend a hand of peace to India. Unfortunately, and I think it is because of the Indian elections coming up, and because sadly anti-Pakistan rhetoric brings in votes, I'm afraid we got no response from India. In fact, we got rebuffed by India," Khan had said. "Now what we are hoping is that we wait until the elections then again we will resume our peace talks with India," he had noted. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Telangana caretaker Chief Minister and Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) chief K Chandrashekhar Rao said on Tuesday that he would actively be participating in the Addressing the media here, Rao said: "I will actively participate in the I spoke to other political parties in India, and we are going to play a crucial part in the " Terming his victory as that of the people of Telangana, Rao, who won from Gajewal seat by over 50,000 votes, said: "This is a victory of all the people in Telangana. I thank all those who supported us. There will be many problems but we will never give up and will always be positive." Elaborating upon the plan of action he has for the state, the TRS chief said: "Our goal is to bring water to one crore acres of land. In the next six months, we will work for poor people, employment for youth and addressing minority issues." "I have seen that there were some problems during the election time. We will clear those problems in the next six months. We will help all those who are struck by poverty irrespective of their caste," Rao added. As per the latest figures released by the Election Commission of India, TRS is leading on 27 seats and has won 60 seats in the 119-member Assembly, thus heading for a massive victory. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) India has handed over 50 housing units in the Rakhine province to Myanmar on Tuesday during President Ram Nath Kovind's maiden visit to the country. The housing units are part of a bigger developmental project, within which India is building 250 houses in Myanmar's Rakhine province. Coinciding with President Kovind's visit, Myanmar has also announced a visa-on-arrival facility for Indian tourists entering the country through the international airports of Nay Pyi Taw, Yangon and Mandalay, according to an official press release. President Kovind reached Myanmar on December 10, following which he met with State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi at the Presidential Palace where he was given a ceremonial welcome by Myanmar's President U. Win Myint on Tuesday. Two Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) have also been signed between Myanmar and India during President Kovind's visit - one in the area of judicial training and another on science and technology cooperation. President Kovind lauded connectivity initiatives between the two countries during his meeting with Suu Kyi and pushed for an early conclusion of the Motor Vehicles Agreement. He also mentioned that the residents of India's Northeast region have welcomed and are beginning to reap the benefits of the Land-border Crossing Agreement concluded recently. The President of India further described Myanmar as a "natural bridge" from India to Southeast Asia and ASEAN, underscoring that Myanmar is a key partner for India's "Act East" and "Neighbourhood First" policies. He is now scheduled to take part in an official dinner hosted in his honour by the President of Myanmar, U. Win Myint. On December 12, President Kovind and First Lady will emplane for Yangon after paying a visit to India-funded projects in Myanmar. In Yangon, they will lay a wreath at the Martyr's Mausoleum, which is the resting place of General Aung San, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's late father, according to a statement issued by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). The President and First Lady will also pay a visit to the famous Shwedagon Pagoda in the city. Later that evening, there will be a short meeting and a photo opportunity with veterans of the Indian National Army which will be followed by a community reception in which about 500 people, mostly persons of Indian origin, are invited. On December 13, the President and the First Lady will visit the Shri Kali Temple and the Mazaar of last Mughal Emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar. President Kovind will then inaugurate 'Enterprise India' exhibition. This is an exhibition being set up by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) of about 45-50 Indian companies ranging from very large Indian companies to small enterprises to showcase Indian manufacturing capabilities and industrial technology. On the morning of December 14, President Kovind and First Lady will depart for New Delhi after completing their engagements in Myanmar. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Three policemen were killed and one other was injured when terrorists fired indiscriminately on a guard post at Zainapora area of the Kashmir Valley on Tuesday, police said. The injured soldier has been shifted to the hospital for medical treatment. The incident happened in Shopian, which went to Panchayat polls on Tuesday along with eight other districts. The security forces have cordoned off the area and search operation is underway, the statement from the police added. Further details are awaited. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Tuesday said the new RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das ahs the right credentials to hold the post and expressed confidence that he will be meet the challenges facing the nation. He asserted that the independence and autonomy of the RBI will be maintained, saying it is in the interest of the government. Das , a member of the 15th Finance Commission and former Economic Affairs Secretary, was appointed as RBI Governor, a day after Urjit Patel quit abruptly. Das, an IAS officer of Tamil Nadu, will have tenure of three years, according to a decision taken by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC). "The vacancy arouse after Urjit Patel resigned and we accepted his resignation today," Jaitley said. Talking about Das, the finance minister said, "I think he has the right credentials, he has been extremely professional. He has worked under various governments, has excelled himself and I am sure in meeting the challenges before India's economy as a Governor of RBI. He'll certainly add to that office." To a question, he said that the government of India believes the RBI is an independent body and the government will support RBI and coordinate with it whenever required. "It is interest of the government to maintain independence and autonomy of the RBI and the government is committed to this effect," said Jaitley. Praising Das, he said, "Besides his experience as the Revenue Secretary, Economic Affairs Secretary, he also had the experience in preparing several budgets as joint secretary, in charge of budget division. Subsequently he has been a G20 Sherpa on behalf of India. He's been a member of 15th Finance Commission," he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Congress party will win Madhya Pradesh with full majority, asserted senior party leader and MPCC chief Kamal Nath on Tuesday. Initial trends are showing Congress leading in the state. "As I said, the congress is winning. We are going to get full majority," he said here. The 230-member Assembly of Madhya Pradesh went to polls on November 28 with as many as 2,899 candidates in the fray, including 250 women and five third gender candidates. The state saw a voter turnout of around 75 per cent. Rahul Gandhi-led Congress party is hoping to make a comeback after the party lost the polls to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the central state. Most exit polls suggest that the Congress party has an edge over the BJP in the state. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Slain Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi is on the shortlist for Time Magazine's Person of the Year 2018, the publication announced on Monday. Apart from Khashoggi, prominent figures also feature in the list including United States President Donald Trump, Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman and Russian President Vladimir Putin, Anadolu News Agency reported. The Time said that Khashoggi was a "prolific commentator and critic of Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman." "Believed to have been murdered on the orders of the Crown Prince, his death prompted international outcry and scrutiny of the Saudi regime," the magazine added. Khashoggi, a Washington Post journalist, went missing on October 2 after stepping into Saudi Arabia's consulate in Istanbul to collect documents which would allow him to marry fiancee Hatice Cengiz. His fiancee, who was waiting outside the consulate, raised an alarm after Khashoggi failed to re-emerge from the consulate. After few weeks, Riyadh accepted the fact that the group of 15 Saudi "rogue" agents killed Khashoggi, leading to an international furore and complicating the already delicate relations between Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and the US. US officials believe that Khashoggi's murder was ordered by the Saudi crown prince. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) French President Emmanuel Macron has announced a series of financial measures seeking to defuse the "yellow vest" revolt that had triggered violent protests across the country. On Monday the French President rolled out "an economic and social emergency plan" which involves an increase in minimum wages and tax cut. Xinhua, quoted Macron, who in a televised speech from the Elysee Palace, said, "I accept my share of responsibility for the crisis." "I had heard the anger and indignation of the people and accepted that the French authorities have not been able to properly respond to the demands of the people for almost a year and a half. I take my share of responsibility," he added. Promising on a quick response, the French President highlighted that the minimum wage of the people would be hiked by 100 euros (or USD 113.52) per month as of January 2019, without any benefit to the employers. Macron also revised the tax rates for the people who work for overtime hours, pensioners and the bonus offered to workers at the year-end. "I ask the government and Parliament to do what is necessary so that one can live better from his work from the beginning of next year," Xinhua quoted the French President . The "yellow-vests" French protests have been continuing since November 17, against the fuel prices hiked by the Macron government as a step to combat climate change. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A man, arrested on December 2 for allegedly carrying weapons, has links with the Khalistan movement and was in contact with Khalistani activists in Pakistan and India, informed Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS). During the probe, it was revealed that the accused was allegedly involved in the Khalistan movement. The accused has been booked under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) sections by the ATS. The squad has also arrested another member of his group from Punjab; information in this regard will be shared later. Further investigation in the matter is underway. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) When traveling in space, astronauts experience physiological changes normally associated with aging, such as bone loss, muscle deterioration and altered immune systems. When the astronauts return to Earth, the changes often reverse. To better understand the relevance of the astronauts' experience to human health -- both on the ground and beyond -- NIH's National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS) partnered with the International Space Station U.S. National Laboratory (link is external) (ISS National Lab) to send tissue chips, a research technology that reflects the human body, into space. The ISS National Lab and NASA partner to use the U.S. portion of the space station for research initiatives leveraging the unique microgravity environment in space. Wednesday, a set of tissue chips that model aspects of the human immune system will launch on SpaceX's 16th commercial resupply mission (awarded by NASA) from Cape Canaveral, Florida, to the ISS National Lab. The chip set is the first of several supported by the NIH that will travel to the ISS National Lab over the next few months. Led by NCATS through its Tissue Chips in Space initiative, researchers at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), developed the immune system chip to explore the relationship between aging and immune responses and to look for possible ways to slow the aging process. "Research on the ISS National Lab is creating unprecedented opportunities for scientists to study microgravity-induced changes in human physiology relevant to diseases here on Earth, as well as to accelerate the development of translational technologies for earthly applications," said NCATS Director Christopher P. Austin, M.D., the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services and NIH liaison to NASA. "NCATS' research carried on today's launch will not only contribute valuable knowledge on the aging process but also may reveal new approaches to ameliorating the effects of aging." Designed to work like human organs, tissue chips mimic living human tissues and cells. Each immune system chip includes three types of cells: a specific type of immune cell; cells from bone marrow, which make immune cells; and cells from the lining of blood vessels, where immune cells encounter infection. A few dozen of the immune system chips are traveling to the space station, where they will stay in an incubator. After two weeks, the chips will be frozen and preserved. Later, they will be transported back to Earth for analysis. "By sending our immune chips into space, we'll be able simulate the aging process of the immune system and understand how it affects our body's ability to repair itself as we grow older," said Sonja Schrepfer, M.D., Ph.D., professor of surgery at UCSF and co-developer of the immune system chip. "We expect this research to give scientists new insights into the molecular basis for many human conditions, which in this particular project relates to how microgravity induces aging of the immune system that may lead to the development of novel therapies here on Earth," said Danilo Tagle, Ph.D., NCATS acting deputy director and associate director for special initiatives. NCATS is supporting this immune system tissue chip research through grant 1-UG3-TR-002192-01. Another launch, currently planned for March 2019, also from Cape Canaveral, will send kidney chips, bone and cartilage chips, and chips modeling the blood-brain barrier, which is a protective mesh of blood vessels and tissue that can stymie therapies from reaching the brain, to the ISS-NL. A planned April 2019 launch from Wallops Island, Virginia, will include a lung chip connected to a bone marrow chip, for studying infections. View the launch schedule (link is external) for the most up-to-date information. The ISS National Lab, NCATS and NIH's National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering announced awards (link is external) for additional Tissue Chips in Space research projects in October 2018 for future travel to the ISS National Lab. About the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS): NCATS conducts and supports research on the science and operation of translation -- the process by which interventions to improve health are developed and implemented -- to allow more treatments to get to more patients more quickly. For more information about how NCATS is improving health through smarter science, visit https://ncats.nih.gov. About the National Institutes of Health (NIH): NIH, the nation's medical research agency, includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIH is the primary federal agency conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and is investigating the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit www.nih.gov. Please follow SpaceRef on Twitter and Like us on Facebook. As the counting of votes cast in the Mizoram Assembly elections continues, the Mizo Front (MNF) has won 16 seats and is leading in nine, while the Congress party has won four seats and is leading in one. According to the latest figures by the Election Commission of India, the Independents have won five seats and are leading in three. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) continues to lead on one seat. The Congress party, which has been in power in Mizoram since 2008, is eyeing a third consecutive term. However, incumbent Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla, who contested from Serchhip and Champhai South, has lost both the seats. The land-locked Mizoram in the North-East has 40 Assembly constituencies spread across eight districts, out of which 39 seats are reserved for scheduled tribes, while one is for the general category. MNF, the regional political party, formed the government in Mizoram twice, 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 Democratic Alliance (NDA). Pu Zoramthanga, is the president of the MNF. The state, which went to polls on November 28, saw a voter turnout of about 80 per cent. 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. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A delegation of the Mizo Front (MNF) led by its President Zoramthanga met Governor Kummanam Rajasekharan on Tuesday evening. Zoramthanga staked claim to form the government in the state after his party won 26 seats in the state Assembly poll results announced today. Shortly before Zormathanga visited Governor Rajasekharan, outgoing Chief Minister of Mizoram Lal Thanhawla submitted his resignation before the Governor. "This is very disappointing. I did not expect this. I think I underestimated the new formation Zoram People's Movement (ZPM)," he said. Meanwhile, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik congratulated the MNF and the Congress for their respective victories in the state Assembly polls and attributed the same to the alleged ignorance of farmers. "I congratulate Congress, MNF for their success. It clearly shows the mood of the nation. These states are pre-dominantly agrarian states and BJP govt in the Centre has more or less ignored the Swaminathan report recommendations and loan problems of farmers," Patnaik told media. MNF has emerged victorious in Mizoram Assembly elections by bagging 26 seats in the 40-member Assembly, according to figures published by the Election Commission of India. BJP has won one seat while the Congress bagged five. As many as 8 seats have gone to the kitty of independent candidates. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Mizo Front (MNF) emerged victorious in the Mizoram Assembly elections on Tuesday, bagging 23 seats out of the 40-member assembly, according to the latest figures by the Election Commission of India. The MNF was also leading on 3 seats, even as it crossed the 21-seat mark required to form the government in the state. The Congress party has won five seats, while the BJP secured one. The Independents have won five seats and are leading in three. BJP leader and Assam Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma tweeted, "Congratulations to Pu Zoramthanga for historic win of #MNF in #Mizoram. Meanwhile @BJP4India also opens its account in Mizoram." 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. The land-locked Mizoram in the North-East has assembly constituencies spread across eight districts, out of which 39 seats are reserved for scheduled tribes, while one is for the general category. MNF, the regional political party, formed the government in Mizoram twice, 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 Democratic Alliance (NDA). Pu Zoramthanga, is the president of the MNF. The state, which went to polls on November 28, saw a voter turnout of about 80 per cent. 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. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) As per the data compiled by the Election Commission of India, till 11 Counting of votes for the 230-member state assembly began on Tuesday morning. "As I said, the congress is winning. We are going to get full majority," Madhya Pradesh Congress Committee chief Kamal Nath told ANI. Madhya Pradesh went to polls on November 28 with as many as 2,899 candidates in the fray, including 250 women and five third gender candidates. The state saw a voter turnout of around 75 per cent. Rahul Gandhi-led Congress party is hoping to make a comeback after the party lost the polls in 2003 to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the central state. Most exit polls suggest that the Congress party has an edge over the BJP in the state. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) With voters in Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan having given their mandate in favour of the Congress, the newly-elected Members of Legislative Assembly (MLAs) of the party will hold meetings in Raipur and Jaipur, respectively, on Wednesday. In Chhattisgarh, the Congress is leading in 59 seats while the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is in second place with a mere 17 seats. Moreover, the Congress has taken a staggering lead in 98 seats in Rajasthan and the BJP is leading in 64 seats. Celebrations were witnessed outside Congress offices in various parts of Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh owing to the favourable trends in the two states. In Raipur, Chhattisgarh Congress president Bhupesh Baghel was seen celebrating with the party cadre outside the Congress office. Speaking to media here, Baghel said results exceeded expectations of the party and added that the high command will soon decide who the chief minister of Chhattisgarh will be. "People of Chhattisgarh took the fight in their own hands. Our party fought for the people and we're grateful to Congress President Rahul Gandhi. We got more seats than expected, high command will decide who will be the chief minister of Chhattisgarh. In the first Cabinet meeting, we will fulfil all the promises made by the Congress, including loan waivers and Minimum Support Price (MSP) of Rs 2500 to state farmers," Baghel added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) European Commission (EC) President Jean-Claude Juncker on Tuesday said that there is "no room for renegotiation" regarding the Brexit deal, just a few hours before he is slated to meet with British Prime Minister Theresa May, who delayed the parliamentary vote on the Brexit agreement. May's decision on Monday spurred major furore in the House of Commons, with many British MPs calling for her resignation. Labour MP, Lloyd Russell-Moyle, even launched a "symbolic protest" by picking up the ceremonial mace that is representative of the royal authority of the crown. His breach of protocol, that left the House of Commons stupefied, got him expelled for the duration of the sitting on Monday. The British Parliament has been debating the Brexit deal since December 4, the culmination of which was supposed to be the parliamentary vote on December 11 that would make or break the way in which the UK would be exiting from the European Union in March next year. "I will meet @theresa_may this evening in Brussels. I remain convinced that the #Brexit deal we have is the best-and only-deal possible. There is no room for renegotiation, but further clarifications are possible," Juncker tweeted on Tuesday. May is heading out to Brussels to discuss the "clear concerns" that the House has expressed regarding the withdrawal agreement with Juncker and her counterparts from other member states of the EU. She is also scheduled to meet German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin and Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte in The Hague on Tuesday, according to CNN. Earlier, Donald Tusk, the President of the European Council, had stated that the Brexit deal would not be renegotiated, including the backstop, but the Council was ready to "discuss how to facilitate UK ratification." Tusk further mentioned that a meeting on Brexit has been called on Thursday where discussions will be held on the Council's preparedness for a "no-deal scenario". (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Following the imposition of sanctions on three of its officials, the North Korean state media here on Tuesday hit back at the United States for pressuring the South-Asian nation. The US sanctions blacklisted top aides to North Korean leader, including Choe Ryong-hae, Vice Chairman of the ruling Workers' Party, for their alleged involvement in human right violation. Terming the sanctions as "hostile act", the communist nation stated that the US is countering the goodwill partnership forged during the historic meeting between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in Singapore in June this year, reported Yonhap. North Korean newspaper Rodong Sinmun also called the US allegations against North Korea an "intolerable political provocation." Furthermore, the US also froze the properties and interests of the North-Korean within the US and banned them from processing any transactions with the US citizens. The sanctions imposed are the latest effort by the US to mount pressure on North Korea to dismantle its nuclear weapons programme and achieve denuclearisation in the Korean Peninsula. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) As the Winter Session of Parliament commenced, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday appealed to all political parties to ensure smooth functioning while assuring that all issues would be discussed in the House. The session, which will have 20 sittings spread over a period of 29 days, is expected to be used by the Opposition parties for raising several issues like Rafale deal and alleged government interference in the functioning of institutions like the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). "This session is important; many issues of public importance will be taken up. I have faith that all the members of the Parliament will respect this sentiment and move ahead. Our efforts are that discussions are held on all issues. We have always tried to discuss on all issues raised by the Opposition, which sometimes turns into heated arguement. The government will try its best to solve all the issues raised by the Opposition," the Prime Minister said ahead of the Winter Session. The government yesterday held a meeting with leaders of all the parties to discuss how the session could be run smoothly. Addressing the floor leaders, Prime Minister Modi said, "The government is always receptive to the issues raised by all political parties." The Prime Minister also encouraged them to strive to create a constructive atmosphere during the Winter Session and collectively address the issues related to people's welfare. The all-party meeting was attended by among others Union Ministers Rajnath Singh, Arun Jaitley, Vijay Goel, and Arjun Ram Meghwal. All leaders also observed a two-minute silence to pay homage to former Union Minister H N Ananthkumar, who died last month in Bengaluru. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) President Ram Nath Kovind gifted Myanmar's State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi a replica of the casket containing relics of Gautam Buddha here on Tuesday, marking the "deep historical and civilisational links between India and Myanmar". The original casket was excavated from Dev Ni Mori in Gujarat. President Kovind, accompanied by First Lady Savita Kovind, is currently on a three-day visit maiden visit to Myanmar. He met with Suu Kyi at the Presidential Palace on December 11 here, where he was welcomed with military honours. Two Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) were signed between Myanmar and India on Tuesday - one in the area of judicial training and another on science and technology cooperation. The President is slated to attend an official dinner which is being hosted in his honour by the President of Myanmar, U. Win Myint, later this evening. President Kovind and the First Lady will depart for Yangon on Wednesday, where they will lay a wreath at the Martyr's Mausoleum, which is the resting place of General Aung San, Suu Kyi's late father. They will emplane for Delhi on the morning of December 14, wrapping up their maiden visit to the neighbouring nation. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) He said the BJP had "betrayed the trust" of the people of the state over the last five years and the Congress had got what it had expected. Pilot, who is seen as a front runner for the chief ministership, however, was non-committal on the issue,, saying it will be decided by the Congress high command and party president Rahul Gandhi. "We are getting clear majority.. We are headed for victory, not only in Rajasthan but also in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh," Pilot told reporters here as the trends gave a lead to his party. Commenting on the poll results, the former union minister said it was a reflection of public anger against the BJP, which is ruling at the Centre and was in power in the state as well. "There was betrayal of trust of the people by the BJP... I am satisfied that we got what we had expected," he added. "This is a victory of the public. I thank the voters for giving us this mandate," Pilot said, even as he said that final results should be awaited. He also credited the victory to the struggle of the Congress workers over the last five years. On the question of chief ministership, Pilot said, "who gets what post is to be decided by the high command, Rahul Gandhi and the legislators." Along with Pilot, former chief minister Ashok Gehlot is also a contender for the top post in the state. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Meadowlands Racetrack will offer just two nights of live racing this week, as the Saturday card has become a casualty of a NY Jets late afternoon game in Met Life stadium. Although, as a result, the track has been left with a particularly strong Thursday program (Dec. 13) which will feature ten full fields of what would be the usual Friday fare. The twin features on the Thursday card will be $15,000 conditioned races for pacing mares (Race 6) and trotters (Race 7), both of which will be competitive blends of veteran performers. Fan favourite Meladys Monet (to be driven by David Miller) will make his return to the races in the latter event. He is heading into the tilt off of a pair of impressive qualifiers which have come after a five-month hiatus. Hermann Heitmann is now training the $1.3 million winner, who is just a few weeks from his 10th birthday, for Melady Enterprises. Meladys Monet, pictured victorious at the Meadowlands Racetrack "Borrowing Ken's Binoculars" for this Thursday's card will be the Meadowlands GM Jason Settlemoir. He'll be followed by Pete Kleinhans next Thursday. Dave Little will close out the month at the mic. Thursday may also be "Your Lucky Day." The lead promotion returns gambling losses for the day to one fortunate Players Club member and double points on all live harness wagers. The usual array of guaranteed wagers will be in place and free program pages for some of those are available on the Meadowlands website. (With files from the Meadowlands Racetrack) Outgoing Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje on Tuesday congratulated the Congress party for their success in the state assembly elections while conceding defeat for the BJP. Addressing media persons, Raje said, "I congratulate the Congress party for their victory. I accept the public's decision. I am proud of the development work undertaken by the Bharatiya Janata Party in these five years. I hope the Congress party takes forward development and pro-people policies of the BJP." "I am thankful to all those people who treated us like family and supported us. I would also like to thank every worker of the BJP because they worked very hard in these elections. I would also thank the Prime Minister, our president, our leadership at the Centre, our state chief who supported and guided us," Raje said. Raje was evasive on questions pertaining to the reasons for her party's defeat in the state, saying, "Now done. That is it!" According to the latest trends from the Election Commission of India (ECI), the Congress has bagged 88 seats and is leading on another 11 seats. The BJP has emerged victorious on 72 seats and is leading on one constituency. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Rajya Sabha (RS) on Tuesday paid homage to former Prime Minister and Bharat Ratna Atal Bihari Vajpayee and called him the epitome of ' of grace.' RS chairman and Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu read out the obituary, describing Vajpayee as the "epitome of of grace." The Winter Session of Parliament began on Tuesday. Remembering Vajpayee, who died on August 16 this year, for his remarkable contribution in shaping India's foreign policy, Naidu said, "As Minister of External Affairs during 1977-79 and later as Prime Minister during 1998-2004, Vajpayee ji contributed significantly towards imparting our diplomacy and foreign policy, a sense of purpose and dynamism and laying strong foundations for economic resurgence of our country." "Under his leadership, India's friendship enhanced with countries like China, the US, and Pakistan," Naidu said, adding "As Minister of External Affairs, Vajpayee ji visited China which resulted in breaking a new ground. During his stint as Prime Minister, then US President Bill Clinton made a historic visit to India, 22 years after the last visit by the US President, Jimmy Carter. Clinton's visit to India in the year 2000 laid the foundation for new vistas in India-US ties." "Atal ji launched sincere and spirited initiatives to improve India-Pakistan relations. The famous Lahore declaration that followed the historic Lahore Bus Yatra in February 1999 made India and Pakistan commit to dialogue, expand trade relations and mutual friendship and envisaged a goal of de-nuclearised South Asia," he added. Naidu further gave credit to Vajpayee for his significant initiatives to strengthen internal and external security of the country. "It was due to the expertise of Atal ji that underground nuclear testing was conducted in the Pokhran in 1998, which was acknowledged by the powerful countries. India scored a decisive victory in the Kargil War forcing the infiltrators to retreat in 1999. In the face of growing terrorism, Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA) was passed in 2002 at a joint session of the Parliament, marking the country's resolve to fight terrorism," Naidu said. Highlighting Vajpayee's efforts in developing infrastructure and connectivity of the country, Naidu said, "Atal ji brought connectivity revolution and improved connectivity through the development of highways and the Golden Quadrilateral connecting the four metros, vibrant telecom sector and improved road and air connectivity." "In the passing away of Atal Bihari Vajpayee ji the country has lost a visionary statesman, an erudite scholar, a distinguished parliamentarian, an able administrator, a proven leader of the masses and above all, a great human being who believed in the core Indian values of harmony and synthesis," added Naidu. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, while reacting to election trends, termed the assembly poll results as 'semi-final' ahead of the 2019 'final match'. In a series of tweets, she said it is the people who are always the "man of the match" in a democracy. She said, "Semifinal proves that BJP is nowhere in all the states. This is a real democratic indication of 2019 final match. Ultimately, people are always the 'man of the match' of democracy. My congrats to the winners," she said. Stating that people have voted against the BJP, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief asserted, "People voted against BJP. This is the people's verdict and victory of the people of this country. Victory of democracy and victory against injustice, atrocities, destruction of institutions, misuse of agencies, no work for poor people, farmers, youth, Dalits, SC, ST, OBC, minorities and general caste." The Chief Minister further said that the great institution of the country must strive to remain independent. "Let us cherish the 'idea of India' for which our freedom fighters laid down their lives. Our people and our great institutions must strive to remain "independent", in the true sense of the word," Banerjee tweeted. With an aim to defeat BJP in the general elections slated next year, Chief Minister Banerjee had recently announced to hold a mega anti-BJP rally on January 19 and claimed that several top opposition leaders from across the country have already confirmed their presence on the occasion. As per latest trends by the Election Commission of India (ECI), Congress is ahead of the BJP in Rajasthan. But there is a neck-and-neck fight in Madhya Pradesh. Meanwhile, the Mizo Front (MNF) with leads on 17 seats, continued to surge ahead of the Congress and the BJP. In Telangana, the ruling TRS is maintaining a lead of 84 seats in an assembly strength of 119. Congress and BJP are ahead on 20 and 2 seat, respectively. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Shahbaz Sharif's residence was declared a sub-jail by the Islamabad administration on Monday. The declaration was made to detain Sharif in connection with a National Accountability Bureau (NAB) case against him. The house will remain a sub-jail until the conclusion of the National Assembly session, reported Dawn. "In exercise of powers vested in under Section 541 of the Criminal Procedure Code 1860 read with Section 3 of the Prison Act 1894 and all other powers enabling in this behalf vide Ministry of Justice and Parliamentary Affairs notification issued in pursuance of Article 2 of Islamabad Capital Territory Administration Order 1980 and a request of Government of Punjab, the chief commissioner Islamabad is pleased to declare the premises of House No 26 Ministers' Enclave as a sub-jail for keeping Mian Mohammad Shahbaz Sharif, under trial prisoner in NAB case, from Monday, Dec 10 and till the conclusion of this session(s) of National Assembly." read a notification issued by the capital administration. The outer guard of the premises will be provided by the capital police, the notification added. The house in question was allotted to Sharif as he was the opposition leader in the National Assembly. The decision to declare the house a sub-jail was taken on the instructions of the Ministry of Interior (MoI). The secretary interior was requested in writing by the Home Department that Sharif was being taken to Islamabad to attend the National Assembly session starting on Dec 10 which may continue for two weeks, informed an official in the ministry. This move came after an accountability court sent Shahbaz Sharif, the younger brother of ousted Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, to eight-day judicial remand in connection with the Ashiana Housing scheme case on Dec 6. He has also been accused in various other corruption cases like Ramzan Sugar Mills case. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirirsena's deadline to find a solution to the ongoing political crisis in the island nation has ended on Tuesday. Sirisena on December 4 took to Twitter saying, "The current political crisis will not drag on beyond seven days. I have always taken decisions in the best interest of the country and the people". However, as the deadline ends today, there seems no solution to the crisis anytime soon in the future. The political crisis in the island nation started in late October when Sirisena sacked Ranil Wickremesinghe from the post of Prime Minister and replaced him with former President Mahinda Rajapaksa. Subsequently, Rajapaksa was also ousted after No-Confidence motion was passed against him in Parliament twice. A Sri Lankan court had also passed an interim order against Rajapaksa which barred him from holding the Prime Minister office. Last week, Sirisena also claimed that Rajapaksa had tried to bribe politicians in order to show a majority in the country's Parliament. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) is all set to retain power in Telangana as the party has already won 79 Assembly seats and is leading on 9 seats as per the latest poll result details shared by the Election Commission of India (ECI) at 9.10 pm. The BJP has won one seat and is leading on none. The Congress has won 18 seats and leading on one seat. Asaduddin Owaisi led All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) has won six seats and is leading on one seat. Telugu Desam Party (TDP) has won two seats and is leading on none. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu said, "TDP respects the mandate of the people of Telangana. Congratulations to K Chandrasekhar Rao. Also, the best wishes to all the newly elected public representatives of five states." Caretaker Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao won from Gajewal constituency by over 50,000 votes while TRS candidate Talasani Srinivas Yadav, minister in Rao's government, has won from Sanath Nagar constituency by 30,217 votes, the ECI informed. All India Forward Bloc and Independent have won one seat each. A total of 1,821 candidates were in the fray for the Assembly elections in Telangana to try their luck from 119 Assembly seats. The state recorded a voter turnout of over 73 per cent. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Almost a week after two Marine planes crashed off the coast of Japan, the United States military called off the search and rescue operation, declaring five marines dead. According to Defence officials, five individuals were aboard a KC-130aircraft, while two persons were onboard an F/A 18. Two Marines were rescued, one of whom was subsequently declared dead, bringing the total death toll to six. The Washington Post quoted Lt. Gen. Eric Smith, commander of the III Marine Expeditionary Force as saying, "Every possible effort was made to recover our crew and I hope the families of these selfless Americans will find comfort in the incredible efforts made by U.S., Japanese, and Australian forces during the search." The Marine Corps stated that the circumstances of the accident are being investigated. In a statement issued by the Marine Corps, it was revealed that the aircraft was conducting regularly scheduled training. They further stated that the cause of the accident is not yet confirmed however, it was initially speculated that the mishap occurred during the aerial refuelling. "The Marine Corps rigorously investigates all aviation mishaps to identify the causes, learn from them, and mitigate future incidents," the Marine Corps stated. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The United States Treasury Department on Monday imposed sanctions against three North Korean officials for alleged human rights abuses and carrying out censorship activities in the reclusive nation. North Korean state security minister Jong Kyong Thaek, ideological watchdog Choe Ryong Hae and propaganda director Pak Kwang Ho were designated by the The Office of Foreign Assets Control under 2016 financial sanctions penalising North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's regime. The sanctions now prevents the three officials from the US financial system and their assets under the US jurisdiction have been frozen by the Treasury Department. Additionally, transactions by American citizens involving the designated persons are prohibited. In a statement, Treasury Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin said, "Treasury is sanctioning three senior North Korean officials who direct departments that perpetrate the regime's brutal state-sponsored censorship activities, human rights violations and abuses, and other abuses in order to suppress and control the population. These sanctions demonstrate the US' ongoing support for freedom of expression, and opposition to endemic censorship and human rights abuses." Jong Kyong Thaek is accused of playing a role in directing the censorship activities and abuses perpetrated by the North Korean Ministry of State Security, which was earlier designated by the US government for human rights violations. Choe Ryong Hae, the director of the Organisation and Guidance Department (OGD) is reportedly seen as the "number two" official with control over the ruling Worker's Party, the North Korean government and the country's military. The OGD is a powerful body of the North Korean regime, and is instrumental in implementing censorship policies, and purports to control the political affairs of all North Koreans. The OGD also assumes oversight responsibilities over organizations undergoing party audits to inspect for ideological discipline. When a party official deviates from the official message in public remarks, the OGD reportedly will dispatch an official to monitor a self-criticism session. Pak Kwang Ho, the director of Propaganda and Agitation Department is accused of maintaining ideological purity and managing the general censorship functions of the department, furthering the suppression of freedom of speech, expression, and censorship. The PAD is said to maintain oppressive information control and is responsible for indoctrinating the people. The sanctions are a part of US President Donald Trump administration's continued efforts to highlight North Korea's abysmal human rights record. "The US has consistently condemned the North Korean regime for its flagrant and egregious abuses of human rights and fundamental freedoms, and this administration will continue to take action against human rights abusers around the globe," Mnuchin said. The sanctions imposed are the latest effort by the US to mount further pressure on North Korea over the dismantling of its nuclear weapons programme and achieving denuclearisation in the Korean Peninsula. During the first ever summit between Kim and Trump at Singapore in June, the two leaders had agreed to work towards the denuclearisation of the communist country. However, negotiations have gone off track since then owing to Pyongyang's apparent continuation of nuclear tests, putting a question mark over its commitment of giving up nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Pentagon has decided to withdraw several hundred active military troops from the southern Mexico border. Sputnik International quoted Pentagon spokesperson Colonel Rob Manning as saying, "Some units have completed their mission and they have already started to partially deploy. Other units have been identified to rotate home and will be returning home over the next several weeks." Manning also stated that as many as 5,200 troops are presently deployed on the US-Mexico border. Earlier, at least 5,900 troops were assigned for the border mission. The servicemen were deployed after the Department of Homeland Security officials started to get information about groups of individuals planning to enter into legal ports of entry in California by attempting to pass through the vehicle lane. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Anushka Sharma and Virat Kohli, one of the most talked about couples of Tinseltown, are celebrating their first wedding anniversary today. From constantly sharing photos with each other on their social media to flying millions of miles to meet each other, the much-in-love couple has left no stone unturned to reignite people's faith in love. As the couple completed one year of marital bliss, they took to their respective social media accounts to express their love. Sharing a video from their wedding ceremony, Anushka wrote, "It's heaven when you don't sense time passing by ... It's heaven when you marry a good man." The Indian skipper also shared pictures from their wedding, writing, "Can't believe it's been a year already because it feels like it happened just yesterday. Time has truly flown by. Happy anniversary to my best friend and my soulmate. Mine forever." In the pictures, the duo is all smiles while performing their wedding nuptials. The two secretly got married in a fairytale wedding which was only attended by the couple's close family and friends in December last year. Post their nuptials in Italy, the couple hosted grand receptions in Delhi and Mumbai. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Looks as if Mother Nature is in the holiday spirit! The atmosphere decided to put up lights of its own Sunday evening in Beloit, Wisconsin, where colorful columns of light shone in the night sky. Tom Purdy snapped this shot of the luminous pylons a little before midnight Sunday: Amazing light pillars appear over Beloit, Wisconsin. By Tom Purdy These light pillars are particularly rare. Purdy reports that the apparitions were accompanied by an equally curious phenomenon: freezing fog. These more ghostly pillars of light were also photographed by on the same night in Beloit: Ghostly or alien lights over the city of Beloit in Wisconsin. Picture by TheZener63 The formation of light pillars requires hexagonally shaped ice crystals in the air to reflect the light. Moreover, they have to be oriented horizontally, like flying discs or plates to bounce light back toward the observer. Less-organized orientations can produce sun pillars and halos. Heres one more view of Sunday nights stunning pillars in Beloit: WOW! Rare ice pillars formed in Beloit tonight. This happens when hexagonal ice crystals reflect the light and appear as columns reaching to the sky. Picture by Jana Ahles via Twitter Pillars of light ok! But these are freaking me out! Follow us on Facebook and Twitter or become a Patron on Patreon / donate through Paypal. Please and thank you [WP] The Union Minister for Petroleum & Natural Gas and Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, Dharmendra Pradhan has stated that Government will soon make a decision which will ensure that not a single poor family will remain where Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana has not reached. The Minister was speaking at a programme in Mumbai, where the success of the scheme was highlighted; many beneficiaries of the flagship scheme of the Government were also present on the occasion. Stating that the Prime Minister had expressed the Government's commitment to the welfare of the poor, women and marginalized, the Minister said that schemes such as Swachh Bharat, Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana and Ujjwala lend credence to this declaration. He said that according to the World Health Organization, around 15 lakh women die every year due to home emissions, 5 lakh out of which are in India alone. The residential heating and cooking with fuels also causes many diseases amongst women, who often do not realize the real cause of these diseases. The launch of Ujjwala and provision of LPG connection is changing this and has led to various social and economic benefits to the poor, said the Minister. It has led to savings in time spent collecting wood, resulting thereby in improved opportunities to earn income and spend time with the family. It has a positive outcome on health, children's education and employment. He said that the LPG connection is cost-effective, environment-friendly, health-enhancing and time-saving. The number of total LPG connections given has become 25 crore, from 13 crore in 2014, said the Minister. Out of these, 6 crore connections have been given under Ujjwala scheme. He added that the scheme was launched with an initial target of 5 crore connections, which was later raised to 8 crore by the year 2020. The target of 6 crore has already been achieved, Shri Pradhan informed. A report based on survey of Ujjwala scheme was submitted to Shri Pradhan on this occasion. The Minister said that Ujjwala was launched, based on the realization that the initial purchase cost of the connection is high and not affordable for the poor. He added that the subsidy for purchase of LPG cylinder is credited to the bank account of the beneficiary in not more than four days. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Headline shares of the Hong Kong financial market were lower on Tuesday, 11 December 2018, as worries about a slowdown in global growth along with trade war concerns between the world's two largest economies kept investors on the back foot. Meanwhile, fresh Brexit uncertainty also dampened investor sentiments. In afternoon trades, the Hang Seng Index fell 29.34 points or 0.11% to 25,723.04. The Hang Seng China Enterprises Index dropped 49.36 points or 0.5% to 10,223.84. A raft of negative factors cast a shadow on already rattled markets, including soft trade data from China and comments from White House trade adviser Peter Navarro on imposing tariffs on more Chinese imports. China reported weaker-than-expected November exports and imports on Saturday, reflecting slower global and domestic demand, with exports only rising 5.4% from a year earlier, well short of the market expectation. Investor consternation grew following British Prime Minister Theresa May postponing a crucial parliamentary vote, in favor of seeking more assurances from the European Union ahead of a now delayed vote on her Brexit plan. Theresa May will meet European leaders and EU officials later for talks aimed at rescuing her Brexit deal. She will hold talks with Dutch PM Mark Rutte and Germany's Angela Merkel after postponing MPs' final vote on the deal. The UK PM has said she needs "further assurances" about the Northern Ireland border plan to get Commons backing. European Council President Donald Tusk insisted the EU would "not renegotiate" but said leaders would discuss how to help "facilitate UK ratification". Market sentiment has been already subdued after the arrest of the chief financial officer of Chinese technology giant Huawei Technologies in Canada, on Thursday. The arrest could throw up another hurdle to the resolution of a trade war between the United States and China. NEWS FROM PRESS: Sino-Ocean Group Holding Limited (03377) said the contracted sales of the company, together with its subsidiaries, joint ventures and associates for November of 2018 was RMB10.5 billion, representing a year-on-year increase of 31%. The contracted sales GFA was 530,300 sq.m., representing a year-on-year increase of 31%. The contracted average selling price was RMB19,800/sq.m., maintained at the same level as last year. From January 2018 to November 2018, the accumulated contracted sales was RMB92.79 billion, representing a year-on-year increase of 48%. The accumulated contracted sales GFA was 4.36 million sq.m., representing a year-on-year increase of 32%. The accumulated contracted average selling price was RMB21,300/sq.m., representing a year-on-year increase of 12%. CRRC Corporation Limited (01766) said its subsidiaries have signed different contracts with China and other countries from October to November 2018. The aggregate value was RMB31.11 billion. The total value of the contracts accounts for 14.7% of the operating revenue of the company in 2017 under the PRC accounting standards. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Tata Steel Ltd is quoting at Rs 501.55, down 0.26% on the day as on 13:19 IST on the NSE. The stock tumbled 23.69% in last one year as compared to a 2.96% rally in NIFTY and a 15.45% fall in the Nifty Metal index. Tata Steel Ltd is down for a fifth straight session today. The stock is quoting at 501.55, down 0.26% on the day as on 13:19 IST on the NSE. The benchmark NIFTY is up around 0.52% on the day, quoting at 10542.8. The Sensex is at 35118.91, up 0.46%.Tata Steel Ltd has lost around 13.95% in last one month.Meanwhile, Nifty Metal index of which Tata Steel Ltd is a constituent, has eased around 9.58% in last one month and is currently quoting at 3036.25, up 0.79% on the day. The volume in the stock stood at 85.19 lakh shares today, compared to the daily average of 97.22 lakh shares in last one month. The benchmark December futures contract for the stock is quoting at Rs 501.75, down 0.31% on the day. Tata Steel Ltd tumbled 23.69% in last one year as compared to a 2.96% rally in NIFTY and a 15.45% fall in the Nifty Metal index. The PE of the stock is 5.79 based on TTM earnings ending September 18. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) At least four members of the Afghan security forces and eight civilians, including two women and a child, were killed on Tuesday in a suicide car bombing by the Taliban targeting a military convoy in a district of Kabul province. The attack took place in the morning when a suicide bomber detonated explosives in Kabul's Paghman district, Interior Ministry spokesperson Najib Danish was cited as saying by TOLO news. The attacker was also killed in the bombing. Twelve people --including civilians as well as members of the security forces -- were injured in the attack, Kabul police spokesperson Basir Mujahid told Efe news. "In today's attack 12 people have been martyred, including four members of the security forces and eight civilians. Among the dead civilians are two women and a child," the official said, adding the authorities were still gathering information about the casualties. In a statement, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid identified the assailant as Amran Masoum, adding that the attack had targeted US forces and members of Afghan intelligence agency National Directorate of Security. Afghan authorities do not reveal casualty figures among its personnel, but according to the US Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction, forces suffered a record number of casualties between May and October 2018 compared to previous years. --IANS soni/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Delhi High Court on Tuesday asked the Delhi Police to file its response to a petition by a convict in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots case, challenging the capital punishment awarded to him. The court was hearing Yashpal Singh's plea against the conviction and the death penalty for killing a man in South Delhi's Mahipalpur area on November 1, 1984. A bench of Justices Siddharth Mridul and Sangita Dhingra Sehgal, which has listed the matter for further hearing on December 19, has also asked Singh to file his response to the police reference seeking confirmation of the death sentence. The court will also hear Singh's bail plea on the next date of hearing. In November, a court convicted Singh and Naresh Sherawat for murder, attempt to murder, dacoity and voluntarily causing hurt with dangerous weapons. Sherawat was sentenced to life imprisonment. The two had killed Hardev Singh and Avtar Singh in Mahipalpur area during the riots that followed the assassination of the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. The violence claimed hundreds of lives, mostly in Delhi. On a complaint by the victim's brother Santokh Singh, the police lodged a case. But in 1994, the police wanted to close the case citing lack of evidence. The case was reopened by the Special Investigation Team (SIT). --IANS akk/ksk/sed (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Four young men, including two student leaders, were killed early on Tuesday when their speeding vehicle rammed into a roadside tree in Mau district of Uttar Pradesh, police said. The accident took place near the Pahsa Bazaar in Haldharpur area. The deceased were identified as Ravi Kant Yadav, 23, Uday Yadav, 20, -- both popular student leaders -- Abhinendra Yadav, 22, and Sandeep Singh. The car was at a high speed and was completely smashed, a police official told IANS. He added that a selfie of all the four victims, sitting in the car, taken apparently some time before the accident was recovered from one of the mobile phones. The bodies have been sent for autopsy. A large crowd of college students gathered outside the hospital where the post mortem was to take place. --IANS md/in/sed (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Three Jammu and Kashmir Police officials were killed on Tuesday in Shopian district in a militant attack, police said, in which four service rifles were also stolen. A police picket was put up to guard members of the minority community in Zainpora village, which was attacked. "Three policemen were killed and one sustained critical injuries," a police official said. A manhunt was underway. --IANS sq/in (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) At least four members of the Afghan security forces and two civilians were killed on Tuesday in a suicide car bombing by Taliban targeting a military convoy in a district of Kabul province. The attack took place in the morning when a suicide bomber detonated explosives in Kabul's Paghman district, Interior Ministry spokesperson Najib Danish was cited as saying by TOLO news. The attacker was also killed in the bombing. Six Afghan troops were wounded in the attack, Kabul police spokesperson Basir Mujahid told Efe news, adding that the two deceased civilians were women. "We are still coordinating and gathering information from the hospitals regarding civilian casualties. The toll may increase," the official said. In a statement, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid identified the assailant as Amran Masoum, adding that the attack targeted US forces and members of Afghan intelligence agency National Directorate of Security. Afghan authorities do not reveal casualty figures among its personnel, but according to the US Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction, forces suffered a record number of casualties between May and October 2018 compared to previous years. --IANS soni/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) An accused Russian spy who nuzzled up to US' National Rifle Association before the 2016 election, has begun cooperating with American federal prosecutors after agreeing to a plea deals, according to an informed source. News that Maria Butina, 30, had seemed to reach a deal with federal prosecutors first broke on Monday when her attorneys and prosecutors filed a two-page request for a "change of plea" hearing before a federal judge, the source told CNN. "The parties have resolved this matter," the filing in a federal court here said on Monday. Butina's case was brought by federal prosecutors and not by Special Counsel Robert Mueller's team. According to the agreement, Butina "agreed and conspired, with a Russian government official and at least one other person, for Butina to act in the US under the direction of Russian Official without prior notification to the Attorney General". A plea hearing has been set for Wednesday where a judge will need to sign off on the deal. The developments on Monday come after several weeks of hints that Butina might negotiate an end to her case -- and after bumps in the case where the federal prosecutors accused the former graduate student of infiltrating Republican organisations in order to advance Russian interests, CNN reported. Butina have maintained her innocence and insisted she was simply a foreign student interested in bettering relations between the US and Russia. She previously pleaded not guilty to one count of conspiracy and a second count of acting as an agent of a foreign government when she was arrested in July. --IANS ksk (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Software major Adobe is the best technology company to work for in India, followed by chip maker NVIDIA and Microsoft, employment-related search engine giant Indeed said on Tuesday. The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) was the highest-ranked Indian organisation at No. 10 -- the only public sector firm to feature on the top-15 list, titled "Top Rated Workplaces: Best in Tech" on the basis of over 100 million ratings and reviews available on Indeed. "In addition to strategic workplace programmes, companies that have focused on people management and contributed to creating a conducive environment for their employees have been highly-rated by job seekers," Indeed India Managing Director Sashi Kumar said in a statement. The top 10 tech companies included like SAP, Akamai Technologies, VMware, Cisco, Intel and Citrix Systems Inc. Apple was at 13th place while HP was 11th on the list. Some of the other Indian companies that feature in the top 15 include e-commerce company Myntra and Tata Consultancy Services (TCS). "Other than competitive remuneration, companies that work to make their employees feel like they work with and not for the company, create a culture of ownership and instil a sense of loyalty in their employees," Kumar added. --IANS ksc/na/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Jed Mottley, of the band Feed the Kitty, couldn't afford to pick up the jacket in 1993, but his brother found it in a thrift store 28 years later. Debt-ridden national carrier Air India has called for bids to sell the iconic 23-storey -- Air India Building -- located at Nariman Point in Mumbai. According to a tender document on the airline's website dated December 7, bids have been invited by December 31, 2018 from state-run companies for the sale of the building and for the land on which it has been built on an "as is where is" basis. "Air India invites sealed bids from intending bidders for Sale of 'Leasehold Rights' of the land and Air India Building constructed thereon, at Nariman Point among Govt. entities only on as is where is basis," the tender document said. "Air India has the 'Leasehold' rights on the land on which a very prominent and an iconic building, i.e. Air India Building at Nariman Point, Mumbai, has been constructed." The building is built on a plot measuring 7,512.60 sq.m leased from the Maharashtra state government for 99 years and has 23 floors besides two basements. "Total built up area is 4,99,998.00 sq.ft including basements. Out of 23 floors of the building, 17 floors have been given on rent," the document said. As per the tender document, the company will retain "approximate 5.000 sq.ft" of carpet area on 22nd floor for its office use. "Air India retains 'Logo' on the top of the building and maintains the same. Name of the building to be maintained as 'Air India Building' by the buyer," the document added. Currently, the airline has leased 17 floors in the tower block and part of ground floor to various government offices like Bank of India, India Tourism, Income Tax, Service Tax and TCS. Air India has earned a revenue of about Rs 107 crore from rental and maintenance charges. --IANS rv/nir (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Observing that the Assembly election results in five states were a referendum on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday said oppostion parties will unitedly fight and defeat the BJP in 2019 elections with the central themes being unemployment, agrarian distress and corruption. Addressing the media here after Congress emerged winner in Chhattisgarh and inching closer to victory in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, Gandhi said the people's disenchantment over Modi's failure to deliver on his promises was palpable across the country. "What was promised by Modi has not been delivered...that question does arise. The feeling among the people across India is that Modi and his government have failed in delivering the promises they made," Gandhi said. "I think there are serious questions being asked about the future of our youngsters, the central question is how does our country give jobs to millions and millions of youth? "Prime Minister Modi has promised to give jobs but he has failed to deliver that. The feeling is similar among the farmers who have a disenchantment about how they are going to survive," he said. He also exuded confidence that a united opposition would defeat Modi and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. "A resurgent Congress combined with opposition... It will be very difficult for Modi and the BJP to win the 2019 elections. The clear message to PM and BJP is that the country is not happy with demonetisation, with GST, lack of jobs," said Gandhi. He said the central issues in the 2019 poll battle will be unemployment and agrarian crisis. "The opposition is strongly united and we will unitedly contest against the BJP," he added. --IANS and/nir (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Delhi High Court on Tuesday asked CBI and others to respond to businessman Satish Babu Sana's plea for being heard as a party in the ongoing applications by Special Director Rakesh Asthana and another CBI officer seeking quashing of the FIR against them. Justice Najmi Waziri asked the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Director Alok Verma and Asthana to file their response to Sana's application seeking impleadment in the matter. However, Additional Solicitor General Vikramjit Banerjee, who was representing the CBI, told the court that there was no need to implead Sana. On Sana's complaint, the CBI had registered the First Information Report (FIR) against Rakesh Asthana and suspended Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Devender Kumar and others. According to the CBI, Kumar had fabricated the statement of Sana, a witness in the businessman Moin Qureshi case, showing he recorded the statement on September 26 in Delhi. However, investigation revealed that Sana was not in Delhi on that day. He was in Hyderabad and joined the investigation only on October 1. Asthana and Kumar had moved the high court seeking quashing of the FIR registered against them. On October 24, CBI chief Alok Verma was divested of his charge and Joint Director M. Nageshwar Rao was made the interim Director. Asthana was also divested of all his supervisory responsibilities. The government took the decision after Verma and Asthana accused each other of taking bribes. Sana, in his application has sought impleadment in the matter to assist and enable the court to effectively adjudicate the petitions. Sana told the court that after registration of FIR against Asthana, things started taking a different shape and have been moving in a direction that has made the applicant worry about his complaint. "...the registration of FIR on the complaint of the applicant (Sana) has become a bone of contention and allegation between two heavyweights of the premier investigating agency of the country and the applicant (Sana) has become a mute spectator looking for redressal of his grievance which is getting overshadowed by the tussle between them (Asthana and Verma)," read the plea. The businessman also apprised the court that the entire team investigating the matter has been changed and the focus has shifted to a different area, he said. Sana expressed his apprehension that he might be arrested in order to create pressure and to make him retract his statements and complaint. In his plea, he has also sought a direction to the CBI for not taking any coercive step against him. He also apprised the court that he has co-operated in the investigation and appeared before the CBI and the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) whenever required. --IANS akk/in/oeb/sed (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The domestic equity market reversed all the initial losses to trade higher on Tuesday late-afternoon session, with the S&P BSE Sensex gaining over 130 points. The gains came on the back of the election trends which showed a narrow lead for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Madhya Pradesh, analysts said. Short covering and bargain buying by investors also supported the gains on the indices, they added. Besides, supportive global cues gave an upward push to the market's trajectory. The market had lost significantly during the morning trade session on the sudden resignation by RBI Governor Urjit Patel and early election trends which showed BJP in a neck and neck race with the Congress in the three out of five states including Madhya Pradesh. Around 2.20 p.m, the Sensex traded at 35,095.26, higher by 135.54 points or 0.39 per cent from the previous close of 34,959.72 points. It opened at 34,584.13 and has so far touched an intra-day high of 35,199.15 and low of 34,426.29 points. The Nifty50 traded 44.45 points or 0.42 per cent up at 10,532.90 points. "Indian markets rose after making a higher intra-day bottom from 10.40 a.m. onwards once there was clarity on the state election results. Market participants felt that the performance of the ruling alliance was better than expected in MP and Rajasthan," HDFC Securities' Retail Research Head Deepak Jasani told IANS. "Positive global markets also aided sentiments. Short-covering along with absence of large selling led to recovery in the markets. PSU Banks saw buying in anticipation of a liberal RBI governor." On the currency front, the Indian rupee clawed back to some extent and traded around 71.83 per dollar. It closed at 71.34 per dollar on Monday. "Rupee has recovered well after the knee jerk reaction to RBI governor's resignation forced a sharply lower opening," said Anand James, Chief Market Strategist, Geojit Financial Services. "Markets looks to have priced in the election results as well, so we are less likely to see any more weakness for now. It also helped that international cues are also supportive with oil and US dollar trading weak." --IANS rrb-rv/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Panaji Bench of the Bombay High Court on Tuesday asked the Goa government if the medical report on the health condition of ailing Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar could be presented to the court in a sealed cover, while posting the matter for hearing on Wednesday. While hearing a petition filed by a local politician Trajano D'Mello, who has sought to know the health status of Parrikar, Justice R.M. Borde also asked the government advocate whether the Chief Secretary could argue on behalf of the Chief Minister for his right to privacy. State Advocate General Dattaprasad Lawande is expected to appear before the court and argue on the points made on Tuesday by the court vis-a-vis the petition, when the hearing resumes on Wednesday morning. D'Mello in his petition filed last month, sought that the court direct State Chief Secretary Dharmendra Sharma to evaluate the former Defence Minister's health condition with the help of a panel of expert doctors and release the medical report to the public. In an affidavit filed before the court last week, the Chief Secretary said that since the petition was political in nature, the health status of Parrikar could not be disclosed on grounds of privacy. The court on Tuesday also asked the government lawyer if the top bureaucrat had consulted Parrikar before filing the affidavit last week. Parrikar is suffering from advanced pancreatic cancer and has been in and out of hospitals in Goa, Mumbai, New York and Delhi for nearly nine months. He returned from New Delhi's All India Institute of Medical Sciences on October 14 and has not moved out of his private residence for any official event since. The Opposition as well as ruling coalition allies have been demanding the resignation of the Chief Minister claiming that the administration has come to a standstill due to Parrikar's prolonged absence. Ever since Parrikar's health started deteriorating there has been no health bulletin forthcoming from the Chief Minister's Office, barring several informal intimations to the media, which played down his illness. --IANS maya/oeb/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Canada will continue to lead critical climate negotiations, the country's Minister of and Climate Change Catherine McKenna has said while urging the world to do its part to find solutions to fight climate change at home and abroad. "Canada will continue to lead in these critical negotiations. We all need to do our part to find solutions to fight climate change at home and abroad," McKenna told reporters here on Monday on the sidelines of the two-week long 24th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP24) that will end on December 14. "By working together, we can do right by our planet, unlock the huge economic opportunity of clean growth and ensure a healthy and prosperous future for our kids and grandkids," she said. The minister began her first day at the COP24 on Monday. Canada was instrumental in negotiating the Paris climate agreement in 2015 and continues to promote global climate action at COP24, an official statement by the minister's office said, adding that the country was working diligently at the negotiating table to finalize the set of rules that will put the Paris deal into action. The Paris agreement rulebook will outline how countries will commit to fighting climate change and how each country will report on its progress. The rules will enable countries to identify areas requiring increased ambition. Quoting a recent report from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, the statement said that developed countries, including Canada, were on track to meeting climate finance commitments and that climate finance continued to increase. Canada is proud to be providing $2.65 billion over five years to advance international climate change objectives and is playing a leading role in identifying solutions and addressing obstacles in the final push towards consensus on the Paris agreement rulebook, the statement added. The rulebook will govern national pledges to keep the rise in global temperature to under 1.5 degrees Celsius and ensuring adequate finances to developing nations. Climate experts told IANS that the priority outcome at the COP24 will be the finalisation of the Paris rulebook, a Bible for transparent implementation of the 2015 Paris Agreement -- the first global treaty to reduce emissions by all rich and poor nations. (Vishal Gulati is in Katowice at the invitation of Climate Trends to cover the 24th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, known as COP24. He can be contacted at vishal.g@ians.in) --IANS vg/soni/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Supreme Court on Tuesday asked the CBI to investigate the murders of activists Narendra Dabholkar, Govind Pansare, M.M. Kalburgi and Gauri Lankesh if it found a "common thread" in the crimes. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is already investigating the Dabholkar murder case. As the investigating agency wanted some time to look into the matter, a Bench of Justice Uday Umesh Lalit and Justice Navin Sinha gave the agency time till the first week of January to come back with its response. The court asked the CBI if there was any common link in the murders of the activists. It raised the question while hearing a plea by Umadevi Mallinath Kalburgi, the widow of M.M. Kalburgi, who is seeking an SIT probe into his murder. On November 26, while hearing Umadevi's plea, the apex court had pulled up the Karnataka Police for not doing anything to probe the murder of Kalburgi, who was shot dead outside his house in Dharwad on August 30, 2015. "What have you done so far? You are just fooling around," the Bench of Justice Fali Nariman and Justice Navin Sinha had said, as it asked the state police to spell out how much time it would require to complete the investigation. --IANS pk/oeb/sed (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Nearly 74,000 women-a fifth of the global cases-die every year in India from -cervical cancer, a largely preventable malady. With Intensified screening developed countries have considerably reduced the deaths from cervical cancer, a leading expert has offered India help to benefit from the global experience in terms of prioritizing screening and prevention. "The story of cervical cancer screening has considerably reduced the risk of women dying from cervical cancer in the developed countries. The situation in less developed countries where women are dying each year because of cervical cancer is scandalous, according to Professor Ian Jacobs, President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney and an acknowledged global expert on the subject. Jacobs who has worked in the field for over 30 years said this while delivering the inaugural evidence policy lecture organised by The George Institute for Global Health India Monday. UNSW, a top-50 global university, has set up an Institute for Global Development to drive collaborations and partnerships in areas like public health, education, photovoltaics and sustainability. According to a study by The George Institute for Global Health India, Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) prevalence in India is 88 to 97 per cent among women with cervical cancer. "Cervical cancer, the second leading cause of cancer deaths among women in India, can be checked with effective screening and access to timely treatment," the study noted. A report by Global Burden of Disease (GBD) also suggested that cervical cancer common among in less developed countries entails four times higher risk compared to women in developed countries. Jacobs said intensified screening in developed countries has considerably reduced the risk of women dying from cervical cancer. Australian High Commissioner to India, Harinder Sidhu, said that her country's High Commission in India had launched a social media campaign to clear much of the misinformation prevalent on the issue, particularly in rural India. Talking about the Australia-India health partnership, she said health has been identified as one of the key areas of co-operation in Australia's new economic strategy towards India. Professor Vivekanand Jha, Executive Director, The George Institute for Global Health, India, a (public health research institute), also pointed that if India is to achieve universal health coverage as envisaged under the Sustainable Development Goals, it needs to make women's cancer an integral part of its health policy. --IANS som/tb (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A Chinese court has banned the sale and import of most iPhone models after granting Qualcomm an injunction against Apple, a stunning decision that comes amid the trade war between the US and China, the media reported on Tuesday. The ban does not cover the new iPhone XS, iPhone XS Plus or iPhone XR, which were not yet available when Qualcomm, an American microchip maker, filed its lawsuit, CNN reported. The ruling was announced publicly on Monday but put into effect last week, but Apple said in a statement that all iPhone models remain available in China. The phones covered by the ban make up about 10 per cent to 15 per cent of current iPhone sales in China, according to Daniel Ives, analyst at Wedbush Securities. The court granted a pair of preliminary injunctions requested by Qualcomm. Qualcomm claims that Apple violates two of its patents in the iPhone 6S, iPhone 6S Plus, iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus, iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus and iPhone X. The patents allow people to edit and resize photos on a phone and to manage apps by using a touchscreen, according to Qualcomm. The practical effect of the injunction is not yet clear. "If Apple is violating the orders, Qualcomm will seek enforcement of the orders through enforcement tribunals that are part of the Chinese court system," CNN quoted Don Rosenberg, general counsel for Qualcomm, as saying on Monday. Apple accused Qualcomm of playing dirty tricks, including asserting a patent that had already been invalidated by international courts, and other patents that it had never before used. The tech giant said it will pursue a legal response in court. "Qualcomm's effort to ban our products is another desperate move by a company whose illegal practices are under investigation by regulators around the world," Apple said in a statement on Monday. Apple has filed a request for the court to reconsider its decision. Qualcomm applauded the ruling, saying Apple owes it money for using its technology. Apple and Qualcomm are suing one another in courts across the world. Billions of dollars are at stake, and each side has claimed some victories. --IANS ksk (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In a severe jolt to the BJP in the Hindi heartland in the "semi finals" ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the Congress on Tuesday knocked the saffron party out of power in Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan and was slightly ahead in Madhya Pradesh where the two parties were engaged in a see-saw battle throughout the day. However, in Telangana, the ruling Telangana Rashtriya Samithi (TRS)'s gamble of going for early elections paid off with the party scoring a landslide 4/5th win getting 87 seats out of 119 at stake, thrashing the Congress-led People's Front. The Congress also lost its last bastion in the Northeast when it was defeated convincingly by the Mizo National Front (MNF) ending the Congress' hold over power for the last 10 years. Suffering his worst defeat since coming to power in 2014, Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted late in the night that he accepted the verdict with humility and would work with greater vigour for the people. The highlight of the day was the ding-dong battle between the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress in Madhya Pradesh where leads alternated between the two sides with Congress getting a slight edge by winning 63 seats and leading in 51 in the 230-member House. On its own, the Congress is ahead in 114 seats, including those won. The Congress had won 58 seats in the last election. A nearly 3 per cent swing in votes against BJP hit the party hard in the elections where agrarian unrest, unemployment and the ill effects of demonetisation dominated the campaign. The Congress, which may be falling short of the magic figure of 116, could look to get backing from the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), which is leading in 2 seats, and the Samajwadi Party (SP), which is ahead in one, besides Independents, most of whom are Congress rebels and leading in four seats. The SP said it will back the Congress. Facing a stiff anti-incumbency, the BJP under Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, which had won 165 seats in 2013, was pushed down to 109 seats with 60 wins and leading in 49 seats. The party has been in power for the last 15 years in the state. The Congress took a sweet revenge against the BJP halting its bid for a fourth consecutive term in the neighbouring Chhattisgarh by returning to power with a massive victory. In the election for the 90-member Assembly, the Congress won 33 seats and was leading in 35, while the BJP won only 6 seats and was ahead in 10 others. The alliance of former Ajit Jogi-led Janta Congress Chhattisgarh and Mayawati-led BSP fared poorly leading in all in only six seats together. In the 2013 elections, the BJP had won 49 seats against the Congress' 39. The saffron party saw a huge negative swing of 8 per cent from 41 per cent it had secured in the last elections, while Congress' fortunes improved drastically when it got 3 per cent more votes at 42 per cent. Rajasthan proved true to the 20-year old tradition of voting out the ruling party. The battle was won by the Congress which has bagged 95 seats and was ahead in 4 seats, while the ruling BJP won 73 seats. The Congress, which is just short of halfway mark of 101, saw its ally Rashtriya Lok Dal winning one seat. The BSP won six seats and the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) had won 2 seats. The two parties had fought against both the COngress and the BJP. The Bharatiya Tribal Party won two seats and the Rashtriya Loktantrik Party bagged 3 seats. Independents, comprisng mostly Congress and BJP rebels, had a field day when 12 of them won and another was leading. The Congress, which had a disastrous performance in the 2014 Lok sabha elections and suffering successive defeats in various Assembly elections, smiled for the first time defeating the BJP in a direct contest in 3 crucial states in north India. Party president Rahul Gandhi, who campaigned vigorously, said the Assembly election results were a referendum on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's non-performance on issues of unemployment, agrarian distress, corruption and negating the ill effects of demonetisation. This was countered by Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, who said issues in state elections are entirely different. The BJP won Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh in 2003 but lost the Lok sabha elections next year, he said. The general elections in 2019 would be fought around the performance of Modi where people will vote for the tried and tested leadership against a non-ideological opposition coalition which is bound to collapse sooner than later, he added. Riding a pro-incumbency wave, the TRS headed by Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, scored a scintilating victory in Telangana making a mincemeat of the Congress-led "Praja Kutami" that included the TDP, CPI and the Telangana Jana Samithi. The inclusion of the TDP apparently backfired as the TRS made a bogey of the presence of "outsider" from Andhra Pradesh in Telangana In the 119-member Assembly, the TRS has won 86 seats and was leading in 2, while the COngress managed to win only 19 seats. TRS ally AIMIM led by Asaduddin Owaisi won 6 seats and was ahead in one. The TDP secured two seats, while the All India Forward Bloc bagged one. An Independent managed to win a seat, while TJS and CPI -- part of the Congress alliance -- drew a blank. In the Northeast, the Congress lost its last state where the MNF decimated the ruling party winning 26 of the 40 seats at stake. The Congress won five, while Independents won in 8 seats. The BJP, which is in power in six of the northeastern states either directly or through allies, opened its account in the Christian-dominated state by winning a lone seat. Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh resigned taking moral responsibility for the BJP's stunning defeat in Assembly election, while his Rajasthan counterpart Vasundhara Raje conceded defeat. Mizoram's Congress Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla also resigned after the humiliating defeat. TRS chief K. Chandrashekhar Rao said he would play a crucial role in national --IANS team-and/vsc/nir (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Congress candidates on Tuesday took significant leads in BJP-ruled Rajasthan and was inching ahead of the BJP in both Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh in Assembly elections held in five states. Early trends from counting centres also showed that the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) appeared set to retain power in Telangana while the ruling Congress was lagging behind the Mizo National Front (MNF) in Mizoram in state elections that were widely dubbed a "semi-final" ahead of the Lok Sabha battle next year. In line with exit polls, the Congress appeared to be returning to power after a five-year gap in Rajasthan, the country's largest state which has not re-elected a ruling party in recent times. Congress candidates were ahead in 87 of the 199 constituencies, gaining around 60 seats, while the BJP was leading in 70 seats but heavily losing in over 50 constituencies. And in a reversal of trends, the Congress overtook the BJP in both Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. Both states the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has ruled for 15 years. Congress nominees were ahead of others in 75 seats and the BJP in 60 in the battle for the 230-member Assembly. While the Congress made major gains across the state, the BJP was losing many seats it has held for long. In Chhattisgarh, the Congress was ahead in 44 of the 90 seats, giving a fright to the BJP, whose Chief Minister Raman Singh was at one time trailing in the vote count from Rajnandgaon before he overtook his rivals later. BJP candidates were ahead in 25 seats in Chhattisgarh. In Mizoram, the ruling Congress was trailing to the MNF, whose candidates were ahead in 16 of the 40 seats. The Congress was ahead in five seats, losing as many as 10 seats. The TRS was poised to retain power in Telangana with a huge majority, with its candidates leading in 80 of the 119 seats, leaving the Congress-led alliance way behind. Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi told the media that he was confident of a Congress victory in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh and said he had "always been a little more pessimistic" about Telangana. --IANS mr/aks/and (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Delivering a severe blow to the BJP in the Hindi heartland months ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the Congress on Tuesday dislodged the saffron party out of power in Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan and was just two seats short of majority in Madhya Pradesh where the two parties were locked in a nail-biting contest throughout the day. In a bid to outsmart the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) after the experience in Goa and Manipur, the Congress moved in late on Tuesday writing to Madhya Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel seeking an appointment to stake claim to form the next government. State Congress Chief Kamal Nath wrote to Patel claiming the Congress has emerged as the single-largest party with "majority support". In Telangana, the ruling Telangana Rashtriya Samithi (TRS)'s gamble of early elections paid off with the party scoring a landslide 4/5th win getting 88 seats out of 119 at stake, thrashing the Congress-led People's Front. The Congress also lost its last bastion in the Northeast -- Mizoram -- when it was defeated convincingly by the Mizo National Front (MNF) ending the party's decade-long hold over power in the state. Suffering worst defeat since coming to power in 2014, Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted late in the night that he accepted the verdict with humility and would work with greater vigour for the people. The highlight of the day was the ding-dong battle between the ruling BJP and the Congress in Madhya Pradesh where leads alternated between the two sides, with Congress getting a slight edge by winning 87 seats and leading in 26 in the 230-member House. The Congress was ahead in 113 including those won and the BJP in 109 which included 83 wins. The Congress had won 58 seats in the last election. A nearly 3 per cent swing in votes against BJP hit the party hard in the elections where agrarian unrest, unemployment and the ill effects of demonetisation dominated the campaign. The Congress, which may be falling short of the magic figure of 116, could look to get backing from the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), which is leading in 2 seats, and the Samajwadi Party (SP), which has won one seat, besides Independents, most of whom are Congress rebels and have won three seats while leading in one. The SP said it will back the Congress, and the BSP may follow suit. Facing a stiff anti-incumbency, the BJP under Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, which had won 165 seats in 2013, was pushed down to 109 seats with 82 wins and leading in 28 seats. The party has been in power for the last 15 years in the state. In the neighbouring Chhattisgarh, where also the BJP had been in power for three terms, the Congress took a sweet revenge by sweeping back to power with a three-fourths majority of 68 seats out of 90. The BJP won 15 seats. The alliance of former Chief Minister Ajit Jogi-led Janta Congress Chhattisgarh and Mayawati-led BSP fared poorly winning six and was leading in one seat. In the 2013 elections, the BJP had won 49 seats against the Congress' 39. The saffron party saw a huge negative swing of 8 per cent from 41 per cent it had secured in the last elections, while Congress' fortunes improved drastically when it got 3 per cent more votes at 42 per cent. Rajasthan proved true to the 20-year-old tradition of voting out the ruling party. The battle was won by the Congress which has bagged 99 seats, while the ruling BJP won 73 seats. The Congress, which is just short of the halfway mark of 100 of the 199 seats where election was held, saw its ally Rashtriya Lok Dal winning one seat. The BSP won six seats and the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) won 2 seats. The two parties had fought against both COngress and BJP. In final analysis, the BJP put up a better-than-expected fight as opinion polls had written off the party even before the contest had started. The Bharatiya Tribal Party won two seats and the Rashtriya Loktantrik Party bagged 3. Independents, comprising mostly the Congress and BJP rebels, had a field day when 12 of them won and another was leading. The Congress, which had a disastrous performance in the 2014 Lok sabha elections and suffered successive defeats in various Assembly elections, smiled for the first time defeating the BJP in a direct contest in three crucial states in north India. Party president Rahul Gandhi, who campaigned vigorously, said the Assembly election results were a referendum on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's non-performance on issues of unemployment, agrarian distress, corruption and negating the ill effects of demonetisation. This was countered by Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, who said issues in state elections are entirely different. The BJP won Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh in 2003 but lost the Lok sabha elections the next year, he said. The general elections in 2019 would be fought around the performance of Modi where people will vote for the tried and tested leadership against a non-ideological opposition coalition, which is bound to collapse sooner than later, he added. Riding a pro-incumbency wave, the TRS headed by Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao, scored a scintilating victory in Telangana making a mincemeat of the Congress-led "Praja Kutami" that included the TDP, CPI and the Telangana Jana Samithi. The inclusion of the TDP apparently backfired as the TRS made a bogey of the presence of "outsider" from Andhra Pradesh in Telangana In the 119-member Assembly, the TRS won 88 seats while the COngress managed to win only 19. TRS ally AIMIM led by Asaduddin Owaisi won seven of eight seats it contested. The TDP secured two seats, while the All India Forward Bloc bagged one. An Independent managed to win a seat, while TJS and CPI -- part of the Congress alliance -- drew a blank. In the Northeast, the Congress lost its last state where the MNF decimated the ruling party winning 26 of the 40 seats at stake. The Congress won five, while Independents won in 8 seats. The BJP, which is in power in six of the northeastern states either directly or through allies, opened its account in the Christian-dominated Mizoram by winning a lone seat. Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh resigned taking moral responsibility for the BJP's stunning defeat in Assembly election, while his Rajasthan counterpart Vasundhara Raje also conceded defeat. Mizoram's Congress Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla also resigned after the humiliating defeat. TRS chief K. Chandrashekhar Rao said he would play a crucial role in national --IANS ps-bns-mak-aks-rak/vsc/nir (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Congress leaders Ashok Gehlot and Sachin Pilot, both contenders for the Chief Ministerial post in Rajasthan, on Tuesday expressed confidence that their party will form the government in the state with a comfortable majority and said the decision on a new Chief Minister will be taken by party chief Rahul Gandhi. "Congress will definitely form the government," Gehlot told the media here. Asked who will be the next Chief Minister, he said Gandhi will decide on that. "Ask this question to Rahul Gandhi," Gehlot, a former Chief Minister, said, adding the decision will be taken in accordance with the wishes of the newly-elected MLAs. "There is a clear tradition in Rajasthan. There will be a meeting of legislators and their views will be taken. The central leadership has full authority. The face will emerge." Pilot, Rajasthan Congress chief, said: "The struggle of Congress workers and the people is being reflected in the results. We won 21 seats last time. People were unhappy over the way they faced hardships. They were unhappy with the state government and the Central government. "The roadmap we presented was appreciated and Rahul Gandhi campaigned energetically. Congress workers worked unitedly. I am grateful to people for their blessings." He said the party will also form its governments in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. Regarding a new Chief Minister, Pilot said: "The Congress high command and the MLAs will collectively decide. "Today is a decisive day and Rahul Gandhi became Congress chief on the same day last year. And what can be a better gift than the party forming its governments in three BJP-ruled states?" --IANS ps-aks/ksk/sed (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) After his party's victory in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh, former Meghalaya Chief Minister Mukul Sangma on Tuesday exuded confidence that the Congress will return to power at the Centre as well. "People will throw out this BJP government and that has been indicated in this mandate of the people. It definitely indicates the trend and it reflects writing on the wall," the veteran Congress leader said. "...in spite of all that they have been trying to do...the Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) went and announced some populist schemes to woo voters in Rajasthan on the day when the Election Commission was supposed to announce the elections," he said. Noting that people rejected the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) because of its anti-people policies, the Leader of Opposition in the Meghalaya Assembly said: "They have subjected the people of the nation to agony by bringing insensitive policies starting with demonetisation and all tall promises made just to get votes and come to power. People have found out and I must say that the results showed complete rejection of the anti-people policies." On Congress being decimated in Mizoram, Sangma said: "Let us not link Mizoram and Meghalaya. Meghalaya is always a state with fractured mandate and it was a different thing in 2013 where the people gave the mandate to the Congress but that too not absolute majority. "Here also, these people came to power by making tall promises and the same situation is already prevailing in the state. You ask anybody across the state who thought that these people would probably do what they have promised, but now the people will tell you something else. With tall promises they thought that they can get votes and get away." On the BJP's Congress-mukt Bharat slogan and the Congress' failure to retain power in Mizoram, Sangma said: "In some places you have defeat and bad outcome, and this is expected in democracy. But if you look at Mizoram and try to compare with other states, it is a different ball game and you have to know what exactly was prevailing in Mizoram..." --IANS rrk/nir (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Congress is set to take power in Rajasthan, ending five years of BJP rule, state Congress President Sachin Pilot said on Tuesday. As Congress activists celebrated the party's impending victory in Rajasthan, Pilot told the media: "The trends have clearly shown that the Congress shall form the government with a majority in Rajasthan. However, we should wait till the final results." Election Commission officials said that Congress candidates were leading in 100 of the 199 constituencies and the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in 77. He said the people in Rajasthan had shown their anger against the BJP. "The results are a gift to Rahul Gandhi who became the Congress President on this day a year ago," Pilot added. Asked who would become the Chief Minister if the Congress formed a government, Pilot said the decision would be taken by the party leadership and MLAs. "We all have worked together to bring the Congress to this state from its earlier 21 seats in Rajasthan. This is a victory for the people." --IANS arc/mr/and (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A Delhi court on Tuesday allowed the CBI plea seeking specimen signatures and handwriting samples of British national Christian Michel, the middleman accused in the Rs 3,600-crore AgustaWestland VVIP chopper deal. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had sought directions to take Michel's specimen signatures and handwriting samples to match them with the documents already in the possession of the agency. Special Judge Arvind Kumar also allowed Michel's plea seeking permission to speak to his wife and kids on condition that the medium of communication between them will be English and the conversation will be done on loudspeaker. Michel's counsel had requested the court to allow his client to speak to his wife, manager and step-brother. But the CBI had raised objection to Michel's plea and submitted reasons for the same on a piece of paper to the court. Currently, Michel is in CBI custody till December 15. He was extradited to India on December 4 from the United Arab Emirates. --IANS akk/nir (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Tuesday said the results in five states clearly show the mood of the nation. "I congratulate the Congress, the TRS and MNF for their electoral victory. This shows the mood of the nation," the Chief Minister told reporters. He said the Centre's neglect of farmers was a key reason behind the BJP's defeat in the states which are predominantly agrarian. "The central government has done very little for the farmers as regards minimum support price (MSP) and implementation of the M.S. Swaminathan Committee recommendations," said Patnaik. --IANS cd/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Coming down heavily on the "anti-farmer" policies of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), a prominent farm activist on Tuesday urged the BJP to "get rid of Narendra Modi and Amit Shah" after the election defeat in five states. Farmers leader and Vasantrao Naik Sheti Swavalamban Mission (VNSSM) Chairman Kishore Tiwari said the "anti-farmer, anti-rural and anti-agro policies of the BJP led to its shocking defeat" in the elections. "The Modi-Shah duo has even upturned some of the good work done by the Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh governments by compelling them to take anti-farm decisions. They seem to be only interested in grandiose Bullet Trains and Metro Rail projects," Tiwari told IANS. Accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP President Amit Shah of "dictatorial approach", he said it was time now to consider whether a person like, say, Nitin Gadkari, who believes in "collective instead of confrontational leadership", should head the BJP. "If the BJP leaders don't take some serious decisions soon, then they could face similar humiliation in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections," warned Tiwari, who is accorded a Ministerial status by the state government in his capacity as VNSSM head. --IANS qn/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Central government on Tuesday said that Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) is probing the incident in which a Jaipur-Kolkata IndiGo flight had to make an emergency landing at Kolkata due to smoke inside the cabin and cockpit area. According to a senior official from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), a preliminary report after a detailed technical inspection has been sought from the airline. "Indigo flight 6E-237 of December 10 on sector Jaipur-Kolkata made an emergency landing at CCU (Kolkata) due to smoke in cockpit and cabin. Flight landed safely at CCU," the official said. IndiGo in a statement said there had been no earlier instance of malfunction with the aircraft in question. "An IndiGo flight (A320 aircraft) 6E-237 operating on Jaipur-Kolkata route made an emergency landing as a precaution at Kolkata due to suspected smoke in cabin," the airline said in a statement. "The flight landed safely at Kolkata. On reaching the bay a few passengers were evacuated via the aft exit deployed slides, most passengers deplaned via front step ladder. There was no earlier report of any malfunction with the airplane." AAIB comes under the Ministry of Civil Aviation. --IANS rrb-rv/mag/sed (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In a bid to boost tourism, the Gujarat government has requested other states to construct guest houses near the 182-metre tall Statue of Unity or statue of Sardar Patel in Narmada district, a state minister said here on Tuesday. So far, 10 states have responded. "We have written letters to all the chief ministers urging them to construct guest houses in the area in order to accommodate tourists coming to see the Statue of Unity from different states. We are even providing land to all states for the construction of theses guest houses. So far, 10 chief ministers have agreed to our proposal," Gujarat Education and Civil Aviation Minister Bhupendrasinh Chudasama said at a roadshow in the run up to the ninth edition of the Vibrant Gujarat summit to be held during January 18-20. Currently, the state government is providing accommodation to visitors for overnight stays, he added. Asked whether the West Bengal Government has responded to the proposal, he said, "We have approached the Bengal Government but so far no response has been received. But we hope to get it." According to a state official, more than 4 lakh people have already visited the Statue of Unity after its inauguration on October 31. On Vibrant Gujarat, anchored on the theme "Shaping a New India", he said 35,000 participants are expected to attend the event and as many as 15 countries have confirmed their participation. "There is no unrest in industries in the state and Gujarat is a safe state. We have better infrastructure than any other state," he said. "About 73 per cent of the projects bagged in the 2017 edition have been implemented on ground," state Industries' Commissioner Mamta Verma told reporters here. The minister met industrialists in West Bengal and had a one-on-one interaction with them. "They have assured us of investments in the state and will attend the upcoming summit," he said, adding that the industrialists here have expressed their interests mostly in textiles, ceramic and engineering. --IANS bdc/oeb/sed (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Supreme Court on Tuesday said the identity of rape victims has to be protected at all stages of the case, including during trial, and asked the media to refrain from sensationalising it for the sake of increasing viewership, known as television rating point (TRP). A bench of Justices Madan B. Lokur and Deepak Gupta said the Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL) reports and other documents related to such cases sould be handed over to the trial court in a sealed cover without disclosing the identity of the victims. In such cases involving children from small villages, "even disclosure of the name of village may contravene the provisions of Section 23(2) POCSO because it will just require a person to go to the village and find out who the child is". Speaking for the bench, Justice Gupta advised the media to avoid sensationalising rape cases for the purpose of increasing the TRP and ordered that identity of minor rape victims cannot be disclosed even by their families. Pointing to the harassment that a rape victim undergoes during the course of investigation and during the course of trial, Justice Gupta, who pronounced the judgment, said that the victim of rape is treated worse than the perpetrator of the crime and for no fault of the victim. "Society instead of empathising with the victim, start treating her as an untouchable," he said. "A victim of rape/sexual abuse is treated like -- pariah -- and ostracised from the society," the court said. "A minor victim of sexual abuse needs to be protected even more than a major victim because a major victim being an adult may still be able to stand the social ostracisation and mental harassment meted out by the society. However, a minor victim will find it difficult to do so," it added. The court said this while addressing the question in what manner the identity of adult victims of rape and children who are victims of sexual abuse should be protected so that they are not subjected to unnecessary ridicule, social ostracisation and harassment. The court dealt with the question of adult rape victims under the Indian Penal Code and that of children under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO), 2012. The verdict came on a PIL by advocate Nipun Saxena, who had moved the court seeking steps for the safety of women in public places. The petition was filed in the aftermath of the December 16, 2012, Delhi gangrape case. "The media has not only the right but an obligation to report all such cases. However, it should be cautious not to sensationalise the same," the court said further restraining the media from talking to the "victim because every time a victim repeats the tale of misery, the victim again undergoes the trauma which he/she has gone through". Reporting of rape cases, the court said, should be done "sensitively keeping the best interest of the victims, both adult and children, in mind. Sensationalising such cases may garner Television Rating Point (TRP) but does no credit to the credibility of media". --IANS pk/in/sed (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) India on Tuesday handed over to Myanmar the first 50 housing units built for the displaced Rohingya Muslim minority in Rakhine state following delegation-level talks between President Ram Nath Kovind and his Myanmar counterpart U Win Myint here. According to a statement issued by the Rashtrapati Bhavan, the two sides also signed two agreements following the talks - one on capacity building of judges and judicial officers in Myanmar and another on cooperation in science and technology - as Kovind started this three-day state visit to the eastern neighbour with a ceremonial reception at the Presidential Palace here. India had signed a development programme for Rakhine late last year which was designed to assist the Myanmar government to build housing infrastructure for return of displaced persons. Two hundred and fifty housing units were planned under the first phase of the development project. Over 730,000 Rohingya members, who are not recognised as citizens by Myanmar, have sought refuge in Bangladesh since August 2017, following a military campaign against the minority community in Rakhine. Coinciding with Kovind's visit and to further people-to-people relations, Myanmar has also announced a visa-on-arrival facility for Indian tourists. According to the Rashtrapati Bhavan statement, Kovind, during the talks, said that India attached special priority to its relations with Myanmar. "Myanmar is a key partner for India's Act East and Neighbourhood First policies," it stated. "President Kovind also described Myanmar as a 'natural bridge' from India to Southeast Asia and Asean (Association of Southeast Asian Nations)." Stressing that India took pride in its development cooperation partnership with Myanmar and is committed to completing all connectivity projects, Kovind said that the port and inland waterway components of the Kaladan multimodal transport project connecting Sittwe port in Myanmar with Mizoram in northeastern India have been built. India also sought Myanmar's support to expedite completion of the remaining projects. A trilateral highway connecting India, Myanmar and Thailand is currently under construction. Kovind also met Myanmar State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi at the Presidential Palace and the two leaders discussed various bilateral and multilateral issues. "The President said that India deeply appreciates the reforms underway in Myanmar," the statement said. "We understand that this is a particularly challenging time for Myanmar. India is in full support of the objectives of the National Peace Process." According to the statement, Kovind also said that residents of India's northeastern region have particularly welcomed and are beginning to reap the benefits of the land-border crossing agreement concluded recently by the two sides. "They look forward to the early conclusion of the Motor Vehicles Agreement," he was quoted as saying. "Connectivity initiatives are bringing progress and prosperity to people on both sides of the border." Kovind will also visit Yangon during the course of his three-day trip to Myanmar, his first state visit to a country with which India shares a land border. --IANS ab/sed (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Pakistan's Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi has said that India's cooperation would be needed for bringing peace to war-torn Afghanistan. Speaking in the National Assembly on Monday, the minister said: "Some meetings have taken place (among key stakeholders) for establishment of peace in Afghanistan. India also has stakes in Afghanistan and its cooperation will also be needed." Qureshi said that according to Prime Minister Imran Khan peace can't be established in Afghanistan through military power. "Today the US, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Taliban also wanted a solution through dialogue," Qureshi was quoted as saying by the Express Tribune. Khan had earlier reaffirmed Pakistan's "abiding interest" in achieving lasting peace in Afghanistan during a meeting with US special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad. Qureshi also said that Pakistan was hopeful that India will review its policy in Kashmir. --IANS soni/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The upcoming "Indian Pharmaceutical Congress 2018" would discuss various aspects of the industry including the impact of e-pharmacy players on brick and mortar pharmacies. The 70th edition of the annual conclave would be held from December 21 to December 23 and would be based on the theme "Pharma Vision 2030: Indian Pharma Industry - A Global Leader", the Indian Pharmaceutical Congress Association (IPCA) said in statement. IPCA is the organiser of the three-day event. The event would have discources on issues including "mushrooming of e-pharmacies in the country and its ripple effect on the brick and mortar stores; and prescribing only generic drugs instead of branded generics". Dilip Shanghvi, the MD of Sun Pharma and President of the conclave, said: "The regulatory policies of India are to be harmonised so that India becomes a global leader in pharma, including generics, active pharmaceutical ingredients, medical devices and diagnostics." The other subjects would include regulatory landscape of the Indian pharma industry and addressing talent gaps in the industry, the IPCA statement said. The 70th edition of the conclave would be inaugurated by Venkaiah Naidu, the Vice President of India, it added. --IANS rrb/nir (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Contrary to exit poll predictions that gave the Congress a clear edge in Assembly elections, the Congress and the ruling BJP were involved in a nail-biting contest for power on Tuesday. As officials counted millions of votes polled in the November 28 election, trends from centres where the votes were counted put the Congress ahead of the BJP at times and the BJP ahead of the Congress at other times, keeping everyone guessing. Both Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders claimed they were poised to win a majority in the 230-seat Madhya Pradesh Assembly. The BJP has ruled Madhya Pradesh, like Chhattisgarh, for 15 long years. The first trends from postal ballots put the BJP candidates in the lead before reversing the trend and putting the Congress ahead of others. Then began a see-saw battle, making it a nail-biting fight. Post noon, the Congress again surged ahead of the BJP, with 114 seats to its credit compared to 98 of the BJP. Thousands of BJP and Congress activists were gathered in all counting centres, cheering every time their candidate took the lead. --IANS mr/vsc (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A Canadian court has delayed the hearing of Chinese tech company Huawei's Chief Financial Officer (CFO), who has been accused of helping the firm dodge US sanctions on Iran, to Tuesday after two days of arguments. Meng Wanzhou, 46, was arrested in Vancouver on December 1 at the request of American authorities and faces extradition to the US, reports CNN. David Martin, Meng's attorney, has proposed that she be allowed to reside in one of her properties in Vancouver in the interim because of health concerns including severe hypertension. He said Meng would be closely monitored and would personally cover all the related security costs. Meng, 46, is a high-profile executive at Huawei, one of the world's biggest makers of smartphones and networking equipment. In addition to her role as CFO, she also serves as deputy chairperson of the company's board. According to Canadian prosecutors, the US has alleged that Meng helped Huawei get around American sanctions on Iran by telling financial institutions that a company subsidiary, Skycom, was a separate and unaffiliated company. Meng faces "serious charges of fraud" in the US involving "millions of dollars", where she could receive substantial jail time if convicted, according to a statement from a Canadian law enforcement official filed in court. Canadian authorities, meanwhile, believe that Meng should only be released if she receives tough bail conditions, since she has "access to large amounts of resources to escape the jurisdiction", the prosecutors said. Meng's detention has further strained the tense relationship between Washington and Beijing just as the two sides are trying to negotiate an end to their bruising trade war, CNN reported. Chinese officials have demanded that Meng be let go. Over the weekend, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said it had summoned both US Ambassador to China Terry Branstad and Canadian Ambassador to China John McCallum to address Meng's detention, which it described as "lawless, reasonless and ruthless". --IANS ksk (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) As the country gears up to observe the 100th anniversary of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre of innocent, unarmed Indians by ruthless British forces, the events before and after the April 13, 1919, killing of hundreds clearly indicate that the British rulers of that time were unnerved by the unrest in Punjab in general and Amritsar in particular, which led them to do something which could "teach a lesson" to the Indians. "Though Brigadier General Reginald Dyer (who ordered his troops to fire on people who had gathered at the Jallianwala Bagh on the fateful day and killed hundreds) was blamed for the action, there is hardly any documented evidence to show how he landed in Amritsar on that day as he was posted in Jalandhar (earlier Jullundur)," author and columnist Kishwar Desai told IANS in an interview here. Desai, who has penned a book "Jallianwala Bagh, 1919: The Real Story" recently, said that her extensive research on the happenings around the massacre revealed that the British rulers were quite unnerved by the unrest in Punjab and Amritsar. "Prior to the killings at Jallianwala Bagh, there had been signs of increasing unrest in Punjab. These signs were being interpreted as sedition, even though causes of the unrest were varied. Indeed, it is impossible to understand what happened on 13 April 1919, without an examination of the barbarism unleashed in Punjab under the regime of the then Lieutenant Governor Sir Michael O'Dwyer to suppress the so-called rebellion," Desai, who is the chair of The Arts and Cultural Heritage Trust that set up the world's first Partition Museum at Amritsar's Town Hall, points out in her book. The author said that the idea to write this book and to bring out "some facets which had not been researched in detail so far" came after she chanced upon a photograph of the burnt-down Town Hall building of Amritsar. This happened in April 1919. Further investigation and research, according to Desai, led to more evidence of the British atrocities on Indian subjects just before the Jallianwala Bagh incident and the violence that erupted in Amritsar on April 10 in which many people, including five Europeans, were killed. Properties, including the Town Hall, were targeted to protest against the British atrocities. Disputing the commonly held narrative that the people who had gathered at the Bagh on the fateful day for an anti-Rowlatt Act meeting were outsiders who had come to Amritsar for the Baisakhi festival, Desai points out that the meeting was attended mostly by local residents of Amritsar and no more than 25 per cent of them were from outside. "And it is very likely that the massacre was a carefully planned one, not spontaneous one as has been often made out. In all likelihood, no women were present," Desai states in the book, adding that O'Dwyer, who was nearing retirement at that time, and others in power, were upset over the emerging importance of Punjab in the freedom struggle and retaliated with a reign of terror where people were whipped in public, bombed, incarcerated, forced to crawl, starved, beaten, caged and even executed. "The massacre on 13 April was part of a policy of oppression unleashed by O'Dwyer against the frequent 'hartals' (strikes) or the 'Satyagraha Movement' (launched by Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi)... in fact, the civil administration of Punjab had already declared Amritsar a war zone (around April 11) and regarded the residents as their enemies," Desai points out in the book. Dyer, who had arrived in Amritsar from Jullundur on the evening of April 11, had ordered his troops to fire on the gathering inside Jallianwala Bagh on the evening of April 13, 1919. The official death figure was put at 379 while nearly 1,200 were injured. The death toll is often disputed, with claims (Indian National Congress Report) that over 1,000 innocent people were killed. "Not a very well-known entity" when he arrived in Amritsar, Dyer had a "fairly humdrum career" till he "hit immortality as a mass murderer", the new book says. (Jaideep Sarin can be reached at jaideep.s@ians.in) --IANS js/vm/tb (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Saudi Arabian journalist Jamal Khashoggi, who was murdered in October in the kingdom's Istanbul consulate, was on Tuesday named Time magazine's "Person of the Year" along with several other journalists. Apart from Khashoggi, the honour was also given to three other journalists -- two Reuters scribes Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo jailed in Myanmar for their work exposing the mass killing of Rohingya Muslims, and Maria Ressa, the CEO of the Rappler news website, who has been made a legal target in the Philippines. The Capital Gazette newspaper of Annapolis, Maryland, where five staff members were gunned down in a newsroom shooting earlier this year was also honoured. "As we looked at the choices, it became clear that the manipulation and the abuse of truth is really the common thread in so many of this year's major stories, from Russia to Riyadh to Silicon Valley," Time magazine Editor Edward Felsenthal said on the "Today" show, where the announcement was made. Special counsel Robert S. Mueller III, who is investigating Russian interference in the 2016 election, was third and President Donald Trump was runner-up, Felsenthal said. "There's always a strong case for the President of the US, particularly this President," Felsenthal said. The magazine's shortlist that was released on Monday included Trump, Mueller and Khashoggi. The magazine hailed Khashoggi, a Washington Post columnist and a supporter-turned-critic of Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman, who was killed on October 2 for daring "to disagree with his country's government". "His death laid bare the true nature of a smiling prince, the utter absence of morality in the Saudi-US alliance and - in the cascade of news feeds and alerts, posts and shares and links - the centrality of the question Khashoggi was killed over: Whom do you trust to tell the story?" the Time's cover story said. More than two months since Khashoggi's disappearance, Saudi Arabia is still facing international condemnation over his brutal killing and alleged dismemberment at the hands of a Saudi hit team. The 61-year-old's body has still not been found and is thought by Turkish investigators to have been dissolved in acid. The magazine's short list had also included the more than 2,000 migrant families separated at the US border, Russian President Vladimir Putin, "Black Panther" director Ryan Coogler, California psychology professor Christine Blasey Ford, who alleged then-Supreme Court nominee Brett M. Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her when they were high school students, "March For Our Lives" activists fighting for gun-control reforms, South Korean President Moon Jae-in and former actress-turned-British royal Meghan Markle. Time magazine's person of the year started in 1927 and recognizes "the person or group of people who most influenced the news and the world -- for better or for worse -- during the past year". It is decided by the magazine's editors. --IANS soni/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Actress Janhvi Kapoor was on Tuesday presented "Arts Stjerneskudd" (Shooting Star of the Year) award by the Royal Norwegian Consulate here. Dressed in a beautiful blue saree, the "Dhadak" actress came along with her father and film producer Boney Kapoor to receive the award in the presence of Iram Haq, the acclaimed Norwegian director. The event took place at the Metro INOX in Mumbai. Talking on the occasion, Janhvi said: "It is an honour to be present here as any form of appreciation makes me feel special and I would like to continue my good work to live up to the expectation (of audience). I will work hard." Boney Kapoor said: "I am feeling proud as a father to be standing here next to her to receive the award. I am feeling elated to be here because every time any of my family members...my son and daughter achieve something, I feel proud." Announcing the award, Ann Ollestad, the Consul General said: "Your performance in 'Dhadak' was excellent and we would like to recognise your talent in Norway on behalf of the Royal Norwegian Consulate General, I would like to call you the Shooting Star of the Year." The occasion was followed by a screening of "What Will People Say" -- Norway's official entry to the Oscars 2019. The film features Indian actors like Adil Hussain, Rohit Saraf and Ekavali Khanna, among others, and also produced by an Indian producer Guneet Monga. --IANS aru/vc/nir (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Lok Sabha was adjourned for the day on Tuesday after paying tributes to former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and four other former and incumbent MPs who passed away during the intersession period. Soon after the House met for the day beginning the Winter Session of the Parliament, Speaker Sumitra Mahajan made the obituary references. A two-minute silence was observed in memory of the deceased. Mahajan described Vajpayee as a "visionary" leader of "masses" and one of the "greatest" parliamentarians. "His personality will always be a source of inspiration for us," she said and conveyed sympathies of the House to the members of Vajpayee's family. Vajpayee died on August 16 in Delhi after a prolonged illness. The House also paid tributes to former Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee, who passed away on August 13 in Kolkata, West Bengal. Tributes were also paid to four sitting MPs -- Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Ananth Kumar, Begusarai MP Bhola Singh, Senior Congress leader and Kishanganj MP Mohammad Asrarul Haque Qasmi and M.I. Shanavas, the working president of the Congress unit in Kerala. Kumar, 59, died in Bengaluru on November 12 due to multiple organ failure. Singh died at the age of 82 on October 19 in Delhi. Qasmi died of a heart attack on December 7 at his home in Bihar's Kishanganj district at the age of 76 while Shanavas died on November 21 in Chennai. "The House stands adjourned for the day. It will meet tomorrow at 11 a.m.," the Lok Sabha Speaker announced. The Winter Session of the Parliament will continue till January 8. --IANS rak/mag/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday announced that he will raise the monthly minimum wage by 100 euros ($113) and lower taxes on retirees and workers in a somber speech to the nation in which he tried to respond to the demands expressed in the so-called "yellow vest" protests. The president acknowledged that his words "may have hurt" some people in the past, adding that he considered justified the discontent that sparked the protests, in response to which he had announced by decree a "state of economic and social emergency." "I may have given the impression that it wasn't my problem, that it wasn't my priority. I may have hurt some of you with my words," said Macron in his 13-minute televised -- albeit pre-recorded -- address, reports Efe. Macron acknowledged that the country is facing "an historic moment" and asked the large companies to participate in the necessary efforts to change the situation. The French leader said that the increase in the minimum wage (currently 1,498 euros a month) will enter into effect in January 2019 "without costing anything to the employer," adding that overtime work will be exempt from taxes and other charges, also starting in the new year. Macron also asked all businessmen "who can" to provide their workers with a yearend bonus that will also be exempt from taxation. In addition, the French president said that retirees who receive less than 2,000 euros per month will have the increase in the tax on social security funds nullified. On the other hand, he said he did not agree with the idea of restoring the wealth tax paid in the past by some people with net assets of more than 1.3 million euros, a tax which he scrapped when he took office in 2017. "We want a France where a person can live in a dignified way from their work. I ask the government and the Parliament to do what is necessary," the president concluded regarding the series of planned measures, accompanying them with a condemnation of the acts of violence at the protests. --IANS vc (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May on Tuesday met German Chancellor Angela Merkel here as part of a whistle-stop tour to meet European leaders in an attempt to salvage her Brexit deal, a day after postponing a parliamentary vote on it in the face of overwhelming opposition. May met fellow conservative politician Merkel in the German capital having travelled from the Hague, where she had a breakfast meeting with her Dutch counterpart Mark Rutte to seek "further assurances" that the Northern Irish backstop would never come into force, though No 10 warned a rapid breakthrough was unlikely. Head of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker and European Council President Donald Tusk have already said the draft Brexit deal would not be subject to renegotiation but said they were open to give further clarifications on it. May was due to meet the two top officials later in the day in Brussels. "We will not renegotiate the deal, including the backstop," Tusk earlier tweeted, referring to the contested clause in the deal relating to Northern Ireland. UK Work and Pensions Secretary Amber Rudd said further talks with Brussels would focus on the Brexit "backstop" on the Irish border, which May earlier admitted had caused MPs "widespread and deep concern". Conservative Party leader May said on Monday that the decision to delay the vote was made after it became clear she would lose it "by a significant margin". According to the Guardian, Downing Street said the vote could be delayed till January, that reduces the time available to pass the necessary legislation to complete the UK's departure. A government spokesperson said that May will put her Brexit deal to a vote in the lower house of Parliament before January 21. Dozens of Conservative MPs had been planning to join forces with the Labour Party, the Scottish National Party, the Liberal Democrats, Plaid Cymru and the Democratic Unionist Party to vote down May's deal, reports said. The Tory rebels and the DUP do not like the Northern Ireland "backstop", a legally-binding proposal for a customs arrangement with the EU, which would come into force if the two sides cannot agree a future relationship which avoids the return of customs checkpoints on the Irish border. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn urged May to stand down because her government was now in "chaos". --IANS soni/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) UK's Prime Minister Theresa May will meet European leaders and EU officials on Tuesday for talks in an attempt to salvage her Brexit deal, a day after postponing a parliamentary vote on it in the face of overwhelming opposition. May will hold talks with her Dutch counterpart Mark Rutte in the Hague and later with German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin to seek "further assurances" to ensure that the Northern Irish backstop would never come into force, though No 10 warned a rapid breakthrough was unlikely. However, European Council President Donald Tusk warned that the EU would "not renegotiate" but said leaders would discuss how to help "facilitate UK ratification", the BBC reported. May will meet Tusk and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker in Brussels later in the day. "We will not renegotiate the deal, including the backstop," Tusk tweeted, referring to the contested clause in the deal relating to Northern Ireland. UK Work and Pensions Secretary Amber Rudd said further talks with Brussels would focus on the Brexit "backstop" on the Irish border, which May earlier admitted had caused MPs "widespread and deep concern". Conservative Party leader May said on Monday that the decision to delay the vote was made after it became clear she would lose it "by a significant margin". According to the Guardian, Downing Street said the vote could be delayed till January, that reduces the time available to pass the necessary legislation to complete the UK's departure. Dozens of Conservative MPs had been planning to join forces with Labour Party, the Scottish National Party, the Liberal Democrats, Plaid Cymru and the Democratic Unionist Party to vote down May's deal, reports said. The Tory rebels and the DUP do not like the Northern Ireland "backstop", a legally-binding proposal for a customs arrangement with the EU, which would come into force if the two sides cannot agree a future relationship which avoids the return of customs checkpoints on the Irish border. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn urged May to stand down because her government was now in "chaos". --IANS soni/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Prime Minister Narendra Modi will on Wednesday inaugurate the fourth Partners' Forum -- a multi-country event aimed at sustaining global momentum for issues related to health of women, children and adolescents -- in the national capital, an official said on Tuesday. The two-day international conference being organised by the Central government, along with the Partnership for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (PMNCH), will bring together around 1,500 participants from 85 countries across all regions and income levels, a government statement said. Launched in 2005, the Partners' Forum is a global health partnership constituting over 1,000 members from across 92 countries, working to accelerate efforts to reduce child and maternal mortality, and improve adolescent, child, newborn and maternal health. "The previous chapters of the event were held in Johannesburg in South Africa (2014), New Delhi (2010) and Dar es Salaam in Tanzania (2007). This is the second time India is hosting the Partners' Forum," the government said. "The Partners' Forum will showcase learning from across six regions -- Africa, Eastern Mediterranean, Europe, Americas, South East Asia and Western Pacific," it added. --IANS vv/nir (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) NASA's first spacecraft sent to collect sample from an asteroid has found water locked inside asteroid Bennu -- a remnant from early in the formation of the solar system. Launched in September 2016, the Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, Security-Regolith Explorer (OSIRIS-REx) mission will help scientists investigate how planets formed and how life began, as well as improve our understanding of asteroids that could impact Earth. Spectral observations made by the spacecraft's two spectrometers, the OSIRIS-REx Visible and Infrared Spectrometer (OVIRS) and the OSIRIS-REx Thermal Emission Spectrometer (OTES) revealed the presence of molecules that contain oxygen and hydrogen atoms bonded together, known as "hydroxyls". These hydroxyl groups exist globally across the asteroid in water-bearing clay minerals, meaning that at some point Bennu's rocky material interacted with water. While Bennu itself is too small to have ever hosted liquid water, the finding does indicate that liquid water was present at some time on Bennu's parent body, a much larger asteroid, NASA said in a statement on Monday. "The presence of hydrated minerals across the asteroid confirms that Bennu, a remnant from early in the formation of the solar system, is an excellent specimen for the OSIRIS-REx mission to study the composition of primitive volatiles and organics," said Amy Simon from NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland. "When samples of this material are returned by the mission to Earth in 2023, scientists will receive a treasure trove of new information about the history and evolution of our solar system," Simon added. Initial assessment of Bennu's regolith indicates that the surface of Bennu is a mix of very rocky, boulder-filled regions and a few relatively smooth regions that lack boulders. However, the quantity of boulders on the surface is higher than expected. The team will make further observations at closer ranges to more accurately assess where a sample can be taken on Bennu for later return to Earth. The findings on Bennu brings scientists "a step closer to the possibility of asteroids providing astronauts on future missions into the solar system with resources like fuel and water", said researchers from the University of Arizona. After travelling through space for more than two years and over two billion kilometres, OSIRIS-REx spacecraft reached Bennu on December 3. The mission is currently performing a preliminary survey of the asteroid, flying the spacecraft in passes over Bennu's north pole, equator, and south pole at ranges as close as 4.4 miles (7 km) to better determine the asteroid's mass. The spacecraft's first orbital insertion is scheduled for December 31, and OSIRIS-REx will remain in orbit until mid-February 2019, when it will exit to initiate another series of flybys for the next survey phase. During the first orbital phase, the spacecraft will orbit the asteroid at a range of 0.9 miles (1.4 km) to 1.24 miles (2.0 km) from the centre of Bennu - setting new records for the smallest body ever orbited by a spacecraft and the closest orbit of a planetary body by any spacecraft. --IANS rt/mag/sed (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday warned that the Lebanese Hezbollah militia will be dealt "unimaginable blows" if it resists Israel's recent operation to destroy cross-border tunnels. The remarks were made by Netayahu during a tour along the northern border, where the Israeli army has uncovered three Hezbollah tunnels crossing from southern Lebanon into Israeli territory, reports Xinhua. "The most important thing is the readiness here for a much stronger response if Hezbollah makes a major mistake and decides to attack us or oppose our action," Netanyahu said, according to a statement released by his office. "Hezbollah will be dealt unimaginable blows," he said. During the tour, Netanyahu, who is also Israel's defence minister, held a security meeting with Israeli army's Chief-of-Staff Gadi Eizenkot. "We are systematically dismantling the tunnels," he said, adding the operation will continue "as long as necessary." "We are carrying out exactly what we planned but we are ready for the unexpected. There is great firepower here," he added. Israel launched the "Northern Shield" operation on December 4 in order to locate and thwart the cross-border tunnels built by Hezbollah, a Shiite militia backed by Iran. Israel has claimed that Hezbollah plans to use the cross-border tunnels to infiltrate into Israel. Israel and Hezbollah fought a month-long war in 2006 that ended in a ceasefire. --IANS vc (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) President and Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao's daughter K. Kavitha said on Tuesday that there was never a doubt that the party will retain power with a huge majority. Kavitha, a member of the Lok Sabha, said there was no anti-incumbency as the TRS government had done well on all fronts during the last four-and-a-half years. The TRS leader said the so-called tough fight between the TRS and Congress-led People's Front was showcased only on paper. She told a news channel that Telangana had voted for development. "KCR's hard work has paid off," said Kavitha, adding that it was both welfare programmes and Telangana pride which worked for the party in this election. The Nizamabad MP said Telugu Desam Party (TDP) President and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu hijacked the People's Front to hide his failures in Andhra Pradesh. She said after this huge victory, KCR would now focus on national to work for an alternative to both Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party. --IANS ms/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A police sub-inspector posted in Sonebhadra district of Uttar Pradesh committed suicide on Tuesday by shooting himself with his service revolver, police said. The 29-year-old was posted as the Station House Officer (SHO) of Hinduari. He shot himself in the police station premises at around 5.30 am, an official told IANS. Mishra was a resident of Allahabad and was a 2015 batch official. --IANS md/in (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) poor performance in the rural parts of the three Hindi heartland states has indicated that rural distress, mainly over crop prices, was a major factor and could possibly continue to be so in the 2019 general elections. On Tuesday, the BJP could win only around 61 seats from the rural parts of Rajasthan as against 141 it had won in 2013. On the other hand, Congress, which has promised a farmers' loan waiver, saw its number improving dramatically from just 20 in 2013 to 91 in 2018 in the rural belt. Similarly, in Chhattisgarh, where the Congress swept the polls, it bagged 59 rural seats while the BJP's number slumped to 14 from 42 it had won five years ago. In Madhya Pradesh, it was tough fight between the two major parties of the country but the Congress has had an upper edge in securing rural votes as it was leading in over 100 seats and the BJP in 85. The farmers' outburst had started coming out through a series of protests soon after a police firing in Madhya Pradesh's Mandsaur in June last year, which led to death of six farmers who were protesting over low crop prices. The All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee (AIKSCC), which has been holding protests against the "anti-farm" policies of the government, had warned the BJP-led central government of negative repercussions in the Assembly elections. Yogendra Yadav of Swaraj India, which is a part of AIKSCC, said the poll results have "well-captured" the presence of rural distress. "Clearly, the farm distress is now in the centre of the national The 2019 elections will be contested on the issues facing by farmers," Yadav told IANS. Noted agriculture economist Ashok Gulati said the BJP government had failed in finding solutions to the "serious" problem of falling crop price and in bringing about necessary agriculture marketing reforms. "The government did not put up priority for agriculture market reforms. There were more slogans and announcement...People who vote will not go by slogans but for what is pinching them right now," he said. He said it was "seriously wrong" thing if farmers got just Rs 0.5 for a kg of onion when it was sold for Rs 20 in the retail markets. "Last year, Mandsaur happened. What solution? Nothing! They will have to pay price," he said. Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana leader and Lok Sabha member Raju Shetti said the voters in the rural parts had by rejecting the BJP sent a message that their issues were not addressed by the government. "It is also a indication to the Congress as well that farm issues would take centre-stage in the 2019 elections. The BJP government has cheated the farmers by failing to fulfill the promise of remunerative prices," said Shetti adding loan waiver would be an important issue. The Telangana Rashtra Samiti swept the Telangana polls as it had come up with a scheme to address farm distress, which assured Rs 8,000 per acre (Rs 4,000 each in kharif and rabi seasons) annually as investment support, Shetti added. Congress President Rahul Gandhi said his party would fulfill the promise of loan waiver it made to the farmers of the states where it won. "We will start the process to waive loans (in three states) once the government is formed," he told reporters. However, he remained non-committal whether the loan waiver issue would figure during the 2019 elections. "Loan waiver is a supporting step. It is not a solution. We will give farmers support, infrastructure and technology. It is challenging. But we will make it happen," he said. The AIKSCC had held mega farmers protest rally on November 30, its fourth such in the national capital since the Mandsaur firing. The Left-oriented All India Kisan Sabha, the Bhartiya Kisan Union and the Bharatiya Kisan Sangh also held separate rallies in Delhi for better crop prices and loan waivers, among others. At the November 30 rally, Rajendra Prasad, a farmer from Lakhimpur Kheri in Uttar Pradesh, had said that he and fellow farmers would vote only for political parties which waive farm loans and sanction increased crop prices. Another farmer from Unnao in Uttar Pradesh, Ashutosh Choudhary, had said the government should be concerned more about farmers' welfare than building a Ram temple in Ayodhya. (Saurabh Katkurwar can be contacted at saurabh.k@ians.in) --IANS spk-sp-bns/vsc/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Russia's Alrosa, the world's largest diamond miner by volume, is bullish about India after registering sales of over $2 billion directly to the country and indirectly to clients with Indian capital in the first 10 months of 2018, a top company official said. "For the last 10 months this year we sold altogether more than $2 billion directly to India and indirectly to clients with Indian capital," director of the company's sales division, United Selling Organisation, Evgeny Agureev, told IANS in an interview here. At present, 51 per cent of the company's sales, directly and indirectly, involves India. "The total sales volume (in money terms) of our company is about $4.4. billion. Half of this amount is linked with India. We are selling to India more than $2 billion of goods. It means that the share is big and important for us," said Agureev. India as a "very important segment" for the diamond industry, as 75-90 per cent of rough diamonds are now polished in the country. The partially state-owned company as a group accounts for 29 per cent, or almost a third, of global rough diamond production in terms of carats. Agureev said the outlook on India is "positive" amid hopes that the country would get over the "negative trends" caused by the declining value of the rupee as also the strengthening of the banking regulations following banking frauds. "The outlook on India is positive. We hope that next year we will see more stability in our industry, and specially, in India, because this quarter we can see that there are some negative trends like currency devaluation (depreciation) in India, or regulations in the banking sector. They are going to be stronger and that has an influence on the mid-sized manufacturers. "Also we see some seasonability these days, and it is usually the September, October and November period when we have low trading and manufacturing activity," he said. Agureev declined to provide any projectons on the growth of the company's business in India. However, he said the company would not significantly increase the volumes it was providing to India, "because finally, in accordance with our strategy, we are going to keep the barest allocation between main countries like India, China and Israel". Alrosa, established in 1992, accounts for 95 per cent of Russia's overall diamond output. In 2017, the miner produced 39.6 million carats of diamonds, registering a six per cent improvement compared to the year ago period, and earned 275.4 billion roubles ($4 billion). The company opened its representative office at Mumbai's Bharat Diamond Bourse in April. "The logic is to structure our presence in the market and to have direct relationship with India. And the main purpose is to provide more and more information about our company, our procedures, our goods and our production, and to participate in different jewellery shows or work with some authorities like the Gem and Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC)," he said. Describing the opening of the office as being in the "right decision", Agureev said the company now has an improved understanding of the market, and is getting more information about the current trends. But he said at this stage, there were no plans to open any additional office "in Surat or Delhi". Asked about the company's relationship with GJEPC, he said "We have important cooperation in the area of synthetic stones". The two sides signed a Memorandum of Cooperation last year in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum. (Sirshendu Panth was in Moscow at the invitation of Alrosa. He can be reached at s.panth@ians.in) --IANS ssp/vm/hs (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Tensions between Kremlin and the US on Tuesday continued to rise as two Russian bombers capable of carrying nuclear weapons landed in Venezuela in a show of support for the government of socialist President Nicolas Maduro. The long-range strategic bombers landed at Simon Bolivar Airport outside of the Venezuelan capital on Monday along with two other Russian planes. A pair of jets also visited in 2013. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the move amounted to "two corrupt governments squandering public funds and squelching liberty and freedom while their people suffer", while the Russian government, in response on Tuesday, called his words "completely inappropriate", the BBC reported. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said the claims were completely inappropriate and not very diplomatic. He went on to say that it was out of place for the US to make such remarks when half of the American defence budget could feed the African continent. Peskov also said that Russia wished to establish a constructive relationship with the US and that he had faith that both states would see eye to eye, according to Efe news. Venezuela and Russia have long been close allies and the arrival of the planes came just days after Maduro met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow. Venezuelan Defence Minister Vladimir Padrino said the planes were part of Air Force exercises with its Russian allies: "This we are going to do with our friends, because we have friends in the world who defend respectful balanced, relations." "We are preparing to defend Venezuela to the last inch when necessary," the minister said in a reference to his government's frequent accusations that imperialist powers were trying to topple it. Maduro said on Sunday that there was an attempt under way "directly co-ordinated from the White House to disturb democratic life in Venezuela and to try to launch a coup d'etat against the constitutional, democratic and free government of our country". --IANS soni/sed (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Scotland's first minister and leader of the anti-Brexit and pro-independence Scottish National Party on Tuesday put pressure on the official opposition in the UK to lodge a motion of no confidence against Britain's embattled conservative Prime Minister Theresa May. Speaking to the BBC's flagship Today programme, Nicola Sturgeon said May's Conservative government was no longer functioning and her decision to delay a parliamentary vote on her Brexit deal last minute due to the likeliness it would have been rejected by lawmakers was an opportune moment for Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn to table a confidence motion. "It's a government that's ceased to govern," Sturgeon said. "It's not functioning any longer, so it can't go on and I think it is incumbent now on the official opposition to lodge a motion of no confidence. I signalled yesterday that the SNP would support that," she was cited as saying by Efe news. The SNP, which has 35 Members of Parliament in the House of Commons, the lower chamber of UK Parliament, has vociferously called for a second Brexit referendum. Sturgeon said Corbyn seemed reluctant to back that initiative. Labour's senior ministers so far declined to throw their weight behind a people's vote, instead suggesting the centre-left party could negotiate a better deal with the European Union, although several of its backbenchers were in favour. "Labour can speak for themselves, but as I understand it, they don't think the time is right for a motion of confidence," the leader of Scotland's devolved government said. "For goodness sake, if the time is not right now, then when will the time be right? The clock is ticking, time is running out," she said. Some 52 per cent of UK voters opted to the leave the EU in the 2016 referendum, but 62 per cent of Scottish voters chose to remain. The whole of the UK is due to leave the EU on March 29, 2019. --IANS soni/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The government on Tuesday appointed Shaktikanta Das, who as Economic Affairs Secretary steered the monetary situation post-demonetisation, as the new RBI Governor, a day after Urjit Patel resigned amidst a tiff with the government on the RBI's autonomy. "The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved the appointment of Shaktikanta Das, former Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs, as Governor of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) for a period of three years," an official order said. Das' appointment comes at a time when the government and the RBI are engaged in a tussle over several issues including transfer of the central bank's reserves, over which Patel had reservations after the government hinted at forcing him using provisions of the RBI Act. The order comes three days prior to the next RBI Board meeting on December 14, which is likely to take up all contentious issues on which truce seemed to have been reached in the last meeting in November before the unexpected exit of Patel. The meeting could also be postponed to give the new incumbent some time at Mint Street. Das, a retired 1980-batch IAS officer from the Tamil Nadu cadre, was a member of the 15th Finance Commission of India and India's Sherpa to G20. Having a master's degree from St. Stephen's College, he earlier served as Joint Secretary in the Expenditure Department of the Finance Ministry. In a development that came as an embarrassment for the government, Patel resigned on Monday citing "personal reasons" even as his various predecessors hinted that the decision was rooted in the recent controversy involving the government and the central bank. His resignation came against the backdrop of the ongoing tiff between the government and the central bank over the liquidity and credit crunch in the economy that provoked an extraordinary meeting of the RBI board on November 19. --IANS vv-mgu/vsc/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Sikkim's lone Lok Sabha MP P.D. Rai has presented a list of "long-pending demands" to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and pleaded for increasing the strength of the Sikkim Assembly from its present 32 to 40 seats. Modi has assured him that the demands would be "looked into sincerely," Rai said in a statement to the media on Tuesday. The demands include that five seats should be reserved for the Scheduled Tribes of Limboo and Tamang and a bill be introduced for the same. If that was not viable during the winter session underway, an ordinance must be promulgated. He also brought up the issue of giving tribal status to 11 left-out indigenous Nepali communities from Sikkim under the 371 F provisions of the Constitution of India. The ruling Sikkim Democratic Front, led by Chief Minister Pawan Chamling, has been in power in the Northeastern state for a record 25 years. It has 29 out of 32 seats in the state assembly. The state was likely to go to the polls along with the 2019 general elections. Rai's meeting with the Prime Minister took place in the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) meeting convened before the beginning of the winter session. Bharatiya Janata Party national president Amit Shah, Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley were also present. --IANS ps/in/sed (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Samajwadi Party, which is leading in one seat in Madhya Pradesh, on Tuesday said it will support the Congress in forming the next government in the state where the Congress and the ruling BJP are locked in a neck and neck fight. "We are winning one seat in Madhya Pradesh and we will be supporting the Congress in forming the next government. We have informed the Congress about this," Samajwadi Party leader Kiranmoy Nanda told IANS. Party sources said they were in informal touch with the Mayawati-led BSP, which is leading in two seats, to also support the Congress in government formation. According to latest trends, Congress and its ally Gondwana Gantantra Party (GGP) were leading in 112 seats while the BJP was leading in 110 in the 230-member Assembly. --IANS and/vsc/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Google CEO Sundar Pichai on Tuesday denied that the tech giant favours the more progressive political currents, in contrast to what some legislators and media outlets have claimed, in his first appearance before the US Congress. "I lead this company without political bias and work to ensure that our products continue to operate that way. To do otherwise would go against our core principles and our business interests. We are a company that provides platforms for diverse perspectives and opinions - and we have no shortage of them among our own employees," Pichai told the Senate Judiciary Committee. The Google CEO said that Google does "want to allow for diverse perspectives and opinions, but we have rules of the road. When we find violations on our policies, we do remove those videos (from YouTube)," Efe reported. In recent months, the committee headed by Republican Sen. Bob Goodlatte has held hearings focusing on whether big tech firms display any kind of anti-conservative bias against such policies or lawmakers, among other controversies. Another basic question being handled in these hearings has been the ability of the tech companies to deal with foreign interference in US elections. Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey and Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg told the Senate in September that their firms are now "better prepared" to combat those type of attacks. Sandberg and Dorsey defended their efforts almost a year after their companies confirmed before the same committee that Russia used accounts on their platforms to disseminate divisive political messages with the aim of influencing the 2016 presidential election. In April, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg also faced lawmakers' questions, although on that occasion they focused on the scandal involving Cambridge Analytica, a political consulting firm that gained unauthorised access to 87 million Facebook user accounts. On Monday, Google announced that it had decided to move up the closure of its social networking platform Google+ to April 2019 after detecting a new security breach that exposed the private information of 52.5 million users. --IANS vc/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Shiv Sena President Uddhav Thackeray saluted the "fearless voters" who defeated the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in four out of five Indian states, where results were declared on Tuesday. In a hard-hitting reaction, the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) ally said after the voters decided they do not want the BJP, they decisively rejected it. "Without bothering to go into 'alternatives' (to the BJP), the voters in these four states have given their verdict, uprooted the BJP. What happens in future would be decided later. They have displayed this courage," Thackeray said. He complimented the people of the four states for ushering in change without fear, irrespective of Electronic Voting Machines, money power, muscle power and the oft-repeated 'there is no alternative' factor, and showing the country a new direction. --IANS qn/nir (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Thailand's ruling military junta on Tuesday approved lifting of the ban on political activities it imposed after taking power in a coup in 2014, paving the way for the 2019 general election. In an order, the junta set a 90-day deadline to publish a royal decree that would formally lift the ban and set a date for the election, reports Efe news. The polls have been postponed several times since the coup. The royal decree will eliminate the ban on political meetings of more than five people and allow political parties to organise public events and resume financial activities for political purposes. The junta lifted some of the restrictions last year, allowing parties to meet and enroll in the Election Commission. Thailand has undergone 20 coups, some of them unsuccessful, since its absolute monarchy was abolished in 1932. --IANS ksk/sed (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Thailand's ruling military junta on Tuesday approved lifting of the ban on political activities it had imposed after taking power in a coup in 2014, clearing the way for an election to be held on February 24 next year. The long-awaited general election would be the country's first since 2011. The lifting of the ban came in a statement published by the Royal Gazette, the government's public journal. "The people and political parties will be able to take part in political activities during this period up to the election in accordance with the Constitution," said the statement cited by Thai media. Thailand's military junta banned political activity after toppling the government of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and the hugely popular Pheu Thai party in the coup. The military has been insisting that it intends to restore democracy in Thailand. But the election date has been pushed back repeatedly. Following the coup, military leaders drew up a new Constitution and changes to the electoral system, which were approved by the public in a referendum in 2017. According to the Constitution, the military will remain an influential force in even after the election. It will be able to appoint the Senate, which in turn will help choose the next Prime Minister. Dozens of people had been detained and charged since the banning of political activity. But Tuesday's announcement said that political parties "should be able to campaign to present their policies" so the junta had "decided to amend or abolish the laws", the BBC reported. The royal decree will eliminate the ban on political meetings of more than five people and allow political parties to organise public events and resume financial activities for political purposes. The junta lifted some of the restrictions last year, allowing parties to meet and enrol in the Election Commission. Thailand has undergone 20 coups, some of them unsuccessful, since its absolute monarchy was abolished in 1932. --IANS soni/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Telangana Rashtra Samithi appears to be on winning track in Telangana as it has taken early leads in a majority of the constituencies for which trends were available. The TRS candidates were ahead of their rivals in 48 constituencies while the other major contender for power, the Congress-led People's Front, was ahead in 21 constituencies. All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) was leading in three segments while Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was ahead in one constituency. TRS President and Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao's daughter K. Kavitha said there was no doubt that the party would retain power with huge majority. Kavitha, who is a member of the Lok Sabha, said there was no anti-incumbency as TRS government had done well on all fronts during last four-and-half years. As many as 73.20 per cent of 2.80 crore voters had cast their votes in the elections held in all 119 constituencies last Friday. The TRS had won 63 seats in 2014 while Congress had finished with 21. --IANS ms/in/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Credit:Jill FurmanovskyFounding Pink Floyd drummer Nick Mason is preparing to bring his new group, Nick Mason's Saucerful of Secrets, across the pond for its first North American tour in March 2019, but if it were up to him, he'd still playing with his old band. Of course, the longtime rift between bassist Roger Waters and guitarist David Gilmour makes that impossible, and Mason tells Rolling Stone he's frustrated that the two musicians can't put their differences aside. "I actually get along with both of them," Nick reports, "and I think it's really disappointing that these rather elderly gentlemen are still at loggerheads." Among the issues between Waters and Gilmour, according to Mason, is that "Roger doesn't really respect David." "He feels that writing is everything," Nick explains, "and that guitar playing and the singing are something that -- I won't say anyone can do -- but that everything should be judged on the writing rather than the playing." Mason also says he thinks Waters is still annoyed that other members continued to tour and record as Pink Floyd after he exited the group in 1985. "I think it rankles with Roger that he made a sort of error in a way, that he left the band assuming that without him, it would fold," he notes. "It's a constant irritation, really, that he's still going back to it." Meanwhile, Mason tells Rolling Stone that he lives in hope that Waters and Gilmour eventually will make up. "I mean, I don't think we're going to tour as Pink Floyd again," he admits. "But it would seem silly at this stage of our lives to still be fighting." Mason's Saucerful of Secrets, which focuses on Pink Floyd material prior to 1973, kicks off their North American tour on March 12 in Vancouver, Canada. Copyright 2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. On this day in 1918, Russian writer and historian Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn was born in Kislovodsk, Russia, to Taisia and Isaaki Solzhenitsyn, parents of peasant stock who had received a university education. When he died in 2008 near Moscow, Solzhenitsyn had published his monumental Gulag Archipelago and other literary and historical works which continue to appear in English for the first time. Over the next few weeks, well be posting Acton archival material and new writings and media on the blog to mark this great mans life and legacy. In their introduction to The Solzhenitsyn Reader: New and Essential Writings, 1947-2005 (ISI Books, 2006), editors Edward E. Ericson Jr. and Daniel J. Mahoney describe Solzhenitsyn as the most eloquent scourge of ideology in the twentieth century. They observed that the writers work and witness teach us that the true alternative to revolutionary utopianism is not post-modern nihilism but gratitude for the givenness of the world and a determined but patient effort to correct injustices within it. They noted that Solzhenitsyns life was rich with paradoxes: A small-town high school teacher, Solzhenitsyn reached the pinnacle of world fame. He earned enthusiastic acclaim worldwide for the power of his literature, kudos for his courage in standing up to a criminally unjust regime, and recognition for his vital role in changing the course of history. He also was viciously attacked, at home and abroad, as few writers of any time have been. He passed many of his prime years caught up in a whirlwind of controversial activity that deprived him of the quiet solitude necessary for a writer and threatened his very survival. Amid the exceptional flux of his life, one thing remained constant: He remained committed to exploring the subject he had chosen in youth as the topic of his magnum opus, namely, the Bolshevik Revolution and its causes. Yet here, too, paradox reigned, for his attitude toward the revolution took a 180-degree turn. Below is the video of the Solzhenitsyn Reader book launch with remarks by Daniel Mahoney and the late Ed Ericson. If youre looking for a one volume collection of Solzhenitsyn writings to get started, this is it. Home page photo: Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn speaks to reporters in West Germany, shortly after his expulsion from the Soviet Union in 1974. Wiki commons Riding high on Telangana pride and welfare schemes, Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao led his Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) to a thumping victory, crushing the Congress-led alliance in India's youngest state. Beating all expectations of pre-poll surveys and exit polls, the TRS appeared set to win a whopping 77 seats in the 119-member Assembly, triggering wild celebrations by party leaders as well as activists all over the state. The gamble for early polls appeared to have paid rich dividends for the regional party as it bagged 77 seats and was leading in 10 constituencies. The Congress-led People's Front, which was expected to give a tough fight to TRS, won only 17 seats and was leading in five places. TRS chief and Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao was re-elected from Gajwel constituency. His son K.T. Rama Rao and nephew Harish Rao also retained Sircilla and Siddipet seats. A jubilant Chief Minister told the media that he would work to evolve an alternative to both the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress with a new economic model. "Grateful, indebted and humbled. Thanks Telangana for keeping the faith in KCR Garu and giving us another opportunity to serve you," tweeted Rama Rao, his son and a Minister. KCR's daughter and TRS MP K. Kavitha said there was no anti-incumbency as the TRS government had done well on all fronts during the last four-and-a-half years. "KCR's hard work has paid off," said Kavitha, adding that it was both welfare programmes and Telangana pride which worked for the party in this election. TRS bagged 63 seats in 2014 but increased its tally to 90 with over two dozens MLAs from other parties crossing over to the ruling party. It fielded all sitting legislators and most of them retained their seats. TRS recorded massive victory in all the regions. Barring Khammam district, it made almost a clean sweep in north Telangana and dominated south Telangana. It also made huge inroads in Greater Hyderabad, where the TDP-BJP alliance had won most seats in the previous election. Since the dissolution of the Assembly, KCR had been confident of winning over 100 seats. While many had dismissed this as over-confidence, his prophecy came true with the TRS almost hitting the target with its ally AIMIM. TDP, which won 15 seats in 2014, was ahead in just two segments. The BJP, which had 5 seats in the dissolved Assembly, won only one seat. Many top leaders of the Congress including those Chief Minister candidates were defeated. They include floor leader in the dissolved Assembly K. Jana Reddy, state working presidents Revanth Reddy and Ponnam Prabhakar and former central Minister Sarve Satyanarayana. The Congress, which bagged 21 seats in 2014, may finish with a tally of 20. The Telangana Jana Samithi (TJS) and Communist Party of India (CPI), two other constituents of People's Front, drew a blank. The All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) won four seats and was leading in three. Thus it appeared set to retain all seven seats. As many as 73.20 per cent of 2.80 crore electorate voted in the elections held in all 119 constituencies on Friday. KCR dissolved the Assembly in September, eight months before its term was to end. Initially focussing on welfare and development schemes, KCR made Telangana pride a key issue when the TDP joined hands with the Congress. Portraying TDP President and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu as an enemy of Telangana's interests, the TRS chief had urged people not to allow outsiders to decide their future. --IANS ms/mr (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) US President Donald Trump on Tuesday said that he would be "proud to shut down the government for border security" during a heated meeting with Democratic congressional leaders inside the White House. Trump's meeting with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi was meant to prevent a potential government shutdown later this month, but "has spiraled downwards," Pelosi said. The sticking point is the funding for a wall on the US-Mexico border that Trump has promised. "One way or another it's going to get built. I'd like not to see a government closing, a shutdown. We will see what happens... But the wall is an important thing to us," Trump said at the beginning of the meeting, reports Xinhua. However, the president said later, "I am proud to shut down the government for border security... because people of this country don't want criminals and people that have lots of problems and drugs pouring into our country." Trump has asked for at least $5 billion to be allocated for the construction of the wall, something congressional Democrats have rejected. The president said he would easily get the votes he needed in the House, but he still needed 10 Democratic votes in the Senate. Pelosi rebutted Trump's claim and said, "There are no votes in the House, the majority votes, for a wall." Schumer and Pelosi urged Trump to find other solutions to avoid a partial government shutdown after December 21, when funding for a number of federal agencies is set to expire. "One thing that I think we can agree on is we shouldn't shut down the government over a dispute, and you want to shut it down," Schumer told Trump. Schumer told reporters outside the White House after the meeting that the bottom line is that if Trump sticks to the $5 billion wall budget request, "he will get no wall and he will get a shutdown." "The bottom line is very, very simple. That is, we want border security. We offered him border security. But Americans know that the wall, not paid for by Mexico anymore, is not the way to border security," the congressman said. He was referring to the $1.3 billion the Democrats agreed to offer for fencing and other border security measures. The meeting was originally arranged to be held entirely behind closed doors, but Trump invited reporters to enter the Oval Office at the beginning of the meeting. Pelosi said she didn't think the three of them, meeting for the first time in more than a year, should be having a debate in front of the press. "We came in here in good faith and we are entering into this kind of a discussion in the public view," said Pelosi, who referred to the possible government shutdown a "Trump shutdown," a term Trump instantly asked her to clarify. --IANS vc (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko signed the legislation on ending the Treaty on Friendship, Cooperation and Partnership between Ukraine and Russia, the presidential press service said on Monday. The treaty, which has been in place for about two decades, will be terminated on April 1, 2019 amid rising tensions between the two countries. The Ukrainian leader said that the non-extension of the deal is "a part of the Ukrainian strategy of reorientation towards Europe," Xinhua news agency reported. The bill was approved by the Ukrainian parliament on Thursday, supported by 277 votes, far more than the 226 minimum required. In September, Poroshenko signed a decree to enforce a decision of the National Security and Defence Council to terminate the friendship treaty with Russia. Under the agreement, which was signed in 1997 and took effect on April 1, 1999, Kiev and Moscow pledged to respect each other's borders and to peacefully settle disputes. The agreement includes a clause that it automatically extends each ten years if neither of the parties takes actions to end it. Relations between Kiev and Moscow, which have been deteriorating since early 2014 over Crimea and eastern Ukraine, escalated last month. On November 25, three Ukrainian ships attempting to sail through the Kerch Strait from the Black Sea to the Sea of Azov were seized by Russian forces for allegedly violating the Russian border. The Ukrainian Navy said that it had informed Russia in advance of the passage, while Russia said it had received no such report and the ships ignored multiple warnings by the Russian border guards. In wake of the tension, Ukraine imposed martial law in 10 regions mainly bordering Russia for 30 days starting from November 26. Poroshenko said that "martial law does not mean the declaration of war," but a step toward strengthening Ukraine's defence. --IANS vc (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Even though the idea of globalisation has come under fire in the last few years, with increasing levels of discontentment over inequity in the distribution of gains, the benefits that the world economies have derived from it are often overlooked. One unmistakable benefit has been the transfer of productivity-enhancing technology between nations and diffusion of innovation worldwide. The International Monetary Fund's World Economic Outlook released in April this year also pointed out that globalisation has given a significant boost to the diffusion of knowledge and technology across the world through free trade, higher foreign direct investment and the international use of patents and copyrights. Innovation has become the key to gaining greater market share and more and more countries are shifting their policy focus on building their innovative capacities to strengthen the competitiveness of their economies. Competitiveness is defined as "the ability of firms to compete, grow and be profitable in the long run". Studies find an unequivocal link between innovative capacity and competitiveness of nations and regions. In fact, it is almost next to impossible for businesses to become competitive without innovating in its products and operations. With the world innovating at breakneck speed, no country wants to be left in the lurch. Most significantly, China has laid out a plan to become an "innovative nation" by 2020 and an "international innovation leader" by 2030 in its current Five-Year Plan. Even countries like Saudi Arabia that have historically been heavily resource-dependent are making a conscious move towards higher innovation. These countries are beginning to recognise the fact that building a competitive advantage based on factor endowments (cheap labour in case of China and oil reserves for Saudi Arabia) cannot be sustained over the long run. A transition to a knowledge-based economy is imperative. India can ill-afford to find itself lagging on the curve. The country had missed out on the first industrial revolution on account of being at the receiving end of colonial history. No other phase of innovation in history has transformed industry to such an extent. Only the digital revolution at the end of the 20th century came close. It is, therefore, a rare and opportune time for India to accelerate its development process and move into the next stage of growth by focusing on strategies to foster innovative capacity. In recognition of the urgency to act, a roundtable on "Innovation for Prosperity" was organized by NITI Aayog and the Institute for Competitiveness last week to draw actionable policy recommendations for NITI Aayog to work upon to improve India's innovation capacity. One of the most pertinent issues raised at the roundtable was the issue of industry-academia linkage in the Indian education system. Around the world, universities are seen as hubs of innovation where experts from varied fields come together to share their ideas for developing new technologies, systems and processes. Such innovation originating from universities usually attracts huge demand from industry. This results in diversified products and market development, which leads to the nation gaining a competitive edge in the world markets. Such industry-academia linkages are missing in the Indian economy. Universities are meant to play a dual role of knowledge creation and knowledge transfer. But the latter is found wanting in the Indian context. The problem resides in the abysmal quality of the country's education system that focuses more on quantity than quality from a very early stage. For instance, the focus is always on the number of hours taught rather than the quality of education imparted in those hours. At every level of education, students are never encouraged to think. Rote-learning is encouraged through an incessant focus on marks, which leaves no scope for thinking or innovation. Further, higher education is mostly outdated and hardly industry-oriented. Therefore, the human capital in India is barely equipped to innovate for industry. Another factor that hinders any industry-academia linkage is an utter lack of clarity on who owns the IP for collaborative innovation. Until these problems persist, any collaboration between industry and academia will be difficult to achieve. One way to move away from the status quo is to encourage universities to consult industry while designing course curricula so that the graduates are more employable and innovative. The government can also play an enabling role in facilitating higher collaboration. It can provide tax incentives or subsidise setting up of research infrastructure in universities that can be used for industrial innovation. The government could also push for higher academic exchanges by funding the transaction costs involved in the process, which can particularly help in better understanding of what industry requires from academia. Such initiatives hold the key to driving India's innovative capacity forward and making the country more competitive. (Amit Kapoor is chair, Institute for Competitiveness. The views expressed are personal. He can be contacted at amit.kapoor@competitiveness.in and tweets @kautiliya. Chirag Yadav, senior researcher, Institute for Competitiveness, has contributed to the article) --IANS amitk/vm/sac (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The US on Tuesday returned to the Philippines three church bells seized by American troops as war booty over a century ago. A US Air Force plane bearing the three historic bells landed in the Philippines in the morning. US officials led by American Ambassador Sung Kim handed over the bells to the country's Defence Secretary Delfin Lorenzana at an Air Force base in Manila. The church bells were taken by American soldiers as war trophies during the Philippine-American war in 1901. "It is a most memorable day of our nation's history and we celebrate it with deep gratitude and respect for all those who helped to make this day happen," Lorenzana said during the handover ceremony, expressing hope that the return of the church bells will bring closure to the painful conflict 117 years ago, Xinhua news agency reported. "The bells of Balangiga will once again peal. They will still remind the people of Balangiga of what happened in the town square more than a century ago, but they would also look at that history with more understanding and acceptance. These peals will be of joy, revelry and remembrance of shared histories and ideals of new beginnings," he said. Filipinos from Balangiga, a seaside town in Eastern Samar province in the central Philippines, used the church bells to signal an attack against American soldiers at the dawn of September 28, 1901. Two of the bells had been displayed for decades at F.E. Warren Air Force Base in Cheyenne, Wyoming, and the third was at a US military facility in South Korea. Several Philippines Presidents and Defence Secretaries had demanded the return of Balangiga bells. During his second State of the Nation Address in 2017, Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte specifically demanded the return of the bells. "Give us back those Balangiga bells. They are ours. They belong to the Philippines. They are part of our national heritage. Please return them. This is painful for us." Duterte, who was initially scheduled to witness the handover ceremony, did not attend. After the ceremony in Manila, the three bells will be flown by a Philippines Air Force plane to Eastern Samar for their return to Balangiga town church officials on Saturday. --IANS soni/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) US President Donald Trump's administration has slapped sanction on three North Korean nationals in response to Pyongyang's ongoing human rights abuses and censorship. The Treasury Department on Monday marked Human Rights Day by sanctioning the senior officials in previously targeted government entities of the North Korean regime and the Workers' Party of Korea, including the Ministry of State Security and the Ministry of Public Security, reports CNN. "These sanctions demonstrate the US' ongoing support for freedom of expression, and opposition to endemic censorship and human rights abuses," Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said in a statement. The Treasury said that the fresh sanctions highlight the "reprehensible treatment of those in North Korea" and serve as a reminder of the "brutal treatment" of Otto Warmbier, the US college student after detention in a North Korean jail. Monday's sanctions come as President Trump is planning a second summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in 2019, as their first historic summit in June in Singapore, yielded no progress. Recent satellite images showed North Korea was expanding a key long-range missile base, a reminder that diplomatic talks with the US have done little to prevent Kim from pursuing his promise to mass produce and deploy the existing types of nuclear warheads in his arsenal. --IANS ksk (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The US Department of the Treasury on Monday announced sanctions against three senior officials of the North Korea, media reported. In a statement, the department said the sanctions are in conjunction with a State Department report on the North Korea, Xinhua news agency reported. The sanctions freeze any US assets the designated officials may have and make it illegal for any US entity to conduct financial transactions with them. Monday's move is the latest among a series of sanctions imposed by the US on the North Korea-related entities and individuals as efforts are being made towards the denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula. Pyongyang has repeatedly criticised the continued sanctions imposed by Washington, calling them actions of "deepening our mistrust." --IANS vc (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A top US Congressman has alleged that nearly 100 American children have been abducted to India and sought "real action" from the Trump administration to bring them back to the country. During a House Foreign Affairs subcommittee hearing to examine international child abduction, parents told the stories of their children's abductions and detailed the steps they had taken in the hopes their children would be returned to them. "We have 100 American children abducted to India, with almost no hope of return home without the United States choosing to take real action, such as lowering the number of visas available to Indian citizens until abducted American children are returned," Congressman Chris Smith said. He said that the Trump administration can and must use current law more aggressively to bring American children home to their families. Smith said the 'Goldman Act' empowers the Secretary of State with significant sanctions that must be utilised, including the authority to: withdraw, limit, or suspend the US development, security, or economic support assistance; delay or cancel one or more bilateral working, official, or state visits; extradite the taking parent, which puts pressure on the parent to return the child; or to come up with their own action that would have positive effect. The act was signed by former president Barack Obama on August 8, 2014. It principally seeks to facilitate the return of children from both the Hague Convention and non-Convention countries. India is not a signatory to the 1980 Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction. No bilateral agreements exist between the two countries. Without the Hague Abduction Convention or any other protocols intended to resolve abduction cases, parents generally must pursue custody of abducted children in Indian courts, where they are mostly unsuccessful. While Japan was finally named "non-compliant" by the Trump administration in this year's annual report, Japan is still not held accountable for the dozens of cases that were pending before it signed the Hague Convention in 2014, he said. "I believe the Trump administration can and must do better with backing of the Hague Convention, bilateral agreements, and requests for cooperation in return of abduction children with the actions described in the Goldman Act. Goldman Act actions were intended to get resultsuse the sanctions, Mr. Presidentbecause we can and must do better," Smith said. Smith said the Hague Convention was intended to minimize trauma to children and left behind parents, returning children to their home country for custody determinations quicklybut it is regularly flouted without consequence to the violating country. "Tragically, the State Department has persistently refused to use the return tools in the Goldman Act as envisioned by Congress to enforce the Hague Convention, and to move non-Hague countries to bilateral resolution agreements with the United States," he rued. The Hague Convention is a multilateral treaty developed by the Hague Conference on Private International Law (HCCH) that provides an expeditious method to return a child internationally abducted by a parent from one member country to another. The Convention was concluded October 25 October and entered into force between the signatories on December 1 1983. It was drafted to ensure the prompt return of children who have been abducted from their country of habitual residence or wrongfully retained in a contracting state not their country of habitual residence. While in the US it is called abduction, most of such cases are a result of marital dispute wherein one of the parents stays with the child in India and quite often gets a court order in their favour. The State Department in its travel advisory for India cautions the US citizens for acting forcefully to get back their kids while in India. India is the number 1 non-Hague Abduction Convention signatory destination of child abduction from the US, and number 3 overall, according to a 2015 State Department report. In 2017, the State Department reported 104 cases of abduction of the American children in India. This includes 20 new cases and 84 from the previous years. Every year, more than 450 new children are abducted, adding to the 11,000 children who were abducted internationally between 2008 and 2017, Smith said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A 20-day-old baby boy underwent a "high risk" surgery at a city hospital for a congenital heart defect in which the large vessels, responsible for carrying blood to the body, are improperly connected, doctors said Tuesday. At the time of admission, the child was on ventilation and weighed 2.2 kg, they said. He was allowed to grow a little more so that he weighed at least 2.8-3 kgs before the the "major open heart surgery" was performed, Apollo Hospital said in a statement. Within a week after the child's birth, his parents noticed discolouration in his skin tone. They took him to a local doctor where his echocardiogram was conducted and it was found that he suffered from transposition of the great arteries, it said. Transposition of the great arteries is a congenital heart defect where the large blood vessels that carry blood to the lungs and rest of the body are connected in the exact opposite way as compared to a normal heart's structure, it added. "The baby was kept in critical care on ventilation for a week but unfortunately his condition didn't improve and he was not able to come off the ventilator," the hospital said. "In transposition of the great arteries, the aorta is connected to the right ventricle, and the pulmonary artery is connected to the left ventricle, which is an exact opposite of a normal heart anatomy," Muthu Jothi, pediatric cardiothoracic surgeon who conducted the surgery with his team, said. Every time the doctors tried to take him off the ventilation or lower the ventilation, he used to get breathless and turn blue, he said. Adding to the criticality, the 20-day-old baby also had two big holes in his heart, the statement said. Considering the criticality of the baby's condition, the team of expert cardiologists, anaesthetist and intensivist performed a five-hour-long surgical procedure, it said. "I had quoted a risk of about 25-40 per cent which is a huge risk but considering the child's condition and only after getting the family's consent, we performed the surgery," Jothi said. The child recuperated enough to go home after 10-12 days post the surgery. He is doing absolutely fine now and is gaining weight too, the pediatric cardiothoracic surgeon added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Close to two fifths (38 per cent) of British companies made new investments in India in 2017 and created 51,188 new private sector jobs from 2016 to 2018 -- a 14 per cent rise over the previous 18 months, according to a report released Tuesday. The 'Sterling Assets: Britain Meets India' report revealed that the UK has strengthened its investments in India to become the largest single western investor, while British companies have created over 422,000 jobs in India since the turn of the century. Between 2000 and 2018, total FDI which flowed into India from all channels from the UK is estimated at USD 50.57 billion. Of this, the UK directly invested USD 26.09 billion in India -- increasing its investment by USD 847 million between 2017 and 2018 -- representing 7 per cent of all foreign direct investment (FDI) into the country, a release said. "Close to two fifths (38 per cent) of British companies made new investments in India in 2017. The UK is the fourth largest investor in India and remains the largest investor into India outside of South East Asia and Africa," it said. Whilst it is no longer the largest G20 investor in India -- Japan narrowly overtook the UK -- it is substantially ahead of Germany and France, who only contribute 3 per cent and 2 per cent in FDI respectively. The UK created 51,188 new private sector jobs from 2016 to 2018 -- a 14 per cent rise on the previous 18 months. British companies created 422,524 jobs in India since 2000. However, around 6 per cent of all employees in British businesses in India are women, with 5 per cent of managers in these firms being female. "UK companies create jobs in India -- over fifty-thousand in the last eighteen months. They Make in India, with over a third of the 400-plus companies here operating in the manufacturing sector. They bring new technologies to India, with 62% of surveyed companies bringing new technologies to market here," Crispin Simon, Deputy British High Commissioner for Western India said. Over half of British firms in India (56 per cent) are in the services sector, and over a third (36 per cent) are in the manufacturing sector. The chemicals sector has received the lion's share of British investment in India since 2000 at USD 12 billion, followed by drugs and pharmaceuticals at USD 8.8 billion and services at USD 7 billion. Between August 2017 and August 2018, over two-thirds of British investment (67 per cent) went to south India, particularly the states of Karnataka (38 per cent) and Tamil Nadu (29 per cent). The state of Maharashtra, with the city of Mumbai, attracted the largest share of British investment -- USD 8.76 billion -- between 2000 and 2018. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Claiming that illegal crossings have dropped substantially in border areas where walls have been built, the White House on Tuesday told the Democratic leadership in Congress that any measure to fund the government must include responsible border security including a wall. US President Donald Trump has made securing the country's southern border with Mexico a focal point of his presidency, with plans to beef up border security and create a wall as key components. "Walls work where walls have been built, illegal crossings have dropped substantially. President Trump made clear that any government funding measure must include responsible border security, including a wall, to protect the American people from drugs, crime, terrorism, public health threats, and the severe straining of the social safety net," White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said. Sanders said Trump had a constructive dialogue with Democrat Leaders Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi during which they agreed to support the passage of historic Criminal Justice Reform and discussed significant progress with the Farm Bill. But major disagreement remains on the issue of border security and transparency, she said. "A nation without borders is no nation at all," Sanders said after Trump's meeting with Pelosi and Schumer. "Illegal immigration is deeply unfair to American workers, wage-earners and taxpayers costing billions of dollars and thousands of innocent lives. So far, the Democratic Party has made it clear they would rather keep the border open than the government open," Sanders said. The meeting inside the Oval Office was initially closed for the press but later a battery of White House reporters were allowed for a brief period. "President Trump was grateful for the opportunity to let the press into the meeting so that the American People can see firsthand that while Republicans are fighting to protect our border, Democrats are fighting to protect illegal immigrants. This administration will always put Americans first," Sanders said. The Trump administration, she said, will continue to pursue real solutions to defend the US and uphold its laws and hope Democrats will work with them in a bipartisan fashion to do so. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) As heads of state and government jetted out of Morocco on Tuesday after formally adopting a UN deal on migration, NGOs raised doubts about its implementation on the ground and the high seas. The Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration -- finalised at the UN in July after 18 months of talks -- was formally approved in Marrakesh on Monday in a ceremony attended by representatives of 164 governments. A host of European politicians including German Chancellor Angela Merkel have firmly endorsed the deal, even as the US and a string of other countries have shunned it amid a wave of anti-immigrant populism. While welcoming the agreement, the medical charity MSF and the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent (IFRC) pointed to policies by EU states that sit uneasily alongside the pact's commitments to save lives and "eradicate trafficking in persons". "What we see right now is that months of government policies on migration are... deepening the suffering of migrants by basically offering them on a plate to criminal organisation networks," said Joanne Liu, international president of MSF. Last week, her organisation was forced to abandon its search and rescue missions in the Mediterranean -- a key crossing for migrants and refugees travelling from Africa to Europe. The charity's vessel Aquarius has been blocked at the French port of Marseilles since losing its Panamanian registration and flag in September, amid what it has called a smear campaign led by Italy. Both Liu and the IFRC charged that European powers have facilitated the detention of migrants in Libya. "We have been very vocal in saying Libya is not a safe place," Liu told AFP on the sidelines of the Marrakesh conference. But "European governments have basically been using public money to... finance detention centres in Libya." IFRC president Francesco Rocca hit out at the EU for policies he said pushed migrants back to the highly unstable North African country, including the training of a nascent Libyan coastguard. "Nobody should be sent back to Libya. This is unacceptable. You cannot send anyone back to a place that is not safe, and we know perfectly well that Libya is not safe," he told AFP. Billed as the first international document on managing migration, the compact lays out 23 objectives to open up legal migration and discourage illegal border crossings. Many NGOs have raised concerns that it is non-binding, raising further questions about whether its provisions will be implemented. "States are not obliged to respect" the deal, said Michel Prieur of the International Centre for Comparative Environmental Law. Prieur was also disappointed that environmental factors feeding into migration -- including climate change, natural catastrophes and industrial disasters -- merited only three paragraphs in the 35 pages of the pact's text. He and others said civil society could have been better consulted. The agreement has been hit by a string of withdrawals by UN member states, with some claiming it infringes national sovereignty. The US disavowed the process late last year. Australia, Austria, the Czech Republic, Dominican Republic, Hungary, Latvia, Poland and Slovakia all pulled out in the weeks and months ahead of the pact's adoption, while Chile withdrew the night before the conference and Brazil joined the defectors on Monday. Rows over the accord have erupted in several EU nations, hobbling Belgium's coalition government and pushing Slovakia's foreign minister to tender his resignation. Italy falls into a group of countries that UN migration chief Louise Arbour has said is still engaged in "internal deliberations" over the pact. For Sarnata Reynolds of Oxfam, the pact has been an achievement in a challenging global environment. It was a case of "governments getting together at a time that is quite heated for migration policies... to ultimately find something that feels like a balance", said the charity's global head on displacement and migration. "There are some places in the contents of the compact where for example we would have liked to have seen the principle of non-refoulement, which basically means that a person can't be returned to a country if they're going to be harmed," Reynolds said. "But the global compact from Oxfam's perspective is a chance to push further and get governments to do better," she added. The pact is due to be ratified by the UN General Assembly on December 19. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) India would have been better prepared to deal with cross-border terrorism had governance issues and "major gaps" in security structures been addressed, former foreign secretary Shyam Saran said Tuesday. Saran, speaking at the launch of the book 'India and Pakistan: Neighbours at Odds' by Avtar Singh Bhasin, said a part of the problem has been the issues troubling "our internal defences". Giving the example of terrorist attacks in Pathankot and Uri in 2016, he said there have been "major gaps in governance". "If we look at Pathankot, the deal that we have not been able to address cross-border smuggling, there have been cases where you have fenced gates but some people allow smugglers to come in and it should come as no surprise that terrorists came through it too," Saran said. "In Uri, essentially large number of people died not from the firing by the terrorists but due to explosion of gas cylinders kept in a tent. About 19 soldiers died as a result of that explosion," he said. He said Pakistan is to blame too but "it should not blind us to the fact that there are major, major gaps in our own security structures that allow these things to happen". On January 2 in 2016, terrorists belonging to the Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad group attacked the Air Force base in Pathankot in Punjab in which seven security personnel died. In September that year, terrorists linked to the same group attacked an army base in Uri sector in Jammu and Kashmir. Saran said Jammu and Kashmir was no different than any other princely state and the "original sin" of treating it differently at the time of Independence has led to many challenges. "If we look at Kashmir as enemy territory, it will be enemy territory. So, we have to change the manner, how we deal with the issue." He also said that taking the Kashmir issue to the United Nations gave other countries opportunity to interfere in the internal matters of the country. "Having made the mistake of going to the UN and agreeing to a plebiscite, we opened the door to international intervention for decades to come," he said. Lt Gen Syed Ata Hasnain (retd) said it would be very difficult to stabilise Kashmir internally without resolving issues of the state at the larger level. "We have to engage with Pakistan but the engagement should be from a position of strength," he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Left-backed All India Students' Association Tuesday condemned the decision of Ambedkar University Delhi to appoint a professor found guilty of sexual harassment as the head of the organising committee of Ambedkar Memorial lecture, only to withdraw the decision later. The All India Students' Association (AISA) said Professor Lawrence Liang was appointed as the chairman of the organising committee of the 11th Ambedkar Memorial Lecture (AML) in April next year. "We strongly condemn this attempt by the university authorities as Prof Liang has been found guilty by the Committee for Prevention of Sexual Harassment (CPSH) inquiry in a case of sexual harassment. Previously, he was asked to step down from his post as Dean of School of Law, Governance and Citizenship following the inquiry," the AISA said. In a notice released on December 3, Professor Liang was listed as the chairman of the 11th AML, it said, adding another notice was released on December 7 which did not have his name. "It is shameful that such attempts were deemed fit to be made by the Ambedkar University Delhi (AUD) authorities. The committee had very clearly recommended action against him and it is terribly unfortunate that the university is violating the CPSH recommendations," the Left-backed group said. In a statement, the varsity said Professor Liang had sought permission to be excused from the committee, citing personal reasons and commitments. "Academic administration by the faculty is an integral part of AUD's institutional work culture. All faculty members are expected to contribute routinely to a variety of administrative tasks. The annual AML is one such routine activity of AUD, and the organising committee has no major decision-making powers," it said. In any case, citing personal reasons and other commitments, Prof Liang sought permission to be excused from working for the AML 2019, the varsity said. His request was duly accepted by the competent authority on December 7, and a new committee was notified on the same day, it added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Illegal gold mining in the Amazon has reached "epidemic" proportions in recent years, causing damage to pristine forest and waterways, a conservation group said Monday as it released an unprecedented new map of the activities. "Illegal mining in the Amazon, notably in indigenous tribal territories and protected nature zones, has increased exponentially these past years because of the rise in the price of gold," said Beto Ricaro, a Brazilian anthropologist who coordinated the cartography done by the Amazon Socio-Environmental, Geo-referenced Information Project (RAISG). The map put out by he group showed 2,312 illegal sites in 245 zones in Venezuela, Brazil, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru -- all countries across which the vast Amazon forest is spread. The group said it had not been possible to collect data on the artisanal mining going on in Guyana, French Guiana and Suriname. Ricardo said the illegal operations destroyed the forest through clearing, polluted rivers through the use of mercury, and threatened the survival of some indigenous communities. The map was released three weeks before Brazil's new president, Jair Bolsonaro, takes office on January 1. Bolsonaro, a far-right politician backed by a powerful agribusiness lobby, has drawn criticism from environmental groups for his dismissal of climate change concerns and for minimizing the rights of indigenous people to protected land where mining is banned. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Anti-conversion laws are on the rise in South Asia and the US must work with its allies and apply pressure on governments to rescind laws that deny individuals the right to share and choose their religion freely, the US Commission for International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) said Tuesday. In a special report titled 'Limitations on Minorities: Religious Freedom in South Asia', the USCIRF said that over the last decade, governments across the South Asia region have taken legal measures to prohibit religious conversions from the dominant religious group. "Often the motivation behind these laws, though not officially stated as such, is to protect the dominant religious tradition from a perceived threat from minority religious groups," it said. The USCIRF is an independent, bipartisan US federal government commission created in 1998, that reviews religious freedom violations abroad and makes policy recommendations to the President, the Secretary of State, and Congress. Observing that there is a distressing trend, the USCIRF report said that the US government must work with its allies in South Asia through regional capacity-building efforts and by applying pressure on governments to rescind laws that deny individuals the right to share and choose their religion freely. "The methods of preventing conversion vary: in India, several state legislatures have adopted laws limiting conversions away from Hinduism; in Pakistan, national blasphemy laws are used to criminalise attempts by non-Muslims to convert Muslims; and in India, Pakistan, and Nepal, governments are tightening their control over non-governmental organizations (NGOs), especially foreign missionary groups," the report says. USCIRF Commissioner Nadine Maenza said the anti-conversion laws are frequently abused by extremists who seek to prevent anyone from leaving the majority religion. "These laws abrogate the religious freedom rights of minority communities, such as Hindus in Pakistan or Christians in Nepal, and as such they should be rescinded," Maenza said. The report also notes that in some instances, especially in the aftermath of major natural disasters like Nepal's 2015 earthquake and Sri Lanka's 2004 tsunami, some proselytizing groups have upset majority sentiments by focusing their efforts on disenfranchised subgroups within the dominant religious tradition, such as Dalits (or Untouchables) in Hindu-majority countries. "There have been accusations that some of these groups induce individuals to convert by predicating aid or food assistance on conversion of the recipient," the USCIRF said. Sensitivities are also heightened among the majority religious population over interfaith marriages or marriages predicated on the conversion of one spouse, it said. "Despite the persistence of these allegations, credible data has not been presented to demonstrate the extent and nature of these alleged coerced conversions," it added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Apple stores in China continued with business as usual Tuesday despite a court-ordered ban on iPhone sales, but the US tech giant faces a growing nationalist backlash over the US-sought arrest of a Huawei executive. According to US chipmaker Qualcomm, which requested the ban, the Fuzhou Intermediate People's Court ordered four Apple subsidiaries to stop selling older models of the iPhone, including the 7, 7 Plus, 8, and 8 Plus. But Apple stores contacted by AFP in Beijing, Shanghai and Fuzhou said they were still selling those older models -- confirming a company statement that all remain available. Sales staff at a Beijing Apple store said they had not yet received any internal notices about the court injunction on iPhone sales. "If the ban is ultimately imposed, there will be no Apple products under 6,500 yuan ($940) in China," noted Wang Xi, a senior market analyst at research firm IDC. That would give Chinese smartphone brands, such as Huawei, "more opportunities in the high-end market", he told AFP. Qualcomm's request to halt iPhone sales is part of a long-running patent dispute with Apple. Separately, Apple is also the target of nationalist sentiment over the arrest of Huawei's chief financial officer in Canada at the behest of the United States on alleged Iran sanctions violations. The Chinese government has condemned the arrest and demanded her release. Some Chinese netizens and companies have also turned against Apple. "What if China banned Apple the way the US has banned Huawei?" wrote one user on Twitter-like Weibo in a post that garnered more than 500 likes. "What if Apple lost its manufacturing centre in China?" Leaked company documents announcing rewards for Huawei purchases and penalties for owning Apple products are also circulating on Chinese social media. A tech firm based in southwestern China, Chengdu RYD Information Technology, said it would reward employees who bought Huawei products with subsidies in an internal notice that it later confirmed via its official WeChat account. The Shanghai Nanchong Chamber of Commerce confirmed that it too was offering subsidies for Huawei smartphones, and that staff and executive members of the business group would "lose their positions" if found with Apple products. It seems that "general sentiment is gradually turning to against Apple and support Huawei now," due to recent events, such as Meng's arrest and the US-China trade war, said Wang. China is a crucial market for Apple, but is has been overtaken by Chinese competitors in recent years. According to a 2018 financial report, China, Hong Kong and Taiwan were together Apple's third largest market by net sales, after the Americas and Europe. Apple chief executive Tim Cook has also made regular visits to China, and has touted the company's inroads in the Chinese market as well as its manufacturing there. But Apple's premium-priced products remain out of reach for many users, increasing the appeal of more affordable phones produced by local companies. Apple has the fifth largest market share in China, trailing behind Huawei, Oppo, Vivo, and Xiaomi, according to data from IDC. Qualcomm, the leading supplier of chips for mobile devices, serves several Apple competitors in China, including Huawei, and has been in a prolonged legal battle with Apple in recent years. Apple has claimed that Qualcomm is abusing its market power over certain mobile chipsets in order to demand unfair royalties, joining a string of antitrust actions against the chipmaker. Qualcomm has countersued Apple and earlier this year escalated its legal fight, claiming the iPhone maker stole trade secrets and shared them with mobile chip rival Intel. According to Qualcomm's US lawsuit, Apple's goal was to buy mobile chips from Intel instead of depending on Qualcomm. An Apple statement to AFP called Qualcomm's effort to ban iPhone sales in China a "desperate move by a company whose illegal practices are under investigation by regulators around the world," and added that "we will pursue all our legal options through the courts". (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Terming the "Congress Mukt Bharat" slogan of the BJP as "arrogance," former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda Tuesday said the people have made the nation "arrogance-free" through their verdict in the assembly elections in five states. "The intentions of making India 'Congress-free,' 'opposition-free' shows the arrogance of BJP. The people have made this nation 'arrogance-free' by voting out BJP," Gowda said in a tweet. "At least now, the BJP should put some efforts to make this nation 'problem-free' and stop the unwanted 'travel-spree', he said in another tweet. Reacting to the poll results, Gowda's son and Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy said the elections in the five states and its results were an indication of the outcome in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. Claiming that the election results showed that the mood of the nation was towards secular forces, he said, it was a "snub" to those who wanted to suppress opposition voices, with a plan to bring a single party rule across the country. The election provided a stage for secular parties to come together, Kumaraswamy said in a statement, as he congratulated Congress President Rahul Gandhi and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi for the victory and their efforts. Former Chief Minister and Congress Legislature Party leader Siddaramaiah said Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh results indicate that the public have rejected "dictatorial, communal and arrogant leadership, and have supported democratic, secular and courteous leadership. My thanks to voters, Congratulations to Rahul Ji and sympathies to Narendra Modi." "Heartily congratulations to Smt. Sonia Gandhi & @INCIndia President @RahulGandhi in the light of recent #AssemblyElections2018 results. Your persistent efforts to strengthen the party & effectively expose inefficiencies of the opposition have yielded results," Siddaramaiah said in another tweet. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Drug firm on Tuesday said its arm Helix Healthcare BV has entered into a pact with Shandong Luoxin Pharmaceutical Group Stock Co to establish a JV firm in China to manufacture nebuliser inhaler and other products for China, the US and the EU. "The percentage of shareholding in the joint venture company will be 30 per cent and 70 per cent between Helix and Luoxin," said in a filing to BSE. The company's wholly-owned subsidiary Helix Healthcare BV, Netherlands, has entered into an agreement with Shandong Luoxin Pharmaceutical Group Stock Co, China (Luoxin), to establish a joint venture company in China with facilities to manufacture nebuliser inhaler and other products for China, US and EU markets, it added. "However, for Europe markets, the new joint venture (JV) company will establish its fully-owned subsidiaries in any of the European countries," said. The JV will also undertake contract manufacturing for non-nebuliser inhaler products, it added. As per the terms of the agreement, Luoxin has the right to appoint three directors and Helix has the right to appoint on director in JV, Aurobindo Pharma said. "Both parties have rights to subscribe in proportion of their shareholding in case of any further issuances by the JV," it added. Neither Aurobindo nor Luoxin shall set up any other manufacturing facility in China for similar products either by themselves or through their affiliates, Aurobindo Pharma said. "Commencement of commercial production of the JV is expected during 2021," it added. Shares of Aurobindo Pharma closed at Rs 737 per scrip on BSE, up 0.53 per cent from its previous close. The Bangladesh High Court on Tuesday delivered a split verdict over whether imprisoned former prime minister and main opposition BNP chief Khaleda Zia should be allowed to contest the upcoming general election even as campaigning began for the December 30 polls. One of the judges of the two-member High Court bench favoured Zia's candidacy while the other ruled that she was disqualified from the polls for being a convicted prisoner serving a 10-year jail term in two graft cases, court officials and lawyers said. "As the two judges could not reach a consensus, in line with the practice, they referred the matter to the chief justice who will now send the case to another bench for hearing the case," an official said. The ruling came after 73-year-old Zia challenged an earlier decision of the Election Commission to scrap her candidacy as the ex-premier filed nomination papers for contesting polls from three constituencies. Senior judge of the bench Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed in his ruling asked the EC to accept Zia's nomination and simultaneously sought the commission's explanation on why its decision to scrap her candidacy should not be declared illegal. But the other judge Justice Iqbal Kabir, on the other hand, blocked Bangladesh Nationalist Party leader Zia from contesting the polls. Zia on December 9 had challenged the EC order disqualifying her from contesting the polls while the High Court had earlier ruled that those jailed for more than two years, with their appeals pending in court, cannot contest polls. She has been in prison since February this year when a lower court sentenced her to a five-year term in the first of two corruption cases while a special court in Dhaka has ordered her appearance in a third graft case. Meanwhile, formal campaigning for the polls started on Tuesday. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina began the campaign for her Awami League from southwestern Tungipara sub-district, the birthplace of her father and Bangladesh's founder Sheikh Mujibur Rahman who was assassinated in a 1975 coup along with most of his family members. Hasina is contesting polls from the Tungipara constituency while she is set to travel across Bangladesh to rally support for her party candidates and alliance partners, including former president H M Ershad's Jatiya Party. The Awami League's arch rival BNP also launched its campaign in the absence of party chairperson Zia and her son and 'fugitive' acting chief Tarique Rahman. Rahman is now living in London ostensibly to evade the law after a court sentenced him to life imprisonment for masterminding a grenade attack in 2004 that killed 24 Awami League leaders and activists. The absence of the two top BNP leaders has pushed the party into a state of disarray. The BNP had boycotted the previous 2014 polls demanding an election time neutral non-party government, and instead waged a violent street campaign in subsequent years. Analysts say political and legal considerations have forced the BNP to take part in the upcoming polls as it could lose its registration with the EC as a political party if it boycotted polls for the second consecutive time even as it faces structural erosion from within. The BNP recently joined the new opposition alliance National Unity Front (NUF) under the leadership of eminent jurist Kamal Hossain. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The BJP headquarters in Delhi wore a relatively deserted look on Tuesday, even as workers celebrated their party's good show in Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh at its headquarters. The Delhi Police erected barricades near the BJP headquarters at ITO in the morning as a precautionary measure to manage crowd, expecting the arrival of party workers following the results of in five states. However, BJP workers did not turn up at party headquarters on Deen Dayal Upadhyay Marg, even as celebrations broke out at headquarters on Akbar Road. Trends showed the ahead in Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan and locked in a tantalising, see-saw battle in Madhya Pradesh. The party is likely to get an absolute majority in Chhattisgarh and is reaching the simple majority mark in Rajasthan while going neck-and-neck in Madhya Pradesh, according to trends on the Election Commission website. The BJP is in power in all three Hindi heartland states. With the BJP suffering losses in three key states, its vote share has taken a sharp dip in Chattisgarh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh since the last assembly elections in 2013, but all these votes do not seem to have gone to the Congress alone as other players have also reaped the gains. The vote share loss is even bigger for the saffron party since the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, in which it had virtually swept all the three states by winning 62 out of 65 seats, as per the Election Commission data. In Telanagana and Mizoram, it is the regional parties who have come out with flying colours, a post-2014 trend clearly visible in many states with sizeable presence of non-BJP and non-Congress parties. Political pundits said this trend indicates that the regional satraps might play key roles in 2019 general elections for which attempts are already underway by non-BJP parties to put a united front against Prime Minister Narendra Modi's bid for a second term. For Chattisgarh, the latest data showed the Congress getting 43.2 per cent votes in this elections, up from 40.3 per cent in the 2013 state polls and 38.37 per cent in the 2014 general elections, where the party won only one out of 11 Lok Sabha seats in the state. In comparison, the BJP's loss has been wider with its vote share dipping from 41 per cent in 2013 to 32.9 per cent now. In 2014 general elections, the party had got nearly 49 per cent vote and 10 out of the 11 Lok Sabha seats. The voting share analysis shows that some smaller parties and independents have managed to get more votes. While BSP had got 4.3 per cent in 2013, its alliance with former chief minister Ajit Jogi's party has now got about 10.7 per cent votes. Independents have also improved their performance from 5.3 per cent to 6.3 per cent. Similar trend was visible in Rajasthan where BJP's votes have fallen from 45.2 per cent in 2013 to 38.8 per cent now. It was much higher at nearly 55 per cent in 2014, when the party won all 25 Lok Sabha seats from the state. On the other hand, the Congress has improved its vote share from 33.1 per cent in 2013 to 39.2 per cent in 2018. It had managed to get nearly 30 per cent votes despite losing on all seats in last parliamentary elections. Independents have improved their assembly tally from 8.2 per cent to 9.5 per cent, while bagging larger number of seats. The vote share situation is the most interesting in Madhya Pradesh, which saw the closest fight between the Congress and the BJP. The Congress' share has improved from 36.4 per cent in 2013 to 41.4 per cent in 2018 assembly polls, while that of the BJP has come down from 44.9 per cent to 41.3 per cent, as per the latest update. The BSP's share here has actually fallen to 4.6 per cent, while that of the independents has remained nearly same at over 5 per cent. However, some other smaller parties have made gains. In Telangana, the TRS is returning to power with a bigger mandate and a rise in its vote share from nearly 34 per cent last time to about 47 per cent. The Congress has also improved from 25.2 per cent to 28.7 per cent, though its newly-found ally TDP, which was earlier with BJP, has taken a beating. BJP's vote share has remained almost static at about 7 per cent since last assembly elections in 2014. However, its vote share has come down from 10.4 per cent in 2014 Lok Sabha polls. Mizoram is the only state where the Congress has lost its vote share and the BJP has gained. However, the winner there is a third player, the Mizo National Front, which has returned to power with a clear majority by ousting the only Congress government left in the North-East. The Congress vote share has come down from nearly 45 per cent in 2013 to just about 30 per cent, while that of BJP has risen five-fold from 0.4 per cent to 8 per cent. The MNF has improved from 28.8 per cent to 37.6 per cent, while its seat tally has risen from five to 26. The Congress seats have come down from 34 to five, while the BJP has won its maiden assembly seat in the state. While the vote share data for 2018 polls was still being updated by the poll panel, the final figures are expected to remain around these levels. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Shiv Sena, buoyed by the BJP's dismal performance in the Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh Assembly elections, is likely demand at least 50 per cent of seats in the event of the two bickering saffron parties opting for an alliance. A senior Sena leader, requesting anonymity, said party chief Uddhav Thackeray, with his Ram temple pitch, had already started a "parallel movement" to expand its base across the country. "Apart from the Ram temple issue, there is a lot of resentment among people against the BJP government. Bad policies, issues like demonetisation, bad implementation of GST has hurt traders and middle class citizens," the source claimed. The source added that the BJP's dismal performance in the Assembly polls had corroborated the Sena's stand on growing dissent among people. When asked for a reaction, Sena legislator Anil Parab said party chief Thackeray has already decided to go solo in all upcoming polls. "Nobody, except Uddhav ji can confirm if his decision on an alliance with the BJP will change," he said. The source further said, "The Sena and BJP realise it would be hard to win the upcoming polls if both parties fight separately, especially because the Congress and the NCP have confirmed their alliance. However, for our alliance to happen, it is most likely that the BJP will have to part with 50 per cent of the seats in the state." Sena spokesperson Neelam Gorhe said the Sena president had publicly announced his decision of not forging an alliance with the BJP and, thus, the question of seat sharing talks with the BJP does not arise. Reacting to the resounding drubbing the BJP received in the Assembly polls, Sena Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut sarcastically said a "signal is enough for the wise". He also advised the BJP to introspect over the results. Meanwhile, speaking to reporters, BJP state unit chief Raosaheb Danve said the party accepted the Assembly poll verdict with humility, adding that they were fought on local issues and would not have an impact in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. "The assembly election results will not have any adverse impact on the BJP's ties with the Sena. Assembly election results in one state does not increase bargaining power of parties in another state," Danve said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A large number of Congress workers gathered at the party headquarters in Jammu on Tuesday and danced and raised slogans in support of the party following its good show in BJP-ruled Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. The Jammu and Kashmir unit of the Congress claimed the election trends and results showed that the countdown of the end of the BJP's electoral success has started. JKPCC president G A Mir said people have "rejected the divisive and communal" of the BJP. Congress workers celebrated the party's performance in the three states, where it is ahead of the ruling BJP. They assembled at the Congress headquarters and hailed the party leadership, beat drums and also distributed sweets. Mir said the Congress, under the leadership of Rahul Gandhi, has emerged a strong force and there is a positive change in the mindset of people towards the party's policies. He claimed the Congress would emerge as the largest party in the 2019 Lok Sabha election. Mir said the foundation of the country was laid on secular ideas and harmony among various sections of the society in line with the pluralistic character of the nation. "But political parties like BJP are spreading hatred and weakening the nation. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A Rajya Sabha member, who is an associate member of the BJP, Tuesday said the Assembly poll results are a 'warning bell' for the party ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. Sanjay Kakade, a Pune-based builder, also asked the party to introspect over the poll performance. "I am of the opinion that the BJP should stick to development agenda and not to caste (mobilisation), changing names of cities or a (Ram) temple. We need to revert to the track of development," Kakade said. "What the BJP has been doing so far is Mandir-Masjid, changing names of cities, caste Even if we win MP with a slender margin, I will call it our defeat," Kakade said. Kakade said he was not surprised with Congress gaining decisive leads in Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan and TRS's winning performance in Telangana, but Madhya Pradesh was a shocker. "The decisive trends in these four major states are a warning bell for us ahead of the Lok Sabha elections in 2019. If we do not learn from it, it will be difficult for us," Kakade said. "I have personally surveyed these four states. I am not surprised with the losses in Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan. The shocking result is of Madhya Pradesh. It looks like we have deviated from the development promises made ahead of 2014 general elections," he said. Kakade, 51, also asked BJP to introspect after the setback in the Assembly elections. "Despite having (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi, (BJP chief) Amit Shah (as star campaigners) and a strong network of RSS in Madhya Pradesh, if the performance is negative it means some introspection is required," said the Rajya Sabha member. "There are 65 MPs from these states, of which 62 are of BJP and three are of Congress. We need to take it (results) seriously," he said. Kakade is no stranger to controversial comments. Ahead of the results of the 2017 Gujarat Assembly elections, he had said: "Forget absolute majority, the party (BJP) will not even get enough number of seats to form the government. The Congress, on the other hand, will reach close to the majority mark. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Brazil's next government, under incoming far-right president Jair Bolsonaro who takes power in three weeks, will be neo-liberal economically, morally conservative and heavy reliant on a contingent of ex-military figures. That's the final composition that has emerged after weeks of announcements and casting about to fill the top posts of 22 ministries, down from 29 in the outgoing administration. Seven of the ministers will be military men. Eight have technocrat profiles. And seven are politicians. All are united by fierce criticism of the leftwing governments that ruled under former president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva (2003-2010) -- who is now in prison for corruption -- and his protegee Dilma Rousseff (2011-2016) -- whose second mandate was cut short by impeachment. There are just two women in Bolsonaro's government, which is double the number in the outgoing line-up under President Michel Temer. There are no blacks, despite half of Brazil's population being at least partly descended from Africans. Oliver Stuenkel, a professor of international relations at the Getulio Vargas Foundation, said there were three distinct groups to be seen: "A nationalist, anti-globalist group that is oriented towards the populist of Donald Trump, a group of neo-liberals that controls the economic part, and another of military men with influence in various areas." He added: "We'll soon see how the power play will work out between these three axes." A big challenge for Bolsonaro will be to bring Brazil's economy back to full health. The country exited its worst recession on record two years ago but has put in an anemic performance since. To that end he has tapped Paulo Guedes, a product of the University of Chicago's economic liberalism, to head up an economy superministry in charge of finances, planning, trade and a chunk of the scrapped labour portfolio. Guedes, a strong advocate of privatisation and small government, has named a bunch of veteran economists -- nicknamed the "Chicago Oldies" by the Brazilian press -- to take charge of state oil company Petrobras, the central bank and the BNDES development bank. "The formation of the economic team suggests that Guedes will enjoy fairly big autonomy to carry out the reform agenda without interference from other parts of the government," Thomaz Favaro, an analyst at the firm Control Risks, told AFP. Another priority is to fight corruption and rampant crime. Another superministry -- for justice this time -- will be under the command of Sergio Moro, a celebrated anti-graft judge who led the Car Wash investigation that led to Lula and other politicians being sent to prison. But it remains to be seen how Moro will be able to operate under Bolsonaro's extreme right direction, with divergences already possible over the next president's push to ease gun laws and to label radical rural groups as "terrorists." Wladimir Gramacho, a political sciences professor at the University of Brasilia, said Moro and Guedes, as well as Onyx Lorenzoni who will become Bolsonaro's chief of staff, "have the confidence of the three pillars supporting a government: Congress, the economy and public opinion." Brazil's 63-year-old leader-to-be has never hidden his nostalgia for the 1964-1985 military dictatorship he served, nor his intent to dose his cabinet with ex-military types. As well as the post of vice president, retired generals have been named as the ministers of defense, the secretariat of government, institutional security, mines and energy, science and technology, infrastructure, and the comptroller's office. "We'll see what the military men in the future government bring and their interest in taking on greater portions of power," Gramacho told AFP. Bolsonaro has also brought in people who share his ultra-conservative values -- he is against abortion and gender identity as defined by individuals -- and his Christian faith, as well as his pro-US, anti-globalisation, anti-left views that include scepticism toward climate change. His future foreign minister, Ernesto Araujo, has promised to clean out any trace of "cultural Marxism" from his ministry. His education minister, a Colombian philosopher named Ricardo Velez Rodriguez, has stated that "it's nature that defines gender." His environment minister is a lawyer, Ricardo Salles, who is sympathetic to the powerful rural sector according to Greenpeace and other groups fighting deforestation. The new minister for human rights, women and the family will be a female evangelical pastor, Damares Alves, who has surprised some by saying she believed it was possible to have "a government of peace between the conservative movement, the LGBT movement and other movements." Bolsonaro has eschewed the custom of doling out ministries to parties supporting him. Instead he has put some portfolios -- agriculture for instance -- in the hands of what is being called the "BBB" lobbies, standing for "Beef, Bullets and the Bible." They cut across several parties and put forward the interests of Brazil's powerful agribusiness groups, gun advocates, and an influential and growing evangelical movement. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Brexit accord that has stumbled in the British parliament is the "only deal possible" and Europe must prepare for London to crash out without an agreement, France warned Tuesday. France's minister for European affairs, Nathalie Loiseau, sounded the alarm bells in Brussels as Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May embarked on a lightning mini-tour of EU capitals to beg for support. "The withdrawal agreement is the only one possible," she said, echoing previous warnings from EU leaders Jean-Claude Juncker and Donald Tusk, presidents of the European Commission and European Council. On Monday, May abandoned an attempt to push the divorce deal she brokered with EU leaders last month through a hostile House of Commons, triggering dismay in European capitals who fear more chaos ahead. "Our responsibility is to prepare for a 'no deal' because it's a hypothesis that is not unlikely," Loiseau said, suggesting Britain could leave the EU on March 29 without arrangements to keep trade flowing. "I'm very worried," she added. "A Brexit without an agreement would be very bad for the United Kingdom and would have consequences for France." May was due in Brussels later in the day to see Juncker and Tusk, after meeting Dutch premier Mark Rutte in the Hague and Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin. She has no plans to meet France's President Emmanuel Macron before Thursday's EU summit. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Comptroller and Auditor General Rajiv Mehrishi has become the Vice-Chair of the UN Panel of Auditors, CAG said Tuesday. The United Nations Panel of Auditors consists of External Auditors of the United Nations and its agencies. Presently, the panel consists of 11 countries -- India, Germany, Chile, Canada, France, Italy, Philippines, Ghana, Indonesia, Switzerland and United Kingdom. Currently, the panel is chaired by the Comptroller and Auditor General of the UK. The panel held its annual meeting in New York from 3 to 4 December 2018 and discussed various issues concerning audit of United Nations and the agencies under the United Nations System, CAG said in a statement. The panel also elected the Comptroller and Auditor General of the UK as Chair of the Panel for another term (2019). "The panel also unanimously elected the Comptroller and Auditor General of India as the Vice Chair of the panel for the year 2019," it said. The next meeting of the panel will be held in in Bonn, Germany in November-December 2019. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Two Catholic school nuns in California have admitted to embezzling about $500,000, and using the funds over the years for travel and gambling in Las Vegas, their order said on Monday. Sisters Mary Margaret Kreuper and Lana Chang, who are said to be best friends, took the money from tuition, fees and donations at St. James Catholic School in Torrance, south of Los Angeles. "We do know that they had a pattern of going on trips. We do know they had a pattern of going to casinos, and the reality is, they used the account as their personal account," an attorney for the school told parents and alumni at a recent meeting, the Press-Telegram reported. The Archdiocese of Los Angeles said the missing money was discovered during a routine audit and it is believed the nuns operated their scheme over at least a decade. Kreuper was principal at the school for 29 years until her retirement earlier this year. Chang was a teacher for 20 years and she also retired this year. "Our community is concerned and saddened by this situation and regret any injury to our long relationship with the families of the school," the Sister of St. Joseph of Carondelet, the nuns' order, said in a statement sent to AFP. "The Sisters of St. Joseph both desire and intend to make complete restitution to St. James School." Parents were informed about the nuns' misdeeds in a November 28 letter from the school's pastor, Monsignor Michael Meyers. The letter, a copy of which was obtained by AFP, states that Kreuper and Chang had taken a "substantial" amount of school funds for their personal use and the matter was uncovered during an audit conducted after Kreuper's retirement. "Sister Mary Margaret and Sister Lana have expressed to me and asked that I convey to you, the deep remorse they each feel for their actions and ask for your forgiveness and prayers," Meyers wrote. "They and their order pray that you have not lost trust or faith in the educators and administrators of the school." He added that no other school staff were implicated in the theft and that police had been alerted. Meyers said the school did not wish to pursue criminal proceedings against the pair, who spent decades as students' moral enforcers. However, Adrian Alarcon, the head of media relations for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, told AFP on Monday that the Archdiocese didn't want to just let the matter drop and planned to "become a complaining party." The nuns allegedly got away with their crime by depositing some checks made out to the school for tuition and other fees into a bank account different than the one used by the school. Meyers told parents in his letter that the two Sisters were cooperating with an investigation to determine the full amount of misappropriated funds. "I want to assure you that the investigation has disclosed that, notwithstanding this misappropriation, no student or program at St. James has suffered any loss of educational resources, opportunities, or innovations," he added. "In sum, the of your children has not and will not be affected by these events. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The fate of UNAIDS chief Michel Sidibe hung in the balance on Tuesday as he faced the agency's oversight body after an expert report blasted his leadership and called for his removal. The organisation founded to coordinate the global response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic has been plunged into a crisis unprecedented in its 24-year history. Seeking to ease concerns after UNAIDS was accused of mishandling sexual assault allegations against a former deputy chief, Sidibe initiated the Independent Expert Panel report to study the agency's culture and propose reforms. But the findings released last week were a stunning rebuke of the Malian national's nine-year tenure. It said UNAIDS was "broken" due to "defective leadership" and accused Sidibe of overseeing a work environment that tolerated sexual harassment and abuse where a "cult of personality" surrounding the executive director saw benefits doled out as favours by Sidibe and his cadre of top allies. It also said Sidibe "accepted no responsibility" for anything that has gone wrong under his watch. "For... UNAIDS to regain a culture of dignity and respect, a change in leadership has become necessary," the report said. UNAIDS' oversight body, the Programme Coordinating Board (PCB), opened a three-day meeting in Geneva on Tuesday that may decide Sidibe's fate. With activists demanding immediate change, pressure is mounting on UN chief Antonio Guterres to act. "What is the point of having an independent investigation if you don't intend to do anything about the findings?" the head of the AIDS Healthcare Foundation Michael Weinstein, told AFP. Weinstein, who leads the world's largest HIV/AIDS organisation, stressed that the panel's conclusions were "unequivocal," and that if the Guterres does not act soon "it would truly be a shocking dereliction of duty." Hours after the report's release, Guterres's spokesman Stephane Dujarric noted that Sidibe had pledged "to create a model working environment for all staff." The UN chief would reserve comment until the PCB "deliberations" were complete. Code Blue, a pressure group that has been at the forefront of exposing the rot at UNAIDS, blasted that response as "astonishing." "What does it take to be fired by the United Nations?" it said. UNAIDS on Friday said that Sidibe has no intention of resigning. The executive director, accused of fostering a "patriarchal culture" where staff do not report sexual misconduct because they fear inaction or retaliation, said in a statement that he had been "inspired by the #MeToo movement." "I have taken on board the criticisms made by the Panel...I will spend the next 12 months implementing this agenda for change," Sidibe said. The editor of the influential medical journal The Lancet, Richard Horton, called Sidibe's response "surreal." "Nowhere does (Sidibe) accept that he was responsible for the toxic work environment that his leadership created. Nowhere does he acknowledge the grievous harms done to his colleagues at UNAIDS," Horton wrote in an online commentary. "Both the PCB and Antonio Guterres now have a duty to deliver on the recommendations of the Expert Panel" and fire Sidibe, he added. "The reputation of UNAIDS and the UN system depends on it." It is not yet clear if the PCB will make a formal recommendation on Sidibe's future. UNAIDS spokeswoman Sophie Barton-Knott told AFP that the panel report would be an important subject at the closed-door PCB meeting. Britain, which chairs the PCB, said it "cannot tolerate" the practices detailed in the report. "We expect immediate and far-reaching action from UNAIDS over this to address the findings," a spokesperson for the Department for International Development (DFID) told AFP in an email. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A Canadian former diplomat has been detained in China, the think tank where he now works said Tuesday, amid Beijing's outrage over the arrest of a senior technology executive. The International Crisis Group said it was aware of reports of the detention of Michael Kovrig, a Chinese-speaking expert who served as a Canadian diplomat in Beijing, Hong Kong and at the United Nations. "We are doing everything possible to secure additional information on Michael's whereabouts as well as his prompt and safe release," the think tank said in a statement. Kovrig went to work last year for the International Crisis Group, which is known for its research on peaceful solutions to global conflicts. There was no official word from China but the detention comes as Beijing voices anger over Canada's arrest of Meng Wanzhou, the chief financial officer of leading technology company Huawei. Meng was stopped while changing planes in Vancouver on an extradition request from the United States, where prosecutors allege she violated US sanctions on Iran. China earlier Tuesday warned that it would not tolerate any "bullying" of its citizens abroad and has demanded Meng's release. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Supreme Court said on Tuesday that if there is a "common thread" among the murders of social activists Narendra Dabholkar, Govind Pansare, journalist Gauri Lankesh and rationalist M M Kalburgi, then one agency can investigate all the four cases. A bench of Justices U U Lalit and Navin Sinha asked the CBI to inform it by January first week as to why it should not investigate all the four cases if there appears a link among all the murders. The counsel for the Maharashtra government informed the court that the CBI is investigating the murder cases of social activist and professor Narendra Dabholkar after the Bombay High Court transferred the probes to the agency. The court, after perusing the status report of the Karnataka Police, said there appears to be a link between the murders of journalist Gauri Lankesh and rationalist M M Kalburgi. It asked the Maharashtra government's counsel about the status of the investigation into the Pansare murder case, to which the counsel said the case was pending before the Kohlapur trial court. Earlier in the day, the Karnataka Police had informed the apex court that there appears to be a connection between Lankesh and Kalburgi murder cases. The state police also told the apex court that it will file a chargesheet in the Kalburgi murder case in three months. The top court on November 26 had pulled up the Karnataka government for "doing nothing and just fooling around" in the investigation and had indicated that it may transfer the case to Bombay High Court. Noted scholar and rationalist M M Kalburgi was killed at Dharwad in 2015, Pansare, a social activist was also killed the same year. Lankesh, a journalist was killed on September 5, 2017 in Bengaluru whereas social activist and rationalist Dabholkar was assassinated on August 20, 2013. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Congress workers burst crackers, danced to the dhol and played with gulal as they celebrated the party's good show in Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh. Carrying the Congress flag, a large number of workers gathered at the party headquarters in Delhi and praised Rahul Gandhi's leadership in steering the Congress towards victory in the three states ruled by the BJP. They distributed sweets and put up big banners of Gandhi on the walls of the Congress office. The Congress workers chanted 'Rahul Gandhi Zindabad'. Interestingly, a Congress worker also put up a banner that said, "Next prime minister of India" for Gandhi. Senior Congress leaders, including Navjot Singh Sidhu and Priyanka Chaturvedi, joined the party workers at the 24, Akbar Road office and expressed joy as the trends of poll results showed Congress taking the lead in the three states. "It was a united effort in preparing and campaigning for polls. The leader at the top was inspiring everybody. Rahul ji has exhibited great character in a time of crisis, like a captain guiding a ship in choppy waters," Sidhu told PTI. The lawns at the AICC headquarters were filled with party workers carrying Congress flags and hailed him as a "great leader". It was after a long gap that Congress workers were seen celebrating the party's victory. Chants of "Jeet gaya bhai jeet gaya, Rahul Gandhi jeet gaya" rent the air as results trickled in. Jeetpal Yadav, 24, a law student who had come from Laxmi Nagar, said, "We are very happy, and we should be winning in three states." "But we should not rejoice too much as a lot of hard work would be needed for 2019 elections. Win in a few states would not signal a victory in Lok Sabha elections," he said. Subhash Chandra Rajbhar, who had come from Sonbhadra district of Uttar Pradesh, said all political parties should think about the welfare of the poor. "I have come to give this message to Rahul Ji and Sonia Ji. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Celebrations broke out Tuesday at the Telangana Bhavan, the headquarters of ruling TRS, as the party appeared on course return to power in the assembly elections. The Telangana Bhavan wore a festive look with a large number of TRS activists dancing to drum-beats, bursting crackers and distributing sweets, hailing the 'victory' of the K Chandrasekhar Rao-led outfit. As per the latest trends after the counting votes began this morning, the TRS was leading in 91 seats, leaving way behind the Congress, which forged an alliance with TDP, the Telangana Jana Samithi and CPI for the polls. Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, his son K T Rama Rao, his nephew T Harish Rao and several of his cabinet colleagues in the caretaker government were leading in their respective constituencies. The TRS contested the elections on its own after the Rao government opted to dissolve the assembly in September more than eight months ahead of its tenure. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) When the Congress was running a feisty campaign to return to power in Chhattisgarh after 15 long years, it was often asked about its face against the saffron party's longest-serving chief minister Raman Singh -- Armed with a big majority now, the grand old party has quite a few options. TS Singhdeo -- scion of an erstwhile royal family, leader of Opposition in the outgoing assembly and a key contender for the top post -- said during the poll campaign that the chief minister would be selected through a 'Swayamvar'. The process to select the chosen one seems to be underway and a decision could be announced as early as Wednesday about who would be the next chief minister -- only the second from the Congress in this Naxal-affected state. Congress had formed the first government of the state after it was carved out of Madhya Pradesh in 2000, but its then chief minister Ajit Jogi has since then left the party and fought the latest assembly polls in alliance with Maywati's BSP as the third force in an otherwise direct fight between the two national parties. The 'Swayamvar' is also likely to have Tamradhwaj Sahu, the single Congress MP from the state, while the state Congress chief Bhupehsh Baghel and former union minister Charandas Mahant are also there. When many were talking about lack of a clear verdict from Chhattisgarh and who would align with whom, Singhdeo was very categorical and had told PTI there was no need to "look left or right" for any support and his party would form the government on its own. The Congress has indeed stormed back to power with the best performance among all the five states that went to polls. The party has significantly improved its tally to get a clear majority in the 90-member assembly and its vote share has also improved to 43.2 per cent. Singhdeo was the main architect of the Congress party's poll manifesto, which he said was made after feedback from about 80,000 people from across the state. It was this manifesto, especially the promises relating to farmers, that many believe became a game-changer in the party's bid to dislodge a populist chief minister. On the CM candidate, he had said the winning MLAs and the party high-command will choose the leader. "There are many good people in the party who have done very good work. So there will be a 'Swayamvar' after the poll victory," he had said. The other key contender, Sahu comes from an influential community that accounts for 14 per cent of the state's population and is chairman of the party's OBC cell. He was given the job of mobilising backward community voters who had largely favoured the BJP in the last 2013 polls. The other two prominent candidates for the top post, Baghel and Mahant too hail from OBC communities, but Sahu's non-controversial and clean image goes in his favour, some party leaders said. Born on August 6, 1949 to a farmer's family in village Patora in Durg district, Sahu completed his schooling in Durg. While pursuing graduation from Science college Durg, he dropped out after the death of his maternal grandfather. He became member of Pauwara gram pacnhayat in 1975 and later went on to become a sarpanch. Around the same time, he joined the Congress and was made head of a block committee in Durg in 1977. His tryst with electoral started in 1998 when he was first elected as an MLA from Dhamdha in the erstwhile Madhya Pradesh. Subsequently, he was elected MLA in 2003 and in 2008 from Dhamdha and Bemetara seats, respectively. After the formation of Chhattisgarh in 2003, he served as a cabinet minister in the then Congress government. He lost to BJP's Awdhesh Chandel from Bemetara in 2013 assembly election, following which he was given ticket from Durg Lok Sabha seat in 2014 against BJP's then MP Saroj Pandey. After defeating Pandey by a margin of 16,848 votes, Sahu emerged as the most prominent Congress leader in the state. In case of Singhdeo, his considerable following in northern part of the state (Surguja) is a big positive, besides the confidence he commands of the party high command. A two-time MLA, Singhdeo was elevated to the position of Congress Legislative Party leader after the party lost in 2013 elections. He is said to be at forefront of the Congress's efforts to return to power in this state that had become a key bastion of the BJP during the last 15 years. Born on October 31, 1952 in Allahabad in the Royal Family of Surguja, his father late MS Singhdeo was an IAS officer and retired as Chief Secretary of the erstwhile Madhya Pradesh. His mother Devendra Kumari had served as a minister in Madhya Pradesh government. Having studied at the Scindia School in Gwalior, the prestigious Hindu College in Delhi and the Hamidia College of Bhopal, Singhdeo began his political career with the Municipal Council of Ambikapur where he twice served as chairman. He was first elected as MLA in 2008 from Surguja constituency which was earlier reserved for the ST and became a general seat after the delimitation in 2008. He became an MLA for consecutive second time in 2013 from the same seat. His supporters know him as a soft-spoken, grounded and humble person, even as some critics have accused Singhdeo, an upper caste Thakur, of acting a 'shadow chief minister' and of not going too hard against Raman Singh. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) China raised the pressure on the United States and Canada as a bail hearing resumed Monday for a top Chinese technology executive in a case that has fuelled US-China trade tensions and roiled financial markets. Meng Wanzhou, the chief financial officer of Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei and daughter of its founder, was detained at the request of the U.S. during a layover at the Vancouver airport on December 1 -- the same day that Presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping of China agreed to a 90-day cease-fire in a trade dispute that threatens to disrupt global commerce. The US has accused Huawei of using a Hong Kong shell company to sell equipment in Iran in violation of US sanctions. It also says that Meng and Huawei misled banks about the company's business dealings in Iran. Her arrest has fuelled US-China trade tensions at a time when the two countries are seeking to resolve a dispute over Beijing's technology and industrial strategy. Both sides have sought to keep the issues separate, at least so far, but the arrest has roiled markets, with stock markets worldwide down again Monday. China formally protested to the ambassadors of both Canada and the United States over the weekend. In urging the court to reject Meng's bail request, a prosecutor said Friday the Huawei executive had vast resources and a strong incentive to bolt. She's facing fraud charges in the United States that could put her in prison for 30 years. On Monday, David Martin, Meng's lawyer, reiterated that Meng was willing to pay for a surveillance company to monitor her and wear an ankle monitor. Called by the defense, Scott Filer of Lions Gate Risk Management group said his company would make a citizen's arrest if she breaches bail conditions. Under the defense proposal, Meng's travels would be restricted to Vancouver and surrounding municipalities. Martin said Meng's husband would put up both of their Vancouver homes plus USD 1 million Canadian ($750,000) for a total value of USD 15 million Canadian (USD 11.2 million) as collateral. The hearing has sparked widespread interest, and the courtroom was packed again Monday with media and spectators, including some who came to support Meng. One man in the courtroom gallery brought binoculars to have a closer look at Meng, her lawyers and the prosecution team. Outside court a man and woman held a sign that read "Free Ms. Meng." Over the weekend, China's Vice Foreign Minister Le Yucheng summoned Canadian Ambassador John McCallum and US Ambassador Terry Branstad. Le warned both countries that Beijing would take steps based on their response. Asked Monday what those steps might be, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said only that "it totally depends on the Canadian side itself." The Canadian province of British Columbia has already cancelled a trade mission to China amid fears China could detain Canadians in retaliation for Meng's detention. Stocks around the world fell Monday over investor concerns about the continuing US-China trade dispute, as well as the cloud hanging over Brexit negotiations after Britain's prime minister postponed a vote on her deal for Britain to exit the European Union. In the US, stocks were volatile, tumbling in the morning and then recovering ground in the afternoon. The Huawei case complicates efforts to resolve a US-China trade dispute. The United States has slapped tariffs on USD 250 billion in Chinese imports, charging that China steals American technology and forces US companies to turn over trade secrets. Tariffs on USD 200 billion of those imports were scheduled to rise from 10 per cent to 25 per cent on January 1. But over dinner December 1 with Xi in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Trump agreed to delay the tariff increase for 90 days, buying time for more negotiations. Bill Perry, a trade lawyer with Harris Bricken in Seattle, said China's decelerating economy is putting pressure on Xi to make concessions before US tariffs go up. "They need a trade deal. They don't want the tariffs to go up to 25" percent, said Perry, who publishes the "US China Trade War" blog. "This is Damocles' sword hanging over the Chinese government." Huawei, the biggest global supplier of network gear for phone and internet companies, has become the target of US security concerns because of its ties to the Chinese government. The US has pressured other countries to limit use of its technology, warning they could be opening themselves up to surveillance and theft of information. Lu, the Foreign Ministry spokesman, accused unnamed countries of hyping the "so-called" threat. "I must tell you that not a single piece of evidence have they ever presented to back their allegation," he said. "To create obstacles for companies' normal operations based on speculation is quite absurd." Canadian officials have declined to comment on Chinese threats of retaliation, instead emphasising the independence of Canada's judiciary and the importance of Ottawa's relationship with Beijing. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A 29-year-old Chinese national died in southwest Delhi's Rajokri road area on Tuesday, shortly after he complained of ill health, police said. The deceased has been identified as Jin Zinao, they said. Jin had come to India on a tourist visa on December 6 and was staying with a group of around 15 other Chinese nationals at a hotel in Rajokri, Deputy Commissioner of Police (southwest) Devender Arya said. Investigations revealed that the deceased had complained that he was feeling unwell, following which he was taken to Fortis Hospital by his friend, also his roommate, the officer said. He was declared brought dead by the doctors, he added. Police said the inquiry so far did not point to any foul play and it seemed to be a case of natural death. The Chinese embassy has been informed, Arya said. A post-mortem examination will be conducted on Wednesday, the police said, adding that further investigation is underway. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Top Chinese and US negotiators held telephone talks on Tuesday to exchange views on the timetable of trade talks, the Chinese commerce ministry said. Vice Premier Liu He spoke with US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer 10 days after presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping agreed to a trade war truce. A 90-day deadline was set to reach an agreement, but no date has been set for the next round of talks and tensions have risen anew following Canada's arrest of an executive of Chinese telecom giant Huawei at the behest of the United States. The commerce ministry said in a statement Liu and the US officials "exchanged views on the implementation of the consensus" reached by Trump and Xi as well as on the timetable for the next round of negotiations. The brief statement did not provide more details. Lighthizer said Sunday that March 1 was a "hard deadline" for the two sides to reach an agreement that would prevent an escalation of the trade war. The world's top two economies have exchanged steep tariffs on more than $300 billion in total two-way trade, locking them in a conflict that has begun to eat into profits. Trump has agreed to hold off on hiking tariffs to give space for negotiations. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) : Cholamandalam Investment and Finance Company, the financial arm of the diversified conglomerate Murugappa Group, said Tuesday that it has partnered with human resource (HR) solutions and technology company PeopleStrong. Under the tie-up, PeopleStrong would provide a unified experience to Cholamandalam Investment and Finance 'from recruitment to retirement to all its employees, recruiters, candidates and business users,' a press release said here. PeopleStrong currently serves over 200 enterprises and six lakh users, the release said. The agreement would also provide access to single-window of right decision-making to Cholamandalam Investment and Finance. With the mobile application and Jinie chatbot, employees would experience the next level of connect and collaboration, it said. Commenting on the partnership, executive director of Cholamandalam Investment Arun Alagappan said, "I am pleased that as an organisation we have taken a decision to move our people data to cloud." "It is a mammoth task and we needed a partner who has proven experience of managing transformation of such a scale. After a detailed evaluation process, we selected PeopleStrong as a partner for this journey of transformation", he said. Head (human resources) of Cholamandalam Investment and Finance Chandrasekar R said, "We have a large composition of young workforce at Chola and to manage this segment more efficiently, we realised that we needed a digital upgrade." "PeopleStrong with its scalable, mobile and AI (artificial intelligence)-powered technology seems the best match for our needs", he said. Co-founder and CEO of PeopleStrong Pankaj Bansal said, "We are delighted to be digital tranformation partners of Cholamandalam and excited to have them with us on the journey of writing the new code of work." Cholamandalam Investment and Finance Company currently has 885 branches across the country and manages assets of over Rs 47,700 crore, the release said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) IT major on Tuesday said it is acquiring Mustache, a privately-held creative content agency based in New York. The transaction is expected to close in the first quarter of 2019 subject to satisfaction of certain closing conditions, a statement by said. The size of the deal was, however, not disclosed. ALSO READ: IT firm Cognizant bets big on automation advisory service in BPM space Founded in 2010, Mustache specialises in creating original and branded content for digital, broadcast and social mediums. Its clients include brands such as A&E Networks, Brand USA, Google, Grammarly, L'Oral, Netflix, and Viceland. Post acquisition, Mustache's team of content experts will become part of Interactive, the statement said. Mustache's team includes creative directors, strategists, art directors, writers, producers, animators, graphic designers, video editors, and post-production specialists. ALSO READ: Cognizant chasing top 100 clients to up digital services revenue "Chief Marketing Officers (CMOs) are looking for a single-source, at-scale provider to help them with the capabilities they need to win in the experience economy. "Creating engaging content remains a singular challenge due to the demands of always on' social media channels, especially when it comes to video," Cognizant Senior VP and Global Head of Cognizant Interactive Donna Tuths said. With the addition of Mustache, Cognizant Interactive is even better positioned to fill this need, Tuths added. The Competition Commission has cleared Iron's acquisition of steel business of for Rs 43-47 billion. In October, Tata Steel had said its subsidiary, Iron Ltd (TSIL), will acquire Ltd (UML) between Rs 43-47 billion, subject to various transaction adjustments. ALSO READ: How Tata Motors is applying its learnings from CV turnaround to PV segment With the acquisition, TSIL will enter the steel business. @CCI_India approves acquisition of steel division of Limited by Iron Limited CCI (@CCI_India) December 11, 2018 The CCI in a tweet on Tuesday said it "approves acquisition of steel division of Usha Martin Limited by Limited". Deals beyond a certain threshold require approval from the Competition Commission of India (CCI). ALSO READ: With draft rules in place, Skylark Drones to deploy UAVs at Tata Steel mine Earlier, UML had said the sale of steel business to Tata Steel will help the company in "significant reduction" of its debt. Earlier, UML had said the sale of steel business to Tata Steel will help the company in "significant reduction" of its debt. UML's steel business comprises the specialised 1 mtpa alloy based manufacturing capacity in long products segment based in Jamshedpur, a producing iron-ore mine, a coal mine under development and captive power plants. Tata Steel Group is among the top global steel with an annual crude steel capacity of 27.5 million tonnes per annum (mtpa) as on March 31, 2018. Usha Martin is amongst the largest wire rope manufacturers in the world and a leading speciality steel producer in India. The Competition Commission Tuesday said it has approved Zydus-Cadila's deal to acquire Heinz India consumer wellness business that includes popular brands like Complan and Glucon D. Zydus Wellness jointly with Cadila Healthcare had signed definitive pacts to acquire Heinz India for Rs 4,595 crore that includes net working capital of Rs 40 crore, cash of Rs 15 crore and assumes no debt. Heinz India is a subsidiary of the US-based Kraft Heinz. Cadila Healthcare holds majority stake in Zydus Wellness. The CCI in a tweet said it "approves acquisition of businesses of Heinz related to four brands namely 'Glucon-D', 'Nycil', 'Sampriti Ghee' and 'Complan' by Zydus/Cadila". Besides, the regulator also gave its clearance to Royal Dutch Shell acquiring 26 per cent stake from France's Total SA in Hazira LNG and Hazira Port, according to a series of tweets. The CCI further said it "approves transaction leading to 100 per cent shareholding of Shell in Hazira LNG Private Limited and Hazira Port Private Limited". The deal pertains to Shell Gas BV, a subsidiary of Royal Dutch Shell, signing a pact with Total Gaz Electricit Holdings France to acquire its 26 per cent equity in the Hazira LNG and Port venture in India. Hazira LNG and Port venture comprises two companies -- Hazira LNG that operates an LNG regasification terminal in Gujarat and Hazira Port, which manages a direct berthing multi-cargo port at Hazira. A deal beyond certain level requires approval of Competition Commission of India (CCI). (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Congress was on Tuesday set to wrest Rajasthan and Chattisgarh from the BJP which was trailing marginally in Madhya Pradesh in a cliffhanger while the TRS stormed back to power in Telangana and the MNF dislodged the Congress in Mizoram. In a shock result, a resurgent Congress ended Chief Minister Raman Singh's uninterrupted 15-year rule in Chattisgarh and was on course to regain power in Rajasthan where the BJP won all the 25 seats in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls. Raman Singh submitted his resignation to the Governor and said he accepts responsibility for BJP's poor showing."We (party) will sit and introspect," he told reporters in Raipur. The Congress is leading in 64, while the BJP was relegated to a distant second spot with 18 seats, as per latest trends available for 89 of the 90 seats in Chattisgarh. As voting trends and results slowly trickled in the Assembly polls in the five states that is being dubbed as a semi-final to the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the Congress, which had just 58 seats in the outgoing Assembly in Madhya Pradesh, was set to cross the 100 mark in a House of 230. The Congress was leading in 113 seats while the BJP was ahead in 109. Counting trends showed that at least a dozen constituencies witnessed the leading margins being just 500 votes. According to Election Commission date, both the BJP and the Congress got 41.4 per cent votes each. Three-time Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, who was battling anti-incumbency, won the Budhni seat but a dozen ministers were trailing behind Congress candidates. Senior Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia said the trends reflected people's desire for a change in Madhya Pradesh while state Congress chief Kamal Nath exuded confidence they will form the government in the state. "Trends show Congress marching ahead to victory in Rajasthan, MP and Chhattisgarh. We are confident the trend will continue across the country," Congress leader Sachin Pilot said in Jaipur. In Chattisgarh, five ministers in the BJP government - Brijmohan Agrawal (Raipur City South), Kedar Kashyap (Narayanpur constituency), Mahesh Gagda (Bijapur), Dayaldas Baghel (Nawagarh) and Amar Agrawal (Bilaspur) - were trailing. The Janata Congress Chhattisgarh (J) of former chief minister Ajit Jogi was ahead in five seats while the CPI and the Gondwana Gantantra Party and the CPI (M) were leading in one seat each. The trends in the desert state of Rajasthan, showed the Congress is inching towards the magic mark of 100 in Rajasthan, winning 22 and leading in 78. The outcome reflected the 20-year "revolving door" trend of voters in choosing the BJP and the Congress alternately. The ruling BJP won 15 and leading in 58 of the 199 seats which went to polls. The BJP and the Congress had 163 and 21 seats in the outgoing House. Independents won three and were leading in nine. Rajasthan has a 200-member assembly but polling in Alwar's Ramgarh constituency was postponed following the death of the BSP candidate there. The Congress will hold its legislature party meeting in Jaipur to decide on who will be the chief minister. The Congress' choice for the chief minister's post is likely to be announced after consultation with party president Rahul Gandhi. Former chief minister Ashok Gehlot and Pilot are frontrunners for the top post. The TRS is set to form its second successive government in Telangana where it won a simple majority and is heading for a landslide with its candidates clinching 60 seats and leading in 27 others, in a resounding endorsement of its chief K Chandrasekhar Rao's popularity. Rao himself won by a margin of over 51,000 votes from his Gajwel seat, trouncing V Pratap Reddy of the Congress. Rao's son K T Rama Rao and nephew T Harish Rao, both ministers in his caretaker government, also won. The Congress clinched 13 seats so far and is leading in six. Its ally TDP is leading in two seats. "TRS dedicates victory in assembly poll to Telangana people," Rao, the caretaker chief minister, told reporters. Rao said Telangana proved to be a non-Congress, non-BJP state and the TRS will play crucial role in national Rao dissolved the Assembly in September, eight months ahead of schedule, in a political gamble that paid off handsomely, as the party is expected to improve on its previous strength of 63 in the 119-seat Assembly. However, TRS's strength had risen to 82 after defections from TDP and Congress. The Mizo National Front(MNF) got a simple majority bagging 26 of the 40 seats at stake dislodging the Congress which bagged five. Mizoram Chief Minister and Congress candidate Lal Thanhawla lost from both his home turf Serchhip and Champhai South seats. The Congress defeat ended the party's presence in the north-east. Congress workers burst crackers, danced to the dhol and played with gulal as they celebrated the party's good showing in Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh. Carrying the Congress flag, a large number of workers gathered at the party headquarters in Delhi and praised Rahul Gandhi's leadership in steering the Congress towards victory in the three states ruled by the BJP. In contrast, the BJP headquarters in Delhi wore a relatively deserted look. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Congress was leading in the BJP-ruled states of Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh and was locked in a close fight in Madhya Pradesh while the TRS forged ahead in Telangana and the MNF in Mizoram, trends indicated on Tuesday as votes for elections in the five states were counted. The Rahul Gandhi-led party became the focal point of attention as the morning progressed and trends showed it could possibly steal a march over rival BJP in the Hindi heartland states of Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh. In Madhya Pradesh, the picture changed minute to minute, in an electoral exercise being seen as a semi-final to 2019. "Trends show Congress marching ahead to victory in Rajasthan, MP and Chhattisgarh. We are confident the trend will continue across the country," Congress leader Sachin Pilot said in Jaipur. With election trends showing reverses for the BJP, senior BJP leader and Home Minister Rajnath Singh said the polls were fought on the basis of the performance of state governments, rejecting the notion that the results would be a reflection of the Modi government. Talking to reporters outside Parliament, he also offered his congratulations to all the winning parties and candidates. In the desert state of Rajasthan, t he Congress was leading in 97 seats, three short of the magic number of 100, and the BJP in 75, according to the website of the Rajasthan chief electoral officer. Independents were leading in 12 seats. Voters in the state, it appeared, stuck to the "revolving door" trend of choosing the BJP and the Congress alternately. Though Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje was ahead of the Congress' Manvendra Singh in her constituency Jhalrapatan, about 12 of her ministers, including Home Minister Gulab Chand Kataria and Transport Minister Yoonus Khan, were trailing, according to the state election commission's website. PCC president Pilot was leading in Tonk and Congress' former chief minister Ashok Gehlot in Sardarpura. The choice of who would be chief minister if the Congress comes to power had analysts playing the guessing game. The two leaders told reporters that a call on which of them will be chief minister will be taken by the MLAs and party president Rahul Gandhi, for whom this is being seen as a make or break electoral exercise. In Chhattisgarh, the Congress was poised to oust the BJP which was seeking a fourth straight term in office under the leadership of Chief Minister Raman Singh. According to the Election Commission, the Congress was ahead in 54 of the 90 seats, leaving the BJP trailing with 17 seats. The Janata Congress Chhattisgarh (J) of former chief minister Ajit Jogi was ahead in four seats. "The shocker if at all is Chhattisgarh," BJP leader Shaina NC said. Jogi said he was happy with the trends and people wanted to oust the Raman Singh government. Neighbouring Madhya Pradesh was a tantalising see-saw battle between the BJP, seeking a fourth term in power, and the Congress, desperate to stage a comeback in the central Indian state that was once its stronghold. The BJP was leading in 103 seats and the Congress in 112 in trends available for 224 of the 230 seats. The Bahujan Samaj Party was ahead in four seats, according to Election Commission figures. "We are going to get a full majority. There is no question about it," Congress leader Kamal Nath told reporters. In southern Telangana, trends indicated a clear landslide verdict for the Telangana Rashtra Samiti with leads in 90 seats. The Congress was way behind with leads in 16 seats, according to the Election Commission. The BJP was ahead in one and the TDP in two. In the northeast state of Mizoram, the Mizoram National Front was ahead in 20 seats, the Congress in five and the BJP in one. Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla was defeated by MNF's T J Lalnuntluanga by 856 votes in Champhai South, Election Commission sources said. Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee said people are "always the man of the match in a democracy" and the semi-final had proved that the BJP was "nowhere in these states". (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The much touted tie-up between the Congress and Telugu Desam Party, which took on the TRS in the December 7 elections, came a cropper with the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister-led outfit winning a mere two seats. The Congress, which won 21 seats in the previous elections in 2014, secured 19 this time. The newly founded Telangana Jana Samithi (TJS) and the Communist Party of India (CPI), which were also part of the 'Prajakutami' (Peoples Front), drew a blank, pushing the grouping to despair. The Congress and TDP had set aside decades-old political rivalry to join hands to dislodge the Telangana Rashtra Samithi government. The TDP had won 15 seats in 2014 in alliance with the BJP. The Congress contested in 99 seats, TDP in 13, CPI in three and TJS in four seats officially in the election. With poor performance of the alliance, questions are being asked as to whether the alliance partners have failed the "voter transfer" test. Congress president Rahul Gandhi and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu put their weight solidly behind the campaign and left no stone unturned to woo voters. Both the leaders shared common dais at several meetings and addressed joint public meetings. But it is clear that the alliance has flopped with the TRS juggernaut rolling on. It is a setback for the Telangana unit of TDP which tried to regain its lost ground through the alliance. It unsuccessfully fielded TDP founder N T Rama Raos grand-daughter Suhasini from Kukatpally constituency which is largely populated with Seemandhra "settlers." Caretaker Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao in his campaign warned the people not to vote for the alliance as it was against the 'Telangana pride'. KCR said if 'Prajakutami' won the elections, the power centre would be shifted from Hyderabad to Delhi and Amaravati, the capital of Andhra Pradesh. Commenting on the Telangana election results, senior TDP leader Ravula Chandrasekhar Reddy told PTI that the alliance needs to analyse and introspect on the groupings "failure" in the poll. "We have to analyse the factors that contributed to the success of TRS and failure of our alliance," Reddy said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Defeat of the Congress in the Ahmednagar municipal corporation elections in Maharashtra is perceived as a major blow to party stalwarts Balasaheb Thorat, a CWC member, and Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil. The ruling Shiv Sena emerged as the single largest party in the municipal corporation by winning 24 out of 68 seats, followed by NCP and BJP which won 18 and 14 seats, respectively, in the results declared Monday. The Congress won only five seats (a loss of six seats compared to 2013), BSP four, independents two while one seat went to SP. The Congress' performance is seen as a blow to Thorat and Vikhe Patil who, according to party insiders, are contenders for the post of chief minister, if the Congress forms government in Maharashtra in 2019. According to sources, the failure of senior leaders to deliver has upset the Central leadership. "Results of the recently conducted Dhule and Ahmednagar civic body polls have seen a crushing defeat for the Congress and a growing influence of the BJP and AIMIM in the region", a Congress leader said. "Ahmednagar saw a three-way fight among the Congress-NCP combine, the BJP and the Shiv Sena which is an indication of how alliances will shape up in Maharashtra the upcoming national and state elections", the leader said. In the 74-member Dhule Municipal Corporation, the BJP bagged 50 seats, NCP 8, Congress 6 and Shiv Sena one. AIMIM won four seats, Samajwadi Party (SP) two seats and the Lok Sangram one seat. With an underwhelming performance by the Congress, the result of the Ahmednagar civic body is set to significantly impact the political future of four prominent Congress leaders from the region: Vikhe Patil, his son Sujay, former minister Balasaheb Thorat and his nephew Satyajit Tambe, who heads Maharashtra Youth Congress, sources said. Ahmednagar has historically seen a tussle between factions led by Thorat and Vikhe Patil. While Thorat and Vikhe Patil toured the state together as part of the Congress' 'Jan Sangharsh Yatra', both were absent from election campaigning in the city. The NCP has been contesting from Ahmednagar from the last two decades. The Sharad Pawar-led party had fought both the assembly and Lok Sabha elections from the region. On possible reasons for Congress faring poorly in Ahmednagar, sources said, "seat-sharing negotiations with the NCP and the reluctance of Vikhe Patil's son Sujay and Thorat's nephew Satyajeet Tambe to build unity in the absence of a ticket seem to have hurt the Congress' fortunes". Sujay Vikhe Patil had expressed his desire to contest the Ahmednagar Lok Sabha seat. However, Sharad Pawar is unlikely to hand over this seat to Vikhe Patil. Tambe had contested Ahmednagar assembly seat unsuccessfully in 2014 polls. "After he lost to NCP's Sangram Jagtap, Tambe has lost interest in the constituency and spent the voting day organising an event in Satara to mark Sonia Gandhi's birthday", sources said. Before Ahmednagar, the Congress had suffered humiliating reverses in Sangli and Jalgaon polls. The last civic body polls won by Congress was in Nanded municipal corporation, when the party swept 73 of 81 seats in a massive victory for party chief Ashok Chavan. This was a massive increase from the 2012 elections, where the tally was: Congress 41, Shiv Sena 14, AIMIM 11, NCP 10, independents 3 and BJP 2. Significantly, the Congress contested the Nanded polls independently. Despite this, the party managed to ensure that both the NCP and the AIMIM drew a blank in the polls. Moreover, the Congress restricted the BJP to just 6 seats and the Sena to 1 seat. Chavan's ability to arrest the growth of the AIMIM in Nanded was seen as the major reason for the party's victory. The AIMIM has steadily eaten into the Congress vote share across Maharashtra, posing a significant threat in Marathwada and Vidarbha regions. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A resurgent Congress Tuesday made significant gains in the Assembly elections, dealing a body blow to the BJP in Chattisgarh and Rajasthan and was locked in a cliffhanger in Madhya Pradesh. The reverses for the BJP in the Hindi heartland threw wide open the 2019 Lok Sabha elections which until a few months ago appeared to be in the grip of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's party. The Assembly polls held for five states also saw the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) recording a landslide win for a second consecutive term and the Mizo National Front (MNF) scripting a spectacular victory dislodging the Congress in its last bastion in the Northeast to return to power after 10 years. Buoyed by Congress' good showing in the polls that was dubbed as a semi-final for the 2019 general elections, party president Rahul Gandh said the outcome is a "clear message" to the Modi government that people are not happy with it and time has come for a change. Prime Minister Narendra Modi got a massive mandate but refused to listen to "heartbeat of the country", Gandhi told reporters. With Congress set to form governments in Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan and locked in a close fight in Madhya Pradesh, Gandhi said the selection of chief ministers in the three states will be done "smoothly". "We have defeated the BJP in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh... There will be no issue over (selection of) chief minister. It will be done smoothly." Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said the results were certainly not as expected and asserted the poll outcome was an opportunity to pause and analyse. In a shock result, the Congress ended Chief Minister Raman Singh's uninterrupted 15-year rule in Chattisgarh. It won 22 and was leading in 46 in the 90-member House while the BJP was relegated to a distant second spot winning 3 and ahead in 13, according to latest trends available with the Election Commission. Raman Singh submitted his resignation to Governor Anandiben Patel and said he accepts responsibility for BJP's poor showing. Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje too handed over her resignation to Governor Kalyan Singh in Jaipur. The Congress was heading towards majority in the desert state, winning 87 seats and leading in another 12 out of 199 seats. The BJP had 72 seats in its kitty and was ahead in one. As voting trends and results slowly trickled, the Congress, which had just 58 seats in the outgoing Assembly in Madhya Pradesh, was set to cross the 100 mark in a House of 230. The Congress was winning or leading in 113 seats while for the BJP this was 110. According to Election Commission data, both the BJP and the Congress had around 41.2 per cent votes each. Three-time Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, who was battling anti-incumbency, won the Budhni seat but a dozen ministers were trailing behind Congress candidates. Senior Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia said the trends reflected people's desire for a change in Madhya Pradesh while state Congress chief Kamal Nath exuded confidence they will form the government in the state. "Trends show Congress marching ahead to victory in Rajasthan, MP and Chhattisgarh. We are confident the trend will continue across the country," Congress leader Sachin Pilot said in Jaipur. In Chattisgarh, the Janata Congress Chhattisgarh (J) of former chief minister Ajit Jogi was ahead in five seats while the CPI and the Gondwana Gantantra Party and the CPI (M) were leading in one seat each. The trends in the desert state of Rajasthan, showed the Congress is inching towards the magic mark of 100 in Rajasthan, winning 22 and leading in 78. The outcome reflected the 20-year "revolving door" trend of voters in choosing the BJP and the Congress alternately. The ruling BJP won 15 and leading in 58 of the 199 seats which went to polls. The BJP and the Congress had 163 and 21 seats in the outgoing House. Independents won three and were leading in nine. Rajasthan has a 200-member assembly but polling in Alwar's Ramgarh constituency was postponed following the death of the BSP candidate there. The Congress will hold its legislature party meeting in Jaipur to decide on who will be the chief minister. Former chief minister Ashok Gehlot and Pilot are frontrunners for the top post. The TRS is set to form its second successive government in Telangana where it won a simple majority and is heading for a landslide with its candidates clinching 79 seats and leading in 9 inthe 119-member House in a resounding endorsement of its chief K Chandrasekhar Rao's popularity. Rao himself won by a margin of over 51,000 votes from his Gajwel seat, trouncing V Pratap Reddy of the Congress. Rao's son K T Rama Rao and nephew T Harish Rao, both ministers in his caretaker government, also won. The Congress clinched 18 seats and is leading in one Its ally TDP won two seats. Rao told reporters that Telangana proved to be a non-Congress, non-BJP state and that the TRS will play a crucial role in national Rao dissolved the Assembly in September, eight months ahead of schedule, in a political gamble that paid off handsomely. The Mizo National Front(MNF) got a simple majority bagging 26 of the 40 seats at stake dislodging the Congress which bagged five. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Congress in Rajasthan will hold its legislature party meeting here on Wednesday to decided on who will be the chief minister. "The Congress Legislature Party meeting will take place tomorrow. AICC general secretary K C Venugopal has arrived for the meeting, state Congress chief chief Sachin Pilot said. The Congress' choice for the chief minister's post is likely to be announced after consultation with party president Rahul Gandhi. Former chief minister Ashok Gehlot and Pilot are frontrunners for the coveted post. Trends showed the Congress is inching towards the majority mark in Rajasthan, winning five seats and leading in 98 seats. The ruling BJP has won four seats and leading in 64 of the 199 seats which went to polls. Rajasthan has a 200-member assembly but polling on Alwar's Ramgarh constituency was postponed following the death of the BSP candidate there. A party now needs to win 100 seats to form government in the state. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Congress was close to victory on Tuesday in Rajasthan, where its candidates were declared elected on 26 seats and were leading on 75 others as the party shifted focus on picking the state's next chief minister. The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had bagged 15 seats and was leading on 57, Bahujan Samaj Party won three and was leading on three, Bhartiya Tribal Party won two, the Rashtriya Loktantrik Party was leading on three and the CPI(M) won one and was leading on one more. Four independents had won and eight others were leading, according to the trends given out by the Election Commission. The Congress Legislature Party in Rajasthan will meet Wednesday morning to discuss its leader, who will go on to be the chief minister. The two frontrunners are Rajasthan Congress Committee president and two-time chief minister Ashok Gehlot. The final decision is expected to be announced after the observers sent by the All India Congress Committee to the legislators' meeting in Jaipur return to Delhi and brief Congress chief Rahul Gandhi. "The Congress Legislature Party meeting will take place tomorrow. AICC general secretary K C Venugopal has arrived for the meeting, Pilot said Tuesday while counting was still in progress. ALSO READ: Rajasthan election result 2018 LIVE: Suspense mounts over Congress' CM face The observer was also expected to meet the two frontrunners individually. In a show of unity, both Gehlot and Pilot along with other leaders appeared before the media, flashing the victory sign. Rajasthan has a 200-member assembly but polling on Alwar's Ramgarh constituency was postponed following the death of the Bahujan Samaj Party candidate Among the early Congress winners are Johri Lal Meena (Rajgarh-Laxmangarh), Madan Prajapapat (Pachpadra), Zahida Khan (Kaman), Ramlal Jat (Mandal) and Prashant Bairwa (Niwai). BJP's Santosh (Anupgarh), Kaluram (Dag), Sama Ram Garaisa (Pindwara-Abu) and Jagsi Ram (Reodar) had also won. Bahujan Samaj Party's Sandeep Kumar (Tijara) and Wajib Ali (Nagar) were among the other winners declared so far. The BJP's apparent failure to retain the state comes intensive electioneering, which involved Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. The trend that BJP and the Congress parties are voted to power alternately appeared to hold in the state. Ashok Gehlot said people had given their mandate to the Congress and it will get a clear majority in the state. "Congress will form the government. This is the mandate of public, which is in favour of the Congress party, he said. We will get a clear majority and will also take along other parties or candidates who quit the BJP for us," he told reporters here. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Congress Tuesday was set to wrest Rajasthan from the BJP after its candidates were declared elected on 97 seats and were leading on two others out of the 199 that went to the polls. As the Congress hovered around this 99-seat mark putting together the victories and the official trends Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje submitted her resignation to Governor Kalyan Singh. The ruling BJP bagged 73 seats, Bahujan Samaj Party won six, Bhartiya Tribal Party won two, the Rashtriya Loktantrik Party three, the CPI(M) two and the Rashtriya Lok Dal one. Independents won 12 seats and were leading on one more as the focus in Rajasthan shifted on who would be the Congress choice for chief minister between two-time CM Ashok Gehlot and the party's state unit president Sachin Pilot. With three winners yet to be declared, the Congress vote share was 39.3 per cent, half percentage point ahead of the BJP. The newly elected Congress legislators will meet Wednesday morning to discuss this.The All India Congress Committee has sent K C Venugopal as observer. "The Congress Legislature Party (CLP) meeting will be held at 11 am on Wednesday, in which the elected MLAs of the party will pass a resolution. The observer will seek individual opinions of the MLAs," AICC general secretary Avinash Pande said here. He said Congress president Rahul Gandhi will then be briefed and a second meeting of the CLP held in the evening. The decision on the new minister will be announced after the evening meeting, he said. In a show of unity, both Gehlot and Pilot along with other leaders appeared before the media, flashing the victory sign. Rajasthan has a 200-member assembly but polling on Alwar's Ramgarh constituency was postponed following the death of the Bahujan Samaj Party candidate. In 2013, the BJP won 163 seats and the Congress 21. The election was fought hard by both sides, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Rahul Gandhi themselves addressing several rallies with corruption, dynasty' and religion figuring prominently, even as the ruling party tried to showcase its welfare schemes. In the end, the trend of the state alternating between a Congress and a BJP government seemed to continue. Gehlot was the chief minister before Raje, who had succeeded him. Thirteen of the state's ministers 19 were knocked out as the results came in. These losers included Otaram Devasi (Sirohi) who was the minister in charge of cow welfare and Yoonus Khan, the tourism minister fielded against Sachin Pilot. Raje, however, retained her Jahalrapatan seat for the fifth time in a row. This time, it was by a margin of 34,890 votes against former party veteran Jaswant Singh's son Manvendra Singh who recently switched to the Congress. Among the Congress winners are Johri Lal Meena (Rajgarh-Laxmangarh), Madan Prajapapat (Pachpadra), Zahida Khan (Kaman), Ramlal Jat (Mandal) and Prashant Bairwa (Niwai). BJP's Santosh (Anupgarh), Kaluram (Dag), Sama Ram Garaisa (Pindwara-Abu) and Jagsi Ram (Reodar) also won. Bahujan Samaj Party's Sandeep Kumar (Tijara) and Wajib Ali (Nagar) were among the other winners declared so far. Ashok Gehlot said people had given their mandate to the Congress. We will get a clear majority and will also take along other parties or candidates who quit the BJP for us," he told reporters here. If the party fails to cross the halfway mark in a full House of 200, it needs 101 seats the Congress is expected to count on the the Bahujan Samaj Party, the CPI(M) and some of the independents. The winning independent candidates include those who had rebelled when they were denied the ticket by the two main parties. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) : AIMIM President Asaduddin Owaisi Tuesday said there is a need for all non-Congress and non-BJP parties to come together and hoped TRS chief K Chandrasekhar Rao will take the victory in Telangana forward by bringing all such parties on a common platform to defeat the saffron party. The Hyderabad MP said he has his 'grave doubts' about the Congress' capacity to defeat Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. "To defeat BJP it is still a task for all of us. Congress is not the alternative for this country. If BJP has to be defeated and Narendra Modi stopped from becoming Prime Minister in 2019, then non-Congress and non-BJP leaders have to come forward. They (Congress) don't have the capacity," Owaisi told reporters here. He said he had been saying for over a month that TRS would form a government in Telangana. "People of Telangana solely backed TRS and they know they have a leader who has delivered...this verdict is for KCR to take forward," he said. "I hope KCR realises that he should not now limit himself to Telangana only...he has a very large national role to play and I am sure that with the governance model he gave in Telangana, he will definitely do wonders. "KCR has to come forward and we welcome his announcement. We will tell the people of India. There is a need for non-Congress and non-BJP leaders to come together to give a new vision, new economic policy...KCR has the capacity," Owaisi said. Rao said that the results would enable the TRS to play a crucial role in national and that a national party would emerge that would form a coalition with a consortium of regional parties to take on the BJP and Congress. The AIMIM leader said he would stand with KCR, as Rao is referred to, in ensuring that there is a non-Congress, non-BJP government in the 2019 Parliamentary elections. Owaisi said he was "pretty much sure" that KCR, with his talent, would be able to galvanise all non-Congress and non-BJP parties and that he would play a crucial role in bringing a non-Congress and non-BJP government to power. "I am sure that in the next Parliament elections in Telangana, 17 seats will be won by TRS and AIMIM (together) and there will be no question of Congress and BJP in Telangana," he said. Owaisi claimed that the people of Telangana and also Hyderabad have rejected the "opportunistic, divisive and communal" of Congress and BJP in the elections. "People have rejected your allegations of calling TRS as the 'B' Team and MIM as 'C' Team. I hope Rahul Gandhi will do some self-introspection and see what he and his party was not able to do, which we have done it in Telangana,"Owaisi said. Had there been a regional party in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan,. they could have done well, he said. Owaisi said TDP Chief Chandrababu Naidu should learn a lesson from the poll results. "I would like to tell him that I will go to Andhra Pradesh. Of the 25 Lok Sabha seats in AP, Naidu will not even win two seats. People (of Andhra Pradesh) are fed up with him. You see similar results (of Telangana) will be repeated in Andhra Pradesh. "BJP's important leaders have lost...the BJP (Telangana unit) President has lost... what will now Yogi (Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath) say? what will Mr Amit Shah and what will Prime Minister Narendra Modi say", he asked. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Congress and the NC Tuesday condemned the militant attack on a police post in Shopian district of Jammu and Kashmir in which three police personnel died. "I strongly condemn the attack on the police post in Shopian and condole the deaths of three police personnel in the line of duty," former chief minister Omar Abdullah said. "I pray for their souls & for the speedy recovery of those injured in this attack," added the National Conference (NC) leader. The Congress too expressed shock over the attack. "The killings or violence has neither served any purpose nor will benefit anyone, rather such type of dastardly acts will have serious implications on the society, besides vitiating the peace," a spokesman of the Pradesh Congress Committee said in a statement. "The loss of lives is highly painful," the leader added. Three policemen were killed when Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorists attacked a guard post outside a minority pocket in south Kashmir's Shopian. The attack took place in the afternoon when four policemen were sitting in a pre-fabricated room outside the pocket that houses six Kashmiri pandit families. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Congress forming the next government in Chhattisgarh became a mere formality Tuesday as Chief Minister Raman Singh of BJP resigned, after his party's disappointing performance in the state Assembly polls. Congress is leading in 64, while BJP was relegated to a distant second spot with 18 seats, as per latest trends available in 89 of the 90 seats in the House. "I have submitted my resignation to Chhattisgarh Governor," Raman Singh told reporters. He said he accepts responsibility for BJP's poll performance in Chhattisgarh, adding "we (party) will sit and introspect". He refused to pass the buck on the BJP's national leadership over the setback after 15 years of the party's rule in the state. "The election was solely contested on state agenda and it is not related to Delhi. We will sit with the party workers and analyse the defeat in detail." "This will not reflect on the Lok Sabha election scheduled in 2019. The issues for Lok Sabha are different and election will be contested on those issues," he said. "It is time to work in a new role for Chhattisgarh. We will work with full vigour," Singh said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) An accused in a 2013 murder case of a neurosurgeon turned approver and deposed before a court here Tuesday, saying he was 'pricked by his conscience' over the act. P Iyappan, the accused-turned-prosecution witness, submitted that on September 14 that year, he and two others, Murugan and Selvaprakash, hacked neurosurgeon S D Subbiah to death when he was coming out of a hospital. He said Murugan first attacked the surgeon on his head and then Selvaprakash attacked him in multiple parts of the body, including the neck. Iyappan, deposing before the First Additional Sessions Court, said he and his associates lay in wait on a motorcycle behind the victim's car on a motorbike and fled the scene after committing the crime. On why he chose to confess, Iyappan said he was 'pricked by his conscience' that a life-saving doctor was murdered for gain. "I am making this confession voluntarily," he added. Special Public Prosecutor N Vijayaraj examined him and defence counsel Raghunathan cross-examined the witness. Also, Iyappan said he was told by Murugan just before the murder that each one of them would be paid Rs 50 lakh for executing the crime and get a job in a foreign country. According to Iyappan, a dispute over a land in Anjugramam village in Tamil Nadu's Kanyakumari district between the doctor and Ponnusamy (accused-1) led to the crime. With Iyappan turning approver, the total number of accused in the case has now come down to nine. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) "Crazy Rich Asians" breakout Constance Wu is in negotiations to star in an untitled romantic comedy. Wu, 36, is in talks to play a "charmingly chaotic woman who has to get her life together when she becomes pregnant with two babies from two different men", according to The Hollywood Reporter. The film will mark the directorial debut of actor Kimmy Gatewood, best known for starring in Netflix's "GLOW". The screenplay has been penned by writer Savion Einstein. The project hails from Sony Pictures and will be produced by Elizabeth Banks and Max Handelma through their banner, Brownstone Productions. Alison Small will serve as the executive producer. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Counting of votes for five state assemblies began on Tuesday amid tight security. In the multi-phase polling, Chhattisgarh voted on November 12 (18 seats) and November 20 (72 seats); Madhya Pradesh (230 seats) and Mizoram (40 seats) on November 28; and Rajasthan (199 seats) and Telangana (119 seats) on December 7. Over 8,500 candidates were in the fray in polls for these assemblies. A total of 678 assembly seats across five states went for polls, after polling was countermanded in one seat in Rajasthan due to death of a candidate. Tight security arrangements have been made for the counting, especially in Chhattisgarh where at least 12 assembly seats are in Naxal-affected areas. Besides, there have been allegations related to the electronic voting machines. Hectic political parleys marked the eve of counting of votes for five state assemblies, billed as semi-finals before the 2019 national polls, with the Congress asserting that the mandate from Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Telangana and Mizoram on Tuesday would send a "clear message" against the Narendra Modi government at the Centre. Rejecting the exit-poll results, most of which have forecast gains for Congress in at least four states including a clear majority in Rajasthan, the BJP leaders said the final results should be awaited even as they sought to de-link the state polls from the next year's Lok Sabha elections. In Telangana, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi met interim chief minister K Chandrashekar Rao to extend his support and said he was sure about the ruling TRS coming back to power, while the BJP also hinted at its possible support. The Congress-led alliance, however, appeared upbeat that it would get the mandate to dislodge KCR, as the chief minister is popularly known as, and form the next government. It also told Governor ESL Narasimhan that it should be treated as a single entity in the event of no party getting a clear majority. For Madhya Pradesh, senior Congress leader Kamal Nath exuded confidence that his party would get at least 140 seats to form a majority government. For Telangana, exit polls have been divided between the TRS and the Congress-led opposition alliance. Same is the case for Mizoram where the ruling Congress is being challenged by its arch-rival in the state, Mizo National Front, while the BJP is also separately in fray. Ahead of the results, Congress president Rahul Gandhi said people will give a "clear message" in form of results for the five assemblies and exuded confidence that the BJP would be ousted in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. These assembly elections are being seen as crucial for the BJP ahead of the Lok Sabha elections as it is in power in three of these states - Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. The Congress is in power in Mizoram, while the TRS ruled Telangana before the assembly was dissolved there. The BJP is trying for a fourth term in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh and is seeking to retain power in Rajasthan. The three states also played a significant role for the BJP in the 2014 general elections, when it had won 62 out of the 65 Lok Sabha seats in these three states. The elections are also significant for Congress, which is out to challenge the BJP's rule in three states and protect its last bastion in the North-East, where Mizoram remains the only state not under the rule of BJP-led NDA. The eight North-East states together have 25 Lok Sabha seats. In the 2013 elections in Mizoram, the Congress had won 34 seats, while MNF got five and the Mizoram People's Conference bagged one seat. Since 1987, Mizoram has been ruled by either Congress or the MNF, while the BJP is yet to win an assembly seat there. In Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, the BJP has been in power for three consecutive terms, while Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje-led BJP government Rajasthan is seeking to defy a recent trend of the saffron party and the Congress being in power alternately. KCR-led Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) had formed the first government of the country's youngest state in 2014 after it was carved out of Andhra Pradesh. In the maiden polls for the 119-seat Telangana assembly, 1,821 candidates were in fray and a voter turnout of 73.20 per cent was recorded. Chhattisgarh recorded 76.60 per cent voter turnout, while the same for Madhya Pradesh was 75.05 per cent. Rajasthan recorded over 74 per cent voting, while it was nearly 80 per cent in Mizoram. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) After drawing a blank in the last election in Rajasthan, the CPI(M) is all set to win two seats, both of which were held by the BJP. The Left party's Balwan Poonia is leading with 73,725 votes in Bhadra constituency of Hanumangarh district. His nearest rival is BJP's Sanjeev Kumar. In Shree Dungargarh constituency of Bikaner district, the CPI(M)'s Giridharilal Mahiya is leading with 72,361 votes. Congress candidate Mangalram is at the second position in this seat. In the 2013 elections, the CPI(M) or the Communist Party of India (Marxist) had failed to win any seat. It won three in 2008 elections. The CPI(M)'s Rajasthan in-charge Hannan Mollah said the trend of election results in the three Hindi-heartland states has ended the myth of the BJP's invincibility. "In the last two-three years of electoral politics, Modi-Shah combine emerged as invincible. It seemed no party could defeat the BJP under their leadership. This myth has been broken in this election," said Mollah. Mollah, who is also the general secretary of the CPI(M)'s farmers' wing All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS), said that farmers' issues were crucial in the elections for the five states. "BJP loss in the Hindi-heartland was due to farmers' distress in rural areas. The saffron party has been turned down by farmers and those living in rural areas," he claimed. The CPI(M) leader added that in the next year's Lok Sabha election, farmers and rural distress would be one of the key poll issues. CPI(M) fought in Rajasthan on 28 seats as part of a seven-party alliance called the Loktantrik Morcha. The alliance also include Communist Party of India, Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist), Marxist Communist Party of India (United), Samajwadi Party, Rashtriya Lok Dal and Janata Dal (Secular). As per latest trends, Congress is heading to form government in the state. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Delhi Police Tuesday rescued a 70-year-old woman who fell into a drain by forming human chain, officials said. A police van in outer Delhi's Ranhola area was informed that a woman jumped into the drain. Soon, it rushed to the spot and was joined by another police van in the area. The policemen with the help of local women formed a human chain and rescued the women, a senior officer said. The woman, Kamla, was then handed over to Ranhola police station, he said. Investigations revealed that Kamla was mentally challenged. Police said she started from her home alone and while walking she fell into the drain as one of its wall was broken. Kamla was sent back home along with her family, police said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Delhi's air quality remained in the "severe" category for the second consecutive day on Tuesday as low wind speed prevented dispersion of pollutants even as authorities predicted further deterioration. Supreme Court-appointed Environment Pollution Control Authority (EPCA) Chairperson Bhure Lal said they were monitoring the situation and if severe conditions persisted for 48 hours, stringent action, as prescribed under the Graded Response Action Plan, would be implemented. The (CPCB) recorded an overall (AQI) of 411 which falls in the "severe" category. The AQI on Monday was recorded at 412. On Tuesday, neighbouring Ghaziabad, Noida and Faridabad also recorded "severe" air quality. Ghaziabad's air quality was the worst at an AQI of 429, the CPCB data showed. Gurgaon recorded "very poor" air quality, the CPCB data said. An AQI between 201 and 300 is considered "poor", 301 and 400 "very poor" and 401 and 500 "severe". Twenty-one areas in Delhi recorded "severe" air quality and nine areas recorded "very poor" air quality, according to the CPCB. Rohini and Wazirpur edged towards "severe plus emergency" category with an AQI of 471 and 472 respectively, the CPCB data showed. Stringent actions include emergency measures like odd-even car rationing scheme. A ban on construction activities would be enforced in the city if "severe" pollution level persists for 48 hours. Under the "severe" category, even healthy people find it hard to breathe and doctors advise physical activity to be kept at a minimum. Authorities said they are closely monitoring the situation. The overall PM2.5 level -- fine particulate matter in the air with a diameter of less than 2.5 micrometre -- was recorded at 261 and the PM10 level at 450, it said. The Centre-run System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting (SAFAR) said the overall air quality of Delhi will further deteriorate over the next two days. "Values are likely to remain in the same range on Tuesday and likely to decline by Wednesday. Calm surface winds are not allowing pollutants to disperse," it said. "Winds are calm and dispersion is low. Western disturbances influence may impact Delhi's air quality by introducing moisture and making the air heavy. The expected fall in temperature and moderate fog is likely to increase pollution over the coming two days and will keep the air quality in the upper level of 'very poor'," the SAFAR said. It said the air quality might improve on Wednesday if sufficient amount of rainfall occurs, which is expected. "However, marginal shower often deteriorates air quality because high moisture content overshadows the wash-out effect. In all probability, the AQI will remain within the limit of 'very poor' and will not touch 'severe'," the SAFAR said. "Levels of gaseous pollutants, NOx and CO are forecast to be enhanced, up to moderate range, after a long time due to a fall in boundary layer height and reduced vertical mixing," it said. The EPCA chairperson said that if winds blew, air quality might improve, and hoped that the predicted rainfall pulled the air quality down from the "severe" category. According to the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, the maximum ventilation index is likely to be 2500 sqm/second from December 10-12. The ventilation index lower than 6000 sqm/second with average wind speed less than 10 kmph is unfavourable for dispersion of pollutants. Air quality is likely to deteriorate marginally on Tuesday under the low wind and lower ventilation index but will remain in the "very poor" category, the IITM said. The wind speed, ventilation index and higher moisture are highly unfavourable for dispersion of pollutants, it added. A senior DGCA official allegedly allowed unauthorised persons including his wife and sister-in-law to travel on a flight meant for testing of two pilots who were to be designated as examiners, a source said. The incident which took place last week has prompted the Directorate General of Civil Aviation to launch an inquiry. The DGCA official was conducting "examiner release check" for two pilots of Delhi-based Air Charter Services (ACS) Pvt Ltd, a DGCA source said. As per the rules, such flights are not supposed to have any unauthorised person on board. "It is under investigation," Director General of Civil Aviation B S Bhullar told PTI Tuesday when asked about the action taken against the official. According to the source, the official, working as a deputy chief flight operations inspector at DGCA headquarters in New Delhi, in a "blatant violation" of the norms allowed his wife and sister-in-law as well as the director of the ACS Pvt Ltd, his wife and two other women on board the aircraft. The aircraft was conducting the "check" flight on Amritsar-Delhi route. ACS vice president for corporate affairs Mathew Jacob refused to comment on the issue when contacted. "Unfortunately, the two pilots were cleared for the examinership by the DGCA despite its official violating the prescribed norms," the source added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) / -- Organized annually by NASSCOM's Data Security Council of India (DSCI), DSCI Excellence Awards is the country's most coveted security awards that recognize leading innovations in the cyber security sector The NASSCOM-DSCI excellence awards are held annually at the Annual Information Security Summit (AISS) to recognize, honor and reward organizations for the exemplary work carried out in the field of security and privacy, and reward visionary leaders and products in the space. (Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/796709/DNIF_Logo.jpg ) DNIF, a product launched by NETMONASTERY in 2015, won the award in the 'Security Product Company of the Year' category. This award is presented to companies that have developed futuristic and innovative cyber security products that address real risks, build resilience, increase trustworthiness and create a conducive environment for businesses; thus, enabling organizations to harness security as a lever for business growth. The Jury panel for this award category comprised of senior leaders from the corporate sector and government/ academia, enhancing the credibility of awards managed by DSCI with process partner being PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC). The jury included veterans in the industry, Dr. Sanjay Bahl, Director General at CERT-In; Mr. Anand Pande, CISO at GSTN; Mr. Sameer Ratolikar, Executive VP and CISO at HDFC Bank and Mr. Baljinder Singh, Global Head of Digital Transformation & Global CIO at EXL. Congratulating DNIF on winning the award, Rama Vedashree, CEO, DSCI, said, "We congratulate NETMONASTERY team for winning DSCI Excellence Award for Security Product company of the year. DSCI has been and will continue to work with the government and industry to evangelise and catalyse these young Security Product Innovators become leaders not only in India but also across the globe." "We are incredibly grateful and deeply honored to receive this industry-wide acclaim from NASSCOM-DSCI. At DNIF we are focused on simplifying the system and making cyber security effective and affordable. This distinction is an endorsement of our approach to helping clients with growing data volumes and cyber security complexities," said Shomiron Das Gupta, Founder, and CEO of NETMONASTERY. About DNIF: DNIF is a Next-Gen SIEM that's easy to use and deploy, leverages on big data analytics and machine learning; and specifically designed to bring in multiple data-driven functionalities like SOAR, UEBA, Security Analytics, Threat Hunting and Security Datalakes together onto a single platform. DNIF empowers organizations with meaningful insights, process efficiency, better manageability, and reduced risks. The product, developed by NETMONASTERY in 2015, has been extremely successful and is used by the biggest players in the BFSI, NBFC, Telecom, and e-commerce space. DNIF is also used by a large number of companies that are a part of India's critical infrastructure program. A vast majority of managed security service providers use DNIF as their core for service delivery. About DSCI: Data Security Council of India (DSCI), is a not-for-profit, industry body on data protection in India, setup by NASSCOM, committed to making the cyberspace safe, secure and trusted by establishing best practices, standards, and initiatives in cybersecurity and privacy. To further its objectives, DSCI engages with governments and their agencies, regulators, industry sectors, industry associations and think tanks for policy advocacy, thought leadership, capacity building and outreach activities. Source: NETMONASTERY Network Security Pvt. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Delhi University Teachers' Association (DUTA) on Tuesday wrote to the varsity's vice-chancellor (VC) Yogesh Tyagi, condemning the postponement of the academic council's meeting and threatening action if it is not convened within a week. The meeting of the academic council was slated to take place on Wednesday. Teachers are no longer willing to put up with the administration's lackadaisical approach towards matters of governance and believe that you must either act or step down, the DUTA said in its letter. "Teachers of the university and its colleges have been deprived of career advancement which ought to be done in a time-bound manner. However, it is extremely unfortunate that the university has not deemed it necessary to give its teachers their due," it said. The DUTA said it did not augur well that Tyagi, as the academic head of the institution, refused to take any steps towards ameliorating the conditions of all sections of the university. "While the university has been promoting teachers due for superannuation, it points to the insensitivity of your administration that this career advancement does not help teachers while in service and amounts to not recognising the service rendered by them," it said. The inordinate delay in appointments and the unwillingness to take steps for the regularisation or absorption of teachers through permanent appointments is affecting the lives of thousands of young teachers whose future seems bleak and uncertain, it added. "You have been in office for nearly three years and it anguishes us to say that bureaucratic procedures, committees set up to look into matters that could be settled in a routine manner, refusal to hold regular meetings of statutory bodies, delays in or refusal to address important decisions have become the hallmark of your administration," the DUTA said. The teachers' body demanded that the varsity convenes the meeting by December 19. It also threatened to not allow the meeting to proceed if the issues of teachers are not addressed. "We also demand that the meeting of the Executive Council be convened within 72 hours of the Academic Council meeting so that the ordinances can be fully incorporated and the promotion process can begin without any further delay," the DUTA said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Egyptian authorities have unofficially restricted the sale of "yellow vests", traders in Cairo said Tuesday, signalling fears of possible protests inspired by those in France. The move comes over a month ahead of the eighth anniversary of the 2011 uprising that toppled Egypt's longest seated ruler Hosni Mubarak and left the country reeling from political and economic turmoil for years. "We received instructions from the police around a week ago to sell yellow vests to companies only, and not to individuals," one importer said. He said two yellow vests shipments were en route to Egypt and should enter the country as normal. No instructions have been given to halt imports, he added. Launched in early November, weekly "yellow vest" protests in France against planned increases in fuel tax price have spiralled into violence in Paris and other cities, taking a heavy financial toll. At least seven "yellow vest" sellers in a downtown Cairo street confirmed to AFP that the sale of vests is "prohibited" following police instructions. "National security officials came by and asked us not to sell them to individuals because they fear protests in France could reach us here," one trader said. "The sale of vests has become more dangerous than selling drugs," said another, agreeing to sell one on condition that it was kept hidden in a plastic bag. A third salesman denied having any vests and said "their sale is prohibited". Asked for the reason behind the ban, he said "ask the police station's head. Ask the president." All spoke on condition of anonymity fearing reprisals. The interior ministry spokesman did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Egypt imposed heavy restrictions on demonstrations under a 2013 law, passed after the military ousted Islamist president Mohamed Morsi following mass protests against his rule. General-turned-president Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, who won a second presidential term earlier this year, has repeatedly criticised the so-called "Arab Spring" uprisings, pointing to their repercussions on neighbouring countries like Syria, Yemen and Libya. His government has overseen harsh austerity measures including the removal of subsidies, and introduced steep price hikes in the hopes of rebuilding Egypt's battered economy. Sisi constantly urges Egyptians to endure the impact of the austerity measures until they have taken effect. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) EU economics affairs commissioner Pierre Moscovici on Tuesday said Brussels will keep close watch over France's new spending plans, a day after President Emmanuel Macron unveiled new measures to quell violent protests. "The European Commission will closely monitor the impact of the announcements made by President Macron on the French deficit and any financing arrangements," Moscovici told AFP. "We are in constant contact with the French authorities," added Moscovici, who was attending a plenary session of European Parliament in Strasbourg. Meeting the EU's three percent deficit limit has been a centrepiece of Macron's European strategy in order to win the trust of powerful Berlin and its backing for EU reforms. Before the "yellow vests" protests, the 2019 public deficit was expected to reach 2.8 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP), just below the threshold. Among the potentially costly measures Macron announced on Monday was a 100 euro (USD113) monthly increase in the minimum wage as of next year paid for by the government, not employers. The 40-year-old centrist also announced he would roll back most of an unpopular increase in taxes on pensioners introduced by his government. And he called on all businesses "that can afford it" to give employees a one-off "end of year bonus" which would be tax free. The EU rules on public spending are "binding for everybody that is clear," said senior German MEP Manfred Weber, when asked by reporters about France's new expenditure. But he added that "what we should not do as the European Union is intervene in domestic policies so when a government in Italy is presenting its budget it is an Italian budget and in France it is the same." Italy's budget for 2019 was the first in history to be rejected by Brussels for breaking bloc rules on spending. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Dozens of top fashion industry firms have pledged at the UN climate talks to reduce their combined greenhouse gas emissions by 30 percent by 2030. "The fashion industry is always two steps ahead when it comes to defining world culture, so I am pleased to see it now also leading the way in terms of climate action," UN climate chief Patricia Espinosa said in announcing the endeavour. Industry giants joining the UN-led initiative include Adidas, Burberry, Esprit, Guess, Gap, H&M, Hugo Boss, Levi Strauss, Puma, Salomon and the Kering group, which owns Balenciaga, Gucci, and Yves Saint Laurent among others. Maersk, one of the world's largest container shipping companies, also signed the Fashion Industry Charter for Climate Action Monday on the margins of UN climate talks in Katowice, Poland. The 43 firms have agreed to prioritise "climate-friendly" materials and low-carbon transport, and to stop installing coal-fired boilers at manufacturing sites from no later than 2025. The companies have also pledged to explore so-called circular business models and encourage consumers to increase the lifespan of clothing, despite the "fast fashion" trend of frequently renewing entire wardrobes. "If you look at the fashion industry, our history is maybe not the greatest when you talk about environmental performance," Stefan Sidel, head of corporate sustainability at Puma, told reporters. "So this time we want to get it right, upfront, we want to get active here and play an active role." The fashion industry is said to produce an estimated 10 percent of the world's CO2 emissions. Reducing greenhouse gas emissions across the industry "will require innovation and collaboration," Burberry CEO Marco Gobbetti said. "I want to call on my peers in the business, from other brands to retailers and suppliers, to sign up to this charter now," added designer Stella McCartney. "Collectively we have a voice and the capacity to make a difference. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Delhi government informed the Supreme Court on Tuesday that it is contemplating a policy to "limit" the number of guests at "extravagant" weddings and institutionalise catering arrangements to check food wastage at such functions. A bench headed by Justice Madan B Lokur was told by Delhi Chief Secretary Vijay Kumar Dev that they have discussed the issues flagged by the court in its December 6 order in which the court had expressed concern over wastage of food and mis-utilisation of water in marriage functions. Dev, present in the court, said the government was thinking on exactly the same lines as observed last week by the court and endeavour of authorities was to balance the interest of people of Delhi. "It is stated (by chief secretary) that some alternatives are being discussed and there appears to be at least two options that are available and two-pronged strategy is also being actively considered so that availability of food in functions and the number of guests is limited, and the quality of food is also maintained," the bench, also comprising Justices Deepak Gupta and Hemant Gupta, noted in its order. Dev said he had discussed the matter with the LG and "there seems to be a consensus between the view of the Government of NCT of Delhi and the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi in this regard". "We can have guest control on one hand and regulation under the Food Safety and Standards Act where institutional arrangements can be made between the caterers and NGOs, who are providing foods to the destitutes," he told the bench. Dev said there was "artificial enhanced demand" in the society for "extravagant" marriage functions in Delhi. He said there were reports that presently, the excess food in marriage functions either goes in waste or the "stale" food was used by caterers in subsequent wedding functions which could led to serious health issues. "Treatment of waste water is also a serious issue which led to environmental degradation. Whatever directions the Supreme Court will give, we will follow. We will have to tackle these two issues," he said. The bench told Dev that they have to first come out with a policy in this regard and the second major step would be its proper implementation. The counsel appearing for Delhi government said eight weeks time was needed to come out with the policy. He said all the caterers in Delhi were licensed and were registered under the Food Safety and Standards Act. "The chief secretary is saying that stale food was being used in functions. There should be a system to check the quality of food being served in such functions," the bench said. The bench noted in its order that the chief secretary had informed the court that they were working on a strategy so that quality of food in marriages was maintained. Dev also said they were also looking into the aspect of mis-utilisation of water in such functions. The court told the chief secretary to come out with a policy in this regard by within six weeks. "We grant time till January 31, 2019 to enable the LG and chief secretary to formulate a policy and to ensure its strict implementation in the larger public interest, including the interest of the people of Delhi," the bench said. The chief secretary also said the policy would also take into consideration the aspect of management of motels and farm houses in and around Delhi. "The earlier policy was framed in terms of the notification dated October 30, 2007 and has been working well. It has been modified to some extent from time to time. Whether those modifications are at all necessary will also be taken into consideration. The policy shall also explore the possibility of issuing a guest control order," he said. "In other words, a complete and comprehensive policy will be prepared by the Government of NCT of Delhi and the LG so that there is no mis-use of properties, food and water, etc. and shall also be formulated in a manner to avoid congestion including traffic problems caused due to these functions being held at these motels/farm houses," the bench noted. It said the LG was free to consult the court-appointed monitoring committee on sealing and the special task force, which was set up to ensure implementation of law on unauthorised constructions and encroachments here, on these issues. The court has posted the matter for further hearing on February 5. During the hearing on Tuesday, the bench also dealt with the issue related to a motel here which was earlier slapped with a notice by the civic agency for not complying with fire safety measures. The bench was told the Delhi government's counsel that Delhi Fire Service had recently inspected the motel and have found that some fire safety norms were not complied with yet. The counsel appearing for motel said they have complied with nine out of 11 objections raised by the authority and work for remaining two aspects was going on. "Take your time and do the rest. Wedding season or no wedding season, we cannot put the lives of people on risk," the bench told the counsel appearing for the motel after he urged that they be given two-three days time to complete the work. The court vacated its earlier interim order and directed for re-sealing of the motel on December 15. The top court is seized of the issue related to validity of the Delhi Laws (Special Provisions) Act, 2006 and subsequent legislations which protect illegal construction from being sealed. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A former Canadian diplomat reportedly has been arrested in China. The International Crisis Group says it's aware of reports that its North East Asia senior adviser Michael Kovrig has been detained. The organisation said in a statement Tuesday that it's doing everything possible to obtain additional information about Kovrig's whereabouts and that it will work to ensure his prompt release. of Kovrig's detention comes after China warned Canada of consequences for its recent arrest of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou at Vancouver's airport. It's unclear if there's any link between the cases. The International Crisis Group says Kovrig has been one of its full-time experts since February 2017. According to the organization's website, Kovrig previously worked as a Canadian diplomat in Beijing and Hong Kong and at the United Nations. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Four policemen, who were guarding a minority pocket in south Kashmir's Shopian district, were gunned down Tuesday by Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorists, police said. At the time of the attack, the policemen, wearing 'pehran' (a gown worn in Kashmir during winters), were braving cold in their pre-fabricated guardroom outside the minority pocket at Zainpora area of the district. The pocket houses six Kashmiri pandit families, but only one family was present there at the time of the incident. A senior police official said that six terrorists of banned outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed were led by former Special Police Officer Adil Bashir, who decamped eight weapons from a PDP legislator in October this year and deserted the police force. Quoting eyewitnesses, the police officer said that militants fired indiscriminately, killing three policemen on the spot and critically injuring one. The injured policeman was rushed to an Army hospital, where he succumbed to injuries, the official said. The deceased were identified as Abdul Majeed Ganaie, Mehraj-ud-din Dar, Anees Ahmad Mir and Hameed-ul-lah Ganaie. They were paid floral tributes at Shopian police lines by Inspector General of Police (Kashmir range) Swayam Prakash Pani and other senior officers. Immediately after the shoot out, the terrorists fled with three AK-series rifles and one Self Loading Rifles (SLR) of the policemen, the official said. The official said that an intercept had been received in which it was clear that the Jaish-e-Mohammed, a banned terrorist organisation, was behind the barbaric act. Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik expressed grief over the killing of the policemen in the terror attack. Malik prayed for the departed souls and conveyed his sympathies to the bereaved families. The incident drew sharp criticism from all political parties. National Conference vice president Omar Abdullah tweeted, "I strongly condemn the attack on the police post in Shopian and condole the deaths of three @JmuKmrPolice personnel in the line of duty." Former chief minister and PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti also condemned the incident. "Strongly condemn attack on policemen in Shopian claiming 3 precious lives. Bears repetition, violence achieves nothing but destruction. Solidarity with families of jawans. Relieved that no harm caused to any civilians in the minority pocket they guarded," she tweeted. Expressing shock, the Congress said, "The killings or violence has neither served any purpose nor will benefit anyone, rather such type of dastardly acts will have serious implications on the society, besides vitiating the peace." State unit of the BJP also criticised the "cowardly attack" and said the continued "jihadi terror and violence" against the security personnel was part of a "sinister design" to subvert the morale of the police force. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Four policemen were killed Tuesday when Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorists attacked a guard post outside a minority pocket in south Kashmir's Shopian district, officials said. The attack took place this afternoon when four policemen were sitting in a pre-fabricated room outside the pocket that houses six Kashmiri pandit families. A senior police official said that six Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorists were led by former Special Police Officer Adil Bashir, who deserted in October and decamped eight weapons from a PDP legislator. Quoting eyewitnesses, the police officer said that militants fired indiscriminately, killing three policemen on the spot and critically injuring one. The injured policeman was rushed to an Army hospital, where he also succumbed to injuries, the official said. The deceased have been identified as Anees Ahmad, Hamidullah, Mehraj ud Din and Abdul Majeed. At the time of the incident, only one family was present at the minority pocket. Immediately after the shoot out, the terrorists fled with three Self Loading Rifles (SLRs) of the policemen, the official said, adding a cordon and search operation has been launched to nab the criminals. The official said that an intercept had been received in which it was clear that Jaish-e-Mohammed, a banned terrorist organisation, was behind the barbaric act. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) dependants from Tuesday launched a sit-in protest at the Ram Leela Maidan in New Delhi for resumption of activity in the coastal state. Around one thousand people under the banner of People's Front (GMPF) have gathered at the venue for the three-day-long protest, Power Minister and BJP MLA Nilesh Cabral told PTI over phone from Delhi. The GMPF has been demanding that the Central government amend the mining law during the ongoing winter session of Parliament to enable resumption of mining activity, whose closure has affected livelihood of at least two lakh people in Goa. Mining activity, which used to be one of two major mainstays for revenue in Goa--the other being tourism--came to a halt in March this year after the apex court quashed renewal of 88 mining leases. : Gold and other goods totally worth Rs 32.92 lakh were seized from flight passengers in three different incidents at the airport here Tuesday, Customs officials said. In the first incident, cut bits of gold valued at Rs 19 lakh were found in baggage of Ahamed Basha Shaik who had arrived from Riyadh, a press release said. In the second incident, similar forms of the yellow metal worth Rs 6.50 lakh were found in the bag of Fathima Asmiya who was found moving around suspiciously after arriving from Colombo, the release said. In the third incident, the officials recovered foreign cigarettes, used laptops and cut bits of gold worth Rs 7.42 lakh from Mohamed Basith who had arrived from Sharjah, it added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Google currently has no plans to launch a search engine in China, its Indian-American CEO Sunder Pichai told lawmakers Tuesday as he dodged a series of questions from lawmakers who expressed concern over such a reported move by the internet giant. His statement came while testifying before the House Judiciary Committee Hearing on 'Transparency & Accountability: Examining Google and its Data Collection, Use, and Filtering Practices'. "We have no plans to launch in China. We don't have a search product there. Our core mission is to provide users access to information and getting access to information is an important human right," Pichai told members of the House Judiciary Committee during a Congressional hearing on Google's data collection practices. "We are always compelled across the world to try hard to provide that information and but right now there are no plans to launch search in China. I'm committed to being fully transparent including with policymakers to the extent we ever develop plans to do that," Pichai said, responding to a question from Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee. Applauded Google for its 2010 stand of principle and democratic values over profits and came out of China, Jackson Lee said she is concerned that Google is now going back into China and upholding the dragonfly procedures which would help censor Chinese persons seeking a lifeline of democracy and freedom. "How can you do that and what are you doing to minimise or to indicate that this is not best practices?" she asked. Echoed Congressman Tom Marino. "In 2010 Google left the Chinese marketplace due to concerns over hack--hacking attacks, censorship and how the Chinese government was possibly gaining access to data. I'm interested in what has changed since 2010 and how working with the Chinese government to censor research results, a part of Google's core values," he said. "Right now, there are no plans for us to launch a search product in China. We are in general always looking to see how best it's part of our core mission and our principle is to try hard to provide users with information. We always have evidence based on every country we operate in us reaching out and giving users to more information has a very positive impact and we feel that calling," Pichai said. "But right now, there are no plans to launch in China. To the extent that we ever approach a decision like that I will be fully transparent including with policymakers here and engage and consult widely," he said. Any time Google looks to operate in a country it would look at what the conditions are to operate. "There are times in the past we have debated the conditions to operate and we explore a wide range of possibilities. Currently, it is an effort only internally for us. We are not doing this in China. And so you know but I am happy to consult back and be transparent if we plan something there," he said. Congressman David Cicilline said the operating environment in China has deteriorated with respect to surveillance censorship and the like since Google first made the decision in 2010 to leave. In September, he had sent Pichai a letter along with 15 other colleagues raising serious concerns about reports that Google is planning to re-enter the Chinese market with an app-based search engine that would likely have to comply with strict censorship and surveillance requirements imposed by the Chinese government. "Since then a widespread course of opposition to such a move has emerged including from lawmakers, leading human rights activists and a group of Google's own employees. The environment has deteriorated," Cicilline said. Google, he said, is launching an app in that environment would seem to be completely inconsistent with Google's recently launched AI principles which says it will not design or deploy technologies whose purpose contravenes widely accepted principles of international law and human rights. "It's hard for me to imagine you could operate in the Chinese market under the current government framework and maintain a commitment to universal values such as freedom of expression and personal privacy. So I want to ask very specifically are any employees currently having product meetings on this Chinese project and if not, when did those end?" Cicilline asked. "We have undertaken an internal effort but right now there are no plans to launch a search service in China as I said earlier... Currently we are not in discussions around launching a search product in China," Pichai said. Cicilline pressed Pichai further. "Will you Mr Pichai, rule out launching a tool for surveillance and censorship in China while you are CEO of Google?" he asked. "Congressman, I commit to engaging one of the things which is important to us as a company. We have a stated mission of providing users with information and so we think it's in our duty to explore possibilities, to give users access to information and I have that commitment but you know as I said earlier on this, we will be very thoughtful and we will engage widely as we make progress," Pichai said. In a separate letter, Cicilline and 15 other lawmakers and more than 50 human and civil rights organisations opposed the launch of a censored Google search engine for the Chinese market. The letter alleged that the Chinese government is actively promoting its model of pervasive digital censorship and surveillance around the world. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Google must abandon its development of a censored search engine for China, dozens of NGOs demanded Tuesday, warning personal data would not be safe from Beijing authorities. A global coalition of 60 human rights and media groups wrote to Google chief executive Sundar Pichai urging him to scrap the "Dragonfly" project, which has already sparked opposition from the US tech giant's own staff. Pichai in October acknowledged publicly for the first time that the company is considering a Chinese search engine, saying it could offer "better information" than rival services. But Reporters Without Borders (RSF), a signatory to the letter, said Pichai must think again. "In addition to being totally opaque and contrary to the values that Google relies on, the Dragonfly project offers no guarantee of data confidentiality," said Cedric Alviani, director of RSF's East Asia Office. "Beijing collects massive quantities of personal data for purposes of censorship and surveillance, including against journalists and their sources." RSF said China ranked 176 out of 180 countries in its Freedom of the Press Index. Google shut down its search engine in China in 2010, refusing Beijing's requirement to censor search results. Pichai has described Dragonfly as an effort to learn what Google could offer if it resumed its search operations in the world's second largest economy. However, opposition to the plans is growing. Amnesty International warned last month that a search application designed to filter out censored content from results could damage all internet users' trust in Google, the world's leading search engine. Some 90 Google employees in November posted an open letter saying the service would set a dangerous precedent. US internet titans have long struggled with doing business in China, home of a "Great Firewall" that blocks politically sensitive content, such as the 1989 Tiananmen massacre. Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and The New York Times website are blocked in China, but Microsoft's Bing search engine continues to operate. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The government should consider permitting 100 per cent (FDI) in multi-brand retail trade and further improve ease of doing business for the sector to promote growth in the segment, industry body said in a report Tuesday. These suggestions are part of a national retail policy released by It was jointly prepared by the industry chamber and AT Kearney. The report said that to overcome the barriers and enable a smooth growth and harmonious coexistence of traditional and modern retail, the government needs to adopt a single cohesive national retail policy, which adequately addresses all the concern areas. ALSO READ: President Kovind to inaugurate CII Agro Tech fair in Chandigarh on Dec 1 The policy has suggested several steps, including strengthening labour laws by regularising policies around part-time labour to ensure greater participation of women in the workforce; and review of food safety policies to update archaic laws governing stocking limits, weights and measures, labeling, and taxes on expired food items. It also asked for decreasing real estate constraints for retail expansion by creating dedicated retail special economic zones as well as simplify regulations and real estate approvals for kiranas to expand their stores. The government should encourage modernisation of traditional retail by subsidising these retailers to adopt technology, the report said. Improved access to capital will help retail business especially the traditional retailers, it added. "The government should also consider 100 per cent in multi-brand retail trade," the report said. It said that with a simplified, cohesive policy and a focused effort on modernising traditional retail sector, government can create multiple wins such as higher growth of the sector, larger traditional retail stores under regulatory compliance, and improved back-end efficiency with a lower overall cost to serve. Although, the current policy permits overseas players to hold 51 per cent stake in an Indian retail company, the BJP in its election manifesto had opposed overseas investment in the retail segment. So far, only one foreign player, Tesco, had received approval for opening stores under the multi-brand retail policy. The previous UPA government had cleared the proposal. In view of the upcoming by-election to the Jasdan Assembly seat in Rajkot district of Gujarat on December 20, the state government Tuesday declared a holiday for the constituency on the day of polling. To help voters in exercising their franchise without any trouble, the government declared December 20 as a public holiday for all the areas which fall under Jasdan constituency. In a release, the General Administration Department (GAD) said, registered voters working in government offices outside the limits of the constituency can avail half-day leave to come to Jasdan and cast their vote. Government employees can also seek permission from their superiors to come late or leave early in order to exercise their franchise, the GAD said. While the BJP has fielded state cabinet minister Kunvarji Bavalia, opposition Congress has chosen Avsar Nakiya as its candidate for the bypoll. The by-election was necessitated after Bavaliya, who won from Jasdan on Congress ticket in 2017 Assembly polls, resigned from the party and also as a Congress MLA on July 2 this year. On the same day, he was inducted as a cabinet minister in the BJP government in the state. To continue as a minister, Bavaliya will have to get elected as an MLA within six months of assuming the office. Counting of votes will be conducted on December 23. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A gunman opened fire in a cathedral in the southeastern Brazilian city of Campinas, near Sao Paulo, on Tuesday, killing at least five worshippers before committing suicide, police said. Paramedics told media the man fired a revolver and a .38-caliber pistol inside the cathedral, also wounding several people before killing himself. The motive of the shooting and the identity of the gunman were not immediately known. "An individual entered a church and opened fire on several people," a police spokesperson said. "Currently the information we have is six deaths and three wounded," the spokesperson said, declining for the moment to say whether the gunman was included in the toll. However television images showed the lifeless body of the gunman, wearing jeans and a blue t-shirt, lying inside the cathedral, holding a discharged pistol in his right hand. Television also showed paramedics attending several people outside the cathedral and multiple police cars in the street. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Delhi High Court Tuesday sought the CBI's response on a plea by Hyderabad-based businessman Satish Babu Sana seeking to be heard in a matter relating to the quashing of an FIR registered against Special Director Rakesh Asthana on bribery allegations. Justice Najmi Waziri also sought reply of Asthana, CBI Director Alok Verma and Joint Director A K Sharma on the plea of Sana requesting him to be impleaded as a party in Asthana's petition seeking quashing of the FIR. Senior advocate Salman Khurshid, appearing for Sana, said the FIR was filed on the basis of his complaint. He was helping the agency in the investigation and should also be heard. Additional Solicitor General Vikramjit Banerjee and advocate Rajdipa Behura, representing the CBI, said there was no need to implead Sana. CBI Deputy Superintendent of Police Devender Kumar, earlier the investigating officer in a case involving meat exporter Moin Qureshi, was arrested on the allegations of forgery in recording the statement of Sana who had alleged to have paid bribe to get relief in the case. He had also made allegations of corruption, extortion, high handedness and serious malpractices against Asthana. Kumar was granted bail by a Delhi court on October 31. In a previous hearing, Asthana had claimed in the high court that prior government nod was needed for lodging FIR against him and Kumar in the graft case, a submission which was vehemently denied by his senior. In response to Asthana's plea challenging the FIR, Verma had said in his affidavit that Additional Solicitor General (ASG) P S Narasimha's view was sought by the CBI on the need for prior government approval to lodge an FIR against public servants facing allegations of corruption and he had opined that it was not required. Asthana's submission was countered by CBI, Verma and Joint Director A K Sharma who had argued that no sanction was required as the allegations against the two officers were not in relation to the discharge of their duties or any recommendation made or decision taken by them. Senior advocates Amarendra Sharan and Dayan Krishnan, appearing for Asthana and Kumar respectively, had told the court that the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) had sent two communications in October this year to CBI asking it not to register an FIR or take action against the two officers without prior approval. They argued that section 17A of the Prevention of Corruption Act makes it mandatory that prior approval has to be taken before lodging an FIR or initiating preliminary enquiry against a public servant. The court had asked CBI as to how Sana met with another officer of the agency and went to a District Court here to record his statement before a magistrate in connection with the allegations he had made, when Kumar was the IO. Banerjee said that Sana's complaint was directly made to Verma and proper procedure was followed by the agency before lodging an FIR. He also said that section 17A of PC Act would not apply as the allegations against Asthana and Kumar were not in relation to discharge of their official duties. However, this was opposed by senior advocate Sharan, who said that since Asthana had already written to the Cabinet and the CVC against Verma, the action taken against him was in relation to discharge of his official duties. The court had extended till the next date its interim order directing CBI to maintain status quo regarding proceedings against Asthana. Kumar is out on bail at present. It also took on record Verma's affidavit which said there was sufficient incriminating documents and evidence against all accused -- Asthana, Kumar and middleman Manoj Prasad -- with CBI and FIR was lodged after the preliminary enquiry disclosed cognizable offences. The Supreme Court had reserved judgement on Verma's plea, challenging the Centre's decision to divest him of all powers and sending him on leave. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Delhi High Court Tuesday sought CBI's response on a plea by Hyderabad-based businessman Sathish Babu Sana seeking to be heard in a matter relating to the quashing of FIR registered against Special Director Rakesh Asthana on bribery allegations. Sana is a complainant in the FIR. Justice Najmi Waziri also sought replies of Asthana, CBI Director Alok Verma, Joint Director A K Sharma and DSP Devender Kumar on Sana's plea urging him to be impleaded as a party in Asthana's petition seeking quashing of the FIR. The court directed Sana to appear before the CBI on December 17 after he sought direction to the agency no to take any coercive steps against him. Additional Solicitor General Vikramjit Banerjee and advocate Rajdipa Behura, representing the CBI, said in this case, Sana was a complainant and so far no coercive steps were contemplated against him. CBI counsel said Sana was asked to join the probe and some time back when he was asked to appear before the agency, he chose not to. The agency also opposed his plea to be impleaded as a party in Asthana's petition, saying it was not needed. Senior advocate Salman Khurshid, appearing for Sana, said the FIR was filed on the basis of his complaint. He was helping the agency in the investigation and should also be heard. He said Sana was willing to appear before the agency and he also appeared before the Chief Vigilance Commission (CVC) on four occasions. He said Sana's apprehension was that the entire theme of probe could change and then he could be forced to change his stand. When Khurshid sought protection from coercive steps in another case lodged against Sana, the court said he will have to move a petition in this regard before an appropriate court. The counsel said as the court has protected Asthana, an accused in the case, from coercive steps, Sana be also given protection. The court listed the matter for further hearing on December 14. Kumar, earlier the investigating officer in a case involving meat exporter Moin Qureshi, was arrested on the allegations of forgery in recording the statement of Sana who had alleged to have paid bribe to get relief in the case. He had also made allegations of corruption, extortion, high handedness and serious malpractices against Asthana. Kumar was granted bail by a Delhi court on October 31. In a previous hearing, Asthana had claimed in the high court that prior government nod was needed for lodging FIR against him and Kumar in the graft case, a submission which was vehemently denied by his senior. In response to Asthana's plea challenging the FIR, Verma had said in his affidavit that Additional Solicitor General (ASG) P S Narasimha's view was sought by the CBI on the need for prior government approval to lodge an FIR against public servants facing allegations of corruption and he had opined that it was not required. Asthana's submission was countered by CBI, Verma and Joint Director A K Sharma who had argued that no sanction was required as the allegations against the two officers were not in relation to the discharge of their duties or any recommendation made or decision taken by them. Asthana and Kumar's counsel had told the court that the CVC had sent two communications in October this year to CBI asking it not to register an FIR or take action against the two officers without prior approval. They argued that section 17A of the Prevention of Corruption Act makes it mandatory that prior approval has to be taken before lodging an FIR or initiating preliminary enquiry against a public servant. ASG Banerjee had said Sana's complaint was directly made to Verma and proper procedure was followed by the agency before lodging an FIR. The court had extended till December 14, its interim order directing CBI to maintain status quo regarding proceedings against Asthana. Kumar is out on bail at present. It also took on record Verma's affidavit which said there was sufficient incriminating documents and evidence against all accused -- Asthana, Kumar and middleman Manoj Prasad -- with CBI and FIR was lodged after the preliminary enquiry disclosed cognisable offences. The Supreme Court had reserved judgement on Verma's plea, challenging the Centre's decision to divest him of all powers and sending him on leave. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Meghalaya High Court has urged the prime minister, law minister and Parliament to bring a legislation to allow citizenship to Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Parsis, Christians, Khasis, Jaintias and Garos, who have come from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan, without any question or documents. The 37-page judgement by Justice S R Sen was given on Monday while disposing of a petition filed by Amon Rana who was denied domicile certificate. The copy of the order was made available on Tuesday. The judgement observed that Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Christians, Parsis, Khasis, Jaintias and Garos are tortured even today in the three neighbouring countries and they have no place to go. Although the Centre's Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016 also seeks to make Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians from Afghanistan, Bangladesh or Pakistan eligible for Indian citizenship after a stay of six years, there was no mention of this bill in the court order. The judge directed the Centre's Assistant Solicitor General, Meghalaya High Court, A Paul to hand over the copy of the judgment to the prime minister, Union home and law ministers latest by Tuesday for their perusal and necessary steps to bring a law to safeguard the interest of the communities. "I can simply say that the Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Parsis, Christians, Khasis, Jaintias and Garos residing in India, on whichever date they have come to India, are to be declared as Indian citizens and those who will come in future also to be considered as Indian citizens. "I request our beloved Prime Minister, Home Minister, Law Minister and Members of Parliament to bring a law to allow the Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Parsis, Christians, Khasis, Jaintias and Garos who have come from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan to live in this country peacefully and with full dignity without making any cut off year and be given citizenship without any question or production of any 21 documents," Justice Sen said. The court said these communities may be allowed to come at any point of time to settle in India and the government may provide rehabilitation "properly" and declare them citizens of India. Similar principle to be adopted for those Hindus and Sikhs, who are of Indian origin and presently residing abroad, to come to India at any time as they like and they may be considered automatically as Indian citizens, the judge said. The court said it expected the Government of India to take a conscious decision to protect the innocent Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Parsis, Christians, Khasis, Jaintias and Garos who have come from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan, and who are yet to come as well as from abroad as they have the same right to come to India as Indian citizens. Justice Sen was critical of the Boundary Commission appointed at the time of partition which drew an imaginary line to divide India into two. "A burning example is that if we visit the border, it is difficult to understand which land falls within India (in Meghalaya) and which is in Bangladesh as somebody's kitchen is in India and their bedroom is in Bangladesh," he said. Stating that it was "highly illogical, illegal and against the principle of natural justice", the court said Hindus who entered India during partition are still considered foreigners. He also viewed the National Register of Citizens (NRC) exercise as "defective" as many foreigners became Indians and original Indians were left out. Appealing to the Hindus of Assam to come together to find an amicable solution, Justice Sen said, "Our culture, traditions and religions are the same. We should not hate each other just on the basis of language". (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Hiring activity in the country witnessed a marginal year-on-year decline of 1 per cent in November due to the festive season of Diwali, led by auto, banking and financial services sectors, a report said Tuesday. Industries such as auto and banking/financial services witnessed a dip of 4 per cent and 23 per cent, respectively, in November, according to the Naukri JobSpeak Index for November 2018. The index has been calculated based on job listings added to the site month on month. July 2008 has been taken as the base month with a score of 1,000 and the subsequent monthly index is compared with data for July 2008. Meanwhile, the report revealed that the healthcare industry saw a remarkable rise during the reporting month in terms of hiring recording a 34 per cent growth annually. The human resource/administration domain witnessed a growth of 10 per cent. Recruitment in the construction or engineering industry saw a growth of 11 per cent, while the FMCG industry was up by 5 per cent. Other industries which witnessed an increase in hiring activity are IT (8 per cent), insurance (12 per cent), BPO (1 per cent), real estate (3 per cent), the report said. In city wise trend, Chennai witnessed an overall rise of 10 per cent in recruitments, while Bangalore saw a 7 per cent growth, Hyderabad 2 per cent and Pune 5 per cent. Delhi/NCR witnessed a 2 per cent decline in hiring activity, however, there was an 8 per cent rise in the hiring activity for the FMCG industry. Mumbai also saw a dip in recruitment activity by 6 per cent. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The HRD Ministry has set in motion the process of appointment of a new Vice Chancellor for Motihari University in Bihar following the resignation of Arvind Kumar Agarwal from the top post over allegations of fudging his academic credentials. "The Ministry has invited applications for the post of Vice Chancellor of Mahatma Gandhi Central University, Motihari. Last date for receipt of applications is January 1, 2019," a senior HRD Ministry official said. The V-C of the Bihar-based central university had tendered his resignation in October. The HRD Ministry had forwarded his resignation to President Ram Nath Kovind, Visitor to the university, who had paved way for his exit. He demitted office last month to join his parent department in the Central University of Himachal Pradesh, Dharamshala. The ministry received complaints that Agarwal lied about his in a foreign institute to get the job. He did not pursue his Ph.D at a German institute as claimed, and actually got the degree from the University of Rajasthan, the complaint said. He was appointed as the first V-C of MGCU in Motihari by the government in February 2016 from a panel of three names submitted by the search-cum-selection committee. Agarwal is the ninth central university head to come under the scanner ever since the NDA government took charge. The HRD Ministry had fired V-Cs of the Visva Bharati University, Pondicherry University and the Hemvati Nandan Bahuguna Garhwal University for academic, administrative and financial irregularities. Inquiries were initiated against heads of the Delhi University, Jamia Millia Islamia, IGNOU, Tripura University and the Allahabad University, but were either closed or put on the backburner. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The chartered accountants apex body ICAI has signed an MoU with the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad for conducting management training programmes for CAs. The objective of the initiative is to establish mutual cooperation between the institutes for offering and co-hosting open enrolment and customized training programs exclusively for Chartered Accountants (CAs). "Mutual collaboration will bring a new dimension to the area of accounting and management education in the country. Courses conducted under the MoU will provide opportunity for chartered accountants to enhance their management skill sets required for key positions in business and industry," said Naveen N D Gupta, President, Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI). "The MoU will benefit the chartered accountants in acquiring a number of skills required in today's digitised and fast-changing business environment. Participants will be exposed to emerging concepts, technology and business practices in achieving operational excellence," he said. As part of the MoU, a five-day residential programme 'Advanced leadership programme for Chartered Accountants' is being organised at IIM Ahmedabad from December 24 to 28. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) An India-based globally-recognised wheelchair dance company will collaborate for three years with a South African organisation for the disabled persons to deepen understanding of the needs of differently-abled persons. The Bangalore-based 'Miracle on Wheels', world's first professional dance company on wheelchairs, was hosted by the Nakshatra South Africa (NSA) and the IADA (Indian Arts Development Agency) for a dance performance here to promote Disability Month in South Africa. "Nakshatra SA will partner with 'Miracle on Wheels' over a three-year period to deepen understanding of the needs of differently-abled persons in society," said Jeremy Deysel, Media Manager for NSA. "The initiative confronts education, unemployment and a lack of opportunity within the sphere of the arts, and is a specially tailored therapeutic vocational training programme, that is professionally choreographed, to eradicate stereotyping," Deysel said. The 'Miracle on Wheels' recognises, nurtures and promotes the potential and talents of differently-abled youth to build tolerance, empower and embrace inclusivity. "This project has brought meaning and relief for the performers and gives hope to the audiences where they feel inspired to learn new skills and contribute to the financial needs of themselves and their families," said Miracle on Wheels' Syed Sallauddin Pasha, a dance expert. Among the aims of the project are creating a cultural platform to engage with beneficiaries and civil society as well as nurturing inclusivity and audience development, through holistic and dynamic edutainment programmes. "Miracle on Wheels has developed me professionally to edit film and sound, which is an additional source of income. Today I am financially independent and run my home with pride and dignity," said Ashiq Usman, a physically challenged youth. The NSA plays a significant role in supporting the development of South African arts, artists and communities and persons living with disabilities. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Tuesday welcomed the appointment of seasoned bureaucrat as the new RBI Governor and said his experience in handling economic affairs will play a critical role in dealing with various issues at the central bank. Das, 61, a 1980 batch Tamil Nadu cadre IAS officer, who retired as the economic affairs secretary in May 2017 was Tuesday appointed by the government as the new head of the RBI after Urjit Patel's sudden resignation Monday. Industry body FICCI welcomed the appointment of former Economic Affairs Secretary and current member of the Finance Commission, Das, as RBI Governor. The government has done well by appointing an economic administrator and manager of his eminence, stature and wide-ranging capabilities to guide RBI and Indian economy at this crucial juncture, FICCI said in a statement. CII President Rakesh Bharti Mittal said the quick appointment of the new RBI Governor has come as a huge sentiment booster to industry. "The Government, in selecting an experienced economic expert, has avoided disruption and imparted huge confidence to investors and industry. We in industry, are confident that the liquidity squeeze in the banking and non-banking financial sector which is spilling over into the various segments of industry would be taken up with all urgency by Das," Mittal said. FICCI President Rashesh Shah said: "It's a great choice. Mr Das has a 360-degree understanding of the financial issues facing the Indian economy and he also understands global issues due to his involvement with G20. SBI Chairman Rajnish Kumar said, "I heartily welcome the appointment of Mr as the new Governor of RBI. This will ensure continuity in monetary policy making and regulatory measures even as the global economy is passing through uncertain times. The financial markets will also significantly benefit from the appointment of newly appointed Governor given his rich prior experience in fiscal policies and trade. This will also ensure a convergence of domestic and external policies." ALSO READ: Shaktikanta Das's to-do list at RBI: Easing liquidity to deciding on PCA Petroleum and Oil Minister Dharmendra Pradhan also congratulated Das, who is a fellow Odia, on his appointment as Governor of RBI. "His experience in economic affairs will push our economy towards higher & sustainable growth. I convey my best wishes for a successful tenure in his new role. Indeed, it is a proud moment for all Odias," Pradhan said in a tweet. ALSO READ: The troubleshooter is in: Shaktikanta Das's skill is in resolving conflicts Fellow colleague in the bureaucracy and CEO of the NITI Aayog Amitabh Kant too congratulated Das saying has "known @DasShaktikanta from my college days". "Extremely seasoned & matured official with immense experience of Finance. He is a brilliant team leader,a great consensus builder & highly communicative. Will focus on India's economic growth while ensuring RBI's autonomy. Gr8 choice!," he tweeted. A 38-year-old Indian national has been arrested on charges of smuggling foreign nationals into the US for private financial gain, according to Department of Justice. Bhavin Patel, is charged by indictment with one count of conspiracy to bring in and harbour aliens and six counts of smuggling foreign nationals into the US via commercial airline flights, New Jersey US Attorney Craig Carpenito said on Monday. He is scheduled to be arraigned on December 18, 2018, before US District Judge John Michael Vazquez. Arrested by special agents of the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) on December 7, at Newark Liberty International Airport, Patel if convicted faces maximum potential sentence of 10 years in prison. Each substantive charge of smuggling carries a maximum potential sentence of five years in prison. In its court papers, HSI said that its beginning in October 2013, an undercover law enforcement officer posing as a smuggler began meeting with Patel in Bangkok. Patel told the undercover law enforcement officer that he wanted to smuggle Indian nationals into the US. On three occasions, Patel or his conspirator transported the Indian nationals to an airport in Thailand, at which point the undercover law enforcement officer would purportedly use his contacts to smuggle them into the US via commercial airline flights. Patel agreed to wire down payments for each individual to be smuggled into the US and to pay a balance of tens of thousands of dollars for each individual once the foreign nationals arrived in the United States, HSI alleged in its court papers. Over the ensuing months, Patel arranged for six Indian nationals to be brought to Thailand for smuggling into the United States via Newark Liberty International Airport, HIS alleged. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A 30-year-old Indian-origin man in Singapore was Tuesday sentenced to seven years in prison for stabbing his pregnant wife using a knife with a 10-cm long blade, according to a media report. Jayselan N Chandrasegar stabbed his 27-year-old wife Mayuri Krishnakumar twice in her abdomen and twice on her lower back, causing her to suffer puncture wounds on December 30 last year. He also slashed her back before fleeing the scene. Mayuri was taken to hospital and discharged after a few days. "The court heard that the unborn baby was not harmed in the attack. Chandrasegar was sentenced to seven years' jail with six strokes of the cane," 'The Straits Times' reported. He pleaded guilty to one count of causing grievous hurt to the woman with a weapon, and one count of failing to provide his urine sample after he was caught for suspected drug-related offence, it said. According to the report, Chandrasegar flew into a rage after he spotted his pregnant wife, who used to be a sex worker, talking to a man he assumed was a pimp. Deputy Public Prosecutor Houston Johannus said the couple were married in 2013. However, their marriage soured in October last year because of frequent quarrels over money and their three-year old child. "The accused was also made aware that the victim's ex-boyfriend was trying to reconnect with her," Johannus told District Judge Ng Peng Hong. "This caused the accused to become overly possessive and distrustful of the victim. He then banned the victim from going out of the house," Johannus said. When Mayuri told Chandrasegar that she was pregnant, he refused to believe that the child was his and accused her of infidelity, the report said. Unable to tolerate his aggression and verbal abuse, she ran away from their home in Decemeber last year and sought refuge with her old friends, who were mainly sex workers, it said. Before this incident, police officers caught Chandrasegar for suspected drug-related offences, the court heard. The defence lawyer pleaded for a jail term of five and a half years for Chandrasegar. He said Mayuri had forgiven his husband and the couple were still married to each other. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Indonesia has rejected a demand by Papuan rebels to hold negotiations on their territory's self-determination. Indonesia's top security minister, Wiranto, said Tuesday that the government will not open talks with those who have committed serious crimes. The comment follows a December 2 attack on a construction site that left at least 17 dead. Sebby Sambom, spokesman for the West Papua National Liberation Army, called on the government last week to agree to peace talks similar to ones that led to another province, Aceh, becoming semiautonomous, or to a "real referendum" on independence, as occurred in the former Indonesian territory of East Timor. Wiranto, who goes by one name, said the group is trying to instill fear into people. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Indian Oil Corporation Tuesday said it has joined hands with Mission Smile to restructure 300 smiles of patients with cleft deformities in Assam and Meghalaya, a statement issued by the psu said. The two parties have signed a Memorandum of Understanding, under which IOCL will support 50 per cent of the cost and balance 50 per cent will be borne by Assam and Meghalaya governments, the statement said. "The IOCL support will bring smiles to 200 cleft patients of Assam and 100 patients from Meghalaya who are unfortunate to be born with cleft deformities," the company said. Mission Smile, formerly known as Operation Smile India, is an FCRA approved and government registered medical charitable trust dedicated to providing free cleft care and surgeries for children born with cleft lip, cleft palate and other facial deformities. In the North East, Indian Oil spent over Rs 14.93 crore in 2017-18 for CSR activities. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Israeli military forces carried out a series of raids in the West Bank city of Ramallah on Monday, bursting into stores and offices of the official Palestinian agency in a manhunt for gunmen who shot seven Israelis outside a Jewish settlement. Workers at the Wafa agency said the troops confiscated security camera footage from their offices as part of the raid, and detained employees in the office for a half an hour. The agency shared images on Twitter showing Israeli forces in their Ramallah offices. The military announced earlier Monday that it had commenced "extensive searches" in villages near the settlement of Ofra the site of the attack. The army had no comment on the raid at the Wafa agency. In Sunday night's attack, shots were fired from a Palestinian vehicle at a bus stop outside the settlement. Security camera footage from the scene showed a car speeding away after the shooting. A 21-year-old Israeli woman who was pregnant and her baby, who was prematurely delivered by cesarean section after the attack, both remained hospitalised in critical condition on Monday. Palestinians clashed with Israeli troops across the city of Ramallah as security forces scoured the area for the suspected gunmen. Medics said six Palestinians were wounded. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called Sunday's attack "monstrous" and accused the Palestinian Authority of inciting violence against Israelis. He predicted that Israel would find the suspects. "We will deal with them to the fullest extent of the law and settle accounts with them," he said. Israeli forces are usually quick to nab suspected Palestinian assailants. But Israel is still trying to catch the suspect in a deadly shooting that killed two Israelis in a West Bank industrial park on Oct. 7. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Senior Israeli military officers are flying to Moscow to update their Russian counterparts about an operation launched last week to "expose and thwart" Hezbollah tunnels burrowed under Israel's border with Lebanon. The Israeli military issued a statement Monday saying the officers would depart Tuesday "to provide an update regarding Operation Northern Shield and other operational issues." Israel has discovered at least two tunnels since launching the operation last week that it says were built by Hezbollah to carry out attacks against Israel. Russia and Israel have maintained a hotline to coordinate operations and prevent any collisions between warplanes over neighboring Syria. Israel frequently carries out airstrikes against Iran and its allies in Syria in an effort to prevent sophisticated weaponry from reaching Hezbollah in Lebanon. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Palestinian Health Ministry says Israeli forces shot and killed a Palestinian man who Israeli police say attempted to ram his car into Israeli forces. Israeli police say a driver attempted to strike forces working on "security measures" near the West Bank city of Hebron on Tuesday. Police say forces opened fire at the car and that no Israeli forces were harmed. The incident comes two days after gunmen wounded seven Israelis in the West Bank, including a pregnant 21-year-old whose baby was prematurely delivered by cesarean section after the attack. The baby remains in critical condition. Following that attack, Israeli forces carried out raids in the West Bank city of Ramallah in search of the gunmen, including into the offices of the official Palestinian agency. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik Tuesday expressed grief over the killing of four police personnel in a terror attack in Shopian district. In a message, Malik prayed for the departed souls and conveyed his sympathies to the bereaved families. Four policemen were killed Tuesday afternoon when Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorists attacked a guard post outside a minority pocket in the south Kashmir district. Meanwhile, state unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) also condemned the "cowardly attack" and said the continued "jihadi terror and violence" against the security personnel was part of a "sinister design" to subvert the morale of the police force. "J&K Police is the finest and one of the most professional police force. It will respond effectively and ensure that the sinister design of the terrorists does not succeed, BJP state spokesperson Anil Gupta said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Supreme Court on Tuesday favoured a CBI probe into the murders of rationalist M M Kalburgi, social activist Govind Pansare and journalist Gauri Lankesh if there is a "common thread" in these incidents which occurred over the last five years. The top court asked the CBI to inform it by January first week whether it would like to investigate these three murder cases as it is already probing the murder of social activist Narendra Dabholkar. Karnataka police in its status report told the top court that there appears to be an "intimate connection" between the murders of Kalburgi in 2015 and Gauri Lankesh in 2017. A bench of justices U U Lalit and Navin Sinha observed that one probe agency should investigate all the four cases, if prima facie it appears that there is a "common thread" in the murders. "There appear to be four deaths. There are two school of thoughts-- first if all these murders are unconnected then the police should investigate them separately and secondly if prima facie it appears that there is a common thread between all these murders, then in the fitness of things the investigation should be done by one single agency," the bench told the counsel for CBI. It asked the CBI counsel whether the agency can probe all these murder cases, to which he replied that instructions needs to be sought in this regard. "You come back in January first week and inform us whether the CBI can probe all these cases, if there appears to be a common thread," the bench told the probe agency counsel. At the outset, advocate Devadatt Kamat, appearing for Karnataka government, said that certain leads have emerged in the investigation of Kalburgi murder case and there appears to be some connection with the Gauri Lankesh murder case. "This case (Kalburgi case) has some intimate connections with the Gauri Lankesh murder case. Key conspirators have been identified and certain recoveries have also been made. There are substantial development in the past six months and in next three months charge sheet will be filed in Kalburgi case," Kamat told the bench. The bench, then called for counsel for Maharashtra who was busy in some other courtroom. After a while, when the matter was again taken up, the bench asked advocate Nishant Katneshwarkar, appearing for Maharashtra government, as to what was the status of investigations in the murder cases of social activists Narendra Dabholkar and Govind Pansare. Katneshwarkar replied that Dabholkar murder case is being investigated by CBI and Pansare case is being probed by Maharashtra Special Investigation Team (SIT). "Was the CBI investigation ordered by the state government in Dabholkar murder case or after the intervention of court the probe was handed over to CBI," the bench asked Katneswarkar. The counsel said that he needs to take instruction in this regard. The bench was then told by advocate Abhay Nevagi, appearing for petitioner Umadevi M Kalburgi, wife of M M Kalburgi, that in Dhabholkar case, the CBI probe was ordered by the Bombay High Court in which charge sheet has been filed, while in Pansare case his family members have only sought court monitored investigation. To this, the bench told the counsel for CBI that as per Karnataka police status report there appears to be link between Gauri Lankesh and Kalburgi murder cases. "Have you (CBI) found any common link in Dhabholkar case and other cases like the Karnataka police says. If anything like this exists, even if there is a prima facie view, then investigation in all the cases should go to the CBI," it said. Kamat told the bench that investigation is complete in the Gauri Lankesh murder case and charge sheet was filed last month in the court. "It's all right, let CBI come back to us with their reply and then we will take a view," the bench said and posted the matter for further hearing in January first week. Noted scholar Kalburgi, 77, was killed at Dharwad in 2015. Pansare was also killed the same year. Lankesh was shot dead on September 5, 2017 in Bengaluru, whereas rationalist Dabholkar was assassinated on August 20, 2013. The top court had on November 26 pulled up the Karnataka government for "doing nothing and just fooling around" in the investigation and had indicated that it may transfer the case to the Bombay High Court. The top court had on January 10 sought the response of probe agencies NIA and CBI and the two state governments on the allegation of Uma Devi that no substantial investigation has been carried out so far in the murder case. Kalburgi's wife, in her petition, had alleged that there was common link between the murder of her husband and that of activists Narendra Dabholkar and Govind Pansare. Kalburgi, former vice chancellor of Hampi University and a well-known epigraphist, was shot dead in broad daylight at his residence in Kalyan Nagar in Dharwad, Karnataka, on August 30, 2015. Born in 1938, he was a Sahitya Akademi award-winning writer of old Kannada literature. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Supreme Court Tuesday asked two senior officers of Haryana, including its chief secretary, to examine the documents of 33 house owners whose buildings were directed to be demolished by the year-end due to illegal constructions in forest area of Aravalli hills. A bench headed by Justice Madan B Lokur said that the chief secretary and the principal secretary of the town and country planning department of Haryana would look into the papers and documents regarding plots of land and construction made in Faridabad's Kant Enclave by these 33 house owners. The bench, which also comprised Justices Deepak Gupta and Hemant Gupta, asked the two officers to prepare a joint report by January 10 and said that the issue related to disbursement of money deposited by the Haryana government in the apex court registry would be taken up thereafter. The court said these 33 house owners would vacate the premises by March 31 next year. The counsel representing Haryana said they have deposited Rs 16.5 crore in the court registry in pursuance to November 28 order asking it to pay Rs 50 lakh each to 33 house owners. The state's counsel said there were 19 plots having two-storeyed building there while houses having ground and first floor were made in eight plots. He said in several other plots, only boundary walls have been made. The apex court, which had earlier expressed shock over disappearance of 31 hills in Aravalli area of Rajasthan, said now even temples were being destroyed in the area due to illegal mining. "Now, God and Goddess are being destroyed. Forget about hills. It is coming in the newspapers. At some sacred place in the north-east, one has to take out shoes and here (Aravalli area) everything is vanishing," the bench observed. The state's counsel said earlier the court was given a list of 33 buildings in Kant Enclave but according to them, there were 27 buildings and others were plots having boundary walls. "We can request the chief secretary and principal secretary to sit down and give us a report on the basis of which the registry can give money (to house owners)," the bench said. It said these two officers should look into the documents and arrive at a conclusion so as to safeguard the interest of house owners. The bench has posted the matter for hearing in January. On September 11, the apex court had termed as "frightening" the illegal constructions in the forest area of Aravalli hills and directed the Haryana government to demolish the unauthorised structures built there after August 18, 1992. It had also said that flouting of law was "quite apparent" in the case but what was more "unfortunate" was the support given by the town and country planning department of Haryana, despite the reservations of forest department. In its September 11 order, the apex court had lashed out at Haryana government and said that the construction activity carried out by R Kant and Company, a private realtor who was a party to the case, was clearly in violation of the August 18, 1992 notification and also in blatant defiance of the court's orders. The 1992 notification issued under the provisions of the Punjab Land Preservation (PLP) Act had prohibited clearing or breaking up of land not ordinarily under cultivation. Permission to break the land for cultivation could be permitted by the Divisional Forest Officer of Faridabad Forest Division, the notification had said, adding that in any event construction activity could not be permitted even by the Divisional Forest Officer. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) From living a life of near anonymity as a Congress foot soldier to becoming the mascot of Telangana pride who brought down the then mighty Congress to its knees and wrested statehood, has navigated the choppy waters of politics with the ease of a masterful oarsman. With the emphatic victory of the TRS, the party he founded with the sole aim of realising the decades-old dream of a separate Telengana, Kalvakuntla Chandrasekhar Rao, 64, has reinforced his position as the tallest leader of the youngest state of the Indian union. The victory in the assembly elections, the first in Telangana after its formation in June 2014, might well act as a springboard for the leader, often accused of perpetuating family rule and promoting nepotism, to realise his ambition of playing a greater role in national politics. KCR's suave and sophisticated son K T Rama Rao, a minister in his cabinet, is his heir apparent, while his daughter K Kavitha is Lok Sabha MP from Nizamabad. His nephew Harish Rao is also a minister. KCR, as Rao is popularly known, has been one of the votaries of a broad-based non-BJP and non-Congress federal front, and the win would further fortify his position as a regional satrap. Rao's decision to dissolve the House in September, several months before its tenure was to end, and go for an early election, is being seen as a masterstroke, as national issues might have overshadowed those of the state if simultaneous elections were held for the Lok Sabha and the state assembly. A canny politician that he is, Rao was first off the blocks when he announced the names of 105 candidates for the 119-member assembly barely a couple of hours after recommending its dissolution. TRS nominees hit the ground running and the gamble paid off. ALSO READ: Telangana Election result LIVE: KCR's gamble pays off, TRS to retain power Rao retained a majority of his MLAs, leaving some of the ticket hopefuls dejected, but he managed to silence whimpers of protest and keep his flock together. The TRS supremo whipped up the issue of 'Telangana pride' by repeatedly targeting his former boss and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, accusing him of having stalled the development of Telangana and calling him an outsider. All the while he continued to harp on the welfare schemes launched by his government. Welfare measures like social security pension and 'Ryuthu Bandu', a farmers investment support scheme that gave the tillers Rs 8,000 per annum per acre, tackling power shortage, and his accusation against the Centre that it blocked his plans to raise quotas for Scheduled Tribes and Muslims in jobs and education underpinned his campaign rhetoric. ALSO READ: Telangana polls: TRS on course to retaining power if initial trends hold The self-proclaimed farmer from Chintamadaka village in Medak district, whose assets soared 41 per cent in the last little over four years to Rs 226 million, cut his political teeth in the Indian Youth Congress as an ordinary member. Rao joined the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) founded by film icon N T Rama Rao in 1983. His first outing at the hustings the same year ended in failure when he lost to the Congress candidate in Siddipet. He wrested the seat in 1985 and there was no looking back for him ever since. Rao won 13 elections to the Lok Sabha and state assembly on the trot. He won Karimnagar, Medak and Mahbubnagar Lok Sabha seats five times, including twice in by-polls. Rao became a minister in the NTR government and subsequently that of his son-in-law N Chandrababu Naidu. He was also the deputy speaker of the Andhra Pradesh Assembly. However, the dream of a separate Telangana never left him. Rao quit the TDP in 2001, accusing Naidu of discriminating against Telangana. He floated the Telangana Rashtra Samithi, and revived the statehood movement that lay dormant for years after the late 1960s. He joined hands with the Congress that promised statehood for Telangana and fought the 2004 Lok Sabha polls in alliance with it. The TRS won five seats and Rao was made a cabinet minister at the Centre but walked out of the alliance after accusing the Congress of not being serious about creating Telangana. In the 2009 assembly elections, TRS allied with the TDP after the latter agreed to extend "unconditional support" for creation of Telangana. Rao and his TRS remained a fringe player in undivided Andhra Pradesh as the Congress returned to power in 2009 under the charismatic Y S Rajasekhara Reddy. Following Reddy's death in a helicopter crash in 2009, Congress plunged into turmoil as his son revolted against the party high command over the leadership issue. Sensing an opportunity, Rao began a fast unto death for Telangana statehood. As Telangana plunged into turmoil with mass protests and suicides by young men, glory came to Rao who ended his 11-day fast following an announcement by the then Union Home Minister P Chidambaram on December 9, 2009 that steps will be taken for Telangana's formation. ALSO READ: Election results LIVE: Cong to win Raj, ahead in MP; Raman Singh resigns However, in a set back for the TRS boss, the UPA government buckled under pressure from people of coastal Andhra Pradesh and Rayalaseema region who protested the "unilateral" announcement. The government felt more consultations were needed before the new state could be formed. Rao steeled himself for the battle ahead as he went about convincing people of the Telangana region that "injustice" being done to them could end only if it was granted statehood. He breathed fire and brimstone with slogans like "Telangana waley jaago, Andhra waley bhago (People of Telangana arise, those of Andhra run away)". He threatened a "civil war" and "bloodbath" if Telangana was not created. As Andhra Pradesh, geographically undivided but cleaved by strong regional sentiments, headed for the 2014 assembly elections, Rao's steadfast and aggressive pursuit of Telangana saw the TRS reap a handsome electoral harvest. And when the new state was born, TRS had 11 of the 17 Lok Sabha and 63 of the 119 assembly seats. Having realised his Telangana dream, he fortified his position as nearly 20 MLAs from the TDP, Congress and other parties switched over to the TRS. With Telangana firmly under his belt, the political craftsman, a blend of abrasiveness and accomodation, could well seek greater space for himself in national politics should a non-BJP, non-Congress front materialise amid growing aspirations of regional satraps eyeing a piece of New Delhi's power pie. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) K Chandrasekhar Rao's TRS Tuesday steamrolled a feeble opposition challenge to win the assembly elections by a landslide, riding pro-Telangana sentiments and the success of a raft of populist schemes launched by his government. Rao, 64, who emerged as the mascot of Telangana pride when he led the massive movement that convulsed undivided Andhra Pradesh and ended with the creation of the youngest state of the country in 2014, powered his party winning 82 seats in the 119-member assembly. Its candidates are leading in six places, sources in the state office of the state's chief electoral officer said. Rao himself won by a margin of over 51,000 votes from his Gajwel seat, trouncing V Pratap Reddy of the Congress. Rao's son K T Rama Rao and nephew T Harish Rao, both ministers in his caretaker government, also won by impressive margins. The newly elected lawmakers of the TRS are meeting here at 11.30 am on Wednesday to formally elect Rao as the leader of the legislature party. A TRS leader said the date for his swearing-in will be finalised at the meeting. The 'Praja Kutami' (People's Front), a 4-party opposition alliance led by the Congress that included Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu's TDP, CPI and the newly formed Telangana Jana Samiti, cut a sorry figure together winning 21 seats. The Congress had just 19 seats in its kitty, two less that what it won in the last polls, while the TDP could win only two against its tally of 15 seats in 2014. The two other coalition partners failed to open their account. Telangana was the only state among the five where results of assembly polls were declared Tuesday that the Congress had cobbled together a coalition amid the talk of formation of a broad-based alliance to take on the BJP-led NDA in the Lok Sabha polls next year. Buoyed by a string of electoral successes in assembly elections, the BJP ploughed a lonely furrow after the TDP walked out of the NDA a few months ago. However, the TRS juggernaut put paid to all hopes the saffron party might have had of making inroads into Rao's citadel. The BJP, which had won five seats in the last assembly polls in 2014 held in undivided Andhra Pradesh that it contested in alliance with the TDP, had to be content with just one seat out of the 118 where its candidates tried their luck. Its state chief and sitting MLA K Laxman finished a poor third in Musheerabad. Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi's AIMIM, which Rao calls a "friendly party", has won five seats and its nominees are leading in two places. "We are going to play a very crucial role in national ..we will show...we will give a new definition to the national political scenario," a triumphant Rao told a press conference. "Today's results...Telangana has shown the way to the whole nation. Today, Telangana stands (as) a non-Congress, non-BJP state," Rao, who has lobbied with leaders of other major regional parties, including TMC supremo and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, to pitch for a federal front against the two national parties, said. Dedicating his party's resounding victory to the people of Telangana, Rao said an action plan for development will be prepared to meet the aspirations of people. The emphatic victory of the TRS might well act as a springboard for the leader who harbours the ambition of playing a greater role in national Though Telangana came into existence more than four years ago, TRS supremo brought alive the issue of 'Telangana pride' by repeatedly targeting his former boss and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, accusing him of stalling the development of Telangana and calling him an outsider. His appeal to regional sentiments appeared to have helped the TRS keep the Congress, which made huge gains in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, under check in Telangana as it had aligned with the TDP, a party Rao accused of acting against his state's interests. Rao's populist schemes, including waiver of farm loans totalling over Rs 17,000 crore and implementation of 'Ryuthu Bandu', a farmers investment support scheme that gave tillers Rs 8,000 per annum per acre also seemed to have endeared him to the sizeable farming community. Despite his aggressive posturing during the Telangana movement, Rao ensured there was no persecution of those from Andhra Pradesh after its bifurcation, something that ostensibly helped him secure votes of many people from the neighbouring state. Rao's repeated criticism of Prime Minister Narendra Modi for "thwarting" the TRS government's efforts for raising quotas for Muslims and Scheduled Tribes in government jobs and state-run educational institutions during the campaign also apparently helped the party garner support of these sections. Asaduddin Owaisi, who of late has emerged as one of the most prominent Muslim voices, openly backed the TRS and even organised rallies in support of its candidates. Rao's decision to dissolve the House in September, eight months before its tenure was to end, and go for an early election, is being seen as a masterstroke, as national issues might have overshadowed those of the state if simultaneous elections were held for the Lok Sabha and the state assembly. Rao was first off the blocks when he announced the names of 105 candidates for the 119-member assembly barely a couple of hours after recommending its dissolution. The TRS nominees hit the ground running and the gamble paid off. Following the opposition coalition's drubbing, Chandrababu Naidu said it respects the people's verdict, but claimed the results of the assembly polls in five states showed people had become "antagonistic" to the BJP. "People of all states are antagonistic towards the BJP. Results of these assembly elections will enable formation of a strong alternative to the BJP in the 2019 general elections," he said in a statement, and congratulated Rao on his party's victory. The Congress cried foul, saying it suspected "manipulation" of the Electronic Voting Machines, and demanded that all votes be counted using the VVPAT (Voter Verified Paper Audit Trail) to ascertain the exact number of votes polled by each candidate. "The whole Telangana society has doubts about EVMs. Why the Election Commission is not counting every paper trail linked to Electronic Voting Machines by delaying result by 4-5 hours? Election Commission does not have a proper answer," Telangana Congress chief N Uttam Kumar Reddy said. CPI general secretary Suravaram Sudhakar Reddy attributed distribution of "huge amounts of money and liquor" by the TRS for its victory. "This election was not free and fair. Distribution of money and liquor was terrible. I do not think it is a moral victory for him (Rao), it is only a technical victory," Reddy said. He said the opposition alliance should have finalised the seat-sharing deal earlier than they actually did as that would have given it more time for campaigning. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Washington Post Ignores Antisemitic Attack in Los Angeles | Main | American Lutheran In Jerusalem Affirms that IDF Soldiers Are Stormtroopers, Backtracks December 11, 2018 LA Times, Places Not Banned, and Inaccurate Terminology Not on Trump's travel ban list: Egypt, Afghanistan, 'Palestine' At least eight times in the last 14 years, The Los Angeles Times has corrected the inaccurate use of the term "Palestine," but that fact did not stop the paper from again misusing the term. Most recently, the Calendar article Friday (Dec. 7, page E4) by Mark Swed (online here), the article states: With the house lights down, it was not possible to read the program and thus keep track of what came from Syria, Egypt, Afghanistan, Somalia, Palestine or elsewhere ("Kronos Quartet aims to transcend borders; The string group lines up pieces from 'banned' nations. The result: universal"). On at least half a dozen occasions, The Los Angeles Times has corrected references to Palestine relating to Israel, the West Bank or the Gaza Strip, post 1948. Considering that the article last week is referring to the contemporary Palestinian music group Ramallah Underground (located in the West Bank), the reference to Palestine is inaccurate. The most recent correction, June 28, 2018 (also concerning a calendar article), stated: German art exhibition: An article in the June 24 Arts & Books section about a German exhibition called Unbuilding Walls at the 2019 Venice (Italy) Architecture Biennale said it features video testimonials gathered by architects at border walls around the world, including Israel and Palestine. It should have said Palestinian territories. Earlier corrections of the same error were: "Roger Waters: An article in the June 22 Calendar section about Roger Waters' new album said Waters supports Palestinians' rights but incorrectly referred to tensions between Israel and Palestine. It should have said tensions between the Israeli government and the Palestinians" (June 28, 2017) "Gerald A. Larue: In the Sept. 22 LATExtra section, the obituary of USC religious scholar Gerald A. Larue referred to archaeological digs in Palestine. The digs occurred in Israel and the West Bank." (Sept. 22, 2014) "Carter speech: An article in Friday's California section included a subhead saying former President Carter urged students to travel to Palestine. The area referred to is the Palestinian territories." (May 5, 2007) "Istanbul Biennial -- An article in the Dec. 11 Calendar section about an international art exhibition included Palestine in a list of nations from which artists had contributed works. It should have said the Palestinian territories." (Dec. 23, 2005) "Bail bonds investigationAn article in the California section Sunday about the arrest of American Liberty Bail Bonds owner Adnan 'Dan' Yousef and members of his family reported that they had ties to Palestine. The reference should have been to the Palestinians territories." (Sept. 29, 2004) "Palestinian filmArticles about Palm Springs International Film Festival that ran in Calendar on Dec. 20 and Jan. 8 referred to the movie 'Divine Intervention' as coming from Palestine. They should have said the Palestinian territories." (Jan. 13, 2004) Accurate language would have been to refer to music which came from "the Palestinian territories," or "the Palestinian West Bank." Moreover, in a separate error in the Dec. 7 piece, the subheadline claims that "The string group lines up pieces from 'banned' nations," and then goes on to discuss music from Egypt, Afghanistan and "Palestine" [sic], none of which was on the travel ban list. As The Los Angeles Times reported June 27, 2018 ("Justice vote to uphold president's travel ban"): The current ban covers five Muslim-majority nations -- Iran, Libya, Somalia, Syria and Yemen -- as well as North Korea and some government officials from Venezuela. The digital headline of the online article likewise misleads: "Review: In defiance of Trump, Kronos Quartet plays music from banned countries." An accurate headline would read: "Review: In defiance of Trump, Kronos Quarter plays music from Muslim-majority countries." CAMERA has contacted The Los Angeles Times about corrections. Stay tuned for an update. Posted by TS at December 11, 2018 02:36 AM Guidelines for posting This is a moderated blog. We will not post comments that include racism, bigotry, threats, or factually inaccurate material. Post a comment City-based Keventer Agro Tuesday forayed into the UHT milk business in the eastern region which has an estimated market size of Rs 1,000 crore. Company officials said it has invested Rs 150 crore in a first-ever Ultra High Temperature (UHT) milk facility in West Bengal that would help double its revenues from dairy business over the next two years. The dairy business, including ice-cream, contributes about Rs 400 crore now but the company is planning to double it to Rs 800 crore over the next two years. Keventer Agro sells fresh milk and ice-cream under the 'Metro' brand. As of now, UHT milk in Tetra Pak is is sold by Amul in the eastern region. "We are aiming at Rs 250 crore revenue and 25 per cent market share in the UHT milk segment with Keventer brand UHT milk by 2020. The initial trials has been a tremendous success," Keventer Agro Managing Director Mayank Jalan said. The company launched the UHT milk in three sizes -- 1 litre, 500ml and 200ml. "Currently, we are sourcing milk from from 20,000 dairy farmers and producing around 40,000-50,000 litres of UHT milk a day. We expect to reach full capacity of two lakh litres a day by end-2019 or early 2020," Jalan said. Going forward, the company would be engaging with nearly 50,000 dairy farmers for its milk business. Tetra Pak South Asia MD Ashutosh Manohar said UHT treatment is an aseptic processing that sterilizes milk by heating it a certain temperature and cooling it almost instantly which helps removing harmful bacteria while retaining the nutrition intact. In terms of volume, UHT milk market in India is pegged at around 15 lakh litres per day and nearly 30 per cent of this is consumed in the eastern states. The market has been growing at over 20 per cent on a year-on-year basis over the last five years, he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, who was murdered at the Gulf Kingdom's consulate in Istanbul in October, and three other journalists were named TIME's Person of the Year, an honour that recognises them for "taking great risks in pursuit of greater truths" and "for speaking up and for speaking out." Time Magazine Tuesday said this year it is recognising four journalists and one organisation who have paid a terrible price to seize the challenge of this moment: Khashoggi, Philippine journalist Maria Ressa, two young Reuters reporters Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo - currently imprisoned in Myanmar - and the Capital Gazette in Annapolis, Maryland, where five journalists were gunned down. "For taking great risks in pursuit of greater truths, for the imperfect but essential quest for facts, for speaking up and for speaking out, the Guardians Jamal Khashoggi, the Capital Gazette, Maria Ressa, Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo are TIME's Person of the Year," the magazine said Tuesday. "They are representative of a broader fight by countless others around the world - as of December 10, at least 52 journalists have been murdered in 2018 - who risk all to tell the story of our time," Time said. On Khashoggi, the magazine said that the Saudi journalist "dared to disagree with his country's government. He told the world the truth about its brutality toward those who would speak out. And he was murdered for it." "Khashoggi had fled his homeland last year even though he actually supported much of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's agenda in Saudi Arabia. What irked the kingdom and marked the journalist for death was Khashoggi's insistence on coming to that conclusion on his own, tempering it with troubling facts and trusting the public to think for itself," Time said. Ressa, founder and editor of a Philippine site, Rappler, has faced a barrage of government lawsuits aimed at the site, and violent hate messages on social media - at one point, 90 of them an hour. Rappler has chronicled the violent drug war and extrajudicial killings of President Rodrigo Duterte that have left some 12,000 people dead, according to a January estimate from Human Rights Watch. The Duterte government refuses to accredit a Rappler journalist to cover it, and in November charged the site with tax fraud, allegations that could send Ressa to prison for up to 10 years. In Annapolis, Md., staff of the Capital, a newspaper published by Capital Gazette Communications, which traces its history of telling readers about the events in Maryland to before the American Revolution, press on without the five colleagues gunned down in their newsroom on June 28. "Still intact, indeed strengthened after the mass shooting, are the bonds of trust and community that for national outlets have been eroded on strikingly partisan lines, never more than this year," it said. The two Reuters reporters remained separated from their wives and children, serving a sentence for defying the ethnic divisions that rend that country. "For documenting the deaths of 10 minority Rohingya Muslims, Kyaw Soe Oo and Wa Lone got seven years. The killers they exposed were sentenced to 10," Time said. "Efforts to undermine factual truth, and those who honestly seek it out, call into doubt the functioning of democracy. Freedom of speech, after all, was purposefully placed first in the Bill of Rights. "In 2018, journalists took note of what people said, and of what people did. When those two things differed, they took note of that too. The year brought no great change in what they do or how they do it. What changed was how much it matters," Time said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Alleging that the Congress-JDS coalition government in Karnataka was in a deep slumber like the epic character 'Kumbhakarna,' state BJP president B S Yeddyurappa Tuesday said it had no moral right to remain in power. The Congress was now regretting its decision to support the JD(S) to form government, Yeddyurappa claimed in the assembly, as he asked the ruling coalition to work towards addressing issues of the people or "resign and go". Seeking to corner the government on a host of issues, he said the coalition worries in the ruling alliance were "hampering" the administration and developmental works. Initiating the debate on drought situation in the state, Yeddyurappa said, the government has announced hundred taluks as drought-hit and the situation was such that 20 more taluks are likely to be added to the list. Demanding answers from the government on drought mitigation measures, he said, according to information gathered by him, except for one or two places, ministers had not visited affected areas and funds were not being utilised efficiently for relief works. Pointing out at the delay in setting up of fodder banks, he said, "no minister or Chief Minister had taken the situation seriously. Noting that the state had overall deficit rainfall of about 49 per cent, Yeddyurappa sought to know the steps taken to address the situation with summer approaching fast. "The government is in a deep slumber like Kumbhakarna. It has closed it eyes. It is not coming to the rescue of farmers and people at the time when they need it the most," he added. Coming down heavily on the JD(S), Yeddyurappa while pointing at the promises made by the party ahead of assembly polls, including waiving of farm loan within 24 hours after coming to power, said its manifesto was a "bundle of lies". "I want to tell this Chief Minister that he had made false promise to the 6.5 crore people of the state through his manifesto of lies....," he said. Stating that he would have wanted the government to complete its five year term if it had fulfilled the promises made and worked for the betterment of the people, the BJP leader said, "after having seen its administration and its functioning, I feel this government has no moral right to stay in power." Yeddyurappa, the leader of Opposition also questioned Congress' silence on the functioning of the government, headed by its coalition partner the JD(S). "Have you (Congress) read JD(S)' manifesto.... Chief Minister still speaks only about big things, but nothing was happening on the ground," he said. He alleged that during the previous Siddaramaiah government rule, 4,712 farmers had committed suicide and 489 under the current dispensation. There was growing disgruntlement within the Congress and "it may explode any time", he claimed. "People are waiting when this government will go... you (ruling coalition) work for the people and address their issues or resign and go," he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Hailing the assembly poll results, leaders across the political spectrum in Bihar Tuesday took a swipe at the BJP, which suffered a drubbing in two of its bastions and was engaged in a neck-and-neck fight with the Congress in the third state. The (BJP) witnessed a sharp dip in its vote share in Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan. In Madhya Pradesh, the saffron party and the Congress are taking turns to overtake each other as counting of votes is underway. In Mizoram and Telangana, the BJP bagged one seat each. Only "Lord Rama and the public" knew what lay in store for the party which rules at the Centre, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) president Lalu Prasad said. The former chief minister, who is serving sentences in a number of fodder scam cases and currently lodged at a hospital in Ranchi, congratulated the public on his official twitter handle, which is operated by his close aides. ALSO READ: Assembly results 2018: Yes, demonetisation is good in the long term In a tweet, which bore his trademark style, Prasad said, "This is the public. It knows everything. It is now wise enough to discern jumlas (gimmicks)." "Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan... Only Lord Rama knows and the public knows what lay in store. Heartiest congratulations to the justice-loving public," he added. ALSO READ: Rajasthan poll results 2018: Congress crosses finish line after hiccups Rashtriya Lok Samata Party (RLSP) chief Upendra Kushwaha, who resigned from the Union council of ministers and severed ties with the NDA on Monday, also took a veiled dig at the saffron party and congratulated Congress president Rahul Gandhi, under whose leadership the party put up an impressive show in the three states. "In a democracy, it is always the public interest that wins. Jumlebaazi was bound to get exposed one day. Heartiest congratulations to Rahul Gandhi for the victory," Kushwaha tweeted, tagging the official Congress page and its Rajasthan veteran Ashok Gehlot, among others. ALSO READ: Heartland heartbreak: BJP gets a shock in MP, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh Kushwaha, who has so far kept his cards close to his chest, is expected to side with the opposition alliance comprising the and the Congress. He had put in his papers alleging that he felt "betrayed" and "dejected" under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership. Meanwhile, disgruntled BJP leader and Patna Sahib MP also took potshots at his party's leadership, blaming its "arrogance" and "over ambition" for the major drubbing. "Kahin khushi kahin gham Didn't I warn you about the writing on the wall. And that truth shall prevail. Hard hitting.....and well deserving. Truth has prevailed at last," Sinha tweeted without naming any party. "Hearty congratulations to all our people on the spectacular, most expected and awaited victory," he said. "Those who have lost, thanks to their arrogance, poor performance or over ambition - also deserve heartfelt condolences. Hope wish and pray that wisdom and good sense prevails upon them soon..... sooner the better. Long live democracy. Jai Hindi," the actor-turned-politician said in another tweet. Sri Lanka is on the edge, ahead of a crucial Supreme Court ruling on President Maithripala Sirisena's controversial sacking of Parliament and call for a snap election that pushed the country into unprecedented political turmoil. As many as 13 petitions have been filed against Sirisena's November 9 order sacking the 225-member Parliament, almost 20 months before its term was to end, and setting the election date for January 5. The Supreme Court on November 13 had issued an interim order ruling Sirisena's gazette notification as temporarily illegal and halted the preparations for snap polls. The hearing in the case was concluded last week as the court reserved its judgment. So far there is no indication as to when the apex court will give its ruling. A senior Sirisena loyalist Wimal Weerawansa said on Monday that the president would ask the Supreme Court through the attorney general to expedite the delivery of the verdict in the case. "The courts are going on vacation from December 14. So the whole country would want the ruling delivered early," Weerawansa said at a public gathering. If the ruling goes against Sirisena it would put the president in a difficult situation given his public statement that he would not restore the pre-October 26 position by reappointing Ranil Wickremesinghe whom he ousted as premier and replaced him with ex-president Mahinda Rajapaksa. "If the court decides against the dissolution of Parliament the president will appoint a government comprising of whoever can command the 113 (simple majority)," said Mahinda Samarasinghe, another Sirisena loyalist. Sirisena sacked Parliament when it appeared that Rajapaksa would not be able to muster the support of 113 MPs. Wickremesinghe on the other hand commands a majority. Analysts said the Supreme Court ruling would be the first step in the resolution of the ongoing political crisis, the likes of which has never been witnessed in the island nation's history. Sirisena has said he will accept the Supreme Court's ruling on the petitions filed against his gazette notification dissolving Parliament. "I look forward to the constitutional interpretation of the Supreme Court. Whatever it may be, I will take future political decisions accordingly, to the best interest of our motherland, not to the benefit of any person, group or party," the president tweeted on Sunday. His remarks were apparently aimed at Wickremesinghe's United National Party (UNP) with whom Sirisena was running the national unity government since 2015. The partnership ended on October 26 when Sirisena fired Wickremesinghe, triggering the political standoff. Since ousting Wickremesinghe, Sirisena has highlighted the "shortcomings" of the ex-premier in a bid to justify his sacking and dissuade his reinstatement. The president has already said he has no intention of making Wickremesinghe prime minister again no matter what the outcome of the case. Both Wickremesinghe and Rajapaksa claim to be the rightful prime minister. Wickremesinghe says his dismissal is invalid because he still commands a majority in Parliament. Speaker Karu Jayasuriya has officially conveyed that the House does not recognise Rajapaksa as the legal prime minister until he proves his majority. The United National Front (UNF) coalition led by Wickeremesinghe has moved three no-trust motions against Rajapaksa. The motions came to be adopted after the speaker summoned Parliament, in a direct confrontation with Sirisena. Rajapaksa has, so far, failed to prove his majority in Parliament, however he has refused to step down. Wickeremesinghe has the backing of 106 parliamentarians, while the Rajapaksa-Sirisena combine has the support of 95. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Lebanon's president said Tuesday that Israel's operation to destroy what it says is a series of cross-border attack tunnels built by the militant Hezbollah group won't endanger the calm along the frontier, adding that his country takes the issue seriously. Michel Aoun, a Hezbollah ally, said that Lebanon is prepared to address the issue after assessing a full report on the situation. Aoun said the United States has informed Lebanon that Israel has "no aggressive intentions," adding that his country harbored none either. "We are ready to remove the causes of the disagreements, but after we get the full report and decide what are the issues we need to handle," Aoun said. Israel launched an operation to destroy a series of tunnels last week, showing one to U.N. peacekeepers and calling it a violation of the cease-fire that ended the 2006 war with Hezbollah. The peacekeeping force, or UNIFIL, has confirmed the presence of two tunnels. On Tuesday, the mission's head, Maj. Stefano Del Col, said he met with Aoun and Lebanon's parliament speaker and informed them that UNIFIL experts have inspected two tunnels near Metulla, along the border north of Israel. "This is a serious matter and UNIFIL is working in close coordination with the parties both at the technical level as well as at the leadership level to ensure that all related facts are objectively determined and diligently addressed in line with UN Security Council Resolution 1701," Del Col said in a statement. He said the inspection of tunnels is a "work in progress," vowing that UNIFIL will "make every effort to maintain clear and credible channels of communication with both sides so that there is no room for misunderstanding on this sensitive matter." Aoun spoke alongside Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen, who plans to visit 180 Austrian peacekeepers in southern Lebanon the following day. Van der Bellen said he calls on the two sides "to keep calm." "You are in a region that ... will be for the next years, decades, always a difficult region as long as we have no real peace between Israel and its neighbors," Van der Bellen said. "It's in the interest of all countries of the region to keep the borders as they are, for economic reasons, for social reasons, and for development reasons. I think Israel is no exception to that. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The brother and father of Argentina's President Mauricio Macri are to testify in court this week over their alleged involvement in a huge kickbacks scandal known as the "corruption notebooks" case, reports said Monday. Franco and Gianfranco Macri are to testify on Thursday in a Buenos Aires court over the alleged payment of bribes by which their construction company, Socma, secured contracts to complete two stretches of a state highway. The alleged bribery took place while deceased former president Nestor Kirchner was in power from 2003-2007. He was succeeded in the presidency by his wife, Cristina Kirchner, and both are suspected of accepting millions of dollars in bribes from businessmen in exchange for public works contracts. Macri's family members were summoned to testify following statements by former top road works' official Claudio Uberti, who has cooperated with prosecutors. Macri's cousin, Angelo Calcaterra, has also been embroiled in the case but was freed from custody after cooperating with prosecutors and admitting that he contributed an unregistered donation to Cristina Kirchner's presidential campaign in 2015. The case takes its name from the school copybooks used by a ministerial chauffeur to record his drop-offs of millions of dollars of bribes paid by businessmen to government officials to win public works contracts. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The India-related content of a Naxal-leaning website was blocked by the Union government on the recommendation of the Maharashtra police's Anti-Terrorism Squad. A senior police official Tuesday said monitoring of the content uploaded on the website www.bannedthought.net had revealed Naxal and Maoist propaganda as well as distorted anti-India He said the website is allegedly connected to the proscribed Communist Party of India (Maoist) and would upload biased and distorted content concerning tribal issues and encounters in Naxal-affected areas of the country. The website was also providing a platform for the spread of Naxal ideology among people living in urban areas, the official stated. The Maharashtra ATS had, through the state government, taken up the matter with the Centre following which the order to ban and block the India-related content of the website was issued, the official informed. The website claims it is not affiliated to any political party but "exists to struggle against the fascist-like suppression of progressive ideas and thought by reactionary governments and their agents anywhere in the world". The website further claims that it will "attempt to publicise such suppression and when possible post documents and publications that have been suppressed elsewhere". (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Maharashtra Congress leaders Tuesday hailed party chief Rahul Gandhi's leadership for its stellar performance in the Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh Assembly polls. They added that the results were a clear indicator that the Congress was all set to regain lost ground and return to the centre stage of national Congress president Sanjay Nirupam called the results a "trailer" with the "picture" set for release in 2019 when the Narendra Modi government would be shown the door. "Today's mandate is only a trailer and full picture will be released in 2019 when people of the country will oust (PM) Modi. People will elect Rahul Gandhi as Prime Minister. People are so angry with Modi's arrogance that Congress will form government on its own in 2019," Nirupam said. Former Mumbai Congress chief Kripashankar Singh said the success achieved by the party under the leadership of Rahul Gandhi was "resounding", adding that the winning streak would continue in the Lok Sabha polls next year. "Actually, this resounding victory is the victory of Rahul ji's leadership. We not only hope but strongly believe we are going to keep up this momentum in next year's election too, when Congress party will come back to power and regain its base on people-friendly policies," Singh said. Actor-turned politician Nagma, the general secretary of the All India Mahila Congress, said, "All sections of society were reeling under tremendous pressure of anti-common man policies of the Modi government. It promised to bring good days, but unfortunately brought bad days. Credit goes to Rahul Gandhi ji who filled Congress party workers with confidence. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Maharashtra government will be providing baby-care kits to the children born in primary health centres and government hospitals as part of its efforts to reduce the infant mortality rate. The state cabinet took this decision in its weekly meeting Tuesday. The kits will be offered only in the case of first pregnancy, said a release issued by the Chief Minister's Office. Such a scheme is operating in Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Telangana, and it has shown good results, it said. Around 20 lakh pregnancies are recorded in the state every year, eight lakh of them in urban areas. The number of women giving birth in primary health centres and government hospitals is around 10 lakh, the release said. The kit, costing Rs 2,000 each, will include clothes for the child, a plastic diaper, baby cushion, towel, thermometer, massage oil, anti-mosquito net, blanket, plastic mat, shampoo, toys, nail cutter and socks, among other things. The cabinet also approved a proposal to seek a loan of Rs 6,985 crore at a concessional rate of interest from the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (Nabard) for 48 projects under the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY). (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Making cities sustainable is imperative and the government and community collaboration is essential to make that happen, Australian High Commissioner to India Harinder Sidhu said in a statement. Speaking at a summit organised by the Green Rating for Integrated Habitat Assessment (GRIHA) Council, Sidhu said the government had an important role, but it needs the combined effort of the private sector and the academia. "Research institutions, such as UNSW and GRIHA Council, help in connecting and incentivising government to make the enormous contribution to this goal of sustainable urban future," she was quoted by a statement of GRIHA as saying. "Making cities sustainable is imperative, and government and community collaboration is essential to make that happen," she said. During his welcome speech, Ajay Mathur, DG, The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), said, "India and Australia are the two countries which share the same climate. But Australia is the only country with the similar climate that has an active energy-efficiency programme. "This, therefore, provides a huge amount of potential for collaborative learning as India moves to a future where we see a lot more planned habitats and air-conditioned buildings," Mathur said. Green Rating for Integrated Habitat Assessment (GRIHA) Council is an independent, not-for-profit society jointly set up by TERI and the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) to promote and administer green buildings in India. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The lawyer of former liquor baron Vijay Mallya Tuesday sought dismissal of the Enforcement Directorate's (ED) plea to declare him a fugitive in view of an extradition order passed against by him by a UK court. A court in London Monday ordered that Mallya, wanted for Rs 9,000 crore loans default by his companies and facing charges of fraud and money laundering, be sent back to India. The ED had moved a special court here, seeking to declare him a fugitive under the Fugitive Economic Offenders Act (FEOA). Amit Desai, Mallya's lawyer, told the special judge for Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) cases M S Azmi that in view of the London magistrate's order, the ED's plea should be scrapped. Desai also reiterated his argument that Mallya did not leave the country secretly as claimed by the ED. "There was no secret departure. He left the country to attend a planned meeting (of World Motor Sport in Geneva)," he said. Mallya was a non-resident Indian (NRI) with a house in London and his whereabouts were known to the banks and investigating agencies, the lawyer said. The businessman was ready to surrender in the United Kingdom where he had been living for 28 years, but he could not be put in the hands of the agencies which were not ready to follow procedures, advocate Desai said. Desai wound up his argument and the ED lawyer was expected to argue Wednesday. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Actor Megan Fox has opened up about why she never participated in the #MeToo movement, saying she thought the people would not view her as a "relatable or likable" person. In a recent interview with The New York Times, the 32-year-old actor said she has "quite a few stories" to tell in relation to the #MeToo movement. "Even with the #MeToo movement, and everyone coming out with stories and one could assume that I probably have quite a few stories, and I do I didn't speak out for many reasons. I just didn't think based on how I'd been received by people, and by feminists, that I would be a sympathetic victim," she said. "And I thought if ever there were a time where the world would agree that it's appropriate to victim-shame someone, it would be when I come forward with my story," she added. Much before the #MeToo movement had started, Fox had called out sexism in the industry, a move that seriously affected her career. In 2009, the actor had recalled her uncomfortable experiences working with Michael Bay on the "Transformer" series. She had revealed that Bay had her "audition" for her role by washing his Ferrari while he filmed her. When asked whether the public and media owe her an apology for the way the revelation were dealt with back in the day, Fox said, "I mean, that's a lovely sentiment, and I appreciate that. I don't know that I want to feel anything about it because my words were taken and used against me in a way that was at that time in my life, at that age and dealing with that level of fame really painful." The actor said when she shared her experiences people were not ready to hear them. "I don't want to say this about myself, but let's say that I was ahead of my time and so people weren't able to understand. Instead, I was rejected because of qualities that are now being praised in other women coming forward. And because of my experience, I feel it's likely that I will always be just out of the collective understanding. I don't know if there will ever be a time where I'm considered normal or relatable or likable," she added. When asked whether she is ready to tell her stories in the current era, the actor said no. "No, because I also feel like I'm not the universal hammer of justice. This is not to say that other people shouldn't do what they feel is right. But in my circumstance, I don't feel it's my job to punish someone because they did something bad to me," she said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A Jaipur-Kolkata IndiGo flight with 136 passengers on board made an emergency landing in Kolkata after smoke engulfed the plane mid-air, prompting the government to order a probe, an official said Tuesday. However, no passengers were injured in the incident that happened on Monday, a senior DGCA official said. The pilot had to issue a 'May Day' call, made to seek help in times of distress, and the the Pratt & Whitney-powered Airbus A320 Neo plane landed at the Kolkata airport under full emergency conditions, a source said. On landing, some of the passengers were evacuated using emergency chutes, the source said. "The IndiGo aircraft VT ITR was about 45 miles off Kolkata when the smoke engulfed the aircraft. Amid the passengers' safety in danger, the pilot issued May Day and sought an emergency landing at the Kolkata airport," the source said. IndiGo confirmed the incident but said the aircraft did not face any technical issue in the past. "An IndiGo flight (A320 aircraft) 6E-237 operating on Jaipur-Kolkata route made an emergency landing as a precaution at Kolkata due to suspected smoke in cabin," the airline said in a statement. There was no report earlier of any malfunctioning in the aircraft, it said. The flight landed safely at Kolkata, it said, adding that on reaching the bay, a few passengers were evacuated via the "aft exit deployed slides" while most passengers deplaned via the front step ladder. The Airbus A320 Neo planes with Pratt & Whitney engines, which are being operated by budget carriers IndiGo and GoAir, have been frequently facing serious glitches mid-air and on ground since their induction. The senior official of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said the "flight made an emergency landing at Kolkata due to smoke in cockpit and cabin". On landing, the aircraft was taken to an isolation bay, where aft or emergency passenger chutes were deployed and few passengers were evacuated, the official said. The Aircraft Accident Investigation Board (AAIB), which comes under the Civil Aviation Ministry, has launched a probe into the incident, he said. The airline has also been asked to submit a preliminary report after a detailed technical inspection, he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Mizo National Front returned to power in Mizoram after 10 years Tuesday, capturing 21 seats in the 40-member Assembly and inflicting a humiliating defeat on the Congress. MNF is ahead in five other seats, Election Commission (EC) sources said. With the results, the Congress has now lost power in all the seven states in the northeast. The party which had bagged 34 seats in the 2013 Assembly elections managed to win just five seats this time. Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla suffered defeat from both the seats he contested, including his home turf Serchip. He also lost from Champai South constituency. Sources at the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) said Thanhawla was likely to tender his resignation to Governor Kummanam Rajasekharan around 5 pm. The Mizo National Front (MNF) had lost power in the state in 2008. The Zoram People's Movement (ZPM) won five seats and is ahead in three other seats. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) opened its account in the largely-Christian dominated state as party candidate and former minister Buddha Dhan Chakma won from the Chakma-dominated Tuichawng seat in south Mizoram's Lawngtlai district. F Lalnunmawia of the MNF defeated state Agriculture Minister K S Thanga by a margin of 2,037 votes in Aizawl South-III seat. Former Assembly Speaker Lalchamliana of the MNF defeated the lone woman MLA and Cooperation Minister Vanlalawmpuii Chawngthu from Hrangturzo seat, while Lalrinawma of the MNF retained the Tuikum seat by defeating Sangzela Tlau of the ruling Congress. K Beichhua and Lalruatkima of the MNF also retained their seats--Siaha and Aizawl West-II, respectively. Former home minister Tawnluia of MNF won from Tuichang seat, defeating his nearest ZPM rival W Chhuanawma by 701 votes. Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated the Congress for its victory in assembly polls Tuesday and said the BJP, which has suffered reverses in the elections, accepts people's mandate with humility. In a tweet, Modi also congratulated Telangana Chief Minister K C Rao for his party's landslide win in the state and Mizo National Front (MNF) for its victory in Mizoram. With the BJP suffering setbacks in its strongholds, Modi sought to boost the morale of its workers, saying they worked day and night and that he saluted their hard work. "Victory and defeat are an integral part of life. Today's results will further our resolve to serve people and work even harder for the development of India," Modi said. In another tweet, he said, "Congratulations to the Congress for their victories. Congratulations to KCR Garu for the thumping win in Telangana and to the Mizo National Front (MNF) for their impressive victory in Mizoram." The prime minister thanked the people of Hindi heartland states of Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan for giving the BJP the opportunity to serve. "The BJP governments in these states worked tirelessly for the welfare of the people," Modi said. BJP president Amit Shah congratulated K C Rao. A resurgent Congress Tuesday made significant gains in the assembly elections, dealing a body blow to the BJP in Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan and was locked in a cliffhanger in Madhya Pradesh. The assembly polls held for five states also saw the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) recording a landslide win for a second consecutive term and the MNF scripting a spectacular victory dislodging the Congress in its last bastion in the Northeast to return to power after 10 years. Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has won from his traditional Budhni seat by a margin of 58,999 votes, defeating former Union minister and senior Congress leader Arun Yadav. Chouhan's BJP and the opposition Congress are locked in a neck and neck contest in the state in the Assembly polls. Chouhan had won the seat in 2013 with a margin of 84,805 votes. BJP has so far won 65 seats out of the total 230 while Congress has won 67. Three independent candidates have also won. As per the latest trends, the BJP is leading on 44 seats and the Congress on 47 seats. BSP is leading on 2 seats, SP on 1 and independent on 1 seat. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The shelter home here which was embroiled in a sex scandal was vacated by the Muzaffarpur Municipal Corporation (MMC) Tuesday ahead of its demolition, an MMC official said. There is no specific information about the demolition date of the shelter home building which was found to have been constructed in violation of the map design passed by MMC, he said. The civic body ordered the demolition of the building on November 12. The scandal at the shelter home called 'Balika Grih', run by Brajesh Thakur's NGO 'Seva Sankalp Evam Vikas Samiti', came to light earlier this year in a social audit by the Mumbai-based Tata Institute of Social Sciences, which said that over 30 girls living in it were sexually abused. An MMC official issuing the demolition order said the violation of the map design passed for constructing the shelter home building has been detected. "We (corporation) got the Muzaffarpur shelter home vacated to demolish its building. A seizure list of articles belonging to the shelter home was prepared under the supervision of the magistrate. The videography of the entire building has also been carried out," MMC city manager Om Prakash told reporters here. Asked when the building would be demolished, Om Prakash said, "We don't have any specific information as to when the building will be demolished. We have been assigned to get the building vacated besides preparing the seizure list and getting the videography done." MMC Commissioner Sanjay Dubey had said that the civic body would start demolishing the building soon after preparing the seizure list and completing the videography of entire building. After the shelter home scandal came to light, Brajesh Thakur, who is the prime accused, and others were booked on May 30, 2018. The state government later handed over the probe to the CBI. Bihar Social Welfare Minister Manju Verma had resigned following the Muzaffarpur case, when it came to light that her husband, Chandrashekhar Verma, had spoken to Thakur several times between January and June. Manju Verma and her husband surrendered before a lower court in Begusarai in an Arms Act case lodged in the course of the probe into the shelter home scandal. The Arms Act case was lodged following a recovery of a huge quantity of ammunition from her residence during a CBI raid. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Pakistan's former railway minister and his brother were arrested on Tuesday by the country's anti-graft body for their alleged involvement in a multi-million dollar housing scam, amid protests by the PML-N workers. Khawaja Saad Rafique, a close aide of ousted premier Nawaz Sharif, and his brother Salman Rafique, a former minister in the Punjab province government, were arrested by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) after the Lahore High Court rejected their bail application, a NAB official said. NAB spokesperson Nawazish Ali Asim told PTI that Rafique brothers have been arrested for "taking financial benefits" in the Lahore's Paragon Housing Society. He said the suspects were also "beneficial owners" of the housing scheme - Paragon City (Pvt) Ltd - which was launched in 2005 on the basis of forged and fabricated documents. According to the spokesperson, the business partner of Rafique brothers, Qasim Amin Butt has turned approver in the case "Rafique brothers, along with Butt, in connivance with one Nadeem Zia and other launched an illegal housing scheme with alleged approvals from Town Municipal Administration (TMA) Aziz Bhatti Town, Lahore," he said, adding that in 2013, all TMA approved housing schemes were transferred to Lahore Development Authority (LDA). However, the records of the Paragon Housing Society was intentionally not handed over to the LDA by the suspects, he alleged. The NAB said the Paragon City Housing Society has not yet been approved by the LDA. Butt is in jail while Nadeem Zia is reported to have fled to the US. Meanwhile, a large number of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) workers gathered outside the high court premises. They chanted slogans and even tried to stop NAB officials from arresting Rafique brothers. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Name and identity of victims of rape and sexual assault, including those who have died, cannot be disclosed "even in a remote manner", the Supreme Court said on Tuesday while terming as unfortunate that instead of empathising with the victims, society treats them as "untouchable". The court also said that nobody can have any objection to the victim disclosing her name as long as she is a major and has taken a decision regarding this voluntarily. The apex court said that media should be cautious not to "sensationalise" such cases and though they have an obligation to report such matters, they are also "duty bound" not to disclose the identity of such victims, including minors. A bench of justices Madan B Lokur and Deepak Gupta directed that FIRs lodged for the offence of rape under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and offences under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act shall not be put in public domain. "No person can print or publish in print, electronic, social media, etc the name of the victim or even in a remote manner disclose any facts which can lead to the victim being identified and which should make her identity known to the public at large," the bench said in its judgement. The court said that in the society, an "innocent" victim of sexual offence, especially rape, was unfortunately treated worse than the perpetrator of crime and "for no fault of the victim, society instead of empathizing with the victim, starts treating her as an 'untouchable'". "A victim of rape is treated like a 'pariah' and ostracised from society. Many times, even her family refuses to accept her back into their fold. The harsh reality is that many times cases of rape do not even get reported because of the false notions of so called 'honour' which the family of the victim wants to uphold," the bench said. It said in cases where the victim is dead or of unsound mind, her name and identity should not be disclosed even under authorisation of next of the kin unless circumstances justifying the disclosure of her identity exist, which shall be decided by competent authority, that is the sessions judge. "The police officials should keep all the documents in which the name of the victim is disclosed, as far as possible, in a sealed cover and replace these documents by identical documents in which the name of the victim is removed in all records which may be scrutinised in the public domain," it said. Regarding media, the court said they should refrain from talking to such victim because every time the victim repeats the tale of misery, she again undergoes the trauma. "Reportage of such cases should be done sensitively keeping the best interest of the victims, both adult and children, in mind. Sensationalising such cases may garner Television Rating Points (TRPs) but does no credit to the credibility of the media," it said. It said that authorities, to which the name of victim was disclosed, were also duty bound to keep it secret and not to disclose it in any manner, except in the report which should only be sent in a sealed cover to the investigating agency or the court. The bench said that application filed by the next of kin to authorise disclosure of identity of a dead victim or of a victim of unsound mind, should be made only to the sessions judge concerned until the government lays down a criteria as per the court's directions for identifying social welfare institutions or organisations. "In case of minor victims under POCSO, disclosure of their identity can only be permitted by the special court, if such disclosure is in the interest of the child," the bench said. It asked all the states and Union Territories to set up at least one 'one stop centre' in every district within a year which could be used as a central police station where all the crimes against women and children in the town or city would be registered. The bench did not agree with the submissions that name and identity of minor victims of sexual assault could be disclosed after he or she has died. "In the case of dead victims, we have to deal with another factor. We have to deal with the important issue that even the dead have their own dignity. They cannot be denied dignity only because they are dead," the bench said. The court said "if the victim is a young girl who has been dating and going around with a boy, she is asked in intimidating terms as to why she was dating a boy. "The victim's first brush with justice is an unpleasant one where she is made to feel that she is at fault; she is the cause of the crime." It said that during trial in such cases, victims are subjected to "harsh cross-examination" during which a lot of questions are raised about her "morals and character" and the judge "sometimes sit like mute spectators and normally do not prevent the defence from asking such defamatory and unnecessary questions". It said that over a period of time, a lot of effort have been made to sensitise the courts but "experience has shown that despite the earliest admonitions, the first as far back as in 1961, the courts even today reveal the identity of the victim". "We are of the view that the disclosure of the name of the child to make the child a symbol of protest cannot normally be treated to be in the interest of the child," it said. The issue had cropped up when the court was hearing a batch of petitions filed after the rape and murder of a paramedic student on December 16, 2012 in New Delhi to support the initiatives on women's safety across the country. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Nepal's rights body has drawn the government's attention towards the serious human rights situation in the country, saying authorities have not been paying enough attention to the condition of marginalised communities, Dalits, and women. The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) said the government has failed to improve the overall human rights situation in the country. In its annual report (2017-2018) submitted by the NHRC chief, the rights body said there were questions over various commissions formed in accordance with the Constitution. "The government has failed to make public the status of forcefully disappeared persons and deliver justice to the kin of persons killed during the conflict even after over a decade of the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Accord," said the report submitted by NHRC chief Anup Raj Sharma to President Bidhya Devi Bhandari on Monday. It also stated there was not clarity in the concurrent powers of the three levels of government provisioned in the Constitution with the country adopting a federal structure since the promulgation of the new charter in 2015. "No ample progress has been made in the area of economic, social, cultural and human rights. Use of children in elections, caste discrimination, and lack of people's access to health continue to exist," it said. Labour exploitation of Nepalese working abroad and rise in cases of domestic violence has posed a serious threat to normal life, stated the report as it criticised the non-implementation of recommendations made by the NHRC. The report also listed details of reforms required to promote and protect human rights, adding that the formulation of a national action plan relating to human rights was a positive achievement. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Railways Ministry will develop a world class station at Kevadiya near the site of the Statue of Unity in Gujarat's Narmada district, an official said here Tuesday. The world's tallest statue dedicated to India's first Home Minister Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was unveiled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in October this year. President Ram Nath Kovind will lay the foundation stone for the Kevadiya railway station, which will be located at a distance of five kms from the imposing structure, on December 15, the Western Railway (WR) official told PTI. Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani and Railway Minister Piyush Goyal will attend the event. "The plan to come up with the railway station near the statue is being implemented by the Railway ministry after the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) asked it to develop a state-of-the-art station with a view to increase the tourist foot fall and boost local trade", the official added. He said the Railway Board has sanctioned the work to convert 18-km Dabhoi-Chandod narrow gauge into broad gauge and extension from Chandod to Kevadia Colony by constructing a new 32-km line. "We are carrying out works on 50-km railway tracks to facilitate this railway station which would cost around Rs 663.29 crore," said the official. WR spokesperson Ravinder Bhakar said this station will be the first railway station in India with a green building certification from its first day of operation. "This will help in promoting tourism at the national and international levels", he said. "With a budget of Rs 20 crore, this eco-friendly and aesthetically pleasing station will be decked with local art and culture that will provide direct rail connectivity to the world's tallest statue. We plan to complete the construction by September 2019," Bhakar said. He said the railway station will boost the overall development of the region by triggering growth in trade and industries due to broad-gauge connectivity with the Mumbai-Delhi main line via Vadodara. The 182-metre-tall monument has been built on an islet Sadhu Bet near Sardar Sarovar Dam. It is twice the height of the Statue of Liberty in the US. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Japanese auto major is leveraging on its heritage as the brand seeks a 'renaissance' in India, a senior company official said Tuesday. Nissan, which last launched a totally new product under the brand in India way back in 2013 when it brought Terrano, is planning to kick off its revival journey in the market with the launch of compact Kicks in January. "We (Nissan) have got great heritage and DNA. It seems appropriate that the first vehicle in our renaissance is an SUV," India Vice President (Marketing) Peter Clissold told PTI here. He said the company will start booking for its upcoming Kicks SUV from Friday and deliveries in January. "Kicks is our first all-new vehicle in the market in some time. It is going to be introduced in C-SUV segment, a growing but a competitive segment," Clissold added. The new model from will compete with the likes of Hyundai Creta and S-Cross from Maruti Suzuki, which are priced in the range of Rs 885,000 and Rs 1.51 million. ALSO READ: Nissan ousted chairman Ghosn files complaint over extended detention When asked about Nissan's plans for expanding its product portfolio in India, he said, "We are looking at all segments -- both above and below the Kicks. You will see a good range of SUVs in Nissan line up in future". On whether the company's product future line up will be driven by SUVs, Clissold said, "I wouldn't say exclusively SUV, but we will leverage on our strong SUV credentials as we look at the product plans in India. "I expect to see an expansion of SUV line up, but Nissan isn't an SUV brand exclusively, including in India." Earlier in September this year, Nissan had announced its new strategy for India by positioning Nissan in the upper end, building on the brand's global SUV heritage, while the Datsun brand will address the mass market segment. "The company has made a significant investment in India and this (Kicks) is the first fruit of that labour," he said. The new model, designed specifically for the Indian market, will be available in petrol and diesel fuel options powered by 1.5 litre engines. On the expectations from Kicks, Clissold said, "We want to be an attractive player in that segment. Ultimately, it will be up to the Indian consumers as to what market share we gain". The segment is dominated by Hyundai Creta with more than 50 per cent of market share, while S-Cross is at second position, he said adding, "We don't have a specific volume target". Reiterating the need to reconnect with buyers, he said, "We will take one step at a time. First step is bookings, and then sales to a consumer who hasn't been to a Nissan showroom for sometime". Nissan has not been able to crack Indian market so far. In the April-November period this fiscal, the company had sold 25,353 units in the country, down 28.12 per cent from same period of last fiscal. Congress leader P Chidambaram said Tuesday the Congress would form governments in Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh and no one should attempt to steal their mandate. In a series of tweets, the former Union minister said the whole nation congratulates and thanks the voters of Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh for saving the Constitution and the constitutional values of India. "The Congress will form the government in three states. No one -- not the BJP, not the Governors -- should attempt to steal the election in any of the three states. The BJP must accept its defeat," he said. Chidambaram said the lesson for all is: do not underestimate the hardworking, never-say-die Congress workers. "They fought an unequal battle against BJP's money and state power and they triumphed." Chidambaram asked the BJP whether it would "change its ways". "Regrettably, there is no evidence of that so far, but we shall wait and watch," he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Over 100 original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) from various sectors have been asked to verify vendors that are willing to sell goods at the government e-Marketplace (GeM) with a view to contain procurement of fake and counterfeit goods. GeM is an online platform of the commerce ministry for procurement of goods and services by public sector units, departments and states. Concerns have been raised by certain firms about sale of fake and counterfeit goods at this platform. Large number of complaints have been recorded from sectors, including IT hardware, furniture and automobiles. "We have joined hands with industry associations including CII, PHDCCI and Nasscom. We have given access to the member companies to this online platform. They will verify whether vendors selling products from their sector are authorised dealers or not," GeM Chief Executive Officer Radha Chauhan told reporters here Tuesday. She said it will help in stopping sale of fake and counterfeit goods at this platform. The move is in the interest of OEMs as sale of such items dent image of company and product both. Vendors can register themselves at the GeM platform after being certified by the OEMs. The ministry launched GeM in August 2016 with the objective of creating an open and transparent procurement platform for government. So far, 1,67,080 sellers and service providers are registered with the portal to sell 6,60,756 products and services. The top five product categories at the platform include automobile, computer, and office furniture. The top services include security, caterer, and vehicle hiring. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) With Congress set to form the government in neigbouring Chhattisgarh, Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee Tuesday expressed confidence that there could be some relief for the state on the Mahanadi water dispute. Chhattisgarh has been accused of constructing projects on the upstream of Mahanadi river and blocking the flow of water down stream to Odisha. Congress has all along stood by Odisha in the water dispute. The matter is now pending in a tribunal as Chhattishgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh refused to stop the construction activities in Mahanadi river. "We are extremely happy that Congress has got the historic mandate in Chhattishgarh. The BJP and BJD had pushed Odisha towards drought and hardship. With Congress in power in Chhattishgarh, we can be hopeful of some relief for Odisha on the Mahanadi issue," OPCC president Niranjan Patnaik said in a twitter post. Meanwhile, Congress supporters in Odisha were found to be upbeat over the Assembly election trends in the five states where counting is on today. Celebrations broke out in front of party headuarters here with bursting of firecrackers, distribution of sweets and dancing to the beat of drums. Congress leaders hoped that the trend would be repeated in Odisha where BJD has been in power since 2000. The state will have simultaneous election for its assembly and the Lok Sabha seats. Prime Minister Modi wanted a Congress-free country. He should see the condition of his party in Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, where the BJP was in power. Now, the country is going to become a BJP-free nation, Patnaik said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) : The Opposition Congress-led UDF Tuesday created a ruckus in the Kerala Assembly over the Sabarimalaissue, prompting an abrupt adjournment of the House for the seventh day in row. As in the previous days, opposition members began sloganeering since the beginning of question hour, demanding the intervention of the LDF government in ending the 'satyagraha' staged by three of their legislators at the portals of the House since last week. They also demanded lifting of prohibitory orders invoked in and around the Sabarimala Lord Ayyappa Temple by police. Demanding the removal of curbs at the hill shrine, V S Sivakumar (Congress), Parakkal Abdullah (Indian Union Muslim League) and N Jayaraj (Kerala Congress-Mani) had launched the indefinite 'satyagraha' on December 3. Speaker P Sreeramakrishnan initially ignored the ruckus even though the opposition legislators gathered in front of his podium and protested, waving banners and placards. But as soon as minister A C Moideen completed his reply, he said the House proceedings could be taken forward in this manner and scrapped the question hour, rushed through other businesses and adjourned the House for the day. The UDF legislators had been disrupting the House for the last seven days over the Sabarimala issue. The indefinite fast by BJP leader C K Padmanabhan over the issue entered the second day Tuesday. The hill shrine had been witnessing protests by devotees and right wing groups against the governments decision to implement the September 28 Supreme Court verdict, permitting women of all age groups to offer prayers at the temple. Meanwhile the dawn-to-dusk hartal called by the BJP in Thiruvananthapuram district Tuesday in protest against the police action on the 'secretariat march' by party workers, remained incident free. The BJP's "secretariat march" over the Sabarimala issue here Monday had turned violent, prompting police to use water cannon and tear gas to disperse the party workers. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A four-year-old Palestinian boy has died after being injured during clashes between the Israeli army and protesters along the Gaza border, the health ministry in Gaza said. "Ahmed Abu Abed, aged four years and eight months, died as a result of the wounds he received last Friday east of Khan Yunis," health ministry spokesman Ashraf al-Qudra said in a statement. The statement did not provide further details on how the child was injured. In the hospital where the boy died, 38 year-old Bassem told AFP he was the child's uncle. He said Abu Abed was injured by shrapnel when his father was shot during regular Friday protests along the border. It was not clear why the child had been taken to the border protests and there was no independent confirmation of the circumstances. The Israeli army did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Palestinians have been protesting along the Gaza border at least weekly since March, with often violent demonstrations. At least 235 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire since, the majority by gunfire in border clashes but others in airstrikes and by tank fire. Two Israelis have also been killed. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Tuesday said the results in the assembly polls to five states have shown that political awakening is on the rise in the country as people have rejected the communal The Congress was on Tuesday set to wrest Rajasthan and Chattisgarh from the BJP which was trailing marginally in Madhya Pradesh in a cliffhanger while the TRS stormed back to power in Telangana and the MNF dislodged the Congress in Mizoram. "People rejected Mandir-Masjid politics, results show political awakening on rise in India," the PDP quoted its president Mehbooba Mufti as saying on its Twitter handle. She was referring to the loss of BJP, which was an ally of the PDP in Jammu and Kashmir government till June this year, in the assembly polls in five states. "Clearly the mood of the nation rejects the brazen attempts of polarising the society, rejects those who promise in words but plot in action, rejects those furthering their by pitting the people of one community against the other," it added. However, National Conference vice president Omar Abdullah has so far refrained from a direct comment on the outcome of the assembly polls in the states of Chattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Mizoram, Rajasthan and Telangana. With BJP and Congress locked in a neck and neck fight in Madhya Pradesh, Omar said the smaller parties will be a happy lot. "'Others' in Madhya Pradesh will be a happy lot at the moment," he tweeted. "This is the most fun I've had on counting day in a long time. It helps that I'm not fighting elections in any of the 5 states," he said in another tweet. Omar said while it was "even-steven" in Madhya Pradesh but BJP has not given up hope of forming the government there. "It's even-steven in MP & from what I hear the BJP hasn't given up the hope of forming a government there," he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) / -- Cholamandalam Investment and Finance Company Limited (Chola), the financial arm of the Murugappa Group, has decided to move its People data to cloud. Chola as a company has been forthcoming in embracing technology and providing speed and convenience to its customers through its digital properties, and now wants to delight its employees as well. Chola has partnered with PeopleStrong, the largest HR SaaS Company from India that currently serves over 200+ enterprises and over 600 thousand users. While all the major companies of the Murugappa Group intend to start the digital transformation of their people processes in the next 9-12 months, Chola has decided to lead the pack in the transformation journey with PeopleStrong Alt, a PeopleStrong product. With PeopleStrong Alt, Chola finance will be able to provide a unified experience from Recruitment to Retiral to all its users (Employees, Recruiters, Candidates and Business Users), and at the same time provide access to a single window of truth for right decision making. With the Mobile App and Jinie (the chatbot), Chola employees will experience the next level of connect and collaboration. Speaking on the occasion, Arun Alagappan, Executive Director, Chola, shared, "I am pleased that as an organization, we have taken a decision to move our People Data to cloud. It is a mammoth task and we needed a partner who has proven experience of managing transformation of such a scale. After a detailed evaluation process, we selected PeopleStrong as a partner for this journey of transformation." Ramesh Menon, HR Director, Murugappa Group, shared, "It is a landmark move and a much needed one too. With the kind of diversified presence we have across sectors and geographies it is important for us to take our employee experience to the next level." Chandrasekar R, HR Head, Chola, shared, "We have a large composition of young workforce at Chola and to manage this segment more efficiently, we realized that we needed a digital upgrade. PeopleStrong with its scalable, mobile and AI powered technology seems the best match for our needs."Pankaj Bansal, Co-founder & CEO, PeopleStrong, added "We are delighted to be Chola's digital transformation partners and excited to have them with us on the journey of writing the New Code of Work. I am sure together we will be able to 'Altify' the people experience and take the productivity at Chola to the next level."About Cholamandalam Investment and Finance Company Limited (Chola)Cholamandalam Investment and Finance Company Limited (Chola) was incorporated in 1978 as the financial services arm of the Murugappa Group. Chola commenced business as an equipment financing company and has today emerged as a comprehensive financial services provider offering vehicle finance, home loans, home equity loans, SME loans, investment advisory services, stock broking and a variety of other financial services to customers. Chola operates from 885 branches across India with assets under management above INR 47,700 Crores. About Murugappa Group: Founded in 1900, the INR 329 Billion Murugappa Group is one of India's leading business conglomerates. The Group has 28 businesses including nine listed Companies traded in NSE & BSE. Headquartered in Chennai, the major Companies of the Group include Carborundum Universal Ltd., Cholamandalam Investment and Finance Company Ltd., Cholamandalam MS General Insurance Company Ltd., Coromandel International Ltd., Coromandel Engineering Company Ltd., E.I.D. Parry (India) Ltd., Parry Agro Industries Ltd., Shanthi Gears Ltd., Tube Investments of India Ltd., TI Financial Holdings Ltd and Wendt (India) Ltd. Market leaders in served segments including Abrasives, Auto Components, Transmission systems, Cycles, Sugar, Farm Inputs, Fertilisers, Plantations, Bio-products and Nutraceuticals, the Group has forged strong alliances with leading international companies such as Groupe Chimique Tunisien, Foskor, Mitsui Sumitomo, Morgan Advanced Materials, Sociedad Qumica y Minera de Chile (SQM),Yanmar & Co. and Compagnie Des Phosphat De Gafsa (CPG). The Group has a wide geographical presence all over India and spanning 6 continents. About PeopleStrong: PeopleStrong is a leading HR Technology company from India with an enriching experience at work for over 200+ customers and over 600,000 users. On its journey to writing the #NewCodeofWork, PeopleStrong delivers its technology and services in one offering, using its on-demand technology product PeopleStrong Alt, which has distilled tens of thousands of hours of 'natural research and development (R&D) - a decade long experience of servicing the HR functions of top Indian companies. Known for its penchant to innovate, PeopleStrong has many firsts to its name, the recent one being the application of Machine Learning in Recruitment (through Match Making) and Employee Experience (through India's first HR Chatbot, Jinie). PeopleStrong is the first company in the space to be successfully assessed on SSAE18. Source: PeopleStrong HR Services Pvt. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to visit Tripura in February to inaugurate several development projects, including an upgraded cancer centre, a government official said. The regional centre, which offers treatment to more than 2,000 cancer patients annually, is set to have a new building and modern equipment, he said. According to government reports, 3,786 patients succumbed to cancer between 2013 and 2016 in the state. Sanjoy Mishra, the media adviser to chief minister Biplab Kumar Deb, said a high-level meeting was convened Monday to review progress in the cancer hospital project. "The Prime Minister is scheduled to visit Tripura in February to inaugurate several developmental projects. The newly built building at the cancer centre is one of them. Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb on Monday reviewed the progress of the construction work at the centre," Mishra said. Chief Secretary LK Gupta, Public Works Department (PWD) secretary Manoj Kumar and Health and Family Welfare secretary Samarjit Bhowmik were among those who attended Monday's meeting, he said. "The CM would be visiting New Delhi tomorrow (Wednesday) and meet the prime minister to discuss various issues, including the inauguration of the cancer hospital building," Mishra told reporters. Acoording to Global Adult Tobacco Survey (2016-17), 40 per cent of all cancer patients in the northeast suffer from head and neck malignancy, mainly caused by tobacco consumption. Tripura tops in tobacco use in the region with 64.5 per cent patients in the state admitting to nicotine consumption, the report added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz chief Shehbaz Sharif's son and opposition leader in Punjab Assembly Hamza Shahbaz was offloaded on Tuesday from a Doha-bound flight by officials of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA). "Hamza, a nephew of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, arrived at the Lahore airport to catch a flight of a foreign airline to London via Doha," Attaullah Tarar, a spokesman for the Sharif family, said in a statement. He said Hamza was going to London to meet his younger brother Salman. "At the immigration counter, an official of the Federal Investigation Agency first told him that his name was on the black list and later declared that his name was on the exist control list," Tarar said. The country's anti-graft body National Accountability Bureau is probing Hamza and Salman in two cases income beyond means and misuse of government funds. According to the NAB, both brothers in the capacity of directors (Ramzan Sugar Mills) got constructed a bridge linking to their mills out of the public money in Chiniot. It said Rs 20 crore was approved by then chief minister and their father Shehbaz Sharif for the construction of the bridge. Both Salman and his brother-in-law Imran Ali Yousaf are allegedly hiding in London. Yousaf has been declared a proclaimed offender by the accountability court in the Punjab Saaf Pani Company and the Punjab Power Development Company (PPDC) cases. PML-N spokesperson Marriyum Aurangzeb said Hamza was prevented from boarding the flight at the immigration counter, where he was told that he had been placed on the no-fly list. "Hamza is not a terrorist. He is a responsible citizen and politician," she said and demanded that the government must disclose under what law Hamza's name was placed on the ECL. She said it has been established that PML-N leaders and the Sharif family are the target of the Imran Khan government. "Imran Khan is doing revengeful politics," she added. Opposition Leader in National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif has also been in jail on judicial remand in Rs 1400 crore Ashiyana Housing scam. NAB had arrested him on October 5. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A Turkish provincial police chief was shot dead by an officer in the northeastern province of Rize, the ancestral region of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, local media reported. Altug Verdi died in hospital after the armed attack at the provincial police headquarters, state agency Anadolu said. The officer suspected of killing Verdi has been detained, the agency said. Rize governor Kemal Ceber said two others also injured during the incident were in a "good" condition, NTV broadcaster reported. Ceber said the suspect opened fire after asking for a transfer because he had won a place at university. "It is most likely that he did not get the answer he wanted," Ceber added, according to NTV, without giving further details. Verdi, a married father-of-one, was named Rize police chief in August 2017. Before that, he had served in the prime minister's protection team and the Turkish consulate in Jerusalem. Erdogan was born in Istanbul but spent his earliest years in Rize by the Black Sea before returning to the big city by his early teens. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The results of the Assembly polls were a "slap" on the face of the "tyrant" BJP, MNS chief Raj Thackeray said on Tuesday, and asserted that the country needed "Ram rajya" and not a Ram temple. Talking to reporters here, Thackeray also said that although the BJP was calling Rahul Gandhi "pappu", the Congress chief has become "param pujya" (highly revered) with his party's good showing in Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. "Today, the country does not need a Ram temple, but needs Ram rajya. The government does not have anything to show to the people as it hasn't done anything in the last four-and-a-half years. Hence, matters of faith are being put forward," he said. The MNS chief said the poll results were a precursor to the upcoming Lok Sabha elections due next year. "The BJP was bound to face this. The results are a slap on its tyrant governance," he said. Thackeray observed that the people of Gujarat started the BJP's decline in the last year's Assembly polls. In the last year's Gujarat elections, the BJP had won 99 seats in the 182-member assembly, down from 115 it won in 2012. On the other hand, the Congress' tally rose from 61 in 2012 to 77. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) : City-based mobile retailer Poorvika Mobiles has forayed into the western region by setting up its first store in Mumbai, Maharastra. The store was inaugurated at Phoenix Market City mall in Mumbai by chief executive officer of the company N Uvaraj, a press release said here. "As we see big opportunities in the western region, we believe we will continue expansion in future. Through modern, high-tech and innovative infrastructure of our showrooms, we assure customers of a unique experience," the release quoted Uvaraj as saying. Currently, Poorvika has 350 outlets in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala and Puducherry, the release added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) : A slew of populist schemes like 'Raithu Bandhu' investment support scheme for farmers and social security pensions paid handsome dividends to TRS chief K Chandrasekhar Rao, who led his party to a thumping victory in Telangana. The TRS secured a two thirds majority, winning 84 seats in the 119 member assembly in a resounding endorsement of KCRs popularity. Rao's focus on agriculture, rolling out the 'Ryuthu Bandu' investment support scheme for farmers that gave tillers Rs 8,000 per annum per acre and a Rs five lakh insurance cover for farmers consolidated his support base all over the state, especially in rural areas. Ensuring 24 hour power supply for farmers and construction of double bedroom houses for the poor also proved a huge hit. Rao is also credited with ensuring peace in Hyderabad, which had been rocked by communal violence in the past. TRS leaders said the government's focus on development and welfare schemes led to the party's huge victory. "This was expected because the people have accepted the (welfare) schemes (initiated by the Government)...the infrastructure that has been built....24-hour power supply and timely pensions...", TRS floor leader in the Lok Sabha, A P Jithender Reddy told PTI. "The entire election was fought on Telangana sentiments again. He (KCR) made the election between him and Chandrababu Naidu", a TRS leader said, claiming that the Congress joining forces with TDP was "political suicide". The TRS was also helped by AIMIM, which extended its support to the K Chandrasekhar Rao-led party in constituencis where the Asaduddin Owaisi-led outfit did not field candidates. Owaisi had also campaigned for TRS candidates in some constituencies. Rao's gamble of dissolving the Assembly in September, eight months ahead of schedule paid off handsomely in the polls. "It was a master-stroke", said leaders cutting across party lines, on the decision to decouple the assembly election with that of the Lok Sabha polls next year. "Congress vs BJP and Narendra Modi vs Rahul Gandhi" narrative would have dominated the poll scene, pushing state issues to the background in the event of simultaneous elections, a scenario KCR wanted to avoid. "KCR was able to project this election also as if the future of Telangana was at stake", a leader of Congress, the principal challenger to the TRS in the state, said. "He was able to play the sentiment card because of the 'unholy' alliance between the Congress and the TDP", he said. During campaigning, KCR had repeatedly attacked TDP chief and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, describing him as "anti-Telangana". "A government where Chandrababu Naidu's writ runs large should not come (to power). A government of slaves to Delhi should not come. The plight of (people) going to Vijayawada (Andhra Pradesh capital) with applictions should not come", Rao had said in his last election campaign in Gajwel. While KCR announced 105 candidates on the day of the dissolution, allowing them to jump into campaign mode quickly, the Congress-led alliance that comprised the TDP, Telangana Jana Samiti and CPI took weeks to strike a seat-sharing deal. The "undue delay" in its finalisation significantly cut down campaign time for the alliance, said leaders of the TJS and CPI. While admitting MLAs from TDP and Congress, KCR expanded his base in segments where TRS had been traditionally weak. "By defections, he was able to expand his area of influence", a TDP leader said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Congress president Rahul Gandhi will take the final call Wednesday on who will be the chief minister in Rajasthan after taking in account the opinion of the newly elected MLAs, a senior party leader said. Senior party leader Ashok Gehlot and Pradesh Congress Committee president Sachin Pilot are the contenders for the coveted post. "Congress legislature party (CLP) meeting will be held at 11 am on Wednesday in which the elected MLAs of the party will pass a resolution. The observer will seek individual opinion of the MLAs," AICC general secretary Avinash Pande said here. He said the Congress president will be apprised of the feedback and a second meeting of the CLP will be held on Wednesday evening. The decision on the chief ministerial candidate would be announced after the second meeting, he said. "Apart from the discussion on the name of CLP leader, several other issues will be discussed in the meeting" he said. When asked whether there is any other name for the post, Pande said that it will depend on the newly elected legislators. The AICC has sent K C Venugopal to Jaipur as observer. "We will seek individual opinion of MLAs, view of senior leaders and then the party high command will be apprised of the feedback. As per the party's custom, the high command will take final decision about the leadership in the state," Venugopal said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) While political analysts will debate in the coming days the reasons for the BJP's setbacks in three Hindi heartland states, the Congress brain trust has an unambiguous answer -- Rahul Gandhi's newfound campaign energy. Congress president Gandhi, once dubbed by critics as a "reluctant politician", addressed 82 public rallies and seven road shows since October 6, crisscrossing Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Telanagana and Mizoram on an almost daily basis. Gandhi, during his spirited campaign, raised several issues such as farmers distress, Rafale deal, corruption, and women's security in all these states. He also raised state-specific issues such as the Vyapam scam in Madhya Pradesh and farmers' suicides in Rajasthan. His promise of a loan waiver to farmers in the Hindi heartland states seems to have struck a chord with the people in villages. "With sheer grit and determination, against all odds, defying state coercion and intimidation, Rahul Gandhi has scripted an amazing turnaround for the Congress in a short span of one year," Congress leader Manish Tewari told PTI. Gandhi was elected unopposed as Congress president on this day. Moving forward into 2019, the results in the state polls will give him the "moral hue" to be able to negotiate an all pervasive alliance in order to see the back of the BJP, Tewari said. Referring to Gandhi's energetic campaign, he said it started off with Gujarat last year, and the Congress chief has demonstrated the tenacity to stay the course over the past one year. Several Congress leaders from the Hindi heartland such as Sachin Pilot, Ashok Gehlot and Bhupesh Baghel credited Gandhi's dynamic campaign as the reason for party's good showing. "Our leader (Rahul Gandhi) has led the team well through the campaign, and results are coming accordingly. We did things right and Rahul Gandhi is the 'man of the match' and the 'man of the series'," Congress leader and Punjab minister Navjot Singh Sidhu said. Sanjay K Pandey, a professor at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) and a political commentator, said Gandhi with his campaign energy has "demolished" the perception of being a "reluctant politician". "This was said about his father also. There is some truth perhaps that Rajiv Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi had some reluctance (in taking to politics). "He did make some comments which led people to believe that he was not very keen on politics, but now that has changed. Even in earlier elections he has led an energetic campaign, but probably not to this extent," Pandey told PTI. The Congress is set to wrest Rajasthan and Chattisgarh from the BJP which was trailing marginally in Madhya Pradesh in a cliffhanger while the TRS stormed back to power in Telangana and the MNF dislodged the Congress in Mizoram. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Several rebel Congress candidates who won as Independents in the Rajasthan Assembly polls may help the party to form the next government in the desert state. Though the Rahul Gandhi-led party is surging ahead, it may still need support and a post-poll alliance if it fails to win the mandatory 100 seats, to form the government. As of now, Congress has won 86 seats and is leading on 13 seats, taking its probable tally to 99 out of the 199 seats which went to polls. Former food and civil supply minister in the Ashok Gehlot government, Babu Lal Nagar (Dudu), Raj Kumar Gaur (Ganganagar), Sanyam Lodha (Sirohi) and Alok Beniwal (Shahpura) are some of the Congress rebels who won as independents in the fiercely fought assembly polls. "Congress rebels who won the elections would be supporting the party in the formation of government," a party leader said. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has so far won 71 seats and is leading on two seats, while 11 independents have won and two are leading. Six BSP, two CPM and six other party candidates have also won the elections. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje on Tuesday night handed over her resignation to Governor Kalyan Singh here. "Raje handed over the resignation to the Governor tonight," a Raj Bhawan spokesperson said. The Congress was heading towards victory in the desert state, winning 81 seats and leading in another 18 out of 199 seats. The BJP was trailing with 67 seats in its kitty and leading in six others. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Supreme Court Tuesday said it was "unfortunate" that rape victims were being treated as "untouchables" in society while directing that names and identities of victims of rape and sexual assault should not be disclosed or revealed. A bench headed by Justice Madan B Lokur directed the print and electronic media not to reveal identity of victims of rape and sexual assault "even in a remote manner". The apex court said FIRs in cases of rape and sexual assault, including those against minors, should not be put in public domain by police. In a previous hearing, the top court was told that there was a need to strike a balance between the freedom of the press and the right of a victim to have fair trial in cases of crime against women. Senior advocate Indira Jaising, assisting the court as an amicus curiae, had told the apex court that the media was running a "parallel trial" in sub-judice matters and it should frame guidelines on how to report the cases of crime against women. Jaising had also claimed that police was leaking information to the media even before filing the charge sheet before a competent court, which amounted to interference in the administration of justice. She referred to the Kathua gangrape-and-murder case and had claimed that even before the charge sheet was filed in the court, the media had pronounced the decision that some of the accused were innocent and not guilty of the offences. An eight-year old girl, belonging to a minority nomadic community, was allegedly gangraped and murdered in Kathua district of Jammu and Kashmir on January 10. Her body was found in the same area a week later. Jaising had referred to the provisions of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, which deals with disclosure of identity of victims of such offences and the procedure to be followed by the media in reporting these cases, as also the Contempt of Courts Act. The court had earlier agreed to examine the provisions of law which provide curbs and balances for the media in reporting incidents of sexual assault, including that of minors, after a complaint that there have been "regular violation" of such provisions. Jaising had earlier said a balance of rights of such victims and that of the media to report such incidents was required, and the apex court should interpret Section 228-A of the IPC (dealing with disclosure of identity of victims of sexual offences) and provision 23 of the POCSO Act which deals with the procedure to be followed by the media along with the Contempt of Courts Act. The issue had cropped up when the court was hearing a batch of petitions filed after the rape and murder of a paramedic student on December 16, 2012 in New Delhi to support the initiatives on women's safety across the country. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) As votes were counted, Shiv Sena Tuesday said the outcome of the elections in the five states is a clear message to the BJP and there is a need for the ruling coalition to introspect. Shiv Sena spokesperson and the party's Rajya Sabha lawmaker Sanjay Raut said the trends reflect that the BJP's victory chariot has been halted. "This is a clear message and it is the time for us to introspect," Raut told reporters in Parliament Complex. Despite being in alliance at the Centre and in Maharashtra, the Shiv Sena shares an uneasy relationship with the BJP. The two parties contested the 2014 Maharashtra polls separately but later joined hands to form government in the state. As per latest trends, the BJP is trailing in Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh to the Congress. Madhya Pradesh is witnessing a very close contest between the two parties. In Telangana, TRS is heading to form the government for the second time and in Mizoram, MNF has left the ruling Congress far behind in its tally of seats. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Buoyed by the emphatic victory in the Assembly elections, Telangana Rashtra Samithi chief K Chandrasekhar Rao Tuesday said the results would enable the TRS to play a crucial role in national He said a national party will emerge that will form a coalition with a consortium of regional parties to take on the BJP and Congress. "...Congress-mukt Bharat..BJP-mukt Bharat...that is needed...we will unveil the whole thing in Delhi in 10 days," Rao told a press conference. Raising the pitch for a 'non-BJP, non-Congress' federal front, the Telangana leader, who is set to take the state's reins for a second time, said there was need to strengthen the federal structure of the country keeping in mind the requirements of the states. "The(proposed) federal front is for the people of this country, not for any individual. This is not aligning mere political parties. It is aligning the masses of India. The practice was usually to align certain leaders and certain parties, he said. "That is rubbish and proved to be senseless. I think very soon a new national party may come with a consortium of regional parties (to take on the BJP and the Congress). This is a big announcement that I am making," he said in response to a question on his idea of floating a federal front. Though he did not name the national party, India has seven recognised national parties--the BJP, Congress, BSP, CPI, CPI(M), the Nationalist Congress Party of Sharad Pawar and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's and All India Trinamool Congress. Rao had met Banerjee a some time back to explore the possibility of floating a federal front. Chiding the Congress and BJP, Rao said there was a necessity for a non-Congress non-BJP rule. "In Today's results of assembly polls, Telangana has shown the way to the whole nation. Telangana stands (as) a non-Congress, non-BJP state," he said. Hinting a role at the national level, Rao said he would give a "new definition" to the national political scenario. Calling for new agriculture and economic model, he said India has a water resources base of 70,000 TMCft out of which only 30,000 TMCft is being put to use. "The nation needs a new economic model. There is a need for revolution in the field of agriculture. There is a need for a surgery in the political system," he said. According to him, it is enough to have Rs two or three lakh crore reserves with the Reserve Bank of India, instead of Rs eight to nine lakh crore. Rao said there was a Supreme Court in every state in the US and wondered why a big country like India has only one. He alleged that both the Congress and BJP were trying to wrest control over some of the state subjects. Replying to a query on AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi, Rao said the Hyderabad Lok Sabha MP was not a "fundamentalist" and described him as a "very good intellectual." "He participated in each and every debate in parliament. ... I appreciate Asaduddin Owaisi becausehe is not a fundamentalist. He is a secular political leader. that is why we both discussed for three hours yesterday." "He is with us. We both will travel across Hindustan and work together," Rao said. On his being sworn-in as the chief minister, Rao said the TRS legislature party would meet at 11.30 am Wednesday and take a decision. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu Tuesday had a tough time controlling his emotions as he mentioned the passing away of Union minister and "dear friend" Ananth Kumar. At the beginning of the Winter session of Parliament, Naidu as per tradition read out the obituary references of leaders who had passed away during the intervening period between the Monsoon and current session. He first read out the obituary of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee followed by that of former Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee, and a dozen other leaders. As he started reading the obituary of Kumar, who had passed away on November 12, Naidu got emotional and his voice choked. Recalling the contribution of Kumar, the Rajya Sabha chairman said he had lost a "dear and personal friend" in the untimely death of the parliamentary affairs minister. He said Kumar was known for his energy, enthusiasm and initiative in whatever responsibility he was assigned. After completing the obituary references, Naidu apologised apparently for getting emotional in the House. Kumar died at a private hospital last month after battling lung cancer for several months. He was 59. He first got elected to Lok Sabha in 1996 from Bangalore South, the constituency which remained his bastion till his death. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The head of Russia's National Guard filed a lawsuit Tuesday against opposition chief Alexei Navalny, who he once challenged to a duel over corruption claims. Security chief Viktor Zolotov, an ally of President Vladimir Putin, is seeking one million rubles (USD 15,000) in damages in a suit to "defend his honour, his dignity and his professional reputation", his lawyer said. "Over the course of two or three months, Navalny has put out several internet posts, including videos, accusing General Zolotov of pillaging the National Guard," lawyer Shota Gorgadze told AFP. "As a result people have been given a false impression of Zolotov." Navalny released a video in August addressed to the rank-and-file of the National Guard, the agency tasked with dispersing Russian protests. He alleged that National Guard leadership "literally takes food out of your mouth for profit", claiming the agency purchases poor quality food at inflated prices. Zolotov fiercely denied the allegations and, in a bombastic video after the claims were first made, challenged Navalny to a duel and promised to turn the opposition chief into "steak". Navalny described the lawsuit as "very funny". "Yesterday the FSB (security service) confirmed the results of our investigation and said the National Guard food-purchasing contract was 'potentially subject to corruption'. "Today, the head of the National Guard files suit against me. Why not against the FSB? Fine then, I'll say it all in court," Navalny wrote on Twitter. Russian media reported on Monday that the Federal Anti-Monopoly Service had received a request from the FSB to investigate possible violations in the National Guard's food purchasing programme. Navalny, a 42-year-old Yale-educated lawyer, has for years investigated suspected corruption by top officials, at times making allegations which have drawn thousands of people into the streets. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) / -- Scholr is a new-age AI-powered learning app that helps students study more in less time. The app acts like a personal learning assistant and helps students by solving any kind of doubts they have while studying. The best part: Scholr uses Artificial Intelligence technology to do this automatically, without the need of human tutors. Students can take help from Scholr as many times as they need and at any time of the day or night. (Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/795962/Scholr.jpg ) Students can ask questions on Scholr by simply clicking a picture of the question. Scholr uses A.I. and data from millions of student queries to answer the question within just 5 seconds. This technology is extremely helpful for students from all over the country, even those who do not have access to quality schools or expensive tuition centers. Generally, students shy away from studies and often find it stressful to study on their own, Scholr understands this and is making studying easier for students. This is why Scholr is highly popular among students and unlike other products, does not need to be enforced by teachers or parents. Scholr, a product of Inspilearn Private Limited was launched in 2017. In one year, the app has developed a strong student following and has facilitated 5 million study sessions. Recently, the app expanded into vernacular languages and started offering help to Hindi medium students. Manil Gupta, co-founder at Scholr said, "Scholr is training its deep learning technology to answer questions in multiple Indian languages. With this, the app aims to serve over 200 million Indian students who are studying in vernacular medium schools and are highly underserved." Already, over 70% of Scholr users are from Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities where students lack quality educational support but have ready access to mobile devices. Sambhrant Sharma, founder at Edupreneur Village (and investor in Scholr) said, "The role of technology as a medium for is still to be explored fully. Instead of using it merely as a database of information, the real breakthrough is when it can serve every student like a personal assistant, as easy-to-use as a calculator or a one click camera." In April this year, Scholr raised pre-series A round of funding led by Edupreneur Village (an Edtech focused early stage VC Fund) with participation from global education experts Karan Khemka, Danish Faruqui and Anip Sharma. Edupreneur Village has access to over 3 lakh schools across India and is enabling Scholr to reach these schools at zero cost. With this, the start-up aims to reach over 5 million students in the next 2 years. About Scholr: Scholr, is a product of Inspilearn Education Private Limited which is one of the fastest growing education-technology companies in India. Founded by a team of IIT alumni, the start-up has developed an Artificial Intelligence enabled learning app for middle and high school students. The app is highly popular amongst students who use it almost on a daily basis. The app can be accessed through the Web and Mobile platforms. For more information, please visit https://www.scholr. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Scotland Yard on Tuesday used a Taser gun to detain and arrest a man who broke into the UK Parliament building grounds, at almost the same area where a terror attack occurred last year. The man, who is held on trespassing charges while further investigations continue, had reportedly jumped over railings before being Tasered by the Metropolitan Police officers on duty at the Parliament building within the Palace of Westminster in central London. "A man was detained and arrested by Carriage Gates inside the Palace of Westminster on suspicion of trespassing at a protected site," a Met Police statement said. "A Taser was deployed. Enquiries into the circumstances continue," the statement said. The man, described as in his 20s, was handcuffed and bundled into a police van, and driven away. The incident is not thought to be terrorism-related as it is not being investigated by the Met Police's Counter Terrorism Command. Extra police officers, some of them armed, were brought in to bolster security at the gates, but were stood down around 45 minutes after the intrusion. "Always in awe at the professionalism, courage and dedication of the police who guard the Palace of Westminster. Thank you all, UK international development secretary Penny Mordaunt tweeted soon after. The trespass incident occurred in the same area inside the Parliament's courtyard as a terror attack last year by Islamic State inspired Khalid Masood, who ran in through the gates with a knife after ramming his car into the side of the building. Met Police officer Keith Palmer, who was guarding the gates, was stabbed and killed, after the attacker had knocked down pedestrians indiscriminately on Westminster Bridge, killing four people. Masood was shot dead by armed officers just inside the Parliament gates in March 2017. Since the attack, security at the Parliament gates has been beefed up, with a permanent armed presence at the entrance. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A bid to impeach Somalia's president for alleged abuse of office was ruled "invalid" Tuesday after the parliamentary clerk said over a dozen MPs had denied signing the motion. "We have received written statements from 14 lawmakers who claim their names have been used wrongly in the list of signatories of the motion against the president," parliamentary clerk Abdikarim Haji Abdi Buh said in a statement. "These legislators are not withdrawing from the impeachment motion, but are confirming that they have totally never signed the document," he added. The removal of the signatories leaves only 78 out of 275 legislators supporting the impeachment of President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed, which falls short of the legal requirements rendering the motion "invalid", according to Buh. The impeachment document had accused the president, commonly known as Farmajo, of violating the constitution "by engaging (in a) secret memorandum of understanding with foreign countries." It specified control over Somalia's ports "and uniting the country with Ethiopia and Eritrea", two old enemies. The motion was filed after Farmajo met Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki for talks on cementing economic ties between their once-rival nations, and accepted by parliament's speaker on Sunday. The tri-nation diplomatic breakthrough was made possibly by a rapprochement between Ethiopia and Eritrea, engineered by Abiy. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) State governments and private players should play proactive role along with the Centre for improving ease of doing business in the country, according to experts. "Private businesses and state governments should play a proactive role to further improve the ease of doing business in the country," Straight Drive, a startup which works on promoting happiness at workplaces, founder Mukund Trivedy said Tuesday. He said that adoption of e-governance, linking of various agencies seamlessly for registration of businesses and properties will further improve india's ranking. "It will increase efficiency and transparency and cut corrupt practices. These are critical to figure in the top 50th rank in the World Bank's doing business index," he added. He was speaking at a roundtable conference on 'Ease of Doing Business in India: Improvements and Imperatives' here. Neha Agarwal from PwC said the Centre is taking several steps to improve the business environment. Ease of doing business ranking of states has created a competitive environment among all the states to work in this direction, she added. Happy Horizon Founder Kshitiz Anand, who is working in education sector, said that states like Bihar needs to focus more on attracting investors, creating jobs and contain migration of talent to other states. Mohan Krishnan, startup consultant, stated that states and the Centre should also work to improve ease of doing business for startups to promote innovation and entrepreneurship. India improved its ranking on the World Bank's 'ease of doing business' report for the second straight year, jumping 23 places to the 77th position on the back of reforms related to insolvency, taxation and other areas. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Drug firm Science Tuesday said its joint venture (JV) firm has received approval from the US regulator for Albendazole tablets, used in the treatment of certain infections caused by tapeworm. Strides Vivimed Pte Ltd, Singapore, a 50:50 joint venture with Vivimed Labs, has received approval from the Food & Drug Administration (US FDA) for Albendazole tablets in the strength of 200 mg, Science said in a BSE filing. This is the second generic approval by US FDA for Albendazole tablets, the company added. Science said the approved product is a generic version of Inc's Albenza tablets. Quoting IQVIA MAT data, Strides Pharma Science said the US market for Albendazole tablets USP 200 mg is approximately USD 100 million. Shares of Strides Pharma Science were trading 1.22 per cent higher at Rs 436 apiece on BSE. An Afghan official says a suicide car bomber has struck a security convoy on the outskirts of Kabul, killing four security forces. Nasrat Rahimi, deputy spokesman for the Interior Ministry, said six other forces were wounded in Tuesday's attack. No one immediately claimed responsibility, but the Taliban and an Islamic State affiliate have both carried out attacks in the capital. Elsewhere in Afghanistan, the Taliban attacked a checkpoint in the southern Kandahar province late Monday, killing eight police. Aziz Ahmad Azizi, the spokesman for the provincial governor, said 11 insurgents were killed in the battle. The Taliban control nearly half of Afghanistan and carry out daily attacks that mainly target security forces. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Eminent economist Surjit Bhalla, who had raised eyebrows over the involvement of NITI Aayog in the release of re-stated economic growth numbers of the previous UPA regime, has resigned as a member of the Prime Minister's Economic Advisory Council (PMEAC). "I resigned as a part-time member of PMEAC on December 1," he said in a Twitter post. He broke the a day after Urjit Patel's unexpected resignation as the RBI Governor amid a standoff with the government over a range of issues. The Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister (EAC-PM) is an independent body constituted to give advice on economic and related issues to the government. Prime Minister Narendra Modi constituted the council, which was a regular feature in the previous UPA regime, in September last year. The six-member council consists of economists of high repute and eminence and is headed by Bibek Debroy. It has four part-time members and a member secretary in Ratan P Watal, a former bureaucrat. A Prime Minister's Office spokesman said that Bhalla's resignation has been accepted by the Prime Minister. In an another tweet, Bhalla said, "...as I explained in my 6.30 am tweet I resigned from the pmeac and the reasons were also given - consultancy with CNN IBN and work on a book about indian elections since 1952 and my resignation was effective Dec 1 when I joined CNN IBN." Bhalla, who appeared to be usually supportive of the government policies, in a newspaper column on December 1 raised questions about the involvement of NITI Aayog in releasing the so-called back-series GDP data. "I, along with others, also found it inappropriate for NITI Aayog to be directly involved in the presentation of statistical data by the CSO (Central Statistics Office)," he wrote in the December 1 article. He, however, in the article supported lowering of the GDP growth during the UPA regime. NITI Aayog vice-chairman Rajiv Kumar was alongside Pravin Srivastava, Chief Statistician of India, when the CSO on November 28 released the revised GDP growth rates for 2006 to 2012 period on grounds that data was recalibrated to reflect a more accurate picture of the economy. The terms of reference of EAC-PM include analysing any issue referred to it by the Prime Minister. It also addresses issues of macroeconomic importance. The six-member Council consists of eminent economists: Bibek Debroy (Chairman), Shri Ratan P Watal (member secretary), Rathin Roy (part-time member), Ashima Goyal (part-time member) and Shamika Ravi (part-time member). Previously, Bhalla has taught at the Delhi School of Economics and served as executive director of the Policy Group in New Delhi, the country's first non-government funded think tank. He is the author of several academic articles as well as three books on globalisation and its effects on the world economy. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The ruling TRS was leading in seven constituencies and Congress and BJP in one each, according to early trends in the counting of votes in the Telangana assembly elections Tuesday. Trends were available for nine constituencies at 9 AM. Postal ballots were taken up for counting initially. Senior TRS leader T Harish Rao, a minister in the Caretaker government, was leading in Siddipet by 13,040 votes over his nearest TJS rival Bhavani Reddy after the completion of the third round, according to official figures. In Zaheerabad, TRS nominee Manik Rao was leading by 738 votes after the first round. Elections were held on December 7 to the 119-member Assembly and the counting was taken up this morning. The ruling TRS and BJP are going it alone, while the Congress has forged an alliance with Telugu Desam Party (TDP), CPI and Telangana Jana Samiti (TJS). (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Thailand's junta has lifted a ban on political campaigning ahead of 2019 elections, according to an order published by the Royal Gazette Tuesday, four years after it was introduced following the kingdom's latest coup. "Political parties should be able to campaign to present their policies," the order said, adding it comes into immediate effect with the poll, slated for February 24, looming. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Thailand's junta has lifted a ban on political campaigning ahead of 2019 elections, an order published by the Royal Gazette said Tuesday, more than four years after it was introduced following the kingdom's latest coup. One of the military's first acts after seizing power in May 2014 was to outlaw political activity of all kinds as it headed off opposition in a country notorious for its rowdy -- and often deadly -- street But the ban was officially lifted on Tuesday, with a return to polls slated for February 24. "Political parties should be able to campaign to present their policies," an order in palace mouthpiece the Royal Gazette said. The junta "has decided to amend or abolish the laws" which could inhibit campaigns before elections. Restrictions began to be eased in September, allowing political parties to recruit new members and elect leaders. But campaigns and street rallies remained banned. Tuesday's order opens the way raises the prospect of a return to street rallies that have defined much of the turbulent last decade of Thai But police will need to be informed of any political gatherings. The election date has repeatedly slipped, allowing the junta to carve out its own political party and woo defectors from its rivals including Pheu Thai, Thailand's biggest party which it dumped from office with its coup. The party is loyal to Yingluck Shinawatra, premier until shortly before the coup, and her older brother the billionaire Thaksin. The siblings both live in self-exile to avoid jail over convictions in Thailand. Parties loyal to the Shinawatra clan have won every Thai general election since 2001. But this time the junta has moved decisively to ensure Shinawatra-aligned parties can not win big at polls, critics say, driving through a new charter which dilutes the influence of big political parties and introduces a fully appointed upper house. Junta leader Prayut Chan-O-Cha has repeatedly insisted that he has no interest in But he has spent the last few months criss-crossing the country offering economic handouts and building alliances with local politicos. In recent months, the gruff former general has been showcasing a softer side through public appearances and photo opportunities. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Police Tuesday informed the that there appears to be a connection between and rationalist M M Kalburgi murder cases. The state police also told the apex court that it will file a chargesheet in the Kalburgi murder case in three months. A bench comprising Justices U U and Navin Sinha is hearing the matter related to the killing of the noted scholar and rationalist at Dharwad in 2015. The top court on November 26 had pulled up the government for "doing nothing and just fooling around" in the investigation and had indicated that it may transfer the case to Amid efforts to forge a joint front of non-BJP parties, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik Tuesday said there was no such firm grand alliance at the national level now and asserted that the Biju Janata Dal maintains equidistance from both the saffron party and the Congress. "There is no firm 'maha gatbandhan' at the moment and let's see what happens in the future," Patnaik told reporters while replying to a question on such an alliance being formed against the BJP at the national level. Top leaders of 21 Opposition parties had on Monday met in New Delhi and vowed to forge a united front to fight and defeat the BJP in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, alleging "systematic denigration of democracy" and assault on the Constitution and institutions like the RBI under the BJP government. Patnaik has so far not attended any meetings of the grand alliance nor did he send any BJD representative to attend such discussions. Asked about the possibility of an alliance ahead of the 2019 general elections in Odisha, Patnaik said, "As I said often before, the BJD remains equidistant from both the BJP and the Congress party." Odisha Assembly elections are due next year along with the Lok Sabha elections. When reporters drew his attention on his party's support to demonetisation and in the election to deputy chairperson of Rajya Sabha, the BJD chief said: "Though we have extended issue-based support, we remain equidistant from both the BJP and the Congress party. Replying to a question on the the ongoing Mahanadi water dispute with Chhattishgarh where the BJP lost to the Congress in the Assembly election, Patnaik said: "We hope of finding a resolution soon. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Taking potshots at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over the woes of the mining industry, the Goa Forward Party, its ally in Goa, said Tuesday that "those in the government" are "high on drama and low on action". GFP president and Goa Town and Country Planning Minister Vijai Sardesai met representatives of those dependent on the mining industry in Delhi. Talking to PTI on phone after the meeting, Sardesai said his party puts Goans first. "Unfortunately, so far those in the government are high on drama and low on action," he said. The mining activity in Goa has come to a standstill following a Supreme Court order which set aside renewal of 88 mining leases in the state in February this year. "What we need is action to give relief to three lakh people (who are dependent of mining) and restart an activity which is the mainstay of Goa's economy," Sardesai said. "Those who are part of the establishment" should state clearly that this problem is unsolvable and "stop playing hide and seek with people's livelihood", he said. On the demand that his party walk out of the government to express solidarity with the mining-dependent people, Sardesai said, "Let them(the BJP) come out in the open (with its stand). Then we will do what we have to do ....We are Goans first before we are ministers and MLAs." His party has been demanding for long that an ordinance be brought to help the mining industry, he said. "We are willing to go to any extent if those making decisions do not find a solution," he said. He refused to comment on election results in five states, but added that "this is a good time to remember that the Goa government exists because of our support to (chief minister) Manohar Parrikar, not to the BJP." Parrikar, who underwent treatment for a pancreatic ailment in the United States earlier this year and later at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in Delhi, is recuperating at his residence. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Thousands of protesters on Tuesday took to the streets in northern Myanmar against the jailing of three anti-war activists in a rare public display of anger. Lum Zawng, Nang Pu and Zau Jet were sentenced Friday to six months in prison and fined about USD 320 each for defaming the military after helping organise a demonstration in Kachin state's capital Myitkyina in April. They were highlighting the plight of thousands of civilians trapped by the fighting between the military and ethnic Kachin insurgents in one of the world's longest-running civil wars. On Tuesday demonstrators, many with faces painted in Kachin's red and green colours, held banners aloft and chanted slogans against the activists' imprisonment and the judiciary. "We demand the authorities release our people immediately," protest leader Naw Aung told AFP after the march, which wound its way to the city's main stadium. The organisers said some 4,000 people took part in the demonstration, including many languishing in around 30 displacement camps around the city. Police gave AFP a more conservative estimate of 1,700 participants, although acknowledged that more people joined later. The EU and rights groups have urged Myanmar's government to quash the convictions and release all three activists. Rebels have clashed with the powerful military for more than six decades in the restive state over autonomy, ethnic identity, drugs, jade and other natural resources. Fighting surged dramatically this year, forcing thousands to flee to camps in remote parts of the state with inadequate access to aid. More than 106,000 people are still living in camps across Kachin and Shan states, their plight recently overshadowed by the separate Rohingya crisis in western Rakhine state. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Three policemen were suspended after a man arrested in a gangrape case escaped from their custody in Goa, police said Tuesday. Ishwar Makwana, 24, arrested by the Goa Police in May this year for allegedly raping a woman, gave police the slip on Monday when he was brought to the Chest Disease & T B Hospital here for medical treatment. "Head constable Rajendra Tamshe and constables Ladu Ravul and Sanjay Khandeparkar, of the Goa Police's escort cell, who had brought Makwana to the hospital, were suspended on Monday evening for lapse in duty after the accused escaped from their custody," a senior police official said. Makwana, who hails from Indore in Madhya Pradesh (MP), and two other men - Ram Bhariya and Sanjiv Pal - had allegedly raped and robbed a 20-year-old woman at a beach in South Goa district on May 24, he said. All the three accused were subsequently arrested and lodged at the Central Jail at Colvale in North Goa district. Makwana had been booked in the past in MP for various offences, including killing a couple in Indore. He also carried a reward of Rs 20,000 on his head, police said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Three more persons were Tuesday arrested in connection with the abduction and killing of diamond trader Rajeshwar Udani. Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone VII) Akhilesh Singh identified the three arrested persons as Mahesh Bhoisar (31), Nikhat alias Jhara Khan (20) and Saista Sarwar Khan (41), adding that they were part of the conspiracy and had a role in the trader's killing. With these arrests, the number of people held for Udani's killing now stood at six, police said. Ghatkopar-resident Udani had gone missing on November 28 and, on Friday, his decomposed body was found in Panvel in neighbouring Raigad district. An autopsy revealed fractures on the body and also that he had been strangulated, police said. On Monday, police had arrested Pranit Joma Bhoi (20) who had allegedly driven the car used in Udani's abduction. The others arrested in the case include Sachin Pawar, a former personal assistant of a Maharashtra minister, and Dinesh Pawar, a suspended police constable who was earlier arrested in a rape case. The two were arrested on Saturday and are in police custody till December 14. Police said the three arrested Tuesday have been charged with murder, kidnapping and conspiracy under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Three policemen were killed Tuesday when Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorists attacked a guard post outside a minority pocket in south Kashmir's Shopian district, officials said. The attack took place this afternoon when four policemen were sitting in a pre-fabricated room outside the pocket that houses six Kashmiri pandit families. A senior police official said that six Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorists were led by former Special Police Officer Adil Bashir, who deserted in October and decamped eight weapons from a PDP legislator. Quoting eyewitnesses, the police officer said that militants fired indiscriminately, killing three policemen on the spot and critically injuring one. The deceased were identified as Abdul Majid, Manzoor Ahmed and Mohammed Amin. The injured policeman was rushed to a hospital, where his condition was stated to be critical, the official said. At the time of the incident, only one family was present there. Immediately after the shoot out, the terrorists fled with three Self Loading Rifles (SLRs) of the policemen, the official said, adding a cordon and search operation has been launched to nab the criminals. The official said that an intercept had been received in which it was clear that Jaish-e-Mohammed, a banned terrorist organisation, was behind the barbaric act. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) India captain has maintained his top spot, returned to top five while achieved a career-high ranking of 33 in the latest for batsmen and bowlers. Pujara's knocks of 123 and 71 were the cornerstone of India's victory in the opening Test against at the Adelaide Oval. Pujara has now moved ahead of Joe Root and David Warner in fourth position. He trails third-ranked Smith by 55 points, and leads Root by 39 points. India fast bowler Bumrah has achieved a career-high ranking of 33rd, after his three for 47 and three for 68 at Adelaide helped him to rise five places. Kane Williamson has become the first New Zealand batsman and 32nd overall to break the 900-point barrier in the ICC Player Rankings for Test Batsmen following a stellar performance in the third Test against Pakistan, which helped his side to win their first away series in 49 years. Williamson scored 89 and 139 in Abu Dhabi last week, which set up New Zealand's convincing 123-run victory over Pakistan. This performance not only helped Williamson to win the Player of the Match award, but also earn 37 points in the latest player rankings, which, in turn, has allowed him to leapfrog Australia's into second position on a career-high 913 points. As a result, Kohli has conceded 15 points to slip to 920 points, just seven points ahead of Williamson. With Williamson breathing down Kohli's neck, the India captain will be under pressure to perform strongly with the bat in the second Test starting in Perth from Friday otherwise he will potentially lose his number-one ranking he has been holding since the Edgbaston Test against England in August. While Williamson shone with the bat in Abu Dhabi and was richly rewarded, number-one ranked Kohli managed only three and 34 in his side's impressive 31-run victory over at the Adelaide Oval. The other two notable movers from the Adelaide Test are Ajinkya Rahane in 17th (up by two places) and Mitchell Starc in 16th (up by two places). Amongst the newcomers, Australia's Marcus Harris has entered in 116th batting position, while amongst the bowlers, off-spinner William Somerville of New Zealand has emerged in 63rd spot and Pakistan fast bowler Shaheen Afridi has popped up in 111th place. Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayanasamy led the union territory in paying tributes to nationalist poet Subramania Bharathi on his 136th birth anniversary Tuesday. Deputy Speaker V P Sivakolundhu, legislators, delegates of different Tamil outfits and officials were among those who paid tributes at the revolutionary poet's statue near Raj Nivas here. The chief minister later drove to Bharathiar Memorial-cum-museum located at the place where the poet lived in the union territory for 10 years when it was under French rule. Popularly known as "Mahakavi Bharathi," he was a zealous freedom fighter, journalist and social reformer. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The ruling TRS will form its second successive government in Telangana and was heading for a landslide with its candidates winning 53 seats and leading in 35 others, in a resounding endorsement of its chief K Chandrasekhar Rao's popularity. Rao himself won by a margin of over 51,000 votes from his Gajwel seat, trouncing V Pratap Reddy of the Congress. Rao's son K T Rama Rao and nephew T Harish Rao, both ministers in his caretaker government, also won. The Congress has clinched 13 seats so far and is leading in six. Its ally TDP is leading in two seats. Rao had dissolved the Assembly in September, eight months ahead of schedule, in a political gamble that paid off handsomely, as the party is expected to improve on its previous strength of 63 in the 119-seat Assembly. However, TRS's strength had risen to 82 after defections from TDP and Congress. "The people reposed faith in the leadership of our chief minister and they did not believe in the disinformation campaign of the opposition," said T Harish Rao, a minister and nephew of Chandrasekhar Rao who won the Siddipet seat by a staggering 1,18,499 votes said. Though only 60 seats are required for a simple majority, the TRS looks set to end up with close to three fourths of the seats in its kitty. Ministers in the caretaker government Tummala Nageswar Rao, Jupally Krishna Rao, P Mahender Reddy, Telangana Congress working president Revanth Reddy, senior Congress leader Jana Reddy and state BJP president K Laxman are among those trailing. The AIMIM of Asaduddin Owaisi, a party friendly to the TRS, won the Bahadurpura seat where its candidate Mohammed Moazam Khan was declared elected. AIMIM candidates are leading in four other places, including Chandrayangutta, where Asaduddin's younger brother Akbaruddin has established an unassailable lead of over 67,000 votes. Akbaruddin is seeking a 5th straight term from the seat. The rolling TRS juggernaut demolished all hopes the BJP had of making inroads into Telangana. Ploughing a lonely furrow after Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and TDP supremo Chandrababu Naidu walked out of the NDA a few months ago, BJP candidates have managed to stay ahead of their rivals in only two seats of Karwan and Goshamahal. Celebrations erupted in TRS offices throughout the state as well as in the Telangana Bhavan, the party headquarters in Hyderabad. Dancing to drum-beats, TRS workers burst firecrackers and distributed sweets. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The TRS on Tuesday looked set to form its second successive government in Telangana with a thumping majority, with party candidates winning two assembly seats and leading in 90 others, in a body blow to the Congress-led opposition alliance. The state has a 119-member assembly. The first two results have gone in favour of the TRS with its candidates M Sanjay Kumar and Sunke Ravishankar winning the Jagtial and Choppadandi seats. Despite allegations of perpetuating "family rule", TRS chief K Chandrasekhar Rao (Gajwel), his son K T Rama Rao (Sircilla) and nephew T Harish Rao (Siddipet) have established comfortable lead over their rivals, as the party's gamble to go in for early elections seems to be paying off. If the current trend continues, the TRS may end up with at least a two-thirds majority in the 119-member House. Congress candidates were leading in 16 seats and its ally TDP in two. BJP nominees were ahead of their rivals in two seats. The party had five members in the dissolved assembly. Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi's AIMIM, which K Chandrasekhar Rao calls a "friendly party", is leading in five places and others in two. The Congress has, meanwhile, said it suspected "manipulation" of the EVMs, and demanded that all votes be counted using the VVPAT (Voter Verified Paper Audit Trail) to ascertain the exact number of votes polled by each candidate. "Going by the distorted trends, there is a strong suspicion that EVM machines have been manipulated. We demand that 100 percent counting of VVPAT (Voter Verified Paper Audit Trail) must be taken up in all constituencies. "All Congress candidates should submit letters to their returning officers demanding counting of VVPAT paper trails," a communication from the Congress quoted state party president N Uttam Kumar Reddy as saying. With defeat staring the opposition alliance in the face, CPI general secretary Suravaram Sudhakar Reddy alleged: "Huge distribution of money, particulary on the last day (before the election)...purchasing the votes..this must have resulted in this victory for TRS." Claiming that the elections were not free and fair, Reddy said it was not a moral but only "technical" victory for the TRS. Senior TDP leader Ravula Chandrasekhar Reddy said the factors leading to the drubbing needed to be analysed. "We were expecting to get more seats. The results are not to our expectations. we have to analyse and introspect where it went wrong, and we have to work together," Reddy told PTI, adding people's verdict needed to be respected. The Congress had forged an pre-poll opposition alliance with the TDP, Telangana Jana Samiti and the CPI. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) US President Donald Trump sees his impeachment as a "real possibility" over finance violations during the 2016 campaign, according to a media report. Impeachment talks have ratcheted up in recent days following a blockbuster filing from prosecutors in the Southern District of New York in which they directly alleged for the first time that Trump's former attorney Michael Cohen was being directed by the president when he broke the law during the 2016 presidential campaign, CNN said. Trump has expressed concern that he could be impeached when Democrats take over the House, CNN quoted a source close to the president as saying. Trump is facing off against a series of accusations put together by a team of investigators. Special counsel Robert Mueller has launched an 18-month investigation into the legitimacy of Donald Trump's 2016 election win. A source close to the White House told CNN that aides inside the West Wing believe "the only issue that may stick" in the impeachment process is the campaign finance violations tied to former Cohen's payouts to Trump's alleged mistresses, according to the report. Prosecutors said Trump's lawyer clearly sought to influence the outcome of the 2016 election from the sidelines through illicit payments. Under US federal law, any payments made for the "purpose of influencing" an election must be reported in campaign finance disclosures. Prosecutors said Cohen took great steps to hide the payments, creating shell companies, using fake invoices and sending them in small amounts so they wouldn't arouse suspicion. He arranged for a USD 130,000 payment to adult film star Daniels, which prosecutors concluded violated campaign finance law prohibitions against donations of more than USD 2,700 in a general election. Trump has denied all wrongdoing and compared the investigations to a witch hunt. Democrats are suggesting Trump committed an impeachable offense and could be sent to prison when his term in the White House is over. The incoming chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, Jerry Nadler, said Sunday the allegations, if proven, would constitute "impeachable offenses." Democratic Senator Chris Coons said on Monday Trump could be indicted after he leaves office. Cohen first made the allegation in court in September that he was directed by Trump to make the payments to the two women, Stormy Daniels and Karen McDougal. Prosecutors endorsed the allegation in a sentencing document for Cohen on Friday, in which they said Cohen should receive a "substantial sentence" for the crimes he committed, which included campaign finance violations for the payments to the two women, tax fraud and lying to Congress. White House officials, at the moment, still don't believe special counsel Mueller's investigation into possible collusion will result in impeachment. Officials are also comforted by their belief that the campaign finance issue is not seen as enough to galvanize bipartisan support for impeachment, the report said. Another separate source said Trump remains confident at this point that, while he could be impeached in the House, he doesn't believe he would be convicted in the Senate as the Republicans remains in control there. The campaign finance issue tied to the alleged mistresses is not viewed as having the firepower to trigger a bipartisan vote for conviction and removal in the Senate, the source said. These beliefs about the at play in impeachment proceedings are based on what White House officials believe Mueller has on Trump right now. It's still unclear exactly where else the special counsel's probe could go, the report said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) US President Donald Trump had a heated exchange of words with Democratic leaders Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer over the border wall during a meeting at the White House on Tuesday, with both sides showing no signs of compromise, saying they were ready for a government shutdown. Trump has made securing the country's southern border with Mexico a focal point of his presidency, with plans to beef up border security and create a wall as key components. "If we don't get what we want one way or the other, whether it's through you, through military, through anything you want to call, I will shut down the government," Trump told reporters in the Oval Office with Congresswoman Pelosi and Senator Schumer sitting by his side along with Vice President Mike Pence. Pelosi is all set to be the Speaker of the US House of Representatives next month, when the new Congress comes into session. Trump's meeting with Pelosi and Schumer was part of their plan to discuss about the contentious agenda for the new Congress. Their media interaction, both inside and outside the Oval Office in the White House, reflected that the two sides are unwilling to budge from their stand. "I am proud to shut down the government for border security, Chuck, because the people of this country don't want criminals and people that have lots of problems and drugs pouring into our country. "So I will take the mantle. I will be the one to shut it down. I'm not going to blame you for it. The last time you shut it down, it didn't work. I will take the mantle of shutting down. and I'm going to shut it down for border security," Trump told Schumer and Pelosi, in front of a battery of White House reporters. Schumer alleged that it was Trump who was threatening a government shutdown. Pelosi described it as a Trump shutdown. "Unfortunately, this has spiraled downward. You will not win," Pelosi told Trump. "We think you shouldn't shut it down. One thing that I think we can agree on is we shouldn't shut down the government over a dispute, and you want to shut it down," Schumer told Trump. Later, he told reporters inside the White House that the Democrats are not going to agree to fund the border wall as being demanded by Trump. And the Democrats are ready for a government shutdown if it leads to that. "This Trump shutdown, this temper tantrum... It's hard to believe that he would want that," Pelosi said. "We gave the President two options that would keep the government open. It's his choice to accept one of those options or shut the government down," Pelosi and Schumer said in a joint statement. Trump insisted that he is determined to build the border wall. "We're going to see, but I will tell you the wall will get built. We'll see what happens. It's not an easy situation because the Democrats have a different view I think that I can say from the Republicans. We have great Republican support. We don't have Democrat support, but we're going to talk about that now. We're going to see," he said. "One thing that I do have to say is tremendous amounts of wall have already been built. And a lot of wall when you include the renovation of existing fences and walls, we've renovated a tremendous amount and we've done a lot work in San Diego, we're building new walls right now and right next San Diego, we've completed a major section of wall and it's really worked well," Trump said. "A lot of wall has been built. We don't talk about that, but we might as well start because it's being built right nw. Big sections of wall, and we will continue that and one way or the other it's going to get built," said the US President. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) 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. [BEST25]Sex Toys for Women in IndiaThat Can Help You Have an Orgasm There are many women who pretend to feel orgasm during sex. But don't worry, you don't have to pretend to feel orgasm... Vibrators A vibrator is a sextoy that vibrates with an Egg-Vibrator to provide stimulation and is often referred to simply as a vibrator. Some vibrate as well as rotate, and there are many variations of sextoy. It is quite a popular sextoy, and is well recognized by people who do not know much about sextoy. Its usage is similar to that of a massager, but it is more compact and easier to carry than a massager, and many of them look as cute as a lipstick or a macaroon, so they are popular among women. For a while, a famous influencer on twitter said, This is good! You may have heard of the topic of this article by introducing the recommended vibrators. Vibrators are great for women to use on their own, but they are also recommended for men who have difficulty satisfying women with sex. Since it is powered by electricity, it is far less tiring than moving your hands by yourself. This makes it easier to satisfy a woman with sex because you can caress her for longer than usual. Vibrators are mainly used on the female side, but they can also be used on men. When used on men, they are used to attack the nipples and glans, and in both cases it is recommended to wear a condom for hygiene reasons. Introducing how to use the vibrator, its purpose, and how to choose it! Vibrator uses the vibrations caused by the rotation of the motor to provide stimulation. It is one or two of the most... Dildo A dildo is a model sextoy made to mimic a male penis. It can be made of silicone, elastomer (think of it as a material similar to PVC), metal or glass. A dildo can be used by a man for his female partner during sex, or by a woman for masturbation to get pleasure from it. They are mainly inserted into women, but some can be used in the male anus as well. It is sometimes used synonymously with vibrators, but the vibrator is not the same thing as a vibrating device. A model of a penis that does not vibrate is a dildo. Some of them have suction cups that can be attached to the floor or wall so that you can enjoy realistic masturbation without using your hands. For fun, there is a dildo made in the shape of your partners penis. This one is also popular as a gift, and if youve been together for a long time and are having trouble finding a gift for your partner, you might want to pick one. To learn more about dildo, please click here. What is Dildo: Orgasms with Dildos for Men and Women A dildo is a model of a male organ that is used by women for masturbation and by men to stimulate the prostate gland. Th... Electric Masserger A Electric Masserger is a hand-held electric massager, also known as a handheld massager, and can usually be purchased at electronics stores. It was originally designed to relieve stiff shoulders and back pain, so the hurdle of buying one in a physical store is quite low. Many people may have seen or used it in some form or another, as it is often installed in leisure hotels. Such a massager is highly recommended for beginners because it is easy for women to get pleasure from it when they use it during masturbation. It is larger than Egg-Vibrator and vibrations are stronger than those of Egg-Vibrators and vibrators, so even just hitting the clitoris can give you a great deal of pleasure. For those women who have never had an orgasm during sex with their man, the massager may be a good way to get a feel for what it feels like to have an orgasm. It looks and feels like an electric massager, so you wont have to feel awkward if your roommate finds out. If you are in a rut of having sex with your partner, if you want to feel an orgasm through masturbation, or if you are thinking of using a sextoy, why dont you try it from a simple massager? To learn more about Electric Masserger, click here. What is a massager? Introducing types, selection methods, and usage Originally, the Magic-wand vibrator and the massage machine were sold as a home massage machine used for the back and th... How to choose a sextoy for Indian Now that weve covered the different types of sextoy, heres how to choose one. Especially if you are trying sextoy for the first time, pay attention to the following three points: Does the size fit you (the partner)? Does the size fit you (your partner)? Is the environment able to produce sound without problems? Price range First of all, the choice of size is quite important. Most sextoy are used against or inserted into the genitals, but the genitals are very delicate organs for both men and women. For this reason, using an inappropriate size may cause damage. Secondly, the environment should be able to produce sound without problems. Some sextoys not only wear, but also rotate and vibrate. Its easier to get pleasure from something that moves than something that doesnt, but the fact that it moves means that the internal rotors make some noise. If you live in a house with thin walls or if you have roommates, you may not be able to concentrate because of the noise, so it is best to choose one that is silent or has a low noise level. Especially in India, where many people live with their families, it is very important that you dont have to worry about sound when you use it. Finally, there is the price range. The price range of sextoy ranges widely, from around RS500 at the cheapest to RS10,000 or more at the highest. Its good to consider how much money you can afford and how much you want to buy. Do you want your family to not find out about sextoy? I live with my family and want to use sextoy without them finding out! If you are a man, you should buy a camouflage sextoy that does not look like a sextoy at first glance. For men, there are many masturbators that do not look like a sextoy, and for women, there are vibrators that only look like cosmetics. If you choose such a type, youll be safe in case your family members find out. How to buy sextoys in India The best way to purchase sextoy is through online shopping. For more information on how to purchase sextoy, please see the article below. Sextoy is one of them. Therefore, you can easily get sextoy in India by using online shopping. SexToysINDIA is a long established and stable sextoy store and you can have sextoy delivered to any place in India. They also offer cash on delivery, so those who are worried about shopping with a credit card do not have to worry. Of course, the latest security is in place, so your information will not be taken out when you use your credit card. To begin with, many people may be concerned about whether they are legally allowed to purchase sextoy. ikmAs it turns out, its not illegal. Right now, it is not open to the public because the Indian adult market is still in the development stage, but it will gradually spread from now on. Take advantage of sextoy and open the door to new pleasures and culture. Cautions for Indians using sextoy When using sextoy, keep the following three things in mind Keep sex toys clean Watch out for electrical leakage Beware of the heat generated by the body while using a sex toy As I mentioned earlier, many sextoy products are used for the delicate zone. Therefore, it is most important to keep the sextoy itself clean. It is very important to keep the sextoy itself clean, because if a slight scratch is created by friction, bacteria can enter and breed there. It is safe to wear a condom when using the masturbator, just in case. In addition, many sextoy devices are powered by a power source, so if they are not waterproof, there is a possibility of electric shock or malfunction due to wetness. Some may even develop heat during continuous use. If the fever becomes too much, you may get burned, so be careful. If you get a fever during use, stop driving the sextoy immediately and refrain from using it. You will enjoy sex more if you keep it safe and use it correctly. Summary What did you think? In this article, we have introduced the recommended sextoy for the beginners of sextoy in India. The sextoy market is growing rapidly in India and it will continue to grow steadily in the future. As India is a rather closed-minded country, it can be difficult to be open about ones sexual habits and values. However, being faithful to ones desires by properly dissolving ones sexual desire is very effective for ones physical and mental health. If this is your first time to learn about sextoy, or if you are interested in using sextoy, why not give it a try? Indian Sextoys for ur best! will introduce you to sextoy and other trivia about sextoy, sexuality, and sexuality for men and women. I want to read more! If you think its a great idea, please bookmark it. Donald Trump's White House turnover has been the highest in decades, a top historian has said, days after the US President announced that his Chief of Staff John Kelly would be leaving the administration soon. Trump's White House had the "highest 73 per cent turnover" of top-ranked staff experienced by any recent president, Martha Joynt Kumar, who is director of the White House Transition Project, told PTI. "Among the Assistants to the President group, President Trump's White House had the highest turnover of top-ranked staff experienced by any recent president," she said. An emeritus professor of political science at Towson University, Kumar said the group of approximately two dozen White House staff titled assistant to the president form a president's core leadership team. The turnover at this level is particularly important for the stability and direction of the presidential decision-making process. President Trump is now in the process of appointing his third Chief of Staff after he announced last week that Kelly will be leaving the White House by the year end. "I am in the process of interviewing some really great people for the position of White House Chief of Staff," Trump wrote on Twitter on Sunday. "Fake has been saying with certainty it was Nick Ayers, a spectacular person who will always be with our #MAGA agenda. I will be making a decision soon!" he said. There were changes in the Chief's office beyond moving from Reince Priebus to Kelly as Chief of Staff, Kumar said. Sharing the details of her research of "assistant the President Staff Turnover at the 23-Month Mark" which makes a comparative study of all US presidents since Ronald Regan (1981-89), Kumar said a whopping 70 per cent or 30 of the 41 assistants to the president appointed in the first year of Trump's presidency left their original position by approximately 23-month mark. The White House turnover of former president George H W Bush was the lowest with just 18 per cent (only three of the 17 assistants appointed in the first year left their original position.) Bush was followed by his son George W Bush (24 per cent or five out of 21), Barack Obama (28 per cent or nine out of 32); Ronald Regan (38 per cent or six out of 19) and Bill Clinton (54 per cent or 14 out of 26 senior staffers left their positions by the end of the second year). According to the forthcoming research paper 'Energy or Chaos?', turnover at the top of President Trump's White House' also has the distinction of the largest number of people (54) working for him in senior leadership position in the first two years. Trump is followed by Obama and Clinton under whose first two years of presidency, 33 people worked at senior leadership positions. George H W Bush had just 18, while his son had 24 people in their first two years. Regan had 21 people in senior leadership positions in the first two years. According to Kumar, the level of turnover has led to leadership changes in the dozen White House offices that are key to the processing of presidential decisions; to the policies a chief executive develops, initiates, and implements; and to those units charged with managing a president's relationships with those outside of the administration. Without a team working together, it is difficult for a president's staff to coordinate its plans and work as well as develop and articulate commonly-shared presidential priorities and goals, she said. Kumar said that one of the reasons for a brisk White House staff turnover was a failure by the president and his transition team to choose people who together represented a balanced White House staff. The position of Deputy Chief of Staff with responsibility for carrying out the Chief's orders passed to four people within 16 months, she said. Katie Walsh had the position when Reince Priebus was Chief, and it passed to Kirstjen Nielsen when Kelly took over the post. While she was there, the position was renamed to indicate her role as the Principal Deputy Chief of Staff among the three deputies. After Nielsen left the White House in 2017 to become Secretary of Homeland Security, the position remained vacant until February 2018 when a White House press release announced the appointment of James Carroll to the deputy position at the Assistant level, she said. According to Kumar, what many see as staff chaos, Trump views as staff energy. "Presidents view staff success on their own terms, where their highest priority may or may not be their capacity to develop and carry out policy sustainable among the branches and levels of government," she said. Having a hierarchical system with clear lines of authority was an organisational priority for both Presidents Bush and, to a lesser extent, Reagan, she said, adding that has not been the case with President Trump. Kelly exit from the White House is the latest in a series of reshuffles in the Trump administration. Trump appointed State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert as the US' next ambassador to the UN, replacing Indian-origin Nikki Haley who said in October that she would step down at the end of the year. Former secretary of state Rex Tillerson was fired by Trump on March 13 after rifts between them. On Friday, Trump tweeted that Tillerson was "dumb as a rock" and "lazy as hell". James Comey, the FBI director, who led the Russia probe before Mueller, was fired by Trump in May last year. Michael Flynn resigned in February last year as Trump's national security adviser. Trump replaced H R McMaster on March 22 with John Bolton as the national security adviser. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Blaming President Donald Trump for an imminent government shutdown for his stand on a border wall, Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi on Tuesday said that American people cannot afford this. Trump has made securing the country's southern border with Mexico a focal point of his presidency, with plans to beef up border security and create a wall as key components. "The Trump shutdown is something that can be avoided, that the American people do not need at this time of economic uncertainty, people losing jobs, the market in a mood and the rest. It is a luxury. The Trump shutdown is a luxury that the American people cannot afford," Pelosi told reporters soon after her meeting with Trump at the White House. Senate Minority Leader Senator Chuck Schumer accompanies Pelosi, next Speaker of US House of Representatives, for the meeting with Trump and Vice President Mike Pence. "As I have mentioned to the President, he has the White House, the Senate, he has the House of Representatives all in Republican control, and he has the power to keep government open. Instead, he has admitted in this meeting that he will take responsibility," Pelosi said. Schumer said Trump made it clear that he wants a shutdown. "His position, if he sticks to his position for USD 5 billion wall, he will get no wall and he will get a shutdown. The bottom line is very, very simple. And that is we want border security, and we offered him border security, but Americans know that the wall, not paid for by Mexico anymore, is not the way to border security and the experts say that," he said. The Democrats, he said, offered the President two ways to avoid a shutdown. First, pass the six other appropriations bills that have been agreed to by the Democrats and the Republicans, and do a one-year extension of the Homeland Security bill by what's called a CR, which funds it the same way as last year, or do a one-year CR for all seven remaining appropriations bills. "Both of those ways, we gave the President two ways, each of which would get a majority of the votes in the House and 60 votes in the Senate and would avoid a shutdown, Schumer said. We hope that he will take it because a shutdown hurts too many innocent people and this Trump shutdown, this temper tantrum that he seems to throw, will not get him his wall, and it is going to hurt a lot of people, because he is going to cause a shutdown. He admitted that he wanted a shutdown. It is hard to believe that he would want that, Schumer said. Unfortunately, should the President choose to shut down the government, that we have a Trump Shutdown as a Christmas present, a holiday present to the American people, Pelosi said. The new Congress, which would have a Democratic majority in the House of Representatives, she said will be something different from the current Congress. It'll be a Congress of transparency. So that the American people can see not passing a tax bill with USD 7 trillion impact on the economy in the dark of night, speed of light, so that nobody can see what it is without hearings or any expert opinions on it, and is so it would be about transparency, she said. It will be about reaching out, and extending the hand of friendship to work in a bipartisan way to find common ground where they can, and stand their ground where they can't, Pelosi added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) / -- TV SD South Asia partners with Indian Leather Products Association (ILPA) & will support ILPA Buyer-Seller Summit (BSS) as a technical partner The two-day event organised by ILPA will showcase an international collection of some of the most recent and premium quality leather products from the manufacturers/exporters of Kolkata and will aim to reach newer markets The summit will be held in Kolkata on 28th & 29th January, 2019 TV SD, the German testing, inspection, training and certification giant, has partnered with Indian Leather Products Association (ILPA) as a technical and quality support provider for their annual Buyer-Seller Summit (BSS) 2019. The event will be held in Kolkata on 28th & 29th January, 2019 where 42 major manufacturers will be showcasing a wide range of premium leather products. The summit will be organised to expand footprint in newer markets and for showcasing premium quality leather products manufactured in eastern India. (Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/568955/TUV_SUD_South_Asia_Logo.jpg ) Through this association with ILPA, TV SD will support global buyers to register for the event. Interested stakeholders who wish to register for BSS can write to Mr. Jaideep Kohli, General Manager, Softlines (Footwear and Leather Products services), TV SD South Asia at Jaideep.Kohli@tuv-sud.in. Commenting on the partnership with ILPA, Mr. Ezhilan Neelan, Senior Vice President, Product Services, TV SD South Asia, said, "West Bengal accounts for almost 25% of the country's total leather exports. The state government, as part of its strategy to increase exports further, is identifying new markets for products that generate maximum revenue in trade. The Buyer-Seller Summit is in line with the government's initiative and aims to connect international buyers with local manufacturers. We are committed to providing our technical guidance and global expertise to support businesses/manufacturers in setting high benchmarks for the quality of products, while also improving cost and time efficiency." TV SD provides its leather testing services to a host of premium leather and footwear brands across the globe and in India. To increase their acceptability through pre-set compliance, quality and safety standards, TV SD supports them with a wide range of services. India is among the leading manufacturers of leather products across the world. TV SD's leather testing labs in Gurugram, Ambur and Ranipet provide comprehensive testing capabilities ranging from physical testing, performance and quality testing and regulatory testing in the leather and footwear sector. Additionally, TV SD has global leather affiliations that include AATCC, AAFA and FDRA along with active partnerships with global brands, retailers, importers and also the Council of Leather Exports (CLE) from India. The ILPA is a non-profit platform working towards driving growth and development of the Indian leather industry. Through BSS, ILPA aims to bring together the best manufacturers and exporters of Kolkata under one roof and facilitate trade relations between the manufacturers and buyers. To upskill the labour-intensive leather industry in Kolkata, ILPA undertakes skill-development trainings as well. Follow us on social media platforms: Twitter and LinkedIn About TV SD TV SD is a premium quality, safety, and sustainability solutions provider that specialises in testing, inspection, auditing, certification, training, and knowledge services. Since 1866, the company has remained committed to its founding principle of protecting people, property and the environment from technology-related risks. Headquartered in Munich, Germany, TV SD is represented in more than 1,000 locations worldwide. TV SD operates globally with a team of more than 24,000 multi-disciplinary experts recognised as specialists in their respective fields. By combining impartial expertise with invaluable insights, the company adds tangible value to businesses, consumers and the environment. The aim of TV SD is to support customers with a comprehensive suite of services worldwide to increase efficiency, reduce costs and manage risk. https://www.tuv-sud.com About TV SD South Asia TV SD South Asia is the leading consulting, testing, inspection and certification (TIC) company with presence across India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. With more than 1,400 employees, TV SD South Asia has serviced over 10,000 clients to date through the past two decades. It is present at 33 locations including 14 labs across the three countries. Today, TV SD South Asia is internationally competent to provide TIC solutions cutting across a wide range of sectors that include management systems, conventional and renewable energy, water, sanitation, environmental technology, infrastructure, transit systems, real estate, food, supply chain, agriculture, toys, consumer electronics, textiles, leather and related products, automobile and components, and technical as well as soft-skills training. For further details, visit: http://www.tuv-sud. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Two members of Islamic extremist group Ansarullah Bangla Team were arrested Tuesday for allegedly plotting to kill prominent Bangladeshi actor and filmmaker Khijir Hayat Khan. Members of Counter-Terrorism and Transnational Crime unit (CTTC) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police arrested Md Emdadul Islam alias Mehedi Hasan and Abu Bakar from Dhaka's Banani area early Tuesday morning, police said. Police said the two belonged to homegrown militant outfit Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT), blamed for a series of murders of secular activists, writers and bloggers since 2013, the Daily Star reported. The group is believed to be linked with Al-Qaeda in the Indian Sub-continent (AQIS). The ABT men created a group on Telegram messenger app and contacted with each other to plan the murder of Hayat, one of the script writers Mr Bangladesh', a film about thwarting terrorists that hit cinemas last month. The two also visited Hayat's village in Cumilla several times to murder him, the CTTC members claimed. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The UK Home Office confirmed Tuesday the receipt of the Westminster Magistrates' Court verdict in favour of Vijay Mallya's extradition to India. After Chief Magistrate Judge Emma Arbuthnot ruled that the "flashy" liquor baron had a "case to answer" in the Indian courts on allegations of fraud and money laundering amounting to nearly Rs 9,000 crores, the decision now lies with Home Secretary Sajid Javid to formally order the extradition. Javid, the senior-most British-Pakistani minister in the UK Cabinet, has two months to make that decision but the extradition process itself would take longer if the entire appeals process is taken into account. The UK Home Office said it has received the Westminster Magistrates' Court verdict for Mallya's extradition to India. "If after considering the case, the Home Secretary thinks extradition should go ahead he has to order the extradition within two months of the date the matter was referred to him," said a spokesperson for the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), which argued on behalf of the Indian government. "Whatever that decision, the losing side has up to 14 days within which to approach the High Court and seek leave to appeal," the spokesperson said. Mallya told reporters outside the courtroom after Monday's verdict that he will consider all his "options" and decide the process ahead. "Dr Mallya will be carefully considering the court's judgment and, therefore, it would not be appropriate to make any further comment at this time," said Anand Doobay, Partner at UK-based Boutique Law LLP, who has been Mallya's solicitor through the extradition process. Monday's verdict marked a major turning point in the case, which dates back to the erstwhile Kingfisher Airlines defaulting on loans sought from a series of state-owned Indian banks. The CPS argued that these loans were sought by Mallya with fraudulent intentions, who then misused the funds. The Chief Magistrate found there was "clear evidence of dispersal and misapplication of the loan funds" as she ruled there was a prima facie case of fraud and a conspiracy to money laundering against Mallya. The judge also dismissed any bars to extradition on the grounds of the prison conditions under which the 62-year-old businessman would be held, as she accepted the Indian government's assurances that he would receive all necessary medical care at Barrack 12 in Mumbai's Arthur Road Jail. However, the judge made a specific reference to some of the badly presented paperwork by the Indian authorities. While she did not accept Mallya's barrister Clare Montgomery's contention that the "atrocious state of the papers" in the case was indicative of the Indian government wanting to "throw everything" at the accused, she did note that there was no doubt the state of the papers presented by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the case had doubled the court's work. "What was missing was a volume by volume index and pagination which were clearly set out on every page. The state of the papers was not an indication that the CBI or ED were trying to throw everything at the RP (requested person: Mallya), but rather indicated that it had not stood back and considered what would help this court in making its decisions. "Without an index to each volume of papers and with sometimes three different paginations on each page, the court's job was made much more difficult," the judge said. She also made specific note of Mallya's decision not to give direct evidence in the case, which left some of the meetings he had with bankers unexplained. "There were no minutes made of these meetings that I have seen. Dr Mallya has not explained to the court what was said during them," Judge Arbuthnot noted. The ruling this week completes the first stage of the extradition process, which began in April last year with Mallya's arrest on an extradition warrant. He remains on the same bail conditions until the case moves on to an expected appeal stage. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Britain wants "legally binding" assurances from EU leaders it will not be trapped indefinitely in their customs union by the Irish "backstop" clause in the Brexit divorce, a minister said Tuesday. Martin Callanan, junior minister in the Department for Exiting the European Union, was speaking on arrival in Brussels for talks as Prime Minister Theresa May tours EU capitals in a bid to save her deal. On Monday, May postponed a bid to get the Brexit deal she negotiated with EU leaders last month past parliament, and now she wants new reassurances over the emergency backstop clause. EU leaders have warned repeatedly that the deal can not be "renegotiated" but EU president Jean-Claude Juncker - who May was to meet later Tuesday - has said there could be "further clarification and further interpretations". But this may not be enough for London. Callanan, arriving at the European Council for foreign policy talks with fellow ministers, said May was seeking a binding promise that the backstop is not indefinite. "Each side has their interests that they have to protect, and the Prime Minister is negotiating hard for the best interests of the UK," he told reporters. "Well, she wants additional legal reassurances that UK cannot be permanently trapped in the Irish backstop. That's been the issue all along and that is the issue that is the heart of the concerns expressed by many members of the parliament. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Twenty million people in war-torn Yemen are hungry a staggering 70 per cent of the population and a 15 per cent increase from last year and for the first time 250,000 are facing "catastrophe," the U.N. humanitarian chief said Monday. Mark Lowcock, who recently returned from Yemen, told reporters there has been "a significant, dramatic deterioration" of the humanitarian situation in the country and "it's alarming." He said that for the first time, 250,000 Yemenis are in Phase 5 on the global scale for classifying the severity and magnitude of food insecurity and malnutrition the severest level, defined as people facing "starvation, death and destitution." Lowcock, the U.N. undersecretary-general for humanitarian affairs, said those 250,000 Yemenis facing "catastrophe" are overwhelmingly concentrated in four provinces "where the conflict is raging quite intensely" Taiz, Saada, Hajja and Hodeida. The only other country where anyone is in Phase 5 is South Sudan, with 25,000 people affected, he added. Lowcock said there are also nearly 5 million Yemenis in Phase 4, which is defined as the "emergency" level, in which people suffer from severe hunger and "very high acute malnutrition and excess mortality" or an extreme loss of income that will lead to severe food shortages. He said these people live in 152 of Yemen's 333 districts, a sharp increase from 107 districts last year. Large numbers of people "have moved into a worse category of food insecurity" as a result of the war, Lowcock said. The conflict in Yemen began with the 2014 takeover of the capital of Sanaa by Iranian-backed Houthi rebels, who toppled the government of Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi. A Saudi-led coalition allied with Yemen's internationally recognized government has been fighting the Houthis since 2015. Saudi-led airstrikes have hit schools, hospitals and wedding parties and killed thousands of Yemeni civilians. The Houthis have fired long-range missiles into Saudi Arabia and targeted vessels in the Red Sea. Civilians have borne the brunt of the conflict, which has killed over 10,000 people and created the world's worst humanitarian crisis. "There's millions of Yemenis who are hungry and sick and scared and desperate and starving, but they've all got one message and their message is that they're at the end of their tether and they want this war to stop," Lowcock said. He said "there are millions and millions of people whose plight would be much, much worst but for the ongoing relief operation," which is currently reaching 8 million Yemenis. Lowcock said the U.N. plans to reach 15 million people next year and will be appealing for USD 4 billion compared to this year's USD 3 billion appeal and last year's USD 2 billion request. He said Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will host a pledging conference with Sweden and Switzerland in Geneva on February 26. And he welcomed a new USD 500 million pledge from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, key coalition members, saying he understands "it will be largely in response to the 2019 appeal." Lowcock stressed again the five key things needed to bring situation under control: A cessation of hostilities, especially around the key port of Hodeida, the "lifeline" where 70 per cent of food aid and imports are shipped in. "The vast majority of population who are in Houthi-controlled areas can basically be reached most easily and in some cases only through Hodeida," he said. Lowcock cited reports Monday that the coalition agreed that 17 vessels could come into port and said the U.N. is checking to see if that means fuel will be delivered to Hodeida. Lowcock said government revenue is probably about 15 per cent of its pre-war levels and billions of dollars will be needed next year just to finance the budget. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Often seen in wispy 'bandhini' and 'lahariya' chiffons, trademarks of not just Rajasthan craft but also of royalty, Vasundhara Raje is a politician to the manner born, a careful mix of hauteur and reserve -- even in defeat. The former royal, who is usually called Maharani, is expected to win her seat Jhalrapatan with a handsome margin but her party appeared headed for a loss to the Congress on Tuesday. As results came in and her party's defeat seemed imminent, she visited the BJP headquarters here but did not make a comment. This was her second term as chief minister and, in keeping with the tradition of voters choosing the Congress and the BJP alternately, the ruling party looks set to lose power. Trends showed a majority for the Congress, which was in the lead in 101 seats, miles ahead of its tally of 21 in 2013 when the BJP won a massive victory of 163 seats in the 200-member house. Raje, the daughter of Jivaji Rao Scindia, the last reigning Maharaja of Gwalior, and Vijayaraje Scindia, a prominent BJP leader, ruled Rajasthan as chief minister from 2003-2008 and from 2013-2018 and was leader of opposition from 2008 to 2013. The high-profile Raje, who blends well into the erstwhile land of kings and queens and grand forts, began her Rajasthan connect after her marriage into the erstwhile royal family of Dholpur in the eastern part of the state. Equally fluent in both Hindi and English, the 65-year-old, known for her glamour quotient and as a crowd puller, was born on international women's day on March 8 and is known for speaking her mind on issues. She slammed former JD(U) leader Sharad Yadav last week for body shaming her on the last day of campaigning by calling her fat and saying she needed rest. "I feel insulted. This is the insult of women," Raje said, adding that she was "absolutely shocked" and did not expect such a comment from an experienced leader. It is probably this matter of fact, candidness that has helped her overcome the many challenges in her political career. The five-time parliamentarian's style of functioning is described as 'autocratic' by many, within and outside the BJP. Senior BJP legislator Ghanshyam Tiwari had openly criticised her and complained to the high command, demanding action against her. Eventually, it was he who had to part ways from the party in June this year. Amid rumours of her differences with BJP president Amit Shah, Raje led the BJP's election campaign in the state and took out a Gaurav Yatra. The Congress termed it 'Vidai Yatra' but she was unperturbed. The Jal Swavalamban Abhiyan, an initiative for making villages self reliant in water conservation with the support of public, is among the programmes her government came to be known for. Despite her being a popular leader among masses, many complain that she continues to be imperious and does not keep in touch with common people. Raje, who did her schooling from Presentation Convent, Kodaikanal, Tamil Nadu, graduated with honours in Economics and Political Science from Sophia College, University of Mumbai. Her first brush with came in 1984 when she was made a member of the National Executive of the newly formed BJP. A year later, she was appointed vice president of the Yuva Morcha, Rajasthan, BJP. The same year, she was elected a member of the 8th Rajasthan Assembly from Dholpur. Raje was elected as MP from Jhalawar constituency in 1998 and also became the minister of state in the Ministry of External Affairs, working closely with then prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Raje has been the member of parliament for five times and has held various portfolios, including Small Scale Industries and Agro and Rural industries. Given that runs in the family, the four-time legislator's son Dushyant Singh is a BJP MP from Jhalawar. Raje may have lost this election but will surely be back to fight another day. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Congress is likely to go for a post-poll alliance in Rajasthan, where it is approaching towards a majority mark, former chief minister said on Tuesday. A minimum 101 seats is needed to form a government in the House of 200 in the desert state, and as of now the Congress has won 16 seats while leading on 85, taking its probable tally to 101. The BJP has won nine seats and is leading on 63. Gehlot indicated towards assembling an alliance by taking along willing parties and the candidates who have parted ways with the BJP. The Congress has contested the assembly elections with a pre-poll alliance on a total of five seats -- Mundawar and Kushalgarh (with Loktantrik Janta Dal (LJD); Bharatpur and Malpura (with Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD); and Bali (with NCP). "The Congress will form the government. This is the mandate of public, which is in favour of the Congress party. We will get a clear majority and will also take along other parties or candidates who quit the BJP,"Gehlot told reporters as trends indicated a victory for his party. Two independents have won the elections and 10 are leading, while the BSP has won three and is leading on as many. One candidate of other party has won and five are leading. ALSO READ: Rajasthan election result 2018 LIVE: Pilot, Gehlot frontrunners for CM post Sev of the independent candidates are Congress rebels and are likely to support the the party when it comes to government formation, a party leader said. "The Congress is sure to form the government. The BSP will be the first choice for the post-poll alliance, if required. Besides, rebel candidates would also support the Congress government," another party leader said. ALSO READ: Rajasthan poll results 2018: Congress legislature party meet on Wednesday In 2008, the Congress had won 96 seats and the party formed the government led by with the support of six BSP lawmakers, who had defected to the Congress, and a few independents. on Tuesday said it has set up an automotive innovation centre in Detroit, US that will help the IT major deepen its relationship with the Motor City's automotive community. The centre will also help develop and showcase next-generation technologies and solutions for automotive original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), tier-I suppliers, insurers, technology and others, a statement said. ALSO READ: Wipro Lighting bets on global partnerships for smart lighting solutions The new centre adds to Wipro's existing footprint in Detroit. In 2017, had already opened an automotive engineering center in Detroit that leverages local talent for design, development and validation of automotive cockpit electronic products like navigation systems, connectivity systems and end-to-end connected vehicle solutions among others. "Wipro's new automotive innovation centre will develop and showcase cutting-edge solutions that leverage artificial intelligence, analytics, industrial internet of things, cloud and crowdsourcing," the statement said. The hub will evangelise connected vehicle technologies with in-vehicle human-machine interface (HMI), on-board sensor data management, big data insights and end-user mobile apps for delivering personalised driving/mobility experiences, it added. The centre will also serve as a hub where automotive manufacturers, technology partners, auto industry forums and analysts, can collaborate on disruptive ideas. "Our automotive innovation centre is a testimony to the importance of Detroit as a key hub for collaboration with customers and the re-skilling of the automotive engineering workforce as the demand for software and software engineering related services surges," Harmeet Chauhan, senior vice president, Industrial and Engineering Business at Wipro, said. A blog for students in my introductory classes in government, and any interested passersby. You'll find news items and random stories that illustrate any of the topics we cover in class. Special attention will be paid to the constitutional issues associated with contemporary issues and disputes. Feel free to send me stories you find important. Please note that due to spam, I'm limiting the ability of people to comment on these pages. My apologies. The Maharashtra government Tuesday told the Bombay High Court that work on constructing special vulnerable witness court rooms in the state will commence from December 12. Appearing for the state, Advocate General Ashutosh Kumbhakoni told a bench of Chief Justice Naresh Patil and Justice MS Karnik that the state had allocated a sum of Rs 82 crore for the project. "The model for such special court rooms has been finalised and we will begin the work from tomorrow (Wednesday)," Kumbhakoni told the bench. "An administrative order will be issued by the state tomorrow, following which all district courts will issue work orders for the construction of the vulnerable witness court rooms in the court premises in all the 36 districts in the state," he said. Kumbhakoni further said two such child-friendly and vulnerable witness court rooms will be constructed in Mumbai-- one in the city civil and sessions court premises in south Mumbai, and another at the Dindoshi sessions court. Their construction will be completed within a month, he added. The Advocate General made the above submissions in compliance with a previous order of the court. Last month, the bench had directed the state government to ensure that its pilot project to set up the special rooms begins without further delay to ensure that vulnerable witnesses, including children and victims of sexual offences could depose in such court rooms without any fear. The bench was hearing a suo motu (on its own motion) petition following the directions of the Supreme Court to all high courts to consider, among other things, establishing child friendly courts and vulnerable witness courts in each district. These rooms are an essential requirement under several laws, including the Juvenile Justice Act, to ensure children or vulnerable witnesses deposing in a court room do not feel any fear or apprehension. In February this year, the SC had asked chief justices of all high Courts in the country to ensure all provisions under the JJ Act, the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act and the provisions of the Indian Penal Code for trials for sexual offences were implemented in full spirit. The bench led by Chief Justice Patil had accordingly initiated the aforementioned petition on its own and sought the AG's assistance on drawing up a plan to implement the directions. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In a bid to boost outbound shipments, the commerce ministry Tuesday said it is working closely with its finance ministry to take measures for ensuring adequate availability of funds to exporters. "Commerce ministry is working closely with the finance ministry to ease credit flow to the export sector, especially small exporters to ensure adequate availability of funds to them," it said in a statement. Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO) President Ganesh Gupta has time and again demanded augmentation of credit flow to the export sector, as a sharp decline in credit would impact exports growth. It said that the commerce has identified 15 overseas locations including Astana (Kazakhstan), Beijing (China) Cape town (South Africa), Dubai (UAE), Frankfurt (Germany), London (UK), Melbourne (Austrialia), and New York (USA), where trade promotion organisations are proposed to be created. "India has great potential to generate greater volumes of export with these countries but at present trade with them stands as single digit numbers," it said. The ministry, it said, is making all efforts to diversify India's export basket region and commodity wise. It also said that Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) are a means of correcting India's balance of trade. On ease of doing business, it said the ministry has developed a district level reforms plan to improve business environment in districts. The plan has been "shared with states and UTs for implementation by districts. The state and UT governments have been requested to evaluate districts on the basis of achievements in implementation of this plan on the basis of users' feedback," it added. On the progress of the Delhi Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC) project, the statement said 56 plots constituting 335.51 acres have already been allotted to industries. "This is expected to bring an investment of about Rs 8,354 crore over a period of 3-5 years," it said. Further on the proposed mega trade deal RCEP, the ministry said think-tanks -- ICRIER, Centre for Regional Trade, IIM (Bangalore) and Centre for WTO) Studies -- are being engaged for undertaking comprehensive study on India's approach to this agreed. Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) is a mega trade pact aims to cover goods, services, investments, economic and technical cooperation, competition and intellectual property rights. RCEP bloc comprises 10 Asean members (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand, the Philippines, Laos and Vietnam) and their six FTA partners - India, China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) After being in political wilderness for two assembly terms, rebel-turned-politician Zoramthanga is back with a bang as he led the Mizo National Front (MNF) to a thumping victory in the state's elections. Zoramthanga has been chief minister of Mizoram twice. He was a former underground leader and a close aide of the legendary MNF leader Laldenga. Seventy-four-year-old Zoramthanga joined the underground MNF while waiting for his bachelor's degree in arts at the D M College in Imphal. The MNF, led by Laldenga, declared independence from the Indian Union on March 1, 1966. Zoramthanga came to know that he has graduated with English honours while in the jungles with his MNF comrades. He was appointed secretary to MNF 'president' Laldenga in 1969 and was appointed as vice president of the 'Mizoram government-in-exile' in 1979 as well as the vice president of the MNF party. He accompanied Laldenga to Pakistan and Europe while the MNF was holding talks with the Indian government and was actively involved in the peace parleys. Coming out of hiding following the peace accord signed on June 30, 1986 between the MNF and the Indian government, he was inducted as a minister in the interim government headed by Laldenga for six months. A group of independent candidates under the MNF umbrella contested for the 40-member Mizoram state legislature for the first time in 1987 Assembly polls, when 24 of them were elected, including Zoramthanga. He was inducted as cabinet minister holding portfolios like Education and Finance. Mizoram was placed under President's Rule in the later part of 1988 after defections by some legislators including former underground personnel. He was re-elected from Champhai seat in 1989 Assembly polls. After the death of Laldenga due to lung cancer on July 7 1990, Zoramthanga was elected as the MNF party chief, the post he continues to hold till date. He contested the state Assembly polls from his home turf -- Champhai -- in 1993 and won for the third time to become the Leader of the Opposition in the state legislature. Zoramthanga led the MNF to victory in 1998 state Assembly polls when he won from Champhai and Khawbung seats and formed the government with 21 legislators. He was inducted as the state chief minister for the first time and completed the full term. He retained power in the 2003 state polls and continued as the chief minister. Zoramthanga won from Champhai, his home turf, and also from Kolasib constituency on the Mizoram-Assam border, However, he vacated the Kolasib seat. His party faced a severe debacle in the 2008 polls bagging only three seats while its junior partner, the Maraland Democratic Party (MDF) won one seat. Zoramthanga lost from both Champhai North and Champhai South constituencies. The Mizoram People's Conference (MPC) and the Zoram Nationalist Party (ZNP) both secured two seats each The opposition Congress bagged 32 seats with former chief minister Lal Thanhawla bouncing back to power and won from two seats - Serchhip and South Tuipui. Zoramthanga continued to be in the political wilderness as he again lost from East Tuipui and the Congress retained power with 34 legislators in the 40-member state legislature. This time around, he contested from the prestigious Aizawl East-I seat and defeated journalist-turned politician K Sapdanga by 2504 votes. Congress's K Vanlalrawna came third. Sapdanga is the editor and publisher of the largest circulated vernacular daily - Vanglaini. For Zoramthanga, this poll verdict is a do-or-die situation where losing the electoral battle this year would mean the last nail in his political coffin and survival of his MNF party while winning would mean revival for not only him, but also for the erstwhile underground party. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) By Josephine MasonLONDON (Reuters) - BlackRock and other investment houses have slashed their budgets for external research by as much as half after the introduction of new European Union rules, piling pressure on stockbrokers, a senior executive at the world's top asset manager said on Tuesday.The EU's Markets in Financial Instruments Directive II, known as MiFID II, which took effect in January, states investment research must be priced separately from other broker services to ensure transparency and better value for money. With the rules making clear how much investors are being charged ... By Julie Gordon and Michael MartinaVANCOUVER/BEIJING (Reuters) - A former Canadian diplomat has been detained in China, two sources said on Tuesday, just hours before a top executive at Chinese telecoms giant Huawei Technologies is set to return to a Vancouver courtroom for a bail hearing that has angered Beijing.It was not immediately clear if the cases were related, but Canadian analysts had already predicted China would retaliate after the arrest of Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou at the request of U.S. authorities.The former diplomat is Michael Kovrig. He works for the International Crisis Group, ... By Stephen Nellis and Adam JourdanSAN FRANCISCO/SHANGHAI (Reuters) - A Chinese court has ordered a sales ban of some older Apple Inc iPhone models in China for violating two patents of chipmaker Qualcomm Inc, though intellectual property lawyers said enforcement of the ban was likely still a distant threat.The case, brought by Qualcomm, is part of a global patent dispute between the two U.S. companies that includes dozens of lawsuits. It creates uncertainty over Apple's business in one of its biggest markets at a time when concerns over waning demand for new iPhones are battering its ... By David Shepardson and Ben BlanchardWASHINGTON/BEIJING (Reuters) - China has agreed to cut tariffs on U.S.-built cars and auto parts to 15 percent from the current 40 percent, a Trump administration official said on Tuesday, setting the stage for a new talks aimed at easing the bitter trade war between the world's two largest economies.Washington still had not received documentation nor timing details of the tariff reduction, the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. China's plan was communicated during a phone call between Chinese Vice Premier Liu He, U.S. Trade Representative ... By Stephen NellisSAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - A Chinese court has ordered a ban on the sale of several older Apple Inc iPhone models in China for violating two patents of chipmaker Qualcomm Inc, although Apple said all of its phone models remained on sale in the mainland.The case, brought by Qualcomm, is part of a global patents dispute between the two U.S. companies that includes dozens of lawsuits. It creates uncertainty over Apple's business in one of its biggest markets at a time when its falling share prices reflect concerns over waning demand for new iPhones.Apple said on Monday it had ... By Eric Knecht, Saeed Azhar and Davide BarbusciaDOHA (Reuters) - Doha Bank will cut its exposure to construction companies to 10 percent from 17 percent of lending in the next three years, its CEO said on Tuesday, part of efforts to adjust to a building industry downturn following a slump in oil prices.CEO Raghavan Seetharaman also said the bank, Qatar's fifth largest by assets, would maintain its presence in the United Arab Emirates despite a protracted regional rift.The UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Egypt began a boycott of Qatar in June 2017, accusing the country of supporting militants, ... PARIS (Reuters) - Europe's demand for construction steel is down nearly 20 percent versus its pre-financial crisis peak, with the market still battling excess capacity, ArcelorMittal, the world's biggest steelmaker, said on Tuesday.EU steel prices have recovered sharply since hitting decade lows in late 2015, but investors are growing concerned that the sector will struggle if China's economy slows further as the trade dispute between the United States and China drags on.China produces and consumes half the world's steel, a $900 global industry seen as strategic for growth and national ... By Trend The share of alternative energy in Azerbaijan accounts for 18 percent of energy production, Azerbaijans Energy Minister Parviz Shahbazov said, Trend reports. He was speaking Dec. 10 at the AgTech and Green Energy Forum, being held in Baku under the slogan "Innovations for a Green Future". He noted that green economy is a new and important industry that Azerbaijan wants to develop. Alternative energy and efficient use of energy are integral parts of this direction, he said. He noted that energy resources are unevenly distributed throughout the world and, unfortunately, are becoming a political weapon. Changes in oil prices in recent years have shown that countries with rich energy resources should look for alternative solutions, said Shahbazov. In addition to energy security, environmental safety is one of the main tasks today." "According to forecasts, two thirds of investments in electric energy will account for investments in renewable energy sources by 2040. As much as 40 percent of electricity needs will be met at the expense of renewable energy sources. In the coming years, Azerbaijan plans to launch new facilities operating on such energy sources as the Sun and wind, he added. Work is underway to create favorable conditions for private sector, which plays a big role in the development of alternative energy, he noted. He said working groups are being set up for this purpose, and negotiations are underway with such companies as BP, Total, Siemens and others. At the same time, a test project of floating solar panels was launched in cooperation with the Asian Development Bank on Lake Boyukshor in Azerbaijan, Shahbazov added. By Cassandra Garrison and Nicolas MisculinBUENOS AIRES (Reuters) - An Argentine court on Tuesday convicted two former executives of a local Ford Motor Co plant of involvement in the torture of workers during the country's dictatorship in the 1970s, victims' lawyers said, adding they may sue Ford in U.S. federal court.It is the first time former executives of a multinational company working in Argentina during the dictatorship have been convicted of crimes against humanity, one of the lawyers, Tomas Ojea Quintana, told Reuters in a telephone interview."It is clear that Ford Motor Company had ... By Katya GolubkovaSABETTA, Russia (Reuters) - French oil and gas group Total believes there is enough demand on the spot market for liquefied natural gas from its Yamal LNG plant in Russia, Total's chief executive said on Tuesday, as the project has expanded ahead of schedule. On Tuesday, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev attended a ceremony marking the launch of the third train, or stage, of Yamal LNG, which expanded its annual capacity to 16.5 million tonnes.The expansion had been initially expected at the end of 2019 and a quicker rise in output has raised questions about Yamal LNG's ... By Julie Gordon and Michael MartinaVANCOUVER/BEIJING (Reuters) - A former Canadian diplomat has been detained in China, two sources said on Tuesday, just hours before a top executive at Chinese telecoms giant Huawei Technologies Co [HWT.UL] returned to a packed Vancouver courtroom for a bail hearing that has angered Beijing.It was not immediately clear if the two cases were related, but Canadian analysts had already predicted China would retaliate after the arrest last week of Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou at the request of U.S. authorities.Meng, 46, faces U.S. accusations that she misled ... GENEVA (Reuters) - Exports of Iranian oil have improved since early November, Iran's president Hassan Rouhani said in a statement broadcast live on state TV on Tuesday.The United States imposed sanctions on Iran's oil industry in early November and U.S. officials have said they want to reduce Iran's oil exports to zero.Tensions have spiked between Iran and the United States after U.S. President Donald Trump pulled out of an international agreement on Iran's nuclear programme in May.He said the deal was flawed because it did not include curbs on Iran's development of ballistic missiles or its ... By John Davison and Ahmed RasheedBAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraq will send a delegation to the United States seeking an exemption from sanctions against Iran that would allow it to keep importing Iranian gas, Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi said on Tuesday.Washington gave Iraq a 45-day waiver for imports of gas from Iran when it reimposed sanctions on Iran's oil sector on Nov. 5. Iraqi officials have said they need around two years to find an alternative source."The American side is cooperating with Iraq to find solutions that would remove pressure on Iraq because the (Iranian) gas is linked to a ... VILNIUS (Reuters) - Lithuania's parliament approved a 2019 budget on Tuesday that boosts defence spending but does not meet demands of teachers who have gone on strike to demand higher wages.Revenues are expected to be 17.2 billion euros ($19.6 billion) and expenditures 17.0 billion euros next year, including 1.9 billion euros in EU support. The government expects a surplus of 1.5 billion euros by year-end.Lawmakers voted to raise the outlay for defence to up to 2.05 percent of gross domestic product (GDP), a finance ministry spokesperson said, from 2 percent of GDP planned for this year.The ... By Nidhi VermaNEW DELHI (Reuters) - India has delayed the commissioning of a giant refinery that state-owned firms are building in tie up with Saudi Aramco and Abu Dhabi National Oil Co (ADNOC) by two year to 2025, a senior official at the consortium told Reuters on Tuesday.The planned 1.2 million barrels per day (bpd) coastal refinery in western Maharashtra state slated to commission in 2023, according to the website of Ratnagiri Refinery & Petrochemicals Ltd (RRPL), the joint-venture company executing the project."The project will be completed in 2024 and commissioning will be in 2025," ... JERUSALEM (Reuters) - U.S.-Israeli software firm Quali said on Tuesday it raised $22.5 million in a private funding round led by Jerusalem Venture Partners (JVP).The company's existing investors, including Dell Ventures, Kreos Capital, Evergreen Ventures, Gemini Israel Ventures and ORR Partners, also participated in the round. Quali said the funding will allow it to further increase its growth in cloud, security and development operations and expand its footprint in the United States.It noted that over the past two years it has seen 50 percent annual recurring revenue growth and has expanded ... By John DavisonBAGHDAD (Reuters) - U.S. Energy Secretary Rick Perry said on Tuesday he discussed sanctions against Iran with Iraqi energy officials as Washington pressures Baghdad to stop importing Iranian gas that is crucial for its power grid."Sanctions were mentioned, they're a reality, they're there," Perry told reporters in Baghdad after meeting Iraq's oil and electricity ministers, without providing further details of the discussion.Washington gave Iraq a 45-day waiver over imports of Iranian gas when it reimposed sanctions on Iran's oil sector on Nov. 5. Iraqi officials have said they ... PASCAGOULA, Miss. - When dropping your kids off at daycare, you expect them to return in the manner you delivered them, however, this was not the case for parents of 18-month-old Dakota Hudson and they are demanding answers. Latoye Sutter works at night and received a text Thursday evening while she was at work stating her son had been attacked by a 4-year-old child. Sutter says she asked the caregiver to send her photos of her son, but did not immediately receive them. After asking for photos again and receiving them, she immediately left work to pick up Dakota. Pictures showed multiple scratches to Dakota's face and he was also scratched in his eyes, according to Sutter. "I dropped everything and left," Sutter said. "When I got there, my son was covered in blood and looks like he had Neosporin cream on his face. I asked what happened and she explained to both of us (parent of alleged attacker) that she stepped away to the fire place - my son was on his cot and the other child was on his cot on an iPad. In those few seconds, she heard my baby crying and he was standing at the door covered in blood." Trent Hudson, Dakota's father Facebook post has garnered more than 8,000 shares and friends and family members posts on Twitter has been retweeted 17,000 times and amassed 32,000 likes. I usually don't post my PERSONAL BUSINESS. My son was at POOH AND THE CREW DAYCARE from PASCAGOULA MS and was ATTACKED... Posted by Trent Latoye Hudson on Saturday, December 8, 2018 The residual effects of the attack has affected the normally happy, friendly toddler Dakota was, according to his mother. "He's doing better -- his face has started healing, but his demeanor has changed," Sutter said. "He's normally a bubbly kid, he talks to strangers, but he's a lot more withdrawn and clingy now. He now covers his face when he sleeps and cries while sleeping." The attack has also left Dakota with physical damage to his eyes as well. "I just got off the phone with the doctor's office -- his cornea isn't scratched in his eyes, but his eyes are and he has an appointment on Friday with a pediatric eye doctor to make sure no further damage is done," his mother said. IMAGINE having SLEEPLESS nights because your CHILD has gotten INJURED and YOU HAD NO CONTROL OVER IT. I'M SUPPOSE TO... Posted by Trent Latoye Hudson on Sunday, December 9, 2018 An investigation has been opened by the Pascagoula Police Department, Mississippi Department of Health and Mississippi Department of Human Services. "I want to be sure that this daycare is shut down," Sutter said. "You entrust people with your kids and you expect them to do their job. I love kids and they are my passion, but I don't want any other child to go through what my child has gone through." The daycare has not been identified because the owner has not been arrested, nor have charges been filed. The Mississippi Press placed a call to the owner of the daycare, but our call was not returned. By Trend Innovations play an important role in the development of Azerbaijans economy, increasing competitiveness and enhancing the countrys export potential, Azerbaijani Minister of Economy Shahin Mustafayev said Dec. 10. The minister stressed that Azerbaijans integration into innovative processes, transition to innovative economy have been outlined in the strategic road maps covering various areas, in the programs, as well as in the "Azerbaijan 2020: Look into the Future" development concept. "These programs coincide with the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development," Mustafayev said. Mustafayev added that promotion of investments in innovations, as well as the use of scientific achievements in various sectors of the economy are outlined in the strategic road maps. The winners of the 2nd Republican Innovation Contest were awarded in Baku. Azerbaijani Minister of Economy Shahin Mustafayev, Minister of Culture Abulfas Garayev, Minister of Transport, Communications and High Technologies Ramin Guluzade, Chairman of the State Agency for Public Service and Social Innovations Ulvi Mehdiyev, Head of the UN Office in Baku Ghulam Isaczai and representatives of Ernst & Young attended the event. Following the event, a memorandum of understanding was signed by the above mentioned structures and Ernst & Young. Markets are likely to see a gap-down opening, as they react to the outcome of the recently concluded assembly polls in five states Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Telangana and Mizoram. That apart, the resignation of Urjit Patel as the 24th Governor of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) will also impact sentiment. Most exit polls have predicted a Congress resurgence in northern India. Rajasthan, according to the exit polls, is unlikely to break its 25-year-old habit of throwing out the incumbent government, with the Congress slated to win the state. In our view, a 3-0 (BJP winning Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan) or 2-1 (BJP winning Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh) score for the BJP may result in a moderate market rally, subject to global developments. However, a 0-3 (BJP losing all the three states) or 1-2 score (BJP losing Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan) for the BJP may result in a sharp market correction, said a recent note from a leading brokerage. Meanwhile, Urjit Patels decision to step down as the RBI governor will not go down well with the markets, analysts say, which were under the impression that the relationship between the central bank and the government had thawed over time. RUPEE The Indian rupee on Monday tumbled 50 paise to close at 71.32 against the US dollar as nagging worries on global trade war front and uncertain crude prices hurt forex market sentiment. GLOBAL CUES MSCIs broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan skidding more than 16 per cent so far this year. It had surged 33.5 per cent in 2017. The index was last off 0.1 per cent. Japan's Nikkei lifted 0.2 per cent. SGX Nifty was down 1.5 per cent at 10,355-levels in early trade. Private lender Kotak Mahindra Bank has filed a writ petition with the Bombay High Court after the RBI turned down its plea to reduce promoter stake by issuing perpetual nonconvertible preference shares (PNCPS). In a filing to the exchanges, the bank said its position on preference shares, being a part of paid-up capital and the legal basis on the matter of dilution of shareholding under the Banking Regulation Act, was clarified and conveyed to the RBI. We have also shared with the RBI the opinions of eminent jurists and senior most legal counsels of the country, which confirm our understanding, it said A London court on Monday ruled that fugitive tycoon Vijay Mallya should be extradited from Britain to India. The ruling marked a significant point in the high-profile extradition trial that had been going on for over a year. Westminster Magistrates' Court Chief Magistrate Judge Emma Arbuthnot ruled that Mallya could be extradited to India to stand trial on the charges brought by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Enforcement Directorate (ED). India wants the 62-year-old businessman, who has been in Britain, to be brought to the country to face criminal action for default on loans taken by his defunct Kingfisher Airlines. A clutch of banks want to recover about $1.4 billion they say Kingfisher owes them. The Assembly Elections results 2018 in the five states have thrown many surprises even though the counting of votes is still on. Trends so far show the BJP is facing defeats in Chhatisgarh and Rajasthan. The grand old party of India has succeeded in dealing a body blow to the BJP as it heads for a clear majority in Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh. By 01:39 am, the Congress party had secured majority in Rajasthan, and was comfortably ahead in Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh. In Rajashtan, the Congress party and its allies had won 101 seats, just past the halfway mark of 100 seats, while the BJP had been able to secure 73 seats. In Chhattisgarh, the BJP had won 11 seats and was leading on four seats, while the Congress emerged victorious on 56 seats and was ahead on 12 seats. In MP, however, the Congress was right on the magic figure of 115 seats, whereas the BJP was on 108 seats. The state might be in for a hung Assembly, though the parties had started approaching independents and candidates from other smaller parties to form a majority government. In a shock result, a resurgent Congress ended Chief Minister Raman Singh's uninterrupted 15-year rule in Chhattisgarh and was on course to regain power in Rajasthan where the BJP won all the 25 seats in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls. Raman Singh submitted his resignation to the Governor and said he accepts responsibility for BJP's poor showing."We (party) will sit and introspect," he told reporters in Raipur. As voting trends and results slowly trickled in the Assembly polls in the five states that is being dubbed as a semi-final to the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the Congress, which had won just 58 seats in the outgoing Assembly in Madhya Pradesh, crossed the 100 mark (115 seats) in a House of 230. The BJP had won 100 seats and was ahead in 8 constituencies, whereas the Congress and its allies had won 108 seats and were leading on seven seats. Counting trends showed that at least a dozen constituencies witnessed the leading margins being just 500 votes. According to Election Commission data, both the BJP and the Congress secured 41 per cent vote share each in Madhya Pradesh. Three-time Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, who was battling anti-incumbency, won the Budhni seat but a dozen ministers were trailing behind Congress candidates. Senior Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia said the trends reflected people's desire for a change in Madhya Pradesh while state Congress chief Kamal Nath exuded confidence they will form the government in the state. "Trends show Congress marching ahead to victory in Rajasthan, MP and Chhattisgarh. We are confident the trend will continue across the country," Congress leader Sachin Pilot said in Jaipur. In Chhattisgarh, five ministers in the BJP government - Brijmohan Agrawal (Raipur City South), Kedar Kashyap (Narayanpur constituency), Mahesh Gagda (Bijapur), Dayaldas Baghel (Nawagarh) and Amar Agrawal (Bilaspur) - were trailing. The Janata Congress Chhattisgarh (J) of former chief minister Ajit Jogi was ahead in five seats while the CPI and the Gondwana Gantantra Party and the CPI (M) were leading in one seat each. The trends in the desert state of Rajasthan showed the Congress has crossed the magic mark of 100. The outcome reflected the 20-year "revolving door" trend of voters in choosing the BJP and the Congress alternately. Rajasthan has a 200-member assembly but polling in Alwar's Ramgarh constituency was postponed following the death of the BSP candidate there. Former chief minister Ashok Gehlot and Pilot are believed to be frontrunners for the top post. The TRS is set to form its second successive government in Telangana where it won a simple majority and is heading for a landslide victory with its candidates clinching 88 seats, in a resounding endorsement of its chief K Chandrasekhar Rao's popularity. In Mizoram, the Mizo National Front (MNF) got a simple majority bagging 26 of the 40 seats at stake dislodging the Congress which bagged five. Also read: Rahul Gandhi set for first win against Modi-Shah duo as Congress leads in Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh While it could take a few hours before the final results are announced, there's plenty political leaders from both Congress and the BJP have to say. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that the party accepts the people's mandate with humility. In a series of tweets, he thanked the people of Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan for giving us the opportunity to serve these states, and congratulated the victors in all five states. "The family of BJP Karyakartas worked day and night for the state elections. I salute them for their hardwork. Victory and defeat are an integral part of life. Today's results will further our resolve to serve people and work even harder for the development of India," PM Modi said in a tweet. Rajnath Singh, Union Home Minister and Senior BJP leader: "I congratulate the political parties and leaders who are winning across the five states in the state Assembly elections 2018. The polls were fought on the basis of the performance of state governments. However, I can say the Mahagathbandhan has failed terribly in Telangana." Ashok Gehlot, Senior Congress leader and CM candidate: "The Congress will form the government. This is the mandate of the public, which is in favour of the Congress party. We will get the clear majority and will also take along other parties or candidates who quit the BJP for us. Congress president Rahul Gandhi cornered Modi and BJP president Amit Shah in the Gujarat assembly polls. Since then they are not able to stand again. They technically won the Gujarat assembly elections but it was their defeat." Sachin Pilot, Rajasthan Congress leader: "The initial trends have indicated the Congress is leading in all the three states, and the party hopes it will be replicated at the all-India level. The decision about the post (of CM) will be decided by the high command. This is a big gift for Congress president Rahul Gandhi, who was elected as the party president exactly one year ago. The Assembly Election results in Rajasthan show the people of the state have rejected the BJP in all the three states, including Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh." Sanjay Raut, Senior leader, Shiv Sena: "I won't say these are victories of Congress but this is an anger of the people. Self-reflection is needed," reported ANI. Navjot Singh Sidhu, Congress leader and Punjab Cabinet leader: "Rahul bhai pehle se hi sabko saath leke chalte hain. Insaniyat ki moorat hain. Jo haath Bharat ki takdir ko apne haathon mein lene waale hain, wo bade majboot hain, aur BJP ka naya naam- GTU -- Gire to Bhi Tang Upar. (Rahul has always taken everyone along. He is a perfect picture of humanity. The hands that are about to take control of the country are strong enough. And the BJP has a new name -- GTU (Gire to Bhi Tang Upar)." Edited by Manoj Sharma with inputs from PTI The election results for the 90 assembly seats in Chhattisgarh will be announced today with Raman Singh seeking a fourth consecutive term as chief minister. The Congress is aiming to stage a comeback after being out of power for 15 years in the mineral-rich state. 1,079 candidates including CM Raman Singh, his 11 ministers and state presidents of the BJP and the Congress are locked in a battle to clinch power in the central state of the country. Raman Singh is locked in a fight in Rajnandgaon seat against Congress' Karuna Shukla, the niece of former prime minister late Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Also Read: Election Results 2018: Watch live coverage on Aaj Tak Also Read: Election Results 2018: Watch live coverage on India Today TV Polling for 90 seats in the state took place in two phases on 12 November and 20 November 2018. The state had recorded 76.60 per cent voter turnout in the polls. Exit polls predict a neck-to-neck contest between the Congress and BJP in the election results to be announced today which could break Raman Singh's three time consecutive winning streak. While Republic-C Voter predicted 35-43 seats for the BJP and 40-50 for the Congress, News Nation forecast a close race with 38-42 seats for the BJP and 40-44 for the Congress. Times Now-CNX predicted 35 seats for Congress while 46 seats were seen being bagged by the BJP. According to an exit poll by India Today- Axis MY India, Congress will win the Chhattisgarh election 2018 with clear majority and oust the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). While the Congress is seen winning at least 55 to 65 seats in Chhattisgarh election 2018, the Raman Singh-led BJP may manage to bag 21-31 seats out of 90 seats. The majority mark in the Assembly is 46. In case of a hung assembly, the coalition between former CM Ajit Jogi's Janata Congress Chhattisgarh (J), Communist Party of India (CPI) and Mayawati-led Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) could emerge as the kingmaker with exit polls predicting between three to eight seats for the party. Ajit Jogi served as the first chief minister for three years since 2000 when the state came into existence. Meanwhile, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh, an Ayurvedic doctor-turned-politician, on Sunday ruled out the possibility of a hung assembly and said BJP would retain power once again and form a government straight for the fourth term. "The situation of a hung assembly will not arise. BJP will form the government with a majority. I am confident that the BJP will form the government for the fourth time without anyone's support," said Singh. The Congress too is confident it would unseat the BJP in the state this time. Leader of Opposition in the Assembly and Congress leader T S Singh Deo has said there was no need to "look left or right" for any support and his party will form the government in Chhattisgarh on its own. "There has been a misrule in the BJP's tenure. Corruption has gone up in all the government departments. Farmers in particular are in a lot of distress. That is the reason why people came out in large numbers to vote against the BJP government," said Singh Deo on December 2. Congress has termed its election manifesto in the state as 'Jan Ghoshana Patra', which Deo said was the result of feedback from the people living in almost all the districts of the state. Of the 90 Assembly seats, 51 are for general category while 10 segments are reserved for Scheduled Castes and 29 for Scheduled Tribes. In the last Assembly polls, the BJP had won 49, the Congress 39, while one seat each was bagged by the BSP and an Independent. Tight security arrangements have been made at the counting centres in all 27 districts, particularly the Naxal- affected ones to ensure smooth announcement of election results in the state. "Counting for all 90 seats would start at 8 am at the 27 district headquarters. All preparations have been completed and a three-layer security has been arranged at each counting centre," an election official told PTI. As many as 5,184 counting personnel and 1,500 micro-observers have been appointed for smooth conduct of the process, he said. In every counting hall, 14 tables will be arranged in rows of seven tables each, apart from separate tables for the returning officer and for counting of postal ballots, he added. Also Read: Rajasthan Election Results 2018: Will BJP buck anti-incumbency? Also Read: Madhya Pradesh Assembly Elections 2018: Will BJP be able tobeat 15-year anti-incumbency? Also Read: Mizoram Election Results 2018: Tight fight between MizoNational Front, Congress Also Read: Telangana Election Results 2018: Will TRS' gamble pay off? Assembly Election Results 2018 on eciresults.nic.in Rajasthan, MP, Chhattisgarh, Telangana, Mizoram show how fierce the fight is across the five states. Congress has taken a clear lead in Rajasthan and Chattisgarh as BJP trails behind. In Rajasthan Congress is leading with more than 108 seats as BJP is looking at a little over 76 seats. In Chhattisgarh too, Congress takes a strong lead with 59 seats as BJP leads with 29 seats. Congress supporters have already started celebrating at the New Delhi headquarters. In MP, the fight seems to be really close. Both BJP and Congress seem to be leading in 108 seats. In Telangana, on the other hand, the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) has zoomed past both the parties and is leading in 93 seats. Congress is leading in 17, while BJP is leading in 2. In Mizoram, the MNF seems to have taken a clear lead with 27 seats, while Congress trails behind with 9 seats. BJP is leading in only one seat, while others are leading in 3. If victorious, Rahul Gandhi will receive a much-needed boost for the run till 2019 elections. Union Minister Rajnath Singh says he still believes that the BJP will do well in these states. "These are initial trends. Let the results come. We hope to do well," said Rajnath Singh. Early trends show BJP losing to Congress in Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh. Senior Congress leader and former Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot says: "Usually, these decisions are discussed at the higher level, and there's never any disappointment after such discussions... but, let the results come, we are confident the Congress will form the government." Kamal Nath, who is a nine time MP from Madhya Pradesh, says the Congress will form the government in the state. Under his leadership, the party is leading in 108 seats in MP. It is also, a big win for Rahul Gandhi-led Congress Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh. Cross-border ecommerce may account for only 7-8% of India's red hot online retail pie, but the figure is expected to more than double in the next three years. And Chinese ecommerce platforms and applications, popular for cheap products, are playing a starring role there since Indian consumers can import directly from them and get the products delivered anywhere in the country. In fact, experts told The Economic Times that a large number of products from China are entering India as 'gifts' and shipped directly to customers, since gifts of up to Rs 5,000 intended for personal use are exempt from customs duties under the current rules. The Indian industry has reportedly complained to the government that Chinese etailers such as Club Factory, AliExpress and Shein are taking undue advantage of this exemption benefit. Given the volumes involved and the concerns it has triggered over a violation of domestic laws as well as an adverse impact on local manufacturing, India is now mulling imposing restrictions on online purchases of goods from Chinese players. "The Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) has suggested capping purchases of "gifts" from Chinese etailers and apps at four per buyer per year," a senior official told the daily, adding that the final call will have to be taken by the customs authorities. India has certainly proved a lucrative market for the Chinese ecommerce players. For instance, in September, Club Factory had said in a statement that India accounted for around 57% of its over 70 million worldwide user base. The daily previously reported that Shein, an international B2C fast fashion e-commerce platform, managed to triple its business in India in less than a year. It now caters to more than a million active users and handles over 10,000 orders daily, clocking an average order value of Rs 1,000-1,500. But the proposal to impose restrictions on ecommerce purchases from China is likely to face logistical challenges. A source told the daily that Chinese etailers, unlike their counterparts from other countries, do not ask customers for any government-issued identity proofs to complete the transaction. This makes it difficult to track such transactions, which in turn makes it difficult to implement restrictions. According to experts, since goods are shipped directly to consumers' doorsteps via couriers and postal gift shipments, an integrated system connecting customs, Reserve Bank of India and India Post would be needed to effectively track such imports. However, the buzz is that the government has no plans to impose any restrictions on "essential medicines". Though the latter form a significant component of imports from China and contribute to widening India's trade deficit, the government does not want to inconvenience those in need. In the last fiscal, Chinese imports stood at $76.2 billion, while India's exports to China amounted to less than half that figure, at $33 billion. In Mizoram, Congress is tailing Mizo National Front (MNF). MNF is leading with 13 seats, while Congress is leading in 6. BJP is far behind with a lead in 1 seat, while others are leading in 2 and Zoram People's Movement (ZPM) is not leading in any seat as of now. Exit polls had predicted a neck and neck fight between the MNF and the Congress in Mizoram Assembly Elections. This year the ruling Congress party and MNF are contesting in 40 seats whereas the BJP and ZPM have put up 39 and 35 candidates. In the 40-member House, a total of 209 candidates participated in the battle of democracy, 67 higher than in 2013, where polling held on November 28. According to the officials of Mizoram Election Department, out of the 209 candidates, 15 are women. Only six women had contested in the elections in 2013, but none were successful. Also Read: Election Results 2018: Watch live coverage on Aaj Tak Also Read: Election Results 2018: Watch live coverage on India Today TV What's at stake? Chief minister Lal Thanhawala-led Congress is looking to hold office for a third consecutive term. The crucial elections will determine whether the Congress keeps its last bastion in the Northeast safe against the Mizo National Front (MNF) in the Mizoram. In the 2013 election, the Congress had won 34 seats, while the MNF and the Mizoram People's Conference got five and one seat, respectively. It would be interesting to see whether the Congress retains power in its last bastion in the Northeast. According to India Today-Axis My India exit poll, the MNF may emerge as the single-largest party, which means the Congress may lose its last state in the Northeast. The exit polls by C-Voter predicted a hung assembly in Mizoram, with MNF likely to win 16-20 seats, the Congress to get 14-18 seats and 3-7 seats likely to go Zoram People's Movement (ZPM), which may emerge as king maker in post-poll scenario. As per Times Now-CNX, the MNF seen getting 18 seats and Congress may get 16 seats. Meanwhile, the exit polls by Republic-C-Voter predicted 16-20 seats to the MNF. Also Read: Rajasthan Election Results 2018: Will BJP buck anti-incumbency? Also Read: Madhya Pradesh Assembly Elections 2018: Will BJP be able tobeat 15-year anti-incumbency? Also Read: Chhattisgarh Election Results 2018: CM Raman Singh's winningstreak faces threat from a resilient Congress Also Read: Telangana Election Results 2018: Will TRS' gamble pay off? In case you've missed all the tell-tale signs around you, the Richie Rich club in India is getting richer by the day. In May, the AfrAsia Bank Global Wealth Migration Review 2018 predicted that India's wealth would grow by a whopping 200 per cent between 2017 and 2027, the fastest rate among the wealthiest nations. But a new study shows that the country's 4,470 ultra-high net worth individuals (UHNWIs) are already richer than their global counterparts, holding an average wealth of Rs 865 crore against the average equivalent of Rs 780 crore for the typical global UHNWI, The Economic Times reported. The study by IIFL Wealth Management and Wealth-X further claimed that the number of wealthy Indians and their affluence expected to rise by an astonishing 87% over the next five years. The country reportedly is currently home to 284,140 wealthy individuals with a combined fortune of Rs 95 lakh crore. By 2021, the number of wealthy people will multiply to 5,29,940 with an aggregate wealth of Rs 188 lakh crore. "India's high net worth (HNW) population growth of 40% over the past five years has eclipsed that of its rivals in economies elsewhere in the world, placing India in a league of its own" the daily quoted Karan Bhagat, CEO of IIFL Wealth Management, as saying. "By comparison, the global HNW population and its wealth grew by 3.2% and 4.2%, respectively over the same period." Here are some more interesting findings from the IIFL Wealth Management Wealth Index 2018 report: India's UHNWIs are slightly younger -- the average age is 58-years-old -- than their global counterparts (62 years). India ranked fourth globally for the number of new wealthy individuals joining the ranks of the rich, following the US, Japan and China. Most of India's UHNWIs inherited their wealth -- only 45% of desi billionaires are self-made compared to 66% of their global counterparts. The desi UHNWIs hold a smaller proportion of their wealth in liquid assets -- with one third invested in their primary businesses -- compared with their peers overseas. According to the study, the impact of the quantum leap in wealth generation in India will be magnified around the world as the super rich choose to increasingly invest overseas or to be educated abroad. The daily added that their luxury spending power is set to explode from London and New York to Paris and Dubai. Edited by Sushmita Agarwal Results for the state assembly elections in five states will be clear in a few hours, and trends so far are pointing towards an uphill fight for the Vasundhara Raje-led BJP government in Rajasthan. Congress has taken lead in 100 seats and won one - one seat above the halfway mark - whereas the Bharatiya Janata Party is leading in 70 seats and has emerged victorious in three. The electorate in the desert state seems to have favoured a change in ruling party, as if keeping tradition. No political party has been able to secure consecutive term in Rajasthan, with the past four election results see-sawing between BJP's Raje and Congress' Ashok Gehlot. ALSO READ: Assembly Election Results 2018 LIVE updates: Rahul Gandhi set for first win against Modi-Shah duo as Congress leads in Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh As BJP government faces ouster and Congress is preparing to claim power in Rajasthan, here are a few things you should know about the state election results in the state: With only a close margin in favour, Congress is not taking any risks with the numbers game. The independents are likely to play a crucial role in determining the victor in 2018 Rajasthan state election results. Congress leader Sachin Pilot has said that the party is in touch with anti-BJP contenders to form government in Rajasthan. "We are in touch with anti-BJP candidates (winners). From CPM to BSP to other parties, we request whoever worked against BJP, to contact us. We are in touch with most already," Pilot said during a press conference earlier today. Apart from BJP and Congress, there are a lot of factors that need to be taken into account in Rajasthan state assembly election results. Other parties still have a lead on 25 seats in the state, and will be crucial in deciding whether Congress cements its place as the winner or BJP gets a fighting chance. If and when Congress comes to power in Rajasthan, it will have to choose between Ashok Gehlot, the two-time former Chief Minister of the state, or Sachin Pilot who returned to Rajasthan after his stint as a MP to lead Congress as the party president. Gehlot is a known face in Rajasthan and is recognised as a grounded politician. Being a CM twice gives him a track record to show. On the other hand, Pilot is a young face who has represented Congress in the Parliament. Also, he is close to Congress president Rahul Gandhi. However, both leaders have said that they are waiting for the Congress high command to pick a name. Sachin Pilot and Ashok Gehlot are expected to hold a joint press conference later today. Here they are expected to talk about gathering support from independent candidates to secure a decisive victory in the Rajasthan state elections. Even if, by some equation, BJP manages to clinch power in Rajasthan, it will be interesting to see whether Vasundhara Raje gets another stint as the CM. Anti-incumbency has been a factor in the state, and Congress has been claiming that the Raje government has failed to be true to the expectations of the voters. ALSO READ: Rajasthan Election Results 2018 LIVE: Congress ahead, Gehlot says open to alliances ALSO READ: Madhya Pradesh Assembly Elections 2018: No clear lead, both BJP, Congress in talks with BSP ALSO WATCH: The Reserve Bank of India Tuesday said it has imposed a fine of Rs 1 crore on Indian Bank for violating cyber security norms. The RBI has imposed, by an order dated November 30, 2018, a monetary penalty of Rs 10 million on Indian Bank for contravention of Circular on Cyber Security Framework in banks, the central bank said in a release. The contravention is with regard to RBI's directions on Frauds- Classification and Reporting by Commercial Banks. "This penalty has been imposed in exercise of powers vested in RBI under the provisions of...the Banking Regulation Act, 1949 taking into account the failure of the bank to adhere to the aforesaid guidelines and directions issued by RBI," it said. This action is based on deficiencies in regulatory compliance and is not intended to pronounce upon the validity of any transaction or agreement entered into by the bank with its customers, the release added. By Azernews By Laman Ismayilova A unique exhibition "Germanaijan. German Heritage and Architecture in Azerbaijan" will open in Kapellhaus on December 13. The event is organized as part of the bicentennial anniversary of German settlements in the Caucasus by the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Azerbaijan, financed by the Cultural Preservation programme of the Federal Foreign Office and supported by the Azerbaijan Ministry of Culture and Goethe-Zentrum Baku / Kapellhaus, Day.az reported. The exhibition is a tribute to the hard work, endurance and creativity of the German people who in search of a better life migrated to the Caucasus. The exhibition seeks answers to the questions: who were these people and what is their legacy in modern Azerbaijan? Germanaijan presents the blend of artistic interventions and contemporary documentation into the historical narrative. The exhibition includes projects by Chinara Majidova, Leyli Salayeva, Samir Salahov (Azerbaijan), Xenia Fink (Germany), Thomas Marsden (UK). The event will last till February 16, 2019. Exhibition regular hours are Tuesday-Saturday, 13:00 to 19:00. Admission is free. If you don't possess cooking skills and are at the mercy of your parents or a help, you know what a boon food delivery platforms can be. From the ease of ordering to the multiple options on offer, online food delivery has changed the entire eating out experience. But with all that comes its own challenges too. For instance, a recent video that has gone viral shows online food delivery platform, Zomato's delivery executive take a bite out of the order that he's out to deliver. In the video shared by a Twitter user, one can see a man wearing the Zomato t-shirt sitting on a scooter with a Zomato delivery case. He can be seen eating from a packet of food. He then carefully closes the box and keeps it inside the delivery case. After that he takes out another pack and does the same. Once he is done, he takes out Zomato's signature tape and seals the bag in which he keeps the parcels. This is what happens when you use coupon codes all the time. Watch till end. pic.twitter.com/KG5y9wUoNk - Godman Chikna (@Madan_Chikna) December 10, 2018 After this video went viral, Zomato faced a lot of backlash from Twitter users who criticised the company for failing to maintain its standards. A lot of users also joked about how the delivery person was only checking the taste and quality of food before he delivers. Shouldn't you have tamper-proof tapes in the first place? Why wait for this to "introduce" it? - Seema Sandeep Tiwari (@SeemaTalkies) December 10, 2018 this is zomato gold they check to make sure the food is up to the mark for you - Sanjay Manaktala (@smanak) December 10, 2018 In the era of nawabs, rajas and maharajas foods were tasted by head khansama before It was served to the rajas. Zomato has taken up this brilliant idea to make sure that it's customers' are getting what they have ordered for. Please cheer up zomato for this initiative. - Atindra Mazumder (@atindra17) December 11, 2018 When did @ZomatoIN move into food tasting business - Vinay Kumar (@vinayknl61) December 10, 2018 After the video went viral, Zomato issued an apology. "We take these kinds of reports extremely seriously and upon thorough investigation, we've found that the video was shot in Madurai. The person in the video happened to be a delivery partner on our fleet. We have spoken to him at length - and while we understand that this was a human error in judgement, we have taken him off our platform," a blog post on Zomato read. The statement also said that they will introduce tamper-proof tapes. "Unfortunately, this also highlights a real possibility for tampering with the food on the way to delivery from a restaurant. We take this very seriously and will soon introduce tamper-proof tapes, and other precautionary measures to ensure we add an extra layer of safeguard against such behaviour. Additionally, we will educate our delivery fleet of over 1.5 lakh partners to highlight or escalate any such deviations to us, while also encouraging our users - the custodians of our platform - to highlight the smallest of anomalies to us," they said. "This particular incident, while unfortunate, only makes our commitment to fleet training, scheduling and process even stronger. We stand behind our extensive fleet who do the right thing across many hours of the day," Zomato added. ALSO WATCH: The tax directorate of Niger has ordered closure of offices of Airtel Niger seeking tax dues that have been disputed by the operator, but the company is hopeful of early amicable resolution through a "collaborative dialogue", according to a statement. "The General Tax Directorate of Niger ordered the closure of the offices of Airtel Niger, seeking tax amounts that have been disputed by Airtel. This follows similar action taken against another global operator last week," Airtel said in a statement. In response to an email sent to it over reports that Niger directed closure of offices of Airtel for unpaid taxes of USD 107 million, the company said an assessment was made relating to Airtel's taxes in October 2018. "Based on independent advice, Airtel believes that this was done without appreciation of the facts and law and with undue haste in dismissing the detailed responses submitted by Airtel. This resulted in an astounding demand amounting to approximately 70 per cent of its annual revenues," it said. Airtel is committed to a collaborative dialogue to resolve the issue, and has requested the authorities to review the issues in depth to reach a mutually acceptable solution, the statement added. "Airtel Niger remains hopeful of an early amicable resolution to this unfortunate situation in the interest of its over 4.4 million customers, over 500 direct and indirect employees and over 50,000 retail shops and outlets," the statement added. Airtel, the leading operator in Niger, has invested into the economy and contributed to the development of telecommunications in the West Africa nation. Airtel Niger -- A subsidiary of Airtel Africa -- has also recently upgraded the network to facilitate 3G availability and is the only operator to acquire a 4G license, which it did in April 2018 at a cost of USD 22 million, the statement added. By Tanner Brown / Dec 11, 2018 02:57 PM / Politics & Law Contradicting claims from Chinas foreign ministry, Canada said it informed Beijing of Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhous detention on the day of her arrest, SCMP reported today. The Dec. 1 arrest which wasnt made public until Dec. 6 has dominated headlines for the past week, and thrown into doubt hopes that the U.S. and China were inching toward a trade war resolution. Canada arrested Meng at the request of U.S. authorities, who accuse her of facilitating financial transactions in possible violation of American sanctions against Iran. Chinas foreign minister, Lu Kang, previously said that China didnt receive any notification from the Canadian government at the first moment. SCMP reported today that Canadian authorities said Chinas consulate general in Vancouver had been notified of Mengs detention the same day. Consular access was provided ... Chinas ambassador in Ottawa was also in contact with Canadian officials later that same day to discuss the situation, they wrote. Read more of Caixins coverage of the case. news, latest-news Its that time of the year when many employers around the nation turn their attention to planning the end-of-year workplace Christmas party to reward employees for their dedicated work, reflect on the past 12 months and to bring a much-appreciated dose of joy into the workplace. Adorned by shining lights and glittering tinsel, the Christmas party has long been recognised as the centrepiece of many workplaces social calendars. But for some workplaces this year, all that glitters will not be gold. Thats because the Grinch will step in and steal the Christmas party, with some organisations fearing the annual bash might encourage behaviour that could land both the organisation and their employees in hot water. These employers rightfully recognise that the party is a work function and acknowledge they have a duty to ensure a safe environment for all employees. They also recognise that in terms of safety, the party can represent a significant risk to their employees health and safety one that they would prefer not to take. It is a fact that high-profile sexual harassment cases have contributed to employers unease with staging any workplace event where often-excessive alcohol consumption - combined with a more relaxed, festive atmosphere - might change the regular workplace dynamic. After all, we have all heard the post-Christmas function stories, or witnessed the appalling conduct of a small contingent of our co-workers. Some of those behaviours have resulted in reputational damage to organisations, some employees have had their health and well-being compromised, and others have lost their jobs. We also need to acknowledge that worldwide headlines have cast the spotlight on inappropriate and often vile workplace behaviours. This attention will hopefully have the desired impact and stem the frequency of repeat offences. So here is a sobering thought: ditching the end of year function because of the attached risks is a move that would make Ebenezer Scrooge proud. But when employers deny their employees the opportunity to participate in an end-of-year celebration for fear of inappropriate behaviour by a minority, they send a strong message to all: we dont trust you to behave in an appropriate way. Not to downplay the serious nature and implications of various forms of inappropriate workplace behaviour - but a better solution than cancelling the end-of-year function involves putting in place what others have coined Kringle conduct protocols. These protocols include reminding employees before an event that attendance at the annual Christmas party or end-of-year celebration is a work function and regular workplace standards, policies and codes of conduct apply even if the event is being held offsite or outside regular hours. Kringle protocols can even extend to having a number of employees appointed to fulfil a skipper type role during the event, to keep an eye out for any early signs of inappropriate behaviour and to take action to nip that behaviour in the bud before it escalates. They can also include a pre-event safety inspection of any offsite venue, limiting alcohol consumption via a voucher system and providing abundant non-alcoholic alternatives, and advising employees in relation to transport options. The annual end-of-year celebration represents an excellent vehicle through which to build more morale and teamwork, to deliver key company messages, to recognise employee performance and to highlight plans for the year ahead. Pulling the plug on the end-of-year celebration creates a trust vacuum between employers and employees and may represent a greater risk than staging the event itself. So this year, trust your employees to do the right thing and start planning now for an end-of-year event that will be remembered for all the right reasons. Professor Gary Martin is chief executive officer, the Australian Institute of Management WA /images/transform/v1/crop/frm/silverstone-ct-migration/c3eb142c-0956-46f7-a04f-5ed242f675ae/r0_279_2638_1769_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg By Trend Russia-Azerbaijan relations are a factor of peace not only in the Caucasus, but also in the wider region, Director General of the Rossiya Segodnya news agency, popular Russian TV anchor, journalist Dmitry Kiselev said in a conversation with Vestnik Kavkaza news and analytical agency, Trend reports. Kiselev was speaking on the sidelines of the presentation of his book in collaboration with Russian political scientist, President of the Center on Global Interests Nikolai Zlobin. Azerbaijan quite successfully acts as a kind of mediator between Russia and Iran, even a partner in our tripartite projects, he said. Kiselev drew attention to the fact that the national leader of the Azerbaijani people Heydar Aliyev made an important contribution to the development of modern mutually beneficial and constructive strategic relations between Russia and Azerbaijan. It seems to me that he laid a healthy foundation, Kiselev noted. The idea [by Heydar Aliyev] was to build a triangle of Russia-Azerbaijan-Iran relations, and this triangle turned out to be quite balanced, thanks to which Russia-Azerbaijan relations became a factor of settlement in the Caspian Sea. President Ilham Aliyev continues the line of his father in this sense, Kiselev said. Azerbaijan is developing at a fairly rapid pace, the country feels confident in the international arena, while stable and balanced society lives inside the country. Speaking about the Caucasus as a whole, Kiselev noted that the region should remain self-sufficient and peaceful. I think the Caucasus should manage its destiny on its own, he added. Our North Caucasus is also many-sided, multifaceted and multicolored, and it is better that everything remain in balance. The Russian concept, which implies multipolarity, is harmonious enough for the Caucasus. By Trend Armenia played an election game, said vice speaker of the Azerbaijani parliament, Bahar Muradova, Trend reports. She was commenting on the early parliamentary election held in Armenia Dec. 9. Muradova noted that all steps were taken in Armenia so that this election brings the desired result, individuals and organizations that could prevent this were isolated, and citizens were sufficiently intimidated. At the election held, actions were taken according to the prime ministers candidacy is already determined no matter how election ends principle and a well-known result found its confirmation in Armenia, she said. I think the attitude of Armenian citizens to this issue is obvious, and they should decide themselves whether they want to live and work under the leadership of political showmen. It is their life, their internal matter, however, in any case, we are concerned and interested in the events taking place in the region. She added that various centers, international organizations evaluating the election results, including the OSCE, should demonstrate an objective position on the extraordinary parliamentary election in Armenia. They should express their objective attitude towards this election, accompanied by appeals full of pressure and threats, she said. Muradova also said she doesnt think that there will be serious changes in the settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict after this election, as many experts also believe. On Dec. 9, by the end of voting, the final voter turnout in the early parliamentary election in Armenia was only 48.63 percent, according to the Central Election Commission (CEC) of Armenia. For the first time, the majority of voters in Armenia ignored the election. Our Promise: Welcome to Care2, the world's largest community for good. Here, you'll find over 45 million like-minded people working towards progress, kindness, and lasting impact. Care2 Stands Against: bigots, racists, bullies, science deniers, misogynists, gun lobbyists, xenophobes, the willfully ignorant, animal abusers, frackers, and other mean people. If you find yourself aligning with any of those folks, you can move along, nothing to see here. Care2 Stands With: humanitarians, animal lovers, feminists, rabble-rousers, nature-buffs, creatives, the naturally curious, and people who really love to do the right thing. You are our people. You Care. We Care2. Power Grid Corporation of India Limited (PGCIL) has released an employment notification calling out aspirants to apply for the posts of Field Engineer and Field Supervisor. Those interested can check out the eligibility, salary scale, how to apply and the complete details of the government job here. The selection process includes technical knowledge test, aptitude test and interview. Selected candidates can earn up to INR 1,20,000 per month. The application fees cost INR 400 and INR 300 for Field Engineer and Field Supervisor respectively. It is waived for the reserved category. The last date to apply for this government job is Dec 20, 2018. UPSC Recruitment 2018 For Nautical Surveyor: Apply Before Dec 27 PGCIL Recruitment 2018 Vacancy Details CRITERIA DETAILS Name Of The Posts Field Engineer and Field Supervisor Organisation Power Grid Corporation of India Limited Educational Qualification Engineering degree in relevant field Experience Desirable Skills Required Engineering and supervision skills respectively Job Location Bihar Salary Scale INR 23,000 to INR 1,20,000 per month Industry Power Application Start Date December 11, 2018 Application End Date December 20, 2018 Maximum Age Limit: 29 years Also Read: Air India Recruitment 2018 For Utility Hand And Driver Posts How To Apply For PGCIL Recruitment 2018 In order to apply for PGCIL Recruitment 2018, follow these steps: Step 1: Log on to the PGCIL official website. Step 2: Scroll down to the bottom and select the post you want to apply for from the drop-down list box. Step 3: The registration form will open. Enter your details in the fields provided. Step 4: Click Continue and follow the subsequent pages to complete the registration process. Follow the link - http://careers.powergrid.in/ER1FeFsRectt/docs/Detailed Advertisement IOCL,TBCB and Rly ER-I final.pdf to read the detailed official notification. Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) conducts a National Entrance Test (NET) (TISS-NET) for admission to full-time post-graduate degrees regular programmes such as M.A., M.Sc., M.H.A and M.P.H. offered at TISS campuses in Mumbai, Tuljapur, Hyderabad, Guwahati and other locations like BALM, Chennai and TISS-Nagaland. In order to get admission to programmes, candidates should appear for the TISSNET entrance examination. TISSNET examination will take place on January 13, 2019, from 2:00 pm to 3:40 pm. The entrance test will take place in more than 39 cities across the country. The major change in TISSNET 2019 exam is that there will not be any negative marking question from this year. Candidates who want to excel in TISSNET 2019 examination should opt for a subject-wise preparation. Explore the TISSNET preparation tips here. TISSNET 2019 Exam Pattern TISSNET exam is conducted for a total of 100 questions. Each question carries one mark and there is no negative marking. The question paper is divided into three sections - general awareness, English proficiency and mathematics with 40, 30, 30 questions, respectively. The duration of the test is one hour and forty minutes. This is a computer-based test. TISSNET Preparation: General Awareness This section is very important and one can score more than 30 marks if they are good at current affairs and day to day happenings. It consists of 40 questions and it is meant to assess awareness about current affairs and understanding of social issues. It will be focused much on the politics, social studies, science and technology, environment, sports, art & culture and Indian history. Reading the newspapers regularly is required to score well in this section. Aspirants are suggested to make a note of important events and persons in the news. The static general knowledge is very important, such as world organisations, rivers in the country, inventions, discoveries, largest and smallest. TISSNET Preparation: English Proficiency This section does not require a special preparation if aspirants are good in English grammar and rules. The number of questions in this section is 30. The questions are likely to be on word choice/sentence correction, odd-one-out & analogies, synonyms & antonyms, grammar, verbal reasoning and reading comprehension. Candidates will be getting two reading comprehension passages which are not difficult. The passages' focus will be on vocabulary and grammar. Aspirants are advised to practise two passages daily to gain confidence. Master all the grammar rules to score well besides focusing on the sentence construction. TISSNET Preparation: Mathematics And Logical Reasoning This section consists of 30 questions which broadly test the candidates to assess quantitative skills and logical reasoning. The questions will be on basic arithmetic, basic geometry, basic trigonometry, basic statistics, number series, data interpretation and logical reasoning. The official notification clearly reads that the questions will be asked up to standard X level. Hence, candidates are advised to focus only up to this level. The most important topics are data interpretation and logical reasoning. A lot of practice is required to excel in this section. On the whole, mathematics and English proficiency are concept driven. Hence, aspirants are advised to brush up the basics. The general awareness section does not require separate preparation if candidates are following day-to-day developments in fields, such as politics, science and technology, environment and sports. What To Do After Class 12? Top 10 Government Jobs One Can Take Up Photo: Contributed Relations between Canada and China turned frostier Tuesday amid reports the Chinese detained a former Canadian diplomat and as a Vancouver court resumed a hearing on whether to grant bail to a jailed Chinese executive. But U.S.-China tensions seemed to ease somewhat as the world's two biggest economies confirmed they were working on talks to resolve a trade dispute that has shaken financial markets and threatens to slow global economic growth. Relations between the three countries were shaken by the Dec. 1 arrest of Meng Wanzhou, chief financial officer of Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei and daughter of its founder. Canadian authorities detained Meng during a layover at the Vancouver airport at the request of the United States. The U.S. accuses Huawei of violating American economic sanctions against Iran. The Huawei case has threatened to complicate U.S.-China efforts to resolve a bitter trade dispute. But the Chinese government said Tuesday that its economy czar has discussed plans with U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Trade Rep. Robert Lighthizer for talks aimed at settling the two countries' differences. Lighthizer's office confirmed that he had spoken by phone with Chinese Vice Premier Liu He. The news that trade negotiations may resume lifted stock markets around the world. Just as the prospects for U.S.-China trade peace brightened, Canada's relations with Beijing took a darker turn. Reports surfaced Tuesday that former Canadian diplomat Michael Kovrig, now North East Asia senior adviser for the International Crisis Group, had been detained in China. The Brussels-based nongovernmental organization said in a statement that it is doing everything possible to obtain information about Kovrig's whereabouts and to secure "his prompt and safe release." Kovrig previously worked as a Canadian diplomat in Beijing and Hong Kong and at the United Nations in New York. Canada's Global Affairs department didn't immediately respond with comment. Canada had been bracing for retaliation for Meng' arrest. The Canadian province of British Columbia cancelled a trade mission to China amid fears China could detain Canadians to put pressure on Ottawa over Meng's detention. In Vancouver, meanwhile, Meng was to appear in court for a third day Tuesday as she sought release on bail. China vowed Tuesday that Beijing would "spare no effort" to protect against "any bullying that infringes the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese citizens," Foreign Minister Wang Yi said at a conference in Shanghai. Wang didn't mention Meng. But ministry spokesman Lu Kang said Wang was referring to cases of all Chinese abroad, including Meng's. Washington accuses Huawei of using a Hong Kong shell company to sell equipment to Iran in violation of U.S. sanctions. It says Meng and Huawei misled banks about the company's business dealings in Iran. In a popular rallying cry in previous conflicts with the U.S., Japan, South Korea and other governments, Chinese nationalists called on consumers to support Chinese brands. But in an unusual development, an equally large number of internet users criticized such calls as reckless. Huawei, the biggest global supplier of network gear for phone and internet companies, is the target of U.S. security concerns. Washington has pressured other countries to limit use of its technology, warning they could be opening themselves up to surveillance and theft of information. The U.S. and China have tried to keep Meng's case separate from their wider trade dispute, but jitters among companies and investors have roiled global stock markets. Permian Basin hotels total revenue jumped more than 78 percent in the past year, according to an analysis by the Texas hotel consulting company, Source Strategies Inc. This jump lands local hotels in the states top 10 list in revenue per available room. According to Source Strategies, Midland and Odessa hotel revenue jumped from $57,345,000 in 2017 to $102,185,000 in 2018. The increase of 78.2 percent is attributed to the influx of people due to the oil boom. One of the top 10 highest-revenue hotels in Texas is the Baymont Inn and Suites in Midland. One truck driver and Permian Basin hotel guest, Donald Dyer, explained the appeal of buying a hotel room. Sometimes you get tired of being in your truck and you want a big bed and a big room and stretch out and relax. And get a good hot shower or a good hot bath, a hotel is ideal for that. You know, youve been in the truck for two or three weeks or maybe a month at a time, and you want to get out go to a hotel room and just chill out, he said. Dyer stays in the Permian Basin for around three weeks out of the month. Dyer said he hasnt found a hotel room under $200 a night, a big price tag for many of the people who work for themselves. When you got a guy that dont have a company to pay, like you have to pay for yourself, you know, $200, $300 a night you just cant afford it, he said. Several hotel visitors said theyve paid upwards of $700 a night for a standard hotel room. And that the jump in revenue doesnt surprise them. The boom in the hotel business also doesnt surprise Dyer, who said its the individuals who are really impacted by higher prices. Theres a lot of money to be made out here. So they charge a lot of money for everything, he said. Also in the top 10 list for highest revenue in Texas, are the Best Western Plus Swiss Chalet, Holiday Inn Express and Hampton Inn, all located in Pecos. Austin tops the list, and Midland comes in second, touting 15 hotels in the top 100 list. Odessa has 12, ranking it third on the list. The city of Monahans follows in fourth, and Pecos comes in fifth with eight hotels. By Trend There are 3,611,834 Syrian refugees in Turkey, Turkish Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu said on Dec. 10. Meanwhile, 612,846 Syrian refugees are children, 303,228 - teenagers, Trend reports citing the Turkish media. "Presently, 916,074 Syrian refugees are studying in Turkey," Soylu said. Soylu also stressed that after the Olive Branch and Euphrates Shield operations were conducted, 285,000 Syrian refugees returned to Syria. Presently, there are 3 million Syrian refugees in Turkey. On Jan. 20, the Turkish Armed Forces, together with the Free Syrian Army, launched the Operation Olive Branch in Afrin, Syria. On Aug. 24, 2016, units of the Turkish Armed Forces began the Operation Euphrates Shield against the "Islamic State" and with the support of the Syrian opposition liberated the border town of Jarablus in northern Syria, as well as al-Bab. Vietnam's cement industry assists coal demand 11 December 2018 Vietnams cement industry has helped drive an increase in coal sales during the first 11 months of 2018. The countrys Coal and Mineral Industries Corporation (Vinacomin) has exceeded its year plan within the period, recording an increase of 17 per cent YoY to 37.39Mt, according to Vietnam News. The amount of coal sold to the cement industry rose 21 per cent in comparison with the 11M17. Alongside a surge in demand from the thermal power and fertiliser industries, the high consumption of cement plants resulted in Vinacomin directing its member units to promote the rate of production. Published under By Azernews By Abdul Kerimkhanov Low turnout in Armenia shows people's disappointment in Pashinyans promises, Evgeny Mikhailov, Russian political analyst and expert on international issues, said in an interview with Azernews. He was commenting the results of early parliamentary elections held in Armenia on December 9. "The low turnout of the population at the polling stations showed the new leadership of the republic in the person of Nikol Pashinyan that the people are already disappointed in his promises and do not understand where Pashinyan leads Armenia to," the expert said. Mikhailov believes that Pashinyan urgently needs to build a dialogue primarily with Russia, which has recently also been disappointed with the anti-Russian attacks from Pashinyans supporters. "This is the only way out. The rest of the world does not need Yerevan, and in vain the new government feels hope for some Western countries and their help. The republic will simply be sold off in parts, and the population will leave the country. Again, if Moscow does not intervene. The return of the Nagorno-Karabakh to Azerbaijan and talks on assistance from Baku, can be the way out of the crisis for Armenia, but this issue will be decided upon apparently by the government," he said. The analyst noted that it is more difficult to build relations with Pashinyan. "On the contrary, having pro-Western views, he is inclined to try to unleash a conflict and draw some international forces and, above all, the U.S. into it. That is, taking into account the above-mentioned facts, it can be assumed that Russia will sharply oppose this, including by increasing pressure on Yerevan in the soonest possible restoration of the protectorate of Azerbaijan in its occupied territories," said Mikhailov. 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. As a result of Armenia's armed invasion into Azerbaijan's legal territory, the two neighboring countries have remained locked in a bitter territorial dispute over the Nagorno-Karabakh region, which Armenia-backed separatists seized from Azerbaijan in a bloody war in the early 1990s. 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 regions. Despite Baku's best efforts, peace in the occupied lands remains a mirage in the distance as Armenia refuses to comply with international law. By Azernews By Abdul Kerimkhanov The lack of diplomatic relations between Yerevan and Ankara is the painful problem of the Armenians. Armenia found itself in a political isolation and economic deadlock, being in the status of a vassal country, having lost any relationship with its powerful regional neighbors due to the short-sighted policy of the previous authorities. Now, with the advent of the new government, this issue immediately appeared on the political agenda of Yerevan. Armenia is ready to establish diplomatic relations with Turkey, but without preconditions regarding Nagorno-Karabakh, said Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, on December 10. "We are ready to establish direct relations with Turkey without any preliminary conditions, and we hope that Turkey will take the same position. But relations with Turkey are connected with the issue of Nagorno-Karabakh, with a third country. I mean Azerbaijan," he said. Nikol Pashinyans ambiguous statement about Armenias readiness to establish relations with Turkey without preconditions calls into question the policy of the Armenian state in the Karabakh settlement. He apparently forgot that Turkish officials have repeatedly stated that if Armenia dreams of good neighborly relations with Turkey, it will have to abandon its aggressive policy against Azerbaijan, sit at the negotiating table and begin de-occupation of the Azerbaijani territories. As long as it ignores the negotiation process, delaying the status quo, this is unacceptable for Azerbaijan and Turkey. Without settling the Karabakh conflict, Armenia should not count on relations with Turkey. Besides, Armenia should put an end to territorial claims against Turkey itself, as well as a century-old political adventure about the far-fetched "genocide." In order for Turkey to agree to restore diplomatic relations with Armenia and open its state border, all these important conditions must be met in Yerevan. Armenia should show readiness for a compromise not in words but in real actions. And in fact, the resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh problem is the most important condition not only for sustainable peace and stability in the Caucasus but also for the normalization of Turkish-Armenian relations. Armenia says that the Nagorno-Karabakh problem does not depend on Armenian-Turkish relations, but at the same time, it neglects the fact that Turkey closed the border with it, primarily because of this conflict. Therefore, active lobbyists support the normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations and the opening of the border should be viewed from the current destructive policy of Armenia as well. Armenia must withdraw its troops from the occupied Azerbaijani lands to normalize relations with Turkey, the Turkish presidential administration told Trend while commenting on the statement voiced by PM Nikol Pashinyan. "Turkey stands for stability and peace in the region, the administration said. There cannot be stability in the region without the withdrawal of the Armenian troops from the occupied Azerbaijani territories, the Turkish presidential administration stressed. It was noted that Armenia should also renounce claims about the events of 1915 since there was no genocide of Armenians during these events. On March 1, 2018, Armenia announced the annulment of the protocols on the normalization of Armenia-Turkey relations. The protocols on normalization of relations between the two countries were signed by the foreign ministers of Turkey and Armenia on October 10, 2009, but have not been ratified. Armenia and the Armenian lobby claim that the predecessor of Turkey - the Ottoman Empire - committed the so-called genocide against the Armenians living in Anatolia in 1915. Saudi Venture Capital Company has signed a memorandum of understanding with American investor Tim Draper, one of the most important venture capital investors in the world, for the establishment of a venture capital investment fund. The MoU was signed under the sponsorship of the Small and Medium Enterprises General Authority, Monshaat, and the presence of the governor of Monshaat, Engineer Saleh Al-Rasheed. The fund is expected to finance SMEs in the fields of health, education, agriculture, finance, and energy. The Saudi Venture Capital Investment Company was founded to contribute to the growth and diversification of Saudi Arabia's economy, in addition to supporting SMEs and encouraging entrepreneurs to explore new fields. The signing took place on the sidelines of Draper's visit to Monshaat's headquarters in Riyadh, where he attended a number of important panel discussions on financial technology, venture capital, entrepreneurial ecosystem and the scale up programmes in Saudi Arabia. Mohammed Al Malki, acting CEO of the Saudi Venture Capital Company, said Draper is considered one of the most important businessmen and investors in venture capital, blockchain and financial technologies in Silicon Valley, and has co-founded a number of companies and investment funds, such as Draper Associates, and DFJ. In addition to that, he has established Draper University, which is specialised in entrepreneurship education, and also established Draper Ventures Network. Monshaat works on providing SMEs and entrepreneurs with the best international expertise, in order fulfill its goal of increasing the growth and productivity and increasing its contribution to the GDP to 35 per cent by 2030. - TradeArabia News Service Three men have been charged in a hammer attack on a man who was left with "major injuries." Hospital officlals said the numerous marks to the victim's head, face and neck appeared to have been made by a hammer, and that if the attack had continued he may have died. Charged with aggravated assault and aggravated burglary were Tylor Day, 26, of Chickamauga, Ga., Aaron Cunningham, 36, of 2609 14th Ave. and Caleb Pendergrass, 23, of 1622 S. Seminole Dr., East Ridge. Police responded to 2609 14th Ave. on a home invasion call, but could not locate a victim. They found a busted out glass door and the main door to the house kicked in. There was a trail of blood from the living room at the way to the back bedroom. Police were then notified that the victim was at the hospital with serious injuries. The victim told police the only thing he remembered was getting struck by a hammer and then falling to the floor. He said when Cunningham and Pendergrass got on top of him that he began screaming for help. He said he went in and out of consciousness during the attack. A female at the house said she received a text message from Cunningham warning that if the victim was at her house he would send him to the hospital. She said just over 10 minutes later that the trio showed up at the house. She said Cunningham kicked in the front door and came in looking for the victim. She said he yelled, "I'll kill you, (expletive)." The witness said Cunningham was carrying a hammer that was brought from outside the house. She said he ran to the bedroom and found her sitting on a bed with the victim. She said Cunningham struck the victim in the head with the hammer, then got on top of him while repeatedly punching him. She said Pendergrass then joined in the attack. She said Cunningham beat the victim in the head over 30 times. The witness said Cunningham then stood up and said, "I'll bet he'll never do anything like that again." Cunningham told police that the victim was armed with the hammer and he got beat up as it was wrestled from him. Day said he was at the house, but did not join in the attack. The Tivoli Theater Foundation, with its history of film, announces The Bobby Stone Film Series at the Tivoli. Named in honor of Chattanooga native and Tivoli Theatre Foundation Director Emeritus Bobby Stone, this series will bring film back to the Tivoli "with the spirit of Bobbys expert eye and passion for film," featuring both first run and classic titles. "Films will include arthouse and other distinctive programming reflective of Bobbys love of cinema and his own skill in cinematography and capture of light," officials said. "These showings would not be possible without recent generous contributions towards the installation of new equipment and a renovated projection room." Bobby was a cheerleader for all things Tivoli Foundation and none more so than this project he envisioned and helped oversee, said Nick Wilkinson, executive director of the Tivoli Foundation. While we are saddened by the loss of this instrumental board member, the Tivoli Foundation is excited to honor him with the completion of this project. This film series launch follows the installation of a new state of the art digital sound and projection system valued at $350,000. The system includes a brand new 4k digital projector, immersive surround sound and a 50-foot drop down screen, the largest of its kind in North America. Made possible by a gift from Bobby Stones family and friends, this new equipment brings film projection back to the Jewel of the South, in a world-class way, officials said. Keith Sanford, board chairman of the Tivoli Foundation, said, the Tivoli Theater Foundation is proud of the recent turnaround it has seen since assuming control of the Theatre in 2015. The return of film programming into one of the countrys best venues will only build on that success. The Series will launch on Dec. 22 with a free screening of National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation and complimentary popcorn and Coca-Cola products. Having grown up seeing films at the Tivoli theatre, it is a surprising honor to see the fruition of my nephews involvement in the relaunch of film at the Tivoli. I hope his love of film and caring spirit will be carried forward by the series named in his honor. The family is honored and appreciative of the work and attention the Tivoli Foundation has given to this project. said Cynthia Anderson, Bobby Stones aunt. After the free event on Saturday, Dec. 22, the Bobby Stone Film Series will run throughout the year, the initial slate of films includes: National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation | Dec. 22 7 p.m. (free) E.T. | Jan. 5 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. Bohemian Rhapsody | Jan. 6 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. The Big Lebowski | Jan. 19 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. To Kill a Mockingbird | Jan. 20 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. Oh Brother, Where Art Thou? | Feb. 2 3 p.m and 7 p.m. Despicable Me | Feb. 3 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. Tickets to above 2019 films will be on sale Friday, Dec. 14 at 10 a.m. The Tennessee Supreme Court Monday held that a defendant who pleads guilty is not required to present proof of post-sentencing changed circumstances to prevail on a motion for reduction of sentence under Rule 35 of the Tennessee Rules of Criminal Procedure, if the guilty plea did not include an agreement as to a specific sentence. The case before the Court began in 2015, when the defendant, Jonathan David Patterson, broke into several cars and a building in Putnam County, stealing two vehicles and also stealing property from the vehicles and the building. Law enforcement apprehended Patterson with some of the stolen property in his possession and arrested him. He cooperated with the authorities, and this enabled them to recover much of the stolen property and restore it to the victims. Patterson was charged with 42 offenses and eventually pled guilty to 20 offenses without any agreement as to the sentences that would be imposed on the pleas. A guilty plea that does not include an agreement is known as an open plea and requires the trial court to impose sentence. At Pattersons sentencing hearing, the trial court received evidence of his previous felony convictions and parole violations and heard argument from the State that Pattersons extensive criminal history warranted a lengthy sentence. Patterson spoke at the hearing, apologized for his crimes, and explained that he had been struggling with drug addiction for many years when these crimes were committed. Pattersons sister also testified and corroborated his testimony. Both Patterson and his sister asked for leniency in sentencing. Patterson emphasized that he had not committed any violent crimes, had cooperated with law enforcement, and had pleaded guilty without an agreement as to sentencing. The trial court agreed with the States argument and imposed an aggregate 31-year sentence. Patterson then filed a Rule 35 motion asking the trial judge to reduce his sentence. The trial court granted the Rule 35 motion and reduced Pattersons aggregate sentence to 19 years. When the State appealed, the Court of Criminal Appeals held that a defendant cannot prevail on a Rule 35 motion unless the defendant offers proof of post-sentencing changed circumstances justifying a reduction. Because the defendant failed to satisfy this showing, the Court of Criminal Appeals reversed the trial courts decision on the Rule 35 motion and reinstated the original 31-year sentence. The Tennessee Supreme Court granted Patterson permission to appeal and held that Rule 35 provides only one limit on a trial courts discretion to reduce a sentencethe reduction must be in the interests of justice. The Supreme Court acknowledged that its own prior decisions had not been clear about the standards applicable to Rule 35 motions seeking reduction of sentences imposed on guilty pleas. The Supreme Court clarified its prior decisions by holding that a defendant need only show post-sentencing changed circumstances if the Rule 35 motion requests reduction of a sentence imposed on a guilty plea that included an agreement as to the appropriate specific sentence. The Supreme Court explained that the showing is not required to prevail on a Rule 35 motion requesting reduction of a sentence imposed on an open guilty plea. Because the defendant entered an open guilty plea, the Supreme Court concluded that the trial court did not abuse its discretion in granting his Rule 35 motion without any proof of post-sentencing changed circumstances. The Supreme Court reversed the Court of Criminal Appeals decision and reinstated the trial courts decision reducing the defendants sentence from 31 to 19 years. To read the unanimous opinion in State of Tennessee v. Jonathan David Patterson, authored by Justice Cornelia A. Clark, go to the opinions section of tncourts.gov. One of the first decisions by the new Signal Mountain Town Council at the December meeting was voting for a professional water rate study for the town-owned water system. By unanimous approval, the motion passed, for Municipal Technical Advisory Service (MTAS) do a comprehensive study for a price not to exceed $3,000. There is a long list of information relating to the water system which needs to be provided to the consultants before a study can be done. Town Manager Boyd Veal said that in order to collect the needed information, the town will have to take a hard look at the system to determine what will be needed, such as staff levels and capital projects that will be required in the future in order to maintain the system. By the time that MTAS is ready to start the study, said Mr. Veal, the town will have a clearer understanding of the system. Vice Mayor Amy Speek resumed the discussion about traffic at Signal Mountain Middle High School that has been overshadowed by larger issues during the past year. She said it is for safety. Since there is only one road leading into and out of the school, it would be difficult for emergency vehicles to access the school during rush hours. She suggested creating a committee to do a study to find a solution. Since the problem was recognized, multiple ideas have come from multiple sources for improved access to the school. Town Manager Veal has been asked to pull all the ideas together and give the list to the new committee. A vote for a resolution to create this committee will take place at the next council agenda work session. The mayor or his designee serves as Signal Mountains representative to the Hamilton County/North Georgia Transportation Planning Organization. Council member Bill Lusk was appointed to represent the town and Mr. Veal was appointed as proxy for the TPO designee, for times when Mr. Lusk cannot attend meetings. The representative to the TPO from each municipality has the opportunity to advocate for his community relating to transportation projects. Projects first go to the Regional Planning Agency to be put on a list. The TPO prioritizes the projects. The council approved appointments of volunteers to fill vacancies on various boards, commissions and committees: David Cantrell to the Board of Zoning Appeals, Cheryl Graham, Charlie Poss and Mike Richards to the Municipal Planning Commission, Mike Richards to the Construction Board of Adjustments and Appeals, Ed Garbee to the Design Review Commission, Ann Hagood to the Tree Board, Barbara Womack, Clyde Womack, Anne Hagood, Kyle Kelly, Robert Richie, Jr. and Joshua Rogers to the Hemlock Conservation Task Force, Mary Scott Norris, John Wynne, Elaine Preston, David Reed and Bonnie Hamilton to the Historical Committee, Judy Beaty and Annette Allen to the Library Board, Ryan Walker, Robert Inman and Seth Graham to the MACC Board, Josh Rogers, Caroline Woerner, Talmadge Mincey and Greg Houston to the Parks Board, Mike Bua to the Recreation Board, and Troy Kennedy to the Centennial Subcommittee. A budget amendment for 2018-2019 was passed on first reading that makes sure that the budget aligns with projects that were done during the year, said the town manager. Interviews for an attorney to replace current town attorney Phil Noblett will be held on Dec. 19. Mr. Veal will conduct the interviews and each council member will have the opportunity to talk individually to each applicant. These meetings are not open to the public. Tyber Buchheit, a Boy Scout with Troop 35, is proposing to build a dog park for his Scout project. The potential location would be at the MACC near the old playground. He told the council that the cost estimate is $5,000 which will require some fundraising. Mr. Veal will meet with him to identify any issues with the plan before it will be presented to the council. Signal officials were told that the town received a clean audit and finances were in good order. Tanya Turman, the parent volunteer coordinator at Orchard Knob Middle, received an I Am Hamilton t-shirt for taking care of children and families at Orchard Knob Middle School. The district presents the shirts to individuals for efforts that "positively impact Hamilton County Schools and the children we serve."Ms. Turman is the gold standard for taking care of children and families in this community, said Jill Levine, chief of Opportunity Zone for Hamilton County Schools.Ms. Turman has developed the Care Closet at Orchard Knob Middle that provides clothes for children when they need them. She also coordinates clothing donations to keep the closet stocked. Ms.Thurman is now working with several other schools in the area to develop a Care Closet.Ms. Turman also works with parents in the community as she operates the Parent Resource Center at Orchard Knob Middle. She helps connect parents with GED programs and offers Lunch and Learn opportunities at the school where parents get information about how to help their children with school work.I am Hamilton spotlights the contributions of alumni, teachers, parents, students, support workers and community members providing opportunities for children in the classrooms of Hamilton County Schools. "Better opportunities for children today mean a brighter future filled with possibilities for our graduates, their families and the community," officials said. CO.LAB, Compania and LAUNCH Chattanooga, organizations that promote business development and entrepreneurship in Chattanooga, graduated their first all-Spanish language cohort on Monday, Dec. 3. CO.STARTERS, a program of CO.LAB that equips aspiring entrepreneurs with the insights, relationships, and tools needed to turn business ideas into tangible plans, had their curriculum material translated to Spanish in order to reach the Spanish-speaking market nationwide. CO.LAB began the class in October in collaboration with Compania, La Paz Chattanoogas business development arm that works as a chamber-like platform to develop strategies to connect, mentor and strengthen Latino business owners and bilingual professionals, and support organizations striving to reach the Latinx market. Compania assisted the program by recruiting participants for the cohort, coordinating logistics, and providing communication and marketing efforts for recruitment as well as each week of the program. Compania invited various Latinx business leaders from the community to share their experiences with the participants. Among the invited guests were Jorge Luis Loa of Carnicerias Loa, Erwin Ovalle of MCS, Nerdwebs and Ovalles Catering, Bilda Acuna of GPS, and Hector Olivencia of Olivencia & Cribben Law Office. Jose Alfaro, vice president of Operations and Hispanic Engagement at CO.STARTERS, facilitated the nine-week program. "I'm very grateful for Compania; they were key partners in coordinating the cohort for the Spanish CO.STARTERS Class. Without their collaboration, this class wouldn't have been such a success, said Mr. Alfaro. Marco Perez, vice president of Operations at LAUNCH Chattanooga, was also an integral component of the course, as he provided assistance in facilitation to Alfaro and contributed advice to the participants from his years of experience. Marcus Shaw, chief executive officer of CO.LAB, was present for the cohort graduation, wherein the participants presented their final business product and plan. "CO.LAB values diversity, inclusion, and belonging as a foundation to a healthy entrepreneurial ecosystem. Our partnership with La Paz's Compania and CO.STARTERS developed 19 entrepreneurs through Spanish language instruction. This illustrates the power of supporting all of our region's entrepreneurs through inclusive programming," said Shaw. The participants of the Spanish language class were: Gisela Bellina, Luz Bohorquez, Rafael Carmona, Rocio Chavez, Juan A. Florez, Juan C. Florez, Pilar Garcia, Carlos Garcia, Dulce Guzman, Raquel Hidalgo, Nazareth Nancy Loa, Jose Loza, Aidee Martinez, Deliana Natera, Jorge Ramirez, Christian Rivas, Marcelino Robles, Javier Sanchez, Luis Silva, and Alberto Torres. Among the businesses represented were: Cheese Dip Mexican Grill, El Quijote Catering, Guacamole Latin Kitchen, Top This Construction, Punto Latino, Jose Loza Photography, Tropical Produce, and Squeaky Clean Chattanooga. Luis Silva and Gisela Bellina of Squeaky Clean Chattanooga, were the recipients of a $10,000 Kiva loan. Kiva, an international nonprofit, is an online lending platform that connects online lenders to entrepreneurs across the globe. Kiva was introduced into CO.LABs repertoire in 2018 to be available to the Chattanooga entrepreneur community. Kiva is an excellent platform for obtaining loans without interest. It isnt easy fundraising for the loan but with plenty of focus and help from our community, we achieved our goal of 10,000 dollars, said Mr. Silva. I am so grateful to all the staff at Kiva, CO.STARTERS and La Paz for giving us the necessary tools so that my business could be set up for success. Diyar Al Muharraq, one of the leading urban developers in Bahrain, said its chief financial officer Subhas Chandra won two major awards at the Mena CFO Awards held recently in Dubai, UAE. The Mena CFO Awards were organised by Naseba as part of the two-day CFO Strategies Forum Mena at the Taj Hotel which was attended by over 200 leading chief financial officers in the region. The event celebrated the accomplishments of these personalities in their respective fields by honouring them with illustrious awards spanning six substantial categories. Chandra had an extraordinary showing at the awards, both earning the title of Finance Professional of the Year and ranking second in the Revolutionary CFO of the Year category, capping a strong year for the finance professional. The award is given after going through nominations invited from Mena CFO from across the public and private sectors. The Jury then selects the honourees after a rigorous evaluation process. Speaking on the occasion, Diyar Al Muharraq CEO Dr Maher Al Shaer said: "We are immensely pleased to celebrate the success attained by Chandra, at the Mena CFO Awards. "This achievement reflects Diyar Al Muharraqs keenness to invest in the growth and professional expertise of its personnel in all its departments, and rather than rest on our laurels, these recognitions only inspire us to exceed our current standards and achieve an even higher level of creativity and productivity," said an elated Dr Al Shaer. "We would like to express our sincere gratitude and deep appreciation for all the efforts made by our esteemed colleague in achieving this great distinction among his peers in the region, as we proudly embrace his success as our own," he added. On the spectacular win, Chandra said: "It is a great honour to be given the opportunity to represent both myself and Diyar Al Muharraq at the renowned Mena CFO Awards, and to be recognised in not one, but two categories amongst a group of my peers that make up the most accomplished finance professionals in the region." "Therefore, it brings me great personal pride to be titled as the Finance Professional of the Year and be named second in the Revolutionary CFO of the Year. I take this opportunity to express my gratitude to Dr Al Shaer for structuring an environment that breeds high levels of productivity and a need for constant success," he added.-TradeArabia News Service Can Christians celebrate Hanukkah? Christian Post Reporter | 11 December, 2018 by Brandon Showalter Hanukkah, the Jewish Festival of Lights, began Sunday, a holiday which starts on the 25th of the Jewish month of Kislev and lasts for eight days. In the Gregorian calendar it begins December 2 and concludes December 10 in 2018. Hanukkah is also known as the Feast of Dedication, and while it is not written about in the Old Testament, it was an observance Jesus took part in during his earthly life. "At that time the Feast of Dedication took place at Jerusalem. It was winter, and Jesus was walking in the temple, in the colonnade of Solomon," John 10:22-23 recounts. The holiday is fundamentally about the miracle of God being with the Jewish people during a time of great hardship and persecution, according to Dr. Michael Brown, a Messianic Jewish scholar and host of the Line of Fire, in a 2017 video explaining the meaning of the holiday. Hanukkah was not a biblical holiday per se in the sense that it was ordained by God in the Torah, but it was something regularly celebrated by the time Jesus showed up on the scene. Many Messianic Jews still celebrate Hanukkah as opposed to Christmas, and mark the birth of Jesus at other times in other ways, Brown noted. Read more about Christians and Hanukkah in The Christian Post. Case in Point Christian Examiner Contributor | 11 December, 2018 by Mark Klages Thank you, California, for exemplifying the utterly absurd and personifying everything that is wrong in today's collegiate culture. As if the assault on President George H. W. Bush's dog, Sully, was not proof enough that our culture has fallen far down the rabbit hole, now students at Cal State San Marcos' "Annual Whiteness Forum" have labeled the NFL, women who support President Trump, and VeggieTales as racist and dangerous. Come again? Bob the Tomato and Larry the Cucumber racist? Bob the red tomato and Larry the green cucumber stereotypical of white privilege? This might actually be the big one, Weezie. According to the Fox News article in question, students from Professor Dreama Moon's class, titled "The Communication of Whiteness" (No, I didn't make that up. "COMM 454 The Communication of Whiteness" and "SOC 463 Seminar in White Privilege" are two 400-level courses in CSUSM's current course catalog) claimed that "the creators of VeggieTales were using children's programming to promote racial stereotypes by making the villains racial minorities." Ignore the fact that storylines commonly pitted Bob and Larry against pirates who historically sailed from Caribbean lands. No, according to Professor Moon's class, VeggieTales simply carries on Biblical tradition of white power. "When kids see the good white character triumph over the bad person of color character they are taught that white is right and minorities are the source of evil." Annual Whiteness Forum So, yesterday, when I said Satan is using "leaps in knowledge to challenge absolute truth with a moral relativism" how many of you shrugged your shoulders and thought, "fear mongering" or "crazy conservative"? How did we get to the point where it's okay for California taxpayers to foot the bill for "The Communication of Whiteness" or "Seminar in White Privilege" and in the same breath reject Federal law requiring illegal aliens be detained and deported, especially following conviction for violent crime? Frankly, we all know how we got here. We banned God from our governments and our schools without considering the long-term consequences of "biting the hand that feeds us." We kicked God out of our schools when the Supreme Court ruled in 1947 that prayer violated the Establishment Clause. Never mind that children have the right to worship and pray without interference of the schools, the courts, or the Government, based on the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Never mind that prior to the Supreme Court's ruling children were allowed to pray, or to not pray, without undue influence from any teacher. And never mind that since God has been banned from schools not only have we witnessed horrific school shootings but we have also lost the ability to protect our daughters in the very spaces they are most vulnerable the ladies' restroom! Christian, I'm not advocating forced prayers in school, nor am I advocating our Government should become institutionalized Christianity. None of that aligns with scripture. But I am advocating a return of common sense to the classroom, starting at the most basic level and extending throughout our "bastions of higher learning." Seriously, how does a course in "White Privilege" benefit anyone in today's workforce, especially if the result is declaring women who support President Trump as racist? In my day, we just called that bullying. Coming from Professor Moon, it sounds more like institutionalized bullying. "For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear." (2 Tim 4:3, NIV) So don't fall for the doctrine of the masses. Be vigilant and stand for the scriptures. Pray unceasingly wherever you are. And remember that God is with you, even if Bob the Tomato and Larry the Cucumber can't be. Mark Klages is an influential contributor, a former US Marine and a lifelong teacher who focuses on applying a Christian worldview to everyday events. Mark blogs at https://maklagesl3.wixsite.com/website under the title "God Provides where Hate Divides," with a heart to heal social, political, relational, and intellectual wounds through God's divine love and grace. Mark can also be found on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-klages-04b42511/. Mainstream media continues to miss story on America's abortion decline Christian Post Contributor | 11 December, 2018 by Michael J. New In late November, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) released updated abortion data for the year 2015. Overall, the news was good. The number of abortions fell by 2 percent between 2014 and 2015 and there was a 24 percent decline since 2006. This reduction coupled with the recent confirmation of Brett Kavanaugh to the U.S. Supreme Court resulted in more coverage of this data than usual. This week, both Vox and The Economist ran articles analyzing the decline. Unfortunately, but unsurprisingly, both stories largely credit increases in contraception use for the reduction in the U.S. abortion rate. However, this is, at best, an incomplete explanation. To their credit, both articles do mention possible factors. Both articles acknowledge that increases in the number of state-level pro-life laws might be playing a role. Sarah Kliff, writing for Vox, cites a blogpost I wrote for National Review about increases in pro-life sentiment among millennials. However, neither article cites a very important factor behind the 50 percent decline in the U.S. abortion rate since 1980. Namely, that a higher percentage of unintended pregnancies are being carried to term. According to data from the Guttmacher Institute, in 1981, 54 percent of unintended pregnancies resulted in an abortion. That number fell to 42 percent by 2008. Read more about America's abortion decline on The Christian Post. Over 578 kids sexually abused at US children's camps; victim describes being molested by counselor Christian Post Contributor | 11 December, 2018 by Stoyan Zaimov More than 578 children have been victims of sexual abuse at children's camps in the U.S. over the past 55 years, according to a new report. A news segment on "CBS This Morning" reported that 21 cases surfaced this year, though victims' advocates fear many other children haven't reported the abuse they suffered. One mother in Texas who wasn't named allowed her son to speak with a psychologist about the molestation he suffered at the hands of a camp counselor in 2009. "After you took a shower, you'd put on your towel, and he didn't want you to wear underwear under it," the boy said, adding that the alleged incident happened at Camp La Junta. "He would check all the kids, but under their towel," he added. "He wouldn't look under there. He'd just stick his hand up." The boy's mother said she knew something was wrong when he returned home. "He was a different kid," she recalled. "He was not the happy-go-lucky little boy that loved to play outside. He was totally different. He just wanted to lay on the couch." Jon Conte, who studies child abuse and trauma at the University of Washington, believes that the 578 victims or so reported is only the "tip of the iceberg." "I think it's isolation from parents, it's out of a normal routine. Some kids are a little bit older and they're feeling more independent, and they may have a false sense of security," Conte said. On it's website, the nonprofit Children's Advocacy Center warns parents that they must be very careful over their children's safety at summer camps. Leah Howell, training coordinator for the Protect Our Children Project of the Children's Advocacy Center of Jackson County, Oregon, writes that she has seen firsthand through her experience that standard camp safety measures are inadequate. "As camp counselors, program directors and camp administrators, safety was on our radar we were keenly aware of the dangerous and overtly suspicious situations involving adults and youth. However, looking back over the course of many years working and living at camps, I now more fully recognize the potentially compromising environments that exist in a youth camp setting," Howell warns. Read more on "Over 578 kids sexually abused at US children's camps; victim describes being molested by counselor" in The Christian Post. 'Town deserves Jesus in it': Dozens of Christians protest in Ohio to bring back Nativity Christian Post Contributor | 11 December, 2018 by Stoyan Zaimov Dozens of Christians have been protesting in a town in Ohio against the city's decision to follow an atheist demand and not allow a Nativity scene this Christmas at the courthouse. Another Ohio town has pushed back against the same demand and said that it will continue displaying its Nativity, however. The Record-Courier reported that between 40 to 50 Christians protested outside of the Ravenna Courthouse Lawn on Saturday, urging Mayor Frank Seman to allow a Nativity scene to be displayed there. The Freedom from Religion Foundation, an atheist group which has been filing lawsuits around the country concerning separation of church and state cases, had written a letter last year warning Seman over the Christian display. Seman told community volunteers the day after Thanksgiving that there will be no Nativity this year at the courthouse, explaining that he had to uphold the Constitution and make sure the city does not get sued. The Christians protesting on Saturday said that the town should have a Nativity, however. "We would like to have the Nativity scene come back on the courthouse lawn," said David Ballert, pastor of Bethel Baptist Church in Ravenna. "I'm here with my people because we care very much about the Lord Jesus Christ ... I believe Ravenna is a great town. I believe that a town deserves to have Jesus Christ in it." Ballert revealed that the church members protested on Dec. 1 and are planning to return to protest on Dec. 22 as well. The pastor said that believers sang carols and hymns and received friendly responses from cars passing by. "Everybody driving by seems to be saying 'hello' to us and 'Merry Christmas' ... I have no doubt the people are behind what we're doing here," he noted. Streetsboro Mayor Glenn Broska, meanwhile, said that he will continue allowing a Nativity display at the city square, despite receiving a similar letter by the FFRF years ago. "I posed the question to the law director how we should respond," the mayor said. "As long as it's part of a much wider-ranging display, which ours is, we're OK. We didn't use any municipal funding for it." Broska clarified that he would accept holiday religious displays from any faith group that asks for one. "We have a menorah now, and if there are other religions out there that would like to have something displayed, as long as they purchase it, we would be glad to put it up," he said. Read more about Nativity scenes on The Christian Post. After mentioning the possible embassy move earlier this year, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison is preparing to formally recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel on Wednesday. According to the Times of Israel, the Australian government approved the move in a late-night national security meeting, Tuesday, but it will likely be delayed due to the exorbitant price tag of the relocation. Reportedly, the decision was only passed by Morrisons cabinet members after extensive conversation. Additionally, the parties involved agreed that the move would happen at a later date because it would cost an estimated $200 million. The Times of Israel reports that a source confirmed to them that a temporary consular office will be established in Jerusalem until the country is ready to pay for the hefty fee for relocation. The decision is expected to be announced Wednesday during the Council of Australian Governments meeting. Specific details on the move have not yet been divulged and it is not clear at this time if the government plans to recognize Jerusalem as a whole as Israels capital, or just West Jerusalem, which has been Israeli ground for the entirety of the countrys existence. Photo courtesy: Getty Images/Tracey Nearmy/Stringer The battle over Iowas fetal heartbeat law continued in a Polk County Courtroom Friday. Judge Michael Huppert heard arguments Friday over whether there are any facts in dispute in the case. If there are facts in dispute, then a trial will be necessary. The Iowa Legislature passed the law, which bans abortions after a heartbeat can be detected, on May 1stand Governor Kim Richards signed in on May 4th. The Emma Goldman Clinic and Planned Parenthood of the Heartland filed suit to stop the law from going into effect. Judge Huppert granted an injunction in June which prevented the law from going into effect while the suit worked its way through the legal system. The states attorneys argued that many facts are in dispute in the case. Attorneys representing the plaintiffs argued that the law is blatantly unconstitutional and should be thrown out quickly. The states attorneys said the law was not a complete ban on abortions, but rather a restriction on when abortions could take place. Martin Cannon, an attorney for the Thomas More Society, which is representing the state, said the law does not ban one single abortion. He continued, It simply requires that all abortions be done earlier. If youre going to have an abortion, do it before the child reaches this milestone. At a lunch with pro-life activists who attended the hearing, Cannon admitted that the law would end a huge number of grisly murders of children. He also said, Of course we feel that its human life from conception. But at least weve knocked out all the abortions that are being done later even at the cost of having a number of them done sooner. We are still making history. The Emma Goldman Clinic and Planned Parenthood of the Heartland say the law violates due-process rights, rights to equal protection under the law, and womens right to liberty, safety, and happiness. Judge Huppert said it could take up to 60 days for him to reach a decision. Scott Slayton writes at One Degree to Another. Photo courtsey: Julie Johnson/Unsplash Emaar, the developer of the iconic Burj Khalifa and the upcoming Dubai Creek Tower, has commenced business development operations in China. This come following the announcement in July of the companys expansion to the country, coinciding with the historic visit of President Xi Jinping of China to the UAE. Emaar has a team of dedicated business development professionals in the country, specially recruited from China, and has started the design and fit-out of two premium offices in CBD of Beijing and Shanghai, said the Dubai developer in a statement. In addition to promoting the UAE and Dubai as a high-growth investment destination, the two Emaar showrooms will showcase the flagship and ongoing premium lifestyle, shopping and hospitality developments in Dubai, like The Dubai Mall and Address Hotels as well as touristic destinations such as Burj Khalifa and Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo, it stated. The diverse international educational opportunities such as New York University and Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi a keen requirement by Chinese investors in property as well as the healthcare amenities that are available close to Emaars communities are highlighted at the state-of-the-art showrooms. Emaar said it aims to work with the UAE embassy in China to promote the nations appeal to Chinese investors, with guidance from Ali Obaid Al Daheri, UAE Ambassador to China, who has been actively promoting UAE-China ties, by fostering trade relations and tourism, as well as highlighting the UAEs appeal as an investment hub. The Dubai developer is also expanding its premium luxury hotel and serviced residences brand, Address Hotels + Resorts, to China. Address-branded hotels will open in key cities in the country, building on the familiarity that the brand enjoys among Chinese tourists. Today, Emaars hotels are among the most-preferred by Chinese visitors, given their central location and access to lifestyle destinations such as The Dubai Mall, said the statement. Emaars expansion to China complements the Belt and Road Initiative announced by President Xi Jinping, in which the UAE will have a significant part to play. Chinese visitors can enjoy visa-on-arrival and have effortless connectivity with the city with Emirates operating to the key cities in China, it added.-TradeArabia News Service In 2020, we were the church on our heels. A global pandemic shut down much of our world. But the church has been on the move since it was birthed; it will continue to be on the move until God makes all things new. David Limbaugh explains why Christians must learn about Paul, his work and the early church Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment The Christian faith cannot be understood apart from the radical obedience and transformation of a persecutor-turned-Apostle, Paul, whose life and words shaped the early church more than any other man. And author David Limbaugh believes it's vital that Christians understand the importance of Paul's missionary journeys and work as he testified to the miraculous event that was the physical resurrection of Jesus. While the first believers in the risen Lord were based in Jerusalem, the faith spread remarkably amid persecution and suffering, Limbaugh explains in Jesus Is Risen: Paul and The Early Church. Limbaugh explores the book of Acts and six New Testament epistles, navigating the activities and thinking of the earliest believers, particularly Paul, as they faced intense opposition, violence, and setbacks because of their zeal to advance God's Kingdom. Written with passion for the furtherance of the Gospel, Limbaugh equips Christians hungry to know more about the roots of their faith, who will no doubt notice his love for Scripture. The following is The Christian Posts Q&A with David Limbaugh about his book and what Christians can learn from Apostle Paul. CP: You write extensively about how the Apostle Paul was particularly effective at debating and making good arguments for belief in the resurrected Messiah. What can modern Christians learn from his example? Limbaugh: Paul was uniquely equipped to evangelize because of his sincerity, his intellect, his passion, his intimate knowledge of the Scriptures, his flexibility, and most of all, his love for Christ and for all those to whom he was delivering His life-giving message. Paul kept his focus on Christ and on his direct commission from Christ to preach the Gospel. He studiously avoided self-promotion; his singular mission was to be an obedient vehicle for the Holy Spirit, through Him, to win converts for Christ. So as dogmatic as Paul could be on matters of doctrine, he was quite adaptable in his approach to evangelism. He was adamant that the small issues those that wouldnt affect ones salvation not interfere with his presentation of the message. It was critical not to impose any artificial barriers that could impede the message. So he intentionally couched the message in terms that would most likely appeal to his particular audience, but never at the expense of right doctrine and the true Gospel message. In his first letter to the Corinthians, he wrote: For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them. To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though not being myself under the law) that I might win those under the law. To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law. To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. I do it all for the sake of the Gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings. Paul knew that not all people are alike they come from different cultures, different religions, and different worldviews. He was determined to meet them where they were. Ravi Zacharias employs the same technique in his approach to evangelism and apologetics, reminding his students that when someone asks them a question about the faith they must be attuned to the questioner as much as the question he or she is asking. Try to assess what is really troubling the person and then tailor your answer accordingly, being careful always to honor the truth and Gods Word. CP: You note the importance of the book of Romans, which has been called "The Cathedral of the Christian Faith." It's arguably the most substantive theological treatise in all of Scripture. Given its density, it's also a book where its meaning is most vigorously debated among theologians. Though Paul speaks to many things in it, in your study of the book what emerged as its most glorious truth? Limbaugh: There are so many glorious truths in the book of Romans it is difficult for me to rank them. But I agree with most commentators that the books theme is summarized in this passage: For I am not ashamed of the Gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, The righteous shall live by faith (Romans 1:16-17). As I explain in the book, in this epistle, Paul masterfully articulates the interrelationship between righteousness and salvation. Eternal salvation is available to all people Jews and Gentiles through faith in Jesus Christ, not through ones works. Through faith the sinner is declared righteous Christs righteousness is imputed to him in a judicial sense and he is also empowered by the Holy Spirit to become more righteous in fact. All people are joined as one people in Christ. CP: The book of Acts chronicles the journeys of the apostles, especially Paul's, and you point out that the book isn't merely history, but that there are theological and life lessons to be learned within it, particularly about suffering in the midst of trials. As you explored this, what moved you most about the fathers of the early church and their work? Limbaugh: As I read the book of Acts and the epistles, especially in view of the Gospels, I am struck by the radical transformation of the apostles from the time they accompanied Christ in His earthly ministry to their work as missionaries following His resurrection and ascension. Even though they had been with Christ, listened to His words, experienced His sinlessness, and witnessed His miracles, they were still plagued with some doubt about who He was. At times they would respond that He was the Messiah, the Son of God, and the Savior of mankind, but yet still vacillated, especially after His crucifixion where Peter, of all people, denied Him not once, but three times. But once they encountered the resurrected Christ, touched Him, ate with Him, and prayed with Him after they had seen Him physically die and then reappear bodily in His resurrection they were transformed from ambivalent, skeptical, and feckless men to bold proclaimers of the Gospel. Their transformation was complete, so that when the religious authorities arrested Peter and John and commanded them to quit performing miracles in Christs name and to cease spreading the Gospel message, Peter and John responded: Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge, for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard (Acts 4:19-20). In other words, We dont mean to be disrespectful to you, but we dont really have a choice when it comes to following your commands or those of the living Son of God, who commanded us to be His witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth (Acts 1:8). These ordinary men with little formal education became extraordinary men through the Spirit of Christ and the gates of Hell could thereafter not contain them. It is a powerful testimony to the power of Christ and the Holy Spirit to transform peoples lives. CP: The Church in Galatia was under the spell of false teaching. Paul rebukes them calling them "foolish" since they, as you explain, had the Gospel clearly presented to them but insisted on moving away from salvation by faith and returning to the Law and their own works. And we see throughout the New Testament similar rebukes and warnings to watch out for false teachers. Were it impossible to be deceived, there would be no such warnings present. Yet simultaneously, some Christians seem to have more of a belief in the enemy's ability to deceive them than in the Holy Spirit's ability to lead them into all truth, and as a result they function in a rather paranoid fashion. In other words, we're not immune to the same issues they experienced. How Can Christians today avoid that same predicament that the Galatians fell into, and rely on the Holy Spirit to preserve them? Limbaugh: Your question presents an opportunity to emphasize the universal applicability of Pauls letters to the particular churches of his day. Several interviewers have asked me what Paul might say to churches today that are struggling with internal and external threats. My response is that he would send them copies of his epistles because though many were written to specific local churches, they addressed problems that all churches would face throughout history. His answer is always the same and is just as relevant today as it was 2000 years ago. The church must present the Gospel message, undiluted. It must preach Christ and Him crucified. It must preach our inability to save ourselves and that we find our salvation by grace, through faith in Christ alone. It must resist the anti-Christian influences of the secular world and their corrosive impact on the church. It must resist the temptation to please man instead of God, for example, by conforming to anti-Christian practices or beliefs prominent in the culture. It must resist the seductive teachings of false preachers who deliver a message that appeals to mans pride and his self-sufficiency. Paul would tell them to remain true to the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus (2 Tim. 3:15). He would warn them to be vigilant against those false teachers who will say what their itching ears want to hear (2 Tim. 4:3). So in response to another part of your question, of course these traps that Paul warns about would be present throughout the history of the church and remain with us today. I dont know whether some Christians fear the enemys ability to deceive them more than they believe in the Holy Spirits ability to lead them into all truth. To me this presents a false choice. A true reading of Scripture warrants that we be forever aware of the ubiquitous forces of evil in the world and scrupulously avoid those, both consciously and by relying on the power of the Holy Spirit to deliver us from their influences. A healthy awareness of these dark forces, of the underlying spiritual warfare that is playing out beyond our range of physical vision, is essential to insulate us from their power over us. Such awareness will help motivate us to turn to the Spirit, which we must do, through prayer, Bible reading, and the whole panoply of other spiritual disciplines. Well never be wholly immune from these influences, which is why we must remain in the Word and in prayer on a daily basis. CP: I would imagine that when you pen a book with this depth, it's impossible not to encounter the living God in a powerful way. Did that happen for you while writing Jesus Is Risen? Limbaugh: I cant say that I have overt mystical experiences as some Christians describe, but I can tell you that when I study Gods Word in-depth, I grow closer to Him. In Jesus is Risen, I cover the book of Acts and six of the Apostle Pauls 13 epistles, and I read and reread these books intensely and close together so that I could better see their interrelationship than I ever could before. As a result of this study I also think I gained a greater appreciation for the struggles Paul, Peter, John, and the other apostles and early believers experienced. They were real people living in real history and you cant help but appreciate that as you read Lukes account of the history of the early church in Acts, and the intimate tone of Pauls letters to the churches he planted. As I read these books my appreciation for Gods sovereignty and superintendence of salvation history grows immeasurably, as does my awe for His Word and its glorious unity, integrity, and spiritual power. It is my fervent belief that studying Scripture draws us closer to God that most inspires my writing of these books, whose main goal is to encourage people to read the Bible for themselves. CP: Nowadays, among the worst of heresies being furthered in the West are related to human sexuality and sexual ethics, with increasing numbers of churches affirming what the early church condemned. You might say we have become like Corinth. How is it that we have forgotten that, as you say in your chapter "1 Corinthians 1-8: A Call for Unity in the Church," not only is the body the temple of the Holy Spirit and sexual sin strikes at the very core of our being, but that indeed it damages the witness of the entire church, not just the individual engaged in it? Limbaugh: Paul told the Corinthians that the body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord our bodies are members of Christ. As such, we should not unite them with a prostitute, as one who is joined with a prostitute becomes one body with her and the two will become one flesh. But whoever is united with the Lord is with him in spirit (1 Cor. 6:17). We must particularly avoid sexual immorality, Paul cautions, because whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body, which is a temple of the Holy Spirit. As I attempt to explain in the book, I believe Paul is saying that the sexual sin is related to the body in a unique, more intimate way. Other sins may affect the body, notes Leon Morris, but this sin, and this sin only, means that a man takes that body that is a member of Christ and puts it into a union which blasts his own body. The sexual sinner sins against his own body. As our body was purchased with a price it does not belong to us, but to God and so must be used to glorify God. I dont know that we have forgotten these truths, as you suggest, but I do believe we have become numb to them, just as we have to other scriptural truths that have come under assault in our culture, and all too often, in our churches. 'Breakthrough' movie trailer breaks record with 30 million views in 48 hours Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment 20th Century Fox and Devon Franklin released the first trailer for the upcoming film "Breakthrough" last week and garnered nearly 40 million views in just days. In just 48 hours the trailer had already reached 30 million views on Facebook. Pastor Samuel Rodriquez, executive producer of the film, took to social media to celebrate its instant success. When a movie trailer receives over 30 million views in 48 hours and breaks the record for a film in its genre, three words best capture our collective sentiment: Glory to God!, he wrote on Instagram. "Breakthrough" tells the miraculous real-life account of Joyce and John Smith, a mother and son who reveal the power of prayer and the Holy Spirit during one of life's most tragic moments. "When Joyce Smith's adopted son John falls through an icy Missouri lake, all hope looks lost. Even though John lies lifeless for more than an hour, his mother refuses to lose faith and prays for a miracle. To the astonishment of everyone present, her prayers are answered as John's heart suddenly begins to beat again, defying every expert, every case history, and every scientific prediction. Mere days after the accident, he walks out of the hospital under his own power, completely healed," the movie's synopsis reads. [I]ts not about breaking a record, Rodriguez added. "Its about changing lives. This movie will literally change lives; prayer, hope, grace, truth, and love coming together make the impossible possible, resulting in one inevitable outcome: BREAKTHROUGH! I am honored to be part of this. Your breakthrough is on the way! Franklin also celebrated the movie trailer's success, revealing that the record-breaking trailer received millions of views without the company spending marketing money. When you see this post, I want it to be evidence to you that God can and will do the Impossible in your life! This is the biggest trailer launch of a movie in this genre ever!! And we didnt spend a dime! Please hear me: God will never leave you or forsake you! Please keep believing and keep doing! Franklin said on Instagram. One scene in the trailer shows a conversation between Joyce and her sons doctor where she tells the physician, Be the best for John, let God do the rest. The first responder who saved John, played by Mike Colter ("Luke Cage), is also seen wrestling with his faith because, as he describes it, it was a voice that told him where to find John in the ice covered lake after several minutes of searching with no success. Hillsongs Oceans closes out the trailer, leaving viewers with a sense of hope as the story tells the power of faith. Actress Chrissy Metz (This Is Us) plays the role of Joyce. Marcel Ruiz portrays her son, John, (One Day at a Time) who fights for his life in a hospital bed. Joining Metz in the cast is Topher Grace, who's best known for his role in the comedy series "That '70s Show." He plays Pastor Jason Noble who helps the grieving family through the ordeal. The cast also includes Josh Lucas and hip-hop artist Lecrae. The Christian Post attended a set visit in Canada earlier this year where they shot "Breakthrough" under the direction of veteran TV director Roxann Dawson ("House of Cards," "Scandal," "The Americans," and "Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.). Franklin ("Miracles from Heaven") produced the film and was determined to retell the Smiths' story just as it happened. The 20th Century Fox movie is based on Joyce Smith's book The Impossible and was adapted for the screen by Grant Nieporte ("Seven Pounds"). Franklin first heard of Smith's story while sitting in the green room at TBN studios. Rodriguez was interviewing Joyce, John, and their Pastor Jason Noble who shared their story. After the show, the Smith's and Noble talked with Franklin in the green room who connected them with a literary agent to help develop the book proposal. Smith's story first made national headlines in 2015, shortly after a bidding war began for the book proposal that was eventually won by Hachette books, and was used as the basis for the film. After this sentence "The 20th Century Fox movie is based on Joyce Smith's book The Impossible and was adapted for the screen by Grant Nieporte Smith's story first made national headlines in 2015, shortly after a bidding war began for the book proposal that was eventually won by Hachette books. Franklin was so moved by the story that he connected the family with a literary agent to help develop the book proposal, which was used as the basis for the film. "Breakthrough" will be released in April 2019. Compassion Int'l Among Thousands Forced Out of India: We Must Speak Up for Religious Liberty Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment "I believe that the most essential element of our defense of freedom is our insistence on speaking out for the cause of religious liberty. I would like to see this country rededicate itself wholeheartedly to this cause We are our brothers' keepers, all of us." President Ronald Reagan If you've seen the Oscar-winning movie "Slumdog Millionaire," then you've gotten a glimpse of the poverty that exists in India. Mumbai is home to one of the largest slums in the world with a million residents eking out an existence in poor sanitary conditions and extremely crowded confines. Religious and humanitarian organizations from around the world spend their time and money to help Indian citizens through programs and donations. Christians across the U.S. take time from school or work every year to travel to India, not for a five star vacation, but to be the hands and feet of Jesus. They are there for an eternal mission of compassion and charity, living out the Gospel. They help minister to the more than 200 million people in India roughly a quarter of the population who live below the poverty line. It was the haunting images of poverty families living on the street, children abandoned by their widowed mothers and people so starved for food that their ribs protruded that drew Compassion International to India in the 1960s. The organization started by helping 400 children and eventually took 145,000 children under its wing. Compassion International provided food, clean water and educational opportunities to poverty's most vulnerable victims. Unfortunately for those children, the Indian government is using a broad provision of law to force organizations such as Compassion International out of India. After nearly 50 years, this humanitarian aid organization has been forced to leave. When Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the United States several weeks ago, I asked President Trump to bring up this critical issue. The United States and India have a long-standing relationship and I, along with several of my colleagues, encouraged the president to reiterate the importance of religious liberty in India. The Indian government, under Modi's leadership, has made it difficult and, in Compassion International's case, impossible for religious and humanitarian organizations to get funding for their charitable operations in India. These are organizations that are trying to meet the very basic needs of the impoverished. They are providing food and health care to those who would otherwise starve and suffer. These organizations cannot transfer funds into India for their operations without the government's permission. That permission is becoming less and less forthcoming. Hundreds of thousands of dollars are caught in a bottleneck, according to The New York Times. Compassion International isn't alone in encountering this problem. According to both Reuters and The New York Times, more than 11,000 nongovernmental organizations have had their licenses to receive overseas donations canceled or suspended since 2014. This has caused a negative impact that has reverberated across India in areas ranging from health care to environmental causes. Missionary outreach, a core component of many denominations in the U.S. for more than a century, has come under attack in India as well. Southern Baptist Convention missionaries have faced increased pressure and scrutiny from Indian authorities when trying to enter the country and during their work as well. It was a Virginia woman born before the Civil War who laid the foundation for a fundraising drive that has raised more than $1 billion for missionary work within the Southern Baptist Convention. Lottie Moon literally lost her life on the mission field when she sacrificed her own food and money to help famine victims in Asia. Just as we celebrate the birth of Christ, we also celebrate her every year at Christmas with the annual Lottie Moon Christmas Offering for Missions. Lottie embodied the Christian spirit that burns in all of us. It is this very spirit that is under attack. India is the world's largest democracy. It is deeply saddening that after so many years of democracy, it continues to oppress religious freedom. Using a provision of law to cut off funding for charitable organizations that provide for Indian citizens makes no sense. In particular, cutting off religious organizations is oppressive and needs to change. The ability to practice your beliefs is a fundamental human right. We cannot allow religious persecution and oppression to prosper. We must champion the cause of religious freedom by making it a top foreign policy priority. I hope the Trump Administration will join me in calling for religious freedom around the world. John Kennedy (R-La.) was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2016. He has built a distinguished career as a conservative champion for the people of Louisiana and a dedicated watchdog of taxpayer money. Kennedy serves on the Appropriations, Banking, Housing & Urban Affairs, Budget, Judiciary and Small Business & Entrepreneurship committees in the U.S. Senate. He has been an adjunct professor at LSU Law School and a volunteer substitute teacher for public schools. He resides in Madisonville, Louisiana, with his wife Becky and their son, Preston. They are founding members of the North Cross United Methodist Church. Former Baylor frat president accused of raping virgin to serve no jail time Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment A former Baylor University fraternity president accused of raping a 19-year-old student who said she was a virgin at the time was given a plea deal by a Waco district judge Monday, which outraged many who signed on to a petition urging prosecutors to withdraw the deal. Jacob Walter Anderson, 23, a Garland resident and former president of Baylors Phi Delta Theta fraternity, was indicted on charges he sexually assaulted a sophomore at an off-campus fraternity party in February 2016, when she was 19, the Waco Tribune-Herald said. The report said 19th State District Judge Ralph Strother accepted the deal prosecutors offered to Anderson in October, which allowed him to plead no contest to the third-degree felony charge of unlawful restraint, and receive deferred probation. Prosecutors also agreed to dismiss four counts of sexual assault against Anderson under the terms of the deal, which include him paying a $400 fine and receiving counseling. A petition that had attracted nearly 90,000 signatures as of Tuesday morning is already calling for the deal to be rejected. We, the undersigned, respectfully request that the authorities carefully consider the evidence in this case and give this young sexual assault victim her day in court and reject this plea bargain, the signers said. In February 2016, a young woman was handed a glass of punch at a Baylor University fraternity party, and according to arrest affidavits, she became disoriented. Jacob Anderson took her to a secluded part of the grounds behind a tent so she could get some air, the affidavit states. Once they were away from the crowd, he sexually assaulted her, according to the documents, the petition claimed. The young woman did all the right things. She was taken to a local hospital. She contacted police. She spoke with prosecutors. But the man charged with her rape has now agreed to a plea deal that would reduce the rape charges to third-degree felony charge of unlawful restraint, it continued. In a victim impact statement on Monday, the alleged victim, who is also no longer at Baylor, expressed to the judge how his decision devastated her. She also spoke out against prosecutor Hilary LaBorde, who struck the deal with the former fraternity president and McLennan County District Attorney Abel Reyna for not attending the hearing, the Tribune Herald reported. If I had the courage to come back to Waco and face my rapist and testify, you could at least have had enough respect for me to show up today, she said. You both will have to live with this decision to let a rapist run free in society without any warning to future victims. I wonder if you will have nightmares every night watching Jacob rape me over and over again? She also lashed out at Anderson, who is expected to graduate from the University of Texas at Dallas, for stealing her virginity and other things from her. Jacob Walter Anderson. It must be horrible to be you, she said. To know what you did to me. To know you are a rapist. To know that you almost killed me. To know that you ruined my life, stole my virginity and stole many other things from me. She continued: When I was completely unconscious, he dumped me face down in the dirt and left me there to die. He had taken what he wanted, had proven his power over my body. He then walked home and went to bed without a second thought to the ravaged, half-dead woman he had left behind. Prosecutors in the case reportedly agreed to the plea deal because they were worried that Anderson would have been acquitted at trial. Strother also noted that most of the people speaking out against the deal were: not fully informed, misinformed or totally uninformed. Nobel Peace Prize Awarded to Christian 'Doctor Miracle' Who Helps Rape Victims and Former ISIS Captive Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment The 2018 Nobel Peace Prize was awarded last week to Denis Mukwege, a Christian doctor who treats rape victims, and former Islamic State terror group captive Nadia Murad. Denis Mukwege, a Congolese physician who since 1998 has treated thousands of victims of sexual assault in the Democratic Republic of Congo, was hailed for his pursuit of justice. "Men and women, officers and soldiers, and local, national and international authorities alike all have a shared responsibility for reporting, and combating, this type of war crime," a press release stated last week. "The importance of Dr. Mukwege's enduring, dedicated and selfless efforts in this field cannot be overstated. He has repeatedly condemned impunity for mass rape and criticized the Congolese government and other countries for not doing enough to stop the use of sexual violence against women as a strategy and weapon of war." As BBC News pointed out, Mukwege is known as "Doctor Miracle" due to his reconstructive surgeries that help women who have been raped. Mukwege's Panzi hospital in Bukavu has now been operating for nearly 20 years, and cares for more than 3,500 women a year. The son of a pastor, Mukwege has paid tribute to his faith as one of his main inspirations for tackling the horrific war violence that has gripped his country. "It is up to us, the heirs of Martin Luther, through God's word, to exorcise all the macho demons possessing the world so that women who are victims of male barbarity can experience the reign of God in their lives," Mukwege said at the 12th Lutheran World Federation Assembly in May 2017. He added that he thinks about "the credibility of the Gospel in the 21st century, to liberate the grace that we have received by making the Church a light that still shines in this world of darkness through our struggles for justice, truth, law, freedom, in short, the dignity of man and woman." He dedicated his Nobel prize award to women from all over the world who have been harmed by conflict and violence. "For almost 20 years I have witnessed war crimes committed against women, girls, and even baby girls not only in my country, the Democratic Republic of Congo, but also in many other countries," Mukwege said, as reported by Reuters. "To the survivors from all over the world, I would like to tell you that through this prize, the world is listening to you and refusing to remain indifferent. The world refuses to sit idly in the face of your suffering." Murad meanwhile is one of the thousands of women that was kidnapped, tortured, and raped by the Islamic State in Iraq. Since escaping, the Yazidi woman has shared her story and the way IS treats women and children with the world, accounting the graphic details she and so many others have been subjected to. Murad has spoken before the U.N. and lead campaigns calling for the liberation and protection of the victims under IS. "Nadia Murad is herself a victim of war crimes. She refused to accept the social codes that require women to remain silent and ashamed of the abuses to which they have been subjected. She has shown uncommon courage in recounting her own sufferings and speaking up on behalf of other victims," the press release last week stated. Over 578 kids sexually abused at US children's camps; victim describes being molested by counselor Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment More than 578 children have been victims of sexual abuse at children's camps in the U.S. over the past 55 years, according to a new report. A news segment on "CBS This Morning reported that 21 cases surfaced this year, though victims advocates fear many other children haven't reported the abuse they suffered. One mother in Texas who wasnt named allowed her son to speak with a psychologist about the molestation he suffered at the hands of a camp counselor in 2009. "After you took a shower, you'd put on your towel, and he didn't want you to wear underwear under it," the boy said, adding that the alleged incident happened at Camp La Junta. "He would check all the kids, but under their towel," he added. "He wouldn't look under there. He'd just stick his hand up." The boys mother said she knew something was wrong when he returned home. "He was a different kid," she recalled. "He was not the happy-go-lucky little boy that loved to play outside. He was totally different. He just wanted to lay on the couch." Jon Conte, who studies child abuse and trauma at the University of Washington, believes that the 578 victims or so reported is only the tip of the iceberg. "I think it's isolation from parents, it's out of a normal routine. Some kids are a little bit older and they're feeling more independent, and they may have a false sense of security," Conte said. On it's website, the nonprofit Children's Advocacy Center warns parents that they must be very careful over their children's safety at summer camps. Leah Howell, training coordinator for the Protect Our Children Project of the Childrens Advocacy Center of Jackson County, Oregon, writes that she has seen firsthand through her experience that standard camp safety measures are inadequate. As camp counselors, program directors and camp administrators, safety was on our radar we were keenly aware of the dangerous and overtly suspicious situations involving adults and youth. However, looking back over the course of many years working and living at camps, I now more fully recognize the potentially compromising environments that exist in a youth camp setting, Howell warns. Consistent and costly changes to the camps physical environment, facilities, organizational processes and staff structures would have been needed to totally eliminate potentially harmful situations. I doubt much has changed in camp standards in the last 15 years. Institutional child abuse continues to be a major issue in the U.S., with scandals plaguing both Catholic and Protestant churches as well. Abuse of children and subsequent cover-ups by Catholic clergy has been reported in several states. In August, a Pennsylvania Grand Jury report found that 301 priests abused over 1,000 children in the past several decades in that state alone, but were often protected by church hierarchy. Pope Francis has scheduled a global summit of church leaders in February 2019 to discuss the ongoing clergy sex abuse crisis. Pakistan expels World Vision and other aid groups, accuses them of spreading 'disinformation' Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment The government of Pakistan has expelled the evangelical relief charity World Vision, Catholic Relief Services and 16 other foreign aid groups and NGOs. The nations top human rights official has claimed that they all engaged in spreading disinformation. The organizations, most of which are U.S.-based with some based in Europe, have halted their operations in the South Asian nation after their appeals of the governments decision to deny re-registration was turned down. Pakistan Human Rights Minister Shireen Mazari claimed on Twitter that the groups were denied re-registration because they spread disinfo and were not working within their stated intent. The news came as the government ordered at least 20 aid groups to close down in December 2017 because of security concerns. Plan International, a group that advocates for children rights worldwide and serves 1.6 million children across Pakistan, received a letter on Oct. 2 from the Pakistani government, telling the group that the Ministry of Interior was giving it 60 days to cease operations and leave the country. According to a statement shared with The Christian Post, the Oct. 2 letter was responding to the groups appeal of the December 2017 decision to decline its re-registration. No reason was given for the rejection. We are deeply saddened by the government decision and extremely concerned about the impact it will have on communities, particularly hundreds of thousands of children, the organization is currently supporting, as well as our own staff who are all Pakistani nationals, Plan International said. World Vision, a 68-year-old evangelical aid charity that provides humanitarian assistance, development aid and advocacy to those in need across the globe, completely halted its operations in Pakistan by Nov. 30 and complied with its 60-day deadline. According to a statement provided to CP, World Vision had 31 staff members in Pakistan and was working on two supporting grants, one of which came from the Canadian government to strengthen maternal, newborn and child health. World Visions departure comes after a two-year effort by the organization to re-gain formal registration. The charity began working in Pakistan in 2005. World Vision regrets the effect that the cessation of our work will have on the vulnerable communities with whom we worked, but respects the Governments right to decide who may work in the country, it said. It will continue to discuss the possibility of re-starting work under any new legal framework which the government may subsequently introduce. A spokesperson for Catholic Relief Services, a Baltimore-based entity of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, confirmed to CP that it has also complied with the governments demand to halt activities but could not offer any further comment. CP also reached out to the Pakistan Humanitarian Forum, a network that represents 15 of the 18 aid agencies that have been expelled from Pakistan. A response is pending. Umair Hasan, a spokesman for the Pakistan Humanitarian Forum and the country director of Islamic Relief Worldwide, told the Associated Press that the groups affiliated with the forum have helped as many as 11 million poor Pakistanis and contributed over $130 million in aid. Other organizations denied registrations include American Center for International Labor Solidarity, the Central Asia Education Trust, International Alert, Action Aid, Danish Refugee Council, Switzerlands Foundation Open Society Institute and the U.S.-based birth control and family planning charity Pathfinder International. No organization has been given a clear reason for the denial of its registration renewal applications, Hasan was quoted as saying. Michael Kugelman, senior associate for South Asia at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington, D.C., told NPR in an email that there are lingering suspicions among government officials about the work that these aid organizations are doing. Kugelman said those suspicions only increased after a Pakistani doctor helped the CIA find and kill Islamic terrorist leader Osama Bin Laden by posing as a worker for an international aid group. "The state simply doesn't trust these NGOs, as innocuous as their activities may be, Kugelman told NPR in an email. There is a sky-high level of mistrust, especially in a country where conspiracy theories are tightly embraced by large swaths of society and the state alike. Muhammad Amir Rana, the director of the Islamabad-based Pakistan Institute of Peace Studies, told AP that the action taken against the NGOs is a government-orchestrated attempt to silence voices that are critical of the government. In her tweets responding to critics of the move, Mazari expressed disapproval with the fact that some of these groups have political agenda overtones. Mazari pointed out in her tweet that 80 other nonprofits have been re-registered. Btw some denied registration had no projects on the ground beyond seminars, discussions & free trips abroad, she wrote. Hasan worries about what the Pakistani government has in store for the future. Civil society space has shrunk, Hasan stated. Next, they will go after local organizations who receive international funding. It will seriously compromise the independence of organizations, their flexibility of how to operate, where to operate. Pastor Andrew Brunson calls for US-protected Islamic cleric Fetullah Gulen be extradited to Turkey Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Freed U.S. pastor Andrew Brunson has sided with Turkey in its request to have controversial Islamic cleric Fetullah Gulen, who resides in Pennsylvania, to be extradited. If it was up to me, send him to Turkey, Brunson told the Hurriyet newspaper on Monday. Brunson was imprisoned for two years in Turkey on terrorism charges, before finally being released in October. The pastor and his wife had served a Protestant congregation in Izmir for nearly 25 years before the arrest. Brunson denied charges throughout his trial that he assisted anti-government groups behind a failed coup in the summer of 2016 in Turkey, and insisted he was being punished for his faith in Jesus Christ. Gulen, the Islamic cleric in question, has been protected by the U.S. government since 1990. He has been being accused by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of staging the failed coup, a charge that he denies. Erdogan had pressed the U.S. to extradite Gulen during discussions over the potential release of Brunson. President Donald Trump refused to hand over the cleric, however, and punished Turkey with economic sanctions. Brunson conveyed a message with the Hurriyet he received by South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham while in prison, informing him that the U.S. does not plan on handing over Gulen. We want to get you back to America, but we have to go the right way. No barter for you. If we do something like this, it would be a bad precedent and Americans around the world would be at risk. Any regime can refer to this method to get us done, Brunson quoted Graham as saying. The question of Gulen's extradition continues to be debated. Some, such as New York pastor William Devlin of Infinity Bible Church, who attended Brunson's court hearings in Izmir, have argued that the U.S. should hand him over to Turkey. The Gulen Movement or 'Hizmet' (its Turkish name) is connected to two organizations that the U.S. government has deemed as terrorist organizations: the PKK or Kurdistan Workers Party and its Syrian affiliate, the YPG or The People's Defense Unit. Both of these organizations are driven by Marxist ideology and, along with the Gulen Movement, have been involved with kidnappings, murders and narcotics trafficking, Devlin wrote in an op-ed for The Christian Post earlier this year. Gulen, one of Turkey's most wanted criminals, is currently facing multiple charges in his native Turkey including treason-and Turkey has submitted an extradition request to the U.S. government, he added, positioning that the U.S. should agree to the request. American Center for Law and Justice Senior Counsel CeCe Heil told CP in an interview back in July that the U.S. has extradition laws in place, however. "I think the State Department has been very clear with Turkey that if they want Gulen to be extradited, then they need to provide evidence to support that. So that's really a matter between the State Department and Turkey," she said. Heil further warned that had Brunson been released in exchange of Gulen, then that would make "every U.S. citizen traveling abroad a target. Countries start to think, 'all we need to do is just nab one of these citizens, and we can trade for what we want.' Basically [it would create] political hostages, just like what pastor Brunson has become." Despite all he has been through, Brunson said he is not regretful of his time in Turkey. To me, God will use my pain in favor of Turkey, [and] for Turkeys blessing. I want God [to] use President Erdogan. He is Turkeys leader, even if some like him or not, he said, adding that he hopes God will use him to bless Turkey, bring wisdom and justice. Dubai Land Department (DLD) and Awards International has announced the launch of the third edition of the Gulf Real Estate Awards, GREA, 2019 following the success of its previous two editions. The deadline for final submissions is January 16, finalists names will be announced on January 23 and the awards ceremony will be held on March 27, said Sultan Butti bin Mejren, the director-general of DLD, while announcing the details of the event at a joint press conference with Hend Al Marri, the chief executive of the Dubai Real Estate Institute (DREI) and Mark Hammil, the managing director of Awards International. Bin Mejren stressed that GREA follows the directives of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, to encourage innovation and appreciate innovators, and is in line with DLDs vision to position Dubai as the worlds premier real estate destination and a byword for innovation, trust, and happiness. "The main objective of this award is to highlight the achievements of real estate companies and their efforts and contributions that assist in further developing the sector, especially as they have a significant impact on Dubais real estate market, and provide a bright picture of the outstanding projects being implemented in different cities in our region," he stated. The awards programme is open to all companies operating in the real estate sector, whether private or public, and will include a diverse range of different categories. DLD will be responsible for organising the awards programme, which is the leading platform for recognising and rewarding excellence in the real estate sector across the Gulf, especially Dubai. DREI said it has reached an agreement with Awards International in conjunction with Cityscape Global 2016 to launch the awards programme, which targets all companies operating in the real estate sector in the region. "GREA encourages best innovative practices among all real estate professionals, including developers, brokers, contractors, consultants and engineers, as well as among facilities management and legal companies," he added.-TradeArabia News Service Schoolgirl Raped Every Day for 6 Months by ISIS 'Beast' Who Picked Her Out of 150 Girls Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment A Yazidi girl who was 14-years-old when she was kidnapped by the Islamic State terror group in northern Iraq has said she was raped every day for six months by a radical she described as a "beast." The girl, identified as Ekhlas, told the BBC's Victoria Derbyshire show in an interview published on Monday that she tried to kill herself during the ordeal. "He picked me out of 150 girls by drawing lots. He was so ugly, like a beast, with his long hair. He smelt so bad, I was so frightened I couldn't look at him," Ekhlas said of the man who abused her. The girl was captured along with thousands of others in 2014 when close to 40,000 Yazidis took refuge at Mount Sinjar, looking to escape the radical Islamists. Eventually she managed to escape while her captor was away and made it to the safety of a refugee camp. "How am I telling you this without crying? I tell you I ran out of tears," she said in the interview. Ekhlas is now receiving therapy and education in a psychiatric hospital in Germany, where she lives, and has been raising awareness about the atrocities carried out by the terror group. Several other Yazidi activists have also spoken out about the horrors women and children are subjected to under IS' captivity. Nadia Murad, who has shared her story in conferences around the world, returned in June to the liberated Yazidi village of Kojo in Iraq where she was taken and where her family was killed. "We hoped our fate would be to be killed like the men instead of being sold and raped by Syrians, Iraqis ... Tunisians and Europeans," Murad said of the women and girls who were kidnapped by IS and sold into sex slavery. She explained how an IS commander demanded the Yazidis convert to Islam, but the captives refused. "He demanded we change our religion but nobody agreed." "We heard the sound of shots. At first, we believed people had come to help us, but when we looked out of the windows ... we saw them killing the men," Murad continued. "We cried to the U.N., Europe, Kurdistan and Iraq but nobody came to help us. Today, the village is surrounded by mass graves." A separate report published by The Guardian on Tuesday shared the stories of several other women who had fled from the Islamic radicals. Human rights lawyer and gender justice advocate Sherizaan Minwalla said, "Some of these women and girls resisted forced conversion, protected themselves against violence, or at least tried to, and protected their children. How they resisted really shows incredible intelligence, courage and strength," The report noted that it's difficult to estimate the precise number of Yazidis who are still being held by IS, though activists are urging for more action to rescue them. "Sometimes I watch the TV and I see the news of the army taking more land and villages, but it's not this that we are worried about it is our people who are still imprisoned," said Leila, one of the women who was sold as a sex slave. "We know most of them are in Raqqa, so why are [the army] not going to save them there?" she asked. 'Town deserves Jesus in it': Dozens of Christians protest in Ohio to bring back Nativity Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Dozens of Christians have been protesting in a town in Ohio against the citys decision to follow an atheist demand and not allow a Nativity scene this Christmas at the courthouse. Another Ohio town has pushed back against the same demand and said that it will continue displaying its Nativity, however. The Record-Courier reported that between 40 to 50 Christians protested outside of the Ravenna Courthouse Lawn on Saturday, urging Mayor Frank Seman to allow a Nativity scene to be displayed there. The Freedom from Religion Foundation, an atheist group which has been filing lawsuits around the country concerning separation of church and state cases, had written a letter last year warning Seman over the Christian display. Seman told community volunteers the day after Thanksgiving that there will be no Nativity this year at the courthouse, explaining that he had to uphold the Constitution and make sure the city does not get sued. The Christians protesting on Saturday said that the town should have a Nativity, however. We would like to have the Nativity scene come back on the courthouse lawn, said David Ballert, pastor of Bethel Baptist Church in Ravenna. Im here with my people because we care very much about the Lord Jesus Christ ... I believe Ravenna is a great town. I believe that a town deserves to have Jesus Christ in it. Ballert revealed that the church members protested on Dec. 1 and are planning to return to protest on Dec. 22 as well. The pastor said that believers sang carols and hymns and received friendly responses from cars passing by. Everybody driving by seems to be saying hello to us and Merry Christmas ... I have no doubt the people are behind what were doing here, he noted. Streetsboro Mayor Glenn Broska, meanwhile, said that he will continue allowing a Nativity display at the city square, despite receiving a similar letter by the FFRF years ago. I posed the question to the law director how we should respond, the mayor said. As long as its part of a much wider-ranging display, which ours is, were OK. We didnt use any municipal funding for it. Broska clarified that he would accept holiday religious displays from any faith group that asks for one. We have a menorah now, and if there are other religions out there that would like to have something displayed, as long as they purchase it, we would be glad to put it up, he said. Yet another Ohio town, Dover, was forced to remove its Nativity scene and a Ten Commandments display earlier in December after the FFRF threatened to sue. FFRF said that it has recorded 750 complaints in the state since 2015. "We have freedom of religion and they're saying that we're endorsing one religion," Mayor Richard Homrighausen told Fox 8 at the time. The Christian displays in Dover had to be moved to private, instead of public, property. 'We have more evidence than we need' to prove Christianity, apologist says Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Believers in Jesus Christ "have more evidence than they need to intellectually defend the claims of Christianity, says noted apologist and Liberty University professor Gary Habermas. Habermas, a New Testament scholar who chairs Libertys Department of Philosophy, noted in a recent interview that he believes Christians often crawl into a cubby hole and are embarrassed of being called out or told that they dont have any evidence. But theres an incredible amount of evidence for Christianity, Habermas said on Alex McFarlands Truth for a New Generation program on Sunday. I mean, we have more evidence than we need, we frankly do. He explained that not only is the Christian faith a fantastic message, but it's a message that is incredibly, highly evidenced from an incredible number of different perspectives. Heavy evidence from almost 10 different perspectives, data that skeptics will often acknowledge. Weve got the best evidence in the world, but [also] the most evidenced religious message, continued Habermas. For example, when dealing with the claim of some atheist groups that Jesus never existed, he cited atheist scholar Bart Erhman, who in 2012 released a book arguing in favor of the historical existence of Jesus. [Erhman] says that of all the thousands of professors in religion and cognate subjects, people who teach in colleges, and universities, and seminaries, he says that to his knowledge not a single one of them would teach that Jesus never lived, Habermas explained. They want people to think that scholarship agrees with them and Bart Erhman kind of called them out and, interestingly enough, a lot of them were not happy with him. McFarland then mentioned the 2004 book The Case for the Resurrection of Jesus, which Habermas co-authored with Michael Licona, when asking him about how 75 percent of scholars acknowledge the historical existence of the empty tomb on Easter Sunday. Michael Grant, the Roman historian, said that if we apply to the empty tomb the normal historical rules that we apply to any event, he says you really dont have any options other than to accept the historicity of the empty tomb, responded Habermas. And thats a secular historian. McFarland and Habermas also discussed the rise of Christian apologetics over the past two generations, with McFarland calling it a cultural juggernaut. I think apologetics has been used by God, because it does unify the Body of Christ to a degree, said McFarland. I remember, I went around to all these pastors and youth pastors and Christian schools and I said, Listen, imagine if a theology lecture and a Billy Graham crusade could be combined. Thats kind of what were after. Were going to win the lost and equip the saved. And so many people said that will never work, but it worked. Habermas agreed, noting that when he first began teaching at Liberty in 1981 he could recall many people who took issue with the idea of apologetics, believing that it was unnecessary. Almost 40 years later, Im told by publishing houses regularly [apologetics] is the hottest topic in their publishing line, said Habermas. Look around the country and see how many big conferences are doing these citywide rallies with 1,000 or 2,000 or more. Earlier this year at the Engage Conference in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Habermas spoke to those gathered about the historicity of the life of Jesus. We're not pulling any strings, we're not doing anything goofy; the same kind of history that tells you George Washington was the first president of the United States is the same history that says Jesus was raised from the dead, he declared at the March event. You can have church and never minister, Bishop Noel Jones says in dig at black church Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment California megachurch pastor Bishop Noel Jones has taken a dig at the black church for not fulfilling its role in the community. In an interview with The Philadelphia Tribune last Thursday at the Holy Ghost Headquarters Revival Center at the Met in Philadelphia, Jones, who leads the 20,000-member City of Refuge Church in Los Angeles, said the black church is waiting for the government to do ministry it should be doing. We still have self-doubt, we still are killing each other at an alarming rate and its happening right in our communities. The prostitution, the drugs all of the things that are negative are happening right around the church. Its right down the street from us, he said. How do we address it? We stop looking to the government and we stop looking to everybody else to take care of us as if we are still slaves and we take the opportunity that is in front of us. According to his bio, Jones seeks to persuade people to "question ... conventional approaches to daily challenges" and doesnt see the preacher as head of a hierarchical system "but rather in partnership with administration and laity of the Church." He promotes "integration and multi-faceted leadership styles and methods to reach the community within and outside of the Church" and practices this approach at The City of Refuge where he has integrated programs that help people with varying degrees of struggle. In his interview on Thursday, he argued that churches can better fulfill their purpose by investing in service for humanity. Unless we partner with people who are dealing with Socratic problems in our community, then we are really not having church. You can have church and never minister, he said. The real issue is, How are we dealing with one out of three of our boys in the system? How are we dealing with offenders who are now out? How do we keep them out? How do we deal with human trafficking? How do we deal with teenage prostitution? How do we deal with establishing wealth for the average churchgoer in our community? he asked. I think that churches need to transition to a new place in terms of philosophy and psychological enhancement and embellishment of the people they serve. The church is a microcosm of the community." In his message at the newly renovated building of the Holy Ghost Headquarters Revival Center at the Met, which is Philadelphias first megachurch, Jones preached a need for more humility in the church. There are too many egos in the House of God. We have too many egos and too many narcissistic people who claim to be the Church of God, Jones said, according to the Tribune. In order for there to be unity, theres got to be humility. Humility is when you decide to lower yourself when you have the upper hand. Can you imagine where the church would be today if we had folk to unify together? He said pride was tearing the church apart and people need to understand that humility comes with blessings. The greatest servant in the universe is God himself. He watches over you. He keeps the devil off your back, Jones said. Get off your high horse, try to serve somebody because if you bless somebody, he will bless you. Christian bodies divided on bipartisan prison reform bill Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment A Christian rift over the bipartisan prison reform bill the First Step Act is forming, with the National Council of Churches of Christ in the USA announcing its opposition. NCC, which is an ecumenical body composed of largely liberal bodies, including various mainline Protestant denominations, explained on Friday that despite its support for reforming America's prison system, it finds the First Step Act to be "sorely lacking" on several fronts. The United States is home to 5 percent of the worlds population and 25 percent of the worlds prison population. The current mass incarceration crisis was birthed out of racist intentions, and we must be just as intentional about addressing the embedded racism if we are to have any meaningful reform. This bill does not move us any closer to justice on either issue, it stated. NCC said that while it is encouraged to see both Republicans and Democrats supporting the end of mass incarceration, it is concerned about proposals to heavily use electronic monitoring. "We must be proactive in ensuring that electronic surveillance does not morph into another form of mass incarceration. We are concerned that not only the privacy of the person wearing the monitor is violated, but that of their family and others in close proximity is as well," it said. "Electronic monitoring provisions also shift the cost from the government to the directly impacted person which exacerbate economic disparities rooted in race and class. This and other provisions allow the privatization of certain public functions and feed into and build upon the already burgeoning for-profit prison industry." Evangelical ministries have, meanwhile, come out in support of the bill. While acknowledging that the bill is not perfect, they view it as a solid first step toward prison reform, which includes reducing the federal recidivism rate. Notable Christian ministries that are backing it include Prison Fellowship, the Christian Community Development Association, the Faith and Freedom Coalition, the National Association of Evangelicals, the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference and the Southern Baptist Convention's Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission. President Donald Trump announced his support for the evangelical-backed bill, which passed the House earlier in 2018. It is not yet clear whether it will pass the Senate. Those supporting the 103-page legislation have praised it for pushing forth earned time credit incentives for federal inmates to participate in rehabilitative and vocational training programs, seeking to prepare them for life after prison. Megachurch pastor Jentezen Franklin of the multi-campus Free Chapel church, wrote in an op-ed in Newsmax on Friday that 80 percent of Americans back the bill, which is rare in this political day and age. "Also on board with this legislation are 121 former federal prosecutors and senior government law enforcement officials, one former U.S. attorney general, five former U.S. deputy attorneys general, one former FBI director, one former U.S. solicitor general, one former associate U.S. attorney general, two former acting U.S. attorneys general, one former DOJ inspector general, one former U.S. attorneys executive director, 13 former district and appellate judges, along with a number of other U.S. district attorneys," Franklin wrote. The overwhelming bipartisan support, combined with endorsement from law enforcement officials and federal prosecutors, make this an absolute no-brainer. The job of the legislative branch of government is to represent the wishes and will of the people they were sent to represent, the pastor pointed out. What were asking is not outlandish. Were simply asking you to represent us and do the right thing now. Peoples lives and the future of thousands of Americans, families of incarcerated men and women, are dependent upon our elected officials to get this right. We have assurance the president will sign this bill, so now is the time to get it done. Still, others, such as U.S. senator for Arkansas Tom Cotton, warned that there are some big dangers associated with the bill that cannot be ignored, such as cutting the prison time for trafficking heroin and fentanyl. "What about our opioid crisis suggests that drastically reducing the penalty for trafficking these drugs is a wise idea? Im sure many of you know someone who has been tragically affected by drug addiction or even overdose and death, Cotton wrote in an op-ed for The Christian Post. Now is not the time to go soft on those who are killing our kids. DNC Chair Tom Perez bashes Christian voters: They only 'buy' what they're told in church Democrat Party Chair Tom Perez bashes Christian voters: they only 'Buy' what They Hear at Church Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Democratic National Committee Chair Tom Perez warned Wednesday that Democrats need to come up with a broader communications strategy in order to reach Christian voters who buy what they are being told in church on Sundays. Speaking at The Court in Crisis Summit in Washington, D.C. hosted by Demand Justice, a nonprofit that supports liberal judicial nominees, Perez offered his thoughts on why the Democratic Party is having trouble penetrating center-right voters with their message. We all have to make sure that were fluent in whats happening across our ecosystem so we can come to each others defense because we need to build a bigger orchestra, Perez said. [The political right has] had a big orchestra for some time and theyve got the megaphones to amplify it, whether its Sinclair at the local level or Fox at the national level. Perez continued by stating that a person from northwest Wisconsin told him that most of the people I know, their principal sources of information are Fox News, the NRA newsletter and the pulpit on Sunday. And it should come as a surprise to no-one that our message doesnt penetrate, Perez asserted. As many conservative Christians and evangelicals supported the candidacy of President Donald Trump in the 2016 presidential election because of his vows to appoint conservative judges and justices to the federal courts, Perez reasoned that many conservative voters have elevated the issue of the courts to the top of their own political priorities because that person on the pulpit is saying ignore everything else that this person has done and is doing, we have to focus on one issue of Roe v. Wade. And people buy it, Perez said. Because thats their only source. As we move forward here, we have got to talk about a broader communications strategy, we have got to talk about other reforms that are going to enable us to elect Democrats up and down the ticket so that we can actually have the capacity to implement. According to Pew Research Center data from 2016, few Americans get information about political parties or candidates at their place of worship. Only 14 percent of those who reported attending a religious worship service at least once a month (16 percent for white evangelical protestants) reported receiving such information. And only 5 percent reporting hearing clergy tell them who to vote for, with 2 percent of pastors urging congregants to vote Republican, 2 percent urging to vote for Democrats, and 1 percent promoting third party or independent candidacies. Many Christian conservatives are hopeful that with a conservative majority on the Supreme Court, thanks to two confirmations during the Trump presidency, that the court will decide to take up a case that could lead to the overturning of Roe, the 1973 Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion nationwide. At the end of November, the Southern Baptist Conventions Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission urged the Supreme Court to reconsider Roe and take up the appeal by the state of Indiana. An Indiana law that was signed by then-governor and current Vice President Mike Pence that banned abortions on the basis of gender, race or disability was blocked by a federal appeals court earlier this year. Abortion is not the only issue of importance to many conservative Christians. Many also strongly oppose same-sex marriage and desire laws and policies to protect their freedom to oppose and not be a part of such unions. One major Supreme Court ruling that conservative Christians celebrated in 2018 was a victory for Christian baker Jack Phillips, who was punished for refusing to bake a cake for a same-sex wedding. Perez, who previously served as secretary of Labor under the Obama administration, has issued other controversial remarks in the past. In April 2017, Perez suggested that all candidates for public office who want backing from the DNC should support abortion. "[E]very Democrat, like every American, should support a woman's right to make her own choices about her body and her health, Perez said, adding that Democratic candidates support for abortion is "not negotiable and should not change city by city or state by state. Perez's statement was denounced by some prominent Democratic leaders, including House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi. In condemning of Perezs remarks, Pelosi admitted that part of the reason why Trump won the election was because of the evangelical and Catholic voters who opposed same-sex marriage and abortion. In July 2017, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee chairman Rep. Ben Lujan clarified that there is no litmus test on abortion to receive DCCC backing because the Democrats needed a broad coalition in order to retake control of the House. Email Whatsapp Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Lets consider the first morning at university for one hypothetical 18-year-old raised in a typical evangelical church subculture. His name is David. Getting ready for university Davids Christian leaders were seeking to grow his faith strong. And so, as he grew up in the church he was taught a deep suspicion of many views contrary to his evangelical Christian convictions. For example, he was taught that the Neo-Darwinian theory of biological evolution is wrong. But not simply that it is wrong: he was taught that it is a lie, that it is a theory on its last legs which is sustained by little more than the anti-Christian animus of those who propagate it. He still remembers the sober words of his youth pastor: Dont let the evolutionist make a monkey out of you. David was also warned about atheism. Atheists, he was taught, are godless people who hate God and repress a deep anger toward him. They dont want to live in accord with Gods law and thats why they reject belief in him. So they are merely fools, as it says in Psalm 14:1. With that background, David faces his first morning as a new student at a large public university, a school with more first-year students than people living in his hometown. When he arrives David encounters a bewildering number of cultures and languages, to say nothing of the staggering number of life philosophies on other. The Christian subculture in which he was raised is now inundated by a tsunami of alternative perspectives he hardly knew existed. And these are not mere abstractions on the page of a Christian worldview textbook. These are beliefs and practices held by real flesh and blood people that he meets everywhere he goes, from the dorm to the SUB to the classroom. Biology 101 David arrives early at his first class: Biology 101. Having been warned for years of the absurdity of evolution, he is gritting his teeth, seeking merely to endure the class in the hope of becoming a medical doctor someday. Immediately David is surprised by Dr. Smith. She seems friendly and very intelligent and she conveys a deep love for the natural world as she projects various images of nature on the PowerPoint screen. With surprise, David realizes that she also coauthored their textbook, a formidable five hundred page tome full of diagrams and pictures and charts. As she talks, Dr. Smith provides an overview of the syllabus, noting how they will study the properties of life, the differences between plants and animals, the flow of genetic information, and here it comes how life evolved on earth. Dr. Smith ends the class with a humorous story of her time doing postgraduate research on the dental evolution of shark teeth. As class ends and David gathers his books, he experiences a degree of relief. Dr. Smith doesnt seem nearly as hostile toward Christianity as he had expected. But that first class has also planted a seed of doubt. Is Dr. Smith trying to make a monkey out of him? Is evolution really just a lie, an absurdity sustained only by the anti-Christian animus of its defenders? Could a reasonable person interpret the origin of life in that manner? And if not, how does he explain Dr. Smith? Philosophy 103 Still, David doesnt have time to process those questions now. He needs to get to his next class, Philosophy 103. If David was nervous about Biology 101, he is outright fearful of this next class. His youth pastor had warned him that the philosophy teacher, Dr. Braun, is an atheist. For David that has conjured up images reminiscent of the movie he saw with his youth group a few years ago: Gods not Dead. In that movie the teacher, Dr. Radisson, challenged the students to defend the existence of God. If that happens here, David is not sure how he will respond. Apprehensively, he takes a seat in the back as Dr. Braun saunters into the classroom sporting a black turtleneck, a ponytail, and a pair of Freudian spectacles hanging off his nose. Definitely a philosopher, David chuckles to himself. Dr. Braun takes a piece of chalk and writes on the blackboard: Why are you here? He then turns to the class with a disarming smile. Well? he asks, Why are you here? To get a grade, some course credit? And whats that for? So you can get a degree? His eyes scan the room, thoughtfully. And why do you need a degree? So you can get a job, right? But what do you need a job for? Let me guess, to support a family. So your kids can grow up, and go to university, and get a degree, so they can raise a family, so Dr. Braun pauses dramatically. But what justifies the whole circle? That is the question, isnt it? Its a question famously asked by the great philosopher Socrates. And it sets us on another course, the pursuit of wisdom. That is philosophy, the love of wisdom. (This example is inspired by Paul Kreeft, The Best Things in Life, 17-20.) Over the next hour Dr. Braun describes many of the great problems of philosophy: why are we here? Is there meaning in life? How can we know anything? What is the good? And is there a God? In each case, he briefly summarizes the various views that different thinkers had taken, all in pursuit of that overarching goal, the search for wisdom. David is entranced by the lecture and before he knows it, the class is over. As he walks out, he is both intrigued and confused. Dr. Braun seems to be many things, but a fool is not one of them. A sober conclusion Thats Davids first morning. Now think of four years of experiences similar to those, experiences that erode the simple and austere categories that David had acquired while being raised within his Christian subculture. From that perspective, it should hardly be surprising that many young Christians like David find their faith under serious assault in university. Brexit: Can we think outside the box? Like the surreal and almost psychedelic Christmas pantomime I see locally with my family each year, Brexit seems to have entered fresh flights of absurdity. On Sunday, many thought things couldn't get any weirder after a friend of Boris Johnson compared him to CS Lewis's fictional lion, Aslan, who of course represents Christ. I think not. But then on Monday, Theresa May came to the Commons and announced she was postponing the crucial vote on her deal to leave the EU. It's not clear what this accomplishes, or indeed is intended to achieve. It seems likely she'll return to MPs with a few verbal garnishes from EU leaders but with little of substance in the draft agreement changed. It's a bit like a TV Bake Off competitor chucking their cake in the bin after being told it smells revolting but then deciding that with a few extra dollops of pink butter-icing perhaps it might work after all. Currently there seems no majority in the House of Commons for anything at all. If there was a simple solution to this tangled mess, then maybe someone would have come up with it by now. So perhaps we need to try something more imaginative and start looking at options completely outside the box. What might some of them look like? 1. A government of national unity. There could be huge voter support for any politician (or politicians) who took courage in their hands and drove such a proposal forward even made it happen. Unthinkable? Maybe but remember, we're trying to think the unthinkable here. There are many thoughtful politicians at Westminster. Watching the Commons debate after Theresa May's statement on Monday, I was struck by the contributions of people who spoke with measured maturity Hilary Benn, Dominic Grieve, Yvette Cooper, Nigel Dodds, and others, to name but a few. Many in the country have had enough of politicians being unable to reach out, get together and compromise. And to work with enemies (political or otherwise) for reconciliation and healing is a profoundly Christian concept. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission in South Africa was based on just such an approach. Thanks be to God, the situation the UK faces is not nearly as serious as that and very different. But surely there must be things we could learn? 2. Admit as a nation we have failed. If we follow this flight of reasonable but unlikely fancy, our political leaders would simply come clean and admit: 'We had a Brexit vote which was poorly conceived and conducted. We have tried to get a deal done to honour the result. But to be honest, the deal isn't great. Moreover, it will never pass in Parliament. We're not going to get a better deal, and certainly not one that will command a majority. We tried and we have failed. It just can't be done.' It would take great courage for our politicians to concede this: but it is basically true, isn't it? Admitting failure on a personal level is enormously cathartic. From a Christian point of view, at the heart of the gospel is the idea of owning up to the ways we all fall short. Haven't you ever had a huge sense of personal release when you have admitted you've messed up? 'I got it wrong. End of story. No excuses. Period.' It is liberating. In our current national predicament, there has been a long chain of failings: David Cameron in calling the referendum without thinking it through, because he never dreamt people would actually vote to leave; Angela Merkel and the EU in failing to understand British concerns and so offering only sops by way of concession before the Brexit vote; in the poorly-conducted referendum campaign; in David Cameron walking away the day after he lost the referendum; and in politicians since who have consistently failed to reach out to one another for the sake of the national interest. And indeed we might extend that admission of failure to ourselves because individually we may well have contributed to the atmosphere of division in the country be it online, or in other ways. Could we all just admit we messed up? Could the Archbishop of Canterbury help us do this in some way perhaps by arranging a national day of repentance? I dream. For both these options remain unlikely. Then again, other events would have seemed implausible even shortly before they happened: Donald Trump's election, the Brexit vote, the fall of the Berlin Wall, the end of apartheid, for example. And of course it must be acknowledged that neither suggestion above solves the central conundrum of Brexit itself. But while not providing answers, both approaches would generate new ways of approaching the issue. History is shaped by many factors. But sometimes it belongs to those who think outside the box; to those who will make costly personal sacrifices for the sake of others; to those who have a daring vision that inspires belief in the impossible. So if there is a genuine Aslan in the House, now might be a good time for them to roar. David Baker is a former daily newspaper journalist now working as an Anglican minister in Sussex, England. Find him on Twitter @Baker_David_A Church of England bishops publish guidance on welcoming transgender people Church of England bishops have published guidance for parishes planning services to help transgender people mark their transition. Pastoral guidance produced by the House of Bishops Delegation Committee, whose chair Rt Rev Julian Henderson is president of the Church of England Evangelical Council, will be incorporated into the Church's Common Worship library of service resources. It encourages clergy to be 'creative and sensitive' in using liturgy to enable people to mark a major transition in their lives. It warns against stereotyping trans people, saying they are 'as diverse as any other social group and ministers should avoid stereotyping'. However, it says it is appropriate to 'identify the preference of a transgender person in respect of their name and gendered (or other) pronouns'. The guidance formally commends the incorporation of the existing rite for the Affirmation of Baptismal Faith into services which mark gender transition. It details how elements including water and oil can be incorporated into the service and, crucially, makes clear that trans people should be addressed publicly by their chosen name. As part of the service they could also be presented with gifts, such as a Bible inscribed in their chosen name, or a certificate. It is important, the guidance adds, that the occasion should have a distinct 'celebratory character'. It includes a wide selection of Scripture readings designed for use in the service. The guidance says: 'The Church of England welcomes and encourages the unconditional affirmation of trans people, equally with all people, within the body of Christ, and rejoices in the diversity of that body into which all Christians have been baptized by one Spirit.' The document approved by the House of Bishops, which is currently meeting in London follows a motion overwhelmingly adopted at General Synod in 2017 recognising the need for transgender people to be welcomed and affirmed in churches. It was produced in consultation with Rev Dr Tina Beardsley, Rev Sarah Jones and Rev Canon Dr Rachel Mann, who have a personal interest in this matter and who have also consulted widely with those directly affected, and their clergy. They said: 'Collectively, we have sought to ensure that these new Pastoral Guidance notes provide a rich and generous space for trans people to locate their lives in the existing liturgy for the Affirmation of Baptismal Faith.' The rite for the Affirmation of Baptismal Faith is not a second baptism. The Church of England teaches that the sacrament of baptism is only to be undertaken once. As a central part of the Affirmation of Baptismal Faith the minister lays their hands on the candidate or candidates, addresses them by name, and prays for them. The guidance notes: 'For a trans person to be addressed liturgically by the minister for the first time by their chosen name may be a powerful moment in the service.' Bishop Henderson said: 'We are absolutely clear that everyone is made in the image of God and that all should find a welcome in their parish church. 'This new guidance provides an opportunity, rooted in scripture, to enable trans people who have "come to Christ as the way, the truth and the life", to mark their transition in the presence of their Church family which is the body of Christ. 'We commend it for wider use.' Christian Concern's chief executive Andrea Minichiello Williams, who is a lay member of the Church of England's General Synod, is one of the few to have criticised the new guidance. She said it was a continuation of the Church's 'devastating trajectory towards an outright denial of God and his word'. 'It is not loving to mislead people - and wider society - into the falsehoods and myths of transgender ideology,' she said. Google chief executive denies political bias against conservatives The chief executive of Google has refuted accusations of political bias as the technology giant faces tough scrutiny at Capitol Hill. Sundar Pichai came before Congress on Monday where he was expected to address accusations that Google is biased against conservative views as well as answer to allegations of privacy violations. In prepared remarks released ahead of his appearance before the House Judiciary Committee, Pichai said that being biased would go against Google's 'core principles'. 'I lead this company without political bias and work to ensure that our products continue to operate that way. To do otherwise would go against our core principles and our business interests,' he said. 'We are a company that provides platforms for diverse perspectives and opinions and we have no shortage of them among our own employees.' In his opening remarks, House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy said it had been necessary to convene the hearing 'because of the widening gap of distrust between technology companies and the American people'. House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Jerry Nadler said there was 'no credible evidence' to support the 'right-wing theory' of political bias in favour of liberal voices. He argued that even if Google were guilty of political bias, this would not be grounds for intervention on the part of the government. 'Even if Google was discriminating against right-wing news outlets that would be its right as a private company to do so not to be questioned by government,' he said. Google, Twitter, YouTube and Facebook have all been forced to fend off accusations of bias against conservatives. When Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg was brought before Congress in August, he was questioned about pro-Trump duo Diamond and Silk, who accused the social media platform of reducing their reach. They also claimed to have received an email from Facebook saying that they were 'unsafe to the community'. Zuckerberg said that in this case, there had been an 'enforcement error' and insisted Facebook was not engaging in bias. 'There is absolutely no directive in any of the changes that we make to have a bias in anything that we do,' Zuckerberg responded. 'To the contrary, our goal is to be a platform for all ideas.' Following its successful launch in Bahrain last week, the Zayed Sustainability Prizes "Guiding Light" campaign has arrived in Bolivia, and will ultimately result in the donation of 2,000 solar lanterns to off-grid communities, in the Municipality of San Juan. The 20x20 metre light installation, revealing the Zayed Sustainability Prize logo, was lit up at the Unidad Educativa Sagrado Corazon 4, in San Juan; the 2017 Global High Schools category Prize Winner, reported state news agency Wam. Guiding Light is a global campaign running from December 5 to January 9 covering Bangladesh (December 18); Kenya (January 6) and, finally, the UAE (January 9). Commenting on the Guiding Light campaigns Bolivian event, Dr Lamya Fawwaz, the director of the Zayed Sustainability Prize, said: "Following the successful launch event, in Bahrain, we have been extremely encouraged by the effect of the Guiding Lights global campaign. Within just 24 hours of the light installation event, in Bolivia, 2,000 solar-powered lanterns were distributed to households and communities across the Municipality, creating an immediate impact on thousands of lives." "The campaign is inspired by and is a reflection of Sheikh Zayeds vision for global sustainability and humanitarianism and the Zayed Sustainability Prize is proud to be continuing his legacy by reaching out to new communities and impacting lives all over the world," he noted. School Director for Unidad Educativa Sagrado Corazon 4, Mercedes Almendras said: "The campaign and distribution of the solar lanterns will create greater awareness of the importance of the use of renewable resources and raise the quality of life for many families." Lesbian, gay and bisexual people more likely to be politically liberal - study Lesbian, gay and bisexual people are more likely to be liberal in their political views and attitudes to social issues, according to new research. University of Oklahoma sociologist Meredith Worthen examined sexuality and gender gaps in political perspectives among college students enrolled at a university in southern USA. The study, published in Sexuality Research and Social Policy, concluded that there was a clear 'sexuality gap' between members of the LGB community and heterosexuals. In particular, Worthen looked at the intersection between sexual identity and gender in relation to politicized perspectives like liberal ideology and feminist identity, and the support of politicised issues, such as the death penalty and legal abortion. The study concluded that LGB people were more likely to have liberal social justice perspectives and that this was especially the case for lesbian and bisexual women 'due to their multiple oppressed identities'. 'In addition, there is evidence of a bisexual woman consciousness that relates to strong liberalism among bisexual college women,' the study claims. The study also looked at differences between those who identified exclusively as heterosexual and those who were 'mostly' heterosexual. It found that those who were exclusively heterosexual were 'significantly' less likely to be liberal. 'This study fills the gaps in the research, expands our knowledge about sexuality and gender gaps in political attitudes and contributes to new ways of thinking about the perspectives of mostly heterosexual and lesbian, gay and bisexual people,' said Worthen. 'This study works toward a deeper understanding of ways college students can promote political change and advocate for social justice.' Principal who banned all things Christmas at her school is placed on leave The Nebraska principal who banned teachers from using all Christmas or holiday-related symbols or activities in class has been placed on leave for violating school district policy. Jennifer Sinclair, the principal of Manchester Elementary School in Elkhorn, was placed on administrative leave last Thursday after she sent teachers an internal memo outlining several holiday-related displays, objects, and activities that teachers may not use, give out or assign during the holiday season. Among the many things listed by the principal included Christmas trees, Christmas symbols, the singing of Christmas carols, the playing of Christmas music and even candy canes. Sinclair told the teachers in the memo that candy canes are shaped in a "J for Jesus," and that the red is for the "blood of Christ" and "white is a symbol of his resurrection." Sinclair signed her memo, "The (Unintentional) Grinch who stole Christmas (from Manchester)." Sinclair's memo drew the ire of parents and the conservative Christian legal group Liberty Counsel, which sent a demand letter to Superintendent Bary Habrock at the end of last month. The school district responded with a letter last week from a lawyer representing the school district explaining that Sinclair's memorandum "did not comply with board policy." Sinclair sent out an email to parents apologizing for her memorandum last Wednesday. "Last week, in an attempt to provide clarity, I mistakenly sent out an internal staff memo detailing what can and cannot be done in a public school surrounding the holiday season," Sinclair wrote in the email obtained by WOWT. "I wanted to reach out and make sure our families understand what occurred, and what has been done to correct the issue," she continued. "I understand that the information I initially provide was incorrect and I sincerely apologize for any confusion of concern this has caused and the negative attention this issue brings to the District and Manchester." The next day, Sinclair was placed on administrative leave by the school district, CNN reports. School district spokeswoman Kara Perchal told CNN that Sinclair was in her first year as an employee at Elkhorn Public Schools. "Due to the fact that this is an ongoing personnel issue, the district cannot comment further," Perchal stated. The school district also issued a statement to media on the matter saying that the "issue was limited to Manchester Elementary School and did not arise at any other schools within the District." Mat Staver, the founder of the Florida-based Liberty Counsel, told the Associated Press that the legal nonprofit did intend to file a federal lawsuit against the school district had the school district not responded to its demand letter by last Monday. "In our 30 years in existence, this memo is the most egregious we've ever seen, just given its length and scope," Staver was quoted as saying. Justin Knight of the law offices of Perry, Guthery, Haase and Gessford, which represents the school district, told the Liberty Counsel in his response letter that applicable board policy does allow "certain Christmas symbols" and that the administration will work with the Manchester staff to "to correct any erroneous communications and clarify any misunderstandings." Courtesy of The Christian Post Scotland introduces baby grant to help low income families have children A new grant has been introduced in Scotland to help low income families cover the cost of having children. Applications for the Best Start Grant opened on Monday, with the first payments due to be made before Christmas. Under the scheme, the Scottish Government will give eligible families 600 in financial assistance to help with their first child. It is 100 more than families in England receive under the Sure Start Maternity Grant, which offers new parents a one-off payment of 500. In addition to the 600 grant for the first child, parents who already have children can receive 300 per additional child. The application is open to women who are over 24 weeks pregnant and can be made up to six months after the baby's birth. The grant is intended to help new parents meet the cost of essential items for their baby, such as prams or clothing. 'It's paid to help cover some of the costs of having children,' said Social Security Scotland. 'These costs could be things like needing a pram or buying clothes for your baby but, because it's a cash payment, you can choose how you need to spend the money.' Scottish Government should raise Child Benefit, says Church moderator The Moderator of the Church of Scotland General Assembly wants to see child benefit raised by 5 a week. The Rt Rev Susan Brown made the call in The Scotsman newspaper in which she said that 'urgent action' was needed to help children in poverty. 'I believe that where there is a need for justice, we take action and work to ensure that no one is left behind. But there is an injustice within our society that is growing by the year which must be addressed urgently,' she said. 'It is an injustice that will have ramifications for whole lives, and the future generations of Scottish society if we do not make changes now. 'Poverty holds one million people in Scotland in its grip and around a quarter of these people are children. Without a decent income to support them as they grow, they will never be able to participate fully in Scottish society and we may never benefit from the talents and skills that they may have otherwise shared.' Monday marked the start of Budget week for the Scottish Parliament, with Finance Secretary Derek Mackay set to deliver his draft spending and tax plans for 2019-20 on Wednesday afternoon. He needs the backing of another party to push through his proposals, which he promises will 'protect vital public services and prioritise spending on health, education and economic investment'. The moderator urged the Scottish Government to 'exercise compassion' as it comes to publish the Budget this week. A study by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation in October warned that one in four children in Scotland are living in relative poverty, with around 40 per cent of these being in households where a family member had a disability or limiting health condition. While the Scottish Government has pledged to introduce a new income supplement to support families by 2022, Mrs Brown said the deadline was 'nowhere near soon enough'. The Church of Scotland is among the organisations supporting the Give Me Five campaign calling for the 5 child benefit increase, a move she said would lift tens of thousands of children out of poverty. 'These children cannot wait,' she wrote. 'As those in power deliberate the best way to deal with a problem that is not going away, it is these young people who continue to suffer. I believe in a God of compassion and justice who challenges us to respond to others' needs. 'I want to ask the Scottish Government to use the powers that it has, to be compassionate. I want it to take this action now to loosen the grip of poverty on families' lives. 'In this season when we celebrate the birth of Jesus, we need to remember why it was he came. He came to bring hope to a hopeless world. All his life, he sided with the poorest and the most vulnerable and so should we. We have no choice.' University's 'behavioural agreement form' asks comedians not to tell offensive jokes about religion or sexuality A British university has reportedly told comedians to refrain from telling jokes that might be offensive. Konstantin Kisin says he was sent the 'behavioural agreement form', posted to his Twitter page, ahead of a January comedy gig at a University of London student club. The form states that the comedy night 'aims to provide a safe space for everyone to come together to share and listen to comedy'. It continues: 'This contract has been written to ensure an environment where joy, love, and acceptance are reciprocated by all. 'By signing this contract, you are agreeing to our no tolerance policy with regards to racism, sexism, classism, ageism, ableism, homophobia, biphobia, transphobia, xenophobia, Islamophobia or anti-religion or anti-atheism.' It adds that all topics featuring in the stand-up comedy routine must be discussed in a way that is 'respectful and kind' and 'non-abusive'. Posting a snapshot of the contract to Twitter, Kisin said that the title of it 'nearly made me puke'. He told PJ Media that as he could not agree to the terms of the contract, he would be turning the charity gig down. He said: 'Comedy isn't about being 'kind' and 'respectful' and the only people who get to decide what comedians talk about on stage are... comedians. 'Comedy is supposed to push boundaries and challenge people and comedians should be free to mock religion, atheism and a whole load of other things.' University contract for a comedy night insists on "Joy, love and acceptance" from comedians Everyone back to nursery school?#safespace #Vacuous #happyclappychildren Some comedians have given up on performing comedy at colleges altogether. Chris Rock previously said he had stopped doing college gigs because students were too easily offended. 'I stopped playing colleges, and the reason is because they're way too conservative,' he told Vulture. 'Not in their political views not like they're voting Republican but in their social views and their willingness not to offend anybody.' Jerry Seinfeld said it's a common concern among comedians. He told ESPN's The Herd with Colin Cowherd, 'I hear that all the time. I don't play colleges, but I hear a lot of people tell me, 'Don't go near colleges. They're so PC.' He continued: 'They [students] just want to use these words: 'That's racist;' 'That's sexist;' 'That's prejudice. 'They don't know what the hell they're talking about.' WASHINGTON - House Republicans are pushing to eliminate the federal mandate that ethanol be blended into the nation's fuel supply, to be replaced by a requirement cars built from 2023 on run only on gasoline with a minimum octane level of 95. In legislation under debate at a hearing Tuesday, the EPA would stop requiring ethanol blending in 2032. But in the meantime the new octane requirement is being pitched as a fuel-neutral mechanism that would retain demand for ethanol into the future while improving car efficiency. "We have to put consumers and the environment first, not our own self interests," said Rep. Bill Flores, R-Waco, one of the sponsors of the legislation, titled the 21st Century Transportation Fuels Act. "Either we can go with the status quo that everyone says is broken or have a compromise solution. There's not going to be a solution that makes everyone 100 percent happy." CORN POLITICS: With flood of EPA waivers, refineries find way around ethanol mandate Under the current law, the EPA would take over the Renewable Fuel Standard in 2022 with authority to reduce the ethanol mandate first set by Congress in 2005. But the various industries with stakes in the nation's fuel supply remain deeply at odds. At Tuesday's hearing representatives from the refining and ethanol sectors agreed the Republican legislation was unworkable. Chet Thompson, president of the American Fuel and Petrochemical Manufacturers, which represents oil refineries, objected to a provision in the law raising the ethanol mandate to 15 billion gallons a year, until it disappears in the 2032. "While AFPM is unable to support the discussion draft in its current form, we do recognize that it gets some issues right," he said. Geoff Cooper, president of the Renewable Fuels Association, which represents ethanol producers, objected to the elimination of the Renewable Fuel Standard. "[The legislation] falls short of providing the future market certainty and growth our industry needs," he said. With only a matter of weeks left in this Congress, the legislation is expected to be a starting point for when a new Democratic majority in the House takes their seat in January. With the current mandate set to run out in four years, Republicans urged industry to work together now to avoid the EPA deciding their fate. "The current law is unworkable," said Rep. Joe Barton, R-Ennis. " Don't kid yourself. If we throw all this to whoever's running EPA, they don't have any magic wands over there to bring order from chaos." Nirvana Travel & Tourism has taken the title of World's Leading Tour Operator 2018 as well as World's Leading Luxury Tour Operator 2018 at the recent World Travel Awards Grand Final Gala Ceremony 2018 in Lisbon, Portugal. Omar Al Ali, executive director of Communications & Projects of Nirvana Travel & Tourism commented, We are honoured to have received such an excellent award at such a prestigious event. We are the first UAE based company to receive the same award third year in a row. "The company has been recognized for its excellence in providing world-class travel and tourism services, and this motivates us to continue to innovate and innovate in the hospitality sector for the next phase. Over the past few years, we have maintained great relationships and developed key partnerships with leading travel companies to provide our customers with the utmost stress-free and holistic travel-lifestyle experiences across the globe, and with the full support from the management and our teams maximum effort, we have a driven mentality to achieve this remarkable winning, he added. Nirvana Travel & Tourism has recently introduced attractive packages this season that offers travellers opportunities to visit popular tourist destinations across Asia and Europe. TradeArabia News Service This week Selena fans all over Texas and the rest of the world learned that Netflix had ordered a series about the life of the Tejano star who was shot and killed in 1995, prematurely ending what had been a career with limitless promise. "Selena will always have a lasting place in music history and we feel great responsibility to do justice to her memory. With this series, viewers will finally get the full history of Selena, our family, and the impact she has had on all of our lives," Selena's sister, Suzette Quintanilla said this week in a statement. TEXAS ME: Movies you need to see to understand Texas No time table was set for the series' premiere was released. It appears that is still in the very early stages of development. Just weeks back came word that acclaimed director Richard Linklater was attached to a biopic on late, groundbreaking Houston comedian Bill Hicks. Hicks, known as one of the most innovative and influential comics to have ever jumped onstage, died in 1994 at the age of 32. These two projects, once they are made, join the ranks of other flicks about famous, infamous, and otherwise noteworthy Texans. We've seen movies about the guys that fought at The Alamo, politicians of every stripe, military heroes, and other public figures. FIGHTING WORDS: These are the 50 greatest Texas movies ever. Ever. Not all biopics span the entire life of a person though, some just center on the most eventful portion. For instance the Mark Wahlberg vehicle about military hero Marcus Luttrell only detailed his harrowing days after a 2005 ambush by the Taliban. He earned the Navy Cross and the Purple Heart for his actions and Wahlberg and director Peter Berg were able to make of the most intense portrayals of military combat in decades. UNDERGROUND IN TEXAS: Famous graves in Texas that you probably didn't know you could visit We're still waiting on biopics about Cooley and DeBakey's feud, Barbara Jordan, Janis Joplin, DJ Screw, Roky Erickson, Lightnin' Hopkins, Ann Richards, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Mama Ninfa, and Townes Van Zandt just to name a few. There are too many great stories in Texas history to mention and more than enough outsized characters to revisit. And hey, who wouldn't want to watch a big-screen version of the life of Marvin Zindler? Craig Hlavaty covers Houston history and pop-culture. Read him on our breaking news site, Chron.com, and on our subscriber site, HoustonChronicle.com. | craig.hlavaty@chron.com | Text CHRON to 77453 to receive breaking news alerts by text message The body of a missing 16-year-old boy was found at a Missouri City park Tuesday, according to police. The boy, identified as Eduardo E. in a press release from Missouri City Police, was found with a gunshot wound. Officials could not confirm Eduardo's last name. For decades, two women found slain in League City have had no identity, connected only by a gruesome thread their decomposed bodies were dumped in the same swampy field off of Interstate 45 as several other women who were found brutally murdered there some 30 years ago. But a breakthrough in forensic DNA analysis may help League City detectives identify the skeletal remains of the two female victims, who died in 1986 and 1991 in the area off Calder Road known as the "Texas Killing Fields." They are relying on strikingly detailed composite sketches developed from DNA drawn from the two victims' bones, hoping to get the public's help in tracking down relatives of the deceased. The advances in DNA technology have brought cautious optimism about solving two cases that have confounded local investigators for decades and yielded few suspects. League City investigators, working with Parabon NanoLabs, a DNA technology company in Virginia, have sought to piece together the physical appearance and ancestry of the two unidentified women using a new method of analysis called DNA "phenotyping." TEEN DEAD: Argument led to nephew's shooting in southwest Houston, police say DNA forensics and ancestry databases were used to great effect earlier this year, when California authorities were able to locate the infamous "Golden State Killer" suspect, accused of committing more than 50 rapes and 12 murders. Authorities in that case used DNA from an old crime scene to find distant relatives with matching genetic profiles. The "Texas Killing Fields" is a boggy, 25-acre stretch of land along I-45 where four female victims were found between 1983 and 1991, including the two unidentified women. No one has ever been convicted in connection with the four deaths. "We think it's huge, the ability to use (phenotyping) as a tool," said League City police spokesman Kelly Williamson. "As most people know, the longer a case goes on from the date of an event, the harder it is to solve it. So our mindset is, 'Yeah this is an awesome tool but we can't jump ahead of ourselves.' Our ultimate goal right now is to find out who these people are and give closure to anybody we can." Identifying the two female victims could lead to a suspect in the killings, Williamson said. MURDER TRIAL: Witness admits to helping dismember, grill Texas man Four victims, no convictions The first of the four victims whom League City investigators are focusing on Heide Villareal Fye, a 25-year-old waitress and bartender left her parents' house in League City on Oct. 7, 1983, to hitch a ride to Houston to see her boyfriend. The following April, her remains were found in the clearing. Another victim, 16-year-old Laura Lynn Miller, disappeared after using a pay phone at a nearby convenience store. Her body was found in the same clearing in February 1986. Laura Miller's father, Tim Miller, is the founder of Texas Equusearch, a search and rescue organization dedicated to searching for missing persons. He could not be reached for comment Tuesday. The remains of one of the other two female victims were found next to Laura Miler's body. League City police have worked with Parabon to develop sophisticated renderings in hopes of solving that mystery and that of the fourth unidentified female victim. League City investigators learned of Parabon phenotyping software two years ago, and immediately worked with them to analyze the unidentified women's DNA and make "predictions" about the color of their eyes, hair and skin, as well as freckling and the shape of their faces. These predictions were combined with a forensic facial reconstruction to create the composite Snapshot images of the victims. The woman whose body was found next to that of Laura Miller in 1986, a Jane Doe, most likely had fair to very fair skin, blue or green eyes, blond/brown hair, few or no freckles, and a likely family origin of Tennessee, according to the DNA analysis. Coroners estimate the woman was 22 to 30 years old and 5-foot-5 to 5-foot-8, and that she died six weeks to six months prior to being found. The woman had a small caliber gunshot wound to the back. She also had old, healed injuries that were unrelated to her death. Her left fifth and fourth ribs showed healed fractures that were likely the result of a singular event. She also had a noticeable gap in the upper portion of her front teeth. The woman whose body was found in 1991, given the name Janet Doe, most likely had fair skin, hazel eyes, brown hair, and few or no freckles. It is believed the woman's relatives were of Louisiana Acadian descent. Special areas of interest in Louisiana where the victim's extended family may have originated include Broussard, Lafayette Parish, New Iberia, Abbeville, Breaux Bridge, and St. Martin Parish. It is also possible she had family from Vermillion Parish, St. Landry Parish, and Assumption Parish. Coroners estimate that that female victim was 24 to 34 years old, 5 feet to 5-foot-3 and weighed 100 to 130 pounds. She died six weeks to several months prior to being found. The woman also had numerous old, healed injuries that were unrelated to her death. Her right first and second ribs showed healed fractures at the spine; the victim had a compression injury to her upper spine in three places; her lower spine showed signs of an old, poorly healed compression injury. Authorities believe these injuries and her poor dental condition may have been the result of a singular injury that occurred sometime prior to her killing, and that she may have had problems with her head or spinal movements as a result. 'Persons of interest' No one has ever been convicted in connection with the deaths of the four women found in the Calder Road field, though Williamson said there are "persons of interest" in the slayings that investigators have not been able to eliminate. The "Texas Killing Fields" became a catch-all reference for the 22 women many teenagers who died mysteriously in several small towns bordering I-45. The murders began in June 1971, when 13-year-old Colette Wilson went missing after getting off at a bus stop after school. She was found near Addicks Reservoir some five months later, dead from a gunshot wound to the head. All of the other victims were strangled, shot, or savagely beaten. Six of the victims were killed in pairs. To this day, there has been only one conviction tied to the Killing Fields deaths. Kevin Edison Smith, 45, was given life in prison without parole for the 1986 murder of 13-year-old Krystal Jean Baker. Smith was linked to the crime after he was arrested in Louisiana for an unrelated incident in 2010. Smith was identified as the killer after a DNA test performed on him matched samples taken from Baker's underwear and dress. Suspects have emerged in connection with other murders in this area over the years. Mark Roland Stallings, who is serving two life sentences for a series of unrelated crimes, told author Kathryn Casey that he killed "Janet Doe" in 1991. Stallings said the woman was a teenage prostitute whom he strangled and dumped in the clearing off of Calder Road. Stallings remains a prime suspect in the 1991 murder and two other slayings in Fort Bend County. Stallings has claimed at different times to different people that he picked up the girl from one of several low-budget hotels on Telephone Road just south of I-45 and took her to the Calder Road property. In one of many rambling letters in December 2013 addressed to Jim Carroll, an ex-con who exchanged letters with Stallings for more than two years, Stallings described the female victim as "dirty blond about 5'2" or 5'3" about 115 pounds The clothes she had on (were) big because she was on crack." Stallings worked for a man who owned the Calder Road property owner at one time a former NASA engineer named Robert Able, who is now deceased. Stallings told KHOU-TV in a 2016 interview that after he and the young woman left the hotel, they went for a drive and he eventually strangled her with a seat belt. Casey, who published the 2015 book "Deliver Us: Three Decades of Murder and Redemption in the Infamous I-45/Texas Killing Fields," said she took Stallings' admission to a forensic pathologist, who said it was "highly possible" that the 1991 victim died in the manner that Stallings described. "Maybe if we can find out who the girl is, that will lead to more of an investigation into her life and find out if Mark Stallings is telling the truth when he says that he killed her," Casey said. Another man, Clyde Edwin Hedrick who was sentenced in 2014 to 20 years in prison after he was convicted of manslaughter in the death of Ellen Beason was linked to the deaths of Heidi Fye and Laura Miller during his trial, but he was never charged. A third man, William Reece, currently serving a 60-year sentence in Oklahoma for kidnapping a woman, was indicted for murder in Texas in 2017 in connection with two homicides loosely connected to the Texas Killing Fields victims. Reece was charged in the 1997 slayings of 17-year-old Jessica Cain of Tiki Island and of 12-year old Laura Smither, whose body was found near a Pasadena pond 17 days after she was abducted after leaving her home to go jogging. Reece is a suspected serial killer linked to attacks on at least seven different women across Texas. He is scheduled to be tried next year in Oklahoma on a murder charge for the 1997 killing of a young woman. The League City Police Department is asking anyone with information that may help the investigation to call Lt. Michael Buffington at (281) 338 8220. "These girls deserve their names back, they deserve their faces, their families deserve to know what happened to them, they deserve a grave with a stone on top of it, with a real name on top of it a place their families can go to visit them," Casey said. Staff writer Lise Olsen contributed to this report. Nick Powell covers Galveston County for the Chronicle. Follow him on Twitter and send him tips at nick.powell@chron.com One year ago, a coalition of oil and natural gas companies came together to launch a new initiative designed to further reduce the industry's environmental footprint. Known as The Environmental Partnership, the program is already making a large impact. The Environmental Partnership is a voluntary, industry-run initiative where oil and natural gas producers of all sizes come together to learn, collaborate, and take action to improve their environmental performance. Launched last December with 26 participants, the program has more than doubled in size in just its first year to include 54 companies, which together represent roughly a third of America's natural gas production. The initial focus of the Partnership has been to build on the industry's success in reducing emissions of methane and volatile organic compounds, or VOCs. Throughout its first year, the group has devoted programs and workshops to helping its members make improvements in that area. RELATED: Is Big Oil serious about reducing methane emissions? In 2018, the Environmental Partnership held workshops in Pennsylvania, Texas and Colorado that took a closer look at the latest technologies being used to detect leaks and best practices to reduce emissions. These workshops were open to any oil and natural gas producers, and included lengthy question and answer sessions where companies openly shared their own experiences. In Colorado, participants toured METEC, a research and testing facility located at Colorado State University where leak detection equipment is tested under conditions similar to those found at most production sites. Those on the tour were able to ask detailed questions of the researchers and learn how to apply some of the lessons learned to their own facilities. These workshops demonstrated that oil and natural gas producers, regardless of their size or location of operations, can benefit from the experience and knowledge shared by their colleagues. After one workshop, a company arranged a site visit so that others could see their emissions-reducing technologies up close. Beyond the extraordinary learning and collaborating opportunities, The Environmental Partnership has also developed three performance programs that participants are implementing. One program is centered on leak detection and repair. Another focuses on the replacement or removal of high-bleed pneumatic controllers with lower-emitting devices, while the third program is the implementation of a best practice to minimize emissions during the manual liquids unloading process. RELATED: Big Oil warms to efforts to slow climate change These programs will continue to drive down the industry's air emissions. Participants in the program have also agreed to submit annual data to the Partnership which will be compiled and released publicly so that the industry can track our progress and be held accountable. The first of these reports will be released next year. Tackling large challenges like reducing emissions not only requires everyone to do their part, but also find ways to work together. The Environmental Partnership's rapid growth in its first year underscores the power of this approach and speaks to the value it is providing to participating companies, the industry, and, most importantly, the communities in which we live and operate. Matthew Todd, program director at the Environmental Partnership, a coalition of 54 oil and gas companies seeking to improve their environmental performance. Oil edged higher on renewed optimism that announced production cuts from the OPEC+ coalition will re-balance global markets, while Libya's biggest field remained shut, taking supply off line. Futures in New York gained as much as 2.8 percent before prices were pared by a sell-off of U.S. equities prompted by President Donald Trump's threat to shut down the federal government over funding for his border wall. West Texas Intermediate futures for January settled at $51.65 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange, a 65 cent increase over Monday. Saudi Arabia has said it plans to slash output to about 10.2 million barrels a day in January, down 900,000 a day from November. On Tuesday, Russian Energy Minister Alex Novak said his country will reduce output next month by at least 50,000 to 60,000 barrels a day, some 11,000 below November. Those curbs come as Libya's largest field is off line and European equities rose. EARLIER: Oil slides most in 2 weeks as traders doubt OPEC+ cuts "The Russians committing to the cut and putting a number out, even though it was relatively small, allowed the markets to rally," said Bob Yawger, director of futures at Mizuho Securities USA. "Once the rally started, there were still lots of people still short so it flushed a lot of them out." Crude has sunk about 30 percent from a four-year high in early October, with volatility reaching a two-year high last month. While analysts from Goldman Sachs Group Inc. to Morgan Stanley are optimistic the OPEC+ curbs will bring relief to the market, they're concerned over the longer-term effectiveness of the pact. That sentiment was echoed by commodity hedge fund Philipp Oil, which said in an investor letter that while Brent has found a floor of around $60 a barrel after the supply limits were announced, weaker oil demand and booming U.S. shale output will keep markets oversupplied. AT THE PUMP: OPEC hasn't pumped up gasoline prices ... yet Brent for February delivery climbed 23 cents to $60.20 a barrel on London's ICE Futures Europe exchange. The global benchmark crude traded at an $8.36 premium to WTI for the same month. Libya declared force majeure earlier this week at the Sharara oil field after an armed group forced a production halt. The shutdown will result in an output loss of 315,000 barrels a day, state producer National Oil Corp. said on its website. U.S. equity markets and European stocks rallied earlier as investors weighed the prospects for success in American-Chinese trade talks. China is moving toward cutting its trade-war tariffs on imported U.S.-made cars, a step already brandished by Trump as a concession won during trade talks in Argentina. --With assistance from Sharon Cho. 2018 Bloomberg L.P. Brazilian state oil company Petrobras will terminate more than 50 Houston jobs next year after selling much of its Gulf of Mexico assets into a new joint venture. Petrobras, which has struggled financially amid a nationwide corruption scandal in Brazil, opted to sell its Gulf assets earlier this year into a JV in which it will only own a 20 percent stake. Arkansas-based Murphy Oil will operate the JV with its 80 percent ownership. The sale is part of Petrobras' overall debt-reduction plan. The United States will be able to export more than double the amount of liquefied natural gas by the end of next year, a new report from the Energy Information Administration shows. LNG producers currently have the ability to export 3.6 billion cubic feet of natural gas per day. But with at least 18 LNG production units coming expected to come into service over the next 12 months, export capacity is expected to grow to 8.9 billion cubic feet per day by the end of 2019. At that level, the U.S. will be the third-largest LNG exporter in the world behind Australia and Qatar. EXPORT READY: LNG tanker arrives at Cheniere Energy's Corpus Christi plant The United States began exporting LNG from the Lower 48 states in early 2016 when Houston-based Cheniere Energy shipped its first cargo from its Sabine Pass LNG terminal in Louisiana. Virginia-based Dominion Resources became the the second company to do so after shipping its first cargo from the company's Cove Point LNG export terminal in Maryland in March. Four companies are expected to bring at least 18 LNG production units known as trains into service over the next 12 months. Cheniere accounts for three of them. The first train at the company's Corpus Christi LNG facility reported its first shipment on Tuesday morning, while the fifth train at its Sabine Pass facility is expected send its first shipment by month's end. The second train at the company's Corpus Christi facility is expected to come into service during 2019's second quarter. LNG DEAL: Tellurian scores first LNG customer for $15B export terminal Meanwhile, all three trains at Sempra Energy's Cameron LNG in Louisiana are expected to be in service by the end of next year. Houston-based Kinder Morgan is expected to bring 10 small and modular production units at its Elba Island LNG facility near Savannah, Ga., into service over the next 12 months. The first two trains at the Freeport LNG facility near Houston are expected to be in service by the end of next year. And there are still more projects in the pipeline. Freeport LNG and Corpus Christi LNG are expected to have their third trains in production by 2020 and 2021 respectively. There are also several LNG export terminal projects moving through the federal approval process. Although their political parties are on the opposite ends of the climate change debate and other issues on Capitol Hill, U.S. Sen. John Cornyn and Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner have found a topic to agree on. The Republican senator and Democrat mayor have become unlikely and bipartisan allies in their support of a proposed liquefied natural gas export terminal and pipeline project that face stiff opposition from environmentalists and community groups in the Rio Grande Valley. Over the past week, Cornyn and Turner have filed open letters to members of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to voice their support for NextDecade Corp.'s Rio Grande LNG export terminal at the Port of Brownsville. The proposed project includes a pipeline that will move natural gas from the Agua Dulce hub near Corpus Christi to the deep South Texas waterway. RELATED: Report: U.S. LNG export capacity to more than double by end of 2019 Cornyn primarily cited economic reasons for his support of the project. NextDecade recently moved its headquarters from The Woodlands to downtown Houston, and if the projects are approved, the company will spend up to $20 billion to build them. "FERC's final approval of this project will unleash the additional natural gas export potential of the U.S. and the state of Texas, driving significant economic, energy, trade and environmental benefits for generations to come," Cornyn wrote. Turner cited different reasons. Months before Hurricane Harvey hit Houston, Turner had already joined the Climate Mayors movement. The 300 U.S. mayors have pledged to uphold the terms of the Paris Climate Agreement even though President Donald Trump has vowed to pull the United States out of the international treaty. In his letter, Turner wrote that the Houston-based company will deliver long-term economic and environmental benefits. COMMENTARY: Initiative shrinking oil industry's environmental footprint "Next Decade's Rio Grande LNG project will enable developed and emerging markets around the world to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by replacing carbon-intensive fuels with natural and other forms of cleaner energy," Turner wrote in his letter. "The project will also provide energy producers across the state of Texas an important link to global markets and an opportunity to reduce wasteful flaring of valuable energy resources into the atmosphere." It remains to be seen if Turner's support of the project will result in any backlash. Environmentalists and community groups cite environmental and safety concerns in opposing the project. Working under the banner Save RGV From LNG, organizers with the Sierra Club reported that opponents have filed more than 850 public comments with FERC against Rio Grande LNG and its pipeline. "The Rio Grande LNG terminal would be the biggest polluter in the Rio Grande Valley region. Building the Rio Bravo Pipeline would seize land for a fracked gas pipeline that will be prone to explosions and leaks in Texas, which is known for ineffective pipeline safety," Sierra Club organizer Rebekah Hinojosa said in a statement released last week. Imagine if you will an amazing place where you can eat something amazing every two hours and never get sick of being full. It's not heaven, it's Houston. Well, for the purposes of this story it's a place where summer lasts ten months is heaven. Great Eats: 25 awesome restaurants you need to try now inside the downtown Houston tunnels. If you could, how would you eat your way across Houston within the span of 24 hours? To do this we'd need to wipe traffic away, and since this is a fantastical exercise we can do that. Boom: no traffic to stop you from getting to Point A to Point B to chow down. Also, your stomach will basically be a bottomless pit, a la the 1991 Albert Brooks and Meryl Streep afterlife fantasy film "Defending Your Life" where those in purgatory could eat copious amounts of their various favorite foods and never get full or gain weight. H-Town on the Cheap: Fun things to do in Houston for $5 or less. So with traffic and excessive bloating and gastrointestinal distress off the table, all you have is time to enjoy the finer, fattier things in life. Being stuck in southbound traffic in Spring while trying to get to San Leon while in the throes of a food coma is no way to be. Did we already give too much away? We set a 24-hour clock to run from 6 a.m. to 6 a.m., and by the latter hour you should have visited 24 dining establishments, enjoyed yourself, and made a few new friends. Get Cozy: The 13 coziest restaurants and bars in Houston. Check out the 24 places you need to try in Houston over the span of 24 hours in the slideshow above. Take on this challenge at your own peril and pack the Pepto. Craig Hlavaty covers Houston history and pop-culture. Read him on our breaking news site, Chron.com, and on our subscriber site, HoustonChronicle.com. | craig.hlavaty@chron.com | Text CHRON to 77453 to receive breaking news alerts by text message The Bear Creek Community Center is temporarily housed and has limited classes/events at the Glazier Senior Education Center, 16600 Pine Forest Lane, Houston, Texas 77084 Party Bridge If you play Bridge, you are invited to play cards every Monday from 11:30 a.m. until 3 p.m. and Tuesdays, from noon-3 p.m. Call 713-274-3190 with questions. Fun Time Art A time and place to do your creative art with other artists. Come every Thursday from 9 a.m. until noon. Call 713- 274-3190 to register. Chair Yoga This class is perfect for anyone with mobility or balance limitations. Chair yoga involves performing specific poses while using the support of a chair. The class meets every Friday from 10-11 a.m. Call 713-274-3190 to register. Circle of Friends Meditation Come and join this circle to gain a healthy mind and body on Fridays from 11:30 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. Please call (713) 274-3190 to register. In addition to scheduled activities, the Bear Creek Community Center is offering the following upcoming events and activities in January. Cardigan Sweater Crochet Class Have you admired those plush, fuzzy or warm sweaters everyone is wearing? Join us and learn to make them. With just a crochet hook and yarn, you can have a sweater to match any outfit. Just bring your hook and yarn, and Jeanie will show you how to create a beautiful sweater. Class will meet 9-11 a.m. Mondays from Jan. 7-Feb. 25. Call 713-274-3190 to register. Martial Arts This program will teach techniques in art, sport, Kidnapping Awareness, self-defense and self-confidence aspects of American Karate. Classes are taught by certified instructors of the American Society of Karate. Classes run in 10-week sessions year-round. Classes meet on Thursdays, beginning Jan. 10. Students ages 6 to 12 years old will meet 6:30-7:30 p.m., students 13 and older will meet 7:30-8:30 p.m. Hearing Loss Association of America Learn what help is available to those who have a hearing loss. From telephones to laptops, help is available. Come Friday, Jan.11, from 1:30-3 p.m. to learn more. Call 713-274-3190 to register. Hair Color 101 New Year, New You! On Wednesday, Jan. 16, from 1-2 p.m.. Master Stylist and Salon Owner Kristie Yearny, will teach what you should know about hair coloring, different types of hair and various coloring techniques. Every head of hair is different. Nows the time to ask questions, before picking up that bottle of hair dye. Call 713-274-3190 to register. Beginning Spanish In this day and time, understanding a different language is beneficial to everyone. Join Maria Venegas and go step-by-step in this fun-filled class to learn to speak and understand the Spanish language and improve your communication skills on Friday, Jan. 18, from 8-9:20 a.m. Call 713-274-3190 to register. Intermediate Conversational Spanish Has it been awhile since you spoke Spanish? Maybe you want to refresh your skills because you are taking a trip? Join Maria Venegas every Friday beginning Jan. 18 from 9:30-10:20 a.m. You must know some Spanish. Call 713-274-3190 to register. AARP Defensive Driving An AARP representative will visit the center from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 26, to conduct a Drivers Safety course. This course can assist drivers in receiving a discount on their auto insurance. The cost for this class is $15 for AARP members and $20 for non-members. Call 713-274-3190 for more information or to register. Long-Term Care You are more likely to need long-term care than to lose your home to fire. What are you going to do? Join us Saturday, Jan. 26, at 10 a.m. for a brief overview of historical vs. current trends, cost of care and the newest methods of providing coverage against the most dangerous expense in retirement. Call 713-274-3190 to register. Advance registration for activities is typically requested. An adult must accompany and remain with anyone under the age of 18 visiting the center. A calendar of events is available at the Harris County Precinct 3 website at www.pct3.com. For more information, call 713-274-3190. The region's hospitality sector needs to invest in new, proactive strategies in order to thrive in an increasingly competitive market, which is set to see supply climb to record levels in the next 12 months. Potential approaches, which can avoid a "race to the bottom" on prices, will be among the key talking points at the Gulf and Indian Ocean Hotel Investors' Summit 2019 (GIOHIS) in Abu Dhabi on February 4 and 5. With another 30,000 new rooms set to create a supply glut in Dubai and large pipelines in Abu Dhabi, Muscat and Saudi Arabia, hotel owners who embrace change and take advantage of opportunities specific to the market conditions will be the best equipped to deliver long-term growth, says Simon Allison, CEO of hotel owners' alliance, HOFTEL, and organiser of GIOHIS. He says: "There is a big temptation during a period of oversupply for hoteliers to focus on price reductions alone to attract customers, but a multi-faceted approach is much more likely to help them emerge more strongly when conditions improve. Allison believes that hoteliers who focus solely on cutting rates risk devaluing their brand equity in the long-run because customers will be reluctant to pay more when conditions improve. Allison says other key actions hotel owners should consider in order to see their brand through the current supply spike include: Seeking out new market segments, especially from India, China and Africa as well as South East Asia Reviewing their cost structures to see where fundamental changes can be made; that may include looking closely at their management agreements with operators to ensure the brand is fulfilling all of its obligations Reviewing their space use. Could restaurants do better as meeting rooms or visa-versa? Is there space to rent out some of the ground floor or even the parking? Can the GMs office make way for a saleable suite? If they can afford it, using the slow market as an opportunity to do renovations. They will be displacing less paying business and contractors prices will have fallen if the glut of property really bites. Considering a move from a management agreement to a franchise (especially if they have three or more properties and can benefit from internal economies of scale). Similarly, independent hoteliers may find it worth considering a move to a well-known brand. Dealing with the oversupply crunch is just one of the major talking points that will be discussed in detail at GIOHIS 2019. Others include: Franchising is now the time? The Chinese are coming and can transform the inbound market, but what do they want? Timeshare comes to the UAE good news or bad for the sector? Can the Saudi tourism revolution succeed and who wins and loses if it does? Changing investment opportunities as resort and leisure markets mature GIOHIS will bring more than 250 of the top hotel owners, developers and operators from the Gulf, East Africa, the Indian Ocean islands, Asean and Australia together to discuss topical issues affecting the industry. Being run by hotel owners alliance HOFTEL, rather than a commercial media or conferencing company, means that GIOHIS can be upfront about addressing the sectors key issues in a transparent and compact forum full of decision-makers, a statement said. GIOHIS will take place at the Park Hyatt, Abu Dhabi, with an evening reception at The Louvre, Abu Dhabi. TradeArabia News Service The New Caney Independent School District is now overseeing a food purchasing cooperative previously led by the Santa Fe Independent School District. New Caney ISD Director of Child Nutrition Debbie Needham said the School Purchasing Alliance was formed by Southeast Texas School Districts in partnership with Marketplace Alliance as a managing consultant about six years ago and originated at the Sante Fe School District. The cooperative has a fiduciary school district that oversees the bid process and a cooperative director that handles the daily business. New Caney ISD served as the alternate district for the cooperative. In light of everything that had taken place, it was time to move the co-op, said Needham, who clarified the steering committee had already been planning to make the change to New Caney ISD. Needham said the decision was not based on the May 18 massacre that killed 10 and wounded 13 at the districts lone high school. After about five years, it could move again. It will be based on the needs of that time. The New Caney ISD Food Purchasing Cooperative is authorized to contract with eligible and participating districts to perform governmental functions and services, including the development of a standard approach for acquisition of goods and services, that each participating district is authorized by law to perform, information about the cooperative stated. According to the SPA the cooperative among the school district was formed to take advantage of the combined aggregate demand with the goal of getting lower prices from select suppliers, to reduce the costs and share in the best practices of procurement. SPA stated it follows laws requiring competitive bidding above certain thresholds and districts will typically sing an interlocal agreement or contract that allows them to legally use a contract that was procured by another government entity. It gives you purchasing power, it streamlines menu items for districts, it helps our grocery vendors not to have to stock, Needham said. You dont want to have 30 chicken nuggets that are going to different districts, so we streamline, we do taste-testing to see what product best-fits our students taste desires then we base our purchasing off of our student input. The school district has a cooperative director that handles the daily business of the cooperative that has about 36 participating school districts, including some from Montgomery County such as Willis ISD who recently renewed its contract with the cooperative. The bulk and volume helps reduce the costs, Needham said. Participating in this coop program will be highly beneficial to the district through the efficiencies and potential savings to be realized, information from Willis ISD stated. While housed in the school district, Needham said the Child Nutrition Department is a self-funded program that local tax revenue does not support. The federally assisted program is held accountable on several levels with federal program guidelines. It is beneficial because of the funding and budget restraints, Needham said. It is important to be a part of the co-op where you have that purchasing power and you do look at the best products for the best price. That is one thing that we have taken great pride in through the SPA Co-op, ensuring that we do focus on quality. It is not about quantity, its about quality and we want to make sure our students are getting quality meals every day. Member Districts Alvin ISD, Angleton ISD, Barbers Hill ISD, Beaumont ISD, Bellville ISD, Brazoria ISD, Brazos ISD Brazosport ISD, Brenham ISD, Cleveland ISD, Coldsprings-Oakhurst CISD, College Station ISD, Columbia ISD, Conroe ISD, Deer Park ISD, Diboll ISD, Dickinson ISD, Galveston ISD, Lamar Consolidated ISD, Leggett ISD, Madisonville ISD, Magnolia ISD, Montgomery ISD, Navasota ISD, New Caney ISD, New Waverly ISD, Normangee ISD, Pasadena ISD, Santa Fe ISD, Shepherd ISD, Somerville ISD, Splendora ISD, Spring ISD, Stafford ISD, Stafford MSD, Sweeny ISD, Tarkington ISD, Tomball ISD, Waller ISD, Willis ISD Montgomery County commissioners tabled a discussion about increased security for county courts Tuesday after Precinct 1 Justice of the Peace Wayne Mack asked the court to approve enhanced security measures for his offices. Mack, who holds court in both Willis and Montgomery, said threats made to his staff in the past prompted him to seek solutions to beef up security. (The enhancements) will maximize security in the front lobbies at both locations, Mack said noting the project would carry a price tag of about $20,000. However, Precinct 3 Commissioner James Noack said the court should consider all JP courts, county courts at law and district courts before making a piecemeal decision on Macks court. I appreciate your goals in providing a safe and secure environment for your employees, Noack said. But I think this is something we need to have a comprehensive solution in place as to how we want to protect all these courts Precinct 1 Commissioner Mike Meador said other departments, including commissioners offices, should be considered in a security enhancement solution as well. It really bothers me, you never know what is going to happen, Meador said. Your worst nightmare is to have a staff member harmed by a person that comes in. Mack agrees. Its not a matter of if, its a matter of when and I hope we are prepared, Mack said. County Judge Craig Doyal said the countys Courthouse Security Committee has been discussing solutions for all court locations. He noted the committee will meet Friday and suggested the court revisit the issue at its next regular meeting. The court unanimously agreed to table the discussion. In other business: Call center upgrade: The court did approve Macks request to upgrade his call center system for just over $36,000. According to Mack, the new system will allow his staff to better manage phone calls, the volume and help expedite calls. He noted because his court is Precinct 1, many people call that need to be redirected to other courts. Court control: Three years after the court agreed in a 4-1 vote, with Noack being the lone nay vote, to give Doyal sole oversight of county departments, the court unanimously agreed to reverse that action an put all county department back under the control of the entire court. I think that is something as the new administration comes in going to take them a while to get their feet on the ground I think this is a good move, Doyal said. cdominguez@hcnonline.com During a recent rehearsal, the cast of 40 young actors from age 10 to age 18 enjoyed a visit by Rabbi Joshua Fixler from Houstons Congregation Emanu El. Fixler offered historical, cultural, and religious context for Judaism during the Pale of Settlement, when Fiddler on the Roof takes place, and even helped stage several culturally significant moments in the show for more authentic, reverent storytelling. When I was in rabbinical school in New York my professor, Dr. Larry Hoffman, consulted on newest Broadway production of Fiddler on the roof. As a big theater fan, I thought it would be so fun to get to work with a cast to create a performance of the Jewish content in this play that was both accurate and meaningful. So when Inspiration Stage called, I was quick to say yes, Fixler says. A few of our cast members are of Jewish faith, but the majority of these students are experiencing this culture and its customs for the first time, says the musicals director and music director, Sarah Patterson. It is important to our production team to not only do justice to this terrific music, awe-inspiring choreography, and touching story, but to also immerse ourselves in the culture and historical context of this pieceshopefully leaving our actors and audiences with an appreciation for Jewish culture, Judaism, and the exceptional hardships of the Semitic people during the Russian Pale of Settlement. The musicals Yente, 12-year-old Julia Cate of Cinco Ranch, says, During the time spent with Rabbi Fixler, I was able to learn about the origin of David's star, and the family importance of Shabbat. Rabbi Fixler not only shared his wide range of knowledge, but he also displayed deep love, beauty, and passion for his culture and traditions. This experience has given me an authentic connection to my character. I am genuinely thankful for the time that he spent with the cast of Fiddler on the Roof." The cast was proud to perform Sabbath Prayer; Sunrise, Sunset; and the Wedding Dance for Fixler, and receive specific feedback to help them better represent these pivotal moments. The cast of their production of Fiddler on the Roof Jr. were fantastic. They asked such terrific questions about the meaning of all the pieces of Jewish ritual garb, like the kippah (head covering) and tallit (prayer shawl). They performed two of the numbers for me that contained the rituals of the Sabbath and a Jewish wedding and we talked through each action and its meaning. It was wonderful to get to share my traditions with the cast, and to hopefully help inspire a production that will teach Jewish culture to the Houston community, Fixler says. We talked about how this is a particularly important time to perform this play, with the recent uptick in anti-Semitic acts and the tragic shooting at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh. I shared with them that it is a lot harder to hate someone once you know them and their story and told them how appreciative I was that they were taking the job of telling our story so seriously. It was a truly special night. Jane Delahoussaye, an 11-year-old Sugar Land resident and sixth-grader at Logos Preparatory Academy, plays the iconic Fiddler in Inspiration Stages production. Not only was Rabbi Fixler generous with his time in giving us important history and culture, but he was also gracious in letting us ask questions that may seem silly or awkward. It will make our storytelling better, and it also gives me an even better appreciation of the Jewish faith, she says. Rabbi Fixler left our students and production team enriched and energized to present the story of Fiddler on the Roof with passion, respect, and exuberance, Patterson says. This special student adaptation of the nine-time Tony Award-winning Broadway musical, Fiddler on the Roof JR. tells the story of a poor dairyman, Tevye, who in the little village of Anatevka, tries to instill in his five daughters the traditions of his tightly knit Jewish community in the face of changing social mores and the growing anti-Semitism of Czarist Russia. The traditions of his ancestors are shattered as his daughters assert their independence and government troops brutally force Tevye and his fellow villagers from their homes. The curtain falls on Tevyes uplifting determination to create another life in the New World. Performances will be held at the historic Sugar Land Auditorium, 226 Lakeview Drive, on Dec. 14-16, with two evening shows and two matinees. Visit http://inspirationstage.com/shows for tickets and information. Video from an east Houston gas station captured a close call Monday as a car sitting at a pump burst into flames. The video, captured by Twitter user @iamstarboy24, shows the charred car still smoking at the Chevron near the intersection of East Freeway and Lockwood Drive. Police officers spotted the car fully engulfed around noon and frantically asked for Houston firefighters to tap out the blaze. No injuries were reported, although the car did take a beating. Jay R. Jordan covers breaking news in the Houston area. Read him on our breaking news site, Chron.com, and our subscriber site, HoustonChronicle.com | Follow him on Twitter at @JayRJordan | Email him at jay.jordan@chron.com | Text CHRON to 77453 to receive breaking news alerts by text message The number of people staying in homes listed on Airbnb in the UAE is set to more than double during New Years Eve, the company said. The popular global platform is currently seeing a 108 per cent spike in bookings during the New Year period, as travellers head to the Emirates to enjoy the celebrations. This figure is only expected to rise as the holiday season approaches. The surge in bookings to stay in Airbnb properties throughout the UAE is led by visitors from the US and the UK, while domestic travel from residents within the UAE is also proving hugely popular. The top New Years Eve destination for guests travelling from the UAE is Dubai, with many locals looking to celebrate in the region, closely followed by Cape Town, London, Beirut and Paris. Globally, guests using Airbnb over the New Year period has grown hugely over the past decade. On December 31, 2009, Airbnb calculated that 1,400 people used the platform to book a home away from home. Founder Brian Chesky tweeted last NYE that over 3 million people stayed in Airbnb listed properties during the turn of the year. The alternative options for travellers that Airbnb provides aid the UAEs agenda to grow and diversify the tourism base. In October, the UAE cabinet announced rules that allow visitors to extend their visit and tourist visas twice, for just Dh600 per extension, without the need to leave the country. His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Dubai Executive Council, declared the aim to attract 21-23 million tourists by 2022 and 23-25 million visitors by 2025. Airbnb provides an alternative choice of accommodation option, as it grows across the region, helping to support the touristic vision and goals of the UAE, the company added.-TradeArabia News Service A year after Valerie Ruth Youngs was found slain in her Pearland home, investigators are seeking the publics help in finding her killer. The case is still under active investigation and all leads are or have been investigated up to this point, Pearland police detective John Despain said in a written statement. Two people are behind bars after the Fort Bend County Narcotics Task Force conducted an operation targeting illicit substances being sold in the Houston/Sugar Land area. The suspects are Paul Rosales-Chaplin, 28, of Sugar Land and Kimberley Arias, 27, of Sugar Land. They are facing five charges of manufacturing/delivery of a controlled substance, possession of marijuana and money laundering. All charges are in a drug-free zone. Saja Hotels & Resorts, a leading Saudi hotel and condominium management and operation company, recently celebrated the first anniversary of its Saja AlMadinah Hotel in Madinah, Saudi Arabia. Strategically located in the Northern side of the central area of Madinah; the four-star hotel is just steps away from the Prophet's (PBUH) Mosque in the city. Mohannad Bin Nabeel Khogeer, chief executive officer of Saja Company said: We are extremely proud to celebrate the first anniversary of Saja AlMadinah Hotel, the renowned national brand in Saudi Arabia. The past year demonstrated our success in providing visitors to Madinah with the best convenient accommodation in the city, making their Hajj and Umrah trips an unforgettable experience. Our long standing experience in hospitality that exceeds 40 years was a game changer in creating our success during the first year of operations. We have set future expansion plans that include managing and operating other hotels in different cities, and utilize our expertise in providing management services for hotels for further plans. Our efforts in this regard are in line with the Kingdoms Vision 2030 that aims to increase the number of pilgrims and Umrah visitors, he added. With its 544 rooms, an executive floor, relaxing lounge, gym and a dedicated restaurant serving delicious international cuisine options; Saja AlMadinah Hotel was able during the past year to welcome more than 350,000 Guests, achieve a record number of more than 110,000 room bookings, serve around 120,000 meals, receive guests of over 80 nationalities and obtain the Hazard Analysis & Critical Control Points (HACCP) certification. Saja AlMadinah Hotel offers high-quality integrated hospitality services to assist visitors perform their religious rituals in the holy city with ease and comfort, a statement said. It also provides them with the convenience of being close to the Prophet's (PBUH) Mosque in Madinah, in a hotel that enjoys a unique blend of luxurious economy and authenticity, which stands out among other four-star hotels. Saja AlMadinahs professional multi-lingual and highly trained team helps break down the language barrier and meet the needs of visitors from around the world with high quality services, according to the statement. TradeArabia News Service Centara Hotels & Resorts, a leading hotel operator in Thailand, has signed management agreements for three new properties with a combined total of 216 keys, with Asia Investment, Development & Construction Sole Co., Ltd (AIDC), a well-established enterprise in Laos. In the UNESCO World Heritage site of Luang Prabang, Centara plans to open an upper upscale Centara Grand Luang Prabang and a midscale Centra by Centara property, both near the town centre. The third property will be under Centaras new lifestyle brand, COSI, catering to the growing segment of connected, freedom-loving travellers. It will represent a unique offering in Vientiane, the Laotian capital. The management agreement comes as Laos launches ambitious new plans to promote tourism. In recent years, the government of the Lao PDR has come to regard tourism as a priority sector for driving socio-economic development. It hopes to attract 5 million visitors in 2018 and increasing numbers in the years ahead with a Visit Laos campaign under the slogan Simply Beautiful. According to a new report from the Swiss-based World Economic Forum, Laos ranks 14th among 136 countries in price competitiveness. This partnership with AIDC is a great opportunity to expand our footprint into a distinctive country, said Centara CEO Thirayuth Chirathivat. Laos is on the list of more and more travellers to this region, and we want to serve them with the distinct and varied accommodation options to match the travel experience they are seeking. Luang Prabang is the well-preserved, old spiritual city at the confluence of the Khan and Mekong rivers. Although well-served by direct flights to its airport and modern amenities, it lives up to its World Heritage status with beautiful temples and traditional riverside life. Bicycles outnumber cars. Delicious baguettes, croissants, cafes and French restaurants hint at the French colonial history in both Luang Prabang and Vientiane. Pheutsapha Phoummasak, president of AIDC Laos said We are excited to partner with Centara to bring their trusted brands to these great cities and further promote the tourism potential of Laos. Luang Prabang and Vientiane are very popular destinations for both Thai and international travellers thanks to their perfect blend of history, beautiful scenery and charming character The three new hotels are the latest evidence of Centaras expansion strategy, which calls for doubling the number of properties under its management during the next five years. This latest development will see Centaras hotel count in Laos reach four with Centara Plumeria Resort Pakse already well under development and scheduled to open in 2020. TradeArabia News Service LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) Three carnival workers have been charged with capital murder in the fatal shooting of a couple at a Kansas fair whose bodies were found days later in shallow graves in a national forest in Arkansas. The Kansas Attorney General said 52-year-old Kimberly Younger, of McIntosh, Florida; 54-year-old Michael Fowler Jr., of Sarasota, Florida; and 35-year-old Rusty Frasier, of Aransas Pass, Texas, are jailed on $1 million bond in Arkansas, where they also face charges. Capital murder carries a sentence of execution or life imprisonment. Two others 38-year-old Christine Tenney, of Santa Fe, Texas, and 31-year-old Thomas Drake, of Van Buren, Arkansas are charged with obstructing apprehension. All five suspects are awaiting extradition to Kansas. Alfred "Sonny" Carpenter and Pauline Carpenter of Wichita had been selling crafts, jewelry, purses and other handmade items at the fair in Barton County, Kansas, in July when they were killed. Investigators believe the carnival workers used the couple's recreational vehicle to drive the bodies 320 miles (515 kilometers) to Van Buren, Arkansas. Their bodies were found buried in shallow graves next to a creek outside the small community of Natural Dam in the Ozark National Forest. Police in Arkansas have said Younger texted the other suspects posing as a carnival mafia boss named Frank Zaitchik and ordered them to kill the Carpenters and dispose of the bodies. Fowler told investigators that he believed this was an initiation into the carnival mafia, so he shot the couple and Frasier stabbed Alfred Carpenter. Asked whether a carnival mafia even exists, Van Buren police spokesman Jonathan Wear said in an email that this was something Younger "definitely made up." When told that the order to kill had come from Younger, not Zaitchik, Fowler said she had "suckered" him in and that he had thrown his life away, according to police reports. Fowler is also charged in Kansas with theft, while Younger faces charges in that state of conspiracy to commit murder, solicitation and theft. A spokeswoman in the Kansas Attorney General's office didn't immediately respond to questions about whether the suspects have attorneys who can speak on their behalf. Younger, Fowler, Frasier and Tenney have pleaded not guilty in Arkansas to charges that include abuse of a corpse. By TwoCircles.net Staff Reporter With the Congress all set to return to power in Rajasthan after five years, the reign of Vasundhara Raje will come to an end. While the final numbers are still not out, it seems like the only point of consideration now in Rajasthan is whether the Congress will get outright majority or if it will need an alliance with other parties and/or independent candidates. Support TwoCircles It is important to point out that the improved performance of the Congress is evident by how the party has performed among the reserved seats of the state. A total of 34 seats have been reserved for Scheduled Castes and 25 for Scheduled Tribes. In the 2013 elections, the BJP had romped home to a massive victory in the state and this was helped through winning 53 of the 59 reserved seats. The Congress meanwhile won only 5 of the seats. This time. however, the situation seems to have changed. The BJP is set to win only 12 of the 34 seats reserved for SCs this time while it is poised to win a total of 9 of the 25 ST seats. This makes for a total of 21 seats which is a huge drop from 53 recorded in the last assembly elections. This time, the Congress has performed much better by winning 19 of the 34 seats while the Rashtriya Loktantrik Party Dal (RLP) won two SC seats along with two independent winners. In the case of ST seats, the Congress won 12 of the 25 seats while the newly-formed Bharatiya Tribal Party, which was started last year by Adivasi leader Chotubhai Vasava in Gujarat, won two seats. Two independent candidates also won on the reserved ST seats. *Data source: Election Commission of India Party wise distribution of reserved seats Total reserved seats: 59 2013 assembly elections: BJP: 52 Congress: 5 Independent: 1 2018 assembly elections: BJP: 21 Congress: 31 BTP: 2 RLP: 2 Independent: 3 Among the political mysteries of the post-Soviet era, darkened by the veil of high spheres of power, the relations between Vladimir Putin and Heydar Aliyev are not fully disclosed. Where did the so-called interpersonal chemistry come from, and what was it? In fact, an understanding of why a long-term political rapprochement became possible, while a certain respectful distance between Moscow and Baku after the victory of Vladimir Putin in the 2000 presidential election remains, depends on the answer to this question. Fable For nearly twenty years we have been witnessing the various fruits of the fine tuning of relations between Russia and Azerbaijan. The grounds for such a long mutual sympathy, unique to the post-Soviet space, in various modulations can be reduced to the following three factors: the ideological closeness of the elites - both countries incline to conservatism; mutual support of the illiberal democracy model through the development of the joint investment-economic and other business projects; stake on preserving continuity - the close interaction of the special services against the background of the growing potential of the secular color revolutions and unforeseen Islamist attacks from the militarized underground of the South and North Caucasus. It should be noted that the interaction formula works despite the barriers of the Karabakh crisis. Based on these established rules or the unspoken model of the inter-elite communications norm of the highest level, many of the complexities of the current agenda of bilateral relations over the past 20 years (for example, associated with the access of Western companies to the development of the Caspian resources or the reasons for the radar installation in Gabala) were of a private nature and did not turn into a crisis of mutual trust. On the other hand, for example, Ilham Aliyevs refusal to take part in the Eastern Partnership Riga Summit in 2015 became for Moscow a marker that the country preserves the developed model of compromises with Moscow, while on the Crimea issue, Baku naturally agrees with Kiev. Leaders The Russian and Azerbaijani bureaucracies have a common historical basis. This is all about the ruling class, which historically came to power in the 1960s and changed the first generation of the Bolsheviks (for Azerbaijan this is the line from Veli Akhundov to Heydar Aliyev). In the 1990s it won again in the face of tough new competition from the newly emerging post-Soviet capitalists and political idealists. It's about the generation of managers, which is often called the Andropovs call. These people from different spheres of government and authority, from different Soviet republics, nevertheless, were tuned to the same wavelength - their aim was a profound modernization and transformation of all spheres of life and economy of the Soviet Union in the mid-1980s. Heydar Aliyev was one of them, moreover, he was one of the leaders of that wave, and quite a lot was written about this. Vladimir Putin, to a certain extent, is following the ideas of Andropovs modernization which never took place. Exactly on this foundation, the mutual understanding arose, the convergence of views between Heydar Aliyev and Putin, which is well known, became possible. In addition to the professional fraternity, which binds all people who have given years to service in intelligence and security system, their relationship was complemented by Putins deep and undisguised respect for Heydar Aliyev as the leader of the late Soviet modernization of 1970-1980. And Heydar Aliyev, of course, knew this. One can only guess what word of honour Heydar Aliyev could hear from Putin - maybe to protect young President Ilham Heydarovich against the dangers of coups (remember the events of the parliamentary elections of October 2005), or maybe just a promise not to obstruct the countrys course. Lets not guess. But surely something of this kind should have remained as Heydar Aliyevs spoken testament to Putin as for Azerbaijan. Let's not forget how Putin keeps his word. Virtually all the figures that he inherited from Boris Yeltsin, all the most sensitive balance sheets of domestic politics and economy personally important for the Yeltsin family, were preserved intact by Putin as long as it was possible. It is clear that with regard to Heydar Aliyevs last wish, Putins ability to keep his word could have been further emphasized, given the very mental connection between two technocrats described above. The main thing here is a commitment to conservatism. This intonation, which was not immediately found, gradually penetrated the semantic constructions of the ruling elite. Lets compare the speeches and articles of the former head of the presidential administration of Russia, Sergei Ivanov, and the publications of his colleague, the head of the presidential administration of Azerbaijan, Ramiz Mehdiyev. Both emphasize the importance of conservative values while betting on the secular nature of the state, both speak about the difficulty of maintaining sovereignty at different levels of the state and society in the context of the expansion of the global world. By the way, recall that Ramiz Mehdiyev maintains constant contact with the heads of the Russian Security Council both on a bilateral basis and as a participant of the Security Council Secretaries Summits of the CIS countries. This is another demonstration of the ideological proximity between the two countries elites platforms. In this sense, the leaders of the new revolutionary wave, cracking the established rules of communication and a delicate balance of interests, such as Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, are unlikely to be that close with Putin, even under the scenario of maintaining the stable relations between the two countries. System After 16 years, in fact, little has changed. Vladimir Putin and Ilham Aliyev, who took over the reins from his father, are still guidelines for the corporation of power in their countries. Of course, their effectiveness depends on the ability to resist the pathologies of bureaucratic systems - from corruption, to other self-inflicting trends. In the case of Azerbaijan and Russia, there is also the problem of external pressure from the Western liberal project, which does not need strong competitors. But there is another problem, which has been flourishing during the last decade - the Burning South - the chaos of the Islamist reaction, caused, among other things, by the rampant western expansion. In order to survive in such conditions, the elite needs an effective moral mobilization, supported by society. Of course, in response to the sanctions, as in the times of the Soviet-American confrontation of the Cold War, it is unwise to reduce the trade and economic relations with the Western world, to cut the channels for obtaining the experience of technical modernization. This is the absolute value of the Western project, as Yury Andropov once said. Though now we have a better understanding of what kind of West we are dealing with. We see a Sunset Europe, which further goes along the route of moral relativism into an unknown and dangerous space of maximizing personal and political freedoms to the detriment of traditional, essentially conservative values, to the detriment of the interests of the family and the state. This moral relativism affects the post-Soviet space, including the business and political elites. Against this background, the apparent strengthening of Azerbaijans solidarity with Russia is taking place at the orbit center of the Alternative West project, understood as the result of a synthesis of universal principles of social and technical modernization with the values of morality, family, and respect of the state as a way of a clearer, if you like, vertical social organization . As this new project expands, the position of the Euro-Atlantic world will become increasingly tougher, both in relation to our countries and to other states that find themselves not only on the political and economical but also on the ideological boundary of the two Great Europe-Eurasia integration projects. Formally, Azerbaijan as a member of the Non-Aligned Movement adheres to the views of this community. In practice, Baku professes a dynamic multi-vector approach, benefiting from the advantages of one direction or another, when it is required, and trying not to enter into the sharp conflicts with the powers. This is one of the aspects of Heydar Aliyevs foreign policy heritage. Without joining the EEU, Azerbaijan has become the closest ally of the integration association. After Russia, Baku, in fact, is the main partner for Astana and Minsk from among the post-Soviet states. At first glance, the existing disposition with Russia on the issue of the oil and gas exports to the same markets after a more detailed analysis appears as an element of the bigger interaction picture of oil and gas companies - Azerbaijani SOCAR with Gazprom, Rosneft, Lukoil - who find common language in the beneficial joint projects. Such purposes consent can be observed on many other topics. Another thing is that it is not always manifested or publicly advertised. Of course, the scales of Russia and Azerbaijan, to put it mildly, are incomparable. There is a significant difference in the international agenda, there are differences in sectoral and corporate interests, there are some frictions in connection with the Karabakh settlement. But the balance found between the differences in the views of Moscow and Baku and their coincidences depicts a curious mosaic of a common vector. We, living in Russia and Azerbaijan, are really lucky that our contemporaries - Heydar Aliyev and Vladimir Putin - made it come true. After months of confusion and uncertainty over when voters would get to decide U.S. Rep.-elect Sylvia Garcia's replacement to the Texas Senate, Election Day has arrived. Harris County will operate polling locations across Senate District 6 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday. A list of polling sites and their corresponding precincts can be found on the Harris County Clerk's website. Four candidates are contending for the seat: state Reps. Carol Alvarado and Ana Hernandez, both of whom are Houston Democrats, along with Republican Martha Fierro and Democrat Mia Mundy. Fierro is a precinct chair for the Harris County Republican Party. Mundy works as an executive search consultant for the Houston firm Manhattan Resources. So far, 10,011 people have voted early or by mail, amounting to about 3 percent of the district's 330,000 registered voters. The total is comparable to turnout in the 2013 special election for this seat, when 8,603 people cast early and absentee ballots in the first round, with 40,000 fewer eligible voters. Another 7,766 people voted on Election Day, bringing turnout to 16,369 votes. That race headed to a runoff, which subsequently drew 18,141 votes. If nobody receives more than 50 percent of the vote Tuesday, this election will also result in a runoff between the top two finishers, likely to occur in January. Though Garcia's election to Congress was all but assured after she won her primary -- she ultimately won last month by 51 points -- her resignation did not occur until Nov. 9, when she submitted a letter to Gov. Greg Abbott. Garcia, D-Houston, said in a July letter to Abbott that she intended to resign at a later date, but the governor determined he could not order an election unless Garcia submitted an "actual resignation." Garcia, fearing Abbott might delay the election far into the legislative session if she resigned before certain "expedited" rules kicked in, delayed her resignation once the deadline passed to put the election on the November ballot to coincide with the midterm elections. By the time Abbott ordered the election, Alvarado and Hernandez already had several advantages over Fierro and Mundy. They represent House districts that overlap with Senate District 6 and had amassed sizable war chests, while campaigning throughout the district for months. Still, Republicans hope to score an upset, and Mundy is hoping Democratic voters looking for a fresh face will go her way. Beto ORourkes star power was on full display in the closing days of the U.S. Senate campaign. Musicians, actors and bestselling writers joined a surge of donors supporting the El Paso Congressman in the final days of his unsuccessful campaign against U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, newly released campaign finance reports show. In just the final days of the campaign, $750 came from Barbara Streisand, actress Uma Thurman sent in four donations totaling $2,600, rock legend Joan Jett tossed in $50 and Grateful Dead co-founder Phil Lesh chipped in another $962. Other stars from Saturday Night Live, CSI and Game of Thrones were among those to donate to ORourke. It was part of more than $10 million that flowed into ORourkes campaign from Oct. 18 to election day, records show. Cruz raised $4.8 million during that timeframe. For the whole election, ORourke and Cruz ended up spending more than $125 million combined on the campaign a new record for spending in a U.S. Senate race. ORourke was responsible for $80 million of that. Cruz defeated ORourke, but it was the closest U.S. Senate race in Texas since 1978. Cruz won by just under 215,000 votes. On the campaign trail, Cruz often warned his supporters that Hollywood liberals and New York liberals were behind ORourkes campaign. On a conference call with supporters on Monday, Cruz said Democrats fired everything they had against them, including Hollywood. We saw much of Hollywood come out against us, Cruz said. The latest list of celebrities to help ORourke adds to a bigger list that donated much earlier in his campaign. jeremy.wallace@chron.com OPEC+ managed to pull off an eleventh-hour agreement, checking all the boxes after a contentious set of meetings. There were a lot of competing interests at play, but the agreement offers a little bit of everything, enough for all parties to walk away satisfied. Oil Price reports in its article OPEC+ Succeeds, Whats Next For Oil? that the headliner is the 1.2 million-barrel-per-day (mb/d) cut beginning in January, with a review scheduled for April. OPEC will shoulder 800,000 bpd of the total, and non-OPEC countries will take on the other 400,000 bpd. The baseline used to measure the cuts is October production levels. The cut is larger than some analysts had expected, especially given the rumors swirling on Thursday about a cut of around 1 mb/d. In fact, one could argue that the group cleverly managed market expectations, lowering them on Thursday only to surprise the market with a larger cut on Friday. Prior to the meeting 1.2 mb/d might have been considered a middle-of-the-road cut, but after the seemingly tumultuous set of meetings on Thursday and early Friday, a 1.2 mb/d cut ends up looking like a highly successful result. Iran had held up the talks early Friday. Saudi Arabia pushed for them to agree to a symbolic cut, an odd position given that Irans output at this point is far below capacity and far below its prior ceiling. Iran, with good reason, argued that it should not have to sign on to any cuts, especially since sanctions are likely going to curtail output even further in the months ahead. The rumors on Friday were that the holdup could sink a deal, but that was never going to be the case. Its extremely hard to imagine Saudi Arabia walking away from a deal that included meaningful cuts from other producers just because Iran wouldnt symbolically cut their output. Ultimately, the result was a quirky one. All countries appear to be participants in the deal, but there wont be country-specific quotas. Iran did not receive an official exemption, some OPEC officials argued, even as the Iranians claimed they did. Other officials said that there would be special considerations. This point is a matter of splitting hairs Irans production is likely to fall in the coming months; it doesnt really matter what they call it. Thats also why this issue was not going to be the thing that sunk the entire deal. Oil prices spiked on the news, with Brent up around 5 percent immediately after the agreement was announced. Russia, as expected, played a pivotal role in the deal, and its willingness to go along with a larger-than-expected cut was the key factor in the 1.2 mb/d reduction (although Russias precise contribution was not known at the time of this writing). The deal can be called a success for two reasons. First, it takes 1.2 mb/d off of the market beginning in January, which will go a long way to erasing the surplus. Second, it removes a great deal of uncertainty about what to expect in the near future. Oil prices have been all over the map in the last few months, with Saudi production surging at a time when U.S. shale was also defying expectations. Now, its reasonable to assume that any surplus or deficit wont be so large as to lead to dramatic price swings, at least in the short run. However, the one remaining piece of uncertainty is how, or if, the U.S. government will react. President Trump has repeatedly demanded low oil prices, and tweeted as recently as Wednesday to that effect. Typically, OPEC would not be all that sensitive to Trumps demands, but Saudi Arabia is reeling after the international outrage over the murder of Jamal Khashoggi. A bipartisan movement in Washington is upping the pressure on Riyadh, and Trump has been one of the few friends Saudi Arabia has left. If oil prices rise too much, Trump might lash out and dump the Saudis, although what that means in practice is very much unclear. Due to extreme budgetary pressure from low oil prices, Saudi Arabia had no choice but to risk Trumps ire and push for meaningfully supply curbs. For now, OPEC+ is likely patting themselves on the back. They reached an agreement that is mostly acceptable to everyone, oil prices are up, the surplus will narrow significantly and uncertainty is greatly diminished. Notably, the agreement calls for a review in April. The timing is not coincidental U.S. waivers granted to eight countries importing Iranian oil expire in May. By April, everyone will know much more about what direction Washington intends to go in, and how much oil Iran will lose. If Iranian exports are rapidly falling to zero, OPEC+ would have time to unwind the production cuts. UN Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration sets out 23 objectives for international cooperation Canada, more than 160 other countries adopt UN migration pact Canada, more than 160 other countries adopt UN migration pact UN Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration sets out 23 objectives for international cooperation Canada, more than 160 other countries adopt UN migration pact UN Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration sets out 23 objectives for international cooperation Canada, more than 160 other countries adopt UN migration pact UN Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration sets out 23 objectives for international cooperation CIC News Aa Accessibility Font Style Serif Sans Font Size A A Canada joined more than 160 United Nations member states in adopting a new negotiated agreement on international migration Monday. The non-binding United Nations Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration sets out 23 objectives for improving international cooperation on all forms of migration, from refugees to skilled workers. While underscoring the need to address the adverse drivers and structural factors that lead migrants to leave their country of origin, the objectives call for enhancing the availability and flexibility of pathways for regular migration, investing in skills development and facilitating the mutual recognition of skills, qualifications and competences, among other goals. The document states that its purpose is to optimize the positive impacts of migration, which it calls a source of prosperity, innovation and sustainable development in our globalized world. The Government of Canada said the pact is the first multilateral framework for the global response to migration and comes at a time when roughly 258 million people are on the move worldwide a 49 per cent increase over 2000. Of this number, 68.5 million forcibly displaced persons fleeing war, violence and discrimination. In an interview with the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC), Canadas Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, Ahmed Hussen, said the compact provides a useful guidelines for the international community on migration issues. Hussen told CBC the agreement helps countries foster inclusive and cohesive societies by empowering migrants to play more proactive and positive roles in their host communities. He also stressed that the agreement is non-binding, which means it serves more as a set of best practices for the international community. The Government of Canada has set immigration levels targets that would see the arrival more than 1.3 million new permanent residents between 2018 and 2021. In 2019 alone, Canada has a target of 330,800 new admissions through its various economic, family and refugee immigration programs. To find out if you are eligible for any Canadian immigration programs, fill out a free assessment form. The compacts adoption on December 10 International Human Rights Day took place against a backdrop of mounting backlash against immigration in many European countries and the United States, among others. The U.S. government opposed the pact, warning it could compromise national sovereignty when it comes to immigration. The agreement, however, affirms the sovereign right of States to determine their national migration policy and their prerogative to govern migration within their jurisdiction, in conformity with international law. If this compact contributes to more orderly migration and a more humane approach to migration, I think thats a very positive thing, said David Cohen, senior partner with the Campbell Cohen Canadian immigration law firm in Montreal. Immigration is a net benefit for Canada, and the integrity of our immigration system is crucial. Objectives for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration: Collect and utilize accurate and disaggregated data as a basis for evidence-based policies. Minimize the adverse drivers and structural factors that compel people to leave their country of origin. Provide accurate and timely information at all stages of migration. Ensure that all migrants have proof of legal identity and adequate documentation. Enhance availability and flexibility of pathways for regular migration. Facilitate fair and ethical recruitment and safeguard conditions that ensure decent work. Address and reduce vulnerabilities in migration. Save lives and establish coordinated international efforts on missing migrants. Strengthen the transnational response to smuggling of migrants. Prevent, combat and eradicate trafficking in persons in the context of international migration. Manage borders in an integrated, secure and coordinated manner. Strengthen certainty and predictability in migration procedures for appropriate screening, assessment and referral. Use migration detention only as a measure of last resort and work towards alternatives. Enhance consular protection, assistance and cooperation throughout the migration cycle. Provide access to basic services for migrants. Empower migrants and societies to realize full inclusion and social cohesion. Eliminate all forms of discrimination and promote evidence-based public discourse to shape perceptions of migration. Invest in skills development and facilitate mutual recognition of skills, qualifications and competences. Create conditions for migrants and diasporas to fully contribute to sustainable development in all countries. Promote faster, safer and cheaper transfer of remittances and foster financial inclusion of migrants. Cooperate in facilitating safe and dignified return and readmission, as well as sustainable reintegration. Establish mechanisms for the portability of social security entitlements and earned benefits. Strengthen international cooperation and global partnerships for safe, orderly and regular migration. To find out if you are eligible for any Canadian immigration program, fill out a free assessment. 2018 CICNews All Rights Reserved A white, chart-topping rapper criticized as an avatar of algorithm culture. A young, major-label rock debut dismissed as an algorithmic fever dream. A 20-year-old bands first release after a five-year hiatus bashed as more like a streaming algorithm than a coherent album. A mainstream, established pop-rock group denounced as the machine learning output of the Lumineers, the Chainsmokers, and a SoulCycle playlist. Music critics are lamenting the possibility of a machine-driven world that rewards artists not for their originality, creativity, or emotional authenticity, but for their ability to replicate proven, predetermined formulas. Studies show that pop music and lyrics have grown increasingly repetitive and homogenous over the past few decades, and there is a whole graveyard of startups mining streaming and social data to predict the next big hit. Research initiatives like Google Magenta and Sonys Flow Machines are even training machine-learning algorithms to compose songs on the spot, aiming to be indistinguishable from human songwriting. ICYMI: We compared a WashPo story about Amazon to a WSJ story about the same topic. We noticed something. This warped reward system, by which musicians climb the streaming charts, can influence every aspect of a song, from the music and lyrics to the artists wider visual and social personas. In the aforementioned algorithmic fever dream review, for instance, Pitchforks Jeremy Larson described musician Greta Van Fleets attire at live shows as hippie costumes they 3D-printed off the internet. And Corban Goble wrote in his review of Imagine Dragons that the emotional depth of the groups lyrics was the equivalent of Instagram-quote culturethe idea that any snippet of thought, removed from context, can build a base of inspiration. After my review got published, I received a lot of emails being like, Why are you talking about all this other stuff, not just about whether their music is good? Larson says. But criticism isnt just talking about the music: its also talking about the context and environment in which the music is created and consumed. One could say the same about journalism, where falling budgets and massive layoffs shape, and often burden, its output. Musicians and the writers who cover them are both working in technologically unique and financially fragile economies. Although the two industries can now distribute their core product online at little to no cost, lower barriers to participation have not translated to better financial health. A recent survey by the Music Industry Research Association (MIRA) found that the median income for US musicians in 2017 was just $35,000; the US Bureau of Labor Statistics claims that median annual wages for reporters and correspondents are not much higher, at $39,370. Meanwhile, virtually every major music magazine has been hit with layoffs in the past two years, in part because of the failure of ad-supported business models and the unrealistic expectations of return from venture financing. Sign up for CJR 's daily email On the consumer side, streaming and social-media platforms have transformed the nature of music discovery, which was previously more proactive by necessityrequiring manual effort to open up a newspaper, dig through crates at a record store, or attend a live show. Nowadays, discovery can be as easy and passive as scrolling mindlessly through a personalized feed or shuffling an algorithmically -curated playlist in the background of a holiday party, without help from a critic or other human guide. Because of its inherently passive nature, algorithmic curation has also made one core function of criticism defunct. Traditionally, critics acted as trusted tastemakers and, in the words of Larson, consumer guidesdrawing upon their decades of subject-matter expertise to convince music fans about which CDs and vinyl records to buy at their local store. Now, streaming algorithms arguably have more influence over consumers listening habits, but in a rather different way: they dont serve as tastemakers so much as taste-reflectors, serving up music with the highest quantifiable chance of reflecting a users already-existing preferences. ICYMI: A master audio storyteller on how to create a powerful podcast The resulting experience is akin to each individual streaming listener having their own personal critic recommending music theyll like, with a higher hit rate. Theres a certain sense of music writers thinking, I dont want a robot to take the job that I and other people in this industry have worked so hard for, says Larson. Perhaps with an undertone of personal resentment, phrases like algorithmic culture and the algorithm economy have cropped up among critics to illustrate the way aesthetic and commercial motivations shift in this world of passive, automated discovery. For example, writing for Racked in April 2018, Kyle Chayka suggested that a platform abides by algorithmic culture if it encourages products that reproduce a Generic Style, rather than those that reflect more individualistic expression. In such instances, we find ourselves in a cultural uncanny valley, unable to differentiate between things created by humans and those generated by a human-trained equation run amok, Chayka writes. A Generic Style in music takes the form of artists and songwriters deliberately tailoring their sound to maximize placement on specific Spotify playlistsa practice that already pervades more mainstream circles. This is what Jeff Weiss had in mind when situating Post Malone as the face of a music culture dictated by machines for The Washington Post. By algorithm culture, I meant the notion of art as something reduced to an integer and formulaa constant infinity loop of recommended if you like playlists, Weiss says. Beneath such callouts of algorithmic culture lies a scramble to preserve and promote independent artistic thoughtand criticism as a creative form. In a world where tech platforms capture a disproportionate amount of financial and cultural value, one can arguably boil down an artists chances of commercial success to a list of data points to be mined, including but not limited to streams, likes, and followers. In addition, crowdsourced models of music evaluationautomated blog charts like Hype Machine, DIY lyric annotations on Genius, aggregated rankings on sites like Rotten Tomatoes and Metacriticpaint an illusion of certainty onto public opinion about art. This climate presents a dilemma to cash-strapped music publications: Is a trend worth covering if it disappears before one is really able to understand its critical and historical significance? If yes, doesnt our critical language for emerging music become weaker if our writing simply reflects the increasingly transient nature of its subject matter? Liz Pelly, contributing editor at The Baffler, recently tweeted about this shift in critical language, pointing out that music press outlets have been leaning more and more away from investing energy into reviews, interviews, editorial, writing in general . . . and into sessions, experiences [and] playlists. Press coverage of music, in other words, is suffering from the same algorithmically borne disease. The most historically renowned music critics, such as NPRs Ann Powers and the late Lester Bangs, have been unafraid to go against the grain in their recommendationsvouching for artists that would have otherwise been doubted, ridiculed, or marginalized. In contrast, by rewarding familiarity, algorithmic culture potentially penalizes the very adventurousness in taste that gave these critics their reputation. It says a lot about the devaluing of creative work into content optimized for the most clicks, plays and viewsand into fodder that can be more easily branded, Pelly says. This is made all the more ironic by the fact that music blogs and publications are part of what make streaming algorithms do their job better. Spotify employs natural-language processing (NLP) models in its recommendation algorithms, analyzing text from blogs, news articles, forums, and other sources to draw connections among different artists and songs, and to figure out what adjectives and moods people associate with these artists online. Of course, not all writers and editors see streaming algorithms as a threat to their work. Its the responsibility of writers and editorial publications . . . to look at how we can incorporate those platforms into the work we do, and use them to broaden the reach and profile of what we do, Nick Sabine, co-founder of electronic music magazine Resident Advisor, says. In fact, music publications remain some of the most popular independent curators on Spotify and other streaming services. Resident Advisors Spotify account currently has over 22,000 followers and has published around 50 public playlists, many of which focus on niche and local electronic styles like proto-house, Chicago footwork and UK garage. Mainstream and generalist music publications have an even bigger presence: Pitchforks account has nearly 370,000 followers, Rolling Stone has over 720,000 followers and Billboard boasts over 1.9 million followers. Resident Advisor attracts 40 million readers a year; Spotify probably attracts more users than that every single day, Sabine says. We could play an absolutely pivotal role in someones relationship with and discovery of new music, but they might never come to our website. I see this coexistence as an opportunity for us, rather than as a threat. But most critics live on a spectrum from skeptical to resentful. Any critic who is evaluating art solely on the basis of [algorithmic] influence, Weiss says, deserves to be locked into club Liv with YesJulz for 48 hours while a playlist of DJ Khaled screams They dont want you to win! at levels so screeching that its only previously been heard in the overthrow of obscure Panamanian dictators. ICYMI: Equipment youll need to start your own podcast Has America ever needed a media watchdog more than now? Help us by joining CJR today Cherie Hu is a freelance music and tech journalist based in New York. She writes regular columns for publications including Billboard, Forbes, and Music Business Worldwide. Follow her on Twitter @cheriehu42. Words can be used negatively, positively, or neutrally, depending on their context. Sorting out which way the meaning is intended, though, is another kettle of fraught, especially when connotations take hold. Take privilege. I have the privilege of presenting this award uses privilege as a positive, an honor bestowed upon someone. Attorney-client privilege is a neutral right, closer to the Latin roots of privilege, words for private and law. ICYMI: We compared a WashPo story about Amazon to a WSJ story about the same topic. We noticed something. Then there is the weaponized privilege, the belief by one group that it or another has special entitlements. This privilege is nearly always negative, used to disparage one group for the advantages they are said to enjoy. The Oxford English Dictionary defines that kind of privilege as the existence of economic and social privileges associated with rank or status; the fact of there being such privileges within a society. Particularly on some college campuses, the concept of privilege is usually built around race, where people are asked to examine their privilege, or any advantages they might have based on their race. As for entitlement, lets start with the verb form, entitle. Merriam-Websters entry for entitle uses two examples that are neutral: Sign up for CJR 's daily email He entitled his book My Life on Mars. The card entitles my grandmother to the discount for senior citizens. One is simply a title; the other is a discount offered to people by virtue of their age. Not much angst there. But the Recent Examples From the Web section includes a loaded entitled: Some of these behaviors betray perpetrators feelings of (entitled) attraction, while others expose more clearly the long-simmering resentment that our society (male and otherwise) holds towards plus-size people. Here, entitled is being used as a negative, as a dig against people who feel that by virtue of being male, in this case, they are somehow deserving of the right to catcall women. Entitled means to furnish with proper grounds for seeking or claiming something, M-W says, which doesnt get at common connotations for entitled today. M-W does take that into account in a usage note: Since the 20th century, entitled has had the additional meaning of believing oneself to be inherently deserving of certain privileges or special treatment (as well as the disparaging meaning of acting spoiled and self-important.) The OED calls that meaning chiefly North American. Since few people would claim to be entitled, since it would make them seem spoiled and self-important, the use of entitled is almost always used by someone who derides that entitlement. Entitled and its noun form, entitlement, have also been weaponized by partisan politics, of the legislative and identity kind. Government offers all sorts of entitlements, like Social Security, unemployment compensation, supplementary food purchase programs, etc. That use of entitlements traces to 1945 and is also chiefly North American, the OED says. (It was first used in reference to the G.I. Bill.) Entitlements was simply their, um, title. But now, people opposing entitlements often equate them with government giveaways to freeloaders or undeserving people. In racial politics, too, entitlement has taken on a negative cast. In 2013, Justice Antonin Scalia called the extension of parts of the Voting Rights Act perpetration of racial entitlement. As The New Yorker wrote at the time, Scalia is saying, in effect, that the Voting Rights Act gave a gifta racial entitlementto black people, and the result has been that the normal political processes dont work. More often, it is white people who are said to have the entitlement if they act in ways seen as oppressing people of color. Entitlement is all but skunked, meaning it will likely be seen with its negative connotation, even if it is not so intended. Both privilege and entitlement have uses, but they can also be wielded in ways that hurt, intentionally or not. Both are labels, and regular readers know what we say about labels: rather than use them, explain what is meant by the term. Not using either term as a label or epithet could go a long way toward restoring some neutrality to both words. It would be a privilege to do so. RELATED: The many uses of the term asylum Has America ever needed a media watchdog more than now? Help us by joining CJR today Merrill Perlman managed copy desks across the newsroom at the New York Times, where she worked for twenty-five years. Follow her on Twitter at @meperl. As expected, Nikol Pashinyans My Step bloc has won a convincing victory in Armenia's snap parliamentary election. "Mighty, mighty, mighty people!" the acting prime minister wrote, being encouraged by the 70% result of his bloc. Pashinyan also could not but be pleased by the fact that his sworn political opponents from the Republican Party of Armenia could not overcome the 5% barrier, and such politicians as Eduard Sharmazanov and Armen Ashotyan would no longer annoy him within the walls of the National Assembly. The political death of the former ruling party, which had a majority in parliament a few months ago, was officially recorded in the last election. Undoubtedly, the RPA members will start blaming the current authorities for putting pressure on the opposition, using administrative resources, recall scandalous wiretapping and sculpt the first political prisoner of Pashinians regime from newly arrested ex-president Robert Kocharyan. They kind of have a point, but it does not negate the fact that the Armenians voted against the old government, which has lost its legitimacy over the years of incompetent governance of the country and the mass impoverishment of the population. Moreover, the RPA has been unable or unwilling to adapt to new realities. The party did not draw any conclusions from the 'velvet revolution', did not start the process of renewal, being still led by discredited Serzh Sargsyan, who personally admitted he was 'wrong' towards Pashinyan. There is an interesting situation, when Nikol Pashinyan, who positions himself as a democrat, receives full authority in the country - a rubber-stamping parliament, which, among others, includes his relatives, supervised courts and a government team of members appointed on the principle of personal loyalty to the 'people's PM'. Moreover, Pashinyan's only potential opponent on the entire Armenian political scene, ex-president Robert Kocharyan, is arrested on Pashinyan's direct order, as evidenced by the wire-tap recording of the heads of the National Security Service and the Special Investigation Service, published in September. Despite the dubious methods of eliminating political opponents, aggressive rhetoric and a pronounced tendency toward populism, Pashinyan has become a non-alternative politician in the country. He has a high level of legitimacy and control over all the arms of governance. It gives him the opportunity to conduct serious internal reforms and make compromises in the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, which would provide Armenia with the necessary potential for making an economic breakthrough under an open-border policy with Azerbaijan and Turkey. Nikol Pashinyan will have to make a principled decision soon on how to use his solid political capital in domestic and foreign policy. Will he follow the path of economic liberalization, the fight against corruption and monopolies, or will he turn into a part of this vicious system? There is no definite answer to this question yet, however, Pashinyans loud statements that there are no oligarchs left in Armenia, against the background of his close alliance with Gagik Tsarukyan, cast doubts on the sincerity of his words. Transforming the high level of domestic support into foreign policy dividends (for example, affirming Armenias tough stance on the Nagorno-Karabakh issue on the international agenda) will be extremely difficult for Pashnyan, since Armenia simply does not have the necessary geopolitical weight. Moreover, Pashinyan, who met with President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev twice, realizes that the current pause on the Karabakh front, where calm has prevailed in recent months, cannot last forever - and in the absence of real progress at the talks, the situation in Karabakh will be inevitably escalated again. Continuing the negotiation tactics of dragging out the negotiations and maintaining the status quo means repeating the policy of Kocharyan and Sargsyan. However, unlike his two predecessors, who rose through the ranks due to the Karabakh war, Pashinyan does not owe his success to the war, therefore, he should not represent the party of war. The compromise solution based on the Madrid principles, that is, returning a certain part of the occupied areas around Nagorno-Karabakh in exchange for opening borders and joining regional economic cooperation at the first stage is the only way to ensure sustainable economic growth and minimize the risk of renewed hostilities in Nagorno-Karabakh. The next year will show whether Pashinyan shows himself to be a political visionary or remains a street populist. Last week, market jitters rose up the news cycle, if not quite to the top of it. Three days after striking an apparent trade truce with China at the Group of 20 meeting in Buenos Aires, President Trump imperilled it when, last Tuesday, he tweeted that he is a Tariff Man on a mission to MAKE AMERICA RICH AGAIN. On Wednesday, markets were closed to mark the funeral of George H.W. Bush. When they reopened on Thursday, they fell. As the headline of Matt Phillipss New York Times write-through noted, Wall Street ignored signs of trouble for months. Now it sees risks everywhere. Since Trump took office, the news cycle has been consumed by a pervading sense of political crisis, bolstered by the rise of destabilizing populist forces worldwide. Market indicators in the US, by contrast, have consistently been strong. Financial coverage, accordingly, has taken something of a back seat. When it has come to the fore, its tracked more closely than usual with political developments. The fact is that politics is driving the economy to an extent that is very atypical probably to the greatest extent that weve seen in our investing lifetime, one analyst said over the weekend. ICYMI: Ten years after the financial crisis, business journalism awaits its reckoning In this context, recent jitters pose a challenge for financial journalism. Is market volatility an understandable reaction to a highly volatile president and global political climate? Or does it signal something more alarming about an underlying weakness in the economy? While there is little consensus among commentators, some experts have warned the market is overdue a big fallskeptics worry that the US could enter a recession as soon as 2020. In recent months, the anxiety that we could be in for a replay of 1929or 1987, or 2000, or 2008has become palpable not just for the Aspen set, but for any American with a 401(k), the Timess Alex Williams wrote yesterday. As the 10-year anniversary of the 2008 crash passed in September, financial journalists looked back on why they didnt see it coming. While myopia around the recklessness of big financial institutions was not uniquely a failure of journalism, the media as a whole was overly credulous and did not connect visible dots. This oversight continues to haunt those in the industry: as Howard R. Gold asked in a comprehensive reflection for CJR, If business journalists missed critical parts of the story before the crisis hit and didnt see the need for fundamental change in its wake, what are the odds theyll spot the next crisis, before it comes? Even if those lessons still loom large, the current moment is not really analogous to 2008. And predicting the market is, legitimately, a fraught exercise for reporters. Basically, the press cant win with the stock market, Dean Starkman, the author of The Watchdog That Didnt Bark: The Financial Crisis and the Disappearance of Investigative Journalism, told me this morning in an email. When theres a big drop, everyone wants to know why, and when it gives a reason, everyone criticizes because, as everyone knows, markets go up and downthats what they doand no one really knows why from one day to the next. Sign up for CJR 's daily email Nonetheless, warning signs are present, and news outlets could, by and large, do a better job of communicating them beyond their financial pages and showssituating them in a broader context and language that the lay reader can understand. It would be regrettable, should a new crisis hit, for the average news consumer to assume everything was totally fine until the day it was not. Below, more on coverage of the markets: A broader context: Also in the Times yesterday, Stephen Grocer and Karl Russell wrote that despite the stock market having wiped out its 2018 gains, the longer-term picture looks rosier. Even after the current sell-off, for instance, the S&P 500 through Mondays close was up more than 16 percent since President Trumps inauguration and more than 23 percent since Election Day 2016, they write. Also in the Times yesterday, Stephen Grocer and Karl Russell wrote that despite the stock market having wiped out its 2018 gains, the longer-term picture looks rosier. Even after the current sell-off, for instance, the S&P 500 through Mondays close was up more than 16 percent since President Trumps inauguration and more than 23 percent since Election Day 2016, they write. The economy, stupid: Late last week, Politicos Nancy Cook reported that recent market volatility has caused concern at the White House, where advisers fear a recession could hammer Trumps re-election prospects in 2020. Late last week, Politicos Nancy Cook reported that recent market volatility has caused concern at the White House, where advisers fear a recession could hammer Trumps re-election prospects in 2020. The bigger they come, the harder they fall: In an October article for Entrepreneur, financial security expert Pamela Yellen wrote that warning signs were already flashing. The history of market crashes provides regular fodder for financial journalists, reminding us that we never really know when the next disaster is coming, or how bad it will be, Yellen said. However, the pattern of the bigger they come, the harder they fall has repeated itself enough times that anyone who is paying attention should be wary of the current bull market. In an October article for Entrepreneur, financial security expert Pamela Yellen wrote that warning signs were already flashing. The history of market crashes provides regular fodder for financial journalists, reminding us that we never really know when the next disaster is coming, or how bad it will be, Yellen said. However, the pattern of the bigger they come, the harder they fall has repeated itself enough times that anyone who is paying attention should be wary of the current bull market. An important reminder: The relative absence of markets coverage from our politics-laden news cycle is ironic given the 2008 crash was a key driver of the current populist moment. Other notable stories: ICYMI: Whats behind a recent rise in books coverage? Has America ever needed a media watchdog more than now? Help us by joining CJR today Jon Allsop is a freelance journalist whose work has appeared in the New York Review of Books, Foreign Policy, and The Nation, among other outlets. He writes CJRs newsletter The Media Today. Find him on Twitter @Jon_Allsop. Our objection is to those forces of totalitarianism, said Google co-founder Sergey Brin of Chinas internet controls in an interview with The New York Times, I think that in the long term, they are going to have to open. It was 2010, the year Google ostentatiously left the Chinese market in protest of state censorship on online expression. Brins prediction did not come true. In the subsequent eight years, Google developed a news app, a cloud service, and a censorship-compliant search engine code named Dragonfly for the Chinese market, which it deliberately hid from not only from its privacy and security teams but from almost all of its 88,000 employees. By the end of last week, close to 700 Googlers had signed a petition protesting the decision on Medium, promising to resign if the company doesnt drop Dragonfly. Many of us accepted employment at Google with the companys values in mind, including its previous position on Chinese censorship and surveillance, and an understanding that Google was a company willing to place its values above its profits, reads the petition, written by a dozen Google employees and dated November 27. On November 30, a group of Google employees started a fund to financially support coworkers who walk out over Dragonfly. They raised $100,000 in under three hours. What would Dragonfly, which has reportedly been getting ready to launch since at least August, mean for the Chinese public if it really does come to fruition? And what would it mean for the nations journalists? Dragonfly would be part of the Communist Party of Chinas surveillance apparatus At a San Francisco tech conference in October, Googles CEO Sundar Pichai publicly acknowledged Dragonfly for the first time. It turns out well be able to serve well over 99 percent of the queries, Pichai said. Sign up for CJR 's daily email READ: Journalists are rightly suspicious of ad tech. They also depend on it However, building a search engine approved by the Communist Party of China (CPC) is more than merely censoring 1 percent of queries. It will have to make sure that each query can be easily and reliably traced back to the individual making it. This is routinely done by linking every query to a mobile phone number, which Google has agreed to for Dragonfly. Per Chinese telecom industry regulations, each mobile phone must be registered with government-issued ID and real names. And Chinas Cybersecurity Law requires all companies operating in China to grant the government full access to all data pertaining to users within the Chinese border. This means the state will have access to all Dragonfly users identities, real-time locations, search history, and biometrics if the user has features like facial recognition or fingerprints unlock. Data obtained in this way has been used to incriminate and convict individuals. Assuming Chinese journalists use Dragonfly for research the same way journalists outside the country use Google, these laws mean the Chinese state will be able to learn how journalists discover a story, establish contact with sources, and report the story out. Then the state can prosecute anyone with involvement in the process at their discretion. A CPC-compliant Google would be unlikely to protect data from apps like Gmail and Google Docs If Google is willing to trade user data to gain access to the Chinese market, what else is it willing to trade? For many years, Googles Gmail was the email service of choice for Chinese dissidents, investigative reporters, and human rights advocates, because its servers are hosted overseas and it offered extra encryption. Many news organizations such as The New York Times and The Guardian use Googles corporate email services. In fact, one of the reasons Google left China in 2010 was a series of attacks on Gmail linked to the Chinese states attempts to obtain these sensitive communications. If Google did decide to formally submit to the demands of the Chinese government, it would not be the first American tech company to do so. In 2005, Chinese journalist Shi Tao was sentenced to a 10-year imprisonment for providing state secrets to foreign entities and the key evidence was the log-in IP address and content of a number of emails via the Yahoo email service, which Yahoo turned over to the Chinese authorities. In 2003, Yahoo helped the Chinese authorities to convict two other dissidents, Li Zhi and Wang Xiaoning, by providing their IP addresses and email contents. Dragonfly would aid the CPC in broad censorship The party has been largely successful in controlling historical narratives and news. The post-1989 generation has grown up with no idea of the pro-democracy protest on Tiananmen Square. Newsrooms are not allowed to contradict the state news agencys version of stories and sensitive data pertaining to peoples day-to-day lives were often banned for publication. Dragonfly would both disseminate state-approved news and repress information it deems sensitive. According to Google employees with access to Dragonflys code, the search engine has a long blacklist of search terms containing numerous phrases, such as human rights and Nobel prize, for which search results would be altered. And it will only display Chinese air quality data from an unnamed source in Beijing, rather than a variety of sources as it does from the US. With no data about the Nobel Peace prize, the application would help diminishing the legacy of Liu Xiaobo, the 2010 Nobel Peace Prize winner who passed away while serving an 11-year sentence for writing a pro-democracy manifesto. Dragonfly users would not have access to reliable air quality data living in a country where many regions suffer from hazardous air pollution. ICYMI: An algorithmic nose for news Concealing information from the public has had devastating consequences. In the spring of 2003, Chinese media were instructed to collectively conceal a severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) outbreak in Guangdong and Beijing, which contributed to the rapid spreading of the disease while delayed effective response by the medical community and the general public, let alone the worst society-wide panic in recent memory. The ban on reporting was eventually lifted, but the episode hurt the credibility of the Chinese media, especially after the cover-up was extensively reported in Western media. Dragonfly would embolden other authoritarian states regarding censorship It has been eight years since Brins prediction, and it is Google executives, not the CPC, who have started to falter. Theres a shifting set of grounds of how you think about that problem, and how you think about the issue of censorship. The truth is, there are forms of censorship virtually everywhere around the world, John Hennessy, chairman of Google holding corporation Alphabet, recently told The Wall Street Journal. Dragonfly represents not just the CPCs oppression of Chinese people, but its corrosive influence over liberal forces far beyond Chinas borders. As controller of the worlds largest censored digital information space, China sets the example for online censorship for all other illiberal regimes. The fact that Google seems willing to enter the market on its terms could send a worrying message to other governments worldwide. And as one of the worlds biggest tech companies and tech monopolies in the world, Googles compromise also sets a dangerous precedent for other tech companies. Blocked since 2009 and without any servers in the country, Twitter serves as an important forum for free speech for a small but loyal group of Chinese users, who access the service using Virtual Private Networks. Some of them call it the freedom tunnel. Leery of their influence, the Chinese authorities routinely detain prominent activists and force them to delete posts. Some have exhorted Twitter to resist the same official pressure from the CPC that is being applied to Google. The Chinese people think you are some kind of god, artist and activist Ai Weiwei told Jack Dorsey, founder and CEO of Twitter, at a conversation between the two men held at New Yorks Paley Center in 2011. You created a possibility for people in this very dark room to see a ray of light to freely give their opinion. For anyone working to get the truth out anywhere in the worldaverage citizens, journalists, competing tech companiesDragonfly would be a demonstration of the growing power, effectiveness and confidence of authoritarian regimes, and the constantly retreating borders of press freedom and free online expression. Has America ever needed a media watchdog more than now? Help us by joining CJR today Mia Shuang Li is formerly a Beijing-based Chinese reporter and a researcher for the Beijing Bureau of the New York Times from 2011 to 2016. She is currently pursuing a masters degree at the School of International and Public Affairs at Columbia University. Ironshore Bermuda Rebrands and Integrates With Liberty Specialty Markets Liberty Specialty Markets (LSM), part of Liberty Mutual Insurance Group, plans to integrate its Ironshore Bermuda businesses and brands into a single business branded as: Liberty Specialty Markets Bermuda. The new business will be led by Steve Horton, currently chief executive of Iron-Starr Excess Agency. He becomes president of Liberty Specialty Markets Bermuda (subject to approval by the Bermuda Department of Immigration) and will report to Mark Wheeler, president, international markets. The business will utilize the managing general agency structure, previously Iron-Starr Excess Agency Ltd, across its product lines, enabling each business to provide Liberty capacity as well as access to third party capacity. Ironshore in Bermuda historically comprised two businesses: Ironshore Bermuda, which opened in 2007, writing, property, energy and specialty re/insurance, and Iron-Starr Excess Agency, which began in 2009 and writing excess casualty, financial lines and healthcare within Iron-Starr Excess Agency. Steve Horton joined the Ironshore group in 2008 through Ironshores Lloyds platform, Pembroke Managing Agency Limited. Horton worked as a primary financial institutions underwriter before transferring to Iron-Starr in 2010. At Iron-Starr, he was initially charged with growing international business before being promoted to financial lines manager and subsequently chief executive officer. Lucens Group Announces Corporate Name Change to Claimify Lucens Group, www.lucensgrp.com, a disability insurance technology and services company, announced that it is changing its corporate name to Claimify, LLC. The name change reflects the companys broader commitment and its expertise in driving the digital innovation needed to shape the future of the insurance industry. Since the companys inception, its focus has centered on settlement facilitation and benefit validation enablement solutions. These capabilities have supported carriers and claimants by reducing the cumbersome and resource intensive procedures in order to streamline these often complicated and time-consuming processes. This has resulted in simple service-based offerings for all parties to balance technology with human interaction in order to expedite accurate processing while providing an expanded range of options. In 2019, Claimify will take the industry to the next level with technology firsts in automated claim lifecycle management. Claimify is focusing its efforts on revolutionary new technologies that combine decades of expertise in the space with next generation managed services designed to reliably deliver fast, error-free user experiences. Carriers leveraging these new solutions will gain immediate competitive and financial advantages as Claimify harnesses the power of data to improve service levels and revenues. Visit Claimify at http://www.lucensgrp.com. The new name is effective immediately, and will be implemented across the companys products and solutions throughout calendar year 2019 and beyond. ICORP Investigations, Inc. Launches i-Justify Conversation Management N.Y.-based ICORP Investigations, Inc. announced the launch of i-Justify Conversation Management, Innovative Risk Identification and Cost Containment Solution. i-Justify is an advanced approach which verifies the authenticity of a claim immediately and operates on several sophisticated levels. ICORPs approach achieves the full detail of any claim and also acts as a solid validation process even when there are no immediate concerns, finding the claims to pay quickly. i-Justify is expected to enable the insurer to see a shorter claim cycle time and identify risk more quickly. The cost to curtail damaging flooding across Texas over the next 10 years is more than $31.5 billion and state officials are urging lawmakers to adopt legislation meant to end a cycle of repairing and rebuilding, according to a series of recommendations released Thursday. The Texas Water Development Board provided the recommendations to lawmakers ahead of the legislative session that begins next month. Theyre part of an updated TWDB flood assessment report that says coastal and river flooding alone is expected to cause more than $6.8 billion in property losses over the next five years. The agency is seeking a three-pronged approach: update flood mapping and modeling, establish comprehensive planning rather than piecemeal efforts, and enact policies and procedures to aid mitigation. Due to a combination of population growth and related development, Texas can be certain that without proper planning, flood events will impact more lives and cause more damage in the future, the report said. This statement is just as true on the High Plains near Post as it is along Dickinson Bayou near Galveston. Much of Texas is either unmapped or uses outdated ones, resulting in widespread misunderstanding about true flood risks, the report said. For instance, more than half of the flood insurance claims filed this year have occurred outside of areas identified as high-risk flood zones. The cost of updating flood-risk maps for all Texas watersheds is an estimated $604 million, according to the TWDB, which is the lead state agency tasked with water planning, data collection and other services. Despite 50 years of concerted effort and extensive participation by Texas communities, we find ourselves repairing and rebuilding instead of planning and preventing, the board said in the report. Larry Larson, senior policy adviser for the Association of State Floodplain Managers, said the board is right to promote a more comprehensive approach to curtail flooding, explaining that isolated efforts have little benefit. Most of the thinking in the Houston area has been lets develop the hell out of it and expand the tax base, Larson said, adding that the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey has largely changed that mindset. David Maidment, an engineering professor at the University of Texas with an expertise in water resources planning, said coordinated efforts by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the National Water Center at the University of Alabama and others has led to significant advancements in hydrologic analysis and forecasting. Weve accomplished more in research in the last five years than in the previous 36 years of my career, said Maidment, adding that Texas has been the prototype for the development of a national forecast flooding system for the whole country. The population in Texas is projected to increase to nearly 42 million people by 2050, the TWDB noted in its report, with much of this growth occurring upstream and downstream of our major metropolitan areas. There needs to be a concerted effort to encourage sound land use that minimizes flood damage, according to the agency. TWDB spokeswoman Merry Klonower said if lawmakers enact the agencys recommendations, it would lay the foundation for comprehensively managing flood threats. Developing flood maps for all watersheds and better planning represent a new suite of activities and a new approach to identifying and minimizing flood risk for all Texans, Klonower said Thursday. Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. With Alaskas history of earthquakes, you might assume most homeowners have earthquake insurance. Thats not the case, the Anchorage Daily News reported. Only about 15 percent of Alaska homeowners buy earthquake insurance, according to an estimate provided by Lori Wing-Heier, director of the states Division of Insurance. Its not a great number, she said. Lenders do not require earthquake insurance. It also carries a high price tag. And after a major quake, like the magnitude 7.0 quake that shook south central Alaska on Nov. 30, homeowners may find that the damage is less than the deductible on their policy. Deductibles vary but can be about 20 percent of the value of the dwelling, said Tracey Parrish, owner of Alaska Pacific Insurance Agency. If your home is $100,000, people probably dont have that ($20,000) sitting around, she said. And if they do, they may only have $5,000 worth of damage. The longer the time span between big earthquakes, the less likely people are to pay a premium for it, Wing-Heier said. Earthquake insurance typically covers repairs such as cracking and may cover structures such as garages as well, said Janet Ruiz, a West Coast representative for the Insurance Information Institute, a trade group. It also usually insures personal property and may cover other costs. John Lane and his family moved into an Eagle River home three months ago. Their homeowners policy cost $1,300 to $1,500 and he could not justify spending another $1,000 for quake coverage, he said. The deductible would have been around $70,000, he said. This was a hard decision, buying a house in a seismic zone, but we just couldnt afford that, Lane said. The family now faces significant repairs. A structural engineer will examine the property. Owners of damaged home may be able to tap into other resources. Residents of Anchorage, the Matanuska-Susitna Borough and the Kenai Peninsula may be eligible for recovery funding. Help is often available after natural disasters from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and, for businesses, from the Small Business Administration, Ruiz said. Homeowners seeking quake insurance now will not be able to find it. A moratorium on selling earthquake policies will be in effect for several weeks, Parrish said. It just doesnt make any insurance sense, she said. Because were having all these aftershocks. Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. AKRON, Ohio - Akron City Council is expected to approve a grant relocation agreement on Monday to help Babcock & Wilcox move its headquarters to Akron. In September, Babcock & Wilcox Enterprises announced it will move its Barberton operations to Akron's East End Development, making Akron its corporate headquarters. B&W, founded in 1867, has served the energy and environmental technology industries from its Barberton site since 1906. Under the grant agreement, Akron use income tax collected to pay B&W about $500,000 per year for seven years to help with moving expenses, said Deputy Planning Director Adele Roth. Akron will also pay Barberton a portion of the tax collected for five years under an existing agreement that supports cities that lose large businesses to neighboring towns. B&W employees about 800 workers, mostly engineers, with 600 residing in Barberton, Roth said. As you can imagine, this is quite a blow to their economy, she told City Councils Economic Development Committee during a televised meeting. Akron is projected to collect about $10.9 million over the next seven years, Roth said. Out of that, Akron would return $2.1 million back to Barberton with $3.7 million paid through the grant to B&W. About $1 million would go toward repayment on Akron Public Schools bonds. The remaining $4.1 million over the seven years would go to Akron. The totals are all projections and will be calculated based on actual payroll, in the following year, Roth said. Several council members expressed empathy toward Barberton for losing such a large employer. The city didnt lure the manufacturer to Akron, Roth said. Mayor Dan Horrigan tried to work with the company to keep it in Barberton but there wasnt an appropriate site there. The company also considered sites in North Carolina, where a small percentage of employees are located, she said. The East End Development is the former headquarters of the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. The development is owned under a partnership between the Industrial Realty Group LLC (IRG) and Industrial Commercial Properties LLC. The developers specialize in converting former industrial spaces into mixed-use developments around the country. The site comprises about 500,000 square feet of redeveloped space. Health insurer SummaCare moved from downtown Akron to the development in early 2018. The Akron Preparatory School has occupied about 42,000 square feet there since 2013. Starbucks and Handels Homemade Ice Cream & Yogurt have signed long-term leases to occupy a mini-complex across East Market Street. A gym and a theater are active in the development. Those amenities were attractive to B&W because attracting and retaining younger talent is part of the companys focus, Roth said. This is a sweet deal in terms of amenities, Committee Chair Veronica Sims said. B&W and other companies moving to the East End demonstrates a return on the citys investment, said Council Vice President Jeff Fusco. The city has worked with developers on projects around the city to return aging industrial complexes to updated, attractive spaces, he said. Akron awarded IRG a tax increment financing (TIF) deal to build the East End. Without incentives like TIFs, developers would find it difficult to realize a return on investment because it costs more to renovate old industrial complexes, Roth said. But those complexes are an important part of Akrons history. When you have this great tapestry of buildings in the city, protecting them is one of the things we should be doing, she said. Akron City Councils final meeting of 2018 will be at 7 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 17 at 166 South High St. in Akron. Want more Akron news? Sign up for cleveland.coms Rubber City Daily, an email newsletter delivered at 5:30 a.m. Monday through Friday CLEVELAND, Ohio As Cleveland continues to search for a new permanent home for its police department, the cost of staying put continues to add up. The city sold its downtown police headquarters building at the Justice Center complex to Cuyahoga County for $9.25 million with the intention of moving into a new permanent location by next spring. But six months after announcing a new location had been found, much has changed. Cleveland is back to considering site options, but with nothing on the immediate horizon. That prompted the city to work out a deal to lease back the space it once owned for at least a year. So far, Cleveland has paid more than $260,000 in rent to Cuyahoga County. Nearly $133,000 more will be paid this month. What was the plan? Cleveland began looking for a new headquarters after reaching agreement with the county in June 2017 over jail services. That agreement allowed Cleveland to close its lockup at the Justice Center as the county took over all jail operations. That shift was completed in July. Cleveland sold the county its share of the Justice Center complex. It received payment for the property and title transferred in October. The plan was to move to a new site one without jail facilities beginning almost immediately and wrapping up by spring 2019. The city would pay rent on its Justice Center space, but that would decline as staff moved to the new headquarters. What was the favored site? Cleveland announced in June it would move to 1801 Superior Avenue, the former home of The Plain Dealer. The project was a $60 million deal that included the purchase and alteration of the building and surrounding 8 acres of property. Police Chief Calvin Williams said then that the building would provide a more welcoming environment for visitors and a better work environment for officers. "The building ... puts the division (of police) and the city in a position to administer 21st Century policing to our community, Williams told City Council. The city hired GLP Superior Ltd., led by Fred Geis, to buy and renovate the property. As the work progressed, the city planned to remain in its old headquarters, paying rent to Cuyahoga County. That rent would reduce though as the police department gradually moved into new quarters. But in September, Cleveland abruptly announced it was backing out of the deal and no longer wished to work with GLP Superior LTD. Mayor Frank Jacksons administration has never detailed exactly what led to the decision, but the chatter among city officials is that GLP was unable to obtain agreements from some of the current tenants to vacate. Whats happening now? The city hasnt completely ruled out the site on Superior Avenue, according to Dan Williams, a spokesman for the Jackson administration. But Williams acknowledged that making it work is problematic. So, the city is looking at other options. The city used Colliers International to research, tour and evaluate more than a dozen proposed sites. That group was narrowed to five sites. The 1801 Superior site was the lowest bid in that group. Some of those other sites are getting another look. After negotiating over the 1801 Superior proposal, its price tag was $12 million cheaper than what was originally bid. Jackson has suggested that might be possible at some of the other proposals. The next lowest proposal involved conversion of the old Third District headquarters building on Payne Avenue and some additional construction for slightly less than $80 million. And the city could seek new bids on the project, Williams said. In the meantime, the city is under lease until October, with options to renew three subsequent years. Cleveland will pay about $1.4 million for that space in the first year. The city will also pay $105 per month for parking spaces it uses at the Justice Center. For October that involved 143 spaces, but it can be recalculated each month. For a year, though, the 143 spaces would cost more than $180,000. CLEVELAND, Ohio -- A group of men broke into more than a dozen Lakewood and Cleveland homes at night as residents slept and stole cars from their driveways, according to prosecutors. The men, who are also accused of carrying out several armed robberies, sold most of the pilfered vehicles at a downtown housing complex as part of a criminal enterprise detailed in a 102-count indictment handed up this week in Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court. RaShadi Ruffin, Malik Davis, Charzelle Gooden, Dyshon Robertson and Quashaun Moore, all 18 years old and all of Cleveland, each appeared in court Tuesday and pleaded not guilty to charges of racketeering, aggravated burglary, aggravated robbery, felonious assault, theft, receiving stolen property. A judge ordered the men held on $100,000 bond. Prosecutors say Ruffin was the leader of the ring that operated from July through September of this year. Often working in groups, the group broke into homes at night and searched the inside for car keys, cash and electronics, prosecutors say. They left the home, stole the vehicles right out of the driveway as the victims slept and then often drove to Arbor Park complex off Woodland Avenue in Cleveland, where they either sold or dumped the cars. Prosecutors say the ring targeted homes on Clevelands West Side and in Lakewood, and stole as many as three cars from one home. Members of the ring are also accused of committing street stick-ups, where they stole wallets, cellphones and anything else being carried by the victims at gunpoint. Prosecutors say some members of the group pistol-whipped and beat the victims during the robberies. To comment on this story, please visit Tuesdays crime and courts comments page. CLEVELAND, Ohio - Homeowners in Cleveland and Cleveland Heights were among the most successful in winning appeals to Cuyahoga County this fall over what they viewed as overstated new property values for tax purposes. Not nearly as successful were homeowners in places such as Brecksville, Broadview Heights, Seven Hills and Solon. Those are some of the findings of a cleveland.com analysis of how much homeowners were able to limit increases in response to the once-every-three-year update of values. The updates are required by state law. Property owners had the chance to file informal appeals before the new values were applied to tax bills due in January. Those bills likely will be mailed later this month. Appeals were filed for 7.2 percent of the parcels countywide. In looking at just the appeals for the 29,083 single-family homes or duplexes without tax abatement, values dropped over what had been proposed an average of 8.1 percent countywide following the appeals, cleveland.com found. In Cleveland, values were reduced an average of 11.8 percent over what had been proposed. But in Solon, values on the appealed properties dropped just 4.5. percent on average. In Clevelands Tremont neighborhood, where much was made of sharply rising property values and there was a petition circulated by upset residents, those filing appeals won reductions of 12 percent on average, about the same rate as citywide. This doesnt mean, however, that property values are going down. They generally are going up, just not as much as first proposed. Here are the details for communities with at least 200 appeals, enough to offer a good idea of trends: Where homeowners won the largest reductions Cleveland - The average value of 4,226 appealed properties is now $76,074, down 11.8 percent from the proposed $86,273 for these properties. Last years value was $62,558. Cleveland Heights - The value of 1,596 appealed properties is now $156,488, down 10.8 percent from the proposed $175,400 for these properties. Last years value was $141,518. South Euclid - The value of 738 appealed properties is now $103,501, down 10.5 percent from the proposed $115,652 for these properties. Last years value was $90,641. Berea - The value of 528 appealed properties is now $134,724, down 10.5 percent from the proposed $150,472 for these properties. Last years value was $120,527. Where homeowners won the smallest reductions Solon - The value of 607 appealed properties is now $340,949, down 4.5 percent from the proposed $356,863 for these properties. Last years value was $329,524. Seven Hills - The value of 369 appealed properties is now $171,345, down 5.1 percent from the proposed $180,586 for these properties. Last years value was $163,926. Broadview Heights - The value of 565 appealed properties is now $273,221, down 5.5 percent from the proposed $289,084 for these properties. Last years value was $254,604. Brecksville - The value of 632 appealed properties is now $336,479, down 5.7 percent from the proposed $356,731 for these properties. Last years value was $307,326. What happened in Tremont? Cuyahoga County establishes groups of properties in designated areas for appraisal purposes. All or parts of six appraisal areas are located in Tremont. Some 155 appeals were filed for single-family homes or duplexes without abatement in those areas. The average new value for these properties is $112,344, or 12 percent below the average of $127,630 that was originally proposed. Last year, these same properties had an average appraised value of $78,738. It is not too late Property owners still have the opportunity to file formal appeals through the Cuyahoga County Board of Revision from Jan. 1 through April 1. Instructions can be found at the Board of Revisions website. Details for each city, village, township Only single-family homes and duplexes without abatement are included in these details. The values listed are for appealed properties only, not all properties in each place. Place Appeals Average 2017 value Average originally proposed value Average new value Change from proposed Change from 2017 Bay Village 935 $243,599 $306,875 $275,916 -10.1% 13.3% Beachwood 368 $281,231 $326,162 $305,427 -6.4% 8.6% Bedford 256 $71,529 $84,854 $76,247 -10.1% 6.6% Bedford Heights 98 $101,526 $123,042 $111,780 -9.2% 10.1% Bentleyville 57 $486,811 $564,535 $520,182 -7.9% 6.9% Berea 528 $120,527 $150,472 $134,724 -10.5% 11.8% Bratenahl 63 $333,487 $395,006 $373,210 -5.5% 11.9% Brecksville 632 $307,326 $356,731 $336,479 -5.7% 9.5% Broadview Heights 565 $254,604 $289,084 $273,221 -5.5% 7.3% Brook Park 270 $94,983 $113,018 $104,855 -7.2% 10.4% Brooklyn 209 $91,169 $110,039 $102,502 -6.8% 12.4% Brooklyn Heights 44 $140,918 $161,343 $153,539 -4.8% 9.0% Chagrin Falls 177 $309,363 $370,797 $336,100 -9.4% 8.6% Chargin Falls Twp. 6 $733,283 $828,183 $733,267 -11.5% 0.0% Cleveland 4,226 $62,558 $86,273 $76,074 -11.8% 21.6% Cleveland Heights 1,596 $141,518 $175,400 $156,488 -10.8% 10.6% Cuyahoga Heights 10 $137,160 $164,800 $157,780 -4.3% 15.0% East Cleveland 185 $73,040 $104,841 $84,438 -19.5% 15.6% Euclid 1,281 $64,822 $82,678 $74,957 -9.3% 15.6% Fairview Park 461 $152,436 $177,805 $165,536 -6.9% 8.6% Garfield Heights 604 $50,820 $63,294 $57,222 -9.6% 12.6% Gates Mills 135 $539,708 $595,441 $553,300 -7.1% 2.5% Glenwillow 18 $223,233 $242,856 $230,706 -5.0% 3.3% Highland Heights 504 $345,306 $403,059 $365,381 -9.3% 5.8% Highland Hills 8 $50,975 $59,200 $49,338 -16.7% -3.2% Hunting Valley 37 $1,492,224 $1,549,324 $1,431,573 -7.6% -4.1% Independence 432 $239,501 $284,315 $263,087 -7.5% 9.8% Lakewood 1,570 $150,335 $195,111 $176,662 -9.5% 17.5% Linndale 1 $28,600 $33,300 $30,000 -9.9% 4.9% Lyndhurst 445 $129,186 $160,697 $145,514 -9.4% 12.6% Maple Heights 393 $45,681 $54,454 $50,619 -7.0% 10.8% Mayfield Heights 451 $158,940 $189,390 $174,577 -7.8% 9.8% Mayfield Village 115 $260,766 $301,440 $284,770 -5.5% 9.2% Middleburg Heights 377 $160,504 $183,813 $172,829 -6.0% 7.7% Moreland Hills 153 $556,046 $588,954 $538,865 -8.5% -3.1% Newburgh Heights 37 $42,497 $51,157 $46,486 -9.1% 9.4% North Olmsted 737 $133,222 $156,401 $146,639 -6.2% 10.1% North Randall 7 $91,200 $99,100 $89,057 -10.1% -2.3% North Royalton 1,011 $219,886 $249,178 $234,428 -5.9% 6.6% Oakwood Village 69 $123,090 $147,758 $130,606 -11.6% 6.1% Olmsted Falls 213 $151,394 $187,146 $171,933 -8.1% 13.6% Olmsted Twp. 301 $159,690 $194,776 $178,612 -8.3% 11.8% Orange 152 $304,303 $351,196 $322,751 -8.1% 6.1% Parma 1,490 $98,675 $117,227 $108,687 -7.3% 10.1% Parma Heights 333 $96,602 $114,618 $107,870 -5.9% 11.7% Pepper Pike 272 $425,117 $468,530 $435,315 -7.1% 2.4% Richmond Heights 298 $138,844 $172,720 $155,790 -9.8% 12.2% Rocky River 1,136 $271,490 $347,261 $317,902 -8.5% 17.1% Seven Hills 369 $163,926 $180,586 $171,345 -5.1% 4.5% Shaker Heights 1,050 $225,148 $258,120 $235,550 -8.7% 4.6% Solon 607 $329,524 $356,863 $340,949 -4.5% 3.5% South Euclid 738 $90,641 $115,652 $103,501 -10.51% 14.2% Strongsville 1,109 $209,537 $238,747 $224,721 -5.9% 7.2% University Hts 423 $132,146 $155,385 $142,752 -8.1% 8.0% Valley View 95 $209,518 $237,179 $223,766 -5.7% 6.8% Walton Hills 117 $200,069 $230,010 $215,735 -6.2% 7.8% Warrensville Heights 114 $60,518 $73,189 $66,701 -8.9% 10.2% Westlake 1,197 $287,869 $339,322 $311,490 -8.2% 8.2% Woodmere 8 $238,800 $273,988 $251,463 -8.2% 5.3% Total 29,093 $169,425 $202,473 $185,996 -8.1% 9.8% Rich Exner, data analysis editor for cleveland.com, writes about numbers on a variety of topics. Follow on Twitter @RichExner. Find data-related stories at cleveland.com/datacentral. CLEVELAND, Ohio A 72-year-old man stopped breathing after was attacked by a fellow resident at a Cleveland group home, police say. Damon Williams, 36, is charged with felonious assault in the attack. He is being held in the Cuyahoga County Jail on $25,000 bond. The attack happened Dec. 4 at a 16-person group home on East 147th Street north of Kinsman Avenue in the citys Mt. Pleasant neighborhood. The two men got into an argument earlier in the day, and group home staff members broke up the fight, court records say. Williams believed the man tried to trip him on purpose as he walked through the home, according to police reports. Williams spotted the man about 10 p.m. walking through the house, walked up from behind him and punched him in the head, police said. The blow knocked the man unconscious. Williams jumped on top of the man and kept punching him in the head and stomped on him until a group-home employee called police, according to court records. Officers found the victim on his back with a pool of blood around his head, police reports say. The man was taken to University Hospitals, where his heart stopped beating while being treated in the emergency room, court records say. Medical staff revived the man who remains in the intensive care unit, police reports say. To comment on this story, please visit our crime and courts comments page. The Carpets, Pearls of Azerbaijan exhibition kicked off on Nov. 26 at a gallery in central Seoul. The exhibition was a joint effort between Azeri Embassy and the Korea Foundation, a non-profit public diplomacy organization that promotes better understanding of the Far East country, as well as the Azerkhalcha Open Joint Stock Company, which oversees the production, development, sales, import and export of carpets within Azerbaijan. Arab News reports in its article Art of Azerbaijan carpets fascinates South Koreans that it is the first exhibition of Azerbaijan carpets, which were added to the UNESCOs List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2010, in South Korea, which established diplomatic ties with the Muslim nation in 1992. On display were 18 carpets woven by 9 carpet-weaving schools in Baku, Karabakh, Gazakh, Guba, Ganja, Nakhchivan, Yerevan, Shirvan and Tabriz regions. The purpose of the exhibition is to introduce the rich and centuries-old Azerbaijani carpet-weaving tradition here, as most Koreans are not aware of the Eurasia country being a carpet-producing country, Ramzi Teymurov, the Azerbaijani ambassador to South Korea, told Arab News. The display of Azerbaijani cultural heritage is a historically important event that will serve as a milestone in boosting cultural exchanges further between the two nations. Azerbaijan carpets typically feature a recurring set of images, including plants and abstract geometric forms. The delicacy and complexity of the patterns mean our carpets are heavier than most, and that makes them all the more precious and unique, added Teymurov. A single carpet can contain up to 5,000 threads per square decimeter. The event kicked off in commemoration of Azerbaijans Independence Day in October, which marked 100 years since the countrys establishment. The president of the Korea Foundation, Lee Shi-hyung, echoed the sentiment, saying: The foundation is very glad to have had the opportunity to introduce Azerbaijani art and culture, which the Korean public may be somewhat unfamiliar with. The ancient art of carpet-weaving has survived and evolved to this present day, so this exhibition will be testimony of Azerbaijans artistic and cultural heritage, he added. Patterns, color and weaving techniques differ from region to region. For example, carpets made in Baku stand out through the inclusion of Buta, the symbol of fire in Azerbaijans Absheron region. In the city of Ganja, carpets are produced for both trade and local use thanks to good sheep-breeding conditions in the regions mountainous and foothill districts. Azerbaijani carpets exemplify custom, tradition and national economic activity, Kwon Jong-ok, an academic, told Arab News. The patterns symbolize the countrys history and peoples beliefs, while also bringing artistic capabilities to life. Many young Koreans seem to be taking a keen interest in these patterns, which resemble those used for tattoos, he added. A new type of cultural exchange that reconciles youth fashion here with ancient design from Azerbaijan seems to be taking place. Im simply fascinated by the intricate skills of Azerbaijani carpet-makers, said Said Hwang Ye-eun, 22, a student of Sangmyung University in Seoul. During a group tour, Lee Hye-won, 24, a student at the same university, said the exhibition has made her keen to visit Azerbaijan. I have little knowledge about the country, but after seeing these carpets, I am curious to get to know its culture, Lee said. The worlds first specialized carpet museum, formerly known as the State Museum of Azerbaijani Carpet and Applied Art, was opened in Baku in 1967. The Seoul exhibition will be held until Dec. 19. COLUMBUS, Ohio - With no debate, Ohio lawmakers advanced a bill Tuesday afternoon that would ban the abortion procedure known as dilation and evacuation. D&E is typically used from 13 to 24 weeks of pregnancy. Senate Bill 145 is not the only abortion ban lawmakers are considering in the final days of the 132nd General Assembly. House Bill 258, which was stalled in a committee again on Tuesday, would ban abortions when a fetal heartbeat is detected. That can be as soon as six weeks, or before a woman knows shes pregnant. Both chambers could meet for the last time on Thursday. However, each chamber has time penciled in next week, in case theyre needed. Technically, the 132nd General Assembly ends on Dec. 31, meaning legislative leadership could call lawmakers back to Columbus to attempt to override any potential vetoes by Gov. John Kasich. It may be difficult to get lawmakers to the Ohio Statehouse, however, since they often travel over the holidays. D&E ban The House Criminal Justice committee passed S.B 145, the D&E ban, along party lines. Physicians would be charged with a fourth-degree felony for performing a D&E, called a dismemberment abortion in the bill, and spend up to 18 months in prison. During a D&E, a womans cervix is dilated and the fetus and other tissue are removed with surgical instruments and suction. The procedure is used during most second-trimester abortions. The bill could proceed to the House floor. The chamber is meeting tomorrow but the bill isnt on the schedule. The House meets again Thursday, although both chambers have days penciled in next week, in case theyre needed. The House previously passed S.B. 145. The bill has exceptions, such as allowing the procedure if the life of the mother is at risk or if there could be a substantial and irreversible physical impairment of a major bodily function. Fetal heartbeat bill Sen. David Burke, chairman of the Senate Health, Human Service Services and Medicaid Committee, said he hopes the committee would advance H.B. 258 to the Senate floor on Wednesday morning The full Senate is scheduled to begin a session at 1:30 p.m. Gov John Kasich previously vetoed a similar measure. Although its still unclear if there is enough time for a veto override. Burke said that there were eight amendments that Republicans on the committee are working on. The amendments were being drafted Tuesday morning. The bill in its current form bans abortions even in cases of rape and incest. A fetal heartbeat can be detected as soon as six weeks into a pregnancy, often before a woman knows shes pregnant. On Tuesday, lawmakers challenged members of the public whose abortion views were different than theirs. After Columbus Unitarian minister, the Rev. Dr. Marian Stewart, testified that women forced to carry their pregnancies to term will live in poverty. But bill supporter Sen. Peggy Lehner, a Dayton-area Republican, asked her why the poverty rate has increased since the U.S. Supreme Courts Roe v. Wade decision. Bill supporter Sen. Jay Hottinger asked her if she believes a woman should be allowed to have an abortion an hour or a minute before she gives birth. Fetal heartbeats can be detected as soon as six weeks into a pregnancy, which is before many women even know theyre pregnant. Where are the men? Why are the fathers not being punished as well? Stewart replied. Bill opponent Rabbi Jessica Shimberg of the Little Minyan Kehilah in Columbus also was challenged. As I listen to you Im trying to discern when youd value life, Lehner said. I think what youre asking me is when does Jewish law say life begins," Shimberg said. "Is that what youre asking? Shimberg replied that when Jewish opinion is divided but the law generally values a womans life over the fetus at the beginning of the pregnancy. What you will find in Jewish law predominantly is that there is not a life to be saved until much later in a pregnancy, Shimberg said. "Even in the most traditional of Jewish law youll find 40 days or 3 months. After Akron resident Tanya Rising, in tearful testimony in support of the bill, said she had helped a woman who had 17 abortions, Sen. Charleta Tavares, a Columbus Democrat, said the wanted to set the record straight. I dont want the listening audience to believe that it is typical for a person to have 17 abortions," she said. I dont know how physically that can happen. WASHINGTON, D. C. - The U.S. Senate on Tuesday passed a compromise farm bill that drops a conservative drive for stricter food stamp work requirements. The measure was adopted in a 87 to 13 vote with backing of both Ohios U.S. Senators. Ohio Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown, who helped negotiate a bipartisan deal between divergent drafts of the bill adopted by the House and Senate, said the new measure contains important wins for the states dairy, corn and soybean farmers and will improve water quality in Lake Erie by helping to prevent agricultural runoff. He said the bill avoids harmful eligibility changes pushed by House Republicans that would have made working families jump through unnecessary bureaucratic hoops to obtain Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. Democrats opposed the proposed changes to the program that subsidizes food purchases for low-income American and reversing them was key to obtaining their support. Brown said the SNAP program helps farmers as well as the hundreds of thousands of Ohioans who are working hard and playing by the rules but simply cant get ahead. Keep in mind how many people who make $8 and $10 and $12 an hour, who work as hard as any of us and yet fall far short of being able to take care of their families with rent, expenses and food, said Brown. Food fight is simmering over SNAP in Washington The Congressional Budget Office estimated the House bills would have excluded about 1.5 million people nationwide from SNAP. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, more than 42 million people participated in the program in 2017 at a cost of around $68 billion. Ohio Republican Sen. Rob Portman said the bill would provide Ohio farmers with the certainty and predictability they deserve," promote rural economic development, fight pollution in the Great Lakes and and fund opioid addiction treatment in rural areas. He said the bill includes amendments he authored to promote rural broadband access and to ensure that Central State University in Wilberforce has access to federal funding under the Farm Bill like other 1890 land-grant institutions. "I look forward to President Trump signing this legislation into law to support Ohios farmers and our agriculture industry, said a statement from Portman. U.S. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Purdue released a statement upon the bills release that said it would maintain a strong safety net for the farm economy, invest in critical agriculture research and promote farm exports through robust trade programs. If Congress passes the bill, he said he will encourage President Donald Trump to sign it. While we would have liked to see more progress on work requirements for SNAP recipients and forest management reforms, the conference agreement does include several helpful provisions and we will continue to build upon these through our authorities, Purdues statement said Glad to see #FarmBill conf report out. Keeps strong safety net, invests in research & promotes trade. Would like more on forest management & SNAP work requirements, but farmers need this bill as they make decisions about next season. If it passes, I'll encourage @POTUS to sign. Sec. Sonny Perdue (@SecretarySonny) December 11, 2018 Brown said measures in the bill that will help Ohio include a provision he championed that would provide funding to help farmers sell their products locally, a program that prioritizes enrolling lands in a Conservation Reserve Program to prevent agricultural runoff that causes algal blooms and protect water quality, and enhanced support for small and medium-sized dairy producers. Other negotiators released statements to back the compromise and predict it will swiftly pass Congress and become law. Americas farmers and ranchers are weathering the fifth year of severe recession, so passing a farm bill this week that strengthens the farm safety net is vitally important, said a statement from House Agriculture Committee Chairman Mike Conaway of Texas. WASHINGTON, D. C. - Less than a week after meeting with General Motors CEO Mary Barra to discuss the companys plans to idle its Lordstown assembly plant, Ohios U.S. Senators Sherrod Brown and Rob Portman want her to answer more questions. The two senators sent a letter to Barra on Tuesday that praises her willingness to keeping an open mind about Lordstowns future, and urges GM to retool the facility instead of discontinuing its vehicle production. We believe Lordstown is well-suited to manufacture SUV or cross-over vehicles or next generation cars, their letter says, before asking a detailed series of questions that theyd like her to answer by next Friday. Their queries include asking Barra for the factors GM will consider in deciding whether to allocate another vehicle to Lordstown and what it would cost to retool the plant to produce an electric vehicle of comparable size to the Chevy Cruze, which the company will discontinue. We want Lordstown workers, their families, and the impacted communities to have the information they need to prepare for any consequences of GMs announcement, their letter said. After meeting with Portman and Brown last week, Barra told reporters that the industry is transforming faster than I have ever seen in my 38-year career, and GM is making changes to ensure the company remains competitive. Were trying to make sure that General Motors is strong and that were in a leadership position in the technologies like electrification, like autonomous vehicles, like connectivity because thats what customers want, thats where the industry is going," said Barra. "And a strong General Motors is the best way for me to provide and maintain the 90,000 plus jobs we have across the United States. Abu Dhabi police have integrated camels in the department of its special patrols unit in the criminal security section. Commander-in-Chief of Abu Dhabi Police, Maj Gen Mohammed Khalfan Al Romaithi confirmed the initiative was launched in tandem with celebrating Emirati heritage. "Police have been trained in accordance with the standard of best practices to carry out their civic duty to prevent crime and communicate with the public," Gulf News cited Al Romaithi as saying. The one-humped camels in the Arabian desert are called dromedary camels, and are referred to as the ships of the desert. Camels played an important role in Emirati heritage as they helped Bedouins transport goods, were often the main source of meat, milk and even wool. Camels also served as a status symbol as the amount of wealth was reflected in the number of camels a person owned. They were also used as a form of currency, and could also be very profitable if they won camel races or beauty contests. Investors shouldn't draw conclusions about biotechnology company Moderna solely on the stock's worrisome action after its initial public offering, CNBC's Jim Cramer said Monday. Moderna is in the early stages of creating medicine using messenger RNA, which transports genetic information from DNA to a body's cells so they can produce the proper proteins to express those genes. Moderna's idea is to engineer messenger RNA in patients with genetic diseases to tell their cells to produce different, potentially life-changing proteins. In a stroke of unfortunate timing, the company went public on Friday during a brutal day for the major averages. Moderna's stock fell nearly 20 percent as a result of the widespread weakness. But if investors view the stock "purely as speculation, Moderna has a few major things going for it," Cramer said. "It's recession-proof at a time when many investors are now worried about a slowdown. It's got an exciting concept; you can argue that messenger-RNA-based medicine could revolutionize health care. And the stock has pulled back dramatically in the short time since it's been public." So while it might not be the right play for people investing for retirement, investors with some cash to spare might find Moderna to be an interesting bet if they believe in the story, the "Mad Money" host said. What sets Moderna apart? While other companies including Ionis Pharmaceuticals are working on similar treatments, Moderna's focus on delivery and manufacturing technologies puts it in a class above its rivals, Cramer argued. In short, Moderna has developed technology that makes it easier for its messenger RNA to reach the correct place in a patient's body without running into the immune system, which can degrade the new RNA. Moderna is also working on manufacturing tech that will allow it to mass-produce its treatments once it gets federal approval, though that is still years away. The company has struck high-profile partnerships with biotech giants Merck and AstraZeneca, which is also Moderna's fourth-largest shareholder. Those deals, which manifest themselves in the form of "milestone payments" as Moderna's drugs reach various thresholds of success, speak to the legitimacy of the company's mission, Cramer said. "The industry clearly believes the technology is worth betting on," he said. "These companies understand the potential of messenger-RNA-based medicine." Cramer acknowledged why investors might be wary of buying shares in Moderna: the company has no earnings or sales yet and spends fortunes on its 21 development programs, 10 of which are in the early stages of clinical trials. But the corporate investments have allowed the company to maintain a clean balance sheet, which now boasts $1.8 billion in cash to spare thanks to the IPO, he said. "Early-stage biotechs like this one don't trade on the numbers, they trade on belief," the "Mad Money" host explained. "In about a month, Moderna's quiet period ends, and the analysts will start rolling out their coverage. If they tell a bullish story, and I think they probably will, this stock can rally." So even though Moderna's stock has lost nearly $1.5 billion in value since its IPO, investors would be better off judging the biotech on whether they think its treatments can succeed than on the stock's circumstantial action, Cramer said. "These speculative biotechs are a lot like [the Yankees'] Giancarlo Stanton when he steps up to the plate, he's likely to either strike out or hit a home run," he joked. "If you're trying to save for retirement, Moderna is not the stock for you. However, if you want to take a chance with your speculative 'Mad Money' portfolio, you have got my blessing to buy this one. I know it can probably still go lower, but you're getting a pretty darn good entry point." Former Assistant U.S. Attorney Marc Litt recalls sitting in Bernard Madoff's office in New York's famed Lipstick Building, soon after it had been turned into a federal crime scene. Madoff had been arrested Dec. 11, 2008, having confessed to running the largest Ponzi scheme in history. As the lead prosecutor, Litt was responsible for making some sense out of the massive, still unfolding fraud. "There were pictures of his boats on the wall and they were all named 'Bull,'" he said in an interview. Sitting across from Madoff's desk, where countless clients sat over the years, Litt also noticed a small sculpture, but it took a moment to figure out what it was. "I saw that it was a sculpture of a wood screw, and it all of a sudden hit me that here I was, the prospective investor, surrounded by bull and getting screwed, but I didn't know it," he said. Ten years later, Litt is in private practice as a partner at Wachtel Missry in New York, where from an office that happens to overlook the Lipstick Building he advises the types of institutional clients that might have invested with Madoff back in the day. He says the scandal forced the financial industry to become far more careful. For all the signs of progress, however, no one seems willing to rule out a Madoff-size financial fraud happening again. "By all accounts, the amount of money that's gone into compliance at the major financial institutions in the United States is astonishing," he said. "It's probably the fastest-growing employment component of financial institutions." JPMorgan Chase, the nation's largest bank and Madoff's primary banker, was forced to overhaul its compliance systems and pay $2.6 billion in fines and penalties under a deferred prosecution agreement with the Justice Department. Prosecutors alleged that the bank failed to employ adequate controls that might have caught the Madoff fraud. In 2016, prosecutors told a court that the bank had paid its fines and adopted the agreed upon reforms, and they dropped the charges. WATCH: CNBC's 2008 coverage of Bernie Madoff's Ponzi scheme Splunk's data analytics business doesn't stop at the keyboard, President and CEO Doug Merritt told CNBC on Monday in an exclusive interview with Jim Cramer. "You can now talk to Splunk through Alexa, Siri or other natural-language frameworks and have Splunk respond back to you," the CEO said on "Mad Money." Merritt said that the idea to connect Splunk's growing database with voice-enabled assistants came from the question of "how to bring the power of Splunk to everybody within the organization." That translated into the analytics software giant leveraging its massive data set to help individual customers, a move that has become somewhat of a running theme in Splunk's ascent to its $15.9 billion market cap. Splunk has also recently announced some new business lines "that people wouldn't always expect" from the cloud company, Merritt told Cramer. "We've got a whole next-gen[eration] mobile platform that has an augmented reality framework on top, so that customers like University of Connecticut, in their aquaponics lab, where they grow fish, can now use their mobile devices and walk through the lab to check things like UV light [and] pH balance," the CEO said. Ideally, companies that need to continuously monitor their operations will use this platform "to make sure that their businesses are being run well and effectively using Splunk," Merritt said. Splunk serves a host of corporate clients including Coca-Cola, Nordstrom, and Groupon, and helps federal customers like the state of Alaska manage compliance and security requirements. The company is also partnered with Amazon's cloud division, Amazon Web Services. The San Francisco-based analytics giant helps its corporate customers gather real-time data related to their businesses to smooth operations, boost security and gain eye-opening insights into consumer patterns. In late November, Splunk topped Wall Street's earnings and revenue estimates for its fiscal third quarter, posting 40 percent year-over-year revenue growth. Management raised its full-year revenue guidance as well as its outlook for 2019. Splunk's stock rose 2.59 percent Monday amid marketwide volatility, settling at $108.40 a share. The Turkish presidential administration commented on the recent statement of Armenian acting Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan about Armenias readiness to establish diplomatic relations with Turkey. "Armenia must withdraw its troops from the occupied Azerbaijani lands to normalize relations with Turkey," Trend cited the administration as saying. "Turkey stands for stability and peace in the region, the administration stressed, noting that there cannot be stability in the region without the withdrawal of the Armenian troops from the occupied Azerbaijani territories. It was also noted that Armenia must renounce the claims for the 1915 events as there was no "genocide" of Armenians during those events. The sudden departure of India's central bank governor Urjit Patel on Monday has raised a number of questions about the Reserve Bank of India's ongoing struggles. The primary focus for investors is whether Patel resigned due to growing pressure from India's government to lower rates and conduct looser monetary policy as the countdown to next year's general election kicks off. Patel was reportedly criticized by the government for the central bank's relentless push to clean up India's banking sector. "Investors' concerns over the independence of the RBI are now higher than ever, but it is unlikely that the government will name another figure with a reputation for independence to lead the Bank," said Sasha Riser-Kositsky, a senior analyst at Eurasia Group. Patel's resignation comes less than three years after his predecessor Raghuram Rajan was not confirmed for a second term as central bank governor in 2016, likely due to growing tensions between him and India's government. "Investor confidence will be roiled due to this (losing two independently minded central bank governors within one term is not a great image for foreign investors)," said Akhil Bery, a senior research associate in McLarty Associates' India & South Asia practice. Experts say the timing of Patel's departure from his post as central bank governor comes at a challenging time for two reasons. India's government lead by Prime Minister Narendra Modi is facing reelection next year. One factor that helped Modi in 2014 was the backing of investors who supported his pro-business policies. However analysts say Patel's departure could have an impact on Modi's image. On Tuesday, results from four state elections in India will shed light on whether Modi is losing support from his base ahead of the national election in April 2019. At same time, India is trying to attract new investors and companies while also fending off competition from China. Analysts say any uncertainty in India's governance of monetary policy could be a setback. Alyssa Ayres, a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations and author of "Our Time Has Come: How India is Making Its Place in the World," told CNBC over email: "The widely-discussed allegation that the Modi government is pushing for greater authority over the RBI and diminishing its traditional independence is further cause for concern. The Indian economy has done well with an RBI that functions independently and through its own economic, not political, decisions. It should be allowed to continue without political interference." The next monetary policy meeting in India is set for Friday. Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (L) (D-NY) looks on as House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) speaks to reporters during a news conference at the U.S. Capitol. Trump has pushed for $5 billion to build the physical barrier on the U.S.-Mexico border, calling it essential to cracking down on illegal immigration, an issue that he considers "a total winner" politically . Democrats and even some Republicans consider the wall not only inhumane but also ineffective. Trump had repeatedly said he would make Mexico pay for the wall. As she will likely hold the House speaker's gavel next month after her party gained 40 seats in last month's midterms, Pelosi appears emboldened ahead of what could become the third shutdown of the year. The meeting Tuesday will help to decide which party will yield in perhaps the last major legislative scrum under unified Republican control of the White House and Congress. Trump will meet with the Democratic congressional leaders at 11:30 a.m. Tuesday as they try to strike a deal to avoid a partial government shutdown when funding expires after Dec. 21. The biggest sticking point is whether to fund the president's proposed border wall, a top Trump campaign promise that Democrats have vowed not to give him. When President Donald Trump faces Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer on Tuesday, his favorite foils will carry a lot more leverage than they have held at any point in the nearly two years since the president took office. For more than a year, Trump has shown willingness to let the government shut down in order to secure wall funding. Last month, he said he would be "totally willing" to do so. If spending talks crumble, funding will lapse for seven government agencies including the Department of Homeland Security, which is crucial to enforcement of U.S. immigration policy. At least two possible solutions have surfaced: approving a smaller chunk of money for border security, or extending current funding levels for up to a year and passing off the political battle to the next Congress. "Republicans still control the House, the Senate, and the White House, and they have the power to keep government open. Our country cannot afford a Trump Shutdown, especially at this time of economic uncertainty," Pelosi and Schumer said in a joint statement Monday. "This holiday season, the president knows full well that his wall proposal does not have the votes to pass the House and Senate, and should not be an obstacle to a bipartisan agreement." In a string of tweets Tuesday morning ahead of the meeting, Trump appeared to lower expectations for approving his desired border wall funding. He said "I look forward to my meeting" with Schumer and Pelosi but claimed the lawmakers "no longer want" border security. Democrats have repeatedly disputed that claim, as they passed an additional $1.6 billion for border security in last year's spending bill. Trump claimed "the Wall will get built" even if Democrats do not approve the money. He contended that "people do not realize how much of the Wall, including really effective renovation, has already been built." While Congress has allocated money to build new fencing or replace existing structures on the border during Trump's administration, it has not constructed any of the "wall" prototypes that the president desires. He claimed the military would "build the remaining sections of the Wall" if Democrats do not approve cash to construct it. It is unclear how that would happen, as Congress already passed a Defense Department spending bill without border wall funding. Trump sent troops to the U.S.-Mexico border earlier this year as he tried to stoke concerns about an approaching "caravan" of Central American migrants. Trump tweet Trump tweet In a tweet last week that misspelled "border," Trump said "Nancy and Chuck must approve Boarder Security and the Wall!" Trump tweet Pelosi has drawn a line in the sand as she prepares to lead the House. Last week, the California Democrat said she would not approve border wall funding in exchange for legal protections for young immigrants brought to the U.S. illegally as children a deal Democrats were reportedly open to earlier in the Trump administration. Pelosi called them "two different subjects." Beyond the considerations of keeping the government open, Pelosi also has to deal with dynamics within her party as she tries to secure enough votes to become speaker next month. Some current and incoming House Democrats have agitated not to give Trump a cent for his immigration goals. The leaders of the current GOP-held House support $5 billion in border wall money. As his party's Senate seats will dwindle to 47 from 49 next month, Schumer has shown more willingness to compromise with Trump than Pelosi has. He has supported a bipartisan deal to approve $1.6 billion in funding for border security fencing but not a "wall" as Trump describes it. Lawmakers approved the same sum for border security in last year's spending bill. Last month, Schumer accused Trump of throwing a "temper tantrum" over the wall and said "the president is the only person who holds the ultimate responsibility for a government shutdown." "A patent in the U.S. is not a patent in China, unless someone registers a patent in China," said Matthew Dresden, an attorney at Harris Bricken covering international intellectual property. "It's just another facet in another battle between two tech titans." The two patents cover the ability to adjust and reformat photographs, and navigate through applications with a touchscreen. Apple has appealed the Chinese court order, which bans the sale of seven older iPhone models, ranging from 6s to X. Qualcomm announced Monday that a court in China the Fuzhou Intermediate People's Court had granted the chipmaker's request for two preliminary injunctions against four of Apple's Chinese subsidiaries for patent infringement. The ban of some Apple iPhones in China shows that intellectual property rights are still determined by national borders. Qualcomm and Apple have been embroiled in a years-long legal dispute over patent royalties. Both companies are based in California, but generate a significant portion of their revenues from China. For the fiscal year that ended in late September, Apple reported that 19.6 percent of net sales came from greater China. Qualcomm said revenues from China, including Hong Kong, accounted for 67 percent of total consolidated revenues for fiscal year 2018, which also ended in late September. The chipmaker also said in the report it has not recorded any revenues for royalties due on sales of Apple products since the third quarter of 2017. It is relatively cheaper and quicker for one party to bring a case against another in China compared to the U.S., said Eileen Li, head of research at Shanghai-based market intelligence firm Red Pulse. The environment for high-end industries is also more favorable in China given Beijing's efforts to produce more technology at home through Made in China 2025, she added. "In general, China is known for having what industries would call copycats. (Most of these are in) consumer and retail areas," Li said. "With tech, China is tightening a lot of its policy and becoming more serious about IP protection." It remains to be seen whether a preliminary injunction from a municipal court in China will have a lasting, nation-wide effect. The ban does not cover Apple's latest iPhone models and the company said all versions of the smartphone remain available for customers in China. President Donald J. Trump debates with House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., left, as Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and Vice President Mike Pence listen during a meeting in the Oval Office of White House on Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2018 in Washington, DC. The impression one came away with was that Pence was disengaged, even aloof. Seated between Trump and Pelosi, the vice president sat stone still for the better part of 20 minutes, shifting his gaze between the speakers and occasionally staring straight ahead, never saying a word. But this is not the Pence that many Americans saw on television Tuesday, during President Donald Trump's epic public brawl in the Oval Office with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. So far this month, Vice President Mike Pence has attended the inauguration of Mexico's new president, delivered remarks while the late President George H.W. Bush lay in state, and held two formal calls with U.S. allies one on Friday with the British foreign secretary about the Brexit vote and another on Tuesday morning with the Iraqi prime minister. To be sure, it's not unusual for the vice president to let the president have the floor while reporters and cameras are allowed in for the beginning of official events. But as Tuesday's meeting wore on, the contrast between Pence and the three other people he was sitting with became increasingly sharp. Part of the reason things got so weird was that Pence had never intended to participate in the talks, a White House official told CNBC. Pence was there to listen, and then to relay information back to Capitol Hill about the status of negotiations. As a matter of practice, Pence gives the president his feedback in private, the official said, and on a typical day, the two men have several opportunities to touch base. Still, the extraordinary exchange in the Oval Office underscored, yet again, how different Trump's and Pence's public personas are. As the president grew increasingly angry, Pence stayed almost preternaturally calm and quiet. Yet as soon as the meeting was over, it was Pence who remained focused on the high-stakes negotiations underway to prevent a government shutdown, while Trump turned his attention elsewhere. Pence went to Capitol Hill, where he briefed Republican senators at their weekly lunch about what had just happened in the president's office. While Pence was on the Hill, Trump turned to another pressing issue on his mind. The president took to Twitter to rail against former FBI Director James Comey, who has emerged as one of the president's principal antagonists in the ongoing special counsel probe. In his first tweet following the momentous meeting, Trump wrote that Comey "had no right heading the FBI at any time, but especially after his mind exploded!" Trump fired Comey in May 2017, telling NBC News' Lester Holt soon afterward that he was thinking of the Russia investigation when he decided to fire the FBI director. In turn, Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein then appointed Robert Mueller to be the special counsel in the Russia probe. kept their focus on developments surrounding the United Kingdom's exit from the European Union while digesting reports about a thawing in U.S.-China trade relations. The benchmark 10-year yield traded at 2.877 percent while the short-term 2-year yield climbed to 2.77 percent. Bond yields move inversely to prices. Bloomberg News reported earlier on Tuesday that China is moving toward cutting tariffs on cars made in the U.S. to . The proposal has been submitted to the Chinese Cabinet and will be reviewed in the coming days, the report said. A U.S. official later told Reuters that China indicated it will cut the tariffs, but the U.S. would wait on formal documentation and timing. President Donald Trump also tweeted the administration was having "very productive conversations going on with China," adding: "Watch for some important announcements." Tweet Meanwhile, Chinese Vice Premier Liu reportedly said Tuesday that he had been in discussion with U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, with the aim of de-escalating a global trade war. The rise in yields was kept in chedk, however, as sentiment around the United Kingdom's proposed Brexit deal remained fragile. Prime Minister Theresa May abruptly postponed a parliamentary vote on Monday, sending sterling down to 20-month lows. May headed to Brussels following the vote delay to seek more concessions from the European Union on the Brexit deal. However, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said: "The deal we have achieved is the best deal possible, it is the only deal possible." "There is no room whatsoever for renegotiation," Juncker told EU lawmakers, adding that there is however room to "give further clarification" on what the deal actually says. CNBC's Fred Imbert and Silvia Amaro contributed to this report. A $1,000 winter coat has become an unlikely lightning rod for the Chinese public's anger over last weekend's arrest of a senior technology executive in Canada. Shares of Canada Goose Holdings, the maker of the luxury parkas, have dropped 17 percent over the last one week, and the Canadian newspaper Financial Post reports that there are calls on social media in China to boycott the brand. It is the second time this week a major Western consumer brand has taken a hit related to China. Apple shares tumbled 2 percent on Monday and then recovered after a court in China granted an injunction to chipmaker Qualcomm that banned the sale of certain iPhones in China. Apple said the ban only applies to phones running on an older operating system. Chinese consumers make up one-third of the world's luxury market, according to analyst estimates, and the country is a major growth market for North American and European brands. Canada Goose has been making efforts to expand in China, opening locations in Hong Kong and Beijing, where it will be competing with local knockoff brands. But now a brewing trade conflict and the targeting of the Chinese technology executive threatens to cut into some of that growth at a time when China's economic slowdown means luxury spending there is now slowing. UBS research said luxury spending in China grew 12 percent in the third quarter compared with 17 percent in the second quarter, and it is estimated to rise 10 percent next year. China has demanded the release of Meng Wanzhou, the chief financial officer of Chinese technology firm Huawei. She was arrested in Canada Dec. 1 on accusations of breaking U.S. sanctions on Iran and faces extradition to the U.S. Canada Goose is perhaps a target because of its name. But shares of the coat maker are still up about 80 percent this year. Its popularity in China took off after Jack Ma, the billionaire founder of Chinese conglomerate Alibaba, was spotted wearing a Canada Goose coat at various high-profile events this year, including the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. Canada Goose shares rose slightly in early trading on Tuesday as financial markets bet progress was being made in trade talks with China. But then once The Washington Post reported that the White House was planning to condemn China over economic espionage, Canada Goose shares rolled over. The parka maker is caught in the middle of the trade war between the two superpowers. New York Governor Andrew Cuomo. Drew Angerer | Getty Images The Office of Governor Andrew Cuomo on Tuesday reaffirmed its commitment to creating a model program for controlled recreational marijuana use in New York State. "As we have said since August, the goal of this administration is to create a model program for regulated adult-use cannabis and the best way to do that is to ensure our final proposal captures the views of everyday New Yorkers," said Cuomo spokesman Tyrone Stevens. "That's why Governor Cuomo launched 17 listening sessions in cities across the state to give every community in every corner of New York the opportunity to be heard," Stevens added. "Now that the listening sessions have concluded, the working group has begun accessing and reviewing the feedback we received and we expect to introduce a formal comprehensive proposal early in the 2019 legislative session." Cyberattacks are monitored at the U.S. Computer Emergency Readiness Team/National Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Center facility in Arlington, Virginia. The No. 1 risk to markets in 2019? It will surprise you. The company tasked with clearing and settlement for the financial markets is warning that "pockets of weakness" are starting to emerge across the financial system. Surprisingly, the biggest risk to markets going into the new year is the threat of a cybersecurity attack, according to a new survey of risk managers and nonrisk professionals by the Depository Trust and Clearing Corp., which provides clearing and settlement services to the financial markets. Cybersecurity risk was ranked as the top risk by 37 percent of respondents, and 69 percent ranked it in the top five. Cyber risk has consistently been cited as the top risk since the Depository launched its Systemic Risk Barometer Survey in 2013. The survey, released Tuesday, is based on 145 responses from a variety of industry experts, mostly in risk management and operations. Geopolitical risk and trade tensions, including risks in areas such as the Middle East, China and in emerging markets, was the second most-cited risk (55 percent of respondents). In a surprise, the British withdrawal from the European Union has emerged as a major concern, with 49 percent listing it in the Top 5, up from 38 percent last year. The increase in Brexit concerns was the most significant year-over-year change in the findings. Sixty-five percent of European respondents cited Brexit as a top cause, but even 44 percent of North American respondents now cite it as an issue. "We see firms actioning their plans to deal with Brexit without a clear understanding of what a post-Brexit Europe will actually look like," said Andrew Douglas, the Depository's director of government relations for EMEA/Asia. Excessive global debt was seen as a top risk for the first time, cited by 28 percent of respondents. "The Fed's monetary policy tightening campaign may have a pronounced effect on countries with debt that is benchmarked against or denominated in U.S. dollars," said Michael Leibrock, chief systemic risk officer for the Depository. Impact of new regulations round out the top, cited by 26 percent of respondents, but this is down significantly from last year, when it was cited by 45 percent of respondents. Perhaps importantly, a U.S. economic slowdown (mentioned by 22 percent as a major concern) was cited almost as much as an Asian economic slowdown (26 percent), a clear sign that the U.S. economy was not perceived to be floating in a vacuum apart from the rest of the world. "The broad perspective of these survey results shows that while economic indicators continue to appear strong, pockets of weakness are starting to appear across numerous components of the financial system as geographic flash points continue to materialize and intensify," Leibrock said. Governments in the U.S., Europe and China handle and regulate data very differently that's a major challenge that businesses have to navigate in 2019, according to consultancy Control Risks. In China, data is seen as an economic and potentially political advantage that has to be guarded and contained within the country, explained Richard Fenning, the chief executive of Control Risks. In Europe, privacy is of utmost importance and must be protected, which resulted in the implementation of a new law called the General Data Protection Regulation or GDPR, he added. The U.S., meanwhile, has traditionally seen data as something to be commercialized but that approach has come into question after the data breach fallout from the Facebook and Cambridge Analytica scandal, said the CEO. "So you have these ... data trading blocks: GDPR in Europe, China pursuing its own very ambitious, long-range technology kind of economic strategy, and the U.S. adjusting to the fact that what it regarded as a completely open playing field for the U.S. tech giants is suddenly looking a lot smaller," Fenning told CNBC's "Squawk Box" on Tuesday. Such different approaches mean that businesses would have a harder time collecting, storing and transferring data within and between those three major economies, Control Risks said in a report outlining the top challenges that firms would likely encounter next year. Complicating the global backdrop is a rise in cyber security threats, which businesses must handle while navigating the different regulatory environment in the three major economies, the consultancy added. Trade risk In addition to inconsistent data regulation globally, another major risk that companies face going into 2019 is a worsening conflict between the U.S. and China, the consultancy said. For now, the two countries have reached an agreement to hold back additional tariffs until March 1. Control Risks predicts a hardening of stance between the two in the coming year as the U.S. seeks to contain China's rise. For businesses, that means a new global order which they have to get used to, according to the report. "There are wider forces at work in the United States who want to see a fundamental realignment of the trade balance between the two countries. And it's not just about steel and aluminum and agricultural goods, it's now about the whole future of technology and who's going to be the economic vanguard of a whole new generation of technology-driven economy," said Fenning. Watch: How do tariffs work? Carlos Ghosn, ousted Nissan chairman. Chesnot | Getty Images News | Getty Images It is shaping up to be a bad year for Nissan. The arrest of auto industry titan Carlos Ghosn in Tokyo last month was believed by some to be a palace coup designed to remove him from power at Japanese automaker Nissan, just one of the companies Ghosn had a hand in running. Now it's looking like a big problem for Nissan as well. Ghosn was indicted Monday on allegations of underreporting income and misusing company funds, but investors weren't necessarily expecting Japanese prosecutors to slap Nissan with an indictment as well. That could spell trouble for Hiroto Saikawa, Nissan's CEO and a onetime protege of Ghosn's, said Jefferies analyst Philippe Houchois. "Nissan takes this situation extremely seriously," the company said in a statement. "Making false disclosures in annual securities reports greatly harms the integrity of Nissan's public disclosures in the securities markets, and the company expresses its deepest regret." The company said it will strengthen its compliance efforts and improve the accuracy of its financial disclosures. Saikawa was the one who stood to benefit the most from Ghosn's downfall. Ghosn, who was chairman of Nissan, had planned to replace Saikawa at a November board meeting, The Wall Street Journal reported. Some industry watchers say Saikawa's career at the automaker is in danger. "I suspect Saikawa knows his days are numbered as well. Because the indictment of Mr. Ghosn today is also an indictment of Nissan," Houchois said. In the wake of this new indictment, "it is likely heads will roll at Nissan as well." Nissan's shares traded in the U.S. fell 3.1 percent Monday and were down 2.7 percent in intraday trading Tuesday. The indictment comes on the heels of scandals involving the falsification of vehicle inspection data. The automaker had to recall more than 1 million vehicles in 2017 over faulty vehicle checks, and reports filed in 2018 revealed even more misconduct. Morningstar analyst Richard Hilgert told CNBC he thinks investor confidence in Nissan's management has been compromised by both the Ghosn scandal and the inspection fiasco. Ghosn was in many ways the glue holding together an alliance between French automaker Renault and Japanese manufacturers Nissan and Mitsubishi. Renault saved Nissan from the brink of bankruptcy in 1999, and took a 40 percent stake in the company. Nissan, in turn, took a nonvoting 15 percent stake in Renault. But since then Nissan has become a far bigger financial contributor to the alliance, generating a lopsided share of the group's earnings. Tensions over the now two-decades-old arrangement have simmered as the relationship has grown more uneven. Armenian armed forces have violated the ceasefire along the line of contact between Azerbaijani and Armenian troops 24 times over the past 24 hours, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry said. Agdam and Mundzhuglu villages of Tovuz region were also fired despite being located far from the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone. The shelling of Azerbaijani villages along the entire length of the border with Armenia has become a regular practice of the Armenian armed forces' provocations over the past ten years, despite the fact that these territories do not belong to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Attacks on these villages are a separate side of the Armenian aggression against Azerbaijan. Nevertheless, an entire generation of regional journalists has grown up, for whom the shelling of Azerbaijani villages far from the line of contact (sometimes near the Georgian border) looks like hostilities in the framework of the suspended but not completed Karabakh war. Today's news with a headline 'Azerbaijan reports on shelling of two villages in conflict zone' published by 'Caucasian Knot' is a case study The news cites the above-mentioned summary of the Ministry of Defense about only two villages - Agdam and Mundzhuglu in the Tovuz region, which is remote from the zone of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Presenting shelling of Azerbaijan's border regions by the Armenian armed forces in such a way is incorrect. When covering this topic, it is necessary to be extremely accurate, since the representation of the border as part of the conflict zone helps the supporters of the Karabakh occupation to disclaim responsibility for the aggression against peaceful Azerbaijani villages far from the conflict zone and Yerevan's territorial claims. President Donald Trump talks with auto industry leaders, including General Motors CEO Mary Barra (L) and United Auto Workers (UAW) President Dennis Williams (R) at the American Center for Mobility in Ypsilanti Township, Michigan, U.S. March 15, 2017. Bloomberg News earlier reported that China was moving toward cutting tariffs, citing people familiar with the matter, giving U.S. automakers' shares a lift before the markets opened. China raised tariffs on U.S. autos to 40 percent in July in retaliation to U.S. tariffs. The vice premier told Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer of the decision in a call late Monday, the Journal reported. Chinese Vice Premier Liu He has told U.S. officials that China plans to reduce tariffs on American auto imports from 40 percent to 15 percent in a move that could break an escalating trade war between the world's two largest economies, The Wall Street Journal reported , citing a person familiar with the negotiations. China's Commerce Ministry issued a statement saying the conversation held Monday evening in the U.S., early Tuesday in China was meant to "push forward with next steps in a timetable and road map" for negotiations, the Journal reported, adding that Liu plans to come to Washington early next year. Chinese officials are also considering amending the Made in China 2025 plan, which is designed to give Chinese companies an edge in a number of industries, including artificial intelligence and robotics, the Journal reported. It's been a sticking point for the U.S., which complains that it allows Beijing to engage in unfair trade practices. Fiat Chrysler, GM, Ford and Tesla all rose Tuesday. A day after President Donald Trump agreed to a 90-day trade truce with China at the G-20 summit, he tweeted that the country had agreed to lower these auto tariffs. tweet But after the tweet, neither the White House nor China verified any such agreement. The White House did not return a request for comment on Tuesday's report. Read the full Bloomberg and Journal articles here and here. Traders work in the Goldman Sachs booth at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York. Too many different regulations are hampering companies' ability to deal with cyberattacks, said Goldman Sachs' chief information security officer Tuesday. "What's frustrating for me is how much of my time, my team's time and my resources are spent on having to answer a never-ending stream of regulator requests," said Andy Ozment. "In my mind, it's a distraction away from cybersecurity." Companies must comply with regulations in each country they operate, and those rules can differ dramatically. Also, in the United States, there is no federal data breach notification law, and companies must comply with different notification laws across all 50 states. Governments could do a better job of streamlining these many different and sometimes competing interests, he said. Ozment, who rarely talks in public, was speaking at a WSJ Pro Cybersecurity forum in Manhattan. He's one of the most influential voices in financial services cybersecurity, and served as Assistant Secretary for Cybersecurity and Communications for the Department of Homeland Security before taking the top security job at Goldman. Third-party oversight, where companies must evaluate all of their vendors for cyber risk, can also be difficult to manage, Ozment said. Companies spend a lot of time doing laborious risk assessments of their vendors, then have to answer the same assessments for the companies they serve. He suggested government officials could do a better job of organizing a standardized response, and that industry could take the lead in pushing a standard. "The burden of constantly assessing each other and being assessed, it seems like an area ripe for involvement," he said. Ozment also said that companies need to be careful as well if they are considering outsourcing cybersecurity roles to countries that may support hacks against U.S. companies. "It's hard to set up a 24/7 operation. I do think it matters what country they're in. If that's a country that's attacking you, I don't think that's a good idea," he said. Google CEO Sundar Pichai testifies during a House Judiciary Committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, December 11, 2018. Saul Loeb | AFP | Getty Images Tuesday's hearing culminated a tough year for big tech companies, as lawmakers and the public have become increasingly skeptical about Silicon Valley's effects on democracy, misinformation and privacy. Despite some occasionally intense questioning, the soft-spoken Pichai remained cool and confident overall throughout the proceedings as he either defended Google or expertly dodged giving specific answers. Accusations of manipulation Tuesday's hearing was titled "Transparency & Accountability: Examining Google and its Data Collection, Use, and Filtering Practices" and many representatives posed questions on whether or not Google's search results were biased against conservative points of view. This has been a consistent narrative over the past year, as Republican lawmakers and even President Donald Trump have accused Google and other tech platforms of suppressing conservative voices. Pichai echoed Google's previous denials, and repeatedly responded that Google's search algorithms did not favor any particular ideology, but instead surfaced the most relevant results, which could be affected by the time of a users' search, as well as other factors like their location. One particularly fiery take against that line of questioning came from Rep. Ted Lieu (D-Ca.) who said that the queries on conservative bias "wasted time" given that private, profit-seeking companies like Google are protected by the First Amendment. Even if Google was biased, he said, that would be its right. However, he also used sample Google searches to show that Google would turn up positive search results about Republicans and negative search results about Democrats. "If you want positive searches, do positive things," Lieu said. "If you get bad press, don't blame Google. Consider blaming yourself." Lieu has made similar points at past hearings that included Facebook, Twitter, and Alphabet. Several representatives brought up other kinds of bias. Google is by far the most popular search engine in the world, with more than 90 percent market share, according to StatCounter, but the process of how exactly Google's platforms surface search results are complicated and opaque. Regulators and competitors like Yelp have criticized Google for surfacing its own services, like maps, jobs postings, business reviews and travel information over information from other websites. Last year, the EU slapped Google with a $2.7 billion antitrust fine for its shopping results. "I strongly support an open, decentralized internet that is free of powerful gatekeepers with the ability to discriminate against rivals, threaten innovation or harm consumers," Rep. David Cicilline (D-RI) said, and asked whether Google would commit to ending any discriminatory practices against competitors. In response, Pichai said that Google "provides users with the best experience and the most relevant information," and denied that the company used discriminatory practices in its search results. When Cicilline pushed him on whether Google would support some kind of antitrust legislation, Pichai vaguely answered that Google would be "happy to engage constructively on legislation in any of these areas." Pichai was evasive on China plans Another topic that came up multiple times was Google's plan to launch a censored search engine in China. The Intercept first reported details of the project over the summer, which would block search results for queries that the Chinese government deemed sensitive, like "human rights" and "student protest" and link users' searches to their personal phone numbers. One of the first specific questions about Google's plans in China came from Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Tx.) who expressed concern that Google would aid in the oppression of Chinese people "looking for a lifeline of freedom and democracy." "Right now, we have no plans to launch search in China," Pichai answered, adding that access to information is "an important human right." Pichai has said in the past that Google is "not close" to launching a censored search result in China, though Tuesday's comments appear to further distance the company from those efforts. The Intercept reported in September that at one point Google employees working on the "Project Dragonfly" efforts were told to get it in "launch-ready state" to roll out upon approval from Beijing officials. Pichai would not, however, go so far as to commit not to launch "a tool for surveillance and censorship in China," as he was asked to do by Rep. David Cicilline (D-RI). "We always think it's in our duty to explore possibilities to give users access to information," Pichai said. Human rights groups and Google's own employees have spoken out publicly about this issue, with more than 730 recently signing an open letter calling on the company to cancel its efforts, and lawmakers at Tuesday's hearing made it clear that they, too, are extremely wary of any plans by Google to work with China's oppressive regime. Tweet Data privacy and hate speech A handful of representatives also asked Pichai about how transparent Google is when it comes to its data collection practices. The company came under fire earlier this year after The Associated Press revealed that contrary to what a user might reasonably assume, pausing "Location History" tracking on a Google account didn't actually stop the search giant from storing time-stamped location data. Google ended up clarifying the language of its policy. At the hearing, Pichai said that more than 160 million people had checked their Google privacy settings in the last month, but that Google wanted to make it even easier for "average users" to control their data. "We always think that there is more to do," Pichai said. "It's an ongoing area of effort." In regards to data privacy, Rep. Ted Poe (R-Tx.) got rather heated as he asked Pichai whether Google could track his movements if he moved from one side of the room or the other. When Pichai said that he'd need to check the phone's settings to know, Poe interrupted to say that it wasn't a "trick question." A New York Times investigation on Monday revealed that popular apps like WeatherBug and GasBuddy track users' location with incredible detail and then either send or sell that data to advertisers and retailers, and that Google's Android operating system has more apps that closely track users' location than Apple's iOS. While Poe's line of interrogation didn't quite hit the mark he was asking specifically about his device, an iPhone, without specifying whether he had any of Google's apps, like Maps, which logs location data, downloaded his questions and others' made it clear that representatives on both sides of the aisle are concerned about how Google collects and protects user data as well as frustrated by how the company explains its policies. In that vein, Google's social network snafu also came up multiple times during the testimony. Google revealed Monday that a security bug allowed the profile information of 52.5 million Google Plus users to be viewable by developers, even if their profiles were set to private. This is the second Google Plus flaw of the year. In October, The Wall Street Journal reported that Google didn't disclose its first one for months because it feared regulatory scrutiny and damage to its reputation. Pichai acknowledged during his testimony that under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) that came into effect in the European Union earlier this year, companies are required to disclose personal data breaches no later than 72 hours after the company is aware of them. However, Google has previously maintained that its Google Plus issues were not "breaches," since it didn't find evidence that any third parties had accessed or misused the data. In response to a later question about GDPR, Pichai said that there was "some value for companies to have consistent global regulation," and highlighted how Google published its own framework to guide data privacy legislation earlier this year. Hate speech and misinformation were another thorny topic that came up several times. Rep Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) in particular cited YouTube videos promoting a conspiracy theory that Hillary Clinton and other politicians and celebrities were drinking children's blood. "We are constantly undertaking efforts to deal with misinformation," Pichai said, adding that Google is looking to do more. It's a well-worn struggle for Google, as well as platforms like Twitter and Facebook. These platforms generally want to allow users to post a wide range of content, while curtailing hate speech through Community Guidelines that can be hard to enforce from both a technological and policy perspective. What we didn't hear Meghan Markle, aka, the Duchess of Sussex, is something of a trailblazer as a royal. She has bucked royal traditions on everything from her choice of wedding cake to hugging members of the public. And her most recent act of rebellion is subtle, yet significant: She wore a dark mani. On Monday, Markle made a surprise appearance as a presenter at the British Fashion Awards, wearing a one-shoulder, black Givenchy gown (she was presenting an award to Givenchy dessigner Clare Waight Keller). But it was her dark nail polish that ignited a frenzy on social media. The dark-hued nails were shocking because they break royal protocol. As a royal, Markle has royal duties and therefore is expected to adhere to special and specific traditions and etiquette. Royal women are usually expected to wear natural makeup and nails, for example. In fact, Grant Harrold, the former butler to Prince Charles, William and Harry, previously told CNBC Make It that dark nail polish is an "absolute no-no." "It is the more natural look, it's not anything too bright," Harrold said of the protocol for fashion. "Same with nail varnish and makeup. It's always very natural, neutral, skin tone colors you don't wear dark or black or gothic...They tend to opt to wear more sort of neutral colors, just not to draw attention to themselves, really." Even the duchess's dress could be considered rebellious. Black is also seen as off-limits for clothing, because it is the color associated with royal mourning. "Diana, Princess of Wales, on a couple of occasions, famously wore black," Harrold said. "So it's not written in stone that they can't, but it tends to be something they wear only when a member of the royal family or someone close to them has passed." Markle, though, is paving her own way as a royal. At the British Fashion Awards, Markle said she picks what she wears not just based on how something looks, but also what the designers stand for. Vijay Mallya looks on during the Airtel Champions League Twenty20 Gala Dinner at UB City on October 7, 2009 in Bangalore, India. A London court ordered that Indian tycoon Vijay Mallya should be extradited from Britain to India, where he faces fraud charges over unpaid loans tied to his defunct Kingfisher Airlines. Monday's ruling will be passed to the Home Secretary for approval. India wants to bring criminal action against Mallya for over $1.4 billion in loans Kingfisher took from Indian banks. Authorities argue that the 62-year-old has no intention of repaying those loans. The businessman's attorneys have argued against the prosecution citing insufficient evidence and even suggested that the accusations are politically motivated. His lawyers say the case runs the risk of facing unfair trial due to political pressure and media scrutiny, according to The New York Times. Once listed as one of India's wealthiest people, Mallya's extradition would be a huge win for Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi who faces a crucial re-election next year. Modi has been criticized by opposition politicians of being lenient toward several citizens that have left their country in recent years to escape prosecution. "Great Day for India. No one who cheats India will go scot free," Finance Minister Arun Jaitley took to Twitter to weigh in on Mallya's extradition. He said that the National Democratic Alliance which includes the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party had brought Mallya "to book." Mallya had fled India during BJP's time as a ruling power. Tweet: Great Day for India. No one who cheats India will go scot free. The Judgement of UK's Court is welcome. An offender benefited during the UPA. The NDA brings him to book. Mallya known for his lavish lifestyle and has been called the "King of Good Times" and "India's Richard Branson" built his fortune as the maker of Kingfisher beer before adding a stake in the Force India Formula 1 racing team. He had set up the now defunct Kingfisher Airlines which struggled to compete in the domestic market. In 2012, the airline shut down its operations after owing more than a billion in loans, bills and salaries. The liquor baron reportedly remains on conditional bail and still has a chance to appeal in higher courts in the U.K. against Monday's extradition ruling. Reuters contributed to this report A federal judge on Tuesday ordered porn star Stormy Daniels to pay President Donald Trump more than $292,000 in attorneys' fees and another $1,000 in sanctions in connection with her dismissed defamation suit against Trump. That was much less than the nearly $800,000 in legal fees and sanctions that Trump's lawyer Charles Harder asked for earlier this month in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles. But Harder in a statement Tuesday said that Daniels was ordered to pay amount to 75 percent of Trump's legal fees. And he crowed that the $1,000 in sanctions are for her filing "meritless" defamation action. That defamation suit came in response to a Trump tweet that all but called Daniels for claiming she was menaced by a man seeking to keep her quiet about a sexual tryst with the president. "The court's order, along with the court's prior order dismissing Stormy Daniels' defamation case against the President, together constitute a total victory for the President, and a total defeat for Stormy Daniels in this case." Harder billed Trump $841.64 per hour in the case. The president's other lawyers charged rate ranging from $307.60 per hour up to $756.49 per hour. Otero in his ruling called those rates "reasonable," noting that Trump's lawyers "are incredibly qualified." Daniels's lawyer Michael Avenatti told CNBC in a text message predicted that Daniels will never have to pay Trump the $293,052.33 in attorneys' fees and sanctions because of other legal claims she still has against the president. "Harder and Trump deserve each other because they are both dishonest," Avenatti wrote."They received less than one half what they asked for because the request was gross and excessive." Avenatti's text referenced the fact that Daniels has a pending lawsuit against Trump that seeks damages in connection with a non-disclosure agreement that she has with him. It also referenced the fact that Trump's former personal lawyer and fixer Michael Cohen pleaded guilty to federal campaign law violations that included one related to a hush-money payment to Daniels on the eve of the 2016 presidential election. "Stormy will never have to pay a dime because they owe her over $1 million in attorney's fees and costs from the main NDA case, expecially in light of Cohen's guilty plea to a felony." Cohen is scheduled to be sentenced for that crime and others unrelated to it in federal court in Manhattan on Wednesday. WATCH: Trump underreported payments to Cohen in disclosures US Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) speaks as US President Donald Trump looks on during a 'Make America Great Again' rally at the Eastern Kentucky University, in Richmond, Kentucky, on October 13, 2018. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said Tuesday that the Senate will vote on a major criminal justice reform bill in December, paving the way for an easing of America's federal sentencing laws and handing a victory to President Donald Trump, who endorsed the legislation last month. The Kentucky Republican announced on the floor of the Senate that his decision was made at Trump's request and followed unspecified changes to the bill. Tensions about the legislation had escalated in recent days. Trump on Friday publicly called on McConnell to bring the bill to a vote. McConnell has been reluctant to do so, citing other pressing legislative matters and cautioning that there may not be enough votes. Republicans have been sharply divided over the legislation, which would reduce the three-strike mandatory life sentence to 25 years for drug offenses, and give judges the power to bypass the minimum sentences altogether for certain offenders. But it has earned support from a broad coalition of lawmakers and activists, including from within the White House, where Trump's son-in-law and senior advisor Jared Kushner is a key proponent. GOP Sens. Chuck Grassley of Iowa, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, Mike Lee of Utah and Rand Paul of Kentucky have also emerged as vocal proponents of the overhaul. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., who has claimed the United States has an "under-incarceration problem," has led opposition to the effort. The United States Sentencing Commission estimates that roughly 2,250 inmates per year could have their sentences reduced under the reforms included in the bill, called the First Step Act. One major reform would eliminate "charge stacking," which extends sentences for possessing a gun while committing another crime, for first-time offenders. Graham said Tuesday that passing the bill would be "a hell of a way to end 2018." "If it happens, it will be because of Jared Kushner and his team and the president getting behind it and our Democratic friends I hope have been very reasonable," Graham told reporters. "I know there's a lot of anxiety about working with Trump, but this is a case where I think it's gonna be a win-win." Trump tweet The looming end of the year contributed to a frenzy to deliver a vote before a new Congress is seated. McConnell said that lawmakers should expect to work on the legislation over the holidays. Reaching a major criminal justice reform compromise could be much more difficult starting next month, as a progressive slate of Democrats elected in November takes office. The House easily passed a version of the First Step Act in May, though it was criticized by some liberals who said it did not go far enough. McConnell said the Senate would have to work efficiently to get the bill through in time. "Unless we approach all this work in a highly collaborative, productive way and take real advantage of unanimous consent to expedite proceedings, it is virtually certain that the Senate will need to be in session between Christmas and New Year's in order to complete this work," McConnell said Tuesday. Largely behind the scenes, Republicans have been proposing changes in recent weeks that could reduce the impact of the bill but generate more support from their caucus. Those changes include a broadening of the categories of offenders who would not be eligible for sentence reduction. On Friday, Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, announced his support for the bill after gaining White House approval of an amendment that he said would exclude violent offenders from early release. "I'm happy to report that, after working closely with the White House and the sponsors of this bill, they have decided to accept my amendment," he said in a statement. "This new version of the bill resolves my concerns, and is one that I wholeheartedly support and cosponsor." It's not clear how many Republicans will support the legislation. Sources told The Hill that the official Senate whip count stands at 16 Republicans in favor as of Sunday, though alternative counts put the number at as high as 30 of the 51 GOP members of the Senate. Lawmakers are expected to continue to hammer out the details of the legislation in the approach to the New Year. McConnell advised the chamber Tuesday to "prepare for a very, very long month." A person dressed up as the character from the game "Monopoly" sat a few rows behind Google CEO Sundar Pichai as he testified in front of a congressional committee on Dec. 11, 2018. A person dressed as the mustachioed character from the popular game Monopoly was back in congress on Tuesday for Google CEO Sundar Pichai's hearing in front of the House Judiciary Committee. Tweet The self-dubbed Monopoly Man, identified as Ian Madrigal on social media, first made their debut at the Senate's Equifax hearings last year. Madrigal, who recently changed their name from Amanda Werner and uses gender neutral pronouns, said in a statement on Twitter that they were holding a "Get-Out-Of-Jail-Free Card" at the Google hearing. Madrigal is a strategy director for Revolution Messaging, the firm run by Keegan Goudiss, Bernie Sanders' director of digital advertising during the 2016 election. The Monopoly Man stunt is a protest of the alleged inability of tech companies like Google to self-regulate to protect consumers' personal data, according to Madrigal's statement. Tweet "We have no say in how Google uses even our most personal data, and the only way to opt out is to boycott the internet itself," Madrigal said in a statement on Twitter. "We can't rely on tech giants to self-regulate. It is past time for Congress to step in and do its job." Tweet At the hearing Tuesday, Pichai fielded questions from representatives ranging from how Google filters search results and controls for bias to how Google manages misinformation on its platforms. Subscribe to CNBC on YouTube. Haydee Cruz owes more than $200,000 in student loans Source: Haydee Cruz After Haydee Cruz and her daughter toured Full Sail University in Winter Park, Florida, the two were hooked. Then came the math. To finance four years of tuition and living expenses at the for-profit college, both Cruz and her daughter would have to go into debt. Cruz alone borrowed around $160,000 in "parent PLUS" loans from the government. Repaying that balance has been a challenge for the 63-year-old social worker. She makes around $50,000 a year and the monthly student loan bill is more than $600. Since her payments barely cover the interest on the debt, the amount she owes has ballooned to well over $200,000 today, she said. At this rate, when she's 85, she'll be done with the payments. In the meantime, she's barely able to save for her retirement. "I have nothing that is going to sustain me if I stop working," Cruz said. "This loan governs my life." As college costs rise, more students are hitting the federal student loan limits with a portion of their bill unpaid. Increasingly, their parents are borrowing to make up the difference. Source: Mark Kantrowitz Today, at least 3.4 million people hold so-called parent PLUS loans and they owe nearly $90 billion, according to a new report by the Brookings Institution, a public policy research group. (Those numbers don't capture parents who have consolidated their debt, in which a loan is rolled into a new one.) Parent borrowers took out $16,100 on average in 2014, up from an inflation-adjusted $5,200 in 1990. For comparison, the average undergraduate student borrowed about $7,300 in 2014. Currently, the average parent PLUS balance is $25,600. Some parents take out loans for multiple children, the researchers note, increasing their debt even more. Nearly 9 percent of parents who began repayment in 2014 owed more than $100,000. Dozens of terrorists were neutralized in Russia this year, Federal Security Service (FSB) Director and National Antiterrorism Committee Chairman Alexander Bortnikov said at a Committee meeting. "Russias special services have neutralized 65 militants and detained 36 ringleaders, 236 gunmen and 589 militant accomplices this year," TASS cited him as saying. The FSB Director said that well-coordinated efforts of all agencies involved in the fight against terrorism made it possible to prevent terrorist acts. According to Bortnikov, the Interior Ministry and the FSB Border Service banned more than 10,000 people suspected of being involved in terrorist and extremist activities from entering the country, and also stopped over 60 Russian and foreign nationals from going to conflict zones in the Middle East. Special counsel Robert Mueller (L) arrives at the U.S. Capitol for closed meeting with members of the Senate Judiciary Committee June 21, 2017 in Washington, DC. Lawyers for Paul Manafort, former campaign chairman for President Donald Trump, said on Tuesday they are receiving more information from special counsel Robert Mueller's team about the lies Manafort allegedly told investigators. That could prompt Manafort's lawyers to drop their challenge to Mueller's claim from late November that Manafort broke the terms of his plea deal by lying, journalists reported from the Washington, D.C., federal courtroom. At the time Mueller first made that claim, the defense attorneys argued that Manafort had been truthful. But Manafort's lawyers could not repeat that assertion to Judge Amy Berman Jackson on Tuesday afternoon. Manafort's legal team will decide whether to commit to that challenge in a court filing to the judge due Jan. 7. A pre-sentence hearing has been tentatively set for Jan. 25, and Manafort's sentencing date is scheduled for March 5. Manafort was found guilty in August on eight criminal counts lodged by Mueller in Virginia federal court. On the eve of a second trial in D.C. district court a month later, Manafort pleaded guilty to conspiracy charges related to his work for a pro-Russia political party in Ukraine. That consulting work began years before he joined the Trump campaign. But Mueller rescinded the plea deal in late November, announcing in a joint court filing that Manafort committed "crimes and lies" after signing the deal. Mueller in a court filing Friday offered some details about the lies Manafort allegedly told, though much of the information was redacted. The special counsel added in that document that "if the defendant contends the government has not acted in good faith, the government is available to prove the false statements at a hearing." They said the lies were related to Manafort's contacts with individuals in the Trump administration, contacts with suspected Russian spy Konstantin Kilimnik, and inconsistent information he told Justice Department investigators in another district, among others. Judge Amy Berman Jackson on Monday granted a request from Manafort's legal team to move up the hearing, which was originally scheduled for Wednesday morning. The court appearance was ordered "in lieu of" a written response to Mueller's allegations. NBC News, however, reported Monday that those lawyers are still preparing to file a written submission this week. Manafort is currently in jail in Alexandria, Virginia. He waived his right to appear at the courthouse Tuesday afternoon, citing "the time involved in having the U.S. Marshal Service transport me to and from the courthouse." WATCH: The Trump-Russia ties hiding in plain sight WASHINGTON The Pentagon criticized the recent Russian deployment of warplanes to Venezuela amid the oil-rich nation's economic crisis. Earlier this week, two Russian Tu-160 strategic bombers capable of carrying nuclear weapons landed in Caracas, a move designed to show Moscow's support of President Nicolas Maduro's socialist regime. "The Venezuelan government should be focusing on providing humanitarian assistance and aid to lessen the suffering of its people and not on Russian warplanes," Pentagon spokesman U.S. Army Col. Rob Manning said of the deployment. Venezuela, graced with the world's largest oil reserves, was once the economic envy of South America. The oil-rich nation faces a collapsing economy sparked by government corruption, social unrest and a global commodity bust. Manning then reminded that the U.S. military deployed the hospital ship USNS Comfort to South America earlier this year to provide humanitarian aid to refugees fleeing the desperate conditions. Since its deployment this summer, the Comfort, a vessel transformed from a hulking oil tanker into a 1,000-bed hospital ship, has treated more than 20,000 people along its stops in various Central and South American nations. "The Comfort is currently in Honduras and will continue treating those in need until the ship departs this week," Manning said, before knocking Moscow's actions in the region. "Contrast this with Russia, whose approach to the man-made disaster in Venezuela is to send bomber aircraft instead of humanitarian assistance." Italy's Interior Minister and deputy PM Matteo Salvini (R) and Italy's Labor and Industry Minister and deputy PM Luigi Di Maio gesture during the swearing in ceremony of the new government led by Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte at Quirinale Palace in Rome on June 1, 2018. Italy and the European Commission could be ready to compromise over Italy's 2019 spending plans, according to local Italian media reports. La Repubblica newspaper reported Tuesday that the European Commission is willing to accept an increase in Italy's deficit target to 1.95 percent for next year. Meanwhile, it said that Italy's Finance Minister Giovanni Tria was ready to target a budget deficit of 2 percent for 2019. Although not an agreement over the budget deficit targeted by Italy in 2019, the report suggests that both sides are willing to compromise after Italy's spending plans put it on a collision course with Brussels. Tweet Matteo Salvini and Luigi Di Maio, the leaders of the Lega party and Five Star Movement respectively, formed a coalition government in May and produced controversial 2019 spending plans that envisage the introduction of a basic income (called a "citizen's income") for the poor, a lower retirement age and a proposed flat tax rate. The 2019 budget had envisaged a deficit of 2.4 percent in 2019 as a result and while this is within the official EU limit of 3 percent, Brussels rejected the budget. It said that it goes against EU rules that states should work towards lowering their budget deficits (Italy's previous government had already agreed to a lower budget deficit of 0.8 percent) and debt piles (Italy has the second highest debt pile in the euro zone of 133 percent of GDP). The commission started what's known as an "excessive deficit procedure" against Italy and said the government needs to amend its spending plans if it wants to avoid sanctions, including a possible fine and reduced EU funds. Italy's Finance Minister Giovanni Tria is pushing the government to reduce its deficit target to 2.0 percent, to find a compromise with Brussels, La Repubblica said, Reuters reported. There has been resistance from the Deputy Prime Ministers Matteo Salvini and Luigi Di Maio to amend their spending plans, however. Il Messagero newspaper reported Tuesday that time is running out for the Italian government to respond to the EU's rejection of its budget, saying it has until Wednesday -- when Italy's Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte is due to meet the commission's president Jean-Claude Juncker -- to produce "concrete proposals" that correct the budget. Tweet Fellow Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera reported Tuesday that Rome and Brussels "are still far apart" and that Juncker was asking for more cuts to spending, of around 10 billion euros, that would have been used towards the proposed citizen's income and pension reform. On Wednesday, December 12, events dedicated to memory of the national leader of Azerbaijan Heydar Aliyev will be held. It has been 15 years since he passed away, but to this day his memory is honored in Russia. On this occasion, the Embassy of the Republic of Azerbaijan in Russia gathered people who knew Heydar Aliyev personally for a memorial evening. His friends and colleagues, representatives of creative intelligentsia, prominent political and public figures came to this events to honor his memory. Azerbaijani Ambassador to Russia Polad Bulbuloglu thanked participants of the event for coming. "People who knew Heydar Aliyev personally and met him many times are here today... And I'm very grateful that there are people here who came to the embassy for all these 15 years. These 15 years flew by very quickly. It's hard to believe that Heydar Aliyev left us 15 years ago," he said. Polad Bulbuloglu noted that he's proud that Heydar Aliyev had only two ministers of culture, one of which was current ambassador of Azerbaijan to the Russian Federation. "In Soviet times, there was Zakir Bagirov, and ever since Azerbaijan gained its sovereignty I worked under him. And it was a pretty difficult time, because after the collapse of the Soviet Union, when the republic had to deal with aggression of a neighboring country, establish contacts, including international contacts, under his direct supervision, everything possible was done to make Azerbaijan a prosperous country," he stressed. "His son learned a lot from his father. Brilliant memory, ability to speak in public without looking at notes, always remember numbers, facts, which are very complicated sometimes. Ilham Aliyev learned all of this from his great father. He has been leading the country to prosperity for 15 years, and today Azerbaijan has very important place on the political map of the world," Polad Bulbuloglu said. Head of the North Caucasus Affairs Ministry, Sergey Chebotaryov, noted that for many years, he and his colleagues consider it an honor to come to come to the Azerbaijani embassy twice a year, in May and December, to celebrate Heydar Aliyev's birthday and honor his memory. "It's a great honor for me celebrate life of this great politician, extraordinary person, to talk about what he did and make people remember him not only in Azerbaijan, but also in Russia." he said. "In the most difficult years for Azerbaijan, Heydar Aliyevich took responsibility and decided to lead his country. Heydar Aliyevich mobilized people of Azerbaijan, determined strategic priorities, which were necessary for the development of the republic. Today his republic is flourishing, and he is one of the main reasons why this happened," he noted. According to chairman of the CIS executive committee, Sergey Lebedev, he had several opportunities to meet Heydar Aliyev, both in Baku and in Moscow. "As chairman of the CIS executive committee, I'm happy to tell that he is honored in the CIS space. In Russia, representatives of the Azerbaijani diaspora, embassies of the CIS countries gather to remember him twice a year, in May and December. And not only Azerbaijani people do that. He was famous and great statesman, who was respected in the Soviet Union," Sergey Lebedev noted. He deserves great respect. We know that he was a member of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party, participate in important events under auspices of the government of the Soviet Union. That's why I only hear good things about him from those who knew him and those who heard about him," he said. Mikhail Shvydkoy, special representative of Russia's President on international cultural cooperation, noted that Heydar Aliyev's death was a tragedy not only for the people of Azerbaijan, but also for all who knew him in Russia and other countries that emerged in the post-Soviet space, since Heydar Aliyev wasn't just a figure of the republican scale, he loved his homeland and did everything to preserve its place in history. "He was a man who determined policy of a large country, the Soviet Union. Of course, we all remember how much he did when he held posts in the federal government and in the party, where he was one of the most prominent members. But above all else he was a man who saved Azerbaijan. During tragic times when the country was on the verge of split and civil war, he brought managed to restore it and improve every aspect of the country's life," Mikhail Shvydkoy stressed. Moscow City Duma Chairman, Alexei Shaposhnikov, said that strong and friendly relations always existed between Moscow and Baku. "I'm sure that they will remain the same in the near strategic future, they will develop and strengthen. We see this in cooperatopm of federal authorities, implementation of various investment and economic projects. That's why I believe that Russia and Azerbaijan, Moscow and Baku are close strategic partners. And this strategic partnership will last forever," he stressed. Shaposhnikov added that Moscow and Baku often organize events to promote each other. "Moscow holds days of culture in various cities, and those events will also be held in Baku in the near future. I think that Baku residents will be happy to see what's happening in Moscow now, see how it has changed over the past few years," he noted. Satellite analytics company Spire Global is the first in the world to partner with the European Space Agency to use the European Union's Galileo constellation to gather advanced weather data, the company told CNBC exclusively on Tuesday. The data is worth as much as $2.7 billion over the next 25 years to Spire, CEO Peter Platzer estimated. Platzer will announce the partnership officially on Tuesday afternoon at Morgan Stanley's Space Summit in New York City. Two of Spire's recently launched satellites used signals from the Galileo satellite constellation to measure changes in the Earth's atmosphere through a technique called "radio occultation." This previously untapped data will give Spire's analytics business a "new tier of data for advanced weather prediction," the company said. Spire has built and launched more than 60 "cubesat"-sized satellites since 2014. But Spire describes itself as an analytics company, as a variety of industries use Spire's data, ranging from hedge funds to earth scientists to shipping businesses. The company has raised more than $140 million in total funding since its founding in 2012, with offices in San Francisco, Boulder, Glasgow, Luxembourg and Singapore. Supporters of the tariffs imposed by the Trump administration on steel and aluminum are making the case that they have worked as intended, without the huge job losses opponents had predicted. "We found absolutely no evidence of broad, negative impacts on the economy of steel and aluminum tariffs to date," said Robert E. Scott, senior economist at the Economic Policy Institute, who authored the report with support of the U.S. aluminum company Century Aluminum. Ten percent tariffs on aluminum were announced in March. Since then, the institute note, three smelters have being restarted and one has announced a capacity expansion. It said the U.S. aluminum companies have added about 300 jobs, and companies that process aluminum into finished products have expanded, generating $3.3 billion in investments that could employ 2,000 more workers. Overall, U.S. manufacturing has added more than 200,000 jobs since just before the tariffs were put in place, according to the Labor Department's November jobs report last week. Tariffs collected on aluminum products increased by $124 million in October, despite a 4 percent decline in the value of imports, according to data released by Tariffs Hurt the Heartland and compiled by The Trade Partnership. But the full effect of the higher costs and disrupted supply chains are still working their way through the economy, "It's very easy to say 'Ah, ha, these haven't happened yet.' The last thing anyone wants to do is lay off workers," said Dan Anthony, vice president at The Trade Partnership, an economic consulting firm that has done several studies of tariff impacts. Pressure is growing for the administration to lift the tariffs on U.S. allies. In announcing its support for the USMCA trade agreement reached this year by the United States, Mexico and Canada, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce called for steel and aluminum tariffs to be removed. "These tariffs imposed on our partners as a negotiating tactic have invited $15 billion in counter-tariffs on U.S. agricultural and manufactured goods," U.S. Chamber President and CEO Thomas Donohue said in a statement. "They must be eliminated without delay." But supporters say there should be a period of time to verify that products are no longer sold here at artificially low subsidized prices. "There are some important national security considerations," said former Sen. Evan Bayh, D-Ind., who is working with the American Primary Aluminum Association. "I don't think we ever want to be in a position where we have products that are essential to the United States military that are made from aluminum or steel entirely outsourced through foreign producers, that would put us at their mercy in time of conflict." Critics say there has been little evidence the tariffs are affecting overcapacity in China, which continues to subsidize its aluminum industry. Even supporters are concerned the blanket tariff approach may not be the most effective action. "The remaining problem in the industry is this massive excess capacity based in China, and unfortunately, the way the tariffs are structured, they didn't really address that issue head-on," said Scott. SuperMicro is trying to claw back its reputation after a widely disputed Bloomberg Businessweek article that said the California-based hardware company had allowed Chinese government microchips meant for spying onto their motherboards. The company's stock tumbled by more than 40% on Oct. 4 and has still not fully recovered to levels before the article came out. On Tuesday, SuperMicro remained down 23% from levels prior to the story. Company CEO Charles Liang said Tuesday SuperMicro used a "leading" third-party testing firm to test a "representative sample" of motherboards, including the boards depicted in the article and newer models. The testing showed the boards did not have malicious hardware added, he said. The company did not name the vendor that conducted the test, and did not respond to a request for comment on the vendor. However, Reuters reported that Nardello & Company conducted the review. "As we have stated repeatedly since these allegations were reported, no government agency has ever informed us that it has found malicious hardware on our products; no customer has ever informed us that it found malicious hardware on our products; and we have never seen any evidence of malicious hardware on our products," he wrote. The Businessweek article said Chinese Army-linked infiltrators put chips into motherboards bound for U.S. companies, including Apple and Amazon that were meant to be used for unknown spying purposes. The story also said the chips sparked a years-long investigation that is still ongoing. SuperMicro has filed statements with the Security and Exchange Commission denying the claims. Apple and Amazon have strongly disputed the story. Apple CEO Tim Cook said last month the piece is a "a 100% lie." Government representatives for the Department of Homeland Security, National Security Agency and Britain's National Cyber Security Centre have also either disputed the story or said they had no reason to doubt the companies. Bloomberg has continued to stand by the story, saying of the piece that the investigation "is the result of more than a year of reporting, during which we conducted more than 100 interviews. Seventeen individual sources, including government officials and insiders at the companies, confirmed the manipulation of hardware and other elements of the attacks." The Washington Post reported that Bloomberg is continuing to investigate the story. Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk arrives at 'Revenge Of The Electric Car' Premiere held at Landmark Nuart Theatre on October 21, 2011 in Los Angeles, California. Tesla is seeking more than $167 million in a lawsuit against former employee Martin Tripp, recent legal filings revealed. In the lawsuit, which was filed by the electric car maker in June, Tesla alleges that Tripp, a former process engineer, had illegally exported data and made false claims to reporters, among other things. Tripp had earlier claimed in a number of press interviews that Tesla engaged in poor manufacturing practices at its massive battery plant outside of Reno, Nevada, and that it may have used damaged battery modules in its Model 3 vehicles, posing a risk to drivers. An interim case management report published on Nov. 27 reveals that Tripp's attorneys aim to depose Tesla CEO Elon Musk and more than 10 people involved with the company. Tesla has refused to make Musk available and sought to limit the number of people deposed by Tripp's defense team at the law firm Tiffany & Bosco. Thailand will hold a much-delayed general election on Feb. 24, pending the lifting of a ban on political activity by the junta in Bangkok by January, the Election Commission said on Tuesday. The junta imposed a strict ban on political activity after it took power in 2014, citing the need to impose order after months of street protests against the democratically elected government of former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra. "The Election Commission has set February 24, 2019, as election day," Deputy Election Commission Secretary-General Nat Laosisawakul told reporters. "On the lifting of the political ban, this will depend on the government," Nat said. The election, which many hope will restore democracy in Southeast Asia's second-biggest economy, will likely pit the populist political movement backed by former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and supported by many in rural areas against the military and royalist establishment. The Bangkok-based establishment seized power in successive coups in 2006 and 2014 and now has its own proxy political parties. The military government has repeatedly pushed back the general election but said last week the ban on political activities would likely be lifted later this month and that political parties would be able to start campaigning in early January. Time magazine has named "The Guardians" killed and imprisoned journalists as Person of the Year for 2018. The publication explained that these individuals were chosen "for taking great risks in pursuit of greater truths, for the imperfect but essential quest for facts, for speaking up and for speaking out." Four different Time covers were released Tuesday, all featuring journalists from across the globe. Among them is Jamal Khashoggi, who was killed in the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul in October. President Donald Trump released a statement commenting on Khashoggi's killing in November, saying that the United States would stand with Saudi Arabia despite Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman being accused of ordering the killing. Saudi officials have denied the crown prince had any involvement. The other covers feature the staff members of The Capital Gazette in Annapolis, Maryland, where in June a gunman opened fire using a shotgun, killing four journalists and a member of the paper's sales team. The suspect, Jarrod Ramos, has pleaded not guilty in the case. Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo are also featured on one of the covers. The Reuters journalists are currently incarcerated in Myanmar where they were sentenced to seven years in prison. They had been working on an extensive investigative story that looked into the massacre of Rohingya Muslims. The government accused them of breaking a state secrets law. The journalists had pleaded not guilty. Maria Ressa is featured as well. Ressa, a former CNN bureau chief and the editor of Rappler, a Philippine news website that was known for criticizing the country's government, was arrested on charges that she claims are politically motivated. She later posted bail. The government charged Ressa and Rappler with tax fraud. They have denied the accusations. According to the Committee to Protect Journalists, there were 262 documented journalists behind bars around the world in 2017. These four Time covers also come in light of the age of "fake news" and increased hostility between government and the press worldwide. WATCH: Trump's fight against 'fake news' has been a boon for media companies President Donald Trump (L) shakes hand with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the end of a press conference at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on November 9, 2017. A new round of high-level talks and some potential giveback on tariffs by China was a bright spot in the U.S.-China trade war, but strategists say the peace could be fleeting and the situation could get worse before it gets better. U.S. officials spoke by phone with their Chinese counterparts, and President Donald Trump said in a tweet Tuesday that things are going well, with "Very productive conversations." He also said he expects some important announcements. This is the first sign of progress on trade since Trump met with China President Xi Jinping after the G-20 summit meeting in Buenos Aires earlier this month. "There has to be structural reforms, and the Chinese are indicating they're willing to make those structural reforms, which means they're willing to make a deal," said Dan Clifton, head of policy research at Strategas. "They're worried about their supply chain. They're worried about their growth rate. The market didn't believe they wanted to do a deal seven days ago, but now we're seeing both sides want a deal...There's always going to be hiccups." tweet Stocks got a lift early Tuesday on the prospect that talks would be .productive, but the move was fleeting, and it's clear that the stock market is sensitive to developments related to trade progress. China's Vice Premier Liu He reportedly spoke with Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer. In Buenos Aires, Trump and Xi agreed to hold off on new tariffs and agreed to talk for 90 days. About half the recent stock market sell off is because of the trade conflict, said Ethan Harris, head of global economic research at Bank of America Merrill Lynch. "Farmers have been upset for a while. It probably did hurt Republicans in the midterms. The trade war is starting to show some cost to the U.S. Whats' missing so far is because tariffs aren't really that big they haven't really begun to hit the U.S. consumer." Economists have said the uncertainty of the 90-day period could result in some businesses holding off spending, until they see whether there's a deal by March 1, or if not, a wave of new tariffs. Strategists do expect to ultimately see a positive outcome, whether it' s in three months or six months, because a victory on trade would be important to both sides. The talks were followed by reports Tuesday that China would make some purchases of U.S. soy beans and would roll back tariffs to an original 15 percent from 40 percent on autos imported from the U.S. The Trump administration's Agriculture Department announced its final plans this month to roll back certain regulations from the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act. The main takeaway: less whole grains and more salty foods. The new rules will loosen nutrition guidelines on flavored milk, whole grains and sodium in nearly 99,000 schools across the country. Lunchrooms will be able to serve low-fat flavored milk, as opposed to only non-fat flavored milks. And schools won't have to lower their sodium levels as quickly as required under the Obama-era Healthy and Hunger-Free Kids Act. Under the old rules, schools had to serve only "whole grain-rich" foods unless they applied for a waiver. That meant the items needed to be made of at least 50 percent whole grains. Now, only half of kids' weekly grain intake will be required to be "whole grain-rich." That could open up school cafeterias to serve things like white bread and flour tortillas. While nutrition advocates note that much of the 2010 law remains in place, they say the relaxed guidelines are a step in the wrong direction. "Increasing whole grains and limiting sodium are important goals, and it's frustrating that the progress we have seen in recent years will now come to a screeching halt," said Marlene Schwartz, director of the Rudd Center for Obesity & Food Policy. The new rules were first announced in May 2017, and will go into effect by July 2019. School lunches haven't always been political. In fact, they started as charity. Along the way, the National School Lunch Program became the focus of lobbying efforts and corporate influence. Check out the video above for a history of school lunches in America, and the money behind the politics. RELATED: Why poor education is the biggest long-term threat to the U.S. economy, according to Richard Fisher President Donald Trump, U.S. President Donald Trump's national security adviser John Bolton, U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin attend a working dinner with Chinese President Xi Jinping after the G20 leaders summit in Buenos Aires, Argentina December 1, 2018. Multiple arms of the Trump administration are preparing to condemn China this week for allegedly stealing U.S. trade secrets and technologies, according to a new report. The Washington Post, citing U.S. officials, reported Tuesday that President Donald Trump's Department of Justice is also expected to announce charges against multiple alleged hackers thought to be working for a Chinese intelligence service. Additionally, the administration plans to disclose classified information about breaches of U.S. networks and sanction some of the people deemed responsible. The punitive measures come less than a week after the arrest in Canada of Meng Wanzhou, the chief financial officer of Chinese tech giant Huawei. China strongly opposed the arrest of Meng, who currently faces extradition to the U.S. Her arrest is reportedly related to violations of U.S. sanctions. President Donald Trump on Tuesday hinted at "important announcements" regarding his administration's high-stakes trade talks with China. "Very productive conversations going on with China! Watch for some important announcements!" the president tweeted. TRUMP TWEET Trump's optimistic tweet came soon after Bloomberg News reported that China's government would consider slashing tariffs on U.S. car imports to 15 percent from 40 percent. Auto stocks jumped on the news in premarket trading. Overall, stocks pointed to a higher open as markets looked to bounce back from last week's rout. Trump tweeted last week that China had agreed to slash the tariffs, although the Chinese government did not confirm or deny it at the time. In July, China cut tariffs on auto imports to 15 percent from 25 percent, but then soon hiked duties on U.S.-made cars to 40 percent as retaliation for the Trump administration's aggressive trade moves. Other signs of potential progress emerged Tuesday. According to The Wall Street Journal, which cited Chinese officials, Chinese President Xi Jinping has told senior members of his government to follow through on his recent agreement with Trump. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer are the main U.S. negotiators in calls with Chinese negotiators. The U.S. and China have restarted trade negotiations after Trump and Xi reached a truce in their nations' escalating trade war. The two leaders spoke during a working dinner at the G-20 summit in Argentina on Dec. 1. As part of the truce, the U.S. and China agreed to a 90-day window to negotiate some significant sticking points between the world's two largest economies. As part of the interim agreement, Trump said he would hold off on boosting tariffs on $200 billion in Chinese goods to 25 percent from 10 percent. Trump's tweet Tuesday also came during the battle over a Chinese executive who was arrested in Canada, the same day Trump and Xi dined in Argentina, and faces extradition to the United States. Meng Wanzhou, CFO of Chinese telecom giant Huawei, is being held by Canadian authorities in a case related to the company's alleged sale of equipment containing U.S. components to Iran in violation of international sanctions on the Islamic Republic. There are concerns that the Huawei case could upset the delicate but broad trade talks between the U.S. and China, although the renewed talks and Trump's claims indicate it has yet to disrupt the negotiations. Russian President Vladimir Putin and German Chancellor Angela Merkel held the phone talks, the Kremlin press service reported. "The leaders continued the discussion of the situation that occurred as a result of the violation of the Russian state border by the Ukrainian ships on November 25. They expressed mutual interest in preventing the escalation of tensions in the Azov-Black Sea area and in resolving problems caused by provocative actions by the Ukrainian authorities," the press service said in a statement. In addition, Putin and Merkel touched upon the subject of the Syrian conflict, stressing the priority nature of the tasks to promote the inter-Syrian dialogue and the formation of the Constitutional Committee, according to the statement. The leaders also exchanged views on the situation in the area of strategic security in light of Washington's plans to withdraw from the INF Treaty. They agreed to continue contacts at various levels. The U.K. government has announced 100 million ($126.11 million) of extra funding for renewable energy projects in Africa. The money will be used to support the Renewable Energy Performance Platform (REPP), which was set up in 2015 and supported by 48 million in initial funding from the U.K. The REPP's broad goal is to "catalyze the growth" of the renewable energy sector in sub-Saharan Africa by helping developers to "overcome barriers to finance." The program currently backs 18 renewable energy projects in countries such as Tanzania, Burundi, Nigeria and Kenya. These schemes support everything from solar, wind and biomass to hydro and geothermal. The U.K. has made a commitment to invest 5.8 billion in international climate finance by the year 2020. The new tranche of funding, announced Tuesday, will assist up to 40 new renewable energy schemes in sub-Saharan Africa over the next five years, the government said. "This 100 million will help communities harness the power of their natural resources to provide hundreds of thousands of people with electricity for the first time," Claire Perry, the Energy and Clean Growth minister, said in a statement. "Building these clean, reliable sources of energy will also create thousands of quality jobs in these growing green economies," Perry added. Tthe President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker embraces the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Theresa May on June 28, 2018 in Brussels, Belgium. Prime Minister Theresa May has embarked on another European tour to seek more flexibility from the continent's leaders over her draft Brexit deal May decided to postpone a U.K. parliamentary vote on the Withdrawal Agreement, a 585 page-document that she put together with the other 27 European countries and which outlines how the U.K. should leave the EU in March. However the U.K. government suddenly pulled the vote, originally due to happen on Tuesday night, after it became clear that May was heading for a heavy defeat. Now she is travelling to the Netherlands, Germany and Brussels on Tuesday in an attempt to get a few more concessions from the European side. However, even though the other 27 governments want to help May to get the deal approved in the U.K. parliament, there is no willingness to change such agreement. "The deal we have achieved is the best deal possible, it is the only deal possible," Jean-Claude Juncker, President of the European Commission said Tuesday. "There is no room whatsoever for renegotiation," Juncker told EU lawmakers, adding that there is however room to "give further clarification" on what the deal actually says. Rome, Berlin and Paris have also echoed a similar stance. "I cannot imagine where we could change something substantial in the withdrawal agreement," Germany's EU affairs minister Michael Roth said Tuesday in Brussels. "It is so sad, it is a really, really sad situation not just for the people in the United Kingdom, but also for us in the EU 27." France's Europe minister Nathalie Loiseau also said: "We've done a lot to help the U.K." "This withdrawal agreement is the only possible agreement" and "we've done a lot of concessions to reach it." And in Rome, the Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said European countries neow needed to prepare for the worst outcome. "We need to underline the need for Britain to depart from the European Union in an orderly fashion," Conte told parliament before adding, "We will continue to work with our European partners to prepare for the little-hoped-for scenario of an exit without a deal." President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping during dinner at in West Palm Beach, Florida, on April 6, 2017. China and the United States discussed the road map for the next stage of their trade talks on Tuesday, during a telephone call between Chinese Vice Premier Liu He and U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer. Earlier this month in Argentina, U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed to a truce that delayed the planned Jan. 1 U.S. hike of tariffs to 25 percent from 10 percent on $200 billion of Chinese goods. Lighthizer said on Sunday that unless U.S.-China trade talks wrapped up successfully by March 1, new tariffs would be imposed, clarifying there was a "hard deadline" after a week of seeming confusion among Trump and his advisers. China's commerce ministry said in a statement Liu had spoken to Mnuchin and Lighthizer on Tuesday morning, Beijing time, on a pre-arranged telephone call. "Both sides exchanged views on putting into effect the consensus reached by the two countries' leaders at their meeting, and pushing forward the timetable and roadmap for the next stage of economic and trade consultations work," the ministry said. It did not elaborate. A U.S. Treasury spokesman confirmed that the call with Liu took place, but offered no further details. The U.S. Trade Representative's office did not immediately respond to a query about the call. The Wall Street Journal, citing people familiar with the issue, said Liu planned to go to Washington after the new year. The Harvard-educated Liu, Xi's top economic adviser, is leading the talks on the Chinese side. In comments reported separately by China's Foreign Ministry, the government's top diplomat, State Councillor Wang Yi, said if China and the United States cooperated, it would benefit the whole world. "If China and the United States are antagonistic, then there are no winners, and it will hurt the whole world," Wang told a forum. The United States should look at China's development in a more positive light, and constantly look to "expand the space and prospects for mutual benefit", he said. Global markets are jittery about a growing clash between the world's two largest economic powers over China's huge trade surplus with the United States and Washington's claims that Beijing is stealing intellectual property and technology. The arrest of a top executive at China's Huawei Technologies has also roiled global markets amid fears that it could further inflame the China-U.S. trade row. WATCH: Twelve US execs explain how Trump's trade war affects their bottom lines Miquel Benitez | Getty Images The United States is pushing its allies to shut out Chinese tech giant Huawei's 5G networks due to national security concerns as the high-speed technology is set to play a critical role in the 21st century, a Eurasia Group expert said Tuesday. Japan, Washington's close ally, will reportedly stop buying Huawei and ZTE network equipment for government offices and its military forces. Huawei has also been excluded from providing technology for the core 5G network that's being developed by U.K. telecoms firm BT. Australia and New Zealand have also banned Huawei from participating in building their 5G networks the next generation of mobile technology expected to revolutionize the interaction of internet-connected devices and appliances. "This is part of a concerted strategy on the part of the United States to pressure allies, western countries and other like-minded allies not to include Chinese 5G equipment in their next generation networks," Kevin Allison, director of geo-technology at risk consultancy Eurasia Group, said Tuesday on CNBC's "Squawk Box." Allison said that 5G technology is a "geopolitically consequential network upgrade" that represents a new level of innovation with major implications for a number of sectors including driverless vehicles, smart cities, advanced factories and artificial intelligence. Such technologies "are really going to set the tone for the rest of the 21st century," he said, citing intense competition in areas such as the race for faster economic growth and stronger militaries. The U.S. approach to box in Huawei is also a factor in its broader conflict with China over trade, Allison said. Complicating the tariff conflict is Canada's arrest on Dec. 1 of Meng Wanzhou, Huawei's chief financial officer and daughter of company founder Ren Zhengfei, for alleged violation of U.S. sanctions against Iran. The U.S. is seeking her extradition and hearings are ongoing in Vancouver. China has strongly criticized the treatment of Meng and summoned the ambassadors of both Canada and the U.S. to complain. Huawei, in a letter to its suppliers released late Thursday, said that it "strictly complies with all applicable laws and regulations in our global business operations" and added it "is not aware of any wrongdoing (by Meng)." Allison predicted that the U.S. effort will result in "a split between a 5G network that is built with Chinese technology in some countries, and networks that are built to be free of Chinese technology in other countries." That echoes the view of former Google top executive Eric Schmidt who said earlier this year that within the next decade there will be two separate internets: one led by the U.S. and the other by China. Certainly there's no more important role for a government than to look after national security but it's also important to pursue these commercial issues in the context of a rules based environment. Josh Kallmer Information Technology Industry Council Key vendors in the 5G network business besides Huawei and fellow Chinese company ZTE include Sweden's Ericsson, Finland's Nokia, South Korea's Samsung, Japan's NEC and Fujitsu, as well as Intel, Qualcomm and Cisco of the United States, according to a Eurasia Group report in November. Sometimes the scope of the strikeout matters. When Verizon acquired Yahoo for $4.8 billion in 2016 after spending $4.4 billion for AOL a year earlier, investors and analysts were skeptical. It turns out they were right to be. Verizon announced Tuesday it was writing off $4.6 billion from those two deals, erasing nearly half of the companies' combined value. At the time, Verizon weathered criticism about not only buying past-the-prime assets but also being too cautious with its acquisition strategy. Its primary competitor, AT&T, had just agreed to spend $133.5 billion ($175 billion with debt) on DirecTV and Time Warner, firmly planting its media flag. Yahoo and AOL seemed like a meek response. In hindsight, Verizon's inaction may have been its best action. Some felt it would be impossible for a combined AOL and Yahoo, which were renamed Oath, to have the scale to take on Google and Facebook in the digital ad market. That criticism has proven to be correct. Oath's U.S. digital advertising market share fell from 4.1 percent in 2017 to 3.3 percent in 2018 and is on pace to fall below 3 percent in 2019 and 2020, according to research firm eMarketer. "Verizon's Media business, branded Oath, has experienced increased competitive and market pressures throughout 2018 that have resulted in lower than expected revenues and earnings," Verizon said in a filing Tuesday. "These pressures are expected to continue and have resulted in a loss of market positioning to our competitors in the digital advertising business." But Verizon has won points from investors for failing small instead of failing big. AT&T has likely destroyed about half the value from its $49 billion DirecTV deal, according to Craig Moffett, an analyst at MoffettNathanson, who has covered the telecom industry for more than two decades. And now AT&T must prove it didn't make another mistake buying Time Warner "at the top of the market," Moffett said. AT&T paid $107.50 per share for Time Warner in Oct. 2016, about a 40 percent premium to where Time Warner traded before Bloomberg News broke the story that the companies were in talks. So far, investors have applauded Verizon's renewed focus on expanding its 5G network rather than paying huge dollars to enter the pay-TV business. Verizon shares have gained more than 12 percent in the last 52 weeks. AT&T, on the other hand, is down 19 percent. Even Tuesday, when Verizon announced its writedown, shares were up about 1 percent to about $59. Criticism about being too gun-shy to enter the media business has turned to praise for only dipping a toe in the water. US dollar bill notes Francis Dean | Corbis | Getty Images The corporate debt scaring policy experts like former Fed Chair Janet Yellen isn't throwing too much of a fright into market participants. In fact, some of them are continuing to load up on lower-grade corporate debt because it's managed to be a better performer than some of the investments considered to be safer. "Offense is the best defense," Hans Mikkelsen, credit strategist at Bank of America Merrill Lynch, told clients in a note pointing out that BBB-rated companies are outperforming their A-rated counterparts. BBB is the last rung before junk, and the increasing level of company bonds going to that level is causing concern. Some investors worry that the companies whose debt is in danger of slipping into high-yield territory will have trouble meeting their obligations during the next economic downturn. But Mikkelsen thinks those concerns are misplaced. The S&P 500 Triple-B investment-grade corporate bond index is down 2.9 percent year to date, which is not good. However, the group is outperforming the broader S&P 500/MarketAxess Investment Grade Corporate Bond Index, which is off 3.5 percent in 2018. The outperformance grows when isolating for risk-adjusted excess returns and runs counter to history when credit spreads are widening. Higher-quality bonds usually outperform in those cases, Mikkelsen noted. "This outperformance of BBBs is noteworthy as one of [the] key investor concerns this year remains the possibility that large BBB-rated capital structures get downgraded to high yield during the next downturn," Mikkelsen wrote. "We think this outperformance reflects in part a low recession probability being priced into credit spreads, as well as the fact that most large BBBs are unlikely to get downgraded to [high-yield] anytime soon as they tend to have stable cash flows and significant financial flexibility." One of the reasons he cited for the unexpected outperformance was that the "US economy is strong and credit fundamentals are improving" while negative technical signals are sprouting up elsewhere. Merrill Lynch recommends investors use BBB debt as part of a "barbell" portfolio, combined with Treasurys, as counterweights to safe but underperforming A-rated debt. Yellen sees 'lots of bankruptcies' Yellen, though, warned Monday that companies are taking on too much debt and could be in trouble should some unexpected trouble hit the economy or markets. "Corporate indebtedness is now quite high and I think it's a danger that if there's something else that causes a downturn, that high levels of corporate leverage could prolong the downturn and lead to lots of bankruptcies in the non-financial corporate sector," the former central bank leader said during an event at CUNY in New York. Yellen also warned that the debt is being held in instruments similar to ones used to bundle subprime mortgages that led to the financial crisis a decade ago. Indeed, corporate debt has been swelling. The investment-grade part of the bond market stood at $3.8 trillion at the end of October, a 6 percent rise from the same period a year ago, according to Fitch Ratings. BBB-rated bonds accounted for 58 percent of that total, up from 55 percent in 2017. At the same time, though, bond defaults actually are expected to decline. Moody's Investors Service forecasts that default levels on corporate debt will decline in 2019 to 2.3 percent from 3.2 percent this year. "Our positive outlook for North American non-financial companies reflects meaningful, albeit decelerating, GDP growth in US and G-20 countries in 2019, and robust growth in emerging markets," said Bill Wolfe, Moody's senior vice president. "Good liquidity and low refinancing risk support a declining default rate, and exposure to gradually rising interest rates will generally be manageable." In addition to Yellen's warnings, current Fed officials also recently noted that leveraged loans, which are issued to already indebted companies, pose a significant risk. But that part of the market has been performing extraordinarily well this year. The Markit iBoxx USD Leveraged Loans index has returned 1.98 percent year to date, while the Liquid Leveraged Loan Index is up 1.2 percent. Average bid prices from banks issuing the loans also has risen, up 3.37 percent for the U.S. and 15.4 percent in Asia. By way of comparison, the S&P 500 is down more than 1 percent and the Bloomberg Barclays US Aggregate Bond index has seen a total return loss of 1.8 percent. Outflows are rising Former Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen told a New York audience she fears there could be another financial crisis because banking regulators have seen reductions in their authority to address panics and because of the current push to deregulate. "I think things have improved, but then I think there are gigantic holes in the system," Yellen said Monday night in a discussion moderated by New York Times columnist Paul Krugman at CUNY. "The tools that are available to deal with emerging problems are not great in the United States." Yellen cited leverage loans as an area of concern, something also mentioned by the current Fed leadership. She said regulators can only address such problems at individual banks not throughout the financial system. The former fed chair, now a scholar at the Brookings Institution, said there remains an agenda of unfinished regulation. "I'm not sure we're working on those things in the way we should, and then there remain holes, and then there's regulatory pushback. So I do worry that we could have another financial crisis.'' In the wake of the financial crisis, some agency regulatory powers were vastly expanded, but others, for example, the ability of the Fed to lend to an individual company in a crisis, were curtailed. Current Fed officials have pushed back against criticism that their reforms are making the system riskier, saying they are making the system more efficient. Speaking in London in June 2017, shortly after leaving office, Yellen had said she did not believe there would be another financial crisis in our lifetimes because of financial reforms. However, she did warn at the time about the deregulatory efforts just then underway. WATCH: The Next Recession: Europe could 'infect us' says former Dallas Fed president Richard Fisher Huthi rebel fighters inspect the damage after a reported air strike carried out by the Saudi-led coalition targeted the presidential palace in the Yemeni capital Sanaa on December 5, 2017. Mohammad Huwais | AFP | Getty Images The U.S. Senate plans a vote on Yemen this week, and not everyone in Washington is happy about it. The State Department reiterated its frustration Sunday with Senate moves to cut U.S. support for the Saudi-led offensive in Yemen, where more than three years of civil war and external intervention have created what the United Nations says is the world's worst humanitarian crisis. Speaking at the UAE security forum in Abu Dhabi, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Gulf Affairs Timothy Lenderking expressed his concern over the Senate vote, which is due this week. The vote represents an unprecedented effort to invoke Congress's war powers to end U.S. activity that was started under the Obama administration without the authorization of Congress. "Obviously there are pressures in our system to either withdraw from the conflict or discontinue our support of the coalition, which we are strongly opposed to on the administration side," Lenderking said. "We do believe that the support for the coalition is necessary. It sends a wrong message if we discontinue our support." If the U.S. stops supplying munitions I would expect Saudi Arabia to increase purchases from Britain and France, and to look for more Chinese and Russian systems... Jack Watling research fellow for land warfare, Royal United Services Institute The message Lenderking and his White House counterparts fear is one they say would empower Iran, Saudi Arabia's regional arch-rival and the backer of Yemen's Houthi rebels, who took over the country's capital of Sanaa in late 2014. Weakening Iran, which the administration accuses of malign and destabilizing activity across the Middle East from Syria and Yemen to Lebanon and Iraq, is a pillar of U.S. President Donald Trump's foreign policy. The bipartisan resolution, sponsored by Mike Lee (R-Utah) and Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), calls for ending U.S. refueling of Saudi fighter jets and withdrawing U.S. military presence from the area, among other demands. Support for ending involvement in Yemen, which has gained ground in recent months, is at an all-time high amid anger over the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, which lawmakers and U.S. intelligence believe was directed by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Saudi officials did not immediately respond to CNBC's request for comment. USA 'will bear responsibility' The Trump administration, which sees Saudi Arabia as vital to its Middle East strategy, says supporting the predominantly Saudi and Emirati coalition is crucial to containing Iran and achieving an end to the war. Yemeni government officials and Houthi representatives are currently in Sweden for fragile U.N.-brokered peace talks, all previous efforts of which have collapsed. But mounting international criticism over protracted fighting that has killed tens of thousands and pushed some 14 million Yemenis to the brink of starvation is putting more pressure on the administration than ever before. In a strongly-worded statement last week, the heads of five international aid organizations wrote that "if it does not cease its military support for the Saudi/UAE coalition, the United States, too, will bear responsibility for what may be the largest famine in decades." In November, 14 Senate Republicans joined all the chamber's Democrats to advance the Sanders-Lee resolution. "Our involvement in this terrible war is one thing that engenders more terrorism," Rand Paul (R-Ky.) told NBC on Sunday. "I think it's actually a risk to our national security to be involved with the Saudis." Bruce Riedel, a 29-year CIA veteran and senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, agrees. "A Senate vote to halt U.S. assistance to the Saudi and Emirati war in Yemen by invoking the War Powers Act is long overdue," he told CNBC on Monday. An expert in counter-terrorism, Riedel has advised four presidents on Middle East and South Asian affairs. "While a vote this month would be primarily symbolic," he said, "it will also be an unprecedented step to stop the worst humanitarian catastrophe of our time. Next year the new Congress can take more concrete action to stop the war." 'Potent partisan weapon' Bazaar Corporate Radar | Feb 22, 2021, 12:00 AM IST Bazaar Corporate Radar Bazaar Corporate Radar is your window into the minds of top CEOs, Boardrooms, global economists, fund managers and sector analysts. If it?s making news, you?ll find it on Bazaar Corporate Radar. German Chancellor Angela Merkel congratulated Armenia's acting Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on his political blocs victory in yesterdays snap parliamentary elections, the press service of the PM's office reported. In a letter, Merkel said that Germany followed with a great interest the recent peaceful change in power in Armenia. "We want to express our support to the implementation of reforms in Armenia and reaffirm the commitment reached during my visit to Yerevan on deepening our relations," News.am cited the German Chancellor as saying. Angela Merkel also added that she would be happy to meet with Pashinyan in the nearest future. Colorado Politics is published both in print and online. Our website features subscriber-only news stories daily, designed for public policy arena professionals. Member subscribers also receive the weekly print edition of our award-winning newspaper, containing outstanding features and news stories, in their mailboxes every Saturday. Thank you for reading! Please purchase a subscription to read our premium content. If you have a subscription, please log in or sign up for an account on our website to continue. The Missourians Opinion section is a public forum for the discussion of ideas. The views presented in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Missourian or the University of Missouri. If you would like to contribute to the Opinion page with a response or an original topic of your own, visit our submission form United States Secretary of State Mike Pompeo congratulated Salome Zurabishvili on her election as President of Georgia in a telephone conversation. Pompeo wished her success and expressed hope that the newly elected president will visit the U.S. in the nearest future, the First Channel reported. The Secretary of State reiterated strong support to Georgias territorial integrity and sovereignty. Have you heard? Some vaguely defined but super-snazzy-sounding thing called 5G is, like, totally coming to knock your socks off any second now. It's gonna speed up your phone, revolutionize your productivity, and probably even lower your cholesterol. Okay, so maybe some of that is pure poppycock. But you know what? So is the very idea that 5G is anything an average person should get excited about or consider adopting in the coming year. You'd be forgiven for thinking otherwise. After all, the mobile tech marketing machine has been revving up considerably over these past few weeks, pushing out all sorts of spectacular-sounding narratives about how 5G is going to change the way we work, live, and lather. (Again, at least one of those items is my own nonsensical creation, but I'd argue that all of them are equally absurd.) [Get fresh tips and insight in your inbox every Friday with JR's Android Intelligence newsletter. Exclusive extras await!] Lemme tell ya: You can safely ignore all that hype regardless of who or what is spewing it. The reality is that 5G is going to be a slow-moving progression that's more menace than messiah for the foreseeable future. And as an educated tech observer, you'd be well-advised to watch it from a distance without investing an ounce of your own money or mobile tech energy in the effort. Let's break down the reasons, shall we? 1. Limited availability of 5G networks No matter how much the carriers may crow, 5G is going to be extraordinarily limited in real-world application for 2019 and likely even further down the road than that. Remember when 4G first came along and how long it took for that to mean much of anything outside of a few select areas? By all counts, we'll be looking at an even more extreme version of that reality with the 5G rollout. The data says it all: AT&T, which is generally seen as leading the 5G charge in these (allegedly) United States of ours, is planning to have just 19 cities up and running with 5G by the end of 2019. Nineteen cities. By the end of 2019. And that doesn't even tell the whole story. By its very nature, y'see, 5G is a short-range technology. The estimated range of an average 5G tower is a mere third of a mile, as my fellow skeptic Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols pointed out earlier this year. Compare that to a 4G tower, which can spread its connectivity-love as far as 30 miles (and sometimes even more), and you can see the sort of difference we're facing. What that ultimately means is that 5G, in its current incarnation, will require a lot of towers for just a little bit of reach. The issue is compounded by the fact that the signals also have a tough time making their way through walls, signs, salamanders, and other interfering objects. If we feed that data into the nearest Carrier Marketing Nonsense Translation Machine, what we get back is this: Setting up 5G in a city is going to be slow and expensive, and when someone says 5G is "coming to a city" in 2019, what they really mean is that it's "coming only to a handful of isolated areas within the city" not that it'll be widely available throughout the entire place. Beyond that, it seems quite possible that the speeds themselves won't even be consistent from one area to the next. As the maker of AT&T's first 5G hotspot told The Verge: "It varies market to market some markets, they may have a couple hundred megabits of bandwidth ... [while] others can go all the way up to 5Gbps." Oh, and one other factor to keep in mind: The nature of these new 5G towers is raising fresh concerns over cancer risks to the point that one Bay Area city has actually blocked the installation of such structures until their safety can be further evaluated. Whatever you want to say about the health risk itself, that sort of concern and resulting resistance sure isn't gonna speed things up any when it comes to network deployment. 2. Expensive service You know what mobile carriers simply adore? Any reason to charge you more money. And you know what the big, bold, ad-ready concept of 5G gives 'em? Yup, you guessed it: a perfect reason to ask you to cough up extra shekels. And you'd better believe they're gonna be hopping on the opportunity. Already, AT&T is hinting strongly that we should be ready to open up our wallets if we wanna do the 5G dance. "I don't think you can think about it as we think about pricing today," AT&T's senior vice president of vague foreboding statements er, sorry, of wireless product marketing told CNET at a lavish Hawaii media event held by Qualcomm last week. "That paradigm has to shift." A Verizon exec echoed the sentiment, telling the site: "Verizon believes customers will pay for utility and value. There will be that, definitely, in 5G." ("Verizon also believes most customers will pay whatever we put on their bills without asking questions," he forgot to add with a cackle.) Getting a bit more specific, AT&T's consumer wireless chief is quoted as saying the company is considering "different tiers of service" for its 5G plans including, apparently, the possibility of having separate pricing tiers for different types of activities you might perform on a device. Lovely, no? And Sprint, not to be outdone, explicitly told investors to expect healthy price hikes with its 5G service. Specifically: "We're going to have a lot of room to increase our price of unlimited to get to similar prices as Verizon and AT&T in the future. ... We're looking at 5G as an amazing opportunity for the company not only for the position of the company, but also to charge for the blazing fast speeds." I somehow suspect that line won't make it into the ads. 3. Limited and expensive device options Network availability aside, remember that the vast majority of phones aren't even going to support 5G in 2019. Such support will be more the exception than the rule, with a small number of 5G-capable devices popping up and, naturally, coming with elevated prices of their own. OnePlus's CEO has estimated that 5G phones could cost you a cool $200 to $300 more than their non-5G counterparts. Other companies are being a bit more coy and seem to be doing a delicate dance around the subject without technically saying they won't charge an arm and a leg for the 5G "privilege." For example, when asked by CNET about the possibility of having higher prices for a 5G phone, Samsung's SVP of mobile said: "If you generate enough value [in the phone], then consumers will be ready to pay." (He may or may not have followed that remark with an exaggerated wink.) Qualcomm's president, meanwhile, compared the coming cost increase to the jump we saw when first moving from 3G to 4G phones. He noted that things would "get cheaper with scale," saying: "You have to start somewhere." Well, they have to start somewhere, anyway. You don't. 4. A lack of cross-carrier compatibility It took years to get here, but we've finally reached a point where it's possible to buy an unlocked phone and use it on almost any network you want. That freedom is what allows devices like Google's Pixel phones or the various OnePlus products to exist and what allows us as purchasers of said devices to get our gadgets wherever we want and take them wherever we go without the carrier middleman meddling in our affairs and keeping us chained to their cells, as they did for so long. Well, with 5G, expect that luxury to fade away. For now, at least, every carrier seems to be adopting its own 5G standard both within the U.S. and elsewhere in the world and that means any 5G phone you buy in 2019 will likely be limited to working on one carrier's network and nothing more. On a broader and even more troubling level, that means unlocked phones like, y'know, the ones sold by Google and OnePlus probably won't come with the same level of automatic universal compatibility they now enjoy once 5G is in the equation. And I don't even want to think about what it'll be like to try to travel internationally with a 5G phone, particularly as the networks evolve and the standards continue to shift. 5. Devices with compromises and short shelf-lives Speaking of device-related downsides, does the name HTC Thunderbolt ring a bell? The Thunderbolt was the first Verizon 4G device, released way back in the ancient era of 2011. It was, to put it nicely, a steaming hot mess. Now, some of the Thunderbolt's woes were likely the fault of HTC and unrelated to anything about the device's "first!" network bragging right. But when it comes to the phone's legendarily bad battery life and connectivity issues, it's hard not to suspect that early and not-yet-perfected 4G configuration was at least in part to blame. I'm certainly no psychic heck, I don't even have a crystal ball but given recent history and what we generally know about how quickly mobile tech evolves, I'd sure be hesitant to pick up one of the first 5G phones. It doesn't seem like a stretch to say those devices are likely to sport serious compromises in areas like battery life, given the new and unrefined nature of these 5G network connections. And then there's the field of form and design: Already, the fickle nature of 5G connectivity is requiring device-makers to come up with some funky modifications to work around antenna requirements and keep a device's signal from being blocked by a user's hands. (For the love of all things holy, let's hope we don't end up in another "holding it wrong" scenario.) At best, the early 5G phones are going to become outdated quickly as standards coalesce and the tech surrounding them is adapted to better handle the requirements. At a time when it's becoming increasingly superfluous to buy a new smartphone every year or even every two years, if you plan wisely dropping extra dough on a phone that's likely to be dated in a matter of months (and with little resale value, at that, particularly given the limited carrier compatibility) doesn't seem like the most advisable move. All considered, the smart strategy for now is to treat 5G for what it is: an incredibly early, almost experimental kind of connection that's nowhere near ready for prime time. Watch it from afar and see how things develop and keep your skepticism guard up high as the hype machine gets ready to kick into high gear. We'll meet back here at the end of 2019 to see how things are shaping up and reassess from there. Until then, keep your G-level firmly grounded at four and your wallet firmly tucked into your trousers. Despite what certain forces will be working overtime to make you believe, this is one game where hesitation is an asset and where waiting is the only move to make. Sign up for my weekly newsletter to get more practical tips, personal recommendations, and plain-English perspective on the news that matters. [Android Intelligence videos at Computerworld] 7 cases of liver injury reported following consumption of mahogany seeds: HSA Seven cases of liver injury have been reported following the consumption of mahogany seeds or "Sky Fruit", according to an advisory from the Health Sciences Authority (HSA). The fruit of the mahogany seeds, commonly known as Sky fruit, are used traditionally in Southeast Asian countries to help control blood sugar and high blood pressure. However, there are no clinical studies in humans supporting its effectiveness or safety, HSA said. Over the past three years, HSA has received seven local reports of liver injury suspected to be associated with mahogany seeds both in raw form and capsule form. Raw mahogany seeds. Photo courtesy: HSA The liver injuries reported to HSA were of varying severity, ranging from mild liver function impairment to liver failure. Other than liver injuries, a patient had kidney injury, and another had polyarthralgia (multiple joint aches and pain). Of the seven patients who are in their 40s to 70s, five were hospitalised. The patients were reported to have recovered or were recovering after stopping the intake of the suspected products. An example of packed raw mahogany seeds consumed by one of the patients. Photo courtesy: HSA Most of the patients were reported to have underlying medical conditions, including diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidaemia (high blood cholesterol) and fatty liver. They were also taking other medications concurrently. The liver injury occurred 30 to 45 days after the consumption of mahogany seeds except in one patient, where the injury occurred 6 months later. Natural Miracle Healer mahogany seed capsules. Photo courtesy: HSA These patients were consuming mahogany seeds for the purpose of controlling blood sugar, blood pressure or for general well-being. Five of them consumed mahogany seeds in its raw form, purchased from different sources in Singapore and Malaysia. Their intake ranged from 10 seeds in a month to 18 seeds in a day. The remaining two patients took the capsules intermittently or 2 capsules twice daily. One product was labelled as Natural Miracle Healer which the patient obtained from a blog shop in Singapore and the other was an unknown brand from Malaysia Although there is no scientific data on the risk of liver injury from taking mahogany seeds, HSA advises consumers to exercise caution when considering the use of these products. May delays the vote After months of negotiations, the Brexit deal was due to be voted upon today, in order for the United Kingdoms Parliament to approve or reject Theresa Mays controversial plan. However, yesterday the prime minister dramatically called off the meaningful vote, in the face of what had been expected to be a significant defeat at the hands of rebel MPs. The Prime Minister informed the House of Commons that the vote was being pulled in an oral statement at 3.30pm, where she confirmed that she intends to seek further concessions from Brussels to try to win over rebellious backbenchers. Daily Telegraph Comment: May was right to postpone Bim Afolami, The Times She is in a mess Nick Timothy, The Sun Nobody is ready for Brexit Tim Stanley, Daily Telegraph Labour must oppose it Paul Mason Guardian MPs need more information before voting Nicky Morgan, The Times Editorials: May has bought some time The Times Shes on the run Guardian This wont work The Sun >Today: >Yesterday: Does this mean Brexit could be delayed, too? Brexit could be delayed, senior Tories warned on Monday night, after Theresa May postponed a Commons vote on her deal but refused to say when it would go ahead. The Prime Minister made the last-minute decision to pull Tuesdays scheduled vote after accepting she was facing a catastrophic defeat if it went ahead. She told MPs she would go boldly back to Brussels to seek fresh assurances over the Irish backstop and would begin a tour of European capitals on Tuesday to seek support from EU leaders. However the decision to delay the vote after two Cabinet ministers were sent to tell the media it was going ahead was met with confusion, anger and resentment. Daily Telegraph Fox says we might get no Brexit at all Daily Express Some predictions for whats next The Times ECJ ruled that Britain could reverse Brexit The Times But Barclay says we wont revoke A50 Daily Telegraph Could there be a second referendum? The Sun >Today: Lord Ashcroft: My new Brexit poll. People are tipping further away from the Prime Ministers deal. The Prime Minister is in the Hague, for start of tour to beg for help Rutte will be first person shell meet The Sun Shes trying to salvage her deal Guardian Irish say no more negotiations The Times May gets assurances but no promises of renegotiation FT They wont budge The Sun Theresa May will beg European leaders today to rescue her Brexit deal after becoming the first prime minister for at least 70 years to pause a vote on a major international treaty. Mrs May pulled the meaningful vote on her Brexit deal yesterday afternoon, hours after Downing Street and cabinet ministers insisted she would push ahead, admitting to MPs that it would have been lost by a significant margin. She then flew to the Hague ready for talks today with Mark Rutte, prime minister of the Netherlands, who has proved helpful to her over Brexit. After that she will visit Angela Merkel in Berlin before holding talks with the European Commission in an attempt to rescue her agreement by securing additional reassurances on the Northern Ireland backstop. The Times Comment: The backstop is not enough Nigel Dodds, Daily Telegraph May can still make this work Peter Oborne, Daily Mail Macron is to blame for all this Jack Doyle, Daily Mail >Today: Henry Newman: There are only two European Council options this week a managed no deal, or a backstop with an exit Shell speak to Merkel next Theresa May is heading for emergency Brexit talks with German Chancellor Angela Merkel today after leaving Westminster in turmoil. The Prime Ministers move to abandon a crunch Commons vote on her Brexit deal drew howls of condemnation from the opposition as well as a number of Tories. Mrs May took the decision to pull the vote, scheduled for Tuesday, as the Prime Minister admitted to MPs she faced a significant defeat on her Brexit agenda. The PM will also meet Dutch counterpart Mark Rutte in The Hague on Tuesday in a bid to gain reassurances on the exit deal from European leaders ahead of a crunch EU summit on Thursday. Belfast Newsletter And Juncker Daily Express There will be emergency Commons debate this morning Labour was given the debate FT Blunt submits letter bringing public total to 26 As a result Parliament will debate the Governments decision to delay the Brexit deal vote later today, with MPs on all sides of the House set to attack the Government for pulling the vote at the last minute. The Prime Minister announced the vote was being delayed yesterday afternoon, saying that if it went ahead the deal would be rejected by a significant margin. Dozens of Conservative backbenchers and the Tories DUP allies had vowed to join Labour in voting down the agreement. House of Commons speaker John Bercow sharply criticised the decision which he termed deeply discourteous. He added: This whole proceeding has been extremely regrettable. This is not the way the business of the House is ordinarily conducted. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn then requested a Parliamentary debate over the delay. Daily Express A former minister has revealed he has submitted a letter of no confidence in Theresa Mays leadership, bringing the total number of Conservative MPs to publicly come out against her to 26. Crispin Blunt said that he was speaking out after Mrs Mays decision to delay a Commons vote on her Brexit deal to spur on fellow Tory MPs. I want to encourage those who are thinking about it; get it done, he said. A number of other Tory MPs are thought to be preparing to write to Sir Graham Brady, chairman of the Conservative 1922 Committee and the only person who knows how many letters have been received. Only 48 are needed to trigger a no-confidence vote. The Times Pro-EU Labour MPs push for no confidence The Times Scottish Tories are split Daily Telegraph Jenkyns: Its simple. May needs to go Yes, this is too much Ian Lavery, Guardian Will there be a snap leadership contest? t was no surprise to me that the Prime Minister decided to postpone the vote on her Withdrawal Agreement. With 100 of her own MPs, plus the DUP, planning to vote against it, a loss on such a scale would have surely meant the end of her premiership. Now she may live to fight another day, but she is only delaying the inevitable while doing further damage to her reputation. Her days in Downing Street are numbered and it is time the country got behind a new leader, one who believes in Brexit. The deal agreed with the EU Remain masquerading as Leave is entirely the Prime Ministers doing and it is obvious she is the wrong person to go back to Europe to attempt to win concessions. For two years, Theresa May has led these botched negotiations and excluded her Brexit secretaries from the process, resulting in the bad deal she still insists is a good one. Daily Telegraph Livid Tory MPs have vowed to mount a fresh coup to oust Theresa May after her Brexit deal stood on the verge of collapse. Party grandees are already looking at speeding up a snap leadership contest after she dramatically pulled the landmark Commons vote. The Prime Minister delayed it for fresh talks with Brussels but was warned by the EU it will not renegotiate the hated Irish backstop. Downing Street is braced for a no-confidence vote in the PM any time now. Mrs May yesterday became the first PM for at least 70 years to pause a vote on a major international treaty. Her move, demanded by ministers, sparked chaos which worsened when she signalled no new vote would be tabled until January 21. Members of the backbench European Research Group of Tory MPs banged the table in approval last night when told more letters for a no-confidence vote were submitted. Rebels are understood to be five short of the 48 needed to trigger a ballot on her future. The Sun Sturgeon says Corbyn is stalling and May is kicking can down the road again First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has accused Jeremy Corbyn and his Labour Party of stalling on supporting either a parliamentary confidence motion in Theresa Mays leadership or a second referendum. Slamming the leadership of Theresa May, the First Minister said that Labour were the only thing standing in the way a parliamentary majority for a fresh vote on the EU referendum. She told BBC Radio 4: This shambles simply cant go on. The government has had two and a half years to come up with a coherent Brexit plan, it has failed to do so. Yesterdays delay of the vote was another kicking of the can down the road, wasting valuable time. Herald More government Bailout for Crossrail, mostly from DfT The Times News in Brief When Jo Johnson resigned from the Government to oppose Theresa Mays Brexit deal, he made clear that he was also opposed to a no deal. He said: The prospect of Kent becoming the Lorry Park of England is very real in a no deal scenario. Orpington residents bordering Kent face disruption from plans to use the nearby M26, connecting the M25 to the M20, as an additional queuing area for heavy goods vehicles backed up all the way from the channel ports. It was a measure of just what a low regard he had for the Withdrawal Agreement that he added that if forced to choose between it and No Deal he would plump for No Deal though Johnson would much prefer a second referendum resulting in us staying in the EU. Anyway, Kent County Council have produced some proposals to avoid any such disruption. Cllr Paul Carter, the Councils Leader, stresses that they are for any contingency involving disruption from the ports adjusting to Brexit being just one such scenario. Let us remember that we have had these problems before in 2015 and 2016. Strikes at Calais, then a lack of French Border Police at Dover, caused thousands of lorries queuing for miles. What if there was a fire in the Channel Tunnel? What if the French went on strike again? Cllr Carter says: We must never forget the chaos that we had across half of this county in 2015. The M20 was closed in both directions doctors couldnt get to hospitals, domiciliary care workers struggled to reach their clients, weddings were cancelled. The implementation of Operation Stack and the closure of the M20 cost the Kent economy around 1.45 million a day and the UK economy an estimated 250 million per day and that went on for three weeks. Kent County Council has been working very closely with the Kent Resilience Forum and all partners to try to make sure that we have robust plans in place should there be disruption at the ports for any reason that keeps traffic from flowing across the county of Kent. The Council has robust plans in place should there be disruption at the ports for any reason to ensure traffic keeps flowing across the county of Kent. But Cllr Carter would like some help from central Government: We now need far more input and information from national government in how they are going to work with us. There must be a national freight transport plan which, when necessary, can hold lorries back from coming into Kent in the first place should the need arise. We now have holding areas to take more than 10-thousand lorries before it becomes necessary to use the M26 to hold freight, which is a situation that I want to avoid as far as we possibly can. We need the right investment from the Department for Transport in the technology, number plate recognition and enforcement powers to stop lorries cutting and running down inappropriate highways and by-ways in Kent and directed to go where theyre told. With national governments cooperation, we can avoid the chaos that we saw in 2015. He wants 20 million from the Department for Transport to pay for the necessary technology, barriers signage and vital preparation that we will need in Kent. Cllr Carter says that 20 million is not a massive amount to the government in the scale of things. I am not usually sympathetic to council leaders pleading poverty. But in this case, Cllr Carter, has a point, hasnt he? If we proceed with a no deal (more properly a World Trade Organisation deal) then we will not be handing over 39 billion to the EU. Legal advice differs over whether we would owe anything at all under a no deal. Perhaps there will be a new Prime Minister who will suggest they go whistle for the dosh. Perhaps a more conciliatory approach will be taken. But any payment that was made would be much lower and spread over a much longer period. The OBR estimates that if a deal was implemented we would be paying 7 billion a year for the next four years. For Cllr Carter to be asking for 0.05 per cent, thats one twentieth of one per cent, of the 39 billion is pretty modest to avoid the chaos of the past. The Institute of Economic Affairs in its assessment concludes that substantial disruption is unlikely. Firstly, it could be argued that non-tariff barriers would be unnecessary, and even illegal under WTO rules, given that exports from both sides will still be made to the same standards immediately after the UKs departure from the EU. There are already some checks but draconian increases would not be required. Secondly even French officials have stressed that it would be in their countrys own economic interests to minimise any additional delays. In particular, they have dismissed fears of a Calais go-slow and suggested that as few as one per cent of UK lorries would be subject to a physical check. Thirdly put simply, neither the UK nor the EU has the physical infrastructure, or enough officials, to check every vehicle anyway, or even a significant proportion. In this respect at least, the lack of preparedness could actually be a blessing in disguise. Lets hope the IEA is right. It still seems prudent to give Cllr Carter the 20 million. Apart from the money, the Council also seeks clarification around Government decisions for instance, regarding greater flexibility over driver hours (EU rules limit them to nine hours a day). It also wants more enforcement powers in terms of directing traffic on or off particular roads in the event of gridlock being threatened. In practice, this might mean sending lorries to be parked at Manston Airport for a certain period of time to keep the M26 flowing. At present, the police can only redirect the traffic if there is an emergency such as an accident. The request would be to be able to use this power for traffic management under extreme circumstances. Other improvements, proposed by others, would take longer. Over two years ago on this site there was a plea from Charlie Elphicke, the MP for Dover and Deal, to improve customs technology and ports infrastructure. He also called for road improvements: The M20 needs to be upgraded, the A2 dualled and the Lower Thames Crossing taken forward with a sense of urgency. Cynical types might suspect an element of self-fulfilling prophecy about the lack of any such sense of urgency to make suitable preparations. The Project Fear proponents in The Treasury and Downing Street have blocked such measures and hope to then have the satisfaction of saying: We told you so should difficulties materialise. The good news about the proposals from Kent County Council is that there is still time to implement them. They seem to be modest, practical and soundly based on past experience. The Government should get on with providing the necessary backing. The vote has been deferred while the Prime Minister seeks reassurances from the EU, but her message to the Commons yesterday was clear this is the only Brexit deal on the table, and there is no realistic prospect of substantially changing it. Theresa Mays campaign to sell the agreement to sceptical MPs and the public therefore continues. My last survey in late November found that the proposed deal had a cool reception, but with large numbers still to make up their minds. My latest 5,000-sample poll finds shows that more people now have an opinion but with the balance tipping away from the deal, rather than in its favour. The deal is done? An unchanged 19 per cent say the deal honours the referendum result, while the proportion saying it does not has risen to 46 per cent including six in ten Leave voters and a majority of Conservatives. The public as a whole says the agreement is better than leaving with no deal by 36 per cent to 30 per cent and while Remain voters think this by a 33-point margin, Tory voters as a whole now say it is worse, and Conservative leavers think so by 49 per cent to 30 per cent. Half of all voters now think the deal sounds worse than remaining in the EU on our current terms, with just under one in five saying it would be better. Even Conservative Leave voters are closely divided on this question, with 39 per cent saying the deal beats our current membership package and 38 per cent saying it does not. When we asked in November what people thought MPs should do if they did not like the deal accept an imperfect compromise and move on to other issues or reject the agreement even if the outcome was then unclear people as a whole chose the latter by a 20-point margin. That has now widened to 29 points, with a majority now saying MPs unhappy with the deal should reject with unknown consequences. Conservative Remain voters, the only group to prefer compromise, now do so by a much smaller margin. So now what? While the alternatives to the draft agreement are not altogether clear, there are several possibilities: these include a delay while the Government seeks a new agreement with Brussels, leaving with no deal, various forms of second referendum, and a general election. We put these to our poll respondents in different combinations and asked them to choose their most and least preferred options each time (a technique called max diff or maximum difference which is used in the research industry to give the most comprehensive account of peoples preferences when faced with a list of choices). For voters as a whole, there is very little to choose between the four most popular (or least unpopular) options which are, in order: a referendum to choose between the draft deal and remaining in the EU; a three-option referendum on the draft deal, no deal and remaining; delaying Brexit while the Government seeks a new agreement; and leaving with no deal. Accepting the current draft deal comes slightly further behind, followed by a general election and least popular of all a referendum to choose between the draft deal and no deal. Unfortunately, this overall list masks wide disagreements between groups. For Conservatives and Leavers, the clear first choice is leaving with no deal, followed by a delay to seek a new agreement, with accepting the current draft agreement in third place. Conservative Remainers also put the Governments deal third but behind the rather different first choice of a referendum to choose between the draft deal and remain, and in second place, a three-option referendum to choose between the draft deal, no deal, and remain. Remain voters as a whole also put these two referendum options at the top of their list, but with a new deal, rather than the existing deal, in third place. If there is no agreement as to the best next step, there is at least a consensus as to the most likely one if Parliament ultimately rejects the draft agreement, in whatever form it is finally presented to the House. This is a delay in Brexit while the Government seeks a new agreement with the EU, with a no-deal exit seen as the next most probable. A general election, though less favoured than a second referendum, is regarded as marginally more likely to happen. Have you got it now? If there were to be a second referendum of one kind or another, do people feel they are any better informed about the choice at hand than they were in June 2016? According to my survey, only just over three in ten say they are in fact a majority say either that they are no more or less clear about the implications and consequences of Brexit than they were during the referendum campaign (40 per cent), or that they are even less clear now than they were then (18 per cent). Back to basics With the Brexit debate now dominated by issues of process and procedure, we went back to first principles to ask again which potential outcomes from Brexit were ultimately the most important. Using the same process of asking people which options mattered to them most and least, we found little to choose between the three biggest priorities for voters as a whole: the UK being free to do its own free trade deals, continued free trade with the EU with no customs checks, and the UK making all its own laws without being subject to rulings from the European Court of Justice. If the EU would protest that this amounts to an admissible combination of cake-having and cake-eating, there is also little agreement between groups: while Remain voters prioritise frictionless EU trade, UK citizens being allowed to move freely to other EU countries to live and work easily, and EU citizens already in the UK being allowed to stay, Leavers most want to see the UK making all its own laws with no ECJ jurisdiction, the UK making its own free trade deals, and the UK no longer paying money to the EU. Using TURF analysis, a technique used in commercial market research designed to show which products and services would appeal to the greatest number of customers, we see that a deal combining the UK making its own laws and continued free trade with the EU would include at least one element that appealed to 45 per cent of all voters. Combined with an end to payments into the EU, this would extend its appeal to 61 per cent. As if this were not a tall enough order in itself, the competing priorities from different sides mean there is no deal that could please a majority of Remainers and Leavers at the same time. Dont panic Meanwhile, how serious is the Brexit crisis in the great scheme of things, if indeed it is a crisis at all? I found a majority of voters thinking the state of affairs over Brexit was equally or more serious than the financial crisis of 2007-8, with nearly as many saying it is at least as serious as the miners strike of 1984-85, and the power cuts and three-day week of 1973-74. Just over four in ten, but a majority of Remain voters, think the situation is at least as serious as the winter of discontent in 1978-79. More than one in ten Remainers think things are comparable to the two world wars, and a quarter of them think there is little to choose between Brexit and the Cuban missile crisis, which could quite literally have brought about the end of the world. And to think some say that people are losing a sense of proportion. > Full details of the research can be found at LordAshcroftPolls.com Henry Newman is Director of Open Europe. By delaying the vote on the Brexit Deal, the Prime Minister has reverted to her favourite political tactic kicking the can down the road. Her advisers feared that if the vote had been held today, the size of the defeat would have sunk her entire prime ministership. But at some point the music will have to be faced. There are already, according to ConservativeHomes tally, over 70 Conservative MPs opposed to her deal. So, before the vote is re-introduced, the Government will need to secure meaningful changes. But how? And in delaying the vote, the Prime Minister has herself called into question her own confidence in her Governments ability to deliver her flagship policy. She has put a big question mark right over her own authority. Re-opening the deal wont be easy. The EU are sticking to the line that its been agreed and is locked down. Senior figures insist that they wont consider changes to the Withdrawal Agreement. But without some substantive changes its pretty impossible to see any route that will lead to Parliament agreeing to ratification. Equally, if the deal is re-opened, European states will try to press the UK further on fish and so-called level playing field issues, as Stephen Barclay warned on Sunday. Of course, if the French did insist on pressing further on, say, fish that would only make it harder for the Prime Minister to get her deal through the Commons. Its far from clear that any deliverable changes could actually secure the support of some of the Prime Ministers toughest critics. The criticisms of her deal are for some as much an expression of lack of confidence in her leadership, as about any specific policy concern. Unfortunately, Theresa May is not a brilliant advocate at the best of times. Now, when she is up against a wall of noise and a widespread sense of betrayal, she is struggling to be heard. There are of course substantial problems with the Prime Ministers deal, particularly regarding the backstop and our (lack of an) ability to exit it. But the shape of this deal was set months and months ago. And contra the view of many it has little to do with the Governments Chequers Plan. After May lost her majority in June 2017, David Davis accepted the EUs sequencing of the negotiations, ensuring that the Irish border question and the financial settlement had to be resolved before discussing the future. Later, the Cabinet accepted a backstop as the price for the EU agreeing a transition period. Rather than defining what the text of that December 2017 agreement actually meant and therefore what the backstop would entail the Government said nothing for months. The Commission were left to define how the backstop would work, all on their terms. Critics and supporters of the Brexit deal alike are misrepresenting it, as this Reality Check from Open Europe explains. The Prime Minister reassures no one when she conflates different elements mixing up the backstop and future relationship when describing the deal. She claims we will have an independent trade policy, but theres a crucial caveat which she too often neglects: we can have an independent trade policy when the UK leaves the backstop. Equally, she insists with her deal that shes taken back control of our money, our borders and our laws. Yet it would be more truthful to admit that in the backstop she would have achieved two of her three aims fully, and gone a long way to reaching the third (by limiting but not eliminating the direct jurisdiction of the European Court). The Prime Ministers critics come from both sides of the Brexit divide, but are united in opposition to the backstop. On the one hand, some such as Jo Johnson and Sam Gyimah are opposing the deal to try to force a second referendum. Others such as George Freeman prefer a softer exit a Norway Plus model. At the opposite end of the scale, hardline Brexiteers are making various demands some of which are more deliverable than others. On Sunday, Boris Johnson called for the UK to delay the payment of at least half the 39 billion [so-called Brexit bill] until theyve done a free trade deal by the end of 2020. In fact its already the case that under the current plan less than half the bill is due before 2021. He also insisted that we can have a withdrawal agreement that does not contain the backstop. Unfortunately, Im yet to speak to a single EU figure who thinks the UK could have a withdrawal agreement without a backstop. On the other side of the Commons, Labours Brexit policy is a shambles. Labour reject the backstop, complaining it could last indefinitely but seek to replace it with an indefinite customs union (albeit with a say over trade deals which isnt on offer now). They claim that their customs union policy would resolve the Northern Ireland issue, yet it would do nothing to resolve regulatory questions. Labour reject a Norwegian solution but instead support a strong Single Market deal whatever that is. At the end of the week, theres yet another European summit where the Prime Minister will face European leaders weary of the Brexit wrangling. From rows over Italys budget and Polands judiciary, to the crisis in France with the gilets jaunes, Brexit is far from the only show in town. But the assembled leaders should recognise that May is serious in trying to reach a negotiated deal that has a chance of passing Parliament. And that without further changes to the Withdrawal Agreement, theres a serious risk of a disorderly no deal. She should level with the European Council and offer them two broad options. Either give up on improving the deal, in which case they need to recognise that it will likely not pass the Commons. Or, seek to make limited but substantive changes to help it on its way through. If its to be No Deal, then the leaders should agree to authorise discrete side agreements (on matters such as aviation, citizens rights and so on). That way they can mitigate a chaotic No Deal. But it would be ironic indeed if the deal failed to pass the Commons because of a backstop designed to protect the Irish border, thus leading to No Deal, putting at risk the Irish border. So it would be better for the EU to look at what changes can be made in a combination of international agreements, legal instruments and public commitments, to work in concert with domestic legislation in the UK. First, the negotiations need to define a clear role for the Stormont institutions in the backstop. Second, they need to rule out a situation where an internal customs border could be imposed on Northern Ireland, either by the EU or by the UK replacing the backstop with a Northern Ireland-only customs union. And finally, and most problematically, by looking again at the exit mechanisms from the backstop. None of this will be easy, particularly when it comes to the exit mechanism. But the European Commission already privately acknowledges that the backstop cannot endure for the long-term. They also say it is weatherproof but not tsunami-proof. Its time to make clear what is already obvious that the backstop must be legally operable, but that it cannot be a permanent trap which a political earthquake could not ultimately sweep away. Tehran supports the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan and its fair position on the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Iranian Border Guard Commander Brigadier General Qasem Rezaei said at the meeting with Azerbaijan's defense minister, Colonel General Zakir Hasanov, according to the website of the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry. Zakir Hasanov told the guests about the military-political situation in the region, stressing that the unresolved Nagorno-Karabakh conflict still poses a threat to regional stability. Noting that religious, historical and cultural ties between Azerbaijan and Iran are based on good, friendly traditions, Rezaei said that, like in other areas, there is also great potential for cooperation in the military sphere between Baku and Tehran. "During the meeting, the parties held a comprehensive exchange of views on the prospects for military cooperation between the armies of Azerbaijan and Iran, as well as other issues of mutual interest," Azerbaijani Defense Ministry reported. James Frayne is Director of Public First and author of Meet the People, a guide to moving public opinion. We should hope not violent protest is the last thing we want to see but could there be the equivalent of a Yellow Vest uprising in the UK? An aggressive, popular campaign against higher taxes, poor services and declining living standards? The closest reasonably recent parallel here was the fuel protests of 2000. But could we see something broader, like weve seen in France? Its generally a mistake to think you can translate one countrys political, economic and social culture to your own. British people have thankfully (usually) shunned direct, highly confrontational protests; and French politics and government administration are very different. But the Yellow Vest movement is interesting because the issues raised and the language used are similar to those that have been used by protest campaigns here in the last 20 years. In France, working class and lower middle class people have come together to complain about rising taxes, especially fuel taxes, apparently out of touch elites making decisions that hit them hard in the pocket, and the decline of universal public services. People are right to point out there is no coherent political ideology behind the movement (although, perhaps it would be more accurate to say it doesnt look coherent to those that think of politics on a classic left-right continuum). But the issues raised are not dissimilar to those that have been raised by fuel protesters, early UKIP campaigners, independent Mayors, and, of course the TaxPayers Alliance. So, could the Yellow Vests arrive here? With the organising power of the internet available to all, you can never say for sure, but it seems unlikely for the foreseeable future. This is for two main reasons. Firstly, most of the working class and lower middle class are only now approaching their upper limits on tax. Many have been saying theyd be happy to pay more tax if they knew it would be ringfenced for the NHS, for example. And, consequently, the polls suggest they supported the Governments announcement for 20 billion in new spending. The second reason is that they know that this Government is keeping Jeremy Corbyn out of power. They know, therefore, that this Government is keeping taxes relatively lower than they would otherwise be and they also (for now at least) doubt Corbyns ability to run public services effectively. They still doubt his leadership abilities and his general competence. Its hard to generate anger against a sitting Government when you know the financial alternative would likely be worse. But were not a million miles away. For such a movement to become viable, four trends would need to continue. The first is that there would need to be a big increase in irritation with spending on unreformed services. While the public gave the Governments higher NHS spending their support, a giant caveat was attached. This was the clear warning that it had better work and that the NHS had better sort waste and mismanagement out. In focus groups on this issue around the time of the announcement, people were expressing their deep concern about NHS waste. If this spending does appear to go to waste, a backlash is possible. The second trend is for Government to continue to charge people for services they once considered theirs by right. The anger directed at the Conservative Party at the last election over social care is an example of this phenomenon. People hate being made to pay for things that were previously free. For Londoners, the introduction of the new Ultra Low Emission Zone might fall into this category. Although its a Labour policy, it remains to be seen whether the Government will take some of the blame for not stopping it. Thirdly, the cost of living would need to continue to rise with significant, visible rises apparently marking a change, rather than a continued gentle increase. One thing the Government will be keeping an eye on is a possible increase in heating bills in early Spring. This might see an uptick and would irritate massively, particularly against the backdrop of a cold winter. The fourth trend is for a continued disaffection with the political class. This has been developing for two decades now and it bubbles up to the surface occasionally. If a big chunk of the public and the majority of working class voters think that politicians have betrayed them on Brexit, they are likely to be much more open to direct protest than they were in the past. Even if we end up leaving the EU in a way that is acceptable to these Leave voters, its not impossible they will have concluded that it all happened despite the best efforts of much of the political class. Its a reasonable bet that political activists in the UK will try to artificially create a Yellow Vest movement here; it wouldnt be a shock to see them appear, literally, on a small scale soon. But several things will have to happen before we see a mass movement. As you can see, its possible that we will be in such a place at some point. We should hope that the Government takes action to avert such a movement ever gaining ground. Then out spake spake brave Horatius, the Captain of the Gate. Or this afternoon, out spake David Lidington, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster. The Prime Minister was in Berlin, where she was reported to be having difficulty getting out of her car. Labour MPs were in Westminster, where they were having difficulty conveying how cross they were with the Prime Minister for pulling the meaningful vote on the Withdrawal Agreement. Yvette Cooper warned of the danger of having no vote on the deal and no vote on no deal. Nicky Morgan, from the Conservative benches, wanted a categorical assurance that there will be no trickery by the Government. In the words of Hilary Benn, What we learned yesterday was that todays assurances can disappear tomorrow like a puff of wind. Angela Eagle said the Prime Minister has completely shredded her credibility. Angela Smith agreed that the Governments credibility is in shreds, and added that what were facing now is not a meaningful vote but a blackmail strategy. Thangam Debbonaire said the Government is trying to hold a no deal Brexit gun to the countrys head. These trifling criticisms were fielded by Robin Walker, a junior Brexit minister, who said the meaningful vote would happen at latest on 21st January, but declined to be any more specific. Jeremy Corbyn then opened for Labour in the emergency debate on the Governments management of the meaningful vote. He said Theresa May had demeaned her office, and accused her of running away. But Corbyn himself ran away from calling a vote of no confidence. He too, it appears, is not all that keen on meaningful votes. When he accused the Prime Minister of weak leadership, one felt he knew of what he spoke. Lidington rose to reply. He pointed out that in the last two months, the Prime Minister has spent more than 22 hours at this Despatch Box. He said that 21st January is a deadline and not a target, and added that we need to push on with this sooner rather than later. But unlike Horatius, Lidington did not kill anyone. That is one reason why MPs like Lidington. He is not a killer. And he treats his opponents with respect. Its a fair question, as he told Benn. Lidington is admired for his decency and moderation. All that roused Lidington to a flash of passion was the fantasy that one can have all the benefits of EU membership without its obligations. That thought annoyed him. After he had spoken, the criticisms of the Prime Minister continued. Sir William Cash said she has reached the point of no return and may well have to resign. Morgan canvassed the idea of a government of national unity. Horatius saved Rome. It does not look as if Lidington can save May. What now is Theresa Mays plan, this morning after the day before? The simplest explanations are often the most convincing. In her case, it is: she no longer has one. Her ambitions for country, party and self have shrunk to seeing each day out. The most primal of human instincts has taken over, more urgent even than the drives to sex and food: simply to survive. Clinging to office fills her horizon. She shuffles on into a void. The will to power has left her a ghost. Perhaps that is all that can be said. But there are two other potential answers, assuming that she is not brooding on a general election or preparing to resign a move that would be out of character for a woman who appears to equate being Prime Minister, whatever the circumstances, with doing her duty. These explanations are worth probing because, with the future of country, Party and Brexit at stake, Conservative MPs, activists and others must work every faculty to read the signs of the times accurately, and then act promptly. The first is that she has already decided to postpone Brexit, seek a second referendum, or both. This take has it that she knows very well that her deal will not be substantially improved by the EU; that it therefore cannot pass through Parliament; that the Remain-friendly Commons will shortly bid for control of its proceedings and timetable and that she will then, a confidence vote from her Parliamentary Party notwithstanding, give way. No deal is better than a bad deal has been supplanted by any deal is better than no deal. Like an empty boat being pushed by the tide, she will drift along with the five-sixths or so of MPs who see a no deal Brexit as the ultimate political evil. Perhaps the Commons will somehow go for Norway Plus instead; more likely, it wont. It was worth watching which Cabinet heads nodded on her own front bench yesterday when she reiterated the Governments present stance on a second referendum and which didnt. Greg Clarks didnt so much as twitch. David Lidington and David Gauke are also reported to be ready for a U-turn. As for that policy opposition to another referendum how sure is it? Indeed, what faith can we place in any commitment that May makes on Brexit, or indeed on anything else? She promised that she wouldnt call an election last year; that her Brexit policy would be based on a comprehensive system of mutual recognition; that migration would be controlled during transition; that transition wouldnt be extended; that she would oppose new regulatory barriers in the Irish sea. Ministers were told last year that the backstop had no legal effect. Politics is a rough old trade, and bending the truth is, as elsewhere in life, part of it. But even by the standards of Westminster, the Prime Ministers breaches are brazen. Leave aside as debatable those manifesto commitments on the Customs Union, the ECJ and the Single Market, and look at the events of recent days. May said that the EU would not offer us a better deal if the present draft is rejected. Now she suggests that it can be improved after all, not ruling out changes to the Withdrawal Agreement itself yesterday. Stephen Barclay and Gove were sent out the latter only yesterday morning to assure the public that the meaningful vote would go ahead. As late as 11am, the Prime Ministers spokesman was insisting that this was so, even as Cabinet Ministers were briefing that it wasnt. Small details like these have big consequences. Near the core of Mays problem in selling her deal to MPs is that too many of them have simply lost trust in her. Some no longer believe assurances even when they are accurate say, on future divergence. The second interpretation of the Prime Ministers thinking is completely different. We advance it with some hesitation, because it may represent less a scheme crafted deliberately than one stumbled upon by accident. The sum of her statement yesterday was that the meaningful vote is postponed. She gave no firm indication of when it will be brought back. In reply to Justine Greening, she suggested that the Government is obliged to hold it by January 21. Later that day, that was flatly contradicted by the Commons authorities. Under their interpretation, Mays real deadline is March 28, since the Commons must ratify any amended deal reached with the EU no later than that date. This could open up an opportunity for the Prime Minister to play a risky game of chicken with our EU interlocuters, the Commons and the Party. For the later the meaningful vote takes place, the more sharply a no deal Brexit will loom. This might open up an option for her: dont rush for a settlement pre-Christmas, but spin out the talks instead thus ramping up pressure on MPs. It is possible to think May now believes that, under that pressure, the EU will fold next year, and offer a time limit or a unilateral exit from the backstop. Or that she is concluding the Commons would collapse, even if the EU did not that, with March 28 and no deal immiment, Labour would buckle and abstain, together with other opposition parties. Or that even if Jeremy Corbyn did not, some Labour MPs would. Meanwhile, Conservative opponents could be steered into the abstention column, and Tory abstainers into the aye lobby. Now, this scenario makes many assumptions: that the Prime Minister will still be in place; that there is no Cabinet revolt; that the Commons has not, by the New Year, wrested control from the Government altogether; that MPs do not (if May seeks to spin out her dealings with the EU) revolt, propose the postponement of Article 50 and perhaps a second referendum, and then see her back down; that the Prime Minister has not been censured, or the Government no confidenced. But one can also see how the truth could be found here that May is not so much a headless chicken herself, or seeking to chicken out of Brexit but, rather, now sees before her this game of chicken unfolding as next year begins. It would have one immeasurable plus from her point of view. It would if successful be a win. Her deal would have triumphed. She would have crushed her internal opponents hard Brexiteers, Norwegians, second referendum supporters: the lot. The stage would be set for her to go on and on and on towards 2022. So, back to the present. The wolf has cried 48 letters many times. It may be that, unlike the animal in the fable, it never comes: that waiting for those letters is like waiting for Godot. The next 24 hours or so may represent the last chance before the New Year for Tory MPs to act. Some may do so, convinced that the Prime Minister is beyond rescue. Others may waver still, terrified of the effect of a leadership challenge on whats left of the negotiation, or unconvinced by Mays potential replacements. Our bottom line is that the referendum result must be delivered. If pro-Brexit MPs believe May is now set on a chicken game, they may stay their hand. If they conclude that she is set on abandoning Brexit, they wont and shouldnt. On Sunday, we recommended that Tory MPs should send in letters if no substantial change to the backstop emerges this week. Perhaps the most reliable guide should be what could be called the Greg Hands test namely, to send in those letters if real preparations for no deal arent announced before the weekend. Adding calorie counts to menus has been a popular point of discussion recently. While some believe its key to pushing consumers to make healthier food choices, others are convinced the act is pointless. Though researchers have spoken out on both sides of the argument, a group of researchers from Dartmouth College recently found that restaurants that have both pictures of food and calorie counts are more likely to sway consumers ordering habits. Our findings suggest that calorie-labeling may alter responses in the brains reward system when considering food options, said researcher Andrea Courtney. Moreover, we believe that nutritional interventions are likely to be more successful if they take into account the motivation of the consumer, including whether or not they diet. The brains role The researchers had 42 undergraduates participate in the study, with students looking at nearly 200 images of food both with calorie counts and without. The group was split almost evenly between those who dieted and those who didnt, as the researchers believed the two groups would make different food choices. Everyone was shown the same images, and most of them included fast food items. While hooked up to an fMRI machine, the participants were asked to rate how much they wanted to eat the food on a scale from one to four, and then how likely theyd be to choose the food items in the dining hall on the same scale. The researchers found that both dieters and non-dieters were affected by the combination of food pictures and calorie counts. After seeing both, the participants were less likely to choose the unhealthy items. However, when the calorie counts came off the food pictures, the results were a bit different. Those who dieted regularly were more likely to continue to avoid fattier foods, whereas the non-dieters didnt have the same response. The researchers saw these results as positive, as they further prove that consumers who are looking for healthier options will continue to seek them out when calorie counts arent available. However, when calorie counts are present, they help guide consumers choices. In order to motivate people to make healthier food choices, policy changes are needed that incorporate not only nutritional information, including calorie content, but also a public education component, which reinforces the long-term benefits of a healthy diet, said researcher Kristina Rapuano. Posting calorie counts Earlier this year, chain restaurants with at least 20 stores were required to start providing customers with calorie information as part of the Affordable Care Act. Though experts went back and forth on the pros and cons of this venture, the goal was to have consumers making healthier choices when they eat out. Later in the year, researchers explored the effects of having calorie counts on menus and found that consumers were more likely to order something with fewer calories when the calorie information was in a prominent place. What this paper shows is that a trivially simple intervention could increase the power of calorie information on menus, said researcher Steven Dallas. The calorie labeling policy should not necessarily be deemed a failure, and could in fact become a powerful tool in combating the obesity epidemic. 100% Website 5tp3k.tk uses latest and advanced technologies. It supports HTTPS. The main html page has a size of 628 bytes (0.61 kb uncompressed). This CoolSocial report was updated on 2019-09-13, you can refresh this analysis whenever you want. We are analyzing the site. Please wait a few seconds.. Rize police chief Altug Verdi has died and two others wounded in shooting believed to have been carried out by a police officer at Rize Police Department in northeastern Turkey. Verdi was taken to the hospital in critical condition but doctors were unable to save his life, Rize Governor Kemal Ceber said. Staff Branch Manager Ercan Polat and another police officer were also wounded in the attack, Demiroren News Agency reporeted. One police officer has been arrested for carrying out the attack, and is wounded, Anadolu Agency reporeted "Our deputy secretary and our police chief are on their way to Rize," Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu said, adding that more details of the incident would be provided once they become clear. Special operations teams entered the building after gunshots were heard. Precautions were taken to secure the premises. The motive for the attack was not immediately known. What is it like to be desperately insolvent with no access to a relief system like the bankruptcy discharge? Many, many people are likely to find out in the coming months in China and India in light of recent developments in these mammoth markets. Neither country currently offers individuals effective relief from financial distress, though both have been actively but languidly considering the adoption of such relief for a long time. That relief can't come soon enough, though I'm not optimistic about its arrival anytime in the near future. In China, the government is stepping up its efforts to all but eliminate P2P lending platforms, the only reliable source of finance for most individuals and small businesses. I'm afraid Bob Lawless's "paradox of consumer credit" will apply here: a rapid constriction in the supply of consumer/small business credit will lead to a spike in financial distress that can't be avoided by refinancing ... leading to even greater need for an individual bankruptcy remedy that China still lacks. To be sure, many of these P2P lending networks have been ponzi schemes, victimizing innocent investor-lenders and needing to be shut down, but I fear an over-correction here. Resolving 1.22 trillion RMB ($176 billion) in loans extended by 50 million investor-lenders to goodness knows how many small borrowers will be no small feat, especially with no formal insolvency framework to organize the effort. Meanwhile in India, the hot mess of corporate debt has begun to cool off, leaving debt buyers hungry for even riskier loans to purchase and pursue. So they're refocusing on defaulted consumer debt. The short-term target is debt secured by homes and cars, likely to produce greater returns from the collateral, but what of the inevitable deficiencies? Unsecured personal liability for deficiency judgments will certainly be on the to-do list of these buyers in the near term, and they are already making plans for the longer term to expand to unsecured education and credit card loans. While India and China have both made admirable progress in reforming their business insolvency systems, the tragedy unfolding in the consumer and small business sectors cries out for serious attention. These debtors are not deadbeats whom authorities can be content to leave to their chosen fates; they are the victims of global economic volatility, the lifeblood of developing economies, and the center of harmonious societies. China and India would advance and humanize their development in a massive way by finally addressing the gaping hole in their insolvency frameworks to add proper treatment for individual debtors. Speaker of the Federation Council Valentina Matvienko said that Russia would decide on its membership in the Council of Europe in June next year, unless "PACE charter was not fundamentally changed" and "a decision was made which allows all states to work on equal terms." "This is a red line, beyond which Russia's presence in the Council of Europe becomes meaningless," she said on the Russia 24 channel. "This is a bad scenario," the head of the upper house of the Russian parliament admitted. "This is not our scenario and not our choice," RIA Novosti cited her as saying. "We are put in such conditions when we can't allow them to humiliate our country," Matvienko stressed. "We cannot allow them to deprive deputies, elected by Russians, of their right to vote and so on," the chairman of the Federation Council added. However, she noted that there is still time for common sense to prevail. Director of the Institute of Strategic Planning and Forecasting, Professor Alexander Gusev, speaking with Vestnik Kavkaza, noted that Russia's exit from the Council of Europe is a possible step. "Russia may quit the organisation in June if there was no equality and Russia was not allowed to participate in elections within the Council of Europe. The exit is possible, but I think that we must avoid it," he noted. Gusev stressed that the Council of Europe is the oldest European organization since 1949. Our representation there is quite serious. Seven countries have the maximum quota, so we need to continue cooperation. Of course, we can break off all relations with the EU and the U.S., but it won't get better. We must look for ways, look for options, seek a compromise," the expert said, drawing attention to the fact that not all countries in the Council of Europe are taking an anti-Russian position. In his opinion, it is necessary to build a dialogue with these countries in the first place. At the same time, Gusev noted that Russia's withdrawal from the Council of Europe would cause reputational damage to both the Russian Federation and the organization itself. The Polar Tourism Guides Association (PTGA) has grown to some 200 members, and is busy running assessor training programs for multiple expedition operators, according to Graham Charles, president of the not-for-profit association. In this stage of our development, we are in the process of running assessor training, starting with an intensive two-day program, he said. Assessors then get a provisional accreditation, and become the trainers for expedition staff aboard their companys ships. In a quickly-growing expedition cruise market that may be digging deep for qualified staff, a training program could be a welcome and important addition. Course areas include zodiac handling, navigation, radio and communications, presentation skills, interpretation skills, hike leading, snow and ice crack awareness, technical terrain, and sea kayaking. Charles was recently back from Hobart, Australia, where he ran a training program for six expedition staff members from Aurora Expeditions. Its a new development program for senior staff, Charles added. Were developing people using formal models and tools of assesorship. Senior staff then take a new, additional role, according to Charles. Most are already expedition leaders, and are excited about their new role being a trainer. The PTGA has expanded its board to seven people a list of high-profile names in the expedition world and has also received ISO accreditation for its programs. "We are just a standard, Charles said. We are not the standard. We wrote some standards because we needed something to assess against. MILFORD The Milford Health Department, in collaboration with Kids Count of Milford and the United Way of Milford, will kick off Milfords ninth annual Parent Leadership Training Institute in January. The program was developed by the State of Connecticuts Commission on Children to allow parents to become leading advocates for children. The cornerstones of the program are respect, validation and a belief that, when the tools of democracy are understood, the public will actively engage in civic life, according to a press release. Milfords Parent Leadership Training Institute provides an opportunity for parents to develop the leadership skills necessary to become an effective advocate for all children and make a real difference in the community, said Deepa Joseph, director of the Milford Health Department. Parent Leadership Training Institute students participate in a 20-week program designed to provide the civic and leadership skills needed to work in the community on behalf of children. Each student completes a community project that contributes to the well-being of Milfords children. The community project also gives students a hands-on opportunity to apply the skills learned in the program. Milford Parent Leadership Training Institute alumnus Augie Harrigan said, I had a great experience with Milfords Parent Leadership Training Institute program. There are few programs as uniquely designed to put people in touch with their communities. It was an extremely empowering experience. Parent Leadership Training Institute is designed to involve, empower and support parents and caregivers to improve the lives of children at home, in school and in the community. It also provides training for parents in conflict resolution, negotiation and public speaking and learn best practices in child development, education and human services. Applications for the program are being accepted by the Milford Health Department. For more information and to register online, visit https://www.ci.milford.ct.us/health-department/webforms/plti-online-registrationor call Lesley Darling, coordinator, at the Milford Health Department at 203-783-3314. Classes, dinner and onsite childcare will be provided free of charge to participants. The class will be limited to 25. HARTFORD In his last meeting running the State Bond Commission, Gov. Dannel P. Malloy led the way for approval of more than $120 million in capital projects on Tuesday, including $14.6-million in items for Bridgeport. After the session, which left the state about $7 million short of the annual $2-billion bond cap, Malloy defended his eight years in office, touting solid gains in employment and a 13-percent reduction in the state-employee workforce. This real and substantial progress, Malloy told reporters a few minutes later, during a 22-minute news conference, noting that the state Department of Economic and Community Development this year helped 100 companies retain 24,000 jobs and add 11,000 workers. Every month that I have been governor, that month had more jobs than a year earlier. Malloy said that his administration, through the bond commission, took a key role in improving the states still-lacking transportation system. We have invested in our parks and open space, ensuring that our public lands are available to all, he said. In short, after years of failing to do so, we began to invest in ourselves at an appropriate level. Taking a shot at Republicans including Bob Stefanowski, the failed GOP candidate for governor, Malloy said that claims that jobs are leaving Connecticut are false. Thats simply not true, he said. Thinking ahead to Fridays sixth anniversary of the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre, the governor said that the improvements Connecticut has made in gun safety paved the way for the recent record lows in crime. Im proud that we have prodded individuals to take meaningful gun-safety legislation including addressing some of the problems pressing from technology and technology development: ghost guns and the like, he said. I think the armaments industry is forever changing and that our laws need to keep track of that and be adjusted if not on a yearly basis, then at least on a regular basis, to make sure we are addressing the technology developments, using the best practices possible to keep our citizens safe, he said. I think one of the things that Im very proud of, is that for four years weve had the largest drop in violent crime of any state. The commission, which is controlled by the governor, approved $3.7 million toward the estimated $24-million needed to replace Bridgeports decades-broken Congress Street Bridge. It has long been a top request of Bridgeport to reunite those neighborhoods, Malloy said of the Pequonnock River span. The type of bridge eventually constructed depends on a pending proposal to change the navigation status of the upstream section of the river, said Ben Barnes, secretary of the Office of Policy and Management. The commission also approved $7 million to match an undisclosed private investment for improvements at the citys Sikorsky Memorial Airport in Stratford. In other allocations, the commission approved $2.5 million as part of a $23 million program to remove severely damaged decayed and stressed trees in state parks, the victims of insect infestation and fire hazards. About $3.8 million was approved for improvements to the regional vocational-technical high schools, including those in Ansonia, Bridgeport, Danbury, Hamden, Meriden, Middletown, Milford, New Britain, Stamford, Stratford and Torrington. During the monthly meetings of the commission, those 200 or so state and local officials who attend the sessions stood as Malloy entered. After they greeted him again, for a final time, on their feet Tuesday, Malloy admitted to mixed emotions. I enjoyed that stand-up thing, but I never got used to it. kdixon@ctpost.com Twitter: @KenDixonCT Im very lucky that I have a close relationship with my mom. Shes humble, funny, genuine and she is a remarkable grandmother. She lives in Michigan and our family now lives in Colorado. Regardless of the distance, she comes to see us about every 30 days. It means the world to my daughter. They have a very close relationship and it is a blast to watch. Of course, the downside to that great relationship is that it breaks my daughters heart when grandma Lizzie heads home. Recently, on the Sunday after Thanksgiving after my mom headed back to Michigan, I tucked my daughter in bed. She seemed okay. I read her a story and I quickly thereafter was also tucking myself in bed. I shut off the lights, and was a bit startled when she came into my bedroom. She stood very close to my face in the dark crying, I miss grandma Lizzie. They say that distance makes the heart grow fonder. That may be true, but distance challenges us as social creatures. At Canvas, part of our vision is to be known for our people. We strive to hire the best talent available; we work hard to create a strong new employee experience; we invest in training; and yet, especially for our branch family members at our 26 locations from Denver to Fort Collins, the distance can be felt. Bridging that distance matters. According to LinkedIns 2018 workplace study, 70% of professionals in the U.S. today would not work at a leading company if it meant they had to tolerate a bad workplace culture. So much so, that people would rather put up with lower pay (65%) and forego a fancy title (26%) than deal with a bad workplace environment. Keeping culture alive across our branch network matters deeply, yet, maintaining and growing strong connections across the miles tests us. It is also not a new challenge. As long as weve had branches, credit unions of all sizes and distances have had to work to find ways to keep culture across the network and to keep people feeling close, no matter the distance. No doubt it is hard, but it is not impossible. As she has for my entire life, Grandma Lizzies behavior has helped model how we as credit unions can better stay connected. 1. Try Something Every Single Day. My mom is really good at finding ways to stay connected to both me and my daughter on a daily basis. For example, she buys MacKenzie books that she also has and will read a chapter to her once a day via FaceTime. She also learns MacKenzies schedule and will text her to ask about activities that she knows that she has. As credit unions, we can do the same thing. What are the routines of each branch that we can learn more about and reach out to engage in? Maybe a rotation could be created for a person at the main office to be responsible to focus on outreach for each branch over the course of six months? Rotating new people to assist could create an even broader network across the organization over time. 2. Share Passion. My mom shows enthusiasm for the things MacKenzie cares about. If MacKenzie is really passionate about Pokemon or singing or Minecraft, my mom shows interest in those things and asks MacKenzie about those interests. They might not always be the things she cares most deeply about, but she listens and learns. What are the things that energize the teams at your branches? Ask about those passions and find ways to connect to those passions. Even if team members within one branch dont share those same passions, the act of learning will create lasting connections and provide unique insights. 3. Empathize. Despite the fact that most adults would love to be eight again to have a simpler life, there are times when life seems very hard to MacKenzie. My mom always empathizes with her. She meets MacKenzie where she is in life. Life at the branch can be hard. Our frontline team members are the face of the brand to our members. As a result, they hear the bad and the ugly when our members are frustrated. Hear those frustrations. Be a sounding board. Allow a moment or two of venting. 4. Visit Often. My mom starts planning her next visit to Colorado before her current visit ends. It gives MacKenzie something to look forward to and it makes the transition to Grandma heading home easier. Make sure the branch team knows that people will be coming to visit often. Integrate something special with those visits that is unique to that branch and that visit. Many times, branch team members perceive that life is easier or more fun at the main office. Create joy and fun that starts to shift that perception. 5. Use Technology. My mom keeps FaceTime at the ready. MacKenzie has a smart watch that allows her to send messages and talk to her loved ones. This week they planned specific times when theyll talk. While its not the same as being together in person, the technology helps lots. At my first credit union, we had offices in Michigan, Illinois and Minnesota. The distance felt extreme. At that time video conferencing was not the norm, but we leveraged it every week to keep our team feeling closer during meetings. Seeing the interaction on both sides helped. Today the technology is even better and less expensive. At Canvas, we create weekly videos featuring different people across our family. We focus not only on business efforts, but also the personal details that make our team unique. Invite your branch team members to share their ideas about how theyd like to use technology to stay even more connected. Even in this day of technological advances, our members still want to have in-person connections. Our branches play that critical role; they ensure engagement that grows loyalty and deepens relationships. Our efforts to keep our team members feeling closer to our organizations ensure that our branches can be even more successful. Keeping and growing our connections never ends. When you see the closeness that your team members feel, just as I see the closeness that my daughter feels to my mom, youll know that every effort is well worth it. YOUTUBE: The Spirit of Things: Rachael Kohn interviews the Dalai Lama during a visit to Chenrezig in Queensland in 2011. Rachael Kohn ABC News` December 1, 2018 It was 1993 and I was in Chicago to cover the Parliament of the World's Religions, where 8,000 people from every imaginable religion and country pledged to live in harmony. It was exactly 100 years since the original Parliament was held at the 1893 Chicago World's Fair when swamis, gurus and spiritual leaders came to America for the first time. It was my first overseas assignment and I was alone. The BBC team outnumbered me by three, but I had an advantage. Being an academic in religious studies, I knew the works and reputations of many of the speakers, and with unbridled confidence I invited a litany of them to my hotel suite for interviews. From Hans Kung, who drafted the Parliament's key document, to Richard Rubinstein, the "death of God" theologian who had controversially defended Sun Myung Moon convicted leader of South Korea's controversial Unification Church (known as the 'Moonies') I interviewed over 20 participants with my bulky cassette recorder. But not everyone was welcome at the world's largest religion jamboree. Louis Farrakhan, the leader of the black nationalist group Nation of Islam, who was known for his racist and anti-Semitic statements, gate-crashed the event. He held his own media conference at the Palmer House Hotel, where the conference was based. Farrakhan's bouncers tried to keep me out, perhaps because my name clearly identified me as Jewish. But I persisted and when I asked him about his targeting of Jews, he exploded. The other journalists were stunned to see his charming demeanour abruptly turn to ferocious attack. But the message of Hans Kung, that "there will be no peace among nations until there is peace among religions", won the day. At the closing event, the Dalai Lama's address on the importance of demonstrating personal compassion drew upwards of 20,000 attendees. I returned to Australia with a profound understanding of what I needed to do. Dangerous cults and disgraced sheiks My programs on religion would provide an unparalleled opportunity to hear the best and the brightest people articulate their religious traditions in a way that might foster the peace that Kung and others dreamt of. But the 1990s were anything but peaceful. Terrorism fuelled by Islamist extremism had already taken a toll at the World Trade Centre in 1993, resulting in over 1,000 injuries and six deaths. It would continue around the world. The 9/11 disaster killed almost 3,000 American civilians, and the Bali bombing, in 2002, killed 202 people 88 of them Australians. A rising fear of the Muslim community needed to be addressed, and the programs that I created such as Religion Today (1994-1997), with producer Stephen Godley, and The Spirit of Things, with producer Geoff Wood (1997-present) regularly addressed interfaith relations with a specific focus on Islam. But who was to speak on behalf of the ethnically and religiously divided Muslim community? The Egyptian-born, Lakemba-based Grand Mufti Sheik Taj el-Din Al-Hilaly was a go-to authority. That was until he aroused controversy in 1998 with a speech, in Arabic, at a public function at the University of Sydney. In it, he accused Jews of using sex and deviancy to control the world. Sheik Al-Hilaly's standing worsened in 2006, when he responded to the conviction of rape by Muslim men of non-Muslim women by comparing the victims to "uncovered meat". I was relieved that in the week of the rape story, an urbane visiting Imam from Brighton, UK, talked to me about his extensive interfaith work. He revealed his "bible" was To Heal a Fractured World, by Chief Rabbi of the UK, Rabbi Jonathan Sacks. In fact, interfaith initiatives in Australia between the Muslim, Jewish and Christian communities gathered pace. But no-one was addressing the trouble makers, like the self-appointed sheik, Man Haron Monis. He claimed to be a refugee from Iran, and was becoming radicalised. He had sent me, and others in the media, a DVD with a woman dressed in a burka recruiting fighters for jihad. It prompted me to write an article for The Drum in 2009 in which I warned that if the renegade sheik was not reigned in, then he would be a danger to both the wider community and the Muslim community. Then, on December 15, 2014, Man Haron Monis walked into the Lindt Cafe armed with an assault rifle and took hostages. Two of the detainees were killed during the 17-hour ordeal. The desire to preserve the peace should never mean turning a blind eye to the dark side of religion. That lesson was forever etched in my mind 40 years ago when Jim Jones, leader of the Peoples Temple, led his largely African-American flock to the jungles of Guyana. More than 900 followers, including 304 children, died in a mass murder-suicide pact. It was the worst cult disaster in modern American history. Having specialised in cults as an academic, I was familiar with their destructive practices, which hit an all-time high in the 1990s. The Solar Temple, in Switzerland and Quebec, Heaven's Gate in California, and the Branch Davidians in Waco Texas, collectively left 200 dead and many seriously injured. Meanwhile, the Buddhist doomsday cult, Aum Shin Rikyo, killed 13 and injured thousands in poisonous sarin gas attacks in the Tokyo Metro of Japan. The leader, Shoko Asahara, and his minions, were executed in July this year. Survivors and stories of rebirth Iran Using Websites To Spread Fake News Website Nile Net Online promises Egyptians "true news" from its offices in the heart of Cairo's Tahrir Square "to expand the scope of freedom of expression in the Arab world". Its views on America do not chime with those of Egypt's state media, which celebrate Donald Trump's warm relations with Cairo. In one recent article, Nile Net On-line derided the American president as a "low-level theatre actor" who "turned America into a laughing stock" after he attacked Iran in a speech at the United Nations. Until recently, Nile Net Online had more than 115,000 page-followers across Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. But its contact telephone numbers, including one listed as 0123456789, don't work. A Facebook map showing its location dropped a pin onto the middle of the street, rather than any building. And regulars at the square, including a newspaper stall holder and a policeman, say they have never heard of the website. The reason: Nile Net Online is part of an influence operation based in Tehran. It's one of more than 70 websites found by Reuters which push Iranian propaganda to 15 countries, in an operation that cyber security experts, social media firms and journalists are only starting to uncover. The sites are visited by more than half a million people a month, and have been promoted by social media accounts with more than a million followers. "The Iranians are sophisticated cyber players," former CIA director John Brennan said of the Iranian campaign. "There are elements of the Iranian intelligence services that are rather capable in terms of operating (online)." Traced by building on research from cyber security firms FireEye and ClearSky, the sites in the campaign have been active at different times since 2012. They look like normal news and media outlets, but only a couple disclose any Iranian ties. All the sites are linked to Iran in one of two ways. Some carry stories, video and cartoons supplied by an online agency called the International Union of Virtual Media (IUVM), which says on its website it is headquartered in Tehran. Some have shared online registration de-tails with IUVM, such as addresses and phone numbers. Twenty-one of the websites do both. Emails sent to IUVM bounced back and telephone numbers the agency gave in web registration records did not work. Nile Net Online did not respond to questions sent to the email address on its website. Its operators could not be located. Unspoken Truth Some of the sites in the Iranian operation were first exposed in August by Facebook, Twitter and Google's parent, Alphabet, after FireEye found them. The social media companies have closed hundreds of accounts that promoted the sites or pushed Iranian messaging. The sites uncovered by Reuters have a much wider scope. They have published in 16 different languages, from Azerbaijani to Urdu, targeting Internet users in less-developed countries. That they reached readers in societies such as Egypt, which has blocked hundreds of news websites since 2017, highlights the campaign's reach. The Iranian sites include: A news site called Another West-ern Dawn which says its focus is on "unspoken truth". It fooled the Pakistani defence minister into issuing a nuclear threat against Israel; Ten outlets targeting readers in Yemen; A media outlet offering news and satirical cartoons in Sudan. Reuters could not reach any of its staff; A website called Realnie Novosti, or "Real News", for Russian readers. It offers a downloadable mobile phone app but its operator could not be traced. The news on the sites is not all fake. Authentic stories sit alongside pirated cartoons, as well as speeches from Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The sites clearly support Iran's government and amplify antagonism to countries opposed to Tehran, particularly Israel, Saudi Arabia and the United States. Nile Net's "laughing stock" piece was copied from an Iranian state TV network article published earlier the same day. Some of the sites are slapdash. The self-styled, misspelled "Yemen Press Agency" carries a running update of Saudi "crimes against Yemenis during the past 24 hours". Emails sent to the agency's listed contact, Arafat Shoroh, bounced back. The agency's address and phone number led to a hotel in Sanaa, whose staff said they had never heard of Shoroh. The identity or location of the past owners of some of the websites is visible in historical Internet registration records: 17 of 71 sites have in the past listed their locations as Iran or Tehran, or given an Iranian telephone or fax number. But who owns them now is often hidden, and none of the Iranian-linked operators could be reached. Khaleej Times: You Might Also Read: Iranian Political Influence Campaign Goes Global By Dec. 09, 2018 The main entrance to Noble Park, 2915 Park Avenue opens to welcome visitors when the park lights up each evening Sun.-Thurs., 6-9 pm; Fri. & Sat., 6-10 pm. The is no charge to drive through the light display, but please bring a monetary gift or canned goods to donate to local food pantries and shelters. There will be volunteers at the Santa House to take the donations as you drive by. Experience the region's premier holiday light display as Paducah Power System lights up the holiday season with Christmas in the Park! Christmas in the Park kicked off Wednesday, Nov. 22 with a lighting ceremony and walk under the lights. The event is open and lighted nightly through December 31. John's Pass Carriage Service offers horsedrawn carriage tours by reservation during Light Display hours. Call 270-243-4365 to make a reservation. For more info, call 270-575-4000 PADUCAH - Christmas in the Park Lights Up Noble Park Nightly at 6 New businesses, opportunities arising in Confluence because of the GAP By The Associated Press Dec. 10, 2018 | 05:29 AM | FRANKFORT The U.S. Department of Commerce has chosen Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin to lead an economic development trip to India. The trip is scheduled for January and the delegation will include members of the U.S.-India Business Council and co-leaders of the Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development. The group will visit the Gujarat Global Summit 2019. The governor's office said more than 25,000 delegates from over 100 countries attended the summit in 2017. Bevin told West Kentucky Star that he's glad to see Indian-owned companies operating in the state, and he would like to see even more in the future. "We currently have five Indian-owned companies in Kentucky. They employ 16-1700 folks, and that's great. I would love it to be more." He said. The delegation is also scheduled to visit India's most populous state, Uttar Pradesh. There, members will attend meetings surrounding the national holiday of Pravasi Bharatiya Divas, which celebrates the contributions of Indian citizens working abroad. Bevin said the trip is an incredible opportunity to showcase Kentucky's growth as an "epicenter for global companies." | BY Ricki Green | HP and Clemenger BBDO, Sydney have launched a Christmas campaign across Australia and New Zealand, showcasing HPs Sprocket portable printer, one of this Christmas hottest gifts. The campaign encourages Aussies and Kiwis to Say it with Love, Say it with a Sprocket this festive season, with the launch spot opening to a room filled with Christmas trees, and Sprockets nesting in the trees like baubles. Against the soundtrack of renowned Flight Facilities track, All Your Love (covered by Melbourne musician, Owl Eyes), the Sprockets on the trees begin printing out photos of a number of real couples leaning in for a kiss. Says Dan Henry, head of marketing South Pacific, HP: Sprocket is a product that enables people to make moments spent with loved ones even more special and memorable. This was our opportunity to not only inspire people to use their printed photos to enrich holiday experiences, but to celebrate the diverse cultures we enjoy in Australia and New Zealand. Says Darren Wright, creative director, Clemenger BBDO Sydney: The Sprocket is a fantastic product, we loved the way it allows you to celebrate all the fun moments and memories you have with your friends and family. We wanted to take that feeling and bring it to life in a beautiful Christmas feel good way. The campaign launches this week in Australia and New Zealand across TV, radio, outdoor, digital, social and will be in market until Christmas. To find out more about HPs Sprocket Printers here. HP, Client Dan Henry, Head of Marketing SPAC Ruben Ahmed, Head of Print Marketing Erin Breneger, Marketing Manager, Home Printing Systems Olivia West, Marketing Manager Nicola Treanor, Marketing Manager Clemenger BBDO Sydney. Creative Agency Emily Perrett, Manager Director Lilian Sor, Chief Strategy Officer Rob Harding-Smith, Senior Planner Darren Wright, Creative Director Celia Mortlock & Adam Smith, Copywriters Mick Pollard & Elaine Li, Art Directors Katrina Maw, Senior TV Producer Claire Bisset, Senior Digital Producer Sacha Zivanovic, Group Account Director Mahsa Merat, Account Director Katie Ryan, Senior Account Manager Finch, Production Company Toby Pike, Director Corey Esse, Executive Producer Jackie Adler, Producer Dan Freene, DP Nakatomi, Post Production Nylon Studios, Music Production & Mix Karla Henwood, Music Producer Charlie White, Music Arrangement Stuart St Vincent Welch, Mix Engineer Level Two, Music Liscensing Song: All Your Love, Flight Facilities Yes, you can transfer your domain to any registrar or hosting company once you have purchased it. Since domain transfers are a manual process, it can take up to 5 days to transfer the domain. Domains purchased with payment plans are not eligible to transfer until all payments have been made. Please remember that our 30-day money back guarantee is void once a domain has been transferred. For transfer instructions to GoDaddy, please click here. My best guess on Brexit has always been that a dirty deal was done before the Chequers ambush in the summer. Mother Theresa would present her shabby withdrawal agreement, certain in the knowledge that it would never get the support of her own party, let alone the House of Commons. But in the process, she would shed the most truculent Brexiteers from her Government and, eventually, pull a rabbit from the hat at the last minute which would allow her to pilot a marshmallow-soft, Brexit-in-name-only through Parliament. I assumed the EU's grand panjandrums were fully on-board with this cynical stitch-up, whatever noises they made for public consumption. If there's one thing Jean-Paul-Georges-et-Ringo would love more than the UK crawling back into the fold, tail between legs, it's Mrs May's craven plan to keep us in their orbit as a serf state, under the thumb but shorn of all influence. My best guess on Brexit has always been that a dirty deal was done before the Chequers ambush in the summer Up until yesterday, anyway, everything was going according to plan. That was before she bottled putting her 'deal' to the vote, when the overwhelming scale of her looming defeat became apparent. No Prime Minister could have survived in office given the hammering she would have taken in the division lobbies. So, instead of scuttling off to Brussels begging for more pre-arranged 'concessions' after a slim defeat in Parliament, she has been forced to step back from the abyss. Now what? Theresa says she intends to return to the EU to seek further 'reassurance' on the Irish backstop. Be honest, have you any idea what this 'backstop' nonsense is all about? It's an elaborate smokescreen, dreamed up to stop a proper Brexit. Long story short, without going into teeth-grindingly boring detail, it is designed to divide Northern Ireland from the rest of the UK and ensure that we can never, ever, leave the EU's customs union, without the permission of our so-called 'partners'. That pipsqueak ingrate Irish premier Lenny Verruca didn't do Mrs May any favours yesterday, either, dancing a jig to the Brussels tune and issuing empty threats against a benevolent, and much larger, neighbour which kept his country afloat during difficult economic times. Of all the horror stories put about by Project Fear, the warnings about Brexit imperilling the Irish peace process are by far and away the most despicable. It is an insult not just to Britain, but to the Irish people themselves, on whichever side of the political divide, who have invested so much in resolving their differences. For opportunist politicians to exploit their goodwill with incendiary remarks about reigniting violence is beneath contempt. So, too, the garbage about children going hungry because school meals won't be available after Brexit, or people dying from lack of imported medicines. Enough, already. Mother Theresa would present her shabby withdrawal agreement, certain in the knowledge that it would never get the support of her own party, let alone the House of Commons Look, I say again, even hardline 'no deal' Brexiteers like me accept that there will have to be some compromises if we are to get out of the EU in one piece. But the antics of the political class have been shameful, an insult to the intelligence of every single one of us who pays their wages. As I said last week, who can you trust? With a few honourable exceptions, their collective behaviour has been self-serving and disgraceful. I admired Boris for having the courage to come out in favour of Leave, even if he did take for ever to weigh his options. He should have got the top job after the referendum, but was carved up by his oppo Michael Gove, who clearly still fancies his own chances of becoming Prime Minister. Don't they all? But when Boris turned up on TV at the weekend with a smart new haircut, my heart sank. This is no longer about Brexit, it's about him. Then I read that Boris is apparently part of a Tory leadership dream ticket with Amber Rudd. I'm sorry, I'll just read that again. This is the same Look Back In Amber who not so long ago was slagging off Boris, accusing him of not being safe in taxis. Now we're asked to believe they're Westminster's lovey-dovey answer to Seann and Katya (whoever they are). I'm only surprised that Amber hasn't had a Mrs Thatcher perm that's if Esther McRantzen, or whatever her name is, hasn't beaten her to it. And so this is Christmas, and what have they done? Apart from squabbling among themselves nothing. My best guess is still that a grubby deal has been done and may yet be revived. But after yesterday, I wouldn't bank on anything any more. The political class must think that we're so stupid and bored with the whole business that we'll accept any deal they can cobble together. And, you know what: sadly, maybe they're right. I'm a Brexiteer. Get me out of here. Many of the beavers imported from Europe are carrying a particularly nasty strain of tapeworm, which can prove lethal to foxes However Brexit works out, or doesn't, there seems to be no end to mass immigration. The number of EU citizens settling in Britain may have fallen since the referendum, but arrivals from the rest of the world have hit a 14-year high. A quarter of a million more people came here from outside the EU than left in the past year, an increase of 40 per cent. It was another triumph for Mother Theresa, who don't forget was in charge of immigration at the Home Office until the keys to Number 10 dropped into her lap. Her other notable success was reintroducing beavers to the Forest of Dean, by extending freedom of movement rules (for beavers) which already apply between Germany, Belgium and Holland. (How does that work, then? Do beavers have their own 'Nothing to Declare' lane?) Sadly, that initiative has backfired. It turns out that many of the beavers imported from Europe are carrying a particularly nasty strain of tapeworm, which can prove lethal to foxes. Officials have been forced to apply an emergency brake, so to speak. As a result, beavers are massing in the Dutch province of Limburg, awaiting passage to Britain a bit like the Jungle, at Calais, only for beavers. Currently, we are only admitting beavers from Norway, which is tapeworm-free presumably, the famous 'Norway Option' we keep hearing so much about these days. I have visions of beavers stowing away in container lorries, leaping out at the Watford Gap services, and heading for Croydon, where they can claim asylum. Or steaming across the North Sea on a flotilla of inflatable speedboats and lilos, like illegals from Syria and Sudan. But hang on a minute. If their strain of tapeworm kills foxes, what's not to like? Especially if it also wipes out badgers and muntjacs. Instead of pulling up the drawbridge, we should be giving them assisted passage. As Leslie Nielsen said to Priscilla Presley in The Naked Gun: 'Nice beaver!' Wouldn't it be nice to get on wiv me neighbours? But they make it very clear, they've got no room for Leavers! My habit when writing this column is to sit at the wordface with Sky News (muted) on the TV and music playing loudly, either my own extensive record collection, on shuffle, or Radio 2. Every now and again, this can accidentally create the perfect soundtrack. Yesterday afternoon, as the pictures from Parliament were leading up to the debate on our future relationship with Europe, Steve Wright's non-stop oldies featured Lazy Sunday Afternoon by the Small Faces. Wouldn't it be nice to get on wiv me neighbours? But they make it very clear, they've got no room for Leavers! Better still, Stevie Marriott spoke for Britain, from beyond the grave. They're doin' me crust in, it's no good at all. Close my eyes and drift away . . . Last week, I filed a location report from Sir David Attenborough's latest wildlife series in Africa. Chatting in the Green Room to antelopes, lions, crocodiles and wildebeest in the cast, I began to realise how much genuine love there is between these animals, despite their on-screen fallings-out. 'When the cameras start rolling, we're at each other's throats, because that's our job,' an up-and-coming young hyena explained to me. 'But off-duty we're the best of mates. Believe me, you can't survive in this business without a real sense of teamwork.' In part two of his series David Attenborough explores Africa's landscape and its wildlife Last week, I began to realise how much genuine love there is between these animals, despite their on-screen fallings-out This unexpected cameraderie of the wild animals was vividly on display during the next day's filming. Most of the animals involved in the shoot were up at the crack of dawn, ready for costume-fitting and make-up. In the Cosmetics Room, I came upon a young elephant, Ellie, in front of the mirror. 'For today's shoot, I'm playing an elderly elephant, so they need me to look suitably lined', she told me. As we spoke, Sally a make-up artiste who has worked with the likes of TV legends Joan Collins and Cap'n Birdseye was applying extra wrinkles all over Ellie's body, a job she expected to take three hours or more. Alongside Ellie was Leo the Lion, a veteran of more than 30 wildlife doctumentaries. 'To be brutally honest, I'm basically playing myself, so I don't require much make-up, other than a light dusting of powder and perhaps the merest touch of eye-liner', said Leo. The animals on-screen display an unexpected cameraderie during the filming of the show 'But I do insist that my mane is at its best, so there's endless blow-drying and back-combing that needs to be done. One owes it to one's fans.' In 2016, Leo won an Emmy for Best Hairdo in a One-Off Wildlife Documentary. Next to Leo sat movie legend Gillian the Giraffe, who was last seen on our screens being brutally attacked by a crocodile, near a swamp. 'It was all shot at Pinewood, darling,' she told me, 'and of course the crocodile and I go back 30 years, all the way to Animal Magic with Johnny Morris, who was always an absolute darling.' For her famous crocodile-attack, Gillian needed a lot of stage blood smeared over her legs, but on the day of my visit the only make-up she needed was a little mascara. Attenborough's Africa looks at the constantly evolving landscape of the continent However, the make-up process required a complicated system of scaffolding, and the roof above her chair had to be raised 20ft or so. At 8am, filming commenced. I watched as a cheetah and a zebra rehearsed a chase sequence over and over again. 'Simply super, darlings!' shouted their fight director after they had completed their umpteenth quarter-mile sprint. 'But could we try it just once more, and this time, Zebra Sweetie, would you try looking back over your shoulder? Give the cheetah a nasty look as he bites into your ankle, darling!' After the shoot was over, I shared a cappuccino with the zebra. He told me he loved appearing in David Attenborough's shows, but he some times yearned to play something other than the victim. 'These wildlife directors are always stereotyping zebras,' he said, unwrapping a KitKat with his hoof. ' 'If I've been chased once, I've been chased a hundred times. But there's so much more to me than that! Most of the animals involved in the shoot were up at the crack of dawn, ready for costume-fitting and make-up 'I can do aggressive, romantic, happy, heartbroken, heroic, the lot but all they ever ask for is victim!' 'Tell me about it, love!' chipped in a passing antelope. That afternoon, I watched the filming of a fight between a warthog and a porcupine. 'It can take anywhere between four and five hours to ensure all the tiny little protectors are in place on the porcupine's quills,' said the Health and Safety officer. 'For us, the well-being of the warthog is paramount.' Finally, I was one of a select group of people invited to watch Sir David shoot a very intimate scene between a male and a female Black Mamba. 'I only ever agree to do these scenes if I consider them artistically valid,' the female Black Mamba explained to me, as the lighting-director busied around her. She's had a busy year. 'Last week, I had a slither-on role in I'm a Celebrity, and next week, I'm off to Colombia, for a cameo in Narcos.' Most MPs sitting in the Commons yesterday will know how Margaret Thatcher delivered her last words as prime minister in late November 1990. There was more than a touch of Mrs T about Theresa May last night. Defiant, brave, coherent. Plenty of class and a touch of humour. But Mrs Thatcher at the time was doomed. Does the same apply to Mrs May? It's too soon to be sure. Yesterday morning she was promising a parliamentary vote on her EU withdrawal agreement. 'Theresa May (pictured) deserves a final chance, but after that she would be unpatriotic to cling on to office. If she is forced out of power, she should be offered the opportunity to leave with honour' However, like so many of the embattled Mrs May's earlier assurances, it's bitten the dust. The truth is that the Prime Minister ducked out at the last moment in the face of implacable opposition. Not just from mutinous Conservative backbenchers, but also the Tory party's supposed DUP allies. When it became obvious that she was facing a Commons defeat on this scale, Mrs May concluded that discretion is the better part of valour. She's now preparing to go back to Brussels to secure a better deal. Already, her chief Brexit negotiator Olly Robbins is there preparing the way. But the other EU leaders have repeatedly made it clear there's nothing doing. Sensing Britain's weakness, President of the European Council Donald Tusk said it again yesterday: 'We will not renegotiate the deal, including the backstop.' So it looks like Mrs May is clutching at straws. From a constitutional point of view, a prime minister who cannot command the support of the House of Commons must quit. In the case of Mrs Thatcher, it was the much-hated poll tax which did for her. In the case of Mrs May, she's adrift from her own party and hundreds of other MPs on the most corrosive issue which has faced this country for 50 years. Not surprisingly, Jeremy Corbyn said that if the PM can't get her deal through the Commons, then she should make way for somebody who can. And he did not mean another Tory. I am a Conservative supporter. But Mr Corbyn was making a reasonable point. The truth is that Mrs May is losing the ability to govern. That is how premierships always end. It's never nice. This time it's frightening. Inevitably, sterling was plunging on the foreign currency markets yesterday. There were alarming new statistics that suggest economic growth is grinding to a halt. That is not surprising. There was always going to be a moment when Brexit chaos hits the markets. Most MPs sitting in the Commons yesterday will know how Margaret Thatcher delivered her last words as prime minister in late November 1990. Picture shows Mrs Thatcher waving from the steps of No 10 Downing Street with husband Denis after becoming Britain's first female Prime Minister in 1979 A Cabinet meeting today has been cancelled. That decision was predictable, too. With the authority of the Prime Minister shattered, the Tory party has split and Cabinet is out of control. Preening rivals disloyally feel free to treat their boss with contempt. Mrs May could have expected better from Welfare Secretary Amber Rudd, a longtime colleague who she had nobly and graciously invited back into her Cabinet only a few weeks ago after a period on the backbenches following her mishandling of the Windrush scandal. Gratitude? Forget it. Miss Rudd defied collective responsibility in undermining Mrs May's deal by speculating just three days before the planned Commons vote that there was a possible alternative to the PM's plan and that a post-Brexit Britain could enjoy the same relationship with the EU as Norway currently does. The conduct of Home Secretary Sajid Javid has been equally subversive. His acolytes are letting it be known that he wants the top job. He ought to be supporting the PM both publicly and privately. Instead, he has let it be known that he thinks her deal is dead and Mrs May will be forced out when it fails. This is treachery at exactly the moment when Mrs May needs loyalty. I offer some advice for those who might ever think of going into the trenches with either Rudd or Javid: Don't. Faced with any crisis, they'd slit your throat. What we are witnessing in this tragic drama are two separate Tory parties with two diametrically opposed sets of belief on Europe. They are fighting like ferrets in a sack with seemingly scant care what is in the interests of the British public. No leader, not even the Duke of Wellington in his prime, could keep this lot under control. Of course many people feel sorry for Mrs May. But politicians are a tough breed. They volunteered to go over the Westminster frontline. Nevertheless, there is a fragility of government that doesn't help anyone. We're living through a period of cartwheel politics, when decisions taken one day are rescinded a few hours later. Britain has entered a very dark place. Against this melancholy background, we must hope for a better future. Although Mrs May is in the Last Chance Saloon, compared with any possible Tory replacement none of whom seem to have any affect among voters she is still courageously holding her head high. She has conjured up a deal that has widespread support across the country and she defended it extremely fluently yesterday. Crucially, she asked those wanting a second referendum a sensible question. What message would it send about the state of British democracy? To those who champion the 'Norway Option', she questioned whether it answered the concerns expressed by Brexiteer voters about immigration. And she asked the biggest question of all. Do MPs really want Brexit? The awkward silence that followed apart from Scottish Nationalists crudely braying 'No' was proof that Britain has entered a period of chronic uncertainty. 'What's around the corner? Mrs May stepping down? A new Tory leader? A general election followed by a Jeremy Corbyn led government?' What's around the corner? Mrs May stepping down? A new Tory leader? A general election followed by a Corbyn government? A second referendum and all of the fresh divisions that would mean? Or a dogged Mrs May finally triumphing by winkling out concessions from the other EU leaders, and returning to Westminster to win a Commons vote? Only a fool would say they know the answer. For my part, I believe that amid all the chaos, Mrs May and her proposal can still win. I studied her closely yesterday at the despatch box. Most certainly defeated but I can see no more plausible alternative. The Prime Minister has spent more than two years trying to manage a Brexit that works for the British people. She should be allowed a few more days to salvage concessions from Brussels. Any more predictions than that, I'm not so sure. There was talk last night that Mrs May would try to grind out a result by bringing back the vote to the Commons at the last possible moment, meaning that MPs will be forced to choose between her deal and nothing. That would be a misguided tactic. If Mrs May can't get her deal through the Commons, the British public must find out soon and not in six weeks' time. There remain other options to explore to stop Britain crashing out of the EU on March 29. Mrs May deserves a final chance, but after that she would be unpatriotic to cling on to office. If she is forced out of power, she should be offered the opportunity to leave with honour. Otherwise, her legacy will be losing her party's majority by making the grave mistake of calling a general election last year and failing to deliver Brexit. Theresa May deserves better than that. Here in the pro-EU citadel of Westminster we had tumult, tantrums, European flag-waving and more interference from Speaker John 'bent-as-a-beery-elbow' Bercow. Pro-Brussels protesters (are they being paid for it?) spent much of the day loitering by the broadcasters' tents on College Green, trying to muscle in on the Sky News cameras. Only a few retired Army blokes in berets put the opposite view. Best sight of the day was a pro-EU car purring past Parliament at 10.20am, blue flags fluttering from its bonnet as some voice inside screamed that Brexit must be stopped. The marque of the motor? Rolls-Royce. Again, a few Brexiteers hovered in the margins. A chap on a bicycle teetered round Parliament Square, blasting forth Vera Lynn tunes and Elgar from a loudspeaker. But mostly the mood here was one of aghast, insistent, bitter, foaming, kick-kicking Remoaner fulminations. The Euro loonies are better choreographed and funded and they have gone into orbit. Yvette Cooper's (pictured) Normanton, Pontefract & Castleford seat voted 70 per cent for Leave, yet she toils against Brexit, writes Quentin Letts The Commons day began with Treasury Questions, chaired by Mr Accentuate the Positives himself, Philip Hammond. He kept droning that the way to bring stability was for Mrs May's Brexit deal to be supported. Sullen silence. Labour's John McDonnell used his most papery voice of grief to complain that 'businesses can not face any more uncertainty'. This on the day when the latest jobs figures showed another leap in employment. Mr Hammond said, again, that MPs should vote for Mrs May's deal, Speaker Bercow shot to his feet. 'I say very gently to the Chancellor,' said Bercow stickily, 'to whom I have been listening with great care, that it is quite difficult to vote for something if there is not a vote. I am only trying to help him. 'It is a point so blindingly obvious that I am surprised I have to state it, but manifestly I do.' Robin Walker is the MP for the Worcester constituency and the Under Secretary of State for the Department for Exiting the European Union With that he boinged back on to his well-sprung seat, looking mightily chuffed with himself. Repeat those words to yourself out loud and you may savour better their biased sarcasm. At an hour most sensible people are pouring themselves a pre-prandial sherry we had an anti-Brexit Urgent Question, granted by Bercow to Yvette Cooper. Her Normanton, Pontefract & Castleford seat voted 70 per cent for Leave, yet she toils against Brexit. The Government sent along junior minister Robin Walker to cop her wobbly-headed flak. Young Walker is a delicious creation, keen to project smoothness yet a bit jabbery. Think trainee manager at a four-star hotel trying to soothe guests after a 2am fire alarm. Mr Walker, fiddling with his tie, fingering his lips, blowing his fringe, stalled a few times as he faced Labour indignation that Mrs May had legged it to Berlin rather than let the House vote on her deal. 'We don't trust your words!' honked Blairite Rachel Reeves. Mike Gapes (Lab, Ilford S) shouted about 'duplicitous behaviour' by Mrs May. Mr Walker kept saying he had been 'very clear'. The Commons day began with Treasury Questions, chaired by Philip Hammond (pictured here leaving Downing Street on Monday) Tricky times for greasers. When we reached another Bercow-granted anti-Brexit debate, toadies such as Chris Philp (Con, Croydon S) and gaseous Simon Hoare (Con, N Dorset) did their best to distract Jeremy Corbyn but to what end? The debate, about the parliamentary timetable, was merely symbolic and the more Brexity parts of the Tory benches were near-deserted. Little Hoare got into a brief spat with Pro-Leave Tory Mark Francois (Rayleigh & Wickford). Tory grandee Sir Nicholas Soames (Mid-Sussex) stared at Francois as though the fella were moulded from dog mess. Down by daft corner, Anna Soubry (Con, Broxtowe) shrieked 'hear hear!' at Labour MPs and whispered behind her palm at a fellow Remainer, Nicky Morgan (Con, Loughborough). Mrs Morgan turned her head away and shifted her bottom. Does she realise how dotty Soubs sounds? Hywel Williams (Pl Cymru, Caernarfon) said 'democracy delayed is democracy denied'. He was actually trying to make a Remain point but it could apply more powerfully to 2016's mighty plebiscite as this Parliament wriggles with denial and seeks to block the people's will. A breakup is always hard, but when you're leaving your childhood sweetheart, it can be impossible to know if it's time to go. Former bank regional general mananger Khara Williams, from Perth, realised it was time to leave her partner six months before her wedding a decade ago. Her marriage later broke down when she was 24 years old. 'If I'm completely honest, I think I knew six months before getting married that, one day, I would leave him,' Khara, 33, wrote on her blog. 'That's hard to put down on paper, because it makes me sound, well, cruel. But life and love isn't black and white and I did love and adore him. We were best friends, but in many ways I also felt like his mother.' 'If I'm completely honest, I think I knew six months before getting married that, one day, I would leave him,' former Regional General Manager, Khara Williams (pictured), said Khara (pictured) said she met her first husband when she was 15 years old - a time 'when it can be hard for anyone to who know they are' While Khara has since moved on and is in a loving marriage with two children from this relationship, she also said she wanted to share her 'personal story' with people because she wants to help others on their 'path to your true purpose'. 'I met my ex-husband when I was 15 years old,' Khara said - adding that at that age it can be hard for anyone to know 'who they are'. 'Between school, playing netball and working at the local supermarket, I hardly expected to meet the man I would marry,' she explained. Maybe this was how all grown-up relationships felt? Maybe this is what marriage is all about, maybe the love develops and grows over time? Maybe this is just how it feels to be with someone for the rest of your life? But the pair fell in love, and moved from 'the safe surrounds' of the country to 'the big smoke' together. 'If I'm being totally honest, it sort of steamrolled from there,' she said. The couple set up a home and Khara said she supported her partner 'through his double degree'. 'In the process, I completely lost sight of my own sense of purpose,' she said. 'What were my goals? What did I want to achieve in life? I didn't know the answers yet, but one thing I knew for sure - I didn't want the life I led to be average.' She said she knew around six months before her wedding that her partner wasn't the 'One', but she said she kept going because 'at that age, I genuinely thought it was the right thing to do'. 'Maybe this was how all grown-up relationships felt? Maybe this is what marriage is all about, maybe the love develops and grows over time? Maybe this is just how it feels to be with someone for the rest of your life?'. Khara said she questioned herself daily, 'even though deep down, that wasn't how it was supposed to feel'. The couple's relationship 'steamrolled' from there - and Khara (pictured with one of her children) quickly moved to the city with her ex-partner and found herself questioning The marriage eventually broke down when she was just 24, and Khara admitted she was plunged into a dark place. 'I had no friends to turn to who had been through similar experiences and people around me at the time struggled to be entirely supportive,' she recalled. 'It was, after all, a shock I guess. From the outside looking in we appeared every bit the childhood sweethearts, but I was suffering inside.' For around 18 months before and during her separation, she said she 'shut out everyone in my life, even my family'. Khara stopped inviting people to dinner and socialised only if she had to. 'I felt stuck. I felt lost. And each day was just about trying to survive,' she said. The marriage eventually broke down when she was just 24, and Khara (pictured) admitted she was plunged into a dark place - she has since come out of the other side Slowly and steadily, however, she built herself back up - both through self-development and seeing a psychologist. 'But I'm a work in progress,' she said. 'Years later, even after the birth of my son Tom I needed to stop myself falling into the same pattern with my husband. 'I had suggested he join me in our business adventures, jump on board this journey with me and even though he expressed his doubts, I kept pushing. 'Then I realised, this is my purpose, my dream not his. I thought I wanted my partner to run it with me, but he's running his own race and that's okay.' Speaking to FEMAIL about her tips for others going through something similar, Khara said you shouldn't struggle alone - and professional help can be valuable. 'Be kind and generous to the people you love, but don't be trapped by judgement,' she said. 'My second marriage is what it is because I have learned so much about myself in my first marriage. 'I'm grateful for the experience and heartache in my first marriage, which helped me to move forward with a better sense of myself, the need for careful communication and understanding of what a relationship can and should be. 'Every relationship takes work, but when both parties are clear on who they are it creates a foundation for a beautiful partnership. I'll always be thankful to my first husband for the lessons I've learned.' To read more from Khara Williams, you can visit her website here. Advertisement When it comes to summer events, often the last colour of choice is black. But stars of the silver and small screen stormed the red carpet in an array of black outfits for the AACTAs at The Star in Sydney on Wednesday evening. While some plumped for daring thigh-high splits like Gold Logie-winning actress, Melina Vidler, others, including the age-defying media doyenne Kerri-Anne Kennerley opted for on-trend black pantsuits. Here, FEMAIL spotlights the return of the dark shade in summer months. When it comes to summer events, often the last colour of choice is black, but stars of the silver and small screen stormed the red carpet in an array of black outfits for the AACTAs at The Star in Sydney on Wednesday (pictured: actress Melina Vidler in Bronx & Banco) Actress Isabel Lucas (left) wore a sleek black ensemble with a split front, which she paired with a white ribbon in her hair and around her waist; Kerri-Anne Kennerley was on-trend in a black pant suit with a floral jacket (centre), while actress and model Phoebe Tonkin was radiant in Chanel sequins (right) Alongside her floral jacket and flared pants, Kerri-Anne Kennerley (left) wore her hair in a bouncy blow dry; meanwhile Isabel Lucas (right) wore hers in a ponytail with statement earrings They're the Facebook mothers' groups where women get together to share and discuss the latest shopping tip or crafty home hack. But behind the apparent cheery helpfulness of these groups, there's a sinister dark side that sees members abused, belittled and threatened - even among the groups following major brands such as Kmart, Big W and Target. Members complain of out-of-control administrators who refer to themselves as 'God-min' and kick them off the sites without warning or reason. In one case, a mother was left fearing for her child's safety after an administrator threatened to send a photo of her child to a paedophile group. FEMAIL has spoken to several women who have shed light on the abusive, demeaning and damaging behaviour they've been subjected to inside these groups. Mothers have called for an end to bullying on Facebook groups dedicated to name brands saying the culture is not only toxic but the behaviour has damaging and lasting effects (stock image) One mum, Jody Ann, shared a series of screenshots from a Kmart mums' group thread where an admin was insulting a member who shared an innocent photo of her child in a bucket The admin was slamming members who defended the poster, describing them as 'thick c***s' One woman, Jody Ann, shared a series of screenshots with Daily Mail Australia after witnessing one woman being terrorised by an administrator on a Kmart mums' Facebook group. Kmart Facebook groups have no affiliation with Kmart itself. She explained the thread appeared to become heated over complaints in relation to a post which had upset an administrator, something that quickly deteriorated into a 'name and shame' scenario. The administrator - a woman named Mandy - was not only behaving inappropriately, Jody Ann said she 'appeared to be trolling the situation'. She referred to herself as a 'godmin' - a term created to describe admins with 'power' When the conversation got heated the admin started to lash out at anyone who questioned her language and started blocking anybody who argued with her She then threatened to send the photo of the child to a 'pedo group' 'It got way out of hand,' she recalled. 'To the point of threats.' From the screenshots saved by Jody Ann, it can be seen that the administrator believes herself to be an all-powerful force, even referring to herself as 'Godmin'. The tirade between this woman and others on the group saw the administrator refer to users as 'thick c****' as well threaten a mother with sending photos of her semi-naked child to a 'pedo group to teach her a f***** lesson'. Jody Ann said she wasn't just horrified by the experience but believed reporting to the group's founder wouldn't change a thing. One woman wrote on a post that she had been kicked from an online mums Facebook group because she wasn't a mum even though she was pregnant at the time with her first child A woman who is a stepmother shared how she encountered a tirade of abuse over the fact she wasn't the child's real mum Other shocking instances of bullying within the groups have also been shared. One woman, Brooke, explained how she was given the boot for 'not being a mother', even though she was pregnant at the time and 'addicted to Kmart'. Teresa Buck (pictured) said the mums' group she was kicked out of was run by 'complete bullies' 'I wanted to get ideas from other mums and stuff and when I tried to explain myself I was then told I was a liar and an attention seeker because there is no proof of my pregnancy on Facebook... the actual hell...?', she wrote on another mums' group. Speaking to Daily Mail Australia about the issue of intimidation on the Facebook groups, Brooke said it was 'just like being a bullied kid in high school all over again'. Another woman also shared her experience of being removed from a mums' group for nothing more than posting a photo of her stepson. 'Women abused me non stop for not being the real mum,' she wrote on a post as well as revealing she had been told she 'was a piece of s***, a w**** and a b****'. 'But yet if I was a male who took on another man's child I would be God's gift to women right? Double standard.' One woman revealed how a 'public service announcement' regarding a reaction she'd had to one of Kmart's cosmetic formulations saw her 'booted overnight' Another woman, Aubrey, explained how she had been deleted from one popular Australian group for posting that she'd had an extreme chemical and allergic reaction to Kmart's eye relaxation pads. It's just like being a bullied kid in high school all over again 'I literally included pictures so that I could prevent any other women, let alone a child, experiencing the same.' Another woman, Teresa, shared how she'd been kicked from one mums' group for seemingly no reason at all, saying she didn't break any rules and when she asked the administrators about the matter 'they just blocked me'. In her post on another Facebook group Teresa said she'd shared a photo showing her niece's room which had been decorated using 80 per cent Kmart products. 'All I said was spot the Kmart.' Teresa said she was kicked from a popular online mums' group for posting a photo of her niece's bedroom, one that said 'spot the Kmart' Teresa told the Daily Mail Australia that the group was run by 'complete bullies'. Others revealed the groups all seemed to have a problem with those who chose to post comments that weren't seen as brand positive. A woman called Cathryn said she was removed after posting about product safety issues -something she didn't believe was the same as 'whingeing and being negative'. 'Never have I known such pettiness as what the admin of that group are capable of'. Daily Mail Australia has contacted Kmart for comment. If you're a troubled sleeper and struggling towards the end of the year, then it might be time to reach for a supplement in your quest to get eight hours sleep. But there is one that is selling out above all others in Priceline - Bioglan's Melatonin, which costs $19.99 in stores and online. The homeopathic blend from the brand is already beloved by models and celebrities dealing with jet lag, and now it is selling out with sleepless men and women up and down the country. Bioglan's supplement is beloved by models (pictured: Ashley Hart), who swear by it for jet lag and aiding their sleep after long-distance travel Bioglan's Melatonin (pictured), which costs $19.99 in stores and online, is the best-selling sleep supplement in Priceline - the homeopathic blend is said to aid sleep Cenovis Easy Sleep for $11.99 (pictured) is also a bestseller and contains valerian Designed to help relieve insomnia and nervous tension as well as provide stamina and endurance when taken in the morning, Bioglan's Melatonin has been praised for helping to establish healthy sleep patterns. Users are advised to chew between one and three tablets daily for the best results. I have never slept better.. Definitely try it if you have trouble sleeping. Also bonus I don't wake groggy,' one reviewer posted online. 'After 30 years of not sleeping well I am now extremely happy,' another person added. I have never slept better.. Definitely try it if you have trouble sleeping. Also bonus I don't wake groggy,' one reviewer posted of the Bioglan product (stock image) Of course, this isn't the only supplement that Priceline can't keep in stock. Byrdie Australia revealed three others that are flying off the shelves right now. Among these is the Swisse Sleep product, which costs $13.49, and contains valerian to release nervous tension and promote restful sleep. Nature's Own Sleep-Ezy capsules, which cost $16.99, are also a hit with the sleepless, as is Cenovis Easy Sleep for $11.99, which has a high dose of valerian. Speaking exclusively to FEMAIL, Oprah Winfrey's sleep doctor, Dr Michael Breus (pictured), revealed the ideal bedtime routine - and the one thing you should never do before bed Previously speaking exclusively to FEMAIL, Oprah Winfrey's sleep doctor, Dr Michael Breus, revealed the ideal bedtime routine - and the one thing you should never do before bed. 'The secret to sleep is to pay attention to what you're doing in those precious hours before bedtime,' he told Daily Mail Australia. The ideal bedtime routine * Set aside an hour dedicated to your 'sleep hygiene'. * 20 minutes: Use the first 20 minutes of the hour to finish up your last task of the night. Set a stopwatch or times. * 20 minutes: Remove your makeup, brush your teeth, or take a hot bath or shower in a dimly-lit bathroom. * 20 minutes: Use the last 20 minutes to do something to 'relax your body'. Tai chi, stretching, muscle relaxation or meditation will all work wonders. Advertisement 'One hour before you are going to try and sleep, break up your time accordingly.' The sleep doctor recommends you set aside 20 minutes of the allotted bedtime hour to 'finish up your last task of the night'. 'Set a stopwatch or timer, have a friend call you, but do something to help you know when that 20 minutes is up. Next, use the second 20-minute window for hygiene. 'Remove your makeup, wash your face, brush your teeth or take a hot bath or shower in a dimly-lit bathroom,' Dr Breus said. Finally, use the last 20 minutes to do something to 'relax your body'. 'Whether it's muscle relaxation, Tai Chi, stretching or doing something for your mind like meditation or prayer, make sure you use this time for you,' he added. Dr Michael Breus's top sleep hacks Dr Breus recommends drinking a 'banana tea' as it is loaded with magnesium (stock image) * Try a nap-a-latte: 'Drink a cup of black coffee, cooled down with three ice cubes and immediately take a 25-minute nap after drinking. The caffeine will block the sleep-inducing factors and the little 25-minute nap will give you enough sleep to feel better.' * Get outside: 'Try getting out into the sunshine for just 15 minutes each morning. The bright light will help to discontinue the production of melatonin, the sleep hormone.' * Count sheep: While this is not quite counting sheep, Dr Breus does recommend you count backwards from 300 in increments of threes. 'It's so complicated that you can't think of anything else, while it's so boring that you're out like a light.' * Drink banana tea: 'Take a chunk of organic banana, peel on, cut it in half and with the stem and trip removed, brew it in boiling water for four minutes and drink. The water will be loaded with magnesium, which is very calming and is a great replacement for camomile tea.' Advertisement If you're looking to get good quality sleep, there is one thing you should refrain from doing before you turn out the light. 'Having big emotional discussions with your partner right before bed is one of the worst things you can do before trying to fall asleep,' Dr Breus explained. 'It sets off this whole level of autonomic arousal, you're angry, you're upset and you can't stop thinking right before bed.' Dr Breus said that you need to aim for ideally around seven and a half hours - which is the 'sweet spot' for slumber: 'The average sleep cycle is 90 minutes long and a typical night of sleep includes five full sleep cycles,' he said. 'So, if we apply some simple maths, 90 x 5 is 450 minutes - or 7.5 hours.' An atheist woman has shared the spine-tingling moment she felt 'arms wrapped around her' as she lay in bed alone. Writing on Mumsnet the British woman, whose father died nine years ago, explained how she had woken up and heard her partner leave for work before she felt the strange presence beside her. She told how, despite not recognising the feeling of heat and tingling on her back, she felt inexplicably calm. The woman said she had been left wondering whether it could have been her dead father, as her mother claimed to have experienced his presence on numerous occasions in the family home - where she was staying at the time. Despite having been raised a Catholic, the woman said she was now an atheist working in a science based field who 'believes in the factual, empirically provable reality of things'. That said, the experience left her 'freaking out and crying', she wrote, adding: 'Sounds silly but I feel like it may have been my dad.' A British woman asked users of Mumsnet if it's possible for dead loved ones to visit the living after having a strange experience while laying awake in bed (file image) The woman outlined in her post how her mother had previously claimed numerous times to have experienced her dead father in the nine years since his death Describing the encounter, the anonymous woman admitted she was 'really confused'. She said that while her mother had claimed to have 'felt her dad's presence', she had always maintained it was nothing more than 'her imagination going crazy'. 'Anyway, this morning [my partner had] left for work and I was still in bed,' she said. 'I was listening to him brushing his teeth, then popping the kettle on so I was definitely awake, but a little drowsy. 'I felt him get back into bed with me and thought whats he doing?... its not unusual for him to pop back into the bedroom and give me a hug or kiss before leaving the house. 'I felt the heaviness of him pressed against my back and his arms wrapped around me. There was a heat between my shoulder blades I have never felt before but I wasnt scared but I knew it wasnt DP then. 'I heard the front door open so DP was leaving the house. Then my whole back went tingly a bit like pins and needles but not in an unpleasant way.' She added: 'When it was happened I felt calm and warm but Im freaking out now and cant stop crying. Sounds silly but I feel like it may have been my dad. I was 100% awake, not dreaming. I leant over and flicked the lamp on straight after.' A flood of responses to the thread argued the encounter was most likely sleep paralysis, a hallucination or a dream due to her drowsy state Responding to the post, one user writing under the handle 'zzzzz' claimed the experience could be a mild seizure. She wrote: 'I would imagine a mild seizure. How lovely that your brain built it into something you needed.' Another added: 'All sorts of weird stuff happens when people are sleepy. I've felt cats jump on the bed when they haven't at all and that's when the majority of people report woo goings on. I think it is related to the sleepy state rather than any kind of woo.' Other responses to the post argued the situation couldn't necessarily be explained and the woman should make her own judgement about what truly happened. Many contributors to the thread urged the woman to make her own conclusions about the situation as it's difficult to explain One person said: 'I hate whoo stuff generally as firmly believe that our departed loved ones are with God and have no reason to come back to us. However saying that I know that I have experienced something very similar. 'I was so dismayed that I talking it over with a priest. His thoughts were that nothing is impossible, we do not understand everything and if it brought comfort to take this as a gift.' Another wrote: 'You won't find an answer or true confirmation of anything, just lots of possible explanations. Scientifically energy cannot die, it can only transform. 'Yes, the mind can play very powerful tricks. I don't think people can advise you solidly either way. If it felt special, whether it was real or not perhaps just accept it for how it felt.' A small number of Mumsnet users reassured the woman that she had experienced her dead father. A number of people agreed that the woman had been visited by her dead father Speaking under the handle 'recklessruby', one woman shared her own encounter with making contact with a departed loved one. She wrote: 'I believe it was your dad OP. I have seen my cat who was killed in a car accident a year ago. A flash of tabby though my room when the other cats weren't there. My young cat sees things I can't and will paw at the wall. 'By coincidence out house had a very heavy atmosphere on Friday night and EVP showed us things and trying to communicate with us. Burnt sage and sent them into the light. Don't doubt yourself. We don't know what's out there.' Another said: 'I believe it was a loved one and when the shock wears off I hope you'll be glad it happened and that it brings you comfort xx' Advertisement Women from all over the world dazzled in elaborate gowns inspired by their unique nations on Monday during this year's Miss Universe national costume presentation. Each of the 94 contestants competing in the 67th annual Miss Universe pageant took turns strutting down the stage while showing off their one-of-a-kind ensembles and their national pride during the event that took place in Bangkok, Thailand. Some of the beauty queens opted for sparkly gowns covered with jeweled embellishments, while others wore next to nothing and modeled bodysuits and bikinis. There were feathers, capes, and even props. Miss USA Sarah Rose Summers paid homage to her country and her middle name by wearing a costume that represented the national flower, the rose. Sarah's costume featured a red sequin bodice and a flared skirt covered with roses in various shades of crimson. Meanwhile, Miss Great Britain Dee-Ann Kentish-Rogers took inspiration from the suffragettes in the UK who fought for the right to vote. Her dazzling costume was made up of suffrage colors: purple for dignity, white for purity, and green for hope. The national costume presentation is only one part of the pageant, which will be held at Impact, Muang Thong Thani in Bangkok on December 17. At the end of the competition, Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters of South Africa will crown her successor. In honor of the pageant, FEMAIL has highlighted some of this year's most eye-catching costumes below. Flower power: Miss USA Sarah Rose Summers paid homage to her country and her middle name by wearing a costume that represented the national flower. The rose grows throughout the country and is widely considered a symbol of love. Sarah's costume featured a red sequin bodice and a flared skirt covered with roses in various shades of crimson. To top off her look, she donned a bright red rose hat on top of her head. After strutting to the center of the stage, Sarah removed the skirt of her gown to reveal her embellished bodysuit and her sheer pantyhose, which were decorated with a green vine that crawled up her right leg Getting political: Miss Great Britain Dee-Ann Kentish-Rogers was inspired by the suffragettes in the UK who fought for the right to vote. Her dazzling costume was made up of suffrage colors: purple for dignity, white for purity, and green for hope. This year marks the 100th anniversary of women being granted the right to vote in the UK in 1918, and Dee-Ann proudly carried a ballot box and a sign that read: 'Let's Finish What They Started' Ice queen: Miss Switzerland Jastina Doreen Riederer paid homage to Switzerland's mountains of snow by dressing as a snowflake. Peace, equality, and freedom were the main elements of the costume, which was made up of a white bodysuit adorned with crystals and beads and a ruffled train that fluttered as she walked across the stage Looking to the future: Miss Puerto Rico Kiara Ortega's red, white, and blue costume represented the winds of Hurricane Maria, which wreaked havoc on the U.S. territory in 2017. The dress, which symbolized the resilience of the people of Puerto Rico, featured metallic finishes and LED lights to show the movement of the wind during the storm. She carried a white orb to portray hope for a new tomorrow Going all out: Miss Thailand Sophida Kanchanarin's costume was called 'Chang the Icon of Siam,' a symbol of Thai tradition and way of life. Chang means 'elephant' in Thai, and she incorporated the majestic animal into her white and gold costume, which was also reminiscent of a royal Thai look National treasure: Miss Canada Marta Stepien paid tribute to her country's most famous symbol, the maple leaf. It was adopted as an emblem by the 1700s by French Canadians along the St. Lawrence River. Dubbed 'The Queen of the Maple Leaf,' Marta's costume was adorned with yellow, red, orange, and blue embellishments to represent the colors of a changing leaf Ready for flight: Miss Brazil Mayra Dias honored her the Amazon rainforest in her country by transforming into a bright yellow bird to represent the need for environmental protection. Her elaborate costume featured thousands of feathers and took three months to make. When Mayra turned around, it looked like a beautiful bird was taking flight By the sea: Miss Portugal Filipa Barroso donned a costume inspired by the city Setubal, which is at the center of the country's fishing industry. To pay tribute to the maritime port, Filipa wore a gown made up of fishing net. The see-through frock revealed her royal blue bra top and matching high-waisted briefs. She topped off her look with a crown of seashells Fierce: Miss Ghana Diata Hoggar's costume was inspired by a warrior queen and represented her country's strength and power. She donned a black leather bodice and a skirt adorned with straw to highlight Ghana's connection to the earth and sun. On top of her head, she wore a sunlight headpiece of gold Magical: Miss Peru Romina Lozano grew up hearing stories about the sirens and spirits that live in the jungle in her country. She was inspired to share those tales with the audience through her costume, which was covered with green leaves and vegetation. When she reached the center of the stage, she turned her skirt around and transformed into a mermaid perched on a rock The Duchess of Sussex has quit the celebrity party scene since marrying Prince Harry, but last night Meghan got the chance to return to her showbiz roots during a starry photobooth session. The mother-to-be posed up for a boomerang style shot with Givenchy designer Clare Waight-Keller and actress Rosamund Pike, taken by photographer Yvan Fabing at the British Fashion Awards. Expectant mother Meghan clutched her baby bump with both hands as she swayed from side to side and smiled for the fun snap. Prince Harry's wife, 37, starred in the hit series Suits for almost seven years and was a regular at fashion events and star-studded parties with friends such as stylist Jessica Mulroney and Soho House consultant Markus Anderson. But since joining the royal family, she's had to abandon the showbiz circuit in favour of gala dinners with dignitaries and charity parties. However, last night afforded Meghan the chance to briefly step back into her old life as she mingled with celebrities at the star-studded affair, where guests included Kaia Gerber and Cindy Crawford, the Beckhams and Kendall Jenner. The photo session took place after she surprised her wedding dress designer, Clare Waight Keller of Givenchy, by stepping out on stage at the Royal Albert Hall to present her with the prestigious British Womenswear Designer of the Year award. A clearly overwhelmed Clare, 48, thanked Meghan personally in her speech at the star-studded awards ceremony at the historic venue in Kensington, London. The designer said: 'This woman is so amazing. I got to know Meghan on such a personal level. To have someone like that trust you on such a personal moment in their life... I can't thank you enough because it was the most beautiful moment.' Reunited: Meghan honoured her bridal gown designer during the ceremony, while Waight Keller thanked the royal personally in her speech at the star-studded awards ceremony at the historic venue in Kensington, London The Duchess of Sussex looked sensational in a black one-shoulder velvet gown, believed to be Givenchy, as she clutched her baby bump. The pregnant duchess kept her makeup to a minimum, wearing her hair tied back in a bun and adding simple gold earrings and gold bangles. Meghan also wore a dark nail color to match her stunning one-shouldered dress, despite traditional protocol advising that female royals must stick to a barely-there nude shade whenever they are attending official events. Celebration: Meghan was presenting the British Designer of the Year Womenswear Award to Clare Waight Keller for Givenchy Mother-to-be: The 37-year-old Duchess of Sussex kept her hair swept back in a low bun, and wore minimal makeup at the event, which took place at the Royal Albert Hall Meghan made a surprise appearance at the British Fashion Awards on Monday night, wearing a black one-shoulder dress for her on-stage moment, which saw her carefully cradling her baby bump as she addressed the crowds Addressing the assembled fashionistas at the Royal Albert Hall, the Duchess said: 'It's such a pleasure to be here, celebrating British fashion and British designers, in my new home in the UK.' She said of fashion, that 'we have a deep connection to what we wear. Sometimes it's deeply personal, sometimes it's emotional,' and said that for her, it was 'really in being able to understand that it's about supporting and empowering each other, especially as women.' She praised the 'kindness' and the 'values' of Ms Waight Keller, who created the gown in which she walked down the aisle this May. The minimalist wedding gown designed for the Duchess by Clare Waight Keller of Givenchy - which won the designer tonight's celebrated British Designer of the Year Womenswear Award - had a boat neck framing Ms Markle's shoulders and a five metre long white silk veil which included floral detail representing all 53 countries of the Commonwealth Ms Waight Keller was the master British designer behind the sleek silk boat-necked gown and long billowing veil worn by Meghan as she walked down the nave of St. George's Chapel for her wedding to Prince Harry on May 19. The first female artistic director of French fashion house met the Duchess for the first time earlier this year, Kensington Palace said, with Meghan requesting a dress with an 'elegant aesthetic, impeccable tailoring, and relaxed demeanor.' The veil carried floral references to all 53 countries in the Commonwealth, and the palace said workers spent hundreds of hours sewing the delicate flower designs into the veil, meticulously washing their hands every half hour to keep the silk tulle and threads clean. Dec 11, 2018 | By Thomas Researchers at the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University have created a 3D printing workflow that allows cardiologists to predict the performance of artificial heart valves, and evaluate how different valve sizes will interact with each patient's unique anatomy, before the medical procedure is actually performed. Multi-material physical models of patients aortic heart valves, each with its own unique size, shape, and amount of calcification. Credit: Wyss Institute at Harvard University More than one in eight people aged 75 and older in the United States develop moderate-to-severe blockage of the aortic valve in their hearts. Many of these older patients have artificial valves implanted into their hearts using a procedure called transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), which deploys the valve via a catheter inserted into the aorta. However the challenge with this procedure is to create highly accurate, leak-free replacement heart valves that fit with a patient's anatomy. After a 3D reconstruction of the heart anatomy is performed, the outer wall of the aorta and any associated calcified deposits are easily seen on a CT scan, but the delicate "leaflets" of tissue that open and close the valve are often too thin to show up well. "It often looks like the calcified deposits are simply floating around inside the valve, providing little or no insight as to how a deployed TAVR valve would interact with them," James Weaver, Ph.D., a Senior Research Scientist at the Wyss Institute explained. To solve that problem, the researchers have created a software that uses parametric modeling to generate virtual 3D models of the leaflets using seven coordinates on each patient's valve that are visible on CT scans. The digital leaflet models were then merged with the CT data and adjusted so that they fit into the valve correctly. The resulting model, which incorporates the leaflets and their associated calcified deposits, was then 3D printed into a physical multi-material model. The team also 3D printed a custom "sizer" device that fits inside the 3D-printed valve model and expands and contracts to determine what size artificial valve would best fit each patient. A custom sizer device is placed inside each 3D-printed heart valve model and gradually expanded until the proper fit is achieved. Credit: Wyss Institute at Harvard University Researcher discovered that the multi-material design of the 3D-printed valve models, which incorporate flexible leaflets and rigid calcified deposits into a fully integrated shape, could much more accurately mimic the behavior of real heart valves during artificial valve deployment, as well as provide haptic feedback as the sizer is expanded. The team tested their system against data from 30 patients who had already undergone TAVR procedures, 15 of whom had developed leaks from valves that were too small. By applying the sizer and modeling software, the Wyss team proved capable of predicting the rate of leakage in these cases with 60-73% accuracy. A custom sizer device is placed inside each 3D-printed heart valve model and gradually expanded until the proper fit is achieved. Credit: Wyss Institute at Harvard University "Being able to identify intermediate- and low-risk patients whose heart valve anatomy gives them a higher probability of complications from TAVR is critical, and we've never had a non-invasive way to accurately determine that before," said co-author Beth Ripley, M.D., Ph.D, an Assistant Professor in the Department of Radiology at the University of Washington. "Those patients might be better served by surgery, as the risks of an imperfect TAVR result might outweigh its benefits." Their work was performed in collaboration with researchers and physicians from Brigham and Women's Hospital, The University of Washington, Massachusetts General Hospital, and the Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces, and is published in the Journal of Cardiovascular Computed Tomography. Posted in 3D Printing Application Maybe you also like: Queen Maxima put on a head-turning display in a sumptuous red dress at a lavish state banquet thrown in honour of Cape Verde's President and First Lady on Monday evening. The Dutch royal, 47, and her husband King Willem-Alexander, are currently hosting Jorge Carlos Fonseca and his wife Ligia Fonseca on a state visit to the Netherlands, and toasted their VIP guests at the Royal Palace of Amsterdam last night. Cape Verde's First Lady chose a white ballgown to attend the welcome dinner in the Dutch capital. President Fonseca is currently making a two-day state visit to the Netherlands upon the invitation of King Willem-Alexander. The Dutch royal, 47, posed alongside King Willem, President of Cape Verde Jorge Carlos Fonseca (second left) and his wife Ligia Fonseca (far left), dressed in a white floor-length gown for the welcome dinner at the royal palace in Amsterdam Queen Maxima put on a head-turning display in a sumptuous red dress as she joined husband King Willem of the Netherlands in welcoming Cape Verdes President and First Lady to their lavish state banquet on Monday evening Maxima wore a satin gown by the Dutch designer Claes Iversen, which featured an asymmetric neckline and was embellished with delicate studs. The mother-of-three accessorised her floor-length gown with a sizable diamond brooch, which she teamed with matching drop earrings and a bracelet. Completing her dazzling ensemble, the royal opted for an impressive diamond tiara- a more modest version than the Stuart tiara she wore to a Buckingham Palace banquet in October, and wore a royal order on her belt. Claes Iversen is a favourite designer of Queen Maxima's, who was pictured wearing a ballgown by the brand during her recent state visit to the UK. Maxima put on a vibrant display in the satin Claes Iversen dress, which featured an asymmetric neckline and was embellished with delicate studs Meanwhile Ligia Fonseca put on a chic display in a white floor-length ballgown, teamed with an official yellow sash. Wearing her hair in an up-do, the First Lady joined Jorge Carlos and King Willem, who looked dapper in crisp white shirts and tailored suits. The royal group were pictured enjoying the banquet before Jorge Carlos gave a speech and the two couples raised their glasses in a toast. The banquet concluded the Cape Verde president and his wife's first day of their two day state tour. The royal group were pictured enjoying the banquet before Jorge Carlos gave a speech and the two couples raised their glasses in a toast King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima offered the state banquet to Jorge Carlos de Almeida Fonseca, president of Kaapverdie Cape Verde in the Royal Palace The mother-of-three adorned the floor-length gown with a sizable diamond brooch, which she teamed with matching drop earrings and a bracelet Earlier in the day Maxima stunned in a chic blue outfit as she joined husband King Willem-Alexander in officially welcoming Jorge Carlos Fonseca and his wife Ligia Fonseca on Dam Square in Amsterdam. Typical of her signature statement style, the Dutch royal wore a coordinated coat and hat, complete with a contrasting bright green round-neck top - and not forgetting those impressive skyscraper heels. She had her blonde hair neatly swept back behind her ears and to add that extra bit of dazzle, Maxima accessorised with emerald green diamond earrings which dangled just above her shoulders. Rosy cheeked: Queen Maxima joined her husband in welcoming Cape Verde's President Fonseca and his wife Ligia Fonseca on Dam Square in Amsterdam on Monday. She wore a striking blue outfit during the wreath-laying ceremony The mum-of-three was all smiles as she walked alongside the First Lady of Cape Verde, Ligia Fonseca. They complimented the flag with their alternate blue and red elegant outfits Following the inspection of the guard of honour, a reception took place in the Royal Palace in Amsterdam for the Dutch and Cabo Verdean officials. After the wreath-laying ceremony at the National Monument on Dam Square, President Fonseca and his wife visited the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam. On Monday afternoon the President visited the University of Amsterdam, where he gave a lecture for international and Dutch students on economic development in Cabo Verde. President Fonseca and the King then attended a Blue Economy meeting at the National Maritime Museum, where the Minister for Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade Sigrid Kaag gave a speech. King Willem-Alexander, Queen Maxima, Jorge Carlos Fonseca and Ligia Dias Fonseca all looked on during the inspection of the guard of honour Argentian-born Maxima and the First Lady of Cape Verde gave each other a smile from afar. Following this, a reception was held at Amsterdam Royal Palace for the Dutch and Cabo Verdean officials taking part in the visit The stylish royal accessorised with emerald green diamond earrings which dangled just above her shoulders This event allowed Dutch and Cabo Verdean knowledge institutes and businesses to exchange ideas on maritime development, wind energy and sustainable tourism. The visit follows a week of celebrations for Maxima, who recently released a new portrait of her eldest daughter, Princess Catharina-Amalia, to mark her 15th birthday. Catharina-Amalia, who is the future Queen of the Netherlands, looked chic in a purple shift dress featuring a high neck as she posed for the photograph against a marble backdrop and wore her long blonde hair loose. Queen Maxima of the Netherlands posed for a set of fun family photos with husband King Willem-Alexander and daughters Princess Catharina-Amalia, 14, Princess Alexia, 13, and Princess Ariane, 11 recently After the picture was shared on Instagram by the Dutch Royal Palace, fans were quick to post their birthday wishes to the princess, whose official title is Princess of Orange. Prior to this, Queen Maxima opened the Charity Lotteries new office in Amsterdam. There, she added a touch of sparkle in a quirky gold and blue skirt and coordinating hat. The Dutch royals also visited the Queen on their first state visit to the UK back in October, where they visited the grave of the only Dutch King of England. They were given a grand ceremonial welcome and were treated to a state banquet at Buckingham Palace. It was the first UK state visit by Dutch monarchy for almost forty years. Princess Victoria of Sweden delighted royal fans by stepping out in one of her mother's ball gowns on Monday night. The heir to the Swedish throne, 41, wore a spectacular colour block Nina Ricci number to the Nobel Prize ceremony, in Stockholm, which was previously worn by Queen Silvia to the same event in 1995. The gown features a ruched candy pink and green bodice with a full grey skirt in the same satin effect material. Black tie beauty: Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden wore a spectacular Nina Ricci gown to the Nobel Prize ceremony, in Stockholm, on Monday night. Pictured, the princess with chemistry laureate George P. Smith Style inspiration: The gown was previously worn by her mother Queen Silvia of Sweden to the same event in December 1995, pictured An oversized pink bow at the back of the gown adds a dramatic flair to the piece. Victoria, who attended the ceremony with senior royals, paired the showstopper with a spectacular tiara and a ceremonial sash. Queen Silvia, 74, looked just as radiant when she sported the gown, wearing it with the same ceremonial sash and her own glittering tiara. Victoria's her elegant mother was noted by royal supporters on social media, who were quick to praise her eye for a vintage treasure. Royal perfection: Victoria, who attended the ceremony with senior royals, paired the showstopper with a spectacular tiara and a ceremonial sash Dazzling: Silvia wore the dress with her own sash and tiara - and added a double diamond necklace Fan account How To Dress Like a Princess was among those who shared side-by-side snaps of the beautiful royals. One follower comment: 'That is very cool! They both look beautiful.' Another posted: 'Cool! I'm sure they want to advocate the sustainable reuse of clothes instead of buying a new dress for a single occasion.' The event last night was also attended by Princess Victoria's brother Prince Carl-Philip and his wife, Princess Sofia, 34. Crown Princess Victoria's sister-in-law Princess Sofia - equally regal in a floor-length red gown, sash and tiara - also attended the awards ceremony in Stockholm with her husband Prince Carl-Philip. Her crimson dress featured puffed shoulders and split sleeves Prince Carl-Philip arrives at the Concert Hall in Stockholm on Monday evening, with his wife Princess Sofia in tow. The royal couple beamed as they arrived in all their finery at Stockholm's Concert Hall for the prestigious ceremony on Monday Physics 2018 Nobel laureate Frances H. Arnold and Prince Daniel of Sweden arrive for the Nobel Prize banquet in Stockholm City Hall Sofia too pulled out all the stops, choosing a floor-length red gown for the ceremony, set off by a pearl choker and a dazzling tiara of her own. The future queen Victoria was seen joining in with the Swedish national anthem ahead of the ceremony, held at the Concert Hall in Stockholm on Monday. The 2018 laureates in physics, chemistry, physiology or medicine, and economic sciences collected their Nobel Prizes in Stockholm today. Afterwards, they celebrated with a lavish banquet for prizewinners held at Stockholm's opulent City Hall. The Duchess of Sussex is known for her 'woke wardrobe', and last night she took the opportunity to promote a cause close to her father-in-law's heart as she took to the stage at the British Fashion Awards. Meghan, 37, sported three bangles and a pair of earrings by London-based jeweller Pippa Small, one of her go-to designers for accessories. The pieces were handmade in Kabul by artisans trained by the Turquoise Mountain Foundation, which creates jobs for young people who 'need hope and a sense of purpose in a beautiful country tragically caught up in violence and conflict'. The non-profit NGO was founded in 2006 by her husband Harry's father Prince Charles with the former president of Afghanistan Hamid Karzai The Duchess of Sussex wore three bracelets made by artisans from the Turquoise Mountain Foundation in Kabul to the British Fashion Awards in London last night - a project supported by her father-in-law Prince Charles Meghan wore the 50 Nosheen Stud Earrings 18kt gold vermeil on sterling silver to the British Fashion Awards, made in Afghanistan and sold by London-based Pippa Small In the 17 years since the fall of the Taliban, the Turquoise Mountain foundation has found some of Afghanistan's best artisans and helped them preserve and pass on their skills, as well helping them showcase their work in international markets. A painstakingly restored caravanserai - a roadside inn - in Kabul's oldest district is once again a hub for exquisite woodwork carvers, potters making traditionally-glazed ceramics, Islamic calligraphers, and goldsmiths. First started by British diplomat Rory Stewart, the Turquoise Mountain Foundation, which is supported by Prince Charles, the British Council, and USAID, has now worked with some 5,000 artisans. Their efforts have breathed new life into Murad Khani's ancient silver bazaar, with hundreds travelling every day to the restored cedar paneled courtyard to learn and teach woodwork, calligraphy, ceramics, jewellery and miniature painting Ceramics, carpentry, and calligraphy: centuries of Afghan craftmanship honed on the ancient Silk Road are being preserved in Kabul, a rare success story for an aid project in the war-torn country Staff at Turquoise Mountain began by combing Kabul's streets trying to find artisans and students to enroll. The foundation now employs 30 Afghan masters, who are given retraining and support from the organisation, and then help teach new apprentices At last night's star-studded event, Meghan opted for 50 Nosheen Stud Earrings 18kt gold vermeil on sterling silver. And she went for a layered look for her bracelet, wearing the 360 Wajiha Bangle, the 115 Oshna Bangle and the 160 Omeen Bangle. Her decision to wear the jewellery was a touching nod to her father-in-law, who is said to be very fond of Prince Harry's wife. The Prince of Wales stepped in to walk her down the aisle at her wedding at St George's Chapel in May when her father Thomas Markle pulled out of the wedding with just days to go. The Duchess stunned in a one shoulder black velvet gown as she took to the stage at the British Fashion Awards at the Royal Albert Hall last night And he's said to feel that Meghan is a kindred spirit as they both hail from dysfunctional families. Meghan is known for wearing brands that support ethical, eco-friendly or sustainable practices, as well as labels that support charitable endeavours or have a feminist message at heart. Her wedding reception dress designer Stella McCartney, features regularly in her royal wardrobe and is famous for her cruelty-free approach to luxury fashion. During the recent royal tour of Sydney, New Zealand and Oceania, she used her high profile appearances to promote a 'woke' message through her wardrobe. Prince Charles stepped in to walk Meghan down the aisle at her wedding to Prince Harry at St George's Chapel in May 2018 when her father Thomas Markle pulled out just days before the ceremony The Veja trainers she wore for a boat trip in Sydney during the Invictus Games were environmentally friendly, made from raw materials sourced from organic farming and ecological agriculture. Outland Denim, the brand behind the 'Harriet' jeans she wore on the same boat trip - and on other occasions over the course of the tour - revealed that the spike in interest in its jeans thanks to the Duchess' support had enabled it to employ a further 15 to 30 seamstresses in its Cambodian production house. Outland trains and employs female victims of human trafficking and sexual exploitation in the country. The Rothy's flats Meghan wore twice on tour are made from recycled plastic water bottles that would otherwise have been destined for landfill - and have been dubbed the most 'politically correct shoes on the planet' by Vogue. Even her most high-end items included right-on choices - she wore a navy cocktail dress by Gabriela Hearst in Wellington, a designer who operates on a sustainable, less-is-more ethos. Meghan's navy dress at the Invictus Games Opening Ceremony was by one of her go-to designers, Stella McCartney, who is famous for her cruelty-free approach to luxury fashion A plus size woman who received cruel taunts and even death threats from men online has now found love with a man half her size. Healthcare professional, Sierra Mead, 19, from New Mexico, who weighs 300lbs (20st 10Ibs) and is a US size 20 (UK size 24), used to feel insecure about her body for years with her high school peers calling her names like 'whale' and 'hippo'. She spent years covering up her body and over-exerting herself during PE lessons at school, but gradually seeing other plus size women on social media flaunting their curves she was encouraged to do the same. Despite receiving comments from strangers online telling her she 'deserves to die', in March 2017, her pictures attracted the attention of her now boyfriend, Mason, who was wowed by her confidence and curves. Sierra Mead spent years facing abuse about her weight from men online, but has now found love with Mason who is half her size Sierra who weighs 300lbs (20st 10Ibs) and is a US size 20 (UK size 24), has now learned to embrace her size after spending years covering up Sierra said: 'I always thought I was too fat; I felt like I was secretly being judged by people all the time. I wore baggy clothes, I always sucked in my stomach and covered myself. 'I mainly ate only salads, and always tried to prove my worth by my over-exerting myself in physical activities. I felt like a total outcast all the time. 'Of course, people in school would stare at me and sometimes it seemed like they were laughing too, but no one ever really made comments that I could hear. 'Three separate times that I can recall, different guys called me whale, hippo, or fat b****; but I think they just picked up on my insecurity and weaponised that rather than it actually being about my size. Mason and Sierra met online in March 2017 and say they instantly became 'obsessed' with one another with Mason describing his girlfriend as gorgeous After seeing other body positive women flaunt their curves online Sierra came for more confident and realised her own self-worth 'Seeing other body positive women online is what prompted me to take pictures and inspire others. Seeing someone whose body looked like mine or who was even bigger than me, made me realise my own beauty and self-worth. 'Attractiveness is a spectrum, there is not just one form of beauty, that's very important for everyone to remember.' Mason, who is 165lbs (11st 11Ibs), says that he's in love with her and their spark results in their amazing sex life. Sierra continued: 'Mason and I met sometime in the beginning of March 2017 on an online dating site. He messaged me first and on the second day I gave him my number. In high school Sierra (pictured when she was younger) faced cruel taunts from bullies who called her a 'hippo' and 'whale' and over-exerted herself in games class in a bid to slim down And while Sierra is still subjected to cruel messages she says that she has learned to ignore them 'The first time we talked I just knew he was the one and we became completely obsessed with each other from then on. 'He was, and still is, such a smart, sensitive, funny, patient, talented, caring, romantic and kind man. I'm sure he would say the same about me because we are so alike. 'He tells me about how beautiful he thought my pictures were and how genuine my profile was. My body confidence has benefitted our relationship; I'm not the type to 'do it' in the dark, or bashfully hide behind my top. 'He's not restricted from touching any part of my body, we are completely open and one with each other. Sierra says that she and Mason are completely open with one another and he is not restricted from touching any part of her body Mason says that he loves Sierra's soft curves and says that 'any man would do a double take' 'I'm sure there might be people who stare because he's thin and I'm the complete polar opposite of that, but they sure aren't obvious about it.' Describing their relationship Mason added: 'Her online profile first attracted me to Sierra; she was so bubbly, sweet and she knew what she wanted. When we started talking, we couldn't stop till this day, and just look at her, she's gorgeous. 'I love everything about her body; she has such nice soft curves that any man would do a double take on. 'When you're truly in love, there is a spark that always creates amazing results when you figure out each other's needs and different turn-ons, it gets crazy.' Sierra has been told that she 'deserves to die' by online trolls who say they would laugh and celebrate when she 'inevitably' succumb to heart failure or diabetes Advising others on dealing with online trolls Sierra says that if you are concerned, filter or block comments but most importantly let people live Despite Sierra's new-found body confidence, she still receives negative comments online but says that she has learned to ignore them. She continued: 'People daily, sometimes several people multiple times a day tell me I deserve to die. They say they would laugh and celebrate when I 'inevitably' succumb to heart failure or diabetes. 'It's shocking to me how angry people can get at a fat woman on the internet, and how they think it's even remotely okay to treat someone like that. 'I used to argue back with them for hours, but eventually I grew out of it. I don't have to justify myself to anyone who thinks they have superiority over me because they're thinner. Sierra describes Mason as a 'smart, funny and kind man' 'We're all still human. My advice: filter comments and the 'block' button are your friends. I would say, just let people live. 'Fat people know they're fat, and we know the possible consequences that come with that; we are told constantly by family, doctors, people on the internet, etc. 'You aren't doing someone a service by bullying them, if they want to change, they should do so on their own terms. 'It's common sense to be a decent person and not involve yourself in another person's life; especially if it doesn't affect you or you don't even know this person. 'Specifically, body confidence is not promoting obesity. I hear that one religiously. Body confidence is for everyone regardless of size, colour, age, gender, height, disability, etc. 'Body image issues affect literally every single person and it can even result in eating disorders. Loving yourself is more important than you will ever know. 'So, for the people reading this I would say; get dressed up, do your hair, take some pictures, look in the mirror and just focus on what you like about yourself versus what you think needs to be changed. 'At its core, body confidence improves people's quality of life. It never was and never will be an 'excuse to stay fat'.' A mother-of-three has revealed how she's been subjected to a barrage of online abuse for 'tandem feeding' her newborn baby and four-year-old daughter. Originally from Perth, Australia and now living in Cyprus, Irina Naumova, 33, first attracted attention when she shared a Facebook snap of her breastfeeding Anastasia, three, during her third pregnancy as her son Nicholas, now six, looked on. One mother wrote: 'I'm all for breastfeeding but having an older boy standing next to his mum with her boob out for her three-year-old is kind of creepy.' 'You are sick! The maximum it's two years!! God forbid which kind of a mother you are?!' another wrote. Some asked why Irina just didn't express the milk and serve it in a cup, while others commented that her breasts looked 'old' and 'tired'. Irina has since given birth to her son Leo and now feeds both her newborn and her toddler at the same time. 'Some wrote that I must be sick in the head to have photos like this taken, that I shouldn't be a mother and that my kids will grow up with problems,' she explained. 'All because they didn't like the fact I was breastfeeding my three-year-old.' Irina Naumova, 33, was subject to online abuse when she she shared a Facebook snap of her breastfeeding her daughter Anastasia, three, during her third pregnancy as her son Nicholas, now six, looked on Mother-of-three Irina is currently 'tandem feeding' her daughter Anastasia, who will turn four in March 2019, and her six-week-old son Leo Irina, who gave birth to her son Leo in October, decided to have some professional photos taken to celebrate her third pregnancy. 'Unfortunately, I was so busy during my last pregnancy that I didn't have time to take any pictures myself and capture my big belly, so right at the end of it, I booked a professional photo shoot,' she recalled. The older children were being looked after at a friend's house while Irina posed for photos in her home, but they returned early. 'They gate-crashed a few of the shots. Then my daughter wanted to breastfeed, so I let her latch on and the photographer took some spontaneous shots,' Irina recalled. Some commenters branded Irina 'sick' for breastfeeding her three-year-old and baby at the same time, with even a midwife claiming that it's 'not normal' practice 'I really liked one of those photos in particular and that's the one I shared.' After posting her photo in a smaller breastfeeding support group, Irina was approached by the million-member Facebook group Breastfeeding Mama Talk, and gave her permission for her photo to be shared. 'I'm proud of myself for breastfeeding my babies and feel it's important to spread the word about how good and healthy it is to breastfeed whenever possible,' she said. The picture received 3,600 likes and most of the comments were positive, saying Irina was an inspiration, however many were rude and some were downright nasty. Irina is planning to breastfeed her daughter Anastasia for as long as she wants to continue, after allowing her older son to wean himself when he felt ready Some commenters took issue with the fact that Irina was 'exposing' herself in front of her son Nicholas, six, who was breastfed until he was two-and-a-half Irina said that she was not upset by cruel online comments, but admitted that she was baffled at receiving such abuse from fellow mothers 'I was amazed at how nasty some of these women were being shocked that fellow mummies would be so critical. I wasn't upset, just genuinely surprised,' Irina explained. Irina - whose 40-year-old company director husband Andrew fully supports her in her decisions on breastfeeding their children - says she will allow her daughter to breastfeed as long as she likes and will allow her to wean herself naturally, the same as her son. 'Nicholas weaned himself at the age of two and a half,' says Irina. 'My daughter is almost four years old now and is showing no signs of weaning yet. The mother-of-three decided to do have professional photos taken toe celebrate her third pregnancy and when her two children gatecrashed the shoot, Anastasia wanted to latch on Trolls told Irina that she should just make her daughter Anastasia stop feeding, and even accused her of putting her unborn baby at risk by breastfeeding during pregnancy Irina with her newborn baby Leo, who arrived in October. He was born perfectly healthy despite online commenters warning her that it was 'dangerous' to breastfeed during pregnancy Irina started receiving online abuse after her original pot was shared on the Facebook group Breastfeeding Mama Talk, although most fellow members were supportive That's fine by me. All kids are different and have different needs. I've been breastfeeding for a total of six years so far and probably won't be stopping for a good few years yet.' Irina's controversial Facebook post 'This is our breastfeeding story and its our normal! So many people are quick to judge. Strangers on the street, the medical profession, family, friends, the list goes on. 'While breastfeeding my three-year-old daughter during pregnancy, advice/opinions were given all the time. I had to hear that my milk was poison, the baby would be born premature, its NOT normal, you need to stop, she is using you as a pacifier, its not good!" 'Guess what I did? I let it go and didnt listen. I did what felt right for me and my children. I ignored it and did not allow it to get to me and, most importantly, I did not allow it to change what I intuitively felt was right and natural for my daughter and my body. 'This photo was taken two weeks ago, A week ago, I naturally delivered my baby boy with no complications healthy and happy. Im currently still breastfeeding my three-year-old daughter and my newborn and its all OK! 'Mothers milk is not poison, the baby was born full-term and healthy and everyone is content and happy. I share our version of normal captured in this photo in the hope that stories and images like this make breastfeeding, extended breastfeeding, tandem breastfeeding and breastfeeding during pregnancy normal for all. 'For the females that get given all this advice, do your own research, listen to your own intuition and body. Do what you want to do because it is your body and your choice!!! The female body is simply incredible and we need to celebrate, encourage and support one another not bring each other down. Cheers to that and to normalizing breastfeeding in all its forms!' Advertisement Irina's third child a boy called Leo was born on October 31st, weighing in at a healthy 6lbs 6oz. 'So many uneducated people believe that it's somehow dangerous to breastfeed while you are pregnant, that it will affect the unborn baby in a bad way,' she said. 'Several trolls were talking about how the bigger child will deprive the new baby of the milk, which is total nonsense. 'Having said that, on the thread, quite a few women were told by their GPs not to breastfeed while they were pregnant, with the docs telling them that it can bring on a premature labour. 'Unless there's some underlying problem, this shouldn't be the case. I went full-term with all three of my kids and all the labours were super-fast, with Anastasia's being only one hour long.' However, some commenters were determined to harass Irina for her decision, with one saying: 'NO NO NO. she's three years.. she's past the age 'Unless you are planning to breastfeed till she's 10, you should make her stop. The little one needs the milk more Just make her stop.' There was even a midwife among them, who said that breastfeeding a toddler was 'not normal.' The group admin came to Irina's defence, stating: ' The World Health Organization recommends breastfeeding until TWO AND BEYOND. 'There is not one shred of evidence-based information out there that states breastfeeding past a certain age will be a detriment to the child.' Some mothers admitted that although they used to find the idea of extended breastfeeding repulsive, after doing it, they realised it was totally natural. One said: 'It's amazing how our minds change when we are in the moment, educating ourselves and following our womanly instincts.' 'The comments don't bother me,' says Irina, who's since had a second photo shoot done where she's breastfeeding both Leo and Anastasia at the same time. 'It's sad, as I think people who make comments like these will probably never change their minds, but there are so many others who've been genuinely curious about tandem feeding and breastfeeding during pregnancy and messaged me to ask questions. 'I've actually set up a separate FB page, Moo Moo Time, now for anyone who's interested in finding out more or sharing their own experiences.' A glowing Meghan Markle set social media ablaze as she was photographed proudly cradling her baby bump on stage at the British Fashion Awards on Monday evening. The royal's surprise appearance at the glitzy ceremony at the Royal Albert Hall - where she presented her wedding dress designer Clare Waight Keller with the British womenswear designer of the year award - left many fans delighted by the glimpse of Meghan's blossoming bump on display. However the response was not solely positive; with some on Twitter criticising the pregnant Duchess for 'touching her stomach too much', branding it 'irritating' and 'smug'. But now an expert has revealed why Meghan's tendency to keep a protective arm or two draped over her expanding stomach could positively impact her unborn child. Katherine Graves, founder of KG Hypnobirthing, told FEMAIL that when mothers-to-be put their hands on their bumps in hypnobirthing classes, the 'baby responds every time'. Even if the gesture is solely a comforting gesture for Meghan herself, that will 'have a profound effect on her baby', said Katherine, who helps train midwives working at the Lindo Wing, where the Duchess of Cambridge gave birth, before adding that 'it's a positive thing for both mum and baby to touch and reassure'. An expert at Private Midwives has revealed the reason behind Meghan Markle cradling her bump, explaining that it can soothe an unborn child in unfamiliar and loud surroundings Social media critics complained that the pregnant Duchess was 'attention seeking' by 'constantly cradling her bump' Even while the designer was accepting her award, Meghan could be seen in the background holding her pregnant belly In the wake of Meghan's surprise solo appearance at the glamorous event on Monday night, one Twitter user wrote online: 'Oh ok we believe Meghan that you are pregnant stop holding that bump its irritating now too much.' Another added: 'Markle needs to desperately stop holding her baby bump because its not as if everyone doesnt already know'. A third tweet read: 'Meghan we know you are pregnant. You can stop holding onto the bump with both hands now. It wont fall off'. Katherine told FEMAIL that stroking of the stomach is a relaxation method she asks clients to practice in hypnobirthing classes - a birthing technique Meghan has reportedly been reading up about as she prepares to welcome her first child with Prince Harry in the spring. A glowing Meghan Markle was pictured holding her stomach as she attended The Fashion Awards at London's Royal Albert Hall on Monday evening, but her tactile appearance was subjected to cruel jibes online Katharine explained that touching her bump will help Meghan feel calm, releasing the so-called 'feel-good' hormone oxytocin, which goes directly to the placenta to positively affect her baby, and can even help stave off post-natal depression after the birth. Katharine also warned that conversely, any stress caused by criticism directed at mothers-to-be could cause the hormone cortisol to be released, with the potential for negative effects on an unborn child. 'It has been shown time and time again that babies recognise what they have experienced in the womb after they are born,' she told FEMAIL. 'They recognise songs they have heard, and they certainly recognise their mothers and their fathers voices. 'Relaxations in hypnobirthing class involve having a hand on the bump, and the baby responds every time. 'A relaxed uterus gives baby the space to turn into the optimal position for birth and relaxed mums produce feel good hormone oxytocin, which goes direct to the baby via the placenta.' She added: 'If touching her bump does nothing more than help Meghan feel calm, even that will have a profound effect on her baby as mothers hormones have been shown to influence the baby too, calm births produce calm babies of which there is evidence for. 'Its a positive thing for both mum and baby to touch and reassure baby, which is vital for babies bonding and well being, staving off postnatal depression and facilitating healthy connection for all.' An expert's comment defending Meghan comes after Twitter was flooded with comments targeting Prince Harry's wife for 'touching her stomach too much' She added of the negative effects stress could cause: 'Being under strain and pressure from criticism puts mothers in the fear response with harmful hormone cortisol produced, which crosses to the placenta affecting the baby. 'Corisol is a harmful side effect of stress, constricting oxygenated blood to the baby and having a negative effect on both. 'Meghan is practicing responsive natural parenting and touching, speaking and cradling her bump will be very beneficial for the baby'. Liz Halliday, Deputy Head of Midwifery at Private Midwives, added: 'At public events, Meghan may feel more protective of her baby and thus cradle her bump more than usual. Mothers may feel that stroking their bump calms the baby in some situations and during public events Meghan may be either consciously or sub-consciously attempting to do this.' Nonetheless, the Duchess was still subjected to criticism from Twitter users who complained that she was 'attention seeking' by constantly highlighting her expanding bump. However many rushed to the former Suits star's defence, with one tweeting: 'People are so bothered by Meghan holding her bump. I did this all the time. Some actually seem p***ed off about it in the same way they object to touching Harry. Someone actually said she's treating her baby like a trophy! Like wtf?' And a mother explained she could be comforting the baby in louder surroundings, adding: 'Leave Meghan and her bump alone. Its extremely personal. The baby might be extra restless especially in a noisy environment. I know because I have two children. Cradling the bump soothes and calms them, okay? Go to bed'. Another wrote: 'Why does Meghan holding her baby bump bother so many people? Why do you care? you'd think it was a crime that's she's touching HER baby'. The expert highlighted the unfair judgement mothers-to-be are often subjected to online, with many rushing to her defence on Twitter. A mother explained she could be comforting the baby in louder surroundings, adding: 'Leave Meghan and her bump alone. Its extremely personal. The baby might be extra restless especially in a noisy environment. I know because I have two children. Cradling the bump soothes and calms them, okay? Go to bed'. Her comment comes after Twitter was flooded with comments targeting Prince Harry's wife for 'touching her stomach too much'. One follower wrote: 'Oh ok we believe Meghan that you are pregnant stop holding that bump its irritating now too much.' Meghan, seen left with Prince Harry in October, and right in November at the Royal Variety Awards, has frequently been snapped with a protective hand on her bump since her pregnancy was confirmed Another fan said: 'She's so warm and attentive all the time, its obvious she'd be that way with a growing baby inside of her.' Earlier this year Khloe Kardashian, at the time pregnant with her daughter, True, became the subject of online criticism for proudly cradling her growing baby bump. In February she hit back at trolls on social media in a defiant Twitter post that said: 'People are very opinionated about my bump. I choose to cradle my bump because its MINE. Ive waited for this VERY short moment for YEARS. I have only months to enjoy this phase in my life, so I will touch my bump and love my bump as often as I choose. Mommy loves you baby!' According to Vanity Fair, Meghan is planning a natural home birth, with a source telling the publication: 'Doria plans to be around a lot when the baby arrives, and there are plans for her to have a dedicated space at their new home. 'She wants to be on hand to help Meghan and Harry with the baby. Doria will be involved and if she's involved she will be encouraging Meg to go for a natural birth.' 'She's so warm and attentive all the time, its obvious she'd be that way with a growing baby inside of her,' another follower praised, as many rushed the pregnant Duchess' defence Plenty of royal fans immediately jumped to the Duchess' defence on social media, with one tweeting 'flaunt that beautiful baby bump, Meghan!' When it comes to festive celebrations the royal family tend to keep it a private affair, but new photos imagine what Harry and Meghan's Christmas might be like. Tuesday sees Madame Tussauds presents live wax figures of the prince and his pregnant wife in its Berlin showroom. Actors working at the famous waxworks in the German capital have donned eerily realistic wax heads of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex as part of a new festive exhibit. The 'couple' is seen celebrating in a way they imagine the royal husband and wife might on Christmas morning. Actors working at the famous waxworks in Madame Tussauds have donned eerily realistic wax heads of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex to promote the new live waxwork exhibit The actors pose in the lavish living room with stockings emblazoned with Meghan and Harry's names hung upon the fire place. Both 'Harry' and 'Meghan' can be seen wearing Christmas jumpers, with the actress sporting her very own baby bump. They can be seen exchanging gifts in front of the Christmas tree including a Santa hat, a rocking horse and a corgi stuffed toy. In another photo the actors can be seen posing in a loving embrace with the fake Meghan seen showcasing a lookalike engagement ring to the real royal's. The actors pose in the lavish living room with stockings emblazoned with Meghan and Harry's names hung upon the fire place Both 'Harry' and 'Meghan' can be seen wearing Christmas jumpers, with the actress sporting her very own baby bump The actors wearing waxwork heads are promoting Madame Tussauds' new 'live figures' feature, which allows members of the public to have realistic encounters with the royal couple. The lifelike figures were first unveiled on Britain's Got Talent earlier this year, and this month, the Baker Street visitor attraction launched 'Meghan and Harry LIVE' to allow guests to feel as if they are really meeting the Duke and Duchess in person. It is thought the realistic effect is achieved by two actors sporting wigs and waxwork heads they slip on over their real faces. They can be seen exchanging gifts in front of the Christmas tree including a Santa hat, a rocking horse and a corgi stuffed toy The figures were last seen in August when the actors took to the streets of London to promote the launch. Members of the public were seen doing a double take as they 'couple' headed for a stroll around Battersea Park. They were walking a real Beagle, as the real Meghan has a hound of the same breed called Guy that lives with the happy couple in Kensington Palace. They then proceeded to the Sands End pub in Fulham, a watering hole the royal couple have been known to frequent. She was a huge champion of high street fashion when she first married Prince William, and today the Duchess of Cambridge went back to her roots in a spotted green dress by one of her favourites. Kate, 36, looked elegant in a 325 green and cream silk polka dot dress from L.K. Bennett for a visit to the Evelina London Children's hospital, a brand that was once synonymous with her royal wardrobe. In recent years, she's been edging away from the high street in favour of more upmarket brands such as Erdem, Emilia Wickstead and even D&G, and hasn't work L.K. Bennett for two years. The last sighting was in 2016 when she recycled her 245 blue-and-white Lasa Poppy dress for a school visit in Luton. But today it was firmly back in the spotlight, which will no doubt give the brand a boost after recent financial struggles. The Duchess of Cambridge went back to her high street roots today, wearing a 325 green and cream silk polka dot dress from L.K. Bennett for a visit to the Evelina London Children's hospital The silk dress is a new addition to Kate's wardrobe and marks the first time she's worn L.K Bennett for two years Earlier in 2018 L.K.Bennett reported losses of 5.9 million in 2016/2017, compared with a 100,000 profit in the previous 12 months. Total sales also fell by 1.8 per cent to 77.4 million. The company blamed the figures on 'exceptional costs' of 28.7 million, spent on corporate restructuring. For today's visit, the Duchess looked perfectly co-ordinated teaming her dress with suede shoes in dark green and carrying a matching clutch. And her trademark voluminous locks fell around her shoulders in a particularly bouncy style. The Duchess wore her L.K. Bennett 245 blue-and-white Lasa Poppy dress on a visit to a youth organisation at Bute Mills, Luton in August 2016 William and Kate are set to meet youngsters receiving care and their parents when they tour the Evelina London Children's hospital. Earlier today it was announced that Kate is to become royal patron of the hospital, her 18th patronage since marrying Prince William. Later they will travel to The Passage, where they will hear from frontline workers about the challenges relating to street homelessness, including drug addiction and mental health issues. Kensington Palace said Kate's patronage at the hospital 'provides an opportunity to champion medical professionals' At the Evelina, part of Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, they will join children in Christmas themed activities Kate was all smiles as she paid a visit to Evelina London Children's Hospital, after the announcement that she's set to become royal patron The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge arrive at Evelina London Children's Hospital in Lambeth this morning At the Evelina London, which is part of Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, the couple will join children as they take part in Christmas themed activities, before enjoying celebrations to mark the 150th anniversary of the hospital being founded in 1969. The hospital provides comprehensive health services to children and families from before birth, throughout childhood and into adult life, and also offers specialist services for youngsters with rare and complex conditions from across south London, Kent, Surrey, Sussex and beyond. At The Passage's St Vincent centre in Victoria, central London, William and Kate will meet people using its services when they join an arts and crafts workshop preparing gifts ahead of centre's Christmas party. The 400 L.K. Bennett dress Kate wore while hosting Michelle Obama at Kensington Palace in April 2016 was an instant sell out Established in 1980, The Passage provides resources to encourage, inspire and challenge homeless people to make lasting and long-term changes to their lives. William first visited the charity in 1994 with his younger brother Harry when the pair were 12 and 10, alongside their mother Diana, Princess of Wales. In 2016 the duke reopened the newly refurbished St Vincent's Centre. A woman who suffered severe burns in a plane crash that killed her parents and brother has called for Hollywood to stop having villains with facial disfigurements. Tulsi Vagjiani explained how she suffered abuse as a child due to the scarring on her face, and was called names including Freddy Krueger - the villain from Nightmare on Elm Street. She said that the film industry was hugely influential on how people perceive those with visible facial differences, calling for more positive portrayals of those with scarring. Tulsi described the negative effect that having villains with facial disfigurements in films has had on her own confidence growing up. Tulsi Vagjiani, who suffered severe burns in a plane crash that killed her parents, has called for Hollywood to stop having villains with facial disfigurements Tulsi was left with scarring after surviving a plane crash aged 10, and having more than 50 operations to rebuild her face, arms and legs Speaking on This Morning, Tulsi said: 'We're campaigning for change in Hollywood and the film industry to not represent villains with a visible difference, with scars and things like that. 'I grew up with a lot of stigma attached to villains in the films. I didn't realise the impact it was having on me and my confidence. It was quite challenging 'I didn't realise how influential the film industry was on people and their perceptions of visible difference.' Tulsi was severely burned in a plane crash that killed her parents and brother when she was just 10, on her way home from her first holiday in India. Tulsi (above on This Morning_ explained how she suffered abuse as child due to the scarring on her face, and was called names including Freddy Krueger Becky Hewitt, from charity Changing Faces, (right, with Tulsi on This Morning) said using film villains to mock those with facial disfigurements was 'very common' She survived after being pulled out the wreckage by a fellow passenger, and had more than 50 operations to rebuild her face, arms and legs. On This Morning, Tulsi described how she was bullied for the way she looked following the accident, 'When I was growing up, I was referred to a villain character rather than a good character,' she explained. 'I grew up being called Freddy Krueger, I didn't know who he was. When i spoke to my uncle, and he got really angry. He explained it was the character from Nightmare on Elm street.' Tulsi explained how she was compared to Freddy Krueger, the villain from Nightmare on Elm Street, when she was a child Becky Hewitt, from charity Changing Faces, said it was sadly a common issue for those with facial disfigurements. 'This use of disfigured characters to mock people is very common, ' she said. 'It's provoking bullying, but also it's this impact on your own mental health and you internalise that. 'What we really want is a broader representing of scarring and looking different. We want many more actors looking visibly different in a whole variety of roles.' This Morning airs on ITV on weekdays from 10.30am. Adults have shared the strangest things they did as children in an hilarious Twitter thread. The conversation was kicked off by a woman who tweeted to reveal how she almost drowned when she attempted to 'walk on water' at the age of four. 'I put floaties on my feet and jumped into a pool thinking I'd walk on water... I almost drowned,' she said. Asking other followers to share the stupid things they had done as children in return, she was quickly inundated with amusing stories. The now viral thread was quickly flooded with people's youthful mishaps; from putting M&M sweets into their ears to jumping into an empty swimming pool while holding an umbrella as a 'parachute'. Adults have shared the strangest things they did as children in a hilarious Twitter thread. The conversation was kicked off by an American woman online , who revealed she almost drowned when she thought she could 'walk on water' at the age of four Kicking off the thread, the woman, who posts under the handle @MotherofDoggons, wrote: 'What's the dumbest sh** you ever did as a kid? 'My shining moment was when I was like 4? I put floaties on my feet and jumped into a pool thinking I'd walk on water. I almost drowned.' Responding, a Dallas-based bodybuilder recalled: 'When I was 5 I put M&Ms in my ear so I could hear them talk like the commercials'. Meanwhile Amanda Apolinar from Texas got away with almost setting her house on fire, tweeting: 'Lost a bouncy ball under my bed and me and my cousin couldn't see in the dark so I grabbed a lighter and held it under my bed.. caught my bed on fire. My parents still don't know.' In the thread that racked up 55,000 likes and 6,200 retweets, others flooded the network with recollections of their own mishaps, from putting M&M sweets into their ears to jumping into an empty swimming pool with an umbrella And elsewhere soldier Terry told how he thought he could fly with an umbrella, tweeting: 'Jumped from a diving board into an empty swimming pool with two umbrellas as parachutes. 'I was about 8 and I distinctively remember thinking to myself 'one is enough, I am smart to use two''. Posting a video of a hapless little girl charging towards a pool cover during an Easter egg hunt only to be rescued by her hysterical father, New Yorker Vicky tweeted: 'I thought the pool cover was grass', racking up 4,000 likes. Meanwhile a veteran from Philadelphia told how his mother learned the hard way never to let a young child help in the kitchen. He wrote: 'My mother loves to tell this story: One day when I was really little I wanted to help her out in the kitchen, so to get me out of the way she gave me a potato to play with. After awhile she went to check on me only to find out I had managed to flush the potato down the toilet.' Meanwhile a veteran from Philadelphia told how his mother learned the hard way never to let a young child help in the kitchen, while a user by the name of Larry Fish remembered how he once tried to make peanut butter by crushing up peanuts and butter And joining the accident-prone tots, another said: 'When I was like 3, I rode one of these fu***rs down a steep hill in my backyard and hit a tree. my mom came running after me and asked why I did that, and I literally said the tree wouldnt get out of the way' Elsewhere a lawyer from Barbados suffered a bit of an unfortunate bump after listening to a bit too carefully to his mother. 'Letting go of the swing at it's highest point after being told, 'it's time to go home' Pro tip. Never take parents 100% literally,' he remembered in a hilarious tweet. And joining the accident-prone tots, another said: 'When I was like 3, I rode one of these fu***rs down a steep hill in my backyard and hit a tree. my mom came running after me and asked why I did that, and I literally said the tree wouldnt get out of the way'. Meanwhile, an animal-loving Korean woman- now a mother herself, tweeted: 'When I was like 6, I took an egg from the fridge and put it under my pillow before I fell asleep thinking it would be a baby chicken when I woke up'. And elsewhere another animal-lover by the name of Elise Serena suffered an even more unfortunate outcome, tweeting: 'I thought my pet lizard smelled bad so I sprayed it with perfume... it died the next day'. Its one thing to teach students from a textbook with artist renderings of say, ancient Greece. Its quite another to allow them to virtually walk through ruins in Athens. The University of South Florida St. Petersburg is now able to do the latter, thanks to its new, hands-on Science, Technology, Education and Math lab.With the virtual reality, we bring the ancient ruins to them in a moments notice, explains Allyson Watson, Dean of USFSPs College of Education. By taking them into the scene of Plato and Socrates, and looking at the ruins, its taking the learning experience and making it come to life.USFSP officially opened its STEM lab in October, bringing in students and the general public to experience virtual reality, robots, and coding.It [STEM] takes the students to the next level of critical thinking. We want students to know and understand how to solve problems, says Watson, who holds masters and doctorate degrees in Educational Administration, Curriculum and Supervision from the University of Oklahoma. We want them to know and understand how theres more than one way to come up with a solution.The lab, funded with nearly $300,000 in state STEM dollars, is modeled after a pre-engineering department, enabling it to better partner with other colleges on experiential learning. The lab, built for flexibility on the second floor of Coquina Hall, replaces outdated space from the 1960s.It features a built-in robotics scrimmage board, 3D printers, a state-of-the-art laser printer, First Lego robots, and other tools that allow users to experiment more.We opened it because we know that in order to prepare future teachers, she says, we have to merge the literary arts -- liberal arts, critical thinking, and science. We want our students to be creative geniuses. USFSP began beefing up its STEM program with a summer camp for fifth- through eighth-graders last summer. It hosted the Pinellas County Math Teacher Leader Academy on November 7. Its slate of events includes hosting a Lego Scrimmage in December, participating in the Pinellas County STEM Expo in April, expanding its summer camp, and doing a parents night out. Through a memorandum of understanding, Pasco-Hernando State College students also are able to use the lab. BFrankStudio of Tampa was the architect for the project; construction was done by Willis Smith Construction of Sarasota. Community partners include state Senator Jeff Brandes, R-St. Petersburg, who helped secure funds, and Wells Fargo.In Tampa, the not-for-profit Foundation for Community Driven Innovation also is giving STEM education a boost with help from a $30,000 grant from the Argosy Foundation and other donors.It has begun work on its new Tampa Bay Advanced Manufacturing and Robotics Center FabLab at University Mall near the USF main campus. In cooperation with the Mall, Hillsborough County Libraries, Code for Tampa Bay Brigade, PLuGHiTz Corporation and other partners, it is developing a community center to be used for creative expression, fabrication and rapid prototyping, and product development.A grand opening is anticipated in the spring of 2019.In addition to serving people of all ages, the FabLab will act as the FIRST youth robotics hub for Tampa Bay and Central Florida, offering the only permanent FIRST Robotics Competition field in the state. It also will offer a FIRST Tech Challenge field and FIRST LEGO League tables, resources and gear, with the potential of helping more students become involved in STEM.We are in the process of applying for additional grants and sponsorship support to pay for equipment like 3D printers, sewing machines, CNC [Computer Numerical Control] machine, laser cutter, audio/visual equipment and so forth, says Terri Willingham, the organizations Executive Director. USFSP has partnered with Duke Energy on a Tesla battery solar storage system described as the first of its kind in Florida. The battery system stores or reroutes unused energy captured by a solar array on top of the universitys parking garage. The energy is used at the garage to run the garages elevator, lights and electric vehicle charging stations. Nominations are open for the 2019 Florida Inventors Hall of Fame, which recognizes inventors who have advanced the quality of life in Florida and the nation. The inventor can be alive or dead, as long as they have or have had some affiliation with the state. He or she must be named as an inventor on a patent from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. The invention should have had an impact through its commercialization, use or importance to other innovations. Founded in 2013, the Florida Inventors Hall of Fame is based in Tampa at USF Research Park. The deadline is February 1; self-nominations will not be accepted. More information is available here Valerie Landrio McDevitt, USFs Associate VP for technology transfer and business partnerships , has been awarded the BioFlorida Leadership Award in recognition of her service as an ambassador for BioFlorida, which represents Floridas life sciences industry. McDevitt served as its Chairman of the Board in 2016. The NASA Florida Space Grant Consortium has extended a research project it is funding at the Lakeland-based Florida Polytechnic University . The project, originally slated to end in October, will run through the spring, 2019. Florida Poly is researching how algae can be used to enhance space travel. Researchers at the university are studying how a tiny form of algae, called diatoms, can boost solar cells efficiency. They also are looking to simplify the capture of carbon dioxide and the production of oxygen, making it more cost effective. The research was extended because of positive results with studies on carbon dioxide capture.In other Florida Poly news, Assistant Professor Dr. Karim Elish has received a $70,500 grant to develop a cutting-edge, mobile-computing-security curriculum. The grant was awarded by the Florida Center for Cybersecurity for an evolving program including hands-on virtual labs. It is expected to promote collaboration and resource sharing within the cybersecurity education community. Queen Letizia of Spain stunned in a belted dress as she joined her husband at a board of trustees meeting in Madrid today. The mother-of-two, 46, paired the stylish checked midi dress with a pair of cobalt blue and black pointed-toe pumps for the Princess of Girona Foundation meeting. She was joined by her husband, King Felipe VI, who is the honorary president at the foundation on behalf of their daughter, Princess Leonor. King Felipe, 50, coordinated with his wife, wearing a dapper blue suit with a pinstriped shirt at the meeting in the Royal Palace of Madrid. Queen Letizia of Spain stunned in this stone blue checked wrap dress in Madrid today The mother-of-two, 46, wore her glossy brunette bob down and kept her makeup to a minimum She was joined by her husband, King Felipe VI, who coordinated with the Spanish royal in a dapper navy suit with pinstriped shirt Wearing her glossy brunette bob down, Letizia kept her makeup to a minimum and wore just a hint of bronzer alongside a nude-coloured lip gloss. She accessorised with a pair of diamond earrings and a deep blue clutch bag which perfectly matched her heels. The Spanish royals were attending the board of trustees meeting for the foundation which helps young people find employment and hopes to identify role models for younger generations. The foundation runs the FPdGi awards which recognise young people across the world who run projects helping others in areas including science and the arts. The pair were attending the Princess of Girona Foundation board of trustees meeting at the Royal Palace of Madrid King Felipe is the honorary president of the foundation on behalf of their daughter, Princess Leonor, 13 Letizia accessorised with a cobalt blue clutch bag which perfectly matched her pointed-toe heels It also aims to encourage mobility in the work force through mentoring schemes, training, and grants for young people between 20 and 30, as well as helping with a teaching programme to encourage a new generation of entrepreneurs. Letizia and Felipe's eldest daughter and heiress to the throne, Leonor, 13, holds the historical title of Princess of Girona as well as the official title of Princess of Asturias. Last week Letizia was joined by her two daughters, Princess Leonor and Infanta Sofia, 11, at an event marking the 40th anniversary of their country's constitution. She looked radiant in a red fitted dress as she waved to crowds alongside her husband, her mother-in-law, the former Queen Sofia, and her husband the former King Juan Carlos I. King Felipe and Queen Letizia greeted other members of the board at the meeting earlier today Queen Letizia wore a nude lip gloss and kept her brunette locks down for the meeting in Madrid She's one of the most stylish royals around, but it seems Princess Sofia of Sweden has finally met her match in a glamorous Nobel Laureate. The perennially chic princess, 34, wore an almost identical outfit to physics prize winner Donna Strickland, 59, from Guelph, Canada at last night's state banquet at Stockholm's City Hall. Both dresses were an eye-catching shade of red with a fitted waist, fishtail skirt and statement flowing sleeves. Former model Sofia, who attended the lavish meal with her husband Prince Carl-Philip, paired her Zetterberg Couture gown with a pearl choker, broach, silver sash, and a sparkling tiara. Linking King Carl Gustaf of Sweden's arm, physics laureate Donna looked equally regal in her floor-length gown which was a little more sparse on the accessories. Scroll down for video Twinning! Princess Sofia of Sweden (left) wore a dress almost identical to one worn by Physics Laureate Donna Strickland (right, with King Carl Gustaf of Sweden) at the Nobel Prize banquet which was held at Stockholm City Hall, Sweden on Monday evening The event was also attended by her sister-in-law and Sweden's future queen Victoria, 41, who looked every inch the fairytale princess in her pink and grey ballgown and similarly spectacular tiara. Accessorising with a matching pearl necklace and bracelet, she chose to complete the look with patent black heels and a clutch. But physics laureate Donna Strickland had more important things on her mind than turning up in the same designer gown as the Princess of Sweden. Last night, the university professor became the first Canadian woman to receive the Nobel Prize for physics. A vision in red: Princess Sofia of Sweden and French physicist Gerard Mourou arrive at the Nobel Prize banquet in Stockholm City Hall on Monday evening Princess Sofia, 34, looked glamorous in a red floor length gown, pearl choker and a sparkling tiara for the banquet last night at Stockholm City Hall, Sweden Princess Sofia of Sweden talks with British biochemist and co-laureate of the 2018 Nobel Prize in Chemistry, Gregory Winter, during the Nobel Prize banquet at Stockholm City Hall The future queen Victoria was seen joining in with the Swedish national anthem before attending the banquet at Stockholm City Hall, Sweden Swedens King Carl XVI Gustaf presented Strickland with her prize at the formal ceremony. The Canadian physicist learned she and two others had won one of science's highest honours back in October. Becoming one of just three women to win the Nobel Prize for Physics, proud supporters at her Ontario university cheered her on from across the globe yesterday. It's been over 55 years since a female physicist last one a Nobel prize. Strickland joins the likes of Marie Curie, the first woman to claim the award in 1903, and Maria Goeppert-Mayer, who was recognised for her achievements in 1963. The award-winner was all smiles as she received her Nobel Prize from Swedens King Carl XVI Gustaf at the formal ceremony at the Concert Hall in Stockholm, Sweden Canadian physicist Donna Strickland (L) and co-laureate of the 2018 Nobel Prize in Chemistry, US chemical engineer Frances Arnold, hold their Nobel Prizes at the Concert Hall in Stockholm, Sweden The prize-winner was being acknowledged for being part of the team to invent Chirped Pulse Amplification, a technique that supports todays short-pulse, high-intensity lasers and became the vital component to corrective eye surgery. Her award-winning work was conducted in the early 1980s when she was finishing her PhD under French scientist Gerard Mourou's close monitoring. The other part of the prize went to American Arthur Ashkin, who was the third winner of the award. The Nobel committee says Strickland and French scientist Gerard Mourou will each receive a quarter of the US$1.01 million prize for their joint work on laser physics. Cindy Crawford has become the latest star to wear Marchesa on the red carpet as the troubled label continues its red carpet comeback. The supermodel wore a slinky Marchesa LBD to last night's British Fashion Awards in London, following hot on the heels of Priyanka Chopra who chose the label for her bridal shower in October. The fashion house co-founded by Harvey Weinstein's ex-wife Georgina Chapman was thrown in to disarray last year following the tide of sexual abuse allegations about the movie producer, which he strenuously denies. But with everyone from Scarlett Johansson to Vanessa Hudgens embracing the label once more, it appears to have firmly reestablished itself as a red carpet linchpin. Indeed, Crawford's 5,000 off-the-shoulder appliqued velvet gown is already sold out or low in stock after she wore it at the Royal Albert Hall last night. Defiant: Cindy Crawford has become the latest star to wear Marchesa on the red carpet as the troubled label continues its red carpet comeback, and her 5,000 off-the-shoulder appliqued velvet gown is already sold out or low in stock after she wore it at the Royal Albert Hall There were rumours that Weinstein (pictured with ex-wife Georgina at a premiere in New York City before their split) may have pressured stars into wearing Marchesa's designs and some activists called for women to boycott the label, but it appears to be making a comeback Prior to her wedding, Priyanka Chopra was forced to defend her decision to wear a feathered white dress designed by Chapman at her pre-wedding party. Stating that Chapman - who left Weinstein in October 2017 following a string of damning accusations - was 'a friend of hers', the Indian beauty argued it was wrong to take out his wrongdoings on a 'self-made woman. She told Who What Wear: 'Georginas a friend of mine, and she has been. And its not her fault. 'And I dont think its right to take it out on a self-made woman what somebody in her life did. Thats the wrong attitude.' She added: 'That was a beautiful gown, and deserved to be worn by a bride-to-be. And it made me feel like a princess. It was the right choice.' Priyanka Chopra was forced to defend her decision to wear this feathered white dress designed by Chapman at her bridal shower at Tiffany's Blue Box Cafe in New York City, October In Marchesa back? High School Musical star Vanessa Hudgens became the latest star to wear a dress from Georgina Chapman's troubled fashion label in August - sparking rumours that the label could be making a comeback after taking a hit following allegations against Weinstein Avengers star Scarlett Johansson made headlines around the world when she opted to wear a dress from Marchesa at the Met Gala in New York in May - becoming the first major actress to wear one of their creations publicly since the Hollywood sex scandal hit late last year The company co-owned by Georgina Chapman and Keren Craig saw its stock plummet following sexual assault and rape accusations against Harvey Weinstein from a string of women last year. There were rumours the shamed Hollywood heavyweight had, in the past, 'pressured' high-profile actresses into wearing Marchesa's creations to boost its profile, while unconfirmed reports suggested he may have ploughed cash into the company in its infancy. When awards season arrived, the brand - loved by everyone from the Duchess of Cambridge to Chrissy Teigen - was notably absent from the red carpet at the Golden Globes, Oscars and BAFTAs. Making a comeback? German supermodel Barbara Meier wore Marchesa earlier this year (left), followed by The Young and the Restless star Cait Fairbanks in April (right) - albeit on loan Some accusers, including Italian actress Asia Argento, even called for women to boycott the brand altogether. But in May, Scarlett Johansson - one of the highest-paid actresses in Hollywood - wore custom Marchesa to the Met Gala in New York in a move which won public support from fashion doyenne Anna Wintour. Johansson was forced to defend her choice, saying: 'I wore Marchesa because their clothes make women feel confident and beautiful, and it is my pleasure to support a brand created by two incredibly talented and important female designers.' That same week, Chapman was profiled in a sympathetic interview in American Vogue,and since then, a host of stars have tentatively followed suit. In August, High School Musical star Vanessa Hudgens became the next celebrity to make a statement in Marchesa at a film premiere in LA. German supermodel Barbara Meier wore Marchesa earlier this year, followed by The Young and the Restless star Cait Fairbanks in April. Marchesa's bridal gowns have even been snapped up by the likes of rapper Pusha T's wife in June, and Senator John McCain's daughter Meghan shortly before Christmas 2017. Speaking to MailOnline FEMAIL in August, stylist and designer Lucas Armitage (poisedlondon.com) said: 'When Scarlett Johansson wore Marchesa to the Met Gala it was the first time a celebrity from the A-list pack had been seen in the brand since the Harvey Weinstein scandal hit. 'It was always going to be a huge feat for the brand to bounce back as its success was always entwined with Harvey. 'While its clear Chapman had a huge advantage whilst trying to make her name as a dress designer of choice for the A-list it seems not everyone thinks her former links to Harvey should see he death of her brand. Meghan McCain, daughter of Senator John McCain, wore Marchesa at the height of the Hollywood sex scandal when she married her beau Ben Domenech in December 'And its clear without the former persuasive force of Harvey the brand is still one that people may wear. 'In the fashion industry a scandal isnt unusual and usually when the dust settles if a collection is beautiful it will always be in the red carpet, here Marchesa is testament to this.' Marchesa was founded in 2004, the same year that Chapman and Weinstein met, and enjoyed instant success, thanks to a handful of actresses who boosted its profile by wearing some of its earliest gowns to premieres and events. In October 2017, Felicity Huffman claimed that Weinstein had threatened to pull publicity funding for her 2005 film Transamerica if she didn't wear his now ex-wife's gowns on the red carpet. This is the moment Prince William cracked a joke at his little brother's expense on a visit to a homeless centre in London with wife Kate on Monday. When Kate and William arrived at The Passage, a hospital and homeless centre the prince visited with his late mother as a child, its chief executive Mick Clarke introduced them to a woman named Gladys, and reminded William of their previous meeting - at which Gladys had gifted him with two friendship bracelets. 'One for you and one for Harry,' Mr Clarke explained, prompting William's wisecrack: 'Harry never got his, Gladys.' Prince William, 36, has made a number of trips to The Passage - some in a private capacity - since his first visit with his mother Princess Diana and little brother Harry back in 1994, when the princes were 12 and 10. On Tuesday he returned with his wife Kate in tow, and the couple took part in a festive arts and crafts session at the charity's St Vincent Centre in Victoria, which William had officially reopened in 2016 following a refurbishment. Prince William made the joke as he and Kate took part in a Christmas arts and craft session at the charity's St Vincent centre in Victoria, which he reopened two years ago after a refurbishment. The Duke of Cambridge joked that his brother Prince Harry 'never got his' friendship bracelet which was given to him during a visit to the homeless shelter six months ago William made the wisecrack after being reintroduced to Gladys, a woman he met on a previous visit to the shelter Kate and William then took part in an arts and craft session during their visit to The Passage's St Vincent in Victoria, London, today During their visit Kate helped make bead bracelets and laughed that daughter 'Charlotte would love making these'. William was asked to help make a 'Welcome to Xmas Dinner' sign and given an 'E' to cut out. Kate laughed and raised an eyebrow as William said: 'My son knows I'm useless at this, Catherine is the artsy one.' The royals' light-hearted remarks at their royal engagement come after rumours of a rift between the Cambridges and Sussexes following the announcement that Harry, 34, and Meghan, 37, are set to move away from Kensington Palace to set up home at Frogmore Cottage, in Windsor. Royal sources have said there has been no falling out between the two couples, but simply that the two Duchesses are 'very different people'. Kate was reported to have been left in tears after Princess Charlotte's bridesmaid's dress fitting, ahead of Harry and Meghan's wedding in May. Despite rumours of a rift, royal insiders have revealed Meghan and Harry are set to stay with Kate and William again when the royals head to Sandringham this Christmas. Kate helped make bead bracelets while William as asked to help make a 'Welcome to Xmas Dinner' sign After being asked to cut out the E for the sign, William said: 'My son knows I'm useless at this, Catherine is the artsy one' While visiting the centre earlier today, William spoke out about the dangers of Spice and the royal couple sat in on a roundtable discussion on mental heath and homelessness. The Duke first visited the charity in 1994 with his younger brother Harry when the pair were 12 and 10, alongside their mother Diana, Princess of Wales. Since then William has visited three more times, twice in a private capacity. Afterwards The Passage's chief executive Mick Clarke said of the royals: 'They were genuinely shocked at how cheap spice is and the effects it can have. This is a drug that targets the poorest of the poor. 'We're talking about something that one puff could hospitalise you or lead to your death. It's clearly targeting the lowest of the low, those who have fallen on hard times. 'In both discussions they had real empathy and they really care about the issues and the poorest in society. They take the role they have, to raise these issues, very seriously'. The Queen was in excellent spirits as she visited her favourite dining establishment on Tuesday. Her Majesty was spotted leaving The Goring Hotel in London's Belgravia following her annual visit to the five-star luxury hotel whose exclusive dining rooms are frequented by royals and celebrities alike. Dressed in pale blue tweed, the 92-year-old monarch was clutching a small gift, believed to be a Christmas present from Goring staff, as she left. While Buckingham Palace declined to comment on the nature of the Queen's visit, she has in recent years chosen the establishment for her staff Christmas party - as well as attending The Goring's annual festive knees-up. Intriguingly, a British man who was dining at the hotel today described the Queen as a 'special guest' in a cryptic Instagram post. Scroll down for video Festive feast: The Queen was spotted leaving The Goring Hotel in London's Belgravia on Tuesday after enjoying her annual visit to the five-star luxury hotel that's beloved by royals For her visit today, the Queen paired her jacket and skirt with a glittering diamond brooch and her favourite Launder handbag. However there was no sign of David 'Big Dave' Morgan-Hewitt, the charismatic managing director who traditionally accompanies the Queen to her waiting vehicle. In 2016, the Queen chose the hotel as the setting for a private lunch with some of her senior servants and advisors when a drunk man had to be escorted from the building. The privately-owned hotel, which celebrated its centenary in 2010, is a firm favourite with the royals and was given the highest honour when it was chosen by the Middleton family as their London base for the Royal wedding in 2011. Queen of fashion! Dressed in pale blue tweed, the 92-year-old Queen was clutching a small gift, believed to be a Christmas present from Goring staff, as she left The Goring today Party time? The has in recent years chosen the establishment for her staff Christmas party - as well as attending The Goring's annual festive knees-up Buckingham Palace did not reveal the nature of the Queen's visit to The Goring today, but a British man who was dining at the hotel today described the Queen as a 'special guest' Heritage: The privately-owned Goring Hotel, which celebrated its centenary in 2010, is a firm favourite with the royals and was given the highest honour when it was chosen by the Middleton family as their London base for the Royal wedding in 2011 The Middletons famously booked out all of the hotels 71 rooms for their family and friends and held their own reception there for those not invited to the Buckingham Palace bash. More recently, dishy staff were brought in to add an extra touch of class to the establishment. A team of hunky footmen were drafted in to add a touch of Downton Abbey-style glamour to the the iconic hotel in 2015. The Goring and Buckingham Palace declined to comment when approached by MailOnline. Twitter users are loving Netlfix's incredibly blunt description of the show Gossip Girl, but they can't decide if the person who wrote the synopsis despises the teen drama or is a fan of it. Comedian Lane Moore took to Twitter on Monday to post a screengrab of the streaming network's cheeky summary of the CW series, which reads: 'Rich, unreasonably attractive private school students do horrible, scandalous things to each other. Repeatedly.' While tweeting the photo, Lane wrote: 'Netflix: "let's get someone who f****n hates Gossip Girl to write the description of Gossip Girl."' For real? Twitter users are loving Netlfix's incredibly blunt description of the show Gossip Girl Going viral: Comedian Lane Moore took to Twitter on Monday to post a screengrab of the streaming network's cheeky summary of the CW series Many people were amused by the matter-of-fact synopsis, and there were plenty who pointed out that it's not at all wrong. 'Omg. They also understand the show in such a profound way it's almost poetry,' writer Ben Philippe responded. 'I mean...this isn't WRONG per say,' Rachel Leishman added. Someone else shared his own screengrab of the description, admitting: 'I thought this was fake. NOPE.' Even Netflix stood by the description, responding: '1. Everybody loves Gossip Girl. 2. Where is the lie tho?' Cast: Penn Badgley, Leighton Meester, Blake Lively, Chace Crawford, Ed Westwick, and Taylor Momsen (left to right) all starred in the CW series, which aired from 2007 to 2012 'It's almost poetry': The fictional show chronicled the lives of privileged, wealthy teens living on Manhattan's Upper East Side, and many Twitter users agreed with Netflix's description Just saying: Rachel Leishman was among those who pointed out it wasn't exactly wrong It's real! Someone else shared his own screengrab of the description, admitting he assumed it had to be fake Hilarious: Even Netflix stood by the description, asking: 'Where is the lie tho?' The fictional series ran for six seasons on the CW from 2007 to 2012 and chronicled the lives of privileged, wealthy teens living on Manhattan's Upper East Side. The cast was made up of beautiful young actors, including Blake Lively, Penn Badgley, Leighton Meester, Chace Crawford, Ed Westwick, and Taylor Momsen. Kristen Bell, meanwhile, provided the voiceover for the show's all-knowing blogger, 'Gossip Girl,' whose catchphrase was, 'You know you love me. XOXO, Gossip Girl.' A woman named Katarina noted that Netflix's synopsis of the show can be used to describe most teen dramas on the network. 'Honestly that summary works for almost every CW show,' she wrote. 'Just replace "rich" with another adjective for each show. I say this as a huge fan of pretty much every show that network has ever made.' Good point: A woman named Katarina noted that Netflix's synopsis of the show can be used to describe most teen dramas on the CW 'It checks out': A man named Michael Monroe put her theory to the test with the CW show Arrow Questions: There were some who thought the description could have been written by someone who hated the show Good point: A Twitter user named Joey Eson admitted he thought it was a 'shame they didn't end the description with "xoxo"' Serious question: Danielle Radford wanted to know how she could get a job writing the descriptions A man named Michael Monroe put her theory to the test with the CW show Arrow, writing: 'Rich, unreasonably attractive crime fighting vigilantes do horrible, scandalous things to each other. Repeatedly. Yup. It checks out.' Although the streaming network made it clear that it has nothing but love for the teen drama, there were some who thought the description could have been written by someone who hated it. 'Hilarious that the write-up sounds like it could have been written by its biggest hater OR its most diehard fan,' Sam Machkovech tweeted. Meanwhile, a Twitter user named Joey Eson admitted he thought it was a 'shame they didn't end the description with "xoxo."' A few people were bummed that they couldn't find the comical synopsis, which only appears when Netflix users search for the show and hover over it. Say what? Some people confusedly shared screengrabs of a second description, incorrectly assuming that Netflix must have changed it Loving it: The tweet also inspired people to share some other hilarious Netflix summaries they've come across Proof? Mackenzie Herren shared the description for The Lost World: Jurassic Park and said that Netflix is 'just like this' Some people confusedly shared screengrabs of a second description, incorrectly assuming that Netflix must have changed it. The additional information isn't quite as exciting and simply reads: 'A group of hyperprivileged Manhattan private-school kids seem to get away with everything. Except an anonymous blogger is watching their every move.' The tweet, which received more than 88,000 likes, also inspired people to share some other hilarious Netflix summaries they've come across. One person deduced that the same person who penned the Gossip Girl description also wrote Netflix's summary for Twilight, which reads: 'Hottest guy in school, eternal devotion and sparkly skin: totally solid reasons to date a vampire. No necking, though. 'Have you see the one for The Lost World??' @netflix is just like this,' Mackenzie Herren wrote, sharing a screenshot of the description for the film. 'You'd think tangling with all those Velociraptors would stop them from messing with dinosaurs. It didn't,' it reads. Advertisement Young Russian cadets donned their finery tonight for the International Kremlin Cadet Ball in Moscow. The Gostiny Dvor ballroom, the city's old merchant court which is situated just a stone's throw from the Kremlin, was transformed into a sea of white and navy at the third annual military soiree on Tuesday evening. This year's event, held in Moscow's Kitai-gorod district, marks the 75th anniversary of the establishment of earliest Suvorov military schools and the 76th anniversary of the establishment of the Nakhimov Naval School in Russia. For many at Tuesday's ball, it's a fairytale chance to experience the grandeur of Russia's czarist traditions. With its string quartets, traditional dance routines and patriotic speeches, the event harks back to a bygone era. Taking part in tonight's proceedings were teenagers from orphanages as well as distinguished military cadets from around Russia, as well as delegations from CIS member states, and China, South Korea, Greece, and Austria. Male cadets line the stairs while their ballgown-clad partners pose for a photograph on the staircase at the International Kremlin Cadet ball A pair of dancers were spotted showing off their best moves at the ball at Moscow's Gostiny Dvor this evening to mark the 75th anniversary of the establishment of earliest Suvorov military schools Action shot: The annual ball is a picture of discipline, pomp and splendour as girls in billowing dresses twirl across the dance floor, immaculately dressed young men line the hall in orderly rows, and teachers bark out orders, trying to get their students to keep time These girls lined up for the perfect photo as they took part in the annual event, which also marks the 76th anniversary of the establishment of the Nakhimov Naval School in Russia The annual ball is a lavish display of discipline, pomp and splendour as girls in billowing dresses twirl across the dance floor, immaculately dressed young men line the hall in orderly rows, and teachers bark out orders, trying to get their students to keep time. Young girls were dressed in sweeping white ballgowns and gloves, teamed with diamonds and tiaras, while their smartly-dressed dance partners stuck to tradition in full military uniform. Meanwhile backstage, lipstick is applied and hair frantically braided, girls jostle for position in front of floor-length mirrors, trying to capture the perfect selfie. Now that's an entrance! The ball's organiser Yulia Kirpichnikova, left, is pictured entering the International Kremlin Cadet Ball Grab a partner: The Gostiny Dvor ballroom, the city's old merchant court which is situated just a stone's throw from the Kremlin, was transformed into a sea of white and navy at the third annual military soiree on Tuesday evening Russian cadets march and salute inside the ballroom at the International Kremlin Cadet ball in Moscow on the 75th anniversary of the establishment of earliest Suvorov military schools Young cadets donned white ballgowns for the 3rd International Kremlin Cadet Ball at Moscow's Gostiny Dvor; the event marks the 75th anniversary of the establishment of earliest Suvorov military schools Young cadets take to the dance floor. This year's event, held in Moscow's Kitai-gorod district, marks the 75th anniversary of the establishment of earliest Suvorov military schools and the 76th anniversary of the establishment of the Nakhimov Naval School in Russia Male cadets line the stairs while their ballgown-clad partners pose for a photograph on the staircase. Taking part in tonight's proceedings were teenagers from orphanages as well as distinguished military cadets from around Russia, as well as delegations from CIS member states, and China, South Korea, Greece, and Austria Later on in the evening Russian cadets gathered around a huge cake and snapped photos of the event Russian State Duma member Colonel General Nikolai Antoshkin cut the gigantic cake at the event earlier this evening Two young women pose for a selfie. Young girls were dressed in sweeping white ballgowns and gloves, teamed with diamonds and tiaras, while their smartly-dressed dance partners stuck to tradition in full military uniform Couples take to the dancefloor at Moscow's Gostiny Dvor on Tuesday evening. Meanwhile backstage, lipstick is applied and hair frantically braided, girls jostle for position in front of floor-length mirrors, trying to capture the perfect selfie White ballgowns with pink sashes were the order of the day at the third International Kremlin Cadet Ball at Moscow's Gostiny Dvor; the event marks the 75th anniversary of the establishment of earliest Suvorov military schools and the 76th anniversary of the establishment of the Nakhimov Naval School in Russia The immaculately dressed cadets lined the hall in orderly rows as each traditional dance began, with teachers barking orders from the sidelines to keep them in time The ball's organiser Yulia Kirpichnikova at the 3rd International Kremlin Cadet Ball at Moscow's Gostiny Dvor; the event marks the 75th anniversary of the establishment of earliest Suvorov military schools More than 1,000 students from all of the Russian cadet schools attended the event in Moscow this evening Although many of the attendees opted for brilliant white dresses, others chose deep scarlet ball gowns as they danced with their partners Dozens of dancers line the hall in Moscow tonight. Taking part in the ball are teenagers from orphanages and distinguished military cadets from various regions of Russia, as well as delegations from CIS member states, China, South Korea, Greece, and Austria Russia's soldiers of tomorrow swapped the parade ground for the ballroom as they attended the opulent International Kremlin Cadet Ball in Moscow, taking part in an evening of dancing Colonel general Nikolai Antoshkin and the ball's organiser Yulia Kirpichnikova smiled as they posed for photographs after cutting the cake Grab a partner: For many at Tuesday's ball, it's a fairytale chance to experience the grandeur of Russia's czarist traditions. With its string quartets, traditional dance routines and patriotic speeches, the event harks back to a bygone era The dance floor became a sea of white, pastel colours and red as the young Russian cadets began to dance Youngsters form neat lines as they take to the dance floor. The annual ball is a lavish display of discipline, pomp and splendour as girls in billowing dresses twirl across the dance floor and immaculately dressed young men line the hall in orderly rows Queen Maxima dazzled in velvet tonight as she stepped out for a concert with the Cape Verde President and First Lady. The Dutch royal, 47, paired the purple textured dress with matching heels and bejeweled accessories as she joined husband King Willem-Alexander and their guests in Rotterdam on Tuesday evening. Jorge Carlos Fonseca and his wife Ligia Fonseca are currently on a state visit to the Netherlands at the invitation of the king. Mother-of-three Maxima turned heads with a glamorous make-up look of golden bronzer and a burst of colour in the form of a burgundy lipstick. Her ankle length dress stood out as she clung to a bouquet of fresh red roses and stopped to talk to others in the Cruis terminal of the concert. Queen Maxima, 47, (pictured) attended a concert tonight in Rotterdam on the second day of the visit by the Cape Verde President on Monday evening. Maxima accessorized her multi-texture outfit with a selection of colourful jewels in addition to drop earrings and a bangle Maxima (pictured right with Jorge Carlos Fonseca, King Willem-Alexander, first lady Ligia Fonseca and Princess Beatrix) paired her crimson dress with matching court heels for an effortlessly regal look Maxima enjoyed a lavish sit down in which she had the opportunity to speak at length to attendees of the concert while the Cabo Verdean musicians kept all entertained. Last night, the Dutch queen put on a head-turning display in a sumptuous red dress at a lavish state banquet thrown in honour of the Presidential couple. The royal couple took the opportunity to toast their VIP guests at the Royal Palace of Amsterdam on Monday evening. Cape Verde's First Lady chose a white ballgown to attend the welcome dinner in the Dutch capital. President Fonseca is currently making a two-day state visit to the Netherlands upon the invitation of King Willem-Alexander. Maxima (pictured right) beamed as she spoke to a child at the Cruis terminal of the concert alongside her husband who was embraced by Princess Beatrix Maxima wore her hair in a wavy style for a relaxed look paired with glamorous make-up as she and King Willem-Alexander took the opportunity to toast their VIP guests at the Royal Palace First lady Ligia Dias Fonseca wore a similar shade of crimson to Queen Maxima with her hair also in a relax curly style during the state visit The Dutch royal, 47, posed alongside King Willem, President of Cape Verde Jorge Carlos Fonseca (second left) and his wife Ligia Fonseca (far left), dressed in a white floor-length gown for the welcome dinner at the royal palace in Amsterdam Queen Maxima put on a head-turning display in a sumptuous red dress as she joined husband King Willem of the Netherlands in welcoming Cape Verdes President and First Lady to their lavish state banquet on Monday evening Maxima wore a satin gown by the Dutch designer Claes Iversen, which featured an asymmetric neckline and was embellished with delicate studs. The mother-of-three accessorised her floor-length gown with a sizable diamond brooch, which she teamed with matching drop earrings and a bracelet. Completing her dazzling ensemble, the royal opted for an impressive diamond tiara- a more modest version than the Stuart tiara she wore to a Buckingham Palace banquet in October, and wore a royal order on her belt. Claes Iversen is a favourite designer of Queen Maxima's, who was pictured wearing a ballgown by the brand during her recent state visit to the UK. Maxima put on a vibrant display in the satin Claes Iversen dress, which featured an asymmetric neckline and was embellished with delicate studs Meanwhile Ligia Fonseca put on a chic display in a white floor-length ballgown, teamed with an official yellow sash. Wearing her hair in an up-do, the First Lady joined Jorge Carlos and King Willem, who looked dapper in crisp white shirts and tailored suits. The royal group were pictured enjoying the banquet before Jorge Carlos gave a speech and the two couples raised their glasses in a toast. The banquet concluded the Cape Verde president and his wife's first day of their two day state tour. The royal group were pictured enjoying the banquet before Jorge Carlos gave a speech and the two couples raised their glasses in a toast King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima offered the state banquet to Jorge Carlos de Almeida Fonseca, president of Kaapverdie Cape Verde in the Royal Palace The mother-of-three adorned the floor-length gown with a sizable diamond brooch, which she teamed with matching drop earrings and a bracelet Earlier in the day Maxima stunned in a chic blue outfit as she joined husband King Willem-Alexander in officially welcoming Jorge Carlos Fonseca and his wife Ligia Fonseca on Dam Square in Amsterdam. Typical of her signature statement style, the Dutch royal wore a coordinated coat and hat, complete with a contrasting bright green round-neck top - and not forgetting those impressive skyscraper heels. She had her blonde hair neatly swept back behind her ears and to add that extra bit of dazzle, Maxima accessorised with emerald green diamond earrings which dangled just above her shoulders. Rosy cheeked: Queen Maxima joined her husband in welcoming Cape Verde's President Fonseca and his wife Ligia Fonseca on Dam Square in Amsterdam on Monday. She wore a striking blue outfit during the wreath-laying ceremony The mum-of-three was all smiles as she walked alongside the First Lady of Cape Verde, Ligia Fonseca. They complimented the flag with their alternate blue and red elegant outfits Following the inspection of the guard of honour, a reception took place in the Royal Palace in Amsterdam for the Dutch and Cabo Verdean officials. After the wreath-laying ceremony at the National Monument on Dam Square, President Fonseca and his wife visited the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam. On Monday afternoon the President visited the University of Amsterdam, where he gave a lecture for international and Dutch students on economic development in Cabo Verde. President Fonseca and the King then attended a Blue Economy meeting at the National Maritime Museum, where the Minister for Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade Sigrid Kaag gave a speech. King Willem-Alexander, Queen Maxima, Jorge Carlos Fonseca and Ligia Dias Fonseca all looked on during the inspection of the guard of honour Argentian-born Maxima and the First Lady of Cape Verde gave each other a smile from afar. Following this, a reception was held at Amsterdam Royal Palace for the Dutch and Cabo Verdean officials taking part in the visit The stylish royal accessorised with emerald green diamond earrings which dangled just above her shoulders This event allowed Dutch and Cabo Verdean knowledge institutes and businesses to exchange ideas on maritime development, wind energy and sustainable tourism. The visit follows a week of celebrations for Maxima, who recently released a new portrait of her eldest daughter, Princess Catharina-Amalia, to mark her 15th birthday. Catharina-Amalia, who is the future Queen of the Netherlands, looked chic in a purple shift dress featuring a high neck as she posed for the photograph against a marble backdrop and wore her long blonde hair loose. Queen Maxima of the Netherlands posed for a set of fun family photos with husband King Willem-Alexander and daughters Princess Catharina-Amalia, 14, Princess Alexia, 13, and Princess Ariane, 11 recently After the picture was shared on Instagram by the Dutch Royal Palace, fans were quick to post their birthday wishes to the princess, whose official title is Princess of Orange. Prior to this, Queen Maxima opened the Charity Lotteries new office in Amsterdam. There, she added a touch of sparkle in a quirky gold and blue skirt and coordinating hat. The Dutch royals also visited the Queen on their first state visit to the UK back in October, where they visited the grave of the only Dutch King of England. They were given a grand ceremonial welcome and were treated to a state banquet at Buckingham Palace. It was the first UK state visit by Dutch monarchy for almost forty years. Brace yourself Australia, the time has come for a Mexican fiesta. And Christmas has come early for Brisbane as Taco Bell announced a new restaurant will officially open its doors in North Lakes at 9am on Saturday, December 15. The Mexican-inspired fast food store will be one of 60 new restaurants, set to roll out across Australia and New Zealand from 2019. The American franchise will expand Down Under after its burritos, quesadillas and nachos proved successful at their first Australian store in Brisbane's Annerley. Scroll down for video Christmas has come early for Brisbane as Taco Bell announced a new restaurant will officially open its doors in North Lakes at 9am on Saturday (pictured Brisbane's Annerley store) What is Taco Bell? Taco Bell opened its first store in California in 1962 and now has 7,000 sites across the US and serves 2billion customers worldwide. The Mexican fast food chain is famous for its bargain burritos, quesadillas and nachos. The latest restaurants opening up in Australia will be the brand's third attempt to hit the market Down Under. The chain first opened a branch in Australia in the early 1980s but was forced to shut following a trademark dispute against an existing Sydney restaurant called Taco Bell's Casa. The American franchise tried again by opening a store in Sydney's CBD in the late 1990s - but by 2005 Taco Bell pulled out of the Australian market again. Advertisement In true Taco Bell style, the North Lakes restaurant will host a 'fun-filled opening day party' with taco hats. And the first 62 customers through the door will receive a limited edition merchandise and one lucky diner will win free Taco Bell for an entire year. The American franchise has confirmed it had reached agreement with Taco Bell's Asian arm to bring 60 stores to New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory, starting in the New Year. Restaurant Brands, which currently owns and operates 36 Taco Bell stores in Guam and Hawaii, also holds the right of first offer to establish new Taco Bell restaurants in Australia and NZ. 'Bringing the Taco Bell brand to this part of the world aligns with our strategy of focusing on global tier one brands in markets we understand,' Restaurant Brands' group chief executive Russel Creedy said. The American franchise will expand Down Under after its burritos, quesadillas and nachos proved successful in a trial store in Brisbane 's Annerley (pictured) The company said it expects the initial build to be funded from internally generated cash flows and completed by 2024, but predicted that "it will take several years for the brand to make a significant contribution from the Australian and New Zealand markets". The company said the Taco Bell deal was not conditional on the 75 per cent takeover offer from Mexican investor Finaccess Capital. Restaurant Brands also operates Pizza Hut, KFC, and Starbucks franchises across Australia and New Zealand. Shares in the company were last trading on the ASX at $7.33, down from a June 2018 peak of $8.05. The American franchise confirmed it had reached agreement with Taco Bell's Asian arm to bring 60 stores to New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory, starting in 2019 As timings and locations are yet to be revealed, Taco Bell has confirmed they will be heading to South East Queensland first, with restaurants opening up in North Lakes, Robina and Cleveland. The fast food giant reassured its taco fans in October the chain will launch new restaurants in other states over a three-year period, sending foodies into a frenzy. 'We don't have specifics to share at this stage, but let's just say not all 50 [restaurants] will be opening in Queensland,' the company said. After opening Australia's first store in Brisbane in November 2017, the popular restaurant attracted a line out the door that lasted months. The fast food giant has reassured its taco fans the chain will launch new restaurants in other states over a three-year period, sending foodies into a frenzy The franchise promises to deliver quick serving dining in Australia, with its customer-curated music playlists, free WIFI, craft beers, frozen margaritas and regular live music sessions 'We have had an overwhelming response to the launch of Taco Bell in Brisbane, and we know that the Australian market is hungry for more,' Taco Bell Asia Pacific's managing director Ankush Tuli said. 'We can't wait to give our passionate fans in Australia the chance to enjoy Taco Bell in more cities across the country.' The franchise promises to deliver quick serving dining in Australia, with its 'epic fit-outs', open kitchens, customer-curated music playlists, free WiFi, craft beers, frozen margaritas and regular live music sessions. Nearly 40 babies have now been diagnosed with a drug-resistant superbug at a troubled hospital in Romania. Officials in the country closed the Giulesti Maternity Hospital when it was revealed 13 newborns had been struck down last month. But authorities now say the number of babies confirmed to have antibiotic-resistant Staphylococcus aureus has jumped to 39. (Nurse looks on from a window of the Giulesti Maternity Hospital following a fire that left 5 newborn babies dead in August 2010) Romanian health ministers temporarily shut the hospital in Bucharest on November 30, when the scandal first emerged. The ministry said its maternity wards would be closed for cleaning and disinfection. It is currently unclear when they will re-open. Bosses at the hospital were asked to direct dozens of women needing caesarean sections to nearby units for the procedures. All of the infants battling the superbug are spread out over three different facilities in the Romanian capital. No deaths have yet been reported. Babies are more prone to infections because their immune has yet to fully develop, which also means bugs can be more serious to them. Health Minister Sorina Pintea, who has been in the role for two years, said she will decide later this week whether to keep the hospital closed. Romanian health ministers temporarily shut the hospital in Bucharest on November 30, when the scandal first emerged Officials are baffled as to how this outbreak began. But authorities have suggested that hygiene standards are not respected. Eleven staff members have so far tested positive for the superbug. They have been suspended from work and face medical treatment. Figures estimate a third of people carry Staphylococcus aureus bacteria on their skin or in the nostrils, without it causing any symptoms. But the bug can become dangerous if it enters the bloodstream, destroying heart valves or leading to sepsis and potentially causing death. The most common type of antibiotic-resistant S. aureus is MRSA, which doesnt respond to several widely used drugs. However, another bug growing immune to antibiotics is vancomycin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, shortened down to VRSA. It comes as only 23 of 147 hospitals examined in Romania respected all of the near 500 requirements, including hygiene and fire risks. National Authority of Quality Health Management said a further 106 facilities partially respected the requirements. The polio-like disease that causes paralysis in children has reached a record high, health officials in the US have confirmed. Acute flaccid myelitis, which leaves youngsters unable to move their face, neck, back or limbs, has been confirmed in 158 youngsters so far this year. This is nine more than in 2016 and a staggering 155 more than when the disease emerged in the country just six years ago. Although no children who developed AFM this year have died, around half have been admitted to intensive care and hooked up to ventilators to help them breathe. The figures come after Government officials said last week cases appeared to have peaked. The polio-like disease that causes paralysis in children reached record numbers with 158 confirmed cases. Pictured is five-year-old Carter Roberts, of Richmond, Virginia, who died in September after catching the disease in 2016. No deaths have been reported in this outbreak AFM is a rare but serious condition that attacks the area of the spinal cord called gray matter, which causes the body's muscles and reflexes to weaken. Patients first develop flu-like symptoms, which slowly turn into muscle weakness, difficulty moving the eyes and finally polio-like symptoms, including facial drooping and difficulty swallowing. 'If [AFM affects gray matter] lower in the spinal cord [paralysis will] be more in the legs and, if it's higher up, it'll be more in the arms,' Dr Fernando Acosta, a pediatric neurologist at Cook Children's Medical Center, in Fort Worth, Texas, told DailyMail.com in an interview in October. 'Or if it's closer to the neck, they can't move head, neck and shoulders. We had one case of that and that was just awful.' In severe cases, respiratory failure can occur when the muscles that support breathing become weak. In rare cases, AFM can cause life-threatening neurological complications. AFM first emerged in 2012, with just three cases. The number of incidences has since surged, with outbreaks occurring biannually. This has left experts stumped as to the disease's cause Although no children who developed AFM this year have died, around half were admitted to intensive care and hooked up to ventilators to help them breathe. Pictured is five-year-old Elizabeth Storrie, of Willow Park, Texas, who was one of 2018's confirmed cases AFM was first reported in 2012, when three cases of extreme limb weakness were noted in California. The disease has been likened to polio, which struck tens of thousands of children a year in the US before its vaccine was introduced in the 1950s. However, this virus is not thought to be responsible for the outbreaks. AFM went on to affect at least 120 children in 2014, followed by 149 confirmed cases two years later. For unclear reasons, incidences were much lower in 2015 and 2017, however, one child died from the disease last year. The paralysis, which can be lasting, may be caused by the EV-D68 virus, which is a distant relative of polio and coincided with many cases in 2014. Dr Ruth Lynfield, a member of a AFM Task Force established by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to offer advice to investigators, calls EV-D68 'the leading hypothesis'. EV-A71, another polio relative, and rhinovirus are also suspects. However, outbreaks since 2014 have not strongly linked EV-D68 with AFM, with tests for the virus also coming up as negative in every case. EV-D68 is also not a new infection, with many Americans previously being exposed to it. Experts are therefore baffled as to how this virus could potentially be causing paralysis and why outbreaks occur every two years. AFM affects the nervous system by attacking part of the spinal cord, which causes the body's muscles and reflexes to weaken. Pictured is seven-year-old Quinton Hill, who was among the first children in Minnesota to be diagnosed after losing movement in his arm in September WHAT IS ACUTE FLACCID MYELITIS (AFM)? The term 'myelitis' means inflammation of the spinal cord. Transverse myelitis is the broad name of the disease, and there are various sub-types. It is a neurological disorder which inflames the spinal cord across its width ('transverse'), destroying the fatty substance that protects nerve cells. That can lead to paralysis. AFM is an unusual sub-type of transverse myelitis. Patients starts with the same spinal inflammation, but their symptoms are different and the disease develops differently. The main distinction is that AFM patients are weak and limp, while patients with general transverse myelitis tend to be rigid. Most AFM patients start to struggle with movement of the limbs, face, tongue, and eyes. They then begin to lose control of one limb or sometimes the whole body - though many maintain control of their sensory, bowel and bladder functions. Unlike transverse myelitis, which has been around for years, doctors are still in the dark about why and how AFM manifests itself. Advertisement More than 17 countries have reported the odd AFM case, however, only the US has biannual surges. The average age of those affected is four years old and more than 90 per cent of cases are in children under 18. Outbreaks typically peak in September and October, before tailing off. This year's incidence rate may rise even higher if investigators count cases that occurred during the summer. As of yesterday, 311 reports were being investigated. Confirmed cases require an MRI scan showing lesions in the part of the spinal cord that controls muscles. This year's outbreak is spread across 36 states, peaking in Texas with 21 incidences followed by Colorado with 15 and Ohio with ten. This may just be due to better diagnosis, with Colorado being at the centre of the 2014 outbreak and its doctors therefore being more aware of AFM's symptoms. No specific treatment is available for AFM and interventions are generally recommended on a case-by-case basis. Children with weakness in their limbs may be offered physical or occupational therapy. The CDC advises people get vaccinated against poliovirus and West Nile Virus due to both being potential causes. Experts also recommend people protect themselves against mosquitoes and practice good hand hygiene. 'It's a one-in-million chance so it's extremely unlikely your child will get this,' said Dr Acosta. 'Even if they have sudden onset of weakness, AFM is unlikely to have caused it. It's more likely to be a stroke. However, if your child develops it, bring them in and this gives them best chance of survival.' When I was a lad, one could buy an ultraviolet sun ray lamp in any High Street chemist it came with blue protective goggles. As I recall, these devices were prescribed as a treatment for vitamin- deficient children, but such devices are now taboo. Is self-administered sunshine during our long winter months really dangerous? John Welby, East Grinstead. The reason such lights were used was to encourage the production of vitamin D which is vital for the formation of strong bones and, as we increasingly understand, for a host of functions, including immunity. What we refer to as vitamin D is in fact a group of compounds, the most active and potent of which is 1,25 dihydroxy-vitamin D3. Side-effects: Risks of UV light include suppression of the immune system, ageing of the skin and cataracts and other eye damage As Good Health readers will know, few foods are naturally rich in this nutrient and the ones that do contain it are those many of us tend to avoid, such as fatty fish, including sardines and mackerel, with lesser amounts in cod liver oil. Our main source of the vitamin is the action of sunlight on the skin. This process is super-efficient, and depending on the time of year, our daily dose of vitamin D can be gained by just a few minutes of sunshine. Even a few minutes of sunshine exposure of merely the arms and face will give the equivalent of a dose of about 200 international units (IU) in those under 70, the recommended daily dose is 600 IU; in older people its 800 IU. But this depends on the sun being at an angle greater than 45 degrees above the horizon. Thats not always the case in winter, particularly in northern areas such as Scotland. So why not, as you imply, use an artificial source of ultraviolet (UV) light? The risk is damage, specifically malignant melanoma, the most deadly form of skin cancer. Other risks of UV light include suppression of the immune system, ageing of the skin and cataracts and other eye damage. Given the availability of vitamin D supplements and the knowledge of the risks of excessive exposure to UV rays, sun lamps have fallen into disrepute. And not all sun lamps produce UV light on the right wavelength to trigger vitamin D production. The official position therefore and one I support is that regular use of UV devices in the home is no substitute for spending time in the sun, while taking care not to get burnt. Ive discovered a fatty lump under the skin on my jawbone, another close to my ear and a third on my forehead. One doctor I saw said it was nothing, another said they were fatty lumps but didnt explain further. Could you tell me what these lumps are, how they develop, whether they are they harmful and if they can be removed? Mrs M.B., Broxbourne, Herts. Please be reassured the lumps you describe are not harmful. Lipomas, as theyre known, are very common; around 2 per cent of us have one or more, making them the most common tumour to form under the skin. Note, a tumour is just the name for a lump. Benign: Lipomas, as theyre known, are very common; around 2 per cent of us have one or more, making them the most common tumour to form under the skin Write to Dr Scurr To contact Dr Scurr with a health query, write to him at Good Health Daily Mail, 2 Derry Street, London W8 5TT or email drmartin@dailymail.co.uk including contact details. Dr Scurr cannot enter into personal correspondence. His replies cannot apply to individual cases and should be taken in a general context. Always consult your own GP with any health worries. Advertisement Lipomas occur when a lump of fat starts to grow in the soft tissue of the body. Its not clear what causes them but theyre more common with age, and they run in families. They can also appear after an injury, and have been linked to some rare inherited conditions. The lumps feel soft and squishy and can be anything from the size of a pea to a few centimetres across. They can appear anywhere on the body but typically on the shoulders, chest, arms, back, bottom, thighs and head. They grow slowly and may move slightly under the skin if you press them. The point is, they are harmless and dont usually need any treatment. Lipomas can be removed by a simple, minor operation or using liposuction (using a needle and syringe to draw out the fatty tissue) and rarely come back. But if you do decide to have them removed, bear in mind that any such procedure can leave a scar. Also it is unlikely that youll be able to have the lump removed on the NHS as it is considered a cosmetic procedure and private treatment can be expensive. Of course, the general rule is that it is sensible to get any lump or swelling checked out by your GP. Its especially important to have lumps checked if they are painful, red or hot, or if the lump is hard or doesnt move. NightWatch: The high-tech armband could help thousands of people with epilepsy A high-tech armband that detects night-time seizures before they start could help thousands of people with epilepsy. The device, worn on the upper part of either arm, works by tracking the patients heart rate while they sleep. Every year, hundreds of people in the UK die suddenly as a result of having an epileptic seizure, typically at night, often because the patient suffocates in bed while having a seizure lying face down, or because they vomited during a fit and choked. In more than half of epilepsy patients, it has been shown that there is a sudden increase in heart rate in the minute or so before a seizure strikes. If the armband detects a sudden increase in heart rate, it sounds an alarm to wake the patient before the seizure occurs and also sends an alert via smartphone to a carer or family member. The gadget, called NightWatch, could reduce the number of lives lost to Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy (SUDEP), the majority of which occur during the night. Around 600,000 people in the UK have epilepsy thats around 1 in 103 people. Seizures are the most common symptom of the condition and occur when electrical impulses that ferry messages between cells in the brain get disrupted. Some people experience seizure as a trance-like state for a few seconds or minutes; others can lose consciousness and suffer convulsions. A wide range of drugs are available, but up to 30 per cent of patients do not respond to these and may require more invasive treatment, such as surgery to remove the part of the brain affected by the seizures. Night-time seizures claim the lives of around 600 people a year in the UK. Some patients use sensors under the mattress to detect seizures during sleep. These alert carers, usually by sounding an alarm, once they detect jerky limb movements that occur when a seizure is happening. But they are only triggered once a seizure is already under way and, research shows, miss up to three out of four attacks. By contrast, the armband predicts the onset of a fit, sounding an alarm to wake the patient and giving carers vital time to reach them. Effective: The device works by measuring the pulse rate in blood vessels in the upper arm, which can rise by ten beats per minute in the minute or so before the onset of a seizure It works by measuring the pulse rate in blood vessels in the upper arm, which can rise by ten beats per minute in the minute or so before the onset of a seizure. Scientists at Eindhoven University of Technology in The Netherlands tested the NightWatch bracelet on 29 people with epilepsy over 65 nights, comparing it with a mattress sensor. The results, published in the journal Neurology, showed the armband detected 85 per cent of all severe night-time seizures compared with just 21 per cent with the mattress sensors. The device is still under development, but could be available to patients in the UK within the next couple of years. Markus Reuber, a professor of clinical neurology at the University of Sheffield, said: Devices which could alert others when someone is having a seizure in their sleep could be very useful. Many older devices are not particularly reliable, but the NightWatch holds the promise of being more accurate. The eight Ivy League schools might be the most prestigious places to get an education, but they all get astonishingly poor marks for accommodating students with mental health concerns, according to a scathing new report. Last year, the Ivies were rocked by a series of damning statistics and heart-breaking suicides. By February 2017, five Columbia University students had killed themselves since the start of the school year. At Harvard, rates of suicide attempts are twice as high as among the general population, and 35 percent of Princeton students said in 2012 that they developed a mental illness after arriving on campus. Far from creating a more mentally healthy environment for their students, the Ivy Leagues also fall short of the care they owe these students under the Americans with Disabilities Act, a new Ruderman Family Foundation report suggests. Of the eight Ivy League colleges, University of Pennsylvania (left) got the the best marks for mental health care of its students with a D+ from a new report. Yale University got an F It's no surprise that college - especially at eight of the nation's most competitive institutions - is a challenging time. But for many undergraduate students, school has crossed the line from intellectually demanding to mentally debilitating. The American College Health Association's 2017 survey found that 40 percent of college students had felt so depressed it was hard to got to class, spend time with friends, or even perform basic functions at some point in the last year. The mental health of teenagers and young adults has been dismal for years, and getting worse. Schools like Harvard University and Columbia University may publish important research on the state of young adults' mental health, but that doesn't mean these institutions are actually providing their students the support they call for. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 provides a number of legally protected rights to college students who find themselves in times of mental illness or crisis. Provisions for accommodations or the ability to take a leave of absence are meant to guarantee students the ability to take care of their own mental health without worrying that their academic careers will be derailed. Some 35 percent of students said they developed a mental illness after coming to Princeton University (left) in 2012. Princeton and Brown University both got Ds in the new report During the 2016-2017 school year, five Columbia University (left) students committed suicide. Both it and Harvard (right), where mental illness rates are twice as high as in the general population got Ds on the new report Ivy League schools are, by and large, failing to provide these assurances, according to the new report. Not a single one earned higher than a D+ from study author Dr Miriam Heyman, a program office at the Ruderman Family Foundation. She scored the Ivies as follows: University of Pennsylvania: D+ Brown University: D Columbia University: D Harvard University: D Princeton University: D Cornell University: D- Dartmouth College: F Yale University: F Four of the schools are perfectly willing to suspend students for being 'disruptive' - even if that disruption is due to mental illness, which is considered illegal. Half of the schools also prohibit any students from coming back to campus during a leave of absence, even if it's a voluntary one to take care of their mental health. Social Isolation is considered one of the top risk factors for suicide, so the Dr Heyman and the Ruderman Family Foundation worry that being prohibited from being around their peers will only put students on leave at higher risks of suicide. And if a student decides that they need to take a leave of absence to sort out their mental health, the majority - five out of eight - had a minimum required length for the break. Cornell University (left) and Dartmouth College (right) round out the bottom with a D- and an F respectively That means that a student could either have their brief absences counted against them in class, or take an extended period off, meaning that they would get more behind in their coursework, an added stress. That, too, is against the ADA. On these and many other criteria for following policy and indeed the law, not a single Ivy League school received a passing mark. 'The Ivy League schools are the most elite in our nation, and they are failing to provide leadership that the sector of higher education desperately needs,' said the foundation's president, Jay ruderman. 'It is our hope that the Ivy League schools will change their policies to reflect institutional commitment to supporting students with mental health disabilities. This will encourage hundreds of colleges and universities around the country to do the same.' Sufferer: Fiona Harriss life was, like that of so many women, blighted by incontinence Fiona Harriss life was, like that of so many women, blighted by incontinence. At the age of 45, the office manager from Lincoln had such weak pelvic floor muscles she wore pads that needed changing at least eight times a day. Not surprisingly, the problem affected her relationship with husband Cliff, 57, a business development manager their love life virtually disappeared for nearly a year after her condition created an invisible barrier down the middle of the bed. But after just three hours sitting on a chair that exercises the pelvic floor, all has returned to normal, and the couple have not long returned from a second honeymoon in the U.S. The treatments changed my life, says Fiona. Its estimated that at least one in seven women suffers from urinary incontinence often the result of stress or injury to the pelvic floor muscles during childbirth. In Fionas case, it was linked to fibromyalgia, a chronic pain condition that affects 800,000 people in the UK and which can sometimes cause muscle problems. Shed been diagnosed in 2007, after six months of utter exhaustion and flu-like symptoms. On her rheumatologists advice, she takes a range of treatments including anti-inflammatories as well as ginseng and turmeric. On a good day I feel a bit achy and tender and on a bad day I cant even get out of bed the pain and fatigue in the muscles are so bad, says Fiona. In 2016 I had to give up my luxury dessert business because I was having so many flare-ups. She also developed other symptoms including temporary sight loss and chest pains that felt like a heart attack. Then, during Christmas 2016, Fiona caught a bad cold coughing suddenly triggered her bladder to give way. I was in our bedroom at my in-laws when it happened I was so embarrassed, she says. When the incontinence continued, despite her cough clearing up, she went to her GP, who sent her for a scan. It seemed that her fibromyalgia had weakened her pelvic floor, the layer of muscles that support and help control the bladder. Her GP encouraged her to do Kegel exercises repeatedly contracting then relaxing the pelvic muscles to strengthen them, but Fiona couldnt feel the muscles working, so struggled to do the exercises. She was told she would have to live with the condition and it would probably get worse. The EMSella chair: Introduced to the UK two years ago by Dr Tracey Sims, a GP in Wirral, it uses electromagnetic waves to trigger contraction of the muscles in the pelvic floor By now wearing incontinence pants 24 hours a day, she went from bubbly and outgoing, she says, to being terrified to leave the house. When she did go out, to friends and family who knew, Id put a towel on their furniture before I sat down. Everyone understood and was very kind but it was mortifying. But worse still was the effect it had on her relationship with Cliff. I couldnt bear for him to touch me in case he felt the ugly, heavy pants. I couldnt imagine how he found me attractive, adds Fiona. I pushed him away until he felt shut out. Then in August this year, she learned about the EMSella chair from a friend. Introduced to the UK two years ago by Dr Tracey Sims, a GP in Wirral, it uses electromagnetic waves to trigger contraction of the muscles in the pelvic floor. An independent Spanish study found the treatment improved symptoms in 77 per cent of women for up to three months. Dr Sims was drawn to the device because not only does she see women affected by incontinence daily in her NHS surgery, but shes suffered herself for ten years. Despite telling women they must do their pelvic floor exercises, teaching them how to do them, then doing them myself, after the birth of my second child my pelvic floor was so badly weakened I leaked when I ran, jumped on the trampoline with the kids or did aerobics, she says. It was embarrassing. I was dubious that you could just sit on a chair, fully clothed, and be fixed, but when you look at the science behind it, its actually nothing new. Weve used the electromagnetic therapy that the chair harnesses to treat muscle weakness for years. For example, if an athlete breaks their leg and their muscles have wasted when they come out of their cast, physios stick electrodes onto the skin above the muscles. These send electrical impulses to the muscles causing them to contract and strengthen so the athletes can get their fitness back faster. You just sit there, fully clothed, Mrs Harris says. Its totally painless. All you feel is a slight pulsating in your internal muscles.' It made sense that it could work on the pelvic muscles, too. A large magnetic coil in the chairs base creates an electromagnetic field just above the seat. When you sit on the chair, signals from the electromagnetic field induce an electric current in the tissue around the pelvic floor, causing it to contract at a rate, say the makers, of 11,200 times in 28 minutes. Dr Sims says the chair helped her and she now offers the treatment at her private clinic in Liverpool. The women she treats are also shown how to do their Kegel exercises at home, to keep their pelvic floor strong long after the treatment finishes. Like any muscle, if you dont use it, you lose it, says Dr Sims. Fiona says the results have been life-changing. After just a ten-minute trial she was completely dry for a day. She then began a 1,500 course of six half-hour sessions in September at Body Lipo in Lincoln. She had two sessions a week for three weeks. You just sit there, fully clothed, she says. Its totally painless. All you feel is a slight pulsating in your internal muscles. It took until treatment five before I had the confidence to stop wearing the incontinence pads and pants. Until then I just didnt dare to believe it had actually worked. Dr Alex Bader, an obstetrician and gynaecologist at the Bader Medical Institute in London, who specialises in incontinence and pelvic floor problems, says that the chair treatment is an exciting option. For a long time all we could do was tell women to do Kegel exercises and explain how to live with it. Or, for the worst cases, we could offer a surgical procedure. But as Good Health has highlighted, the use of vaginal mesh to treat the problem has left some women in crippling pain. More recently doctors have used lasers and thermal heat inside the vaginal canal to improve tissue and blood supply around the urethra (the tube which takes urine from the bladder out of the body), increasing the support around it to help with control. The chair technology is not new for strengthening muscles but it is a very exciting development, says Dr Bader. Even then we must recognise it will not be for everyone. It seems to be best suited to mild to moderate sufferers. Elaine Miller, a womens health physiotherapist, adds: I can see the chair being helpful to women who have absolutely no feeling of their pelvic floor at all. If it gets it moving again then its useful. But for many women its not that severe and theres no evidence to suggest anything is more effective than the Kegel exercises they could do themselves. It seems a pricey quick fix for something many women can improve with the recommended contract, hold for ten seconds, release and then ten quick contractions and releases, three times a day. She also advises women having problems to see their GP first and ask for an internal assessment or scan. Sometimes incontinence is not a case of the muscle being too weak but of it being in spasm. If thats the issue you wouldnt want this kind of treatment. Fiona, however, is delighted with her results. Just a few weeks after her first treatment, Cliff woke her and asked if shed realised shed cuddled him all night something she hadnt done for months. She continues to do Kegel exercises and accepts that because of her fibromyalgia, she may need more treatments on the EMSella chair in future. But for now she is busy enjoying life. I feel sexy again, she said. Ive got my life back. For more information visit intimateyou.co.uk and bodylipolincoln.co.uk. The chair is also available at Grace Belgravia and the Bader Medical Institute in London. A mother claims a cup of tea saved her life after she felt a lump in her breast while reaching for the brew. Nicola Fairbrass, 44, was enjoying a cuppa in bed in November last year when she felt a lump while turning to pick up the mug off her bedside table. After initially dismissing it as a cyst, Mrs Fairbrass, of Oakwood, Derby, went to her doctor two weeks later. She was diagnosed with stage three breast cancer in January. Mrs Fairbrass went on to endure eight rounds of grueling chemotherapy over six months, as well as surgery to remove the tumour and 20 sessions of radiotherapy. The professional dog-sitter was given the all-clear in September but will require medication for up to a decade to prevent the disease returning. Mrs Fairbrass, who drinks up to five cups of tea a day, credits the brew for helping her beat the disease. 'I love tea and I think, in a way, it saved my life,' she said. Scroll down for video Nicola Fairbrass credits a cup of tea for saving her life after she felt a lump while turning to pick a cuppa off her bedside table in November last year. Mrs Fairbrass is pictured at home yesterday after she received the all-clear in September following grueling chemo and surgery Mrs Fairbrass is pictured with her husband Paul ringing the end of chemo bell in hospital in July. Waiting for the results was 'horrendous' but she got the good news two weeks later Mrs Fairbrass, who lives with her husband Paul, 50, said: 'We take a cup of tea to bed most nights. 'That night I turned around to get my cup of tea from the bedside table but as I was pulling it towards me, I felt a lump in my left breast. 'I left it for about two weeks, thinking it might just be a cyst or something else. But then it became bigger again and when I went to the doctor they referred me straight to the hospital.' Mrs Fairbrass was referred to hospital on December 18 last year. After undergoing a mammogram, ultrasound and biopsy, she was diagnosed on January 2. After initially being told she required a mastectomy, her doctor then recommended she try chemotherapy to avoid having her breast removed. The mother-of-one first had lymph-node surgery last January to ensure the cancer had not spread, before starting chemotherapy on February 2. Although grueling, the treatment worked, with her tumour shrinking from 43mm to 17mm. In August this year, Mrs Fairbrass had a lumpectomy - surgery that removes the tumour but leaves most of the breast intact - and radiotherapy to kill any remaining cancerous cells. She then endured the agonising wait for the results. '[That] was the worst, it was horrendous,' she said. 'I tried to carry on as best as I could because it was holiday time. 'My daughter Gabrielle (19) was affected, she had a really hard time - but she kept being strong for me.' Pictured left at home yesterday, Mrs Fairbrass loves tea and drinks five cups a day. She endured eight rounds of chemo over six months, as well as surgery to remove the tumour and 20 sessions of radiotherapy, before she finally got to ring the end of treatment bell (right) Mrs Fairbrass was declared cancer free just two weeks after finishing treatment. Although she requires preventative medication for the next five-to-ten years, Mrs Fairbrass is looking forward to getting her life back to normal. Speaking of when she was ill, Mrs Fairbrass said: 'My husband had to take time off work to help at home because I was basically housebound. But I can't moan, everyone around me has been very supportive. 'It has been a huge relief to get the "all clear" and finish treatment and just be able to get on with my life again, as my life was just on hold for the past year. It has been a very tough year, but I am glad it is over.' During her illness, Mrs Fairbrass passed her business, Barking Mad, to someone else to oversee after she took it on herself in the October before she became unwell. Now better, she is excited to get back to doing what she loves. She is also keen to highlight the signs of breast cancer. 'My advice if you feel a lump would be get straight to the doctors, don't delay,' Mrs Fairbrass said. 'I don't think people check themselves enough, so I want to raise awareness.' Hundreds of health workers in South Sudan will be given Ebola vaccinations amid fears the virus will spread from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Official statistics show the death toll in the African nation - battling the second biggest Ebola outbreak in history - has reached 285. No cases have been confirmed in neighbouring South Sudan yet, but the country is on 'high alert', according to the World Health Organization (WHO). More than 2,000 healthcare and frontline workers in the country will be offered a vaccine to try and stop the spread. Teams of vaccinators are ready to conduct the vaccinations, starting in the capital, Juba, on December 19. The UN Refugee Agency warns there is an influx of Congolese refugees seeking shelter in South Sudan because of conflict in the DRC. Fears that Ebola is spreading from the Democratic Republic of Congo, where the death toll has reached 285 as of December 9, to neighbouring countries has lead to a surge in vaccinations. The second biggest outbreak of Ebola has taken the lives of 271 in the Democratic Republic of Congo so far. Pictured, a healthcare worker stands after cleaning a room after an Ebola patient stays in a hospital in Bwana Suri, Ituri province, December 10 A 'ring vaccination' strategy will be used, where every contact of an Ebola case, including health workers and family members, is traced and vaccinated. Those vaccinated are followed up and monitored closely for 21 days. The experimental vaccine that will be used, known as rVSV-ZEBOV, targets the Ebola virus-Zaire strain, the one ravaging the DRC now. The vaccine, which the WHO said is highly effective, first went on trial during the Ebola pandemic four years ago, which killed more than 11,300 people. Uganda and Rwanda, which also border the DRC, are also considered to be at 'very high risk' of the deadly viral disease. Ebola can be transmitted between humans through blood, secretions and other bodily fluids of people - and surfaces - that have been infected. The African country's Ebola outbreak, which began in August, is showing no signs of slowing down. Almost 500 people are feared to have been struck down. Ebola can be transmitted between humans through blood, secretions and other bodily fluids of people - and surfaces - that have been infected. Pictured, a health care worker arranges washed boots in a transit centre in Beni, North Kivu Province of Democratic Republic of Congo, December 6 Experts say public and private health centres have inadequate control practices, spreading the virus. Pictured, a healthcare worker sits in a hospital in Bwana Suri, Ituri province of Democratic Republic of Congo, December 10 Aid workers are also battling the Ebola outbreak alongside a spike in malaria cases at the same time, health chiefs have previously warned. Experts say people suffering from Ebola and malaria are becoming mixed up, making it more difficult to control the fast-spreading virus. Figures show the disproportionate number of women and children infected during this outbreak, considered a concern by the WHO. The treatment of Ebola itself has taken an experimental turn in DRC, where scientists are now conducting a real-time study of how well pioneering drugs work. HAS THE DRC HAD AN EBOLA OUTBREAK BEFORE? DRC escaped the brutal Ebola pandemic that began in 2014, which was finally declared over in January 2016 - but it was struck by a smaller outbreak last year. Four DRC residents died from the virus in 2017. The outbreak lasted just 42 days and international aid teams were praised for their prompt responses. The new outbreak is the DRCs tenth since the discovery of Ebola in the country in 1976, named after the river. The outbreak earlier this summer was its ninth. Health experts credit an awareness of the disease among the population and local medical staff's experience treating for past successes containing its spread. DRCs vast, remote geography also gives it an advantage, as outbreaks are often localised and relatively easy to isolate. Advertisement More than 160 people there have already been treated with the drugs, and the way people are treated won't change, but scientists will now be able to compare them. Four experimental drugs are being used to try and combat the disease mAb 114, ZMapp, Remdesivir and Regeneron. Patients will get one of the four, but researchers won't know which they were given until after the study. The outbreak has been plagued by security problems, with health workers attacked by rebels in districts where the virus has been spreading. Health workers had to be evacuated from their hotel after it was hit by a shell in a nearby armed rebel attack last month. Armed groups have kidnapped and killed people trying to treat the sick, and ongoing conflict has made locals suspicious of official health workers. Last week, officials announced more Ebola cases are being diagnosed in the city of Butembo, 35 miles (56km) away from Beni, where most of the outbreak is happening. Experts warn the quick spread makes tackling the virus more complicated because containing it has been challenging enough in the one city. They fear experimental vaccines which have been doled out to thousands of people, and have reportedly prevented the death toll rising into the thousands, will run out. So far 18 people in Butembo have had an Ebola diagnosis confirmed and all 18 of them have died. This is a small proportion of the total 498 suspected cases of the fast-spreading virus, but it is difficult to contain and could quickly spiral out of control in the city. 'We are very concerned by the epidemiological situation in the Butembo area,' said John Johnson, project coordinator with Doctors Without Borders in the city. New cases are increasing quickly in the eastern suburbs and outlying, isolated districts, the medical charity said. Without the teams vaccinating more than 41,000 people already, this outbreak could have already seen more than 10,000 Ebola cases, the health ministry said. This is by far the largest deployment of the promising but still experimental Ebola vaccine, which is the first drug of its kind to be publicly rolled out. The manufacturer, Merck, keeps a stockpile of 300,000 doses and preparing them takes months. 'We are extremely concerned about the size of the vaccine stockpile,' WHO's emergencies director, Dr Peter Salama, told the STAT media outlet. He said 300,000 doses will not be enough as urban Ebola outbreaks become more common. The morning-after pill can now be bought for just 4.99 after an online chemist slashed its price in the run-up to Christmas. Chemist 4 U is offering the emergency contraceptive levonorgestrel, a generic version of the pill given out by the NHS, for less than 5. Women can buy the pill, which prevents pregnancy if taken within three days of unprotected sex, for 'advance' use and some experts advise stocking up on the pill. But critics said making the contraception so readily available is 'irresponsible' and gives the green light to potentially damaging promiscuity. The morning-after pill is free from the NHS if women visit their GP or sexual health clinic, but can also be bought from high-street chemists and online retailers. Ezinelle is a generic version of the branded drug Levonelle, which the NHS gives out Women can get the morning-after pill free on the NHS from GPs and sexual health clinics, and can also buy it in high street chemists such as Boots and Superdrug. The Ezinelle tablet which had its price halved by Chemist 4 U costs nearly three times as much at Superdrug, where it is sold for 13.49. Ezinelle is a generic version of the branded emergency contraception given out by the NHS Levonelle. The price cut comes after a row last year in which Labour MPs and a leading abortion charity called on pharmacists to make emergency contraception cheaper. They argued women should have the power to avoid unplanned pregnancies and companies shouldn't profit from those finding themselves in desperate situations. Before buying the 5 contraceptive online, women must fill out a questionnaire asking whether it is an emergency and other questions abut their health. Chemist 4 U warns women they should not buy the pill through their website if they need to take it straight away, and also that it isn't 100 per cent effective. HOW DOES THE MORNING-AFTER PILL WORK? The morning-after pill prevents or delays ovulation after a woman has had sex, meaning an egg is not released or fertilised to make a baby. In the UK morning-after pills can be bought by anyone over 16, but some pharmacists have started to sell it to younger girls following new NHS guidance two years ago. It is usually free in GP surgeries and NHS family planning clinics, but many women go to a high-street chemist as they are unable to get an appointment in time. The NHS offers two pills, which cannot be taken by asthma sufferers. Levonelle contains a powerful synthetic hormone that blocks egg production or cuts the odds of it implanting in the womb. EllaOne is a chemical that affects the processing of progesterone. Side effects can include sickness, dizziness, abdominal and back pain, diarrhoea, extreme tiredness and in rare cases, if the pill fails, ectopic pregnancy which can be fatal for both mother and child. Advertisement The Christian Medical Fellowship, a UK organisation of more than 4,000 doctors and 800 medical students, has condemned the pill price cut. 'This is an irresponsible announcement that gives the green light to promiscuity during the Christmas period,' a spokesperson said. 'Having unprotected sex outside of a committed relationship has physical and mental consequences, not just unplanned pregnancies. 'Stocking up on the morning after pill will do nothing to prevent sexually transmitted diseases, which can be life changing.' But the abortion clinic charity, the British Pregnancy Advisory Service, said it is important for women to have access to contraception when they need it. BPAS said it is 'obscene' for other pharmacies to continue charging such high prices if the drug can still be profitable at less than 5. 'Chemist 4 U has identified that women can still face a price hike of 650 per cent when they buy emergency contraception in a pharmacy,' said spokesperson Clare Murphy. 'This is obscene. It is quite simply appalling that anyone would want to profit off women in an emergency in this way. 'If Chemist 4 U can offer this for 4.99, its obviously the case that other retailers could drop their prices significantly. 'We advise women to keep emergency contraception in their bathroom cupboard just in case, and make the most of this opportunity to obtain an affordable back-up in the event their usual method lets them down.' Boots buckled under the pressure of campaigners in January this year and slashed the price of its levonorgestrel pill from 26.75 to 15.99. Superdrug had done so the previous year but Boots refused to follow suit and reduce the price tag, saying it did not want to be accused of 'incentivizing inappropriate use' of the product. Labour politicians accused the company of failing to uphold women's 'reproductive rights' by charging too much for the emergency contraceptive. Boots even issued legal warnings against BPAS for allegedly harassing some of its senior executives in the row over the price of the drug. A 46-year-old man's life was saved after his Apple Watch alerted him that his irregular heartbeat was a medical emergency. Ed Dentel was sitting at home in Richmond, Virginia, on Thursday night completing a software update for his watch when he decided to download the electrocardiogram app. The application sounded off right away for atrial fibrillation, a dangerous type of abnormal heart rhythm. A normal resting heart rate is anywhere between 60 to 100 beats per minute - Dentel's was between 120 and 140 beats per minute. The father-of-one described the medical ordeal to DailyMail.com and how doctors told him that if the watch hadn't alerted, he could have suffered a fatal heart attack or stroke years down the road. Ed Dentel, 46, from Richmond, Virginia, was at home on Thursday night when he got an alert that he had atrial fibrillation, or AFib. Pictured, left to right: Dentel, his daughter Kayleigh, and his wife Natalie AFib is an irregular and rapid heart rhythm when the upper chambers of the heart beats out of coordination with the lower chambers. A normal resting heart rate is anywhere between 60 to 100 beats per minute - Dentel's was between 120 and 140 beats per minute (above) Dentel said he didn't think much of the alert after the first warning because he didn't have a history of heart problems and went to bed. However, the next morning, after having breakfast with his seven-year-old daughter, Kayleigh, the watch sent out the same AFib alert. Dentel's wife, Natalie, woke up and he told her to put the smartwatch on and ran the app. Her heart rate came back as normal. So Dentel put the watch on his other wrist, then tried the underside of his wrist. No matter which way he positioned it, he got an AFib warning. 'I took it from her and I tried it on the top of the wrist and the bottom of the wrist,' he told DailyMail.com. 'I thought maybe it's the bone structure, maybe my wrist is too hairy, I don't know. But I tried it several more tries and it kept saying the same thing.' Starting to become nervous, Dentel went to a Patient First urgent care center and nearly turned around after coming across a full parking lot and overcrowded waiting room. 'I thought: "I dont have time for this". But I checked the watch one more time, and it says "AFib" and I'm like: "Ok, I have to get this checked out."' Doctors at an urgent care center diagnosed Dentel with AFib. Because the condition can lead to fatal heart attacks and strokes, they told him the watch had likely saved his life After he entered the center and signed in, Dentel said he felt embarrassed explaining that a new feature on his watch was telling him something was wrong. However, a technician quickly ushered him to into a room and hooked him to an EKG machine. He then fetched the doctor. 'The doctor said: "You're in AFib. The watch may have just saved your life",' Dentel said. It was a shocking discovery for the father-of-one who does taekwondo with his family, is a regular biker and skier, and has no history of heart problems. The physician referred Dentel to cardiologist who, after examining him and reviewing the original EKG, confirmed his diagnosis. 'In my case, the true risk was that it was caught a couple of months it and not five, 10, 15 years later,' he said. Normally, the heart contracts and relaxes to a regular beat so blood can flow to other organs. However, in AFib, the upper chambers of the heart beat out of coordination with the lower chambers, which weakens heart muscles. Dentel is now on a prescription that has lowered his heart rate and will be undergoing tests to determine the cause. Pictured, left to right: Dentel's wife Natalie, Dentel, and his daughter Kayleigh Clots can form and, if they enter the blood stream, they can become lodged in arteries and cause fatal heart attacks or strokes. Some people have no symptoms and are only diagnosed after a physical exam. But others might experience symptoms including fatigue, a fluttering feeling in the chest, dizziness and shortness of breath. According to the American Heart Association, at least 2.7 million Americans have this condition. Dentel was given a prescription for Dilitiazem, which is used to treat high blood pressure and control chest pain. He says his heart rate has finally fallen from the 120-150 range to the 75-90 range. He'll be undergoing additional tests this week to try and determine the cause of his AFib. Dentel said he is now urging everyone to get themselves checked. 'If somebody else, a mom or dad in their 30s or 40s, put this on or some other gadget and catches it now and it gives them more time with their family, that's all I want out of this,' he said. Sausage-maker Jimmy Dean has recalled over 29,000 pounds of meat after customers complained of bits of metal in the products. Beginning on December 10, five people filed complaints with the US Department of Agriculture that they had found metal in Jimmy Dean frozen sausage links. Jimmy Dean is warning consumers that there were small 'string-like' metal fragments in some packages of poultry and pork sausage that were prepared in August and have a use-by date of January 31 2019. No one has been hurt but, depending on the kind of metal found in the meat, it could be a choke, cut or even be poisonous to a consumer. Packages of sausage and poultry 'Heat 'n Serve' sausage links from Jimmy Dean are being voluntarily recalled by the company after five people reported finding metal in the products Food manufacturing is a carefully monitored but dangerous process. Contamination in food claims over 3,000 lives a year and makes another 48 million people sick every year. This year alone has seen illnesses from romaine, meat, cereal and, now, sausage. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have finally declared romaine safe to eat again after deeming all of the lettuce dangerous for salmonella contamination. Now, it says that only romaine from California should be avoided. And just as soon as the lettuce is safe, now a form of frozen meat may pose a new danger. Customers described frightening ribbons of metal lacing the popular sausage links. Even small bits of metal can cause throat lacerations. These dangerous shards were found in 23.4 oz packages of 'Jimmy Dean HEAT 'n SERVE Original SAUSAGE LINKS Made with Pork & Turkey.' They were labeled to be sold by January 31, 2019 and sent from a packing plant to Tennessee. From there 2,845 cases of the sausages they were distributed to retail stores. If you have purchased any of these products, the USDA and Jimy Dean are urging that you throw out the sausage links 'out of an abundance of caution,' the food company says on its website. Intermin and MacPhersons Agree to Merge Perth, Dec 11, 2018 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Intermin Resources Limited (Intermin) ( ASX:IRC ) intends to offer, by way of a Scheme of Arrangement, 1 Intermin share for every 1.8227 MacPhersons Resources Limited (MacPhersons) ( ASX:MRP ) shares held, valuing MacPhersons at approximately A$0.0825 per share (the proposed Merger). Further details of the Merger are provided under the heading "Merger Transaction Summary" below.- Intermin and MacPhersons have executed a Merger Implementation Agreement to progress the proposed combination of the two companies through a Scheme of Arrangement.- Transformational combination of the two companies, with combined estimated Mineral Resources of 1.15Moz of gold, comprised of large scale baseload feed and higher grade satellite open cut sources, unlocking an expedited pathway for the creation of a new standalone gold producer in the Kalgoorlie region to be renamed Horizon Minerals Limited (subject to Intermin shareholder approval).TRANSACTION OVERVIEW- The Merger is unanimously recommended by the Board of MacPhersons in the absence of a superior proposal and subject to an independent expert, to be commissioned by MacPhersons, concluding that the Scheme of Arrangement is in the best interests of MacPhersons shareholders.- Intermin has an estimated Mineral Resource of 562,000 ounces of gold in the Kalgoorlie, Coolgardie and Menzies region and several active joint ventures, including the world class Richmond vanadium project in Queensland.- MacPhersons holds a 100% interest in the Boorara gold project 10km east of Kalgoorlie, which has an estimated Mineral Resource of 507,000oz of gold, and the Nimbus project hosting estimated Mineral Resources of 78,000oz of gold, 20Moz of silver and 104,000t of zinc.- Boorara has approvals in place for an open pit mine development and construction of a new processing facility, so will provide an ideal location for a baseload operation supplemented by higher grade feed from a number of existing deposits within easy trucking distance.- The Merger will create a significant resources company (to be renamed Horizon Minerals Ltd, subject to Intermin shareholder approval) with combined estimated Mineral Resources of 1.15Moz of gold, an attractive gold exploration portfolio and exposure to multiple commodities including vanadium, nickel-cobalt, copper and silver-zinc.- The merged entity will be led by Intermin Managing Director Jon Price and supported by a strong Board comprising Intermin Chairman Peter Bilbe as Non-Executive Chairman and Macphersons Directors Ashok Parekh and Jeff Williams as Non-Executive Directors.- On successful completion of the Merger, the combined entity intends to commence a feasibility study for the integrated development of the companies' respective existing gold projects to position it to become an emerging mid-tier gold production business (proposed Feasibility Study).- The merged entity is expected to have a strong financial position, improved liquidity and increased appeal to a broader investor base.Commenting on the Merger, Intermin Managing Director Jon Price said:"The logical consolidation of these complementary assets will provide the critical mass to underpin a larger scale production profile, improved balance sheet and stronger business. Combining MacPhersons' large baseload Boorara deposit with the nearby, higher-grade Intermin projects should enable a more rapid pathway to production with sufficient scale to avoid the need for third party toll milling.""This Merger is consistent with Intermin's growth strategy to create value for shareholders through aggressive, self-funded exploration and value accretive acquisitions. We look forward to working with the MacPhersons' team to complete the transaction and embark on an exciting new chapter for all shareholders and the regional communities in which we operate."Commenting on the Merger, MacPhersons' Managing Director Jeff Williams said:"The combined technical and commercial skills of the two companies is expected to greatly enhance the merged group's capabilities. This is a transformational deal which is intended to create the economies of scale necessary to undertake a standalone development.""Together we will have a strong Board and Management team, large resource base of more than 1 million ounces of gold, growth options in multiple commodities and a clear development and production strategy in the WA goldfields."Intermin and MacPhersons MergerIntermin and MacPhersons are pleased to announce the signing of a Merger Implementation Agreement (MIA) to combine the two companies by way of a Scheme of Arrangement, subject to MacPhersons shareholder and court approval. The combined gold projects cover a total area of 1,100km2 in close proximity to Kalgoorlie-Boulder in the world class Western Australian goldfields (Figures 1 and 2 in link below).The merged entity - to be named Horizon Minerals Limited (subject to Intermin shareholder approval) - will have estimated Mineral Resources totalling 1.15Moz of gold and an extensive portfolio of highly prospective growth assets in the WA goldfields. The Merger provides a clear pathway to a standalone operation. The combined asset base will hold 562,000oz of existing estimated gold Mineral Resources located within easy trucking distance of the 507,000oz Boorara deposit which has approvals in place for open pit mine development and the construction of a new processing facility.The large scale Boorara gold project, located 10km east of Kalgoorlie-Boulder, has the ability to provide significant baseload feed for a standalone plant located within the Boorara tenement area. MacPhersons has completed over 86,000m of infill and extension drilling and extended the strike length at Boorara to over 2km and the deposit remains open to the north and at depth.The Boorara orebody is close to surface, has low strip ratios and has excellent metallurgy with high gravity recovery and high overall recoveries of +90% at a coarse grind of 180 microns. Trial mining at Boorara in 2016 to test geological modelling, mining methods and metallurgical performance was highly successful and demonstrated improved grades from closer spaced drilling and the presence of a potentially higher grade component within the global resource. Further infill and extension drilling is planned in 2019 for this very large gold system to test this potential and feed in to the Feasibility Study as the baseload feed to underpin a standalone processing facility.Intermin's core Teal, Goongarrie Lady, Binduli, Anthill and Blister Dam gold projects each have the potential to provide +2g/t, oxide and transitional feed amenable to open pit mining to supplement the baseload feed from Boorara (Figure 1). The recently completed Teal open pit 12km north of Kalgoorlie-Boulder demonstrated this potential delivering approximately 22,000 ounces of gold grading 3.2g/t and 94% gold recovery.Intermin's self-funded 55,000m resource extension and new discovery drilling program for 2018 is now complete. It has delivered resource growth to an estimated 562,000oz of gold to date, with further resource updates planned for the December 2018 and March 2019 quarters. Further high priority drilling targets have been identified and prioritised for testing in 2019, focussed on high grade open cut and underground ore bodies on major shear zones for transport to the potential Boorara processing facility. A pipeline of development projects has been identified, including the Goongarrie Lady open pit that has been the subject of a Feasibility Study which produced results of approximately 12,000oz of gold at 2.9g/t Au and approximately A$5.7m in cash flow over the seven months life of mine.The newly acquired Yarmany and Lakewood project areas (Figure 1) provide further untested potential and will also be a focus for resource definition and new discovery drilling in 2019.Overall, the combination of the two companies' projects provides a strong foundation for the merged entity to pursue an accelerated development strategy with the aim of becoming a recognised long life sustainable gold producer for the benefit of all shareholders and the community in which we operate.The merged entity is expected to also have increased market relevance with larger market capitalisation, stronger balance sheet, improved share liquidity and be of a scale to attract a broader investor base.On successful implementation of the Scheme of Arrangement, the merged entity plans to embark on a Feasibility Study in 2019 for an integrated development with a construction decision to follow shortly thereafter. The likely aim of the Study will be to develop an initial minimum four to five year mine plan supporting a standalone CIL processing facility, avoiding the future use of third party toll mills in the area which reduces margin and operating flexibility. Progress has already been made by both parties in this regard with the aim of enabling a more rapid pathway to production.The merged group will hold a significant portfolio of advanced and greenfields exploration assets and is expected to continue to aggressively explore for resource extensions to existing mineralisation, new discoveries and review further acquisitions within the region that can add value and fit with the development strategy.Additional growth opportunities will also exist across other commodities from MacPhersons' 100% interest in the Nimbus silver-zinc-gold project and Intermin's multiple joint venture projects in a number of commodities including the world-class 2.6Bt Richmond vanadium project in central north Queensland.To view tables and figures, please visit:About Horizon Minerals Limited Horizon Minerals Limited (ASX:HRZ) is a gold exploration and mining company focussed on the Kalgoorlie and Menzies areas of Western Australia which are host to some of Australia's richest gold deposits. The Company is developing a mining pipeline of projects to generate cash and self-fund aggressive exploration, mine developments and further acquisitions. The Teal gold mine has been recently completed. Horizon is aiming to significantly grow its JORC-Compliant Mineral Resources, complete definitive feasibility studies on core high grade open cut and underground projects and build a sustainable development pipeline. Horizon has a number of joint ventures in place across multiple commodities and regions of Australia providing exposure to Vanadium, Copper, PGE's, Gold and Nickel/Cobalt. Our quality joint venture partners are earning in to our project areas by spending over $20 million over 5 years enabling focus on the gold business while maintaining upside leverage. Patients in the UK could Skype doctors from foreign countries as far as India under radical plans to cut down NHS waiting times. Technology is making it easier to use doctors across the globe, the General Medical Council (GMC) said in a report. The proposals come after figures last week revealed the true extent of the crisis, with millions of patients unable to see their GP for up to four weeks. The GMC also warned that the NHS is 'at the brink of a breaking point' trying to deliver patient care. Patients in the UK could Skype doctors from foreign countries as far as India under plans to cut down NHS waiting times, a report from the General Medical Council has proposed The report painted a stark picture of the pressure on doctors, many of whom are considering career changes to step away from the heavy workload. A survey of 2,600 UK doctors, included in the report, found that within the next three years, a fifth are considering going part time. A further fifth plan to leave the UK to work abroad, which experts have labelled as 'concerning' for the industries' future. To combat the issue, the GMC said: 'With advances and developments in technology and telemedicine, we are exploring how to maximise the longer-term potential for internationally based doctors to treat UK patients, with the same assurance on standards as when the care is provided by UK based doctors.' It does not specify which countries officials may use, however figures show the second highest nationality of doctors currently working in the NHS is Indian. In February, 18,348 Indian staff were employed, compared to 976,288 British staff, according to The House of Commons Library. The NHS have staff from 202 nationalities, with 6,000 foreign doctors hired in 2016, despite the ongoing concerns of language barriers. WHAT COUNTRIES DO MOST OF THE STAFF WORKING IN THE NHS COME FROM? NHS Digital data shows exactly how many staff from 202 nationalities there are working in the health service. The figures are correct as of September 2017. BRITISH INDIAN FILIPINO IRISH POLISH SPANISH PORTUGUESE ITALIAN NIGERIAN ZIMBABWEAN 976,288 18,348 15,391 13,016 8,477 6,781 6,725 6,044 5,405 3,899 Advertisement In light of the recent GMC proposals, critics are wary of outsourcing medical professionals furthermore. They suggest it puts lives at risk as the level of training is not to the same standard. General Practitioners Committee (GPC) chair Dr Richard Vautrey said it was the 'GMCs responsibility to ensure that whenever a doctor is providing care to a patient in the UK they are competent to do so. 'The reality is that with the internet there are no geographical boundaries in the way that was the case 10 years ago,' he told GP Online. 'We need to look at how to address the workforce in this country,' Dr Nigel Watson, who is leading a review of GP services, said. He added that outsourcing 'has not always gone well'. But the GMC warn 'the NHS as a whole is at a critical juncture', and planning for a workforce in the right places, with the right skills, is urgently needed. Among a uncertainty about Brexit, NHS England has been widening its recruitment net, encouraging applications from overseas, including Australia. It comes after NHS figures last week revealed a fifth of patients trying to make an appointment with their family GP have to wait two weeks or more. Nearly five million patients couldn't see their GP within two weeks in October, with a million of them having to wait a staggering four weeks. Official data also showed more than a million appointments simply go to waste every month because patients don't bother to turn up. The NHS's lack of cyber security is 'alarming', experts have warned after they discovered huge gaps in spending and training across the health service. Too few experts could put the NHS at risk of another cyber attack like last year's 92million WannaCry disaster in which 20,000 hospital appointments were cancelled. Spending on cyber security varies wildly between hospital trusts around the country, with some spending as little as 238 and others 78,000. On average the health service employs just one qualified cyber security expert for every 2,582 employees, and a quarter of trusts don't have any at all. The WannaCry cyber attack crippled computers at 81 hospital trusts and hundreds of GP surgeries in May last year, demanding 230 from every employee who was locked out of their computer with this warning screen The damning figures have been revealed in a Freedom of Information investigation by cyber security experts, Redscan. The company ran a three-month campaign requesting information from 150 NHS trusts across the UK and were alarmed by the failings they found. 'These findings shine a light on the cyber security failings of the NHS,' said Redscan director of cyber security, Mark Nicholls. He said the health service is struggling to set up a successful internet security network under 'difficult circumstances'. Hospital trusts have spent an average of 5,356 on data security in the past 12 months, with the amount spent ranging from 0 to 78,000. The figures are damning because they concern the year following the devastating WannaCry hack in May 2017. WannaCry caused 20,000 hospital appointments to be cancelled and, it was revealed in October, cost the NHS 92million in lost productivity and IT support. The hack, believed to have been done by North Korean cyber criminals, locked NHS staff out of their computers and demanded payment in Bitcoin to let them back in. After a review, the Government said all NHS trusts must upgrade their IT systems in a move which could cost up to 1billion. Redscan's data revealed some hospitals provided training in-house and didn't need to spend extra money, while others only used free training tools. But the data reveals there is no standard across the NHS, with some parts of the organisation investing significantly more than others in cyber security. Of 62 trusts which spent extra money on cyber security and revealed how much, 28 of them spent between 1,000 and 5,000. One spent 78,000 on security improvements, seven others spent between 20,000 and 50,000, and 20 spent between 5,000 and 20,000. Six of those in the Freedom of Information data spent less than 1,000. Mr Nicholls added: 'Individual trusts lack in-house cyber security talent and many are falling short of training targets; while investment in security and data protection training is patchy at best. 'The extent of discrepancies is alarming, as some NHS organisations are far better resourced, funded and trained than others. 'Its incredibly hard for organisations across all sectors to find enough people with the right knowledge and experience. 'Its even tougher for the NHS, which must compete with the private sectors bumper wages.' A six-year-old boy is fighting for his life after doctors missed a flesh-eating bacteria spreading through his legs. Chance Wade began complaining of leg pain after hurting himself in mid-November so his mother, Melissa Evans, took him to the pediatrician's office. The boy's doctor, in McComb, Mississippi, said they were no broken bones but that that the first grader was suffering from strep throat. However, three days after the visit, Chance was still limping. By the time that Evans rushed her son to Blair E Batson Hospital for Children in Jackson, physicians told her that Chance had necrotizing fasciitis, an infection that destroys tissue under the skin - and that it had spread through both of his legs. Chance Wade, six, of McComb, Mississippi, began complaining of leg pain in mid-November. His pediatrician diagnosed him with strep throat but, three days later, he was still limping. Pictured: Chance in the hospital His mother rushed him to the hospital where doctors discovered he had necrotizing fasciitis, a flesh-eating bacteria that destroys tissue under the skin. Pictured: Chance's infected leg 'Once we got here, the infection had aggressively went through his whole thigh, all the way to his knee,' Evans told WJTV. Necrotizing fasciitis is a rare bacterial infection that quickly kills surrounding tissue. The exact cause of the infection is unknown, but it can enter the body through the tiniest cut or scrape in the skin. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), between 700 and 1,200 cases occur in the US each year. Early symptoms include a red or swollen area of the skin and severe pain. Later symptoms can include dizziness, nausea, blisters and change in skin color. The health agency says that a prompt diagnosis and rapid treatment is key to stopping the infection in its tracks. This includes antibiotics or surgery when medication is unable to reach the tissue that has already been infected. The CDC says about 25 to 30 percent of necrotizing fasciitis cases every year result in death. Evans told WJTV she doesn't know how her son contracted the infection and she had never heard of it prior to his diagnosis. But now she says wants to inform other parents about how to identify the signs of the illness. So far, Chance (pictured) has had three surgeries to control the infection, which has already spread through his legs His mother, Melissa Evans (pictured), does not know how Chance contracted the infection. She is hoping to be able to bring him home for Christmas 'It can come from many things: staph [bacteria], just a small cut, an open wound, just a scratch,' she said. 'With all this weather changing and sick babies and everything going around, just never take anything lightly.' As of this Tuesday, Chance has been in the hospital for three weeks and has had three surgeries to prevent the infection from spreading even further. Chance spent Thanksgiving in the hospital but Evans is hoping she'll be able to bring him home for Christmas. The mother-of-one has started a GoFundMe page to help cover the cost of Chance's medical bills. So far, more than $8,300 has been raised out of an initial $1,500 goal. 'Just continue to pray for me and my baby. He's still fighting and it's going to be alright,' Evans told the station. After reading a glowing report about the Woodford Equity Income fund I decided to open a stocks and shares Isa with Hargreaves Lansdown and invest in the fund in March 2016. I initially put in a lump sum of 5,100 and set up a 200 standing order. I checked on the investment in September this year and found that I have paid in 11,100 so far, but the value of my investment has reduced to just 10,600. There has been no growth, no income, and I am 500 worse off than I was three years ago! Neil Woodfords track record over the long-term has been very good and investors have been richly rewarded - but things have gone against him I wrote to Hargreaves to ask about cancelling my Isa with them and cashing it in, but a representative of the firm told me that the cash value of my investment would be deducted from my Isa allowance. I am not happy. Im 72 and I simply need to know which funds might perform better over the next three or four years and those I could perhaps draw an income from at some stage. I'd like to make a lump sum investment totalling 5,000 or 10,000 into these funds off the bat, and then make a 200 contribution every month. Terence, via email Myron Jobson, of This is Money, replies: Many investors will be in the same boat as you and your experience highlights the importance of not putting all your eggs in one basket. Neil Woodford's equity income fund was tipped for success when he left fund house Invesco after 26 years, to go it alone under the guise of Woodford Investment Management. And for good reason. Under his stewardship, the Invesco High Income fund was the best-performing fund in the equity income sector, turning a 10,000 investment into 230,000 over 25 years. Over the years, Woodford has made big calls, such as going against the trend and opting not to invest in internet start-ups during the dotcom boom. His view was validated when the bubble burst in the early noughties. Unfortunately, things have gone against him in recent history. After an initially good start, Woodford's flagship fund has not done so well. The Woodford Equity Income fund, fell by 4.82 per cent since the beginning of March 2016 - around the time you made your first lump sum investment - according to data from investment research tool FE Analytics. The fund has returned 14 per cent since its inception in 19 June 2014, but lags behind the FTSE All-Share Index (up 26 per cent) and is the second to worst performing fund in the Investment Association's UK All Companies' sector over a three-year timespan. Hindsight is a wonderful thing isn't it? You probably wouldn't have invested when you did had you known how it would pan out, but as we know it is impossible to predict what will do well in the future and so looking to someone like Woodford's track record is one of the few things investors can do. When it comes to choosing investments, once you've chosen what is suitable for your circumstances and what you think will be able to generate positive returns in the future, the best you can go on is track record. As highlighted earlier, Woodfords over the long-term has been very good and investors have been richly rewarded. But things have gone against him in recently. This could be a case of bad luck, a result of poor stock picking, a blip, or it could be long lasting - nobody knows for certain. Unfortunately, you were unlucky. But does that mean it's time to ditch Woodford's fund? Nick Wood, head of fund research at wealth manager Quilter Cheviot, replies: What is almost inevitable is that star investors will go through difficult periods, and Woodford looks to be finishing 2018 with a third consecutive year where he has lagged the index. This is certainly more than most investors would expect, and is the weakest period in his long history of investing in the UK stock market, but longer term, he retains one of the best track records in the industry, and this isnt reason to think that he wont return to better days going forward. In fact more often than not, buying into a fund manager after they have had a difficult period is most likely to be a more profitable option. Unfortunately, many investors are more likely to buy after a period of success, and are often to be disappointed when this is followed by a weak period. The Woodford fund has returned 14 per cent since its inception in 19 June 2014, but lags behind the FTSE All-Share Index (up 26 per cent) and is the second to worst performing fund in the Investment Association's UK All Companies' sector over a three-year horizon Myron Jobson adds: If you decide to move and choose new fund managers, you must accept the risk that they too may not outperform. But you can spread the risk through diversification by spreading your cash across a number of funds - as long as they invest in different companies. You could go down the passive route by investing in a tracker fund which aims to replicate the performance of a market index like the FTSE 100. Or you could opt for an active fund, managed by a professional who cherry picks shares in a bid to beat the performance of a benchmark index. The key is to look under the bonnet of your investment to ensure that there isn't any significant overlaps, check up on the manager's strategy and consider whether this and the fund's rick profile is right for you.. We asked Nick Wood for some UK funds worth considering. He replied: The Artemis Income fund, another UK Income fund, might be an appropriate addition. Neil Woodford today has a positive view on the UK economy despite issues around Brexit, and has invested in quite a lot of smaller UK companies, many more focused on the UK consumer. This differs from Artemis, who have a somewhat more balanced approach, including investing in a number of larger companies such as energy companies BP and Royal Dutch Shell as well as GlaxoSmithKline. The fund produces a dividend yield of over 4 per cent, and we would expect the level of dividend to grow over time. The fund would balance some of the smaller domestic investments held by Woodford. Buying into a fund manager after they have had a difficult period is most likely to be a more profitable option according to Nick Wood ,of Quilter Cheviot With growth rather than income in mind, wed recommend the Liontrust UK Growth Fund. As the name suggests, the team of Anthony Cross and Julian Fosh focus on companies that have sustainable growth characteristics, and have a successful track record doing so. The fund has tended to perform better than the overall stock market in periods where the market has declined, which is something worth considering in potentially more volatile times as the political noise impacts markets. We would also advise investing in a more globally-focused fund, and investment trust Alliance Trust which, invests in a small number of underlying managers who all pick their best ideas within those portfolios, most holding just 20 stocks. The result is a fairly broad portfolio of global companies, but one able to outperform the global index. There are so many opportunities outside of the UK, and we would advise on holding one investment that allows you to take advantage of that. > The dividend heroes: Investment trusts with long records of raising payouts I am planning a holiday to France next summer and have previously relied on my European Health Insurance Card as a back-up in case I get ill in Europe. But what will happen to EHIC after Brexit - will it still be valid? Additionally, what should I look out for in travel insurance that will make sure I am covered if it isn't - and will it push up prices? Brexit uncertainty: European health cards are currently available to people living within the EU Grace Gausden, of This is Money, replies: With Brexit looming, there is still a number of important decisions, on a range of issues, that still need to be negotiated. One of the main concerns for UK residents is how future decisions will impact their ability to travel within the EU. Currently, a major benefit of being an EU member is having access to the EHIC which gives EU citizens access to state-run medical care in other EU countries. This allows them to pay the same amount that locals do for their healthcare - significantly reducing potentially expensive bills. The card is valid in all EU countries as well as Switzerland, Iceland and Norway and UK residents can apply for the free card, that lasts for five years, on the NHS website. However, as Brexit talks continue, the EHIC's future is potentially under threat. So far, according to the Post Office, the future of the card is undetermined. Beware online EHIC scams People looking to apply, or re-apply, for an EHIC card have been warned not to fall for scam websites that convince users that they need to pay for their card. EHIC cards are free and you should never have to put in your bank details in order to receive one of these cards. The NHS Business Service Authority is the only service to offer the cards. A spokesperson for the NHSBSA said: 'NHSBSA monitor unofficial websites and report misleading websites to the Advertising Standards Authority and National Trading Standards. 'NHSBSA acts on customer feedback and also works with internet service providers to remove adverts paid for by unofficial websites.' Depending on the Brexit deal that is decided upon, the UK could still remain subject to a lot of EU laws, including the ones that control EHIC. In the event of a no-deal, there will likely be emergency measures that are put in place that will probably mean that the EHIC can still be used in the meantime, while a long term solution is worked out. Unfortunately, for those who currently rely on the EHIC, if the card is no more, travel insurance premiums are likely to go up significantly. At present, if a British traveller makes a medical claim in the EU, some of the costs are likely to be covered by the card. However, if this arrangement is no more, insurers will need to make up all of a claim's expenses, meaning there will be a rise in premium costs. Although holiday-goers are already encouraged to buy a decent travel insurance cover that offers full coverage on a range of things, without a card in the future, it will be even more important to take out decent insurance that has a good level of medical cover. Another concern is for UK citizens that live elsewhere in the EU. They currently receive the same medical care as the nationals of the country they are living in and are able to use their card in other EU countries, however, it is not yet known how they will be affected by Brexit. UK residents looking to holiday in the European Union currently receive health cover if needed A spokesperson for the Post Office replies: Discussions around Brexit are ongoing and the outcomes of those can't be pre-empted. However, should the EHIC cease, then the travel insurance market would be affected and the price of cover could rise, as insurers would need to cover the emergency costs currently covered by the EHIC scheme. Insurers are managing these uncertainties and what we can say to our customers is that under any scenario, travel insurance will remain fully in force to provide protection to our customers. A spokesperson for the Department of Health and Social Care, replies: Under the Withdrawal Agreement with the EU, the EHIC scheme will continue until at least the end of 2020, with an expectation that it will continue beyond that time. It can still be used until 29 March 2019 and people can still apply or renew their cards up until that date. Not only are we are seeking an agreement on reciprocal healthcare cover for state pensioners retiring to the EU or the UK, but also continued participation in the EHIC scheme and cooperation on planned medical treatment. The Withdrawal Agreement protects the rights of UK nationals who are temporarily in the EU at the end of the implementation period to continue to benefit from a EHIC for as long as they remain on that stay. We remain focused on securing an ambitious reciprocal healthcare agreement with the EU, but as a responsible government we have been making all the necessary preparations for the continuation of healthcare for UK nationals living in the EU. Legislation has been brought before parliament to ensure that EHICs will be made a top priority in the unlikely event of a no-deal. We have also introduced a Bill to provide a legal basis for future reciprocal healthcare agreements which has had its first reading. We already recommend purchasing travel insurance to ensure you can travel safely. This will be just as important after leaving the EU. The city of Washington, D.C., is settling a lawsuit with a black man who accused a police officer with the Metropolitan Police Department of repeatedly probing his anal cavity during a weapons search. The American Civil Liberties Union D.C. announced last week that Washington admits no wrongdoing and will pay an undisclosed amount to M.B. Cottingham. The ACLU and 40-year-old Cottingham sued police in July over the September 2017 search by Officer Sean Lojacono of the MPD, who denies inappropriately touching Cottingham. Cottingham claims he was targeted because he is black. M.B. Cottingham, 39, was stopped and frisked by Metropolitan Police Department Officer Sean Lojacono on September 27 in Bellevue Cottingham, an ice cream vendor, had been discussing his birthday plans on that day with his friends when two police cars arrived on the scene, according to the ACLU. 'The thought that kept running across my mind is "they gonna kill you," so I thought about teddy bears being up under the tree or becoming a hashtag,' Cottingham states in the ACLU video promoting his case over images of Black Lives Matter memorials and protests. 'Like many African-American men in the District, Mr. Cottingham has endured intrusive police stops-and-frisks on a regular basis for years, and his experience is, we believe, emblematic of a problematic police culture in the District in which residents are too often disrespected and viewed as potential suspects rather than as community members and neighbors,' the ACLU stated about the case. Scene video shows Lojacono's repeatedly searching Cottingham's groin area prompting the man to flinch and request him to stop. 'Stop fingering me though, bruh,' Cottingham can be heard saying in the footage. 'I'm outside your pants, bro,' the officer says to Cottingham before telling the man to relax. 'Don't sit here and finger my a like that, like I'm not a man,' the aggrieved ice cream vendor responded. The two go back and forth during the encounter until Cottingham is uncuffed. No weapons were found, and no one was arrested or charged. In video of the search, Lojacono can be seen putting his fingers deep into the crevices made by Cottingham's sweatpants 'Stop fingering me though, bruh,' Cottingham can be heard telling the officer, before asserting that Lojacono is still 'fingering' him in the 'a**' 'The most important thing to me is that Officer Lojacono can't do this to anyone else,' said Cottingham in the ACLU statement. 'I filed this lawsuit because I want policing in D.C. to change.' He had on him a legal amount of recreational marijuana but allowed Officer Lojacono to pat him down in an effort to avoid potential conflict. 'It looked like it was an inappropriate touching by the officer,' MPD Chief Peter Newsham said at a D.C. Council hearing after seeing the video, according to the ACLU. Cottingham experienced severe physical discomfort following the probe. He also suffered from anxiety, depression and fears being in public, since the incident occurred (seen in an ACLU video) Scott Michelman, ACLU-DC Senior Staff Attorney, who represented Cottingham, implies that the city is attempting to hide Lajacono's disciplinary history with the timing of the settlement 'The fact that the settlement was reached on the eve of the District's deadline to disclose information about Officer Lojacono's extensive disciplinary history suggests MPD officials were worried what the documents would show regarding how long they ignored or tolerated his problematic behavior,' said Scott Michelman, Legal Co-Director, ACLU-DC. The lawsuit accused Lojacono of violating Cottingham's Fourth Amendment protection against unreasonable searches. The MPD announced in September that Lojacono will be fired, but he is fighting the planned termination and remains on administrative leave. A Scottish mountaineer has spoken of his relief after the bodies of his two friends who disappeared in the Himalayas more than 30 years ago were finally found. Climber Steve Aisthorpe, 55, was with his two friends Kristinn Runarsson and Thorsteinn Gudjonsson during an expedition to Pumori in October 1988. The two men were last seen alive at a height of 21,650ft on a mountain near Everest on October 18, 1988. The remains of the two Icelandic climbers, both 27 years old, were discovered by an American mountaineer at the edge of a glacier on the Nepal-Tibet border, according to a report from the Church of Scotland. Kristinn Runarsson pictured on lower part of West face of Pumori during a four-men expedition Mr Aisthorpe, a mission development worker for the Church of Scotland, said it is likely the pair fell from the face of the mountain and their remains were slowly carried down by a retreating glacier over the last 30 years. The bodies were brought back to Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal, by a group of local climbers and a cremation service was attended by relatives. The men's ashes were then brought back to Iceland. Mr Aisthorpe, of Kincraig near Aviemore in the Highlands, said: 'The discovery of the remains of Thorsteinn and Kristinn after so many years have inevitably brought many emotions to the surface for all who knew and loved these wonderful guys. 'It has also brought people together and I pray will help with greater closure and, in time, peace. 'My diary of the expedition reminds me of how, as someone who had only recently embraced the Christian faith, I found comfort and guidance as I turned to God in prayer. Steve Aisthorpe spent weeks looking for the bodies of his friends who went missing in 1988 'In the midst of the desperate tasks of searching and then leaving the mountain alone, the words of a psalm were a personal reality 'God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble'. 'I plan to go to Reykjavik in Iceland to meet their families soon and pay my respects.' Mr Aisthorpe, author of a book called The Invisible Church, said further clues about what exactly happened to the men could emerge. Two camera films were found in a pocket of a jacket and have been sent to a specialist in Australia for development. During the four-man expedition up the challenging 23,494ft neighbour of Mount Everest, Mr Aisthorpe had begun to suffer from gastric flu and he had descended to the village of Pheriche to consult a doctor with another ill mountaineer. The doctor told him it would take a week for him to recover, so he sent a message to the camp suggesting that Mr Runarsson and Mr Gudjonsson 'should feel free' to make a summit attempt without him. They set off and were never seen again. Undated handout photo of Kristinn Runarsson and Thorsteinn Gudjonsson's empty tent 'I've never felt as alone as the day I arrived back at our high camp,' Mr Aisthorpe said. 'As I worked my way upwards, I desperately hoped that Kristinn and Torsteinn had descended safely and were now lying in their sleeping bags in the tiny red tent camp. 'As it came into view, I called out at the top of my voice my calls echoed from the rocks and ice before fading. 'But the silence was palpable. 'Even as I finally reached and then unzipped the tent, I still nurtured a hope that the boys would be lying there, comatose, sleeping off the climb of their lives. 'But it was empty and I scanned our route up the steep face above, but nothing moved. It was then that my guts started to twist and a cold sweat began.' Kristinn Runarsson (left) and Thorsteinn Gudjonsson (right) were considered to be Iceland's leading exponents of Himalayan climbing and were known for their easy-going personalities Mr Aisthorpe said he called for help and a helicopter search was launched five days after the men were last seen. He added: 'A couple of weeks later I left the area, convinced that Kristinn and Torsteinn must have fallen somewhere high on the face and their remains swallowed by the cavernous crevasse below. 'This was what I explained to their families and friends on a visit to Reykjavik shortly after my return from Nepal.' Thorsteinn and Kristinn were considered to be Iceland's leading exponents of Himalayan climbing at the time and were well-known for their easy-going personalities. Runarsson's girlfriend was pregnant when he disappeared, his father Runar Gudbjartsson told the Iceland Monitor. The tragedy did not put Mr Aisthorpe off Nepal or mountaineering. Over the following few years he returned to the country each spring and autumn before moving there for 12 years with his wife Liz and his two sons, John and Scott. Police in South Carolina have charged a man with four counts of felony driving under the influence after his van ran off a road and killed all four children inside, two of whom were his. Authorities say the van careened off Mountain Creek Road near Taylors just before 12.30am on Friday and crashed into several trees. Greenville County Coroner B. Parks Evans Jr said siblings four-year-old Arnez Yaron Jamison Jr; six-year-old Robbiana Evans and eight-year-old Jamire Halley died at the scene, while two-year-old Ar'mani Jamison died at Greenville Memorial Hospital Sunday. Arnez Jamison Sr, 27 (left), has been charged with four felony counts of DUI resulting in death after he crashed his vehicle in South Carolina a nd killed all four of his girlfriend's children - including the two that were his own. (pictured right with their mother) Six-year-old Robbiana Evans (left), eight-year-old Jamire Halley (top right) and four-year-old Arnez Yaron Jamison Jr (bottom right) died at the scene, while two-year-old Ar'mani Jamison (pictured in mother's arms) died at the hospital Sunday State Highway Patrol identified the driver as 27-year-old Arnez Yaron Jamison, who survived the crash and was hospitalized with a broken leg. He has since been transferred to the county jail pending his bond hearing scheduled for Tuesday night. In addition to the four felony counts of DUI resulting in death, Jamison Sr was also charged with child endangerment and driving with a suspended license. According to investigators, only one of the 2004 Pontiac van's young passengers was wearing a seat belt and the driver was not buckled. A state trooper told DailyMail.com on Tuesday that one of the siblings was ejected from the van on impact. All four victims were the children of Jamison's girlfriend, Jackie 'Jaz Mire' Brown, of Travelers Rest. Her co-worker at Taco Bell and KFC, Crystal Griffith, wrote that her kids 'were her everything' on a GoFundMe page she launched on Brown's behalf. The fundraiser for the siblings' burials has raised more than $44,000 as of Tuesday morning. Both Jamison Sr and Brown had moved to South Carolina from Jersey City, New Jersey, a few years ago, reported Greenville News. According to his Facebook page, the 27-year-old man has other children from another woman. A few years ago, Brown (left) was homeless and living out of her car with her family, but through hard work she was able to move into a mobile home with her sons and daughter (right) On Thursday, Jamison stop by Brown's mobile home to pick up her four kids and take them to visit another one of his children in town. The dad was on his way to drop the two boys and two girls off at their mother's trailer early Friday when the accident happened. As time went by and her children failed to make it back home, Brown began to worry and called a Lyft to go out looking for them. Jamison Sr was driving his and Brown's children home after visiting one of his other kids early Friday when the accident happened When the ride-sharing service driver arrived, he mentioned to Brown that there was a terrible crash off Mountain Creek Road. Then Brown got a call from the hospital telling her that her daughter Ar'mani was being treated there. When Brown showed up at the hospital, she was told that her sole surviving child was on life support but already brain dead. 'Im just incomplete now without them,' she told Greenville News. 'They were my everything my heart, my blood, my breath, my motivation. They helped me get through everything I needed to get through.' Brown said Jamison Sr is taking the loss just as hard as she is. The 27-year-old's criminal record in South Carolina includes a domestic violence arrest and a dozen vehicular charges, including a hit-and-run, spanning the last five years. Brown, who at one time was homeless and living out of a car with her family, this year was able to scrape together enough money to buy presents for her children and was looking forward to celebrating Christmas with them. Verizon has announced it will slash its workforce by more than 10,000 through a voluntary buyout plan with some getting severance pay for up to 60 weeks. The US telecomm group accepted 10,400 employees for the buyout, which will grant more than a year's salary plus a bonus and other benefits, the company said in a statement. The announcement comes as the company strives to better position itself for the coming of new 5G cellular technology. Verizon will cut its workforce by more than 10,000 as it reorganizes the business to prepare for 5G mobile technology 'These changes are well-planned and anticipated and they will be seamless to our customers,' Verizon CEO Hans Vestberg said. The changes, which coincides with a restructuring announced last month, will help the company 'to begin to better serve customers with more agility, speed and flexibility,' he said. In a letter to employees, Vestberg said: 'For those who were accepted, the coming weeks and months will be a transition. 'For the entire V Team, there will be opportunities to work differently as we prepare for the great things to come at Verizon. 'Together, we are leading the world during this great technological revolution, and we will continue to lead the way.' The announcement comes as the company strives to better position itself for the coming of new 5G cellular technology. Pictured, the company's headquarters in Virginia The Voluntary Separation Program offers up to 60 weeks' salary, bonus and benefits, depending on length of service, Verizon said. Workers accepted for the separation program will be notified on Monday whether their last day will be the end of December, March or June, 'depending on the needs of the business,' the company added. The company had 152,300 employees at the end of the third quarter. Verizon has rearranged its business lines to take effect January 1, with higher-speed 5G service poised to dominate the mobile industry. Verizon has plans to release 5G phones in the first half of 2019. The company announced the layoff plans in September in a bid to give employees the chance to think about the offer. Verizon is in the middle of a four-year, $10billion cost-cutting program, according to CBS News. Egypt has restricted sales of yellow vests amid fears they will be used to copy French rioters during the upcoming anniversary of the country's 2011 uprising. The revolution took place between January and February 2011 and toppled autocrat Hosni Mubarak. Officials and retailers said dealers have been instructed not to sell yellow vests to walk-in buyers and to restrict sales to verified companies, only after securing police permission. The yellow vests worn by French protesters have become the symbol of the wave of demonstrations that began in November against a rise in fuel taxes in France. Demonstrators wearing yellow vests protest at the toll gates of a motorway, in Biarritz, France. Egypt has restricted sales of the safety vests amid fears they could be used during the upcoming anniversary marking the country's 2011 uprising According to officials in Egypt, dealers were told offenders would be punished. Six retailers in a Cairo downtown area where industrial safety stores are concentrated said they were no longer selling yellow vests. Two retailers declined to sell them, giving no explanation, but the remaining four told The Associated Press they could not sell them as they were instructed to do so by the police. Two retailers spoke anonymously to AP for fear of reprisals. One said: 'They seem not to want anyone to do what they are doing in France.' 'The police came here a few days back and told us to stop selling them. When we asked why, they said they were acting on instructions,' said the other. Protesters carry a large Egyptian flag through Tahrir Square in Cairo on January 31, 2011 Security officials said the restrictions would remain in force till the end of January. They said industrial safety product importers and wholesale merchants were invited to a meeting with senior police officers in Cairo this week and were informed about the new rules. Also the officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they are not authorised to brief the media. Repeated calls and messages from AP to the spokesman of the Interior Ministry, which oversees the police, to seek comment went unanswered. Stones fly through the air as supporters of President Hosni Mubarak fight anti-Mubarak protesters in Cairo during the 2011 uprising Over the past two years, Egyptian authorities have deployed police and soldiers across the country, to prevent any marches to commemorate the anniversary of the start of the 2011 uprising on January 25. President Abdel-Fattah el-Sisi recently denounced for the first time the 2011 uprising, saying it plunged the country into economic and political turmoil. He often warns that it is necessary to ensure stability in the country, pointing to war and destruction in Syria, Yemen and Libya as the alternative. Since el-Sisi became president in 2014, there have been no significant protests. Demonstrators wearing yellow vests listen to a loudspeaker as French president Macron delivers a speech following the so-called 'yellow jacket crisis' Rights lawyer Gamal Eid said his Cairo-based Arab Network for Human Rights Information has seen a recent spike in small 'social protests,' with the privatisation of state-owned enterprises as the main issue. Eid said: 'The government here is talking up its achievements, but it fears a backlash because ordinary people have yet to tangibly benefit from the mega projects underway.' Negad Borai, another rights lawyer, said the government could delay expected price hikes next year 'to avoid protests inspired by what's happening in France.' El-Sisi led the military's 2013 ouster of freely elected but divisive president Mohamed Morsi. He was elected in 2014 and, earlier this year, he won a second-term. Golden Age High Grade System Keeps On Contributing Perth, Dec 12, 2018 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Blackham Resources Limited ( ASX:BLK ) ( FRA:NZ3 ) ( OTCMKTS:BKHRF ) (Blackham or the Company) is pleased to provide an update of underground drill results from the high grade free milling Golden Age Lower orebody which has confirmed the extension of mineralisation below current mining areas. From May'18 to November'18, Blackham drilled 24 underground diamond holes (3,454m) focused on extensions to the Golden Age deposit with significant positive results.Highlights- Drilling, mapping, mining and structural interpretation has greatly enhanced geological understanding of the high grade Golden Age mineralisation controls over the last 2 years- Drilling has focused on both extending the mine plan and increasing the mining rate- Underground core drilling has confirmed high grade depth extensions to the Golden Age Lower mineralisation below a 20m wide fault separating it from the current mining area- Golden Age Lower best intersections include:- 7m @ 7.98 g/t Au incl. 0.7m @ 71.0 g/t Au 56 g*m GARD0049- 7.8m @ 18.47 g/t Au 144 g*m GARD0052- 4.8m @ 22.21 g/t Au 107 g*m GARD0057A- 2.7m @ 21.33 g/t Au 58 g*m GARD0058- Mine planning for development of Golden Age Lower is currently well advanced- Mining has commenced at the Golden Age North (GAN) open pit- Historical mining at GAN saw mining of 27koz @ 17g/t Au within 40m of surface over a 180m strike- Blackham intends to drill GAN to a 200m depth over 600m of strike to assess underground mining potentialDuring the Sep'18 quarter, 14 RC and core holes for 1,263m were drilled from surface to define resource extensions at the Golden Age North pit and to test the underground potential beneath the pit. Mining at GAN pit commenced in November 2018 with grade control drilling validating the drill defined resource. Blackham intends to drill GAN to a 200m depth on a 25m by 25m pattern to assess the underground mining potential.Bryan Dixon, Managing Director said "Blackham has progressively extended the Golden Age orebody over the last 2 years to maintain at least 6 months mine life in our highest grade orebody. Blackham is pleased to announce new drill results from the free milling Golden Age System which have identified significant extensions to mineralisation in close proximity to decline access. Based on the highly encouraging intercepts, further drilling is ongoing to support early expansion of the underground development to provide additional high-grade ore to feed the Wiluna gold plant."Golden Age Background and Program DetailsThe Golden Age Underground mine is accessed via the Bulletin portal located only 2.5km from the 1.8Mtpa Wiluna Gold Plant. Golden Age mining commenced in the 1,890's with shallow artisanal workings along the strike extent of the Golden Age Fault. The Golden Age Fault is currently being mined from surface in the Golden Age North pit and earlier pits have been completed on both the Golden Age and Republic Faults (see Figure 1).The Golden Age Reef that is currently being mined underground is an oblique transfer fault largely bounded by the Golden Age and Republic Faults to the north and south respectively. Approximately 180,000oz @ 9g/t gold has been produced from the Reef to date, with strong cash flows being generated for the Company in 2018. The Golden Age Reef does not outcrop and was not mined by early prospectors.Mining of the Golden Age system over the last 2 years has provided Blackham with a greater understanding of the style and structure of mineralisation. With the orebody now better understood, and the mineralisation open both down dip and down plunge, mining will increasingly target the extensions.Drilling is aimed at maintaining a minimum 6-12 month mine life at Golden Age Reef and to significantly increase mine production. Extensive data collation (including additional structural mapping) and a review of the stratigraphic sequence, deformation and mineralising events helped prioritise drill targets. Most of the drilling was aimed at defining extensions below the zone of mineralisation currently being mined.Golden Age Lower ExtensionsGolden Age Lower has not been mined as it is offset from Golden Age Middle zone by a barren basalt fault (see Figure 3). The latest drill and face sampling results, combined with historical drilling, define a very significant exploration target for Golden Age Lower with mineralisation starting from the existing decline access.A 2,852m diamond drilling programme was completed targeting depth extensions to Golden Age (Figure 2) following on from the initial 2018 programme when 6 holes were drilled for 1,152m around the same area.The initial drilling returned highly encouraging results extending the zone of high grade mineralisation 150m below the current workings.The recently completed drilling has infilled the area and identified zones of mineralisation with similar tenor and continuity of the mineralisation being mined above.Republic FaultThe Republic Fault transects the Golden Age underground mineralisation to the south. The fault is a mineralised, steeply dipping, laminated quartz rich structure potentially amenable to long hole stoping extraction. Recent geological mapping combined with the re-evaluation of existing drilling and new drill intercepts have identified the potential to mine the structure.Face sampling of the Republic Fault where it intersects the Calais Decline has returned potentially economic results up to 0.7m @ 22.33g/t (Figure 4 & 5). The fault varies in width 5.1m but typically averages 1.5-3m.The recent drilling was focussed at Golden Age and Republic mineralisation was intercepted higher in the holes in a clustered distribution. Previous results indicate the potential for higher grade zones along the structure and hence further drilling is ongoing to identify zones with the potential for economic extraction. Separately, the optimal access to the Golden Age Deeps mineralisation is potentially from the existing Calais Decline where it intersects the Republic Fault. The cost of accessing the Golden Age Deeps mineralisation could therefore be accessed by developing along the Republic structure with the mineralised fault material offsetting development costs.Golden Age Western Off-SetThe recent drilling, mapping and structural reinterpretation indicates that the Golden Age Shear is offset to the south west immediately in the hanging wall and south of the Republic Fault. If defined and economic, the area can be readily accessed from the adjacent Calais Decline and established as an additional mining area (Figure 5).Further drilling is planned in coming months to establish the tenor and extent of this potentially substantial extension to the Golden Age Reef mineralisation.Underground MiningBlackham's strategy for the high-grade underground Golden Age free milling mining project is to expand the resource and mining rate substantially above the current production of approximately 800-1000 ounces per month.The successful drilling gives the company confidence that the resource base can be significantly increased following further drilling. Mine planning studies continue on the Golden Age Lower deposit to assess the options to allow multiple stoping areas and increase production. The existing Calais Decline provides cheap mining access to Golden Age Lower. Current mine planning is assuming lateral development from the Calais decline along the Republic Fault (see Figure 5), which will allow development ore to offset the lateral development costs to access the Golden Age Lenses.In addition, long hole stoping has recommenced in some areas of the mine where the orientation of the mineralisation is conducive to a more bulk mining method than current air-leg stoping. This is expected to increase the mine production in coming months.Golden Age North - Currently mining from surfaceDuring the Sep'18 quarter Blackham's exploration team successfully completed a surface resource definition drill programme at Wiluna. The results from the RC drilling programme indicate the likelihood for extensions to the current mine plan at several Wiluna free-milling open pits. Resource extension drilling around Golden Age North (GAN) pit indicated strong potential for additional ore along strike and below the planned pit design.The Indicated Resource for GAN is 450kt @ 1.6g/t for 23koz but clearly has potential to be extended 400m south east of the planned pit (see Figure 7, A$1,650/oz optimisation in blue). Grade control drilling in the top 30m across 300m of strike at the north end has confirmed the ore starts from close to surface. Mining at the GAN pit, that is only 1,500m from the plant ROM, commenced this quarter.Drilling the GAN deposit confirmed the higher-grade nature of this orebody in the fresh rock and potential for underground extraction with intercepts ranging from 10 to 80 gram metres. A drill programme to test the continuity of high grade mineralisation in the top 200m will commence shortly. This drill programme will target the free milling higher grade fresh rock in close vicinity to the existing underground infrastructure (see Figure 6 & 7; grey infrastructure) which is within 200m of the Stage 1 pit design.Golden Age System - Geological and Structural InterpretationThe Golden Age Fault is expressed on the surface with nominal mining taking place along the fault within the Golden Age Pit. This fault trends NW-SE and dips between 75? - 85? towards the SW and is one in a series of sub-parallel similar structures that also includes the Republic and Brothers Faults. The event resulting in this deformation is identified as D2.The Golden Age Shear Zone is the brittle -ductile shear package that hosts the Golden Age Dolerite and assemblage of auriferous quartz veins that make up the Golden Age Reef mined from underground workings. Prior to later stage deformation along the East Lode Fault and Happy Jack-Bulletin Fault, the GA shear trends WWN-EES (280?) and dips towards the south, varying from 20? - 60?. The GA Fault and GA Shear Zone (or Reef) are not the same structure (Figure 1). It is proposed that the GA Shear Zone developed between the NW-SE (D2) faults in progressive, cyclical episodes of slip, dilation and sealing.At the transition from Golden Age Middle to Golden Age Lower the Reef system is separated by a large-scale fault (Figure 3). Underground mapping and drilling indicated this fault is a wide zone with reverse movement (south side up). The lithology within the fault zone is largely basalt.To view tables and figures, please visit:About Wiluna Mining Corporation Ltd Wiluna Mining Corporation (ASX:WMC) (OTCMKTS:WMXCF) is a Perth based, ASX listed gold mining company that controls over 1,600 square kilometres of the Yilgarn Craton in the Northern Goldfields of WA. The Yilgarn Craton has a historic and current gold endowment of over 380 million ounces, making it one of most prolific gold regions in the world. The Company owns 100% of the Wiluna Gold Operation which has a defined resource of 8.04M oz at 1.67 g/t au. In May 2019, a new highly skilled management team took control of the Company with a clear plan to leverage the Wiluna Gold Operation's multi-million-ounce potential. Coles customers claim they have been left confused after the supermarket giant closed pre-orders two weeks before Christmas Day. The supermarket giant's in-store pre orders of turkey and ham closed on December 9. However, on the website, they say Christmas online deliveries can be booked until December 16. This confusion has left one Sydney woman fearing she's be left without her traditional Coles turkey and ham - because she confused to the dates. 'It took me by surprise as a big banner on Coles website saying to order by 16 of December in time for Christmas,' she said. 'I'm very disappointed that this year we won't have our Coles Turkey.' Coles website has closed pre-orders on December 9th - confusing customers who thought they were open until December 16 When a Sydney woman went to place her order on Monday she was shocked to discover the supermarket closed its pre-order on December 9th 'I've been told the matter will be investigated but there's a no guarantee we will have Coles Turkey this Christmas.' However, a Coles spokeswoman said they woman didn't need to worry - while in store pre-orders closed on Sunday December 9, customers can still place a Coles online order until Sunday, December 16. But she warned delivery slots close to Christmas Day fill up quickly, so people who want to place an online order should plan to do so early. A Labor government could gift permanent residency to almost 10,000 asylum seekers who arrived in Australia illegally. Labor's national conference in Adelaide this weekend will consider a motion to end offshore processing of boat arrivals by scrapping 'indefinite detention' on Manus Island and Nauru. Under the left faction's proposal, thousands of asylum seekers would be granted permanent protection in Australia should Labor win next year's federal election as widely predicted by opinion polls. Opposition leader Bill Shorten (pictured) is looking to gift up to 10,000 asylum seekers permanent Australian residency If elected at the next federal election, the Labor government is looking to gift residency to up to 10,000 asylum seekers in Australia The end result would be permanent residency for asylum seekers, with full work and welfare rights. Inner Melbourne-based left faction Labor backbencher Ged Kearney, a former ACTU leader, is leading the charge to end offshore detention, putting her at odds with Labor leader Bill Shorten. 'Labor's goal must be to get everyone held in offshore detention to safety and build a framework that could mean nobody actually has to go to offshore-processing facilities,' Kearney wrote in the party's left faction Challenge. Mr Shorten, who hails from the right faction, said on Monday the ALP was committed to 'turning boats back where it is safe to do so.' 'This government should have done more to resettle people elsewhere around the world than they have, and that's what we'll do.' Mr Shorten predicted the left faction's radical proposals would be unsuccessful on the floor of the national conference. The development comes as The Australian revealed the cost behind attempting to manage the growing number of applicants in recent years has exceeded more than $2billion. Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton said Labor's left faction proposal smacked of ignorance. 'Labor's reckless border failures have cost our country dearly,' Mr Dutton told The Australian. 'Cleaning up the dreadful mess of 50,000 illegal arrivals is costing us hundreds of millions of dollars a year, and will for years to come money that could otherwise have been spent on Australians, but is sucked up dealing with these people. 'It's frightening that Labor has clearly learned nothing and is ready to do it again. 'The boats will restart under Labor.' Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton (pictured) is opposed to the plans from the Labor Government to gift asylum seekers residency in Australia Temporary protection visas, reintroduced by the Coalition in 2013, allow illegal boat arrivals to stay in Australia until it is deemed safe to return home. There have been more than 64,000 applications for protection visas since 2015 from people who arrived legally on a plane. Senior Labor frontbenchers have dismissed suggestions an ugly stoush on border protection could overshadow the ALP's national conference, as the Coalition zeros in on the issue. Tanya Plibersek, federal Labor's deputy leader who hails from the Left faction, is throwing her support behind Mr Shorten at the expense of her own ideological supporters within her party. 'Offshore processing and boat turn backs, yes I support current Labor policy,' the inner-Sydney based MP said. 'But I also believe we can get people off Manus and Nauru. I believe we can bring more people here and bring them safely.' Deputy Labor leader Tanya Plibersek (pictured), who hails from the Left faction, is throwing her support behind Mr Shorten at the expense of her own ideological supporters within her party Senior Labor frontbencher Tony Burke, whose western Sydney electorate has Australia's highest proportion of Muslims, was confident there would be no changes to Labor's existing boat turn backs and offshore processing policies. 'There's a debate about these issues every conference,' he told Sky News on Monday. When Labor was last in government, it abolished temporary protections visas in 2008 soon after coming to power. It also ended offshore detention on Nauru and Manus Island but this led to a surge in boat arrivals, and included the death of 48 asylum seekers in December 2010 after their illegal vessel attempted to land at Christmas Island. When Kevin Rudd briefly became prime minister again in 2013, he reinstated offshore processing at Manus Island, in Papua New Guinea, and vowed asylum seekers who arrived by boat would never settle in Australia. A young Australian couple were left with a massive medical bill of almost $1million after a fatal head-on car crash while travelling in the United States. Katie-Anne Salter and Jacob Lanigan, originally from Perth, were driving from San Francisco, California to Yosemite when an 'out-of-control' car suddenly swerved in front and smashed into them. 'Both of us were screaming. There's just airbags in your face, broken glass everywhere,' Mr Lanigan told news.com.au. Katie-Anne Salter and Jacob Lanigan (pictured), originally from Perth, were driving from San Francisco, California to Yosemite when another car smashed into them The impact of the crash killed the other driver, and damaged Ms Salter's spine so badly that it 'burst' into pieces The impact of the crash killed the other driver, and damaged Ms Salter's spine so badly that it 'burst' into pieces. Her L4 vertebrae had exploded and chunks of bone had spread out throughout her back, rubbing close to her spinal nerve. Ms Salter was flown by helicopter to hospital where she underwent several surgeries and spent five days in intensive care, unable to walk. 'My priority was can I walk again? I didn't really anticipate how hard it would be,' she said. Ms Salter was flown by helicopter to hospital where she underwent several surgeries and spent five days in intensive care, unable to walk She eventually recovered and a month later the couple were able to fly back to Australia. Without travel insurance, the cost of the treatment would've been a staggering $900,000. Luckily for them, their insurer Cover-More was able to take care of the massive bill as they had taken out travel insurance before leaving Australia. Cover-More spokeswoman Maureen Mullins said the US was known for having high medical expenses. 'The US health care system is complex and can be confusing for Australian travellers because it is so very different to our own. You're charged for everything.' The world's richest man takes just 12 seconds to earn an average Australian worker's full-time salary. Amazon founder Jeff Bezos made $52.8billion ($US38billion) in the 2017/18 financial year. The technology tycoon, who founded the world's biggest online shopping company in 1994, takes just 12 seconds to earn an average Australian full-time worker's $82,435 salary. Scroll down for video Amazon founder Jeff Bezos (pictured), who founded the online shopping giant in 1994, takes just 12 seconds to earn an average Australian full-time worker's $82,435 salary The American entrepreneur earns $423,362 a minute, which means it would take him just two minutes and 12 seconds to buy a median-price Sydney house selling for $935,713. Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, who made $19.47billion ($US14 billion) last financial year, would take just 32 seconds to earn an average Australian full-time wage, earning $155,975 every minute. The world's richest captains of industry certainly overshadow Australia's wealthiest chief executives in a land where the average worker makes 66 cents a minute. Domino's Pizzas CEO Don Meij was Australia's highest paid company boss in 2017/18, earning $36.8million a year. Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg would take just 32 seconds to earn an average Australian full-time wage and earns $A155,975 every minute Don Meij (pictured), the CEO of Domino's Pizzas, was Australia's highest paid company boss in 2017/18, earning $36.8million a year It took him four hours and 39 minutes hours to earn an average full-time Australian salary, pocketing $141,683 a day or $295 a minute. Qantas boss Alan Joyce was Australia's eighth highest paid CEO on the Australian Council of Superannuation Investors's annual league table of mega remunerations. He earned $11,247,850 during the last financial year, taking him 15 hours or two day's work to earn an average full-time Australian salary. Qantas boss Alan Joyce (pictured) takes just 15 hours or two day's work to earn an average full-time Australian salary Australia's 10 highest-paid chief executives earned between $9.8million and $36.8million a year after bonuses in the 2017/18 financial year Australia's richest woman Gina Rinehart has a net worth of $12.68billion and was third on this year's Business Review Weekly rich list. The Hancock Prospecting chairwoman's private company, with iron ore and cattle interests, reaped a $1.37billion profit during the last financial year, marking a 28 per cent surge. Mrs Rinehart, who has a 76.6 per cent share, earned $1.049billion in just one year, documents lodged with the Australian Securities and Investments Commission showed. She pocketed, before tax, more than $4million a day, $504,528 an hour and $8,408 a minute, which meant it took her less than 10 minutes to earn an average Australian worker's full-time salary. Australia is home to 35 of the world's 2,000 billionaires, the UK-based ABC Finance group revealed. Australia's richest woman Gina Rinehart last year made more than $1billion during the last financial year, which meant it took her less than 10 minutes to earn an average Australian wage There are now more than 2,000 billionaires in the world with Australia home to 35 of them A wellness guru was charged an extra $500 by Qantas for trying to fly home early after her home burned down and looters took her Christmas presents. Sam Taylor, 36, was visiting her sick father in Hong Kong when she found out her home in Armadale, Melbourne, had caught fire on Saturday morning. Her husband, two children and dog escaped with their lives but their home was badly damaged. Ms Taylor arranged to fly home immediately and Qantas charged Ms Taylor an extra $500 to change her travel plans despite having a flexible ticket. Sam Taylor (pictured), 36, was visiting her sick father in Hong Kong when she found out her home in Melbourne had caught fire on Saturday morning. Her husband, two children and dog were fortunate enough to escape with their lives but their home has been badly damaged The family also fell victim to thieves who twice looted their home, taking expensive jewellery and Christmas presents. Ms Taylor, who works as a personal trainer and meditation teacher, said she arrived in Hong Kong on Friday December 7 to visit her sick father. When she woke up on Saturday morning her father and stepmother broke the news that here had been a fire. 'They had this look on their face and I thought someone had actually died, I thought they were going to say my children or my husband was dead,' she said. 'So in some ways when they told me the house had burnt down I was actually relieved.' Ms Taylor arranged to fly home immediately but despite having a flexible ticket Qantas charged Ms Taylor an extra $500 to change her travel plans The cause of the fire was yet to be unconfirmed, but it was understood that the flames came from an air-conditioning unit. Ms Taylor said she was shocked that Qantas decided to charge her extra even after she had explained her house had burned down. 'At this point we don't know how much money we're going to get from the insurance, our contents insurance doesn't cover what we've lost, we also have a mortgage we have to pay and we have to replace everything in the interim,' she said. 'So $500 at that point was quite a lot of money.' Qantas' compassionate policy only covers cases of someone dying, so Ms Taylor had no choice but to fork out the money. Ms Taylor said she found the entire episode 'extraordinary' and she couldn't believe the airline's lack of 'human side'. The airline had since called Ms Taylor to apologise and promised to return the money, but she's 'pretty sure they wouldn't have [done] had it not been in the press'. When Ms Taylor arrived home, the damage to the 1880's building was extensive all of the bedrooms were completely blackened, the living room roof had caved in, and her home office was destroyed. 'As a result, I actually can't work at the moment either,' she said. The family also fell victim to thieves who twice looted their home, taking expensive jewellery with enormous sentimental value and Christmas presents The kitchen was relatively untouched by fire but was covered with fire retardant foam which is toxic. It means the vast majority of items in the room will have to be thrown out. Among the items taken by looters was a luxury Patek Phillipe watch given to Ms Taylor by her late step-father, a necklace she wore on her wedding day, a ring given to her by her mother and a pair of diamond earrings. 'It was stuff I'd deliberately left behind because I was travelling and didn't want to bring it with me in case I lose it,' she said. Ms Taylor says it's the sentimental value, not just of the jewellery but of the house they'd lived in for six years that she's struggling with the most. 'It's little things like the wall we measured the kids heights against - since they were a year old we'd stand them up against the wall and measure how much they'd grown,' she said. 'It was our first home, it was our family so stuff like that is what really breaks my heart.' The family is insured with Westpac and Ms Taylor is hopeful they will be able to recover the damage, but they have been warned to 'be prepared for a battle'. Ms Taylor's husband Ben, 45, owns his own business and is currently unable to work due to the fire damage. Mr Taylor was originally alerted to the fire by a passing jogger in the early hours of Saturday morning and managed to evacuate nine-year-old Isabella, their other daughter Rosie, six, and the family dog. But Ms Taylor said Isabella is 'struggling to eat' and is 'scared to sleep'. 'She's wearing three layers of clothing today because she doesn't want to leave any of her clothes behind,' she said. The family has been staying in a serviced apartment since the fire and will then move from house to house of different friends until they work out a longer term plan. 'The most amazing thing and the real silver lining out of this is how our community has stepped up,' she said. 'Everyone's donated clothes and toyswe're really lucky, and we're alive.' A close-knit community is doing its best to help three boys who recently lost their mum and brother in a horror car crash to find some joy and solace this Christmas. Amanda Gwynne, 37, and her son Harrison, 12, were killed when their car collided with a truck on the Murray Valley Highway in Brimin, 300km north of Melbourne, on November 2. The truck driver Ryan Kenny was charged over the crash, including being over the prescribed limit of an undisclosed drug. Now the community is hosting a Christmas fundraiser at the Bundalong Tavern on Saturday to help 14-year-old Felix, two-year-old Morgan and nine-month-old Austin. Ms Gwynne's husband Paul Kilmister, 44, (pictured top right), their son Morgan, 2, (centre) and eight-month-old Austin (pictured bottom right), were rushed to hospital after the collision Felix met and thanked those who helped rescue his family the day of the fatal crash. 'I just want to thank you guys so much for what you did and what you had to see that night, what you had to deal with,' the 14-year-old told the CFA Volunteers. The event organiser, Brett, told Seven News that the family's situation brought the community closer as they worked to support the boys. 'The boys have got a long road ahead of them and we want to look after their future,' he said. The boys' grandmother Christine said the boys would not be having the Christmas they deserved if it weren't for the support of the community. 'These boys aren't going to have a Christmas like they should have, they haven't got mum and dad on Christmas morning, opening up their pressies,' she said. Mother Amanda Gwynne (pictured), 37, and her son Harrison, 12, were killed on November 2 The 31-year-old truck driver was charged with 15 offences, including two counts of dangerous driving causing death, at the Wangaratta Magistrates Court and was released on bail, allowing him to spend Christmas with his family. He was also charged with driving while exceeding the prescribed concentration of drugs, although police have not confirmed what drug he was using. Ms Gwynne's husband Paul Kilmister, 44, and their son Morgan, 2, and eight-month-old Austin, were rushed to hospital after the collision. While the two children were discharged from the Royal Children's Hospital, Mr Kilmister was placed in an induced coma and is still being treated for severe injuries. Austin suffered spinal injuries in the accident and is slowly regaining movement, Seven News reported. Police said Kenny's truck was travelling east when it collided with the Kilmister's car late on the Friday night. Ms Gwynne's brother (pictured, left) gave a touching statement about his late sister outside court. 'My sister was a really devoted mum. She absolutely loved her family, husband and her boys,' he said Outside court, Ms Gwynne's brother gave a touching statement about his late sister. He said: 'My sister was a really devoted mum. She absolutely loved her family, husband and her boys. 'She invested every moment of her life into supporting them and making them to be amazing young men.' Paul Kilmister's mother said: 'You couldn't get a more loving couple. Family was just all it is.' Friends of the family have taken to social media to pay tribute to the mother and her son. 'We are so deeply sorry for your loss and are thinking of you all,' one woman said. A classmate of Harrison said: 'You'll be greatly missed at school Harrison! Thinking of you Felix buddy during this time and covering you and your family in prayer.' Felix was not in the car during the crash. A Go Fund Me page has raised more than $34,000 for the family. More information about the event and how you can support the family can be found here. A polygamous group based on the Utah-Arizona border has been evicted from the sprawling building where its members worshipped, in the latest sign that the sect run by imprisoned leader Warren Jeffs is crumbling and losing control of the community it ruled for a century. The group known as the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, or FLDS, now has nowhere to gather for worship services after the nearly 53,000 square-foot (4,900 square-meter) building was taken over last week as part of government-ordered evictions that have taken away about 200 homes and buildings from members who refuse to pay property taxes and $100-a-month occupancy fees. The meeting house with capacity for several thousand people is valued at $2.8 million and sits on about 7 acres (2.8 hectares) in the remote red rock community, on the Arizona side of the border. The FLDS meetinghouse in Colorado City, Ariz. The polygamous group is letting go of the 53,000 square-foot building where its members worshipped The cult leader Warren Jeffs in a Texas prison in 2011 The building has a stage, a church-like setup for services and classrooms for religious education but has not been used for at least six months, Jeff Barlow said Monday. Barlow is the executive director of a government-appointed organization that oversees a former church trust that has properties in the sister cities of Hildale, Utah, and Colorado City, Arizona. The FLDS doesn't have a spokesperson to comment about the development. The sect is experiencing a major leadership void with Warren Jeffs serving a life sentence for sexually assaulting underage girls he considered brides. His brother Lyle Jeffs is serving nearly a five-year sentence for his role in carrying out an elaborate food stamp fraud scheme and for escaping home confinement while awaiting trial. Members have said they have been worshipping at home on their own. The lack of local leaders meant nobody stepped up to take responsibility for the building when Barlow's organization warned an eviction was imminent, said Christine Katas. Katas lives in the community and serves as an intermediary between Barlow's organization and the FLDS. Rank-and-file members don't believe they have the authority to do so, she said. 'It's very sad for the FLDS. I've seen people cry over it,' Katas said. 'Both sides are stuck between a rock and a hard place. Everybody wishes there was a different outcome.' The evictions have led many FLDS members to take refuge in trailers around town or move away, while former members have purchased the homes and buildings and moved back. Warren Jeffs (center) during an extradition hearing in 2006 flanked by Las Vegas Metro Police SWAT officers. Jeffs was prosecuted for the practice of taking underage brides Warren's brother, Lyle Jeffs, is also serving prison time for food stamp fraud and fleeing home confinement while awaiting trial Group members don't believe they should have to pay for what belonged to a communal church trust that the state of Utah took over more than a decade ago amid mismanagement. The evictions are part of the shifting demographics in the sister cities of about 7,700 people. Non-sect members last year won control of the mayor's office and town council in Hildale, Utah and nearly did the same in municipal elections in Colorado City. The town government and police are being watched closely by court-appointed monitors after a jury found past town and police leaders guilty of civil rights violations. Sprawling homes that used to belong to Warren Jeffs have been converted into beds and breakfast and sober living centers. Warren Jeffs (left) with defense attorney Richard Wright before his trial in 2007 for the coerced marriage and rape of a 14-year-old to her 19-year-old cousin Members of the group still consider their leader and prophet to be Warren Jeffs, even though he has been in jail in Utah or Texas continually since 2006. Polygamy is a legacy of the early teachings of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, but the mainstream church abandoned the practice in 1890 and now strictly prohibits it. The Salt Lake Tribune first reported the eviction of the meetinghouse. Barlow said the board of the organization he runs, called the United Effort Plan (UEP) Trust, will meet on Jan. 5 in a public meeting to discuss what to do with the building, constructed in 1986, Barlow said. One possibility is converting it to a civic center, though that would likely require seeking grant funds, he said. The UEP board will make the final decision. Sydneysiders are exposing themselves to a host of disease-causing bacteria every time they hit the beach - and Bondi revelers are the most at risk. New research released this week from diagnostic laboratory SydPath showed some of the city's most popular beaches are rife with disgusting and harmful germs. The study found beachgoers typically expose themselves to 77 potentially harmful germs that increase the risk of annoying infections and diseases. Sydneysiders could be exposing themselves to a host of disease-causing bacteria every time they hit the beach this summer - and Bondi is one of the worst offenders Many of the germs were commonly found on humans, but the researchers also found bugs that can lead to skin infections, tummy upset and blood poisoning. Excilor chief operating officer Troy Guthrie, who oversaw the study, said some of the bugs had potentially serious health implications to many unknowing beachgoers. Harmful bacteria was revealed to be lurking on footpaths, foot rinsing areas, stairs, and in toilet facilities and change rooms at many frequently visited beaches. 'The hot and humid weather in Sydney recently has only worsened the problem, creating a perfect breeding ground for these nasties,' Mr Guthrie said. Among those bugs identified were Aeromonas Caviae, which causes tummy upset, Staphlococcus Aureus, which results in skin infections, and Moraxella, which causes eye infections, meningitis and blood poisoning. Other unwanted side effects of the pesky bugs included skin and fungal infections, urinary tract infections and the all-too-common swimmer's ear. New research released this week from diagnostic laboratory SydPath showed some of the city's most popular beaches are rife with disgusting and harmful germs Other unwanted side effects of the pesky bugs included skin and fungal infections, urinary tract infections and the all-too-common swimmer's ear While many germs were found either at Bondi, Coogee, Manly or Balmoral, the most frequently visited beach of all - the iconic Bondi - was rife with more than one bug. The shocking research highlights the common misconception that swimming in the ocean is good for wounds and infections. Mr Guthrie said the typical 'Aussie way' of going barefoot is also contributing to the outbreak of germs at many popular beachside locations. A survey by Excilor found that nearly two in three Aussies (62%) admitted to using communal areas at beaches while going barefoot despite knowing the risks. Among those bugs identified were some that cause tummy upset and urinary tract infections Sports podiatrist Mo Maarj told Daily Mail Australia moist areas such as pavements, showers and toilet blocks are the perfect breeding ground for infections. 'Although it may seem innocent, by walking around barefoot in communal areas, you could be picking up harmful bacteria that can make yourself and your family very ill,' Maarj said. He added while there is a popular misconception that the beach or ocean heals infections and wounds, this is not the case. 'While the multiplication of most bacteria stops with contact to salt, there are certain types, such as Staphylococcus aureus, that thrive in salt water. 'The research has shown multiple bacteria and infections live around the beach so it's recommended to stay away from these areas until your wound is healed,' he said. Mexican drug lord Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzman reportedly ran a cocaine train from Mexico to New York City, an informant testified on Monday. 'Chapo decided who could use the train route,' former cartel member Tirso Martinez Sanchez told jurors, according to the New York Post. Sanchez told the court that he started to oversee the train's operations around 2000. According to Sanchez, tankers would transport cooking oil into Mexico where the oil would be siphoned out and and kilos of cocaine would be stacked inside. Mexican drug lord Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzman reportedly ran a cocaine train from Mexico to New York City, informant, Tirso Martinez Sanchez (pictured), testified on Monday Oil would then be added to the bottom of the container so that the tankers would be able to pass through customs with no problems. According to the Post, the Sinaloa cartel members would dab the kilos with grease to throw off K-9 dogs' ability to detect the drugs. Between 2000 and 2003, the cartel made between $500million and $800million in cocaine sales from New York, Los Angeles and Chicago. Martinez told the court that El Chapo was a Choo Choo Charlie and would often boast about 'inventing' the train routes. Once the kilos arrived in New Jersey, trucks would then transport them over to New York City. Martinez told the court that his men would then meet with distributors at McDonalds or Burger King inside the fast-food chains. Guzman was extradited to the US last year from Mexico. He has pleaded not guilty to drug-trafficking charges 'We would tell them what car held the drugs, and hand them over the keys,' he said, according to the Post. Last month, former cartel crony-turned-government witness Miguel Angel Martinez, described to jurors how the cartel was smuggling tons of cocaine into the US - through tunnels dug under the border, in the tanker trucks with secret compartments, and even in fake chili pepper cans. 'They [workers] got intoxicated because whenever you would press the kilos, it would release cocaine into the air,' Martinez told the jury in his colorful testimony. What came back in the other direction, he said, was tens of millions of dollars in cash. Much of it ended up in Tijuana, where Guzman would send his three private jets each month to pick it up, Martinez said. On average, each plane would carry up to $10million, he said. The cartel used stash houses to hide much of the cash, Martinez said. Samsonite suitcases stuffed with US currency also were taken to Mexican banks, where workers were bribed to exchange it for pesos, no questions asked, he said. Guzman (pictured in January 2016) faces life behind bars if convicted of operating a continuing criminal enterprise, murder conspiracy, and other charges Guzman also used his jets to fly around Mexico with armed bodyguards to visit all his homes, including an Acapulco beach house featuring the zoo with a 'little train' used to ride around and see lions, tigers and panthers, he said. There also was a yacht docked there called 'Chapito,' he said. Guzman was extradited to the US last year from Mexico. He has pleaded not guilty to drug-trafficking charges, with his lawyers claiming he's being framed by shady cooperators. Last month, a defense attorney suggested Angel Martinez couldn't be trusted as a witness, saying he had such a severe cocaine habit while he was working for Guzman that it damaged his nose. He admitted that 'unfortunately' he was using up to four grams of coke each day at the time, but hadn't touched it for 20 years. Guzman faces life behind bars if convicted of operating a continuing criminal enterprise, murder conspiracy, and other charges. The wife of Sinoloa drug cartel leader Joaquin El Chapo Guzman says she never noticed her husband doing anything illegal while they were together. Emma Coronel Aispuro, the Los Angeles-born Mexican beauty queen, has been seen in Brooklyn federal court in recent weeks while her husband stands trial on multiple charges including murder, drug trafficking, and money laundering. Aispuro told the Spanish-language Telemundo channel on Monday that it was the media who built up El Chapos image as a notorious drug kingpin. [The media] made him too famous, Coronel said of her husband. They [the media] dont want to bring him down from the pedestal. Emma Coronel Aispuro (above), the wife of Sinoloa drug cartel leader Joaquin El Chapo Guzman, says she never noticed her husband doing anything illegal while they were together In a rare television interview, Aispuro, 29, said shes doing what any wife would do - appear a few feet away from her husband while he stands trial In the rare interview, Aispuro, 29, said shes doing what any wife would do - appear a few feet away from her husband while he stands trial. I think its what any wife would do in my place, be with her husband in difficult times, Coronel said. In one way or another so that he feels, and sees me present, and feels my support. Aispuro told Telemundo that her husband partly likes the notoriety that he has attained. You have to be honest, I think he did like it, he does like it a little, she said. She said that the intense coverage could be a positive since media pressure is present and everything can be clearer and everyone can see what really happens in court. Aispuro first caught El Chapos eye when she competed in a beauty pageant in 2006. She is a niece of a former partner of El Chapos, Ignacio Nacho Coronel. At El Chapos trial in Brooklyn, an informant testified on Monday that the Mexican drug lord ran a cocaine train from Mexico to New York City. Chapo decided who could use the train route,' former cartel member Tirso Martinez Sanchez told jurors, according to the New York Post. Sanchez told the court that he started to oversee the train's operations around 2000. According to Sanchez, tankers would transport cooking oil into Mexico where the oil would be siphoned out and and kilos of cocaine would be stacked inside. Assistant U.S. attorney Michael Robotti (far left) questions Tirso Martinez-Sanchez (second left) during El Chapo's (far right) trial as Judge Brian Cogan and defense attorney A. Eduardo Balarezo look on, in this courtroom sketch in Brooklyn federal court on Monday In one way or another so that he feels, and sees me present, and feels my support, Aispuro says of her courtroom appearances like the one depicted in the above sketch Oil would then be added to the bottom of the container so that the tankers would be able to pass through customs with no problems. According to the Post, the Sinaloa cartel members would dab the kilos with grease to throw off K-9 dogs' ability to detect the drugs. Between 2000 and 2003, the cartel made between $500million and $800million in cocaine sales from New York, Los Angeles and Chicago. Martinez told the court that El Chapo was a Choo Choo Charlie and would often boast about 'inventing' the train routes. Once the kilos arrived in New Jersey, trucks would then transport them over to New York City. Martinez told the court that his men would then meet with distributors at McDonalds or Burger King inside the fast-food chains. We would tell them what car held the drugs, and hand them over the keys,' he said, according to the Post. Last month, former cartel crony-turned-government witness Miguel Angel Martinez, described to jurors how the cartel was smuggling tons of cocaine into the U.S. - through tunnels dug under the border, in the tanker trucks with secret compartments, and even in fake chili pepper cans. 'They [workers] got intoxicated because whenever you would press the kilos, it would release cocaine into the air,' Martinez told the jury in his colorful testimony. What came back in the other direction, he said, was tens of millions of dollars in cash. Much of it ended up in Tijuana, where Guzman would send his three private jets each month to pick it up, Martinez said. On average, each plane would carry up to $10million, he said. Guzman was extradited to the U.S. last year from Mexico. He has pleaded not guilty to drug-trafficking charges, with his lawyers claiming he's being framed by shady cooperators. He is seen during his extradition on January 19, 2017 The cartel used stash houses to hide much of the cash, Martinez said. Samsonite suitcases stuffed with U.S. currency also were taken to Mexican banks, where workers were bribed to exchange it for pesos, no questions asked, he said. Guzman also used his jets to fly around Mexico with armed bodyguards to visit all his homes, including an Acapulco beach house featuring the zoo with a 'little train' used to ride around and see lions, tigers and panthers, he said. There also was a yacht docked there called 'Chapito,' he said. Guzman was extradited to the U.S. last year from Mexico. He has pleaded not guilty to drug-trafficking charges, with his lawyers claiming he's being framed by shady cooperators. Last month, a defense attorney suggested Angel Martinez couldn't be trusted as a witness, saying he had such a severe cocaine habit while he was working for Guzman that it damaged his nose. He admitted that 'unfortunately' he was using up to four grams of coke each day at the time, but hadn't touched it for 20 years. Guzman faces life behind bars if convicted of operating a continuing criminal enterprise, murder conspiracy, and other charges. While the industry welcomes the Commissions aim of simplifying Solvency II and increasing proportionality in its application, the proposals lack ambition in several important areas. Unless the final text is improved, the Commission will miss a key opportunity to remove barriers to long-term investment and to unlock insurers capacity to support the growth that Europes economy so desperately needs. The Commissions proposals for the recalibration of long-term equity and the review of the risk margin both of which have a significant impact on insurers capacity for long-term investments and to support the objectives of the Commissions Capital Markets Union project must be more ambitious. While acknowledging the Commissions recognition that action is needed on long-term equity investments, Insurance Europe warned that the Commissions technical proposal will not work in practice. It is therefore calling for swift action by the Commission to amend its proposal so that it has the intended impact. Regarding the risk margin, it should first be noted that this is a conceptual element of Solvency II that, according to the European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority, accounts for 200 billion of insurers capital and is over and above the amount needed to pay customer claims. There is significant evidence that the 6% cost of capital, a key element of its calibration, is too high. This impacts, in particular, long-term products and investment. If the Commission continues to ignore this evidence and preserve the status quo, it will miss a key opportunity to reduce the current barriers to long-term investment by insurers. While a more complete review of its purpose and design can take place in the 2020 review, a first step is needed and justified now. Insurance Europe also said the review provides the opportunity to take a first step in improving the design of the volatility adjustment, by refining the trigger mechanism for the application of the country adjustment. It also raised other concerns, including the need to avoid unnecessary limits on the calculation of loss absorbing capacity of deferred tax (LAC DT), which can be found in its response to the consultation. A P-plate driver has been charged after allegedly stabbing another man in a violent road rage attack on a busy Sydney motorway. Footage obtained by Nine News showed two drivers, both 42, in a heated argument on the Westlink M7 near Glendenning on November 30. 'Who the f*** do you think you are?' the driver of a Toyota Corolla, who was dressed in a hi-vis vest, was heard yelling at the other man. 'And what? And what?' responded the Hilux driver. During the confrontation, the Hilux driver was allegedly stabbed in the abdomen as his wife and child watched on. The two drivers (pictured) were in a heated argument on the M7 motorway in Sydney before one was allegedly stabbed The injured man tried to drive to a nearby hospital before deciding to pull over in Doonside, where his passenger called for an ambulance. He later had emergency surgery. A Punchbowl man was charged on Monday morning with reckless wounding among other offences. He is also accused of throwing an object at the Hilux, which allegedly sparked the confrontation. He appeared at Mt Druitt Local Court and was refused bail to reappear at the same court on Tuesday. Despite tough new immigration policies imposed by the Trump administration, the United States is still the top pick by far for migrants seeking a new home. Some 158 million people have desires to move to the U.S. The number accounts for around 21 percent of all those in the world seeking a new home. The U.S. beats other supposedly attractive countries including Canada and some European countries. Many left-leaning news outlets suggesting President Donald Trump's immigration policies is scaring off immigrants The numbers don't lie - the U.S. still the most popular country migrants aspire to move to But the United States is still the top pick for migrants seeking a new home beating other countries including Canada and parts of Europe Most immigrants who are looking to leave their home countries live in Sub-Saharan Africa, Latin American and the Caribbean Where do migrants want to move to? 158 million chose the U.S. 47 million Canada 42 million Germany 36 million France or Australia 34 million the United Kingdom 24 million Saudi Arabia 21 million Spain 17 million Japan 15 million Italy Advertisement In a worldwide survey, Gallup found that 15 percent of the world, or 758 million, want to move, most for jobs. Gallup noted that although the United States' reputation had taken a beating internationally presumably because many do not like President Trump, it doesn't appear to have lessened the desire of migrants to come to the country. 'Although the image of U.S. leadership took a beating between 2016 and 2017, the U.S. continues to be the most desired destination country for potential migrants,' Gallup said. Recent scenes along the border back such findings with thousands making their way to the U.S. by foot from El Salvador, and Honduras. Much of sub-Saharan Africa as well as Latin America have populations that would like to leave War torn countries appear to be a good reason for people wanting to leave their countries In those two countries and the Dominican Republic, half of the citizens in those countries want to leave. As the Trump administration made border security a priority, the White House introduced a 'zero tolerance' on immigration enforcement, which persecuted anyone attempting to enter the U.S illegally. Despite the huge number of 158 million wanting to move to the U.S. it does not necessarily follow that the country's population will see a 50 percent increase in population. 'While this increase in the desire to migrate may set off alarms among those who would like to see fewer people on the move, Gallup typically finds that the percentage of those who have plans to move is much lower than the percentage who would like to move,' said the survey company. Coupled with the fact Trump's stricter immigration policies have introduced limits on refugees and other immigrants, it also makes it extremely that there will be a rise in successful applicants allowed to call the U.S. home. By David Shepardson WASHINGTON, Dec 10 (Reuters) - The chief executive officer of Alphabet Inc's Google on Monday defended the integrity of the company's products a day ahead of a congressional hearing where he is expected to face tough questions from U.S. lawmakers. The technology company has been under fire on Capitol Hill over issues including why it delayed disclosing vulnerabilities with its Google+ social network, whether it will restart its search engine in China and if it is biased against Republicans. Three Democratic senators wrote the Federal Trade Commission in October asking the agency to investigate Google+. In written testimony to the House Judiciary Committee made public on Monday, CEO Sundar Pichai said he led the company "without political bias." "We work hard to ensure the integrity of our products, and weve put a number of checks and balances in place to ensure they continue to live up to our standards," Pichai's testimony said. "I lead this company without political bias and work to ensure that our products continue to operate that way. To do otherwise would go against our core principles and our business interests." Pichai agreed in September to testify over Republican concerns that the company is biased against conservatives. Google has repeatedly denied this. The company faced renewed criticism on Capitol Hill after senior executives skipped a high-profile Senate Intelligence Committee hearing earlier in September. Google previously told U.S. lawmakers it was considering "a variety of options" to offer additional services in China, but declined to detail plans for addressing Chinese censorship. The company has been criticized after reports it was considering re-entering Chinas search engine market and would comply with its internet censorship and surveillance policies. Pichai said in his testimony that "even as we expand into new markets we never forget our American roots." He added that "we do work, and we will continue to work, with the government to keep our country safe and secure." Pichai may face questions about Google+. On Monday, Google said it would shut down Google+ in April, four months ahead of schedule, after finding a software flaw for the second time this year that allowed partner apps to access its users' private data. However, Google said in a blog post it found no evidence that any other apps had accessed the data, such as name, email, gender and age, using the latest bug. It affected 52.5 million Google+ accounts, including some business customers, for six days after it was introduced last month, Google said. (Reporting by David Shepardson in Washington Editing by Matthew Lewis) A Holocaust survivor could be stripped of his Order of Australia after allegedly groping two young carers at his luxurious mansion. Aron Kleinlehrer appeared in a Sydney court last week but charges against him were dismissed based on mental health grounds, The Australian reported. The 96-year-old was charged with four counts of aggravated indecent assault against the carers, aged 20 and 31, between April and December 2017 at his home in Vaucluse, an upmarket suburb in Sydney's east. Aron Kleinlehrer appeared in a Sydney court last week where he was ordered 'a very strict treatment plan' but the charges were dismissed based on mental health ground The 96-year-old was previously charged with four counts of aggravated indecent assault against the carers aged 20 and 31, between April and December 2017, at his home in Vaucluse, in the eastern suburbs of Sydney The 31-year-old carer reportedly nominated Mr Kleinlehrer for the Order of Australia because he wanted to be nominated and stating that she had been impressed by his work and support for a Jewish school. 'He believed in education, and funding children's education,' she said. 'I wanted to give that to somebody who has given so much.' Following her nomination, she alleges Mr Kleinlehrer indecently assaulted her. Police facts read in court allege Mr Kleinlehrer grabbed the carer's breast, as well as grabbing her buttocks and vagina outside of her clothing. During the alleged assault she told him that his actions were unwelcome, but he told her to be loyal and remain silent, police said. During the alleged assault she told him that his actions were unwelcome, but he told her to be loyal and remain silent, police said This year, Mr Kleinlehrer received a medal of the Order of Australia this year 'for service to the community through a range of organisations', the publication reported. This led to the woman writing to the Governor-General's office asking for the medal to be withdrawn for his actions. According to The Australian, the manager of the Order of Australia, Glenn Gore Phillips, replied saying he would 'bring your email to the attention of the council' at its next meeting. The younger carer also supported the move to strip Mr Kleinlehrer of his medal, after he allegedly forcefully kissed her while holding her head. The younger carer also supported the move to strip Mr Kleinlehrer of his medal, after he allegedly forcefully kissed her while holding her head A spokesperson of the Governor General's office told Daily Mail Australia that they are unable to comment on individual cases. 'We are unable to comment on individual cases regarding the consideration of the termination or cancellation of an award in the Order of Australia,' the spokesperson said. 'We can advise that the Council for the Order of Australia investigates matters brought to its attention and considers each case individually. 'After due process, as outlined in the Terminations and Cancellations Ordinance of the Constitution of the Order of Australia, the Council recommends appropriate action to the Governor-General as the Chancellor of the Order. 'Any decision made by the Governor-General is on the advice of the Council.' Magistrate Jacqueline Milledge was informed by a psychiatrist that Mr Kleinlehrer was suffering from dementia, and said her final decision was a 'line-ball call', the publication reported. Yet another Christmas Grinch has been caught on camera stealing presents from the doorstep of a family home. Locals have dubbed the brazen thief the 'Grinch of Blakeview' after she was filmed taking a parcel from a property in the northern suburb of Adelaide last week. The package contained T-shirts worth $200, which its purchaser had planned to give to friends and family on December 25, victim Laura Dootson told Seven News. 'I was so angry, so angry. She is a Christmas Grinch. It's not nice, people come home expecting there to be a parcel and it's gone,' Ms Dootson said. Yet another Christmas Grinch has been caught on camera stealing presents from the doorstep of a family home (pictured) Pictures of the woman, who stole the package about an hour after it was delivered, were rapidly circulated on social media Pictures of the woman, who stole the package about an hour after it was delivered, were rapidly circulated on social media. 'We wanted to let people in the area know that someone is going around stealing parcels and [to] be careful what you leave out,' Ms Dootson said. The Facebook post, which has been shared more than 23,000 times, drew thousands of comments from locals who labelled the theft 'disgusting'. 'Bloody low life - what's the world coming to,' one person commented, while another suggested: 'Put animal sh** in a box and see if she picks it up.' The package contained T-shirts worth $200, which its purchaser had planned to give to friends and family on December 25, victim Laura Dootson (pictured) said Locals have dubbed the brazen thief the 'Grinch of Blakeview' after she was filmed taking a parcel from a property in the northern suburb of Adelaide last week Another woman who was fed up with having her Christmas parcels stolen found a way to exact revenge. Crysti-Lei Arnold has been leaving 'decoy boxes' outside her Perth home after a string of deliveries were taken by thieves in the lead up to the festive season. CCTV footage captured a motorcyclist taking the bait this weekend. 'So after last weeks theft, we put out a decoy box, full of bricks. Some d*** brain just stole it,' Ms Arnold posted. Another woman has been leaving 'decoy boxes' at her doorstep after a string of Christmas deliveries were taken. CCTV footage captured a motorcyclist take the bait this weekend The man rode to her front door and without hesitation picked up the box. As he made a speedy getaway, Ms Arnold opened her door, yelled inaudibly at the rider and flipped him the bird. The woman later clarified on social media what she shouted at the man: 'I believe it was something along the lines of 'enjoy our bricks, d*** brain''. 'Because I am known for my eloquence and grace and would hate to disappoint.' The man was seen in surveillance footage riding to the front door and picking up the box As he made a speedy getaway, Ms Arnold opened her door, yelled inaudibly at the rider and flipped him the bird Last week, the same surveillance camera captured a woman snatch another package from Ms Arnold's doorstep. 'I hope your kids enjoy their dog food for Christmas,' Ms Arnold captioned the video. In Sydney last month, a heartless thief was caught on camera stealing presents from doorsteps after following Australia Post vans to find her victims. The woman was caught in the act on CCTV carrying a box she grabbed from a home in Mount Colah in the Ku-ring-gai area of the city's north. Last week, the same surveillance camera captured a woman snatch another package from Ms Arnold's doorstep One victim filmed the shocking act on her CCTV cameras and said the thief followed the postage van in a grey car and waited for it to drop off its package. 'Australia Post said it's very common this time of the year for thieves to do this,' with so many gifts being bought online, she said. 'I'm so angry that someone would blatantly do something like this, like they're entitled to it because it's not locked up.' Detective Inspector Neil Higgins said it was the third theft of packages from the front of a house reported to Ku-ring-gai police in November. One victim filmed an incident in Sydney and said the thief followed the postage van in a grey car and waited for it to drop off its package The other two were in Pymble on November 7 and Warrawee on November 16, but neither had security cameras. Australia Post often leaves packages on doorsteps when there is no one home, unless the parcel requires a signature for delivery. The corporation says directing parcels to an address where someone can sign for them is the best method to stop doorstep theft. Customers can also direct their parcels to free postal lockers where they can be securely stored until they are collected. A former lawyer who invented his own superhero called 'Excuseman' has pleaded guilty to theft for bamboozling more than $1million from his clients. Jordan Margolis was first indicted in 2016 on 36 felony counts of theft for settling more than a dozen cases without clients' knowledge then using the money for his personal use. He pleaded guilty Monday in Cook County, Illinois to a single count of theft in a plea deal with prosecutors, the Chicago Tribune reported. Margolis faces up to three years behind bars and a $25,000 fine. His sentencing is scheduled for next June. Margolis, 64, reportedly settled crash, wrongful death and personal injury cases for the clients, Assistant States Attorney Wayne Jakalski said in a statement to the judge Monday. Former personal injury lawyer Jordan Margolis (pictured left in 'Excuseman' costume and right in a mugshot) has pleaded guilty to theft for bamboozling more than $1million from his clients Excuseman.com, formerly run by Margolis, now reads in part: 'Jordan Lee Margolis, now apparently going by the name Jack Leiv, has hurt a lot of people' He used a portion of the money to fund his bizarre superhero character and had made two costumes made, published three books and produced online content for a YouTube channel. Margolis reportedly settled crash, wrongful death and personal injury cases for the clients, Assistant States Attorney Wayne Jakalski (pictured) said in a statement to the judge Monday Margolis is a graduate of Northwestern Law School and has a history of working personal injury cases. He also lured his clients in with his upscale office, according to the Tribune. Excuseman.com, formerly run by Margolis, now reads: 'Jordan Lee Margolis, now apparently going by the name Jack Leiv, has hurt a lot of people... his standard response to this is to make a joke, usually a bad one. 'He claims to be a good guy, a nice guy, a funny guy, pointing to his awful attempts at humor as proof. 'He has now been charged with 36 felony counts, including theft, theft by deception, misappropriation of financial institution property, continuing a financial crimes enterprise, and forgery. Nice guy.' Margolis (pictured) lost his law license in 2015 Margolis' Facebook page says he currently lives in Los Angeles The website further states: 'BE VERY CAREFUL! If you think you know "Jack", you might want to do a little bit of research first, to find out who you're REALLY dealing with. 'This is scary stuff. Horror movie stuff. The funny, smooth-talking, friendly guy you think you know is VERY DIFFERENT than the persona that is being presented to you.' Margolis' Facebook page says he currently lives in Los Angeles. He lost his law license in 2015. Fast food giants KFC and McDonalds have been struggling to fully satisfy their customers as both chains rate poorly with consumers. Australian customers have not been loving both brands it seems, with McDonalds ranking the lowest in the latest Roy Morgan customer satisfaction poll. KFC has edged higher on the list but only slightly, landing at 17 out of 19 fast food restaurants. Scroll down for video Australian customers have not been loving both brands it seems, with McDonalds ranking the lowest in the latest Roy Morgan customer satisfaction poll Domino's and Hungry Jack's were also at the lower end of the list. At the other end of the spectrum was Nando's, Mad Mex and Subway, which all boast an 86 per cent satisfaction rating. The top spot went to quick-serve Italian food chain, Fasta Pasta, with an impressive 95 per cent satisfaction rating. This has been a big turnaround for the company, which saw customer satisfaction slump to around 80 per cent in 2016 and 2017. Fastfood giants KFC and McDonalds have been struggling to fully satisfy their customers as both chains rate poorly with consumers Fasta Pasta began clawing its way back up the list, taking back its top spot in July with a rating of 92 per cent after Grill'd spent a year at the top of the customer satisfaction ladder. Since then the Italian food chain that operates mainly in South Australia and Queensland has won four consecutive monthly satisfaction nods. Competition was tight in October with Crust Pizza taking home bronze for customer satisfaction, rating 90.8 per cent. Fast food satisfaction rating: McDonald's: 70.2 per cent KFC: 73.7 per cent Domino's: 77.3 per cent Hungry Jacks: 77.7 per cent Nando's: 86.0 per cent Mad Mex: 86.6 per cent Subway: 87.3 per cent Source: Roy Morgan Advertisement Subway followed with 87.3 per cent, Mad Mex was at 86.6 per cent and Nandos was at 86 per cent. 'Quick-service restaurants are always treading a fine line between speed of service and price point on the one hand, and keeping up levels of customer satisfaction on the other,' Roy Morgan chief executive Michele Levine said. 'Clearly Fasta Pasta is striking that balance. 'Sometimes its the little things that convince a customer to keep coming back, but knowing what will push their buttons means knowing exactly who is visiting the store and what they value.' Children as young as nine are terrorising locals in Western Australia - but police are powerless to do anything because they are too young. Locals are afraid to leave their homes or go shopping in case they are assaulted by gangs of masked kids on bikes. Footage obtained by 7News showed the gangs roaming around Maddington, in Perth, on push bikes as well as threatening reporters and cameramen. Police were unable to arrest the youngsters because many of them were below the age of criminal responsibility. One young boy, who's face was blurred to protect his identity, threatened to 'smash the camera', before laughing with his friends Some locals expressed their fear of leaving their homes, let alone catching public transport or going to Maddington Village shopping centre One young boy, whose face was blurred to protect his identity, threatened to 'smash the camera', before laughing with his friends. Other children covered their faces with clothing as they patrolled the streets. Resident Nicole de Vincentis said some of the illegal activity included 'breaking into cars, breaking and entering, physical assaults, tearing up public property'. Residents of Ellenbrook, in Perth's north-east, say young children in the area have vandalised dozens of homes and vehicles but are too young for police to be able to take action 'There is basically no end to the relentless behaviour,' she said. She added that an elderly resident was recently attacked before being forced to an ATM where he withdrew his savings for the thugs. 'The police are at their wits' end. Their resources are being exhausted.' Some locals said they were too frightened to leave their homes, catch public transport or go to Maddington Village shopping centre - known as a hub for the youths to meet. Two youths (pictured) were captured on CCTV carrying a television from a home But police say their hands were tied in a lot of the situations due to the children's ages. The age of criminal responsibility in Australia is 10. The revelation came after children in Ellenbrook in Perth's north-east had vandalised dozens of homes and vehicles, stolen electrical items and made death threats, residents claim. A nine-year-old local boy and his friends were also behind the trouble there. 'People are ready to take law into their own hands because people are petrified of him, we've gone to police, we're asking police for help but when he gets returned home sometimes three times a night, he goes back out and does it again,' one resident told 9 News. Melvin Dummar died never seeing the $156 million that he argued for decades that eccentric billionaire Howard Hughes unexpectedly bequeathed to him for rescuing him on a desert road and driving him nearly three hours to Las Vegas in 1967. Dummar, whose story was depicted in the 1980 film 'Melvin and Howard,' died Sunday under hospice care in rural Nevada, said Nye County Sheriff Sharon Wehrly. He was 74. His brother, Ray Dummar said his brother battled cancer for many years and quit referring to the Hughes estate and the handwritten document after losing his last legal battle 10 years ago. Melvin Dummar smiles after signing copies of a book in 2005 that Gary Magnesen had written about Dummar's claims that Howard Hughes left him a portion of the Hughes estate Howard Hughes was an aviation and movie mogul and business tycoon who spent his final years in seclusion The so-called 'Mormon will' was said to have also named The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as beneficiary of $156 million- a 1/16 share of the Hughes estate - when he died in 1976. 'I've been called everything from a crook to a forger,' Dummar told the AP in 2007 in Utah, where he once owned a gas station and later ran a business selling frozen meat, salmon and big pies. 'I don't care what people say - as long as they get the facts straight,' he said. Melvin Dummar and his attorney Stuart Stein, left, arrive at federal court in Salt Lake City Jurors and judges decided he lied. A U.S. appeals court in 2008 affirmed a Nevada state court jury's decision 30 years earlier that found the will was a fake. Dummar maintained that he found Hughes in late December 1967, face-down and bloody on a dirt road not far from a brothel near Lida, Nevada, and drove him nearly 190 miles (306 kilometers) to Las Vegas before giving him some pocket change and dropping him off behind the Sands Hotel. Dummar's story about finding an unshaved Hughes with long stringy hair and baggy clothes was as bizarre as Hughes, an aviation and movie mogul and business tycoon who spent his final years in seclusion, his hair and fingernails grown long. Dummar loads up with product from a meat packing company in Tooele, Utah. Dummar maintained that he found Hughes in late December 1967, face-down and bloody on a dirt road not far from a brothel near Lida, Nevada Dummar quit referring to the Hughes estate and the handwritten document after losing his last legal battle 10 years ago. 'On the way to Las Vegas, he told me who he was, but I didn't believe him,' Dummar told the AP in 2006. 'I thought he was just a bum or a prospector or something.' Dummar said he later came to believe it was Hughes, and that about eight years later a handwritten will was delivered to his gas station in Utah. Dummar said it was addressed to the president of the Mormon church. He said he steamed it open to read the contents before taking it to the church's headquarters and leaving it on a secretary's desk. One minute she was excitedly fetching Christmas presents to show her mum, the next she was gone. A chilling note circulating online describes a mother's horror after her seven-year-old daughter was allegedly kidnapped from a Kmart store and then sexually assaulted in bushland nearby. The post - which has been viewed by thousands of parents on Facebook - was put online after the alleged abduction from the Kmart at a Westfield shopping centre in North Lakes, north of Brisbane. The alleged abduction was mentioned in a mother's Facebook post which warned parents to keep a close eye on their children during the frantic Christmas shopping season 'A young girl was abducted from the shop and her mum was right there. The mum was looking at something and the child was bringing toys to her mum to show her which ones she wanted for Christmas,' the post reads. 'Then all of a sudden she stopped coming back so mum looked and she was gone. They searched and called police. She was gone for 1.5 hours before she was returned. 'The police searched video footage and saw a man take her and return her 1.5 hours later. She was dazed and appeared drugged. 'Please please please do not leave children even for a second... This is way too close to home for me. I am always out with the two kids and would be a perfect target when I get distracted by one child and the other doesn't have my attention.' The haunting warning comes as parents across the nation head to shopping centre with their children as they do their Christmas shopping. The 26-year-old man allegedly lured the girl from her mother when she was out of sight at a Kmart store (stock image) A 26-year-old man allegedly lured the girl from her mother when she was out of sight at the Kmart store. He then allegedly drove her to bushland in Pumicestone Passage before sexually assaulting her. After the assault, the girl was driven back to the shopping centre and left there. The man has been charged with taking a child for immoral purposes, deprivation of liberty and indecent treatment of a child under 12. He will face court on Tuesday, a Queensland Police spokeswoman told Daily Mail Australia. President Donald Trump's intensifying legal troubles are unnerving some of his fellow Republicans. Despite his brash stance, they believe the turmoil has left him increasingly vulnerable as he gears up for what is sure to be a nasty fight for re-election. Trump, ever confident of his ability to bend story lines to his will, mocks the investigations into his conduct as candidate and president as a 'witch hunt' and insists he will survive the threats. But a shift began to unfold over the weekend after prosecutors in New York for the first time linked Trump to a federal crime of illegal hush payments, leaving some of his associates fearful that his customary bravado is unwarranted. President Donald Trump (right) announced Chief of Staff John Kelly (left) would be leaving the administration at the end of the year but has yet to find a suitable replacement For some Republicans, the implication that the president may have directed a campaign finance violation, which would be a felony, could foreshadow a true turning point in the Republican relationship with him when special counsel Robert Mueller releases his report on the Russia investigation. 'I'm sure there's going to be a lot more that's going to come out from the Southern District (of New York) and from, at some point, from the Mueller investigation as well,' Sen. John Thune of South Dakota, the chamber's incoming No. 2 Republican, said Monday. 'What they're implying there, obviously, is something I assume at some point the president will have an opportunity to respond to.' Thune continued, 'Campaign finance violations are something that ... they are serious matters, but obviously it depends a little bit on how it gets treated.' As the legal drama plays out, political challenges that could threaten Trump's re-election are piling up. President Donald Trump at the 2018 Project Safe Neighborhoods National Conference in Kansas City, Mo on Friday. Trump's growing legal peril has unnerved Republicans who believe the turmoil has left the president increasingly vulnerable Republicans are still coming to terms with their drubbing in last month's House elections and looking for someone to blame. The departure of John Kelly as White House chief of staff has set off a disorganized search for a replacement who could stay in the job through the 2020 campaign. After Trump's top choice, the vice president's chief of staff Nick Ayers, passed on the job, few of the remaining candidates have political experience. Also, Democrats will soon take control of the House of Representatives, wielding subpoena power and potentially exploring impeachment proceedings. Meanwhile, financial markets have been jittery, in part because of Trump's trade wars and concerns that higher borrowing costs could ultimately trigger a recession. Facing pressure from Mueller and an impending onslaught of Democratic investigations, Trump could hew even further to the right, catering exclusively to the base of voters he is concerned about losing, according to a Republican close to the White House who has consulted on the early re-election efforts. That instinct would echo the president's double-down, scorched-earth response to the crises that hit his 2016 campaign, including the 'Access Hollywood' tape about forcing himself on women, and could make it harder to woo the independent voters or disaffected Democrats he may well need. Could Trump face a primary election challenge from within his own party? He doesn't seem concerned. The president is eager to unleash his re-election machinery and begin to collect pledges of loyalty from across the GOP to quell any hint of an insurrection, according to a campaign official and a Republican familiar with the inner workings of the campaign but not authorized to speak publicly. The Trump team has discussed the possibility of a challenge from someone such as outgoing Ohio Gov. John Kasich (left) or Arizona Sen. Jeff Flake (right) The Trump team has discussed the possibility of a challenge from someone such as outgoing Ohio Gov. John Kasich or Arizona Sen. Jeff Flake. A week after the midterm elections, Kasich traveled to New Hampshire for a public speech and private meetings with prominent Republicans. Flake, who has tangled repeatedly with Trump, isn't making any personal commitment, but his feelings about a challenger are clear. 'Somebody needs to run' against Trump, he said Monday. 'I hope somebody does.' While some Democrats eying the White House are expected to announce campaigns in the first few weeks of 2019, a Republican challenger could move more slowly, according to two GOP operatives who have been involved in hypothetical discussions about taking on Trump. Waiting until early spring, for example, could give Republicans time to assess whether Trump will be weakened by Mueller's investigation or a downturn in the economy. One leading House Republican said the situation surrounding Trump remains volatile and has urged colleagues to wait for the Mueller report, which some believe could emerge early next year. That Republican, who demanded anonymity to assess the situation candidly, has urged fellow GOP lawmakers to not defend the indefensible but to also not believe every charge. The lawmaker expressed hope that the special counsel's findings come out sooner rather than later so there will be more time before the 2020 elections. For all the private and not-so-private party worries, many close to Trump predict he not only will survive the Russia investigation but will be re-elected in two years. For some Republicans, the implication by special counsel Robert Mueller (pictured) that the president may have directed a campaign finance violation, which would be a felony, could foreshadow a true turning point in the Republican relationship with him They point to his remarkable ability to shake off scandal, the sway he continues to hold over his base of GOP voters, the fear his Twitter account has instilled among many Republican elected officials and what they believe is the lack of top-shelf talent among Democrats who could face him in 2020. Echoing the president, they contend the special counsel has come up empty-handed in his efforts to prove Russian collusion and is ready to settle for a campaign finance charge they believe is minor and will be ignored or not understood by most voters. The president has said the lesson of the 2018 midterms is that Republican candidates abandon him at their own peril. And the Republicans who remain in Congress after that election aren't likely to back away from him. 'Remember that the Republicans who are left have won in fairly solid Republican, Trump districts,' said moderate Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen of Florida, who is retiring. 'So he is very popular with the base. I would not think that they would want to distance themselves or have any fear of associating with him.' Explorer Robert Ballard (seen above in 2015) led the team which found the wreckage of the Titanic in the North Atlantic Ocean in 1985 The discovery of the Titanic was initially a mission designed to trick the Soviet Union into thinking that the U.S. military was searching for the doomed ocean liner while it was also looking for two missing nuclear submarines. The Titanic, the luxury ocean liner which tragically sank to the bottom of the North Atlantic Ocean after colliding into an iceberg on April 15, 1912, was found on the ocean floor by a team led by Robert Ballard in 1985. Three years before the discovery, Ballard was a naval intelligence officer and oceanographer who was developing his own remote-control underwater vehicle. But he was running out of money and he needed funding, according to CBS News. So he asked the Navys Deputy Chief of Operations Ronald Thunman. He said, All my life I've wanted to go find the Titanic, Thunman said. And I was taken aback by that. I said, Come on, this is a serious, top secret operation. Find the Titanic? That's crazy! Thunman agreed to fund the Titanic expedition on one condition - that Ballard use the money and the time to also locate two nuclear submarines that went missing in the Atlantic in the 1960s. The Titanic was the luxury ocean liner which tragically sank to the bottom of the North Atlantic Ocean after colliding into an iceberg on April 15, 1912 On April 10, 1963, the USS Thresher sank during deep-diving tests more than 200 miles off the coast of Boston. All 129 crew and shipyard personnel died. Five years later, 99 crewmen died when their submarine, the USS Scorpion, mysteriously disappeared near the Azores, a Portuguese archipelago some 1,000 miles west of the European continent. So, it was a deal - you'll let me do what I want to do, if I do what you want to do, Ballard said. The story sounds similar to the plot line from the 1990 film The Hunt for Red October, Ballard said, because the Navy didnt want the Russians to know that he was looking for the downed nuclear submarines It was later learned that Ballard used the Titanic mission as a cover story for a top secret assignment - to locate two missing nuclear submarines. One of them, the USS Thresher, is seen in the above file photo In 1968, 99 crewmen died when their submarine, the USS Scorpion, mysteriously disappeared near the Azores, a Portuguese archipelago some 1,000 miles west of the European continent. The Scorpion is seen above in Portsmouth, England on May 10, 1960 Ballard said he needed the Titanic story as subterfuge. It was very top secret, Ballard said. And so I said, Well, let's tell the world I am going after the Titanic. Ballard managed to find the Thresher and the Scorpion, but it took him longer than expected. So he only had 12 days left to search for the ruins of the Titanic. I learned something from mapping the Scorpion that taught me how to find the Titanic: look for its trail of debris, Ballard said. It took him eight days to locate the ship, whereas others searched for nearly two months and didnt find it, Ballard said. In the final four days before his mission was up, Ballard did underwater filming of the Titanics wreckage. Of the estimated 2,400 who sailed on the Titanic when it left port at Southampton for New York City, more than 1,500 died. The remnants of the Titanic are seen above on the floor of the North Atlantic Ocean He said that his teams mood changed quickly as it got closer to the wreckage site. We realized we were dancing on someone's grave, and we were embarrassed, Ballard said. The mood, it was like someone took a wall switch and went click. And we became sober, calm, respectful, and we made a promise to never take anything from that ship, and to treat it with great respect. You don't go to Gettysburg with a shovel. You don't take belt buckles off the Arizona. Of the estimated 2,400 who sailed on the Titanic when it left port at Southampton for New York City, more than 1,500 died. The ocean liner is the subject of a new exhibit, Titanic: The Untold Story, at National Geographic Museum in Washington, D.C. Five children who were killed in a horrific house fire over the weekend have been identified by Ohio authorities. Aleysha Rosario, nine, three-year-old Charles Gunn, two-year-old, Ly'Asia Gunn, and one-year-old twins Brianna and Arianna Negron, all perished in the fire as their anguished mother, America Negron Acevedo, screamed for help. The children were killed after the home located at 434 Parkcliffe Avenue caught fire around 11.30pm Sunday night. Acevedo, 26, was naked and bleeding as she banged on the door of the house across the street and screamed for help in a fruitless plea to save her children, a neighbor said on Monday. Scroll down for video Aleysha Rosario, 9, Charles Gunn, three, Ly'Asia Gunn, two, and one-year-old twins Brianna and Arianna Negron, all died in an Ohio fire as their mom, America Acevedo, screamed for help. Acevedo is pictured with all five of the children Acevedo (left), 26, was naked and bleeding as she banged on the door of the house across the street and screamed for help in a fruitless plea to save her children (three pictured), a neighbor said on Monday Fire officials in Youngstown said the woman jumped from a second-story window and was the only survivor of the blaze. Her twin daughters, Arianna and Brianna, are pictured The children were killed after the home (pictured) located at 434 Parkcliffe Avenue caught fire around 11.30pm Sunday night Fire officials in Youngstown said the woman jumped from a second-story window and was the only survivor of the blaze. Neighbor Aaron Baldwin said by the time he awoke from the woman banging on his door, her house was engulfed in flames and there was no way for neighbors to rush inside. 'It was horrible. It was the worst thing you have to see,' said Baldwin, 28, who also has five young children. 'I'm seeing myself in her predicament.' District spokeswoman Denise Dick said Aleysha was a fourth-grader at a Youngstown elementary school, where counselors were being made available as news spread about the children's deaths. Most of the damage was on the first floor, leading investigators to believe the fire started there, said Capt Kurt Wright of the Youngstown Fire Department Firefighters managed to pull three of the children from the burning home. The children were given CPR and taken to the hospital for treatment, but died from their injuries The cause of the fire is under investigation, but authorities believe that it was an accident Their mother was taken to MetroHealth Medical Center in Cleveland and treated for her injuries. The hospital said she was stable but in critical condition Monday evening. Seventeen-year-old Edgar Daniel Negron said it was his aunt who was hospitalized and his cousins who died. He said the fire occurred while his aunt was spending rare time with all of her children under one roof. She has been studying nursing, and her children sometimes stayed with relatives or their godparents, but they were all together Sunday night, Negron said. State and local investigators are trying to determine what caused the blaze. They said nothing so far indicates the fire was suspicious. It swept through the old, two-story wood home after neighbors were awakened by a loud boom. Acevedo (pictured with her twins) was taken to MetroHealth Medical Center in Cleveland and treated for her injuries. The hospital said she was stable but in critical condition Monday evening Seventeen-year-old Edgar Daniel Negron his aunt, Acevedo, has been studying nursing, and her children sometimes stayed with relatives or their godparents, but they were all together Sunday night. Aleysha, Charles and Ly'Asia are pictured Mourners placed teddy bears outside the burned out remains of the house Monday morning Chandriel Strong, 29, breaks down while paying respects at the deadly fire scene on Monday Local residents react while paying respects at the scene of the Sunday night blaze Most of the damage was on the first floor, leading investigators to believe the fire started there, said Capt Kurt Wright of the Youngstown Fire Department. Firefighters found flames throughout the first floor when they arrived and were able to pull out three of the children. They were given CPR and taken to a nearby hospital, but they later died there from their injuries, Wright said. Fire Chief Barry Finley said two firefighters were injured. One suffered a cut to the chin and the second was inside the home when a ceiling collapsed on top of him. Finley said that firefighter suffered second-degree burns on his back. Both firefighters were treated and released. There was nobody else in the home at the time of the fire. The family had moved into the house earlier this year, according to neighbors and friends. The family was said to have moved into the home just six months prior to the fire. The house seen before the fire (left) and after the fire damage (right) Melissa Thomas (right) and daughter, Elissa Simione, fought back tears Monday as they passed by the house where the five children lost their lives the night before Bob Sharp, who works for the state fire marshal's office, was on site at the home Monday Virgen Bonilla said she was the children's babysitter. She visited the charred and boarded-up home Monday with her sister and a family friend to leave flowers at a makeshift memorial where stuffed animals were piled beneath balloons. 'These kids were always with me. They were my babies,' Bonilla said, wiping away tears with her scarf as she shared memories of them - how Aleysha loved to dance, and Charles sang in Spanish, and Ly'Asia was quieter and liked to be off by herself. Neighbor Jerry Fields also stopped outside the home to drop off stuffed animals. 'I needed to do something,' said Fields, 68. 'I didn't know what else to do.' Negron said he has organized a GoFundMe campaign to help with the funeral costs. City Councilwoman Anita Davis said the community plans to hold a dinner next week to raise funds for the family. TV host Osher Gunsberg has slammed a panel who believe the testing of illegal drugs at music events won't save lives. Gunsberg was a guest on Studio 10 on Monday morning, with debate in full swing following the death of 19-year-old Callum Brosnan at the Knockout Games of Destiny dance party in Sydney over the weekend. And the host of The Bachelor on Channel 10 was determined to voice his opinion. 'When will everyone learn that young people are always going to take drugs?' Gunsberg said. Punters at Saturday's Knockout Games of Destiny at Sydney Olympic Park Revellers at Knockout Games of Destiny dance party in Sydney over the weekend 'Your grand-kids, your kids will take drugs at festivals. It is going to happen. 'Wouldn't you prefer they know what they're taking?' Studio 10 host Kerri-Anne Kennerley criticised Gunsberg's 'pill tent' proposal, with the one time Australian Idol co-host quick to point out trained staff could offer important information to drug users about the substances they were planning to take. 'The wonderful thing about having a pill testing tent is that you then have immediate access to the person who already has the intent [to take drugs],' Gunsberg said. 'It's an opportunity to talk with that person and ask 'do you know what this is going to do? Do you know how many is too many? Make sure you keep drinking water. Make sure your friends are around you'. Gunsberg also took to Twitter to reinforce his views on pill testing, reiterating that experimenting with illegal drugs is a personal choice, before adding measures should be in place to ensure the safety of patrons whenever possible at music events. Osher Gunsberg has been outspoken disagreed with a possible link between upbringing and taking illegal drugs Gunsberg points out pill testing has proven to be a success elsewhere NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian used Brosnan's passing to confirm her stance on the society issue. Berejiklian told a scrum of reporters on Sunday she was opposed to the idea. 'We know that pill testing won't work because it will give people a green light to take substances, which in the end could still kill them,' she said. Richard Adams's 1972 masterpiece was about bunnies, but there were none of the usual Flopsies, Mopsies and Cottontails most young readers would expect Watership Down was not like other children's books. Not even a bit. There were flower-strewn meadows drenched in blood; plucky little rabbits that were maimed and tortured; political overtones; mythological and religious undertones and, for good measure, a dollop of chauvinism and misogyny. Yes, Richard Adams's 1972 masterpiece was about bunnies, but there were none of the usual Flopsies, Mopsies and Cottontails most young readers would expect. It was the scary, haunting, gory and utterly brilliant story of the brave adventures of a small band of rabbits called Fiver, Hazel, Bigwig and Silver against an evil totalitarian rabbit called General Woundwort. The book, which has sold over 50 million copies and won endless awards along with the 1978 animated film, voiced by John Hurt, Richard Briers and Nigel Hawthorne is imprinted on the brain of any child brave enough to have read it to the end. But while everyone lapped it up reading and watching, sometimes from behind hands or sofas, as rabbits were caught in snares and bled from the mouth grown-ups worked themselves into a lather. Parents and teachers worried we'd be irretrievably damaged by the sight of a rabbit with its throat ripped out. Feminists fretted at the shabby literary treatment of the docile does, and everyone wept at Art Garfunkel's Bright Eyes film theme tune. Ever since, academics in books, lectures, discussions and dissertations have been trying to unravel the book's true meaning. Was Woundwort an allegory for Communist dictator Joseph Stalin? Was the book informed by Nazi Germany? Adams had, after all, served in the war, if not in active service. Was Hazel really Jesus Christ? Was it a parable about the torrid Seventies political era in which he wrote it? And what should be read into the Homeric themes of exile, courage and survival? 'No, no, no, no and nothing!' cried Adams's daughters, Juliet and Rosamond, now 60 and 58, this week. Interviewed in the Radio Times to discuss the new two-part animated film of Watership Down, starring James McAvoy, Gemma Arterton, Nicholas Hoult, Anne-Marie Duff, Olivia Colman and Sir Ben Kingsley and co-produced by the BBC and Netflix they say there is no hidden meaning behind their father's masterpiece. A blood-soaked Greek myth. An author who loathed sentimentality. Two terrified daughters... the macabre inspirations behind this Christmas's TV hit revival 'Over the years, the family has seen off theory after theory about the 'true' message of Watership Down,' says Rosamond. 'Honestly, the stuff we get through the post from fans about what they think the book is about . . . it cut no ice with Dad. 'Rubbish!' he always said, 'It's just a story about rabbits!' ' Albeit one that, on the face of it, was unsuitable for children. Richard Adams was a 52-year-old civil servant working for Britain's agriculture ministry when he started writing fuelled by fury at the poor quality of children's books available. 'He'd start reading us a bedtime story and, if he didn't like it, he'd hurl the book across the room,' said Rosamond. 'Rubbish!' he'd say. 'I could write better than that!' ' So he did. Watership Down began in the mid-Sixties on a car journey from London to see Twelfth Night at Stratford-upon-Avon. Bored and fidgety, his daughters, then aged six and eight, badgered him for a story. Pictured: Strawberry, voiced by Olivia Coleman, from Netflix's new two-part animated film of Watership Down 'Once upon a time, there were two rabbits called Hazel and Fiver . . .' Adams began as he was driving. His girls were entranced. 'We thought it was too good a story to finish,' says Juliet 'So we kept it going, in the car, on the way to school.' Adams always insisted he just made it up as he went along. 'I realised that I was going to have to tell them another bit in the car going to the school, and I would prepare that in my mind,' he once said. 'But I didn't have any idea what was coming after that.' Though he did have a theme inspired by the story of Cassandra, princess of Troy, who foresaw its downfall with visions of its palace walls dripping with blood. 'It was the first thing that came to mine,' he said. 'I pinched that and took it from there.' The new animated film of Watership Down stars James McAvoy, Gemma Arterton, Nicholas Hoult (pictured), Anne-Marie Duff, Olivia Colman and Sir Ben Kingsley He transferred Cassandra's visions to a rabbit called Fiver who foresaw a gory doom for his warren unless they all left it and struck out on a perilous journey to find a new one not the sort of story most dads would make up for their daughters. It didn't please his wife Elizabeth, who complained about the violence. But in the back of the car his daughters were terrified and gripped in equal measure and through their tears begged him to continue and write it all down. Juliet bought him a pad with her pocket money and challenged him: 'You're always saying you can do it. Now get on and write!' So he did in the evenings when he got home from work and the girls were bathed and in bed. The final version was 426 pages complete with dedication: 'To Juliet and Rosamond, remembering the road to Stratford-upon-Avon.' There were chapters starting with epigraphs drawn from Aeschylus, writer of Greek tragedies, and from military theorist Carl von Clausewitz and the whole book was overshadowed by the threat of death and a visit from a rabbit version of the grim reaper. As Juliet put it this week: 'Daddy didn't like the way people babied, and pandered to, and 'icky-ised' children, lying to them about death and so on. He was very explicit about that.' Meanwhile, the rabbits had to behave like rabbits, not humans Adams, a passionate conservationist, worked closely with naturalist Ron Lockley to get the behaviour correct. Unlike in Beatrix Potter books, where rabbits walk on their hind legs and wear breeches, the ones in Watership Down don't do anything real rabbits couldn't do. Richard Adams, the youngest of three children, was obsessed with nature his parents, a nurse and a doctor, used to test him on the names of flora and fauna in the meadows surrounding their Berkshire home. He was spoilt, clever and never one to blend in. At school he was bullied, at Oxford University he suffered a nervous breakdown, and sat his finals in a psychiatric hospital. Was Woundwort an allegory for Communist dictator Joseph Stalin? Was the book informed by Nazi Germany? Was Hazel really Jesus Christ? It was during his stint in the Royal Army Service Corps that he met the officers who became the models for his heroes. Hazel, the star, was based on a Major John Gifford, of whom Adams once wrote: 'Everything about him was quiet, crisp and unassuming.' Though it took him several years to write Watership Down, his ambitions for it were small just a hardback print-run of 250 books. Even that looked unlikely at first. The book was rejected seven times by four publishers and three firms of authors' agents. All said the same thing adults wouldn't like it because it was about rabbits, and children wouldn't like it because it was too adult. Adams stuck to his guns. 'I said, I never write down to children,' he explained. 'I write straight. They can either take it or leave it.' Eventually, just as he was considering self-publicising, it was picked up by Rex Collings, a one-man publishing outfit in London who had grave reservations. Richard Adams always insisted he just made it up as he went along 'I've just taken on a novel about rabbits, one of them with extra-sensory perception,' Collings wrote to a friend. 'Do you think I'm mad?' Luckily not the book took off like a rocket. It was compared to George Orwell's Animal Farm and J. R. R. Tolkein's The Hobbit. It has been translated into dozens of languages. In 1978, came the film. 'I'm afraid I didn't like it,' Adams once said. 'They're not my rabbits. I suppose it would have been a miracle if they were.' Goodness knows what he would have made of Netflix's new version which promises less violence, less blood, meatier roles for the does, and even hints of love. 'The book clearly says that rabbits don't have romantic relationships,' said Rosamond. The success of Watership Down made Adams a rich man and changed the family dynamic. 'We'd stopped being an ordinary family and became a kind of global brand,' Juliet said. Adams bought his own coat of arms, complete with three rabbits, and gave up his job in the Ministry of Agriculture to write full time not that he ever equalled the success of Watership Down. He passed away on Christmas Eve, 2016, aged 96 and still writing well into his 90s. To the end he insisted Watership Down was simply 'a story about rabbits that is all'. A Sydney teenager has been jailed for at least 12 years for preparing a terrorist act, with a judge finding an attack was imminent when the boy was arrested near a Bankstown courthouse and police station in 2016. The now 18-year-old, who was found guilty by a jury in September, has admitted he sympathised with Islamic State when he bought fixed-blade knives from a gun shop in October 2016. However the teenager, who cannot be named for legal reasons, continued to deny planning a terrorist attack and instead claimed he wanted the knives for camping and hunting animals. A teenager who was arrested alongside an alleged co-offender has been jailed for at least 12 years for preparing a terrorist act The teenager was arrested with an alleged co-offender in Sydney's Bankstown on October 12, 2016 Justice Geoffrey Bellew on Tuesday said his denial flew in the face of overwhelming evidence and sentenced the teenager to 16 years in prison with a non-parole period of 12 years. 'At the time of his arrest, the offender was ready, willing and able to carry out a terrorist attack,' the judge said. He was satisfied the teenager was 'an unequivocally committed terrorist' and an attack was imminent when he was arrested with an alleged co-offender at a Bankstown prayer hall on October 12, 2016. Police searched two backpacks which contained the knives, several items of clothing, neck gaiters and a handwritten pledge of 'allegiance to the caliph'. When the now 18-year-old was arrested, he yelled 'you're all pigs, look at you like lambs to the slaughter you will be slaughtered at the hands of Allah'. The teenager was arrested near the courthouse and police station where 'he knew there would be people in the vicinity who he regarded as evil', the court heard. Donald Trump may be the leader of the free world, but this Christmas in Britain at least he has been reduced to the level of a cracker joke. The US President makes two appearances in a league table of 15 modern cracker jokes that also takes in issues ranging from Brexit and Boris Johnson to the royals and Love Island. The survey of jokes has been running for six years and looks at topical alternatives to old standards such as 'Why do birds fly south in the winter?' ('It's too far to walk.') This Christmas US President Donald Trump makes two appearances in a league table of 15 modern cracker jokes The league table of 15 modern cracker jokes also takes in issues ranging from Brexit and Boris Johnson to Kim Kardashian Top of the league this year is 'What does Donald Trump do after he pulls a cracker?' The answer 'Pays her off' is a reference to payments made by his lawyer over relationships with porn star Stormy Daniels and Playboy model Karen McDougal. The second presidential cracker joke references a bizarre meeting at the White House between Mr Trump and the rapper Kanye West, while West's wife Kim Kardashian also makes the list by virtue of her famously curvy behind. Also featuring on list created by TV channel Gold is ex Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson Theresa Mat also makes an appearance on the Christmas jokes while Meghan Markle features twice on the list Meghan Markle features twice in the list and there are also cracks at Theresa May and Boris Johnson. The annual league table is put together by TV channel Gold, which runs a competition for original jokes submissions that are whittled down by an expert panel and then put to a poll of 2,000 people. Comedy critic Bruce Dessau, who led the panel, said: 'One thing that can be relied upon in increasingly unpredictable times is that whatever is going on in the world the great British public will always retain their sense of humour.' Police investigating the murder of British backpacker Grace Millane are looking for a shovel believed to be connected to the inquiry. Ms Millane, 22, from Wickford, Essex,went missing from a hostel in Auckland on December 1 and a body was found in the Waitakere Ranges on Sunday. A 26-year-old man, who cannot be named, has been charged with murder and appeared in an Auckland court on Monday. Murder investigation: Police are looking for a shovel in connection with the investigation into the killing of 22-year-old British backpacker Grace Millane Detective Inspector Scott Beard addressed speculation about the case and said the University of Lincoln graduate's body was found 'intact' and said officers were looking for a long-handle shovel. He said: 'At this point we don't know where this item is. 'It could be anywhere between the Scenic Drive and central Auckland areas. 'Someone may have come across it, picked it up and taken it home. We need to speak to that person or anyone who has seen it.' Officers said they have received 'hundreds' of calls about the case and investigators are trying to establish a timeline of events. Killed: Ms Millane, who graduated from university in September, was found dead outside Auckland on Sunday Ms Millane was recorded on CCTV at the Sky City centre on Saturday evening, and was later seen at a nearby hotel with a male companion On Monday, New Zealand's prime minister Jacinda Ardern gave an emotional apology to Ms Millane's family, saying: 'Your daughter should have been safe here, and she wasn't, and I'm sorry for that.' 'I cannot imagine the grief of her family and what they would be experiencing and feeling right now.' Detectives said they had identified a 'location of interest' after the investigation led them to a spot on Scenic Drive, a country road about 12 miles west of the city centre, on Saturday night. Speaking at the scene on Sunday afternoon, Detective Inspector Scott Beard said investigators had 'located a body which we believe to be Grace' about 10 yardsfrom the roadside. Accused: The 26-year-old man charged with Ms Millane's murder appeared in court Monday The last confirmed sighting of Ms Millane was at 9.41pm on December 1, the day before her birthday, at the Citylife Hotel, when she was seen with a 'male companion'. Since arriving in New Zealand from Peru on November 20, she had been in near-daily contact with her family. Police received a missing person report on Wednesday and began a major search and public campaign that saw dozens of calls made to a helpline. Ms Millane's father, David Millane, flew to Auckland and made a public appeal for help finding his daughter, who he described as 'lovely, outgoing, fun-loving (and) family-orientated'. Her brother, Declan Millane, paid tribute by sharing pictures on social media of him and his sister, adding the lyrics of You Are My Sunshine. He wrote on Instagram: 'You are my sunshine, my only sunshine. You make me happy when skies are gray. You'll never know, dear, how much I love you. Please don't take my sunshine away.' A schoolboy has been rushed to hospital after drinking pure methanol. The boy, believed to be in primary school, became 'extremely ill' after drinking more than 30 millilitres of the highly toxic chemical. He was airlifted from Emerald, central Queensland, to Brisbane early on Tuesday, the Brisbane Times reported. A schoolboy was taken to the Queensland Children's Hospital, until recently known as the Lady Cilento Children's Hospital (pictured), after drinking more than 30 millilitres of pure methanol A critical care nurse and a specialist paediatric team escorted him to Brisbane on the LifeFlight Air Ambulance. The air ambulance landed in Brisbane about 3.30am on Tuesday. He was then taken by paramedics by road to the Queensland Children's Hospital. The boy was in a stable condition late on Tuesday morning, Children's Health Queensland said. Marks & Spencer has been accused of sexism for selling 2 'Porn Star Martini' cocktails. Shoppers and feminist campaigners claimed the high street giant was 'normalising porn' with the tinned drink which combines passion fruit juice and vodka. The Object! group said: 'The reality of porn is violence to women. This is clearly what Marks is selling Marks & Spencer normalising porn. Marks & Spencer has been accused of sexism for selling 2 'Porn Star Martini' cocktails 'If you try to complain online, the system rejects the word 'porn'. Mixed messages, huh?' Brenda Ellis tweeted to the company: 'Please remove the very offensive and disturbing Porn Star cocktail. 'It is not something I want any children to see and to see M&S approving this for sale is a shock.' Kate Hillman, a prison chaplain, said pornography 'depicts paid-for acts of rape and sexual violence against (mostly) women and references to it have no place in a high street store'. She insisted: 'Introducing this product in this context further sanitises and normalises porn. 'It's horrific and yet pornography is so normalised within our culture.' Porn Star Martini is a common tipple in bars across the country and was recently voted one of the UK's favourite cocktails. But feminist writer Grace Shore Banks tweeted: 'Is porn this normalised by our society, that you're not above profiting from it and the exploitation of women to sell stuff?' A spokesman for M&S defended the drink yesterday, saying: 'Porn Star Martini is a common and popular name for a passion fruit cocktail drink. 'We launched it back in September and it has already become one of our most popular cocktails.' Last month campaigners attacked M&S for a window display at a Nottingham store that said women's 'must-have' Christmas present was 'fancy little knickers'. They branded it 'vomit inducing'. Exactly a year since famed New York chef Mario Batali was accused of multiple sexual misconduct allegations and forced to leave his restaurant empire behind, Batali is still raking in the cash. Although business dropped some 30 per cent at the restaurants he had ties with, despite walking away from day-to-day operations, all of Batali's financial ties are still intact. In April it was revealed by the New York Times that Batali would divest from his restaurants, allowing his partners to buy out his stake which could have been worth as much as $100 million at its height, and is currently in the tens of millions, at least. Although Mario Batali's restaurants are not as successful as they once were, he's still profiting from them with all his business ties still intact But the negotiations which were meant to close in July, have dragged on and it means that anyone who eats out at restaurants Batali made famous is still lining the pockets of the disgraced chef. 'Mario isn't about to let himself get taken advantage of by his restaurant group partner Joe Bastianich because of the situation,' former Del Posto chef Mark Ladner said to GrubStreet. Bastianich says he never witnessed any of Batali's misconduct and goes as far as to claim he wasn't aware of an alleged assault at Babbo, which is currently under investigation by the NYPD. A woman has claimed she was raped by Mario Batali in 2004 while out drinking at his New York City restaurant Babbo. His restaurants are not performing as well including Otto, pictured Yet multiple employees state Bastianich was in part responsible for the 'boys' club' culture that allowed Batali to allegedly assault women at will and say inappropriate things to staffers. Bastianich told Eater NY that he 'should have done more' to criticize Batali.' According to New York magazine, the numbers are down Batali's restaurants, particularly at the ones most associated with him in New York - Otto, Lupa, and Babbo. Some customers have noted that there is a change in atmosphere at many of the places were Batali was present. Batali had amassed a vast culinary empire his brand spanned dozens of restaurants in six U.S. states and Singapore, and his name was attached to several culinary products. He also authored more than a dozen cookbooks. Batali also had a strong presence in Southern California, including his Mozza restaurants in Los Angeles and Newport Beach and the Eataly marketplaces that opened in New York City and LA. Wife: Batali and his wife Susan (above) appear to still be together in spite of the allegations being made by the women. The couple have two teenage sons Bastianich says the company B&B Hospitality is moving away from a restaurant group identity centered on one chef. Bastianich's mother Linda, is also apparently thinking of helping dig the business out from the duldrums and may come over from California to help run Otto restaurant herself. After becoming persona non grata in New York, Batali fled abroad to volunteer to teach cooking to migrants and refugees in Rwanda, Greece, and Iraq. Recently Batali has been hiding out in Northport, Michigan, where his family own a summer house. He has apparently been driving around in a bright orange Dodge Power Wagon and still wears his uniform of a fleece vest and Crocs. So far, he has yet to suffer the consequences of multiple criminal investigations against him. This summer, police in New York confirmed an investigation into a woman's claim on 60 Minutes that Batali drugged and sexually assaulted her in 2005. In the piece, a woman recounted waking up in The Spotted Pig restaurant in New York, in which Batali was invested, remembering having sat on Batali's lap the previous evening, kissing him and vomiting in a toilet. She said that she believed she had been drugged and that Batali had done something 'very wrong.' The segment also featured a former manager at the Spotted Pig who said she intervened after seeing Batali assaulting a woman she believed to be unconscious or semi-conscious. This summer, a former employee of Batali (above) said on 60 Minutes that she believes the chef may have drugged and sexually assaulted her in 2005 The NYPD has opened an investigation into Batali, but a spokesperson would not confirm if it was in response to the 2004 rape allegation (Batali above at The Spotted Pig in 2009) The New York Police Department is now investigating allegations raised in the '60 Minutes' report. Batali denies assaulting the woman. Batali stepped down last December from daily operations at his restaurant empire and cooking show The Chew after four women accused him of inappropriate touching over a period of 20 years. US Border Patrol agents arrested 32 people at a migrants-rights protest on Monday evening at a border fence in California. The protesters called for an end to the detention and deportation of migrants and for the US to welcome the caravan of Central American migrants who arrived in Tijuana, Mexico in November. Facebook posts by protest organizer the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) showed demonstrators kneeling in front of federal agents in riot gear after they approached the fence on a San Diego beach. Facebook posts by protest organizer the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) showed demonstrators kneeling in front of federal agents in riot gear after they approached the fence on a San Diego beach US Border Patrol agents arrested 32 members of the protest group (pictured) at a migrants-rights protest on Monday evening at a border fence in California The protesters called for an end to the detention and deportation of migrants and for the US to welcome the caravan of Central American migrants who arrived in Tijuana, Mexico in November. A blind woman (center) was arrested during the protest A US Border Patrol agent walks on the San Diego side during preparations for the arrival of the protesters The Quaker group said 30 people were stopped by agents and taken into custody while they tried to move forward to offer a ceremonial blessing to start a week of action called 'Love Knows No Borders: A moral call for migrant justice' The Quaker group said 30 people were stopped by agents and taken into custody while they tried to move forward to offer a ceremonial blessing to start a week of action called 'Love Knows No Borders: A moral call for migrant justice.' Singing and praying, religious leaders moved forward in lines of four to six, some wearing T-shirts reading: 'Love Knows No Borders.' They were handcuffed and led away by federal agents upon entering a restricted area in front of the fence. 'As a Quaker who believes in our shared humanity...Were calling on the US to respect the rights of migrants,' said Joyce Ajlouny, general secretary of the American Friends Service Committee. US Border Patrol spokesman Theron Francisco said 31 people were arrested by Federal Protective Services for trespassing and one was arrested by Border Patrol for assaulting an agent. More than 400 people, many leaders of churches, mosques, synagogues and indigenous communities, took part in the protest at San Diegos Border Field State Park, which borders Tijuana, Mexico, according to the AFSC. They were handcuffed and led away by federal agents upon entering a restricted area in front of the fence US Border Patrol spokesman Theron Francisco said 31 people were arrested by Federal Protective Services for trespassing and one was arrested by Border Patrol for assaulting an agent Singing and praying, religious leaders moved forward in lines of four to six, some wearing T-shirts reading: 'Love Knows No Borders' The arrests marked the second confrontation with US federal agents since the migrant caravan reached Tijuana in November The arrests marked the second confrontation with US federal agents since the migrant caravan reached Tijuana in November. US Border Patrol agents fired tear gas at migrants on November 25 after they said they were hit with projectiles thrown from Tijuana. Thousands of migrants are living in crowded shelters in Tijuana after traveling from Central America to escape poverty and violence. They may have to wait weeks or months to claim asylum at the US border. Data released on Monday by US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) showed asylum claims at the US-Mexico border rose 67 per cent in the 2018 fiscal year from a year earlier. US immigration officials say these claims, most of which are accepted, exploit a legal loophole allowing migrants to enter the US while they await a court hearing on their asylum case. 'As a Quaker who believes in our shared humanity...Were calling on the US to respect the rights of migrants,' said Joyce Ajlouny, general secretary of the American Friends Service Committee, which has run a week of actions to back migrants More than 400 people, many leaders of churches, mosques, synagogues and indigenous communities, took part in the protest at San Diegos Border Field State Park, which borders Tijuana, Mexico, according to the AFSC US police and Border Patrol hold a line as members of an inter-faith group showed support for Central American asylum-seekers who arrived in recent caravans Members of various faith groups walk on the beach toward the US border to stage a pro-migration protest to show support for Central American asylum-seekers 'As the majority of these claims will not be successful when they are adjudicated by an immigration court, we need Congress to act to address these vulnerabilities,' CBP Commissioner Kevin McAleenan said in a statement. Protest leaders said President Donald Trump had portrayed the caravan as a security threat to advance his 'anti-immigrant' agenda and further restrict migrants' ability to seek asylum. A US judge in November blocked Trump's proclamation to bar migrants who cross the US-Mexico border illegally from seeking asylum. Despite tough new immigration policies imposed by the Trump administration, the US is still the top pick by far for migrants seeking a new home, according to a new report. Some 158 million people have desires to move to the US. The number accounts for around 21 per cent of all those in the world seeking a new home. A drunken reveller who blinded a man during a night out in Melbourne after taking offence to the victim's man bun has lost his bid to appeal his sentence. Brent Moresco, 20, was ordered to spend three years in youth detention for the May 2017 assault, but on Tuesday lost a bid to have the Court of Appeal reconsider the sentence. Environmental scientist Elliot Harvey was blinded in one eye in the attack at Rubix Warehouse in Brunswick, in what County Court Justice Christopher Ryan described as 'senseless violence by drunken young men'. Brent Moresco (pictured) was seen sporting a man bun as he lost his appeal against his sentence Moresco blinded environmental scientist Elliot Harvey (pictured) after taking offense at his man bun Moresco's lawyer argued the sentence was not on par with the three-year prison sentence given to his co-accused. Bradley Elmore-Jeffries, 22, was given a 21-month non-parole period, while Moresco has no parole opportunity. Both pleaded guilty to recklessly causing serious injury over the assault, which occurred after snide remarks were made about Mr Harvey's car. Moresco, 20, was ordered to spend three years in youth detention for the May 2017 assault Mr Harvey also believed the pair took offence at his man bun, a hairstyle later sported in court by Moresco when he was sentenced. Three Court of Appeal justices refused Moresco's appeal bid, saying the difference between Elmore-Jeffries' prison sentence and Moresco's youth justice centre order was 'more than adequate' to account for their differing personal circumstances and other mitigating factors. A new migration deal will allow foreigners with basic farm or hospitality skills to move permanently to Australia on a work visa, even if they don't speak English fluently. Workers from 117 fields will be eligible to move to the Northern Territory to fill skills shortages and boost the state's population. Under the five-year Designated Area Migration Agreement (DAMA) the criteria for skills, language and income for migrant workers eligible to move to Australia will be lowered. A new migration deal will allow foreigners with basic farm or hospitality skills to move permanently to Australia on a work visa, even if they don't speak English fluently (Pictured: Workers sort and pack strawberries at a farm in Queensland) Under the five-year Designated Area Migration Agreement the criteria for skills, language and income for migrant workers eligible to move to Australia will be lowered (stock photo) Provided the migrants commit to living in the region for at least three years, they will also be eligible for permanent residency. 'Access to, and retention of, a suitably skilled workforce is a key issue for many employers and our government recognises the need to support recruitment for local businesses,' Northern Territory Workforce Training Minister Selena Uibo said. Ms Uibo said employers will need to demonstrate they cannot find a local worker before they apply to sponsor a foreign employee. 'Every Territorian benefits when we attract more people to the Territory,' she said. Foreigners with basic farming skills may be eligible to move permanently to Australia on a work visa (stock photo) 'More people means more jobs and a stronger economy, which means better schools, better hospitals and more police.' Minister for Immigration David Coleman said the changes to the immigration program better matches the needs of specific locations. Minister for Immigration David Coleman (above) said the changes to the immigration program better matches the needs of specific locations 'We are looking closely at ways of filling employment gaps in regional areas,' he said. Over the past two years the Government had shut options for permanent residency for hundreds of jobs in the migration program, mainly through changes to occupation lists in the temporary skills shortage visa. The pathway to permanent residency through a work visa was only available to the workers the Government deemed most desirable, mainly skilled occupations needed by Australian businesses. Manuela Seiberth, a migration agent based in Darwin, said the new offer of permanent residency was a good idea. 'Northern Territory employers struggle to attract and retain skilled workers I'm speaking from my own experience as a business owner and employer,' she told the ABC. 'The main problems are the extreme tropical climate in the Top End and the remoteness. 'The DAMA offers options for semi-skilled workers and provides flexibility with its concessions.' Provided the migrants commit to living in the region for at least three years, they will also be eligible for permanent residency (stock photo) A separate migration agreement for Victoria's Warrnambool region promises to deliver migrant workers for the meat-processing, dairy and other agricultural sectors. The new arrangements - which will be signed this week - include a wider range of occupations and changes to English and salary concessions with the offer of permanent residency. However, it's not clear exactly how long or under what conditions migrants will be required to stay in regions. The Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry has also urged politicians to recognise the benefits of migration and the boost migration gives to businesses. A statement from the chamber recommends federal and state governments recognise the comparative advantage migration has given Australia when making new population policies. It also argues Australia's migration program could be refined so it can become more responsive to skill and labour needs. Those changes should include extending employer-nominated migration to all skilled occupations and ensuring visa fees and charges are internationally competitive, the chamber believes. ACCI chief executive James Pearson said governments have become too caught up with the idea of constricting temporary skilled migration. They have also been feeding perceptions that migration has been the cause of congestion in Sydney and Melbourne, he said. 'Politicians would never tell people to stop growing their businesses and employing more people because of strains on infrastructure, so they should not do so for migration.' Mr Morrison has a 'population framework' in mind but has asked each of the states and territories to come up with areas they want new migrants to go. NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian has been pushing for a slowdown on migration to NSW, as Sydney struggles after years of under-investment in infrastructure. But Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews says population policy needs to be met with proper infrastructure investment from Canberra. Almost 100 domestic violence orders are lodged every single week on the Gold Coast known for its family-friendly theme parks and idyllic beaches . The startling figures have prompted Queensland legal professionals to call on the Federal Government to install a Family Court on the glitter strip. The lack of a Family Court means residents are forced to go to the family court in Brisbane which meant waiting up to five weeks to have their case heard. Gatenby Criminal Lawyers director Michael Gatenby told the Gold Coast Bulletin a dedicated Family Court on the Gold Coast would go a long way to preventing further animosity building up between defendants and plaintiffs. New figures have shown that almost 100 domestic violence orders are lodged every single week on the Gold Coast which still doesn't have its own family court 'If you can alleviate the delay and the need for people to struggle through the situation the animosity would resolve, having a family court hearing custody matters daily might even lessen the number of domestic violence orders filed because a lot of people use them as weapons,' he said. There have already been 2398 domestic violence orders lodged in Queensland for the 2018/19 financial year, according to data released by Queensland Courts. That is already 105 more than the same time in the previous year. The orders range from initiating an application, contravening DVO charges lodged, flagged DFV offences with charges lodged and strangulation offences by court level. Figures also showed that from July 2006 to February 2018 a total of 41 people were killed in domestic violence related homicides on the Gold Coast. That figure makes up 14 per cent of all the state's domestic violence related homicides in that time. The Gold Coast District Law Association estimated as much as 30 per cent of all cases brought before the Brisbane Family court are domestic violence related, the publication reported. Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate said the local government had already earmarked a location that could accommodate a Family Court and has taken a proposal to both tiers of government. The startling figures have prompted Queensland legal professionals and the Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate (pictured) to call on the Federal Government to install a Family Court on the glitter strip The popular tourist destination also has a number of programs and organisations in place to help those impacted by domestic violence including the Domestic Violence Prevention Centre Gold Coast Inc and The Support Assessment Referral Advocacy. The Gold Coast District Law Association also submitted a letter to the Federal Government urging it to install a Family Court in the city because the length of time it takes for cases to be heard and judged in Brisbane is causing greater harm. 'This includes litigants waiting years for decisions whilst a parent is limited to supervised time or whilst asset pools or parts of the asset pool are frozen unable to be used,' the letter read. Mayor Tate said it was stunning to think that a city with a population of half a million people still did not have its own dedicated Family Court. 'We dont deserve to be treated as a small country town, especially as our population marches towards 650,000 people, population growth aside, the sheer volume of cases shows that a family and supreme court is warranted in our city,' he told the publication. Vegans held a candle-lit vigil in remembrance of turkeys slaughtered for Christmas dinner after pressuring a farm to cancel a charity auction for the birds. Nine turkeys on St Werburgh's City Farm in Bristol were due to be auctioned off to raise money for disadvantaged people in the area, but animal rights campaigners argued the event was unacceptable. The charity auction was axed, but vegan activists said the animals were still slaughtered to be sold in time for Christmas - prompting campaigners to hold a 'peaceful, love-based vigil to remember the lives of nine turkeys who captured our hearts'. Members of Bristol Vegan Action held a vigil for nine turkeys slaughtered for Christmas dinner St Werburgh's City Farm in Bristol had originally planned to auction the birds for charity, but the event was axed after the farm came under fire from activists Bristol Vegan Action told its social media followers that while the auction had been cancelled, the turkeys were slaughtered on December 8. A post said: 'We will be remembering the turkeys with love and sadness, but not with anger. Of course we are angry, of course we are grief-stricken. But we want to move forward to work with the farms to save animals in the future. 'Their bottom line was that to give up the animals to sanctuary would mean that they were no longer a working farm. 'There are good things to have come out of all this heartbreak. 'We have shown what we can do as a group when we put our minds to it. Bristol Vegans isnt a hotbed of activism usually, but it can and should be.' Bristol Vegan Action announced it would hold a 'peaceful, love-based vigil to remember the lives of the nine turkeys who captured our hearts' An organiser for the group stressed: 'Please, no abuse or hate towards any workers or farm visitors' The group said it raised 700 in one day and gathered more than 1,200 signatures for a petition. The statement continues: 'Please let this encourage you to get up and be active, it really can make a difference.' Vegans said they had 'opened up a dialogue with the farm' and they will be meeting in the new year to 'discuss a future working connection'. The group's statement concludes: 'Peaceful, love-based vigil to remember the lives of the nine turkeys who captured our hearts, but were sadly slaughtered on the 8th December 2018. 'Bring candles, flowers or just yourselves. 'Please, no abuse or hate towards any workers or farm visitors.' Nine turkeys on St Werburgh's City Farm in Bristol (pictured) were due to be auctioned off to raise money for disadvantaged people in the area A spokesman for the farm previously said it offered the animals the highest standards of welfare and is proud to keep them for farming After nine turkeys were slaughtered, vegan activists asked campaigners to 'bring candles, flowers or just yourselves' A spokesman for the farm previously said it offered the animals the highest standards of welfare and is proud to keep them for farming, adding: 'We are aware that raising animals for meat is an emotive issue, and having listened to the views of a small section of our community, we have decided not to hold our annual turkey auction. 'However, the aims and objectives of the farm will remain unchanged and our turkeys will still be sold for Christmas.' St Werburgh's is also a charity which provides community services for more than 3,000 disadvantaged people in the area. Lauren Hunt, from Bristol Vegan Action, had previously said: 'When I first went I thought it was a sanctuary for animals. 'So I don't understand how a charity could have so much death involved with it.' At least 40 businesses on Melbourne's famous cafe strips have come under fire for potentially underpaying staffers. Popular venues on Degraves St and Hardware Lane in Melbourne's CBD are under investigation by the watchdog after accusations of gross mismanagement of funds. The Fair Work Ombudsman has launched a complete investigation into the underpayment claim and is today approaching these cafes for an unannounced audit, The Herald Sun reported. Inspectors will be speaking with business owners and management as well as staffers to establish average pay grades. Scroll down for video At least 40 businesses on Melbourne's famous cafe strips have come under fire for potentially underpaying staffers Popular venues on Degraves St and Hardware Lane in Melbourne's CBD are under investigation by the watchdog after accusations of gross mismanagement of funds Fair Work Ombudsman Sandra Parker told the publication they were taking a proactive approach to the accusations. 'Protecting the rights of vulnerable workers in the fast food, restaurant and cafe sector is a priority for the Fair Work Ombudsman,' Ms Parker said. 'Our audits have established a link between prices and wage underpayments and it is clear that the true cost of cheap food may be the employees' lawful entitlements. One complaint which was lodged in relation to a cafe on Degraves St claimed a worker was paid as little as $11 per hour. And a series of payslips, bank account transfers and receipts of cash payments obtained by The Herald Sun suggest further wrongdoing. If proven correct, the cafes could be liable for upwards of $50,000 in unpaid wages. 'We will take enforcement action if today's audits find serious breaches of workplace laws,' Ms Parker said. A woman who claimed she found a 'brains' in her KFC chicken was told by the food chain it was just a bit of kidney. Sydney customer Sarah Palmer, 26, shared the graphic image on the fast food chain's Facebook page on Friday after she and a group of friends ordered a Giant Feast for a home delivery at a KFC in Sydney's west. 'Upon purchasing what I had hoped would be some finger lickin' good chicken from KFC Parramatta, I was horrified to find what looks like ... brains,' she wrote. Sarah Palmer who claimed she found a raw brain in her KFC chicken was told by the food chain it was just a bit of kidney Ms Palmer had ordered a Giant Feast with a group of her friends when she discovered the organ 'This is not a typo, yep I mean brains, buried under your delicious secret herbs and spices. Imagine my horror, nausea and disappointment, 'Would love your thoughts on how you think we can patch up our relationship. With fried regards, Sarah.' But a KFC customer service representative responded publicly saying it was 'more likely a piece of kidney and not brain'. 'Can you please PM and let me know what time you ordered, which meal you ordered and your best contact phone number for follow up,' the KFC representative wrote. When asked if KFC had addressed the issue, she said nothing had been done about it up to now Ms Palmer was having a night in with her friends when she discovered the mystery organ. 'I didn't notice it to start with. It was only once I'd finished the chicken that I looked down and saw this thing that looks like a brain,' she told Daily Mail Australia. 'I honestly nearly threw up on the spot, it was so disgusting, 'My friends thought I was overreacting until they saw it, then they gagged as well.' KFC did not give Ms Palmer a full refund until Tuesday evening and said they will be following up with their supplier. Ms Palmer was a former die-hard KFC fan as her friends made a recent pilgrimage to America in Kentucky for the sole purpose of eating the original fried chicken. 'It's a shame this happened because I was such a big fan of KFC,' she said. The Facebook post garnered more than 22,000 comments and nearly 1000 shares. A KFC spokeswoman told Daily Mail Australia their chicken is hand-prepared and cooked fresh, but 'occasionally mistakes happen and organs are not removed when they should have been'. 'We can confirm it's not brains, but rest assured it's not a health issue, 'We are trying to contact the customer and are reminding our teams to take extra care.' In September, 21-year-old KFC customer Timothy posted a picture of a heart hidden underneath a crispy chicken tender. 'It was crumbed and in the box, noticed that it wasn't right and the skin was peeling off so could see it was black underneath. When I took off the skin at first, I had no idea what it was,' he told Daily Mail Australia. Two Lucian Freud portraits have been donated to the nation. The family that owned them has handed them over in lieu of inheritance tax. The portraits show Lady Scott wife of the philanthropist Oliver Scott and their daughter Hermione. The two early portraits, one of Lady Scott, left, and her daughter Hermione, right, by Lucian Freud have been donated to the nation in lieu of inheritance tax The familys connection with the artist began when Scott picked up Freuds hitchhiking girlfriend. Freud painted Lady Scott over eight sittings twice in 1952 and six times in 1954. Six years later when Freud mentioned he owed some money, Scott offered to repay the debt in exchange for a further portrait of his daughter. Scott, who led pioneering cancer research, later became Sir Oliver, 3rd Baronet of Yews. He and his wife both died in 2016. The Freud paintings were donated by the Scott family trust on condition they are kept at an art gallery in the Lake District an area the family has lived in for decades. Freud, who died in 2011, is regarded as one of Britains greatest artists of the 20th century. His 1995 work Benefits Supervisor Sleeping sold for 44million at an auction in New York three years ago. More than a dozen executives at Bloomberg and other construction companies are likely to be arrested on Tuesday by New York State authorities for allegedly overcharging the company by tens of millions of dollars for construction work at its Manhattan headquarters, it has been reported. The Manhattan District Attorneys Office has been investigating Bloomberg, the media company founded by former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, for at least 18 months, The New York Times reported. According to the Times, investigators suspect that Bloomberg executives, subcontractors, and vendors padded the bill - or added unnecessary items on a bill to increase the total cost - which Bloomberg owed to Turner Construction. Turner is a general contractor that supervised work done at the companys headquarters on Lexington Avenue. Authorities allege that the bribes and kickbacks were going on in some form or another for a period of nearly four years. Bloomberg executives, subcontractors, and vendors allegedly 'padded the bill' which Bloomberg owed to Turner Construction. Turner is a general contractor that supervised work done at the companys headquarters on Lexington Avenue in Manhattan (seen above) The former Bloomberg executive at the center of the investigation is Anthony Guzzone, who is likely going to be indicted on Tuesday. Guzzone headed the construction division at the company. He is seen right with his wife, Lillian, in this undated file photo Turner and Bloomberg will not be charged. The companies said they were victimized by rogue employees. Investigators say Bloomberg and Turner executives got rich by overcharging Bloomberg by tens of millions of dollars for interior work that included dry wall, electrical, plumbing, lighting, and carpeting. The former Bloomberg executive at the center of the investigation is Anthony Guzzone, who is likely going to be indicted on Tuesday. Guzzone headed the construction division at the company. He was fired in October of last year when investigators seized his computers and records during a raid of Turner and Bloomberg offices. Mr. Guzzone has had an unblemished life and a distinguished career, his attorney, Alex Spiro, said. We will fight any allegation against him. Guzzone was reported to have a close relationship with Robert Fleming, a top executive at Litespeed Electric, a New Jersey-based contractor that specializes in electrical services. Fleming and other executives at the company are also likely to be arrested on Tuesday for allegedly taking part in the scheme. His lawyer, Mark Agnifilo, said there was no evidence his client paid cash kickbacks to Guzzone or anyone else. Agnifilo said that Flemings alleged crimes are standard industry practice. The New York City construction industry is obviously highly competitive, Agnifilo said. Honest companies go to great lengths to keep getting lucrative contracts. I dont think Litespeed is any different. Bloomberg was founded by former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg (seen above). The company is not expected to be charged or fined Turner identified two former executives - Ronald Olson and Vito Negro - as having gone rogue. Olson and Negro were fired by Turner last October, according to the Times. Javier Paulino, another former Bloomberg manager, pleaded guilty this past July to taking bribes and stealing more than $1million by overcharging for work done at the company offices. Paulino has been cooperating with authorities ever since. Last year, the Manhattan District Attorneys Office received a tip alleging that Jonathan Metal & Glass, a small Queens firm that installs interior office walls, was engaged in shady dealings. Investigators then began digging deeper, seizing computer records and documents. This is the second time in recent years that Bloomberg has been victimized by an interior construction company. In 2014, Structure Tone, a large interior construction firm, pleaded guilty to corruption charges and agreed to pay a $55million penalty for defrauding its clients, which included Bloomberg and Bank of America. The man accused of incinerating a Geelong woman in a tent has lashed out at police from the prison dock. Nick Cross, 31, of no fixed address, defiantly gave his middle finger to someone within the Geelong Magistrates Court before unleashing an extraordinary attack on police. Vic Pol takes kids. You f**kin dogs, he yelled as guards wrestled him out of the packed court room. Nick Cross lashed out at police in the Geelong Magistrates' Court Maddison Parrott was allegedly murdered by Nick Cross inside a tent at the Geelong Showgrounds The heavily tattooed man had earlier sat through his brief filing hearing slouched in a chair. He shook his head in disgust as Magistrate Ann McGarvie granted media access to his charge sheets. He has been charged with the murder of Maddison Parrott in a tent fire at the Geelong showgrounds last week. Todd Daryl Sell, 34, from Colac and Tracey Menzies, 34, from Bell Park are charged with being accessories to murder after the fact. Todd Sell (right) has been charged with helping Cross knowing he had committed murder Todd Sell appeared in Geelong Magistrates' Court today via videolink All three were arrested at gunpoint at a home on Gipps Street in Greystanes, in Sydney's west. Officers surrounded the house and dragged the trio out in handcuffs after reports they could be armed. Paramedics treated them at the scene as they were injured during the arrests. Neighbours said they had been in the house for less than 24 hours. The court heard both Cross and Menzies were withdrawing from methylamphetamines while Cross also had a shocking heroin habit. Menzies, who appeared in court sporting bright red hair, yelled out to her family members for assistance as she was lead from the court before telling them she loved them. The family members, believed to be her parents, made no comment as they left the court. A woman believed to be the sister of Cross abused the waiting media pack as she left. She barked obscenities as she crossed the road with a friend, calling media a pack of dogs. The court heard police will need a longer than usual period to compile a brief of evidence against the trio due to the state of Ms Parrots body. Court documents allege Sell and Menzies knew Cross was guilty of murder but made no effort to contribute to his apprehension, prosecution or punishment. Cross formed a vigilante group in 2016 after a group of teenagers tried to break into his home as he hid inside with his 10-year-old daughter. 'Here I have my daughter who still believes in Santa Claus and 2km down the road there is a 12-year-old armed with a knife trying to steal someone's car,' he said at the time. 'The kids are led by a few guys who are about 30. They are always armed with knives or poles and they are becoming more brazen.' Cross claimed at the time to have 260 citizens patrolling the streets at night with him, and to have grabbed a young offender and made him sit in his shed for two hours until police arrived. Ms Parrotts loved ones spoke to The Age on Friday. They said she was a natural-born leader who was living with her parents at Waurn Ponds. The family had only recently returned from a trip to Bali. Those close to Ms Parrott said she wanted nothing more than to be a princess, but when her marriage broke down in late 2017, she had to learn to rebuild. All three are due to reappear in court in May. A body has been pulled from the water at a beach south of Sydney. Emergency services retrieved the body, believed to be that of a woman, from a beach along Botany Bay about 8.45am on Tuesday. A crime scene was established at Monterey, near President's Avenue, as police launched an investigation into the death. A woman's body was found floating in the water off Monterey, along Sydney's Botany Bay (pictured), on Tuesday morning The area was closed to the public while emergency services were at the scene. Four ambulance crews and an ambulance helicopter had initially been called to the area after reports a body had been seen floating in the water. Inquires are still continuing but police say at this stage the woman's death is not being treated as suspicious. Lifeline 13 11 14 President Donald Trump's senior adviser, Jared Kushner, appeared in a rare interview on Fox News' Hannity where he brushed off the CIA's findings in the killing of Jamal Khashoggi. Kushner discussed the challenges facing the Trump administration following the killing of the Saudi Arabian journalist. Khashoggi disappeared after he entered the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul, Turkey, in October. Following his disappearance, the CIA concluded he was murdered inside. Turkey has said the hit was ordered at the highest levels of Saudi leadership, and the CIA concluded the prince was directly behind it, despite vehement Saudi denials. During Monday night's interview, host Sean Hannity asked Kushner whether or not the Middle East and Saudi Arabia's roles in advancing America's agenda had been hurt following Khashoggi's murder. 'I think that our intelligence agencies are making assessments and we are hoping to make sure that there is justice brought to where that should be, we are focused on the broader region which is figuring out how to hopefully bring a deal together between the Israelis and the Palestinians,' Kushner replied. 'That conflict has gone on for way too long.' Scroll down for video Jared Kushner, appeared in a rare interview on Fox News' Hannity where he was asked to discuss the challenges facing the Trump administration following the killing of Jamal Khashoggi Khashoggi disappeared after he entered the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul, Turkey, in October. Following his disappearance, the CIA reportedly concluded he was murdered inside He continued: 'The president has been focused on trying to bring all of the different parties together. We are hopeful in the next couple of months we will put out our plan which not every side will love, but there is enough reasons why people should take it and move forward. 'This plan will keep the Israeli people safe, give them a good future, but also give a real opportunity and hope for the Palestinian people so that they can live much better lives. I've been saying a lot that you should not be hijacking your children's future because of your grandparents conflict. 'And this is a conflict that has been going on for way too long. And the way the people are living in Gaza and west bank right now is not acceptable. 'And there is a lot that we could be doing to improve the quality of life, but it comes with resolving some of the core issues. 'It is not just the arrears Israelis or Palestinian people, it is all of the people throughout the entire Middle East who would like to see the issue resolved so that they can focus on a brighter future.' Kushner's comments come just days after it was claimed that he advised Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to resolve his conflicts in the Middle East and avoid further embarrassments, after Khashoggi's murder. The New York Times reported that a source from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia claimed they spoke on the phone after news emerged of the journalist's death inside the KSA Istanbul embassy. The White House only recognizes one official talk between the pair after Khashoggi's killing an October 10 chat where national security adviser, John R. Bolton, took part and 'asked for more details and for the Saudi government to be transparent in the investigation process'. White House officials declined to comment specifically on one-on-one communication between the prince and Trump's adviser after the death of Khashoggi. Kushner's comments come just days after it was claimed that he advised Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (left) to resolve his conflicts in the Middle East and avoid further embarrassments, after Khashoggi's murder A spokesperson said in a statement: 'Jared has always meticulously followed protocols and guidelines regarding the relationship with MBS and all of the other foreign officials with whom he interacts.' But more than a week ago, the Wall Street Journal reported that a classified CIA report that claims Saudi Arabia's crown prince sent 11 messages to an aide overseeing the Khashoggi hit squad in the hours surrounding the journalist's murder. The CIA assessment reportedly said that the discussion 'seems to foreshadow the Saudi operation launched against Khashoggi'. The killing has strained Saudi Arabia's ties with the West and battered Prince Mohammed's image abroad. Washington has imposed economic sanctions on 17 Saudi officials, including Qahtani, the prince's senior aide. But Trump has largely stood by the crown prince, defying intense pressure from lawmakers to impose broader sanctions on Saudi Arabia. Now, Democrats are planning to conduct a review of US policy towards Saudi Arabia, including Kushner's ties to the crown prince. Reince Priebus (left) served as Trump's first chief of staff and was followed by John Kelly (right) Prospective House Foreign Affairs Chairman Elliot Engel said everything is on the table' after being asked what the review would entail, particularly as it related to Kushner. The Senate could vote this week to withdraw US support for the Saudi-led war in Yemen, according to CNN. Contenders for Trump Chief of Staff Mark Meadows: A four-term congressman from North Carolina and the chairman of the ultra-conservative House Freedom Caucus. A top Trump ally on Capitol Hill, Meadows has been one of his most ardent defenders in Russia investigation Steven Mnuchin: Treasury secretary who has a previous relationship going back with Trump to when they were both businessmen in New York; Trump attended his wedding Mick Mulvaney: A former House member who joined Trump's administration to lead the budget office; he has pushed the president to the right fiscally Robert Lighthizer: As U.S. Trade Rep. Lighthizer has pushed Trump to talk tough on trade, particularly in recent negotiations with China Matt Whitaker: Trump named him acting attorney general after Jeff Session left the top job at Justice and is said to get on well with him Chris Christie: The former governor of New Jersey has had his name bandied about for a number of administration jobs, including attorney general David Bossie: He is the president of Citizens' United and co-wrote a book with Corey Lewandowski about working on Trump's campaign Advertisement The Senate Foreign Relations Committee is also trying to decide whether to vote on legislation to suspend arm sales with the country and sanction individuals responsible for Khashoggi's murder. Hannity also quizzed Kushner on life in the White House in the aftermath of John Kelly's departure as chief of staff. President Donald Trump is scrambling to find a new chief of staff after his first choice to replace Kelly bailed at the last minute and several other potential successors signaled they weren't interested in the job. Kusher said: 'I want to start by thinking general Kelly for his great service to this administration, General Kelly has served the state for 40 years, and very helpful to the president towards implementing a lot of the important parts of his successful agenda. So I want to start with that. 'The president right now that brought a new White House counsel who just started and it's going to be fabulous, the president announced the pick for attorney general who will be good as well from what I am seeing. 'And right now the in the White House we have a lot of people who are getting along and the president won't make the right choice of chief of staff. If choosing someone he has a great chemistry with, who will help him navigate the next couple of years through all of the good opportunities to keep pushing forward.' Trump is mulling over a list of at least four potential candidates after Nick Ayers, Vice President Mike Pence's chief of staff, took himself out of the running Sunday and decided that he would instead be leaving the White House. The announcement surprised even senior staffers who believed that Ayers' ascension was a done deal. Trump is now soliciting input on a list of candidates that is said to include Office of Management and Budget Director Mick Mulvaney, Rep. Mark Meadows, a North Carolina Republican and the chairman of the conservative House Freedom Caucus, and former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie. And allies are pitching Trump on even more contenders. But as quickly as names were being floated, candidates appeared to be pulling themselves from consideration, underscoring the challenges of working for a mercurial president who has acknowledged that he likes to surround himself with chaos and despises any suggestion he's being managed. 'In the best of times, it is relentless,' said Chris Whipple, an expert on chiefs of staff and author of 'The Gatekeepers,' a book on the subject. 'It's 24/7. It's thankless. You get all of the blame and none of the credit for everything that happens. And that's in the best of times. We are not in the best of times.' Trump's administration has set records for staff turnover, and the president has often struggled to attract experienced political professionals, a challenge that has grown more difficult with the upcoming threat of costly Democratic oversight investigations and an uncertain political environment. A young woman who exercised for hours a day now can barely take a few steps after she was hit by a truck which then reversed over her. But the inattentive driver who mowed down Darlene Keefe was let off with 160 hours of community service and $4,000 in compensation - which he is allowed to pay her in measly $100-a-week installments. 'I've been through hell and my life will never be the same, and he got off with a slap on the wrist. I'm gutted,' she told Daily Mail Australia. Darlene Keefe, 30, suffered massive injuries including having her left ear ripped off and the skin scraped off her cheek (pictured) Ms Keefe suffered fractures to her ribs, colarbone, and shoulderblade, and had a head injury, collapsed left lung, and nerve damage Ms Keefe, 30, was changing a sign at a BP petrol station in Whitiora, New Zealand, on August 29 when she was hit from behind as the truck entered. The driver of the four-by-four truck didn't realise he hit anyone, despite her wearing a high-vis vest, and reversed both his front and rear wheels over her back. He almost ran over her a third time but bystanders alerted him. Ms Keefe claimed he berated her for getting in the way as she lay sprawled on the ground. She was dragged along the driveway for three metres as the truck reversed, ripping off her left ear and scraping the skin off her cheek. Ms Keefe also suffered fractures to her ribs, colarbone, and shoulderblade, and had a head injury, collapsed left lung, and nerve damage. Ms Keefe, 30, was changing a sign at a BP petrol station in Whitiora, New Zealand, (pictured in uniform) on August 29 when she was hit from behind as the truck entered Some of the external injuries and surgical scars Ms Keefe suffered as a result of being hit by the truck The gym addict spent three months in hospital, enduring three surgeries, and is still in a rehab facility learning to walk again She also had a fractured spine and still has a metal rod and plates holding it in place to prevent her from becoming paralysed. The gym addict spent three months in hospital, enduring three surgeries, and is still in a rehabilitation facility learning to walk again. Her doctors told her she would never walk properly again and wouldn't be able to lift more than 5kgs due to her injuries. 'Every single movement was excruciating. Sneezing, coughing, standing, sitting up, yawning, and laughing was the most excruciating pain,' she said. 'I cant remember when the last time I had a proper sleep and can only lie down on my back. My body is very exhausted. 'I cant hold down my food for too long, I end up sicking it up which causes more pain because of my fractured ribs.' Her doctors told her she would never walk properly again and wouldn't be able to lift more than 5kgs due to her injuries Recently nerve damage also flared up, giving her regular sharp pains shooting down from her back to her thigh Ms Keefe said her family (seen here visiting her in hospital) 'went through hell' along with her Recently nerve damage also flared up, giving her regular sharp pains shooting down from her back to her thigh. Ms Keefe said she also has panic attacks when cars drive near her and is also scared of car travel, as well as suffering from depression. 'This incident has changed my whole entire life. I use to be a happy, driven, motivated hard worker, I was fit and healthy exercising every day,' she said. 'Now I struggle to get in and out of a vehicle.' Ms Keefe said she was shocked when she heard about the driver's sentence last week while lying in rehab bed. 'I really wanted him to pay for it and go to prison. I've been through hell and so has my family,' she said. A computer whiz accused of assaulting his pregnant girlfriend when she asked him to stop playing Fortnite says the alleged attack was 'a one-off thing' and insists 'she's fine'. Luke Munday, 26, was charged on Sunday night after fans watching a live stream of him playing the popular video game called police when they allegedly heard him assault his partner at his home in Oran Park, western Sydney. In the video, which been broadcast across the globe, Munday was seen walking off camera before a commotion was heard, at which point the woman screamed in agony. 'You're all judging the video, you don't see what happens, you haven't read the police report, you don't actually know what happened off camera,' Munday told The Daily Telegraph on Tuesday. 'The court will decide what happens, they have the evidence, they have her statement and they have my statement, and they match. There's no issue there... Everyone thinks I kicked the s**t out of her which clearly isn't the case.' Luke Munday, who is accused of assaulting his pregnant girlfriend after she asked him to stop playing Fortnite, says the alleged attack was 'a one-off thing' and insists 'she's fine' Munday, 26, was charged on Sunday night after fans watching a live stream of him playing the popular video game called police when they allegedly heard him assault his partner Munday added: 'There is no family violence. It's a one-off thing and she will corroborate that in court. She's fine, she's just sick of everyone constantly harassing her and the kids.' While Munday claimed the incident was a 'one-off', it was earlier revealed police had intervened previously when the IT nerd - who would reportedly play Fortnite for up to eight hours in a single sitting - had allegedly been violent towards his partner. In 2015 an apprehended violence order (AVO) was taken out against Munday by NSW Police on behalf of his girlfriend. The AVO stood for close to a year before it was dismissed when the woman withdrew her complaint. 'Everyone thinks I kicked the s**t out of her which clearly isn't the case,' Munday said after he was charged On Sunday night as Munday's game was broadcast live on the Twitch e-sports video stream, the woman could be heard asking him to stop playing the online game. In response to her request, Munday, who had been the poster boy for tech giant Cisco said: 'Can you not? I said I'll be out soon'. 'No computer, I'm sick of this s**t,' she responded. After she was allegedly attacked, Munday's girlfriend could be heard yelling in the video: 'Do they know you touched me and I'm pregnant. 'I hope all of you people know that I'm pregnant and he just bashed me.' Children could be heard crying in the background of the video as the pair continued to argue. Eventually Munday allegedly snaped again, screaming: 'F*** off you dog, you don't pay the bills.' Munday was taken to Narellan Police station and charged with assault at 11.30pm on Sunday, as the stream of his alleged assault was going viral on Twitter. Police took out an interim apprehended violence order (AVO) for Munday's girlfriend, who was described as shaken but not seriously injured. His gaming station is pictured above The 26-year-old would reportedly play Fortnite for up to eight hours in a single sitting (stock) He was granted conditional bail and will appear in Camden Local Court on Thursday. Police also took out an interim apprehended violence order (AVO) for his girlfriend, who was described as shaken and distressed but not seriously injured. Munday's alleged attack on his girlfriend comes after he last year told of his desire to create financial security for his family after his father walked out on him as a toddler. 'When my partner fell pregnant with our first child, a lot changes and your responsibilities go through the roof,' he said. 'I had that philosophy I wouldn't let that happen to my own kids.' The budding IT genius was the top ranking Australian at last years Cisco Networking Academy NetRiders Competition, leading him to be offered a job with Telstra. Police arrested Munday inside a home in Sydney's west on Sunday night. He is due to appear in Camden Local Court on Thursday On Sunday night, Munday's game was broadcast live on the Twitch e-sports video stream (stock) But in the wake of charges being laid the telecommunications giant confirmed they had suspended him while police carry out their investigation. In a statement, Telstra General Media Manager Steve Carey condemned the alleged domestic violence attack. 'This behaviour goes against what we stand for as an organisation and the work we have done to assist women impacted by domestic violence,' Mr Carey said. 'We have suspended Luke's employment pending a full investigation and will co-operate with any police investigation. 'Domestic violence has no place in our community. It is totally unacceptable and needs to be eradicated.' Britt McHenry fired off a pointed criticism aimed at ESPN's High Noon show which is hosted by Bomani Jones and Pablo Torre Two former ESPN hosts Jemele Hill and Britt McHenry ended up getting into heated argument on social media after Hill accused McHenry of 'racism' in a tweet. 'Does anyone actually watch this show?' McHenry asked her followers on Instagram referring to the show High Noon which is presented by ESPN's Bomani Jones and Pablo Torre. She said that the pair's presence was an indication that ESPN was 'filling demo's over talent,'seeming to allege Jones and Torre got their show because they are minorities. 'Be careful, your racism is showing,' Hill warned her in a response on Twitter, while sharing a screenshot of McHenry's post. 'Had she just said she didn't like the show, i wouldn't have said anything. But she immediately suggested that they were on tv because of her race. These guys are my friends, and she's a moron for belittling them in that way,' she later explained on the social network. 'Be careful, your racism is showing,' Jemele Hill tweeted as she fully understood what McHenry was implying McHenry posted, seeming to allege Bomani Jones and Pablo Torre got their show because they are minorities Hill then went onto explain further what she meant by her Tweet Torre later retweeted another message from Hill that read: 'It's not even about Skipper, it's about the fact that her go-to insult was that the people of color on TV aren't qualified. She's the same one who said she's not at ESPN because she's white. Complete clown.' 'She should stop worrying about filling 'demo's' and start working about filling parking meters,' Torre tweeted. Although veiled, McHenry's posting seemed to imply Bomani Jones and Pablo Torre got their show because they are minorities It wasn't long before a member of the public seized upon McHenry's implication that the pair got their job because of their demographics, with a montage of blonde TV reporters McHenry couldn't help but respond further and wrote another tweet after presenter Torre shared Hill's post: 'Maybe if you had better & original humor, your show wouldn't have already been cut to half hour. Thanks for keeping up with my IG though!' McHenry left ESPN in 2016 and claimed at the time without any evidence that ESPN laid her off because she was white. McHenry has since become a host for Fox Nation while Hill is a staff writer for The Atlantic. McHenry couldn't take an insult from one of the shoe's hosts lying down and replied Former ESPN hosts Jemele Hill and Britt McHenry began arguing with one another after McHenrys post accused the network of hiring talent based on race McHenry became infamous in 2015 after footage emerged showing her unleash a vicious verbal attack on a single mother-of-three at a towing firm. McHenry's car had been towed from the parking lot of a Chinese restaurant in Virginia. When she went to pick it up she was infuriated and resorted to insulting the employee's looks, intelligence, and social status. 'Im in the news, sweetheart, I will f*****g sue this place,' McHenry can he heard saying in the video. Britt McHenry became infamous after a video surfaced in 2015 berating a tow truck worker Michelle can be heard warning McHenry she is being filmed and threatens to 'play your video'. McHenry seemed unfussed, responding: 'Thats why I have a degree and you don't - I wouldn't work in a scumbag place like this. 'Makes my skin crawl even being here.' Michelle patiently replies: 'Well let's get you out of here quickly.' McHenry then fires back: 'Yep, that's all you care about - taking people's money with no education, no skill set. Just wanted to clarify that.' Britt McHenry was leaving the towing company and flipping a finger to the cameras After a few more comments, including telling Michelle she doesn't have a brain, McHenry delivers her biggest sting. 'Maybe if I was missing some teeth they would hire me, huh?' she says. 'Cos I'm on television and you're in a f*****g trailer, honey.' Finally, before walking away, McHenry says: 'Lose some weight, baby girl.' McHenry was suspended for a week from ESPN before finally being let go from the network. A father of twins has been charged with kidnapping a seven-year-old girl from a Kmart store before sexually assaulting her in bushes nearby - as mothers share their own accounts of the sickening alleged attack. The man, whose name is suppressed, appeared in court on Tuesday charged with taking the girl from a Westfield shopping centre in North Lakes, north of Brisbane. The alleged abduction was mentioned in a mother's Facebook post which warned parents to keep a close eye on their children during the frantic Christmas shopping season. Other mothers who were inside the store at the time of the alleged abduction have revealed their own accounts of what happened. A Brisbane mother, who asked to remain anonymous, told Daily Mail Australia she was at the North Lakes Kmart with her eight-year-old daughter on Saturday and saw the man lurking inside the store and staring at her little girl. The man, whose name is suppressed, appeared in court on Tuesday charged with taking the girl from a Westfield shopping centre in North Lakes, north of Brisbane The 26-year-old man allegedly lured the girl from her mother when she was out of sight at a Kmart store (stock image) 'I never normally leave my daughter so I feel sick thinking about this,' she said. 'There was a guy standing there leaning on the shelf... his eyes were just fixed on my daughter and he was only an arm's length away from her. 'I called for her and then he was startled, he looked at me and walked away. Straight away, I 100 per cent had a gut feeling that something wasn't right... now that I know what happened I just feel sick.' The woman said she didn't find out about the alleged abduction until Monday. 'Now that I know what happened... I just feel sick. I had a gut instinct that guy was really creepy. I just had the worst feeling,' she said. The 26-year-old man allegedly lured the girl from her mother when she was out of sight at a Kmart store on Saturday. He then allegedly drove her to bushland in Pumicestone Passage before sexually assaulting her. After the assault, the girl was driven back to the shopping centre and left there. The man was arrested on Monday night and has been charged with taking a child for immoral purposes, deprivation of liberty and indecent treatment of a child under 12. A Brisbane mother posted about an encounter at the same Kmart store on the same day The charges were mentioned at Pine Rivers Magistrate Court on Tuesday but the hearing was closed to the media. The case was adjourned until Wednesday morning. In the Facebook post which went viral, a mother shared her account of the alleged abduction. 'A young girl was abducted from the shop and her mum was right there. The mum was looking at something and the child was bringing toys to her mum to show her which ones she wanted for Christmas,' the post read. 'Then all of a sudden she stopped coming back so mum looked and she was gone. They searched and called police. She was gone for 1.5 hours before she was returned. 'The police searched video footage and saw a man take her and return her 1.5 hours later. She was dazed and appeared drugged. The alleged abduction was mentioned in a mother's Facebook post which warned parents to keep a close eye on their children during the frantic Christmas shopping season 'Please please please do not leave children even for a second... This is way too close to home for me. I am always out with the two kids and would be a perfect target when I get distracted by one child and the other doesn't have my attention.' Detective Superintendent Tony Fleming said staff at Westfield North Lakes assisted police in their investigation. 'Crimes in circumstances such as these are not common, but it is a timely reminder that a very small number of people could take advantage of an opportunity to harm a child,' he said. 'Children should be free to enjoy themselves, but it is important that we maintain appropriate vigilance of them and our surrounds.' A Kmart spokesman said they were aware of the incident. 'We are unable to comment further as it as an ongoing police investigation.' the spokesman said. A Westfield spokeswoman said they have been assisting Queensland Police with their inquiries. 'The safety and wellbeing of our customers and community is always our priority,' the spokeswoman said. A doomsday cult leader has warned of an apocalypse and declared Australia will be hit with unprecedented, monumental natural disasters if millions of dollars seized from him aren't returned. Rocco Leo has issued the warning a month after South Australia's Supreme Court ordered his $9million in assets would be redistributed to current and former members of his cult. The exiled leader of Agape Ministries International, who fled to Fiji from Adelaide in 2010 after his church was raided by police, has written a bizarre blog post warning of severe natural disasters if his cash and property aren't returned. Doomsday cult leader Rocco Leo (pictured right in Fiji) has warned Australia would be hit with 'monumental plagues' by the end of December 2018 if his assets weren't returned to him The self-described 'Man of God' warned Australia would be 'severely affected by many monumental plagues' that had never been 'seen before' by the end of December 2018. His 'love4truth' blog claimed Queensland's recent bushfires, Sydney's heavy rain in November, and 'political chaos' were signs from God about his treatment by South Australia's justice system. The cult leader claimed severe natural disasters would escalate unless his assets were returned and he was given an apology. 'In short, unless the government authorities reinstate and return all they have appropriated from the house of God, and publicly apologise to the Man of God, Australia can expect that by the end of December 2018 it will be severely affected by many monumental "plagues" such as never been seen before,' he wrote last week. The exiled leader (pictured) of Agape Ministries International, who fled to Fiji from Adelaide in 2010 after his church was raided by police, has written a bizarre blog post The self-described 'Man of God' (pictured) claimed Queensland's recent bushfires, Sydney's heavy rain in November, and 'political chaos' were signs from God about his treatment Leo also urged his so-called followers to contact their local member of Parliament and lobby 'any and everyone' on social media to 'influence the government'. 'It's time to act. Before the plagues worsen,' he said. In November, the Supreme Court of South Australia was given a plan to redistribute $9million from Agape Ministries, including from members still loyal to Leo. The cult had also owned the tax office $13.4million, The Advertiser reported. In 2016, millions of dollars were uncovered in a bank account, six years after the collapse of Agape Ministries, based at Oakden in Adelaide's north-east. The Australian Taxation Office has demanded those untouched millions go towards paying the Adelaide cult's unpaid debt. Police investigating the brutal attack of three friends in their 20s have released CCTV footage of the moment they were assaulted by an African gang. The young men were walking along foreshore in St Kilda, Melbourne, at around 11.15pm on December 1 when a group of 12 men approached them. Without warning, the gang started to punch and kick the three friends. The victims tried to walk away but the group followed them and were joined by several more men. Scroll down for video Police investigating the brutal attack of three friends in their 20s have released CCTV footage of the moment they were assaulted by an African gang (pictured are men police believe can assist with enquiries) The young men were walking along foreshore in St Kilda, Melbourne, at around 11.15pm on December 1 when a group of 12 men approached them (pictured are men police believe can assist with enquiries) One victim, a 24-year-old man from Burwood East, was repeatedly punched in the head until he passed out. His mobile phone and wallet were taken from him while he was unconscious and he suffered a broken nose and facial bruising. The second victim, a 26-year-old Wheeler's Hill man, tried to step in to help his friend but was kicked in the head until he also lost consciousness. He suffered cuts and bruises to his face. The third victim, 20, from Vermont South, was chased off and suffered only minor injuries. Without warning, the gang started to punch and kick the three friends (pictured are men police believe can assist with enquiries) The 24-year-old and 26-year-old were both taken to hospital after bystanders came to their aid. The offenders had fled the scene by the time police and ambulance officers arrived. Port Philip CIU Detective Senior Constable Nathan Sheppard said the victims were doing fine following the incident. 'It's going to take them some time to get over what took place but they're gradually moving on with things,' he said. The two men were released from hospital the following morning. No one has been charged or arrested over what police describe as an 'unprovoked, random and brutal' incident (pictured are men police believe can assist with enquiries) No one has been charged or arrested over what police describe as an 'unprovoked, random and brutal' incident. 'You could speculate that there were drugs and alcohol involved but it's hard to say,' said Senior Constable Sheppard. Senior Constable Sheppard said Victoria Police have stepped up the amount of patrols at various points of the foreshore. A top boss for charity tasked with helping homeless teenagers has been charged with stealing more than $350,000 from the organisation. Michael Clark, formerly of the SYC charity in South Australia, was arrested and charged with defrauding the not-for-profit over the course of three years. Clark was employed as the director of corporate strategy at the charity, which aides homeless teens, or youths who are unemployed or struggling. Michael Clark, formerly of the SYC charity in South Australia, was arrested and charged with defrauding the not-for-profit over the course of three years SYC chief executive Paul Edginton described the incident as 'incredibly disappointing,' but assured backers none of the money was stolen from donations, The Advertiser reported. The stolen money came out of the SYC's own funds. SYC's annual turnover in 2017 was nearly $68 million. Clark was employed as the director of corporate strategy at the charity, which aides homeless teens, or youths who are unemployed or struggling Mr Edginton said the three worst things to happen to their not-for-profit would be for harm to come to any youths, money to be stolen from donations, or having any form of government contract breached. 'None of that money was donated. None of that money was within a government contract. It was SYC's money,' he said. He went on to say he hoped the incident would not change the minds of future donors, and to reflect on the positive work charities do for people in need. 'This is an isolated incident in a heavily regulated sector, and 99.9 per cent of the time charities do great work and especially at Christmas time when the need is often greatest,' Ross Womersley from the SA Council of Social Service said. Clark was granted bail and is slated to appear in court in January, 2019. A nine-year-old girl has committed suicide after being bullied by her fourth-grade classmates. McKenzie Adams was found by her grandmother in her Linden, Alabama, home after she hanged herself, the Tuscaloosa News reported. Family members say she had been harassed since the beginning of the school year. Family members say McKenzie had transferred to U.S. Jones Elementary School in Demopolis, Alabama, because she had been bullied at her school in Linden. Scroll down for video Jasmine Adams, left, with her daughter McKenzie Adams, who killed herself after relentless bullying from schoolmates McKenzie's mother, Jasmine Adams, told CBS 42 that much of the bullying came from her friendship with a white boy and how his family would drive her to school. 'She told me that this one particular child was writing her nasty notes in class,' McKenzie's mother said. 'It was just things you wouldn't think a nine-year-old should know.' 'Part of it could have been because she rode to school with a white family,' she continued. 'And a lot of it was race, some of the student bullies would say to her 'why you riding with white people you're black, you're ugly. You should just die'. ' McKenzie's aunt, Eddwina Harris, also told the Tuscaloosa News about the racially-motivated taunting. McKenzie's aunt described her as a girl who loved the beach, the zoo and wanted to be a scientist some day 'She was being bullied the entire school year, with words such as 'kill yourself,' 'you think you're white because you ride with that white boy,' 'you ugly,' 'black b-tch,' 'just die',' she echoed. The grieving family felt the school system failed her daughter. 'I just felt that our trust was in them that they would do the right thing,' Adams told CBS 42, 'And it feels like to me it wasn't it wasn't done'. 'We are working fully with the Demopolis and Linden police department. They are doing a joint investigation of these allegations,' said schools attorney, Alex Braswell in a statement. McKenzie Adams was targeted because of a friendship with a white boy she would ride with to school 'We are cooperating fully and I can't comment on any of the aspects of the investigation until they conclude it.' Harris described her niece as a girl who loved the beach, the zoo and wanted to be a scientist some day. She intends to use her platform as a a media personality in Atlanta to speak out for other bullied children. 'God has blessed me to help others with my platform, and now it's time to help. There are so many voiceless kids,' Eddwina Harris said to the News. 'God is opening great doors for justice for my niece.' Funeral services are to be held on Saturday at McKenzie's school, U.S. Jones elementary in Demopolis. The Oscars may not have a host at this years show. The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences is scrambling to find a last-minute replacement after actor-comedian Kevin Hart quit the gig, it has been reported. Hart stepped down as host in response to public outrage over years-old tweets that contained homophobic references. The Academy was blindsided by Harts departure last Thursday, according to Variety. Making matters worse, it did not prepare a contingency plan. The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences is scrambling to find a last-minute replacement after actor-comedian Kevin Hart quit the gig, it has been reported. Hart is seen presenting at the Oscars in Hollywood in February 2016 Hart's offensive tweets were posted nearly a decade ago and were well known, but it's current backlash has booted him out of the host gig. In an Instagram video Friday, the comedian said he was not going to apologize for his comments, despite an ultimatum from the Academy A 2009 now-deleted tweet from Hart displays his anti-gay humor Hart had refused to apologize for a 2011 tweet in which he said he would tell his son it was gay to play with a doll house Theyre freaking out, a Hollywood insider told Variety. It was reported over the weekend that the Academy reached out to legendary comedian-actor Eddie Murphy. But sources said he declined. With few big names eager to take on the role, the Academy is now considering going without a single host. Instead, it would have a rotating cast of big-name stars SNL style sharing the presenting duties while also having buzzy people throw the broadcast to commercial, according to Variety. Sources say Eddie Murphy was placed on the short list to host the 2019 Academy Award - but the 57-year-old has no interest in taking the gig, known as 'the most thankless job in town' With few big names eager to take on the role, the Academy is now considering going without a single host. Jimmy Kimmel (left), who has hosted the last two years, is seen above with Warren Beatty (right) during the best picture fiasco in 2017 Harts tweets from almost a decade ago began to surface after he was announced as host last week. Hart's attitudes about homosexuality were also a well-known part of his stand-up act. In the 2010 special Seriously Funny, he said 'one of my biggest fears is my son growing up and being gay'. 'Keep in mind, I'm not homophobic, I have nothing against gay people, do what you want to do, but me, being a heterosexual male, if I can prevent my son from being gay, I will,' Hart said in the routine. Though he refused to apologize for his comments twice, by Thursday night he finally conceded. 'I'm sorry that I hurt people. I am evolving and want to continue to do so. My goal is to bring people together not tear us apart. Much love & appreciation to the Academy. I hope we can meet again,' Hart tweeted. As the outrage grew, the Academy hoped Hart would offer a sincere apology for the tweets and remain as host. Hart, however, stopped short of an apology, which stoked further anger among LGBTQ groups. The Oscars are scheduled to take place on February 24. A Chicago City Council volunteer who was the sole target of a shooting Sunday afternoon when he was campaigning on Facebook Live miraculously survived the attack. The distressing incident involving 32-year-old Maxwell Little played out before the eyes of his horrified social media followers just before 2pm while he was filming in the West Englewood neighborhood. Little was campaigning for Joseph Williams of the 15th Ward at the time. Williams has spoken out about the city's gun violence epidemic. 'We're out here this evening, knocking on doors in the 15th Ward for my man Joseph Williams, out here canvassing, knocking on doors, letting people know who he is and his platform. If you live in the 15th ward, support Joseph Williams,' Little said in the upbeat live clip before the shots were fired. Chicago City Council volunteer Maxwell Little (pictured above on Facebook Live) was the sole target of a shooting Sunday while out campaigning Little was campaigning for Joseph Williams of the 15th Ward at the time. He was one of at least a dozen 'We're out here this evening, knocking on doors in the 15th Ward for my man Joseph Williams, out here canvassing, knocking on doors,' Little said in the upbeat live clip before the shots were fired Three shots were fired before the video ended and Little fell to the ground. The victim later said on social media he was shot more than six times. No one knows who the suspect is, as the individual fled the scene afterward wearing a mask. Little said in an update later Sunday: 'God is still great... whoever tried to kill me failed. My political views will not change no matter what. More than six shots were fired at me by a masked man.' He was transported to the Little Company of Mary Hospital and was later released. He is pictured in a social media post with blood pouring out of his leg, where he suffered two gunshot wounds. He is pictured in a social media post with blood pouring out of his leg The victim (pictured) was transported to the Little Company of Mary Hospital and was later released Little said in the post: 'This was no random shooting. Someone wanted me dead. The bullet went through. He added: 'God is great. Stay prayed up. I prayed before I went canvassing and God looked out.' NBC News reported that the candidate was campaigning with his kids just two doors away from where the shooting broke out. No one else was injured. Williams said in a statement seen on NBC: 'No one had a chance to see the shooter, that's how fast it happened. If a shooter is a wearing a red mask, that sounds like it was planned.' Police have not given word on a possible suspect or motive. A woman who allegedly bashed a stranger listening to music on a suburban bus was an unacceptable danger to the community with an 'unenviable' criminal record, a court has heard. Charmain Tucker is accused of punching a female bus passenger in the head then assaulting police who responded to the incident in Sydney's north on Monday night. However, when the 22-year-old from Chatswood faced Manly Local Court on Tuesday she denied attacking the woman and instead claimed she had been assaulted. Charmain Tucker, 22, has been charged with assault after allegedly punching a stranger in the head on a suburban Sydney bus. She is accused of then assaulting police and resisting arrest 'I would submit that in terms of violent behaviour it doesn't get much worse than what is contained in the fact sheet,' a police prosecutor said of Charmain Tucker's alleged actions A 23-year-old woman told police she was punched in the head by Charmain Tucker, who sat next to her when her bus stopped at Warringah Mall. Tucker denies assaulting the woman According to police, a 23-year-old woman was sitting on a bus travelling from Wynyard in the city towards the northern beaches about 9.30pm. When the bus stopped at Warringah Mall Tucker boarded and sat near the older woman. As the 23-year-old was listening to music at North Manly she was allegedly punched in the head by Tucker in an unprovoked attack. The injured woman reported being punched to the bus driver who stopped the vehicle and contacted police. Officers from the Northern Beaches Police Area Command arrived and located Tucker who had stepped off the bus. An acting sergeant spoke with Tucker and attempted to arrest her but Tucker allegedly struggled with the female officer and punched her twice in the face. More police arrived and Tucker was eventually arrested, although she allegedly continued to struggle. 'Members of the community are entitled to go about their business without being attacked,' magistrate Christopher Longley said while refusing Charmain Tucker bail on assault charges The injured officer was conveyed to Northern Beaches Hospital for assessment of her facial injuries. Tucker was taken to Manly police station where she was charged with assaulting a police officer in the execution of her duty causing actual bodily harm, two counts of resisting an officer in the execution of their duty and common assault. Police prosecutor Sergeant Taylor Grogin strongly opposed bail, stating the alleged victim had been 'going about her day' and 'minding her own business' when attacked by a stranger. Tucker was a danger to the community and presented a risk of committing further offences, Sergeant Grogin told the court. 'I would submit that in terms of violent behaviour it doesn't get much worse than what is contained in the fact sheet,' she said. 'It's lucky the victim in this matter didn't sustain worse injuries than she did.' Sergeant Grogin said Tucker, who sat in the dock yawning during her bail application, had an 'extensive criminal history', including offences of violence. 'Little is known about the accused's background aside from her recorded history as she was completely uncooperative with police whilst in their custody,' police said of Charmain Tucker The court heard Tucker denied attacking the stranger and claimed she was assaulted by police when she got off the bus. Police had refused bail, stating 'little is known about the accused's background aside from her recorded history as she was completely uncooperative with police whilst in their custody.' Magistrate Christopher Longley said Tucker had an 'unenviable' criminal record and found there were no bail conditions which would mitigate the risk she posed to the community. 'This was, on the face of it, assaulting someone who took a bus, minding her own business,' Mr Longley said. 'And then when detected by police (Tucker) resisted and assaulted those officers. 'Members of the community are entitled to go about their business without being attacked.' Tucker was refused bail and will appear in the same court on January 22. Megyn Kelly was spotted using an official NBC vehicle to chauffeur her around New York City. The former NBC host headed to an appointment before going grocery shopping at a Whole Foods market in Manhattan. Her driver was seen grabbing bags of groceries out of the car as Kelly took a phone call. A sign that read 'NBC Universal official vehicle' was also seen on the car. Kelly sported a grey beanie and matching scarf along with a navy blue coat and black boots during her Monday afternoon outing. Megyn Kelly was spotted using an official NBC vehicle to chauffeur her around New York City The former NBC host headed to an appointment before going grocery shopping at a Whole Foods market in Manhattan. The NBC vehicle is pictured Her driver was seen grabbing bags of groceries out of the car as Kelly took a phone call. A sign (right) that read 'NBC Universal official vehicle' was also seen on the car It has now been six weeks since Kelly was axed as host of Today following the blackface scandal, but she is still finalizing her exit package with NBC. The embattled host is set to walk away with the entirety of her $69million contract paid out, though her next move is still very much unknown. There is a good possibility however that Kelly will be writing another memoir, and the building she was seen entering on Thursday also houses Hachette Book Group. Her first book, Settle For More, was published by Random House, a subsidiary of her former employer News Corp. The publicist who worked on that book has now taken a post at HBG. HBG did not respond to a request for comment. It has now been six weeks since Kelly (pictured talking on the phone) was axed as host of Today following the blackface scandal, but she is still finalizing her exit package with NBC Kelly sported a grey beanie and matching scarf along with a navy blue coat and black boots during her Monday afternoon outing Sources had previously told DailyMail.com that she had been asking for an additional $10million on top of what was left on her contract. Kelly's future is still in limbo, but she did get some words of encouragement earlier this month when Lachlan Murdoch was asked about his former employee at The New York Times' Dealbook conference. 'I'm a big fan of Megyn's. We didn't want her to leave Fox,' said Murdoch, speaking publicly for the first time in his new role as the head of New Fox. He then confirmed however the news that DailyMail.com broke last month - Kelly will not be making a return to the network. 'I'm very happy with our current lineup on Fox News and we won't be making any changes there,' said Murdoch. When asked if there was any chance Kelly might find a new job after the 'damage' that was caused by her acrimonious split with NBC, Murdoch said: 'I hope she does because she's very talented.' Tensions between both sides appear to have cooled after Kelly adopted a scorched earth policy in her exit with NBC according to sources. 'It's all out war in negotiations between Megyn and NBC,' said one source close to Kelly back in October. It is all too much for one NBC executive to stomach. 'She needs to accept that she is done at NBC and leave. We've already paid her the equivalent of a Powerball win so it's not like she's struggling to pay the bills,' said the executive. 'Have some dignity Megyn and move on.' The embattled host is set to walk away with the entirety of her $69million contract paid out, though her next move is still very much unknown Kelly has already set her sights on the two high-ranking executives to exact her revenge if need be, says once source close to the embattled host. 'She wants to tear the place down now that she's out and her team is telling everyone that she won't be happy unless others are out with her,' said a second source close to Kelly. 'She believes that she has information that could do serious damage to NBC News and with her track record of delivering the death blow to Roger Ailes' career she's not afraid to use the information to her advantage.' As for her reason why, the source points to the coverage of her blackface scandal across the network's major television platforms in the days after the scandal. 'She feels that there is no way so many minutes of programming would be dedicated to her scandal unless it was sanctioned by the top of NBC News or even higher - NBC Universal or Comcast. So now she wants them to pay,' said the first source. 'NBC jumped on the "blackface" comments as a way to push her out the door. They wanted her gone and this was the way to do it. There's no way so many NBC talent or shows would go on the attack unless it was officially sanctioned.' Five missing Marines have been declared dead after their refueling plane collided with a fighter jet off Japan's southern coast last week. The US military said Tuesday that search and recovery operations have been halted and the five missing crew members have been declared dead. Their identities will be released after their next of kin are notified. The five were on a KC-130 Hercules refueling aircraft that collided with an F/A-18 Hornet during regular training last Thursday. The warplanes crashed into the sea south of Japan's Shikoku island. Five missing Marines have been declared dead after their refueling plane collided with a fighter jet off Japan's southern coast last week. Pictured, Japan's Coast Guard ship, top, and a US military plane are seen during a search and rescue operation on December 6 Two crew members in the F/A-18 were recovered after the accident, but one died. The US Marines said the survivor was in stable condition when rescued. The Marines earlier identified the dead pilot of the F/A-18 as Capt. Jahmar Resilard, 28, of Miramar, Florida. The search, joined by Japanese and Australian forces, was halted on Tuesday, and the cause of the crash is still under investigation, the Marines said in a statement. The crew members of the refueling aircraft were based at Iwakuni air station near Hiroshima as part of the Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron 152, whose call sign is Sumo. Japan's Coast Guard ship is seen at sea during a search operation for U.S. Marine refueling plane and fighter jet off Muroto in southwestern Japan on December 6 The five were on a KC-130 Hercules refueling aircraft that collided with an F/A-18 Hornet during regular training last Thursday. Pictured, a file photo shows two F/A-18D Hornets approach a KC-130J 'All of us in the Sumo family are extremely saddened following the announcement of the conclusion of search and rescue operation,' the squadron's commanding officer, Lt. Col. Mitchell T. Maury, said in the statement. 'We know this difficult decision was made after all resources were exhausted in the vigorous search for the Marines.' The Marines earlier identified the dead pilot of the F/A-18 as Capt. Jahmar Resilard (pictured), 28, of Miramar, Florida 'Our thoughts are heavy and our prayers are with all family and friends of all five aircrew,' Maury said. The Marines statement said it has not been confirmed whether the two planes were involved in aerial refueling when the collision occurred. The crash is the latest in a series of recent accidents involving U.S. military forces deployed in and near Japan. Last month, a US Navy F/A-18 Hornet from the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan crashed into the sea southwest of Japan's southern island of Okinawa, though its two pilots were rescued. In mid-October, a MH-60 Seahawk also belonging to the Ronald Reagan crashed off the Philippine Sea shortly after takeoff, causing non-fatal injuries to a dozen sailors. Two years ago, a MV-22 tilt-rotor aircraft Osprey crashed during a night-time refueling exercise off the southern island of Okinawa, injuring two crew members. More than 50,000 U.S. troops are stationed in Japan under a security pact. Richard James Wooden (L) pleaded not guilty to reckless wounding Reanna Clark (R) A man allegedly threw a pair of scissors at his pregnant girlfriend's head with such force they became lodged in her skull and had to be surgically removed. Richard James Wooden, 21, faced Wagga Wagga Local Court on Tuesday morning charged over an alleged attack on his girlfriend Reanna Clark, 18. He pleaded not guilty to the alleged attack. Police allege that Ms Clark - who is currently pregnant with the couple's child - asked Wooden to pass her a pair of scissors, but he threw them at her instead. As the scissors came towards her, police said Ms Clark put her head down and covered her face, but they hit her in the top of her head and became lodged beneath the skin. Ms Clark was rushed to hospital by paramedics who attempted to remove the scissors, but were unable to do so. She was airlifted to Sydney's St George Hospital where she underwent surgery to have the scissors removed from her skull. Ms Clark, 18, was rushed to Wagga Wagga Base Hospital with a pair of scissors lodged in her skull Wooden (left) faced Wagga Wagga Local Court on Tuesday charged with reckless wounding after allegedly throwing scissors at Ms Clark (right) so hard that they became stuck in her skull As a result of the alleged attack which happened on December 3, Wooden was arrested on Monday afternoon and charged with reckless wounding. An apprehended violence order (AVO) was taken out by police on Ms Clark's behalf. During his brief appearance in court on Tuesday, Wooden pleaded not guilty to the charge. He was granted bail under strict conditions, including that he must report to police three times a week and must not take drugs that aren't prescribed. Three months earlier as the couple posed for a happy photo, Wooden held a pair of scissors in his hands. According to Facebook the couple began their relationship in early September and Ms Clark is now 20 weeks pregnant. The case is due back before Wagga Wagga Local Court on January 9, 2019. Police also took an AVO out against Wooden on behalf of his pregnant girlfriend Ms Clark (left) Young buyers could be at risk of losing out due to the reversal in the market Australia's house price plunge is still accelerating and new figures have revealed the cities with the biggest market slumps. Melbourne is currently the city driving the property price fall, with Sydney hot on its heels, according to data released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) on Tuesday. Figures showed a fall of 2.5 per cent for Melbourne, marking the third consecutive quarter of price decreases for the city. Melbourne is currently the city driving the property price fall, with Sydney hot on its heels, according to data released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) on Tuesday Melbourne property prices have plunged by 7.6 per cent during the past year, with the city's upmarket inner-east seeing real estate values slump by 11.7 per cent. According to the Bureau, prices in Sydney have also continued to drop by 1.9 per cent in the September quarter of 2018. Hobart has the strongest property market, with the Tasmanian capital seeing an increase in prices of 1.3 per cent. The figures showed the total value of Australia's 10.1 million residential dwellings decreased in value by $70.1 billion, down to $6.8 trillion. The average price of a home in Australia now sits at $675,000. ABS chief economist Bruce Hockman said: 'Falls in Sydney and Melbourne are no longer confined to the more expensive properties, with declines now being observed in the middle and lower segments of the market. 'Factors including tightening credit availability and falling property prices are weighing on activity from both investors and owner occupiers. 'Results are in line with market indicators, with auction clearance rates and sales volumes falling and days on market trending higher.' The house pricing plunge is still accelerating and new ABS figures have revealed the cities with the biggest market slumps - with Sydney (pictured) near the top of the list The ABS findings have been released just one day after the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) urged the Australian government to brace for a housing 'crisis situation' after Sydney's housing market plunged 9.5 per cent since peaking in July last year. There is some good news, however, with positive sentiment for housing affordability hitting its highest point in a year. This means whose who are looking to buy, particularly young people looking to enter the market, have a better chance of getting a foot in the door. A cruel puppy breeder who bred cavoodles has copped a fine but avoided jail after being found guilty of abusing dogs on an illegal farm after two were found dead. Bertram Cooke, 85, was ordered to pay $12,987.95 for vet and relocation costs for the puppies, as well as serve 150 hours of community service. Earlier this year, Cooke pleaded guilty to 28 charges of animal cruelty after 39 cavoodles were rescued from greyhound trailers in Munro, Victoria, ABC reports. Cooke has also been banned from owning dogs for 10 years. Bertram Cooke, 85, has copped a fine of $12,000 upwards and no jail time for abusing dogs on an illegal farm where two puppies were found dead. (Pictured) 39 cavoodles rescued from a puppy breeder's illegal practices in Victoria (Pictured) 39 cavoodles rescued from a puppy breeder's illegal practices in Victoria Bertram Cooke, 85, has been sentenced to pay $12,987.95 for vet and relocation costs for the puppies Anti-puppy factory activist Debra Tranter campaigned outside court against Cooke's treatment of dogs. Ms Tranter took to Twitter to slam Cooke for his horrific abuse of the dogs. 'Puppy farmers arent so brave when they dont have a glossy website to hide behind Bert Cooke in court,' she tweeted, sharing a photo of Cooke with his back turned. Animal lovers took to social media to slam the judge for handing out what they perceived to be too lenient of a sentence. 'Such an unjust sentence. He needs to pay the price for his greed and cruelty. Anti puppy farm activist Debra Tranter approaches Bert Cooke (pictured) with a placard of an abused dog (pictured) 'So unfair for all the people who have to pick up the pieces after people like him get away with it. Grrr!' one woman said. 'Perhaps lock him in a cramped trailer without food & water. I hope his age wasn't a factor in his sentencing,' another replied. The puppy breeder is one of the first to be prosecuted since the Victorian Puppy Farms and Pet Shops Act came into effect in July making puppy farming illegal in the state. A babysitter who sexually abused two seven-year-old boys in Perth has been sentenced to five-and-a-half years in prison and is likely to be deported to Sri Lanka after serving his term. Dayanthan Stanley Mohanraj, 19, was convicted after a trial of four counts of sexually penetrating a child in 2016, when he was babysitting on a casual basis. Stanley Mohanraj showed one boy pornography and later sexually abused the child in a public toilet, then threatened to kill him if he told his parents what happened. He separately abused the same boy in a playroom and on another day attacked both children while they were playing, telling them to keep it a secret, the West Australian District Court heard on Tuesday. A babysitter who sexually abused two seven-year-old boys in Perth has been sentenced to five-and-a-half years in prison and is likely to be deported after serving his term (file photo) Judge Vicki Stewart said Stanley Mohanraj lacked remorse and was unwilling to accept responsibility for his offending against two vulnerable children, which involved a serious breach of trust. 'You took advantage of these two young boys. This is abuse of the most serious kind,' she said. 'You were in a position of authority. You were trusted to look after these children. 'You made comments to each boy to secure their silence.' Stanley Mohanraj came to Australia from Sri Lanka in 2012, but his family's refugee status has been rejected and they are in the process of appealing in the Federal Court. He must serve at least three-and-a-half years behind bars before he can be eligible for parole and will then likely be deported. Judge Vicki Stewart said Stanley Mohanraj lacked remorse and was unwilling to accept responsibility for his offending against two vulnerable children (file photo) A man has been charged over a brutal road rage attack that saw a father stabbed in front of his wife and child. Ahmed Salami, 22, appeared at Mount Druitt Local Court in western Sydney on Tuesday, The Daily Telegraph reported. His appearance came after he was taken to Riverside Police Station on Monday and charged with knowingly driving in a manner that menaces others, reckless wounding and intentionally throwing an object at another vehicle. He fronted the local court on the same day and was refused bail. Scroll down for video A 22-year-old and 42-year-old man (pictured) clashed in a brutal road rage attack on the M7 motorway in the western Sydney suburb of Glendenning The 22-year-old allegedly fled the scene in his Corolla while the wounded man (pictured) tried to drive himself to hospital for treatment Police allege the Punchbowl local threw an object at a father, 42, while he was driving his Toyota Hilux on the M7 in Glendenning on the afternoon of November 30. Dashcam footage showed the pair pull over on the motorway and trade verbal and physical blows. 'Who the f*** do you think you are?' the driver of a Toyota Corolla, who is dressed in a hi-vis vest, can be heard yelling at the other man. 'And what? And what?' responds the 42-year-old Hilux driver. The argument came to a head when the 22-year-old allegedly stabbed the older man in the abdomen. He allegedly fled the scene in his Corolla while the wounded man tried to drive himself to hospital for treatment. The father made it as far as Doonside before a passenger in the car called an ambulance. Paramedics treated him and the wounded man had emergency surgery at Westmead Hospital. He has since been released. President Donald Trump lashed out at the former FBI director James Comey, calling his investigation into the 2016 Presidential election an illegal witch hunt. Comey was grilled by a House committee behind closed doors on Friday on his decision to direct the FBI to probe alleged ties between the Kremlin and Trump's victory over Hillary Clinton in 2016. Comey largely dodged questions connected to the current Mueller-led probe, including whether his May 2017 firing by Trump constituted obstruction of justice. Trump tweeted late on Monday night: 'James Comeys behind closed doors testimony reveals that there was not evidence of Campaign Collusion with Russia when he left the FBI. President Donald Trump speaking to reporters on the South Lawn of the White House on Saturday; he Tweeted that day: 'Time for the Witch Hunt to END' Trump tweeted late on Monday night: 'James Comeys behind closed doors testimony reveals that there was not evidence of Campaign Collusion with Russia when he left the FBI. In other words, the Witch Hunt is illegal and should never have been started!' 'In other words, the Witch Hunt is illegal and should never have been started!' He also referenced Fox Business anchor, Lou Dobbs, and quoted: 'Former FBI Director James Comey under fire for his testimony acknowledging he knew that the Democrats paid for that phony Trump Dossier.' This is a reference to Trump's belief that Comey used a Democrat funded dossier produced by former British spy, Christopher Steele, as part of his probe. Comey batted away questions by committee members, saying he knew very little about the document or who had funded it. Trump's Tweets followed similar assertions made by the President over the weekend in which he claimed he had been vindicated by court filings published on Friday which set out the level of cooperation from two of his former top advisers, whom prosecutors have accused of lying to federal investigators or Congress. The president cites the filings in the cases of his former lawyer, Michael Cohen, and campaign chairman Paul Manafort, as proof that no collusion had been found in the special counsel's investigation. However, the filings are part of an ongoing investigation and do not yet draw a conclusion. Instead they lay out evidence of previously undisclosed contacts between Trump associates and Russian intermediaries. Cohen admitted this month to lying to Congress by saying discussions about a Trump Tower in Moscow ended in January 2016 when in fact they stretched into that June, well into the presidential campaign. Trump Tweeted late on Monday night a reference to Fox Business anchor Lou Dobbs, quoting: 'Former FBI Director James Comey under fire for his testimony acknowledging he knew that the Democrats paid for that phony Trump Dossier' Former FBI boss James Comey talks to reporters after his closed House Judiciary Committee meeting on Friday; Trump claimed Comey's evidence cleared him of wrongdoing Cohen said he never followed up on the proposed meeting, because he was working with a 'different individual' with connections to the Russian government. Cohen also told prosecutors he and Trump discussed a potential meeting with Putin on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly in September 2015, shortly after Trump announced his candidacy for president. In another filing, prosecutors said Manafort lied about his contacts with Russia and Trump administration officials, including in 2018. Mueller's team cited Manafort's interactions with Konstantin Kilimnik, an associate who prosecutors say has ties to Russian intelligence. In addition Trump still faces questions over whether he illegally bought the silence of two women who say they had sex with him. Trump's Justice Department puts him in even greater legal jeopardy by directly implicating him in an illegal scheme involving hush money payments to a porn star. Prosecutors in Manhattan connected the president to a federal crime for the first time by accusing him of orchestrating hush-money payments during the campaign. His former lawyer, Cohen, made the payments to ex-Playboy bunny, Stormy Daniels. Cohen is due to be sentenced this week. Although Cohen had previously implicated Trump in the payments, the Justice Department is now linking Trump to the scheme and backing up Cohen's allegations. It is unclear whether Trump will actually be charged with illegal activity, because Justice Department legal memos from 1973 and 2000 have suggested that a sitting president is immune from indictment and that criminal charges would undermine the commander in chief's ability to do the job. A driver towing Santa's sleigh at a street parade for children has been hit with a $300 fine because the dress-up Father Christmas wasn't wearing a seat belt. The trailer, disguised as a makeshift Santa sled, was slowly making its way down a street in the quiet country town of Morgan, in South Australia. But when the festivities ended, the driver and his passenger in tow were stopped by a particularly vigilant police officer. A driver towing Santa at a country Christmas pageant as cargo in the back of a trailer (pictured) has been slapped with a $300 fine for his 'unsecured load' When the festivities ended the driver and his passenger-in-tow (pictured) were stopped by a police officer from Waikerie who slapped the pair with a $300 fine The officer. who was stationed in front of the Morgan Police Station, spotted the Father Christmas standing in the float about 8.30pm. The stand-in Santa had just finished handing out more than 200 bags of lollies to children and spectators of the pageant. 'Who would book Father Christmas for Christ's sake?' Ernie Asplin, the president of the local chapter of the Lions Club told the Adelaide Advertiser. 'I know Father Christmas took down the officer's number so he won't be getting any presents this year. 'This is really a sad state of affairs and it leaves a pretty bitter taste for the rest of the event.' The stand-in Santa (above) had just finished handing out more than 200 bags of lollies to children and spectators of the pageant before he was given the fine The driver was also deducted three demerit points on top of his $301 fine, a South Australia Police spokesman said. The spokesman confirmed the fine was issued on the spot for 'towing a trailer with person in or on the trailer'. The same officer who issued the fine was also seen fining a motorbike rider and his passenger, who were also involved in the pageant, for not wearing helmets. Mr Asplin said the incident had cast a shadow over an otherwise successful event. Advertisement Yellow Vest protesters demanded even more concessions from Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday even after he caved in to their demands for more pay and lower taxes with a 9billion spending splurge on Monday night. Thomas Miralles, a Yellow Vest spokesman in the southern Pyrenees-Orientales department, said Macron had failed to listen to protesters and vowed to come to Paris this Saturday for his first demonstration in the capital. Meanwhile thousands of students angered by Macron's education reforms joined the Yellow Vests on the streets for a 'black Tuesday' of unrest, further complicating matters for the French President. And even Macron's traditional allies in Europe warned they will be 'closely monitoring' his spending plans to check whether they fall within EU limits. Emmanuel Macron caved into the Yellow Vest protesters on Monday night by promising a 9billion package of tax cuts and wage hikes, which has now raised the prospect of clashes with EU budget chiefs But even as Macron offered an olive branch to Yellow Vest protesters, high school students angry at his education reforms took to the streets of Paris for a 'black Tuesday' of unrest Students oppose reforms to school tests and courses, stricter standards for getting into university, and a hike in fees for foreign students wanting to come and study in France High school students vowed to march in solidarity with the Yellow Vests, who promised to keep up their own campaign of unrest despite Macron's reforms, saying they were 'too little, too late' High school students hold banners making fun of words said by Macron and Prime Minister Edouard Philippe as they take part in a demonstration march at Place Saint-Michel, Paris Yellow Vests vowed to keep demonstrating even after Macron caved in to some of their key demands, and were joined on Tuesday by thousands of school students Rules passed in the wake of the 2008 market crash require all member states to have a deficit of less than 3 per cent of GDP, debt at less than 60 per cent of GDP, and for any member state with debts over 60 per cent to take steps each year to reduce it. France's current debt is 97 per cent of GDP while economists believe Macron's new spending plans will push the deficit above 3 per cent in 2019. Countries found in breach of the rules risk being hit with hefty fines. France is not the only country to flout the EU's spending rules after Italy passed a budget earlier this year which will see the budget deficit rise to 3.1 per cent by 2020, with debt already at 131 per cent of GDP. Protesters gathered around TV sets across France on Monday night to hear Macron promise a seven per cent rise in the minimum wage, an end to tax and surcharges on overtime and pensions, and tax-free bonuses. But opponents said this uncosted spending bonanza would not prevent thousands of protestors taking part in a fifth weekend of action, planned for Saturday. Jean-Luc Melenchon, leader of the far-Left France Unbowed party, said: 'Emmanuel Macron thought he could hand out some cash to calm the citizens' insurrection that has erupted. I believe that Act Five will play out on Saturday.' National Rally leader Marine Le Pen also predicted more disturbances, saying Mr Macron had 'given up on some of his tax errors', but 'refused to admit that it is the system he champions that is being questioned.' Beyond the calls for institutional change - which could result in Mr Macron having to resign - the Yellow Vest movement wants even more tax cuts and pay rises. Young people gather underneath a statue in the French capital as they protest Macorn's education reforms on Tuesday French high school students take part in a demonstration march at Place Saint-Michel, Paris The student protests come a day after Macron tried to placate angry Yellow Vests, who have been demonstrating for weeks on the streets of the French capital French authorities fear several factions unhappy with the President's reforms will join together in a wave of protests A protester holds a sign saying 'be young and shut up' during student demonstrations in Paris on Tuesday A banner reads: 'Our desires are messy, education for all' during demonstrations in Paris 'In terms of substance, these are half measures,' said unofficial Vests spokesman Benjamin Caudy. 'We feel that Macron has got a lot more to give.' Thierry, 55, a bicycle mechanic listening in the southern town of Le Boulou, said afterwards: 'It's just window dressing, for the media, some trivial measures, it almost seems like a provocation. 'All this is cinema, it doesn't tackle the problems of substance. We're really wound up, we're going back to battle.' Gaetan, 34, from Rennes, added: 'Maybe if Macron had made this speech three weeks ago, it would have calmed the movement, but now it's too late. 'For us, this speech is nonsense.' Less than an hour after the presidential address, the A9 toll booth from Spain was completely paralysed. In the northwest, at a roundabout at the end of the A28 in Montabon, near Le Mans, 'yellow vests' gathered under a heated tent to watch the president on TV, sharing a picnic. 'Too bad, blew it again!' exclaimed Etienne. 'Santa Claus has nothing in his sack,' laughed Hubert. Over in eastern France, at the Cafe de la Paix in Commercy, about 15 'yellow vests' watched Macron's speech with a glass of Picon and a basket of fries, interrupting the presidential address with ironic sneers. 'Sir feels bad,' Elisabeth, a 66-year-old retiree, said mockingly as the president acknowledged that he had 'hurt some'. 'It was about time,' added Damien, in his thirties. 'Liar,' a woman shouted. 'He is being held hostage so he drops some crumbs,' said Jonathan, a 35-year-old official. But the demonstrators vowed not to give up after weeks of often violent protests, insisting that Macron's offer was too little, too late (pictured, protesters at an oil depot in Le Mans) Roads were brought to a standstill on Monday night after Macron's speech, as people refused to accept his reform package was genuine (pictured, demonstrators in Le Boulou) A protester near Nantes Atlantique Airport stands next to a sign saying President of the Rich, which is covered in pictures of Macron A Yellow Vest protester helps to filter traffic along a road near Nantes Atlantique Airport Protesters take notes as they watch French President Emmanuel Macron's speech on Monday In the southern commune of Realmont, 'gilets jaunes' from all four corners of the department of Tarn gathered at the roundabout to heave a sigh and release nervous laughter. 'The people asked him to resign and he puts plasters on third-degree burns (...) this is total rubbish,' said Pierrot, an RSA artist in Albi. For Luc, a pizza chef in Marseille, 'it's a charade. He announces bonuses to be paid by employers but how will they do it? They don't have more money.' In a 12-minutes TV address on Monday, Macron pledged a 100 (90) per month increase in the minimum wage, taking it to 1498 (1360). There were also be an end-of-year bonus that employers can pay without being charged by the government, while taxes on those earning less than 2000 (1800) will also end on January 1. Mr Macron also ruled out any return of the Solidarity Wealth Tax, saying that he wanted to stop rich entrepreneurs 'moving abroad', so preventing 'job creation'. The extraordinarily generous package of measures represents a massive U-turn by Mr Macron who originally said he would not yield to rioting as he tried to liberalise the sluggish France economy. So-called Yellow Vest fuel protestors first took to the streets on November 17, and this led to the president scrapping green charges on petrol and diesel. 'I heard the anger was first of all against the tax, but it's deeper than that, and this anger could be our chance,' said Mr Macron. Yellow vested 'Gilet jaune' protesters block the A9 highway toll near Le Boulou, southern France on Monday night Rioting has seen 4,523 arrests across France since November 17. Pictured yellow vest protesters at a toll on the A9 highway Protestors take note as they watch French President Emmanuel Macron's speech on TV last night The extraordinarily generous package of measures represents a massive U-turn by Mr Macron Yellow Vest protesters watch Mr Macron's TV address in their high visibility jackets in a house in Gaillon, northern France this evening 'I heard the despair of the forgotten people. There are couples who struggle to make ends meet, brave single mothers or widows who can't afford child care, and poor pensioners who often have to help children and grandchildren, as well as people with disabilities.' Mr Macron said this 'Forgotten France' has existed for at least 40 years, and that everything had to be done to held them. Referring to rioting which has seen 4,523 arrests across France since November 17, Mr Macron said: 'I will not compromise on violence. When violence unfolds, freedom ends.' Mr Macron, who served in Francois Hollande's Socialist government before becoming President himself in 2017, particularly accused 'opportunists' including looters of 'taking advantage of sincere anger.' He added: 'No anger justifies attacking a policeman, degrading shop and public buildings. From now on it is the peace and the Republican order which must reign.' The yellow vest movement - named after high-visibility vests worn by demonstrators - began online earlier this year, before spreading to the streets in November. What started as opposition to a proposed fuel tax rise has since snowballed into general anger about a lack of concern for the poor and working class. They see Macron as a 'leader for the rich' and are demanding - among other things - a reintroduction of taxes on the rich, a rise in minimum wage, and for Macron to go. India has hiked Taj Mahal ticket prices by around 400 per cent to reduce tourist numbers and prevent damage to the marble floors and walls. The latest move to preserve the UNESCO world heritage site comes after the government limited visitor numbers to 40,000 a day. Previously up to 70,000 people would flock to the monument at weekends. Locals will now pay 250 rupees (2.20) instead of 50 rupees (55p) while there has also been a 15 per cent hike for foreigners, raising prices from around 13 to 15. India has hiked Taj Mahal (pictured) ticket prices to reduce tourist numbers and prevent damage to the marble floors and walls Indians make up the majority of the Taj Mahal's 10,000-15,000 average daily visitors. Nearly 6.5 million people marvelled at the white marble 17th-century masterpiece in 2016. 'We want people to pay more to limit the footfall,'said an official from the Archaeological Survey of India, the government body responsible for upkeep. 'This will cut down the number of visitors to the mausoleum by at least 15-20 percent and generate revenue for its conservation,' the official said. Experts say the huge flow of people is causing irreversible damage to the marble floor, walls and foundations. Officials have also struggled to stop the white marble from turning yellow as pollution levels rise in the northern city of Agra. Further damage is being caused by excrement by insects from the noxious adjacent Yamuna river, one of India's most polluted waterways. Experts say the huge flow of people is causing irreversible damage to the marble floor, walls and foundations In July, India's Supreme Court threatened to either shut or tear down the monument over the failure of the authorities to protect it from degradation. The court asked the Indian authorities to consult international experts to speed up the conservation efforts. The Taj Mahal was built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan as a tomb for his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal. Advertisement This is the extraordinary moment two US Air Force personnel are seen dangling their legs out the back of a plane as it soars over the picturesque Welsh valleys. The man and woman were spotted hanging their legs out the back of a C-130 Hercules as it soared at around 300mph just 250ft from the ground. The two American air force personnel could be seen grinning as they took in the mountains of Snowdonia National Park, North Wales. The US military and the RAF regularly take part in low level manoeuvres in the designated military low fly area. The C-130 Hercules was designed by Lockheed Martin after the United States Air Force asked manufacturers to produce a new plane for transporting troops in the Korean War. It is a four engine turboprop military transport plane with a payload of 45,000lbs and is considerable in size at 92ft long and with a wingspan of 132ft. The two service personnel, wearing camouflage and headsets, enjoy the picturesque view of the mountains at Snowdonia The man and woman were spotted hanging their legs out the back of a C-130 Hercules as it soared at around 300mph just 250ft from the ground Enjoying the view: The US military and the RAF regularly practise low level manoeuvres in the designated military low fly area The C-130 Hercules (pictured) was designed by Lockheed Martin after the United States Air Force asked manufacturers to produce a new plane for transporting troops in the Korean War The brilliant snaps were captured by photographer Mike Smith, who told The Sun: 'I couldn't believe it, it was amazing. 'It looks like they were on a training exercise and the lady on the left looks like she's having a nice time. 'Sometimes they have training sessions and rides around here but I've never seen anything like this before.' 'It just looked like they were having a little joyride.' The first model of the C-130 Hercules entered service on August 23 1954 with a capacity of 92 passengers, 72 combat troops or 64 paratroopers in a 41 feet-long and 9-feet wide interior. Designed for use on unprepared runways, the C-130 quickly became used for disaster relief and search and rescue by the US and its allies including Britain and Australia. Tech giant Apple says it is appealing against a ruling from a Chinese court that would ban some iPhone models in China as part of a long-running patent dispute with American chip maker Qualcomm. Apple said it had filed a request yesterday for the court to reconsider its decision. Earlier yesterday, California-based Qualcomm said it had won a preliminary order from a Chinese court to ban the import and sale of several iPhone models in China due to patent violations. Apple has filed a request for a Chinese court to reconsider its ruling which bans the sale of multiple iPhone models in China. The tech giant is locked in a patent battle with American chip maker Qualcomm. Pictured, shoppers check out the iPhone X at an Apple store in Beijing Qualcomm, the world's biggest supplier of chips for mobile phones, said the Fuzhou Intermediate People's Court in China found Apple had violated two of its software patents The preliminary order affects all of the iPhone models from the iPhone 6S to the iPhone X which are sold with older versions of Apple's iOS operating system. Apple said its iPhones would remain on sale in the country, with newer software. Qualcomm, the world's biggest supplier of chips for mobile phones, initially filed its case in China in late 2017. The ruling came from the Fuzhou Intermediate People's Court in China, the same court that earlier this year banned the import of some of memory chip maker Micron Technology Inc's chips into China. The court found Apple had violated two of Qualcomm's software patents around resizing photographs and managing applications on a touch screen. 'Apple continues to benefit from our intellectual property while refusing to compensate us,' Don Rosenberg, general counsel of Qualcomm, said in a statement. Apple shares fell 2 per cent in pre-market trading. The preliminary order affects all of the iPhone models from the iPhone 6S to the iPhone X. Pictured, Chinese residents pass by an advertisement for the iPhone X in Beijing Apple said its iPhones would remain on sale in China, with newer software. Pictured, Chinese customers queue up outside an Apple store for the launch of iPhone SE in 2016 in Shanghai Because the patents concern software, Apple could make changes to its software to avoid the patents and still be able to sell its phones. In a statement yesterday, Apple said that all iPhone models would remain available for its customers in China. New iPhones use Apple's latest version of its mobile operating system, iOS 12. 'Qualcomm's effort to ban our products is another desperate move by a company whose illegal practices are under investigation by regulators around the world,' Apple said in its statement. The patents in the suit, which Qualcomm said on Monday had been upheld by the Chinese patent office, are separate from those being contested in other cases in its wide-ranging legal dispute with Apple. Qualcomm has also asked regulators in the United States to ban the import of several iPhone models over patent concerns, but U.S. officials have so far declined to do so. The specific iPhone models affected by the preliminary ruling in China are the iPhone 6S, iPhone 6S Plus, iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus, iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus and iPhone X. David Cameron last night insisted he does not regret calling the EU referendum - despite admitting his is 'very concerned' about the Brexit chaos. The former PM said he was right to call the crunch vote because he 'made a promise' to voters that he would hold one. But, quizzed by reporters as he got in his car, he refused to answer questions on whether he should apologise to the British people for the political mess. He spoke out at the end of an astonishing day of chaos in Westminster which saw Theresa May delay the crunch vote on her deal admitting it would have been overwhelmingly defeated in the Commons. Her decision was branded a 'humiliation' by her own MPs and Tory Brexit rebels renewed their plot to try to oust her as leader. Mrs May this morning embarked on a frantic trip across Europe where she will be holding meetings with a string of leaders as she desperately tries to squeeze more concessions out of Brussels to try to peel off Tory rebels. David Cameron (pictured last night) insisted he does not regret calling the EU referendum - despite admitting his is 'very concerned' about the Brexit chaos The Prime Minister is having breakfast in the Netherlands with counterpart Mark Rutte (pictured together this morning) this morning before going on to meet German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin Confronted about the chaos, Mr Cameron said: 'Of course I don't regret calling a referendum. 'I made a promise during the election to call a referendum and I called the referendum. What is the Irish border backstop and why do Tory MPs hate it? The so-called Irish border backstop is one of the most controversial parts of the PM's Brexit deal. This is what it means: What is the backstop? The backstop was invented to meet promises to keep open the border between Ireland and Northern Ireland even if there is no comprehensive UK-EU trade deal. The divorce deal says it will kick in automatically at the end of the Brexit transition if that deal is not in place. If effectively keeps the UK in a customs union with the EU and Northern Ireland in both the customs union and single market. This means many EU laws will keep being imposed on the UK and there can be no new trade deals. It also means regulatory checks on some goods crossing the Irish Sea. Why have Ireland and the EU demanded it? Because Britain demanded to leave the EU customs union and single market, the EU said it needed guarantees people and goods circulating inside met EU rules. This is covered by the Brexit transition, which effectively maintains current rules, and can in theory be done in the comprehensive EU-UK trade deal. But the EU said there had to be a backstop to cover what happens in any gap between transition and final deal. Why do critics hate it? Because Britain cannot decide when to leave the backstop. Getting out - even if there is a trade deal - can only happen if both sides agree people and goods can freely cross the border. Brexiteers fear the EU will unreasonably demand the backstop continues so EU law continues to apply in Northern Ireland. Northern Ireland MPs also hate the regulatory border in the Irish Sea, insisting it unreasonably carves up the United Kingdom. What concessions did Britain get in negotiating it? During the negotiations, Britain persuaded Brussels the backstop should apply to the whole UK and not just Northern Ireland. Importantly, this prevents a customs border down the Irish Sea - even if some goods still need to be checked. The Government said this means Britain gets many of the benefits of EU membership after transition without all of the commitments - meaning Brussels will be eager to end the backstop. It also got promises the EU will act in 'good faith' during the future trade talks and use its 'best endeavours' to finalise a deal - promises it says can be enforced in court. What did the legal advice say about it? Attorney General Geoffrey Cox said even with the EU promises, if a trade deal cannot be reached the backstop could last forever. This would leave Britain stuck in a Brexit limbo, living under EU rules it had no say in writing and no way to unilaterally end it. Advertisement 'Obviously I am very concerned about what is happening today, but I do support the Prime Minister in her efforts to have a close partnership with the European Union that is the right thing to do and she has my support.' Mr Cameron has faced a storm of criticism for calling the referendum and then resigning from No10 the morning after Remain lost the crunch vote. Since his shock departure, Britain has been left deeply divided by the referendum and its result, while the negotiations on the deal have been plunged into turmoil. Yesterday, Mrs May was humiliatingly forced to scrap a Commons vote on the Brexit deal to avoid catastrophic defeat. And today she is on a frantic a last-ditch mission to salvage her Brexit deal today amid a fresh Tory bid to oust her. The Prime Minister is meeting Dutch counterpart Mark Rutte for breakfast in the Hague, before heading for crucial talks with Angela Merkel in Berlin. She will then head for Brussels for discussions with Donald Tusk and Jean-Claude Juncker as they desperately try to find a way through the mounting crisis. But senior Tories fear she will get 'jack sh**' out of the whirlwind tour, after the EU dismissed the idea of renegotiating the legal text of the package or the controversial Irish border backstop. Mr Juncker warned this morning that 'there is no room for renegotiation, but further clarifications are possible'. And Mrs May has left the country at a time when the threats to her position are at the highest level yet - with more Conservative MPs sending no-confidence letters, and Remainers plotting to force a second referendum. Former minister Steve Baker urged his colleagues this morning to recognise that they face the 'certainty of failure' under Mrs May, urging them: 'You must be brave.' He added: 'I really think it is her duty now to go.' The number of MPs who confirmed to have written letters of no confidence has now risen to 28, after Crispin Blunt added himself to the list. Meanwhile, Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon demanded Labour gets behind calls for another referendum, saying it is the 'only way' to resolve the impasse in Parliament. In shambolic scenes yesterday, news of the U-turn on the Brexit vote came just 24 minutes after a Downing Street spokeswoman told journalists it was definitely going ahead. No new date has been given. Cabinet ministers including Michael Gove, who had been giving interviews hours earlier insisting the showdown was '100 per cent' happening, were infuriated at having been left hanging. In a three-hour session with MPs, the Prime Minister denied she had 'bottled it' but accepted she had been facing a big defeat. Ominously, Mr Tusk, who is the EU council president, said he was not interested in reopening the agreement struck with Mrs May just last month. The PM is under huge pressure from all sides to get a major change to the hated irish backstop. Under the current deal, Britain will enter the backstop if it cannot negotiate a free trade deal with the EU which keeps the Irish border soft. Under this plan, the whole of the UK will remain tied to the EU customs union rules while Northern Ireland will have extra single market checks carried out. But MPs have reacted with fury to the proposal, mainly because it does not allow the UK to pull out of it without getting the EU's permisison. They say this could effectively leaves Britain locked in the union forever - handing the keys to Brussels. Mrs May faces little prospect of getting her deal passed by a massively hostile Parliament unless this backstop is fundamentally changed. But EU leaders have already warned that the Withdrawal Agreement - the legal text which contains the backstop - is not up for renegotiation. Sammy Wilson - the DUP's Brexit spokesman - warned Mrs May's mindset will 'guarantee she comes back with nothing which is going to alleviate fears'. He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme she could only get reassurances over the Irish border backstop which 'don't mean anything when they are put against a legally-binding international agreement'. Former Cabinet minister Lord Tebbit today admitted to running over a Dutch tourist's foot but insisted he gave him 'an audible warning of my approach.' Video footage captured the moment the holidaymaker, named as Hans Vandekerkhof, lashed out at the 87-year-old Tory outside Parliament yesterday. Tebbit, once Margaret Thatcher's trade secretary, was briefly spoken to by police before being allowed on his way whilst the angry pedestrian argued with the officer. This afternoon Lord Tebbit said in a written statement that it happened when a 'number of pedestrians had left the footpath and wandered into the carriageway.' He added: 'I gave audible warning of my approach and most moved back onto the footpath but one gentleman walking in a southerly direction continued without moving on to the pavement and without turning his head. 'I gave further audible warning of my approach having reduced speed from walking pace to a very slow speed. 'The gentleman who later identified himself as Mr Hans Vandekerkhof, a Dutch national, moved to his right without turning his head and placed one foot very closely in front of the front nearside wheel of my car. 'The wheel ran over his foot. 'I was unsure whether to free his foot by going forwards or back, but elected to reverse. 'The incident was observed by Police Constable Upton. 'He directed me into Black Rod's Garden whilst taking a statement from Mr Vandekerkhof. The latter was walking without impairment.' This afternoon Lord Tebbit's office confirmed police want to speak to him over the allegations. The video shows the aftermath of the incident, and shows the man gesturing wildly at Lord Tebbit who sits in his car Lord Tebbit, the former Chingford MP, sits in his black Chrysler Grand Voyager during the altercation The entire episode was caught on camera by David Clews, 36, who was filming a live video on the Brexit protests for his Facebook page. In the clip Mr Clews immediately recognised the driver of the black Chrysler Grand Voyager as the former Chingford MP Norman Tebbit. Mr Clews continued to film as he approached the car park entrance near the Houses of Parliament just after midday. From a distance, the video shows the car stopping, reversing, and then the elderly man getting up from the floor ahead of the vehicle. Tebbit served under Margaret Thatcher as both Secretary of Employment and Secretary for Trade and Industry in the early 80's. Speaking on the video, the cameraman said: 'Someone's just been run over. Someone's just been run over. A police officer comes over to speak to Lord Tebbit as he sits behind the wheel, and points at the entrance to Parliament 'The guy just ran over someone. 'Ladies and gentlemen, Norman Tebbit. No it's not Norman Tebbit is it? 'Is that? It's Norman Tebbit. Are you Norman Tebbit? 'You just ran over someone.' When he is asked if he is Norman Tebbit, the pensioner appeared to say: 'Pardon?' He then looked away from the camera and did not confirm his identity and drove forward. He is then filmed driving off, to the entrance, as crowds continue to mill around He is then stopped by the alleged victim who comes to the open driver's side window. Dressed in a cream coloured coat and with a camera hanging around his neck, he told the former MP: 'No you listen to me you listen to me, I looked. 'No, no, no, no, no.' He also appeared to slap Tebbit's hand which was hanging out of the window during the encounter. A woman then joins the grey-haired gentleman and spoke to Tebbit before the uniformed officer rejoined the group. After he stops again, the tourist appeared to slap Tebbit's hand which was hanging out of the window during the encounter The tourist gestures at his foot and at the car tyres as the officer asks him if he is ok. He then said 'this guy' and pointed at Tebbit and the road while gesticulating angrily. The tourist gestured at his foot and at the car tyres as the officer asks him if he is ok. He then said 'this guy' and pointed at Tebbit and the road while gesticulating angrily. Tebbit did not get out of the car during the incident and instead watched on from the driver's seat while the police officer dealt with the tourist. Just before he walked away from the car, the officer tapped the inside of the driver's window and nodded at Tebbit, who then put the car into gear and drove forward. The police officer did not ask Tebbit to get out of the car during the clip and walked away while the victim sat on a wall to take off his shoes and socks, onlookers said. Lord Tebbit was made chairman of the Conservative Party in 1985 but retired from cabinet in 1987 Speaking after the incident, Mr Clews said: 'It was absolutely crazy - the things you see in Parliament Square. 'The guy was shouting at him and at one point he slapped his hand. 'The guy's foot looked sore. I chatted to him afterwards and he told me he was Dutch and visiting London.' Tebbit was made chairman of the Conservative Party in 1985 but retired from cabinet in 1987. The life peer then retired from Parliament in 1992 and has since sat in the House of Lords as Baron Tebbit of Chingford. The life peer, pictured here with Margaret Thatcher in 1987, retired from Parliament in 1992 and has since sat in the House of Lords as Baron Tebbit of Chingford Mr Clews, a pro-Brexiteer had been broadcasting the protests in the area for his page Unity News Network. In 2010 Lord Tebbit apologised after he 'shoved' a child dressed as a dragon during celebrations to mark Chinese new year. He said he did not realise what the festivities were when he said he heard a 'dreadful noise' outside his home in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk. After going out to investigate, he said he had been 'jostled' by a dragon and 'gave it a shove' in response. But he said he had resolved the matter amicably with the parade's organiser. Last month Lord Tebbit admitted to driving into a banner held by climate change protesters who were blocking the road. He accused police of failing to ensure than MPs could reach parliament. He approached the protesters slowly in his car near Tower Bridge and stopped when he drove into a banner behind which they were standing. Annie Risner, 21, a geography student at King's College London, told The Times: 'He looked incredibly angry. 'He continued to drive until he went into us. I felt he was not going to stop. But he was slow enough that he didn't push us over. He went into my legs.' Lord Tebbit, 87, said that Ms Risner had 'a rather lurid imagination' and added that he had stopped his car to avoid causing any injury: 'I approached the unlawful barrier at a very slow pace and stopped my car when its bumper came into contact with the banner. 'I identified myself as a member of the upper house of parliament on my way to a session of the house and asked [the officer] to carry out his duty to enable me to reach Westminster. He declined to do so, saying that the trespassers were intent only on delaying me. To avoid risk of injury I complied with his unlawful request. After a delay of several minutes the trespassers moved away and I resumed my lawful journey.' Nearly 150 migrants have been plucked from the English Channel trying to reach Britain since the start of last month after another six were rescued overnight. Coastguard and a lifeboat crew were called at about 3.30am to the vessel six miles of the Kent coast in the Dover Strait traffic lane. The group of five men and one woman, and who claimed to be from Iran, were brought ashore by Border Force. It is the second boat stopped by the authorities this month, and brings the total number of migrants rescued from the Channel to 149 in nearly six weeks. On December 4, two migrants were rescued after their small vessel was spotted off the Kent coast near St Margaret's Bay. The group of five men and one woman, and who claimed to be from Iran , were brought ashore by Border Force. One was spotted being welcomed on to a jetty wrapped in a blanket Pictures captured the moment the migrants were brought onto dry land. It is the second boat stopped by the authorities this month, and brings the total number of migrants rescued from the Channel to 149 in nearly six weeks The Home Office said: 'Border Force was contacted by the coastguard at around 3am on Tuesday 11 December. 'A Border Force cutter and a lifeboat were deployed to assist a dinghy off the coast of Dover with six people on board. 'The group consisted of five men and one women. All have presented themselves as Iranian nationals. 'They received a medical assessment and have now been transferred to immigration officials for interview.' The Home Office said a Border Force cutter and a lifeboat were deployed to assist a dinghy (pictured) off the coast of Dover with six people on board A map showing the location of where a total of 149 migrants have been rescued from the English Channel since November Most of those held by police crossing the world's busiest shipping lane from France since November have claimed to be Iranian. On November 27 TV cameras captured the dramatic moment migrants were told 'help is coming' as Border Force officials and the coastguard rescued two crews of nine, including a three-year-old. The girl was clinging to her mother as one of four children in the dinghy bobbing about 'helplessly' in the ocean swell after travelling 15 miles from Calais. They crossed over into the English side of the Channel before making a 999 call at about 4.30am. A group of nine Iranians, including four children, in a three-metre inflatable dinghy when they were found in the English Channel on November 27 A three-year-old girl and three other children were among the group rescued from a dinghy in the Channel in the early hours of November 27 Minutes later a second crew of nine were rescued, meaning that 141 attempted the perilous journey in November alone. The French Maritime Prefecture said that its vessels intercepted nine migrants before dawn Tuesday and took them to the port of Dunkirk. A statement said that minutes later a second alert went out for a boat in trouble, carrying nine migrants, off the coast of Dover. The Royal National Lifeboat Institution recovered them. Coastguard crew bring the inflatable alongside their boat in the English Channel in a rescue filmed by TV cameras The three-year-old girl's crew were found by Good Morning Britain reporter Jonathan Swain. Footage shows him at the scene as he tells the stranded migrants that help is coming. 'We were on the water out in the channel since midnight,' he said. 'We had reports of there being a distress and may day out there. We raced towards them we could see them flashing a torch light. 'When we got there it was just an incredible sight it really took my breath away ... to see people floating in the ocean in a dinghy made for three people in a river.' He said it was particularly painful to see the three-year-old girl being held by her mother in the vessel. This dinghy - which is designed to carry just three people - had nine crammed into it in one of the rescues on November 27 Some of the men were captured walking onto the shore following the dramatic rescue in the Channel on November 27 It emerged last month that people smugglers are charging migrants up to 13,000 each to cross the Channel by inflatable dinghy. Is Serbia to blame for the migrant surge? An immigration policy introduced 1,200 miles away in Belgrade has been blamed for the spike in migrants trying to cross the English Channel. The scheme, which granted Iranian passport-holders visa-free travel to Serbia, was supposed to boost tourism between the two nations and attract business investments. It was also said to be a reward for Iran's refusal to recognise the Republic of Kosovo, Serbia's former province, as an independent country. But the gesture has resulted in an unprecedented number of Iranians claiming asylum in Serbia or using the country as a gateway into western Europe. The Iran-Serbia agreement came into force in August last year but was withdrawn last month after the EU raised concerns it was being abused. By the time the scheme was rescinded on October 17, about 40,000 Iranians were said to have flown to Serbia. The most recent Home Office figures show the UK's largest proportion of applications for asylum came from Iranians. In the year to June, Britain received 27,044 asylum applications. This is 14 per cent on the previous year. Miodrag Cakic, chief executive of Refugee Aid Serbia, which monitors migration through the Balkans, said: 'I think the Serbian government's intentions were good to create more tourism in Belgrade but it meant many Iranians came over and never returned home or dispersed to other nations.' Advertisement One family of would-be asylum seekers was charged 40,000 for the dangerous night-time sea crossing. So-called 'agents' have already charged families to reach the French coast. Many fly from Iran to countries such as Serbia or Turkey, before being smuggled across borders to make overland journeys across Europe. People traffickers then demand a further fee to get them to British soil. Individuals pay as much as 13,300 a head (15,000 euros) to board rubber dinghies for the freezing night journey. Francois Guennoc, a volunteer for aid group L'Auberge des Migrants, told the Daily Mail that smugglers charge different fees depending on which country their clients were from. 'Iranians are charged more than Afghans, for example, because they have more money generally,' he said. MP's have warned that lives will be lost without urgent action. Charlie Elphicke, the MP for Dover and Deal, added: 'People are still willing to risk crossing the English Channel in the middle of the night in winter even with such a young child on board. 'The Home Office urgently need to set out a detailed plan on how they are going to put a stop to this crisis. 'The French cannot just turn a blind eye and say this is a problem for Britain. Lives will be lost if this trafficking network is not stopped in its tracks.' A Home Office spokesman said: 'Nobody should put their life at risk attempting to smuggle themselves into the UK across the Channel. 'We are working closely with the National Crime Agency to investigate recent incidents and are in regular contact with the French authorities as we work to identify and dismantle the organised crime groups that facilitate illegal immigration.' 3 Dams in Assyrian Province 'Near Collapse' After Heavy Rainfall: Iraqi Officials Aerial view of recent flooding in the Zarbatia district of Wasit governorate, Iraq, November 20, 2018. ( Iraqi Red Crescent Society) Heavy rainfall has left three dams in Duhok province on the brink of collapse, according to local officials, who say the government is ignoring their pleas for help. Meanwhile, Darbandikhan's hydroelectric dam near Halabja has vastly increased its power generating capacity. Since last week, the Kurdistan Region has seen extremely heavy rain leading to flash flooding, particularly in the provinces of Duhok and Sulaimani. Roads and bridges crumbled as soil was rapidly eroded from under them. "In all countries, there is a high committee for natural disasters, but there isn't one in Kurdistan. We haven't been able to sleep for four days due to being fearful of small dams collapsing," Ziyad Abdullah, director of Duhok's Department of Irrigation, told Rudaw. Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) officials have not answered their pleas for assistance, he said. Besides Duhok's large dam, there are 55 smaller ones. "We only needed 2 million IQD ($1,680) to mitigate the risks to these dams, but no one helped us," added Abdullah. Concerned by the rapid buildup of water, engineers were forced to partially open Shiekhan dam to release the pressure. Besides the Shiekhan dam, Mam Shivan and Gre Gawre dams also face danger. "If we don't monitor them, they might crack," said Abdullah. It is not clear what damage would be caused to urban areas and farmland if any of these dams fail. International teams have been working to stabilize Mosul Dam, which remains in danger of collapse. If Mosul Dam fails, cites along the length of the Tigris to the Gulf could suffer inundation -- including the capital Baghdad. Kurdistan's Weather Forecast department has warned of further heavy rain from Wednesday. According to a five year plan (2013-2018) drafted by the KRG, 500 reservoirs and dams were to be constructed in Duhok. The financial crisis, however, prevented that. Just 55 have been built to date. Ramazan Hamzah, a geology expert from Duhok University, told Rudaw this year was very suitable for storing water -- a resource desperately needed across central and southern Iraq. "Unfortunately, no use was made of that large amount of rain in the past few days. Instead of storing water, now there is danger of floods," added Hamzah. The KRG has no strategy for underground and surface water, "at a time when big fights over water are underway," he added. The Kurdistan Region does not suffer from serious water shortages. However, mismanagement and the lack of a culture of water conservation among the public leads to massive waste. Iraq's central and southern provinces have seen a dwindling supply of water caused by climate change, drought, and a number of dams built upstream by Turkey on the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. Baghdad has even banned the cultivation of water-intensive crops. 'Most rain in 60 years' One dam in Halabja province has actually benefitted from the deluge. The heavy rainfall has boosted power generating capacity at Darbandikhan hydroelectric plant, which has brought two more turbines online. "Due to decreasing water levels, only one electricity turbine in the Darbandikhan dam was operational, but due to the increase in the dam's water level, another turbine became operational, and on Monday, December 10, the third turbine will become operational," Nasih Malla Hassan, mayor of Darbandikhan, told Rudaw. A single turbine produces 83 megawatts of electricity. The output of three combined turbines is 249, according to the mayor. Produced electricity has increased from 83 megawatts to 249 megawatts. In the past four days, there has been 180mm of rainfall in Dabandikhan, increasing the total this year to 390 mm. "Except for 2015, this is the highest amount of rain in the past 60 years in the district," said Hassan. However, the rain has also caused serious local flooding -- destroying the Darbandikhan-Kalar road. Darbandikhan's dam is also not able to store the power created at this high capacity owing to earthquake damage. The Kurdistan Region suffers from regular power outages. In both the cold season and hot season, demand exceeds supply, critically shortening the hours of electricity. John Le Carre's new novel, A Perfect Spy, will be out in October. The author is pictured here at the premier of the BBC's adaptation of Little Drummer Girl at the London Film Festival on October 14, 2018 John le Carre has announced his 25th novel Agent Running In The Field will be tackling the 'division and rage at the heart of our modern world'. It tells the story of a 26-year-old solitary figure who, 'in a desperate attempt to resist the new political turbulence swirling around him, makes connections that will take him down a very dangerous path,' according to publisher Viking Books. The novel will be out in October, and uses the original working title for le Carre's 1986 work, A Perfect Spy. Mary Mount, from Viking, said: 'In his plot and characterisation, le Carre is as thrilling as ever and in the way he writes about our times he proves himself, once again, to be the greatest chronicler of our age. At a moment like this we need writers like him.' Le Carre published his first novel, The Call Of The Dead, in 1961, and remains popular today. His public profile has been further boosted by successful BBC TV adaptations of his books, including The Night Manager and, more recently, Little Drummer Girl. The author, 87, was born David Cornwell, in 1931 in Poole, Dorset, but by the time he published The Call Of The Dead, aged 30, hed been working for British intelligence for seven years, ostensibly with the Foreign Service. His controllers did not like to see their agents writing books he once revealed, Even if it were about butterflies, they said, Id have to choose a pseudonym. Cornwell claimed he chose le Carre because he saw the name over a tailors shop and liked it then admitted, in the same breath, that this was a lie he tells to satisfy nosy parkers. His father Ronnie was a small-time fraudster and serial philanderer who liked to boast he was friendly with the Kray twins. When David was two years old, his father was sent to prison; when he was five, his mother Olive walked out on the family. After a series of brutal boarding schools, he went to university in Bern, Switzerland, where he was recruited in 1950 by the British Army Intelligence Corps. Le Carre published his first novel, The Call Of The Dead, in 1961, and remains popular today. His public profile has been further boosted by successful BBC TV adaptations of his books, including The Night Manager (left, the Tom Hiddleston sex scene in the fourth episode on March 13, 2016) and, more recently, Little Drummer Girl (right, undated publicity photo of the main characters Charlie (Florence Pugh) and Gadi Becker (Alexander Skarsgard) One of my jobs was trawling through displaced-persons camps in Austria, looking for people who were fake refugees, he has said. They were actually Communist spies, and the Army sent some back behind the Iron Curtain as double agents. This notion of recruiting and inverted loyalties would become a constant theme of his novels. Cornwell switched to MI5 while studying at Oxford, where he mingled with Communist activists and reported what he heard. After a stint teaching German at Millfield and Eton public schools, he returned to diplomatic duty, first with MI5 and then MI6 a period that he now dismisses disingenuously as a few years spooking around. Delta Airlines will ban certain animals after finding they caused chaos, including defecating, biting and mauling. The airline said there was an 84 per cent increase in incidents involving support animals in 2016 and 2017 and as a result they would ban them on long-haul flights and pups under four months on all flights. The news comes after Marlin Jackson was savaged by a 70-pound canine on a Delta flight in Atlanta last year. Jackson, from Daphne, Atlanta, was trapped in the window seat as the dog bit his face which caused punctures and lacerations requiring 28 stitches, according to the AJC. Delta airlines will bring in their ban on December 18, which may disrupt the Christmas travel plans of many animal lovers A dog sits in a pet carrier on a plane; emotional support animals will be banned on flights over eight hours and all pups under four months no matter the flight time At the time Delta said: 'A kennel is not required for emotional support animals if they are fully trained and meet the same requirements as a service animal.' The new ban will start on December 18 which could affect families' Christmas plans. According to Market Watch, the policy is to align with the vaccination recommendations of the government and their ban on emotional support animals on flights over eight hours was also consistent with government guidelines. Last month a passenger was covered in feces when he took his seat on a flight from Miami to Atlanta. Matthew Meehan told WXYZ there was 'Actual feces and it was all over me. I sat in it and it was on the seat, on the floor, the seat in front. And I was literally in it.' A chihuahua sits in a transport bag: Delta found that incidents involving support animals were up by 84 per cent in 2016 and 2017 Among the reported incidents, there have been passengers covered in dog excrement, staff bitten and one passenger mauled He told the broadcaster the cabin crew did little to help apart from handing him a few paper towels and a miniature of Bombay Sapphire gin. Delta airlines confirmed later the incident related to an unwell pup on the previous flight. Delta requires a form to be filled out by a medical professional to outline whether a passenger is eligible for an emotional support animal. These are separate from trained service animals, which are specifically utilized to aid with visual impairment, deafness, seizures and other limitations. Both fly for free and are not required to be caged during the flight. An emotional support animal must not exceed the 'footprint' at a passenger's feet below the seat in front, or should be able to sit on their lap. The emotional support animals have become very popular. Advertisement Black-and-white photographs showing the horror and heroes of the Korean War have come to life thanks to digital colourisation. These incredible images show many different sides of the war between North and South Korea, which started in 1950 and ended with an armistice in 1953. One photo shows a memorial service for fallen U.S. soldiers on the front line, another a young John Glenn - who would go on to become the first man to orbit the Earth as an astronaut and later a U.S. Senator. Other striking shots show soldiers and vehicles struggle through snowy conditions, a US soldier giving a young Korean child a gift and a brave bagpiper on a hill. Korean War come to life: Black-and-white photographs from the Korean War, such as this one showing a U.S. soldier handing something to a little girl, have been painstakingly colourised by a British enthusiast On the front line: Soldiers are pictured carrying fellow wounded servicemen in one of the colourised images American hero: Major John Glenn, of the United States Marine Corps, who a few years later would become an astronaut and the first man to orbit the Earth - and eventually a U.S. Senator - is seen inspecting his Panther Jet after surviving a flight which saw enemy fire blow more than 250 holes in it The original black and white photographs were painstakingly colourised by electrician Royston Leonard, 55, from Cardiff, Wales, with each snap taking between four and five hours to complete. 'Adding colour brings to life the horror of war, of the trenches and not just another old black and white photo from long ago,' he said. 'We must never forget and teach all our children so that it never happens again. The pictures are not nice but then nor is sending loved ones to war.' Frozen road: U.S. Army soldiers and vehicles struggle through the snow as they march in wintry conditions Proud tradition: A lone bagpipe player is seen standing above two soldiers. His nationality is not clear, however the bagpipe is most commonly associated with the Scottish Highlands. While a majority of the Western soldiers who fought and died in the Korean War were from the U.S., thousands of British and Commonwealth troops also served Lest we forget: Lieutenant Colonel John Hopkins, commanding officer of the First Battalion, Fifth Marine Regiment, leads in singing the 'Star Spangled Banner' during Memorial Services held in the field during the Korean campaign At sea and in the air: Several U.S. Navy fighter planes flies over a navy ship during the Korean War Hard work: The original black and white photographs were painstakingly colourised by electrician Royston Leonard, from Cardiff, Wales, with each snap taking between four and five hours to complete The Korean War was sparked by communist North Korea invading South Korea following a series of clashes by the border. The United Nations, with the United States as the principal force, came to the aid of South Korea, with China and the Soviet Union providing assistance to the North. The fighting ended on 27 July, 1953, when an armistice was signed. The agreement created the Korean Demilitarized Zone to separate North and South Korea, and allowed the return of prisoners. However, no peace treaty has been signed, and the two Koreas are technically still at war. Set the world on fire: A U.S. Army Sherman tank is seen using a flame thrower to destroy anything in its path Man the guns: U.S. soldiers are pictured at an airfield in an unknown location during the Korean War Advertisement A woman has transformed every room of her three bedroom terraced house into a vintage wonderland. Visitors feel like they have stepped back in time when they enter Trudi Evans' retro property in Stanley, County Durham. The 49-year-old has spent 18 months trawling through eBay, charity shops and auctions in search of classic items for her dream house. It now contains a number of quirky pieces including a vintage pharmacy cabinet, a tea room, antique china and an old fashioned sewing machine. Trudi, who also dresses in vintage clothing, believes she has spent between 60,000 and 70,000 designing the house. Visitors feel like they have stepped back in time when they enter Trudi Evans' retro property in Stanley, County Durham (pictured is her incredible front room, adorned with classic and retro items) The retro vibe of the home extends into the property's kitchen, which includes a reproduction of an old-school tea room, with paraphernalia from several decades spread throughout the room The walls of the home, in this case the kitchen, feature retro advertisements for classic British brands such as Bovril and Tetley's Tea Trudi explains the style of her bedroom as 'simply fairytale', with floral wallpaper and upholstery complete with flower garlands, bouquets, candlesticks and crockery Trudi, who lives with her five French Bulldogs, said: 'When people walk in their jaws literally drop. They do not expect this when they come in. 'It all started when I saw a pharmacy cabinet and sweet cupboard in an auction together and I loved them - it went from there. 'Once I did one room I couldn't stop - it was addictive. The rooms are a piece of art. There is so much attention to detail and everything is movable as well. 'The lounge is definitely more 1940s and the bedroom is just a fairytale. I have got a World War Two prescription and a 1940s first aid box in my lounge. 'In my kitchen I have got a reproduction tea room and I have got a tea trolley in my bedroom. I have also got a vintage dressing room as well. 'I get the stuff from eBay, flee markets, charity shops, actions and sometimes people give me things. The breakfast room also has a splendidly retro style, with forget-me-not blue flowers adorning the skirting and ceiling and lace doilies and a cream tea set on display The 49-year-old has spent 18 months trawling through eBay, charity shops and auctions in search of classic items for her dream house, spending somewhere in the region of 70,000 to complete the look One of several fabulous items on display in Trudi's home is this old fashioned sweet shoe display cabinet, complete with sugary tweets and crockery inside True romantic Trudi has always been fascinated with retro styles from the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s, leading to a fascinating collection of utensils and kitchen items 'I have bought some very expensive items and mixed them with some recycled items. 'I wanted to create a bedroom that I could die in. I wanted to create something so beautiful, that even if you didn't go out it wouldn't matter. 'I do truly think I have created that. Sometimes I go upstairs, sit on my bed and just look around.' 'I'm up at five in the morning every morning and I start cleaning. I have to with this much in the house - you have to keep on top of it.' True romantic Trudi has always been fascinated with retro styles from the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s. The businesswoman, who is originally from London, said: 'I have loved vintage since I was a little girl. 'I remember seeing a black and white movie and loving what they were wearing as a kid. Trudi, who also dresses in vintage clothing (pictured), believes she has spent between 60,000 and 70,000 designing the house. Trudi is so devoted to keeping her prized possessions, such as these ornate decorations in her bedroom, that she claims to get up everyday at 5am so that she can start cleaning the home to keep it spotless An interesting collection of bottles acquired by Trudi including pharmaceuticals such as vaseline, a laxative vegetable, zinc ointment, marshmallow ointment and bitters 'I loved Doris Day, Marilyn Monroe, Elizabeth Taylor. They were so glamorous. I love tea dresses and my hair victory rolls - it's such a feminine look. 'When I first moved into the house it felt unloved. As I started decorating it was as if someone had switched the light on in it. 'I said to my landlord 'I bet I can make this house beautiful' and he said he would buy me a bottle of wine if I did. 'When he saw what I had done he bought me a bottle of champagne - he absolutely loves it. Trudi has now decided to hire out her home for photo shoots, short films and TV. She said: 'So many people have said to me you should hire it out for photo shoots. 'I was inundated with people wanting to use it. It's a little bit of escaping normal day life which I think everyone needs. 'I believe there's nobody else in the UK who has got a house with every single room vintage. It's beautiful but it is also functional.' Trudi lives with her French bulldogs in the stunning home, which includes a showstopping bedroom complete with a gilt mirror and chandelier The wonders are found in each and every room, with this World War Two prescription and first aid box taking pride of place in the property's lounge Jordan Yardley filmed as he is quizzed by paedophile hunters. He was remanded in custody yesterday after he pled guilty to sending indecent messages to a child A convicted sex offender told vigilantes it 'doesn't bother him' that he faces jail after he groomed a decoy he thought was a 12-year-old girl on social media. Jordan Yardley, of Norman Rise, Livingston, West Lothian, was remanded in custody yesterday after he pleaded guilty to repeatedly sending indecent messages to a child for his sexual gratification. A court heard that the decoy told him she was only 12 to which he replied that 'age was not an issue'. Yardely offered to take her to the woods and teach her how to kiss and told her he would 'teach her about sex' when she turned 13, Livingston Sheriff Court heard. The 21-year-old told the 'youngster' during chats on Meet4U and WhatsApp that he was aged 20, told her his real name was Jordan, and gave her his mobile phone number. Yardley showed no remorse when online peadophile hunters filmed the moment they quizzed him about his actions. A man can be heard asking: 'Why do you to feel remorse about talking about sex with a 12-year-old old girl? 'You genuinely dont care that youre apeadophile? That you are going to go on the sex offenders register? That you might go to jail?' To which Yardley shook his head and replied: 'No. That doesn't bother me.' A court heard how Yardley would regularly ask the decoy to send him naked pictures of herself but she claimed that her little brother had broken the camera on her mobile phone. Jim Robertson, prosecuting said: 'The accused was keen that the conversations between himself and this profile remained secret and he said he didn't want anything discussed with her friends or parents. 'On one occasion he asked her: "Have you told any of your friends about me?" and she replied: "No because you said it was a secret".' He said the accused had told her not to tell her mum about conversations they had about him being her boyfriend, kissing and hugging him and being naked with him. He revealed that Yardley had been snared by a group called Wolf Pack Hunters UK, which targets people who used social media to try to communicate with children under 16. Yardley showed no remorse when online peadophile hunters filmed the moment they they quizzed him about his actions He said: 'They appear to be a well-organised group with people playing roles such as decoys and administrative personnel.' The group used an image of a young child provided by a member of the public who has already reached the age of 18 and has granted permission for their image to be used, the court heard. 'In this case a lady in her capacity as a decoy used a profile she created of a 12-year-old girl on the chat application called which states that its users must be 18 or over. 'But when she was contacted by anyone she was 12 as soon as there was communication.' A social media photo of Yardley. A court heard how Yardley would regularly ask the decoy to send him naked pictures of herself A court heard the 21-year-old paedophile was serving a community sentence for downloading indecent images - including hardcore pictures of bestiality (sex with animals) - when he committed the new offence. He was also still on the sex offenders' register as a result of the June 2016 conviction when he repeatedly contacted the person he thought was a schoolgirl called 'Amy' between 23 February and 3 March this year. Yardley's not guilty plea to attempting to meet a person aged under 16 in Livingston on 3 March with the intention of engaging in unlawful sexual behaviour was accepted by the prosecution. Andy Aitken, defending, admitted there was a 'significant element of public interest and public protection' in the case but suggested that the risk Yardley posed could be better judged while he was still at liberty. Sheriff Martin Edington disagreed and revoked Yardley's bail. He told the accused: 'This is a serious charge, but the most serious aspect and the biggest aggravating factor is your previous conviction and the fact you were already under supervision and subject to the requirements of the (Sexual Offences) Act. He added Yardley's name to the sex offenders' register for the second time and remanded him in custody until 24 December for background reports and an expert assessment of the risk he poses to members of the public. A group of cheeky turtles have caught a free ride on the back of a hippo in South Africa. Simon Smith, 35, caught the reptiles - also known as terrapins - riding on the back of the hippopotamus while visiting the Kruger National Park in South Africa. The property consultant from Durban thinks the turtles were looking for a spot to sunbathe and so they chose the hippo's back. The group of cheeky turtles seems to be enjoying their free ride on the back of a hippo The hippo seems untroubled by his little passengers who are enjoying their free ride. Simon, who took the images in August, said: 'I think what made this particular sighting unique is the sheer number of terrapin on the back of the hippo, as well as how close I was to the sighting. 'The terrapins, being ectothermic, were looking to warm their bodies in the sun. The photographer believes the terrapins were looking for a place to sunbathe when they spotted the hippo and decided to go on a free ride on his back 'They will normally scramble onto any rock or log, but with this particular dam having neither - the hippo was the next logical option. 'There's no real symbiosis in this situation so it appears the hippo simply tolerates its little passengers.' A proud family have put up what they believe is Britain's oldest fake Christmas tree which has been passed down the generations for nearly a century. Elizabeth Naylor purchased the 2ft tree from Woolworths in 1920 just two years after the First World War - before passing it through her family's maternal line. 'William's tree' - named after Elizabeth's son - has incredibly survived gale force winds and World War Two bombings to remain standing tall 98 years on. This is believed to be the oldest Christmas tree in Britain, purchased in 1920 by Elizabeth Naylor who bought the artificial tree from Woolworths The tree was used by Ms Naylor until her death in 1981 aged 80 and was passed on to her daughter Joyce Ashton, who passed it on again to Kay Ashton following her mother's death in 2012 The family have continued their special tradition of decorating and displaying the artificial spruce - which was bought for just two shillings - in the living room each year. When Elizabeth, known as Nanan, died in 1981 aged 80, her beloved tree - which became a memorial for William after his premature death in 1940 - was inherited by her daughter, Joyce Ashton. When she passed away in 2012, Kay Ashton became the third generation to own William's Tree. The tree is still lovingly decorated with its original 1920s trimmings every year. Kay, 64, of Sheffield, South Yorkshire said: 'It is going to be fragile because it's 98 but it goes up every year, it's robust enough. 'I'm extra careful when I take it out, I tend to take it out later than the other decorations. 'It's a great piece of history and I'm so glad to have it. 'To think the tree has stayed the same for almost 100 years but everything around it has changed so much. 'The things it will have seen. 'It's outlived two generations and even the shop it was bought from, so it's obviously made of strong stuff. 'I get it out every year and decorate it and it takes pride of place in my living room. 'It's a bit battered but it's definitely a talking point and people are always amazed when I tell them it was bought just two years after the First World War. 'I usually take it down a few days after Christmas because I don't like to tempt fate. 'I would be upset if anything happened to it. 'It is still going strong and might outlive me.' Luckily, Kay, a customer service advisor, has two daughters, Amy Wilcox, 46, and Rebecca Goodhand, 40, to keep up the family tradition. As Rebecca has two daughters, Phoebe, 14 and Tallulah, 12, and Amy has one son, Sonny, five, the tradition is set to continue into its fifth generation. Kay added: 'I think my Nanan would be really touched to know the tree is still going strong and being used - and so would William. Ms Ashton said her grandmother would be impressed that her tree was still being used after almost a century - using the original decorations 'We'll definitely have to have a party when it reaches 100. It's amazing to think it's lived through so much. 'I can't imagine it not being around.' 'My Nanan always had the tree in the kitchen. It was the only tree she ever had. 'My Nanan took great care with the tree and its decorations, and to this day I'll only decorate William's tree with the original decoration she used. 'There's an ornament shaped like a dog with a dead bird in its mouth that hangs on the tree. It does sound a bit gory but it was my favourite when I was little.' The tree, pictured, managed to survive a German bomb during the Sheffield Blitz of 1941 Kay has told how the tree was damaged during the Sheffield Blitz in 1941. A bomb landed in the street and the force blew open the back door and sent her grandmother's iron mangle flying into the tree. She added: 'During the Sheffield Blitz in the Christmas of 1941 they'd been warned to leave the house, but instead the whole family went down into the cellar. 'My Nanan had put a heavy wrought iron mangle against the back door to keep it closed. 'But when a bomb was dropped across the road, the force blew the back door open, and the mangle went flying across the room and into the tree. 'When they came back upstairs, the living room was a mess - with the tree lying in the middle of it. 'The top of it had nearly come off and it's been bent ever since, but it was fixed with sellotape and wire - some of the original bits of tape are still on the tree and I daren't take them off. 'Then in 1962, Sheffield was hit by awful gales, people were even killed when buildings collapsed. 'I remember being at my nanan's house, and she asked my mother to close the back door. 'But before we knew, it, the tree had gone flying across the room and almost into the fire. 'She cried: 'The bloody tree nearly went into the fire' and it made us all laugh.' Meng Wanzhou, CFO at Huawei was arrested on a US warrant in Vancouver on December 1. China has said her detention is violating her human rights China has slammed the 'inhumane' treatment of a top technology executive detained in Canada amid reports of her ill-health and accused authorities of violating her human rights as the bail hearing resumes today. A judge adjourned Meng Wanzhou's hearing on Monday without a decision over concerns about her proposal to use her husband, who is not a Canadian resident, as surety. Meanwhile, China's foreign minister today vowed to protect its citizens abroad as Canada decided whether to release Meng on bail. Beijing will 'spare no effort' to protect against 'any bullying that infringes the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese citizens,' Foreign Minister Wang Yi said at a conference in Shanghai. Wang didn't mention the 46-year-old Huawei executive, but a ministry spokesman, Lu Kang, said Wang was referring to cases of all Chinese abroad, including Meng. Meng, chief financial officer at Huawei - the second-largest smartphone creator in the world - was arrested on a US warrant in Vancouver on December 1, facing possible extradition on fraud charges. Meng Wanzhou (left), Huawei's chief financial officer, speaks with lawyer David Martin in court as she seeks bail. She is alleged to have conspired in helping Huawei avoid US sanctions on Iran and has been awaiting a Canadian court's bail decision - which after two days of hearings was put off until today. Meng's lawyer David Martin has said she should be granted bail before her extradition hearing because of severe hypertension and concerns about her health. In a 55-page sworn affidavit, Meng said she has been treated in hospital for hypertension since her arrest. 'I continue to feel unwell and I am worried about my health deteriorating while I am incarcerated,' the affidavit read. Meng also said she had suffered numerous health problems, including surgery for thyroid cancer in 2011. Chinese Foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang expressed fury over Meng's treatment, citing China's state-run Global Times newspaper as reporting that 'it seems that the Canadian detention facility is not offering her the necessary health care.' Her lawyer has called her treatment 'inhumane', claiming she should be freed soon because she suffers hypertension Former Canadian diplomat working for an NGO is 'detained in China' amid rising tensions between Beijing, Washington and Ottawa over arrested Huawei executive A former Canadian diplomat has been detained in China, two sources said on Tuesday, and his current employer, the International Crisis Group, said it was seeking his prompt and safe release. Michael Kovrig's detention comes after police in Canada arrested the chief financial officer of China's Huawei Technologies Co Ltd on Dec. 1 at the request of U.S. authorities, a move that infuriated Beijing. It was not immediately clear if the cases were related, but the arrest of Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou in Vancouver has stoked fears of reprisals against the foreign business community in China. "International Crisis Group is aware of reports that its North East Asia Senior Adviser, Michael Kovrig, has been detained in China," the think-tank said in a statement. "We are doing everything possible to secure additional information on Michael's whereabouts as well as his prompt and safe release," it added. China's Foreign Ministry and Ministry of Public Security did not respond immediately to questions faxed earlier about Kovrig's detention. The exact reason for the detention was not immediately clear. The Canadian embassy declined to comment, referring queries to Ottawa. Calls to Kovrig's phones were not answered. Kovrig, a Mandarin speaker, has been working as a full-time expert for the International Crisis Group since February 2017. From 2003 to 2016, he worked as a diplomat with stints in Beijing and Hong Kong, among others, according to his profile on LinkedIn. Advertisement 'We believe this is inhumane and violates her human rights,' Lu said at a regular press briefing. Canadian Crown prosecutor John Gibb-Carsley has asked for bail to be denied, saying Meng faces serious criminal accusations of fraud and poses a flight risk. Meng is specifically accused of lying to bankers about Huawei's use of a covert subsidiary to sell to Iran, putting multinational banks at risk of breaching US sanctions, and incurring severe penalties. 'Underneath the core of the fraud, a financial institution in the US is being induced to violate sanctions against Iran,' Gibb-Carsley said. If convicted, she faces more than 30 years in prison. The extradition process could take months, even years, if appeals are made in the case. 'I wish to remain in Vancouver to contest my extradition and I will contest the allegations at trial in the US if I am ultimately surrendered,' she said. David Martin told the court: 'Given her unique profile as the face of a Chinese corporate national champion, if she were to flee or breach her order in any way in these very unique circumstances, it does not overstate to say she would embarrass China itself.' He had a tracking bracelet on hand in case she was immediately released. Meng said she has ties to Vancouver going back 15 years. She and her husband Liu Xiaozong own two homes in the city, and she even had a Canadian permanent residency permit that she has since renounced. Liu, said to be Meng's second husband, used to be Huawei's representative in Mexico, according to a recent column on Shanghai's Jiefang Daily newspaper. Liu current works as the chairman of Depu Education, a private international school in China's Chongqing city, the article claimed. It is rumoured that the school, aimed to recruit children from rich Chinese families, was co-founded by Meng and Liu with an investment of 1 billion yuan (116 million). Liu, who was at the hearing, has offered the residences and Can$1 million in cash - for a total value of Can$15 million - as a surety for his wife's release, the court heard. However a Canadian judge yesterday voiced doubts that Liu could act as Meng's 'surety' - a guarantor responsible for ensuring she meets bail terms and who would legally be liable to pay fines if she did not. The issue of the surety was central to the postponing of the hearing - with Justice William Ehrcke of the British Columbia Supreme Court saying he would not make a decision until both sides addressed 'the necessity and/or strong desirability of a surety being a resident of the province.' Liu, whose visitor visa expires in February, is a risky surety from the prosecutors point of view because he is not a resident of Canada and therefore may not be present for the extradition proceedings which may last years. Liu Xiaozong (left), husband of Meng Wanzhou, Huawei's chief financial officer arrives at a Vancouver, British Columbia courthouse following a break in the bail hearing for his wife on Monday, December 10 Stocks have fallen as tensions between the US and China soar as China demands the release of telecom giant Huawei's CFO (and founder's daughter) after she was arrested for 'violating U.S. sanctions on Iran' 'Someone here on a visitor's visa is not a resident of B.C. It's as simple as that, isn't it?' Justice Ehrcke asked David Martin in court. Ehrcke said he was unsure how Liu could serve as his wife's surety if he had no authority order that Liu to remain in Canada. 'It would be a frustrating and unfortunate exercise if I were to make an order and then you find that there is no suitable surety,' Ehrcke said. 'If the conditions can't be fulfilled, she's held in custody so I'm thinking ahead to make sure that you don't find yourself potentially in that situation.' Meng's arrest has rocked stock markets and inflamed tensions amid a truce in the US-China trade war. Analysts say the incident - the same day that presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping agreed to a 90-day tariffs truce - could be used as a bargaining chip in trade negotiations between the United States and China. Lihui Liu, 43, remained jailed on Sunday without bond after being charged with capital murder A Texas woman accused of drowning and decapitating her five-year-old son before dumping his body in a trash can is 'very mentally ill,' her attorney said. Lihui Liu, 43, remained jailed on Sunday without bond after being charged with capital murder in the death of her son, Jiadong Xu. The boy's father found his body wrapped in a plastic bag and inside a trash can in the family's garage on November 30. Defense attorney George Parnham told the Houston Chronicle that Liu, who is from Singapore, is unable to communicate and the 'very facts of the situation speak to an action of irrational mind.' He described her as a 'very mentally ill individual' after she appeared in court on Friday. Parham said Liu is taking medication and receiving mental health help in jail. Parnham represented Andrea Yates, the Texas woman who drowned her five children in her bathtub in 2001. Liu's husband, Kai Xu, told the newspaper his wife began experiencing a downward spiral with depression in March. She was arrested last month after police responded to a report of a stabbing at the family's home in Houston. Police found the boy's decapitated body on the garage floor, partially covered by a plastic bag. Xu told police he had left his wife at home with their son and 13-year-old daughter. When he returned, he said he found his wife in the garage and she told him she had sent the boy away. The father said he started looking for his son and his wife then admitted the child was in the trash can. He found his son's body in a black plastic bag and the severed head in the can. Officers later found a bloody knife in the bathroom and a blood-splattered bathtub, the Chronicle reported. Liu allegedly admitted she had drowned her son, but refused to speak about the decapitation. Child Protective Services confirmed to the Chronicle that they had interacted with the family in 2015 but the details of their involvement is not clear. The children were never in state custody. The 13-year-old daughter is staying with the father, CPS confirmed to the Chronicle on Friday. One of only two women to survive an attack by Russias most prolific serial killer has told how she woke in a morgue after 'The Werewolf' raped her and left her for dead. Svetlana Misyavitchus was 17 years old and a virgin when she was attacked while returning home from a friends house in her home city of Angarsk. Her attacker was policeman Mikhail Popkov who is serving a life sentence in a penal colony after being found guilty of 56 murders on Monday - in addition to the 22 he was already serving time for. Svetlana Misyavitchus (pictured left today) was just 17 years old (right) and a virgin when she was raped and beaten nearly to death by Mikhail Popkov, aka The Werewolf Popkov was sentenced to life in jail on Monday for 56 murders, on top of the 22 he was previously convicted of. The tally makes him Russia's most prolific killer Svetlana said she was walking home from a friend's house in the bitter cold when Popkov pulled up in his police car and offered her a ride home Describing the day of the attack, Svetlana said she was walking home in the bitter cold when a police car stopped and the driver offered her a lift. 'I thought its safe to go with a policeman,' she said. 'I was so cold from head to toes so I accepted. She remembers that he drove past her house and she asked him: 'Where are we going?' The next thing she recalled was him 'repeatedly banging my head against a tree.' It seemed 'to go on for an eternity', she said. He removed her clothes left her totally naked, she said, adding that she wept during the assault. 'I was shaking .... he wanted to rape me. He was mute - he didnt respond to anything. He said nothing.' Svetlana recalled: 'I crawled out from under him and ran to his car. 'I was hoping to find car keys there - but failed. He caught me and I tripped down some steps.' She was wounded and found some passers-by, but they refused to help her. Popkov said he killed prostitutes or inebriated young women because he believed they were 'immoral', and was driven by a suspicion that his wife was cheating on him Evgeniya Protasova, now 36 and the mother of two children, was the only other victim to survive one of Popkov's attacks beside Svetlana Evgeniya said she kept the attack secret for year, and did not tell her husband until news that Popkov had been caught spread and his face appeared on the TV Popkov is now serving a life sentence in a Russian penal colony, convicted of 78 murders Then she saw Popkovs car approaching her through bushes by the side of a main road. He attacked her again and left her for dead. 'The next I knew, I woke up in a morgue,' she said. 'I felt so cold. I woke up, sat down, and spotted a label on the toe of a corpse next to me. 'I whispered "Oh mother!" and felt faint again. I woke up in a hospital later.' Deeply traumatised, she could not tell doctors her name or age. She was listed as being 25. 'His attack aged me by seven years,' she said. Half her hair was torn out during the violent assault and she was paralysed down one side of her body. When she was discharged a few months later, after being rescued by her mother, her hair had turned grey. 'My brain was damaged,' said Svetlana, now 37, who says she has never got over the brutal attack. 'I was frostbitten. I was forced to take medication for syphilis. 'I was virgin before he attacked me so it was him who infected me. She added: 'I wasnt able to walk and talk. I had to learn everything again from the beginning. It took two or three months. I had a stutter - and still do.' When Popkov was eventually brought to court, she went along and saw him. 'I recognised him in court,' she said. 'He was handcuffed. I lost the ability to walk again the second I saw him. Little is known of Popkov's personal life, but he did have a daughter - called Ekaterina - who was unaware of his crimes until he was arrested During police interviews, Popkov said he began his killing spree after wrongly suspecting that wife Elena was cheating on him 'He said nothing to me when he saw me in court. Did not ask to forgive him. Nothing.... I was shocked to know the amount of victims.' He had ruined her life, she said. 'He does not deserve to live. If not for him, I would have had a normal life, had a family, given birth to great kids. But for me - I live my life only with medicines. He doesnt repent. He is a monster.' The other known survivor Evgeniya Protasova, 36, who has managed to cling on to a semblance of normality despite her trauma. In common with the other attacks, when Popkov attacked Evgeniya he struck her over the head, stripped her naked, and raped her. In a statement read through a lawyer, Evgeniya said: 'It happened in July 1999, when I was 18. 'My boyfriend had invited me to a restaurant, and we left it about midnight. 'He wanted me to go to his place but I strongly refused, and asked him to take me home. Then he got angry and shouted that I could go home on my own.' Like Svetlana, a policeman offered her a lift. He was plain-clothed but showed her his officers ID. Popkov used this tactic repeatedly, sometimes wearing his uniform, to lure in victims, often as they walked along the pavement slightly tipsy after a drink. He even used his own crimes to his advantage, telling the women they should get a lift from a policeman because there was a rapist and serial killer at large. 'My place was very close, some three minutes drive away and we were quickly there,' said Evgeniya. 'Instead of stopping, he accelerated the car and drove away. I began to scream. I was so lost, I did not know what to do. 'I could not stop screaming and he hit me on the head, and I lost consciousness. 'All the rest I remember in bits and pieces but I can recall that he drove me to the forest. 'He got out of the car and tried to drag me out too, having hit me strongly on the head one more time. 'I vividly remember this face, looking like a beast, and I got completely scared. Popkov, wearing handcuffs, leads investigators to the scene of one of his killings The killer is forced to reenact one of his grisly murders - committed with an axe - for officers The skeletal remains of one of Popkov's victims is examined by investigators 'Somehow it helped me to keep going, I clearly understood he was going to kill me, so I gathered all my strength, quickly jumped out of my high heeled shoes and ran away. 'But I was not strong enough to escape from him, and my head was already injured.' She said: 'Of course he caught me quickly, and hit on the head again. This terrible fear of imminent death was my last memory. 'The next time I regained consciousness, I was in hospital in Irkutsk.' Popkov was said by state investigators to have been shocked and dismayed that any of his victims, who he attacked with axes, hammers, knives, screwdrivers, and spades, had survived. As a prosecutor said after his life sentence yesterday in Irkutsk: 'He clearly loved killing. Some victims had 145, or even 170 knife wounds. 'He said that he felt satisfied when he felt their pain as they were stabbed.' Evgeniya said: 'What happened was that that people picking mushrooms found me in the forest next day. This is what my mother told me. 'My mother explained I was totally naked. This bastard undressed and raped me and then thought he had strangled me to death. I have no idea how I got back to life. 'There is still a scar on my neck after the strangling but thank God it is almost invisible for other people.' She tried her best to forget this horrific ordeal, and gradually rebuild her life. But 13 years later he was finally arrested and his picture was shown in the media including online news sites. 'When I saw Popkov's photograph online in 2012 I instantly recognised him, even though the first image I saw had blurred eyes,' she said. 'But I decided not to go to the police. I thought it was so long ago and nobody would listen to me. 'And how could I prove it was him? But the investigators found me because of my attack and invited me for a chat.' Bravely, she agreed to the trauma of seeing the killer face to face as investigators sought crucial evidence that he was 'The Werewolf'. 'There was also a confrontation with him. And I confirmed to police he was the maniac who attacked me, raped me, and tried to kill me,' she said. 'Why did I keep silence for so many years? 'I have a good family now - I am married with two children, I have a son and a daughter. I had never told my husband what I had to go through, but I must say I had been living under a huge pressure inside. This story just did not go away. 'I felt a great relief when I told my story, first to police then to my husband. And now I feel better each time I tell my story. 'I went to court because it helped me to get rid of my ordeal. I had lived with it for many years and now I feel so much better. 'Still, I have to say that there is such huge pain in my heart. I can't imagine I will be completely cured of it one day.' Speaking about the moment she came face-to-face with Popkov in court, she added: 'I felt disgust when looked at him, sitting there behind bars, so small and skinny. And with me he was strong and healthy. 'I don't want to know that this beast will live,' she said. He should be executed, shot dead.' Poppi Worthington's father has lost a High Court challenge to a coroner's ruling that he abused the toddler before her death. Paul Worthington was previously found to have sexually assaulted his 13-month-old daughter before she passed away in 2012. But he claimed Cumbria coroner David Roberts 'over-stepped the mark' and mounted a legal challenge in a bid to get the finding of abuse scratched from the record. Today his case was thrown out by a High Court judge sitting in Manchester, who found there were insufficient grounds to undermine the coroner's conclusion. Senior judge Mrs Justice Farbey ruled the coroner's approach 'cannot be faulted' and ordered Mr Worthington should pay the court costs, subject to his ability to pay. Worthington's case is being legally aided so it is understood the taxpayer will pay the legal bill. 13-month-old Poppi Worthington was found limp at the family home in Barrow-in-Furness in 2012. A coroner found her father had sexually assaulted her Paul Worthington's lawyers claimed the coroner 'overstepped the mark' but a High Court judge has kicked out his legal challenge to the finding Worthington had objected to the coroner's finding of sexual abuse in the 'cause of death' section of his official conclusion into Poppi's death. Following the ruling, lawyers for Poppi's mother released a statement saying she was 'very disappointed' her ex had tried to overturn the finding. Fiona McGhie, a lawyer at Irwin Mitchell representing Poppi's mother, who cannot be named for legal reasons, said on her behalf: 'The years since Poppi died have been a complete nightmare for her. 'Not knowing what happened to Poppi on that day, and knowing that there were evidence gathering failures by the police in the very early stages of the investigation has made things even worse. 'Although the latest inquest brought her closer to the devastating truth, it is likely that she may never get full closure on exactly what happened that night. 'She was left disappointed that Poppi's father chose to rely on his right not to answer many questions which may have incriminated him at the Inquest and while she understands he was entitled to do this, she considers that the coroner's inquiry was frustrated by this. 'She was very disappointed that he tried to challenge the coroner rather than accepting his findings but is relieved at today's decision.' Little Poppi collapsed in this double bed. A judge found she had probably been sexually assaulted by her father This is the cot in which Poppi slept on the nights before she before died at the family home Worthington refused to answer 252 questions about Poppi's death during the inquest in November last year. The coroner said he could not give a verdict of unlawful killing. He ruled the abuse was not a cause of death and that Poppi, who was suffering from a respiratory tract infection, had died from asphyxia because she had been placed in 'an unsafe sleeping environment'. Cumbria Police botched their investigation into Poppi's death, losing vital evidence about her last hours. After the inquest verdict, which was delayed until March this year, the Crown Prosecution Service ruled out what would have been a fourth review of evidence, saying no new information had been produced. Three attempts at a prosecution have failed, primarily because of a lack of evidence gathered by police at the time of Poppis death in 2012. In January 2016, High Court family judge Mr Justice Peter Jackson also said that on the balance of probabilities Worthington sexually abused Poppi before her death. A Chinese pharmaceutical firm at the centre of a nationwide vaccine scandal earlier this year is facing mandatory delisting from the country's stock market. The Changchun Changsheng Life Sciences Ltd was caught producing hundreds of thousands of ineffective vaccines as well as falsifying product records. The company said in a statement today that it had received a notification from Shenzhen Stock Exchange, one of the two stock exchanges in China, about the delisting. The Changchun Changsheng Life Sciences Ltd was caught producing hundreds of thousands of ineffective DPT vaccines as well as falsifying records for its rabies vaccines (file photo) The company, based in north-east China's Jilin Province, said in a statement today that it had received a notification from China's Shenzhen Stock Exchange about the delisting Shenzhen Stock Exchange is one of the two stock exchanges in China alongside Shanghai Shenzhen Stock Exchange is the world's eighth-largest stock exchange by market capitalisation, which is estimated to be 1.91 trillion. The decision was made based on the fact that Changsheng had seriously violated the Chinese law, according to the statement. The company has been given 10 days to appeal against the decision. In addition, Changsheng's chairwoman Gao Junfang and three senior managers are banned from China's securities markets for life, reported China Daily today, citing the China Securities Regulatory Commission. The company's three other senior managers are banned from the market for five years for market violations, according to the same report. China's stock exchanges published a new set of rules in November. The new rules, thought to be a reaction to Changsheng's vaccine scandal, would provide the stock exchanges with powers to delist companies which have committed serious public safety violations. A trading halt had been applied on Changsheng's stock shares since November 19. Previous media reports suggested that more than 215,000 Chinese children could have been affected by the problematic DPT jabs produced by the major pharmaceutical firm (file photo) Changsheng was fined 1 billion and stripped of its production certificate for the rabies vaccine and other 'related vaccines' in October by China's State Drug Administration. The picture shows a Chinese netizen browsing the company's official website A snap investigation on July 5 revealed that Changsheng, based in north-east China's Jilin Province, had sold 252,600 doses of ineffective DPT vaccines to east China's Shandong Province to inoculate children against diphtheria, whooping cough and tetanus. The jab is mandatory for all children in China and costs 3.8 yuan (40p). Previous reports suggested that more than 215,000 children could have been affected by the problematic jabs. During the snap investigation, the government also found that the firm had been fabricating records for its rabies vaccine production. A People's Daily report in July said that the company had broken the approved workflow and used expired raw materials to make its vaccines in order to increase efficiency. After the snap investigation, the company intentionally destroyed and threw away 60 computer hard disks that contained important information, the report added. Disclosure of the case triggered a public outcry in China. The ruling Communist Party's top two leaders, President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang, publicly ordered a nationwide inspection of other vaccine producers. The company's chairwoman and 13 other managers were detained in July after the surprise inspection. President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang publicly ordered a nationwide inspection of other vaccine producers after Changchun Changsheng's scandal had shocked the nation (file photo) Also in July, Cui Honghai, a former head of the Jilin Food and Drug Administration was charged with corruption. Cui, 57, was said to be responsible for approving the production licenses for the pharmaceutical company during the time it produced sub-standard jabs. In August, four top government officials were relieved of their duties after the major vaccine scandal had rocked China. The firm was fined 9.1 billion yuan (1 billion) in October by China's State Drug Administration. It was also stripped of its production licenses for vaccines and drugs, reported state-run Xinhua News Agency. In November, the country's State Drug Administration in November proposed a new law which would fine any Chinese vaccine manufacturers who falsify test results or break other rules up to five million yuan (573,000). The law would regulate areas including production, distribution and use of vaccines, according to a draft. An elderly British couple accused of trying to smuggle 2million worth of cocaine into Europe on a cruise liner have criminal records in the UK, it was reported today. The unnamed couple, aged 72 and 70, were arrested on 4 December after Portuguese plain-clothes officers boarded the MS Marco Polo as it docked at Lisbon. Detectives discovered nine kilos of cocaine hidden inside four suitcases in their cabin. The elderly pair were jailed after police seized four suitcases full of cocaine from their cabin. Pictured: Stock image of a cruise ship at Lisbon Port's cruise terminal The pair were known to police and have committed crimes in the UK, reported Portuguese newspaper Correio da Manha. The elderly couple, who had paid 3,000 each for their Caribbean cruise tickets, were remanded in prison following a court appearance the day after their arrest. Vitor Ananais, who led the operation for the Policia Judiciaria, said: 'The man and the woman are English although they don't live in England but in another European country. 'I can't say which country at the moment because the investigation is ongoing and I don't want to compromise what we are doing. 'The arrests took place on December 4. We knew who were looking for and boarded the cruise ship with a search warrant. 'The drugs were hidden in false bottoms in the suitcases and were distributed evenly among the four cases in the cabin. There were nine kilos in total. 'The couple appeared in court on December 5. The woman is currently being held at a prison in Tires near Lisbon and the man at prison in Lisbon. 'We believe the couple were given the drugs in a Caribbean island but are still looking into which island at this stage. 'We do not know for sure at the moment where the cocaine was going to be brought ashore. Again that is something that is being probed. These are the only arrests so far.' He added: 'The couple were not at all showy and blended in well because most of the other passengers on the cruise liner were elderly. The unnamed couple, aged 72 and 70, were arrested on 4 December after Portuguese plain-clothes officers boarded the MS Marco Polo as it docked at Lisbon (stock image of Lisbon) 'They were travelling alone. They didn't try to protest their innocence after their arrests. They haven't said anything to police as to how the drugs got in their cases.' A well-placed source said the cocaine could have fetched nearly 2million on the streets of the UK. A spokesman for Cruise & Maritime Voyages said: 'Portuguese police officials attended the Marco Polo in Lisbon last Tuesday (4 December 2018) and detained two passengers who were travelling on board the Cruise & Maritime Voyages vessel. 'It is understood this was in connection with the suspected possession of narcotics. Cruise & Maritime Voyages is co-operating fully with the Portuguese police officials. 'Marco Polo departed from London Tilbury 5 November and was sailing on a West Indies & Azores cruise. 'There were 610 passengers and 294 crew on board the ship. Marco Polo continued on her cruise as scheduled and arrived at the London Cruise Terminal in Tilbury on Saturday 8 December. 'Cruise & Maritime Voyages do not tolerate any criminal activity or anti-social behaviour on board their ships.' Most of the officers that boarded the ship are understood to have been plain-clothes officers. A well-placed source said: 'PJ officers are plain-clothes officers. They boarded the ship in a very discreet fashion so as to raise as little attention as possible to what they were doing.' A former correction officer and his girlfriend both laughed sadistically after being told the woman's mother was in a vegetative state and had lost an eye after he brutally beat her with a barbell, it has been revealed in court. Former Rikers guard Ralph Keppler, 27, and 21-year-old Francesca Kiel, both of Lynbrook, Long Island, are accused of plotting the murder together. The pair allegedly attacked 56-year-old Theresa Kiel with the weight at her Long Beach apartment on the night of December 4, 2016. The victim, who was a teacher, lost her right eye and multiple teeth also had a portion of her skull shattered in the horrific attack. Scroll down for video Ralph Keppler, 27 (left), and his girlfriend, 21-year-old Francesca Kiel (right), have been charged with second-degree murder in the death of Kiel's mother, Theresa She remained in a vegetative state until she succumbed to her injuries at North Shore Manhasset Hospital last month. At Keppler's bail hearing, Nassau County prosecutor Stefanie Palma said the pair were 'laughing over the fact that she lost an eye,' according to the New York Post. Keppler texted 'LMAO' (which means 'laughing my a** off) after hearing about the victim's injuries, Palma said. 'That b**** got what she deserved,' he later texted. Keppler was ordered to be held without bail, according to the Post. Kiel remains in place in lieu of $1.5million bail. Theresa Kiel, 56 (pictured) died last month, nearly two years after being beaten into a coma with a barbell at her Long Island apartment In the wake of Mrs Kiel's death, her daughter and Keppler were charged with second-degree murder. Keppler had been charged back in late January with attempted murder and assault and was out on bail. His lawyer says he's innocent. 'Theresa Kiel was robbed of all quality of life when this defendant allegedly shattered her skull with a metal barbell as she walked to her Long Beach apartment,' Nassau District Attorney Madeline Singas said in a press release from February announcing Keppler's indictment on the initial charges, which have now been upgraded. 'This barbaric attack, allegedly motivated by a business dispute and perpetrated by a man employed as a corrections officer, has left Ms. Kiel in a persistent vegetative state, and prosecutors in my office are committed to holding this defendant accountable.' Prosecutors alleged that Keppler had accused Theresa Kiel and her son, Vincent, of swindling him out of $350,000 that he had given them to develop a new dating app, according to ABC Eyewitness News. Theresa Kiel (pictured being loaded into an ambulance) was struck in the face with such force that a portion of her skull caved in and she lost her right eye Prosecutors say Francesca and her former correction officer boyfriend attacked Mrs Kiel over a business dispute According to a lawsuit filed by Keppler in May 2016, Mrs Kiel and her son spent the former prison guard's money on cosmetic surgeries, a luxury car, hair salon appointments and clothes, reported the New York Post. Mrs Kiel's family, in turn, filed court documents accusing Keppler of holding Francesca Kiel 'as a financial, emotional and sexual hostage.' The complaint, which was dismissed by a judge in December 2017, claimed that Keppler monitored Francesca Kiel's phone and email, forced her to get breast implants and coerced her into saying that her own mother was prostituting her. Advertisement Incredible new photographs have emerged of the free climber at the summit of El Capitan after he became the first person ever to scale it without ropes last year. Alex Honnold was 31 when he reached the climax of the vertical rock formation in California's Yosemite National Park in June 2017. His journey became the subject of a National Geographic documentary 'Free Solo', which generated the highest per-venue average of 2018 and the best theater average ever for a documentary when it was released in September. 'So delighted,' Honnold said once he reached the top at the climax of the movie, which narrates the climb and his preparations for it. Alex Honnold peers over the edge of Glacier Point in Yosemite National Park. He had just climbed 2000 feet up from the valley floor Alex Honnold climbs through the enduro corner on El Capitan's Freerider. His journey became the subject of a National Geographic documentary 'Free Solo' released earlier this year Free solo climbing is an extreme technique practiced only by the most experienced climbers. They scale mountains with their bare hands and many die trying. One climber quoted in the film put it this way: imagine if the penalty for Olympic athletes who failed to win gold every time they compete were death. That is the reality for free climbers. Honnold was accompanied by a filming team, who did use ropes, arrayed along the climbing path. A drone and two fixed cameras were also used, for the parts that are too difficult and dangerous for camera operators. In some places the rock looks practically smooth, leaving Honnold with nothing more than seemingly invisible bumps and other irregularities in the mountain's surface to get a toehold and hoist himself upward. Staggering new photographs released by National Geographic show the vertical almost smooth rock face that Alex Honnold climbed in June last year without any ropes Alex Honnold making the first free solo ascent of El Capitan's Freerider in Yosemite National Park, CA. Honnold underwent an MRI scan to determine whether or not he felt fear as a normal person would At times he can squeeze his fingers into a crack or work his thumb into a small hole. One particularly tricky spot is known as a 'Boulder Problem.' Here, Honnold has to perform a complicated set of arm and leg movements to keep moving ahead. In months of training, working with a rope, he learned to execute those moves to perfection. Still, on the day of the big climb, one cameraman looked away, unable to watch, as Honnold struggled to cling to the granite wall. The movie's production team spent much of the time holding their breath against the nightmarish prospect of a fall. But Honnold himself seemed so calm that researchers wondered if there was something different about his brain. With this in mind, Honnold underwent an MRI in 2016 as he got ready for the ascent. That test, which is documented in the movie, shows that a part of the brain that was once usually associated with fear - the amygdala - did not activate when he was shown violent or frightening images. Alex Honnold free soloing the Scotty-Burke off width pitch of Freerider on Yosemite's El Capitan. Drones and fixed cameras were used to capture his journey, because it was too difficult and dangerous for camera crews to follow him in some parts Alex Honnold atop Lower Cathedral with El Capitan in the background. El Capitan is a vertical rock formation located on the north side of Yosemite Valley. The granite monolith is about 3,000 feet from base to summit along its tallest face But, according to the latest research, the amygdala is no longer considered the fear center of the brain. Instead, it activates when a person sees something unfamiliar - whether positive, neutral or negative. And fear is expressed throughout the brain, not just the amygdala, according to Lisa Barrett, an emeritus professor of psychology at Northeastern University and the author of a recent article on the brain region. Honnold himself said he knows what it is to be afraid. 'I'm afraid of death, I'm afraid of danger, I'm afraid of pain. I used to be very afraid of public speaking,' he told AFP last week on the sidelines of a pre-screening of the film in Washington. His explanation of how he conquered fear is simpler. 'To me it just shows what 10 years of preparation and practice and de-sensitization does,' he said. Hard work has taught him to tame his feelings. Alex Honnold sits atop the summit of El Capitan in June 2017, having just become the first person ever to climb the rock without a rope One climber quoted in the film said imagine if the penalty for Olympic athletes who failed to win gold every time they compete were death - that is the reality for free climbers For years he climbed El Capitan with the aid of ropes, recording all of his movements. He was in great physical shape for the solo climb. The film suggests that Honnold's determination borders on obsession, to the point of his neglecting his girlfriend, Sanni McCandless. She calls him 'brutally honest' and a 'weird dude.' She recalled how he reacted nonchalantly to news that a climber friend had died in a fall. 'What did she expect?' Honnold asked of the deceased friend's wife, according to McCandless. Honnold himself says he does not understand how his own death would affect other people. At times Alex can squeeze his fingers into a crack or work his thumb into a small hole. One particularly tricky spot is known as a 'Boulder Problem.' Here, Honnold has to perform a complicated set of arm and leg movements to keep moving ahead Alex Honnold getting his haircut by his girlfriend Sanni McCandless before attempting his free solo of El Capitan in June 2017 'This is the life he wants,' said the documentary's director, Chai Vasarhelyi, who co-directed it with her husband Jimmy Chin, a climber and photographer. 'He's thought about mortality deeply. He's constructed his entire existence to have this life.' There was one thing Honnold did worry about: falling in front of the camera. He said it would be 'kind of okay if I'm by myself' but 'kind of messed up' if it happened in front of his friends. 'Nobody wants to see that,' he said. In October, Honnold shared a note penned to his younger 18-year-old self on CBS This Morning, for the regular feature 'Note To Self'. Alex Honnold at the base of El Capitan in Yosemite National Park. National Geographic's documentary film's 'Free Solo' was released in September in the US and will bereleased in UK cinemas on Friday 14th December Honnold and his girlfriend Sanni McCandless are seen last month. They are the subjects of National Geographic's documentary film, Free Solo Alex Honnold cleaning his van in Yosemite National Park, CA. In months of training, working with a rope, Alex learned to execute the moves he needed to free climb El Capitan 'Your lack of social skills will be one part of why you take up free soloing, climbing by yourself without a rope. But don't worry you'll eventually find yourself right at home in the climbing community, surrounded by close friends and lifelong partners,' the note reads. 'Right now, you're afraid of so many things: strangers, girls, vegetables, falling to your death. That's fine; fear is a perfectly natural part of life. You will always feel fear. But over time you will realize that the only way to truly manage your fears is to broaden your comfort zone,' Honnold writes. The note concludes: 'Climbing is a lifelong journey; use it to learn and grow. And Alex, don't forget to enjoy the view.' In this still photograph from National Geographic's documentary Free Solo, Alex Honnold writes down the day's climbing event in his climbing journal Famed climber Alex Honnold shared the advice he'd give to his younger 18-year-old self in a note penned for a segment on CBS this morning in October Climber Alex Honnold's note to his 18-year-old self Dear Alex, Right now, you're an 18-year-old loner, lost in a sea of uncaring faces at UC Berkeley. You'll spend most of your freshman year, not at class, but at a local boulder, traversing the rock face back and forth with headphones in. You prefer it to the climbing gym because you don't have to talk to anyone. Surprisingly, this is the beginning of a path. You will leave school, move into a van, and devote yourself to climbing. Your lack of social skills will be one part of why you take up free soloing, climbing by yourself without a rope. But don't worry you'll eventually find yourself right at home in the climbing community, surrounded by close friends and lifelong partners. You've always loved the physical movement of climbing. There's a certain joy in swinging around, propelling yourself upward, the fluidity of movement. Whether it's climbing trees or buildings as a kid or climbing Half Dome in Yosemite National Park as an adult, you'll come to appreciate the strain in your arms and the burning of your muscles. You'll experience this joy climbing throughout your life; no matter how many routes you climb, it will always be at the core of your drive. The idea of free soloing El Capitan, the iconic 3,000-foot wall in Yosemite, will become an all-encompassing dream for much of your climbing life. For the first five or six years, you'll be too afraid to try too afraid to even put any effort toward a potential solo. Right now, you're afraid of so many things: strangers, girls, vegetables, falling to your death. That's fine; fear is a perfectly natural part of life. You will always feel fear. But over time you will realize that the only way to truly manage your fears is to broaden your comfort zone. It's a long, slow process that requires constantly pushing yourself, but eventually you'll feel pretty darn good, and you'll climb big walls just like this. You'll have near misses and frequently think about death. It will change your perspective and little annoyances will melt away. There will always be people calling you crazy or assuming that you have a death wish that's fine. They don't see the amount of time and effort that goes into preparation or your drive to do something difficult, especially if it's never been done before. But you will always find purpose in exploring your own limits. Don't let anyone else's opinion rein you in. It doesn't matter what anyone else thinks: live your life in the way that you find most fulfilling. For many years, climbing will be the most important thing in your life. You will put climbing before everything else. But keep an open mind. Eventually you will have a wonderful girlfriend and a charitable foundation. In the end, it all comes back to El Capitan. It will give your life direction for almost a decade. It will be your muse, the reason you get up early to train and stay out for long days in the mountains. The day that you finally free solo El Cap will be one of the most satisfying of your life. It will also serve as an important reminder that no summit is more important than the long process of getting there. Climbing is a lifelong journey; use it to learn and grow. And Alex, don't forget to enjoy the view. Source: CBS News Advertisement A Dad heard his three-year-old daughter's screams as her uncle slashed her throat in front of his four other children Kentucky police say. Beni Bulubenchi rushed to the room to try and disarm his 33-year-old brother, Emmanuel Flutur, who cut him as he intervened. Beni heard the horrifying shrieks of his daughter Josephine over the baby monitor as her uncle attacked. Josephine died on Sunday evening after she was rushed to hospital. A picture from Facebook of Beni Bulubenchi with his three-year-old daughter Josephine who police say was killed by her uncle Left: A heartbreaking image posted to Facebook by Beni appears to show him clutching the hand of his daughter; Right: His daughter Josephine, who died on Sunday evening Police in Clinton County, Kentucky, arrested Flutur who was too violent for them to be able to take a mugshot at the station, according to WYMT. The Sheriff's office was unable to provide details on any motive for Flutur's attack. Flutur was working with the family, according to the broadcaster, and had been living with them. Neighbors told reporters: 'They're such a beautiful family the kids, mom, and the dad, they are very friendly the kids are out in the yard playing a lot. 'It was just extremely heartbreaking. I just can't imagine someone being able to do that.' Beni posted a moving image on Facebook which appears to show his hands clutching Josephine's tiny hand. An image released by police shows Emmanuel Flutur, 33, who has been charged with murdering his niece Beni heard the horrifying shrieks of his daughter Josephine (above) over the baby monitor as her uncle attacked The family of nine is seen posing for a photo on the side of the road Video courtesy LEX 18 News A Just Giving page has been set up to raise money to fly Josephine's body to Michigan for her funeral and has already raised nearly $38,000 of the $50,000 target. The page says: 'The family would like to transport the body of the little girl to Michigan for funeral services. We would like to help cover the transport and funeral expenses.' The page states that Josephine is the daughter of Beni and Simona, who have nine children. Flutur has been charged with murder, assault and wanton endangerment with a $1 million bond placed over him after being remanded in solitary confinement, WKYT reported He will be hauled before a judge at Clinton County District Court, Albany on Tuesday. The family, including the uncle, are all believed to share this room in rural Kentucky Two Russian strategic bombers capable of carrying nuclear weapons have landed in Venezuela in a show of support from Moscow which has infuriated Washington. The TU-160 supersonic bombers, known as 'White Swans' by Russian pilots, landed at Maiquetia airport near Caracas on Monday after covering more than 6,200 miles. Their deployment came days after Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, whose left-wing administration is the most significant U.S. foe in Latin America, held talks with President Vladimir Putin in Moscow. Bad blood bombers: Two supersonic Tu-160 nuclear-capable strategic bombers have arrived in Venezuela, a deployment that comes amid soaring Russia-U.S. tensions Capable of carrying short-range nuclear missiles, the planes, called Blacjack by NATO, can fly over 7,500 miles without re-fuelling and have landed in Venezuela twice before in the last decade. 'Russia's government has sent bombers halfway around the world to Venezuela,' fumed U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Twitter. 'The Russian and Venezuelan people should see this for what it is: two corrupt governments squandering public funds, and squelching liberty and freedom while their people suffer.' As OPEC member Venezuela's socialist-run economy implodes, Russia has become a key lender of last resort, investing in its oil industry and providing support to its military. Anger: U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo called the deployment of the two Russian TU-160 supersonic bombers to Venezuela; 'two corrupt governments squandering public funds' Two Russian Tupolev Tu-160 strategic long-range heavy supersonic bomber aircrafts land at Maiquetia International Airport, just north of Caracas on Monday Official welcome: Venezuelan Defence Minister Vladimir Padrino, centre, is pictured after the arrival of the two Russian bombers RUSSIA'S TUPOLEV TU-160 BOMBER Length: 177ft 5in Wingspan: 182ft 9in (spread) Weight: 242,505lbs (empty) Range: 7,643miles (without refuelling) Speed: 1,380mph at 40,000ft Rate of climb: 13,860 ft/min The Tupolev Tu-160 is the world's largest operational bomber. With a crew of four men, the TU-160 can carry 12 Kh-55 cruise missiles as well as 24 Kh-15 attack missiles. The aircraft is part of the Long Range Aviation branch of the Russian Air Force which is involved with long-range nuclear weapons. It first entered service during the Soviet Union in 1987. In total, 35 were built with 16 remaining in service with the Russian Air Force. In 2015, Russia's Ministry of Defence announced plans to relaunch production, with a contract signed in 2018. Ten Tu-160M2 are set to be ready for delivery in 2027, costing the Russian government a rumoured 1.19bn. Advertisement The Kremlin on Tuesday rejected Pompeo's criticism, saying it was 'highly undiplomatic' and 'completely inappropriate.' Russian President Vladimir Putin's spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, said such criticism sounds odd coming from a country 'half of whose military budget would be enough to feed the whole of Africa.' Russia's Defence Ministry, which said the bombers had been accompanied by two other Russian military planes, did not say if the planes were carrying missiles, how long they would stay for, or what their mission was. Russia has used them in the past to flex its military muscles under the nose of the United States, delighting Venezuelan officials who have cast such flights as evidence it is able to defend itself, with allies' help, from any attack. Maduro frequently invokes the possibility of a U.S. invasion in the South American nation, a notion Washington denies. Maduro said the talks with Putin in Moscow this month yielded Russian investment in the South American country's oil and gold sectors. Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu told his Venezuelan counterpart at the time that such long-range flights provided pilots with excellent experience and helped maintain the planes' combat readiness. Bethan Roper (pictured in the first image toi surface of her today) was killed after she leaned out of a train window headed for Bristol Temple Meads on December 1 The charity worker who died while returning from a Christmas shopping trip with friends reportedly suffered serious head injuries when she leaned out of a train window to be ill. Bethan Roper, 28, was killed on the Bristol Temple Meads-bound service on December 1. Police believe her injuries were caused when she leaned out of a train window. The chair of a young socialist group was returning to her home in South Wales after spending the day at Bath's Christmas Market with friends when she suffered the fatal blow to her head. A passenger said the train was travelling at full speed when they heard a sudden loud bang. Bethan was thrown back into the carriage where two doctors on board tried to give her medical help. Then train continued to the next station where an ambulance was waiting but Bethan was declared dead at the scene. A passenger on board said: 'Everyone in the carriage heard a loud bang and the train came to sudden halt. 'I turned and saw her on the floor, I could see straight away that she had suffered dreadful injuries. 'There were two medics on board and they gave her CPR but it was futile. The train was travelling at full speed when the accident happened. 'She was with a group of girl friends who were in a state of shock and didn't realise the severity of the situation to start with.' The passenger said he was told Bethan had stuck her head out of the window to be ill. British Transport Police previously said its initial inquiries suggested Miss Roper may have been leaning out of a carriage window at the time. A spokesman for BTP said a day after the incident: 'We were called at around 10.10pm following a report a woman had received serious head injuries while travelling on a train between Bath and Keynsham. 'Officers from British Transport Police attended along with colleagues from Avon and Somerset Police and South Western Ambulance Service, but despite their best efforts the woman died at the scene. 'Our investigation remains at an early stage, but initial inquiries suggest the woman may have been leaning out of a window when she suffered a blow to the head.' The spokesman said the incident was reported to the Rail Accident Investigation Branch, and that the death was not being treated as suspicious. The charity worker who died on a service to Bristol Temple Meads (pictured, the station) on December 1 has been pictured for the first time today An inquest into her death is yet to open at Avon Coroner's Court in Bristol. Miss Roper, from Penarth, South Wales, was working for the Welsh Refugee Council at the time of her death, having graduated from Cardiff Metropolitan University in 2013. The charity, a sister organisation to the UK-wide Refugee Council, works to help asylum seekers and refugees in Wales. She was also a campaigner and chairman of Young Socialists Cardiff, and gave a speech in Cardiff earlier this year arguing asylum seekers' right to work and receive education were being ignored by the UK government. A manhunt for an Afghan asylum seeker is underway after his 16-year-old girlfriend was found stabbed to death in her bedroom by her mother. The incident happened in Steyr, a city in the Austrian federal state of Upper Austria. It is believed 17-year-old Saber Akhondzada stabbed the Austrian teenager, identified only as Michelle F., out of jealousy. According to Michelle's family, there were recurring conflicts between the couple as the boy tried to limit his girlfriend's movements and forbade her from talking to other men. A manhunt is underway to find Afghan asylum seeker Saber Akhondzada after his 16-year-old girlfriend, identified only as Michelle F. (left), was found stabbed to death in her bedroom In the evening, the girl's mother went to check on her daughter and her Afghan boyfriend. She was reportedly unable to open the bedroom door because it was blocked by a cabinet. When the woman managed to get in to the room, she found the lifeless body of her daughter. An autopsy showed Michelle died from two stab wounds in her back, with one stab puncturing her lung. According to the Steyr Police, Akhondzada was no longer in the room when the woman entered having managed to escape through an open window. Suspect Saber Akhondzada and Michelle F. pictured together. The victim's family said the couple had recurring fights as the Afghan national tried to limit his girlfriend's movements and forbade her from talking to other men The suspect is described as 5ft 8ins tall, of slim build, with black hair and brown eyes. He reportedly has skin marks on his left cheek, neck and upper lip The Afghan national lived in a local asylum centre and was said to have an on-and-off relationship with Michelle. The police have launched a search for Akhondzada, who they suspect has now travelled to the Austrian capital of Vienna. He is described as 5ft 8ins tall, of slim build, with black hair and brown eyes. He reportedly has distinctive skin marks on his left cheek, neck and upper lip. According to local media, the boy arrived in Austria between 2015 and 2016. He initially lived in Vienna before moving to Steyr after he got to know Michelle through Facebook. A claim that the deadly Grenfell Tower blaze may have been started by a lit cigarette being thrown into a fourth floor window has been dismissed as 'desperate speculation'. It is widely believed the fire originated in a faulty Hotpoint fridge freezer in a flat on the fourth floor. But a public inquiry into the disaster today heard the Whirlpool Corporation, which owns Hotpoint, has tried to explain the blaze as being the result of 'someone throwing something - perhaps a burning cigarette - into the kitchen through the open window'. Rajiv Menon, who represents Behailu Kebede, 45, who lived in the flat where the fire started, called the claim 'desperate' and 'pure speculation'. The public inquiry into the Grenfell Tower fire that killed 72 people today heard a claim from the Whirlpool Corporation that it could have been started by a cigarette 'being thrown through a kitchen window'. The inquiry previously heard the blaze likely started in a faulty fridge freezer made by Hotpoint, owned by Whirlpool. Pictured is the fridge freezer in the burned out flat where the blaze began The inquiry was previously shown the tiny wire connector, pictured, that is thought to have overheated and started the fire, which quickly spread, eventually killing 72 people Pictured are the 72 victims of the blaze and where they lived in the west London building He said: 'As far as the theory of the fire having started as a result of something being thrown through the open window is concerned, this is pure speculation, desperate to put it politely. 'There is no evidence in support, it would have been impossible for a cigarette or some other mystery item to have been launched from ground level four floors down and it is equally impossible to imagine how a cigarette or some other mystery item discarded from a flat above could have miraculously entered the kitchen through the open window, let alone set anything in the vicinity alight.' A lawyer for Behailu Kebede, pictured, who lived in the flat where the blaze started, dismissed the Whirlpool claim as 'desperate speculation' Whirlpool is said to have made the claim in its closing statement, which has been circulated among lawyers but has not yet been heard by the public inquiry. Mr Menon said the suggestion was a 'transparent attempt by a multinational corporation to try to avoid liability and minimise reputational damage and financial loss'. Last month expert Dr John Duncan Glover concluded that the blaze probably began in the Hotpoint FF175BP in the kitchen of Flat 16. A spokeswoman for Whirlpool Corporation said: 'We are committed to assisting the Grenfell Tower Inquiry in any way we can as it continues to investigate all the potential origins and causes of the fire and how it spread. 'Separately, we would like to reassure owners of these products that they are safe and they can continue to use them as normal.' She said two investigations had found 'no evidence of any fault' with the fridge freezer model and that the Government had verified their conclusions. Mr Menon said it was important that chairman Sir Martin Moore-Bick make a finding that the fire started in the fridge freezer so that 'as a society we can try to regulate in the interest of public safety'. He added: 'The inquiry must set the record straight and unequivocally declare Mr Kebede bears no responsibility indirectly or directly for the outbreak of fire in his kitchen, its spread and its fatal consequences.' When does the Grenfell inquiry end? The public inquiry into the 2017 tragedy at Grenfell tower block in Kensington, West London, could run into 2020 by the time all evidence is taken into acount. Below is a time line of how it has unfolded so far. March 2018: More than 330,000 documents received in preparation for the inquiry, set to begin in May. Core participants number 547. May 21 2018: Inquiry began. The first six months were to focus solely on what happened on the night of the fire. Testimonies were read at the Millennium Gloucester hotel, West London. June 14: No evidence is heard for a week as the inquiry pauses during the week of the inferno's first anniversary. June 21: Firefighters and commanders begin giving evidence about their handling of the fire. September: Residents offer their accounts about the blaze. Experts also tell the inquiry what they believe caused the first and allowed it to spread. October: Closing statements submitted by fire service - including commissioner's remarks that she would not change anything about LFB's response. November: Fire experts share their views on the likely cause of the blaze and the reason for it spreading so quickily. December: Closing statements are submitted on behalf of survivors, the bereaved and organisations responsible for responding to the blaze. 2019: Phase two of the inquiry begins, focusing on the planning, design and building of the tower. It will begin by examining the building when erected in 1974 and its subsequent modifications, including renovations to the exterior between 2012 and 2016. Fire safety features and advice to residents will also be reviewed. Advertisement Meanwhile calls were also made for police call handlers to give evidence to the inquiry. Leslie Thomas QC, who represents survivors, the bereaved and residents, claimed that one resident, Zaineb Deen, was told to head to the tower's roof, wave at helicopters and await rescue. Zainab Deen, 32, and her son Jeremiah, two, both died after becoming trapped on the 14th floor of the burning high-rise tower in west London. Mr Thomas argued the inquiry 'ought to establish whether others were given similar advice'. Mr Thomas told the inquiry: 'Our clients are genuinely concerned that other residents who travelled from the floor to the roof were advised to do so by members of the emergency services in order to be rescued by helicopters.' He added: 'Our clients' own suspicions that the presence of the helicopter gave residents, particularly those on the upper floors, a false hope that they would have been rescued was shared by Farhad (a top floor resident who survived the fire) and other firefighters as we heard from Alan Moore (fire service watch manager). 'These concerns can only be properly allayed from the testimony of Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) control staff who took calls from residents in the tower and disclosure of MPS call handling guidance protocols.' Mr Thomas also said police first responders should also be called to give evidence to the inquiry. Their evidence would offer a 'unique perspective' that differs from that given by the fire brigade, he added. Two officers, PC Sangha and PC Rees, should be called, he said. 'Their assessment of the incident shortly after arrival, in particular Pc Sangha's assessment of the need for evacuation of the building at 1.28am, was at a critical time when more lives could have been saved,' he said. He added: 'We are mindful of Barbara Lane's assessment that 'stay put' should have been abandoned by 1.26am and that safe evacuation of those physically able was possible up to 1.40am or later depending on variables such as the floor. 'It is therefore essential to know what discussion PC Rees had with the incident commander, if at all, and whether there was a discussion about evacuation given the MPS' initial assessment.' A total of 72 people died as a result of the fire on June 14 last year. The inquiry is currently hearing closing statements from lawyers representing the bereaved, survivors, and organisations involved with the tower. This graphic shows the kitchen where the blaze started at Grenfell after it was cleared out, including the pattern of how the flames spread A police officer in south China has been caught pinning down a woman by the neck with his knee in an attempt to restrain her, sparking anger and accusations of police brutality. The woman posted the shocking video and photos of her injured neck on social media on Saturday after the incident, saying she was traumatised physically and mentally after being violently treated by the policeman in Shenzhen, Guangdong. However, the 23-year-old woman, identified by her surname Cheng, swiftly deleted the post and on Sunday published a statement thanking the Luohu district police for their 'sincere communication and assistance'. A police officer in Shenzhen, south China's Guangdong is caught pinning down a woman by the neck with his knee during a struggle, sparking anger and accusations of police brutality She added in her Weibo post that the issue had been resolved, asking people to stop commenting on the matter. Cheng had called the police after a security guard at her hotel had been taking photographs of her, according to her now-deleted post. However, the police refused to allow review surveillance footage with them and threatened her with a stun gun, demanding her leave the room, she claimed. The video clip Cheng posted shows her being pinned down by the neck while she screamed out in pain and struggled to push the unnamed policeman off. Another woman, identified as Cheng's friend, tried to pull her away from him. Cheng was left with a red and swollen face as she lay on the floor, out of breath However, the 23-year-old woman, identified by her surname Cheng (pictured), swiftly deleted the post and on Sunday published a statement thanking the Luohu district police for their 'sincere communication and assistance' Another woman, identified as Cheng's friend, tried to pull her away from him. The woman was left with a red and swollen face as she lay on the floor, out of breath. The officer was heard yelling: 'Get her out of here!' The Luohu district police published a statement for the incident on Sunday, saying that the officer did not let Cheng review the CCTV footage with them due to privacy reasons. However, Cheng, who was drunk, then pushed and hit the officer, who then retrained her with 'his bare hands' after she failed to stop attacking the policeman. Cheng was later 'educated on common law' and 'expressed understanding', according to the police statement. The policeman's actions were not addressed in the statement. A separate CCTV footage published on Tuesday shows the verbal argument between the woman and the police officer escalating into a physical altercation A separate CCTV footage published on Tuesday shows the verbal argument between the woman and the police officer escalating into a physical altercation as they pushed and hit each other. The incident drew thousands of angry comments on Weibo, with net users accusing Chinese police of brutality. 'This is one of the most shameless, hypocritical and evasive police statements I have ever read in my life,' one top comment wrote. 'I wouldn't dare call the police in the future,' another user said. 'She almost suffocated! This is too much even if she was at fault,' one user said. In June 2016, a woman in Shenzhen claimed that an officer had beaten her up in when she went to report her missing bag. The police said the woman was drunk and had insulted the officer. John Broadhurst's police mugshot, issued after he pleaded guilty to the manslaughter part way through his murder trial at Birmingham Crown Court A multimillionaire who admitted killing his girlfriend in a drug and alcohol fulled S&M session told a 999 operator she was 'dead as a doughnut' as she lay naked at the bottom of the stairs. Property tycoon John Broadhurst, 40, today pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of Natalie Connolly, 26, after leaving her to die in the hallway of the house they shared in Kinver, West Midlands. The businessman, of Wolverley, Worcestershire, had denied battering his partner of six months to death and claimed he had only hurt her 'within the boundaries of her masochistic desires.' Miss Connolly was discovered wearing only a black skirt which was pulled up to her waist at the couple's 600,000 home on December 18 2016. Jurors were told how Broadhurst may have wanted to 'teach Natalie a lesson' after finding out she had been sending topless pictures to another man on social media. The mother-of-one was killed after the couple had spent a day drinking alcohol and taking cocaine before engaging in 'rough sex' . Miss Connolly was found in a pool of blood at the base of the staircase having suffered over 40 injuries - including blunt-force trauma to her head, buttocks and breast. Miss Connolly (pictured) was found in a pool of blood at the base of the staircase on December 18 2016, having suffered over 40 injuries - including blunt-force trauma to her head, buttocks and breast She had also suffered horrific internal injuries which were inflicted during what Broadhurst claimed was a bizarre sex game involving a bottle of carpet cleaner. Police revealed today that he phoned the emergency services after killing Natalie and told operators his girlfriend was as 'dead as a doughnut.' Broadhurst, a property developer with a fortune of around 15 million, went on trial last month charged with murder and causing grievous bodily harm with intent. Today at Birmingham Crown Court he pleaded guilty to manslaughter on the basis of gross negligence having left her dying at the foot of the stairs without contacting the emergency services. Mr Justice Julian Knowles instructed the jury to find Broadhurst not guilty on the charges of murder and GBH. Addressing Broadhurst, he added: 'You have pleaded guilty to an offence of manslaughter by gross negligence. 'Whilst is it not under the charge of murder it is still an exceptionally serious offence. 'I have ordered for a pre-sentence report. 'The fact that I am granting you bail, you should be prepared for a custodial sentence of some length. 'I will await to have heard from both sides and then I will decide on the sentence. All sentencing options are open.' Gemma Andrews, twin sister of Natalie Connolly, pictured outside Birmingham Crown Court today (left) and Broadhurst, right, as he left the court building following his guilty plea Wearing a blue suit and a white shirt, Broadhurst remained emotionless as he sat in the dock during the hearing. Prosecutor David Mason QC explained to the jury that the crown had accepted Mr Broadhurst's admission after legal discussions. He said: 'The evidence in this case is extremely usual - the evidence has been complicated. 'It is felt the appropriate way of proceeding the case is for Mr Broadhurst to plead guilty to manslaughter by gross negligence. 'That is the plea that has been entered. Miss Connolly was discovered wearing only a black skirt which was pulled up to her waist at the couple's 600,000 home (pictured) in Kinver, West Midlands on December 18 2016 'In particular the family have been consulted and are content and have agreed to take the plea from Mr Broadhurst.' The trial was told how Natalie called Broadhurst 'the boss' and the pair would regularly enjoy S&M sex sessions during which he would smack her bottom with a belt. The couple first started an affair while Broadhurst was in a relationship with his pregnant long term partner before eventually getting together in July 2016. But the court heard Natalie, a receptionist, had been sending another man photos of her wearing underwear and messaging her ex-boyfriend. Prosecutors alleged the property developer may have found out about this and killed her in a rage before spraying her face with bleach to clean off the blood. Mr Mason told the jury previously how Natalie's fatal injuries were consistent with 'punch or toe-poke kicks'. He added: 'Broadhurst has lost it with Natalie that night. 'He has beaten her with fists and weapons, punched or kicked her to the face, severely damaged her private parts and lied about it afterwards to cover his tracks.' Earlier on that day, the couple had spent the afternoon drinking after watching West Bromwich Albion play Manchester United before going for a curry. They were taken home in a chauffeur-driven Range Rover where the party continued in the kitchen and the pair consumed more alcohol and about two grams of cocaine. Broadhurst, claimed Natalie later indicated that she wanted to have masochistic sex and had found her dead at the foot of the stairs the following morning. Post-mortem analysis found she died from her injuries in conjunction with alcohol intoxication. She was found to be more than five times the drink-drive limit. During the trial Natalie was described by pals as 'a free spirit' who was 'full of fun' and 'always the life and soul of the party.' The pair had been due to spend Christmas in Dubai with the defendant's family and Natalie's daughter from a previous relationship. The court was also played a 999 call made by Broadhurst in the morning of December 18, 2016, in which he said: 'I think she's probably dead. 'I woke up this morning, went downstairs. We had been drinking. She's lying on the floor.' He repeatedly exclaimed 'Oh my God' as he tried to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation on her. After the hearing Detective Inspector Victoria Downing, of Staffordshire Police, said: 'Natalie was callously and cold-heartedly left fatally injured at the bottom of the stairs by Broadhurst. 'Yet he didn't call for help until 9.30am and then showed total disregard for what he had done when he spoke to the emergency services.' Broadhurst will be sentenced on December 17. A Danish photographer who caused outrage in Egypt after apparently having sex on top of the Great Pyramid has been accused of faking a photo of the act. Andreas Hvid is being investigated by Egyptian authorities for violating public morality in a country which often censors pop stars for wearing revealing clothing. But questions have been raised about the authenticity of the image he posted online after critics pointed out that it appears too bright to be taken at night. Andreas Hvid sparked outrage after posting this picture of himself appearing to have sex with a woman atop the Great Pyramid, but questions have been raised about its authenticity A video shot by Hvid before the stunt on top of the pyramid shows him and a female accomplice climbing up the side of the pyramid in darkness. But the image taken at the top, which appears to show them naked and lying on top of one another, is much brighter. Mostafa Waziri, the secretary general of Egypt's supreme antiquities council, said: 'The public prosecution is investigating the incident of the Danish photographer and the authenticity of the photos and video of him climbing the pyramid.' The video shows Hvid and the woman climbing to the top of the 4,500-year-old pyramid and looking out over Cairo before the woman removes her top. Posting the clips online, Hvid wrote: 'In late November 2018, a friend and I climbed the Great Pyramid of Giza (a.k.a. Pyramid of Khufu, Pyramid of Cheops). 'Fearing to be spotted by the many guards, I did not film the several hours of sneaking around at the Giza Plateau, which lead up to the climb.' He also posted a link to his website, which shows the explicit picture. Egypt, a mostly Muslim country, regards the pyramids of Giza as among its most important monuments and climbing them above a certain height is strictly forbidden (file image) But it quickly attracted a backlash from commenters, who branded it disrespectful. One said: 'In my opinion, the nude stuff is very disrespectful and ignorant.' Another added: 'Total disgrace. Total disrespect for local culture.' 'On behalf of historians and archaeologists everywhere, I hope you both end up in jail,' another added. 'A 7,000-year-old civilisation has turned into a bed sheet,' a Twitter user said. On his website, which also contains other examples of his 'nude art,' Hvid says he is 'forever in search of beautiful locations where you cannot be.' Egypt, a mostly Muslim country, regards the pyramids of Giza as among its most important monuments. Climbing them above a certain level is forbidden and the entire site is closed to the public after 5pm and patrolled by police officers. The Great Pyramid is the largest in Giza, standing at 146 metres (480ft) tall, and is the only surviving structure of the seven wonders of the ancient world. In 2016, a German tourist was barred from entering the country for life after he posted online footage of climbing one of the ancient structures. Advertisement Theresa May hit the road in Europe today in a desperate fight to solve the Irish border backstop drama threatening her Brexit deal. But the Prime Minister flew out of London knowing none of the critics on either side are prepared to back down - leaving her in a near impossible bind. The backstop was invented to meet promises to keep open the border between Ireland and Northern Ireland if there is no comprehensive UK-EU trade deal. If effectively keeps the UK in a customs union with the EU and Northern Ireland in both the customs union and single market. This means many EU laws will keep being imposed on the UK and there can be no new trade deals. It also means regulatory checks on some goods crossing the Irish Sea. The PM hit the road in Europe today in a desperate fight to solve the Irish border backstop drama threatening her Brexit deal. DUP politicians don't like the backstop because they say it creates a border in the Irish sea, Brexiteers don't like it because it keeps Britain 'shackled to the EU'. Ireland and the EU want the backstop to prevent any threat to the Good Friday agreement DUP Westminster leader Nigel Dodds warned today her deal was dead as soon as she signed up to the backstop. And Tory Brexiteers are manoeuvring to remove her entirely for failing to negotiate hard enough to get rid of the mechansim. But Brussels and Dublin say there will be no renegotiation of the divorce deal - with Jean-Claude Juncker insisting the backstop is 'necessary'. Commons Leader Andrea Leadsom insisted today Mrs May could bring home an addendum to the deal setting out more detail on how the backstop should work. Asked how the PM would square the circle, Mrs Leadsom told Today: 'That might include an addendum to the Withdrawal Agreement that sets out that Parliament will vote prior to going into a backstop, should that prove necessary, and potentially that the EU parliament and UK parliament must vote every year thereafter to provide that legitimacy for the UK to stay in the backstop, should that prove necessary. 'So there are plenty of options for the PM to talk to the EU about that don't involve reopening the Withdrawal Agreement, but that would provide the legal text as a part of the Withdrawal Agreement, through perhaps an addendum.' Writing in the Telegraph today, Mr Dodds said the DUP had been clear for over a year what its position on the Irish border was. The Prime Minister flew out of London to try and persuade European leaders including Angela Merkel (pictured with May today) to provide 'reassurances' on the Irish border backstop. But none of the critics on either side are prepared to back down - leaving her in a near impossible bind. He said: 'We don't need more reassurances. No reassurance will prevent, as the Attorney General said, Great Britain being ''essentially treated as a third country by Northern Ireland for goods passing from GB into NI''. 'The Prime Minister should have known before the Withdrawal Agreement was signed that it would not work. 'Last December, we advised her not to sign up to the Joint Report, which contained a commitment to introduce backstop arrangements that could create barriers between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK.' EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker made clear there was no room for compromise ahead of his talks with Mrs May later. He said: 'We have a common determination to do everything to be not in the situation one day to use that backstop. 'But we have to prepare: its necessary for the entire coherence of what we have agreed with Britain and it is necessary for Ireland. 'Ireland will never be left alone.' The entire Brexit deal has been stalled over the so-called Irish border backstop in the divorce package. This is what it means: What is the backstop? The backstop was invented to meet promises to keep open the border between Ireland and Northern Ireland even if there is no comprehensive UK-EU trade deal. The divorce deal says it will kick in automatically at the end of the Brexit transition if that deal is not in place. If effectively keeps the UK in a customs union with the EU and Northern Ireland in both the customs union and single market. This means many EU laws will keep being imposed on the UK and there can be no new trade deals. It also means regulatory checks on some goods crossing the Irish Sea, particularly agricultural products. The idea first emerged in December 2017 in the outline divorce deal but few noticed at the time it had the power to derail the entire negotiation. Why have Ireland and the EU demanded it? Because Britain demanded to leave the EU customs union and single market, the EU said it needed guarantees people and goods circulating inside met EU rules. There was also a demand to maintain the invisible border enshrined in the Good Friday Agreement that brought an end to the Troubles. This is covered by the Brexit transition, which effectively maintains current rules, and can in theory be done in the comprehensive EU-UK trade deal. But the EU said there had to be a backstop to cover what happens in any gap between transition and final deal. Why do critics hate it? Because Britain cannot decide when to leave the backstop. Getting out - even if there is a trade deal - can only happen if both sides agree people and goods can freely cross the border. Brexiteers fear the EU will unreasonably demand the backstop continues so EU law continues to apply in Northern Ireland. Northern Ireland MPs also hate the regulatory border in the Irish Sea, insisting it unreasonably carves up the United Kingdom. What concessions did Britain get in negotiating it? During the negotiations, Britain persuaded Brussels the backstop should apply to the whole UK and not just Northern Ireland. Importantly, this prevents a customs border down the Irish Sea - even if some goods still need to be checked. The Government said this means Britain gets many of the benefits of EU membership after transition without all of the commitments - meaning Brussels will be eager to end the backstop. It also got promises the EU will act in 'good faith' during the future trade talks and use its 'best endeavours' to finalise a deal - promises it says can be enforced in court. How is exiting the backstop supposed to work? The backstop contains two main exit routes - the creation of a full trade deal that protects and open border or the invention of 'alternative arrangements' that make it unnecessary. In both cases, both the UK and EU must agree the backstop is redundant before it can be cancelled - with a tribunal system if there is no agreement. Alternative arrangements could be a technology based solution that allows tracking of goods across the border with tags to ensure they do not go on into the wider EU market when they are not supposed to - but this does not exist yet. What did the legal advice say about it? Attorney General Geoffrey Cox said even with the EU promises, if a trade deal cannot be reached the backstop could last forever. Mr Cox said this could happen if political talks simply break down, with no bad behaviour on either side - warning getting out was a political not a legal question. This would leave Britain stuck in a Brexit limbo, living under EU rules it had no say in writing and no way to unilaterally end it. Does it mean free movement will have to continue? No. Britain and Ireland have operated a Common Travel Area since 1923, allowing citizens to move freely within the islands. The Brexit divorce deal makes clear this is an issue for the two countries and nothing to with Brexit. People travelling across the Irish Sea do need a photo ID to board a plane or ferry but the rules in future will be the same as today. Free movement will end as promised by the Government. Did the people of Northern Ireland vote for Brexit? No. 55.8 per cent voted Remain, more than the national average. The DUP were the only major party to support Brexit - with Sinn Fein, the Ulster Unionists, Alliance and Green Party all backing Remain. Builder Leon Jenkins, 43, from Cardiff, live-streamed his suicide on the Paltalk website as people watched around the world, an inquest heard today A father-of-three live-streamed his own suicide as members of the controversial Paltalk 'insult room' website watched online around the world - the third tragic case of its kind in Britain, an inquest heard today. Builder Leon Jenkins, 43, from Cardiff, was found dead by police with his webcam still running with internet users watching his tragic death and saying: 'Is this real?'. Police arrived after 999 calls were made by Paltalk online video chat users watching his death from as far away as Canada and Australia. Leon's suicide was the third in Britain involving users of the controversial Paltalk site after Gregory Tomkins, 39, killed himself on Christmas Day 2017 and Kevin Whitrick, 42, died in 2007. The controversial website has a special 'insult' chatroom where people are able to log on from across the world and 'have a go at each other'. South Wales PC Carla Morris-Griffiths described one of the 999 calls from abroad and said: 'The caller said a male, believed to be Leon Jenkins, had hanged himself live on webcam. 'They said they couldn't be sure if it was real or a hoax as the person said he was a bit eccentric.' Leon's father Peter Jenkins, 68, told the inquest that he would hear his son 'shouting and swearing' when using the Paltalk site. He said: 'Leon would use Paltalk to occupy his time. He didn't mention to me any concerns about it but he would use it at my house. 'I knew it was an insult room. I would hear him swearing and shouting at the site.' Police investigated claims that Paltalk users (pictured) egged on Mr Jenkins to kill himself - but the coroner ruled that out today Kevin Whitrick, 42, (left) died in 2007 as Paltalk users watched and Gregory Tomkins, 39, (right) killed himself in the same way on Christmas Day 2017 An inquest into his death heard he was discovered in the living room of his home in Roath, Cardiff, on July 26. Builder's online suicide is the third case in UK In 2007, internet safety charities blasted Paltalk after 42-year-old Kevin Whitrick killed himself online. The father from Telford, Shropshire, took his own life after being goaded by chatroom users. An inquest heard how one user telling him to '****ing do it' because they believed he was 'play acting'. He was logged on with around 50 other users to a special 'insult' chatroom where people 'have a go at each other' and initially the members did not believe he would go through with it. One said: 'Some of us chatroom users, talking to Kevin over text chat, microphones and video tried to convince him to step down, but others egged him on telling him to get on with it. 'We just couldn't believe he was doing it - it was surreal'. In 2017 42-year-old electrician Kevin Whitrick, from Wellington in Shropshire, died on the site as dozens of users watched. He was found dead after police broke down the door of his flat in Sutton, south London, at 3.36am on Christmas Day shortly after chatroom administrators raised the alarm. But users of the room have told MailOnline in the days leading up to his death, he was taunted by other members. Now 11 years since Kevin Whitrick died Leon Jenkins took his life in the same way. Advertisement Police officers entered and heard the online chat from overseas web users talking about Leon's apparent suicide coming from his computer, it was said. Officer PC Phillip Coleman said that when police arrived they heard voices coming from the computer screen. He said: 'They heard voices speaking to each other saying "is that real", "it does look real", and another person saying "I don't think so".' PC Coleman said the voices had foreign accents and were possibly American or Canadian. South Wales Police removed a computer and mobile phone to examine his internet activity leading up to the tragedy. Interpol was brought in to track down the people who saw bi-polar Leon take his own life at his Cardiff bedsit. They discovered the tragedy was witnessed by users in the US, Canada and Australia but none of the site users could be traced. Police investigated claims that Mr Jenkins was goaded into killing himself at his bedsit where he lived alone - but Coroner Rachel Knight said there was no evidence to confirm this. Miss Knight said: 'Inquiries were made in Canada, America and Australia but witnesses were not forthcoming.' She said Leon's death was the third on the Paltalk site. She said: 'There are two previous incidents of men hanging themselves on webcam on the same site. 'They were both investigated by West Mercia Police and the Metropolitan Police.' Police found Mr Jenkins dead inside the flat where he had lived alone for the last 18 years. Neighbours had reported Mr Jenkins to Cardiff City Council over the noise and bad language coming from his flat. The hearing in Pontypridd heard Leon had a history of mental health problems and had been diagnosed as bi-polar before his death. The hearing was told a post mortem found he was almost three times the legal drink drive limit at the time of his death. Leon Jenkins had his own 'room' on the website where he would swap foul-mouthed abuse with strangers around the world, his father told the inquest The tragedy came seven months after south London plasterer Gregory Tomkins, 39, killed himself on Paltalk on Christmas Day. In 2007, 42-year-old electrician Kevin Whitrick, from Wellington in Shropshire, died on the site as dozens of users watched. Controversial chatroom where users 'mercilessly bully' each other Paltalk is a New York based video chat service which allows individuals to chat face-to-face either on a desktop computer or their mobile device. The service, owned by A.V.M. Software, also allows subscribers to video chat with up to 10 people for free and hosts thousands of free chat rooms. It was founded in 1998 - long before the likes of Facebook - and is popular with the first generation of internet users. But it has courted controversy with some of its 5,000+ chatrooms dedicated to discussing terrorism and insult rooms where suicides have taken place. 'PalTalk is routinely used by internationally recognized and designated terrorist groups for communication and recruitment,' said Evan Kohlmann, a consultant for Flashpoint told CNN in 2012. Terrorist group leaders have been known to hold open question and answer sessions on Paltalk which are advertised in advance on Al-Qaeda web forums, he said. It is owned by AVM Software. Advertisement Assistant South Wales Coroner Miss Knight recorded a conclusion of suicide at the inquest in Pontypridd. She said: 'Leon Jenkins hanged himself while live streaming on the Internet. 'Police were alerted by website administrators of Paltalk in Canada. 'The webcam was disabled by police and CPR was commenced but when paramedics arrived they pronounced life extinct.' Miss Knight said father-of-three Leon was a 'much loved son, father and friend who will be greatly missed.' She added: 'Despite police efforts to trace participants of Paltalk I have no evidence to say that he as taunted or encouraged. 'His intention was to die.' His death came seven months after south London plasterer Gregory Tomkins, 39, killed himself on Paltalk on Christmas Day. And in 2007, 42-year-old electrician Kevin Whitrick, from Wellington in Shropshire, died on the site as dozens of users watched. Internet safety campaigner and TV psychologist Dr Linda Papadopoulos has called for more protection from online bullying. She said: 'We rightly care about the impact on children a lot, but that vulnerability extends to adults, too'. For confidential support in the UK, call the Samaritans on 116123 or visit a local Samaritans branch. See www.samaritans.org for details. Dr Reginald Archibald is accused of molesting kids in his care. He died in 2007 Former patients of a doctor accused of molesting children for decades are demanding to know what happened to photos they say the physician took while the abuse was occurring. The physician, Reginald Archibald, worked at Rockefeller University Hospital in New York City hospital from 1948 to 1982 as an endocrinologist who specialized in childhood growth. Archibald's former patients gathered outside the hospital on Tuesday to tell the press that in addition to molesting them, he would photograph them naked for what he said was scientific research. Archibald died in 2007. Peter Katsikis had only one appointment with Archibald, in 1969. He said Archibald directed him to remove his clothes; he touched him sexually and then took several photos of him in the nude. Katsikis was 12 at the time and said it was his first sexual experience. He wouldn't tell anyone until he told his wife 26 years later. He granted permission to be identified as a sexual assault victim to shed light on the case. Video courtesy of Pix11 Peter Katsikis (left and right) bravely came forward years later to speak about his encounter with Archibald, saying the doctor touched him sexually and photographed him nude at 12 The trauma changed him, he said, making him cynical and sometimes short-tempered as an adult. 'I've replayed the episode a couple thousand times,' said Katsikis, now 61, who lives in North Carolina. 'It took me a couple years to sort things out as to what truly happened. I didn't know anything about sex at 12 years old. When I got older I started to get angry, because I realized he took away my innocence.' The hospital has acknowledged that Archibald's conduct with patients was 'inappropriate' and has hired a law firm to investigate. Hospital officials have not, however, said whether any of the photographs were found in hospital records. Attorneys for former patients say more than 1,000 children may have been victimized. The former patients and their attorneys held a news conference Tuesday in front of the hospital to demand more information about the whereabouts of the photos. The group says that if the hospital cannot say where the photos are, then it should ask the state attorney general to begin its own investigation into the records. Questions about the whereabouts of the photos continues to haunt many of the former patients, according to Michael Pfau, an attorney with the Seattle-based firm of Pfau Cochran Vertetis Amala, who is representing about 100 former patients. The thought that the photos are now circulating as child pornography compounds his clients' pain and fear, Pfau said. 'Finding these photos is critical for our clients,' he said. 'Hopefully the hospital can do the right thing and accelerate the investigation.' The gates of Rockefeller University are seen in a file photo. Former patients at the hospital gathered there on Tuesday to demand the nude photos be destroyed A spokesman for the hospital declined to comment when asked about the photos Monday. The hospital wrote to Archibald's former patients in September asking about their experiences and in October released a statement that it had discovered that Archibald 'engaged in certain inappropriate conduct during patient examinations.' The hospital also said it notified authorities when it received a report in 2004 about Archibald's conduct. It says it changed some pediatric policies after an investigation at that time determined that 'certain' of the allegations were credible. Civil molestation suits against institutions in New York are now subject to one of the nation's tightest statutes of limitations, meaning that many of Archibald's alleged victims would not be able to sue the hospital. The case is likely to fuel efforts to pass the Child Victims Act, state legislation that would greatly expand the statute of limitations and create a window to sue for plaintiffs with decades-old allegations that are now prohibited by the statute. Asked what he would do if any photos are found of his single appointment with Archibald, Katsikis paused briefly before answering. 'After the litigation is over,' he said, 'let's have them destroyed.' This is the hilarious moment a squirrel jumped onto the back of an unsuspecting UPS driver as he made a delivery. Amanda Atkins was at the dentist when she got a notification on her phone alerting her that someone had pressed the doorbell to her home in Lincoln Square, Chicago. When she checked the Ring app on her phone, she saw the amusing encounter between the UPS driver at her door and the friendly squirrel, CBS 2 reports. A squirrel jumped onto an unsuspecting UPS driver as he made a delivery in Chicago recently Her security camera captured the moment the squirrel jumped from a nearby fence onto the man's shoulder. He is seen laughing as the squirrel scrambles across his back and jumps off. She told the station that 'what made it hilarious was how calm our UPS guy was.' Coincidentally, the same UPS driver stopped by her house with another delivery the following day. Atkins told Oscar Luciano that her security camera had caught his encounter with her squirrel. The squirrel jumped off a fence and onto UPS driver Oscar Luciano's shoulder as he waited at the door The squirrel scrambled across Luciano's back before jumping off and running away 'I was just there bobbing my head jamming to music, and all of a sudden I felt a tug. It startled me,' he told CBS 2. 'I felt like Snow White with all her animal friends,' he added. He said he only thing going through his mind at the time was that his wife wouldn't believe what had happened. But she can see it for herself as Atkins sent him a copy of the clip. She also posted it on Facebook because she 'wanted people to see how positive [Luciano] is.' Police are investigating after a video posted to social media showed a man racially abusing passengers on a train and shouting: 'I'm with Tommy Robinson.' In the footage filmed on the London to Leeds service on Sunday evening, the middle-aged man can be heard aggressively shouting a series of racial slurs at a man, before referencing the former English Defence League (EDL) leader. An unnamed passenger who witnessed the incident said the man was part of a large group returning from Mr Robinson's 'Brexit betrayal' march in the capital on Sunday. The footage begins with the aggressive man repeatedly shouting 'What the f*** do you mean?' at another man who does not understand. British Transport Police are investigating after a man was filmed racially abusing a fellow passenger on a London to Leeds train on Sunday, pictured In the footage, pictured left and right, the man can be heard shouting 'black c***' repeatedly and 'I'm with Tommy Robinson' The victim of the abuse said: 'Honestly, I want to answer your question, but I don't understand what you are saying.' The abusive passenger then said: 'I asked you the simplest question. In English. What the f*** do you mean?' The other man replies: 'I mean, it's not necessary. The shouting. The anger. It's not necessary'. At this point the person filming the confrontation moves further away, but the aggressive man can clearly be heard shouting 'black c***' before adding 'I'm with Tommy Robinson!' When questioned about the video, Mr Robinson, now a Ukip adviser whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, said: 'I blame you, the media, for w*****s like this thinking this is what I'm about. 'If this idiot knew what I stand for then he would know that many of the people I love are black.' He added: 'If it's legit it's disgusting, and it angers me and frustrates me because misinformation is continually told about me and what I represent.' British Transport Police said it was investigating the video and had arrested two men, both from Kettering, after being called to reports of a 'large disturbance' on the service. A 54-year-old man was held on suspicion of being drunk and disorderly and a 50-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of common assault. Tommy Robinson, pictured addressing the 'Brexit Betrayal' rally in London on Sunday, blamed the media for the incident and said 'misinformation' was being spread about him After the man is seen repeatedly shouting at a woman on the service, shocked passengers are later seen disembarking the train at Bedford and speaking to police about the incident. One woman tells the camera: 'I've been racially discriminated on the train, and called a n****r a black c***.' 'He called all racist names, and we're in 2018,' she adds. The incident follows a viral video of an incident at a school in Huddersfield, in which a Syrian refugee is seen being hurled to the floor by an English schoolboy. After the footage received widespread coverage in the national media, Mr Robinson, a convicted fraudster, posted an interview in which the alleged bully said he was 'scared for my life, scared for my family's life'. A protestor failed to set fire to a European Union flag during the Brexit Betrayal march - because the material is flame retardant. A video posted to Twitter captures the man's failed demonstration during the march in London on Sunday. In the clip, the man is stood on top of a bus stop trying to set fire to the flame resistant flag with lighter fluid. A video posted to Twitter captures the man's failed demonstration during the Brexit Betrayal march in London on Sunday The material initially catches fire, but is soon extinguished as cheers of 'burn it' from onlookers turn to boos. After a few more attempts at setting the flag on fire, the would-be firestarter sits down on the bus stop roof to take a closer look. He appears to hold a lighter against the flame resistant material for a moment longer before jumping down from the roof. Jonathan Spink, who posted the clip, even suggested the flag may not have caught fire due to EU regulations on the material. He said: 'The moment a guy tried to light an EU flag on fire at the Tommy Robinson march today, only to see EU legislation at work. 'That's lighter fluid you can see him take out his pocket and dowse the flag in.' The man is stood on top of a bus stop trying to set fire to the flame resistant flag with lighter fluid - but the fire immediately goes out He soon gives up on waving the flag and sits on top of the bus shelter to try and light the flag again It is believed the man was taking part in a Brexit Betrayal march led by controversial activist Tommy Robinson on Sunday. The English Defence League founder real name Stephen Yaxley-Lennon and Ukip supporters marched through central London before a rally in Westminster. Amid fears of violence, Scotland Yard placed restrictions on both their event and a counter-demonstration organised by Labour supporters and anti-fascists. Ukip claimed up to 10,000 supporters attended its protest against Theresa May's deal, whereas the counter-protest's organisers said they had attracted 15,000. Laura Parker, national co-ordinator of the hard-Left Labour group Momentum, said the counter-protest 'vastly' outnumbered the Brexit march. Donald Trump's negotiating session with Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer spiraled wildly out of control on Tuesday, with the politicians viciously tearing into the president in plain view of reporters. Pelosi informed him that his border wall wouldn't pass in the House of Representatives, where Republicans hold a majority of seats, if it came for a vote. 'The fact is you do not have the votes in the House,' she told him pointedly. Trump angrily told the expected speaker of the House that funding for his wall would pass in 'two seconds' in the lower chamber, only it doesn't matter because it won't reach the 60-vote threshold in the Senate without Democratic support. 'Nancy, I do. And we need border security,' he retorted as the televised meeting devolved into utter chaos. Schumer brought up Trump's 'Pinocchio' score in the Washington Post, telling Trump that he said at least 20 times that he would use a government shut down as a negotiating tool. 'We do not want to shut down the government,' Schumer told him. Donald Trump 's negotiating session with Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer spiraled wildly out of control on Tuesday, with the politicians viciously tearing into the president in plain view of reporters THANKS FOR NOTHING MIKE: The vice president sat silently as Trump argued with Pelosi and Schumer, almost as if he weren't there 'The fact is you do not have the votes in the House,' she told him pointedly. 'Nancy, I do. We need border security,' he retorted as the televised meeting devolved into utter chaos Furious, the president said that he would shut down the government if they don't give it to him The Democratic leader insisted that Trump would be willing to force the lights off 'cause you can't get your way.' 'You just say, my way we'll shut down the government,' Schumer exploded. Schumer invoked former President Barack Obama's infamous retort, 'elections have consequences,' as the yelling match continued. Obama once used the phrase as a shiv against Republicans during a fiscal package debate shortly after he was inaugurated. Trump found himself on the other side of the slam on Tuesday as he bickered with Democratic leaders over funding for his border wall. The president's party lost the House of Representatives during the 2018 election. Pelosi is expected to win the gavel in the opening days of the next legislative session. For twenty minutes, she and Schumer sparred with Trump on camera, emphasizing their long-stated position that he cannot have his border wall funding. Furious, the president said that he would shut down the government if they don't give it to him. 'You want to put that on [me], I'll take it,' he rebutted as Schumer told him that the last government closure was his fault, too. 'You know what I'll say: Yes, if we don't get what we want, one way or the other -- whether it's through you, through a military, through anything you want to call -- I will shut down the government. Absolutely.' Schumer was willing to let the argument rest there, but Trump dug in, saying repeatedly that he'd shut the government down and happily take the blame. 'I am proud to shut down the government for border security, Chuck, because the people of this country don't want criminals and people that have lots of problems and drugs pouring into our country. So I will take the mantle,' he said. 'I will be the one to shut it down. I'm not going to blame you for it. The last time you shut it down, it didn't work. I will take the mantle of shutting down.' On Capitol Hill, the senator from New York pounced, telling press, 'You heard the president. He wants a shutdown.' 'No president should ever say he would be proud to shut the government down.' Trump said later, as he tried to project strength in the wake of the mess, that the conversation was 'very friendly' and he has 'respect' both Schumer and Pelosi but he meant what he said. 'I couldve debated Chuck Schumer for a long period of time,' he contended while doubling down on his support for a government closure. 'If we have to close down the country over border security, I actually like that in terms of an issue but I don't want it to be an issue. I want it to be something the country needs. It's not really an issue. It's something the country needs. It's common sense.' The president called Pelosi later to let her know that he was considering Democrats' border wall offer, an aide to the California lawmaker told DailyMail.com. 'He called her. Conversation was about a minute. He is reviewing the offers the Dems made in the meeting. He did not apologize,' the person said. THROWING SHADE: Nancy Pelosi literally threw shade as she walked out of her meeting at the White House with the president The White House said in an official statement that Trump had a 'constructive dialogue' with Schumer and Pelosi about criminal justice reform and other areas of his legislative agenda. 'Major disagreement remains on the issue of border security and transparency,' White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said. Sanders went on to claim that 'President Trump was grateful for the opportunity to let the press into the meeting so that the American People can see firsthand that while Republicans are fighting to protect our border, Democrats are fighting to protect illegal immigrants.' Schumer on Capitol Hill noted the incredible meeting was supposed to be closed off to reporters. 'The meeting was originally supposed to be no press, just a discussion,' he stated. 'What you saw today was what led to the presidents defeat in November.' Trump had opened the meeting with a declarative statement that he was going to build his wall, with or without the approval of legislators, that echoed comments he routinely makes at campaign rallies and on Twitter. 'One way or another it's going to get built. I'd like not to see a government closing, a shutdown. We will see what happens. ... But the wall is an important thing to us,' Trump said to the cameras. In an ironic bit of foreshadowing, the president called the appropriation for his wall 'the easy one' and 'maybe the easiest one of all' as he broached the topic. A moment later he backtracked and said: 'I will tell you, it's a tough issue because we are on very opposite sides of, I really think I can say border security, but certainly the wall. The wall will get built. A lot of the way is built. It's been very effective.' 'We may not have an agreement today. We probably won't. But we have an agreement on other things,' Trump said in closing. It was Pelosi who lobbed the first the volley, telling him, 'I think the American people that we must keep the government open. ... We cannot have a Trump shutdown.' Trump didn't understand what she meant, and she explained, 'You have the White House, you have the Senate, you have the House of Representatives. You have the votes.' 'No, we don't have the votes, because in the Senate, we need 60 votes,' Trump told her. 'The problem is the Senate, because we need 10 Democrats to vote, and they won't vote.' The tension in the room became ripe as Pelosi informed him that 'House Republicans could bring up this bill if they had the votes immediately and set the tone for what we want' and candidly told him how 'legislating, which is what we do' works on Capitol Hill, a place where Trump never worked having had no government experience before he ran for president. 'If I needed the votes for the wall in the House, I would have them -- in one session, it would be done,' he responded. She shot back: 'Well, then go do it. Go do it.' After Trump said he'd proudly preside over a shut down, Schumer was willing to let the argument rest there, but Trump dug in, saying he'd happily take the associated blame Trump told the two Democrats, 'We're doing this in a very friendly way. It doesn't help for me to take a vote in the House where I will win easily with the Republicans.' But Pelosi again informed him, 'You will not win.' Trump proceeded to claim that terrorists are infiltrating America through the porous southern border. 'People are pouring into our country, including terrorists. We have terrorists. We caught 10 terrorists over the last very short period of time. Ten. These are very serious people,' he told her. 'These are people that were looking to do harm. We need the wall. We need -- more important than anything, we need border security, of which the wall is just a piece. But it's important. The conversation only went downhill from there, as Schumer accused Trump of wanting to shut down the government. 'One thing that I think we can agree on is we shouldn't shut down the government over a dispute, and you want to shut it down,' he said. Trump said that was not the case. 'The last time, Chuck, you shut it down, and then you opened it up very quickly. I don't want to do what you did.' Pelosi, who had tried to take the fight off-camera, then reminded Trump that the responsibilities of Congress are outlined first in the Constitution, before that of the president. 'Lets call a halt to this. We've come in here as the first branch of government: Article I, the legislative branch. We're coming in, in good faith, to negotiate with you about how we can keep the government open,' she stated. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi of Calif., right, accompanied by Senate Minority Leader Sen. Chuck Schumer of N.Y., left, speaks to members of the media outside the West Wing of the White House in Washington, Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2018, following a meeting with President Donald Trump The president told her that the government would stay open -- if they caved to his border wall demands. It was Schumer this time who said it was time to debate privately, a point the president and Pelosi agreed on. 'We have taken this conversation to a place that is devoid, frankly, of fact. And we can dispel that,' she asserted. The three also agreed that border security is necessary to protect the country. Trump took the small victory and announced: 'See? We get along.' But the meeting did not stop there. Trump decided to take a question from reporter in the room. He told one, 'You can't have very good border security without the wall, no.' Astounded, Pelosi told him, 'That's simply not true. That is a political promise. Border security is a way to effectively honor our responsibilities.' 'And the experts say you can do border security without a wall, which is wasteful and doesnt solve the problem,' Schumer added. To which Trump said, 'It totally solves the problem.' Pelosi subsequently proclaimed that the conversation had 'spiraled downward' from what she and Schumer had come to the White House to say. And yet, the fight continued, with Trump bragging about his victories in the U.S. Senate this year and Pelosi mocking his non-stop boasts about electoral success. 'This is the most unfortunate thing. We came in here in good faith, and we are entering into this kind of a discussion in the public view,' she observed. Trump told her, 'It's called transparency.' Pelosi rebutted, 'It's not transparency when we're not stipulating to a set of facts.' Before the public portion of the meeting was over, Trump had one more go-round with Pelosi as he claimed to her fact that her hands were tied because she's in a tight speaker race. 'Mr. President, please dont characterize the strength that I bring to this meeting as the Leader of the House Democrats who just won a big victory,' she told him tersely. Schumer brought the hammer down for his colleague, telling Trump, 'Elections have consequences.' The duo addressed reporters on the North Lawn of the White House minutes after the Oval Office blowup. Pelosi and Schumer urged Trump to accept an offer of moving six spending bills but funding homeland security under current limits to avoid a fight over Trump's border wall. 'He says "We can pass it in the House, right now," said Pelosi. He doesn't have the votes in the House, to pass whatever his agenda is with that wall in it,' she said. 'We are telling him, we will keep the government open, with a proposal that Mr. Schumer suggested. Why doesn't he just think about it? In fact, I asked him to pray over it,' Pelosi, a Catholic, told reporters. The confrontation had Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell hoping for a Christmas miracle. 'Magic things happen at Christmas. Thats what Im counting on,' he told reporters at the Capitol. McConnell admitted, 'We dont know how long the discussion about the government funding bill will go on.' 'I'm sort of hoping for a Christmas miracle here,' he added. The GOP leader broke with Trump and said he does not favor a shutdown. His counterpart in the Senate had unloaded on Trump as they stood before a White House decorated with Christmas wreaths Schumer was already calling it a 'Trump shutdown,' after the president said he wouldn't blame Democrats if it happens during one of several angry exchanges during the meeting, in which both sides talked past each other. 'This temper tantrum that he seems to throw - will not get him his wall, and it will hurt a lot of people because he will cause a shutdown,' Schumer said. 'He admitted he wanted a shutdown. It is hard to believe that he would want that.' Asked if things were any more productive behind the scenes, Pelosi responded: 'You want to know who is more productive behind the scenes? I hear some of the reporters saying well, a Fox reporter saying "Why do we not want transparency in this discussion question." We don't want to contradict the president when he is putting forth figures that have no reality I didn't want to in front of those people [say] "You don't know what you're talking about. " ' Heading into the meeting with Pelosi and Schumer, Trump turned up the heat on Democrats, saying he would have the military build his border wall if Democrats refuse to appropriate the funding as part of the end-of-year spending bill. 'People do not yet realize how much of the Wall, including really effective renovation, has already been built. If the Democrats do not give us the votes to secure our Country, the Military will build the remaining sections of the Wall. They know how important it is!' Trump tweeted. Trump claimed that Democrats are withholding the money 'strictly political reasons' and that they want to open America's borders to Mexican and Central American migrants. 'This brings large scale crime and disease,' the Republican president claimed. Trump had restrained himself from drawing a red line on border security spending in advance of the meeting at the White House, leaving Washington on the edge of its seat in a will-he or won't-he shutdown the government debate. Trump had previously suggested that he would not sign a bill to keep certain areas of the government humming if lawmakers denied him a $5 billion ask to complete his border wall. Such a move could backfire on Republicans, though, as the federal government devolved into chaos days before the Christmas holiday. Trump unveiled a new strategy on Tuesday that is certain to be almost as controversial: circumvent Congress altogether and put the military to work building it. A group of Democratic senators had informed the Trump administration just yesterday that the military cannot redirect funds to border wall projects. They told the president's Pentagon chief in a letter that a plan to build 31 miles of border barriers on a bombing range in Arizona was unauthorized and therefore illegal. Trump hinted on Tuesday that he has plans for the military to do more than just put up walling along property under the control of the Pentagon -- he wants to use the money he insisted the troops needed for weapons of war to have service members building a far-reaching border wall. The president's tweets on the morning of the meeting suggested that Trump would be open to signing a long-term spending deal, even if it doesn't include money for his wall, because he's going to order his administration to construct it, regardless of of whether he wins a green light from Congress. 'Despite the large Caravans that WERE forming and heading to our Country, people have not been able to get through our newly built Walls, makeshift Walls & Fences, or Border Patrol Officers & Military. They are now staying in Mexico or going back to their original countries,' the president said in his first message. He went on to say that Border Patrol and Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers are doing a superb jog but a 'Great Wall would be, however, a far easier & less expensive solution' to border security problems. 'We have already built large new sections & fully renovated others, making them like new,' he claimed. 'The Democrats, however, for strictly political reasons and because they have been pulled so far left, do NOT want Border Security. 'They want Open Borders for anyone to come in. This brings large scale crime and disease. Our Southern Border is now Secure and will remain that way.' Tying the comments directly to his discussion this morning with Democrats, the president contended that Pelosi, who is facing a challenge from within her caucus for the gavel, is opposing his wall to keep the left-wing of her party at bay. 'I look forward to my meeting with Chuck Schumer & Nancy Pelosi. In 2006, Democrats voted for a Wall, and they were right to do so. Today, they no longer want Border Security,' he tweeted. 'They will fight it at all cost, and Nancy must get votes for Speaker. But the Wall will get built.' And then, in his big finale to the string of tweets about border security, Trump revealed his negotiating strategy. 'If the Democrats do not give us the votes to secure our Country, the Military will build the remaining sections of the Wall,' he insisted. Democratic senators warned the president's Pentagon chief on Monday that a plan to use defense funds build border barriers in Arizona would be controversial if carried out and unauthorized. They told Defense Secretary James Mattis in a letter that the Navy did not provide a compelling argument for studies on 31 miles of barriers along a bombing range near Yuma. The project would divert as much as $450 million in funds that were intended for military readiness activities, they insisted. 'We believe the Department of Defense lacks any authorization or appropriations needed to move this project into any stage of construction during fiscal year 2019,' the senators said. In the letter told Mattis that he should not attempt to circumvent the legislative body by making use of a code that authorizes the military to provide a support role in counternarcotics operations along the border. 'We urge you in the strongest possible fashion to refrain from considering using this authority or 10 U.S.C. 284 for this potential $450 million border wall project,' they wrote. Mattis has been considering the project at the Barry M. Goldwater Range at the request of Department of Homeland Security. President Trump has identified Arizona as an area where border barriers are needed the most. He said claimed on Twitter last Thursday that Arizona 'is bracing for a massive surge' of immigrants along a portion of the US southern border that does not have a protective fence. 'Arizona, together with our Military and Border Patrol, is bracing for a massive surge at a NON-WALLED area. WE WILL NOT LET THEM THROUGH,' Trump wrote in a post that maintained pressure on lawmakers seeking to approve legislation to keep the government open through to September 30 next year. Even after his public spat on Tuesday it remained unclear what exactly the president is offering Democrats in return for their support on his desired border wall spending. Pelosi has already said she won't trade the money for a permanent legislative fix to a program that addressed the plight of illegal immigrant children. Democrats have signaled that they are willing to give Trump a third of the money he has laid out as a necessary for his wall but have stipulated that it can only be used for fencing. Trump said early in the year that he wouldn't accept an immigration deal that doesn't include a total overhaul of the system, even if he does get his wall funding. Immigration subsequently became a wedge issue in the election, with Democrats ultimately winning their battle to control a majority of seats in the House and Republicans maintaining their advantage in the Senate. They now appear to be at an impasse with the president who has also said he is 'totally willing' to force a government shutdown until they approve his proposed border wall spending. Legislators in the House and the Senate passed a short-term bill to keep the engines running beyond this past Friday, when federal funding for some agencies was scheduled to run out. Trump agreed to the delay out of respect for the family of the late President Bush, whose funeral was held last Wednesday in Washington at the National Cathedral. Trump has signaled that he'll go to great lengths to get the funding he desires for his border wall, having repeatedly threatened to close the nation's southern border. Schumer and Pelosi are refusing to wrangle votes for any agreement that provides funding for Trump's border wall, however. The best that Trump can hope for, Schumer says, is $1.6 billion in spending that he could put toward fencing and could not be used for any other type of border barrier. He says Trump could otherwise accept a continuing resolution that appropriates $1.3 billion toward border security spending for the current fiscal year. If he doesn't want a shutdown, those are his only options. Trump claimed Friday that the wall would pay for itself in a single month. 'We're talking about a wall for 20 billion, 15 billion. I could even do it cheaper if I have to, and it'll be better than anybody's ever seen a wall,' Trump claimed in a Kansas City speech to law enforcement. 'Think of that. You're talking about hundreds of billions of dollars, and you're talking about a fraction. You'd make it up in a month a month! by having a proper wall.' The president declared illegal immigration 'a threat' to every American community that is 'overwhelming public resources and draining the federal treasury. 'Congress must fully fund border security in the year-ending funding bill. We have to get this done. They're playing games. They're playing political games,' he proclaimed. 'I actually think the politics of what they're doing is very bad for them, but we're going to very soon find out.' Trump boasted to his audience: 'Maybe I'm not right. But usually I'm right. Like, I said, "I'm going to win for president." And some people said that won't happen, and guess what? Look who's up here now, folks?' Trump pressured Democrats to fund his wall or grapple with a shut down of the border on Monday morning as he revived his immigration demands, despite the former president's passing As Bush's body was headed to Washington to lie in state in the U.S. Capitol, the sitting president whacked Democrats and put new pressure on legislators to give him the $5 billion he needs to complete the structure The next Congress will likely convene at noon on January 3, at which point Democrats will have more negotiating power. In the Senate, the president needs nine Democrats to cross party lines, assuming every Republican lends their support to his border wall demand, in order to overcome a filibuster. Many federal agencies will run out of money on Dec. 21 unless Congress and the White House agree on a path forward. They seemed no closer to doing that on Tuesday, however, than they did the week before. A British man has been jailed in Dubai for trying to bribe a policeman when he got caught with crystal meth. The unnamed expatriate, 27, was arrested at his home when officers found drugs during a raid in November last year. While in the back of a police car, he offered an officer the equivalent of 32,000 to be released. A British man has been jailed in Dubai (pictured in stock image) for trying to bribe a policeman when he got caught with crystal meth He said he could get the money straight away if he was driven to a bank, but the officer refused. The man was in May handed a three-month prison sentence, which he unsuccessfully challenged in court, reported The National. During the appeal, the policeman testified: 'I was among a team of officers tasked with searching the defendant's home for banned substances and we found crystal meth.' Talking about the bribery attempt, he said: 'I kept silent when he asked. Then he said "Dh50,000?" but I remained silent. 'Then he raised the amount to Dh150,000 and said he would hand over the cash if I drove him to the nearest bank.' The officer reported the bribery attempts to his superiors. The man, whose home was raided after police got a tip-off he was using drugs, was fined 32,000 and told he would be deported after serving his three-month prison sentence. The UAE has a strict no-drugs policy where dealers can get the death penalty. Boeing has released images of its groundbreaking new 777X jets, complete with master suites and luxury interior design. The jets aim to combine extreme long-distance travel with VIP luxury - and Qantas is eyeing up one of the models. Boeing has released images of its groundbreaking new 777X jets, complete with master suites and luxury interior design The jets aim to combine extreme long-distance travel with VIP luxury Boeing's new Business Jet 777-8 will be designed to fly from Perth to pretty much anywhere in the world, with a huge range of 21,570km and the ability to carry up to 350 passengers Boeing's new Business Jet 777-8 will be designed to fly from Perth to pretty much anywhere in the world, with a huge range of 21,570km and the ability to carry up to 350 passengers. The airline Qantas is looking to buy the new Business Jet model for its Sunrise Project, Perth Now reported. The Sunrise Project hopes to create an extreme long-haul flight which travels directly from Sydney to London, an unprecedented 20-hour journey halfway round the planet. Boeing and Greenpoint Technologies have also given an insight into the interior of its new Boeing 777X VIP jets. Images show the VIP jets have been designed with the most high-end, exclusive travellers in mind. The aircraft are to be kitted out with a huge master suite including a double bed and ample wardrobe space. Boeing and Greenpoint Technologies have given an insight into the interior of the very opulant new Boeing 777X VIP jets Images show the VIP jets have been designed with the most high-end, exclusive travellers in mind Many of the ordered planes come empty and are decked out by third-party designers. The luxury interior can sometimes cost as much as the aircraft itself, Perth Now reported. Greg Laxton, head of Boeing Business Jets, said the new range of BBJ 777X range aims to redefine ultra-long-range VIP travel. Speaking at he Middle East Business Aviation Association Show in Dubai, Mr Laxton said: 'Our most exclusive customers want to travel with the best space and comfort and fly directly to their destination.' An IT worker who led a secret life as a 'high-class escort' was bludgeoned to death by a city banker, a court heard today. Christina Abbotts, 29, was repeatedly beaten around the head with a kitchen pestle in a 'savage and brutal' attack in a flat. City of London banker Zahid Naseem, 47, a father-of-two, then allegedly strangled her before leaving her to die in a pool of her own blood. In the hours after her death, Naseem is said to have stayed in the flat and sent a pornographic picture and video to another sex worker he knew called Lily Rose. One of these is thought to have included a video taken on his iPhone showing him committing a sexual act on himself. The court heard she was due to meet up with some friends in London that evening to celebrate her 29th birthday at a pre-arranged party. Christina Abbotts (pictured) was found dead in her flat after after she failed to turn up at celebrations in London to mark her 29th birthday Christina Abbotts, 29, (pictured) was repeatedly beaten around the head with a kitchen pestle in a 'savage and brutal' attack in a flat When she failed to turn up they became increasingly concerned and tried to contact her by phone and text message. When police broke down the door of the flat on May 26, 47-year-old Naseem pretended to be unconscious, jurors were told by prosecutor Christopher Tehrani. Police found drugs such as cocaine and the sex drug amyl nitrate in the property, as well as a blood-stained bottle of Courvoisier brandy. Today, Naseem, a freelance financial consultant for a Canadian bank in the City of London, went on trial charged with murdering Miss Abbotts. Naseem has pleaded not guilty to murder. Lewes Crown Court was told Miss Abbotts led a busy social life and had many friends, but she also led a secret life as a sex worker and escort. Using the pseudonym Tilly Pexton, she advertised her sexual services online and clients could make contact with her through the website. Mr Tehrani, prosecuting, said: 'Unknown to many of her friends and family she worked as a sex worker, in some circles she would be known as a high class escort. She advertised her services on the internet.' The court heard Naseem and Miss Abbotts had met for sex on previous occasions after the banker had contacted her through an adult website. Naseem, who lived with his estranged partner and children in Amersham, Bucks, and Miss Abbotts were spotted on supermarket CCTV buying alcohol. They then went to the two-bedroom top-floor flat Miss Abbotts was house-sitting for a friend in Crawley, where they had sex. Mr Tehrani said: 'They then engaged in sexual activity, drinking alcohol and drug consumption. During the course of that night they did not engage in any penetrative sexual activity.' He said Miss Abbotts last engaged in sexual activity at around midday the following day - her birthday. The court heard she was due to meet up with some friends in London that evening to celebrate her birthday at a pre-arranged party. When she failed to turn up they became increasingly concerned and tried to contact her by phone andtext message. That night a friend decided to drive down from London and when he couldn't get a response from the flat he went to police who forced entry at around 2.30am on May 26 and found Miss Abbotts. The court heard she was lying naked on the bed in a pool of her own blood and was cold to the touch, yellow in colour and showing signed of rigor mortis. They also found a black pestle which belonged with a mortar in the kitchen. Naseem was found lying on the couch in the living room and, though he appeared only semi-conscious, medics who later examined him were sceptical and thought his condition was feigned. They also found minor self-harm marks to his wrists. Mr Tehrani said there was evidence of drug use in the flat and cocaine was found on a book and a bottle of the sex drug amyl nitrate - also known as poppers - were found in the flat. Christina Abbotts, 29, was found dead in a bed in Crawley after friends raised the alarm when she failed to turn up for her own birthday party in London Police also found a blood-stained bottle of Courvoisier brandy. A post mortem later found Miss Abbotts had suffered at least 13 blows to the head with a blunt weapon, which the prosecution claim was the kitchen pestle, as well as compression injuries to her neck, suggesting an attempt had been made to strangle her. The freelance financial consultant, who worked for the Toronto Dominion Bank, was taken to hospital before being declared fit for police interview and questioned and later charged with the murder. Mr Tehrani told the court the door of the top-floor flat was locked from the inside as were all the windows. He added: 'Only someone with the powers of Spiderman would have been able to access this flat from the outside.' Mr Tehrani told the jury: 'The prosecution say the assault Christina Abbotts suffered was brutal, savage, unnecessary and pointless.' The court heard Miss Abbotts was 'privately-educated' and 'posh' and paid rent to the owner of the flat with her sex work. In a series of police interviews Naseem, who typically earned up to 250,000 a year, told officers he had been attracted to Miss Abbotts because she was privately-educated and was a City girl and seemed 'more like a socialite than a sex worker'. He sent a former colleague Miss Abbotts' Facebook profile who responded saying: 'Another hooker?' To which Naseem allegedly replied: 'How dare you. She's incredibly posh.' Naseem told police the pair had met on six occasions and he would pay her around 2,000 each time and he had paid her 3,500 for the previous two hook-ups. The court was told the pair got a taxi to Crawley and bought alcohol from a supermarket before going to the flat where Miss Abbotts had ordered cocaine and it had been delivered to the property a short time later. He told police he had used sex workers for around 10 years and often took cocaine during the hook-ups. He said he had occasionally suffered blackouts when he used drugs and alcohol together. He told police he and Miss Abbotts had shared a bath together and there was sexual activity though no penetrative sex. He said he had no memory of arguing with Miss Abbotts and no memory of hitting her but woke up on the sofa in the living room and walked into the bedroom only to discover her dead on the bed. Lewes Crown Court (pictured) was told Christina Abbotts led a busy social life and had many friends but she also led a secret life as a sex worker and escort Naseem told police he was 'shell-shocked' and went back into the living room where he drank vodka. He told officers: 'Something must have happened. There was me and there was her and then there wasn't her. Did I hit her? I don't remember hitting her, no. 'Did we fight, no we didn't fight. I'm not some hyper high-functioning psychopath creating a story for you a-la Silence of the Lambs. I'm just telling you what happened or what didn't happen. I can't tell you more than that.' In another police interview he said: 'It's just not me. It's not me. I keep telling you but you just don't get that.' The court was read a series of text messages between Naseem and other sex workers including Lily Roe and Leyla Noir. In one message to a colleague he wrote of Miss Abbotts: 'Luckily I appear to protect her from harm and the sick perverts out there and don't want to break her.' The court heard that in the past Naseem had attended sex clubs in London such as 'Killing Kittens' , 'Heaven's Circle' and 'The Vault' though didn't frequent them anymore. The trial continues. Michelle Braithwaite, pictured at a previous court hearing in London, 46, stole 117,000 from Sir Samuel Brittan's bank accounts and credit cards while posing as a 'friend and carer', spending the money on holidays and the cremation of her pet dog A 'trusted friend' of Sir Samuel Brittan today admitted defrauding the famous economist and author out of 117,000 to pay for a holiday to Malta, designer clothes and the cremation of her Pomeranian dog. Michelle Braithwaite, 46, transferred cash from the writer's bank accounts and used his American Express card while posing as his 'carer, friend and confidante'. Journalist Sir Samuel, who was knighted in 1993, is the brother of former Conservative Home Secretary Leon Brittan, who died aged 75 in 2015. Braithwaite took the cash through more than 1,300 transactions as his health declined following a diagnosis of Alzheimer's in December 2016. Her trial at Southwark Crown Court was due to begin today but she changed her plea to guilty. She appeared via video link from home, citing her own health problems including severe stomach pain. Max Hardy, prosecuting, said: 'She [Braithwaite] manipulated her way into his life and over the course of seven months perpetrated to defraud him of over 100,000.' Braithwaite also won the trust of his sister-in-law, Lady Diana Brittan - the widow of Lord Brittan - after claiming she was 'a family lawyer' and Cambridge graduate, the court heard. She was Sir Samuel's only living relative with full power of attorney and returned early from a holiday after Braithwaite said he had suffered a fall and was in hospital. Braithwaite then claimed Sir Samuel's cleaners had been involved in financial impropriety. Mr Hardy said: 'Lady Brittan's trust was won over by Michelle Braithwaite who appeared to be helping the family in very practical ways, coming to his aid in a period of ill health and alerting Lady Britain of financial wrongdoing.' Braithwaite became a full time career until another was hired and offered to look after Sir Samuel on the carer's day off and take him out to lunch. But it became clear there was a dramatic increase in Sir Samuel's expenditure since Braithwaite arrived in the author's life in August 2016. She paid for a holiday to Malta with her family, purchased designer clothing, beauty treatment and fast food and spent money on dog grooming and vet fees, including the cremation of her Pomeranian. Mr Hardy added: 'This expenditure that went far beyond the management of his living expenses and was going to the funding of the defendant's lifestyle and her family's.' Braithwaite also spent Sir Samuel's money on a party for her daughter and used his credit card to buy the contraceptive pill for the teenager, the court heard. She also blew cash on trips to Gran Canaria and a hotel stay in Kensington. Police eventually became involved after American Express detected the irregular use of the peer's card. Following her arrest Braithwaite claimed she was only 'doing this all for Sir Samuel, motivated only from generosity'. She admitted two counts of fraud by false representation, one of fraud by abuse of position and one of theft. After the plea hearing, Lady Brittan said: 'He's a single man who wasn't bothered to look after his affairs and she took advantage of him. 'He's an ill man, his memory is not good and he's disabled. It's such a betrayal of trust. 'But why would you not trust people? You can't go around distrusting everyone, what would life be like then? 'It'll be a relief for both us now it's all over, he'll be happy about that. 'He's man about to have his 85th birthday, he shouldn't be worried about this kind of thing. He was very anxious about it at the time when he found out. Sir Samuel, pictured with his brother former home secretary Lord Leon Brittan at his investiture in 1993. Braithwaite came into his life in August 2016 and took advantage of him after he was diagnosed with Alzheimer's months later in December 'This was two years ago and now he can't really remember her. I've had my own troubles the past few years, my husband died. 'I'm Samuel's only surviving relative and I want to look after him as best I can. He was a wonderful journalist and is very intelligent.' Judge Nicholas Loraine-Smith said: 'I'm going to require psychiatric reports and a medical report that has been demanded by this court for many many months now. I think we need an independent psychiatrist and a doctor. 'Her memory was not what it used to be apparently but that doesn't hold any importance or relevance to this case.' Earlier Adrian Ames, prosecuting, said: 'The defendant has physical difficulties attending court but as far as the prosecution can see she has no mental issues. 'I understand also that the court is aware of the difficulties that the defence say the defendant has.' Braithwaite claims she has various neurological issues which would prohibit her from standing trial but that no clear diagnosis has been made. Her barrister Hector MacLean-Watt told an earlier hearing various psychiatric and neurological reports had been prepared for Braithwaite but that none of them appear conclusive. He said: 'All we get, and all we keep getting, is that she potentially has complex neurological issues and it seems very difficult to move this forward. This is the one that provides the most frustration.' Referring to Braithwaite's supposed neurological deterioration, the judge said: 'The only evidence we have for this is she says she cannot remember.' Mr MacLean-Watt replied: 'It is fair to say, whether correct or not, there would appear to be deterioration. 'Since around April, I think she has been confined to her home - ironically a certain form of imprisonment in any event.' The case has been beset by difficulties due to Braithwaite's health issues. She appeared at Inner London Crown Court in June but she ended up stranded in the car park after security staff said they were unable to transport her from the cells to the dock by wheelchair. In October a judge issued a warrant for her arrest after she failed to attend court but police failed to arrest Braithwaite on one occasion because no ambulance had been provided. But two weeks later another judge decided a video link to the court could be installed at Braithwaite's home The offences date from 1 August 2016 until April 30 last year. Sentencing has been adjourned until February. Theresa May suffered a fresh humiliation today as she got stuck in her car as she arrived for crisis Brexit talks with Angela Merkel in Berlin. The Prime Minister found herself locked in with officials struggling to get the door open, as the German Chancellor waited patiently on the red carpet. She put on a brave face and smiled as she finally emerged to greet Mrs Merkel before they disappeared for lunch. But the embarrassing episode summed up Mrs May's torrid spell as she teeters on the brink of disaster. The premier has embarked on a frantic tour of Europe after being forced to delay a vote on her Brexit deal to avoid humiliating defeat. She is hoping to wring more concessions on the Irish border backstop that could help her sell the package to mutinous MPs. The Prime Minister found herself locked in with officials struggling to get the door open, as the German Chancellor waited patiently on the red carpet Mrs May put on a brave face and smiled as she finally emerged to greet Mrs Merkel before they disappeared for lunch But EU chief Jean-Claude Juncker has already delivered a hammer blow by warning 'there is no room for renegotiation'. Mrs May met Dutch counterpart Mark Rutte for breakfast in the Hague this morning, and after her talks with Angela Merkel in Berlin she will head for Brussels for discussions with Donald Tusk and Mr Juncker. However, senior Tories fear she will get 'jack sh**' out of the whirlwind tour, after the EU dismissed the idea of unpicking the legal text of the package or the controversial Irish border backstop. Critics accuse her of running down the clock, although Downing Street insisted today that the government will stage a vote on the Brexit deal before January 21. Mrs May has left the country at a time when the threats to her position are at the highest level yet - with more Conservative MPs sending no-confidence letters, and Remainers plotting to force a second referendum. Former minister Steve Baker urged his colleagues this morning to recognise that they face the 'certainty of failure' under Mrs May, urging them: 'You must be brave.' He added: 'I really think it is her duty now to go.' The number of MPs who confirmed to have written letters of no confidence has now risen to 28, after Crispin Blunt added himself to the list. Meanwhile, Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon demanded Labour gets behind calls for another referendum, saying it is the 'only way' to resolve the impasse in Parliament. The Prime Minister is having breakfast in the Netherlands with counterpart Mark Rutte this morning before going on to meet German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin In shambolic scenes yesterday, news of the U-turn on the Brexit vote came just 24 minutes after a Downing Street spokeswoman told journalists it was definitely going ahead. No new date has been given. Cabinet ministers including Michael Gove, who had been giving interviews hours earlier insisting the showdown was '100 per cent' happening, were infuriated at having been left hanging. In a three-hour session with MPs, the Prime Minister denied she had 'bottled it' but accepted she had been facing a big defeat. EU commission president Jean-Claude Juncker warned 'there is no room for renegotiation' Hardline Eurosceptics warned they would not support the deal unless the Irish backstop was abandoned altogether a move specifically ruled out by Brussels and Dublin. Mrs May told MPs she believed EU leaders were open to discussion about the idea of providing reassurances that the backstop, which critics fear could leave the UK locked in a customs union against its will, would only be temporary. Leader of the house Andrea Leadsom suggested today that Mrs May was seeking changes that would give Parliament an additional 'democratic ability to decide'. 'That might include an addendum to the Withdrawal Agreement that sets out that Parliament will vote prior to going into a backstop, should that prove necessary, and potentially that the EU parliament and UK parliament must vote every year thereafter to provide that legitimacy for the UK to stay in the backstop, should that prove necessary,' she told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. 'So there are plenty of options for the PM to talk to the EU about that don't involve reopening the Withdrawal Agreement, but that would provide the legal text as a part of the Withdrawal Agreement, through perhaps an addendum.' But in a speech to the European parliament this morning, Mr Juncker said: 'There is no room whatsoever for renegotiation, but of course there is room if used intelligently, there is room enough to give further clarifications and further interpretations without opening the Withdrawal Agreement. 'This will not happen: everyone has to note that the Withdrawal Agreement will not be reopened.' He said earlier that Brexit was a 'surprise guest' at the European Council, adding: 'I'm surprised because we had reached an agreement on the 25th November together with the Government of the United Kingdom. 'Notwithstanding that, it would appear that there are problems right at the end of the road.' The DUP's Brexit spokesman Sammy Wilson warned Mrs May's mindset will 'guarantee she comes back with nothing which is going to alleviate fears'. He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme she could only get reassurances over the Irish border backstop which 'don't mean anything when they are put against a legally-binding international agreement'. Ms Sturgeon said the only thing blocking a parliamentary majority for a fresh vote was the fact that 'Labour is not yet behind that'. 'If Labour get behind that, I do think there is a prospect of a majority for that. There is perhaps a greater prospect now for a majority for that than for anything else,' she said. 'But, in order to put that to the test to get to that point, we need to get Labour off of the fence that it is determinedly sitting on right now and backing a clear way forward. 'A clear way forward is another vote because Theresa May's plan is not going to get a majority, she simply is running down the clock.' Tory sources said Mrs May had reluctantly agreed to delay the planned Brexit vote after being warned that up to 100 Conservative MPs planned to vote against it, condemning her to a potentially career-ending defeat. A string of ministers, led by Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson, had spent days warning her not to proceed. The delay was confirmed during an emergency conference call of Cabinet ministers at 11.30am and quickly leaked minutes after a No10 spokeswoman insisted to journalists that the vote was going ahead. A Cabinet source said there was an 'air of resignation' among ministers about the Brexit deadlock. Jacob Rees-Mogg (pictured) has accused the Prime Minister of presiding over a national humiliation 'She had to delay the vote, but it leaves us in a dreadful position,' said one source. 'No one really knows what she wants or has much confidence she can salvage this thing. But it's the worst possible time for a leadership contest.' Sir Graham Brady, chairman of the 1922 Committee of Tory MPs, last night suggested the delay would head off the immediate risk of a leadership challenge. He said Mrs May had done the right thing: 'Lots of people have predicted the Prime Minister's downfall, they have been wrong when they have done so.' Mr Rees-Mogg, who led last month's aborted attempt to unseat the Prime Minister, yesterday accused her of presiding over a national humiliation. But it is far from clear that hardline Eurosceptics have the numbers to force a confidence vote or leadership contest. Whitehall sources acknowledged there was little chance of a negotiating breakthrough this week, meaning any vote is likely to be delayed until at least January 7. Adam Marshall, director general of the British Chambers of Commerce, said: 'Firms are looking on with utter dismay at the ongoing saga in Westminster. 'Politicians are seemingly acting in their own interest, with little regard for the millions of people whose livelihoods depend on the success of UK business and trade.' Former No 10 director of legislative affairs Nikki da Costa who quit over the deal blamed chief whip Julian Smith for the chaos. She said: 'I can't disagree with much of this, but in defence of the Whips Office, when it's command and control, and those that challenge are ostracised, and experienced Whips officials and SpAds are ignored, there's not much hope that the operation can compensate for the Chief. 'Junior whips can learn art of whipping, and how to build relationships with their flocks, but as with any team you need to invest. If you have no licence to take responsibility, and everything is by the Chief's say so, how much can you do? Don't write off the Office by the Chief. 'Saying this because no one on the inside can say it, I can now and I should - there are good people there.' This is the moment a teen from Canada announced his resignation in an expletive filled rant over the intercom at Walmart. Jackson Racicot, 17, from Edmonton, Alberta, picked up the intercom phone and aired his complaints about management over the shop floor. He concluded his message, saying: 'F**k management, f**k this job and f**k Walmart.' Cheers and laughter rang out across the supermarket as he made a hasty getaway. Jackson Racicot, 17, posted the video on Thursday to his Facebook page and it has received thousands of views across the world Jackson has been quick to change his username on Instagram to reference his video, saying in his bio: 'I'm the d**k that called out Walmart over their intercom.' In a composed tone he stated: 'Attention all shoppers, associates and management, I would like to say to all of you today that nobody should work here - ever. 'Our managers will make promises and never keep them and not only that they will preach to us about how they care about their employees. 'But about a month ago my boss assistant manager Cora called me a waste of time and management did nothing to help. 'Management will also try and save money every step of the way including cutting benefits of a full time associate down to part time even though he worked 40 plus hours a week. But some people were less than impressed by the teenager's use of foul language over the public intercom 'I have been a loyal employee here for over a year and a half and I'm sick of all the bullsh*t bogus write ups and my job.' The teen who filmed the speech on his smartphone has since received thousands of views across the world, although he told the Star he was only expecting a couple of hundred people to watch. He said that since posting the video he has been contacted by frustrated Walmart employees across Canada who share his views. He told the daily being called a 'waste of time' by his boss was the last straw: 'It was a little shove, because my toes were already hanging off the edge.' Time's 2018 Person of the Year has been awarded to Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi and other 'guardians' involved in 'the war on truth'. The 'guardians' are slain Saudi journalist Khashoggi; the Capital Gazette in Annapolis, Maryland, where five people were shot and killed at the newspaper's offices in June; Philippine journalist Maria Ressa, who has been arrested; and two Reuters journalists detained in Myanmar for nearly a year, Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo. Time's editor-in-chief Edward Felsenthal made the announcement Tuesday on NBC's Today show. The magazine recognizes the person or group of people who most influenced the news and the world 'for better or for worse' during the past year. It says the 2018 group 'are representatives of a broader fight by countless others around the world'. Other examples listed in the announcement include Bangladeshi photographer Shahidul Alam, Sudanese freelance journalist Amal Habani, Brazilian reporter Patricia Campos Mello, and Victor Mallet, the Asia news editor for the Financial Times. The decision to honor journalists comes after a record number - 262 worldwide - were imprisoned in 2017, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists. Khashoggi was a contributor to the Washington Post residing in the United States before he was murdered There has been speculation that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman ordered the hit on Khashoggi (pictured) Khashoggi, a contributor to the Washington Post residing in the United States, was murdered after a visit to the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on October 2 to obtain paperwork ahead of his wedding to his Turkish fiancee. The 59-year-old former Saudi insider was strangled before he was cut up into pieces by a team of 15 Saudis sent to Istanbul for the killing, according to Turkish officials. There has been speculation that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman ordered the hit but Riyadh has absolved the de facto leader of any blame. Khashoggi's remains have still not been found despite searches of the consulate, the Saudi consul-general's residence in Istanbul and two villas in northwestern Turkey. The Capital Gazette newspaper in Annapolis, Maryland, is recognized by Time, as staff continue with their coverage after five colleague were gunned down on June 28 The five victims (from left to right) were writer John McNamara, special publications editor Wendi Winters, assistant editor Robert Hiaasen, editorial page editor Gerald Fischman, and sales assistant Rebecca Smith Philippine journalist Ressa has been threatened with prison and closure of the news site she co-founded but she's fighting back. The site, Rappler, has taken a critical stand on President Rodrigo Duterte's deadly anti-drug crackdown and now finds itself the target of grinding, unrelenting attacks from the authorities. Ressa turned herself in earlier this month to face one tax evasion charge, but could still face arrest on four other counts that she insists were crafted to bring the site to heel. The tax evasion charge alone carries up to 10 years behind bars. It stems from allegations that Rappler and Ressa did not pay taxes on 2015 bond sales that netted $3 million. Rappler has been among a clutch of Philippine news outlets that have questioned the methods of the president's signature crackdown, which police say has killed nearly 5,000 alleged dealers and addicts since 2016. Rights campaigners say the true toll is triple that and could amount to crimes against humanity. Philippine journalist Maria Ressa has been threatened with prison and closure of the news site she co-founded but she's fighting back Maria Ressa, CEO and executive editor of online news site Rappler, turned herself in earlier this month to face one tax evasion charge, which she contests Top 10 TIME Person of the Year's shortlist Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle President Donald Trump Russian President Vladimir Putin Special counsel Robert Mueller Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi March for Our Lives activists Dr. Christine Blasey Ford Separated migrant families Director Ryan Coogler South Korean President Moon Jae-in Advertisement Yet, the site and its roughly 30 journalists, a majority of whom are women in their 20s, has kept publishing stories on the drug war. Ressa insists the site is not anti-Duterte, saying it is just doing its job to hold the government to account. In doing so it has invited a steady stream of online vitriol since Duterte came to power over two years ago. The Capital Gazette newspaper in Annapolis, Maryland, is also recognized by Time, as staff continue with their coverage after five colleague were gunned down on June 28. Jarrod Ramos is charged with five counts of first-degree murder for the deaths of five newspaper employees after he shot through the glass newsroom entrance. The victims were reporter John McNamara, special publications editor Wendi Winters, assistant editor Robert Hiaasen, editorial page editor Gerald Fischman, and sales assistant Rebecca Smith. Time has also recognized the two Reuters journalists Wa Lone, 32, and Kyaw Soe Oo, 28, who were jailed for their reporting on the Rohingya crisis. Their wives are pictured holding photos of their husbands The two Reuters journalists Wa Lone, 32, (left) and Kyaw Soe Oo, 28, (right) were jailed for their reporting on the Rohingya crisis Time has also recognized the two Reuters journalists Wa Lone, 32, and Kyaw Soe Oo, 28, who were jailed for their reporting on the Rohingya crisis, in the Southeast Asian nation of Myanmar. They were found guilty under a state secrets act in September after exposing the extrajudicial killing of 10 Rohingya men during a brutal military crackdown in Myanmar's western Rakhine state last year. The pair - who have been held behind bars for nearly a year since their arrest last December - were sentenced to seven years in jail, a verdict that drew widespread condemnation, including from US Vice President Mike Pence. Four journalists from across the world round out additional examples of courage in the name of reporting the truth. Shahidul Alam, a photographer from Bangladesh, was taken into custody on August 5 after criticizing Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in an interview about mass protests in Dhaka. Alam had spent over 100 days behind bars for making 'false' and 'provocative' statements before finally being granted bail in November, according to the Guardian. Amal Habani, a freelance journalist in Sudan, was captured by authorities while reporting on protests over economic conditions in the northeast African country in January. Habana was beaten with electric rods while detained for more than 34 days before her release in February, according to FrontlineDefenders.org. Shahidul Alam (pictured), a photographer from Bangladesh, was taken into custody after criticizing Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in an interview about mass protests in Dhaka on August 5 and was jailed for over 100 days before being granted bail. Alam poses besides his mobile exhibition of 'Portraits of Commitment' displayed on auto rickshaws in Colombo on August 19, 2007 Amal Habani, a freelance journalist in Sudan, was captured by authorities while reporting on protests over economic conditions in the northeast African country in January. Habana (pictured in her profile photo for the Frontline Defenders website) was beaten with electric rods while detained for more than 34 days Reporter Patricia Campos Mello (pictured) in Brazil experienced threats following coverage that President-elect Jair Bolsonaro's supporters had financially supported a campaign to spread false news stories on WhatsApp Reporter Patricia Campos Mello in Brazil experienced threats following her coverage in October that President-elect Jair Bolsonaro's supporters had financially supported a campaign to spread false news stories on WhatsApp, according to a Google translation of Abraji.org.br, the website for the Brazilian Association of Investigative Journalism. And in Hong Kong, Asia news editor for the Financial Times Victor Mallet had to leave the territory after his visa was not renewed, following him acting against the wishes of the Chinese government by inviting Hong Kong pro-independence political activist Andy Chan to speak at a press club event in August. Mallet was forced to leave in October and allowed to return for only seven days to wrap up his affairs, the South China Morning Post reported. Time lauded those expressly named as well as the additional examples provided, among the myriad of others risking their lives to speak truth to power across the globe, collectively as the 2018 Person of the Year. 'Such independence is no small thing. It marks the distinction between tyranny and democracy. And in a world where budding authoritarians have advanced by blurring the difference, there was a clarity in the spectacle of a tyrants fury visited upon a man armed only with a pen,' the article read. 'Because the strongmen of the world only look strong. All despots live in fear of their people. To see genuine strength, look to the spaces where individuals dare to describe whats going on in front of them.' The shortlist for Time Person of the Year included President Donald Trump, who made the cover in 2016, as well as the man who has rocked his presidency - special counsel Robert Mueller. Dear Mr President, I wish to formally apply to be your new Chief of Staff. You might not immediately recognize what qualities I have for such a massive job in your administration, especially following a hugely respected war hero like General John Kelly. But the key thing is to have someone at your side that understands you, has known you a long time, likes you and commands your respect. Dear Mr President, I wish to formally apply to be your new Chief of Staff. The key thing is to have someone at your side that understands you, has known you a long time, likes you and commands your respect - and you know I'm vicious, tough and brilliant - as you yourself said When you made me your first Celebrity Apprentice a decade ago, you told me in the live NBC finale: Piers, youre a vicious guy. Ive seen it. Youre tough. Youre smart. Youre probably brilliant, Im not sure. Youre certainly not diplomatic. But you did an amazing job and you beat the hell out of everybody - youre my Celebrity Apprentice. Lets be honest, what more could you possibly want from your Chief of Staff? You could have been talking about yourself! Lets also be honest about something else: nobody else is exactly storming the ramparts of the White House demanding you hire them for the toughest job in world politics. Yesterday, it was reported that your first choice, the vice presidents CoS Nick Ayers, turned down the job despite it being an obvious step up. It will be hard to follow a respected war hero like General John Kelly, and your first choice, the vice presidents Chife of Staff Nick Ayers, turned down the job Why is it considered such a poisoned chalice? Because everyone knows there can only be one chief in the White House, and his name is Donald J. Trump. Youre your own Chief of Staff, and always have been. Even General Kelly, one of the most decorated and experienced military leaders in America, couldnt control you. However, thats no longer a sensible way to run things. Youre two years into your first term as President and if you want to reach four years, let alone get re-elected in 2020, then its time to recalibrate your system and style. And its time to get a Chief of Staff who can help you do that. Here are ten reasons you should hire me: 1) You need someone who will look you in the eye and tell you when youre being an idiot. Seriously. Because sometimes you do dumb things like separating children from their parents at borders, or blaming forestry managers as people are dying in wildfires, and you need someone with the balls to tell you that. Id have the balls, because I know its a myth you cant handle the truth. Ive written numerous columns attacking you and Im still one of only 35 human beings you follow me on Twitter! I just always criticise you with respect, not abuse. 2) You need a CoS that will surround the Oval Office with loyal people who like and respect you, not the type of ghastly, untrustworthy reptiles like Omarosa Manigault Newman who you invited into your home with the same kind of inexplicable, self-destructive recklessness a mother hen displays when she invites a fox into the coop to babysit the chicks. Youve had way too many treacherous weasels lurking in corridors of your White House. You dont want sycophants but you do want straight-talking loyalists. Go watch The West Wing, and imagine me as your Leo McGarry, albeit younger and without quite such a bad drink problem. 3) You shouldnt send a single tweet without discussing it first with your Chief of Staff. I know, I know, you love Twitter and the unrestricted freedom to spew whatevers going through your head at any given time. Its made you the most transparent president in history - we literally know exactly what youre thinking in real time. But too often you become your own worst enemy by seeming to not even take a beat before pressing SEND, and posting something inaccurate, needlessly inflammatory or pointlessly petty. Trust me, I know about this syndrome - I suffer from it myself. But I also love Twitter, love the way you use it, and can be the perfect protective security shield for you. Bounce your tweets off me first, and Ill tell you which ones are likely to end up being a net negative or a net positive. And which ones I thoroughly approve of for the appropriate mischief they will cause. 4) Id focus on getting your actual achievements more coverage. You have a good story to tell when it comes to stuff like the economy, jobs, peace talks with North Korea, trade with China (youre winning that war..), and NATO (rightly) paying more of its bills. But its all getting lost in the wall of negative noise engulfing your presidency. You were great at ramming home simple messages during your election campaign. Yet now the narrative is one of perpetual White House chaos. Stop fuelling it, and keep things simple again. Keep telling people what is working. Remember, over 90% of incumbent presidents who run again on a strong economy, win. Its ALWAYS the economy, stoopid. You need someone who will staff the Oval Office with loyal workers, not reptiles like Omarosa Manigault. And I get on with Ivanka and Jared, and would encourage you to listen to them as much as possible. I see them as a great asset and two very smart young people 5) You need a CoS who gets on with Ivanka and Jared, and encourages you to listen to them as much as possible. I do, because I see them as a great asset to you, not a hindrance. Theyre two very smart young people with independent minds who you know you can trust and who arent afraid to give you their honest opinions even if they know you dont want to hear them. These are the best kind of advisors. 6) You need to stop your silly war with CNN. I know some of my former colleagues have become annoyingly (and in my view, unfairly) partisan against you, and that bashing them goes down well with your base. But its such a waste of time and energy, and constantly calling them enemy of the people is downright dangerous. CNN has received bombs and death threats. This feud is not a joke now, its deadly serious. I know how the media works better than anyone youve had around you. Trust me when I tell you this is a war you no longer need to wage. 7) As Obamas former CoS, Rahm Emmanuel, said this week, you need a true wartime consigliere like Robert Duvalls character Tom Hagen in The Godfather. Things are about to get ferociously nasty as Robert Mueller prepares his report into all things Russia. You dont want a CoS whos not up for a scrap. As I think my Twitter feed suggests, I love a scrap. Use Melania more. Shes become a very popular electoral asset, who has barely put a foot wrong since becoming First Lady - and I get along very well with her 8) Use Melania more. Shes become a very popular electoral asset, who has barely put a foot wrong since becoming First Lady, despite all the awful lurid scandals and gossip shes had to endure. As you know, I get on very well with Melania, and think shes a tough, fearless, highly impressive lady. You need a CoS who knows this and persuades you to deploy her more. Im that guy. 9) You can actually save money for the country by hiring me. I dont need the salary and in fact, Id literally pay to work for you. What could be a better ride than being CoS at this perilous stage of the Trump presidency? 10) You need someone whose reputation wont be remotely tarnished by working with you and who wont mind in the slightest if you suddenly fire him. Ive been fired from big jobs before and always found it both character-building and financially lucrative. So dont worry about finally doing what you never did in 2008 and telling me: Piers, youre fired. Been there, read the book, seen the play, survived and thrived. Im available for interview with immediate effect. Kind regards Yours sincerely, Piers Jed Miller (pictured in January last year outside the Central London County Court during an evcition battle) is suing police over alleged assault, false imprisonment and malicious prosecution An autistic man who claims he was assaulted and branded a 't**t' by police during a Guy Fawkes Night protest outside Parliament is suing the Met. Jed Miller was among the hundreds of activists who attended the Anonymous group's 'Million Mask March' in November 2012. The 26-year-old was accused of inciting the Parliament Square crowd and pushing a police officer, but the Crown Prosecution Service dropped the case within five months. Mr Miller - who has Asperger's, fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome - says his arrest, detention and prosecution was a strain on his health. And he is now suing Metropolitan Police Commissioner, Cressida Dick, on behalf of the force, at Central London County Court. He claims he was assaulted, falsely imprisoned and maliciously prosecuted. Giving evidence before Judge Alan Saggerson and a jury, Mr Miller said the allegation he assaulted police was 'news to me'. He said that he was toward the back of a group when pushing against the police line began and the officers began pushing back. Mr Miller described himself as stuck in the noisy crowd, being pushed and shoved in all directions by protesters and the police officers. 'The police were just pushing people indiscriminately,' the self-described anarchist told the jury. 'At one point, a woman who I didn't know had fallen over behind me and I was pushed over the top of her.' He said the situation had calmed and he was getting ready to go home to bed when he was arrested. 'I was saying "goodbye" to my friends and, the next thing I knew, six police officers burst through the police line, grabbed me and said I was under arrest,' he said. 'They grabbed me, dragged me through the police line and told me I was being arrested for assault. The PC called me a "t**t". 'When I challenged him, he said: "There's six of us and one of you. What are you going to do about it?".' Mr Miller says he was grabbed and restrained by the arms before being put in handcuffs. He was taken to Charing Cross Police Station, where he was held for 15 hours and charged with assault the following afternoon. The activist denied assaulting police or inciting the crowd to push against officers at the Anonymous demonstration last year (pictured, Parliament Square during the protest) Mr Miller was unable to get his medication and, because of the stress and his medical conditions, he was left feeling 'very very anxious', he said. Five months later, the prosecution was dropped after the CPS decided it was 'not necessary in the public interest'. In the meantime, he suffered sleepless nights and had to increase his fibromyalgia medication because stress makes it worse, he said. The force denies that the arrest was unlawful, that Mr Miller was assaulted or that the prosecution was malicious. He had twice assaulted a police officer by pushing him, and had incited the crowd by yelling 'charge', Met lawyers claim. Mr Miller said he attended the protest, organised by Anonymous, because it was 'a more interesting way of spending a Monday night'. And he told the jury that the form of anarchism he ascribes to does not involve a complete rejection of the rule of law. The hearing continues. Trainspotting author Irvine Welsh has branded Parcelforce as 'Parcelfarce' after a delivery driver stuck a card through his door while he was home. The Scottish author went online to rant about the 'impressive nonsense' of delivery drivers who take packages away without bothering the ring the doorbell. Welsh, 60, is believed to have suffered the common consumer bugbear at his home in Miami, Florida, when Parcelforce Worldwide tried to make a delivery. He posted yesterday: 'Love the way Parcelforce put a card through your door when you're at home, without ringing the bell, telling you they can't deliver your package but you can collect it at the depot (whereabouts that is the card doesn't say.)' Welsh, 60, (pictured) is believed to have suffered the common consumer bugbear at his home in Miami, Florida, when Parcelforce Worldwide tried to make a delivery The Scottish author went online to rant about the 'impressive nonsense' of delivery drivers who take packages away without bothering the ring the doorbell He added 'Pretty impressive nonsense' before writing the hashtag 'Parcelfarce'. Welsh's post prompted numerous customers worldwide to share their own experiences. One, @matthew-maddock, from Stamford, Lincolnshire, added: 'That's happened to me a few times. I even ran after the postie and asked for the parcel. He didn't even have it. No apology or explanation.' Also @JohnShenton1892, from Western Australia, said: 'Did it to me here in Perth. The nearest depot was 37km away.' After his tweet was posted several customers worldwide took to social media to share their own experiences Another, @paddybah, from East Kilbride, South Lanarkshire, wrote: 'Trained in the ways of the Ninja. They silently deposit the 'you were out' card and, un-detected, they slip away. Unheard by you, unseen by neighbours.' Other users decided to share their experiences with different delivery companies. 'Royal Fail don't even try,' one wrote. 'I've been sat in the house many times and got the card. The queue at the depot is proof enough. Sh**e.' And @romannosaint, from Blyth Bridge, Scottish Borders, added: 'Not just parcel force, DPD-UK did the exact same thing to me last week. Others also shared what had happened to them with different delivery firms like Yodel and Hermes 'Redelivered the next day and somehow the parcel was miraculously small enough to be posted through my letter box without me having to sign for it. 'Don't you just love couriers?' Parcelforce Worldwide quickly replied to Welsh, writing: 'Hello Irvine, I'm disappointed to hear this. 'Please can I take your parcel number and a telephone number so I can have the depot investigate this asap? My apologies for the inconvenience caused.' Welsh thanked the customer service agent who responded to his rant and provided the parcel number for his delivery, writing 'Eh...thank you Sarah, but no to my phone number Welsh thanked the customer service agent and provided the parcel number for his delivery, writing 'Eh...thank you Sarah, but no to my phone number. Parcel number is PB1(or l) X0 (or O) 0 (or O) 957990 (or O) 0 (or O)1.' That prompted one person to allege the company responded differently to 'famous people' and ordinary people. A user posted: 'Love how these courier companies respond to famous people and ignore the rest of us.' Last year it was reported that two thirds of online shoppers have had parcels lost, damaged or arrived late according to a survey conducted by Citizens Advice. Welsh wrote Trainspotting, which was later turned into a film directed by Danny Boyle A frequent complaint is customers waiting at home for a parcel only to receive a note saying they were out when the delivery driver called. However, the most common complaint received by Citizens Advice were parcels being left in rubbish bins. A group of four Russian military aircraft landed Tuesday in the Maiquetia Simon Bolivar International airport of Venezuela, the Russian Defense Ministry said Tuesday. One of the two Tu-160 which landed in Venezuela on Tuesday (Credit: Sputnik) The group included two Tu-160 strategic missile-carriers, a heavy An-124 military transport aircraft and an IL-62 long-range aircraft of the Russian Aerospace Forces, it said in a statement. The group covered a distance of more than 10,000 kilometers, it said, adding that at certain stages of the route, the group was escorted by the F-16 fighters of the Norwegian Air Force. The Russian crews were met by the Minister of Defense of Venezuela Vladimir Padrino Lopez and representatives of the Russian embassy in Caracas. The flight was carried out in strict accordance with the International Airspace Use Regulations, the ministry said without commenting on its purpose. On Wednesday, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro visited Russia and met with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. On the same day, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu met Padrino to discuss bilateral military technical cooperation, the Russian Defense Ministry said on its website. During the meeting, Shoigu said he expected that the practice of flights of Russian military "aircraft to Venezuela's airfields would continue, and the ships of the Russian Navy would be able to call at the ports of that country," according to the ministry. John Major today called for Britain to revoke Article 50 and delay Brexit - saying ministers desperately need 'more time' for talks. The ex PM said the Government must stop the clock so they can secure a deal which gets the backing of warring MPs and protects jobs. Sir John, a leading Remainer, said it is time for British politicians to turn to 'reality and not fiction'. And Tory grandee Ken Clarke last night also called for the Government to revoke Article 50. Sir John said: 'Whether you are a remainer or a leaver no-one can welcome chaos. We now need to revoke Article 50 with immediate effect...we need time.' His intervention comes as Theresa May is on a frantic Europe-wide tour of EU leaders as she frantically tries to squeeze last minute concessions out of them over Brexit. She was left humiliated yesterday when she delayed the crunch Commons vote on her deal, admitting that she would have faced certain defeat. But as she embarks on a frantic round of diplomacy abroad, Remainers are seizing on the Brexit chaos to push their campaign for a second referendum. And she faces a fresh blow today as the SNP said they will table a motion of no confidence in her if Labour fails to do so by the end of the day. John Major (pictured today in Dublin) today called for Britain to revoke Article 50 and delay Brexit - saying ministers desperately need 'more time' for talks The People's Vote Campaign brought anti-Brexit MPs from across all political parties at a hastily-arranged press conference in Westminster today to demand another vote (pictured, left to right, Vince Cable, Caroline Lucas, Ian Blackford, Margaret Beckett, Liz Saville-Roberts, Anna Soubry) The People's Vote Campaign brought anti-Brexit MPs from across all political parties at a hastily-arranged press conference in Westminster today to demand another vote. They unveiled a new three-pronged attack to try to force through a second referendum - urging the UK and EU to start preparing for the ballot and calling for Jeremy Corbyn to table a vote of no confidence in Mrs May's government. Juncker delivers hammer blow to May's hopes of saving her Brexit deal EU commission president Jean-Claude Juncker warned 'there is no room for renegotiation' Jean-Claude Juncker delivered a hammer blow to Theresa May's hopes of saving her Brexit deal today as she embarked on a frantic tour of Europe. The Prime Minister has met Dutch counterpart Mark Rutte for breakfast in the Hague, and is holding crucial talks with Angela Merkel in Berlin as she begs for concessions that could win over furious MPs. She is also due to head for Brussels for discussions with Donald Tusk and Mr Juncker as they desperately try to find a way through the mounting crisis. But senior Tories fear she will get 'jack sh**' out of the whirlwind tour, after the EU dismissed the idea of unpicking the legal text of the package or the controversial Irish border backstop. And in a speech to MEPs today EU commission president Mr Juncker warned 'there is no room for renegotiation, but further clarifications are possible'. Advertisement Appearing at the press conference in Westminster this morning, Labour MP Margaret Beckett suggested Britain should stop Brexit. She said: 'We are in historic times and the responsibility on all of us to act in the national interest weighs heavily. 'Yesterday, as the Prime Minister cancelled her own vote on the deal to leave the European Union. 'With yet more uncertainty, there was one moment of clarity - the ruling from the European Court of Justice that the United Kingdom can still decide unilaterally to revoke Article 50 and stay in the EU on the same terms we now enjoy.' She called for ministers in the UK and EU to make preparations for another referendum. And she demanded that her leader acts, saying: To Jeremy - we are asking that in the days ahead you think very hard about adding your signature to those of other leaders, to table a motion of no confidence. SNP leader Ian Blackford said Labour has until the end of the day to table the motion or he will. He said: 'If Jeremy cant put himself in that position then we as leaders of other opposition parties must rise to that challenge. He added: 'We are calling on European leaders to extend Article 50.' Tory MP Anna Soubry branded the Brexit chaos an 'unholy mess' and repeated her demand for another referendum. And she took aim at Mr Corbyn, who has resisted growing demands from his own Ms to throw his support fully behind another referendum. She said: 'The biggest obstacle to a People's Vote at the moment is Jeremy Corbyn.' And Mr Clarke last night said ministers should revoke Article 50. He said: 'I cannot think of any assurances the Prime Minister will get in Brussels that would change that most unfortunate situation. 'I am sad that the whole thing has not been contrived to save the House from my making a speech tomorrow, in which I would have supported the withdrawal agreement. 'The situation is grave because, with no withdrawal agreement, we are going towards 29 March and we will leave with no agreement at all, because there are no signs of any alternative emerging. 'Article 50 has to be looked at. Article 50 could only be suspended for two or three months? There are legal problems in deferring it any longer. 'Although the majority of Members regard themselves as bound by the opinion poll, or referendum, we held in 2016, in which absolutely none of the circumstances we are now talking about were remotely discussed with the public before the vote was taken, is it not obvious that the Government should start considering revoking article 50 to save us from the disastrous consequences of leaving with no deal? 'It would be disastrous for our economy, our businesses, our employment and many other things. 'If anybody can ever put this shambles back together again and wants to resume the process of leaving the European Union, they could go ahead and see if a future House of Commons is more receptive than this one has been. The interventions come as Mrs May frantically tries to save her Brexit deal by going on a whirlwind tour of Europe to desperately try to save her deal. But she suffered a hammer blow to her hopes of salvaging her deal as he warned 'there is no room for renegotiation, but further clarifications are possible'. Mrs May has met Dutch counterpart Mark Rutte for breakfast in the Hague, and is holding crucial talks with Angela Merkel in Berlin as she begs for concessions that could win over furious MPs. Labour MP Margaret Beckett (pictured, centre, at the People's Vote press conference in Westminster today) demanded her leader Jeremy Corbyn take action and table a vote of no confidence in Theresa May SNP MP and the party's Westminster leader Ian Blackford (pictured at today's People's Vote event' said Labour have until the end of the day to table the no confidence vote or they will She is also due to head for Brussels for discussions with Donald Tusk and Mr Juncker as they desperately try to find a way through the mounting crisis. But senior Tories fear she will get 'jack sh**' out of the tour, after the EU dismissed the idea of unpicking the legal text of the package or the controversial Irish border backstop. Mrs May has left the country at a time when the threats to her position are at the highest level yet - with more Conservative MPs sending no-confidence letters, and Remainers plotting to force a second referendum. Former minister Steve Baker urged his colleagues this morning to recognise that they face the 'certainty of failure' under Mrs May, urging them: 'You must be brave.' He added: 'I really think it is her duty now to go.' The number of MPs who confirmed to have written letters of no confidence has now risen to 28, after Crispin Blunt added himself to the list. A white South Carolina woman has pleaded guilty to assaulting a black teenager after she was caught on camera hitting him at a community swimming pool and telling him to leave. Stephanie Sebby-Strempel, 38, pleaded guilty on Monday over the incident involving the 15-year-old boy at a Summerville pool back in June. She was ordered to pay a $1,000 fine for her assault and battery guilty plea. The victim had told police he was hanging with a group of friends at the pool when Sebby-Strempel approached them. Scroll down for video Stephanie Sebby-Strempel, 38, pleaded guilty on Monday over the incident involving the 15-year-old boy at a Summerville pool in South Carolina back in June The boy was invited to use the community pool by the family friend that he was staying with at the time. Sebby-Strempel told the teen and his friends that they didn't belong and they had to leave the pool. Stephanie Sebby-Strempel pleaded guilty to assault and battery following the June incident at the community pool The teenager told police that he and his friends were leaving when Sebby-Strempel began yelling racial slurs at them. He said she also hit him in the face and chest. Cellphone footage shot by the teenager showed Sebby-Strempel yelling and hitting the boy. The video of her harassing the boys was posted online and Sebby-Strempel was dubbed 'Pool Patrol Paula' at the time. It was one of several incidents at the time where white people were shamed on social media for calling the police on black people and found themselves being nicknamed BBQ Betty, Permit Patty and Coupon Carl. 'There are three numbers I can dial - 9-1-1,' Sebby-Strempel was filmed telling the boys. She was also filmed calling them 'little punks' and screaming 'get out' as she followed them outside of the pool. Authorities said Sebby-Strempel later resisted arrest when detectives arrived. She was accused of shoving one detective into a wall and biting another hard enough to break the skin. The boy's mother, Deanna RocQuemore, praised her son for the amount of restraint he used following the clash with Sebby-Strempel Cellphone footage shot by the teenager showed Sebby-Strempel yelling at the boy, saying she was going to call 911 The boy's mother, Deanna RocQuemore, praised her son for the amount of restraint he used following the clash with Sebby-Strempel. 'My son did the right thing regardless of what may have been verbally said by anyone else, my child was assaulted three times,' RocQuemore told ABCNews4. RocQuemore said the incident was racially motivated. 'This needs to be used as an example the same way that our children are being used as an example,' RocQuemore said at the time. The victim's family were in court on Monday but did not comment publicly about Sebby-Strempel's guilty plea. Sebby-Strempel had other charges, possibly related to the officer assault, dismissed on Monday. William Nieves, 32, from Eustis, Florida, picked up a passenger while 'drunk' and crashed into a pole An Uber driver is facing multiple charges after he was arrested on Saturday for driving while drunk with a passenger on board and crashing into a pole. William Nieves, 32, from Eustis, Florida, is charged with leaving the scene of an accident, fleeing and eluding and DUI with property damage, according to an arrest affidavit, as reported by News Channel 8 in Tampa. Eustis police said they were called to the area of South Grove Street and Woodward Avenue just before 5 a.m. on Saturday by a passenger who had been picked up by Nieves to be taken to work. The passenger told police how Nieves was slurring his words, 'speeding and swerving,' and when he asked him to slow down, Nieves turned up the volume on the car radio. Nieves proceeded to crash the car into a pole. It got stuck and the passenger was able to jump out and call police. Nieves then made off in his car. After a short pursuit by police along Eustis Street, near Citrus Avenue, officers caught up with Nieves at his house in Eustis. Uber driver Nieves told police who caught up with him at home that he didn't know how he got home but that he hadn't had a drink since Thanksgiving He told officers he didn't remember the crash and that he didn't know where he was coming from or how he got home. Nieves also told the police he hadn't anything alcoholic to drink since Thanksgiving Day. Officers said they could smell alcohol on his breath. On its website Uber states it 'does not tolerate the use of alcohol or drugs by drivers using the Uber app. If you believe your driver may be under the influence of drugs or alcohol, please ask the driver to END THE TRIP IMMEDIATELY. Then exit the car and call 911.' 'What's been reported is disturbing and unacceptable. We have a zero tolerance policy for any alcohol or drugs on the app. Upon learning of these allegations, we immediately removed the driver's access to the app,' an Uber spokesperson told The Daily Mail. A Pennsylvania man who turned 101 on December 1 puts his long life down to having a Coors Light beer every day. Andrew E. Slavonic a World War II veteran - has enjoyed a can of Coors daily since 1996 but switched to Coors Light approximately halfway through the time he's had his 22-year habit for the refreshment. When asked the secret to reaching centenarian status, Slavonic revealed it was cracking open a can for his afternoon beverage, and now MillerCoors has rewarded him and his son with the trip of a lifetime and plenty more beer to keep him going. Scroll down for video Andrew Slavonic, who turned 101 December 1, has had Coors daily since 1996. The World War II veteran switched to having Coors Light every day at 4pm 15 years ago Watch the latest video at foxnews.com Fox News Privacy Policy Slavonic's story went viral last week after his son Bob shared that an apple a day may not be the secret to optimum health. 'In 1996, he actually started drinking regular Coors beer,' Bob told Fox News. 'He switched to Coors Light beer about 15 years ago. I think I am the one to blame for the switch because that is all that I have been drinking for about the past 25 years.' Coors Light was introduced to the market 40 years ago in 1978, and has a lower alcohol content of 4.2 percent compared to the 5 percent in regular Coors. There are also 46 fewer calories in the lighter silver can and the carbohydrate content is only 5 compared to the 11.3 in the regular blue can. The centenarian's son explained that he keeps to a rather regular routine and stays active for his age by rising early. His son Bob (right) has been drinking Coors Light for the past 25 years 'He gets up at 8.30 every day and gets dressed and goes into the kitchen ready to cook his own breakfast,' Bob said. 'Later, after he makes his own lunch, he goes into his home office and reads through the daily newspaper.' In order to read the news and his mail, Slavonic, whose sight has been affected by macular degeneration, uses a magnifying screen given to him by Veteran's Affairs. But the timing of his beer is absolutely key according to Slavonic and sometimes he'll have two or three. His son, who has lived with him since 2016, shared: 'Around 4pm, he tells me that it is 4pm, and it is time for our beer. He gets his Coors Light from the garage beer fridge and enjoys a nice cold one.' Slavonic added: 'We got to have the one at 4 o'clock,' Slavonic said. 'That's the most important one.' Now that Bob is living with his father in McMurray, he has taken over cutting 0.6 acres of grass and shoveling snow, but admits his dad remained outdoorsy until two years ago. Slavonic served as both a nose gunner on the 24 Liberator and a top turret in gunner on the B17 Flying Fortress during WWII. He also trained new pilots that were transitioning from 2-engine to 4-engine planes. His son, Bob, said he was surprised with all the attention he has received in the past week regarding his decades-long fandom and said the 'look on his face was absolutely priceless' when MillerCoors gifted him hats, pullovers, sweatshirts, his favorite beer and a trip to Golden, Colorado. MillerCoors rewarded Slavonic and his son with a trip to their brewery, branded merchandise and more beer 'Cheers to you, Andrew E. Slavonic, and happy 101st! This World War II Air Force veteran credited his long life to his daily Coors Light. Thank you for your service. Here's to many more!' the brand tweeted. The publicity was a huge win for the family who said they had tried to contact MillerCoors about the super fan but received no response initially. Slavonic wouldn't be the first centenarian to credit the brand for a long life. When Milwaukee, Wisconsin woman Clotilda Kort turned 100 this summer, she said she drinks a Miller 64 every day 2pm, crediting the drink for making her feel like she's 25. Little is known about the detention of Michael Kovrig (above), a former Canadian diplomat to Beijing Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou (pictured), 46, was arrested in Vancouver on December 1 A former Canadian diplomat has been detained in China, two sources said on Tuesday, and the NGO which employs says it has no idea of his whereabouts as it urgently seeks his release. Michael Kovrig, a Mandarin speaker, has been working as a full-time expert for the International Crisis Group since February 2017. From 2003 to 2016, he worked as a diplomat with stints in Beijing and Hong Kong, among others, according to his profile on LinkedIn. 'International Crisis Group is aware of reports that its North East Asia Senior Adviser, Michael Kovrig, has been detained in China,' the think-tank said in a statement. 'We are doing everything possible to secure additional information on Michael's whereabouts as well as his prompt and safe release,' it added. China's Foreign Ministry and Ministry of Public Security did not respond immediately to questions faxed earlier about Kovrig's detention. The exact reason for the detention was not immediately clear. But it comes soon after police in Canada arrested the chief financial officer of China's Huawei Technologies Co Ltd on December 1 at the request of U.S. authorities, a move that infuriated Beijing. A court drawing shows the Huawei CFO (left), who was arrested on an extradition warrant, appearing at her B.C. Supreme Court bail hearing in Vancouver on December 7 The arrest of Meng had stoked fears of reprisals against the foreign business community in China. The Canadian embassy declined to comment, referring queries to Ottawa. Calls to Kovrig's phones were not answered. Meng is also the vice chairman of Huawei - the second-largest smartphone creator in the world. She was arrested on a U.S. warrant in Vancouver and is now facing possible extradition on fraud charges. She is alleged to have conspired in helping Huawei avoid U.S. sanctions on Iran and has been awaiting a Canadian court's bail decision - which after two days of hearings was put off until today. Meng's lawyer David Martin has said she should be granted bail before her extradition hearing because of severe hypertension and concerns about her health. Supporters of Meng stand with a sign outside BC Supreme Court n Vancouver before the bail hearing of the Chinese executive on December 10 lobbying for her release A judge adjourned Meng's hearing today without a decision over concerns about her proposal to use her husband, who is not a Canadian resident, as surety. Meanwhile, China's foreign minister today vowed to protect its citizens abroad as Canada decided whether to release Meng on bail. Beijing will 'spare no effort' to protect against 'any bullying that infringes the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese citizens,' Foreign Minister Wang Yi said at a conference in Shanghai. Wang didn't mention the 46-year-old Huawei executive, but a ministry spokesman, Lu Kang, said Wang was referring to cases of all Chinese abroad, including Meng. Joseph Desmond, 29, was arrested on Monday night in New Jersey A reputed Latin Kings gang member who is suspected in the road-rage beating death of a New York City firefighter has been tracked to a New Jersey motel and arrested. Joseph Desmond, 29, was arrested on Monday night at the Circle Inn in South Amboy, New Jersey in connection with the murder of FDNY firefighter Faizal Coto, 33. Registration information on the suspect vehicle in Coto's death led to the arrest. A task force of NYPD cops and US Marshals tracked the suspect to the roadside motel just south of Staten Island, WINS-AM reported. The suspect and his girlfriend are being held in New Jersey and will be transferred to the 62nd Precinct in the Bay Ridge neighborhood of Brooklyn, not far from where Coto was killed early on Sunday. It's unclear if the girlfriend faces any charges. Off-duty New York City firefighter, Faizal Coto (left and right), 33, was killed in a suspected road-rage incident following an early morning collision on a Brooklyn highway Desmond was arrested on Monday night at the Circle Inn (above) in South Amboy, New Jersey Police say that that Coto was driving his 2008 Ford Mustang down the Belt Parkway at about 4.45am when he got into a minor fender bender. Surveillance video shows that Coto's Mustang pulled to the shoulder along with the other vehicle, a gray or silver 2006 Infiniti G35 with New York license plate JEA 2402. A physical altercation ensued, and Coto was struck in the head with an unknown object by one of the occupants of the Infiniti, police said. The Infiniti sped away from the scene of the brutal beating, and a passing motorist alerted authorities upon seeing Coto lying on the shoulder by his car with severe trauma to his face and head. Paramedics rushed the firefighter to Coney Island Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Police say officers responding to the Belt Parkway crash (pictured) found Coto lying next to his damaged 2008 Ford Mustang with head trauma around 4.45am Sunday The suspect fled the scene in a 2006 Infiniti G35 (pictured), gray or silver in color, with damage to the driver's side Coto, who was with the fire department for three years, was assigned to a Coney Island engine company. He was also an aspiring rapper and hip hop artist performing under the name FAIYA. Coto recently posted on Facebook that he was getting back into his music and he thanked his fans for their support. Loved ones shared an outpouring of shock and grief on Coto's Facebook page upon the news of his death, saying he would have never started the altercation that led to his death. Coto (right), who was with the fire department for three years, was assigned to a Coney Island engine company Coto (left) was also an aspiring rapper and hip hop artist performing under the name FAIYA. He recently posted on Facebook that he was getting back into his music and he thanked his fans for their support 'I just don't understand how this could have happened to you! So full of life and so friendly to everyone!' wrote Cristina Palmeri. 'He was proper, decent and lovely, friends with all and a dream maker,' wrote Louis Rigaud Bois. 'He will be for ever in our hearts and his passing is a reminder to us all that the world is evil and we should never stop enjoying and cherishing the present with our friends and families.' A Royal Navy destroyer has seized 1.6million of illegal drugs after intercepting a dhow sailing on the 'hash highway' between Iran, Pakistan and East Africa. A boarding party from HMS Dragon recovered half-a-tonne of heroin and hashish along with 9kg of crystal meth after stopping the boat which was trying to sneak towards East Africa by keeping away from established shipping lanes. The route is known as the 'smack track' because of the volume of heroin that is transported towards Europe. Last month, HMS Dragon recovered three tonnes of cannabis in the same area. Royal Navy sailors and Royal Marine Commandos stormed this dhow in the Arabian sea where they recovered more than half a tonne of heroin and hashish The dhow, pictured left over the weekend, was smuggling drugs to finance terrorism The ship's crew gathered in the main hangar to show off the drugs seized over the weekend According to the Royal Navy, Lieutenant Johnathan Bennett, who was on watch on the deck the Type 45 destroyer, spotted the dhow away from shipping lanes over the weekend and decided it was suspicious. Royal Navy sailors conducted the search protected by a team of Royal Marine Commandos The drugs were are worth around 1.6m locally, however, their value would have increased dramatically if they had been smuggled into the UK. HMS Dragon is operating off the East African coast on anti-terrorist operations as part of the international Combined Taskforce 150. The operation is designed to disrupt the financing of terror organisations and discourage piracy in the region. HMS Dragon will be on station over Christmas. HMS Dragon, pictured, is operating as part of international Combined Taskforce 150 which covers 2.5 million square miles of ocean off the horn of Africa The dhow was trying to avoid international warships operating off the horn of Africa tasked with disrupting smuggling routes Lt Bennett said: 'The dhow looked suspicious so we sent the boarding teams in the sea boats to talk to the crew. Their answers raised our suspicions further, and so we commenced the boarding. Following a search by our trained teams we were able to locate and recover these narcotics, stopping their onward likely travel into Europe and the United Kingdom, as well as disrupting the funding of illicit activity.' Leading Seamen Adam Parker, one of the ship's sea boat crew, was responsible for ferrying the boarding team a mixture of Royal Marines Commandos to provide protection and Royal Navy sailors to carry out the search across to the dhow. They later transported the haul of drugs, which were later destroyed, back to HMS Dragon. 'Having started the day preparing for our next port visit, we very quickly had to refocus and support the boarding operations in what became a long, but very rewarding day,' he said. Last month, HMS Dragon recovered three tonnes of cannabis in the same area (pictured) Last month's haul included 148 bags of hashish weighing more than three tonnes in total 'Conducting sea boat operations over 12 hours places a large demand on our team but from the training received and experience gained whilst deployed we were able to achieve this successfully.' Commander Michael Carter Quinn, the Commanding Officer of HMS Dragon, said: 'To achieve this seizure, so swiftly after the last, and alongside having been part of a complex warfighting exercise only a few days ago, is demonstration of the hard work and professionalism of all the Dragons on board. 'It serves to highlight the breadth of skills available on board HMS Dragon and the rich variety of tasks being delivered by Royal Naval Ships deployed across the globe.' Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson said: 'Once again, HMS Dragon has demonstrated the strength, capability and global reach of our Royal Navy. I am incredibly proud of her crew as they confirm the UK's crucial role in tackling the illegal and destructive global drugs trade.' A man who had Sydney's famous skyline tattooed on his forearm has moved thousands of people since sharing a photo of his ink with the world. The 31-year-old's tattoo maps out the city's iconic Sydney Tower, Harbour Bridge and Opera House. But the hidden meaning behind the tattoo - not the clever design - is what has people talking. A Sydney man, 31, who has undergone major heart surgery is lucky to be alive and has got a tattoo to commemorate the success of his operation While the silhouette is clearly Sydney Harbour, a small outline of a love heart scribbled in pink ink sits on the far left corner. The man revealed that he had gotten the tattoo after undergoing major heart surgery at 31. The first two bumps on the design, which look similar to building tops, are in fact the man's actual heart beat from when he was admitted to hospital. 'I had severe arrhythmia,' he explained. The man shared the photograph on Reddit, where it quickly went viral with close to 50,000 views and dozens of comments. Social media users were quick to praise the man for his positive outlook on life. 'Hope you are recovering well, buddy. Thats a great tattoo of this lovely city,' one man said. 'Nice tattoo man, good luck with the heart, gotta love those Vaucluse views,' another said. The mother of a missing California toddler who was last seen in March 2015 has been found guilty of her torture and murder. Mayra Alejandra Chavez, 27, had previously lost custody of her her young daughter Kimberley Lopez multiple times in the past because of allegations of abuse and drug addiction. But eventually allowed to visit her daughter again with the supervision of Kimberley's father, Omar Lopez, 33, Mayra abused her daughter, a court heard. Kimberley was last seen during a social worker visit just before her third birthday, in Oxnard, California, in June 2015. The three-year-old then appeared to completely vanish, prompting police to launch an investigation into the girl's whereabouts in September 2016. Mayra Chavez (left) had lost custody of her daughter multiple times before she was arrested on Valentine's Day (pictured above). On Monday she was found guilty of second-degree murder, after Omas Lopez (right), Kimberley's father, testified about the killing Lopez detailed how Chavez pulled Kimberley's (pictured above) feet from under her in June, causing her to smack her head on the ground and suffer two seizures. Instead of calling for medical assistance the pair drove to Tijuana and buried the three-year-old in a shallow grave Though the toddler's body has never been found, following a damning testimony from the victim's father, Mayra was found guilty of her murder in the second degree on Monday. They also found Chavez guilty of felony assault on a child causing death and torture, the latter stemming from 2013 physical abuse allegations. During his testimony, Lopez gave jurors a detailed account of Chavezs evil and abusive treatment of her daughter, and said the fatal incident occurred when the mother pulled the girls legs from underneath her to change a diaper, causing her to hit her head and suffer two seizures, as reported by the Ventura County Star. Instead of seeking medical assistance the pair drove to Tijuana, Mexico, placed their daughter's body in a blue plastic bag, and buried her in a shallow hole. Concerned her remains would be found, the pair returned a few weeks later to dig up their daughter's body to dissolve it in bleach. They then scattered what was left in several places across the city, he said. Speaking outside the courtroom, Senior Deputy District Attorney John Barrick said: 'So much of a trial is about the crimes the defendant committed. 'This for me the most important thing aside from getting justice for Kimberly I really want everyone to know what her parents did to her. 'It was so important for all of us that everyone know what her life was like.' 'I won't forget her', he emphasied. Kimberley's body was never found as Lopez and Chavez returned to the girl's grave to dissolve her body in bleach, before scattering what was the left of her remains around the city Lopez was also charged with second-degree murder and initially pleaded not guilty. He later agreed to testify at Chavez's trial in exchange for a plea agreement with the District Attorney's Office. As well as detailing the murder, Lopez also outlined Chavez's unsettling history of abusing towards her daughter. He said Chavez would regularly slap Kimberly, sometimes for not eating fast enough and outlined other punishments that got more severe over time. The 33-year-old said the girl was also regularly punished for crying - something Kimberley did nearly every time she approached Chavez's home, according to Lopez. The three-year-old was even given cold showers and during 'timeouts' Lopez described how his daughter was made to stand for hours with a beanie pulled down over her face for. Along with testifying, Lopez pleaded guilty to child endangerment and perjury. He is expected to be sentenced to 14 years in prison. Prosecutors described the trial as heartbreaking, but expressed their relief at finally bringing Kimberley's parents to justice During the trial, Michael Albers - Chavez's attorney - admitted to jurors that his client and Omar Lopez, were responsible for their daughter's death, but said the nature of their crimes did not constitute a murder conviction. He told jurors that Chavez struggled with depression and had a history of drug addiction. Corina Wondoloski, an investigator in the district attorney office, described the case as heartbreaking. She said: 'It culminated in her murder, but really her life is what broke my heart more than her death because her life was so painful.' Chavez's sentencing hearing has been scheduled for March 14, where she could face charges of up to 47 years to life. President Donald Trump defended the state of his search for a chief of staff after getting rebuffed by his leading candidate after announcing Gen. John Kelly's departure. Nick Ayers, the 36-year-old wunderkind who is Vice President Mike Pence's chief of staff, revealed Sunday that he won't be taking the job. That followed internal talks where Trump wanted a two-year commitment and Ayers would only sign on for a few months helming Trump's tumultuous White House. 'Fake News has it purposely wrong. Many, over ten, are vying for and wanting the White House Chief of Staff position,' the president wrote on Twitter Tuesday. 'Why wouldnt someone want one of the truly great and meaningful jobs in Washington. Please report news correctly. Thank you!' he added in a defense of his ability to attract top talent. President Trump is said to have no second choice for his chief of staff. He tweeted Tuesday that many 'are vying for and wanting the White House Chief of Staff position' His trouble hiring a replacement comes after reports of yet another messy staff departure in Kelly's case. CNN reported last week that the two men weren't on speaking terms, as it became clear Kelly would no last. Trump has disposed of numerous other aides by announcing their departure on Twitter. Ayers' departure stunned some White House aides, who thought he was a virtual shoo-in for the job. President Trump defended his staff search, saying 'over ten' people were interested in serving as his chief of staff, often considered one of the most powerful positions in the country Trump is said to be considering former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (left) and United States Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer (right) Nick Ayers (left) took himself out of the running for the chief of staff job but Rep. Mark Meadows (right) said he is interested after a report he didn't want the gig Reince Priebus (left) served as Trump's first chief of staff and was followed by John Kelly (right) Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin (left) and Director of Office of Management and Budget Mick Mulvaney (right) are said to be in consideration for the chief of staff job Now a whole host of names are being floated once again, from New Jersey Gov. Chris Christine to budget chief Mick Mulvaney and GOP Rep. Mark Meadows of North Carolina. The president's tweet followed a series of reports about the scramble to fill one of the nation's plum jobs. The chief of staff position is sometimes considered the second most powerful role in the nation, depending on how a White House is structured. Without a Plan B, Trump must now try to bring in top talent at a time when his administration is facing a still-active Russia probe, following court filings that for the first time implicate him in felony campaign finance crimes. Nick Ayers (L), chief of staff to U.S. Vice President Mike Pence, announced he is leaving the White House rather succeeding White House Chief of Staff John Kelly A Tuesday New York Times story quoted Chris Whipple, who penned a book on chiefs of staff, questioning why someone would even want the job. Why would anybody want to be Donald Trumps chief of staff unless you want to steal the office supplies before they shut the place down? he quipped. If youre coming into that job, youve got to lawyer up,' he added. Contenders for Trump Chief of Staff Mark Meadows: A four-term congressman from North Carolina and the chairman of the ultra-conservative House Freedom Caucus. A top Trump ally on Capitol Hill, Meadows has been one of his most ardent defenders in Russia investigation Steven Mnuchin: Treasury secretary who has a previous relationship going back with Trump to when they were both businessmen in New York; Trump attended his wedding Mick Mulvaney: A former House member who joined Trump's administration to lead the budget office; he has pushed the president to the right fiscally Robert Lighthizer: As U.S. Trade Rep. Lighthizer has pushed Trump to talk tough on trade, particularly in recent negotiations with China Matt Whitaker: Trump named him acting attorney general after Jeff Session left the top job at Justice and is said to get on well with him Chris Christie: The former governor of New Jersey has had his name bandied about for a number of administration jobs, including attorney general David Bossie: He is the president of Citizens' United and co-wrote a book with Corey Lewandowski about working on Trump's campaign Advertisement Several of the people whose names were floated Monday indicated they weren't interested. Meadows, after first saying he wasn't, changed his tune. ''Serving as Chief of Staff would be an incredible honor. The President has a long list of qualified candidates and I know he'll make the best selection for his administration and for the country,' Meadows said in a statement. Others said to be under consideration include Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, Director of Office of Management and Budget Mick Mulvaney, and the United States Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer. Bloomberg reports acting Attorney General Matt Whitaker is said to be in consideration, as are former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie and David Bossie, Trump's former deputy campaign manager. Whitaker served as chief of staff for AG Jeff Sessions before he was forced out. His designation by Trump has drawn protests from Democrats who noted his past criticism of the Mueller probe as well as his role on the board of an invention promotion business that paid a $25 million settlement fine. New York Yankees President Randy Levine was mentioned as a wild card pick but told Fox News: 'I have spoken to nobody about the chief of staff job. I have great respect for the President but am very happy being president of the Yankees.' Lighthizer and Mnuchin have each indicated they are happy in their current roles. An owner searching for his lost moggy ended up saving hundreds of stolen cats at an underground slaughterhouse in north-east China. A total of 375 cats in the abattoir were discovered by the owner and an animal rescue group on December 1 in the port city of Tianjin when they were out looking for the lost pet cat. When the group entered the premises they found the felines crammed inside 24 small cages, many of them emaciated and sick. A total of 375 cats in the abattoir were discovered by a pet owner and an animal rescue group on December 1 in the port city of Tianjin when they were out looking for his lost pet cat The discovery was made by animal lovers in Tianjin and Beijing-based China Animal Protection Power (CAPP), a partner organisation of animal welfare group Humane Society International The discovery was made by animal lovers in Tianjin and Beijing-based China Animal Protection Power (CAPP), a partner organisation of animal welfare group Humane Society International. Activists had long suspected that an illegal slaughter operation existed somewhere in the area but had never been able to find it, according to Humane Society International in a news release. The man's cat had disappeared two weeks earlier and he was convinced it had been stolen by dog and cat thieves who slaughter the pets for the illegal meat trade in China. At the site, the rescuers found piles of cat hair and remains of slaughtered cats. One of the rescued felines. All 375 cats are in the care of activists who will accommodate them in shelters and homes in Tianjin and Beijing, according to Humane Society International The man's cat had disappeared two weeks earlier and he was convinced it had been stolen by dog and cat thieves who slaughter the pets for the illegal meat trade in China There is no market for cat meat in north china, where the abattoir was located, but activists suspect cat meat is sometimes sold as mutton or rabbit at roadside barbecue food stands, according to the animal welfare group. Most of the cat meat supply is sold in Guangdong and Guangxi in south China. Eating cat meat is not illegal in the country and it features in a dish known as dragon and tiger soup, which was once popular in Guangdong province but has been banned since 2007. However, an estimated four million cats - including stolen pets and urban strays - are killed for the meat trade every year in the country, according to Peter Li, the organisation's China policy specialist. Activists had long suspected that an illegal slaughter operation existed somewhere in the area but had never been able to find it until now One of CAPP's members, identified as Mr Huang, said they have negotiated with the local police department to confiscate all 375 cats who were signed over to the volunteer group Capital Animal Welfare Association. 'We wanted not simply to save these individual cats, but to see the slaughterhouse permanently shut down, and to encourage the authorities to intensify action to crack down on all such illegal slaughter operations across the country,' he said. 'A legislative ban on the trade is our ultimate goal, but we don't need to wait for that to make a difference. We just need police forces willing to act like this one in Tianjin, he added. The illegal slaughter operation in Tianjin is now under police investigation and the cats are in the care of activists who will accommodate them in shelters and homes in Tianjin and Beijing. President Donald Trump gave an online shout-out to former national security aide Michael Anton, who left the White House when Trump installed hard-charging John Bolton as his national security advisor. 'Great job by Michael Anton on @foxandfriends,' Trump Tweeted Tuesday. 'A true National Security expert!' the president added. Anton was brought into the White House by former National Security Advisor Mike Flynn, who was revealed last week in a court filing to be cooperating extensively with prosecutors after admitting he lied to the FBI about his Russia contacts. Anton stayed on for the tenure of security advisor H.R. McMaster, who sometimes clashed with Trump. President Donald Trump praiased former national security aide Michael Anton on Tuesday He announced his departure just as McMaster was leaving and Bolton was coming on. Bolton stayed true to his hawkish reputation with a speech early in his tenure threatening to slap sanctions on the International Criminal Court, which he called 'illegitimate.' Anton built a following after he penned an article during the campaign, 'The Flight 93 Election,' under the pen name Publius Decius Mus, that argued for the imperative of electing Trump to tear down elites and the status quo. It may have been his on-air defense of Trump's border wall and attacks on Democrats that drew the president's attention on one of his favorite programs. Trump called Anton a 'true National Security expert' after he praised the president's border wall Anton left the White House just as new national security advisor John Bolton came on board 'They don't want a wall and greater security and don't care about the consequences. For them, the consequence is the more immigrants come in, the more the demographic change there is in the United States of America, the more that benefits Democratic politicians,' Anton said, echoing Trump's comments during the midterms. 'He won the election largely on this issue,' said Anton. 'The problem that he has in the negotiation is the Democrats know that their base doesn't agree with broader American people public opinion,' he said. However, according to a new NPR poll, a 57 per cent majority of Americans want Trump to compromise on the border wall to prevent gridlock or a shutdown. That includes 71 per cent of Democrats and 29 per cent of Republicans. A CVS employee and a pharmacist have both been fired after they tackled a man who was allegedly trying to steal Oxycodone and baby shampoo from the pharmacy. The employee, Zac Phillips, said he had been working at the CVS store in Greenville, Indiana for five years before being abruptly fired when he chose to fight back last month. Phillips and the unidentified pharmacist were caught on surveillance cameras tackling the alleged robber as he tried to flee the 24-hour store. The incident occurred on November 25 when the man, identified as 22-year-old Jagger Maupin, entered the CVS shortly after midnight. CVS employee Zac Phillips (right) and an unidentified pharmacist (left) were caught on surveillance cameras stopping a man from allegedly robbing the pharmacy in Greenville, Indiana last month Police said Maupin took a bottle of baby shampoo from the shelf as he made his way to the pharmacy counter at the back of the store. He then allegedly put a note onto the counter for the pharmacist that said he was going to rob the store and demanded Oxycodone. The pharmacist told police that Maupin never showed a weapon but he had one of his hands concealed in his sweatshirt during the encounter. Phillips told News 8 that the pharmacist then walked the alleged robber to the front of the store where he was working at the cash registers. He said the surveillance footage shows the pharmacist explaining to Phillips what was happening. 'Then, he put his hands on my pharmacist and I was right there when it happened,' Phillips said. 'I didn't know what was going to happen from that point. But, I wasn't going to let him hurt my pharmacist.' The alleged robber, 22-year-old Jagger Maupin, had shown the pharmacist a note saying he was going to rob the store before demanding Oxycondone. Phillips claims Maupin put his hands on the pharmacist as he tried to flee the store (pictured above) Maupin was caught on video trying to run from the store before Phillips and the pharmacist tackled him and pinned him to the ground Maupin was caught on video trying to run from the store before Phillips and the pharmacist tackled him and pinned him to the ground until authorities arrived. 'You really don't have time to think in these situations it happened in a flash,' Phillips said. 'People are human. They react at things. Especially when you see someone going after someone you consider a friend, your instinct is to protect them.' Maupin was later arrested and charged with attempted robbery, theft and resisting law enforcement. Before police arrived, Maupin allegedly tried to swallow the note he had given the pharmacist. Authorities said they were able to retrieve parts of the note. Days after the incident, Phillips said he and the pharmacist were both fired by CVS. Phillips, who is now calling for a boycott of the CVS store, says they were let go for violating the company's policy. Phillips (pictured left) is now calling for a boycott of the CVS store because he believes he was unfairly fired for tackling the alleged robber Jagger Maupin (right) The incident occurred on November 25 when the man, identified as 22-year-old Jagger Maupin, entered the CVS store in Greenville, Indiana shortly after midnight 'When you have a half second to think about it, you don't think about policy, you think about friends life, and who this guy might endanger if he had gotten drugs?' He told News 8. Phillips said he was working at the CVS store a few years back when someone else tried to rob the store. He said he was punched in the face during that ordeal. CVS Pharmacy issued a statement saying: 'The safety and well-being of our customers and employees is always our highest priority. 'We have stringent security policies and procedures in place to prohibit actions by employees that would jeopardize their safety and the safety of others. 'The actions of two employees at our Greenfield store during a recent attempted robbery violated those policies and procedures by initiating a physical confrontation, which led to our decision to separate them from the company.' Maupin has since pleaded not guilty to the charges and is being held at the Hancock County Jail on a $3,000 bond. US Marshals are offering $25,000 for an escaped child killer who has been on the run for 45 years after he was let out Christmas shopping for good behavior. On December 7 1973, Lester Eubanks - then 30-years-old - was allowed to stroll unescorted into a shopping center in Columbus, Ohio. Eight years before his brazen escape he grabbed 14-year-old Mary Ellen Deneer off the street raped and then shot her in Mansfield, Ohio. He returned to the scene when he heard the child gasping for air and smashed a brick into her head, the Mansfield New Journal reported. US Deputy Marshal's released these images to show a progression in how Lester Eubanks may appear today compared to how he looked when he escaped in 1973 Mary Ellen Deneer was bludgeoned to death aged 14 with a brick after Eubanks raped her in 1965 Eubanks was sentenced to death for first-degree murder while perpetrating rape in 1966 but that was commuted to a life sentence in 1972. One year later the prisoner was allowed to enter the shopping center without a chaperone and he was never seen again. US Marshals believe Eubanks - who would be 75 - is still on the run and they have added him to their list of 15 Most Wanted. Police leads last had him marked up in California or Michigan, but he has continued to evade capture. 'I think about this case every day and the little girl who was killed,' said Deputy US Marshal David Siler, who was assigned the case in January 2016. 'In law enforcement, there are cases that keep you up at night; this is one of those cases.' In this image Eubanks poses for mugshots when he was first detained in 1965 on the charge of first-degree murder while perpetrating rape Left: Eubanks poses for a mugshot while in custody; Right: Eubanks shows a side-profile of his face to prison guards for his identity photograph A file on Lester Eubanks which lists his features, his crime and his sentence; US Deputy Marshal's have added him to their list of 15 Most Wanted Siler says that the time Eubanks has spent 'on the lam' will have afforded him the chance to build a new life for himself. 'He literally could be hiding in plain sight. This is why we are asking citizens to be vigilant and contact us with any information they believe will help us apprehend him.' The Deputy US Marshal said. Eubanks is 5 ft 11, thought to weigh roughly 175 pounds and has a large scar or burn on his upper right arm. Police say he could be using the alias Victor Young. Animal shelters across Germany are putting a stop to adoptions over the festive period to avoid unwanted 'Christmas presents' being abandoned in the new year. Dozens of state-run shelters in Lower Saxony, Bremen and Berlin are banning adoptions as of this week and will not start again until next year. Animal shelter workers say the measure has been put in place after noticing a peak in the number of abandoned dogs, cats and other small pets come January. Not just for Christmas: Shelters across Germany and in Ireland are suspending adoptions over the festive period to avoid 'buyers remorse' once the holidays are over 'Christmas present pets' are often abandoned at shelters when the holiday is over and everyday life is approaching,' Doris Peterek, director of a State Animal Welfare Association shelter in Hannover, told RTL.de Shelters in Ireland are carrying out a similar drive, with the country's largest dog welfare charity Dogs Trust suspending all adoptions from next week. Dogs Trust noticed that January had the highest number of requests from people to give up their dogs than any other month of the year. Pets adopted and given away as Christmas presents are one of the reasons for higher numbers of animals left at shelters in January The charity is pausing re-homings from December 16 to January 5, although some shelters will be open in order for those considering adoption to visit the dogs while they ponder whether to adopt a dog in 2019. Executive Director at Dogs Trust, Suzie Carley said: 'Each year we are saddened and worried by the number of people looking to relinquish their dog, especially in the first few months after Christmas. 'Dogs Trust coined the phrase 'A dog is for life, not just for Christmas' 40 years ago this year, and sadly it is still as relevant today as it was then. 'We hope that by spreading this message that it will encourage people to wait and consider adding a dog to their family in the New Year instead, when the festivities have died down.' Ministers are set to hold crunch talks on ramping up no deal preparations as Theresa May's Brexit deal is on the brink of collapse. The PM will gather her Cabinet in Number Ten tomorrow where they will discuss contingency plans in case Britain crashes out of the bloc. Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay is expected to kick off the talks by outlining the measures officials are taking to protect Britain's border from chaos. The Cabinet meeting has been delayed by 24 hours as Mrs May embarks on a last-ditch tour of Europe as she tries to salvage her Brexit deal. The Prime Minister has met Dutch counterpart Mark Rutte for breakfast in the Hague, and is holding crucial talks with Angela Merkel in Berlin as she begs for concessions that could win over furious MPs. She is also due to head for Brussels for discussions with Donald Tusk and Mr Juncker as they desperately try to find a way through the mounting crisis. And she will return to Brussels on Thursday for an EU summit where leaders will discuss the Brexit crisis. But Mr Tusk, the president of the EU Council, last night warned that the bloc is also stepping up its no deal planning. The PM (pictured today in Berlin with Angela Merkel for emergency Brexit talks) will gather her Cabinet in Number Ten tomorrow where they will discuss contingency plans in case Britain crashes out of the bloc It comes after she had to humiliatingly delay the crunch Commons vote on her deal yesterday, admitting she faced certain defeat on it. She is under huge pressure to secure major chances to the hated Irish backstop plan, which is threatening to torpedo her deal - and premiership. The backstop keeps the UK tied to the EU customs union and imposes extra single market checks on Northern Ireland if no trade deal is reached in time. Juncker delivers hammer blow to May's hopes of saving her Brexit deal EU commission president Jean-Claude Juncker warned 'there is no room for renegotiation' Jean-Claude Juncker delivered a hammer blow to Theresa May's hopes of saving her Brexit deal today as she embarked on a frantic tour of Europe. The Prime Minister has met Dutch counterpart Mark Rutte for breakfast in the Hague, and is holding crucial talks with Angela Merkel in Berlin as she begs for concessions that could win over furious MPs. She is also due to head for Brussels for discussions with Donald Tusk and Mr Juncker as they desperately try to find a way through the mounting crisis. But senior Tories fear she will get 'jack sh**' out of the whirlwind tour, after the EU dismissed the idea of unpicking the legal text of the package or the controversial Irish border backstop. And in a speech to MEPs today EU commission president Mr Juncker warned 'there is no room for renegotiation, but further clarifications are possible'. Advertisement But it has sparked fury from all sides as Britain cannot leave the backstop without the permission of the EU - prompting accusations it would turn the UK into a 'vassal state'. Mrs May is hoping to win a major change which would allow the UK to either unilaterally withdraw from the backstop, or set a strict time limit on it - perhaps of a year. Yet her hopes received a hammer blow when Jean-Claude Juncker today warned 'there is no room for renegotiation, but further clarifications are possible'. And in Westminster her critics are sharpening their knives and launching a fresh bid to oust her. Tory Brexit rebels are urging fellow Conservatives to send their letters of no confidence in to force mrs May out. Tory MP Steve Baker, the organiser in chief at the Brexit backing European Research Group, warned his colleagues they face the 'certainty of failure' under Mrs May, and urging them: 'You must be brave.' He added: 'I really think it is her duty now to go.' While Remainers are seizing on the chaos to step up their efforts to force another referendum and try to stop Brexit altogether. and there are mounting calls for Article 50 to be revoked and Brexit to be delayed to buy extra time for the crunch talks. And Ian Blackford, the SNP's leader in Westminster, said that if Jeremy Corbyn does not table a motion of no confidence in Mrs May by the end of the day he will. He told a press conference in Westminster called by the anti Brexit campaign group Poole's Vote, 'If Jeremy cant put himself in that position then we as leaders of other opposition parties must rise to that challenge. He added: 'We are calling on European leaders to extend Article 50.' And speaking in Dublin today, John Major said: 'Whether you are a remainer or a leaver no-one can welcome chaos. We now need to revoke Article 50 with immediate effect...we need time.' With MPs at war over Brexit and the PM's deal on life support, many are warning the likelihood of a no deal has dramatically increased. But many have warned that the Treasury has failed to pump enough money into preparing Britain services and borders to withstand a no deal Brexit. Kent Council last week issued a damning report which warned that dead bodies could pile up in parts of Britain if the country crashes out of the EU with no Brexit deal. The People's Vote Campaign brought anti-Brexit MPs from across all political parties at a hastily-arranged press conference in Westminster today to demand another vote (pictured, left to right, Vince Cable, Caroline Lucas, Ian Blackford, Margaret Beckett, Liz Saville-Roberts, Anna Soubry) SNP MP and the party's Westminster leader Ian Blackford (pictured at today's People's Vote event' said Labour have until the end of the day to table the no confidence vote or they will A series of dire warnings released today say the key ports of Dover and Folkestone could be plunged into six months of chaos unless a deal is done. A report by Kent Council said the county could end up turning into a massive lorry park with up to 10,000 trucks stuck in gridlock if there is no agreement. The congestion could mean schoolchildren miss crucial exams, rubbish is not collected from the streets, and vital services like hospitals are hit by staff shortages. And there could be 'prolonged disruption' to the transport of goods - raising the spectre that Britain will be hit by food and medicines shortages. While coroners 'could face difficulties with the transport of the deceased to post mortem or body storage facilities', the report found. Meanwhile, Health Secretary Matt Hancock wrote to pharmaceutical companies urging them to prepare for chaos at the Kent ports. He urged them to stockpile drugs to prepare for the possible fall-out of crashing out with no deal. A photo captured by a Google Maps camera helped bring down a notoriously violent drug cartel responsible for at least two grisly murders. Thi Kim Lien Do and her boyfriend Son Hanh Nguyen were killed in cold blood, wrapped in bedspreads and dumped at separate homes in western Sydney in 2013. Police informants told detectives the pair had been brutally murdered inside a rented home in Canley Vale. The tip-off led to a remarkable discovery. This photo captured by a Google maps camera helped bring down a notoriously violent drug cartel thought to be responsible for up to five murders A photo taken by a Google Street View car on April 10, 2013, showed two white vehicles sitting in the front yard and driveway of the property - the same day Ms Do and Mr Nguyen were murdered, The Daily Telegraph reported. Police soon discovered one of the cars belonged to Sydney drug boss Dung Thi Ngo, 42, and her right-hand man, 'Mr Rent-a-kill' Kevin Ly, 27. On Friday, Ngo and Ly were each found guilty of killing Mr Nguyen and Ms Do, with the Google image proving crucial in prosecutors securing a conviction. Thi Kim Lien Do (left) and her boyfriend Son Hanh Nguyen (right) were killed in cold blood, wrapped in bedspreads and dumped at separate homes in western Sydney in 2013 The trial had been told Ngo suspected Mr Nguyen staged a break-in at the Canley Vale house, which she had leased for him that year to set up a meth lab. Ngo instructed others to lure Mr Nguyen back to the lab and pressure him into owning up to the crystal methamphetamine theft. Despite being held at gunpoint, Mr Nguyen declared his innocence. Police soon discovered one of the cars belonged to Sydney drug boss Dung Thi Ngo (pictured) Ly was seen putting a clear plastic hose around Mr Nguyen's neck and eventually 'the two of them ended up with their backs to each other' and the victim was lifted off the ground. A wet cloth was put over his mouth and eventually he 'stopped struggling and his eyes rolled back', crown prosecutor Ken Gibson told the jury. No one witnessed Ms Do's death, but she had denied knowing about any theft and pleaded for her life. Amsterdam's historic Red Light district could soon be broken up to make way for more 'cultural' attractions, the city's first female mayor has said. Femke Halsema, 52, said the Wallen district is full of 'vulnerable foreign women' being 'booed by hordes of drunken tourists' as she vowed to reform it. Her plans would not get rid of prostitution and sex shops altogether, but would spread them out across the city rather than concentrating them in one area. Amsterdam's Red Light district could be broken up to make way for more cultural attractions, if plans by the city's new mayor get the go-ahead That would free up more space for cultural attractions in the oldest and most historic part of the city, she added. She told Bloomberg: 'Our inner city is one of the oldest in Europe with an enormous culture historical significance, which is obviously deteriorating. 'We would like tourists to see the cultural value.' Amsterdam, which has a permanent population of 850,000, receives some 18million visitors every year, many of whom head straight for the Red Light district. 'We need to think about what kind of tourists we want to attract,' she said, 'and we shouldnt have any illusion that the number of tourists in the city will go down. 'It will keep on rising.' However, she insisted that prostitution and sex shops are here to stay, as she is committed to maintaining the reputation for tolerance. Femke Halsema, 52, the city's first female mayor, wants to move some of the brothels to spread tourists out around the city, and denies she wants to get rid of the sex industry 'At times Amsterdam has been called too open,' Halsema said. 'I think we should currently worry more about whether we are open enough.' The Rossebuurt - or Red Light district - has existed since the 1300s when it sprung up close to Amsterdam's harbour. The district was filled with immigrant women who turned to prostitution after arriving on ships with no money, and on sailors coming ashore after months at sea with pay in their pockets. Today, women are banned from plying their trade on the street and instead stand in windows illuminated by red lights to advertise themselves. There are more than 370 windows in the Red Light district, which is one of three areas where prostitutes are allowed to work, though is by far the most famous. In 2014, it was calculated that Amsterdam's sex shops and coffeeshops - where marijuana is sold - contributed 2.5billion euros to the economy. The police chief in charge of looking for a missing Colorado mother who vanished on Thanksgiving day was frosty when asked on Monday why her fiance, the last person to have seen her alive, was not taking part in an emotional press conference set up to help find her. Kelsey Berreth, 29, has not been seen since November 22 when she was filmed on surveillance cameras in a grocery store shopping with her baby daughter. Her fiance, Patrick Frazee, says she dropped their baby off afterwards at his home and that he has not seen her since. The couple do not live together despite sharing a daughter and being engaged. On November 25, co-workers got a text message from Kelsey's phone saying she would not be coming to work the following week. Patrick has told police that he received a similar message on the same day. That same day, Kelsey's cellphone signal pinged 700 miles from where she vanished in Gooding, Idaho. It was not until December 2, however, that police searched her home after her mother reported her missing - Patrick did not. It remains unclear when Kelsey, who is a flight instructor, was meant to collect her daughter from Patrick's home or what the text he received from her said. He has not made any public appeals for information which could lead to finding her, and his absence was glaring at Monday's press conference. Kelsey's fiance Patrick Frazee is the last person claiming to have seen her alive. He claims she dropped off their daughter at his home on November 22 then, three days later, text him but the contents of the text have not been revealed. They are engaged but have never lived together and Patrick did not report her missing. He did not participate in a press conference appealing for information which could lead to her whereabouts on Monday either Woodland Park Police Chief Miles De Young was stern when asked why Patrick was not there on Monday but refused to name him as a suspect, saying: 'At this point, he is the father of Kelsey's daughter' Asked why he was not there, Miles De Young, Woodland Park Police Chief told one reporter: 'You'd have to ask him.' He gave the same answer when another reporter asked him why Patrick did not report Kelsey missing. Later, he refused to name him as a suspect, saying: 'At this point, he is the father of Kelsey's daughter.' Police are yet to officially rule her disappearance suspicious and say they have no evidence to indicate anything other than she is a missing person. When they searched Kelsey's home, they found cold cinnamon rolls which had been left out, presumably to cool. The only thing missing was her purse. 'She's not the kind that runs off. This is completely out of character. She's reliable, considerate and honest,' Cheryl, Kelsey's mother, said at the press conference. 'She doesn't run off and someone knows where she's at. Kelsey we just want you home. Call us if you can and we won't quit looking.' Cheryl confirmed that she lives in Idaho - the same state where Kelsey's phone was last tracked to, but her home is more than 500 miles away from Gooding. Kelsey's brother Clint Berreth had earlier revealed he went to her home shortly after realizing she was missing and is adamant she didn't pack to go anywhere. Her luggage and makeup remained untouched, and her two vehicles were still at her home. Police said Kelsey's phone pinged near Gooding, Idaho some time on November 25 - roughly 700 miles away from where she was last seen Kelsey's mother called police three days later and asked them to carry out a welfare check. She was officially reported missing soon after when police found she wasn't at her home Berreth, mother to a one-year-old child, is described as 5ft3in tall and weighing 110 pounds 'They're a very close-knit family. That's why I don't believe she'd just... She wouldn't put them through that,' her cousin JoDee Garretson told KEPR-TV. 'She's such a good person, a loving person. She's grounded and responsible. She has a one year old child, she wouldn't just leave her. 'There's no reason to think she intentionally is gone.' Kelsey is described as 5ft3in tall and weighing 110 pounds. She was last seen wearing a white shirt, gray sweater, blue pants, and white shoes while carrying a brown purse. If you have any information on Kelsey Berreth's whereabouts, contact the Woodland Park Police Department at (719)-687-9262. Advertisement Heritage experts have objected to Norman Foster's plans for a new 1000ft London skyscraper - because it would diminish the Tower of London's 'royal power'. Architects Foster + Partners submitted plans for the new concrete and glass Tulip Tower which would include a bar and a 'classroom in the sky'. But Historic England said the building - which would be next to the Gherkin - would dominate the landscape. A planned new skyscraper in London known as The Tulip would 'reduce the visual dominance of the Tower of London' according to experts from Historic Engalnd The 305 metre building is designed to go up beside The Gherkin and will provide London's highest viewing platform The tower, designed by Foster and Associates will provide panoramic views across the River Thames and over South London The group formally objected because the 305m building would 'reduce the visual dominance of the Tower of London' and harm its 'role as a symbol of royal power'. In a planning document submitted to the City of London Corporation, Historic England said: 'In our view, the proposed building would cause harm to the significance of the Tower of London, one of London's four World Heritage Sites. 'The visual contrast between the modern City of London and the historic Tower of London has been established for decades but has intensified in recent years as the Eastern Cluster of buildings becomes taller and denser. 'In our view, this sharp contrast, combined with the unusual eye-catching form of the proposed building, reduces the visual dominance of the Tower of London. 'It also harms an attribute of its outstanding universal value, namely the tower's role as a symbol of royal power set apart from the City of London and dominating its strategic riverside setting. 'This new building is located towards the edge of the Eastern Cluster and would create a vertical 'cliff edge' to it when viewed alongside the Tower of London from the east. 'This, coupled with the unusual eye-catching form of the Tulip, would reduce the visual dominance of the Tower of London. The architects said the building would weigh the same as 80 fully loaded Airbus A380s but on a footprint of half the size of the plane London City Airport has already lodged a planning objection complaining the building could interfere with its radar Historic England fear the new building will diminish The Tower of London, pictured beside Tower Bridge 'We've not seen clear and convincing evidence this harm would be outweighed by public benefits. 'This harm would be particularly notable in the protected view from the north bastion of Tower Bridge where the Eastern Cluster forms a sharp backdrop to the Tower of London. The scheme's supporters deny it will diminish the Tower of London, pictured 'We have not seen clear and convincing evidence that this harm would be outweighed by public benefits, and we therefore can not support the proposals.' The Tulip would be built next to 30 St Mary Axe, also known as The Gherkin. Foster + Partners said the building would weigh the same as '80 fully loaded Airbus A380s on a footprint that is half the size of a single plane'. They said it would create 'a new state-of-the-art cultural and educational resource for Londoners and tourists'. Under the plans, it would include glazed observation levels supported by a huge concrete shaft which will give tourists a bird's-eye-view of London. The plan has already received an objection from London City Airport which wants planners to check if it would interfere with radar systems. If built, the tower would become the second tallest building in the city behind The Shard, which is nearly 310m tall. The deadlines for comments on the plans is early 2019 and if approved the project is due to be completed in 2025. Norman Foster, founder of Foster + Partners, who constructed the new Wembley Stadium, said: 'The Tulip is in the spirit of London as a progressive, forward-thinking city. 'It offers significant benefits to Londoners and visitors as a cultural and social landmark with unmatched educational resources for future generations.' The Dow had a volatile afternoon on Tuesday after starting the day strong as Wall Street took yet another sharp turn after weeks of uncertainty and dizzying ups and downs. After opening 300 points up at 24,719, the Dow slowly decreased throughout the afternoon before landing at around 24,225 at 2pm. As the end of trading loomed, it climbed slowly back up again but failed to gather pace. By 4pm, they had struggled to recover and closed at 24,370.24, 50 points down from Monday. The S&P 500 had a similarly chaotic day, starting at 2,664 but dropping to 2,662 at around the same time. The Dow started strong on Tuesday but fell gradually in the afternoon then took another turn as the end of trading loomed, finishing up at 24,370 by 4pm Over the last six months, all of the Dow's 2018 gains have been wiped clean by investors' fears over a looming global trade war The worst slump coincided with President Trump's bombastic Oval Office press conference with congressional leaders where he said he would shut down the government in order to move ahead with his border wall plans. 'If we don't get what we want, one way or the other... I will shut down the government,' he said. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi fought back and said the country could not afford a shutdown. Banks, industrial and technology companies were responsible for most of the losses on Tuesday, a common theme over the last few months as the US's business relationship with China becomes increasingly precarious. U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Chinese Vice Premier Liu He have spoken by phone about 'the promotion of the next economic and trade consultations,' a statement by China's Commerce Ministry said Tuesday. The worst slump coincided with a bombastic press conference held in the Oval Office where President Trump threatened to shut down the government in order to get his border wall and came to blows with congressional leaders Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi That raised hopes that the two countries can make progress on their trade dispute. Investors worry weaker global trade would dent economic growth around the world and corporate profits. The tensions have waxed and waned repeatedly this year, which has helped make the stock market particularly volatile recently. Another flashpoint for the two countries is the detention of Meng Wanzhou, the chief financial officer of Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei, in Canada. Meng is wanted in the U.S. for allegedly misleading banks about the company's business dealings in Iran. China has protested her arrest. Constable Sanchuck (pictured above) said trivial calls to the emergency number are a waste of taxpayer's money and can also put lives in danger A nine-year-old girl was so angry with her parents' request to clean up her room, she dialed 911 and reported them to the police on Saturday. Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) said officers responded to an emergency call on December 8 from a young resident of Simcoe, Ontario. But when they arrived at the scene they discovered there was no emergency, just a trivial chore-based disagreement between a daughter and her parents, the Toronto Star reported. Brandishing the stunt as a reckless waste of police resources, authorities took the opportunity to issue parents with a reminder about the importance of educating children about the proper uses for the emergency number. They insisted the 911 should only be used in situations constituting an emergency. Constable Ed Sanchuck, of the OPP, said: 'They tie up the phone lines at the communications center, waste taxpayer money, tie up law enforcement officers and threaten lives.' Sanchuck claimed it takes two officers up to 30 minutes to investigate a single 911 call - and any hoax or non-emergency can put a great strain on police resources, putting lives in danger. Improper use of the emergency contact number is said to be a huge problem in Canada, as reported by Global News. A little girl was so dismayed at her parents' request to clean her room, she dialed 911 on December 8, according to Canadian Police. The inappropriate use of the officers' time prompted authorities to issue parents with a warning (stock images) Back in June, another Canadian child, aged 12, from Halifax, called the police after being given a salad he didn't approve of by his guardian. At the time, a Corporal Dan Hutchinson of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) said: 'The child was upset and did not care for what the parent put in the salad. 'As a member was responding, they called back again wondering where the police officer was and that they were very unhappy with what ingredients were in their salad.' 'While many can relate to the dislike of a salad at times, this raises a more important issue that warrants discussion at all ages,' said the policeman in an official press release. Hutchinson then went on to detail two other examples of bizarre 'emergency' calls received by police, including an upset caller who couldn't find their television remote, and a parent who was dissatisfied with her son's haircut. In Canada calls deemed to be wasteful of police time can carry charges of up to $697.50 (CAD). 'On a regular basis we get (those) calls from people,' said Hutchinson. In the United States, improperly using 911 can carry hefty fines of up to $10,000. Sir Nicholas Parker has branded historic prosecutions 'wrong' and 'unfair' at the Defence Committee today (he is pictured this afternoon at Portcullis House) A former general has slammed legal action against British troops who fought in Northern Ireland as 'unfair'. Sir Nicholas Parker, who led the Army in Northern Ireland from 2006 to 2007, fears it will undermine future recruitment and have operational impact on others who are serving. He spoke to MPs at Portcullis House in central London as he addresses Parliament's Defence Committee today. Branding historic prosecutions 'wrong', he said the army was 'not prepared' for the conflict, which was the UK's longest continuous campaign and spanned from 1969 until 2007. 'The state put us there and the chain of command told us what to do,' Sir Nicholas said. 'And yet now there are some very bewildered 70-year-olds who feel that they are the only people being held to account because neither the state or chain of command can be.' More than 300,000 soldiers served in Operation Banner, supporting police facing the deadly threat posed by IRA and loyalist violence. Some families of the dead have campaigned for justice for their loved ones' killings as a form of closure and redress or in a bid to have their strongly-held beliefs about what happened confirmed. Sir Nicholas said he was uncomfortable with the 'unacceptable and vindictive' risk of trials over events which happened many years ago He told the panel of MPs some troops 'resent' the legal action being taken again former soldiers involved in the campaign. A British soldier of the Queen's Regiment on duty beside a barricade in the Falls Road area of Belfast in 1969 'There does not appear to be a true understanding of the vulnerability of the individuals who are coming under investigation,' he added. Sir Nicholas also criticised the 'operational impact' on current serving troops deployed in other areas. 'It would make them uncomfortable, it would not be the only factor but it would be another factor in stiffening their back bone for what they are going to have to do in very trying circumstances,' he said. 'It's unnecessary. If you're a member of the chain of command you have enough challenges anyway, without that addition. It self-evidently is not a good thing.' Asked about the impact on recruitment, he added: 'It seems to me to be common sense that the fact that this conversation is going on, the fact that there is this sort of uncertainty, must have an impact.' The former general was quizzed for the committee's inquiry into the prosecution of former troops. Pictured: British soldiers draw lines at Drumcree, using barbed wire to divide Loyalists and Republicans The committee looking at how personnel can be 'protected from the spectre of investigation and reinvestigation for events that happened many years, and often decades, earlier.' 'I'm very uncomfortable with it,' he said. 'It's entirely unacceptable that we send somebody to do their country's duty with this hanging in the background. 'If people behave illegally the chain of command should be robust enough to deal with that.' 'To turn the clock back when you were doing what you believe was right and reasonable at the time I believe is unfair.' A soldier is pictured patrolling the Falls Road area of Belfast in 1969 when Operation Banner was in its infancy Sir Nick criticised the passage of time and the demands on troops to recount events during the Northern Ireland conflict decades later. 'Their recollection of what there were about to be questioned about will inevitably have suffered the passage of time,' he said. 'There's a very different way of perceiving what we did many years ago when somebody suddenly starts to ask questions which you have no preparation for. 'This was an organisation that was not prepared for what it was placed to do and now we're sending a 70-year-old into a court with really clever people around them to address something they will have a poor recollection of.' Referring to a statute of limitations which would prevent prosecution after a certain period of time, he said he would 'support anything' which would deal with the 'indicative risks that hang over our veterans that they are going to be held to account for something they did many years ago.' Under pressure from President Donald Trump and many of his Republican colleagues, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said Tuesday that he will bring legislation to the floor to overhaul the nation's sentencing laws. McConnell's decision comes after more than three years of overtures from a large, bipartisan group of senators who support the criminal justice bill, including Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley and House Speaker Paul Ryan. Trump announced his support for the legislation last month, but McConnell treaded cautiously, as a handful of members in his caucus voiced concerns that it would be too soft on violent criminals. Texas Sen. John Cornyn, the No. 2 Republican, said Trump's push for the legislation had been 'critical to the outcome.' 'Senator McConnell was always concerned about the small window of time that we have to do all these things we need to do, but the president was insistent that this be included,' he said. Change of heart: Mitch McConnell will schedule a Senate vote on criminal justice reform before Christmas His plan: Jared Kushner,who appeared in a rare interview on Fox News' Hannity show Monday, has been behind the criminal justice reform scheme If the legislation passes, it could be a rare bipartisan policy achievement for this Congress and the largest sentencing overhaul in decades. AshLee Strong, a spokeswoman for Ryan, said 'the House stands ready to act on the revised Senate criminal justice reform bill.' Ryan has long supported sentencing reform and is retiring at the end of the session. Most Democrats support the bill, which would revise 1980s and '90s-era 'tough on crime' laws to boost rehabilitation efforts for federal prisoners and give judges more discretion when sentencing nonviolent offenders. It would attempt to focus the toughest sentences on the most violent offenders, lowering mandatory minimum sentences for some nonviolent drug offenses and reducing the life sentence for some drug offenders with three convictions, or 'three strikes,' to 25 years. Supporters say the changes would make the nation's criminal justice system fairer, reduce overcrowding in federal prisons and save taxpayer dollars. 'It is an opportunity to correct manifest injustices in the system,' said Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, who signed on to the legislation last week after supporters agreed to make tweaks further ensuring that violent criminals were not released early. 'There are far too many young black men who find themselves incarcerated for years or even decades based on nonviolent drug offenses.' Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky, another supporter, said he thinks the legislation became 'a more consensus product' after Cruz's tweaks were accepted and he announced his support. 'We're going to have a lot of people on board,' Paul said. 'And it's the right thing to do.' Most Democrats were also supportive, despite having wanted even broader changes. New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker, a leading proponent of the bill, said if the legislation is passed, it will have 'a profound effect on thousands of families who have been suffering as a result of this broken system.' He estimated that 90 percent of the beneficiaries of the bill would be African American. Booker said the bill isn't 'all the way there' in terms of what he would have liked, but it would 'take a step in the right direction and correct the ills of the last 25, 30 years.' The bill has been a priority for Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, who has worked behind the scenes with supportive Republican senators over the last two years and pushed Trump to support it. It was also a top issue for former President Barack Obama, who had hoped to see the bill become law before he left office. Supporters have long said that the bill would pass if McConnell would just put it on the floor. But McConnell hesitated as some vocal members of his caucus said the bill would allow the release of violent felons - a charge GOP supporters denied. McConnell said he was moving the bill as soon as this week 'at the request of the president' and following improvements to the legislation. The revised bill makes some changes requested by Cruz, other Senate Republicans and law enforcement groups who had concerns it would be too soft. The Senate's most vocal opponent, Arkansas Sen. Tom Cotton, said the revised legislation 'still has major problems and allows early release for many categories of serious, violent criminals.' Cotton said he will introduce amendments to the legislation on the floor, suggesting he could delay its passage as senators try to wrap up before Christmas. Something they agreed on: Before this ugly public shouting match Trump talked up a bipartisan criminal justice reform bill during his Oval Office meeting with Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer While senators have been pressuring McConnell to take up the bill for years, the pressure ramped up in recent weeks as the session neared an end and supporters were concerned that a Democratic House would want to rewrite the bill. Kushner spoke with senators regularly - daily, in some cases - and appeared on Fox News Channel's 'Hannity' on Monday night, urging McConnell to take up the legislation. He said the legislation was 'very close' and expressed optimism it would pass. Trump said Tuesday that the bill has 'great' support and was 'going to be passing, hopefully.' Last week, he and Grassley teamed up on Twitter to push for a vote. 'Hopefully Mitch McConnell will ask for a VOTE on Criminal Justice Reform,' Trump tweeted. 'It is extremely popular and has strong bipartisan support. It will also help a lot of people, save taxpayer dollars, and keep our communities safe. Go for it Mitch!' Grassley responded minutes later, tweeting that he and the president had spoken about 'the growing support' for the legislation. 'Pres Trump told me he wants it done THIS CONGRESS,' Grassley wrote. Supporters who have been pushing the bill for years - including many law enforcement organizations, liberal advocacy groups and major GOP donors - were elated at McConnell's announcement. 'It's an incredibly groundbreaking moment and it's really emotional for the broad coalition who has worked so hard on this legislation for so many years,' said Holly Harris, executive director of the advocacy group Justice Action Network. 'I never doubted the leader would be on the right side of history on this bill.' A desperate appeal has been launched to find a 'very vulnerable' British man after he went missing in Madrid. Nixon Smith has not been heard of since November 19 when he caught a flight from Malaga to the Spanish capital. The 23-year-old - described as a free spirit by his family - failed to catch a planned connecting flight back to Birmingham hours later. He is reported to have been robbed of his belongings during his holiday in the country and had been issued with an emergency passport at the British Consulate in Malaga. Loved-ones are hoping someone may have spotted Mr Smith on the streets after they issued missing posters. Family and friends have issued posters hoping someone can help them locate Nixon Smith and bring him back home 'As far as we know, he has no reason to run away or go into hiding and has no previous history of living on the streets,' Nixon's friend Hollie Jones told The Local. 'He was previously in Malaga on holiday before he flew into Madrid on 19 November and went missing. He doesn't speak Spanish,' she added. He was due to fly home to Birmingham after a stopover in Madrid. Nixon's family described him as a free spirit but said he loves his family and it is out of character for him to not make contact for so long It has been confirmed that Nixon took a flight from Malaga to Madrid but did not take the connecting flight to Birmingham ten hours later. His family said he is a free spirit but also described him as 'very vulnerable', the Local reported, insisting it is unlikely for him to be out of contact for so long. His brother, Jake, made an appeal on his Facebook page, asking anyone who has any information to help his family locate Nixon. 'Im writing this because it's my birthday today & as much of a free spirit my brother is he loves his family. Ive had no contact, hence the need for this status,' he wrote. Nixon has dark brown hair, green eyes, is slim and 5ft 11ins (1.80m) tall. His family said he has an ear, nose, eyebrow and lip piercing, as well as a tattoo on his upper left arm. The appeal says: 'We believe he is still in Madrid. Uncharacteristic of him not to have made contact. Nixon may be distressed, confused and not instantly recognisable. 'Please get in touch if you have any information that may help or have any possible sightings, we just want to know he is safe and ok.' California prosecutors have announced that a mother-of-five charged with drowning her 10-month-old twin sons inside a motel room last week could face the death penalty. Heather Langdon, 37, was arrested Thursday, a day after police officers helped arrange for her and her babies to stay at the Virginia Motor Lodge Motel after she was told she could no longer remain at a women's shelter in Tulare because she was causing a disturbance. Langdon is charged with two counts of first-degree murder, two counts of assault on a child causing death, and the special circumstance that multiple murders were committed. Heather Langdon, 37 (left), could face the death penalty, if convicted of drowning her 10-month-old twins, Mason and Maddox Murguia (right), in a motel bathtub The woman's sister has identified the victims as Mason and Maddox Murguia. According to a press release from the office of Tulare County Distrcit Attorney Tim Ward, if convicted on all counts, Langdon could face capital punishment, or a life sentence without the possibility of parole. Tulare police Sgt. Jon Hamlin said officers had no previous contact with Langdon and would have called for mental health assistance if they believed she was a danger to herself or the children. He said the officers didn't want to leave without finding shelter for them on the cold, rainy night, so they found a nonprofit agency willing to pay for the motel room. First responders arrived at the Virginia Motor Lodge Motel in Tulare, California, where the family had been staying Thursday, and immediately began efforts to revive the babies At 7.45am the next day, police got a 911 call reporting that two infants had drowned at the motel in Tulare. First responders arrived at the Virginia Motor Lodge Motel and immediately began efforts to revive Mason and Maddox. They were then rushed to the hospital but soon pronounced dead. After questioning Langdon and obtaining a search warrant for the motel room, police placed her under arrest. Investigators have not yet identified the victims' father. Teresa Langdon, Heather's older sister, told Visalia Times-Delta that the 37-year-old stay-at-home mom also has three older sons, ages five, 13 and 14, with her ex-husband. Langdon (left) and her two youngest sons (pictured as infants) had been staying at a woman's shelter, but the family was forced to leave. Langdon has three older sons with her ex Teresa said she last saw Heather last Sunday and noted that there was nothing in her sibling's demeanor that day to suggest that she was planning to do harm to her two youngest children. 'We are going to miss seeing these two brothers grow and express their uniqueness, which was already shining through,' Langdons cousin Shannon Livick wrote in a statement released to the newspaper. 'Mason had the most beautiful blue eyes and he was always curious. Maddox had the darkest brown eyes which were full of a calm wisdom.' Google chief executive Sundar Pichai defended his company's search practices on Tuesday in the face of questions from lawmakers on allegations of bias against conservatives. The topic came up repeatedly in the three and half the tech executive sat before lawmakers on the House Judiciary Committee. 'Our algorithms have no notion of political sentiment,' Pichai said in defense of Google's search engine, which is the most used in the world. 'We approach our work without any political bias,' he noted. Both Republicans and Democrats pushed Pichai on the issue, which has frustrated GOP lawmakers in particular, including President Donald Trump, who has accused Google of bias in the results it gives users who use its search engine. Google CEO Sundar Pichai is sworn in prior to testifying at a House Judiciary Committee hearing Results from Google when a search for 'idiot' is done Democratic Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren asked about the google search results for 'idiot' Pichai showed his roots as an engineer - he joined the company in that capacity before moving up the executive ladder - in his answers, which got technical at times as he explained how Google's search engine worked. ALLEGATIONS OF CONSERVATIVE BIAS Democratic Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren of California, whose district houses Google employees, asked why - when she googled the word 'idiot' - images of President Trump appeared. 'Manipulation of search results, I think it's important to talk about how search works,' she said. 'Right now, if you Google the word 'idiot,' under images, a picture of Donald Trump comes up. I just did that.' 'We provide search today for any time you type in a key word, we as Google, we have crawled and stored copies of billions of web pages in our index. We take the keyword and match it against web pages and rank them based on over 200 signals,' Pichai said at the start of a long, technical answer. 'So it's not some little man sitting behind the curtain figuring out what we're going to show the user,' Lofgren asked. 'We don't manually intervene in any particular search result,' Pichai said. InfoWars founder Alex Jones attended Tuesday's hearing; he's been banned from several social media platforms for promoting conspiracy theories GOP strategist Roger Stone watched Pichai's testimony; he's also accused Google of bias Republican Congressman Lamar Smith pushed Pichai hard on allegations of bias. 'Google could well elect our next president, with dire implications for our democracy,' he said. He asked if it was possible for an individual Google employee to change what shows up in a user's search. 'It's not possible for an individual employee or groups of employee to manipulate our search results. We have a robust framework,' Pichai said. 'I disagree. I think humans can manipulate the process. It is a human process at its base,' Smith said. And Republican Rep. Louie Gohmert used his five minutes of question time to lecture Pichai - never even asking a question. 'You're so surrounded by liberality, that hates conservatism, that hates our constitution,' he said. 'You don't even recognize it.' 'You run off conservatives, you embrace liberals,' he added. Republican Rep. Steve King also joined the lecturing. He suggested Google look at employees' social media profiles to determine their political leanings. He also told Pichai that when his granddaughter was using an iPhone, she got a result on him that he wouldn't repeat in public. 'The iPhone is made by a different company,' Pichai responded. Apple makes the iPhone. King then said the phone could have been an Android too, which is a Google product. Pichai responded the incident could have been a notification from another app and reassured the congressman that his team would follow up. Democratic Rep. Ted Lieu also got into the bias debate. He entered his colleagues' names into Google's search engine during the hearing and noted King's top result was an article from ABC News. 'Let me just conclude here by stating the obvious,' Lieu said. 'If you want positive search results, do positive things. If you don't want negative search results, don't do negative things.' He added: 'And to some of my colleagues across the aisle, if you're getting bad press articles and bad search results, don't blame Google or Facebook or Twitter, consider blaming yourself.' ELECTION INTERFERENCE The hearing was dominated by questions of data collection, privacy, and allegations of bias against the search giant. There was less talk about anti-trust issues and regulations with a few queries on Google's actions in the wake of the 2016 election after it was revealed Russian nationals used online platforms to influence the election. Pichai emphasized repeatedly that Google found 'limited activity' on behalf of Russians. He said there were only two advertising accounts the company found tied to Russian, which spent a total of $4,700. He told the lawmakers 'you have my promise' that the company is doing all it can to protect the integrity of U.S. elections. DATA COLLECTION/PRIVACY The first questions put to Pichai were on Google's data collection and protection of users' privacy. Republican Rep. Bob Goodlatte, the chairman of the committee, asked the tech CEO whether the average user understands the volume of data Google collects on them. 'We go to great lengths' to protect users's data, Pichai reassured lawmakers. 'We remind users to do a privacy checkup. We make it very obvious,' he added. Republican Rep. Ted Poe held up his iPhone and asked Pichai if Google could track him if he moved across the hearing room to sit with the Democrats. 'Not by default but there may be a Google service you opted in to,' Pichai replied. He added he needed to know more info about the phone's settings: 'I genuinely don't know without looking.' SEXUAL HARASSMENT ALLEGATIONS IN THE COMPANY Pichai was asked about sexual harassment allegations made against the company. Last month, more than 20,000 Google employees around the world walked out in protest of the company's handling of sexual harassment and discrimination claims. Earlier this year, Google ended its use of forced arbitration in sexual harassment cases. Rep. Pramila Jayapal asked if Pichai will commit to ending forced arbitration beyond sexual harassment. 'We are definitely reviewing what more we can do in this area,' he said. GOOGLE PLANS FOR CHINA The company's plans for China, where its search engine is currently banned, was another topic that came up repeatedly amid reports Google would launch a Chinese search engine that would comply with the country's strict censorship regulations. Critics are worried that the Google project, code-named Dragonfly, will enable the Chinese government to block its citizens from accessing information it doesn't like and surveil its political opponents. Pichai was asked if a prototype was built for a search engine in China but was vague in his response: 'We have explored what search could look like in a country like China.' At one point 'we had over a hundred people working on it,' he said. Pichai revealed Google has no current plans to expand to China. 'Right now, we have no plans to launch in China. We don't have a search product there,' he said. But he did argue that access to information is a human right and pledged the company would be 'fully transparent' if they do proceed with plans to open a search engine there. He was vague when asked about future plans. Democratic Rep. David Cicilline asked him flat-out: 'Will you, Mr. Pichai, rule out launching a tool for surveillance and censorship in China while you are CEO of Google?' 'I commit to engaging,' Pichia said. 'One of the things that's important to us as a company, we have a stated mission of providing users with information, and so we always think it's in our duty to explore possibilities to give users access to information. I have a commitment, but as I've said earlier on this we'll be very thoughtful and we'll engage wide as we make progress.' Rep. Ted Poe held up his iphone and asked if Google could track him if moved across the room LAWMAKERS GET PERSONAL Other lawmakers had more personal questions - and suggestions - for Pichai. Democratic Rep. Steve Cohen said he used Google's search engine often and asked Pichai if the company should have an 'online school people could go to, with a Google representative, and you can log in and ask questions, and not like Comcast where you get put on hold for 30 minutes.' He suggested the company have a representative for people to talk to 'say, how do I do this?' He also revealed he googles himself and isn't happy with the search results. He appeared to be mocking conservative critics who claim bias in search results. Cohen complained he had the opposite problem. 'This weekend I was on MSNBC four times and the first thing that comes up is the Daily Caller,' he told Pichai, adding that Breitbart News also came up several times. 'It's hard for me to fathom being on 8 minutes ... and there's more content on Breitbart News,' he added. Pichai promised to follow up. Tuesday's appearance was Pichai's first time testifying before Congress. He was sworn in - as all witnesses are - and was careful in his response. He made many promises to lawmakers to follow up, which is a way for a witness to give a more detailed, nuanced, carefully worded answer at a later time. A protestor was removed from the hearing Ian Madrigal, dressed as the 'Monopoly Man,' watches Google CEO Sundar Pichai testify Pichai faced questions data collection, privacy and allegations of bias OPENING STATEMENTS Pichai sat quietly before the panel of lawmakers as members made their opening statements. His highly anticipated appearance is being closed watched by those in the tech industry and those who use the internet to push their platforms, including GOP operative Roger Stone and InfoWars founder Alex Jones - both of whom sat in the audience for Pichai's testimony. 'Google is one of the most valuable companies in America because of what it does,' said House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy in his opening remarks, adding that power 'comes with responsibility.' McCarthy warned of a 'widening mistrust' between tech companies and American people. He said that could be alleviated by transparency and answers. He warned the panel wants to know that any political bias among Google employees does not show up in its products. McCarthy, who has been a fierce critic of the technology company, said a question before them was whether American technology companies are surveying as instruments of freedom or fo control. Google CEO Sundar Pichai is greeted by House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy at the hearing Google CEO Sundar Pichai, who started at the company as an engineer, at times got technical in his answers 'A free world depends on a free internet,' he said, 'and we need to know Google is on the side of the free world.' Democrat Rep. Jerry Nadler, the ranking member on the committee, warned against focusing on 'right wing conspiracy theories' during Monday's questioning. He said it was a 'fantasy' that there was political bias in its search results, a charge President Donald Trump has made against the internet giant. 'No credible evidence supports this right wing conspiracy theory,' Nadler said. He urged the committee to focus on whether outside activists were using Google to spread false information to undermine American democracy. Pichai, in his opening testimony, said the internet giant steers clear of 'political bias,' arguing that this is a core principle of its business to maintain trust of users. Pichai also said privacy and security are essential parts of Google's mission, and that the company is committed to working with the U.S. government 'to keep our country safe and secure.' Pichai strongly denied claims made by by PresidentTrump and his backers earlier this year that Google operates with a political agenda that suppresses conservative voices. 'Users also look to us to provide accurate, trusted information,' he said. 'We work hard to ensure the integrity of our products, and we've put a number of checks and balances in place to ensure they continue to live up to our standards.' Pichai said Google strives to offer 'platforms for diverse perspectives and opinions' without promoting its own agenda. 'I lead this company without political bias and work to ensure that our products continue to operate that way. To do otherwise would go against our core principles and our business interests,' he said. Pichai said that Google - which on Monday speeded up the shutdown of its Google+ social network after a second data security bug was discovered - supports federal privacy legislation, without offering specifics. Google CEO Sundar Pichai testified before Congress for the first time Tuesday Both Democrats and Republicans on the committee promised tough questions at Tuesday's hearing, 'Protecting the privacy and security of our users has long been an essential part of our mission,' he said. The tech CEO also sought to allay concerns that Google was snubbing American values by its decision this year to drop out of the bidding for a major Pentagon cloud computing project. 'Even as we expand into new markets we never forget our American roots,' he said. 'It's no coincidence that a company dedicated to the free flow of information was founded right here in the US. As an American company, we cherish the values and freedoms that have allowed us to grow and serve so many users.' The appearance tested Pichai's ability to be the public face of the search engine giant. 'It remains to be seen whether he can step up and be the kind of diplomat and statesman Google requires him to be,' Arun Sundararajan, a business professor at New York University, told The Wall Street Journal. 'He has, for most of his career, been a product guy.' But he has slowly made in-road into the political world. Pichai was the White House on Thursday for a meeting between White House officials and tech execs, including representatives from Microsoft, Oracle, IBM and Qualcomm. President Donald Trump stopped by but it was Ivanka Trump who took the lead. The use of artificial intelligence was the main item on the agenda. Pichai is dipping his toe in the political well in the wake of waves caused by his predecessor Eric Schmidt, who had powerful political allies in both parties and counted former President Barack Obama as a friend. Google had some of its political peaks in the Obama years when it beat an antitrust probe and secured favorable policies on net neutrality, online liability and copyright issues. But the political winds have shifted since then for online companies. Lawmakers are examining the need for stronger federal protections governing the collection of online data and some Republicans complain there is a suppression of conservative speech. President Trump has tweeted his complaints about the company, charging Google's search results are rigged. Pichai's predecessor Eric Schmidt was close with President Barack Obama Lawmakers left an empty chair in September when Google skipped a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing Pichai has kept a low profile since becoming Google's chief in 2015. A native of Chennai, India, he worked his way up the ranks at the company, starting as an engineer. He has already made overtures to Washington after the company angered lawmakers on both sides of the aisle in September, when it failed to send top leaders to appear at a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing along Facebook's Sheryl Sandberg and Twitter's Jack Dorsey. Lawmakers left an empty chair at the witness table to symbolize Google's absence. Pichai flew to Washington D.C. later in September for individual meetings with lawmakers - and agreed to Tuesday's committee hearing. An Afghan asylum seeker who allegedly stabbed two American tourists in a terror attack in Amsterdam today vowed to 'strike again'. Jawed Santani, 19, allegedly launched the attack on August 31 at the city's Central Station and was shot in the hip by police just nine seconds later. The judge at his trial today asked Santani if he had anything to say. He replied: 'I will strike again'. The two victims of the knife attack, both 38, are emotionally scarred for life, the court in Amsterdam heard. Police shot alleged jihadist knifeman Jawed Santani (pictured) who stabbed two US tourists in Amsterdam just nine seconds after he began his attack Moments after the stabbings, the Afghan asylum seeker was shot in the hip by police officers, officials say One had his spine severed and has to use a wheelchair. His lawyer said that 'his life is destroyed' because he can no longer work and needs constant care from others. During the court hearing, Santani blamed Dutch MP Geert Wilders of the far-right Party for Freedom (PVV) for his attack. Santani told the court: 'Why did you allow this pig to hold a cartoon competition about our prophet Muhammad?' The day before the attack, Wilders had cancelled the cartoon competition out of fear of an attack on Dutch citizens or soldiers. Santani was very active on social media where he shared pictures and videos threatening Wilders. Part of the evidence presented during the trial was a video found on Santani's phone in which members of the Taliban sing a song about killing, burning and burying those who insult the Prophet Muhammad. According to local media, Santani told his roommates at the asylum centre in the town of Piesport in the German state of Rhineland-Palatinate that he would travel to Amsterdam to 'show how Allah takes revenge'. The 19-year-old suspect is accused of stabbing the Americans in an unprovoked attack after he arrived at Amsterdam's Central Station on an international train. Prosecutors say he did not know the victims were U.S. citizens Santani said: 'I accept the challenge. If he [MP Wilders] goes somewhere, I will kill him.' He said that Wilders 'is the son of a pig' as 'the entire world knows what the Prophet Muhammad was like', bringing 'a lot of people from darkness to the light, from hell to heaven'. Santani's lawyer Simon van der Woude said that the Afghan filed for asylum three years ago in Germany. Van der Woude said: 'He went to school there and speaks German relatively well. In Germany he never committed any crimes and was not known with the police. 'He is Muslim and visits the mosque regularly. He said that his parents died and that four things are important to him: Allah, Islam, the Quran and the Prophet Muhammad.' Old associates of Santani said he had became radicalised in recent years. One friend said: 'He condemned me when I gave a female friend a hug on the street two years ago. 'He said it was haram, forbidden.' The friend said that Santani 'had a lot of anger in him' and 'wanted to go back to Afghanistan'. At the time of the attack, a 'spotter' had been tracking the 19-year-old when he pulled out a blade and knifed the two 38-year-olds at the Dutch capital's central station. Just moments later, the Afghan asylum seeker was shot in the hip by officers, according to Amsterdam's police chief. The suspect had arrived on a train after travelling from his home in Piesport, western Germany at around noon. The Americans, whose identities have not been released, paid tribute to the police, saying they 'cannot thank them enough for what they did to save their lives'. Pictured: Amsterdam station Amsterdam's police chief Pieter-Jaap Aalbersberg said an officer trained to spot pickpockets and potential terrorists noticed the Afghan's 'abnormal behaviour' at the station. Aalbersberg told Dutch TV: 'He called two colleagues over. While they are working out how to go and talk to him, they see he starts stabbing.' One of the Americans was knifed in the back before the second was stabbed. But by this stage police were just over 60ft away and immediately drew their weapons. Santani was shot as he ran towards another person and was later arrested. Aalbersberg added: 'Within nine seconds it was over and the officers made the difference during one precise moment.' These actions had saved lives, he said, adding that police used CCTV to determine within minutes that he had acted alone. In a written statement distributed by the US embassy, the Americans, whose identities have not been released, paid tribute to the police, saying they 'cannot thank them enough for what they did to save their lives.' The trial continues. Google employees considered banning far-right news outlet Breitbart from Google AdSense on 'moral' grounds - which would have stopped it taking in advertising revenue, internal leaked emails reveal. Employees expressed concerns in February 2017 about 'hate speech' and 'fake news' appearing on Breitbart - a commentary website founded in 2007 which became closely associated with . They urged other staff to squash its revenue by blocking it from AdSense, Google's advertising program which dominates the digital advert market. Breitbart published the internal emails - dated from the month after President Trump took office - yesterday alleging that Google was 'plotting the downfall of this website', although in the event Google never went through with the ban. Leaked emails from Google employees show that they considered banning far right news outlet Breitbart from Google AdSense In February 2017, Google employee Richard Zippel emailed a colleague, David Richter, to say he would act against Breitbart News only if numerous examples of hate speech were found on the site. 'When sufficient violations have been found we'll take action at the site level,' Zippel wrote. Afterwards, Richter emailed other employees asking if anyone would scour Breitbart for evidence of hate speech. In the subsequent email chain, Jim Gray - Google's Director of monetization said that Breitbart was being monitored 'since the origin[al] fake news kick-off discussion.' Google CEO Sundar Pichai arrives to testify before the House Judiciary Committee to be questioned about the internet giant's privacy security and data collection, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2018 Breitbart has previously published conspiracy theories about Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, with many of its ideologically-driven stories having been discredited as false or intentionally misleading. Google's Head of Americas GMP Partner Technical Services, Jeff Lakusta, replied to the email chain telling his colleagues that would be 'tough' to prove Breitbart is hate speech. A member of the legal team for AdSense, Emily Garber, later wrote that 'Our Trust and Safety team is evaluating [Breitbart] to determine its policy compliance'. Ryan Garza, another Google employee, highlighted a boycott campaign against Breitbart which was urging advertisers to remove their business from the site, and said '818' companies had done so. Among the big names which had by then said that they would not advertise on the site were Kellogg's. 'There is obviously a moral argument to be made as well as a business case. We don't want to be behind the curve...' he wrote. Still to date, Google has not removed Breitbart from AdSense. A Google spokesperson said: 'We have extensive and very well publicized policies for publishers who choose to monetize with Google ads. An empty chair reserved for Google, which refused to send its top executive, as Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg and Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey testify before the Senate Intelligence Committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington in September 'We enforce these policies vigorously, consistently and without any political bias. We regularly and routinely review sites in our ad network to ensure compliance with our policies. ' 'These emails from early 2017 simply show the AdSense team explaining that such a periodic review was underway.' Google CEO Sundar Pichai is testifying today before the House Judiciary Committee, in part to answer questions on perceived political bias at Google. Pichai agreed in September to testify over Republican concerns that the company is biased against conservatives. Google has repeatedly denied this. In written testimony to the House Judiciary Committee made public on Monday, CEO Sundar Pichai said he led the company 'without political bias.' 'We work hard to ensure the integrity of our products, and weve put a number of checks and balances in place to ensure they continue to live up to our standards,' Pichai's testimony said. 'I lead this company without political bias and work to ensure that our products continue to operate that way. To do otherwise would go against our core principles and our business interests.' Elizabeth Smart gave a loving tribute to her parents on Instagram on Monday after taking her own children to visit Santa ahead of her first Christmas since one of her captors was released from prison. Smart, 31, shared a photograph of herself with her husband Matthew Gilmour, their children Chloe, two, James, 10 months, and their newborn daughter Olivia. Her mother and father, Lois and Ed, were also in the image. Ed was cradling Olivia who was born days before Thanksgiving. In the accompanying caption, Smart wrote: 'Went on the North Pole Express tonight with Santa Clause! 'Had a great time singing Christmas songs, eating cookies, and drinking hot chocolate. Elizabeth Smart with her husband Matthew Gilmour, with their children Chloe, two, James, 10 months and newborn Olivia who was born before Thanksgiving, with her parents Lois and Ed Smart left this emotional caption paying tribute to her parents alongside the image 'Christmas is such a special time of year full of love and kindness, and I realize all year should share those same feelings. 'I know my children are very young right now and probably wont remember the activities we do, and thats ok with me. 'I just want them to remember the feelings of always being loved, always knowing theyre special to someone, and always knowing Matthew and I are here for them. 'Im alive today because my parents instilled those same feelings in me from the day I was born.' Smart spent nine months being held hostage by Wandaa Barzee and her husband, street preacher Brian David Mitchell, between 2002 and 2003. Mitchell was a handyman who had been at her home in Salt Lake City, Utah. For nine months, they held her in the woods where she was repeatedly raped and drugged before she was rescued on the street. Smart has spoken in the past how she maintained hope by visualizing her parents and memorizing their every feature in case she never saw them again. 'My mom wasnt going to stop loving me because Id been kidnapped or because Id been raped. 'I found something to hold onto. I was going to do whatever it took to survive,' she said in April this year. Mitchell is still in prison but Barzee was controversially released earlier this year despite protestations from Smart and other kidnapping victims. Elizabeth's parents Ed and Lois are pictured speaking with the media in June 2002 after her disappearance In another image, Smart and her husband are seen singing karaoke In 2002, Smart was kidnapped by Brian David Mitchell and Wanda Barzee. They held her in the woods for nine months. Barzee was released from prison in September. She is pictured afterwards, right, in a photograph taken as part of her parole conditions Smart was just 14 when the pair abducted her from her bedroom Barzee pleaded guilty in 2010, seven years after being arrested. She pleaded guilty to kidnapping and sexual assault and was sentenced to 15 years behind bars. Shockingly, in September this year, the parole board granted her attorney's request for the first seven years she spent in prison before the plea deal to be counted as time served. Smart was pregnant with Olivia at the time. She made repeated public appeals to stop Barzee's release but her efforts were unsuccessful. Smart met her British husband in Paris in 2009 during a Mormon mission trip. Over the last 10 years, she has worked as a motivational speaker and author. They live with their children in Park City, Utah. Her parents still reside in Salt Lake City but in a different home to the one she was abducted from. A 10-year-old girl has been orphaned after she lost her parents to cancer just two weeks apart, and she says it was the longest time they ever spent away from each other. Gwen Fletcher, who's from Lyman, Maine, will be brought up by her grandmother, Gail Fletcher, 67, following last month's double tragedy, as reported by The Portland Press Herald. Gwen lost her father Dylan Fletcher at the age of 47 on November 15. Gwen Fletcher, 10, (pictured center) will be cared for by her grandmother Gail (pictured far left) after her dad Dylan, (pictured right) died from pancreatic cancer, aged 47. Mom Julie Fletcher (center left) died two weeks after her husband aged 37. He was first diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2016 and went through treatments at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston. Dylan Fletcher, who's family has a history of pancreatic cancer, was said to be in remission in July but in September his cancer returned, according to family members. Gwen's mother Julie Fletcher, 37, was diagnosed with the disease on May 25. The devastating diagnosis came on her birthday. She had NUT carcinoma, a cancer that originates in the midline. It started in her thymus, a small organ near the sternum and is a rare and genetic disease. Julie Fletcher underwent experimental drug treatment also at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, but nothing helped, according to Gail Fletcher who's husband David died in 1990. Julie Fletcher was bedridden when the cancer took her life shortly before 6:30 a.m. on November 29. Gwen had been enjoying a long hug with her mom in the minutes before she died, a special moment between mother and daughter. Gwen said her parents had a deep love for each other and couldn't be apart long. 'Two weeks (in between their deaths) was the longest they had ever gone without seeing each other,' said a brave Gwen. Her parents worked together at a pressure-washing business they owned. Gwen's father liked to fish and hunt while her mother loved animals and took care of cats, chickens, ducks and a rooster. Gwen and her grandmother will live together in Lyman with their dog, Apollo, and five cats. Gwen has a half-sister who lives in New Hampshire. Gwen has returned to elementary school as a fifth-grader and is continuing to take care of the family's animals. She is also going to support sessions at the Center for Grieving Children in Portland. Gail Fletcher has a number of jobs, including catering, pet-sitting, house-sitting and elder care. Her son Dylan and daughter-in-law Julie did not have life insurance, Gail Fletcher said, and they were forced to go through their savings during their illnesses. Family friend Kathleen Kinsella spoke to WMTW News 8 about her decision to set up a GoFundMe page to help Gwen and Gail navigate an uncertain financial future. The campaign on GoFundMe has a goal of $50,000. The campaign will run through the holidays and into the beginning of the New Year. As of Tuesday, over half the goal had been reached. Well wishers have left messages of support and sympathy on Gail and Gwen's GoFundMe page. 'I cannot imagine what your family is going through. Julie was such a sweet lady. I met her when our daughters did swim together and then they did horse camp together a few years and she was always friendly and always had a smile on her face,' Sarah Hart wrote. 'Our hearts are broken for this little girl and her grandmother,' Jason Rowles added. 'Gail is one of the hardest working people I ever met and has endured an avalanche of difficulties,' Deborah Pepin Gelardi said. Meanwhile Gwen is remaining as positive as possible and has taken her late mother's advice. 'My mom always would say that you can always find something to be thankful for,' Gwen said. Four innocent people have been shot dead and at least four more wounded after a gunman opened fire inside a cathedral in Brazil then killed himself. The man entered the Metropolitan Cathedral in Campinas, 60 miles from Sao Paulo, just after Mass at around 1pm today before walking to the front and opening fire. Police named the alleged shooter as 49-year-old Euler Fernando Gandolpho - a systems analyst with no criminal record. Globo News reported that the suspect used two handguns to fire into the congregation before shooting himself dead at the altar after randomly targeting and killing worshippers. The suspect is believed to be among the fatalities and was allegedly shot first by an officer before taking his own life. At least 20 shots were allegedly fired by the gunman, who police say could have been shot once by officers before he turned the weapon on himself. An eye witness said the shooting happened right after Mass was celebrated and that the officiating priest had left before the killing began. One victim was killed at the door of the cathedral, with paramedics seen treating an injured person in the open doorway. Scroll down for video. A gunman, named by police as 49-year-old Euler Gandolpho, allegedly shot four people dead and wounded four after opening fire during midday Mass at a Catholic cathedral in Brazil before killing himself Sao Paulo Police named the alleged gunman as 49-year-old Euler Fernando Gandolpho Police say the man walked into the cathedral around 1pm with two handguns before shooting one person dead at the door (pictured) and advancing inside Paramedics and police officers help victims of the deadly shooting at the Metropolitan Cathedral, in Campinas, Sao Paulo state, in Brazil earlier today Five people in total are said to have died, including the gunman, along with an 84-year-old man, a 65-year-old woman and a 40-year-old woman, all said to be among the injured survivors. 'I had started to celebrate mass at 12:15 pm and at the end of the mass, a man entered and shot at his victims. Nobody was able to do anything,' priest Amaury Thomazi said in a video published on social media. An image of a man, thought to be Gandolpho, slumped on a pew near the altar with a gun in his hand has been confirmed as the suspect by police. Security guard, Alexandre Moraes, told local media: 'The people in the church were mostly elderly, innocent people, and he [the suspect] ended up firing on all these people. The scene is desperate, it is a very great tragedy.' Emergency services were first called to the building around 1.20pm. A 65-year-old woman was taken to hospital with upper body injuries, while another, aged 40, was also taken to hospital, though her injuries and condition are unknown. A third survivor is reported to be in a stable condition, though no more information is available about their injuries. Reuters reported that a fourth person was also injured, adding that all of the victims were elderly and in a serious condition. CCTV video released by the Metropolitan Cathedral of Campinas showed the moment the alleged gunman got up from a pew on the far left bottom of the screen and started to open fire on worshippers sat close beside him. He appeared to move through the pews into the central aisle and continued firing randomly at parishioners as they ran for their lives. Then walking to the far right hand side he seemed to stand while he reloaded his weapon. ID document of the alleged gunman named by police in Brazil as as Euler Fernando Gandolpho, which has also been spelt 'Gandolfo' in some reports Paramedics treating survivors at the scene. Police are investigating the shooting but have not revealed a suspected motive The area around the cathedral was cordoned off while paramedics rushed the wounded to hospital. All four are reported to be in a serious condition Crowds gathered around the cathedral as news of the mass shooting, which is relatively rare in Brazil, began to spread This split second moment allowed a petrified woman who had hidden, crouched down between the seats, to jump up and escape before she was shot. Within seconds of the rampage unfolding, police patrolling the area, because of the increased crowds during the festive season, were on the scene. Pedro Rodrigues, 66, said: 'I suddenly saw a man stand up, take position in front of a couple and shoot them point blank. I ran out fast and he continued firing, many shots.' At least two officers were seen entering the Cathedral with guns pointed and appear to open fire on the assailant, who had apparently made his way to the altar. The man was armed with a revolver and a .38-caliber pistol, according to police. Firefighter Alexandre Moraes said: 'The people in the church were mostly elderly, innocent people, and he [the suspect] ended up firing on all these people. The scene is desperate, it is a great tragedy.' Moraes also told the Globo News channel: 'It was frightful. He entered and shot randomly at people. They were all praying.' Gandolpho, a systems analyst from Valinhos, in the state of Sao Paulo, with no criminal record, had two guns with 28 rounds left when he died. Television images showed the lifeless body of the gunman, wearing jeans and a blue t-shirt, lying inside the cathedral, holding a discharged pistol in his right hand. The area surrounding the Cathedral has been cordoned off. An image of a man slumped on a pew near the altar with a gun in his hand has been confirmed as the suspect by police Crowds and emergency services outside the Metropolitan Cathedral in Campinas after a gunman walked in to the holy building and began randomly shooting worshippers Wilson Cassante, a spokesman for the Campinas archdiocese said the shooting happened right after Mass was celebrated, adding that the officiating priest had left before the shooting began. A spokesman for Sao Paulo state firefighters told the Associated Press that four injured people had been taken to local hospitals. Their conditions were not immediately known. Cassante said church officials did not recognise the shooter or have any ideas about his motive. 'It's so sad', said Cassante. 'It's hard to imagine the pain this has caused.' Globo News reported that the man entered went to the front of the church and began shooting from two handguns after sitting down in a pew. 'A man opened fire randomly on people inside until police intervened and shot at the gunman who then killed himself,' the Security Secretariat for the state of Sao Paulo said in a statement. Confused pedestrians gather around the cathedral steps after hearing gunshots and before emergency workers arrive in Campinas People gathering outside the Cathedral of Campinas, 90 km northwest of Sao Paulo, Brazil, today after the fatal shooting Municipal workers carry a body from the Cathedral of Campinas after a man opened fire during mass earlier today It added, 'as well as [the gunman], four people died and four people were wounded.' That figure corrected an earlier police toll that had given a total of six dead including the gunman and three wounded. The motive was isn't clear at this stage and the authorities have yet to release the name or age of the suspect. The fatalities have not been identified and police are still investigating. Police chief, Hamilton Caviola, said the shocking scenes were recorded on CCTV cameras inside the church at the time of the incident. He believes the gunman fired a hail of at least 20 shots and allegedly had two guns. Chief Caviola said: 'From the images, [the suspect] appeared to sit down about ten metres from the front of the door. He did not shoot at first but sat on a bench.' According to Caviola, shortly after the alleged shooter entered, three people came in and sat on the pew behind him. They were believed to be the first to be hit and one of the victims in this group is reported to have died. The chief added: '[The suspect] used one gun, but it appears he had two with him. 'The motivation behind the crime will only be known when we identify him and know his history. Municipal guards stand next to a covered body at the entrance of the Cathedral of Campinas, Brazil today Brazilian TV reported in unconfirmed footage that the gunman may have been seen in the street moments before the church shooting A frame taken from a security camera, as police officers help victims of the shooting at the Metropolitan Cathedral, in Campinas, Sao Paulo state, Brazil 'For now from the images we watched on the security footage it appears he [the shooter] stopped, thought and executed the plan that he had in his head. 'He killed himself, but we believe a policeman must have shot him because he was shot in the rib. After being hit we think he fell and killed himself.' Major Adriano Augusto also told the TV news station Globo that the gunman stood up shortly after the prayers had ended. 'He first hit the people on the bench behind him,' Major Augusto said. 'Apparently he shot in several directions, not directed at anyone specifically.' Emergency services were dispatched to the scene around 1:20 pm. The initial reports suggest that a woman of 65 years was left with upper body injuries and was taken to the Mario Gatti Hospital, where she is reported to be out of danger. An 84-year-old man, who was believed to be hit in the chest and abdomen was taken to the same hospital and is undergoing emergency surgery. A 40-year-old woman was taken to Unicamp of Clinics Hospital and is reported to be in a stable condition. There is no information on what unit the fourth victim was taken to or the state of their health. The area surrounding the Cathedral has been cordoned off and CCTV monitoring cameras showing the rescue by ambulance crew recorded the emergency operation in the area. In a statement Campinas Municipal Authority said that it has mobilised all emergency units to the scene. Firefighters at the scene today next to a victim killed at the Metropolitan Cathedral in Campinas, Brazil Workers remove bodies of victims from the Cathedral of Campinas after a man opened fire during mass and killed at least four people before committing suicide The cathedral, which was founded in 1883, sits at the centre of Campinas in a public square Mayor, Jonas Donizette said: '[We are] appalled by the brutal crime and dedicate our prayers to the victims and their families.' The Archdiocese of Campinas lamented the tragedy today, posting a message on social media calling for people to pray for the victims and expressing their 'deep pain'. It acknowledged the shooting and said in a statement: 'The Cathedral remains closed for the care of the victims and the investigation by Police. 'Once we have more information, we will make it available. We count on the prayers of all in this moment of deep pain.' 'Everybody ran out. You can imagine that I'm shocked,' one woman who was attending the mass told Globo TV. Brazil had nearly 64,000 murders last year - more than any other country, according to the United Nations. However, random mass shootings are relatively rare. While Brazil leads the world in total annual homicides, mass shootings are relatively rare. Seventy percent of murders in Brazil are committed with firearm, according to a monitoring group, Forum for Public Security. The country's incoming president, Jair Bolsonaro, who takes office on January 1, easily won November elections on a platform that included promises to ruthlessly crack down on crime and ease gun laws to allow 'good' people to defend themselves. Two teenage girls from Guatemala have been hospitalized after they fell off an 18-foot-high border wall while trying to illegally cross from Mexico into the United States. The two teens were among six people who scaled the wall near the San Luis Port of Entry in Arizona last Thursday. Surveillance footage captured the moment the 14-year-old girl plunged from the top of the 18-foot fence and crumbled when she hit the ground. Surveillance footage captured the moment the 14-year-old girl (above) plunged from the top of the 18-foot fence near the San Luis Port of Entry in Arizona last Thursday The girl, who was travelling with her mother, managed to crawl a few feet on her hands and knees before collapsing from a severe back injury. She could be seen withering in pain as a 17-year-old girl climbed to the top of the border wall. The older girl could be seen throwing some belongings over the wall before she dropped to the ground and injured her ankle. Footage shows U.S. Customs and Border Protection and medics responding to the scene to treat the two teenage girls. The girl, who was travelling with her mother, plunged from the top of the 18-foot fence and crumbled when she hit the ground The girl managed to crawl a few feet on her hands and knees before collapsing from a severe back injury. She was later airlifted to a hospital in Phoenix for treatment They were both taken to the nearby Yuma Regional Medical Center for treatment. The 14-year-old was transferred to a Phoenix hospital via helicopter in a serious condition. The elder girl was treated for her hurt ankle but was later released. Officers took the other four people who jumped the wall into custody. 'The only legal and safe method of entry into the United States is through a designated Port of Entry,' Yuma sector's acting chief patrol agent Carl Landrum said. 'People entering our country illegally, at places other than designated Ports of Entry, put themselves and their families in dangerous situations that could result in significant injury or even death.' The 14-year-old could be seen withering in pain as a 17-year-old girl climbed to the top of the border wall (pictured above) The ex-husband of the daughter of one of India's richest men has lost a London divorce court money battle. City investment strategist Ankul Daga, 36, wanted a judge to order Aparna Bangur, 34, whose father is billionaire businessman Krishna Kumar Bangur, to hand him a 1 million lump following the breakdown of their decade-long marriage. Mr Daga, who initially wanted 2.5 million, argued that Ms Bangur had assets of more than 2 million and would benefit from trusts containing more than 17 million. According to his profile on www.forbes.com the chairman of Graphite India Krishna Kumar Bangur (pictured), is worth about 1.3 billion But Mr Justice Holman has dismissed his claim after analysing evidence at a trial in the Family Division of the High Court in London. The judge said Mr Daga earned 130,000 a year and did not 'need' money from his ex-wife. He also concluded that Ms Bangur, who works in public relations and earns about 40,000 a year, did not have access to assets of more than 2 million or access to millions held in trusts. Mr Justice Holman said Mr Daga had 'wiped out' 150,000 in savings and run up debts of more than 70,000 to pay for lawyers. He said the case should serve as a 'cautionary tale'. During the divorce battle Mr Justice Holman dismissed Ankul Daga's request for 1million. The judge said Mr Daga earned 130,000 a year and did not 'need' money The judge said Mr Daga and Ms Bangur, who had met when students at Warwick University about 15 years ago and lived in London, had run up 650,000 in legal bills between them fighting over money. He said they had spent about 1 million in total on litigation. The judge said he would not order Mr Daga to cover any of his ex-wife's legal bills. He said such an order would have a 'crippling' effect and would not be fair. A profile on www.forbes.com says Krishna Kumar Bangur, who is chairman of Graphite India and gave evidence at the trial, is worth about 1.3 billion. His $507 million company was founded in 1962 and supplies steelmakers in India and overseas. An Indianapolis man died Monday after he fell 15 feet into an icy pond while trying to save his dog. The male who has not been identified followed the pet who had ran onto the ice that morning. While the pooch was able to make its own way out of the freezing water, the man in his 20s got stuck 30 feet away from shore and it took 20 minutes for rescuers to get him out. Neighbors saw the dog-owner who had lived at the complex for several years - trying to rescue the animal around noon and attempted to help but found themselves in danger too. Scroll down for video from WRTV An Indianapolis man died Monday after he fell into an icy pond while chasing his dog The unidentified male tried to save his dog that had run onto the iced retention pond surface His pet got itself out and the Indianapolis Fire Department tweeted that the animal, one of the victim's two dogs, was doing well Scott Filchak, 32, spoke to Fox 59 about seeing the scene from his vehicle outside The Masters Apartments on the 7000 block of PGA Drive. 'I throw it in park and I just run out there. He falls in when I'm maybe halfway between the road and the lake,' the witness said about leaving his car and racing to the victim. 'I run out, kind of just slide onto ice. I try and pull myself as much as I can. I get out a certain ways then it starts to break.' Meroune Baoch, 31, added that he fell in while trying to assist both men in getting out of the pond. Workers provided the rope he threw to help but wasn't long enough to save the victim. 'The ice was so thin once I walked in I went aside, so I tried to go through the ice,' Baoch said. Rescuers took 20 minutes to find him and pull him out. He was 15 ft deep and 30 ft from shore At least 12 men were pictured working on the task, kitted out in diving equipment, with oxygen tanks on their backs The victim was taken to hospital in 'extremely critical condition' but later passed away The helpers managed to get out of the retention pond and were checked at the scene as well as later at Community North Hospital. By the time the Indianapolis Fire Department Tactical Dive Team 14 worked to rescue the victim, who was 30 feet away from the shore, he was in 'extremely critical condition'. Two rescuers were praised by Indianapolis Fire Department Battalion Chief Rita Reith for finding and pulling the victim out. Neighbors saw the dog-owner who had lived at the complex for several years - attempted to help but found themselves in danger too when they fell into the water At least 12 men were pictured working on the task, kitted out in diving equipment, with oxygen tanks on their backs and using a ladder to assist. The unnamed man was taken away on a stretcher but pronounced dead at St. Vincent Hospital. Indianapolis Fire Department tweeted that the animal was doing well. The pet was one of two dogs the victim owned. 'Dog got out of water on own & ok as shown in photo but tragically the man did not survive,' the Twitter post read. In the latest dramatic turn in the debacle unfolding over filling one of the most powerful posts in the nation, the White House now says Gen. John Kelly will stay on as chief of staff 'at least' through the beginning of the year. President Donald Trump told reporters he was 'in no rush' to fill the spot, after his planned succession blew up over the weekend. 'We are in no rush. Over a period of a week or two or maybe less we'll announce who it's going to be, but we have a lot of people who want the position,' Trump said in a Oval Office meeting with Democratic leaders that included Kelly. 'A lot of friends of mine want it. A lot of people that Chuck and Nancy know very well want it, I think people you'd like,' Trump said, talking up the post. 'We have a lot of people that want the job of chief of staff. So we'll be seeing what happens. We're in no rush.' 'We are in no rush,' said President Donald Trump, of his search for a new chief of staff after the plan to have a successor in place for John Kelly blew up The reason, Trump said, was 'Because we have a wonderful chief of staff right here.' Trump's words confirmed what counselor to the president Kellyanne Conway slipped into an appearance on 'Fox & Friends' on Tuesday morning just days after the White House said Kelly's tenure was nearly over. 'He will stay on the job through January 2nd at least, and I think there were will be a very peaceful and pragmatic transition to the next chief of staff,' Conway said. 'But the President has many people who want to serve here.' Kelly had been slated to leave by year's end. That was before the president's first pick for the job, Nick Ayers, turned down the position. Now, the White House is admitting that the search for a successor could take weeks, as the president starts his list of replacements almost from scratch. The White House says now that John Kelly will stay on as chief of staff 'at least' through the beginning of the year The public unraveling of Trump's search is already provoking ridicule among Democrats. 'Help wanted: White House Chief of Staff. No experience necessary. Must respond well to infighting, backbiting, dishonesty and dishonor,' quipped Rep. Adam Schiff of California, who is set to take over the House Intelligence Committee. 'Excited by the prospect of an impossible work environment? Enjoy humiliation? Apply now! *Background check ... negotiable,' he said, in yet another dig at the series of problems getting White House appointees to clear their background checks. President Donald Trump defended the state of his search for a chief of staff after getting rebuffed by his leading candidate after announcing Gen. John Kelly's departure. Nick Ayers, the 36-year-old wunderkind who is Vice President Mike Pence's chief of staff, revealed Sunday that he won't be taking the job. That followed internal talks where Trump wanted a two-year commitment and Ayers would only sign on for a few months helming Trump's tumultuous White House. 'Fake News has it purposely wrong. Many, over ten, are vying for and wanting the White House Chief of Staff position,' the president wrote on Twitter Tuesday. 'Why wouldn't someone want one of the truly great and meaningful jobs in Washington. Please report news correctly. Thank you!' he added in a defense of his ability to attract top talent. President Trump is said to have no second choice for his chief of staff. He tweeted Tuesday that many 'are vying for and wanting the White House Chief of Staff position' His trouble hiring a replacement comes after reports of yet another messy staff departure in Kelly's case. CNN reported last week that the two men weren't on speaking terms, as it became clear Kelly would no last. Trump has disposed of numerous other aides by announcing their departure on Twitter. Ayers' departure stunned some White House aides, who thought he was a virtual shoo-in for the job. President Trump defended his staff search, saying 'over ten' people were interested in serving as his chief of staff, often considered one of the most powerful positions in the country Trump is said to be considering former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (left) and United States Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer (right) Nick Ayers (left) took himself out of the running for the chief of staff job but Rep. Mark Meadows (right) said he is interested after a report he didn't want the gig Reince Priebus (left) served as Trump's first chief of staff and was followed by John Kelly (right) Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin (left) and Director of Office of Management and Budget Mick Mulvaney (right) are said to be in consideration for the chief of staff job Now a whole host of names are being floated once again, from New Jersey Gov. Chris Christine to budget chief Mick Mulvaney and GOP Rep. Mark Meadows of North Carolina. The president's tweet followed a series of reports about the scramble to fill one of the nation's plum jobs. The chief of staff position is sometimes considered the second most powerful role in the nation, depending on how a White House is structured. Without a Plan B, Trump must now try to bring in top talent at a time when his administration is facing a still-active Russia probe, following court filings that for the first time implicate him in felony campaign finance crimes. Nick Ayers (L), chief of staff to U.S. Vice President Mike Pence, announced he is leaving the White House rather succeeding White House Chief of Staff John Kelly A Tuesday New York Times story quoted Chris Whipple, who penned a book on chiefs of staff, questioning why someone would even want the job. 'Why would anybody want to be Donald Trump's chief of staff unless you want to steal the office supplies before they shut the place down?' he quipped. 'If you're coming into that job, you've got to lawyer up,' he added. Contenders for Trump Chief of Staff Mark Meadows: A four-term congressman from North Carolina and the chairman of the ultra-conservative House Freedom Caucus. A top Trump ally on Capitol Hill, Meadows has been one of his most ardent defenders in Russia investigation Steven Mnuchin: Treasury secretary who has a previous relationship going back with Trump to when they were both businessmen in New York; Trump attended his wedding Mick Mulvaney: A former House member who joined Trump's administration to lead the budget office; he has pushed the president to the right fiscally Robert Lighthizer: As U.S. Trade Rep. Lighthizer has pushed Trump to talk tough on trade, particularly in recent negotiations with China Matt Whitaker: Trump named him acting attorney general after Jeff Session left the top job at Justice and is said to get on well with him Chris Christie: The former governor of New Jersey has had his name bandied about for a number of administration jobs, including attorney general David Bossie: He is the president of Citizens' United and co-wrote a book with Corey Lewandowski about working on Trump's campaign Advertisement Several of the people whose names were floated Monday indicated they weren't interested. Meadows, after first saying he wasn't, changed his tune. ''Serving as Chief of Staff would be an incredible honor. The President has a long list of qualified candidates and I know he'll make the best selection for his administration and for the country,' Meadows said in a statement. Others said to be under consideration include Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, Director of Office of Management and Budget Mick Mulvaney, and the United States Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer. Bloomberg reports acting Attorney General Matt Whitaker is said to be in consideration, as are former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie and David Bossie, Trump's former deputy campaign manager. Whitaker served as chief of staff for AG Jeff Sessions before he was forced out. His designation by Trump has drawn protests from Democrats who noted his past criticism of the Mueller probe as well as his role on the board of an invention promotion business that paid a $25 million settlement fine. New York Yankees President Randy Levine was mentioned as a wild card pick but told Fox News: 'I have spoken to nobody about the chief of staff job. I have great respect for the President but am very happy being president of the Yankees.' Lighthizer and Mnuchin have each indicated they are happy in their current roles. Mondesto Ramos (pictured above) was arrested by police on December 8 after allegedly confession to fatally shooting his neighbor's dog in Tulare, California A man has been arrested by police in California on suspicion of killing a dog with an assault rifle, after the pooch urinated on his front lawn and car. Police say 23-year-old Modesto Ramos, from Tulare, California, then later buried the dog to cover his tracks and conceal the crime from his neighbor, to whom the dog belonged. His arrest was confirmed by authorities on Monday and Ramos now faces charges of animal cruelty. Authorities were first alerted on December 8, after Ramos' neighbor noticed her dog was missing from the front yard. She immediately pointed officers from the Tulare County Sheriff's Office towards Ramos, suspecting him of killing her pooch. According to police, Ramos was arrested later Saturday night after he confessed to officers that he had fatally shot and buried the dog. Ramos allegedly said catching the dog urinating on his yard and car made him angry. Police later raided Ramos' home and found AR15 (left) and AK47 (right) assault rifles in his possession - both are illegal in California (stock images) Police confirmed Ramos' arrest on Monday, where he will now face charges of animal cruelty, possession of illegal firearms and negligent discharge of firearms Deputies searched Ramos' home and found AR-15 and AK-47 rifles that are banned in California. The sheriff's office says Ramos also faces possession of banned assault weapons and negligent discharge of firearm charges. The wife of the Sinaloa drug cartel leader Joaquin El Chapo Guzman says she never saw her husband doing anything illegal while they were together. She also says she dreams of a peaceful life with her family including her husband and their twin daughters somewhere far away. Emma Coronel, the Los Angeles-born Mexican beauty queen, has been seen in Brooklyn federal court in recent weeks while her husband stands trial on multiple charges including murder conspiracy, drug trafficking, and money laundering. When Coronel, 29, was asked by Spanish-language network, Telemundo, on Monday if she had any clue about her husband's criminal activities, she said she didn't. 'Of course not. The media outlets gave Joaquin too much fame, Coronel said of her husband. They made him too famous. She also added that it was the media who built up El Chapos image as a notorious drug kingpin. Emma Coronel (above), the wife of Sinoloa drug cartel leader Joaquin El Chapo Guzman, says she never noticed her husband doing anything illegal while they were together In a rare television interview, Coronel, 29, said shes doing what any wife would do - appear a few feet away from her husband while he stands trial She also said El Chapo is very confident with how the case is proceeding. 'He is clearly very positive. Very calm,' the kingpin's wife said. 'I have never seen him calm, really. But as I can see, he is very positive... and very calm.' In the rare 30-minute interview, Coronel also spoke about being a single mother to couple's seven-year-old twin daughters. Wearing a white suit, stiletto heels and a black lace top, she opened up about both the good and grueling days she's had to endure in and out of court; and her dream of being distanced from all of the madness. Coronel was criticized when she went all out with a Barbie-themed birthday bash for daughters Emaly Guadalupe y Maria Joaquina in August. But as young as they both are, the mother has been transparent with the family's situation which has drawn a worldwide audience. 'I do not have to explain anything because they have always been aware of everything. So right now they do not ask me questions like, "where is my dad", because they know everything,' Coronel said. 'They are aware and they are aware of everything,' she added. 'They know where their father is. They know what's happening. They are aware of everything... They are very calm and very happy girls.' Coronel's day-long appearances inside the federal Brooklyn courtroom have been nothing less than agonizing. 'Obviously, there are good days, there are bad ones,' Coronel said. 'There are days that I actually arrive without eating, that my head hurts.' Coronel has even been at odds with the media while battling mood swings as she attends a trial that could send her husband to prison for the rest of his life. 'In fact, there are days that I have left very, very tired and the journalists outside approach me and make it out to be like I left annoyed,' El Chapo's wife admitted. 'It is very burdensome to go all day sometimes without eating or eating unhealthy, sitting on those [benches] that are uncomfortable and going out and suddenly they put the light or things like that [on you],' she added. 'So it's like I go out with a headache and that's why sometimes they say that she left angry, that she went out sad, no, I'm very positive, I'm very positive that everything will be fine.' Emma Coronel was criticized after images surfaced of a Barbie-themed birthday bash for her seven-year-old twin daughters in August An Instagram account has surfaced with pictures of El Chapo's wife and her private life Emma Coronel disputes that she has an Instagram account and has been in contact with investigators Coronel also made it clear that she does not own the Instagram account that has surfaced in recent months with videos and photos of her private life. She has been talking to investigators about tracking the source of the account. Guzman was extradited to the U.S. last year from Mexico. Coronel says she has not spoken since he then. He has pleaded not guilty to drug-trafficking charges, with his lawyers claiming he's being framed by shady cooperators. Guzman faces life behind bars if convicted of operating a continuing criminal enterprise, murder conspiracy, and other charges. Coronel said shes doing what any wife would do - appear a few feet away from her husband while he stands trial. I think its what any wife would do in my place, be with her husband in difficult times, she said. In one way or another so that he feels, and sees me present, and feels my support. Coronel told Telemundo that her husband partly likes the notoriety that he has attained. You have to be honest, I think he did like it, he does like it a little, she said. She said that the intense coverage could be a positive since media pressure is present and everything can be clearer and everyone can see what really happens in court. Guzman was extradited to the U.S. last year from Mexico. He has pleaded not guilty to drug-trafficking charges, with his lawyers claiming he's being framed by shady cooperators. He is seen during his extradition on January 19, 2017 In one way or another so that he feels, and sees me present, and feels my support, Coronel says of her courtroom appearances like the one depicted in the above sketch El Chapo's wife admits that the presence of the media at her husband's trial has made her uncofortable Coronel first caught El Chapos eye when she competed in a beauty pageant in 2006. The niece of a former partner of El Chapos, Ignacio Nacho Coronel, has no idea what her life would have turned out to be had she never fallen in love with him. Nevertheless, she holds no regrets of the tumultuous life she's lived as the spouse of one of the world's most ruthless drug dealers. 'But I am happy of the life that I have, the life that I have been dealt, the husband that I was dealt, the daughters that I have, the family that I have,' Coronel said. 'I'm very satisfied. I have also had tough moments but I have always said that God does not put things in your way that you will not overcome. So when God puts big obstacles it is because he knows that you are strong and you can achieve it.' The peace of mind that she has she attributes to the the love she has for her twin daughters, her faith in God and a friend or two that have joined her a couple of times for a dinner and even a movie date in New York. With the odds stacked against her husband as old associates march inside the courtroom and reveal their old illicit deals, Coronel just dreams of what could be if her husband is found innocent. 'I dream of having comfort, where we can live a normal life,' she said. 'I do not dream of great things. Peace of mind. Happiness.' Advertisement Several Southern states hit hard by a wintry storm are gradually warming, but forecasters warned that temperatures in many areas will plunge below freezing again Tuesday night. That will refreeze the melting snow, making some roads treacherous. Scores of schools in Virginia and North Carolina were closed for a second day on Tuesday, and nearly 70,000 remained without power in the aftermath of Winter Storm Diego. Georgia also announced a late start for state government workers because of fears about ice on roads. The storm that blew in over the weekend was blamed for at least three deaths in North Carolina and one in Tennessee, along with numerous car crashes, power outages and canceled flights. Meanwhile, a time-lapse video shot on Sunday in Blowing Rock, North Carolina shows snow completely covering an 18-inch-high stone wall. The driver, Alenjandro Rangel, right, and a man who assisted him, grab tools from the truck bed after the truck flipped after running over a patch of ice too quickly on Tuesday morning in Carrboro, North Carolina A car is pulled over the barrier after it went down the embankment due to patches of black ice on East Hudson Boulevard in Gastonia, North Carolina on Tuesday School buses sit covered with snow at Smith High School in Greensboro, North Carolina on Tuesday. Scores of schools in Virginia and North Carolina were closed for a second day in the aftermath of Winter Storm Diego An aerial view shows snow over the Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina on Monday North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper said Monday that the worst of the storm had passed, but residents - particularly motorists - should keep watch for dangerous conditions. The Highway Patrol already had responded to more than 670 collisions and nearly 1,600 calls for services since the storm began. 'We need to stay vigilant. We're not out of the woods yet,' Cooper said Monday. 'This storm dropped staggering amounts of snow, ice and rain across our state. A year's worth of snowfall or more fell in some places in little more than a day.' In Tennessee, truck driver William James Taylor, 58 of Robertson, Alabama, was struck and killed by another vehicle that hit ice on Sunday after he exited his disabled tractor-trailer on Interstate 81 near Kingsport. In North Carolina, where more than 20 inches fell in western parts of the state, the storm was blamed for three deaths. A truck driver died Sunday after suffering what appeared to be a heart attack from shoveling out his rig that got stuck at the height of the storm along Interstate 77 in the central part of the state, Yadkin County Emergency Services Director Keith Vestal said. The state emergency operations center also said one man died Sunday when a tree fell on him in Mecklenburg County, while an ailing woman died in Haywood County when her oxygen was cut off due to power outages. Another truck driver is missing in North Carolina after his tractor-trailer ran off Interstate 70 into the Neuse River in Kinston. In Bessemer City, a small town west of Charlotte, several horses were killed on Monday when snow accumulation on the roof of an equestrian arena caused the structure to collapse. People look out over the scene after several horses were killed when an arena collapsed overnight at Sunnyside Farms near Bessemer City on Monday. A North Carolina family says that the snow caved in the roof of the equestrian event space Ed Goins, Sue Lovelace and David Cole talk with reporters after a few horses were killed when an arena collapsed overnight at Sunnyside Farms near Bessemer City on Monday In Charlotte, police shut down a street on Monday after reports of ice falling from the Duke Energy Center. Wells Fargo owns the 48-story tower. A spokesman confirmed that ice was dropping from the building. Warning signs and protective scaffolding were placed over the building's entrances and exits. Also on Monday, an overturned truck full of pigs added to traffic delays in the western part of that state, after the hogs ran loose on Interstate 40. The North Carolina Department of Transportation said the livestock truck overturned on Interstate 40 westbound near the Tennessee line. The westbound lanes were closed temporarily Monday so the pigs could be corralled, but at least one lane was reopened by midafternoon. Highway Patrol First Sgt. Mike Baker said that about 100 pigs were aboard the truck, and some died in the crash. Local farmers were helping to gather the rest. The Transportation Department posted a photo on Twitter of pigs wandering along a snowy shoulder next to a trooper's cruiser. Baker said it's not clear if weather played a role in the crash, and it may have had more to do with speed. He said the road was clear of snow and ice at the time. He said the driver suffered serious injuries. Pigs wander the shoulder of Interstate 40 near the state line with Tennessee in Haywood County, North Carolina, after a crash on Monday. The crash caused delays while local farmers helped authorities corral the pigs Officials attempt to corral pigs after the livestock trailer flipped over on Monday. Police said that about 100 pigs were aboard the truck, and some died in the crash Still, the snow gave some people a chance for fun in places that don't normally see a lot of snow. In North Carolina's Durham County, where a foot fell in places Sunday, kids reveled in a day off from school as a second dusting of snow and sleet fell Monday. Children threw snowballs or built snowmen, and a young girl in a pink jacket threw her hands up and yelled 'Merry Christmas!' at a passer-by along a residential sidewalk. Ron Gordon, 75, donned boots and a hooded winter jacket to take out his dog, Easy. 'She seems to like it,' he said, holding a walking stick for extra traction. 'She enjoys it more than I do.' The semi-retired photographer said he could work inside for the rest of the day, and he can cook on the gas stove even if the house loses power again, as it did for several hours Sunday. He said he moved to Durham from Chicago several years ago and was surprised to see this much snow: 'I didn't expect this.' Scott Lay walks with his daughter, Sofia, to a hill in Bristol, Tennessee to enjoy an afternoon of sledding on Monday A Tory compared Theresa May to Adolf Hitler hiding in his 'Downfall' bunker tonight as furious MPs staged a symbolic vote against her decision to call off the Brexit showdown. Nadine Dorries claimed the Prime Minister was hiding from the verdict of Parliament on the advice of her 'third rate' team. Mrs May pulled tonight's historic Brexit vote after admitting if she put her deal to Parliament it would have suffered a crushing landslide defeat. The Government used a procedural trick to cancel the vote without asking MPs - prompting Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn to call an emergency debate and force the stunt vote of MPs tonight. Ministers ignored the stunt meaning a vote of 299-0 by angry Opposition MPs. Nadine Dorries (pictured during today's debate) claimed the Prime Minister was hiding from the verdict of Parliament on the advice of her 'third rate' team Ministers ignored the stunt meaning a vote of 299-0 by angry Opposition MPs (pictured is the vote being declared) Ms Dorries - who is one of the Tory MPs demanding a vote of no confidence in Mrs May's leadership - told the debate Mrs May was like the Nazi leader in the film Downfall, which shows his suicide as Germany is defeated. Ms Dorries said: 'The Prime Minister is in a bunker, she's starring in her own episode of Downfall, and we all know how that story ends.' She added: 'The Prime Minister I think is being very badly advised by third-rate advisers in Number 10. 'I saw our Whips office being criticised in the papers today but it's got nothing to do with them. They are also having to deal through the same third-rate advisers.' Mr Corbyn branded Mrs May the 'runaway Prime Minister' after she skipped the debate for meetings in Europe on how to present her Brexit deal to fractious MPs. He said: 'She confirmed she's only seeking reassurances. Our Prime Minister is traipsing round the Continent in pursuit and search of warm words when she can get out of the car to hear them. 'It really is, Mr Speaker if I may say so, the unspeakable in pursuit of the unwritten. A waste of time and a waste of public money.' Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn (pictured in the Commons today) branded Mrs May the 'runaway Prime Minister' after she skipped the debate for meetings in Europe on how to present her Brexit deal to fractious MPs He added: 'If the Prime Minister comes back with nothing more than warm words then she must immediately put her deal to the House. No more delays, no more tricks, let Parliament take control. 'If not then frankly Mr Speaker she must go, we cannot tolerate delay any longer. 'With a legally enshrined exit date of the 29th March 2019, just over 100 days away, we cannot allow this shambles to endure and neither can we risk falling into a no deal.' Cabinet Office Minister David Lidington, who is effectively Mrs May's deputy, defended the Prime Minister saying there was was 'no doubt about her commitment to parliamentary accountability'. He said: 'In the last two month alone she has spent more than 22 hours at this despatch box making statements and answering questions from (MPs) from every corner of this House, predominately about the question of EU exit.' Tory former education secretary Justine Greening intervened to say that 'in the end what matters to people outside of here isn't effort, it's results'. A trial has begun for a Florida woman accused of helping mastermind the death of her high school sweetheart husband to get a $1.75 million insurance payout. Prosecutors contended on Tuesday that Denise Williams planned the 2000 slaying of her husband Mike Williams with a man that she was having an affair with and later married. On a cold morning in December 2000, Mike, 31, disappeared while duck hunting on a large lake near Tallahassee. Initially it was believed that he had fallen from his boat and that his body had been devoured by alligators. His disappearance triggered a massive search by local and state authorities. Florida prosecutors contended on Tuesday that Denise Williams planned the 2000 slaying of her husband Mike Williams with a man that she was having an affair with and later married. The mother-of-one is pictured above in court on Tuesday Denise, now 48, was arrested back in May and charged with murder, fraud, conspiracy, and accessory after the fact in the relation to Mike's death. He disappeared in December 2000 while duck hunting near Tallahassee Denise and Mike Williams are pictured above on their wedding day It was revealed years later that Williams had died from a shotgun blast to the head and had been buried near a lake. At the time of his death Mike had three life insurance policies worth $1.75 million, which Winchester reportedly helped him write. Denise is seen above The man who shot him was his best friend and insurance agent Brian Winchester, who confessed last year to the killing. At the time of his death Mike had three life insurance policies worth $1.75 million, which Winchester reportedly helped him write. Denise eventually went on to marry Winchester five years after her husband's death but their relationship soured and they later divorced. The now 48-year-old was arrested back in May and charged with murder, fraud, conspiracy, and accessory after the fact in the relation to Mike's death. Her bombshell arrest came 18 years after her first husband's disappearance following a major breakthrough in the cold case that started with a shocking confession from Winchester. Authorities said Winchester confessed to shooting his childhood friend Mike as part of a plan that he had formed with Denise, who he was having an affair with, so they could be together. The slain man's friend Brian Winchester confessed last year to killing Mike as part of a plan he allegedly hatched with Denise so they could be together. Winchester's confession came after he was sentenced to 20 years for kidnapping Denise in 2016 Mike married his high school sweetheart Denise in 1994 and welcomed a daughter with her five years later. The child was 18 months old when her father vanished and is now aged 18 His stunning confession came after he was sentenced last year to 20 years in prison for kidnapping Denise at gunpoint. Denise filed for divorce from Winchester in 2015 and he feared she would tell authorities about his involvement in his friend's murder. He kidnapped her in August 2016 and made her promise not to reveal their alleged secret. After she was released by Winchester, Denise went to authorities and reported the kidnapping. When he was arrested, prosecutors offered Winchester immunity from any charges related to Mike's death if he confessed the details of the murder plot. He was sentenced to 20 years in prison for kidnapping his ex-wife. The very next day, authorities announced that Mike's remains were found at the end of a dead-end road after they received 'new information'. Denise was arrested five months later. Her attorney, Philip Padovano, told jurors on Tuesday there is no evidence his client was having an affair with Winchester or that she helped plot the killing. 'There's no tangible evidence or physical evidence to connect Denise Williams to this crime,' Padovano said. 'No confession, no admission, nothing.' Initially it was believed that Mike had fallen from his boat and that his body had been devoured by alligators. His disappearance triggered a massive search by local and state authorities. he is seen above with Denise and their daughter Denise is pictured with her daughter in a photo shared to Instagram by Mike's mother He told them that Winchester has been given immunity from murder charges in exchange for his testimony and that he was given a lighter sentence in his kidnapping case. In order to find Williams guilty, Padovano told the jury that 'you will have to rely on the word of a murderer and a convicted felon.' Winchester is expected to eventually testify in the case. Mike and Denise were high school sweethearts and married in 1994 before welcoming a daughter five years later. The child was 18 months old when her father vanished and is now aged 18. He disappeared on what would have been the couple's six wedding anniversary. Authorities launches an exhaustive 44 day search for Mike's body after he vanished in 2000. Six months after his disappearance, waders believed to belong to Mike were found floating in perfect condition in the search area. They reportedly showed no signs of an alligator attack. Without a body, Denise petitioned to have her husband declared dead due to accidental drowning and she collected his death benefits. She married Winchester in December 2005, but the relationship soured and they divorced in 2016. Detectives investigating allegations of mistreatment and neglect of stroke victims at a hospital have arrested two more healthcare workers. A man and a woman, described by Lancashire Police as healthcare professionals, were arrested on suspicion of administering any poison or noxious thing with the intent to injure and ill treatment or wilful neglect, at Blackpool Victoria Hospital. Police were initially contacted by Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust on November 8 after concerns were raised about the care provided to some patients. Two people are in custody after being arrested on suspicion of administering any poison or noxious thing with the intent to injure and ill treatment or wilful neglect, at Blackpool Victoria Hospital A third healthcare professional was also arrested last month on suspicion of administering any poison or noxious thing with the intent to injure and ill treatment or wilful neglect The claims related to the alleged mistreatment and neglect of patients on the stroke unit that month. The two individuals from the hospital are currently in custody. Last month a third member of staff, who works at the hospital, was arrested on suspicion of administering any poison or noxious thing with the intent to injure and ill treatment or wilful neglect. Following her arrest she was suspended and has been bailed until February 10, 2019. All three hospital workers have now been suspended. Lancashire Police said officers remain in the early stages of their investigation and are working closely with Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and HM Coroner for Blackpool and Fylde. A number of post-mortem examinations have been conducted as part of police inquiries. Det Chief Insp Jill Johnston, of Lancashire Police said: 'We have made two more arrests as part of an on-going investigation into allegations of mistreatment of patients at Blackpool Victoria Hospital. 'This is a complicated and sensitive inquiry which remains at its early stages. Lancashire Police have said officers are in the early stages of their investigation and are working closely with Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 'I understand further arrests might be concerning but I would like to reassure people we have a dedicated team of detectives working on this investigation. 'We are offering support to those families who have had loved ones identified as potentially being involved. They are being kept fully updated and supported throughout the process by specially trained officers. 'Some post-mortem examinations have been conducted to assist our inquiries. 'Our priority and the priority of Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is to ensure the safety of patients. We are working closely with the trust as well as HM Coroner for Blackpool and Fylde as part of the investigation.' This is not the first time the leading hospital for heart surgery in the region has fallen under scrutiny. In October, some 300 patients waiting for various minor procedures were moved to a private hospital in a bid to help the local NHS trust meet its 62-day targets. In September, a member of staff at the hospital caught the monkeypox virus while treating another infected patient and had to be moved to isolation. Anyone with information can contact police on 101 quoting log reference 0553 of November 14. Information can also be given to police via: https://mipp.police.uk It was just a few hours after he buried the body of his wife and dumped his daughters in oil tanks that Chris Watts' alibi began to fall apart. That was due in large part to the surveillance footage his neighbor had of Watts on the morning of the murders, which very clearly showed him back his truck up to his garage, load up the vehicle and drive off. Watts had told police and his wife Shanann's friends and family that she and daughters Bella and Celeste had run off that day while he was at work, but footage proved that was not the case. In fact, the footage did not capture anyone leaving the house that day but Watts. In video obtained by DailyMail.com after filing a request under the Colorado Open Records Act, Watts is seen watching that video for the first time - and throwing his hands behind his head in disbelief when he realizes he has been caught. Scroll down for video Bye bye, alibi: Chris Watts watched surveillance footage that showed him loading bodies into his truck just hours after he murdered his family(above) No go: The footage showed that no one left the home on August 13 except for Watts, and when he realizes this he throws his hands behind his head in disbelief Guilty: Watts then begins to sweat and offer up explanations as to why he had to back his truck up to the garage that morning, which his neighbor said was not normal That video would later be used to draw out Watts' confession before he was formally charged with murder. Once he had confessed, the process began of retrieving the bodies of his wife and two daughters, who had been found despite his refusal to help with the search. A Hazardous Materials Incident Narrative Report filed by the Colorado State Patrol details the process to retrieve the bodies of Bella and Celeste Watts, 4 and 3, after they were murdered by their father and dumped into an oil tank. The process of removing the bodies began at 5am on the morning of August 16 and would go on for almost 14 hours, with the report noting that at 6:45pm that evening members of the Colorado State Patrol cleared the scene. In that time, the oil from the two 400-barrel tanks on the scene was manually drained by workers, who carefully poured the liquid over metal screens to collect any possible evidence. Then, once the tanks were emptied, men in self-contained breathing gear entered and removed the bodies of the girls, whose skin came off their bodies as they were passed out of the tanks. Their mother and unborn baby brother Nico were found just 100 yards away in a shallow grave. The report reveals that the diameter of the oil tank's opening was only 8 inches, meaning it would have been too small to fit Shanann's body. The troopers who headed up the retrieval process arrived on the scene around 9am on the morning of August 16. 'While the first crude tank was being off-loaded, Trooper Bandy, Reeder and I put rope handles on two containment pools,' wrote Trooper Wilson. 'We anticipated the bodies to be covered in crude oil and were going to use the pools to put each body in, once recovered.' Once the tanks were emptied, the bolts on the tank doors at the base of the barrel were taken off by the team on the scene. 'Sergeant Armstrong went up to the top of the tank and looked in the thief hatch,' states the report. 'Sergeant Armstrong told me he could see what looked like a body face down on the south side of the tank.' Photos were taken and then the men began the process of removing the body from the tank. Because of the level of oil sludge and toxic fumes, the men could only remain in the tank for a matter of minutes, making the process that much more complicated and difficult. 'Trooper Reeder went in first then me close behind. There was a body face down on the south side of the tank with the head facing west. It appeared to be a small female child,' reads the report. 'Trooper Reeder grasped the upper portion of her right arm to turn her over. Trooper Reeder then lifted her by both upper arms as I held her right leg. Trooper Reeder held her left arm and left leg as we moved the body towards the manway.' The victim was then moved out of the tank, but during the process her hand 'degloved' of its skin. That skin was retreived and given to a member of law enforcement on the scene. Tragedy: Watts with his wife Shanann and daughters Bella and Celeste just weeks before their murders (above) Unknown: The team was not able to identify the girls when they removed the two bodies, unable to tell the victims apart Third body: The opening to the tanks had a diameter of only eight inches, which was too small to fit the body of Shanann, who Chris buried in a shallow grave nearby (Shanann's grave above) Tragedy: Mourners gather in North Carolina to pay their last respects to Shanann and her two daughters (above) The men next went about removing the body of the second victim, which was found in the second oil tank. 'I grabbed her right arm near the wrist area and moved her towards the manway. At this point, Trooper Reeder was able to secure her left arm and left leg. Trooper Reeder and I then passed the body through the manway,' reads the report. 'Trooper Bandy grasped the left wrist and shoulder area as Sergeant Armstrong did the same on the right side. As the victim was passed through the manway Trooper Bandy and Sergeant continued to support her body as she was placed into a containment pool.' The sheet that Shanann's body was wrapped in before she was dumped in her shallow grave (above in evidence locker) The report also notes: 'During this extraction there was some skin slippage where we had to touch the victims body. There was also some skin on the plywood where her back made contact.' Some skin was also lost while the body was being moved to the oil pool. 'There was also some skin on the plywood where her back made contact,' reads the report. 'Trooper Reeder and I then walked around the inside of that tank which also had approximately 4 of crude sludge in it. We did not locate any additional evidence in tank. We exited the tank and walked over to the field south of the tanks. The body was turned over to the Weld County Coroner. 'Sergeant Armstrong continued to monitor the second victim, using a four-gas monitor, as the Weld County Coroner and Pathologist attempted to remove the crude oil utilizing several oil absorbent pads. 'The second victim was then placed into a body bag and taken to the Weld County Coroners vehicle.' Bella was 4 and her sister Celeste had just turned 3 at the time they were murdered by their father. Watts had told authorities just one day prior that it was his wife Shanann who killed the girls, claiming that he in turn murdered her in a rage. Two months alter, Watts changed his story and entered a guilty plea to all three murders. Winifred Greaves, 93, pictured, was injured in the collision with the police van in the darkness just after 5pm while shopping on Saturday in Cardiff and died the next day in hospital A 93-year-old great-grandmother who died after she was hit by a police van on a busy Christmas shopping street was today described as 'always having a smile on her face'. Widow Winifred Greaves is being mourned by four children, 10 grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren after being hit by the police vehicle. Mrs Greaves was injured in the collision with the van in the darkness just after 5pm while shopping on Saturday and died the next day in hospital. Her family in Cardiff today paid a touching tribute to retired waitress Winnie who was hit near her home in Whitchurch, Cardiff. In a statement the family said: 'Winnie was 93 years of age but retained the energy and vigour of a much younger person. 'She was married to Cliff for 52 years until he died in 1998. 'They had a daughter and three sons followed by 10 grandchildren and 17 great grandchildren each of whom she loved dearly. 'Winnie had lots of friends and always had a smile on her face. She had a great life and will be sadly missed.' Mrs Greaves was hit by a police van on Saturday night on Merthyr Road in Whitchurch, Cardiff (pictured) Mrs Greaves was walking in the popular shopping street Merthyr Road when she was injured. Her death has been referred to The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) and Mrs Greaves' family continue to be supported by specially-trained family liaison officers. An IOPC spokeswoman said: 'We have begun an investigation following a road traffic incident involving a South Wales Police van and a pedestrian. She was taken to hospital after the collision on 5.20pm on Saturday but died on Sunday at the University Hospital of Wales 'The 93-year-old woman sustained injuries and was taken to hospital where she has sadly since died. 'Our investigation follows a mandatory referral from South Wales Police and IOPC investigators attended the scene and the post-incident procedures.' The road was closed for several hours as investigation work was carried out. Local people in Whitchurch were 'shocked and saddened' by the tragedy. David Brown, 42, said: 'It is a terrible thing this time of year for any family. It is a busy road and apparently the lady was well-known in the area. 'There have been a lot of Christmas shoppers and the road was closed for a long time. The police seemed to be very thorough in their investigation.' The SNP today vowed to to put down there own confidence motion to bring try and topple Theresa May if Jeremy Corbyn refuses to by the end of the day. Nicola Sturgeon said that if this vote does not succeed in forcing a general election, she wanted Labour to go on to support a second referendum. And Ian Blackford, the party's leader in Westminster, repeated the threat, as he appeared next to the Lib Dems, Greens and Welsh nationalists Plaid Cyrmu. The parties have all written to the Labour leader to demand that he calls the crunch vote in Mrs May. Appearing at a press conference in Westminster this morning, Mr Blackford said: 'If Jeremy cant put himself in that position, then we as leaders of other opposition parties must rise to that challenge. Asked what the deadline is for the Labour leader, he said I think Jeremy has until the end of today. SNP MP and the party's Westminster leader Ian Blackford (pictured at today's People's Vote event' said Labour have until the end of the day to table the no confidence vote or they will Theresa May held crucial talks with Angela Merkel in Berlin (pictured) as she begs for help winning over furious MPs on her Brexit deal, but back in Westminster calls for her to face a no confidence vote were growing But despite facing a growing clamour to call the vote, Labour has refused to do so saying the time is not yet right. John McDonnell, the shadow chancellor, claimed the SNP was pushing for a no confidence vote it knew would lose, because it actually feared an election because it would lose seats. Union baron Len McCluskey, a key ally of Mr Corbyn, said the Labour leader should not be bounced into action. And the party leadership slapped down shadow Brexit minister Jenny Chapman who suggested a no confidence vote could occur before Christmas. Speaking on the Radio 4 Today programme, Ms Sturgeon revealed her party had held talks with Labour in Westminster on Monday about the next steps to take. As I understand it, they don't think the time is right for a motion of confidence, she said. For goodness sake, if the time is not right now, when will the time be right? It's a government that has ceased to govern it's not functioning any longer so it can't go on and I think it is incumbent now on the official opposition to lodge a motion of no confidence. I signalled yesterday that the SNP would support that. If that failed, she said a second referendum was the best way forward. Yesterday morning representatives of four opposition parties wrote to Mr Corbyn urging him to join them in tabling a motion, saying there was now an overwhelming case. The letter was signed by Lib Dem leader Sir Vince Cable, Green Party MP Caroline Lucas, Mr Blackford and Plaid Cymru Westminster group leader Liz Saville Roberts. Mr Blackford said the Labour leader has to do that by the close of business today or the other opposition parties would accept that responsibility and lay down that motion of no confidence. Labour MP Margaret Beckett (pictured, centre, at the People's Vote press conference in Westminster today) demanded her leader Jeremy Corbyn take action and table a vote of no confidence in Theresa May But Mr McDonnell said: Who can delve into the mind of Nicola Sturgeon but my view is that they want to lose a vote of no-confidence and then avoid a general election because they know we're breathing down their necks in Scotland; we'll take seats off them in so many marginals. And Mr McCluskey, general secretary of the Unite union, said: Jeremy Corbyn should not be bounced by those who have little or no interest in seeing Labour elected. An influential committee of MPs said Mrs May would be expected to resign if the House of Commons expressed no confidence in her leadership, even if it was not in a statutory motion. The Fixed-term Parliaments Act includes a statutory mechanism by which a general election can be triggered by a vote of no confidence. But the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee said any expression of no confidence in the Government whether in statutory or non-statutory terms removes the Prime Minister's authority to govern and should prompt her departure. Chicago Heights Park District Police Chief Christian Daigre, 41, was fired after he was accused of secretly filming sexual encounters with at least two women A Chicago police chief has been fired after he was accused of secretly filming his sexual encounters with at least two women and later sharing images without their permission. Chicago Heights Park District Police Chief Christian Daigre's charges include two felony counts of non-consensual dissemination of private sexual images and one felony count of possession of a controlled substance. Daigre, 41, was initially placed on paid administrative leave by the Chicago Heights Park District when the accusations first came to light in October. Former Chicago Heights Park District Police Chief Jose Maldonado told authorities that Daigre had sent him explicit texts which showed him having sex with women. The two alleged victims, aged 24 and 43, did not know about the recordings until Maldonado turned images over to the police, according to the Chicago Tribune. Prosecutors said the two women, who Daigre met through online dating sites, had consensual sex with him during encounters in 2016. The police chief allegedly filmed these interactions with a camera that was installed near the ceiling of his studio apartment. After Maldonado reported Daigre to the police, the Chicago Heights Park District launched an investigation and notified Chicago police. Daigre was charged in November and the district suspended him without pay. The police chief also allegedly sent threatening text messages to Maldonado and was charged with two felony counts of witness intimidation. Yet Daigre was only fired on Wednesday after a third woman came forward and accused him of filming her during a sexual encounter as well. Prosecutors later said they did not have sufficient evidence to proceed and dropped charges relating to the third woman. But it appeared the second arrest was the final straw for the district, who finally decided to let Daigre go completely. Park District Superintendent Frank Perez said Daigre's conduct had 'discredited the District's integrity and placed the District in disrepute'. 'In addition, Mr Daigre's conduct and the related charges filed against him would hamper his ability to perform his job duties in the future,' Perez added. In addition to losing his job, Daigre also had his Firearm Owners' Identified Card revoked on Monday. Todd Pugh, Daigre's attorney, claims that Maldonado is merely trying to discredit the police chief. 'Why in 2018 are allegations from 2016 coming up curiously right after my client becomes a witness against his former coworker,' Pugh told CBS Chicago. 'The allegations alone and these charges have absolutely destroyed his life.' Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez on Tuesday dropped all charges against Jazmine Headley, 23, who was seen in a viral video having her son yanked form her arms by police A mother who was arrested after police violently yanked her toddler son from her arms during a videotaped disturbance at a Brooklyn social services office had charges against her dismissed Tuesday. Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez said that in deciding to drop the case against Jazmine Headley, he was acting 'in the interest of justice.' Headley, 23, has been in the Rikers Island jail since Friday on charges including obstructing governmental administration, resisting arrest, endangering the welfare of a child and trespassing, stemming from her altercation with a guard in a crowded waiting room of a food assistance office. 'Like everyone who watched the arrest of Jazmine Headley, I was horrified by the violence depicted in the video,' Gonzalez said in his statement. 'It is clear to me that this incident should have been handled diffidently.' The video shows Headley on the floor at a SNAP center in Boerum Hill, New York Gonzalez pointed a finger of blame at the guard, accusing him of escalating the situation as Headley was getting ready to leave with her 18-month-old child, and as a result 'creating an awful scenario of a baby being torn from is mother.' Brooklyn's chief prosecutor went on to say that pursuing this case 'will not serve any purpose.' It was unclear when Headley might be released from jail. She remained held Tuesday on an unrelated warrant issued in New Jersey, where the woman faces charges of credit card theft. Her Headley's lawyer, Brooklyn Defender Services founder and director Lisa Schreibersdorf, argued that her client did not steal the cards, but was in a car with a man who committed the theft. The video of Headley's arrest, posted to social media by an onlooker, caused a furor, spurring outrage from those who say its indicative of how low-income social service recipients are treated. Headley (left and right) remained in Rikers Island on an unrelated warrant out of New Jersey concerning credit card theft It showed Headley ending up lying face-up on the floor, and a police officer at another point pulling her stun gun out and aiming it at the upset crowd. Officials said the situation is being reviewed by the New York Police Department and the Department of Social Services. Two city employees at the Boereum Hill SNAP center have been placed on modified duty in connection to the incident. 'The consequences this young and desperate mother has already suffered as a result of this arrest far outweigh any conduct that may have led to it: she and her baby have been traumatized, she was jailed on an unrelated warrant and may face additional collateral consequences,' Gonzalez said of the case on Tuesday. At one point in the struggle seen in the now-viral video, in order to arrest Headley, officers tried to yank her son out of her arms as she cried: 'They're hurting my son... I'm begging you please.' Other people can be heard screaming in the background as one woman shrieked: 'Oh my God, oh my God, look what they're doing to us, look what they're doing to her.' One officer pulled out a stun gun as an onlooker shouted: 'There's a f***ing baby in her hands!' Headley's mother, Jacqueline Jenkins, said her daughter, who is a cleaner, was at the center to collect daycare vouchers for a nanny who looks after her son, Damone. At one point in the struggle they tried to take her one-year-old out of her arms as the woman cried: 'I'm begging you please.' She said Headley sat on floor because there were no chairs available and that a security guard called police after she refused to stand up. 'I can't believe the NYPD, how they handled it, the force of what they did to grab my grandson like that,' Jenkins, who is currently caring for her grandson, told NBC New York. 'He was like a rag doll.' The video was posted to Facebook where it sparked outrage from viewers. The woman who uploaded it wrote: '[The mom] made the security guard feel dumb so she called the cops on her and this was the outcome. 'She had her baby in her hands the whole time. I'm so f***ing disgusted with the NYPD.' City Council Speaker Corey Johnson called the incident 'unacceptable, appalling and heartbreaking.' He tweeted: 'I'd like to understand what transpired and how these officers or the NYPD justifies this. It's hard to watch this video.' State Attorney General-elect Letitia James, released a statement saying: 'No mother should have to experience the trauma and humiliation we all witnessed in this video.' She added: 'Being poor is not a crime. The actions of the NYPD in this video are appalling and contemptible. 'A full investigation must be conducted immediately, and the results should be made public so there is a transparent accounting of how this horrific situation occurred. 'All involved officers, including the assigned supervisor, should be assigned desk duty pending the investigation results.' Car manufacturer Volkswagen decided to give back to a breast cancer survivor and Beetle enthusiast by dedicating a team of 60 workers to restore her beloved car back to the condition she originally bought it in 52 years ago. In the winter of 1966, a 22-year-old Kathleen Brooks bought her first ever VW Beetle from a dealership in Riverside, California. And incredibly, more than half-a-century later, Brooks, now 73, is still driving the same red car - named 'Annie' - to work every day where she provides comfort to patients and fellow survivors of breast cancer. But with enough miles clocked up on the dashboard to travel around the world 14 times - a staggering 350,000 - Brooks' beloved and trusty Annie started to exhibit signs of her impressive age. 73-year-old Kathleen Brooks (shown above) bought her red Beetle in 1966 - and she hasn't stopped driving in in the half-a-century since Slide me She clocked up an incredible 350,000 miles in the red Bug, but the years of wear-and-tear were beginning to show on her beloved Annie (shown left). Hearing of her incredible story, VW decided to help Brooks by restoring her beloved car to a better-than-new condition (right) Anne wrote an emotional letter to the VW team after picking up Annie, explaining her gratitude for their hard work and kindness Faded, dented and rusted, Kathleen wouldn't have been able to drive Annie much longer. 'Ive said many times she and I are so much alike because shes old, shes faded, shes dinged, shes dented, shes rusted, but you know what? She keeps running,' laughed Brooks. 'And as long as I take as good care of her as I can, shes going to continue to run.' However, hearing of Annie's ailing condition and Brooks' incredible bond with the vintage Bug, the North American branch of Volkswagen decided to pay back the charitable three-time breast cancer survivor with a selfless gesture of their own. Kathleen bode an emotional farewell to her Beetle last year, as VW took Annie away for 11 months of restoration work The 60 engineers working on the unique project replaced 40 per cent of the car's parts, and delicately restored 357 other components Derrick Hatami, Volkswagen of Americas executive vice president for sales and marketing, said: 'We often hear stories of dedicated Volkswagen owners, but there was something special about Kathleen and Annie that we felt we needed to honor. 'This isnt just a Beetle, its a member of her family, and after all the time our employees have spent with this special vehicle, we feel Annie is a part of our family as well.' Though Brooks had previously attempted to stem Annie's strains of age, the Beetle still required a great deal work. Over a period of 11 months, 60 Volkswagen engineers worked on restoring Annie to her former factory-spec glory to commemorate the 73-year-old's dedication to the car, replacing 40 per cent of its parts. The engine (shown above) was removed, cleaned and restored in places to ensure Annie continues running for another 50 years No stone was left un-turned in the restoration project, as workers delicately restored 357 original pieces of the Bug, including every sticker Brooks had placed on the back windscreen over the five decades she'd owned it. A personal touch was added to the car's seats as 'Kathleen' and 'Annie' were embroidered into the leather. The car was also completely rewired, the transmission rebuilt, the suspension updated, and the engine overhauled. Managing the unique project, engineer Augusto Zamudio explained the aim wasn't to create a museum-quality car, but to instead restore Annie to Kathleen's memory, ensuring she'd be able to drive the Bug for many years to come. The automaker also added a number of personal touches for Kathleen, including embroidered names on the car's iconic leather chairs The aim of the project wasn't to create a museum-quality car, but to instead ensure Kathleen can continue to enjoy Annie for many more years to come, said a lead engineer Kathleen was tearfully reunited with her car at the beginning of the month, declaring 'She's beautiful' at the grand reveal Engineer of the project, Augusto Zamudio, said the restoration was a 'labor of love' for all involved For Brooks, the near-year apart from her little red Beetle proved to be a testing one, as she said Annie has held 'a constant' presence in her life since she first bought her in 1966. But finally reunited at the beginning of this month, Brooks admits the wait was worth it as she turned around to see a new Annie for the second time, just as she had 50-years-earlier, tearfully declaring 'She's beautiful.' Brooks later expressed her gratitude to the VW team in an emotional letter, thanking them for taking such good care of her beloved car. 'This was a labor of love for all of us,' said Zamudio in response. 'It was emotional to see Annie go after all the time we have spent working on her, but we are happy Kathleen and her can be reunited.' Google chief executive Sundar Pichai gently chided conservative Congressman Steve King on Tuesday, when the 69-year-old lawmaker complained about a notification his grand daughter got on her iPhone. 'Congressman, the iPhone is made by a different company,' Pichai responded. Apple makes the iPhone - Google provide the operating system for Android devices. King made his complaint during Pichai's appearance before the House Judiciary Committee, where lawmakers questioned the tech CEO on privacy issues, data collection, allegations of conservative bias and the company's plans to expand to China. Congressman Steve King complained about a notification his grand daughter got on her iPhone Google chief executive Sundar Pichai told him iPhone is made by another company He is one of several Republican lawmakers who have alleged Google is biased against conservatives in its search results. President Donald Trump has made a similar complaint. King was wrapping up a soliloquy of grievances against the tech company when he ended with a story about his granddaughter and waved around an older version of the iPhone as he spoke. 'I have a seven year old granddaughter, who picked up her phone before the election and she was playing a little game - the kind of game a kid would play - and up on there pops a picture of her grandfather. 'And I'm not going to say into the record what kind of language was used around that picture but I would ask you: How does that show up on a seven-year-old's iPhone who was playing a kid's game?,' he asked Pichai. 'Congressman, the iPhone is made by a different company,' Pichai responded. Apple makes the iPhone. 'It might have been an Android,' King shot back. Android is a Google product. 'There may have been an application which was being used that had a notification,' Pichai replied. He promised to have his team follow up with the congressman's staff to get more details. The exchange came near the end of Pichai's three and half testimony before lawmakers on the House Judiciary Committee. It was his first time testifying before Congress. The hearing was dominated by questions of data collection, privacy, and allegations of bias against the search giant. There was less talk about anti-trust issues and regulations with a few queries on Google's actions in the wake of the 2016 election after it was revealed Russian nationals used online platforms to influence the election. Pichai defended his company's search practices multiple times on Tuesday in the face of questions from lawmakers on allegations of bias against conservatives. The topic came up repeatedly in the three and half the tech executive sat before lawmakers on the House Judiciary Committee. 'Our algorithms have no notion of political sentiment,' Pichai said in defense of Google's search engine, which is the most used in the world. 'We approach our work without any political bias,' he insisted. A comedian has pulled out of a student charity event after being asked to sign a contract banning him from being offensive about almost anything. Konstantin Kisin was sent a 'behavioural agreement form' which stopped him telling jokes which were not 'respectful and kind'. The form stated: 'By signing this contract, you are agreeing to our no-tolerance policy with regards to racism, sexism, classism, ageism, ableism, homophobia, biphobia, transphobia, xenophobia, Islamophobia or anti-religion or anti-atheism.' Comedian Konstantin Kisin has pulled out of a student charity event organised by Unicef On Campus society at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) Student leaders said the ban was necessary to preserve the event as a 'safe space' and a place for 'joy, love, and acceptance'. But Mr Kisin, 35, who was born in the Soviet Union, said the demand amounted to a 'threat to freedom of speech' and pulled out. The fundraising event, scheduled for January 23, is organised by the Unicef On Campus society at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), part of the University of London. Mr Kisin was one of four comedians invited to perform unpaid, with proceeds going to the UN children's charity. Politics student Fisayo Eniolorunda, the society's event organiser, wrote in the invitation: 'Attached is a short behavioural agreement form that we will ask for you to sign on the day to avoid problems.' Mr Kisin was sent a 'behavioural agreement form' which stopped him telling jokes which were not 'respectful and kind' After listing subjects covered by the no-tolerance policy, the form stated: 'It does not mean that these topics cannot be discussed. But, it must be done in a respectful and non-abusive way.' Mr Kisin wrote back saying that although he supports Unicef, he could not sign such a contract. Mr Kisin, who has lived in Britain for 20 years, said yesterday: 'I couldn't believe it. The only people who should be controlling what comedians say are comedians. This is a threat to freedom of speech and I have declined the invitation on a point of principle. A spokesman for SOAS student union said it 'does not require external speakers to sign any form of contract or behavioural agreement' 'I grew up under the Soviet Union. When I saw this letter, basically telling me what I could and couldn't say, I thought this was precisely the kind of letter a comic would have been sent there.' The SOAS student union said it 'does not require external speakers to sign any form of contract or behavioural agreement'. A spokesman said the contract had been drawn up by the Unicef On Campus society without consultation with the student union, and the society had been 'over-zealous' in its interpretation of Charity Commission guidelines. The Unicef On Campus society raises money for the charity but is not officially affiliated with it. A French father-of-two who allegedly raped his Bumble date has been hit with more sexual assault charges after two more women came forward with similar claims. In August, David Gabrielli was arrested over the alleged sexual assault of a 26-year-old woman in Maroubra, in Sydney's east, which allegedly occurred on January 30 2018. The 37-year-old was charged with multiple counts of indecent assault and aggravated sexual assault without consent over the alleged incident. David Gabrielli (pictured) was charged over the sexual assault of a 26-year-old woman in Maroubra, in Sydney's east, which allegedly occurred on January 30 2018 Gabrielli was allegedly impersonating a doctor when he met the 26-year-old victim on the dating app in January (stock) A public appeal then brought forward two other alleged victims aged 40 and 26, whom he also met on dating apps, police claimed on Monday. On Tuesday, police charged Gabrielli with two counts of indecent assault and one count of sexual assault in relation to offences allegedly committed against the 40-year-old woman. He was charged with one count each of indecent assault and detaining for advantage in relation to the 26-year-old woman's allegations. He was refused bail and will appear at Waverly Local Court on Wednesday. Gabrielli was allegedly posing as a doctor on the dating app when he met up with the 26-year-old woman earlier this year. Police allege the pair agreed to meet, before he took her to his unit and raped her. Officers claim he then took her to Mascot Railway Station, where she caught the train home and reported the alleged incident to police. He was refused bail and will appear at Waverly Local Court on Wednesday (pictured Maroubra police station) According to Nine News, Gabrielli used the name 'Doctor Dave' on Bumble and several other dating apps. During his first appearance at court back in August, Gabrielli's barrister Daniel Brezniak admitted his client met with the alleged victim but refuted the claims. 'He did have contact with the complainant but he didn't assault her,' Mr Brezniak said. 'He is entirely innocent of the charges and he wants that to be completely clear.' A Bumble spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia the app 'has a zero tolerance policy against any form of harassment or abuse.' 'The safety of our users is our number one priority and we permanently ban any users who violate our strict terms and conditions,' the spokesperson said. A giant industrial spool has come loose from a truck and barreled down a Houston freeway toward a school bus full of kids heading to the Holocaust Museum, in the third such incident there in two months. The school bus from the private Mirus Academy in Katy, Texas was heading down Interstate 610 on Friday when the students spotted the giant spool and began to panic. 'The bus driver suddenly braked. I looked up and the spool fell off the truck right in front if us,' said Principal Laura Hogan. 'It would have hit us if the bus driver hadn't acted quickly. The spool bounced across the freeway, and hit the side barrier.' The industrial spool came loose from a truck on Friday on I-610 in Houston A school bus full of children headed to the Holocaust Museum were terrified by the sight Hogan began filming after the spool rebounded off of the guard rail and began rolling down the freeway more slowly. 'Call 911 somebody' she is heard saying on the video. 'Holy cow what is that thing?' The bus driver responds 'some kind of spool' as the children chatter excitedly in the back of the bus. 'When you're taking a group of students, you don't expect a Ferris wheel to come right at you,' Hogan told ABC13 of the incident. The bus driver swerved to avoid the spool and nobody was injured in the incident The spool continued down the freeway in the third such incident in just two months It is the third such incident to take place in Houston in recent weeks. On October 25, giant spool came loose during lunchtime and rolled down I-10 near Wayside. On November 12, drivers maneuvered around two spools that came to rest on the East Freeway. Houston police say that the drivers in both incidents are cooperating and will likely be cited. A wannabe rapper and father of twins who is accused of abducting and assaulting a seven-year-old girl shared a bizarre rap on Facebook - thanking friends for 'reading his spits' A father of twins charged with kidnapping a seven-year-old girl from Kmart before sexually assaulting her in bushes previously shared a sick rap song about an ex-girlfriend who became a drug-dealing sex worker. The 26-year-old man, whose name is suppressed, appeared in court on Tuesday accused of taking the child from a Westfield shopping centre in North Lakes, north of Brisbane, and molesting her in an alleged attack that's shocked the country. The wannabe rapper, who fathered twin girls earlier this year, shared a bizarre rap on Facebook in 2013, thanking friends for 'reading his spits'. 'Had this chick but I realised she's a damm sook. Trippin out kicked her out in a heart beat. Now she's broke weighin bags in the main street (sic),' he wrote. 'Now she's trapped cause the streets have f**kin got her. Got a kid on the way now she's stressed out. All the shots of meth her heart is a mess now... you dumb s**t there's no place for you in gutter life.' He went on to blame himself that 'she got in this position', before adding: 'To this minute she's the one girl I've been missin. Short story now its (sic) time to tell the moral right. Hold your girl hold her tight be a man and treat her right.' The 26-year-old man, whose name is suppressed, appeared in court on Tuesday accused of taking a child from a Westfield shopping centre in North Lakes, north of Brisbane Detectives allege the man - who was previously seen in a photograph wearing a T-shirt reading 'only God will judge me' - approached the girl at the shopping centre on Saturday, spoke to her - and then left with the child. She was taken to nearby bushland where she was allegedly sexually assaulted, before the man took her back to the shopping centre more than hour later. The alleged abduction was mentioned in a mother's Facebook post which warned parents to keep a close eye on their children during the frantic Christmas shopping season. Other mothers who were inside the store at the time of the alleged kidnapping have revealed their own accounts of what happened. A Brisbane mother, who asked to remain anonymous, told Daily Mail Australia she was at the North Lakes Kmart with her eight-year-old daughter on Saturday and saw the man lurking inside the store and staring at her little girl. 'I never normally leave my daughter so I feel sick thinking about this,' she said. Detectives allege the man - who was previously seen in a photograph wearing a T-shirt reading 'only God will judge me' - approached the girl at the shopping centre on Saturday 'There was a guy standing there leaning on the shelf... his eyes were just fixed on my daughter and he was only an arm's length away from her. 'I called for her and then he was startled, he looked at me and walked away. Straight away, I 100 per cent had a gut feeling that something wasn't right... now that I know what happened I just feel sick.' The woman said she didn't find out about the alleged abduction until Monday. 'Now that I know what happened... I just feel sick. I had a gut instinct that guy was really creepy. I just had the worst feeling,' she said. The 26-year-old man allegedly lured the girl from her mother when she was out of sight at a Kmart store (stock image) A Brisbane mother posted about an encounter at the same Kmart store on the same day The 26-year-old man allegedly lured the girl from her mother when she was out of sight at a Kmart store on Saturday. He then allegedly drove her to bushland in Pumicestone Passage before sexually assaulting her. After the alleged assault, the girl was driven back to the shopping centre and left there. The man was arrested on Monday night and has been charged with taking a child for immoral purposes, deprivation of liberty and indecent treatment of a child under 12. The charges were mentioned at Pine Rivers Magistrate Court on Tuesday but the hearing was closed to the media. The case was adjourned until Wednesday morning. In the Facebook post which went viral, a mother shared her account of the alleged abduction. The alleged abduction was mentioned in a mother's Facebook post which warned parents to keep a close eye on their children during the frantic Christmas shopping season 'A young girl was abducted from the shop and her mum was right there. The mum was looking at something and the child was bringing toys to her mum to show her which ones she wanted for Christmas,' the post read. 'Then all of a sudden she stopped coming back so mum looked and she was gone. They searched and called police. She was gone for 1.5 hours before she was returned. 'The police searched video footage and saw a man take her and return her 1.5 hours later. She was dazed and appeared drugged. 'Please please please do not leave children even for a second... This is way too close to home for me. I am always out with the two kids and would be a perfect target when I get distracted by one child and the other doesn't have my attention.' The man's charges were mentioned at Pine Rivers Magistrate Court on Tuesday but the hearing was closed to the media Detective Superintendent Tony Fleming said staff at Westfield North Lakes assisted police in their investigation. 'Crimes in circumstances such as these are not common, but it is a timely reminder that a very small number of people could take advantage of an opportunity to harm a child,' he said. 'Children should be free to enjoy themselves, but it is important that we maintain appropriate vigilance of them and our surrounds.' A Kmart spokesman said they were aware of the incident. 'We are unable to comment further as it as an ongoing police investigation,' the spokesman said. A Westfield spokeswoman said they have been assisting Queensland Police with their inquiries. 'The safety and wellbeing of our customers and community is always our priority,' the spokeswoman said. One in four people say that they would happily volunteer if they knew how to get involved. Not knowing what voluntary opportunities were available was the leading barrier to British people giving up their time, a study found. The poll of 2,000 adults showed people have an average of 22 hours of free time a week including evenings and weekends. On average, those who were happy to volunteer would give up four hours a week if they knew about opportunities to help. We give the greatest gift of all ... time Vivien Ward, 73, a former PA from South Yorkshire, and Margaret Broadhead, 75, a retired retail store supervisor from Barnsley, both volunteer as end-of-life befrienders at Barnsley Hospital. Vivien said the fact both of her parents had died alone her father of a heart attack and her mother from cancer at a hospice had inspired her to help other families with dying relatives. Vivien Ward and Margaret Broadhead (left to right) both volunteer as end-of-life befrienders at Barnsley Hospital Of her mother, she said: 'Had I been there or known that she had someone at her side, I could have coped with her passing better. I would never, ever want another family to go through that.' Vivien said that when she heard about her hospital's Norah Newman Volunteer Project in 2016, she had to sign up. She said: 'I make tea, chat to patients, and get them anything they need. Some may not get visitors at all, for others their families have gone home for a break. 'We just chat about ordinary things, like their families or the sort of things they like to do or read. 'It isn't always a gloomy experience. Sometimes even seriously ill, end-of-life patients want to talk about anything and everything one lady chatted away to me about her love of bingo. 'In the grand scheme of things, what I do may not sound much. But it feels like the greatest gift a person can give: time and compassion.' Margaret, whose 72-year-old husband Peter died from pancreatic cancer four years ago, said the scheme had helped her stave off loneliness and depression. She added: 'As well as giving something back there's been a net benefit. I've got a new social life having made new friends with other volunteers. I really enjoy and look forward to it.' Advertisement The findings add to the growing support for the Daily Mail's NHS recruitment campaign with charity Helpforce. By last night, more than 21,600 had pledged their time to help staff and patients within the NHS. The majority around 60 per cent have signed up to volunteer for three hours a week, while the remaining numbers have committed to helping one day a month, for six months. Roy Lilley, health policy analyst and a former NHS Trust chairman, praised the Christmas appeal. He said volunteers can 'bring a lot of humanity to people at difficult times'. Roy Lilley (pictured), health policy analyst and a former NHS Trust chairman, praised the Christmas appeal Speaking on TalkRadio, he said volunteers can 'bring a lot of humanity to people at difficult times' and provide support from experience that NHS staff do not necessarily have. He explained: 'I was in Liverpool recently where there is an excellent volunteer service of people working in the bereavement services. They undergo some training but these are people who have lost family members themselves and they talk to people who have lost family members. 'They can say things like 'look, I don't know how you're feeling but I know how I felt when my mum died and let's go and have a cup of tea and talk about this'.' 'There are lot of other ways that volunteers can help directing people and walking around talking to people.' Mr Lilley said that his father had volunteered in a hospital after having open-heart surgery. He had an aortic valve replacement on the NHS and subsequently went back as a volunteer to talk to and reassure patients needing similar operations. Mr Lilley said: 'Volunteers can do an awful lot. I think this scheme, encouraging more people to come in and bring their talents, is a good thing.' Volunteers: The number of readers who've signed up to the Mail's new NHS campaign has hit 21,500 Today's survey, commissioned by charity insurer Ecclesiastical, found good causes across the country are desperate for extra volunteers at Christmas. Food distribution charity Fareshare, food bank operator the Trussell Trust, the Salvation Army and Contact the Elderly are all appealing for extra help over the festive season. Join the hospital helpforce Whatever your skills or experience, you can make a valued and lasting impact. You will join the volunteers working in hospitals or with organisations that support the NHS, such as the Royal Voluntary Service, Marie Curie, British Red Cross, and others. Join us by pledging your time in 2019 at www.hospitalhelpforce.com and clicking on the 'pledge now' box. Thank you and welcome aboard! Advertisement The research found almost half of those happy to volunteer were willing to help with tasks such as driving and mentoring. More than a third said they would be happy to raise funds while a similar number offered IT support and social media expertise. Angus Roy, of Ecclesiastical, said: 'Our research shows that there is a vast army of volunteering hours going untapped at the moment. 'If we can utilise the thousands of hours that people are willing to commit to good causes, we could significantly transform Christmas for those in need this year. With so many people clearly keen to help in so many ways, we're calling on people to find out about the opportunities that exist and help spread the word. Look around online, get in touch with a good cause close to your heart. 'Together, volunteers can make a massive difference, and this is truer than ever at Christmas.' The findings come the day after research by the Royal Voluntary Service found more than half of people believe volunteering is the most valuable gift they can give this Christmas. Four in ten would prefer someone to donate money or time to a good cause during the festive season rather than spending it on presents. Their research estimates that up to 1.2 million Britons will volunteer on Christmas Day. Australians are being warned against decorating their Christmas trees with dodgy Chinese-made lights which pose a serious fire risk. A number of light sets imported from China, and illegally sold in Australia, have been found to be a fire hazard and fail to meet local safety standards. These products are generally not Australian certified, and can easily end up causing deadly destruction. Scroll down for video Australians are being warned against using decorative Christmas lights that do not have an Australian Standards label, as poor workmanship and exposed wires can lead to house fires The most common flaw in these lights, often purchased at discount stores, include a 'bulb [that] breaks easily and exposes live parts,' Fair Trading senior investigator Glen Toole told Seven News. As a result, one broken bulb can set alight a Christmas tree, and risk burning houses down in minutes. In addition to purchasing Australian-made and certified light decorations (with an Australian Standards label), Fire and Rescue NSW recommend several ways to keep your home fire-safe over the festive season. The dangers associated with cheap poor quality Christmas lights can far outweigh any savings When setting up fairy lights and other electrical displays, it's important to use only one item per power socket and avoid overloading power boards or piggy back double adapters. For maximum safety if you use a power board, ensure it has both overload protection and earth leakage protection incorporated. In addition, users are encouraged to regularly check lights and inspect the plugs and leads of older light sets to ensure they are in good working order. It was also recommended that decorative lights were kept away from children and flammable materials such as wrapped presents under the tree, decorations or curtains, as they can become very hot. A Michigan groundskeeper who was accused of raping a teenager and killing her after he was released on bond has been sentenced to at least 20 years in prison for the sexual assault. Quinn James, 43, of Wyoming has been found guilty for sexually assaulting 15-year-old Mujey Dumbuya during the summer of 2017, but has not been convicted of her murder. James raped the then 15-year-old in a school parking lot last summer while a groundskeeper for East Kentwood Public Schools, where she was a student. James declined to address the court before being sentenced Monday to between 20 and 30 years in prison. Jurors convicted him in October of third-degree criminal sexual conduct. Mujey's mother, Fatmata Corneh, collapsed and was sobbing outside the courtroom after James was sentenced. James Quinn was sentenced Monday for raping a 15-year-old Mujey Dumbuya in 2017 at the school where she was a student and he was a groundskeeper. He was released on bond and is accused of killing her in January to prevent her from testifying Mujey Dumbuya was raped in 2017 by her school's groundskeeper. He allegedly murdered her in January and is awaiting that trial Fatmata Corneh, the mother of Mujey Dumbuya, collapsed outside the courtroom while sobbing next to her sister Najah Konneh after the sentencing of Quinn James In January, Mujey's partially clothed and strangled body was found in Kalamazoo, about 50 miles southeast of her Grand Rapids-area home. James was later charged with first-degree murder. Jurors hearing the sexual assault case were told only that Mujey was dead, not that James is charged in her death. James was free on a $100,000 cash bond, which is when he allegedly murdered Mujey to prevent her from testifying at his trial. The teen was on her way to school before she was strangled and her body dumped in woodland. Quinn James, 42, of Wyoming, (pictured right in an undated mugshot) is still charged with kidnapping Mujey Dumbuya, from Grand Rapids, Michigan, (pictured left) while she was on her way to school before strangling her and dumping the body in woodland Mujey was due to testify at James' trial in April, but went missing on January 24 after she failed to catch the school bus. Her partially clothed body was found four days later in Kalamazoo woods, about 50 miles from where she lived in Grand Rapids, and the cause of death was listed as 'asphyxia, including strangulation'. He faces life behind bars if convicted. Kentwood District Judge William Kelly had wide discretion to set the amount of James' bond over the third-degree criminal sexual conduct charge for the attack on the teen. Dumbuya's mother, Fatmata Corneh, left, is comforted by Mujey's aunt, Jainya Sannoh, as they listen to testimony during a hearing for Quinn James at Kentwood District Court on March 21 Dumbuya, who was due to testify at James' trial in April, went missing on January 24 after she failed to catch the school bus. She is pictured in an undated handout photo (left) and an image from Facebook James, left, sits with his defense attorney Jonathan Schildgen, right, during a hearing in Kentwood on March 21 Authorities picked him up on February 1 on an unrelated 2014 sexual assault charge and the bond in the case was increased to $250,000 after she died. 'When I set the $100,000 bond, Dumbuya was alive,' Judge Kelly said last month. James is still facing a trial on first-degree murder, kidnapping, and other crimes. James was employed by East Kentwood Public Schools in 2011 despite an extensive criminal career that included convictions for armed robbery and possession of a weapon as a prisoner. The school insisted they did not have access his criminal record as a juvenile. A Palo Alto middle school teacher died on Monday after police officers shot him at his home while responding to a call from his wife about his attempted suicide. Police found Frank S. Green Middle School teacher Kyle Hart, 33, at the side of his Redwood City home, wielding a butcher knife, and when they tried to stop him, he charged at them, officers told Palo Alto Online. The police, who were trained in crisis intervention, shot him and he died from those injuries. Hart's body was identified by the San Mateo County Coroner's Office on Monday evening. He leaves behind a wife, two-year-old son and newborn daughter. A GoFundMe campaign has been created for the teacher's family in the wake of his death, raising over $25,000 in just 13 hours. Palo Alto middle school teacher Kyle Hart, 33, (left) died on Monday after police officers shot him at his Redwood City home while responding to a call from his wife )second from left) about his attempted suicide. He leaves behind a wife, two-year-old son and newborn daughter Officers responded to the scene after Hart's wife called shortly after 9am Pacific on Monday and reported that her husband was attempting suicide. Initial reports seem to show that police first tried to stop Hart with a Taser 'in an attempt to immobilize' him, but did not succeed, police said. The family friend who created the fundraising campaign wrote: 'To anyone who knew him, Kyle was an incredible father, husband, son, brother, teacher, and friend. He had the biggest heart and smile, and he cared deeply for others well-being. As a middle-school teacher of social studies and English, Kyle was passionate about teaching and looked after his students, often taking note of those who needed an extra boost of confidence to thrive both in and outside of the classroom.' Greene Middle School parents were notified of Hart's death on Monday in an email. 'We understand that it may be especially difficult for our students to emotionally process the death of a member of our school community,' Greene Principal Valerie Royaltey-Quandt wrote in the message. 'The grieving process is a normal result of loss. Young people of all ages may exhibit various grief reactions and these reactions can vary from day to day.' In the email, the district let families know that counseling support and resources for students would be offered and a statement was to be read to students on Tuesday morning, encouraging them to utilize those services if needed, Superintendent Don Austin. Hart taught English and social studies at Frank S. Green Middle School (shown) for three years Hart had been a teacher at Greene for three years. The four years prior to that he spent teaching at JLS Middle School, Austin said. The officer involved in the fatal shooting has been described as a 20-year veteran of the police department, according to authorities. Hart succumbed to his injuries on Monday morning at Stanford Hospital. The investigation into the shooting remains ongoing. Anyone with information is requested to contact the San Mateo County District Attorney's Office at 650-363-4636. Greene students will have access to counselors, both individually or in groups, in the coming days and weeks. Any parents who feel their child needs additional support are urged to contact the school, Royaltey-Quandt said. For confidential support in the US, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 or click here. For confidential support on suicide matters in the UK, call the Samaritans on 08457 90 90 90, visit a local Samaritans branch or click here. For confidential support in Australia, please call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or click here. A Manhattan jury this afternoon found a nanny guilty of attempting to kill her employers' infant son by shoving a baby wipe down his throat last year. Marianne Benjamin-Williams, 47, was convicted on all counts against her, including attempted murder, assault, strangulation, reckless endangerment, possession of a forged instrument and endangering the welfare of a child in connection to the May 2017 incident that nearly claimed the life of infant Maxwell Bluetreich. The verdict comes just days after the caretaker took the witness stand in her own defense, tearfully telling the jury she did nothing to harm the child. Scroll down for video Crestfallen: Marianne Benjamin-Williams, 47, appears somber in court Tuesday after a jury found her guilty of trying to kill a baby boy with a wet wipe Benjamin-Williams shuts her eyes after being convicted on charges of attempted murder, assault and strangulation (left). A jury concluded that the nanny tried to kill two-month-old Maxwell Bluetreich in May 2017 (pictured in his sister's arms, right) Something to smile about: Assistant District Attorney Nicole Blumberg smiles at the prosecution table in Manhattan Supreme Court Tuesday The nanny is seen being led out of the courtroom in handcuffs after hearing the guilty verdict Benjamin-Williams on Thursday insisted that she did all she could to save the then-two-month-old Maxwell after he threw up during a feeding and began making wheezing noises on the afternoon of May 18, 2017, inside the Manhattan apartment of his parents, Dr Salomon Blutreich and Meredith Sondler-Bazar, and 14-month-old sister. I said, Maxy, stay with me! she quoted herself as telling the baby. During her emotional testimony, the nanny said she called the infant's investment banker mother, asking her to call 911 so that she could focus her attention on baby Maxwell because she feared he was near death, as the New York Daily News first reported. She said she poured water on the babys face and slapped him in an attempt to revive him. Benjamin-Williams claimed she performed the Heimlich maneuver for babies by slapping the two-month-old on his back, then put her finger in his month to check for any foreign objects obstructing his airway. Benjamin-Williams tearfully told a Manhattan jury on Thursday that she never harmed two-month-old Maxwell Bluetreich and instead tried to save him Prosecutors painted the defendant as a liar who altered her identification documents, inclduing her Israel passport, to make herself seem 10 younger than her real age Her doctored driver's license shows her date of birth at 1981, even though Benjamin-Williams is actually 47 years old The nanny's old Craigslist ad offering her services as a bilingual nanny is seen on the screen in court during Benjamin-Williams' trial Thursday On a related note, the nanny claimed that the deep scratches later discovered by doctors in the child's mouth, which caused heavy bleeding and required stitches, were from her fingernails. But the prosecution argued that the injuries to Maxwell's tongue were inflicted by a hard object the defendant allegedly wielded to shove the wet wipe down the baby's windpipe. Baby Maxwell was saved by hospital surgeons who removed a 'balled-up baby wipe' from the child's throat, after emergency responders found him bleeding from the mouth and struggling for air. Doctors said the wipe was stuck so far down his throat it wasn't visible at first. The nanny's defense lawyers suggested that the wipe may have been inhaled by the baby, or inserted into his mouth by his older sister. Maxwell was saved by hospital surgeons who removed a 'balled-up baby wipe' from the child's throat The nanny said she accidentally scratched the inside of the baby's mouth while sweeping for foreign objects with her fingers The nanny's defense lawyers have suggested that the wipe may have been inhaled by the baby or inserted into his mouth by his older sister Prosecutors claimed that Benjamin-Williams tried to choke the baby because she was frustrated with his fussiness and was unhappy with her pay. I never tried to kill Maxy. I never harmed Maxy, the caretaker said from the stand, later telling the court that looking after Maxwell and his sister was the best part of her day. 'I used to look forward to going to work,' she said. While Benjamin-Williams and her defense team sought to portray her as a hard worker who was dedicated to her employers' children, prosecutors painted her as a disgruntled employee and a liar who altered her identification documents to make herself seem 10 younger than her real age, and who gave Maxwell's parents fake references and a bogus home address. Williams was hired by a Manhattan doctor, Dr. Salomon Blutreich (pictured on the left in court) and his investment-banker wife, Meredith Sondler-Bazar (pictured right) The Israeli native also falsely claimed to have advanced degrees from Columbia University and the University of London. Benjamin-Williams conceded that she gave the family fake names and phone numbers of previous employers, but justified the falsehoods by saying that she was desperate to find work. Theresa May's woes deepened dramatically today as a Tory no-confidence vote was triggered. Eurosceptics have secured the 48 letters from MPs needed to force a ballot that could end the PM's time as leader. Sir Graham Brady, the chair of the powerful 1922 committee, said the threshold had been 'exceeded'. 'In accordance with the rules, a ballot will be held between 1800 and 2000 on Wednesday December 12.' They believe former Cabinet minister Owen Paterson joining the efforts to oust Mrs May in the wake of her humiliating decision to drop a Commons vote on her Brexit deal has tipped the balance. The chair of the powerful Conservative 1922 committee, Sir Graham Brady, is said to have requested a meeting with Mrs May after PMQs this lunchtime. Only he knows whether the threshold has actually reached, and he never says how many letters he has received. Mrs May's allies have repeatedly insisted she will fight any effort to oust her - but her position has weakened significantly over recent weeks and may now be under serious threat. After the premier returned to Downing Street from a frantic tour of European capitals trying to save her Brexit deal last night, chief whip Julian Smith was seen going into No10. Theresa May's woes deepened dramatically today amid signs she is on the verge of facing a Tory no-confidence vote. She is pictured in Berlin having met Chancellor Merkel Theresa May met with Michel Barnier (pictured left) and Jean-Claude Juncker during a frenetic day of travel as she scrambles to try to win concessions that will buy off Tory rebels Mrs May also held crucial talks with Angela Merkel in Berlin (pictured) earlier as she begs for help winning over furious MPs Home Secretary Sajid Javid (left) is among the contenders to challenge Theresa May, while Jacob Rees-Mogg (right) has submitted a letter of no confidence One senior Brexiteer told MailOnline Mr Paterson lining up with the rebels was a 'big moment' after the mutiny embarrassingly failed to gain traction before. 'We have had some false starts, but this looks like the green light,' they said. Previously veteran Eurosceptics have appeared unwilling to sign up to an all-out revolt, despite deep unhappiness with Mrs May's Brexit plans. The development risks throwing the government into turmoil just as Mrs May is scrambling to wring more concessions out of the EU. She spent yesterday jetting between capitals, holding talks with Dutch PM Mark Rutte in The Hague, German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin, and Donald Tusk and Jean-Claude Juncker in Brussels. Theresa May to quit: What happens next? How does a leadership election work? The election to find Theresa May's replacement is held in two stages with up to 20 Tory MPs expected to try to stand. To join the battle, any candidate requires two other MPs to sign forms agreeing to be their proposer and a seconder. The race will start on June 7 and is expected last around six weeks with the new leader in place by the end of July. Mrs May is expected to remain as Prime Minister until a successor is appointed and ready to be confirmed by the Queen. How are candidates eliminated? Conservative MPs will hold a series of head-to-head ballots to whittle the list of contenders down to a final two, with the lowest placed candidate dropping out in each round. Who votes on the final two? There will then be a series of hustings involving the two final candidates - probably in all regions of the UK - and a TV debate could also be held. It is then the Tory members across the country step in. They will then have around a fortnight to vote via postal ballot - which Mrs May avoided after rival Andrea Leadsom dropped out of the race. The last time a postal vote was held was in 2005, when David Cameron grabbed the leadership. Advertisement It is unclear whether she will stick to her plan to travel to Ireland for talks with Leo Varadkar tomorrow, and then go straight on to a crucial EU summit in the Belgian capital on Thursday and Friday. One MP said tonight that pressing ahead with the trips would have worrying echoes of Margaret Thatcher leaving the UK as she faced a leadership challenge in 1990. Mrs May can stay on if she wins the confidence ballot by just one vote - and would theoretically be immune from challenge for another 12 months. But in reality anything short of a handsome victory will make it almost impossible for her to cling on. In his letter to Sir Graham, published in The Daily Telegraph, Mr Paterson said the Prime Minister had failed to prepare for a no-deal Brexit, tried to bounce her ministers into supporting her and approached negotiations like a 'feeble and unworthy' supplicant. 'These mistakes have eroded trust in the Government, to the point where I and many others can no longer take the Prime Minister at her word,' he wrote. 'She has repeatedly said 'no deal is better than a bad deal', but it is clear her objective was to secure a deal at any cost. 'The conclusion is now inescapable that the Prime Minister is the blockage to the wide-ranging free trade agreement offered by (European Council president Donald) Tusk which would be in the best interests of the country and command the support of Parliament.' It comes just hours after a former minister warned Brexit is 'certain to fail' while she remains party leader. Steve Baker urged colleagues to be 'brave' and send letters to the powerful Conservative 1922 committee that would start the process of evicting the PM. He also insisted Mrs May should consider her own position after being forced to postpone a crunch Commons Brexit vote to avoid humiliating defeat. The brutal attack from the former Brexit minister came as the tally of MPs confirmed as having sent no-confidence letters to 1922 chair Sir Graham Brady hit 28, with Crispin Blunt adding himself to the list. There is said to have been a surge in numbers during the day, with Mr Paterson's decision apparently swaying wavering MPs. When the figure reaches 48 a formal no-confidence vote of Tory MPs is triggered, in which Mrs May would need to gain majority support to survive. The Conservative process is separate from a no-confidence vote in Parliament, where MPs of all political stripes take part. George Freeman, a former Downing Street policy chief, desperately urged MPs today not to send letters to Sir Graham, warning of the damage to party and country. The former Tory minister pleaded: 'To any colleagues thinking of signing their letter to Mr Brady to trigger a leadership election, I beg you not to. The country would never forgive us.' A leadership contest would throw Brexit as well as the Tories into turmoil. Mrs May decided earlier this week not to put her deal to a vote, accepting it would be heavily defeated. She announced she would try to secure fresh concessions on the Irish border backstop, and would hold a fresh parliamentary vote by January 21. A challenge would throw that calendar into chaos. The Prime Minister had breakfast in the Netherlands with counterpart Mark Rutte this morning before going on for her other engagements Steve Baker urged colleagues to be 'brave' and send letters to the powerful Conservative 1922 committee that would start the process of evicting the PM Jacob Rees-Mogg, chair of the European Research Group (ERG) bloc of Tory Eurosceptics (pictured today in Westminster) has been urging MPs to replace Mrs May for weeks Rivals have been brazenly jostling for position to succeed her in the Tory top job. Secretary Sajid Javid fuelled speculation he could seek to replace Mrs May by giving an extraordinary interview last night setting out his vision for the country. Boris Johnson also thrust himself into the spotlight by talking about his weight loss. Any contest would be held as soon as possible. However, with Mrs May due to be out of the country on Thursday and Friday, it might have to wait until Monday. A Tory former minister said: 'Things have really shifted in the past week and I think she would lose that vote now. 'I and others have been holding back from writing letters because of fears she would win a confidence vote, but the mood is shifting among MPs and our members.' However, Mrs May's critics remain divided on who should replace her if they succeed, with Dominic Raab and Esther McVey also often cited as candidates by Brexiteers. Mr Baker and Jacob Rees-Mogg, chair of the European Research Group (ERG) bloc of Tory Eurosceptics, have been urging MPs to replace Mrs May for weeks. But despite a big push last month they embarrassingly failed to achieve the required level of support for a challenge. Mr Rees-Mogg said yesterday that Mrs May must 'govern or quit'. And Mr Baker told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: 'Of course, we have all taken a bit of a bruising on this and it is a grave decision for every colleague to make. 'But what I would say to my colleagues is: you now face the certainty of failure with Theresa May, you must be brave and make the right decision to change prime minister, and change prime minister now.' Mrs May is on a frantic a last-ditch mission to salvage her Brexit deal today as the Tory civil war rages at home. She is meeting Dutch counterpart Mark Rutte for breakfast in the Hague, before heading for crucial talks with Angela Merkel in Berlin. Mrs May, pictured with Dutch PM Mark Rutte today, is on a frantic a last-ditch mission to salvage her Brexit deal today as the Tory civil war rages at home Who has sent letters of no confidence in May? Letters of no confidence in Theresa May are confidential - but some of her strongest critics have gone public. If 48 letters are sent a vote is called. This is who has definitely sent a letter: Jacob Rees-Mogg , North East Somerset, Jacob.reesmogg.mp@parliament.uk Steve Baker , Wycombe, steve.baker.mp@parliament.uk Sheryll Murray , South East Cornwall, sheryll.murray.mp@parliament.uk Anne-Marie Morris , Newton Abbott, annemarie.morris.mp@parliament.uk Lee Rowley , North East Derbyshire, lee.rowley.mp@parliament.uk Henry Smith , Crawley, henry.smith.mp@parliament.uk Simon Clarke , Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland, simon.clarke.mp@parliament.uk Peter Bone , Wellingborough, bonep@parliament.uk James Duddridge , Rochford and Southend East, james@jamesduddridge.com Philip Davies , Shipley, daviesp@parliament.uk Andrea Jenkyns , Morley and Outwood, andrea.jenkyns.mp@parliament.uk Andrew Bridgen , North West Leicestershire, andrew.bridgen.mp@parliament.uk Nadine Dorries , Mid Bedfordshire, dorriesn@parliament.uk Laurence Robertson , Tewkesbury, robertsonl@parliament.uk Martin Vickers , Cleethorpes, martin.vickers.mp@parliament.uk Ben Bradley , Mansfield, ben.bradley.mp@parliament.uk Adam Holloway , Gravesham, hollowaya@parliament.uk John Whittingdale , Maldon, john.whittingdale.mp@parliament.uk Maria Caulfield , Lewes, maria.caulfield.mp@parliament.uk Mark Francois , Rayleigh and Wickford, mark.francois.mp@parliament.uk David Jones , Clwyd West, david.jones@parliament.uk Marcus Fysh , Yeovil, marcus.fysh.mp@parliament.uk Chris Green , Bolton West, chris.green.mp@parliament.uk Zac Goldsmith , Richmond Park, zac@zacgoldsmith.com Bill Cash , Stone, cashw@parliament.uk Philip Hollobone , Kettering, philip.hollobone.mp@parliament.uk Andrew Lewer, Northampton South, andrew.lewer.mp@parliament.uk Crispin Blunt , Reigate, crispinbluntmp@parliament.uk Owen Paterson , Shropshire Patersono@parliament.uk Advertisement A Canadian judge granted US$7.4million bail to 46-year-old Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou on Tuesday in court in British Columbia. Wanzhou was arrested December 1 in Vancouver on a US warrant over alleged sanctions violations A Canadian judge has granted bail to a top Chinese executive facing possible extradition to the US, it was announced Tuesday evening. After three days of hearings, Meng Wanzhou was released on bail of C$10million (US$7.4million) - on the condition she surrender her two passports and agree to wear an ankle bracelet. She will have to stay in Vancouver and its suburbs and confine herself to one of her two Vancouver homes from 11pm to 6am. The chief financial officer of telecommunications giant Huawei - and daughter of its founder - had asked for bail in exchange for putting up her husband, children and C$11million in real estate as sureties. Wanzhou was detained at the request of the US during a layover at the Vancouver airport on December 1 - the same day that Presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping of China agreed to a 90-day cease-fire in a trade dispute that threatens to disrupt global commerce. Justice William Ehrcke granted her bail Tuesday evening, according to the Associated Press. Justice William Ehrcke of the British Columbia Supreme Court (seen top left) granted bail to Wanzhou (right in green) on the condition that she surrender her two passports, agree to wear an ankle monitor and stay in Vancouver and its suburbs under a court-issued curfew Wanzhou's husband Liu Xiaozong, right, is seen arriving at the courthouse ahead of his wife's bail hearing on Tuesday morning After the news of the Wanzhou's release broke, President Trump indicated that the move - which is expected to placate angry Chinese officials - could be part of a broader trade deal with China. When asked if he would intervene with the Justice Department in her case, Trump told Reuters: 'Whatevers good for this country, I would do. 'If I think its good for what will be certainly the largest trade deal ever made which is a very important thing whats good for national security I would certainly intervene if I thought it was necessary.' Trump also said the White House has spoken with the Justice Department about the case, as well as Chinese officials. 'They have not called me yet. They are talking to my people. But they have not called me yet,' he said when asked if he has spoken to Chinese President Xi Jinping about the case. Wanzhou (left) speaks with lawyer David Martin (right) in court during a bail hearing Monday. The 46-year-old had asked for bail in exchange for putting up her husband, children and $11million in real estate as sureties Wanzhou's lawyer called her treatment 'inhumane', claiming she should be freed soon because she suffers hypertension The lawyer for Wanzhou said his team worked overnight Monday to make changes to its bail plan to help satisfy concerns that have been raised about her release. David Martin said the defense contacted four potential sources to offer sureties for Huawei's CFO and prepared affidavits after the judge and a federal prosecutor questioned whether Wanzhou's husband would be a suitable person to ensure she complies with any bail conditions. Martin said one person who is proposed to offer a financial guarantee is a realtor who met Wanzhou in 2009 and sold two properties to the couple. The man has pledged his home, valued at C$1.8million (US$1.3million), and said he understands he would lose it if Wanzhou violated the conditions of her release. Former Canadian diplomat working for an NGO is 'detained in China' amid rising tensions between Beijing, Washington and Ottawa over arrested Huawei executive A former Canadian diplomat has been detained in China, two sources said on Tuesday, and his current employer, the International Crisis Group, said it was seeking his prompt and safe release. Michael Kovrig's detention comes after police in Canada arrested the chief financial officer of China's Huawei Technologies Co Ltd on Dec. 1 at the request of U.S. authorities, a move that infuriated Beijing. It was not immediately clear if the cases were related, but the arrest of Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou in Vancouver has stoked fears of reprisals against the foreign business community in China. 'International Crisis Group is aware of reports that its North East Asia Senior Adviser, Michael Kovrig, has been detained in China,' the think-tank said in a statement. 'We are doing everything possible to secure additional information on Michael's whereabouts as well as his prompt and safe release,' it added. China's Foreign Ministry and Ministry of Public Security did not respond immediately to questions faxed earlier about Kovrig's detention. The exact reason for the detention was not immediately clear. The Canadian embassy declined to comment, referring queries to Ottawa. Calls to Kovrig's phones were not answered. Kovrig, a Mandarin speaker, has been working as a full-time expert for the International Crisis Group since February 2017. From 2003 to 2016, he worked as a diplomat with stints in Beijing and Hong Kong, among others, according to his profile on LinkedIn. Advertisement Martin also read from the affidavit of another man who said he worked at Huawei in China in the mid-1990s and got to know Wanzhou on a personal level. He vouched for Wanzhou's character to comply with any conditions imposed by the British Columbia Supreme Court and has pledged C$500,000 (US$373,000) from the equity on his home in Vancouver, which is valued at C$1.4million (US$1million). Ehrcke questioned whether Liu Xiaozong could provide a surety because he is on a six-month visitor's visa to Canada and the form to provide the financial guarantee says it must be provided by a resident of British Columbia. A surety is a guarantor responsible for ensuring she meets bail terms and who would legally be liable to pay fines if she did not. Wanzhou said she has ties to Vancouver going back 15 years. She and her husband Xiaozong own two homes in the city, and she even had a Canadian permanent residency permit that she has since renounced. Xiaozong, said to be Wanzhou's second husband, used to be Huawei's representative in Mexico, according to a recent column on Shanghai's Jiefang Daily newspaper. He currently works as the chairman of Depu Education, a private international school in China's Chongqing city, the article claimed. It is rumored that the school, aimed to recruit children from rich Chinese families, was co-founded by Wanzhou and Xiaozong with an investment of 1 billion yuan (US$145million). Xiaozong, who was at the hearing, has offered the residences and C$1million in cash - for a total value of C$15million (US$11million) - as a surety for his wife's release, the court heard. However a Canadian judge yesterday voiced doubts that Xiaozong could act as Wanzhou's 'surety' - a guarantor responsible for ensuring she meets bail terms and who would legally be liable to pay fines if she did not. The issue of the surety was central to the postponing of the hearing on Monday - with Ehrcke saying he would not make a decision until both sides addressed 'the necessity and/or strong desirability of a surety being a resident of the province.' Xiaozong, whose visitor visa expires in February, is a risky surety from the prosecutors point of view because he is not a resident of Canada and therefore may not be present for the extradition proceedings which may last years. The US wants Wanzhou to face allegations of fraud as it says Huawei used unofficial subsidiary Skycom to do business with Iranian telecommunications companies between 2009 and 2014 in violation of sanctions. Wanzhou has denied the allegations through her lawyer in court, promising to fight them if she is extradited for face charges in the United States. The case has fueled US-China trade tensions and roiled financial markets. The US has accused Huawei of using a Hong Kong shell company to sell equipment to Iran in violation of US sanctions. It also says Wanzhou and Huawei misled banks about the company's business dealings in Iran. Liu Xiaozong (left), husband of Meng Wanzhou, Huawei's chief financial officer arrives at a Vancouver, British Columbia courthouse following a break in the bail hearing for his wife on Monday, December 10 In response to the bail hearings, China slammed the 'inhumane' treatment of Wanzhou, amid reports of her ill-health. The country's foreign minister on Tuesday also vowed to protect its citizens abroad. Beijing will 'spare no effort' to protect against 'any bullying that infringes the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese citizens,' Foreign Minister Wang Yi said at a conference in Shanghai. Wang didn't mention the 46-year-old Huawei executive, but a ministry spokesman, Lu Kang, said Wang was referring to cases of all Chinese abroad, including Wanzhou. Huawei is the second-largest smartphone creator in the world. Wanzhou is alleged to have conspired in helping Huawei avoid US sanctions on Iran. Martin has said she should be granted bail before her extradition hearing because of severe hypertension and concerns about her health. In a 55-page sworn affidavit, Wanzhou said she has been treated in hospital for hypertension since her arrest. 'I continue to feel unwell and I am worried about my health deteriorating while I am incarcerated,' the affidavit read. Wanzhou also said she had suffered numerous health problems, including surgery for thyroid cancer in 2011. Chinese Foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang expressed fury over Wanzhou's treatment, citing China's state-run Global Times newspaper as reporting that 'it seems that the Canadian detention facility is not offering her the necessary health care.' 'We believe this is inhumane and violates her human rights,' Lu said at a regular press briefing. Canadian Crown prosecutor John Gibb-Carsley has asked for bail to be denied, saying Wanzhou faces serious criminal accusations of fraud and poses a flight risk. Wanzhou is specifically accused of lying to bankers about Huawei's use of a covert subsidiary to sell to Iran, putting multinational banks at risk of breaching US sanctions, and incurring severe penalties. 'Underneath the core of the fraud, a financial institution in the US is being induced to violate sanctions against Iran,' Gibb-Carsley said. If convicted, she faces more than 30 years in prison. The extradition process could take months, even years, if appeals are made in the case. 'I wish to remain in Vancouver to contest my extradition and I will contest the allegations at trial in the US if I am ultimately surrendered,' she said. Martin told the court: 'Given her unique profile as the face of a Chinese corporate national champion, if she were to flee or breach her order in any way in these very unique circumstances, it does not overstate to say she would embarrass China itself.' He had a tracking bracelet on hand in case she was immediately released. Stocks have fallen as tensions between the US and China soar as China demands the release of telecom giant Huawei's CFO (and founder's daughter) after she was arrested for 'violating U.S. sanctions on Iran' 'Someone here on a visitor's visa is not a resident of B.C. It's as simple as that, isn't it?' Justice Ehrcke asked David Martin in court. Ehrcke said he was unsure how Xiaozong could serve as his wife's surety if he had no authority order that Liu to remain in Canada. 'It would be a frustrating and unfortunate exercise if I were to make an order and then you find that there is no suitable surety,' Ehrcke said. 'If the conditions can't be fulfilled, she's held in custody so I'm thinking ahead to make sure that you don't find yourself potentially in that situation.' Wanzhou's arrest has rocked stock markets and inflamed tensions amid a truce in the US-China trade war. Analysts say the incident - the same day that presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping agreed to a 90-day tariffs truce - could be used as a bargaining chip in trade negotiations between the United States and China. White House counselor Kellyanne Conway slammed incoming Democratic lawmaker Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Tuesday, calling her 'this 29-year-old congresswoman who doesn't seem to know much about anything.' Her put down of the progressive star, who became a national figure when she beat New York Rep. Joe Crowley in their primary campaign, comes a day after Ocasio-Cortez accused outgoing White House Chief of Staff John Kelly of 'cowardice.' Conway began with a defense of Kelly before she turned her fury on Ocasio-Cortez. White House counselor Kellyanne Conway slammed incoming Democratic lawmaker Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez She was reacting to Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez accusing John Kelly of 'cowardice' 'He is in his fifth decade of public service and this country owes him a debt of gratitude, not the nonsense that's been spewed about him even recently from the left and from this 29-year-old congresswoman who doesn't seem to know much about anything when you ask her basic concepts about the economy, the Middle East, military funding, really embarrassing,' she said on 'Fox & Friends.' 'And for her to even use a slur against him yesterday and I won't repeat of name of the slur but let me stand up for General John Kelly, he's done a magnificent job for this country for almost 50 years and that includes here at the White House as our chief of staff for about a year and a half,' Conway added. Ocasio-Cortez on Monday said Kelly should apologize to Rep. Frederica Wilson, who, in remarks at the White House, he called an 'empty barrel' and accused her of grandstanding at a Florida event by taking credit for securing federal funding for a new building. His attack proved to be inaccurate. 'John Kelly was straight up exposed for lying about @RepWilson in comments aimed at discrediting her,' she wrote on Twitter on Monday. 'He absolutely owes her an apology, and his refusal to do so isn't a sign of strength - it's cowardice.' In October, after Kelly made his remarks, Wilson was the subject of multiple threats and was unable to cast votes in Congress for a week. Video of the event showed that Kelly's attack on Wilson was wrong. Instead, Wilson had talked about her bill that helped fast-track the naming of the building after two slain FBI agents. Critics have leaped on several misstatements from the incoming lawmaker. In a July, Ocasio-Cortez called Israel's presence in the West Bank, a Palestinian territory, as an 'occupation.' She later walked back the comment. Ocasio-Cortez is calling on Kelly to apologize to Rep. Frederica Wilson for an attack on her that proved to be false Kellyanne Conway praised the outgoing chief of staff's service to the nation In November, former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin slammed Ocasio-Cortez when the incoming congresswoman said there were three chambers of Congress (there are two: the House and the Senate). She tried to correct herself. 'If we work our butts off to make sure that we take back all three chambers of Congress - Uh, rather, all three chambers of government: the presidency, the Senate, and the House,' Ocasio-Cortez said. But her correction was incorrect: the three chambers are government are the White House, Congress, and the Supreme Court. Theresa May won her Tory confidence vote after promising not to lead the party into the 2022 general election. These are some of the leading contenders to replace her: Boris Johnson - 7/2 How did they vote on Brexit? Led the Vote Leave campaign alongside Michael Gove. What is their view now? Hard line Brexiteer demanding a clean break from Brussels. The former foreign secretary is violently opposed to Theresa May's Chequers plan and a leading voice demanding a Canada-style trade deal. What are their chances? Mr Johnson's biggest challenge could be navigating the Tory leadership rules. He may be confident of winning a run-off among Tory members but must first be selected as one of the top two candidates by Conservative MPs. Now rated as favourite by the bookies, Boris Johnson's (pictured leaving parliament last night) biggest challenge will be navigating the Tory leadership rules Dominic Raab - 9/2 How did they vote on Brexit? Leave, with a second tier role campaigning for Vote Leave. What is their view now? Mr Raab was installed as Brexit Secretary to deliver the Chequers plan but sensationally resigned last month saying the deal was not good enough. What are their chances? His resignation from the Cabinet put rocket boosters under Mr Raab's chances, fuelling his popularity among the hardline Brexiteers. May struggle to overcome bigger beasts and better known figures. Newly installed as Brexit Secretary, Dominic Raab (pictured on Tuesday) is trying to negotiate Theresa May's Brexit deal Sajid Javid - 5/1 How did they vote on Brexit? Remain but kept a low profile in the referendum. What is their view now? Pro delivering Brexit and sceptical of the soft Brexit options. What are their chances? Probably the leading candidate from inside the Cabinet after his dramatic promotion to Home Secretary. Mr Javid has set himself apart from Mrs May on a series of policies, notably immigration. Sajid Javid (pictured leaving the Houses of Parliament this evening) is probably the leading candidate from inside the Cabinet after his dramatic promotion to Home Secretary Michael Gove - 7/1 How did they vote on Brexit? Leave What is their view now? He has said Theresa May's Chequers blueprint for Brexit is the 'right one for now'. But he recently suggested a future prime minister could alter the UK-EU relationship if they desired. What are their chances? He came third in the first round of voting in 2016, trailing behind ultimate winner Theresa May and Andrea Leadsom. Mr Gove has said it is 'extremely unlikely' that he would stand again. But he popular in the party and is seen as an ideas man and a reformer by many, and he could change his mind if Theresa May is shown the door. Michael Gove appeared to rule himself out of the race in recent days, but he ran last time and is popular among many in the party. He is pictured outside the Houses of Parliament today Jeremy Hunt - 7/1 How did they vote on Brexit? Remain. What is their view now? The Foreign Secretary claims the EU Commission's 'arrogance' has made him a Brexiteer. What are their chances? Another top contender inside Cabinet, Mr Hunt's stock rose during his record-breaking stint at the Department of Health and won a major promotion to the Foreign Office after Mr Johnson's resignation. Widely seen as a safe pair of hands which could be an advantage if the contest comes suddenly. Jeremy Hunt's stock rose during his record-breaking stint at the Department of Health and won a major promotion to the Foreign Office after Mr Johnson's resignation David Davis - 10/1 How did they vote on Brexit? Leave. What is their view now? Leave and a supporter of scrapping Mrs May's plan and pursuing a Canada-style trade deal with the EU. What are their chances? The favoured choice of many hard Brexiteers. Seen as a safer pair of hands than Mr Johnson and across the detail of the current negotiation after two years as Brexit Secretary. He could be promoted a caretaker to see through Brexit before standing down. Unlikely to be the choice of Remain supporters inside the Tory Party - and has been rejected by the Tory membership before, in the 2005 race against David Cameron. David Davis (pictured outside the Houses of Parliament today) is seen as a safer pair of hands than Mr Johnson and across the detail of the current negotiation after two years as Brexit Secretary Amber Rudd - 14/1 How did they vote on Brexit? Remain. Represented Britain Stronger in Europe in the TV debates. What is their view now? Strongly remain and supportive of a second referendum - particularly given a choice between that and no deal. What are their chances? Popular among Conservative MPs as the voice of Cameron-style Toryism, Ms Rudd is still seen as a contender despite resigning amid the Windrush scandal - and she was boosted further by her return to Cabinet as Work and Pensions Secretary on Friday night. She is badly hampered by having a tiny majority in her Hastings constituency and would not be able to unite the Tory party in a sudden contest over the Brexit negotiation. Popular among Conservative MPs as the voice of Cameron-style Toryism, Amber Rudd (pictured leaving parliament this evening) is still seen as a contender despite resigning amid the Windrush scandal Jacob Rees-Mogg - 14/1 How did they vote on Brexit? Leave. What is their view now? Leave and recently branded Theresa May's Brexit U-turn a 'humiliation' which has left her deal 'defeated'. What are their chances? As chair of the European Research Group (ERG) bloc of Tory Eurosceptics he has been urging MPs to replace Mrs May for weeks. Pro-Brexit supporter, Conservative MP Jacob Rees-Mogg, walks through members of the media and anit-brexit demonstrators as he walks near to the Houses of Parliament in London yesterday Penny Mordaunt - 14/1 How did they vote on Brexit? Leave. What is their view now? Leave and subject of persistent rumour she could be the next to quit Cabinet over Mrs May's Brexit deal. What are their chances? Possible dark horse in the contest, Ms Mordaunt is not well known to the public but is seen as a contender in Westminster. Known to harbour deep concerns about Mrs May's Brexit deal, but has stopped short of resigning from Cabinet. Possible dark horse in the contest, Penny Mordaunt (pictured in Downing Street) is not well known to the public but is seen as a contender in Westminster Andrea Leadsom - 16/1 How did they vote on Brexit? Leave. What is their view now? Ms Leadsom said in late November that she was backing the withdrawal agreement struck with Brussels because it 'delivered' on the referendum result. What are their chances? Leader of the Commons since June, Andrea Leadsom found herself at the centre of controversy in the 2016 leadership campaign when comments she made were interpreted as a claim that she would be a better PM than Mrs May because she was a mother. Asked recently whether Mrs May was the right person to be leading the country, she said she is 'at the moment'. Andrea Leadsom, Leader of the House of Commons, arrives at Downing Street on Thursday last week Gavin Williamson - 33/1 How did they vote on Brexit? Remain. What is their view now? Mr Williamson tweeted today: 'The Prime Minister has my full support. She works relentlessly hard for our country and is the best person to make sure we leave the EU on 29 March and continue to deliver our domestic agenda.' What are their chances? He backed Remain in the referendum and pledged his support for Mrs May in the 2016 leadership contest but has since been mentioned as a potential future Tory leader. A Canadian judge has granted bail to Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou, who was arrested on a US warrant in Vancouver on December 1 A Canadian judge has granted bail to a top Chinese executive facing possible extradition to the US, it was announced Tuesday evening. Meng Wanzhou was released on $7.4million bail on the condition she surrender her two passports, agree to wear an ankle bracelet and stay in Vancouver. The chief financial officer of telecommunications giant Huawei - and daughter of its founder - had asked for bail in exchange for putting up her husband, children and $11million in real estate as sureties. Wanzhou was detained at the request of the US during a layover at the Vancouver airport on December 1 - the same day that Presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping of China agreed to a 90-day cease-fire in a trade dispute that threatens to disrupt global commerce. Justice William Ehrcke granted her bail Tuesday evening, according to the Associated Press. The lawyer for Wanzhou says his team worked through the night to make changes to its bail plan to help satisfy concerns that have been raised about her release. David Martin says they contacted four potential sources to offer sureties for Huawei's CFO and prepared affidavits after the judge and a federal prosecutor questioned whether Wanzhou's husband would be a suitable person to ensure she complies with any bail conditions. Martin says one person who is proposed to offer a financial guarantee is a realtor who met Wanzhou in 2009 and sold two properties to the couple. The man has pledged his home, valued at $1.8million Canadian (US$1.3 million), and says he understands he would lose it if Wanzhou violated the conditions of her release. Justice William Ehrcke of the British Columbia Supreme Court (seen top left) will announce on Tuesday whether to grant bail to Wanzhou (seen on the right wearing a green shirt) Martin also read from the affidavit of another man who says he worked at Huawei in China in the mid-1990s and got to know Wanzhou on a personal level. He is vouching for Wanzhou's character to comply with any conditions imposed by the B.C. Supreme Court and has pledged $500,000 Canadian (US$373,000) from the equity on his home in Vancouver, which is valued at $1.4 million Canadian ($1 million). Ehrcke questioned whether Liu Xiaozong could provide a surety because he is on a six-month visitor's visa to Canada and the form to provide the financial guarantee says it must be provided by a resident of British Columbia. A surety is a guarantor responsible for ensuring she meets bail terms and who would legally be liable to pay fines if she did not. Wanzhou said she has ties to Vancouver going back 15 years. She and her husband Xiaozong own two homes in the city, and she even had a Canadian permanent residency permit that she has since renounced. Xiaozong, said to be Wanzhou's second husband, used to be Huawei's representative in Mexico, according to a recent column on Shanghai's Jiefang Daily newspaper. Xiaozong currently works as the chairman of Depu Education, a private international school in China's Chongqing city, the article claimed. It is rumored that the school, aimed to recruit children from rich Chinese families, was co-founded by Wanzhou and Xiaozong with an investment of 1 billion yuan (116 million). Xiaozong, who was at the hearing, has offered the residences and $1million in cash - for a total value of $15million ($11million U.S.) - as a surety for his wife's release, the court heard. However a Canadian judge yesterday voiced doubts that Xiaozong could act as Wanzhou's 'surety' - a guarantor responsible for ensuring she meets bail terms and who would legally be liable to pay fines if she did not. The issue of the surety was central to the postponing of the hearing on Monday - with Ehrcke saying he would not make a decision until both sides addressed 'the necessity and/or strong desirability of a surety being a resident of the province.' Xiaozong, whose visitor visa expires in February, is a risky surety from the prosecutors point of view because he is not a resident of Canada and therefore may not be present for the extradition proceedings which may last years. Meng Wanzhou (left), Huawei's chief financial officer, speaks with lawyer David Martin in court as she seeks bail. The US wants Wanzhou to face allegations of fraud as it says Huawei used unofficial subsidiary Skycom to do business with Iranian telecommunications companies between 2009 and 2014 in violation of sanctions. Wanzhou has denied the allegations through her lawyer in court, promising to fight them if she is extradited for face charges in the United States. The case has fueled U.S.-China trade tensions and roiled financial markets. The US has accused Huawei of using a Hong Kong shell company to sell equipment to Iran in violation of U.S. sanctions. It also says Wanzhou and Huawei misled banks about the company's business dealings in Iran. In response to the bail hearings, China slammed the 'inhumane' treatment of Wanzhou, amid reports of her ill-health. The country's foreign minister on Tuesday also vowed to protect its citizens abroad. Beijing will 'spare no effort' to protect against 'any bullying that infringes the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese citizens,' Foreign Minister Wang Yi said at a conference in Shanghai. Wang didn't mention the 46-year-old Huawei executive, but a ministry spokesman, Lu Kang, said Wang was referring to cases of all Chinese abroad, including Wanzhou. Her lawyer has called her treatment 'inhumane', claiming she should be freed soon because she suffers hypertension Huawei is the second-largest smartphone creator in the world. Wanzhou is alleged to have conspired in helping Huawei avoid US sanctions on Iran. Former Canadian diplomat working for an NGO is 'detained in China' amid rising tensions between Beijing, Washington and Ottawa over arrested Huawei executive A former Canadian diplomat has been detained in China, two sources said on Tuesday, and his current employer, the International Crisis Group, said it was seeking his prompt and safe release. Michael Kovrig's detention comes after police in Canada arrested the chief financial officer of China's Huawei Technologies Co Ltd on Dec. 1 at the request of U.S. authorities, a move that infuriated Beijing. It was not immediately clear if the cases were related, but the arrest of Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou in Vancouver has stoked fears of reprisals against the foreign business community in China. 'International Crisis Group is aware of reports that its North East Asia Senior Adviser, Michael Kovrig, has been detained in China,' the think-tank said in a statement. 'We are doing everything possible to secure additional information on Michael's whereabouts as well as his prompt and safe release,' it added. China's Foreign Ministry and Ministry of Public Security did not respond immediately to questions faxed earlier about Kovrig's detention. The exact reason for the detention was not immediately clear. The Canadian embassy declined to comment, referring queries to Ottawa. Calls to Kovrig's phones were not answered. Kovrig, a Mandarin speaker, has been working as a full-time expert for the International Crisis Group since February 2017. From 2003 to 2016, he worked as a diplomat with stints in Beijing and Hong Kong, among others, according to his profile on LinkedIn. Advertisement Martin has said she should be granted bail before her extradition hearing because of severe hypertension and concerns about her health. In a 55-page sworn affidavit, Wanzhou said she has been treated in hospital for hypertension since her arrest. 'I continue to feel unwell and I am worried about my health deteriorating while I am incarcerated,' the affidavit read. Wanzhou also said she had suffered numerous health problems, including surgery for thyroid cancer in 2011. Chinese Foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang expressed fury over Wanzhou's treatment, citing China's state-run Global Times newspaper as reporting that 'it seems that the Canadian detention facility is not offering her the necessary health care.' 'We believe this is inhumane and violates her human rights,' Lu said at a regular press briefing. Canadian Crown prosecutor John Gibb-Carsley has asked for bail to be denied, saying Wanzhou faces serious criminal accusations of fraud and poses a flight risk. Wanzhou is specifically accused of lying to bankers about Huawei's use of a covert subsidiary to sell to Iran, putting multinational banks at risk of breaching US sanctions, and incurring severe penalties. 'Underneath the core of the fraud, a financial institution in the U.S. is being induced to violate sanctions against Iran,' Gibb-Carsley said. If convicted, she faces more than 30 years in prison. The extradition process could take months, even years, if appeals are made in the case. 'I wish to remain in Vancouver to contest my extradition and I will contest the allegations at trial in the US if I am ultimately surrendered,' she said. Martin told the court: 'Given her unique profile as the face of a Chinese corporate national champion, if she were to flee or breach her order in any way in these very unique circumstances, it does not overstate to say she would embarrass China itself.' He had a tracking bracelet on hand in case she was immediately released. Liu Xiaozong (left), husband of Meng Wanzhou, Huawei's chief financial officer arrives at a Vancouver, British Columbia courthouse following a break in the bail hearing for his wife on Monday, December 10 Stocks have fallen as tensions between the US and China soar as China demands the release of telecom giant Huawei's CFO (and founder's daughter) after she was arrested for 'violating U.S. sanctions on Iran' 'Someone here on a visitor's visa is not a resident of British Columbia. It's as simple as that, isn't it?' Justice Ehrcke asked David Martin in court. Ehrcke said he was unsure how Xiaozong could serve as his wife's surety if he had no authority order that Xiaozong to remain in Canada. 'It would be a frustrating and unfortunate exercise if I were to make an order and then you find that there is no suitable surety,' Ehrcke said. 'If the conditions can't be fulfilled, she's held in custody so I'm thinking ahead to make sure that you don't find yourself potentially in that situation.' Wanzhou's arrest has rocked stock markets and inflamed tensions amid a truce in the US-China trade war. Analysts say the incident - the same day that presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping agreed to a 90-day tariffs truce - could be used as a bargaining chip in trade negotiations between the United States and China. Sir Nicholas (pictured at today's Defence Committee) oversaw the end of Operation Banner in Northern Ireland Sir Nicholas Parker served in the British Armed forces from 1973 to 2013 and was active in Sierra Leone, Iraq, Bosnia, Afghanistan and Northern Ireland. He was commissioned into the Royal Green Jackets as a second lieutenant in 1974 and promoted to full lieutenant the next year. The soldier was mentioned on Despatches in 1980 for his service in Northern Ireland in 1979. He became a captain in 1980 and a major in 1986. After being deployed to Bosnia in 1999 and Sierra Leone to advise the country's president in 2001, he was sent to Iraq as deputy commanding general of the Multi-National Corps from 2005 to 2006. He took charge of Operation Banner in 2006 and was responsible for reducing the UK's troop commitment in the country, closing bases in Bessbrook and County Armagh before the operation concluded in 2007. Sir Nicholas was awarded the American Legion of Merit in the same year 'in recognition of gallant and distinguished services during coalition operations in Afghanistan. His son, Harry, lost both legs after being seriously wounded while serving in Afghanistan. 11:40 A.M. EST THE PRESIDENT: Okay, thank you very much. It's a great honor to have Nancy Pelosi with us and Chuck Schumer with us. And we've actually worked very hard on a couple of things that are happening. Criminal justice reform -- as you know, we've just heard word -- got word that Mitch McConnell and the group, we're going to be putting it up for a vote. We have great Democrat support, great Republican support. So, criminal justice reform, something that people have been trying to get -- how long, Nancy? Many years. HOUSE SPEAKER-DESIGNATE PELOSI: A long time. THE PRESIDENT: Many, many years. Looks like it's going to be passing, hopefully -- famous last words -- on a very bipartisan way. And it's really something we're all very proud of. And again, tremendous support from Republicans and tremendous support from Democrats. And I think it's going to get a very good vote. And we'll see soon enough. But it will be up for a vote very shortly. A lot of years they've been waiting for it. The other thing, the farm bill is moving along nicely. And I guess they'll be voting on Friday or so. But pretty close. SENATE MINORITY LEADER SCHUMER: Soon. Soon. HOUSE SPEAKER-DESIGNATE PELOSI: (Inaudible.) THE PRESIDENT: And we think the farm bill is in very good shape. A lot of good things are happening with it, and our farmers are well taken care of. And again, that will be quite bipartisan and it will happen pretty soon. And then we have the easy one, the wall. That will be the one that will be the easiest of all. What do you think, Chuck? Maybe not? SENATE MINORITY LEADER SCHUMER: It's called 'funding the government,' Mr. President. THE PRESIDENT: (Laughs.) So we're going to see. But I will tell you, the wall will get built. We'll see what happens. It is not an easy situation because the Democrats have a different view, I think, than -- I can say -- the Republicans. We have great Republican support. We don't have Democrat support. But we're going to talk about that now. We're going to see. One thing that I do have to say is: Tremendous amounts of wall have already been built, and a lot of -- a lot of wall. When you include the renovation of existing fences and walls, we've renovated a tremendous amount and we've done a lot of work. In San Diego, we're building new walls right now. And we've -- right next to San Diego, we've completed a major section of wall and it's really worked well. So, a lot of wall has been built. We don't talk about that, but we might as well start, because it's building -- it's being built right now, big sections of wall. And we will continue that. And one way or the other, it's going to get built. I'd like not to see a government closing, a shutdown. We will see what happens over the next short period of time. But the wall is a very important thing to us. I might put it a different way. Border security is extremely important, and we have to take care of border security. When you look at what happened with the caravans, with the people, with a lot of -- we shut it down; we had no choice. We shut it down. But it could be a lot easier if we had real border security. I just want to pay my respects to the Border Patrol agents and officers. They've been incredible. The ICE agents and officers, they've been incredible. And very importantly, our military. Our military went in and they did an incredible job. They have been really, really spectacular. A lot of the people that wanted to come into the country, and really, they were to come in no matter how they wanted to come in -- they were going to come in even in a rough way -- many of these people are leaving now and they're going back to their countries: Honduras, Guatemala, El Salvador, and other countries. They're leaving. If you noticed, it's getting a lot less crowded in Mexico. And a lot of them are going to stay in Mexico, and the Mexican government has been working with us very well. So we appreciate that. But they haven't been coming into our country. We can't let people come in that way. So that's pretty much it. We're going to talk about the wall. I wanted to talk about criminal justice reform, just to let you know how positive that is. I want to talk about the farm bill, how positive that is. And I want to talk about the wall. And I will tell you, it's a tough issue because we are in very opposite sides of -- I really think I can say 'border security,' but certainly the wall. But the wall will get built. A lot of the wall is built. It's been very effective. I asked for a couple of notes on that. If you look at San Diego, illegal traffic dropped 92 percent once the wall was up. El Paso, illegal traffic dropped 72 percent, then ultimately 95 percent, once the wall was up. In Tucson, Arizona, illegal traffic dropped 92 percent. Yuma, it dropped illegal traffic 95 to 96 percent. I mean -- and when I say 'dropped,' the only reason we even have any percentage where people got through is because they walk and go around areas that aren't built. It dropped virtually 100 percent in the areas where the wall is. So, I mean, it's very effective. If you really want to find out how effective a wall is, just ask Israel -- 99.9 percent effective. And our wall will be every bit as good as that, if not better. So we've done a lot of work on the wall; a lot of wall is built. A lot of people don't know that. A lot of wall is renovated. We have walls that were in very bad condition that are now in A1 tip-top shape. And, frankly, some wall has been reinforced by our military. Our military has done a fantastic job. So the wall will get built, but we may not -- we may not have an agreement today. We probably won't. But we have an agreement on other things that are really good. Nancy, would you like to say something? HOUSE SPEAKER-DESIGNATE PELOSI: Well, thank you, Mr. President, for the opportunity to meet with you so that we can work together in a bipartisan way to meet the needs of the American people. I think the American people recognize that we must keep government open, that a shutdown is not worth anything, and that you should not have a Trump shutdown. You have the White House -- THE PRESIDENT: Did you say 'Trump' -- oh, oh. HOUSE SPEAKER-DESIGNATE PELOSI: A 'Trump shutdown.' You have the White House -- THE PRESIDENT: I was going to call it a 'Pelosi shutdown.' HOUSE SPEAKER-DESIGNATE PELOSI: You have the Senate. You have the House of Representatives. You have the votes. You should pass it right now. THE PRESIDENT: No, we don't have the votes, Nancy, because in the Senate, we need 60 votes and we don't have it. HOUSE SPEAKER-DESIGNATE PELOSI: No, no, but in the House, you could bring it up right now, today. THE PRESIDENT: Yeah, but I can't -- excuse me. But I can't get it passed in the House if it's not going to pass in the Senate. I don't want to waste time. HOUSE SPEAKER-DESIGNATE PELOSI: Well, the fact is you can get it started that way. THE PRESIDENT: The House we can get passed very easily, and we do. HOUSE SPEAKER-DESIGNATE PELOSI: Okay, then do it. Then do it. THE PRESIDENT: But the problem is the Senate, because we need 10 Democrats to vote, and they won't vote. HOUSE SPEAKER-DESIGNATE PELOSI: No, no, that's not the point, Mr. President. The point is -- THE PRESIDENT: It's sort of the point. HOUSE SPEAKER-DESIGNATE PELOSI: -- that there are equities to be weighed. And we are here to have a conversation -- THE PRESIDENT: Correct. HOUSE SPEAKER-DESIGNATE PELOSI: -- in a careful way. So I don't think we should have a debate in front of the press on this. But the fact is, the House Republicans could bring up this bill, if they had the votes, immediately, and set the tone for what you want. THE PRESIDENT: If we thought we were going to get it passed in the Senate, Nancy, we would do it immediately. We would get it passed very easily in the House. HOUSE SPEAKER-DESIGNATE PELOSI: No, that's not the point. That's not the point. THE PRESIDENT: Nancy, I'd have it passed in two seconds. It doesn't matter, though, because we can't get it passed in the Senate because we need 10 Democrat votes. That's the problem. HOUSE SPEAKER-DESIGNATE PELOSI: Well, again, let us have our conversation -- THE PRESIDENT: That's right. HOUSE SPEAKER-DESIGNATE PELOSI: -- and then we can meet with the press again. But the fact is, is that legislating -- which is what we do -- THE PRESIDENT: Right. HOUSE SPEAKER-DESIGNATE PELOSI: -- you begin, you make your point, you state your case. That's what the House Republicans could do, if they had the votes. But there are no votes in the House, a majority of votes, for a wall -- no matter where you start. SENATE MINORITY LEADER SCHUMER: That is exactly right. You don't have the votes in the House. THE PRESIDENT: If I needed the votes for the wall in the House, I would have them -- in one session, it would be done. HOUSE SPEAKER-DESIGNATE PELOSI: Well, then go do it. Go do it. THE PRESIDENT: It doesn't help because we need 10 Democrats in the Senate. HOUSE SPEAKER-DESIGNATE PELOSI: No, don't put it on the Senate. Put it on the negotiation. THE PRESIDENT: Okay, let me ask you this. Just -- and we're doing this in a very friendly manner. It doesn't help for me to take a vote in the House, where I will win easily with the Republicans -- HOUSE SPEAKER-DESIGNATE PELOSI: You will not win. THE PRESIDENT: It doesn't help to take that vote because I'm not going to get the vote of the Senate. HOUSE SPEAKER-DESIGNATE PELOSI: Well, don't blame it on the Senate, Mr. President. THE PRESIDENT: I need 10 senators. That's the problem. HOUSE SPEAKER-DESIGNATE PELOSI: Mr. President, you have the White House, you have the Senate. THE PRESIDENT: I have the White House. HOUSE SPEAKER-DESIGNATE PELOSI: You have the House of Representatives. THE PRESIDENT: The White House is done. And the House would give me the vote if I wanted it. But I can't because I need -- HOUSE SPEAKER-DESIGNATE PELOSI: But you can't -- you can't -- THE PRESIDENT: Nancy, I need 10 votes from Chuck. SENATE MINORITY LEADER SCHUMER: All right, let me say something here. HOUSE SPEAKER-DESIGNATE PELOSI: Mr. President, let me -- let me just say one thing. The fact is you do not have the votes in the House. THE PRESIDENT: Nancy, I do. And we need border security. HOUSE SPEAKER-DESIGNATE PELOSI: Well, let's take the vote and we'll find out. THE PRESIDENT: Nancy. Nancy. We need border security. It's very simple. HOUSE SPEAKER-DESIGNATE PELOSI: Of course we do. THE PRESIDENT: We need border security. HOUSE SPEAKER-DESIGNATE PELOSI: We do. THE PRESIDENT: People are pouring into our country, including terrorists. We have terrorists. We caught 10 terrorists over the last very short period of time. Ten. These are very serious people. Our border agents, all of our law enforcement has been incredible what they've done. But we caught 10 terrorists. These are people that were looking to do harm. We need the wall. We need -- more important than anything, we need border security, of which the wall is just a piece. But it's important. Chuck, did you want to say something? SENATE MINORITY LEADER SCHUMER: Yeah. Here's what I want to say: We have a lot of disagreements here. The Washington Post today gave you a whole lot of Pinocchios because they say you constantly misstate how much the wall is -- how much of the wall is built and how much is there. But that's not the point here. We have a disagreement about the wall -- THE PRESIDENT: Well, the Washington Post -- (laughs) -- SENATE MINORITY LEADER SCHUMER: -- whether it's effective or it isn't. Not on border security, but on the wall. We do not want to shut down the government. You have called 20 times to shut down the government. You say, 'I want to shut down the government.' We don't. We want to come to an agreement. If we can't come to an agreement, we have solutions that will pass the House and Senate right now, and will not shut down the government. And that's what we're urging you to do. Not threaten to shut down the government -- THE PRESIDENT: Chuck -- SENATE MINORITY LEADER SCHUMER: -- because you -- THE PRESIDENT: You don't want to shut down the government, Chuck. SENATE MINORITY LEADER SCHUMER: Let me just finish. Because you can't get your way. THE PRESIDENT: Because the last time you shut it down you got killed. SENATE MINORITY LEADER SCHUMER: Yeah. Let me say something, Mr. President. You just say, 'My way, or we'll shut down the government.' We have a proposal that Democrats and Republicans will support to do a CR that will not shut down the government. We urge you to take it. THE PRESIDENT: And if it's not good border security, I won't take it. HOUSE SPEAKER-DESIGNATE PELOSI: It is good border security. SENATE MINORITY LEADER SCHUMER: It is very good border security. THE PRESIDENT: And if it's not good border security, I won't take it. HOUSE SPEAKER-DESIGNATE PELOSI: It's actually what the border security asked for. SENATE MINORITY LEADER SCHUMER: It's what the border -- THE PRESIDENT: Because when you look at these numbers of the effectiveness of our border security, and when you look at the job that we're doing with our military -- SENATE MINORITY LEADER SCHUMER: You just said it is effective. THE PRESIDENT: Can I be -- can I tell you something? SENATE MINORITY LEADER SCHUMER: Yeah, you just said it's effective. THE PRESIDENT: Without a wall -- these are only areas where you have the walls. SENATE MINORITY LEADER SCHUMER: We want to do this -- THE PRESIDENT: Where you have walls, Chuck, it's effective. Where you don't have walls, it is not effective. HOUSE SPEAKER-DESIGNATE PELOSI: Wait a second. Let's call a halt to this. SENATE MINORITY LEADER SCHUMER: Yeah. HOUSE SPEAKER-DESIGNATE PELOSI: Let's call a halt to this. We've come in here as the first branch of government: Article I, the legislative branch. We're coming in, in good faith, to negotiate with you about how we can keep the government open. SENATE MINORITY LEADER SCHUMER: Open. THE PRESIDENT: We're going to keep it open -- HOUSE SPEAKER-DESIGNATE PELOSI: The American -- THE PRESIDENT: -- if we have border security. HOUSE SPEAKER-DESIGNATE PELOSI: The American -- THE PRESIDENT: If we don't have border security, Chuck -- HOUSE SPEAKER-DESIGNATE PELOSI: I'm with you. THE PRESIDENT: -- we're not going to keep it open. HOUSE SPEAKER-DESIGNATE PELOSI: I'm with you. We are going to have border security. SENATE MINORITY LEADER SCHUMER: And it's the same border HOUSE SPEAKER-DESIGNATE PELOSI: Effective border security. SENATE MINORITY LEADER SCHUMER: You're bragging about what has been done. THE PRESIDENT: By us. SENATE MINORITY LEADER SCHUMER: We want to do the same thing we did last year, this year. That's our proposal. If it's good then, it's good now, and it won't shut down the government. THE PRESIDENT: Chuck, we can build a much bigger section with more money. SENATE MINORITY LEADER SCHUMER: Let's debate -- HOUSE SPEAKER-DESIGNATE PELOSI: We have taken -- SENATE MINORITY LEADER SCHUMER: Let's debate in private. HOUSE SPEAKER-DESIGNATE PELOSI: We have taken this conversation -- SENATE MINORITY LEADER SCHUMER: Okay? THE PRESIDENT: Okay. SENATE MINORITY LEADER SCHUMER: Yeah. HOUSE SPEAKER-DESIGNATE PELOSI: -- to a place that is devoid, frankly, of fact. And we can dispel that. THE PRESIDENT: We need border security. And I think we all agree that we need border security. SENATE MINORITY LEADER SCHUMER: Yes, we do. THE PRESIDENT: Is that right? SENATE MINORITY LEADER SCHUMER: We do. THE PRESIDENT: See? We get along. Thank you, everybody. Q (Inaudible), Mr. President. You say border security and the wall. Can you have border security without the wall? There's a commonality on border security. THE PRESIDENT: No, you need the wall. The wall is a part of border security. Q Are you re-defining what it means to have border security? SENATE MINORITY LEADER SCHUMER: Yes. THE PRESIDENT: Yeah. We need border security. The wall is a part of border security. You can't have very good border security without the wall, no. HOUSE SPEAKER-DESIGNATE PELOSI: That's simply not true. That is a political promise. Border security is a way to effectively honor our responsibilities. SENATE MINORITY LEADER SCHUMER: And the experts say you can do border security without a wall, which is wasteful and doesn't solve the problem. THE PRESIDENT: It totally solves the problem. HOUSE SPEAKER-DESIGNATE PELOSI: Again, but I don't want to take this -- THE PRESIDENT: And it's very important. HOUSE SPEAKER-DESIGNATE PELOSI: Unfortunately, this has spiraled downward from -- we came at a place to say, 'How do we meet the needs of American people who have needs?' The economy has -- people are losing their jobs. The market is in a mood. Our members are already (inaudible). THE PRESIDENT: Well, we have the lowest unemployment that we've had in 50 years. HOUSE SPEAKER-DESIGNATE PELOSI: Sixty people of the Republican Party have lost -- are losing their offices now because of the transition. People are not -- the morale is not -- THE PRESIDENT: And we've gained in the Senate. Nancy, we've gained in the Senate. HOUSE SPEAKER-DESIGNATE PELOSI: The morale -- THE PRESIDENT: Excuse me. Did we win the Senate? HOUSE SPEAKER-DESIGNATE PELOSI: -- is not (inaudible). THE PRESIDENT: We won the Senate. HOUSE SPEAKER-DESIGNATE PELOSI: When the President brags that he won North Dakota and Indiana, he's in real trouble. THE PRESIDENT: I did. HOUSE SPEAKER-DESIGNATE PELOSI: Let me say this. THE PRESIDENT: We did win North Dakota. HOUSE SPEAKER-DESIGNATE PELOSI: This is the most unfortunate thing. We came in here in good faith, and we are entering into this kind of a discussion in the public view. THE PRESIDENT: But it's not bad, Nancy. HOUSE SPEAKER-DESIGNATE PELOSI: Let us -- no, but it's -- THE PRESIDENT: It's called transparency. HOUSE SPEAKER-DESIGNATE PELOSI: I know. But it's not transparency when we're not stipulating to a set of facts. And when we wanted to have a debate with you about saying we'd confront some of these facts -- THE PRESIDENT: You know what? We need border security. HOUSE SPEAKER-DESIGNATE PELOSI: -- without saying to the public, 'This isn't true.' THE PRESIDENT: That's what we're going to be talking about: border security. If we don't have border security, we'll shut down the government. This country needs border security. HOUSE SPEAKER-DESIGNATE PELOSI: We agree with that. THE PRESIDENT: The wall is a part of border security. HOUSE SPEAKER-DESIGNATE PELOSI: (Inaudible.) THE PRESIDENT: Let's have a talk. We're going to get the wall built and we've done a lot of wall already. Q Mr. President, how big a part of border security is the wall? Is that the -- THE PRESIDENT: It's a big section. It's a big part of it. Q Is it everything that you need? THE PRESIDENT: It's a big part of it. We need to have effective border security. We need a wall in certain parts -- no, not in all parts -- but in certain parts of a 2,000-mile border, we need a wall. Q How much money, Mr. President? THE PRESIDENT: We are doing it much under budget. We're actually way under -- Q (Inaudible) this conversation. THE PRESIDENT: -- budget on the areas that we've renovated and areas that we've built. I would say if we got -- Q Do you still need the -- THE PRESIDENT: -- if we got $5 billion, we could do a tremendous chunk of wall. Q Is that mandatory? Q Would you accept less though? And are your guests conversely willing to offer more? THE PRESIDENT: Well, we're going to see. We're going to see. Look, we have to have the wall. This isn't a question; this is a national emergency. Drugs are pouring into our country. People with tremendous medical difficulty and medical problems are pouring in, and in many -- in many cases, it's contagious. They're pouring into our country. We have to have border security. We have to have a wall as part of border security. And I don't think we really disagree so much. I also know that, you know, Nancy is in a situation where it's not easy for her to talk right now, and I understand that. And I fully understand that. We're going to have a good discussion and we're going to see what happens. HOUSE SPEAKER-DESIGNATE PELOSI: Mr. President -- THE PRESIDENT: But we have to have border security. HOUSE SPEAKER-DESIGNATE PELOSI: Mr. President, please don't characterize the strength that I bring to this meeting as the Leader of the House Democrats who just won a big victory. But let me -- SENATE MINORITY LEADER SCHUMER: Elections have consequences, Mr. President. HOUSE SPEAKER-DESIGNATE PELOSI: Let me just say -- THE PRESIDENT: That's right. And that's why the country is doing so well. HOUSE SPEAKER-DESIGNATE PELOSI: Let me say this: What the President is representing in terms of his cards over there are not factual. We have to have to an evidence-based conversation about what does work, what money has been spent, and how effective it is. This isn't about -- this is about the security of our country. We take an oath to protect and defend, and we don't want to have that mischaracterized by anyone. And we are -- THE PRESIDENT: I agree with that. HOUSE SPEAKER-DESIGNATE PELOSI: -- that we are -- THE PRESIDENT: No, no I agree with that. HOUSE SPEAKER-DESIGNATE PELOSI: -- we are (inaudible). So let us have a conversation where we don't have to contradict, in public, the statistics that you put forth but instead can have a conversation about what would really work and what the American people deserve from us at this uncertain time in their lives, where they have apprehension. SENATE MINORITY LEADER SCHUMER: The one thing I think we can agree on is we shouldn't shut down the government over a dispute. And you want to shut it down. You keep talking about it. There may be some small hope for the future of the Great Barrier Reef, after experts found that corals can become resistant to bleaching. Corals are bleached by warming waters when the heat kills a specific bacteria that lives inside them and provides essential nourishment. Scientists have found that corals bleached in 2016 as a result of rising sea temperatures were more resistant to rising temperatures the following year. They described the reef's response as a 'silver lining' for the embattled ecosystem. The northern part of the reef was worst affected in 2016 but research found that the surviving corals bleached 'much less' in 2017. The scientists were 'astonished' to find less bleaching because the temperatures were more extreme than the year before. Scroll down for video Scientists have said on Tuesday that they found a silver lining for the embattled ecosystem. Corals that survived bleaching from rising sea temperatures were more resistant to hot conditions the following year Professor Terry Hughes of James Cook University has been leading the surveys to highlight the damage to the reef from coral bleaching events in 1998, 2002, 2016 and 2017. 'We were astonished to find less bleaching in 2017, because the temperatures were even more extreme than the year before,' Professor Hughes said. They found that 61 per cent of individual reefs had been severely bleached at least once and that only 7 per cent of the Great Barrier Reef has escaped bleaching since 1998. In 2016, some reefs lost almost all their coral colour but those that survived were found to be more resilient, even when exposed to more extreme conditions. 'We were astonished to find less bleaching in 2017, because the temperatures were even more extreme than the year before,' Professor Hughes said. 'This was partly due to the mass deaths of of more susceptible species, while hardier corals survived.' He explained that dead corals don't bleach for a second time but those that survived were 'the tougher species.' The 2,300-kilometre (1,400-mile) World Heritage-listed reef off Australia's northeastern coast was hit by back-to-back bleaching in 2016 and 2017. Bleaching occurs when warmer sea temperatures cause corals to expel tiny photosynthetic algae, draining them of their colour The study said that the results highlight the need to understand the strengthening interactions among species in climate-driven events. This highlights the accelerating and cumulative impacts of disturbance on vulnerable ecosystems. 'Climate change is radically altering the frequency, intensity and spatial scale of severe weather events,' the study said. he northern part of the reef was worst affected in 2016 but the research has found that the surviving corals bleached 'much less' in 2017. The scientists were 'astonished' to find less bleaching because the temperatures were more extreme than the year before WHAT IS CLIMATE CHANGE DOING TO OUR OCEANS? Climate change will contribute to ocean acidification, according to the National Ocean Service. This change can be attributed to higher levels of greenhouse gases emerging as a result of human activities. Climate change affects the ocean in a variety of ways. It can cause sea levels to rise and coral in the sea to be smothered. Climate change can also affect the ocean's currents and cause 'murky' water conditions with reduced amounts of light, according to the National Ocean Service. The organization has provided the following tips for lowering the amount of damage done to the oceans: Eat sustainable seafood. Refrain from dumping household chemicals into storm drains. Drive as little as possible. Recycle. Print less. Help with beach cleanups. Advertisement 'As the time interval shrinks between recurrent shocks, the responses of ecosystems to each new disturbance are increasingly likely to be contingent on the history of other recent extreme events.' The 2,300-kilometre (1,400-mile) World Heritage-listed reef off Australia's northeastern coast was hit by back-to-back bleaching in 2016 and 2017. Bleaching occurs when abnormal environmental conditions, such as warmer sea temperatures, cause corals to expel tiny photosynthetic algae, draining them of their colour. Corals can recover if the water temperature drops and the algae are able to recolonise them. Swathes of coral died or were damaged in the unprecedented successive events, particularly the more heat-susceptible branching corals that are shaped like tables. Hughes said it was too early to say whether the reef -- the world's largest living structure -- could be hit by another bleaching event in early 2019, after a spring heatwave in adjacent Queensland state. Global coral reefs risk catastrophic die-offs if Earth's average surface temperature increases 2 degrees C (36 F) above pre-industrial levels, earlier research has shown. Coral reefs make up less than one percent of Earth's marine environment, but are home to an estimated 25 per cent of ocean life, acting as nurseries for many species of fish. The full findings were published in Nature Climate Change. Apple is under fire for a blunder on its latest emoji. The iPhone maker is guilty of designing a squid emoji that, according to several experts, is anatomically incorrect. The error stems from the placement of the squid's siphon, a muscular structure that helps with respiration, propulsion and excreting waste. Scroll down for video Apple is under fire for a blunder on its latest emoji. The iPhone maker is guilty of designing a squid emoji that, according to several experts, is anatomically incorrect Siphons are usually located on the rear side of a squid's mantle. But in this case, Apple placed it in between the squid emoji's eyes - resulting in a 'weirdo nose,' as the Monterey Bay Aquarium put it. The controversy stemmed from tweets published by the Monterey Bay Aquarium late last week, which took issue with the emoji. In a series of clever tweets, the aquarium wrote: 'Apple's squid emoji is upside down.' 'The siphon should be behind the head...It just looks like a weirdo nose,' the Monterey Bay Aquarium added. Siphons are located on the rear side of a squid's mantle (pictured). In this case, Apple placed it in between the emoji's eyes - resulting in a 'weirdo nose,' as the Monterey Bay Aquarium noted The original tweet calling out the emoji was retweeted hundreds of times and was liked by nearly 2,000 users. The emoji was subsequently scrutinized by a variety of experts, including one who said the design goof would be akin to if a human had a 'butt on [their] forehead.' 'The way they move is with jet propulsion,' Sarah McAnulty, a squid expert and PhD candidate at the University of Connecticut, told Gizmodo. | __ | Not even squidding | | the siphon should \ / be behind the head | rn it just looks like a weirdo nose: / | pic.twitter.com/4RdkSIKurM Monterey Bay Aquarium (@MontereyAq) December 5, 2018 'So basically, they take a bunch of water into their mantle and then use their muscular torso muscles, kind of, to squeeze it through a hole that's called the siphon, or the funnel.' McAnulty added that she and other squid experts made fun of the anatomical error. 'I didn't want to say anything for fear of it getting taken away,' McAnulty said. Many users took Apple to task - a few with some particularly cringe-worthy puns - on Twitter. As Gizmodo pointed out, per the Unicode Consortium rules, this emoji will stay the way that it is for a whole two years before it's fixed. It also seems that one of Apple's designers is to blame for the error, as other emoji representations of the squid don't feature siphons. For example, Google, Facebook and Microsoft's squid emoji emit a siphon entirely. It's not the first time Apple has encountered some backlash with its animal emoji. One of Apple's designers is to blame for the error, as other emoji representations of the squid don't feature siphons. Pictured is Microsoft's squid emoji (left) and Facebook's emoji (right) Pictured is Google's squid emoji. As Gizmodo pointed out, per the Unicode Consortium rules, Apple's squid emoji will stay the way that it is for a whole two years before it's fixed Many are frustrated over the fact that Apple's octopus emoji only has four legs, while a previous version of its lobster emoji featured six legs, before it was later corrected to have the correct number of eight legs. And that's after Apple just overcame its infamous 'bagelgate,' which involved the outrage over its bagel emoji which many claimed looked too 'stale.' The firm went on to correct it by adding an appropriately realistic smear of cream cheese. Biometric screening is expanding to the rental car industry. Hertz said Tuesday it is teaming up with Clear, the maker of biometric screening kiosks found at many airports, in an effort to slash the time it takes to pick up a rental car. Clear hopes it will lead more travelers to its platform, which has 3 million members in the U.S. It's the latest place consumers will find biometric technology, which has migrated over the last 50 years from secure government facilities and banks to airports, stadiums and even smartphones that unlock with the touch a fingerprint. Hertz is the first rental car company to use the technology. In a first for the rental car industry, Hertz is teaming up with Clear, the maker of biometric screening kiosks found at many airports and stadiums. Hertz says the partnership will slash the time it takes to pick up a rental car Improvements in cameras and other technology have made it cheaper to install scanners that can read fingerprints, faces, and irises. More than 100 airports worldwide use biometric readers from Clear, Vision-Box and other companies to scan passengers. Walt Disney World verifies visitors' identity by scanning fingerprints. And the advancements will likely keep coming. Microsoft is working with Australia's national bank on cardless ATM machines that would let people withdraw cash using a facial scan and personal identification number. Universities in London and Copenhagen have on-campus groceries that let students pay with their finger. Some laptops can now be unlocked with a fingerprint scan. Hertz with Clear launched their biometrics scans this week at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. It will be rolled out to 40 more U.S. Hertz locations next year, including John F. Kennedy Airport in New York, San Francisco International Airport and Los Angeles International Airport. Hertz Gold Plus Rewards loyalty program members with access to Clear will be able to bypass the counter, pick up their car and head to the exit gate. There, Clear pods equipped with cameras and touchscreens can read their face or their fingerprints. If they match up with Hertz's reservation data, the gate will open. Hertz will have at least one lane dedicated to Clear members at each location. Above, a rental car driver demonstrates a new biometric scanning machine by placing his finger on the reader at the Hertz facility at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, in Atlanta Hertz President and CEO Kathy Marinello expects Clear to shave 1.5 minutes off what's now a two-minute checkout process. 'In the world of travel, I think time is of the essence,' she said. The service is free for members of the Gold Plus Rewards program, which also has no fee. Travelers can sign up for Clear at a Hertz location. To upgrade to airport service, which promises to move Clear members through security lines more quickly, travelers must pay a monthly fee of $15. Clear says it's the first time it will be identifying members based on their face instead of their iris or their fingerprints. Clear CEO Caryn Seidman-Becker says the cameras can take measurements and identify minute differences in facial features. Amil Jain, a professor at Michigan State University who researches biometrics, says facial screenings work by comparing an original photo to a new one. That could be tough in a rental car lane, where the lighting may differ substantially and drivers could be wearing makeup or winter scarves that change their features. 'If you don't do the biometrics right, you'll turn off the customer more,' he said. But biometric scanning done well could be more robust and secure than having an employee see if a driver's face matches their license, he said. Jain doesn't think customers need to be particularly worried about facial scans. He points out that millions of people have shared photos of their faces on Facebook and other platforms already. But Justin Brookman, director of consumer privacy and technology for Consumer Reports, said consumers should think twice before sharing personal identifiers. 'Once your biometric data gets leaked or compromised, you can't really do anything about it,' he said. 'The more people who potentially have it, the more potential for things to go bad.' Travelers can sign up for Clear at a Hertz location. To upgrade to airport service, which promises to move Clear members through security lines more quickly, travelers must pay a monthly fee of $15 Seidman-Becker said Clear will not sell or share the data it collects. She noted that the company has been certified by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. But Jeramie Scott, the national security counsel for the Electronic Privacy Information Center, said sharing biometric data is still risky, because there are no federal laws governing the collection, use and retention of biometric data. 'An individual might sign up for one use only to find out that down the road their data is being used in another manner,' he said. Marinello said Clear approached Hertz about the partnership and Hertz agreed to pay for the installation of the Clear pods. HOW DOES FACIAL RECOGNITION TECHNOLOGY WORK? Facial recognition software works by matching real time images to a previous photograph of a person. Each face has approximately 80 unique nodal points across the eyes, nose, cheeks and mouth which distinguish one person from another. A digital video camera measures the distance between various points on the human face, such as the width of the nose, depth of the eye sockets, distance between the eyes and shape of the jawline. A different smart surveillance system (pictured) can scan 2 billion faces within seconds has been revealed in China. The system connects to millions of CCTV cameras and uses artificial intelligence to pick out targets. The military is working on applying a similar version of this with AI to track people across the country This produces a unique numerical code that can then be linked with a matching code gleaned from a previous photograph. A facial recognition system used by officials in China connects to millions of CCTV cameras and uses artificial intelligence to pick out targets. Experts believe that facial recognition technology will soon overtake fingerprint technology as the most effective way to identify people. Advertisement Marinello wouldn't say how much Hertz is investing, but said the company expects to recoup that through increased customers and return visits. Hertz has been eager to adopt new technology and partner with other companies in an effort to prove there is still a future in rental cars despite pressure from ride-hailing companies and self-driving cars. It's a partner with Volvo in an autonomous driving incubator in Israel, for example. Clear, too, has been trying to boost its membership through partnerships after Seidman-Becker bought it out of bankruptcy in 2010. Delta Air Lines bought a 5 percent stake in the company in 2016 and offers discounted Clear membership rates for its frequent fliers. Astronauts aboard the International Space Station have a treat to look forward to after successfully taking delivery of their Christmas dinner. The three-strong team will be treated to smoked turkey, a green bean casserole, candied yams, cranberry sauce and fruitcake. The delivery was sent via Elon Musk's SpaceX Dragon capsule and was received by Commander Alexander Gerst. Musk's astro-firm SpaceX worked with NASA to ship the delivery, which also included shortbread and biscuits with tubes of icing for decoration. In addition to the food the Dragon delivered 40 mice and 36,000 worms for a science experiment and more than 5,000 pounds of other station equipment. Scroll down for video The delivery was sent via Elon Musk's SpaceX Dragon capsule, pictured here carrying the Christmas dinner during the launch, and was received by Commander Alexander Gerst three days later. Musk's astro-firm SpaceX worked with NASA to ship the delivery Commander Alexander Gerst used the ISS's giant robotic arm to grab the cargo and bring it on board. A first attempt at delivery failed due to difficulties with communications equipment, causing the Dragon to be too far away from the arm for it to capture the payload. Writing on Twitter, the official International Space Station's account wrote: 'The @SpaceX #Dragon blasted off today at 1:16pm ET on a three-day ride to the space station. 'The cargo craft will deliver over 5,600 pounds of science, supplies and hardware to the Exp 57 crew when it arrives.' There are currently six astronauts at the ISS after three arrived in a successful launch earlier this week, leaving three on board for Christmas day. Although the three - Anne McClain, David Saint-Jacques and Oleg Kononenko - will be returning back to Earth for the holiday season on December 20th. They joined NASA's crew on the space station, Serena Aunon-Chancellor, Russian Sergei Prokopyev and German Alexander Gerst. Before their return, they are spending their time doing research and experiments in biology, Earth science, physical sciences and technology. Astronauts including Commander Alexander Gerst, pictured in the ISS, have successfully received a delivery of their Christmas dinner. The three-strong team will be treated to smoked turkey, a green bean casserole, candied yams, cranberry sauce and fruitcake The space station has housed astronauts every Christmas since 2000. Since then, astronauts have dressed up in Santa hats, decorate the ISS with a small Christmas tree and stockings, and enjoy a Christmas dinner Much of the menu is made up of vacuum-packed, dehydrated food, which is prepared by adding water and heat in space. They'll use a specialised piece of equipment called the space food re-hydrator, which uses water left over as a by-product of the space station's fuel cells In addition to the Christmas dinner, the Dragon delivered 40 mice and 36,000 worms for a science experiment and more than 5,000 pounds of other station equipment. Pictured: The International Space Station Over the years, astronauts have dressed up in Santa hats, decorate the ISS with a small Christmas tree and stockings, and enjoy a Christmas dinner. NASA says that family members also pack 'psychological support kits,' or goodie bags sent from home. Kits may be full of videos, games and books but they can also contain chocolate bars and other treats that make it easier to be away from home over the holidays. Aboard the International Space Station, Expedition 42 Commander Barry Wilmore and Flight Engineer Terry Virts of NASA offered their thoughts and best wishes to the world on Christmas in 2014 The delivery was sent via SpaceX Dragon capsule, owned by Elon Musk, pictured, and was received by Commander Alexander Gerst three days later. Musk's astro-firm worked with NASA to ship the delivery, which also included shortbread and biscuits The space station has housed astronauts every Christmas since 2000; crew members are afforded time off to celebrate the holiday each year. Much of the menu is made up of vacuum-packed, dehydrated food, which is prepared by adding water and heat in space. They use a space food re-hydrator, which uses water left over as a by-product of the space station's fuel cells. Astronauts can also enjoy condiments like ketchup, mayonnaise and mustard, as well as salt and pepper. However, the salt and pepper are suspended in liquid to make sure the particles don't float off into the air and clog up any equipment. But sadly for the cosmonauts, there' be no booze on board: alcohol for consumption is strictly forbidden, unless it's related specifically to an experiment. An ancient statue discovered in a margarine tub at a farmer's house in rural Oxfordshire was among the treasures found by the British public last year. The figure of the Roman goddess of wisdom Minerva was rediscovered in a container by a hobbying metal detectorist. The statue, which had been languishing in the margarine tub for years, was just one of 1,267 treasures found by Britain's army of hobbyists in 2017. An ancient statue uncovered in a margarine tub at a farmer's house in rural Oxfordshire is among the treasures revealed to the world by the British public Minerva was the Roman goddess of wisdom and healing (as well as the arts, commerce, strategy and magic). She is generally depicted with weapons or with an owl. Metal detectorist Len Jackman, 66, found the Romano-British bronze piece neglected in a margarine tub of artefacts at a farmer friend's house in rural Oxfordshire. The unvalued statue had been in the tub for years before Mr Jackman noticed it and took it to be assessed. He said: 'It was in this margarine tub, in a room by the kitchen. 'I thought it was something. I was going to get my own finds valued, and he said 'you might as well take that as well'. I said 'I think you'll be getting a phone call'. 'You could see it was Roman. You could tell by the weight. 'There is a thrill. When you've found something, you could be the first person to hold something in thousands of years.' The figure of the Roman goddess of wisdom Minerva (pictured) was rediscovered in a container by a hobbying metal detectorist The statue, which had been languishing in the margarine tub for years, was just one of 1,267 treasures found by Britain's army of hobbyists in 2017. Pictured is the inside mechanism of post-Medieval silver pocket watch found in Buckinghamshire Arts minister Michael Ellis thanked the public for their contributions as he announced the figures from the Portable Antiquities Annual report. A total of 78,000 archaeological items, some classified as treasure, were logged in 2017 alone. The report found 93 per cent of these were found by metal detectorists. Objects like the statute of Minerva have been brought to light in remarkable circumstances. Pictured is the post-Medieval silver pocket watch from Buckinghamshire. A total of 78,000 archaeological items, some classified as treasure, were logged in 2017 alone Pictured is the outside case of the silver pocket watch. The thrill has driven 1.5 per cent of the UK population to take part in metal detecting, according to the arts minister The thrill has driven 1.5 per cent of the UK population to take part in metal detecting, according to the arts minister. Such enthusiasts have found a Bronze age gold bulla in the Shropshire marshes, which has been dated at 3,500 years old. A lamp originating in Africa which made its way to Roman-era Britain was also dredged from the Thames by mudlarks. Mr Ellis welcomed their work and announced that a consultation would take place on how to accommodate the increasing numbers of antiquities being unearthed by a growing number of enthusiasts. Such enthusiasts have found a Bronze age gold bulla (pictured) in the Shropshire marshes, which has been dated at 3,500 years old Pictured is the bulla found in Shropshire. Norfolk was the county which recorded the most finds by those searching for objects, followed by Lincolnshire then Suffolkframe Speaking at the British Museum, he said: 'Being out of the House Of Commons is a good thing at the moment. We have quite a few fossils over there. Whether they would be classified as treasures is another thing altogether. 'The Roman statue of Minerva found in a food container. It was found by knowledge. That expertise has enriched us all. 'I want to thank everyone involved in the treasure process. It brings home to me how close we are to the people of the past. We can relate to them.' The minister called on those involved with unearthing treasures to suggest ways to improve the system by which they are officially recorded, as the numbers taking part in metal detecting have reached a reported 1.5 per cent of the population. Norfolk was the county which recorded the most finds by those searching for objects, followed by Lincolnshire then Suffolk. A new 'Santa ATM' checks your tweets to decide whether you've been naughty or nice this year. To use the ATM, all you need to do is enter your Twitter handle - either using the online tool below or in person at London's Southbank today. The machine scans through Twitter, noting down things like swearing or negative language and gives you a prize if you've been good and a lump of coal if not. The interactive tool was created by London-based digital bank Zopa. 'Using a clever algorithm, our ATM tracks sentiment and the language twitter users have used throughout the year to determine a Naughty or Nice score', the blog post read. If users go to the machine outside the Tate Modern on the Southbank today they could be rewarded with real prizes and chocolate. However, the tool works just as well online too. The machine said that Donald Trump had been 78 per cent naughty this year while Theresa May had been 59 per cent nice. Kanye West has been 76 per cent nice while his wife Kim Kardashian has been 75 per cent nice, the machine found. A new Santa ATM checks your tweets to decide whether you've been naughty or nice this year. To use the ATM, all you need to do is enter your Twitter handle - either using the online tool below or in person at London's Southbank today The machine scans through twitter, noting down things like swearing or negative language and gives you a prize if you've been good and a lump of coal if not Peer-to-peer lender Zopa created the ATM to mark being granted a UK banking licence by the Financial Conduct Authority, becoming the first alternative finance provider of its kind to break into mainstream banking. Earlier this year, Twitter partnered with a group of researchers from academic institutions around the world to assess the severity of Twitter's 'echo chamber' . The move was a part of Twitter's ongoing effort to curb harassment and toxic behaviours among users. In March, Twitter put out a call for proposals from outside experts so that it could work to get a sense of the health of the Twittersphere by measuring abuse, spam and manipulation. The machine said that Donald Trump (left) had been 78 per cent naughty this year while Theresa May (right) had been 59 per cent nice Research collected by the academic groups will be used to create a metrics system that can evaluate the health of public conversations on the site. According to Twitter, they'll create a set of text classifiers for language that are 'commonly associated with positive sentiment, cooperative emotionality and integrative complexity' and can be adapted to communications on the platform.' While the move should give Twitter a better idea of the kinds of conversations and behaviors that exist on its platform, some argue that it's not a solution to some of its biggest problems around harassment and hate speech. Victims of harassment believe that the company doesn't take enough, or any, action when they report offending accounts. It also won't leave Twitter with any new tools to combat harassment, though it's likely that it will use the data unearthed by researchers to improve its safety features. Android users and their devices are the most likely to be targeted with malicious software over any other operating system. That's according to Nokia's Threat Intelligence Report 2018, which found 47 per cent of infections are reported on devices running the Google created platform. Windows, which was previously the most popular target for cybercriminals, only accounts for 35.82 per cent of malware infections. Scroll down for video Android users and their devices are the most likely to be targeted with malicious software over any other operating system. That's according to Nokia's Threat Intelligence Report 2018, which found 47 per cent of infections are reported on devices running Android (stock image) Malware can range from software designed to cause damage to a device, steal information, show ads to generate revenue or various other nefarious purposes. They can push people to subscribe to paid services which promise, for example, security software but deliver nothing of real value. In its white paper, Nokia said around 20 million Android malware cases were detected in 2018, up 31 per cent from 2017. There is some good news for Apple users, however, who account for just 0.85 per cent of infections. The report also highlights the growing threat of botnets on the so-called Internet of Things (IoT). These are the multitude of internet connected devices that have spread throughout our homes in recent years, from smart speakers to baby monitors. A botnet is a network of hijacked IoT devices that can be used to launch attacks on websites to stop them functioning, steal data, send spam or give hackers access to devices. Windows, which was previously the most popular target for cybercriminals, only accounts for 35.82 per cent of malware infections. It has now been overtaken by Google's Android (stock) Botnet activity in 2018 represented 78 per cent of malware detection events in communication service provider networks. This is more than double the rate seen in 2016, when IoT bot activity was first seen in meaningful numbers. 'Cyber criminals are switching gears from the traditional computer and smartphone ecosystems and now targeting the growing number of vulnerable IoT devices that are being deployed,' said Kevin McNamee, director of Nokia's Threat Intelligence Lab and lead author of the report. 'You have thousands of IoT device manufacturers wanting to move product fast to market and, unfortunately, security is often an afterthought. Thawing permafrost will soon pose substantial risks to nearly four million people living in the Arctic. An alarming new study has found that by 2050, nearly three quarters of the population living within the Northern Hemisphere permafrost area may be affected by infrastructure damage resulting from thaws. In addition to millions of people, the high risk areas are home to roughly 70 percent of the regions transportation and industrial infrastructure. Already, thawing permafrost has caused sinkholes to open up, destabilized buildings, and damaged roadways throughout the Arctic. Scroll down for video Thawing permafrost will soon pose substantial risks to nearly four million people living in the Arctic. The effects can already be seen in many areas; above, an apartment building in Chersky, Russia partially destroyed by thawing permafrost under one of its section is shown According to the new study, published to the journal Nature Communications, Arctic communities will face these risks even if we meet the climate targets put in place by the Paris Agreement. The hazard potential is not uniform across the Arctic; instead, the researchers say the central Asian mountainous regions and Eurasia will likely be hit harder than parts of North America when considering permafrost alone. But, the team notes that there are many factors that contribute to the risks, which balances out some of the geographical differences. All in all, The regions associated with the highest hazard are in the thaw-unstable zone characterized by relatively high ground-ice content and thick deposits of frost-susceptible sediments, as well as increased potential for permafrost thaw, the researchers explain in the paper. Worryingly, this includes a population of nearly a million people and 25-45% of existing infrastructure that could feel the effects by mid-century. Ground instability caused by the thawing permafrost will especially be a concern for railways, the experts say. The experts warn at least one-third of the pan-Arctic infrastructure will likely be facing severe damage in the years to come. A close-up of the hazard map is shown above Nearly 300 miles (470 kilometers) of the QinghaiTibet Railway runs through areas at risk of thaw, while about 170 miles of the ObskayaBovanenkovo railway the worlds northern-most railway falls within this zone. The high hazard zone also includes more than 36,000 buildings, 13,000km of roads, and 100 airports, the researchers say. Moreover, 45% of the globally important oil and natural gas production fields in the Russian Arctic are located in areas with high hazard potential because of adverse ground conditions and thaw of near-surface permafrost by 2050. According to the researchers, the findings highlight the growing importance of infrastructure risk assessments as global temperatures rise. The hazard potential is not uniform across the Arctic, with some areas expected to be hit harder than others. The house above, in Fairbanks, can be seen sinking into the thawing permafrost In addition to millions of people, the high risk areas are home to roughly 70 percent of the regions transportation and industrial infrastructure. Pictured, a road crossing permafrost area in Finnish Lapland had to be repaired after it began subsiding (left) WHAT IS PERMAFROST AND WHAT HAPPENS IF IT MELTS? Permafrost is a permanently frozen layer below the Earth's surface found in Arctic regions such as Alaska, Siberia and Canada. It typically consists of soil, gravel and sand bound together by ice, and is classified as ground that has remained below 0C (32F) for at least two years. It is estimated 1,500 billion tons of carbon is stored in the world's permafrost - more than twice the amount found in the atmosphere. The carbon comes in the form of ancient vegetation and soil that has remained frozen for millennia. If global warming were to melt the world's permafrost, it could release thousands of tonnes of carbon dioxide and methane into the atmosphere. Because some permafrost regions have stayed frozen for thousands of years, it is of particular interest for scientists. Ancient remains found in permafrost are among the most complete ever found because the ice stops organic matter from decomposing. A number of 2,500-year-old bodies buried in Siberia by a group of nomads known as the Scythians have been found with their tattooed skin still intact. A baby mammoth corpse uncovered on Russia's Arctic coast in 2010 still sported clumps of its hair despite being more than 39,000 years old. Permafrost is also used in the study of Earth's geological history as soil and minerals buried deep in Arctic regions for thousands of years can be dug up and studied today. Advertisement Even if we reach the Paris Agreement targets, the study found many of the risks identified are not reduced substantially. The experts warn at least one-third of the pan-Arctic infrastructure will likely be facing the threat of severe damage in the years to come. 'Much more needs to be done to prepare Alaska and Alaskans for the adverse consequences of coming changes in permafrost and climate,' says Vladimir Romanovsky, a scientist with the University of Alaska Fairbanks Geophysical Institute. And, the researcher adds, we are dealing already, and will be dealing even more in the near future with this reality. Computer hardware maker Super Micro Computer told customers on Tuesday that an outside investigations firm had found no evidence of any malicious hardware in its current or older-model motherboards. In a letter to customers, the San Jose, California, company said it was not surprised by the result of the review it commissioned in October after a Bloomberg article reported that spies for the Chinese government had tainted Super Micro equipment to eavesdrop on its clients. Super Micro had denied the allegations made in the report. Scroll down for video Chinese motherboard manufacturer Super Micro Computer said in a letter to customers that it's conducting a review of its hardware in light of a controversial hacking report A person familiar with the analysis told Reuters it had been conducted by global firm Nardello & Co and that customers could ask for more detail on that companys findings. Nardello tested samples of motherboards in current production and versions that were sold to Apple Inc and Amazon.com Inc, which were both named in the article, the person said. It also examined software and design files without finding any unauthorized components or signals being sent out. He said the company was still reviewing its legal options. Apple, Amazon and U.S. and U.K. officials have all said they have no knowledge of any hardware attacks via Super Micro. The firm, Super Micro Computer, announced the review in a letter to its customers, dated October 18th and made public on Monday. It comes after Apple CEO Tim Cook hit back at the report, published by Bloomberg, which claimed Chinese spies had placed computer chips inside equipment used by Apple, Amazon and other entities. 'We are confident that a recent article, alleging a malicious hardware chip was implanted during the manufacturing process of our motherboards, is wrong,' Super Micro said in the letter. 'From everything we know and have seen, no malicious hardware chip has been implanted during the manufacturing of our motherboards. 'Despite the lack of any proof that a malicious hardware chip exists, we are undertaking a complicated and time-consuming review to further address the article,' the chipmaker added. Super Micro also called Bloomberg's claims of it retrofitting spy chips 'not much bigger than a grain of rice' onto its motherboards 'practically impossible.' Earlier this month, a Bloomberg report cited 17 unidentified sources from intelligence agencies and businesses that claimed Chinese spies had placed computer chips inside equipment used by about 30 companies, including Apple and Amazon and multiple US government agencies. In doing so, they alleged it would give Beijing secret access to internal networks. Super Micro denied the allegations made in the report. Tim Cook, center, talks with Qu Zhangcai, left, and Liu Zhipeng, right, founders of the Xichuangzhu software app, during a visit in Beijing earlier this month. The Apple CEO has hit back at Bloomberg for a story claiming Apple equipment contained spy chips 'As we have said firmly, no one has shown us a motherboard containing any unauthorized hardware chip, we are not aware of any such unauthorized chip, and no government agency has alerted us to the existence of any unauthorized chip,' Super Micro explained in the letter. The report said Apple in 2015 had found malicious chips on Super Micro motherboards and added that Amazon uncovered such chips the same year while examining servers made by Elemental Technologies, which Amazon eventually acquired. Both Apple and Amazon have denied the allegations. Cook doubled down on his denial of the report in an interview with BuzzFeed on Friday, in which he urged Bloomberg to retract the story. 'There is no truth in their story about Apple,' Cook told BuzzFeed in a phone interview. 'They need to do the right thing and retract it.' Cook went on to argue that the reporters provided Apple with little evidence to support their claims. HOW IT WORKED This is how the unnamed officials say the chips operated. All of their claims were refuted by Amazon, Apple and Supermicro. The chip was designed by spies from China's People Liberation Army, according to US government officials cited by the Bloomberg report. Once complete, the spies approached factory managers at the four subcontractors hired by Supermicro to manufacture servers. They bullied them into incorporating the chips onto the motherboards by bribing them and threatening to shut down the factories, it is claimed, all the while posing as Supermicro designers or Chinese government officials. Once the chips were loaded onto the motherboards, they were included in the servers and sent to Supermicro's customers. When the server was switched on, the chips were activated. Above is an example of a Supermicro motherboard. Apple, Amazon and Super Micro, the Chinese motherboard firm believed to have introduced the chips, have all denied the report They were inconspicuous and signal conditioning couplers which are common on motherboards so would not be detected. Once they were activated, they could essentially allow the hackers to do whatever they liked, the report said. Amazon has never used their products in the US but it did use them in Beijing in its AWS data center, the report claims. Apple, on the other hand, was using them 'sporadically' but ramped up its reliance on them when it acquired a startup designed to speed-up Siri, the voice assistant function. No consumer data was stolen, the officials say, but the threat the chips posed was extraordinary. Advertisement 'We turned the company upside down,' Cook said. 'Email searches, data center records, financial records, shipment records. 'We really forensically whipped through the company to dig very deep and each time we came back to the same conclusion: This did not happen. There's no truth to this,' he said. When he was asked whether a scenario like the one Bloomberg described could go on without his knowledge, Cook said: 'The likelihood of that is virtually zero.' Amazon previously denied the contents of the Bloomberg report. 'As we shared with Bloomberg BusinessWeek multiple times over the last couple months, this is untrue. At no time, past or present, have we ever found any issues relating to modified hardware or malicious chips in SuperMicro motherboards in any Elemental or Amazon systems. Nor have we engaged in an investigation with the government,' Steve Schmidt, Amazon Web Services' chief information security officer, said in a statement posted to its website. The firm also denied that it had knowledge of any hardware modifications. 'There are so many inaccuracies in this article as it relates to Amazon that they're hard to count. Data center hardware used by Apple, Amazon and dozens of other US companies may have been fitted with tiny microchips placed there by Chinese spies, an explosive report claims '...Security will always be our top priority. AWS is trusted by many of the world's most risk-sensitive organizations precisely because we have demonstrated this unwavering commitment to putting their security above all else. 'We are constantly vigilant about potential threats to our customers, and we take swift and decisive action to address them whenever they are identified,' Schmidt added. Bloomberg, however, said it stood by its report and was confident of its reporting, which was conducted over more than a year. Security experts as well as the U.S. and U.K. authorities have said they had no knowledge of the attacks. Chinese officials also denied the attack. 'We hope parties make less gratuitous accusations and suspicions but conduct more constructive talk and collaboration so that we can work together in building a peaceful, safe, open, cooperative, and orderly cyberspace,' said a spokesman from China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. A fatal accident involving a pedestrian and one of Uber's self-driving vehicles could have been prevented, a new report claims. An employee warned the ride-sharing giant that there were issues with Uber's autonomous-driving technology just days before Elaine Herzberg, a 49-year-old Arizona woman, was struck and killed. The email, which was sent to several high-level executives at Uber, warned that the self-driving cars had been involved in several accidents, likely due to 'poor behavior of the operator of the AV technology,' according to the Information. Scroll down for video A fatal accident involving a pedestrian and one of Uber's self-driving vehicles could have been prevented, as a new report claims the firm was warned of safety issues ahead of the crash Robbie Miller, a manager in the testing-operations group, sent the email on March 13th. The crash, which involved Herzberg being hit by a manned autonomous vehicle in Tempe, Arizona, occurred just five days later on March 18th. Miller sent the email to seven of Uber's attorneys and executives, including Eric Meyhofer, who leads the firm's autonomous vehicle division. Among the concerns laid out in the letter were that routine accidents involving Uber's autonomous vehicles frequently went unchecked, while human backup drivers often didn't receive proper training and hadn't all been thoroughly vetted. In the email, Miller says 'poor behavior of the operator' was usually the cause of the accidents, while 'several of the drivers appear to not have been properly vetted or trained.' An Uber SUV after hitting a woman on March 18, 2018, in Tempe, Ariz. A new report claims an Uber executive warned others of safety issues just five days before the crash took place He then urges Uber to begin using two backup drivers in each vehicle. It was later revealed that the cars backup safety driver in the fatal accident was watching The Voice using Hulu on her phone when the crash occurred. Miller also notes that Uber's self-driving vehicles had been 'hitting things nearly every 15,000 miles,' while some vehicles had been damaged 'nearly every other day' in February 2018. Meanwhile, vehicles narrowly avoided accidents as much as every 100 miles, as backup drivers were forced to control the vehicle as frequently as every one to three miles, the Verge noted. And when collisions did occur, backup drivers were rarely fired, Miller alleged in the letter. In the email, Miller references one accident in particular, where an Uber swerved off the road and onto the sidewalk and continued to drive there. HOW DID AN UBER AUTONOMOUS VEHICLE HIT AND KILL A WOMAN IN ARIZONA? A self-driving Uber vehicle struck and killed a pedestrian in the first death involving a fully autonomous test vehicle on March 19, 2018. The accident prompted the ride-hailing company to suspend road-testing of such cars in the US and Canada. The Volvo SUV was in self-driving mode with a human back-up operator behind the wheel in Tempe when a woman walking a bicycle was hit. Elaine Herzberg, 49, died in hospital. Police have said that the victim, 49 year old Elaine Herzberg, stepped out in front of the car suddenly and they do not believe the car was to blame. Uber suspended its self-driving vehicle testing in the Phoenix area, Pittsburgh, San Francisco and Toronto. The testing has been going on for months as car makers and technology companies compete to be the first with cars that operate on their own. Uber's self-driving car crash that led to the death of a mother-of-two could have been avoided, driverless vehicle experts have claimed. Cortica, a firm that develops artificial intelligence for autonomous vehicles, has analysed the dash cam video. The company concludes the car, which failed to brake or swerve before the collision, had enough time to react and potentially save Ms Herzberg's life. Speaking to CNET, Cortica's CEO Igal Raichelgauz said the firm's self-driving AI system detected Ms Herzberg 0.9 seconds before impact. At this point the car was around 50 feet (15 metres) away. He said the autonomous car's cameras and radar system should have had enough time to pick up the pedestrian and react to the situation. Driverless cars are fitted with a system of cameras, radar and lidar sensors that allow them to 'see' their surroundings and detect traffic, pedestrians and other objects. An AI computer system then decides what actions the car takes to avoid a collision - a setup that is supposed to work as well at night as during the day. A top executive for the maker of Lidar sensors used on Uber's self-driving car said she was 'baffled' as to why the vehicle failed to recognise Ms Herzberg. Advertisement The case was 'essentially ignored' for days, Miller said. He also argued that Uber should downsize its self-driving car fleet to prevent further safety issues - an idea that was ignored from Uber's high-level executives. What's worse, Miller also argues that Uber was too slow to respond to reported incidents within its self-driving vehicle fleet. His email warning of the safety concerns never received a response from any of the executives it was sent to and Miller eventually left the company three days after he sent the email. Uber maintains that it continues to focus on the safety of its self-driving cars. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigators examine the self-driving Uber vehicle involved in the fatal accident. The firm has since resumed its self-driving car testing 'The entire team is focused on safely and responsibly returning to the road in self-driving mode,' the company told the Information. 'We have every confidence in the work that the team is doing to get us there.' Uber temporarily shut down its self-driving car operations after the crash occurred in March. Earlier this month, however, the firm announced it would resume testing on roads near its offices in Pittsburgh. It comes as a New York Times report found that Uber hasn't resolved many of the safety issues with its self-driving cars. Advertisement It might be the country at the centre of a major Brexit sticking point, but there is something that everyone can agree on about Ireland - it's stunning. As these mesmerising images show. Taken in both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland, they showcase its dramatic coastline, rolling green hills, quaint towns and cities, Game of Thrones camera crew-baiting mystical forests and a certain island you've probably seen in recent Star Wars movies. The pictures are just a selection of the 150 that feature in the book Ireland: The Emerald Isle by author Martin J Dougherty. Locations it covers include the Mourne Mountains in County Down, pretty fishing towns in County Cork, Dublin's elegant streets, the dramatic Cliffs of Moher, the stone ring fort of Dun Eochla and Killary Fjord. Scroll down - and be wowed. The tallest peak in Northern Ireland is Slieve Donard, pictured, in the Mourne Mountains. Part of the mountain and those nearby are now owned by the National Trust, but proposals to give the region National Park status have been complicated by the amount of private land that lies within the proposed park. It is possible to see the Isle of Man and mountains in England from the top of some of the granite peaks The stunning Benbulben Mountain in County Sligo in the north-west of Ireland. In Irish legend, hero Fionn mac Cumhail sought vengeance on the warrior Diarmuid who had run off with his intended wife, Grainne. Fionn mac Cumhail tricked Diarmuid into fighting an enchanted boar at Benbulben Mountain, where he was killed The stone ring fort of Dun Eochla, pictured, stands on Inishmore, the largest of the Aran Islands in Galway Bay. The fort was built around 550800 AD, of dry stone construction. The Aran Islands have several similar fortifications, some of which are known to date from as early as 1,000 BC The dolmen, or portal tomb, at Poulnabrone, in County Clare in the west of Ireland, dates from the Neolithic period, around 3600 BC. Excavation at the site found evidence of more than 20 burials, some adult and some children, along with tools and pottery Over 656 feet high at their tallest point, the Cliffs of Moher in County Clare are a popular tourist destination and are home to many species of birds. The site was fortified in ancient times, and more recently was used as a lookout point during the Napoleonic Wars There is much academic debate about whether Killary Fjord in County Galway, pictured, is in fact a fjord. Some say it is the only fjord in Ireland, others say its a fjard, while others can't decide what designation should apply. A fjard differs from a fjord in that it is wide and not surrounded by steep cliffs, but is otherwise formed in much the same way The beech trees of the Dark Hedges were planted three centuries ago to line the approach to Gracehill House in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. This stretch of road is said to be haunted by the spirit of a servant at the house, who was buried in a nearby cemetery. In recent years, the trees have become better known after being used as a location in the TV series Game of Thrones The schooner sailing ship Sunbeam was driven ashore on Rossbeigh Strand in County Kerry over a century ago. After being just visible above the water since 1903, the remains were washed up on Rossbeigh Beach by a severe storm in 2014. Long preserved by the sea, the wreck quickly began to deteriorate The Giant's Causeway on the north coast of County Antrim in Northern Ireland is composed of basalt columns most of them hexagonal formed when lava cooled around 60 million years ago. Similar formations exist on the Scottish coast, originating from the same lava plain There are around 40,000 columns making up the Giant's Causeway, some as much as 32 to 39 feet high. The area is a Unesco World Heritage Site, and is considered to be one of the natural wonders of the British Isles Occupying much of County Wicklow and extending into neighbouring regions, the Wicklow Mountains, pictured, are largely composed of granite. The region's character owes much to the action of ice in the last Ice Age and is today recognised as a natural conservation area Taking its name from the Gaelic name for 'hill of the ferns', Mulranny in County Mayo is famous for its plant life. The region is also connected with Grace O'Malley, an infamous 'pirate queen' who supported Irish insurrections against English rule in the 16th century The two Skellig Islands, Little Skellig and Skellig Michael, lie off the Iveragh Peninsula in County Kerry. Barely accessible, Skellig Michael was chosen as the site for a monastery during the early middle ages. Scenes from the recent Star Wars films The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi were filmed on Skellig Michael. Not only was the scenery perfect, but there is also a resonance between Luke Skywalker's desire for isolation and that of the real-world medieval monks Taking advantage of a naturally strong position on a high promontory, the Black Castle in Wicklow was built in the 1100s to protect the nearby coast from invasion. Its date of construction is unclear, but is known to be before 1174 The region around Rush in County Dublin, pictured, has been inhabited since the Stone Age and may have been a Roman outpost in Ireland. In the 18th century it became associated with smuggling, though since then it has become a popular holiday destination Completed in 1965 after construction started in 1958, Galway Cathedral, pictured, is the newest built stone cathedral in Europe. It stands on the banks of the Corrib River on a site previously occupied by the city jail The monastery at Clonmacnoise in County Offlay in the centre of Ireland was founded by St Ciaran in the 540s. In its long history it became a centre for learning and a burial place for the High Kings of Ireland. It had fallen into disrepair by the 1550s when it was destroyed by English troops Built in the 1500s on the site of an earlier structure, the defences of Dunluce Castle in County Antrim were later augmented with cannon from a wrecked Spanish galleon. Part of the castle fell into the sea in the 1800s Named in honour of a local businessman, James Daly, who contributed to the cost of construction, Daly's Bridge, pictured, is better known to locals as 'shaky bridge' due to its response to rapid movement. It is the only suspension bridge over the River Lee in Cork Various plans have been put forward for new bridges across the River Lagan in Belfast over the years, but it was not until 2015 that the new Lagan Weir Pedestrian and Cycle Bridge, pictured, was opened. The nearby Beacon of Hope statue was constructed in 2007 Dublin lies on the lower reaches of the River Liffey, which rises in the Wicklow Mountains. Bachelors Walk, pictured, is a quayside street that, according to legend, was a popular promenade for the city's bachelors. The reality is more prosaic. It was named after a property developer Opened in 2011, Peace Bridge is one of three across the River Foyle in Londonderry (also known as Derry) in Northern Ireland. It spans the railway tracks and Waterside Station and is part of a project intended to improve integration between very different political leanings Standing on the banks of the River Liffey, the Four Courts in Dublin, pictured, is named after its original function. It remains an important legal centre, although the courts it has housed has changed over time. The building was badly damaged during the civil war early in the 20th century and was subsequently rebuilt Gemma Oldfield left Sweaty Betty in February after two years, to launch her own PR firm. And now Instagram followers of Roxy Jacenko have questioned where longtime employee Holly Asser was, during the company's end-of-year party on Friday. Under a number of photos taken at upscale eatery Mr. Wong in Sydney, fans asked the 38-year-old CEO: 'Where's Holly?' 'Where's Holly?' Roxy Jacenko's longtime employee Asser (right) is noticeably absent from Sweaty Betty's end-of-year party... after Gemma Oldfield's departure Roxy's Sweaty Betty, Ministry of Talent and Social Union employees, including husband Oliver Curtis, celebrated the year that was. Roxy, clad in a Versace print two-piece, appeared in high spirits, as she posed for photos with her dedicated team. However followers were quick to take to the comments section, asking the mother-of-two Holly's whereabouts: 'Where's Holly?' Social: Roxy shared a series of photos taken at upscale eatery Mr. Wong to Instagram on Friday, where Holly was notably absent. Roxy, 38, is pictured with employees Grace Garrick and Daniel Goldstein 'Where's Holly?' Followers were quick to take to the comments section, asking Roxy Holly's whereabouts The last time Holly was pictured on Roxy's Instagram account was in mid September, and the two blondes are still following one another on the social media site. Daily Mail Australia has reached out to Roxy and Holly for comment. Holly's absence from Sweaty Betty's lavish celebrations, comes four months after employee Gemma Oldfield, 22, resigned to launch her own Sydney PR firm. No bad blood? The last time Holly was pictured on Roxy's Instagram account was in mid September, and the two blondes are still following one another on the social media site Now, she's the boss! Roxy's former Sweaty Betty employee Gemma Oldfield [left] resigned from the company in February, and has since launched her own Sydney PR firm Gemma, who worked for Roxy for just under two years, is now making waves for herself as the director and founder of InPress PR. InPress is listed online as a public relations agency that 'specialises in kids, lifestyle and food and beverage.' While hired as a publicist for Roxy, Gemma also worked as a nanny on overseas trips with Roxy's young children Pixie and Hunter, now six and four respectively. Everything is going perfectly for bride-to-be Jasmine Yarbrough in the lead up to her Mexico wedding to Today show host Karl Stefanovic this weekend. But ahead of her nuptials, the 34-year-old has addressed a worrying predicament that has only worsened over time. Announcing that she and her Mara & Mine business partner Tamie Ingham have backed Taronga Conservation Society's ZOOfari initiative, Jasmine, 34, has expressed her desire to help protect Australia's endangered wildlife. Passionate please: Jasmine Yarbrough and her Mara & Mine business partner Tamie Ingham have backed the Taronga Conservation Society's ZOOfari initiative Promoting the sale of $90 T-shirts that directly benefit Taronga Zoo's initiative, Jasmine said her passion for helping animals started at a young age. 'My earliest memory from visiting Taronga was learning that the Tasmanian Devil population was shrinking and was on its way to becoming endangered - which it sadly now is,' the fashion designer said. Sharing a touching story from when she was seven, Jasmine recalled: 'I was so worried about them I actually asked my mum and dad to call our family friends in Tasmania to see if they could help!' 'My earliest memory from visiting Taronga was learning that the Tasmanian Devil population was shrinking and was on its way to becoming endangered - which it sadly now is,' the fashion designer said. 'I think what the Taronga Conservation Society does is so valuable. Kids can even adopt an animal through them, which can make it feel so much more personal and real for them,' she added. Jasmine and Mara & Mine business partner Tamie posed in the white T-shirts on Instagram last week, noting 100 per cent of the proceeds go directly to supporting Taronga's conservation initiatives. 'I am so excited to get involved with the ZOOfari initiative, to ensure our wildlife is kept intact for future generations,' Tamie also shared. Support the cause: Australian fashion label Jac + Jack collaborated with visual artist Jonathan Zawada to supply Taronga Zoo with limited edition $90 T-shirts. Taronga Zoo said 100% of the profits will go to 'support the work we are undertaking through our commitment to conservation, protection and rehabilitation of critically endangered animals around the world' 'It's incredibly important to help preserve our unique wildlife': Jasmine and her Mara & Mine co-founder Tamie Ingham (left) have encouraged people to get involved and support the cause She added: 'The work of initiatives like ZOOfari is incredibly important in helping to preserve our unique wildlife globally.' Australian fashion label Jac + Jack collaborated with visual artist Jonathan Zawada to supply Taronga Zoo with the limited edition T-shirt. Taronga Zoo said that 100% of the profits will go to 'support the work we are undertaking through our commitment to conservation, protection and rehabilitation of critically endangered animals around the world.' Jasmine and Tamie began their successful shoe label in 2013. This weekend Jasmine will tie the knot with fiance Karl in Mexico. He is rumoured to be Australia's next Bachelor, following in the footsteps of his good friend Matty Johnson. And on Wednesday, a media insider revealed that Scott Tweedie 'has long had fame in his sights'. The 30-year-old, who is considered a rising star at Channel 10, apparently used to ask journalists to interview him at events to help raise his profile. Scott Tweedie's desperate path to fame: The rumoured new Bachelor would 'ask journalists to interview him and beg to be photographed' at events, according to an industry insider He would also 'beg to be photographed' at awards ceremonies and other celebrity gatherings, according to a source. The insider claimed: 'Scott would approach journalists at events, introduce himself and ask if they wanted to interview him. 'He'd go out of his way to be pictured on the red carpet and would sometimes even ask photographers directly to take his picture.' Daily Mail Australia has contacted Scott for comment. Ambitious? The 30-year-old, who is considered a rising star at Channel 10, 'has long had fame in his sights' Ouch! A source told Daily Mail Australia Scott would 'go out of his way to be photographed' at celebrity events. Pictured with his friend and former Bachelor Matty Johnson Scott is a presenter on Channel 10's music show The Loop, alongside Liv Phyland. On Wednesday, he brushed off speculation he's set to become the next Bachelor during an interview with 2Day FM's breakfast show. 'It was news to me, guys! I woke up on Monday morning and there's this article in the paper,' he said. TV role: Scott is a presenter on Channel 10's music show The Loop, alongside Liv Phyland He added: 'I haven't spoken to Channel 10 about this at all, so it's all news to me. At this point, I have not been offered to be The Bachelor.' Scott explained that he's been on a few dates since finding himself single again, but 'couldn't get [his] head around dating 24 girls' at once. The Studio 10 reporter recently split with his girlfriend-of-five-years, Georgia Berg, whose desire to move to London apparently prompted their break-up. Photos emerged this week of Brittany Hockley engaging in a 'heated discussion' with Nick Cummins, in what was believed to be their first face-to-face meeting since the Bachelor finale. And on Wednesday, the 31-year-old radiographer broke her silence about their encounter at The Iconic Swim Show during an interview with Kyle & Jackie O. 'He was actually supposed to be in Bali so it was pretty unexpected,' Brittany said. 'He was supposed to be in Bali!' Brittany Hockley has addressed THAT 'heated' discussion with Nick Cummins at The Iconic Swim Show in Sydney - after he dumped her in the Bachelor finale She added: 'Somebody actually told me, "Nick's in Bali and won't be here". Then, "pow", there he was.' Brittany downplayed reports of animosity between herself and Nick at the event. 'I've just seen the photos actually and they do look very heated. But to be honest, I think we were probably discussing whether we should have tacos or burritos for lunch. I don't think it was very serious at all,' she said. Reunion: Brittany said she didn't expect to see Nick at the Iconic Swim Show as she was under the impression he was still overseas The Iconic event is believed to be the first time Brittany and Nick met in person since filming the Bachelor finale. According to a source at the party, the pair were locked in a 'heated discussion' and seemed 'tense'. 'Nick was throwing his arms around and Britt was yelling back at him,' they said. Bad blood? According to a source at the party, the pair were locked in a 'heated discussion' and seemed 'tense' Despite the apparently tense exchange, Brittany told Daily Mail Australia at the same event that there were no hard feelings between them. 'We're on really good terms, we didn't leave on bad terms,' she said. 'Just because two people aren't meant to be together, doesn't mean there's any negativity. It was really nice to say hello and catch up.' 800 Words actress Melina Vidler was determined to turn heads as she arrived at the AACTA Awards in Sydney on Wednesday. Stepping onto the red carpet, the 25-year-old stunned in a revealing sheer black sequined dress that left little tot he imagination. The sassy frock featured a dramatic thigh split as well as a semi-sheer bodice with black boning that outlined parts of her chest. 800 Words star Melina Vidler puts on a VERY racy display in a sheer sequined dress at the AACTA Awards The stunning gown was created especially for Melina by Australian fashion label Bronx and Banco. Adding a modern twist to the glamorous look, Melina styled her hair into a slicked-back bun at the crown of her head, while allowing a thick curl of hair to fall down the right side of her face. The ensemble was accessorised with a simple pair of diamond drop earrings and some black heeled sandals. High-octane glamour: Adding a modern twist to the glamorous look, Melina styled her hair into a slicked-back bun at the crown of her head, while allowing a thick curl of hair to fall down the right side of her face Bling: The ensemble was accessorised with a simple pair of diamond drop earrings Melina is best known for playing rebellious teenager Shay Turner on iconic TV drama 800 Words. But in real life the beauty couldn't be less like her character, with a combination of determination and hard work landing her a role in an upcoming American indie film. Her latest accomplishment comes in the form of drama Summer Nights, which she filmed alongside Victoria Justice and Justin Chatwin. The movie is listed as 'completed' and believed to be released soon. TV buffs will also recall Melina winning the Logie for Most Outstanding Newcomer in 2016 for her role on Seven's 800. She's most known for her roles in films Sisters of War and The Dressmaker. And Australian actress Sarah Snook rocked a bold look on the AACTA Awards red carpet in Sydney on Wednesday. The 31-year-old went braless in an olive green suit jacket and trousers. Feeling bold! Sarah Snook, 31, went BRALESS in an olive green pantsuit at the AACTA Awards in Sydney on Wednesday Sarah added black pointy-toe heels, a gold delicate necklace and a blue awareness ribbon to the look. The Adelaide-born star tied her locks into a messy ponytail and opted for a minimal makeup palette. Appearing relaxed and at ease, Sarah placed her hands in her pockets as she posed for photos. Beauty look: The Adelaide-born star tied her locks into a messy ponytail and opted for a minimal makeup palette In her element: Appearing relaxed and at ease, Sarah placed her hand in her pocket as she posed for photos Having begun her career in television, Sarah is now consistently booked in films. Her most recent films include The Glass Castle, Winchester and Brothers' Nest. Sarah worked alongside Kate Winslet in 2014 film The Dressmaker, and told Fritz magazine in November last year that the Titanic actress is like 'superwoman'. Career: Having begun her career in television, Sarah is now consistently booked in films 'She's got three kids, she's moving all over the world, doing great work, and is just a really wonderful person. A real role model,' she said of Kate. 'She's aware that people look up to her so she takes that seriously and respects that role,' Sarah added. Sarah also told the publication that she would be like to be remembered for her 'interesting and diverse work'. She's a regular guest at the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA) Awards. And on Wednesday, Isabel Lucas, 33, returned to the iconic red carpet in a figure-hugging black ensemble at Sydney's Star Casino. The blonde, who rose to fame on popular Australian soap opera Home and Away, revealed her very slim frame in a black top paired with a matching wrap skirt and white tie-around belt. Bold in black and white! Home and Away's Isabel Lucas, 33, revealed her very slender frame in a figure-hugging monochrome ensemble as she attended the AACTA Awards on Wednesday She finished her look with a thick white headband, statement gold drop earrings, messenger bag and T-bar sequin stilettos. The blonde beauty showcased her youthful complexion and chiseled jawline, wearing minimal makeup for the occasion. As well as making her presence known in long-running show Home and Away, Isabel's biggest role to date is in Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen. Striking: She finished her look with a thick white headband, statement gold drop earrings, messenger bag and T-bar sequin stilettos Despite making it big at the tender age of 19, Isabel has since confessed she prefers to stay out of the spotlight in her down time. She told The Daily Telegraph last year: 'I like to keep relatively separate from the buzz and keep grounded' 'I prioritise what is important to me and there is a lot happening in the world right now that is distracting us from the more important issues on the planet,' she said. Low-key lifestyle: Despite making it big at the tender age of 19, Isabel has since confessed she prefers to stay out of the spotlight in her down time Golden girl: As well as making her presence known in long-running show Home and Away, Isabel's biggest role to date is in Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen 'I enjoy other sides of life, not only work, because that is what feeds and stimulates my creativity. I get a lot of nourishment from diary writing and reflecting and slowing down.' Since relocating overseas the Melbourne-born actress has starred in a number of big Hollywood movies including Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen and Red Dawn, which co-starred ex-boyfriend Chris Hemsworth. Isabel is also heavily involved in environmental activism and currently still has an outstanding arrest warrant for her in Japan after being involved in a protest against dolphin culling in 2007. Karl Stefanovic is just days away from tying the knot with Jasmine Yarbrough. And at the AACTA Awards red carpet in Sydney on Wednesday, Rove McManus took his lack of a wedding invitation in good humour. The 44-year-old joked to Yahoo Lifestyle: 'That's alright, I'll make the next one.' 'I'll make the next one!' Rove McManus (left), 44, took a cheeky swipe at Karl Stefanovic (pictured right with fiancee Jasmine Yarbrough), at the AACTA Awards red carpet in Sydney on Wednesday, ahead of the Today show host's wedding Rove attended the Australian TV and film industry's night of nights at Sydney's The Star event complex, alongside wife Tasma Walton. The comedian cut a dapper figure in a crisp white dress shirt, a tailored black suit jacket and trousers, a bow tie and dress shoes. Meanwhile Tasma, 45, sported a plunging black frock with vibrant pink fabric flaring out from the waist. In good company: Rove, who cut a dapper figure in a tailored suit, was accompanied to the AACTA Awards red carpet by wife Tasma Walton, 45 Karl, 44, and fiancee Jasmine, 34, are currently in Los Angeles ahead of their Mexico wedding on December 8. The couple, along with their bridal party, have been relaxing in style at the historic Beverly Hills Hotel. While Karl and Jasmine are already legally married in Australia, the couple will exchange vows in front of friends and family at the One&Only Palmilla Resort in San Jose del Cabo, Mexico. Days away: Karl, 44, and Jasmine, 34, (pictured in an earlier Instagram photo) are currently in Los Angeles ahead of their Mexico wedding on December 8 The guest list reportedly includes many celebrities, including model Montana Cox and Karl's Channel Nine colleague Richard Wilkins. Karl's three children he shares with ex-wife Cassandra Thorburn, Jackson, 19, Ava, 13, and River, 11, will also be in attendance at the nuptials. It was rumoured for months that Jackson would not be attending the wedding. Film director Tabrez Noorani has revealed how he burst into tears the first time he watched his new film Love Sonia, inspired by the true horror of international sex trafficking stories. The Slumdog Millionaire line producer told was a ten-year labour of love which sprung from personal accounts from girls trafficked from the age of six. The film tells of Sonias journey to rescue her 15-year-old sister Preeti from the dangerous world of child prostitution after she is sold into the Mumbai sex trade by her farming father to pay off debts. Film director Tabrez Noorani (pictured) says new film Love Sonia about a girl's heartbreaking journey to rescue her younger sister from the dangerous world of child prostitution in Mumbai's sex trade was a ten-year labour of love The movie sprang from personal accounts from girls trafficked from the age of six forced into international child sex rings While searching for her sister, Sonias virginity is sold off by a brothel and shes drugged up and trafficked into Hong Kong in a shipping container before her virginity is falsely sold on again to a Los Angeles private party. Noorani told Mail Online: For 10 years I researched this issue. I went out on these anti-trafficking raids in Mumbai and heard all these harrowing stories which have stayed with me during the making of the film. So when we all watched it for the first time, we all cried. Its taken years for me to talk about what Ive seen working on this film without getting emotional. But Ive tried to channel all my feelings into making the best film that I can so it can make a difference for all those effected by sex trafficking. Some of the girls who inspired the script I hired either to play a role or as consultants on set. The film has already had such an impact on Indian audiences that one man vowed to adopt a girl whod been abandoned after being forced into sex work So when the girls watched it, some were really proud and thanked all of us, while others were more blase and just said, that was my life. One of the Indian stars Mrunal Thakur played Sonia despite her mother initially banning her from playing the lead role. She said: I met a girl was kidnapped aged around eight-years old from Assam and had been taken to Kolkata. I met her when she was a 21-year old with two children. Shed always tried to escape but she was disowned by her parents because shed been in a brothel. She was raped while pregnant. She had to service up to 40 clients a day. Cops were at the brothel entrance demanding money from clients, meaning that she only got a couple of pounds herself each time, because the rest went to the cops and the pimps. Even when she married she continued working because thats the only source of income that she knew. She slept on an elevated bed from her husband and her sons so that she could service clients while her sons and her husband slept below her. All she cares about now is getting her sons a good education, but Indian schools dont want to teach the children of sex workers. Shes been a drug addict and now shes clean and just grateful to be alive to bring up her own children. Richa Chadda, who also stars as a sex worker alongside Slumdogs Freida Pinto in the film, continued: One girl was kidnapped from another Indian village aged six, and her virginity was auctioned off to the highest bidder. Noorani told Mail Online: For 10 years I researched this issue. I went out on these anti-trafficking raids in Mumbai and heard all these harrowing stories which have stayed with me during the making of the film. So when we all watched it for the first time, we all cried' She had no life skills, she didnt know the local language or even how to use money. But shes one of the very few who managed to escape. Shes now a hairstylist and an inspiration to me. The film has already had such an impact on Indian audiences that one man vowed to adopt a girl whod been abandoned after being forced into sex work. Another made a significant financial donation to the cause. Some of the films profits will also be donated to two anti-trafficking organisations. Trafficking is a global 25m business where nearly two years ago the International Labour Organisation found that out of 40m modern slavery victims, nearly five million were involved in forced sexual exploitation, with 99 per cent of them women. Mrunal added: This is a film which needs to be told and that people need to watch so that we can all change this world for the better for all of us, and especially for our children. Love Sonia will hit UK cinemas on January 25. The mother of rapper Bhad Bhabie, real name Danielle Bregoli, 'snapped' at a group of teenage fans waiting to meet her daughter in Brisbane airport on Saturday. Barbara Ann Bregoli, 50, who is currently accompanying Danielle, 15, on her Aussie tour, hit back with a verbal tirade after a fan questioned her parenting skills. 'We actually felt so scared,' one of the fans told Daily Mail Australia. EXCLUSIVE: 'We felt so scared': Bhad Bhabie's mother, 50, furiously 'snaps' at teen fans in verbal tirade at Brisbane airport as Danielle Bregoli 'refuses' selfies with Aussie supporters The incident occurred after Danielle 'refused' take take selfies with the fans after landing in Brisbane following a show at Perth's Astor Theatre on Friday night. Video footage shows the internet sensation repeatedly walking past the group of 10 Aussie supporters, failing to say as much as hello. In the clips, Danielle and Barbara are flanked by a personal security guard. In a rush: The incident occurred after Danielle 'refused' take take selfies with the fans after landing in Brisbane following a show at Perth's Astor Theatre on Friday night As one fan shouted to Danielle that they had travelled seven hours in a bid to stop her for a group photograph, they were once again ignored. 'I've never seen somebody be so rude to their fans,' one follower then exclaimed. As Danielle climbed into their car, Barbara spat back: 'Excuse me? You've never seen someone be so rude? Have you been on as many flights as we have?' The fan responded: 'It's not hard for her to say hi or take a photo.' 'I've never seen somebody be so rude to their fans,' one fan then shouted, prompting Barbara to hit back and become increasingly frustrated at the group of teenage supporters Defending her daughter, Barbara continued: 'You were told by security no photos, but you still followed [to the car]... how did you know we were here? 'How did you know what time we were leaving? Oh, your friend told you? Really... I don't believe that. Really, okay.' Referencing Barbara and Danielle's rise to fame on US show Dr Phil discussing their strained relationship, the fan asked: 'Remember when you hated your daughter?' Barbara furiously responded: 'No, I never hated my daughter! Remember when your mother taught you a little respect?' The footage then ends as the fan filming fled back inside the airport terminal. 'Remember when you hated your daughter?' The outspoken fans referenced Barbara and Danielle's rise to fame on US show Dr Phil in 2016 discussing their strained relationship Infamous: The teen gained notoriety on the US chat show for her phrase 'cash me outside' before turning her efforts to rapping after amassing 15 million followers online Another fan tells Daily Mail Australia that Barbara then continued 'ranting' at the young supporters before driving off. 'She kept saying she's put her daughter [in the spotlight] to get better and asking why we have no respect', they claimed. Barbara, who boasts 183,000 followers, later referenced the incident on Instagram. 'Haters going to hate,' she started the first of two lengthy posts. 'Sad how little snot noise girls tell me how to parent when their mothers were too busy sucking d*** them teaching their daughter how to respect an adult.' The second post read: 'Apparently little kids think I really care what they think, don't come at me with disrespect.' Daily Mail Australia has contacted Bhad Bhabie's rep for comment. 'Don't come at me with disrespect': Barbara, who boasts 183,000 followers, later referenced the incident on Instagram The show must go on! Following the incident, Danielle took to the stage at Brisbane's Eatons Hill Ballroom on Saturday night. Pictured on stage in Seattle in August, 2018 Following the incident, Danielle took to the stage at Brisbane's Eatons Hill Ballroom on Saturday night. She then performed at Sydney's Enmore Theatre on Sunday, with two more shows in Australia scheduled in Melbourne and Adelaide this coming week. Meet and greet tickets for the show cost $120 for a guaranteed photo with the star. Last week, sources suggested Dr Chris Brown was about to pop the question to rumoured new flame, TV host Liv Phyland. And now New Idea has wildly claimed the couple are reportedly planning to secretly tie the knot in South Africa next year. 'Chris is really keen to elope in Africa when he's there filming I'm A Celebrity,' an 'insider' allegedly told the publication. Wedding bells? Insiders claim Dr Chris Brown and rumoured new flame Liv Phyland planning to secretly tie the knot in South Africa after he finishes shooting I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out of Here 'They're looking to do it at the end of filming and then stay on for a few weeks and honeymoon in Africa as well.' The 'source' also claimed the former Bondi Vet star is 'desperate to settle down' with the 28 year-old blonde, who fronts The Loop on Channel 10's secondary channel, Peach. 'He's 40 and doesn't want to waste any time. He knows Liv is the one.' Why wait! The source also revealed the Living Room star is 'desperate to settle down' with the 28 year-old blonde, who fronts The Loop on Channel 10's secondary channel, Peach Daily Mail has reached out to both parties for comment. Chris and Liv first sparked romance rumours after they were spotted together last month at a truck stop in Wyong, on the NSW's Central Coast. 'They left together in a white Range Rover, he was driving and she was in the passenger seat,' a source told Adelaide Now. New couple alert! Chris and Liv first sparked romance rumours after they were spotted together last month at a truck stop in Wyong, on the NSW's Central Coast 'The boot was packed with surfing gear that looked like they were headed off for a weekend away.' The rumoured couple have apparently known each other for several years and are believed to move in the same social circles. The blonde previously appeared on Chris' show The Living Room in July, which prompted viewers to remark on their chemistry. Meanwhile, Chris confirmed his split with ex-girlfriend Kendall in September, during an appearance on Have You Been Paying Attention? Hannah Gadsby is one of the funniest people in the world right now. And that could earn her the prestigious role of hosting the Oscars in Kevin Hart's place, according to The Daily Telegraph. The publication has claimed that rumours are swirling the Nanette comedian could be in the running for the top job, after American comedian Hart stepped down amid his recent homophobic tweet scandal. Scroll down for video An Aussie taking the reins? Rumours are swirling that Australian comedian Hannah Gadsby 'could host the Oscars' after Kevin Hart steps down amid homophobic tweet scandal Daily Mail Australia has contacted Hannah's management for comment. Hannah has become a universal hit in recent times after thrilling fans in her role on Please Like Me, her hit comedy show Nanette and presenting at the Emmys. American comedian Hart was asked to step down from hosting the Oscars last week after he failed to apologise for a homophobic tweet he made in 2011. Hart's offensive tweets were posted nearly a decade ago and were well known, but current backlash booted him from the job this year. Immediately after Hart was confirmed as host last Tuesday night, some journalists began tweeting reminders of Hart's past comments. By Thursday morning, a few publications had written articles about them and the outrage escalated. Hart's attitudes about homosexuality were also a well-known part of his stand-up act. Rising star: Hannah has become a universal hit in recent times after thrilling fans in her role on Please Like Me, her hit comedy show Nanette and presenting at the Emmys In the 2010 special Seriously Funny, he said 'one of my biggest fears is my son growing up and being gay'. 'Keep in mind, I'm not homophobic, I have nothing against gay people, do what you want to do, but me, being a heterosexual male, if I can prevent my son from being gay, I will,' Hart said in the routine. Though he refused to apologise for his comments twice, by Thursday night he finally conceded. 'I'm sorry that I hurt people. I am evolving and want to continue to do so. My goal is to bring people together not tear us apart. Much love & appreciation to the Academy. I hope we can meet again,' Hart tweeted. Hart is currently touring Australia for his Irresponsible stand-up comedy show. The Oscars is to be held on February 24, 2019. Erin Molan was the envy of women across Australia when her policeman beau proposed with a ring worth around $100,000 last year. And it was the 33-year-old's turn to give away a diamond sparkler on Monday, when she presented a ring to a man named Julian to give to his wife, who is battling stage four pancreatic cancer. During a segment on the Today show, Erin was seen fighting back tears as she spoke to Julian about his family's struggles, which included taking care of his son who suffers from Duchenne muscular dystrophy. 'Today is Sharon's birthday,' a visibly emotional Erin said, before presenting Julian with a ring designed by House of K'dor- the same jeweller that crafted her own wedding ring. 'Unbelievable. Wow! I have never been the romantic romantic guy. I never promised to be a romantic guy,' Julian gushed as he accepted the lavish gift. 'It's never too late for you to become a romantic': Today show's Erin Molan, 33, fought back tears as she gifted a diamond ring to the husband of a woman with pancreatic cancer during a Today show segment on Monday Tragic: Erin was seen fighting back tears as she spoke to Julian about his family's struggles, which included taking care of his son who suffers from Duchenne muscular dystrophy 'This is really special and it's never too late for you to become a romantic,' Erin assured him. Reflecting upon the segment, Erin told Today's Brenton Ragless and Deborah Knight: '(They are) just a beautiful family. You feel silly saying here is a beautiful diamond ring, we know it's not going to make it [ok]. However, the blonde conceded: 'it will make her feel lovely and special. It made him happy and the kids happy. It's the least we can do.' Reflecting upon the segment, Erin told Today's Brenton Ragless and Deborah Knight: '(They are) just a beautiful family. You feel silly saying here is a beautiful diamond ring, we know it's not going to make it [ok]' What a rock! Erin Molan was the envy of women across Australia when her policeman beau proposed with a ring worth around $100,000 last year Erin's fiance Sean saved up his policeman's salary for six months to pay for the TV host's stunning engagement ring, according to reports. 'Despite our friendship (with Erin and Sean) I can confirm that the diamond ring was purchased and not gifted,' House of K'Dor jewellers told The Daily Telegraph at the time. Australian pop icon and third-generation Scientologist Kate Ceberano has sent her daughter Gypsy Rogers, 14, to a Scientology boarding school in America. The Delphian School, located in the fields of Oregon, costs $72,000-a-year in tuition and features a curriculum partly based on the teachings of Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard. Students are also required to learn using Hubbard's 'Study Tech"' method, which is an intense form of studying created by Hubbard himself and championed by Tom Cruise. Education: Australian pop icon and third-generation Scientologist Kate Ceberano has sent her daughter Gypsy Rogers, 14, to a Scientology boarding school in America In November, Gypsy's father Lee Rogers shared photos to social media of Gypsy arriving at the Delphian, along with an image of her official certificate of acceptance. Kate excitedly commented on the post, referring to Gypsy's admission as a 'journey.' 'I hate the distance between but I love the journey you're on,' wrote the 52-year-old songstress. 'It's soooo [sic] vast, the space between the earth and sky. But it's all yours for the taking!' Learning: The Delphian School, located in the fields of Oregon, costs $72,000-a-year in tuition and features a curriculum based on the teachings of Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard Although the Delphian School doesn't specifically refer to itself as a Scientology school, the religion's founder L. Ron Hubbard is repeatedly referenced and quoted all across the school's official website. 'Delphian School owes a debt of gratitude to Mr. Hubbard for his writings on children, education, ethics and organization, all of which continue to provide insight and inspiration to the schools mission and activities,' reads one section of the site. The school openly admits to using Hubbards controversial Study Tech, which requires pupils to keep repeating word after word until they understand it, no matter how long it takes or what subject it is. Student: Gypsy (pictured), who was raised Scientologist, arrived at the school in November Certified! Gypsy's father Lee Rogers shared photos to social media of Gypsy arriving at the Delphian, along with an image of her official certificate of acceptance The Delphian School has come under fire in the past, with experts telling Daily Mail that the school is a recruitment zone for the Sea Org, a hardcore Scientology group who have to sign a one billion year contract to the church. According to one expert, the pupils are more than likely under a lot pressure to join the Sea Orgs. Its definitely a Sea Org recruitment zone. These kids are second generation Scientologists and born into the Church; recruitment would start at The Delphian.' Past pupils have made other claims about the school, with one former member saying that there was a separate Ethics Room for pupils who had done wrong. Controversial: The Delphian School has come under fire in the past, with experts telling Daily Mail that the school is a recruitment zone for the Sea Org, a hardcore Scientology group who have to sign a one billion year contract to the church Non-Scientologist Paul Csige, 32, struggled with traditional schools and was sent to The Delphian by his parents in 1996, who thought Study Tech might be a good way for him to learn. It was presented to me really nice,' he told Daily Mail. 'You could learn at your own pace, teachers act like supervisors, they just guide you. They werent supposed to teach, just answer questions if you had any.' In the first month, I had real difficulty, as I didnt believe it, so was sent to the Ethics Room, which is the equivalent of a principles office, but had no windows. Its one little room on the second floor. 'Basically I was sat down with the ethics person, a scary lady. Youd have to sit there for 30 minutes without talking. Then I said I didnt believe it, and I was basically given no choice. There was no alternative option. This was how we learn. Eventually, I had to give the appearance that I believed.' 'Study Tech': At the Delphian, Gypsy will be required to learn using L. Ron Hubbard's 'Study Tech' method, which is an intense form of studying created by Hubbard himself and championed by Tom Cruise (pictured) According to Paul, 'youd be in the Ethics Room for all sorts of misdemeanors like if you had an altercation with a student or not done well at your courses. But according to The Delphian, thats the schools way of life and is character building for young people. The pupils handbook states: More than three-quarters of our students are boarders, and they do more than live here - they own the school. 'Our students take responsibility for everything from keeping their dormitories clean to caring for the grounds to managing the snack bar and planning and organizing weekend trips. Devout: Kate is a third generation Scientologist who has proudly rubbed shoulders with the churchs global leader David Miscavige (pictured center right) Daily Mail Australia has contacted Kate Ceberano and the Delphian School for comment. Kate is a third generation Scientologist who has proudly rubbed shoulders with the churchs global leader David Miscavige. In 2016, she performed at the opening of a new $57 million Scientology center in Sydney's Chatswood. Kyle Sandilands was among a handful of celebrities who failed to attend Karl Stefanovic and Jasmine Yarbrough's wedding in Mexico over the weekend. But that didn't stop Kyle's girlfriend Imogen Anthony from channeling Cabo glamour as she slipped into a skimpy bikini during their holiday in regional NSW on Sunday. The 27-year-old socialite shared a photo of herself to Instagram posing in a hot pink two-piece that left little to the imagination. Ay caramba! Imogen Anthony flaunted her bikini body while on holiday with Kyle Sandilands in rural NSW on Sunday - after turning down an invitation to Karl Stefanovic and Jasmine Yarbrough's wedding in Mexico She also wore pair of oversized Gucci sunglasses and a full face of makeup, including a slick of maroon lipstick and a dark lip liner. The model captioned the photo, 'i.am.imogen', a reference to the brand that designed her bikini, I Am Gia. Kyle joined Imogen on her weekend getaway, and was seen modelling an Elvis-style wig in a video shared to her Instagram account on Sunday. Different worlds: As Kyle and Imogen (left) relaxed in rural NSW, thousands of kilometres away Karl and Jasmine (right) tied the knot in San Jose del Cabo, Mexico Meanwhile, thousands of kilometres away, Kyle and Imogen's celebrity pals Karl Stefanovic and Jasmine Yarbrough tied the knot in a sunset ceremony at the One&Only Palmilla resort in San Jose del Cabo, Mexico. Kyle and Imogen were invited to attend the destination wedding but pulled out at the last minute, possibly due to the radio presenter's ongoing health issues. Last weekend, Imogen revealed the couple were still 'undecided' if they would attend the nuptials, telling the Sydney Morning Herald: 'You know what Kyle is like.' Didn't attend: Kyle and Imogen were invited to the destination wedding but pulled out at the last minute, possibly due to the radio presenter's ongoing health issues. Pictured: Karl and Jasmine on their wedding day at the One&Only Palmilla resort She continued: 'With Kyle being sick, I'm not sure if we will head along yet, but we have been invited.' 'I really, really want to go, I was just talking to Christian [Wilkins] about the tequila we could have and [how we could] dance on tables in our bikinis.' Imogen added that her boyfriend has a phobia of going to foreign countries, and that he only likes going on holidays to Los Angeles. 'Undecided': Last weekend, Imogen revealed the couple were still 'undecided' if they would attend the nuptials, telling the Sydney Morning Herald : 'You know what Kyle is like' Kyle was reportedly going to be an emcee at Karl's wedding. The KIIS FM star has taken numerous sick days in recent months. In one notable instance, he called in sick just 33 minutes before a 6am broadcast. In September, he took six days off work in a two-week period. Skye Wheatley will welcome her first child in the coming days. But the former Big Brother contestant, 24, has more important things on her mind than childbirth. On Sunday, she asked her Instagram followers to recommend good cosmetic surgeons for post-baby breast augmentation. 'Looking for a breast surgeon for after babies': Skye Wheatley is already planning a boob job for when she gives birth - following THAT 'botched' Bangkok surgery in 2015 'Any recommendations?' On Sunday, Skye asked her Instagram followers to recommend good cosmetic surgeons for post-baby breast augmentation Skye wrote: 'Looking for an amazing breast surgeon for after babies. Any recommendations? 'I think I need a breast lift, new implants and correction of [a] double bubble. Comment on my latest pic if you have any recommendations.' In 2015, Skye travelled to Thailand to have her breasts enlarged as part of a promotional deal with a medical tourism company. 'Double bubble': In 2015, Skye travelled to Thailand to have her breasts enlarged as part of a promotional deal with a medical tourism company. She later claimed the procedure had been botched and she was left with a 'double bubble' in her right breast (pictured) Skye had claimed for years that she didn't like her A-cup breasts. The Instagram model had hoped the augmentation would fix her asymmetrical chest - but after waking up the next day with D-cups, she complained of puckering in the crease below the right breast. Later that year, she spent $28,000 to have the surgery corrected in Australia and advised other people against travelling overseas for cosmetic procedures. She appeared on Trial By Kyle earlier this year to seek compensation against the company that sent her to Thailand. Corrective procedure: Later in 2015, she spent $28,000 to have the surgery corrected in Australia and advised other people against travelling overseas for cosmetic procedures However, Kyle Sandilands sided with the company that organised trip and surgery because Skye had broken her contract. Skye acknowledged on Trial By Kyle that she didn't follow the proper post-procedure guidelines and apologised to the medical tourism company. Meanwhile, the reality TV star is expecting her first child with boyfriend-of-one-year Lachlan Waugh. They tied the knot in Los Cabos, Mexico on Saturday, at the luxurious One&Only Palmilla resort. And on Sunday evening, Karl Stefanovic and Jasmine Yarbrough continued the celebrations by hosting a Studio 54-themed disco party at the resort. Toted as a 'recovery' party, on the decks was the couple's friend, celebrity DJ Sloane Angel, a resident DJ for Soho House in the US. Bowls of Burger Rings, guests dancing in their hotel slippers and Julie Bishop on the DJ decks: Inside Karl Stefanovic and Jasmine Yarbrough's Studio 54-themed party in Cabo. Jasmine is pictured with friends at the party including Montana Cox Karls' daughter Ava also took over the DJ duties at various times throughout the night. In an unusual sight, Julie Bishop also got on the decks as the night wore on, waving her arms in the air in excitement as she played some bangers for the crowd. In an accompanying video, the Honourable Member for Curtain can be seen showing off a series of choice moves at the DJ booth. As the DJ spins Pump Up The Jam, Julie does a series of hip sways and shoulder shimmies at the DJ booth. Extended families of both sides boogied away with the festive song All I want for Christmas getting everyone onto the dance floor. Vintage: Over a crop top, the shoe designer wore a white sheer shift dress and silver boots Wow! In an unusual sight, Julie Bishop also got on the decks as the night wore on Excited: She was seen waving her arms in the air in excitement as she played some bangers for the crowd Some guests were even seen dancing in in their hotel slippers. Karl, Jasmine, daughter Ava, son Jackson and his girlfriend Anna all joined in the dance floor boogie-off. Dressed in the 1970s theme, the 34-year-old Jasmine donned white disco-themed hotpants that showed off her slim pins. Over a crop top, the shoe designer wore a white sheer shift, again dressed in the retro theme. She completed the look with a pair of silver sparkly boots which sat at thigh-high length. Retro! Sylvia Jeffries (right) wife of Karl's brother Peter Stefanovic (left) chose a slinky, iridescent silver dress with long sleeves Out there: In another photo from the night, Peter posed with another of the Stefanovic clan, brother Tom (rihgt) who was also dressed as Freddie Mercury Posing with friends, the blonde appeared to be wearing heavy eyeliner and had her hair crimped into era-appropriate waves. Sylvia Jeffries, wife of Karl's brother Peter Stefanovic, chose a slinky, iridescent silver dress with long sleeves. She posed beside her husband, who was dressed up as Freddie Mercury of the band Queen, complete with mustache. In another photo from the night, Peter posed with another of the Stefanovic clan, brother Tom, who was also dressed as Freddie Mercury, albeit with a more flamboyant take on the costume. Retro theme: The party was based on Studio 54, a famous disco establishment of the 1970s Party party! Table tops featured sequined table cloths and disco ball ornaments. The venue was decorated with streamers, and awash in coloured lights, silver and glitter embellishments TV host Karl looked every bit the disco king in an afro wig, vibrantly patterned shirt and white flares. Guests also brought their best costume game, with model Montana Cox in a dark silver glitter playsuit. Always eye-catching, socialite Christian Wilkins wore silver glitter flares and a flower crown. Ready to party: 'Studio 54 ladies,' one guest posted to Instagram on Sunday, underneath a snap of a group of women getting dressed in sparkly frocks for the party. Extended families of both sides boogied away on the dance floor with some guests dancing in in their hotel slippers Jasmine's Mara & Mine business partner Tamie Ingham wore an emerald green mini dress by Attico. For hungry guests, there were bowls of Burger Rings around the venue for canapes, in honour of Jasmine's obsession with the humble chips. The venue was decorated with streamers, and awash in coloured lights, silver and glitter embellishments. Round two! Toted as a 'recovery' party, on the decks was the couple's friend, celebrity DJ Sloane Angel, a resident DJ for Soho House in the US. Pictured: Guests at the party Using the couple's official wedding hashtag, Lets Get Fizzy Karl, guests shared snaps on Instagram of themselves getting into their best disco gear. The hashtag is a play on Jasmine's nickname, with The Daily Telegraph reporting that her friends gave her the nickname Jassy Fizzle when she lived in Los Angeles. 'Studio 54 ladies,' one guest posted to Instagram on Sunday, underneath a snap of a group of women getting dressed in sparkly frocks for the party. Another male guest put on a navy jumpsuit and a retro flare-sleeved shirt and held a bottle of champagne, writing: 'Champagne?' Getting in the groove: Another guest put on a navy one piece and a retro flare-sleeved shirt and held a bottle of champagne, writing: 'Champagne?' TV host Karl also looked every bit the disco king in an afro wig, vibrantly patterned shirt and white flares Snacks: For hungry guests, there were bowls of Burger Rings around the venue for canapes, in honour of Jasmine's obsession with the humble chips News.com.au reported the couple would be having the party on Sunday at their resort. According to a staff member at the resort, the couple's disco shindig could take place in the Palmilla's luxury nightclub, Club 96, which is only available to guests who rent out one of the pricey villas. Karl and Jasmine booked two villas, one at US$8500 (approximately AU$11600) per night, and another for US$11000 (approximately $AU15000) per night. Drinks! Karl and Jasmine enjoyed drinks with Nova radio host Tim Blackwell after the wedding Newlyweds: The couple married in the chapel of the One&Only Palmilla resort on Saturday The couple married in the chapel of the resort on Saturday, surrounded by guests including his brother Peter Stefanovic and his wife Sylvia Jeffreys, and Richard and Christian Wilkins. According to Private Sydney, Karl described Jasmine, 34, as his 'rock' during his speech at the couple's wedding reception. Interestingly, he claimed his new wife had helped him to become a 'better dad'. 'I'm a better person because of you, a better friend, a better dad tonight I celebrate and toast you Jasmine my wife,' he said. The Project's Lisa Wilkinson was declined an invite to her former Today co-host Karl Stefanovic's wedding to Jasmine Yarbrough in Mexico on Saturday. But it seems that the 58-year-old veteran journalist has struck an unlikely friendship with Karl's scorned ex-wife, Cassandra Thorburn. According to a report released by New Idea on Monday, Lisa is 'helping' Cassandra, 47, land a spot on Dancing With The Stars 2019. 'She wants to see her post-divorce TV career take off': New Idea claimed Lisa Wilkinson (right) is 'secretly helping' Cassandra Thorburn (left) land a spot on Dancing With The Stars 2019 'Lisa has a lot of clout at [Network] Ten so has been saying good things in the right people's ears,' a source told the publication. 'Lisa has been really crucial in helping Cass try and land a role on DWTS,' they revealed. The insider explained that the show is hoping to 'cash in' on the publicity surrounding Cassandra's shock split with Karl, which is still generating buzz two years later. 'Lisa has a lot of clout at [Network] Ten so has been saying good things in the right people's ears,' a source told New Idea on Monday '[Lisa] really wants to see Cass' post-divorce TV career take off, and seeing her land a place on DWTS would be amazing,' the source stated. Cassandra and convicted drug smuggler Schapelle Corby have both been rumoured to make an appearance on the Network Ten dancing competition next year. The unusual camaraderie comes after Lisa wished Karl and Jasmine, who married at at the One&Only Palmilla resort in Mexico on Saturday, very well. 'Lisa has a lot of clout at [Network] Ten so has been saying good things in the right people's ears,' they added. Pictured with Karl (left) in 2012 After a news package on the wedding was aired, Lisa quipped: 'Yeah it's lovely to see. They look very happy.' 'I think they've had a couple rough years. And it'll be nice to get on with the rest of their lives. Together,' she intoned carefully. Lisa quit the Today show last year amidst claims Karl was reportedly earning $2 million - double her $1.1 million salary. Cassandra and Karl split in 2016 after 21 years of marriage. They share custody of Jackson, River and Ava. Model Megan Blake Irwin, 24, said she was 'completely in love' with billionaire heir David Mimran, 46, back in September. But speculation is now growing the lovebirds could have split, with the formerly loved-up couple now giving each other little mention on Instagram. During the early days of their relationship, the Australian model was open about her relationship with David, who is an heir to a French sugar fortune. Scroll down for video Split? Model Megan Blake Irwin, 24, is rumoured to have split from billionaire heir David Mimran, 46, (above) after announcing their relationship in September of this year Megan, however, has been suspiciously silent about love interest David, only posting cryptic messages about troubled lovers of late. On Monday, Megan shared a lovelorn quote: 'Eventually soulmates meet, for they have the same hiding place,' by tenor, Robert Brault. The bombshell also shared a second photograph, about 'falling' and 'rising' in life, indicating that something is weighing on her mind. Rise and fall: Australian model Megan has shared a number of emotionally-charged posts, and appears to have stopped following David, who is heir to a $2 billion sugar fortune Daily Mail Australia has reached out to Megan for comment. Megan also appears to have stopped following the well-heeled David, who is the son of Jean Claude Mimran, the owner of West Africa's biggest sugar refinery. Back in September, the couple looked every inch the loved-up pair, when Megan confirmed their relationship on an Instagram Q&A. Everything ok? Megan shared a number of clearly emotional posts earlier this week Sharing a snap of herself with her arms slung around David's neck, Megan professed her love for the handsome businessman. Megan first confirmed the couple were friends, before things turned romantic between the pair. 'I met him at the Cannes Film Festival. We were friends first and realised our connection was nothing less than complete and utter love and respect for one another,' she explained. Happier times: Megan was more than happy to speak about her love interest back in September, when the pair looked to be going strong 'He is the kindest, most lovable person and I am so lucky and thankful to have such an amazing human in my life,' she added. At the time, responding to questions from her fans about the 22-year age difference between them, Megan brushed it off as irrelevant. 'I honestly think that some people's souls were meant to be together,' she added. 'I see everyone for who they are on the inside and nothing else matters'. Passion: During a fan Q&A session earlier this year, Megan brushed off their 22-year age difference, saying she sees him for who he is on the 'inside and nothing else matters' Well-connected: David (pictured at the 2010 Toronto Film Festival) is the son of Jean Claude Mimran, who is worth over $2billion, made his fortune from sugar in West Africa Prior to meeting and falling in love with Megan, David was married to former Victoria's Secret model Lucy Mimran and Swiss model Julie Ordon. The relationship came after Megan split with Miami socialite Nicolo Knows. Nicolo confirmed the break-up by sharing a steamy bedroom photo of himself with Russian model Asya Rosh in July. So happy! 'He is the kindest, most lovable person and I am so lucky and thankful to have such an amazing human in my life,' Megan previously gushed of her new boyfriend It's unclear when Megan and David began dating, but she was last pictured with her ex Nicolo on February 15. In mid-August, she told her Instagram followers she was 'too much in love', but didn't say with who. Megan was previously engaged to Australian publisher Oscar Martin and is rumoured to have enjoyed a fling with Scott Disick in 2016. He may have sent a heartfelt message to Carrie Bickmore after she welcomed her beautiful baby girl into the world on Sunday. But it appears Carrie's radio co-host Tommy Little may not be up to scratch when the time comes for babysitting. In an appearance on Studio 10, host Sarah Harris put Tommy to the test to see if he could properly look after a child. 'Now we put it in the microwave': Tommy Little auditioned to babysit Carrie Bickmore's new daughter in a hilarious skit where the comedian covers a doll in formula before dropping it on the ground In the hilarious skit, Tommy had only 45 seconds to get a baby doll ready to go out. As Sarah starts the clock Tommy picks up the child and begins to fashion the reusable nappy onto its head. 'What are you doing?' Sarah asks, baffled by his plan of attack. 'I'm giving it a cool little du-rag,' he says, referring to a form of headwear. Time's ticking! In the hilarious skit, Tommy had only 45 seconds to get a baby doll ready to go out 'You're going to be a terrible father,' Sarah said, as she expressed concern about Tommy's knowledge of nappies. 'I'm going to be a great father. This will be the coolest kid going round,' he quipped back. Sarah then told the popular hosts that he should put some powder on the baby to stop it from chaffing. Tommy liberally applied powder over the baby as he said: 'Okay cover the bits.' Poor performance: Sarah told Tommy that he should put some powder on the baby to stop it from chaffing Sarah appeared worried that the doll was covered in a full bottle of powder and exclaimed: 'This poor child! Tommy then started to put the doll in an open microwave next to him before changing his mind and throwing the fake child in a car seat. Using his hands, the popular host then shovelled baby formula all over the doll. 'Time is up Tommy Little,' said Sarah. 'You are officially going to be the very worst father.' 'The worst father': It seems Tommy won't be babysitting Carrie's new bub anytime soon. Carrie is pictured with partner Chris and child, Adelaide As Tommy tried to defend his parenting skills he accidentally pushed the car seat, with the doll still in it, onto the ground. 'You can edit out that last bit right? You can edit it out,' he said. The hilarious skit was shared to Instagram with the caption: 'Tommy's audition to babysit Carrie's new bub Adelaide went well... ' On Monday, Carrie, who was born in Adelaide, South Australia in 1980 revealed that her and her partner Chris Walker, had named their precious newborn, 'Adelaide.' Channel Ten has 'back flipped' on a planned name change to one of the offshoots in its network. The station has recently undergone a re-branding, changing its iconic logo to a new, more modern image. In that re-branding came new channels, 10 Peach and 10 Boss, which were launched last month. Not quite the boss! Channel Ten 'back flip' on name change as 'some were not so happy' amidst re-branding. Pictured: Channel Ten's The Project However, one of those channels won't be surviving the perky new name change. 10 Boss will be now be called 10 Bold, after a challenge from rival media company Fairfax (now part of Nine), Channel Ten confirmed in a statement. The network said that 'some were not so happy' about the name change. Changes: 10 Boss will be now be called 10 Bold, after a challenge from rival media company Fairfax, Channel Ten confirmed in a statement Sot happy: As reported by Mumbrella , Fairfax have confirmed that they are taking action over the channel name stoush Channel Ten representatives said in a statement: 'It didn't take long for Fairfax Media to voice their displeasure at the name. 'Fairfax and Nine thought we were trying to rip off their BOSS brand. Really!' The change takes effect today, the statement added: 'That's right, from tonight 10 Boss will become 10 Bold. We think it's better to be bold than bossy.' The statement added: 'That's right, from tonight 10 Boss will become 10 Bold. We think it's better to be bold than bossy.' Pictured: Channel Ten's The Bachelorette As reported by Mumbrella, Fairfax previously confirmed that they were taking action over the channel name stoush. A Fairfax Media spokesperson said in a statement: 'We have commenced proceedings against Ten Network to protect our BOSS trade mark. 'BOSS is a long-held, well-established trade mark of Fairfax's and we take our intellectual property rights seriously.' Neighbours actress Sharon Johal, 31, has praised the show for 'taking the plunge' and introducing more diverse characters. Speaking to The Daily Telegraph, the Punjabi-Sikh actor said viewers should be given a pat on the back for being so open to changes. 'I think audiences need to be given more credit because they can adapt to change,' she told the publication on Tuesday. 'Audiences can adapt': Neighbours star Sharon Johal, 31, (above) has praised the long-running soap for introducing more diverse characters into the show She continued: 'It's a bit of a chicken or the egg situation and I'm proud that Neighbours took the plunge and introduced our characters. 'They've been really well received.' Sharon's character Dipi Rebecchi took up residence on Ramsay Street last year, and was married to the brother of longtime character Toadie Rebecchi. 'They've been really well received': Sharon said she was proud of Neighbours for 'taking the plunge' and introducing more diverse characters Neighbours executive producer Jason Herbison said the change was intentional in order to for show to reflect broader community trends. 'We felt it was important that our new extended Rebecchi family reflect the cultural diversity of the community and our audience,' he told blog TV Tonight. The show also had a historic same-sex marriage earlier this year, between characters Aaron Brennan and David Tanaka. Praise: 'We felt it was important to reflect the cultural diversity of the community and our audience': Producer Jason Herbison said of the introduction of Sharon's character to the show It was a move that was applauded by actors Matt Wilson and Takaya Honda, who portray the characters, along with other members of the cast following the 'Yes' vote for same-sex marriage. Explaining her own journey to acting, Sharon said it was anything but normal, revealing she had a law career, which her parents wanted her to continue. The stunner took acting classes at night, and admitted her mother used to follow her because she didn't want her to go and instead urged her to remain a lawyer. Cassandra Thorburn has insisted she is perfectly happy following her ex-husband Karl Stefanovic's wedding to new wife Jasmine Yarbrough. The 47-year-old former ABC journalist reportedly launched into a 'tirade' against Karl, 44, at Sydney Airport on Sunday, even calling the Today host a 'narcissist'. But on Monday, she told The Sydney Morning Herald - which is owned by Karl's employers Nine - that she is anything but bitter. 'I'm leading a very happy life': Cassandra Thorburn has hit back after claims she branded her ex-husband Karl Stefanovic a 'narcissist' and 'fake'. Pictured at Sydney Airport on Sunday 'I am leading a very happy life,' she said. Cassandra previously denied to Daily Mail Australia that any 'interview or rant' took place at the airport. However, SMH claimed that 'Thorburn wouldn't say whether New Idea [which first reported the story] made up the quotes altogether'. Daily Mail Australia has contacted Cassandra for comment and clarification. Claims: The 47-year-old former ABC journalist reportedly launched into a 'tirade' against Karl, 44, over the weekend, calling the Today host a 'narcissist'. Pictured: Newlyweds Karl Stefanovic and Jasmine Yarbrough in San Jose del Cabo, Mexico on Friday On Monday, New Idea claimed that the mother-of-three supposedly criticised Karl's wedding to Jasmine Yarbrough while jetting into Sydney Airport on Sunday following a trip to Melbourne. 'He's thrown three weddings for goodness sake. Who needs three weddings in a year? Give us a break,' Cassandra was quoted as telling a reporter. 'Three weddings and a funeral. We had a funeral and it was my dad's.' Cassandra's funeral reference concerned the death of her father, journalist Max Thorburn, who lost his battle with cancer in October. Setting the record straight: But on Monday, Cassandra told The Sydney Morning Herald - which is owned by Karl's employers Nine - that she is anything but bitter. Pictured: Karl and Cassandra in Sydney on October 16, 2008 She reportedly then said: 'I've done a lot of reading about narcissism... Everything he says is about this fake person who lives in this fake castle, it's not real.' New Idea also claimed Cassandra took umbrage with Karl's famous 'sexism experiment' in 2014, which saw the Channel Nine star wear the same suit for a year to demonstrate how men aren't scrutinised for their appearance like women are. '[People] just believed it because he said it,' she fumed before also asking: 'Does the country really believe he wore the same suit every day for a year?' Allegations: On Monday, New Idea claimed the mother-of-three supposedly criticised Karl's wedding to Jasmine Yarbrough while jetting into Sydney Airport on Sunday The publication went on to quote Cassandra as saying Karl once referred to himself as 'the best journalist in Australia, quite possibly the world' and that he has 'a lot to hide'. While Karl tied the knot with Jasmine, 34, over the weekend, Cassandra was surrounded by supportive friends in Melbourne. The three children she shares with Karl - Jackson, 19, Ava, 13, River, 12 - are all believed to have travelled to Mexico for the wedding. On Saturday, Cassandra shared a cryptic Instagram post around the time the first wedding photos of Karl and Jasmine surfaced online. She posted an image of The Handmaid's Tale book cover, describing the dystopian novel as 'an emotional roller-coaster' and claiming she identified with its themes. 'A good book for my journey. An excellent TV series that is an emotional roller coaster for women. Well worth watching!' she wrote in the caption. The Handmaid's Tale follows the life of June Osborne, who is forced to live as a concubine under a fundamentalist theocratic dictatorship in a dystopian future. New wife, new life! In February this year, Karl and Jasmine announced their engagement. They held a commitment ceremony in Sydney's Palm Beach the following month and married in Mexico (pictured) over the weekend On Thursday, a few days before Karl's wedding, Cassandra was spotted at Sydney Airport boarding a flight to Melbourne. She appeared strained and was wearing a longsleeve T-shirt with the word 'NEVER' emblazoned across the front. It is unclear if this was a reference to her ex-husband. Earlier this week, Cassandra told Daily Mail Australia that she was fed up with being portrayed as a 'bitter ex-wife' in the media. It's been more than five months since the Love Island Australia finale. But Mark O'Dare and Millie Fuller are still going strong, with the couple embarking on a romantic trip to Jervis Bay National Park over the weekend. In a photo shared to Instagram on Monday, the lovebirds put on a rather cheeky display while posing at the beach. Get a grip! Love Island Australia's Mark O'Dare squeezed his girlfriend Millie Fuller's derriere as they posed for a photo while on a weekend getaway to Jervis Bay National Park In an Insta-perfect moment, Mark lifted his girlfriend up into the air while gripping her firmly by the buttocks. The 27-year-old showed off his bulging biceps in the photo, wearing nothing but a pair of striped boardshorts. Meanwhile, doggy daycare worker Millie, 24, flaunted her perky derriere and toned legs in a black and white leopard print bikini. Mark captioned the holiday snap: 'Moments like these'. And they said it wouldn't last! Mark, 27, and Millie, 24, are still going strong more than five months after the Love Island Australia finale It comes after Millie revealed in a Christmas-themed Instagram post that the couple had decided to move in together. She captioned a photo of herself and Mark decorating a festive tree: 'My favourite person @markodare91 and I have decided to move in together. 'This is our little place. We can't wait to spend our first Christmas together.' We made it! Mark and Millie began dating towards the end of Love Island Australia, and are one of the few couples remaining from the series Mark and Millie began dating towards the end of Love Island Australia, and are one of the few couples remaining from the series. At the time, there was speculation they only 'coupled up' to stay in the competition - but they later proved their critics wrong. In August, the pair embarked on their first overseas holiday together, visiting Disneyland in Hong Kong. She kisses multiple male co-stars while portraying an alluring sex siren in the highly anticipated Netflix series, Tidelands. Now Spanish actress Elsa Pataky has cheekily revealed how she prepared for the steamy scenes, during an appearance at the Sydney premiere of her new film on Monday evening. The 48-year-old, who plays the darkly enigmatic leader of a group of siren-human hybrids, Adrielle Cuthbert, jokingly said she 'kissed' her co-stars every morning in an attempt to build chemistry for the sexy sci-fi series. Scroll down for video 'We kissed every morning': Elsa Pataky has cheekily revealed how she prepared for steamy scenes in her racy new Netflix series Tidelands. She is pictured here with co-star Marco Pigossi 'We kissed every morning!' Elsa said in jest during the Q&A stage of the premiere held at the Bennelong Lawn. Meanwhile, Brazilian actor Marco Pigossi, who plays Dylan in the series, went on to joke about his romantic scenes with Elsa. 'We kissed every morning to get into the Tidelands energy,' Marco giggled. 'Latino's are like that! That's how we do things!' Elsa added with a laugh. Beauty: Elsa (pictured) looked stunning in a sheer mini dress at the Tidelands premiere on Monday night in Sydney Tidelands premiere: 'We kissed every morning!' Elsa said in jest during the Q&A stage of the premiere, which was held at the Bennelong Lawn Marco, who was seen smooching Elsa as the pair filmed scenes at a beach in June this year, continued to wax lyrical about working with the Spanish-born beauty. 'Whenever I gave something...I got it back! And this builds tension and beauty, so it was a pleasure working with this beautiful actress,' he said in the direction of Elsa. The series also stars former Home and Away actress Charlotte Best, who plays Cal McTeer, a young women who returns to her hometown of Orphelin Bay after 10 years locked up in prison. Charlotte also revealed the cast performed 'yoga moves' every morning to get into character. 'Every morning (especially in the first couple of weeks) we would do exercise to get ourselves loose and limber,' the soap star explained. New role: Elsa plays the darkly enigmatic leader of a group of siren-human hybrids, Adrielle Cuthbert, in her new Netflix series High-profile romance: In real-life, the actress shares three children with Hollywood hunk Chris Hemsworth 'We would do all these yoga moves,' she said before adding: 'We would line up along the ocean in beautiful places and just move.' Earlier this week, Elsa revealed she won't let her actor husband Chris Hemsworth and their children watch the series. Speaking to The Daily Telegraph, the mother-of-three revealed the sexy sci-fi series might be a little grown-up for her brood. 'They can't watch it as they might get scared,' Elsa confessed to the publication. The stunning actress shares three children with Hollywood star Chris Hemsworth. The couple have a daughter India, six, and twin boys Tristan and Sasha, both four. Cassandra Thorburn appeared as a panelist on Studio 10 on Tuesday, just three days after her ex-husband Karl Stefanovic married Jasmine Yarbrough in Mexico. The 47-year-old former journalist joined Sarah Harris, Kerri-Anne Kennerley, Denise Scott and Joe Hildebrand on the morning show's panel. She discussed a variety of hot topics on the program, including a Fortnite player who allegedly assaulted his pregnant wife during a livestream and how separated parents should handle the Christmas holidays. Taking a stand: Cassandra Thorburn launched a blistering attack on the Australian media during an appearance on Studio 10 on Tuesday after her ex-husband's wedding to Jasmine Yarbrough in Mexico At the start of the program, Cassandra said, 'I'm fine', when asked by host Sarah how she was coping following Karl's wedding. Later on, at around 9:15am, she discussed her Christmas plans and how they were affected by the fact she is divorced. 'This year, I don't get Christmas Eve with the children or Christmas morning. I get Christmas [Day] afternoon,' she said. TV comeback: Cassandra discussed a variety of hot topics on the program, including a Fortnite player who allegedly assaulted his pregnant wife during a livestream and how separated parents should handle the Christmas holidays Opening up: At around 9:15am, Cassandra (right) discussed her Christmas plans and how they were affected by the fact she is divorced from Karl Stefanovic. Pictured with Denise Scott (left) Cassandra explained that her eldest son Jackson, 19, would be with her over the holidays but her youngest - River, 12, and Ava, 13 - 'don't have that option'. She added, rather pointedly: 'You have to follow what's set in place. The younger children have to follow the rules. 'And as a parent, it's their Christmas, you have to encourage them. [You say to them] "You know what, you're going to have a great Christmas, and when you come back home, we're going to have a great afternoon".' 'After two and a half years, I'm not a news story': At around 9:35am, Cassandra drew applause from the Studio 10 audience when she lashed out at the media 'I'm leading a very happy life': It comes after Cassandra told The Sydney Morning Herald she was feeling perfectly happy following Karl and Jasmine's nuptials. Pictured on Sunday At around 9:35am, Cassandra drew applause from the Studio 10 audience when she launched a blistering attack on the Australian media. She claimed the coverage of her personal life in recent months was 'unacceptable', saying: 'After two and a half years, I'm not a news story.' The former Today show producer added that she is just a single mother 'trying to find [her] place back in the world.' She also appeared to take a subtle swipe at Karl, saying that she faces most scrutiny when her ex-husband is in the news - 'which is often'. Meanwhile: As Cassandra made her surprise breakfast TV appearance, Karl was pictured jetting out of Mexico with his new wife on a flight bound for the U.S. Big plans! The bridal party is en route to LA, where they will spend the night at the Beverly Hills Hotel, before flying to Aspen for a 'buddymoon'. Pictured: Jasmine Yarbrough Meanwhile, as Cassandra made her surprise breakfast TV appearance, Karl was pictured jetting out of Mexico with his new wife on a flight bound for the U.S. Looking a little worse for wear after partying hard for several days, the father-of-three dressed casually in a black T-shirt and jeans. The bridal party is en route to Los Angeles, where they will spend the night at the Beverly Hills Hotel, before flying to Aspen, Colorado for a 'buddymoon'. Claims: Cassandra reportedly launched into a 'tirade' against Karl over the weekend, calling the Today host a 'narcissist'. Pictured: Newlyweds Karl Stefanovic and Jasmine Yarbrough in San Jose del Cabo, Mexico on Friday Earlier this week, New Idea claimed Cassandra supposedly criticised Karl's wedding to Jasmine while jetting into Sydney Airport on Sunday. 'He's thrown three weddings for goodness sake. Who needs three weddings in a year? Give us a break,' the mother-of-three was quoted as telling a reporter. 'Three weddings and a funeral. We had a funeral and it was my dad's.' Cassandra's funeral reference concerned the death of her father, journalist Max Thorburn, who lost his battle with cancer in October. Setting the record straight: On Monday, Cassandra insisted she is anything but bitter after her husband remarried a younger woman. Pictured: Karl and Cassandra on October 16, 2008 She reportedly then said: 'I've done a lot of reading about narcissism... Everything he says is about this fake person who lives in this fake castle, it's not real.' New Idea also claimed Cassandra took umbrage with Karl's famous 'sexism experiment' in 2014, which saw the Channel Nine star wear the same suit for a year to demonstrate how men aren't scrutinised for their appearance like women are. '[People] just believed it because he said it,' she fumed before asking: 'Does the country really believe he wore the same suit every day for a year?' Allegations: On Monday, New Idea claimed the mother-of-three supposedly criticised Karl's wedding to Jasmine Yarbrough while jetting into Sydney Airport on Sunday The publication went on to quote Cassandra as saying Karl once referred to himself as 'the best journalist in Australia, quite possibly the world' and that he has 'a lot to hide'. Cassandra previously denied to Daily Mail Australia that any 'interview or rant' took place at the airport. However, The Sydney Morning Herald claimed on Monday that 'Thorburn wouldn't say whether New Idea [which first reported the story] made up the quotes altogether'. Daily Mail Australia has contacted Cassandra for comment and clarification. While Karl tied the knot with Jasmine, 34, at the luxurious One&Only Palmilla resort at San Jose del Cabo over the weekend, Cassandra was surrounded by supportive friends in Melbourne. The three children she shares with Karl - Jackson, Ava and River - are all believed to have travelled to Mexico for the wedding. On Saturday, Cassandra shared a cryptic Instagram post around the time the first wedding photos of Karl and Jasmine surfaced online. She posted an image of The Handmaid's Tale book cover, describing the dystopian novel as 'an emotional roller-coaster' and claiming she identified with its themes. 'A good book for my journey. An excellent TV series that is an emotional roller coaster for women. Well worth watching!' she wrote in the caption. The Handmaid's Tale follows the life of June Osborne, who is forced to live as a concubine under a fundamentalist theocratic dictatorship in a dystopian future. While on Studio 10 Cassandra insisted, however, that the Handmaid's Tale post was not a reference to Karl's wedding. New wife, new life! In February this year, Karl and Jasmine announced their engagement. They held a commitment ceremony in Sydney's Palm Beach the following month and married in Mexico (pictured) over the weekend On Thursday, a few days before Karl's wedding, Cassandra was spotted at Sydney Airport boarding a flight to Melbourne. She appeared strained and was wearing a longsleeve T-shirt with the word 'NEVER' emblazoned across the front. It is unclear if this was a reference to her ex-husband. Earlier this week, Cassandra told Daily Mail Australia that she was fed up with being portrayed as a 'bitter ex-wife' in the media. She walked away from a lucrative lead role in Chicago PD last year. And Sophia Bush has opened up about the harrowing reasons why, claiming she was assaulted in front of male colleagues who did nothing to help. The 36-year-old spoke to Dax Shepard on his Armchair Expert podcast on Monday about her decision to leave her role as Detective Erin Lindsay in the successful Chicago Fire spin-off after four seasons. Victim: Sophia Bush has claimed she was assaulted in a room full of men who refused to help while working on Chicago PD... which caused her to quit the show '[It was] a consistent onslaught barrage of abusive behavior,' she said. 'You start to lose your way when someone assaults you in a room full of people and everyone literally looks away, looks at the floor, looks at the ceiling, and youre the one woman in the room and every man whos twice your size doesnt do something.' The actress has yet to name her assailant. 'I realized that as I was thinking I was being the tough guy, doing the thing, showing up to work, I programmed myself to tolerate the intolerable,' she recalled, as reported by Us Weekly. 'I quit because, what I've learned is I've been so programmed to be a good girl and to be a work horse and be a tug boat that I have always prioritized tugging the ship for the crew, for the show, for the group, ahead of my own health My body was, like, falling apart, because I was really, really unhappy.' She claimed she stayed on the show as long as she did because of her love for her colleagues and because bosses pressured her to stay or those same colleagues would be out of work. Reasons: The 36-year-old spoke to Dax Shepard on his Armchair Expert podcast on Monday about her decision to leave her role as Detective Erin Lindsay in the successful Chicago Fire spin-off after four seasons (pictured on show) 'I internalized and sort of like, inhabited that role of "pull the tug boat" to the point where just because I'm unhappy or Im being mistreated or I'm being abused at work, Im not gonna f*ck up this job for all these people and what about the camera guy whose two daughters I love and this is how he pays their rent?' she said. 'It becomes such a big thing. When your bosses tell you that if you raise a ruckus, you'll cost everyone their job, you believe them.' The John Tucker Must Die star said she complained multiple times; at the start of season four she told bosses she would quit if it the situation was not sorted by the time they'd finished filming. However bosses told her 'no way' as she'd signed a seven-season contract. 'I said, "OK, you can put me in the position of going quietly of my own accord or you can put me in the position of suing the network to get me out of my deal and Ill write an op-ed for The New York Times and tell them why,"' she recalled. She the discovered that NBC president Jennifer Salke had not been informed about her grievance; when she did find out, Bush said she was completely understanding and did not force her to stay. Ignored: The John Tucker Must Die star said she complained multiple times; at the start of season four she told them she would quit if it the situation was not sorted by the time they'd finished filming (pictured with co-star Marina Squerciati) 'Nearing my tenure there, I was probably difficult to be around because I was in so much pain and I felt so ignored,' she said. 'I feel like I was standing butt naked, bruised and bleeding in the middle of Times Square, screaming at the top of my lungs and not a single person stopped to ask if they could help me.' Shepard also worked on One Tree Hill for all nine seasons; its creator Mark Schwahn would later be fired from one of his subsequent shows The Royals after dozens of female crew and cast members from both shows accused him of sexual harassment. Schwahn did not respond to the allegations. Bush said that while neither was pleasant, One Tree Hill wasn't as bad as Chicago PD since Schwahn usually wasn't on set. 'One was like, a guy who were like, "Oh God, hes back",' she said. 'And one was a consistent onslaught barrage of abusive behavior.' She's gearing up to attend the Golden Globes in January. But awards season has started early for Rosamund Pike as she was one of many attendees at the star studded British Fashion Awards at the Royal Albert Hall in London on Monday. The Gone Girl star, 39, was the picture of glamour on the red carpet, donning a floor-length frock coat and black heels. Event: Awards season has started early for Rosamund Pike, 39, as she was one of many attendees at the star studded British Fashion Awards at the Royal Albert Hall on Monday She paired the outfit with a metallic-style top for an elegant finish. The Londoner completed the look with a pair of diamond earrings and styled her hair in a chignon. Rosamund posed alongside actress Rosie Huntington-Whiteley on the red carpet. The Transformers star donned a black, purple, pink and blue feathered dress with a beaded embellishment for the event. Style: The Gone Girl star was the picture of glamour on the red carpet, donning a floor-length frock coat and black heels Fashion: She paired it with a metallic style band necklace and a matching top for an elegant finish Glamour: The Londoner completed the look with a pair of diamond earrings and styled her locks into a chignon Awards: Rosamund posed alongside actress Rosie Huntington-Whiteley on the red carpet Pairing the outfit with a floor-length blazer, the model wore her blonde locks straight and tucked behind her ears for an elegant finish. Rosamund took to the stage during the event, where she was joined by Meghan Markle. The Duchess of Sussex made a surprise appearance at the ceremony to present designer Clare Waight Keller with the British Designer of the Year Womenswear honour. Rosamund transforms into the fearless and rebellious war correspondent Marie Colvin for the film, A Private War. Ceremony: The actress took to the stage during the event, where she was joined by Meghan Markle All smiles: The Duchess of Cambridge made a surprise appearance at the ceremony to present designer Clare Waight Keller with the British Designer of the Year Womenswear honour Her character is driven to the frontline across the globe. Her performance won rave reviews and she has been nominated for Best Actress in a Motion Picture - Drama at the 2019 Golden Globes. Speaking about taking on the role of the foreign affairs correspondent, Rosamund told Town And Country magazine: 'I wanted to capture her spirit of rebellion. But I also had to dive into Curies bitterness. 'I want people to care about journalism again.' In an interview with The Sunday Times magazine, Rosamund said of her latest starring role: 'I have taken responsibility for this one. I care very much about it, about the whole thing.' Next year, the actress will be seen in the films The Informer and Radioactive, where she will portray famed physicist Marie Curie. She was brutally dumped on national TV by Nick 'Honey Badger' Cummins on The Bachelor. And despite having her heart broken on the reality dating show, Cass Wood says 2018 has been the best year of her life. Taking to Instagram on Monday, the 24-year-old shared an appreciation post while reflecting on her experiences over the past 12 months. 'I can genuinely say I'm in a really good place': Cass Wood has called 2018 her 'favourite year yet' despite being brutally dumped by Nick Cummins on The Bachelor 'My favourite number is 18 and 2018 has been my favourite year yet,' she wrote in the caption. 'This year has honestly been a roller coaster of ups and downs and lots of living life in limbo and secrets which has been quite tough.' Cass continued: 'Having to shut off from people and not tell them exactly what you're going through or how you're really feeling has been extremely hard. 'But I can genuinely say I'm in a really good place and feeling super happy and grateful for the people I have met and for the people who surround me. #appreciationpost'. Moved on: Although she was dumped on national TV, the 24-year-old insisted she's never been better. She said, 'I can genuinely say I'm in a really good place and feeling super happy and grateful for the people I have met and for the people who surround me. #appreciationpost' Many of her fans praised the blonde beauty for her post, including Bachelor co-star Brittany Hockley, who showed her support and commented, 'you little one x'. While she is remembered for being love sick around Nick Cummins, Cass has since ventured back into acting by making a cameo appearance in a recent episode of Home And Away. In the scene, the blonde, who has appeared as an extra on the soap for six years, catches the eye of Patrick O'Connor's character Dean Thompson as she walks by the surf club. Confident: While she is remembered for being love sick around Nick Cummins, Cass has since ventured back into acting by making a cameo appearance in a recent episode of Home And Away While discussing his plans to teach surfing lessons with another character Ben Astoni, Dean notices Cass' unnamed bikini-clad character walk into the gym wearing denim shorts. 'We may have just found our first student,' the actor says, while turning his attention to the blonde and then follows her across the set in a bid to talk to her. Cass is also set to return to screens on Bachelor In Paradise in her second attempt at finding love on reality TV. The second season of the tropical dating show spin-off, which has finished filming in Fiji, will air on Channel 10 next year. She has long been an advocate for adoption, having adopted two children of her own with husband Hugh Jackman. And Deborra-lee Furness encouraged fans to support foster kids on Tuesday when she appeared on Channel Nine's Today show to promote the new adoption-themed film Instant Family. 'Everything in life is not easy. We all have our hurdles and our challenges, these kids have extra hurdles right from the get go,' the 61-year-old actress said. Deborra-lee went on to explain how Australians can support children who have 'aged out' of the foster care system after turning 18. 'You don't have to adopt a child to be involved here. Reach out to a kid transitioning from foster care [to] going to college, hopefully. Give them a computer, ring them up to see how their grades are, just to let them know someone cares,' she said. 'There is so much people can do out there to assist these children who don't have someone to watch their back.' Deborra-lee Furness encouraged fans to support foster kids on Tuesday when she appeared on Channel Nine's Today show to promote the new adoption-themed film Instant Family. Pictured with Instant Family director Sean Anders The philanthropist has dedicated many years to adoption advocacy, and even established her own organisation, Adopt Change, in 2008. In 2014, she co-founded Hopeland, a charity which aims to prevent family separation and reunite children with their families. Deborra-lee has previously spoken of the stigma surrounding the process of helping vulnerable children, claiming that adoption seen as something shameful. Doting parents: Deborra-Lee and husband Hugh Jackman are parents to two adopted children, 13-year-old Ava and 18-year-old Oscar 'In some countries, adoption is culturally shunned, and I do think the shame still exists,' she told the website Mamamia in March. 'However, through creative re-positioning of perspective, I believe this can be addressed and shifted,' she added. She then urged Australians wanting to adopt to speak to their local parliament members to try and make a difference in the 'slow moving system'. 'Australians who care about vulnerable children, and particularly those wanting to adopt, need to be vocal and outspoken... By speaking out you are advocating for a child to find a home,' she added. They starred side-by-side on Grey's Anatomy for 11 incredibly successful years. And now, three-years after Patrick Dempsey's departure from the show, Ellen Pompeo is opening up about the status of her relationship with her former on-screen love on Facebook Watch's Red Table Talk. 'We haven't spoken since he's left the show... I have no hard feelings toward him,' Ellen revealed to hosts Jada Pinkett Smith, her mother, Adrienne Banfield Norris, and daughter Willow Smith. Revealing: Ellen Pompeo talked about her current relationship with former co-star Patrick Dempsey on Monday's episode of Red Table Talk Keeping it real: 'We haven't spoken since he's left the show... I have no hard feelings toward him,' Ellen told the hosts after being asked if she and Patrick are still friends Dempsey's name came up during the episode when Jada read a fan question asking if Ellen and Patrick were still friends. 'He's a wonderful actor and we made the best TV you can make together,' the 49-year old actress continued. 'That's a talented man right there. He did 11 amazing years.' History: Pompeo and Dempsey starred together on Grey's Anatomy from 2005-2015 The McDreamy effect: 'You need that time to figure out who you are without the show, we have not spoke, but I will always have a place in my heart for Patrick,' Pompeo added Ellen then appeared to try to explain why some actors can drift apart after many years working together. 'Typically, when people leave the show, they need to sort of find themselves, who they are without the show, because the show takes up so much of your life,' the Massachusetts native added. 'You need that time to figure out who you are without the show, we have not spoke, but I will always have a place in my heart for Patrick.' Success: Pompeo is among the highest paid actors on TV, earning about 23.5million in 2018 Dempsey starred as Dr. Derek 'McDreamy' Shepherd on the medical drama when it premiered in 2005, until he left the show in 2015. Pompeo, who plays Dr. Meredith Grey, also started on the show from it's inception, and, with its mega-success, has gone on to become among the highest paid television actors, earning about $23.5million dollars in 2018. During the Red Table Talk episode, the ladies also talked about interracial marriage, Ellen's experience as a wife in an interracial marriage, and her three biracial children. She met music producer Chris Ivery at a grocery store in Los Angeles in 2003, and the couple eventually got married in 2007. Cassandra Thorburn has reportedly accused her ex-husband Karl Stefanovic of boasting about his 'media influence', in an 'interview' she allegedly gave after he tied the knot with Jasmine Yarbrough in Mexico over the weekend. New Idea magazine has claimed that the former journalist, 47, ranted about Karl's sense of self-importance after arriving at Sydney Airport on Sunday following a trip to Melbourne. 'After we separated he... said [to me]: "It is very, very hard to be the best journalist in Australia, quite possibly the world."That tells you who that man is and who he thinks he is,' the mother-of-three reportedly said. Bold claim: Cassandra Thorburn has reportedly accused her ex-husband Karl Stefanovic of boasting about his 'media influence', claiming Karl once referred to himself as 'the best journalist in Australia, quite possibly the world' The magazine also alleges that Cassandra took issue with Karl's famous 2014 suit stunt on the Today show. At the time, Karl claimed he had worn the same suit every day for a year to make a point about sexist double standards. Cassandra reportedly cast doubt upon Karl's claim and queried whether viewers had actually checked for proof that he wore the same suit for a year. Casting doubt: The magazine also alleges that Cassandra took issue with Karl's famous 2014 suit stunt on the Today show, during which he claimed to wear the same suit every day for a year Wedding bells: Cassandra's so-called interview was reportedly given after Karl tied the knot with Jasmine Yarbrough in Mexico over the weekend (pictured) History: Cassandra split from the Channel Nine host in 2016 after 21 years of marriage. Pictured at the University of Sydney on October 16, 2008 in Sydney New Idea also reported that Cassandra branded Karl a 'narcissist' and 'fake' in the so-called rant. However, Cassandra has since denied New Idea's claims, telling Daily Mail Australia in a statement on Monday: 'There was no interview or rant'. While Karl tied the knot with Jasmine over the weekend, Cassandra was surrounded by supportive friends in Melbourne. Engagement: In February, Karl and Jasmine announced their engagement. The following month, they held a commitment ceremony in Sydney's Palm Beach The three children she shares with Karl - Jackson, 19, Ava, 13, River, 12 - all travelled to Mexico for the wedding. Cassandra shared a cryptic Instagram post around the time the first wedding photos of Karl and Jasmine surfaced online. She posted an image of The Handmaid's Tale book cover, describing the dystopian novel as 'an emotional roller-coaster' and claiming she identified with its themes. Different worlds: While Karl tied the knot with Jasmine over the weekend, Cassandra was surrounded by supportive friends in Melbourne. Pictured: Karl and Jasmine in March 2018 'A good book for my journey. An excellent TV series that is an emotional roller coaster for women. Well worth watching!' she wrote in the caption. The Handmaid's Tale follows the life of June Osborne, who is forced to live as a concubine under a fundamentalist theocratic dictatorship in a dystopian future. On Thursday, a few days before Karl's wedding, Cassandra was spotted at Sydney Airport boarding a flight to Melbourne. Hmm! Cassandra shared a cryptic Instagram post around the time the first wedding photos of Karl and Jasmine surfaced online over the weekend. She posted this image of The Handmaid's Tale, describing the dystopian novel as 'an emotional roller-coaster' and claiming she identified with its themes She appeared strained and was wearing a longsleeve T-shirt with the word 'NEVER' emblazoned across the front. It is unclear if this was a reference to her ex-husband. Earlier this week, Cass told Daily Mail Australia that she was fed up with being portrayed as a 'bitter ex-wife' in the media. She's no stranger to dazzling on-camera and at high-profile industry events. And Alexa Chung ensured all eyes were for her as she attended the star-studded British Fashion Awards 2018 in Partnership with Swarovski at the historic Royal Albert Hall in Kensington, London, on Monday night. The fashion designer, 35, pulled out all the stops with her striking ensemble as she slipped her slender frame into a sleeveless mustard yellow shirt dress. Style savvy: Alexa Chung ensured all eyes were for her at the British Fashion Awards 2018 in Partnership with Swarovski at the historic Royal Albert Hall in London on Monday Displaying her quirky eye for fashion, the former T4 presenter's number was embellished with a rich silk collar and intricate lace embellishments. Alexa turned heads with her bold footwear choice as she boosted her physique in black block heels with a diamond buckle. Maintaining the yellow colour scheme, the brunette clutched onto a gold bedazzled square-framed Edie Parker handbag, and accessorised with jewel dangle earrings. Wow-factor! The fashion designer, 35, pulled out all the stops with her striking ensemble as she slipped her slender frame into a sleeveless mustard yellow shirt dress Pop of colour: Displaying her quirky eye for fashion, the former T4 presenter's number was embellished with a rich silk collar and intricate lace embellishments Standing tall: Alexa turned heads with her bold footwear choice as she boosted her physique in black block heels with a diamond buckle Alexa styled her tresses into a lightly-curled bob and accentuated her stunning looks with winged eyeliner, rose-tinted blush and nude lipstick. In association with The British Fashion Council (BFC), The Fashion Awards celebrates individuals and businesses that have made a significant contribution to the fashion industry over the last year. It is also a fundraiser for the BFC's charities and aims to support future talented individuals with their creative fashion skills. Stunning: Maintaining the yellow colour scheme, the brunette clutched onto a gold bedazzled square-framed handbag from Edie Parker, and accessorised with jewel dangle earrings Great spirits: The siren beamed with delight as she took to the stage to present an award Alexa's outing comes after she revealed she was once ordered to strip by a movie producer while being auditioned for a role. In a worrying #MeToo moment, the model was told to remove her clothes so that the exec could see what she looked like naked. Addressing the Oxford Union, Alexa said: He told me to strip because he needed to see what I looked like naked for a scene that required it. I didnt say anything at the time because I didnt want to rock the boat. Afterwards, I was like, Is that weird? The modelling industry in particular is quite a dangerous industry it has a veneer of glamour that hides the cracks. It warped my reality. She told students how important it was for people to share their stories and establish an 'emotional connection'. 'I know now that Im driven by a desire to communicate and to have an emotional connection with other people,' she said. Details: Alexa styled her tresses into a lightly-curled bob and accentuated her stunning looks with winged eyeliner, rose-tinted blush and nude lipstick In good company: She gave the camera a smouldering gaze as she cosied up to actress Josephine de La Baume 'Now more than ever theres a growing space for people to tell their own stories and a need for them to do so. As for romance, Alexa previously fell madly in love with the Arctic Monkeys rocker Alex Turner from 2007 until 2011. The designer was believed to have rekindled her relationship with actor Alexander Skarsgard in March, however she was seen with ex Matthew Hitt two months later. Sir Cliff Richard: 60 Years In Public And In Private Rating: Nadiya's Asian Odyssey Rating: Cliff's a perennial. Never changes, the Peter Pan of Pop, just the same as he was in the Fifties, etc. So the real surprise of Sir Cliff Richard: 60 Years In Public And In Private (ITV) was to realise just how often Britain's original rock'n'roller has reinvented himself. From the moment clean-cut Harry Webb changed his name and shook his hips to Move It, with a kiss curl and an Elvis sneer, he has turned chameleon more often than David Bowie. Christian rocker, family entertainer, American idol, West End star, Christmas balladeer and now pop's elder statesman: that's quite a repertoire. The real surprise of Sir Cliff Richard: 60 Years In Public And In Private (ITV) was to realise just how often Britain's original rock'n'roller has reinvented himself This frank documentary warned at the start that little would be revealed. 'I quite like the word 'enigma',' Cliff said. 'I don't see why people should know everything about you.' In fact, he held little back. His longtime companion John McElynn was introduced, with the caption 'close friend', when the former Catholic priest could easily have remained in the background. Cliff talked movingly about his late mother Dorothy's dementia, and how she could recognise his public persona but not her own son: she used to call him 'that Cliff Richard' to his face. His favourite dream, he added, was one where his father Rodger, who died 50 years ago, was still alive: 'I haven't had that dream in a long time,' he added wistfully. All this was said as he showed the cameras round his private retreat, a villa and 30-acre estate on the Algarve in Portugal. This doesn't seem like the behaviour of a secretive man. But it is the reaction of a naturally open man who has been badly wounded by people he trusted. In Nadiya's Asian Odyssey the Bake Off star discovers the places where her ancestors lived Four years ago the BBC named him as the focus of a historic sex abuse inquiry, and streamed live footage of a police raid on his home: it was the most public and flagrant trial by television this country has ever seen. All the allegations were later proved baseless. Cliff is still traumatised by the betrayal. As he pointed out, BBC staff had worked closely with him for more than half a century. If there had ever been a breath of scandal about him, people at Broadcasting House would have known. Even now, he's too polite to point out how many executives must have heard rumours about paedophiles Jimmy Savile, Rolf Harris and others, and done nothing. The Corporation's hypocrisy is staggering. The presenter tried her hand at pottery and kung fu before cooking pakora, buffalo kebabs and other local delicacies Famous friends who have stood by him throughout paid tribute. What the show lacked was a proper assessment of his music. In all pop history, only Paul McCartney can rival him for sheer volume of lightweight, hummable hits. In time, all the nastiness of the false claims will be a footnote, but the songs will remain. If ladies of a certain age often love Cliff, grannies everywhere adore Nadiya Hussain. The Bake Off star, discovering the places where her ancestors lived in Nadiya's Asian Odyssey (BBC1), was petted and patted across half the continent. In Nepal, an elderly farmer's wife couldn't stop cooing and stroking Nadiya's face as she quizzed her about her husband and children. If the cook hadn't been happily married before she set off on her adventure, village matchmakers would have snapped her up for an instant wedding to a local lad. This was an inconsequential travelogue, in which the presenter tried her hand at pottery and kung fu before cooking pakora, buffalo kebabs and other local delicacies. We learned little, except that Britain isn't the only nation that loves Nadiya. It's been a good year for Michelle Williams, who's seeking to end things on a great note. The Kalispell, Montana native, 38, told People that she's 'looking forward to starting some new traditions' for the holiday season in her first year of marriage to her husband, musician Phil Elverum, 40. Williams, who's mother to 13-year-old daughter Matilda Rose with late Oscar-winner Heath Ledger, spoke to the magazine in New York City at the Females in Focus exhibition opening from Forevermark Diamonds December 6. Scroll below for video Rocking around the Christmas tree: Michelle Williams, 38, she's 'looking forward to starting some new traditions' for the holiday season with new husband Phil Elverum, 40. She was snapped at the Forevermark Diamonds Females In Focus Photo Exhibition Event in NYC December 6 Williams, who co-starred in the fall blockbuster Venom alongside Tom Hardy, told Vanity Fair about her wedding this past July to the musician in New York's Adirondacks mountains. 'Obviously I've never once in my life talked about a relationship. But Phil isn't anyone else. And that's worth something,' she told the publication this summer. 'Ultimately the way he loves me is the way I want to live my life on the whole. 'I work to be free inside of the moment. I parent to let Matilda feel free to be herself, and I am finally loved by someone who makes me feel free,' she said of Elverum, who has a daughter named Agathe with his late wife, writer/musician Genevieve Castree. (Castree died in 2016 as result of pancreatic cancer.) In August, an insider close to Williams told the magazine that the actress 'is very happy and she deserves it' in her marriage to Elverum, a native of Anacortes, Washington. Strumming: Phil Elverum was snapped onstage last year in Santa Ana, California Beauties: Williams was snapped with fellow star Rosario Dawson at the luxe event 'Michelle and Phil had an early spiritual connection that she has not experienced since Heath,' the insider told the publication, noting that both have endured tragedies. 'They share some of life's most trying moments with deaths of loved ones and have related on many levels.' At the jewelry event in the Big Apple, she said 'first encountered Forevermark' during her press tour for the 2011 film My Week with Marilyn. 'Through that entire journey, I wore this small heart-shaped diamond,' said Williams, who was cast this fall to play teacher-turned-astronaut Christa McAuliffe in an upcoming film titled The Challenger. 'It was like a little stud, a little choker around my neck, and it felt like me. Really simple, almost like wearing nothing. It was really special.' She continued, 'I still have it. I still wear it. And it is my favorite piece of diamond jewelry that I own. And it will be passed down to the kids.' He's set to return to the small screen as DCI John Luther for the fifth series of the crime drama this Christmas. And Idris Elba has discussed the possibility of adapting Luther into a movie in a new interview in Radio Times' Christmas issue. Ahead of the new season, the Wire actor, 46, revealed 'crimes and bad guys would be bigger' with a 'more international lens' on a potential movie version of the BBC show. To the big screen? Idris Elba has discussed the possibility of adapting Luther into a movie in a new interview in Radio Times' Christmas issue He explained: 'With Luther as a film, the scale is bigger the crime is bigger, the bad guys are bigger, Luther is bigger and theres a more international lens put on it. 'Its filmed in London now because thats where we are, but if we do a movie version, it can be "Right, then he went to Brazil" and you can be in the favelas because its on this larger scale.' In a press release, BBC recently confirmed that the three year wait for new episodes is finally over, with the show making a comeback within the next few weeks. Possibility: Ahead of the new season, the Wire actor, 46, revealed 'crimes and bad guys would be bigger' with a 'more international lens' on a potential movie version of the BBC show 'DCI John Luther is once more called to immerse himself in the deepest depths of human depravity in a new four-part series written by Neil Cross. Wunmi Mosaku joins as new recruit D.S. Catherine Halliday,' the release reveals. While his character is known for his fierce persona, Idris drew parallels between himself and the detective. When asked whether anger has been an issue for him within his life, the hunk insisted: 'No, not really. Everyones got a temper, though.' Welcome return: He's set to return to the small screen as DCI John Luther for the fifth series of the crime drama this Christmas The star - who is known for his grey longline coat on the show - credited his outerwear for giving him the 'signature Luther walk'. 'Its what the coat makes me do, I think... Theres lots of walking in Luther and it just seems that he gets to where he needs to get to very quickly. 'His father was in the Army and theres a sort of march; its not in the storyline but its in his DNA', he reasoned. The Mandela actor admitted he's been left 'disturbed' at his character's storyline at times, due to the series' vicious murders and twisted plot. Potential stint: 'With Luther as a film, the scale is bigger the crime is bigger, the bad guys are bigger, Luther is bigger and theres a more international lens put on it', he explained Candid: The Mandela actor admitted he's been left 'disturbed' at his character's storyline at times, due to the series' vicious murders and twisted plot 'There are lots of really horrible ways to murder in Luther. Typically, the viewer comes with John whenever he walks into a murder scene. 'The audience sees what John sees. What that means is that I see what the murder rooms are like. Out now: Radio Times Christmas issue is available now 'If someone has had their throats slit, therell be lots of blood and a knife. As much as its make-believe, the make-up is designed to look realistic and for me, I take that stuff home', he confessed. Idris also confirmed the return of psychopath love interest Alice Morgan (Ruth Wilson), who was believed to have died in the fourth series. Lifting the lid on the latest series, he shared: 'Alice is back after she was left dead OK...We are upping the stakes for John Luther this series. Alice is back and theres unfinished business.' Plans for a fifth instalment were announced 18 months ago, and filming began earlier this year. The news of Luther's return will no doubt come as a welcome relief to fans of the thriller series, who said the 2015 two episode special wasn't enough for them and begged for more. Idris' portrayal of the rough and ready, emotionally impulsive cop who breaks all the rules to get his man, has seen him scoop a Golden Globe and SAG award for the role. She made her runway debut at Paris Fashion Week in January at the tender age of two. Now one year later and Ioni Conran was back on the catwalk, with the guidance of her mom, who happens to be Canadian top model Coco Rocha. And this go-around the mommy-daughter tandem put their skills on display, alongside some courageous little ladies, at the Runway Heroes to Benefit Childhood Cancer Research at Kleinfeld in New York City on Monday. Worthy cause: Canadian model Coco Rocha attended the Runway Heroes to Benefit Childhood Cancer Research at Kleinfeld in New York City on Monday The charitable fashion show featured a number of children, ages two to 12, with cancer who strutted their stuff, in high fashion, for the very first time. 'Ioni and I loved supporting @runwayheroes today as 30 young cancer fighters and survivors rocked the runway to raise funds to support critical clinical trials!' Coco shared on her Instagram Story, along with a number of pictures and video clips. 'So fun to work with these little heroes,' she added. 'I got to show them how to walk their first ever runways as they fight cancer!' Team work: Coco's daughter Ioni Conran made her catwalk debut in Paris in January at age two Humanity at its best: The charitable event featured children with cancer, ages two to 12, who hit the catwalk with the guidance of Coco and her three-year old daughter Ioni Tips from a vet: Coco helped the little ladies own the runway Gentle guidance: Coco was hands-on with all the mini-fashionistas Opting for a casual but cool look for the event, Coco rocked a pair of form-fitting black denim jeans that had a stylish rip in the fabric on each leg about mid-thigh. She matched it with a black marching band-style jacket, a pair of black boots and had her long brown tresses pulled back into a ponytail. But on this day, Coco and her cloths weren't the center attention; this was all about showcasing the little girls and raising funds for the non-profit. The pro: There were moments when Coco hit the runway with her daughter Ioni Working it: All of the girls changed into a number of beautiful outfits Apple of her eye: The 30-year old model also got to sit back and be a mom and take pictures Open arms: Coco cheered on all the girls at the end of the event Being a mother, and among the top models of the world, Coco played a bit of double-duty during the show. At times, she guided all of the adorable mini-fashionistas on how to own their outfits, the runway and, most importantly, their sense of pride. But then there were moments when the Toronto native just sat back in the front row, soaked in the moment and cheered on the girls, while snapping a few photos. Say cheese: After the event, all the little ladies took a group photo with their mentor The mission: Runway Heroes is a non-profit that collaborates with top fashion brands to orchestrate charitable runway shows throughout NYC that features children with cancer Runway Heroes provides an opportunity for children with cancer to feel like stars Runway Heroes is a non-profit organization that collaborates with top fashion brands to orchestrate charitable runway shows throughout New York City that features children with cancer. According to runwayheroes.com, the goal is to provide an opportunity for children with cancer to feel like stars, and raise funds to help support families of children with cancer and clinical trial in hopes of developing more curative treatments for childhood cancer. Coco is married to artist James Conran. The couple also share a seven-month old son Iver. The mission: Runway heroes helps raise funds to help support families of children with cancer and clinical trial in hopes of developing more curative treatments for childhood cancer. Chip off the old block: Coco and Ioni struck many poses together Nicole Kidman lost her father Dr Antony Kidman in 2014 after he tragically died of a heart attack inside a Singapore hotel restaurant. And on Tuesday, the 51-year-old actress shared a heartwarming birthday tribute to her late dad, ahead of Human Rights Day. 'Today would've been papa's 80th. Miss you papa, love you so much,' she wrote alongside a black-and-white throwback picture of Antony. 'Miss you papa, love you so much': Nicole Kidman has shared a heart-warming birthday tribute to her late father Dr Antony Kidman and praised his humanitarian work Taking to Instagram Stories shortly afterwards, the Boy Erased star praised her father's humanitarian work. 'My papa was such an advocate for human rights,' she wrote over the same picture. 'It also happens to be his birthday today. Happy birthday, Papa. I miss you,' she added. Nicole has followed in her father's footsteps, with the actress speaking at the United Nations Luncheon on Monday. Happier times: Nicole (left) is pictured with her late father Dr Antony Kidman (center) and mother Janelle (right) 'Thank you to all these women who raised money to help end violence against women on #HumanRightsDay,' she wrote alongside another photo of her attending the event. Nicole recently received a Golden Globe nomination for her latest role Destroyer on Saturday. Tragic: Nicole (right) lost her father in 2014 after he tragically died of a heart attack inside a Singapore hotel restaurant. Pictured with her father Antony (left) She also scored the coveted Best Supporting Actress for her role on Boy Erased at the 2018 Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA) Awards, last week. Nicole was joined by her beloved mother Janelle and niece Lucia Hawley at the star-studded event, which was held at The Star in Sydney. Gracing the stage, Nicole gushed over her mother Janelle's support and the tough love she once gave her. Following in her father's footsteps: The Australian-born, Hollywood-acclaimed actress was honoured to speak at a United Nations luncheon earlier in the day 'She has loved me so much,' she said during her acceptance speech. 'My mum has said a lot of things to me - pull your head in and get yourself up off the ground, Nicole, and get on with it,' she added. 'It is a great piece of advice.' She is about to become the most powerful character introduced to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. And Brie Larson certainly looked it in a brand new poster for Captain Marvel unveiled at Brazil's CCXP over the weekend. The illustrated artwork depicts the 29-year-old once again rocking the red blue and gold costume. Powerhouse: Brie Larson looked out of this world in brand new Captain Marvel poster unveiled at Brazil's CCXP on Saturday Carol Danvers' golden hair is worn loose and down, and not in the funky Mohawk she rocks when wearing her full mask, as seen in the recent trailer. She stands in front of her own insignia, made famous on screen when Nick Fury paged her before ceasing to exist along with half of the universe via Thanos at the end of Avengers Infinity War. On Saturday, Brie herself was among the big stars wheeled out by Marvel for Comic-Con Experience (CCXP) in Brazil. She was joined by Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers 4: Endgame star Sebastian Stan, while Thor: Ragnarok star Tessa Thompson was also in attendance. Marvel-ous: On Saturday, Brie herself was among the big stars wheeled out by Marvel for Comic-Con Experience (CCXP) in Brazil Captain Marvel in the house: Larson was joined by Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers 4: Endgame star Sebastian Stan, while Thor: Ragnarok star Tessa Thompson was also in attendance Fans were given quite the surprise, though, when Tom Holland, Jacob Batalon and Jake Gyllenhaal made an unannounced appearance to debut the trailer for Spider-Man: Far From Home. Larson, 29, was spotted wearing a dark blue pantsuit with bejeweled shoulders, as she spoke about her new movie Captain Marvel, in theaters March 8, 2019. 'She's incredibly smart, funny, and strong,' Larson said during the panel (courtesy of Collider's Steven 'Frosty' Weintraub). 'And then she receives these powers that make her larger than life,' she continued. 'The film is about her coming to terms with her past and trying to figure out where she came from as she learns to harness and own her powers.' White Wolf arrives: Sebastian Stan, who plays Bucky Barnes a.k.a. White Wolf, spoke about Avengers: Infnity War and the highly-anticipated Avengers: Endgame Sebastian Stan, who plays Bucky Barnes a.k.a. White Wolf, spoke about Avengers: Infnity War and the highly-anticipated Avengers: Endgame. While Tessa Thompson plays Valkyrie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, she was at CCXP for the Sony Pictures panel, to discuss her role in the upcoming Men in Black reboot with her Thor: Ragnarok co-star Chris Hemsworth. Fans were given quite the surprise when Spider-Man: Homecoming star Jacob Batalon (Ned Leeds) took the stage, pretending to speak with his co-star Tom Holland (Peter Parker/Spider-Man). Brie on stage: Larson, 29, was spotted wearing a dark blue pantsuit with bejeweled shoulders, as she spoke about her new movie Captain Marvel, in theaters March 8, 2019 All smiles: 'She's incredibly smart, funny, and strong,' Larson said during the panel (courtesy of Collider's Steven 'Frosty' Weintraub) Holland then took the stage shortly thereafter, along with Jake Gyllenhaal, who was recently confirmed to play the iconic comic book villain Mysterio. The stars unveiled the first trailer for Spider-Man: Far From Home, and while the trailer isn't available online yet, Collider reports that the trailer ends with a reveal of Mysterio's suit, which Gyllenhaal discussed on stage. 'It was incredible, the suit is incredible, and there are a lot of different secrets in the suit that are really cool,' Gyllenhaal said. 'There are a lot of things to reveal about that suit,' Gyllenhaal added. Spider-Man: Far From Homecoming hits theaters July 5, 2019, set just moments after the events of Avengers: Endgame, in theaters May 3, 2019. The Avengers: Endgame trailer released earlier this week set a new record with 289 million views in the first 24 hours. She's the Australian actress known for her roles in Hollywood comedies like Bad Neighbours and Bridesmaids. But Rose Byrne, 39, looked like your typical teenager in a rare childhood snap shared to Instagram on Monday. The mother-of-two delighted her fans by sharing an old photo from her high school days, which she captioned: 'Eighth grade'. Guess who! She is considered one of Hollywood's most talented actresses - but would you recognise her as a fresh-faced Sydney schoolgirl? With her brunette hair styled into a scruffy ponytail, Rose wore a blue shirt as she posed in front of a photographer's backdrop. Many of the star's followers left comments below the photo remarking on how little she seems to have changed since her teenage years. 'Still looking the same!' wrote one fan, while another agreed: 'You still have that same youthful look!' While growing up in Sydney, Rose attended Balmain Public School and Hunters Hill High School before transferring to Bradfield College. Surprise! The young girl in the school portrait is none other than Rose Byrne. Pictured in Los Angeles earlier this year Last year, Rose spoke to 9Honey about her beauty secrets. The Spy star revealed that she prefers wearing makeup that is 'easy to take off at night' and likes to 'jazz things up' with a slick of red lipstick. When asked which beauty trends she won't be trying, she replied: 'Heavy contouring - I have never been a fan. Natural beauty is always so much younger and fresher.' From a land Down Under: While growing up in Sydney, Rose attended Balmain Public School and Hunters Hill High School before transferring to Bradfield College Rose is known for her roles in U.S. films Get Him to the Greek, Bridesmaids, The Internship and Bad Neighbours. More recently, she stars opposite Mark Wahlberg in comedy-drama Instant Family, which is being released in Australia in January. The actress has been in a relationship with Bobby Cannavale since 2012. The couple share two sons: Rocco, born in 2016, and Rafa, born last year. Hilary Duff first hit the big time as a teen queen on the Disney TV series Lizzie McGuire in 2001, and then again on the silver screen in a number of popular family films. But on Monday the actress oozed royalty when she sat down on a King's chair to read to some underserved kids at The Grove in Hollywood. 'Seriously I look so fancy, I never get to look fancy these days,' the 31-year old mother of two said on her Instagram Story while driving to the event. Holiday spirit: Hilary Duff read to children who are enrolled in Operation Progress at The Grove in Hollywood on Monday For the most part, the actress has been home-bound in recent months, taking care of her newborn daughter Banks with partner Matthew Koma. But on this day, Hilary was able to show off her old fashionista self, rocking a pair of black leather leggings that hugged her curves. Keeping with her fun fashion choices, she matched it with a loose-fitting turquoise and white blouse and a pair of black leather boots. She wore her recently dyed platinum tresses long past her shoulder, with extra volume, and a part in the middle. Hollywood royalty: The former teen queen sat in a King's chair when she read to the kids Festive: Hilary read Twas The Night Before Christmas to the kids at the event Kid for a day: The Lizzie McGuire star also got creative with the boys and girls After making her grand entrance all glammed up, Hilary sat down in the King's chair and read Twas The Night Before Christmas to the kids. She also sat down with the boys and girls and did some arts and crafts. But by far, the biggest reaction from the kids came when she handed out Cubcoats, which are a combination toy and jacket line that launched last year. Santa for a day: The actress handed out Cubcoats to kids after doing her reading Shining star: The Texas native also flashed her big beaming smile Stylish: The Material Girls rocked black leather leggings and a turquoise blouse Mommy ways: The blonde beauty was hands-on with the kids Operation Progress (http://operationprogressla.org/about/) empowers underserved youth to become educated, ethical and productive adults who reach their full potential and positively contribute to society. To do this, the organization is committed to supporting participating Scholars from elementary school through college with its comprehensive program called the five pillars of success, which includes: Academics, Life Skills, Health & Wellness, Service and Support & Safety. The program has also partnered with the Los Angeles Police Department, which has about 40 officers participating as mentors. Currently, 92 students are enrolled in Operation Progress; 82% of students have at least a 3.0 GPA in school. Say Cheese: Hilary posed with many of the kids wearing their Cubcoats Operation Progress empowers underserved youth to become educated, ethical and productive adults Invested: Hilary is both a fan and an investor of Cubcoats Strike a pose ot two: The former Disney star stopped to take a selfie during the give-away Padma Lakshmi showed up in style at the 2018 Bloomberg Businessweek Gala celebrating New York City. The Top Chef star, 48, wore a black turtleneck top with a long black skirt that was adorned with long white triangular patterns. The 5ft9 beauty had her lustrous brown locks parted and down as she attended the function at Cipriani 25 Broadway. Scroll below for video Gorgeous: Padma Lakshmi, 48, showed up in style at the 2018 Bloomberg Businessweek Gala celebrating New York City, which was held at Cipriani 25 Broadway Earlier in the day, the best-selling author tweeted her support for an El Salvadorian woman named Imeda Cortez, who has been held in custody since last year after authorities there believed she was attempting to have an abortion, which is illegal there. 'Today, on #HumanRightsDay, I stand with Imeda Cortez: She was raped by her stepfather, got pregnant and after an obstetric emergency she was send to prison. Tell [El Salvadorian authorities] to #FreeImelda and drop the case!,' she wrote, adding the hashtag, '#EyesOnElSalvador.' Lakshmi, who's outspoken about social issues, opened up about a harrowing experience in her past, as she was sexually assaulted as a teenager, in a piece for the New York Times this past September. Lakshmi, who said the incident occurred when she was 16, with a 23-year-old man she was dating. Fashionista: The Top Chef star wore a black turtleneck top with a long black skirt adorned with long white triangular patterns Breathtaking: The 5ft9 beauty had her lustrous brown locks parted and down as she attended the function at Cipriani 25 Broadway The one-time fashion model, who was born in Chennai, India, said she blamed herself at first, and never told family or police about what had happened. In a subsequent interview on the Today show last month, Lakshmi said she sought to go public about the incident to comfort other women who have dealt with something similar, and let them know it's OK to talk about it. 'I have a show thats Emmy nominated,' she said. 'I have a child. I have a foundation for womens reproductive health. Im with the ACLU and I speak on their behalf for immigration - I dont want to be known as that girl from that cooking show who was raped,' she said. 'I think women feel that way. They feel like they have this invisible scarlet letter that this happened to them.' Broadway actress Megan Hilty was also among the big names at the Gotham gala, as she looked amazing in a black skirt with silver highlights. Radiant: Broadway actress Megan Hilty was also among the big names at the Gotham gala She was the picture of glamour in a plunging metallic gown at the Marrakech International Film Festival. But Dakota Johnson was back to her casual wear as she returned to Los Angeles on Monday in jeans and a comfortable winter coat. The actress, 29, was spotted jetting into Los Angeles sporting a cool pair of large sunglasses. So fly: Dakota Johnson was back to her casual wear as she returned to Los Angeles on Monday in jeans and a comfortable winter coat Wearing her thick, glossy brunette locks down, the actress looked stylish yet comfortable as she made her return back to the U.S. She was also dressed appropriately for the crisp winter temperatures. Dakota teamed her coat with a graphic print top, ankle boots, and had a straw purse on her arm. She looked radiant with just a hint of blush and red tint upon her lips. Stunning: She looked radiant with just a hint of blush and red tint upon her lips It has been a whirlwind few days for Dakota after her incredible trip to Morocco. The actress wowed during the Closing Ceremony on Saturday night in a deeply plunging metallic dress. Dakota was serving on the jury for the film festival and honoured Robert De Niro and Robin Wright last week. The How To Be Single star was flying solo for the event as there was no sign of her beau, Coldplay's Chris Martin. Elsa Pataky is a ruthless supernatural seductress in the highly-anticipated Netflix show Tidelands, which premieres on December 14. And while fight scenes and racy moments were fine for the Spanish actress, she found one particular scene confronting to film. Speaking to Daily Mail Australia in Sydney on Tuesday, the mother-of-three revealed a shock altercation with a child was difficult to read on the script. Scroll down for video EXCLUSIVE 'It was really hard for me': Elsa Pataky reveals struggle with confronting moment on Netflix's Tidelands and how Chris Hemsworth helped prepare her for racy scenes (Pictured: Netflix stars Aaron Jakubenko and Elsa Pataky) 'It was hard. That scene was really hard for me, because youd never do that to a kid, you know?' she added. Elsa, who plays seductive siren Adrielle Cuthbert on the series, shares daughter India Rose, six, and twin sons Tristan and Sasha, four, with husband Chris Hemsworth. Separating the shock moment from reality, she claimed it was necessary for the story. 'Its supernatural and reality and fantasy, and its part of it. I think people will see. Its a good start in a way to see how they are established a lot for people to understand,' she said. 'That scene was really hard for me, because youd never do that to a kid': Elsa, who plays seductive siren Adrielle Cuthbert on the series, shares daughter India Rose, six, and twin sons Tristan and Sasha, four, with husband Chris Hemsworth Doting parents: Elsa married Thor star Chris Hemsworth, 34, in late 2010 Adrielle is both beautiful and dangerous in the series, and kisses multiple co-stars as 'the darkly enigmatic' leader of a group of siren-human hybrids. Speaking of how she approached the steamy scenes written for her in the script with her Thor star husband, she joked, 'You dont talk about it. You skip it', as she pretended to gesture 'dont read that part.' Co-star Aaron Jakubenko, who plays Augie Mcteer, chimed in: 'Fortunately both our partners are actors so there's that understanding there. There's that teamwork.' 'Dont read that part': Elsa initially joked that she 'skipped' the racy scenes when discussing the new series with husband Chris Hemsworth, before revealing he was extremely supportive (Elsa pictured with co-star Aaron) Elsa said she and Chris read each other's scripts before they accept roles, adding: 'It's great having a partner that understands what you're doing.' Not only did Chris read Elsa's script and offer his opinion, she says he helped run her lines for the racy scenes ahead of her return to the screen. The Fast And Furious star stopped working in the industry for a few years to be more involved in her children's life, but says the Netflix role came at the 'exactly right, perfect moment'. Steamy! Elsa's character Adrielle is both beautiful and dangerous in the series, and kisses multiple co-stars as 'the darkly enigmatic' leader of the siren-human hybrids group Tidelanders (Elsa with co-star Marco Pigossi) 'Theyre grown up and they go to school, so it was a great moment for me to start getting in to what Im passionate about': Elsa said the role with Netflix made for the perfect return to acting 'I think know theyre grown up and they go to school, so now it was a great moment for me to start getting in to what Im passionate about and to be creative again.' 'I was shooting so close to where I live (Byron Bay), so it was amazing,' Elsa boasted, noting she was back to pick up the kids from school most days. Elsa married Thor star Chris Hemsworth, 34, in late 2010, and the couple share three children: daughter India Rose, six, and twin sons Tristan and Sasha, four. The pair, who were previously based in Los Angeles, now enjoy a blissfully relaxed life in Byron Bay on Australia's east coast. Elsa's new Netflix show Tidelands centres around the mysterious appearance of a body that washes ashore in the small fishing village of Orphelin Bay. Tidelands - the first Australian original series for Netflix - debuts on December 14 She gave birth to her first child with boyfriend Kris Smith, just one week ago. And on Tuesday, personal trainer Sarah Boulazeris, 28, showcased her incredible post-baby body, stripping down to a crop top and shorts. Taking to her Instagram story, Sarah shared a shot of herself posing up in the mirror as she breastfed newborn daughter Mila Elle, revealing how she's eating foods for post-natal recovery. How does she do it? Kris Smith's personal trainer girlfriend Sarah Boulazeris showcases her incredible post-baby figure (R) as she breastfeeds daughter Mila Elle just ONE week after giving birth (pictured L while pregnant) 'One week postpartum. Little sleep, only nutritious and macro-balanced meals,' Sarah wrote. She added: 'Dark choc almonds daily. No exercise just cuddles, minimal social.' The brunette beauty also revealed she enjoyed a banana, mango, ice, water and macadamia milk protein smoothie as a snack. Keeping active: Throughout her pregnancy, Sarah shared with her Instagram followers her Bump Fit training program, revealing how she kept fit during pregnancy Eating healthily: The brunette beauty also revealed she enjoyed a banana, mango, ice, water and macadamia milk protein smoothie as a snack Throughout her pregnancy, Sarah shared with her Instagram followers her Bump Fit training program, revealing how she kept fit during pregnancy. She revealed online that she enjoyed a daily fresh walk to keep active and lift her mood. 'Morning walks are a fave on my daily Bump routine. The fresh morning breeze and sunshine light up your soul and energise your start to the day,' Sarah said. In September, she shared a 'bump-friendly workout' which was a circuit consisting of exercises including a bench press, box squats, walking lunges and push ups. New addition: Mila is the first child for Kris and Sarah, with Kris also sharing eight-year-old son, Ethan with ex-girlfriend, Dannii Minogue, 47 Mila is the first child for Kris and Sarah, with Kris also sharing eight-year-old son, Ethan with ex-girlfriend Dannii Minogue, 47. On Monday, Myer model Kris took to Instagram to share a sweet shot of himself holding his baby daughter as she slept on his chest. 'I have at least 2,000 pictures like this already,' Kris said. He added: 'Five days old,' and added hashtags including 'daughter,' 'love,' and 'family.' It was a family affair at The Mule premiere in Westwood on Monday night, with director and star Clint Eastwood celebrating with his family. The 88-year-old director and actor was all smiles on the red carpet, sharing the spotlight with his daughter Alison Eastwood, 46, who plays Iris in the film, and sons Scott Eastwood, 32, Kyle Eastwood, 50 and granddaughter Graylen Eastwood, 24. The filmmaker was also seen holding hands with his longtime girlfriend Christina Sandera on the red carpet, who he's been with since 2014. Clint and kids: Clint Eastwood celebrates his new film The Mule at the premiere in Westworld with son Scott and daughter Alison Family man: The 88-year-old director and actor was all smiles on the red carpet, sharing the spotlight with his kids The director was seen wearing a green sport coat with a white dress shirt, multi-colored tie, grey pants and black shoes for the event. Clint's girlfriend Sandera was wearing a blue dress, while his daughter Alison was wearing an elegant grey dress, seen posing with her brother Scott in a crisp blue suit with no tie. The director was also seen posing with granddaughter Graylen and his first wife, Maggie Johnson, who he was married to from 1953 to 1984. Clint and Christina: Clint's girlfriend Sandera was wearing a blue dress, while his daughter Alison was wearing an elegant grey dress Happy couple: Clint and Christina have been dating since 2014 Clint's family: The director was also seen posing with granddaughter Graylen and his first wife, Maggie Johnson, who he was married to from 1953 to 1984 While the director has still been keeping busy even at 88 years of age, The Mule marks his first starring role since 2012's Trouble With the Curve. The Mule is based on the true story of Leo Sharp, who was arrested in 2011 at 87 years old with 200 pounds of cocaine hidden in his truck. He had been transporting drugs for the Sinaloa Cartel for over 10 years, and was sentenced to three years in prison, but he only served a year due to his failing health. He passed away in 2016 at the age of 92. Eastwood kids: Alison was wearing an elegant grey dress by Eywasouls Malibu to the event Eastwood siblings: Alison was seen posing with her brother Scott in a crisp blue suit with no tie Clint plays Earl Stone in the film, based on Leo Sharp, with Bradley Cooper playing FBI agent Colin Bates, based on real-life FBI agent Jeff Moore. Several other cast members were present at the premiere, including Andy Garcia, Michael Pena, Clifton Collins Jr., Dianne Wiest and Taissa Farmiga. Other notable celebs that were present at the premiere included Jennifer Adler and Max Adler, David Hasselhoff and his wife Hayley Roberts, Joey Fatone, Elisabeth Rohm, Marcia Gay Harden and Kim Raver. Eastwood family: Clint's first wife Maggie Johnson poses with Graylen Eastwood, Alison Eastwood and Kyle Eastwood Clint and Toby: Clint poses with country music star Toby Keith at the premiere The Mule is the second film Eastwood has directed this year, following the true story adaptation The 15:17 to Paris, which debuted in February. The Mule hits theaters Friday, December 14, going up against the big-budget fantasy adventure The Mortal Engines and the critically-acclaimed animated movie Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. Eastwood hasn't announced his next project as an actor or director yet, but at 88 years old, he still shows no signs of slowing down. Clint's co-star: Clifton Collins Jr. strikes a pose at The Mule premiere Andy on the red carpet: Andy Garcia arrives at The Mule premiere Movie date: Jennifer and Max Adler arrive at The Mule premiere Dianne arrives: Dianne Wiest arrives at The Mule premiere The Hoff and wife: David Hasselhoff arrives at The Mule premiere with wife Hayley Roberts Michael and Brie: The Mule star Michael Pena poses with his wife Brie Shaffer at The Mule premiere Taissa in black: Taissa Farmiga wears a black dress with silver safety pins at The Mule premiere Marcia arrives: Marcia Gay Harden arrives in a glamorous ensemble at The Mule premiere Elisabeth is here: Elisabeth Rohm rocks an all-black look at The Mule premiere Casual Joey: Joey Fatone rocks a white jacket and jeans at The Mule premiere Smiling Kim: Kim Raver is all smiles at The Mule premiere Good times! Kathryn Eastwood smiled from ear to ear alongside her family at the bash Family first: The siblings were joined by Kyle Eastwood She is set to appear on Jimmy Kimmel Live! on Monday night. And Ellen DeGeneres was spotted with her wife Portia de Rossi's hand as the couple headed into the show. The 60-year-old television host was in high spirits as they headed into Hollywood Masonic Temple. Aww! Ellen DeGeneres was spotted with her wife Portia de Rossi's hand as the couple headed into the show Opting for a casual chic ensemble, Ellen sported a black velvet blazer with straigh-leg blue jeans. She donned a button down charcoal grey shirt underneath at a pair of stylish black boots. Her short blonde locks were swept to one side and she appeared to be make up free for her turn on the other side of the interview desk. Hand in hand: The 60-year-old television host was all smiles as they headed into Hollywood Masonic Temple Fan favorites: Opting for a casual chic ensemble, Ellen sported a black velvet blazer with straigh-leg blue jeans Flipping it: She donned a button down charcoal grey shirt underneath at a pair of stylish black boots Portia looked stunning as she cut a chic figure in a long grey coat with a white turtle neck underneath. The 45-year-old actress donned stylish baggy black pants that were cropped mid shin and added an edge with black boots. Her long blonde tresses were left to fall freely across her shoulders in windswept waves. Stunner: Portia looked stunning as she cut a chic figure in a long grey coat with a white turtle neck underneath Ellen is set to join Pete Holmes from A Million Little Things and Cole Swindell while on the late night show. The actress appearance on the series comes just ahead of the release of her first comedy special in 15 years. Titled Relatable, the stand up set is set to premiere on Netflix on December 18. Sophia Bush is cleaning house and getting things off her chest. The actress, 36, has been opening up to Dax Shepard on his Armchair Expert podcast about inappropriate things that happened to her during her Hollywood career. She reflected on her brief marriage to her One Tree Hill co-star Chad Michael Murray and how the show's producers were 'really deeply inappropriate' to both of them following their breakup. 'Ugly': Sophia Bush has been speaking out about how One Tree Hill producers were 'really deeply inappropriate' to her and Chad Michael Murray following the breakup of their marriage 'They ran TV ads about it. It was really ugly,' Bush said, per People Monday. She explained: 'They made practice of taking advantage of people's personal lives and not just for me and for my ex - for other actors on the show who would share .... deeply personal things that were happening in their lives and they would wind up in storylines. It wasn't okay.' Asked by Shepard about why she doesn't speak publicly about her romance with Murray, she said 'because everyone's been 21 and stupid.' Exes: The two young actors met on the set of the WB show in 2003, got engaged in 2004 and wed in April 2005 - but separated after just five months of marriage Called out producers: 'They ran TV ads about it. It was really ugly,' Bush said of her marriage to her co-star. 'It was a very ugly situation on their part. I think they kind of lived for the drama' Bush and Murray met on the set of One Tree Hill when it debuted in 2003 and started dating. They got engaged in 2004 and married in Santa Monica, California, in April 2005. But by September, the marriage was over and they separated. Their divorce was finalized in December 2006. 'It was opportunistic and ugly,' she said of the way the producers dealt with the situation. 'When you run a show, you're like a parent. You're supposed to protect your flock and it was the opposite of that.' 'It was a very ugly situation on their part. I think they kind of lived for the drama,' she added. Spilling beans: The actress, 36, has been opening up to Dax Shepard on his Armchair Expert podcast about inappropriate things that happened to her during her Hollywood career Bush also spoke in the podcast about her decision to quit Chicago P.D. last year before the end of her seven-year contract. She played Detective Erin Lindsay in the successful Chicago Fire spin-off for four seasons and says she was subjected to 'a consistent onslaught barrage of abusive behavior.' 'You start to lose your way when someone assaults you in a room full of people and everyone literally looks away, looks at the floor, looks at the ceiling, and you're the one woman in the room and every man who's twice your size doesn't do something,' she said, without naming names. She explained that she finally decided to quit when she started to understand the physical and mental toll on her that being on the show was having. 'I said, 'OK, you can put me in the position of going quietly of my own accord or you can put me in the position of suing the network to get me out of my deal and I'll write an op-ed for The New York Times and tell them why,'' she recalled. She then discovered that NBC president Jennifer Salke had not been informed about her grievance; when she did find out, Bush said she was completely understanding and did not force her to stay. Jake Gyllenhaal has set up his next role, signing on to star in an American remake of the Danish thriller The Guilty, Denmark's Oscar entry for Best Foreign Film. The 37-year-old actor will both star and produce with his Nine Stories production partner Riva Marker and Bold Films' Michel Litvak, Gary Michael Walters, David Litvak, and Svetlana Metkina, reports Variety. The original movie won the World Cinema Audience Award at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival, and it was named one of the top five foreign films by the National Board of Review. New role: Jake Gyllenhaal has come aboard to star in and produce a remake of the Danish thriller The Guilty with Bold Films and his production company Nine Stories The original movie follows a police officer who is being investigated, and thus demoted to desk duty at an emergency call center. After he receives a call from a kidnapped woman, he must spring into action and race against the clock to save her before it's too late. The original film stars Jakob Cedergen as the police officer, which was acquired by Magnolia Pictures and released in theaters in limited release this October. Jake reading Spider-Man: The actor recently made headlines when he surprised audiences by showing up at Brazil's Comic-Con Experience to promote Spider-Man: Far From Home The actor recently made headlines when he surprised audiences by showing up at Brazil's Comic-Con Experience to promote Spider-Man: Far From Home. The actor will portray the iconic comic book character Quentin Beck, a.k.a. Mysterio in the superhero adventure, which is slated for release on July 5, 2019. Gyllenhaal also made a surprise appearance on his co-star Tom Holland's Instagram story, in a video where he's seen practicing Spider-Man's web shooters in the mirror. Jake in Brazil: The actor will portray the iconic comic book character Quentin Beck, a.k.a. Mysterio in the superhero adventure, which is slated for release on July 5, 2019 'We saw The Guilty at Sundance and were blown away,' said Gyllenhaal and Marker in a joint statement about writer-director Gustav Moller's film. 'Mollers film masterfully weaves tension into an acute character study, and is exactly the kind of material that Nine Stories is excited to develop,' the statement added. 'We are honored to be able to adapt it for American audiences alongside Bold Films,' the statement concluded. Jake and Tom: Gyllenhaal also made a surprise appearance on his co-star Tom Holland's Instagram story, in a video where he's seen practicing Spider-Man's web shooters in the mirror Gyllenhaal was at Sundance this year with his own film, Wildlife, which also debuted in theaters this October. He will return to the Park City, Utah festival next month with his new film Velvet Buzzsaw, which reunites him with Nightcrawler writer-director Dan Gilroy and also stars Toni Collette, John Malkovich and Rene Russo. After its Sundance debut, Velvet Buzzsaw will on Netflix February 1, 2019. She is one of the most recognisable supermodels in the world. And Lara Stone showed off her stylish flair as she attended the British Fashion Awards 2018 in Partnership with Swarovski at the historic Royal Albert Hall in Kensington, London, on Monday night. The 34-year-old showed off her very ample assets in a plunging bustier with a black blazer style dress wrapped over it Wow: Lara Stone looked sensational as she attended the British Fashion Awards 2018 in Partnership with Swarovski at the Royal Albert Hall in Kensington, London, on Monday The Dutch beauty looked in her element as she posed up a storm on the red carpet in her sexy ensemble. Lara's sensational cleavage was on full display in the racy semi-sheer bustier which she teamed with the draped dress. The number boasted a soaring thigh high split, which put focus on her endless legs which she boosted further in a pair of strappy open-toe heels. Lara worked her model prowess as she posed for the cameras while working a sleek, centre parted blonde mane. She's got front! The supermodel, 34, showed off her very ample assets in a plunging bustier with a black blazer style dress wrapped over it Incredible: Lara's sensational cleavage was on full display in the racy semi-sheer bustier which she teamed with the draped dress Her striking features were enhanced with a contoured base, lashings of mascara and glossy red lipstick. While Lara is a well-known catwalk queen, on the personal front she is loved-up with boyfriend David Grievson. Lara met London based Grievson through friends in January and was then seen with him at Chanels Paris Fashion Week presentation in March. A source told The Sun at the time: Lara and David are really in love, their relationship has moved faster than expected but they seem completely besotted.' Sexy: The number boasted a soaring thigh high split, which put focus on her endless legs which she boosted further in a pair of strappy open-toe heels Mane attraction: Lara worked her model prowess as she posed for the cameras while working a sleek, centre parted blonde mane Beauty: Her striking features were enhanced with a contoured base, lashings of mascara and glossy red lipstick Her relationship with the businessman is thought be her first serious relationship since she divorced husband David Walliams, 46. Lara started dating the comedian and Britain's Got Talent judge in 2009, with the couple tying the knot in January 2010. The former flames, who share their son Alfred, five, were married in a lavish ceremony at Claridge's Hotel in London in May 2010. They went their separate ways for good in September 2015. Pals: Lara mingled with Hans Ulrich-Obrist inside the ceremony Smitten: While Lara is a well-known catwalk queen, on the personal front she is loved-up with boyfriend David Grievson She is currently holed up in a juice retreat to help move on from her cheating fiance John Noble. And it seems the getaway is doing Vicky Pattison, 31, wonders so far - as she continued to flood her Instagram page with images of her posing in bikinis. The former I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! champion slipped into a vibrant orange string bikini and posed in a swimming pool for her latest sizzling snap, which she shared on Monday night. Wow! Vicky Pattison, 31, slipped into a vibrant orange string bikini and posed in a swimming pool for her latest sizzling snap, which she shared on Monday night She displayed her surgically enhanced cleavage in the halterneck bikini from ASOS, and showed off her washboard abs in the coordinating low-rise briefs. With her brunette tresses wet from her swim, the make-up free reality star looked down to one side in the photo, which was taken by her mother. Vicky captioned the seductive snap: 'Orange everything: bikini, hot tub and skin... #yolo Another dreamy day at @juicemasterretreats finished off with a little bit of poolside pampering!! 'Today we hiked, did some circuits and I got b***s deep in Michelle Obamas autobiography!! Now thats a woman!! Sensational: She displayed her surgically enhanced cleavage in the halterneck bikini from ASOS, and showed off her washboard abs in the coordinating low-rise briefs Story time: The reality babe also shared videos of herself relaxing in the swimming pool, making every effort to ensure she flaunted her sensational curves in the clips Body-positive: Vicky's latest bikini clad snap is the latest in a long line of sultry body-baring selfies, which she has shared with her followers on Instagram 'Swimwear is @asos. Photocredit is @mammypatto who I fear was about to murder me if I asked her to take just one more... This is the best we could get guys!' The reality babe also shared videos of herself relaxing in the swimming pool, making every effort to ensure she flaunted her sensational curves in the clips. Vicky's latest bikini clad snap is the latest in a long line of sultry body-baring selfies as well as life-affirming mantras and slogans, which she has shared with her followers on Instagram. The former Geordie Shore star - who was left devastated last month when her husband-to-be was filmed in a nightclub slouched over another woman - put on a busty display in a plunging black two-piece, adorned with bright tropical colours, a frill finish and ties at the hips. Retreating: Vicky Pattison took to Instagram to upload positive images of her posing in bikinis, as well as life-affirming mantras and slogans on Sunday Svelte: The former I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! champion put on a busty display in a plunging black two-piece, adorned with bright tropical colours, a frill finish and ties at the hips She also posted a sun-kissed selfie, smiling, next to which she penned: 'A few bad chapters doesn't mean your story is over. Keep smiling, keep strong and trust in the universe. It has big plans for you darling.' She then went on to apologise in advance for the 'self-gratifying bikini selfies', the 'envy-inducing scenery stills' and the 'sickeningly motivational quotes and tidbits of positivity'. When checking into the spa a couple of days prior to this, the reality star admitted she was 'completely done both physically and mentally', saying: 'I've put my all into keeping going these last few weeks and now I need to accept that I need to go somewhere that is good for my soul and rest. 'As they say at @juicemasterretreats, "sometimes the only way to move forward is to retreat." 'So off I go for some down time and self-care. Sending you all loads of love and thanks for all your continued kindness.' The message was posted alongside text that read: 'She is strong but she is tired.' Keeping busy: Vicky was left devastated last month when her husband-to-be was filmed in a nightclub slouched over another woman and has taken herself off to get some perspective Su-kissed: She also posted a selfie, smiling, next to which she penned 'A few bad chapters doesn't mean your story is over. Keep smiling, keep strong and trust in the universe. It has big plans for you darling' Although she did not specify which retreat she was travelling to, Juice Master Retreats is active in both Portugal and Turkey. Set up by author and motivational speaker Jason Vale, the retreat focuses on juice, yoga and fitness. The reality TV star announced her split from John in November, following two years of dating. It came after he was said to have been seen kissing two women while on holiday in Dubai. Cheat: Vicky admitted she is 'completely done both physically and mentally' after the betrayal Post: 'I've put my all into keeping going these last few weeks and now I need to accept that I need to go somewhere that is good for my soul and rest,' she wrote Parting ways: The reality TV star announced her split from John in November, following two years of dating The former flames were reported had been filming a reality show based on their upcoming wedding at the time of the split. The fly-on-the-wall style show was said to be planning on covering all aspects of their nuptials, from food tasting to dress shopping and what would have been their stag and hen parties. A source told the Daily Mail: 'She was excited to be starting wedding planning and looking at venues, but life has changed now.' It hasn't been all bad for Vicky however as she was spotted out and about in Mayfair last Wednesday where she appeared to be in high spirits as she hit the town with a group of friends. Oliver Proudlock - long-standing star of Made In Chelsea - has paid tribute to his father Michael, who died suddenly on December 4, aged 70. The reality star, 30, took to Instagram to upload a snap of him planting a playful kiss on his dad's cheek during a previous Christmas gathering, captioning the snap with heart-warming words. He wrote: 'Oh how you loved it when I kissed yah. Papa P, what an absolute legend. These photos pretty much sum it up. So many amazing memories, and glorious times. Loss: Oliver Proudlock - long-standing star of Made In Chelsea - has paid tribute to his father Michael, who died suddenly on December 4, aged 70 'You were a force of nature. Always smiling, and always making people laugh. Thank you for being the best Dad in the whole world, and thank you for making me the man I am today. 'I will continue to try and make you proud, and will talk of the legend that is the penguin for the rest of my days. RIP.' A rush of messages flooded in in response, which Proudlock later referenced in an Instagram Story post. 'Thank you so so much for all your love and sweet messages,' he penned. 'Your love and support is giving me a lot of strength and my dad is smiling right now for sure. 'You were a force of nature!' The restaurateur - who was responsible for legendary Chelsea celebrity hang-out Foxtrot Oscar for more than 25 years - leaves behind Proudlock and sister Laura Foxtrot Oscar: Founded in 1980, the haunt was at the epicentre of the Sloane Ranger world and attracted dissolute marquesses like moths to a flame 'I feel so lucky to have had such an amazing relationship with my dad and so many incredible memories that will live on forever. Life is so precious, let's all make sure we love one another and share more moments together.' The restaurateur - who was responsible for legendary Chelsea celebrity hang-out Foxtrot Oscar for more than 25 years - leaves behind Proudlock, his sister Laura and his famous eaterie [taken over in 2007 by Gordon Ramsay]. The restaurant happens to be where The Duchess of York's one time 'financial adviser' John Bryan hid out from the paparazzi, where Prince Harry took dates as a teenager and where Elizabeth Taylor famously fell off her stool. Oliver Proudlock got engaged at the end of the summer to his long-term model girlfriend, Emma Louise Connolly. Despite the fact that his father will now not witness his son's wedding, Proudlock posted a contented image of him and Emma, staring into the sun, smiling - suggesting he has made peace with the tragic loss. Peace and quiet: Despite the fact that his father will now not witness his son's wedding, Proudlock posted a contented image of him and Emma, staring into the sun, smiling - evidently at peace with their sudden loss Other stars of Made In Chelsea reached out to send their support, with Louise Thompson posting: 'Sending love and love and love.' James McVery - recent star of I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! and boy band The Vamps - commented: 'So sorry mate.' Michael is said to have died 'following a lavish lunch at Brinkleys in London's Chelsea,' according to Edwards Lloyd's Diary News. Michael was widely regarded as the most connected restaurateur of his age having previously shared a New York flat with 'seducer of the valleys' Sir Dai Llewellyn, brother of Princess Margaret's lover Roddy. Foxtrot Oscar, founded in 1980, was the go-to haunt for an older generation of Made In Chelsea-esque socialites. Missed: Proudlock got engaged at the end of the summer to his long-term model girlfriend, Emma Louise Connolly Touched: A rush of messages flooded in in response, which Proudlock later referenced in an Instagram Story post Tragic: Despite the fact that his father will now not witness his son's wedding, Proudlock posted a contented image - suggesting he has made peace with the tragic loss Michael even barred the late restaurant critic A. A. Gill from his establishment for 'writing rubbish about my place', though later the pair made up. He fell out with the then Marquess of Blandford over a 28 unpaid bill, and once famously bought a racehorse after a drunken lunch, saying to the agent, 'Don't Tell The Wife,' only to find the nag running under that name and in his colours within days. Unfortunately this oversight culminated in the end of his second marriage to Lena, mother of Oliver and his sister. After selling the venue to Gordon Ramsay in 2007, Michael maintained an apartment above the restaurant. His former business partner Rex Leyland said this week: 'Michael always said: "Death is no excuse". He would have wanted us to meet and eat.' They forged a strong friendship after spending weeks together in the jungle. And the campmates were enjoying their final day in Australia together on Tuesday as they headed for lunch ahead of jetting back home to the UK. Taking to Instagram to share a snap of the group, Fleur East's sister Keshia captioned the snap: 'The last supper'. Tasty treat: The campmates were enjoying their final day in Australia together on Tuesday as they headed for lunch ahead of jetting back home to the UK The group looked in good spirits on the outing, with Jungle King Harry Redknapp placing an arm around his beloved wife Sandra, whilst Fleur and Keshia beamed behind them. Nick Knowles was also at the meal with his son TJ, whilst Sair Khan cosied up to her boyfriend Simon Lennon. Emily Atack's mother Kate Robbins headed up the table, but Emily was off enjoying cocktails with fellow campmate Rita Simons. Pour it up: Emily Atack's mother Kate Robbins headed up the table, but Emily was off enjoying cocktails with fellow campmate Rita Simons The group all seemed surprisingly fresh-faced at the meal considering they had spent the night partying. The 11 campmates joined their family and the I'm A Celebrity crew in toasting the Jungle King Harry Redknapp and celebrating the end of the best watched series at the However, their revelry reportedly proved to be too much for fellow guests at the Palazzo Versace Gold Coast, with a source telling The Sun: 'The wrap party went on for ages and its no secret that the cast got very rowdy with friends and family. Heading home: Malique Thompson-Dwyer snapped a quick selfie on the plane home as the group jetted back to the UK together "Everyone was really excited to see each other and it was a really fun party. But a lot of the campmates hadnt drunk any alcohol for ages and had been eating rice and beans, so some of them got really tipsy very quickly. 'When they got back to the hotel, the staff had to remind them to keep the noise down so they didnt disturb the other guests. Its a really posh place and people pay a lot of money to stay there!' As well as giving fans a glimpse into the party on their social media sites, This Morning viewers witnessed the debauchery when Holly Willoughby made a drunken appearance on the show live from the bash after drinking for 12 hours. Loving life: Malique Thompson-Dwyer, Harry Redknapp and Rita Simons were among campmates from I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here series wrap party on Monday Party animal: Jungle princess Emily Atack took to the picture sharing site to share a stunning snap clad in a red satin maxi dress as she thanked fans for all their support Staying close: Malique Thompson-Dwyer shared pictures with his jungle 'sister' Fleur East Not-so mellow yellow! Fleur looked sensational in a canary peplum hem midi dress Fantastic four: Nick Knowles' son TJ shared a snap from inside the party alongside campmate Fleur and presenters Holly Willoughby and Declan Donnelly The latest series of I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! has proved to be the most successful yet, garnering the show its highest ratings in its entire history. A peak audience of 12.1million viewers tuned in to watch Harry Redknapp crowned the King of the Jungle on Sunday night's finale, capping off weeks of record-breaking numbers for ITV's 16-year-old ratings juggernaut. And while viewing figures were cause for celebration, fans of the reality show were in unison in their praise for co-host Holly Willoughby, gushing that she'd 'breathed new life' into the series, after stepping in to temporarily replace Ant McPartlin. Best buds: Emily and John Barrowman shared snaps larking around together before heading to the star-studded wrap party together Loving life: Sair Khan was seen partying alongside boyfriend Simon Lennon Reunited: Sair also spent some time alongside Kisok Kev at the wrap party Bosses at ITV have revealed that Sunday night's finale gave the show its highest peak audience of the series, with average viewing numbers of 10.9million an increase of 1.7million viewers on last year's final, and the highest rating final since 2013. Based on seven-day consolidated data, the series averaged 12.2 million viewers, making it the highest rating series in the show's history. And Holly enjoyed her own professional achievements on the show, having been praised unanimously for her presenting style as she stepped in to co-host alongside Declan Donnelly while his sidekick Ant dealt with drink and drug addictions. He's the proud father of two children daughter Wyatt, four, and son Dimitri, two who he raises with his wife of three years, Mila Kunis. But Ashton Kutcher has revealed that he often feels pressure to make his youngest offspring sprint past neighbour Ellen DeGeneres' home during family morning walks, because the talk show host regularly ribs him about carrying his son everywhere. Making an appearance on her eponymous talk show in an episode airing on Tuesday, Ashton, 40, told Ellen, 60, that his son has become so adept at running past the home she shares with wife Portia de Rossi that he has a future as an Olympian. He's great sport: Ashton Kutcher has joked that his son Dimitri (right) is on course to be an Olympian. Pictured with wife Mila Kunis and their daughter Wyatt in July 2017 After introducing the actor as her surprise co-host for the day, Ellen told the studio audience: 'Ashton and Mila [are] so cute. They walk in the morning with their pyjamas on, and their dogs, and their kids.' Turning her attention to Ashton, comedienne Ellen then enquired: 'And the young boy that never walks is how old?' 'He walks! Hes two,' the former That '70s Show star shot back, prompting Ellen to respond: 'He never puts him down! Hes always on his back.' Talk show: The actor proudly spoke about his offspring when he made an appearance on Ellen DeGeneres' talk show, where they revealed that they're neighbours in Malibu, California Proud moment: The actor also revealed he was proud of recent paparazzi pictures that emerged of him flashing a glimpse of his backside, as it meant he had lost weight Explained Ashton: 'I now have a complex about this because I have one of those hiking backpack things that I put him in to go down to the beach so that we can actually go down the beach. 'Otherwise its like a whole wrangling session with the kid... Then you came out, and you were like, "Oh, does he walk?" and I was like, "Yes, he walks." 'So now I take him out of the thing once we get to [view] of your house and Im like, "Go, go, go! Run, little sucker!" 'And Im, like, trying to dish him along so I dont have to hear about it anymore. They see me rollin'...: The former That '70s Show star arrived on the set riding an e-scooter Safety first: The Hollywood actor sported a bright pink safety helmet for his arrival as co-host 'This kids gonna be an Olympian, man, cause Im gonna be behind him like, "To Ellens house! Shes watching!" During his stint on the show, the actor also revealed he was proud of recent paparazzi pictures that emerged of him flashing a glimpse of his backside, thanks to the slouchy jeans he was wearing while out and about. The star explained that his weight regularly fluctuates within a 10-pound range, and whenever his jeans slouch, it means that he's on the lighter side of the scale. Regular vistitor: The 40-year-old actor has made several visits to Ellen's talk show as a guest Interview: During his co-hosting stint, Ashton helped interview Hollywood actress Amy Adams Ashton tied the knot with 35-year-old Black Swan star Mila back in 2015 and they live together with their two children in a beach house in Malibu, California. Mila first met Ashton on the set of their sitcom That '70s Show, on which they both starred from 1998 to 2006. The actress was in a relationship with Home Alone star Macaulay Culkin from 2002 to 2011. She started dating Ashton the following year. The actor, meanwhile, had married Demi Moore and they were together from 2005 to their separation in late 2011. Their divorce was finalised in late 2013. She had cut an exquisite appearance on the red carpet of the British Fashion Awards with her husband Giorgio Veroni. But flying solo later in the evening to attend the awards after-party at Chiltern Firehouse on Monday night, Tamara Beckwith had all eyes on her for other reasons as she suffered an awkward wardrobe mishap on her arrival. The socialite, 48, was photographed exiting her vehicle at the Marylebone venue and appeared to reveal slightly too much, thanks to her gown's perilously low-cut neckline. Oops: Tamara Beckwith, 48, fell victim to a wardrobe mishap as she arrived to the British Fashion Awards after-party held at Chiltern Firehouse on Monday night Tamara gave onlookers more than an eyeful as she narrowly avoided a nip slip while appearing to go braless underneath her statement dress. She was seen crouching over as she tried to maneuver the long train of her floor-length frock, in a bid to prevent any malfunction, while getting out of the car to join the star-studded party. Despite the mishap, Tamara stunned for the occasion in her show-stopping number that ensured she stood out among other guests. Awkward: The socialite, 48, was photographed exiting her vehicle at the Marylebone venue and appeared to reveal slightly too much, thanks to her gown's perilously low-cut neckline Red-faced: Tamara gave onlookers more than an eyeful as she narrowly avoided a nip slip while appearing to go braless underneath her statement dress Looking every inch the VIP in her glamorous gown, Tamara's dress highlighted the blonde beauty's impressive frame and featured a daring split at the front that revealed her sheer tights and stiletto heels underneath. It came complete with a plunging neckline and a full skirt that fell to her feet, gathering in a dramatic train behind her. Tamara teamed her gown with perfectly coiffed tresses, teasing her locks into soft draw-out curls that were swept over to one side. Good intentions: She was seen crouching over as she tried to maneuver the long train of her floor-length frock, in a bid to prevent any malfunction, while getting out of the car Eye-catching: Despite the mishap, Tamara stunned for the occasion in her show-stopping number that ensured she stood out among other guests She finished her red-carpet look with a glamorous make-up look that saw her sport a slick of bold red lipstick to complement her outfit choice. Matching her manicure to her gown also, Tamara toted her evening essentials in a metallic emerald green clutch she held onto in one hand. Hours earlier, Tamara dazzled on the red carpet of the British Fashion Awards 2018 on the arm of her husband of 11 years Giorgio Veroni. They married in Venice in 2007 and later welcomed son Vero, now four. Flattering: Tamara's dress highlighted the blonde beauty's impressive frame and featured a daring split at the front that revealed her sheer tights and stiletto heels underneath Bold: She finished her red-carpet look with a glamorous make-up look that saw her sport a slick of bold red lipstick to complement her outfit choice Tamara is also mother to daughter Anouska, 31, whom she fell pregnant with at the age of 16 by William Gerhauser - son of former Playboy boss Bill Gerhauser. Meanwhile, this year's Fashion Awards saw a whole host of A-listers turn out for the occasion, with the ceremony being held at the historic Royal Albert Hall in London. In attendance had been Victoria and David Beckham, with Victoria sharing her delight at being nominated for the prestigious British Designer of the Year Womeswear award. Clare Waight Keller for Givenchy was the winner of the category. Star-studded affair: Hours earlier, Tamara dazzled on the red carpet of the British Fashion Awards 2018 on the arm of her husband of 11 years Giorgio Veroni It was presented to the designer by the Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle, who is expecting her first child with husband Prince Harry. She made a surprise appearance at the ceremony, telling guests she was celebrating Britain - her 'new home'. In association with The British Fashion Council (BFC), The Fashion Awards celebrates individuals and businesses that have made a significant contribution to the fashion industry over the last year. It is also a fundraiser for the BFC's charities and aims to support future talented individuals with their creative fashion skills. They said 'I do' over the summer in a lavish ceremony in Bidard, south-west France after two years together. And Vincent Cassel, 52, and his new bride, model Tina Kunakey, 21, continued to revel in their honeymoon state as they attended the L'Empereur De Paris film premiere in the French capital on Monday. The actor appeared smitten as he wrapped his arm tenderly around his striking other half's waist as they posed for photos at the event. He previously married Monica Bellucci, 54, in 1999, from whom he split in 2013. They share two daughters aged 8 and 14. The happy couple: Vincent Cassel, 51, and his new bride, model Tina Kunakey, 21, attended the L'Empereur De Paris film premiere in the French capital on Monday Tina looked equally head-over-heels for her beau, as they gazed lovingly into each others eyes. The model oozed sophistication in a longline woolen black mac, with a wrap belt cinching in her waist. The statuesque beauty kept her look demure with a high-necked black sweater underneath. Tina stepped out in a classic pair of pointed black heels and clutched onto a 2,170 leather Sidonie Prada handbag. Smitten: The actor appeared smitten as he wrapped his arm tenderly around his striking other half's waist as they posed for photos at the event Chic: The model oozed sophistication in a longline woolen black mac, with a wrap belt cinching in her waist, keeping her look demure with a high-necked black sweater underneath Dapper: Vincent opted for an equally stylish look, stepping out in a royal blue suit, which he teamed with a baby blue roll-neck sweater Her raven locks were styled smooth and straight, and she sported a flawless beauty look, which aided her radiant complexion. Vincent opted for an equally stylish look, stepping out in a royal blue suit, which he teamed with a baby blue roll-neck sweater. The Ocean's Thirteen star complemented his outfit with a pair of smart black boots and a coordinating belt. Designer duds: Tina stepped out in a classic pair of pointed black heels and clutched onto a 2,170 leather Sidonie Prada handbag Loved-up: Tina looked equally head-over-heels for her beau, as they gazed lovingly into each others eyes Vincent stars in L'Empereur De Paris - which translates as 'The Emperor Of Paris' - a biographical crime movie, as Eugene-Francois Vidocq. The film follows Eugene-Francois, a thug turned into a legend of the Parisian basements for his escapes from the country's biggest convicts. Under the Empire, he is appointed head of the "brigade de securite", a police service in Paris whose members are former convicts and whose role is to infiltrate the underworld. Because of his exceptional results, Eugene-Francois attracts the wrath of straight-laced policemen, as well as the underworld that puts his head at a price. The cast: Vincent stars in L'Empereur De Paris - which translates as 'The Emperor Of Paris' - a biographical crime movie, as Eugene-Francois Vidocq (Pictured alongside his cast mates) Vincent and Tina got married in a private ceremony at the city hall in Bidart, south-west France on August 24. Tina looked breathtaking in a strapless ivory gown, which had a plunging strapless sweetheart neckline and a full princess skirt. The couple, who live in Brazil, were first linked back in July 2016 when Tina, then 19, shared a social media snap of herself cuddling up to the then 49-year-old actor while smoking a cigarette. Leading man: The film follows Eugene-Francois, a thug turned into a legend of the Parisian basements for his escapes from the country's biggest convicts Advertisement A record-breaking audience of 12.1million viewers tuned in to watch Harry Redknapp crowned the King of the Jungle on Sunday night's finale of I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! And Holly Willoughby looked undeniably pleased as she arrived at the airport in Australia to head home to the UK with her children - Harry, 9, Bell, 7, and four-year-old Chester - on Tuesday. The blonde, who filled in for Ant McPartlin as he took a break amid his personal woes, was closely followed by her co-host Declan Donnelly, who sweetly cradled his three-month-old daughter, Isla That's a wrap! I'm A Celebrity's Holly Willoughby, 37, arrived at the airport in Australia to head back home to the UK with her children - Harry, 9, Bell, 7, and four-year-old Chester, 4 - on Tuesday After a month of living in the Aussie sunshine, Holly continued her summery style run in a pretty yellow midi-dress and sandals. Taking into consideration her long-haul flight ahead, Holly teamed her look with a Levi's jumper for added warmth and comfort. The bubbly TV personality enhanced her striking features with a natural slick of make-up, which complemented her shoulder-length locks. Heading home: The blonde, who filled in for Ant McPartlin as he took a break amid his personal woes, was closely followed by her co-host Declan Donnelly, who sweetly cradled his three-month-old daughter, Isla Stylish star: After a month of living in the Aussie sunshine, Holly continued her summery style run in a pretty yellow midi-dress and sandals Casual: Taking into consideration her long-haul flight ahead, Holly teamed her look with a Levi's jumper for added warmth and comfort Despite a hectic few weeks, Holly didn't sport a hint of fatigue as she chatted away with her company while ushering her three children - who she shares with husband Daniel Baldwin - through the airport. Meanwhile, Dec also cut a cheery figure as he emerged from a car and entered the airport. While he was joined by wife Ali Astall, the TV star took on the parental duties as he cradled his newborn in a baby sling. The latest series of I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! has proved to be the most successful yet, garnering the show its highest ratings in its entire history. A peak audience of 12.1million viewers tuned in to watch Harry Redknapp crowned the King of the Jungle on Sunday night's finale, capping off weeks of record-breaking numbers for ITV's 16-year-old ratings juggernaut. TV star: Dec also cut a cheery figure as he emerged from a car and entered the airport Family: Dec was joined by wife Ali Astall, who went casual in a black top, ankle-grazing denims and white trainers Doting dad: Dec took on the parental duties as he cradled his newborn in a baby sling while making his way through the airport terminal And while viewing figures were cause for celebration, fans of the reality show were in unison in their praise for co-host Holly, gushing that she'd 'breathed new life' into the series, after stepping in to temporarily replace Ant. Bosses at ITV have revealed that Sunday night's finale gave the show its highest peak audience of the series, with average viewing numbers of 10.9million an increase of 1.7million viewers on last year's final, and the highest rating final since 2013. Based on seven-day consolidated data, the series averaged 12.2 million viewers, making it the highest rating series in the show's history. Holly enjoyed her own professional achievements on the show, having been praised unanimously for her presenting style as she stepped in to co-host alongside Declan. Figures: The latest series of I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! has proved to be the most successful yet, garnering the show its highest ratings in its entire history Success: While viewing figures were cause for celebration, fans of the reality show were in unison in their praise for co-host Holly, gushing that she'd 'breathed new life' into the series, after stepping in to temporarily replace Ant She's a hit! Holly enjoyed her own professional achievements on the show, having been praised unanimously for her presenting style as she stepped in to co-host alongside Declan Amid the glowing praise were calls for Holly to present the show every year a dream which could well become a reality, as it's reportedly been proposed that the blonde beauty join Ant and Dec in Australia once they're finally reunited next year. I'm A Celebrity also received it's highest ever viewing figures for a debut, with a whopping 12.6 million tuning in for the first week. Viewers were pulled in by the new format, with the show managing an impressive 47 per cent share of viewing the highest consolidated average ever for the series. The series opener alone this year was watched by just over 14million people, giving the show its highest rating since the third series in 2004. This year's series saw the likes of Nick Knowles, Fleur East, Anne Hegerty, Sair Khan, John Barrowman, and Emily Atack battle to be named King or Queen of the Jungle. Will she be back? There are calls for Holly to present the show every year - a dream which could well become a reality, as it's reportedly been proposed that the blonde beauty join Ant and Dec in Australia once they're finally reunited next year Joel Dommett didn't attended the I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! wrap party on Monday night because he fell asleep. The comedian, who fronts ITV2 sister series Extra Camp with Scarlett Moffatt and Joe Swash, told MailOnline how the trio of presenters were so exhausted that they slept through the festivities - which saw Holly Willoughby have a tipsy Skype call live on This Morning with Phillip Schofield and Rochelle Humes. 'We filmed the last Extra Camp of the series and then Scarlett, Joe and I went back to the hotel to watch a movie. And we fell asleep,' the 33-year-old admitted. 'We just slept. We were asleep.' Knackered: Joel Dommett didn't attended the I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! wrap party on Monday night because he fell asleep Unbeknownst to many, the hosts of I'm A Celeb and Extra Camp are on a UK-time schedule. Despite the live shows being shot from 7AM in Australia, the hosts and the crew have been up since 11PM local time the night before. The campmates, by contrast, are on local time - therefore much more willing to hit the wrap party on Monday evening. 'You film 22 shows back-to-back, every day,' Joel said of the gig. 'It's really mad. I wake up and go in and help write the script. Then I get in after and watch the next episode, but that's hard because they're not yet completed. It's hard to write about something that's not finished yet. 'The show is just a round the clock, military operation. But I absolutely love it. I just love what it stands for, I respect it so much and that's worth the 14 hour days.' That's a wrap: The wrap party saw Holly Willoughby have a tipsy Skype call live on This Morning with Phillip Schofield and Rochelle Humes on Monday Camp! The comedian, who fronts ITV2 sister series Extra Camp with Scarlett Moffatt and Joe Swash, told MailOnline how the trio of presenters were so exhausted that they slept through the festivities Joel and Scarlett came in second and first place respectively in the 2016 season, and consequently joined Joe as hosts of Extra Camp the following year. And Joel feels confident there won't be any shake-ups again soon. 'We got 2m viewers for the last Extra Camp,' he revealed. 'So I'm hopeful we're on to a good thing.' The latest season of the show - which is its 18th run - has been a ratings success and a hit with the viewers overall, with close to 12m tuning into the finale in which Harry Redknapp took home the crown. Episode one saw fans watching in their droves as Holly Willoughby made her debut alongside Dec Donnelly, whose long-serving co-host Ant McPartlin sat this year out due to personal issues. Wild! There was no all-nighter for the hosts of Extra Camp Hard work: 'The show is just a round the clock, military operation. But I absolutely love it. I just love what it stands for, I respect it so much and that's worth the 14 hour days,' Joel admitted And now, rumours are rumbling that Holly will be back next year too. 'Holly did so well she was so brilliant. She exceeded everyone's expectations. To use this series' catchphrase, she smashed it,' Joel reflected. 'And we all love Ant so much and missed him a lot. But Holly did so great - it was a tough thing to have to do. I know her but dont know her well enough to be able to say how proud I am of her but - you know what, yeah, I'm proud of her!' With regards to her possible return, Joel said: 'The producers of the show are just so good, they know what they're doing. I just stay out of it. 'I don't know what'll happen and they wouldn't tell me anyway as if someone tells me a secret I just tend to give it away immediately. Success: The latest season of the show - which is its 18th run - has been a ratings success and a hit with the viewers overall, with close to 12m tuning into the finale in which Harry Redknapp took home the crown Quietly confident: Joel feels that there won't be any presenter shake-ups again soon. 'We got 2m viewers for the last Extra Camp,' he revealed. 'So I'm hopeful we're on to a good thing' 'All I know is that with Ant and Dec, or Dec and Holly - they're all such a pleasure to watch. I love to go watch the rehearsals, it's one of my favourite things to do when I'm out there. I learnt so much from them and they're just lovely.' Joel spoke to MailOnline aboard his flight home, moments before take off, and reflected on how much he misses the build up to Christmas while in Australia for five weeks straight. 'Being here is just amazing but it definitely makes you realise how much you miss home. And the Christmas feeling,' he mused. 'Sometimes you just want to sit with a hot mulled wine, but that's not the vibe over here. 'There aren't even really any decorations. It's so hot anyway, why would you want to be decorating a tree indoors when you can be sunbathing at the beach?' Hosts with the most: Joel and Scarlett came in second and first place respectively in the 2016 season, and consequently joined Joe as hosts of Extra Camp the following year Quiz-master: Joel hosts the event via Kopparberg Alcohol Free's Facebook and Twitter [@KopparbergUK] from 6:30PM on Thursday Back to reality: Joel sees his Australia stint as a 'summer camp' of sorts [he used to cry on the bus home when he would go to camp as a child, he admits] but the recently-engaged star is eager to be home with his fiancee Joel sees his Australia stint as a 'summer camp' of sorts [he used to cry on the bus home when he would go to camp as a child, he admits] but the recently-engaged star is eager to be home with his fiancee. 'We're getting married next year in September in Mykonos,' he said of his wedding to Hannah Cooper. 'You know what, I really like her. You have to spend time apart and you realise that, yeah, you just really like each other. I miss her. Can't wait to see her, she's picking me up from the airport.' The day after he lands, Joel will be hosting a first-of-its-kind live-streamed pub quiz for Kopparberg Alcohol Free. He likes her: 'We're getting married next year in September in Mykonos,' he said of his wedding to Hannah Cooper. 'You know what, I really like her' Home time: The cast and crew flew home from Australia on Tuesday 'I'm a west country boy,' he said. 'And a massive fan of cider. But actually I'm not a massive drinker. And I love pub quizzes. So when I was offered this it sort of combined all the stuff I love so I was really happy to get behind it.' Those tuning into the show can expect to be led by Joel through four different rounds including everything youd expect from a festive night in the pub with friends, with the chance to win a host of enticing prices in real time, not least an all-expenses paid trip to the Swedish capital, Stockholm. Joel hosts the event via Kopparberg Alcohol Free's Facebook and Twitter [@KopparbergUK] from 6:30PM on Wednesday 12th December. Joel is also taking part in Save the Childrens Christmas Jumper Day, on Friday 14 December. Sign up to take part at christmasjumperday.org. She may have all eyes on her as she attended the Sydney premiere of Netflix's new show, Tidelands, on Monday night. But as Elsa Pataky was walking the red carpet at the Opera House she was thinking of someone else - her mother. The 42-year-old, who attended the premiere with her mother, Cristina, shared an adorable photo of the pair standing outside the iconic building to Instagram. 'So happy to have this amazing woman close to me in every special moment' Elsa Pataky (right) gushes over her mother Cristina (left) in adorable tribute after attending the premiere of her Netflix series Tidelands in Sydney 'So happy to have this amazing woman close to me in every special moment in my life since I was born,' she captioned the tribute. 'Love you mama!' Tidelands is set in a small fishing village of Orphelin Bay, where a mysterious commune of half-siren/half-humans, known as Tidelanders, live in the bay. Adrielle, played by Elsa, leads the Tidelanders, who cross paths with Cal McTeer a young woman who returning home to the village after years in jail. She's a gem! Elsa Pataky shows off her incredible figure in a sheer, pearl-embellished frock at the Tidelands premiere at the Sydney Opera House The actress, who is married to Thor actor Chris Hemsworth, put on an eye-catching display in a stunning pearl embellished dress as she walked the red carpet and greeted fans. Elsa's avant-garde frock, which featured a high neck, also had sheer panels that showed off her bust. Close to home: The actress, who is married to Thor actor Chris Hemsworth (pictured) put on an eye-catching display in the pearl embellished dress The shape of the dress gave it a futuristic silhouette, and it gathered at the thigh in gentle layers. Fitted and sheer throughout, the frock also gave the actress an opportunity to flaunt her toned back. Elsa opted to let the dress sing by not wearing many accessories but donned a deep purple nail polish on her nails. Having worked in the dance music industry for almost a decade, DJ Tigerlily has played to large crowds at many of the world's biggest music festivals. So it comes as no surprise that Tigerlily - aka Dara Hayes - has come out in support of pill testing at dance parties as a safety measure for young punters. Speaking to the Herald Sun on Wednesday, Tigerlily, 26, said: 'We need to be realistic and smart about it (drug taking).' Scroll down for video 'There's always kids who are going to do drugs': Australia's DJ Tigerlily (pictured) voiced her support for testing of illegal pills at music festivals to help prevent deaths among young people on Wednesday She added: 'There's always kids who are going to do drugs ... so I think it's really important to provide them with access to things like pill testing.' The global superstar DJ said that society as a whole needed to be 'realistic' and 'smart' about the drug taking culture at festivals, and must take adequate precautions to prevent deaths - which includes testing of illegal pills. Tigerlily's comments come after yet another drug death at a Sydney music festival. Speaking to the Herald Sun on Wednesday, Tigerlily (pictured), 26, said: 'We need to be realistic and smart about it (drug taking)' A 19-year-old man died in hospital after attending the Knockout Games of Destiny dance party at Sydney Olympic Park on Saturday. Two women, aged 19 and 25, and a man were also taken to hospital in a critical but stable condition after overdosing at the event. The incidents follow the fatal drug overdoses of two people at the now notorious Defqon.1 music festival in September. She added: 'There's always kids who are going to do drugs ... so I think it's really important to provide them with access to things like pill testing' In response to that tragedy in September, New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian, 48, vowed to ban the event. By contrast, Tigerlily has gone on the record as saying that Australia has a 'nanny state policy' with regards to illegal drugs. On Wednesday she said she is 'totally pro pill testing' and pointed to countries in Europe where drug testing has been in operation for 25 years, with 'amazing' results. Jason Momoa spent several months filming Aquaman on the Gold Coast last year. And the 39-year-old actor found much to love about his time Down Under, including the people, the nature - and the booze. The actor told The Daily Telegraph he loved: 'going out into nature and just the food'. 'Mostly the grog!' Jason Momoa reveals his favourite things about Australia revealing he's particularity fond of the local alcohol However what made the biggest impression on him during his time in Australia was: 'mostly the grog' he quipped, using the slang term for alcohol. The action star, who also lived for several years in the Barossa Valley in the past, waxed lyrical about the country as a whole, especially its citizens. 'What makes Australia so beautiful I think is just the people. The great people who work hard and play hard and they a have a great outlook on life,' he told the paper. Local grog! When he wrapped filming on Aquaman last year, Jason took to Instagram to upload a shot of himself with co-star Amber Heard. In the image, the actress held up a bottle of Australian-made Penfolds Grange red wine The actor told The Daily Telegraph he loved: 'going out into nature and just the food'. However what made the biggest impression on him during his time in Australia was: 'mostly the grog' When he wrapped filming on Aquaman last year, Jason took to Instagram to upload a shot of himself with co-star Amber Heard. In the image, the actress held up a bottle of Australian-made Penfolds Grange red wine. 'My rider we went through some heavy s**t mama,' he wrote about Amber, who plays his love interest Mera in Aquaman. Almost a local: Jason spent several months filming Aquaman on the Gold Coast last year 'I'm super proud of you. Congrats. My crew and cast these awesome studios. Australia I f***ing love ya.' It comes after Jason admitted he has a soft side thanks to his mum Coni, as he revealed he was 'constantly crying' on the set of his superhero flick Aquaman. Calling himself the 'biggest drama queen' while speaking to The Mirror on Sunday, he explained: 'I was constantly crying. I was raised by a single mother and I'm very connected to my emotions.' Cute! It comes after Jason admitted he has a soft side thanks to his mum Coni (left) as he revealed he was 'constantly crying' on the set of his superhero flick Aquaman She beat off stiff competition to be named the Model of the Year at the British Fashion Awards 2018 on Monday night. And Kaia Gerber cut a casually cool figure as she prepared to fly home to Los Angeles from London's Heathrow Airport on Tuesday. The teen model, 17, was joined by her famous supermodel mother Cindy Crawford as they turned heads at the airport with their ensembles. Heading home: Kaia Gerber, 17, cut a casually cool figure as she prepared to fly home to Los Angeles from London's Heathrow Airport on Tuesday Kaia showed off her flair for fashion in a pair of loose-fitting jeans, which she teamed with a simple black top. The catwalk queen made the most of her outerwear as she wrapped up against the British chill before returning to the balmier climes of USA's West Coast. Kaia forewent make-up for the long-haul flight and scraped her brunette locks into bun as she carted along he suitcase. Joining her was Cindy who looked equally sensational in skinny jeans, black boots and black aviator style jacket. Glam: The teen model was joined by her famous supermodel mother Cindy Crawford as they turned heads at the airport with their ensembles Stylish: The catwalk queen made the most of her outerwear as she wrapped up against the British chill before returning to the balmier climes of USA's West Coast Work it: Kaia showed off her flair for fashion in a pair of loose-fitting jeans, which she teamed with a simple black top The fashion icon added to the airport glamour with a glossy blowdry and sunglasses. Despite following in her famous mother Cindy's footsteps, Kaia has definitely made a name for herself within the fashion industry. Kaia was no doubt still on a high after scooping up the prize for Model of the Year at the British Fashion Awards. The star beat off competition from the likes of Adut Akech, Adwoa Aboah, Bella Hadid and Winnie Harlow to receive the honour from Rita Ora on the night. The starlet had attended the annual awards ceremony with her supermodel mother Cindy, 52, father Rande Gerber and her model brother Presley. Model: Kaia forewent make-up for the long-haul flight and scraped her brunette locks into bun as she carted along he suitcase Supermodel: Joining her was Cindy who looked equally sensational in skinny jeans, black boots and black aviator style jacket Looking good: The fashion icon added to the airport glamour with a glossy blowdry and sunglasses Here come the boys! Cindy strolled along with her husband Rande Gerber, 52, and son Presley, 19 Star: Despite following in her famous mother Cindy's footsteps, Kaia has definitely made a name for herself within the fashion industry Learning from the best: In an interview with Vogue , Kaia described the best advice her mother gave her as: 'don't do anything you don't want to do and follow your instincts' In an interview with Vogue, Kaia described the best advice her mother gave her as: 'don't do anything you don't want to do and follow your instincts'. She also added that, despite several questions about what it was like being raised by the supermodel, Kaia enjoyed a regular upbringing. She said: 'I admire how down to earth my mom is... everyone would ask me what's it like to have Cindy Crawford as your mom, but Cindy Crawford (the supermodel) wasn't my mom - she did a really good job of separating her work and home life.' Back home: Kaia was spotted later on Tuesday arriving back home with family at LAX Travel style: Presley and sister Kaia kept it casual for their travel Fan favorite: Kaia stopped to sign autographs for fans at the airport While the teenager is following in her mother's footsteps by going into the world of modelling, she added that Cindy has never given her a catwalk lesson. She said: 'We're not at home just walking down the hallways of our house together.' The family were later spotted on Tuesday arriving back home at Los Angeles International Airport. Original supermodel: Cindy looked typically stunning in skinny jeans upon arrival Top honor: Kaia took to Instagram on Tuesday and shared an image of herself in an Alexander McQueen dress at the British Fashion Awards on Monday She's just returned to New York after a fun weekend in Miami enjoying the Art Basel parties. And Helena Christensen went makeup-free and cut a casual figure as she was spotted out in New York on Monday. The 49-year-old model was seen wrapped up in a soft pink puffer jacket and lilac scarf as she skipped across the sidewalk beaming a big smile. Natural beauty: Helena Christensen is spotted out in New York on Monday She wore dark grey straight leg jeans and some pale green sneakers for the outing with her cute miniature Australian Shepherd. The Danish beauty was seen bending down to pet the pup after he waited patiently for her outside a store. Helena, who now works as a photographer, is mother to 19-year-old son Mingus with her former boyfriend, The Walking Dead star Norman Reedus. Reedus has just welcomed a baby daughter with girlfriend Diane Kruger. Mingus, who boasts his mother's striking looks and piercing eyes, made his runway debut at New York Fashion Week in September 2017 but decided it wasnt for him. Furry friend: The 49-year-old supermodel icon bent down to pet her adorable miniature Australian Shepherd Model beauty: The mother-of-one was living it up in Miami last week and shared this sultry snap on Sunday Helena recently spoke to Tatler about her son's foray into modelling, saying: 'It's strange to sit there and watch your kid do that, and I knew he wouldn't take to it.' The supermodel then joked that she berates men for 'ruining' the modelling industry, which was once dominated by women. She said: 'And I think it's a more interesting job for a girl. Now it's actually becoming big business for guys as well, but it was one of the only industries that we women had for ourselves, where we were the bosses and making more money than the guys, and now they have to come and ruin that!' she laughed. Stunning: Helena posed with a pal during Art Basel in Miami Helena also discussed her thoughts on working as a photographer with the next generation, and revealed the advice which she offers those aspiring to follow in her modelling footsteps. 'As a photographer I work with the younger girls a lot and you absolutely feel protective, it's such a daunting time. 'They can be pretty misguided, because they might be listening to the wrong people giving them advice. Basically, I just tell them to give everyone shit that's what I do.' Helena's modelling career was launched when she won the Miss Universe Denmark title in 1986. She went on to become one of the original 1990s supermodels alongside Linda Evangelista, Christy Turlington, Cindy Crawford, Naomi Campbell, Elle Macpherson and Claudia Schiffer. She has been known to champion body confidence and is often seen practicing what she preaches in a slew of scanty social media posts. And stripping down to her lacy lingerie for a new Instagram upload on Tuesday, Olivia Buckland left little to the imagination as she flaunted her bronzed physique. The reality star, 25, looked sensational in the risque two-piece as she posed with one bra star pulled down from her shoulder in a sultry manner - drawing attention to her ample assets. Sensational: Olivia Buckland, 25, left little to the imagination as she stripped down to her lacy lingerie for a new Instagram upload on Tuesday Daring to bare, Olivia oozed confidence as she ditched her clothes, revealing her heavily inked frame that includes a large design tattooed just underneath her chest and another etched around her upper thigh. Setting pulses racing with the sexy snap, Olivia sported a glamorous balconette bra that perfectly framed her buxom bust, along with matching briefs that sat high on her hips. The star, who is the face of fake tan Cocoa Brown, sported a deep bronzed glow, only enhancing her toned frame further, and flashed a smile for the camera as she posed, equipped with her tan mitt. Olivia wore her blonde locks pinned back into a sleek low ponytail, parted in the middle, and wasn't without her usual glamour as she sported a full face of make-up favouring a smokey-eye and glossy nude lip. Beauty: Her revealing social media display comes after Olivia was seen attending the Cocoa Brown By Marissa Carter Annual Christmas Lunch in London Delight! Olivia, who is the face of the fake tanning brand, stunned on her arrival to the festive bash and ensured she was dressed to impress in a chic black shirt dress Her revealing display on Instagram comes after Olivia was seen hosting the Cocoa Brown By Marissa Carter Annual Christmas Lunch held at Dukes Hotel in London. Olivia stunned on her arrival to the festive bash and ensured she was dressed to impress in a chic black shirt dress. The thigh-skimming number left her sun-kissed pins firmly on display and the beauty made sure to flaunt her slender frame in the frock by cinching it in at the waist with a leather gold-buckle belt. Flashing a smile on her way into the party, Olivia cut a glamorous figure and added a boost to her frame with a stylish pair of studded heels. Olivia was flying solo for the event and without husband Alex Bowen by her side. Stunning: The thigh-skimming number left her sun-kissed pins firmly on display The couple, who met on the second series of Love Island in 2016, wed in Essex in September in an idyllic ceremony held at Gosfield Hall in front of their family and famous faced friends. Earlier this month, Olivia recalled her big day in an exclusive interview with MailOnline and insisted she has 'no regrets' over the boozy antics that followed after the pair's romantic ceremony - which left the bride with her dress over her shoulders and wearing trainers. Her husband Alex revealed that the couple were 'drunk' in their wedding pictures that were printed in OK! magazine, with Olivia insisting 'there's nothing better than a drunk bride'. She told MailOnline: 'I didn't want it to end! I wish I'd had a two day wedding... it's just having fun and letting your hair down. Married woman: Olivia wed her Love Island beau Alex in Essex in September in an idyllic ceremony held at Gosfield Hall in front of their family and famous faced friends Boozy: Olivia recalled her big day in an exclusive interview with MailOnline and insisted she has 'no regrets' over the boozy antics that followed after the pair's romantic ceremony 'We're so used to seeing all these perfect pictures of the couples on the front of OK! and for once there was a couple, a little bit dishevelled, having a great time and we loved that.' Olivia confessed: 'I haven't looked at the dress since the wedding as we went on the honeymoon like two days later. I kicked my heels off and put on my trainers and was just dancing around and that was the best way. I threw the dress over my shoulder.' Looking back on the day, she said: 'It feels like a lifetime ago now and I never imagined I could have a wedding like that... Smitten: Sharing the secret to their long-standing romance, Olivia gushed: 'Every couple and relationship has its own intersections but the thing is, we just get on' 'Me and Alex love a party, all our friends were there, it was just a massive party. It did go exactly to plan which was weird as there's always a drama.' On life after the wedding and their relationship now, Olivia said: 'Every couple and relationship has its own intersections but the thing is, we just get on. People say you'll feel really different after you get married but we haven't felt that. 'We didn't want to feel different. So we're glad. We have wedding blues, I'm mourning the loss of my wedding. 'You've been planning it for however long and then you have this free time but you just have to keep yourself busy and you'll get over it.' BRIAN VINER: Dune is not the masterpiece some have proclaimed it to be, but it is the roaring, sprawling embodiment of a film that demands to be seen on the biggest screen available. Leah Remini may be playing a supporting part in Jennifer Lopez's new film, Second Act, but she managed to make her own impression Tuesday. While appearing on ABC's Good Morning America in New York she arrived in style, wearing a floral print top that complemented her neutral colored coat and pants. Leah, 48, currently stars in a documentary series about her break with Scientology and is the female lead on Kevin Can Wait. Rolling up in style: Leah Remini arrived at Good Morning America in a bright floral top that added color to her ensemble The 5ft3in actress ignored the chilly temperatures as she arrived in a bright blue top with a floral pattern. The rest of her outfit was more reserved. She wore high-waisted white pants with silver open-toe Louboutin heels, as well as a long camel coat. The Old School star carried a tan leather bag and wore large dark sunglasses. A smiling entrance: The Kevin Can Wait star waved to fans as she arrived for Good Morning America Making an entrance: Leah made a stylish appearance in wide-leg tailored pants and a luxurious beige coat Leah is currently promoting her new film, Second Act. The movie stars Jennifer Lopez as a 40-something mother and employee who's been shut out of a promotion in favor of a better educated employee. She creates a fake resume to help her compete, which works out better than she could have imagined. The King of Queens actress plays her best friend, but the two have also been friends in real life for years. Second Act marks the first time they've acted together. Friends in real life: Leah and Jennifer at an event for Second Act at The Four Seasons on Sunday Leah is currently in the midst of the third season of Leah Remini: Scientology And The Aftermath. The documentary series explores her life in Scientology and her public split from the group in 2013. The series follows the Kevin Can Wait star as recounts her life in Scientology that started at age 9. Leah's new film, Second Act, opens nationwide December 21. Former child actress Daveigh Chase has been officially charged for possession of a controlled substance. On Tuesday a judge issued a warrant for her arrest over two misdemeanor charges of possession of a controlled substance without a valid prescription, and possession of drug paraphernalia. The 28-year-old is facing one year in jail on the charges and a fine of up to $1,000, The Blast reported. Trouble: Former child actress Daveigh Chase has been officially charged for possession of a controlled substance (pictured My 2012) The actress, who played Samara in the 2002 horror film The Ring, and voiced Lilo in Disney's Lilo and Stitch, was first arrested in Hollywood on August 6 on a misdemeanor count of possession of a controlled substance. Chase was booked into jail and spent two hours behind bars before posting $1,000 and regaining her freedom. In November 2017, Chase ran afoul of the law after she was allegedly caught going on a joyride in a possibly stolen car. She was charged with a a felony driving without the owner's consent in that incident. Ten months prior, Chase was detained by LAPD detectives after she left a dying man in a car outside a hospital. Creepy: The actress played Samara in the 2002 horror film The Ring Police ran her name and discovered an outstanding misdemeanor traffic warrant out for her, leading to her arrest. The man in the car was pronounced dead of a suspected overdose. Chase was not named a suspect in his death. The actress said she was only only trying to get the victim to the hospital after spending time with him in the hours leading up to his death. She had a recurring role in HBO's Mormon drama Big Love as child bride Rhonda Volmer. She also voiced Chihiro in the English version of Hayao Miyazaki's Spirited Away. Her breakout role was as Samantha Darko, younger sister of Donnie Darko in 2001 cult classic Donnie Darko starring Jake Gyllenhaal. She reprised the role in 2009 sequel S. Darko. Her IMDB page indicates that Chase's latest credit was a small part in the new TV series the King of the Golden Sun earlier this year. She's carved out her own successful career in the fashion, acting and music industries. And Paris Jackson embraced her style savvy ways as she graced the cover for Issue 2 of pop culture magazine Tings London. The daughter of Michael Jackson, 20, showcased her series of intricate tattoos while posing up a storm for the stunning shoot, shot by Giselle Bundchen's long time collaborator Nino Munoz. Catching the eye: Paris Jackson embraced her style savvy ways as she graced the cover for Issue 2 of pop culture magazine Tings London For one image, the Gringo actress mixed edgy chic with comfort as she slipped into an oversized red sweatshirt, embellished with navy stripes throughout. The honey-blonde star maintained her signature fashion sense as she accessorised with a selection of quirky wooden necklaces, beaded bracelets and gold rings, which worked well with her colourful inkings. For the shoot, styled by Rushka Bergman, Paris styled her tresses into loose waves and intensified the beauty of her bright blue eyes with metallic brown eyeshadow. Editor-in-chief and former TOWIE star Vas J Morgan gushed over the star's appearance in the magazine, stating: 'Paris is a beautiful representation of Tings London; youth, pop culture and high fashion. Striking: The daughter of Michael Jackson, 20, showcased her series of intricate tattoos while posing up a storm for the stunning shoot, shot by Giselle Bundchen's long time collaborator Nino Munoz Radiant: For the shoot, styled by Rushka Bergman, Paris styled her tresses into loose waves and intensified the beauty of her bright blue eyes with metallic brown eyeshadow 'Using her platform for good, she is an avid philanthropist that embodies what 2019 should look like diverse, compassionate and inclusive. She was a true honor to work with for our ISSUE 02 cover story', they added. Meanwhile, Paris has followed in her late father's footsteps and has started to pursue a career in music in musical duo The Soundflowers with her rumoured boyfriend Gabriel Glenn. They formed the group in June, and he plays the acoustic guitar while she plays ukulele, with both on singing duties. Impressive: She's carved out her own successful career in the fashion, acting and music industries (pictured at the New York Versace show earlier this month) Although Gabriel goes by his own name in the band, Paris decided to use the moniker PK Dragonfly for her musical debut. The model has previously been seen supporting Gabriel as he performed at the famed Hollywood venue on Sunset Boulevard. She wasn't just there as a fan either, she served as a roadie, helping the band haul gear before and after the performance. Issue 2 of Tings London is available from December 15. They spent three weeks in the Australian jungle living with a host of creepy-crawlies. And the stars of this year's I'm A Celebrity appeared delighted to have returned to their glamorous lifestyles as they took to Instagram on Tuesday to document their journey back to the U.K. Emily Atack, John Barrowman, James McVey, Nick Knowles, Fleur East and Malique Thompson Dwyer couldn't resist sharing snaps of them quaffing champagne as they sat in the swanky Emirates lounge in Auckland before posing in their business-class seats on the plane. Living it up: The I'm A Celebrity campmates appeared delighted to have returned to their pampered lives with James McVey taking to Instagram on Tuesday to share snaps of his flight Ahead of the long flight, Emily, 28, shared a snap with Extra Camp host Scarlett Moffatt in Emirates lounge, with the pair indulging in a glass of bubbly. Pulling an animated face, the make-up free actress wrote: 'We're on our jolly's!' before Scarlett uploaded her own Instagram post in her business class seat. The Gogglebox star, 28, appeared to revel in the luxurious upgrade as she shared a snap of her holding yet more champagne. Celebration: Ahead of the long flight, Emily Atack, 28, shared a snap with Extra Camp host Scarlett Moffatt in Auckland's Emirates lounge, with the pair indulging in a glass of bubbly Home time! Pulling an animated face, the make-up free actress wrote: 'We're on our jolly's!' before Scarlett uploaded her own Instagram post in her business-class seat Spot of bubbly: The Gogglebox star, 28, appeared to revel in the luxurious upgrade as she shared a snap of her holding yet more champagne She wrote: 'Can't believe it... @bettymoffatt can't wait to see you.' The Vamps guitarist James McVey also shared his joy at landing a business-class seat. The 24-year-old reclined on his plush leather chair with a film set up in the background. He captioned the post: 'London I'm coming for you', before sharing a picture of Kirstie Brittain enjoying the same perks. Ready to come home: She wrote: 'Can't believe it... @bettymoffatt can't wait to see you' Luxurious: The Vamps guitarist James McVey also shared his joy at landing a business-class seat, with him also posting one of his girlfriend Kirstie reclining in hers Seeing the funny side: Nick poked fun at those red swimming shorts as he held up a green pair with fellow campmate Fleur East Fabulous: John, 51, enjoyed a pink cocktail in Sydney before heading to the airport with husband Scott Sweet: The couple looked like they didn't manage to bag business-class tickets, but beamed as they posed for a selfie ahead of take-off Up, up and away: John cuddled his toy cat, which was his luxury item in the jungle, ahead of taking to their seats Extra Camp host Joe Swash was quick to take up the offer of champagne on his flight, while John, 51, enjoyed a pink cocktail in Sydney before heading to the airport with husband Scott. The couple looked like they didn't manage to bag business-class tickets, but beamed as they posed for a selfie ahead of take-off. Earlier in the day, the campmates headed for lunch ahead of jetting back home to the UK. Taking to Instagram to share a snap of the group, Fleur East's sister Keshia captioned the snap: 'The last supper'. Chilled out: Malique Thompson-Dywer posted a snap of him looking thoroughly relaxed as he soaked up the benefits of his first-class seat Indulgent: Extra Camp host Joe Swash was quick to take up the offer of champagne on his flight Tasty treat: The campmates were enjoying their final day in Australia together on Tuesday as they headed for lunch ahead of jetting back home to the UK The group looked in good spirits on the outing, with Jungle King Harry Redknapp placing an arm around his beloved wife Sandra, whilst Fleur and Keshia beamed behind them. Nick Knowles was also at the meal with his son TJ, whilst Sair Khan cosied up to her boyfriend Simon Lennon. Emily's mother Kate Robbins headed up the table, but the Inbetweeners star was off enjoying cocktails with fellow campmate Rita Simons. The group all seemed surprisingly fresh-faced at the meal considering they had spent the night partying. The 11 campmates joined their family and the I'm A Celebrity crew in toasting the Jungle King Harry Redknapp and celebrating the end of the best watched series at the However, their revelry reportedly proved to be too much for fellow guests at the Palazzo Versace Gold Coast, with a source telling The Sun: 'The wrap party went on for ages and its no secret that the cast got very rowdy with friends and family. Pour it up: Emily's mother Kate Robbins headed up the table, but Emily was off enjoying cocktails with fellow campmate Rita Simons "Everyone was really excited to see each other and it was a really fun party. But a lot of the campmates hadnt drunk any alcohol for ages and had been eating rice and beans, so some of them got really tipsy very quickly. 'When they got back to the hotel, the staff had to remind them to keep the noise down so they didnt disturb the other guests. Its a really posh place and people pay a lot of money to stay there!' As well as giving fans a glimpse into the party on their social media sites, This Morning viewers witnessed the debauchery when Holly Willoughby made a drunken appearance on the show live from the bash after drinking for 12 hours. Loving life: Malique, Harry Redknapp and Rita Simons were among campmates from I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here series wrap party on Monday Party animal: Jungle princess Emily took to the picture sharing site to share a stunning snap clad in a red satin maxi dress as she thanked fans for all their support Staying close: Malique shared pictures with his jungle 'sister' Fleur Not-so mellow yellow! Fleur looked sensational in a canary peplum hem midi dress Fantastic four: Nick's son TJ shared a snap from inside the party alongside campmate Fleur and presenters Holly Willoughby and Declan Donnelly The latest series of I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! has proved to be the most successful yet, garnering the show its highest ratings in its entire history. A peak audience of 12.1million viewers tuned in to watch Harry Redknapp crowned the King of the Jungle on Sunday night's finale, capping off weeks of record-breaking numbers for ITV's 16-year-old ratings juggernaut. And while viewing figures were cause for celebration, fans of the reality show were in unison in their praise for co-host Holly Willoughby, gushing that she'd 'breathed new life' into the series, after stepping in to temporarily replace Ant McPartlin. Best buds: Emily and John shared snaps larking around together before heading to the star-studded wrap party together Loving life: Sair Khan was seen partying alongside boyfriend Simon Lennon Reunited: Sair also spent some time alongside Kisok Kev at the wrap party Bosses at ITV have revealed that Sunday night's finale gave the show its highest peak audience of the series, with average viewing numbers of 10.9million an increase of 1.7million viewers on last year's final, and the highest rating final since 2013. Based on seven-day consolidated data, the series averaged 12.2 million viewers, making it the highest rating series in the show's history. And Holly enjoyed her own professional achievements on the show, having been praised unanimously for her presenting style as she stepped in to co-host alongside Declan Donnelly while his sidekick Ant dealt with drink and drug addictions. She dazzled fans with four costume changes when performing in Nottingham for the first of three UK dates during her All I Want For Christmas Is You Tour. And Mariah Carey turned heads once again as she left the Hotel Cafe Royal and made her way to her festive show at London's O2 Arena on Tuesday. The 48-year-old superstar looked sensational in her wonderfully winter-inspired ensemble that paired black jeans and a T-shirt with a statement white coat. Wow! Mariah Carey turned heads once again as she made her way to her festive show at London's 02 on Tuesday Commanding attention in her trademark sunglasses, Mariah's outwear looked incredibly comfortable with its warm material and long sleeves. Adding a touch of glamour to her attire, the singing sensation's jacket featured elegant silver embroidery, running along the bottom of the garment. Finishing off her outfit, Mariah wore her lightened locks in a sleek straight style and accessorised with dainty diamond studs. Winter ready: The 48-year-old superstar looked sensational in her wonderfully winter-inspired ensemble that paired black jeans and a T-shirt with a statement white coat Chic: Commanding attention in her trademark sunglasses, Mariah's outwear looked incredibly comfortable with its warm material and long sleeves The singing sensation is in the midst of a residency at Ceasars Palace in Las Vegas with her The Butterfly Returns show and is currently embarking on her All I Want For Christmas Is You across Europe. After her U.K. swing, her All I Want For Christmas tour continues December 13 at the Ziggo Dome in Amsterdam, Netherlands. She then moves to the Forest National in Brussels, Belgium on December 14 with the tour wrapping up December 17 at the WiZink Center in Madrid, Spain. After a break for the holiday season, the iconic diva will get ready for her North American tour in early 2019. All in the details: Adding a touch of glamour to her attire, the singing sensation's jacket featured elegant silver embroidery, running along the bottom of the garment The diva remains the best-selling female artist of all time with more than 200 million albums sold to date and eighteen US Billboard Hot 100 #1 singles, more than any solo artist in history. The superstar is synonymous with Christmas thanks to her #1 timeless classic, All I Want For Christmas Is You. The holiday smash hit, which she wrote and produced early in her career, is the annual bestselling holiday single. It hit the number one spot on the Billboard's Holiday Digital Songs, Holiday Hot 100 and Holiday Streaming Songs charts. Mariah's holiday opus, Merry Christmas is the perennial bestselling global holiday album, having sold over 14 million copies worldwide to date. If you can't trust a Jedi Master, who can you trust? Mark Hamill has revealed the script for Star Wars Episode IX will be flown to him and he must immediately hand it back after reading it. Security around the finale is so tight that the 67-year-old is no longer allowed to keep a copy. He has yet to shoot his scenes. The actor, who plays Luke Skywalker in the sci-fi saga, is currently in Prague where he is shooting the History Channel's Knightfall. Spoiler alert: Mark Hamill has revealed the script for Star Wars Episode IX will be flown to him in Europe and he must immediately hand it back after reading it 'They're going to fly [the rewrites] over with somebody from the company,' Hamill told EW. 'They're going to come and give it to me and wait for me to read it before I give it back. So no pressure! 'You can't even keep it overnight. But that's the way it is now.' He said even the pages themselves are printed on dark red paper 'that gives you a headache to read', which prevents photocopying. Hard to track down: The actor, who plays Luke Skywalker in the sci-fi saga, is currently in Prague where he is shooting the History Channel's Knightfall While the un-photocopy-able paper was previously deployed for Episode VIII The Last Jedi, the temporary copies are new. 'They wound up letting me keep a script when we were doing [The Last Jedi], but I had to lock it up in a safe every night and then carry it with me and never let it out of my sight,' Hamill said. 'And I can understand why if [a script] gets out it ruins it for everyone.' Another issue of not being able to keep his own script is it messes with his method. 'I like to make notes, little cartoon drawings in the margins to help me visualize it whatever you have to do to help remember it,' he revealed. 'You can't do that in electronic form, it's so impersonal. I'm old school and long for the days of paper scripts.' Tales of keeping Star Wars plot points a secret are almost as old as the franchise itself; Darth Vader actor David Prowse was infamously fed fake lines before being overdubbed with the Sith Lord's lineage reveal in 1980's The Empire Strikes Back, while 1983's Return Of The Jedi was filmed under the project name Blue Harvest in an effort to prevent snooping. Backwater planet: However this was not the case for the making of 1977's A New Hope, when no-one had ever heard of Star Wars However this was not the case for the making of 1977's A New Hope, when no one had ever heard of Star Wars. 'I remember back when I read the first Star Wars [script], I was like, "Wow, that's the goofiest thing I've ever read",' Hamill recalled. 'I gave it to my best friend to read, and I said, "What do you think of it?" He said, "It's really wild, it's crazy, can I give it to Meredith?" "Sure, go ahead." It went around to all my friends. 'Of course back then nobody cared. Nowadays it's like working for some secret deep state government organization, like being in the CIA.' The star revealed he has yet to film his scenes for the final chapter in the Skywalker saga; having become one with the Force at the climax of the last film, he will likely only appear as a Force ghost, or in flashbacks, or both. He added: 'I still have to go over and do [Episode IX].... most of the parts I have coming up beside Star Wars are voice-over there's one big one, very high profile, I can't announce now, that I'm really excited about. You know how it is these days, every time you sign NDAs.' Australian action star Ruby Rose made her highly-anticipated debut as DC Comic's first lesbian superhero Batwoman/Kate Kane during the second part of the Elseworlds crossover on The CW's Arrow on Monday. The 32-year-old SAG Award winner was confident and no-nonsense as Batman/Bruce Wayne's butt-kicking heiress cousin, and overall the reaction was that she didn't disappoint. The genderfluid actress Insta-storied one excited fan's response to her Batwoman costume with a red coiffed wig attached: 'Yass girl put that suit onnn!' Impressed? Australian action star Ruby Rose made her highly-anticipated debut as DC Comic's first lesbian superhero Batwoman (L) aka Kate Kane (R) during the second part of the Elseworlds crossover on The CW's Arrow on Monday Wigging out: The 32-year-old SAG Award winner was confident and no-nonsense as Batman/Bruce Wayne's cousin, and overall the reaction was that she didn't disappoint A Twitter user called Brianna wished producers had included a glimpse of the bat cave, and wrote that she couldn't wait to see who else is cast in her potential 2019 spinoff series. A self-described 'non-binary wonder gal' tweeted: 'Non binary actor with tattoos playing a lesbian superhero. I'm here for it.' One 'fairly happy' fan approved of Rose's American accent but they wished she'd worn the wig throughout and didn't want to see her tattooed sleeves. 'Ruby Rose as Kate Kane: Good,' Twitter user Jeremiah Valeska commented. The genderfluid actress Insta-storied one excited fan's response to her Batwoman costume with a red coiffed wig attached: 'Yass girl put that suit onnn!' 'I'm all in!' A Twitter user called Brianna wished producers had included the bat cave, and wrote that she couldn't wait to see who else is cast in her potential 2019 spinoff series A self-described 'non-binary wonder gal' tweeted: 'Non binary actor with tattoos playing a lesbian superhero. I'm here for it' 'Ruby Rose as Batwoman: Not as good. I really think she could benefit from having a modulated voice like [Ben] Affleck. Because her Batwoman voice isn't exactly intimidating.' And there were a fair amount of vitriolic Twitter haters calling Ruby's acting 'disgustingly bad,' which was the sort of backlash that prompted her to quit the social media platform after getting cast in August. Many fans were in favor of more one-on-one sapphic scenes between the Orange Is the New Black alum and the charming Melissa Benoist, who plays Supergirl/Kara Danvers. Canadian heartthrob Stephen Amell - who plays Green Arrow/Oliver Queen - was definitely in favor of shipping the powerful pair, tweeting: 'Batwoman & Supergirl. I'm here for it.' 'Over all I'm fairly happy': One fan approved of Rose's American accent but they wished she'd worn the wig throughout and didn't want to see her tattooed sleeves Twitter user Jeremiah Valeska commented: 'I really think she could benefit from having a modulated voice like [Ben] Affleck. Because her Batwoman voice isn't exactly intimidating' 'Do not give her her own show': There were a fair amount of vitriolic Twitter haters calling Ruby's acting 'disgustingly bad,' which was the sort of backlash that prompted her to quit the social media platform after getting cast in August UK-based LGTQIA publication PinkNews weighed in on the ladies' onscreen chemistry, writing: 'Are we seriously still supposed to believe Kara is straight after she takes the bait and x-rays Kate Kane for naughty tattoos? I think not.' Rose (born Langenheim) was hard at work Monday night on the Budapest set of The Boy 2, but she thanked her 19M Instagram/Facebook followers for all the Batwoman love via Insta-story. 'I can't speak on behalf of everyone in the LGBTIQ community, but I know any win for anyone in our community is a win for all,' Ruby told Australia's TV Week last week. 'It fulfills my life mantra of "Be the person you needed when you were young."' 'World's finest': Many fans were in favor of more one-on-one sapphic scenes between the Orange Is the New Black alum and the charming Melissa Benoist (R), who plays Supergirl/Kara Danvers (pictured October 26) Canadian heartthrob Stephen Amell - who plays Green Arrow/Oliver Queen - was definitely in favor of shipping the powerful pair, tweeting: 'Batwoman & Supergirl. I'm here for it' UK-based LGTQIA publication PinkNews weighed in on the ladies' onscreen chemistry, writing: 'Are we seriously still supposed to believe Kara is straight after she takes the bait and x-rays Kate Kane for naughty tattoos? I think not' 'Your stories and DMs are sweet': Rose was hard at work Monday night on the Budapest set of The Boy 2, but she thanked her fans for all the Batwoman love via Insta-story Caroline Dries has been developing a standalone series for The CW since early this year, and she hopes fans were intrigued by the Gotham City-born masked vigilante's introduction. 'We wanted an in to her,' the 38-year-old executive producer told THR on Monday. 'In our minds, Kara obviously has a cousin [and she's] sort of in his [Superman's] shadow. Her story was getting out of his shadow, and that's exactly Kates story. And so it was important for us to find a moment for them to bondIt felt like the right moment, the right move.' Catch more of the androgynous Batwoman in the third and final 'Elseworlds' crossover, which airs during Tuesday night's episode of The CW's Supergirl. Ruby told Australia's TV Week last week: 'I can't speak on behalf of everyone in the LGBTIQ community, but I know any win for anyone in our community is a win for all. It fulfills my life mantra of "Be the person you needed when you were young"' 'We wanted an in to her': Caroline Dries has been developing a standalone series for The CW since early this year, and she hopes fans were intrigued by the masked vigilante He's known for showcasing his love life, friendships and career achievements on E4's Made In Chelsea. And Jamie Laing put on a typically stylish display as he attended the London Gala Premiere Screening of National Geographic's Free Solo on Tuesday evening. The reality star, 30, opted for an effortlessly cool appearance as he was clad in a navy bomber jacket and slick skinny jeans. Classic man: Jamie Laing put on a typically stylish display as he attended the London Gala Premiere Screening of National Geographic's Free Solo on Tuesday evening Injecting a hint of colour into his dark ensemble, the TV personality complemented his look with a pair of tan brown boots. Also in attendance was British jockey Victoria Pendleton, who oozed glamour on the red carpet with a fitted wool coat and leather thigh-high boots. Taking a walk on the wild side, the former track cyclist, 38, accessorised with a leopard print handbag. Looking good: The reality star, 30, opted for an effortlessly cool appearance as he was clad in a navy bomber jacket and slick skinny jeans Striking: Also in attendance was British jockey Victoria Pendleton, who oozed glamour on the red carpet with a fitted wool coat and leather thigh-high boots Radiant: The Stotfold native, 38, enhanced her natural beauty with light strokes of foundation, lashings of mascara and rose-tinted lipgloss The Stotfold native enhanced her natural beauty with light strokes of foundation, lashings of mascara and rose-tinted lipgloss. Free Solo is an intimate and unflinching portrait of free soloist climber Alex Honnold, as he prepares to achieve his lifelong dream climbing the face of the El Capitan in Yosemite National Park. Meanwhile, Jamie recently revealed his plans to tie the knot in five years, but insisted there's a 'Made In Chelsea' curse when it comes to relationships. In good company: She appeared in high spirits as she joined rock climber Alex Honnold on the red carpet Dapper: Rugby player Thom Evans looked suave in a grey blazer and navy bottoms High spirits: Victoria and Alex beamed with delight as they joined Jimmy Chan (left) and E. Chai Vasarhelyi (right) at the event Ell - Jamie's girlfriend Heloise Agostinelli - has been with the veteran MIC star for nine months, and has appeared on the reality series on and off over the past few months. In a recent interview with MailOnline, he explained: 'Well there's a curse with it as well. On TV it's hard.' As Made In Chelsea's 16th season crawls closer to it's Christmas finale, Jamie promised 'a dark time with a lighter ending'. 'There'll be some coal in someone's stocking,' pal Alex Mytton teased, with Jamie adding: 'The nightmare before Christmas.' Amy Schumer shared a photo of herself in a very tight maroon dress on Tuesday. The I Feel Pretty actress joked, 'Does this baby make me look fat?' as she posed next to her sister Kim Caramele. The 37-year-old pregnant comedienne, who is wed to chef Chris Fischer, is due in about four months. New shot: Amy Schumer shared a photo of herself in a very tight maroon dress on Tuesday. The I Feel Pretty actress joked, 'Does this baby make me look fat?' as she posed next to her sister Kim Caramele Schumer paired the dress with grey duck boots. Her sister was in a green track suit with a black stripe on the side and black boots. Amy said her sibling was wearing her new clothing line Le Cloud. The brand is available at Saks Off Fifth. 'We are making beautiful, comfortable and wearable clothing that is accessible to real women,' Amy said. Le Cloud, which was co-created with stylist Leesa Evans. It's a ready-to-wear collection of wardrobe essentials that caters to women of all shapes and sizes. This new post comes after she shared a quick clip to her Instagram account of herself vomiting due to morning sickness. Looking a bit worse for wear, the star said: 'I thought it might be fun to see me throwing up in a public restroom'. Getting personal: Schumer, 37, shared an intimate video on Saturday where she was in a public bathroom And she captioned it: 'Deep in my second trimester and all i can say is nope!' With her hair pulled back i a messy ponytail, the actress found fast relief as she made sure no one else was in the bathroom. This is the second time she has shared a nausea-filled film as she vomited her way to the stage on Tuesday night. She posted a stomach-turning video of herself on Instagram heaving as she drove to her scheduled show at New York's Tarrytown Music Hall even warning her 7.5million followers to turn off the sound if they had a weak stomach. Nausea: The pregnant comedian posted a quick clip to her Instagram account of herself vomiting due to morning sickness Public fun: Looking a bit worse for wear, the I Feel Pretty star said: 'I thought it might be fun to see me throwing up in a public restroom' 'I love doing stand-up more than anything and I hate cancelling shows. I have to postpone some until I feel human again,' she wrote. 'But i will make up these dates and we will have a great time. 'Im so proud of my stand up right now and cant wait to share it. Thanks to the amazing crowd tonight for being so warm and such great laughers and for being cool with my sweatpants and slippers on stage.' A picture proved the beauty did indeed complete her set, although she had a large sack-lined garbage bin within easy reach, just in case. She revealed in the post that she has been shooting a documentary about her recent adventures, which when released will show fans 'that Im strugglin right now.' Warrior: Nevertheless the 37-year-old did indeed complete her set, although she had a large sack-lined garbage bin within easy reach, just in case 'But Im so grateful and excited to be a mom,' she continued. 'Im grateful I have access to healthcare, as we all should have. But I guess what Im really saying is F**k Hyde-Smith and anyone who voted for her.' She spent the rest of the post attacking the newly elected Republican Mississippi Senator, including her 'crackhead-looking mouth and her 'tiny racist teeth'. Last week Amy announced she was postponing several tour dates on doctor's orders. The comedienne said in an Instagram post that she was 'feeling better' after a recent hospitalization due to severe morning sickness, but would not be able to fulfill dates in Seattle, Phoenix, and Oakland after her doctor discouraged her from travelling across the country. 'Thanks to Newark and Pittsburgh, I'm so happy to be feeling better and I will be able to continue my tour... However doctors orders not to travel cross country yet so Im sorry that Seattle, Phoenix and Oakland will need to be postponed. I promise to go see you guys and make up the date real soon... The rest of the tour will go on as planned! Happy Thanksgiving!' 'I'm so happy to be feeling better': Amy had announced she would be postponing several tour dates on doctor's orders In the photo, Amy lifted up her black T-shirt to reveal her growing baby bump. Amy had already cancelled a tour date in Dallas, Texas after her hospitalization for Hyperemesis Gravidarum (severe morning sickness) the week prior. Yet the Trainwreck actress did manage to perform in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and Newark, New Jersey. Amy announced she had sought medical attention last week after posting a photo of herself laying in a hospital bed. 'Baby's fine': Amy announced she had sought medical attention last week after posting a photo of herself laying in a hospital bed 'Texas I am so deeply sorry. I have been really looking forward to these shows. I have to reschedule. I am in the hospital. I'm fine. Baby's fine but everyone who says the 2nd trimester is better is not telling the full story. 'I've been even more ill this trimester. I have hyperemesis (sic) and it blows. Very lucky to be pregnant but this is some bullsh*t!' 'Sending so much love to the doctors and nurses taking great care of me and Tati! They are cool as hell! And Texas I am really really sorry and I'll be out there as soon as I'm better.' Amy and her husband Chris Fischer are expecting their first child together. Federal crossbench MPs are putting pressure on the government to phase out live sheep exports and want to debate the issue in parliament. However the coalition wants to postpone the debate until parliament returns next February, which Centre Alliance MP Rebekha Sharkie says is not good enough. "Quite frankly I don't think we can trust this industry to manage itself. We need to transition away from this industry and actually look at this as an opportunity for industry, for sheep, for farmers and for people living in regional Australia to have good quality jobs," Ms Sharkie told the lower house on Wednesday. Scott Morrison has defended saving conservative NSW Liberal Party member Craig Kelly from being blasted out of his safe Sydney seat of Hughes. The prime minister intervened to secure Mr Kelly's political future earlier this week by directing the party's powerful state executive to use emergency powers and endorse all sitting MPs for the next federal election. "There are four incumbent members - four incumbent members - that I believed it was important for the party to re-endorse for the next election," Mr Morrison told reporters on Wednesday. "As the leader of the parliamentary party, it's my job to maximise the party's chances and standing at the next election. "And with four incumbent members - members who have been on the ground, members who are well respected by their communities - they present the best opportunity to ensure the re-election of the government." The decision to suspend NSW Liberal preselections has deeply divided the party's moderate faction, whose three state executive representatives agreed to abstain from a vote so the move could go ahead. Preselection races were called off despite an extraordinary intervention from former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull, who publicly attacked the plan. "As party leader I made it pretty clear I wanted them (sitting MPs) endorsed and I wanted them on the ground finding the next election, not getting distracted by anything else," Mr Morrison said. "That's my main mission, that's their mission, and as leader I made a call, I said I want them endorsed, and the party backed me and I appreciate their support." Donald Trump's pick to be the next US ambassador to Australia, Arthur Culvahouse, says his top priority if confirmed would be to ensure the US-Alliance "grows even more robust than when the ANZUS treaty was signed in San Francisco nearly seven decades ago". Culvahouse, a Washington DC insider and lawyer who helped Trump select Mike Pence for vice president and worked for past presidents Ronald Reagan and Gerald Ford, appeared before the US Senate Committee on Foreign Relations for a nomination hearing on Tuesday in the US capital. "Australia is a key foreign policy partner, working closely with us to persuade North Korea to de-nuclearise; to promote a free and open Indo-Pacific region; and to increase development assistance and infrastructure investment in the Pacific," Culvahouse told the hearing. The US has been without an ambassador to Australia since former president Barack Obama's appointment, John Berry, left in September 2016. Earlier this year Trump announced former US Pacific Command commander Harry Harris as his pick, but before his confirmation Harris was diverted to take up the role in political hotspot South Korea. Culvahouse told the hearing he is convinced the US and Australia have a bright future together "whether by working to confront current and emerging security challenges, by expanding our already strong bilateral diplomatic ties to include even greater cooperation with like-minded partners in the region." "Or by leveraging the opportunities presented by our open and innovative economies to work with Asia's rapidly growing middle class to make the entire Indo-Pacific a more prosperous and stable region in the years to come," he said. South Australians are already reaping the benefits of the state's giant battery, with a new report suggesting it has saved the electricity grid nearly $40 million in its first year. A report by engineering company Aurecon found the world's largest lithium-ion battery built by tech billionaire Elon Musk in SA's mid-north has exceeded all expectations since operation began a year ago. The report, published on Wednesday, found the savings to the electricity grid have flowed directly through to South Australian consumers and is reflected in their energy bills. Owner and operator Neoen says the Jamestown battery has proven its point by providing security and stability across the energy network. "We are ready to answer the call and do more not only in South Australia but in other states," chief executive Xavier Barbaro said at the one-year anniversary celebration of the battery in Sydney on Wednesday. Neoen head of development Garth Heron said the technology is "hugely scalable" and is ready to expand across the nation. TIMELINE OF EVENTS FOLLOWING LYN DAWSON'S DISAPPEARANCE: January 1982 - Lynette "Lyn" Dawson disappears from her home at Bayview on Sydney's northern beaches. The family's babysitter, schoolgirl Joanne Curtis, moves into the home within days. February 1982 - Lyn is reported missing by husband Chris Dawson, a former Newtown rugby league player, some six weeks after he says she disappeared. 2001 - A coronial inquest recommended a "known person" be charged but the Director of Public Prosecutions later says the evidence was not tested because no witnesses were called. 2003 - A second coronial inquest calls witnesses and recommends a "known person" be charged with murder referring the matter to the DPP. But again no charges are laid. 2010 - NSW Police announce a $100,000 reward for any information leading to a conviction. 2014 - Reward doubles to $200,000 2015 - Strikeforce Scriven is established and the entire Bayview block is mapped. April 2018 - Scriven detectives request the DPP review their brief of evidence. May 2018 - The Australian newspaper releases The Teacher's Pet podcast into Lyn's disappearance which is eventually downloaded more than 27 million times worldwide. Chris Dawson was a teacher at the time of his wife's disappearance. July 2018 - NSW Police Commissioner Mick Fuller admits police "dropped the ball" in the 1980s investigation. September 2018 - Police dig up the backyard at the Bayview home the couple shared at the time of Lyn's disappearance but don't find remains or any items of interest. December 5, 2018 - Chris Dawson is arrested on the Gold Coast and is expected to be charged with Lyn's murder when he returns to NSW. Detective Superintendent Scott Cook says Dawson was "calm and a little bit taken aback" when taken into custody. Chris Dawson will be extradited to NSW over the suspected murder of his wife, Lynette, who disappeared from their Sydney home nearly 37 years ago. An application for bail was refused by Queensland magistrate Dennis Kinsella and Dawson was taken into custody of NSW detectives. He is expected to face a Parramatta court on Thursday. Mr Kinsella described the police case as "circumstantial" given his wife's body has never been found. The 70-year-old former Newtown Jets rugby league player was arrested at a Gold Coast home on Wednesday and faced Southport Magistrates Court where NSW detectives sought his extradition. Ms Dawson was 33 when she went missing from Sydney's northern beaches in January 1982, leaving behind two young daughters. NSW Police sought his extradition after new evidence in the cold case, some of it surfacing as a result of The Australian newspaper's investigative podcast The Teacher's Pet. During the bail application, duty lawyer Rachael Barnes told the court Dawson was willing to live with his brother in NSW and hand himself in to authorities. The court was told Dawson had "co-operated" with investigators, was not a flight risk and was willing to surrender his passport. Dawson appeared wearing a grey T-shirt and shorts. He did not look at the gallery packed with media. A second man has been charged over an armed hold-up of a cash van in Sydney's southwest earlier this year. Police raided five properties in western Sydney on Wednesday, arresting a 30-year-old man from Cambridge Park and charging him with a number of offences relating to the April 5 hold-up. It's alleged the man was part of a trio that stopped the cash van outside the Clemton Park Shopping Village in Campsie and threatened armed guards with large rifles before taking off with cash. The alleged getaway driver, 35, was charged by investigators last month. Unfazed by a switch to five-eighth, Kalyn Ponga says he also wants to reclaim his role as Newcastle's full-time goal-kicker in the 2019 NRL season. The 20-year-old is only just starting to click with new halves partner Mitchell Pearce in his first full week of Knights pre-season training after recovering from an ankle injury that cut short his year. However, the former Newcastle fullback said he was already focused on adding yet another string to his bow as the Knights' designated goal-kicker. Ponga began the year as Newcastle's go-to kicker with an 80 per cent hit rate. But he relinquished the role to Ken Sio to give himself a "clear mind" after a shocking one-from-five effort in round seven. Now Sio has departed for UK Super League side Salford, Ponga wants the job back despite still nursing lingering effects of ankle surgery. "I now have an opportunity to work on it (goal-kicking) in the pre-season, take ownership of the role," Ponga said. "It is something I want to work on now I am back to full-time training. "I am getting there (ankle recovery). It is still a little bit annoying but that is all part of rehab - I am pretty happy with it." Ponga had a breakout 2018 by earning a Queensland State of Origin debut, the Players' Champion title at the RLPA awards and just falling short of becoming the youngest to claim the Dally M Medal. However, Ponga has been tipped for even bigger things in his new role at pivot alongside former NSW halfback Pearce at the Knights. "We have had a little bit of time together. In that bit of time I have felt pretty good (alongside Pearce)," Ponga said. "We just have to build on what we did last year. "I think in attack not much will change. It's just learning what each other does and learning how each other moves. "But our focus is defence. That's what we are all looking at this pre-season." Ponga missed the last two NRL rounds of 2018 due to the ankle injury and failed to recover in time for Australia's October Tests against New Zealand and Tonga. However, Ponga is yet to make up his mind whether he will try and make up for lost time and play in February's All Stars clash in Melbourne. Ponga is in line to represent New Zealand Maori in their inaugural February 15 clash against the Australian Indigenous All Stars at AAMI Park. Ponga baulked when asked about his All Stars availability on Wednesday. "I can't look too far ahead," he said. Skilled migration between Australia and the United Kingdom could step up after Brexit, if the UK can figure out a deal to get out of Europe. Outgoing UK high commissioner to Australia Menna Rawlings says people movement between Australia and the UK was already high, but Brexit offers some opportunities. She said skilled migration was a real issue for both countries. "Some of the steps that each of our countries have taken in recent years to try to manage that and get the right balance in terms of incoming labour have led to certain challenges to people seeking to move skilled workers around," Ms Rawlings told the National Press Club on Wednesday. "I think what leaving the EU will help us to do is to be more focused on the criteria, more focused on skills and talent and capability and less focused on geography. "So I say watch this space in terms of how this plays out." There were 1.1 million Australian visits to the UK last year, and in 96 per cent of cases people did not need a visa. In return there were 700,000 UK visits to Australia. Ms Rawlings said Australia and the UK were very similar at a fundamental level, but in her four years as high commissioner she noted climate change as a major difference. "I'm used to bi-partisanship broadly around climate policies," she said. Ms Rawlings suggested the UK's shift out of coal power in the 1980s under Margaret Thatcher - just seven per cent of the UK's power is coal - had helped shift the national mood. She also said it appeared Australia's connection to coal and the resources economy was much more "visceral" than in the UK. Ms Rawlings drew some laughs from the crowd when she talked about seeing three Australian prime ministers in her four years, but also said that leadership turmoil had been repeated in many other major nations around the world. She also said she found it hard to deal with the impact of the UK's colonisation on Australia's indigenous people, but was proud to support funding to get indigenous students to study at Oxford and other top UK universities. Labor believes legal advice shows another federal MP is ineligible to sit in parliament because of their financial interests in a company. Liberal MP Chris Crewther owns shares in Gretals Australia, which has a research grant from the federally funded Australian Research Council. Under section 44 of the constitution, MPs are banned if they receive profit from federal funding sources. "It follows, in our view, that if Mr Crewther holds an indirect pecuniary interest in the ARC funding agreement, then he is incapable of sitting as a member in the House of Representatives, and his seat is thereby vacated," lawyers Matthew Collins and Siohban Kelly told Labor. The grant was administered through the University of Melbourne. Concerns have also been raised about Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton, who has a financial interest in childcare centres, which pass federal funding on to parents. And new Wentworth independent Kerryn Phelps could also be under a cloud as a GP who passed on Medicare payments to patients. Both deny any problems. The latest section 44 doubts come after a dozen MPs were forced to resign when it was revealed they had dual citizenship. Police in Anguilla investigate 5th murder for 2018 The Royal Anguilla Police Force is investigating the circumstances surrounding a shooting incident which occurred in Blowing Point on Monday 10th December, 2018 around 7:30pm. As a result of the incident the victim 30 year old Shenroy DESOUZA of Blowing Point received gunshot wounds about his body and was later pronounced dead at the Princess Alexandra Hospital by Medical Doctor. As the Police continues their investigation into this matter they are appealing to members of the public who may have been in Blowing Point at the time of this incident, and may have witnessed this shooting incident or have any information regarding this shooting to contact the Valley Police Station with such information. The telephone number is 497-2333 and asks for the Criminal Investigation Department or to speak to any Police Officer of their choice. Additionally information can be sent via the RAPF Tips Website by logging on to www.gov.ai/911 which is a secured website. The Acting Commissioner of Police and members of the Royal Anguilla Police Force would like to extend sympathy to the grieved family and friends of the deceased. A Family Liaison Officer has been appointed to the family. A crossbench bill to urgently transfer sick asylum seekers on Nauru and Manus Island to Australia could pass the Senate before parliament rises for the year. The Greens and independent Tim Storer have secured support for largely non-controversial migration legislation to be debated on Thursday, with a vote due on the final sitting afternoon of 2018. Crossbench senators are planning to tack an amendment on to the bill which mirrors independent lower house MP Kerryn Phelps' legislation requiring the urgent medical transfer of all asylum-seeker children on Nauru. At a caucus meeting on Tuesday, Labor resolved to support Dr Phelps' plan, provided three key changes were added to the bill. The opposition wants to ensure the minister or minister's delegate must sign off on all medical transfers. The minister would also be required to table a statement in parliament if they refuse to transfer someone, and an independent health advice panel would be established. Negotiations between Labor, the Greens and crossbench are ongoing, but time is running out to seal a deal before the summer parliamentary break. Even if the bill passes the upper house, a simple majority of lower house MPs would need to support a motion bringing it on for debate in the House of Representatives. Dr Phelps' legislation facilitates the urgent evacuation of any asylum seeker who was critically ill and unable to be treated offshore. It would strip existing legislation for the ability of Australia's immigration minister to veto medical transfer requests from treating doctors. An inquiry into the 2016 federal election has called for voters to have to show ID at polling booths. But Labor members of the committee which wrote the report say such a move would adversely impact on indigenous people, people affected by family and domestic violence, younger Australians, and homeless and itinerant people. Electoral matters committee chair, Liberal National Party senator James McGrath, said many democracies around the world such as India and Canada require voters to show ID. "Yet in Australia we do not treat elections with the same gravity as a visit to a surf club or entering a Brisbane CBD pub after 10pm on a Friday night," he said in the report. Labor MP and deputy chair Andrew Giles said there was no evidence from the 2016 election of any irregularities, such as multiple voting or impersonation, which would require the change. The 245-page report also calls for parties to have at least 1000 members before they can register and review the $20 fine for not voting. As well, a task force should be set up to ensure election campaigns are not manipulated via social media platforms. Parramatta have confirmed teenage five-eighth Jaeman Salmon has been charged with low range drink driving following a car accident in October. The Eels said the 19-year-old would face court in January and that the NRL integrity unit had been informed. "Jaeman has already completed a safe driving course, however, once the legal process has been finalised, the club will take the relevant next steps," an Eels statement said. "In the meantime, the club is working with Jaeman to ensure a clear understanding of road safety matters and that all key lessons have been learned and embedded for future application. "The club will not make any further comment until the legal proceedings are concluded." The Eels said in a statement after the October 13 accident that Salmon had been taken to hospital for observation and later released. News Corp Australia reported in October that Salmon hit three parked cars before rolling his vehicle onto its roof, stopping traffic in Sydney's south. Salmon joined the Eels from Cronulla on a three-year deal this year, making his NRL debut in round 21 and playing a total of five games. The heartbreaking stories of the added tragedies heaped on parents who lose a child in stillbirth have been revealed by a Senate inquiry. The parliamentary report included a set of recommendations to help improve the rate of stillbirths in Australia - a rate that has not changed in two decades. The tabling of the report in the Senate moved Labor senator Kristina Keneally to tears as she read out the names of every lost child whose parents shared their story with the inquiry, ending with that of her own child Caroline. "They are lost to your families and to all of us, but this report is a part of their legacy," she said. "The anger I felt wasn't directed at anything other than just grief, that babies had died in this country when we could have saved them." Six babies are stillborn every day across the country, with one in every 137 women who reach 20 weeks' pregnancy experiencing a stillbirth, the report found. In the 268 submissions, the committee heard of further injustices heaped on families who suffered these losses. The stories included one from a woman who was made redundant while on leave recovering from the grief and physical toll her stillbirth had taken. The inquiry also heard "disturbing evidence" of six stillborn babies whose bodies had remained unclaimed in the Katherine Hospital Morgue for a number of years. Liberal senator Jim Molan also spoke as the report was tabled. His daughter Sarah delivered a stillborn baby in 2007. "The recommendations in this report will spare many Australian parents from the unimaginable grief of your baby going to the hospital mortuary, instead of the nursery," he said. The report's recommendations include increasing research and investigation on how to prevent stillbirths and support for those families facing loss. It also recommends that governments assess current employment laws to ensure paid parental leave is available to all families who've experienced stillbirth. Activist group GetUp did not intentionally interfere in the progress of a committee's inquiry by providing misleading information, parliament has heard. Liberal MP Ben Morton last week claimed the activist group had provided false and misleading information to a parliamentary committee looking into the 2016 federal election. GetUp thwarted the committee's attempts to see results of its member survey and lied about the issues its supporters wanted to focus on for the election campaign, Mr Morton said. But the group didn't prevent the committee from undertaking its inquiry, Speaker Tony Smith said. "Although I can see that the conduct of GetUp in response to queries from the committee was unhelpful and at times misleading, it is not clear to me that the conduct was done intentionally to interfere with the committee in a way that was improper," he said. GetUp's national director Paul Oosting said Mr Morton had attempted to smear the group with a "vindictive conspiracy theory". Mr Morton was part of the "hard right" in the Liberal Party trying to get political points, Mr Oosting said. "Parliament has told them today to pull their head in and they should fall in line," he said. "It's actually in their interests because every time these hard right politicians attack everyday people for taking part in our democracy, we dig in." Six people have been arrested after a police raid uncovered almost 600 cannabis plants and kilograms of the illegal drug in Melbourne's northwest suburbs. Officers executed nine warrants at properties across St Albans, Deer Park, Kings Park, Albion, Melton and Kurunjang on Wednesday, Victoria Police said. Police allegedly found 583 cannabis plants, 10kg of dried plant product and cultivation equipment. A 22-year-old man was released without charge but three other men and a woman, all aged between 29 and 39, were charged with possession and cultivation offences before being released on bail. A 68-year-old Kings Park man was charged with possession of a commercial quantity of drug and remanded until Thursday. A petition to protect Tasmania's Tarkine region with 270,000 signatures from around the world has been presented to federal parliament. The largest petition ever tabled in the Senate calls for the area to be world heritage-listed and returned to Aboriginal ownership. Tasmanian Greens senators Nick McKim and Peter Whish-Wilson presented the petition to parliament on Wednesday. Former Greens leader Bob Brown's foundation is driving the campaign along with American clothing company Patagonia. Mr Brown said the petition was a massive display of global concern for the Tarkine, the largest unprotected wilderness in southern Australia. "This warrants an explicit response from both the prime minister and the leader of the opposition. We would welcome both on a summer break trip to the Tarkine. To see it is to want to protect it," he said in a statement. A Melbourne woman who dealt drugs to fuel her heroin habit stabbed and killed a 38-year-old man after an altercation in the street, a court has heard. Zoe Giannioudis, 30, pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of Simon Cartwright after thrusting a knife into his chest on Victoria Street in Richmond on October 30 last year. Mr Cartwright, who had previously bought drugs from his killer, was rushed to hospital with a two-centimetre wound and heavy bleeding, but died that evening. Giannioudis was a daily heroin user and was in the area dealing on the night of the attack, a Supreme Court plea hearing was told on Wednesday. She brought a knife with her, which she hid near a tram stop, and retrieved it when she saw Mr Cartwright coming towards her and "anticipated that something was going to happen", defence barrister Jarrod Williams said. There was a "history of animosity" between the pair and they had exchanged messages and fought in the months before the attack, he said. "It was not an impulsive, spontaneous action and in the heat of the moment," prosecutor Mark Rochford QC said. The court heard Giannioudis, who claimed she did not realise the severity of his injuries, went on to complete a drug deal shortly afterwards. Tracie Ricardo, the victim's mother, told the court she often cried "uncontrollably" with grief at the loss of her only child. She said her son was not violent, but had "lost his way" and made poor decisions. "It still doesn't make sense why he ended up dead. I do not feel like I'm getting answers," Ms Ricardo said, in her victim impact statement. "Not a day goes by when I do not think of him and this has changed my whole life." In a letter read to court, Giannioudis said she was remorseful for Mr Cartwright's death and apologised to his friends and family. "I still find it hard to accept I have taken someone's life and I will humbly accept my sentencing and continue my work towards rehabilitation," she said. Mr Williams said she experienced a troubled childhood but was trying to turn her life around following Mr Cartwright's death. Judge Lesley Taylor will sentence Giannioudis at a later date. Alcohol will be banned on Melbourne's popular St Kilda foreshore from November until the end of March each year, the local council says. Port Phillip Council decided on Wednesday night to implement an annual 24-hour alcohol ban over the warmer months, from November 1 to March 31, with a review of its effectiveness to be held before August 2019. Mayor Dick Gross said the council understands some residents feel the ban is unfair, but things have changed since the measure was last considered. "Large crowds on the St Kilda foreshore have been causing trouble and trauma recently to people just enjoying a walk or at work," he said in a council statement late on Wednesday. Local business owners and some residents had sought the 24-hour alcohol ban following a night of violence at the beach last weekend. Newcastle are expected to announce the signing of utility Kurt Mann on a three-year NRL contract after departing St George Illawarra. The Knights are hoping to secure Mann's signature on Monday until the end of the 2021 season after departing St George Illawarra. It's believed Brown intends to convert him into a No.9 as Slade Griffin recovers from a fourth ACL injury. During his 90 NRL games for St George Illawarra and Melbourne, the 25-year-old played every position in the backline and was this year used by Paul McGregor as a bench forward but has never started at No.9. He has played 33 games at centre, 17 on the wing, seven at five-eighth, four at fullback, four at halfback and 23 off the bench. Brown views Mann as being sturdy enough to be a hooker and will join Danny Levi and Jamie Buhrer in contending for the starting hooker spot. It brings into doubt former New Zealand Test hooker Levi's future at the club. The Dragons had previously said they would not release Mann without a suitable replacement and have been linked with Parramatta half Corey Norman and South Sydney fullback Alex Johnson. (ANSA) - Rome, December 11 - Deputy Premier and Labour and Industry Minister Luigi Di Maio suggested on Tuesday that the European Commission should worry about France's budget plans not just Italy's. He was commenting after French President Emmanuel Macron announced a series of measures to alleviate hardship following the recent wave of violent protests. "According to our calculations, the measures do not comply with the deficit-to-GDP ratio that has been given," 5-Star Movement (M5S) leader Di Maio said after a meeting with business representatives. "So it will have to increase the deficit and a case about France will open up too, if the rules are valid for everyone. "We are not hopeful," he added. Di Maio reiterated that the M5S's key election pledge, the 'citizenship wage' basic income for job seekers, will start "at the end of March at the latest". He said the 'quota 100' pension reform to effectively bring down the retirement age will come into force in February or March. THE NEXT GENERATION FIGHTER JET WHAT CAN IT DO? The Australia Air Force says the F-35A is at the forefront of air combat technology. It's capable of: * supersonic flight whilst retaining stealth * reaching a speed of 1975km/h or an altitude of 50,000 feet (15.2km) * using electro-optical and infrared sensors to quickly gather and then communicate to other Australian Defence Force units, mapping the battlefield so ADF can improve combat effectiveness. "It's a computer pretending to be an aeroplane," Wing Commander Darren Clare, head of an F-35 squadron, told reporters on Monday. AT WHAT COST? The first two jets come in at $124 million each, though manufacturer Lockheed Martin says each batch of jets will be cheaper. All 72 jets are expected to cost $8.33 billion (US$6.5b) as part of the $17 billion project. WHEN DO THEY GET HERE? The first two arrived on Monday. Eight more will arrive in 2019, another 20-odd in 2020 before the full order of 72 is completed by 2023. WHO'S INVOLVED? The United States, which builds and buys most of the jets, leads the Joint Strike Fighter program with support from Australia, the United Kingdom, Italy, Canada, the Netherlands, Denmark, Norway and Turkey. F-35s are also being sold to Israel, South Korea and Japan. More than 50 Australian companies have been directly involved in the JSF program, through $1 billion in production contracts. WHY DO WE NEED IT? Defence Minister Christopher Pyne says tension between the US and China has changed the region and Australia's approach. The country needs to military capabilities to effect geopolitical challenges, he said. Air Force Chief Leo Davies says the options available in the F-35 are superior and the data from RAAF simulations "show us clearly we have bought the right aircraft". (Sources: RAAF, AAP) A New Zealand man who allegedly tried to smuggle 54 kilograms of undeclared molasses tobacco through Perth Airport has been refused entry into Australia. Border Force officers examined the 23-year-old man's two suitcases and a backpack when he arrived on a flight from Kuala Lumpur on Sunday. The duty evaded is estimated at $58,122 plus GST of $5866. Last financial year, officers made more than 110,000 detections of illicit tobacco, including almost 240 million cigarettes and 217 tonnes of tobacco worth more than $356 million in evaded duty. Scott Morrison's first meeting with the state premiers and territory leaders since becoming prime minister will revolve around school, migration and infrastructure issues. Leaders will head to the Council of Australian Governments in Adelaide for a dinner with Mr Morrison on Tuesday night, before the meeting on Wednesday. Mr Morrison has a "population framework" in mind but has asked each of the states and territories to come up with areas they want new migrants to go. He's also pushing for states to sign up to the national schools agreement funding model, and to the national health agreement. NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian has been pushing for a slowdown on migration to NSW, as Sydney struggles after years of under-investment in infrastructure. But Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews says population policy needs to be met with proper infrastructure investment from Canberra. "You can't talk about pressure that comes from a rapidly growing nation without talking about the services and the infrastructure that define the quality of life and the standard of living that Australians enjoy," Mr Andrews told reporters in Melbourne on Monday. He said Victoria gets just 10 per cent of federal infrastructure funding, despite being the fastest growing state in the nation and having 25 per cent of the population. Queensland and Victoria are the only two states that have not signed up to the national school reform agreement, after the majority of states and territories signed on in the past seven days. Mr Morrison is set to raise the issue of governments paying small businesses on time, and will seek an agreement to settle accounts within 20 days. The federal government recently made it a policy to pay small businesses within that timeframe, and NSW has done something similar. Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk wants to talk about euthanasia, as part of the discussion around aged care, and will again raise the issue of cyber-bullying. With a NSW state election in March and a federal poll in May, the leaders will receive a report into how to protect electoral systems from hackers. Former Federal Court judge Richard Tracey has been appointed to the aged care royal commission, after one of the commissioners pulled out for personal family reasons. Mr Tracey, who retired from the bench after 12 years in August, will replace former WA Supreme Court Justice Joseph McGrath. Mr Tracey will take on the position immediately, joining fellow Commissioner Lynelle Briggs. Health Minister Greg Hunt said on Monday the appointment will have no impact on the time frame for the royal commission. The commissioners will release an interim report into the aged care sector on October 31 next year, with a final report due on April 30, 2020. The inquiry will be based in Adelaide, where shocking abuse of residents in the state government-run Oakden nursing home was first uncovered. It will also undertake hearings around the country, and will take evidence via video. The commissioners will look at the extent of below-par aged care, and how to improve services for disabled residents, including young people. The royal commission will also look at dealing with dementia, people who want to live at home, and a sustainable funding model for care and facilities. Ms Briggs was CEO of Medicare Australia and served as the APS boss for five years. Australian farmers are expected to produce $58 billion worth of goods in the current financial year, marking a decline from earlier forecasts. But the latest prediction from the federal government's agriculture forecaster ABARES for 2018-19 remains above the 10-year average of $56 billion. Increases in farmgate prices and strong production in Western Australia are tipped to contribute to the solid result, offsetting the impact of a drought scorching farmland across the county's east. The value of crops produced is expected to drop by seven per cent to $29 billion in the year, as a result of the big dry affecting NSW, Queensland and Victoria. At the same time, the value of livestock and livestock products is forecast to rise by two per cent to almost $30 billion. The drought is set to lead to greater meat production, but lamb and wool prices are high. Export earnings for 2018-19 are tipped to decline by seven per cent to $45 billion. That's due to lower production as a result of poor seasonal conditions and more domestic competition for course grains and wheat for feed. But ABARES executive director Steve Hatfield-Dodds said a lower Australian dollar will also help the 2018-19 result. The Trans-Pacific Partnership trade pact coming into force on December 30 is a welcome development for farmers too, Dr Hatfield-Dodds said, but he noted the global picture is worrying. "The continuing trade conflict between the United States and China is a key source of uncertainty in the outlook for Australian agricultural exports." In its previous quarterly commodities report in September, ABARES had tipped $60 billion worth of production this financial year. Farm production reached record levels in 2016-17 at $63 billion. Today's Birthday, December 11: Australian artist Del Kathryn Barton (1972 - ) Australian artist Del Kathryn Barton has been mindful of the age of her audience since becoming a mother but doesn't believe self-censorship has subtracted from her work. "But I'm always a little bit sad-faced when there are no boobs in the painting," she told the Sydney Morning Herald in 2017. Barton became Australia's top-selling female artist when her piece On Pollen (2013) sold for $378,000 at auction in May. Known for mixing contemporary styles with illustration, the artist uses a variety of materials to create paintings of riotous colour, which critics have described as "unashamedly girly". Born in Sydney in 1972, Barton's family relocated to a large bush block when she was a child. An "enchanting" upbringing, it sparked her creativity and affinity for nature but was often overshadowed by crippling bouts of undiagnosed depression and anxiety. Her mother would encourage her to draw each time an episode hit, Barton told the SMH, saying it brought her back to her body "in a way that was very calming". The illnesses made it difficult for her to adapt to city life when she returned to Sydney to study Fine Art at the University of New South Wales. Employed as a lecturer for several years, her art career took off in 2008 when she was awarded the Archibald Prize. Australia's most prestigious art award, the Archibald portrait prize is currently worth $100,000 and is bestowed annually by the trustees of the Art Gallery of NSW. Her entry, entitled You are What is Most Beautiful About Me, was an intimate self-portrait with her son Kell and daughter Arella in a celebration of the love she has for her children. The artist won again in 2013 with a portrait of actor Hugo Weaving holding a wildcat symbolising the facets of his personality. In recent years Barton has branched into other mediums. She produced, wrote and co-directed with filmmaker Brendan Fletcher an animated version of Oscar Wilde's short story The Nightingale and the Rose (2015). It was followed by Red starring Cate Blanchett (2017), a 15-minute short where the Academy Award-winning actor played out the deadly mating ritual of the red-back spider. Burton also collaborated with fashion label Romance Was Born on its 2018 Resort collection, sending models down the runway in polka dots and sparkles. Her biggest coup came last year when the National Gallery of Victoria held a major exhibition of the artist featuring 150 of her new and recent works. It included Barton's first sculptural work, a giant conch shell on a printed sail attached to the ceiling. Titled At the Foot of Your Love, the piece is crafted from printed silk and Huon pine and was made in honour of her mother who died of cancer in late 2017. Murdered Melbourne woman Elly Warren will only get justice if the Australian Federal Police is given clearance to help with the African investigation, her mother believes. Elly's family have ramped up calls for the Australian government to apply strong diplomatic pressure on Mozambique following a number of revelations around the 20-year-old's unsolved death. The push for answers came after Elly's father Paul Warren travelled to the Mozambique beach town of Tofo, where she was found dead in November 2016. In only a few days, he uncovered vital information that appears to have been missed or overlooked by local authorities. Following renewed attention in the case, a Scottish woman told AAP how she escaped a sexual attack from a police officer in Tofo six years earlier, just 300 metres from where Elly's body was found. Prime Minister Scott Morrison has raised Elly's death with Mozambique authorities "at the most senior levels". Labor Leader Bill Shorten has been campaigning on behalf of Elly's family, writing to Foreign Minister Marise Payne, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade secretary Frances Adamson and AFP commissioner Andrew Colvin. "I am aware of apparent inconsistencies in the investigation into Elly's death conducted by the local authorities, including possible interference in the crime scene, and conflicting evidence," Mr Shorten wrote. Elly's mother Nicole Cafarella wants the government to keep asking questions in a bid to allow the AFP to assist in the investigation. Australian officials cannot go into another country to investigate the death of a citizen, but governments are able to invite foreign help in exceptional circumstances. There is precedent for that happening, with AFP officers travelling to Croatia in 2010 for a 10-day mission to investigate the death of Melbourne woman Britt Lapthorne, whose body was found in Dubrovnik two years earlier. "After two years we felt like we've exhausted all avenues," Ms Cafarella told AAP. "We've realised they're (Mozambique police) heavily involved and we feel they're even responsible for Elly's murder and not willing to let the truth come out. "This is not only to get justice for Elly, but to try and protect other tourists going there as well." Ms Cafarella said the family had cooperated patiently with authorities for two years, but felt nothing would ever be achieved by sitting back and waiting. "Even if Elly's murder was solved, we're still dealing with the loss of our daughter, so that's never going to change," she said. "There's reminders of her every day, but knowing there's somebody responsible for her murder out there and they're not facing any consequences is even harder to take." A Change.Org petition in support of Elly's family and their push for answers is closing in on 50,000 signatures. Scott Morrison's first meeting with the state premiers and territory leaders since becoming prime minister will revolve around population policy. Leaders will dine with Mr Morrison on Tuesday night ahead of the Council of Australian Governments in Adelaide on Wednesday. Mr Morrison has a "population framework" in mind but has asked each of the states and territories to come up with areas they want new migrants to go. He's also pushing for states to sign up to the national schools agreement funding model, and to the national health agreement. NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian has been pushing for a slowdown on migration to NSW, as Sydney struggles after years of under-investment in infrastructure. But Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews says population policy needs to be met with proper infrastructure investment from Canberra. "You can't talk about pressure that comes from a rapidly growing nation without talking about the services and the infrastructure that define the quality of life and the standard of living that Australians enjoy," Mr Andrews told reporters in Melbourne on Monday. Queensland and Victoria are the only two states that have not signed up to the national school reform agreement, after the majority of states and territories signed on in the past seven days. Mr Morrison is set to raise the issue of governments paying small businesses on time, and will seek an agreement to settle accounts within 20 days. Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk wants to talk about euthanasia, as part of the discussion around aged care, and will again raise the issue of cyber-bullying. With a NSW election in March and a federal poll in May, the leaders will receive a report into how to improve the cyber security of electoral systems. Mitchell Starc is being backed by his captain to rediscover his fiery best on a fast track in Perth. Skipper Tim Paine concedes Starc hadn't been at his best in Australia's 31-run loss to India in the first Test in Adelaide. But Paine says Starc will be licking his licks in anticipation of bowling on a bouncy Perth pitch from Friday in the second Test. "When Starcy's on song, there is no better bowler in the world, particularly with the new ball," Paine said. "In Perth, the conditions will suit him down to the ground ... from what I am hearing, the wicket is going to be really fast so he'll be a handful." Starc's figures in Adelaide - 2-63 and 3-40 - were hardly alarming. But some wayward spells and a lack of aggression raised eyebrows among a batch of former Australian players, including Mitchell Johnson who criticised Starc for a lack of intent. Starc was given just two overs with the second new ball in India's second innings but Paine defended the performance of his chief strike bowler. "For the majority of the Test, Starcy actually bowled really well," he said. "I saw a bit of stuff ... that people were pretty critical of him. "But I think his economy rate for a lot of the Test was really good - he took some wickets. "He didn't set the world on fire but I think, for a long time, there's been a really big gap between Starcy's best and his worst. "And from what I'm seeing, that is getting closer and closer every day. "Was he at his best? Probably not. But I still thought he played his role." The Australians fly to Perth on Tuesday with Paine expecting another tight battle against the Indians. "Every Test match is a huge challenge and we have expected this series to be an absolute arm-wrestle from the get-go," he said. A multi-billion dollar privatisation deal between the NSW government and the operator of two ports is being challenged in court with Australia's competition watchdog labelling the agreement "anti-competitive and illegal". The ACCC has instituted proceedings in the Federal Court against NSW Ports - which now operates Port Botany and Port Kembla - over the $5.1 billion agreement it entered into with the coalition government in 2013. Despite the state government's involvement, it is "not currently a party to the ACCC's proceedings and the ACCC is not seeking orders against the state", the watchdog said on Monday. Nevertheless, ACCC chair Rod Sims was scathing of the government's approach. He said the coalition's desire to boost sales proceeds in 2013 came at the expense of creating a long-term competitive market because the deal essentially rules out Newcastle operating a container terminal. The deal contained provisions requiring the Port of Newcastle to compensate NSW Ports if it developed a rival container terminal. "If the ACCC were successful in the court in proving its allegations then we would be seeking for these arrangements to be undone so that we could indeed have a (container) port in Newcastle," Mr Sims told reporters. "Unless we get these arrangements undone, we won't have that container port. We won't have that competition that we believe the people of NSW deserve." NSW Ports argues the 2013 agreement was in the best interests of stakeholders, the community and the economy. It will be "vigorously defending the proceedings," a spokesman said on Monday. Premier Gladys Berejiklian said the government stood by its decisions. NSW Labor welcomed the ACCC's move and hopes the watchdog rips the deal "asunder". Opposition Leader Michael Daley said it was a "murky deal" which stitched up the people of the Hunter region. (ANSA) - Cairo, December 11 - Kenya police have arrested one of three suspects wanted in relation to the kidnapping of Silvia Costanza Romano, a volunteer Italian aid worker, the Daily Nation reported on Tuesday quoting police sources. Romano, 23, was taken captive in the area of the Kenyan coastal town of Kilifi last month in an armed attack in which five people were injured. Kenya's top daily said the man was arrested at Bangale in Tana River County on Sunday. Two other suspects wanted in relation to the abduction are still on the run. "An AK-47 rifle, two magazines and 100 rounds of ammunition were recovered from the suspect," the Daily Nation quoted a police source saying. Police have offered a reward of around 8,500 euros to anyone who provides information leading to the arrest of any of the suspects. The youngest Nobel Peace Prize laureate left an 8000-strong Sydney audience on their feet cheering after she shared her life story and encouraged young people to change the world. Malala Yousafzai is now taking her message to Melbourne on Tuesday. She received a standing ovation at Sydney's International Convention Centre on Monday night when she urged young people to believe in themselves. "Do not let your age stop you from changing the world," she said. She told the Sydney crowd about the discrimination faced by women globally and praised the Me Too movement for raising awareness of gender inequality in western countries. Ms Yousafzai, who is studying at Oxford University, also called for better treatment of refugees across the world. The 21-year-old Pakistani woman rose to international prominence in 2012 when a masked gunman got on a bus and shot her in the face as she was on her way home from school in northern Pakistan, in response to her public advocacy of girls' right to an education. She was 15. Before being shot, Ms Yousafzai had been blogging for four years for the BBC about life under the Taliban and the restrictions on the lives of local women. Her family relocated to England after the shooting, allowing Ms Yousafzai to complete her secondary and tertiary education. At 17, she became the youngest recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize and established a foundation in her name to fundraise for girls' education. The event, organised by The Growth Faculty, is part of its Women World Changers series. Former High Court judge Michael Kirby has hit out at "medieval" laws allowing religious schools to discriminate against gay students. Justice Kirby is disappointed the major political parties have hit a stalemate on outlawing the discrimination. "The idea that in this day and age students in schools could be actually expelled or removed or told they're not welcome because of their sexual orientation or gender identity is just medieval stuff," he told ABC radio. Labor and the coalition government agree in principle on banning discrimination against gay students, but the parties could not agree on the details before federal parliament broke up for the long Christmas break. Labor claims government amendments to the Sexual Discrimination Act would widen discrimination against gay students, and argue their own legislative changes do nothing to stop religious schools teaching their faith. On the question of giving schools the right to religious freedom and liberty, Justice Kirby quoted a legal expression which suggests, "The right to swing my arm finishes when I hit another person's chin." "The right to swing my arm of my religious beliefs really hurts when that hits either students or hits staff or other people in publicly-funded education." Justice Kirby said the issue boiled down to public money going to faith-based schools. "My own view is that if they take federal gold they've got to comply with a non-discrimination requirement," he said. "If they want to go off on their own and have their religious prejudice and hobgoblins and so on, then that might be acceptable, so long as they don't use federal money of taxpayers of Australia to fund institutions that act in that way." All upper house seats in the new-look Victorian parliament should soon be declared, after officials cleared the final election results for the state's lower house. Victorian Electoral Commission staff will spend Tuesday afternoon running computer counts for all eight upper house regions. Barring any surprise recounts, the final results should be clear by Tuesday evening. All lower house positions have been officially declared, with just 15 votes separating the winner and loser in the marginal central Victorian seat of Ripon. Labor formally requested a recount but was knocked back, and is considering fighting the decision in the Court of Disputed Returns. The Liberals retained Benambra by 2029 votes and South-West Coast by 1900 votes, while Labor's Darren Cheeseman snatched South Barwon by 4445 votes. Labor has won 55 seats in the 88-seat Legislative Assembly. The Liberal Party has 21, their coalition partners, the Nationals, have six seats, and the Greens have claimed three. The Morrison government will formally recognise Jerusalem as Israel's capital after a cabinet meeting but it won't be announced until the COAG meeting on Wednesday. The Australian reports that the decision will be ratified by the cabinet at a meeting on Tuesday after the national security committee approved it on Monday night. However, the embassy won't be moved from Tel Aviv just yet. Instead a consular office will be opened, the sources said, due to the cost of the move, pegged at $200 million. A man has been charged over a road rage incident on a busy Sydney motorway that resulted in another man being stabbed. A 42-year-old man says a man in a Toyota Corolla threw something at his ute and both drivers stopped on the Westlink M7 near Glendenning on November 30. The men argued briefly outside their vehicles before the Corolla driver stabbed the older man in the abdomen and drove off. The injured man tried to drive to a nearby hospital before deciding to pull over in Doonside, where his passenger called for an ambulance. He later had emergency surgery. Following police inquiries, a 42-year-old Punchbowl man was charged on Monday morning with reckless wounding among other offences. He appeared at Mt Druitt Local Court and was refused bail to reappear at the same court on Tuesday. A man is in an induced coma in hospital after he suffered burns in a deliberately lit fire at a home in Sydney's south. Paramedics carrying out a routine check on a 41-year-old man at a home in Bardwell Valley on Monday evening allegedly found the patient aggressive. He then allegedly set fire to the premises. Firefighters put out the blaze. The man suffered significant burns to his arms and legs while the fire damaged the front of the house. The incident is being investigated by police. NRL player Dylan Walker is due to front court after he allegedly assaulted a woman on Sydney's northern beaches. Police say a 24-year-old woman suffered minor cuts to her shoulder, leg and feet at a home in Dee Why after the alleged domestic violence incident on December 6. Walker was arrested and charged with common assault and assault occasioning actual bodily harm. The Manly Sea Eagles centre was granted bail to appear at Manly Local Court on December 11. Manly chief executive Lyall Gorman said the matter has been referred to the NRL Integrity Unit. The Greens want to scrap universities and TAFE fees, while also increasing funding by 10 per cent in a plan estimated to cost $133 billion over a decade. The minor party's proposal would generate $139 billion in the same period through whacking offshore gas companies with a 10 per cent tax and ending fuel excise paid to mining companies. A 10 per cent boost to university funding would be tied to increases in job security, while course fees' abolition would allow 1.3 million to study debt-free by 2023. The HELP repayment threshold would be tied to the median wage, meaning students with existing debts won't begin giving money back until they earn $52,990 on 2019 figures. Support payments like Youth Allowance, Austudy and Abstudy would go up by $75 a week with all postgraduate students made eligible for Austudy. Greens education spokeswoman and former academic Mehreen Faruqi said coalition and Labor governments had cut funds to universities and TAFE while giving massive tax handouts to corporate donors. "It's time to end the debt sentence. Young people are graduating from university and TAFE with crushing debts that take almost a decade to pay off," Senator Faruqi said. "We have universal primary and secondary education. Free public higher education is the missing piece of the puzzle." Tex-Mex food chain Taco Bell will begin rolling out across Australia and New Zealand in 2019 with stores initially planned for New South Wales and the ACT. Dual-listed frachisee operator Restaurant Brands New Zealand announced on Monday it had reached agreement with Taco Bell's Asian arm to bring 60 stores to New Zealand, NSW and the ACT, starting in 2019. Restaurant Brands, which currently owns and operates 36 Taco Bell stores in Guam and Hawaii, also holds the right of first offer to establish new Taco Bell restaurants in Australia and NZ. "Bringing the Taco Bell brand to this part of the world aligns with our strategy of focusing on global tier one brands in markets we understand," Restaurant Brands' group chief executive Russel Creedy said on Monday. The company said it expects the initial build to be funded from internally generated cash flows and completed by 2024, but predicted that "it will take several years for the brand to make a significant contribution from the Australian and New Zealand markets". The company said the Taco Bell deal was not conditional on the 75 per cent takeover offer from Mexican investor Finaccess Capital. Restaurant Brands also operates Pizza Hut, KFC, and Starbucks franchises across Australia and New Zealand. Shares in the company were last trading on the ASX at $7.33, down from a June 2018 peak of $8.05. Australia could use a loophole in order to meet up to half of its targets for the Paris Agreement, which experts think has the potential to throw the global climate accord into chaos. The government could use carryover credits from beating its 2020 goal under the Kyoto Protocol against its 2030 Paris commitments. Prime Minister Scott Morrison has said Australia will meet the Paris targets "in a canter" but some environmental experts and the Greens say they don't believe that. Climate Analytics director Bill Hare said if Australia claimed the credits, it would encourage other nations to follow suit. "This appears to be the 'canter' the government keeps talking about," Mr Hare told the Sydney Morning Herald. "It is fake action and would be rorting the planet, and will undermine real action in Australia." Australia's current Paris target is to cut emissions by 26-to-28 per cent below 2005 levels by the year 2030, but by using credits, it could meet the target with a 15 per cent cut. Environment Minister Melissa Price declined to answer questions from the Sydney Morning Herald about how the government planned to use credits. MARRAKECH - UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, speaking at the conference in Marrakech where the UN Global Compact for Migration was unanimously adopted by all 164 countries in attendance, said that migration "must always be an act of choice, never of desperation". The conference was the second step for the non-binding document on "safe, orderly, and regular migration", following its approval on July 23 at the UN General Assembly in New York. Although its approval was taken to be a given, some countries, including Italy, were notably absent from the conference. Morocco's King Mohammed VI, at the opening of the conference, said the country is "proud to host the event" and "humble before the enormity of the cause, the path ahead, and the work still to be done". The Global Compact is divided into 41 points based on 18 principles and 23 objectives, and Guterres said it "reiterates respect for human rights". Its approval coincidentally came on the 70th anniversary of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Guterres said that the 60,000 migrants who have died in recent years represent "a collective shame". Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita said that despite the absence of some countries at the conference, "those who aren't here in any case contributed to the debate and adopted the text last July in New York". German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who was present at the conference, highlighted the importance of the event. "Migration is a normal phenomenon and when it is legal it is also a positive thing," she said. On Tuesday the conference will focus on bilateral meetings. Water police will scour creeks in far north Queensland as the search continues for a man who went missing more than a week ago. Shane Holian's car was found at Jourama Falls, north of Townsville, about 6pm on Sunday, a week after he advised he would stay there for a night and travel to Cairns the next day. His car and his camping gear were there when police arrived on Sunday, but there was no sign of him. Search parties on Sunday and Monday have so far failed to find him. Police and SES crews resumed the search through dense bushland at first light on Tuesday. Water police experts will join the search later in the day. A police spokeswoman said their involvement was "simply a precaution" due to the number of creeks in the area. Heavy rainfall in the region from ex-tropical cyclone Owen has hampered search efforts, with more rain expected on Tuesday. NASA's Voyager 2 has breached the final frontier in space - but the world wouldn't even know if not for a group of Australians listening in. The probe has officially entered interstellar space - the area outside the reach of the sun some 18 billion kilometres from Earth - and has been busy sending back data to scientists in Canberra and Parkes in central west NSW. While it's only the second human-made object to make the journey, it's the first probe that's been capable of sending back detailed information to scientists, providing humans with the first glimpse of the mysteries of space. And none of that information would have seen the light of day without Australia's help. "We're sort of the telephone exchange for the universe," CSIRO spokesman Glen Nagle told AAP on Tuesday. "We are the only facilities in the world that can link communications with the Voyager 2 spacecraft." Teams at the CSIRO's Parkes radio telescope and the Canberra Deep Space Communication Complex combined forces so NASA could collect as much information as possible from the spacecraft which, while still mostly in working order after being launched in 1977, can no longer record data. "So if there's no one listening that data is lost forever," Mr Nagle said. "The signals we get back are 20 billion times weaker than the power generated by a watch battery, so we are capturing whispers from space. "But these whispers are a loud shout for scientists of what we're now able to explore in the universe." Scientists had their first hint Voyager 2 was close to entering interstellar space a few months ago when data from what's known as the heliosphere - the protective bubble of particles and magnetic fields created by the sun - began to dip and new input from the gateway to interstellar space began to trickle in. "Our sun pumps out energy in all directions known as solar wind and that energy streaming out collides with all of the energy coming in," Mr Nagle explained. Data shows the Voyager 2 crossed into interstellar space on November 5, and it has been sending back information at the speed of light, taking around 16.5 hours to reach Earth. "It was about a month's worth of checking to make sure the universe wasn't playing tricks on us," Mr Nagle said. "As a species we've always wanted to push the boundaries of what's possible, exploring the final frontier and going where no one has ever gone before and literally we are getting to do this now." Voyager 2 is expected to stop being able to send back science data in 2025 and we will lose communication completely with Earth by the early 2030s. A Sydney teenager has been jailed for at least 12 years for preparing for a terrorist act. The now 18-year-old, who was found guilty by a jury in September, has admitted he sympathised with Islamic State when he bought fixed-blade knives in 2016 but he denies a plan to use the weapons in a terror attack. But Justice Geoffrey Bellew on Tuesday said his denial flew in the face of overwhelming evidence and he sentenced the teenager to 16 years in prison with a non-parole period of 12 years. Population growth and employment opportunities in the Northern Territory will be the focus of Chief Minister Michael Gunner when he meets with other state and territory leaders and the prime minister. A meeting of the Council of Australian Governments, to take place in Adelaide on Wednesday, will also cover health, education, Closing the Gap and cyber bullying. Mr Gunner said he will be pushing the Northern Territory's population agenda at the meeting. "This is why I will continue to make sure we get our fair share of GST funding - so we can continue investing in jobs, schools, police and hospitals," he said. "My number one priority is creating local jobs, and more people means more jobs for Territorians." Mr Gunner said he will also push the federal government to invest in Kakadu National Park, which he said "has been neglected by Canberra for too long". The meeting - Mr Morrison's first with state premiers and territory leaders since becoming prime minister - will revolve around schools, migration and infrastructure issues. Mr Morrison has a "population framework" in mind but has asked each of the states and territories to come up with areas they want new migrants to go. He's also pushing for states to sign up to the national schools agreement funding model, and to the national health agreement. Dubbing himself 'Tariff Man,' Trump saidhe would not hesitate to make China 'pay for the privilege' of selling in the United States China vowed Wednesday to move swiftly to strike a trade consensus with the United States, even as mixed signals on the detente from self-described "Tariff Man" Donald Trump's administration upset global markets. Trump sowed more confusion as he opened the door to lengthier negotiations with China, suggesting that they could extend beyond a 90-day deadline to reach a deal to avoid a massive tariff increase. But the Chinese commerce ministry said negotiators will "actively push forward negotiations within 90 days in accordance with a clear timetable and roadmap" -- marking Beijing's first public acknowledgement of the deadline announced by the US at the weekend. The ministry lauded Trump's talks with President Xi Jinping at the weekend as "successful" and said it was "confident" that their agreement will be implemented. The ministry vowed to start implementing "specific matters" that were agreed -- saying "the sooner the better" -- but it did not provide any details. Trump and Xi agreed on a trade war truce on the sidelines of a G20 summit in Argentina on Saturday, holding off on new tariffs and giving negotiators three months to reach an agreement. No caption China pledged to buy more from the United States and the White House said the two sides would negotiate "structural changes" to intellectual property protection, but few details and no dollar amounts were disclosed. Adding to the confusion, the US leader indicated on Tuesday that the talks could go beyond the March 1 deadline. "The negotiations with China have already started. Unless extended, they will end 90 days from the date of our wonderful and very warm dinner with President Xi in Argentina," Trump tweeted. But the US leader kept up the threats as he warned that he was ready to make China "pay for the privilege" of selling in the US market if the negotiations fail. While he said he would "happily sign" a fair deal that addresses US concerns, he warned: "remember, I am a Tariff Man." - 'REAL deal' - The change in tone and the increased confusion over what was achieved at the meeting contributed to a sharp decline in the US stock market, which plunged on Tuesday, driven lower by trade worries and fears for future US economic growth. Chinese shares also opened lower on Wednesday. As part of the truce, Trump agreed to hold off on plans to raise the tariffs on $200 billion in Chinese imports to 25 percent beginning January 1, leaving them at the current 10 percent rate. The tone of Trump's latest tweets show an apparent shift from 24 hours earlier, when he was unreservedly triumphant, saying relations with China had taken a "BIG leap forward." On Tuesday, he said US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer would lead the talks to see "whether or not a REAL deal with China is actually possible." US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said markets were in a "wait-and-see" mode. "The market is trying to figure out, is there going to be a real deal at the end of 90 days or not," Mnuchin said at a Wall Street Journal event on Tuesday. - IP theft - Beijing pledged to import more US products to narrow its massive trade surplus with the United States following the Argentina talks, but it has given few details about what was agreed. The White House has said China agreed to purchase a "very substantial" amount of agricultural, energy, industrial and other products from the US to reduce a yawning trade gap. It also will begin buying products from US farmers "immediately". The two sides will also negotiate "structural changes" on the forced technology transfer, intellectual property protection, cyber intrusions and cyber theft, services and agriculture, according to the White House. IP theft is a core battleground in the trade war. China's state planner announced Tuesday stiffer punishments for serious violators of IP rights, a move that may help ease Washington's discontent. Trump also said China would roll back tariffs of 40 percent on cars, though Beijing has yet to confirm the move. Analysts at Schwab said in a commentary the market was concerned that "uncertainty appears to be resurfacing on whether a permanent deal can be reached." US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump are greeted by former president George W. Bush and former first lady Laura Bush, at Blair House opposite the White House, on the eve of the state funeral for late president George HW Bush President Donald Trump went in person Tuesday to pay his respects to the grieving Bush family in his latest show of peacemaking with the political clan he once fought bitterly. Trump, whose ascendancy to the head of the Republican Party saw him exchange vitriolic attacks with the establishment Bushes, has taken pains to demonstrate unity since the death of former president George H.W. Bush, aged 94, on Friday. Ahead of Wednesday's state funeral -- where Trump will reportedly sit in the front row, but not deliver a eulogy -- the president tweeted he would visit the "wonderful Bush family" at the presidential guest residence Blair House across from the White House. On a chilly afternoon, former president George W. Bush, son of the deceased elder Bush, greeted Trump and the first lady, Melania, outside Blair House and took them inside for a private visit. Earlier, Laura Bush went over to get a tour with Melania of the White House Christmas decorations. Trump's relations with the Republican establishment have been rocky since his insurgent campaign took him to the party's nomination and then a stunning election win in 2016. George H.W. Bush's body was lying in state on October 4, 2018 at the US Capitol, where officials said that 13,600 people had come to pay their respects He did not attend the funeral this year of the elder Bush's wife Barbara, even though former presidents Barack Obama, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton were there. Melania represented the current White House. Trump also did not attend the funeral in August of another Republican giant, former senator John McCain. The Bush family has assured Trump that eulogies at Wednesday's funeral will avoid any criticism of him, The Washington Post reported. George H.W. Bush's body continued to lie in state Tuesday at the US Capitol, where officials said more than 26,000 people so far had come to pay their respects. After meeting with the Trumps, and one day after Monday's somber ceremony in which much of official Washington paid their respects, George and Laura Bush made a low-key return to the Capitol rotunda, accompanied by daughters Jenna Bush Hager and Barbara Bush, to stand once more before the flag-draped coffin. The former president smiled warmly, shook hands and hugged visitors and well-wishers. Several other dignitaries made appearance throughout the day including Cindy McCain, the late senator's widow, former senator Bob Dole, and former secretary of state Condoleezza Rice. Major General Roger Cloutier, head of the US Army Africa command A planned reduction to the US military's footprint in Africa would not impact Army operations across the continent, the head of the US Army in Africa said Tuesday. The Pentagon last month announced it would trim about 10 percent of the 7,200 US troops in Africa as part of a broader shift in focus towards "Great Power" competitors such as China and Russia. Major General Roger Cloutier, whose command oversees about 2,000 soldiers working in approximately 40 African nations, said some partner militaries had expressed concerns when they learned of what the Pentagon calls "optimization." "They're concerned, when (they) hear that," Cloutier told AFP. "It could be confused as somehow the United States is withdrawing from Africa, and that's not the case. I can tell you that we are more involved than we've ever been." Unlike special operations forces that sometimes see combat against jihadist groups, such as in Somalia, soldiers from Cloutier's command work across Africa to provide training and assistance to partner nations, as well as other forces such as UN peacekeepers and the French in Mali. Cloutier, who started his job about three months ago and was previously chief of staff at Africa Command, garnered international attention this year when he led a probe into the deaths of four American soldiers and four members of Nigerien partner forces who were killed in a jihadist ambush on October 4, 2017. The ambush claimed the largest loss of American lives in combat in Africa since the "Black Hawk Down" incident in Somalia in 1993. - 'Significant improvement' - Cloutier said he has incorporated lessons learned from the Niger incident, which saw the US troops and Nigeriens fatally exposed without backup, into every operation under his command. "I can tell you that there's been significant improvement in the way operations are done," he said in an interview at the Pentagon. "Every time you know our personnel are operating on the continent, there's a much more thorough review of where you're going, what you're doing, who are you taking with you, what are the contingency plans associated, so a lot more focus on that." With extremist organizations including Islamic State group and Al-Qaeda affiliates cropping up across various African nations, the US military hopes its training and insights will bolster local armies to fend off a growing threat. "We're there in a preventative capacity," Cloutier said, "trying to get left of the crisis and trying to build those capacities in the African armies so they can they can resolve their own issues." Cloutier said such relationship building is "a generational approach." "It's consistent engagement over time," he said. US Army Africa is headquartered in Vicenza, Italy. To finance a trip after escaping from jail, the "Texas Seven" looted businesses, and on Christmas Eve 2000, they attacked a sporting goods store in a Dallas suburb Texas executed a man Tuesday who, along with six others known as the "Texas Seven," killed a police officer during a 2000 crime spree before being arrested thanks in part to the television program "America's Most Wanted." Joseph Garcia, 47, was executed by lethal injection and pronounced dead at 6:43 pm local time (0043 GMT) in the death chamber in Huntsville. Sentenced to 50 years in prison for killing a friend during a fight, Garcia and six other inmates at the Connally high-security prison in southern Texas participated in an infamous escape. The men attacked guards for their uniforms and forced another to open the door. One of the men's fathers was waiting in a car outside. To finance their post-escape trip, the "Texas Seven" looted retail businesses, and on Christmas Eve, they attacked a sporting goods store in a Dallas suburb. As the men fled the scene, they killed Aubrey Hawkins, a young police officer who had been called in for reinforcement and who was showered with bullets and hit by a 4x4 plank of wood. Authorities launched a manhunt, offering a $100,000 reward, which eventually grew to $500,000 for information on the gang. After the airing of an episode of "America's Most Wanted" -- a popular program dedicated to the search for dangerous criminals -- several people reported crossing paths with the fugitives. Six weeks after their escape, the men were apprehended in Colorado, and one of them killed himself during the arrest. The survivors were found guilty of the officer's murder and sentenced to death. Three have already been executed and two more remain on death row. Garcia's lawyers argued that he did not fire the fatal shots and so should be spared, filing an unsuccessful last-minute appeal with the Supreme Court to suspend the execution. CIA Director Gina Haspel paid her respects at the casket of former president George H.W. Bush as he lay in state at the US Capitol, before she briefed US senators on Saudi Arabia's possible involvement in the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi Two key US Republican senators said a Tuesday briefing by the CIA's director only strengthened their conviction that Saudi Arabia's crown prince directed the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. The explosive new declarations by members of President Donald Trump's own party run counter to the White House narrative downplaying possible links between Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and the October killing of journalist and palace critic Khashoggi at the kingdom's Istanbul consulate. "I have zero question in my mind that the crown prince directed the murder and was kept appraised of the situation all the way through it," Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Corker told reporters after CIA director Gina Haspel briefed a small group of senators. "If MBS were in front of a jury, he'd be convicted in less than 30 minutes," Corker said, using the prince's initials. Fellow Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, a Trump ally who has joined a growing collection of lawmakers urging the president to take a far tougher stance against Riyadh, also attended the hour-long closed-door briefing, and minced no words afterwards. The crown prince is "crazy" and "a wrecking ball" who is "complicit in the murder of Mr Khashoggi to the highest level possible," Graham said in withering criticism of an American ally. "There's not a smoking gun but a smoking saw." The South Carolina senator was directly repudiating comments by top Trump administration officials, including Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, who just last week said there was "no smoking gun" implicating the crown prince. US newspapers, including The Wall Street Journal, have reported that the CIA has evidence that Prince Mohammed exchanged 11 messages with his close aide Saud al-Qahtani, who allegedly oversaw the murder, just before and after it took place. Some of the most important evidence may be an audio recording of the murder that Turkey said it has distributed. Graham said that was not played in Tuesday's briefing. - 'He is dangerous' - Republican Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina leaves CIA chief Gina Haspel's briefing on the murder of Jamal Khashoggi The Saudi government went into damage control mode, with a spokesperson for the Saudi Embassy, Fatimah Baeshen, saying the kingdom maintains its "steadfast" commitment to the US-Saudi relationship and does "categorically reject" accusations linking the prince to the killing. "At no time did HRH the Crown Prince correspond with any saudi officials in any government entity on harming Jamal Khashoggi, a Saudi citizen," she said on Twitter. Graham stressed that he believes the crown prince has put the decades-long US-Saudi relationship at risk. "If the Saudi government is going to be in the hands of this man for a long time to come, I find it very difficult to be able to do business, because I think he's crazy, I think he is dangerous," he said. After reports that the CIA concluded that the crown prince ordered Khashoggi's assassination in the Istanbul consulate on October 2, Trump warned that US-Saudi ties and oil market stability were too important to rock over the scandal. Under mounting pressure from lawmakers who wanted action against Riyadh, Mattis and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told senators there was no direct evidence linking the crown prince to the murder. Graham rejected their assessment outright, saying "you have to be wilfully blind" not to conclude that the murder was orchestrated by people under Prince Mohammed's command. Democrats provided similar reactions after the briefing, which was given to leaders of Senate committees that focus on national security. "I am now more convinced than I was before -- and I was pretty convinced -- that in fact the United States must have a strong response to both the war in Yemen as well as the killing" of Khashoggi, Senate Democrat Bob Menendez said. With many senators furious about being excluded from the briefing, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer demanded Haspel "brief the full Senate without delay." Journalist Jamal Khashoggi was murdered in Saudi Arabia's Istanbul consulate by a team under the direction of the Saudi crown prince, Republican US lawmakers believe The White House faced a rebuke last week when the Senate voted to advance legislation that would end US support for the Saudi-led coalition fighting a war in Yemen, which has been described as the world's worst humanitarian crisis. The Yemen legislation, which may face another procedural vote this week, could set up a bitter year-end Senate floor fight over US war powers. Some lawmakers like Graham want a bill with teeth that will punish Saudi Arabia, while others are keen not to antagonize the White House. There are several proposals in the works, including freezes on all US arms sales to Riyadh and tightening sanctions on those involved in Khashoggi's murder. The American soldier, who received 25-year sentence for attempting to provide support to ISIS as part of a plea agreement, will also be under at least 20 years of supervised release after he completes his prison term A US soldier based in Hawaii was sentenced on Tuesday to 25 years in prison for attempting to provide support to the Islamic State group also known as ISIS. Ikaika Erik Kang, 35, whose sentence was part of a plea agreement, will also be under at least 20 years of supervised release after he completes his prison term. "Kang swore to defend the United States as a member of our military, but betrayed his country by swearing allegiance to ISIS and attempting to provide it material support," John Demers, assistant attorney general for national security, said in a statement. According to authorities, Kang, a sergeant in the US Army, became sympathetic to ISIS by at least early 2016 and regularly watched propaganda videos published online by the terror group while expressing a desire to become a member. Prosecutors said he spoke in detail about committing specific acts of violence including launching attacks at public gatherings such as the Honolulu Christmas Parade and planning a suicide bombing at his army barracks. In June and July of last year, he met with undercover FBI agents posing as people with connections to ISIS and provided them with sensitive material. He also supplied the agents with a small aerial drone and military-style clothing and gear. On another occasion, he provided two undercover FBI employees -- one pretending to be a high-ranking ISIS leader and another an ISIS fighter -- with a two-hour combat training session to hone their fighting and marksmanship skills. Kang was arrested after he swore allegiance to ISIS during a ceremony conducted by the purported ISIS leader. "This is the first case in the state of Hawaii where someone was convicted for providing material support to terrorism," said Sean Kaul, special agent in charge of the FBI office in Honolulu. "This should serve as reminder that even though we are 2,500 miles from the US mainland these crimes can and do happen everywhere." According to local media, Kang grew up in an abusive household and his father suffered from mental health issues. Two former members of the US military also testified that he had mental health issues and could easily be influenced. BEIRUT - Lebanon will not make a decision regarding Israeli digging activity near the Blue Line of demarcation between the two countries until an investigation currently underway is completed, said Lebanese President Michel Auon. Auon is an ally of the Lebanese Shiite Hezbollah movement, which Israel claims is responsible for the construction of a series of underground tunnels. Auon, cited by Lebanese news agency NNA, said in a statement: "Before making a decision, Lebanon will wait for the results of the investigation currently underway by the command of the Lebanese armed forces and the UN contingent UNIFIL". Christine Lagarde, the managing director of the IMF, issued yet another plea to governments, notably the United States, to back away from protectionism and confrontation Countries that go it alone and fail to adapt to new economic realities could face a "dystopian" future where an angry majority is left behind, IMF chief Christine Lagarde warned Tuesday. She urged world leaders to remember the lesson of the global recession that followed the 2008 financial crisis: "International cooperation is essential, not optional." The managing director of the Washington-based global crisis lender issued yet another plea to governments, notably the United States, to back away from protectionism and confrontation. At a time when US President Donald Trump is engaged in global trade conflict that the IMF says puts world economic growth at risk, Lagarde said she is pleased by the "significant progress" over the weekend to defuse the US-China trade dispute. But asked about the sharp decline in US stock markets -- which fell more than three percent due to concerns over the trade war and the impact on the economy -- Lagarde urged patience. "Compared to what we've gone through it's progress," she said. Lagarde delivered her message about the need for global economic cooperation wrapped in praise for the key leadership role the US plays in the world. In the economic prosperity that followed World War II, "We learned from the past, got creative, and changed for the better," she said in a lecture at the US Library of Congress. "None of this would have been possible without the United States. This country challenged the international economic order when it needed challenging. It forged compromise when compromise was necessary." And it was in the US interest to take a leading role because "a stronger and more stable world paid dividends for the US," she said. "This success did not come at the expense of other nations," Lagarde said. "On the contrary. This country's collaborative leadership paved the way not only for decades of opportunity here in America, but also for growth that spread across the world." That contrasts sharply with Trump's "America First" rhetoric and his view of trade as a zero-sum game in which imports equate to countries taking money out of the country. - Anger and anxiety - Policies like that could lead to an "age of anger," where inequality soars and millions are left behind, Lagarde cautioned. Much of the anger erupting worldwide and the economic anxiety "is a legacy of the crisis," she said in response to a question. In Britain, it was channeled into fear of foreigners and led to Brexit, but she said there is "more regret in the UK than there was only six months ago," as the consequences of leaving the European Union become apparent. To avoid the "dystopian scenario," countries must adapt, improving cooperation among governments, to strengthen oversight, reduce corruption and reform tax collection. That will free up resources to improve infrastructure and education. That also means fixing the trading system to reduce tensions, including getting rid of subsidies and protecting technology -- issues Trump has complained about. The rapidly changing global economy offers "a fundamental choice: stand still and watch discord and discontent bubble over into conflict, or move forward," Lagarde said. "Because more than ever before, what happens in one nation can impact all nations." Michael Flynn's guilty plea was the first secured by the investigation into alleged collusion between Donald Trump's election campaign and Russia Robert Mueller, the special prosecutor in charge of the Russia election meddling probe, recommended Tuesday that President Donald Trump's former national security advisor Michael Flynn face no jail time due to his "substantial" cooperation with the investigation. Mueller said in a court document that Flynn, who admitted last year to lying about his contacts with Russians in the weeks after Trump's November 2016 election victory, had helped in his and other unspecified federal criminal investigations, including being interviewed 19 times. In a memorandum to a Washington federal court on Flynn's upcoming sentencing, Mueller also said that despite his "serious" offense, the retired three-star general and former Pentagon intelligence chief had a strong record of military and public service. "Given the defendant's substantial assistance and other considerations set forth below, a sentence at the low end of the guideline range -- including a sentence that does not impose a term of incarceration -- is appropriate and warranted," the filing said. The special counsel had postponed Flynn's sentencing four times over the course of a year, suggesting that he had become a valuable witness. Flynn's was the first guilty plea secured by the Muller investigation into alleged collusion between Trump's election campaign and Russia. In an interview with investigators on January 24, 2017, four days after Trump's inauguration, Flynn lied to investigators about conversations he had the previous December with Russia's ambassador to the US, Sergei Kislyak, in which Flynn appeared to be trying to undermine the policy of then-President Barack Obama. Obama at the time was planning sanctions on Russia for its interference in the 2016 election. Within weeks, Flynn was forced to resign after it was alleged that he lied to top White House officials as well about his Kislyak talks. Then in March 2018, in a second interview with the FBI, Flynn also lied about the fact that before and after the election he had a $500,000 lobbying contract on behalf of Turkey that he had not reported. The sentencing memorandum gave no hint as to what Flynn had told the Mueller team about the operations of the Trump campaign and its Russia contacts. But as an insider in the campaign and a key go-between with Russian officials, he could have provided significant material. An addendum to the memorandum was heavily redacted, suggesting that Flynn not only aided Mueller but also other federal criminal investigations not yet public. Those potentially could include an examination of Trump's financial ties to Russia through his real estate business. Carlos Ghosn has yet to be officially charged with any crime and denies the allegations Ousted Nissan chairman Carlos Ghosn will face a further accusation of under-reporting his salary by about four billion yen ($35.5 million) over the last three years, Japanese media reported Wednesday. Tokyo prosecutors plan to "rearrest" the business tycoon along with his right-hand man and former Nissan representative director Greg Kelly by Monday, according to major media including the Nikkei and the Mainichi newspapers. If confirmed, the new allegation would come on top of an existing accusation that the pair conspired to understate Ghosn's pay by some five billion yen in official filings during the five years up to March 2015. Japanese prosecutors declined to comment on the reports regarding the duo, who were arrested on November 19 and remain in custody. In Japan, a suspect can be kept in custody and "rearrested" several times on different allegations, a system that has sparked some criticism in the international media. They have yet to be officially charged with any crime and deny the allegations, reportedly insisting they had checked with authorities about the way they declared the money. In a move that stunned the business world, Ghosn was arrested at a Tokyo airport on November 19 on suspicion of under-declaring his income. Authorities then had 22 days to question him over these suspicions. That period runs out on Monday, meaning they are likely to rearrest him over the new allegations, giving them a further 22 days to interrogate the tycoon. He is therefore likely to remain in detention until early next year at least. Japan had long celebrated Ghosn as a charismatic business leader who saved Nissan from the brink of failure and rebuilt it as a money-making subsidiary of Renault. But since his unexpected arrest, he has been removed from the boards of Nissan and Mitsubishi Motors -- the third company in the alliance that outsold all its rivals last year. Nissan has begun a process of choosing Ghosn's successor, with the final decision expected on December 17. The "Kaombo Norte" is a vast oil-extraction vessel, moored off the coast of Angola Moored in the endless South Atlantic Ocean far off the coast of Angola, the "Kaombo Norte" oil-extraction vessel is a deeply impressive sight -- 330 metres (1083 feet) long, with a tower 110 metres high sending a burning flame into the sky. But inside, daily life on the ship is a different matter, with a crew of about 100 sharing narrow passages and confined spaces, living for weeks at a stretch in close quarters 24 hours a day. The ship, owned by the French Total oil company, is an oil tanker converted into a FPSO (floating production, storage and offloading) vessel, pumping oil from deep under the seabed into its vast holds before collection -- a major innovation for the industry. Typical among the crew is 30-year-old unmarried engineer Benoit Tanguy, who shares a low-ceiling office with a colleague during the day. At night, he squeezes into a small cabin that has the rare luxury of a sea view, but which he must share with three colleagues. It has a crew of about 100, living for weeks at a stretch in close quarters Tanguy doesn't complain, saying with a laugh: "We have little privacy. But because we are always surrounded by people, it sometimes helps to spend a few moments on your own." "We are caught up in work, so the days pass very quickly," said Tanguy, who always dreamt of a life at sea. "When I joined Total, it was exactly to work offshore," he said, explaining he spent two years on an oil platform off Abu Dhabi before taking a posting on the "Kaombo Norte". His job is to ensure that the ship, located 250 kilometres (155 miles) northwest of the seaside capital Luanda, draws in oil at exactly the right rate from nearly 2,000 metres under its hull. - 'Of course I miss friends' - For four weeks in a row, seven days a week, he analyses data, looking out for the slightest error or problem. Engineer Benoit Tanguy, 30, is among the crew on the "Kaombo Norte", owned by the French Total oil company Then he leaves the ship via a helicopter shuttle to the shore and catches a plane home to Brittany for four weeks of vacation. The Kaombo oil project -- which will pump 230,000 barrels a day when two ships are fully operational next year -- is still in its early phase, and Tanguy said he never gets bored even thousands of miles away from his family. "In the current stage of development, the word 'monotony' does not even exist -- there is always something to do. Of course I miss friends and sport, but I live well," he said. Eyes glued to his computer screen, his neighbour nods in agreement. At 54, Christophe Marx is a veteran of offshore life. He has spent 10 years off Angola or Nigeria working for a French subcontractor and says he has found a balance between his work at sea and his family life in the south of France. "Whenever I have returned to a more normal life, with a weekly work rhythm, I realised that I was missing life at sea," he said, even if a month away at sea does sometimes mean missing family events back home. "The best part (of the four-week on, four-week off way of working) is the month of real holiday, among my family, away from work. The worst is the month during which we are far apart," he said. The ship is an oil tanker converted into a FPSO (floating production, storage and offloading) vessel, which pumps oil from deep under the seabed into its vast holds "You can be sure that it is always when the washing machine or the car breaks down." Aboard the "Kaombo Norte", leisure time is scarce and the maze of corridors and offices quickly becomes claustrophobic. One temptation is to go outside on deck to breathe in some sea air, but the climate is far from refreshing. The equatorial air is heavy and moist, the smell is saturated with fumes and there is a constant din of engines, pumps and machines. - A dangerous workplace - Helmets, goggles, gloves and safety shoes are compulsory in such a dangerous work environment. The ship holds up to two million barrels of highly flammable crude in its hold. Workers do four weeks on the ship and then four weeks off and culinary treats help boost camaraderie "The amount of energy under our feet is huge," said one crew member. "The slightest incident can escalate into a disaster." At 36, Elgar Ferreira, from Angola, is responsible for ensuring safety standards are upheld on a vessel that is like a floating tower of Babel with 23 nationalities on board. "One of the difficulties is that we have different cultures... different ways of seeing things," he said, "I spend a lot of time explaining." The Portuguese chef, Carlos Macedo, plays an essential role in boosting camaraderie among the crew by producing a daily menu of culinary treats. "One captain told me that my job was one of the most important on board," he said. "When he finishes his day, the sailor needs a clean room, a tidy bed and a good dinner. My goal is to satisfy all my customers, without exception". Italian engineer Franca Sabattini is one of a handful of women on board And as for women on board -- there are a handful. "Here everyone is kind and helpful so it's quite easy," said Franca Sabattini, a 38-year-old Italian engineer. "I say to all my colleagues: if you think that offshore is not for women, look at me: I'm here and I'm happy." But the struggle for a settled family life is one issue that worries Tanguy. "It's going to be four years that I am off-shore and then I would like a more sedentary life," he said. "The other day we went round the table in the canteen, almost all were divorced." In the shadows: Special Counsel Robert Mueller, whose Russia collusion investigation increasingly threatens President Donald Trump He hovers over Washington's seething political swamp like The Phantom. No one ever sees Robert Mueller, the special counsel leading the Russia collusion investigation; he never speaks. But he's constantly present, showing his hand through a trickle of court filings, each one stoking speculation through the halls of government, in offices and barrooms, and over dinner tables: What does he have on Donald Trump? Eighteen months into his investigation, Mueller has the US capital spellbound. He threw tantalizing new bait to Russia-gate adepts late Tuesday when he recommended to a court that Trump's former national security advisor Michael Flynn, who had lied to investigators about his own Russia contacts, be let off without any jail time. While Flynn was guilty of a "serious" offense, Mueller said in a court filing, he had fully cooperated with investigators in multiple cases, and submitted to interviews 19 times. What Flynn told them, though, Mueller wasn't saying. It all adds to a mystique about the veteran prosecutor, who is depicted in fan memes as a Star Wars Jedi or a character from Game of Thrones. "Mueller is coming," they warn ominously. Liberals see Mueller as a warrior against injustice, and are whipped up by every court document containing a tidbit that potentially links the president to a crime. Republicans are afraid to even imagine what damage their party faces from the outcome of the probe. Trump, meanwhile, seems more on edge with each new court filing, blasting out tweets calling the probe an "illegal witch hunt." - Invisible star - US President Donald Trump has repeatedly called Robert Mueller's investigation an "illegal witch hunt" It's an extreme makeover for the 74-year-old former Marine, who was a public prosecutor battling the mafia and Russian spies before taking the lead of the Federal Bureau of Investigation just one week in advance of the devastating September 11, 2001 terror attacks. Director of the FBI for 12 years, he was a very public figure, respected but hardly beloved. Now, he is the invisible star of Washington. Yet he is barely known by the people that cheer and fear him. Gaunt and stately, he has only been spotted in public a handful of times this year, reported and heavily forwarded on social media: alone, with no security, crossing a Washington street; dining in a low-key restaurant; getting help at the Georgetown Apple store with his wife of 52 years, Anne Standish. "Even special counsel needs occasional IT support," tweeted communications consultant Meghan Pianta, who snapped a photo of the couple with one of the Apple techies. In July, he was also spied in Washington National Airport waiting for a flight, unwittingly just feet away from Donald Trump Jr., the president's son who is believed to be a target of the investigation. Mueller lives in a gated community in Northern Virginia, and arrives at and leaves work at a non-descript office building in southwest Washington unseen through the parking garage. He doesn't visit the White House to talk with Trump's lawyers; they go to him. Mostly, his two dozen seasoned investigators and prosecutors do the public work, making court appearances and filings, and likewise letting documents speak for them. Few know what Mueller is like in person. Is he the brusque taskmaster who demanded results in the 9/11 investigation barely 24 hours after it took place? Or the quiet, patient but determined chess-player that the Russia collusion investigation's steady march suggests? News-wise, in notoriously leaky Washington, his shop is hermetically sealed, making it an object of both wonder and disbelief. He has a spokesman, Peter Carr, who will explain things that are already public record. For any seeking a hint of what is coming up, the answer is always "We decline to comment." - Threatened by Trump - However, by never defending themselves in public, his operation stays vulnerable to attacks like Trump's, who repeatedly has threatened to shut the investigation down. Mueller, the president said on Twitter on Monday, "is a much different man than people think." "His out of control band of Angry Democrats, don't want the truth, they only want lies." Special Counsel Robert Mueller testifying to Congress in 2013 when he was director of the FBI Despite hours spent speculating every day by an army of TV analysts, no one knows exactly where the investigation stands. That could change on Friday when Mueller's team is expected to divulge more of what they have uncovered in a court filing in the case of Trump's former personal lawyer Michael Cohen, who like Flynn has been cooperating. If he sticks to practice, Mueller still will not give away the whole picture, until he is ready. His fans, though, are showing signs of impatience. To wit, Saturday Night Live closed its show last week demanding results in an abridged chorus of the Mariah Carey holiday rocker: "Mueller, All I want For Christmas is You." A former Spanish colony, phosphate-rich Western Sahara sits on the western edge of the vast eponymous desert, stretching around 1,000 kilometres (620 miles) along the fish-abundant Atlantic coastline The first UN-backed discussions on the disputed Western Sahara region since 2012 open in Geneva Wednesday, but expectations remain low, with the meeting seen as just a first step towards resuming dialogue. Six years after direct talks broke down, Morocco and the Polisario Front, who fought a war over the region until a 1991 ceasefire, will take part in two days of roundtable discussions along with Algeria and Mauritania starting Wednesday afternoon. The talks will be hosted by UN envoy Horst Koehler, who in an October invitation letter insisted it was "time to open a new chapter in the political process". And on the eve of the meeting, UN chief Antonio Guterres called in a statement on all parties "to engage in good faith, without preconditions and in a constructive spirit in the discussions." A former Spanish colony, phosphate-rich Western Sahara sits on the western edge of the vast eponymous desert, stretching around 1,000 kilometres (620 miles) along the fish-abundant Atlantic coastline. When Spain withdrew from the North African territory in 1975, Rabat sent thousands of people across the border and claimed it was an integral part of Morocco. The following year the Polisario Front declared Western Sahara the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR), with support from Algeria and Libya, and demanded a referendum on self-determination to resolve the dispute. Western Sahara But as the stalemate continued, Morocco built razor-wire-topped concentric sand walls in the desert that still ring 80 percent of the territory it controls. A 1991 ceasefire saw the UN deploy a peacekeeping mission which has perpetuated the line of control, but the international community has long intended a referendum be held to decide the territory's status. Rabat currently rejects any vote in which independence is an option, arguing that only granting autonomy is on the table and that this is necessary for regional security. - Living in limbo - Awaiting a settlement, between 100,000 and 200,000 refugees live precariously in camps in western Algeria. The last round of direct talks were launched by the UN in 2007 but collapsed five years later over the territory's status and the proposed referendum. Koehler -- a former president of Germany who has led the diplomatic efforts since 2017 -- will host the foreign ministers of Morocco, Algeria and Mauritania on Wednesday, as well as a Polisario delegation headed by Khatri Addouh, the speaker of the Sahrawi National Council, or parliament. The UN has described the meeting as "a first step towards a renewed negotiations process with the aim of reaching a just, lasting, and mutually acceptable solution" for Western Sahara. Horst Kohler (L), the UN envoy for the disputed territory of Western Sahara, will lead the talks in Geneva But while all sides signalled goodwill ahead of the meeting at the UN's Geneva headquarters, they appeared to be sticking to their positions. While supporting a "durable" political solution marked by a "spirit of compromise", King Mohammed VI said in a recent speech that Morocco will not yield on its "territorial integrity", including control over Western Sahara. And key Polisario official Mhamed Khadad told AFP ahead of the Geneva talks that "everything can be negotiated except the inalienable and imprescriptible right of our people to self-determination." Reflecting its status as the Polisario's main supporter, Algeria likewise speaks of this "inalienable and imprescriptible" right. Diplomats and others with insight into the process have meanwhile played down the prospect of any real breakthrough. A diplomatic source stressed that the roundtable was "not a negotiation" but rather a meeting "that will make it possible to test the real will of the parties, and to determine if they should move forward" or not. And Nour Bakr, with non-profit Independent Diplomat which advises the Polisario Front, told AFP that while it was "positive that these talks are happening ... real progress will be difficult." "Morocco's actions to date have left a clear impression that they are not going to Geneva to negotiate." No caption A powerful 7.5-magnitude earthquake struck near New Caledonia Wednesday, triggering a tsunami alert and emergency evacuations across a swathe of the South Pacific, but there were no reports of serious damage or injuries. Authorities said the quake, followed by at least 20 strong aftershocks, was centred about 170 kilometres (100 miles) southeast of New Caledonia's Loyalty Islands at a depth of just 10 kilometres. Island residents said the initial quake shook the walls of buildings and in places turned the sea foamy. Tsunami waves were recorded moving out from the epicentre, prompting people to flee to high ground. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center initially warned surges of up to three metres (10 feet) could be expected and shallow quakes of that magnitude can be devastating. But the centre later reported waves measured by its monitors around the region only reached about 72 centimetres (2.4 feet) on the island of Tanna, Vanuatu. Civil defence officials in Noumea said tsunami waves hit parts of the Loyalty Islands and the Isle of Pines, but caused no damage. "Reports from the area confirm that the strength of the tsunami has fallen significantly and there is no longer a major risk for the population," said a spokesman for the civil defence department. "There have been no injuries or damage," he said. Almost three hours after the quake, the Hawaii-based Pacific Tsunami Warning Center reported the threat stemming from the initial quake "has now passed". Multiple aftershocks of up to magnitude 6.6 hit the area in the hours following the initial quake, according to the US Geological Survey. The quake triggered emergency warning systems in New Caledonia, where residents received an urgent text message directing them to go to refuges immediately. - Ring of fire - Basile Citre, a municipal official on the Loyalty Island of Mare, said he had been in a meeting at the town hall when he felt a small tremor followed by a bigger shock. "The building shook, but there was no damage," he told AFP. "When the sirens sounded, the population headed for higher ground for safety. For now, nothing serious has happened." A spokesman for the Vanuatu geohazards observatory said the sparsely populated island of Tanna was expected to be most affected but no evacuations had been ordered. "There are no sirens on Tanna but the people on the island are familiar with these situations and they will have taken precautions and gone to higher ground," he told AFP. New Caledonia, with a population of 269,000 people, is a French Pacific territory CCTV footage showed bathers still frolicking in crystalline seas off Noumea, seemingly unaware of the seriousness of the threat on the other coast, just 50 kilometres away. New Caledonia, with a population of 269,000 people, is a French Pacific territory. It sits along the so-called Pacific "Ring of Fire", where tectonic plates collide and many of the world's volcanic eruptions and earthquakes occur. The island's citizens last month rejected independence in a referendum, though the vote revealed lower-then-expected support for remaining part of France. New Caledonia is home to a quarter of the world's known supplies of nickel -- a vital electronics component -- and is a foothold for France in the Pacific, with French troops stationed on the island. burs-arb/dm/kaf/mtp New South Wales Police Commissioner Mick Fuller said detectives had revisited the disappearance of Chris Dawson's wife in 1982 and a "fresh brief" of evidence had led to Dawson's arrest An Australian man whose life was laid bare in a popular crime mystery podcast about the disappearance of his wife nearly 40 years ago was arrested on Wednesday. Ex-first grade rugby league player Chris Dawson, 70, is expected to be charged with the murder of his former wife Lynette, who went missing in Sydney's northern beaches in 1982, authorities said. The body of the mother of two has never been recovered. Dawson denies killing his wife, and says she left home at the time of her disappearance to get some time to herself. The cold case is the subject of popular podcast "The Teacher's Pet", which details a troubled marriage leading up to the disappearance and examines the shortcomings of the police response. The podcast, by journalists from The Australian newspaper, has been heard by some 27 million people worldwide, according to the paper. An inquest in 2003 found that Chris Dawson, a former high school teacher, had started an affair with a 16-year-old student who moved in with him within days of his wife's disappearance. Police have been criticised for not investigating the disappearance properly. New South Wales police commissioner Mick Fuller, who recently apologised for police failings on the case in the 1980s, said detectives had revisited the disappearance three years ago and a "fresh brief" of evidence had led to the arrest. "That information enabled New South Wales Police to get an arrest warrant for a 70-year-old man currently living in Queensland," Fuller told reporters Wednesday. Fuller acknowledged that media reports had contributed to police obtaining additional statements relating to the case. "What is important to me was justice for Lynette Dawson and her family, and today is an important step forward in that," he added. Dawson was due to be extradited from Queensland state to New South Wales, where police said he would be charged with homicide. EU diplomatic chief Federica Mogherini warned that Europe did not want to become a battlefield for global powers once again, like during the Cold War EU diplomatic chief Federica Mogherini on Wednesday urged Russia and the US to save a Cold War arms control treaty after Washington issued a 60-day ultimatum to Moscow. The United States said it would pull out of the 1987 Intermediate Range Nuclear Forces (INF) treaty unless Moscow withdraws a new cruise missile system that has threatened to trigger a new arms race. Mogherini pleaded for the treaty to be saved, warning that Europe did not want to become a battlefield for global powers once again, as it had been during the Cold War. "The INF has guaranteed peace and security in European territory for 30 years now," Mogherini said as she arrived for talks with NATO foreign ministers. "It has to be fully implemented, so I hope that the time that is there to work on preserving the treaty and achieving its full implementation can be used wisely from all sides, and we will definitely try to make our part to make sure this happens." US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Tuesday warned Russia that if it did not dismantle its 9M279 mobile ground-launched missile system, Washington would no longer be bound by the treaty. NATO and the US say the 9M279 -- also known by the designation SSC-8 -- violates the INF treaty, which banned ground-launched missiles with a range of between 500 and 5,500 kilometres. The nuclear-capable Russian missiles are mobile and hard to detect and can hit cities in Europe with little or no warning, according to NATO, dramatically changing the security calculus on the continent. NATO foreign ministers issued a joint statement putting the onus squarely on Russia to save the INF, saying the US had remained "in full compliance". Over the past five years, Washington has raised its concerns over the Russian missiles at least 30 times, Pompeo said, only to be met with denials, obfuscation and spurious counter-claims from Moscow. The 60-day grace period -- granted by the US as a concession to European partners who wanted to give Moscow a last chance -- will expire at a meeting of NATO defence ministers in February. The INF treaty, signed by US president Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, ended a dangerous build-up of nuclear weapons triggered by Moscow's deployment of SS-20 missiles targeting Western European capitals An undated photograph taken in Tibhirine that shows six of the seven Trappist monks kidnapped and killed in 1996 The seven French monks among 19 Catholics murdered in Algeria in the 1990s, and being beatified Saturday, were killed in murky circumstances with damning claims years afterwards casting doubt on the official version. Only the heads of the men, aged between 45 and 82, were ever found after their kidnapping, which came as Algeria was deep in the 1991-2002 civil war between government forces and Islamists that left up to 200,000 people dead. The tragedy inspired the 2010 French film "Des Hommes et des Dieux" ("Of Gods and Men"), which won the Cannes film festival's Grand Prix that year. Here is an overview of the mystery of the murdered monks of Tibhirine. - Kidnapped from a monastery - The Trappist monks lived at the Notre Dame de l'Atlas monastery in Tibhirine, about 80 kilometres (50 miles) southwest of Algiers, outside the town of Medea. On the night of March 26 to 27, 1996, a group of gunmen stormed the monastery and kidnapped the seven Frenchmen. A month later the Armed Islamic Group of Algeria (GIA), one of the main insurgent groups at war with the secular government, claimed responsibility. GIA chief Djamel Zitouni said they could be exchanged for jailed insurgents. But on May 23 the GIA announced it had slit the monks' throats two days earlier, blaming the French government's refusal to negotiate. The Algerian army said it found their heads on May 30 on a road near Medea. The bodies were never seen again. - Questions surface - Photographs of the monks of Tibhirine in the Notre Dame d'Afrique basilica in Algiers in 2006 The Algerian government maintained that the massacre was another Islamist crime. However doubts were raised after allegations that the army itself may have been responsible, either through a blunder or to discredit the Islamists. In July 2002 a former Algerian soldier, Abderrahmane Chouchane, said that Zitouni had also been a military agent while running the GIA. Then in December 2002 an ex-member of the Algerian secret services, Abdelkader Tigha, claimed in the French daily Liberation that the military had ordered the abductions using the services of Zitouni's group. "Annoyed by the obstinate presence of the Trappist monks in a strategic area ... and anxious to secure France's support for its anti-terrorist campaign," the military decided to kidnap them, Tigha alleged from prison. In 2004 Paris prosecutors opened a formal inquiry. French general Francois Buchwalter, the military attache to Algiers in 1996, told the investigation in 2009 that he had learned that the Algerian military killed the men in error. Buchwalter said an Algerian soldier whose brother took part had told him that military helicopters had opened fire on a militant camp, realising afterwards that they had also killed the monks. The general said the monks' heads were removed afterwards to make it look like the work of jihadist rebels. He accused the French authorities of abetting a cover-up. - Skulls exhumed - In 2014, three years after a formal request, Algeria agreed the skulls, buried at the monastery, could be exhumed for examination in the presence of French magistrates and experts. It however blocked the French team from taking the samples back to Paris. In 2015 the investigators released a report that heaped doubts on the official version by concluding the monks were likely killed several weeks before the date claimed by the GIA. The Notre Dame de l'Atlas monastery in Tibhirine photographed in 2006 They said the skulls did not show bullet wounds, which would also undermine the claim of an army error, but without the bodies it was hard to make any conclusions on how the men died. Investigators were finally in 2016 able to take samples from the remains to France. Another report released in 2018 made similar conclusions but added that all the skulls showed signs of a "post-mortem decapitation", feeding suspicions their beheading may have been staged. - Martyrs - In January 2018 the Vatican declared that the monks were martyrs for their faith, along with the 12 other slain clergy, including the bishop of Oran, Pierre Claverie, killed in a bombing in 1996. They had been murdered "in odium fidei", or out of hatred for the faith, it said, opening the way for their beatification -- the first step on the path to Roman Catholic sainthood. Development, employment in 2019 Tunisian budget Approved by parliament, no new taxes (ANSAmed) - TUNIS, DECEMBER 11 - The Tunisian Parliament has approved the 2019 budget, which includes a package of measures that Finance Minister Ridha Chalgoum said contain the government's priorities and aim to maintain financial balance in the country. As previously announced by Prime Minister Youssef Chahed, the budget contains no new taxes and instead focuses on growth and development to generate more jobs and investments, with increased attention on social welfare and the fight against the underground economy and smuggling. The budget includes a tax reduction for businesses of about one-third, a tax exemption on income for four years for new businesses, aid for small and medium-sized businesses, and increased financing for the employment fund and Tunisian startups. The budget was approved late on Monday evening and introduces, starting in 2020, a 1% revenue tax on banks, insurance companies, telephone operators, and companies active in the sector of oil and hydrocarbons. This "exceptional contribution" will go towards funding the country's social welfare benefits. The 2019 budget was drafted in accordance with suggestions from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) based on a growth rate of 3.1%, a price of 75 dollars per barrel of oil, a budget deficit/GDP ratio of 3%, and a debt-to-GDP ratio of 70.9%. The package of measures has six priorities: economic recovery, regional development, employment, increased attention to social welfare, digitalisation, and the fight against fiscal fraud.(ANSAmed). Two Saudi nationals close to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman are being targeted by Turkish prosecutors A Turkish prosecutor has demanded that arrest warrants be issued against two Saudi nationals close to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman over the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, a Turkish source close to the investigation said Wednesday. Khashoggi, 59, was killed shortly after entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on October 2 to obtain paperwork for his upcoming marriage. The chief prosecutor's office in Istanbul filed an application Tuesday to obtain the warrants for Ahmad al-Assiri and Saud al-Qahtani, described in court documents as being "among the planners" of the murder of the Washington Post contributor Khashoggi. Assiri often sat in during Prince Mohammed's closed-door meetings with visiting foreign dignitaries and Qahtani was a key counsellor to the crown prince. Both were sacked after Riyadh admitted Khashoggi was killed in the Saudi consulate. According to Turkey, a 15-member Saudi team was sent to Istanbul to kill Khashoggi. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said the order to kill Khashoggi came from the highest levels of the Saudi government, but has insisted it was not King Salman. Riyadh has since detained 21 people over the murder. Despite speculation that the powerful crown prince ordered the hit, the kingdom has strongly denied he was involved. But two key US Republican senators said a Tuesday briefing by the CIA's director only strengthened their conviction that Prince Mohammed directed the murder. The Istanbul prosecutor in charge of the investigation said in late October that the Saudi former insider turned critic was strangled then his body was cut into pieces. The remains of Khashoggi's body have not been found. There has been speculation in pro-government media that his body was dissolved in acid. A senior Turkish official Wednesday said the prosecutor's move "reflects the view that the Saudi authorities won't take formal action against those individuals". The official, who did not wish to be named, pointed to the fact that the wording of the prosecutor's request suggested that the current list wasn't necessarily exhaustive, appearing to indicate that more arrest warrants could be sought. Amid criticism from Ankara over Saudi Arabia's lack of cooperation with the Turkish investigation, the official said Riyadh could "address those concerns" over its commitment to probing the murder by extraditing all the suspects to Turkey. The Moroccan Royal Palace released this picture on Monday, which it said showed Morocco's King Mohamed VI visiting Gabon's President Ali Bongo at the military hospital in the capital Rabat Gabon's President Ali Bongo is recovering well after being hospitalised in Morocco, his prime minister said after the two met in the capital Rabat. The 59-year-old president, who fell ill on October 24 at an economic forum, arrived in Morocco last week following a month's treatment at a hospital in Saudi Arabia for an illness that has not been officially revealed. "The head of state is doing fairly well, the process of his rehabilitation is evolving very quickly and positively," Prime Minister Emmanuel Issoze Ngondet said in Libreville late Tuesday. Ngondet had previously travelled to Morocco accompanied by senior officials to visit Bongo in hospital. "The head of state is conscious, he recognises who he is speaking to, he can see well, he speaks well, his voice is good," Ngondet told reporters. He said the officials were "reassured" following the meeting. Public television in Gabon late Tuesday broadcast a silent video of the meeting between Bongo, Ngondet, Vice President Pierre-Claver Maganga Moussavou and the head of the constitutional court, Marie-Madeleine Mborantsuo. The footage follows the release on Monday by Morocco's royal palace of a handout picture which it said showed Moroccan King Mohamed VI with Bongo at the hospital. The prime minister's announcement follows more than a month of speculation over the health of the Gabonese president. After a long silence, the Gabonese presidency admitted last month that Bongo was "seriously ill" and had undergone surgery. The lack of official news recalled the secrecy surrounding the death of Bongo's father Omar Bongo in 2009 after decades at the helm. Ali Bongo was narrowly re-elected president in 2016 after beating opposition challenger Jean Ping by a few thousand votes following a poll marred by deadly violence and allegations of fraud. Opposition figure Jean Eyeghe Ndong on Wednesday dismissed Ngondet's assurances, calling for professional medical bulletins on Bongo's health. Doctors are "the most appropriate people" to assess the president's condition, said Ndong, head of the Coalition for the New Republic backing Ping. Egyptian Seif al-Din Mohamed Mostafa is escorted to an extradition hearing in the Cypriot capital Nicosia on May 13, 2016 A man accused of hijacking a plane more than two years ago and diverting it to Cyprus will face trial on a string of charges, Egypt's public prosecutor said Wednesday. Seif al-Din Mohamed Mostafa, who was extradited in August from Cyprus, is accused of forcing a domestic flight from Alexandria to Cairo to divert its route to the Mediterranean island in March 2016. Egypt's public prosecutor announced on Wednesday the case has been referred to the country's criminal court, paving the way for a trial to begin at an unspecified date. Accusations against Mostafa include deliberately disrupting a flight, seizing control of an aircraft through threats and intimidation and promoting the ideas of the now-outlawed Muslim Brotherhood group, the prosecutor said in a statement. Cypriot authorities handed over Mostafa to their Egyptian counterparts after a court ruling allowed his extradition. While held in Cyprus, Mostafa fought his extradition on grounds he would not receive a fair trial in Egypt. The Cypriot supreme court however dismissed his appeal last year against being sent home. His request for asylum was refused as Cypriot authorities deemed him a "perpetrator of serious crimes". The 2016 hijacking took place a few months after the October 2015 downing of a Russian airliner by the Islamic State group, killing all 224 on board, an incident that dealt a severe blow to Egypt's lucrative tourism industry. Donald Trump and Xi Jinping agreed on a trade war truce on the sidelines of a G20 summit in Argentina on Saturday, holding off on new tariffs and giving US and Chinese negotiators three months to reach a deal China vowed Wednesday to move swiftly to strike a trade consensus with the United States -- to the apparent relief of US President Donald Trump after a day of mixed signals that sent global markets into a swoon. "Very strong signals being sent by China once they returned home from their long trip, including stops, from Argentina," Trump tweeted. The Chinese commerce ministry said negotiators will "actively push forward negotiations within 90 days in accordance with a clear timetable and roadmap" -- marking Beijing's first public acknowledgement of the deadline announced by the US at the weekend. The ministry lauded Trump's talks with President Xi Jinping at the weekend as "successful" and said it was "confident" their agreement would be implemented. The ministry vowed to start implementing "specific matters" that were agreed -- saying "the sooner the better" -- but did not provide any details. "Not to sound naive or anything, but I believe President Xi meant every word of what he said at our long and hopefully historic meeting. ALL subjects discussed!" Trump responded on Twitter. Trump and Xi agreed on a trade war truce on the sidelines of a G20 summit in Argentina on Saturday, holding off on new tariffs and giving negotiators three months to reach an agreement. US-China tariffs In Buenos Aires, China pledged to buy more from the United States and the White House said the two sides would negotiate "structural changes" to thorny issues plaguing relations, but few details and no dollar amounts were disclosed. But the verbal detente had appeared broken earlier Wednesday as China's foreign ministry lashed out at criticism from US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. Speaking in Brussels on Tuesday Pompeo said the US could abandon some international agreements to thwart "bad actors" like China, which he accused of cynically exploiting World Trade Organization rules. Pompeo's remarks "go contrary to the spirit of the consensus between our two leaders," foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang told reporters. Noting the applause at the end of Xi-Trump summit, Geng asked: "I don't know why people clapping at that time now mean by saying this type of thing, what are their intentions?" - 'REAL deal' - Adding to the confusion, Trump indicated on Tuesday that the trade talks could go beyond the March 1 deadline. But the US leader kept up the threats as he warned he was ready to make China "pay for the privilege" of selling in the US market if the negotiations fail -- in a shift from 24 hours earlier, when Trump was unreservedly triumphant, saying relations with China had taken a "BIG leap forward." While he said he would "happily sign" a fair deal that addresses US concerns, he also warned: "remember, I am a Tariff Man." The change in tone and the increased confusion over what was achieved at the meeting contributed to a sharp decline in the US stock market, which plunged on Tuesday, driven lower by trade worries and fears for future US economic growth. Chinese shares closed lower on Wednesday amid similar doubts. As part of the truce, Trump agreed to hold off on plans to raise the tariffs on $200 billion in Chinese imports to 25 percent beginning January 1, leaving them at the current 10 percent rate. US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said markets were in a "wait-and-see" mode. "The market is trying to figure out, is there going to be a real deal at the end of 90 days or not," Mnuchin said at a Wall Street Journal event on Tuesday. - IP theft - Beijing pledged to import more US products to narrow its massive trade surplus with the US following the Argentina talks, but has given few details about what was agreed. The White House has said China agreed to purchase a "very substantial" amount of agricultural, energy, industrial and other products to reduce the yawning trade gap. It also would begin buying products from US farmers "immediately". Trump added China would roll back tariffs of 40 percent on cars, though Beijing has yet to confirm the move. The two sides will also negotiate "structural changes" to forced technology transfer, intellectual property protection, cyber intrusions and cyber theft, services and agriculture, according to the White House. IP theft is a core battleground in the trade war. China's state planner announced Tuesday stiffer punishments for serious violators of IP rights, a move that may help ease Washington's discontent. "This is a specific step taken by the Chinese side to strengthen protection of intellectual property and crack down on IP rights violations," Geng said. Michael Flynn's guilty plea was the first secured by the investigation into alleged collusion between Donald Trump's election campaign and Russia President Donald Trump appeared increasingly under threat from the Russia collusion probe Wednesday after a court filing revealed that his former national security advisor Michael Flynn cooperated extensively in multiple high-level investigations over the past year. A sentencing recommendation late Tuesday from Russia probe head Robert Mueller that Flynn spend no time in jail explained that the retired three-star general had given "substantial assistance" to his and other secret, high-level investigations. Underscoring the level of cooperation, the filing in the federal court in Washington spelled out that Flynn had been interviewed a total of 19 times over the past year -- during which his sentencing for one charge of lying to investigators had been postponed four times. "Given the defendant's substantial assistance and other considerations set forth below, a sentence at the low end of the guideline range -- including a sentence that does not impose a term of incarceration -- is appropriate and warranted," Mueller said in a memorandum to the court. That came on the heels of Trump's ex-personal lawyer Michael Cohen admitting in a court filing last week that he had been in contact with a top aide to Russia President Vladimir Putin well into the 2016 presidential campaign over obtaining a green light to develop a 100 story Trump Tower in Moscow. Cohen made clear that, contrary to the president's previous denials, he had informed Trump and members of his family about the project throughout the first half of 2016, even after Trump had secured the Republican presidential nomination. - Mueller building a case - Russia investigation head Special Counsel Robert Mueller (L) and US President Donald Trump Taken together, the two cases added to the evidence that Mueller is building a case that there was frequent and possibly systematic communications between Trump's inner circle and Moscow ahead of the November 2016 presidential election that could bolster charges of perjury or even conspiracy to collude with the Russians. After having condemned Cohen as a liar and saying he deserved a "full and complete" jail sentence, Trump was notably silent early Wednesday about the implications of what Flynn may have told investigators. Flynn was a top-level insider in the 2016 campaign, accompanying Trump to key events and making a keynote speech at the July Republican convention, where he led the audience in a rousing cheer to "lock up" Trump's election rival Hillary Clinton. He then took hold of national security policy in the White House in Trump's first weeks in office, making him a potentially extremely valuable witness. The sentencing memorandum from Mueller, however, gave no hint of what the former head of the Defense Intelligence Agency has said. It said he cooperated on questions regarding Mueller's examination of actions by senior officials of Trump's transition team between the election and the January 20, 2017 inauguration. That could point to Vice President Mike Pence, Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner, or Trump's former deputy chief of staff Rick Dearborn. That was the period in which Flynn repeatedly had secret phone discussions with Russian ambassador Sergei Kislyak that he later lied about, which led to his early expulsion from the White House and then to charges he lied to Mueller's investigators. But in a heavily redacted addendum to Tuesday's memorandum, Mueller indicated that Flynn was helping on two other investigations, at least one not in his hands, that appeared to have deep national security implications. That could be an ominous signal for Trump, Adam Schiff, the senior Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, suggested. "That most of the details are redacted signals he has given far more than we or the President may know," Schiff said in a tweet. However sketchy, the revelations led to new calls in Congress for a law to protect the 18-month-old Mueller investigation. Trump recently installed an acting attorney general, Matthew Whitaker, who has strongly criticized Mueller for supposedly overreaching in his investigation. "We need to protect the Mueller investigation now more than ever. There's a bipartisan bill waiting to do this in the Senate. We need our Republican colleagues to join us and pass it," Democratic Senator Amy Klobuchar wrote Wednesday on Twitter. Retiring IMF economist Maurice Obstfeld, who is predicting slowing US growth in 2019 and a 'sharper' slowdown in 2020 Americans will begin feeling the effects next year of a marked slowing in world economic growth but should be spared a new recession, the chief economist of the International Monetary Fund said in remarks published Sunday. "We have long been predicting somewhat lower (US) growth for 2019 than what we are seeing this year," as the effects of the Trump administration's fiscal and budgetary measures begin to fade, IMF chief economist Maurice Obstfeld said. He was speaking in an interview with the Wall Street Journal and the Financial Times, just days before he is to retire from the world body. The slowdown "is going to be sharper probably in 2020 than in 2019, according to the data we are seeing," Obstfeld said. The IMF has already revised downward its 2019 growth prediction for the US, to 2.5 percent from the 2.8 percent expected for this year. "For the rest of the world there seems to be some air coming out of the balloon," he said, pointing to weaker than expected third-quarter economic results in Asia and Europe. "That will come back and also affect the US." As he has for months, Obstfeld again deplored the trade frictions -- notably between the United States and China, but also between the US and other trading partners, including Europe -- that threaten global growth. But he ruled out the possibility that the world might see another Great Depression, as it did in the 1930s, when "trade absolutely collapsed under the pressure of trade restrictions." "I see the tensions now as being possibly damaging because so much of global investment and production is tied up in trade,' he said, "but not liable to the kind of collapse we saw in the 1930s." Obstfeld will be succeeded at the IMF by Harvard professor Gita Gopinath. In a separate interview with CBS, IMF managing director Christine Lagarde again deplored the trade tensions that have brought steadily increasing tariffs. Asked about the recent anti-government protests in France, she said there was "no doubt" they would have an economic impact. "Those are very sad images," she said of the globally televised pictures of vandalism and violence on the streets of the French capital. "I'm a true Parisian, and to see what's happening in Paris is extremely sad." Migrants are being held by Australia on the islands of Manus in Papua New Guinea and Nauru, pictured One thousand-plus asylum seekers being held by Australia in offshore detention centres are suing Canberra, alleging they have suffered torture and human rights abuses. Migrants being held on the islands of Manus -- in Papua New Guinea -- and Nauru are to launch two class action suits, the latest civil bid to end their detention. "The group members allege that they have been subjected to torture, crimes against humanity and the intentional infliction of harm by the Australian Government," said George Newhouse, a lawyer with legal campaign group the National Justice Project. The roughly 1,200 individuals will be represented by top lawyer Julian Burnside, the project said. Australia's right-leaning government has repeatedly defended its policy of detaining migrants at offshore facilities. Prime Minister Scott Morrison argues allowing the would-be refugees to reach Australia would encourage others to make the trip. But the policy is unpopular among the Australian public and has been pilloried by rights groups and doctors as inhumane. Conditions in the camps are often difficult. The United Nations and a doctors group recently warned of alarming levels of depression on Nauru, with many suicide attempts and children living in despair. Those detained have already launched several legal challenges in a bid to close the camps. Their lawyers will now argue they have suffered arbitrary imprisonment and denied proper medical treatment -- constituting a crime against humanity. The government has vowed to move children off Nauru but has opposed legislation allowing transfers to take place. Chief of Staff to the Vice President Nick Ayers will leave the White House at year's end The White House official widely touted as Donald Trump's favorite to succeed his outgoing chief of staff John Kelly is instead leaving the administration at year's end, he tweeted Sunday. Nick Ayers, the 36-year-old chief of staff to Vice President Mike Pence, tweeted that "I will be departing at the end of the year but will work with the #MAGA team to advance the cause," referring to Trump's campaign. "Thank you @realDonaldTrump, @VP, and my great colleagues for the honor to serve our Nation at The White House." Trump announced Saturday Kelly, 68, would leave the administration -- the latest key personnel move at a time of mounting pressure from the Russia election-meddling probe that comes amid increased focus on preparing for the 2020 elections. To the president's irritation, Ayers reportedly would not commit to signing on through 2020. And according to sources cited by The Washington Post, the youthful but politically savvy senior staffer was "skeptical" over taking the position because of the rocky tenures of Kelly and his predecessor Reince Priebus. When Kelly was picked in July 2017 to replace Priebus, he inherited a White House plagued by political intrigue and internal disorder, and under a cloud because of the allegations of collusion with Russia. Other potentials on Trump's shortlist include Office of Management and Budget Director Mick Mulvaney and Republican congressman Mark Meadows, a leader of the far-right House Freedom Caucus, according to the Post. The impending departure leaves Trump reliant on a reduced group of key advisers even as he prepares to deal in the new year with a Democratic-controlled House of Representatives. The opposition party will have the power to launch investigations, issue subpoenas, and generally make his life more difficult. Moroccans shout slogans during a protest calling for gender equality as they mark International Women's Day in Rabat on March 8, 2015 Women rights defenders have stood up for change across the Middle East and North Africa in 2018 despite a plethora of abuse from governments and armed groups, Amnesty International said Monday. Paying tribute to women activists in a report released on Human Rights Day, Amnesty said they had been "at the centre of compelling stories of hard-won change". Women in Iran, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Morocco and the Palestinian territories had taken part in protest movements "and felt the backlash of authorities' anxieties about those challenging the status quo". Amnesty said 66 women human rights defenders had been detained this year in Iran, 14 in Saudi Arabia and three in Egypt. "From successfully campaigning to lift the driving ban in Saudi Arabia to protesting against Iran's abusive and degrading practice of forced hijab, women across the MENA region have been standing up," said Heba Morayef, the rights group's director for the region. "In the process they often risk arrest and detention." Amnesty singled out "the outrageous arrest of Amal Fathy amongst many other women activists" in Egypt. She had been "arbitrarily imprisoned since May simply for posting a video online speaking about her experience of sexual harassment and criticising the Egyptian government for neglecting survivors". In the Palestinian territories, activist Suha Jbara had described "how she was tortured by her interrogators in the Palestinian security forces over the course of three days in November". She said she had been "beaten, slammed against a wall and threatened with sexual violence, as well as punished for going on hunger strike". Philip Luther, Amnesty's MENA research and advocacy director, gave a positive balance for the gains of women in the region. "Despite the shortfall in international pressure, the hard-won gains of women human rights defenders in this and previous years raise hopes that more change is on the horizon," he said. Khashoggi, a Saudi contributor to the Washington Post, was killed shortly after entering the kingdom's consulate in Istanbul on October 2 Jamal Khashoggi's final words were "I can't breathe," CNN said Sunday, citing a source who has read the transcript of an audio tape of the final moments before the journalist's murder. The source told the US network the transcript made clear the killing was premeditated, and suggests several phone calls were made to give briefings on the progress. CNN said Turkish officials believe those calls were made to top officials in Riyadh. Khashoggi, a Saudi contributor to The Washington Post, was killed shortly after entering the kingdom's consulate in Istanbul on October 2. The transcript of the gruesome recording includes descriptions of Khashoggi struggling against his murderers, CNN said, and references sounds of the dissident journalist's body "being dismembered by a saw." The original transcript was prepared by Turkish intelligence services, and CNN said its source read a translation version and was briefed on the probe into the journalist's death. Saudi Arabia's foreign minister on Sunday meanwhile rejected demands to extradite suspects connected to the murder of Khashoggi as sought by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Erdogan has repeatedly called on Saudi Arabia to hand over suspects in the killing. According to Turkey, a 15-member Saudi team was sent to Istanbul to kill Khashoggi. Saudi Arabia, however, holds that it was a "rogue" operation gone wrong -- a claim undercut by the reported transcript. For his part US President Donald Trump has refrained from blaming Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman, even though the CIA reportedly concluded that he ordered the assassination. The murder has damaged Riyadh's international reputation and Western countries including the United States, France and Canada have placed sanctions on nearly 20 Saudi nationals. EU budget rules should apply to France too - Di Maio Deputy premier says Macron's new measures will raise deficit (ANSAmed) - ROME, DECEMBER 11 - Deputy Premier and Labour and Industry Minister Luigi Di Maio suggested on Tuesday that the European Commission should worry about France's budget plans not just Italy's. He was commenting after French President Emmanuel Macron announced a series of measures to alleviate hardship following the recent wave of violent protests. "According to our calculations, the measures do not comply with the deficit-to-GDP ratio that has been given," 5-Star Movement (M5S) leader Di Maio said after a meeting with business representatives. "So it will have to increase the deficit and a case about France will open up too, if the rules are valid for everyone. "We are not hopeful," he added. The Commission has threatened to open an infringement procedure against Rome over its 2019 budget plan, which sees Italy running a deficit of 2.4% of GDP next year. The Commission will not evaluate whether France has breached the EU's budget rules with its package for 2019 until the spring, a spokesperson said on Tuesday. "We have a well established mechanism to evaluate budget policies," Commission spokesperson Margaritis Schinas said. "Our position on France is well known: the opinion on the French budget was published recently. "The impact of what will come out of the parliamentary process will emerge when we publish our economic forecasts". European Commission sources said Tuesday that the cases of whether the budget plans of France and Italy breach EU rules are different, at least for the moment. "The situation that in France, for now, we have a speech, while in Italy we have a budget draft," the sources said. Di Maio reiterated that the M5S's key election pledge, the 'citizenship wage' basic income for job seekers, will start "at the end of March at the latest". He said the 'quota 100' pension reform to effectively bring down the retirement age will come into force in February or March. (ANSAmed). Grace Millane, 22, was last seen entering an inner-city hotel in Auckland with a man New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern choked back tears Monday while offering a heartfelt apology to the family of murdered British backpacker Grace Millane, as the man accused of killing the young traveller made his first court appearance. Her voice cracking with emotion, Ardern said there was a collective feeling of shame in the South Pacific nation over the fate of Millane, whose body was found Sunday in parkland just outside Auckland. "There is this overwhelming sense of hurt and shame that this has happened in our country, a place that prides itself on our hospitality, on our manaakitanga," she said, using the Maori word for welcoming others. "So on behalf of New Zealand, I want to apologise to Grace's family -- your daughter should have been safe here and she wasn't, and I'm sorry for that." Ardern told reporters at her weekly media conference that New Zealanders were heartbroken for Millane's family and were feeling her death personally. Millane disappeared on December 1, on the eve of her 22nd birthday, and her family's worst fears were confirmed when her body was found on Sunday. The death has shocked New Zealand, which is usually regarded as a safe place to travel and averages less than 50 homicides a year in a population of 4.8 million. A 26-year-old man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, faced Auckland District Court on Monday charged with her murder. Wearing a blue prison-issue boiler suit, he was not required to enter a plea and was remanded in custody until January 23. Millane was on a year-long worldwide holiday after graduating from university and had been in New Zealand for two weeks after travelling around South America for more than a month. It was her first solo overseas trip and her family became alarmed when she failed to maintain her habit of staying in daily contact. Police had previously said she was last seen alive entering an inner-city hotel in Auckland with a man. Her father David flew to New Zealand after she went missing and issued an emotional appeal for information relating to his "fun-loving, outgoing and family-orientated" daughter. Judge Evangelos Thomas opened Monday's brief court proceedings by addressing the family, Radio New Zealand reported. "I do not know what to say to you, your grief must be desperate," he said. "All of us hope justice is fair and swift and ultimately brings you some peace." Ghosn's arrest has sparked some anger in Lebanon Japanese prosecutors Monday formally charged Carlos Ghosn with financial misconduct for under-reporting his salary and also served him a fresh warrant on separate allegations, meaning the tycoon will likely spend Christmas in a cell. It represents a stunning turnaround for the 64-year-old Franco-Lebanese-Brazilian executive, a once-revered colossus of the auto sector who won wide acclaim in Japan for saving car giant Nissan. In a move that sent shockwaves through the business world, the former Nissan chairman was arrested on November 19 on suspicion of under-declaring his income by some five billion yen ($44 million) between 2010 and 2015. Prosecutors on Monday pressed formal charges on Ghosn -- and key aide Greg Kelly -- over this allegation, which both men are said to deny. The pair were also immediately re-arrested over fresh allegations that they conspired to under-declare Ghosn's income by a further four billion yen over the past three years. Under Japanese law, suspects can be re-arrested several times for different allegations, allowing prosecutors to question them for prolonged periods -- a system that has drawn criticism internationally. Monday was the final day prosecutors could hold Ghosn and Kelly, 62, before either charging or re-arresting them, and the fresh arrest gives them up to another 22 days of questioning. In addition to charges against Ghosn and Kelly, prosecutors also indicted Nissan itself, as the company submitted the official documents that under-reported the income. Nissan shares dropped 2.90 percent to 945 yen in Monday trading and the firm voiced "its deepest regret" over the affair. The manufacturer said it would "continue its efforts to strengthen its governance and compliance, including making accurate disclosures of corporate information". The Japanese firms in the three-way alliance with Renault -- Nissan and Mitsubishi Motors -- have both sacked Ghosn as chairman. But amid reports of tension within the tie-up, which outsold all rival groups last year, the three companies last month said they were "fully committed" to the alliance. - 'Combative' frame of mind - The millionaire auto sector star, who attracted some criticism for a perceived lavish lifestyle, is now alone in a spartan cell in a Tokyo detention centre, in a tiny room measuring just three tatami mats -- around five square metres. Carlos Ghosn is set to spend Christmas at this Tokyo detention centre He has reportedly told embassy visitors he is being well treated but has complained of the cold, with Monday's temperature in the Japanese capital hovering around five degrees Celsius. He spends his time reading books and news reports and is said to be unhappy about the rice-based food. But he is in a "combative" frame of mind, according to sources at Renault, the company he still formally leads -- even if the French car giant has appointed an interim chairman. According to local news agency Kyodo, he has admitted signing documents to defer part of his salary until after retirement but said this amount did not need to be declared as it has not yet been definitively fixed. A source close to the investigation has said Ghosn and Kelly allegedly put the system in place after a new law came in obliging the highest-paid members of the firm to declare their salary. Ghosn is suspected of deferring part of his pay to avoid criticism from staff and shareholders that his salary was too generous. Nissan is appealing to a court in Rio de Janeiro to block access by Ghosn's representatives to a luxury apartment on Copacabana Beach. "We are closely watching if he is actually indicted and then found guilty," said Satoru Takada, an analyst at TIW, a Tokyo-based research and consulting firm. "If he is exempted from prosecution or found innocent, it is going to create huge confusion in Nissan's management," Takada told AFP. - 'Lebanese phoenix' - It is unclear if Ghosn will be bailed before a potential trial. In Japan, prosecutors and defendants begin a trial at a district court and can appeal to a high court and the Supreme Court. It may take several years before reaching a final judgement. If found guilty, Ghosn could face a 10-year prison sentence. Ghosn is widely credited for turning around Nissan The affair represents a staggering fall from grace for a figure celebrated for saving Nissan from the brink of bankruptcy and rebuilding it as a money-making subsidiary of Renault. Nissan has begun the process of choosing Ghosn's successor, with the final decision expected on December 17. His arrest has sparked incredulity at Renault, which now owns 43 percent of Nissan and says it has not seen a detailed account of the charges against Ghosn. It has also fuelled anger in Lebanon, with digital billboards around Beirut proclaiming "We are all Carlos Ghosn" under a picture of the magnate. "A Lebanese phoenix will not be scorched by a Japanese sun," Interior Minister Nohad Machnouk has declared. Nissan chief Carlos Ghosn earned an auto industry reputation as a no-nonsense cust cutter able to put a failing company back on its feet Brazilian-born Carlos Ghosn long stood out among the world's auto executives as a hard-nosed workaholic willing to take drastic measures to get struggling companies motoring again. As head of the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi alliance, Ghosn created an industrial behemoth numbering 470,000 employees, selling 10.6 million cars last year from 122 factories around the globe. But the man once dubbed "le cost killer" by the French media has suffered a spectacular fall from grace, with Japanese prosecutors charging him Monday over claims he under-reported his compensation to authorities by millions of dollars in the five years to 2015. They also rearrested him on fresh claims he under-reported his pay in the three following years as well. Since his shock arrest on November 19, Ghosn has been fired from the boards of Nissan and Mitsubishi Motors, following a months-long inquiry prompted by a whistle-blower. He denies the allegations. It is not the first time Ghosn has hit the skids over pay. He was among the highest-earning CEOs in France and one of the best-paid foreign executives in Japan. His total compensation as head of the alliance reached some 13 million euros ($15 million) in 2017, according to the consultancy Proxinvest. Last year he denied a report that the alliance was planning to pay hidden bonuses to its executives by setting up a subsidiary in the Netherlands. A factfile shows the career of ex-Nissan chief Carlos Ghosn The French state, which owns a 15 percent stake in Renault, forced Ghosn to accept a 30 percent pay cut from the 7.25 million euros he took home as Renault CEO last year, calling the amount "excessive". The government had already protested in 2016, joining with 54 percent of voters at Renault's annual meeting in refusing to authorise his pay package. The vote was overruled by Renault's board, but Ghosn later accepted a pay cut after Emmanuel Macron, France's economy minister at the time, threatened to step in with a new compensation law. "Compensation is more scrutinised today than in the past," Ghosn told The Financial Times in June, but added: "You won't have any CEO say, 'I'm overly compensated'." The criminal investigation in Japan has reportedly lifted the lid on Ghosn's globetrotting lifestyle. Sources have said Nissan funds were secretly used to pay for residences for Ghosn in Lebanon and in Rio de Janeiro. - 'Never accept interference' - Ghosn spent the first two decades of his career with the French tyre-maker Michelin. After an early stint in his native Brazil, he was quickly promoted and credited with turning around its North American operations. He was recruited by Renault in 1996 to work alongside then CEO Louis Schweitzer, where he helped restructure the former state-owned carmaker and steer it back to profitability. Carlos Ghosn, chairman of Japanese auto giant Nissan, faces arrest over alleged financial misconduct at the company Three years later, he was sent by Renault to head the newly acquired Nissan group with the challenge of doing the same thing within two years. He managed it within one. The performance made him a hero in Japan, with manga comics devoted to a businessman who claimed to get by on six hours of sleep a night and unapologetically upended the country's consensual norms. "A boss has to have 100 percent freedom to act and 100 percent responsibility for what he does. I have never tolerated any wavering from that principle, I will never accept any interference," he once said. After restoring Renault and Nissan to sound financial footing -- in the process shedding thousands of jobs at each company -- Ghosn shifted gears to the future of automaking, by pressing hard to develop electric cars. More recently he has been focusing on reviving Mitsubishi, which secured a lifeline in 2016 when Nissan bought a 34 percent stake. - Globetrotter - Crossing borders and adapting to different cultures were never a problem for the 64-year-old Ghosn. Born in Brazil on March 9, 1954, to Lebanese parents, he moved aged six to Beirut with his mother and attended a Jesuit high school in the Lebanese capital. Carlos Ghosn, facing charges of alleged irregularities at Nissan, helped turn around France's Renault Later he moved to Paris where he picked up degrees at two of France's most elite colleges. He speaks Arabic, French, English, Portuguese, Spanish and Italian, and has picked up a working knowledge of Japanese during his hard-charging time at Nissan. Yet he also maintained his ties with Lebanon, where he has invested in a winery. And he still enjoys support in his ancestral homeland, at least. Digital billboards appeared around Beirut last week featuring his portrait and the words: "We are all Carlos Ghosn." Investigators from the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office arrested Carlos Ghosn just after his private jet touched down at Haneda Airport on November 19 Carlos Ghosn has gone from heading a powerful auto alliance to occupying a Tokyo cell on allegations of financial misconduct. Here are some key dates since his arrest. - November 19: shock arrest - Investigators from the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office arrest Ghosn just after his private jet touches down at the Haneda Airport. His right-hand man and close aide Greg Kelly is also arrested. Accused of financial misconduct, including under-reporting Ghosn's salary between 2010 and 2015, they are detained for investigation for a period that is extended twice to December 10. They both deny wrongdoing. Nissan's board voted unanimously to "discharge" Carlos Ghosn as chairman on November 22 Prosecutors raid Nissan's headquarters in the city of Yokohama and Ghosn's luxury Tokyo apartment. That evening Nissan chief executive officer Hiroto Saikawa says the company had uncovered years of financial misconduct including under-reporting of income and inappropriate personal use of company assets. "Too much authority was given to one person in terms of governance," he tells reporters, referring to "a dark side of the Ghosn era". - November 20: Renault names interim boss - After an emergency board meeting, French car giant Renault says Thierry Bollore will take over with Ghosn "temporarily incapacitated" following his arrest. Bollore, previously the chief operating officer, is appointed deputy CEO with the "same powers" as Ghosn. Renault launches an internal audit into Ghosn's pay days later. - November 22: fired by Nissan Nissan's board votes unanimously to "discharge" Ghosn as chairman. In Paris, the French and Japanese finance ministers, Bruno Le Maire and Hiroshige Seko, reiterate "strong support" for maintaining the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi alliance. - November 26: fired by Mitsubishi - Mitsubishi Motors executives meeting in Tokyo vote unanimously to oust Ghosn as chairman. - November 29: alliance affirms unity - Automakers Renault, Nissan and Mitsubishi Motors reaffirmed their commitment to their alliance following Ghosn's arrest Automakers Renault, Nissan and Mitsubishi Motors reaffirm their commitment to their alliance in the first meeting of company leaders since Ghosn's arrest. "We remain fully committed to the Alliance," the firms say in a joint statement. Ghosn had been seen as the glue binding together the complex three-way structure which makes up the world's top-selling auto company. - December 10: charges and re-arrest - Ghosn is formally charged on the initial allegations of under-reporting his salary between 2010 and 2015, with prosecutors also re-arresting him on allegations of further under-reporting in the last three years, according to local media. The new allegations restart the clock on his detention, allowing prosecutors possibly to hold him for another 22 days. Chinese telecom giant Huawei's chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou faces US fraud charges related to sanctions-breaking business dealings with Iran A top executive with Chinese telecom giant Huawei argued in court documents released Sunday that she should be released on bail from her Canadian jail while waiting possible extradition to the United States. In a sworn affidavit, Huawei chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou said that she has been treated in a Canadian hospital for hypertension since she was arrested in Vancouver on December 1 for possible extradition. Meng, the daughter of Huawei founder Ren Zhengfei, faces US fraud charges related to alleged sanctions-breaking dealings with Iran. She is being held in custody awaiting a Canadian court's decision on bail on Monday. Her arrest has infuriated Beijing, which demanded Washington drop the extradition request, and has stoked tensions during the trade war truce between China and the United States. In a 55-page affidavit Meng said that she has suffered from severe hypertension for years. "I continue to feel unwell and I am worried about my health deteriorating while I am incarcerated," the document read. Meng said that she has had "numerous health problems" during her life, including surgery for thyroid cancer in 2011. "I wish to remain in Vancouver to contest my extradition and I will contest the allegations at trial in the US if I am ultimately surrendered," she said. Meng said she has ties to Vancouver that go back 15 years. She and her husband own several properties in the city, and she even had a Canadian permanent residency permit that she has since renounced. In a bail hearing that was adjourned on Friday, Canadian Crown prosecutor John Gibb-Carsley asked for bail to be denied, saying Meng has been accused of "conspiracy to defraud multiple financial institutions." He said if convicted, she faces more than 30 years in prison. The extradition process could take months, even years, if appeals are made in the case. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has said politics played no part in the decision to arrest Meng. More than 100 million voters in Bangladesh are registered to cast ballots on December 30 There is no opposition candidate for prime minister, hundreds have been arrested and incumbent premier Sheikh Hasina stands accused of ignoring democratic checks on her power, but Bangladesh began campaigning Monday for a year-end election. More than 100 million people are registered to vote on December 30 for either Hasina's Awami League and its allies, or a beleaguered opposition that says it is being hobbled by police. As the election campaign was launched, with candidates holding processions and distributing leaflets, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), which hopes to deny Hasina a record fourth term, said nearly 2,000 of its supporters had been arrested. Police said those detained since the election was announced in November -- including a number of candidates about to hit the hustings -- had prior warrants for their arrest. Bangladesh's Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is accused of ignoring democratic checks on her power But the opposition said Hasina and her party were following a pre-election "blueprint" designed to stifle her rivals and intimidate their voters. "The government wants to hold a lopsided election. These arrests are just to create fear among the people, so that they don't go to vote," BNP spokesman Rizvi Ahmed told AFP. The sweep has further thinned the ranks of an opposition whose veteran leader, Khaleda Zia, is already behind bars serving 10 years for graft. The 73-year-old's supporters say the charges are politically motivated to keep Hasina's chief rival out of the race. The BNP boycotted the 2014 election over fears it would be rigged, allowing Hasina to be re-elected unchallenged. Thousands were jailed after massive student protests in July That election was condemned by international observers. The opposition opted to contest the ballot this time around, but with just weeks to go before voting day has not named anyone to run against Hasina. Still, it has fielded candidates in all 300 constituencies and is counting on a groundswell of support to overcome other hurdles. "If there are free and fair polls, we will win," Ahmed said. - Uneven playing field - The ruling party is confident of victory, and some independent polls suggest Hasina enjoys broad support. Her administration has presided over record economic growth during its decade in power, and invested considerably in Bangladesh's rickety infrastructure. "We are 100 percent certain that people will vote for us because we worked for the people. We have successfully maintained peace and prosperity," Jahangir Kabir Nanak, a ruling party spokesman, told AFP. But Hasina, 71, has refused to dissolve parliament and allow a caretaker government to take over ahead of the election -- breaking with long-standing democratic norms. Bangladesh has been led by either Zia or Hasina since the 1990s Experts said this removes limitations on government power during the critical campaign phase, undermining the fairness of the poll. "There is no level playing field (in the campaign)," M Sakhawat Hossain, a former election commissioner, told AFP. Critics say Hasina has drifted toward authoritarianism, using strict laws to muzzle dissent and media freedom in the Muslim-majority nation of 160 million. Thousands were jailed after massive student protests in July, including a respected international photographer whose detention and alleged beating drew international opprobrium. On Monday the country's elite Rapid Action Battalion said it arrested the acting editor of a news website "for publishing anti-state, false and fabricated news". Sheikh Riad Muhammad Noor, 40, who also owns little-known 71.com, stands accused of "distorting the history of the country's liberation war", Bina Rani Das, a senior RAB official, told AFP. It came two days after a pro-opposition cyber activist was detained by RAB over charges of spreading false information, she added. The country's telecoms regulator also on Monday blocked 58 websites including several pro-opposition news portals due to "security reasons". Human rights activists have said the social media clampdown would stifle dissent while the arrests and the disappearance of opposition activists have had a chilling effect on the election. As the campaign began, the European Union and several European nations called upon the government and all stakeholders "to ensure a genuine, credible, inclusive and transparent electoral process". "They urge all political parties to meet their democratic responsibilities and to refrain from violence; and law enforcement agencies to strictly adhere to the rule of law," according to a statement. Bangladesh has been led by either Zia or Hasina since the 1990s. Their rivalry dates back 30 years but the pair were briefly allies in the late 1980s, as they joined forces to oust a military dictator from power. In this file photo taken on June 30, 2017 a member of Iraq's counter-terrorism squad flashes a victory sign as others hold upside-down an Islamic State group flag outside Al-Nuri Mosque in Mosul's Old City after IS was ousted from the area Iraq's premier Monday marked a year since his country announced victory against the Islamic State group by pledging to root out corruption and ensure hundreds of thousands of displaced return home. One year since his predecessor announced the win, Prime Minister Adel Abdel Mahdi said Iraq had scored "the biggest victory against the forces of evil and terrorism" when it ousted IS from its territory. "The final victory we hope for is achieving our people's ambitions and hopes... If we do not eliminate corruption, our victory will be lacking," Abdel Mahdi said in comments carried by state television. "The return of refugees and the building of their cities is a goal we will make every effort to achieve," he said. IS swept across a third of Iraq in 2014, including the major northern city of Mosul, which jihadists made the de facto capital of their "caliphate". Over the next three years, Iraqi government troops, paramilitary units, and US-led coalition forces battled to oust IS from the country. They recaptured Mosul in June 2017, then worked to gain control of Iraq's western border with Syria, whose porousness had long been exploited by jihadists. In the early hours of December 9, then-premier Haider al-Abadi announced "victory" over IS. December 10 has been designated an official holiday, and the government called for celebrations across the country on Monday. It also said it would reopen part of Baghdad's high-security Green Zone, where key government offices and western embassies are based, for five hours every evening starting Monday. "Iraqis today are celebrating the anniversary of victory over the ugliest criminal assault that history has seen," President Barham Saleh said in a statement on Twitter. "Our heroes achieved military victory at a high price, giving us the duty to achieve the final victory with a political, social, and cultural win," he said. Abdel Mahdi and Saleh's comments appeared to be nods to the host of issues still plaguing Iraq. Parliamentary elections in May produced no clear ruling coalition, with political divisions styming Abdel Mahdi's efforts to fill key cabinet positions. Much of the country remains in ruins, including large swathes of the north. More than 1.8 million Iraqis are still displaced, many languishing in camps, and 8 million require humanitarian aid, according to the Norwegian Refugee Council. And while IS no longer holds large chunks of territory, it can still wage hit-and-run attacks that chip away at the sense of security many hoped would return. Nobel Peace Prize laureate Yazidi activist Nadia Murad who was taken hostage by the Islamic State group in 2014 but escaped, is the first Iraqi to receive the prestigious award Nadia Murad survived the worst of the cruelties and brutality inflicted on her people, the Yazidis of Iraq, by the Islamic State group before becoming a global champion of their cause and a Nobel Peace Prize laureate. Murad, who was taken hostage by IS in 2014 but escaped, on Monday became the first Iraqi to receive the prestigious award. The 25-year-old was jointly awarded the Nobel with Congolese doctor Denis Mukwege for their "efforts to end the use of sexual violence as a weapon of war". Murad once lived a quiet life in her village in the mountainous Yazidi stronghold of Sinjar in northern Iraq, close to the border with Syria. "As a young girl, I dreamed of finishing high school," she said in her Nobel acceptance speech. "It was my dream to have a beauty parlour in our village and to live near my family in Sinjar. But this dream became a nightmare. Unexpected things happened. Genocide took place." Yazidi activist Nadia Murad won the Nobel Peace Prize alongside Congolese doctor Denis Mukwege for their "efforts to end the use of sexual violence as a weapon of war" The jihadists stormed across swathes of Iraq and Syria in August 2014. IS fighters swept into her village, Kojo, killing the men, taking children captive to train them as fighters and condemning thousands of women to a life of forced labour and sexual slavery. Murad was taken to Mosul, the Iraqi "capital" of the IS's self-declared caliphate, where she was held captive and repeatedly gang-raped, tortured and beaten. IS fighters wanted "to take our honour, but they lost their honour", Murad has previously said. - 'Joyful person' - For the jihadists, with their ultra-strict interpretation of Islam, the Yazidis are seen as heretics. The Kurdish-speaking community follows an ancient religion, revering a single God and the "leader of the angels", represented by a peacock. Like thousands of Yazidis, Murad was sold and forcibly married to a jihadist, beaten and -- in contrast to the official wives of IS leaders -- forced to wear makeup and tight clothes, an experience she later related in front of the United Nations Security Council. "The first thing they did was they forced us to convert to Islam," Murad told AFP in 2016. She set about trying to escape, and managed to flee with the help of a Muslim family from Mosul. Using false identity papers, she crossed the few dozen kilometres (miles) to Iraqi Kurdistan, joining crowds of other displaced Yazidis in camps. Human rights activist Nadia Murad managed to flee from captivity and, using false identity papers, to cross into Iraqi Kurdistan, joining crowds of other displaced Yazidis in camps There, she learnt that six of her brothers and her mother had been killed. With the help of an organisation that assists Yazidis, she was re-united with her sister in Germany, where she lives today. Even there, she says she is still fearful, for herself and other innocent women. "I am a joyful person, I am an outgoing person, I don't want to live in fear," she told reporters at a press conference on Sunday. - 'Our peoples' fight' - The Yazidis numbered around 550,000 in Iraq before 2014, but some 100,000 have since left the country. Many others who fled their hometowns to Iraqi Kurdistan remain reluctant to return to their traditional lands. Murad has dedicated herself to what she calls "our peoples' fight". She and her friend Lamia Haji Bashar jointly received the EU's 2016 Sakharov human rights prize. She has called for help for some 3,000 Yazidis who remain missing, presumed still in captivity, as well as for European countries to take in displaced Yazidis. Hundreds of thousands of Yazidis from Iraq have been displaced She has also campaigned for the acts committed by IS to be recognised internationally as genocide. The Yazidi cause has won a high-profile supporter -- Lebanese-British lawyer and rights activist Amal Clooney, who was at the Nobel ceremony and also penned the foreword to Murad's book, "The Last Girl", published in 2017. That same year, the UN announced it would begin gathering evidence on IS war crimes, crimes against humanity or genocide that would be used to try IS militants in Iraqi courts. The first Iraq field missions are set for 2019. "So far, the perpetrators of the crimes which led to this genocide have not been brought to justice," Murad said in her Nobel speech. "I do not seek more sympathy; I want to translate those feelings into actions on the ground." - Happier times - Murad was in the United States when she heard about her prize, and said she was "scared" initially. "The first thing that came to my mind was my mother, I cried a lot," she said on Sunday. Iraqi Yazidi human rights activist and 2018 Nobel Peace Prize laureat Nadia Murad has dedicated herself to what she calls "our peoples' fight" "It was very difficult. I have received the Nobel Peace Prize from the hardship, the difficulties that all these people have been faced with and from all the hard work that we have been doing." In contrast to all the tragedies that have befallen her, recent pictures on Murad's Twitter feed show happier times. In August, she announced her engagement to fellow Yazidi activist Abid Shamdeen. "The struggle of our people brought us together and we will continue this path together," she wrote. Underneath, a photo showed her next to a young man in a bow tie, her face still framed by her long brown hair, but this time, bearing a broad smile. Her fiance was in Oslo to see her accept the Nobel Peace Prize. In recent months tens of thousands of taxi drivers have held mass rallies in Seoul to condemn the upcoming car-pooling service A South Korean taxi driver burned himself to death on Monday in protest at an Uber-like ride-sharing service being introduced by the country's largest mobile chat app, reports said. South Korean taxi drivers have angrily protested against the car-pooling service created by KakaoTalk, saying it would threaten their jobs and livelihoods. US giant Uber has only a minimal presence in the country, offering only taxi- and licensed-hire vehicle hailing after closing its main ride-sharing service in 2015 in the face of an extensive backlash from drivers. But Kakao is used by more than 80 percent of South Koreans, and in recent months tens of thousands of taxi drivers have held mass rallies in Seoul to condemn its upcoming car-pooling service, which is due to launch next week. The 57-year-old driver, surnamed Choi, set himself alight in front of the national parliament in Seoul after complaining about the carpooling service, according to the police and Yonhap news agency. Choi had told another taxi driver he wanted to set himself on fire "because of the Kakao carpool", Yonhap news agency quoted the man as saying. He poured fuel over himself while sitting in his vehicle and set himself alight, police said. He was taken to hospital but died hours later. Choi was a leader of the union branch at his firm in Seoul. A Honduran migrant climbs the US-Mexico border fence on December 8, 2018 A United Nations conference adopted a migration pact in front of leaders and representatives from over 160 countries in Morocco on Monday, despite a string of withdrawals driven by anti-immigrant populism. The Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration -- finalised at the UN in July after 18 months of talks -- was formally approved with the bang of a gavel in Marrakesh at the start of a two-day conference. But the United States and at least 16 other countries either opted out or expressed concerns, with some claiming the pact infringes national sovereignty. Billed as the first international document on managing migration, it lays out 23 objectives to open up legal migration and discourage illegal border crossings, as the number of people on the move globally has surged to more than 250 million. Describing it as a "roadmap to prevent suffering and chaos", UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres sought to dispel what he called a number of myths around the pact, including claims it will allow the United Nations to impose migration policies on member states. The pact "is not legally binding", he said. "It is a framework for international cooperation." "We must not succumb to fear and false narratives", he told an audience that included German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Panama's President Juan Carlos Varela, Greek premier Alexis Tsipras, Danish Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen and Spain's premier Pedro Sanchez. Global migration Merkel launched an impassioned defence of the pact and multilateralism, saying her country "through Nazism brought incredible pain to humanity". "The answer to pure nationalism was the foundation of the United Nations and the commitment to jointly searching for answers to our common problems," she said. She insisted the pact seeks to prevent, rather than encourage, illegal migration. "This is about safe, orderly and regular migration -- it says (this) clearly in the title." - Draconian measures - On Friday, the US hit out at the pact, labelling it "an effort by the United Nations to advance global governance at the expense of the sovereign right of states". UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres sits next to Louise Arbour, his special representative for migration, during the United Nations conference on migration on December 10, 2018 in the Moroccan city of Marrakesh It was the first country to disavow the negotiations late last year, while Australia, Austria, the Czech Republic, Dominican Republic, Hungary, Latvia, Poland and Slovakia have all pulled out of the process in recent months and weeks, before Chile withdrew overnight. Brazil also announced Monday it would withdraw from the pact from January when far right president-elect Jair Bolsonaro takes office. "Immigration is welcome, but it should not be indiscriminate," future foreign minister Ernesto Araujo tweeted, adding: "It must serve the national interests and cohesion of each society." Rows over the accord have erupted in several European Union nations, hobbling Belgium's coalition government and pushing Slovakia's foreign minister to tender his resignation. From the United States to Europe and beyond, right-wing and populist leaders have taken increasingly draconian measures to shut out migrants in recent years. US President Donald Trump has pledged to build a wall on the US-Mexico border and has focused his recent ire on a migrant caravan from Central America, while a populist coalition government in Italy has clamped down on boats rescuing migrants at sea. Belgium's liberal premier Charles Michel attended the conference after winning the support of parliament to back the accord, but was left leading a minority government after a Flemish nationalist party said it will quit his coalition over the pact. "This model of cooperation is complex, sometimes including steps forwards and sometimes banana skins," Michel told delegates. A picture taken on December 10, 2018 shows silhouettes of migrants, part of an art installation, at the grounds of the International conference on Global Compact for Migration in the Moroccan city of Marrakesh The pact has been welcomed by the Catholic Church as an important step towards addressing migrants' needs and reducing their vulnerability. "The Holy See is convinced that the enormous challenges that migration poses are best faced through multilateral processes rather than isolationist policies," said papal envoy Cardinal Piero Parolin. Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras also welcomed the accord. These countries have worked on their own regional plan to manage migration, which El Salvador's foreign minister Carlos Castaneda told reporters represents a first effort to work within the framework of the global compact. - 'Should be ethically binding' - The UN's children's agency said the pact could help provide better access to education and health for migrant children and offer "them stronger protection from exploitation and violence". Other organisations, including Amnesty International and the International Federation of the Red Cross, see the accord as just a first step towards protecting migrants. "We have heard repeatedly that this compact is not legally binding and does not impact on state sovereignty," said IFRC president Francesco Rocca at a press conference on the sidelines of the main dialogue. The UN migration conference is being held in the Moroccan city of Marrakesh "But if we are serious about fixing this problem, it should at the very least be ethically binding." In comments by a representative, Morocco's King Mohammed VI -- absent from proceedings -- said the pact offers a way forwards that navigates between the two extremes of closing borders and allowing uncontrolled migration. After the Marrakesh conference, the UN General Assembly is set to adopt a resolution formally endorsing the deal on December 19. Dirty HitThe 1975's new album, A Brief Inquiry into Online Relationships, debuts in the top five on this week's Billboard 200. The third studio effort from the English band lands at number four on the chart with a total of 66,000 equivalent album units, 48,000 of which were traditional album sales. A Brief Inquiry is the follow-up to The 1975's elaborately titled 2016 album, I like it when you sleep, for you are so beautiful yet so unaware of it, which debuted at number one on the Billboard 200. The 1975 will launch a U.S. tour in support of A Brief Inquiry April 15 in Phoenix. Copyright 2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. A cardinal holds a beatification ceremony in Algeria for 19 monks, nuns and other Catholics who were killed during Algeria's civil war in the 1990s. Pope Francis addresses an international conference celebrating the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights wherein he highlights the rights of the unborn. It is not a stretch to say that most Americans would think that the second story would merit the most coverage; both appeared in the last few days. They would be wrong. The first story on the beatification ceremony was picked up by the Associated Press, New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Florida Times-Union, Post-Courier, Sunday Telegraph, Washington Post, and the Winston-Salem Journal. All these newspapers ran at least a part of the AP story by Nicole Winfield. Not a single newspaper in the nation picked up the AP story on Pope Francis' address. What's going on? Abortion. That's what. Some may say that there is no news here: everyone knows the Catholic Church opposes abortion. But for the pope to give the rights of the unborn the prominence he did while celebrating an historic eventon a subject where there are dozens of other human rights that could have been mentionedthis is at least as worthy of note as the Algerian story. Moreover, in its release on the pope's address, the Vatican News listed 18 human rights that the Holy Father has spoken about in recent years. It listed at the top, "The right to life, particularly of the unborn and the elderly." It also cited, in its introductory commentary, the pope's critical remarks on ideological colonization (or gender ideology), i.e., the belief that male and female are interchangeable, not rooted in nature. On economic issues, Pope Francis typically holds to a more liberal interpretation, but on moral issues he skews toward a more conservative position. This explains why the media give him plenty of coverage when he speaks on the former and is so dismissive when he speaks on the latter. Media politics are very much at work. BEIRUT - A delegation of Houthi rebels participating with a rival pro-Yemeni government delegation in UN-mediated talks in Sweden said it wants "an accord in principle" before discussing a second round of negotiations. "We want to come away from these meetings with a draft accord in principle; without that it will have been a failure," said Houthi delegation chief Muhammad Abdessalam, cited by pro-Houthi TV al-Masirah. "We need to build trust between us and them," he said, adding that he hopes to find an agreement on opening the Sanaa international airport. Sanaa, the capital city, is currently under Houthi control but is blocked from air communications by the Saudi-led Arab coalition. Abdessalam also referred to the accord for the exchange of prisoners, the details of which are still to be determined. Chinese telecom giant Huawei's chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou faces US fraud charges related to sanctions-breaking business dealings with Iran China on Monday ratcheted up its protest over the arrest of an executive of telecom giant Huawei on a US warrant in Canada, calling reports of her treatment "inhumane" as she seeks her release on bail for health reasons. China's latest tirade over the case came as Meng Wanzhou, the daughter of the company's founder, faces a Canadian court's decision on bail later Monday in Vancouver. Meng's arrest on December 1 has infuriated Beijing, rocking stock markets and raising tensions amid a truce in the US-China trade war. A Chinese vice foreign minister summoned the US and Canadian ambassadors at the weekend, demanding that the US withdraw its arrest warrant and warning Canada that it faces "grave consequences". Meng, 46, faces US fraud charges related to alleged sanctions-breaking dealings with Iran. In a 55-page sworn affidavit, Meng said she has suffered from severe hypertension for years and has been treated in a Canadian hospital since her arrest. "I continue to feel unwell and I am worried about my health deteriorating while I am incarcerated," the document read. Meng said that she has had "numerous health problems" during her life, including surgery for thyroid cancer in 2011. "I wish to remain in Vancouver to contest my extradition and I will contest the allegations at trial in the US if I am ultimately surrendered," she said. China's state-run Global Times newspaper reported, without citing sources, that "it seems that the Canadian detention facility is not offering her the necessary health care". "We believe this is inhumane and violates her human rights," foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang said at a regular press briefing, citing such reports. Lu also said the Canadian government did not immediately notify the Chinese embassy or consulate about Meng's arrest, as it should have under a consular agreement. China has itself faced global criticism over its human rights record and treatment of detained activists and minorities. Last year, dissident Nobel Peace Prize laureate Liu Xiaobo died of liver cancer while in custody after China rejected international appeals to let him travel abroad for treatment. The international community has voiced concern about reports that up to one million Uighurs and other mostly Muslim minorities are held in internment camps in the northwest region of Xinjiang. - Flight risk? - In a bail hearing that was adjourned on Friday, Canadian Crown prosecutor John Gibb-Carsley asked for bail to be denied, saying Meng has been accused of "conspiracy to defraud multiple financial institutions". If convicted, she faces more than 30 years in prison. The extradition process could take months, even years, if appeals are made in the case. Meng said she has ties to Vancouver that go back 15 years. She and her husband own several properties in the city, and she even had a Canadian permanent residency permit that she has since renounced. Analysts say her arrest could be used as a bargaining chip in trade negotiations between the United States and China. Meng was arrested the same day that presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping agreed to a 90-day trade war truce. - National security threat? - But US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer rejected suggestions that the case could affect the negotiations, as the two sides face a March 1 deadline to reach an agreement. Meng's arrest "shouldn't really have much of an impact" on the talks, Lighthizer told CBS's "Face the Nation", although he conceded that the Chinese side might see it that way. "For us, it's unrelated" to trade policy matters. "It's criminal justice." Separately, White House economic advisor Larry Kudlow denied reports that Trump was "livid" that the arrest of Meng occurred while the US leader dined with Xi. "He didn't know," Kudlow told "Fox News Sunday." "He learned way later." Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has said politics played no part in the decision to arrest Meng. While the White House denies any connection between the trade talks and the arrest, US concerns about security linked to the ambitions of Chinese high-tech companies and the alleged theft of intellectual property are at the heart of the trade dispute. Huawei has denied any ties to the Chinese government, but many in Washington and other Western capitals are sceptical and have raised security concerns. US federal law already bans military and government use of devices made by Huawei and fellow Chinese firm ZTE. Influential Republican Senator Marco Rubio told "Face the Nation" that he plans to reintroduce legislation that would ban companies like Huawei from doing business in the US because they "pose a threat to our national interests." Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary, pictured at the official launch of his election campaign last month The EU on Monday extended sanctions against DR Congo President Joseph Kabila's designated successor and 13 others for human rights violations, two weeks ahead of landmark elections. After two years of delays, mineral-rich but unstable Congo is set to hold presidential, legislative and municipal elections on December 23, with Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary enjoying the backing of Kabila, who has ruled since 2001. But Shadary will contest the poll under EU sanction, after the bloc extended the travel ban and asset freeze imposed on him over his role as interior minister in a crackdown on opposition activists. The bloc rejected a call by Shadary in October to lift the sanctions, which he called "humiliating, degrading and disproportionate". Foreign ministers from the 28 EU states meeting in Brussels approved the extension of sanctions against Shadary and 13 other officials over "the obstruction of the electoral process and the related human rights violations". In a statement, the Council of the EU reiterated "the importance of holding credible and inclusive elections in line with the aspiration of the Congolese people to elect their representatives". The vote is crucial for a deeply troubled country which has never known a peaceful transition of power since independence from Belgium in 1960. Eastern Congo is ravaged by decades-long ethnic bloodshed and militia violence, as well as a deadly Ebola outbreak, testing a large UN peacekeeping mission deployed in the country. The 47-year-old Kabila's final term of office ended nearly two years ago but he has stayed in power thanks to a caretaker clause in the constitution. A members of Iraq's Rapid Response military unit poses for a picture in front of a mural during a ceremony at a military base inside Baghdad's International Airport, marking the first anniversary of the country's victory over the Islamic State group Iraq's premier on Monday marked a year since his country declared victory against the Islamic State group by pledging to fight corruption next, even as he faces a political crisis within his government. A year ago, his predecessor announced the conclusion of a three-year battle to oust IS, putting an end to the so-called jihadist "caliphate" straddling Syria and Iraq after they seized swathes of Iraq. It was "the biggest victory against the forces of evil and terrorism", Prime Minister Adel Abdel Mahdi said Monday at a ceremony at the defence ministry. He said Iraq could now turn to a host of other challenges, including hundreds of thousands of people still displaced, widespread unemployment and rampant corruption. But he did not mention the current stalemate over the cabinet, where political infighting has left eight of the 22 ministries unmanned. "The final victory we hope for is achieving our people's ambitions and hopes," he said. In this file photo taken on June 30, 2017 a member of Iraq's counter-terrorism squad flashes a victory sign as others hold upside-down an Islamic State group flag outside Al-Nuri Mosque in Mosul's Old City after IS was ousted from the area "Corruption was and remains one of the many faces of ruin and terrorism. If we do not eliminate corruption, our victory will be lacking." In a congratulatory note on Twitter, President Barham Saleh said Monday marked "the anniversary of victory over the ugliest criminal assault that history has seen," but that it must be followed by parallel political progress. - Green Zone reopens - IS, which traces its roots to Al-Qaeda in Iraq, sent shockwaves across the world when it swept across a third of Iraq in 2014. It swiftly took over Mosul, making the northern city the de facto capital of its "caliphate". For three years, Iraqi troops, the Hashed al-Shaabi paramilitary units, and US-led coalition forces waged a brutal fight to oust the jihadists, finally recapturing Mosul in June 2017. On December 9, then-premier Haider al-Abadi announced "victory" over IS, and the following day was declared a national holiday. To mark the one-year anniversary on Monday, checkpoints and military vehicles across the capital Baghdad were decorated with balloons and elite troops put on a military exercise. Abu Mehdi al-Muhandis, Hashed's deputy leader, issued an online statement hailing the force and also thanking Iran and its Lebanese ally Hezbollah for backing the units. Unlike the spontaneous street parties marking victory last year, there were few public celebrations during the day Monday. But as the sun set, cars amassed at two entrances to the high-security Green Zone, home to government buildings and Western embassies. Starting Monday, the government will reopen a main thoroughfare running through the area for five hours every evening. "Today we are celebrating two occasions: the victory, and the Green Zone opening," said Hussein al-Sharfi, 30, seated in a car decorated with balloons and Iraqi flags beside the zone's northern gate. Just after 5:00 pm local time, security forces pulled back the yellow-painted metal barricades and dozens of cars entered the zone as a convoy of motorcycles streamed out, having crossed from the other side. "This is the first time I see this much traffic in 15 years," said Jabbar al-Shuwaili, a parliamentary advisor who lives in the Green Zone. "I hope my daughter's future will be open as the Green Zone," he said, watching the passing cars with his daughter Rand, aged nine. - New start? - In this file photo taken on December 10, 2017, an Iraqi man waves his national flag in Baghdad's Tahrir Square during a gathering celebrating the end of the three-year war against the Islamic State group But beyond the celebrations, Iraq remains mired in crisis. Parliamentary elections in May produced no clear ruling coalition, with political divisions paralysing Abdel Mahdi's efforts to fill key ministries. "Abdel Mahdi has found himself hostage to the very vested interests and political forces that Iraqis hoped his government would stand up to," said Fanar Haddad, an Iraq expert at the National University of Singapore's Middle East Institute. Abdel Mahdi's pledge to stamp out corruption is identical to the one made by Abadi when he announced the win against IS last year. The former premier was unable to tackle embezzlement of public funds in Iraq, which is the 12th most corrupt country in the world according to Transparency International. The challenges extend beyond the political. Much of the country remains in ruins, including large swathes of the north, as authorities struggle to gather funds to rebuild. More than 1.8 million Iraqis are still displaced, many languishing in camps, and 8 million require humanitarian aid, according to the Norwegian Refugee Council. Observers also fear an outbreak of violence either between rival political forces once united against IS, or between authorities and a protest movement angered by lack of services and jobs. And while IS no longer holds large chunks of territory, it can still wage hit-and-run attacks that chip away at the sense of security many hoped would return. Demand for meth is surging in the region at a time when authorities are attempting to crack down on the trade An Iranian man has been arrested after using travel freebies to lure an unsuspecting Japanese tourist into smuggling a bag of clothes laced with crystal meth, Thai police said Monday. The tourist, whose name has not been disclosed, found the deal on a travel website that offered free getaways to Thailand, Shanghai and Frankfurt, complete with thousands in spending money. But after arriving in Thailand last week, he was handed "suspicious" luggage for his next trip to Shanghai, Itthipol Itthisarnronnachai, deputy chief of Thailand's immigration department, told reporters. "Inside the bag, he found clothes that felt more solid than usual. He then contacted the Japanese embassy," Itthipol said. Police said the clothes had been coated with crystal methamphetamine -- known as ice. Four bags of the drug were also found, adding up to 2.2 kilogrammes (4.9 pounds) in total. Thailand gets 35 million tourists a year and some fall prey to low-level scams or robbery, but few are swept up in transnational drug-running. "It's a never-seen-before method, luring tourists to traffick drugs out of the country," Itthipol added. Demand for meth is surging in the region at a time when authorities are attempting to crack down on the lucrative business. Police said the Iranian national was arrested when he went to retrieve the luggage after the Japanese man pretended to be sick and said he wanted to cancel the trip. They found 10 kilogrammes of ice and ice-coated clothing in the suspect's apartment. "We will pursue this case and investigate networks in Thailand and Japan to take down this scam," Itthipol said. Demand for methamphetamine has surged in Myanmar while the cultivation of opium, used to make heroin, has declined Myanmar has seized 370 kilogrammes (815 pounds) of heroin worth $4.7 million during a raid in the northeast, police said, the latest big bust in the world's second-largest opium producer after Afghanistan. Weak rule of law and conflict-riddled border areas allow industrial-size trade in heroin, pills and crystal methamphetamine -- known as ice -- to flourish, even as massive drug seizures routinely grab headlines. The most recent narcotics batch was discovered in a truck outside a monastery near the Shan state capital Taunggyi on Saturday night, police said in a statement Sunday. Two men were arrested after officers found them with "62 bags containing 170kg of white heroin and 200kg of brown heroin", it said, referring to colours indicating levels of purity. The bust was worth a little more than 7 billion kyat, or nearly $4.7 million. Authorities in the area could not be reached for additional comment. Though still vast, the cultivation of opium -- the base ingredient for heroin -- has declined in Myanmar as demand for methamphetamine surges. In 2017, 41,000 hectares (101,300 acres) of land were being used to grow poppies compared to 55,000 hectares in 2015, according to estimates by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). In the 1970s and 1980s, Myanmar was the leader in global opium production in the "Golden Triangle" -- a region spanning borders of Myanmar, Thailand and Laos -- before Afghan farmers started to dominate the market. Many of the country's drug gangs have in recent years switched to meth, feeding the growing popularity across the Asia-Pacific for crystallised "ice" and the lower-grade caffeine-laced "yaba" pills. Precursor chemicals to make meth are flooding into the country from India and China, fuelling the multi-billion-dollar trade that has skyrocketed to what the UNODC calls "alarming" levels. Hodeida has been at the heart of a government offensive to drive the rebels out since June The United Nations has submitted proposals for de-escalation in the flashpoint Yemeni port city of Hodeida as well as the country's third city of Taiz to warring parties at UN-sponsored talks in Sweden. The Yemeni government, which is backed by Saudi Arabia and its military allies, has been battling the Iran-backed Huthi rebels for control of Yemen for nearly four years, spawning what the UN calls the world's worst humanitarian crisis. The government and Huthi teams are in Sweden for talks expected to continue until the end of this week, the first since more than three months of negotiations collapsed in 2016. Under discussion on Monday were the fate of the Hodeida, vital to aid and food imports, and Taiz, the scene of some of the most intense battles in Yemen. Other issues on the table include humanitarian corridors, the reopening of the defunct international airport in the capital Sanaa and a massive prisoner swap. The talks mark the first of what UN special envoy Martin Griffiths said he hoped would be multiple rounds, with plans to hold more negotiations in early 2019. - 'Lift threat of war' - Delegates on both sides on Monday said the prisoner swap had been largely finalised. Implementation will be overseen by the International Committee of the Red Cross. UN envoy Martin Griffiths said he was hopedul that deals coul d be reached to reduce fighting in the Yemeni cities of Hodeida and Taiz UN envoy Griffiths said he hoped the swap "will be very very considerable in terms of the numbers that we hope to get released within a few weeks". The fight for Taiz and Hodeida, however, shows no sign of waning. "These are two major population zones in Yemen caught in war," Griffiths told reporters on Monday. "I'm hopeful that we can reach agreements on the de-escalation to reduce the fighting in both places... We're not there yet." Initial drafts of the proposals on Hodeida and Taiz, seen by AFP Monday, called for a mutual ceasefire. The Hodeida draft stipulated that the Saudi-led military coalition fighting the Huthis would cease an offensive on the rebel-held city in exchange for a Huthi withdrawal. The area would then be put under the control of a joint committee and supervised by the United Nations. The document did not propose the deployment of UN peacekeeping troops. Griffiths said the UN was working on a "simpler draft" which was still under discussion. In a rare gesture, Salim al-Moughaless, a Huthi negotiator, and Ahmed Ghaleb, a government official, shook hands for the cameras Monday, following a request by photographers. - Military operations ongoing - The Saudi-led coalition said military operations were ongoing in Hodeida, as the Sweden talks marked their fifth day. Huthi representative Salim al-Moughaless (R) and Yemeni economist and government representative Ahmed Ghaleb shook hands "The rebels have fortified their defence lines inside Hodeida city," said coalition spokesman Turki al-Maliki. "We are working to create safe humanitarian corridors from Hodeida to Sanaa." The UN has regularly urged the coalition to suspend operations in the densely-populated city, home to 600,000 people and a traditional conduit for 90 percent of food imports to Yemen. The Huthis seized the Red Sea city in 2014. The government launched an offensive in June to drive out the rebels. Aid groups have warned the destruction of Hodeida would worsen the humanitarian crisis in Yemen, where the UN estimates 14 million people face starvation. Yemen emergency The initial UN draft proposals for the southwestern city of Taiz, under the control of pro-government forces but besieged by the rebels, called for an unconditional ceasefire, a joint working group that includes the UN to monitor it, and the reopening of all roads and Taiz airport for humanitarian operations. The World Health Organization says nearly 10,000 people have been killed in Yemen since 2015, when Saudi Arabia and its allies joined President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi's fight against the Huthis. Other rights groups say the toll could be as high as 50,000. faw-mou-ny-ach/pma The famous white marble monument is turning yellow as pollution levels rise in the northern city of Agra Authorities have hiked fivefold ticket prices for Indian visitors to the Taj Mahal, in the latest attempt to lower tourist numbers and reduce damage at the country's top tourist site. Indians make up the majority of the Taj Mahal's 10,000-15,000 average daily visitors. Nearly 6.5 million people marvelled at the white marble 17th-century masterpiece in 2016. An all-inclusive ticket for Indian citizens including entry into the Taj Mahal, built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan as a tomb for his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal, was raised from 50 rupees ($0.70) to 250 rupees. International tourists will pay roughly $19 to enter the UNESCO World Heritage complex in northern India, up from $16. "We want people to pay more to limit the footfall," an official from the Archaeological Survey of India, the government body responsible for upkeep, told AFP. "This will cut down the number of visitors to the mausoleum by at least 15-20 percent and generate revenue for its conservation," the official said. The latest move comes only months after Indian authorities restricted the number of tourists to 40,000 per day. Previously up to 70,000 people would throng the site at weekends. Experts say the huge flow of people is causing irreversible damage to the marble floor, walls and foundations. Officials have also struggled to stop the white marble from turning yellow as pollution levels rise in the northern city of Agra. Further damage is being caused by excrement by insects from the noxious adjacent Yamuna river, one of India's most polluted waterways. In July, India's Supreme Court threatened to either shut or tear down the monument over the failure of the authorities to protect it from degradation. The court asked the Indian authorities to consult international experts to speed up the conservation efforts. Christians in China are split between unofficial "house" or "underground" churches like the Early Rain Covenant Church, and state-sanctioned churches Dozens of members of a prominent unofficial Protestant church and their pastor have gone missing in southwest China after authorities raided their homes, churchgoers said Monday, amid increasing restrictions on religious worship. The police sweep occurred Sunday night, according to a statement from the Early Rain Covenant Church, which is based in Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan province. Several church leaders, including pastor Wang Yi, were detained, several parishioners told AFP on condition of anonymity. At least 80 people are missing, they said, but it was unclear how many are detained or unaccounted for. "Most church members were taken from their homes, and some were grabbed off the street," one churchgoer told AFP, requesting anonymity. "Some were found via their smartphone's location and were taken away." "The police had the whole neighbourhood under control, as well as the surrounding area," he continued. "They didn't let anyone get close." Sichuan police declined to comment. Chengdu police did not immediately respond to AFP's request for comment. China's officially atheist government is wary of any organised movements outside its own control, including religious ones. Christians in the country are split between unofficial "house" or "underground" churches like the Early Rain Covenant Church, and state-sanctioned churches where Communist Party songs also feature in the order of service. Catholics are similarly divided between unofficial churches led by bishops recognised by the Vatican and those who follow official prelates. - 'Massive overnight attack' - This year, underground churches, especially larger establishments like the Early Rain Covenant, which has at least 500 church members, have faced increasing pressure. In September, Beijing officials shut down Zion Church, one of China's largest unofficial Protestant churches, for operating without a licence -- before ordering it to pay back 1.2 million yuan ($170,000) in rent and removal costs. In November, a bishop in eastern China belonging to the Vatican-aligned unofficial church went missing, despite a historic accord on the appointment of bishops reached in September between Beijing and the Holy See, which broke off diplomatic ties in 1951. According to ChinaAid, a Christian human rights NGO, Early Rain Covenant Church has been repeatedly harassed by police and community officials this year. "The massive overnight attack against members of independent renown(ed) Early Rain Covenant House Church represents a major escalation of religious persecution in China," wrote Bob Fu, founder of ChinaAid and friend of pastor Wang, on Twitter. The Chengdu-based church has chosen not to register officially with the government because they want freedom of religion, another church member told AFP. "Early on, we were prepared for this," he said, referring to suppression from authorities. The churchgoer added: "Following the touch of the Holy Spirit, and relying on faith and guidance from the Bible, we will move forward, one step at a time." "If there is a war to be waged, it is the war against the indifference which is eating away at our societies," Mukwege said in his acceptance speech at Monday's ceremony in Oslo In the Democratic Republic of Congo, they call him "Doctor Miracle" for his surgical skill and dedication in helping women overcome the injuries and trauma of sexual abuse and rape. Denis Mukwege is a crusading gynaecologist who has spent more than two decades treating appalling injuries inflicted on women in the DRC. He has also emerged as an excoriating critic of President Joseph Kabila, set to be replaced in pivotal elections on December 23. A father of five, the tireless 63-year-old is an outspoken critic of the abuse of women in war and impunity for perpetrators. He has repeatedly accused the world of failing to act. "When one does not fight against an evil, it is like a cancer, it spreads and destroys the whole society," he told AFP in a weekend interview. The 2018 Nobel Peace laureate, who shares the prize with Yazidi activist Nadia Murad, has dedicated his award to all victims of sexual violence. "If there is a war to be waged, it is the war against the indifference which is eating away at our societies," he said in his acceptance speech at Monday's ceremony in Oslo. Mukwege's Panzi hospital has treated tens of thousands of victims of sexual violence in his war-weary native province of South Kivu, part of an eastern region riven by a conflict involving government forces and countless rebel groups. His work was the subject of an acclaimed 2015 film titled "The Man Who Mends Women". Denis Mukwege travelled to Iraq this year to help Yazidi victims of jihadists, like fellow Nobel winner Nadia Murad "Denis Mukwege is the foremost, most unifying symbol, both nationally and internationally, of the struggle to end sexual violence in war and armed conflicts," Nobel committee chairwoman Berit Reiss-Andersen said when the award was announced in October. Mukwege resists talking of his work in terms of statistics, because "each woman raped is one woman too many," and he fears people have become desensitised to the swelling toll. But he said his hospital alone has treated more than 50,000 women and girls for injuries from sexual violence, while stressing that this is "just the tip of the iceberg". - 'Atrocities on women's bodies' - In his French autobiography titled "Plaidoyer pour la Vie" (Plea for Life), Mukwege relates the "depths of horror" he encountered in South Kivu. Mukwege recounted how rapists had inserted a gun into a woman's vagina and fired. Mukwege said his hospital alone has treated more than 50,000 women and girls for injuries from sexual violence, adding that this is 'just the tip of the iceberg' "Her whole pelvis was destroyed. I thought it was the work of a madman, but the same year I treated 45 similar cases," he said of the incident in 1999 -- the year he set up Panzi hospital in the provincial capital Bukavu. "I have witnessed mass atrocities committed against women's bodies and I cannot remain with my arms folded because our common humanity calls on us to care for each other." The 450-bed Panzi hospital treats more than 3,500 women a year, though not all for sexual abuse. It provides free consultations and performs reconstructive surgery on women who have suffered serious internal injuries. Mukwege's work has also put his own life on the line. He narrowly escaped an attack in October 2012 in which his guard was killed. He now lives under the permanent protection of UN peacekeepers at his hospital. - Tireless campaigner - Aid agencies have accused all sides in the conflicts that have ravaged the eastern regions of North Kivu and South Kivu of using "systematic rape" against women as a weapon of war. Mukwege told AFP such attacks have increased since 2016 and more and more victims are children. Up to seven percent of rape victims at his hospital are now infants -- up from around three percent. "When you see an innocent little baby, but bloody, with her genitals shredded, you ask yourself questions about humanity. "How could we get to this point? What happens to humans who have no rules? It has no limit." As well as his tireless medical work, Mukwege has fronted a worldwide campaign against trade in conflict diamonds and minerals. "The products of this looting, well we all have them in our pockets," he told reporters at a press conference on Sunday. "We all have a responsibility here." He expressed concern that this month's elections could spark further violence. DR Congo has not known a peaceful transition of power since gaining independence from Belgium in 1960. After Mukwege's Nobel award was announced, DR Congo authorities congratulated him for his "very important work", but accused him of mixing humanitarian work and politics. - Many awards - Born on March 1, 1955, in Bukavu, the third of nine children, Mukwege was inspired to become a doctor by his father, a pastor who used to visit the sick. Mukwege lives at the hospital under permanent protection of UN peacekeepers After studying medicine in neighbouring Burundi, he returned to work at Lemera hospital, south of Bukavu, before pursuing specialist training in gynaecology in France. Levi Luhiriri, who works as a doctor at the hospital, said Mukwege was fair but tough and strived for internationally recognised standards. He has been honoured by the United Nations and has received many other international awards, including the Olof Palme Prize in January 2009 and the Sakharov Prize in 2014. In September 2016, he also won the Seoul Peace Prize. Like with his other awards, Mukwege said his share of the Nobel Peace Prize money -- around half a million dollars -- will go to his Panzi Foundation. A general view shows the Zawiya oil installation on August 22, 2013 in Zawiya, Libya An armed group has seized one of Libya's largest oilfields in the country's southwest, the state-owned National Oil Corporation said Monday. The seizure of Sharara oilfield prompted the company to declare "force majeure" on exports from the site. "National Oil Corporation (NOC) hereby declares a state of force majeure at the Akakus-operated Sharara oil field as of Sunday," the company said in an online statement. Akakus is a joint venture between NOC, Spain's Repsol energy company, France's Total, Austria's OMV and Norway's Statoil. It produces some 315,000 barrels per day, out of Libya's current output of one million bpd. The field's shutdown risks production at neighbouring oil facilities including al-Feel oilfield, which relies on Sharara for electricity, and al-Zawiya refinery, dependent on Sharara for crude oil to produce fuel for local consumption. The combined impact of the shutdown costs Libya's economy $32.5 million (28.5 million euros) daily, NOC said. Force majeure, invoked in exceptional circumstances, exempts the company from liability in case of non-compliance with oil delivery contracts. NOC, which is reviewing procedures to evacuate employees, urged local authorities to "act in the national interest and return security to the site". It called on the armed group to leave the oilfield "immediately without pre-condition", ruling out negotiations with the militia. "The presence of this group is a real threat to the field and to the future of our country," said NOC chairman Moustafa Sanalla. "I want to be clear, this militia has to leave the field immediately." Oil facilities in Libya are regularly targeted by rival armed groups, local militias or tribes vying for power or pushing for their social demands to be met. An online video showed southern Libyans saying they are blocking the field to protest against marginalisation as well as shortages of electricity, gasoline and money. Previous blockades at oil facilities over similar demands have been swiftly lifted following negotiations between the authorities and local tribes. Libya has plunged into chaos since a 2011 NATO-backed uprising that toppled and killed dictator Moamer Kadhafi. Two competing administrations, rival militias, tribes and jihadists have been competing for control of territory and the country's vast oil wealth. MADRID - The government of Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said it will send national law enforcement to Catalonia if the local Mossos d'Esquadra police force is unable to ensure public order, following protests by Committees for the Defense of the Republic (CDR) last weekend. The warning came in three letters sent to the Catalan government by Deputy Prime Minister Carme Calvo, the Spanish interior minister, and the Spanish infrastructure minister. The letters criticised the Mossos' "apparent abandonment of functions" during roadblocks by CDR protesters on the AP-7 highway and the subsequent opening of toll booths on some stretches of the road. The protesters were calling for the release of Catalan political prisoners. Madrid said Article 104 of the Spanish Constitution establishes "without exception" that the mission of the police and the civil guard is that of ensuring citizens' safety. It said this includes the national police force taking up the duties of the regional police when "deemed necessary", because "the protected legal assets do not allow inaction". However, sources in the executive branch cited by the media do not currently see a reason to apply Article 155 of the constitution, which allows the central government to suspend regional autonomy. The parties Partido Popular, Ciudadanos, and the ultra-conservative Vox have all called for applying Article 155. The same sources confirmed a scheduled cabinet meeting for December 21 in Barcelona. Apple has been growing sales of iPhones in China, illustrated by this showroom in Hangzhou in China's eastern Zhejiang province A Chinese court ordered a ban in the country on iPhone sales in a patent dispute, US chipmaking giant Qualcomm said Monday. A Qualcomm statement said the Fuzhou Intermediate People's Court had granted its request for two preliminary injunctions against four subsidiaries of Apple, ordering them to immediately to stop selling the iPhone 6S, iPhone 6S Plus, iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus, iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus and iPhone X. The move marked the latest in a long-running dispute over patents and royalties between the two California tech giants playing out in courts and administrative bodies worldwide. "Apple continues to benefit from our intellectual property while refusing to compensate us. These court orders are further confirmation of the strength of Qualcomm's vast patent portfolio," said Don Rosenberg, Qualcomm executive vice president and general counsel in Monday's statement. The China case is based on patents which enable consumers to adjust and reformat the size and appearance of photographs, and to manage applications using a touchscreen, Qualcomm said. An Apple statement to AFP called Qualcomm's effort a "desperate move by a company whose illegal practices are under investigation by regulators around the world." Apple added that Qualcomm "is asserting three patents they had never raised before, including one which has already been invalidated." Apple said that "all iPhone models remain available for our customers in China," adding that "we will pursue all our legal options through the courts." The Wall Street Journal said the order was issued November 30, and that iPhones remained on sale in the country. The court case does not affect the newest models, including the iPhone Xs and Xr. The court action also comes amid a backdrop of increased trade tensions between Washington and Beijing and the arrest in Canada of a top executive of Chinese tech giant Huawei at the request of US authorities. Beijing has reacted angrily to the arrest of Huawei chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou, the daughter of the company's founder, who faces US fraud charges related to alleged sanctions-breaking dealings with Iran. - Apple's China strategy - Qualcomm, the biggest supplier of smartphone chips, said it won a court order in China banning iPhone sales in its patent dispute with Apple China has been an important market for Apple in recent years since China Mobile agreed to begin distributing the smartphones in 2014, and a number of Apple stores are open in China. Apple's most recent quarterly report showed it brought in some $11 billion -- around 18 percent of its total revenues -- from "Greater China," a region which includes Taiwan and Hong Kong. Apple chief executive Tim Cook has made regular visits to China, and has touted the company's inroads in the Chinese market as well as its manufacturing there. Qualcomm, the leading supplier of chips for mobile devices, has been in a prolonged legal battle with Apple in recent years. Apple has claimed that Qualcomm is abusing its market power over certain mobile chipsets in order to demand unfair royalties, joining a string of antitrust actions against the chipmaker. Qualcomm has countersued Apple and earlier this year escalated its legal fight, claiming the iPhone maker stole trade secrets and shared them with mobile chip rival Intel. According to Qualcomm's US lawsuit, Apple's goal was to buy mobile chips from Intel instead of depending on Qualcomm. Qualcomm is facing antitrust probes in South Korea, the European Union and the United States over its dominant position. Syrian government soldiers wave their national flag after taking back the city of Quneitra from the rebels, on July 19, 2018 Syria's army on Monday announced the demobilisation of officers who have completed five years of compulsory service, the second such move in recent months as fighting abates in the civil war. The decree ends the drawn-out deployment of conscripts and reservists of the rank of officer "who will have completed five years of service" as of January 1, 2019, state news agency SANA reported. The latest order comes after the army in May sent those conscripted in 2010, the year before the conflict erupted, back to their homes. Before the war started, men 18 and older had to serve between 18 months and two years in the armed forces, after which they remained part of the reserves. But when the conflict broke out, anyone enlisted remained deployed on active duty. The 300,000-strong army was nearly halved by deaths, injuries and defections as the violence tore apart the country. Fighting has diminished since a string of major battleground gains by the Russia-backed forces of President Bashar al-Assad. Regime troops have secured the capital Damascus and largely confined opposition fighters to the northwestern province of Idlib, where a buffer zone deal is seeking to still violence. Syria's war has killed 360,000 people and displaced millions since starting in 2011 with the brutal repression of anti-regime protests. Supporters hold a sign calling for the release of Huawei's CFO Meng Wanzhou outside her bail hearing A top executive of Chinese telecom giant Huawei sought release from Canadian detention Monday, offering to submit to strict electronic monitoring, as Beijing escalates its protests over her arrest on a US warrant. Meng Wanzhou, Huawei's chief financial officer, faces US fraud charges related to alleged sanctions-breaking dealings with Iran, and has been awaiting a Canadian court's bail decision -- which after two days of hearings was put off until Tuesday. She was detained in Vancouver on December 1 while changing planes during a trip from Hong Kong to Mexico, for possible extradition. Her arrest has infuriated Beijing, rocking stock markets and raising tensions amid a truce in the US-China trade war. Beijing's latest outcry over the case also led to the suspension of a planned Canadian forestry trade mission to China this week. Meng has agreed to surrender her passports and submit to electronic monitoring if she is released, pending the outcome of the extradition case. Media gather outside the bail hearing of Huawei's Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou "Given her unique profile as the face of a Chinese corporate national champion, if she were to flee or breach her order in any way in these very unique circumstances, it does not overstate to say she would embarrass China itself," Meng's lawyer David Martin told the court. He had a tracking bracelet on hand in case she was immediately released. In a 55-page sworn affidavit, Meng said she has been treated in hospital for hypertension since her arrest. "I continue to feel unwell and I am worried about my health deteriorating while I am incarcerated," the affidavit read. Meng said she'd suffered numerous health problems, including surgery for thyroid cancer in 2011. "I wish to remain in Vancouver to contest my extradition and I will contest the allegations at trial in the US if I am ultimately surrendered," she said. - Ambassadors summoned - A Chinese vice foreign minister summoned the US and Canadian ambassadors over the weekend, demanding that the US withdraw its arrest warrant and warning Canada that it faces "grave consequences." Chinese telecoms giant Huawei's CFO was detained after US authorities sought her arrest for alleged Iran sanctions violations Foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang was critical of Meng's treatment, citing China's state-run Global Times newspaper as reporting that "it seems that the Canadian detention facility is not offering her the necessary health care." "We believe this is inhumane and violates her human rights," Lu said at a regular press briefing. Canadian Crown prosecutor John Gibb-Carsley has asked for bail to be denied, saying Meng faces serious criminal accusations of fraud and poses a flight risk. "Underneath the core of the fraud, a financial institution in the US is being induced to violate sanctions against Iran," Gibb-Carsley said. Meng is specifically accused of lying to bankers about the use of a covert subsidiary to sell to Iran in breach of sanctions. If convicted, she faces more than 30 years in prison. The extradition process could take months, even years, if appeals are made in the case. - Trade talks - Meng said she has ties to Vancouver going back 15 years. She and her husband Liu Xiaozong own two homes in the city, and she even had a Canadian permanent residency permit that she has since renounced. Liu, who was at the hearing, has offered the residences and Can$1 million in cash -- for a total value of Can$15 million -- as a surety for his wife's release, the court heard. Police were reportedly called to one of the houses, in Vancouver's Dunbar neighborhood where she proposes to stay, about a possible break-in early Sunday. Analysts say Meng's arrest -- the same day that presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping agreed to a 90-day tariffs truce -- could be used as a bargaining chip in trade negotiations between the United States and China. But US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer rejected suggestions that the case could affect the talks while Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has said politics played no part in the decision to arrest Meng. In a sign that the row has not derailed the truce, top Chinese and US negotiators held telephone talks on Tuesday to discuss the timetable of trade talks, the Chinese commerce ministry said. The ministry said in a statement that Vice Premier Liu He spoke with US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer. The two sides "exchanged views on the implementation of the consensus" reached by Trump and Xi as well as the timetable for the next round of negotiations, it said, without offering more details. Huawei's affordable smartphones have made strong inroads in the developing world, but the company has faced repeated setbacks in major Western economies over security concerns. Also the world's largest telecommunications equipment maker, Huawei faces being shut out of Australia, New Zealand and US 5G rollouts, and British telecom group BT revealed last Wednesday it was removing Huawei equipment from its core cellular network. Palestinian youths challenge Israeli soldiers during clashes in the West Bank city of Ramallah following a raid on December 10, 2018 Israeli forces entered the Palestinian city of Ramallah on Monday and raided the offices of the official Palestinian news agency, the agency and witnesses said, a day after gunmen wounded several Israelis near a settlement. Seven people were wounded in the drive-by shooting by Palestinian gunmen at a bus stop near the Ofra settlement in the occupied West Bank late Sunday, with doctors forced to prematurely deliver the baby of one of the wounded, Israeli officials said. Israeli soldiers entered Ramallah in the morning, with low-level clashes breaking out a few hundred metres (yards) from the house of Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas, AFP journalists said. They seized the security camera footage of a nearby building, according to employees. Two people were hit with live bullets during the clashes, according to the Palestinian Red Crescent. Later soldiers raided the headquarters of Wafa, the official Palestinian news agency, including the photography and editing offices, a statement from the news agency said. Senior Palestinian official Saeb Erekat on Twitter denounced the raids as a "deliberate and reckless campaign led by the Israeli government and its army against the people of Palestine". An army spokeswoman said she could not comment on the Ramallah raid, including whether it was part of the hunt for the gunmen from Sunday night's attack. Doctors at the Shaare Zedek hospital in Jerusalem earlier delivered the baby of one victim of the shooting who was pregnant via a caesarean section, the hospital said. The hospital added that the mother, 21, was stable on Monday but the baby had taken a turn for the worse. "There has unfortunately been a deterioration in the baby's condition. The family is requesting prayers for him," a hospital spokeswoman said. The others wounded in the attack were not in life-threatening condition. - Hamas praises shooting - The army said on Monday morning that the perpetrators had so far not been located. "IDF (Israel Defence Forces), border police and security forces commenced extensive searches in the villages in the area as part of the hunt for the terrorists who committed the attack," a statement on Monday said. "The IDF will continue to operate to apprehend the terrorists and ensure the security of civilians." The Islamist Hamas movement, which runs the Gaza Strip, praised the attack, saying in a statement that it proved "resistance" was still alive in the West Bank. Palestinian attacks against Israelis occur sporadically in the West Bank. On November 26, a Palestinian rammed Israeli soldiers with a car and injured three of them. The assailant in that incident was later killed by Israeli forces. Sunday's shooting north of Jerusalem was the most serious attack in the West Bank since October 7, when Palestinian Ashraf Naalwa shot two Israelis dead in an industrial zone for a nearby settlement. Former Nissan Motors Chairman and CEO Carlos Ghosn in a May 13, 2015 file photo Japanese automaker Nissan is fighting a Brazil court order that allows the family of jailed former chairman Carlos Ghosn access to a luxury Rio de Janeiro apartment, saying it fears evidence could be destroyed. The legal challenge, announced Sunday, is playing out as Ghosn on Monday was formally charged in Japan with financial misconduct for allegedly under-reporting his salary along with separate accusations. The Rio apartment, located in an upmarket building with an ocean view on Copacabana Beach, is owned by Nissan but was used by Ghosn -- who has Brazilian, French and Lebanese nationalities -- when he was in Brazil, the country where he was born. "He came here from time to time, the last time for New Year's last year," a cleaner for the building told AFP. The rest of the time, the 800-square-meter (8,600 square-foot) apartment was not used, the male cleaner said. Ghosn's family won a Brazilian court order last Thursday to "recover personal effects and documents" from the address after finding the locks had been changed on Nissan's orders, state news agency Agencia Brasil reported. Nissan said in a statement Sunday it was appealing that decision to a higher court, citing "a high likelihood of evidence being removed or destroyed" if the relatives gained access. The judge in the initial ruling, Marcelo Cyfer, said he had granted the order to the family because the allegations behind Ghosn's arrest in Japan "remain unclear" and were insufficient to presume that documents might be removed or covered up. Ghosn, 64, was arrested November 19. Japanese prosecutors on Monday pressed formal charges against him, including an allegation he under-reported his income by $44 million between 2010 and 2015. Nissan also alleges its former chairman misused company assets, including the Copacabana Beach apartment. Ghosn denies the accusations. He is being held in a Tokyo detention center. If his case goes to trial and he is convicted he could face up to 10 years in prison. A general view taken on September 24, 2017 shows boats moored in front of the skyline of the Qatari capital, Doha Qatar's long-delayed national museum, a sprawling 52,000-square metre building in the capital Doha, will finally open in March 2019, officials said on Monday. Estimated to have cost $434 million (380 million euros), the French-designed museum in the shape of a desert rose was first due to open in 2016 but is now set to start welcoming the public next year. "It is definitely opening on March 28th," said Karen Exell, senior museum development specialist. "It has been delayed before, we've had a big push this last year and it's very important to the whole team to now reach the end of this journey." The museum was designed by French architect Jean Nouvel, who was also responsible for the Louvre Abu Dhabi. Exell, who described the project as "hugely ambitious", said the desert rose design was groundbreaking. "It has given Jean Nouvel a basis for a new method of constructing art space," she said. When open, the museum will contain works from local, Middle Eastern and other artists. Its more than 1.5 kilometres (0.9 miles) of gallery space will focus on Qatar's past, such as its history of pearl-fishing, as well as the present of the energy-rich Gulf state. "This is a museum that narrates the story of the people of Qatar," said Sheikha Amna bint Abdulaziz bin Jassim al-Thani, the museum's director. The museum will contain permanent, audio-visual and tactile exhibits, and also stands on the site of the ruling al-Thani royal family's former palace, which has been restored as part of the massive project. Qatar's national museum is the latest high-profile gallery and building to be built in the region in recent years, where an architectural arms race between wealthy competing Gulf powers is taking place. Doha's Museum of Islamic Art, where officials were speaking on Monday, opened in 2008. The Louvre Abu Dhabi opened in November 2017. The cultural rivalry comes at a time when Qatar and its neighbours are locked in a divisive regional diplomatic dispute. Mariia Butina, leader of a Russian pro-gun organization who was arrested in the US in July and accused of being an 'agent' for Moscow A Russian gun rights advocate who built a powerful network of Republican contacts that reached into President Donald Trump's circle has reached a deal to plead guilty after her arrest for acting as an illegal foreign agent, a court filing by her lawyers indicated Monday. Mariia Butina, 30, was arrested in July by counter-espionage agents and charged with conspiring to act as an agent of Russia "by developing relationships with US persons and infiltrating organizations having influence in American politics." Butina, whose first name is also spelled Maria, at the time pleaded not guilty to charges of acting illegally as an unregistered agent for the Russian government. She was placed in the Adult Detention Center in Alexandria, Virginia, where her lawyers said she was held in solitary confinement for weeks at a time. On Monday they asked the Washington federal court Monday to set a date for a change-of-plea hearing later this week. "The parties have resolved this matter, and the defendant Maria Butina remains in custody," they said, without stating what the final charge would be. Butina ran a small Russian group called the Right to Bear Arms that appears to have been funded in part by Russian politician Alexander Torshin, an ally of President Vladimir Putin. She used her group to build links with the powerful US gun lobby the National Rifle Association, in part via her personal relationship with an NRA-linked Republican activist, Paul Erickson. But the Justice Department said Butina was a "covert Russian agent" who maintained contacts with Russian spies and pursued a mission "to penetrate the US national decision-making apparatus to advance the agenda of the Russian Federation." In 2016, she moved to Washington to study for a master's degree from American University. Erickson, whom she lived with, helped introduce her further in Republican circles. Her social media accounts showed her mingling with senior US politicians and posing with firearms at national gun shows. Her efforts may have had some impact. In early 2016, Erickson was in contact with a senior official on the Trump campaign, Rick Dearborn, offering to help arrange a meeting between Trump and Putin before the election, with Torshin apparently the connection. In early May 2016, Torshin and Trump's son Donald Jr. both attended an official dinner during the NRA's annual convention in Louisville, Kentucky, though it is not known if they spoke to each other. Sri Lanka's ousted prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe (C) arrives for a press conference in Colombo on December 4, 2018 Sri Lanka's ousted prime minister promised Monday to bring tens of thousands of supporters to the capital next week for a massive demonstration unless President Maithripala Sirisena reinstated him imminently. Ranil Wickremesinghe, whose dismissal in October plunged Sri Lanka into crisis, said he still commanded the support of parliament and Sirisena had until Friday to recognise that. Sri Lanka has been trapped in a bitter power feud since Sirisena replaced Wickremesinghe with Mahinda Rajapakse, a controversial former strongman leader. Parliament has twice voted against Rajapakse but Sirisena has refused to reinstate his former ally Wickremesinghe -- even if he has the numbers on the floor. The country's Supreme Court is ruling this week on whether Sirisena's sacking of parliament in November was unconstitutional. Wickremesinghe -- who is confident of a ruling against Sirisena -- said tens of thousands of the party faithful would rally in Colombo if the president did not heed the court. "After the court ruling, we will launch our "People Power' campaign to force the president to end the crisis," he said in a statement. Wickremesinghe has cobbled together a majority in parliament, which has twice voted against Rajapakse. A court of appeal last week also stripped Rajapakse and his cabinet of their authority until he could prove his right to hold office. The war-era strongman, backed by the president, has ignored parliament, and has named a cabinet and assumed the duties of prime minister. But the 225-member legislature has blocked his office from spending any funds, worsening the acrimony between the factions. The chamber has witnessed violence in recent weeks as the power struggle dragged on, with brawls between warring sides. Last week, Wickremesinghe likened Sirisena to Hitler, his strongest comment yet directed at his former ally. Boeing and Embraer have proposed a tie-up that would give the US aerospace giant an 80 percent stake in the Brazilian company's commercial aviation business An appeals court in Brazil on Monday overturned an order blocking a proposed $4.75 billion tie-up between US aerospace giant Boeing and the civilian business of Brazilian plane-maker Embraer. The ruling superseded a lower federal court decision in Sao Paulo last week that prevented the outgoing government taking any "concrete acts" on the deal, leaving it for incoming president Jair Bolsonaro administration, which takes office January 1. Appeals court judge Luiz Alberto de Souza Ribeiro said the lower court's order was "hasty and unfounded," and the public interest had not been shown to be at risk. Boeing and Embraer had announced their deal in July this year, under the government of outgoing center-right President Michel Temer. It was expected to be finalized by the end of 2019, the companies said. Under its terms, Boeing is to take an 80 percent stake in the Brazilian company's commercial business, thus allowing Boeing to offer planes with capacity of up to 150 seats -- a market in which it currently does not compete. Embraer's military aircraft business was excluded to overcome Brazilian government opposition to giving up a national champion to a foreign entity. The agreement was seen as a response to a similar strategic partnership announced in October 2017 between Boeing's European arch-rival Airbus and Canada's Bombardier. The American firm will have operational and management control over the new venture, which will be led by a Brazil-based chief who will report to Boeing chief executive Dennis Muilenburg, the companies said in July. The companies are creating another joint venture to promote their defense products and services, especially Embraer's KC 390, a military transport aircraft vehicle. Embraer, the third-largest aircraft manufacturer in the world, was founded as a state group in 1969 before being privatized in 1994, although the Brazilian government retains a "golden share" giving it the right to make strategic decisions for the company. Bolsonaro, a far-right politician with close ties to the military, had a long record as a nationalist and protectionist when it came to Brazil's economy. But he changed tack to win over voters and investors in the run-up to his November election by advocating privatizations. ROME - Italian deputy Prime Minister, Matteo Salvini, on Tuesday tweeted that ''those who want peace support the right to existence and security of Israel'', during a trip to the Jewish State. ''I have just visited the northern border with Lebanon, where Islamic terrorists of Hezbollah have excavated tunnels and armed missiles to attack the bastion of democracy in this region'', Salvini said. ''In order to fight Islamic terrorism and bring back peace and stability, for an increasingly close relationship between schools, universities and businesses, to cooperated in scientific and healthcare research to tighten the collaboration and friendship between the Italian and Israeli populations: I am here. We are also waiting for the UN and the European Union to play their part'', the minister wrote on Twitter. Meanwhile, to protest against Salvini's visit, a group of demonstrators gathered in front of the Holocaust museum Yad Vashem in Jerusalem at the initiative of Communist MP Dov Chenin. Salvini, Chenin wrote on Twitter, ''is the leader of the far-right in Italy, he praises Mussolini and persecutes minorities. His visit here offends the memory of Holocaust survivors and cannot take place amid silence''. Holocaust survivors were among demonstrators, he added, along with human rights activists who held banners denouncing the ''death of refugees in Libya and the Mediterranean sea''. Chenin criticized the theft in Rome ''by Italian anti-Semites'' of stones placed in memory of Jews who were deported during the war. Somali President Abdullahi Mohamed is commonly known as Farmajo Somalia was plunged into fresh political problems on Monday after a motion to impeach President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed for alleged abuse of office cleared a key hurdle. Parliament speaker Mohamed Mursal agreed late Sunday to accept the motion, signed by 92 out of 275 legislators. The document accuses the president, commonly known as Farmajo, of violating the constitution "by engaging (in a) secret memorandum of understanding with foreign countries." It specifies control over Somalia's ports "and uniting the country with Ethiopia and Eritrea." The motion was filed a month after Farmajo met Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki for talks on cementing economic ties between their once-rival nations. The tri-nation diplomatic breakthrough was made possibly by a rapprochement between Ethiopia and Eritrea, engineered by Abiy. The impeachment motion will succeed if its sponsors muster support from at least two-thirds of the 275 legislators in the federal parliament. Observers say the target will be hard to reach, given the entrenched factionalism of Somali politics. A date for the vote has yet to be set. The two deputy speakers held a press conference to distance themselves from involvement in the impeachment motion. "The speaker rushed to receive this document, which gives us the feeling that he was angry with something," said the first deputy speaker, Abdiweli Ibrahim Mudey. "We want to inform the public that our friend Mohamed Mursal will take responsibility for any consequences." Mudey added that, under the constitution, any impeachment motion should be scrutinised by a Constitutional Court, but the long-troubled country does not currently have such a tribunal. Farmajo was elected by parliament in February 2017 in a vote seen as a major step forward for a country devastated by years of civil war. Political life has been relatively calm since then, punctuated by a spell of turmoil earlier this year when Speaker Mursal's predecessor, Mohamed Jawari, quit in a power struggle with the government. Outside politics, regional conflict still grips the north of the country and al-Qaeda-affiliated jihadists are pursuing a bloody campaign to overthrow the government. Survey respondents were still 'optimistic,' just 'less so than last year' US companies expect their current run of good fortune to extend into 2019, with higher profit margins, more investment and continued hiring, according to a survey released Monday. But business in the latter part of the year will not be as strong as 2018, as trade suffers from tariffs and the US dollar strengthens further, according to the year-end report from the Institute for Supply Management. ISM's semi-annual survey also showed tariffs will eat significantly into the manufacturing sector, even though some companies may be adapting to life under President Donald Trump's trade war since it began over the summer. In the dominant services sector, firms remain "optimistic," only "less so than last year," said Anthony Nieves, chairman of the ISM survey for non-manufacturing. "Definitely, there is going to be a little bit of a pull-off," he told reporters. The survey results contrasted with a Business Roundtable survey released Friday, which showed dimming sentiment among US corporate leaders -- another sign of mounting fears the economy has peaked. According to ISM, fewer companies expect to raise prices but many manufacturers are thinking of re-arranging their supply chains and factory locations due to the tit-for-tat exchange of tariffs among the world's major economies. In the manufacturing sector, the ISM survey found firms expect to raise capital investments by six percent next year, slower than the 13.4 percent increase in 2018. Significantly, few survey respondents cited the Republican-driven 2017 tax cuts as a reason to increase capital spending. And, of manufacturers who plan to decrease investment, about one in five cited uncertainty from the trade war. - 'Real headwinds' - And as steady hiring creates a dwindling pool of available workers, the share of companies that reported difficulty filling open positions grew over the course of 2018. Nearly 80 percent of manufacturers and 73 percent of services firms say they are struggling to find workers, compared to about 65 percent a year ago. As a result, nearly 60 percent of respondents reported increasing wages to attract new recruits, up substantially from a year ago. Meanwhile, as the trade war takes its toll, the survey found about two-thirds of manufacturers are considering finding alternative sources for inputs and reviewing moving some factories due to US tariffs imposed this year on steel and aluminum, as well as $250 billion in Chinese goods. Timothy Fiore, chair of the ISM manufacturing survey, said the second half of 2019 was expected to be weaker than the first part. "One of the things that jumped out at me was the significant decline in global trade," he said. Manufacturers' expectations for exports dropped significantly over the year and they also see the US dollar continuing to strengthen. "Those to me are real headwinds," he said. "I just don't see the export market right now as being an outlet for manufacturing capacity." There was a steep drop since May in the share of companies that expect to raise prices due to the tariffs. At year end, 52 percent of manufacturers and 24 percent of services firms said they planned to raise prices because of tariffs, a decline from seven months ago, when the share was 74 percent and 50 percent, respectively. The "Fearless Girl" has become a firm favorite with tourists in New York She may be diminutive in stature but the "Fearless Girl" is standing tall against sexism at her new home outside the New York Stock Exchange. Nearly 200 people attended a brief ceremony for the unveiling of the statue, which appeared in New York's financial district on International Women's Day last March, and has since become a firm favorite with tourists. The bronze statue -- which stands at four feet (1.20 meters) -- depicts a determined youngster with eyes locked on the exchange's imposing facade: hands on hips, ponytail windswept. In her previous location, the "Fearless Girl" squared up to the "Charging Bull" In her previous location, she squared up to the "Charging Bull," installed by financial firm State Street Global Advisors to make a statement about the lack of women on financial institutions' boards. Created by artist Kristen Visbal, the statue was originally not meant to remain for more than a week. But its immediate popularity convinced authorities to keep it in place -- despite grumbles from the creator of the bull, installed in 1989, who denounced her presence as an "advertising trick." The statue was unveiled at a brief ceremony attended by nearly 200 people "She says in one image all that advocates can say in pages and pages of arguments and statistics," said Democrat congresswoman Carolyn Maloney during Monday's ceremony. "She is bold and self-confident and hopeful," she added, describing the statue as a "central piece of leadership for the women's movement." "We see (in her) our daughters, mothers, nieces," added Betty Liu, vice president of the New York Stock Exchange, which in May named its first female president, Stacey Cunningham. Created by artist Kristen Visbal, the statue was originally not meant to stay in place for more than a week "She represents potential, progress and hope, but also all the women who have fought for equality before us." The "Fearless Girl" has made a name for herself worldwide: a replica was briefly installed in Dublin in November, while reports say she will come to London in March. In the meantime, State Street officials are keen to point out that her tenure has come during an increase in women on company boards. By the end of September, 215 US firms had added at least one woman to their board since 2017, according to State Street president Cyrus Taraporevala. "She has not only changed the way we invest, she has changed the way we see the world," he said. A file picture shows US Energy Secretary Rick Perry during a visit to Budapest on November 13, 2018 Saudi Arabia's energy minister held talks Monday with US Energy Secretary Rick Perry, after the kingdom and its allies defied US pressure to cut oil production in a bid to prop up prices. They discussed the "state of the oil market" and energy cooperation between the two countries during a meeting in eastern Dhahran city, the minister, Khalid al-Falih, said on Twitter. Perry tweeted that he discussed the need for "open, free, and fair markets with the Saudis". OPEC members and 10 other oil producing nations, including Russia, on Friday agreed to cut output by 1.2 million barrels a day from January in a bid to reverse recent falls in prices. The decision came even as US President Donald Trump demanded that the cartel boost output in order to push prices down. OPEC kingpin Saudi Arabia's diplomatic position has been badly weakened by the global furore over the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi in October. Trump insists he will stick by Riyadh despite the outrage but he has been also ramping up the pressure for more oil. But Falih shrugged off the pressure last week, saying "we don't need permission from anyone to cut" production. The US "is not in a position to tell us what to do," he told reporters ahead of Friday's OPEC meeting in Vienna. Last week, for the first time in decades, the United States -- which is not a member of OPEC -- was a net exporter of crude oil and petroleum products. It was the latest sign of how the shale boom has lifted the US standing on global petroleum markets, prompting talk of "energy dominance" by Trump. Perry's visit to Dhahran came as Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman unveiled state oil giant Aramco's plan for a new energy megaproject in the area known as the King Salman Energy Park. The energy park is expected to attract an initial investment of $1.6 billion, Aramco said. US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said the US would continue to take action against human rights abusers around the globe The United States on Monday imposed sanctions on three North Korean officials as it called the regime's human rights record among the world's worst, in an abrupt shift from President Donald Trump's efforts to woo the regime. In actions required by Congress, the Trump administration said it would seize any US assets of Choe Ryong Hae, described as the right-hand man of leader Kim Jong Un, and two others over their roles in suppression of freedom of speech. "Standing up for such rights and freedoms is a foreign policy priority that represents the best traditions of the United States," State Department spokesman Robert Palladino said. "Human rights abuses in North Korea remain among the worst in the world and include extrajudicial killings, forced labor, torture, prolonged arbitrary detention, rape, forced abortions and other sexual violence," he said. The State Department is required by a 2016 law to produce a report on North Korean human rights for Congress twice a year. But its submission on Monday -- International Human Rights Day -- was the first since October 2017 as Trump championed diplomacy with North Korea that focused squarely on its nuclear program. "The United States has consistently condemned the North Korean regime for its flagrant and egregious abuses of human rights and fundamental freedoms, and this administration will continue to take action against human rights abusers around the globe," Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said in a statement announcing the sanctions. Trump, however, has openly played down human rights concerns when preserving relationships with allies, notably Saudi Arabia. - Seizing assets amid thaw - The sanctions will seize any assets of the three officials in the United States and ban any US-based financial transactions with them. Such restrictions may have little impact on officials in one of the world's most closed countries but will have a clear symbolic force as North Korea seeks greater acceptance by the United States. Kim and Trump held a first-of-a-kind summit in June in Singapore as North Korea seeks a historic declaration of the end of the 1950-53 Korean War. Trump, who saw the summit as a highlight in his foreign affairs record, has said that he and Kim are "in love" and as recently as this month voiced respect for the North Korean leader. But Trump's hopes of arranging a follow-up summit have been at a standstill, with the North Koreans abruptly calling off a meeting in New York last month with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. North Korea has been insisting on a relaxation of wide-ranging sanctions on the country, while the United States said that the UN Security Council should only ease pressure once Pyongyang takes concrete steps to end its nuclear program. - Roles in censorship - Choe is a lifetime confidant of Kim's father, Kim Jong Il, and in the past has been described as the effective number-two in controlling the military. He is often trusted to make foreign trips or deliver high-profile announcements. At a major military parade last year, he warned that North Korea was ready to "beat down enemies with the power of nuclear justice." When Choe briefly vanished from official media in 2014, North Korea watchers feared he suffered a fate similar to Kim's uncle, Jang Song Thaek, who was executed as a traitor, but Choe quickly re-emerged in prominent roles. The Treasury Department noted that Choe is head of the ruling Workers Party's Organization and Guidance Department, which enforces ideological discipline and ensures that all officials keep in line. Another of the officials targeted was Jong Kyong Thaek, the minister of state security, which is in charge of counter-intelligence operations. The third sanctioned official was Pak Kwang Ho, who is involved in widespread censorship as director of the Propaganda and Agitation Department. President Donald Trump, pictured in February 2018 with his outgoing chief of staff John Kelly, whom he is struggling to replace in a White House beset by turmoil, infight and legal probes A beleaguered President Donald Trump on Monday insisted hush payments made to women before the 2016 election were legal, as he struggled to fill the key position of chief of staff -- made toxic by two years of White House turmoil. While it remains unclear whether a sitting president can actually be indicted, the US leader has found himself cited in an FBI campaign finance probe, only deepening tensions as he ends his second year in office with top lieutenant John Kelly stepping down and opposition Democrats poised to take control of the lower house of Congress. Reacting to court filings on Friday about hush money payments made to former Playboy model Karen McDougal and porn star Stormy Daniels, Trump raged once again on Twitter that he was the victim of a "WITCH HUNT!" Federal prosecutors in New York urged "substantial" jail time for the president's former lawyer Michael Cohen who pleaded guilty in August to bank fraud and campaign finance violations as a result of the payoffs to the two women, who claimed to have had sexual encounters with Trump. Referred to as "Individual-1," Trump was directly implicated in ordering the payments -- which prosecutors believe aimed to influence the outcome of the election. Trump said Monday the opposition Democrats had taken "a simple transaction" and proceeded to "wrongly call it a campaign contribution." "Lawyer's liability if he made a mistake, not me," the president added, accusing Cohen -- his former right-hand man -- of "trying to get his sentence reduced." In the immediate term, one of the president's most pressing issues was to find a new chief of staff at the White House after announcing that Kelly, a retired general he had reportedly fallen out with, was to leave by the end of the year. Nick Ayres, the 36-year-old chief of staff to Vice President Mike Pence, had been touted as favorite to get the job, but announced Sunday he was taking himself out of the running, dealing a blow to the president. - Isolation - The fact that Trump is struggling to attract any heavyweights for what was once considered a plum political posting speaks to the increasing isolation the president finds himself in, as special counsel Robert Mueller probes whether his campaign may have colluded with Russia to tilt the 2016 election in his favor. Former members of the administration have spoken, with varying degrees of frankness, about the difficulty of working with the impetuous and temperamental 72-year-old, who came to office without any political or diplomatic experience. President Donald Trump (L) with then secretary of state Rex Tillerson in February 2017 -- Trump recently called Tillerson "dumb as a rock" and "lazy as hell" after Tillerson said the president was "undisciplined" His former secretary of state, Rex Tillerson, who had largely kept quiet since leaving office, recently described his ex-boss as "a man who's undisciplined, doesn't like to read, doesn't read briefing reports, doesn't like to get into the details of a lot of things but rather says 'this is what I believe.'" That assessment earned Tillerson a broadside from the US leader, who called the former Exxon chief executive "dumb as a rock." "Nobody wants to be Trump's chief of staff," the Democratic Party said in a statement Monday. "And why would they? Trump has turned the White House's top job into 'a laughing stock,' and his entire presidency has been defined by chaos." As Democrats search for a candidate to run in the next elections in late 2020, James Comey -- the former FBI chief abruptly fired by Trump after he came to power -- said voters must "use every breath we have to make sure the lies stop on January 20, 2021." In a public appearance in New York, Comey said Democrats "have to win" the key election. A victory at the ballot box, he said, was far preferable to a messy impeachment in a highly divided country, calling for a "landslide (to) rid ourselves of this attack on our values." "Removal by impeachment would muddy that," he said, warning that die-hard Trump supporters -- who still make up almost a third of the electorate -- might see themselves as victims of a "coup." President Donald Trump has repeatedly denied it, but investigators have shown that his campaign had multiple, regular contacts with Russians On January 11, 2017, Donald Trump was asked in his first press conference after his shock election victory, "Did you or anyone in your campaign have any contact with Russia leading up to or during the campaign?" "No, not at all," Trump responded. Fact check: Senior members of his election campaign and his immediate family had repeated Russian contacts, over business and politics, during Trump's 2015-2016 battle for the White House. Investigators have records of emails, text messages, phone calls and face-to-face meetings showing frequent contact even as Moscow actively interfered with the election boost Trump's chances to win. The big question is, was that happenstance, or did it amount to collusion? - Real estate - Trump's former personal attorney Michael Cohen kept pushing for a Trump Tower real estate deal in Moscow through the first half of 2016 Trump's 2015 decision to run did not stop an effort by the Trump Organization to put its real estate brand in the Russian capital. Indeed, his personal lawyer Michael Cohen and longtime business associate Felix Sater stepped up efforts through the first half of 2016. Their contacts were a former general in Russian military intelligence, Evgeny Shmykov, and Russian President Vladimir Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov. It was not the only channel; there were others. In November 2015, Trump's daughter Ivanka put Cohen in touch with a well-connected Russian who promised a business and political "synergy" backed by Putin. - The ambassador - Then Russian ambassador to the United States Sergei Kislyak managed to meet a number of top Trump campaign officials and family members in 2016 Sergei Kislyak, the Russian ambassador to Washington at the time, had numerous contacts with the campaign. In April 2016, he sat in the front row at a small conservative event in Washington where Trump spoke. He shook hands with Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner and spoke with senator Jeff Sessions, who led the campaign's foreign policy team and became Trump's first attorney general. Kislyak and Sessions met again at the Republican national convention in July, and then had a private meeting in Sessions' office in September 2016. Jeff Sessions, who served as Trump's first attorney general, met Russia's ambassador to the United States three times during the 2016 campaign After the election, and before Trump's inauguration, Kislyak met with and was in regular phone contact with Kushner and national security advisor Michael Flynn. The three met in Trump Tower in Manhattan on December 1, 2016, and throughout the month they discussed communications "back channels" and ways to mitigate US sanctions on Russia. - Setting up a Putin meeting - The Trump campaign entertained offers of a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in 2016 from at least three separate Russian channels The Russian who promised Cohen "synergy" in November 2015 also pitched a possible meeting between Putin and Trump. He was not the only one. In early 2016, a Republican operative who had ties to a top Russian politician, Alexander Torshin, contacted senior campaign official Rick Dearborn offering a Trump-Putin meeting. Shortly afterward, Torshin attended the NRA's annual convention in Louisville, Kentucky, where he made contact with Trump's son Donald Jr. Around the same time, George Papadopoulos, a campaign foreign policy advisor, spoke with people he understood were well-connected in Moscow who proposed a Trump-Putin meeting. - Finding dirt - After Russians hacked the computers of Hillary Clinton's campaign, there were several direct offers to the campaign of "dirt" on Trump's rival. In May 2016, campaign consultants Michael Caputo and Roger Stone communicated with a Russian using the name Henry Greenberg who offered to sell damaging information on Clinton. Papadopoulos's Russia contacts likewise told him the Kremlin had documents that would hurt Clinton. On June 9, 2016, Kushner, campaign chairman Paul Manafort and Donald Trump Jr. met with a Russian lawyer in Trump Tower who had offered damaging information on Clinton. The younger Trump arranged the meeting with pop star Emin Agalarov, the son of an erstwhile Trump Organization business partner in Russia. - Other channels - Manafort had contacts with Russians arising from his decade working in Ukraine. During the campaign, he offered oligarch Oleg Deripaska briefings on US politics, communicating in part via another Russian associate, suspected intelligence operative Konstantin Kilimnik. Investment banker Carter Page, who advised the campaign in its early months, was being watched by the FBI over his contacts with suspected Russian intelligence. He visited Moscow during 2016, meeting academics and officials, including Deputy Prime Minister Arkady Dvorkovich. Campaign consultant Stone sought contacts with the online avatar Guccifer 2.0 and transparency group WikiLeaks, which Russian intelligence used to leak hacked Democratic documents damaging to Trump's rival Hillary Clinton. Erik Prince, an independent advisor to Trump who runs a security company, met on January 11, 2017 in the Seychelles with a powerful Russian fund manager where they reportedly discussed an informal Trump channel to the Kremlin. Analysts say mounting concern over Huawei imperils its lead over the market China's ambitious drive to dominate next-generation 5G technology faces a sudden reality check as fears spread that telecom companies like Huawei could be proxies for Beijing's intrusive security apparatus. Fifth-generation mobile communications are the next milestone in the digital revolution, bringing near-instantaneous connectivity and vast data capacity. They will enable the widespread adoption of futuristic technologies such as artificial intelligence and automated cars and factories -- advances China is desperate to lead. With 5G's rollout expected to gain pace in coming years, the race to dominate standards and control security and data traffic underpins much of the current high-tech rivalry between the United States and China, technology experts said. Huawei's status as a leading world supplier of the backbone equipment for telecoms systems -- mostly in developing markets -- gives China an inside track. But analysts said mounting concern over Huawei imperils that lead. China observers say President Xi Jinping's more assertive global stance bears much of the blame for Huawei's troubles "This is a big threat because if Huawei loses access to lucrative Western markets, this will impact its ability to grow and finance R&D," said Paul Triolo, a global technology policy expert with risk consultancy Eurasia Group. It also could hinder the deployment of 5G networks in China, which are "a key piece of China's overall effort to upgrade its industrial base", he added. The US defence establishment fears China's dominance of critical 5G infrastructure could enable it to disrupt American military communications or otherwise wage asymmetrical warfare in a confrontation. Triolo warned of potentially disastrous fallout for China if US law-enforcement efforts -- in the spotlight after the arrest of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou in Canada -- result in a ban on sales of US chips and other vital technology to Huawei. "This could be catastrophic for China's tech ambitions, threatening (Huawei) itself, supporting industries, and future development," he said. - Burglar with a key - New Zealand recently joined Australia and the US in essentially barring use of Huawei equipment in domestic networks. Following Meng's arrest on December 1, similar sentiments have arisen from Tokyo to Brussels. On Monday, Kyodo news agency reported Japan's top three telecom companies would forego equipment from Huawei and another big Chinese player, ZTE. US officials and lawmakers have long expressed concern that China could use its tech firms to steal trade secrets -- accusations Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang dismissed on Monday as "ridiculous." Huawei's status as a leading world supplier of the backbone equipment for telecoms systems -- mostly in developing markets -- gives China an inside track "These people do not provide a single (piece of) evidence to show how Huawei affects their national security," Lu said. Distrust of Huawei stems in part from the background of founder Ren Zhengfei, a 74-year-old former People's Liberation Army engineer. The US has already put the squeeze on ZTE, which faced insolvency earlier this year after the Trump administration temporarily banned American companies from selling it vital components. Huawei has secured many leading 5G patents and supplied networking equipment for telecom systems around the world that will inevitably carry huge amounts of US data, putting that information at potential risk. "One way to envision (the threat) is to imagine the person who built your house decides to burgle it," James Lewis, a technology policy expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, wrote in an analysis last week. "They know the layout, power system, access points, (and) may have kept a key." - 'We don't like it' - But US firms like Intel and Qualcomm produce the advanced chips critical for 5G, giving Washington huge sway over Huawei, which depends heavily on those technologies. If the US cuts off Huawei's chip supply and further isolates the company, the blow "will be huge, bigger than ZTE", said Shi Yinhong, an expert on China-US relations at Beijing's Renmin University. "If Huawei is hit hard, China will lose its 5G lead." Fifth-generation mobile communications are the next milestone in the digital revolution, bringing near-instantaneous connectivity and vast data capacity China observers say President Xi Jinping's more assertive global stance bears much of the blame for Huawei's troubles. Late leader Deng Xiaoping famously observed that China's strategy should be to "hide your strength, bide your time", to avoid triggering a crippling foreign backlash. But Xi has dumped that, accumulating one-man power, scrapping term limits and openly declaring China's ambition to become a high-tech power. Beijing also passed a law in 2015 obliging its corporations to aid the government on matters of national security. These moves have sparked alarm in the West, and the US has accused Chinese entities of massive cyber-attacks. "One of the biggest criticisms of Xi in China is: 'did he take the stage too fast, did he try to push Chinese power too soon?'" said Christopher Balding, a China expert at Fulbright University in Ho Chi Minh City. "He has behaved as near-totalitarian and is acting similarly internationally and people are saying 'we don't like it.'" The CAR army controls just a fraction of the country's territory -- poor training and equipment are major problems France on Tuesday handed over 1,400 AK-47 assault rifles and three amphibious vehicles to the Central African Republic to shore up its beleaguered armed forces. French Defence Minister Florence Parly oversaw the handover at a ceremony at M'Polo military base in the capital Bangui. The military aid was announced in Paris in November, along with 24 million euros ($27.4 million) in civilian assistance. One of the world's poorest nations, the CAR has struggled to recover from a 2013 civil war that erupted when President Francois Bozize, a Christian, was overthrown by mainly Muslim Seleka rebels. In response, Christians, who account for about 80 percent of the population, organised vigilante units dubbed "anti-Balaka" in reference to the balaka machetes used by Seleka rebels. Thousands of people have died in the violence, 700,000 have been internally displaced and another 570,000 have fled abroad. With the armed forces hampered by poor training and lack of equipment, the UN-backed central government controls only a fraction of the country's territory. In 2013, the UN Security Council imposed an arms embargo and it remains in place today. Exemptions are made for weapons shipments for the security forces that gain pre-approval from a UN sanctions committee. The panel is tasked with ensuring that imported weapons do not end up in the hands of the militias in the corruption-prone country. The panel gave the green light last year for Russia to supply 1,700 AK-47s to the national forces in January, and gave its approval again to the French shipments. But in June, France, Britain, and the United States blocked a request from the CAR for approval of Chinese weapons deliveries. "From France's point of view, there is in principle no obstacle to ending the embargo" permanently, Parly said on Tuesday. She stressed: "What is important is that these weapons, after they are delivered to the Central African armed forces, can be identified, stored and traced." The CAR has an army of just 7,000 men in a population of 4.5 million. They are facing militia groups estimated to be at least similar in numbers. Russia has sent 170 military instructors -- suspected by western sources to be mercenaries linked to Russian mining companies in the mineral-rich CAR. France, the former colonial power, sent 2,000 troops to quell the Seleka rebels, winding down the operation in 2016 after President Faustin-Archange Touadera was elected. It has around 200 troops in the CAR today, working in support of the armed forces and the UN peacekeeping mission here. Parly said that France was the CAR's "major partner for development aid", providing 130 million euros annually. The 1,400 guns handed over by France are a gift, French officials said. They were seized aboard a dhow off Somalia in 2016 that was intercepted for breaching an arms embargo with Yemen, they said. The European Union has a military training mission in the CAR that involves 170 people. In July, it pledged 25 million euros to extend the mission until September 2020. Thousands of people have been killed over decades in clashes between cattle herders and farmers over land and water, with the conflict polarised along religious and ethnic lines A video uploaded to Facebook by one of US president Donald Trump's lawyers claims that 60,000 Christians have been killed by nomadic Muslim herdsmen in central Nigeria since 2001. The claim has been shared hundreds of thousands of times on Facebook but AFP has found no credible evidence to confirm the figure. - What are we verifying? - The video, uploaded by attorney Jay Sekulow on November 23, focuses on the long-running conflict over land and resources between ethnic Fulani Muslim cattle herders and largely Christian farmers. Central Nigeria is also called the Middle Belt and is where the country's mainly Muslim north meets the largely Christian south. It has been a flashpoint for violence for decades. The video originates from the Be Heard Project, an initiative of the American Center for Law and Justice, a conservative Christian lobby group based in Washington DC. Sekulow is listed as "chief counsel" at the organisation. He has also represented Trump on the investigation into alleged Russian interference in the 2016 US presidential election. The video claims the herders have killed 60,000 Christians since 2001, without citing a reference. AFP contacted the ACLJ to ask how it obtained the figure but it did not respond. Other organisations have published similar figures. Again, none has cited a relevant study or credible evidence. - What do we know? - The African Center for Strategic Studies has said 60,000 people have died in the conflict but combines two different statistics of total deaths in the region over separate time periods. It references a Nigerian government study reported by the BBC of 53,787 deaths in Plateau state between 2001-2004. But the government study is not related to the farmer-herder conflict. It also quotes an article in the Daily Beast, which credited a HuffPost report, that 6,500 people died in the farmer-herder conflict since 2010. But the story links to an unnamed expert without evidence to support it. The International Crisis Group has said political and religious claims of a Fulani jihadist uprising are conspiracies which have grown in response to the conflict, which is primarily about access to land and water. There are no reliable estimates for the total number of deaths since 2001 and no known estimates which divide the deaths along religious lines. The ICG has reported that some 12,000 people were killed between 2011 and 2016, and that in the first six months of 2018, 1,300 people lost their lives. Nigeria is facing violence across the country and in some northern states there are clashes between Muslim farmers and Muslim herders, indicating the underlying cause is not religion. The Global Terrorism Index 2018 acknowledges there was a "dramatic increase in violence involving Fulani extremists" in the last 12 months. It said nearly 1,700 violent deaths were attributed to "Fulani Ethnic Militia" between January and September this year. It said there had been 2,998 deaths attributed to Fulani since 2010. A December 2013 Human Rights Watch report estimated that more than 10,000 people in Plateau and neighbouring Kaduna state had been killed in communal violence since 1992. Yet the claim of Muslims targeting Christians has been spread, particularly in the United States, by groups such as Open Doors USA, which says it supports persecuted Christians, and the right-wing think-tank the Gatestone Institute. - What conclusion can we draw? - There is no credible evidence to support the claim that Muslims have killed 60,000 Christians in central Nigeria since 2001. There is no reliable death toll that identifies the religion of victims of the conflict and reports citing figures appear to have conflated wider studies about violence in the region. Attempts to catalogue the scale of the conflict -- by whatever methodology -- have given a lower death toll. Right-wing, conservative groups in the United States, however, have latched on to the narrative to further their agenda. NEW YORK - Killed and imprisoned journalists have been named this year's ''Person of the Year'' by Time. The magazine paid special attention to slain Saudi columnist Jamal Khashoggi, who was killed in Istanbul, and to staff of the Capital Gazette in Annapolis, where five people were shot and killed at the newspaper's offices in June. The announcement was made by the magazine and by NBC during the Today show. Time used the expression ''Guardians'' to describe the group of reporters, writing that they were chosen for ''taking great risks in pursuit of greater truths, for the imperfect but essential quest for facts, for speaking up and speaking out''. The group also includes Philippine journalist Maria Ressa, who has been arrested and Reuters journalists Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo, who have been detained in Myanmar for almost a year. ''They are representative of a broader fight by countless others around the world who risk all to tell the story of our time,'' editor-in-chief Edward Felsenthal wrote in an essay. At least 52 reporters have been killed in 2018, as of Monday. The ''Guardians'' beat Donald Trump. The US president, who was competing for the second time after 2016, was second runner-up, followed by special prosecutor Robert Mueller. Felsenthal said this year was too soon, but Mueller could be honored next year. BEIJING (AP) - The designer boutiques of Manhattan and Paris are feeling the chill of a Chinese economic slowdown that has hammered automakers and other industries. It's a rude awakening for such designer brands as Louis Vuitton and Burberry that increasingly rely on Chinese customers who spend $90 billion a year on jewelry, clothes and other high-end goods. The industry already is facing pressure to keep up as China's big spenders, mainstays for American and European retailers, shift to buying more at the spreading networks of luxury outlets in their own country. Last week, Tiffany & Co. showed how much well-heeled Chinese tourists matter to retailers abroad. Shares in the jeweler known for $5,000 watches and $400 silver baby spoons fell 12 percent after its CEO said they were spending less. In Hong Kong, the top shopping destination for mainland travelers, only a dozen visitors were in Tiffany's flagship store one afternoon last week. Many looked without buying. "The name-brand goods are too pricey," said Zhou Jiqing, from the neighboring mainland city of Shenzhen. "I'm waiting for the Christmas sale." Forecasters including Euromonitor International and Bain & Co. say Chinese customers will be the luxury industry's main growth engine over the next decade. But this year, shoppers are skittish amid cooling economic growth, trade tension with Washington and weak real estate and stock markets. The spending shift could have big implications for retailers who've been catering to them with various amenities but now will have to work even harder to get their dollars. In this Thursday, Nov. 29, 2018, photo, a woman walks past a Tiffany & Co. store at a shopping mall in Beijing. The designer boutiques of Manhattan and Paris are feeling the chill of a Chinese economic slowdown that has hammered automakers and other industries. That is jolting brands such as Louis Vuitton and Burberry that increasingly rely on Chinese customers who spend $90 billion a year on jewelry, clothes and other high-end goods. The industry already is facing pressure to keep up as China's big spenders shift to buying more at the spreading networks of luxury outlets in their own country. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein) "Consumers are just not as excited about spending that kind of money right now," said Ben Cavender of China Market Research Group. Demand for Tom Ford suits and Jimmy Choo shoes held up better than some other Chinese spending as economic activity slowed following a government clampdown on bank lending to cool a debt boom. China's economy, the world's second largest, is forecast to grow by a relatively robust 6.5 percent this year, easing from 2017's 6.7 percent. But that is propped up by higher government spending on public works construction that helps to mask weakness in other areas. Auto sales in the global industry's biggest market plunged 13 percent in October from a year earlier. Housing sales are so weak that some developers are cutting prices. The main Chinese stock market index is down 22 percent from a year ago. Even before the economy cooled, the industry was under pressure from shifts in Chinese tastes and buying habits. Luxury brands, some of them centuries old, have raced to serve China as its consumers emerged as a powerhouse market. Brands designed watches, clothes and other goods for Chinese tastes. Hermes created its first single-country brand, Shang Xia, for China. Department stores from London to Los Angeles hired Mandarin-speaking salespeople. Chinese traders fly home from Paris or Rome with stacks of designer bags and other goods to re-sell. The incentive to shop abroad has eroded as major brands opened their China stores and prices fell closer to U.S. and European levels. "Now, lots of world brands have shops in first-tier mainland cities," said Alex Bi, who was visiting Hong Kong from the mainland city of Guangzhou. He and his sister, Jessica, were window-shopping in the bustling Kowloon district. At the same time, Beijing has stepped up efforts to reduce reliance on trade and encourage self-sustaining economic growth based on consumer spending. Import taxes on luxury goods were cut to lure shoppers home. Luxury spending abroad is forecast to keep rising, but not as fast as in China. The share of spending that goes to retailers in China should rise from one-quarter of last year's $90 billion to half of 2025's projected total of $170-190 billion, according to a Bain report this month. Under that scenario, spending abroad would rise from $67 billion to $85-95 billion. Meanwhile, the customs agency is cracking down on informal imports by searching the luggage of travelers returning from Europe and other shopping destinations. In November, a trader was sentenced to 10 years in prison for smuggling designer clothing from Hong Kong without paying the mainland's higher import duty, according to news reports. "This shocked the whole industry. Nobody dares to continue to act as purchasing agents," said market researcher Li Chengdong of Donge Investment Management Co. in Beijing. "This has an immediate impact on the sales of the overseas retailers." Anxiety over possible terrorist attacks has prompted some Chinese to avoid Paris, London and other shopping destinations. In the United States, retailers face pressure from China's weak yuan, which makes prices in dollars more expensive for Chinese shoppers. Chinese tourist are also changing the way they sightsee, forgoing big organized tours that involve taking buses to specific tourist sites featuring key shopping destinations, according to David Becker, CEO of Brooklyn, New York-based Attract China, a Chinese travel consultancy. Instead, they're going on their own, he said. That hurts retailers used to big busloads of tourists at their front door. "They're called the free independent traveler, he said. Tighter visa restrictions under President Donald Trump also make it harder for Chinese shoppers to get to the United States, said Cavender. Chinese tourist arrivals in the United States fell 20 percent from a year earlier to 880,000 in the three months ending in September, according to an estimate by the China Outbound Tourism Research Institute in Hamburg, Germany. The number going to France rose 20.7 percent to 664,800 and those bound for Italy rose 18.9 percent to 850,000. "If people previously were going to the U.S. to buy an American luxury brand, that's not their first choice anymore," said Cavender. "They would rather go to Japan, New Zealand or someplace in Europe where the process is easier." Becker says he's been working with various clients including designer stores on New York's Madison Avenue and Brookfield Place, which houses such brands as Gucci on how to better cater to the Chinese That includes offering the ability for Chinese customers to pay via Alipay or WeChat. He says anecdotally, he has heard there's been some weakening in sales among Chinese tourists in the past three months because of the economy. But he says the political tensions between China and the U.S. haven't been a factor - yet. "When your confidence in the economy is off, whether it's here in the United States or in the China, you're going to cut back on your overall spending," he said. ___ AP Writers Violet Law and Alice Fung in Hong Kong, AP researchers Yu Bing and Shanshan Wang in Beijing and AP Business Writers Colleen Barry in Milan, Dee-Ann Durbin in Detroit and Anne D'Innocenzio in New York contributed. In this Thursday, Nov. 29, 2018 photo, Chinese tourists walk past a Tiffany & Co. flagship in Canton Road, the one-stop-shop high street of high-end brands in Hong Kong. The designer boutiques of Manhattan and Paris are feeling the chill of a Chinese economic slowdown that has hammered automakers and other industries. That is jolting brands such as Louis Vuitton and Burberry that increasingly rely on Chinese customers who spend $90 billion a year on jewelry, clothes and other high-end goods. The industry already is facing pressure to keep up as China's big spenders shift to buying more at the spreading networks of luxury outlets in their own country. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung) In this Thursday, Nov. 29, 2018, photo, Chinese tourists walk past a Tiffany & Co. flagship in Canton Road, the one-stop-shop high street of high-end brands in Hong Kong. The designer boutiques of Manhattan and Paris are feeling the chill of a Chinese economic slowdown that has hammered automakers and other industries. That is jolting brands such as Louis Vuitton and Burberry that increasingly rely on Chinese customers who spend $90 billion a year on jewelry, clothes and other high-end goods. The industry already is facing pressure to keep up as China's big spenders shift to buying more at the spreading networks of luxury outlets in their own country. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung) WASHINGTON (AP) - Breaking with President Donald Trump, senators leaving a briefing with CIA Director Gina Haspel on Tuesday said they are even more convinced that Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman was involved in the death of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Corker, R-Tenn., said he believes if the crown prince were put on trial, a jury would find him guilty in "about 30 minutes." Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., who demanded the briefing with Haspel, said there is "zero chance" the crown prince wasn't involved in Khashoggi's death. "There's not a smoking gun. There's a smoking saw," Graham said, referring to reports from the Turkish government that said Saudi agents used a bone saw to dismember Khashoggi after he was killed in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. Graham said "you have to be willfully blind" not to conclude that this was orchestrated and organized by people under the crown prince's command. Trump has equivocated over who is to blame for the killing, frustrating senators who are now looking for ways to punish the longtime Middle East ally. The Senate overwhelmingly voted last week to move forward on a resolution curtailing U.S. backing for the Saudi-led war in Yemen. It's unclear whether or how that resolution will move forward. The vote last week allowed the Senate to debate the measure, which could happen as soon as next week, but senators are still in negotiations on whether to amend it and what it should say. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., chairman of the Subcommittee on Crime and Terrorism, speaks to reporters after a closed-door security briefing by CIA Director Gina Haspel on the slaying of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi and involvement of the Saudi crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, at the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Dec. 4, 2018. Graham said there is "zero chance" the crown prince wasn't involved in Khashoggi's death. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) Haspel met with a small group of senators, including leadership and the chairmen and top Democrats on the key national security committees, after senators in both parties complained that she didn't attend an all-Senate briefing with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Defense Secretary Jim Mattis last week. Pompeo and Mattis tried to dissuade senators from punishing Saudi Arabia with the resolution, saying U.S. involvement in the Yemen conflict is central to the Trump administration's broader goal of containing Iranian influence in the Middle East. Human rights groups say the war is wreaking havoc on the country and subjecting civilians to indiscriminate bombing. The two men also echoed Trump's reluctance to blame the crown prince. Pompeo said there was "no direct reporting" connecting the crown prince to the murder, and Mattis said there was "no smoking gun" making the connection. After that briefing, Graham threatened to withhold his vote on key legislation until he heard from Haspel. "I'm not going to blow past this," he said. That afternoon, senators frustrated with the briefing and the lack of response to Khashoggi's killing overwhelmingly voted to move forward with consideration of the Yemen resolution, 63-37. Illinois Sen. Richard Durbin said the briefing with Haspel "clearly went in to an evaluation of the intelligence" and was much more informative than the session with Mattis and Pompeo. "I went in believing the crown prince was directly responsible or at least complicit in this and my feelings were strengthened by the information we were given," Durbin said. Durbin joined Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer in calling for a full-Senate briefing from Haspel. "Every senator should hear what I heard this afternoon," Durbin said. Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul, a critic of Saudi Arabia, said that excluding some lawmakers is "the very definition of the deep state" and that he suspected that the Trump administration is attempting to get some lawmakers to switch their votes on the resolution by giving them information. Khashoggi was killed two months ago. The journalist, who had lived for a time in the U.S. and wrote for The Washington Post, had been critical of the Saudi regime. He was killed in what U.S. officials have described as an elaborate plot as he visited the consulate for marriage paperwork. U.S. intelligence officials have concluded that the crown prince must have at least known of the plot, but Trump has been reluctant to pin the blame. "It could very well be that the crown prince had knowledge of this tragic event," Trump said in a lengthy statement Nov. 20. "Maybe he did and maybe he didn't!" The president has touted Saudi arms deals worth billions of dollars to the U.S. and recently thanked Saudi Arabia for plunging oil prices. "They have been a great ally in our very important fight against Iran," Trump said in the statement. "The United States intends to remain a steadfast partner of Saudi Arabia to ensure the interests of our country, Israel and all other partners in the region." While acknowledging the country's long relationship with Saudi Arabia, senators have said the murder can't be excused. In a column for the Wall Street Journal on Tuesday, Graham wrote that the killing and other moves by the Saudi regime showed "astounding arrogance entitlement" and disregard for international norms. "We are a coequal branch of government exercising leadership to safeguard the country's long-term interests, values and reputation," wrote Graham, a frequent ally of the president, of the Senate. "After all, someone's got to do it." Graham said after the briefing that he would push for a nonbinding resolution that the crown prince was "complicit" in Khashoggi's murder. Graham and Paul have also said they think Congress should block a pending arms deal with the kingdom. Corker said senators are trying to figure out how to amend the resolution, which directs the president to remove most U.S. armed forces from hostilities affecting Yemen. He said finding a compromise will be difficult because some lawmakers don't want to tie Yemen to the Khashoggi killing. Senators are "trying to figure out an amendment that a larger group of people could get behind that addresses this issue without undermining our national interests," Corker said. Alabama Sen. Richard Shelby, the chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, said after the briefing that somebody should be punished. "Now, the question is, how do you separate the Saudi crown prince and his group from the nation itself," he said. While Senate passage of a resolution would send a strong message to Saudi Arabia, it's unlikely it would become law before the end of the year. The House hasn't moved on the issue, and Speaker Paul Ryan last week said the Yemen resolution "isn't the way to go." ___ Associated Press writers Kevin Freking and Padmananda Rama contributed to this report. FILE - In this Sept. 24, 2018, file photo, CIA Director Gina Haspel addresses the audience in Louisville, Ky. Haspel is headed to Capitol Hill to brief Senate leaders Tuesday, Dec. 4, 2018, on the slaying of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi as senators weigh their next steps in possibly punishing the longtime Middle East ally over the killing. (AP Photo/Timothy D. Easley, File) CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) - Former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg said in Iowa on Tuesday that he would do everything he can to make climate change the defining issue of the 2020 Democratic presidential nominating campaign, despite resistance in regions of the country that his party would likely need to recapture the White House. More than 1,000 miles (1,600 kilometers) away in Charleston, South Carolina, fellow billionaire Tom Steyer - who, like Bloomberg, is weighing a 2020 Democratic presidential bid- held a roundtable discussion focused on voting rights in the nation's first Southern primary state. The two deep-pocketed Democrats have been noncommittal about whether they will run for president in 2020, but on Tuesday they joined the growing list of visitors to early voting primary and caucus states. Bloomberg recently told The Associated Press that he would have to be close to a decision by mid-January. While traveling in Iowa on Tuesday, he said that, in the meantime, "I get to go around and to ask people in Iowa, 'What's on your mind?'" In an interview, Bloomberg said he is still considering whether to run but didn't provide a timeline for when he'd decide. "I am obviously thinking about what the right thing to do is, but I think honestly I know that there's a time by which I have to do something," he said. "I also think that there are going to be a lot of events over the next few weeks or very small number of months that are going to be important." Steyer said he is closely watching the decisions made by other Democrats, joking, "I assume there are going to be more Democrats running than there are going to be voters." Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg speaks during a news conference after touring the Paulson Electric Company, Tuesday, Dec. 4, 2018, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall) While both men have put the climate atop their agendas, and spent millions promoting awareness and solutions, they could face skepticism in states such as Ohio, Pennsylvania and Michigan, where President Donald Trump won in 2016 by promising to protect the coal industry. "I will do everything for sure to try to make it the issue," Bloomberg told reporters after visiting a solar-electric panel installation company in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. "Every place I have gone, people always want to talk about the climate. They always want to bring up the fact that I've been very active in closing coal-fired power plants." Steyer on Tuesday turned his focus to voting rights - one of the "five rights" in the platform he released last month, calling South Carolina the "perfect place" to begin that conversation. "If you look historically, South Carolina has a long history of trying to make sure that people don't have equal votes," Steyer said at the start of the town hall. He called South Carolina a state that, "whether people here enjoy it or appreciate it or are sorry about it," plays an outsized part of the national conversation about the future of the country. Both men have been sharply critical of Trump and agree that he is not fit for the presidency. Steyer, who has amassed a 6 million- person email list from his Need to Impeach campaign against Trump, has repeatedly said Trump is a danger to the country and must be ousted. Speaking on Tuesday, Steyer described Trump as "the most corrupt president in American history who is a basic threat to our system and our safety and to the Constitution itself." He said that many politicians - Democrats and Republicans - "don't think it's good for their careers to talk about that." Bloomberg, however, said, "It would be a mistake to say anything about that before you see what comes out of the investigation" being conducted by former FBI Director Robert Mueller into Russian election meddling. Bloomberg and Steyer spent millions during the 2018 midterm campaigns on behalf of Democratic candidates. Their travel gave them new opportunities to test their message and, perhaps most importantly, gauge the interest of Democratic primary voters and activists in the potential candidacies. In the Des Moines area, Bloomberg was visiting a community college's wind-energy program and was scheduled to meet with mothers organized to curb gun violence before attending a screening of his climate change film, "Paris to Pittsburgh." Bloomberg contributed $250,000 to the Iowa Democratic Party this year, giving him some claim to gains such as capturing two Republican-held House seats last month. He also has plans to meet with key Democratic operatives. But other potential candidates, including Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey, Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, Sen. Kamala Harris of California and Montana Gov. Steve Bullock, have been more aggressive in their efforts. ___ Summers reported from Charleston, South Carolina. FILE - In this April 2, 2018, file photo, billionaire environmentalist Tom Steyer is interviewed on Cheddar on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange. Two deep-pocketed Democrats are set to travel to early presidential primary states on Tuesday, stoking further speculation about whether they will soon launch bids for the White House. (AP Photo/Richard Drew, File) Former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, center, participates in a roundtable discussion at the Paulson Electric Company, Tuesday, Dec. 4, 2018, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall) Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, center, walks to a news conference with former Paulson Electric Company president Ron Olson, right, Tuesday, Dec. 4, 2018, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall) Former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, center, looks at solar panels with former Paulson Electric Company president Ron Olson, left, and Iowa State Sen. Rob Hogg, D-Cedar Rapids, right, Tuesday, Dec. 4, 2018, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall) SAVANNAH, Ga. (AP) - Republican Brad Raffensperger won a runoff election Tuesday to become Georgia's next secretary of state, taking over the office at the center of a debate over voter access and election security in the Southern state. Raffensperger, a state lawmaker from suburban Atlanta, defeated former Democratic congressman John Barrow to become Georgia's top elections official, the office vacated by Gov.-elect Brian Kemp. At his victory party late Tuesday, Raffensperger told supporters he would faithfully carry out elections in Georgia. "I'm going to make sure that elections are clean, fair and accurate," he said. "And that's the No. 1 priority as your next secretary of state." A statement from Barrow early Wednesday said, "...we need to make sure that every voice is heard" and that he'll wait for the remaining ballots to come in and be counted. The runoff campaign played out against the backdrop of Democratic accusations that Kemp used his position as secretary of state to suppress minority turnout and increase his own odds of victory. Kemp insists that's false, pointing to large increases in voter registration on his watch and record turnout in the Nov. 6 midterms. FILE - In this Oct. 2, 2018 file photo, Republican candidate for Georgia Secretary of State Republican Brad Raffensperger participates in a debate in Atlanta. Raffensperger and Democrat John Barrow are vying in a Dec. 4 runoff for Georgia secretary of state. (Bob Andres/Atlanta Journal-Constitution via AP) Raffensperger finished the three-way general election race ahead of Barrow, but just shy of the 50 percent of the vote needed to avoid a runoff. Issues that dogged Kemp in the general election - Georgia's strict "exact match" policy for confirming voters' identities and reports that the state's aging electronic voting system was vulnerable to hackers - became the focus of the race to succeed him. Both Raffensperger and Barrow promised to replace Georgia's voting machines with a system that produces paper records that could be used to audit elections if needed. Meanwhile, Raffensperger pledged to continue Kemp's practices of strictly enforcing voter ID laws and pruning registration rolls of inactive voters to prevent voting fraud. Barrow said Georgia needed to make it less difficult to cast ballots. Casting their ballots for Raffensperger in Atlanta's Buckhead neighborhood, Julia Chabannes and her husband Jimmy Cook, both 69, said they were skeptical about Democratic assertions that voters were disenfranchised by Kemp's policies. "If there was a million people disenfranchised, they've been disenfranchised a long time because they've been in a graveyard," said Cook. President Donald Trump endorsed Raffensperger with a tweet calling the Republican "tough on Crime and Borders." The secretary of state oversees elections, professional licensing and business incorporation in Georgia. The office has no law enforcement role. Kemp's Democratic rival for governor, Stacey Abrams, urged voters to support Barrow during the same speech in which she acknowledged defeat and announced she would sue to challenge the way Georgia runs elections. That suit was filed in federal court last week. Barrow also won an endorsement from Smythe DuVal, the Libertarian candidate whose distant third-place finish in November forced the race into overtime. Raffensperger served four years in the Georgia House before running for statewide office. He will take over as secretary of state in January from Robyn Crittenden, who was appointed to the office when Kemp stepped aside last month. Barrow sought a political comeback after losing his U.S. House seat in 2014. He served a decade in Congress representing a large swath of eastern Georgia that included Athens, Augusta and Savannah. ___ Associated Press writer Kate Brumback in Atlanta contributed reporting. FILE - In this Monday, Nov. 5, 2018 file photo, Democrat Georgia Secretary of State candidate John Barrow speaks during a campaign stop at Daniel Field in Augusta, Ga. Barrow and Republican Brad Raffensperger are vying in a Dec. 4 runoff for Georgia secretary of state. (Michael Holahan/The Augusta Chronicle via AP, File) Democrat Secretary of State candidate John Barrow speaks during a campaign stop in Augusta, Ga. Monday, December 3, 2018. Barrow is pitted against Republican Brad Raffensperger in a runoff that will be decided Tuesday. (Michael Holahan/The Augusta Chronicle via AP) WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) - A decade ago, Florida financier Jeffrey Epstein pleaded guilty to sex crimes involving underage girls and got 13 months behind bars. What the public and his accusers didn't know at the time was that he had secretly struck a deal with federal prosecutors that spared him from charges that could have put him away for the rest of his life. When the deal finally came to light years later, it immediately raised suspicions that Epstein - a man who counted Bill Clinton and Donald Trump among his friends and had some of the finest legal talent in America as his lawyers - had used his wealth and political connections to win special treatment. Those allegations flared anew in recent weeks as news organizations, led by The Miami Herald, published interviews with the alleged victims and took a closer look at Alexander Acosta, who as the U.S. attorney in Miami in 2008 approved the secret deal. Acosta is now Trump's secretary of labor. On Tuesday, a lawsuit that many had hoped would expose some of the lurid allegations against Epstein by putting some of his accusers on the stand ended abruptly in a settlement just as jury selection was about to begin. But the attempt to get to the bottom of the Epstein case and how he managed to get such a light sentence is not over: Some of his accusers are pursuing a separate legal effort to nullify the plea agreement and, they hope, expose him to federal prosecution again. "That injustice needs to be addressed and will be addressed," said Jack Scarola, one of the attorneys lined up against Epstein. "There is no justification for the broad scope of immunity that was granted." FILE - This July 27, 2006, file photo, provided by the Palm Beach Sheriff's Office shows Jeffrey Epstein. Jury selection is getting started in Florida in a long-running lawsuit involving Epstein, a wealthy, well-connected financier accused of sexually abusing dozens of teenage girls. An attorney who represented some victims claims financier Epstein used his own lawsuit to maliciously target the lawyer and damage his reputation. Attorney Bradley Edwards seeks unspecified damages from Epstein in the case beginning Tuesday, Dec. 4, 2018. (Palm Beach Sheriff's Office via AP, File) Epstein, 65, reached the non-prosecution deal with Acosta's office while under investigation on suspicion of sexually abusing at least 40 teenage girls. Under the deal, he pleaded guilty to two state charges, did his time in jail, paid settlements to many of the alleged victims and registered as a sex offender. He could have faced a far more severe penalty if federal prosecutors had pursued a draft 53-page indictment that was never filed and included sex trafficking charges. Some of Epstein's accusers are now arguing that their rights were trampled under a federal law that says crime victims must be informed about plea bargains. One of Epstein's lawyers, Roy Black, has said there was no conspiracy to violate victims' rights, and the plea agreement was "no sweetheart deal by any stretch of the imagination." Even if the plea bargain is nullified, the final decision on bringing charges would rest solely with the Justice Department. On Tuesday, Epstein settled a defamation lawsuit brought against him by a lawyer for some of the accusers, Bradley Edwards, who said Epstein tried to derail his representation of the women and ruin his career. In settling, Epstein apologized and agreed to pay an undisclosed amount. Edwards said some of the accusers - some of whom say they were 13 or 14 when they were molested - were prepared to testify in the lawsuit and may yet get their day in federal court. "They're willing to talk. They want to share their stories," Edwards said. Congressional Democrats are calling for an internal Justice Department investigation. Rep. Lois Frankel, who represents the Palm Beach area, said Tuesday that Epstein "allegedly had dozens and dozens of young, vulnerable women, young women taken to his house where they were sexually exploited." "I think what has been equally shocking is what I call an extreme minimal punishment for this man without really any public explanation as to why this happened," Frankel added. Acosta has not commented about the case during the recent media coverage. He was asked briefly about the non-prosecution agreement at his Senate confirmation hearing. "At the end of the day, based on the evidence, professionals within a prosecutor's office decided that a plea that guarantees someone goes to jail, that guarantees he register generally and guarantees other outcomes, is a good thing," he said. According to court papers, Epstein had a Palm Beach mansion where girls were brought for what they were sometimes told were massage sessions. He allegedly had female fixers who would look for suitable girls, some of them recruited from Eastern Europe and other parts of the world. Before the scandal broke, Epstein was friends with Trump and had visited the real estate developer's Mar-a-Lago resort. Trump told interviewers that Epstein was "a great guy." Records also show Clinton flew on Epstein's jet more than two dozen times. One young woman alleged in court documents that Epstein shared her with his friends, including Britain's Prince Andrew, a charge denied by Buckingham Palace. Epstein's legal team at various times included such big names as Whitewater prosecutor Kenneth Starr and Harvard professor Alan Dershowitz. Neither Trump nor Clinton has been accused of any wrongdoing related to Epstein. ___ Follow Curt Anderson Twitter: http://twitter.com/Miamicurt MADISON, Wis. (AP) - Demonstrators booed outgoing Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker on Tuesday during a Christmas tree-lighting ceremony, a sign of tumult as Republicans in the Legislature met to push through measures to gut the powers of his Democratic successor. The Legislature met deep into the night Tuesday to pass a series of bills, first unveiled Friday, that would weaken the governor's office and transfer power away from the Democratic-elect attorney general and give it to the Legislature. The Legislature wasn't expected to complete its work until early Wednesday morning. Walker has signaled support, but he couldn't escape anger over the rare lame-duck session even during what is normally an upbeat holiday tradition. The governor, wearing a Santa tie, appeared unfazed as he flipped the switch to light the Christmas tree while one protester shouted "Hey Walker! Go home!" He left without taking questions from reporters about the bills being considered in the rare lame-duck legislative session. Walker, who has signaled support for the measures, later tweeted that he "can handle the shouts," but he urged protesters to "leave the kids alone." Stung by their election loss last month, Republicans treated the lame-duck session as a final opportunity to use their political clout to weaken the next governor before time runs out. Democrats, who won every statewide constitutional office after nearly a decade-long GOP hold on power, derided the session as a cynical attempt to preserve the party's waning strength. "If he wanted to put a stop to this, he could," Russ Hahn, a 53-year-old attorney, said of Walker. He was holding a sign that said "GOP Grinch Steals Democracy." Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, left, with the help of the Mary and Don Miller family from Plainfield, Wis., flipped the switch to light the state Christmas Tree in the Capitol Rotunda, Tuesday, Dec. 4, 2018 at the Capitol in Madison, Wis. The Senate and Assembly are set to send dozens of changes in state law to Walker's desk Tuesday. (Steve Apps/Wisconsin State Journal via AP) The fact that Walker was making no attempt to halt the effort "clearly indicates he wants to be able to control things outside the governor's office for the next four or eight years," Hahn said. Republicans were still working to reach final agreement on what exactly they would pass. Leaders from both the Senate and Assembly negotiated into the night, giving opponents hope that the bills may be scaled back. Debate in the Assembly finally began around 10:30 p.m., more than nine hours after it was scheduled to start. "Even you have questions," Assembly Minority Leader Gordon Hintz said as debate began. "The Senate has questions. Why are we here today? What are we doing? Nothing we're doing here is about helping the people of Wisconsin. It's about helping politicians. It's about power and self-interest." At one point Tuesday, the public was ordered removed from Senate galleries after repeated warnings to be quiet. Spectators shouted "Shame!" and hurled complaints at senators, temporarily halting debate. Less than an hour later, Republicans let people back in. The GOP proposals would weaken the governor's ability to put in place rules that enact laws and shield the state jobs agency from his control. Republicans also want to limit early voting to no more than two weeks before an election. The Senate passed one measure, on a party-line vote, to enact Medicaid work requirement rules Walker recently won a federal waiver to establish. The bill would also give the Legislature oversight over the governor seeking future waivers for health care, a change Democrats said would handcuff the new administration. The Wisconsin GOP package would also weaken the attorney general's office by allowing Republican legislative leaders to intervene in cases and hire their own attorneys. A legislative committee, rather than the attorney general, would have to sign off on withdrawing from federal lawsuits. That would stop Gov.-elect Tony Evers and Attorney General-elect Josh Kaul from fulfilling their campaign promises to withdraw Wisconsin from a multi-state lawsuit seeking repeal of the Affordable Care Act. They made opposition to that lawsuit a central part of both of their campaigns. Some hinted at filibusters or legal challenges and called the lame-duck session "illegitimate." Former Democratic attorney general and Gov. Jim Doyle said the moves were unconstitutional. Never in Wisconsin history "has an extraordinary session been used to deny the will of the people and take away powers from the newly elected governor and newly elected attorney general," Democratic Rep. Chris Taylor said. Despite the victories by Evers, Kaul and other Democrats, the party gained no ground in the Legislature and blamed partisan gerrymandering by Republicans for stacking the electoral map against them. Republican Assembly Speaker Robin Vos told reporters that his constituents want him to protect everything the GOP has accomplished over the last eight years under Walker. The legislation, he said, ensures that Evers will have to negotiate with lawmakers and cannot unilaterally erase Republican ideas. "We do not believe any one individual should have the opportunity to come in and with a stroke of the pen ... eliminate laws passed by our Legislature," Vos said, citing rules enacting voter photo ID, a key GOP initiative during Walker's two terms. The last lame-duck session in Wisconsin was in 2010, when Democrats tried unsuccessfully to enact labor agreements. The proposals to bolster Republican legislative power come after North Carolina lawmakers took similar steps two years ago. Michigan Republicans are also discussing taking action before a Democratic governor takes over there. Opponents have said many of the changes will likely be challenged in court, a process that could create even more gridlock in state government next year. "This legislation is an effort to undermine the results of the elections we just had for governor and for attorney general," Kaul told reporters Tuesday. "The state is going to be mired in litigation in 2019." ___ Follow Scott Bauer on Twitter: https://twitter.com/sbauerAP Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker arrives for the lighting of the state Christmas Tree in the Capitol Rotunda, Tuesday, Dec. 4, 2018 at the Capitol in Madison, Wis. The Senate and Assembly are set to send dozens of changes in state law to Walker's desk Tuesday. (Steve Apps/Wisconsin State Journal via AP) State Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, holds a press conference in the Assembly parlor, Tuesday Dec. 4, 2018 at the Capitol in Madison. The Senate and Assembly are set to send dozens of changes in state law to Gov. Scott Walker's desk. (Steve Apps/Wisconsin State Journal via AP) Protesters Peppi Elder, left, and Christine Taylor holds up signs during the state Christmas Tree lighting ceremony in state Capitol Rotunda Tuesday Dec. 4, 2018, in Madison, Wis. The Senate and Assembly are set to send dozens of changes in state law to Gov. Scott Walker's desk. (Steve Apps Bob Kinosian, from Wauwatosa, Wis., holds up a sign during the state Christmas Tree lighting ceremony in state Capitol Rotunda Tuesday Dec. 4, 2018, in Madison, Wis. The Senate and Assembly are set to send dozens of changes in state law to Gov. Scott Walker's desk. (Steve Apps Wisconsin Minority Leader Gordon Hintz holds a press conference in the Assembly chambers, Tuesday Dec. 4, 2018 at the Capitol in Madison. The Senate and Assembly are set to send dozens of changes in state law to Gov. Scott Walker's desk. (Steve Apps/Wisconsin State Journal via AP) BERLIN (AP) - In a story Dec. 4 about Holocaust survivors marking the third night of Hanukkah, The Associated Press misidentified the vice president of the Claims Conference in Israel. His name is Shlomo Gur. A corrected version of the story is below: Holocaust survivors gathering for global Hanukkah ceremonies Survivors of the Nazi Holocaust are gathering in four cities around the world for menorah-lighting ceremonies marking the third night of Hanukkah By DAVID RISING Associated Press BERLIN (AP) - Hundreds of Holocaust survivors around the world marked the third night of Hanukkah on Tuesday, with menorah-lighting ceremonies paying tribute to them and the 6 million other Jews who were killed by the Nazis. Initiated last year by the New York-based organization that handles claims on behalf of Jews persecuted by the Nazis, International Holocaust Survivors Night was expanded this year to include Moscow, a nod to the large number of survivors who live in Russia and other former Soviet countries. "The sense of Hanukkah is in our dear veterans who are present here today," Russia's Chief Rabbi Berel Lazar said at the ceremony in the Jewish Community Center and Synagogue in Moscow. "These people have seen war, but never gave up." Other ceremonies were held in Berlin and Jerusalem. At a gathering of more than 100 survivors at Oheb Shalom Congregation in South Orange, New Jersey, outside New York City, Hanna Keselman recalled being separated from her parents in Germany by the Nazis. Her mother survived but her father died. "We are what is left of a people who were not able to celebrate the Jewish religion because another government decided that we were not worthy of existing, much less openly practicing our faith," the 87-year-old Keselman said. "It is a miracle, after the horrors we faced, that we are celebrating Hanukkah today." New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, a former ambassador to Germany under former President Barack Obama, told the group that survivors "are owed a debt by each of us, and from all humanity." "All of us here who've listened have a responsibility to tell your stories to successive generations," he added. Greg Schneider, executive vice president of the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany, said that more than seven decades after the end of World War II it is more critical than ever to keep the memory of the Holocaust alive. "We owe it to you, to show you that we will not forget," he told the group of several dozen survivors and relatives in Moscow. "The Hanukkah candles will serve as a reminder from here forward of the importance of preserving memory. We have rebuilt many times in the past; we will never forget those lessons." In Berlin, several hundred survivors and relatives packed the German capital's biggest Jewish community center for a dinner of turkey and rice, washed down with Manischewitz red wine, before lighting a menorah on stage. Sara Bialas-Tenenberg, a native of Czestochowa, Poland, who survived 4 years in the Nazis' Gross Rosen concentration camp, said even though it was good to be among people with whom she had so much in common, the event was "not easy" for her. She told The Associated Press it brought back memories of her parents, killed in Treblinka, a sister who was shot by the Germans and another sister who simply vanished. "I was just a child then, 13 years old, I knew nothing of the world and I'd never been away from my parents," said Bilas-Tenenberg, who turned 91 on Tuesday and has lived in Germany since 1961. "I miss my mother always and even though I'm now old, I need my mother." At Jerusalem's Western Wall, the holiest place where Jews can pray, more than 250 survivors from across Israel lit candles at sunset after feasting on sweet Hanukkah treats and dancing to traditional Hebrew folk songs. Colette Avital, chair of the Center of Organizations of Holocaust Survivors in Israel, said her own trauma hiding from the Germans as her family members were killed inspired her to promote Holocaust commemoration, a task she said grows in urgency every year as survivors advance in age. "The people here are old and ailing and getting sicker," she said. "We have to celebrate them while we can." Shlomo Gur, the vice president of the Claims Conference in Israel, said in the wake of reports of rising anti-Semitism in Europe, the international nature of the ceremony has taken on increased importance. "We need to make sure more and more people remember," Gur said. "This event gives us hope - it's an expression of overcoming the tragedy, bringing people from darkness into light." In Berlin, Charlotte Knobloch, a survivor and former head of Germany's Central Council of Jews, also condemned the increasing anti-Semitism, pledging to those who perished in the Holocaust: "We are here and we are staying." "Many of you will never see the light of Hanukkah again," she said. "It is you who we remember." _____ Isabel Debre in Jerusalem, Iuliia Subbotovska in Moscow and David Porter in South Orange, New Jersey, contributed to this story. WASHINGTON (AP) - The Latest on events honoring former President George H.W. Bush (all times local): 7 p.m. Former President George W. Bush and his family have greeted mourners at the Capitol as his father, George H.W. Bush, lies in state. The younger Bush was accompanied by his wife, Laura, their daughters, Jenna and Barbara, and his brother Jeb. The Bushes shook hands and hugged members of the public who had come to the Capitol to pay tribute to the family patriarch, who died Friday at age 94. George W. Bush even held a baby who had been brought to the Capitol by a mourner. President Donald Trump, second from right, and first lady Melania Trump, right, are greeted by former President George Bush and former first lady Laura Bush outside the Blair House across the street from the White House in Washington, Tuesday, Dec. 4, 2018. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) __ 5:40 p.m. A tearful Cindy McCain has said farewell to former President George H.W. Bush. The widow of Republican Sen. John McCain visited the casket in the rotunda of the U.S. Capitol on Tuesday evening. She approached the casket in tears, kissed a hand and touched it to the flag covering the casket. It's the second time she's grieved in the soaring room since her husband died Aug. 25 of brain cancer. The casket holding the Arizona senator lay for a viewing in the same spot, also on the catafalque constructed to hold the remains of President Abraham Lincoln. Bush died Friday in Houston at age 94. ___ 4:50 p.m. President Donald Trump is visiting with the family of former President George H.W. Bush. Trump and first lady Melania Trump arrived by motorcade at Blair House on Tuesday. It's the official government guest house across from the White House where Bush's son former President George W. Bush and his wife, Laura, are staying for the elder Bush's state funeral this week. The Bushes descended a short staircase to greet the Trumps before everyone went inside for the private visit. Trump put his hand on George W. Bush's back a couple of times. Trump tweeted earlier Tuesday that he was "Looking forward to being with the wonderful Bush family at Blair House today." Trump hasn't always said the kindest things about the Bush family, and some of the Bushes have publicly criticized Trump. ___ 1:30 p.m. Former Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole has saluted President George H.W. Bush at the casket of the late president. Like Bush, Dole is a World War II veteran. He arrived in the Capitol rotunda in a wheelchair pushed by an aide. At the casket's side, the aide lifted Dole, 95, into a standing position. Once steadied, Dole saluted. Bush achieved the office that Dole sought in 1996 as the Republican presidential nominee. Bush died on Friday at age 94. ___ 1:25 p.m. Former Polish President Lech Walesa, the founder of the anti-Communist Solidarity movement, and the current Polish president, Andrzej Duda, are planning to attend the state funeral of former President George H.W. Bush. Walesa is credited with a key role in bringing down the communist system in Poland in 1989 and went on to serve as the first democratic-era president, from 1990-95. On hearing of Bush's death, Walesa on Saturday also credited Bush with a historic role, saying, "he did much to overcome communism and help Poland" and that Bush "will remain forever in our hearts and memory." Duda said Walesa had asked to travel on the presidential plane with him and that he agreed. That in itself was a major news story in Poland on Tuesday because Walesa is a sharp critic of the current ruling authorities, including the president. ___ 12:35 p.m. Former first lady Laura Bush has received a tour of the White House Christmas decorations by first lady Melania Trump. A spokeswoman for Melania Trump says only that the visit happened. No other details about the private visit were released. President Donald Trump tweeted earlier Tuesday that Mrs. Bush would visit. Trump also said he'd visit the Bush family later Tuesday. Laura Bush is in Washington for the state funeral of her father-in-law, former President George H.W. Bush. Melania Trump unveiled the White House Christmas decor last week. She decorated a hallway in the East Wing with red Christmas Trees and tweaked the traditional gingerbread White House by adding replicas of the Lincoln and Washington monuments, the Jefferson Memorial and the U.S. Capitol, where Bush is lying in state. ___ Noon Sully the service dog has visited with former President George H.W. Bush's casket. The yellow Labrador, who served the late president until his death on Friday, walked into the Rotunda on a leash with Americans in wheelchairs who have benefited from the Americans with Disabilities Act that Bush signed. Sully is 2 years old and named for retired airline captain "Sully" Sullenberger who in 2009 landed a US Airways flight in the Hudson River off Manhattan after both engines were disabled by a bird strike. All 155 people aboard survived. Sully the dog lay down near the casket and later sat among the disabled Americans gathered to pay their respects to Bush. He'll head off to a few weeks' training at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center and is expected to serve veterans. ___ 10:40 a.m. The CIA has saluted the late President George H.W. Bush, the only director of the spy agency to serve in the nation's highest office. CIA Director Gina Haspel and former directors John Brennan and George Tenet paid their respects as they visited Bush's casket in the Capitol Rotunda during a day of public viewing. Bush died Friday at age 94. Bush was the only former CIA director to become president. The agency's headquarters in Langley, Virginia, was named for him in 1999. Other officials who paid respects Tuesday include former Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Colin Powell. President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump were among the mourners paying respects to the former president as he was lying in state on Monday. ___ 9:40 a.m. President Donald Trump says he'll meet with the Bush family at his guesthouse. Trump tweeted Tuesday: "Looking forward to being with the wonderful Bush family at Blair House today." Trump adds: "The former First Lady will be coming over to the White House this morning to be given a tour of the Christmas decorations by Melania. The elegance & precision of the last two days have been remarkable!" The president and the first lady were among the mourners paying respects to former President George H.W. Bush as he was lying in state in the Capitol Rotunda on Monday. Bush died last week in Houston at age 94. ___ 7:35 a.m. Prince Charles plans to attend the funeral for former President George H.W. Bush. The prince's official residence, Clarence House, tweeted on Tuesday that he would attend the state funeral on Wednesday in Washington. He will be representing his mother, Queen Elizabeth II. The prince is the heir to the British throne. The queen released a statement honoring Bush over the weekend, calling the 41st president "a patriot, serving his country with honor and distinction in office and during the Second World War." President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump were among the mourners to pay their respects to Bush as he was lying in state in the Capitol Rotunda on Monday. Bush died last week in Houston at age 94. ___ 12:25 a.m. President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump were among the mourners paying their respects to the late President George H.W. Bush as he lay in state in the Capitol rotunda. The Trumps stood in front of Bush's casket with their eyes closed for a few moments Monday evening before Trump gave a salute. The former president will lie in state until services Wednesday at Washington National Cathedral. The casket arrived Monday afternoon from Houston, where Bush died Friday at age 94. In remarks at the Capitol, House Speaker Paul Ryan praised the two-term congressman from Texas as a "great man" and a "gentle soul." Bush chose not to have a formal funeral procession through downtown Washington. Burial at his presidential library at Texas A&M University is Thursday. Cindy McCain, center, widow of the late U.S> Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., views the flag-draped casket of former President George H.W. Bush as he lies in state in the Capitol Rotunda in Washington, Tuesday, Dec. 4, 2018. At back left is Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky) President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump leave the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol after paying their respects to former President George H. W. Bush, Monday, Dec. 3, 2018, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin) Sully, former President George H.W. Bush's service dog, pays his respect to President Bush as he lie in state at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Dec. 4, 2018. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta) Former Sen. Bob Dole salutes the flag-draped casket containing the remains of former President George H.W. Bush as he lies in state at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Dec. 4, 2018. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta) Former President George W. Bush, with former first lady Laura Bush, listens to eulogies for his father, President George H.W. Bush, as he lies in state at the Capitol Rotunda where in Washington, Monday, Dec. 3, 2018. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) President Donald Trump salutes and first lady Melania Trump pays respects at the casket of former President George H.W. Bush as it lies in state inside the Capitol Rotunda on Capitol Hill, Monday, Dec. 3, 2018 in Washington. (Jonathan Ernst/Pool via AP) Former President George W. Bush, with his wife former first lady Laura, walks past the casket of his father, former President George H.W. Bush at the Capitol in Washington, Monday, Dec. 3, 2018. (Jonathan Ernst/Pool Photo via AP) The flag-draped casket of former President George H.W. Bush lies in state in the Capitol Rotunda in Washington, Monday, Dec. 3, 2018. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais/Pool) Former President George W. Bush is embraced by Democratic House Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., during the arrival of the casket of former President George H.W. Bush into the Capitol in Washington, Monday, Dec. 3, 2018. (Jonathan Ernst/Pool Photo via AP) President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump pay their respects to former President George H. W. Bush, as he lies in state in the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol, Monday, Dec. 3, 2018, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin) Members of the Bush family walks past as former President George H. W. Bush lies in state in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda Monday, Dec. 3, 2018, in Washington. (Pool photo by Morry Gash via AP) Former President George W. Bush, Laura Bush, left, and other family members watch as the flag-draped casket of former President George H.W. Bush is carried by a joint services military honor guard to lie in state in the rotunda of the U.S. Capitol, Monday, Dec. 3, 2018, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, Pool) Family members and others watch as the flag-draped of former President George H.W. Bush is carried by a joint services military honor guard to lie in state in the rotunda of the U.S. Capitol, Monday, Dec. 3, 2018, in Washington. (Doug Mills/The New York Times via AP, Pool) Former CIA directors George Tenet, left, and John Brennan pause alongside current director Gina Haspel in front of the flag-draped casket of former President George H.W. Bush as he lies in state in the Capitol Rotunda in Washington, Tuesday, Dec. 4, 2018. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky) The maker of Marlboro cigarettes is joining some of the biggest names in beer in exploring the budding cannabis marketplace. Altria Group Inc., which owns Philip Morris USA, is the latest big company to show interest in marijuana. Late Monday, Canadian medical marijuana company Cronos Group Inc. confirmed talks with Altria about a possible investment. Altria, based in Richmond, Virginia, is one of the largest cigarette makers in the United States. The company said it had no comment on Cronos' announcement. Altria joins beverage makers like Molson Coors, Constellation Brands and Heineken that already have announced moves in the cannabis space. Other big companies like Coca-Cola, Pepsi, Anheuser-Busch and Guinness brewer Diageo haven't acted yet, but have said they're watching closely as the market for marijuana and its extracts evolves. Shares of Toronto-based Cronos Group rose 6 percent Tuesday to close at $10.74. Altria shares fell 2 percent to $54.40. The cannabis market is expected to rapidly grow as legalization expands in the U.S. and social norms change. On Tuesday, conservative Utah became the latest state to legalize marijuana use for medical purposes. FILE- This Sept. 11, 2018, file photo shows a marijuana plant in San Luis Obispo, Calif. Curiosity from one the world's largest tobacco companies about the marijuana business sent shares of a Canadian cannabis company higher at the opening bell Tuesday, Dec. 4. Cronos Group confirmed talks late Monday with Marlboro maker Altria about a possible investment. (AP Photo/Richard Vogel, File) Consumers are expected to spend $57 billion per year worldwide on legal cannabis by 2027, according to Arcview Market Research, a cannabis-focused investment firm. In North America, that spending is expected to grow from $9.2 billion in 2017 to $47.3 billion in 2027. Cigarette and beverage makers, in particular, want a stake in a market that could eat into demand for their traditional products. For example, a 2017 U.S. government survey showed daily marijuana use was exceeding daily cigarette use among high school students. "We think that this is another very aligned category that's going to develop very fast and very large and it simply presents another opportunity for growth," Constellation Brands CEO Rob Sands said in a recent conference call with investors. In August, Constellation, which owns Corona beer and Manischewitz wine, invested $4 billion in exchange for a 38 percent stake in Canadian marijuana grower Canopy Growth. Canada legalized recreational marijuana use this year, and it will allow food and drinks containing cannabis sometime next year. In the U.S., marijuana still is illegal at the federal level, but 10 states and the District of Columbia have legalized recreational marijuana for adults. Colorado and Washington were first in 2012 and Michigan is the latest after voters approved the idea last month. A farm bill before Congress could also legalize industrial hemp at the federal level, which would further open the market for food, beverage and other companies. Like marijuana, hemp comes from the cannabis plant but it contains less than 0.3 percent of THC, the compound that gives pot its high. But it does contain cannabidiol, or CBD, which some claim has calming and healing affects. Earlier this summer, the U.S. government approved an anti-seizure drug that contains marijuana-derived CBD. In some states, consumers can already buy CBD-infused cooking oils, drinks and gummies. "You can't name a big, national-scale chain that isn't involved already or secretly getting involved," said Ryan Stroud, the co-founder and COO of Xanthic Beverages, an Oregon-based maker of beverages infused with CBD from evergreen bark. "They realize it's a race and they don't want to be left behind." While some companies are quietly researching cannabis-infused products, others are making their intentions clear. Earlier this year, Tilray Inc., a medical marijuana company in British Columbia, became the first cannabis business to trade on a major U.S. stock exchange. Its market value is quickly approaching $10 billion, about the same as The Gap or Macy's. Molson Coors has set up a joint venture called Truss with Hexo Corp., another Canadian marijuana company. It says it will reveal more, including what sorts of products it will offer, early next year. And in California marijuana dispensaries, Heineken subsidiary Lagunitas is already selling sparkling water infused with CBD and its psychoactive cousin, THC. Big corporations could help the cannabis market by funding research, standardizing products and providing distribution, said Giadha Aguirre De Carcer, the CEO of New Frontier Data, a cannabis research group. Right now, for example, there is no agreement on the dosage of CBD that should go into drinks or the rules for labeling. "There is a lack of visibility in this space when it comes to consumer products," she said. But Stroud says the appearance of multinational corporations on the scene is chilling for many mom-and-pop marijuana growers, who won't be able to make the transition from the counterculture to the corner office. "A lot of people are still smoking grandpa's joint. That's about to change," he said. ___ Follow AP's complete marijuana coverage: https://apnews.com/LegalMarijuana FILE- In this May 31, 2018, file photo an LED grow light is displayed at the Cannabis World Congress and Business Expo in New York. Curiosity from one the world's largest tobacco companies about the marijuana business sent shares of a Canadian cannabis company higher at the opening bell Tuesday, Dec. 4. Cronos Group confirmed talks late Monday with Marlboro maker Altria about a possible investment. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan, File) FILE- This June 14, 2018, file photo shows cartons of Marlboro cigarettes on the shelves at JR outlet in Burlington, N.C. Curiosity from one the world's largest tobacco companies about the marijuana business sent shares of a Canadian cannabis company higher at the opening bell Tuesday, Dec. 4. Cronos Group confirmed talks late Monday with Marlboro maker Altria about a possible investment. (AP Photo/Gerry Broome, File) LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) - A banking executive and former highway commissioner won Tuesday's runoff for Little Rock mayor, becoming the first African-American elected to lead Arkansas' capital six decades after it was the center of a school desegregation crisis. Frank Scott, 35, defeated Baker Kurrus in the runoff election for the nonpartisan, open seat. He'll succeed outgoing Mayor Mark Stodola, who announced earlier this year he wouldn't seek re-election. Scott served as an adviser to former Gov. Mike Beebe and on the state Highway Commission, and he assembled a coalition that crossed racial and political lines. His supporters included Democratic state legislators from the area and prominent Republicans such as Will Rockefeller, grandson of Arkansas' first Republican governor since Reconstruction. He also was endorsed by New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker, a Democrat who's considering running for president in 2020. Scott had said he wasn't running to be Little Rock's first elected black mayor , but had sought to bridge some of the city's biggest divides: race, income and geography. "If you believe it's time to unify this city, let's do it," Scott told supporters Tuesday night. Little Rock has had two black mayors, but they were elected city directors chosen for the job by fellow board members and not by voters. Some voters Tuesday said they hoped electing Scott would send a message about Little Rock. FILE - This combination of file photos shows candidates for mayor of Little Rock, Ark., from left, Frank Scott and Baker Kurrus, in the Tuesday, Dec. 4, 2018, runoff election for the nonpartisan, open seat. Scott, 35, a banking executive and former highway commissioner won Tuesday's runoff for Little Rock mayor, becoming the first African-American elected to lead Arkansas' capital six decades after it was the center of a school desegregation crisis. He'll succeed outgoing Mayor Mark Stodola, who announced earlier this year he wouldn't seek re-election. (The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette via AP, File) "I just thought maybe it would help race relations in our town, which is not very good right now," said Mary Leckie, a 73-year-old white retiree who voted for Scott. Scott's election comes as race remains a dividing line in Little Rock, long after nine black students were escorted past an angry white mob into Little Rock Central High School in 1957. The city's police department has faced questions about its tactics, including its use of "no-knock" warrants . The state took over the Little Rock School District three years ago, and community leaders have compared the takeover to Gov. Orval Faubus' efforts to block integration. Kurrus, a 64-year-old attorney and businessman, had been appointed superintendent of the district after the takeover. His contract wasn't renewed after he opposed the expansion of charter schools in the district, a move that rallied Democratic lawmakers and community leaders to his defense. Kurrus, who is white, had also called unifying the city one of his goals in the campaign. "Let's don't give in to the things that divide us. Let's get together, work hard and make this a better place," Kurrus told supporters after conceding the race. Scott's election makes him the highest-profile black official in a state that hasn't elected an African-American to Congress or statewide office since Reconstruction. Blacks make up about 42 percent of the city's population, compared to nearly 16 percent statewide. Scott and Kurrus advanced to a runoff last month after Scott won a plurality of votes in a five-person race but a few percentage points shy of the 40 percent needed to win outright. Both Scott and Kurrus ran on a promise of change. Stodola, the outgoing mayor, was first elected mayor in 2006. "It's not a black or white thing with me," said Lula Binns, a 75-year-old black retiree who voted for Scott. "It's just time for some younger blood." Scott's election comes after a year where African-Americans have made gains elsewhere in Arkansas. Pulaski County, where Little Rock is located, this year elected its first black sheriff and clerk. Several other Arkansas cities have also elected their first black mayors this year. ___ Follow Andrew DeMillo on Twitter at www.twitter.com/ademillo UN Global Compact adopted amidst absences Guterres calls deaths of 60,000 migrants 'collective shame' (ANSAmed) - MARRAKECH, DECEMBER 11 - UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, speaking at the conference in Marrakech where the UN Global Compact for Migration was unanimously adopted by all 164 countries in attendance, said that migration "must always be an act of choice, never of desperation". The conference was the second step for the non-binding document on "safe, orderly, and regular migration", following its approval on July 23 at the UN General Assembly in New York. Although its approval was taken to be a given, some countries, including Italy, were notably absent from the conference. Morocco's King Mohammed VI, at the opening of the conference, said the country is "proud to host the event" and "humble before the enormity of the cause, the path ahead, and the work still to be done". The Global Compact is divided into 41 points based on 18 principles and 23 objectives, and Guterres said it "reiterates respect for human rights". Its approval coincidentally came on the 70th anniversary of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Guterres said that the 60,000 migrants who have died in recent years represent "a collective shame". Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita said that despite the absence of some countries at the conference, "those who aren't here in any case contributed to the debate and adopted the text last July in New York". German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who was present at the conference, highlighted the importance of the event. "Migration is a normal phenomenon and when it is legal it is also a positive thing," she said. On Tuesday the conference will focus on bilateral meetings.(ANSAmed). CHICAGO (AP) - Police say a man has been charged in one of three related fatal stabbings on Chicago's West Side. Police said Tuesday that 24-year-old Darius Mayze has been charged with first-degree murder in the Nov. 20 slaying of 58-year-old Ronald Rockett. He was found dead with stab wounds to his head and neck in a building vestibule. Superintendent Eddie Johnson told reporters Monday that Rockett's slaying was connected to two other stabbings. Johnson said one involved a 64-year-old man found dead with neck and shoulder wounds early on Nov. 15 just blocks away from where Rockett was killed, and the other involved a 57-year-old woman found fatally stabbed in the back, head and neck on Nov. 13 about 2 miles (3 kilometers) away. Mayze was arrested Sunday. It wasn't clear whether Mayze has an attorney. Johnson didn't provide a motive for the attacks. ___ This story has been corrected to show Rockett was killed on Nov. 20, not Nov. 2. WASHINGTON (AP) - President Donald Trump's former national security adviser provided so much information to the special counsel's Russia investigation that prosecutors say he shouldn't do any prison time, according to a court filing Tuesday that describes Michael Flynn's cooperation as "substantial." The filing by special counsel Robert Mueller provides the first details of Flynn's assistance in the Russia investigation, including that he participated in 19 interviews with prosecutors and cooperated extensively in a separate and undisclosed criminal probe. But the filing's lengthy redactions also underscore how much Mueller has yet to reveal. It was filed two weeks ahead of Flynn's sentencing and just over a year after he became one of five Trump associates to plead guilty in the Russia probe, in his case admitting to lying to the FBI about conversations with the Russian ambassador to the U.S. Though prosecutors withheld specific details of Flynn's cooperation because of ongoing investigations, their filing nonetheless illustrates the breadth of information Mueller has obtained from people close to Trump as the president increasingly vents his anger at the probe - and those who cooperate with it. This week, Trump accused his former lawyer, Michael Cohen, of making up "stories" to get a reduced prison sentence after pleading guilty to lying to Congress and also praised longtime confidant Roger Stone for saying he wouldn't testify against Trump. It's unclear if Trump will now turn his fury on Flynn, whom Trump bonded with during the 2016 campaign. FILE - In this Jan. 22, 2017 file photo, National Security Adviser Michael Flynn arrives for a White House senior staff swearing in ceremony in the East Room of the White House, in Washington. President Donald Trump's former national security adviser has provided so much information to the special counsel's Russia investigation that prosecutors say he shouldn't do any prison time, according to a court filing Tuesday, Dec. 4, 2018, that describes Flynn's cooperation as "substantial." (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, File) Trump has repeatedly lamented how Flynn's life has been destroyed by the special counsel's probe. At one point, he tried to protect Flynn by asking former FBI Director James Comey to drop an investigation into his alleged false statements, according to a memo Comey wrote after the February 2017 encounter. That episode, which Trump has denied, is being scrutinized by Mueller as he probes whether the president attempted to obstruct the Russia investigation. Federal sentencing guidelines recommend between zero and six months in prison, and Mueller's office said Flynn's cooperation merits no prison time. Prosecutors said Flynn's early cooperation was "particularly valuable" because he was "one of the few people with long-term and firsthand insight" into the events under investigation. They noted his cooperation likely inspired other crucial witnesses to cooperate. Mueller's team credited Flynn with serving 33 years in the U.S. Army, including five years in combat. But prosecutors also said the long military and government service that sets him apart from all other defendants in the investigation made his deception more troublesome. "The defendant's extensive government service should have made him particularly aware of the harm caused by providing false information to the government, as well as the rules governing work performed on behalf of a foreign government," they wrote. Flynn's case has stood apart from those of other Trump associates, who have aggressively criticized the investigation, sought to undermine it and, in some cases, been accused of lying even after agreeing to cooperate. Trump's former campaign chairman, Paul Manafort, is accused of repeatedly lying to investigators since his guilty plea. Another Trump campaign aide, George Papadopoulos, is serving a 14-day prison sentence and, though he pleaded guilty to the same crime as Flynn, was denied probation because prosecutors said his cooperation was lacking. But Flynn has largely remained out of the public eye, appearing only sporadically in media interviews or campaign events, and avoided criticizing the Mueller probe despite widespread encouragement from his supporters to go on the offensive. He has instead spent considerable time with his family and worked to position himself for a post-conviction career. Another highly anticipated filing is expected Friday from Mueller's office, detailing the lies that prosecutors say Manafort told them after his guilty plea. In Tuesday's filing, prosecutors emphasized that the conduct Flynn lied about cuts to the core of the investigation into any coordination between the Trump campaign and the Kremlin. Flynn's false statements stemmed from a Jan. 24, 2017, interview with the FBI about his interactions with Sergey Kislyak, Russia's then-ambassador to the U.S., as the Obama administration was levying sanctions on the Kremlin in response to election interference. Mueller's office blamed Flynn for other senior Trump transition officials making misleading public statements about his contacts with Russia, an assertion that matches the White House's explanation of Flynn's firing. "Several senior members of the transition team publicly repeated false information conveyed to them by the defendant about communications between him and the Russian ambassador regarding the sanctions," the filing said. As part of his plea deal, Flynn said members of Trump's inner circle, including his son-in-law and White House aide Jared Kushner, were involved in - and at times directing - his actions in the weeks before Trump took office. According to court papers, in mid-December 2016, Kushner directed Flynn to reach out to several countries, including Russia, about a U.N. Security Council resolution regarding Israeli settlements. During those conversations with Kislyak, Flynn asked Russia to delay or vote against the resolution, a request the Kremlin ultimately rejected. Flynn also admitted that later in December 2016 he asked Kislyak not to retaliate in response to the Obama administration sanctions, something he initially told FBI agents he didn't do. Flynn made the request after discussing it with deputy national security adviser K.T. McFarland, who was at Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort, and being told that Trump's transition team did not want Russia to escalate the situation. Flynn was forced to resign his post on Feb. 13, 2017, after news reports revealed that Obama administration officials had warned the Trump White House about Flynn's false statements. The White House has said Flynn misled officials- including Vice President Mike Pence - about the content of his conversations. Flynn also admitted to making false statements about unregistered foreign agent work he performed for the benefit of the Turkish government, a matter Mueller's team cited in Tuesday's filing. Flynn was under investigation by the Justice Department for the work when he became national security adviser. ___ Read the court filing: http://apne.ws/CMG15me ___ Follow Chad Day and Eric Tucker on Twitter: https://twitter.com/ChadSDay and https://twitter.com/etuckerAP RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) - Allegations of flagrant absentee ballot fraud in a North Carolina district have thrown the Election Day results of one of the nation's last unresolved midterm congressional races into question. Unofficial ballot totals showed Republican Mark Harris ahead of Democrat Dan McCready by 905 votes in the 9th Congressional District. But the state elections board refused to certify the results last week in view of "claims of numerous irregularities and concerted fraudulent activities" involving mail-in ballots in the district. The elections board has subpoenaed documents from the Harris campaign, a campaign attorney confirmed Tuesday. Investigators seem to be concentrating on activities linked to a longtime political operative from Bladen County, where allegations about mail-in absentee ballots also surfaced two years ago during a tight election for governor. In affidavits offered by the state Democratic Party, voters described a woman coming to their homes to collect their absentee ballots, whether or not they had been completed properly. State law bars this kind of "harvesting" of absentee ballots, which must be submitted by mail or in person by the voter or a close family member. If the allegations are accurate, "this is the biggest absentee fraud in a generation or two in North Carolina," said Gerry Cohen, an election law expert and former longtime legislative staff attorney. "North Carolina has a long history of this kind of thing, particularly in rural areas." Concerns about voter harvesting worried state election officials so much that they sent a letter to every Bladen County address where a voter requested a mail-in ballot asking the voter to call them if someone else tried take the ballot or fill it out. FILE - In this Nov. 7, 2018, file photo, Mark Harris speaks to the media during a news conference in Matthews, N.C. The nation's last unresolved fall congressional race with Harris against Democrat Dan McCready is awash in doubt as North Carolina election investigators concentrate on a rural county where absentee-ballot fraud allegations are so flagrant they've put the Election Day result into question. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton, File) "Elections officials will never come to your house to pick up your absentee ballot or tell you how to vote," the letter warned. The portion of Bladen County in the 9th District was the only place in the district's eight counties where Harris won a majority of the mail-in ballots, according to unofficial election data. Bladen and Robeson County - where officials also have requested information - had the highest percentages of unreturned mail-in absentee ballots in the state, according to Catawba College political scientist Michael Bitzer. The total number of unreturned ballots for Bladen and Robeson in the 9th exceeded the current margin. The district attorney in Raleigh announced this week that she's been investigating potential Bladen County "voting irregularities" since last January. The investigation that began with claims from 2016 has now spread to this year's primary and general elections, Wake County DA Lorrin Freeman said in an interview. Freeman said she was investigating in part because of comments made by McCrae Dowless of Bladen County during a State Board of Elections hearing in December 2016. Dowless worked as a contractor for Harris' chief strategist in the campaign, Harris campaign lawyer John Branch confirmed Tuesday. Dowless, who served prison time in 1995 for felony fraud and was convicted of felony perjury in 1992, has worked on get-out-the-vote efforts for various local and legislative candidates through the years. Dowless put his name on an elections protest, backed at the time by the campaign of then-GOP Gov. Pat McCrory, that alleged a "massive scheme" by a local political group to run an "absentee ballot mill" to improperly submit votes for a write-in candidate for a position Dowless was seeking. But the board peppered Dowless with questions about his own absentee ballot activities. Dowless acknowledged he hired people in 2016 to urge voters to turn in absentee ballot request forms, which is legal. In sworn testimony, Dowless said he never handled or filled out the actual ballots. The board dismissed Dowless' protest but sent all of its evidence to local and federal prosecutors. Visited by a reporter Tuesday at his Bladenboro home, Dowless declined to comment. He said the voice on the speaker phone in his hand was that of an attorney advising he decline to describe his election activities. Documents released late Tuesday by the elections board as part of its investigation show Dowless appears to have been the top collector of Bladen County absentee ballot requests this fall. A copy of the Bladen election board's log book shows Dowless turned in well over 500 applications. The elections board has said it will hold a hearing on the allegations on or before Dec. 21. Board members can call for a new election if they find enough problems that could have altered the outcome or cast doubts on the election's fairness. An election would take place well after the new session of Congress convenes Jan. 3, likely creating a temporary vacancy. Republican leaders say Harris, a Southern Baptist minister, should be certified the winner, saying no evidence has been made public that show he didn't get the most lawful votes. "The campaign was not aware of any illegal conduct in connection with the 9th District race," Branch said in a statement. Although Democrats won enough House seats nationally to take back the chamber come January, the 9th is gaining attention in part because a Republican has held the seat continuously since 1963. Democrats had hoped McCready, an Iraq War veteran, would end the streak, especially after Harris edged U.S. Rep. Robert Pittenger in the May GOP primary. Incoming Majority Leader Rep. Steny Hoyer of Maryland said Tuesday that a "very substantial question" about fraud exists and hopes state officials "get to the bottom" of the controversy. Hoyer said Harris is "not eligible for being sworn into the House" at this point. ___ Dalesio reported from Bladenboro, North Carolina. SEVERANCE, Colo. (AP) - A 9-year-old boy has convinced the leaders of a small northern Colorado town to overturn a nearly century-old ban on snowball fights, and he already knows who his first target will be - his little brother. Dane Best, who lives in the often snow-swept town of Severance, presented his arguments at a town board meeting Monday night, and members voted unanimously to lift the ban. "I think it's an outdated law," Dane said in the lead-up to the meeting. "I want to be able to throw a snowball without getting in trouble." Dane's mother, Brooke Best, told The Greeley Tribune her son had been talking about snowballs since he found out about a month and a half ago that it was illegal to throw them within town limits. The last time it snowed, Dane said he and his friends looked around for police and joked about breaking the law. Kyle Rietkerk, assistant to the Severance town administrator, said the rule was part of a larger ordinance that made it illegal to throw or shoot stones or missiles at people, animals, buildings, trees, any other public or private property or vehicles. Snowballs fell under the town's definition of "missiles." "All of the kids always get blown away that it's illegal to have snowball fights in Severance," Rietkerk said before the meeting. "So, what ends up happening is (town leaders) always encourage the kids with, 'You have the power you can change the law.' No one has." In this Thursday, Nov. 29, 2018, photograph, 9-year-old Dane Best poses in the council chambers in Severance, Colo. Dane is trying to get rid of his town's ban on snowballs and officials are wondering what took so long. (Sara Knuth/Greeley Tribune via AP) Then Dane took up the cause, writing letters with his classmates in support of overturning the ban. And after Monday night's success, his 4-year-old brother Dax had better watch out. When board members asked Dane during a meeting in November who he wants to hit, he pointed at his little brother. Dane and his family have researched other Severance ordinances, including one that defines pets only as cats and dogs. Dane has a guinea pig, which is illegal in Severance, too. ___ Information from: The Tribune of Greeley, Co, http://greeleytribune.com In this Thursday, Nov. 29, 2018, photograph, 9-year-old Dane Best poses in the council chambers in Severance, Colo. Dane is trying to get rid of his town's ban on snowballs and officials are wondering what took so long. (Sara Knuth/Greeley Tribune via AP) Range View Elementary School third grader Dane Best throws the first legal snowball in the parking lot of the Town Hall after presenting his argument to the town board trustees to change a law in Severance that bans snowball fights on Monday, Dec. 3, 2018, at the Town Hall in Severance, Colo. The board earlier voted unanimously to approve the law change. (Timothy Hurst/The Coloradoan via AP) Range View Elementary School third grader Dane Best sits on the lap of his mother, Brooke Best, during a town board meeting where he presented his argument to change a law in Severance that bans snowball fights on Monday, Dec. 3, 2018, at the Town Hall in Severance, Colo. The 9-year-old boy later convinced the leaders of the small northern Colorado town to overturn a nearly century-old ban on snowball fights. (Timothy Hurst/The Coloradoan via AP) MADISON, Wis. (AP) - The Latest on Wisconsin Republican lawmakers moving to limit the powers of the incoming Democratic governor and attorney general (all times local): 10:50 p.m. The Wisconsin Senate has passed a bill in a lame-duck session to enact a Medicaid work requirement. The bill approved late Tuesday night is part of a package of proposals being sought by Republicans before Gov. Scott Walker leaves office in five weeks. The measure approved on a party-line vote would prevent incoming Democratic Gov.-elect Tony Evers from withdrawing a federal waiver request to implement the work requirement for able-bodied adults under age 50. The proposal makes a host of other changes to Medicaid that more than two dozen health care providers, insurers and hospitals warned could have unintended consequences. Protesters Peppi Elder, left, and Christine Taylor holds up signs during the state Christmas Tree lighting ceremony in state Capitol Rotunda Tuesday Dec. 4, 2018, in Madison, Wis. The Senate and Assembly are set to send dozens of changes in state law to Gov. Scott Walker's desk. (Steve Apps The bill also requires new legislative oversight of waiver requests related to health care made by the governor, a move Democrats decried as a power shift designed to handcuff the new administration. The measure now heads to the Assembly, which was expected to pass it late Tuesday or early Wednesday. ___ 10:30 p.m. The Wisconsin Assembly has started debating Republican lame-duck legislation designed to weaken incoming Democratic Gov.-elect Tony Evers and Democratic Attorney General-elect Josh Kaul. The package would prohibit Evers from authorizing Kaul to withdraw Wisconsin from a multistate lawsuit challenging the Affordable Care Act. Legislators could hire outside attorneys to represent the state, pushing Kaul to the sidelines, and require Kaul to get legislative approval before settling cases. The bills would weaken Evers' ability to promulgate administrative rules that enact laws and prohibit his appointees from controlling the state job-creation agency. Assembly debate was scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. but didn't get underway until almost 10:30 p.m. Republicans in the Assembly and Senate spent hours trying to reach agreement on what to take up. ___ 8 p.m. A lame-duck legislative session in Wisconsin designed to weaken the powers of the incoming Democratic governor and attorney general is in limbo for now. Both the state Assembly and Senate were scheduled to vote on a package of bills Tuesday that won committee approval late Monday. But the Assembly had yet to convene seven hours after it was scheduled to start. The Senate approved 82 appointments and one transportation-related bill, but Republicans broke for a caucus and showed no signs of emerging as of 8 p.m. Democrats and opponents were hopeful the delays showed Republicans didn't have the votes to pass the most significant measures. Republican Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald shook his head "no" when asked during the break whether he had a deal. ___ 3:55 p.m. The Wisconsin Senate has voted to approve 82 appointees of outgoing Republican Gov. Scott Walker during a lame-duck legislative session. The appointees were approved by a party-line vote, with Republicans in support and Democrats against. Democratic senators objected, as did Democratic Gov.-elect Tony Evers in a letter submitted minutes before the Senate took up the appointments. The appointees include naming Scott Beightol to the University of Wisconsin System Board of Regents. The attorney replaces Bryan Steil, who resigned last week after winning election to Congress replacing retiring House Speaker Paul Ryan. Walker also appointed his top aide Ellen Nowak to a position on the state Public Service Commission, guaranteeing she'll have a job after he leaves office next month. ___ 3:35 p.m. Wisconsin Assembly Speaker Robin Vos and his Republican colleagues are defending lame-duck legislation that would weaken incoming Democratic Gov.-elect Tony Evers and Democratic Attorney General-elect Josh Kaul. They say the bills ensure the Legislature will be equal to the governor. Republican lawmakers were set to vote Tuesday on the legislation. Vos said during a news conference before the Assembly took the floor that the GOP wants to make sure Evers doesn't erase achievements Republicans have made over the last eight years with Gov. Scott Walker in office. Vos added that his constituents want him to protect Republican ideas. He says the Legislature must be considered a co-equal branch of state government. He said that he, Senate Majority Scott Fitzgerald and Walker had discussed limiting the governor's power this spring. He made the same assertion during a news conference Monday. ___ 3:25 p.m. Members of the public are being allowed to return to the Wisconsin Senate gallery after being removed for ignoring warnings to remain quiet. Republican Senate President Roger Roth ordered the galleries cleared shortly after debate began Tuesday. That led to an outburst of anger and shouts of "Shame!" from those forced to leave. After about a 40-minute break, Roth said leaders from both parties agreed to let the public back in with the understanding that those being disruptive would be removed and everyone could be kicked out if there are repeated problems. The Senate is debating lame-duck measures taking power away from the Democratic-elect governor and attorney general. ___ 2:45 p.m. Republican Wisconsin Senate President Roger Roth ordered the public to be removed from Senate galleries, minutes after the start of a lame-duck session to weaken incoming Democratic office holders. The public erupted into shouts of "Shame!" and "Whose house? Our house!" after the order for police to clear the galleries. Roth says he was ordering the public removed for not heeding repeated warnings to remain quiet during debate. The state Senate is meeting Tuesday in an unusual lame-duck session to consider sweeping proposals that would weaken incoming Democratic Gov.-elect Tony Evers and Attorney General Josh Kaul. The disruption brought Senate debate to a halt as people slowly left and shouted down at the senators. ___ 2:30 p.m. Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker is criticizing protesters who jeered him during a Christmas tree lighting ceremony. The protesters took aim at Walker as Republican legislators prepare to vote on several proposals aimed at weakening Walker's incoming Democratic successor. Walker supports the measures. Some of their shouts and songs drowned out a high school choir that was performing during the ceremony. Walker tweeted that he "can handle the shouts, but leave the kids alone." ___ 2:10 p.m. Democratic Gov.-elect Tony Evers is ripping Republican Gov. Scott Walker for "jamming" through scores of last-minute appointees in a lame-duck legislative session. Republicans planned to vote Tuesday on legislation that would limit Evers' powers as well as restrict incoming Democratic Attorney General Josh Kaul. The Senate is also slated to confirm about 75 Walker appointees, including two new members of the University of Wisconsin System Board of Regents. Evers sent Walker a letter on Tuesday complaining that the appointees haven't been fully vetted and that some haven't filed statements of economic interest. He asked Walker to withdraw the names to allow ample time for review. Walker spokeswoman Amy Hasenberg didn't immediately reply to an email seeking comment. ___ 12:55 p.m. Wisconsin Republican Gov. Scott Walker elicited boos and howls of protest as he threw the switch lighting the state Christmas tree. Walker presided over the ceremony in the Wisconsin Capitol rotunda on Tuesday. It came as Republican lawmakers prepared to vote on lame-duck session measures to weaken powers of the incoming Democratic governor. Protesters held signs that read "Stop the GOP Madness" and "All I Want for Christmas is Democracy" as Walker attended the ceremony. A high school choir singing Christmas carols was largely drowned out by protesters outside the Senate chamber singing their own anti-Walker tunes. As the ceremony ended, protesters chanted and yelled, "Hey Walker, go home!" Walker left without taking questions. ___ 12:45 p.m. Former Wisconsin Democratic Gov. Jim Doyle says the state's Legislature "is sinking to new depths" as Republicans attempt to weaken the powers of the incoming Democratic governor and attorney general. Doyle spoke Tuesday as Republicans prepared to take action on a number of bills to strip key powers of Gov.-elect Tony Evers and new Attorney General Josh Kaul. Doyle was governor from 2003 to 2011. He compared the transitions he had with Republican opponents he defeated to become attorney general and then governor and says what's happening in Wisconsin "is completely different." He says former Republican Gov. Scott McCallum was "nothing but gracious and open and accepting" when Doyle defeated him in 2002. He slammed the GOP proposals now as "unconstitutional violations of separations of powers." ___ 12:05 p.m. Democrats in the Wisconsin Assembly are branding a Republican lame-duck session as "illegitimate" and are eschewing debate limits, setting up a potential filibuster. Republicans are expected to vote Tuesday on bills that would weaken Democratic Gov.-elect Tony Evers and Democratic Attorney General-elect Josh Kaul. Assembly Minority Leader Gordon Hintz told reporters before lawmakers took the floor that the legislation is a power-grab that ignores the will of voters who elected Evers and Kaul. Democrats and Republicans traditionally agree on time limits for debates, but Hintz said no agreement was reached for this debate. He says the session is "illegitimate" and there will be no rules. He declined to elaborate. Assembly Democrats filibustered for 60 straight hours in 2011 in a vain attempt to stop Gov. Scott Walker's collective bargaining restrictions. ___ 11:40 a.m. Eight former leaders of Wisconsin's economic development agency who served under both Republicans and Democrats are speaking out against changes proposed in a lame-duck legislative session. The former directors issued a statement Tuesday as the Republican-controlled Legislature prepared to pass a proposal weakening the governor's control over the state economic development agency. The proposal would give the majority party in the Legislature more appointments than the governor to the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. Two of the eight people who signed the statement were appointed by outgoing Republican Gov. Scott Walker. A third served under former Republican Gov. Tommy Thompson. The other five served under former Democratic Gov. Jim Doyle. Incoming Democratic Gov.-elect Tony Evers has said he wants to reorganize the job-creation agency. ___ 11:05 a.m. Wisconsin's incoming Democratic attorney general is predicting multiple lawsuits challenging Republican lame-duck legislation limiting the powers of both his office and Democratic Gov.-elect Tony Evers. Attorney General-elect Josh Kaul told reporters Tuesday that the legislation undermines the will of voters who elected him and Evers. He says the legislation is "virtually certain" to generate lawsuits across multiple courts. He says the state will be mired in litigation next year. The legislation would allow legislators to replace the attorney general with outside attorneys in cases, require lawmakers to sign off on settlements, send settlement dollars to the state general fund and prohibit the governor from authorizing the attorney general to withdraw from lawsuits. Kaul says that's designed to prevent Evers from ordering him to withdraw from a multi-state lawsuit challenging federal health care laws. ___ 1:29 a.m. Wisconsin Republicans are planning dramatic lame-duck votes in the state Legislature on a sweeping attempt to limit the powers of the incoming Democratic governor and attorney general. Opponents decried the moves as a last-gasp power grab and an attempt to invalidate the election where Republican Gov. Scott Walker was defeated. Once approved by the Legislature on Tuesday, the measures would head to Walker for his signature just five weeks before he is replaced by Democrat Tony Evers. A Republican-controlled committee voted to approve the bills around midnight Monday, following a nine-hour public hearing where all but one person spoke against the measures. A proposal to move the 2020 presidential primary election from April to March appears to be dead after the committee did not vote to advance it. Opponents of an extraordinary session bill submitted by Wisconsin Republican legislators gather for a rally outside the Wisconsin state Capitol in Madison, Wis., Monday, Dec. 3, 2018. (John Hart/Wisconsin State Journal via AP) Opponents of an extraordinary session bill submitted by Wisconsin Republican legislators gather for a rally outside the Wisconsin state Capitol in Madison, Wis., Monday, Dec. 3, 2018. (John Hart/Wisconsin State Journal via AP) Opponents of an extraordinary session bill submitted by Wisconsin Republican legislators hold "Stop Lame Duck" signs at a rally outside the Wisconsin state Capitol in Madison, Wis., Monday, Dec. 3, 2018. (John Hart/Wisconsin State Journal via AP) Opponents of an extraordinary session bill submitted by the state's Republicans are told to quiet down by Sergeant of Arms staffer Jeanine Schneider outside a public hearing regarding the bill at the Wisconsin State Capitol in Madison, Wis., Monday, Dec. 3, 2018. (John Hart/Wisconsin State Journal via AP) Wisconsin state legislators begin a public hearing on an extraordinary session bill submitted by the state's Republicans at the Wisconsin State Capitol in Madison, Wis., Monday, Dec. 3, 2018. (John Hart/Wisconsin State Journal via AP) Terry Parisi and her brother, John Parisi, join other opponents of an extraordinary session bill submitted by Wisconsin Republican legislators at a rally outside the Wisconsin state Capitol in Madison, Wis., Monday, Dec. 3, 2018. (John Hart/Wisconsin State Journal via AP) Attendees of a public hearing on an extraordinary session bill submitted by the state's Republicans wait to enter the chambers of the hearing at the Wisconsin State Capitol in Madison, Wis., Monday, Dec. 3, 2018. (John Hart/Wisconsin State Journal via AP) Opponents of an extraordinary session bill submitted by the state's Republicans chant outside the session at the Wisconsin State Capitol in Madison, Wis., Monday, Dec. 3, 2018. (John Hart/Wisconsin State Journal via AP) People gather to protest outside a lame-duck session of the Joint Finance Committee at the Capitol in Madison, Wis., Monday, Dec. 3, 2018. Wisconsin Republicans moved quickly Monday with a rare lame-duck session that would change the 2020 presidential primary date and make sweeping changes to the duties of the governor and attorney general's offices. (Mark Hoffmanf/Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel via AP) Bob Kinosian, from Wauwatosa, Wis., holds up a sign during the state Christmas Tree lighting ceremony in state Capitol Rotunda Tuesday Dec. 4, 2018, in Madison, Wis. The Senate and Assembly are set to send dozens of changes in state law to Gov. Scott Walker's desk. (Steve Apps Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald speaks during a news conference Monday, December 3, 2018 at the Capitol in Madison, Wis. Joining him were Assembly Speaker Robin Vos and State Sen. Alberta Darling. The Joint Finance Committee is taking up measures limiting the powers of Governor-elect Tony Evers and Attorney General John Kaul when they take office. Wisconsin Republicans planned to forge ahead Monday with a rare lame-duck session to give outgoing Republican Gov. Scott Walker a chance to limit the powers of his incoming Democratic successor, move the 2020 presidential primary date to benefit a conservative state Supreme Court justice and enact a host of other changes almost certain to spur legal challenges. (Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel via AP) People crowding a hallway vent their anger outside a lame duck session of the Joint Finance Committee Monday, December 3, 2018 at the Capitol in Madison, Wis. Wisconsin Republicans planned to forge ahead Monday with a rare lame-duck session to give outgoing Republican Gov. Scott Walker a chance to limit the powers of his incoming Democratic successor, move the 2020 presidential primary date to benefit a conservative state Supreme Court justice and enact a host of other changes almost certain to spur legal challenges. (Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel via AP) Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, left, with the help of the Mary and Don Miller family from Plainfield, Wis., flipped the switch to light the state Christmas Tree in the Capitol Rotunda, Tuesday, Dec. 4, 2018 at the Capitol in Madison, Wis. The Senate and Assembly are set to send dozens of changes in state law to Walker's desk Tuesday. (Steve Apps/Wisconsin State Journal via AP) WASHINGTON (AP) - Thousands of emails were stolen from aides to the National Republican Congressional Committee during the 2018 midterm campaign, a major breach exposing vulnerabilities that have kept cybersecurity experts on edge since the 2016 presidential race. The email accounts were compromised during a series of intrusions that had been spread over several months and discovered in April, a person familiar with the matter told The Associated Press. At least four different party aides had their emails surveilled by hackers, said the person, who was not authorized to discuss the details publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity. The committee said an "unknown entity" was behind the hack but provided few other details. A cybersecurity firm and the FBI have been investigating the matter, the committee said. The FBI declined to comment. Politically motivated cyberespionage is commonplace across the world, but Americans have become particularly alert to the possibility of digital interference since Russia's meddling in the 2016 election. The theft of Democrats' emails is still fresh in the minds of many political operatives and lawmakers, who have stepped up defensive measures but still struggle to protect themselves. Foreign spies routinely try to hack into politicians' emails to gain insight, ferret out weaknesses and win a diplomatic edge. But hackers often launch sweeping spear-phishing campaigns to gain access to a variety accounts - with no political motivation. With no immediate suspects and few technical details, it's unclear what the significance of this latest incursion is. In August, the Democratic National Committee thought it had thwarted an attempt to break into its massive voter database - but the effort turned out to be unauthorized test that mimicked what an attack would look like. FILE - In this Nov. 1, 2017, file photo, traffic along Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington streaks past the Federal Bureau of Investigation headquarters building. The National Republican Congressional Committee said Tuesday that it was hit with a "cyber intrusion" during the 2018 midterm campaigns and has reported the breach to the FBI. (AP Photo/J. David Ake) CrowdStrike, a California-based cybersecurity company, said Tuesday the NRCC asked the company in April to "perform an investigation related to unauthorized access" to the committee's emails. Before that, the company had been helping the committee protect its internal corporate network, which wasn't compromised. "The cybersecurity of the committee's data is paramount, and upon learning of the intrusion, the NRCC immediately launched an internal investigation and notified the FBI, which is now investigating the matter," the committee said in a statement. The hack was first reported by Politico. Earlier this year, NRCC Chairman Steve Stivers said the committee - which raises money to support Republican candidates for the House - hired multiple cybersecurity staffers to work with its candidates and promised to do more. "We're starting to advise campaigns, but we're not ready to roll the whole thing out. We're working on it," Stivers said in March. "We're working on the technology-based stuff to try and make sure that we know what's out there - which is hard, too - and then we try to defend against it the best we can." During the 2016 presidential campaign, Russian state-aligned hackers organized the leak of more than 150,000 emails stolen from more than a dozen Democrats. The FBI later said that the Russians had targeted more than 300 people affiliated with the Hillary Clinton campaign and other Democratic institutions over the course of the presidential contest. Special counsel Robert Mueller is now investigating the whether people close to Donald Trump's presidential campaign had advance knowledge of WikiLeaks' plans. U.S. officials have expressed concern about foreign interference in U.S. elections. This weekend, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis accused Russia of trying to "muck around" in the November midterm elections. Mattis did not offer specifics and would not elaborate. In October, the Justice Department unsealed criminal charges detailing a yearslong effort by a Russian troll farm to "sow division and discord in the U.S. political system" by creating thousands of false social media profiles and email accounts that appeared to be from people inside the United States. The complaint provided a clear picture that there is still a hidden but powerful Russian social media effort aimed at spreading distrust for American political candidates and causing divisions on social issues such as immigration and gun control. The campaign season saw several examples of digital mischief, although none with the impact of the 2016 hacks. In August, Microsoft alerted the public to attempts by government-backed Russian hackers to target U.S. conservatives' email by creating fake websites that appeared to belong to a pair of think tanks, the Hudson Institute and International Republican Institute. It also confirmed an attempt similarly attributed to Russian hackers to infiltrate the Senate computer network of Sen. Claire McCaskill, the Missouri Democrat who lost a re-election bid in November. Google later confirmed in September that the personal Gmail accounts of multiple senators and staffers had recently been targeted by foreign hackers, though it did not specify the cyberspies' nationality nor the party affiliations of the targets. ___ Associated Press writers Eric Tucker and Colleen Long in Washington and Raphael Satter in London contributed to this report. SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - A U.S. appeals court struck down a federal immigration law Tuesday that opponents warned could be used to criminalize a wide range of statements involving illegal immigration. The law made it a felony for people to encourage an immigrant to enter or live in the U.S. if they know the person would be doing so illegally. The law violates the First Amendment because it criminalizes a substantial amount of protected speech, a three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said. The statute, for example, would make it illegal for a grandmother to urge her grandson to ignore limits on his visa by encouraging him to stay in the U.S., Judge A. Wallace Tashima said. In addition, a speech addressed to a crowd that encouraged everyone in the country illegally to stay here could also lead to a criminal prosecution, Tashima said. "Criminalizing expression like this threatens almost anyone willing to weigh in on the debate," he said. FILE - In this Feb. 13, 2012 file photo, U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals Judge A. Wallace Tashima speaks during arguments in San Francisco. A U.S. appeals court struck down a federal immigration law Tuesday, Dec. 4, 2018, that opponents warned could be used to criminalize a wide range of statements involving illegal immigration. A three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, including Tashima, ruled Tuesday that the law is unconstitutional because it criminalizes a substantial amount of protected speech. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma, File) A message to the Justice Department was not immediately returned. Attorneys for the government argued that the law only prohibited conduct and a very narrow band of speech that was not protected by the U.S. Constitution. They also said it had not been used against "efforts to persuade, expressions of moral support, or abstract advocacy regarding immigration." The law preceded the Trump administration, but it posed a greater threat now given the administration's hard line on immigration, said Kari Hong, who teaches immigration law at Boston College Law School. Hong co-authored a brief in the case that encouraged the 9th Circuit to apply the law narrowly. She said in a phone interview on Tuesday that the law was a danger to attorneys advising immigrants about how to obtain legal residency and public officials who promote so-called sanctuary policies that limit cooperation with federal immigration authorities. "What this decision does is make clear that statements of encouragement that immigrants are welcome will not be subject to criminal prosecution," she said. The ruling came in the case of an immigration consultant in San Jose, Evelyn Sineneng-Smith, who was convicted of fraud after prosecutors said she falsely told immigrants they could obtain permanent residency under a program she knew had expired. Sineneng-Smith was also convicted of two counts of encouraging or inducing an immigrant to remain in the country for financial gain. Sineneng-Smith appealed those convictions as unconstitutional, and the 9th Circuit panel in Tuesday's ruling overturned them. DENVER (AP) - Denver officials are planning to clear thousands of marijuana convictions prosecuted before its use became legal in the state. Colorado was among the first states to broadly allow the use and sale of marijuana by adults, but cities elsewhere have led the way on automatic expungement of past misdemeanor marijuana convictions. A spokeswoman for Mayor Michael Hancock said Tuesday that city officials are still working on a plan to review the low-level convictions deemed eligible, an estimated 10,000 convictions between 2001 and 2013. Denver officials, including the city attorney, are developing the right approach with the district attorney's office, said Theresa Marchetta, Hancock's spokeswoman. The mayor may issue a sweeping executive order or direct city staff to work with legal authorities and clear the cases individually, she said. San Francisco, San Diego and Seattle announced their efforts early this year, framing the work as an attempt to repair years of damage on people who found that a misdemeanor conviction could bar them from jobs, housing and financial resources. Minority and low-income communities have been particularly hurt by those barriers, Hancock said in a statement. FILE - In this Nov. 15, 2018 file photo, Denver Mayor Michael Hancock makes a point during a news conference in Denver. Officials in Colorado's largest city say they are working on a plan to clear thousands of marijuana convictions prosecuted before its use became legal in the state. A spokeswoman for Denver's mayor said city officials are working with the local district attorney's office to determine the right approach. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski, File) "This is an injustice that needs to be corrected, and we are going to provide a pathway to move on from an era of marijuana prohibition that has impacted the lives of thousands of people," Hancock said in a statement. Eleven states and the District of Columbia now allow broad marijuana use, and Colorado state lawmakers have begun tackling the issue. California this year passed a law requiring the state Department of Justice to identify marijuana convictions eligible for erasure or reduction and provide lists to local district attorneys. "It's a long time in coming," said Art Way, director of the Drug Policy Alliance's Colorado office. Colorado lets people petition courts to remove low-level offenses including possession from their records. But advocates said that can become expensive and time-consuming, and district attorneys can challenge the requests. ___ Foody is a member of AP's marijuana beat team. Follow her at twitter.com/katiefoody. Find complete AP marijuana coverage here: https://apnews.com/LegalMarijuana RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) - The Latest on the North Carolina 9th Congressional District race (all times local): 6 p.m. North Carolina election officials apparently were worried about people unlawfully taking mail-in absentee ballots from residents of one county and filling them out this fall. The state elections board released some documents Tuesday related to its investigation of alleged absentee ballot fraud in Bladen County, which includes part of the 9th Congressional District. The board declined last week to certify the results favoring Republican Mark Harris because of its investigation. The board sent letters in late October and early November warning people who had requested absentee ballots that only the voter or a near relative can mail a completed ballot or take it to the county elections board. In affidavits offered by the state Democratic Party, voters described a woman coming to their homes to collect absentee ballots, whether or not they had been completed properly. State law bars this kind of "harvesting" of absentee ballots. FILE - In this Sept. 26, 2018, file photo, Democratic congressional candidate Dan McCready leans against wallboard as he pauses during a Habitat For Humanity building event in Charlotte, N.C. The nation's last unresolved fall congressional race with McCready against Republican Mark Harris is awash in doubt as North Carolina election investigators concentrate on a rural county where absentee-ballot fraud allegations are so flagrant they've put the Election Day result into question. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton, File) ___ 5:30 p.m. The investigation into allegations of absentee voter fraud in North Carolina's 9th Congressional District has spilled over into debate among legislators about a bill implementing a new constitutional amendment that requires photo identification to vote in person. A state House committee voted along party lines Tuesday for a measure that lays out the types of qualifying photo IDs and the exceptions to the constitutional mandate. An amendment approved by the committee would require most people who use mail-in absentee ballots to include a photocopy of a qualifying ID in the ballot envelope or show the ID to county elections officials later. That would appear to mute some criticism that Republican leaders have avoided clamping down on absentee ballot fraud. House Minority Leader Darren Jackson voted against the legislation and says the measure still doesn't address the problems like those the 9th District investigation is examining. ___ 3:30 p.m. A top House Democrat says North Carolina needs to resolve allegations of voter fraud before Republican Mark Harris can join Congress. Incoming Majority Leader Rep. Steny Hoyer of Maryland said Tuesday that a "very substantial question" about fraud exists. Unofficial ballot totals show Harris, a Baptist minister, leading Democrat Dan McCready, an Iraq War veteran, by 905 votes. Hoyer says he hopes state officials "get to the bottom" of the controversy. He says Harris is "not eligible for being sworn into the House" at this point. State election officials have refused to certify the results amid allegations of voter irregularities involving mail-in ballots. The elections board has said it will hold a hearing on the allegations on or before Dec. 21. The board can call for a new election if it finds problems. Hoyer was discussing whether the House Administration Committee, which has some authority over determining the propriety of elections, will get involved. ___ 1:15 p.m. One of the nation's last unresolved fall congressional races is awash in doubt as North Carolina election investigators concentrate on a rural county where absentee-ballot fraud allegations are so flagrant they've put the Election Day result into question. Final unofficial ballot totals had shown Republican Mark Harris ahead of Democrat Dan McCready by 905 votes in the 9th Congressional District, which covers eight south-central counties. But the state elections board refused to certify the results last week with all the other Election Day contests, with the board's new chairman pointing to "claims of numerous irregularities and concerted fraudulent activities" involving mail-in ballots. The probe appears connected to the activities of a longtime political operative from Bladen County, where allegations about mail-in absentee ballots initially surfaced two years ago. ___ This item has corrected the number of counties in the 9th District to eight. LOS ANGELES (AP) - The great-grandson of a Jewish woman who surrendered her priceless Camille Pissarro painting to escape the Holocaust watched Tuesday as his lawyer relentlessly grilled officials of the Spanish museum where it now hangs, expressing incredulity that they didn't know it was Nazi looted art. Members of the museum's legal and research team, including some who were there when the painting "Rue St.-Honore, Apres-Midi, Effet de Pluie" was acquired in 1992, insisted due diligence was done. They added they had no idea it was stolen until Lilly Cassirer's grandson, Claude, discovered it in 1999. For nearly 20 years, the family has been battling to get it back. The museum maintains the work, valued at more than $30 million, was acquired in good faith and it should be allowed to keep it. "I'm delighted we finally had our day in court. I'm cautiously optimistic," David Cassirer, whose great-grandmother surrendered the painting, said outside court. He has continued the legal fight for the painting since his father died. During more than five hours of testimony Tuesday, attorney David Boies pressed officials representing Madrid's Thyssen-Bornemisza museum, often expressing doubt they seemed to know so little about the painting's history when it was purchased in 1992. The painting was one of hundreds that Spain and a nonprofit foundation acquired from Baron Hans-Heinrich Thyssen-Bornemisza to create the museum that now bears the German industrialist's name. FILE - This May 12, 2005, file photo shows an unidentified visitor viewing the Impressionist painting called "Rue St.-Honore, Apres-Midi, Effet de Pluie" painted in 1897 by Camille Pissarro, on display in the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum in Madrid. In the epic, 16-year battle over the priceless painting looted by the Nazis, there is one point on which all sides agree: When Lilly Cassirer and her husband fled Germany ahead of the Holocaust, they surrendered their Camille Pissarro masterpiece in exchange for their lives. (AP Photo/Mariana Eliano, File) The stunning oil-on-canvass work, whose title translates in English to "Rue Saint-Honore in the Afternoon, Effect of Rain," was painted in 1897. It shows a rainy Paris street scene the artist observed from his hotel window. Lilly Cassirer's father-in-law bought it directly from Pissarro's art dealer and left it to her and her husband when he died. She traded it to the Nazis in 1939 in exchange for exit visas for herself, her husband and her grandson. The post-World War II German government, thinking the work was lost, paid her $13,000 in reparations in 1958. In truth it had been sold and resold in Germany before arriving in the United States sometime after 1943. Thyssen-Bornemisza bought it from New York gallery owner Stephan Hahn in 1976. Boies often drew curt replies of "I don't know" from museum officials when he asked repeatedly if they could explain how the painting arrived in the United States and why, when Thyssen-Bornemisza bought it from a New York dealer, he didn't seem to know who the seller was. Also why, in one document, the baron indicated the transaction took place in Paris when it really happened in New York. "Sometimes an error is just an error," one of the museum's provenance experts, Laurie Stein, said of the Paris-New York discrepancy. Asked if the baron ever looked on the back of the painting to see its provenance labels, including one from Lilly Cassirer's father's art gallery in Berlin, she said she didn't know. Another expert, Lynn Nicholas, said she didn't know if the museum had traced the painting's provenance when it acquired it. Under questioning from museum attorney Thaddeus Stauber, she added that the definition of provenance has changed greatly over the years. "It wasn't until the '90s that modern provenance came into being," she said, adding that before that provenance mainly involved determining a work's authenticity. Tracing stolen or looted works became more commonplace, she said, with the rise of the internet and international agreements between countries. At the conclusion of Tuesday's testimony U.S. District Judge John F. Walter gave attorneys for both sides until Feb. 10 to submit post-trial motions and arguments. He isn't expected to rule until sometime next spring. WASHINGTON (AP) - The attorneys general of the District of Columbia and Maryland plan to file subpoenas Tuesday seeking records from the Trump Organization, the Treasury Department and dozens of other entities as part of a lawsuit accusing Donald Trump of profiting off the presidency. The flurry of subpoenas came a day after U.S. District Court Judge Peter J. Messitte approved a brisk schedule for discovery in the case alleging that foreign and domestic government spending at Trump's Washington, D.C., hotel amounts to gifts to the president in violation of the Constitution's emoluments clause. The subpoenas target 37 entities, including 13 Trump-linked entities and the federal agency that oversees the lease for Trump's Washington hotel. Subpoenas were also being sent to the Department of Defense, General Services Administration, Department of Commerce and Department of Agriculture, all of which have spent taxpayer dollars at the hotel or have information on Trump's finances relevant to the case. Other Trump entities that officials plan to subpoena include those related to his Washington hotel and its management. Eighteen private entities including restaurants, venues and hotels that compete with the Trump hotel are also being subpoenaed to "illuminate the unfair nature of that competition," said Maryland Attorney General Brian E. Frosh. "We're seeking to confirm the information that everybody already knows: Trump's violation of the emoluments clause of the Constitution," Frosh said. "He's received numerous payments from foreign governments and state governments and they've been funneled, at least in part, through the Trump (hotel) in D.C." While news organizations have reported how groups representing Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain and the Philippines have hosted events at Trump's D.C. hotel since he took office, the subpoenas offer the best chance to get a complete picture of which foreign and domestic governments are spending at the hotel, how much they are spending and where that money is going. They're also trying to determine how Trump's hotel is affecting the hospitality industry in D.C. and Maryland. FILE - This Dec. 21, 2016 file photo shows the Trump International Hotel at 1100 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, in Washington. The attorneys general of the District of Columbia and Maryland plan to file subpoenas seeking records from the Trump Organization, the IRS and other entities in their lawsuit accusing Donald Trump of profiting off the presidency. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File) The subpoenas seek to prove that hotel revenues are going to the president through his affiliated entities, including The Donald J. Trump Revocable Trust. Most of the records are being requested back to Jan. 1, 2015. The Justice Department declined to comment. Neither Trump's personal attorney on the case, William S. Consovoy, nor the White House responded to a request for comment Tuesday. Trump's Justice Department lawyers filed a notice to the court Friday indicating it plans to challenge the Maryland judge's decision to allow the case to move forward. Justice lawyers have argued that earnings from business activity such as hotel stays don't qualify as emoluments and that any discovery would "be a distraction to the President's performance of his constitutional duties." The president's notice that he may seek a writ of mandamus - to have the appeal heard by a higher court - is considered an "extraordinary remedy" that partly rests on showing Messitte's decisions to be clearly wrong. Because the president has not released his tax returns, any responsive records would likely provide the first clear picture of the finances of Trump's business empire as well as his Washington hotel. There is no indication yet that Frosh and District of Columbia Attorney General Karl A. Racine, both Democrats, would push for the president's tax returns, at least in this initial round of legal discovery, given the sensitive nature of such a request and likely additional delays it would cause. But tax returns for some of Trump's business entities, including the state and federal tax returns for the Trump Organization, are also being requested. Co-counsel on the case is Washington-based nonprofit Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington. The Treasury Department is being subpoenaed to determine not only whether its officials patronized Trump's hotel but also to learn more about Trump's promised donations of profit of foreign government spending at his hotel and similar businesses to the Treasury. In February, The Trump Organization donated $151,470 - what it said was the total amount of spending in Trump's first year in office. The subpoena requests "all communications" regarding that payment. State officials earlier told The Associated Press that the IRS would likely be subpoenaed, but it was unclear if that would happen on Tuesday or whether it would happen at all. "We're certainly not ruling that out, just like we're not ruling out seeking the president's tax returns," Frosh said. The Trump Organization said in an emailed statement to the AP that the company had "voluntarily donated" the profits and "intend to make a similar contribution in 2019." The company did not comment on the case otherwise. There is a separate federal lawsuit involving the General Services Administration, which oversees the lease for the hotel with the Trump Organization. Democratic lawmakers want to know how Trump was approved by the GSA to maintain the lease of the Trump International Hotel in Washington after he became president. The hotel is housed in the historic Old Post Office, which is owned by the federal government, and its lease has a clause barring any "elected official of the government of the United States" from deriving "any benefit." Maine is also expected to receive a subpoena, likely because its governor, Republican Paul LePage, stayed at Trump's D.C. hotel when he had official business to conduct, including discussions with the president. LePage's office did not respond to a request for comment. On one of those trips last year, Trump and LePage appeared together at a news conference at which Trump signed an executive order to review orders of the prior administration that established national monuments within the National Park Service. President Barack Obama had established a park and national monument in Maine over LePage's objections in 2016. If there are no delays, legal discovery would conclude in early August. ___ This story has been updated to reflect that state officials initially said they would subpoena the IRS on Tuesday but later said they could only confirm their plan to subpoena the Treasury Department. ___ Follow Tami Abdollah on Twitter at https://twitter.com/latams HOUSTON (AP) - While the Trump administration focuses attention on migrant caravans trying to cross the southern U.S. border in California, migration is surging at the opposite end of the border in South Texas. Last weekend in the Rio Grande Valley, Border Patrol agents caught 1,900 people trying to cross the southern border illegally. Border agents in the Rio Grande Valley are apprehending around 680 people a day, compared to up to 145 arrests daily in San Diego, across the border from Tijuana, Mexico, where an estimated 6,000 people are waiting to cross. Raul Ortiz, the Border Patrol's acting chief for the Rio Grande Valley, said about a dozen people have claimed to have been part of a migrant caravan. About 380 people per day are adults with children, which the Border Patrol categorizes as "family units." About 75 unaccompanied minors are caught daily. They primarily come from Guatemala or Honduras, countries wracked by gang violence and poverty. The Border Patrol apprehended more 50,000 people on the southern border in October, the highest monthly number this year. Ortiz said migrant traffic has remained largely consistent through November. Many migrants are brought to the Rio Grande Valley, the busiest corridor for illegal crossings, by human smugglers known as "coyotes" who charge thousands of dollars per head. About 2,600 soldiers were sent to South Texas by President Donald Trump , who ordered an active-duty military deployment in response to the caravans. The soldiers set up camp near the border crossing at Donna, Texas, and laid razor wire near several of the bridges spanning the Rio Grande, the river separating the U.S. and Mexico. Soldiers have remained in Texas even though the caravans headed west. Ortiz said the deployment and a previous National Guard mission had helped free up Border Patrol agents to apprehend migrants. But drug seizures have fallen slightly in the Rio Grande Valley, Ortiz said. Part of the reason why, he said, is "the amount of energy (the Border Patrol is) having to spend" on detaining large numbers of migrants. The unabated wave of migration has also led to surging numbers of adults and children being detained. A temporary detention facility for children in Tornillo, Texas, has continued to expand, with signs that the facility is becoming more permanent . Sister Norma Pimentel, executive director of Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley, said the shelter she supervises is taking in 100 to 200 families daily. "People are coming in great numbers, and they haven't stopped," she said. Pimentel said she once asked a group of migrants why they continued to risk the journey knowing how difficult it would be to stay in the U.S. once they arrived. "They said, 'I have to come because it's worse if I stay home. It's more dangerous,'" she said. CHICAGO (AP) - A judge has denied defense requests for directed acquittals in the trial of three Chicago police officers charged with lying about the shooting of black teenager Laquan McDonald. Cook County Judge Domenica Stephenson on Tuesday evening rejected the defense contention that prosecutors failed to prove their case. Stephenson is hearing the case in a bench trial, without a jury. Prosecutors earlier Tuesday rested their case after a witness read emails that they contend suggest the officers' superiors were intent on protecting the white police officer who fired the fatal shots. The emails between a lieutenant and sergeant are part of prosecutors' attempt to show a widespread effort to protect Jason Van Dyke. But none of the emails were to or from the three officers charged with official misconduct, obstruction of justice and conspiracy. The trial resumes Thursday. Van Dyke was convicted of second-degree murder in October. Prosecutors Ron Safer, from left, Brian Watson and Patricia Brown Holmes confer during the trial of Chicago Police Officer Thomas Gaffney, former Detective David March and ex-Officer Joseph Walsh at Leighton Criminal Court Building in Chicago on Tuesday, Dec. 4, 2018 in Chicago. Prosecutors in the trial of the three Chicago police officers charged with lying about the shooting of black teenager Laquan McDonald have rested their case. The move Tuesday came after a witness read emails that prosecutors contend suggest the officers' superiors were intent on protecting the white police officer who fired the fatal shots. (Zbigniew Bzdak/Chicago Tribune via AP, Pool) __ For the AP's complete coverage of the case: https://www.apnews.com/LaquanMcDonald SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - The search for people unaccounted for after the deadliest U.S. wildfire in at least a century is winding down in Northern California, with just 11 names left on a fluctuating list that once approached 1,300 and prompted fears that hundreds had died in the flames. The declining number released late Monday came as a relief in the Paradise area as it reels from the wildfire that killed at least 85 people and destroyed nearly 14,000 homes. Families, friends and even long-ago acquaintances have been peppering social media with pleas for help finding people. Sometimes they had no more than a first name to work with. Authorities now say they have located more than 3,100 people who had been reported as unreachable at some point during the catastrophe. "I think that's a pretty remarkable number at this point," Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea said. He also has revised the death toll down to 85 from 88, saying medical examiners determined several bags of human remains were duplicates. Sara Sullivan recovers a figurine from her Magalia, Calif., home, destroyed by the Camp Fire, on Tuesday, Dec. 4, 2018. (AP Photo/Noah Berger) The Associated Press has been scouring the list of people unaccounted for and found duplicate names, misspellings and people who don't appear to exist. People who were previously identified as dead or alive by family or friends have at times reappeared on the list. The list of names released each day frustrated those looking for people and baffled residents whose names appeared even though they weren't missing. Honea repeatedly said he released the list - no matter how long at times - to reach those who may not know people were looking for them. He said it was never intended to be a definitive account of people who were missing or possibly dead. The AP located several people, including a couple who had decamped from the fire zone area for a previously planned vacation in Hawaii. Patrick Holden and Nancy Barnes fled their Paradise home at the same time as most of their neighbors. They spent five terrifying hours on Nov. 8 making the normally 30-minute drive to nearby Chico. The next day, they identified themselves as safe through Facebook, alerted their friends and then, realizing that their home was burned to the ground, headed to Hawaii for their vacation. Holden was stunned to see his name pop up on the list two weeks after the disaster. The couple appeared on a list released Sunday as "Patrick and Nancy Holton" of Paradise. "Everybody in the car club, the bridge club and the Paradise Newcomers Club knew we were OK," Holden said Monday from his timeshare in Maui. "I don't know how we got on the list now." His daughter Amanda Lunsford said a former co-worker of her father might have added him. Holden said he hasn't called the Butte County Sheriff's Office to let them know about the error, because they're busy. "I think they have enough calls coming in," he said. "I have a lot of respect for the sheriff's office." The uncertainty continues for Lita Siebenthal, whose sister remains on the list. She said she's spoken to nine different detectives and been asked to repeat information she's already told other investigators. She said a relative has provided a DNA sample to compare to human remains but is still holding onto hope that Sara Martinez-Fabila will be found alive. "It's an organized chaos up there," Siebenthal said. "I would think by now we would be a little further along." Phil John, chairman of the region's wildfire preparedness organization who helped draft the evacuation plan for Paradise, said the lower-than-expected death toll is a "miracle." In a push for order, the organization had called for staggered exits and a warning system that required residents to sign up for alerts. Still, there were traffic jams when the fire swept through town, but John believes the death toll would have been much higher without the plan. Councilman Mike Zuccolillo said he was surprised that the death toll was not higher. He said most residents received no official notification and got away safely because of warnings from neighbors and family. Now, the city has a long way to go to recover and faces significant financial hurdles in rebuilding, he said. ___ Associated Press writers Rebecca Boone in Boise, Idaho, Alanna Durkin Richer in Boston, Tami Abdollah in Washington, Michael Kunzelman in College Park, Maryland, Dan Elliott in Denver and AP researchers Monika Mathur in Washington, D.C. and Jennifer Farrar and Ronda Shafner in New York contributed to this report. A bed rests outside Cypress Meadows Post-Acute, a nursing home leveled by the Camp Fire, on Tuesday, Dec. 4, 2018, in Paradise, Calif. (AP Photo/Noah Berger) Sara Sullivan searches for belongings at her Magalia, Calif., home, destroyed by the Camp Fire, on Tuesday, Dec. 4, 2018. (AP Photo/Noah Berger) A chair rests outside Cypress Meadows Post-Acute, a nursing home leveled by the Camp Fire, on Tuesday, Dec. 4, 2018, in Paradise, Calif. (AP Photo/Noah Berger) Scorched wheelchairs rest outside Cypress Meadows Post-Acute, a nursing home leveled by the Camp Fire, on Tuesday, Dec. 4, 2018, in Paradise, Calif. (AP Photo/Noah Berger) Scorched wheelchairs rest outside Cypress Meadows Post-Acute, a nursing home leveled by the Camp Fire, on Tuesday, Dec. 4, 2018, in Paradise, Calif. (AP Photo/Noah Berger) Homes leveled by the Camp Fire line the Ridgewood Mobile Home Park retirement community in Paradise, Calif., on Monday, Dec. 3, 2018. (AP Photo/Noah Berger) A vehicle rests in front of a home leveled by the Camp Fire in Paradise, Calif., on Monday, Dec. 3, 2018. (AP Photo/Noah Berger) Homes leveled by the Camp Fire line Valley Ridge Drive in Paradise, Calif., on Monday, Dec. 3, 2018. (AP Photo/Noah Berger) Following the Camp Fire, a patio umbrella stands among the wreckage of a Magalia, Calif., home on Tuesday, Dec. 4, 2018. (AP Photo/Noah Berger) WASHINGTON (AP) - Roger Stone, a confidant of President Donald Trump, says he won't provide documents to the Senate Judiciary Committee or testify and will instead invoke his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination. In a letter to Sen. Dianne Feinstein, the committee's top Democrat, a lawyer for Stone said the panel's requests for information about people with whom Stone has communicated in the last three years were "far too overbroad, far too overreaching" and "far too wide ranging." "Mr. Stone's invocation of his Fifth Amendment privilege must be understood by all to be the assertion of a Constitutional right by an innocent citizen who denounces secrecy," wrote Stone's lawyer, Grant Smith. Feinstein released the letter on Twitter on Tuesday. Stone has been entangled in investigations by Congress and special counsel Robert Mueller into whether Trump aides had advance knowledge of Democratic emails published by WikiLeaks during the 2016 election. He was interviewed last year by the House intelligence committee, and a transcript of that session may soon be released. Stone has not been charged and has said he had no knowledge of the timing or specifics of WikiLeaks' plans. A federal grand jury has heard testimony for months from Stone associates and offered a plea deal to one friend, Jerome Corsi, that would have required him to admit to lying to investigators about a conversation he had with Stone about WikiLeaks. Corsi has rejected that offer. NEW YORK (AP) - Stocks that moved substantially or traded heavily Tuesday: Bank of America Corp. (BAC), down $1.55 to $26.99 Banks fell more than the rest of the market as bond yields dropped sharply, which makes it harder to make money from lending. Duke Energy Corp. (DUK), up 43 cents to $90.05 High-dividend stocks like utilities held up relatively well as traders sought out lower-risk investments. Cronos Group Inc. (CRON), up 57 cents to $10.74 The marijuana producer confirmed it's in talks about a potential investment by the U.S. tobacco company Altria Group. AutoZone Inc. (AZO), up $55.61 to $880.07 The Memphis, Tennessee-based auto parts retailer reported earnings that beat Wall Street's forecasts. Dollar General Corp. (DG), down $7.60 to $104.10 The discount retailer said it expects lingering costs from hurricane season to hurt its results through the rest of the year. Hovnanian Enterprises Inc. (HOV), down 12 cents to $1.10 Homebuilders fell after luxury homebuilder Toll Brothers issued a cautious assessment of the housing market. United Parcel Service Inc. (UPS), down $8.50 to $106.77 Morgan Stanley analysts said the market is underestimating the negative impact on UPS and Federal Express from Amazon Air. RH (RH), up $13.48 to $137.13 The furniture and housewares company reported earnings that came in far ahead of what analysts were expecting. WASHINGTON (AP) - Supporters of a criminal justice bill say they have met the threshold set by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell for getting a vote. Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa., said he now has support for the legislation from more than half of the Republicans in the chamber. Democratic leaders said support on their side is "overwhelming." If true, their projections mean at least two-thirds of the Senate would vote for the bill. McConnell "said, 'show me the numbers. If it gets to be 65 or 70, I'll bring it up,'" Grassley said during a forum sponsored by The Washington Post. "We're there." Yet it remains unclear whether the legislation will receive a vote on the floor, with only a few weeks to go before a new Congress is sworn in. McConnell has made no public commitments on the bill other than to say he would count the votes and weigh it against other priorities that the Senate must deal with, including a spending bill to avoid a partial government shutdown, a farm bill and judicial nominations. The criminal justice bill would reduce mandatory sentences for certain drug crimes and give judges more discretion to make the punishment fit the crime. The White House supports the bill, but there are concerns from some senators that the president hasn't been more active in rallying support. FILE - In this Sept. 27, 2018, file photo, Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, speaks as Christine Blasey Ford testifies before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington. Supporters of a criminal justice bill say they have met the threshold set by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell for getting a vote. Grassley said he now has support for the legislation from more than half of the Republicans in the chamber. Democratic leaders said support on their side is "overwhelming." If true, their projections mean at least two-thirds of the Senate would vote for the bill. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, Pool, File) "I don't know why any Republican leader or any Republican member of the Senate wouldn't be pleased to be able to deliver something bipartisan that the president supports," Grassley said. Grassley said he worries that, with Democrats taking over the House next year, the bill will be changed in a way that could make it harder for GOP senators to go along. "We have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to accomplish something on criminal justice reform," Grassley said. "Don't miss the opportunity, and we have it right now," said Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., who is working with Grassley on the bill. Grassley's calculations would indicate a couple dozen Republicans are undecided or are opponents of the legislation. Sen. John Cornyn of Texas, the second-ranking Republican in the Senate, disagreed with the depiction that the majority of 51 Republicans are a yes vote, telling reporters outside the Senate chamber, "I believe there's a majority of the Republican conference that's either undecided or a no." McConnell is reluctant to move forward with bills that are opposed by a signification portion of his caucus. Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., has led the opposition. He has been warning that the legislation endangers public safety. Under the bill, the Bureau of Prisons can assign prisoners to serve the final portion of their sentences in halfway houses or home confinement. The bill says the bureau would provide that option only to prisoners who present a "minimal" or "low" risk of recidivism. But Cotton is arguing that wardens could be pressured to categorize medium or even high-risk inmates as being at a low risk of recidivism. "There's no telling what a Democratic administration in the future would do to put pressure on wardens and give them incentives for their career advancement to let out high-risk prisoners," Cotton said on the Hugh Hewitt Show. Any legislation passed by the Senate would then have to be considered by the House. Roughly 90 percent of prison inmates are held in state facilities and would not be affected by the legislation. RED BANKS, Miss. (AP) - A freight train smashed into a van at a railroad crossing in northwest Mississippi on Tuesday, leaving two people dead and three others critically injured. BNSF Railway spokesman Joe Faust said his company's train hit the van in Red Banks, about 40 miles (65 kilometers) southeast of Memphis, Tennessee. Marshall County Coroner James Richard Anderson said a woman and a man riding in the back seat of the van were killed. He's not releasing their names yet. Local news outlets reported they were Tennessee residents. The state line is about 12 miles (20 kilometers) to the north. Anderson said one of the injured was taken to a hospital in Olive Branch, and two others to a hospital in Memphis. The white van crumpled on impact and was pushed off the tracks by the train, which Faust said was carrying chemicals south from Castleton, North Dakota, to Birmingham, Alabama. Members of the train crew were not injured. Anderson said it wasn't clear whether the van was moving or stationary on the crossing, which has lights and bells but no gates. Anderson said the van belongs to a business. It's unclear whether the occupants are employees. Federal Railroad Administration records show no crashes at the crossing in recent years. Records show 10 trains a day travel down the track, reaching speeds as fast at 60 mph (95 kph). Faust said the train's lead locomotive has a camera and the railroad will share video with local law enforcement and the Federal Railroad Administration as each investigates the crash. SAN JOSE, Costa Rica (AP) - Costa Rican authorities said Tuesday that they found what appears to be the body of a missing South Florida woman who was on vacation in the Central American country to celebrate her 36th birthday and that a suspect had been detained. Walter Espinoza, head of the country's Judicial Investigation Department, said officials were comparing fingerprints to confirm the identity. An autopsy revealed that the victim suffered a blunt force wound to the head and lacerations on the neck and arms, he said. A Facebook page set up by friends of the missing woman, Carla Stefaniak, said family members went to the morgue in San Jose on Tuesday to identify the body, but were turned away by local authorities. The body was found covered in plastic bags near an Airbnb apartment that was rented by Stefaniak, who went missing nearly a week ago. A Gofundme account said she was last heard from around 8 p.m. on Nov. 27 and she didn't show up for her 1 p.m. flight home the next day. Police discovered what appeared to be blood in the apartment where Stefaniak stayed in the San Antonio de Escazu neighborhood, and analyzed surveillance video from the apartment complex. Espinoza said the images in the video did not align with statements made by the building's security guard, a 32-year-old Nicaraguan who police detained for further questioning. "The case continues to be under investigation," Espinoza said. Officials have sealed off the apartment to protect evidence. The Tampa Bay Times reported that Stefaniak's last message to her family said: "It's pretty sketchy here," and that the power was out and it was pouring rain. SALT LAKE CITY (AP) - Patients can use medical marijuana legally in conservative Utah after a compromise agreement was signed into law despite concerns from advocates that it's too restrictive, but they likely won't be able to buy it legally in-state until at least 2020, officials said Tuesday. The state will need time to first build up a database to start issuing patients medical-cannabis cards, and then begin granting licenses for dispensaries, health department spokesman Tom Hudachko said. The first license for a private dispensary must be awarded by June 2020, though authorities are aiming to do it faster. But people who go elsewhere to buy permitted forms of medicinal marijuana, like cube-shaped gummies and oils, with a doctor's recommendation now have legal protections. "We did not want them to be considered criminals for the next year or two while they wait for the bureaucracy," said Connor Boyack with the group Libertas Institute, who helped draft a legalization law passed by voters in November. Until medical cannabis cards become available, patients can carry a letter from their doctor recommending use of the drug. Utah Department of Public Safety Col. Michael Rapich said troopers are being informed that "some things that were a crime before are not a crime." He wants to support medical-marijuana patients who follow the new rules, but said troopers will also aggressively enforce DUI laws and investigate other suspected drug crimes. FILE - In this June 21, 2018, file photo, a laboratory manager holds a cannabis sample in Oakland, Calif. Utah lawmakers are expected to meet Monday, Dec. 3, and pass changes to a voter-approved ballot measure legalizing medical marijuana, a plan that was announced as a broad compromise but has since generated backlash. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu, File) "If someone ... makes sure they understand what the rules are and they are following the rules, they should be fine," he said. Lawmakers passed sweeping changes to the law Monday under a compromise deal that was arranged before Election Day and won the support of the influential Mormon church. Utah Gov. Gary Herbert quickly signed it into law, calling it the "best-designed medical cannabis program in the country," and directed the state to implement it as soon as possible. Some advocates, though, say the agreement makes it too difficult for patients to access the drug and have vowed to sue. The changes ban many marijuana edibles, prevent people from growing their own marijuana if they live far from a dispensary and narrow the list of eligible medical conditions for which the drug can be obtained. The deadlines for opening dispensaries are largely the same as those written into the original bill, Boyack said. They call for the state to begin issuing medical cannabis cards in March 2020 and start a state-run central dispensary later that year. The compromise cuts the number of private dispensaries from 15 to seven. But if the state doesn't create its central dispensary by January 2021, more private licenses will begin becoming available. Desiree Hennessy with the Utah Patients Coalition said she wanted the original law to say intact, but the new one is a platform she's hoping to build upon. Hennessy is planning to get a doctor's letter to use medical marijuana to treat her son Hestevan, whose cerebral palsy leaves him with severe disabilities and bouts of nerve pain that leave him screaming for hours. Cannabis has been the only effective treatment, she said. "This is our one shot, so it's pretty awesome," she said. ___ Follow AP's marijuana coverage here: https://apnews.com/LegalMarijuana The Utah Legislature goes into session Monday, Dec. 3, 2018, in Salt Lake City. Utah lawmakers are meeting to consider changes to a voter-approved ballot initiative legalizing medical marijuana in a move that has generated backlash among supporters of the pot measure. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer) NEW YORK (AP) - Federal authorities announced a raft of conspiracy and tax fraud charges Tuesday against four men in the first U.S. prosecution related to the so-called Panama Papers. The 11-count indictment unsealed in Manhattan stems from what prosecutors described as an "intercontinental money laundering scheme" involving a global law firm based in Panama. Two Germans, one American and a Panamanian attorney were charged with conspiracy and other counts. The Panama Papers include a collection of 11 million secret financial documents that illustrated how some of the world's richest people hide their money. The records were first leaked to the Suddeutsche Zeitung, a major German newspaper, and were shared with the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, which began publishing collaborative reports with news organizations in 2016. The repercussions of the leaks were far-ranging, prompting the resignation of the prime minister of Iceland and bringing scrutiny to the leaders of Argentina and Ukraine, Chinese politicians and Russian President Vladimir Putin, among others. Federal prosecutors say the law firm Mossack Fonseca conspired to circumvent U.S. laws to maintain the wealth of its clients and conceal tax dollars owed to the IRS. They say the scheme dates to 2000 and involved sham foundations and shell companies in Panama, Hong Kong and the British Virgin Islands. Prosecutors said the names of the firm's clients generally did not appear on incorporation paperwork even though they had "complete access to" the assets and the accounts. U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Berman said the defendants "shuffled millions of dollars through off-shore accounts" and had "a playbook to repatriate un-taxed money into the U.S. banking system." "Now their international tax scheme is over," Berman said in a statement, "and these defendants face years in prison for their crimes." The law firm had relatively few American clients. The data leak included copies of about 200 American passports, and some 3,500 shareholders in the offshore companies listed addresses in the U.S.- a small fraction of the more than 250,000 companies Mossack Fonseca set up for clients in four decades of business. Charged in the indictment were Ramses Owens, 50, a Panamanian attorney who worked for Mossack Fonseca; Dirk Brauer, 54, a German investment manager; Harald Joachim Von Der Goltz, 81, of Germany; and Richard Gaffey, an accountant from Medfield, Massachusetts. Authorities said Owens remained at large Tuesday; the other defendants have been taken into custody. An attorney for Von Der Goltz, Jeffrey Neiman, called the indictment "a desperate attempt to salvage an American case out of the Panama Papers." He said his "client will be vindicated at trial." Messages sent to an attorney for Gaffey were not immediately returned Tuesday evening. It was not immediately clear whether the other defendants had attorneys. Owens and Brauer are accused of establishing and managing "opaque offshore trusts and undeclared bank accounts" on behalf of American taxpayer clients of Mossack Fonseca, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York said in announcing the charges. Both men set up the accounts in countries with strict bank secrecy laws, prosecutors said, making it difficult for the United States to obtain relevant bank records relating to the accounts. They also allegedly told their American clients how to recover their funds without revealing the existence of the accounts, including by using debit cards and "fictitious sales." Von Der Goltz, a former U.S. resident, is accused of evading taxes in part by concealing his ownership of certain shell companies and bank accounts from the IRS. Gaffey and Owens are accused of falsely claiming that Von Der Goltz's elderly mother was the sole beneficiary of the accounts because she lived in Guatemala and therefore was not a U.S. taxpayer. ___ Associated Press writer Deepti Hajela contributed to this report. WASHINGTON (AP) - President Donald Trump promised on Twitter that tariffs would maximize the country's economic heft and "MAKE AMERICA RICH AGAIN." Almost all economists say the president is wrong. That's because tariffs are taxes on imports. They can cause higher prices, reduce trade among countries and hurt overall economic growth as a result. The president's tweet on Tuesday followed an announcement that the U.S. would not increase a 10 percent tariff on $200 billion of Chinese goods in 2019. The two largest countries are in the middle of negotiating their terms of trade, after Trump said cheap imports from China were impoverishing the United States. After Trump announced steel and aluminum tariffs earlier this year, the University of Chicago asked leading academic economists in March whether Americans would be better off because of import taxes. Not a single economist surveyed said the United States would be wealthier. Nobel Prize-winning economist Richard Thaler answered the survey by saying, "In net we want more trade not less. This is unlikely to help and runs the risk of starting a trade war. SAD." President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump hold hands as they leave Blair House after visiting with the family of former President George H. W. Bush, Tuesday, Dec. 4, 2018, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin) A look at the president's tweet and how it compares with the facts: TRUMP: "I am a Tariff Man. When people or countries come in to raid the great wealth of our Nation, I want them to pay for the privilege of doing so. It will always be the best way to max out our economic power. We are right now taking in $billions in Tariffs. MAKE AMERICA RICH AGAIN." THE FACTS: Trump seems to be claiming that tariffs are some kind of a membership fee for foreign companies to trade in the U.S. economy. They're not. Tariffs are a tax, per Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution. The costs of this tax are borne by U.S. consumers and businesses, often in the form of higher prices. Foreign companies may end up selling fewer goods and services if the United States imposes high tariffs. So they pay a price, too. In some cases, the tariffs exist to protect industries that are vital for national security. Or, the tariffs exist to retaliate against the trade practices of other countries. Or, they might protect politically connected companies. In the past, White House aides have insisted that Trump's tariff hikes are a negotiating ploy. Yet the president offered no such qualifications on Tuesday. Tariffs are not seen as some easy way of generating massive wealth for an economically developed nation. Nor do the budget numbers suggest they can come anywhere close to covering the costs of the federal government. Trump is correct that tariffs did generate $41.3 billion in tax revenues last fiscal year, according to the Treasury Department. But that is a pittance in a federal budget that exceeds $4.1 trillion. The taxes collected on imports were equal to about 1 percent of all federal spending. ___ Find AP Fact Checks at http://apne.ws/2kbx8bd Follow @APFactCheck on Twitter: https://twitter.com/APFactCheck LONDON (AP) - Brazilian doctors are reporting the world's first baby born to a woman with a uterus transplanted from a deceased donor. Eleven previous births have used a transplanted womb but from a living donor, usually a relative or friend. Experts said using uteruses from women who have died could make more transplants possible. Ten previous attempts using deceased donors in the Czech Republic, Turkey and the U.S. have failed. The baby girl was delivered last December by a woman born without a uterus because of a rare syndrome. The woman - a 32-year-old psychologist - was initially apprehensive about the transplant, said Dr. Dani Ejzenberg, the transplant team's lead doctor at the University of Sao Paulo School of Medicine. "This was the most important thing in her life," he said. "Now she comes in to show us the baby and she is so happy," The woman became pregnant through in vitro fertilization seven months after the transplant. The donor was a 45-year-old woman who had three children and died of a stroke. This Dec. 15, 2017 photo provided by transplant surgeon Dr. Wellington Andraus shows the baby girl born to a woman with a uterus transplanted from a deceased donor at the Hospital das Clinicas of the University of Sao Paulo School of Medicine, Sao Paulo, Brazil, on the day of her birth. Nearly a year later, mother and baby are both healthy. (Courtesy Dr. Wellington Andraus via AP) The recipient, who was not identified, gave birth by cesarean section. Doctors also removed the womb, partly so the woman would no longer have to take anti-rejection medicines. Nearly a year later, mother and baby are both healthy. Two more transplants are planned as part of the Brazilian study. Details of the first case were published Tuesday in the medical journal Lancet. Uterus transplantation was pioneered by Swedish doctor Mats Brannstrom, who has delivered eight children from women who got wombs from family members or friends. Two babies have been born at Baylor University Medical Center in Texas and one in Serbia, also from transplants from living donors. In 2016, doctors at the Cleveland Clinic transplanted a uterus from a deceased donor, but it failed after an infection developed. "The Brazilian group has proven that using deceased donors is a viable option," said the clinic's Dr. Tommaso Falcone, who was involved in the Ohio case. "It may give us a bigger supply of organs than we thought were possible." The Cleveland program is continuing to use deceased donors. Falcone said the fact that the transplant was successful after the uterus was preserved in ice for nearly eight hours demonstrated how resilient the uterus is. Doctors try to keep the time an organ is without blood flow to a minimum. Other experts said the knowledge gained from such procedures might also solve some lingering mysteries about pregnancies. "There are still lots of things we don't understand about pregnancies, like how embryos implant," said Dr. Cesar Diaz, who co-authored an accompanying commentary in the journal. "These transplants will help us understand implantation and every stage of pregnancy." ___ The Associated Press Health & Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content. LAS VEGAS (AP) - Nevada is suing the federal government in a bid to stop plans to ship plutonium cross-country next year from South Carolina to the nation's former nuclear proving ground north of Las Vegas. In a statement Tuesday, outgoing Gov. Brian Sandoval and Attorney General Adam Laxalt repeated a vow that the state will fight "at every level" the U.S. Department of Energy plan to store radioactive bomb-making material at the Nevada Nuclear Security Site. Sandoval, a Republican, said Nevada won't stand for the threat that shipping and storing highly toxic and cancer-causing material could pose to public health and safety. State officials worry that an accident could permanently harm a Las Vegas area home to 2.2 million permanent residents and host to more than 40 million tourists a year. The lawsuit, filed Friday in U.S. District Court in Reno, accuses the Energy Department of failing to properly study environmental threats posed by moving about 2,200 pounds (1 metric ton) of weapons-grade plutonium from the federal Savannah River nuclear weapons refining complex in South Carolina to Nevada by New Year's Day 2020. The plutonium has been designated for national security use and is not waste, National Nuclear Security Administration and Energy Department spokesman Gregory Wolf said in a statement that noted the government is responding to a deadline set by a federal judge in South Carolina. FILE - In this Sept. 29, 1994 file photo, a CSX Train with spent nuclear fuel passes through Florence, S.C., on its way to Savannah River Site Weapons Complex near Aiken S.C. Nevada is suing the federal government in a bid to stop plans to ship plutonium from South Carolina to a former U.S. nuclear proving ground north of Las Vegas. Outgoing Republican Gov. Brian Sandoval on Tuesday, Dec. 4, 2018, is again vowing that the state will fight the Department of Energy plan to store radioactive bomb-making material at the Nevada Nuclear Security Site. (Jeff Chatlosh/The Morning News via AP, File) The material will be "temporarily staged" at the Nevada National Security Site and the government's Pantex Plant in Texas, two facilities that already handle and process plutonium, before eventually being sent to the Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico "or another facility," the statement said. "Because this is now a matter in litigation, NNSA will be unable to respond to questions or provide further information," it said. In a final letter to Sandoval on Nov. 20, the Energy Department said it expects to move the material from Nevada to New Mexico "by the 2026-2027 timeframe," according to the lawsuit. The court filing accused federal officials of providing "none of the assurances Nevada requested." Robert Halstead, head of the Nevada Agency for Nuclear Projects and the top state official fighting the proposal, expressed concern the material would end up permanently stored less than 100 miles from Las Vegas, and said he wasn't sure shipment hadn't already begun. The Energy Department is on the hook to move 34 metric tons (nearly 75,000 pounds) of material, Halstead said. He expressed concern that after the first truckloads make the nearly 3,200-miles (5,150-kilometers) trip to Nevada, hundreds more would follow. "We need to know for transportation safety purposes exactly what will be in those 10 truckloads," he said Tuesday. "I hope they have not already brought a shipment here." Shipments are expected to contain highly toxic and cancer-causing material in lead-insulated 35-gallon stainless steel drums nested in secondary containment vessels fabricated from stainless steel pipe, the lawsuit said. The facility designated to accept the plutonium shipments is a vast federal reservation near, but separate from, the Yucca Mountain site that Nevada's congressional delegation and governors have long fought to prevent from becoming the repository for the nation's spent nuclear fuel. Some members of Congress want to restart the mothballed Yucca Mountain project to accept and entomb radioactive material currently stored at power plants in 39 states. FILE - In this Nov. 20, 2013 file photo, radioactive waste sealed in large stainless steel canisters is stored under five feet of concrete in a storage building at the Savannah River Site near Aiken, S.C. Nevada is suing the federal government in a bid to stop plans to ship plutonium from South Carolina to a former U.S. nuclear proving ground north of Las Vegas. Outgoing Republican Gov. Brian Sandoval on Tuesday, Dec. 4, 2018, is again vowing that the state will fight the Department of Energy plan to store radioactive bomb-making material at the Nevada Nuclear Security Site. (AP Photo/Stephen B. Morton, File) CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) - A UNC-Chapel Hill graduate student at the forefront of protests over a Confederate statue on campus has been arrested again. News outlets report authorities say 26-year-old Maya Little is charged with inciting a riot and assaulting an officer during a rally Monday night. UNC police said Little turned herself in Tuesday at the Orange County Courthouse. In April, Little defaced the monument with her own blood and red ink. She was found guilty of a misdemeanor but wasn't punished. Several hundred people attended the rally and march to the base of the boarded-up pedestal where the statue nicknamed Silent Sam stood before protesters toppled it in August. The rally followed word that UNC proposed to build a new $5.3 million history and education center to house the statue. In this May 15, 2018, photo, activist Maya Little takes an interview near the Silent Sam Confederate statue on campus at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill, N.C. Little, a UNC-Chapel Hill graduate student at the forefront of protests over a Confederate statue on campus, has been arrested again. News outlets report authorities say 26-year-old Maya Little is charged with inciting a riot and assaulting an officer during a rally Monday, Dec. 3. (AP Photo/Gerry Broome) FILE - In this May 15, 2018, file photo, activist Maya Little is photographed as she takes an interview near the Silent Sam Confederate statue on campus at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill, N.C. Little, a UNC-Chapel Hill graduate student at the forefront of protests over a Confederate statue on campus, has been arrested again. News outlets report authorities say 26-year-old Maya Little is charged with inciting a riot and assaulting an officer during a rally Monday, Dec. 3. (AP Photo/Gerry Broome, File) TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) - Kansas' new Democratic governor wants state lawmakers to roll back a work requirement and other cash assistance rules championed by a Republican predecessor as she prepares to grapple with problems in the state's child welfare system. Gov.-elect Laura Kelly, a veteran state senator from Topeka, suggested Tuesday during a meeting of a child welfare task force that the cash assistance rules have put additional stress on poor families. She and other child welfare advocates contend the rules have helped fuel a rise in the number of abused and neglected children in the state's foster care system. The rules include the work requirement for able-bodied adults and a lifetime limit on benefits of 36 months, even with a hardship, and a proposal to loosen them will be difficult to sell to the Republican-controlled Legislature. Many GOP lawmakers believe the rules promote self-sufficiency, and Senate President Susan Wagle, a Wichita Republican, declared Kelly's idea "dead on arrival." But a legislative oversight committee for the state's Medicaid program, which provides health coverage for the needy, has recommended that legislators reconsider the rules, and the child welfare task force plans to note the recommendation in its own report to lawmakers. Kelly served on both panels. "We know that it has had a huge impact on our foster care system, and the Legislature needs a chance to discuss that and revise it if they see fit," Kelly said during a break in the child welfare task force's meeting Tuesday. The state began toughing its administrative rules for cash assistance after then-Republican Gov. Sam Brownback took office in 2011. Legislators wrote his policies into law in 2015 - to make it harder for another governor to undo them - and then tightened them in 2016. Kansas Gov.-elect Laura Kelly speaks to reporters during a break in meeting of a child welfare task force, Tuesday, Dec. 4, 2018, at the Statehouse in Topeka, Kan. The Democratic governor-elect wants to roll back a work requirement and other rules for cash assistance recipients backed by conservative Republicans. (AP Photo/John Hanna) Kansas requires able-bodied adults receiving both food stamps and cash assistance to work at least 20 hours a week, look for work or enroll in job training. It also tells families that they can't use cash assistance to attend concerts, get tattoos, see a psychic or buy lingerie. The list of don'ts amounts to several dozen items. President Donald Trump's administration has given states the go-ahead to impose Medicaid work requirements, and Arkansas became the first when it did so this year. "It's about getting them back to work so they're self-sufficient," said new House Majority Leader Dan Hawkins, another Wichita Republican. "You want them to thrive." Advocates for the poor argue that such policies deny benefits. Kansas Department for Children and Family figures show that since the 2011 budget year, the average number of people receiving cash assistance each month has dropped nearly 75 percent, to fewer than 9,700. The state previously provided cash assistance for nearly 26,000 children; the figure is now fewer than 7,500. Meanwhile, the number of abused and neglected children placed in state custody in the Kansas foster care system has jumped 45 percent, to more than 7,500 at the end of October. Until September, some children in state custody were sleeping in foster care contractors' offices, including a 13-year-old girl who in May was raped in an office by an 18-year-old man who also was in state custody. DCF Secretary Gina Meier-Hummel said Tuesday the department is studying the effects of the welfare rules but that there's "contradictory information" about a possible link between the rules and the rise in children in foster care. Kelly and other Democrats are confident the two are connected. "We've seen an uptick in foster care numbers," said Rep. Jarrod Ousley, a Merriam Democrat who serves on the child welfare task force. "It seems to be growing and growing." ___ Follow John Hanna on Twitter: https://twitter.com/apjdhanna . HUNTSVILLE, Texas (AP) - The Latest on the execution of a man convicted of killing a Texas police officer in 2000 (all times local): 6:55 p.m. A member of the notorious "Texas 7" gang of escaped prisoners has been executed for the fatal shooting of a suburban Dallas police officer during a Christmas Eve robbery nearly 18 years ago. Joseph Garcia received lethal injection Tuesday evening for the 2000 shooting death of Irving police Officer Aubrey Hawkins. The 47-year-old Garcia was part of a group of seven inmates who broke out of a South Texas prison December 2000 and committed numerous robberies before being captured, including the one during which they killed Hawkins. The group was captured the following month. One inmate killed himself with police closing in, while the other six were convicted and sentenced to die. Four have been executed, including Garcia, and the other two are awaiting execution dates. This photo provided by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice shows death-row inmate Joseph Garcia, who is set to die by lethal injection Tuesday, Dec. 4, 2018, for the December 2000 shooting death of 29-year-old Aubrey Hawkins _ a police officer with the Dallas suburb of Irving _ during a robbery. (Texas Department of Criminal Justice via AP) ___ 5:50 p.m. The U.S. Supreme Court has refused to halt the scheduled execution of a Texas inmate who was a prison escapee when he was arrested for the slaying of a suburban Dallas police officer. Joseph Garcia was one of the notorious "Texas 7" gang of inmates who broke out of a South Texas prison in December 2000 and committed numerous robberies, including one on Christmas Eve when 29-year-old Irving police Officer Aubrey Hawkins was fatally shot. Garcia's attorneys had five appeals before the Supreme Court that were rejected Tuesday evening, shortly before the 47-year-old Garcia was scheduled for lethal injection. The escaped inmates were eventually arrested in Colorado, ending a six-week manhunt. One of them killed himself as officers closed in and the other six were convicted of killing Hawkins and sentenced to death. Garcia would be the fourth to be executed. The other two are on death row. ___ 12 a.m. Attorneys for a death row inmate who is scheduled to die say he should be spared because he wasn't the one who killed a suburban Dallas police officer during a Christmas Eve robbery 18 years ago. Joseph Garcia's lawyers say the 47-year-old convicted murderer shouldn't be executed Tuesday night because it was others in the notorious "Texas 7" gang of escaped prisoners who shot and killed Irving police Officer Aubrey Hawkins in 2000. The group was captured the following month in Colorado. If Garcia's appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court fails and he is executed, he'd be the 22nd person put to death in the U.S. this year. Garcia was convicted under Texas' law of parties, in which a person can be held responsible for another individual's crime if he or she assisted or attempted to help in the commission of that crime. WASHINGTON (AP) - A senior Justice Department official sexually assaulted an employee and pressured another worker to have sex with him in exchange for a promotion, the department's inspector general said Tuesday. The official, who was not named, also sexually harassed at least two other female employees who worked for him, according to the watchdog's report. The inspector general's office found that the official had "abused his authority by coercing female employees in his chain of command to have sex with him." Investigators substantiated several allegations against the official, including charges that he made repeated "verbal sexual advances" to an employee and "ultimately sexually assaulted her." The two other employees, who were also subordinates, had been sexually harassed when the official engaged in "sexually inappropriate conduct toward them." The report, known as an investigative summary, does not provide additional details, including the dates when the alleged abuse occurred. The inspector general's office found the official's actions were illegal and also violated federal regulations and Justice Department policy. But prosecutors declined to bring criminal charges against the official, the report said. The official, who worked in the department's Office of Justice Programs, has since retired. NEW YORK (AP) - The Latest on charges in the Panama Papers investigation (all times local): 7:30 p.m. An attorney for one of the four men charged in an international tax scheme related to the so-called Panama Papers says his client will be vindicated at trial. Jeffrey Neiman represents Harald Joachim Von Der Goltz, of Germany, who is accused of evading taxes in part by concealing his ownership of certain shell companies and bank accounts from the IRS. Neiman called the indictment "a desperate attempt to salvage an American case out of the Panama Papers." The 11-count indictment unsealed Tuesday is the first U.S. prosecution to stem from the scandal and includes charges of conspiracy, wire fraud, tax evasion and money laundering. Prosecutors say a global law firm based in Panama conspired to circumvent U.S. tax laws to maintain their own wealth and that of their clients. ___ 6 p.m. Federal authorities in New York say four men have been charged in an international tax scheme related to the so-called Panama Papers. The 11-count indictment unsealed Tuesday is the first U.S. prosecution to stem from the scandal and includes charges of conspiracy, wire fraud, tax evasion and money laundering. Two Germans, one American and one Panamanian citizen were charged. It was not immediately clear whether they had defense attorneys. Prosecutors say a global law firm based in Panama conspired to circumvent U.S. tax laws to maintain their own wealth and that of their clients. They say the scheme dates to 2000 and involved sham foundations and shell companies in Panama, Hong Kong and the British Virgin Islands. The accounts allegedly were intended to conceal tax dollars owed to the IRS. CAMBRIDGE, Mass. (AP) - Incoming members of the Democratic Party's new U.S. House majority say they're ready to turn the energy of their campaigns into real power on Capitol Hill. Rep.-elects Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts and a handful of other liberal-leaning incoming Democrats used an orientation event for freshman lawmakers Tuesday sponsored by the Harvard Kennedy School's Institute of Politics to stake out some of their top issues - from gun violence to health care to climate change. They say they're ready to leverage their victories at the ballot box into victories in Congress - an institution that prizes seniority. Pressley said power is about more than just how many terms a lawmaker has served. "It's a confluence of things. It's about the committees that we'll be appointed to. It's about the values- and issues-based caucuses that we'll serve on. And it's about us simply leveraging the platform that we have available to us as well as our social media networks," Pressley said. Pressley won election to the House by beating a fellow Democrat - longtime U.S. Rep. Michael Capuano - in a September primary. Rep.-elect Ayanna Pressley, D-Mass. speaks at a small rally outside an orientation meeting for incoming members of Congress at Harvard University in Cambridge, Mass., Tuesday, Dec. 4, 2018. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer) Ocasio-Cortez said like-minded incoming Democratic members of the House have the numbers needed to press their case for change. "We have a magic number in the House ... and it's 218," she said. "Two hundred and eighteen is the magic number to get things done and how many member Democratic freshmen do we have? Sixty Three. Sixty-three of that 218 is brand new and 35 of that 63 have rejected corporate PAC money, 35 of that 63 is not funded by opioid companies, not funded by the NRA, not funded by for-profit health care, not funded by fossil fuels. Thirty-five are independent of the interests of corporate influence." Like Pressley, Ocasio-Cortez also won election by defeating another veteran Democratic incumbent - Joe Crowley - in New York's June primary. Ocasio-Cortez said Democrats have to fight back against an opposition she said "is predicated on us being turned against each other, of us accepting the idea of zero-sum thinking that one community's gain must be another community's loss." "We know that all of our issues are tied and are the same," she added. "There is no health care justice without gun violence reform." Ocasio-Cortez and Pressley have both pledged to support Nancy Pelosi as House Speaker after Democrats take control of the House in January. Other new and incoming Democratic House members who spoke at Tuesday's event include Lori Trahan of Massachusetts, Mary Gay Scanlon of Pennsylvania and Andy Levin of Michigan. Pressley said the timing of Tuesday's press conference wasn't meant as a rejection of the Harvard orientation event. On its website the school says the sessions are designed to help incoming House members "forge bipartisan relationships and learn practical skills of lawmaking just one month prior to taking the oath of office." Since 1972, the program has hosted nearly 700 current and new member of Congress. "There is nothing adversarial," Pressley said. "This is about us lifting up the voices, the stories, the struggles, the innovation and the ideas of the people that we represent. So I think it's a good thing." WASHINGTON (AP) - The Latest on former national security adviser Michael Flynn (all times local): 8:40 p.m. The special counsel's office is calling Michael Flynn's cooperation "substantial" and is recommending no prison time for the former Trump administration national security adviser. Prosecutors on Tuesday filed a sentencing memorandum in the case of Flynn, who pleaded guilty last year to lying to the FBI regarding conversations about sanctions with the Russian ambassador. The court filing provides the first details of Flynn's cooperation with special counsel Robert Mueller's team. It was filed ahead of Flynn's Dec. 18 sentencing. Defense lawyers will have an opportunity to respond with their own recommendation next week. FILE - In this Feb. 1, 2017 file photo, National Security Adviser Michael Flynn speaks during the daily news briefing at the White House in Washington. The special counsel in the Russia investigation is set to give the first public insight into how much valuable information President Donald Trump's former national security adviser has shared with prosecutors. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster) Prosecutors also say Flynn's "record of military and public service" sets him apart "from every other person who has been charged" in Mueller's investigation. __ 1:40 p.m. Special counsel Robert Mueller is set to give the first public insight into how much information President Donald Trump's former national security adviser has shared with prosecutors in the Russia investigation. The special counsel faces a Tuesday deadline in Michael Flynn's case to file a memorandum recommending a sentence and providing a federal judge with a description of how valuable the retired U.S. Army lieutenant general has been to the probe. The deadline comes ahead of Flynn's Dec. 18 sentencing and more than a year after he pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI about reaching out to Russian government officials on Trump's behalf. Federal sentencing guidelines recommend between zero and six months in prison for Flynn, leaving open the possibility of probation. The detailing of at least some of Flynn's cooperation also comes as Trump has increasingly vented his anger at the probe. LOS ANGELES (AP) - Kevin Hart has a new job - he will host the 2019 Academy Awards, a role the prolific actor-comedian says fulfills a longtime dream. Hart announced his selection for the 91st Oscars in an Instagram statement Tuesday. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences followed up with a tweet that welcomed him "to the family." The announcement came hours after trade publication The Hollywood Reporter posted a story calling the Oscars host position "the least wanted job in Hollywood." Hart clearly doesn't feel that way, writing on Instagram that it has been on his list of dream jobs for years. The 2019 Oscars will be broadcast Feb. 24 on ABC. "I am blown away simply because this has been a goal on my list for a long time...To be able to join the legendary list of host that have graced this stage is unbelievable," Hart wrote. "I know my mom is smiling from ear to ear right now. "I will be sure to make sure this years Oscars are a special one," Hart wrote. FILE - In this Dec. 11, 2017 file photo, Kevin Hart arrives at the Los Angeles premiere of "Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle" in Los Angeles. Hart will host the 2019 Academy Awards, fulfilling a lifelong dream for the actor-comedian. Hart announced Tuesday, Dec. 4, 2018, his selection in an Instagram statement and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences followed up with a tweet that welcomed him "to the family." (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP, File) Hart takes over hosting duties from Jimmy Kimmel, who presided over the last two ceremonies, including 2016's flub that resulted in the wrong best picture winner being announced. Last year's ceremony was an all-time ratings low, and the film academy has announced a series of changes to the upcoming show . Those include shortening the broadcast to three hours, and also presenting certain categories during commercial breaks and broadcasting excerpts of those winners' speeches later in the show. The 39-year-old Hart has become a bankable star with films such as "Ride Along," ''Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle" and "Night School." Celebrities including Martin Lawrence and Chris Rock, who hosted the ceremony in 2005 and 2016, posted congratulatory messages about Hart's selection Tuesday night. "Damn I've lost another job to Kevin Hart," Rock posted on Instagram, echoing a joke he told during his 2016 opening monologue . "They got the best person for the job." LOS ANGELES (AP) - Philip Bosco, the Tony Award-winning actor known for his roles in films "Working Girl" and "The Savages," has died. He was 88. The actor's daughter, Celia Bosco, said her father died Monday night at his home in Haworth, New Jersey. She says her father had complications with dementia, which is commonly caused by Alzheimer's disease. Bosco was a Broadway veteran who won a Tony Award in 1989 for best actor for his role as the head of an opera company in the comedy "Lend Me a Tenor." He received nominations for his performances in "The Rape of the Belt," ''Heartbreak House," ''You Never Can Tell" and "Moon Over Buffalo." Bosco also starred in a 2004 production of "Twelve Angry Men." Before acting, Bosco worked in a carnival as a trailer truck driver. FILE - In this Oct. 6, 2006 file photo, actors Philip Bosco and Swoosie Kurtz, who are appearing in George Bernard Shaw's "Heartbreak House," pose at the American Airlines Theatre in New York. Bosco, the Tony Award-winning actor known for his roles in films "Working Girl" and "The Savages," has died age 88. The actor's daughter, Celia Bosco, said her father died Monday night, Dec. 3, 2018, at his home in Haworth, N.J. She says her father had complications with dementia, which is commonly caused by Alzheimer's disease. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II, File) ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) - New Mexico's largest Catholic diocese has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars in recent months on lawyers to fight claims of clergy sex abuse and to prepare for a potentially lengthy battle in U.S. Bankruptcy Court. The Archdiocese of Santa Fe's petition for reorganization provides a rare look into the finances of a religious organization that for decades has been wrestling with the financial and social consequences of a scandal that rocked churches across the country. Archbishop John Wester describes the filing as an equitable thing to do as church reserves dwindle. He says compensating the victims is a top priority. National watchdog groups and attorneys for victims of clergy sex abuse said Tuesday the archdiocese's actions suggest otherwise. They point to the money spent by the archdiocese on lawyers over the last three months and the tens of millions of dollars in real estate that has been transferred to parishes in recent years, effectively reducing the amount of assets held by the archdiocese. About 20 dioceses and other religious orders around the U.S. have filed for bankruptcy protection as a result of clergy sex abuse claims, and victims' advocates say there are trends. That includes the shifting of assets to other funds or parishes, a tactic that has been used elsewhere, including dioceses in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Tennessee and Southern California. Archbishop John C. Wester, head of the Archdiocese of Santa Fe, pauses while announcing the diocese will be filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection next week, as clergy sex abuse claims have depleted its reserves, during a news conference in Albuquerque, N.M., on Thursday, Nov. 29, 2018. (AP Photo/Susan Montoya Bryan) In Pennsylvania, documents associated with an August grand jury report that detailed decades of abuse and cover-up included letters between church officials and attorneys that talked about pushing assets around. In one of the most publicized cases, lawyers for abuse victims accused Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan of New York of creating a trust fund to hide money from their clients when he was archbishop of Milwaukee. Dolan wrote to the Vatican in 2007 that transferring more than $50 million in assets would provide "improved protection of these funds from any legal claim and liability." Dolan had dismissed allegations that he was trying to shield church assets, and an appeals court later ruled that the fund was not protected from creditors. There also were clashes over assets belonging to the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis as part of that bankruptcy case. Terence McKiernan, co-founder of BishopAccountability.org, an online resource of documentation about the scandals, pointed to efforts by church officials there to value a massive granite cathedral at just $1. "The Catholic Church is real estate wealthy beyond our wildest dreams," he said. "And it's a bit of a conundrum - how much is the diocese worth? How do you value ecclesiastic property?" In its bankruptcy petition, the Archdiocese of Santa Fe claims nearly $50 million in assets, including real estate valued at more than $31 million. The filing also states that more than $57 million in property is being held in trust for numerous parishes and property transfers worth another $34 million were done over the past two years. State records also show that individual parishes were incorporated as part of an effort that started in 2012 under Wester's predecessor. Despite the archdiocese's efforts to financially separate itself from its parishes, some lawyers say there's still a connection as the bankruptcy filing shows the archdiocese would be on the hook for indemnifying parishes if they were sued or had to pay out damages of any kind. "So it really does seem to us to be a shell-game," McKiernan said of the cases that have already played out. "No one thinks for a moment that the bishop is relinquishing control of these assets, he just hopes the bankruptcy judge won't consider them assets." The New Mexico bankruptcy case came as the state attorney general's office served a pair of search warrants last week, seeking documents related to two former priests who had been credibly accused of sexually abusing children. The warrants describe in graphic detail the abuse endured by children years ago at the hands of the two priests. The tip of the iceberg is how attorney Paul Linnenburger described the warrants. He's a lawyer with one of the New Mexico firms that has several cases pending against the archdiocese. The archdiocese has said $52 million in insurance money and its own funds have gone to settling 300 claims over the years. Linnenburger said the details of many of those cases have remained secret due to nondisclosure agreements and protective orders. He accused the church of hiding behind those orders and its religious mission to avoid liability for pending and future cases. "The writing is on the wall now," he said, "and it's going to come out and once it does, the people of New Mexico are finally going to see and understand just how much damage the church did to them over decades." Archbishop John C. Wester, head of the Archdiocese of Santa Fe, tells reporters the diocese will be filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection next week as clergy sex abuse claims have depleted its reserves. He made the announcement during a news conference in Albuquerque, N.M., on Thursday, Nov. 29, 2018. (AP Photo/Susan Montoya Bryan) SAVANNAH, Ga. (AP) - The Latest on Georgia's Secretary of State race (all times local): 10:20 p.m. Republican Brad Raffensperger has been elected Georgia's new elections chief amid a debate over access to the polls and election security. Raffensperger defeated former Democratic congressman John Barrow in a Tuesday runoff for the secretary of state job. The office was previously held by GOP Gov.-elect Brian Kemp. Kemp staunchly denies Democrats' accusations that he suppressed voter turnout to improve his own odds of victory last month. President Donald Trump tweeted an endorsement last week of Raffensperger, who is a state lawmaker. FILE - In this Monday, Nov. 5, 2018 file photo, Democrat Georgia Secretary of State candidate John Barrow speaks during a campaign stop at Daniel Field in Augusta, Ga. Barrow and Republican Brad Raffensperger are vying in a Dec. 4 runoff for Georgia secretary of state. (Michael Holahan/The Augusta Chronicle via AP, File) Kemp's Democratic rival for governor, Stacey Abrams, urged voters to support Barrow in the same speech where she announced she would sue to change how Georgia runs elections. ____ 12:30 a.m. A Republican state lawmaker and a former Democratic congressman face a runoff election in Georgia for secretary of state, an office at the center of a debate over access to the polls and election security. The winner of the runoff between Republican state Rep. Brad Raffensperger and Democrat John Barrow will oversee Georgia's elections for the next four years. The post was previously held by GOP Gov.-elect Brian Kemp, who has staunchly denied Democrats' accusations that he suppressed voter turnout to improve his own odds of victory. A win for Barrow would snap the Democrats' eight-year losing streak in Georgia of being shut out of holding statewide office. The ex-congressman had the support of Stacey Abrams, the Democratic nominee for governor. President Donald Trump tweeted an endorsement for Raffensperger. WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) - A long-distance runner has relinquished his claim to have run the length of New Zealand in a record time after admitting he was driven for parts of the route. When 64-year-old Perry Newburn arrived in the southern town of Bluff two weeks ago, he and his supporters said he'd run the 2,100 kilometer (1,300 mile) journey in 18 days and eight hours, just beating a record set more than 40 years ago. But in a Facebook post last week, Newburn said that after reflecting on his effort, he didn't want to claim the record. "There were parts of the run where road/bridge conditions were totally unsafe to run and therefore I made the call to be driven through these parts - these decisions were my decisions," he wrote. Newburn said stormy conditions and sleep deprivation had also added to his problems toward the end of his run. He said he'd succeeded in his main aim of raising money for an autism charity, and that nearly 200 people had donated over 7,000 New Zealand dollars ($4,800). In this Nov. 4, 2018 photo, Perry Newburn, left, runs with support crew member Graeme Calder, right, on State Highway 1 near Raumati, New Zealand. Newburn has relinquished his claim to have run the length of New Zealand in a record time after admitting he was driven for parts of the route. (Bette Flagler via AP, File) In September, Newburn was the fourth man to finish a six-day endurance run in Adelaide, Australia, clocking up 573 kilometers (356 miles), according to race records. Not a typical endurance athlete, Newburn ate hash browns and drank chocolate milkshakes during his effort in New Zealand. People who responded to Newburn's Facebook post were generally supportive of him, writing that they appreciated his candor and his efforts for charity. The record for the run was set in 1975 by Siegfried (Siggy) Bauer. Prosecutors recommend no jail time for cooperative Flynn WASHINGTON (AP) - President Donald Trump's former national security adviser provided so much information to the special counsel's Russia investigation that prosecutors say he shouldn't do any prison time, according to a court filing that describes Michael Flynn's cooperation as "substantial." The filing by special counsel Robert Mueller provides the first details of Flynn's assistance in the Russia investigation, including that he participated in 19 interviews with prosecutors and cooperated extensively in a separate and undisclosed criminal probe. But the filing's lengthy redactions also underscore how much Mueller has yet to reveal. It was filed Tuesday, two weeks ahead of Flynn's sentencing and just over a year after he became one of five Trump associates to plead guilty in the Russia probe, in his case admitting to lying to the FBI about conversations with the Russian ambassador to the U.S. Though prosecutors withheld specific details of Flynn's cooperation because of ongoing investigations, their filing nonetheless illustrates the breadth of information Mueller has obtained from people close to Trump as the president increasingly vents his anger at the probe - and those who cooperate with it. This week, Trump accused his former lawyer, Michael Cohen, of making up "stories" to get a reduced prison sentence after pleading guilty to lying to Congress and also praised longtime confidante Roger Stone for saying he wouldn't testify against Trump. ___ A nation's farewell for George H.W. Bush WASHINGTON (AP) - The nation's capital bids its final farewell to the late president, George H.W. Bush, in a service of prayer and praise that is drawing together world envoys, Americans of high office and a guy from Maine who used to fix things in Bush's house on the water. The ceremony Wednesday at Washington National Cathedral, the nexus of state funerals, will cap three days of remembrance by dignitaries and ordinary citizens as they honored the Republican president who oversaw the post-Cold War transition and led a successful Gulf War, only to lose re-election in a generational shift to Democrat Bill Clinton in 1992. The four living ex-presidents are coming - among them, George W. Bush will eulogize his father - and President Donald Trump will attend but is not scheduled to speak. Also attending: one king (Jordan), one queen (Jordan), two princes (Britain, Bahrain), Germany's chancellor and Poland's president, among representatives of more than a dozen countries. Also expected in the invitation-only crowd: Mike Lovejoy, a Kennebunkport electrician and fix-it man who has worked at Bush's Maine summer estate since 1990 and says he was shocked and heartened to be asked to come. On Tuesday, soldiers, citizens in wheelchairs and long lines of others on foot wound through the hushed Capitol Rotunda to view Bush's casket and honor a president whose legacy included World War military service and a landmark law affirming the rights of the disabled. Former Sen. Bob Dole, a compatriot in war, peace and political struggle, steadied himself out of his wheelchair and saluted his old friend and one-time rival. ___ Last salute: A guide to George HW Bush's funeral WASHINGTON (AP) - President George H.W. Bush is getting a national farewell at Washington National Cathedral before family, friends, presidents and foreign dignitaries. The nation's 41st president died Friday at age 94. His wife of 73 years, Barbara, passed away in April. Things to know about the event Wednesday: ___ THE SCHEDULE ___ 10 Things to Know for Today Your daily look at late-breaking news, upcoming events and the stories that will be talked about today: 1. PROSECUTORS RECOMMEND NO JAIL TIME FOR FLYNN Citing "substantial" cooperation by Michael Flynn in its Russia investigation, the special counsel recommends no jail time for Trump's former national security adviser. 2. A NATION BIDS FARWELL TO BUSH A funeral service in Washington for the 41st president draws together world envoys, Americans of high office and a handyman from Maine. ___ China promises action on US trade deal but gives no details BEIJING (AP) - China issued an upbeat but vague promise Wednesday to carry out a tariff cease-fire with Washington but gave no details that might dispel confusion about what Presidents Xi Jinping and Donald Trump agreed to in Argentina. China has yet to confirm Trump's claim that Beijing committed to cut auto tariffs and buy more American farm exports. That, coupled with conflicting statements by Trump and U.S. officials, helped trigger a tumble in U.S. stock prices Tuesday amid doubt about the chances for a lasting settlement of a battle over technology that threatens to chill global economic growth. "China will start from implementing specific issues on which consensus has been reached, and the sooner, the better," the Commerce Ministry said on its website. The two sides have a "clear timetable and road map" for talks, the ministry said, but gave no details. The ministry didn't respond to questions by phone and fax. The Chinese silence prompted questions about what Trump said was a promise by Beijing to buy more American exports and negotiate over U.S. complaints that it steals American technology. ___ Presidents club assembles for Bush funeral, Trump an outlier WASHINGTON (AP) - The death of George H.W. Bush is bringing together the five remaining members of an oh-so-exclusive fraternity - the presidents club. But for President Donald Trump, it may not be an entirely comfortable reunion, throwing him together with former occupants of the Oval Office who have given him decidedly mixed reviews. Wednesday's state funeral for the late president will be attended by "formers" Barack Obama, George W. Bush, Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter. The last time they were together with Trump was at his inauguration in 2017. Recalling the funerals for Gerald Ford and Ronald Reagan, they will all sit together in Washington National Cathedral, with the exception of the younger Bush, who will be seated nearby with his family. Those who have occupied the Oval Office share an unparalleled experience that typically builds a special camaraderie. And by virtue of health, longevity and opportunities for continued influence, ex-presidents are sticking around longer than ever and staying active in the public eye. But since taking office, Trump has had little contact with his predecessors. He has not spoken to Democrats Clinton or Obama since his inauguration. He did speak with the younger Bush during the contentious confirmation process for Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, as the previous Republican president helped lobby for his former aide. Democrat Carter has been briefed by White House officials on North Korea, though it was not clear if he has engaged directly with Trump. Trump has sought to meet the elder Bush's passing with grace, a contrast to the rhythms of much of his tumultuous presidency. He came to office after a campaign in which he harshly criticized his Democratic predecessors and co-opted a Republican Party once dominated by the Bush family. Despite the traditional kinship among presidents, Trump's predecessors have all made their discomfort known in different ways. ___ Expectations low as Yemen's warring parties meet for talks CAIRO (AP) - Yemen's warring parties will meet in Sweden this week for another attempt at talks aimed at halting their catastrophic 3-year-old war, but there are few incentives for major compromises, and the focus is likely to be on firming up a shaky de-escalation. U.N. officials say they don't expect rapid progress toward a political settlement, but hope for at least minor steps that would help to address Yemen's worsening humanitarian crisis. Both the internationally-recognized government, which is backed by a U.S.-sponsored and Saudi-led coalition, and the Iran-aligned Houthi rebels say they are striving for peace. A Houthi delegation arrived in Stockholm late Tuesday, accompanied by U.N. envoy Martin Griffiths. The government delegation and the head of the rebel delegation were heading to Sweden on Wednesday. Confidence-building measures before the talks included a prisoner swap and the evacuation of wounded rebels for medical treatment. The release of funds from abroad by Yemeni President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi to pay state employees in rebel-held territory is also in the works. Yemeni scholar Hisham Al-Omeisy, who has written extensively about the conflict, said the talks would focus on "de-escalation and starting the political process." ___ After CIA briefing, senators lay blame on Saudi crown prince WASHINGTON (AP) - Breaking with President Donald Trump, senators leaving a briefing with CIA Director Gina Haspel on Tuesday said they are even more convinced that Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman was involved in the death of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Corker, R-Tenn., said he believes if the crown prince were put on trial, a jury would find him guilty in "about 30 minutes." Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., who demanded the briefing with Haspel, said there is "zero chance" the crown prince wasn't involved in Khashoggi's death. "There's not a smoking gun. There's a smoking saw," Graham said, referring to reports from the Turkish government that said Saudi agents used a bone saw to dismember Khashoggi after he was killed in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. Graham said "you have to be willfully blind" not to conclude that this was orchestrated and organized by people under the crown prince's command. Trump has equivocated over who is to blame for the killing, frustrating senators who are now looking for ways to punish the longtime Middle East ally. The Senate overwhelmingly voted last week to move forward on a resolution curtailing U.S. backing for the Saudi-led war in Yemen. ___ S. Korea abuzz about N. Korean leader Kim's possible trip SEOUL, South Korea (AP) - Day after day, rampant speculation about North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's possible trip to Seoul is making headlines in South Korea, despite no official confirmation from either government. Many analysts say it would be extremely difficult for Kim to fulfill by the end of this year his reported promise to become the first North Korean leader to visit South Korea, given limited time for preparation and impasses in global diplomacy on his nuclear weapons. But others say we will not know until the year is over, noting that several previously unthinkable events have happened in the past months, including Kim's June summit with President Donald Trump in Singapore. A look at the status of Kim's possible trip to Seoul: ___ THE SPECULATION ___ Actor-comedian Kevin Hart will host 2019 Oscars LOS ANGELES (AP) - Kevin Hart has a new job - he will host the 2019 Academy Awards, a role the prolific actor-comedian says fulfills a longtime dream. Hart announced his selection for the 91st Oscars in an Instagram statement Tuesday. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences followed up with a tweet that welcomed him "to the family." The announcement came hours after trade publication The Hollywood Reporter posted a story calling the Oscars host position "the least wanted job in Hollywood." Hart clearly doesn't feel that way, writing on Instagram that it has been on his list of dream jobs for years. The 2019 Oscars will be broadcast Feb. 24 on ABC. "I am blown away simply because this has been a goal on my list for a long time...To be able to join the legendary list of host that have graced this stage is unbelievable," Hart wrote. "I know my mom is smiling from ear to ear right now. WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) - A powerful earthquake that struck in the southern Pacific Ocean on Wednesday sent jitters around the region after authorities warned of possible tsunamis, but there were no initial reports of destructive waves or major damage. The magnitude 7.5 quake hit in the afternoon near the French territory of New Caledonia at a shallow depth, where earthquakes are generally more damaging. It was felt as far away as Vanuatu, about 630 kilometers (390 miles) away Tsunami sirens blared across New Caledonia minutes after the quake. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said tsunami waves of between 1 and 3 meters (3 and 10 feet) were possible along some coasts of New Caledonia and Vanuatu, before later lifting the warning. Local authorities in New Caledonia ordered residents to evacuate coastal zones on the eastern edge of the archipelago, including the Loyalty Islands and the island of Ile des Pins. The evacuation order from the regional police said western islands didn't need to evacuate but should remain vigilant. While residents of the region are familiar with tsunami warnings and evacuations, the quake startled tourists, including communications consultant Eugenie Kerleau, 30, vacationing on the island of Lifou from her home in mainland France. "It was really surprising, I had a feeling of vertigo, the curtains were moving. We were immediately evacuated from the hotel to a calmer point at higher altitude," she told The Associated Press. No damage was immediately reported, according to Vincent Lepley, crisis coordinator for the Red Cross in New Caledonia. Judith Rostain, a freelance journalist based in New Caledonia's capital, Noumea, said there was no damage to the city. She said the situation remained unclear on the east coast and scattered outer islands. In Vanuatu, Dan McGarry said he heard only of three small wave surges hitting the southern island of Aneityum. McGarry, the media director at the Vanuatu Daily Post, said the waves traveled only a couple of meters (7 feet) beyond the normal tidal waves, and that everybody was fine on the island. McGarry said he felt the quake where he is based in Vanuatu's capital, Port Vila, as a mild shaking. "We get a lot of earthquakes every year," he said. "The tsunami warning was what was different this time, though." The warning center said there was no tsunami threat to Hawaii. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the quake struck about 168 kilometers (104 miles) east of Tadine in New Caledonia at a shallow depth of 10 kilometers (6 miles). At least six aftershocks also hit, ranging in magnitude from 5.6 to 6.6. The populations of Vanuatu and New Caledonia are similar, with just over 280,000 people living in each archipelago. Last month, voters in New Caledonia elected to remain a territory of France rather than becoming independent. Both New Caledonia and Vanuatu sit on the Pacific "Ring of Fire," the arc of seismic faults around the Pacific Ocean where most of the world's earthquakes and volcanic activity occur. ___ Charlotte Antoine in Paris and Moussa Moussa in Sydney contributed to this report. KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) - Malaysian police said Wednesday they have filed new criminal charges against fugitive financier Low Taek Jho and four others over the multibillion-dollar looting of state investment fund 1MDB. Low is wanted for his alleged role as the mastermind in a massive money laundering and bribery scheme that pilfered billions of dollars from the indebted 1MDB fund. He remains at large but maintains his innocence. Malaysian authorities charged Low and his father with money laundering in August. Last month, U.S. prosecutors charged Low and two former Goldman Sachs bankers with conspiracy to launder 1MDB money. Malaysian police chief Mohamad Fuzi Harun said Low and four others, mostly former 1MDB employees, were charged Tuesday with 13 new money laundering and criminal breach of trust offenses involving losses of $1.17 billion of 1MDB funds. He said Wednesday that arrest warrants have been issued for the five, who have fled Malaysia. If they are found in any country, the government will request their extradition so they can face charges in a Malaysian court, Fuzi said in a statement. Former Prime Minister Najib Razak started the 1MDB fund when he took power in 2009 to promote economic development but it accumulated billions in debts, and is being investigated in the U.S. and several other countries. Anger over the huge scale of the scandal led to the shocking election ouster of Najib's coalition, and ushered in the first change of power since the country's independence from Britain in 1957. The new government reopened a probe into 1MDB that was stifled under Najib's rule. Najib and his wife have been charged with multiple counts of corruption in the scandal, and have criticized the charges as political vengeance. His lawyer, his former deputy, two ex-senior government officials and a former chief state minister have also been charged with graft. FILE - In this Oct. 20, 2014 file photo, Jho Low attends the 2014 Angel Ball, hosted by Gabrielle's Angel Foundation, at Cipriani Wall Street in New York. Malaysian police said Wednesday, Dec. 5, 2018, that they have filed new criminal charges against fugitive financier Low Taek Jho and four others over the multibillion-dollar looting of state investment fund 1MDB. Low is wanted for his alleged role as the mastermind in a massive money laundering and bribery scheme that pilfered billions of dollars from the indebted 1MDB fund. (Photo by Scott Roth/Invision/AP, File) Fuzi said Low, 36, was charged with five counts of money laundering involving transfers totaling $1.03 billion into a Swiss bank account between September 2009 and October 2011. Low and his aide, Eric Tan Kim Loong, face two more money laundering charges for receiving $126 million in a Singapore-based bank account, he said. 1MDB's former lawyer, Jasmine Loo Ai Swan, its ex-business development director, Casey Tang Keng Chee and former finance director Terence Geh Choh Heng were also charged. A spokesman for Low, in a statement issued through his lawyers, slammed the new charges against him as a "continuation of the trial by media and political reprisals" by Malaysia's new government. "Mr. Low maintains his innocence. As has been previously stated, Mr. Low will not submit to any jurisdiction where guilt has been predetermined by politics and there is no independent legal process," the statement said, alleging that Low cannot get a fair trial in Malaysia. WASHINGTON (AP) - President Donald Trump is spreading misleading numbers about the cost of illegal immigration. As he tries to pressure Democrats to fund his long-promised southern border wall, Trump is claiming the country loses $250 billion a year on illegal immigration. But it remained unclear Tuesday where Trump had found that number, which is dramatically higher than previous estimates. A look at his claim: TRUMP: "Could somebody please explain to the Democrats (we need their votes) that our Country losses (sic) 250 Billion Dollars a year on illegal immigration, not including the terrible drug flow. Top Border Security, including a Wall, is $25 Billion. Pays for itself in two months. Get it done!" - tweet Tuesday. THE FACTS: Trump's numbers left even those sympathetic to the president's position scratching their heads. "I'm not sure where the president got his numbers," said Dave Ray, a spokesman for the nonprofit group FAIR, the Federation for American Immigration Reform, which advocates for lower immigration numbers. FILE - In this Nov. 16, 2016, file photo, a U.S. Customs and Border Patrol agent walks with suspected immigrants caught entering the country illegally along the Rio Grande in Hidalgo, Texas. While the Trump administration focuses attention on migrant caravans trying to cross the southern U.S. border in California, migration is surging at the opposite end of the border in South Texas. (AP Photo/Eric Gay, File) Neither the White House nor the Department of Homeland Security responded to questions Tuesday about where the $250 billion estimate had come from. The Heritage Foundation, for instance, estimated in 2013 that households headed by immigrants living in the U.S. illegally impose a net fiscal burden of around $54.5 billion per year. And even Trump himself has contradicted the figure. During his 2016 campaign, Trump claimed that illegal immigration cost the country more than $113 billion a year - less than half the number he tweeted Tuesday. That estimate appeared based on a paper by FAIR, which released an updated report in 2017 that claimed taxpayers "shell out approximately $134.9 billion to cover the costs incurred by the presence of more than 12.5 million illegal aliens, and about 4.2 million citizen children of illegal aliens" at the federal, state and local levels, with "a tax burden of approximately $8,075 per illegal alien family member and a total of $115,894,597,664." The $116 million figure included services like health care and education, as well as spending on agencies like U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, minus the $19 billon the group concluded those who are living in the country illegally pay in taxes. But it also included costs associated with the children of those immigrants in its tally, even when they are U.S. citizens. The estimate was criticized for making broad generalizations and other major methodological flaws. Michelle Mittelstadt of the nonpartisan Migration Policy Institute said that advocacy groups' numbers on both sides of the issue are notoriously flawed because "they don't look at the other side of the ledger." "Doing a rigorous analysis that fully captures costs and economic contributions to come up with a net fiscal impact is quite complicated, because it is far easier to assess the cost side of the ledger, particularly uncompensated medical care and education, than it is to capture the full economic activity generated by unauthorized immigrants," she said via email, pointing to "their roles not just as workers and taxpayers but also as consumers." The nonpartisan Pew Research Center also released new estimates last week that there were 10.7 million unauthorized immigrants living in the U.S. in 2016, down from a peak of 12.2 million in 2007 - less than groups like FAIR project. ___ Find AP Fact Checks at http://apne.ws/2kbx8bd Follow @APFactCheck on Twitter: https://twitter.com/APFactCheck WASHINGTON (AP) - President Donald Trump's former national security adviser provided so much information to the special counsel's Russia investigation that prosecutors say he shouldn't do any prison time, according to a court filing that describes Michael Flynn's cooperation as "substantial." The filing by special counsel Robert Mueller provides the first details of Flynn's assistance in the probe into Russian meddling in the 2016 election and possible contacts with the Trump campaign. Flynn participated in 19 interviews with prosecutors and cooperated extensively in a separate and undisclosed criminal probe, according to the filing. But the document's lengthy redactions also underscore how much Mueller has yet to reveal. It was filed Tuesday, two weeks ahead of Flynn's sentencing and just over a year after he became one of five Trump associates to plead guilty in the Russia probe - in his case admitting to lying to the FBI about conversations with the Russian ambassador to the U.S. before Trump took office. Though prosecutors withheld specific details of Flynn's cooperation because of ongoing investigations, their filing nonetheless illustrates the breadth of information Mueller has obtained from people close to Trump as the president increasingly vents his anger at the probe - and those who cooperate with it. This week, Trump accused his former lawyer, Michael Cohen, of making up "stories" to get a reduced prison sentence after pleading guilty to lying to Congress and also praised longtime confidante Roger Stone for saying he wouldn't testify against Trump. FILE - In this Feb. 1, 2017 file photo, National Security Adviser Michael Flynn speaks during the daily news briefing at the White House in Washington. The special counsel in the Russia investigation is set to give the first public insight into how much valuable information President Donald Trump's former national security adviser has shared with prosecutors. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster) It's unclear if Trump will now turn his fury on Flynn, whom Trump bonded with during the 2016 campaign. Trump has repeatedly lamented how Flynn's life has been destroyed by the special counsel's probe. At one point, he tried to protect Flynn by asking former FBI Director James Comey to drop an investigation into his alleged false statements, according to a memo Comey wrote after the February 2017 encounter. That episode, which Trump has denied, is among those under scrutiny by Mueller as he probes whether the president attempted to obstruct the Russia investigation. Federal sentencing guidelines recommend between zero and six months in prison, and Mueller's office said Flynn's cooperation merits no prison time. Prosecutors said Flynn's early cooperation was "particularly valuable" because he was "one of the few people with long-term and firsthand insight" into the events under investigation. They noted his cooperation likely inspired other crucial witnesses to cooperate. Mueller's team credited Flynn with serving 33 years in the U.S. Army, including five years in combat. But prosecutors also said the long military and government service that sets him apart from all other defendants in the investigation made his deception more troublesome. "The defendant's extensive government service should have made him particularly aware of the harm caused by providing false information to the government, as well as the rules governing work performed on behalf of a foreign government," they wrote. Flynn's case has stood apart from those of other Trump associates, who have aggressively criticized the investigation, sought to undermine it and, in some cases, been accused of lying even after agreeing to cooperate. Trump's former campaign chairman, Paul Manafort, is accused of repeatedly lying to investigators since his guilty plea. Another Trump campaign aide, George Papadopoulos, is serving a 14-day prison sentence and, though he pleaded guilty to the same crime as Flynn, was denied probation because prosecutors said his cooperation was lacking. But Flynn has largely remained out of the public eye, appearing only sporadically in media interviews or campaign events, and avoided criticizing the Mueller probe despite widespread encouragement from his supporters to go on the offensive. He has instead spent considerable time with his family and worked to position himself for a post-conviction career. Another highly anticipated filing is expected Friday from Mueller's office, detailing the lies that prosecutors say Manafort told them after his guilty plea. In Tuesday's filing, prosecutors emphasized that the conduct Flynn lied about cuts to the core of the investigation into any coordination between the Trump campaign and the Kremlin. Flynn's false statements stemmed from a Jan. 24, 2017, interview with the FBI about his interactions with Sergey Kislyak, Russia's then-ambassador to the U.S., as the Obama administration was levying sanctions on the Kremlin in response to election interference. Mueller's office blamed Flynn for other senior Trump transition officials making misleading public statements about his contacts with Russia, an assertion that matches the White House's explanation of Flynn's firing. "Several senior members of the transition team publicly repeated false information conveyed to them by the defendant about communications between him and the Russian ambassador regarding the sanctions," the filing said. As part of his plea deal, Flynn said members of Trump's inner circle, including his son-in-law and White House aide Jared Kushner, were involved in - and at times directing - his actions in the weeks before Trump took office. According to court papers, in mid-December 2016, Kushner directed Flynn to reach out to several countries, including Russia, about a U.N. Security Council resolution regarding Israeli settlements. During those conversations with Kislyak, Flynn asked Russia to delay or vote against the resolution, a request the Kremlin ultimately rejected. Flynn also admitted that later in December 2016 he asked Kislyak not to retaliate in response to the Obama administration sanctions, something he initially told FBI agents he didn't do. Flynn made the request after discussing it with deputy national security adviser K.T. McFarland, who was at Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort, and being told that Trump's transition team did not want Russia to escalate the situation. Flynn was forced to resign his post on Feb. 13, 2017, after news reports revealed that Obama administration officials had warned the Trump White House about Flynn's false statements. The White House has said Flynn misled officials- including Vice President Mike Pence - about the content of his conversations. Flynn also admitted to making false statements about unregistered foreign agent work he performed for the benefit of the Turkish government, a matter Mueller's team cited in Tuesday's filing. Flynn was under investigation by the Justice Department for the work when he became national security adviser. ___ Read the court filing: http://apne.ws/CMG15me ___ Follow Chad Day and Eric Tucker on Twitter: https://twitter.com/ChadSDay and https://twitter.com/etuckerAP TOKYO (AP) - The former Nissan chairman Carlos Ghosn, who was arrested in Japan on suspicion of underreporting his income, seems prepared to fight out his case and has asked for thriller books, according to the Brazilian consul general. Joao de Mendonca Lima Neto, one of the few visitors Ghosn has been allowed to see under Japan's stringent rules, said Ghosn was healthy and holding up well. "My impression is that he is a strong man in the sense that he will fight this out properly. He doesn't look worried," Mendonca told The Associated Press on Wednesday at Brazil's consulate in Tokyo. "I admire him for his fortitude." Mendonca declined comment on the specifics of the allegations against Ghosn, saying his job was about helping Brazilian citizens with their problems. He said he has conveyed Ghosn's verbal messages to his family and has relayed the family's messages back. He declined to disclose details. Ghosn, who headed the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Motors auto alliance, was arrested last month on suspicion he underreported his income by millions of dollars for years at a time. Consulate General of Brazil in Tokyo Joao de Mendonca Lima Neto speaks during an interview with the Associated Press in Tokyo, Wednesday, Dec. 5, 2018. Former Nissan chairman Carlos Ghosn, arrested in Japan on suspicion of underreporting his income, is holding up well while in detention and asked for thriller books, according to the Brazilian consul general, one of the few allowed to visit. (AP Photo/Koji Sasahara) Born in Brazil, Ghosn holds French, Lebanese and Brazilian citizenships. Only representatives of a suspect's home country and attorneys can visit suspects in detention in Japan. Consular officials have visited Ghosn four times in the last two weeks, Mendonca said. They brought history and philosophy books and fruit, but Ghosn asked for thriller books to pass the time. Mendonca said he speaks with Ghosn in Portuguese through a glass barrier. Although Japanese detention cells are not heated and the weather can be chilly, Mendonca said Ghosn told him he was warm. He was wearing a blue zipped-up top, he recalled. "Dr. Ghosn has always said that he is well and he is well treated, given the circumstances," he said. "He answers normally, 'I'm fine.'" Japanese media, without identifying sources, have reported prosecutors will detain Ghosn on additional allegations beyond Dec. 10, when the period of detention allowed on the first set of allegations against him will run out. Prosecutors have refused to comment except in weekly meetings, when they confirm some basic facts. Ghosn has not been charged. Since he was sent by Renault SA of France to turn around a near-bankrupt Nissan Motor Co. two decades ago, Ghosn's star-level pay has drawn attention since executives in Japan tend to be paid far less than their international counterparts. At the center of the allegations, according to Japanese media reports, is Ghosn's deferred income, promised as money, stocks and other items for a later date, including after retirement. Nissan, which makes the March subcompact, Leaf electric car and Infiniti luxury models, says an internal investigation found Ghosn hid his pay and misused company funds and assets for personal gain. The company has ousted Ghosn as chairman but has yet to pick a replacement. Brazilians are proud of Ghosn, Mendonca said. "We also have a position of wait and see. What you read in the press is not what he is saying. We are just waiting for the result, and hopefully the best result," he said. "Given his position, he has been an icon not only here but all over the world." ___ Yuri Kageyama is on Twitter at https://twitter.com/yurikageyama On Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/yurikageyama/?hl=en FILE - In this April 20, 2018, file photo, then Nissan Chairman Carlos Ghosn speaks during an interview in Hong Kong. Former Nissan chairman Carlos Ghosn, arrested in Japan on suspicion of underreporting his income, is holding up well while in detention and asked for thriller books, according to the Brazilian consul general, one of the few allowed to visit. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung, File) Consulate General of Brazil in Tokyo Joao de Mendonca Lima Neto speaks during an interview with the Associated Press in Tokyo, Wednesday, Dec. 5, 2018. Former Nissan chairman Carlos Ghosn, arrested in Japan on suspicion of underreporting his income, is holding up well while in detention and asked for thriller books, according to the Brazilian consul general, one of the few allowed to visit. (AP Photo/Koji Sasahara) KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) - Taliban targeted a police checkpoint in the western Herat province, setting off a battle in which a policeman and three civilians were killed, according to a provincial official in Herat. Police spokesman Abdul Ahad Walizada said six of the attackers were also killed in the battle late Tuesday. The Taliban effectively control nearly half the country and carry out daily attacks that mainly target security forces. In the eastern Nangarhar province, meanwhile, the director of a local TV station was kidnapped. Attahullah Khogyani, the governor's spokesman, said the TV director, known as Engineer Zelmia, was kidnapped late Tuesday. Zelmia's driver was shot and killed. No one immediately claimed the abduction, but the Taliban and the Islamic State group are both active in Nangarhar. In the eastern Paktika province, a suspected U.S. drone strike killed a local government employee believed to have links to insurgents, said Shah Mohammad Aryan, spokesman for the provincial police chief. He said the strike late Tuesday took place in an area on the outskirts of the provincial capital, Sharan, where insurgents have been known to stage rocket attacks on the city. ATLANTA (AP) - Authorities are searching for a Georgia minister convicted of child rape and molestation who fled an Atlanta courthouse before his conviction was handed down. Citing a Tuesday Fulton County District Attorney's Office statement, news outlets report 45-year-old Don Martin left the courthouse after five days of testimony and didn't return for closing arguments. His whereabouts are unknown. The Cathedral of Faith Church of God in Christ minister was accused of sexually assaulting a girl from age 7 to 13 years old. He was found guilty of charges including rape and aggravated sexual battery. The attorney's office statement says police began investigating Martin in 2011 over allegations of inappropriate touching. It says Martin's sentencing has been postposed as the victim has said she'd like to face him during court proceedings. SEOUL, South Korea (AP) - Day after day, rampant speculation about North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's possible trip to Seoul is making headlines in South Korea, despite no official confirmation from either government. Many analysts say it would be extremely difficult for Kim to fulfill by the end of this year his reported promise to become the first North Korean leader to visit South Korea, given limited time for preparation and impasses in global diplomacy on his nuclear weapons. But others say we will not know until the year is over, noting that several previously unthinkable events have happened in the past months, including Kim's June summit with President Donald Trump in Singapore. A look at the status of Kim's possible trip to Seoul: ___ THE SPECULATION As the year draws to a close, South Korean media, experts and politicians are churning out reports and guesswork on whether Kim will come to Seoul by the end of December, or will postpone or even spike his plan. FILE - In this Sept. 18, 2018, file photo, South Korean President Moon Jae-in, left, and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un ride in a car during a parade through a street in Pyongyang, North Korea. Day after day, rampant speculation about North Korean leader Kim's possible trip to Seoul is making headlines in South Korea, despite no official confirmation from both Koreas. Many analysts say it would be virtually impossible for Kim to fulfill his reported promise to become the first North Korean ruler to visit South Korea by the end of this year, given stalemated nuclear diplomacy. But others say we never know until this year is over. (Pyongyang Press Corps Pool via AP, File) South Korean President Moon Jae-in appears to be pushing Kim to keep his promise, though he said there is no time frame for his visit. After a meeting with Trump last week on the sidelines of the G-20 summit in Argentina, Moon told reporters that the two agreed that Kim's trip would play a "very positive role" in U.S.-North Korea nuclear diplomacy. Moon suggested that Trump agreed Kim's Seoul trip could come before the resumption of high-level U.S.-North Korean talks, including a possible second Trump-Kim summit. One of the time frames that South Korean media say would likely be for Kim's trip to South Korea is Dec. 18-20. These dates are based on a belief that the two Koreas would need more than a week of preparation, and would allow Kim to stay at home for a Dec. 17 memorial service for his late dictator father, Kim Jong Il. Also, Kim would be busy in late December preparing for his annual New Year's Day address to outline his policy directions for 2019. South Korea's presidential Blue House, however, has denied that time frame. The Blue House reiterated Wednesday that Kim's trip can occur either this month or early next year, saying it's up to North Korea. ___ THE OBSTACLES So the ball is in Kim's court now, but his propaganda services have been silent about a Seoul trip. Kim might find such a trip less beneficial now than when he agreed to it following his third summit with Moon in Pyongyang in September. At the time, some experts said the United States could soon accept a North Korean request for jointly declaring the end of the 1950-53 Korean War as part of security assurances to the North so that Kim could find it less burdensome to make a symbolic, emotionally charged trip to Seoul after receiving that political concession. But North Korea-U.S. diplomacy has since come to a standstill amid disputes over a U.S. demand that North Korea first disclose a full inventory of its nuclear weapons and take other significant denuclearization steps before winning major outside rewards. North Korea, for its part, now wants sanctions relief, the end-of-war declaration and other reciprocal measures from the United States, arguing it has taken some steps, like dismantling its nuclear testing facility and releasing American detainees. Kim's top lieutenants could also persuade him not to go to Seoul, citing worries about security arrangements for their "supreme leader" visiting an enemy state. It's almost certain that Kim's trip would trigger huge daily protests in Seoul by activists, conservative politicians and North Korean defectors. South Korea's main conservative opposition says Kim must first apologize for 2010 attacks blamed on the North that killed 50 South Koreans before stepping on South Korean soil. ___ WHY A KIM TRIP MATTERS No North Korean leader has traveled to South Korea since the end of the Korean War, which killed millions. There have been five summit talks between the leaders of the Koreas, three of them between Kim and Moon, but they all happened either in Pyongyang or the inter-Korean border village of Panmunjom. When Kim's influential sister, Kim Yo Jong, and favorite pop diva, Hyon Song Wol, came to South Korea earlier this year at the start of his outreach to the South, their trips triggered a media frenzy here, with TV cameras and photographers following their every move. A Kim trip to Seoul would surely garner even more worldwide attention. Seoul is the bustling capital of a country that Kim until last year repeatedly vowed to destroy with his nuclear weapons, and which his dictator father and grandfather wanted to unify with the North. Moon would likely arrange many emotional events, such as jointly visiting South Korea's highest peak, Halla Mountain, like they did to the North's sacred Paektu Mountain during their Pyongyang summit. Kim also might address South Korea's parliament, after Moon addressed a Pyongyang stadium packed with 150,000 people at the September summit. Moon said Kim's trip would be "unprecedented" and contain a message of his commitment to nuclear disarmament, improvement in inter-Korean relations and world peace. But again, it appears to be up to Kim, whose joint statement with Moon in September stipulated only that his visit to Seoul would come "in the near future." Moon later said that means "within this year." Kim's father, Kim Jong Il, vowed to visit South Korea at an "appropriate time" after his 2000 summit with then-South Korean President Kim Dae-jung. But he did not carry out his promise before he died in late 2011, handing over power to Kim Jong Un, his youngest son. FILE - In this Nov. 17, 2018, file photo, a protester with a defaced portrait of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un shouts during a rally to denounce policies of South Korean President Moon Jae-in on North Korea in Seoul, South Korea. Day after day, rampant speculation about North Korean leader Kim's possible trip to Seoul is making headlines in South Korea, despite no official confirmation from either government.(AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon, File) SARAJEVO, Bosnia-Herzegovina (AP) - Prosecutors say a former ranking Bosnian army general has been arrested on war crimes charges. The Bosnian prosecution office said retired Gen. Ramiz Drekovic was arrested Wednesday in the area of the Bosnian capital, Sarajevo. Drekovic, who was an army commander during the 1992-95 war, is suspected of ordering indiscriminate shelling of a Serb-populated Bosnian town in 1995 when a child was killed and several others were wounded. Prosecutors say Drekovic, 62, is suspected of breaching the Geneva conventions on the protection of civilians during wars. Tens of thousands of people were killed and millions were left homeless in a three-way war between Bosnian Muslims, Serbs and Croats. ISTANBUL (AP) - Turkey is seeking the arrest of two former aides to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman who were dismissed amid the fallout from the killing of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi. The U.N.'s human rights chief, meanwhile, said an international probe is needed into Khashoggi's death. Turkey's official Anadolu news agency said Wednesday a court approved arrest warrants for former royal court adviser Saud al-Qahtani and former deputy intelligence chief Ahmed al-Assiri, who are believed to have overseen the team that killed and dismembered Khashoggi at the kingdom's Istanbul consulate in October. Saudi authorities say the agents who killed Khashoggi exceeded their authority. The Istanbul chief prosecutor's Tuesday court application says there is "strong suspicion" the two aides were involved in planning the killing. Turkey has been seeking to extradite 18 suspects, including 15 members of the alleged assassination squad. The government says a trial in Turkey would provide transparency and accountability and says Saudi authorities have not fully cooperated with the probe. Speaking in Brussels, Turkey's Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said Wednesday that Turkey had been "patiently" requesting information from the Saudi investigation. He said Saudi Arabia instead gave "contradictory statements" and called on the kingdom "to be transparent towards us and the international community, share what has resulted from the investigations." FILE - In this Dec. 1, 2018, file, photo released by the press office of the G20 Summit Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman attends a plenary session on the second day of the G20 Leader's Summit in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Turkey is seeking the arrest of two former aides to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman who were dismissed amid the fallout from the killing of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi.(G20 Press Office via AP, File) Speaking on condition of anonymity in line with government protocol, a senior Turkish official familiar with the investigation said the arrest warrants reflect Turkey's view that Saudi Arabia won't hold the suspects accountable. "The international community seems to doubt Saudi Arabia's commitment to prosecute this heinous crime," the official said, adding that by extraditing all suspects to Turkey, "Saudi authorities could address those concerns." Saudi Arabia has detained 21 people and says it is seeking the death penalty for five. Saudi authorities initially said Khashoggi, who had written articles critical of the crown prince's policies, had disappeared after safely leaving the consulate. It only acknowledged he was killed after Turkish press reports based on intelligence leaks revealed extensive details of the operation. Khashoggi had visited the consulate on Oct. 2 to obtain documents required to wed his Turkish fiancee. His remains are still to be found, and Turkey has repeatedly demanded that Saudi officials reveal the identity of a local collaborator who may have disposed of the body. U.S. intelligence assessments and experts say it's unlikely the killing could have happened without the crown prince's knowledge. U.N. human rights chief Michelle Bachelet said an international investigation is needed into the "awful" killing of Khashoggi. Speaking at a news conference in Geneva timed for the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, she alluded to similar calls from outside experts linked to the U.N. human rights office. "We also call for an international investigation," she said. "We mentioned to the (U.N.) secretary-general that we thought it was needed, a criminal investigation - international investigation." She said her office doesn't have the mandate to conduct a criminal investigation, however. Cavusoglu said if needed, Turkey would not refrain from an international investigation, adding that he discussed it with counterparts at NATO meetings and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan with world leaders during last week's G20 summit. ___ Associated Press writer Jamey Keaten in Geneva contributed to this report. BRUSSELS (AP) - Belgium's political crisis eased somewhat on Wednesday after the biggest coalition partner said it would remain in the government despite its opposition to a U.N. migration pact that the others back. Prime Minister Charles Michel has taken the treaty to parliament for approval, against the wishes of the right-wing N-VA. There had initially been fears that the party would pull out of the government following the vote, but it said too many other economic and social issues are still on the plate to abandon the coalition, five months ahead of elections. Parliament is set to back the U.N. migration pact in a vote later this week, and Michel plans to travel Marrakech, Morocco, to express his support. But actually signing the deal, a week later in New York, might prove more problematic because he does not have government backing. But the N-VA indicated it would not pull the plug on of the government itself. "I am not talking about the end of the government. I want to continue. There is more than enough left to do," its legislative leader Peter De Roover told VRT network. Michel told RTL network early Wednesday that "whoever makes the government collapse shows a lack of responsibility." NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) - Morris Kaberia was on Kenya's death row and feeling suicidal when he came across a program that eventually set him free. The former police officer had been imprisoned for violent robbery, and his protests that he had been framed went unanswered. Then he heard about the African Prisons Project, which is turning even illiterate prisoners into their own legal advocates in countries where such assistance is desperately rare. In September, the 47-year-old was released after representing himself in court. He is now pursuing a law degree from the University of London. "Joining the program is actually the thing which gave me my life back," he said. "I saw that there is a possibility of thinking big ... that the walls cannot limit me." Eight hundred prisoners have been freed this year alone as of October, project spokeswoman Peggy Nyahera said. The project in Kenya and neighboring Uganda was founded in 2007 by then-British law student Alexander McLean, who was volunteering in Uganda when he witnessed the sorry state of inmates. Many are illiterate and poor, with little resources to represent themselves. Under the project, inmates who need it are mastering basic literacy and then encouraged to study law. Project staffers and inmates role-play in mock court situations while law students act as judges. In this photo taken Wednesday, Oct. 31, 2018, prisoner Gibson Makini, 40, center, who aids his fellow inmates in writing legal documents, stands with them in Naivasha Prison in Kenya. Many prisoners are illiterate and poor, with little resources to fight for themselves, but the African Prisons Project is helping some to master basic literacy and study law, turning them into their own legal advocates in countries where such assistance is desperately rare. (AP Photo/Josphat Kasire) "Last examination we did in May, we had a distinction from this prison. We had somebody who had a 72 pass mark grade, which is a distinction under the grading of the University of London," said Hamisi Mzari, a legal aid officer with the project who works with inmates at Kenya's Kamiti Maximum Prison. The experience can transform inmates and change how others treat them, Mzari said. "People are now seeing that the people whom we took into prison, whom we had considered that they are the litter and the garbage of society, they are now coming out as polished gold." The prisoner with the high score in May, 45-year-old George Karaba, had been charged with murder and sentenced to death. He says he had lost hope. Now he's applying for a presidential pardon and has become a trustee, with a leadership role among his peers. Currently 60 prisoners are studying for University of London Law degrees via correspondence from 30 prisons in Kenya and Uganda, the African Prisons Project said. The work is supported by the Queens Commonwealth Trust. The project also helps former prisoners into positions where they can work to revise what they call unjust laws. Huge challenges remain. Internet access is limited by lack of resources and security restrictions. Even basic classroom facilities are hard to arrange. Still, the project hopes to establish a law college in Kenya's Naivasha Maximum Prison in 2020 with the aim of expanding legal services to some 10,000 inmates. About 5,000 prisoners have received training or services so far. "The African Prisons Project has enabled the prisoners to have a better understanding of their case and a better way of presenting it before court, hence the improved success rate of their cases," Kenyan High Court judge Luka Kimaru said. ___ Follow Africa news at https://twitter.com/AP_Africa In this photo taken Thursday, Nov. 1, 2018, former death row inmate Morris Kaberia, right, who was released after representing himself in court and is now pursuing a law degree from the University of London, visits former fellow inmates at Kamiti Maximum Security Prison in Nairobi, Kenya. Many prisoners are illiterate and poor, with little resources to fight for themselves, but the African Prisons Project is helping some to master basic literacy and study law, turning them into their own legal advocates in countries where such assistance is desperately rare. (AP Photo/Josphat Kasire) In this photo taken Wednesday, Oct. 31, 2018, prisoners sit in an outdoor area in Naivasha Prison in Kenya. Many prisoners are illiterate and poor, with little resources to fight for themselves, but the African Prisons Project is helping some to master basic literacy and study law, turning them into their own legal advocates in countries where such assistance is desperately rare. (AP Photo/Josphat Kasire) In this photo taken Wednesday, Oct. 31, 2018, prisoners walk inside Naivasha Prison in Kenya. Many prisoners are illiterate and poor, with little resources to fight for themselves, but the African Prisons Project is helping some to master basic literacy and study law, turning them into their own legal advocates in countries where such assistance is desperately rare. (AP Photo/Josphat Kasire) In this photo taken Wednesday, Oct. 31, 2018, prisoner Gibson Makini, 40, center, who aids his fellow inmates in writing legal documents, stands with them in Naivasha Prison in Kenya. Many prisoners are illiterate and poor, with little resources to fight for themselves, but the African Prisons Project is helping some to master basic literacy and study law, turning them into their own legal advocates in countries where such assistance is desperately rare. (AP Photo/Josphat Kasire) In this photo taken Wednesday, Oct. 31, 2018, social welfare officer and law student Mose Kodhek, center, looks across at a prisoner, right, in Naivasha Prison in Kenya. Many prisoners are illiterate and poor, with little resources to fight for themselves, but the African Prisons Project is helping some to master basic literacy and study law, turning them into their own legal advocates in countries where such assistance is desperately rare. (AP Photo/Josphat Kasire) In this photo taken Wednesday, Oct. 31, 2018, prisoner Gibson Makini, 40, center, who aids his fellow inmates in writing legal documents, walks in Naivasha Prison in Kenya. Many prisoners are illiterate and poor, with little resources to fight for themselves, but the African Prisons Project is helping some to master basic literacy and study law, turning them into their own legal advocates in countries where such assistance is desperately rare. (AP Photo/Josphat Kasire) JOHANNESBURG (AP) - Angolan President Joao Lourenco has met longtime critics of the government, generating some goodwill from activists who struggled to have their voices heard during the long rule of former leader Jose Eduardo dos Santos. Lourenco, a former defense minister who became president last year, on Tuesday hosted members of Angolan civil society organizations at the presidential palace to discuss education and other ways to improve the country, long plagued by corruption and human rights abuses. Lourenco has sought to distance his administration from his former boss, removing dos Santos' children from powerful government posts and opening the way to corruption cases against them. Activist Sergio Calundungo welcomed what he called a "symbolic meeting" that indicates Lourenco is "not afraid to dialogue," according to Agencia Angola Press, the state-run news agency. Luaty Beirao, a rapper jailed during the dos Santos era, tweeted that he had expected the meeting to be a positive gesture rather than a "magic wand" that would wave away the southern African country's problems. One of the Angolan state's harshest critics was barred from the meeting. However, journalist and activist Rafael Marques de Morais said there had been a "misunderstanding" and at a private meeting with Lourenco on Wednesday he discussed corruption, human rights and other issues, state media said. "I believe in the goodwill of the president," Marques said earlier on Maka Angola, a website that he founded to highlight alleged government corruption and other concerns. He said he planned to raise the "main concerns" of people in Angola, where poverty is widespread despite the country's status as one of Africa's top oil producers. In an October article in Maka Angola, Marques noted "encouraging signs" in Lourenco's anti-corruption drive, including the arrest of Jose Filomeno dos Santos, son of the ex-president and former head of Angola's sovereign wealth fund. However, Marques wrote: "Bringing so many rich and powerful criminals to justice is complicated by the fact that so many retain positions of political or military power." Jose Eduardo dos Santos, who took power in 1979 amid a civil war, stepped aside as president after elections last year. He quit the post of ruling party leader in September, saying he had made mistakes but was leaving with his "head high." ___ Follow Christopher Torchia on Twitter at www.twitter.com/torchiachris LUMBERTON, N.C. (AP) - The FBI continues its search for a suspect in the disappearance and death of a North Carolina teenage girl. A news release from the agency said it's offering a reward of up to $25,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for the death of Hania Aguilar. The girl's body was found in a body of water in Robeson County on Nov. 27 about 10 miles (16 kilometers) south of the mobile home park where she was kidnapped on Nov. 5 after going outside to start a relative's SUV before school. Police say a man forced Hania into an SUV and drove off. The SUV was found several miles south of her home. The body was found a few miles farther away. ISLAMABAD (AP) - Pakistan's prime minister has told a U.S. special envoy that peace and reconciliation in neighboring Afghanistan is in his country's abiding interest but stopped short of promising to bring the Taliban to the negotiating table. Imran Khan and Zalmay Khalilzad, who is tasked with finding a resolution to the Afghan war, held talks on Wednesday in Islamabad. The meeting comes days after President Donald Trump reached out to Khan, seeking his cooperation in ending the 17-year-old conflict. According to a statement, Khan "reiterated Pakistan's abiding interest in achieving peace and reconciliation in Afghanistan through a political settlement." Washington and Kabul have long accused Pakistan of turning a blind eye to and harboring the Taliban, whose leadership is based in southwestern Pakistan. Islamabad claims it has little influence over the Taliban. ISTANBUL (AP) - A Turkish court is seeking the arrest of an actor for his involvement in mass anti-government protests in 2013. Turkey's official Anadolu news agency said the Istanbul chief prosecutor's office wants to arrest actor Memet Ali Alabora for "provocative" social media posts and his "active role" during the Gezi Park demonstrations. The prosecutor described the protests as an attempt to "overthrow the government by creating chaos and disorder," according to Anadolu. It said Alabora collaborated with prominent philanthropist Osman Kavala. The protests began to protect a park in central Istanbul but quickly transformed to wider demonstrations to oppose the government. Kavala has been in pre-trial detention for more than a year. No indictment has been issued against him but he's accused of financing and organizing the protests. ROME (AP) - Donald Trump isn't the only politician to court trouble with his tweets. Italian Interior Minister Matteo Salvini received an unprecedented admonition from the chief prosecutor of Turin after he tweeted that police had arrested 15 Nigerian "mafiosi" when, according to the prosecutor, the operation was still underway. Prosecutor Armando Spataro said Salvini's premature tweets risked compromising the investigation and violated basic law enforcement norms about what information to release to the public and when. He urged Salvini to refrain from similar messaging in the future "to avoid the risk of damaging investigations underway." Salvini, whose rise to national power has been accompanied by his growing use of social media, insisted he had received a text message from Turin police 90 minutes before he tweeted Tuesday, and denied compromising the operation. He lashed out at Spadaro in a selfie video posted on Facebook, wishing him a long and restful retirement. Spadaro, who is one of Italy's most seasoned prosecutors, is due to retire later this month after reaching age 70. He received the backing of other prosecutors for calling out the interior minister, a sign of possible institutional friction with Salvini, the hard-line leader of the League who campaigned on an anti-migrant, law-and-order agenda. Italian Deputy Premier and Interior Minister, Matteo Salvini, participates in the presentation of the book of Italian journalist Bruno Vespa "Revolution - Men and the backstage of the Third Republic", in Rome, Italy, Tuesday, Dec. 4, 2018. (Alessandro Di Meo/ANSA via AP) The scuffle, though, didn't appear to temper Salvini's tweeting Wednesday. Salvini praised a major, multinational operation to arrest dozens of people tied to Italy's 'ndrangheta organized crime group, then added: "I hope no one gets offended and attacks me for my praise." Like the tweeting U.S. president, Salvini is one of the most social media-savvy government ministers, sometimes posting messages in the middle of the night and mixing work with play and occasional photos of a great plate of pasta. BERLIN (AP) - The Latest on raids on the Italian mob across Europe (all times local): 12:10 p.m. Police say they have arrested about 90 suspected mafia members in a series of coordinated raids in four European countries. The arrests in Italy, Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium came as part of an investigation codenamed Pollino that was launched in 2016 against the 'ndrangheta criminal group on allegations of cocaine trafficking, money laundering, bribery and violence, said Eurojust, the European agency that fights cross-border organized crime, which coordinated the operation. Dutch chief public prosecutor Fred Westerbeke said Wednesday dozens of raids also netted about 2 million euros in criminal proceeds as well as drugs including ecstasy and cocaine. ___ 8:55 a.m. Authorities are conducting coordinated raids in Germany, Italy, Belgium and the Netherlands in a crackdown on the Italian mafia. German federal police said in a statement Wednesday that there had been multiple arrests in the early morning raids on premises linked to the 'ndrangheta, a southern Italy-based organized crime group. In Germany the focus was on the western state of North Rhine-Westphalia, which borders the Netherlands and Belgium, and Bavaria to the south. Police say the operation is being coordinated by Eurojust, a European unit established to fight cross-border organized crime Further details were not immediately available but a news conference was scheduled for later in the day in The Hague. MADRID (AP) - A Spanish court has upheld a sexual abuse conviction and nine-year prison sentence for five men who attacked an 18-year-old woman, but judges again acquitted them of gang rape. A lower court handed down the sentence last year, triggering protests in two dozen Spanish cities by women's rights advocates angry about what they saw as the court's leniency. Lawyers for the victim appealed, asking for a gang rape conviction, which carries a heavier sentence. Lawyers for the five men argued the sex was consensual. The Navarra Superior Court ruled Wednesday the five men did not use force, even though they took advantage of the woman's vulnerability. Prosecutors said the men boasted about the 2016 attack on a WhatsApp group named "La Manada," or "The (animal) Pack." LONDON (AP) - Britain's hugely important services sector is struggling in the face of Brexit, a closely watched survey showed Wednesday, as Prime Minister Theresa May strives to get the support of Parliament for her deal with the European Union. In a monthly survey of a sector that accounts for around 80 percent of the British economy, financial information firm IHS Markit and the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply found activity levels at their lowest since July 2016, just after the country voted to leave the European Union. The sector barely grew during November according to the survey. The so-called purchasing managers' index, a gauge of business activity, fell to 50.4 points in November from 52.2 the previous month. That means the index is just above the 50-point level that separates expansion from contraction on a 100-point scale. "A sharp deterioration in service sector growth leaves the economy flat-lining in November as Brexit concerns intensified," said Chris Williamson, chief business economist at IHS Markit. Optimism in the sector was also at its lowest level since the Brexit vote, again because of an intensification of anxieties related to the exit from the EU. Although the British economy managed to avoid falling into a recession after the Brexit vote, as many forecasters predicted, it has slowed significantly. An Anti Brexit campaigner waves a European Union flag in Westminster in London, Tuesday, Dec. 4, 2018. Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May is due to address Parliament Tuesday, opening five days of debate before a Dec. 11 vote on the divorce agreement.(AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth) Business investment has been particularly weak as executives wait for clarity as to Britain's future economic relationship with the EU. Many economists think this year's economic growth will be the lowest since 2009, when the economy was in recession following the global financial crisis. With Brexit day looming - March 29, 2019 - and May struggling to get support from lawmakers for her agreement with the EU, concerns have grown that Britain could crash out of the EU with no deal. That could result in tariffs on British exports, restrictions on workers' movements and onerous and costly border controls. The Bank of England warned last week the British economy could shrink by 8 percent in a matter of months if the country crashes out of the EU with no deal and no transition period to new trading arrangements with the EU. May's deal with the EU, which involves maintaining close ties for trade in goods, faces defeat on Dec. 11, and that's likely to further stoke uncertainty. Several alternatives have been mooted in Parliament but it's unclear whether any other proposal would win enough support. One of the worries is that consumers could start to become cautious, too, especially in the run-up to the crucial Christmas trading period. Pantheon Macroeconomics' chief U.K. economist Samuel Tombs says "Brexit uncertainty is draining momentum from the economy." MONTVILLE, N.J. (AP) - School officials say a substitute teacher who told first-grade students in New Jersey that Santa Claus isn't real will not be returning to the school. NJ.com reports Montville Schools Superintendent Rene Rovtar confirmed Tuesday the teacher will no longer work in the district after the incident Thursday at Cedar Hill School. Rovtar declined further comment, saying the issue is a personnel matter. Officials say the teacher debunked other holiday characters, including the Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy and Elf on a Shelf. Rovtar previously said she was disheartened by the incident and that "childhood wonder associated with all holidays and traditions" is special to her. The substitute teacher's identity has not been released. ___ Information from: NJ.com, http://www.nj.com GENEVA (AP) - A top leader of Switzerland's main right-wing populist party has been chosen to take the Alpine country's largely ceremonial presidency next year, and two women are joining the seven-member executive body. The Swiss government chose Ueli Maurer, 68, of the anti-immigration Swiss People's Party, to become president in 2019. The Swiss president is simply first among seven equals on the Federal Council, and the post rotates each year among its members. He will often represent Switzerland in trips abroad. Parliament elected Viola Amherd of the centrist Christian Democratic Party and Karin Keller-Sutter of the center-right Radical-Liberal Party as two new members of the council, bringing the number of female members to three. They will replace Doris Leuthard and Johann Schneider-Ammann, who are leaving after many years on the council. Federal Councillors Ueli Maurer celebrates after his election as Swiss Federal President for the upcoming year in the Parliament in Bern, Switzerland, Wednesday, Dec. 5, 2018. (Peter Schneider/Keystone via AP) PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP) - Thirty-two Cambodian women who were charged with human trafficking for serving as surrogate mothers have been provisionally released from detention after agreeing to keep the babies rather than giving them up as originally planned, officials said Wednesday. Bun Samkhan, a spokeswoman for the National Committee for Counter-Trafficking, said the women, who were charged in July with violating surrogacy and human trafficking laws, were released on bail in three groups, the last 17 on Wednesday. A senior police officer who works at the same agency, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk publicly, said the women were released on humanitarian grounds. He said they had committed crimes but their babies are innocent, and for that reason the committee requested that the court free them. They had been held at a police hospital. The identifies of the fathers have not been released. Acting as an intermediary between an adoptive parent and a pregnant woman carries a penalty of one to six months in prison. The human trafficking offense is punishable by seven to 15 years' imprisonment. A Chinese man and four Cambodian women accused of managing the business were charged with the same offenses. Bun Samkhan said her committee requested the release of the surrogate mothers so they could take care of their babies, with the condition that they keep the children. "We have told them clearly that these babies belong to you, so you have to take care of them until they grow up, and not sell them," Bun Samkhan said. "And they agreed." Cambodian women who have served as surrogates have said they were offered as much as $10,000. The average annual household income in Cambodia is about $1,490, according to the International Monetary Fund. It was not known how much the women in this group were paid. Cambodia passed a law specifically targeting surrogacy in 2016 as the country was becoming a popular destination for foreign would-be parents seeking women to give birth to their children. Developing countries are popular for surrogacy because costs are much lower than in countries such as the United States and Australia, where surrogate services can cost around $150,000. The surrogacy business boomed in Cambodia after it was put under tight restrictions in neighboring Thailand. There also were crackdowns in India and Nepal. After Cambodia's crackdown, the trade shifted to neighboring Laos. In July last year, a Cambodian court sentenced an Australian woman and two Cambodian associates to 1 1/2 years in prison for providing commercial surrogacy services. The Australian woman was quietly freed earlier this year. MOSCOW (AP) - The Latest on US-Russian confrontations over a key arms treaty (all times local): 2:50 p.m. Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned the United States that if it walks out of a key arms treaty and starts developing the type of missiles banned by it, Russia will do the same. Putin's remarks to Russian news agencies on Wednesday came a day after U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced at a NATO meeting that Washington will suspend its obligations under the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF) in 60 days, citing Russian "cheating." Russia has denied that it has been violating the treaty. President Donald Trump earlier this year announced his decision to withdraw from the INF, which has been described as a cornerstone of global security, accusing Russia and China - which is not a signatory to the treaty - of violating it. Putin said on Wednesday that the U.S. decision to ditch the INF means that U.S. authorities have decided that the U.S. "has to have these weapons." Russia's response, according to Putin, will be: "We will do the same." U.S. President Donald Trump, left, and Russian President Vladimir Putin shake hands at the beginning of a meeting at the Presidential Palace in Helsinki, Finland, on July 16, 2018. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais) ___ 12:10 p.m. The Russian Foreign Ministry says it has received official notification from the United States that it intends to walk out of a key Cold War-era treaty. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced at a NATO meeting Tuesday that Washington would suspend its obligations under the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF) in 60 days due to Russia's alleged "cheating." Russia has denied U.S. and NATO allegations that it is violating the landmark treaty that banned an entire class of weapons. Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told reporters on Wednesday that Moscow has been received an official notice from Washington that quotes unspecified evidence of Russian violations. Zakharova insisted that Russia has always respected the treaty and considers it "one of the key pillars of strategic stability and international security." FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) - A public relations crisis consultant hired to advise a Florida school district after a mass shooting is apologizing after dismissing the district's critics as "crazies" and calling a reporter a "skanky" ''jerk" who "smells bad." A leaked video shows Sara Brady making the comments to an audience of public relations professionals in July. The Broward school district paid her nearly $75,000 for advice after 17 people were killed at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. Hunter Pollack, whose sister Meadow was killed, called out school officials on Twitter, saying the consultant's comments show they "don't care" about grieving families. Brady apologized, claiming her remarks were meant to "poke at the media." She told the Sun Sentinel her comments were a "poor choice of words." NEW DELHI (AP) - An Indian court on Wednesday ruled that officials may hold a British man while they investigate him for alleged bribery in a canceled $670 million helicopter deal between India and an Italian defense company. Judge Arvind Kumar allowed Briton Christian James Michel to meet briefly with his attorney, who sought unsuccessfully to have him released on bail while the charges are investigated. Michel was extradited to India from Dubai on Tuesday to face charges of channeling bribes to Indian contacts. Michel was detained in Dubai last year after India asked the United Arab Emirates for his extradition. Indian investigators said in court documents that Michel transferred the money from a British subsidiary of Finmeccanica, which has since been renamed Leonardo S.p.A. In 2014, India received three of 12 AW101 helicopters it had ordered to fly senior officials but then halted the deal after the bribery allegations surfaced. The Central Bureau of Investigation said Michel was a frequent visitor to India when the deal was being negotiated and "was operating as a middleman for defense procurements through a wide network of sources cultivated in the Indian Air Force and Ministry of Defense at different levels, including retired and serving officials." Christian James Michel, center, a British man accused of bribery in a $670 million helicopter deal between India and an Italian defense company returns after appearing before a Central Bureau of Investigation court in New Delhi, India, Wednesday, Dec.5, 2018. India's federal investigative agency said Tuesday that it extradited Michel from the United Arab Emirates to face charges of channeling money to Indian contacts. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri) Indian investigators want Michel to reveal the names of Indian politicians involved in the alleged scheme. The opposition Congress party was ruling the country at the time. With national elections due in March-April, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Hindu nationalist party is expected to try to embarrass the Congress party, its main rival, if Michel names some of its leaders as beneficiaries in the helicopter deal. India is upgrading its military and has become the world's biggest arms and defense equipment buyer in recent years. Arms deals have often been marred by allegations that foreign companies paid huge kickbacks to Indian officials. Christian James Michel, center, a British man accused of bribery in a $670 million helicopter deal between India and an Italian defense company returns after appearing before a Central Bureau of Investigation court in New Delhi, India, Wednesday, Dec.5, 2018. India's federal investigative agency said Tuesday that it extradited Michel from the United Arab Emirates to face charges of channeling money to Indian contacts. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri) ROME (AP) - The J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles has vowed to assert its right to keep an important Greek statue after Italy's highest court rejected its appeal of a ruling ordering the artwork returned to Italy. The Court of Cassation confirmed Wednesday the appeal had been rejected Nov. 30. The court will issue its written reasoning at a later date. "Victorious Youth," a life-sized bronze dating from 300 B.C. to 100 B.C., is one of the highlights of the Getty collection. An Italian court in Pesaro had ordered it seized and returned in 2010, at the height of Italy's campaign to recover antiquities looted from its territory and sold to museums and private collectors around the globe. The Getty says Italy has no claim to the bronze, which was pulled from the sea in 1964 by Italian fishermen, purchased by the Getty in 1977 for $4 million and on display at the Getty since. In a statement this week, the Getty said it would "continue to defend our legal right to the statue," arguing that neither the law nor the facts in the case support returning the statue to Italy. In this Monday, July 27, 2015 photo, reporter Sookee Chung takes a photo of a sculpture titled "Statue of a Victorious Youth, 300-100 B.C." at the J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles. The J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles has vowed to assert its right to keep an important Greek statue after Italy's highest court rejected its appeal of a ruling ordering the artwork to be returned to Italy. The ANSA news agency said Tuesday that the Court of Cassation rejected the appeal outright earlier this week. "Victorious Youth," a nearly life-sized bronze dating from 300 B.C. to 100 B.C., is one of the highlights of the Getty collection. (AP Photo/Nick Ut, File ) It's not clear if the Getty will now take an appeal to a European court. Also unclear is if and how the Italian government will try to get the statue back. The Cassation hasn't yet issued its written ruling explaining its decision. The Getty noted that the statue is of Greek origin, was found in international waters and has never been part of Italy's cultural heritage. It cited a 1968 Cassation ruling that found no evidence that the statue belonged to Italy. "Accidental discovery by Italian citizens does not make the statute an Italian object," the Getty said. The statue, nicknamed the "Getty Bronze," is a signature piece for the museum. Standing about 5 feet (1.52 meters) tall, the statue of the young athlete raising his right hand to an olive wreath crown around his head is one of the few life-sized Greek bronzes to have survived. Though the artist is unknown, some scholars believe it was made by Lysippos, Alexander the Great's personal sculptor. In 2007, the Getty, without admitting any wrongdoing, agreed to return 40 ancient treasures in exchange for the long-term loans of other artifacts. Italy and the Getty have since worked on dozens of collaborations in restoration, exhibition and research projects. MOSCOW (AP) - Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday warned the United States that if it walks out of a key arms treaty and starts developing the type of missiles banned by it, Russia will do the same. Putin's remarks to Russian news agencies on Wednesday came a day after U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced at a NATO meeting that Washington will suspend its obligations under the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF) in 60 days, citing Russian "cheating." The U.S. has shared intelligence evidence with its NATO allies that it says shows that Russia's new SSC-8 ground-fired cruise missile could give Moscow the ability to launch a nuclear strike in Europe with little or no notice. Russia has denied the accusations. President Donald Trump earlier this year announced his decision to withdraw from the INF, accusing Russia and China - which is not a signatory to the treaty - of violating it. Putin on Wednesday accused the United States of making up excuses for pulling out of the pact, saying that the U.S. first made up its mind to walk out of it and only then "started to look for the reasons why they should do it." "It seems that our American partners believe that the situation has changed so much that the U.S. has to have this type of weapons," he said in televised remarks. "What would be our response? A very simple one: in that case, we will do the same." Russian President Vladimir Putin listens to Agriculture Minister Dmitry Patrushev during their meeting at the Novo-Ogaryovo residence outside in Moscow, Russia, Monday, Dec. 3, 2018. (Alexei Nikolsky, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP) Speaking at a briefing of foreign military attaches earlier, Gen. Valery Gerasimov, chief of staff of the Russian military, warned of a Russian response and said that it would be the countries that host U.S. intermediate-range missiles that would become immediate targets for Russia. When signed in 1987, the INF treaty was lauded as a major safeguard for global security since they eliminated shorter-range missiles that take just a few minutes to reach their targets. The removal of such destabilizing weapons would in theory allow more time for decision-making in case of a warning of a missile attack. U.S. ally Germany, which has been keen to preserve the treaty, called on Russia to try to save it while it still has the time. "The INF treaty is of great significance for security in Europe," government spokeswoman Ulrike Demmer said in Berlin on Wednesday. "The German government welcomes the fact that the American government is giving its preservation another chance," she added, referring to the 60-day deadline. She also noted that the issue came up in a meeting between Chancellor Angela Merkel and Trump in Argentina on Saturday. "It is now up to Russia to avert the end of the treaty," Demmer said. __ Geir Moulson in Berlin contributed to this report. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo speaks during a media conference after a meeting of NATO foreign ministers at NATO headquarters in Brussels, Tuesday, Dec. 4, 2018. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco) Deputy Chief of General Staff of Russia Valery Gerasimov, left, delivers his speech during a briefing in the Russian Defense Ministry's headquarters in Moscow, Russia, Wednesday, Dec. 5, 2018. Gen. Valery Gerasimov, chief of staff of the Russian military, told a briefing of foreign military attaches on Wednesday that if the U.S. "were to destroy" the treaty "we will not leave it without a response." (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko) BRUSSELS (AP) - European Union authorities want internet companies including Google, Facebook and Twitter to file monthly reports on their progress eradicating "fake news" campaigns from their platforms ahead of elections next year. Officials from the EU's executive Commission unveiled the measures Wednesday as part of an action plan to counter disinformation in the lead up to the continent-wide vote in the spring. The internet companies will have to submit their reports from January until May, when hundreds of millions of people in 27 EU member countries are scheduled to vote for 705 lawmakers in the bloc's parliament. The Commission singled out Russia. "There is strong evidence pointing to Russia as a primary source of disinformation in Europe," said Commission Vice President Andrus Ansip. Many EU member countries have already taken action to combat disinformation, but now "we need to work together and coordinate our efforts," he said. European Commissioner for Digital Single Market Andrus Ansip, left, and European Commissioner for Justice Vera Jourova participate in a media conference at EU headquarters in Brussels, Wednesday Dec. 5, 2018. The European Commission on Wednesday reported on an Action Plan to counter disinformation and the progress achieved so far. (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert) Russian authorities have repeatedly rejected Western accusations of sponsoring disinformation campaigns and described them as part of Western efforts to smear the country. Other measures include a new "rapid alert system," beefing up budgets and adding expert staff and data analysis tools. Google, Facebook, Twitter and browser maker Mozilla are the companies that so far have signed up to a voluntary EU code of conduct on fighting disinformation. They'll be expected to report on how they're carrying out commitments they made under the code, including their work on making political advertising more transparent and how many fake and bot accounts they have identified and shut down. They'll also provide updates on their cooperation with fact-checkers and academic researchers to uncover disinformation campaigns. Google, which declined to comment, has tightened up requirements for political ads in the EU, including requiring information on who paid for them and for buyers to verify their identities. Facebook, which did not respond to a request for comment, did the same for political ads in Britain. U.S. technology giants have committed millions of dollars, tens of thousands of employees and what they say are their best technical efforts into fighting fake news, propaganda and hate that has proliferated on their digital platforms. "We need to see the internet platforms step up and make some real progress on their commitments," said Julian King, the EU security commissioner. If there's not enough headway, the Commission would consider other options including regulation, he said. From left, European Commissioner for Digital Single Market Andrus Ansip, European Commissioner for Justice Vera Jourova, European Commissioner for Security Union Julian King and European Commissioner for Digital Economy Marija Gabriel participate in a media conference at EU headquarters in Brussels, Wednesday Dec. 5, 2018. The European Commission on Wednesday reported on an Action Plan to counter disinformation and the progress achieved so far. (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert) LONDON (AP) - Britain's High Court has ruled that Deliveroo riders do not have the right to collective bargaining - the latest in a series of rulings as U.K. courts grapple with the rise of the so-called "gig economy." The court on Wednesday rejected the case of the Independent Workers Union of Great Britain, which argued the food delivery company should accept collective bargaining to negotiate pay, hours and holiday. The union says refusing to do so violated the riders' human rights under Article 11 of the European Convention. Judge Michael Supperstone rejected the idea. The ruling comes after a Central Arbitration Committee decision put Deliveroo riders outside the legal definition of workers because they're able to ask other riders to take deliveries - and thus don't provide a "personal service." Deliveroo's U.K. managing director, Dan Warne, said: "This is a victory for riders who have consistently told us the flexibility to choose when and where they work, which comes with self-employment, is their number one reason for riding with Deliveroo." ISTANBUL (AP) - The Latest on the case of the killing of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi (all times local): 4:25 p.m. The U.N. human rights chief says an international investigation is needed into the "awful" killing of Saudi dissident and Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi. Michelle Bachelet made the comments at a news conference Wednesday timed for the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, alluding to similar calls from outside experts linked to the U.N. human rights office. "We also call for international investigation," she said. "We mentioned to the (U.N.) secretary-general that we thought it was needed, a criminal investigation - international investigation." She said her office doesn't have the mandate to conduct a criminal investigation, however. "I do believe that it's really needed in terms of ensuring what really happened and who are the responsible for that awful killing." ___ 12:05 p.m. Istanbul's chief prosecutor is seeking arrest warrants against two former aides to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman who were dismissed amid the fallout from the killing of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi. The prosecutor is seeking warrants for royal court adviser Saud al-Qahtani and deputy intelligence chief Ahmed al-Assiri, who are believed to have overseen the team that killed and dismembered Khashoggi at the kingdom's Istanbul consulate in October. Saudi authorities say the agents who killed Khashoggi exceeded their authority. Tuesday's court application says there is "strong suspicion" the two aides were involved in planning the killing. Turkey has been seeking to extradite 18 suspects, including 15 members of the alleged assassination squad. Saudi Arabia has detained 21 people and says it is seeking the death penalty for five. ST. LOUIS (AP) - After a decade in dock, the historic 1920s-era Delta Queen riverboat will cruise again. President Donald Trump signed legislation on Tuesday authorizing the 285-foot-long (87-meter-long) riverboat immortalized in poems and songs to cruise again along the Mississippi and several other rivers. The Delta Queen was sidelined in 2008 by a federal law prohibiting overnight excursions on wooden vessels. Both U.S. senators from Missouri - Democrat Claire McCaskill and Republican Roy Blunt - co-sponsored a bill to allow the exemption, which requires modifications to the wooden portions of the vessel, most of which are cabins and public areas. The hull is already steel. "Today marks the beginning of a new chapter in American steamboat history," Leah Ann Ingram, vice president of the Delta Queen Steamboat Co., said in a statement. "This was the first big step in returning the Delta Queen to the waterways, where she belongs." The Delta Queen began operation in 1927. Passengers have included presidents Herbert Hoover, Harry Truman and Jimmy Carter. It served as a naval ship during World War II and is designated as a National Historic Landmark. The Delta Queen Steamboat Co. is based in Kimmswick, Missouri, near St. Louis, but the boat itself is undergoing repairs in Houma, Louisiana. The upgrade will include replacing boilers original to the boat, along with generators, plumbing, the steam line and heating and air conditioning. The total cost is estimated at $10 million to $12 million. FILE - In this Sept. 25, 2013, file photo, the Delta Queen riverboat is moored at Coolidge Park on in downtown Chattanooga, Tenn. President Donald Trump signed legislation on Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2018, that will allow the historic 1920s Delta Queen to cruise the nation's rivers once again after a 10-year layoff. (John Rawlston/Chattanooga Times Free Press via AP, File) The company expects to begin three-, five- and seven-day cruises on the Mississippi, Ohio, Tennessee, Cumberland, Kanawha, Arkansas and Illinois rivers in 2020. The Delta Queen is expected to visit more than 80 ports each year, including St. Louis, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, New Orleans, Minneapolis, Minnesota, Louisville, Kentucky, and Chattanooga, Tennessee. Blunt said more than 170 jobs are expected to be created in Kimmswick, and cited the benefit of many of the cruises beginning and ending there. "This important part of our nation's history will create jobs and strengthen our state's growing tourism industry," Blunt said in a statement. LISBON, Portugal (AP) - Portugal is embracing China's "One Belt, One Road" initiative, which offers loans for the building of large-scale infrastructure projects. Despite wariness in other European Union capitals about Beijing's strategy, the Portuguese government wholeheartedly endorsed the scheme during a 24-hour state visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping. The two countries signed Wednesday a memorandum of understanding on cooperation within China's modern Silk Road initiative, with special emphasis on transport connections and energy. Xi described Portugal as "an important hub in the land and maritime silk routes." "My visit has produced ... very successful results in developing our strategic partnership," Xi said in a speech at the end of his stay. China has signed "One Belt, One Road" agreements with dozens countries around the world. China's President Xi Jinping and Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa, right, applaud after the signing of agreements between the two governments Wednesday, Dec. 5, 2018, at the Queluz National Palace in Queluz, outside Lisbon. Portugal is embracing China's "One Belt, One Road" initiative, which offers loans for the building of large-scale infrastructure projects. Despite wariness in other European Union capitals about Beijing's strategy, the two countries signed Wednesday a memorandum of understanding on cooperation within China's modern Silk Road initiative, with special emphasis on transport connections and energy. (AP Photo/Armando Franca) In the EU, however, some influential countries are reluctant to let China invest in the bloc's critical energy and transport infrastructure. During Xi's trip to Spain last week, Portugal's neighbor refused to sign a memorandum of understanding expressing interest in joining the arrangement. The Portuguese government wants China to help develop Sines, Portugal's biggest Atlantic port, and expand national energy company Energias de Portugal overseas, among other things. Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa described the memorandum as a "strategic affirmation" of Portugal's place in connecting Asia and Europe. No details of the terms of the agreement were published. Portugal has long wanted to make the deep-water port of Sines, 150 kilometers (90 miles) south of Lisbon, a transatlantic logistics hub. China currently has a 23.27 percent stake in Energias de Portugal and is poised to buy control of more than 50 percent. EdP controls EdP Renewables, the third-largest provider of clean energy in the United States, and the deal is likely to catch the attention of the U.S. government. China and Portugal signed 17 cooperation agreements. They included deals on joint technological research in the energy and communications sectors. Trade deals covered the export of Portuguese pork and grapes to China. China's President Xi Jinping and Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa, right, shake hands after the signing of agreements between the two governments Wednesday, Dec. 5, 2018, at the Queluz National Palace in Queluz, outside Lisbon. Xi closes Wednesday a two-day state visit to Portugal. Portugal is embracing China's "One Belt, One Road" initiative, which offers loans for the building of large-scale infrastructure projects. Despite wariness in other European Union capitals about Beijing's strategy, the two countries signed Wednesday a memorandum of understanding on cooperation within China's modern Silk Road initiative, with special emphasis on transport connections and energy. (AP Photo/Armando Franca) China's President Xi Jinping walks with Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa, right, before their meeting Wednesday, Dec. 5, 2018, at the Queluz National Palace in Queluz, outside Lisbon. Xi closes Wednesday a two-day state visit to Portugal. (AP Photo/Armando Franca) CAIRO (AP) - It's a dress that has shaken Egypt and the uproar continues - prosecutors on Wednesday questioned actress Rania Youssef for at least four hours on accusations of public obscenity over a revealing dress she wore to a cinema gala last week, her lawyer said. Youssef was allowed to go free after the questioning, pending the completion of the investigation, said the lawyer, Shaban Said. But he added that she still faces trial on Jan. 12, a date set by court, and could possibly face up to five years in prison, if convicted. The initial complaint against the 45-year-old Youssef was filed by a group of lawyers with a reputation for moral vigilantism but they said they withdrew their complaint on Tuesday. The lawyers, Wahid al-Kilani, Hamido Jameel al-Prince, Amr Abdel Salam and Samir Sabry, said they decided to forego legal action after Youssef made a public statement. Though she stopped short of an outright apology, Youssef said she did not mean to offend anyone with her long black dress, its see-through skirt revealing her legs in their entirety. She wore the dress last Thursday for the closing ceremony of this year's Cairo International Film Festival. This photo taken on Nov. 29, 2018 shows Egyptian actress Rania Youssef on the red carpet of the Cairo International Film Festival. The actress facing trial on public obscenity charges for wearing a revealing dress says she didn't mean to offend anyone and appealed to her detractors to believe in her good intentions.(AP Photo/Suheil Saleh) Images of Youssef in the dress were widely shared on social media in Muslim-majority Egypt, where ostensibly secular authorities often side with religious conservatives. Her case prompted the country's Actors Guild to declare it intended to investigate and discipline actors who wore "inappropriate" attire during the opening and closing ceremonies of the weeklong film festival, arguing that they clashed with "traditions, values and ethics of the society." A guild representative, Ayman Azab, attended Wednesday's questioning, Youssef's lawyer said. Youssef said in a Facebook post that she may have misjudged how people would react to the dress. "If I had known, I would not have worn this dress," she said. "I want to repeat my commitment to the values and ethics we have been raised by in Egyptian society." BRUSSELS (AP) - NATO on Wednesday gave Bosnia-Herzegovina the green light to take a major step forward on its path toward joining the world's biggest military alliance, despite Bosnian Serb objections to membership. NATO foreign ministers, meeting in Brussels, invited the ethnically-divided Balkans country to submit its first annual program of reforms aimed at bringing it into line with the alliance's standards. The move is part of NATO's Membership Action Plan, or MAP, process, which helps aspiring countries prepare for membership. "We are ready to accept the submission of the country's first annual national program. This includes practical measures covering political, economic and defense reform, which will help to prepare for membership," NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg told reporters. The move doesn't mean that Bosnia will join anytime soon, and it's unclear whether Sarajevo will even accept the MAP invitation. "We made our decision. We are ready to receive their annual national program. But let them decide and we are ready if they are ready," Stoltenberg said. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, center, speaks with Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland, left, and Croatian Foreign Minister Majija Pejcinovic Buric, right, during a meeting of the North Atlantic Council and the Balkans at NATO headquarters in Brussels, Wednesday, Dec. 5, 2018. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco) Bosnia was riven by war in the 1990s as the former Yugoslavia broke apart. It is governed at federal level by representatives from each of the Bosnian Muslim, Bosnian Croat and Bosnian Serb communities. Muslim Bosniak presidency member, Sefik Dzaferovic, welcomed NATO's invitation and said it would give new impetus for the country to reach one of its "most important foreign policy goals". "I expect that (Bosnian) institutions will immediately start preparing the annual program of reforms in cooperation with NATO," Dzaferovic said in a statement. That view was reiterated by the Croat presidency member, Zeljko Komisic, but the pro-Russian Serb presidency member Milorad Dodik remained silent on the issue. Dodik has long been a vocal opponent of Bosnia's membership in NATO and has repeatedly vowed to block all the efforts to reach that goal. Western organizations like NATO and the European Union see the integration of countries in the Balkans like Bosnia as a powerful force for democratic reform. Bosnia was granted MAP status in 2010, but NATO declined to "activate" it until all conditions had been met. The process has been held up over the registration of defense property like military barracks and buildings used by the defense ministry. This is supposed to be registered at national level, but Dodik's Republika Srpska refuses outright to do so with its property. Rather than allow the Bosnian Serbs to have a de-facto veto over the membership action plan, NATO allies have decided to move forward regardless, even though the property must still be registered at federal level for the MAP process to conclude. They also believe it is important to promote reform in the wake of the Oct. 7 general election, which led to nationalist politicians dominating Bosnia's three-member presidency; an institution which wields little formal, but much symbolic, power and is meant to help heal ethnic wounds. ___ Sabina Niksic reported from Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg speaks during a media conference after a meeting of NATO foreign ministers at NATO headquarters in Brussels, Tuesday, Dec. 4, 2018. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco) RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) - A North Carolina court has struck down more legislation Republicans approved for their lame-duck governor's signature to erode the powers of an incoming Democrat. A Wake County judge ruled that the General Assembly unconstitutionally allowed outgoing GOP Gov. Pat McCrory, not Roy Cooper, to pick the leadership of the Industrial Commission, which rules in workers' compensation cases. The lawmakers also let McCrory's appointment to a commission vacancy be extended until 2025. McCrory appointed his chief of staff's wife, Yolanda Stith, and named her vice chairman. The judge's Monday ruling ends her appointment next year instead. Cooper's office named a new chairman and vice chairman Tuesday from the board's membership. Many of the moves Republicans made in 2016 to limit the next governor's powers are still being challenged in court. ___ This story has been corrected to reflect that McCrory, not Cooper, appointed Stith. KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) - Afghanistan has appointed its first woman to a senior post at the Interior Ministry, naming Hosna Jalil as deputy for policy and strategic affairs. Following her appointment ceremony on Wednesday, Jalil said she relished the challenges of the job. Afghan women have forged ahead since the 2001 collapse of the Taliban regime, which denied girls the right to go to school and women the right to work. With their rights guaranteed under the constitution, they have become lawmakers and joined the workforce. Jalil says her appointment sends a message to the radical religious movement that "this is a winning story for the government of Afghanistan ... having a woman in the security sector." She added: "I think it delivers a message, the entire message." SOFIA, Bulgaria (AP) - The Latest on Europe's migrant crisis (all times local): 5:40 p.m. Austrian police say they have found 22 asylum-seekers from Iraq and Syria in a van near the country's eastern border. Police in Burgenland province said the Romanian-registered van was stopped Tuesday evening at Rattersdorf, on the border with Hungary. Soldiers who stopped the vehicle found 13 men, two women and a roughly 3-year-old boy from Iraq inside the vehicle, as well as six men from Syria. None of them were carrying identity papers and all of them immediately asked for asylum. Police said Thursday that the 40-year-old Romanian driver was arrested and the van seized. ___ 5:30 p.m. Slovakia has joined the list of countries opting out of a United Nations pact seeking to promote an international approach to safe and orderly migration. The government rejected the U.N. pact on Wednesday, a week after the country's parliament did the same, saying it's not in line with the country's policies on migration and security. Austria, Hungary, Israel, Poland, Switzerland and Australia are among the countries that have dropped their support for the deal and said they won't attend the meeting in Marrakech, Morocco on Dec. 10-11 to formally approve the compact. Slovak Prime Minister Peter Pellegrini says his government will send its objections to the deal by diplomatic mail. Slovak Foreign Minister Miroslav Lajcak has announced his resignation from his post last week over his disagreement with his country's negative stance on the deal. President Andrej Kiska has not accepted his resignation yet. ___ 3:15 p.m. Bulgaria's government says the country will not sign a global pact to promote safe and orderly migration. The government's press office said in a Wednesday statement: "At this stage, the Bulgarian government believes that the decision not to join the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration protects to the fullest extent the interests of the country and its citizens." The agreement, which won't be legally binding, was finalized under United Nations auspices in July. It is due to be formally approved at a Dec. 11-12 meeting in Marrakech, Morocco. Bulgaria's government plans to vote "abstained" during the final approval of the pact in the U.N. General Assembly. Bulgaria has sealed off its border with Turkey with a barbed wire fence to halt the influx of illegal crossings. CAIRO (AP) - An Egyptian court has sentenced five people, including the head of the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood group, to life in prison on charges related to inciting violence and supporting militants. The Cairo Criminal Court has convicted Mohammed Badie and five others of providing weapons, ammunition and explosive devices to Islamic militants. Wednesday's sentences are not subject to appeal. The court also acquitted six Muslim Brotherhood leaders, including former speaker Saad el-Katatni, in the same trial. The suspects were also charged with inciting riots, violence and premeditated murder outside the Brotherhood's headquarters in Cairo's Mokattam neighborhood in 2013 that killed nine people and injured 91. Brotherhood chief Badie has gotten several death sentences in separate trials since his 2013 arrest. Charges have included inciting violence and planning attacks against the state. BEIJING (AP) - China summoned the U.S. ambassador to Beijing on Sunday to protest Canada's detention of a senior executive of Chinese electronics giant Huawei at Washington's behest and demand the U.S. cancel an order for her arrest. The official Xinhua News Agency said Vice Foreign Minister Le Yucheng "lodged solemn representations and strong protests" with Ambassador Terry Branstad against the detention of Huawei's chief financial officer, Meng Wanzhou. Meng, who is reportedly suspected of trying to evade U.S. trade curbs on Iran, was detained on Dec. 1 while changing planes in Vancouver, Canada. The Xinhua report quoted Le as calling Meng's detention "extremely egregious" and demanded the U.S. vacate an order for her arrest. It quoted Le as calling for the U.S. to "immediately correct its wrong actions" and said it would take further steps based on Washington's response. The move followed the summoning of Canadian Ambassador John McCallum on Saturday over Meng's detention and a similar warning of "grave consequences" if she is not released. The Canadian province of British Columbia said in a statement Sunday it canceled a trade mission to China because of Meng's detention. The announcement came amid fears China could detain Canadians in retaliation. Huawei is the biggest global supplier of network gear for phone and internet companies and has been the target of deepening U.S. security concerns over its ties to the Chinese government. The U.S. has pressured European countries and other allies to limit use of its technology, warning they could be opening themselves up to surveillance and theft of information. In this courtroom sketch, Meng Wanzhou, right, the chief financial officer of Huawei Technologies, sits beside a translator during a bail hearing at British Columbia Supreme Court in Vancouver, on Friday, Dec. 7, 2018. Meng faces extradition to the U.S. on charges of trying to evade U.S. sanctions on Iran. She appeared in a Vancouver court Friday to seek bail. (Jane Wolsak/The Canadian Press via AP) Meng's arrest has threatened to increase U.S.-China trade tensions and shook stock markets globally last week. But U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, speaking on CBS' "Face the Nation," downplayed the impact of the arrest on trade talks between the two countries aimed at defusing the tensions. "This is a criminal justice matter," he said. "It is totally separate from anything that I work on or anything that the trade policy people in the administration work on. ... We have a lot of very big, very important issues. We've got serious people working on them, and I don't think they'll be affected by this." Meng, the daughter of Huawei's founder, was detained on the same day that President Donald Trump and his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, agreed over dinner to a 90-day cease-fire in the trade dispute. The surprise arrest raises doubts about whether the trade truce will hold and whether the world's two biggest economies can resolve the complicated issues that divide them. The U.S. alleges that Huawei used a Hong Kong shell company to sell equipment in Iran in violation of U.S. sanctions. It also says that Meng and Huawei misled American banks about its business dealings in Iran. Roland Paris, a former foreign policy adviser to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, said that Chinese pressure on Canada's government won't work. "Perhaps because the Chinese state controls its judicial system, Beijing sometimes has difficulty understanding or believing that courts can be independent in a rule-of-law country. There's no point in pressuring the Canadian government. Judges will decide," Paris tweeted in response to the comments from Beijing. A Canadian prosecutor urged a Vancouver court to deny bail to Meng. Canadian prosecutor John Gibb-Carsley said in a court hearing Friday that a warrant had been issued for Meng's arrest in New York on Aug. 22. He said Meng, arrested en route to Mexico from Hong Kong, was aware of the investigation and had been avoiding the United States for months, even though her teenage son goes to school in Boston. Gibb-Carsley alleged that Huawei had done business in Iran through a Hong Kong company called Skycom. Meng, he said, had misled U.S. banks into thinking that Huawei and Skycom were separate when, in fact, "Skycom was Huawei." Meng has contended that Huawei sold Skycom in 2009. In urging the court to reject Meng's bail request, Gibb-Carsley said the Huawei executive had vast resources and a strong incentive to bolt: She's facing fraud charges in the United States that could put her in prison for 30 years. The hearing is to resume Monday. Huawei, in a brief statement emailed to The Associated Press, said "we have every confidence that the Canadian and U.S. legal systems will reach the right conclusion." Canadian officials have declined to comment on Chinese threats of retaliation over the case, instead emphasizing the independence of Canada's judiciary along with the importance of Ottawa's relationship with Beijing. Minister of Foreign Affairs Chrystia Freeland said Canada "has assured China that due process is absolutely being followed in Canada, that consular access for China to Ms. Meng will absolutely be provided." "We are a rule-of-law country and we will be following our laws as we have thus far in this matter and as we will continue to do," Freeland said Friday. While protesting what it calls Canada's violation of Meng's human rights, China's ruling Communist Party stands accused of mass incarcerations of its Muslim minority without due process, locking up people exercising their right to free speech and refusing to allow foreign citizens to leave the country in order to bring pressure on their relatives accused of financial crimes. The party also takes the lead in prosecutions of those accused of corruption or other crimes in a highly opaque process, without supervision from the court system or independent bodies. ___ Associated Press writer Rob Gillies in Toronto contributed to this report. In this courtroom sketch, Meng Wanzhou, right, the chief financial officer of Huawei Technologies, sits beside a translator during a bail hearing at British Columbia Supreme Court in Vancouver, on Friday, Dec. 7, 2018. Meng faces extradition to the U.S. on charges of trying to evade U.S. sanctions on Iran. She appeared in a Vancouver court Friday to seek bail. (Jane Wolsak/The Canadian Press via AP) BEIJING (AP) - The Latest on the arrest of a top executive of Chinese tech giant Huawei in Canada (all times local): 12:45 p.m. A trade mission to China by the Canadian province of British Columbia has been cancelled because of the detention of a top Huawei executive in Canada. The province says in a statement the decision was made because of the ongoing judicial process involving Huawei Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou. She was arrested last week while changing flights in Vancouver and is awaiting possible extradition to the U.S. The delegation led by British Columbia Forestry Minister Doug Donaldson will instead end its trip after a visit to Japan. In this undated photo released by Huawei, Huawei's chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou is seen in a portrait photo. China on Thursday, Dec. 6, 2018, demanded Canada release the Huawei Technologies executive who was arrested in a case that adds to technology tensions with Washington and threatens to complicate trade talks. (Huawei via AP) There are fears China could detain Canadians in retaliation. The Chinese government has warned Canada that if Meng is not released, the country will face "grave consequences." Meng is spending the weekend in jail before a bail hearing resumes on Monday. ___ 11:40 p.m. China has summoned the U.S. ambassador to protest the detention of an executive of electronics giant Huawei in Canada at Washington's behest. The official Xinhua News Agency says Vice Foreign Minister Le Yucheng "lodged solemn representations and strong protests" with Ambassador Terry Branstad on Sunday against the detention of Huawei's chief financial officer, Meng Wanzhou, while she was changing planes in Vancouver, Canada, last week. Meng is reportedly suspected of trying to evade U.S. trade curbs on Iran. Xinhua quoted Le as calling Meng's detention "extremely egregious" and demanded the U.S. vacate an order for her arrest. It quoted Le as calling for the U.S. to "immediately correct its wrong actions" and said it would take further steps based on Washington's response. The move follows the summoning of Canadian Ambassador John McCallum on Saturday over Meng's detention and a similar protest. ___ 11:30 a.m. A former foreign policy adviser to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says Chinese pressure on the Canadian government to release a top executive of Huawei won't work. In a tweet, Roland Paris says, "Perhaps because the Chinese state controls its judicial system, Beijing sometimes has difficulty understanding or believing that courts can be independent in a rule-of-law country. There's no point in pressuring the Canadian government. Judges will decide." Paris was responding to reports from Beijing that China's Vice Foreign Minister Le Yucheng had summoned Canadian Ambassador John McCallum on Saturday over the holding of Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou, who is reportedly suspected of trying to evade U.S. trade curbs on Iran. Le called Meng's detention "unreasonable, unconscionable, and vile in nature" and warned of "grave consequences" if she is not released. ___ 9:40 a.m. China has summoned the Canadian ambassador to protest the detention of a top executive of leading Chinese tech giant Huawei, calling it "unreasonable, unconscionable, and vile in nature" and warning of "grave consequences" if she is not released. A report by the official Xinhua News Agency carried on the Foreign Ministry's website says Vice Foreign Minister Le Yucheng had called in Ambassador John McCallum on Saturday over the holding of Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou, who is reportedly suspected of trying to evade U.S. trade curbs on Iran. Huawei is the biggest global supplier of network gear for phone and internet companies and has been the target of deepening U.S. security concerns. The U.S. has pressured European countries and other allies to limit use of its technology. LIMA, Peru (AP) - Peruvian voters agreed to take on corruption Sunday, according to exit polls, as the South American nation struggles to end a scourge that has landed lawmakers, judges and even former presidents behind bars. Voters overwhelmingly approved three of four questions on a referendum ballot that included measures to prohibit legislators from immediate re-election, create stricter campaign finance rules and reform a scandal-tainted council responsible for selecting judges, according to exit poll results from the firm Ipsos Peru. Official vote results were not expected before early Monday. "The referendum does not change everything," President Martin Vizcarra said. "But it is the beginning of a change that we are looking for in Peru." Analysts caution that the referendum isn't an end-all fix to reverse decades of deeply entrenched political misconduct. "What this referendum is potentially giving the government and maybe even the political system is a little breathing room - a little burst of confidence and public trust that it can potentially use to get up and running," said Steve Levitsky, a Harvard University political scientist. A voter signs her name after having voted in a referendum aimed at curbing corruption in Lima, Peru, Sunday, Dec. 9, 2018. The four questions on the ballot include measures that would prohibit legislators from immediate reelection, create stricter campaign finance rules and reform a scandal-tainted council charged with selecting judges. (AP Photo/Cesar Olmos) In recent years Peru has been jolted by the Odebrecht corruption scandal that is toppling the careers of some of Latin America's highest-ranking politicians. The Brazilian construction company has admitted to paying $800 million to officials throughout the region in exchange for lucrative public works contracts. In Peru, the scandal has tainted the careers of nearly every former living president, with four ex-heads of state under investigation for ties to Odebrecht. President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski resigned in March after opposition lawmakers revealed previously undisclosed ties between Odebrecht and his private consulting firm. Prosecutors are also investigating former leader Alan Garcia after revelations that bribes were made during the construction of Lima's subway under his tenure. Former Presidents Ollanta Humala, who was briefly jailed, and Alejandro Toledo are being probed for allegedly receiving illegal payments. Meanwhile, former first daughter Keiko Fujimori, the nation's top opposition leader and a two-time presidential candidate, is behind bars as she is investigated for allegedly laundering Odebrecht money for her 2011 campaign. Those probes along with a series of leaked wiretaps showing judges and lawyers making backroom deals on matters as grave as the sentence for a man accused of raping a young girl have unleashed the fury of a Peruvian public fed up with corruption. A recent survey by Latinobarometro, a respected regional polling firm, found that just 8 percent of Peruvians trust the legislature, the lowest in the region. "The entire system is rotten," said Gerardo Polo, who works at an import company and was eager to cast his ballot Sunday. While he conceded that the proposed measures won't guarantee future abuses, he said, "It is a scream of rage." Vizcarra has succeeded in channeling public outrage since taking on the nation's most powerful job after Kuczynski's resignation and the referendum is considered a critical step in his bid to consolidate power. He pushed the vote as an essential step to "end the plague of corruption." According to the exit polling, three of the four measures passed resoundingly, with the only one failing that Vizcarra himself no longer backed. The first question calls for the public to choose members of a judicial council that selects judges, a measure some believe could improve accountability. The second item would make it illegal for political parties to receive money from unknown contributors or anyone with a criminal background. The third would prohibit immediate re-election, a move unlikely to illicit major changes since relatively few lawmakers serve back-to-back terms. The final question, which appeared to have failed, asked voters if they favored creating a bicameral congress instead of the current one-body legislature dominated by Keiko Fujimori's party. Changes by opposition lawmakers weakening Vizcarra's executive authority caused it to lose support. Observers like attorney Jose Ugaz, who led a probe into former strongman Alberto Fujimori's corrupt spy chief over a decade ago, said the true test will come after the referendum, when Vizcarra will need to work to ensure the changes are fully implemented while pursuing deeper reforms over the long term. "Peru's problems won't be solved just with a referendum," he said. FILE - In this Oct. 19, 2010 file photo, Peru's then President Alan Garcia, attends a meeting in the Port of Ilo, southern Peru. Garcia said Monday, Dec. 3, 2018, he would cooperate with prosecutors investigating him for corruption after Uruguay turned down his asylum request and forced him to leave the residence of its ambassador to the Andean nation. (AP Photo/Karel Navarro, File) A woman holding a toddler fills in her ballot during a referendum aimed at curbing corruption in Lima, Peru, Sunday, Dec. 9, 2018. The four questions on the ballot include measures that would prohibit legislators from immediate reelection, create stricter campaign finance rules and reform a scandal-tainted council charged with selecting judges (AP Photo/Cesar Olmos) RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - A massive winter storm delayed a closely watched vote in Virginia on a natural gas pipeline compressor station that's been the frequent target of protests. A citizen panel that votes on air pollution permits was set to decide Monday whether Virginia's most powerful corporation can build a natural gas compressor station in a historical African-American community. But the state on Sunday announced the meeting was being pushed back to Dec. 19 because of a winter storm that has made roads dangerous. Dominion Energy needs the State Air Pollution Control Board to sign off on a permit to build a station in Buckingham County to pump gas through the planned Atlantic Coast Pipeline. The upcoming vote has become a flashpoint in the yearslong fight over the pipeline and a political imbroglio for Gov. Ralph Northam, who has come under intense criticism for his recent removal of two board members ahead of the vote. The proposed site is about an hour west of Richmond in Union Hill, a community founded by freed slaves. Dominion, the lead developer of the pipeline and dominant force in Virginia politics, said it chose the location because it had sufficient acreage for sale and intersects with an existing pipeline. The proposed 600-mile (966-kilometer) Atlantic Coast Pipeline would carry fracked natural gas from West Virginia into Virginia and North Carolina. In this Thursday, Nov. 6, 2018 photo, Richard Walker, an Atlantic Coast Pipeline opponent, poses at a community center in Richmond, Va. Walker says his great-grandfather bought a 25 acre homestead in Union Hill, the site of a proposed compressor station, for $15 in 1885 as a freed slave, said Dominion Energy is engaged in "environmental racism." (AP Photo/Steve Helber) Both Dominion and the Northam administration have said they've worked carefully to ensure the station will be as environmentally friendly as possible and won't harm nearby residents. "It is the strictest permit for a compressor station in the country," said Secretary of Natural Resources Matt Strickler. But opposition has been fierce, both from groups that don't want the pipeline built at all and by others who worry exhaust from the compressor station will hurt the low-income and elderly residents who live nearby. Some opponents have accused Dominion of trying to take advantage of Union Hill's black residents. Richard Walker, who says his great-grandfather bought a 25-acre homestead in Union Hill for $15 in 1885 as a freed slave, said Dominion is engaged in "environmental racism." He said Dominion recently duped the state NAACP into sending a letter to public officials saying it was satisfied with the progress Dominion was making with Union Hill residents. The NAACP quickly reversed course and reaffirmed its opposition to the compressor station after the letter was made public. NAACP president Kevin Chandler did not return a request for comment. "The same exploitation that took place 100 years ago is still taking place," said Walker, who currently lives in Richmond but has several elderly cousins who live in Union Hill. Dominion has strongly denied the charge and has said it has deep respect for the community and wants to be a constructive partner. The company has recently offered to give more than $5 million to help improve Union Hill. The air pollution board was supposed to decide the issue early last month, but delayed a vote amid concerns that state's Department of Environmental Quality hadn't properly considered environmental justice issues when endorsing the permit. Shortly afterward, Northam removed two members of the board whose terms had expired this summer and named two replacements he later said won't be voting on the compressor station permit. That leaves four members who can vote later this month, as one of the remaining five members has recused himself over a conflict of interest. One of the board members Northam removed is Sam Bleicher. He previously abstained on voting for a permit for one of Dominion's natural gas power stations in 2016, saying he thought new natural gas plants and pipelines were a serious mistake for the environment. But Bleicher said those views would not have affected his vote on the compressor station and should not have been cause for his removal. "It's a completely different situation," he said. "It's not about the pipeline, it's about the location of the compressor station." Northam said he'd planned on naming replacements after the November vote and decided to move ahead anyway after the vote was delayed. He said he's agnostic on how the board votes, and was not influenced by Bleicher's past statements or by Dominion. "As far as the pipeline ... there's not a lot of middle road on that issue," Northam said in a recent radio interview. "I've tried to be as fair as I can." But the move shocked some of the governor's closest allies in the environmental community and enraged some supporters, who have said he owes the public a better explanation. "It's hurt and tarnished the governor's reputation," said Del. Mark Keam. Dominion spokesman Aaron Ruby said the company doesn't comment on board positions. "The governor makes his own decisions about his appointments," Ruby said. WASHINGTON (AP) - Top House Democrats have raised the prospect of impeachment or the real possibility of prison time for President Donald Trump if it's proved that he directed illegal hush money payments to women, adding to the legal pressure on the president over the Russia investigation and other scandals. "There's a very real prospect that on the day Donald Trump leaves office, the Justice Department may indict him, that he may be the first president in quite some time to face the real prospect of jail time," said Rep. Adam Schiff, the incoming chairman of the House intelligence committee. "The bigger pardon question may come down the road as the next president has to determine whether to pardon Donald Trump." Rep. Jerry Nadler, the incoming chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, described the details in prosecutors' filings Friday in the case of Trump's former personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, as evidence that Trump was "at the center of a massive fraud." "They would be impeachable offenses," Nadler said. In the filings, prosecutors in New York for the first time link Trump to a federal crime of illegal payments to buy the silence of two women during the 2016 campaign. Special counsel Robert Mueller's office also laid out previously undisclosed contacts between Trump associates and Russian intermediaries and suggested the Kremlin aimed early on to influence Trump and his Republican campaign by playing to both his political and personal business interests. Trump has denied wrongdoing and has compared the investigations to a "witch hunt." FILE - In this Sept. 28, 2018, file photo, House Judiciary Committee ranking member Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., talks to media during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington. Nadler, the top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee says he believes it would be an "impeachable offense" if it's proven that President Donald Trump directed illegal hush-money payments to women during the 2016 campaign. But Nadler, who's expected to chair the panel in January, says it remains to be seen whether that crime alone would justify Congress launching impeachment proceedings. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster, File) Nadler, D-N.Y., said it was too early to say whether Congress would pursue impeachment proceedings based on the illegal payments alone because lawmakers would need to weigh the gravity of the offense to justify "overturning" the 2016 election. Nadler and other lawmakers said Sunday they would await additional details from Mueller's investigation into Russian election interference and possible coordination with the Trump campaign to determine the extent of Trump's misconduct. Regarding the illegal payments, "whether they are important enough to justify an impeachment is a different question, but certainly they'd be impeachable offenses because even though they were committed before the president became president, they were committed in the service of fraudulently obtaining the office," Nadler said. Mueller has not said when he will complete a report of any findings, and it isn't clear that any such report would be made available to Congress. That would be up to the attorney general. Trump on Friday said he would nominate former Attorney General William Barr to the post to succeed Jeff Sessions. Nadler indicated that Democrats, who will control the House in January, will step up their own investigations. He said Congress, the Justice Department and the special counsel need to dig deeper into the allegations, which include questions about whether Trump lied about his business arrangements with Russians and about possible obstruction of justice. "The new Congress will not try to shield the president," he said. "We will try to get to the bottom of this, in order to serve the American people and to stop this massive conspiracy - this massive fraud on the American people." Schiff, D-Calif., also stressed a need to wait "until we see the full picture." He has previously indicated his panel would seek to look into the Trump family's business ties with Russia. "I think we also need to see this as a part of a broader pattern of potential misconduct by the president, and it's that broad pattern, I think, that will lead us to a conclusion about whether it rises to the level to warrant removal from office," Schiff said. In the legal filings, the Justice Department stopped short of accusing Trump of directly committing a crime. But it said Trump told Cohen to make illegal payments to porn actress Stormy Daniels and former Playboy model Karen McDougal, both of whom claimed to have had affairs with Trump more than a decade ago. In separate filings, Mueller's team detail how Cohen spoke to a Russian who "claimed to be a 'trusted person' in the Russian Federation who could offer the campaign 'political synergy' and 'synergy on a government level.'" Cohen said he never followed up on that meeting. Mueller's team also said former campaign chairman Paul Manafort lied to them about his contacts with a Russian associate and Trump administration officials, including in 2018. Republican Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida called the latest filings "relevant" in judging Trump's fitness for office but said lawmakers need more information to render judgment. He also warned the White House about considering a pardon for Manafort, saying such a step could trigger congressional debate about limiting a president's pardon powers. Such a move would be "a terrible mistake," Rubio said. "Pardons should be used judiciously. They're used for cases with extraordinary circumstances." Sen. Angus King, an independent from Maine and a member of the Senate intelligence committee, cautioned against a rush to impeachment, which he said citizens could interpret as "political revenge and a coup against the president." "The best way to solve a problem like this, to me, is elections," King said. "I'm a conservative when it comes to impeachment. I think it's a last resort and only when the evidence is clear of a really substantial legal violation. We may get there, but we're not there now." Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut urged Mueller to "show his cards soon" so that Congress can make a determination early next year on whether to act on impeachment. "Let's be clear: We have reached a new level in the investigation," Murphy said. "It's important for Congress to get all of the underlying facts and data and evidence that the special counsel has." Nadler spoke on CNN's "State of the Union" Sunday, Rubio was on CNN and ABC's "This Week," and Schiff appeared on CBS' "Face the Nation." Murphy spoke on ABC, and King was on NBC's "Meet the Press." SANAA, Yemen (AP) - A top leader of Yemen's Houthi rebels has called for an investigation after The Associated Press found evidence of extreme torture in Houthi-run lockups. Thousands have been imprisoned by the Houthi militia during Yemen's civil war. An AP investigation found some detainees were scorched with acid, forced to hang from their wrists for weeks at a time or had their faces smashed with batons. Mohammed Ali al-Houthi, head of the Supreme Revolutionary Council, said Sunday that authorities should examine the AP report. He says they should "deal with any of the incidents, if proven correct, in accordance with Yemeni law, (and act) against any of the people who committed them." He says torture is "unforgivable" by Yemen's laws and rules of faith. Sweden is hosting talks among Yemen's warring sides. JERUSALEM (AP) - Israeli officials say seven people have been wounded, one critically, in a shooting by a suspected Palestinian assailant outside a Jewish settlement in the West Bank. The Magen David Adom rescue service said the Israelis were standing at a bus stop at the entrance to Ofra, a settlement in the northern West Bank, when they were shot. The rescue service says a 21-year-old woman was shot in her upper body and is in critical condition. The other wounded included two 16-year-old girls who were lightly hurt. The Israeli military says the shots were fired from a Palestinian vehicle. It says troops in the area opened fire and were searching for the vehicle. Israeli soldiers conduct a search for suspects of a shooting attack yesterday in the West Bank City of Ramallah, Monday, Dec. 10, 2018. Israeli officials say seven people have been wounded, one critically, in a shooting by a suspected Palestinian assailant outside a Jewish settlement of Ofra in the West Bank. (AP Photo/Majdi Mohammed) Israeli soldiers conduct a search for suspects of a shooting attack yesterday in the West Bank City of Ramallah, Monday, Dec. 10, 2018. Israeli officials say seven people have been wounded, one critically, in a shooting by a suspected Palestinian assailant outside a Jewish settlement of Ofra in the West Bank. (AP Photo/Majdi Mohammed) Israeli soldiers conduct a search for suspects of a shooting attack yesterday in the West Bank City of Ramallah, Monday, Dec. 10, 2018. Israeli officials say seven people have been wounded, one critically, in a shooting by a suspected Palestinian assailant outside a Jewish settlement of Ofra in the West Bank. (AP Photo/Majdi Mohammed) Israeli soldiers conduct a search for suspects of a shooting attack yesterday in the West Bank City of Ramallah, Monday, Dec. 10, 2018. Israeli officials say seven people have been wounded, one critically, in a shooting by a suspected Palestinian assailant outside a Jewish settlement of Ofra in the West Bank. (AP Photo/Majdi Mohammed) Israeli soldiers conduct a search for suspects of a shooting attack yesterday in the West Bank City of Ramallah, Monday, Dec. 10, 2018. Israeli officials say seven people have been wounded, one critically, in a shooting by a suspected Palestinian assailant outside a Jewish settlement of Ofra in the West Bank. (AP Photo/Majdi Mohammed) Israeli soldiers throw sound bombs as they clash with Palestinians during a search for suspects of a shooting attack yesterday in the West Bank City of Ramallah, Monday, Dec. 10, 2018. Israeli officials say seven people have been wounded, one critically, in a shooting by a suspected Palestinian assailant outside a Jewish settlement of Ofra in the West Bank. (AP Photo/Majdi Mohammed) ROSEAU, Minn. (AP) - Former U.S. Agriculture Secretary Bob Bergland, a farmer from northern Minnesota who was tasked with selling President Jimmy Carter's unpopular Soviet Union grain embargo to other farmers, died Sunday. He was 90. Bergland died at a nursing home in his hometown of Roseau, near the U.S.-Canadian border, his daughter Linda Vatnsdal said. As agriculture secretary, Bergland had the difficult job of defending to Midwest farmers Carter's unpopular 1980 decision to embargo grain sales to the Soviet Union after the invasion of Afghanistan in 1979. Walter Mondale, who was vice president when Carter was in the White House, recalled Sunday that both he and Bergland did not like the grain embargo. "I don't think it was good policy," Mondale told The Associated Press. "This is going to mean Russians are going to buy their grain somewhere else. ... I urged the president not to do it. He felt he had to do it." Carter lost his re-election bid to Ronald Reagan, and Bergland's term as agriculture secretary ended with the Carter administration in 1981. In a January 23, 1977 photo, Agriculture Secretary Bob Bergland, center, talks with guests at a National Press Club reception. Former U.S. Agriculture Secretary Bob Bergland died Sunday, Dec. 9, 2018 at a nursing home in Roseau, in northern Minnesota according to his daughter, Linda Vatnsdal. He was 90. (Kent Kobersteen/Star Tribune via AP) Mondale said Bergland was a "nice guy, also a very confident guy." "Carter felt very positive about him. He was very successful in that position. Farmers liked him. That's a tough job. People in agriculture respected him, and he was always doing very well there," Mondale added. Bergland, a Democrat, was a U.S. House member from 1971 to 1977 before becoming agriculture secretary under Carter. While heading the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Bergland commissioned a major report on the structure of American agriculture, "A Time to Choose," and also a USDA study on organic farming. He later served as vice president and general manager of the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association and as a regent at the University of Minnesota. U.S. Rep. Collin Peterson of Minnesota said he was sorry to hear about Bergland's death and sends condolences to his family. "Bob served the Seventh District of Minnesota exceptionally before taking his farmer's experience and work ethic to USDA to make sure that crop insurance, rural development, conservation and research programs worked better for farmers and ranchers across the country," Peterson, the top Democrat on the House Agriculture Committee, who's expected to become chairman next year, said in a statement. "I was fortunate to have visited with him back in August and am proud to continue in his footsteps in serving the residents of the 7th District." Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party Chairman Ken Martin called Bergland "a champion of American farmers and consumers." "Growing up poor in the farmlands of Western Minnesota, Bob understood the difficulties and obstacles that face family farmers as well as anyone," Martin said in his statement. "After losing his farm to foreclosure as a young man, Bob dedicated his life to elevating the standard of living for hard-working family farmers while at the same time safeguarding the interests of American consumers." A funeral for Bergland is planned for Saturday in Roseau. MEXICO CITY (AP) - Mexico's new government detailed plans Sunday to build an $8 billion oil refinery in the home state of President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador and to renovate six others as the oil-producing country attempts to lower its dependence on imported fuel. Speaking from the Dos Bocas port in the Gulf Coast state of Tabasco, Lopez Obrador blasted the neglect that has fallen on Mexico's oil infrastructure and the idea that Mexico is better off buying fuel from abroad. "How do we respond to that absurdity that we are dedicated to selling crude oil and buying gasoline, as if we sold oranges and bought orange juice?" he asked the crowd. Lopez Obrador, who took office Dec. 1, plans to direct 75 billion pesos ($3.65 billion) of savings from a government austerity program into the state oil company, Pemex, which has struggled to come up with extra funds for expansion amid mounting pension obligations, high tax rates, rampant fuel theft and declining output. Pemex is producing less than 1.8 billion barrels a day of crude, putting Mexico on track for its 14th consecutive year of declines in oil output. President Lazaro Cardenas nationalized the industry in 1938, kicking out 17 foreign oil companies that Mexicans believed to be looting the country's wealth. But Mexico's constitution was amended in 2013 to allow greater private investment in oil and gas. Mexico's President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador waves as he arrives for the swearing-in ceremony for Mayor-elect Claudia Sheinbaum, in Mexico City, Wednesday, Dec. 5, 2018. Sheinbaum is the first woman to be elected mayor of Mexico City. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo) Lopez Obrador dismissed the energy sector opening as a failure, saying that foreign investment over four years has amounted to just 2.5 percent of what Pemex invested during the same time period. "The foreign investment didn't come," he declared. He also hinted that the planned refinery expansions would be taken on by Mexican companies, saying: "We're going to place our trust in Mexican entrepreneurialism." Energy Minister Rocio Nahle said Mexico will import 80 percent of its gasoline needs this year because the country's refineries work, on average, at 38 percent of capacity due to a lack of maintenance and investment. She said the refinery overhaul should enable Pemex to meet 70 percent of Mexico's gasoline needs. BURLINGTON, Vt. (AP) - Former Democratic Vice President Joe Biden said Sunday he promised his dying son Beau he would not retreat from life after his son's death and he promised he would stay engaged. Biden made the comments during an appearance in Vermont that is part of his ongoing tour promoting his book, "Promise Me, Dad: A Year of Hope, Hardship, and Purpose," which he wrote after Beau Biden's 2015 death from cancer. Biden did not offer any hints about whether he would seek the presidency in 2020. The vice president under former President Barack Obama disputed some published reports that he'd promised his son on his death bed that he would run for president. "He was worried that I'd retreat" Biden said before a packed crowd at a Burlington arts venue. "He was worried that what I'd worked on my whole life, the things that mattered to me the most since I was a kid, that I'd walk away, that I'd turn inward, that I'd withdraw from public life." Rather than politics, Biden spoke of his ongoing commitment to his work in academia and maintaining his close ties with his family. His visit to the home town of independent U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders comes as a number of Democratic politicians, as well as Sanders who sought the Democratic nomination in 2016, are preparing possible runs for the presidency in 2020. It's expected that the first major presidential campaign announcements could come before the end of the year. FILE - In this Sept. 15, 2018, file photo, former Vice President Joe Biden addresses the Human Rights Campaign National Dinner in Washington, D.C. Biden is scheduled to be in Vermont on Sunday, Dec. 9, as part of his on-going American Promise Tour. (AP Photo/Cliff Owen, File) Biden, who has been less active so far than some of the other 2020 presidential prospects in preparing to run, was not expected to meet with Sanders during his visit to the Vermont city. Last week during an appearance in Montana, Biden said he felt he was the most qualified person in the country to be president. At the time he said he'd decide within two months whether he'd run for president. Biden's ongoing book tour is described as a series of conversations that go beyond the 24-hour news cycle. During the Vermont appearance he spoke of the challenges he, and others, face when loved ones are diagnosed with cancer and the struggles with moving on after the death of those loved ones. WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) - New Zealand's Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern made an emotional apology Monday to the family of a 22-year-old British tourist who police say was murdered. Ardern spoke about the nation's reaction to the case several hours after the man that police accuse of killing Grace Millane made his first appearance in court. Police on Sunday found a body in a forested area near Auckland which they believe is Millane's. "From the kiwis I have spoken to, there is this overwhelming sense of hurt and shame that this has happened in our country, a place that prides itself on our hospitality," Ardern said at her weekly media briefing, using a colloquial term for New Zealanders. "On behalf of New Zealand, I want to apologize to Grace's family," Ardern said, her voice breaking with emotion. "Your daughter should have been safe here, and she wasn't. And I'm sorry for that." Ardern said it wasn't necessarily her role to apologize for individual acts of violence, but she'd sensed that New Zealanders were feeling a collective sense of shame over the case and that many were taking it personally. Earlier, the 26-year-old man accused of killing Millane stared at the floor while a judge addressed him during his brief appearance at the Auckland District Court. The man has not yet entered a plea on murder charges and the court has temporarily blocked his name from being published. New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern reacts at a press conference when she spoke about murdered British tourist Grace Millane during her weekly post-Cabinet press conference in Wellington, New Zealand, Monday, Dec. 10, 2018. Ardern made an emotional apology to the family of a 22-year-old British tourist who police say was murdered. Ardern spoke about the nation's reaction to the case several hours after the man that police accuse of killing Grace Millane made his first appearance in court. (Mark Mitchell/New Zealand Heralds via AP) Millane's father, David Millane, traveled to New Zealand last week after his daughter vanished, and Judge Evangelos Thomas addressed him and other family members. "I don't know what to say to you at this time, but your grief must be desperate," he said, according to television station Three. "We all hope justice will be fair and swift and ultimately bring you some peace." As the man was led away from the dock, somebody in the public gallery yelled out "Scumbag!" Three reported. The case has riveted people both in Britain and New Zealand. Described by her father as fun-loving and family-oriented, Grace Millane had been traveling in New Zealand as part of a planned yearlong trip abroad that began in Peru. She went missing Dec. 1 and failed to get in touch with her family on her birthday the next day, or on the days that followed, which alarmed them. Before she vanished, Millane had been staying at a backpacker hostel in Auckland and left some of her belongings there. Detective Inspector Scott Beard said she met a man for a couple of hours in the evening before surveillance cameras showed them entering the CityLife hotel at about 9:40 p.m. A week after Millane disappeared, police detained a man for questioning and later charged him with murder. On Sunday, police found a body in a forested area about 10 meters (33 feet) from the side of the road in the Waitakere Ranges near Auckland. Police believe Millane's body was taken to the area in a rental car. Police said the car, a red Toyota Corolla, was rented for 24 hours and returned to an Auckland rental agency on Dec. 3, meaning Millane's body could have been in the forest for six days before it was found. The suspect's lawyer, Ian Brookie, on Monday applied for name suppression on the basis his client needed it for a fair trial, an argument that Judge Thomas rejected on the basis of open justice. Brookie appealed, triggering the man's name to be temporarily suppressed. The man is being held in custody and is scheduled to make his next court appearance Jan. 23. Flowers lie near where the body of missing British tourist Grace Millane was discovered on Scenic Drive in the Waitakere Ranges outside Auckland, New Zealand, Monday, Dec. 10, 2018. New Zealand police said Sunday that they found the body they believe is that of 22-year-old Millane in a forested area about 10 meters (33 feet) from the side of the road in the Waitakere Ranges. (Doug Sherring/New Zealand Herald via AP) Flowers lie near where the body of missing British tourist Grace Millane was discovered on Scenic Drive in the Waitakere Ranges outside Auckland, New Zealand, Monday, Dec. 10, 2018. New Zealand police said Sunday that they found the body they believe is that of 22-year-old Millane in a forested area about 10 meters (33 feet) from the side of the road in the Waitakere Ranges. (Doug Sherring/New Zealand Herald via AP) New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern reacts during a press conference when she spoke about murdered British tourist Grace Millane during her weekly post-Cabinet press conference in Wellington, New Zealand, Monday, Dec. 10, 2018. Ardern made an emotional apology to the family of a 22-year-old British tourist who police say was murdered. Ardern spoke about the nation's reaction to the case several hours after the man that police accuse of killing Grace Millane made his first appearance in court. (Mark Mitchell/New Zealand Heralds via AP) CLEAR CREEK, W.Va. (AP) - A West Virginia mine rescue team is searching for four people reported missing at an underground coal mine. The state Office of Miner's Health, Safety and Training says in a news release it began assisting the Raleigh County Sheriff's Office on Sunday. The search is at Elk Run Coal Co.'s Rock House Powellton Mine near Clear Creek. The statement says an abandoned ATV the four were believed to be riding was found near the mine entrance. Members of the state mine safety office and mine parent company Alpha Natural Resources entered the mine Sunday afternoon to begin the search. According to the mine safety office, coal has not been mined at the underground location for two years. CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) - Socialist President Nicolas Maduro further consolidated power in Venezuelan local elections Sunday, while accusing President Donald Trump of plotting to overthrow him. The majority of nearly 2,500 council seats spread across the crisis-stricken country went to members of Maduro's United Socialist Party of Venezuela, election officials loyal to Maduro said. After casting his ballot, Maduro spoke on state TV scoffing at Trump and other foreign leaders who have labeled him a dictator. "An attempt is under way today coming straight from the White House to destroy our way of life in Venezuela and to overthrow our constitutional democracy," Maduro said. The election came as an economic crisis rocks the once-wealthy oil country after two decades of socialist rule. Millions of Venezuelans have fled searching for a better life. Maduro's government has banned the most popular opposition parties from elections, while leading figures in the movement are jailed or go into exile fearing for their safety. Voters look at a parrot walking around a school serving as a voting station during local elections in Caracas, Venezuela, Sunday, Dec. 9, 2018. The parrot is the school's mascot. Venezuelans head to the polls Sunday to elect local city councils amid widespread apathy driven by a crushing economic crisis and threats of expulsion by opposition groups for candidates who participate in what they consider an "electoral farce." (AP Photo/Fernando Llano) Other anti-government leaders urged a boycott of the municipal elections, not wishing to legitimize what they consider a corrupt process. The broader anti-government movement is focused on rallying international condemnation of Maduro on Jan. 10, the start of his second six-year term. The United States, many European nations and most Latin American countries have rejected the May 20 election that Maduro won by a landslide as a sham. Little more than 27 percent of some 20 million eligible voters cast ballots in Sunday's council races, said Tibisay Lucena, president of the National Electoral Council, praising the election as strengthening Venezuela's democracy. Maduro said many opposition leaders are waiting for a U.S.-led invasion without giving details. Later asked about the supposed invasion plot, socialist party chief Diosdado Cabello said he is convinced the United States is eager to remove Maduro. "There is no coup in the world where the U.S. has its arms crossed," he said. A voter looks for her voting station on a list outside of a polling station in Caracas, Venezuela, Sunday, Dec. 9, 2018. Venezuelans head to the polls Sunday to elect local city councils amid widespread apathy driven by a crushing economic crisis and threats of expulsion by opposition groups for candidates who participate in what they consider an "electoral farce." (AP Photo/Fernando Llano) Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro votes during local elections in Caracas, Venezuela, Sunday, Dec. 9, 2018. Venezuelans head to the polls Sunday to elect local city councils amid widespread apathy driven by a crushing economic crisis and threats of expulsion by opposition groups for candidates who participate in what they consider an "electoral farce." (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos) Presidential guards play with a school's parrot mascot as they wait to cast their ballots at a school serving as a voting center in Caracas, Venezuela, Sunday, Dec. 9, 2018. Venezuelans head to the polls Sunday to elect local city councils amid widespread apathy driven by a crushing economic crisis and threats of expulsion by opposition groups for candidates who participate in what they consider an "electoral farce." (AP Photo/Fernando Llano) A voter looks for his voting station on a list outside of a polling station in Caracas, Venezuela, Sunday, Dec. 9, 2018. Venezuelans head to the polls Sunday to elect local city councils amid widespread apathy driven by a crushing economic crisis and threats of expulsion by opposition groups for candidates who participate in what they consider an "electoral farce." (AP Photo/Fernando Llano) A school's mascot, a parrot, stands on the foot of a presidential guard waiting to cast his ballot during local elections n Caracas, Venezuela, Sunday, Dec. 9, 2018. Venezuelans head to the polls Sunday to elect local city councils amid widespread apathy driven by a crushing economic crisis and threats of expulsion by opposition groups for candidates who participate in what they consider an "electoral farce." (AP Photo/Fernando Llano) TIJUANA, Mexico (AP) - A steady trickle of Central American migrants have been finding ways to climb over, tunnel under or slip through the U.S. border wall to plant their feet on U.S. soil and ask for asylum. In recent weeks, Honduran migrant Joel Mendez fed his 8-month-old son, Daniel, before handing him over to his partner, Yesenia Martinez, who had crawled through a hole in the rain-softened soil under the wall. A group of young people hoisted themselves over the wall to San Ysidro, California, hoping that their ticket to a better life was finally within reach. One migrant offered a hand to help the others jumping down onto U.S. territory. They all sought to skip the long official wait on the Mexico side for filing asylum claim with the U.S. by getting over the wall and handing themselves over to U.S. agents. Last week, U.S. Customs and Border Protection said the San Diego sector had experienced a "slight uptick" in families entering the U.S. illegally with the goal of seeking asylum. Thousands of migrants are living in crowded tent cities in Tijuana after undertaking a grueling journey from Central America to the U.S. border. A large number have decided to make new lives in Mexico, applying for work permits and taking jobs at local factories while they wait as the U.S. government processes about 100 asylum requests a day at the San Ysidro crossing, the United States' busiest. But by word of mouth, some have realized they can simply cross into U.S. territory, largely uninhibited by Mexican authorities. In twos or threes - occasionally by the dozen - they arrive at the border wall and manage to get over. Often within minutes, border officers quickly arrive to escort them to detention centers and begin "credible fear" interviews. Honduran migrant Joel Mendez, 22, feeds his eight-month-old son Daniel as his partner Yesenia Martinez, 24, crawls through a hole under the U.S. border wall, in Tijuana, Mexico, Friday, Dec. 7, 2018. Moments later Martinez surrendered to waiting border guards while Mendez stayed behind in Tijuana to work, saying he feared he'd be deported if he crossed. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell) Over two nights last week, Associated Press journalists saw more than a dozen migrants taking the risk. A woman wearing a blue-beaded rosary waited with her children to see where they could cross. A Salvadoran migrant hid as he dug a hole in the sand under the wall. In the dark of night, migrants could be seen walking up a hill inside U.S. territory toward agents waiting to detain them. Yesenia Martinez, 24, reaches back from the San Diego, California side of the U.S. border wall to get her baby's bottle, after crossing underneath from Tijuana, Mexico, Friday, Dec. 7, 2018. Martinez is among a wave of Central Americans getting past the imposing barrier between Mexico and California and expediting their asylum claims by readily handing themselves over to U.S. agents. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell) Honduran migrant Joel Mendez, 22, passes his eight-month-old son Daniel through a hole under the U.S. border wall to his partner, Yesenia Martinez, 24, who had already crossed in Tijuana, Mexico, Friday, Dec. 7, 2018. Moments later Martinez surrendered to waiting border guards while Mendez stayed behind in Tijuana to work, saying he feared he'd be deported if he crossed. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell) In a photo taken from Playas of Tijuana, Mexico, Honduran migrants climb over a section of the U.S. border fence before handing themselves in to border control agents, Sunday, Dec. 2, 2018. A steady trickle of Central American migrants have been finding ways to climb over, tunnel under or slip through the U.S. border wall to plant their feet on U.S. soil and ask for asylum. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell) A Central American migrant lowers herself down from atop the border wall onto the U.S. side, after crossing in Playas of Tijuana, Mexico, late Monday, Dec. 3, 2018. By word of mouth, some migrants have realized they can simply cross into U.S. territory, largely uninhibited by Mexican authorities, and turn themselves into U.S. border patrol agents as a way to apply for asylum. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell) Honduran migrant Leivi Ortega, 22, wearing a rosary, looks at her phone while she, her partner and their young daughter, wait in hopes of finding an opportunity to cross the U.S. border from Playas de Tijuana, Mexico, Wednesday, Dec. 5, 2018. In early December, U.S. Customs and Border Protection said that the San Diego sector experienced a "slight uptick" in families entering the U.S. illegally with the goal of seeking asylum. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell) A Honduran migrant helps a young girl cross to the American side of the border wall, in Tijuana, Mexico, Sunday, Dec. 2, 2018. In November, President Donald Trump issued a proclamation suspending asylum rights for people who try to cross into the U.S. illegally from Mexico, although a divided U.S. appeals court has refused to immediately allow the Trump administration to enforce the ban. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa) A Honduran migrant walks with his son in his arms after jumping the U.S. border wall with plans to turn himself over to U.S. border patrol agents in order to apply for asylum, seen from Tijuana, Mexico, Thursday, Nov. 29, 2018. In twos or threes, or sometimes by the dozen, migrants arrive at the U.S. border wall and manage to cross over. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa) A woman climbs the U.S. border wall, planning to surrender to U.S. Border Patrol agents and apply for asylum, as she crosses from Playas de Tijuana, Mexico, Monday, Dec. 3, 2018. Often within minutes, border guards quickly arrive to escort migrants to detention centers and begin "credible fear" interviews. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell) Yesenia Martinez, 24, carries her eight-month-old son Daniel as she looks for a place to cross the U.S. border wall to surrender to border patrol and request asylum, in Tijuana, Mexico, Friday, Dec. 7, 2018. Martinez surrendered to waiting border guards while her partner Joel Mendez stayed behind in Tijuana to work, saying he feared he'd be deported if he crossed. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell) Salvadoran migrant Cesar Jobet, right, and Daniel Jeremias Cruz hide from U.S. border agents after they dug a hole in the sand under the border wall and crossed over to the U.S. side, in Playas de Tijuana, Mexico, Friday, Nov. 30, 2018. When the two youths were detected by agents they ran back to the Mexican side. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa) Central American migrants planning to surrender to U.S. border patrol agents climb over the U.S. border wall from Playas de Tijuana, Mexico, late Monday, Dec. 3, 2018. Thousands of migrants are living in crowded tent cities in the Mexican city of Tijuana after undertaking a grueling, weeks-long journey to the U.S. border. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell) A woman holding a baby peers through the U.S. border fence as she tries to reach a point where scores of migrants have been crossing in recent days, now blocked by private security, in Playas de Tijuana, Mexico, Wednesday, Dec. 5, 2018. Legal groups argue that federal law states that immigrants can apply for asylum no matter how they enter U.S. territory. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell) WASHINGTON (AP) - President Donald Trump is weighing at least four people to serve as his next chief of staff, after plans for an orderly succession for departing John Kelly fell through. The high-profile hiring search comes at a pivotal time as the president looks to prepare his White House for the twin challenges of securing his re-election and fending off inquiries once Democrats gain control of the House next year. Trump's top pick for the job, Nick Ayers, is out of the running and Trump is now soliciting input on at least four individuals, including Office of Management and Budget director Mick Mulvaney and Rep. Mark Meadows, R-N.C., the chair of the conservative House Freedom Caucus. Ayers, who is chief of staff to Vice President Mike Pence, was seen as the favorite for the job when Trump announced Saturday that Kelly would leave around year's end. But a White House official said Sunday that Trump and Ayers could not reach agreement on Ayers' length of service and that he would instead assist the president from outside the administration. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive personnel matters. Ayers confirmed the decision in a tweet Sunday, thanking Trump and Pence for giving him the opportunity to work in the White House. "I will be departing at the end of the year but will work with the #MAGA team to advance the cause," he said. Trump offered his own take on the development: "I am in the process of interviewing some really great people for the position of White House Chief of Staff. Fake News has been saying with certainty it was Nick Ayers, a spectacular person who will always be with our #MAGA agenda. I will be making a decision soon!" FILE - In a Monday, Dec. 3, 2018 file photo, Nick Ayers, right, listens as Supreme Court Associate Justice Neil Gorsuch waits for the arrival of the casket for former President George H.W. Bush to lie in State at the Capitol on Capitol Hill in Washington. President Donald Trump's top pick to replace John Kelly as chief of staff, Nick Ayers, is no longer expected to fill that role, according to a White House official. The official says that Trump and Ayers could not agree on Ayers' length of service. (Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via AP, Pool, File) Even senior White House officials were caught off guard Sunday, most having believed the Ayers move was a done deal. No obvious successor to Kelly was in sight and there was some fretting that Trump may not be able to fill the job by the time Kelly leaves. Ayers and Trump had discussed the job for months, making the breakdown Sunday all the more surprising. Trump said Saturday that he expected to announce a replacement for Kelly in a day or two. But with Ayers no longer waiting in the wings, Trump may now take until the end of the year, according to a person familiar with the president's thinking. Mulvaney was not interested in becoming chief of staff, according to a person close to him who spoke on condition of anonymity. Mulvaney has been saying for almost two months now that he would be more interested in becoming commerce or treasury secretary if that would be helpful to the president, the person said. Also among those thought to be in the mix were Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin and U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, who said in a CBS interview that he hadn't spoken to anyone at the White House about the job and was "entirely focused" on his position. A person familiar with Mnuchin's thinking said he, too, was happy with his work at Treasury and had not sought the job of chief of staff. Acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker and Trump's former deputy campaign manager, David Bossie, were also among the names being floated by some close to the White House. Trump's administration has set records for staff turnover, and he has often struggled to attract experienced political professionals, a challenge that has grown more difficult by the upcoming threat of costly Democratic oversight investigations and an uncertain political environment. In any administration, the role of White House chief of staff is split between the responsibilities of supervising the White House and managing the man sitting in the Oval Office. Striking that balance in the turbulent times of Trump has bedeviled both Kelly and his predecessor, Reince Priebus, and will be the defining challenge for whomever is selected next. Kelly, whose last day on the job is set to be Jan. 2, had been credited with imposing order on a chaotic West Wing after his arrival in June 2017 from his post as homeland security secretary. But his iron fist also alienated some longtime Trump allies, and over time he grew increasingly isolated. Trump wants his next chief of staff to hold the job through the 2020 election, the officials said. Ayers, who has young triplets, had long planned to leave the administration at the end of the year and had only agreed to serve in an interim basis through next spring. Ayers had earned the backing of the president's influential daughter and son-in-law, White House advisers Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner, but was viewed warily by other aides. Ayers will run a pro-Trump super PAC, according to a person familiar with his plans who was not authorized to discuss them by name. Pence's deputy chief of staff, Jarrod Agen, is expected to assume Ayers' role for the vice president. ___ Follow Miller on Twitter at https://twitter.com/ZekeJMiller In this June 21, 2018 photo, White House chief of staff John Kelly listens as President Donald Trump speaks during a lunch with governors in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington. Trump says chief of staff John Kelly will leave his job at the end of the year.(AP Photo/Evan Vucci) TOKYO (AP) - Prosecutors have charged Nissan Motor Co.'s former chairman Carlos Ghosn, another executive and the automaker itself for allegedly violating financial laws by underreporting income. The charges imposed Monday involve allegations Ghosn's pay was underreported by about 5 billion yen ($44 million) in 2011-2015. The prosecutors said earlier that the allegations were the reason for Ghosn's arrest on Nov. 19. The arrest of an industry icon admired both in Japan and around the world has stunned many and raised concerns over the Japanese automaker and the future of its alliance with Renault SA of France. The prosecutors issued statements Monday outlining new allegations against Ghosn and Greg Kelly, the other executive. Those are of underreporting another 4 billion yen ($36 million) in 2016-2018. Nissan as a company was not mentioned in the latest allegations, which did not give details about the income thought to have been underreported. In Japan, a company can be charged with wrongdoing. A court date is still undecided as the prosecutors continue to question Ghosn and Kelly. The maximum penalty for violating Japan's financial laws, as the prosecutors allege, is 10 years in prison, a 10 million yen ($89,000) fine, or both. FILE - In this May 12, 2016, file photo, then Nissan Motor Co. President and CEO Carlos Ghosn answers a question during a joint press conference with Mitsubishi Motors Corp. in Yokohama, near Tokyo. Japanese media say Tokyo prosecutors charged Ghosn on Monday, Dec. 10, 2018, with underreporting his income by 5 billion yen ($44 million) over five years, with another executive and the company. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko, File) Some kind of action by the prosecutors had been expected because the detention period allowed for the allegations disclosed earlier was to end on Monday. Nissan Motor Co. confirmed the charges against it in a statement and vowed to strengthen its governance and compliance. "Nissan takes this situation extremely seriously," it said. "Making false disclosures in annual securities reports greatly harms the integrity of Nissan's public disclosures in the securities markets, and the company expresses its deepest regret." Kelly, 62, an American, is suspected of having collaborated with Ghosn. Kelly's attorney in the U.S., Aubrey Harwell, told The Associated Press earlier this month that his client is asserting his innocence. He said insiders at Nissan and outside experts had said the handling of the income reporting was legal. Ghosn has not commented. Ghosn was ousted as Nissan chairman and Kelly lost his representative director title following their arrests. They both remain on Nissan's board pending a shareholder's meeting. Ghosn, 64, was sent to Nissan by its partner Renault SA of France in 1999. He led a dramatic turnaround of the near-bankrupt Japanese automaker. But his star-level compensation drew attention since executives in Japan tend to be paid far less than their international counterparts. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told a news conference Monday that relations between Japan and France are unshakable despite concerns over the future of Nissan's alliance with Renault after Ghosn's indictment. "It is important to maintain stability in the Nissan-Renault-Mitsubishi alliance, which is a symbol of industrial cooperation between Japan and France," he told a televised news conference Monday, adding that Japan will promote improved corporate governance in line with global standards. It is typical in the Japanese legal system for there to be little access to comment by suspects. Prosecutors have also said little. Only Ghosn's attorneys and embassy officials from Lebanon, France and Brazil, where he has citizenship, have been allowed to visit him. Shin Kukimoto, deputy chief prosecutor at the Tokyo District Prosecutor's Office, declined Monday to say if the suspects were rejecting the allegations. He said Ghosn and Kelly were being detained because they are considered flight risks. Japan's criminal justice system long has been criticized for detaining people for extended periods to pressure them to confess. The conviction rate for those charged is more than 99 percent. Kukimoto denied that prosecutors were working to force confessions. "We do not have such a scenario. There is no such thing and we do not force suspects to make confessions to fit the story," he said in response to a reporter's question. Meanwhile, the Securities and Exchange Commission said it had filed criminal complaints against Ghosn, Nissan and Kelly, paving the way for the prosecutors to charge them. A commission official said Monday that Nissan, Ghosn and Kelly were suspected of falsifying reports on millions of dollars' worth of Ghosn's income. Nissan has said that an internal investigation found three types of misconduct: underreporting income to financial authorities, using investment funds for personal gain and illicit use of company expenses. Tokyo Detention Center, where former Nissan chairman Carlos Ghosn is being detained, stands in Tokyo Monday, Dec. 10, 2018. Tokyo prosecutors say Ghosn, who was arrested on Nov. 19, is suspected of underreporting income by 5 billion yen ($44 million) over five years. Japanese media are reporting that the government Securities and Exchange Surveillance Commission is accusing Nissan as a company, along with Ghosn and another executive, of underreporting income. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko) Police motorcycles pass by Tokyo Detention Center, background, where former Nissan chairman Carlos Ghosn is being detained, Monday, Dec. 10, 2018, in Tokyo. Tokyo prosecutors say Ghosn, who was arrested on Nov. 19, is suspected of underreporting income by 5 billion yen ($44 million) over five years. Japanese media are reporting that the government Securities and Exchange Surveillance Commission is accusing Nissan as a company, along with Ghosn and another executive, of underreporting income. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko) A man walks past outside Tokyo Detention Center where former Nissan chairman Carlos Ghosn is being detained Monday, Dec. 10, 2018, in Tokyo. Tokyo prosecutors say Ghosn who was arrested on Nov. 19 is suspected of underreporting income by 5 billion yen ($44 million) over five years. Japanese media are reporting that the government Securities and Exchange Surveillance Commission is accusing Nissan as a company, along with Ghosn and another executive, of underreporting income. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko) A journalist stands outside Tokyo Detention Center where former Nissan chairman Carlos Ghosn is being detained, Monday, Dec. 10, 2018, in Tokyo. Tokyo prosecutors say Ghosn, who was arrested on Nov. 19, is suspected of underreporting income by 5 billion yen ($44 million) over five years. Japanese media are reporting that the government Securities and Exchange Surveillance Commission is accusing Nissan as a company, along with Ghosn and another executive, of underreporting income. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko) Journalists stand outside Tokyo Detention Center where former Nissan chairman Carlos Ghosn is being detained, Monday, Dec. 10, 2018, in Tokyo. Tokyo prosecutors say Ghosn, who was arrested on Nov. 19, is suspected of underreporting income by 5 billion yen ($44 million) over five years. Japanese media are reporting that the government Securities and Exchange Surveillance Commission is accusing Nissan as a company, along with Ghosn and another executive, of underreporting income. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko) This undated photo released by Nissan Motor Co. shows Nissan executive Greg Kelly. Tokyo prosecutors on Monday, Dec. 10, 2018, charged Nissan's former chairman Carlos Ghosn with underreporting his income, with Kelly and the company, according to Japanese media reports. Kelly, 62, is suspected of having collaborated with Ghosn. Kelly's attorney in the U.S. says he is asserting his innocence. (Nissan Motor Co. via AP) In this Nov. 21, 2018, photo, a man walks past the logo, left, of Nissan Motor Co. at its Global Headquarters in Yokohama, near Tokyo. Japanese media say Tokyo prosecutors charged Nissan former chairman Carlos Ghosn on Monday, Dec. 10, 2018, with underreporting his income by 5 billion yen ($44 million) over five years, with another executive and the company. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko) Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe delivers a speech during a press conference at the prime minister's official residence Monday, Dec. 10, 2018, in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko) WASHINGTON (AP) - Environmental activists are ramping up a pressure campaign designed to drum up Democratic support for a sweeping agenda to fight climate change, with the 2020 presidential campaign in their sights. Hundreds of young demonstrators turned out Monday on Capitol Hill to push Democrats on a package of ambitious environmental goals - including a nationwide transition to 100 percent power from renewable sources within as little as 10 years - that's collectively dubbed the Green New Deal. Already embraced by Rep.-elect Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., an increasingly influential figure on the left, the Green New Deal is designed to nudge prospective Democratic presidential candidates to stake out aggressive positions on climate change. Some cast the goals as idealistic and politically risky. Organizers with the Sunrise Movement activist group frame it as a make-or-break issue for Democratic voters, particularly young ones. But they're fighting recent history on that point. Hillary Clinton and Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., jockeyed during the 2016 Democratic presidential primary over their plans to stave off the devastating effects that scientists have warned of as temperatures continue to rise. Ultimately, however, other issues dominated the debate, and climate change barely registered during the 2016 general election. Stephen O'Hanlon, a spokesman for the Sunrise Movement, said, "Any senators or any other politician who wants the votes of young people in 2020 needs to back a Green New Deal that would transform our economy and create millions of new jobs stopping climate change." As he weighs another White House run, Sanders has staked out an early claim on the issue, hosting Ocasio-Cortez for a climate change town hall last week and preparing a forthcoming proposal that an aide said is likely to align with the broad goals of the Green New Deal. FILE - In this June 1, 2017 file photo, protesters gather outside the White House in Washington to protest President Donald Trump's decision to withdraw the Unites States from the Paris climate change accord. Environmental activists are ramping up a pressure campaign aimed at stoking Democratic support for an ambitious environmental plan known as the Green New Deal ahead of the 2020 presidential race. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh) "Next Congress I will be working on legislation that addresses the scope of the crisis we face, creates tens of millions of jobs and saves American families money while holding fossil fuel companies accountable for the enormous damage they have done to our planet," Sanders said in a statement to The Associated Press. "Our job is to be bold, to think very big and to go forward in a moral struggle to protect our planet and future generations." When Sanders introduced single-payer health care legislation last year, most Senate Democrats also considering presidential runs signed on at the outset. It's not clear, however, whether other prominent Democrats eyeing the White House would back Sanders' forthcoming climate change bill or seek to carve out their own territory. Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., said last week that "obviously, we have been doing a lot of work trying to find some bolder things we as a nation could be doing" on climate change. Booker spokeswoman Kristin Lynch that his staff has held dozens of meetings since the summer aimed at shaping a broad climate bill and that he welcomes the activists' effort to spotlight the issue. The staff of Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., has been in contact with the organizers behind the Green New Deal push, according to spokeswoman Lily Adams, who said the senator is broadly supportive of the sort of sweeping climate change agenda that the effort envisions. As legislation aimed at enacting the Green New Deal begins to take shape, Adams added, Harris plans to take a close look at it. The Green New Deal deliberately omits details on how to reorient the United States toward the drastic carbon emissions reductions it calls for, instead calling for a select committee in the House to devise a plan by 2020. That timetable is designed to rally Democrats behind a climate change strategy as they're picking a nominee to take on President Donald Trump, who has rolled back multiple environmental regulations and cast doubt on the scientific consensus that human activity is driving global warming. Bill McKibben, a leading environmentalist whom Sanders tapped to help write the Democratic National Committee's party platform in 2016, said that it would be "hard for me to imagine a serious Democratic candidate emerging" in the 2020 presidential race who doesn't support a version of the Green New Deal, single-payer health care and a $15-per-hour minimum wage. A Capitol Police spokeswoman said that 138 people were arrested during Monday's demonstrations by Green New Deal supporters. The plan, named for the New Deal that reshaped America under former President Franklin D. Roosevelt, envisions a costly and dramatically remodeled U.S. energy infrastructure as soon as 2030. It's a shift from where Democrats laid down their symbolic markers on climate change as recently as last year. Sanders and Booker, as well as potential presidential hopeful Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., introduced legislation then that aimed to shift the nation to 100 percent renewable and clean energy sources by 2050. Fossil fuels, mostly natural gas and coal, generated 63 percent of U.S. electricity in 2017, compared with 17 percent for renewable sources such as wind and solar, according to the nonpartisan Energy Information Administration. Nuclear energy comprised the remaining 20 percent. "Is it all that realistic? Probably not, in the environment where we work. Certainly not now," Sen. Tom Carper, D-Del., the party's senior member on the environment committee, said of the Green New Deal's target. "But it's a good aspirational goal." Sarah Dolan, communications director for the conservative opposition research group America Rising, warned that Democratic presidential hopefuls' "race to the left" on climate change, as well as on health care, minimum wage and immigration, would backfire in 2020. "Being the first to take the most progressive position of the day will only lead to a party that can't compete in the general election as it becomes unrecognizable to independent voters," she said. BAGHDAD (AP) - Iraq began removing cement walls from areas surrounding the capital's most fortified enclave Monday, opening parts of the so-called Green Zone to traffic in a symbolic move coinciding with nationwide celebrations marking the anniversary of the country's costly victory over the Islamic State group. The partial reopening of parts of the high security area is meant to portray increased confidence in the country's overall security situation and is also being billed as an act of transparency following protests against corruption and poor public services. The enclave on the west bank of the Tigris became home to foreign embassies and key government buildings after the U.S.-led invasion of 2003 and has since then been surrounded by blast walls and barbed wire, inaccessible to most Iraqis. The partial reopening of some side streets - initially just for five hours a day - has been repeatedly delayed and then timed to coincide with the one year anniversary of Iraq's victory over IS. The group has lost virtually all the territory it once held but still carries out sporadic attacks to hang on to its last enclave in Syria near the Iraqi border. The government declared victory last December after a grueling three-year war in which tens of thousands of people were killed and hundreds of thousands displaced. Entire towns and neighborhoods were reduced to rubble in the fighting. The government declared Monday a national holiday, and a moment of silence was held at midday. Checkpoints in the capital were decorated with Iraqi flags and balloons, as security forces patrolled the streets playing patriotic music. Iraqi security forces parade on motorcycles with national flags marking the year anniversary of the defeat of the Islamic State group in Iraq in Tahrir Square, in central Baghdad, Monday, Dec. 10, 2018. Iraq celebrated the anniversary of its costly victory over the Islamic State group, which has lost virtually all the territory it once held but still carries out sporadic attacks. (AP Photo/Ali Abdul Hassan) "That victory and the relative stability in security is a golden opportunity for the government to rebuild the country and to meet the needs of its people," said Sameer al-Obaidi, who led an initiative in the capital's Sunni-dominated northern Azamiyah neighborhood to distribute flowers to security forces at checkpoints. "It is important to treat all Iraqis equally so that they feel that their sacrifices are appreciated," al-Obaidi added. The celebrations come as political infighting has hindered the formation of the government and setting next year's budget, amid a deteriorating economic situation as the country grapples with the legacy of the extremist group's brutal rule. More than 1.8 million Iraqis remain displaced across the country, and a staggering 8 million require some form of humanitarian aid, according to the Norwegian Refugee Council. Those with suspected links to IS have been rejected by their communities, while thousands of children fathered by IS militants - including those born to enslaved Yazidi women - are still unrecognized by the state. Nearly two-thirds of displaced people say they are unwilling or unable to return home in the next year, with more than half saying their homes were damaged or destroyed, according to the aid group. "If this is what 'victory' looks like, then there is little to celebrate for millions of Iraqis still haunted by the crimes of the IS and the long war to eliminate it," said Norwegian Refugee Council Secretary General Jan Egeland. "They have largely been forgotten by their own government and the international community." But the government was in a celebratory mood. Addressing a group of Iraqi military officers, Prime Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi said it was a "proud day for all of us when our brave country defeated the enemies of life, dignity, freedom and peace." He commended the security forces as well as Iraq's top Shiite cleric, Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani, who issued a fatwa, or religious edict, mobilizing volunteers after the armed forces collapsed in the face of the IS onslaught in 2014. Tens of thousands of volunteers joined an array of state-sanctioned militias, many of them backed by Iran. "That fatwa will be a bright spot in the history of this country and the people, from whom the decisive response started, laying the foundations of the victory," Abdul-Mahdi said. He called on Iraqis to renounce their differences and to come together for a better future. "This war has restored Iraq's dignity," said Baghdad resident Qassim al-Fatlawi. "All Iraqis took part in this fight, those who couldn't take up arms fought with words and donations," added al-Fatlawi, 29, who organized fundraising initiatives for the paramilitaries. Popular songs praising the paramilitaries, also known as the Popular Mobilization Forces, blared out from his small cosmetic accessories shop in a narrow alley in Baghdad's Shiite-dominated Karrada area, today adorned with rows of Iraqi flags. He said he planned to put out a large tray of free sweets for customers later in the day. The Islamic State group, which traces its roots back to the insurgency that followed the 2003 U.S.-led invasion, swept into Iraq from neighboring Syria in the summer of 2014. It carved out a self-styled caliphate across a third of both countries, imposing a harsh form of Islamic rule and massacring its opponents. The group abducted thousands of women and girls from the Yazidi religious minority and forced them into sexual slavery. Iraqi forces aided by a U.S.-led coalition eventually drove the group from all the territory it once held in Iraq, including in the climactic battle for Mosul, the country's second-largest city. IS is still currently fighting to hold on to a small pocket of territory in Syria, near the Iraqi border. ___ Associated Press writer Qassim Abdul-Zahra contributed to this report. Iraqi security forces raise Iraqi national flags in a parade marking the year anniversary of the defeat of the Islamic State group in Iraq in Tahrir Square, in central Baghdad, Monday, Dec. 10, 2018. Iraq celebrated the anniversary of its costly victory over the Islamic State group, which has lost virtually all the territory it once held but still carries out sporadic attacks. (AP Photo/Ali Abdul Hassan) VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) - China raised the pressure on the United States and Canada as a bail hearing for a top Chinese technology executive resumed Monday in Vancouver, British Columbia. Meng Wanzhou, the chief financial officer of Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei and daughter of its founder, was detained at the request of the U.S. during a layover at the Vancouver airport on Dec. 1 - the same day that Presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping of China agreed to a 90-day cease-fire in a trade dispute that threatens to disrupt global commerce. China formally protested to the ambassadors of both Canada and the United States over the weekend. The U.S. alleges that Huawei used a Hong Kong shell company to sell equipment in Iran in violation of U.S. sanctions. It also says that Meng and Huawei misled American banks about the company's business dealings in Iran. Her arrest has fueled U.S.-China trade tensions at a time when the two sides are seeking to resolve a dispute over Beijing's technology and industrial strategy. Both sides have sought to keep the issues separate, at least so far, but the arrest has roiled markets. David Martin, Meng's lawyer, said he would call a representative from a surveillance company and an electronic monitoring company to help ensure Meng won't flee if released. Martin said Meng, who had agreed to wear an ankle monitor, will cover the expenses and said the surveillance company would detain her if she breaches bail conditions. A man arranges magazines near newspapers with the headlines of China outcry against U.S. on the detention of Huawei's chief financial officer, Meng Wanzhou, at a news stand in Beijing, Monday, Dec. 10, 2018. China has summoned the U.S. ambassador to Beijing to protest Canada's detention of an executive of Chinese electronics giant Huawei at Washington's behest and demand the U.S. cancel an order for her arrest. (AP Photo/Andy Wong) The hearing has sparked widespread interest, and the courtroom was packed again Monday with media and spectators, including some who came to support Meng. One man in the courtroom gallery brought binoculars to have a closer look at Meng, her lawyers and the prosecution team. Over the weekend, China's Vice Foreign Minister Le Yucheng summoned Canadian Ambassador John McCallum and U.S. Ambassador Terry Branstad. Le warned both countries that Beijing would take steps based on their response. Asked Monday what those steps might be, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said only that "it totally depends on the Canadian side itself." The Canadian province of British Columbia has already canceled a trade mission to China amid fears China could detain Canadians in retaliation for Meng's detention. Commercial retaliation against firms from countries at odds with China has grown increasingly common as Beijing exercises its leverage as the world's second-largest economy. Such movements are almost certainly countenanced by the ruling Communist Party. The government doesn't confirm its role to avoid damaging its image as a champion of free trade. Huawei, the biggest global supplier of network gear for phone and internet companies, has become the target of U.S. security concerns because of its ties to the Chinese government. The U.S. has pressured other countries to limit use of its technology, warning they could be opening themselves up to surveillance and theft of information. Lu, the Foreign Ministry spokesman, accused unnamed countries of hyping the "so-called" threat. "I must tell you that not a single piece of evidence have they ever presented to back their allegation," he said. "To create obstacles for companies' normal operations based on speculation is quite absurd." Canadian officials have declined to comment on Chinese threats of retaliation, instead emphasizing the independence of Canada's judiciary and the importance of Ottawa's relationship with Beijing. While protesting what it calls Canada's violation of Meng's human rights, the Communist Party is regularly accused by outsiders of rights violations at home. They include the widespread internment of Muslims in restive regions without due process to refusing to allow citizens of other countries to leave China to pressure their Chinese relatives living overseas and accused of financial crimes. ___ Gillies reported from Toronto. Wiseman contributed from Washington. Associated Press writers Ken Moritsugu, Christopher Bodeen and researcher Shanshan Wang in Beijing contributed to this report. In this courtroom sketch, Meng Wanzhou, right, the chief financial officer of Huawei Technologies, sits beside a translator during a bail hearing at British Columbia Supreme Court in Vancouver, on Friday, Dec. 7, 2018. Meng faces extradition to the U.S. on charges of trying to evade U.S. sanctions on Iran. She appeared in a Vancouver court Friday to seek bail. (Jane Wolsak/The Canadian Press via AP) A woman takes a copy of a newspaper near another with the headline of China outcry against U.S. on the detention of Huawei's chief financial officer, Meng Wanzhou, at a news stand in Beijing, Monday, Dec. 10, 2018. China has summoned the U.S. ambassador to Beijing to protest Canada's detention of an executive of Chinese electronics giant Huawei at Washington's behest and demand the U.S. cancel an order for her arrest. (AP Photo/Andy Wong) In this courtroom sketch, Meng Wanzhou, right, the chief financial officer of Huawei Technologies, sits beside a translator during a bail hearing at British Columbia Supreme Court in Vancouver, on Friday, Dec. 7, 2018. Meng faces extradition to the U.S. on charges of trying to evade U.S. sanctions on Iran. She appeared in a Vancouver court Friday to seek bail. (Jane Wolsak/The Canadian Press via AP) TOKYO (AP) - The Latest on charges against former Nissan Motor Co. chairman Carlos Ghosn, who was arrested last month on suspicion of underreporting his income (all times local): 7 p.m. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe says Japan-French relations are unshakable despite concerns over the future of Nissan Motor Co.'s alliance with Renault SA after the automaker's former chairman Carlos Ghosn was charged with underreporting millions of dollars of income. Tokyo prosecutors on Monday charged Ghosn, another Nissan executive and Nissan itself with underreporting his income by 5 billion yen ($44 million) over five years. Abe said in a televised news conference that Japan will promote improved corporate governance in line with global standards. Abe said it was crucial for Nissan, Renault and alliance partner Mitsubishi Motor Co., to remain united and improve their corporate governance. Abe said he and French President Emmanuel Macron agreed on that during a recent meeting at the G-20 in Argentina. Tokyo Detention Center, where former Nissan chairman Carlos Ghosn is being detained, stands in Tokyo Monday, Dec. 10, 2018. Tokyo prosecutors say Ghosn, who was arrested on Nov. 19, is suspected of underreporting income by 5 billion yen ($44 million) over five years. Japanese media are reporting that the government Securities and Exchange Surveillance Commission is accusing Nissan as a company, along with Ghosn and another executive, of underreporting income. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko) ___ 5:40 p.m. A spokesman for the Tokyo prosecutors who have charged former Nissan Motor Co. chairman Carlos Ghosn with underreporting tens of millions of dollars of income says there is no plan to force the celebrity businessman to confess. Shin Kukimoto, deputy chief prosecutor at the Tokyo District Prosecutor's Office, was responding to questions raised about the ultra-high conviction rates for those formally charged under Japan's judicial system. Kukimoto said, "We do not have a scenario. There is no such thing, and we do not force suspects to make confessions to fit a story." The official told reporters that Ghosn and another Nissan executive, both arrested on Nov. 19, were being held because they are flight risks. He said they were being treated "properly" during interrogations at a Tokyo detention center. ___ 4:55 p.m. Nissan Motor Co. says in a statement that it is taking "extremely seriously" charges made against it, its former chairman Carlos Ghosn and another executive. The automaker issued the statement Monday after it, Ghosn and Greg Kelly were indicted on charges of violating the Japan Financial Instruments and Exchange Act, by allegedly making false disclosures in annual securities reports. It said, "Nissan takes this situation extremely seriously. Making false disclosures in annual securities reports greatly harms the integrity of Nissan's public disclosures in the securities markets, and the company expresses its deepest regret." The statement said Nissan would work to improve its corporate governance and compliance, "including making accurate disclosures of corporate information." ___ 4:30 p.m. Tokyo prosecutors charged Nissan's former chairman Carlos Ghosn, another executive and the automaker itself with underreporting income. The charges imposed Monday involve allegations Ghosn's pay was underreported by about 5 billion yen ($44 million) over five years. The prosecutors had said earlier that the allegations were behind Ghosn's Nov. 19 arrest. The prosecutors added a new set of allegations Monday against Ghosn and Greg Kelly, the other executive, of underreporting another 4 billion yen ($36 million) for more recent years. Nissan as a company was not mentioned in the latest allegations. In Japan, a company can be charged with wrongdoing. ___ 4 p.m. Japanese media say prosecutors have added to charges against Nissan's former chairman Carlos Ghosn, extending his detention following his arrest on Nov. 19. Meanwhile, the Securities and Exchange Commission said it had filed criminal complaints against Ghosn and another Nissan executive, Greg Kelly. A commission official said Monday that Nissan, Ghosn and Kelly were suspected of falsifying millions of dollars' worth of Ghosn's income. In Japan, a company can be charged with wrongdoing. Kyodo News Service and other Japanese media reported Monday that prosecutors added more allegations of underreported income. The fresh allegations allow them to extend the period of Ghosn's detention. Some kind of action by the prosecutors had been expected as the detention period allowed for the allegations disclosed earlier ends on Monday. ___ 2:30 p.m. Japanese media say Tokyo prosecutors have charged Nissan former chairman Carlos Ghosn with underreporting his income. Another executive and Nissan Motor Co. also were charged. Prosecutors would not immediately confirm the reports Monday by Kyodo News service and other media. They were due to brief media later in the day. The prosecutors say Ghosn is suspected of underreporting his income by 5 billion yen ($44 million) over five years. In Japan, a company can be charged with wrongdoing. Some kind of action by the prosecutors had been expected as the detention period allowed for the allegations disclosed so far ends on Monday. Nissan executive Greg Kelly is suspected of having collaborated with Ghosn. Kelly's attorney in the U.S. says he is asserting his innocence. Ghosn has not commented. Police motorcycles pass by Tokyo Detention Center, background, where former Nissan chairman Carlos Ghosn is being detained, Monday, Dec. 10, 2018, in Tokyo. Tokyo prosecutors say Ghosn, who was arrested on Nov. 19, is suspected of underreporting income by 5 billion yen ($44 million) over five years. Japanese media are reporting that the government Securities and Exchange Surveillance Commission is accusing Nissan as a company, along with Ghosn and another executive, of underreporting income. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko) A man walks past outside Tokyo Detention Center where former Nissan chairman Carlos Ghosn is being detained Monday, Dec. 10, 2018, in Tokyo. Tokyo prosecutors say Ghosn who was arrested on Nov. 19 is suspected of underreporting income by 5 billion yen ($44 million) over five years. Japanese media are reporting that the government Securities and Exchange Surveillance Commission is accusing Nissan as a company, along with Ghosn and another executive, of underreporting income. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko) A journalist stands outside Tokyo Detention Center where former Nissan chairman Carlos Ghosn is being detained, Monday, Dec. 10, 2018, in Tokyo. Tokyo prosecutors say Ghosn, who was arrested on Nov. 19, is suspected of underreporting income by 5 billion yen ($44 million) over five years. Japanese media are reporting that the government Securities and Exchange Surveillance Commission is accusing Nissan as a company, along with Ghosn and another executive, of underreporting income. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko) BETHLEHEM, West Bank (AP) - A historic renovation of the Church of the Nativity is lifting spirits in the biblical town of Bethlehem ahead of Christmas, offering visitors a look at ancient mosaics and columns that have been restored to their original glory for the first time in 600 years. City officials hope the renovation at the traditional birthplace of Jesus will boost tourism and a weak economy in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, and perhaps slow a decades-long drain of the Christian population from the lands where the faith was born. "Christians are leaving the Holy Land due to the lack of peace and economic hardships and we are struggling to keep them in their homeland," said Bethlehem Mayor Anton Salman. "This is one of the ways." The renovation started in 2013, a year after UNESCO declared the church a world heritage site, and is expected to be completed by the end of next year. The Palestinian Authority formed a committee of local Christian leaders to oversee the renovation and contracted an Italian company to carry out the project. Ziad al-Bandak, the committee head, said it has collected $14 million out of $17 million needed. Roughly half of the funding has come from the Palestinian Authority and local Muslim and Christian businesses, and the rest from foreign donors. "It has become such a beautiful church," he said. "Every Christian in the world would love to see it now." In this Thursday, Dec. 6, 2018 photo, visitors stand bellow a renovated part of a fresco inside the Church of the Nativity, built atop the site where Christians believe Jesus Christ was born, in the West Bank City of Bethlehem. City officials are optimistic that the renovated church will help add to a recent tourism boom and give a boost to the shrinking local Christian population. (AP Photo/Majdi Mohammed) One of Christianity's most sacred shrines, the church was built in the 4th century by St. Helena over a cave where the Virgin Mary is said to have given birth. What pilgrims mostly see today is the basilica built by Byzantine Emperor Justinian I, who ruled from 527 to 565. Neglected for decades before the renovation, the roof of the church was leaking, windows were broken, mosaics were covered in grime and walls and columns were damaged. After five years of work, it has been transformed. Emad Nassar, a Palestinian engineer overseeing the renovations, said the project started with the ceiling. Roughly 10 percent of the beams were replaced with wood imported from old destroyed churches in Italy, windows were fixed, and outside stones and walls were renovated. Perhaps the biggest challenge has been repairing the badly damaged 2,000 square meter (21,500 square foot) wall mosaic. So far, 120 square meters (1,292 square feet) have been restored, depicting images of Christ and Christian saints. Workers are also restoring a floor mosaic. The restoration process is meticulous and painstaking. As Nassar spoke, three Italian workers were cleaning a mosaic with tiny brushes and covering them with protective material. "In the coming year, we are going to continue renovating the columns, the floor mosaic, the tiles and the front yard floor," Nassar said. The delicate relations between the Holy Land's major Christian denominations have factored into the poor condition of the church. The Roman Catholic, Greek Orthodox and Armenian churches have traditionally viewed each other with deep suspicion. Under a 19th-century agreement called the Status Quo, each denomination has its own areas and responsibilities. But over the years, turf battles have erupted into arguments and even fistfights among clergymen. The Rev. Samour, a 70-year-old Greek Orthodox clergyman who has served at the church for nearly half a century, said the Palestinian Authority managed to get the rival churches on board. The construction did not touch the altar crypt with the 14-point silver star marking the spot where, according to Christian tradition, Jesus was born. Although it also needs renovation, the churches have not yet reached an agreement on the crypt. Bethlehem is heavily dependent on Christmas tourism, with hotels, restaurants and gift stores doing much of their business during the short holiday season. The renovated church has become a popular destination. "The mosaic on the walls is very beautiful, and the renovation is very impressive," said Sandris Gradins, a 31-year-old tourist from Latvia. After dipping in 2015 and 2016, tourism has seen a comeback in the past two years, officials say. The mayor said he expects 1.2 million visitors this year. Tourism Minister Rula Maayah said she is working with Christian officials to expand visiting hours to accommodate the long lines. An ambitious program has been set up for Christmas this year, she said. The municipality recently hosted representatives of 14 twin cities from around the world for a Christmas tree lighting ceremony. Foreign musicians performed Christmas songs during the event. Fifteen European countries participated in a Christmas market in the front yard of the church. The municipality also has been building a Christmas village for children. But whether the city's efforts can stop the long-term outflow of Bethlehem's Christians remains to be seen. As elsewhere in the Arab world, the local Christian community has struggled for decades, escaping conflict and economic troubles in search of better opportunities abroad. In the Holy Land, Israel's half-century-old occupation of the West Bank and east Jerusalem, and more than a decade of rule by the Islamic militant group Hamas in Gaza have significantly worsened the situation. A 2017 census in the West Bank, Gaza and east Jerusalem counted just under 47,000 Palestinian Christians, or about 1 percent of a Palestinian population of close to 4.8 million. Twenty years earlier, Christians still made up more than 1.7 percent of the Palestinian population, according to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics. Roughly half of Palestinian Christians live in the Bethlehem area, where their share of the population has also declined significantly. Wadie Abunassar, a senior adviser to church leaders in the Holy Land, said the Palestinian leadership in the West Bank has treated Christians well, but that lack of progress toward a resolution over Israel and Palestinian statehood have driven emigration. Despite lack of hope, he urged Christians to stay. "This is our homeland. We are called to be witnesses for Jesus in his homeland," he said. "This is a great privilege, which most Christians in the world don't have." In this Thursday, Dec. 6, 2018 photo, a visitor photographs a renovated part of a fresco inside the Church of the Nativity, built atop the site where Christians believe Jesus Christ was born, in the West Bank City of Bethlehem. City officials are optimistic that the renovated church will help add to a recent tourism boom and give a boost to the shrinking local Christian population. (AP Photo/Majdi Mohammed) In this Thursday, Dec. 6, 2018 photo, restoration experts work on a mosaic inside the Church of the Nativity, built atop the site where Christians believe Jesus Christ was born, in the West Bank City of Bethlehem. The renovation is lifting spirits in the biblical town of Bethlehem ahead of Christmas, offering visitors a look at ancient mosaics and columns that have been restored to their original glory for the first time in 600 years. (AP Photo/Majdi Mohammed) In this Thursday, Dec. 6, 2018 photo, restoration experts work on a mosaic inside the Church of the Nativity, built atop the site where Christians believe Jesus Christ was born, in the West Bank City of Bethlehem. City officials are optimistic that the renovated church will help add to a recent tourism boom and give a boost to the shrinking local Christian population. (AP Photo/Majdi Mohammed) In this Thursday, Dec. 6, 2018 photo, restoration experts work on a mosaic inside the Church of the Nativity, built atop the site where Christians believe Jesus Christ was born, in the West Bank City of Bethlehem. The renovation is lifting spirits in the biblical town of Bethlehem ahead of Christmas, offering visitors a look at ancient mosaics and columns that have been restored to their original glory for the first time in 600 years. (AP Photo/Majdi Mohammed) In this Thursday, Dec. 6, 2018 photo, visitors walk by a renovated part of a mosaic inside the Church of the Nativity, built atop the site where Christians believe Jesus Christ was born, in the West Bank City of Bethlehem. City officials are optimistic that the renovated church will help add to a recent tourism boom and give a boost to the shrinking local Christian population. (AP Photo/Majdi Mohammed) In this Thursday, Dec. 6, 2018 photo, a restoration expert works on a granite column inside the Church of the Nativity, built atop the site where Christians believe Jesus Christ was born, in the West Bank City of Bethlehem. The renovation is lifting spirits in the biblical town of Bethlehem ahead of Christmas, offering visitors a look at ancient mosaics and columns that have been restored to their original glory for the first time in 600 years. (AP Photo/Majdi Mohammed) In this Thursday, Dec. 6, 2018 photo, a restoration expert works on a granite column inside the Church of the Nativity, built atop the site where Christians believe Jesus Christ was born, in the West Bank City of Bethlehem. The renovation is lifting spirits in the biblical town of Bethlehem ahead of Christmas, offering visitors a look at ancient mosaics and columns that have been restored to their original glory for the first time in 600 years. (AP Photo/Majdi Mohammed) In this Wednesday, Dec. 5, 2018 photo, a worker cleans the dust from a chandelier at the Church of the Nativity, built atop the site where Christians believe Jesus Christ was born, in the West Bank City of Bethlehem. City officials are optimistic that the renovated church will help add to a recent tourism boom and give a boost to the shrinking local Christian population. (AP Photo/Majdi Mohammed) In this Wednesday, Dec. 5, 2018 photo, Christian worshipers pray inside the Grotto at the Church of the Nativity, built atop the site where Christians believe Jesus Christ was born, in the West Bank City of Bethlehem. City officials are optimistic that the renovated church will help add to a recent tourism boom and give a boost to the shrinking local Christian population. (AP Photo/Majdi Mohammed) In this Thursday, Dec. 6, 2018 photo, a woman visits a shop near the Church of the Nativity, built atop the site where Christians believe Jesus Christ was born, in the West Bank City of Bethlehem. City officials are optimistic that the renovated church will help add to a recent tourism boom and give a boost to the shrinking local Christian population. (AP Photo/Majdi Mohammed) YEREVAN, Armenia (AP) - A bloc led by Armenia's relatively new prime minister trounced its political foes and won an overwhelming parliamentary majority in an early election, according to results released Monday. Nikol Pashinian came to power in May after spearheading massive protests that forced his predecessor to step down. The 43-year-old former journalist pushed for the early vote held Sunday to win control of parliament, which was dominated by the rival Republican Party. Pashinian's My Step bloc won more than 70 percent of the vote in Sunday's balloting. The Republican Party of former prime minister and president Serzh Sargsyan received about 4.7 percent of the vote, failing to reach the 5 percent threshold needed to be in parliament at all. The pro-business Prosperous Armenia party placed second with about 8 percent, and Bright Armenia won just over 6 percent. The election's outcome reflects Pashinian's broad popularity. He has tapped into public anger over widespread poverty, high unemployment and rampant corruption in Armenia, a former Soviet nation of 3 million that borders Georgia, Azerbaijan, Turkey and Iran. The results will allow him to further consolidate power and advance his agenda. During the monthlong election campaign, Pashinian blasted members of the old Armenian elite as corrupt and pledged to revive the economy, to create new jobs and to encourage Armenians living and working abroad to return home. Acting Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian gestures as he leaves a polling station during an early parliamentary election in Yerevan, Armenia, Sunday, Dec. 9, 2018. The charismatic 43-year-old Nikol Pashinian took office in May after spearheading massive protests against his predecessor's power grab that forced the politician to step down. (Vahan Stepanyan/PAN Photo via AP) Election observers for the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe praised the election Monday for "genuine competition," saying the vote was "held with respect to fundamental freedoms and enjoyed broad public trust." They said there was no vote-buying or pressure on voters, but expressed concern over "cases of inflammatory rhetoric online." Sargsyan's Republican Party said voting followed a campaign marked by "intolerance to dissent and tough pressure," leaving "deep divisive lines" in Armenian society. Sargsyan served as Armenia's president for a decade before a term limit forced him to step aside. He then took office as prime minister, a move his critics saw as an attempt to hold on to power. Thousands of protesters led by Pashinian, then an opposition lawmaker, thronged the Armenian capital. Sargsyan resigned after only six days on the job. Pashinian said he would use his "revolutionary majority" in parliament to push through reforms, including the abolition of taxes for small business and new incentives for foreign investors. He pledged to expand ties with both Russia and the European Union. Armenia has no aspirations to join NATO and will stay in a Moscow-dominated security bloc, he said. Armenia is highly dependent on Russia, which provides loans and serves as the main source of imports and the top export market. Russia has a military base in Armenia and sees relations with Yerevan as strategically important. __ Vladimir Isachenkov and Nataliya Vasilyeva contributed to this report from Moscow. Armenians fill their ballot papers at a polling station during an early parliamentary election in Yerevan, Armenia, Sunday, Dec. 9, 2018. The charismatic 43-year-old Nikol Pashinian took office in May after spearheading massive protests against his predecessor's power grab that forced the politician to step down. (Vahan Stepanyan/PAN Photo via AP) Acting Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian casts his ballot in a polling station during an early parliamentary election in Yerevan, Armenia, Sunday, Dec. 9, 2018. The charismatic 43-year-old Nikol Pashinian took office in May after spearheading massive protests against his predecessor's power grab that forced the politician to step down. (Vahan Stepanyan/PAN Photo via AP) LONDON (AP) - A British court handed charismatic Indian tycoon Vijay Mallya a substantial setback Monday by ruling he should be extradited to India to face financial fraud allegations. Judge Emma Arbuthnot Monday endorsed the Indian government's request for Mallya's extradition and said she would send the case to Britain's Home Secretary for review and action. Mallya, who in 1983 became chairman of an alcohol company once led by his father, was a leading figure among India's business elite. He launched Kingfisher Airlines and had an ownership stake in India's Formula One racing team. Mallya is accused by India of money laundering and conspiracy involving hundreds of millions of dollars. He has denied wrongdoing. Arbuthnot said there were substantial misrepresentations in Mallya's accounting of his financial dealings that gave weight to the Indian government's request for his return. The judge described the 62-year-old Mallya in unusually personal terms, suggesting Indian banks might have been fooled into making bad loans by "this glamorous, flashy, famous, bejeweled, bodyguarded, ostensibly billionaire playboy who charmed and cajoled these bankers into losing their common sense." Indian business man Vijay Mallya speaks to the media as he takes a break outside Westminster Magistrates Court in London, Monday, Dec. 10, 2018. A British judge is expected to rule Monday on whether wealthy Indian entrepreneur Vijay Mallya will be extradited to India to face fraud allegations.(AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth) The judge said the tycoon's companies were in "desperate" financial situations that were concealed from the banks and suggested that time in prison custody might lead Mallya to reduce his alcohol consumption. Mallya can still appeal the ruling, which was made in Westminster Magistrates' Court. He remains free on bail, but the judge told Mallya she would "take your money away" if he failed to show up for future hearings. Speaking to a handful of reporters after caucusing with his lawyers, Mallya seemed unperturbed by the adverse decision, saying the ruling was "just the first step" and the legal process still had "a way to go." He refused to say if he would appeal, stating his lawyers needed to analyze the judge's lengthy written statement first. He did not try to rebut Arbuthnot's characterization of him, though he said she missed some important financial points. "OK fine, she came to her conclusion, we'll take it from there," he said. "No reaction. Disappointing that the judge found a prima facie case." The judge said Mallya suffers from multiple medical problems, including coronary artery disease, but she denied his claim that he could not receive adequate medical care in prison in India. Arbuthnot did suggest he be allowed to be treated by his own doctors and that the Indian government should provide him with the array of medications he needs. She said prison doctors and nurses would have their hands full dealing with Mallya's various maladies. The judge said his prison cell in India would have adequate natural light, a bathroom with a shower, fans for ventilation, and a sleeping pad. She said he would have access to ample water supplies as his doctors had requested. She also said he could make a "medical request" for installation of a bed in his prison cell if supported by documentation. Mallya said after the ruling that India has some of the best doctors in the world but he is concerned about whether he would have access to them while he is in prison. He showed no emotion and drank from a plastic water bottle when the ruling was announced. ___ Associated Press writer Nishat Ahmed contributed. A tie worn by F1 Force India team boss Vijay Mallya is seen as he speaks to the media whilst taking a break outside Westminster Magistrates Court in London, Monday, Dec. 10, 2018. A British judge is expected to rule Monday on whether wealthy Indian entrepreneur Vijay Mallya will be extradited to India to face fraud allegations. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham) Indian business man Vijay Mallya is filmed by the media as he takes a smoking break outside Westminster Magistrates Court in London, Monday, Dec. 10, 2018. A British judge is expected to rule on whether wealthy Indian entrepreneur Vijay Mallya will be extradited to India to face fraud allegations. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth) Indian business man Vijay Mallya speaks to the media as he takes a break outside Westminster Magistrates Court in London, Monday, Dec. 10, 2018. A British judge is expected to rule Monday on whether wealthy Indian entrepreneur Vijay Mallya will be extradited to India to face fraud allegations.(AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth) Indian business man Vijay Mallya arrives at Westminster Magistrates Court in London, Monday, Dec. 10, 2018. A British judge is expected to rule Monday on whether wealthy Indian entrepreneur Vijay Mallya will be extradited to India to face fraud allegations.(AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth) F1 Force India team boss Vijay Mallya speaks to the media as he takes a break outside Westminster Magistrates Court in London, Monday, Dec. 10, 2018. A British judge is expected to rule Monday on whether wealthy Indian entrepreneur Vijay Mallya will be extradited to India to face fraud allegations. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham) F1 Force India team boss Vijay Mallya speaks to the media as he takes a break outside Westminster Magistrates Court in London, Monday, Dec. 10, 2018. A British judge is expected to rule Monday on whether wealthy Indian entrepreneur Vijay Mallya will be extradited to India to face fraud allegations. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham) KEZMAROK, Slovakia (AP) - Monika Krcova did not want to follow the official guidelines and remain in the hospital in Slovakia for four days after her third baby's birth. And so she escaped. Like many other Roma, she tells horror stories about giving birth in the hospital: How doctors at the Kezmarok hospital in eastern Slovakia slapped her face and legs repeatedly during the delivery of her first two children, screaming that she didn't know how to push properly. How in the following days, she was subjected to racist taunts, and her postpartum pain was not treated. Krcova knew that hospital staffers would stop her and her baby if she tried to leave after two days. So she waited until visiting hours, when the doors of the maternity ward were unlocked, and slipped away, alone. Slovakia's Ministry of Health strongly recommends four-day stays for mothers and babies, regardless of their health. But many hospitals - seeking insurance reimbursements - have turned that guidance into a mandate. An investigation by The Associated Press has found that women and their newborns in Slovakia are routinely, unjustifiably and illegally detained in hospitals across the European Union country. Women from the country's Roma minority, vulnerable to racist abuse and physical violence, suffer particularly. They're also often poor, and mothers who leave hospitals before doctors grant permission forfeit their right to a significant government childbirth allowance of several hundred euros. When Krcova returned to pick up her infant a couple of days after she left, the hospital charged her 20 euros ($23) - an illegal fine. In this Nov. 16, 2018, photo, a nurse dresses a baby at the Kezmarok hospital in Kezmarok, Slovakia. An investigation by The Associated Press has found that women and their newborns in Slovakia are routinely, unjustifiably and illegally detained in hospitals across the European Union country. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana) "It felt like punishment," she said. "If you and your baby are healthy and you have to stay there, it's like prison." In October, the AP reported that hospitals in more than 30 countries illegally hold patients when they cannot pay their bills, including in Kenya, Congo, India, the Philippines and Bolivia. While there are some differences, some experts say the situation in Slovakia - which also is seen to some extent in other eastern European countries like Bulgaria and the Czech Republic - amounts to hospital imprisonment. "Detention in African hospitals is about money, but in Slovakia, it's about power," said Zuzana Kriskova, a maternal rights activist. "Women are having their fundamental human rights violated when they have no freedom of movement and cannot decide how their child is to be treated." In the U.S., the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists says women with no delivery problems can be discharged with their babies after one to two days. Britain recommends women and their infants stay for at least six hours after an uncomplicated birth, but they are free to leave at any time. International human rights law prohibits the forced detention of a woman or her baby after she has given birth, as long as there is no imminent danger to anyone. Slovak doctors, however, say babies must be kept in the hospital because numerous screening tests are needed. The Ministry of Health said they are currently considering shortening the required period of post-birth hospitalization to three days, but that new mothers "should follow the instructions of the attending physician" on issues including when they and their newborns are allowed to go home. "I know of no medical evidence to justify what's being done to women and their newborns in Slovakia," said Mindy Roseman, a global health and human rights expert at Yale Law School. "They're basically being kidnapped and unlawfully detained." Hospitals and insurance play a central role. Several hospital staffers said institutions often only get reimbursed if mothers and babies stay for at least four days after delivery. Dovera, Slovakia's biggest private health insurance provider, said it reimburses hospitals separately for mothers and newborns and that the minimum length of stay after childbirth for both is four days. It said mothers can leave earlier if they have a signed application approved by the hospital. The situation weighs most heavily on Roma (also known, pejoratively, as Gypsies). Having suffered from discrimination across Europe for generations, they say they are treated abysmally by hospitals. Numerous Roma women who fled hospitals told the AP they were tied up and beaten, shouted at, or ignored when they needed medical attention, including during birth. Some said there were often two women and babies squeezed into a single bed; others said the health care staff laughed at them, saying they were dirty and had too many children. Many women declined to give their names, fearing retribution from local authorities. "For Roma, they treat us worse than dogs," said Krcova, who was only allowed to see her newborn babies two days after they were born. She is no longer afraid of her local hospital since she isn't planning to have more children, but worries about her daughter Ivana, who she says was also slapped by nurses when she previously gave birth and is now pregnant again. One Roma woman tearfully told the AP that when she escaped from Kezmarok hospital after giving birth to twins four years ago, she got sick and couldn't retrieve them for 10 days. By that time, the institution had given away her baby boy and girl to an orphanage. She has not seen them since. She would not give her name, fearing the hospital would refuse to treat her family. Maria Lumkova, a Roma health assistant, said there are usually about three such cases every year in the village where she works. Alzbeta Siva, a spokeswoman for Kezmarok hospital, also known as the Dr. Vojtecha Alexandra Hospital, said Roma babies left in a hospital can be sent to an orphanage, but only "rarely." She also acknowledged that nurses do strike Roma women during delivery. "Sometimes there are cases like that, but very few," she said. On Monday, after this story appeared, Siva insisted that her remarks had been misinterpreted, though they were recorded. "It's absolutely impossible for the Roma patients to be slapped, as the story claims, or humiliated in any other way," she said. "Our patients are not distinguished by the color of their skin or their religious belief. There's no segregation in the Kezmarok hospital whatsoever. It's an absurd fantasy." At the Kezmarok hospital in mid-November, four out of 17 newborns were still being detained after their mothers absconded. Siva said Roma mothers fleeing the hospital after birth was "an everyday occurrence" and that mothers were charged 4 euros ($4.60) every day their baby was held in the mother's absence. Officials at several other hospitals in the region estimated that about 10 to 25 percent of Roma women slip out of the hospital within two days of giving birth, leaving their babies detained. Some doctors said Roma women were taking advantage of the situation. Dr. Jozef Adam, head of gynecology and obstetrics at the J.A. Reiman University Hospital in Presov, said Roma women worry that their husbands will be unfaithful: "They run away to be with their men. They know their babies will be taken care of here so they leave them." In 2014, the Slovak government passed a law that penalizes women who leave the hospital after birth without permission, by withholding social benefits payments of up to 800 euros ($914). Critics say the law unfairly targets Roma women, who are disproportionately affected by the penalty, since they typically have few resources. Even white, privileged Slovak women complain they have been imprisoned by hospitals after giving birth. Renata Kupcova Kazimirova had her daughter Sona in early November, and was told they were both healthy. But when she informed the head of obstetrics that she wanted to leave with her baby the following day, a struggle ensued. "They told me that a woman after birth does not have the capacity to make this decision," Kazimirova said. "And they told my husband: 'There is no way this baby is leaving.'" During the next three days, Kazimirova and her husband clashed repeatedly with doctors, who threatened to call the police and social services if the couple left with their newborn. "I was crying constantly," Kazimirova said. "I didn't have the ability to protect my daughter and bring her home." Theoretically, women who want to leave the hospital before obtaining doctors' approval are to be given a legal form to sign, acknowledging they are leaving the hospital against medical advice. "If a woman keeps insisting that she wants to leave, that's when the psychological terror starts," said Zuzana Kostkova, a midwife at a Bratislava university hospital. "They will play on a mother's fears, and say things like, 'what if there's a problem with the baby's heart?' and they will refuse to bring the (legal) form she has to sign." In practice, Kostkova said, it was impossible for any woman to leave the hospital before doctors agreed. To avoid Slovakia's obligatory hospital detention period after birth, Kostkova simply had her baby across the border in Austria. Most Roma women, however, lack the finances for such options. Jarmila Noskova, a Roma woman now pregnant with her seventh child, said she cried for days every time she was forced to remain in the hospital after birth, terrified the hospital would alert the police if she left. "I was told to stay in the hospital," she said, "and so I endured it for my baby." ___ Karel Janicek in Prague contributed to this report. In this Nov. 14, 2018, photo, Monika Krcova, center left, sits with her daughter Ivana and her grandchildren in their house in Podhorany village, near Kezmarok, Slovakia. Krcova is no longer afraid of her local hospital since she isn't planning to have more children, but worries about her daughter Ivana, who says she also was slapped by nurses when she previously gave birth and is now pregnant. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana) In this Nov. 16, 2018, photo, three babies whose mothers absconded the hospital, rest in their cribs at the Kezmarok hospital in Kezmarok, Slovakia. An investigation by The Associated Press has found that women and their newborns in Slovakia are routinely, unjustifiably and illegally detained in hospitals across the European Union country. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana) In this Nov. 11, 2018, photo, a couple stands on the balcony of their apartment in Zilina, Slovakia. An investigation by The Associated Press has found that women and their newborns in Slovakia are routinely, unjustifiably and illegally detained in hospitals across the European Union country. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana) In this Nov. 14, 2018, photo, Monika Krcova talks to a neighbor while standing in her house at the Podhorany village near Kezmarok, Slovakia. Krcova did not want to follow the official guidelines and remain in the hospital for four days after her third baby's birth. And so she escaped. Slovakia's Ministry of Health recommends four-day stays for mothers and babies, regardless of their health. Many hospitals seeking insurance reimbursements have turned that into a mandate. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana) In this Nov. 15, 2018, photo, a delivery room sits empty in the Trebisov hospital in Trebisov, Slovakia. An investigation by The Associated Press has found that women and their newborns in Slovakia are routinely, unjustifiably and illegally detained in hospitals across the European Union country. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana) In this Nov. 14, 2018, photo, dark clouds hover over Podhorany village after a storm near Kezmarok, Slovakia. An investigation by The Associated Press has found that women and their newborns in Slovakia are routinely, unjustifiably and illegally detained in hospitals across the European Union country. Roma women, vulnerable to racist abuse and physical violence, suffer particularly. They're also often poor, and mothers who leave hospitals before doctors grant permission forfeit their right to a significant government childbirth allowance of several hundred euros. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana) In this Nov. 16, 2018, photo, a Roma girl holds with a bucket to collect water in a village near Kezmarok, Slovakia. An investigation by The Associated Press has found that women and their newborns in Slovakia are routinely, unjustifiably and illegally detained in hospitals across the European Union country. Roma women, vulnerable to racist abuse and physical violence, suffer particularly. They're also often poor, and mothers who leave hospitals before doctors grant permission forfeit their right to a significant government childbirth allowance of several hundred euros. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana) In this Nov. 14, 2018, photo, Jarmila Noskova, 33, stands at the entrance of her house with her daughter in Podhorany village near Kezmarok, Slovakia. Noskova, a Roma woman now pregnant with her seventh child, said she cried for days every time she was forced to remain in the hospital after birth, terrified the hospital would alert the police if she left. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana) In this Nov. 14, 2018, photo, a Roma woman stands at the entrance of her house as dark clouds hover over the Podhorany village near Kezmarok, Slovakia. An investigation by The Associated Press has found that women and their newborns in Slovakia are routinely, unjustifiably and illegally detained in hospitals across the European Union country. Roma women, vulnerable to racist abuse and physical violence, suffer particularly. They're also often poor, and mothers who leave hospitals before doctors grant permission forfeit their right to a significant government childbirth allowance of several hundred euros. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana) In this Nov. 16, 2018, photo, a Roma woman walks to a village near Kezmarok, Slovakia. An investigation by The Associated Press has found that women and their newborns in Slovakia are routinely, unjustifiably and illegally detained in hospitals across the European Union country. Roma women, vulnerable to racist abuse and physical violence, suffer particularly. They're also often poor, and mothers who leave hospitals before doctors grant permission forfeit their right to a significant government childbirth allowance of several hundred euros. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana) In this Nov. 11, 2018, photo, Renata Kupcova Kazimirova holds her daughter Sona next to her son Vladko, right, as she sits with her husband Vladimir in their home in Hlohovec, Slovakia. Kazimirova had her daughter Sona in early November, and was told they were both healthy. But when she informed the head of obstetrics that she wanted to leave with her baby the following day, a struggle ensued. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana) In this Nov. 16, 2018, photo, a nurse carries a newborn baby at the Kezmarok hospital in Kezmarok, Slovakia. An investigation by The Associated Press has found that women and their newborns in Slovakia are routinely, unjustifiably and illegally detained in hospitals across the European Union country. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana) In this Nov. 15, 2018, photo, a nurse stands outside the room as Paulina Balazova prepares the clothes of her newborn baby at a hospital in Trebisov, Slovakia. An investigation by The Associated Press has found that women and their newborns in Slovakia are routinely, unjustifiably and illegally detained in hospitals across the European Union country. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana) In this Nov. 14, 2018, photo, homes are reflected off the window of Monika Krcova's house as her grandchildren play inside at the Podhorany village near Kezmarok, Slovakia. Krcova did not want to follow the official guidelines and remain in the hospital for four days after her third baby's birth. And so she escaped. Slovakia's Ministry of Health recommends four-day stays for mothers and babies, regardless of their health. Many hospitals seeking insurance reimbursements have turned that into a mandate. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana) SRINAGAR, India (AP) - Thousands of people in Indian-controlled Kashmir joined a funeral procession Monday for two teenage rebels who were killed over the weekend in a long gunbattle with Indian troops in the disputed region. Villagers carried the teens' bodies to a "martyr's graveyard" in the northern town of Hajin, chanting slogans eulogizing anti-India militants and demanding an end to Indian rule over the Himalayan region. Funeral prayers were held at least three times, to accommodate the large number of people arriving from different places in the area. According to police, the two friends, 14-year-old Mudasir Rashid Parray and 17-year-old Saqib Bilal Sheikh, joined the rebel ranks in late August. Police said Parray was the youngest rebel killed in the three decades of armed conflict in Kashmir, a territory divided between India and Pakistan but claimed by both in its entirety. "The two remained friends in life and in death," said Azhar Ahmed, a local resident. "We've lost two lively boys in our neighborhood. Everyone's eyes are moist. They lived and died for the same cause." The two teens and a militant commander were killed Sunday in fighting with government forces that lasted nearly 18 hours, triggering anti-India protests and clashes in the region that left at least five people injured. At least two counterinsurgency police officers and a soldier were wounded in the gunfight. Police identified the slain insurgent commander as a Pakistani national who trained the two friends and recruited them into Lashkar-e-Taiba, a militant group New Delhi blames for a 2008 attack that left 166 people dead in India's commercial capital of Mumbai. An unidentified relative weeps near the body of Mudasir Rashid Parray during joint funeral of teenage rebels Saqib Bilal Sheikh and Mudasir Rashid Parray at Hajin village, north of Srinagar, Indian controlled Kashmir, Monday, Dec. 10, 2018. Thousands of people in Indian-controlled Kashmir joined the funeral procession Monday for two teenage rebels who were killed over the weekend in a long gunbattle with Indian troops in the disputed region. (AP Photo/Mukhtar Khan) Shortly after Monday's burial, hundreds of people, mainly youths, chanted slogans including "Go India, go back" and "We want freedom" as they hit streets in Hajin and clashed with government troops. Police and paramilitary soldiers fired shotgun pellets and tear gas to combat stone-throwing protesters. No one was immediately reported injured in the clashes. Most Kashmiris support rebel demands that the territory be united either under Pakistani rule or as an independent country, while also participating in civilian street protests against Indian control. In recent years, mainly young Kashmiris have displayed open solidarity with the rebels and sought to protect them by engaging troops in street clashes during military operations. Rebels have been fighting Indian control since 1989. India accuses Pakistan of arming and training the rebels, a charge Pakistan denies. Nearly 70,000 people have been killed in the uprising and the ensuing Indian military crackdown. The two deaths, especially of Parray, triggered a debate among Kashmiri netizens, with some arguing that rebel groups should not permit the recruitment of young boys. "We as a society, state and resistance have failed to provide a ray of hope for the new generation," Mushtaq Ul-Haq Ahmad Sikander, a Kashmiri political commentator, wrote on Facebook. Others highlighted the need to urgently resolve the Kashmir dispute. "How can we simply sit back and generically imbibe the news of combatants and noncombatants killed and properties devastated," Ather Zia, who teaches anthropology at the University of Colorado Boulder, wrote on Facebook. "The occupation that pushes our children into the mouth of death must die. This systemic violence meted on Kashmiri lives has to end." Kashmiri villagers attend the joint funeral of teenage rebels Saqib Bilal Sheikh and Mudasir Rashid Parray at Hajin village, north of Srinagar, Indian controlled Kashmir, Monday, Dec. 10, 2018. Thousands of people in Indian-controlled Kashmir joined the funeral procession Monday for two teenage rebels who were killed over the weekend in a long gunbattle with Indian troops in the disputed region. (AP Photo/Mukhtar Khan) Relatives and neighbors wail during the joint funeral of teenage rebels Saqib Bilal Sheikh and Mudasir Rashid Parray at Hajin village, north of Srinagar, Indian controlled Kashmir, Monday, Dec. 10, 2018. Thousands of people in Indian-controlled Kashmir joined the funeral procession Monday for two teenage rebels who were killed over the weekend in a long gunbattle with Indian troops in the disputed region. (AP Photo/Mukhtar Khan) Mother of Saqib Bilal Sheikh sits on a bed carrying her son during the joint funeral of teenage rebels Saqib Bilal Sheikh and Mudasir Rashid Parray at Hajin village, north of Srinagar, Indian controlled Kashmir, Monday, Dec. 10, 2018. Thousands of people in Indian-controlled Kashmir joined the funeral procession Monday for two teenage rebels who were killed over the weekend in a long gunbattle with Indian troops in the disputed region. (AP Photo/Mukhtar Khan) Kashmiri villagers display the body of Saqib Bilal Sheikh during the joint funeral of teenage rebels Saqib Bilal Sheikh and Mudasir Rashid Parray at Hajin village, north of Srinagar, Indian controlled Kashmir, Monday, Dec. 10, 2018. Thousands of people in Indian-controlled Kashmir joined the funeral procession Monday for two teenage rebels who were killed over the weekend in a long gunbattle with Indian troops in the disputed region. (AP Photo/Mukhtar Khan) MOSCOW (AP) - A court in Russia's eastern Siberia on Monday convicted a former policeman of murdering 56 women, bringing the number he is believed to have killed to at least 78. The court found Mikhail Popkov, from the eastern Siberian city of Angarsk, guilty of the murders between 1994 and 2000 and sentenced him to life in prison. Popkov, who was arrested in 2012, is already serving life for 22 other killings. The verdict makes him Russia's most prolific serial killer in at least the past century. Local police have for years been investigating murders in the Irkutsk region, where dozens of women were raped and killed in secluded spots. In order to help the probe, authorities ended up taking DNA samples from 230,000 residents of Angarsk. Sperm found on one of the victims led the investigators to the killer. Psychiatric tests run on the police lieutenant who retired in 1998 have concluded that he is sane. Popkov's lawyer told Russian news agencies that his 54-year-old client would appeal the verdict as well as the motion to strip him of his police pension, which he has been receiving despite the 2015 guilty verdict. PARIS (AP) - French President Emmanuel Macron tried to reassert control over a nation wracked by increasingly violent protests with offers of tax relief for struggling workers and pensioners - and an exceptional admission Monday that "I might have hurt people with my words." It may not be enough. Even as Macron broke his silence on the protests in a brief televised address, yellow-vested demonstrators vowed to keep up the pressure on a man they see as arrogant, out-of-touch and "president of the rich." "We are at a historic moment for our country," the French leader said from the presidential Elysee Palace. "We will not resume the normal course of our lives" after all that has happened. Speaking with a soft voice and gentle tone, Macron pleaded for a return to calm after almost four weeks of protests that started in neglected provinces to oppose fuel tax increases and progressed to rioting in Paris and a plethora of broad demands. It's a turning point in Macron's presidency, and a crucial moment for both France and Europe. Macron rode to the presidency last year on promises of rejuvenating France's stagnant economy and salvaging European unity. His credibility on both fronts is now deeply damaged, just as the EU struggles with Britain's chaotic exit and as France's protests have prompted copycat movements beyond its borders. TV screens show French President Emmanuel during a televised address to the nation, at an electrical appliance store in Marseille, southern France, Monday, Dec. 10, 2018. President Emmanuel Macron has acknowledged he's partially responsible for the anger that has fueled weeks of protests in France, an unusual admission for the leader elected last year. (AP Photo/Claude Paris) French protesters spent days demanding that Macron speak publicly about their concerns. After he did, they dissected his promises. "It doesn't solve the problem," protester Alain Bouche told BFM television from a yellow-vest roadblock southwest of Paris. He said fellow demonstrators want a national referendum, too. At a similar barricade near France's border with Switzerland, demonstrators argued. Two retirees watching the broadcast on a tablet in a makeshift shelter dismissed it as too little, too late. But another yellow-vested protester who gave only her first name, Milliau, said it had "a few reassuring elements. He took one first big step. He has many more to take." Some protest representatives have said more demonstrations will be held Saturday, following those in Paris that turned violent during the previous two weekends. Meanwhile, students opposing changes in key high school tests called for a new round of protests Tuesday. Macron declared an "economic and social state of emergency," ordering the government and parliament to take immediate steps to change tax rules and other policies that hit the wallets of working class French people. He responded to several of the protesters' demands, promising measures that included: -A government-funded 100-euro increase in the minimum wage starting at the beginning of the new year. -Abolition of taxes on overtime pay in 2019. -Asking profit-making companies to give workers tax-free year-end bonuses. -Slashing a tax hike on small pensions, acknowledging it was "unjust." One thing he didn't do: Restore a special tax on households with assets above 1.3 million euros ($1.5 million) that he cut last year. Yellow vest protesters decry the end of the tax and wanted it revived. Overall, Macron unveiled no radical changes, and clung to his vision for transforming France. Yet his costly promises will make it even more difficult to boost growth - already being hammered by protests that have damaged holiday retail sales and worried tourists and foreign investors. "It's more of a budgetary adjustment than a change of political course," said Benjamin Cauchy, a yellow vest protest representative. "That doesn't correspond to what the French want." Some protesters just wanted one thing: Macron to announce "I quit." He showed no signs of giving in. Instead, he defended his political independence and described his devotion to serving France. No French presidential or parliamentary elections are scheduled until 2022. The most remarkable part of the speech may have been the moment an uncharacteristically unshaven Macron said: "I take my share of responsibility" for the anger gripping France. It was an unusual admission for a president whose leadership has appeared marked by a single-minded determination to push through reforms he promised in his 2017 campaign, regardless of the fallout. "I might have hurt people with my words," he said. Indeed, he wounded many when he told a jobless man that he just had to "cross the street" to find work. Or when he told retirees with small pensions to stop complaining. Or when he suggested some French workers are "lazy." However, the centrist leader insisted Monday that the protesters' "malaise" is as old as he is - 40 years - and coincides with France's struggles in recent decades to keep up with globalization. He also denounced the protest-associated violence that led to hundreds of injuries, more than 1,000 arrests and the ransacking of stores in some of Paris' richest neighborhoods. Authorities will show "no indulgence" to those behind the vandalism and rioting, Macron said, adding that "no anger justifies" attacking police or looting stores. Political analyst Dominique Moisi said the important thing in Macron's speech was not only "what he said but the way he said it." Macron sought to establish his authority by declaring he wouldn't tolerate violence, but also "gave the impression that he understood what is happening," Moisi said. Moisi predicted the protest movement could fizzle as the holidays approach and the government launches into the public dialogue Macron promised. Fallout from the protests so far could cost France 0.1 percent of gross domestic product in the last quarter of the year, French Finance Minister Le Maire warned Monday. "That means fewer jobs, it means less prosperity for the whole country," he said. The yellow vest protests began in November against a rise in fuel taxes - which Macron retreated from last week - but mushroomed into other, sometimes contradictory demands. Before his TV speech, Macron met with local and national politicians and with union and business leaders to hear their concerns - but with no representatives of the scattered, leaderless protest movement. ___ Associated Press journalists Samuel Petrequin and Milos Krivokapic in Paris and Samuel Maion-Fontana in Margencel, France, contributed to this report. ___ Follow more AP coverage of the French protests here: https://apnews.com/FranceProtests Demonstrators wearing yellow vests protest at the toll gates of a motorway, in Biarritz, southwestern France, Monday, Dec. 10, 2018. French President Emmanuel Macron will be speaking to his nation at last Monday, after increasingly violent, radicalized protests against his leadership have shaken the country and scarred its beloved capital. His long silence has aggravated that anger and many protesters are hoping only to hear one thing from Macron: "I quit." (AP Photo/Bob Edme) French President Emmanuel Macron poses before a special address to the nation, his first public comments after four weeks of nationwide 'yellow vest' protests, at the Elysee Palace, in Paris, Monday, Dec. 10, 2018. Facing exceptional protests, French President Emmanuel Macron is promising to speed up tax relief for struggling workers and to scrap a tax hike for retirees. (Ludovic Marin/Pool Photo via AP) People watch French President Emmanuel Macron during a televised address to the nation, in Hendaye, southwestern France, Monday, Dec. 10, 2018. In an unusual admission, French President Emmanuel Macron says he's partially responsible for anger fueling protests. (AP Photo/Bob Edme) Demonstrators stand behind a burning bin during clashes, Saturday, Dec. 8, 2018 in Marseille, southern France. The rumble of armored police trucks and the hiss of tear gas filled central Paris on Saturday, as French riot police fought to contain thousands of yellow-vested protesters venting their anger against the government in a movement that has grown more violent by the week. (AP Photo/Claude Paris) A woman and her daughter watch French President Emmanuel Macron during a televised address to the nation, in Lyon, central France, Monday, Dec. 10, 2018. Facing exceptional protests, French President Emmanuel Macron broke his silence Monday by promising broad tax relief for struggling workers and pensioners, and acknowledging his own responsibility for the nation's anger. (AP Photo/Laurent Cipriani) French President Emmanuel Macron, right, and French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe meet with representatives of trade unions, employers' organizations and local elected officials at the Elysee Palace in Paris, Monday, Dec.10 2018. Macron is preparing to speak to the nation Monday at last, after increasingly violent and radicalized protests against his leadership and a long silence that aggravated the anger. (Yoan Valat, Pool via AP) Demonstrators wearing yellow vests protest at the toll gates of a motorway, in Biarritz, southwestern France, Monday, Dec. 10, 2018. French President Emmanuel Macron will be speaking to his nation at last Monday, after increasingly violent, radicalized protests against his leadership have shaken the country and scarred its beloved capital. His long silence has aggravated that anger and many protesters are hoping only to hear one thing from Macron: "I quit." (AP Photo/Bob Edme) Demonstrators wearing yellow vests protest at the toll gates of a motorway, in Biarritz, southwestern France, Monday, Dec. 10, 2018. French President Emmanuel Macron will be speaking to his nation at last Monday, after increasingly violent, radicalized protests against his leadership have shaken the country and scarred its beloved capital. His long silence has aggravated that anger and many protesters are hoping only to hear one thing from Macron: "I quit." (AP Photo/Bob Edme) French President Emmanuel Macron, center, French Prime Minister Edouard Philipppe, left, and Environment Minister Francois de Rugy meet with representatives of trade unions, employers' organizations and local elected officials at the Elysee Palace in Paris, Monday, Dec.10 2018. Macron is preparing to speak to the nation Monday at last, after increasingly violent and radicalized protests against his leadership and a long silence that aggravated the anger. (Yoan Valat, Pool via AP) SEOUL, South Korea (AP) - South Korean prosecutors said Monday that they have charged four people with illegally importing North Korean coal via Russia in violation of U.N. sanctions. The indictments, handed down on Friday, came four months after customs authorities accused three of the four of using forged documents to illicitly import 35,000 tons of North Korean coal and other minerals worth $5.8 million. South Korean media said prosecutors found an additional person implicated in the case during an investigation. Prosecutors said in a statement that the four people and their five entities were charged with violating a law requiring government approval to bring North Korean products into the South. U.N. sanctions that were toughened in 2017 ban member states from importing North Korean coal and other minerals that had been key sources of foreign currency for the impoverished yet nuclear-armed country. The prosecutors' statement said the four people attempted to get profits by selling North Korean minerals whose prices dropped in the wake of the sanctions. It said they used falsified documents and transshipments at Russian ports to disguise North Korean minerals as Russian ones. FILE - In this April 27, 2018, file photo, a North Korean flag flutters in the wind atop a 160-meter tower in North Korea's village Gijungdongseen, as seen from the Taesungdong freedom village inside the demilitarized zone in Paju, South Korea. South Korean prosecutors on Monday, Dec. 10, 2018, have charged four people with illegally importing North Korean coal via Russia in violation of U.N. sanctions. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man, File) North Korea has been seeking sanctions relief in return for some of the measures the country has taken since entering nuclear talks early this year, such as dismantling its nuclear testing site and suspending weapons tests. U.S. officials want the North to take more significant steps. South Korea's liberal president, Moon Jae-in, who favors a negotiated solution to the nuclear issue, has facilitated U.S.-North Korea diplomacy this year. But when he met President Donald Trump recently on the sidelines of the G-20 summit in Argentina, the two agreed that sanctions would remain in place until North Korea completes its nuclear disarmament. A South Korean Foreign Ministry official said the indictments should be seen as an effort by the government to abide by U.N. sanctions. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because she wasn't authorized to speak to reporters on the issue. CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP) - Several people who were severely injured when a man drove his car into counterprotesters at a white nationalist rally last year described devastating physical and psychological effects to a jury tasked with making a sentencing recommendation Monday. Jurors on Friday convicted James Alex Fields Jr. of first-degree murder and other charges for ramming his car into a crowd in Charlottesville during a "Unite the Right" rally on Aug. 12, 2017. Heather Heyer, a 32-year-old paralegal, was killed and dozens were injured. Under the law, the jury can recommend from 20 years to life in prison. Heyer's mother, Susan Bro, told jurors that her daughter's death has been "an explosion in our family" and "we are forever scarred by the pain." "Some days I can't do anything but cry and sit and stare as the grief overtakes me," she said. Jeanne "Star" Peterson said her life has been "a living nightmare" since she was hit by Fields' car. Her right leg was shattered, and she's had five surgeries to try to repair it. She also suffered a broken spine and still hasn't been able to return to work. Fields, 21, drove to Virginia from his home in Maumee, Ohio, to support the white nationalists. After the rally, as a large group of counterprotesters marched through Charlottesville singing and laughing, he stopped his car, backed up, then sped into the crowd, according to testimony from witnesses and video surveillance shown to jurors. Susan Bro, center, mother of Heather Heyer, is escorted down the steps of the courthouse after a guilty verdict was reached in the trial of James Alex Fields Jr., Friday, Dec. 7, 2018, at Charlottesville General district court in Charlottesville, Va. Fields was convicted of first degree murder in the death of Heather Heyer as well as nine other counts during a "Unite the Right" rally in Charlottesville . (AP Photo/Steve Helber) Wednesday Bowie, a counterprotester who got caught on the trunk of Fields' car when he backed up and was then slammed into a parked truck and thrown to the ground, told the jury "the world is not a safe place" with Fields in it. In convicting Fields on Friday, the jury rejected his lawyers' arguments that he acted in self-defense. Jurors also convicted Fields of eight other charges, including aggravated malicious wounding and hit and run. Prosecutors told the jury during his trial that Fields was angry after witnessing violent clashes between the two sides earlier in the day. The violence prompted police to shut down the rally before it even officially began. The trial also featured emotional testimony from survivors. The Unite the Right rally had been organized in part to protest the planned removal of a statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee. Hundreds of Ku Klux Klan members, neo-Nazis and other white nationalists - emboldened by the election of President Donald Trump - streamed into the college town for one of the largest gatherings of white supremacists in a decade. Some dressed in battle gear. Afterward, Trump inflamed tensions even further when he said "both sides" were to blame, a comment some saw as a refusal to condemn racism. According to one of his former teachers, Fields was known in high school for being fascinated with Nazism and idolizing Adolf Hitler. Jurors were shown a text message he sent to his mother days before the rally that included an image of the notorious German dictator. When his mother pleaded with him to be careful, he replied: "we're not the one (sic) who need to be careful." Fields' lawyers told the jury that he drove into the crowd on the day of the rally because he feared for his life and was "scared to death" by earlier violence he had witnessed. A video of Fields being interrogated after the crash showed him sobbing and hyperventilating after he was told a woman had died and others were seriously injured. Fields is eligible for the death penalty if convicted of separate federal hate crime charges. No trial has been scheduled yet. Local activists raise their fists outside Charlottesville General District Court after a guilty verdict was reached in the trial of James Alex Fields Jr., in Charlottesville, Va., Friday, Dec. 7, 2018. Fields was convicted of first degree murder in the death of Heather Heyer as well as nine other counts during a "Unite the Right" rally in Charlottesville . (AP Photo/Steve Helber) Local activists raise their fists outside Charlottesville General District Court after a guilty verdict was reached in the trial of James Alex Fields Jr., in Charlottesville, Va., Friday, Dec. 7, 2018. Fields was convicted of first degree murder in the death of Heather Heyer as well as nine other counts during a "Unite the Right" rally in Charlottesville . (AP Photo/Steve Helber) In this courtroom sketch James Alex Fields Jr., center, sits with his attorney's Denise Lunsford, left, and John Hill during the second day of jury selection in his trial in Charlottesville General District Court in Charlottesville, Va., Tuesday, Nov. 27, 2018. Fields is accused of killing a woman during a white nationalist rally in Virginia last year. (Izabel Zermani via AP) This artwork shows James Alex Jr., during the second day of jury selection in his trial in Charlottesville General District Court in Charlottesville, Va., Tuesday, Nov. 27, 2018. (AP Photo/Izabel Zermani) MARRAKECH, Morocco (AP) - The Latest on the U.N. migration conference (all times local): 8:40 p.m. A top humanitarian leader admits governments have a right to set migration policy, but insist they shouldn't increase suffering or play into a recent trend toward the "criminalization of compassion." Francesco Rocca, president of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, said a U.N. migration pact agreed by 164 countries in Marrakech, Morocco, on Monday was about "dignity" of people who face human traffickers, sexual exploitation and other abuse while on the move. Rocca said the Global Compact on Migration will try to fix "a global approach to migration that is broken." He told The Associated Press that "we don't want to interfere in domestic policies, honestly we don't care. We only care about the dignity for these human beings." U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, 2nd left, and Moroccan Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Nasser Bourita, center, chair the opening session of a UN Migration Conference in Marrakech, Morocco, Monday, Dec.10, 2018. Top U.N. officials and government leaders from about 150 countries are uniting around an agreement on migration, while finding themselves on the defensive about the non-binding deal amid criticism and a walkout from the United States and some other countries. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy) "Too many people are dying. Too many are suffering." ___ 7:25 p.m. Morocco's King Mohammed VI says "repressive" migration policies only serve to slow the movement of people - not stop it - and insists no country can go it alone in dealing with waves of migration. The north African monarch, playing host to a key U.N. conference on migration in Marrakech, didn't attend but sent word Monday through his prime minister that "no single country can, on its own, face up to such a challenge." At least nine countries, including the United States, pulled out of the accord - many citing a possible threat to national sovereignty. The king defended the rights of migrants to access basic services in countries of transit and destination. Morocco is a major hub for migrants who try to flee poverty in sub-Saharan Africa and reach Europe. ___ 1:15 p.m. German Chancellor Angela Merkel says a U.N. accord on migration is "about nothing less than the foundation of our international cooperation." Merkel, who welcomed hundreds of thousands of refugees from places like Syria and Afghanistan to her country, hailed an "important day" after more than 160 countries approved the first Global Compact for Migration at a United Nations conference in Marrakech. She pointed to the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration on Human Rights being celebrated also Monday, saying human rights apply "to every person on our planet." Merkel also inveighed against dangers posed by people smugglers, saying they could not be allowed to control borders. She received a standing ovation after ending her speech by saying the United Nations was founded on the embers of World War II, and alluded to the "incredible suffering on humankind" wrought by the Nazi regime. ___ 12:40 p.m. Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel says the U.N.-backed Global Compact on migration is being misused by some political parties to spread disinformation. Michel, whose coalition government split over his support for the pact, said in Marrakech Monday that the text has sparked "lively debate" in Europe. But he says it is being exploited by political parties "to spread lies and mistruth." Austria, which holds the European Union's presidency, is refusing to sign the document, as are Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia, whose foreign minister threatened to resign over his country's stance. The pact has become a hot topic and stands as an easy target for populists ahead of the EU elections in May. Michel said that in signing the compact, "my country will be on the right side of history." ___ 10:55 a.m. The Norwegian Refugee Council says a nonbinding international deal on migration "recognizes the rising threats of disaster displacement and impacts of climate change and brings hope for the people affected." Nina Birkeland, a spokeswoman for the group, says the text "is the first comprehensive U.N. document where the international community makes specific commitments to address natural hazards and climate change as drivers of cross-border displacement." The accord was agreed by more than 160 countries Monday, but is rejected by the United States and some other Western nations. Birkeland said Monday that when people cross borders, international cooperation "is not only wanted but required." The Norwegian humanitarian organization that works in more than 30 countries added: "We regret that the formal review will only take place every four years, which we fear will not be sufficient to ensure necessary action." ___ 10:35 a.m. More than 160 countries have agreed on a nonbinding U.N. migration accord that seeks to ensure the safe, orderly and humane movement of people around the world, over the outspoken disapproval of the United States and several other countries. High-level government delegates including German Chancellor Angela Merkel have given their backing to the U.N.'s Global Compact for Migration approved by acclamation by 164 countries Monday, culminating years of efforts supported by U.S. President Barack Obama but rejected by the Trump administration. Defenders say migration can help national economies by rejuvenating the workforce in aging rich countries and by providing a needed source of cash to poorer countries through remittances. They say orderly migration will save lives. Opponents say the pact could challenge national sovereignty and they fear an influx of migrants. ___ 9:50 a.m. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has sought to dispel "falsehoods" and "myths" over an international agreement on safe, humane and orderly migration. The U.N. chief spoke at the start of a two-day international conference about the "Global Compact on Migration," moments before about 150 countries were set to agree to it by acclamation. The United States and at least seven other countries have pulled out amid concerns about migrant flows and national sovereignty. Guterres called the compact a "road map to prevent suffering and chaos" aimed to benefit everyone. He said over 60,000 migrants have died on the move since 2000, calling that "a source of collective shame." He said the pact won't allow the U.N. to impose migration policies on member states and is not a legally-binding treaty. He said most migration is not from the South to the "global North," but among states in the south, and added that it was not true that developed countries don't need migration. Guterres said he hoped that countries not present would join one day. ___ 8:25 a.m. Top U.N. officials and government leaders from about 150 countries are uniting around an agreement on migration, while finding themselves on the defensive about the non-binding deal amid criticism and a walkout from the United States and some other countries. The Global Compact for Migration has proven a test for globally minded policymakers who want to ensure safe and orderly migration of people displaced by issues like war, economic necessity and climate change. They have run into stiff political headwinds, mostly in parts of the West that want national borders to remain sacrosanct. German Chancellor Angela Merkel joins U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres among the biggest names in Marrakech for the two-day conference that is set to agree, but not sign, the compact by acclamation shortly after the opening Monday. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres arrives to attend a UN Migration Conference in Marrakech, Morocco, Monday, Dec.10, 2018. Top U.N. officials and government leaders from about 150 countries are uniting around an agreement on migration, while finding themselves on the defensive about the non-binding deal amid criticism and a walkout from the United States and some other countries. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy) German Chancellor Angela Merkel arrives to attend a UN Migration Conference in Marrakech, Morocco, Monday, Dec.10, 2018. Top U.N. officials and government leaders from about 150 countries are uniting around an agreement on migration, while finding themselves on the defensive about the non-binding deal amid criticism and a walkout from the United States and some other countries. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy) TOKYO (AP) - The price for the initial public offering of SoftBank Group Corp.'s Japanese mobile subsidiary was set Monday at 1,500 yen ($13) a share. The Dec. 19 IPO on the Tokyo Stock Exchange will likely raise more than 2 trillion yen ($18 billion) and will be one of the world's biggest share offerings, rivaling that of China's Alibaba Group, which went public in 2014. Facebook raised $16 billion when it went public in 2012. The IPO comes on the heels of an embarrassing massive service outage last week, which the company blamed on a software problem. It had initially cited mechanical problems. How many people were affected remains under investigation, SoftBank said, but millions of people are signed on to the service in Japan. Some said they could not text important messages or make payments with their cell phones, highlighting the country's dependence on mobile services. Softbank apologized for the problems, saying in a statement that "We take this matter extremely seriously and will do our utmost to take all measures possible to prevent a recurrence." The IPO price announced Monday was the same as the preliminary price announced last month. The company is listing 1.6 billion shares. FILE - In this Dec. 4, 2018, file photo, people walk past in front of a SoftBank shop at Ginza shopping district in Tokyo. SoftBank Group Corp. says the price for the initial public offering of its Japanese mobile subsidiary has been set at 1,500 yen ($13) a share. (AP Photo/Koji Sasahara, File) SoftBank Group's chief, Masayoshi Son, has drawn attention for his relations with Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman after the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi. About half of SoftBank Group's $100 billion Vision Fund comes from the kingdom. The fund has been investing in solar projects and artificial intelligence. The parent SoftBank is eager to add cash for its investments not linked to Saudi Arabia. It has invested in a range of companies globally, including U.S. wireless company Sprint, British IoT company ARM, Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba, U.S. ride-sharing service Uber and office space sharing WeWork. SoftBank is also the creator of the Pepper companion robot. SoftBank, founded in 1986, was initially a software, broadband and fixed-line telecommunications businesses. As a mobile carrier, it was the first to offer the Apple iPhone in Japan. ___ Yuri Kageyama is on Twitter at https://twitter.com/yurikageyama On Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/yurikageyama/?hl=en KEZMAROK, Slovakia (AP) - Monika Krcova saw no reason why she should stay in the hospital for four days after her third baby's birth - she was healthy and her family needed her at home. So she escaped. Like many Roma, she tells horror stories about giving birth in the hospital: How doctors at the Kezmarok hospital in eastern Slovakia slapped her face repeatedly during delivery, screaming that she didn't know how to push properly. How she was subjected to racist taunts and her post-partum pain went untreated. Krcova knew that hospital staffers would stop her and her baby if she tried to leave after two days. So she waited until visiting hours, when the doors of the maternity ward were unlocked and slipped away, alone. Slovakia's Ministry of Health strongly recommends four-day stays for mothers and babies after birth, regardless of their health. But many hospitals - seeking insurance reimbursements - have turned that guidance into a mandate. An investigation by The Associated Press has found that women and their newborns are routinely, unjustifiably and illegally detained in hospitals across the European Union country. Women who escape hospitals before doctors grant permission must usually leave their babies behind. When Krcova returned to retrieve her infant a couple of days after she left, the hospital charged her 20 euros ($23) - an illegal fine. In this Nov. 14, 2018, photo, Monika Krcova, center left, sits with her daughter Ivana and her grandchildren in their house in Podhorany village, near Kezmarok, Slovakia. Krcova is no longer afraid of her local hospital since she isn't planning to have more children, but worries about her daughter Ivana, who says she also was slapped by nurses when she previously gave birth and is now pregnant. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana) "It felt like punishment," she said. "If you and your baby are healthy and you have to stay there, it's like prison." In October, the APreported that hospitals in more than 30 countries illegally hold patients when they cannot pay their bills, including in Kenya, Congo, India, the Philippines and Bolivia. While there are some differences, many experts say the situation in Slovakia - which is also seen to some extent in other countries like Bulgaria and the Czech Republic - amounts to hospital imprisonment. "Detention in African hospitals is about money, but in Slovakia it's about power," said Zuzana Kriskova, a maternal rights activist. In the U.S., the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists says women with no delivery problems can be discharged with their babies after one to two days. Britain recommends women and their infants stay for at least six hours after an uncomplicated birth, but they are free to leave anytime. Slovak doctors, however, say babies must be kept in the hospital because numerous screening tests are needed. The Ministry of Health says they are considering shortening the required period of post-birth hospitalization to three days, but that mothers "should follow the instructions of the attending physician" on issues including when they can go home. "I know of no medical evidence to justify what's being done to women and their newborns in Slovakia," said Mindy Roseman, a global health expert at Yale Law School. "They're basically being kidnapped and unlawfully detained." Hospitals and insurance play a central role. Dovera, Slovakia's biggest private health insurance provider, said it reimburses hospitals separately for mothers and newborns and that the minimum stay after childbirth for both is four days. The situation weighs most heavily on Roma (also known, pejoratively, as Gypsies). Having suffered from discrimination across Europe for generations, they complain they are treated abysmally by hospitals. Numerous Roma women told the AP they were tied up and beaten in hospitals, and shouted at during birth. Some said there were often two women and babies squeezed into a single bed. One Roma woman tearfully told the AP that when she escaped from Kezmarok hospital after giving birth to twins four years ago, she got sick and couldn't retrieve them for 10 days. By that time, the institution had given away her baby boy and girl to an orphanage. She has not seen them since and would not give her name, afraid the hospital would refuse to treat her family. Maria Lumkova, a Roma health assistant, said there are usually about three such cases every year in the village where she works. Alzbeta Siva, a spokeswoman for Kezmarok hospital, said Roma babies left in the facility can be sent to an orphanage, but only "rarely." She acknowledged that nurses do occasionally strike Roma women during delivery. "Sometimes there are cases like that, but very few," she said. At the Kezmarok hospital in mid-November, four out of 17 newborns were still being detained after their mothers absconded. Some doctors said Roma women were taking advantage of the situation. Dr. Jozef Adam, head of obstetrics at the university hospital in Presov, said Roma women worry their husbands will be unfaithful: "They run away to be with their men. They know their babies will be taken care of here so they leave them." Even white, privileged Slovak women complain they have been imprisoned by hospitals. When Renata Kupcova Kazimirova tried to take her newborn daughter home two days after her birth in early November, she and her husband clashed repeatedly with hospital staffers. Doctors threatened to call the police if the couple left with their newborn. "They told my husband: 'There is no way this baby is leaving,'" Kazimirova said. She and her infant ultimately stayed the mandatory four days. Jarmila Noskova, a Roma woman now pregnant with her seventh child, says she cried for days every time she was forced to remain in the hospital after birth, terrified the hospital would alert the police if she left. "I was told to stay in the hospital," she said. "And so I endured it for my baby." ___ Karel Janicek in Prague contributed to this report. In this Nov. 16, 2018, photo, three babies whose mothers absconded the hospital, rest in their cribs at the Kezmarok hospital in Kezmarok, Slovakia. An investigation by The Associated Press has found that women and their newborns in Slovakia are routinely, unjustifiably and illegally detained in hospitals across the European Union country. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana) In this Nov. 11, 2018, photo, a couple stands on the balcony of their apartment in Zilina, Slovakia. An investigation by The Associated Press has found that women and their newborns in Slovakia are routinely, unjustifiably and illegally detained in hospitals across the European Union country. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana) In this Nov. 14, 2018, photo, Monika Krcova talks to a neighbor while standing in her house at the Podhorany village near Kezmarok, Slovakia. Krcova did not want to follow the official guidelines and remain in the hospital for four days after her third baby's birth. And so she escaped. Slovakia's Ministry of Health recommends four-day stays for mothers and babies, regardless of their health. Many hospitals seeking insurance reimbursements have turned that into a mandate. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana) In this Nov. 15, 2018, photo, a delivery room sits empty in the Trebisov hospital in Trebisov, Slovakia. An investigation by The Associated Press has found that women and their newborns in Slovakia are routinely, unjustifiably and illegally detained in hospitals across the European Union country. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana) In this Nov. 14, 2018, photo, dark clouds hover over Podhorany village after a storm near Kezmarok, Slovakia. An investigation by The Associated Press has found that women and their newborns in Slovakia are routinely, unjustifiably and illegally detained in hospitals across the European Union country. Roma women, vulnerable to racist abuse and physical violence, suffer particularly. They're also often poor, and mothers who leave hospitals before doctors grant permission forfeit their right to a significant government childbirth allowance of several hundred euros. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana) In this Nov. 16, 2018, photo, a Roma girl holds with a bucket to collect water in a village near Kezmarok, Slovakia. An investigation by The Associated Press has found that women and their newborns in Slovakia are routinely, unjustifiably and illegally detained in hospitals across the European Union country. Roma women, vulnerable to racist abuse and physical violence, suffer particularly. They're also often poor, and mothers who leave hospitals before doctors grant permission forfeit their right to a significant government childbirth allowance of several hundred euros. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana) In this Nov. 14, 2018, photo, Jarmila Noskova, 33, stands at the entrance of her house with her daughter in Podhorany village near Kezmarok, Slovakia. Noskova, a Roma woman now pregnant with her seventh child, said she cried for days every time she was forced to remain in the hospital after birth, terrified the hospital would alert the police if she left. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana) In this Nov. 14, 2018, photo, a Roma woman stands at the entrance of her house as dark clouds hover over the Podhorany village near Kezmarok, Slovakia. An investigation by The Associated Press has found that women and their newborns in Slovakia are routinely, unjustifiably and illegally detained in hospitals across the European Union country. Roma women, vulnerable to racist abuse and physical violence, suffer particularly. They're also often poor, and mothers who leave hospitals before doctors grant permission forfeit their right to a significant government childbirth allowance of several hundred euros. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana) In this Nov. 16, 2018, photo, a Roma woman walks to a village near Kezmarok, Slovakia. An investigation by The Associated Press has found that women and their newborns in Slovakia are routinely, unjustifiably and illegally detained in hospitals across the European Union country. Roma women, vulnerable to racist abuse and physical violence, suffer particularly. They're also often poor, and mothers who leave hospitals before doctors grant permission forfeit their right to a significant government childbirth allowance of several hundred euros. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana) In this Nov. 11, 2018, photo, Renata Kupcova Kazimirova holds her daughter Sona next to her son Vladko, right, as she sits with her husband Vladimir in their home in Hlohovec, Slovakia. Kazimirova had her daughter Sona in early November, and was told they were both healthy. But when she informed the head of obstetrics that she wanted to leave with her baby the following day, a struggle ensued. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana) In this Nov. 16, 2018, photo, a nurse carries a newborn baby at the Kezmarok hospital in Kezmarok, Slovakia. An investigation by The Associated Press has found that women and their newborns in Slovakia are routinely, unjustifiably and illegally detained in hospitals across the European Union country. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana) In this Nov. 15, 2018, photo, a nurse stands outside the room as Paulina Balazova prepares the clothes of her newborn baby at a hospital in Trebisov, Slovakia. An investigation by The Associated Press has found that women and their newborns in Slovakia are routinely, unjustifiably and illegally detained in hospitals across the European Union country. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana) In this Nov. 14, 2018, photo, homes are reflected off the window of Monika Krcova's house as her grandchildren play inside at the Podhorany village near Kezmarok, Slovakia. Krcova did not want to follow the official guidelines and remain in the hospital for four days after her third baby's birth. And so she escaped. Slovakia's Ministry of Health recommends four-day stays for mothers and babies, regardless of their health. Many hospitals seeking insurance reimbursements have turned that into a mandate. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana) In this Nov. 16, 2018, photo, a nurse dresses a baby at the Kezmarok hospital in Kezmarok, Slovakia. An investigation by The Associated Press has found that women and their newborns in Slovakia are routinely, unjustifiably and illegally detained in hospitals across the European Union country. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana) JERUSALEM (AP) - Israel says it has been accepted as a member in a global money laundering and terrorism financing watchdog group. The Financial Action Task Force is an intergovernmental group of some 35 countries based in Paris that sets international standards on terror financing and money laundering. Israel says Monday that its acceptance into the group will allow it to take an active role in global policy-making on the issues. In a statement, the FATF said Israel's "experience and perspective will make a valuable contribution to our work to prevent the misuse of the financial system." The group has in the past given Israel's archenemy Iran ultimatums over terrorism funding, warning of deeper economic isolation if it doesn't comply. BRUSSELS (AP) - The European Union on Monday prolonged sanctions against Congolese President Joseph Kabila's chosen successor just two weeks before a historic election in the resource-rich Central African country. EU headquarters said that travel bans and asset freezes will be renewed for a year against Congo's ruling party candidate Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary and 13 other people. Shadary was sanctioned by the EU last year for obstructing Congo's electoral process and a crackdown against protesters angry over the long-delayed vote. The decision, taken by EU foreign ministers in Brussels, could be reviewed "in the light of and following" the elections, scheduled for Dec. 23. It could be Congo's first peaceful, democratic transfer of power. The opposition fears that Kabila , who has ruled since 2001, will assert power behind the scenes if Shadary wins. Kabila's adviser said the EU move is tantamount to election meddling. Bulgarian Foreign Minister Ekaterina Zaharieva, second right, talks to Germany's Foreign Minister Heiko Maas, left, Italy's Foreign Minister Enzo Moavero, second left, and Belgium's Foreign Minister Didier Reynders prior a meeting of EU Foreign Affairs ministers at the European Council headquarters in Brussels, Monday, Dec. 10, 2018. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco) "We have said it time and again. We believe those sanctions are politically motivated they are arbitrary and they are unjust," said Kikaya Bin Karubi, Kabila's special adviser. "And even more so, to renew them today, two weeks before the elections, what the European Union is doing is actually interfering in our electoral process." Kikaya said the opposition is using this renewal politically, telling voters that they can't elect a president who can't travel to Europe. "That's a big problem for us. It's an extra-continental organization interfering into our internal affairs. And that happens at a time when even the African Union, their partner organization, has implored them not to do this," he said. "All we know is that if Mr. Shadary is elected president of the Congo, he will be president of the Democratic Republic of Congo and not the president of The European Union." Congo's foreign minister has previously raised the sanctions issue with EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini. He told reporters he had asked that the "illegal" sanctions be lifted on Shadary before the election, or at least be suspended for a "probationary period" as a compromise. But Human Rights Watch also wrote to Mogherini late last month, appealing to her to ensure that the sanctions are renewed and even expanded. "Less than one month before the scheduled election, the repression continues, those responsible for past abuses have not been held to account, and the enabling environment for credible elections does not exist," the rights group wrote. ___ Carley Petesch in Kinshasa, Congo contributed to this report. Italy's Foreign Minister Enzo Moavero, left, talks to a member of his delegation prior a meeting of EU Foreign Affairs ministers at the European Council headquarters in Brussels, Monday, Dec. 10, 2018. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco) Germany's Foreign Minister Heiko Maas, left, talks to his Poland counterpart Jacek Czaputowicz prior a meeting of EU Foreign Affairs ministers at the European Council headquarters in Brussels, Monday, Dec. 10, 2018. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco) AMMAN, Jordan (AP) - The U.N. Special envoy for Syria said Monday work is still ongoing to form a committee meant to draft a new constitution before the end of the year, adding that hurdles remain in place. Staffan de Mistura made his comments in Jordan after meeting Minister of Foreign Affairs Ayman Safadi who said that Jordan's "firm position" is that a political solution must be found, and "destruction and killing must be stopped in order for Syria to be recovered and to restore its role as a cornerstone in the region." Last month, Syria's warring sides and mediators meeting in Kazakhstan failed to agree on the formation of a constitutional committee which is key to ending the seven-year civil war. De Mistura at the time called it a "missed opportunity." At issue is the 50-member delegation comprising Syrian experts, civil society, independents, tribal leaders and women that de Mistura was authorized to put together by countries attending a Russian-hosted Syrian peace conference in the Black Sea resort of Sochi on Jan. 30. Agreement has already been reached on a 50-member government delegation and a delegation equal in size from the opposition for the drafting committee. Syrian President Bashar Assad has said his government will only consider amendments to the current constitution, in defiance of the Sochi agreement to have the government, opposition and independents draft a new document. "We are still working (nights) in order to make sure that if we can there will be an announcement of something regarding the constitutional committee," said de Mistura, whose term ends at the end of the year. "If not, we will have to draw ourselves some conclusions." The U.N. envoy said that he will likely be delivering his last statement to the U.N. Security Council on Dec. 20 and assess "where we are on the constitutional committee." In the capital Damascus, the Syrian army command said it will demobilize thousands of conscripts and reservists who have been serving in the military for five years by Jan. 1. The army said in a statement carried by state news agency SANA that the implementation of the order will begin on Dec. 16. The announcement comes after government forces captured wide parts of the country earlier this year including suburbs of the capital Damascus known as eastern Ghouta and southern regions in the county. Demobilizations began after eastern Ghouta was captured in April. Earlier Monday, U.S.-backed Syrian fighters pushed deeper into the Islamic State group's last remaining stronghold in Syria, capturing an abandoned hospital. The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces entered the eastern town of Hajin last week and intense fighting has been ongoing since then. SDF spokesman Mustafa Bali said the U.S.-allied fighters took full control of town's hospital early Monday. Omar Abu Layla, of the activist-run DeirEzzor 24 monitoring group, confirmed the hospital on the edge of town was retaken by the SDF. Rami Abdurrahman, who heads the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, said the hospital had been destroyed earlier by airstrikes from the U.S.-led coalition. The hospital was close to the front lines and was not believed to be operating when it was hit. The U.S.-led coalition, in a statement, said IS forces had used the Hajin hospital as a platform to engage allied forces on the ground, causing the hospital to lose its protected status. SDF fighters launched an offensive to capture Hajin and nearby villages on Sept. 10. They have made little progress since then, but last week intensified their attacks under the cover of airstrikes by the U.S.-led coalition. The Observatory meanwhile released an updated death toll for Syria's conflict, saying that about 560,000 people have been killed since it began in March 2011. The group said it has documented the names of 367,965 of the deceased. The group said the dead include 111,330 civilians, 65,048 troops and 50,296 pro-government Syrian gunmen. It said the dead also include 65,108 insurgents and 2,619 army defectors. The seven-year conflict has also wounded more than a million people and displaced half of Syria's 23 million-strong population, including 5.6 million who are refugees, mostly in Turkey, Jordan and Lebanon. ___ Mroue reported from Beirut. KATOWICE, Poland (AP) - The Latest on climate talks taking place in Poland (all times local): 6:35 p.m. A dozen Roman Catholic pilgrims have arrived at an ongoing U.N. climate summit in Poland after walking hundreds of miles across Europe. The pilgrims were greeted Monday by the head of the U.N. climate office, Patricia Espinosa, who thanked them for raising awareness of the impacts of climate change. Joanna Sustento said her parents, brother, sister-in-law and 3-year-old nephew were killed in Typhoon Haiyan, the 2013 typhoon that devastated the Philippines. Scientists say a warmer world makes for stronger hurricanes. Sustento said: "I hope that we do not wait for another catastrophe to happen, for us to really fully commit and take action on climate." Swedish young activist, 15-year-old Greta Thunberg, right, speaks to climate activists during the March for Climate in a protest against global warming in Katowice, Poland, Saturday, Dec. 8, 2018, as the COP24 UN Climate Change Conference takes place in the city. (AP Photo/Alik Keplicz) Some of the pilgrims spent more than two months walking to Katowice, Poland from Rome, covering a distance of about 1,500 kilometers (nearly 950 miles.) ___ 6:05 p.m. Saudi Arabia says more research is needed to understand "gaps" in scientific understanding of global warming, amid criticism of its negotiating stance at this year's U.N. climate talks. The kingdom issued a statement Monday saying it recognized the efforts of scientists who worked on a landmark report about the Paris accord's target of keeping temperature rises at 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit.) But the oil-rich nation said the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's report "still requires further research and analysis in order to address these gaps." Saudi Arabia was among four countries - along with Russia, Kuwait and the United States - that blocked a motion Saturday to welcome the IPCC report during the two-week talks in Katowice, Poland. The move prompted criticism from other governments and environmental groups. The issue is likely to come up again as soon as Tuesday. ___ 2:45 p.m. The president of the U.N. climate talks taking place in Poland says their success lies with the determination of almost 200 participating nations, not with him. Poland's Deputy Environment Minister Michal Kurtyka was criticized Monday by the environmental group Greenpeace International, which said he was not doing enough to ramp up the meeting's ambitions to curb global warming. Kurtyka told a news conference at the talks' venue in Katowice, that their success is in the hands the nations. He said the role of the presidency is to "make sure that the (negotiating) process is transparent, is inclusive, is taking everybody on board." He said the presidency was doing its utmost to build bridges and that his "deepest wish" was for success. "It is in the hands of parties and it will be a success of (the) parties or it will be our collective failure," Kurtyka said. ___ 1:50 p.m. Indigenous and youth groups are protesting an event on fossil fuels hosted by the American delegation at the U.N. climate talks. The groups disrupted the start of the event on Monday, chanting "keep it in the ground" - a reference to ending the extraction of coal, oil and natural gas. The United States government has announced it is withdrawing from the 2015 Paris climate accord, but has sent a small delegation to the summit in Poland because the U.S. technically is still part of the agreement. The protest by about 100 people mirrored a similar action taken during a U.S.-hosted panel at last year's climate talks in Bonn, Germany. ___ 1:05 p.m. The executive director of environmental group Greenpeace International is criticizing the way Poland is presiding over the U.N. climate talks. Jennifer Morgan said Monday the chair of the summit isn't doing enough to ensure countries discuss ramping up their ambition to curb global warming. Poland's deputy environment minister, Michal Kurtyka, faces a difficult task during the two-week talks in Katowice, bridging the differences of almost 200 countries. Morgan told reporters on the sidelines of the summit that her organization is "deeply concerned about how he is running these negotiations." Citing a public bust-up Saturday over whether to endorse a scientific report on keeping global warming at the 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 Fahrenheit), Morgan urged Kurtyka to establish a dedicated working group that will send an ambitious signal about the world's willingness to tackle climate change. ___ 12:20 p.m. An environmental group says at least 14 foreigners have been detained or deported by Poland's Border Guard since the start of the U.N. climate conference in the Polish city of Katowice. Svitlana Romanko of the 350.org group said Monday those deported were from Russia, Ukraine, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan and Germany. A border guard spokeswoman, Agnieszka Golias, said earlier that 161 people were banned from entering Poland on Saturday, when some 3,000 protesters marched through Katowice to urge more action against climate change. Romanenko accused Polish authorities of "using repressive powers" and said the U.N. should pressure Warsaw to make sure that civil society activists can take part in the climate meeting. Border Guards say a temporary measure put in place for the climate conference bars entry to people who potentially pose a security problem. ___ 11:20 a.m. Groups that monitor countries' performance in tackling climate change say Sweden remains top of the league, while the United States has dropped in the index. The Climate Change Performance Index released Monday on the sidelines of a U.N. summit on global warming has no countries in the top three ranks because none does well in all categories assessed. But Sweden took the best spot, fourth, as last year, while Morocco's efforts to ramp up renewable energy pushed it up a notch to fifth place. The European Union as a whole rose from 21st to 16th place, but its biggest economy, Germany, fell from 22nd to 27th because of its reliance on lignite coal, a big source of greenhouse gas emissions. The New Climate Institute, Climate Action Network and Germany, which produced the index, said the U.S. dropped from 56th to 59th place due to high emissions and poor ratings for the federal government's policies. Saudi Arabia came last, in 60th place, partly due to its obstructive role during international climate negotiations. ___ 6 a.m. Some 415 asset managers, including major pension funds and insurance companies, are calling on governments to phase out coal-fired power plants and put a meaningful price on carbon to help tackle climate change. The funds, with over $32 trillion in assets, issued their appeal Monday as ministers gathered in Katowice, Poland, for the second week of a U.N. climate summit. Burning fossil fuels such as coal is a major source of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide, and scientists say it needs to end by the middle of the century to keep global warming below 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 Fahrenheit). The United States has announced it is pulling out of the 2015 Paris climate accord. It is hosting an event at the U.N. talks to promote innovative fossil fuel technology. _ This item has been corrected to show the number of investors backing call for coal phase-out is 415, not over 450. FILE - In this June 1, 2017 file photo, protesters gather outside the White House in Washington to protest President Donald Trump's decision to withdraw the Unites States from the Paris climate change accord. Environmental activists are ramping up a pressure campaign aimed at stoking Democratic support for an ambitious environmental plan known as the Green New Deal ahead of the 2020 presidential race. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh) Climate activists attend the March for Climate in a protest against global warming in Katowice, Poland, Saturday, Dec. 8, 2018, as the COP24 UN Climate Change Conference takes place in the city. (AP Photo/Alik Keplicz) ROME (AP) - Pope Francis on Monday lamented that the poor, the unborn, those imprisoned and those who have been forcibly "disappeared" do not enjoy the same human rights protections as the wealthy. Francis marked the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights with a message read at the start of a Vatican-backed conference. In it, Francis said there were "numerous contradictions" in the way the U.N. declaration was applied and blamed the world's profit-motivated economy that exploits the poor for the injustices experienced by the world's most vulnerable. "While one part of humanity lives in opulence, another sees their dignity unrecognized ... their fundamental rights ignored or violated," he said. He cited the unborn, those deprived of education and dignified work, as well as prisoners who are tortured and held in "unhuman conditions." But Francis also cited "victims of forced disappearances and their families." It was a rare reference for Francis, who was Jesuit superior in his native Argentina during the 1976-1983 "Dirty War," the right-wing military government's crackdown on leftist dissidents. Official estimates say between 7,600-13,000 people were killed or forcibly "disappeared" during the crackdown; human rights activists believe the real number was as high as 30,000. Framed by a Christmas tree, Pope Francis waves during the Angelus noon prayer from his studio window overlooking St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, Sunday, Dec. 9, 2018. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino) Francis rarely refers in public to the bloody period of Argentina's past. But he has met with representatives of the "Mothers of Plaza de Mayo," who have campaigned for years for information about the disappeared and their children, many of whom were secretly taken from their birth families and given up for adoption. In 2016, Francis authorized the opening of archives from the Vatican and the Argentine church for consultation by victims and their families. Many senior Catholic clerics were close to Argentina's military rulers at the time and human rights groups have accused them of complicity with the regime. Francis himself had been criticized for not speaking out publicly about the atrocities while a high-ranking Jesuit. But he has also been credited with saving the lives of more than two dozen people, giving them sanctuary in his seminary and helping spirit them out of the country. Framed by a Christmas tree, Pope Francis delivers his speech during the Angelus noon prayer from his studio window overlooking St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, Sunday, Dec. 9, 2018. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino) ALBANY, Ky. (AP) - A 3-year-old girl whose uncle authorities say cut her throat has died in a Kentucky hospital. Citing a Fayette County Coroner's Office release, news outlets report Josephine Bulubenchi died Sunday evening, more than a day after she was attacked. Clinton County Sheriff Jim Guffey says 33-year-old Emanuel Fluter is charged. He had been living with the family. Guffey says Josephine's father heard her scream on a baby monitor Saturday morning and rushed in to try to disarm Fluter, receiving a cut on his hand. According to the arrest citation, there were four other children in the room when Josephine was attacked. Fluter was initially charged with two counts of first-degree assault and four counts of wanton endangerment. Additional charges are expected. It's unclear whether he has a lawyer. KIGALI, Rwanda (AP) - Rwanda's army says its forces have fought and repelled suspected rebels who crossed into the country from neighboring Congo, killing four of them. Army spokesman Innocent Munyengango tells The Associated Press that the attack by suspected Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda occurred on Sunday in western Rubavu district. Munyengango says no Rwandan forces were killed. The mayor of Rubavu district tells local media that one resident was injured. The last attack by suspected FDLR members was in 2016 when several civilians were reportedly killed. Some FDLR leaders are linked to perpetrators of the 1994 Rwandan genocide in which more than 800,000 people were killed. They have been operating in Congo for nearly two decades. BERLIN (AP) - Import growth outpaced that of exports in October in Germany, narrowing the trade surplus of Europe's largest economy. The Federal Statistical Office said Monday that October exports were up 0.7 percent and imports up 1.3 percent compared with September, in calendar and seasonally adjusted terms. That lowered the trade surplus to 17.3 billion euros ($19.74 billion) in October, from 17.7 billion euros in September. Compared to October 2017, exports to European Union nations rose 8.1 percent, and those to other countries were up 9.2 percent, in unadjusted figures. Imports from inside the EU rose 7.5 percent in October 2018 compared to the same month in 2017, while imports from countries outside the bloc were up 8.3 percent. JERUSALEM (AP) - Israel's prime minister on Monday announced that Oman will open its airspace to Israel's national airline. The move appears to have no immediate practical effect because carrier El Al is still barred from flying over Oman's northern neighbor, Saudi Arabia. But it marks another sign of warming ties between Israel and Gulf Arab states, as Israel's behind-the-scenes dealings with its former foes become more public. Benjamin Netanyahu told a gathering of Israeli ambassadors that Oman's Sultan Qaboos bin Said granted El Al permission to pass through its airspace during the Israeli leader's surprise visit to the country in October. The two states have no formal diplomatic relations. Israel only has peace agreements with two Arab states - Egypt and Jordan. El Al said the news of Oman's permission took the airline by surprise, but that it "welcomes the prime minister's political activity to achieve every possible flight shortcut to and from Israel." Saudi Arabia broke a decades-long ban on the use of its airspace for flights to Israel last spring, when it allowed India's national carrier to cross its skies. The move saved about two hours off of India-Israel flights. But the kingdom's approval did not extend to El Al, which is forced take a circuitous route that bypasses the entire Arabian Peninsula. The kingdom's decision prompted El Al to sue the Israeli government, contending that Air India's shortcut put it at an unfair advantage. El Al said Monday that its lawsuit has not yet been resolved and stressed that the carrier "always seeks to ensure fair competition and equal opportunities between Israeli airlines and foreign airlines." Few concrete details have surfaced from Netanyahu's meeting with Sultan Qaboos, the first such visit in over 20 years. But analysts have speculated that Oman's unique regional position could enable it to play a bigger role mediating between Israel and archenemy Iran. There was no immediate comment from Oman on Monday's announcement. BEIJING (AP) - Dozens of Christians have been detained in a raid on a prominent Chinese church that operates outside the government's official Protestant organization, a U.S.-based advocacy group said Monday. At least 80 churchgoers and seminary students from the Early Rain Covenant Church were taken away in the southwestern city of Chengdu beginning Sunday night, ChinaAid said. Those detained include the church's pastor, Wang Yi, and his wife, Jiang Rong. China has cracked down heavily on independent church groups this year as part of an assault on all religions. The government requires that Protestants worship only in churches recognized and regulated by the Three-Self Patriotic Movement. Even within that framework, the officially atheist ruling Communist Party has been seeking to rein in religious expression, including removing crosses from official and unofficial churches. Early Rain is believed to have several hundred members who meet in different locations around Chengdu, a sprawling city. Many of those detained, including Wang, were seized from their homes overnight, ChinaAid said. "The massive overnight attack against members of the independent, renowned Early Rain Covenant Church represents a major escalation of religious persecution in China," Bob Fu, ChinaAid's founder and president, said in a statement on the group's website. The crackdown, which extended into international Human Rights Day on Monday, shows the administration of President Xi Jinping is "deliberately making itself the enemy of universal values, such as religious freedom for all," said Fu, who is a close friend of Pastor Wang. Tens of millions of Chinese identify as Christians, the bulk of them being Protestants, and their ranks have been increasingly rapidly despite the Communist Party's efforts to limit them. Their numbers rival the membership of the ruling party, which stands at around 90 million. COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) - Lithuania has become the latest Western country to blacklist Saudi officials over the slaying of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi by Saudi agents in October. Rasa Jakilaitiene, spokeswoman for the Baltic country's foreign minister, tells the Baltic News Service the names of 17 Saudi officials have been put on the list "in solidarity with international partners." The region's main news agency said Monday the list includes suspected killers and close advisers to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. BNS said the names were listed by the Lithuanian Migration Department under the so-called Magnitsky law blacklisting people for human rights violations. NEW YORK (AP) - A pair of buyout firms is planning to take the travel software company Travelport private in a deal worth about $4.4 billion. Travelport Worldwide Ltd. said Monday that affiliates of Siris Capital Group LLC and Evergreen Coast Capital Corp. will pay $15.75 for each of its shares. The Langley, U.K., tech company can seek offers from other buyers through Jan. 23, 2019. The proposed deal is expected to close in the first half of 2019. It still needs approval from shareholders and regulators. Shares rose 1.3 percent before the market opened on Monday. CHISINAU, Moldova (AP) - Moldova's parliamentary election campaign began Monday amid concerns that Russia is seeking to influence the results in the former Soviet republic. Citizens will vote on Feb. 24 ballot for the 101-seat legislature that is currently controlled by a broadly pro-European coalition. Concerns arose after Russia's interior ministry on Dec. 3 said that Moldovans who have overstayed their residence permits in Russia can return to Moldova from Jan. 1 to Feb. 25 and re-enter Russia without being penalized. The ministry said Moldova's pro-Russian President Igor Dodon had requested the measure. Dodon enjoys close relations with the Kremlin and regularly travels to Moscow. Dodon says there are 160,000 Moldovans whose residence permits have expired. The 400,000 Moldovans who live in Russia are believed to generally support the pro-Russian Socialists' Party. The party currently has 24 seats - the second largest group in the Moldovan Parliament- but has never been in government. "Moscow is betting on the Socialists and is doing everything it can for them to win," political commentator Nicolae Negru told the Associated Press. "They've found a lever to force Moldovan workers in Russia to come and vote in the election." FILE - In this Thursday, Dec. 6, 2018 file photo, Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, Moldova's President Igor Dodon, center, and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko talk to each other at the Eurasian Economic Council in St. Petersburg, Russia. Moldova's electoral campaign began Monday, Dec. 10, 2018 ahead of Parliamentary elections, amid concerns that Russia is seeking to influence the results in the former Soviet republic. The campaign is for the Feb. 24 ballot for the 101-seat legislature (Olga Maltseva, Pool Photo via AP, File) Last week Premier Pavel Filip said the development could be "considered an intervention" by Russia in the campaign. Moldova signed an association agreement with the European Union, the first step toward membership, in 2014. The move appeared to irk Russia which immediately placed an embargo on Moldovan fruits and vegetables. Some Moldovan companies based in regions where ethnic Russians predominate are exempt from the ban. ____ Alison Mutler in Bucharest, Romania contributed to this report. VATICAN CITY (AP) - Pope Francis has accepted the resignation of an Indian bishop who, according to news reports, was accused of misappropriating church funds to support a secret family. Bishop Prasad Gallela of Cuddapah in southern India denied the accusations. On Monday, the Vatican said Gallela had offered to resign and Francis accepted. At 56, Gallela is well below the normal retirement age of 75 for bishops. The Ucanews news agency, which covers the Catholic Church closely in Asia, said two lay Catholics had filed a criminal complaint against Gallela accusing him of misappropriating diocesan social welfare funds to support a wife and teenage son. Ucanews quoted Gallela as saying the accusations were false and that the woman identified as his wife on land deeds is actually the wife of his dead brother. ATHENS, Greece (AP) - A Greek court on Monday rejected a request for early prison release by an extremist convicted of terrorism for killings by the defunct November 17 group. A panel of appeals judges rejected the request of Savvas Xiros, who applied for early release under legislation designed to ease prison overcrowding by allowing some convicts out on health grounds. Xiros is serving five life sentences plus 25 years for his participation in November 17, an elusive group that killed 23 foreign diplomats and Greeks between 1975 and 2000. Xiros was caught after a bomb he planted exploded prematurely in 2002, severely injuring him. The blast left him with permanent vision and general health problems. His interrogation led to the quick unravelling of the group, which included two of Xiros' brothers. Xiros' lawyer, Anny Paparoussou, described the decision as "unacceptable," and told The Associated Press that her client would appeal to the Supreme Court. BRUSSELS (AP) - The Latest on Brexit (all times local): 7:20 p.m. European Union official Donald Tusk says the bloc won't renegotiate the Brexit deal with the U.K. government as he called a summit Thursday to examine ways to help Britain ratify the deal. Tusk, the president of the European Council, tweeted that "we will not renegotiate the deal, including the backstop, but we are ready to discuss how to facilitate U.K. ratification." He said that "as time is running out, we will also discuss our preparedness for a no-deal scenario." EU leaders were already scheduled to meet in Brussels on Thursday and Friday to discuss migration and the bloc's future long-term budget, among other issues. The lit up words "Peoples Vote", which calls for another referendum on Britain's European Union membership, are photographed by a remain, anti-Brexit supporter wearing a European flag design beret across the street from the Houses of Parliament in London, Monday, Dec. 10, 2018. British Prime Minister Theresa May has postponed Parliament's vote on her European Union divorce deal to avoid a shattering defeat - a decision that throws her Brexit plans into chaos. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham) ___ 5:45 p.m. A key member of the European parliament's Brexit team says that British Prime Minister Theresa May's Brexit strategy has turned into "a game of hide and seek" which will fail to force the EU to renegotiate the U.K. withdrawal deal. Green MEP Philippe Lamberts told The Associated Press that, despite May's claim to seek additional reassurances to the U.K. deal with the EU that has been already struck, there would be no changes awaiting her at Thursday's EU summit. Lamberts said that "we are fully behind negotiator Michel Barnier but he has been very clear: if you want Brexit, the deal is on the table and there will be no other deal." Apart from EU member states, the European Parliament also needs to approve the U.K. withdrawal deal. ___ 5:15 p.m. British opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn has challenged Prime Minster Theresa May's decision to delay a vote on Brexit in the House of Commons, arguing that her government is in "complete disarray." Labour lawmakers shouted "Resign! Resign!' as May wrapped up her remarks Monday, adding further insult to the humiliation of failing to deliver on her signature piece of legislation, the Brexit divorce deal from the European Union. Corbyn described the situation as unprecedented and serious. He says "the government has lost control of events and is in complete disarray." Even members of May's own party were quick to further criticize the way she's handled the negotiations. Conservative Party lawmaker Jacob Rees-Mogg sharply rejected May's "undeliverable deal," saying it risked paving the way for a Labour Party government led by Corbyn. ___ 5:05 p.m. The pound has fallen further after British Prime Minister Theresa May canceled a vote on her Brexit deal and struck a defiant tone in an address to parliament. The British currency, which is the main gauge of international investors' confidence in the country's economy, fell to a 20-month low of $1.2515, down a sharp 1.7 percent on the day. The main British stock index usually gets a boost from a weaker currency, as it helps the earnings of the many multinationals listed on it. But the FTSE 100 was also down, by 0.5 percent on the day, underscoring the depth of investors' concern. Investors are worried that the political gridlock in Britain over how to leave the EU is increasing the likelihood of the country exiting the bloc without a deal on future relations. That is a worst-case scenario, the Bank of England says, that could lead to the deepest recession in about a century and a further plunge in the pound. ___ 5 p.m. British Prime Minister Theresa May told lawmakers that government was stepping up its preparations for a no-deal Brexit. May told lawmakers that while her Brexit deal with the European Union was still "the best deal that is negotiable," and insisted that any deal would require compromise. But nonetheless, she says the government must be prepared for the potential that the country would exit without a deal. May says "for as long as we fail to agree a deal, the risk of an accidental 'no deal' increases." May's comments came after she postponed a vote scheduled for Tuesday on the EU divorce deal, acknowledging she would have lost by a "significant margin." ___ 4:50 p.m. British Prime Minister Theresa May says her Brexit divorce deal with the European Union is still "the best deal that is negotiable," as she aimed to win Parliament's support. In a stinging statement Monday to the House of Commons, May reminded lawmakers that any Brexit deal would require compromise. She then asked whether or not the House of Commons really wanted to deliver Brexit - and if it was willing to re-open the political division within the country by challenging the 2016 vote of the British people to leave the bloc. May's comments came after she postponed the vote in parliament on her EU divorce deal, acknowledging she would have lost Tuesday's vote by a "significant margin." The decision throws her Brexit plans into chaos. ___ 4:35 p.m. British Prime Minister Theresa May has postponed Parliament's vote on her European Union divorce deal to avoid a shattering defeat - a decision that throws her Brexit plans into chaos. All signs had pointed to a big defeat for the prime minister in the vote planned for Tuesday. But postponing the vote is a fresh humiliation for May, who became prime minister after Britain's 2016 decision to leave the EU. May has been battling on Brexit ever since - first to strike a divorce deal with the bloc, then to sell it to skeptical British lawmakers before the U.K. leaves the bloc on March 29. Both Conservative and opposition Labour Party lawmakers have said they would not back the divorce deal that May and EU leaders agreed on last month. ___ 4:25 p.m. The foreign minister of Belgium says the European Union might be willing to modify minor details of its Brexit agreement with the U.K. but that wholesale changes are out of the question. Foreign Minister Didier Reynders told reporters in Brussels that it's always "possible to discuss about some details but we (know) the limits and the red lines of the European Union." But he added: "it is quite difficult to change important elements." Reynders said he is "quite pessimistic" about the future of Brexit given developments in London. He said he wants to hear exactly what Prime Minister Theresa May wants and that things would be clearer after she addresses the U.K. Parliament Monday. ___ 2:45 p.m. The Dutch foreign minister says the European Union would study any new Brexit offer that British Prime Minister Theresa May makes but that chances are slim it would be accepted. Minister Stef Block spoke in Brussels before May was due to address the British parliament on Monday afternoon about the divorce deal between Britain and the EU and was unaware of exactly what she might announce. He says "of course we will look carefully at any proposal she might make." Blok added: "But we know how difficult it has been to reach agreement. So if there will be talks, it won't be easy." The House of Commons in London is due to vote Tuesday on whether to accept or reject the Brexit deal, and signs point to a big defeat for May's Brexit deal. ___ 12:20 p.m. British Prime Minister Theresa May will make an emergency statement to Parliament about Brexit, amid reports that a crucial vote on her EU divorce deal will be postponed. The House of Commons Speaker's office says May will make the previously unscheduled statement at about 3:30 p.m. (10:30 a.m. EST). The announcement came as May held talks with her Cabinet about the next steps in the Brexit process. The House of Commons is due to vote Tuesday on whether to accept or reject the Brexit deal, and signs point to a big defeat for the prime minister. May's office said the vote was definitely going ahead, but the BBC and other outlets reported it would be delayed. ___ 9 a.m. The European Union's top court has ruled that Britain can change its mind over Brexit, boosting the hopes of people who want to stay in the EU that the process can be reversed. The European Court of Justice ruled Monday that when an EU member country has notified its intent to leave, "that member state is free to revoke unilaterally that notification." Britain voted in 2016 to leave the 28-nation bloc, and invoked Article 50 of the EU's Lisbon Treaty in March 2017, triggering a two-year exit process. Article 50 contains few details, in part because the idea of any country leaving was considered unlikely. The Luxembourg-based ECJ said that given the absence of any exit provision in Article 50, countries are able to change their mind in line with their own constitutional arrangements and that such a move "reflects a sovereign decision." The British government is free to do so as long as no withdrawal agreement has entered force. ___ Lawless reported from London. The words "Peoples Vote", which calls for another referendum on Britain's European Union membership, stand lit up after being placed by anti-Brexit supporters across the street from the Houses of Parliament in London, Monday, Dec. 10, 2018. British Prime Minister Theresa May has postponed Parliament's vote on her European Union divorce deal to avoid a shattering defeat - a decision that throws her Brexit plans into chaos. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham) FILE- In this Dec. 8, 2017 file photo, UK's Union Flag, left, and the EU flag, flap in the wind outside EU headquarters in Brussels. The European Union's top court ruled Monday, Dec. 10, 2018, that Britain can change its mind over Brexit, boosting the hopes of people who want to stay in the EU that the process can be reversed. (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo, File) In this photo taken on Monday, Oct. 5, 2015 a woman walks by the entrance to the European Court of Justice in Luxembourg. The European Union's top court ruled Monday, Dec. 10, 2018, that Britain can change its mind over Brexit, boosting the hopes of people who want to stay in the EU that the process can be reversed. (AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaert) FILE- In this Tuesday, Nov. 27, 2018, file photo, judges preside over a hearing at the European Court of Justice in Luxembourg. The European Union's top court ruled Monday, Dec. 10, 2018, that Britain can change its mind over Brexit, boosting the hopes of people who want to stay in the EU that the process can be reversed. (AP Photo/Sylvain Plazy, File) BRUSSELS (AP) - The European Union is studying ways to help bolster the economy in strife-torn eastern Ukraine, the EU's top diplomat said Monday, amid tensions with Russia over a naval confrontation in the Black Sea last month. Ukraine has been seeking help from its international partners at the EU and NATO since Russian border guards fired on three Ukrainian navy vessels in the Black Sea on Nov. 25. The crews were captured and the ships seized. But the 28-nation bloc is unlikely to impose any fresh sanctions on Russia over its actions in the annexed Crimea region and the Sea of Azov, which is an important part of Ukraine's economy. "For us what counts the most is the practical support we can give," EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini told reporters in Brussels after chairing a meeting of European foreign ministers, including talks with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin. Mogherini said the EU is looking into what measures it can take to help support the region around the Sea of Azov, where the busy trading port of Mariupol is situated. She said the EU is looking at projects it can finance and European Investment Bank assistance, but she didn't go into detail. Bulgarian Foreign Minister Ekaterina Zaharieva, second right, talks to Germany's Foreign Minister Heiko Maas, left, Italy's Foreign Minister Enzo Moavero, second left, and Belgium's Foreign Minister Didier Reynders prior a meeting of EU Foreign Affairs ministers at the European Council headquarters in Brussels, Monday, Dec. 10, 2018. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco) Mogherini will hold talks with the former Soviet republic's prime minister on EU-Ukraine relations in Brussels on Dec. 17. Klimkin said he had asked for four things: help to secure release of the captured sailors, pressure to ensure freedom of navigation in the region's waters with perhaps the use of observers, the addition of more Russians to the EU's sanctions list and possible retaliatory measures against Russian port facilities, and the provision of infrastructure, water and energy projects to boost the economy. While no new sanctions against Russia are likely, EU leaders are expected this week to prolong existing economic sanctions against Russia over its annexation of Crimea and destabilization of Ukraine. The extension of those sanctions is tied to progress on implementing the Minsk peace agreement meant to end the conflict in eastern Ukraine. "As there is no progress in putting into effect the Minsk agreement, there's no need to modify our policy," Belgian Foreign Minister Didier Reynders said. Separately, the EU added nine more people to another sanctions list over "illegal" elections in eastern Ukraine last month. The foreign ministers imposed asset freezes and travel bans on the nine local government and election officials in Donetsk and Luhansk. It brings to 164 the total number of people under sanctions for "actions undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine." Forty-four "entities", like companies or organizations, are also on the list. Belgium's Foreign Minister Didier Reynders, left, talks to European Union Foreign Policy chief Federica Mogherini prior a meeting of EU Foreign Affairs ministers at the European Council headquarters in Brussels, Monday, Dec. 10, 2018. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco) Ukraine's Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin talks to journalists at the European Council headquarters in Brussels, Monday, Dec. 10, 2018. The European Union is slapping sanctions on nine more people over "illegal" elections in eastern Ukraine last month, while it weighs how to help Kiev in its Black Sea standoff with Russia. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco) Portugal's Foreign Minister Augusto Santos Silva, left, talks to Germany's Foreign Minister Heiko Maas, centre, and Croatia's Foreign Minister Marija Pejcinovic prior a meeting of EU Foreign Affairs ministers at the European Council headquarters in Brussels, Monday, Dec. 10, 2018. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco) NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) - On the final leg of his journey from Iraq to Europe, Hawye Rasool Saleh paid 400 euros ($457) borrowed from his best friend to a smuggler who would help him across the cease-fire line of ethnically split Cyprus. The transaction was sealed in anonymity. "You don't know me, I don't know you," the 32-year-old Saleh said he was told by the trafficker before he climbed into a van on the Turkish Cypriot side. The crossing was easy, Saleh said. Two soldiers manning a guard post on the Turkish Cypriot side checked the driver's ID, then waved the van through to the buffer zone that divides the breakaway northern part of the Mediterranean island from the internationally recognized Republic of Cyprus, a European Union member. Saleh, who said he fled religious fundamentalism in Iraq, is one of the thousands of migrants who have slipped into Cyprus this year across its porous 180-kilometer-long (120-mile-long) buffer zone. Migrant arrivals by sea have also increased, turning tiny Cyprus into the EU's top recipient of asylum-seekers relative to its population size, as other EU countries have tightened their borders. Government statistics show that about 5,000 people - mostly from Syria but also Somalia, Pakistan, India, Iraq, Bangladesh, Vietnam and Cameroon - had claimed asylum in Cyprus by the end of August. That's expected to reach 8,000 by year's end, up from 3,000 in 2016. While that's a fraction of the hundreds of thousands seeking asylum in the EU, it's putting pressure on a country with just over 1 million people. In this Tuesday, Nov. 27, 2018, a migrant from Syria rests at a refugee camp in Kokkinotrimithia outside of Nicosia, Cyprus. The Cyprus Refugee Council, a nonprofit group, said there is now a backlog of about 8,000 asylum applications as of late 2018, and it takes three to five years to process each claim, including appeals.(AP Photo/Petros Karadjias) "We're trying to cope, but for a long time, now, we have exceeded our fair share," Cypriot Interior Minister Constantinos Petrides told The Associated Press. Cyprus was split in 1974 when Turkey invaded in the wake of a coup by supporters of union with Greece. Authorities in the north aren't recognized by the international community except for Turkey, which itself doesn't recognize the Cypriot government in the Greek-speaking south. Despite its proximity to the conflict zones of the Middle East, Cyprus received relatively few asylum-seekers during the peak of Europe's migrant crisis three years ago, when most migrants arrived in Greece and made their way through the Balkans toward countries in northern Europe. An island nation just emerging from a severe economic crisis, Cyprus wasn't seen as an attractive destination for migrants and refugees seeking shelter and a new life in Europe. But that changed as nations in Europe shut their borders and the economic situation improved. Petrides said Cypriot authorities know about at least one trafficking ring using the breakaway north as a conduit for migrants from Syria via Turkey, from where they either catch commercial flights or boats to the island. Government officials say nearly half of the recent migrant arrivals have entered Cyprus that way. Others arrive directly in southern Cyprus on rickety smuggling vessels from Turkey or Lebanon, which has taken in about 1 million Syrian refugees. Saleh flew from Irbil in northern Iraq to Turkey's capital, Ankara, where he caught a connecting flight to Ercan airport in Cyprus' breakaway north. In most cases, Turkish Cypriot authorities don't require advance visas for passengers arriving from Turkey. Saleh is now staying at a center in a village south of Nicosia, the Cypriot capital, where he awaits a decision on his asylum claim. Corina Drousiotou, who heads the Cyprus Refugee Council, a nonprofit group, said there's now a backlog of 8,000 asylum applications and it takes three to five years to process a claim, including appeals. The EU head office in Brussels told the AP its European Asylum Support office is deploying 29 case workers plus interpreters to help Cyprus clear the backlog, and has given Cyprus almost 40 million euros for migration management in the 2014-2020 period. Drousiotou said the situation is "manageable" as long as Cyprus taps into support from fellow EU members and other international agencies. She said there's plenty of demand for workers by employers on the island's booming tourism sector. But authorities need to urgently find more housing for migrants as cases of homelessness - previously rare in Cyprus - have now cropped up. She said monthly allowances to asylum-seekers of around $400 (350 euros) also need to be raised. Petrides, the interior minister, said Cyprus has sought additional funding from the EU to upgrade migrant centers, process asylum applications and monitor the border better. He said Cyprus is also trying to establish a fast-track asylum procedure and set up dedicated courts to hear the appeals of unsuccessful asylum applicants. Saleh said he's hoping to find a job as soon as he finds out whether he can stay in Cyprus. He has no "Plan B." "I can't go back to my country," he said. ___ Karl Ritter in Rome contributed to this report. In this Wednesday, Nov. 28, 2018, a migrant walks past graffiti at the UN buffer zone in central Nicosia, Cyprus. The Cyprus Refugee Council, a nonprofit group, said there is now a backlog of about 8,000 asylum applications as of late 2018, and it takes three to five years to process each claim, including appeals.(AP Photo/Petros Karadjias) In this Friday, Nov. 16, 2018 a homeless migrant is seen at a place under of a hotel in central city of Nicosia, Cyprus. The Cyprus Refugee Council, a nonprofit group, said there's now a backlog of about 8,000 asylum applications as of late 2018, and it takes three to five years to process each claim, including appeals. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias) In this Tuesday, Nov. 20, 2018, migrants stand outside of a shop in central Nicosia, Cyprus. The Cyprus Refugee Council, a nonprofit group, said there's now a backlog of about 8,000 asylum applications as of late 2018, and it takes three to five years to process each claim, including appeals. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias) In this Tuesday, Nov. 20, 2018, Hawye Rasool Saleh, 32, a migrant from Iraq washes his face at his living space under a hotel in central Nicosia, Cyprus. Cyprus was not seen as an attractive destination for migrants seeking shelter and a new life in Europe, but that has changed as other nations in Europe have shut their borders and the economic situation has slowly improved for this small island nation.(AP Photo/Petros Karadjias) In this Friday, Nov. 16, 2018 a homeless migrant stands on a street in central Nicosia, Cyprus. Cyprus was not seen as an attractive destination for migrants seeking shelter and a new life in Europe, but that has changed as other nations in Europe have shut their borders and the economic situation has slowly improved for this small island nation. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias) In this Tuesday, Nov. 20, 2018, Hawye Rasool Saleh, 32, a migrant from Iraq holds a t-shirt at a living place under a hotel in central Nicosia, Cyprus. Cyprus was not seen as an attractive destination for migrants seeking shelter and a new life in Europe, but that has changed as other nations in Europe have shut their borders and the economic situation has slowly improved for this small island nation. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias) In this Friday, Nov. 16, 2018, migrants stand at a market stall in central Nicosia, Cyprus. Cyprus was not seen as an attractive destination for migrants seeking shelter and a new life in Europe, but that has changed as other nations in Europe have shut their borders and the economic situation has slowly improved for this small island nation.(AP Photo/Petros Karadjias) In this Tuesday, Nov. 20, 2018, a migrant from Africa uses his mobile in a neighborhood in central Nicosia, Cyprus. Cyprus was not seen as an attractive destination for migrants seeking shelter and a new life in Europe, but that has changed as other nations in Europe have shut their borders and the economic situation has slowly improved for this small island nation. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias) In this Tuesday, Nov. 20, 2018, migrants reflected on a window of a market at a neighborhood in central city of Nicosia, Cyprus. Migrant arrivals are down overall in Europe as some countries tighten their borders, but migrant trafficking networks seem to have set their sights on Cyprus. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias) In this Tuesday, Nov. 27, 2018, a migrant from Syria at a refugee camp in Kokkinotrimithia outside of Nicosia, Cyprus. Cyprus was not seen as an attractive destination for migrants seeking shelter and a new life in Europe, but that has changed as other nations in Europe have shut their borders and the economic situation has slowly improved for the small island nation. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias) In this Tuesday, Nov. 20, 2018, a migrant with his children walk by shops at a neighborhood in central city of Nicosia, Cyprus. The Cyprus Refugee Council, a nonprofit group, said there is now a backlog of about 8,000 asylum applications as of late 2018, and it takes three to five years to process each claim, including appeals. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias) NEW DELHI (AP) - The head of India's central bank resigned Monday amid a growing split between the Indian government and the independent monetary policy authority. Reserve Bank of India Gov. Urjit Patel said in a statement posted on the bank's website that he was resigning for personal reasons. The government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has disagreed with some of the central bank's decisions under Patel, including a move to restrict lending by debt-ridden banks. Government officials said the central bank had excess reserves that should be transferred to the treasury. Modi's government issued a sweeping demonetization order in 2017 to try to reduce black-market dealings. But a central bank report in August showed that most of the currency banned by the order had been deposited into various banks, undermining that move. REDWOOD CITY, Calif. (AP) - Saying it's lost patience with missteps and earnings shortfalls, a large shareholder at Yelp is seeking a board reshuffle at the online review site. In a letter released publicly Monday, SQN Investors said that it wants Yelp Inc. to add some new directors to its board, including shareholder representatives. SQN, which owns more than 4 percent of Yelp's shares, says it believes that "the board has failed to hold itself and management accountable for the company's strategic and operational missteps, repeated missed earnings, lost opportunities and poor corporate governance." SQN has built up its stake recently, and is now one of Yelp's top five shareholders. The technology investor, based in Redwood City, just south of Yelp's San Francisco headquarters, argues that the company's board lacks urgency in addressing significant issues, among them a "slow pace of innovation." SQN says that Yelp has allowed Google and Facebook to rack up a significant number of peer reviews for local businesses. It's also seen Uber and AirBnB roll out food delivery businesses and other services that have surpassed Yelp's initiatives in those areas. FILE - This March 19, 2018, file photo shows the Yelp app on an iPad in Baltimore. A large shareholder at Yelp says it's lost patience with the review site and wants to see the company board reshuffled. In a letter released publicly Monday, Dec. 10, SQN Investors LP said that it wants Yelp Inc. to add some new directors to its board, including shareholder representatives. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky, File) Yelp defended its board, saying Monday that its directors are "active, open-minded and engaged." The company said it's focused on having a "highly relevant and diverse board. Yelp said the company is in the process of considering potential skill sets and opportunities that would further strengthen and enhance its board. Yelp had fantastic timing when it became a public company in 2012. Global shipments of smartphones between 2012 and 2016 exploded, and so did the hunger for new apps that created whisper boards about people's experiences in restaurants or with other service companies. That growth has begun to taper, and SQN says that Yelp has not acted quickly enough to adjust. In calling for changes to Yelp's board, SQN said that the average tenure of a Yelp director is more than nine years, with only one new member joining the board since May 2012. "Yelp's board is not functioning effectively and is stale," SQN wrote. San Francisco-based Yelp says it's committed to keeping an open dialogue with SQN. The company maintained that it's committed to acting in the best interest of its shareholders, customers and workers. Last month Yelp's third-quarter revenue missed Wall Street expectations, and the company indicated that the current quarter would also be weak. CEO Jeremy Stoppleman blamed the revenue miss on Yelp's new non-term advertising, intended to encourage advertisers to try the site without being tied to longer-term contracts. Its shares have fallen almost 10 percent over the past year. The rose almost 2 percent at the opening bell Monday. ANKARA, Turkey (AP) - Turkey's state-run news agency says prosecutors are seeking maximum 15-year prison terms for five journalists of an opposition newspaper, intensifying concerns over authorities' crackdown on news coverage critical of the government. Anadolu Agency reported Monday that prosecutors are accusing Sozcu newspaper columnists Emin Colasan and Necati Dogru as well as three editors of aiding a network led by U.S.-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen, without being a member of his movement. The five will stand trial in Istanbul on Jan. 18. Turkey accuses Gulen of orchestrating a failed military coup in 2016 and has branded his network a terror organization. Gulen denies involvement. The journalists are accused of supporting his group through their writings in Sozcu. The Turkish Journalists' Syndicate says that about 145 journalists are currently in jail. ROME (AP) - Rome's mayor, Catholic groups and politicians of every stripe joined Italy's Jewish community on Monday in denouncing the theft of 20 small bronze plaques honoring a Jewish family deported during the Holocaust. The plaques, affixed to the cobblestones in front of the Di Consiglio family home in the Monti neighborhood of downtown Rome, were taken overnight. A gaping hole in the cobblestones was all that remained Monday. The organization responsible for laying the plaques, "Art in Memory," reported the theft. In July, the same group reported receiving a threatening letter featuring a photo of Adolf Hitler. "The association denounces this vile act of fascism and anti-Semitism, and invites all Romans to be vigilant and keep memory alive to prevent these criminal acts from continuing and being tolerated and legitimized," the group's president, Adachiara Zevi, told The Associated Press. It was a reference to the rise in anti-Semitic acts and the growth of far-right and neo-fascist groups in Italy and Europe, as well as the nationalist rhetoric espoused by Italy's anti-migrant interior minister, Matteo Salvini. Rome mayor Virginia Raggi condemned the plaques' theft as unacceptable: "Memory requires respect" she tweeted. The Rome-based Catholic charity Sant'Egidio vowed to continue honoring Jews who perished. A hole in the cobblestone pavement is seen where 20 small bronze plaques honoring the members of a Jewish family deported during the Holocaust should have been, in Rome's Monti neighborhood, Monday, Dec. 10, 2018.. The plaques, affixed to the cobblestones in front of the Di Consiglio family home, were apparently taken overnight. Rome's historic center houses the Jewish ghetto, near Monti, and its cobblestoned streets are dotted with the plaques in front of homes of Jews who were killed or deported. (Silvia Lambertucci/ANSA via AP) That memory, Sant'Egidio said, "is all the more precious to defend against the worrisome growth of new racism and discrimination." Rome's historic center houses the Jewish ghetto, near Monti, and its cobblestoned streets are dotted with more than 200 plaques in front of homes of Jews who were killed or deported during the war. They were made by the German artist Gunter Demnig, who has placed an estimated 70,000 of them around Europe to remember all those who were deported, Zevi said. The Union of Jewish Communities in Italy noted that one of the surviving Di Consiglio family members, Giulia Spizzichino, was an instrumental witness in the case against Nazi war criminal Erich Priebke. Priebke, a former SS captain, died in 2013 in Rome while serving a life sentence for his role in the massacre of 335 Italians in 1944. Salvini, the interior minister, is to visit Israel this week and a group of left-leaning Italian Jews urged him to use the occasion to denounce growing anti-Semitism in Italy and Europe. Salvini bristled when asked to do so at a press conference Monday, saying it was "obvious" that he condemned anti-Semitism but adding that he didn't need to justify himself every time he goes to Israel. "The first enemy of co-habitation is Islamic extremism," he added. LONDON (AP) - British prosecutors say 15 people who attached themselves to a plane at a London-area airport last year have been convicted of aviation security offenses. The demonstrators used bolt cutters to create a hole in the perimeter fence at Stansted Airport on March 28, 2017 and then used expanding foam, scaffolding poles and lock box devices to secure themselves to the wheel and wing of a Boeing 767. The plane had been chartered by the Home Office to repatriate passengers to Nigeria, Ghana and Sierra Leone. Judith Reed of the Crown Prosecution Service said Monday that the group "placed themselves, the flight crew, airport personnel and police at serious risk of injury or even death due to their actions." The group will be sentenced later. CAIRO (AP) - Delegations from Yemen's warring sides discussed expanding a shaky truce in the key port city of Hodeida on Monday, however neither side appeared ready to agree on initial draft proposals hoped for by the United Nations, who are sponsoring talks in Sweden and seek to resume needed aid deliveries by sea. One draft document obtained by The Associated Press showed an initial 16-point proposal to stop all fighting and have all troops withdraw to the city limits and later outside the province while allowing U.N. oversight and setting up a local, pre-war administration. Representatives from both sides mentioned only preliminary proposals that were not accepted. Addressing a news conference, U.N. envoy to Yemen Martin Griffiths struck an optimistic note on progress of the talks. "I hope we will get agreements in the next couple of days on a range of issues," he said. He said the two sides are dealing with the "de-escalation" of fighting around the contested cities of Taiz and the Red Sea port of Hodeida. "If we are able to achieve progress on these two places, I think we will have done a great service to Yemen," he said. Griffiths had earlier said he wants to "take Hodeida out of the war," in hopes that international aid deliveries can be restored through the port and the country can avert famine. The talks, held in a castle outside Stockholm, have so far focused on implementing a broad prisoner swap between representatives from Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels and the internationally recognized government supported by the U.S. and a Saudi-led coalition. They met for a fifth day Monday. "As always, in any round of talks, ideas are brought forward, and they could be preliminary, they could have just been thrown out on the table," said Ali Hussein Ashal from the government delegation. "And a lot of the ideas which have been brought forward previously, in other rounds of talks, the Houthis have refused many of them." Earlier rebel delegation member Gamal Amer said that his side had rejected a proposal, although it was unclear if it was the same one or if multiple drafts existed. He says only that the rebels had submitted "substantive observations" about it. Also Monday, a similar draft document circulated outlining a gradual drawdown of the conflict in the central city of Taiz. The war has killed tens of thousands and made Yemen the world's worst humanitarian crisis with 22 of its 29 million people in need of aid, according to the U.N. The two sides have for months been locked in a stalemated fight over Hodeida. CONROE, Texas (AP) - Firefighters in Texas have rescued more than 100 snakes from a home that caught fire over the weekend. Authorities say a Christmas tree may have sparked the blaze Saturday near Conroe, about 40 miles (65 kilometers) north of Houston. The snakes included pythons and boa constrictors. Authorities say that when firefighters arrived, they discovered a second-floor bedroom full of snakes and lizards. Firefighters from Caney Creek and other responders carefully brought the snakes outside to safety, though authorities say "a couple" lizards died in the fire. Houston TV station KTRK reports that the homeowners weren't at the house at the time of the fire. BEIRUT (AP) - Lebanon's Interior Minister Nouhad Mashnouk says the country's police have discovered and thwarted planned bombing attacks by the Islamic State group. Mashnouk told reporters Monday that the bombs were smuggled in from the rebel-held northwestern Syrian province of Idlib in buckets of cheese, and were intended for targeting places of worship, gatherings of Christians and military posts. The minister added that the attacks were supposed to take place during Lebanon's parliamentary elections in May. He added that those planning the attacks were monitored by police intelligence for 10 months through a Syrian informer in Lebanon. The announcement came ahead of the Christmas season when many Lebanese celebrate in public places. IS and al-Qaida-linked militants carried have out attacks in Lebanon in the past, killing scores. PARIS (AP) - The Latest on anti-government protests in France (all times local): 8:30 p.m. President Emmanuel Macron has acknowledged he's partially responsible for the anger that has fueled weeks of protests in France, an unusual admission for the leader elected last year. In a televised address to the nation, Macron said: "We probably have not been able for a year-and-a-half to bring quick enough and strong enough responses." Macron also acknowledged he may have given an impression "not to care" about the concerns of ordinary citizens and "might have hurt" some people with his comments. Macron is perceived by many in France as arrogant, for instance telling an unemployed man he could find a job if he "crosses the street" and advising a retiree not to complain. French President Emmanuel Macron, center, French Prime Minister Edouard Philipppe, left, and Environment Minister Francois de Rugy, second right, and Labor Minister Muriel Penicaud meet with representatives of trade unions, employers' organizations and local elected officials at the Elysee Palace in Paris, Monday, Dec.10 2018. Macron is preparing to speak to the nation Monday at last, after increasingly violent and radicalized protests against his leadership and a long silence that aggravated the anger. (Yoan Valat, Pool via AP) ___ 8:15 p.m. Facing exceptional protests, French President Emmanuel Macron is promising to speed up tax relief for struggling workers and to scrap a tax hike for retirees. The actions were the pledges Macron made on Monday night in his first public comments since protests against his presidency devolved into rioting in the French capital. The French leader reiterated earlier promises to raise the minimum wage and pledged to abolish taxes on overtime pay starting Jan. 1, several months before schedule. He also said a tax hike pensioners faced would be scrapped. All of the measures offered had been demanded by the yellow-vested protesters who have led four weeks of increasingly radicalized demonstrations against Macron's presidency, seen as favoring the rich. ___ 8:05 p.m. French President Emmanuel Macron is promising "all means" will be used to restore calm after the disruptive protests that have deeply shaken the nation. On Monday night, Macron addressed France for the first time since anti-tax protests around the country turned into rioting in Paris. Trying to sound gentle and calming, Macron acknowledged "anger and indignation" among members of the public over the cost of living. But he also said "no indulgence" would be given to people behind the protest violence. He said "no anger justifies" attacking police or looting stores, saying both threaten France's cherished liberty. ___ 3:10 p.m. Union representatives say French President Emmanuel Macron gave no information about the measures he is going to announce in a televised address to the nation in the evening. Secretary general of the moderate workers union CFDT Laurent Berger said "we had no answer" about the president's declaration. "We will listen to him with a lot of interest, lots of expectations and some concern as well given the situation," he said. Macron met in his presidential palace with local and national politicians, unions and business leaders to hear their concerns. The morning meeting stretched past lunch and lasted over four hours. Yves Veyrier, secretary general of the left-wing workers union FO, said "we will listen to him to see if we have been heard." Macron is expected to announce a series of measures to reduce taxes and boost purchasing power in a televised speech on Monday evening. ___ 9:35 a.m. French President Emmanuel Macron is preparing to speak to the nation at last, after increasingly violent protests against his leadership. Macron is meeting Monday morning with local and national political leaders, unions and business leaders to hear their concerns after four weeks of protests that started in struggling provinces and spread to rioting in the capital. In the evening, he will give a national televised address in which he is expected to propose potential solutions. He hasn't spoken publicly in more than a week, aggravating tensions. The "yellow vest" protesters' demands have mushroomed to include an end to other taxes, a rise in the minimum wage - and Macron's resignation. Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said on RTL radio Monday that the fallout from protests could cost the economy 0.1 percent of gross domestic product. Demonstrators wearing yellow vests protest at the toll gates of a motorway, in Biarritz, southwestern France, Monday, Dec. 10, 2018. French President Emmanuel Macron will be speaking to his nation at last Monday, after increasingly violent, radicalized protests against his leadership have shaken the country and scarred its beloved capital. His long silence has aggravated that anger and many protesters are hoping only to hear one thing from Macron: "I quit." (AP Photo/Bob Edme) Demonstrators wearing yellow vests protest at the toll gates of a motorway, in Biarritz, southwestern France, Monday, Dec. 10, 2018. French President Emmanuel Macron will be speaking to his nation at last Monday, after increasingly violent, radicalized protests against his leadership have shaken the country and scarred its beloved capital. His long silence has aggravated that anger and many protesters are hoping only to hear one thing from Macron: "I quit." (AP Photo/Bob Edme) The French flag on top of the Elysee Palace is flapping in the sky after a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron and local, national political leaders, unions, business leaders and others to hear their concerns after four weeks of protests, at the Elysee Palace in Paris, Monday, Dec. 10, 2018. French President Emmanuel Macron is preparing to speak to the nation at last after increasingly violent "yellow vest" protests against his leadership. (AP Photo/Francois Mori) French President Emmanuel Macron meets with representatives of trade unions, employers' organizations and local elected officials at the Elysee Palace in Paris, Monday, Dec.10 2018. Macron is preparing to speak to the nation Monday at last, after increasingly violent and radicalized protests against his leadership and a long silence that aggravated the anger. (Yoan Valat, Pool via AP) French President Emmanuel Macron, center, French Prime Minister Edouard Philipppe, left, and Environment Minister Francois de Rugy meet with representatives of trade unions, employers' organizations and local elected officials at the Elysee Palace in Paris, Monday, Dec.10 2018. Macron is preparing to speak to the nation Monday at last, after increasingly violent and radicalized protests against his leadership and a long silence that aggravated the anger. (Yoan Valat, Pool via AP) Laurent Berger, leader of the French Democratic Confederation of Labour (CFDT) arrives for a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron and local, national political leaders, unions, business leaders and others to hear their concerns after four weeks of protests, at the Elysee Palace in Paris, Monday, Dec. 10, 2018. French President Emmanuel Macron is preparing to speak to the nation at last after increasingly violent "yellow vest" protests against his leadership. (AP Photo/Francois Mori) F.O. Labor union leader Yves Veyrier arrives for a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron, and local, national political leaders, unions, business leaders and others to hear their concerns after four weeks of protests, at the Elysee Palace in Paris, Monday, Dec. 10, 2018. French President Emmanuel Macron is preparing to speak to the nation at last after increasingly violent "yellow vest" protests against his leadership. (AP Photo/Francois Mori) French Budget Minister Gerald Darmanin leaves after a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron and local, national political leaders, unions, business leaders and others to hear their concerns after four weeks of protests, at the Elysee Palace in Paris, Monday, Dec. 10, 2018. French President Emmanuel Macron is preparing to speak to the nation at last after increasingly violent "yellow vest" protests against his leadership. (AP Photo/Francois Mori) Herve Morin, President of France Regions leaves after a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron and local, national political leaders, unions, business leaders and others to hear their concerns after four weeks of protests, at the Elysee Palace in Paris, Monday, Dec. 10, 2018. French President Emmanuel Macron is preparing to speak to the nation at last after increasingly violent "yellow vest" protests against his leadership. (AP Photo/Francois Mori) French local, national political leaders, unions, business leaders and others leave after a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron to hear their concerns at the Elysee Palace in Paris, Monday, Dec. 10, 2018. French President Emmanuel Macron is preparing to speak to the nation at last after increasingly violent "yellow vest" protests against his leadership. (AP Photo/Francois Mori) Dominique Bussereau, President of the Assembly of the Departments of France arrives for a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron and local, national political leaders, unions, business leaders and others to hear their concerns after four weeks of protests, at the Elysee Palace in Paris, Monday, Dec. 10, 2018. French President Emmanuel Macron is preparing to speak to the nation at last after increasingly violent "yellow vest" protests against his leadership. (AP Photo/Francois Mori) HOOVER, Ala. (AP) - Three people have been arrested in the continuing protests over the fatal police shooting of a black man inside Alabama's largest shopping mall on Thanksgiving night, authorities said Monday. Two men were arrested Sunday on disorderly conduct charges after a protest that briefly shut down an interstate highway. A woman was arrested Thursday after someone was seen throwing Christmas ornaments into traffic in Hoover, where the shooting occurred. News outlets reported the woman allegedly told authorities she was doing it as part of the protests seeking justice for Emantic "EJ" Bradford Jr., who was killed by a police officer who mistook him for the gunman in a shooting that wounded two people in the Riverchase Galleria. It was unclear whether any of the three who were arrested have attorneys to speak on their behalf. In a statement, the city said it supported the right to protest peacefully but that blocking Interstate 459 presents "a serious public safety concern for everyone." "We have consistently stated that we will not allow roads and highways to be blocked by protesters because it is hazardous and jeopardizes the safety of all citizens and visitors to Hoover," said the statement. No one was hurt in the interstate protest, but authorities said two security guards suffered minor injuries during a demonstration at an upscale resort in Hoover, a city of about 85,000 people in suburban Birmingham. The NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund last week asked federal authorities to investigate Bradford's death, citing questions including differing police accounts of what occurred. The chief federal prosecutor in north Alabama, Jay Town, said officials are monitoring the situation. TIRANA, Albania (AP) - The prime minister of Albania has failed to convince protesting public university students to sit down to talk about their demands. Students said on Monday their demands must be met first. Those include cutting tuition fees in half, doubling the budget for education and a greater student presence on decision-making boards. Prime Minister Edi Rama said Monday in a video on Facebook that the government was ready for dialogue, but autonomous university boards have authority to meet or reject most of the demands, including setting tuition. As the weeklong protest continued, students blocked a main street of Albania's Education Ministry in Tirana. They called on political parties to stay out of the dispute and there was talk of students starting a hunger strike. SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - They have become known as the Angels of Paradise. But there is nothing ethereal about them. They are online sleuths who know how to find people, and they have been putting their skills to use in the aftermath of California's catastrophic wildfire. In the dark days that followed the Nov. 8 inferno, the deadliest in California history, social media filled with posts from people trying to contact loved ones from the Paradise area. Panic spread as the magnitude of destruction came into focus: At least 85 dead. Nearly 14,000 homes destroyed. From across the U.S., people posted names of aunts, uncles, foster parents, distant relatives and long-lost friends or acquaintances and asked, "Does anyone know if they are safe?" Nancy Collins knew she could help. A mother of two and a 911 dispatcher, Collins volunteers as a "search angel," someone who helps adoptees find their biological parents. She knows her way around public records and how to track people down. She offered her services to the administrator of a newly created Facebook page, "Camp Fire Missing Persons, Paradise CA," after noticing panicked posts were piling up. In this Wednesday, Dec. 5, 2018, photo, Diana Sauer holds a family photograph of her father, Warren Deboer, holding her as a baby, and his best friend Russell Anderson, left, in Concord, Calif. In the aftermath of Northern California's catastrophic wildfire, social media sites filled with posts from people trying to find loved ones in and near the town of Paradise. A group of women scattered across the U.S. knew they could help. The women volunteer as "search angels, " those who help adoptees find their biological parents. So far, they have tracked down nearly 250 people and linked them with friends and family who were looking for them becoming known as the Angels of Paradise. (AP Photo/Ben Margot) "I said, 'I have a bunch of genealogy friends, and we can help," said Collins, who lives in the San Francisco Bay Area and formed a team of eight "angels" from around the country and one in Canada, all of whom volunteer with a group called Search Squad . "The rest was history." Working on laptops from their living room sofas, home offices and kitchen counters, they communicated in online chat groups and divvied up hundreds of posts. They used public databases to find property deeds, court records and bankruptcy filings, and logged onto people-finding sites like Ancestry.com, BeenVerified.com, the online White Pages and others. They looked for cellphone numbers and email addresses and names of friends, relatives, neighbors and associates who might have clues. In the four weeks since the fire started, the search angels have connected nearly 250 people with the relatives and friends they were searching for. They are one of several missing persons groups that sprung up on Facebook with the intention of helping strangers in a time of need, harnessing the power of social media and dogged investigative work. "I reached out to the angels, and they really are angels," said Delisa Gaeta, 55, who was concerned about her foster father, whom she hadn't seen in years. "I threw a lifeline out there, and they grabbed hold of it and reeled it in. They just made it happen." At first, Gaeta didn't know if her foster father, Dale Wingett, had made it out of his Paradise home alive. Authorities had no information on him, and after two weeks of trying to contact him, she was losing hope. Then she saw his picture in a local newspaper at a Thanksgiving dinner for survivors in the Northern California city of Redding. Gaeta desperately wanted to speak to Wingett and see if he needed help. "It became a group project," said Dawn Kosmakos, a search angel who lives in Martinez, in the San Francisco Bay Area. "It was like, 'OK, girls. Let's find him!" They alerted the sheriff's office, did online searches and tried calling family and a property management company, Collins said. They found out Wingett had left Redding and was heading about 80 miles (130 kilometers) south, to the city of Willows. "We called every hotel in Willows and said, 'If he checks in, can you give him this message?'" said Collins, and that's how they found him. Wingett got the message, called them back, got Gaeta's number and called her. They have since emailed and spoken several times. For Wingett, the connection brought happiness at a time of great loss. "We have had really moving talks," said Wingett, contacted by phone at a hotel in Sutter Creek. "She told me that even though I was her foster father, to her I was her father. That hit me pretty strongly." Gaeta says she has peace of mind after weeks of sleepless nights. "I am so grateful to the work of these women," said Gaeta, who lives in the Bay Area city of Santa Clara. "They gave me the best Christmas gift." Diana Sauer, 39, feels a similar sense of gratitude and wonder for the work of the angels, who use methods for finding people that many don't know exist. "I owe them everything," said Sauer, who lives in the San Francisco area but grew up in Paradise and was worried about her father's best friend, Russell Anderson. "I don't think I would have found him without them." Anderson is 70 and lived simply, she said, with no cellphone or internet. "It made him one of those very difficult people to find," said Sauer, who knew Anderson had no children but was close with his ex-wife's daughter, Charmaine. Sauer did not know Charmaine's last name, but the angels found her. "They ended up finding Charmaine's marriage record, then they found birth records showing she had children. They found her children on Facebook and asked, 'Do you know Russell, and is he with you?'" The answer was yes. She spoke to Anderson on the phone for 40 minutes, and caught him up on her life, her marriage, her own children. They hadn't spoken in 15 years. "It was a very sweet conversation between two people that love each other and haven't seen each other in a long time." Several people that Collins' group tracked down appeared on the official list of people unaccounted for after the fire. That list, managed by the Butte County Sheriff's Office, is down to six names from a high of 1,300 last month. Sheriff Kory Honea acknowledged the work of Facebook groups in the effort but said his agency wasn't coordinating with them or using their resources, primarily because it was so swamped with other work. "If the Facebook group knows that (people) are safe, they should call us and let us know. There's no way my staff can check the myriad of Facebook pages," Honea told The Associated Press. Collins said when her team located a "missing" person who was on the official list, they emailed the sheriff's office and also told friends and family of those found to contact the sheriff's office to have their names removed. Susie Elliot, 63, tried to get official information about her cousin in Paradise, Dee Riley, but called the sheriff's office and got repeated busy signals. For over two weeks, Elliot, who lives in San Dimas, near Los Angeles, checked everywhere she could think of for Riley. She contacted the Red Cross, which was running shelters for fire evacuees, and it had no record of Riley so directed her to the Butte County Sheriff's Office, where she couldn't get through. She learned Riley's house burned down and started getting anxious. Then she did a Google search using words like, "missing people in Paradise," and found the Facebook group. On Nov. 27, Elliot posted a message to the group saying she couldn't find her cousin. Within minutes, Kosmakos was on the case. Kosmakos, a stay-at-home mom and part-time administrative assistant, said she found Riley's cellphone number after a few quick online searches. "By 3 p.m. the next day, I was in touch with my cousin," said Elliot, who learned her cousin was safe and was renting an apartment near Sacramento. "I couldn't believe they found her in less than 24 hours," Elliot said. The angels say they all have personal reasons for doing the work they do. "I was in a foster home myself. I really don't have much family," said Collins. "So, for me, I get joy connecting others to their family." ATLANTA (AP) - As many as five white police officers in Georgia face murder trials next year in the deaths of unarmed black men. The Atlanta Journal Constitution reported that all five officers were indicted under new state grand jury rules that went into effect in 2015. The new rules no longer allow officers to look at the prosecution's case and then testify without being cross-examined. Former DeKalb County District Attorney Robert James said for a long time, it was unusual for any police officer to be indicted on murder charges. The first case is expected to be that of DeKalb County Police Officer Robert Olsen, in late February. Olsen claimed self-defense after shooting Afghanistan war veteran Anthony Hill, who was naked and unarmed outside a housing complex. WASHINGTON (AP) - President Donald Trump is considering at least four people to serve as his next chief of staff, after plans for an orderly succession for departing John Kelly fell through. The high-profile hiring search comes at a pivotal time as the Republican president looks to prepare his White House for the twin challenges of securing his re-election and fending off expected congressional investigations once Democrats gain control of the House next year. Trump's top pick for the job, Nick Ayers, announced Sunday that he would instead be leaving the White House, surprising even senior staffers who believed the move was a done deal. Trump is now soliciting input on at least four people, including Office of Management and Budget director Mick Mulvaney and Rep. Mark Meadows, R-N.C., the chair of the conservative House Freedom Caucus. Ayers, who is chief of staff to Vice President Mike Pence, was seen as the favorite for the job when Trump announced Saturday that Kelly would leave around year's end. But a White House official said Sunday that Trump and Ayers could not reach agreement on Ayers' length of service and that he would instead assist the president from outside the administration. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive personnel matters. Ayers confirmed the decision in a tweet Sunday, thanking Trump and Pence for giving him the opportunity to work in the White House. "I will be departing at the end of the year but will work with the #MAGA team to advance the cause," he said. FILE - In a Monday, Dec. 3, 2018 file photo, Nick Ayers, right, listens as Supreme Court Associate Justice Neil Gorsuch waits for the arrival of the casket for former President George H.W. Bush to lie in State at the Capitol on Capitol Hill in Washington. President Donald Trump's top pick to replace John Kelly as chief of staff, Nick Ayers, is no longer expected to fill that role, according to a White House official. The official says that Trump and Ayers could not agree on Ayers' length of service. (Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via AP, Pool, File) Trump offered his own take on the development: "I am in the process of interviewing some really great people for the position of White House Chief of Staff. Fake News has been saying with certainty it was Nick Ayers, a spectacular person who will always be with our #MAGA agenda. I will be making a decision soon!" Even senior White House officials were caught off guard Sunday by the news of Ayers' departure. No obvious successor to Kelly was in sight, and there was some fretting that Trump may not be able to fill the job by the time Kelly leaves. Ayers and Trump had discussed the job for months, making the breakdown Sunday all the more surprising. Trump said Saturday that he expected to announce a replacement for Kelly in a day or two. But with Ayers no longer waiting in the wings, Trump may now take until the end of the year, according to a person close to the president. And it remains unclear who wants the job. Mulvaney, the budget director, was not interested in becoming chief of staff, according to a person close to him who spoke on the condition of anonymity. Mulvaney has been saying for almost two months now that he would be more interested in becoming commerce or treasury secretary if that would be helpful to the president, the person said. Also among those thought to be in the mix were Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin and U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, who said in a CBS interview that he hadn't spoken to anyone at the White House about the job and was "entirely focused" on his position. The White House official said that, while the president likes Lighthizer, he is reluctant to move him from his current post because of the ongoing high-stakes trade negotiations with China and others. And a person familiar with Mnuchin's thinking said he, too, was happy with his work at Treasury and had not sought the job of chief of staff. Acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker and Trump's former deputy campaign manager David Bossie were also among the names being floated by some close to the White House Sunday. Trump's administration has set records for staff turnover, and he has often struggled to attract experienced political professionals, a challenge that has grown more difficult by the upcoming threat of costly Democratic oversight investigations and an uncertain political environment. Democrats, who will be assuming control of the House of Representatives next year, are expected to take full advantage of their new subpoena power to investigate everything from the actions of Trump administration officials to the president's business dealings, flooding the White House with inquiries. In any administration, the role of White House chief of staff is split between the responsibilities of supervising the White House and managing the man sitting in the Oval Office. Striking that balance in the turbulent times of Trump has bedeviled Kelly and his predecessor, Reince Priebus, and will be the defining challenge for whoever is selected next. Kelly, whose last day on the job is set to be Jan. 2, had been credited with imposing order on a chaotic West Wing after his arrival in June 2017 from his post as homeland security secretary. But his iron fist also alienated some longtime Trump allies, and over time he grew increasingly isolated. Trump wants his next chief of staff to hold the job through the 2020 election, the officials said. Ayers, who has young triplets, had long planned to leave the administration at the end of the year and had only agreed to serve in an interim basis through next spring. Ayers had earned the backing of the president's influential daughter and son-in-law, White House advisers Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner, but was viewed warily by other aides. Ayers will run a pro-Trump super PAC, according to a person familiar with his plans but not authorized to discuss them by name. Pence's deputy chief of staff, Jarrod Agen, is expected to assume Ayers' role for the vice president. ___ Follow Miller on Twitter at https://twitter.com/ZekeJMiller In this June 21, 2018 photo, White House chief of staff John Kelly listens as President Donald Trump speaks during a lunch with governors in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington. Trump says chief of staff John Kelly will leave his job at the end of the year.(AP Photo/Evan Vucci) Earlier he was member of the Fifteenth Finance Commission of India. Mumbai: Former finance secretary and current member of the finance commission Shaktikanta Das has been appointed as the Governor of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Tuesday, a government statement said. Shaktikanta Das has been appointed as the central bank chief a day after Urjit Patel resigned from the post citing personal reasons. Das, an IAS officer of Tamil Nadu, has been appointed for a term of three years. He is the 25th Governor of the RBI. Das retired as Economic Affairs Secretary in May 2017. At the recent G-20 meet in Argentina, Shaktikanta Das was Indias Sherpa. YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (AP) - An anguished mother, naked and bleeding, banged on the door of the house across the street and screamed for help in a fruitless plea to save her five children as a late-night fire swallowed their Ohio home, a neighbor said Monday. Fire officials in Youngstown said the woman jumped from a second-story window and was the only survivor of the Sunday blaze that killed the children. They ranged in age from 1 to 9, the youngest being twins. Neighbor Aaron Baldwin said by the time he awoke from the woman banging on his door, her house was engulfed in flames and there was no way for neighbors to rush inside. "It was horrible. It was the worst thing you have to see," said Baldwin, 28, who also has five young children. "I'm seeing myself in her predicament." The Mahoning County Coroner's Office identified the children as 9-year-old Aleysha Rosario, 3-year-old Charles Gunn, 2-year-old Ly'Asia Gunn, and 1-year-old twins Brianna and Arianna Negron. District spokeswoman Denise Dick said Aleysha was a fourth-grader at a Youngstown elementary school, where counselors were being made available as news spread about the children's deaths. Stuffed animals rest against a pole at a makeshift memorial after a deadly fire in Youngstown, Ohio, Monday, Dec. 10, 2018. Authorities report that several children died in the fire. (William D. Lewis/The Vindicator via AP) Their mother, whom fire investigators didn't publicly identify, was taken to MetroHealth Medical Center in Cleveland. The hospital said she was in critical condition Monday evening. Seventeen-year-old Edgar Daniel Negron said it was his aunt who was hospitalized and his cousins who died. He said the fire occurred while his aunt was spending rare time with all of her children under one roof. She has been studying nursing, and her children sometimes stayed with relatives or their godparents, but they were all together Sunday night, Negron said. State and local investigators are trying to determine what caused the blaze. They said nothing so far indicates the fire was suspicious. It swept through the old, two-story wood home after neighbors were awakened by a loud boom. Most of the damage was on the first floor, leading investigators to believe the fire started there, said Capt. Kurt Wright of the Youngstown Fire Department. Firefighters found flames throughout the first floor when they arrived and were able to pull out three of the children, but they died at a hospital, Wright said. One firefighter was treated at a hospital and released, and another was treated at the scene. The family had moved into the house earlier this year, according to neighbors and friends. Virgen Bonilla said she was the children's babysitter. She visited the charred and boarded-up home Monday with her sister and a family friend to leave flowers at a makeshift memorial where stuffed animals were piled beneath balloons. "These kids were always with me. They were my babies," Bonilla said, wiping away tears with her scarf as she shared memories of them - how Aleysha loved to dance, and Charles sang in Spanish, and Ly'Asia was quieter and liked to be off by herself. Neighbor Jerry Fields also stopped outside the home to drop off stuffed animals. "I needed to do something," said Fields, 68. "I didn't know what else to do." Negron said he has organized a GoFundMe campaign to help with the funeral costs. City Councilwoman Anita Davis said the community plans to hold a dinner next week to raise funds for the family. ___ Franko reported from Columbus. Associated Press reporters John Seewer in Toledo and Lisa Cornwell in Cincinnati contributed to this report. Bob Sharp with the Ohio State Fire Marshall's office stands near a home after a deadly fire in Youngstown, Ohio, Monday, Dec. 10, 2018. Authorities report that several children died in the fire. (William D. Lewis/The Vindicator via AP) Melissa Thomas, right, wipes away a tear as her daughter Elissa Simione looks on near the scene of a deadly fire in Youngstown, Ohio, Monday, Dec. 10, 2018. Authorities report that several children died in the fire. (William D. Lewis/The Vindicator via AP) Police tape marks off part of the scene after a deadly fire in Youngstown, Ohio, Monday, Dec. 10, 2018. Authorities report that several children died in the fire. (William D. Lewis/The Vindicator via AP) Fire marshals collect evidence after a deadly fire destroyed a house Monday, Dec. 10, 2018, in Youngstown, Ohio. The fire broke out on Sunday night killing 5 children, ages 9, 3, 2, and 1-year-old twins and also injuring the mother who jumped out from the second-floor window. (Lake Fong/Pittsburgh Post-Gazette via AP) Perez, left, and Tonika Brooks react while paying respects at a deadly fire scene Monday, Dec. 10, 2018, in Youngstown, Ohio. The fire broke out on Sunday night killed 5 children, from ages 9, 3, 2, and 1-year-old twins and injured the mother who jumped out from the second-floor window. (Lake Fong/Pittsburgh Post-Gazette via AP) Gayness Grabe, left, and Leona Coifed tie balloons at a makeshift memorial after a deadly fire destroyed a house Monday, Dec. 10, 2018, in Youngstown, Ohio. The fire broke out on Sunday night killing 5 children, ages 9, 3, 2, and 1-year-old twins and injuring the mother who jumped out from the second-floor window. (Lake Fong/Pittsburgh Post-Gazette via AP) WASHINGTON (AP) - A judge has set a court date for this week for former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort after prosecutors with the special counsel's office detailed lies they say he told them. The scheduling conference will take place Tuesday afternoon before U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson. It had earlier been set for Wednesday morning. Manafort is not expected to attend. In a court filing Friday night, special counsel Robert Mueller said Manafort had lied about contacts with Trump administration officials and with an associate who U.S. authorities say has ties to Russian intelligence. Manafort's attorneys have denied that he made false statements. Manafort pleaded guilty to conspiracy in September and agreed to cooperate with Mueller's investigation. But prosecutors say his deception has torpedoed that plea deal. WASHINGTON (AP) - The Supreme Court has rejected a Mississippi county's appeal in the case of a woman who was jailed for more than three months without seeing a judge. The court's order on Monday leaves in place a federal judge's ruling that Choctaw County and its sheriff are liable for violating the woman's constitutional rights. A jury trial to determine damages is scheduled for March. The woman was held for 96 days before she was given the opportunity to post bail. She had been arrested on traffic charges and was then served with a drug indictment. A survey of Mississippi jails released this year found 2,500 defendants jailed before trial have been in custody 90 or more consecutive days. More than 600 defendants have been in jail longer than a year. CHICAGO (AP) - Ke'Shon Newman's daily routine is guided by guns - the hundreds of illegal pistols, revolvers and other firearms that torment his South Side neighborhood. He walks on brightly lit streets, the ones lined with Jamaican jerk and seafood joints, minimarkets, the White Castle, a Shell gas station. If shooting erupts, he wants witnesses - and, if necessary, help. He listens to music with one earbud, to hear approaching footsteps, and avoids clothing with hoods that might block his peripheral vision. These are the rituals of a street-smart 16-year-old who knows the cruel meaning of wrong place, wrong time. His stepbrother, Randall Young, then 16, was killed in crossfire two years ago while walking his girlfriend to a bus stop. "Nine shots," Newman says, words that need no embroidery. "I'm making sure my mom doesn't have to lose another child." The Auburn Gresham neighborhood is flooded with illegal guns: .40-caliber pistols, .380 semi-automatics, .38-caliber revolvers. Police recover as many as they can, searching apartments, stopping cars, cornering people on the street. A buy-back in June brought in hundreds of firearms. And in September, the mayor and other dignitaries gathered to mark a milestone: Police in the 6th District had recovered their 1,000th gun this year. It was a triumphant moment, but it also offered a glimpse into the overwhelming task faced by law enforcement - and the wounds inflicted on just one Chicago community - when guns are readily available and violence so common that, one study found, an estimated 1 in 2 young men had at some time carried firearms, almost always illegally. Most did so to stay safe. "I tell people all the time we don't have post-traumatic stress. We have PRESENT-traumatic stress," says the Rev. Michael Pfleger, the activist priest at St. Sabina Church who was the inspiration for a character in Spike Lee's "Chi-Raq." ''We're still in the war. We're not coming home from it. We live it." A pedestrian walks past a "DEMAND JUSTICE" sign on a boarded-up storefront on the South Side of Chicago, part of the 6th Police District where officers marked a milestone this fall: They recovered their 1,000th firearm this year. The community is home to neat bungalows, apartment buildings and a modest business strip as well as weed-filled lots, abandoned buildings and other signs of despair. Illegal guns are a major problem in the area; by December police had recovered more than 1,200 firearms. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh) Chicago's gun violence has captured the national spotlight in recent years and President Donald Trump has, at various times, blamed the Democratic leadership, threatened to send in federal troops and breezily called the problem "very easily fixable." Those who battle this daily in the 6th District see it much differently. Guns not only shatter families, they determine what time people leave their houses, the streets and stores they avoid, whether a church should have a metal detector, even whether a Ferris wheel operator feels it's safe enough to install a ride for a festival. Residents in the community often know who's behind shootings - there've been nearly 600 since 2016 - but the threat of gang retaliation has created an almost impenetrable code of silence. Many of the guns police seize belong to repeat offenders, who may be back on the street in days. St. Sabina has tried to break through, handing out $5,000 rewards 28 times in the last decade or so to help solve murders. The church is offering another to help find the killer of 21-year-old Oceanea Jones, who was with her boyfriend in July when they were chased by a group of men. She was shot in the back; he suffered minor injuries. "SPEAK UP FOR ME!" beseeches a poster on a church window featuring Jones' hopeful smile. For Pfleger, solving murders like this and seizing guns don't address the real problem. "Until we deal with easy access, they can pick up another 1,000 and another 1,000," says the priest, who decades ago lost his foster son in gang crossfire. "It's like water pouring on the floor and you keep mopping it up, but nobody's shut off the faucet." Chicago police regularly recover more illegal firearms than officials in larger New York and Los Angeles. Last year, the citywide haul was 7,932 firearms. The 2018 tally exceeds 9,100, and police say it could surpass 10,000 by year's end. Police seize an illegal weapon about once every hour, most connected to gangs on the South and West sides. Authorities cite two reasons for the heavy gun traffic: Penalties for carrying these firearms aren't considered a deterrent and, according to police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi, suspects tell officers they "would rather be caught by police with a gun ... than caught by a rival gang without one." The department's 6th District, one of 22 in all, leads the city in guns recovered, accounting for almost 15 percent so far in 2018. District Commander William Bradley sees progress in those numbers, measuring success in the smallest increments. "Every gun that (officers) get, I get excited about that because that's a gun that can't be used against them or a law-abiding citizen," he says. "I don't look at it as a grain of salt or a drop in the bucket." The 6th District is an 8-square-mile stretch of overwhelmingly black working-class neighborhoods. A densely populated area, it's thick with apartment buildings and brick bungalows, neat lawns, a busy bus route, a business strip with mom-and-pa stores and the prestigious all-boys Leo Catholic High. Every school graduate in the last eight years has been accepted to college. The community also bears visible signs of despair: weed-filled lots, boarded-up houses, wary fast-food workers and clerks hunkered down behind protective partitions in storefronts with thick metal security gates. Gang rivalries are fierce. On the district's eastern edge, members of an organization called Cure Violence prowl the streets as "interrupters" to keep the peace, even if it's something as simple as arranging safe passage for someone to go to a store in another gang's territory. "These guys are living in their own little world of survival," says Demeatreas Whatley, a Cure Violence supervisor. "Their enemies are not even two blocks away." The 6th District polices 30 different gang factions - each with anywhere from 20 to 100 members - that account for 75 percent of the area's gun violence. The gang presence is so ordinary, the turf so defined, that everyone from pastors to grade-schoolers can tell you, for instance, which streets are controlled by the Killer Ward faction and which are run by the G-Ville faction of the Gangster Disciples. Tracking gang guns is especially difficult because they move from one faction to another, and when police finally seize them, they're rarely in the hands of the purchaser. "Gangs use guns like timeshares," says Andrew Papachristos, a sociology professor at Northwestern University. "They stay in circulation." Once guns move from the legal to the illegal market, they can bounce around the city with no rhyme or reason, says Celinez Nunez, special agent in charge of the Chicago office of the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. She says one gun now being investigated has been used in more than 30 crimes, including homicides and assaults. Last year, the ATF formed the Chicago Crime Gun Strike Force, a multiagency unit to combat gun crimes, and added 20 agents. The U.S. attorney's office also has put more prosecutors on gun cases. But the gun problem isn't limited to gangs. A recent Urban Institute survey of young people in four neighborhoods with high levels of violence, including Auburn Gresham, found half the young men had carried a gun, though for most it wasn't routine. Protection was the overwhelming reason. Tommie Bosley knows that may sound strange. He runs Strong Futures, a jobs-mentoring program at St. Sabina for young adults, many with criminal pasts. His 18-year-old son, Terrell, was fatally shot in 2006 while unloading musical instruments in a church parking lot. Bosley appreciates how all-consuming fear is for law-abiding people. "A lot of these guys are carrying weapons because they're scared," he says. "They feel that they cannot leave their house, go to work, whatever, unless they have a gun. They feel that at any time someone can be shooting at them and the gun - it makes them feel like they have a chance, which in my world is, 'Are you kidding me?' But that is the reality." The community has rallied to rid itself of guns. Members of New Life Covenant Church Southeast held a buy-back in coordination with police, who gave $100 gift cards to anyone who turned in a firearm. It took four hours to gather the weapons as the line snaked around the block. At day's end, 292 handguns and 132 rifles were out of circulation, but the event didn't soothe the frayed nerves of some congregation members. "There's a constant crisis state of mind," says Shammrie Brown, the church's community relations manager. "Elders who are supposed to have some level of peace are traumatized to the point where they're rushing to get home before it's night. ... There's anxiety about going to the grocer, anxiety to go inside the church. ... They want security at the park. ... They want surveillance for every move that they make." As the church prepares to move into a new building, one looming question is whether to include a permanent metal detector. Three miles west at St. Sabina Church, from a basement room one floor below a mural of a black Jesus beckoning with outstretched hands, Lamar Johnson is trying to shepherd the next generation of his community to speak out against gun violence. Johnson, 28, is a counselor for B.R.A.V.E. Youth Leaders, training kids as young as 6 on how to be social justice activists. At one recent gathering of 10- to 12-year-olds, he listened as the children talked about hearing gunshots while walking to school or having to hit the ground to avoid an errant bullet while shopping with their parents. "They talked about it as if it were an everyday thing, which it is," Johnson says. "It makes them numb, but if something happens to you over and over, eventually you adjust." Johnson warns that seizing guns alone won't transform a community long victimized by segregation and neglect. "If you're taking guns off the street, what are you putting in those communities for those young people who use guns? What resources are you adding? We need everything. Businesses. Jobs. Schools. This isn't something that just started in 2018. It's happened over decades." Carlos Nelson, director of the Greater Auburn-Gresham Development Corporation, is just as frustrated at the dearth of so much that would improve the community. He ticks off some of the businesses and services in the area: Currency exchanges. Quick loan shops. Dialysis and methadone clinics. "The businesses that you would find in an area with a good quality of life, you would be hard-pressed to find them here," he says. "The investment has not been made in our community to build the economic base. ... It is being made to police the community and to deal with issues like taking the guns off the street." That singular focus has repercussions. In September, Nelson was planning the 79th Street Renaissance Festival - a peaceful event for 13 years - when a Ferris wheel operator returned the group's check, citing the violence. Though Nelson calls that "ridiculous," he knows gun statistics that sound "like the Wild West" have taken their toll. The community, in which 60 percent of residents are homeowners, has shrunk from about 60,000 to about 47,000 over the last 15 or so years. "We don't want this violence," Nelson says. "We have a choice. The choice for many is to move out." Veronica Parker has remained, even though her 27-year-old son, Korey, was fatally shot around the corner from her house on July 4, 2012. She believes he was selling marijuana and might have been targeted in a turf battle. In September, police tape cordoned off Parker's street as officers investigated another killing. Cornelius Jackson had turned his life around, completing the Strong Futures program after a five-year prison stint for gun possession. He was newly married, working and had moved from his old neighborhood, which he described in a promotional video as a place that resulted in jail or death. On a return visit to Auburn Gresham, a gunman stepped from a car and shot the 29-year-old in the head. Both shootings remain unsolved, one of the more unsettling realities in places awash in guns. Bradley, who grew up in the area, understands how fear of gangs stifles cooperation. Chicago's murder clearance rate in the last two years was 38 percent. "If I come forward ... and nothing is done, I put myself and my family at risk," he says. "If these witnesses to crimes don't say anything, we can't do anything. I don't have a real solution." Parker is a member of Purpose Over Pain, a support group for parents who've lost children to guns. They're determined to find ways to curb the violence but, she concedes, "there's a void in my life that will never be filled." Parker last spoke with the detective investigating her son's case three years ago. "It's like they just forgot him," she says. When she's out in the community these days, she's dismayed by what she sometimes hears. "Young guys (are) saying they've made it to age 30 without getting shot or killed, and they think they've accomplished something. It's heartbreaking." Parker applauds police for going after guns but harbors no illusions. "If they get 100 or 1,000, others are still out there. As soon as the police pick up the guns, they'll just go and get them somewhere else." By December, the 6th District had recovered more than 1,200 guns. __ Read more here about some of the myths and truths regarding the flow of guns in Chicago. ___ Sharon Cohen, a Chicago-based national writer, can be reached at scohen@ap.org or on Twitter @scohenAP. With an anti-violence sign in the foreground, Demeatreas Whatley looks outside from his office in Chicago, Friday, Nov. 9, 2018. Whatley is a supervisor for Cure Violence, a group that works to stem gang violence on the South Side. Gang rivalries are fierce in the community. "These guys are living in their own little world of survival," he says. "Their enemies are not even two blocks away." (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh) Lamar Johnson stands for a portrait at St. Sabina Church in Chicago, Friday, Nov. 9, 2018. Johnson, 28, is a counselor for B.R.A.V.E. Youth Leaders. a church program that guides young people on how to speak out against gun violence and become social activists. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh) Lamar Johnson stands for a portrait at St. Sabina Church in Chicago, Friday, Nov. 9, 2018. Johnson, 28, is a counselor for the church program, B.R.A.V.E. Youth Leaders. He teaches kids as young as 6 how to speak out against gun violence and be social justice activists. The church also offers rewards for community members who provide tips that help police solve murders. The window shows a poster seeking help in finding the gunman who fatally shot a 21-year-old woman in the community in July. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh) In this June 2, 2018 photo provided by the Chicago Police Department, a forensic firearms examiner inspects a weapon turned in during a gun buy-back program in the 6th Police District on the South Side. Officers in the district have recovered more than 1,200 firearms this year. (CPD via AP) In this June 2, 2018, photo provided by the Chicago Police Department, forensic firearms examiners inspect weapons turned in by residents in a gun buy-back program co-sponsored with the New Life Covenant Church Southeast in the 6th Police District. More than 400 guns and rifles were handed over in exchange for $100 gift cards. (CPD via AP) In this June 2, 2018, photo provided by the Chicago Police Department, forensic firearms examiners inspect weapons turned in by residents in a gun buy-back program co-sponsored with the New Life Covenant Church Southeast in the 6th Police District. More than 400 guns and rifles were handed over in exchange for $100 gift cards. (CPD via AP) Demeatreas Whatley stands for a portrait on a street on the South Side of Chicago, Friday, Nov. 9, 2018. Whatley is a supervisor for Cure Violence, a group that works to stem gang violence. He works on the eastern edge of the 6th Police District, where police announced this fall that they had recovered their 1,000th gun this year. By December, the tally had topped 1,200. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh) A pedestrian walks past an abandoned lot on a street on the South Side of Chicago that is part of the 6th Police District. Officers there marked a milestone this fall when they recovered their 1,000th gun for the year. The community has neat bungalows and apartment buildings, mom-and-pop stores as well as signs of despair, including weed-filled lots and shuttered houses. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh) Shammrie Brown stands for a portrait in front of the New Life Covenant Church Southeast in Chicago, Friday, Nov. 9, 2018. Working with the Chicago police, he helped organize a gun buy-back program last summer that brought in more than 400 firearms. But that hasn't completely eased the fears of some congregation members. "There's a constant crisis state of mind," he says. "Elders who are supposed to have some level of peace are traumatized to the point where they're rushing to get home before it's night. ... They want surveillance for every move that they make." (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh) Shammrie Brown stands for a portrait next to a security gate at the New Life Covenant Church Southeast in Chicago, Friday, Nov. 9, 2018. He coordinated with the Chicago police to organize a gun buy-back program last summer that brought in hundreds of handguns and rifles. But some members of the congregation are still fearful. "Elders who are supposed to have some level of peace are traumatized to the point where they're rushing to get home before it's night," he says. "They want surveillance for every move that they make." (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh) Veronica Parker holds a photo of her son, Korey B. Parker, Sr., 27, at her workplace in Chicago, Friday, Nov. 9, 2018. He was fatally shot around the corner from her house on July 4, 2012. The killing remains unsolved. Parker is a member of Purpose Over Pain, a support group for parents who've lost children to gun violence. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh) Veronica Parker holds a photo of her son, Korey B. Parker, Sr., 27, at her workplace in Chicago, Friday, Nov. 9, 2018. He was fatally shot around the corner from her house on July 4, 2012. The killing remains unsolved. Parker is a member of Purpose Over Pain, a support group for parents who've lost children to gun violence but, she says, "there's a void in my life that will never be filled." (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh) Tommie Bosley stands for a portrait in front of a display of gun violence victims on the lawn of St. Sabina Church in Chicago, Friday, Nov. 9, 2018. Bosley heads Strong Futures, a jobs-mentoring program at the church for young adults, many with criminal pasts, who are looking to get a new start on life. Among the photos in the glass-enclosed case is one of Bosley's 18-year-old son, Terrell, who was killed in 2006 while unloading musical instruments in a church parking lot. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh) VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) - The Latest on the arrest in Canada of Chinese tech executive Meng Wanzhou. (all times local): 10:58 a.m. The lawyer for a top Chinese executive who faces fraud charges in the U.S. says his client will hire a surveillance company that should be provided with the ability to arrest her if she breaches bail conditions. David Martin, Meng Wanzhou's lawyer, called to the stand a representative from a surveillance company. Martin says Meng would cover the expenses of the company and says the surveillance company will arrest her if she tries to flee. Monday is the second day of a hearing on whether to release Meng on bail in Canada. Meng is the chief financial officer of telecommunications giant Huawei and also the daughter of its founder. She was detained at the request of the U.S. during a layover at the Vancouver airport on Dec. 1. The U.S. alleges that Huawei used a Hong Kong shell company to sell equipment in Iran in violation of U.S. sanctions. It also says that Meng and Huawei misled American banks about its business dealings in Iran. A man arranges magazines near newspapers with the headlines of China outcry against U.S. on the detention of Huawei's chief financial officer, Meng Wanzhou, at a news stand in Beijing, Monday, Dec. 10, 2018. China has summoned the U.S. ambassador to Beijing to protest Canada's detention of an executive of Chinese electronics giant Huawei at Washington's behest and demand the U.S. cancel an order for her arrest. (AP Photo/Andy Wong) _______ 10:24 a.m. The bail hearing for a top Chinese executive who faces fraud charges in the U.S. is resuming. It's the second day of a hearing on whether to release Meng Wanzhou on bail in Canada. Meng is the chief financial officer of telecommunications giant Huawei and also the daughter of its founder. She was detained at the request of the U.S. during a layover at the Vancouver airport on Dec. 1 - the same day that Presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping of China agreed over dinner to a 90-day ceasefire in a trade dispute that threatens to disrupt global commerce. China formally protested the arrest to the ambassadors of Canada and the United States over the weekend. The U.S. alleges that Huawei used a Hong Kong shell company to sell equipment in Iran in violation of U.S. sanctions. It also says that Meng and Huawei misled American banks about its business dealings in Iran. ________ 8:55 a.m. There was a break-in at the Vancouver home of a tech executive from China who is being detained at the request of the United States. Vancouver police say they received a 911 call about the intrusion just before 5:30 a.m. Sunday, but that the suspects fled the area after being challenged by someone in the house. A defense lawyer for Meng Wanzhou, the chief financial officer for Huawei and the daughter of its founder, said at a bail hearing that Meng and her husband purchased the home in 2009. Land title documents show the registered owner is Xiaozong Liu and B.C. Assessment says the property is valued at $5.6 million Canadian ($4.1 million). A bail hearing for Meng continues in Vancouver on Monday with the United States seeking her extradition on fraud allegations. She lives in China but is a former permanent resident of Canada. _______ 10:10 a.m. China says there is no evidence to back up claims in the West that Huawei (WAH-way) and other Chinese tech companies pose a security threat. Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said Monday that other countries are hyping up security threats to create obstacles for Chinese companies trying to do legitimate business. His comments come shortly before Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou (MUHNG' Wahn-JOH') was due in court in Canada for a resumption of her bail hearing. The U.S. alleges Huawei used a Hong Kong shell company to evade U.S. trade curbs on Iran and wants Meng extradited. She was detained on Dec. 1 while changing planes in Vancouver. In this courtroom sketch, Meng Wanzhou, right, the chief financial officer of Huawei Technologies, sits beside a translator during a bail hearing at British Columbia Supreme Court in Vancouver, on Friday, Dec. 7, 2018. Meng faces extradition to the U.S. on charges of trying to evade U.S. sanctions on Iran. She appeared in a Vancouver court Friday to seek bail. (Jane Wolsak/The Canadian Press via AP) A woman takes a copy of a newspaper near another with the headline of China outcry against U.S. on the detention of Huawei's chief financial officer, Meng Wanzhou, at a news stand in Beijing, Monday, Dec. 10, 2018. China has summoned the U.S. ambassador to Beijing to protest Canada's detention of an executive of Chinese electronics giant Huawei at Washington's behest and demand the U.S. cancel an order for her arrest. (AP Photo/Andy Wong) In this courtroom sketch, Meng Wanzhou, right, the chief financial officer of Huawei Technologies, sits beside a translator during a bail hearing at British Columbia Supreme Court in Vancouver, on Friday, Dec. 7, 2018. Meng faces extradition to the U.S. on charges of trying to evade U.S. sanctions on Iran. She appeared in a Vancouver court Friday to seek bail. (Jane Wolsak/The Canadian Press via AP) CHICAGO (AP) - Chicago police are wrestling with gun violence, blamed largely on gangs. President Donald Trump has frequently singled out the city for criticism , calling the crime problem "a total disaster" and claiming Chicago has the strongest guns laws in the nation and still hasn't been able to curb violence. But there are common misunderstandings about Chicago's homicide rate and how the city regulates firearms. Here are some of the myths and truths: ___ IS CHICAGO THE NATION'S MURDER CAPITAL? No. This is a common misperception based partly on the national attention Chicago has attracted in recent years. The Pew Research Center reported in November that when adjusting for population, Chicago has recorded fewer murders per capita than many other smaller U.S. cities. Chicago ranked 14th among cities with at least 100,000 people in 2017. FBI statistics released this fall found St. Louis had the highest murder rate in 2017 - 66.1 homicides per 100,000 people. The Pew report said Chicago did have the highest actual number of homicides in the past few years. In 2016, there were 762 homicides. Last year, homicides dropped to 650. As of Dec. 6, there were 534. ___ DOES CHICAGO HAVE THE TOUGHEST GUN LAWS IN THE NATION? This June 2, 2018 photo provided by the Chicago Police Department shows weapons turned in by residents in a gun buy-back program co-sponsored with the New Life Covenant Church Southeast in the 6th Police District. More than 400 guns and rifles were handed over in exchange for $100 gift cards. (CPD via AP) No. Trump and his administration have wrongly made this assertion . Chicago passed a ban on handgun ownership in 1982. Those who'd already purchased and registered their handguns were allowed to keep them. In 2010, the ban was struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court, and in 2013, Illinois became the last state in the nation to approve concealed carry. Illinois is considered to have fairly tight gun laws. The state requires gun owners to obtain licenses and face background checks. It also imposes waiting periods on purchases. But unlike New York and California, Illinois, among other things, does not ban assault weapons or large-capacity magazines and does not require a state license for firearms dealers or one to sell ammunition, according to the Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence. This year, Gov. Bruce Rauner signed into law a measure allowing judges to take away weapons from people suffering mental health or other problems. He also extended a 72-hour waiting period to cover all gun purchases. But he vetoed legislation requiring the state licensing of firearms dealers, saying it would burden small businesses. ___ HOW LARGE IS CHICAGO'S ILLEGAL GUN MARKET? From 2013 to 2016, almost 7,000 illegal guns were recovered each year in Chicago, according to the city's Gun Trace Report . In 2017, the total was 7,932, according to the Chicago police. As of Dec. 6, the total for 2018 was 8,309, and police say that could surpass 10,000 by year's end. As the nation's third-largest city, Chicago routinely collects more guns than the two cities with larger populations. In 2016, Chicago collected six times as many guns per capita as New York and 1 times as many as Los Angeles. About 90 percent are handguns recovered from adults, though the rate for juveniles has been increasing and accounted for nearly 13 percent of gun recoveries in 2016. ___ WHAT ARE THE SOURCES OF ILLEGAL CHICAGO GUNS? According to the Trace Report, about 40 percent of illegally used or possessed firearms recovered in Chicago from 2013 to 2016 came from dealers in Illinois. The remaining 60 percent came from states with less regulation over firearms. Indiana accounted for about 1 in 5 of these weapons, followed by Mississippi and Wisconsin. The report says these trends have been consistent over the past decade. In the same time span, seven gun or sporting goods stores in Illinois were the top 10 source dealers of recovered weapons in Chicago. Three others were in Indiana. ___ HOW IS CHICAGO ADDRESSING GUN VIOLENCE? With a combination of technology and extra resources. In July 2017, the U.S Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives formed the Chicago Crime Gun Strike Force. It consists of ATF agents, Chicago police officers and members of the Illinois State Police and the Illinois Department of Corrections. An additional 20 ATF agents were dispatched last year to Chicago, and ATF firearm arrests citywide have increased by nearly 25 percent since then. Gun seizures have jumped by almost 46 percent, according to the bureau. Five new federal prosecutors were recently assigned to a gun crimes team. In fiscal year 2018, 197 people were charged with federal gun offenses - the highest annual count in more than a decade, the U.S. attorney's office in Chicago reported. On the technology side, police in 12 districts are using ShotSpotter, a sophisticated system of electronic monitoring to detect gunshots and alert officers to the location within 30 to 45 seconds. It collects data that helps define the scope of the gunfire and gives officers a lead in responding, compared with 911 calls. The city has 30,000 cameras and when a ShotSpotter notification is received, the closest cameras to the location gather activity within their range. ___ Read more here about how one Chicago neighborhood is fighting back against the flood of firearms. LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) - Three carnival workers have been charged with capital murder in the fatal shooting of a couple at a Kansas fair whose bodies were found days later in shallow graves in a national forest in Arkansas. The Kansas Attorney General said 52-year-old Kimberly Younger, of McIntosh, Florida; 54-year-old Michael Fowler Jr., of Sarasota, Florida; and 35-year-old Rusty Frasier, of Aransas Pass, Texas, are jailed on $1 million bond in Arkansas, where they also face charges. Capital murder carries a sentence of execution or life imprisonment. Alfred "Sonny" Carpenter and Pauline Carpenter of Wichita had been selling crafts, jewelry, purses and other handmade items at the fair in Barton County, Kansas, in July when they were killed. Investigators believe the carnival workers used the couple's recreational vehicle to drive the bodies 320 miles (515 kilometers) to Van Buren, Arkansas. Their bodies were found buried in shallow graves next to a creek outside the small community of Natural Dam in the Ozark National Forest. Police in Arkansas have said Younger texted the other suspects posing as a carnival mafia boss named Frank Zaitchik and ordered them to kill the Carpenters and dispose of the bodies. Fowler told investigators that he believed this was an initiation into the carnival mafia, so he shot the couple and Frasier stabbed Alfred Carpenter. Asked whether a carnival mafia even exists, Van Buren police spokesman Jonathan Wear said in an email that this was something Younger "definitely made up." This undated photo provided by the Crawford County Jail in Van Buren, Ark., shows Kimberly Younger. Younger is one of three carnival workers that have been charged with capital murder in the fatal shooting of a couple whose bodies were found in Arkansas days after they disappeared from a fair in Kansas. Younger, Michael Fowler Jr., and Rusty Frasier, are jailed on $1 million bond in Arkansas, awaiting extradition to Kansas. They are accused in the July killings of Pauline and Alfred "Sonny" Carpenter at the Barton County Fair. (Crawford County Jail via AP) When told that the order to kill had come from Younger, not Zaitchik, Fowler said she had "suckered" him in and that he had thrown his life away, according to police reports. Fowler is also charged in Kansas with theft, while Younger faces charges in that state of conspiracy to commit murder, solicitation and theft. A spokeswoman in the Kansas Attorney General's office didn't immediately respond to questions about whether the suspects have attorneys who can speak on their behalf. Two others - 38-year-old Christine Tenney, of Santa Fe, Texas, and 31-year-old Thomas Drake, of Van Buren, Arkansas - are charged with obstructing apprehension. All five are awaiting extradition to Kansas. Younger, Fowler, Frasier and Tenney have pleaded not guilty in Arkansas to charges that include abuse of a corpse. This undated photo provided by the Crawford County Jail in Van Buren, Ark., shows Michael Fowler Jr. Fowler is one of three carnival workers that have been charged with capital murder in the fatal shooting of a couple whose bodies were found in Arkansas days after they disappeared from a fair in Kansas. Fowler, Kimberly Younger, and Rusty Frasier, are jailed on $1 million bond in Arkansas, awaiting extradition to Kansas. They are accused in the July killings of Pauline and Alfred "Sonny" Carpenter at the Barton County Fair. (Crawford County Jail via AP) This undated photo provided by the Crawford County Jail in Van Buren, Ark., shows Rusty Frasier. Frasier is one of three carnival workers that have been charged with capital murder in the fatal shooting of a couple whose bodies were found in Arkansas days after they disappeared from a fair in Kansas. Frasier, Kimberly Younger, and Michael Fowler Jr., are jailed on $1 million bond in Arkansas, awaiting extradition to Kansas. They are accused in the July killings of Pauline and Alfred "Sonny" Carpenter at the Barton County Fair. (Crawford County Jail via AP) BERLIN (AP) - German prosecutors say they have charged a 29-year-old Syrian man with war crimes on allegations he tortured pro-government forces his unit had captured. Prosecutors said Monday that Mohamad K., whose last name was not released in line with privacy laws, served in the rebel Free Syrian Army from January 2012 to January 2013. During that time, they allege, he was involved in the torture of two prisoners who were part of a pro-government militia, whipping them with a "cable-like object" while they were unclothed, "inflicting considerable pain." The suspect was arrested in June and charges have been filed in Stuttgart state court. Further details about when he arrived in Germany and how German authorities learned of the allegations against him were not immediately available. BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) - Four Native American tribes that are fighting the Dakota Access oil pipeline in court are seeking to challenge the recent conclusion of federal officials that a spill would not greatly impact tribal populations. The Standing Rock, Cheyenne River, Yankton and Oglala Sioux tribes have all sought permission from U.S. District Judge James Boasberg to contest recent findings that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers provided the judge. Boasberg is working with the North Dakota and South Dakota tribes, along with the Corps and Texas-based pipeline developer Energy Transfer Partners, to determine the best way to proceed. A status conference is scheduled Wednesday in his courtroom in Washington. Here's a look at where the lengthy legal battle stands. WHAT'S NEW? The 140-page report from the Corps details more than a year of what the agency says is "additional analysis" of the $3.8 billion pipeline, which began moving North Dakota oil to a shipping point in Illinois in June 2017. FILE - This Feb. 13, 2017, file photo shows a site where the final phase of the Dakota Access Pipeline near the Missouri River took place with boring equipment routing the pipeline underground and across Lake Oahe to connect with the existing pipeline in Emmons County in Cannon Ball, N.D. All four Native American tribes in the Dakotas that are fighting the oil pipeline in court are seeking to challenge the recent conclusion of federal officials that a spill would not greatly affect tribal populations. At the heart of the matter is a report from the Army Corps of Engineers detailing its conclusion. The federal judge overseeing the case has scheduled a status conference in Washington on Wednesday, Dec. 12, 2018, to determine how to proceed. (Tom Stromme/The Bismarck Tribune via AP, File) But even the nature of the work is in dispute. The tribes contend the Corps has simply rubber-stamped earlier conclusions that were blessed by pro-energy President Donald Trump days after he took office . The tribes call the work a sham and argue that the Corps either didn't allow them adequate input or give enough weight to the information they provided. The Corps has said the tribes have been difficult to work with. Boasberg in June 2017 ruled that the Corps largely complied with environmental law when permitting the pipeline but needed to do more study of its impact on tribal rights. The agency completed the work in August but didn't release the full report until October, after it had been vetted by the federal Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration for sensitive information. WHAT'S IN THE REPORT? The report includes a lot of technical, scientific information the Corps says backs up its earlier determination that the chances of an oil spill are low and that any effects on tribal rights including hunting and fishing would be limited. One section deals with the concept of environmental justice and whether the project poses a higher risk of adverse impacts to minority and poor people. The pipeline skirts the northern edge of the Standing Rock Reservation and crosses beneath the Lake Oahe reservoir on the Missouri River, which provides water for the suing tribes. Boasberg in June 2017 criticized the Corps for focusing its study more on the mostly white demographics near the crossing, and the tribe accused the Corps of gerrymandering because its study area didn't include the reservation. The Corps report says extending the area of its analysis to include more minority populations doesn't change its conclusion, given what it says is a low risk of a catastrophic spill. "The mere presence of large minority or low-income populations in the affected area does not alone determine the presence of disproportionately high and adverse environmental impacts," the report says. The report acknowledges that a spill could hurt water quality for spiritual ceremonies, medicinal and ceremonial plants, and other tribal uses, but it says any such effects would be temporary. The Corps also studied water intakes on the Standing Rock and neighboring Cheyenne River reservations downstream from the river crossing, as well as intakes near a potential crossing much farther north of the reservations, in the Bismarck area. That site was studied and ultimately scrapped. "The analysis finds that the Lake Oahe crossing area contains fewer potentially affected minority individuals than does the North Bismarck Alternative crossing, and that water intakes (and the minority and low-income populations that rely on them) would be at greater risk with the North Bismarck alternative," the report states. WHAT DO THE TRIBES WANT? The four tribes want a full environmental study that includes consideration of route alternatives. The Corps had planned to do a more extensive study before Trump took office in January 2017 and pushed through the stalled project. "Regrettably but not surprisingly, the Corps ignored this court's admonition to approach the (additional study) with an open mind," Standing Rock attorney Jan Hasselman said in a recent court filing. The tribes maintain that Energy Transfer Partners underestimates the potential of a spill. The tribes also argued that spill estimates are outdated because the company is now thinking about expanding the pipeline's capacity. Grow America's Infrastructure Now - a pro-pipeline coalition of businesses, trade associations and labor groups - said tribal opposition to the Corps study "is proof positive that those opposing the Dakota Access pipeline are unwilling to accept the reality that this project was lawfully permitted and constructed." "After almost four years, it is clear that DAPL is the most studied, reviewed and litigated pipeline in the history of the United States," GAIN Coalition spokesman Craig Stevens said. WHAT NOW? The four tribes, the Corps and Energy Transfer Partners filed a joint report with the court on Thursday about how they think the case should proceed. But there's no consensus, so Boasberg will need to sort things out during the hearing Wednesday in Washington. One thing seems clear, based on the proposals of both sides: The case that was first filed in the summer of 2016 will linger into the summer of 2019. ___ Follow Blake Nicholson on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/NicholsonBlake PRISTINA, Kosovo (AP) - Kosovo's prime minister said Monday that the army the country expects to have soon will be a modest contributor to creating world peace. Kosovo's lawmakers will vote Friday on three laws that would transform the national security force into a regular army. The measures are expected to easily pass the 120-member parliament. Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj said that the transformation would make Kosovo a provider, not only a beneficiary, of peace. "You cannot be safe and secure, you can't help peace and stability of the world without being in peace yourself, having your own army," Haradinaj told The Associated Press. Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008, a move Serbia doesn't recognize. Serbia's president has said the new army could jeopardize regional stability and peace, and its prime minister also warned it could trigger an armed intervention. FILE - In this Monday, Nov. 19, 2018 file photo, Kosovo Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj addresses the media during a press conference at the federal chancellery in Vienna, Austria, Kosovo's prime minister said Monday Dec. 10, 2018, that the army the country expects to have soon will be a modest contributor to creating world peace. (AP Photo/Ronald Zak, File) Last year, Kosovo's president initiated the same thing but backed down after international pressure. NATO and the U.S. asked that the transformation be made with constitutional amendments, which need the votes of the ethnic Serb minority to pass. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg has warned Kosovo "that such a move is ill-timed, goes against the advice of many NATO allies." He called on both Serbian and Kosovo officials to "show calm and restraint, and avoid any provocative statements or actions." U.S. Ambassador Philip S. Kosnett said in an interview last week that the transformation would be "a long, sustainable process" and that it was most important "that as the armed forces are established - which again, is a long process_that it be multiethnic." During the 1998-99 war for independence in Kosovo, Serbia's bloody crackdown on separatists prompted NATO to launch airstrikes to stop the conflict. Kosovo's new army would have 5,000 troops and 3,000 reservists with a 98-million-euro ($111 million) annual budget. It will essentially be a security force handling crisis response and civil protection operations. ----- Llazar Semini reported from Tirana, Albania. ___ Follow Llazar Semini on Twitter: https://twitter.com/lsemini The superstar showed himself in a very poor light as an employer, when he and his family enjoyed a private screening of his new release, 2.0. You can be the biggest star of them all but you can still end up on the wrong side of your fans if you cant be compassionate and empathetic. A video of superstar Rajinikanth, wife Latha and friends enjoying a private screening of his new movie, while the familys domestic help stood watching it on her feet, throughout the screening, has left his fans irate. The stars family had booked Satyam theatre in Chennai to catch the evening show of the film but despite the fact that most of the seats were empty, the young girl was seen watching the movie while standing in the background. Says a young star of Tamil cinema, She could have sat anywhere in the theatre, a little away from family, if they did not want her near them. To make her stand and watch the film for a couple of hours was cruel. But the fact of the matter also is that domestic help in Tamil Nadu and, probably, in the rest of the country, are treated in this shoddy manner all the time. Employers believe that they have to be shown their place because, if are treated as equals, they will get swollen heads and be disrespectful. In many star homes in Chennai, Hyderabad and Mumbai, the domestic help is made to sleep on the floor, given food that is different from what the family eats and are treated like slaves. Rajini sir probably doesnt think hes doing anything shocking. If he had asked her to sit with them and enjoy 2.0, she would probably have fainted of shock. A Mumbai colleague of Rajinikanth admits there is widespread discrimination against the household staff in the film fraternity. It happens in every section of Indian society. It is the woman of the house who decides the treatment to be meted out to the staff. And often times this is guided by class distinction. Not just Rajini 1 Some time back, the CEO of BookMyBai.com, an online platform where you can post a requirement for domestic workers for various purposes, had put out a blanket ban on providing helpers to all Bollywood celebrities. According to a blog post on the website, out of the 10,000 homes that BookMyBai has provided its services to, the only cases of harassment or exploitation they have come across are from Bollywood celebrities. The writer claimed that he provided the platforms service to at least 20 Bollywood stars, and that he wrote the blog to warn similar start-ups. Narrating one horrific incident, they wrote, The helper was from Bihar and he wanted to go back to Bihar to perform the last rituals. He promised to be back after 15 days since he wanted the money to support his family. The celebrity called us and told us that she wont let the person go till the time we send in a replacement. This was at 5.45 pm on a Saturday evening. Our office is shut on Sundays. We promised to send a replacement on Monday and requested her to release the helper since he has to go for his mothers last ritual. Guess what! She did not. She could not care less (sic). According to the blog owner, the celebrity in question wanted to hire a house help for Rs 4,000 a month, but finally agreed on Rs 10,000 after a lot of negotiations. This celebrity also made her house help clean the four-BHK six times a day. 2 Congress member Renuka Chowdhury became the subject of netizens wrath after a Twitter user uploaded a photo of her dining while her domestic help was standing. The tweet went viral and was retweeted 1,700 times in a single day after criticism against the former Union Minister of Women and Child Developments insensitive behaviour started pouring in. WASHINGTON (AP) - NASA's Voyager 2 is now the second human-made object to zip away from the sun into the space between the stars. Voyager 2 last month exited "this bubble that the sun creates around itself," longtime NASA mission scientist Ed Stone said Monday. The spacecraft is now beyond the outer boundary of the heliosphere, some 11 billion miles (about 18 billion kilometers) from Earth. It's trailing twin Voyager 1, which reached interstellar space in 2012 and is now 13 billion miles (21 billion kilometers) from Earth. Interstellar space is the vast mostly emptiness between star systems. Even though they are out of the sun's bubble, the Voyagers are still technically in our solar system, NASA said. Scientists maintain the solar system stretches to the outer edge of the so-called Oort Cloud. It will take about 30,000 years for the spacecraft to get that far. Scientists know that Voyager 2 has left the sun's influence because of four different instruments that are measuring solar particles and different types of rays. They showed a dramatic change on Nov. 5, indicating the spacecraft was now in between the stars. One of the instruments measures solar plasma and this is the first time NASA saw a drop in that key instrument; the same instrument wasn't working on Voyager 1. The twin Voyagers launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida, in 1977, and zipped by Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. Voyager 2 has already logged more than 18.5 billion miles (30 billion kilometers) on its interstellar trip going 34,191 mph (55,025 kph). FILE - This is a handout photo from the Jet Propulsion Lab in Passadena, Calif., showing the Voyager spacecraft. NASA's Voyager 2 has become only the second human-made object to reach the space between stars. NASA said Monday, Dec. 10, 2018 that Voyager 2 exited the region of the sun's influence last month. The spacecraft is now beyond the outer boundary of the heliosphere, some 11 billion miles from Earth. . (Jet Propulsion Lab via AP, File) "Both spacecrafts are very healthy if you consider them senior citizens," Voyager project manager Suzanne Dodd said. She said the probes should last at least five, maybe 10 more years, but the cold - the temperature outside the vehicles is about 49 degrees below zero (minus 45 Celsius) - and waning power supply will eventually end their usefulness. Yet the two Voyagers will keep travelling and in 40,000 years or so they'll get close to the next stars, or actually the stars, which are moving faster, will get close to them, Stone said. ___ Follow Seth Borenstein on Twitter at @borenbears . ___ The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content. LOS ANGELES (AP) - "The Favourite" leads the field of films with 14 nominations for the 24th annual Critics' Choice Awards. "Black Panther" was close behind with 12 nominations. Three TV series are tied with five nominations each. The Broadcast Film Critics Association and the Broadcast Television Journalists Association announced the nominees Monday. Nominations for "The Favourite" include: best picture; best actress and best actress in a comedy for Olivia Colman; and best supporting actress for both Emma Stone and Rachel Weisz. The film is about two cousins vying for the attention of Queen Anne. "The Americans," ''The Assassination Of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story" and "Escape at Dannemora" garnered five nominations each in the television category. This image released by Fox Searchlight Films shows Olivia Colman in a scene from the film "The Favourite." The film leads the field of films with 14 nominations for the 24th annual Critics' Choice Awards. The Critics' Choice Awards will be presented Jan. 13 on the CW Network. (Atsushi Nishijima/Fox Searchlight Films via AP) HBO and Netflix are tied with 20 nominations each. The Critics' Choice Awards will be presented Jan. 13 on the CW Network. This image released by Disney shows a scene from Marvel Studios' "Black Panther." The film received 12 nominations for the 24th annual Critics' Choice Awards, which will be presented Jan. 13 on the CW Network. (Matt Kennedy/Marvel Studios-Disney via AP) WASHINGTON (AP) - City frogs and rainforest frogs don't sing the same tune, researchers have found. A study released Monday examined why Panama's tiny tungara frogs adapt their mating calls in urban areas - an unexpected example of how animals change communication strategies when cities encroach on forests. These frogs take advantage of the relative absence of eavesdropping predators in cities to belt out longer love songs, which are more alluring to female frogs. Tungara frogs don't croak like American bullfrogs. To human ears, their distinctive call sounds like a low-pitched, video-game beep. To female frogs, it sounds like pillow talk. Every evening at sunset, the 1-inch male brown frogs crawl into puddles to serenade prospective mates. The lady frog selects a mate largely based on his love song. Researchers found that the urban frogs call faster, more frequently and add more embellishments - a series of staccato "chucks" on the end of the initial whine - compared with those in the forest. In this undated photo provided by researchers in December 2018, a male tungara frog in Panama uses his vocal sac to call out in Gamboa, Panama. A study released on Monday, Dec. 10, 2018, examines why these amphibians adapt their mating calls in urban areas _ an unexpected example of how animals change communication strategies when cities encroach on forests. (Adam Dunn via AP) Those fancy urban love songs are three times more likely to attract the ladies, as scientists learned by playing back recordings of both city and forest frog calls to an audience of female frogs in a laboratory. Thirty of 40 female frogs hopped over to the speaker playing the urban frog calls, the researchers report in the journal Nature Ecology & Evolution. Whether the female frogs hailed from the city or forest themselves, they showed the same preference for fast-paced, complex crooning that combines high and low tones in quick arrangements. Study co-author Michael J. Ryan, a biologist at the University of Texas who has studied tungara frogs for more than 30 years, said that the high and low notes likely stimulated the inner and outer ear chambers of female frogs in a pleasurable or interesting way. So why don't rainforest frogs sing the same way? The scientists set out to confirm their hypothesis that frogs that added extra high-pitched "chucks" attracted not only more mates, but also more trouble from frog-eating bats and parasitic midges. With the help of camera traps and sticky paper, the researchers demonstrated that extended frog calls significantly increased the risk of attracting predators. In the rainforest, the frogs must balance two goals: attracting a mate and staying safe. In the city, there are no frog-eating bats, and far fewer snakes and midges. The male frogs are freer to belt their hearts out. "An urban male can take greater risks," said lead author Wouter Halfwerk, an ecologist at Vrije University in Amsterdam. A town frog also has to work harder to find a mate because lady frogs are rarer in the city. "Competition for females increases," said Halfwerk. "The best adaptation is to be the most attractive, with an elaborate love song." Corinne Lee Zawacki, a biologist at the University of Pittsburgh who was not involved in the study, said the researchers' methodology confirmed that urbanization is the reason for the call changes. "I love the choice of study system," she said. "A lot of background research has already been done on this frog. So we can see clearly how urbanization changes the interplay of natural and sexual selection" - or the trade-offs between survival and courtship goals. But not all amphibians are as lucky as Panama's tungara frogs. "Amphibian populations are declining worldwide, mostly due to habitat destruction," said Andrew Blaustein an ecologist at Oregon State University, who was not involved in the study. "This is a rare case - and a very interesting case - of an animal adapting quickly, in evolutionary terms, to new circumstances." ___ Follow Christina Larson on Twitter at @larsonchristina . ___ The Associated Press Health & Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content. GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip (AP) - A Qatari envoy is being quoted as saying that Israel has rejected a proposal to open an air link between the blockaded Gaza Strip and Doha. Mohammed al-Emadi, who coordinates Qatari humanitarian projects in the Hamas-controlled territory, told the Palestinian news agency SAWA that Qatar offered to handle security over the airway to address Israeli concerns. Instead, he says Israel offered an airport in areas under its control, and that his country will review the proposal. The interview was published Monday. Israel and Egypt imposed an air, land and sea blockade of Gaza after the Islamic militant group Hamas seized power. Qatar often serves as a mediator between the enemies. The energy-rich Gulf state also has overseen large reconstruction projects in the war-battered territory. COGAT, the Israeli defense body responsible for Palestinian civilian affairs, declined comment. SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Thousands of Kaiser Permanente mental health professionals throughout California started a weeklong strike Monday to protest what they say is a lack of staffing that affects care. Outside Kaiser Permanente hospitals and clinics in the San Francisco Bay Area dozens of workers marched Monday holding signs that read "Kaiser, Don't Deny My Patients Mental Health Care," and "Care Delayed is Care Denied." About 4,000 psychologists, therapists, social workers, psychiatric nurses and other medical professionals represented by the National Union of Healthcare Workers say they will picket through Friday. Some non-urgent mental health and other appointments may need to be rescheduled but anyone in need of urgent mental health or other health care will receive the services they need, said Elita Fielder, a spokeswoman for Kaiser Permanente. "They've canceled appointments for these five days, but there's a critical situation every day of the year," Sal Rosselli, the union's president, told the East Bay Times. Rosselli said patients have to wait a month or more for follow-up appointments because of inadequate staffing. Fielder said Kaiser Permanent has added more than 500 mental health care therapists and invested $175 million to expand mental health care offices since 2015, when the threat of an open-ended strike was averted after the union and Kaiser agreed to a contract. The union's main concern is increasing its workers' wages, which she said are already the highest in the state. Rosselli said negotiators are seeking pay increases as well as benefits packages equal to those given to other medical professionals. Kaiser has hired hundreds more mental health professionals but patient care and access has stayed the same or worsened as the health care provider has expanded its client base significantly and some caregivers have left, Rosselli said. ___ Information from: East Bay Times, http://www.eastbaytimes.com ZAGREB, Croatia (AP) - Croatia has unveiled a monument to late leader Franjo Tudjman, who led the country to independence from the former Yugoslavia but has also been criticized for his nationalist policies. Top Croatian officials attended the ceremony in Zagreb on Monday that marked the 19th anniversary of Tudjman's death. President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic said Tudjman has "indebted us for many centuries." Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic praised his "wisdom." Tudjman is adored by nationalists in Croatia for leading the country through the 1992-95 war that erupted when minority Serbs rebelled against the country's independence. Outside Croatia, Tudjman was widely seen as a right-wing nationalist whose policies helped fuel ethnic hatred and bloodshed in neighboring Bosnia. Tudjman's Croatian Democratic Union party has been in power in Croatia for most of the post-independence period. A monument to late President Franjo Tujdman is unveiled in Zagreb, Croatia, Monday, Dec. 10,2018. Franjo Tujdman led the country to independence from the former Yugoslavia and through the 1992-95 war but is regarded by many as a hardline nationalist. Top officials attended the ceremony in the capital Zagreb also marking the 19th anniversary of Tujdman's death. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic) Croatia's president Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic, seen on a screen, unveils a monument to late President Franjo Tujdman in Zagreb, Croatia, Monday, Dec. 10, 2018. Franjo Tujdman led the country to independence from the former Yugoslavia and through the 1992-95 war but is regarded by many as a hardline nationalist. Top officials attended the ceremony in the capital Zagreb also marking the 19th anniversary of Tujdman's death. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic) SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) - Puerto Rico's governor signed a bill on Monday to overhaul the U.S. territory's tax laws in a bid to attract foreign investment and help workers and some business owners amid a 12-year recession. The bill creates an earned income tax credit, reduces a sales tax on prepared food and eliminates a business-to-business tax for small to medium companies, among other things. Officials say the bill represents nearly $2 billion in tax relief at a time when the island is struggling to recover from Hurricane Maria and restructure a portion of its more than $70 billion public debt load. "There's still a lot of work to be done to completely transform the tax system ... but we see it as a good first step," said Cecilia Colon, president of Puerto Rico's Association of Public Accountants. Gov. Ricardo Rossello said the earned income tax credit will result in benefits ranging from $300 to $2,000 for each worker, representing a total of $200 million in annual savings. He also said an 11.5 percent sales tax on processed food will drop to 7 percent starting in October 2019. The bill also eliminates a business-to-business tax for businesses that generate $200,000 or less a year, representing $79 million in savings in five years, Rossello said. Nearly 80 percent of businesses in Puerto Rico will benefit from that measure, added Treasury Secretary Teresa Fuentes. In addition, the new law reduces the tax rate for corporations from 39 percent to 37.5 percent. "Today marks an important day for maintaining Puerto Rico's competitiveness," she said. The measure also legalizes tens of thousands of slot machines, but also limits the number of machines owned, with legislators estimating they will generate at least $160 million a year. Up to $40 million of that revenue will go to the government's general fund, with the remaining funds directed to help municipalities and police officers. However, Natalie Jaresko, executive director federal control board that oversees Puerto Rico's finances, has repeatedly said the island needs a much broader tax reform that improves revenue collection and promotes economic development. She said in a statement the board also is concerned that the government and legislature have not proved that the changes will not "cannibalize" revenues. Antonio Fernos, a Puerto Rico economics and finance professor, questioned the effectiveness of the new law, which appears to generate less overall revenue. "It doesn't make sense," he said. "Why are they doing this, especially on an island that is insolvent and needs more sources of revenue?" Fernos also argued that the earned income tax credit is not enough to lure people out of the informal economy: "I don't foresee anyone abandoning tax evasion schemes." BERLIN (AP) - A 37-year-old German man who fought for the Taliban in Afghanistan has been convicted of membership in a terrorist organization. The dpa news agency reported Monday that Thomas K. was sentenced in Duesseldorf state court to six years in prison. His last name wasn't given in line with German privacy laws, Prosecutors said he started fighting for the Taliban in 2013 and continued until he was captured in February. He was returned to Germany in April. When he was charged, prosecutors said he prepared explosives, got ready for a suicide attack and worked on a propaganda video aimed at German radicals. He also allegedly had himself filmed participating in a failed mortar attack on an Afghan army base. CINCINNATI (AP) - A middle-school music teacher apologized Monday and backed off his instructions that students should not have "Mohawks, Large Afros, or any other outlandish" hairstyles at an upcoming chorus concert. Vocal music teacher Steven Reeves' letter to students touched off a social media firestorm, with comments saying it was targeting black students. The Cincinnati Enquirer reported that Reeves himself is black. In a new letter Monday, Reeves said his original "wording and expectations were insensitive and were a mistake." He said he hopes to mend relationships with students, parents and the school community, and he invited people to meet with him if they wanted to further discuss their concerns. His "revised guidelines" don't mention hair, just that the students should wear white tops and black pants or skirts. "Students are encouraged to look their best the evening of the concert," he wrote in the new letter, which was released by the Northwest Local School District in suburban Cincinnati. The school and the district had earlier disavowed the rules Reeves set out. Pleasant Run Middle School apologized in a tweet on Saturday, saying the letter wasn't approved by the administration and "does not reflect our views at all." It added that guidelines for the concert "will be in alignment with prior years." Reeves, who is in his first year at the Pleasant Run school, initially encouraged female students to visit a "cosmetologist" and said bright hair colors, such as pink or red, would be banned. He told male students with long hair to make sure it is "neat" and in a "conservative ponytail style." Students were warned they could be sent home and that their grades would be affected, if they didn't follow the guidelines. His first letter said the goal was to avoid drawing attention to "an individual performer on stage" during the concert Thursday evening. The school district in 2017 created a diversity committee that developed an action plan that included steps to increase inclusion, multicultural awareness and minority staff recruitment. ___ This story has been corrected to show that the teacher's last name is Reeves, not Reeve. ___ Follow Dan Sewell at https://www.twitter.com/dansewell SANTA FE, Texas (AP) - A growing number of students are leaving the Houston-area school district where 10 people were killed in a mass shooting in May. Enrollment at the Santa Fe public school district has dropped by more than 4 percent this year, according to attendance figures obtained by the Houston Chronicle . About 200 fewer students are attending the rural suburban district's schools this year compared to the 2017-2018 school year. Half of the loss comes from Santa Fe High School, where authorities say a 17-year-old student fatally shot 10 people. The district's enrollment decrease isn't an anomaly, as many other schools victimized by shootings have experienced similar exoduses. Frank DeAngelis, the former principal at Columbine High School in Colorado, estimated that nearly 20 percent of students didn't return to the school after two teenage shooters killed 13 people in 1999. "A lot of it was really the parents. They were concerned," DeAngelis said. "We did have students who were given the opportunity by our school district to go to other schools. A lot of kids were home-schooled because coming back to the building traumatized them." FILE - In this Aug. 20, 2018, file photo, Santa Fe High School students arrive for the first day of the new school year in Santa Fe, Texas. A growing number of students are leaving the Houston-area school district where 10 people were killed in a mass shooting in May. Enrollment at the Santa Fe public school district has dropped by more than 4 percent this year. Half of the loss comes from Santa Fe High School, where authorities say a 17-year-old student fatally shot 10 people. (Jennifer Reynolds/The Galveston County Daily News via AP) But the Santa Fe district is also dealing with the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey. Roughly 23 percent of students at the high school had their homes flooded or lost access to basic necessities following the devastating storm last year, according to data from the Texas Education Agency. District spokeswoman Patti Hanssard said some families in the community still haven't been able to return to their homes. But only one of the six districts in Santa Fe's immediate area saw an enrollment decline. Santa Fe officials have acknowledged that the mass shooting may be the motivation behind many students leaving the district this year. "We understand that families in our community are going through a very difficult healing and recovery process, and it will continue to take a very long time to work through these traumatic experiences and rebuild their lives," Hanssard said. "Parents must make the best decisions for their students, and we support them in doing so." Santa Fe's enrollment decrease could have lingering effects on the district's budget after officials spent more than $2 million overhauling security infrastructure in the wake of the shooting. Texas distributes public school funding on a per-student basis. ___ Information from: Houston Chronicle, http://www.houstonchronicle.com In secret, behind locked gates, our Nation's Oldest City dumped a landfill in a lake (Old City Reservoir), while emitting sewage in our rivers and salt marsh. Organized citizens exposed and defeated pollution, racism and cronyism. We elected a new Mayor. We're transforming our City -- advanced citizenship. Ask questions. Make disclosures. Demand answers. Be involved. Expect democracy. Report and expose corruption. Smile! Help enact a St. Augustine National Park and Seashore. We shall overcome! BJP workers did not turn up at headquarters on Deen Dayal Upadhyay Marg, even as celebrations broke out at Cong headquarters on Akbar Road. Trends showed the Congress ahead in Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan and locked in a tantalising, see-saw battle in Madhya Pradesh. (Photo: ANI | twitter) New Delhi: The BJP headquarters in Delhi wore a relatively deserted look on Tuesday, even as Congress workers celebrated their party's good show in Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh at its headquarters here. The Delhi Police erected barricades near the BJP headquarters at ITO here in the morning as a precautionary measure to manage crowd, expecting the arrival of party workers following the results of assembly polls in five states. However, BJP workers did not turn up at party headquarters on Deen Dayal Upadhyay Marg, even as celebrations broke out at Congress headquarters on Akbar Road. Trends showed the Congress ahead in Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan and locked in a tantalising, see-saw battle in Madhya Pradesh. The party is likely to get an absolute majority in Chhattisgarh and is reaching the simple majority mark in Rajasthan while going neck-and-neck in Madhya Pradesh, according to trends on the Election Commission website. The BJP is in power in all three Hindi heartland states. JERUSALEM (AP) - Israeli military forces have carried out a series of raids in the West Bank city of Ramallah, bursting into stores and offices of the official Palestinian news agency, in a frantic manhunt for gunmen who shot seven Israelis outside a Jewish settlement. Workers at the Wafa news agency say the troops confiscated security camera footage from their offices as part of the raid. The military announced early Monday that it had commenced "extensive searches" in villages near the settlement of Ofra. In Sunday night's attack, shots were fired from a Palestinian vehicle at a bus stop outside the settlement. The army had no comment on the raid at the Wafa agency. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the attack "monstrous" and accused the Palestinian Authority of inciting violence against Israelis. LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) - Seeking to stir support for a federal criminal justice bill, Sen. Rand Paul on Monday called on voters in the hometown of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to prod him to hold a vote on the measure. Paul said during an appearance at the Louisville Urban League that the measure would pass overwhelmingly if it received a Senate vote during Congress' lame-duck session. But McConnell has refused to bring the legislation forward in a standoff that's dividing the Republican majority. "We need the help of one person - the one person who has the power to allow this vote," Paul said, a reference to McConnell, his fellow Kentucky Republican. "And I'm not saying he's stopping it. But there is one person - he's from Louisville, he's fairly well-known. And he has the power to allow or disallow this vote. And I'm asking those in Louisville to call Sen. McConnell and say, 'Please let us have this vote.'" Sadiqa Reynolds, president and CEO of the Louisville Urban League, a social justice organization, immediately picked up on Paul's plea for constituents to reach out to the Senate leader's office. "Everybody call Sen. McConnell's office," she said. "Ask him to allow them to vote" on the measure. McConnell's office didn't immediately comment on Paul's remarks. Kentucky's senior senator has pointed to time constraints as Congress wraps up its work for the year and divisions among Senate Republicans as reasons the measure hasn't been voted on. Sen. Rand Paul speaks with people at the Louisville Urban League on Monday, Dec. 10, 2018, after making another push for a federal criminal justice bill, in Louisville, Ky. Paul urged Kentuckians to contact Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to urge a Senate vote on the measure. (AP Photo/Bruce Schreiner) At an event last week, McConnell said the measure has bipartisan support but that within the Senate GOP membership, it is "extremely divisive." He indicated he didn't have the time to get it through the Senate this year but expressed confidence that the measure would pass next year, given its broad support. Paul said the preference among the bill's supporters is to vote on it this month and not wait until next year. "A lot of us who are for (the) criminal justice (bill) don't want to push it to January because we kind of have a carefully worked out compromise between Republicans and Democrats, and it's not always that often that we can get together and all agree on something," he told reporters. Another possible option would be to try to attach the criminal justice provisions to a federal spending bill, Paul said. "Those rumors are floating about and I think there's a possibility that it could be done," he said. The criminal justice issue also stirred a recent tweet from President Donald Trump. The bill is a project of Trump's son-in-law, White House adviser Jared Kushner, and would be the biggest sentencing overhaul in decades. "Hopefully Mitch McConnell will ask for a VOTE on Criminal Justice Reform," Trump tweeted. "It is extremely popular and has strong bipartisan support. It will also help a lot of people, save taxpayer dollars, and keep our communities safe. Go for it Mitch!" The measure would reduce mandatory prison terms for certain drug crimes and give judges in some cases more discretion on punishments. It would allow about 2,600 federal prisoners sentenced for crack cocaine offenses before August 2010 the opportunity to petition for a reduced penalty. Roughly 90 percent of prison inmates are held in state facilities and would not be affected by the legislation. Senate opponents have said support for the measure has been exaggerated, and they also warn that Republicans would be blamed if a criminal is released and then reoffends. Paul said he supports tough punishment for violent criminals but said many people don't deserve long jail sentences for drug dependency. He also said lawmakers need to fix the "great racial disparity" in terms of who gets locked up for drug crimes. NEW YORK (AP) - U.S. chipmaker Qualcomm says it's won an order in a Chinese court banning some Apple phones in China as part of a long-running dispute over patents. Qualcomm said Monday that the Fuzhou Intermediate People's Court in China has granted preliminary injunctions ordering four Chinese subsidiaries of Apple to stop selling and importing iPhones. It's not immediately clear what the full scope of the ruling is. While Qualcomm says the ban covers iPhones 6S through X, Apple says all iPhone models remain available for customers in China. The dispute is over two Qualcomm patents enabling consumers to format photos and manage phone apps using a touch screen. Apple called it a "desperate move" by Qualcomm and promised to fight it in the courts. Apple said it filed a request Monday for the court to reconsider its ruling. Qualcomm's general counsel, Don Rosenberg, said in a statement Monday that if Apple doesn't heed the orders, it will seek enforcement of them through tribunals that are part of the Chinese court system. Although its name isn't widely known outside the technology industry, San Diego-based Qualcomm is one of the world's leading makers of the processors that power many smartphones and other mobile devices. Qualcomm also owns patents on key pieces of mobile technology that Apple and other manufacturers use in their products. FILE - In this Nov. 6, 2017, file photo, residents pass by an advertisement for the iPhone X in Beijing, China. U.S. chipmaker Qualcomm says it's won an order in a Chinese court banning some Apple phones in China as part of a long-running dispute over patents. Qualcomm said Monday, Dec. 10, 2018, that the Fuzhou Intermediate People's Court in China has granted preliminary injunctions ordering four Chinese subsidiaries of Apple to stop selling and importing iPhones 6S through X. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan, File) Qualcomm's case against Apple is part of a broader legal strategy it has waged against the iPhone maker around the world, with cases also pending in the United States and Europe. The two companies have also battled over how much Apple owes in licensing fees to Qualcomm. FILE - In this Nov. 6, 2017, file photo, shoppers check out the iPhone X at an Apple store in Beijing, China. U.S. chipmaker Qualcomm says it's won an order in a Chinese court banning some Apple phones in China as part of a long-running dispute over patents. Qualcomm said Monday, Dec. 10, 2018, that the Fuzhou Intermediate People's Court in China has granted preliminary injunctions ordering four Chinese subsidiaries of Apple to stop selling and importing iPhones 6S through X. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan, File) MEXICO CITY (AP) - Mexico's new president said Monday that salaries for some in the country's judicial branch are "offensive" and that he will leave it to the Congress to implement his call for austerity. President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador showed no sign of budging in his standoff with Mexico's judges, who have balked at his demand that no public salaries exceed his own. Since Lopez Obrador has pledged to only take a salary of 108,000 pesos ($5,300) per month, many in the federal government will face a pay cut. On Friday, Mexico's Supreme Court suspended the federal pay law passed by the Congress and Lopez Obrador addressed the decision Monday during a news conference with reporters. "They collect as much as 600,000 pesos (nearly $30,000) per month," he said. "This is offensive. This doesn't go with the change that's needed and that is demanded by the people, nor with justice." Lopez Obrador added that he will respect the decisions of the courts, but "who will decide are the congressional deputies." Lopez Obrador's coalition controls both chambers of the Congress. Mexico's President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador waves as he arrives for the swearing-in ceremony for Mayor-elect Claudia Sheinbaum, in Mexico City, Wednesday, Dec. 5, 2018. Sheinbaum is the first woman to be elected mayor of Mexico City. (AP Photo/Moises Castillo) The Supreme Court tweeted the branch's pay structure Monday, saying supreme court magistrates make less than half what Lopez Obrador alleged. But the president who took office Dec. 1 has said many public employees receive bonuses and other compensation hidden from the public. Reducing the public payroll is critical for Lopez Obrador to having funds needed to accomplish his other goals. He promised transparency that would allow the public to see where public employees work and how much they are compensated. Federal judges and magistrates demonstrated Monday morning in Mexico City. Luis Vega Ramirez, president of the national association representing them, said the pay law was only part of legislation attacking the judiciary's independence. He alluded to other legislation that would rotate judges around the country and impose confidence tests. Vega complained that there was "a false discourse that we are privileged (by) suggesting excessive quantities, like we make more than 600,000 pesos a month, which does not correspond, not even close, with reality." MOSCOW (AP) - Two Russian nuclear-capable strategic bombers arrived in Venezuela on Monday, a deployment that comes amid soaring Russia-U.S. tensions. Russia's Defense Ministry said a pair Tu-160 bombers landed at Maiquetia airport outside Caracas on Monday following a 10,000-kilometer (6,200-mile) flight. It didn't say if the bombers were carrying any weapons and didn't say how long they will stay in Venezuela. The ministry said the bombers were shadowed by Norwegian F-18 fighter jets during part of their flight. It added that a heavy-lift An-124 Ruslan cargo plane and an Il-62 passenger plane accompanied the bombers to Maiquetia. The Tu-160 is capable of carrying conventional or nuclear-tipped cruise missiles with a range of 5,500 kilometers (3,410 miles). Such bombers took part in Russia's campaign in Syria, where they launched conventionally-armed Kh-101 cruise missiles for the first time in combat. Code-named Blackjack by NATO, the massive warplane is capable of flying at a speed twice exceeding the speed of sound. Russia has upgraded its Tu-160 fleet with new weapons and electronics and plans to produce a modernized version of the bomber. The bombers' deployment follows Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro's visit to Moscow last week in a bid to shore up political and economic assistance even as his country has been struggling to pay billions of dollars owed to Russia. FILE - In this Tuesday, Aug. 16, 2005 file photo, a supersonic Tu-160 strategic bomber with Russian President Vladimir Putin aboard flies above an airfield near the northern city of Murmansk. The Russian military says two of its nuclear-capable strategic bombers have arrived in Venezuela, a deployment that comes amid soaring Russia-U.S. tensions. (Alexei Panov, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP, File) Russia is a major political ally of Venezuela, which has become increasingly isolated in the world under growing sanctions led by the U.S. and the European Union, which accuse Maduro of undermining democratic institutions to hold onto power, while overseeing an economic and political crisis that is worse than the Great Depression. Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said at last week's meeting with his Venezuelan counterpart Vladimir Padrino Lopez that Russia would continue to send its military aircraft and warships to visit Venezuela as part of bilateral military cooperation. Russia sent its Tu-160 strategic bombers and a missile cruiser to visit Venezuela in 2008 amid tensions with the U.S. after Russia's brief war with Georgia. A pair of Tu-160s also visited Venezuela in 2013. Russia-U.S. relations are currently at post-Cold War lows over Ukraine, the war in Syria and allegations of Russian meddling in the 2016 U.S. election. Russia has bristled at U.S. and other NATO allies deploying their troops and weapons near its borders. Asked about the Russian bombers, Pentagon spokesman Col. Rob Manning said he had no specific information about the deployment. However, Manning cited the humanitarian assistance provided in Central and South American by a U.S. Navy hospital ship, the USNS Comfort, in the past eight weeks. Numerous Venezuelan migrants were among the people who received medical and dental treatment. "Contrast this with Russia, whose approach to the man-made disaster in Venezuela is to send bomber aircraft instead of humanitarian assistance," Manning said. ___ Robert Burns in Washington contributed to this report. KATOWICE, Poland (AP) - An environmental group said Monday that at least 14 foreigners have been detained or deported by Poland's Border Guard since last week's start of the United Nations climate conference in the south of the country. Svitlana Romanko of the group 350.org said the individuals were from Germany and from countries that are not in the European Union's Schengen visa-free travel zone - Russia, Ukraine, Georgia and Kyrgyzstan. Romanko accused Polish authorities of "using repressive powers" and said the U.N. should pressure Warsaw to ensure civil society activists can take part in the meeting. Some of them were banned from entering Poland on Dec. 8, when around 3,000 protesters marched against climate change through Katowice, the conference's host city. A top U.N. climate official called for efforts to achieve a constructive and inclusive atmosphere at the conference. Patricia Espinoza, executive secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, said over the weekend that the matter was being worked out and expressed hope that it would be solved. The Border Guard press office said the main reasons for denying entry to the activists was because they lacked a valid visa, documents describing the aim of their visit or proving their financial means. Youth and indigenous groups protest against fossil fuels during US-hosted event at the UN climate talks in Katowice, Poland, Monday, Dec. 10, 2018, as the COP24 UN Climate Change Conference takes place in the city. (AP Photo/Frank Jordans) In an email to The Associated Press, the press office said that between Dec. 1 and Dec. 7, 1,211 foreigners had been denied entry into Poland for various reasons. Earlier, spokeswoman Agnieszka Golias said that 161 people were banned from entering Poland on Dec. 8. The Border Guard argued that the temporary measures allowing denials of entry were introduced due to concerns for the security of the climate talks and were in line with European Union regulations. FILE - In this June 1, 2017 file photo, protesters gather outside the White House in Washington to protest President Donald Trump's decision to withdraw the Unites States from the Paris climate change accord. Environmental activists are ramping up a pressure campaign aimed at stoking Democratic support for an ambitious environmental plan known as the Green New Deal ahead of the 2020 presidential race. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh) CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP) - The Latest on the sentencing of James Alex Fields Jr. for the murder of Heather Heyer (all times local): 5:30 p.m. Jurors have told a judge they need more time to come up with a sentencing recommendation for a man who killed a woman and injured dozens when he drove his car into counterprotesters at a white nationalist rally in Virginia last year. The jury that convicted James Alex Fields Jr. of first-degree murder and other charges deliberated on his sentence for just under two hours Monday. Jurors then told Judge Richard Moore they would like to go home for the day and resume deliberations Tuesday morning. A 32-year-old paralegal and civil rights activist, Heather Heyer, was killed and nearly three dozen others were hurt when Fields plowed his car into a crowd on Aug. 12, 2017. The jury began considering his sentence after listening to Heyer's mother describe the pain caused by her daughter's death. Jurors also heard testimony from a defense psychologist who said Fields has a long history of mental health issues, including bipolar disorder. Susan Bro, center, mother of Heather Heyer, is escorted down the steps of the courthouse after a guilty verdict was reached in the trial of James Alex Fields Jr., Friday, Dec. 7, 2018, at Charlottesville General district court in Charlottesville, Va. Fields was convicted of first degree murder in the death of Heather Heyer as well as nine other counts during a "Unite the Right" rally in Charlottesville . (AP Photo/Steve Helber) ___ 3:30 p.m. A jury has begun deliberating the punishment for a man who killed a woman and injured dozens when he drove his car into counterprotesters at a white nationalist rally in Virginia last year. James Alex Fields Jr. was convicted last week of first-degree murder and nine other charges for plowing into a crowd of counterprotesters during the "Unite the Right" rally in Charlottesville on Aug. 12, 2017. A 32-year-old paralegal and civil rights activist, Heather Heyer, was killed and nearly three dozen other counterprotesters were hurt. A jury began deliberating Fields' sentence about 3:15 p.m. Monday after hearing testimony from Heyer's mother and several people who were injured. Fields' lawyers called a psychologist who said Fields had a long history of mental health issues, but was not legally insane when he struck the crowd with his car. ___ 3 p.m. A psychologist has testified that a man who drove his car into counterprotesters at a 2017 white nationalist rally has a long history of mental health issues. Daniel Murrie is a psychologist and professor at the University of Virginia School of Medicine. He told jurors Monday that James Alex Fields Jr. had inexplicable volatile outbursts as a young child and was diagnosed with bipolar disorder at age 6. He was later diagnosed with schizoid personality disorder. Murrie testified for the defense as jurors were asked to come up with a sentencing recommendation for Fields. He faces up to life in prison after the jury convicted him Friday of first-degree murder and other charges. Murrie said Fields went off his psychiatric medication at age 18 and built an isolated "lifestyle centered around being alone." ___ 1:15 p.m. Several people who were severely injured by a man who drove his car into counterprotesters at a white nationalist rally have described devastating physical and psychological injuries to jurors who make a sentencing recommendation. James Alex Fields Jr. was convicted on Friday of first-degree murder and other charges for ramming his car into a crowd in Charlottesville on Aug. 12, 2017. One woman was killed and dozens were injured. On Monday, Jeanne "Star" Peterson told the jury her life has been "a living nightmare" since she was hit by Fields' car. Her right leg was shattered, and she's had five surgeries to try to repair it. She also suffered a broken spine and still hasn't been able to return to work. Wednesday Bowie said Fields tried to destroy a community that day. She told the jury "the world is not a safe place" with Fields in it. Fields' lawyers were scheduled to present their own witnesses during the sentencing hearing Monday afternoon. ___ 12:15 p.m. The mother of the woman killed when James Alex Fields Jr. drove into a crowd after a white nationalist rally says what he did can't silence her daughter's love or her sense of fairness and justice. Susan Bro gave emotional testimony Monday to jurors who must recommend a sentence for Fields, who faces 20 years to life after being convicted of murder and other crimes. Heather Heyer was a 32-year-old paralegal and civil rights activist. Bro said her death was like an "explosion" in her family. She said Fields tried to "silence" her daughter with his car, and said: "I refuse to allow that." Jurors heard a recorded phone call Fields made to his mother from jail, in which he dismissed Bro's pain at losing her daughter and called her "the enemy." ___ 8:53 a.m. A man convicted of first-degree murder for driving his car into counterprotesters at a white nationalist rally in Virginia faces 20 years to life in prison as jurors reconvene to consider his punishment. The panel that convicted James Alex Fields Jr. will hear more evidence Monday and then recommend a sentence to Judge Richard Moore. Fields was convicted Friday of killing Heather Heyer during last year's "Unite the Right" rally in Charlottesville, organized to protest the planned removal of a statue of Confederal Gen. Robert E. Lee. The 21-year-old Fields of Maumee, Ohio, also was found guilty of injuring dozens of others by driving into a crowd of people who were marching peacefully after the rally. Local activists raise their fists outside Charlottesville General District Court after a guilty verdict was reached in the trial of James Alex Fields Jr., in Charlottesville, Va., Friday, Dec. 7, 2018. Fields was convicted of first degree murder in the death of Heather Heyer as well as nine other counts during a "Unite the Right" rally in Charlottesville . (AP Photo/Steve Helber) Local activists raise their fists outside Charlottesville General District Court after a guilty verdict was reached in the trial of James Alex Fields Jr., in Charlottesville, Va., Friday, Dec. 7, 2018. Fields was convicted of first degree murder in the death of Heather Heyer as well as nine other counts during a "Unite the Right" rally in Charlottesville . (AP Photo/Steve Helber) In this courtroom sketch James Alex Fields Jr., center, sits with his attorney's Denise Lunsford, left, and John Hill during the second day of jury selection in his trial in Charlottesville General District Court in Charlottesville, Va., Tuesday, Nov. 27, 2018. Fields is accused of killing a woman during a white nationalist rally in Virginia last year. (Izabel Zermani via AP) This artwork shows James Alex Jr., during the second day of jury selection in his trial in Charlottesville General District Court in Charlottesville, Va., Tuesday, Nov. 27, 2018. (AP Photo/Izabel Zermani) VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) - WHAT'S HAPPENING A top executive with Chinese electronics giant Huawei faces a bail hearing. The U.S. wants Canada to extradite Meng Wanzhou, the chief financial officer of Huawei Technologies. She was detained Dec. 1 while changing planes in Vancouver. U.S. authorities allege Huawei used a Hong Kong shell company to evade U.S. trade curbs on Iran. China is pressuring both the U.S. and Canada over her arrest. Their ambassadors in Beijing were summoned by the Chinese government over the weekend, and an editorial in China's Communist Party newspaper called her treatment "inhumane." WHY HUAWEI? Huawei is the biggest global supplier of network gear for phone and internet companies. It has become the target of U.S. security concerns because of its ties to the Chinese government. The U.S. has pressured other countries to limit use of its technology, warning they could be opening themselves up to surveillance and theft of information. The U.S. sees Huawei and smaller Chinese tech suppliers as possible fronts for spying and as commercial competitors. WHAT'S NEXT The hearing on whether to release Meng on bail started Friday and will resume Monday. Canadian prosecutor John Gibb-Carsley asked the court to reject Meng's bail request and Justice William Ehrcke said he would think about proposed bail conditions over the weekend. China's vice foreign minister demanded that Meng's arrest warrant be vacated and warned both Canada and the U.S. that Beijing will take steps based on their responses. Officials did not specify what those steps might be, but British Columbia has already canceled a trade mission to China amid fears China could detain Canadians in retaliation. Retaliation against U.S. or Canadian businesses in China is also possible. Huawei said in a statement that "We have every confidence that the Canadian and U.S. legal systems will reach the right conclusion." THE BACKDROP The arrest took place as China and the U.S., the world's two largest economies, try to resolve escalating trade tensions. President Donald Trump has agreed to postpone U.S. tariff increases for 90 days while the two sides negotiate. China and the U.S. say Meng's arrest will not affect trade talks. YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (AP) - The Latest on an Ohio house fire that killed five children (all times local): 6 p.m. An Ohio man says the house fire that killed his five young cousins occurred while his aunt was spending rare time with all of her children under one roof. Firefighters say the woman jumped from a second-floor window and was the only survivor of the blaze in Youngstown. They haven't publicly identified the hospitalized woman. Seventeen-year-old Edgar Daniel Negron said his aunt has been studying nursing and her children sometimes stayed with relatives or their godparents, but they were all together Sunday night. Negron set up a GoFundMe campaign to help with funeral costs. Stuffed animals rest against a pole at a makeshift memorial after a deadly fire in Youngstown, Ohio, Monday, Dec. 10, 2018. Authorities report that several children died in the fire. (William D. Lewis/The Vindicator via AP) City Councilwoman Anita Davis says the community also plans a fundraiser dinner next week to benefit the family. The cause of the fire is under investigation. Officials say there's no sign the blaze was suspicious. ___ 5:05 p.m. A woman injured in an Ohio house fire that killed her five young children is being treated at a Cleveland hospital. A spokeswoman for MetroHealth Medical Center in Cleveland says the woman was in critical condition as of Monday evening. Firefighters say the mother jumped from a second-floor window and was the only survivor of the Sunday night blaze in Youngstown. They haven't publicly identified her. Neighbor Aaron Baldwin says the anguished mother was naked and bleeding when she appeared at his door screaming for help to try to save her children. Baldwin says by then the house across the street was engulfed in flames, with no way for neighbors to rush inside. The cause is under investigation. Fire officials say there's no sign that the blaze was suspicious. ___ 4:30 p.m. A woman who says she was a babysitter for five young children killed in an Ohio house fire is tearfully remembering their personalities. Virgen Bonilla stopped outside the charred Youngstown home on Monday to leave flowers at a makeshift memorial and shared some memories of the children. She says 9-year-old Aleysha Rosario loved to dance, and 3-year-old Charles Gunn liked to sing in Spanish. Bonilla says 2-year-old Ly'Asia Gunn was quieter. The blaze late Sunday night also killed 1-year-old twins Brianna and Arianna Negron. Bonilla says she is good friends with their mother, who is studying nursing. Fire officials say the mother jumped from a second-floor window and was the only survivor of the fire. The cause is under investigation. Officials say there's no sign the blaze was suspicious. ___ 3:40 p.m. An Ohio coroner's office has identified the five young children killed in a late-night house fire that injured their mother. Fire officials in Youngstown say the hospitalized woman jumped from a second-floor window and is the only survivor of the Sunday blaze. The Mahoning County Coroner's Office on Monday identified the children as 9-year-old Aleysha Rosario, 3-year-old Charles Gunn, 2-year-old Ly'Asia Gunn, and 1-year-old twins Brianna and Arianna Negron. Youngstown schools spokeswoman Denise Dick says Aleysha was an articulate fourth-grader. Counselors are being made available at the elementary school she attended. The cause of the fire is under investigation. Fire officials say the damage was mostly on the home's first floor, leading them to believe the fire started there. They say there's no sign that the fire was suspicious. ___ 2:25 p.m. A neighbor says an anguished mother was naked and bleeding when she appeared at his door screaming for help to save her five children from a late-night fire swallowing their Ohio home. Fire officials in Youngstown say the woman jumped from a second-floor window and was the only survivor of the Sunday blaze that killed the children, who ranged in age from 1 to 9. Neighbor Aaron Baldwin says he awoke when the distraught woman banged on his door, yelling about her kids. Baldwin says by then the house across the street was engulfed in flames, with no way for neighbors to rush inside. Baldwin, a father of five, describes the scene as "the worst thing you have to see." Investigators are trying to determine what caused the blaze. ___ 1:14 p.m. Stuffed animals are piling up beneath colorful balloons in a makeshift memorial outside the Ohio home where a late-night fire killed five young children, including 1-year-old twins. Youngstown Fire Capt. Kurt Wright says the other children were ages 9, 3 and 2. Wright says the mother jumped from a second-floor window and was hospitalized with injuries. He says no one else was in the home. The Mahoning County coroner's office hadn't publicly identified the children by midday Monday as officials were working to notify relatives. State and local investigators are trying to determine the cause of the Sunday night blaze. The damage was mostly on the home's first floor, leading them to believe the fire started there. Officials say there was no immediate sign that the fire was suspicious. ___ 8:30 a.m. Authorities say a house fire has killed five young children in Ohio. Youngstown Fire Capt. Kurt Wright says the first floor of the house was engulfed in flames when firefighters arrived around 11:30 p.m. Sunday. Wright says three children were ages 9, 3 and 2 and the other two were 1-year-old twins. Wright says firefighters managed to pull three of the children from the house, but they died at a nearby hospital. The captain says the mother jumped from a second-floor window and is hospitalized with injuries. He says no one else was in the home. Wright says two firefighters were injured. One was treated at the scene and the other was taken to a hospital for treatment and released. The captain says the cause of the fire is under investigation. Police tape marks off part of the scene after a deadly fire in Youngstown, Ohio, Monday, Dec. 10, 2018. Authorities report that several children died in the fire. (William D. Lewis/The Vindicator via AP) Bob Sharp with the Ohio State Fire Marshall's office stands near a home after a deadly fire in Youngstown, Ohio, Monday, Dec. 10, 2018. Authorities report that several children died in the fire. (William D. Lewis/The Vindicator via AP) 'Anything can be said only after 12 pm. I am confident that in MP, Cong will form govt,' Singh said. Singh served as the chief minister of Madhya Pradesh for two terms from 1993 to 2003. Rahul Gandhi-led Congress party is hoping to make a comeback after the party lost the polls to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the central state. (Photo: ANI) Bhopal: Digvijaya Singh on Tuesday expressed confidence that the Congress party will form the government in Madhya Pradesh, as counting for the state assembly elections went underway along with Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Telangana and Mizoram. "It's too early. Anything can be said only after 12 pm. Leads of only postal ballots have come till now. I am confident that in Madhya Pradesh, Congress will form government," Singh told ANI. Singh served as the chief minister of Madhya Pradesh for two terms from 1993 to 2003. Rahul Gandhi-led Congress party is hoping to make a comeback after the party lost the polls to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the central state. The senior Congress party leader also expressed hope that his party will also emerge victorious in other states as well. "We have favourable situation in Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh also," Singh added. Madhya Pradesh, with 230 assembly seats, witnessed a high decibel campaign for the poll, which remained a direct battle of ballots between the ruling BJP and the Congress. Most exit polls suggest that the Congress party has an edge over the BJP in Madhya Pradesh, which went to polls on November 28. RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) - Researchers from Brazil's National Museum said Monday that they had recovered more than 1,500 pieces from the debris following a massive fire. The Sept. 2 blaze, which gutted one of the world's oldest museums, destroyed much of the 20 million piece collection, and recovering objects from the ashes has been slow. "The work must be done very carefully and patiently," said Alexander Kellner, director of the museum. The items recovered so far include the remains of several pieces, including Brazilian indigenous arrows, a Peruvian vase, and a pre-Colombian funeral urn. In October, researchers recovered skull fragments and a part of the femur belonging to "Luzia," the name scientist gave to a woman who lived 11,500 years ago. The fossils are among the oldest ever found in the Americas. The update on recovery efforts Monday was accompanied by details of a US$205,385 donation from the German government for conservation equipment. Archeologist Angela Rabelo shows artifacts rescued from the ashes of the fire that swept through Rio's National Museum in September, during a media presentation, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Monday, Dec. 10, 2018. The director of the National Museum and the German consul hosted the press conference to announce their partnership for the reconstruction of the museum. (AP Photo/Leo Correa) Klaus Zillikens, the German consul general to Rio de Janeiro, said his government was committed to the rehabilitation of the museum. "For us, watching over our culture is both a political and social duty, and in such, immediately after the fire we looked into helping the museum with the restoration," he said. Zillikens said the donation was the first part of a potential US$1.3 million made available for the restoration, depending on need. Authorities have yet to say how the blaze started, but the fire became a symbol for many Brazilians of the endemic negligence and underfunding by successive governments. Museum officials have said that the building was lacking many necessary security features like a sprinkler system and that fire safety risks were well know. Since the fire, there has been an outpouring of international support, including the visit of a group of UNESCO specialists in recovery and reconstruction. Artifacts rescued from the ashes of the fire that swept through Rio's National Museum in September, are displayed during a media presentation, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Monday, Dec. 10, 2018. The director of the National Museum and the German consul hosted the press conference to announce their partnership for the reconstruction of the museum. (AP Photo/Leo Correa) An urn of Marajoara ethnicity rescued from the ashes of the fire that swept through Rio's National Museum in September, is displayed during a media presentation, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Monday, Dec. 10, 2018. The director of the National Museum and the German consul hosted the press conference to announce their partnership for the reconstruction of the museum. (AP Photo/Leo Correa) A Karaja culture ceramic depicting an armadillo rescued from the ashes of the fire that swept through Rio's National Museum in September, is displayed during a media presentation, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Monday, Dec. 10, 2018. The director of the National Museum and the German consul hosted the press conference to announce their partnership for the reconstruction of the museum. (AP Photo/Leo Correa) Pointed heads of Indigenous lances rescued from the ashes of the fire that swept through Rio's National Museum in September, are displayed during a media presentation, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Monday, Dec. 10, 2018. The director of the National Museum and the German consul hosted the press conference to announce their partnership for the reconstruction of the museum. (AP Photo/Leo Correa) Karaja culture ceramics rescued from the ashes of the fire that swept through Rio's National Museum in September, are displayed during a media presentation, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Monday, Dec. 10, 2018. The director of the National Museum and the German consul hosted the press conference to announce their partnership for the reconstruction of the museum. (AP Photo/Leo Correa) A researcher holds an original amethyst, left, and an amethyst which was transformed into a yellow citrine stone due to the high temperatures caused by the fire that swept through the National Museum in September, during a media presentation, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Monday, Dec. 10, 2018. The director of the National Museum and the German consul hosted the press conference to announce their partnership for the reconstruction of the museum. (AP Photo/Leo Correa) Klaus Zillikens, consul general of Germany in Brazil, during a media presentation of some of the artifacts rescued from the ashes of the fire that swept through Rio's National Museum in September, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Monday, Dec. 10, 2018. The director of the National Museum and the German consul hosted the press conference to announce their partnership for the reconstruction of the museum. (AP Photo/Leo Correa) JERUSALEM (AP) - Senior Israeli military officers are flying to Moscow to update their Russian counterparts about an operation launched last week to "expose and thwart" Hezbollah tunnels burrowed under Israel's border with Lebanon. The Israeli military issued a statement Monday saying the officers would depart Tuesday "to provide an update regarding Operation Northern Shield and other operational issues." Israel has discovered at least two tunnels since launching the operation last week that it says were built by Hezbollah to carry out attacks against Israel. Russia and Israel have maintained a hotline to coordinate operations and prevent any collisions between warplanes over neighboring Syria. Israel frequently carries out airstrikes against Iran and its allies in Syria in an effort to prevent sophisticated weaponry from reaching Hezbollah in Lebanon. NEW YORK (AP) - The Latest on Apple-Qualcomm dispute (all times local): 1:55 p.m. Apple says it's appealing a Chinese court ruling that would ban some iPhones in China as part of a long-running patent dispute with chipmaker Qualcomm. Apple said it filed a request Monday for the court to reconsider its ruling. Qualcomm had announced earlier Monday that the Fuzhou Intermediate People's Court has granted preliminary injunctions ordering four Chinese subsidiaries of Apple to stop selling and importing iPhones. It's not immediately clear what the full scope of the ruling is. While Qualcomm says the ban covers iPhones 6S through X, Apple says all iPhone models remain available for customers in China. FILE - In this Nov. 6, 2017, file photo, shoppers check out the iPhone X at an Apple store in Beijing, China. U.S. chipmaker Qualcomm says it's won an order in a Chinese court banning some Apple phones in China as part of a long-running dispute over patents. Qualcomm said Monday, Dec. 10, 2018, that the Fuzhou Intermediate People's Court in China has granted preliminary injunctions ordering four Chinese subsidiaries of Apple to stop selling and importing iPhones 6S through X. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan, File) The dispute is over two Qualcomm patents enabling consumers to format photos and manage phone apps using a touch screen. Apple calls it a "desperate move" by San Diego-based Qualcomm. ___ 12:20 p.m. U.S. chipmaker Qualcomm says it's won an order in a Chinese court banning some Apple phones in China as part of a long-running dispute over patents. Qualcomm said Monday that the Fuzhou Intermediate People's Court in China has granted preliminary injunctions ordering four Chinese subsidiaries of Apple to stop selling and importing iPhones. It's not immediately clear what the full scope of the ruling is. While Qualcomm says the ban covers iPhones 6S through X, Apple says all iPhone models remain available for customers in China. The dispute is over two Qualcomm patents enabling consumers to format photos and manage phone apps using a touch screen. Apple says it will fight Qualcomm's "desperate move" in the courts. Apple and Qualcomm also have cases in the U.S. and the U.K. FILE - In this Nov. 6, 2017, file photo, residents pass by an advertisement for the iPhone X in Beijing, China. U.S. chipmaker Qualcomm says it's won an order in a Chinese court banning some Apple phones in China as part of a long-running dispute over patents. Qualcomm said Monday, Dec. 10, 2018, that the Fuzhou Intermediate People's Court in China has granted preliminary injunctions ordering four Chinese subsidiaries of Apple to stop selling and importing iPhones 6S through X. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan, File) MEXICO CITY (AP) - Mexico's foreign minister says his country will contribute more than $30 million over five years to a regional development program for the so-called Northern Triangle region of Central America, the source of the migrant caravans. Marcelo Ebrard said Monday in a series of tweets that Mexico is committed to cooperating with Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador. The agreement by the four countries targets what drives migrants to leave their countries, their safety while in transit, their destination and what awaits them when they return. Ebrard met with his Central American counterparts on the sidelines of the U.N. migration conference in Marrakech, Morocco. Ebrard says Mexico will change its immigration policy to ensure migration is safe, orderly and regular. KAILUA-KONA, Hawaii (AP) - The Hawaii Department of Agriculture is importing four brown tree snakes to be used to train dogs to detect the dangerously invasive species and hopefully prevent the snakes from establishing themselves in the islands. Jonathan Ho, acting manager of the department's plant quarantine branch, said the Hawaii Board of Agriculture approved a request for the sterile, male snakes to be used in the dog detection program, West Hawaii Today reported Monday. "The primary focus is for the brown tree snakes," Ho said at a meeting in Honolulu last week. "However, Hawaii has no species of snakes and the dogs do generalize, so any type of snake we would take action upon." The snakes will be used to train four Jack Russell terriers and terrier mixes to seek out the snakes that could enter Hawaii by plane, ship or cargo carrier. Brown tree snakes invaded Guam and nearly wiped out the island's bird species, Ho said. Hawaii has several species of protected and endangered birds. Hawaii has no native snakes and the last time a snake was found in the state was in 1998, said Ho. The U.S. Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services conducts checks to clear transport vessels and containers of invasive species before coming to Hawaii and the state conducts addition inspections upon arrival. FILE - In this Feb. 5, 2013 file photo, a brown tree snake is held by a U.S. Department of Agriculture wildlife specialist at Andersen Air Force Base on the U.S. territory of Guam. The Hawaii Department of Agriculture is importing four brown tree snakes to be used to train dogs to detect the dangerously invasive species and hopefully prevent the snakes from establishing themselves in the state. Brown tree snakes invaded Guam and nearly wiped out the island's bird species. Hawaii has no native snakes and several species of protected and endangered birds. (AP Photo/Eric Talmadge, File) The detection program began in the 1990s but was discontinued in 2009. The Department of Agriculture reinstated the program in 2016. Beyond the precautions of all four snakes being male and sterilized, officials will also surgically implant radio transmitters in the reptiles before their arrival in Hawaii. ___ Information from: West Hawaii Today, http://www.westhawaiitoday.com NEWARK, N.J. (AP) - A British national has been charged in a plot to defraud investors out of hundreds of millions of dollars in connection with a health care company. The U.S. attorney's office says Pavandeep Bakhshi was arrested at New York's JFK Airport over the weekend. He's scheduled to appear in federal court in Newark on Monday afternoon. Bakhshi and three other men are charged with falsifying bank records and using other means to significantly inflate the value of the company as they sought to take it from public to private. A criminal complaint alleges the men raised millions of dollars purportedly to fund the company's purchase of subsidiary companies, some of which didn't exist. An attorney representing Bakhshi says his client has an unblemished record and will have his name cleared. SAN DIEGO (AP) - The number of people expressing fear of returning to their home countries when stopped at the U.S. border with Mexico has spiked, according to figures released Monday by U.S. Customs and Border Protection. U.S. border authorities fielded 92,959 "credible fear" claims - the initial step toward asylum - in the fiscal year that ended Sept. 30, up 67 percent from 55,584 the previous year. The "credible fear" claims accounted for 18 percent of all people arrested or stopped at the Mexican border in the latest period, up from 13 percent a year earlier. CBP publicly released the numbers for the first time as more migrants, many of them families and children from Mexico and Central America, seek asylum or other forms of humanitarian protection to gain entry to the U.S. The trend was highlighted by a caravan of more than 6,000 migrants, largely from Honduras, that arrived in Tijuana, Mexico, last month, many hoping to seek asylum across the border in San Diego. Commissioner Kevin McAleenan noted that most asylum claims are ultimately unsuccessful in immigration court and he renewed the Trump administration's call for Congress to address "these vulnerabilities in our immigration system." Judges granted asylum in 21 percent of their cases in the 2018 fiscal year. "These numbers reflect a dramatic increase in initial fear claims by those encountered on the border, which is straining border security, immigration enforcement and courts, and other federal resources," McAleenan said. CBP didn't say how many people it stopped passed the initial screening, or "credible fear" interview, but historically about three in four clear the hurdle. They are detained or released, often with ankle monitors, while their cases wind through clogged immigration courts. FILE - In this Nov. 19, 2018, file photo, people line up to cross into the United States from Tijuana, Mexico, at the San Ysidro port of entry in San Diego. U.S. immigration authorities say the number of people expressing fear of returning home when they are stopped at the Mexican border spiked in the last year. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull, File) U.S. border authorities are increasingly telling asylum seekers to wait in Mexico, saying they are they are unable to process claims for everyone at once. The wait in Tijuana was about six weeks even before the latest caravan arrived. Initial fear claims at official crossings - the prescribed way to claim asylum - more than doubled in the last fiscal year to 38,269, according to CBP. Claims by people who crossed illegally between ports of entry rose 43 percent to 54,690. President Donald Trump last month ordered that asylum be denied to anyone who enters the country illegally from Mexico, but a federal judge in San Francisco blocked him. An appeals court upheld the judge's decision on Friday. CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP) - Jurors considering the punishment for a man who drove his car into counterprotesters during a white nationalist rally heard emotional testimony Monday from a mother who described the pain caused by her daughter's death and a psychologist who described the man's long history of mental health problems. James Alex Fields Jr. faces up to life in prison for the death of Heather Heyer and injuries he caused to dozens of other counterprotesters. Jurors deliberated on a sentencing recommendation for just under two hours Monday before adjourning. Deliberations will resume Tuesday morning. Fields' lawyers argued that he acted in self-defense and out of fear when he rammed his car into a crowd in Charlottesville during a "Unite the Right" rally on Aug. 12, 2017. Prosecutors called Heyer's mother and several people who were severely injured to testify about the impact his crimes had on them. Heyer, 32, was a paralegal and civil rights activist. "She was full of love, she was full of justice, she was full of fairness, and Mr. Fields tried to silence that with his car, but I refuse to allow that," said Susan Bro, Heyer's mother. Susan Bro, center, mother of Heather Heyer, is escorted down the steps of the courthouse after a guilty verdict was reached in the trial of James Alex Fields Jr., Friday, Dec. 7, 2018, at Charlottesville General district court in Charlottesville, Va. Fields was convicted of first degree murder in the death of Heather Heyer as well as nine other counts during a "Unite the Right" rally in Charlottesville . (AP Photo/Steve Helber) Jurors on Friday convicted Fields of first-degree murder and other charges. Judge Richard Moore will formally sentence Fields. Judges in Virginia often impose the sentence recommended by juries. Under the law, the jury can recommend from 20 years to life in prison on the first-degree murder charge and each of five charges of aggravated malicious wounding. He also faces five to 20 years on three counts of malicious wounding, and up to 10 years on one count of leaving the scene of an accident. Bro said her daughter's death has been like an "an explosion in our family. "We are forever scarred by the pain," she said. Jeanne "Star" Peterson said her life has been "a living nightmare" since she was hit by Fields' car. Her right leg was shattered, and she's had five surgeries to try to repair it. She also suffered a broken spine and still hasn't been able to return to work. "I will be dealing with the aftermath of Fields' choices for the rest of my life," Peterson said. Fields, 21, drove to Virginia from his home in Maumee, Ohio, to support the white nationalists. After the rally, as a large group of counterprotesters marched through Charlottesville singing and laughing, he stopped his car, backed up, then sped into the crowd, according to testimony from witnesses and video surveillance shown to jurors. Wednesday Bowie, a counterprotester who got caught on the trunk of Fields' car when he backed up and was then slammed into a parked truck and thrown to the ground, told the jury that in addition to a broken pelvis and other physical injuries, she has been hospitalized three times for post-traumatic stress disorder over the past year. She told the jury: "Please know that the world is not a safe place with Mr. Fields in it." Testifying for the defense, University of Virginia School of Medicine professor and psychologist Daniel Murrie told the jury that while Fields was not legally insane at the time, he has a long history of mental health issues. Fields had inexplicable volatile outbursts as a young child and was diagnosed with bipolar disorder at age 6, Murrie said. He was later diagnosed with schizoid personality disorder. Murrie said Fields went off his psychiatric medication at age 18 and built an isolated "lifestyle centered around being alone." A video of Fields shown to the jury during the first phase of the trial showed him sobbing and hyperventilating after he was told a woman had died and others were seriously injured. Fields' lawyer Denise Lunsford called him a "mentally compromised individual" and urged the jury to consider his long history of mental health issues when considering a sentence. Prosecutors told the jury during his trial that Fields was angry after witnessing violent clashes between the two sides earlier in the day. The violence prompted police to shut down the rally before it even officially began. The trial also featured emotional testimony from survivors. The Unite the Right rally had been organized in part to protest the planned removal of a statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee. Hundreds of Ku Klux Klan members, neo-Nazis and other white nationalists - emboldened by the election of President Donald Trump - streamed into the college town for one of the largest gatherings of white supremacists in a decade. Some dressed in battle gear. Afterward, Trump inflamed tensions even further when he said "both sides" were to blame, a comment some saw as a refusal to condemn racism. According to one of his former teachers, Fields was known in high school for being fascinated with Nazism and idolizing Adolf Hitler. Jurors were shown a text message he sent to his mother days before the rally that included an image of the notorious German dictator. When his mother pleaded with him to be careful, he replied: "we're not the one (sic) who need to be careful." Fields is eligible for the death penalty if convicted of separate federal hate crime charges. No trial has been scheduled yet. ___ This story has been edited to correct that Fields was convicted of nine charges in addition to murder, not eight. Local activists raise their fists outside Charlottesville General District Court after a guilty verdict was reached in the trial of James Alex Fields Jr., in Charlottesville, Va., Friday, Dec. 7, 2018. Fields was convicted of first degree murder in the death of Heather Heyer as well as nine other counts during a "Unite the Right" rally in Charlottesville . (AP Photo/Steve Helber) Local activists raise their fists outside Charlottesville General District Court after a guilty verdict was reached in the trial of James Alex Fields Jr., in Charlottesville, Va., Friday, Dec. 7, 2018. Fields was convicted of first degree murder in the death of Heather Heyer as well as nine other counts during a "Unite the Right" rally in Charlottesville . (AP Photo/Steve Helber) In this courtroom sketch James Alex Fields Jr., center, sits with his attorney's Denise Lunsford, left, and John Hill during the second day of jury selection in his trial in Charlottesville General District Court in Charlottesville, Va., Tuesday, Nov. 27, 2018. Fields is accused of killing a woman during a white nationalist rally in Virginia last year. (Izabel Zermani via AP) This artwork shows James Alex Jr., during the second day of jury selection in his trial in Charlottesville General District Court in Charlottesville, Va., Tuesday, Nov. 27, 2018. (AP Photo/Izabel Zermani) WASHINGTON (AP) - The Supreme Court on Monday avoided a high-profile case by rejecting appeals from Kansas and Louisiana in their effort to strip Medicaid money from Planned Parenthood, over the dissenting votes of three justices. The court's order reflected a split among its conservative justices and an accusation from Justice Clarence Thomas that his colleagues seemed to be ducking the case for political reasons. New Justice Brett Kavanaugh was among the justices who opted not to hear the case. The two states were appealing lower court rulings that had blocked them from withholding money that is used for health services for low-income women. The money is not used for abortions. Abortion opponents have said Planned Parenthood should not receive any government money, and they seized on heavily edited videos that claimed to show the nation's largest abortion provider profiting from sales of fetal tissue for medical research. Investigations sparked by the videos in several states didn't result in criminal charges. The dispute at the high court has nothing to do with abortion, as Thomas pointed out in a dissent that was joined by Justices Samuel Alito and Neil Gorsuch. Kavanaugh's decision not to join the three justices was his first discernible vote on the court. Had he or Chief Justice John Roberts voted to hear the case, there would have been the four votes necessary to set the case for arguments. The issue is who has the right to challenge a state's Medicaid funding decisions, private individuals or only the federal government. The states say that the Medicaid program, a joint venture of federal and state governments to provide health care to poorer Americans, makes clear that only the Secretary of Health and Human Services can intervene, by withholding money from a state. In this Oct. 4, 2018 photo, the U.S. Supreme Court is seen at sunset in Washington. The Supreme Court is avoiding a high-profile case by rejecting appeals from Kansas and Louisiana in their effort to strip Medicaid money from Planned Parenthood over the dissenting votes of three justices. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta) Most lower federal courts have found that private parties can challenge Medicaid funding decisions in court, although the federal appeals court in St. Louis rejected a similar court challenge and allowed Arkansas to end its contract with Planned Parenthood. A split among federal appeals courts is often a reason for the Supreme Court to step in. "So what explains the court's refusal to do its job here? I suspect it has something to do with the fact that some respondents in these cases are named 'Planned Parenthood.' That makes the Court's decision particularly troubling, as the question presented has nothing to do with abortion," Thomas wrote. The dispute over funding for Planned Parenthood stemmed from the July 2015 release by the anti-abortion group Center for Medical Progress of a series of edited videos purportedly depicting Planned Parenthood of America executives talking about the sale of fetal tissue. Planned Parenthood has said it did not seek any payments beyond legally permitted reimbursement of costs. Catherine Glenn Foster, president and CEO of the anti-abortion Americans United for Life, said the court should have heard the case. "But the good news is that there are other similar cases pending in lower courts, which may give the Supreme Court another opportunity to decide this important issue. In the meantime, AUL will continue to fight to protect states from being forced to use their limited public funds to subsidize abortion businesses," Foster said. Planned Parenthood president Dr. Leana Wen praised the decision to leave the lower court rulings in place. "As a doctor, I have seen what's at stake when people cannot access the care they need, and when politics gets in the way of people making their own health care choices. We won't stop fighting for every patient who relies on Planned Parenthood for life-saving, life-changing care," Wen said. Kansas' outgoing Republican governor and incoming Democratic administration offered differing reactions to the court's action. "We regret today's decision from the U.S. Supreme Court announcing that it fell one vote short of taking our case against Planned Parenthood," Gov. Jeff Colyer said. Ashley All, a spokeswoman for Democratic Gov.-elect Laura Kelly, said, "This case was about providing access to care and funding basic health services, like annual exams, birth control and cancer screenings." ___ Associated Press writer John Hanna contributed to this report from Topeka, Kansas. VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) - The Latest on the arrest in Canada of Chinese tech executive Meng Wanzhou. (all times local): 7 p.m. Chinese phone and internet network gear company Huawei Technologies Ltd. says it expects a "just conclusion" from a Canadian court on whether to grant bail to its chief financial office after she was arrested earlier this month. China has vehemently protested the arrest of Meng Wanzhou, daughter of Huawei's founder, and demanded the U.S. withdraw charges that led Canadian officials to detain her while she was changing planes in Vancouver, British Columbia. The U.S. sought Meng's arrest on suspicion she sought to evade sanctions on North Korea and Iran. Huawei Technologies Ltd. said Tuesday in a statement: "We will continue to follow the bail hearing tomorrow. We have every confidence that the Canadian and U.S. legal systems will reach a just conclusion." A man arranges magazines near newspapers with the headlines of China outcry against U.S. on the detention of Huawei's chief financial officer, Meng Wanzhou, at a news stand in Beijing, Monday, Dec. 10, 2018. China has summoned the U.S. ambassador to Beijing to protest Canada's detention of an executive of Chinese electronics giant Huawei at Washington's behest and demand the U.S. cancel an order for her arrest. (AP Photo/Andy Wong) ___ 4 p.m. A Canadian judge says he won't reach a bail decision Monday for a top Chinese executive facing possible extradition to the U.S. in a case that has fueled U.S.-China trade tensions and roiled financial markets. Justice William Ehrcke says the case will continue Tuesday to determine whether Meng Wanzhou can be released on bail. Meng is the chief financial officer of telecommunications giant Huawei and also the daughter of its founder. She was detained at the request of the U.S. during a layover at the Vancouver airport on Dec. 1 - the same day that Presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping of China agreed to a 90-day cease-fire in a trade dispute that threatens to disrupt global commerce. ___ 2:45 p.m. The judge weighing whether a top Chinese technology executive can get bail in Canada is casting doubt that her husband can act as a surety. A surety essentially acts a guarantor so that the person seeking bail doesn't flee. Justice William Ehrcke noted Meng Wanzhou's husband isn't resident of British Columbia and says his visitor visa expires in February. The judge says a surety must be a resident of British Columbia. He noted the other surety is an executive of a surveillance company that would be hired by Weng but is only putting up 1,000 Canadian dollars ($750) as collateral. Monday is the second day of a hearing on whether to release Meng on bail in Canada. Meng is the chief financial officer of telecommunications giant Huawei and also the daughter of its founder. Her lawyer David Martin says Meng's husband will put up both of their Vancouver homes plus 1 million Canadian dollars for a total value of CA$15 million as collateral. She was detained at the request of the U.S. during a layover at the Vancouver airport on Dec. 1. The U.S. alleges that Huawei used a Hong Kong shell company to sell equipment in Iran in violation of U.S. sanctions. It also says that Meng and Huawei misled American banks about its business dealings in Iran. ___ 12:30 p.m. The lawyer for a top Chinese executive who faces fraud charges in the U.S. says it would be inconceivable she would flee because she would not her embarrass her father or the enormous company she has helped build. Monday is the second day of a hearing on whether to release Meng on bail in Canada. Meng Wanzhou is the chief financial officer of telecommunications giant Huawei and also the daughter of its founder. Her lawyer David Martin says Meng's husband will put up both of their Vancouver homes plus $1 million Canadian (US$750,000) for a total value of $15 million Canadian ($11.2 million) as collateral. She was detained at the request of the U.S. during a layover at the Vancouver airport on Dec. 1. The U.S. alleges that Huawei used a Hong Kong shell company to sell equipment in Iran in violation of U.S. sanctions. It also says that Meng and Huawei misled American banks about its business dealings in Iran. ___ 10:58 a.m. The lawyer for a top Chinese executive who faces fraud charges in the U.S. says his client will hire a surveillance company that should be provided with the ability to arrest her if she breaches bail conditions. David Martin, Meng Wanzhou's lawyer, called to the stand a representative from a surveillance company. Martin says Meng would cover the expenses of the company and says the surveillance company will arrest her if she tries to flee. Monday is the second day of a hearing on whether to release Meng on bail in Canada. Meng is the chief financial officer of telecommunications giant Huawei and also the daughter of its founder. She was detained at the request of the U.S. during a layover at the Vancouver airport on Dec. 1. The U.S. alleges that Huawei used a Hong Kong shell company to sell equipment in Iran in violation of U.S. sanctions. It also says that Meng and Huawei misled American banks about its business dealings in Iran. _______ 10:24 a.m. The bail hearing for a top Chinese executive who faces fraud charges in the U.S. is resuming. It's the second day of a hearing on whether to release Meng Wanzhou on bail in Canada. Meng is the chief financial officer of telecommunications giant Huawei and also the daughter of its founder. She was detained at the request of the U.S. during a layover at the Vancouver airport on Dec. 1 - the same day that Presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping of China agreed over dinner to a 90-day cease-fire in a trade dispute that threatens to disrupt global commerce. China formally protested the arrest to the ambassadors of Canada and the United States over the weekend. The U.S. alleges that Huawei used a Hong Kong shell company to sell equipment in Iran in violation of U.S. sanctions. It also says that Meng and Huawei misled American banks about its business dealings in Iran. ________ 8:55 a.m. There was a break-in at the Vancouver home of a tech executive from China who is being detained at the request of the United States. Vancouver police say they received a 911 call about the intrusion just before 5:30 a.m. Sunday, but that the suspects fled the area after being challenged by someone in the house. A defense lawyer for Meng Wanzhou, the chief financial officer for Huawei and the daughter of its founder, said at a bail hearing that Meng and her husband purchased the home in 2009. Land title documents show the registered owner is Xiaozong Liu and B.C. Assessment says the property is valued at $5.6 million Canadian ($4.1 million). A bail hearing for Meng continues in Vancouver on Monday with the United States seeking her extradition on fraud allegations. She lives in China but is a former permanent resident of Canada. _______ 10:10 a.m. China says there is no evidence to back up claims in the West that Huawei (WAH-way) and other Chinese tech companies pose a security threat. Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said Monday that other countries are hyping up security threats to create obstacles for Chinese companies trying to do legitimate business. His comments come shortly before Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou (MUHNG' Wahn-JOH') was due in court in Canada for a resumption of her bail hearing. The U.S. alleges Huawei used a Hong Kong shell company to evade U.S. trade curbs on Iran and wants Meng extradited. She was detained on Dec. 1 while changing planes in Vancouver. In this courtroom sketch, Meng Wanzhou, right, the chief financial officer of Huawei Technologies, sits beside a translator during a bail hearing at British Columbia Supreme Court in Vancouver, on Friday, Dec. 7, 2018. Meng faces extradition to the U.S. on charges of trying to evade U.S. sanctions on Iran. She appeared in a Vancouver court Friday to seek bail. (Jane Wolsak/The Canadian Press via AP) A woman takes a copy of a newspaper near another with the headline of China outcry against U.S. on the detention of Huawei's chief financial officer, Meng Wanzhou, at a news stand in Beijing, Monday, Dec. 10, 2018. China has summoned the U.S. ambassador to Beijing to protest Canada's detention of an executive of Chinese electronics giant Huawei at Washington's behest and demand the U.S. cancel an order for her arrest. (AP Photo/Andy Wong) In this courtroom sketch, Meng Wanzhou, right, the chief financial officer of Huawei Technologies, sits beside a translator during a bail hearing at British Columbia Supreme Court in Vancouver, on Friday, Dec. 7, 2018. Meng faces extradition to the U.S. on charges of trying to evade U.S. sanctions on Iran. She appeared in a Vancouver court Friday to seek bail. (Jane Wolsak/The Canadian Press via AP) Congress loses Mizoram to the Mizo National Front New Delhi: The Congress has wrested Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan and was leading in Madhya Pradesh all BJP Hindi heartland bastions -- as counting neared completion for the five state Assembly elections on Tuesday. The outcome of these elections -- billed as the semi-finals before the 2019 general elections -- is looking grim for the BJP as the party was in power in Rajasthan last term and had ruled Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh since 2003. K Chandrasekhar Rao's Telangana Rashtra Samithi has swept Telangana and is set to form the government. The Congress has, however, lost Mizoram, the only state in the Northeast not ruled by the BJP. The Mizo National Front (MNF) is the clear winner this time. It supports the NDA. Exactly a year ago, Congress chief Rahul Gandhi had taken over the party. Winning two states and coming within a fighting chance of a third in the Hindi heartland is the Congress biggest haul in the last five years. At the Congress party office, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi credited her sons hard work for the victories. The 48-year-old spoke at 82 rallies, and took every opportunity to tear into Prime Minister Narendra Modi from the Rafale to Nirav Modi issues. Chowkidaar chor hai, was his war cry. In the evening, Gandhi paid rich tributes to party workers in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh where the party won. I also thank workers where we lost. This is the victory of the Congress worker. In difficult circumstances, he or she has stood up and worked for our ideology, he said. He added: We have a commitment to the people who have voted us. I thank the BJP chief ministers for their work over terms. He said what had a big impact these elections was the ruling disposition's inability to understand the agriculture sector. He predicted it would be very difficult for the Prime Minister and BJP to win the elections next year. Madhya Pradesh: The fight here was a nail-biter between the Congress and the BJP the whole day, but the Opposition managed to get a slim lead by early evening. The BJP has ruled MP since 2003. It had a significant majority of 165 seats in the 230-seat Assembly in 2013. Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan hopes for a fourth term in office was fast diminishing, but it is to his credit that the BJP gave such a close fight while burdened with a 15-year anti-incumbency. Smelling victory in this very important state, the Congress went overboard in the evening trying to stitch a coalition with other parties and Independents in case it fell short of the simple majority of 116 seats. Congress leaders contacted the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), Samajwadi Party (SP), Gondwana Gantantra Party (GGP) and Independents who were leading, sources said. Leads: Congress -- 111, BJP -- 110, BSP -- 2, Others -- 7. (Seats: 230) Rajasthan: Rajasthan, which alternates between the Congress and the BJP, has true to form voted for the Congress, as predicted by the exit polls. The party is hovering around the simple majority of 100 seats in the 199 seats that went to votes. Rajasthan has a 200-member Assembly but polling on Alwar's Ramgarh constituency was postponed following the death of the BSP candidate. The Rajasthan Congress legislative unit will meet on Wednesday, seek views of MLAs and senior leaders on who should be chief minister. The final decision will depend on the Congress highcommand, leaders said at a press meet in the evening, which was attended by the two CM hopefuls Ashok Gehlot and Sachin Pilot. Leads: Congress -- 100, BJP -- 74, BSP -- 6, Others -- 19. (Seats: 199) Chhattisgarh: This state too has been ruled by the BJP since 2003, but the incumbent party faces a rout this time. The Congress is marching towards a significant majority leaving the BJP far behind and dashing outgoing chief minister Raman Singh's hopes for a fourth shot at the chair. The third angle these elections -- the Ajit Jogi-Mayawati combine -- has also done well. This was a prestige battle for three-term Chief Minister Raman Singh of the BJP and the Opposition Congress' fight for resurgence. This time, the coalition between Mayawati-led Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), former chief minister Ajit Jogi's Janata Congress Chhattisgarh (J) and Communist Party of India (CPI) added another dimension to the electoral politics of the state which has been dominated by the BJP and the Congress. Leads: Congress -- 66, BJP -- 16, BSP+ -- 7, Others -- 1. (Seats: 90) Telangana: The Telangana Rashtra Samithi is set to form its second successive government in the state as the people have returned it to power with a thumping majority, a ringing endorsement of party chief K Chandrasekhar Raos populist policies. It was evident as soon as the counting started that the TRS juggernaut would not falter till it had captured the Assembly. The party has managed a little less than 90 seats so far in the 119-seat Assembly. Maiden polls for the Assembly were held on December 7 with a voter turnout of 73.20 per cent. The previous polls were held in the united Andhra Pradesh. Telangana was carved out of Andhra Pradesh in 2014. The Assembly polls in Telangana were originally scheduled to be held simultaneously with the Lok Sabha elections next year, but the House was dissolved on September 6 as per a recommendation by the state Cabinet. Leads: TRS -- 87, Congress -- 21, BJP -- 1, Others -- 10. (Seats: 119) Mizoram: The Mizo National Front has won the state with 26 seats. In a way, the BJP opens an account in Mizoram too -- it rules the other six Northeast sisters -- as the MNF is a part of the NEDA (North-East Democratic Alliance) and the NDA. MNF president Zoramthanga has, however, ruled out any coalitions. He said: We will not have any coalition government either with the BJP or any other because my party can form the government on its own. We're a part of the NEDA (North-East Democratic Alliance) and the NDA but we wouldn't like to join the Congress or UPA. Zoramthanga added: My first priorities will be three things to impose prohibition on liquor, repair roads and implement Social Economic Development Programme (SEDP) which is our flagship programme. Mizoram was the last bastion of the Congress in the Northeast. In the 2013 elections, the Congress had won 34 seats, while its main opposition the Mizo National Front (MNF) got five seats and the Mizoram People's Conference bagged one seat. This time, Congress' two-term chief minister Lal Thanhawla has lost both from Serchhip and Champhai South. The Congress and the MNF have ruled Mizoram since 1987. The BJP, which set its eyes on the state this time, got one seat and increased its vote share to 8 per cent. All other Northeastern states are now ruled either by the saffron party or others supported by it. Leads: MNF -- 26, Congress -- 5, BJP -- 1, Others -- 8. (Seats: 40) Much was at stake for the BJP in these results that are seen as the semi-finals to next years general elections in April or May. The BJP came to these polls with significant reverses in Lok Sabha and Assembly bypolls held since 2014. In the last bypolls on May 28, across 11 states, the Opposition had picked up 11 of the 14 seats, while the BJP got 3. The BJPs strength in the Lok Sabha has also come down to 272 from 282 in 2014. A resurgent Congress has everything to be happy about with the results. According to analysts, what could have worked for the Congress was the promise of waiving off farmers loans in all states if voted to power. The party also played the soft Hindutva card to the hilt, promising cow protection in its manifestoes in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. The party also kept at bay infighting in both these states. The outcomes of these elections will have a significant impact next year as Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh have 65 Lok Sabha seats, of which the BJP had won 62 in the 2014 Narendra Modi wave. Here is a quick look at how parties fared in 2013: Madhya Pradesh: BJP had won 165 of the total 230 seats, Congress 58 and other 7. Exit polls this time called it a very close fight. Rajasthan: BJP had won 163 of the 200 seats, Congress 21 and others 16. Exit polls this time handed over the state to the Congress. Chhattisgarh: BJP had won 49 of the 90 seats, Congress 39 and others 2. This state too has been called a close fight by exit polls. Telangana: TRS had got 63, Congress 21 and BJP 5 of the total 119 seats. Exit polls have overwhelmingly voted in favour of the TRS this time. Mizoram: Congress had got 34 of the 40 seats with the Mizo National Front bagging 5 and other 1. This time the advantage is with the MNF, according to exit polls. SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) - Google is still having trouble protecting the personal information on its Plus service, prodding the company to accelerate its plans to shut down a little-used social network created to compete against Facebook. A privacy flaw that inadvertently exposed the names, email addresses, ages and other personal information of 52.5 million Google Plus users last month convinced Google to close the service in April instead of August, as previously announced. Google revealed the new closure date and its latest privacy lapse in a Monday blog post . It's the second time in two months that Google has disclosed the existence of a problem that enabled unauthorized access to Plus profiles. In October, the company acknowledged finding a privacy flaw affecting 500,000 Plus users that it waited more than six months to disclose. Google moved more quickly to own up to the most recent privacy problem on Plus. This time around, the names, email addresses, ages and other personal information of the affected Plus users were exposed for six days in November before it was fixed. No financial information or passwords were visible to intruders, according to Google. The company also said it hasn't seen evidence indicating that unauthorized users who accessed Plus through the inadvertent peephole have missed used any of the personal information. Even if the latest privacy gaffe on Plus didn't cause any major damage, it nevertheless marks another embarrassing incident for Google. The company's business model relies on it being seen as a trustworthy guardian of the personal information it collects about the billions of people who use its search engine, Gmail, Chrome browser, maps, and Android software for smartphones. Like Facebook, Google makes most of its money by selling ads that draw upon what the company learns about the interests, habits and locations of people while they're using its free services. FILE - In this Dec. 4, 2017 file photo, people walk by Google offices in New York. Google is still having trouble protecting the personal information on its Plus service, prodding the company to accelerate its plans to shut down a little-used social network created to compete against Facebook. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan, File) Google's privacy issues on Plus are likely to be a topic that U.S. lawmakers delve into Tuesday, when company CEO Sundar Pichai is scheduled to appear before a House committee. Pichai's appearance comes more than three months after he turned down an invitation to testify in August, to the consternation of some lawmakers. Some members of Congress are now mulling whether tougher regulations to curb the power of Google, Facebook and other technology companies are needed in addition demanding tighter controls over digital privacy. Facebook has had even more trouble guarding the personal information that it scoops up on its social networking service, which now has more than 2.2 billion users. The most glaring breakdown emerged in March when Facebook acknowledged the personal information of as many as 87 million of its users had been shared with Cambridge Analytica, a data mining firm affiliated with President Donald Trump's 2016 campaign. The desire to peer into people's lives is one of the reasons that Google launched Plus in 2011. It was supposed to be a challenger to Facebook's social network, but Plus turned into a digital ghost town that Google began to de-emphasize several years ago. ___ This story has been corrected to reflect Google delayed disclosure of earlier Plus privacy flaw for more than six months, not five months. . HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) - The disclosure of Adam Lanza's writings and other documents offer little toward understanding why he carried out the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre, but researchers say the detail on the gunman's mental decline could offer insights into the mind of a mass killer. Some relatives of the 20 children and six educators gunned down at the school on Dec. 14, 2012, said they welcomed the release of the long-withheld records, although they wish it had not come the week of the tragedy's sixth anniversary. "I understand why it needs to be released. But I think the timing of it sucks," said Lenny Pozner, whose 6-year-old son Noah was among the children who died. "I'm not going to even look at it. The shooter doesn't get any space in my head." Under a court order, Connecticut State Police released to The Hartford Courant hundreds of pages of documents that shed light on gunman Adam Lanza's anger and fascination with mass shootings. The criminal investigation concluded a year after the shooting without determining a motive and the new documents flesh out the portrait from earlier reports of Lanza as a young man who was increasingly disturbed and socially isolated in the years leading up to the shooting. State police refused to release the documents for years until the state Supreme Court ruled in October that Lanza's personal belongings and writings including journals were not exempt from open record laws. The ruling came in a lawsuit by The Hartford Courant and state Freedom of Information Commission. State police officials declined to release the records to the public Monday, saying private information of people other than Lanza needs to be redacted. There is a split within the criminologist community about the benefits of publicly releasing such details of mass shootings, with some saying it glorifies the killers and could spur copycats and other saying it could help prevent future massacres. FILE - In this Dec. 18, 2012, file photo, a police cruiser sits in the driveway of the home of Nancy Lanza in Newtown, Conn., the Colonial-style house where she had lived with her son Adam Lanza. Documents from the investigation into the massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School are shedding light on the Lanza's anger, scorn for other people, and deep social isolation in the years leading up to the shooting. He fatally shot his mother there before driving to the school and ultimately killed himself. (AP Photo/Jason DeCrow, File) Dr. Harold Schwartz, a psychiatrist and member of the Connecticut commission, made public safety and mental health recommendations in the wake of the shooting and reviewed some of the newly released documents, which were provided to him by the newspaper. "There's no single, startling new revelation in these papers, but there's more building of the general impression of the kind of disturbed life he (Lanza) was living that I think is mostly helpful to psychiatrists, psychologists ... certainly researchers," Schwartz said. Schwartz said writings near the end of Lanza's life suggest he didn't decide to commit the shooting until shortly before the massacre, when he may have been suffering from the effects of anorexia including possible brain damage. Schwartz and other experts note millions of people cope with the same mental illnesses Lanza had and aren't violent. The records are important for mental health experts because they offer more detail about Lanza's isolation, social awkwardness and odd behaviors, according to Peter Langman, a psychologist in Allentown, Pennsylvania, who has written books about school shooters. "That oddness doesn't explain mass murder," he said. "We can speculate. I think he was someone who felt extremely disempowered, very much a misfit in society and maybe that resulted in a great deal of rage toward society. ... This may have been his way of lashing out against the culture he felt was imposed upon him." Lanza, 20, fatally shot his mother inside their Newtown home before going to the school, where he killed himself as police arrived. Scarlett Lewis, whose son Jesse was killed at the school, said it was for the best to get a full accounting on the record. "Timing isn't great but I appreciate the media and think there should be full disclosure," she said. Nelba Marquez-Greene, whose daughter Ana Grace died at the Sandy Hook school, said on Twitter Monday that while details of the shooting and other crimes "can help inform response and possibly even help to prevent tragedy in the future - the timing of this makes it nothing but click bait. Remember the families." ____ Associated Press writer Michael Melia contributed to this report. FILE - In this Dec. 14, 2012, file photo, officials stand outside of Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., where authorities say gunman Adam Lanza opened fire inside school killing 20 first-graders and six educators at the school, and killed himself as police arrived. Documents from the investigation into the massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School are shedding light on the Lanza's anger, scorn for other people, and deep social isolation in the years leading up to the shooting. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez, File) WASHINGTON (AP) - As House control is about to switch, it serves as a reminder about Democrats: They like government. And governing. While tea party Republicans swept to power to stop things -- repeal Obamacare, roll back environmental regulations and decrease the size and scope of government -- Democrats are marching into the majority to build things back up. And after spending eight downcast years in the minority, they can't wait to get started. Just ask Rep. Peter DeFazio. He's waited 32 years for his chance to become chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, and has a highway and transit rebuilding plan at the ready. "We've got a lot of corked-up energy," DeFazio said. Democrats are set to take over the majority on Jan. 3, after capturing 39 Republican-held seats in the November election. But the post-election transition is already playing out in the Capitol, and highlighting a fundamental difference between the two parties, core to their political identities. Democrats say the goal is not necessarily a return to big government or to quickly start impeachment proceedings against President Donald Trump - but to reassert Congress' ability to govern, which they say diminished under Republicans. In this Nov. 30, 2018 photo, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., is joined by Rep. John Sarbanes, D-Md., at a news conference to discuss their priorities when they assume the majority in the 116th Congress in January, at the Capitol in Washington. While tea party Republicans swept to power to stop things -- repeal Obamacare, roll back environmental regulations and decrease the size and scope of government -- Democrats are marching into the majority to build things back up. And after spending eight downcast years in the minority, they can't wait to get started. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) The incoming chairman of the Rules Committee has drafted a new rules package - the first vote on Day One. It would require most bills to go to committees before a vote, a time-consuming process that shifts attention to the nuts-and-bolts of legislating. The first bill, H.R. 1, an ethics package, is well under way. And star freshman Rep.-elect Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez already organized some two dozen co-sponsors for her "Green New Deal" infrastructure plan. "We really do want to restore the Democracy, make it work for people," said Rep. John Sarbanes, D-Md., who is leading the effort on H.R. 1. "A lot of the tea party people arrived in Washington a few years ago with this mission of tearing government down," Sarbanes told AP in an interview. "You have Democrats arriving in this class who very much want to fix it, repair it, strengthen it, restore it." The Senate will still be Republican-controlled next year, with Trump holding the veto pen in the White House, so it remains to be seen how much - if any - of the Democratic agenda will be passed into law. But Democrats are pressing ahead, starting their agenda on the premise that Americans have grown cynical of Washington, a finding backed up by polling. Trust in government is low and the sentiment is bipartisan, according to AP VoteCast, a survey of more than 115,000 midterm voters nationwide conducted for The Associated Press by NORC at the University of Chicago. Just 19 percent of midterm voters overall said they trust the government to do what is right at least most of the time. An overwhelming majority - 81 percent - said they trust government "only some of the time" or never. Democrats say before they start tackling the big issues - lowering health care costs, rebuilding infrastructure - they have to earn back Americans' trust in government. The first bill tries to take this on with new ethics requirements and disclosure of big money in politics. Lawmakers would no longer be able to double-dip serving on corporate boards or fly first class, and political groups would have to disclose donors. Congress would make it easier to vote with online registrations and in a nod to President Donald Trump's reluctance to make public his tax returns, all presidents would have to do so. "If we are going to accomplish the bold, aspirational things that everybody wants in America, what we've heard from our constituents about, we have to have a government they can trust," said Rep.-elect Veronica Escobar, D-Texas, at a press conference announcing the legislation. "This is the first step to building a government they can trust." In some ways, the Democrats of the 2018 class share common ground with the tea party Republicans ushered in after the 2010 wave. Both elections attracted newcomers who were running in reaction to the president in the White House. Plenty of Democrats say they were motivated after Trump won the election much the way tea party Republicans came to fight then-President Barack Obama. But Republicans relinquish control after eight years in the House majority having failed to accomplish many top goals, including a repeal of the Affordable Care Act, in part because they ran into trouble with the thorny task of governing. Republicans pushed the GOP tax cuts to law, but scaled back other plans. They were forced two weeks ago to abandon another round of tax cuts as rank-and-file Republicans resisted. GOP leaders declined to force them into line. George Washington University professor Sarah Binder, an expert on Congress, says while we often think about House GOP majority as the "caucus of No," even those in the conservative Freedom Caucus came to realize "you need to legislate in order to get there." "Their attitude may be government is too big and too involved, but in order to retrench government, to pare back what they see as this intrusion in to individual lives, you need government to function," she said. Democrats may run into their own trouble in their majority with splits between their liberal and centrist wings, including those like billionaire donor Tom Steyer who put a priority put on impeaching Trump. "They haven't even started in the majority yet and what I see more is the very same kind of nothing-is-ever-good-enough-caucus forming on the Democratic side that stymied Republicans for years," said Doug Heye, a former top aide to House GOP leadership. "Certainly they come at it from a different lens, but some of the behavior is similar." Many from the incoming freshmen class, including 29-year-old Ocasio-Cortez, come from unconventional legislative backgrounds, much the way the tea party freshmen arrived from the ranks of pizza shop owners and car dealers who had never before been elected to office. She was waiting tables and tending bar before winning a surprise primary against a 10-term Democratic leader in New York. But Ocasio-Cortez - already known around Capitol Hill by her initials AOC - has already convened a televised town hall on her sweeping "Green New Deal" to invest in renewable energies and fight climate change. She organized an army of supporters backing her, including many who showed up Monday to protest on Capitol Hill. Other newcomers arrive with resumes as military veterans, CIA officers, local-elected officials and alumni from the Obama administration, and built-in comfort zones with the legislative process. "My constituents want us to legislate," said Rep.-elect Tom Malinowski at the unveiling of H.R. 1. "They want us to come here and get things done." __ Follow on Twitter at https://twitter.com/lisamascaro In this Nov. 14, 2018 photo, Rep.-elect Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., talks with reporters following a photo opportunity on Capitol Hill in Washington. While tea party Republicans swept to power to stop things -- repeal Obamacare, roll back environmental regulations and decrease the size and scope of government -- Democrats are marching into the majority to build things back up. And after spending eight downcast years in the minority, they can't wait to get started. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh) FILE - In this May 2, 2017 file photo Rep. Peter DeFazio, D-Ore., ranking member on the House Transportation Committee, speaks on capitol Hill in Washington. While tea party Republicans swept to power to stop things -- repeal Obamacare, roll back environmental regulations and decrease the size and scope of government -- Democrats are marching into the majority to build things back up. And after spending eight downcast years in the minority, they can't wait to get started. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais) MIAMI BEACH, Fla. (AP) - Meek Mill, Busta Rhymes and Fat Joe were among the rappers who came out to celebrate DJ Khaled's birthday at an over-the-top party at the Perez Art Museum to close out Art Basel in Miami Beach. The Haute Living party celebrated birthdays for both DJ Khaled and his wife Nicole with a 60-person dinner Sunday night. Swizz Beatz gave a special DJ set, getting guests pumped up when he played "This Is How We Do It." He toasted the birthday couple, saying they "came from nothing and stay working hard." Cuba Gooding Jr., Larsa Pippen, Jeff Gordon, Trina, Jeezy, Jadakiss and 21 Savage were among the guests dancing, toasting and eating cake as they overlooked views of Biscayne Bay. DJ Khaled even received a sparkly $106,000 watch as a gift. SAN DIEGO (AP) - U.S. authorities arrested 32 people at a demonstration Monday that was organized by a Quaker group on the border with Mexico, authorities said. Demonstrators were calling for an end to detaining and deporting immigrants and showing support for migrants in a caravan of Central American asylum seekers. A photographer for The Associated Press saw about a dozen people being handcuffed after they were told by agents to back away from a wall that the Border Patrol calls "an enforcement zone." The American Friends Service Committee, which organized the demonstration, said 30 people were stopped by agents in riot gear and taken into custody while they tried to move forward to offer a ceremonial blessing near the wall. Border Patrol spokesman Eduardo Olmos said 31 people were arrested on suspicion of trespassing by the Federal Protective Service and one was arrested by the Border Patrol for assaulting an agent. More than 300 people, many the leaders of churches, mosques, synagogues and indigenous communities, participated in the demonstration at San Diego's Border Field State Park, which borders Tijuana, Mexico. The rally held on a beach divided by the border wall was the second confrontation for Border Patrol agents since a caravan of more than 6,000 migrants, predominantly Hondurans, reached Tijuana last month. A confrontation with rock-throwers from Mexico led to U.S. agents firing tear gas into Mexico on Nov. 25 and a five-hour closure of the nation's busiest border crossing. Thousands of migrants are living in crowded tent cities in Tijuana after undertaking a grueling journey from Central America to the U.S. border. Many face waiting weeks or months in Mexico while they apply for asylum. The U.S. is processing up to about 100 claims a day at the San Diego crossing, which is creating a backlog. A man holds his hands in the air in front of a line of Border Patrol agents during a protest Monday, Dec. 10, 2018, in San Diego. U.S. officials arrested 32 people at a demonstration Monday that was organized by a Quaker group on the border with Mexico, authorities said. Demonstrators were calling for an end to detaining and deporting immigrants and showing support for migrants in a caravan of Central American asylum seekers. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull) The demonstration Monday was meant to launch a national week of action called "Love Knows No Borders: A moral call for migrant justice," which falls between Human Rights Day on Monday, and International Migrants' Day on Dec. 18, the group said. "Showing up to welcome and bless children, mothers and fathers seeking asylum from very difficult and dehumanizing circumstances is the right and humane thing to do," said Bishop Minerva G. Carcano, from the San Francisco Area United Methodist Church. "How we act in these moments determines who we will become as a nation." The group also is calling on Congress to defund Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection. A Border Patrol agent yells for protestors to back up during a protest Monday, Dec. 10, 2018, in San Diego. U.S. officials arrested 32 people at a demonstration Monday that was organized by a Quaker group on the border with Mexico, authorities said. Demonstrators were calling for an end to detaining and deporting immigrants and showing support for migrants in a caravan of Central American asylum seekers. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull) A group kneels during a protest Monday, Dec. 10, 2018, in San Diego. U.S. officials arrested 32 people at a demonstration Monday that was organized by a Quaker group on the border with Mexico, authorities said. Demonstrators were calling for an end to detaining and deporting immigrants and showing support for migrants in a caravan of Central American asylum seekers. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull) Border Patrol agents look on as a people hold hands and pray during a protest Monday, Dec. 10, 2018, in San Diego. U.S. officials arrested 32 people at a demonstration Monday that was organized by a Quaker group on the border with Mexico, authorities said. Demonstrators were calling for an end to detaining and deporting immigrants and showing support for migrants in a caravan of Central American asylum seekers. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull) U.S. police and Border Patrol hold a line as members of an inter-faith group, showing support for Central American asylum-seekers who arrived in recent caravans and calling for an end to detaining and deporting immigrants, pray during a protest in San Diego, as seen from across the border wall in Tijuana, Mexico, Monday, Dec. 10, 2018. The agents arrested dozens of protestors for trespassing as they tried to approach the border wall, and one person for assaulting an officer. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell) U.S. police and Border Patrol hold a line as members of an inter-faith group, showing support for Central American asylum-seekers who arrived in recent caravans and calling for an end to detaining and deporting immigrants, pray during a protest in San Diego, as seen from across the border wall in Tijuana, Mexico, Monday, Dec. 10, 2018. The agents arrested dozens of protestors for trespassing as they tried to approach the border wall, and one person for assaulting an officer. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell) U.S. police and Border Patrol hold a line as members of an inter-faith group, showing support for Central American asylum-seekers who arrived in recent caravans and calling for an end to detaining and deporting immigrants, pray during a protest in San Diego, as seen from across the border wall in Tijuana, Mexico, Monday, Dec. 10, 2018. The agents arrested dozens of protestors for trespassing as they tried to approach the border wall, and one person for assaulting an officer. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell) Women are detained during a protest near the border with Tijuana, Mexico, Monday, Dec. 10, 2018, in San Diego. U.S. Border Patrol agents have handcuffed more than a dozen people participating in a demonstration organized by a Quaker group at the U.S.-Mexico border, calling for the end of the detention and deportation of immigrants and the militarization of the border. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull) Women are detained during a protest near the border with Tijuana, Mexico, Monday, Dec. 10, 2018, in San Diego. U.S. Border Patrol agents have handcuffed more than a dozen people participating in a demonstration organized by a Quaker group at the U.S.-Mexico border, calling for the end of the detention and deportation of immigrants and the militarization of the border. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull) A woman is detained during a protest near the border with Tijuana, Mexico, Monday, Dec. 10, 2018, in San Diego. U.S. Border Patrol agents have handcuffed more than a dozen people participating in a demonstration organized by a Quaker group at the U.S.-Mexico border, calling for the end of the detention and deportation of immigrants and the militarization of the border. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull) An officer detains two women during a protest near the border with Tijuana, Mexico, Monday, Dec. 10, 2018, in San Diego. U.S. Border Patrol agents have handcuffed more than a dozen people participating in a demonstration organized by a Quaker group at the U.S.-Mexico border, calling for the end of the detention and deportation of immigrants and the militarization of the border. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull) Women are detained during a protest near the border with Tijuana, Mexico, Monday, Dec. 10, 2018, in San Diego. U.S. Border Patrol agents have handcuffed more than a dozen people participating in a demonstration organized by a Quaker group at the U.S.-Mexico border, calling for the end of the detention and deportation of immigrants and the militarization of the border. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull) People hold hands in prayer during a protest near the border with Tijuana, Mexico, Monday, Dec. 10, 2018, in San Diego. U.S. Border Patrol agents have handcuffed more than a dozen people participating in a demonstration organized by a Quaker group at the U.S.-Mexico border, calling for the end of the detention and deportation of immigrants and the militarization of the border. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull) A Border Patrol agent, below, grabs the legs of a man during a protest near the border with Tijuana, Mexico, Monday, Dec. 10, 2018, in San Diego. U.S. Border Patrol agents have handcuffed about a dozen people participating in a demonstration organized by a Quaker group at the U.S.-Mexico border, calling for the end of the detention and deportation of immigrants and the militarization of the border. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull) The former head of sailing's governing body has joined other sailing officials in questioning the results of a vote to add a mixed-gender offshore class to the 2024 Olympics. Paul Henderson of Toronto, who also is a former member of the International Olympic Committee, said in a letter to World Sailing President Kim Andersen of Denmark that some votes were recorded incorrectly during the recent annual conference in Sarasota, Florida, and the governing body must re-open the issue. "Your prompt attention to this rather unfortunate situation is in order," Henderson wrote to Andersen on Saturday. Henderson was president of what was then called the International Sailing Federation (ISAF) from 1994-2004 and was on the IOC from 2000-04. At least four members of World Sailing's Council have said their votes were improperly recorded, which should have been enough to defeat the offshore proposal. In the process of approving the offshore class, the Finn class, which has been in the Olympics since 1952, would be eliminated after the 2020 Tokyo Games. Andersen said that once World Sailing has completed the overview of the voting processes, "we need to decide what appropriate action to take next." WASHINGTON (AP) - Five people in President Donald Trump's orbit have pleaded guilty to federal charges. Prosecutors in Washington and New York are investigating whether the Trump campaign coordinated with the Kremlin in the 2016 election and whether Trump directed an illegal hush-money scheme to silence women who said they had sex with him. A look at those cases: MICHAEL COHEN Cohen pleaded guilty in federal court in New York to lying to Congress about his work on a possible Trump real estate project in Moscow in a case brought by special counsel Robert Mueller's office. Cohen - who for more than a decade was a key power player in the Trump Organization and a fixture in Trump's political life - said he did so to be consistent with Trump's "political messaging." Court documents show Cohen is cooperating with Mueller and has met with his team seven times. Cohen had pleaded guilty in August to eight criminal counts, including campaign-finance violation and other charges. He said Trump directed him to arrange the payment of hush money to porn star Stormy Daniels and a former Playboy model in the run-up to the 2016 campaign. FILE - In this Dec. 7, 2018 file photo, Michael Cohen, former lawyer to President Donald Trump, leaves his apartment building on New York's Park Avenue. (AP Photo/Richard Drew) Prosecutors also have asserted that Cohen committed campaign finance violations "in coordination with and at the direction of" Trump. It's the first time they have directly tied Trump to a federal crime. Justice Department legal opinions have found that a sitting president cannot be prosecuted, making the next steps unclear. That case was brought by prosecutors in Manhattan and is separate from Mueller's investigation. Cohen's sentencing is scheduled for Dec. 12. PAUL MANAFORT Manafort cut a deal with prosecutors in September and pleaded guilty to conspiracy against the United States and conspiracy to obstruct justice. That plea deal headed off a second trial on charges tied to Ukrainian political consulting work. As part of the agreement, Manafort agreed to cooperate with Mueller's team "fully, truthfully, completely, and forthrightly." But the special counsel's office accused him last week of violating the agreement by repeatedly lying to investigators. That could expose Manafort to a lengthier sentence and potentially additional criminal charges. Manafort was separately convicted last summer of eight felony counts related to millions of dollars he hid from the IRS in offshore accounts. The charges are all unrelated to Trump's campaign. Trump has distanced himself from Manafort, who led his presidential campaign from May 2016 to August 2016. On Thursday, Trump said it was "very sad" what has happened to Manafort, adding that he's "never seen anybody treated so poorly." Trump said in an interview with the New York Post earlier this week that a potential pardon for Manafort is "not off the table." MICHAEL FLYNN Trump's former national security adviser, a retired Army lieutenant general who had led the Defense Intelligence Agency, was the first White House official charged in Mueller's probe. His plea last December to one count of lying to the FBI requires Flynn to cooperate with prosecutors. In August, the special counsel's office said Flynn was still not ready to be sentenced, a sign that he is still cooperating. Flynn was a national security surrogate during the later parts of the campaign. He was charged with lying about conversations with a Russian ambassador during the transition. RICK GATES Gates, Manafort's longtime business associate and a former Trump campaign adviser, pleaded guilty in February to federal conspiracy and false-statements charges, saying then he would help Mueller's investigation in "any and all matters." Gates later turned against his former colleague, spending three days on the stand in Manafort's Virginia trial. He told jurors how he committed crimes alongside Manafort for years and admitted doctoring documents, falsifying information and creating fake loans to lower his former boss' tax bill. He also acknowledged stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars without Manafort's knowledge by filing fake expense reports. GEORGE PAPADOPOULOS George Papadopoulos, who served as a foreign policy adviser to the Trump campaign, was sentenced in September to 14 days in prison for lying to the FBI about his contacts with Russian intermediaries. Papadopoulos was the first campaign aide sentenced in Mueller's investigation, and he was also the person who triggered the initial Russia investigation two years ago. Memos written by House Republicans and Democrats, now declassified, show that information about Papadopoulos' contacts with Russian intermediaries triggered the FBI's counterintelligence investigation in July 2016 into potential coordination between Russia and the Trump campaign. That probe was later taken over by Mueller. The White House has said that Papadopoulos was a low-level volunteer on the campaign. At his sentencing hearing, Papadopoulos told the judge that he was "deeply embarrassed and ashamed" for lying. Prosecutor Andrew Goldstein said Papadopoulos' cooperation "didn't come close to the standard of substantial assistance." Papadopoulos was released from a federal prison in Wisconsin last week. FILE - In this May 23, 2018 file photo, Paul Manafort, President Donald Trump's former campaign chairman, leaves the Federal District Court after a hearing in Washington. ( AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana) FILE - In this July 10, 2018 file photo, former Trump national security adviser Michael Flynn leaves federal courthouse in Washington, following a status hearing. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta) VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) - A jailed Chinese technology executive will have to wait at least one more day to see if she will be released on bail in a case that has raised U.S.-China tensions and complicated efforts to resolve a trade dispute that has roiled financial markets and threatened global economic growth. Meng Wanzhou, the chief financial officer of Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei and daughter of its founder, was detained at the request of the U.S. during a layover at the Vancouver airport Dec. 1 - the same day that Presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping of China agreed to a 90-day cease-fire in the trade dispute that threatens to disrupt global commerce. The U.S. has accused Huawei of using a Hong Kong shell company to sell equipment to Iran in violation of U.S. sanctions. It also says Meng and Huawei misled banks about the company's business dealings in Iran. After a second daylong session, Justice William Ehrcke said the bail hearing would continue Tuesday. In urging the court to reject Meng's bail request, prosecutor John Gibb-Carsley noted the Huawei executive has vast resources and a strong incentive to flee as she is facing fraud charges in the United States that could put her in prison for 30 years. Gibb-Carsley later told the judge that if he does decide to grant bail it should include house arrest. People hold a sign at a Vancouver, British Columbia courthouse prior to the bail hearing for Meng Wanzhou, Huawei's chief financial officer on Monday, December 10, 2018. Meng Wanzhou was detained at the request of the U.S. during a layover at the Vancouver airport on Dec. 1.(Jonathan Hayward/The Canadian Press via AP) David Martin, Meng's lawyer, said Meng was willing to pay for a surveillance company to monitor her and wear an ankle monitor but she wanted to be able to travel around Vancouver and its suburbs. Scot Filer of Lions Gate Risk Management group said his company would make a citizen's arrest if she breached bail conditions. Martin said Meng's husband would put up both of their Vancouver homes plus $1 million Canadian ($750,000) for a total value of $15 million Canadian ($11.2 million) as collateral. The judge cast doubt on that proposal, saying Meng's husband isn't a resident of British Columbia - a requirement for him to act as a guarantor that his wife won't flee - and his visitor visa expires in February. The prosecutor said her husband has no meaningful connections to Vancouver and spends only two or three weeks a year in the city. Gibb-Carsley also expressed concern about the idea of using a security company paid by Meng. He said later that $15 million Canadian ($11.2 million) would be an appropriate amount if the judge granted bail, but he said half should be in cash. Huawei said in a statement that it had "every confidence that the Canadian and U.S. legal systems will reach a just conclusion." Meng's arrest has fueled U.S.-China trade tensions at a time when the two countries are seeking to resolve a dispute over Beijing's technology and industrial strategy. Both sides have sought to keep the issues separate, at least so far, but the arrest has roiled markets, with stock markets worldwide down again Monday. The hearing has sparked widespread interest, and the courtroom was packed again Monday with media and spectators, including some who came to support Meng. One man in the gallery brought binoculars to have a closer look at Meng, while outside court a man and woman held a sign that read "Free Ms. Meng." Over the weekend, Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Le Yucheng summoned Canadian Ambassador John McCallum and U.S. Ambassador Terry Branstad. Le warned both countries that Beijing would take steps based on their response. Asked Monday what those steps might be, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said only, "It totally depends on the Canadian side itself." Stocks around the world fell Monday over investor concerns about the continuing U.S.-China trade dispute, as well as the cloud hanging over Brexit negotiations after Britain's prime minister postponed a vote on her deal for Britain to quit the European Union. In the U.S., stocks were volatile, tumbling in the morning and then recovering in the afternoon. The Huawei case complicates efforts to resolve the U.S.-China trade dispute. The United States has slapped tariffs on $250 billion in Chinese imports, charging that China steals American technology and forces U.S. companies to turn over trade secrets. Tariffs on $200 billion of those imports were scheduled to rise from 10 percent to 25 percent on Jan. 1. But over dinner Dec. 1 with Xi in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Trump agreed to delay the increase for 90 days, buying time for more negotiations. Bill Perry, a trade lawyer with Harris Bricken in Seattle, said China's decelerating economy is putting pressure on Xi to make concessions before U.S. tariffs go up. "They need a trade deal. They don't want the tariffs to go up to 25" percent, said Perry, who produces the "US China Trade War" blog. "This is Damocles' sword hanging over the Chinese government." Huawei, the biggest global supplier of network gear for phone and internet companies, has become the target of U.S. security concerns because of its ties to the Chinese government. The U.S. has pressured other countries to limit use of its technology, warning they could be opening themselves up to surveillance and theft of information. Lu, the Foreign Ministry spokesman, accused countries he didn't cite by name of hyping the "so-called" threat. "I must tell you that not a single piece of evidence have they ever presented to back their allegation," he said. "To create obstacles for companies' normal operations based on speculation is quite absurd." Canadian officials have declined to comment on Chinese threats of retaliation, instead emphasizing the independence of Canada's judiciary and the importance of Ottawa's relationship with Beijing. ___ Associated Press writer Jim Morris reported in Vancouver, AP writer Rob Gillies reported from Toronto and AP writer Paul Wiseman contributed from Washington. AP writers Ken Moritsugu and Christopher Bodeen and researcher Shanshan Wang in Beijing contributed to this report. People line up at a Vancouver, British Columbia courthouse prior to the bail hearing for Meng Wanzhou, Huawei's chief financial officer on Monday, December 10, 2018. Meng Wanzhou, the chief financial officer of telecommunications giant Huawei and daughter of its founder, was detained at the request of the U.S. during a layover at the Vancouver airport on Dec. 1. (Jonathan Hayward/The Canadian Press via AP) A man arranges magazines near newspapers with the headlines of China outcry against U.S. on the detention of Huawei's chief financial officer, Meng Wanzhou, at a news stand in Beijing, Monday, Dec. 10, 2018. China has summoned the U.S. ambassador to Beijing to protest Canada's detention of an executive of Chinese electronics giant Huawei at Washington's behest and demand the U.S. cancel an order for her arrest. (AP Photo/Andy Wong) A woman takes a copy of a newspaper near another with the headline of China outcry against U.S. on the detention of Huawei's chief financial officer, Meng Wanzhou, at a news stand in Beijing, Monday, Dec. 10, 2018. China has summoned the U.S. ambassador to Beijing to protest Canada's detention of an executive of Chinese electronics giant Huawei at Washington's behest and demand the U.S. cancel an order for her arrest. (AP Photo/Andy Wong) In this undated photo released by Huawei, Huawei's chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou is seen in a portrait photo. China on Thursday, Dec. 6, 2018, demanded Canada release the Huawei Technologies executive who was arrested in a case that adds to technology tensions with Washington and threatens to complicate trade talks. (Huawei via AP) In this courtroom sketch, Meng Wanzhou, right, the chief financial officer of Huawei Technologies, sits beside a translator during a bail hearing at British Columbia Supreme Court in Vancouver, on Friday, Dec. 7, 2018. Meng faces extradition to the U.S. on charges of trying to evade U.S. sanctions on Iran. She appeared in a Vancouver court Friday to seek bail. (Jane Wolsak/The Canadian Press via AP) In this courtroom sketch, Meng Wanzhou, right, the chief financial officer of Huawei Technologies, sits beside a translator during a bail hearing at British Columbia Supreme Court in Vancouver, on Friday, Dec. 7, 2018. Meng faces extradition to the U.S. on charges of trying to evade U.S. sanctions on Iran. She appeared in a Vancouver court Friday to seek bail. (Jane Wolsak/The Canadian Press via AP) In this courtroom sketch, Meng Wanzhou, right, the chief financial officer of Huawei Technologies, sits beside a translator during a bail hearing at British Columbia Supreme Court in Vancouver, on Friday, Dec. 7, 2018. Meng faces extradition to the U.S. on charges of trying to evade U.S. sanctions on Iran. She appeared in a Vancouver court Friday to seek bail. (Jane Wolsak/The Canadian Press via AP) A British Columbia sheriff looks on as people line up at a Vancouver courthouse prior to the bail hearing for Meng Wanzhou, Monday, December 10, 2018. Wanzhou, the chief financial officer of telecommunications giant Huawei and daughter of its founder, was detained at the request of the U.S. during a layover at the Vancouver airport on Dec. 1 (Jonathan Hayward/The Canadian Press via AP) WASHINGTON (AP) - A woman accused of being a secret agent for the Russian government has likely taken a plea deal, prosecutors indicated Monday in a court filing that said her case has been "resolved." The information was included in a filing in the case against Maria Butina. Federal prosecutors and Butina's lawyer filed a joint motion asking to change her plea. A hearing has been scheduled for Wednesday afternoon. Prosecutors have alleged Butina, 30, gathered intelligence on American officials and political organizations and worked to develop relationships with American politicians through her contacts with the National Rifle Association. They have charged that her work was directed by a former Russian lawmaker who was sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury Department for his alleged ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin. Butina, who was arrested in July, was charged with conspiracy and acting as an unregistered foreign agent for Russia. Her lawyer has argued that Butina is a student interested in American politics and better U.S.-Russian relations. The documents did not provide details about the resolution. However, for several weeks, prosecutors and Butina's lawyer have indicated in court papers that they were negotiating and may have been nearing a plea deal. FILE - In this April 21, 2013 file photo, Maria Butina, leader of a pro-gun organization in Russia, speaks to a crowd during a rally in support of legalizing the possession of handguns in Moscow, Russia. Prosecutors say they have "resolved" a case against Butina accused of being a secret agent for the Russian government, a sign that she likely has taken a plea deal. The information was included in a court filing Monday. (AP Photo/File) The charges against Butina were brought by federal prosecutors in Washington, D.C., and her case is unrelated to special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election. MANILA, Philippines (AP) - For over a century, the Bells of Balangiga have not rung in the Philippines, a silence that the president last year called "painful." Now, the revered bells will once again be heard in the country. Hundreds of Filipino villagers in 1901, armed with bolos and disguised as women, used one of Balangiga town's church bells to signal the start of a massive attack that wrought one of the bloodiest single-battle losses of American occupation forces in the Philippines. The U.S. Army brutally retaliated, reportedly killing thousands of villagers, as the Philippine-American War raged. After the violence, the Americans took three church bells as spoils of war that Filipinos would demand for decades to be handed back. On Tuesday, a giant U.S. Air Force cargo aircraft brought the Bells of Balangiga back to the Philippine capital in a poignant ceremony that saw U.S. defense officials and the American ambassador to Manila return the war relics 117 years after they were seized. A military brass band played the Philippine national anthem, followed by "The Star Spangled Banner." The treaty allies then swept aside a dark episode in their long relationship with joint photographs and handshakes. "It is my great honor to be here at this closing of a painful chapter in our history," U.S. Ambassador Sung Kim said. "Our relationship has withstood the tests of history and flourishes today." Philippine Air Force personnel unload three church bells seized by American troops as war trophies more than a century ago, as they arrive Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2018 in suburban Pasay city southeast of Manila, Philippines. American occupation troops took the bells in 1901 from a Catholic church following an attack by machete-wielding Filipino villagers, who killed 48 U.S. troops in the town of Balangiga on central Samar island in one of the U.S. Army's worst single-battle losses of that era. The bells are revered by Filipinos as symbols of national pride. (AP Photo/Bullit Marquez) U.S. Defense Secretary James Mattis has said the handover is an important gesture of friendship and is in America's national security interest. Some U.S. veterans and officials had opposed the return of the bells, calling them memorials to American war dead. At Tuesday's handover ceremony at a Philippine air force base, the bronze bells stood atop a red platform like silent symbols of a bygone era of hostilities, as American and Philippine flags flapped in the wind. Officials from both sides called for a minute of silence for the war dead. The bells are revered by Filipinos as symbols of national pride, and their arrival on a U.S. C-130 plane and the ceremony were shown live on national TV. Two of the bells had been displayed for decades at F.E. Warren Air Force Base in Cheyenne, Wyoming, and the third was with the U.S. Army in South Korea. After being colonized by Spain for more than three centuries, the Philippines became a U.S. possession in 1898 in a new colonial era that began with the outbreak of the Philippine-American War. American occupation troops seized the bells from a Catholic church following an attack by machete-wielding Filipino villagers, who killed 48 U.S. soldiers in Balangiga, on central Samar island off Leyte Gulf, according to Filipino historian Rolando Borrinaga. The Americans retaliated, with a general, Jacob Smith, ordering troops to shoot villagers older than 10 and turn the island into a "howling wilderness," Borrinaga said. Thousands of villagers were reported to have been killed. Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, who has had an antagonistic attitude toward the U.S. and has revitalized ties with China and Russia, asked Washington in his state of the nation address last year to "return them to us, this is painful for us." "Give us back those Balangiga bells. ... They are part of our national heritage," Duterte said in the speech, attended by the U.S. ambassador and other diplomats. Philippine Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said at Tuesday's ceremony that with the resolution of the issue, "It's time for healing, it is time for closure, it is time to look ahead as two nations should with a shared history as allies." Duterte has referred to violence by Americans in Balangiga and on southern Jolo island in the early 1900s in public criticism of the U.S. government after it raised concerns about his brutal crackdown on illegal drugs in which thousands have died. A breakthrough on the bells issue came with an amendment to a U.S. law banning the return of war relics and memorials to foreign countries. That allowed the homecoming of the Balanggiga bells, said Lorenzana, who saw the bells last year in Wyoming, where he was notified by Mattis of the U.S. decision. Philippine officials led by Duterte are to turn over the bells on Saturday to officials and the church in Balangiga, a small coastal town where villagers, some in tears, applauded while watching troops on TV screens pry open the wooden crates containing the bells. "The Bells of Balangiga will once again peal, it will still remind the people of Balangiga of what happened in the town square more than a century ago," Lorenzana said. "But we would also look at that history with more understanding and acceptance." ___ Associated Press journalists Bullit Marquez and Cecilia Forbes contributed to this report. Roman Catholic priest Monsignor Pepe Quitorio, second from left, poses with other priests and officials before one of three church bells seized by American troops as war trophies more than a century ago, following handover ceremony Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2018 in suburban Pasay city, southeast of Manila, Philippines. American occupation troops took the bells in 1901 from a Catholic church following an attack by machete-wielding Filipino villagers, who killed 48 U.S. troops in the town of Balangiga on central Samar island in one of the U.S. Army's worst single-battle losses of that era. The bells are revered by Filipinos as symbols of national pride. (AP Photo/Bullit Marquez) U.S. Air Force personnel prepare to unload three church bells seized by American troops as war trophies more than a century ago, as they were returned to the Philippines Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2018 in suburban Pasay city, southeast of Manila. American occupation troops took the bells in 1901 from a Catholic church following an attack by machete-wielding Filipino villagers, who killed 48 U.S. troops in the town of Balangiga on central Samar island in one of the U.S. Army's worst single-battle losses of that era. The bells are revered by Filipinos as symbols of national pride. (AP Photo/Bullit Marquez) Philippine government officials inspect three church bells seized by American troops as war trophies more than a century ago, as they were returned to the Philippines Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2018 in suburban Pasay city, southeast of Manila, Philippines. American occupation troops took the bells in 1901 from a Catholic church following an attack by machete-wielding Filipino villagers, who killed 48 U.S. troops in the town of Balangiga on central Samar island in one of the U.S. Army's worst single-battle losses of that era. The bells are revered by Filipinos as symbols of national pride. (AP Photo/Bullit Marquez) Philippine Air Force personnel unload three church bells seized by American troops as war trophies more than a century ago, as they are flown back Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2018 in suburban Pasay city, southeast of Manila, Philippines. American occupation troops took the bells in 1901 from a Catholic church following an attack by machete-wielding Filipino villagers, who killed 48 U.S. troops in the town of Balangiga on central Samar island in one of the U.S. Army's worst single-battle losses of that era. The bells are revered by Filipinos as symbols of national pride. (AP Photo/Bullit Marquez) Rahul Gandhis promise of loan waiver to farmers in Hindi heartland states seemed to have struck chord with people in villages. Congress president Rahul Gandhi addressed 82 public rallies and seven road shows since October 6, crisscrossing Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Telanagana and Mizoram on an almost daily basis. (Photo: Twitter | @INCIndia) New Delhi: While political analysts will debate in the coming days the reasons for the BJP's setbacks in three Hindi heartland states, the Congress brain trust has an unambiguous answer Rahul Gandhi's newfound campaign energy. Congress president Rahul Gandhi, once dubbed by critics as a "reluctant politician", addressed 82 public rallies and seven road shows since October 6, crisscrossing Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Telanagana and Mizoram on an almost daily basis. Rahul Gandhi, during his spirited campaign, raised several issues such as farmer distress, Rafale deal, corruption, and women's security in all these states. He also raised state-specific issues such as the Vyapam scam in Madhya Pradesh and farmers' suicides in Rajasthan. His promise of a loan waiver to farmers in the Hindi heartland states seems to have struck a chord with the people in villages. "With sheer grit and determination, against all odds, defying state coercion and intimidation, Rahul Gandhi has scripted an amazing turnaround for the Congress in a short span of one year Congress leader Manish Tewari Referring to Rahul Gandhi's energetic campaign, he said it started off with Gujarat last year, and the Congress chief has demonstrated the tenacity to stay the course over the past one year. Several Congress leaders from the Hindi heartland such as Sachin Pilot, Ashok Gehlot and Bhupesh Baghel credited Rahul Gandhi's dynamic campaign as the reason for party's good showing. "Our leader (Rahul Gandhi) has led the team well through the campaign, and results are coming accordingly. We did things right and Rahul Gandhi is the 'man of the match' and the 'man of the series'," Congress leader and Punjab minister Navjot Singh Sidhu said. Sanjay K Pandey, a professor at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) and a political commentator, said Rahul Gandhi with his campaign energy has "demolished" the perception of being a "reluctant politician". "This was said about his father also. There is some truth perhaps that Rajiv Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi had some reluctance (in taking to politics). He did make some comments which led people to believe that he was not very keen on politics, but now that has changed. Even in earlier elections he has led an energetic campaign, but probably not to this extent," Pandey told PTI. The Congress is set to wrest Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh from the BJP which was trailing marginally in Madhya Pradesh in a cliffhanger while the TRS stormed back to power in Telangana and the MNF dislodged the Congress in Mizoram. Social media users have voiced their outrage at steep ticket prices for Odeons newly refurbished Leicester Square theatre. The cinema has now been branded an Odeon Luxe, meaning adult cinema-goers looking for a more luxurious experience will pay up to 40.75 for brand new releases. Luxe recliners have been installed, and viewers can now watch from a Royal Box. Tickets begin at 10 for each showing, and can reach just over 40. Mary Poppins Returns is now on sale at the newly revamped Odeon Leicester Square, at the bargain price of--- HOW MUCH?! pic.twitter.com/OI6Bu6qAcV Chris Presswell (@ChrisPresswell) December 4, 2018 The soon-to-be re-opened Odeon Luxe Leicester Square cinema has undergone a major 11-month refurbishment. The new 800-seat cinema will feature a cocktail bar and reclining seats, meaning prices have increased at the venue. (Ian West/PA Wire) how much? wow, I hope that includes popcorn! (and a drink, and a three course meal) Nicky (@D80Noo) December 4, 2018 Social media users have voiced their disagreement with the price-hike, though the 40 tickets are only for the highest tier. It was always on the rise, and the Leicester Square Odeon was always expensive but this is off the scale No Time To Dan (@Danburden1138) December 4, 2018 Odeon explained that as Mary Poppins Returns is in its first week during the festive season, prices have been raised accordingly. The odeon is so expensive. Forgot I had to take out a loan for popcorn and a ticket Georgie Lovatt (@GeorgieLovatt) October 14, 2018 A spokesperson for Odeon said: Price choices vary and flex depending on a number of factors including seat type and location in the auditorium, what were showing, time of day, and the number of people booking at one time. The first week of the biggest film of the year during the festive season is obviously peak, and guests can expect prices will flex throughout the year. The cinema added that the prices are cheaper if you sign up for one of Odeons Limitless cards; the membership costs 19.99 a month for London cinemas, costing 5 extra per visit for Luxe recliner seats. Doctors are at the brink of breaking point to ensure patient care, according to a stark warning from the doctors regulator. Britain is running out of time to prevent a significant decline in the number of doctors, putting patient safety at risk, the General Medical Council (GMC) said. A new report from the regulator says that many doctors are planning to leave the profession in unprecedented numbers. A survey of 2,600 UK doctors found that within the next three years, a fifth are considering going part time. One in five are planning on leaving Britain to work abroad. And many are planning early retirement the poll found that 21% of 45 to 54-year-old doctors and two-thirds of 55 to 64-year-olds, intend to retire early, which the GMC said was particularly concerning. One in five doctors are planning on leaving Britain to work abroad, the GMC warned (Rui Vieira/PA) It said the findings come against a backdrop of uncertainty over Brexit, with almost one in 10 doctors (9%) working in the UK coming from the European Union. The GMC report calls for a workforce strategy to solve the problems raised by doctors. The UK is running out of time to prevent a significant decline in workforce numbers, which risks patient safety, the authors warned. They added: The health system now faces a decline in what can be offered and how it is offered by doctors who are prioritising and compromising their work in an effort to maintain standards of care for their patients. It shows that doctors are reaching the limit of what can be done. Our new evidence reveals the effect of these pressures and the steps doctors are taking to cope. We are concerned that some of these strategies are risky or unsustainable. The medical profession is at the brink of a breaking point in trying to maintain standards and deliver good patient care. Pressures faced by doctors include a rising number of patients, some with multiple complex health conditions, a shortage of experienced staff and system pressures including targets and administrative duties. These have led to longer hours and a deterioration of work/life balance. The regulator raised concerns about burnout and poor mental health as a result. Measures taken to cope with pressures include neglecting learning and adopting strategies which prioritise immediate patient care and safety such as making an unnecessary referral or bypassing clinical checklists in order to get through workload, it added. Meanwhile doctors acting up or acting down performing duties beyond or below their expertise is becoming normalised, the report adds. Professor Sir Terence Stephenson, chairman of the GMC, said: Doctors are telling us clearly that the strain that the system is under is having a direct effect on them, and on their plans to continue working in that system. Weve heard from doctors who are referring patients on to other parts of the system because they dont have the time to deal with their issues, understandably moving the pressure on to other parts of the service. There are different challenges in each of the four countries of the UK but the NHS is at a critical juncture; without a long-term UK-wide plan to ensure it has a workforce with the right skills in the right places and without the right support, doctors will come under even greater strain. A Department of Health and Social Care spokesman said: Doctors are the backbone of the NHS and there are currently record numbers providing patients with excellent, safe care. We are committed to improving doctors work-life balance by expanding flexible working schemes and e-rostering and we are ensuring the NHS has the doctors it needs now and in the future through a 25% increase in training places and opening five new medical schools. The Government has secured the rights of all EU citizens in the UK and our dedicated EU doctors are among the first to be able to secure their settled status underlining our commitment to them. The Scottish Parliament will today vote against Theresa Mays proposed Brexit deal, with MSPs calling instead for a better alternative to the PMs plans be taken forward. Four of the five political parties at Holyrood the SNP, Labour, the Greens and Liberal Democrats will unite to back a joint motion, which also makes clear their opposition to a no-deal Brexit. Constitutional Relations Secretary Mike Russell said the debate was an historic opportunity for the Scottish Parliament to come together and formally oppose both a no deal option and the Prime Ministers damaging Brexit deal. But the Tories, who will be the only party to vote against the motion, claimed the SNP and Scottish Greens were using the debate to try to push for a second vote on Scottish independence. It comes just six days ahead of the meaningful vote at Westminster, when MPs will have their say on the PMs Brexit deal. While Holyrood voting against the proposals will not stop the UK Government from trying to push through its plans, it will put the Scottish Parliament on record as opposing both the agreement and the prospect of a no deal Brexit. MSPs are to vote against both the PMs draft Brexit agreement and also the prospect of a no deal Brexit (David Cheskin/PA) The joint motion argues the draft withdrawal agreement and political declaration will be damaging for Scotland and the nations and regions of the UK as a whole and therefore recommends that they be rejected and that a better alternative be taken forward. Speaking ahead of the debate, Mr Russell said: The Prime Ministers Brexit deal will make Scotland poorer and deliver continued uncertainty. It will mean years of further negotiations with no guarantee that a trade deal with the EU will even be agreed. This is a historic opportunity for the Scottish Parliament to come together and formally oppose both a no deal option and the Prime Ministers damaging Brexit deal. The motion is actually in the name of representatives of four parties - me , @NeilFindlay_MSP , @Ross_Greer & @tavishscott . It is an attempt to seek consensus regarding the present very serious and difficult situation created by the Prime Minister and her unacceptable deal https://t.co/lOt7ggxalq Michael Russell (@Feorlean) December 4, 2018 Scottish Government analysis of the PMs draft deal to leave the European Union indicated this could result in loss equivalent to 1,610 per person in Scotland compared to EU membership by 2030. Meanwhile separate documents published by the UK Government showed it could cut the countrys GDP by up to 3.9% over the next 15 years compared to staying in the EU while a no-deal Brexit could cause the economy to shrink by 9.3% over the same period. Mr Russell said: The UK Governments own analysis, as well as the detailed assessment from the Scottish Government, shows why the draft Brexit deal is unacceptable it would make us poorer while extending uncertainty. After cooperation by different parties to draw up a joint motion, he added Holyrood should now reach a consensus and oppose both the proposed draft Brexit deal and the suggestion a no-deal Brexit is the only alternative. But Scottish Conservative constitution spokesman Adam Tomkins was clear his party would vote in defiance of the SNPs games, saying: The Scottish Conservatives will, alone, oppose the motion set out by the SNP, Labour, Lib Dems and Greens today. We know what the SNP and Greens are trying to do with this needless debate they want to use it to manufacture yet more grievance as part of their push for a second independence referendum. That Labour and the Liberal Democrats have once again fallen into line with the nationalists is disappointing but hardly surprising. Its a choice theyve taken at every step since the Brexit referendum was held. Willie Rennie and Richard Leonard are Nicola Sturgeons little helpers. Mr Tomkins added: The Scottish Conservatives are the only party committed to respecting the results of both referendums we have held in the last four years. That clear, democratic principle is one we will seek to uphold in the Scottish Parliament today Theresa May is battling to keep her Brexit agenda on track as MPs are again set to clash over the Prime Ministers EU withdrawal plan after inflicting major defeats on the Government. As the Commons prepared for a second of five days of debate on Mrs Mays controversial Brexit deal on Wednesday, a Tory former chief whip broke ranks and said he would vote against the proposals. Mark Harper, who backed Remain in the referendum, insisted the EU agreement would leave the UK worse off. Forecasting that Mrs May would lose the crunch Brexit vote next Tuesday by more than 80 votes, Mr Harper urged the PM to renegotiate the deal. The comments came in the wake of a humiliating set of Commons defeats for Mrs May which saw the Government forced to allow MPs to have a say in what happens next if the Brexit deal is voted down on Tuesday. Ministers also had to agree to publish the final and full legal advice to Cabinet on the withdrawal agreement as the Government was found to be in contempt of Parliament for not already doing so. Writing in the Daily Telegraph, Mr Harper said: The Cabinets proposals are not acceptable because they threaten the integrity of our country, keep us trapped indefinitely in a customs union and leave us in a weak negotiating position for our future relationship. Mr Harper sharply criticised plans for an Irish border backstop arrangement. House of Commons votes 311 to 293 to approve the privilege motion, finding Ministers in contempt and ordering the immediate publication of the full legal advice on the #Brexit deal. pic.twitter.com/haXVmbH36s UK House of Commons (@HouseofCommons) December 4, 2018 He said: The Prime Minister said that the EUs proposal would undermine the UK common market and threaten the constitutional integrity of the UK by creating a customs and regulatory border down the Irish Sea, and no UK prime minister could ever agree to it. However, regrettably, the Withdrawal Agreement that is currently in front of us does exactly this. Im just very disappointed that as a loyal MP Ive found myself in this situation, that in order to keep to the promises we made just last year in the general election, Ive been forced to vote against the Cabinets proposals. Keeping promises in politics is important and I think many colleagues also feel they have been misled. Theresa May with ministers and Tory MPs after speaking at the start of a five-day debate on the European Union Withdrawal Agreement (PA) Education Secretary Damian Hinds told BBC2s Newsnight that the difficulties endured by the Government would help focus minds of Tory MPs. There is one deal on the table. If that were not to be passed, then I think we go into a period of some uncertainty about what would happen instead. He added: If we dont get this deal, there are two other things could happen: either you could have no deal and that would not be good for us, or you might end up with no Brexit at all. And for individual MPs, we cant guarantee which of those other two alternatives might happen if the deal doesnt go through. Ministers were expected to set out on Wednesday how the highly sensitive legal advice provided to the Cabinet by Attorney General Geoffrey Cox on the withdrawal deal will be made public. A day of defeats for Theresa May as she battles to save her Brexit deal dominates the front pages on Wednesday. The Daily Mail describes how Brexit is on a knife edge after the Prime Minister suffered three historic Commons defeats. The triple blow took place over just 63 minutes, the Daily Mirror says, as the paper reports that Mrs May looked to be losing control of her Brexit strategy. The Daily Telegraph describes it in similar words, running with the headline: The day May lost control. The paper says Mrs May suffered humiliation on a historic scale. The front page of tomorrow's Daily Telegraph 'The day May lost control' #tomorrowspaperstoday pic.twitter.com/pWoXehQ80X The Telegraph (@Telegraph) December 4, 2018 One of the votes meant the Government was found in contempt of Parliament for refusing to publish the full legal advice on the Withdrawal Agreement, the Metro reports. What the papers say - December 5 (PA) Shadow Brexit secretary Sir Keir Starmer called the defeat a badge of shame for the Government, The Guardian says. The Guardian front page, Wednesday 5 December 2018: May staggers on after three Brexit defeats in single day pic.twitter.com/iFVjNNs0en The Guardian (@guardian) December 4, 2018 The i reports that another vote meant the Commons will now get a say on plan B if Mrs Mays deal is rejected. The Financial Times says the vote raises the prospect of a second referendum or Norway-style membership of the European Free Trade Association, with a majority of MPs against the UK leaving the EU without a deal. Just published: front page of the Financial Times UK edition, Wednesday December 5 https://t.co/wpB2mTzua7 pic.twitter.com/3bdTHpdD8l Financial Times (@FinancialTimes) December 4, 2018 The Independent reports that the push to give the people a final say on Brexit took a step forward. Meanwhile, the Daily Express calls it a devastating day for British politics, running with the headline: Sabotage Brexit at your peril! In other news, The Times leads with an interview with Matthew Hedges, the British academic who was jailed in the United Arab Emirates after being accused of spying. And The Sun reports that a model claims she was drugged and sexually assaulted in a celebrity nightclub as a group filmed the attack. Leaving the European Union without a deal would bring some significant economic benefits in the future, a former Brexit minister has claimed, as she lambasted the exaggerated scaremongering by forecasters. Conservative Suella Braverman said a no-deal outcome to the negotiations had been overblown as a disaster by Remainers, and instead insisted there would be some significant medium to long-term economic benefits in such a scenario. The Fareham MP, who resigned from the Government last month over the Prime Ministers Brexit deal, said that while she hoped Theresa May would renegotiate a better deal, she wouldnt mind no deal. Mrs Braverman resigned last month (Suella Braverman/Twitter/PA) She told the Press Association: No deal will be a challenge, no deal will definitely present some practical issues, and obviously a deal is preferable, but it will by no means be the catastrophe that some people are portraying. In many ways there are some significant medium to long-term economic benefits from no deal, by opening our markets to global producers from outside of the EU we will increase competition, we will increase choice. Mrs Braverman criticised the exaggerated scaremongering of the Bank of England and the Treasury, who last week issued grim assessments of the impact of a no-deal Brexit on the UK economy. She said the forecasts were totally overblown and had been disparaged by many serious economists. They completely exaggerate the benefits of our membership with the EU, and they minimise any of the opportunities from free trade agreements with other countries and they overplay the obstacles presented from coming out of the EU in a way that doesnt match reality, she explained. Mrs Braverman added: There are challenges to no deal but it would be definitely better than this deal. To coin the phrase no deal is better than a bad deal thats exactly the situation were in now. The first of five days of debate on Theresa Mays Brexit deal took place on Tuesday, as the Prime Minister battled to save her plan. She is aiming to win support from MPs ahead of a crucial vote on December 11. Here are the key points you need to know from day one of the debates. MPs gathered in the House of Commons for the first of five days of debates (PA) Day of defeats Before the debate could even get going, Mrs May suffered a series of bruising Commons defeats which saw her authority take a pounding. Ministers had to agree to publish the final and full legal advice on the withdrawal agreement as the Government was found to be in contempt of Parliament for not already doing so. And in another blow to the PM, MPs succeeded in calls for the Commons to have a direct say in what happens if her deal is rejected next Tuesday. The votes delayed the start of the five-day debate by several hours. Its about compromise, says the PM Opening the debate on the Brexit deal, Mrs May said MPs needed to accept that compromise was necessary to bring the country together. Prime Minister Theresa May pitches her deal to MPs (PA) She said the only solution that will endure was one that addressed the concerns of both sides of the debate. The PM warned that the country would be plunged into uncertainty and risk if her deal was rejected, adding: Dont imagine that if we vote this down another deal is going to miraculously appear. She also appeared to soften her approach to Parliament as she pledged to give MPs a greater and more formal role in the UKs forthcoming negotiations with the EU over future trade. Mrs May said she wanted to launch a national mission to forge the strongest possible future relationship with the EU. Jeremy Corbyn hits back The Labour leader said Mrs Mays deal had put the country over a barrel, and described it as a terrible failure of negotiation by this Government. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said the deal left the country `over a barrel (PA) Mr Corbyn said the PM had achieved something extraordinary with her Brexit deal: Across this House it has achieved something it has united both Conservative Remainers and Conservative Leavers and members of every opposition party in an extraordinary coalition against the deal. He added: It is crystal clear that the Prime Ministers claim that this plan means we take control over our laws, money and borders is utterly far-fetched. Mr Corbyn said Britains trading relationship with Europe was still to be negotiated and it would take years to do that, adding the call for a transition period was a bridge to nowhere. He added: After two years of negotiations all the Government has really agreed to is a very vague wish list. Divisions in the Tory party Divisions among the Tory benches were laid bare for all to see in the Commons as former foreign secretary Boris Johnson urged colleagues to reject Mrs Mays Brexit deal and claimed Brussels think theyve got us beat. Boris Johnson was heckled by fellow Tory MPs as he spoke during the debate (PA) He was heckled by fellow Tory MPs as he outlined ideas which included renegotiating with the EU and removing the Irish border backstop. The Brexiteer told MPs he did not believe there was a single MP who sincerely believes this deal we have before us is a good deal. He said: The Governments heart has not appeared to be in this deal and I think listening to those who are sent out to defend it and to explain it, they know it is a democratic disaster. Tory MP Sir Roger Gale demanded Mr Johnson reveal what his big idea was, while Father of the House Ken Clarke, a Tory former chancellor, suggested there was not a faintest chance of Mr Johnsons bid for a renegotiation being taken seriously. Regret from the DUP The DUPs Westminster leader Nigel Dodds accused the Government of going back on its word during talks with the party over the Brexit deal and attacked the Northern Ireland backstop proposal. DUPs Nigel Dodds also spoke out against the deal (PA) Speaking about previous guarantees over the whole of the UK leaving the customs union, he said: Quite frankly a lot of people in Northern Ireland feel that the Government, the Prime Minister, the pledges that were made have not been honoured. Were sad about this, I deeply regret it. I admire the Prime Minister, her stamina, her resilience, the work that shes doing but on this I think she has misjudged the mood of the country and the mood of the House. Frankensteins monster? The first day of debates came to an end shortly after Labour former minister David Lammy roused MPs with a late-night speech. He said: Theresa Mays deal has emerged as a Frankensteins monster an ugly beast that no-one voted for or wanted The deal does not take back control, it gives it away. What will happen on day two? MPs are expected to resume the debate in the early afternoon on Wednesday. Ministers are also expected to set out how the highly sensitive legal advice provided to the Cabinet by Attorney General Geoffrey Cox on the withdrawal deal will be made public. Donald Trumps former national security adviser provided so much information to a probe into alleged Russian collusion that prosecutors say he should not be jailed, according to court papers. Michael Flynns cooperation with special counsel Robert Muellers investigation was described as substantial in a legal submission that provides the first details of the former aides assistance in the probe. The papers, which said he participated in 19 interviews with prosecutors, were filed two weeks ahead of Flynns sentencing for lying to the FBI about conversations with the Russian ambassador on Mr Trumps behalf. Though prosecutors withheld specific details of Flynns cooperation because of ongoing investigations, their filing nonetheless underscores the breadth of how much information Mr Mueller has obtained from people close to Mr Trump. The president has been increasingly venting his anger at the probe and those who cooperate with it. Earlier this week, Mr Trump lashed out at his former legal fixer, Michael Cohen, saying he is making up stories to get a reduced prison sentence after his latest guilty plea to lying to Congress. Mr Trump also praised longtime confidante Roger Stone for saying he would never testify against Trump, adding in a tweet: Nice to know some people still have guts!' It is unclear if Mr Trump will now turn his fury on Flynn, a retired US Army lieutenant general who Mr Trump grew close to during the 2016 campaign and tried to protect by asking former FBI Director James Comey to let the investigation go. That episode is among those under scrutiny by Mr Mueller as he probes whether Mr Trump attempted to obstruct the Russia investigation. Federal sentencing guidelines recommend between zero and six months in prison for Flynn, leaving open the possibility of probation. Flynns case has been a contrast to those of other Trump associates, who have aggressively criticised and tried to undermine the Russia probe. Paul Manafort, Mr Trumps former campaign chairman, stands accused of repeatedly lying to investigators (AP file/Jose Luis Magana) Most notably, Mr Trumps former campaign chairman, Paul Manafort, aggressively fought the investigation and is now facing the possibility of a lengthy prison sentence after his cooperation agreement recently fell apart over allegations that he had lied to investigators. Mr Stone has also waged a public campaign against Mr Mueller. But Flynn has largely remained out of the public eye, appearing only a handful of times in media interviews or campaign events, and he has strictly avoided criticising the Mr Mueller probe despite widespread encouragement from his supporters to go on the offensive. He has instead spent considerable time with his family and worked to position himself for a post-conviction career. Flynns false statements stemmed from a January 24 2017 interview with the FBI about his and others interactions with Sergey Kislyak, Russias then-ambassador to the US. It took place as the Obama administration was levying sanctions on the Kremlin in response to election interference. As part of his plea deal, Flynn said members of Mr Trumps inner circle, including his son-in-law and White House aide Jared Kushner, were involved in and at times directing his actions in the weeks before Mr Trump took office. Mr Kushner and his wife Ivanka Trump, the presidents daughter and assistant (AP/Pablo Martinez Monsivais) According to court papers, in mid-December 2016, Mr Kushner directed Flynn to reach out to several countries, including Russia, about a UN Security Council resolution regarding Israeli settlements. During those conversations with Kislyak, Flynn asked Russia to delay or vote against the resolution, a request the Kremlin ultimately rejected. Flynn also admitted that later in December 2016 he asked Mr Kislyak not to retaliate in response to the Obama administration sanctions, something he initially told FBI agents he did not do. Flynn made the request after discussing it with deputy national security adviser KT McFarland, who was at Mr Trumps Mar-a-Lago resort, and being told that Mr Trumps transition team did not want Russia to escalate the situation. Flynn was forced to resign his post on February 13 2017 after news reports revealed that Obama administration officials had warned Mr Trumps White House about Flynns false statements. The White House has said Flynn misled officials including Vice President Mike Pence about the content of his conversations. Flynn also admitted to making false statements about unregistered foreign agent work he performed for the benefit of the Turkish government. Flynn was under investigation by the Justice Department for the work when he became national security adviser. Another tumultuous day in British politics features prominently on the front pages of the national newspapers after Theresa May suffered three bruising Commons defeats. Ministers had to agree to publish the full legal advice on the withdrawal agreement, while another vote saw the Government forced to allow MPs to have a say in what happens next if the Brexit deal is rejected. With the Prime Ministers authority taking a pounding as the crucial December 11 vote looms, papers and leader writers have given their assessment of the unfolding drama. The Daily Mirror describes the triple blow as 63 minutes of mayhem and warns that Mrs May looks to be losing control of her Brexit strategy. In its leader, the paper says the crushing defeats have left Parliament in chaos. With the prospect of the PMs Brexit plan being defeated next Tuesday rapidly increasing, these are significant days that will shape our countrys future for decades to come, it writes. Newspapers have their say on the latest developments on Brexit (PA) Describing Mrs May as weak and wobbly, it adds: Either the PM produces a Plan B, or MPs will do it after theyve written her off for good. The Daily Telegraph runs with the headline The day May lost control, and says the PM suffered humiliation on a historic scale. The front page of tomorrow's Daily Telegraph 'The day May lost control' #tomorrowspaperstoday pic.twitter.com/pWoXehQ80X The Telegraph (@Telegraph) December 4, 2018 Its editorial comment warns the days events were emblematic of the mess the Government is in assailed on all sides and buffeted by events over which it has no control. The Guardian says Mrs May staggers on following the defeats, but The Sun claims the PM cannot tough this out. Her defeats yesterday were body blows for the Government and possibly Brexit, says The Suns leader. But the paper does praise Mrs May for her calm determination. The Daily Mail says Brexit is on a knife edge following the Commons defeats, and explains that her administration became the first in modern history to be found in contempt of Parliament. The papers leader warns that Parliament, rather than the Government, could end up having total supremacy in shaping Brexit and means Brexit may not happen at all. Just consider how that would shatter the integrity of our democracy and erode whats left of public trust in our political class, it says. It should now be clearer than ever that the only hope of salvation is Mrs Mays deal, it adds. The Daily Express also continues to back the PM and warns that Britains democratic vote had been thrown into jeopardy. Sabotage Brexit at your peril!, its headline reads. In its opinion piece, it adds: It is clear that the deal struck by our courageous and indefatigable Prime Minister is now the only sure way that Brexit is delivered. The Home Office failed to act on repeated warning signs of Windrush failings and has yet to establish the full scale of the scandal, a major new report has found. Whitehalls spending watchdog said the department was aware of credible information about possible issues as long as four years ago. Official impact assessments about hostile environment measures did not give sufficient consideration to the risk of unfair consequences, according to the National Audit Office (NAO). It concluded some Home Office processes contributed to the risk of wrongful detentions and removals. Head of the NAO Sir Amyas Morse said: The treatment of people who had a legitimate right to remain in the UK raises grave questions about how the Home Office discharged its duty of care towards people who were made vulnerable because of lack of documentation. It failed to protect their rights to live, work and access services in the UK, and many have suffered distress and material loss as a result. This was both predictable and forewarned. The department is taking steps to put things right for the Caribbean community but it has shown a surprising lack of urgency to identify other groups that may have been affected. Ministers faced a furious backlash over the treatment of the Windrush generation named after a ship that brought migrants to Britain from the Caribbean in 1948. Commonwealth citizens who arrived before 1973 were automatically granted indefinite leave to remain but many were not issued with any documents confirming their status. Jamaican immigrants being welcomed by RAF officials from the Colonial Office after the ex-troopship HMT Empire Windrush landed them at Tilbury (PA) A public outcry erupted earlier this year after it emerged long-term UK residents were denied access to services, held in detention or removed despite living legally in the country for decades. The scandal prompted criticism of hostile environment measures introduced to tackle illegal immigration, now referred to by the Government under the heading compliant environment. The NAO said the Home Office did not act on credible information about issues that may have contributed to the Windrush situation. It cited a 2014 report by the Legal Action Group, which flagged up the potential adverse impact of immigration policy on certain groups, including Jamaicans who arrived pre-1973. In addition, Caribbean ministers raised Windrush cases with the Government at a forum in April 2016, while inspection reports highlighted issues including the possibility people were being sanctioned because of incorrect data. Home Secretary Sajid Javid has said he is `absolutely determined to right the wrongs of the past (Kirsty OConnor/PA) The NAO said: It is our view that there were warning signs from enough different sources, over a long enough period, to collectively indicate a potential problem that merited further investigation. A 2016 recommendation to cleanse a database of individuals wrongly flagged as being in the UK illegally was ignored, the watchdog added. It found the Home Office has not yet established the full extent of the problems affecting people of the Windrush generation. An official review of 11,800 cases of Caribbean Commonwealth individuals identified 164 people who were removed or detained and might have been resident in the UK before 1973. The department has apologised to 18 people in whose cases it considers it is most likely to have acted wrongfully. The NAO said there are no plans to review around 160,000 files relating to non-Caribbean Commonwealth nationals on the basis this would be disproportionate. In the circumstances, we find this surprising, the report said. It also revealed at least 25 people may have been incorrectly sanctioned under hostile environment policies, such has having a driving licence revoked. The Home Office has had targets for removing illegal immigrants since 2004, the report noted, but it said there is insufficient information to conclude on whether this contributed to Windrush. Meg Hillier, chairwoman of the Commons Public Accounts committee, said the impact on those unfairly treated has been immense, adding: It is shocking that the Home Office is not proactively reviewing other Commonwealth nationals cases. Home Secretary Sajid Javid has issued a profound apology to the Windrush generation and is absolutely determined to right the wrongs of the past, the Home Office said. A spokesman for the department said: As the NAOs report acknowledges, our taskforce has taken thousands of phone calls and helped over 2,400 people of any nationality prove their status in the UK. The majority of those helped by the taskforce are of Caribbean origin, but we have always been clear that it accepts applications under the Windrush scheme from people of any nationality who arrived in the UK before 31 December 1988 and are settled here. We have worked hard to raise awareness of the support on offer across a wide range of communities. An independent lessons learned review has been set up and details of a compensation scheme for those affected will be outlined in the new year, the spokesman added. So deep was she is love with the ghost that the couple were even legally married by a shaman priest in a boat off the Irish coast. Posting on social media she said that her marriage is over and warned everyone to very careful when dabbling in spirituality.(Photo: Pixabay) Amanda Teague had said that she had found her soulmate in a Haitian pirate from the 1700s who was executed on the high sease for his crimes. So deep was she is love with the ghost that the couple were even legally married by a shaman priest in a boat off the Irish coast. However, the marriage, it seems did not last, even though the spirit survived for centuries. Posting on social media she said that her marriage is over and warned everyone to very careful when dabbling in spirituality. Pirates Of The Caribbean superfan Amanda forked out 6,000 to change her name and look and worked as a Jack Sparrow impersonator. Amanda previously said she couldn't find her ideal fella, so she looked to the afterlife to find a kindred spirit. Amanda's love affair with the spirit started in 2014 when she was lying in bed and could feel his energy beside her. She said she initially wasn't interested in making contact with the spirit until she realised she could speak to him and she soon started developing "strong loving feelings" towards him. She did some research and found out it is a real thing. Amanda, who has been married before, had five children with her ex-husband. However, she confessed she had never been able to relate to any living person the way she connects with Jack. And even though she has never seen her husband in physical form, she imagines he is similar to the character of Captain Jack, played by Johnny Depp, 54, in the movie series Pirates of the Caribbean. Police are searching for a gunman who shot a man dead while he waited for his son outside a Belfast school. Jim Donegan, aged in his forties, was sitting in his luxury Porsche car when he was targeted in the gangland-style attack in front of scores of terrified children. Emergency services were called to the school (Liam McBurney/PA) Mr Donegan was struck in the head and died at the scene, police confirmed. St Marys Grammar School in west Belfast is closed and pupils will be offered counselling. A gunman wearing a high-visibility vest with the word security emblazoned on the back left the scene on foot, detectives from the Police Service of Northern Ireland said. Baking with children always seems like an idyllic thing to do especially at Christmas time. You can picture the scene, mum or dad guiding the small folk on what to do, while spoons are sneakily licked and festive tunes play in the background. The reality, however, as anyone whos cooked with kids will know, never quite goes to plan. Weighing everything out first and having it all ready to go cookery-demo-style is such a good idea, but theres never enough time to be that organised and it creates a mountain of washing up. Tiny fingers are drawn to hot pans and ovens like moths to a flame and inevitably, someone ends up losing their rag. But, as new cookbook ScandiKitchen Christmas hits the shelves, Im drawn in once again, and set about making its cutesy Swedish ginger biscuits with my daughters, aged six and nine. (Claire Spreadbury/PA) Ingredients: (Makes 50-70 biscuits) 550g plain/all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting 1tsp bicarbonate of/baking soda 1 1/2 tsp ground ginger 1tsp ground cloves 1tbs ground cinnamon 1tsp ground cardamom 1/2tsp ground allspice Pinch of salt 100g granulated sugar 100g soft dark brown sugar 150g butter, at room temperature 200g golden syrup 150ml double cream Making the dough The recipe says to make the biscuit dough in a stand mixer using the paddle attachment. This is all pretty straight forward. I took charge of loading up the scales while Poppy, my six-year-old, yelped Stop! when the measurements read the right amount. She also enjoyed spooning in all the spices. So far, so easy. When the dough comes together, it is pretty heavy, so an adult will need to retrieve it from the bowl. But then its over the small folk to roll it into a giant sausage and wrap it in cling film. Then it needs to rest in the fridge overnight. Prepare them for this. If your kids are anything like mine, the main joy of baking lies in the eating, so when they discover none of that is going to happen until the next day, there might be some tantrums. You can, however, bribe them back to happiness by giving them a hunk of the cookie dough to eat raw. Works every time. Rosie making her biscuits (Claire Spreadbury/PA) Baking the biscuits The next day, preheat your oven at 200C and line baking sheets with parchment a boring job, but something the kids can help with too. Then set up a nice floury worktop, break off a chunk of the dough (theres loads), let the little ones roll it out to around 2mm thick and cut out an array of Christmas-shaped biscuits. Rosie, my nine-year-old, went first. Sometimes the rolling out got a teeny bit thin, but generally they found this pretty easy, and enjoyed taking it in turns to break off another hunk and make some more biscuits. You can get a bit of a conveyor-belt system going as well. Because this recipe makes so many biscuits, its good to get each baking tray in the oven as soon as it fills up. And you can do that easily because they cook to perfection in just six minutes. Swedish ginger biscuits (Peter Caddidy/Ryland Peters & Small/PA) Once theyre out the oven, leave them for a few minutes before popping on to a cooling rack. Pleasingly, they also cool down really quickly, so the kids can crack on with decorating. We did attempt to make some of these into Christmas decorations, but my puny skewer holes disappeared in the oven, so if you do want to hang them on the tree, be sure to make a sizeable circle to thread your string through. Icing your bakes The first batch (Claire SpreadburyPA) The best icing for these biscuits is a mixture of icing sugar, stirred into beaten egg white and a few drops of freshly squeezed lemon juice, because it goes hard when it dries and pipes beautifully. However, if like me, youre in need of a break having got this far and just want to put your feet up and leave them to it, you can let little ones loose with colourful tubes of icing or even chocolate sold in all good supermarkets. The verdict These biscuits are actually wonderfully easy to make with kids, and if you can make them into decorations, even better. My girls loved it, and having decorated a grand total of eight so far, theres another 53 in an air-tight container waiting for them perfect for the school holidays. (Ryland Peters & Small/PA) ScandiKitchen Christmas by Bronte Aurell, photography by Peter Cassidy, is published by Ryland Peters & Small, priced 16.99. Available now. Ben Stokes has said he will support England team-mate Keaton Jennings charity bid by donating 50 per cent of the final figure raised. Jennings is set to shave his head on January 4 in an effort to raise funds for Macmillan Cancer Support. Ive decided to #BraveTheShave and shave my head cleaner than the @jackleach1991 with @macmillancancer. Id really love your support - whether that be in the form of a donation, or a retweet! Lets do our part to support those fighting against cancer! https://t.co/SLmtegx18e Keaton Jennings (@JetJennings) November 27, 2018 The England and Lancashire opener set a target of 3000 on the bravetheshave fundraising website and former Durham team-mate Stokes posted on Twitter that he would donate half of the final amount. Jennings, writing on his fundraising page, explained that a family history of cancer motivated him to raise money for Macmillan. I come from a long family history of cancer and I would like to add some value and do my part in the fight against it, Jennings said. Wow! Incredible! Thank you my brother!! https://t.co/53tujJqu1Z Keaton Jennings (@JetJennings) December 5, 2018 My Grandad suffered from cancer, so did my Gran and Great Uncle. Last year, my Dad was hit with a cancer diagnosis and currently my Aunt is facing 18 weeks of intense chemotherapy after surgery! I would love to join hands with you in fighting this disease and donate towards the battle against cancer. Ben Stokes (middle) will contribute 50 per cent of Keaton Jennings (right) charity bid Jennings and Stokes played in all three Tests as England sealed their first series win in Sri Lanka since 2001. Theresa Mays Brexit deal will face fresh scrutiny when the Cabinets full legal advice is published, following one of the most punishing days in the Commons for a sitting Government in recent memory. Commons Leader Andrea Leadsom said the advice on the Withdrawal Agreement from Attorney General Geoffrey Cox would be published on Wednesday morning, after MPs on Tuesday found the Government to be in contempt of Parliament for the first time in modern history. Wednesday is the second of five days of debates on the deal before the December 11 vote, and follows a first day which saw a series of dramatic defeats for the Prime Ministers struggling administration. As well as losing the contempt vote, the Government was also forced to allow MPs to have a say in what happens next if the Brexit deal is voted down on Tuesday. Mrs Leadsom told BBC Radio 4s Today programme that the Government would release the legal advice, but not without some regret. (PA Graphics) She also fired a warning shot at rebels within the Tory Party, saying: Going forward, not only will Government ministers be very careful about what they ask law officers to give advice on, but law officers themselves will be very reluctant to give any advice to Government that they might then see published on the front pages of the newspapers, so its the principle of the thing. And, frankly, I think any parliamentarian who wants at some point in the future to be in Government is going to live to regret their vote last night. Mrs Leadsom, who had been reported to have been leading intra-Cabinet attempts to get Mrs May to change the deal agreed with Brussels after months of hard-fought negotiations. Synchronise watches everyone: Andrea Leadsom says the full Brexit deal legal advice will be published at 11.30am. David Wilcock (@DavidTWilcock) December 5, 2018 She told Today that she was staying in Government to make absolutely sure Britain does not end up in the backstop, saying: I am a very strong arch Brexiteer, I genuinely believe that we have a bright future ahead of us when we leave the EU. And so all the way through Ive had conflicting thoughts and Ive had to consider whether I can live with things, but at the end of the day this deal is the best combination that were going to get and so I just urge colleagues to look at it carefully to give it a real chance. (PA Graphics) On Tuesday night, Mrs May had made a last-ditch attempt to rally MPs behind her Brexit deal after suffering the historic humiliation of seeing her Government found in contempt of Parliament. In dramatic scenes at Westminster, the Government bowed to pressure to publish the final and full legal advice to Cabinet on the deal after MPs voted by 311 to 293 that its failure to do so amounted to contempt. The Prime Ministers Democratic Unionist Party allies along with Tory MPs Philip Hollobone and Peter Bone joined opposition parties in the unprecedented move. House of Commons votes 311 to 293 to approve the privilege motion, finding Ministers in contempt and ordering the immediate publication of the full legal advice on the #Brexit deal. pic.twitter.com/haXVmbH36s UK House of Commons (@HouseofCommons) December 4, 2018 MPs also backed a move that could put Parliament in the driving seat if the Brexit deal is rejected on December 11 by giving the Commons the power to amend a motion that Mrs May would be required to make within the following 21 days to set out the Governments next steps. This could open the door for the Commons to throw its weight behind a Norway-style soft Brexit or even a second EU referendum, though prominent Leave-backing MPs questioned whether any such vote would be binding on ministers. Some 26 Tory MPs including former ministers Sir Michael Fallon, Damian Green and Sir Oliver Letwin rebelled on the amendment tabled by ex-attorney general Dominic Grieve. The drama in the Chamber came after: Bank of England governor Mark Carney warned that a no-deal Brexit could result in shopping bills soaring by 10%; The European Court of Justices Advocate General, Manuel Campos Sanchez-Bordona, said Article 50, which started the Brexit process, could be revoked unilaterally by the UK; A senior Toyota executive warned that a no-deal Brexit could result in stop-start production for weeks or months at the car giants UK plant; The BBC dropped proposals for a TV debate featuring Mrs May and Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn followed by a discussion between eight panellists including politicians from different sides of the Brexit argument. Theresa May with ministers and Tory MPs after speaking at the start of a five-day debate on the European Union Withdrawal Agreement (PA) Tory former chief whip Mark Harper became the latest to break ranks to say he would vote against the Prime Ministers proposal, telling the Telegraph it would leave the UK worse off and should be renegotiated. Shadow attorney general Shami Chakrabarti said extending Article 50 cant be ruled out. Asked on Today about Labours stance on the issue given the Advocate Generals opinion, she said: It cant be ruled out because the clock is ticking. I think there would be time if Mrs May heard what happened in the House of Commons last night and decided to think again and go back to her European colleagues right now and not wait until next week. A seven-year-old boy who saw a gunman shoot a man dead outside a Belfast school has been left traumatised, his mother said. Police are searching for the lone gunman who shot the man, named locally as Jim Donegan, as he was sitting in his luxury Porsche car. Mr Donegan, who was aged in his 40s, was targeted in the gangland-style attack in front of scores of terrified children. Police at the scene of the shooting in Glen Road, West Belfast (Niall Carson/PA) A gunman wearing a high-visibility vest with the word security emblazoned on the back left the scene on foot, detectives from the Police Service of Northern Ireland said. The mother of a seven-year-old boy who saw the gunman told Q Radio News that her son is now anxious about returning to school. The incident happened outside St Marys Grammar School in west Belfast at around 3.15pm when scores of children were departing. The school is closed and pupils will be offered counselling. There are a number of schools in the area. The incident occurred just as scores of children were leaving school (Niall Carson/PA) Chief Superintendent Jonathan Roberts said children could have been killed during what he termed an absolutely disgraceful and reckless act. The mother of the seven-year-old told Q Radio News that she fled with her son after seeing the gunman. I heard about six or seven gun shots and then I heard someone screaming, my son saw it, he was able to tell me he saw a man up ahead with a hi-vis vest on, and his hood up and carrying a bag, she said. He was still standing there at the time so I just turned with him (her son) and ran up the street. It was very scary, more so for him (her son), he is still freaking out about if he is still going to be there tomorrow, he has been asking me, will they all be away when he is going to school? She added: Its not a place to do anything like that, its not right any time, but right outside three/four schools on that road. Its just disgraceful. Bad news has come in for people who love chips which we can safely assume is everyone on the planet. Harvard professor Eric Rimm has called fries starch bombs and told the New York Times he recommends just six per serving. As you can probably imagine, the sheer thought of eating just six measly chips is a horrifying one. When youre going in on a portion of fries, you want it to be a big bowl of crunchy goodness not just a few bites. In both the US and the UK theres a deeply held, almost reverent love of chips. They go with everything steak, burgers, sandwiches, fish, heartbreak all of it calls for fries. Which is why Rimm saying I think it would be nice if your meal came with a side salad and six French fries has been met with such outrage on Twitter. The day I eat only six fries is the day someone serves me only six fries and refuses to give me more https://t.co/MlmjIucSNR Charlotte Wilder (@TheWilderThings) December 4, 2018 Before outright rejecting the professors suggestions, some Twitter users have tried bargaining with him. What does he really mean? What kind of chips might he be talking about? (Thinkstock/PA) So many questions. Like, does the same standard apply to waffle fries? Shoestring? Those super curly ones? Chili cheese? WHAT DO NUMBERS EVEN MEAN? I REJECT NUMBERS! https://t.co/wcqeTQw59G Seyward Darby (@seywarddarby) December 4, 2018 A main point of contention is what constitutes a portion. You should only eat 6 fries per serving, Harvard professor says: https://t.co/Xm3jPn0OS0 @spencerpratt demonstrates how to consume 1 serving: pic.twitter.com/PFtWjT3Vs9 Cher Scarlett (@cherthedev) December 4, 2018 this means 6 potatoes worth of fries right https://t.co/dDB63mRnLF Spicy Straight w/ Man Residue (@Carissa12Nicole) December 4, 2018 Once Twitter users were done with arguing, accusations started flying around. And then, people went for the jugular and started attacking both Harvard and the Ivy League. Harvard professors were so preoccupied with how many fries I should eat, they didnt stop to think how many I could eat. PaperRPSN (@PaperRPSN) December 4, 2018 The furore got so intense that Rimm stepped in to defend himself, tweeting: My suggestion to the NYTimes was that perhaps restaurants should offer a smaller portion size as a tantalizing option to satisfy those with a taste for fries but who dont want the starch bomb. In another response he tweets: Alas, the first six fries always taste the best. After that do you still feel the same ? Also after finishing all 50 how does your stomach feel 30 minutes later. Its all about portion size! Eric Rimm (@EricRimm) December 3, 2018 Rimm says he was surprised by the outcry, asking Vanity Fair: Am I really a monster? Well, lets look at the facts. Safe to say most of us are aware that theres little nutritional value in chips according to Fitbit, the average portion contains 137 calories and about 6% of sodium. This is for a serving suggestion of 10 chips sized between 5 9cm, and as weve learned from this Twitterstorm few people are able to stop at this kind of low number, so surely wed end up consuming far more calories. In fact, a portion of medium McDonalds fries contains 340 calories. And yet that doesnt stop us loving chips theres something about the warm, crunchy, saltiness of the side that is unparalleled. We can safely say if you publicly come for French fries a la Rimm, youll have a whole lot of negativity firing back at you so proceed with caution. The Queen has sent a message to Queenslanders affected by the bushfires. The monarch, who is also Queen of Australia, said she was saddened to hear of the impact of the unprecedented fires. She paid tribute to the emergency services battling to control the blazes, and praised the true Australian spirit as other States and Territories offered their support. Her Majesty The Queen has sent the following message to Queenslanders affected by the bushfires. Read the full message here: https://t.co/1x9g89ijdW The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) December 5, 2018 Large swathes of north-east Australia have endured unprecedented fire danger with 138 wildfires across Queensland state last week, forcing schools to be closed and thousands of homes to be evacuated. The fire danger was rated catastrophic in areas of central Queensland, the first time the highest rating had been applied to the state. The Queen said: Prince Philip and I are saddened to hear of the unprecedented fires impacting so many people in Queensland. Fires burn north of Bundaberg (Queensland Fire and Rescue/AP) I pay tribute to the commitment and dedication of the firefighters, other emergency services personnel, and the volunteers who are working tirelessly to contain the fires. In true Australian spirit, it is heartening to know other States and Territories are working alongside Queensland in support of the relief effort. Our thoughts and prayers are with you all at this difficult time. Deliveroo riders do not have the right to collective bargaining, the High Court has ruled in the latest case involving the so-called gig economy. The Independent Workers Union of Great Britain (IWGB) attempted to overturn a ruling which found that riders are not entitled to collective bargaining rights because they are self-employed. At the High Court in London on Wednesday, Mr Justice Supperstone dismissed the unions claim that the decision of the Central Arbitration Committee (CAC) amounted to a breach of riders human rights. The judge said he was not persuaded that the right to collective bargaining extended beyond an employment relationship. He added that, as Deliveroo riders are not in an employment relationship with Deliveroo, the right to bargain collectively was not engaged in this case. Mr Justice Supperstone said the IWGBs application for permission to appeal against his decision had been refused. The IWGB union failed in a High Court bid to overturn a ruling which found that Deliveroo riders are not entitled to collective bargaining rights (Nick Ansell/PA) The IWGB wants to represent Deliveroo riders in north London in order to negotiate on issues of pay, hours and holiday with the company. But the CAC rejected the unions application as riders were able to pass a job to a substitute, meaning they were not obliged to provide a personal service and could not be classified as workers. At a hearing last month, the IWGBs barrister, John Hendy QC, said the right to the benefit of collective bargaining is conferred on all workers and their trade unions. He added that the CAC should have interpreted personal service in a way which did not exclude the right of Deliveroo riders to bargain collectively, as enshrined in Article 11 of the European Convention on Human Rights. But Christopher Jeans QC, for Deliveroo, said the IWGBs argument on Article 11 was an afterthought at the CAC hearing, which nonetheless expressly considered the belated Article 11 submission and did not accept it. He said that whatever general rights they may have had under Article 11, the riders did not have the specific right to collective bargaining, which could only apply to those in an employment relationship. Mr Jeans added that, even if the riders did have that right, any interference with it was plainly necessary for the protection of the rights and freedoms of others. In a statement after the ruling, Dan Warne, UK managing director of Deliveroo, said: We are pleased that todays judgment upholds the earlier decisions of the High Court and the CAC that Deliveroo riders are self-employed, providing them the flexibility they want. In addition to emphatically confirming this under UK national law, the court also carefully examined the question under European law and concluded riders are self-employed. This a victory for riders who have consistently told us the flexibility to choose when and where they work, which comes with self-employment, is their number one reason for riding with Deliveroo. We will continue to seek to offer riders more security and make the case that Government should end the trade-off in Britain between flexibility and security. IWGB general secretary Jason Moyer-Lee said: Todays judgment is a terrible one, not just in terms of what it means for low-paid Deliveroo riders, but also in terms of understanding the European Convention on Human Rights. Deliveroo riders should be entitled to basic worker rights as well as to the ability to be represented by trade unions to negotiate pay and terms and conditions. The IWGB will appeal this decision and continue to fight for these rights until we are victorious. A powerful earthquake has sent jitters around the southern Pacific Ocean after authorities warned of possible tsunamis, but there were no initial reports of destructive waves or major damage. The magnitude 7.5 quake hit near the French territory of New Caledonia at a shallow depth, where earthquakes are generally more damaging, and was felt as far away as Vanuatu, about 390 miles away. Tsunami sirens blared across New Caledonia minutes after the quake. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre said waves of 3ft to 10ft were possible along some coasts of New Caledonia and Vanuatu, before later lifting the warning. The #tsunami threat from the 7.6 magnitude #earthquake southeast of the Loyalty Islands has now largely passed. Minor sea level fluctuations up to 0.3 m may continue over the next few hours. #PTWChttps://t.co/KjmvC2yZGe NWS PTWC (@NWS_PTWC) December 5, 2018 Authorities in New Caledonia ordered residents to evacuate coastal zones on the eastern edge of the archipelago, including the Loyalty Islands and the island of Ile des Pins. The evacuation order from regional police said western islands did not need to evacuate but should remain vigilant. No damage was immediately reported, according to Vincent Lepley, crisis co-ordinator for the Red Cross in New Caledonia. Earthquake graphs Judith Rostain, a freelance journalist based in New Caledonias capital Noumea, said there was no damage to the city. She said the situation remained unclear on the east coast and scattered outer islands. In Vanuatu, Dan McGarry said he heard only of three small wave surges hitting the southern island of Aneityum. Mr McGarry, media director at the Vanuatu Daily Post, said the waves travelled only 7ft beyond the normal tide, and everybody was fine on the island. He said he felt the quake where he is based in Vanuatus capital, Port Vila, as a mild shaking. We get a lot of earthquakes every year, he said. The tsunami warning was what was different this time though. The warning centre said there was no tsunami threat to Hawaii. Prelim M6.6 Earthquake southeast of the Loyalty Islands Dec-05 06:43 UTC, updates https://t.co/3ZdCjPW0u7 USGS Earthquakes (@USGS_Quakes) December 5, 2018 According to the US Geological Survey, the quake struck about 100 miles east of Tadine in New Caledonia at a depth of six miles. At least six aftershocks also hit, ranging in magnitude from 5.6 to 6.6. The populations of Vanuatu and New Caledonia are similar, with just over 280,000 people in each archipelago. Last month, voters in New Caledonia elected to remain a territory of France rather than becoming independent. New Caledonia and Vanuatu sit on the Pacific Ring of Fire, the arc of seismic faults around the Pacific Ocean where most of the worlds earthquakes and volcanic activity occur. A man widely named as the Armys notorious IRA agent Stakeknife has admitted two counts of possessing extreme pornography. Freddie Scappaticci, 72, appeared briefly before Westminster magistrates in central London to admit the charges. Wearing a blue fleece and green tracksuit bottoms, Scappaticci spoke with an Irish accent to enter his pleas to the charges. Chief magistrate Emma Arbuthnot sentenced Scappaticci to three months in custody, suspended for 12 months. The court heard the charges related to at least 329 images, including those involving animals. There were no images involving children. The magistrate said: You have not been before the court for 50 years and thats good character in my book. Scappaticci appeared before Westminster magistrates (Nick Ansell/PA) Scappaticci has always strongly denied claims that he is Stakeknife, a high-ranking military mole who reputedly led the republican organisations nutting squad, an internal security unit which interrogated and murdered suspected spies during the Northern Ireland conflict. Sharma, who was also named PETA India's Person of the Year in 2017, recently starred in an ad campaign. It only took one video of animals suffering and dying in the meat industry to convince me to go vegetarian, says Aaryan Mumbai: The votes have been tallied, and this year's competition to be named PETA India's Hottest Vegetarian Celebrities has resulted in the first-ever two-time female winner: Anushka Sharma, who previously won the title in 2015, has taken top honours again alongside Kartik Aaryan. Sharma, who was also named PETA India's Person of the Year in 2017, recently starred in an ad campaign for the group that proclaims, "I Am Anushka Sharma, and I'm a Vegetarian." Her other efforts to help animals include announcing plans to open an animal shelter near Mumbai, launching the PAWsitive campaign to raise awareness that animals suffer when people set off loud firecrackers, and successfully helping to demand a ban on cruel horse-drawn carriage rides in Mumbai. Anushka Sharma PETA advertisement "Going vegetarian was one of the best decisions I ever made," she says. "I have more energy, I feel healthier, and I'm so happy that no animals had to suffer for my meals." "It only took one video of animals suffering and dying in the meat industry to convince me to go vegetarian," says Aaryan. "The kindest thing anybody can do for cows, pigs, chickens, and all animals is to stop eating them." "Anushka Sharma and Kartik Aaryan are saving animals by keeping them off their plates and by sharing their commitment to being meat-free with the world," says Sachin Bangera, PETA's associate director of celebrity and public relations. "Their compassion means they're as beautiful on the inside as they are on the outside, and that makes them winners in PETA India's book." As PETA India reveals in its video expose "Glass Walls", chickens killed for food in India are aware of what's happening to them as their throats are slit. Cows and buffaloes are crammed into vehicles in such large numbers that their bones often break, before they're dragged off to the slaughterhouse, and pigs are stabbed in the heart as they scream. On the decks of fishing boats, fish suffocate or are cut open while they're still alive. Anushka Sharma PETA advertisement Police have arrested about 90 suspected mafia members in a series of co-ordinated raids in four European countries. The arrests in Italy, Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium came as part of an investigation codenamed Pollino which was launched in 2016 against the ndrangheta criminal group on allegations of cocaine trafficking, money laundering, bribery and violence. The operation was co-ordinated by Eurojust, the European agency that fights cross-border organised crime. Dutch chief public prosecutor Fred Westerbeke said dozens of raids also netted about 2 million euros (1.7 million) in criminal proceeds as well as drugs including ecstasy and cocaine. The Prince of Wales and the Duke of Sussex are to join a discussion about youth violent crime. Charles and his youngest son Harry will meet Pride of Britain winner Omar Sharif, who rose from a life embroiled with gangs in London and the pains of being homeless to running his own personal fitness business. The prince and the duke will also speak with Princes Trust Ambassadors, families of victims of youth violent crime, and community groups and practitioners. Our @PrideofBritain Young Achiever winner @OmarInspires turned his life around with support from our Team programme. Re-live the moment he was awarded his trophy from the one and only @anthonyfjoshua. Read Omar's story, then start your journey today > https://t.co/dMG3hmPyPA pic.twitter.com/RaHSUvJpTn PrincesTrust (@PrincesTrust) November 8, 2018 Last month, Harry attended a round table discussion on youth violence in London, co-facilitated by young people from MAC UK, a mental health charity for excluded young people. Metropolitan Police Commissioner Cressida Dick has insisted the tide is turning against the rise in violent crime. But she admitted it would take a long time to tackle the 180 violent gangs in London that are busy dragging children into crime. The Prince of Wales and the Duke of Sussex (Paul Edwards/The Sun/PA) So far this year in the capital, there have been 123 homicides, more than the 118 in the whole of last year, not including the victims of terrorist attacks. Ms Dick told LBC that after three years of gun and knife crime increasing, the rate is now starting to level off and come down. The event, organised by The Princes Trust of which Charles is patron, will take place at Clarence House on Wednesday December 12. The discussion is part of the Trusts ongoing work to help disadvantaged and vulnerable young people following the increase in levels of violent crime committed by young people in urban centres across the UK, Clarence House said. In one of the other @YouTubeSpaceLon studios, The Prince of Wales joined a discussion with HRHs youth charities about violent crime and how social media can help. The discussion panel was made up of young people who have been supported by those charities including @PrincesTrust pic.twitter.com/Dmw3xOVBRb The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall (@ClarenceHouse) May 16, 2018 Topics covered will include using social media to amplify inspiring voices; how role models can influence behaviour; how to engage young people in alternative activities; and giving young people a greater stake in the economy and society. Charles set up the Princes Trust in 1976 in response to social unrest and high levels of youth unemployment. The organisations business start-up programme began in 1983 following conversations with young people in the aftermath of the Brixton and Toxteth riots. Theresa May has appointed a former Remain-backing MP as Minister for Universities and Science, replacing Sam Gyimah, who quit last week in protest at her Brexit plan. Chris Skidmore backed Remain in the 2016 referendum, but has since been a loyalist over the Prime Ministers approach to Brexit and is expected to back her deal in next weeks crunch Commons vote. He warned in a speech in March against allowing the party to be dominated by those with hard line views on Brexit, in what was widely seen as a swipe at Eurosceptics like Jacob Rees-Mogg. Arguing that Tories need to offer a positive programme stretching beyond the issue of Europe, he said then: I dont think those tendencies are helpful and we have to be careful how we approach Brexit if it is going to allow a particular faction of the party to dominate in the future. I believe that, while we are leaving the EU, it doesnt give everyone a carte blanche to come up with quite hardline ideas. Delighted and honoured to have been appointed Minister of State for Universities, Science, Research and Innovation at @beisgovuk and @educationgovuk Chris Skidmore (@CSkidmoreUK) December 5, 2018 Mr Gyimah resigned from the Government on November 30, warning that the withdrawal deal agreed with Brussels leaves us poorer, less secure and weaker in the pursuit of our national interests. Chris Skidmore has been appointed Universities Minister (Chris McAndrew/UK Parliament/PA) Mr Skidmore, 37, has been Conservative MP for Kingswood in south Gloucestershire since 2010. Mrs May appointed him minister for the constitution in the Cabinet Office when she came to power in 2016 and moved him in a reshuffle this January to the post of vice-chairman of the Conservative Party with responsibility for policy. An Oxford history graduate, he has published a number of books about the Tudors and Richard III. A gay pharmacist who strangled his wife showed her no mercy as she fought for her life, her sister told a court. Mitesh Patel, 37, injected Jessica Patel with insulin to subdue her then choked her with a Tesco bag at their Middlesbrough home in May. He had plotted to kill her for years and wanted to start a new life in Australia with his boyfriend and a 2 million insurance payout, and was convicted of murder following a trial at Teesside Crown Court on Tuesday. Jessica Patel (Cleveland Police/PA) The victims younger sister Divya read a statement on behalf of the victims sisters and close cousins ahead of the judge passing sentence, saying: The one thing we hope and prayed for above anything else was that in her final moments she did not suffer. The cruel reality is that she did in fact suffer, she knew exactly who her killer was, and he mercilessly ignored her attempts to fight for her own life as he ended it. We can only imagine the fear and panic she must have felt knowing herself this was it. Thinking of that moment makes our hearts so heavy. Ms Patel also addressed her brother-in-law in the dock, saying: We do not just pray, we know, she will be free from you for ever. As will she rest in heaven, you will rot in hell. She added: Only Mitesh himself can truly answer why he did this. Everything he has done has been purely for selfish reasons. He couldve divorced her, taken everything he wanted he did not need to take her life, he had no right to take this evil, cruel and malicious step. Mitesh Patel, pictured leaving home (Cleveland Police/PA) A statement from Mrs Patels grandmother Jai Shri Krishna was also read, including the observation: I question myself, what mistake did she make that she received this big a punishment? He could have divorced her and with happiness we would have welcomed her back and kept her safe with our love. Her father Jayantilal Patels statement said he recalled seeing a film where a characters son was murdered. Mr Patel said: I still remember him saying, there is nothing more heavy than carrying your own childs coffin. It is very true, I have felt that weight. The couple, from West Yorkshire, owned and ran a successful pharmacy in Middlesbrough, but their marriage was unhappy. Jessica Patel pictured returning home (Cleveland Police/PA) He was regularly unfaithful with men he met on the Grindr dating app and he once told his secret lover Dr Amit Patel that he married Jessica because she was in love with him and it would be a good cover for his true sexuality. Mrs Patel underwent three courses of IVF and the last cycle resulted in three embryos being created, but she was murdered before they could be implanted. Patel denied murder, claiming an intruder must have been responsible for the killing, but his original alibi that he had gone for a walk the night he killed her was proved to be false, and the prosecution portrayed him as a serial liar and fantasist. Mr Justice Goss has warned Patel he will be not be freed for many years to come and will pass sentence later on Wednesday. Business and civic leaders from Northern Ireland are set to address MPs on Theresa Mays withdrawal deal. Representatives from a number of organisations, including Manufacturing NI, NI Meat Exporters Association and the Ulster Farmers Union, will be met by Northern Ireland Secretary Karen Bradley. Speaking ahead of the meeting, Ms Bradley said she hopes they can impress upon MPs the importance to Northern Ireland of the United Kingdom securing a Brexit deal with the European Union. Companies based in the region sold 14.4 billion of goods and services to the rest of the UK in 2017, making a significant contribution to the overall UK economy. Early morning meeting @BELFASTCITY_AIR with @CBI_NI and @Freight_NI before we head over to talk to MPs from all parties about what #Brexit could do to Northern Ireland and the proposed Withdrawal Agreement. No deal is not an option. pic.twitter.com/pYya2xyPi0 Aodhan Michael Connolly (@MichaelAodhan) December 5, 2018 Mrs Mays withdrawal deal has sparked opposition from across the political spectrum, including Northern Irelands biggest political party, the Democratic Unionists. But Ms Bradley has insisted the deal sets Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK on course for a better future outside the EU. NI Secretary Karen Bradley hopes business and civic leaders from Northern Ireland can persuade MPs to back Theresa Mays withdrawal deal. (Press Eye/PA) She said: I have been speaking to as many MPs as I can this week to explain the benefits of this deal, and I hope as many as possible will now make time to come along and meet some of the people who will be affected most directly by Brexit. This means some great opportunities, with bespoke trade deals and the freedom to spend our taxpayers money on our own priorities, as well as some severe risks if we leave with no deal. I hope that once they have heard about the opportunities and risks first-hand, MPs will realise that this deal delivers for the whole of the United Kingdom. A watchdog is launching an investigation after four horses died in one day at a racecourse. Smart Ruler, Leather Belly, Sierra Oscar and Kensukes Kingdom were all fatally injured at Musselburgh on Monday. The British Horseracing Authority (BHA) is now to review what may have led to the equines deaths, with one seemingly related to a sudden collapse. Bill Farnsworth, Musselburgh Racecourse general manager, said: Our thoughts are with the owners, trainers and stable staff of these horses. The ground conditions and weather at Musselburgh Racecourse on December 3 were ideal for racing but until we have further information it would be wrong to speculate as to the cause of these tragic incidents. We will work closely with the BHA and assist their investigation to establish what happened and to ensure that Musselburgh continues to adopt best practice for all participants in racing. The deaths of four equines in a single day of races was described as `very rare (Andrew Milligan) Having multiple deaths in a single day of racing has been described as very rare by the regulator, who said the fatality rate in Britain over the last few years has reduced to around 0.2% of runners. Inspectors are due at the racecourse in the coming days. Some of the horses are also being sent for post-mortems to establish more information. Robin Mounsey, BHA head of media, added: The incidents at Musselburgh were extremely distressing for everyone involved in the sport, not least for the owners of the horses and the trainers and stable staff who cared for them through their lives. As the sports independent regulator we obviously treat issues such as this very seriously and work will now be undertaken to identify if there are any risk factors at the course or with the horses that might have contributed to these incidents. Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned the US that if it walks out of a key arms treaty and starts developing banned missiles then Moscow will do the same. Mr Putins remarks to Russian news agencies came a day after US secretary of state Mike Pompeo announced at a Nato meeting that Washington will suspend its obligations under the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF) in 60 days, citing Russian cheating. Russia has denied violating the treaty. If #Russia admits its #INF violations and fully and verifiably comes back into compliance we will welcome that course of action. But only Russia can take this step. Appreciate @NATOs strong support for our decision. https://t.co/SeSuTKcoeA Secretary Pompeo (@SecPompeo) December 4, 2018 President Donald Trump earlier this year announced his decision to withdraw from the INF, which has been described as a cornerstone of global security, accusing Russia and China which is not a signatory to the treaty of violating it. Mr Putin said on Wednesday that the US decision to ditch the INF means Washington has decided the US has to have these weapons. Mr Putin said of Moscows response: We will do the same. The US shared intelligence with Nato allies that it says shows Russias new SSC-8 ground-fired cruise missile could give Moscow the ability to launch a nuclear strike in Europe with little or no notice. Russia has denied the accusations. Mr Putin accused Washington of making up excuses for pulling out of the pact, saying the US first made up its mind to walk out and only then started to look for the reasons why they should do it. It seems that our American partners believe that the situation has changed so much that the US has to have this type of weapons, he said in televised remarks. What would be our response? A very simple one: in that case, we will do the same. Valery Gerasimov (Alexander Zemlianichenko/AP) Speaking at a briefing of foreign military attaches earlier, General Valery Gerasimov, chief of staff of the Russian military, warned of a Russian response and said countries that host US intermediate-range missiles would become immediate targets. When signed in 1987, the INF treaty was lauded as a major safeguard for global security as it eliminated shorter-range missiles that take just a few minutes to reach their targets. The removal of such weapons would in theory allow more time for decision-making in case of a warning of a missile attack. US ally Germany, which has been keen to preserve the treaty, called on Russia to try to save it. The INF treaty is of great significance for security in Europe, government spokeswoman Ulrike Demmer said in Berlin. The German government welcomes the fact that the American government is giving its preservation another chance, she added, referring to the 60-day deadline. She also noted that the issue came up in a meeting between Chancellor Angela Merkel and Mr Trump in Argentina on Saturday. It is now up to Russia to avert the end of the treaty, Ms Demmer said. A father has pleaded not guilty to murdering his baby daughter who died aged three weeks old. Thomas Haining, 20, is accused of repeatedly inflicting blunt force trauma to Mikayla Hainings head and body by unknown means leaving her so severely injured that she died. He is accused of murdering the baby at her home in Mackay Road, Inverness, last year. It is alleged the offences happened between the day she was born on May 17, 2017 and June 8, 2017 when she died. Defending Haining, Shelagh McCall QC entered a not guilty plea on his behalf when he appeared in the dock at the High Court in Glasgow on Wednesday. Ms McCall said she has asked for reports from three expert witnesses in England, including a neuropathologist, as there is a dearth of such experts available in Scotland. He appeared in the dock at the High Court in Glasgow on Wednesday (John Linton/PA) Lady Rae continued the case until February. An Indian court has ruled that officials may hold a British man while they investigate him for alleged bribery over a cancelled 670 million dollar (525 million) helicopter deal between India and an Italian defence company. Judge Arvind Kumar allowed Christian James Michel to briefly meet his lawyer, who failed to have him released on bail while the charges are investigated. Michel was extradited to India from Dubai on Tuesday to face charges of channelling bribes to Indian contacts. Christian James Michel was extradited to India from Dubai (Altaf Qadri/AP) Indian investigators said in court documents that Michel transferred the money from a British subsidiary of Finmeccanica, which has since been renamed Leonardo SpA. In 2014, India received three of 12 AW101 helicopters it had ordered to fly senior officials but halted the deal after the bribery allegations surfaced. The Central Bureau of Investigation said Michel was a frequent visitor to India when the deal was being negotiated and was operating as a middle man for defence procurements through a wide network of sources cultivated in the Indian Air Force and Ministry of Defence at different levels, including retired and serving officials. Christian James Michel returns from a Central Bureau of Investigation hearing in New Delhi (Altaf Qadri/AP) Indian investigators want Michel to reveal the names of Indian politicians involved in the alleged scheme. The opposition Congress party was ruling the country at the time. With national elections due in March-April, prime minister Narendra Modis Hindu nationalist party is expected to try to embarrass the Congress party, its main rival, if Michel names some of its leaders as beneficiaries in the helicopter deal. India is upgrading its military and has become the worlds biggest arms and defence equipment buyer in recent years. Arms deals have often been marred by allegations that foreign companies paid huge kickbacks to Indian officials. Jurors in the trial of a former suspect in Stephen Lawrences murder have been warned they should only consider allegations over a conspiracy to supply cannabis. Jamie Acourt, 42, originally from Eltham, south-east London, will go on trial at Kingston Crown Court accused of being part of a two-year plot to sell the Class B drug. Judge Peter Lodder QC asked jurors on Wednesday to notify him if they were serving or retired members of the Metropolitan Police, or if they felt they could not fairly try the defendant. The defendant in this case is Jamie Acourt. His name may be familiar to you because it has been alleged that he played a part in the murder of Stephen Lawrence in 1993, he told jurors. He has never been convicted of any offence arising out of the investigation arising out of that death. This trial is solely concerned with the allegation of conspiracy to supply cannabis during the years 2014 to 2016. Jamie Acourt (Elizabeth Cook/PA) If there is a reason you do not feel that you can try this case fairly then you should indicate. No jurors raised any issues and 12 were sworn in. Acourt has always denied involvement in the racist attack, in which a group of white men fatally stabbed the black 18-year-old in Eltham. The 42-year-old who appeared in court wearing a man bun, a beard and a long dark coat has pleaded not guilty to one count of conspiracy to supply cannabis resin between January 1 2014 and February 2 2016. Six others, including his 43-year-old brother Neil Acourt, have already been convicted and sentenced over the hashish plot. Jamie Acourt, currently of no fixed address, was arrested in Spain in May after a joint operation by the National Crime Agency, Crimestoppers and Spanish authorities. The trial was due to open on Wednesday. The issue of Meng Wanzhous fate goes beyond the Iran sanctions or corporate malfeasance. The arrest in Canada of Meng Wanzhou, chief financial officer of Chinese telecommunications behemoth Huawei, and the legal proceedings to extradite her to the United States on charges of violating American sanctions against Iran, constitute the perfect storm. Although the purported goal of the United States in pushing for Ms Mengs detention is strict enforcement of the Donald Trump administrations campaign to isolate Iran, the real backstory to this drama is much bigger the mounting international anxiety amid Chinas push for supremacy in decisive cutting-edge technologies. This case illustrates how hi-tech is part and parcel of Chinas relentless march to superpower status and of attempts to contain it. Ms Meng hails from Chinas corporate aristocracy and is the dynamic face of one of its most storied companies. Literally, the word Huawei translates as Chinas achievement. It is the worlds largest supplier of telecom network equipment, ahead of Swedens Ericsson, Finlands Nokia and South Koreas Samsung. In consumer electronics, Huawei has overtaken Americas Apple and become the second biggest player in smartphones, with only Samsung to beat. The year-on-year growth trajectory of Huawei has been spectacular, thanks to massive investments in research and development and creative partnerships with foreign communications service providers. Besides Alibaba, if there is one symbol of Chinas rapid ascent, it is Huawei. The close identification of Huawei with Chinas overall rise is not incidental. Its founder, Ms Mengs father Ren Zhengfei, has a background in Chinas Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) and the company has benefited immensely from the Chinese states largesse. A front-runner in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and 5G wireless patents, Huawei is the poster child of President Xi Jinpings China Dream of an innovation society and a technological superpower. The Chinese state has assiduously promoted national champions like Huawei, Lenovo and ZTE to break free from dependence on the West for critical technologies and to spread Chinese influence internationally. If Huawei is today a multinational giant operating in over 170 countries, its expansion owes no small debt to the Chinese governments facilitation and steering. In theory, Huawei is a privately owned corporation. But in practice, Chinas state-guided capitalist environment is such that no company can rise to global heights without the strategic hand of the state behind it. Hence, it is hardly surprising that the likes of Mr Ren and Alibaba chief Jack Ma are formal members of the Chinese Communist Party. The nature of Chinas red capitalism is such that no clear distinction is made between private and public sector entities. And therein lies the rub. Even though the Canadian government has said that Ms Mengs arrest is a purely legal action with no political involvement, a strike against Chinas telecom colossus has enormous political implications that transcend Iran. American allegations that Ms Meng defrauded US banks and set up shell companies using the US financial system to bust sanctions against Iran are aimed at tarnishing Huaweis ethical reputation and sullying its image in the international telecom market. Huaweis moral standing has been under a cloud for a while. In August 2018, President Donald Trump banned Huawei and the other prominent Chinese telecom infrastructure company, ZTE, from supplying network components to the US government and any institution that works with it. The American decision was based on national security threat perceptions dating back several years that Chinese telecom companies carry backdoor switches, codes and cables to enable the Chinese government to spy on vital communications of countries of strategic interest. Australia and New Zealand, two US allies which are members of the Five Eyes intelligence coalition, have followed in the American footsteps and barred Huawei from building their respective 5G mobile networks. Already, these two countries have been facing a domestic blowback owing to increasing Chinese interference in their internal politics, news media and academia. Banning Huawei came to be seen in Canberra and Wellington as a necessary safeguard against the Chinese juggernaut which is spreading militarily, economically and via cyberspace in the entire Indo-Pacific region. Shortly after Ms Mengs detention in Canada on December 1, Japan too signalled it would ban Huawei and ZTE gear over fears of intelligence leaks and cyberattacks that would give Chinas government an upper hand. Canada itself is debating a ban on Chinese 5G equipment and Ms Mengs high-profile case has emboldened nationalistic voices there to shut Huawei and ZTE out of its market. Britain too has banned ZTE and the British company BT has omitted Huawei from its 5G plans. Even India has excluded Huawei and ZTE from partnering with local firms in 5G trials citing security concerns. Wherever Huawei has become persona non grata, the Chinese government cries foul that the bans are politically motivated and counterproductive for local consumers. For example, Chinas state-run Global Times claims India blocked Chinese firms using the excuse of safeguarding national security to please the US, and that such bans will make 5G services too expensive for low-income Indian populations. Yet, however much Beijing strives to allay doubts regarding Huawei and convey that business should not be politicised, opposition to Chinese corporate takeover of sensitive sectors persists because of the statist character of Chinas business majors. Suspicion of the motives and effects of Chinas extending corporate footprint will endure, especially in democracies, as long as China is not a market economy and there is a commanding one-party state which drives economic policymaking with a strategic vision. Beijing has criticised Canadas detention of Ms Meng as extremely nasty and criticised the US as a despicable rogue for initiating proceedings against her. It has also defensively reiterated that Huawei is an innocent victim of politicised harassment. But the more vigorously the Chinese government fights on behalf of its companies abroad, the further it exacerbates the core problem of economics and politics being deeply intertwined in Beijings mission of priming its corporations to dominate world markets. The fundamental issue highlighted by Meng Wanzhous fate goes beyond the Iran sanctions or corporate malfeasance. It is the incompatibility between capitalism with Chinese characteristics and liberal capitalism. The economic war is an ideological one and Huawei is entangled in the broader clash about how state and market should be relatively positioned in the 21st century. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have arrived in Cyprus for a whirlwind visit to personally thank British forces for the sacrifices they make over Christmas. Thousands of military personnel will be separated from their families during the festive period and William and Kate have flown to RAF Akrotiri on the Mediterranean island to honour their commitment. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge arrive at @RAFAkrotiri in Cyprus to meet Serving personnel, families living on the base, wider station personnel and members of the local community. pic.twitter.com/x5sR34QrvL The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (@KensingtonRoyal) December 5, 2018 The couple arrived bearing Christmas gifts for members of 11 Squadron, a Typhoon fighter unit based at RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire, who fly missions from the Cyprus base to combat IS. The Cambridges hosted a party in the grounds of Kensington Palace on Tuesday for families from Coningsby and RAF Marham, and collected the presents from children, partners and grandparents. The Duchess of Cambridge is greeted at RAF Akrotiri by military dignitaries (Andrew Matthews/PA) A line of military dignitaries were waiting to greet the duke and duchess when they arrived at the base on the RAF Voyager ministerial jet, including Akrotiris station commander, Group Captain Chris Snaith. During the festive period there will be 11,000 sailors, soldiers, airmen and marines deployed on operations. Yesterday The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge hosted a Christmas Party at Kensington Palace, supported by @PoppyLegion, for families and children of deployed personnel from @RAFCGY and @RAFMarhamMedia serving in Cyprus. pic.twitter.com/MrrQIj4uz6 The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (@KensingtonRoyal) December 5, 2018 Service personnel have been sent on 30 operations in 35 countries across the globe from Somalia and South Sudan to Kuwait and Ukraine. The total cost of the constructing the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route (AWPR) will top 1 billion, contractors have confirmed to Holyrood. While the bypass is being built under a 745 million fixed price contract, building firm Balfour Beatty said delays to the project had resulted in additional costs that run into hundreds of millions. Balfour Beatty and Galliford Try the other company involved in the project are now in talks with Transport Scotland in a bid to see if they can claw back extra public funds. Bill Hocking, chief executive officer for construction and investments, Galliford Try, told MSPs: We have put forward a claim to Transport Scotland in respect of some of the issues that have been faced in the project. He said those were linked to the poor weather which has hindered construction work, as well as delays from diverting essential utility services. Stephen Tarr, managing director of the major projects division at Balfour Beatty, added the claim submitted to Transport Scotland was for a not insignificant sum. Work on the 36-mile road had been due to be completed in this spring after it was hit by delays (Lynne Cameron/PA) How can the public have confidence in the #AWPR when it is delayed, over-budget and relations between the #SNP and contractor have fallen to a new low and claims are being made against the former? Utter shambles from the Scottish Government. pic.twitter.com/NCRhLogq5n Jamie Greene MSP (@jamiegreeneUK) December 5, 2018 He told MSPs on the Scottish Parliaments Rural Economy and Connectivity Committee: Were in a situation as of today where the joint venture partners are hundreds of millions out of pocket as a consequence of the work weve been doing in Aberdeen. He was pressed on whether the claim amounted to tens of millions of pounds, or hundreds of millions of pounds. But he told the committee that was not something he wanted to reveal because of the commercial nature of the discussions that we are having. North East Scotland Labour MSP Lewis Macdonald then asked him: If I was to put to you that the total cost of the project is over 1 billion you would accept that that is broadly correct? Mr Tarr told him: Yes, I think from what weve said you could deduce those are the areas of the cost. Work on the 36-mile road had been due to be completed in the spring of this year, after it was hit by delays. But further problems have seen the opening date pushed back, with contractors now hoping the final section of the roadway could be open before Christmas. Mr Tarr said the opening of the new road would have been delayed longer than it currently is if the two contractors had not taken mitigating measures. There are significant costs that run into the hundreds of millions, he said, adding these had contributed to the construction firm Carillion which had also been involved in the AWPR project becoming insolvent. Brian Love of Aberdeen Roads Ltd (ARL) the consortium set up to carry out the work stressed however that finishing the work before Christmas is not cast in stone as weather could delay the completion of a section of the road which crosses over the River Don. He stated: The contractor is targeting a date prior to Christmas for the opening of the Don bridge, that construction programme is subject to many things, notably weather, so adverse weather could throw that out. However the Stonehaven to Craibstone section of the roadway should be open to traffic next week, the committee was told. Transport Secretary Michael Matheson said it had taken his intervention for this to happen, despite this stretch having been completed two months ago. He stated: I have explored every possible avenue with Aberdeen Roads Ltd to open this section of road as soon as possible and I am delighted my efforts to bring this matter to a positive conclusion have been successful. But he was also clear ministers were simply not willing to pay over the odds for the road on account of mistakes or miscalculations that are of the contractors own making. He also said the optimistic programme to have the work completed before Christmas should be regarded with caution. Aberdeen Roads Ltd has said it aims to finish the bridge before Christmas but has also correctly warned the remaining works are complex, very weather sensitive and subject to safety and quality tests, Mr Matheson added. We should therefore treat this optimistic programme with caution. He added the contract cost currently remains at 745 million and would not clarify the figure of the claim made by in addition to that by the contractors due to commercial confidentiality. Mr Matheson said if ongoing discussions do not resolve the matter it could end up in court, but pledged to notify parliament if any additional costs to the taxpayer over 745 million are incurred. Transport Scotland insisted afterwards it did not recognise the 1 billion cost figure. A spokesman said: It is not unusual for claims to be raised by a contractor on large complex infrastructure projects such as this one. Like most contracts of this nature, the AWPR contract contains a mechanism for dealing with claims. As confirmed by the Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Infrastructure and Connectivity, Transport Scotland and ARL have been engaged in dialogue to gain a better understand of the exact nature of ARLs claim, however, ARL has yet to provide the evidence to substantiate any such claim. This process has not yet concluded, so we are not in a position to provide further details. However, ARL spent two years in dialogue bidding for the project where the risks associated with it were known and this did not deter it from bidding for and winning the contract for this major public infrastructure project. Theresa May was accused of misleading the House of Commons by the SNP over the Irish backstop after the full Brexit legal advice was published. The partys Westminster leader Ian Blackford made the allegation during heated and hostile exchanges during Prime Ministers Questions. He said Mrs May had been concealing the facts on her Brexit deal, saying the Withdrawal Agreement would allow Northern Ireland to remain in the EUs single market while Scotland could not. Mr Blackford mocked the PM for having lost three votes on Tuesday and being found in contempt of Parliament, saying: We were promised strong and stable what weve got is a Government in crisis. The MP for Ross, Skye and Lochaber then asked: Is it time that the Prime Minister took responsibility for concealing the facts on her Brexit deal from members in this House and the public? Will she take responsibility? Mrs May rejected the claim, and said the full legal advice they were forced to publish contained the same arguments as the shortened version the Government made available earlier this week. Mr Blackfords comments sparked jeers in the Commons (PA) Mr Blackford called that an incredibly disappointing response, and suggested the release of the full legal advice showed that: Since the Prime Minister returned from Brussels she has been misleading the house, inadvertently or otherwise. This led to a prolonged period of shouting across the chamber, with Tory MPs calling for him to withdraw the comment. Commons Speaker John Bercow rebuked Mr Blackford, saying there could be no ambiguity in comments to suggest that the PM had purposefully misled the House. This led Mr Blackford to alter his wording to say she had done it perhaps inadvertently. But this failed to dampen the jeers from the Tory benches and Mr Bercow asked to him to again rephrase his argument. However, he continued in the same vein. In response, Mrs May said the copy of the full legal advice he was holding was no different to the statement the Attorney General Geoffrey Cox made on Monday. She added: I have myself said on the floor of this House that there is indeed no unilateral right to pull out of the backstop. What I have also said is that it is not the intention of either party that a) the backstop should be used in the first place, or b) that if it is used, should be anything other than temporary. Jeremy Corbyn triggered fury on the Tory benches as he accused them of labelling disabled people scroungers and creating a hostile environment for people on benefits. Prime Minister Theresa May could be seen saying outrageous while her Conservative colleagues shouted Withdraw at the Labour leader as he criticised the Governments treatment of disabled people. Despite recent Brexit chaos for the Government, Mr Corbyn focused his remarks at Prime Ministers Questions on the welfare system and urged Mrs May to halt the roll-out of Universal Credit. Speaking in the Commons, Mr Corbyn referenced a United Nations report into the Governments welfare policies and said Mrs May did not agree with it as it presents an unpalatable truth. He added: The new Work and Pensions Secretary (Amber Rudd) seems to have taken a lesson from her and created a hostile environment for those that are claiming benefits. One of the Governments policies that is causing the greatest anxiety and poverty is Universal Credit, the UN rapporteur Professor (Philip) Alston said it was fast falling into universal discredit. Labour party leader Jeremy Corbyn speaks during Prime Ministers Questions in the House of Commons (PA) When will the Prime Minister demonstrate some of her professed concern about burning injustices and halt the roll-out of Universal Credit? Mrs May responded by saying the Government had listened to concerns about the benefit and had made changes, having earlier defended her economic record as she argued against the report. Mr Corbyn later advised that food banks are not just a photo opportunity for Conservative MPs as he raised further concerns. After the Opposition leader referred to Bank of England chief economist Andy Haldanes suggestion of a lost decade for wage growth, Tory MPs cried your fault at the Labour benches. Mr Corbyn, during his final question, said: When I hear a Prime Minister talking about difficult decisions, what always happens afterwards in this context is the poorest lose out in our society 4.3 million disabled people are now in poverty, 50,000 were hit by appalling cuts to the Employment Support Allowance benefit alone last year. This Government labelled disabled people scroungers, it called those unable to work skivers Theresa May says it's her Government helping disabled people who want to work get into work. #PMQs Jennifer McKiernan (@_JennyMcKiernan) December 5, 2018 At this point, Mrs May could be seen saying outrageous, while Tory colleagues urged Mr Corbyn to withdraw his claim, which prompted Commons Speaker John Bercow to intervene. Mr Bercow took against Home Secretary Sajid Javid for offering advice, adding: He should seek to discharge his own obligations in his office to the best of his ability I require no advice from (Mr Javid) on the discharge of mine. Be clear about that. Mr Corbyn added: This Government also created a hostile environment for the Windrush generation. When the UN rapporteur said British compassion for those who are suffering has been replaced by a punitive, mean-spirited and callous approach, he couldnt have summed up this contemptible Government any better. Child poverty is rising, homelessness rising, destitution rising, household debt rising when will the Prime Minister turn her warm words into action? End the benefit freeze, repeal the bedroom tax, scrap the two-child cap and halt the roll-out of Universal Credit. Mrs May replied: Ill tell him when the poorest lose out its when a Labour government comes in. The PM added: Every Labour government leaves office with unemployment higher than when it went into office. So what do we see under this Government? Our economy is growing, employment is rising, investment is up, weve given the NHS the biggest single cash boost in its history, taxes are being cut, wages are rising Labour would destroy all that. Wales faced heavy downpours on Wednesday after a severe weather warning was issued in parts of the country. The Met Office said homes and businesses in the worst-hit areas could also potentially face flooding as Storm Etienne passes over the UK. The storm was named by the IPMA Portuguese weather service after it was first detected in the Azores region of Portugal, and is currently making its way over western parts of the UK. In Wales, areas including Pembrokeshire, Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion, Powys and Swansea, were the worst affected, with warnings of heavy rain and possible flooding in place until 12pm. Heavy #rain will affect parts of south Wales this morning #weatheraware pic.twitter.com/2Xuh0uyDDx Met Office (@metoffice) December 5, 2018 The Met Office said: Bands of heavy rain are expected to cross Wales on Wednesday, with the south and south-west perhaps seeing the heaviest rain later in the morning. The service added that up to 2in of rain could fall in some hilly locations, and has issued a yellow warning for icy patches. Some parts of the country have been warned to expect severe weather (Gareth Fuller/PA) Natural Resources Wales had nine flood alerts and one flood warning in place across south and west Wales, with the most severe threat to the River Gwendraeth Fawr at Pontyates and Ponthenry near Llanelli, which the Welsh government said required immediate action. A yellow weather warning has also been issued ahead of strong winds of 60-70mph in parts of North Wales on Friday, with the Met Office warning some roads and bridges may close. The next storm to affect the UK first will likely be named by the Met Office, with Deirdre next on a list of names chosen by the public, followed by Erik and Freya. A wonderful pensioner has died after two burglars forced their way into her flat. The 77-year-old collapsed while on the phone to a police operator after she called 999, and had to be given CPR by police called to the break-in at around 6pm on Tuesday in Bells Hill, Barnet. She was taken to hospital in a critical condition and died on Wednesday morning. Her family has been told. Detectives are investigating whether the burglary is linked to three other break-ins in the area. Detective Chief Inspector Noel McHugh said: Our focus now is catching the culprits behind this burglary which has contributed to the death of an elderly woman. We are doing everything we can to build a clear picture of this incident. This includes looking at three other break-ins that have been reported in the nearby area. Work is ongoing to establish if they are linked. Three of the four properties targeted were empty when the burglaries took place. The incident occurred in Bells Hill, Barnet Any burglary is an awful and harrowing experience which can leave many feeling uncomfortable in their own homes. This burglary has ended with the worst possible consequences. A wonderful elderly lady has died. With that in mind, I want to reach out and make a direct appeal to anyone from the criminal fraternity who has information to contact us. You will know and discussions will be going on about who is involved and where any stolen property is, I need you to have the confidence to call police and let us know who is responsible. Detectives appeal to trace two suspects after woman, 77, dies following burglary in #Barnet - house to house enquiries, CCTV gathering and forensic work to identify the individuals involved is ongoing https://t.co/xiatcStfak pic.twitter.com/bzZ84WDbw7 Metropolitan Police (@metpoliceuk) December 5, 2018 The suspects are both thin, white men aged in their twenties who wore dark woolly hats and dark clothing. Chief Superintendent Simon Rose said: These break-ins and the subsequent death of an elderly woman will no doubt cause concern and alarm to those in the area. Locals can expect to see an increased police presence in the area. We are there to help them and support the local community but need their help also. If you live or were passing through Bells Hill flats in Barnet yesterday evening did you see anything suspicious? Have you got information that could assist police? We need to hear from you urgently to catch those responsible. Anyone with information can contact police on 020 8785 8099, tweet @MetCC, or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or online. The force said there is so far no evidence to suggest the burglary is linked to the violent break-in at the home of Second World War veteran Peter Gouldstone, around six miles away. The 98-year-old died after he was severely injured during the aggravated burglary at his home in Evesham Road, Enfield, on November 6, during which a 26in Panasonic television and other possessions were stolen. A man who was a suspect in the murder of Stephen Lawrence has gone on trial accused of being one of the ringleaders of a conspiracy to supply huge quantities of cannabis resin. Jamie Acourt, originally from Eltham, south-east London, was extradited from Spain, where he allegedly lived in hiding for more than two years, using the alias Simon Alfonzo. Jurors were warned before the 42-year-olds drugs trial began at Kingston Crown Court on Wednesday that he was never convicted over the racist attack in 1993. Prosecutor Crispin Aylett QC said Acourt was integral to the long-running conspiracy to supply huge quantities of hashish between London and South Shields, for which his sibling, Neil Acourt, has already been convicted. Since the delivery men were taking most of the risks and the defendant and his brother were receiving the money, the prosecution allege that the defendant and his brother must have been the ringleaders, Mr Aylett said, opening the case. That the defendant and his brother were at the heart of what was going on is also apparent from the fact that among the delivery men were the fathers of their respective partners. Jamie Acourt (Elizabeth Cook/PA) Lee Birks, 57, is the stepfather of Jamie Acourts partner, while Jack Vose, 65, is Neil Courts father-in-law, the prosecutor said. As well as warning jurors that they should consider the case solely on the evidence before them, Judge Peter Lodder QC asked them to notify him if they were serving or retired Metropolitan Police officers. The defendant in this case is Jamie Acourt. His name may be familiar to you because it has been alleged that he played a part in the murder of Stephen Lawrence in 1993, he said. He has never been convicted of any offence arising out of the investigation arising out of that death. No jurors raised any issues and 12 were sworn in. Acourt has always denied involvement in the racist attack, in which a group of white men fatally stabbed the black 18-year-old in Eltham in 1993. Acourt who appeared in court wearing a man bun, a beard and a long dark coat has pleaded not guilty to one count of conspiracy to supply the Class B drug between January 1 2014 and February 2 2016. Police raided his home in Bexley, south-east London, where he lived with his partner, Terri-Ann Dean, and their two children, the prosecution said. Mr Aylett said Ms Dean returned home, rang Acourt and passed the phone to an officer, who told him to return or hand himself to a police station. The defendant did neither of those things. Instead, he went to Spain where he remained for over two years, the prosecutor said. But on May 4 this year he was arrested in Barcelona, where he had been using the Alfonzo alias in which he also held a false passport, Mr Aylett added. From July 2014, the conspirators were unwittingly being watched by undercover officers. They made at least 34 600-mile return trips to ferry money or resin during a two-year period. Vose was arrested in South Shields with 220lb (100kg) of hashish, worth an estimated 200,000, in his white van in February 2016. Six men, including 43-year-old Neil Acourt, Vose, of Bexley, south-east London, and Birks, of Orpington, Kent, have already been convicted and sentenced over the conspiracy. The trial of Jamie Acourt, currently of no fixed address, continues on Thursday. The Duke of Cambridge has said thank you on behalf of the nation to Britains Armed Forces serving overseas this Christmas and paid tribute their commitment and sacrifices. Williams words of praise came as he and wife Kate visited Cyprus for a whirlwind tour of a military base to meet RAF personnel and other UK forces deployed to the Mediterranean island. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge arrive at @RAFAkrotiri in Cyprus to meet Serving personnel, families living on the base, wider station personnel and members of the local community. pic.twitter.com/x5sR34QrvL The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (@KensingtonRoyal) December 5, 2018 After meeting air and ground crew from RAF Akrotiri and other forces in a hangar, William praised the efforts of Britains Armed Forces. Touring a hangar at RAF Akrotiri (Andrew Matthews/PA) He said Thank you for your commitment and thank you for your sacrifices. We are in your debt and Catherine and I feel very lucky to be able to spend time with you today. The Duchess of Cambridge enjoying the trip to Cyprus (Andrew Matthews/PA) The couple came bearing Christmas gifts for RAF personnel from 11 Squadron, a Typhoon fighter unit based at RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire and flying missions from the Cyprus base to combat Isis. The Cambridges staged a festive party in the grounds of Kensington Palace on Tuesday for families from Coningsby and RAF Marham, and collected the presents from children, partners and grandparents. Yesterday The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge hosted a Christmas Party at Kensington Palace, supported by @PoppyLegion, for families and children of deployed personnel from @RAFCGY and @RAFMarhamMedia serving in Cyprus. pic.twitter.com/MrrQIj4uz6 The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (@KensingtonRoyal) December 5, 2018 The duke, a former RAF Search and Rescue helicopter pilot, said about the efforts of the military: All of this work is done without fanfare. You dont seek praise for your contribution. Its not about credit or recognition for you, its just about service. But as we approach Christmas, Catherine and I feel strongly that praise for your work and recognition of your sacrifices is exactly what is due to you all. The Duke of Cambridge speaks at RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus (Andrew Matthews/PA) From my time in uniform, we both know a bit of what it feels like to balance your work commitments with your family life. You all put duty first, and so do your families, some of whom we had the chance to meet yesterday at a party at Kensington Palace. Washington is bidding its final farewell to George HW Bush in a service of prayer and praise that is drawing together world envoys, Americans of high office and a guy from Maine who used to fix things in Mr Bushs house on the water. A viewing for the 41st president at the hushed Capitol Rotunda closed on Wednesday morning, and his coffin was carried to Washington National Cathedral for a state funeral. The hearse carrying the flag-draped coffin (Jacquelyn Martin/AP) The ceremony caps three days of remembrance by dignitaries and ordinary citizens as they honour the Republican president who oversaw the post-Cold War transition and led a successful Gulf War, only to lose a re-election in a generational shift to Democrat Bill Clinton in 1992. The four living ex-presidents Jimmy Carter, Mr Clinton, George W Bush and Barack Obama are due at the service, and Bush Jnr will eulogise his father. President Donald Trump will attend but is not scheduled to speak. Also attending: one king (Jordan), one queen (Jordan), two princes (Britain, Bahrain), Germanys chancellor and Polands president, among representatives of more than a dozen countries. Also expected in the invitation-only crowd is Mike Lovejoy, an electrician and fix-it man who has worked at Mr Bushs Maine summer estate since 1990 and says he was shocked and heartened to be asked to come. On Tuesday, soldiers, citizens in wheelchairs and long lines of others on foot wound through the Capitol Rotunda to view Mr Bushs coffin and honour a president whose legacy included Second World War military service and a landmark law affirming the rights of the disabled. Former senator Bob Dole, a compatriot in war, peace and political struggle, steadied himself out of his wheelchair and saluted his old friend and one-time rival. Bob Dole pays his last respects (Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP) After the national funeral service at the cathedral, Mr Bushs remains will be returned to Houston to lie in repose at St Martins Episcopal Church before burial on Thursday at his family plot on the presidential library grounds at Texas A&M University in College Station. His final resting place will be alongside Barbara Bush, his wife of 73 years who died in April, and Robin Bush, the daughter they lost to leukaemia in 1953 at the age of three. Mr Trump ordered the federal government closed on Wednesday for a national day of mourning. Flags on public buildings are flying at half-staff for 30 days. Sully the dog (Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP) Mr Bushs service dog Sully was taken to the coffin viewing his main service in the months since Mrs Bushs death in April being to rest his head on her husbands lap. The Duchess of Cornwall was greeted by inflatable dinosaurs, hippies and a school choir singing Christmas carols at a charity event in the City of London. For an entire day ICAP, a City broker, donates 100% of its revenue and brokers commission to charity. Now in its 26th year, the charity day has raised nearly 140 million for more than 2,300 charities worldwide. The `dinosaurs from the commercial and local trade desk helped the Duchess of Cornwall trade 200m worth of `four-month CDs (Robin Bell/ICAP/PA) This year, The Silver Line (TSL), of which Camilla became a patron in 2017 when she turned 70, is one of 17 UK charities which will receive a share of the money. Wearing a blue Bruce Oldfield skirt and jacket, the duchess visited ICAPs trading floor on Wednesday, along with TSL founder Dame Esther Rantzen. They were greeted by raucous scenes of cheering brokers, who were dressed in a variety of silly outfits within their teams. One team of inflatable grey dinosaurs, the commercial and local trade desk, helped Camilla trade 200 million worth of four-month CDs. Chris Spencer, head of the desk, explained that four-month CDs are somebody issuing some of their bank debt paper, basically. Its almost like an IOU, its like writing a cheque in some way. The revenue generated for charity from that trade equated to around 2,750, Mr Spencer said. He laughed that he accidentally hit the duchess on the head with his dinosaur costume, saying: I kept holding it up thinking Oh my God, Im for this one. Camilla called 87-year-old Margaret Laverick, a regular user of The Silver Line, during her visit (Robin Bell/ICAP/PA) ICAP chief executive Nicolas Breteau praised Camillas trading skills, saying: Well, shes a natural! She pulled some very, very good trades. She made our day really. The Silver Line was founded by Dame Esther in 2013 and provides a freephone 24-hour helpline for older people suffering from loneliness, offering information, advice and friendship. To celebrate the charitys fifth birthday, the duchess and Dame Esther cut a cake, made by previous Great British Bake Off finalist Andrew Smyth. Camilla then made a phone call to 87-year-old Margaret Laverick, from Melrose, Scotland. Mrs Laverick is a regular client of TSL and has struck up a friendship with Dame Esther since using the service. Esther tells me youre a very special person, the duchess said to Mrs Laverick. I wanted to ring you up and wish you a very happy Christmas. Dame Esther said: Its a new charity, were only just five years old. Weve already had well over two and a quarter million callers. It just proves how huge the demand is, how great the need is. Its absolutely wonderful to have the Duchess of Cornwall as our royal patron, it means so much to us and to the older people. This year, due to a national day of mourning in the US for the funeral of former president George HW Bush, the New York stock market is closed. Therefore, the American team will take part in the charity day on Thursday. Figures revealing how much has been raised are expected to be released on Friday. Saipem said it was notifying the report of the incident to the competent authorities. Saipems head of digital and innovation, Mauro Piasere said the attack had originated in Chennai, India. Italian oil services company Saipem said it had identified a cyber attack out of India on Monday that had primarily affected its servers in the Middle East. We are collecting all the elements useful for assessing the impact on our infrastructures and the actions to be taken to restore normal activities, the firm said in a statement. Saipems head of digital and innovation, Mauro Piasere, told Reuters the attack had originated in Chennai, India. Servers in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait had been attacked as too, partially, had infrastructure in Aberdeen in Scotland, he said. But he added the groups servers in its main operating centers in Italy, France and Britain had not been affected. The servers involved have been shut down for the time being to assess the scale of the attack, he said, adding that data back-up systems would be activated once the threat was eliminated. There has been no loss of data because all our systems have back-ups, he said. Saipem, which is controlled by Italian state lender CDP and oil major Eni, is a market leader in subsea engineering and construction. Its biggest client is Saudi Aramco with whom it has a framework agreement to 2021. Saipem said it was notifying the report of the incident to the competent authorities. Hundreds of police in Germany, Italy, Belgium and the Netherlands have arrested at least 84 suspected mobsters and seized around 2 million euros (1.7 million) in co-ordinated raids targeting a powerful branch of the Italian mafia. The raids were the culmination of an investigation codenamed Pollino that was launched in 2016 against the ndrangheta criminal group on allegations of cocaine trafficking, money laundering, bribery and violence. The operation was co-ordinated by Eurojust, the European prosecution agency that fights cross-border organised crime. Eurojust said the massive operation was the biggest of its kind in Europe. Four tons of cocaine were traced during the two-year joint investigation, while cocaine and ecstasy pills were seized in Wednesdays raids. Action Day #antimafia: Today, we send a clear message to organised crime groups across Europe. They are not the only ones able to operate across borders: so are Europes judiciary and law enforcement communities. F Spiezia, Vice President @Eurojust pic.twitter.com/XHzMAdPPnG Eurojust (@Eurojust) December 5, 2018 Today we send a clear message to organised crime groups across Europe, Eurojust vice president Filippo Spiezia said. They are not the only ones able to operate across borders; so are Europes judiciary and law enforcement communities. Eurojust said Italian authorities arrested 41 suspects mainly in the southern regions of Calabria and Catanzaro. In Germany, federal police said there had been multiple arrests in early morning raids on premises linked to the southern Italy-based crime group. The focus was on the western state of North Rhine-Westphalia, which borders the Netherlands and Belgium, and Bavaria to the south. Five suspects were arrested in the Netherlands, where prosecutors got the ball rolling for the investigation in 2014 with probes into two Italian restaurants, and more were detained over the border in Belgium. Italian police hailed the co-operation between European police forces, saying it was an important new crimefighting tactic that allowed investigators in different countries to share information in real time. Federico Cafiero De Raho (Peter Dejong/AP) Federico Cafiero De Raho, Italian anti-mafia and anti-terrorism national prosecutor, sounded a note of caution, saying the raids only scratched the surface of the powerful ndrangheta, whose tentacles and illicit activities spread all over the world. Speaking in The Hague, Mr De Raho said the arrests are nothing for ndrangheta. There are thousands of people who should be arrested and billions of euros that should be seized. The ndrangheta is Italys most powerful criminal organisation, eclipsing Sicilys Cosa Nostra and the Naples area Camorra. It was the second significant mob takedown in as many days. On Tuesday, Italian authorities said they had dismantled the rebuilt upper echelons of the Cosa Nostra in the Sicilian capital of Palermo by arresting 46 people, including Settimo Mineo, the man presumed to have taken over as provincial kingpin after the death of the boss of bosses Salvatore Toto Riina. . Police have stopped drivers and pedestrians in an appeal for information over a teenager missing for a week in the Highlands. Jade McGrath, 19, was last seen in the Leachkin area of Inverness on Wednesday November 28. Search dogs and specialist officers have been involved in the search for her but so far no trace has been found. Police returned to Leachkin Road on Wednesday to interview people who regularly use the area and may have seen Jade last week. The 19-year-old from Aviemore has not been seen for a week (Police Scotland/PA) Inspector James Rice said: We are very grateful for the ongoing support from the local community and wider public. I can assure that every piece of information we received continues to be followed up. Unfortunately the last confirmed sighting we have of Jade remains a week ago in the Leachkin Road area. Extensive efforts remain ongoing to establish her movements, including house to house enquiries and speaking to motorists in the area at the same time of day Jade was last seen. We would continue to ask local residents to be aware and let us know if you believe you have seen Jade since Wednesday, November 28 or any time since. The teenager is around 5ft 1in with a slim build, bleached blonde hair and blue eyes. When last seen she was wearing a khaki parka, black leggings and black and white Nike trainers. Her family, from Aviemore, said earlier this week they are desperate for answers. A statement released through Police Scotland said: There has been a massive amount of support from friends and family, as well as people we have never met, and that is what is keeping us going. Anyone who was in the Leachkin area last Wednesday afternoon from around 1.45pm, please think back and if you think you might have seen anything please call the police. She has distinctive Alice in Wonderland tattoos on one of her forearms. On the same arm she has diamond and club symbols from a pack of cards on her fingers, as well as a small diamond tattoo on her hand. She had no phone or money with her and she would most likely have been in a distressed state if you saw her. We are grateful to everyone who has helped so far and are just desperate for news. If Jade is reading this, we want you to know that we love you very much and we just want you home safe. The Irish Premier has ruled out the possibility of reopening Brexit negotiations with UK parliamentarians if the Withdrawal Bill is defeated next week. The House of Commons is set to vote on Prime Minister Theresa Mays Brexit deal on December 11. Some opponents of the deal have called for it to be renegotiated. Leo Varadkar has said that is not feasible. Speaking during Taoiseachs Questions in the Irish Parliament (Dail) on Wednesday, Mr Varadkar ruled out the possibility of talks reopening. The agreement we have took 18 months to negotiate, is 500 pages long, 28 governments agreed to it, he told the Dail. Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said talks cannot be re-opened on the UK withdrawal deal. (Niall Carson/PA) The suggestion that somehow if it is defeated we would somehow find ourselves negotiating with a parliament really is quite unworkable. To see a parliamentary delegation entering the tunnel to reopen the talks is just not something that is feasible. In response to a question over whether Irish legal advice on the deal should be published, as legal advice to the UK government was published on Wednesday, Mr Varadkar said it should be privileged. The six-page document by UK Attorney General Geoffrey Cox was released to MPs a day after the House of Commons found the Government in contempt of Parliament for trying to keep it secret. Mr Varadkar told the Dail he had not read the document at that stage, but indicated he would not publish the advice his government had received on the Brexit deal. It is my strong view when it comes to legal advice from the AG (Attorney General), that legal advice should be privileged to those who receive it, he said. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge paid tribute to British forces stationed overseas this Christmas by delivering presents to a Cyprus military base and quipped their service was really Royal Mail. William and Kate made a whirlwind visit to the Mediterranean island to honour the sacrifices and commitment of the UKs military deployed across the globe. Saying hello to serving personnel and families on the base at @RAFAkrotiri pic.twitter.com/lUSB5BGVyS The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (@KensingtonRoyal) December 5, 2018 During a Kensington Palace Christmas party on Tuesday, the Cambridges met the families of pilots, senior officers and ground crews from 11 Squadron a Typhoon fighter unit based at RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire and flying missions from Cyprus to combat Isis. And on Wednesday, they arrived at RAF Akrotiri on Cyprus bearing presents from the children, wives and parents from Coningsby invited to the palace event. On behalf of everyone back home, we would like to say thank you. Thank you for your commitment and thank you for your sacrifices. We are in your debt and Catherine and I feel very lucky to be able to spend time with you today. The Duke of Cambridge @RAFAkrotiri pic.twitter.com/zAMyRcVsmx The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (@KensingtonRoyal) December 5, 2018 As the gifts were handed out in the Sergeants mess, Kate turned to some RAF personnel that included Squadron Leader Sarah Waghorn and others and joked about delivering the mail. Sqn Ldr Waghorn, 34, whose 80-year-old father David Waghorn had met the royals at their Christmas Party, said: They said their parcel service really was royal mail. William began the visit by thanking the Armed Forces deployed overseas on behalf of the nation. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge gave Christmas presents to Squadron 11 @RAFAkrotiri which they received from Squadron 11s families in London at yesterdays @RAFCGY @RAFMarhamMedia Christmas Party. pic.twitter.com/dGWce1CQnG The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (@KensingtonRoyal) December 5, 2018 After meeting air and ground crew from RAF Akrotiri and other forces, the duke said: Thank you for your commitment and thank you for your sacrifices. We are in your debt and Catherine and I feel very lucky to be able to spend time with you today. Sqn Ldr Waghorn, a senior engineer who works on Typhoon jets, said: To have such high profile visitors coming to say thank you is a real honour. Yesterday they were all talking about what we do at the party and I guess all the families are proud of what we do and serving. Its sad we wont be home for Christmas, but to get that personal message from them with the duke and duchess is lovely. Yesterday The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge hosted a Christmas Party at Kensington Palace, supported by @PoppyLegion, for families and children of deployed personnel from @RAFCGY and @RAFMarhamMedia serving in Cyprus. pic.twitter.com/MrrQIj4uz6 The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (@KensingtonRoyal) December 5, 2018 Wing Commander Paul OGrady, 42, whose five-year-old son Harry was the star of the show at a party at Kensington Palace, said: None of us look for any special attention, were just here to do our job. But Im very, very grateful that the Royal Household put that together for our families, because its more difficult for the people at home. He said about William and Kate: For them to come out here and recognise the service, it goes to show that the work the men and women are doing is still valued. Troops stationed at the air base will receive goody bags containing small treats like chocolate and magazine over Christmas, along with letters from cadets and parcels from military charities. The Duchess of Cambridge visits the Sergeants Mess at RAF Akrotiri (Ian Vogler/Daily Mirror/PA) Later, William and Kate joined a Christmas afternoon tea where families stationed on the base were enjoying a selection of cakes and pastries. He proudly told one table how Prince George favoured his fathers helicopters over the more glamorous jets like Typhoons, which fly from the base he visited. The Duke said: George said to me this morning where are you going daddy and I said Im going to see some pilots who fly fast jets. Laughing, he added: George said if you see a see a helicopter take a picture for me. Sat a few seats away from William were two former colleagues Flight Sergeant David Sheppard,48, and Sergeant Dickie Myers, 32 who were part of the RAF Search and Rescue crews at RAF Valley on Anglesey when the royal flew rescue missions from the base. Sgt Myers, a winchman, who is now based at RAF Akrotiri, said: He joked about my tatty badge and said I hadnt lost any weight Id put some on his banter is top notch. Priyanka Chopras wedding to US pop star Nick Jonas was a big event, but its size relatively pales in comparison to the 75ft (23m) long veil worn by the bride. The Bollywood actress handmade outfit was designed by Ralph Lauren and is complete with a dress set with crystals, beads and paillettes, which took a total of 1,826 hours to complete according to Hello magazine. But it was the veil, carried with help from five people following her, which stole the show. The remarkable ensemble is only one of four wedding gowns Lauren has designed, the other three being for his close family members. The 79-year-old also created the outfits for the groomsmen, flower girls, parents and ring bearers, yet its Chopras veil everyone is talking about. Some marvelled at how the veil came into being. Priyanka: I think want a veil. Nick: ok how long? Priyanka: *walks away* Nick: wait...where are you going? *10 mins later his phone rings* Nick: where did you g- Priyanka: That long. Meryl Streetz (@ablackmccreary) December 4, 2018 Others were reminded of a game from school. Still cant believe Priyanka Chopras veil pic.twitter.com/CpmrP33Cc7 Arden Phillips (@pardenmoi) December 5, 2018 And some hoped their life could take influence from the clothing item. May your bank balance in 2019 be as extra as Priyanka's veil aleya (@aleyakassam) December 4, 2018 The veil is reminiscent of the one worn by Chopras close friend Meghan Markle at her royal wedding to Prince Harry in May, though at 16.4 feet (five metres) the new Duchess of Sussexs veil was almost five times shorter. (Danny Lawson/PA) As a size comparison, Chopras veil is just shorter than the length of an average adult blue whale. The couple held two glamorous ceremonies for their marriage at a palace over the weekend, to reflect their different backgrounds. On Friday, Chopra and Jonas held a traditional Mehendi ceremony, a pre-wedding ritual where they both received henna tattoos. A day later they were married in a Western ceremony on the lawn of the Umaid Bhawan Palace in Jodhpur, where the veil made its appearance, before exchanging vows again during a Hindu wedding on Sunday. A teenager who shot a man dead at a petrol station in Essex then went on the run to Amsterdam has been found guilty of murder. Bradley Blundell, 19, shot 34-year-old John Pordage in the chest over flirtatious comments either he or his friend allegedly made to Blundells 18-year-old friend Ella Colgate at a BP garage in Chelmsford, Essex Police said. Mr Pordage died of his injuries on August 5 last year. John Pordage was shot in the chest (Essex Police/PA) Blundell was found guilty at Woolwich Crown Court of murder and conspiracy to pervert the course of justice, police said. It followed a three-week trial that concluded on Wednesday. Senior investigating officer Detective Chief Inspector Martin Pasmore, of the Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate, said after the hearing: Blundell is a dangerous young man who used extreme violence in reaction to what was a trivial matter and left a man dying in the street. He was careful and calculated in how he planned his attempt to escape from justice. The petrol station in Chelmsford where the shooting took place (Nick Ansell/PA) He sought the help of his associates to smuggle himself out of the country and went to great lengths to leave no trace of his movements. Blundell tried to convince the jury he did not shoot John Pordage and fled because he was petrified of being arrested for a crime he did not commit. But they have seen through his concoction of lies. Colgate, of Aldridge Close, Chelmsford, was found guilty of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice, police said. The force said Colgate and Blundell had conversations and tried to influence another witness about what to say. Blundell, of Cromwell Close, Boreham, had handed himself in at an Amsterdam police station on March 31 this year and was detained under a European Arrest Warrant. It followed an extensive manhunt. Theresa May is battling to save her Brexit deal and maintain her grip on power ahead of Tuesdays Commons showdown. The Prime Minister warned Tory MPs they risk handing Jeremy Corbyn the keys to Number 10 unless they back her Brexit deal. Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay insisted that the vote would still go ahead on Tuesday amid speculation Mrs May might be forced to delay the vote in a last-ditch effort to avoid defeat. Ahead of the crunch vote: former Cabinet ministers including Boris Johnson refused to rule out leadership bids. A serving minister conceded that Tory MPs could quit the party over the Brexit plan Labour said it would work with other Opposition parties to decide what to do if Mrs May crashes to defeat on Tuesday and could form a minority government The Prime Minister warned Tory would-be rebels the country would be in uncharted waters if the deal is rejected. Theresa May warned Tories that Jeremy Corbyn could end up in Downing Street if her Brexit deal is defeated (Stefan Rousseau/PA) It would mean grave uncertainty for the nation with a very real risk of no Brexit or leaving the European Union with no deal, she told the Mail on Sunday. We have a leader of the Opposition who thinks of nothing but attempting to bring about a general election, no matter what the cost to the country. As someone who cares passionately about my country and my party, I believe Jeremy Corbyn getting his hands on power is a risk we cannot afford to take. Mr Corbyn told ITV News the Prime Ministers Brexit deal was ridiculous adding: Its going to be defeated, I hope, on Tuesday. At that point theyve got to go back, negotiate something that is acceptable, which does protect rights and conditions, which does give us that trade access, or theyve got to get out of the way, have an election so that it will be a government here that will be serious about those negotiations. Reports suggested Mrs May could make an emergency trip to Brussels ahead of a planned summit on Thursday in an effort to secure further concessions in an effort to win over critics of her plan. I had a phone call with PM @theresa_may. It will be an important week for the fate of #Brexit. Charles Michel (@eucopresident) December 9, 2018 The Prime Minister spoke to European Council president Donald Tusk on Sunday although Downing Street insisted it was a routine call ahead of the summit. He said it would be a an important week for the fate of Brexit. She also spoke to Irelands Taoiseach Leo Varadkar about the current situation and the planned vote on Tuesday. Tory MP Will Quince has quit as a ministerial aide over Theresa Mays Brexit plan (Chris McAndrew/UK Parliament/(Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC BY 3.0)/PA) Tory MP Will Quince quit as a ministerial aide to Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson, while the Sunday Telegraph reported that another parliamentary private secretary was on the verge of quitting and Cabinet Brexiteer Penny Mordaunt was considering whether to back the deal or resign. She has not backed Mrs Mays deal yet but has said she supports the Prime Minister. Meanwhile Defence Minister Tobias Ellwood said he would back the deal but indicated that unless it was passed quickly he might support a second referendum because the original decision to Leave may no longer represent a reflection of current intent. THE MEANINGFUL VOTE I voted to remain in the EU. Where we are today is not where I wanted to be. But Im first and foremost a democrat. Our nations strength is our commitment to democracy. pic.twitter.com/RRx6G9nRVz Tobias Ellwood MP (@Tobias_Ellwood) December 8, 2018 Other ministers including Work and Pensions Secretary Amber Rudd have suggested that a Norway-plus deal keeping the UK in the single market and a customs union could be a plausible alternative if Mrs Mays plan is rejected. Any defeat would lead to fresh questions about Mrs Mays political future. Former work and pensions secretary Esther McVey said she would give the prospect of standing as leader serious concern and suggested that Brexiteers should unite around a single candidate. Work and Pensions Secretary Amber Rudd who has voiced support for a Norway-style model as an alternative to the Prime Ministers Brexit deal (Stefan Rousseau/PA) Mr Johnson pointedly refused to rule out challenging Mrs May, although he insisted it was nonsense to suggest he was already lining up members of his Cabinet. Asked to give an absolute, categorical promise that he would not stand against the Prime Minister, Mr Johnson told the BBCs Andrew Marr Show: I will give you an absolute, categorical promise that I will continue to advocate what I think is the most sensible plan. Former Brexit secretary Dominic Raab told Sky Newss Sophy Ridge On Sunday Ive always said I wouldnt rule it out but it would be very self-indulgent to be engaging in all that speculation when weve got such a big issue up for decision on Tuesday. Former attorney general Dominic Grieve suggested that the Tory party could split over Brexit. (PA Graphics) But Brexit minister Kwasi Kwarteng rejected the prospect of a full schism although he acknowledged some MPs may quit the party. I think one or two people might leave, I dont know who they will be, he told BBC Radio 5 Lives Pienaars Politics. They might decide to retire or they might decide to abandon the party whip, that has happened before. Responding to speculation that Mrs May could delay Tuesdays vote in an effort to secure fresh concessions from Brussels or win over wavering MPs, Brexit Secretary Mr Barclay insisted it would go ahead as planned. He told the Andrew Marr Show: Weve got the vote on Tuesday. Theres still two full days of debate. Asked if the vote was 100% happening on Tuesday he replied: It is. Labour is considering its options if Mrs May is defeated and would hold talks with other opposition parties about how to proceed. "It's not about following events" - @SophyRidgeSky pushes Shadow Cabinet Office Minister @jon_trickett over why Labour is refusing to take a stance on the outcome of the Brexit vote - but he did confirm Labour are ready to form a minority government #Ridge pic.twitter.com/BAgjqV3JaQ Trevor Phillips on Sunday (@RidgeOnSunday) December 9, 2018 The party wants a general election but shadow Cabinet Office minister Jon Trickett said Mr Corbyn would be prepared to lead a minority government this week. Mr Trickett told Sky: Our preferred option, very, very strongly, is that we refresh the Parliament though we are ready to form a minority government should that be necessary and it could happen on Wednesday morning. The man accused of killing British backpacker Grace Millane was living at the same New Zealand hotel where she was last seen alive, court documents have shown. The defendant, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was listed on a charge sheet as residing at the CityLife Hotel on Queen Street in central Auckland. The 26-year-old man appeared at Auckland District Court on Monday charged with murdering the backpacker, from Essex, between December 1 and 2. The New Zealand Herald reported that Judge Evangelos Thomas told members of the Millane family, who were in court: Your grief must be desperate. All of us hope justice for Grace is fair, swift and ultimately brings you some peace. (PA Graphics) The hearing came after Ms Millanes body was found near a beauty spot on the outskirts of Auckland. Detective Inspector Scott Beard, of Auckland City Police, has said formal identification would take place on Monday, although based on the evidence we have gathered over the past few days we expect that this is Grace. Detectives said they had identified a location of interest after the investigation led them to a spot on Scenic Drive, a country road about 12 miles west of the city centre, on Saturday night. Speaking at the scene on Sunday afternoon, Mr Beard said investigators had located a body which we believe to be Grace about 10 metres from the roadside. Grace Millane was travelling in New Zealand when she went missing (Auckland City Police) The last confirmed sighting of Ms Millane was at 9.41pm on December 1, the day before her birthday, at the CityLife Hotel, when she was seen with a male companion. Since arriving in New Zealand from Peru on November 20, she had been in near-daily contact with her family. Police received a missing person report on Wednesday and began a major search and public campaign that saw dozens of calls made to a helpline. Ms Millanes father, David Millane, flew to Auckland and made a public appeal for help finding his daughter, who he described as lovely, outgoing, fun-loving (and) family-orientated. Her brother, Declan Millane, paid tribute by sharing pictures on social media of him and his sister, adding the lyrics of You Are My Sunshine. He wrote on Instagram: You are my sunshine, my only sunshine. You make me happy when skies are gray. Youll never know, dear, how much I love you. Please dont take my sunshine away. Police stand along a section of Scenic Drive in the Waitakere Ranges outside Auckland (Doug Sherring/New Zealand Herald via AP) A stretch of the road was closed on Sunday while forensics officers scoured the area. Two large blue and white tents had been erected and investigators wearing white overalls were seen nearby. Scenic Drive snakes through dense rainforest in the Waitakere Ranges, which lie to the west of Auckland. The spot where police found the body is in the vicinity of the Waitakere Reservoir and dam, a beauty spot with hiking trails. Mr Beard said investigators were analysing a hire car as part of the probe. A red Toyota Corolla hatchback was hired from a central Auckland rental firm just before lunchtime on December 2, the day after Ms Millane was last seen alive. It was later found in Taupo, a town around 170 miles from Auckland. Police have appealed for sightings of the car in the west Auckland area between 6.30am and 9.30am on Monday. Theresa Mays leadership is under intense pressure as MPs return to Westminster ahead of Tuesdays Brexit showdown. The Prime Ministers political future appears uncertain if she loses but her credibility would also suffer a serious blow if she attempts to postpone the Commons vote. Downing Street insisted the vote would go ahead as planned on Tuesday and Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay said it was 100% happening. But rumours continued to swirl at Westminster that Mrs May could decide at the 11th hour to avoid a potentially heavy defeat if Tory whips cannot limit the revolt over her Brexit deal and the controversial Irish backstop arrangement. Taoiseach @campaignforleo and Prime Minister @Theresa_May May spoke by phone this evening. They discussed the current situation on #Brexit, including the planned vote in Westminster on Tuesday. They also discussed preparation for this week's European Council. MerrionStreet.ie (@merrionstreet) December 9, 2018 Debate on the plan will resume in the Commons on Monday, and Mrs May was warned not to give MPs the impression she lacks appetite for the fight. Calls to European Council president Donald Tusk and Taoiseach Leo Varadkar on Sunday prompted speculation that efforts to find a way of reassuring backbenchers over the backstop contingency measures aimed at preventing a hard border on the island of Ireland were ongoing. Mr Tusk said: It will be an important week for the fate of Brexit. The Irish government said that in the call with Mr Varadkar the two leaders discussed the current situation on Brexit, including the planned vote in Westminster on Tuesday. I had a phone call with PM @theresa_may. It will be an important week for the fate of #Brexit. Charles Michel (@eucopresident) December 9, 2018 Downing Street did not publicise either call but insisted the conversation with Mr Tusk was a routine discussion ahead of Thursdays summit of EU leaders in Brussels. Northern Ireland Secretary Karen Bradley issued a plea to move on from the bitter Brexit rows, highlighting the benefits of the peace process as an example of what happens when division can be overcome. When the dust settles on Brexit, we must move forward in order that we can put some of the division about the nature of our countrys relationship with the European Union behind us, she wrote in the Guardian. Northern Ireland, in particular, knows the damage that division can do, and the benefits when that division can be overcome. But the splits in the Tory ranks appeared even deeper after three former ministers publicly failed to rule out leadership bids and serving members of Mrs Mays Cabinet appeared to be jockeying for position to replace her. (PA Graphics) Former foreign secretary Boris Johnson pointedly refused to rule out challenging Mrs May, although he insisted it was nonsense to suggest he was already lining up members of his cabinet. Asked to give an absolute, categorical promise that he would not stand against the Prime Minister, Mr Johnson told the BBCs Andrew Marr Show: I will give you an absolute, categorical promise that I will continue to advocate what I think is the most sensible plan. Ex-work and pensions secretary Esther McVey said she would seriously consider a run for the leadership if asked by colleagues to stand, while former Brexit secretary Dominic Raab refused to rule out his own bid for the top job. The sense of crisis has heightened expectations that the 48 letters required to trigger a confidence vote could be submitted to the Tory backbench 1922 Committee this week. An unnamed former Cabinet minister told The Times: I would be astonished if we dont get to 48 this week. The newspaper reported that Home Secretary Sajid Javid and Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt are sounding out possible supporters. (PA Graphics) Meanwhile International Development Secretary Penny Mordaunt is reportedly considering her position over the Brexit plan she has so far failed to publicly back the Withdrawal Agreement, although she has voiced support for the Prime Minister. The Daily Telegraph reported that Chief Whip Julian Smith was now among ministers urging Mrs May to postpone the vote he had previously admitted he faced an uphill challenge to win round potential rebels. But Tory MP Johnny Mercer, a former soldier, told BBC Radio 4s Westminster Hour: It would be pretty disheartening to see the Government pull this vote on Tuesday because it indicates a lack of appetite for the fight that is needed to gain respect in these situations. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn told ITV News that pulling the vote would be a sign of absolute desperation by Mrs May. The Government has 'lost the confidence of the Commons' and there should be a General Election, Jeremy Corbyn tells ITV News. He adds Labour remains determined to mount a vote of confidence in the Government, whether the Brexit vote is pulled or nothttps://t.co/UbMQdsubaK pic.twitter.com/JYhcAo2GxK ITV News (@itvnews) December 9, 2018 Labour will discuss how to respond to a defeat for Mrs May with other opposition parties at Westminster. One option said to be under consideration would be a motion of no confidence in Mrs May personally something that is thought to be more likely to gain support from Conservative rebels than a motion of no confidence in the government which could bring down the Tory administration. The lack of devolved government in Northern Ireland is hampering efforts to transform the regions peace walls, according to the chairman of the International Fund for Ireland. There are an estimated 116 barriers separating unionist and nationalist communities across Northern Ireland. The largest peace wall in Belfast in Cupar Way, which separates the nationalist Falls area and the unionist Shankill area of the city (PA Archive) They are mostly located in Belfast but are also present in Londonderry as well as Co Armagh towns Lurgan and Portadown. A small number have been removed or transformed, including one at a former flashpoint in Ardoyne, north Belfast, in 2016. A peace wall at the top of the Crumlin Road in Belfast opposite Holy Cross Church in 2016. (Colm Lenaghan/PA) It was transformed to lower height black metal railings following agreement between the local communities. A former peace wall on the Crumlin Road following transformation in 2016. (Colm Lenaghan/PA) Dr Adrian Johnston, chairman of the International Fund for Ireland (IFI) said progress on other barriers has slowed significantly in the absence of power-sharing government. He told Press Association that at the start of 2018, there were 12 barriers they hoped to see progress on. As the year went on he said it became clear there could have been movement on seven barriers if an aftercare strategy had been put in place by government to reassure communities who are ready for change. In 2011, the peace wall gate in Alexandra Park in north Belfast started to be opened regularly. Dr Johnston said those residents are now ready to make further progress but this has stalled due to the political stasis. He also said there has been developments in other interfaces in north Belfast as well as some residents prepared to have protective metal grilles on house windows transformed. Dr Johnston said political leadership, a strategy and the guarantee of an aftercare package to reassure communities are needed. The Northern Ireland Assembly has been in suspension since January 2017 following a breakdown in relations between the Democratic Unionists and Sinn Fein. Our Peace Walls Programme has been working with interface communities since 2012, Dr Johnston said. We are calling for appropriate levels of support for all communities in interface areas once walls are removed or softened. If support isnt offered, progress in peace building may be negatively affected, which could lead to residents losing faith in the process on the ground. The IFI also funds projects that aim to transform local communities. Dr Johnston said the lack of political leadership has helped paramilitary organisations on both sides of Northern Irelands divide to target young people. He also said the ongoing uncertainty around Brexit has caused insecurity around political identity among border communities in Ireland. On Monday, the IFI announced details of its latest funding package, pledging a 2.6m investment in 17 projects across Ireland which seek to deliver positive change. This includes 652,828 to five projects in the Peace Walls Programme across Belfast and Londonderry. Dr Johnston warned the fund alone cannot deliver on the scale that is needed without support. The most marginalised sections of our society are being further impacted by not resolving the long-term issues they continue to face as a legacy of the past, he said. We know that the IFI must continue to engage in communities where others arent in order to achieve positive, lasting transformation. Without support from other key organisations or government, the fund alone cannot deliver on the scale that is required. Trump has expressed concern that he could be impeached when Democrats take over House; CNN quoted a source close to president as saying. Trump is facing off against a series of accusations put together by a team of investigators. (Photo: File) Washington: US President Donald Trump sees his impeachment as a "real possibility" over finance violations during the 2016 campaign, according to a media report. Impeachment talks have ratcheted up in recent days following a blockbuster filing from prosecutors in the Southern District of New York in which they directly alleged for the first time that Trump's former attorney Michael Cohen was being directed by the president when he broke the law during the 2016 presidential campaign, CNN said. Trump has expressed concern that he could be impeached when Democrats take over the House; CNN quoted a source close to the president as saying. Trump is facing off against a series of accusations put together by a team of investigators. Special counsel Robert Mueller has launched an 18-month investigation into the legitimacy of Donald Trump's 2016 election win. A source close to the White House told CNN that aides inside the West Wing believe "the only issue that may stick" in the impeachment process is the campaign finance violations tied to former Cohen's payouts to Trump's alleged mistresses, according to the report. Prosecutors said Trump's lawyer clearly sought to influence the outcome of the 2016 election from the sidelines through illicit payments. Under US federal law, any payments made for the "purpose of influencing" an election must be reported in campaign finance disclosures. Prosecutors said Cohen took great steps to hide the payments, creating shell companies, using fake invoices and sending them in small amounts so they wouldn't arouse suspicion. He arranged for a USD 130,000 payment to adult film star Daniels, which prosecutors concluded violated campaign finance law prohibitions against donations of more than USD 2,700 in a general election. Trump has denied all wrongdoing and compared the investigations to a witch hunt. Democrats are suggesting Trump committed an impeachable offence and could be sent to prison when his term in the White House is over. The incoming chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, Jerry Nadler, said Sunday the allegations, if proven, would constitute "impeachable offences." Democratic Senator Chris Coons said on Monday Trump could be indicted after he leaves office. Cohen first made the allegation in court in September that he was directed by Trump to make the payments to the two women, Stormy Daniels and Karen McDougal. Prosecutors endorsed the allegation in a sentencing document for Cohen on Friday, in which they said Cohen should receive a "substantial sentence" for the crimes he committed, which included campaign finance violations for the payments to the two women, tax fraud and lying to Congress. White House officials, at the moment, still don't believe special counsel Mueller's investigation into possible collusion will result in impeachment. Officials are also comforted by their belief that the campaign finance issue is not seen as enough to galvanize bipartisan support for impeachment, the report said. Another separate source said Trump remains confident at this point that, while he could be impeached in the House, he doesn't believe he would be convicted in the Senate as the Republicans remains in control there. The campaign finance issue tied to the alleged mistresses is not viewed as having the firepower to trigger a bipartisan vote for conviction and removal in the Senate, the source said. These beliefs about the politics at play in impeachment proceedings are based on what White House officials believe Mueller has on Trump right now. It's still unclear exactly where else the special counsel's probe could go, the report said. Proposed changes to fishing legislation will ensure the industry prospers as the UK leaves the EU, Scottish Secretary David Mundell said. Mr Mundell said the UK Government will table an amendment to the Fisheries Bill which will make it a legal obligation for ministers to pursue a better share of fishing rights than the UK currently receives under the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP). According to the Scotland Office, between 2012 and 2016 other EU member states vessels landed about 760,000 tonnes of fish caught in UK waters a year, with UK vessels landing approximately 90,000 tonnes caught in other member states waters. Speaking ahead of a visit to Peterhead fish market in Aberdeenshire on Monday, Mr Mundell announced 37.2 million of extra funding as new fishing arrangements are put in place, with Scotlands share at 16.4 million. He said: This change to the Fisheries Bill creates a watertight commitment to getting the best possible deal for Scotlands fishermen and their communities and should give them a great deal of confidence about the future. The extra funding announced today will also help support our fishermen over the implementation period. These announcements are great news for Scotland and will help the sector as it gets ready to take full advantage of the many benefits leaving the EU will have for our fishermen. David Mundell announced extra cash for fisherman (Jane Barlow/PA) The announcement was welcomed by the Scottish Fishermens Federation. Chief executive Bertie Armstrong said: The industry remains adamant that there must be no link between access to UK waters and trade with the EU. We look forward to contributing to UK and Scottish Government consultations on allocation of the additional funding both for transition and after Brexit to help manage expansion of the sector. As we move into a new era of fisheries management, the SFF is committed to ensuring that Brexit benefits fishermen who operate vessels of all sizes right across our coastal communities. Scotlands Fisheries Secretary Fergus Ewing has meanwhile written to UK ministers voicing concerns over what he said was potential damage to Scotlands aquaculture and seafood interests in the current EU withdrawal agreement. In a letter to Environment Secretary Michael Gove, he wrote: The Withdrawal Agreement reached by the UK Government risks being very damaging to Scotlands aquaculture and wider seafood interests, with its explicit linkage of trade and access to UK waters in direct contradiction to what was promised in the UK Governments White Paper on Fisheries. Despite the Prime Ministers claims, a direct link between seafood trade and access to waters has been conceded, allowing for exclusion of fisheries and aquaculture from tariff-free access through a temporary customs union under the backstop, if a fisheries agreement acceptable to the EU cannot be achieved. Worse still, aquaculture has been included in this linkage despite having no connection to access to waters or quota. He added: At a time when we should be actively encouraging investment in Scotlands economy, the UK Government has elected to go down a path that only sows the seeds of doubt and confusion. The Withdrawal Agreement has the potential to set one vital Scottish sector against another, and shows a complete disregard for these key Scottish interests. A Defra spokeswoman said: As the Scottish Governments own report in June noted, the gains for the UK economy from receiving a fairer share of fishing opportunities are significant and outweigh the negative impact of a possible increase in tariff and non-tariff barriers. However, the UK Government has been clear that it will secure the most frictionless trade possible in goods between the UK and EU as part of our Future Economic Partnership. Royal Bank of Scotland has launched an investigation into bullying following claims from a whistleblower that harassment is rife at the state-backed lender. Staff are subjected to persistent intimidation, threats and humiliation amid a culture of bullying, according to private emails seen by the Press Association. The allegations are linked to the troubled Amethyst project, which has become the focus of a wide-ranging investigation by RBS, and involve two senior managers. It is claimed that workers on the project faced a two-pronged attack, one based on personal intimidation and another in which they were forced to change the outcomes of cases to manipulate figures sent to the Financial Conduct Authority. One source at the bank with direct knowledge of the matter told PA on condition of anonymity: There is a persistent and normally deliberate misuse of power or position to intimidate, humiliate or undermine. It is all mentally, intimidation, manipulating you, by saying if you dont do this, you will lose your job. Do it our way, even if it is wrong, as we are in charge, and do as you are told. RBS has been accused of fostering a culture of bullying (PA) Nothing has yet been done about the individuals. This is then interlinked with the overall bullying culture within the project and this is to do within the work itself. The whistleblower, who has reported the abuse to chief executive Ross McEwan and his heir apparent Alison Rose, has also cast doubt on the probe being carried out by RBS, which he claimed is not independent. The Amethyst project was set up to carry out complex investment reviews of ISAs, funds, bonds, pensions and tax planning products. Upper management bullied people into making decisions that they know are incorrect. If you dont do exactly as told, even when you know it is wrong, they will just get rid of you, and have done so, the source added. The whistleblower has also offered to write a report into the projects overall failings, but has been rebuffed by RBS. An RBS spokesman said: RBS takes whistleblowing very seriously. The bank was made aware of a series of allegations in July, of which this is one, and is investigating them thoroughly. No conclusions have been reached at this stage but the appropriate action will be taken if any of the allegations are substantiated. Any instances of bullying are unacceptable. Staff engagement scores across the bank are at the highest level since records began over a decade ago, with more than 90% of our staff knowing how to raise concerns about employee wrongdoing or misconduct and agreeing that people are treated with respect regardless of their job. These figures have improved year on year and are above the industry average. The damning revelations come after PA revealed the bank is probing allegations of cronyism after a whistleblower claimed the lender appointed a man to a top role on the basis that he is the friend of a senior staff member. RBS was also exposed for paying contractors on the project 400 a day to stuff envelopes, typically a minimum wage role. Under Mr McEwan, the lender, still 62% owned by the Government, has pledged to cut costs and stamp out scandals. Since the financial crisis, RBS has been dogged by a furore surrounding the mis-selling of payment protection insurance (PPI), mortgage-backed securities and the mistreatment of small businesses. In addition, Mr McEwan has taken an axe to the RBS branch network as part of cost-cutting measures, resulting in hundreds of job losses. The European Court of Justice is to deliver its ruling on whether the UK can unilaterally revoke its withdrawal from the EU. Mondays ruling comes less than a week after an ECJ advocate general rejected the contention that Article 50 only allows the possibility of revocation following a unanimous decision of the European Council. Instead, Manuel Campos Sanchez-Bordona said Article 50 allows the unilateral revocation of the notification of the intention to withdraw from the EU, until such time as the Withdrawal Agreement is formally concluded. The ECJ ruling comes ahead of Tuesdays crunch vote on the Prime Ministers Brexit deal. The case to decide whether an EU member state such as the UK can decide on its own to revoke the Article 50 withdrawal process was brought by a cross-party group of Scottish politicians. They are Labour MEPs Catherine Stihler and David Martin, Joanna Cherry MP and Alyn Smith MEP of the SNP, and Green MSPs Andy Wightman and Ross Greer, together with lawyer Jolyon Maugham QC, director of the Good Law Project. A European Court will rule on whether the UK could unilaterally revoke the EU withdrawal process (Tim Ireland/PA) They argue unilateral revocation is possible and believe it could pave the way for an alternative option to Brexit, such as a Peoples Vote to enable remaining in the EU. However, legal representatives for the UK Government believe the case is inadmissible as it deals with a hypothetical situation, since the Governments policy is not to revoke Article 50. #Brexit: the ruling on the reversibility of #Article50 TEU (case C-621/18 Wightman) will be delivered on 10th December at 9 CET EU Court of Justice (@EUCourtPress) December 6, 2018 Lawyers representing the Council of the European Union and from the European Commission meanwhile argue that revocation is possible but would require unanimous agreement from all member states. Joanna Cherry tweeted: Judgment in #CJEU Scottish case brought by myself @andywightman @C_Stihler_MEP @AlynSmith @Ross_Greer @davidmartinmep & @JolyonMaugham to establish #Art50 can be revoked will be given at 8am tomorrow. UK Govt have fought us all the way #Brexit #PeoplesVote. The case was originally heard by the Court of Session in Edinburgh and two attempts by the UK Government to appeal against the referral to the European court were rejected. Once the ECJ has delivered its ruling the case will be referred back to the Court of Session, where judges are expected to frank the decision and declare the European Courts answer to be the law on the matter. New Zealands prime minister Jacinda Ardern has given an emotional apology to the family of British backpacker Grace Millane, saying: Your daughter should have been safe here, and she wasnt, and Im sorry for that. Ms Millane, 22, went missing from a hostel in Auckland on December 1 and a body was found in the Waitakere Ranges on Sunday. A 26-year-old man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, has been charged with murder and appeared in an Auckland court on Monday. Speaking to reporters about the death, Ms Ardern said: I cannot imagine the grief of her family and what they would be experiencing and feeling right now. My thoughts and prayers are with her father David, who is in the country, her mother Gillian, who cannot be here, and her wider family, friends and loved ones. From the Kiwis I have spoken to, there is this overwhelming sense of hurt and shame that this has happened in our country, a place that prides itself on our hospitality, on our manaakitanga (a Maori term meaning kindness and generosity) especially to those who are visiting our shores. (PA Graphics) Appearing to become choked with emotion, the PM added: So on behalf of New Zealand, I want to apologise to Graces family. Your daughter should have been safe here, and she wasnt, and Im sorry for that. Earlier on Monday her alleged murderer, who can not be named, faced court for the first time. Judge Evangelos Thomas told members of the Millane family, who were in court: Your grief must be desperate. All of us hope justice for Grace is fair, swift and ultimately brings you some peace. Flowers lie near where the body of missing British tourist Grace Millane was discovered (Doug Sherring/New Zealand Herald/AP) Documents submitted to the court suggested police believe the University of Lincoln graduate was killed between December 1 and 2, her birthday. A charge sheet also listed the suspect as living at the hotel where she was last seen alive. The disappearance of the British backpacker is being treated as a suspected murder, police said (Lucie Blackman Trust/PA) Detectives said they had identified a location of interest after the investigation led them to a spot on Scenic Drive, a country road about 12 miles west of the city centre, on Saturday night. Speaking at the scene on Sunday afternoon, Detective Inspector Scott Beard said investigators had located a body which we believe to be Grace about 10 metres from the roadside. The last confirmed sighting of Ms Millane was at 9.41pm on December 1, the day before her birthday, at the Citylife Hotel, when she was seen with a male companion. Since arriving in New Zealand from Peru on November 20, she had been in near-daily contact with her family. Police received a missing person report on Wednesday and began a major search and public campaign that saw dozens of calls made to a helpline. Ms Millanes father, David Millane, flew to Auckland and made a public appeal for help finding his daughter, who he described as lovely, outgoing, fun-loving (and) family-orientated. Her brother, Declan Millane, paid tribute by sharing pictures on social media of him and his sister, adding the lyrics of You Are My Sunshine. He wrote on Instagram: You are my sunshine, my only sunshine. You make me happy when skies are gray. Youll never know, dear, how much I love you. Please dont take my sunshine away. The party of Armenias new prime minister has a commanding lead in Sundays snap parliamentary election, early returns show, an outcome that would help further consolidate his power. The charismatic 43-year-old Nikol Pashinian took office in May after spearheading massive protests that forced his predecessor to step down. Mr Pashinian has pushed for an early vote to win control of a parliament that was dominated by his political foes. An ex-journalist turned politician, Mr Pashinian has won broad popularity, tapping into public anger over widespread poverty, high unemployment and rampant corruption in the landlocked former Soviet nation of three million that borders Georgia, Azerbaijan, Turkey and Iran. With 29 out of the nations 2,010 precincts counted, Mr Pashinians My Step had 59% of the vote, while the Republican Party that controlled the old parliament was a distant fourth with just 5%. The pro-business Prosperous Armenia party was coming second with 15% of the ballot, and the nationalist Dashnaktsutyun party was winning about 10%. By the time the polls closed at 8pm on Sunday (1600 GMT) 49% of the nations eligible voters had cast ballots. Full preliminary results are expected on Monday. Mr Pashinian Pashinian has blasted members of the old elite (Vahan Stepanyan/PAN Photo via AP) Mr Pashinian exuded confidence after casting his ballot in Yerevan, saying that he was sure that his party would win a majority in parliament. During the month-long campaign, Mr Pashinian has blasted members of the old elite as corrupt, and pledged to revive the economy, create new jobs and encourage more Armenians to return home. An economic revolution is our top priority, Mr Pashinian told reporters Sunday. Armenia has suffered from an economic blockade stemming from the conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh, a region of Azerbaijan that has been under the control of ethnic Armenian forces backed by Armenia since the end of a six-year separatist war in 1994. Attempts to negotiate a peace settlement have stalled and fighting has occasionally flared up between ethnic Armenian forces and Azerbaijans soldiers. Both Azerbaijan and Turkey have closed their borders with Armenia over the conflict, cutting trade and leaving Armenia in semi-isolation. The country has direct land access only to Georgia and Iran. About one-third of Armenias population has moved to live and work abroad and remittances from those who have left account for around 14% of the countrys annual GDP. After seven months on the job, Mr Pashinian has remained widely popular, particularly among the young. Pashinian has put fresh blood in our veins. I believe in the future of Armenia, said computer expert Grigor Meliksetian, 24. Others were not so optimistic. Bella Nazarian, an entrepreneur, said Mr Pashinian has skilfully manipulated public hopes. Hes a populist and a liar, she said. I believe that peoples eyes will open as early as the coming spring. Mr Pashinian was the driving force behind the protests that erupted in April when Serzh Sargsyan, who had served as Armenias president for a decade, moved into the prime ministers seat, a move seen by critics as an attempt to hold on to power. Thousands of protesters led by Mr Pashinian thronged the Armenian capital, and Mr Sargsyan resigned after only six days in the job. Theresa Mays Brexit deal looks set to be put to the vote on Tuesday, the culmination of a heated five-day debate in Westminster. Here is how this week is expected to play out for the Prime Minister and Britains departure from the EU. Laying down the law Brexit looks as if it will make headlines from the start, with the European Court of Justice due to rule on Monday morning whether the UK can unilaterally revoke Article 50. Campaigners say that if the ECJ rules the UK can unilaterally revoke Brexit it could give the country the option to stop the clock on leaving the EU as it would give an alternative to the options of the Prime Ministers deal or no-deal. The European Parliament building in Brussels (John Walton/PA) Clear the lobby Parliament will sit again on Monday to resume the Brexit debate, with a vote scheduled to take place on Tuesday. Following a weekend of pressure on Mrs May about the details of the deal, Downing Street could make some concessions on certain parts of the blueprint for Britains exit. Should the Prime Minister not secure a victory in the vote, then interest will turn to the numbers. Conservatives could send the 48 letters needed to the 1922 Committee to force a leadership contest and Labour could also table a vote of no confidence in Mrs May. PMQs The weekly spectacle of Prime Ministers Questions is scheduled for Wednesday at 12pm. How the vote goes on Tuesday will govern whether Mrs May can use the occasion to hail a historic victory, or will be left facing enormous pressure to explain what comes next for Brexit. Return to Brussels The Prime Minister is due to head to the Belgian capital on Thursday for the European Council summit. Brexit is not on the agenda instead the EUs long-term budget, single market, migration and external relations are up for discussion but should the vote not go Mrs Mays way, she could look to secure concessions in Brussels. The Supreme Court is to rule on whether the EU Exit Bill passed by the Scottish Parliament in March is constitutional (Fiona Hanson/PA) Court in the act The highest court in the UK the Supreme Court will rule on Thursday on a challenge brought over Brexit legislation passed by the Scottish devolved administration. The court has been asked to rule on whether the EU Exit Bill passed by the Scottish Parliament in March is constitutional and properly within devolved legislative powers. Former Nissan chairman Carlos Ghosn, another executive and the carmaker itself have been charged by prosecutors in Tokyo with under-reporting income. The charges imposed on Monday involve allegations Ghosns pay was under-reported by about five billion yen (34 million) over five years. The prosecutors had said earlier that the allegations were behind Ghosns November 19 arrest. They added a new set of allegations on Monday against Ghosn and another executive, Greg Kelly, of under-reporting another four billion yen (28 million) for more recent years. Nissan as a company was not mentioned in the latest allegations. In Japan, a company can be charged with wrongdoing. Carlos Ghosn was sent to Nissan by its partner Renault SA of France in 1999 (Eugene Hoshiko/AP) Some kind of action by the prosecutors had been expected because the detention period allowed for the allegations disclosed earlier was to end on Monday. Kelly, 62, is suspected of having collaborated with Ghosn. Kellys lawyer in the US said he is asserting his innocence. Ghosn has not commented. He has been ousted as Nissan chairman and Kelly lost his representative director title following their arrests, but they both remain on the board. Ghosn, 64, was sent to Nissan by its partner Renault SA of France in 1999 and led a dramatic turnaround of the near-bankrupt Japanese carmaker. But Ghosns star-level pay drew attention since executives in Japan tend to be paid far less than their international counterparts. Only Ghosns lawyers and embassy officials from Lebanon, France and Brazil, where he has citizenship, have been allowed to visit him. Nissan said in a statement: Nissan takes this situation extremely seriously. Making false disclosures in annual securities reports greatly harms the integrity of Nissans public disclosures in the securities markets, and the company expresses its deepest regret. The statement said Nissan would work to improve its corporate governance and compliance, including making accurate disclosures of corporate information. Meanwhile, the Securities and Exchange Commission said it had filed criminal complaints against Ghosn, Nissan and Kelly. A commission official said on Monday that Nissan, Ghosn and Kelly were suspected of falsifying reports on millions of dollars worth of Ghosns income. The European Court of Justice (ECJ) has ruled that the UK can unilaterally revoke its withdrawal from the EU. The court found that if the UK does decide to revoke Article 50 and stop the Brexit process it would remain in the EU as a member state and the revocation must be decided following democratic process. In a statement, the ECJ said: In todays judgment, the full court has ruled that, when a member state has notified the European Council of its intention to withdraw from the European Union, as the UK has done, that member state is free to revoke unilaterally that notification. That possibility exists for as long as a withdrawal agreement concluded between the EU and that member state has not entered into force or, if no such agreement has been concluded, for as long as the two-year period from the date of the notification of the intention to withdraw from the EU, and any possible extension, has not expired. It added: The revocation must be decided following a democratic process in accordance with national constitutional requirements. This unequivocal and unconditional decision must be communicated in writing to the European Council. #ECJ: UK is free to unilaterally revoke the notification of its intention to withdraw from the EU Case C-621/18 Wightman #Brexit pic.twitter.com/KUOI2eQ48C EU Court of Justice (@EUCourtPress) December 10, 2018 The ECJ ruling comes ahead of Tuesdays crunch vote on Prime Minister Theresa Mays Brexit deal. The court ruled, contrary to the UK Governments position, that the case is relevant and not hypothetical. However, the UK Government has said it does not plan to revoke Article 50 and Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt said of the case: Its irrelevant because just imagine how the 52% of the country who voted for Brexit would feel if any British government were to delay leaving the EU on March 29. People would be shocked and very angry and it is certainly not the intention of the Government. The case was brought by a cross-party group of Scottish politicians, Labour MEPs Catherine Stihler and David Martin, SNP MP Joanna Cherry and MEP Alyn Smith, and Green MSPs Andy Wightman and Ross Greer, together with lawyer Jolyon Maugham QC, director of the Good Law Project. They argued that unilateral revocation is possible and believe it could pave the way for an alternative option to Brexit, such as a Peoples Vote to enable remaining in the EU. Lawyers representing the Council of the European Union and from the European Commission argued that revocation is possible but would require unanimous agreement from all member states. The case was originally heard by the Court of Session in Edinburgh and two attempts by the UK Government to appeal against the referral to the European Court were rejected. The case will be referred back to the Court of Session, where judges are expected to frank the decision and declare the European Courts answer to be the law on the matter. Mr Wightman hailed the momentous ruling, saying: It is now clear that the UK can, if it chooses, change its mind and revert to our current EU membership arrangements. MPs now know that stopping Brexit altogether is an option open to them before the end of the Article 50 period. Parliament can now back a Peoples Vote in the knowledge that a Remain outcome could be acted on unilaterally, should that be what people decide. (PA Graphics) Environment Secretary Michael Gove told BBC Radio 4s Today programme: We voted very clearly 17.4 million people sent a clear message that we wanted to leave the European Union and that means also leaving the jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice. So, this case is all very well but it doesnt alter either the referendum vote or the clear intention of the Government to make sure that we leave on March 29. Remaining in the EU is still on the table after the European Court of Justice ruled that the UK can unilaterally revoke its withdrawal from the EU, cross-party politicians have said. Labour MEP Catherine Stihler, one of those who brought the case, said the ruling paves the way for the disastrous Brexit process to be brought to a halt. The case was brought forward in February by a group of Scottish politicians Labour MEPs Ms Stihler and David Martin, the SNPs Joanna Cherry MP and Alyn Smith MEP, Green MSPs Andy Wightman and Ross Greer, and lawyer Jolyon Maugham QC, director of the Good Law Project. The European Court of Justice (ECJ) found that if the UK does decide to revoke Article 50 and stop the Brexit process, it would remain in the EU as a member state and the revocation must be decided following democratic process. The ECJ ruling issued on Monday comes ahead of Tuesdays crunch vote on Prime Minister Theresa Mays Brexit deal. First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said that extending Article 50 to allow for another vote and then revoking it if the outcome was Remain now seemed an option open to the House of Commons. Mr Smith said: Our case has confirmed, once and for all and from the highest court in the business, that the UK can indeed change its mind on Brexit and revoke Article 50 unilaterally. The timing is sublime. As colleagues in the House of Commons consider Mrs Mays disastrous deal, we now have a road map out of this Brexit shambles. A bright light has switched on above an exit sign. So an extension of Article 50 to allow time for another vote, followed by revocation of Article 50 if the outcome is Remain seems to be an option that is now open to the House of Commons. #ECJ Nicola Sturgeon (@NicolaSturgeon) December 10, 2018 Ms Cherry said the ruling was a huge victory for Scottish parliamentarians and Scottish courts, while Mr Wightman called it a welcome decision. Ms Stihler said: This historic ruling paves the way for the disastrous Brexit process to be brought to a halt. We now know, beyond any doubt, that Westminster can revoke its withdrawal from the European Union. This has been a lengthy and expensive legal process, but the result proves that it was worthwhile. When MPs vote on Theresa Mays Brexit deal, they now know they can ultimately choose to stop Brexit and keep the best deal we currently have as a full member of the EU. I am increasingly confident that is what will happen if MPs agree to a Peoples Vote, which is what the country now urgently needs. #ECJ: UK is free to unilaterally revoke the notification of its intention to withdraw from the EU Case C-621/18 Wightman #Brexit pic.twitter.com/KUOI2eQ48C EU Court of Justice (@EUCourtPress) December 10, 2018 Ms Sturgeon tweeted: Important judgment from ECJ Article 50 can be unilaterally revoked by UK. So an extension of Article 50 to allow time for another vote, followed by revocation of Article 50 if the outcome is Remain seems to be an option that is now open to the House of Commons. The Scottish Government said the ruling provided another option apart from the Prime Ministers deal or no deal. (PA Graphics) Constitutional Relations Secretary Michael Russell MSP said: This is a hugely important decision that provides clarity at an essential point in the UKs decision-making over its future relationship with the EU. People in Scotland overwhelmingly voted to remain in the EU and that continues to be the best option for Scotland and the UK as a whole. This judgment exposes as false the idea that the only choice is between a bad deal negotiated by the UK Government or the disaster of no deal. We now know, thanks to the efforts of Scotlands parliamentarians, that remaining in the EU is still on the table. A woman is in a critical condition in hospital after she was hit by a car. The 38-year-old was crossing Orbiston Road, near to Hamilton Road in Bellshill, when she was struck by a red Vauxhall Astra at around 5.15pm on Sunday. She was taken to Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow where medical staff described her condition as critical. Police are appealing for information about the incident in the North Lanarkshire town. Sergeant Craig McDonald, from the divisional road policing unit, said: We are appealing for anyone who may have witnessed the incident to come forward and contact us. Our officers have spoken to a number of people, however we would appeal to anyone we have not spoken to to get in contact. Police are investigating after a woman was hit by a car (Joe Giddens/PA) We would also ask anyone who may have dashcam footage and was on Orbiston Road or nearby last night to get in touch. Anyone with information is asked to contact police via 101, quoting incident number 3045 of Sunday December 9 2018. The Jordanian authorities have arrested the publisher and a chief editor. They are accused of having fomented hatred and the confessional divisions. The two risk from six months to a maximum of three years in prison. The schools of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem led the protest. Amman (AsiaNews / Agencies) - The Jordanian authorities yesterday arrested the publisher and a prominent journalist of an online news website, for having published an image (in the picture) of Jesus deemed "offensive" by the Christian community. Mohammed al-Wakeel, who directs the Al Wakeel News portal, has been accused of blasphemy along with a chief editor, for "fomenting" hatred and sectarian divisions. According to the indictment, the two risk from a minimum of six months to a maximum of three years in prison. At the origin of the controversy a "magazine" image of Leonardo's "Last Supper", published in recent days by the website and which sparked an outcry among users. The 16th century painting represents Jesus' last supper with his disciples and has great symbolic value for Christians. The modified version sees the star of Turkish cuisine Nusret Gokce, better known with the name of Salt Bae, standing behind Christ while making the gesture that made him famous: sprinkling salt on the plate from on high. And one of the disciples has the face of Jesus tattooed on his leg. Following the online protest campaign (led by the schools of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem), Al Wakeel News apologized and removed the image from the site, speaking of an involuntary "mistake" of the editorial staff. The authorities have therefore convened the publisher, which also produces several programs for TV and radio in the country, to the post office police (responsible for cyber- crimes) for interrogation. Christians make up about 6% of the population in Jordan, out of a total of 6.6 million inhabitants; in general the Hascemite kingdom assures religious freedom and the faithful are free to practice worship. Police have launched an investigation after a man was seriously assaulted in Glasgow. The attack, which took place on Sunday in the citys Trongate area, left the 32-year-old with serious facial injuries. The man entered a McDonalds restaurant on Argyle Street at about 8pm seeking help after the incident. Were you in the Trongate area of Glasgow last night? Officers are appealing for information after a man was seriously assaulted https://t.co/poEhae9Y51 pic.twitter.com/5VWplbyxVN Greater Glasgow Police (@GreaterGlasgPol) December 10, 2018 Officers say they are working to get a description of the person or persons responsible. Detective Constable Kieron Frost said: We are currently in the early stages of this investigation and are appealing for anyone who may have seen the incident take place, or were in McDonalds at the time the man raised the alarm. This man has received serious facial injuries, which may leave permanent scarring. It is vital that we trace the person or persons responsible. Police inquiries are ongoing into the incident (Andrew Milligan/PA) Officers are currently checking CCTV and making door to door enquiries, however if you have any information, we urge you to get in contact. Michael Gove has insisted the Brexit deal vote will go ahead on Tuesday, warning Tory rebels that while Theresa May could win extra concessions from Brussels, reopening talks risks making it worse. The Environment Secretary said the vote is going ahead as speculation mounted that the vote on the Withdrawal Agreement could be postponed or scrapped in the face of an open revolt by Conservative MPs. Mr Gove, one of the leaders of the Leave campaign in 2016, told BBC Radio 4s Today programme that while there were aspects to the Withdrawal Agreement such as the Northern Ireland backstop that MPs disliked, the deal was also incredibly uncomfortable for European politicians. He spoke as the European Court of Justice ruled that Britain could unilaterally revoke Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty and remain in the European Union without having to seek approval from Brussels. The ruling came as Mrs Mays leadership came under ever more intense pressure as MPs return to Westminster ahead of Tuesdays Brexit showdown. #ECJ: UK is free to unilaterally revoke the notification of its intention to withdraw from the EU Case C-621/18 Wightman #Brexit pic.twitter.com/KUOI2eQ48C EU Court of Justice (@EUCourtPress) December 10, 2018 Mr Gove told Today that if there was more that can be secured to provide MPs with reassurance that this is the right deal then there was no-one better placed than Mrs May to get additional concessions. But he said he was concerned that renegotiating the Withdrawal Agreement could lead to other EU countries changing it in a way that may not necessarily be to our advantage, adding: By reopening it, there is a risk that we may not necessarily get everything that we wish for. As several senior members of the Cabinet were reported to be manoeuvring to replace Mrs May should the vote fail, Mr Gove said it was extremely unlikely that he would stand as a future Conservative Party leader. The Prime Ministers political future appears uncertain if she loses but her credibility would also suffer a serious blow if she attempts to postpone the Commons vote. Downing Street insisted the vote would go ahead as planned on Tuesday and Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay said it was 100% happening. (PA Graphics) But rumours continued to swirl at Westminster that Mrs May could decide at the 11th hour to avoid a potentially heavy defeat if Tory whips cannot limit the revolt over her Brexit deal and the controversial Irish backstop arrangement. Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt said that while parts of Mrs Mays deal were unpopular with various factions, it can be a stepping stone to delivering everything that people voted for. Arriving in Brussels for the Foreign Affairs Council he said: The people who are minded not to vote for it have to go back and ask themselves what is their alternative? And if they dont have a good plan, what are they risking? Debate on the plan will resume in the Commons on Monday, and Mrs May was warned not to give MPs the impression she lacks appetite for the fight. Calls to European Council president Donald Tusk and Irelands Taoiseach Leo Varadkar on Sunday prompted speculation that efforts to find a way of reassuring backbenchers over the backstop contingency measures aimed at preventing a hard border on the island of Ireland were ongoing. Downing Street did not publicise either call but insisted the conversation with Mr Tusk was a routine discussion ahead of Thursdays summit of EU leaders in Brussels. Taoiseach @campaignforleo and Prime Minister @Theresa_May May spoke by phone this evening. They discussed the current situation on #Brexit, including the planned vote in Westminster on Tuesday. They also discussed preparation for this week's European Council. MerrionStreet.ie (@merrionstreet) December 9, 2018 I had a phone call with PM @theresa_may. It will be an important week for the fate of #Brexit. Charles Michel (@eucopresident) December 9, 2018 Irish foreign minister Simon Coveney dampened hopes of reopening negotiations, saying on Monday the deal agreed with the EU is not going to change, particularly the legal language of the withdrawal treaty. Arriving in Brussels, he hit out at some of the rhetoric coming from Westminster, saying: The backstop was never, and is not, an offer from one side to the other. He added: Unfortunately a lot of the commentary, which has been emotive and inaccurate in relation to the backstop coming out of Westminster, has created the backstop as something that its not. This is simply an insurance mechanism that kicks in if all else fails to protect peace and stable relations on the island of Ireland and that is the way it should be seen. Northern Ireland Secretary Karen Bradley issued a plea to move on from the bitter Brexit rows, highlighting the benefits of the peace process as an example of what happens when division can be overcome. But the splits in the Tory ranks appeared even deeper after three former ministers Boris Johnson, Esther McVey and Dominic Raab publicly failed to rule out leadership bids when asked on Sunday. The sense of crisis has heightened expectations that the 48 letters required to trigger a confidence vote could be submitted to the Tory backbench 1922 Committee this week. The Times reported that Home Secretary Sajid Javid and Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt are sounding out possible supporters. Meanwhile International Development Secretary Penny Mordaunt is reportedly considering her position over the Brexit plan she has so far failed to publicly back the Withdrawal Agreement, although she has voiced support for the Prime Minister. The Daily Telegraph reported that Chief Whip Julian Smith was now among ministers urging Mrs May to postpone the vote he had previously admitted he faced an uphill challenge to win round potential rebels. The Government has 'lost the confidence of the Commons' and there should be a General Election, Jeremy Corbyn tells ITV News. He adds Labour remains determined to mount a vote of confidence in the Government, whether the Brexit vote is pulled or nothttps://t.co/UbMQdsubaK pic.twitter.com/JYhcAo2GxK ITV News (@itvnews) December 9, 2018 Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn told ITV News that pulling the vote would be a sign of absolute desperation by Mrs May. Labour will discuss how to respond to a defeat for Mrs May with other opposition parties at Westminster. One option said to be under consideration would be a motion of no confidence in Mrs May personally something that is thought to be more likely to gain support from Conservative rebels than a motion of no confidence in the government which could bring down the Tory administration. Nicola Sturgeon has announced plans to set up a taskforce as the first step in introducing a new statutory human rights framework across Scotland. Creating the framework through a new law at Holyrood is one of the key recommendations made by the First Ministers Advisory Group in Human Rights Leadership in its final report. The group, set up to ensure Brexit does not lead to an erosion of human rights in Scotland, wants the new law to include rights already provided by the Human Rights Act and additional economic, social and cultural rights from United Nations treaties. My thanks to @HRLeadershipSco for the excellent report published today - recommending action that will embed human rights in Scotland and show international leadership. @scotgov now looks forward to taking forward these recommendations. https://t.co/2SbI8AjalD Nicola Sturgeon (@NicolaSturgeon) December 10, 2018 A further six recommendations include a public participatory process as part of creating the new legislation, a Scottish Government national mechanism for monitoring, reporting and implementation of human rights, developing human rights indicators for the national performance framework and setting up the taskforce. The group also recommends developing a written constitution including a bill of Rights for Scotland in the event of Scottish independence. Speaking on Human Rights Day, Ms Sturgeon said: I set up the advisory group to offer advice on how we can further enhance human rights as I wanted to ensure Brexit does not harm human rights in Scotland and that we remain in step with future advances in EU human rights. I also asked for recommendations to ensure Scotland is an international leader in respecting and enhancing human rights. I share the ambition in this report that Scotland should introduce a human rights statutory framework and I support their recommendation that this should be done through public engagement, working across the public sector, civic society and parliament. As a first step, I will establish a national taskforce, early in 2019, to progress these plans. Read our full response to @HRLeadershipSCO report published today. We welcome the recommendations for a new human rights framework as Scotland celebrates #UDHR70 #HumanRightsDay #AllOurRights10 https://t.co/ctktRMA1F1 Scottish Human Rights Commission (@ScotHumanRights) December 10, 2018 Group chairman Professor Alan Miller said: There is an urgent need of human rights leadership in todays world, so we were delighted that the First Minister asked us for recommendations on how Scotland can lead by example. The leadership steps that Scotland needs to take are clear. The internationally recognised human rights belong to everyone in Scotland and must be put into our law. As, importantly, they must then be put into everyday practice. In this way people are empowered to lead lives of human dignity, to have a sense of self-worth. Nicola Sturgeon meets members of the Advisory Group on Human Rights (Jane Barlow/PA) Scottish Human Rights Commission chairwoman Judith Robertson said the decision is an important milestone. She said: Seventy years since universal human rights were first enshrined internationally, a persistent gap remains between well-intentioned laws and policies, and the reality for peoples rights in their everyday lives. These significant and bold recommendations, if taken forward by the Scottish Government, have real potential to close that gap. She said the proposed new Holyrood legislation would strengthen existing protections for human rights and lead to a full compliance duty on public authorities and, where relevant, private institutions. Ms Sturgeon explained that the Scottish Government would formally respond to the report following its release but said: I do want to confirm immediately that I endorse the reports overall vision of a new human rights framework for Scotland with a new act of Parliament at its very heart. John Wilkes, Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) head of Scotland, said: This is a really welcome development. If this is taken forward it will place Scotland at the front of other UK countries in developing a progressive, rights-based society. We support the full incorporation of human rights treaties into Scots law. This proposed Act of Parliament will for the first time clearly set out the roles and responsibilities of the Scottish state in relation to a wide range of rights and social issues such as childrens, womens and disabled peoples rights. Importantly, it will give citizens a clearer mechanism for resolving problems where individual rights conflict. A new study has opened a door into discovering how birds evolved to have dazzling arrays of colourful plumage. Iridescence is responsible for some of the most striking visual displays in the animal kingdom, and a new study of feathers from almost 100 modern bird species is helping to uncover how this colour diversity evolved. The phenomena of iridescence is when an objects colour changes when it is viewed from different angles. A team of University of Bristol researchers used electron microscopes to study extracts of the feathers of 97 species of modern birds with iridescent plumage, taken from the collections of the Zoological Museum of Copenhagen. Researchers found colourful feathers contain the most varied melanosome forms of all types of birds including ones which are hollow or flattened or both, unlike black, grey and brown feathers that always contain solid melanosomes. A melanosomes shape together with the thickness of the protein layer of keratin determines the colour that is produced. A glossy swiftlet (University of Bristol/PA) The new study is the first time melanosome variation in iridescent feathers has been analysed on a large scale, previously having been used to predict colour in fossil animals. Dr Jakob Vinther, co-author of the study and a leading researcher in the field of paleocolour at Bristols School of Biological Sciences, said the new research meant scientists could look at fossils of prehistoric birds and see how their melanosomes had changed over the ages. He added: This demonstrates how we now have the tools to map out the evolution of iridescence in fossil lineages. It opens the door to many new discoveries of dazzling displays in fossil birds and other dinosaurs. The researchers sampled Scaniacypselus, a relation of the modern tree swifts, and Primotrogon, ancestor to modern trogons, to see if their 48-million-year-old ancestors also had iridescent plumage. A Scaniacypselus fossil close up (Anika Vogel-Senckenberg/University of Bristol/PA) The model predicted that Primotrogon probably was iridescent, but it used solid rather than hollow melanosomes, unlike its modern descendants. Lead author Klara Norden, who conducted the study during her undergraduate years at Bristols School of Earth Sciences, said: It is already known that structural coloration is responsible for 70% of the colour variability in birds. These two facts might be coupled birds evolved varied forms of melanosomes to achieve ever greater diversity in colour. I wanted to find out if we could improve current predictive models for fossil colour based on melanosome morphology by including all types of melanosomes found in iridescent feathers. The Scottish Government has been urged to create a fund for community policing as it prepares to announce its draft budget on Wednesday. Scottish Labour say the fund would help to bolster the number of police officers working in communities across the country. Official statistics published in September indicated there are about 350 fewer police officers in the third quarter of 2018 than there was at the beginning of 2013 with around 17,500 officers employed at that time. Policing in the country was reformed in April 2013 when eight forces were combined to create the centralised Police Scotland force. Scottish Labours justice spokesman Daniel Johnson said the drop in numbers over the last five years could be addressed by an investment of 20 million into local policing, with local authority boards allocated a portion of the sum to spend on community policing as they see fit. The Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Spice) approved calculations suggested that recruitment costs, including salary and training, for a new constable would total 42,699. Police Scotland was created in 2013, combining eight forces across Scotland (Andrew Milligan/PA) The cost to recruit 350 new officers would stand at close to 15 million, with proposals to invest the remaining 5 million on upgrading and maintaining police vehicles. Mr Johnson said: Like the Tories across the rest of the UK, the SNPs ruinous cuts to local policing have left communities across Scotland without enough officers. At least 350 officers have now been lost amid the SNPs obsession with centralisation since 2013. That is unacceptable. For just 20 million, we could reverse the SNPs cuts to local policing and put power back in our communities. With more officers on the beat, crime could be cut, more collaborative, preventative work could take place and residents could once again be reassured. You cannot keep people safe on the cheap. The SNP must stop mimicking Tory austerity and use its budget to reverse its cuts to local policing. A spokesman for Justice Secretary Humza Yousaf said: Police numbers remain high, with more than 900 more officers compared to when Labour was last in power while the number of officers in England and Wales have fallen by almost 20,000. Scotlands streets are also safer than a decade ago, with recorded crime falling by 42% and the number of adults experiencing crime decreasing from around one in five in 2008/09 to around one in seven in 2016/17. We are protecting Police Scotlands revenue budget for the life of this Parliament, a 100 million increase by 2021 and dedicated police reform funding totalling 31 million this financial year. We will also continue to press the UK Government for the 125 million paid in VAT between 2013 and 2018 and I call on Labour to stop backing the Tories and support our call for a full refund. Cristiano Ronaldo has urged his long-time rival Lionel Messi to accept the challenge of leaving Barcelona and joining the Juventus star in Serie A. Ronaldo believes his desire to move around the big leagues with spells in the Premier League and LaLiga sets him apart from the Argentinian, who has spent his whole senior career with Barcelona. In an interview published by Gazzetta dello Sport, Ronaldo said: I played in England, Spain, Italy.. while he is still in Spain. Ronaldo is playing in Italy (Martin Rickett/PA) For me, life is a challenge. I like it and I like to make people happy. I would like him to come to Italy one day and, like me, accept the challenge. Ronaldos relationship with Messi has sometimes appeared strange as the pair turned the annual Ballon dOr into a personal head-to-head, sharing out every title since 2008 until the pair were pipped by Luka Modric last week. But the 33-year-old Ronaldo insisted he has every respect for Messi, who is showing every sign of finishing his career with Barcelona, whom he joined as a junior from Argentina in 2001. Ronaldo added: If he is happy there, I respect him. He is a fantastic player and a good guy, but I do not miss anything here. This is my new life and I am happy. Inspired by Ronaldo, Juventus currently sit eight points clear in Serie A and have coasted through the Champions League group stages with an identical record to his former club Real, whom there is every chance of him meeting in the tournaments final stages in February. But Ronaldo, who said the team spirit is better among his current team-mates than he experienced at the Bernabeu, said he is ambivalent about such a possibility. The past has passed and now I want to win for Juventus, said Ronaldo. I have to defend these colours and nothing else counts if I played against Real Madrid, I would give my best. Messi remains loyal to Barcelona (Nick Potts/PA) I can say this is the best group Ive ever played with. In other teams some players feel bigger than others, but here they are all on the same level, they are humble and want to win. For me it is beautiful and I can feel the difference. Even in Madrid they are humble but here, even more so. It is very different to Madrid it is more like a family here. A man who strangled his former wife in a fit of pent-up jealousy after she refused to sleep with him one last time for 100 has been jailed for at least 16 years. Martin Cavanagh, 35, attacked Sophie Cavanagh and then left a message on a whiteboard saying she deserved it. The 31-year-olds naked body was found in bed at his flat in Bromley, south-east London, in May. Following a trial at the Old Bailey, Cavanagh was found guilty of murder and was jailed for life. Setting a minimum term of 16 years, Judge Michael Grieve QC told him: You acted out of pent-up jealousy and resolved that if you could not have Sophie no-one else was going to. You caused a wholly unnecessary and tragic death of 31-year-old Sophie, much loved by her family and friends, who had most of her life before her. Sophie Cavanagh was strangled by her estranged husband (Family/PA) Prosecutor Alexandra Healy QC had told the court that the couple married in 2011 but had split up before the killing. Although the defendant was controlling, jealous and possessive and had a short fuse, the couple stayed in contact. When he found out Mrs Cavanagh was using the dating website Match.com, he accessed her account to sabotage her profile, the court heard. Jurors were also shown a series of WhatsApp messages he sent her, with one offering 100 if she would sleep with him one last time. Four days before the murder, he told her: You have broken, shattered and ripped me to shreds. The list goes on. Mrs Cavanagh had agreed to go on a trip to Wingham Wildlife Park in Kent with Cavanagh after he falsely claimed he was facing jail for a robbery. The young mothers body was found at the defendants flat the next day and Cavanagh gave himself up days later. Ms Healy said: The prosecution case is that the defendant murdered Sophie Cavanagh by strangling her. He was consumed with jealousy and unable to accept the end of their relationship. Having killed her, it is very likely that he was not thinking straight. He wrote on the childs whiteboard that she deserved it. In his defence, Cavanagh claimed he acted only to protect himself from his wife, who had attacked him after they took cocaine. He said she was hitting him so he grabbed her by the neck, and had her for 10, 15 or maybe 20 seconds. Business optimism in Scotland has hit an all-time low, according to new figures. A report published by the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) indicated that confidence had dropped across the UK, with uncertainty around Brexit cited as a key concern. The FSB surveyed 1,064 small businesses of which 206 were based in Scotland between November 19 and December 3. The UK index, which measures business owners views on whether trading conditions will improve or deteriorate, fell to -9.9 points, down from -1.7 points in the previous quarter. The equivalent Scottish figure crashed to -32.6 points, down from -13.2 points earlier in the year the lowest since Scottish figures were collected. The figures were published ahead of a vote on Theresa Mays Brexit deal in the House of Commons on Tuesday and the publication of the Scottish Governments draft Budget on Wednesday. Andrew McRae, FSB Scotland policy chair, said: These gloomy figures show that the uncertainty and confusion associated with Brexit is having a huge impact on business optimism. It looks likely that confidence will only return when theres a clear path beyond the March 29 deadline that safeguards smaller businesses interests. While Scottish business confidence has long tracked below the UK average, this new low suggests firms north of the border are particularly distressed about the current state of affairs. More than a third of firms surveyed (36%) also indicated a lack of access to appropriately-skilled workers from the EU was also a barrier to growth, with migration at a six-year low. The FSB last month wrote to the Scottish Government outlining its proposals to boost the economy. Mr McRae said: This week, the Finance Secretary must do what he can to shore up optimism. In our discussions with ministers, weve stressed the importance of rates reforms, underlined the need for skills development and urged the Scottish Government to do what it can to prepare its agencies and business community for post-Brexit trading conditions. Wed urge Derek Mackay to gear his budget toward giving smaller operators a much-needed lift. The Scottish Governments draft budget will be published on Wednesday (John Linton/PA) A Scottish Government spokesman said: As the FSB makes clear, Brexit continues to be the Scottish economys biggest risk, including the negative impact it threatens to have on our jobs market. The only deal that delivers for Scotland is to remain in the single market and customs union, which is eight times larger than the UK market alone. Responsibility for migration should be devolved so we can tailor policy to Scotlands needs. We are doing all we can to support the Scottish economy, including maintaining a competitive non-domestic rates regime for businesses. We provide the most competitive rates relief package anywhere in the UK, worth an estimated 732 million in 2018-19, including the small business bonus scheme, which alone lifts 100,000 properties out of rates altogether and our current transitional rates relief scheme, which is expected to save businesses over 15 million this year. The police response to a report of people being at a disused quarry, made hours before a man drowned at the location, was appropriate and proportionate, a report has found. The mans friends called emergency services after they saw him jumping into the water and failing to resurface at Craigiehill Quarry in East Ayrshire at about 8.30pm on Monday May 28 this year. His body was recovered from the water later that evening, with the cause of death given as drowning. The mans death came hours after the quarry supervisor had contacted police to report that he had found evidence of people using the quarry over the weekend during an inspection. In his phone call at 2.53pm, he asked police to give the area attention while on patrol, but did not request them to come to the scene at that time, while there was no indication in the call that anyone was at the quarry at that moment. Due to other local demands on policing, no resources were available at that time and as there had not been any other calls about the quarry by around 8pm, the incident was closed. The report found that the police response to the incident was appropriate (David Cheskin/PA) Police watchdog the Police Investigations and Review Commissioner (Pirc) said there is no evidence that if the police had attended the quarry on the afternoon of May 28 2018 that the subsequent death of the man later that evening could have been prevented. Between 2015 and 2018, there were 11 reports made to Police Scotland over concerns about people using the quarry, near Kilmarnock. The Crown Office asked Pirc to investigate the circumstances leading up to the incident on May 28, in particular the background of the earlier reports to Police Scotland and the fact that no officers were available to respond to the concerns raised by the quarry supervisor in his phone call. The watchdog found that Hillhouse Quarry Group Ltd, the private company which owned the quarry, had sole responsibility for its safety and security, and had put up boundary fencing to try and keep people out, as well as danger signs warning people not to enter the water. Investigators found the police response to the report made to Police Scotland at 2.53pm on May 28 was appropriate and proportionate to the circumstances reported. Pirc also said there is no evidence that if the police had attended the quarry on that afternoon that the subsequent death of the man later that evening could have been prevented. The watchdog also found that the police response to all previous reports made to Police Scotland has been appropriate and proportionate to the circumstances reported. Local police commander chief superintendent Paul Main said: I note the Pirc found Police Scotlands response to be at all times appropriate and proportionate. The condolences of the service remain with the family. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, December 11) Catriona Gray, the Philippines' candidate to the Miss Universe 2018, is going around the country to showcase its wonders to the international audience. In the second part of her "This is the Philippines" video series, the Filipino-Australian beauty queen put on the spotlight one of the best traits of her countrymen: Resilience. She posted "This is Visayas: Survivors and Warriors" on YouTube on Tuesday. She traveled to Tacloban, Leyte in Eastern Visayas to talk to the survivors of the devastating Typhoon "Yolanda" that killed over 6,000 people and left hundreds of thousands homeless in 2013. The 24-year-old beauty queen shared an inspiring tale of a young lady who survived "Yolanda" by clinging on to a tree for hours, but lost four of her family members. "I saw everyone in a new light. I saw them, not just as ordinary people, but as survivors. I wondered to myself how they could go through so much, but still find a will to live?" Gray said. Gray reveled at the ability of Filipinos to quickly recover and rebuild their lives after challenging times. "Everyone loses something. Everyone falls down and suffers disappointment and regret, but it's really about what makes you step back up again and what gives you the push to keep going. There's a warrior inside of us and there's a warrior inside Filipinos," the beauty queen said. She also found inspiration for her national costume during her visit to the Visayas region. "Given the chance to represent the culture of the Philippines internationally, authenticity was a really important thing to me, so we consulted different historians," she said. She will be competing for the much-coveted crown during the Miss Universe coronation night on December 17. Elections were held in Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Telangana and Mizoram. Congress came in first in States that are key in the next Union general elections in 2019. Rural dissatisfaction played a crucial role. New Delhi (AsiaNews/Agencies) The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Indias ruling Hindu nationalist party, lost three State elections in Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. This is crucial for the next general elections scheduled for May 2019. According to political analysts, the results, which were announced today, are the worst setback for Prime Minister and BJP leader Narendra Modi, since he came to power in 2014. For the experts, the loss could heavily influence the next electoral round and unite the oppositions, which are already riding popular dissatisfaction in various strata of the population, especially among the young and farmers strangled by debt. This round of voting is the last before next years national election. In all, five States held a poll for their respective State Assembly. In addition to the three aforementioned States, voters voted in Telangana and Mizoram where ballots are still being counted. In both States regional parties are expected to win, namely the Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) and Mizo National Front (MNF). Rahul Gandhi's Indian National Congress (INC) is in the lead in all three key states: 114 seats out of 199 (81 for the BJP) in Rajasthan; 59 seats out of 90 (24 for the BJP) in Chhattisgarh; and 112 seats out of 230 (103 to Hindu nationalists) in Madhya Pradesh, the most important battleground. Several thorny questions weighed heavily on these elections: rural dissatisfaction, unemployment, the lack of development, and the failure to address an epidemic of suicides among farmers burdened by debts. Weve all voted for Congress this time and our candidate is winning here, said Bishnu Prasad Jalodia, a wheat grower in Madhya Pradesh. the BJP ignored us farmers, they ignored those of us at the bottom of the [social] pyramid, he told Reuters. Fighter jets were launched from RAF Lossiemouth on Monday in response to unidentified aircraft approaching UK airspace, defence chiefs have said. The Ministry of Defence (MoD) said that RAF Typhoons were scrambled from the Moray base with the Meteor Air-to-Air missile for the first time on December 10. The MoD said they were launched as a precautionary measure in a quick reaction alert (QRA) mission. However, no intercept took place and they subsequently returned to RAF Lossiemouth in Moray. Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson said: This latest missile system demonstrates the next chapter of the Typhoon which will see the jet evolve its ability to target and destroy any airborne threat at great distances. The Meteor missile will provide an unrelenting deterrence to those who wish harm upon the UK and our Armed Forces. A major Game Of Thrones public display will open in Belfast this spring. It will be hosted at the Titanic Exhibition Centre from April until September and will feature immersive experiences using storylines from the fantasy series. It will allow fans an up-close look at the artistry and craftsmanship behind the Emmy award-winning series, which was partly shot in Northern Ireland. Jeff Peters, a vice president at the HBO network which aired the series, said: Given the unique and central role that Northern Ireland has played in the life and legacy of the show, and we are thrilled that we are bringing Game Of Thrones: The Touring Exhibition to Belfast. Were so happy to invite our fans in Northern Ireland, the rest of the UK and the Republic of Ireland to join us in the Titanic Quarter in Belfast to immerse themselves in the world of Game Of Thrones. The exhibition combines costumes, authentic props and settings from all seven seasons. Organisers launch Game Of Thrones: The Touring Exhibition (Titanic Exhibition Centre/PA) The exhibition centre is close to the Titanic Studios where much of the series was filmed over a 10-year period. An eighth season of the show is due to air next year. Germanys Chancellor Angela Merkel has said a UN accord on migration is about nothing less than the foundation of our international co-operation. Mrs Merkel, who welcomed hundreds of thousands of refugees from places like Syria and Afghanistan to her country, hailed an important day after more than 160 countries approved the first Global Compact for Migration at a United Nations conference in Marrakesh, Morocco. A Honduran migrant girl pushes through fencing after squeezing through a gap in the US border wall with her mother (Rebecca Blackwell/AP) She pointed to the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration on Human Rights being celebrated also on Monday, saying human rights apply to every person on our planet. Mrs Merkel also inveighed against dangers posed by people smugglers, saying they could not be allowed to control borders. She received a standing ovation after ending her speech by saying the United Nations was founded on the embers of the Second World War, and alluded to the incredible suffering on humankind wrought by the Nazi regime. Theresa May is calling off the vote on her Brexit deal in the face of what had been expected to be a significant defeat at the hands of rebel MPs. A Government source confirmed that the vote was being pulled, with the Prime Minister due to inform the House of Commons in an oral statement at 3.30pm. News that the crucial meaningful vote was being postponed broke just moments after a Downing Street spokeswoman told Westminster reporters at a regular daily briefing that it would go ahead. The pound fell sharply in response, shedding 0.5% versus the US dollar to stand at 1.26. Against the euro, the pound was 0.8% down at 1.10. Mrs May was engaged in a conference call by telephone with her Cabinet ministers as the story broke. There was no official confirmation from 10 Downing Street that the vote was being called off. But a senior source said: Its being pulled. Mrs May later spoke by phone to Arlene Foster, leader of the Democratic Unionist Party, whose MPs prop up the minority Conservative administration but were threatening to vote against her deal. Mrs Foster said: My message was clear. The backstop must go. Too much time has been wasted. Need a better deal. Disappointed it has taken so long for Prime Minister to listen. The dramatic developments occurred as the European Court of Justice ruled that Britain can unilaterally halt the Brexit process by revoking the Article 50 letter declaring its intention to leave the EU. Mrs Mays hastily-arranged statement is widely expected to confirm that she intends to seek further concessions from Brussels to try to win over rebellious backbenchers. Government minister Nadhim Zahawi said the Prime Minister has listened to colleagues and will head to Brussels to push back on the backstop. @theresa_may has listened to colleagues and will head to Brussels to push back on the backstop. Nadhim Zahawi (@nadhimzahawi) December 10, 2018 But a spokeswoman for European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker poured cold water on hopes of a renegotiation. In a press briefing in Brussels, Mina Andreeva said: As President Juncker said, this deal is the best and only deal possible. We will not renegotiate our position has therefore not changed and as far as we are concerned the United Kingdom is leaving the European Union on March 29 2019. Irish premier Leo Varadkar ruled out reopening negotiations around the backstop, which is designed to keep the Irish border open following Brexit. The Taoiseach said it was not possible to reopen any aspect of the Withdrawal Agreement without reopening all aspects of it. Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon accused Mrs May of pathetic cowardice and urged Labour to table a vote of no confidence in the Prime Minister, which she said the SNP would support. In a message directed at Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, Ms Sturgeon said: If Labour, as official opposition, lodges a motion of no confidence in this incompetent Government tomorrow, the SNP will support and we can then work together to give people the chance to stop Brexit in another vote. This shambles cant go on so how about it? So it is confirmed - pathetic cowardice it is from PM. Yet again the interests of the Tory party are a higher priority for her than anything else. This cant go on. https://t.co/P6dzhZEH7d Nicola Sturgeon (@NicolaSturgeon) December 10, 2018 Mr Corbyn said the UK no longer had a functioning Government and called on the PM to switch to his partys plans for a jobs-first deal. We have known for at least two weeks that Theresa Mays worst-of-all-worlds deal was going to be rejected by Parliament because it is damaging for Britain, said Mr Corbyn. Instead, she ploughed ahead when she should have gone back to Brussels to renegotiate or called an election so the public could elect a new government that could do so. A demonstrator dressed as Theresa May sells Brexit Fudge in Old Palace Yard, Westminster. Labour MP David Lammy, a supporter of the Best for Britain campaign for a second referendum, said: This is an unprecedented and historic humiliation for Theresa May. This is recognition of what has been clear for months: there is no majority for her miserable Brexit deal in Parliament. It is impossible to deliver on the 2016 referendum result because it was based on false promises and fantasy. No negotiations in Brussels will change this fact. Our politics is now well and truly stuck. The way to unblock it is to go back to the public with a peoples vote, which will either offer a mandate for a specific form of Brexit, or to remain in the EU. #ECJ: UK is free to unilaterally revoke the notification of its intention to withdraw from the EU Case C-621/18 Wightman #Brexit pic.twitter.com/KUOI2eQ48C EU Court of Justice (@EUCourtPress) December 10, 2018 Senior Cabinet Brexiteer Michael Gove told BBC Radio 4s Today that there was no-one better placed than Mrs May to get additional concessions in order to provide MPs with reassurance that this is the right deal. But he said he was concerned that renegotiating the Withdrawal Agreement could lead to other EU countries changing it in a way that may not necessarily be to our advantage, adding: By reopening it, there is a risk that we may not necessarily get everything that we wish for. As several senior members of the Cabinet were reported to be manoeuvring to replace Mrs May should the vote fail, Mr Gove said it was extremely unlikely that he would stand as a future Conservative Party leader. (PA Graphics) Mrs Mays address to MPs is due to be followed by a statement from Leader of the Commons Andrea Leadsom setting out the revised timetable for parliamentary business over the coming days. Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay will then deliver a statement responding to the ECJ ruling on Article 50. A housing group has secured a 76.5 million investment that will enable it to build hundreds of new affordable homes. The Wheatley group said the deal will enable its commercial subsidiary Lowther Homes to buy 560 mid-market rent properties currently owned by three of the groups registered social landlords. This, in turn, will allow the housing associations GHA, Cube and Dunedin Canmore to use the proceeds to build 700 new homes as part of Wheatleys wider ambition to complete 7,500 affordable houses and flats through to 2025. The 25-year debt funding deal is being provided by Scottish Widows, through its partnership with the Bank of Scotlands real estate and housing team. Wheatley chairman Alastair MacNish said: This is a significant milestone in our ongoing efforts to boost the supply of affordable homes across the country in support of the Scottish Governments More Homes Scotland agenda. It is a massive vote of confidence by Scottish Widows and the Bank of Scotland in both Wheatley and the affordable housing sector, and one that will lead to hundreds of new, affordable, high-quality, energy-efficient homes. A worker building a new home (Rui Vieira/PA) Wheatley, a housing, care and property management group, said it is the first deal of its type in Scotland. Jason Morris, director of loan investments at Scottish Widows, said: Structuring this long-term loan provides Wheatley Group with the certainty of fixed-rate funding for the next 25 years. We are delighted to support the provision of much-needed affordable homes building on our previous commitments to the housing sector. Alan Brennan, relationship director at Bank of Scotland real estate and housing, added: We worked closely with the management teams at Wheatley and Lowther Homes to structure a bespoke deal that provides them with both long-term funding stability and significant capacity to increase their development programmes. An independent review into the decision process around replacing Monklands Hospital will report to the Health Secretary by February. Bosses at NHS Lanarkshire want to either replace or refurbish Monklands Hospital in Airdrie which is more than 40 years old with a new facility at Gartcosh having emerged as the leading option. However, the proposals were met by protests, with campaigners calling for any new hospital to be built on the existing site. After Labour MSPs forced a vote in Holyrood to ensure that a new hospital would be built in Monklands and following pressure from the SNPs Alex Neil MSP and Neil Gray MP, both representing Airdrie and Shotts, a review was announced. Health Secretary Jeane Freeman has now confirmed the review groups report and recommendations will be submitted to her by the end of February 2019. The recommendations will set out action for NHS Lanarkshire to progress plans for redevelopment of the hospital. Health Secretary Jeane Freeman confirmed the terms of the review (Andrew Milligan/PA) In answer to a parliamentary question, Ms Freeman said the review will address concerns raised by politicians and locals about the quality of the option appraisal process and the wider engagement and consultation undertaken by the [NHS Lanarkshire] board. It will provide advice on whether the process was fully in line with best practice and meaningfully informed at all stages by relevant stakeholder views. Ms Freeman said: The Scottish Government supports a replacement of University Hospital Monklands that will provide excellent health facilities and specialist services for everyone who lives in the catchment area. However, there were concerns raised about the process being taken by the board and whether it had been consistent with best practice and meaningfully taken on board the views of all the relevant stakeholders. An independent review is the best way to assess the robustness of the process so that everyone can have full confidence in it. Mr Neil said the voice of local people must be heard. He said: This independent review, reporting to the Health Secretary by early next year, can restore confidence in light of serious local concern. My immediate concern is to ensure that the new Monklands Hospital is located in the Monklands area. Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard said his party would continue to campaign to keep the hospital in Monklands. He said: Closing the hospital and relocating services to an area of North Lanarkshire that is less accessible by public transport would be the wrong thing to do, and bad for patients and their families, and for staff. The review is the least the government could do it should be the first step towards keeping the Monklands in the Monklands. NHS Lanarkshire chairwoman Neena Mahal said: We look forward to working with the team as they carry out their independent assessment of the process followed by NHS Lanarkshire with regard to the refurbishment or redevelopment of University Hospital Monklands. She said the date for completion will ensure any potential delays to this important project are minimised. A UK donor has been found to help save the life of a two-year-old girl in the US with one of the rarest blood types in the world. Zainab Mughal, from Miami in Florida, has neuroblastoma, an aggressive form of cancer, which means she needs a series of blood transfusions. Her blood is missing an antigen called Indian B, which most people have in their red blood cells, meaning the search for donors is confined to a very specific population people whose two birth parents are both 100% of Pakistani, Indian or Iranian origin. Even within that population, only 4% of people have the unusual genetic variation, according to Florida-based charity OneBlood, and donors must have type O or A blood. Following a global search, a British Indian mother of two was found to be a match. The 50-year-old, from Nottingham, said she feels privileged that her donation was being used to help Zainab. The donor, who has decided to remain anonymous, said: I didnt know who the recipient was when I donated but I do know now, having read the coverage. I am very humbled that I have played a small part in aiding someones recovery from illness. I do hope the publicity encourages more people to donate, especially from the Asian community, as even a single donation can make a massive difference to someone who needs it. The IBGRL carries out world leading testing and research in transfusion medicine.(NHS Blood and Transplant) Two other donors have been found, but doctors estimate they will need at least seven to 10 people to contribute throughout the course of Zainabs treatment. OneBlood and the American Rare Donor Programme, working together to lead the search for donors, contacted the International Blood Group Reference Laboratory (IBGRL), a specialist unit in Filton in Bristol run by NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT). The IBGRL teams work includes compiling and maintaining the International Rare Donor Panel (IRDP), a rare blood donor database with details of donors from 27 contributing countries. The match was found on the UKs own rare donor panel and asked to donate a unit, which was tested by NHSBT and given to the US. All NHSBT blood donors from ethnic minority backgrounds have extended blood group testing, because they are more likely to share rare blood groups found in ethnic minority patients, and there is a shortage of black and Asian blood donors in England. Dr Rekha Anand, the NHSBT consultant haematologist who manages the UKs rare donor panel, said: This was a team effort from NHS Blood and Transplant. The donor is always very happy to help. The credit goes to all our British donors, whose altruism is the key. We would urge more British people from minorities to also come forward and donate because we do not have enough donors from these backgrounds. Almost 750,000 jobs could be lost if the UK leaves the EU without a deal in place, including many in the constituencies of Cabinet members, a new study suggests. Research by academics at Sussex University indicated that some parts of Britain, such as London, would be worst affected on the jobs front by a no-deal Brexit. Around 1,700 jobs would go in the Maidenhead constituency of Prime Minister Theresa May, 950 in Jacob Rees-Moggs North East Somerset, and 1,100 in Runnymede and Weybridge, represented by Chancellor Philip Hammond, said the report. Almost 150,000 jobs could be lost in London, 80,000 in the North West, 63,500 in Scotland and 28,600 in Wales, according to the research. (PA Graphics) The biggest job cuts among residents would be in large commuter cities such as Watford and Reading, while cities such as Liverpool and Manchester would be hit by job losses among workers who live elsewhere, it was suggested. Dr Ilona Serwicka, a research fellow in the economics of Brexit at the University of Sussex, said: This research makes very clear that both soft and hard forms of Brexit, but in particular a no-deal Brexit, will have a negative impact on the lives of residents the length and breadth of Britain. Of course, we cannot say for certain that this number of job losses will definitely happen, as employers may choose to reduce number of hours or wages rather than cut workforce, but our analysis shows which areas of the country will take the biggest hits. Professor Alan Winters, professor of economics at the university, added: As MPs vote on the Withdrawal Agreement tomorrow, they will have very difficult decisions to make knowing that the livelihoods of hundreds of their constituents will rest in their hands. The head of Indias central bank has resigned amid a growing split between the Indian government and the independent monetary policy authority. Reserve Bank of India governor Urjit Patel said in a statement posted on the banks website that he was resigning for personal reasons. The government of prime minister Narendra Modi has disagreed with some of the central banks decisions under Mr Patel, including a move to restrict lending by debt-ridden banks. Indias prime minister Narendra Modi (Victoria Jones/PA) Government officials said the central bank had excess reserves that should be transferred to the treasury. Mr Modis government issued a sweeping demonetisation order in 2017 to try to reduce black-market dealings. But a central bank report in August showed that most of the currency banned by the order had been deposited into various banks, undermining that move. The UK Government spent almost 100,000 on Facebook adverts promoting Theresa Mays Brexit deal in the lead-up to the Commons vote being pulled, figures released by the social media firm show. The companys ad library report showed between Sunday December 2 and Saturday December 8 the UK Government spent 96,684 on 11 promotions on Facebook. Jon Trickett MP, Labours shadow minister for the Cabinet Office, called the spending a completely inappropriate use of public money which was entirely wasted. He said: This reveals a government deeply paranoid and insecure about the botched deal they have been trying to sell to the British public, but which they now appear to have abandoned. Not only is this a completely inappropriate use of public money, but it turns out to have been entirely wasted. When official resources are used for the Prime Ministers personal purposes it threatens our democracy. A demonstrator dressed as Theresa May sells Brexit Fudge in Old Palace Yard, Westminster. A Government spokeswoman said: Communicating government policy effectively to the public is a core function of the Civil Service. We have reached a deal that is good for the UK, good for its citizens, and good for business and we will be communicating that to the country. We will publish all costs associated with this in the usual way. The adverts included videos on what the Brexit Deal means for you explained in 60 seconds and others focusing on immigration and jobs. Three videos, intending to explain the deal in terms of free trade, the economy and controlling our borders, cost between 10,000 and 50,000 each to promote, reaching between 500,000 and one million Facebook users apiece. The Cabinet Office has yet to respond to requests for comment. What the Brexit Deal means for you in 60 seconds What the Brexit Deal means for you explained in 60 seconds #BacktheBrexitDeal Posted by UK government on Friday, December 7, 2018 Facebooks new advert transparency measures are a reaction to sustained criticism of the platform throughout 2018, a year in which the Vote Leave campaign was sanctioned for behaviour related to advertising spending on the social network during the Brexit campaign. There are also six active adverts on the official @10DowningStreet Twitter account promoting the same videos, although no information on the amount spent is currently available. Facebooks report comes a week after Cabinet Office Minister Chloe Smith revealed Downing Street had spent more than 50,000 promoting the deal in the previous three months. Liberal Democrat MP Layla Moran, who obtained the previous figures with a parliamentary question, accused the Government of throwing taxpayers money down the drain. One faithful arrested this morning. The Early Rain Covenant Church, led by Pastor Wang Yi, counts 500 faithful and 300 sympathizers. Despite being an underground church, members evangelize in the streets, have a seminary and a primary school. Wang Yi had criticized the "cult" of Xi Jinping and the new regulations on religious activities. "The persecution is a fair price to pay for the Lord". Chengdu (AsiaNews) - About 100 Protestant Christians and seminary students were arrested in Chengdu (Sichuan) between 9 and 10 December. Some of the faithful, later released claimed they were "raped and abused" by the policemen who kept them in custody. Among those arrested are Pastor Wang Yi and his wife Jiang Rong (photo 2), taken away by the police; two others, Guo Hai and his wife, were dragged away from home, leaving their two children alone. Others arrested include: Jiang Ruolin, Ge Yingfeng, Zhu Hong, Xiao Hongliu, Ye Yin, Zhang Jianqing, Liu Yingxiu, deacon Zhang Guoqing, Elder Su and his wife, Xiao Yingshan and his wife, Song Engquang and his wife, Xiao Baoguang, Zhou Xiaojuan, Liu Daxuan, and Zhou Yong. Many were arrested at the community headquarters; others were taken from their homes. The arrests continued even today, when Li Yingqiang, who had hidden himself in the first raid and warned the media, was also arrested. All the arrested belong to the Church of the First Rain of the Alliance, an unofficial domestic Church, which is not recognized by the government, led by Pastor Wang Yi. Unlike many underground Protestant Churches, Early Rain Covenant Church practices its faith in an open way; publishes sermons and online studies; evangelizes on the streets of the city; has a seminary for future pastors and a primary school for 40 children. The community has about 500 members and 300 sympathizers. It is not new to arrests and raids. Last June their headquarters was closed because the community had wanted to remember the people killed in the Tiananmen massacre with a memorial service. Some of his members were arrested two months ago because they were evangelizing in the street near the Chengdu station. Although the police did not want to explain the reasons for the arrests, it is very likely that they are the consequence of the application of the new regulations on religious activities that prohibit unsanctioned gatherings. Pastor Wang Yi, described by many as "the most courageous" religious leader in China, has branded the new regulations as a tool to stifle religious freedom. Recently, Wang Yi had also raised his voice against the "cult of Caesar", after the patriotic associations forced Christians to place - often on the altars - the photo of President Xi Jinping. Before being arrested, Li Yingqiang declared: "Even if we are down to our last five, worship and gatherings will still go on because our faith is realPersecution is a price worth paying for the Lord. We would rather live through it than to hide our faith and we hope more Chinese churches will speak up and stand with us. Jeremy Corbyns cat relaxes in front of a roaring fire on the cover of the Labour leaders official Christmas card. El Gato Spanish for the cat is pictured relaxing on a rug before a decorative, stocking-hung mantelpiece in the opposition leaders festive offering. The card, which bears the message Merry Christmas on the front and wishes for a happy and peaceful 2019 inside, was released on Monday. Mr Corbyn said: Christmas is a special time of year to spend with family and friends. But we also remember those going through difficult times, people experiencing loneliness, poverty, homelessness, or ill health. Let us commit ourselves this Christmas to do all we can so that next year there is greater peace, fewer people are suffering and more enjoy the warmth and comfort of security and community. The card is a more homely affair than last years, which was a festive adaptation of the partys 2017 general election manifesto artwork, with people picked out in red and white sporting Santa hats, crowns and reindeer antlers. Prime Minister Theresa Mays 2018 Christmas card, which was drawn by nine-year-old Dexter Van Elkan who attends a school in her Maidenhead and Twyford constituency (David Wilcock/PA) Last week Theresa May unveiled three different Christmas card designs. As with previous years they were designed by children from her Maidenhead constituency, who were also invited to Downing Street to help switch on its Christmas lights. Irish premier Leo Varadkar has ruled out reopening negotiations around the Irish backstop. The Taoiseach said it was not possible to reopen any aspect of the Withdrawal Agreement without reopening all aspects of it. The Fine Gael leader said he spoke to Prime Minister Theresa May on Sunday about her progress in securing support for the draft agreement, however he refused to give further details about what the two leaders discussed. The Withdrawal Agreement, including the Irish backstop, is the only agreement on the table, he said. It took over a year-and-a-half to negotiate and has the support of 28 governments and its not possible to reopen any aspect of that agreement without reopening all aspects of it. The purpose of that phone call was to update me on the progress she (Mrs May) is making in trying to secure ratification of the Withdrawal Agreement in the House of Commons and also to think ahead as to how we handle the EU summit which is happening later in the week. Leo Varadkar said the EU has made a lot of concessions through the negotiation process (Michelle Devane/PA) Speaking at an event where he unveiled more than 75 million euro for 27 projects under the Disruptive Technologies Innovation Fund, Mr Varadkar said the EU has made a lot of concessions through the negotiation process including the recent review clause. He added: We should never forget how we got to this point, the UK decided to leave the EU and the UK Government decided to take lots of options off the table, whether it was staying in the single market and the customs union or Northern Ireland specific backstop. We ended up with the backstop in this Withdrawal Agreement because of the red lines the UK laid down along the way. He added that the agreement has the backing of the 28 member states. I have no difficulty with statements that clarify what is in the Withdrawal Agreement but no statement of clarification can contradict what is in the Withdrawal Agreement, he continued. After Mrs May called off the crunch House of Commons vote, Guy Verhofstadt, the European Parliaments Brexit representative, tweeted: I cant follow anymore. After two years of negotiations, the Tory government wants to delay the vote. Just keep in mind that we will never let the Irish down. This delay will further aggravate the uncertainty for people and businesses. Its time they make up their mind. Fifteen protesters who cut through Stansted Airports perimeter fence and locked themselves together around a chartered deportation plane have been found guilty of an aviation security offence following a nine-week trial. Prosecutor Tony Badenoch QC earlier told Chelmsford Crown Court that the group placed the safety of the airport in a likelihood of danger through their actions. A spokesman for the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said on Monday that all defendants had been convicted of intentional disruption of services at an aerodrome, contrary to section 1 (2) (b) of the Aviation and Maritime Security Act 1990. The Boeing 767 jet targeted by the group, operated by Titan Airways, was chartered by the Home Office to transport people from UK detention centres for repatriation to Nigeria, Ghana and Sierra Leone and the offence took place on March 28 2017. Judith Reed, of the CPS, said after guilty verdicts were returned in the trial: Through their actions, these defendants intentionally grounded a Boeing 767 and caused significant disruption at Stansted Airport. Fifteen protesters used equipment such as industrial bolt cutters, chains, expanding foam, scaffolding poles and lock box devices to prevent the take-off of a plane. The jet targeted by the group was chartered by the Home Office to transport people from UK detention centres (Steve Parsons/PA) These people placed themselves, the flight crew, airport personnel and police at serious risk of injury or even death due to their actions on the airfield. The CPS worked with the police to build a strong case which reflected the criminality of the defendants actions, regardless of their motivation. In a statement issued by campaign group End Deportations, the so-called Stansted 15 said: We are guilty of nothing more than intervening to prevent harm. The real crime is the Governments cowardly, inhumane and barely legal deportation flights and the unprecedented use of terror law to crack down on peaceful protest. We must challenge this shocking use of draconian legislation, and continue to demand an immediate end to these secretive deportation charter flights and a full independent public inquiry into the Governments hostile environment. Justice will not be done until we are exonerated and the Home Office is held to account for the danger it puts people in every single day. End Deportations said that a man who was set to be deported on the flight has since been granted a right to remain in the UK. Raj Chada, partner from Hodge Jones & Allen who represented all 15 of the defendants, said: We are deeply disappointed by todays verdicts. In our view it is inconceivable that our clients were charged under counter-terrorism legislation for what was a just protest against deporting asylum seekers. Shami Chakrabarti, Labours shadow attorney general, said: What a sad International Human Rights day, when non-violent protesters are prosecuted for defending the Refugee Convention, and are treated like terrorists. Labour in government will review the statute book to better guarantee the right to peaceful dissent. The defendants, aged between 27 and 44, will be sentenced on February 4 at Chelmsford Crown Court. They are: Helen Brewer, 28; Lyndsay Burtonshaw, 28; Nathan Clack, 30; Laura Clayson, 28; Melanie Evans, 35; Joseph McGahan, 35; Benjamin Smoke, 27; Jyotsna Ram, 33; Nicholas Sigsworth, 29; Melanie Strickland, 35; Alistair Tamlit, 30; Edward Thacker, 29; Emma Hughes, 38; May McKeith, 33 and 44-year-old Ruth Potts. Twelve of the defendants given addresses are in north London, Burtonshaws is in Brighton, Pottss is in Bristol and McGahans is in Reading. Bianca Jagger has said Brexit could threaten human rights as she welcomed plans to introduce a new statutory human rights framework across Scotland. An independent review group set up by Scotlands First Minister recommends the new law at Holyrood includes rights already provided by the Human Rights Act and additional economic, social and cultural rights from United Nations treaties. Speaking at a Scottish Parliament event to mark the 70th anniversary of the United Nations adopting the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Ms Jagger, who runs her own human rights foundation, said: The 70th anniversary of the Declaration of Human Rights is a reason to feel proud and happy for all those throughout the world who have been defenders. As a British citizen, I feel that Brexit can be a threat to our human rights. Therefore, I thank the recommendations put forward today for considering and looking into the effects Brexit could have on all human rights and human rights here in Scotland. We are at a crossroads where we must make sure that those rights will not suffer if Brexit is imposed on those of us who feel like we want to remain part of Europe. As a Nicaraguan and a British citizen, I value being part of Europe and I value everything that Europe brought to us. Lets continue to struggle. Bianca Jagger warned of the Brexit threat to human rights (Andrew Cowan/Scottish Parliament/PA) Nicola Sturgeon has announced plans to set up a taskforce as the first step in introducing the new law on a human rights framework, a key recommendation from the Advisory Group on Human Rights created to ensure Brexit does not erode these rights in Scotland. Further recommendations include having a public participatory process as part of creating the new legislation, national monitoring of human rights and developing a written constitution including a bill of Rights for Scotland in the event of Scottish independence. Ms Sturgeon said: I endorse the reports overall vision of a new human rights framework for Scotland with a new act of Parliament at its very heart. She added: As a first step, I will establish a national taskforce, early in 2019, to progress these plans. My thanks to @HRLeadershipSco for the excellent report published today - recommending action that will embed human rights in Scotland and show international leadership. @scotgov now looks forward to taking forward these recommendations. https://t.co/2SbI8AjalD Nicola Sturgeon (@NicolaSturgeon) December 10, 2018 Group chairman Professor Alan Miller said: The internationally recognised human rights belong to everyone in Scotland and must be put into our law. As, importantly, they must then be put into everyday practice. In this way, people are empowered to lead lives of human dignity, to have a sense of self-worth. John Wilkes, Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) head of Scotland, said the proposed law would mean Scotland leads the UK in developing a progressive, rights-based society. He added: This proposed Act of Parliament will for the first time clearly set out the roles and responsibilities of the Scottish state in relation to a wide range of rights and social issues such as childrens, womens and disabled peoples rights. Scottish Human Rights Commission chairwoman Judith Robertson said if the recommendations are taking forward they could close the persistent gap between well-intentioned laws and everyday reality for peoples rights. The worlds largest trader in palm oil has unveiled plans to step up its supplier monitoring in a potential breakthrough in stopping rainforest destruction. Wilmar International, which supplies around 40% of the worlds palm oil, including for popular consumer goods brands, has set out an action plan to prevent forests and peatland being destroyed for palm oil plantations. Under the plans to implement its no deforestation, no peat, no exploitation (NDPE) policy, Wilmar is supporting sustainability consultancy Aidenvironment to draw up a comprehensive mapping database of suppliers. Aerial image of palm concession in West Kalimantan, Indonesia (Irmawan/Greenpeace) The database will allow satellite monitoring to spot any deforestation or development on peat, with the company pledging to immediately suspend the suppliers involved, while also engaging with them to improve their operations. Destruction of rainforests and peatlands in countries such as Indonesia and Malaysia for palm oil production releases large amounts of carbon emissions which fuel climate change, and threatens wildlife such as orangutans, campaigners warn. The role of palm oil in deforestation has become high profile amid controversy over Icelands Christmas advertisement, an animatronic orangutan taking to Londons streets and campaigning by environmental groups. Greenpeace, which has been campaigning against rainforest destruction for palm oil and targeting companies including Wilmar, hailed the announcement. Kiki Taufik, global head of Indonesian forests campaign, Greenpeace Southeast Asia, said: Wilmar supplies palm oil to most of the worlds major food and cosmetics brands. So todays announcement is a potential breakthrough. If Wilmar keeps its word, by the end of 2019 it will be using satellites to monitor all of its palm oil suppliers, making it almost impossible for them to get away with forest destruction. Forest in the Meratus Mountains, South Kalimantan, Indonesia (Ulet Ifansasti/Greenpeace) He added: As the world wakes up to the climate and extinction crisis, inaction is not an option. Wilmar has taken an important step and must now put its plan into action immediately. Stopping deforestation requires industry-wide action. Other traders and brands must now follow with credible plans to map and monitor all of their suppliers. Equally important is action to end exploitation and human rights abuses in the palm oil sector. Announcing the move, Wilmars chief sustainability officer Jeremy Goon said: We remain steadfast in our commitment to our NDPE policy and this new enhanced plan is part of our sustainability strategy as we strive towards a supply chain free of deforestation and conflict. Eric Wakker, co-founder of Aidenvironment Asia, said: Companies in the palm oil supply chain will now gain better visibility into the plantation companies they source from in terms of their operational locations and especially their compliance with the NDPE policy. It will also allow companies to act faster against suppliers found to be involved in deforestation and peatland development. Wilmar called on environmental groups and other industry players to step up the pressure on non-compliant suppliers to commit to and implement policies to stop rainforests and peatland being destroyed and exploitation occurring. A wicked paedophile has been found guilty of the Babes in the Woods murders, ending a 32-year fight for justice for the families of his victims. Russell Bishop was 20 years old when he sexually assaulted and strangled nine-year-olds Nicola Fellows and Karen Hadaway in a woodland den in Brighton. He was originally cleared of their murders exactly 31 years ago but within three years went on to kidnap, molest and throttle a seven-year-old girl, leaving her for dead at Devils Dyke on the edge of the Sussex seaside city. "Cowardly" Russell Bishop pictured in custody before his 2018 trial (Sussex Police/PA) While serving life for attempted murder, Bishop, now 52, was ordered to face a fresh trial under the double jeopardy law, in light of a DNA breakthrough. A Pinto sweatshirt discarded on Bishops route home was linked to the defendant by DNA while fibre, paint and ivy transfers placed it at the scene. Tests on a sample from Karens left forearm also revealed a one in a billion DNA match to Bishop. The blue Pinto sweatshirt linked Bishop to his victims (Sussex Police/PA) The case, dubbed Babes in the Woods, shocked the nation in 1986 and blighted the tight-knit community of Moulsecoomb, on the edge of the South Downs in Brighton. It is believed to be the oldest double jeopardy case and Sussex Polices longest-running murder inquiry. The girls families gasped and wept in court as the jury delivered its verdict after just two and a half hours of deliberation on Tuesday. Distraught parents, Michelle and Lee Hadaway face the Press at Brighton Police Station following the discovery of the girls bodies in 1986 (PA Archive)Nicola was a very friendly, outgoing girl who would speak her mind, while Karen was sensible, but could also be cheeky, according to their parents. Both were afraid of the dark and Nicolas father had banned her from playing in Wild Park, even saying the bogeyman lived there, the court heard. At around dusk on October 9 1986, Bishop spotted the girls playing in the park near their home and seized his opportunity, the prosecution said. The woodland den where Nicola Fellows and Karen Hadaway were found strangled (Sussex Police/PA) During the attack, he punched Nicola in the face, to subdue or punish her for being disrespectful to his teenage girlfriend earlier that day, Brian Altman QC suggested. The prosecutor pointed out Bishops violent nature, saying he slapped his partner Jennie Johnson when she was pregnant with their second child. The day after the killings, Bishop joined the desperate search for the children, claiming his dog Misty was a trained tracker. Russell Bishop, circa 1988, denied the charges against him (PA Archive) He was nearby when two 18-year-olds spotted the bodies and rushed ahead of a police officer. Afterwards, he gave conflicting accounts to police and produced a series of fake alibis, including a wild man of the woods and his drug dealer. He described details of the murder scene which only the killer could have known, including foam around the mouth of one of the girls, the court heard. In the original trial, the prosecution said the girls must have been killed before 6.30pm, by which time Bishop had been seen heading home on foot and the girls were spotted outside a fish and chip shop. But in the retrial, jurors heard the time of death could have been later and Bishop simply doubled back to intercept the children, both of whom he knew. Bishop tailored his defence to the new forensic evidence, claiming he touched the girls to feel for a pulse, even though the 18-year-olds insisted he never got near. The former roofer denied murder but admitted attacking the girl in 1990 claiming it was because he was angry and wanted to shame and belittle her. Acting on instructions, his defence team cast suspicion on Nicolas father Barrie, suggesting police spent 32 years investigating the wrong man. During the two-month trial Nicolas father Barrie Fellows, 69, had been reduced to tears over the claims against him. Bishops defence also cast doubt on the forensic evidence, suggesting it could have been contaminated. In his 1987 trial, Ms Johnson denied the blue Pinto belonged to her partner in the witness box, having previous identified it. In light of the guilty verdict, Sussex Police has refused to rule out investigation her for perjury charges 31 years later. While Bishop refused to attend court for the verdict, mothers Michelle Hadaway, 61, and Susan Fellows, 69, sat through harrowing evidence for a second time. Karens heartbroken father Lee Hadaway died without seeing his daughters killer brought to justice. Barrie Fellows, father of victim Nicola Fellows, was reduced to tears after being cast as a suspect (Steve Parsons/PA) Nigel Pilkington, of Crown Prosecution Service South East, said Bishop is an extremely dangerous man who had been convicted on overwhelming and incontrovertible evidence. He said: He is a violent predatory paedophile and he gets cross when you call him that. He also considers himself to be a victim in the sense of the 1990 conviction. He said Bishop had tried to blame Nicolas father to create the most havoc possible, adding: There is not a shred of evidence against Barrie Fellows, not realistically at all. Detective Superintendent Jeff Riley said Bishop was a wicked paedophile. He said: I still feel its a shadow over Brighton to this day. Im very proud of the investigation we have put together. We have been meticulous. We have never given up on this investigation. Prime Minister Theresa May is to travel to Europe to seek concessions on her Brexit deal, after calling off a crunch House of Commons vote in which she was expected to go down to a heavy defeat. In a statement to MPs, Mrs May also said the Government was stepping up preparations for a possible no-deal Brexit. And she said that MPs who were threatening to vote against the deal she secured with Brussels must ask themselves the fundamental question: Does this House want to deliver Brexit? If the answer was yes, she said that they needed to consider whether they were prepared to make compromises in order to make good on the 2016 referendum vote to leave the EU. Mrs Mays statement came amid dramatic scenes at Westminster, as news of her plan to postpone Tuesdays meaningful vote broke just minutes after Downing Street had insisted it was going ahead. It is understood that the PM had been warned that she faced a large-scale defeat when MPs voted at the end of five days of debate in the Commons on her plans. She spoke with her Cabinet colleagues by a telephone conference call before addressing the Commons. Speaking to MPs, Mrs May accepted that there was widespread and deep concern over the backstop arrangement, designed to keep the Irish border open if the EU and UK fail to strike a wider trade deal. If the vote had gone ahead as planned, the Government would have been defeated by a significant margin, she said. We will therefore defer the vote scheduled for tomorrow and not proceed to divide the House at this time. Mrs May said she believed there was a majority to be won in the Commons on her deal, if she is able to secure additional reassurance on the backstop, and that this would be her focus over the coming days. But she insisted: There is no deal available that does not include the backstop. Mrs May said she had spoken by phone with European leaders over the weekend and will meet others, as well as the chiefs of the European Council and Commission, before the EU summit opens in Brussels on Thursday. I will discuss with them the clear concerns that this House has expressed, she said. The Government was also looking at new ways of empowering the House of Commons to ensure that any provision for a backstop has democratic legitimacy and to enable the House to place its own obligations on the Government to ensure that the backstop cannot be in place indefinitely, said Mrs May. EU Withdrawal Agreement: How MPs could have voted. Infographic from PA Graphics She added: If you take a step back, it is clear that this House faces a much more fundamental question. Does this House want to deliver Brexit? And if it does, does it want to do so through reaching an agreement with the EU? If the answer is yes, and I believe that is the answer of the majority of this House, then we all have to ask ourselves whether we are prepared to make a compromise. Because there will be no enduring and successful Brexit without some compromise on both sides of the debate. A spokeswoman for European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker poured cold water on hopes of a renegotiation of the Withdrawal Agreement, reached after more than 18 months of talks. In a press briefing in Brussels, Mina Andreeva said: As President Juncker said, this deal is the best and only deal possible. We will not renegotiate our position has therefore not changed and as far as we are concerned the United Kingdom is leaving the European Union on March 29 2019. I cant follow anymore. After two years of negotiations, the Tory government wants to delay the vote. Just keep in mind that we will never let the Irish down. This delay will further aggravate the uncertainty for people & businesses. Its time they make up their mind! #brexit Guy Verhofstadt (@guyverhofstadt) December 10, 2018 Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar ruled out reopening negotiations around the backstop, which is designed to keep the Irish border open following Brexit. The Taoiseach said it was not possible to reopen any aspect of the Withdrawal Agreement without reopening all aspects of it. Ahead of her statement, Mrs May spoke by phone to Arlene Foster, leader of the Democratic Unionist Party, whose MPs prop up the minority Conservative administration but were threatening to vote against her deal. Mrs Foster said: My message was clear. The backstop must go. Too much time has been wasted. Need a better deal. Disappointed it has taken so long for Prime Minister to listen. And she spoke to Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, who said she told the PM that delaying the vote is an abdication of responsibility, leading to even greater chaos. The Scottish National Party leader and Liberal Democrat leader Sir Vince Cable both urged Jeremy Corbyn to call a vote of no confidence in the Prime Minister, which they said their parties would support. So @jeremycorbyn - if Labour, as official opposition, lodges motion of no confidence in this incompetent government tomorrow, @theSNP will support & we can then work together to give people the chance to stop Brexit in another vote. This shambles cant go on - so how about it? Nicola Sturgeon (@NicolaSturgeon) December 10, 2018 Both Ms Sturgeon and Sir Vince said they would press for a second referendum in order to allow voters to pass judgment on whether they still want Britain to leave the EU. Shouts of resign were heard from the Labour benches as Theresa May concluded her statement. Mr Corbyn said: The Government has lost control of events and is in complete disarray. He urged Mrs May to be clear over whether she is seeking changes to the deal or mere reassurances and asked if she was ready to drop further red lines in order to make progress. Bringing back a botched amendment to her deal next week or in January would not deal with its fundamental flaws, he said. This is a bad deal for Britain, a bad deal for our economy and a bad deal for our democracy. Our country deserves better than this, said Mr Corbyn. The dramatic developments occurred as the European Court of Justice ruled that Britain can unilaterally halt the Brexit process by revoking the Article 50 letter declaring its intention to leave the EU. Babes in the Woods killer Russell Bishop has been described as an evil monster by the families of his two young victims as their 32-year fight for justice came to an end. Bishop was 20 years old when he sexually assaulted and strangled nine-year-olds Nicola Fellows and Karen Hadaway in a woodland den in Brighton. He was cleared of their murders on December 10 1987 but within three years went on to kidnap, molest and throttle a seven-year-old girl, leaving her for dead at Devils Dyke on the edge of the Sussex seaside city. While serving life for attempted murder, Bishop, now 52, was ordered to face a fresh trial under the double jeopardy law in light of a DNA breakthrough. "Cowardly" Russell Bishop pictured in custody before his 2018 trial (Sussex Police/PA) A sweatshirt discarded on Bishops route home was linked to the defendant by DNA while fibre, paint and ivy hairs placed it at the murder scene in Wild Park. Tests on a sample from Karens left forearm also revealed a one in a billion DNA match to Bishop. Bishop denied murder, claiming the evidence could have been contaminated. But the jury rejected his defence and convicted him at the Old Bailey after just two and a half hours, on the anniversary of Bishops original acquittal. The woodland den where Nicola Fellows and Karen Hadaway were found strangled (Sussex Police/PA) Members of the girls families wept and hugged each other as the the verdict was delivered. Afterwards, Karens mother Michelle Hadaway said Bishop was an evil monster. She said: After 32 years of fighting, we finally have justice for Karen and Nicola. Time stood still for us in 1986. To us them beautiful girls will always be nine years old. They will never grow up. What people like Bishop inflict on the families of their victims is a living death. The Fellows family said: The guilty verdict doesnt bring Nicola and Karen back, but we know that other children are now safe from the hands of Russell Bishop. He is a monster. A predatory paedophile. Russell Bishop truly is evil personified. The case, dubbed Babes in the Woods murders, shocked the nation in 1986 and blighted the tight-knit community of Moulsecoomb, on the edges of the South Downs in Brighton. It is believed to be the oldest double jeopardy case and Sussex Polices longest-running murder inquiry. Russell Bishop, circa 1988, denied the charges against him (PA Archive) Nicola was a friendly, outgoing girl who would speak her mind, while Karen was sensible, but could also be cheeky, according to their parents. Both were afraid of the dark and Nicolas father had banned her from playing in Wild Park, even saying the bogeyman lived there, the court heard. At around dusk on October 9 1986, Bishop spotted the girls playing in the park near their home and seized his opportunity, the prosecution said. During the attack, he punched Nicola in the face, to subdue or punish her for being disrespectful to his teenage girlfriend earlier that day, Brian Altman QC suggested. The prosecutor pointed out Bishops violent nature, saying he slapped his partner Jennie Johnson when she was pregnant with their second child. The day after the killings, Bishop joined the desperate search for the children, claiming his dog Misty was a trained tracker. He was nearby when two 18-year-olds spotted the bodies and rushed ahead of a police officer. Barrie Fellows, father of victim Nicola Fellows, was reduced to tears after being cast as a suspect (Steve Parsons/PA) Afterwards, he gave conflicting accounts to police and produced a series of fake alibis. But he described details of the murder scene which only the killer could have known, including foam around the mouth of one of the girls. In the original trial, the prosecution said the girls must have been killed before 6.30pm, by which time Bishop had been seen heading home on foot and the girls were spotted outside a fish and chip shop. But in the retrial, jurors heard the time of death could have been later and Bishop simply doubled back to intercept the children, both of whom he knew. Bishop tailored his defence to the new forensic evidence, claiming he touched the girls to feel for a pulse, even though the 18-year-olds insisted he never got near. A blue Pinto sweatshirt said to contain vital DNA evidence (Sussex Police/PA) Acting on instructions, his defence team cast suspicion on Nicolas father Barrie, suggesting police spent 32 years investigating the wrong man. During the two-month trial Nicolas father Mr Fellows, 69, had been reduced to tears over the claims against him. Speaking after the hearing, Mr Fellows said facing the accusations in the witness box was the worst thing that can ever happen to anyone. Bishops defence also cast doubt on the forensic evidence, suggesting it could have been contaminated. In his 1987 trial, Ms Johnson denied the blue sweatshirt belonged to her partner in the witness box, having previous identified it. In light of the guilty verdict, Sussex Police has refused to rule out investigating her for perjury 31 years later. While Bishop refused to attend court for the verdict, mothers Mrs Hadaway, 61, and Susan Eismann, 69, sat through harrowing evidence for a second time. Karens heartbroken father Lee Hadaway died without seeing his daughters killer brought to justice. Adjourning sentencing until Tuesday, Mr Justice Sweeney paid tribute to the families extraordinary diginity throughout the trial. Nigel Pilkington, of Crown Prosecution Service South East, said Bishop was an extremely dangerous man who had been convicted on overwhelming and incontrovertible evidence. He said: He is a violent predatory paedophile and he gets cross when you call him that. He also considers himself to be a victim in the sense of the 1990 conviction. He said Bishop had tried to blame Nicolas father to create the most havoc possible, adding: There is not a shred of evidence against Barrie Fellows, not realistically at all. Detective Superintendent Jeff Riley said Bishop was a wicked paedophile. He said: I still feel its a shadow over Brighton to this day. Im very proud of the investigation we have put together. We have been meticulous. We have never given up on this investigation. Belfasts Lord Mayor has insisted her advocacy of rights issues at the heart of the Stormont impasse do not undermine her claim to represent all the citys citizens. Deirdre Hargey said her support for an Irish language act and same-sex marriage legislation were universal rights that broader civic society in Northern Ireland backed. Belfasts first citizen also defended using her office to promote a pro-choice position. Endorsement of all three causes were outlined in a document launched by Sinn Feins Ms Hargey on Monday called the Lord Mayors Charter. The document, published to mark International Human Rights Day, calls for action on a number of social and economic rights issues, some of which are the source of political controversy in Northern Ireland. Proposed legislation to protect Irish language speakers and end the ban on same-sex marriage are two of the main disputes at the centre of the political rift between Sinn Fein and the DUP that has seen the region without a properly functioning executive for almost two years. The regions strict abortion regime also polarises opinion, with vocal advocates on the both sides of the emotive debate. The charter also calls for the introduction of a wider Bill of Rights another unresolved peace process wrangle. The document claims to translate into action the spirit of the wider councils community plan for the city the Belfast Agenda. No unionist councillors attended the launch event in City Hall. Lord Mayor Deirdre Hargey addresses a `rights rally outside Belfast City Hall (David Young/PA) Ms Hargey, who after the launch addressed a rally attended by rights activists outside City Hall, denied the charter was inconsistent with her stated intent to be a mayor for all. Definitely not, the contrary, she said. These rights are universal rights. Other governments whether it is England, Scotland, Wales or in the south of Ireland enshrine these rights to all of their citizens within society. Belfast and the north just need to catch up in that conversation and that debate to ensure we are instilling international human rights, because rights dont impinge on anybody elses right it actually lifts society as a whole. And I do feel that broadly civic society are engaged on these issues, I think they are supportive of these issues and the change thats happening and I feel I am giving visibility to that change that is taking place in society. Belfast is a changing city. It is a city of forward-looking and optimistic people with great ambition for a better future for all its citizens. We are a city with a shared and complex history, but with ambitions for an inclusive, rights-based future. The Belfast of today is a multicultural and multi-ethnic city with a rainbow of colours expressing that diversity in language, food, song and dance and that is something to be embraced and celebrated. Professor Colin Harvey from Queens University Belfast also spoke at the charter launch. This is an excellent initiative and comes during challenging and difficult times for human rights, he said. This document outlines how Belfast can be a leading human rights city something that is a developing trend, and an example of the contribution cities around the world can make. The families of Nicola Fellows and Karen Hadaway have described killer Russell Bishop as a monster and evil personified. The girls distraught loved-ones spoke out about their 32-year living death as Bishop was finally brought to justice for the 1986 murders. Speaking outside the Old Bailey, Michelle Hadaway, Karens mother, said: After 32 years of fighting, we finally have justice for Karen and Nicola. Time stood still for us in 1986. To us them beautiful girls will always be nine years old. They will never grow up. Michelle Hadaway, the mother of Karen Hadaway, looking on as Russell Bishop sits in the dock at the Old Bailey, London. (Elizabeth Cook/PA_ Weve been deprived of a happy life to watch them grow into adults. What people like Bishop inflict on the families of their victims is a living death. They take the lives of children but they also take the lives of the families left behind. Kas and Nicky, as they were affectionately known, friends playing out together only to have their lives wiped out by a sexual deviant, a monster. Whats been hard, horrendous and heart-breaking is to hear that they were murdered by a disgusting paedophile, who we actually knew and them two girls liked and trusted. He abused that trust. Bishop doesnt deserve to breathe the same clean air as we do. After all, he decided that day to strangle the life out of our two angels, leaving them no air to breathe. What makes a man want to squeeze the life out of two innocent children with his bare hands? Unbelievable, when he had a child himself and another on the way. Hes a coward, without a conscience. I dont believe you can rehabilitate evil. I think Bishop was just born that way. People talk to me of forgiveness, but I can never forgive or forget what that evil monster did to my beautiful Kaz and Nicky. Im trying so hard to get my head around this but I will cos Im a fighter and Ill never stop being strong for my family. Michelle Hadaway and Sue Eismann at the scene in Wild Park, Brighton, East Sussex, where their daughters, Karen Hadaway and Nicola Fellows, were found murdered 20 years ago. (PA Archive) In a joint statement, the Fellows family said: Nicola and Karen. Our beautiful girls. We will never forget their smiles that would light up a room. Their laughter. Their cheekiness. During the past eight weeks, we have endured re-living the horrific details of their murders and we have learned an awful lot about the true meaning of heartbreak all over again. We stand here as two families united in our grief. United in our fight for justice. And now united in our elation at todays guilty verdict. We are extremely relieved and grateful that our 32 years hard fought battle has been a success, finally getting the rightful long-awaited justice for both of our girls. We want to thank our police teams and counsel, who have been fantastic during the past couple of decades. If it wasnt for their efforts and dedication working with us, we wouldnt be stood here today. Together we have changed history with this double jeopardy ruling and we finally have the correct outcome Russell Bishop remains behind bars where he belongs. The guilty verdict doesnt bring Nicola & Karen back, but we know that other children are now safe from the hands of Russell Bishop. He is a monster. A predatory paedophile. Russell Bishop truly is evil personified. Over the weekend, three deacons were ordained, including a Palestinian refugee in Jordan. For Fr Ibrahim, Patriarchate chancellor, there are still witnesses of faith and affiliation with Christ in a situation marked by conflict. Advent is a source of joy shared with Muslims. There is growing feeling of devotion among the young. Jerusalem (AsiaNews) The three diaconal ordinations celebrated over the weekend are "a sign of the vitality of the Church in the Holy Land," said Fr Ibrahim Shomali, chancellor of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, speaking to AsiaNews. In a context still shaped "by the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, there are still people who bear witness to the faith and affiliation to Christ in his homeland," added Fr Shomali, who, together with Mgr Pizzaballa, presided over one of the three celebrations. "Of the three, the ordination of a Palestinian, a refugee in Jordan, was especially important, he explained. Through his own vocational choice, he placed himself at the service of the local Church. This is very important because places of worship without pastors and faithful are empty, dead." Last Saturday, the day of the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, the first ordination took place, that of Br Marlon Trinidad Mendez Pavon, 38, who was ordained deacon at the Church of Saint Saviour in Jerusalem. Mgr Girelli together with the Custos of the Holy Land Fr Francesco Patton led the service. Two months ago, the new Franciscan made his solemn vows, after moving from the Mount Nebo convent. The devotion to Our Lady is rooted in Fr Mendezs country of origin, Nicaragua, where every year, on 7 December, people celebrate "La Griteria" (Shouting) festival, a tradition that began in Leon and then spread across the country. Ala 'Saleem Jissa B'air was ordained deacon by the Apostolic Administrator of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, Mgr Pierbattista Pizzaballa, in the Church of the Annunciation in Beit Jala, last Sunday. Fr Ibrahim Shomali and Fr Yacoub Rafidi, rector of the patriarchal seminary in Beit Jala, concelebrated the service. The new deacon entered the Beit Jala seminary in 2007 and, after a discernment of almost 12 years, received his ordination. "The vocations that are born and mature in the Holy Land confirm that we are a living reality, ready to serve those who live in this region, Fr Shomali explained. Br Ala 'Saleem was born here and has lived here; he is a child of this land. However, the task of protecting the land and making it grow "falls on all Christians, even those who come from outside and whose vocational choice matures here. The whole world has a great responsibility towards the Church in the Holy Land." After a difficult period, the situation "seems to be improving" for Christians, noted the Patriarchate chancellor. Pilgrimages, which are up this year, are going very well, confirmation" of this trend. Although politically, "there are no hopes for a better future", unless "leaders mindset changes, we must continue to tend to peace and dialogue through faith. For us, Advent is a time of great joy and even Muslims seem to share in it." In terms of celebrations, various initiatives are planned, from Masses to moments of prayer, from giving gifts to children to actions of solidarity. In addition, there is a growing feeling of devotion that gives hope for the future, especially among the young and the new generations who are seeking more intensively the encounter with Christ." The Prime Minister said there was widespread and deep concern about the Irish border backstop as she delayed the House of Commons Brexit vote. The Democratic Unionists are adamantly opposed to planned concessions aimed at ensuring frictionless trade across the island. It fears the plan could create new barriers between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK. The unionist partys 10 MPs are crucial to supporting the minority Conservative government, in exchange for a 1 billion dividend for Northern Ireland, but they have pledged to vote against the draft treaty with Brussels. Here are a few questions answered. What was the plan for the Irish border? The Prime Minister said there was `widespread and deep concern about the Irish border backstop as she delayed the House of Commons Brexit vote (Liam McBurney/PA). A backstop solution aims to prevent the establishment of a hard border on the island after Brexit. It would mean some regulations relating to Northern Ireland remain aligned with the rest of the EU. It is an insurance policy if no answer can be found through a permanent trade deal after a transitional period from next March but unionists fear it could create regulatory disparity between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK. The backstop has been a focus of discontent with Theresa Mays draft Withdrawal Agreement with Europe. Following the delay to the Commons vote, its future is uncertain. What exactly does the backstop propose? Once the Brexit transition period ends in December 2020, the EU and the UK have agreed the backstop would apply until such a time as a subsequent agreement is in place. This would create a single EU-UK customs territory avoiding the need for tariffs, quotas or checks on rules of origin between the EU and the UK. Northern Irish businesses would not face restrictions when placing products on the EUs Single Market. What has been the Irish Governments reaction to the decision to defer a vote? Irish Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said it is not possible to renegotiate the backstop without reopening all aspects of the draft withdrawal treaty. Were asking the question as a Government, how do we respond to all the various outcomes? If youre a business, you should be asking yourself those questions now too. Tanaiste @simoncoveney opens this mornings discussions at our #BrexitReady roadshow pic.twitter.com/8poFi55gBn Brexit Ready Ireland (@BrexitReadyIRL) November 30, 2018 Dublin is keen to ensure a free-flowing border to protect the peace process and north-south trade links. What has been the DUPs reaction? Deputy leader Nigel Dodds said the vote delay was a humiliation Mrs May had brought on herself while Arlene Foster said the Prime Minister must get rid of the backstop. The DUP is concerned remaining aligned to Europe would create a regulatory divergence between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK, requiring extra checks on east-west trade and threatening the integrity of the UK as a whole. Just finished a call with the Prime Minister. My message was clear. The backstop must go. Too much time has been wasted. Need a better deal. Disappointed it has taken so long for Prime Minister to listen. Arlene Foster #WeWillMeetAgain (@ArleneFosterUK) December 10, 2018 What have Remain voices in Northern Ireland said about the backstop? Four pro-Remain parties in Northern Ireland including Sinn Fein and the nationalist SDLP have declared it should be banked rather than discarded to protect the 1998 Good Friday Agreement. They said a no-deal Brexit would be catastrophic. What happens now? A meeting of European leaders is planned for later this week and they will be demanding answers from Mrs May, with Europe showing no willingness to reopen months of delicate negotiations. The Prime Minister said the risk of an accidental no agreement increased the longer it took to pass a deal. A historic renovation of the Church of the Nativity is lifting spirits in the biblical town of Bethlehem ahead of Christmas. Visitors will get a look at ancient mosaics and columns that have been restored to their original glory for the first time in 600 years. City officials hope the renovation at the traditional birthplace of Jesus will boost tourism and a weak economy in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, and perhaps slow a decades-long drain of the Christian population from the lands where the faith was born. Christians are leaving the Holy Land due to the lack of peace and economic hardships and we are struggling to keep them in their homeland, said Bethlehem mayor Anton Salman. Restoration experts work on a mosaic (Majdi Mohammed/AP) This is one of the ways. The renovation started in 2013, a year after Unesco declared the church a world heritage site, and is expected to be completed by the end of next year. The Palestinian Authority formed a committee of local Christian leaders to oversee the renovation and contracted an Italian company to carry out the project. Ziad al-Bandak, the committee head, said it has collected 14 million US dollars out of 17 million needed. Roughly half of the funding has come from the Palestinian Authority and local Muslim and Christian businesses, and the rest from foreign donors. It has become such a beautiful church, he said. Every Christian in the world would love to see it now. One of Christianitys most sacred shrines, the church was built in the fourth century by St Helena over a cave where the Virgin Mary is said to have given birth. Palestinian Christians celebrate the lighting of a Christmas tree in Manger Square (Majdi Mohammed/AP) What pilgrims mostly see today is the basilica built by Byzantine Emperor Justinian I, who ruled from 527 to 565. Neglected for decades before the renovation, the roof of the church was leaking, windows were broken, mosaics were covered in grime and walls and columns were damaged. After five years of work, it has been transformed. Emad Nassar, a Palestinian engineer overseeing the renovations, said the project started with the ceiling. Roughly 10% of the beams were replaced with wood imported from old destroyed churches in Italy, windows were fixed, and outside stones and walls were renovated. Perhaps the biggest challenge has been repairing the badly damaged 2,000 square metre wall mosaic. So far, 120 square metres have been restored, depicting images of Christ and Christian saints. A restoration expert works on a granite column Majdi Mohammed/AP) Workers are also restoring a floor mosaic. The restoration process is meticulous and painstaking. As Mr Nassar spoke, three Italian workers were cleaning a mosaic with tiny brushes and covering them with protective material. In the coming year, we are going to continue renovating the columns, the floor mosaic, the tiles and the front yard floor, Mr Nassar said. The delicate relations between the Holy Lands major Christian denominations have factored into the poor condition of the church. The Roman Catholic, Greek Orthodox and Armenian churches have traditionally viewed each other with deep suspicion. Under a 19th-century agreement called the Status Quo, each denomination has its own areas and responsibilities. But over the years, turf battles have erupted into arguments and even fistfights among clergymen. Experts work on a mosaic (Majdi Mohammed/AP) The Reverend Samour, a 70-year-old Greek Orthodox clergyman who has served at the church for nearly half a century, said the Palestinian Authority managed to get the rival churches on board. The construction did not touch the altar crypt with the 14-point silver star marking the spot where, according to Christian tradition, Jesus was born. Although it also needs renovation, the churches have not yet reached an agreement on the crypt. Bethlehem is heavily dependent on Christmas tourism, with hotels, restaurants and gift stores doing much of their business during the short holiday season. The renovated church has become a popular destination. The mosaic on the walls is very beautiful, and the renovation is very impressive, said Sandris Gradins, a 31-year-old tourist from Latvia. After dipping in 2015 and 2016, tourism has seen a comeback in the past two years, officials said. The mayor said he expects 1.2 million visitors this year. Tourism Minister Rula Maayah said she is working with Christian officials to expand visiting hours to accommodate the long queues. A woman visits a shop near the Church of the Nativity (Majdi Mohammed/AP) An ambitious program has been set up for Christmas this year, she said. The municipality recently hosted representatives of 14 twin cities from around the world for a Christmas tree lighting ceremony. Foreign musicians performed Christmas songs during the event. Fifteen European countries participated in a Christmas market in the front yard of the church. The municipality also has been building a Christmas village for children. But whether the citys efforts can stop the long-term outflow of Bethlehems Christians remains to be seen. As elsewhere in the Arab world, the local Christian community has struggled for decades, escaping conflict and economic troubles in search of better opportunities abroad. In the Holy Land, Israels half-century-old occupation of the West Bank and east Jerusalem, and more than a decade of rule by the Islamic militant group Hamas in Gaza have significantly worsened the situation. Christian worshippers pray inside the Grotto at the Church of the Nativity, where Christians believe Jesus Christ was born (Majdi Mohammed/AP) A 2017 census in the West Bank, Gaza and east Jerusalem counted just under 47,000 Palestinian Christians, or about 1% of a Palestinian population of close to 4.8 million. Twenty years earlier, Christians still made up more than 1.7% of the Palestinian population, according to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics. Roughly half of Palestinian Christians live in the Bethlehem area, where their share of the population has also declined significantly. Wadie Abunassar, a senior adviser to church leaders in the Holy Land, said the Palestinian leadership in the West Bank has treated Christians well, but that lack of progress toward a resolution over Israel and Palestinian statehood have driven emigration. Despite lack of hope, he urged Christians to stay. This is our homeland. We are called to be witnesses for Jesus in his homeland, he said. This is a great privilege, which most Christians in the world dont have. The Governments approach to Brexit is chaotic, the DUP leader said. Arlene Foster claimed the Prime Minister had not listened to those who warned that the draft EU withdrawal deal would not work because of inclusion of the Irish border backstop. The proposed measure means Northern Ireland would continue to follow some EU rules to ensure frictionless north/south trade if no better deal can be found, and has prompted significant unionist opposition. Remain-backing parties in Northern Ireland including Sinn Fein said the backstop should be banked and a no-deal exit after Mondays rethink by the British Government would be catastrophic. Mrs Foster said: The fundamentally flawed Withdrawal Agreement would have undermined our United Kingdom economy and the Union itself. The backstop would have left Northern Ireland trapped as a hostage to the European Union. Her party colleague, East Antrim MP Sammy Wilson, added: Either the legally binding handcuffs of the backstop are removed or else this deal will have to be rejected. The backstop was designed to ensure north/south commerce and movement between Northern Ireland and the Republic continued unimpeded after Brexit if no better trade deal was agreed. There can be no renegotiation of the Withdrawal Agreement @MaryLouMcDonald https://t.co/et0ZBvRvZe pic.twitter.com/8h3sTkie8m Sinn Fein (@sinnfeinireland) December 7, 2018 Pro-Remain Sinn Fein, the nationalist SDLP, Alliance and Green Party said: We have a shared responsibility to protect jobs, economic stability, the environment and peoples livelihoods. At the very least, this means avoiding a hard border, protecting the Good Friday Agreement and hard-won peace of the past 20 years, and staying within the single market and a customs union. Therefore, as a basis for this, we maintain that there is a pressing need for the backstop as set out in the Withdrawal Agreement to be banked. By contrast, we believe that a no-deal situation would be catastrophic for our economy and society. Meanwhile, Sinn Fein president Mary Lou McDonald said: Theresa May and the British Parliament are deluding themselves if they think that Irish interests will simply be cast aside to facilitate the fantasy Brexit they are pursuing. The Irish Government and the EU need to stand by their commitments and defend Irish interests; there can be no hard border, no diminution of our rights and protection for the Good Friday Agreement in all its parts. NHS hospitals are being forced store clinical waste, including human remains, at their premises for up to a fortnight after a scandal-hit contractor stopped collecting waste. Extra containers for temporary storage of anatomical, hazardous and other forms of waste have been installed at hospitals across England as part of a national incident response ordered by NHS chiefs, the Health Service Journal reported. It comes after Healthcare Environmental Services stopped collecting waste last Thursday, the HSJ said. Exclusive: Major incident as hospital waste collections halted https://t.co/WWwiIZVYB5 Health Service Journal (@HSJnews) December 10, 2018 The Environment Agency has launched a criminal investigation into HES after it was found to have stockpiled up to five times the permitted amount of clinical waste at its depots in July, prompting a meeting of the Governments emergency Cobra committee which agreed a 1 million support package for affected hospitals. A spokesman for HES told the HSJ the company is no longer collecting waste from the English health service. Guidance issued to trusts by NHS chiefs, seen and reported by the HSJ, recommended compactors, skips and trailers are installed on-site to store the waste. Clinical waste (Chris Radburn/PA) The units will store waste such as infectious liquids, cytotoxic and pharmaceutical waste, surgical instruments and sanitary products. The guidance says anatomical waste, such as amputated limbs or human tissue, should be stored in refrigerated units in a hospitals mortuary if it is unlikely to be collected by a contractor within 24 hours. The temporary storage units must be placed on impermeable surfaces such as concrete or asphalt to prevent contamination of surface water. Health chiefs have given trusts the go-ahead to move their waste to a neighbouring trust if they are unable to store more, the HSJ reported. Professor Keith Willett, medical director for acute care and emergency preparedness at NHS England, said: The NHS has contingency plans in place for clinical waste and patients should be assured that their care will be unaffected. The Government is reviewing the way the NHS awards contracts for clinical waste management. Police are searching for two men who stole alcohol worth a six-figure sum from a haulage firm in Renfrewshire. The men, wearing hi-vis clothing, entered a yard in the Linwood area on Sunday at about 5pm . Two trucks, containing the alcohol, were then accessed by the pair. Detectives say that one of the trucks was driven behind a small black car to the nearby Riverpark industrial estate in Bridge Street. The cab was then disconnected from the trailer and fitted to another cab and driven away, with the alarm raised at around midnight. One of the trucks has since been recovered in the East Kilbride area. Detectives are investigating the theft (Andrew Milligan/PA) Detective Sergeant Michael Lochrie, from Paisley CID, said: Extensive enquiries are under way and we are appealing for anyone with information regarding this incident to please get in touch. In particular, we would ask anyone who was in the vicinity of Riverpark industrial estate around 5pm yesterday evening and may have noticed any suspicious activity to contact police. We would also urge motorists with dashcams who were in the area to check their footage in case they have captured anything which could be of significance to our enquiries. Egyptian authorities have restricted the sale of yellow reflective vests, fearing opponents might attempt to copy French protesters during next months anniversary of the 2011 popular uprising that toppled autocrat Hosni Mubarak. They say industrial safety equipment distributors have been instructed not to sell yellow vests to walk-in buyers, only to verified companies and only after securing police permission. Demonstrators wearing yellow vests in Marseille (Claude Paris/AP) Security officials said restrictions would remain in force until the end of January. Requests to the Interior Ministry for comment went unanswered. The past two years, Egyptian authorities clamped down heavily to prevent any marches to commemorate the January 25 anniversary of the start of the 2011 uprising. A Tory minister has said Liverpools mayor should calm down, calm down over city funding concerns. Northern Powerhouse Minister Jake Berry, in a nod to comedian Harry Enfields famous scousers in the pub sketch, drew scoffs from opposition MPs for the quip. The comments came in the Commons after shadow devolution minister Jim McMahon asked Mr Berry about Liverpool mayor Joe Andersons resignation from the Northern Powerhouse Partnership. Mr Anderson quit, saying the body was set up by a government which isnt prepared to listen and that he can no longer see the point of being a part of these bodies. Mr Berry, who is from Liverpool, announced the city would be receiving 34 million in investment from the Local Growth Fund something which, he said, was real evidence of the Northern Powerhouse in action. Our 38.4m #LocalGrowthFund investment in #Liverpool is evidence of the #NorthernPowerhouse in action. Our funding will create a stunning new gateway at @NetworkRailLIV while delivering the 21st century transport infrastructure Liverpool deserves. https://t.co/0eLiV5oMsn Jake Berry MP (@JakeBerry) December 10, 2018 The term northern powerhouse was first used in 2014 by then chancellor George Osborne to encompass economic growth plans for northern England. Jake Berry, who said Liverpool mayor Joe Anderson should `calm down, calm down (Parliament TV) The NPP, which has been chaired by George Osborne since 2016, describes itself as an independent body that represents the voice of business and civic leaders in the region. The Government set out its northern powerhouse strategy in the same year, saying it would invest in better transport and boost business and skills. Mr McMahon, speaking in housing questions, said: This weekend the mayor of Liverpool Joe Anderson resigned from the Northern Powerhouse Partnership because he says he no longer sees the benefit, given it was set up by a Government who just doesnt want to listen to them. At the same time IPPR North has painted a stark picture where the North gets 2,500 less investment on transport than in London. The Northern Powerhouse Minister has literally one job to do, whats going on? Mr Berry responded: As Harry Enfield and his chums would say about anyone from Liverpool including me, calm down, calm down. I can confirm today that we have announced 34 million for Liverpool. He added that the IPPR was a left wing think tank and completely refuted their figures. Jeremy Corbyn is facing demands from Labour MPs to call an immediate vote of no confidence in the Government following Theresa Mays decision to defer the Brexit vote. More than 30 MPs, 15 peers and five MEPs have signed a letter urging the Labour leaders to table a vote this week. If that fails, they say Labour must commit straight away to a second referendum, with an option to remain in the EU on the ballot paper. Signatories to the letter, organised by former shadow cabinet member Ian Murray, include a number of prominent supporters of a so-called peoples vote including Chuka Umunna, Chris Leslie and Owen Smith. Following todays farcical events by the Government, I have written with dozens of colleagues to ask Jeremy Corbyn to press a vote of no confidence this week and then go immediately for a @peoplesvote_uk pic.twitter.com/JmBcLRbXDk Ian Murray MP (@IanMurrayMP) December 10, 2018 With the Government now clearly unable to command a majority in the House of Commons for the Prime Ministers Brexit plan which is at the heart of the Governments entire agenda it is imperative to take action this week under the terms of the Fixed-term Parliaments Act to table a vote of no confidence in HM Government, the letter stated. If this fails we must commit to a public vote with an option to stay in the EU straight away. The Labour leadership has been cautious about tabling a confidence motion (PA) It is imperative that the country clearly knows where our Labour Party stands at this critical moment so now is the time to immediately take steps to move forward to a public vote. The letter echoes calls from other opposition parties including the SNP and the Liberal Democrats for Labour to move a no confidence motion. The Labour leadership however, has been cautious about tabling a confidence motion, warning of the difficulties of forcing a general election under the terms of the Fixed-term Parliaments Act, originally passed by the coalition under David Cameron. A Labour spokesman said: We will put down a motion of no confidence when we judge it most likely to be successful. It is clear to us that Theresa May will not renegotiate the deal when she goes to Brussels, and will only be asking for reassurances from EU leaders. When she brings the same deal back to the House of Commons without significant changes, others across the House will be faced with that reality. At that point, she will have decisively and unquestionably lost the confidence of Parliament on the most important issue facing the country, and Parliament will be more likely to bring about the general election our country needs to end this damaging deadlock. Prime Minister Theresa May has dramatically called off a House of Commons vote on her Brexit plan, admitting that she would have lost by a significant margin. Mrs May will now travel to Europe over the coming days in the hope of securing new reassurances from fellow EU leaders to allay MPs concerns about proposed backstop arrangements for the Irish border. In a statement to MPs, Mrs May also said the Government was stepping up preparations for a possible no-deal Brexit, despite saying that this would cause significant economic damage to parts of our country. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said the Government was in disarray and told Mrs May she should step aside if she was unable to deliver the fundamental changes needed to her plans. More than 50 Labour MPs and peers wrote to Mr Corbyn urging him to call a vote of no confidence in Mrs May as Prime Minister, while Nicola Sturgeon and Sir Vince Cable assured him that the SNP and Liberal Democrats will back him if he does. But Labour made clear it will hold back on a confidence motion until after Mrs May returns to the Commons with whatever assurances she secures from EU leaders. We will put down a motion of no confidence when we judge it most likely to be successful, said a Labour spokesman. If Mrs May brings her plan back to the Commons without significant changes, she will have decisively and unquestionably lost the confidence of Parliament on the most important issue facing the country, and Parliament will be more likely to bring about the general election our country needs to end this damaging deadlock. Sterling tumbled to an 20-month low following Mrs Mays announcement, hitting its lowest level since April 2017. Versus the US dollar, the pound was trading at 1.25 in evening trade, a fall of 1.1%. Against the euro, sterling shed 1% to hit 1.10. European Council president Donald Tusk announced that Brexit has been added to the agenda of a two-day EU summit in Brussels taking place on Thursday and Friday. Mr Tusk said: We will not renegotiate the deal, including the backstop, but we are ready to discuss how to facilitate UK ratification. As time is running out, we will also discuss our preparedness for a no-deal scenario. I have decided to call #EUCO on #Brexit (Art. 50) on Thursday. We will not renegotiate the deal, including the backstop, but we are ready to discuss how to facilitate UK ratification. As time is running out, we will also discuss our preparedness for a no-deal scenario. Charles Michel (@eucopresident) December 10, 2018 And a spokeswoman for European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker poured cold water on any prospect of a renegotiation of the Withdrawal Agreement. Speaking ahead of Mrs Mays statement, the spokeswoman said: This deal is the best and only deal possible. We will not renegotiate. Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar ruled out reopening talks around the backstop, saying it was not possible to reopen any aspect of the Withdrawal Agreement without reopening all of it. Addressing the Commons, the Prime Minister accepted that there was was widespread and deep concern among MPs over the backstop arrangement, designed to keep the Irish border open if the EU and UK fail to strike a wider trade deal. But she insisted that there was no deal available that does not include the backstop. And she said that none of the alternative outcomes a second referendum, the so-called Norway-plus membership of the single market and customs union or no-deal Brexit could command a majority in the House. Mrs May said she still believed there was a majority to be won in favour of the Withdrawal Agreement and Political Declaration on future EU/UK relations agreed with Brussels after more than 18 months of negotiations. And she said: It is clear that this House faces a much more fundamental question. Does this House want to deliver Brexit? And if it does, does it want to do so through reaching an agreement with the EU? If the answer is yes, and I believe that is the answer of the majority of this House, then we all have to ask ourselves whether we are prepared to make a compromise. Because there will be no enduring and successful Brexit without some compromise on both sides of the debate. An anti-Brexit campaigner waves at passing vehicles in Old Palace Yard, Westminster. The Government was also looking at new ways of empowering the House of Commons to ensure that any provision for a backstop has democratic legitimacy and to enable the House to place its own obligations on the Government to ensure that the backstop cannot be in place indefinitely, said Mrs May. The remaining two days of a planned five-day debate on Mrs Mays proposals will be deferred, along with votes on the deal, to a date yet to be fixed. This was being done by a parliamentary procedure which does not require approval from MPs, despite Speaker John Bercow saying it would be discourteous to do so. Downing Street was unable to give any indication of when the vote will now be held, saying that this would depend on how quickly Mrs May is able to secure the assurances which will satisfy MPs. A spokesman said there was no plan to extend the two-year Article 50 process under which the UK will leave the EU on March 29 2019, whether or not there is a withdrawal deal. So @jeremycorbyn - if Labour, as official opposition, lodges motion of no confidence in this incompetent government tomorrow, @theSNP will support & we can then work together to give people the chance to stop Brexit in another vote. This shambles cant go on - so how about it? Nicola Sturgeon (@NicolaSturgeon) December 10, 2018 Mrs May will meet Dutch prime minister Mark Rutte in The Hague on Tuesday morning and is then expected to travel on to meet other European leaders. The weekly Tuesday morning meeting of Cabinet in 10 Downing Street has been put off until later in the week. Mrs May spoke with Mr Tusk, Mr Juncker, Mr Rutte, Mr Varadkar and German Chancellor Angela Merkel over the weekend. She was briefed on the likely scale of her defeat by chief whip Julian Smith on Monday morning before deciding to consult Cabinet colleagues in a conference call on her decision to defer the vote. A Downing Street source said that the PM received strong support from Cabinet ministers for the postponement, with none opposing the decision. To cries of resign directed at the Prime Minister from the Labour backbenches, Mr Corbyn told the Commons that fundamental flaws in Mrs Mays proposals meant she could not simply bring it back next week or in January and hope to win MPs approval. The Government is in disarray, uncertainty is building for business, people are in despair at the state of these failed negotiations and concerned about what it means for their jobs and communities and the fault of that lies solely at the door of this shambolic Government, said the Labour leader. And the Prime Minister was accused by veteran Labour MP Dennis Skinner of being frit and handing over power to the EU. Conservative Brexiteer Andrew Bridgen was heckled by some colleagues as he said Mrs May had lost the trust and credibility of the Commons, the country and the EU. Former attorney general Dominic Grieve was among Remain-backing MPs calling for a second referendum, telling the Commons: Surely we should go back to the public and ask them exactly what they want and offer them the alternative of remaining in the EU. Mrs May warned that a fresh public vote would lead to a significant loss of faith in democracy among voters. The dramatic developments occurred as the European Court of Justice ruled that Britain can unilaterally halt the Brexit process by revoking the Article 50 letter declaring its intention to leave the EU. Eight genes linked to red hair have been discovered by scientists, helping to shed light on how redheads inherit their distinctive locks. The study, led by researchers at the University of Edinburgh, has been described as the largest genetic study of hair colour to date. Previously, it was thought that red hair is controlled by a single gene known as MC1R, with versions of the gene having to be passed on from both the mother and the father. However, not everyone carrying two red-haired versions is a redhead, meaning that other genes had to be involved. The team examined DNA from almost 350,000 people who had taken part in the UK Biobank study. When they compared redheads with people with brown or black hair, scientists identified eight previously-unknown genetic differences that are associated with ginger locks. Musician Ed Sheeran is a famous redhead (Ben Birchall/PA) The team also looked at the functions of the genes they identified and found that some of them work by controlling when MC1R is switched on or off. The researchers also uncovered differences in almost 200 genes associated with blondes and brunettes. Professor Albert Tenesa, of the universitys Roslin Institute, said: We are very pleased that this work has unravelled most of the genetic variation contributing to differences in hair colour among people. Professor Ian Jackson, of the Medical Research Council Human Genetics Unit at the university, said: We were able to use the power of UK Biobank, a huge and unique genetic study of half a million people in Britain, which allowed us to find these effects. The study, published in Nature Communications, was funded by the Medical Research Council and the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council. by Mathias Hariyadi Early release for good behavior. On May 9, 2017, he was sentenced to two years in prison for defaming Islam at the end of a controversial trial. The politician is a champion of pluralism for much of the moderate society of Indonesia. Jakarta (AsiaNews) - Former governor of Jakarta, Chinese ethnic Christian Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama will be released from jail next January 24: the politician will benefit from a three-month and 15-day penalty discount. Yesterday evening Sri Puguh Budi Utami, Director General for Prison Affairs, announced that the detainee will be granted early release by virtue of good conduct. Sri Puguh said that the reduction takes into account this year's "Christmas Pardon". Previously, Ahok received a general amnesty. At the discretion of the Minister for Human Rights and Law, in Indonesia a prisoner with good behavior can benefit from a reduction in their sentence between 15 and 60 days, for every holiday that they are entitled to celebrate during the period of detention. In the case of Ahok, of Christian religion, it is Christmas. On May 9, 2017, Ahok was found guilty and sentenced to two years in prison for defaming Islam at the end of a controversial trial. Since then he has been detained in the detention center at the headquarters of the National Police Mobile Brigade (Mako Brimob) in Kelapa Dua, Depok regency (West Java). Last July, Ahok decided not to use conditional freedom. The early release could have put an end to Ahok's controversial judicial case, through which he has become a champion of pluralism for much of Indonesia's moderate society. On 26 March he unsuccessfully appealed against the sentence at the Supreme Court [Mahkamah Agung (Ma) in Indonesian]. A manipulated video of September 2016 portrayed Ahok as he warned the inhabitants of the Thousand Islands regency from people who use the verses of the Koran for political gain. The film sparked violent protests by radical Islamic movements and influenced the defeat of Ahok, a favorite candidate for the April 2017 elections for the governorate of the Indonesian capital. At first, Ahok had refrained from proceeding with an appeal against the verdict. However, a few months later, the Bandung District Court, capital of the West Java province, condemned Buni Yani, his main accuser, to 18 months imprisonment for spreading discriminatory and defamatory remarks about the former Christian governor and having modified some parts of the offending video. Here is what people have been saying about Theresa Mays decision to pull the Brexit vote: Theresa May: If we went ahead and held the vote tomorrow the deal would be rejected by a significant margin. We will therefore defer the vote scheduled for tomorrow and not proceed to divide the House at this time. Theresa May: If you take a step back it is clear that this House faces a much more fundamental question does this House want to deliver Brexit? Theresa May: I am determined to do all I can to secure the reassurances this House requires, to get this deal over the line and deliver for the British people. Jeremy Corbyn: The Government is in disarray, uncertainty is building for business, people are in despair at the state of these failed negotiations and concerned about what it means for their jobs and communities and the fault of that lies solely at the door of this shambolic Government. Commons Speaker John Bercow: Halting the debate after no fewer than 164 colleagues have taken the trouble to contribute will be thought by many members of this House to be deeply discourteous. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said Mrs Mays Government was `in disarray (PA) Liberal Democrat leader Sir Vince Cable: With the fiasco today, the Government has really lost all authority. I and my colleagues will fully support the Leader of the Opposition if he now proceeds to a no-confidence vote, as duty surely calls. Veteran Labour MP Dennis Skinner: Mrs Thatcher had a word for it, what shes done today, F-R-I-T, shes frit. Former attorney general Dominic Grieve: Surely we should go back to the public and ask them exactly what they want and offer them the alternative of remaining in the EU. Conservative Brexiteer Andrew Bridgen: Given the Prime Ministers breathtaking U-turn today, I put it to her that shes lost the trust and credibility of the House, lost the trust and credibility of the country and most importantly shes lost the trust and credibility of the European Union as well. Tory former minister Anna Soubry: The thing that is changing is the view of the British people. I know its nearly the pantomime season but, Oh yes it has. This Government is falling apart before our eyes. The Prime Minister's deal is so bad she isn't even willing to put it to Parliament. The country deserves better than this. https://t.co/vBLcMzwZKe Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) December 10, 2018 Shadow Brexit secretary Sir Keir Starmer: This Government is falling apart before our eyes. The Prime Ministers deal is so bad she isnt even willing to put it to Parliament. The country deserves better than this. European Council president Donald Tusk: We will not renegotiate the deal, including the backstop, but we are ready to discuss how to facilitate UK ratification. As time is running out, we will also discuss our preparedness for a no-deal scenario. I have decided to call #EUCO on #Brexit (Art. 50) on Thursday. We will not renegotiate the deal, including the backstop, but we are ready to discuss how to facilitate UK ratification. As time is running out, we will also discuss our preparedness for a no-deal scenario. Charles Michel (@eucopresident) December 10, 2018 European Commission spokeswoman Mina Andreeva: This deal is the best and only deal possible. We will not renegotiate. Irish Taioseach Leo Varadkar: The Withdrawal Agreement, including the Irish backstop, is the only agreement on the table. It took over a year and a half to negotiate and has the support of 28 governments and its not possible to reopen any aspect of that agreement without reopening all aspects of it. Leo Varadkar (PA) European Parliament Brexit co-ordinator Guy Verhofstadt: I cant follow anymore. After two years of negotiations, the Tory government wants to delay the vote. Just keep in mind that we will never let the Irish down. This delay will further aggravate the uncertainty for people & businesses. Its time they make up their mind! Scotlands First Minister Nicola Sturgeon: So it is confirmed pathetic cowardice it is from PM. Yet again the interests of the Tory party are a higher priority for her than anything else. This cant go on. So it is confirmed - pathetic cowardice it is from PM. Yet again the interests of the Tory party are a higher priority for her than anything else. This cant go on. https://t.co/P6dzhZEH7d Nicola Sturgeon (@NicolaSturgeon) December 10, 2018 DUP leader Arlene Foster: Just finished a call with the Prime Minister. My message was clear. The backstop must go. Too much time has been wasted. Need a better deal. Disappointed it has taken so long for Prime Minister to listen. Mayor of London Sadiq Khan: The Prime Minister postponing the Brexit vote means the only sensible course of action is to withdraw Article 50 immediately. CBI director general Carolyn Fairbairn: Unless a deal is agreed quickly, the country risks sliding towards a national crisis. 1922 Committee chairman Sir Graham Brady: We have just seen the Prime Minister, I think, doing the right thing. Labour Party spokesman: We will put down a motion of no confidence when we judge it most likely to be successful. Labour MP Rupa Huq: This latest twist this sort of premature parliamentary ejaculation has put the lie to the claim she sticks to her guns. Nicola Sturgeon has described the Prime Ministers decision to delay a Commons vote on her Brexit deal as an act of political cowardice. The First Minister of Scotland said being scared of losing the vote was not a good reason to call it off. The SNP leader also said it was time for a motion of no confidence in Theresa Mays Government, saying her party would support it. MPs were due to have their meaningful vote on the PMs Brexit deal on Tuesday, but Mrs May deferred the vote on Monday in the face of what was expected to be a significant defeat at the hands of rebel MPs. No date has been set for when MPs will get to vote on the deal. So @jeremycorbyn - if Labour, as official opposition, lodges motion of no confidence in this incompetent government tomorrow, @theSNP will support & we can then work together to give people the chance to stop Brexit in another vote. This shambles cant go on - so how about it? Nicola Sturgeon (@NicolaSturgeon) December 10, 2018 Ms Sturgeon told the BBC: The decision to delay a vote that the Prime Minister insisted on having is an act of political cowardice and an abdication of responsibility. First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has hit out at the delay to the Brexit vote (Andrew Milligan/PA) Just because she is scared of losing that vote is not a good reason to delay the vote. This is a shambles and with every day that passes right now the PMs handling of the situation is making it an even greater shambles. It cant go on like this, time is running out, the clock is ticking and I think it is time for a no-confidence motion in this Government, which the SNP would support, and it is time to give people the opportunity, in another referendum, to call a halt to this whole sorry Brexit fiasco. The SNP leader also issued a series of strongly worded tweets on Monday in which she described the delay as pathetic cowardice and blasted the UK Governments utter incompetence and the contempt shown to Scotland throughout this whole sorry process. In a tweet to the Labour leader, Ms Sturgeon also wrote: So @jeremycorbyn if Labour, as official opposition, lodges motion of no confidence in this incompetent government tomorrow, @theSNP will support & we can then work together to give people the chance to stop Brexit in another vote. This shambles cant go on so how about it? Following todays farcical events by the Government, I have written with dozens of colleagues to ask Jeremy Corbyn to press a vote of no confidence this week and then go immediately for a @peoplesvote_uk pic.twitter.com/JmBcLRbXDk Ian Murray MP (@IanMurrayMP) December 10, 2018 Edinburgh South MP Ian Murray was one of a group of Labour politicians who have written to Mr Corbyn, urging him to push for an immediate vote of no confidence and then a fresh Brexit referendum. He tweeted: Following todays farcical events by the Government, I have written with dozens of colleagues to ask Jeremy Corbyn to press a vote of no confidence this week and then go immediately for a @peoplesvote_uk. The Prime Minister has had a premature parliamentary ejaculation over her decision to delay the Brexit vote, according to a Labour MP. Rupa Huq made the claim after listing previous U-turns by Theresa May. The phrase echoes Lib Dem leader Sir Vince Cable, who fluffed a line about Brexit being an erotic spasm in his party conference speech, instead saying exotic spresm. Speaking after Mrs Mays latest statement to the Commons on deciding to ditch the meaningful vote on her deal, Dr Huq said the Prime Minister had lost trust on Brexit. She said: Nine times the Prime Minister assured us there would be no early General Election, yet still it happened. As recently as this morning her hapless band of ever-changing ministers were out on the airwaves assuring us there would be a meaningful vote tomorrow, before this latest twist this sort of premature Parliamentary ejaculation that has put the lie to the claim she sticks to her guns. The Prime Minister is under intense pressure (Liam McBurney/PA) When she wont even tell us when the vote is deferred to, it would appear the lady is for turning. How can we ever trust anything she ever says again? There were hoots of laughter and one MP muttered wow, wow thats strong. Mrs May appeared to enjoy the joke, which came after nearly three hours of hostile questioning. She responded: If she looks carefully, she will see I I am not capable of a parliamentary ejaculation. These people will be the key players over the next few momentous days as the Prime Minister battles to keep her Brexit agenda, and her premiership, on track. Theresa May Prime Minister Theresa May is heading to Europe (Yui Mok/PA) The PM backed-off from a crunch Commons vote on the EU Withdrawal Agreement in the face of a significant defeat. Mrs May is now set to travel to Europe ahead of a pre-arranged EU summit on Thursday and Friday in a bid to get new reassurances over the backstop arrangements for the Irish border. The PMs future hangs in the balance as she faces rising criticism from both pro-and anti-Brexit wings of the Tory party over her handling of EU withdrawal. Jeremy Corbyn Could Jeremy Corbyn become Prime Minister? (Stefan Rousseau/PA) The Labour leader is also under pressure from elements of his own party who want him to move a confidence vote against the Government. Some 50 Labour MPs and peers have urged him to force the issue, as have the Liberal Democrats and SNP. However, the Labour leadership has made it clear it wants to strike when it considers Mrs May to be at her weakest, and is, for now, keeping its powder dry until it sees what, if anything, the PM brings back from the EU. Donald Tusk I have decided to call #EUCO on #Brexit (Art. 50) on Thursday. We will not renegotiate the deal, including the backstop, but we are ready to discuss how to facilitate UK ratification. As time is running out, we will also discuss our preparedness for a no-deal scenario. Charles Michel (@eucopresident) December 10, 2018 The European Council president said that Brexit had now been added to the two-day EU summit taking place this week after the events at Westminster. However, Mr Tusk signalled the EU intends to stand firm, stating that the EU would not renegotiate the deal, or backstop measures on the Irish border issue, but would only discuss how to facilitate UK ratification. Mr Tusk has repeatedly expressed sadness at the prospect of Brexit and its impact on both sides. Jean-Claude Juncker Jean-Claude Juncker is backing the Irish government (Matt Cardy/PA) The European Commission president has also made clear that negotiations will not be re-opened. Mr Juncker has made a point of saying the EU will stand firm with the Irish government over backstop arrangements for the Irish border which would see the UK remain subject to the blocs customs rules if no wider trade deal is agreed before the end of a transition period. Leo Varadkar Irish Taoiseach Leo Varadkar (Niall Carson/PA) The Taoiseach has taken a much tougher stance on Brexit issues since taking over as Irish leader from Enda Kenny in 2017. Heading a minority government and facing possible elections within the next few months, Mr Varadkar cannot afford to be seen to give ground to the UK at home. Citing the need to maintain peace in Northern Ireland, Mr Varadkar has insisted that backstop measures must stay in place after the transition period unless and until a trade agreement is in place. Arlene Foster Just finished a call with the Prime Minister. My message was clear. The backstop must go. Too much time has been wasted. Need a better deal. Disappointed it has taken so long for Prime Minister to listen. Arlene Foster #WeWillMeetAgain (@ArleneFosterUK) December 10, 2018 The DUP leader has been flexing her partys political muscles over Brexit as Mrs May relies on it for a slender Commons majority. Mrs Foster has insisted that the backstop measures are unacceptable and the DUP cannot support them. However, the DUP has said it will back Mrs May if she faces a confidence vote in the Commons, but only if the EU Withdrawal Agreement is voted down or significantly changed. Angela Merkel Angela Merkel will meet with the PM (Chris Ratcliffe/PA) The German Chancellor will be a major player in any moves on Brexit. However, she is now a weakened figure after standing down as the leader of her CDU party, but remaining as Chancellor. Mrs Merkel will be a key voice in any softening of the EU line, especially as French President Emmanuel Macron is expected to maintain a tough position. Penny Mordaunt Could Penny Mordaunt be the next Cabinet minister to resign? (Victoria Jones/PA) The International Development Secretary, and prominent Brexiteer has sounded ambivalent about the Brexit deal at times. At Westminster she is widely seen as the most likely next Cabinet resignation over Brexit. Other leading Brexiteers, Environment Secretary Michael Gove, and International Trade Secretary Liam Fox, have so far publicly backed Mrs Mays stand. Sir Graham Brady How many letters are in Sir Grahams possession? (Rick Findler/PA) The chairman of the powerful 1922 Committee of Tory backbenchers is the only person who knows how many MPs have put in letters calling for a vote of confidence in Mrs May. If the figure reaches 48 Tory MPs then a vote would be automatically triggered. Sir Graham said he backed the PMs decision to defer the Brexit vote, but added: I think its best to recognise we are in uncertain times. A very difficult point in British politics. Jacob Rees-Mogg Jacob Rees-Mogg leads the European Research Group (Victoria Jones/PA) The arch-Breexiter believes the chances of a no deal exit from the EU have increased due the Prime Ministers Commons move. The MP wants a managed no deal and has turned up the heat on Mrs May repeatedly insisting a new PM would be needed for such a course of action. Mr Rees-Mogg was widely considered to have overplayed his hand recently when leading figures from the European Research Group of Tory MPs he heads called for backbenchers to put in letters into the 1922 Committee calling for a vote of confidence in Mrs May. Defender Virgil Van Dijk insists Liverpool can handle a double-pronged assault on the Premier League and Champions League. Jurgen Klopps side face a must-win encounter at home to Napoli on Tuesday night in which they must emerge victorious either 1-0 or by two clear goals to avoid failing to progress beyond the Champions League group stage. Having gone ahead of Manchester City in the Premier League at the weekend when their main title rivals lost at Chelsea the Reds have to maintain their momentum and Van Dijk sees no issues with them doing that while retaining an interest in Europes top club competition. At Liverpool there is always a lot of pressure, but it is good pressure, said the Holland defender. "We need to be ready to do what weve been doing almost the whole season. We have plenty of quality to score and we have plenty of quality to defend." @VirgilvDijk #LIVNAP Liverpool FC (@LFC) December 10, 2018 You want to play in these circumstances, a night like tomorrow. You want to be getting the job done before tomorrow but now we are here. I definitely look at the squad and think it can compete on two fronts. We still need to show it but I think we are definitely capable of competing in both competitions. Hopefully that will be the case. Virgil Van Dijk is confident Liverpool can cope with the dual challenge of the Premier League and Champions League (Barrington Coombes/PA) Failure to beat Napoli, and by the required outcome, would mean Liverpool potentially dropping into the Europa League, although that is also dependent on whether Paris St Germain can avoid defeat against Red Star Belgrade in Serbia. It is not a scenario Van Dijk or any of his team-mates are even considering. Jurgen Klopp has confirmed that Sadio Mane is available to return to the starting XI tomorrow. #UCL #LFC injury update https://t.co/2rYuuOOjjL Liverpool FC (@LFC) December 10, 2018 That is something I am not even going to think about, so I wont answer. Hopefully that isnt going to happen, added the Dutchman, who rejected the suggestion going out of Europe altogether would be a blessing in disguise in terms of the title race. I dont think they are Liverpool fans (if they are saying that). We want to compete on the highest level. We are top of the league now, but it could change next week. You never know. The main thing for us is to stay on the highest level and to do everything we can to go through. It is going to be a tough game but I am very confident, like always in my team. "We have a chance and we will try everything to get that chance." Jurgen Klopp on #LFC's must-win game against @en_sscnapoli... Liverpool FC (@LFC) December 10, 2018 There is a lot of pressure to hopefully keep a clean sheet and score as many goals as possible. It is a fantastic game to play and a fantastic game to look forward to as well and hopefully it is going to be a special night for all of us. We should be confident about the situation. We are top of the league and we still have a chance to go through in the Champions League, its in our hands a little bit. We need to go out and play our game. We have not been at our best in the Champions League so we deserve to be in this position where we are now and, if we dont win tomorrow, we dont deserve to be in the Champions League. A Labour MP acted on the spur of the moment when he picked up the ceremonial mace in protest at the Governments handling of Brexit. Lloyd Russell-Moyle (Brighton Kemptown) said he was protesting because the Tories were riding roughshod over the principle of parliamentary democracy by pulling the meaningful vote. He was thrown out the House of Commons after he held the mace aloft and marched towards the Commons doors, where he was stopped by officials. Speaking from the Red Lion pub just outside Parliament, the Labour MP said he was frustrated by the Government unilaterally deciding to ditch a vote using a solitary whip to order the vote to be postponed. He said: I thought, one person is shouting tomorrow and literally hundreds of people are shouting today, and the will of Parliament is going to be ignored. The symbolic gesture of lifting the mace and removing it is that the will of Parliament to govern is no longer, it has been removed, and I felt Parliament had effectively given up its sovereign right to govern properly. Lloyd Russell-Moyle picked up the ceremonial mace (BBC News) If we dont sort out our constitutional settlement so that governments cant do this in the future we do need to keep lodging these protests. Mr Russell-Moyle handed over the mace without incident but faced angry shouts from Tory MPs who cried expel him as Speaker John Bercow rose to his feet. He said: I was escorted out of Parliament by one of the men in tights who said all I would advise you, sir, is to try not to bring Parliament into disrepute again. They were very nice about it but firm, youve got to leave now I was always willing to hand it over and my intention was to walk outside and hand it over. But they stopped me before I got out of the chamber and I wasnt going to struggle with someone wearing a huge sword on their hip. Comparing the protest with chaining yourself to railings, Mr Russell-Moyle said the UKs unwritten constitution relies on good faith on all sides and that was ebbing away so he felt a minor rebellion was acceptable. What is the point of democracy if we cannot vote? he said. Im sure Jeremy Corbyn would probably have preferred me not to have done it but Im sure he understands why Ive done it. When I went to bow to leave the chamber I did notice John (McDonnell) usher me out, bearing in mind John was the last person to do that stunt. Under parliamentary rules, Speaker John Bercow ordered Mr Russell-Moyle to leave the chamber for the remainder of the day. He said: By the power given to me by standing order number 43 and I think (Mr Russell-Moyle) will know the implication of his action, I must order (Mr Russell-Moyle) to withdraw immediately from the House for the remainder of this days sitting. Mr Russell-Moyle please leave the chamber. Here is @lloyd_rm grabbing the mace just now pic.twitter.com/SEUEWz5w3F Daniel Kraemer (@dcakraemer) December 10, 2018 Mr Russell-Moyle initially refused the order and remained in the House before Mr Bercow said: No, no he must leave or be escorted, he should leave at which he left. The mace is the symbol of royal authority and without it neither the Commons or Lords can meet or pass laws. Mr Russell-Moyles actions came after Theresa May delayed the Brexit deal vote, something he vocally opposed in earlier exchanges. The last time the mace was taken from its place was in 2009 by now shadow chancellor John McDonnell. Mr McDonnell was suspended from the Commons for five days grabbing the mace in protest at the Governments decision to allow a third runway at Heathrow. In 1976 former deputy prime minister Michael Heseltine was also reprimanded for picking up the ceremonial mace. As a young Tory MP Mr Heseltine swung the mace in fury at the then Labour governments decision to breach pairing arrangements and force through a measure by one vote. Business & social entrepreneurship can channel the energy of the Indian youth to solve complex challenges, says Nikhil John China and India are two of the fastest growing large economies in the world. The fact that in the next couple of decades, India will have a large portion of its population joining the working age group, the demographic dividend, is often touted as a huge fillip to economic growth particularly relative to China, which has the fastest aging population. One million Indians enter the workforce every month, but with insufficient jobs to channel their talent toward productive activity, the predicted economic growth will fail to materialise. Although Indias infrastructure has struggled to keep up with the heightened pace of economic activity post-market liberalisation, which has exacerbated Indias socio-economic and environmental problems, social entrepreneurship can channel the energy of Indias youth to solve her complex challenges. Over the last decade, the Government of India has had several new initiatives to support entrepreneurship. The Start-up India initiative (January 2016) provides mentoring, access to funds, knowledge support, and has set up research centres and incubation centres across India. There have been large efforts to build an ecosystem to support entrepreneurs like providing legal support, fast-tracking IP applications, thousands of crores in funding earmarked for start-ups, credit guarantees, tax exemptions, hundreds of incubators and start-up competitions. Before the Start-up India initiative, there were only four states with start-up policies, while now with Manipur and Meghalaya in August, and most recently Goa in September, there are over 18 states with start-up policies and initiatives. Maharashtra launched one of the largest initiatives in May with the aim to open 15 incubators, attract Rs 5,000 crore in investments, and create 500,000 jobs via 10,000 start-ups over five years. In terms of the Global Entrepreneurship Development Index (GEDI), although Indias score has increased from 23 in 2010, to 24.9, 25.8 and 28.4 in 2016 to 2018, we rank right in the middle at 68 out of 137 countries. There are also large gains to be had in technology absorption because for the past two years, technology absorption has been our lowest component of the index. Therefore, deep science and technology-based entrepreneurship remains a critically unused tool to address Indias complex problems. Innovation is critical for a solution to be scalable and achieve impact. You may be able to mobilise thousands to clean the trash in one particular locality over a weekend. But trash will build up again without building a solution which makes it easier to segregate waste at source, incentivises compliance, penalises non-compliance through a business model built around a solution that can implemented at scale. The type of scale required to make a dent in any of the complex challenges facing India will necessarily require a technological intervention. Across our much vaunted science and technology-focused academic institutions like the IISc, IITs, NITs, and AIIMS, and our lauded research institutes under Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), Department of Science and Technology (DST), Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR), and others, innovative technologies are constantly developed that could potentially help solve Indias complex problems. However, many of these innovations remain in the lab as prototypes and dont even reach pilot stage, much less commercialisation. This is because, apart from the few outliers/ unique cases, the innovators behind the R&D may not have the inclination or risk appetite to turn into an entrepreneur and take these technologies to market. Lack of risk capital and other enablers makes it difficult for anyone to take the business and career risk. In the commercial world, corporations do have an interest in licensing promising technologies and patents and use their own internal R&D and product management competence to ensure a lab to market transition. However, lack of business entrepreneurship in the social/development sector creates a huge gap between the lab and market as the deep science and technology innovations remain trapped in the labs, despite their tremendous potential. Programmes like Entrepreneurs for Impact (E4i) helps to unlock this potential and support early-stage start-ups to solve Indias complex socio-economic and environmental challenges through the power of entrepreneurship and innovation. The E4i programme, which is a 12-month immersive fellowship funded by Tata Trusts, equips passionate entrepreneurs-in-the-making to leverage Indias deep science, innovation and entrepreneurship environment to build social enterprises. Entrepreneurs and innovators are encouraged to create co-founding teams and are provided appropriate resources to build start-ups that solve some of Indias most critical social, economic and environmental challenges. The writer is lead, Entrepreneurs For Impact Programme, Social Alpha Though Jammu & Kashmir has been declared an integral part of India, Kashmiri leaders keep raising questions about its accession/merger, ignoring the sentiments of the people of Jammu and Ladakh At the time of Independence, while British India was divided on the basis of religion, the Princely States were not. They were to go, each State as a whole, to either India or Pakistan. The decision of where to go was to be made by the erstwhile ruler. In the case of Jammu & Kashmir, the then ruler, Maharaja Hari Singh, took the decision to accede to India. But to the contrary, most leaders in Kashmir built a false narrative to mislead the nation and strengthen their credential as nationalists that the decision of accession with India was taken by former Chief Minister of Jammu & Kashmir Sheikh Abdullah and other Kashmiri leaders. They have also maintained that the accession was conditional. It is an established fact today that the sole authority to decide on the accession was that of the ruler and in case of princely State of Jammu & Kashmir, it was the Dogra ruler Maharaja Hari Singh. Before taking the ultimate decision, the Maharaja was faced with a dilemma due to non-cooperation by Sheikh Abdullah. In the words of the Maharaja, Muslims of Kashmir and some from Jammu, who were led by Sheikh Abdullah and leaders of the National Conference (NC), did not want the question of accession to be decided at that stage. They wanted me to part with power in their favour so that they could decide the question independently of me. They made no secret of their views and obstructed me in deciding the question of accession instead of helping me to accede to India; Hindus of Jammu and people of Ladakh were for affiliation with or accession of India. That NC or its leadership had no role to play in the decision-making process as far as the accession of the State is concerned is also an empirically proven fact. In fact, as stated by the Maharaja, they were acting as a hindrance to Indias accession. Thus, the oft-repeated statements by NC leaders that we decided to accede to India or our accession to India is conditional or that the merger with India has not taken place are all motivated and misleading with the deliberate intent of sowing the seeds of exclusivity among the Kashmiri population. The same was confirmed by party ideologue Sheikh Nazir Ahmad, who said, Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah had no role in the accession as he was in prison at the time of accession. It is a known that Sheikh Abdullah had set his eyes on the throne of Jammu & Kashmir with blessings from his friend and mentor Jawaharlal Nehru. He wanted to be the sole representative of the people of Jammu & Kashmir. He wanted to rule the State as the undisputed leader of a single-party State. He abhorred opposition within and outside the party and behaved more like an autocrat than a democrat. However, many popular Muslim leaders who were non-Kashmiris posed a challenge to Sheikh Abdullahs ambition. He ensured that they remain marginalised by managing the ceasefire in 1949 immediately after the Valley was liberated. But large parts of Jammu and frontier areas of Gilgit-Baltistan continued to be under the occupation of Pakistan. This way, Sheikh Abdullah eliminated the threat posed to his supremacy by Pahari, Punjabi and Dogra Muslim leaders of the State. He also isolated the Shia leadership by allowing the frontier areas to remain under Pakistans occupation. Sheikh Abdullah killed two birds with one stone. He not only ensured his singular dominance in the politics of Kashmir but also ensured that the pro-Pakistan leadership remained isolated. It became evident that the Sheikh harboured political ambitions and wanted to use the issue of accession as a bargaining tool with the Indian Government so that he could rule an autonomous State under the patronage of Nehru-ruled India. The interim Government was instituted by a proclamation made by the Maharaja on March 5, 1948. A Council of Ministers with Sheikh Abdullah as the Prime Minister was constituted to conduct the administration of the State. The Council was to function on the principle of joint responsibility. The dual Government did not take much time to run into trouble due to divergent views which followed diametrically different directions. The NC soon got engulfed with internal politics, forgetting the interest of the people. At last, the dual Government came to a tragic end. Sheikh Abdullah, with the active support from New Delhi, succeeded in marginalising the Maharaja who finally relinquished his office on June 9, 1949. On June 20, 1949, through a proclamation, the Maharaja announced his decision to abdicate the State on grounds of health and invested all his power to his son, Yuvraj Karan Singh. Had Singh refused the regentship and decided to stand with his father, Sheikh Abdullahs move would have failed pre-maturely since Jammu & Kashmir was still ruled under the Jammu-Kashmir Constitution Act 1939 and all constitutional powers were vested with the Maharaja only. The people of Jammu region were apprehensive of the pro-Kashmiri Muslim and anti-Jammu mindset of Sheikh Abdullah. An agitation against the Sheikh was launched in Jammu under the banner of Praja Parishad, an Opposition party formed in Jammu in November 1947. The main objective of the Praja Parishad was to achieve full integration of Jammu & Kashmir with the Indian Union, like other States and safeguard the legitimate democratic rights of the people of Jammu. Sheikh Abdullah dubbed the Opposition from Jammu as communal. He started believing that Kashmirs aspirations could not be met within the Indian Union. On the other hand, Jammu and Ladakh clamoured for a complete merger with India. The emergence of Kashmiri identity led Sheikh Abdullah to start differentiating between Muslims and non-Muslims of the State. It became imminent that his agenda evolved around Independent Kashmir. After initial bonhomie, Sheikh Abdullah started showing his true colours which forced Nehru to order his arrest in 1953. Similarly, the narrative regarding Article 370 that it is not temporary, but permanent provision of the Constitution of India and acts as a bridge between the State and rest of India, is also a concoction based on twisting of facts. The fact is that Sheikh Abdullah manipulated its inclusion in the Constitution due to Pandit Nehrus blind love for him. It is a well-established fact that when the rulers of the princely States signed the Instrument of Accession and joined the Dominion of India, they surrendered legislative, judicial and executive control of three subjects defence, communication, external affairs and ancillaries. The same is true with respect to the Maharaja of Jammu & Kashmir as well. This implied that the Princely States would have the right to decide upon policies, implementation and administration with regard to other issues, through such arrangements as Royal Proclamations or a separate Constitution for their respective kingdoms/states. Instead of doing so they expressed their faith in the under draft Constitution of India through its full applicability to their respective States, except Jammu & Kashmir due to manipulations of Sheikh Abdullah. Thus, when the rest of the nation was readying to adopt the Constitution of India, there was a Constitutional vacuum in this State. To fill this vacuum, Article 370 was inserted in the Indian Constitution, with hopes that Jammu & Kashmir would, once the situation normalises, integrate like other States of the Union (hence the use of the term temporary provisions in the title of the Article). Another myth created by a few Kashmiri leaders is about merger against accession. While the Indian Constitution was being drafted to pave way for the nation to become a Republic from a Dominion, all other princely States individually or collectively decided to accept the paramountcy of the new Constitution of India, Sheikh Abdullah harboured different ideas. These States sent their representatives to the Constituent Assembly and were thus actively involved in the drafting of the new Constitution, which implied that they willingly joined the Republic of India and the Instrument of Accession signed by them (a uniform document signed by all 565 princely States) became redundant. This also sorted the issue of merger and no separate Instrument of Merger, as claimed by a few, was signed by them. The fact is that Karan Singh exercising his powers as the Regent of the State did send a four-member team comprising Sheikh Abdullah, Mirza Afzal Beg, Moti Lal Baigra and Maulana Masoodi to represent the State in Indian Constituent Assembly. This was in tune with other princely States and signalled the will of being the part of the Republic of India surrendering the Instrument of Accession, which also meant the merger. It is a different story that the four taking advantage of the prevailing security and political instability in the State decided to sit out and not join the Constituent Assembly of India. Sheikh Abdullah, thus, cleverly gave shape to his ambition of capturing the throne of Jammu & Kashmir much against the wishes of two-thirds of the States population comprising the Jammu and Ladakh regions and non-Kashmiri speaking Muslims of Kashmir and the Shias of Kargil. In this, he enjoyed the full support and confidence of Pandit Nehru. Though Jammu & Kashmir has been declared an integral part of India both by the State and the Indian Constitution, Kashmir-based political leadership continues to question the accession/merger on the pretext of Kashmiri identity, ignoring the sentiments and aspirations of the people of Jammu and Ladakh and encourage separatism. (The author is a Jammu-based political commentator and strategic analyst. The views expressed are entirely personal) States have been more than eager to grant reservations at the expense of flouting apex courts orders. True, they are excellent for political positioning but the actual boons need to be surveyed The latest rock on the pyramid of reservations is the Marathas whose demands for 16 per cent quota have been approved by the Maharashtra Government along the lines of Tamil Nadu, where the reservation totals up to 69 percent. But it matters little. Both States have exceeded the Supreme Courts earlier orders stipulating 50 per cent as the ceiling limit for reservations. The balance 50 per cent should be left free for open competition. The apex court had ruled in 1969 that reservations cannot exceed 50 per cent. However, there are State laws that exceed this limit and these are under litigation in the top court. For example, caste-based reservation fraction stands at 69 per cent and is applicable to about 87 per cent of the population in Tamil Nadu. Reservation has been an enticing political fruit which is not as sweet as it was believed to be. And it has been becoming blander by the years with the liberalisation of the economy in 1991, Government jobs have been reducing even as new public sector corporations are not being set up. Yet, politically, the colour of the fruit has grown more and more attractive. Years ago, the Gujjars agitated to get a percentage. Much later, the Jats. Then came the Patidars in Gujarat. Thereafter was an intense follow up by the Marathas. All the abovementioned castes have a substantial say in their respective State Governments. Marathas hold an electoral de facto veto in Maharashtra, like the Jats in Haryana, the Gujjars in Rajasthan and the Patels in Gujarat. Moreover, distinguished sociologist MN Srinivas and his theory of caste Sanskritisation among Hindus would not accept anyone demoting his communitys status. Every Hindu ideally desires to go up the ladder and likes some other caste below him. No caste or a section of it wishes to go down the ladder. What then is the secret motivation behind these four upper castes demanding to be Other Backward Classes (OBCs)? Uncannily, reservations were first introduced neither by politicians nor by the Constitution but in his State by the Maharaja of Kolhapur as early as in 1902. Reportedly, the princely States of Baroda and Mysore were already practising reservations; although Kolhapur was the first to issue a written Government order. A British seal was first put on the concept of reservation when, as part of the Morley-Minto reforms, the Government of India Act, 1909, was passed by the Westminster Parliament. BR Ambedkar, who headed the drafting committee for the Constitution, favoured a 10-year reservation for the depressed castes as well as tribals. This proposal found support from generally everyone. As far as the other castes are concerned, it all began with the appointment of the Mandal Commission in 1979 for finding out which were the OBCs. This term OBC was first used in the Census of 1931 which recorded a total of 1,257 such castes across India. Could there be a possibility that non-OBC sons and daughters would not always get a job on merit? On the other hand, OBC youngsters walk away with the same jobs because of their caste. The latest attempt to join the OBC club may be their response to the challenge. Could the third possibility be a homoeopathic treatment to remove or render redundant something they have grown up to disapprove of? Homoeopathic means sympathetic treatment or aggravating the symptoms until they get ejected from the body. The normal approach is an antagonistic treatment or to attack the symptoms of the disease, which is the allopathic, the ayurvedic or the Unani method. The homoeopathic strategy, if at all, could be to provoke yet other castes to also demand reservation until the percentage becomes so large as to become farcical. That would leave so little or no scope for the general or non-reserved category that the system of reservation could expire. It is widely recognised that no Government is likely to have the courage to abolish reservations. This was illustrated by the scheduled caste and scheduled tribe categories which were to enjoy reservation for 10 years only and expire by say 1960. And yet they are still carrying on. A Jat and a Patel leader each has mentioned in this writers presence that he and his colleagues are embarrassed to ask for a reservation. But what else to do, was their question. Several other questions can arise as one thinks further. Nehruvian socialism was the picnic period or the halcyon era of reservations. The bureaucracy was expanding at both the Centre and the State levels. At the same time, one PSU after another was being established. In other words, jobs, where the reservation was available, were virtually an expanding torrent. In the same decades, banks were nationalised, as were the general insurance companies and the entire coal industry. Liberalisation-cum-globalisation introduced in 1991overturned this apple cart. Parallel to this was realised by the State Governments that most of their public sector corporations were also losing money by the day. Since then reserved seats or vacancies have been shrinking. Until now, the official spokesmen use the Indian saying whichever countrys Government is a trader its people are going to be beggars. Or there is the other slogan: Maximum governance with minimal Government. On top of all this is not only the computer-reducing routine jobs in industry but also the Sword of Damocles of the robot hanging over the machine. Yet another question would be an upper caste backlash. How that may shape up, if at all, needs to be seen. But a political example was the fall of the Madhavsinh Solanki Ministry in 1986. He had gone flat out on backing the OBCs in his choice of candidates for the Assembly elections of 1985. He won hands down and secured 146 MLAs out of the total of 182. The upper caste reaction was so severe that by 1986, he was thrown out of power and replaced by an Adivasi Amarsinh Chaudhry as the head of Gujarat Government. Finally, in the long run, excessive reservations could lead to a brain drain of the country, as has happened in Tamil Nadu. Many a Brahmin has migrated either overseas or to other parts of the country. All the disadvantages apart, the question arises: What are the benefits of reservations? True, they are excellent for political positioning. But the actual boons of the scheme need to be surveyed. Do the beneficiaries pass around the gains to their communities? Or do they merely look after their families only? If that be so, is this advantage sufficient to offset the demoralisation they cause amongst the castes which are left out? And often there is a decline in the quality of the service the several candidates give to the society generally or to the concerned individuals particularly. In the bargain, society does not make the progress at the speed it is capable of. A nation-wide debate on the pros and cons of reservation is called for. This discussion should not exclude the Muslims and Christians, on behalf of whom reservations have been asked for by some political parties. These religions have foreign origins and they never had any system of caste. Most of the Hindus, who converted to these religions, did so to escape the oppression of casteism. The question of their sharing the reservations does not, therefore, arise. (The writer is a well-known columnist and an author) In a new narrative between Modi versus the rest, the BJP could form the Government next year despite the loss of a few seats What does the crystal ball say about 2019? The Lok Sabha poll and electoral fortunes of many political parties, including the ruling BJP and the main Opposition Congress, will dominate the year. Fortunes of some regional satraps, like Biju Janata Dal supremo Naveen Patnaik, Telugu Desam Party president N Chandrababu Naidu and Sikkim Democratic Front founder Pawan Kumar Chamling will also be decided as some States, like Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Haryana, Jammu & Kashmir, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh will go to polls in the same year. Patnaik will bid for power for the fifth time; Naidu for the second time since the bifurcation of the State; and Chamling for the sixth time. At the national level, while Prime Minister Modi will be seeking a second consecutive term, Congress president Rahul Gandhi will test his fortunes for the first time since he took over the reins of the party. If Modi secures another term, the country will move closer to becoming a majoritarian state. It is clear that 2019 will not be a cake-walk for Modi and the coming months will be most crucial for Opposition unity. Political parties are getting ready as poll dates are likely to be announced in late February or March. The Election Commission of India is also preparing for the event. About 900 million voters, including 100 million first-time voters, will exercise their franchise. Many opinion polls have suggested that anti-incumbency sentiment is on the rise. This can dash Modis hopes for a second term. Registering a landslide victory, the BJP and its allies had won 73 of the 80 seats in Uttar Pradesh, all 25 seats in Rajasthan, 27 of 29 seats in Madhya Pradesh, all 26 seats in Gujarat, all seven seats in Delhi, all five seats in Uttarakhand and all four seats in Himachal Pradesh in the 2014 Lok Sabha poll. This peak performance may not be repeated in 2019 as the BJP might just lose at least 100 of all Lok Sabha seats. This, however, must be compensated from the North-East and the southern region. According to India Today-Karvy Insights opinion poll released in August, the BJP is likely to win 30 per cent votes in the 2019 election, which means it will secure 245 seats, 27 short of the 272 needed for a majority. Pre-election surveys conducted by Lokniti, Centre for the Study of Developing Societies, also suggest that the BJPs popularity is on the decline; although the Prime Ministers personal popularity continues. First, the BJP has lost popularity due to two economic measures demonetisation and the Goods and Services Tax. Both measures have hurt the small and medium businesses that were its core voters. It is not clear whether the winner will be a BJP-led or a Congress-led or a Third Front coalition. The fight will be between the ruling NDA and the Congress-anchored UPA. The Opposition needs an astute strategy to defeat the NDA. The new narrative is likely to be Modi versus the rest. Second, while Modi will be the BJPs face for the 2019 poll, the UPA is most unlikely to project anyone. Its prime ministerial candidate will be decided only in a post-poll scenario. Therefore, though the Congress is trying to unite the Opposition, party president Rahul Gandhi will not be projected as the prime ministerial face of the UPA as they have been talking of collective leadership. Third, both UPA and NDA are in the process of strengthening their coalitions. The NDA has been weakened by the exit of two major allies Telugu Desam Party and Peoples Democratic Party. The Shiv Sena, too, has threatened to quit. Besides, the party faces a tough challenge in the south. Meanwhile, Congress has already reached an understanding with some regional parties to build State-specific coalitions, including in Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Kerala, Jharkhand, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. Fourth, economy and jobs are some major issues that will play a huge role in the election. There are also other issues, too, like corruption, non-delivery of poll promises, demonetisation, GST, Rafale, cow vigilantism, Ram Mandir issue, rising fuel prices, the agrarian crisis that will remain dominant. All of the above factors give potential threats to the BJP ahead of the 2019 poll. The BJPs strategy is to attack the Congress for its failure to accomplish anything in the past 70 years and consolidation of Hindu votes. It has been vociferous about the achievements of the Modi Government. Fifth, the economy is reviving. This may bring some relief to the Modi Government. Multilateral organisations, like the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, have predicted a sound revival of the economy for 2019. Sixth, both the Congress and the BJP will play the Hindutva card with the Congress adopting a soft Hindutva line. Last, both Modi and Rahul will need a new narrative to win. Whatever it be, the BJP is likely to emerge as the number one party whether it gets a majority or not. It will be invited to form the Government first, as is the convention. (The writer is a senior political commentator) by Nirmala Carvalho Msgr. Prasad Gallela is accused of being married and having a child, also of appropriating funds destined for poor Dalit children in the diocese to allow his wife and son "live in luxury". For years the story was known to the Vatican, which had sent an apostolic visitor to investigate. Mumbai (AsiaNews) - Pope Francis has accepted the resignation of Msgr. Prasad Gallela, bishop of Cuddapah, in Andhra Pradesh. In its place, the pontiff appointed Msgr. Gali Bali, bishop emeritus of Guntur, as administrator sede vacante et ad nutum Sanctae Sedis of the diocese. The resignation is due to the civil investigation into Msgr. Gallela, accused of being married and with a son. The news of the resignation was released yesterday. Local sources told AsiaNews that allegations against the bishop had been circulating for some time. Several years ago the Vatican sent an apostolic visitor to investigate the case. The story, however, ended without any further action. Later the same faithful of the diocese filed a complaint against him, presenting irrefutable documents and evidence. Since last July, the bishop has been prevented from celebrating mass in the Cathedral of St. Mary of Mariyapuram, because he is guilty of "having destroyed holiness with marriage". Mesa Ravi, leader of the Dalit Christian Forum, claims to have presented acts and certificates that prove the bishop's marriage with Mrs. Gallela Sujatha. Gallela Prasad Junior, 19, was born from their relationship. Mesa Ravi also denounces that Msgr. Gallela, of Dalit origin, would have "abused and exploited us poor Dalit Christians, married in secret, cheated the faithful and misappropriated funds for poor children to allow his secret wife and his secret son live in luxury, while thousands of poor Dalits Christians were without even the means to survive". Despite his complaint, underlines Ravi, "the ecclesiastical authorities remained silent on the serious episode of corruption, illicit relationships, violation of canon law and causing scandal among the faithful. Some hierarchies covered the secrets and lack spiritual integrity and honesty ". He addressed the State of Andhra Pradesh and the Government of India, which have ascertained the violations of civil and canon law. "It is a disgrace - he concludes - that the Holy Catholic Church tolerates and silences truth and justice, even though there are those who humbly remind them of it. It is a huge scandal for the faith of the simple and humble faithful like you and me ". The normal life was affected in Kashmir Valley on Monday in response to a shutdown call by separatist groups to commemorate the World Human Rights Day. The separatists alleged that the State authorities continue to suppress the human rights and disallow legitimate freedom of movement and speech to the common people. The Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL), a grouping of separatist leaders Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Yasin Malik, had asked the people of Kashmir to observe complete protest strike on December 10 to highlight the gruesome human rights situation and also to register their regret at the apathy of international community and rights organisations towards the plight of people of Kashmir. Shops, other business establishments, fuel stations remained closed while public transport was generally off the roads in summer capital Srinagar. However, scanty private transport plied on the uptown city roads. The authorities deployed additional security forces personnel in parts of downtown Srinagar to thwart protests. The train services had been suspended between Banihal and Baramulla due to law and order situation. The speed of mobile internet was also reduced in Srinagar and some other places in Kashmir Valley. The JRL urges the world peace organisations, international community, Amnesty International Asia Watch, UNHRC and ICRC to take note of the Kashmir situation and put pressure on New Delhi to stop the grave human rights violations forthwith, the JRL said in a statement. The JRL leaders wrote a letter to UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres urging him to intervene to end the sufferings of the people of J&K. We urge you (UN SEcretay General) to initiate measures for the resolution of the dispute on Jammu & Kashmir which is on UN Agenda since 1948 and is the main cause of all Human Rights violations in Jammu & Kashmir, the letter reads. The separatists had asked the people to observe human rights week between December 3 and 9. Protest demonstrations were organised at various places during the week to highlight human rights situation in the valley. Meanwhile, clashes were reported between youth and the security forces in Hajin area of north Kashmirs Bandipora district following the burial of two teenage militants. Heavy stone pelting was reported from the area. Thousands of people reportedly participated in the funeral prayers of two local LeT Mudasir Parrey (14) and Saqib Bilal Sheikh (17). Both were killed on Sunday along-with a Pakistani top LeT commander Ali Bhai in 18 hour gunfight with the security forces in Mujgund area on the outskirts of Srinagar. The BJPs moral-shattering defeat in the saffron bastions of Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh and its failure to reach the halfway mark in Madhya Pradesh has placed the Congress on a much-needed revival path and thrown the next years Lok Sabha contest wide open. The Congress success in the three crucial Hindi heartland States will also firmly establish the leadership of Rahul Gandhi and help him shed the numerous pejorative tags so often hurled on him by his critics. While Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan were smooth sail for the Congress, MP turned out to be a cliffhanger. The counting went well over 16 hours and the leads kept changing. In the end, the Congress virtually shattered Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhans dream for a record fourth term by pushing the BJP to second spot in a hung House. Even as the Congress had either won or was leading in 114 seats, two short of majority, State Congress chief Kamal Nath wrote to the Governor at 10.30 pm, staking claim for forming a Government and claiming the backing of newly-elected independent MLAs. Governor Anandi Ben Patel told the Congress leaders that they will get an invite from the Raj Bhavan only after the Election Commission had declared the final result. At midnight, the Congress was ahead on 114 seats and the BJP on 110. Results of around half-a-dozen seats were still awaited. But the possibility of the Congress forming a Government looked bright since the Governor was bound to invite it fist to prove its majority, which it could do with the help of the independent MLAs. When Kamal Nath wrote to the Governor, around the same time, Prime Minister Narendra Modi came out with a series of tweets which virtually showed that he had accepted the defeat. The PM tweeted, Victory and defeat are an integral part of life. Todays results will further our resolve to serve people and work even harder for the development of India. In another tweet, the Prime Minister said, We accept the peoples mandate with humility. I thank the people of Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan for giving us the opportunity to serve these States. The BJP Governments in these States worked tirelessly for the welfare of the people. The final tally may not reflect the extent of the Congress gain. In both Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, the BJP had secured over 10 per cent more vote than the Congress in the 2013 Assembly polls. Bridging the gap and going ahead in such scenario is not an easy task unless there is a massive undercurrent against the ruling party. The results show that anti-incumbency both against the State Governments and against the Centre worked decisively in favour of the Congress and helped it demolish the BJPs strongholds. The setback will haunt the BJP like a dreadful nightmare in the run-up to the Lok Sabha polls for more than one reason. To start with, in all the three States the minorities consisted of mere six to seven per cent vote, far below the percentage of the Muslim vote in Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, etc. The outcome shows the success of Rahuls pursuit of soft Hindutva as well the failure of the BJP in reviving the Hindu frenzy by raking up the issue of Ram temple in a big way. The Congress strategy was two-fold: Consolidate minority vote bank and make sure that the BJP does not succeed in polarising the Hindu vote in its favour. No surprise that while Congress leaders like Kamal Nath were caught in video tapes making downright communal; overture to the Muslims in Madhya Pradesh, the same party was also promising gaushala in every districts and temple run became the hallmark of Rahuls election campaign. On its part, the BJP kept telling the voters that it was the only party committed to building grand Ram Temple at Ayodhya while its opponents were trying to scuttle the same. Prime Minister Narendra Modi bowled a googly when he referred as fatwah Rahul Gandhis innocuous remarks that the PM should think of the poor, the helpless, the unemployed youth, the farmers, etc, while invoking Bharat Mata Ki Jai in his rallies. The choice of word fatwah in a Rajasthan rally by the PM was clear sign of desperation to polarise the voters. Alas, it didnt work! It was obvious that the issues of unemployment, the tragic legacy of demonetisation and GST, the plight of farmers, the anger among the upper caste voters, the disenchantment of the Dalits were such overwhelming negatives for the BJP that Hinutava chant failed to save the saffron outfit from the wrath of the disillusioned voters. With just five months to go for the Lok Sabha polls, the setback in these three crucial States will make the BJPs task to return to the power at the Centre much more difficult. Together, the three States elect 65 MPs to the Lok Sabha. The BJP had won 61 of these seats by capturing all the 25 seats from Rajasthan, bagging 26 out of 29 seats from Madhya Pradesh, and 10 out of 11 seats from Chhattisgarh. Now that the party has been voted out of power in these three states, the BJP will face serious challenge in retaining its number, which could seriously jeopardise its chances of returning to power at the Centre. On the other hand, the Congress will be well-placed to capitalise on the momentum and try to increase its tally in a bid to meet its stated goal of winning nearly 125 seats in the Lok Sabha. The BJP leadership possesses no magical wand to address the anger of millions of unemployed youth in the remaining five months, but it will be expected to take serious steps to reach out to Dalits, tribals, upper castes, farmers, and business community, the last two were hit hard by note-bandi and GST. The outcome shows that both in tribal and Dalit belts the Congress has done far better than the BJP in all the three States. The same trend has been witnessed in case of the upper caste vote. A sizeable section of the upper caste voters in Madhya Pradesh shifted away from the BJP, according to preliminary analysis of the result. The upper caste voters were unhappy over the amendment to the schedule caste atrocity act and launched major Statewide movement against the BJP on this count. Nearly two lakhs NOTA votes are believed to have come from the upper caste voters. The setback will make BJPs sulking Maharashtra ally Shiv Sena all the more emboldened when the two parties negotiate seat-sharing for the Lok Sabha polls. Even someone like Lok Jan Shakti party chief Ramvilas Paswan will now go for hard bargaining with the BJP to get at least six-seven seats in Bihar. The BJP has to worry on another major count. The fact that both Shivraj Singh Chauhan and Raman Singh had excellent track record in governance and yet they lost shows that they might have become victim of anti-incumbency against the Central Government. Its obvious the Modi magic did not work in the three key States. This should give serious food for thought to the BJP, which heavily counts on the PM for its electoral successes. The semi-final of the Chowkidar vs Namdar contest has decisively gone in favour of the former, who among other weapons, aggressively used the Rafale ammunition to successfully attack his nemesis. Rahul and the Opposition will relax at their own peril after these victories. The Modi-Shah duo is capable of striking back. The month ahead is going to see the Modi Government unveiling a series of populist measures and the Congress-led Opposition taking steps to ensure one on one contest against the BJP in the Lok Sabha polls. Despite last minute blitzkrieg by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the BJP lost the Rajasthan Assembly election, failing to break the trend which continues in the State for the past 20 years. As per results, the Congress is set to form the Government in the State as the party has won over 99 seat of the 199 seat while the BJP managed to retain only 73 seats. The BSP, CPI (Marxist) and others have managed to win 27 seats. Now the question is who will be the Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot or Sachin Pilot? The Congress central leadership has already directed its elected MLAs to assemble in Jaipur on Wednesday. According to sources in the Congress, party president Rahul Gandhi will take a call on the CM face by Wednesday. Gehlot is seen as a clear front-runner. The voting share analysis shows the BJPs votes have fallen from 45.2 per cent in 2013 to 38.8 per cent now. It was much higher at nearly 55 per cent in 2014, when the party won all 25 Lok Sabha seats from the State. On the other hand, the Congress has improved its vote share from 33.1 per cent in 2013 to 39.2 per cent in 2018. It had managed to get nearly 30 per cent votes despite losing on all seats in last parliamentary elections. Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje, Sachin Pilot and Ashok Gehlot have all won their respective seats of Jhalrapatan, Tonk and Sardarpura. The Congress has banked on the strong anti-incumbency factor, while the BJP relied on the Rajes performance and charisma of Modi and hoped to break the States tradition of having Chief Ministers of alternate parties for every Assembly election since 1993. Raje won her constituency in Jhalrapatan defeating Congress candidate Manvendra Singh by a margin of 34,980 votes. Singh, who recently joined the Congress, is son of BJP stalwart Jaswant Singh. Congress Rajasthan unit chief Pilot won from Tonk seat, defeating BJPs Yoonus Khan only Muslim face in the BJP State unit by 54,179 votes. It was the first Assembly elections for 41-year-old Pilot, a two-time Member of Parliament, and he won from the Muslim dominated seat comfortably. Two- time CM, Gehlot won the Sardarpura seat by a margin of over 40,000 votes. He defeated Shambhu Singh Khetasar of BJP. Political experts said Vasundhara Rajes personal traits are believed to be one of the main reasons behind the BJPs defeat in Rajasthan Assembly election. Her image of behaving likes a Maharani and being inaccessible did not go along well with the voters. The slogan doing the rounds isModi Tujh Se Bair Nahin, Rani Teri Khair Nahin ( Modi, we dont dislike you, but Queen (Raje) we will not spare you.) Caste groups having a small voting percentage are likely to go with new alliances for electoral benefits, as they had done in the past. Communities such as Rajputs and Gujjars, who constitute 9 per cent each of the States population, have witnessed a major churning. Besides, the Rajputs went against the BJP particularly after the killing of gangster Anandpal Singh by police in an encounter. He was popular among a large section of his caste people. Anger against the film, Padmaavat, turned the Rajputs against Vasundhara and the BJP. On the issue of SC/ST act, the upper caste (Rajputs and Brahmin) went against the ruling BJP in the state. Rahuls promise of farm loan waiver within 10 days of the Congress Government coming to power has been one of the most important factors for the BJPs defeat. The farmers, suffering from distress, seem to have lapped up Rahuls promise. The Vasundhara Government seems to have failed to dispel the notion that the farmers were under severe stress in her State. The Bhamashah Health Insurance Scheme in the health sector, undertaken by the Government also failed to woo voters towards it. As many as 13 of 19 Ministers in the outgoing Vasundhara Government have lost the Assembly elections in Rajasthan as results and trends brought electoral reverses for the ruling BJP. Raje (Jhalrapatan), Home Minister Gulab Chand Kataria (Udaipur), Education Minister Vasundev Devnani (Ajmer North), Women and Child Development Minister Anita Bhadel (Ajmer South), Parliamentary Affairs Minister Rajendra Rathore (Churu) and Higher Education Minister Kiran Maheshwari (Rajsamand) have retained their respective seats. Among the Ministers who lost the elections are: Agriculture Minister Prabhu Lal Saini (Anta), Food & Civil Supply Minister Baboo Lal Verma (Baran-Atru), Revenue Minister Amra Ram (Pachpadra), Tourism Minister Krishnendra Kaur (Nadbai), Housing and Urban Development Minister Srichand Kriplani (Nimahera). Also among those who lost are Water Resources Minister Rampratap (Hanumangarh), Social Justice Minister Arun Chaturvedi (Civil Lines), Industries Minister Rajpal Singh (Jhotwara), Cooperative Minister Ajay Singh (Degana), Gaupalan Minister Otaram Devasi (Sirohi) and Transport Minister Yoonus Khan (Tonk). Congress candidates Johri Lal Meena (Rajgarh-Laxmangarh), Madan Prajapapat (Pachpadra), Zahida Khan (Kaman), Ramlal Jat (Mandal) and Prashant Bairwa (Niwai) won. BSPs Sandeep Kumar (Tijara) and Wajib Ali (Nagar) have also won. CPI (Marxist) also won two seats. Rajasthan has a 200-member Assembly but polling on Alwars Ramgarh constituency was postponed following the death of the BSP candidate there. A party now needs to win 100 seats to form Government in the State. Independents have improved their tally from 8.2 per cent to 9.5 per cent, while bagging larger number of seats. A s the Congress almost reached near the half-way mark in the Madhya Pradesh Assembly polls, the next contest within the party is the choice of the Chief Minister. With 114 seats in victory or lead, the Congress is two seats below the magic figure of 116 in the 230-seat Assembly. The BJP, under the leadership of Shivraj Singh Chouhan, has given the spirited challenge to the Congress by winning 110 seats, 6 short of the majority mark. PCC chief Kamal Nath has convened a meeting of the newly-elected Congress candidates at the PCC headquarters at 4 pm on Wednesday. The Congress camp was jubilant since Tuesday morning when the early trends showed an edge to the Congress. A big LED screen was placed at the PCC office and the party workers and leaders remained glued to the screen throughout the day. In the afternoon, Kamal Nath, former Chief Minister Digvijay Singh and Congress parliamentarian Jyotiraditya Scindia reached the PCC and reviewed the polls results. There was no clear majority for the Congress, but the senior leaders discussed the possibility of forming a Government. Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia, who is seen as a contender for the chief ministership, was evasive when asked by reporters as to who would be occupying the top post. Let the result come first, he said, adding, We will create an environment of peace, justice, and development if we come to power in Madhya Pradesh, Scindia added. The Congress, which has been trying to dislodge the three-term BJP Government in the State, expressed confidence that the party would cross the majority mark. As I said, the Congress is winning. We are going to get full majority, Madhya Pradesh Congress Committee chief Kamal Nath said. It is speculated that on Wednesday, the Congress would chalk out strategy to woo independents to support the Congress. The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) has two seats, the Samajwadi Party (SP) bagged one, and four Independents were elected to the Assembly. Out of these Independents, most of them are Congress rebels. A year after Rahul Gandhi was anointed as Congress president, he has silenced all those who chanted the slogans of Congress mukt bharat and kept writing the obituary of the grand old party on daily basis. December 11 marked the completion of Rahuls first year in office as president. Last year same day, Rahul took over as president of the Congress and led the party with remarkable vigour in Gujarat Assembly elections and thereafter brought Karnataka to the partys kitty. Emboldened with these wins, challenge from Rahul to Prime Minister Narendra Modi appears more serious than ever before. The gains for the Congress in the Hindi heartland States assume significance though the party suffered a severe drubbing in Telangana and Mizoram. Addressing the media, Rahul termed the victory of Congress as victory of farmers and the youth. Its now time for change. We are going to provide the three States with a vision for overall development. There is a clear feeling in the country that PM Modi has failed to deliver what he committed. The Opposition is now strongly united and will fight together in 2019 polls to defeat Modi to end the politics of hatred. I have learnt about a lot of things since 2014 and most important being humility, Rahul said. He said Modiji taught him what not to do in politics. He (Modi) taught me not be to be arrogant, Rahul quipped. Hitting at the BJP for its often-stated remark of Congress-mukt (Congress-free) Bharat, Rahul said, The BJP has a certain ideology and we will fight against it. We have won elections, we will also win in 2019. However, we do not want to get rid of anyone, hum kisi ko mukt nahi karna chahtein. Rahul thanked people and party workers for partys good performance in three States of Rajasthan, Chhatisgarh and Madhya Pradesh while asserting that the poll outcome raised questions on the Modi Governments policies. He said now there is a perception within the people that the PM himself is a corrupt man. He also said it is a clear message to Modi that people are not happy with decisions, including demonetisation and those pertaining to farmers and youth. On naming the Chief Ministers in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, Rahul said this will be done smoothly. Attacking Modi, the Congress chief said Modi got a massive mandate but refused to listen to heartbeat of the people. Under the BJP big mismanagement of economy, unnecessary damage to sections of economy that were doing well was done. The ruling dispensation failed to provide a vision for the country going forward, Rahul mentioned. On the issue of party manifesto on loan waiver, Rahul said this will be done definitely and pointed that loan waiver is a measure and not a solution to farmers distress. The Tuesdays Assembly results will certainly strengthen Rahuls position within the party and will give him a strong voice in the national politics and leverage in unifying the Opposition parties to stop the Modi juggernaut in six months. Before the Assembly elections, the rivals of Uttar Pradesh BSP and SP snubbed Congress and went alone in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. The clean sweep by Congress in Chhatisgarh and a comfortable win in Rajasthan and satisfactory performance in MP will now keep the political bargainers in check. In his first year Rahul focused on farmers distress, unemployment and constantly attacked the Modi Government over Rafale deal. Rahul as head of the grand old party focused on strengthening the organisation. Keeping in the mind the need of political circumstances, Rahul created several new departments right from farmers wing to unorganised labour wing to NRI wing. He systematically divided the work among new leaders and also created a system where daily to weekly reports are directly sent to him. Even in ticket distribution, Rahul went by the internal survey and insisted on giving tickets to the winnable leaders. As compared to the high voltage political campaigns by Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah, Rahul campaigned in a low pitched manner focusing more on the farmers and the unemployed sections of society. The Congress president, once dubbed by critics as a reluctant politician, addressed 82 public rallies and seven road shows since October 6, crisscrossing Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Telanagana and Mizoram on an almost daily basis. The result will also help the Congress re-energise party workers, who have been demoralised by a string of electoral defeats. Several Congress leaders from the Hindi heartland such as Sachin Pilot, Ashok Gehlot and Bhupesh Baghel credited Rahuls dynamic campaign as the reason for partys good showing. In yet another incident of road rage, a 35-year-old man was shot dead by two men following an altercation after his car grazed their scooty in Geeta Colony near Shahadara in Delhi on Monday late night. Police are scanning the CCTV footage of the nearby areas to identify the killers who are at large. This is the second such incident reported from the Trans Yamuna area of the National Capital during last 24 hours. The deceased has been identified as Sushil Chauhan, a resident of Bhagat Singh colony in Usmanpur area. Sushil parents alleged that he was killed by one of his friend travelling with him in car. Refuting the family allegations Meghna Yadav, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Shahdara district said the case is of road rage and in initial investigation no personal enmity angle was found. According to a senior police official, the incident took place around 11 pm on Monday when Sushil, along with his five friends including three women, was on his back to home when at Sai Chowk in Geeta colony a scooty coming from wrongside of road allegedly brushed Sushils car following which argument broke out between them. Following the heated argument one of the two men on scooty took out a gun and shot Sushil, said the senior police official. Sushil was shot in thigh. His friends took him to nearby hospital where he succumbed to his injuries during treatment. Doctors said he died due to excessive bleeding, said the senior police official. A case of murder has been registered on the statement given by deceased friends. A police team is scanning CCTV cameras installed in the vicinity and its adjoining areas. It appears that the accused persons came from the nearby areas. There are certain leads and the same are being investigated to bring the killers to book, the senior police official added. Earlier, a 21-year-old biker, Yogesh Chaudhary, was shot dead by two men following an altercation after his motorcycle grazed their car in Acharya Niketan near Mayur Vihar Phase-1 in East Delhi in the wee hours of Monday. He was shot five times. The accused are still at large. A police officer said the modus operandi in both the incidents is the same and police teams are working to nab the killers. Two incidents of the similar nature in a short span is a cause of worry and we are working to identify the criminals, he added. Days after Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh dubbed opening of Kartarpur corridor as ISIs game plan, his predecessor and Akali patriarch Parkash Singh Badal on Tuesday advised the Congress leader to refrain from doing or saying anything that may sabotage this achievement. Capt Amarinder should refrain from doing or saying anything that might become a pretext for blocking the Kartarpur Sahib corridor and sabotage the fulfilment of the aspirations and prayers (ardas) of crores of Sikhs all over the world for the past 70 years, he said. Badal said that the Government of Indias initiative and the Pakistan Governments response to it are a collective achievement of the entire khalsa panth (Sikh community), beyond individual or party lines, and this must be welcomed as such and no one should do or say anything that may sabotage this achievement. The former chief minister said that Capt Amarinders recent statements on Kartarpur Sahib corridor were extremely ill-advised and ill-timed. His utterances run contrary to the Sikh sentiments. I request him not to sabotage this sacred goal of the community. The Chief Minister needs to be reminded that the opening of the corridor is not a political but a deeply religious aspiration of the khalsa panth for which every Sikh all across the globe has been praying every day over the past 70 years, he said. Badal described it as the culmination of their daily ardas and of the long struggle which started with Master Tara Singh and in which some of the tallest Sikh leaders from Sant Fateh Singh, Sant Harchand Singh Longowal, Jathedar Gurcharan Singh Tohra, Jagdev Singh Talwandi, Kuldip Singh Wadala right up to the present leadership of the SAD and the entire Sikh community have contributed in a big way. He said that everyone who has played a role in the achievement of this goal needs to be complimented,regardless of which party he belongs to. Referring to the fears expressed by Capt Amarinder about possibility of corridor being misused by the Pakistan army and the ISI for fomenting trouble in India, especially in Punjab, Badal said: Captain Sahib is forgetting that the Punjabis in general and the Sikhs in particular are a fiercely patriotic people and are fully capable of dealing with any challenge thrown at the security, the unity and the integrity of the country. Captain Sahib, as an ex-member of the Indian army, should also know that our forces are more than a match for any evil designs against the country. Punjab Chief Minister should leave the issue of assessing and dealing with security concerns to the Government of India, and should, as Chief Minister of Punjab, limit himself to supporting the initiative taken by India and responded to by Pakistan for opening the corridor, he said. To depict Mahabharata scenes through the art of clay, a cave shaped exhibition would be set up at Gita Gyan Sansthanam during the ongoing International Gita Mahotsav, 2018 at Kurukshetra. The exhibition will be formally inaugurated by BJP President, Amit Shah and President of Mauritius, Paramasivum Pillay Vyapoory on December 13 An official spokesman said that through this exhibition, 650 books of holy scripture, The Bhagvad Gita written in 40 different languages of India and abroad would be exhibited. He said that the exhibition would be set up at Gita Gyan Sansthanam for the visitors from India and abroad during International Gita Mahotsav, 2018. Special artists have been invited to put up this exhibition. These artists have made the cave with clay. They have also made a clay statue of Arjuna with bow which is installed at the entrance of the exhibition. Besides this, other scenes of Mahabharata have also been prepared with clay including a statue of Lord Krishna giving knowledge to Arjuna. Almost all the preparations have been completed for this cave shaped exhibition. Shooting videos of the famous Sun Temple here with a drone camera landed two Russian tourists in trouble on Tuesday morning when the duo, on a tour to Odisha, visited the World Heritage Site. While they were taking the videos, Archeological Survey of India (ASI) officials objected to it as it is not permissible to fly a copter over the 13th-century monument. The foreign tourists were detained for interrogation, sources said. Notably, a similar incident had taken place on Saturday last and a foreign national was caught shooting with the air-borne device. After local tourists objected to it, police and ASI officials whisked him away to the office. After deletion of the recordings, he was allowed to leave. In the case of the Mahalakshmi temple in Badrinath being given out on contract, the High Court of Uttarakhand has issued notices to the chief secretary, Badrinath Kedarnath Temple Committee (BKTC) and the organisation managing the temple, directing them to reply within three weeks. The case was taken up for hearing by the division bench of chief justice Ramesh Ranganathan and justice Lok Pal Singh. Haridwar resident Rakesh Kaushik had filed a public interest litigation in the high court stating that the BKTC had handed over the Mahalakshmi temple to another body on an annual contract of Rs 35,000 without the permission of the State Government. Further it also granted permission for selling thecharanamrit (consecrated water) which was challenged by the petitioner. The petitioner has contended that properties under the control of the BKTC cannot be handed over to any body without the permission of the State Government. As the permission was not sought from the Government in the said case, the High Court has sought response from the State Government, BKTC and the body managing the said shrine within three weeks. Vatican City (AsiaNews) - To allow ourselves to be consoled by God and to allow ourselves to be at peace without resisting. This was the focus of Pope Francis homily at Mass celebrated this morning at Casa Santa Marta, inspired by the passage from the First Reading from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah (Is 40: 1-11), which is an invitation to consolation:: Comfort, comfort my people, says your God, because her guilt is expiated. This, the Pope explained, refers to the consolation of salvation, to the good news that we are saved. The Risen Christ, in those forty days after His Resurrection, did just that with His disciples: He consoled them. But, Pope Francis continued, we tend to resist consolation, as if we were safer in the turbulent waters of our problems. We bet on desolation, on problems, on defeat; the Lord works very hard to console us, but encounters resistance. This can be seen even with the disciples on the morning of Easter, who needed to be reassured, because they were afraid of another defeat. We are attached to this spiritual pessimism, Pope Francis said. He described how children who approach him during his public audiences sometimes see me and scream, they begin to cry, because seeing someone in white, they think of the doctor and the nurse, who give them a shot for their vaccines; and [the children] think, No, no, not another one! And we are a little like that, the Pope continued, but the Lord says, Comfort, comfort my people. And how does the Lord give comfort? With tenderness. It is a language that the prophets of doom do not recognise: tenderness. It is a word that is cancelled by all the vices that drive us away from the Lord: clerical vices, the vices of some Christians who dont want to move, of the lukewarm Tenderness scares them. See, the Lord has His reward with Him, His recompense goes before Him this is how the passage from Isaiah concludes. Like a shepherd He feeds His flock; in His arms He gathers the lambs, carrying them in His bosom, and leading the ewes with care. This is the way the Lord comforts: with tenderness. Tenderness consoles. When a child cries, a mom will caress them and calm them with tenderness: a word that the world today has practically removed from the dictionary. The Lord invites us to allow ourselves to be consoled by Him; and this is also helpful in our preparation for Christmas. And today, the Pope said, in the opening prayer from the Mass, we asked for the grace of a sincere joyfulness, of this simple but sincere joy: And indeed, I would say that the habitual state of the Christian should be consolation. Even in bad moments: The martyrs entered the Colosseum singing; [and] the martyrs of today I think of the good Coptic workers on the beach in Libya, whose throats were cut died saying Jesus, Jesus! There is a consolation within: a joy even in the moment of martyrdom. The habitual state of the Christian should be consolation, which is not the same as optimism, no. Optimism is something else. But consolation, that positive base Were talking about radiant, positive people: the positivity, the radiance of the Christian is the consolation. When we suffer, we might not feel that consolation; but a Christian will not lose interior peace because it is a gift from the Lord, who offers it to all, even in the darkest moments. And so, Pope Francis said, in these weeks leading up to Christmas, we should ask the Lord for the grace to not be afraid to allow ourselves to be consoled by Him. Referring back to the Gospel of the day (Mt 18,12-14), he said we should pray: That I too might prepare myself for Christmas at least with peace: peace of heart, the peace of Your presence, the peace given by Your caresses. But [you might say] I am a great sinner. Ok, but what does todays Gospel tell us? That the Lord consoles like the shepherd who, if he loses one of his sheep, goes in search of it; like that man who has a hundred sheep, and one of them is lost: he goes in search of it. The Lord does just that with each one of us. [But] I dont want peace, I resist peace, I resist consolation But He is at the door. He knocks so that we might open our heart in order to allow ourselves to be consoled, and to allow ourselves to be set at peace. And He does it with gentleness. He knocks with caresses. The Dehradun mayor Sunil Uniyal Gama chaired a meeting with officials regarding construction of roadside drains and shifting of telephone and electricity poles after removal of encroachments in the city. Following the points put up by various departmental officials, the mayor directed that the Public Works Department should provide amended proposal for utility ducts. Since five main roads of the city are to be developed as smart roads under the smart city project, a meeting of the officials concerned will be called soon to ensure timely work on the works. The power corporation officials were directed to remove the obsolete cement poles from the roadsides. At various places the timers of the road lights are not functioning properly while wires have not been provided in some of the poles. These two issues should be rectified without delay. Further, it was stated that at various locations, transformers are located on roadsides. These transformers not only obstruct the flow of traffic but also pose the risk of accident. The power corporation officials were directed to facilitate proper arrangement of such transformers. The Delhi Police has busted a gang of infamous pickpockets Ghoda Pachhad who targeted buses plying especially on MB Road route. One member of the gang called Machine was skilled at pocketing wallets and phones, while three others would distract the target and were termed as Thekbaaj, police said Tuesday. Four persons including their kingpin Sanjeev (49) alias Ghoda Pacchad were arrested from MB Road at around 6 pm after police received information that they would be arriving in the location for pick-pocketing. Police revealed that Sanjeev has previously been involved in criminal activities since 1988 and has previously been arrested in 32 cases of dacoity, robbery, and attempt to murder, theft, arms act and more. Due to his age, the kingpin Sanjeev reportedly formed his gang of pick-pockets and inducted three others identified as Aarif Khan (21), Zia-Ul-Haq, (30) and Mohammad Saman (25). All the members of the gang are addicted to alcohol and marijuana and pick-pocketed buses to fund their addiction, Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (Southeast) Hareesh H P. During investigation, police found that Sanjeev was absent from the crime scene since February, 2018 and no surveillance could be mounted on his activities. For past few months accused was in hibernation and was staying with his associates at Sangam Vihar and regularly changing his location, Hareesh said. Police revealed that the accused persons also kept weapons with them so that they can threaten their victims in case they retaliate. Two Country-made pistols with two live cartridges and two button knives were recovered from their arrest, police said. Punjab Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Dr S Karuna Raju on Tuesday appealed to all the political parties to prepare the list of their booth level agents (BLAs) as soon as possible and furnish it to the CEO Office before December 18, 2018. Dr Raju, who met the representative of various registered and unregistered political parties in Punjab regarding special summary revision of photo electoral rolls, emphasized that during this special summary revision campaign, the main focus is on removal of repeat or multiple entries or demographically similar entries from the electoral rolls. Removal of permanently shifted electors and deceased electors would also be focused, he said. CEO said that his office with the co-ordination of District Electoral Officers will also initiate an awareness campaign for upcoming Parliamentary Elections. Dr Raju has also appealed to the leaders of the political parties that they will ask their district units to join the election meetings at district levels, so the whole process run smoothly without any hindrance. On the request of the office bearer of Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), CEO directed to write a letter to DEOs to supervise the work of BLOs, especially in the areas where less privileged voters reside. On the complaint of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) regarding reading out of the electoral rolls by BLOs of some places in Ferozepur district, CEO immediately issued directions to the Deputy Commissioner and instructed to enquire about it and submit a report by December 12. Taking prompt response on duty, a Railway Protection Force (RPF) personnel rescued a passenger from the clutches of criminals here on Monday night. The brave RPF staff is TK Mahapatra, a member of the Special Task Force (STF) team of the Khurda Road Division. The incident took place at 11.00 pm at the Bhubaneswar railway station when three miscreants were trying to snatch a gold ring and other valuables from a passenger. When he resisted, the looters tried to strangulate him. Acting swiftly, Mahapatra, who was present during the scene, overpowered the criminals and saved the victim passenger. Other members of the team rushed to the spot and arrested two accused persons. However, one managed to flee from the area. They recovered most of the valuables belongings to the passenger. Mahapatra sustained head injury in the scuffle with the miscreants. He was admitted to the Divisional Railway Hospital at Khurda Road for treatment. The two arrested persons were handed over to the GRP, Bhubaneswar for further action. American Consumer News, LLC dba MarketBeat 2010-2021. All rights reserved. 326 E 8th St #105, Sioux Falls, SD 57103 | U.S. Based Support Team at [email protected] | (844) 978-6257 MarketBeat does not provide personalized financial advice and does not issue recommendations or offers to buy stock or sell any security. Our Accessibility Statement | Terms of Service | Do Not Sell My Information 2021 Market data provided is at least 10-minutes delayed and hosted by Barchart Solutions. Information is provided 'as-is' and solely for informational purposes, not for trading purposes or advice, and is delayed. To see all exchange delays and terms of use please see disclaimer. Fundamental company data provided by Zacks Investment Research. Hornbeck Offshore Services, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, provides marine transportation, subsea installation, and accommodation support services to exploration and production, oilfield service, offshore construction, and the United States military customers. It operates offshore supply vessels (OSVs), multi-purpose support vessels (MPSVs), and a shore-based facility to provide logistics support and specialty services to the offshore oil and gas exploration and production industry, primarily Gulf of Mexico in the U.S., Latin America, and internationally. Its fleet of U.S.-flagged OSVs and MPSVs support deep-well, deepwater, and ultra-deepwater activities of the offshore oil and gas industry, such as oil and gas exploration, field development, production, construction, installation, well-stimulation, and other enhanced oil recovery, as well as inspection, repair, and maintenance services. The company also provides vessel management services, including crewing, daily operational management, and maintenance activities for other vessels owners. As of December 31, 2018, it owned and operated 66 OSVs and 8 MPSVs. Hornbeck Offshore Services, Inc. was founded in 1997 and is headquartered in Covington, Louisiana. Read More Zalando SE operates as an online fashion and lifestyle retailer. It offers a range of products, including shoes, apparel, accessories, and beauty products for women, men, and children, as well as free delivery and returns services. The company also sells its products through its Zalando Lounge; and brick-and-mortar stores in Berlin, Frankfurt, Cologne, Leipzig, Hamburg, Hanover, MAnster, Stuttgart, Mannheim, and Ulm. It serves in Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxemburg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. The company has a strategic partnership with Sephora SAS to create the online prestige beauty destination. Zalando SE was founded in 2008 and is headquartered in Berlin, Germany. Read More Women are released after agreeing to keep their children. Although renting wombs has been illegal since 2016, Cambodia remains a popular destination. There is a close relationship between girl schooling and surrogacy abuse, says Fr Alberto Caccaro. Phnom Penh (AsiaNews) Thirty-two Cambodian women are out on bail after they accepted to keep and raise the children they had agreed to bear for Chinese customers. Police had arrested them following a crackdown against surrogate motherhood. If they fail to uphold the condition, they will get at least 15 years in prison, noted Pon Samkhan, general secretary for the National Committee for Counter-Trafficking. The last group of 17 was freed on 5 December. "It is appropriate that these women were released because I think that surrogate mothers should not be the target, said Fr Alberto Caccaro, a priest at the Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions (PIME), speaking to AsiaNews. Traffickers brokers, agencies, corrupt officials and the Internet should be the targets, added the missionary, who worked in Cambodia from 2001 to 2011, and then again since 2016. "In 2001-2002, when I had just arrived in Cambodia, as I travelled around the country and met other priests, I found that a barren woman could easily find a large family, willing to give her a baby. I remember that at the time the fee could be as little as 50 US dollars. However, the context was not that of buying and selling. Paradoxically, at the time it was almost out of sympathy." For Fr Caccaro, the business of renting wombs is helped by the problem of school dropout, which is widespread among Cambodian girls. "It would be interesting to find out what education these women got, said the clergyman. Often, girls drop out of school too early, especially in rural areas. When the most fragile young people stop going to school, they wait to be married or end up being exploited by trafficking networks. "There is a close relationship between girl schooling and surrogacy abuse. For this reason, we missionaries pay close attention to womens education, so that they can protect themselves against exploitation. "A few weeks ago, I heard about a young woman who went to China to get married. The family got about three thousand dollars. Such low fees make deals easier. People need cash urgently in a country blinded by the mirage of modernity. Despite laws, measures and policies, Cambodia remains vulnerable." Commercial surrogate motherhood has been illegal since 2016. However, Cambodia remains a popular destination for barren couples who want children. In 2017, an Australian nurse and two Cambodians were arrested for running an illegal surrogacy clinic. In its latest raids, Cambodian police arrested 11 pregnant women and four go-betweens last month. There is not enough analysis data for BlackRock Enhanced Global Dividend Trust. 4.1 Community Rank Outperform Votes BlackRock Enhanced Global Dividend Trust has received 262 outperform votes. (Add your outperform vote.) Underperform Votes BlackRock Enhanced Global Dividend Trust has received 155 underperform votes. (Add your underperform vote.) Community Sentiment BlackRock Enhanced Global Dividend Trust has received 62.83% outperform votes from our community. MarketBeat's community ratings are surveys of what our community members think about BlackRock Enhanced Global Dividend Trust and other stocks. Vote Outperform if you believe BOE will outperform the S&P 500 over the long term. Vote Underperform if you believe BOE will underperform the S&P 500 over the long term. You may vote once every thirty days. Previous Next Intelsat S.A., together with its subsidiaries, provides satellite communications services worldwide. The company offers a range of communications services to media companies, fixed and wireless telecommunications operators, data networking service providers for enterprise and mobile applications in the air and on the seas, multinational corporations, and Internet service providers; and commercial satellite communication services to the U.S. government and other military organizations and their contractors. It provides various on-network services, including transponder services; managed services that combine satellite capacity, teleport facilities, satellite communications hardware, and other ground facilities to provide managed and monitored broadband, trunking, video, and private network services to customers; and channel services primarily used for providing point-to-point bilateral services to telecommunications providers. The company also offers off-network services comprising transponder, mobile satellite, and other services. In addition, it offers satellite-related consulting and technical services that include the lifecycle of satellite operations and related infrastructure ranging from satellite and launch vehicle procurement through telemetry and commanding services, and related equipment sale services. The company was founded in 1964 and is headquartered in Luxembourg City, Luxembourg. Intelsat S.A. is a subsidiary of Serafina S.A. Read More Nevsun Resources Ltd. engages in the mining and development of mineral properties in Europe, Africa, and North America. It explores for gold, copper, zinc, and silver deposits. The company's principal assets include Timok project, a copper-gold development project in Serbia; and Bisha copper- zinc mine in Eritrea. It also holds exploration licenses and permits in Serbia and Macedonia, as well as in the Bisha mining district. The company was incorporated in 1965 and is headquartered in Vancouver, Canada. As of January 7, 2019, Nevsun Resources Ltd. operates as a subsidiary of Zijin Mining Group Company Limited. Read More Rogers Communications Inc. operates as a communications and media company in Canada. It operates through three segments: Wireless, Cable, and Media. The company offers mobile Internet access, wireless voice and enhanced voice, device and accessory financing, wireless home phone, device protection, text messaging, e-mail, global voice and data roaming, bridging landline, machine-to-machine and Internet of Things solutions, and advanced wireless solutions for businesses, as well as device delivery services; and postpaid and prepaid services under the Rogers, Fido, and chatr brands to approximately 10.9 million subscribers. It also provides Internet and WiFi services; smart home monitoring services, such as monitoring, security, automation, energy efficiency, and smart control through a smartphone app. In addition, the company offers local and network TV; on-demand television; cloud-based digital video recorders; voice-activated remote controls, and integrated apps; personal video recorders; linear and time-shifted programming; digital specialty channels; 4K television programming; and televised content on smartphones, tablets, and personal computers, as well as operates Ignite TV and Ignite TV app. Further, it provides residential and small business local telephony services; calling features, such as voicemail, call waiting, and long distance; voice, data networking, Internet protocol, and Ethernet services; private networking, Internet, IP voice, and cloud solutions; optical wave and multi-protocol label switching services; IT and network technologies; and cable access network services. The company also owns Toronto Blue Jays and the Rogers Centre event venue; and operates Sportsnet ONE, Sportsnet 360, Sportsnet World, Citytv, OMNI, FX (Canada), FXX (Canada), and OLN television networks, as well as 55 AM and FM radio stations. Rogers Communications Inc. was founded in 1960 and is headquartered in Toronto, Canada. Read More Canadian Western Bank provides personal and business banking products and services primarily in Western Canada. The company offers current, savings, cash management, US dollar, and chequing accounts, as well as organization, strata solution/condo, general trust, and trust fund investment accounts. It also offers commercial lending and real estate, and equipment financing and leasing products; loans and mortgages; secured and unsecured lines of credit; registered retirement savings plan; consolidation, vehicle, and recreation vehicle loans; and credit cards. In addition, the company offers cash management services; life and disability insurance products; and ATM, mobile, and online banking services, as well cheque order services. Further, it provides investment products comprising guaranteed investment certificates, registered retirement income funds, tax-free savings accounts, registered education savings plans, and mutual funds, as well as personal and business planning services. Canadian Western Bank has a strategic partnership with Temenos AG to support small and medium sized enterprises with financial decision-making and enhancing their businesses. The company was founded in 1984 and is headquartered in Edmonton, Canada. Read More The following companies are subsidiares of Continental Aktiengesellschaft: A-Z Formen- und Maschinenbau GmbH, ADC Automotive Distance Control Systems GmbH, ALPHALOR 3 EURL, AZ-CZECH s.r.o., Adam Touring GmbH, Advance Tyre Company Ltd., Advanced Imaging Technologies, Advanced Imaging Technologies (Pty) Ltd, Advanced Scientific Concepts, AlMutlak Continental Company Limited Liability Company, Application Solutions (Electronics and Vision) Ltd., Argus Cyber Security Ltd, BENECKE-KALIKO S.A., BENECKE-KALIKO S.A., BEST DRIVE CTM S.A. de C.V., BV Environmental Limited, BV F1rst Limited, Bandvulc Tyres Limited, Belt Concepts of America Inc., BeltTrade Inc., Benecke Changshun Auto Trim (Zhangjiagang) Co. Ltd., Benecke Changshun Eco Trim (Changzhou) Co. Ltd., Benecke-Kaliko AG, BestDrive LLC, BestDrive Sverige AB, Bestdrive Benelux B.V.B.A., CAC Philippines Inc., CAS Munchen GmbH, CAS UK Holding Ltd., CAS-One Holdinggesellschaft mbH, CGH Holding B.V., CGT Referral Resources Inc., CONTINENTAL CPM S. DE R.L. DE C.V., CONTINENTAL ENGINEERING SERVICES PORTUGAL UNIPESSOAL LDA, CONTINENTAL IBERIA SALES AND SERVICES S.A.U., CONTINENTAL INDUSTRIAL SERVICES S A (Pty.) Ltd., CONTINENTAL SURFACE SOLUTIONS INDIA PRIVATE LIMITED, CONTITECH Chile S.A., CPT Automotive Changchun Co. Ltd., CPT GUADALAJARA S. de. R. L. de C.V., CPT MANUFACTURING MEXICO S. de R. L. de C.V., CPT MAQUILA MEXICO S. de R. L. de C.V., Carrel Grundstucksverwaltungsgesellschaft mbH Co. Vermietungs KG, Changshu ContiTech Trading Ltd., Conseo GmbH, Conti Automotive Servicios S.A. de C.V., Conti Temic microelectronic GmbH, Conti Trade Australia Pty. Ltd., Conti Trade Italia S.r.l., Conti Versicherungsdienst Versicherungsvermittlungsges. mbH, Conti-Gummi Finance B.V., ContiTech (Shandong) Engineered Rubber Products Co. Ltd., ContiTech AG, ContiTech AVS France, ContiTech Africa (Pty.) Ltd., ContiTech Anoflex SAS, ContiTech Antriebssysteme GmbH, ContiTech Australia Pty Ltd, ContiTech Belgium BVBA, ContiTech Canada Inc., ContiTech China Rubber & Plastics Technology Ltd., ContiTech Consulting Mexicana S.A. de C.V., ContiTech Dae Won Airspring Systems Ltd., ContiTech Elastomer-Beschichtungen GmbH, ContiTech Finland Oy, ContiTech Fluid Automotive CZ s.r.o., ContiTech Fluid Automotive Hungaria Kft., ContiTech Fluid Automotive Maroc SARL, ContiTech Fluid Distribuidora S.A. de C.V., ContiTech Fluid Korea Ltd., ContiTech Fluid Mexicana S.A. de C.V., ContiTech Fluid Mexicana Servicios S.A. de C.V., ContiTech Fluid Monterrey Servicios S.A. de C.V., ContiTech Fluid Oil & Marine Middle East FZE, ContiTech Fluid Serbia D.O.O., ContiTech Fluid Shanghai Co. Ltd., ContiTech Fluid Technology (Changchun) Co. Ltd., ContiTech France SNC, ContiTech Global Holding Netherlands B.V., ContiTech Holding (Shanghai) Co. Ltd, ContiTech Holding Netherlands B.V., ContiTech IMAS A.E., ContiTech India Pvt. Ltd., ContiTech Japan Co. Ltd., ContiTech Kautschuk- und Kunststoffvertriebsges. mbH, ContiTech Kuhner Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH, ContiTech Kuhner GmbH & Cie. KG, ContiTech Lastik Sanayi ve Ticaret AS, ContiTech Luftfedersysteme GmbH, ContiTech MGW GmbH, ContiTech Magyarorszag Kft., ContiTech Maroc SARL, ContiTech Mexicana S.A. de C.V., ContiTech North America Inc., ContiTech Oil & Marine Corp., ContiTech Power Transmission (Ninghai) Ltd., ContiTech Power Transmission (Sanmen) Ltd., ContiTech Power Transmission Korea Co. Ltd., ContiTech Print Service (S) Pte. Ltd., ContiTech Printing Blanket Shanghai Ltd., ContiTech Roulunds Rubber A/S, ContiTech Rubber Industrial Korlatolt Felelossegu Tarsasag, ContiTech Scandinavia AB, ContiTech Schlauch GmbH, ContiTech Services (Pty.) Ltd., ContiTech Shanghai Rubber & Plastics Technology Ltd., ContiTech Singapore Pte. Ltd., ContiTech Slovenija druzba za proizvodnjo gumenih tehnicnih izdelkov d.o.o., ContiTech South Africa (Pty.) Ltd., ContiTech Techno-Chemie GmbH, ContiTech Thermopol LLC, ContiTech Thermopol Romania S.R.L., ContiTech Tianjin Conveyor Belt Ltd., ContiTech Transportbandsysteme GmbH, ContiTech USA Inc., ContiTech United Kingdom Ltd., ContiTech Vibration Control France SAS, ContiTech Vibration Control GmbH, ContiTech Vibration Control Slovakia s.r.o., ContiTech Vibration Control s.r.o., ContiTech-Universe Verwaltungs-GmbH, ContiTrade (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., ContiTrade Africa (Pty) Ltd, ContiTrade France Rechapage, ContiTrade Services s.r.o., ContiTrade Slovakia s.r.o., Conticlub SAS, Continental - Industria Textil do Ave S.A., Continental Adria pnevmatike d.o.o., Continental Advanced Antenna Automotiva LTDA, Continental Advanced Antenna GmbH, Continental Advanced Lidar Solutions US LLC, Continental Aftermarket & Services GmbH, Continental Aftermarket GmbH, Continental Automotive AB, Continental Automotive Aguascalientes S.A. de C.V., Continental Automotive Austria GmbH, Continental Automotive Bajio S.A. de C.V., Continental Automotive Bangkok Co. Ltd., Continental Automotive Benelux BVBA, Continental Automotive Brake Systems (I) Private Limited, Continental Automotive Changchun Co. Ltd., Continental Automotive Components (India) Private Ltd., Continental Automotive Components Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., Continental Automotive Corporation, Continental Automotive Corporation (Lianyungang) Co. Ltd., Continental Automotive Czech Republic s.r.o., Continental Automotive Electronics LLC, Continental Automotive Engineering (Chongqing) Co. Ltd., Continental Automotive France SAS, Continental Automotive Funding Corp., Continental Automotive GmbH, Continental Automotive Grundstucksges. mbH, Continental Automotive Guadalajara Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Continental Automotive Holding Netherlands B.V., Continental Automotive Holding Spain S.L., Continental Automotive Holdings UK Ltd., Continental Automotive Hungary Kft., Continental Automotive Inc., Continental Automotive Instruments Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., Continental Automotive Interior Wuhu Co. Ltd., Continental Automotive Italy S.p.A., Continental Automotive Japan K.K., Continental Automotive Jinan Co. Ltd., Continental Automotive Korea Ltd., Continental Automotive Lithuania UAB, Continental Automotive Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., Continental Automotive Maquila Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Continental Automotive Mexicana S. de R.L. de C.V., Continental Automotive Occidente S.A. de C.V., Continental Automotive Parts (Suzhou) Co. Ltd, Continental Automotive Rambouillet France SAS, Continental Automotive Romania SRL, Continental Automotive SLP S.A. de C.V., Continental Automotive Singapore Pte. Ltd., Continental Automotive Spain S.A., Continental Automotive Systems (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Continental Automotive Systems (Tianjin) Co. Ltd., Continental Automotive Systems Changsha Co. Ltd., Continental Automotive Systems Changshu Co. Ltd., Continental Automotive Systems Costa Rica S.A., Continental Automotive Systems Inc., Continental Automotive Systems SRL, Continental Automotive Systems Slovakia s.r.o., Continental Automotive Trading France SAS, Continental Automotive Trading Italia S.r.l., Continental Automotive Trading Nederland B.V., Continental Automotive Trading UK Ltd., Continental Automotive Trading Osterreich GmbH, Continental Automotive UK Ltd., Continental Automotive Wuhu Co. Ltd., Continental Automotive d.o.o. Novi Sad, Continental Automotive do Brasil Ltda., Continental Barum s.r.o., Continental Benelux SPRL, Continental Bicycle Systems GmbH & Co. KG, Continental Bicycle Systems Verwaltungs GmbH, Continental Brake Systems (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Continental Brakes Italy S.p.A., Continental Brasil Industria Automotiva Ltda., Continental Caoutchouc-Export-GmbH, Continental ContiTech de Chihuahua S. de R.L. de C.V., Continental ContiTech de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Continental Daek Danmark A/S, Continental Dekk Norge A/S, Continental Digital Services France SAS, Continental Dack Sverige AB, Continental Engineering Services & Products GmbH, Continental Engineering Services GmbH, Continental Engineering Services Ltd., Continental Finance GmbH, Continental France SNC, Continental Global Business Services Manila Inc., Continental Global Holding Netherlands B.V., Continental HT Tyres s.r.o., Continental Holding China Co. Ltd., Continental Holding France SAS, Continental Hungaria Kft., Continental India Private Limited, Continental Industrias del Caucho S.A., Continental Industria e Comercio Automotivos Ltda., Continental Industria e Comercio de Pecas de Reposicao Automotivas Ltda., Continental Intelligent Transportation Systems (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Continental Intelligent Transportation Systems LLC, Continental Investment Ltd., Continental Italia S.p.A., Continental Lemmerz (Portugal)-Componentes para Automoveis Lda., Continental Llantera Potosina S.A. de C.V., Continental Mabor Industria de Pneus S.A., Continental Matador Rubber s.r.o., Continental Matador Truck Tires s.r.o., Continental Middle East DMCC, Continental Opony Polska Sp. z o.o., Continental Pneus (Portugal) S.A., Continental Pty Ltd, Continental Reifen Deutschland GmbH, Continental Rengas Oy, Continental Rubber of America Corp., Continental Safety Engineering International GmbH, Continental Secure Data Germany GmbH, Continental Secure Data Headquarter B.V., Continental Secure Data USA LLC, Continental Servicos de Vulcanizacao do Brasil Ltda., Continental Suisse S.A., Continental Temic Electronics (Phils.) Inc., Continental Teves AG & Co. OHG, Continental Teves Portugal - Sistemas de Travagem Lda., Continental Teves UK Ltd., Continental Tire Andina S.A., Continental Tire Canada Inc., Continental Tire Chile SpA, Continental Tire Colombia S.A.S., Continental Tire Corporativo S.A. de C.V., Continental Tire Holding US LLC, Continental Tire Japan Co. Ltd., Continental Tire Korea Co. Ltd., Continental Tire Sumter LLC, Continental Tire West Africa Limited, Continental Tire de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Continental Tire the Americas LLC, Continental Tires (China) Co. Ltd., Continental Tires (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Continental Tires Espana S.L., Continental Tires Holding Singapore Pte. Ltd., Continental Trebbin GmbH & Co. KG Sondermaschinenbau, Continental Trebbin Verwaltungs- und Beteiligungs-GmbH, Continental Tyre AS Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., Continental Tyre Group Ltd., Continental Tyre Investment UK Ltd., Continental Tyre Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., Continental Tyre Management Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., Continental Tyre Marketing Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., Continental Tyre North Africa SARL, Continental Tyre PJ Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., Continental Tyre Services Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., Continental Tyre South Africa (Pty.) Ltd., Continental Tyre Technology Centre Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., Continental Tyres (Thailand) Co. Ltd., Continental Tyres Ltd., Continental Tyres of Australia Pty Ltd, Continental UK Group Holdings Ltd., Continental VUK s.r.o., Continental do Brasil Produtos Automotivos Ltda., Continental of Taiwan Co. Ltd., Continental vyroba pneumatik s.r.o., Contitech Argentina S.R.L., Contitech Botswana (Pty) Ltd, Contitech do Brasil Produtos Automotivos e Industriais Ltda., Contitrade Espana S.A.U., Contitrade Holding, Contitread Renovado Morelia S.A. de C.V., Correx Handelsgesellschaft fur Kautschukprodukte mbH, Custom Machining Services Inc., DRUST, Dekkmann A/S, Dunlop Oil & Marine Ltd., DynaGen Inc., EPD Holdings Inc., Eddelbuttel + Schneider GmbH, Elektrobit, Elektrobit Austria GmbH, Elektrobit Automotive Americas Inc., Elektrobit Automotive Finland Oy, Elektrobit Automotive GmbH, Elektrobit Automotive Korea Limited, Elektrobit Automotive Romania SRL, Elektrobit Automotive Software (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Elektrobit France SAS, Elektrobit India Private Ltd., Elektrobit Nippon K.K., Emitec Denmark A/S, Emitec France SAS, Eu-Retec (Private) Ltd., FSC Franchising Service Company S.p.A., Formpolster GmbH, General Tire International Company, Granite Investments Limited, Holding ContiTech SAS, Hoosier Racing Tire Corp., Hornschuch (Shanghai) Surface Technology Co. Ltd., Hornschuch Consulting GmbH, Hornschuch Group GmbH, Hornschuch Italia S.r.l., Hornschuch Stolzenau GmbH, Hornschuch UK Ltd., Hornschuch-Markt GmbH, INTECH Thuringen GmbH, Kathrein Automotive, Kathrein Automotive Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Kathrein Automotive North America Inc., Kathrein Automotive Portugal Sociedade Unipessoal Lda., Kim Holdings Scotland Limited, Kolubara-Univerzal D.O.O., Konrad Hornschuch AG, Konrad Hornschuch International GmbH, Legg Company Inc., Libra Associates (Properties) Limited, MISA GmbH & Co. KG, MISA-Beteiligungs GmbH, Merlett Belgie B.V.B.A, Merlett Benelux B.V., Merlett Deutschland GmbH, Merlett France SAS, Merlett Group, Merlett Iberica 2016 S.L., Merlett Norway As, Merlett Plastics UK Ltd., Merlett Polska Sp. Z o.o., Merlett RUS LLC, Merlett Tecnoplastic S.p.a., Noviteck SA, O'Sullivan Films Inc., OOO "ContiTech Rus", OOO "Continental Automotive RUS", OOO "Continental Automotive Systems RUS", OOO "Continental Kaluga", OOO "Continental Tires RUS", OOO Hornschuch RUS, OTA Grundstucks- und Beteiligungsverwaltung GmbH, OTA keys, OTA keys S.A., Omitec Group, Otomotiv Lastikleri Tevzi AS (OLTAS), POWERTRAIN MAQUILA MEXICO S. DE R.L. DE C.V., PT Continental Tyre Indonesia, PT Quantum Inventions Indonesia, Parkpocket, Phoenix Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH, Phoenix Compounding Technology GmbH, Phoenix Conveyor Belt India Private Ltd., Phoenix Conveyor Belt Solutions Inc., Phoenix Conveyor Belt Systems GmbH, Phoenix Fluid Handling Industry GmbH, Phoenix Oil & Marine Ltd., Phoenix Service GmbH & Co. KG, Phoenix Shanxi Conveyor Belt Co. Ltd., Phoenix Vermogensverwaltungsgesellschaft mbH, Pneu Egger AG, Profi Reifen- und Autoservice Gesellschaft mbH, Prazisionstechnik Geithain GmbH, QUANTUM INVENTIONS SDN. BHD., Quantum Inventions, Quantum Inventions Private Limited, R & J Strang Tyre Services Limited, REG Reifen-Entsorgungsgesellschaft mbH, REPARATION PNEUMATIQUES DU SUD EST (REPNEU) SAS, ROSEA Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH & Co. Objekt Hannover-Stocken KG, Reifen Apel GmbH, Reifen Kauffmann GmbH, Reifen-John GmbH & Co KG, Reifen-Service Clemens & Hegel GmbH, Rengasmaailma Oy, Road-Broad Automotive Electronics (Qufu) Co. Ltd., Rundpneu Beteiligungsges. mbH, S.C. ContiTech Fluid Automotive Romania S.R.L., S.C. ContiTech Romania S.R.L., S.C. Continental Automotive Products SRL, SAS CONTITRADE FRANCE, STEINEBRONN BETEILIGUNGS-GMBH, Semperit (Ireland) Ltd., Semperit (UK) Ltd., Semperit Reifen Gesellschaft mbH, Senior Experts Services GmbH, Siemens VDO Automotive S.p.A., Specialised Belting Supplies Ltd., Specialty Fabrics & Converting Inc., Specialty Yarn & Converting Inc., Stable One Insurance Company LLC, Synerject Taiwan Co. Ltd., Syrma A.E., TON Tyres Over Night Trading GmbH, TOO "Continental Matador KZ", Temic Automotive (Phils.) Inc., Tikka Spikes Oy, Tyre Maintenance Limited, Tyre Reinsurance (Ireland) DAC, Tyre and Auto Pty Ltd, UMG Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH, Union-Mittelland-Gummi-GmbH & Co. Grundbesitz KG, Unterstutzungskasse mbH der Goppinger Kaliko- und Kunstleder-Werke GmbH, VIVAX Trading GmbH, Vanvulc Tyres Limited, Vaysse SAS, Vergolst GmbH, Veyance Distribuidora de Produtos de Engenharia Ltda., Veyance Hong Kong Co. Ltd., Veyance Industrial Services Inc., Veyance Qingdao Engineered Elastomers Company Ltd., Veyance Technologies, Veyance Technologies Australia Pty. Ltd., Veyance Technologies Canada (NS) ULC, Veyance Technologies Hong Kong Co. Ltd., Veyance Technologies Zambia Ltd., Viking Tyres (UK) Ltd., Vitesco Technologies (Thailand) Co. Ltd., Vitesco Technologies 1. Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH & Co. KG, Vitesco Technologies 1. Verwaltungs GmbH, Vitesco Technologies 2. Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH & Co. KG, Vitesco Technologies 2. Verwaltungs GmbH, Vitesco Technologies Automotive Cuautla S.A. de C.V., Vitesco Technologies Canada ULC, Vitesco Technologies Czech Republic s.r.o., Vitesco Technologies Delavan LLC, Vitesco Technologies Eisenach Verwaltungs GmbH, Vitesco Technologies Emitec GmbH, Vitesco Technologies Engineering Romania SRL, Vitesco Technologies France S.A.S., Vitesco Technologies GDL S. de R.L. de C.V., Vitesco Technologies Germany GmbH, Vitesco Technologies GmbH, Vitesco Technologies Group Aktiengesellschaft, Vitesco Technologies Holding 1 Canada Inc., Vitesco Technologies Holding 2 Canada Inc., Vitesco Technologies Holding China Co. Ltd., Vitesco Technologies Holding Netherlands B.V., Vitesco Technologies Hungary Kft., Vitesco Technologies India Private Limited, Vitesco Technologies Italy S.R.L., Vitesco Technologies Japan K.K., Vitesco Technologies Korea, Vitesco Technologies Lohmar Verwaltungs GmbH, Vitesco Technologies Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Vitesco Technologies Roding GmbH, Vitesco Technologies Romania SRL, Vitesco Technologies Singapore Pte. Ltd., Vitesco Technologies UK Ltd., Vitesco Technologies USA LLC, Vitesco Tecnologia Brasil Automotiva Ltda., Vogtlandische Reifenwerke Sitz Bad Nauheim GmbH, Vulcanite Holdings Pty Ltd, Vulcanite Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., Vulcanite Pty Ltd, Wohlfahrtseinrichtung fur die Arbeiter und Angestellten der Semperit Reifen AG GmbH, Zonar, Zonar Systems Inc., Zytek Automotive, Zytek Automotive Ltd., Zytek Group Ltd., balance GmbH Handel und Beratungsservice im Gesundheitswesen, co-pace GmbH, inotec Innovative Technologie GmbH, and kek-Kaschierungen GmbH. 1 hour ago Nissan investing in electric vehicles, battery development TOKYO (AP) Nissan said Monday it is investing 2 trillion yen ($17.6 billion) over the next five years and developing a cheaper, more powerful battery to boost its electric vehicle lineup. The Japanese automaker's chief executive, Makoto Uchida, said 15 new electric vehicles will be available by fiscal 2030. Read Article by Vladimir Rozanskij The leader of the 'Heksinki Group' who started the movement of Russian dissent in the 1960s died last December 8. The funeral is celebrated today. Perhaps Putin will also be present. In her testament she invites people to never lose hope, even when the battle appears lost. Moscow (AsiaNews) - Last December 8, Ljudmila Alekseeva died at the age of 91 in Moscow. She was a member of the Council of the President of Russia for the development of civil society and human rights, and was the last great representative of the generation of "humanitarian" dissidents who, since the 1960s of the last century, dedicated themselves to the cause of the defense of the rights accepted by the Helsinki Declaration, also signed by the Soviet Union in 1975. In those difficult years, Alekseeva led the Moscow section of the "Helsinki Group", to which belonged the so-called pravozascitniki, the "rights defenders". The current head of the Human Rights Council, Mikhail Fedotov, said that "to say that we will miss her is like saying nothing; it is a terrible loss for the whole Russian humanitarian movement ". Fedotov told the Interfax agency that Alekseeva died in the city clinic n. 15, "in the room that she loved so much", because, as she herself said, "there are some holy men working there, and they too loved her". She had been admitted to the clinic several times, where the doctors had saved her in very difficult situations. The funeral of Ljudmila Alekseeva will take place today December 11th, protected by special security measures. The presence of President Vladimir Putin, who had great respect for the "mother of rights", is not excluded; all citizens wishing to participate will have to undergo a special accreditation procedure. On the evening of the same day, President Putin will reunite the newly appointed Human Rights Council with all new members. Ljudmila Alekseeva was a high school history teacher for manual laborers in Moscow, editor of archeology and ethnology in a prestigious scientific journal, and also became a member of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR. She did not hesitate to stand up in 1966, at the dawn of the Russian samizdat, joining the public protests for the arrest and trial of the writers Andrej Sinjavskij and Julij Daniel', the event that marked the beginning of the Russian movement of dissent. She was one of the first to organize a network of help and support for political prisoners and their families, and participated in the publication of the first clandestine bulletin in the Chronicle of current events, the voice of dissidents persecuted by the Soviet regime. Accused in 1974 of "anti-Soviet activity", in February 1977 she was forced to emigrate to the United States. She returned to Russia in 1993, a year before Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, and immediately resumed dealing with the activities of the "Helsinki Group" in defense of human rights. Since 2002 she was called to participate in the Presidential Council for Human Rights, from which she retired in 2012 due to illness. She had been reinstated in the Council a few days before her death. In recognition of her work, Alekseeva received the French prize of the Legion of Honor, the "Andrej Sacharov" prize from the Republic of Germany and many other awards. On December 9, the Helsinki Group's annual conference opened, in which Alekseeva sent a written text from the hospital, in the last days before her death, which has become her living testament. These are among the most salient passages: "Dear friends, I am sorry that my health prevents me from celebrating the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights with you. All these decades have gone by, investing all of our strength and our capacities, to ensure, as far as possible, that this declaration be fulfilled with real content, become part of our culture and politics, is defended by laws and institutions, integral to our daily life. (...) More and more people in the world live in conditions of freedom and democracy, so far we have managed to avoid a new global war ... yet, the new generations are growing increasingly cynically and indifferent to this fragile system of values and institutions , which we have tried to create. The growth of political populism and nationalism, against the background of the great migration crisis, conflicts of a religious basis, the rise of new authoritarian governments ... put all our important but fragile achievements of the past at risk, and all this imposes on your shoulders new and tiring commitments ". Alekseeva concludes her last appeal with an invitation to never lose hope, even when the battle appears lost. John Wood Group PLC, together with its subsidiaries, provides consulting, project management, and engineering solutions to energy and built environment worldwide. It operates through four segments: Asset Solutions Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia; Assets Solutions Americas; Technical Consulting Solutions; and Investment Services. The company offers operations solutions, including maintenance, modifications, commissioning and decommissioning, and aftermarket services, as well as industrial services, such as painting, insulation, scaffolding, rope access, E&I, asbestos removal, and civil and earthworks services; engineering, procurement, and construction management; plant operations and life extension; technology solutions; supervision and management services; fabrication and inspection services; and construction and field services. It also provides environment and infrastructure solutions comprising environmental studies and compliance, environmental remediation, public infrastructure, and geotechnical and materials services; clean energy solutions; mine planning and design, mineral processing and metallurgy, mineral resources and project assessment services; and automation and control solutions, such as asset protection and facility and process automation solutions, as well as simulation, learning, and virtual systems. In addition, the company offers subsea and export systems, including subsea, umbilical, riser, and flowline design, as well as planning, design, and development of marine terminals and pipelines; and hull and marine services. It serves oil and gas, infrastructure, industrial and manufacturing, mining, power, and government sectors. John Wood Group PLC was founded in 1912 and is headquartered in Aberdeen, the United Kingdom. Read More Suncor Energy Inc. operates as an integrated energy company. The company primarily focuses on developing petroleum resource basins in Canada's Athabasca oil sands; explores, acquires, develops, produces, transports, refines, and markets crude oil in Canada and internationally; markets petroleum and petrochemical products under the Petro-Canada name primarily in Canada. It operates in Oil Sands; Exploration and Production; Refining and Marketing; and Corporate and Eliminations segments. The Oil Sands segment recovers bitumen from mining and in situ operations, and upgrades it into refinery feedstock and diesel fuel, or blends the bitumen with diluent for direct sale to market. The Exploration and Production segment is involved in offshore operations off the east coast of Canada and in the North Sea; and operating onshore assets in Libya and Syria. The Refining and Marketing segment refines crude oil and intermediate feedstock into various petroleum and petrochemical products; and markets refined petroleum products to retail, commercial, and industrial customers through its other retail sellers. The Corporate and Eliminations segment operates four wind farm operations in Ontario and Western Canada. The company also markets and trades in crude oil, natural gas, byproducts, refined products, and power. The company was formerly known as Suncor Inc. and changed its name to Suncor Energy Inc. in April 1997. Suncor Energy Inc. was founded in 1917 and is headquartered in Calgary, Canada. Read More TC Energy Corporation operates as an energy infrastructure company in North America. It operates through Canadian Natural Gas Pipelines, U.S. Natural Gas Pipelines, Mexico Natural Gas Pipelines, Liquids Pipelines, and Power and Storage segments. The company builds and operates 93,400 km network of natural gas pipelines, which transports natural gas from supply basins to local distribution companies, power generation plants, industrial facilities, interconnecting pipelines, LNG export terminals, and other businesses. It also has regulated natural gas storage facilities with a total working gas capacity of 535 billion cubic feet. In addition, it has approximately 4,900 km liquids pipeline system that connects Alberta crude oil supplies to refining markets in Illinois, Oklahoma, Texas, and the U.S. Gulf Coast. Further, the company owns or has interests in seven power generation facilities with a combined capacity of approximately 4,200 megawatts that are powered by natural gas and nuclear fuel sources located in Alberta, Ontario, QuAbec, and New Brunswick; and owns and operates approximately 118 billion cubic feet of non-regulated natural gas storage capacity in Alberta. The company was formerly known as TransCanada Corporation and changed its name to TC Energy Corporation in May 2019. TC Energy Corporation was incorporated in 1951 and is headquartered in Calgary, Canada. Read More The following companies are subsidiares of Travelers Companies: 10762962 Canada Inc., 350 Market Street LLC, 8527512 Canada Inc., Aetna Life and Casualty Co, American Equity Insurance Company, American Equity Specialty Insurance Company, Aprilgrange Limited, Arch Street North LLC, Auto Hartford Investments LLC, Bayhill Restaurant II Associates, Camperdown Corporation, Constitution State Services LLC, Discover Property & Casualty Insurance Company, Discover Specialty Insurance Company, F&G UK Underwriters Limited, Farmington Casualty Company, Fidelity and Guaranty Insurance Company, Fidelity and Guaranty Insurance Underwriters Inc., First Floridian Auto and Home Insurance Company, Gulf Underwriters Insurance Company, IHP Capital Partners Fund VIII L.P., Northbrook Holdings Inc., Northfield Insurance Company, Northland Casualty Company, Northland Insurance Company, Phoenix UK Investments LLC, SPC Insurance Agency Inc., Select Insurance Company, Simply Business Holdings Inc., Simply Business Inc., St. Paul Fire and Marine Insurance Company, St. Paul Guardian Insurance Company, St. Paul Mercury Insurance Company, St. Paul Protective Insurance Company, St. Paul Surplus Lines Insurance Company, Standard Fire Properties LLC, Standard Fire UK Investments LLC, TCI Global Services Inc., TPC Investments Inc., TPC U.K. Investments LLC, The Automobile Insurance Company of Hartford Connecticut, The Charter Oak Fire Insurance Company, The Dominion of Canada General Insurance Company, The Family Business Institute LLC, The Phoenix Insurance Company, The St. Paul Companies Inc., The Standard Fire Insurance Company, The Travelers Casualty Company, The Travelers Home and Marine Insurance Company, The Travelers Indemnity Company, The Travelers Indemnity Company of America, The Travelers Indemnity Company of Connecticut, The Travelers Lloyds Insurance Company, TravCo Insurance Company, Travelers (Bermuda) Limited, Travelers Brazil Acquisition LLC, Travelers Brazil Holding LLC, Travelers Casualty Company of Connecticut, Travelers Casualty Insurance Company of America, Travelers Casualty UK Investments LLC, Travelers Casualty and Surety Company, Travelers Casualty and Surety Company of America, Travelers Casualty and Surety Company of Europe Limited, Travelers Commercial Casualty Company, Travelers Commercial Insurance Company, Travelers Constitution State Insurance Company, Travelers Distribution Alliance Inc., Travelers Excess and Surplus Lines Company, Travelers Global Inc., Travelers Indemnity U.K. Investments LLC, Travelers Insurance Company Limited, Travelers Insurance Company of Canada, Travelers Insurance Designated Activity Company, Travelers Insurance Group Holdings Inc., Travelers Lloyds of Texas Insurance Company, Travelers London Limited, Travelers MGA Inc., Travelers Management Limited, Travelers Marine LLC, Travelers Participacoes em Seguros Brasil S.A., Travelers Personal Insurance Company, Travelers Personal Security Insurance Company, Travelers Property Casualty Company of America, Travelers Property Casualty Corp., Travelers Property Casualty Insurance Company, Travelers Seguros Brasil S.A., Travelers Syndicate Management Limited, Travelers Texas MGA Inc., Travelers Underwriting Agency Limited, Ultramar Travel Management, United States Fidelity and Guaranty Company, Xbridge Limited, Zensurance Brokers Inc., and Zensurance Inc.. 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. Read More There is not enough analysis data for Black Iron. 4.4 Community Rank Outperform Votes Black Iron has received 66 outperform votes. (Add your outperform vote.) Underperform Votes Black Iron has received 34 underperform votes. (Add your underperform vote.) Community Sentiment Black Iron has received 66.00% outperform votes from our community. MarketBeat's community ratings are surveys of what our community members think about Black Iron and other stocks. Vote Outperform if you believe BKI will outperform the S&P 500 over the long term. Vote Underperform if you believe BKI will underperform the S&P 500 over the long term. You may vote once every thirty days. Previous Next The following companies are subsidiares of Lloyds Banking Group: A G Finance Ltd, A.C.L. Ltd, ACL Autolease Holdings Ltd, ADF No.1 Pty Ltd, Addison Social Housing Holdings Ltd, Alex Lawrie Factors Ltd, Alex. Lawrie Receivables Financing Ltd, Amberdate Ltd, Anglo Scottish Utilities Partnership 1, Aquilus Ltd, Automobile Association Personal Finance Ltd, BOS (Ireland) Property Services 2 Ltd, BOS (Ireland) Property Services Ltd, BOS (Shared Appreciation Mortgages (Scotland) No. 2) Ltd, BOS (Shared Appreciation Mortgages (Scotland) No. 3) Ltd, BOS (Shared Appreciation Mortgages (Scotland)) Ltd, BOS (Shared Appreciation Mortgages) No. 1 plc, BOS (Shared Appreciation Mortgages) No. 2 plc, BOS (Shared Appreciation Mortgages) No. 3 plc, BOS (Shared Appreciation Mortgages) No. 4 plc, BOS (Shared Appreciation Mortgages) No. 5 plc, BOS (Shared Appreciation Mortgages) No. 6 plc, BOS (USA) Fund Investments Inc., BOS (USA) Inc., BOS Edinburgh No 1 Ltd, BOS Mistral Ltd, BOS Personal Lending Ltd, BOSSAF Rail Ltd, Bank of Scotland (B G S) Nominees Ltd, Bank of Scotland (Stanlife) London Nominees Ltd, Bank of Scotland Branch Nominees Ltd, Bank of Scotland Central Nominees Ltd, Bank of Scotland Edinburgh Nominees Ltd, Bank of Scotland Equipment Finance Ltd, Bank of Scotland Foundation, Bank of Scotland LNG Leasing (No 1) Ltd, Bank of Scotland London Nominees Ltd, Bank of Scotland Nominees (Unit Trusts) Ltd, Bank of Scotland P.E.P. Nominees Ltd, Bank of Scotland Structured Asset Finance Ltd, Bank of Scotland Transport Finance 1 Ltd, Bank of Scotland plc, Bank of Wales Ltd, Barents Leasing Ltd, Barnwood Mortgages Ltd, Birchcrown Finance Ltd, Birmingham Midshires Financial Services Ltd, Birmingham Midshires Land Development Ltd, Birmingham Midshires Mortgage Services Ltd, Black Horse (TRF) Ltd, Black Horse Executive Mortgages Ltd, Black Horse Finance Holdings Ltd, Black Horse Finance Management Ltd, Black Horse Group Ltd, Black Horse Ltd, Black Horse Offshore Ltd, Black Horse Property Services Ltd, Boltro Nominees Ltd, British Linen Leasing (London) Ltd, British Linen Leasing Ltd, British Linen Shipping Ltd, C.T.S.B. Leasing Ltd, CBRail S.A.R.L., CF Asset Finance Ltd, CF1 Ltd, CM Venture Investments Ltd, Cancara Asset Securitisation Ltd, Capital 1945 Ltd, Capital Bank Leasing 12 Ltd, Capital Bank Leasing 3 Ltd, Capital Bank Leasing 5 Ltd, Capital Bank Leasing 9 Ltd, Capital Bank Property Investments (3) Ltd, Capital Personal Finance Ltd, Cardiff Auto Receivables Securitisation 2018-1 Plc, Cardiff Auto Receivables Securitisation 2019-1 Plc, Cardiff Auto Receivables Securitisation Holdings Ltd, Cardnet Merchant Services Ltd, Cashfriday Ltd, Cashpoint Ltd, Caveminster Ltd, Cedar Holdings Ltd, Celsius European Lux 2 S.A.R.L., Central Mortgage Finance Ltd, Chariot Finance Ltd, Cheltenham & Gloucester plc, Cheltenham II Securities 2020 DAC, Cheltenham Securities 2017 Ltd, Chepstow Blue Holdings Ltd, Chepstow Blue plc, Chester Asset Options No.2 Ltd, Chester Asset Options No.3 Ltd, Chester Asset Receivables Dealings Issuer Ltd, Chester Asset Securitisation Holdings Ltd, Chester Asset Securitisation Holdings No.2 Ltd, Chiswell Stockbrokers Ltd, Clerical Medical Finance plc, Clerical Medical Financial Services Ltd, Clerical Medical International Holdings B.V., Clerical Medical Investment Fund Managers Ltd, Clerical Medical Managed Funds Ltd, Clerical Medical Non Sterling Guadalix Hold Co BV, Clerical Medical Non Sterling Guadalix Spanish Prop Co SL, Clerical Medical Non Sterling Megapark Hold Co BV, Clerical Medical Non Sterling Megapark Prop Co SA, Clerical Medical Non Sterling Property Company S.A.R.L., Cloak Lane Funding S.A.R.L., Cloak Lane Investments S.A.R.L., Conquest Securities Ltd, Corbiere Asset Investments Ltd, Create Services Ltd, Credit Card Securitisation Europe Ltd, Dalkeith Corporation, Deva Financing Holdings Ltd, Deva Financing plc, Deva One Ltd, Deva Three Ltd, Deva Two Ltd, Dunstan Investments (UK) Ltd, Edgbaston RMBS 2010-1 plc, Edgbaston RMBS Holdings Ltd, Elland RMBS 2018 plc, Elland RMBS Holdings Ltd, Eurolead Services Holdings Ltd, First Retail Finance (Chester) Ltd, Fontwell Securities 2016 Ltd, Forthright Finance Ltd, France Industrial Premises Holding Company, General Leasing (No. 12) Ltd, General Reversionary and Investment Company, Gresham Nominee 1 Ltd, Gresham Nominee 2 Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 1) Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 10) Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 11) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 12) Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 13) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 14) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 15) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 16) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 19) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 20) Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 21) Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 22) Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 23) Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 24) Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 25) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 26) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 27) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 28) Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 29) Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 3) Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 30) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 31) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 32) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 33) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 34) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 35) Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 36) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 37) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 38) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 39) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 40) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 41) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 44) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 45) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 46) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 47) UK Ltd, Gresham Receivables (No. 48) UK Ltd, Guildhall Asset Purchasing Company (No 3) Ltd, Guildhall Asset Purchasing Company (No.11) UK Ltd, HBOS Covered Bonds LLP, HBOS Final Salary Trust Ltd, HBOS Financial Services Ltd, HBOS Insurance & Investment Group Ltd, HBOS International Financial Services Holdings Ltd, HBOS Investment Fund Managers Ltd, HBOS Social Housing Covered Bonds LLP, HBOS UK Ltd, HBOS plc, HSDL Nominees Ltd, HVF Ltd, Halifax Credit Card Ltd, Halifax Financial Brokers Ltd, Halifax Financial Services (Holdings) Ltd, Halifax Financial Services Ltd, Halifax General Insurance Services Ltd, Halifax Group Ltd, Halifax Investment Services Ltd, Halifax Leasing (June) Ltd, Halifax Leasing (March No.2) Ltd, Halifax Leasing (September) Ltd, Halifax Life Ltd, Halifax Loans Ltd, Halifax Ltd, Halifax Mortgage Services Ltd, Halifax Nominees Ltd, Halifax Pension Nominees Ltd, Halifax Premises Ltd, Halifax Share Dealing Ltd, Halifax Vehicle Leasing (1998) Ltd, Heidi Finance Holdings (UK) Ltd, Hill Samuel Bank Ltd, Hill Samuel Finance Ltd, Hill Samuel Leasing Co. Ltd, Home Shopping Personal Finance Ltd, Horizon Capital 2000 Ltd, Housing Association Risk Transfer 2019 DAC, Housing Growth Partnership GP LLP, Housing Growth Partnership LP, Housing Growth Partnership Ltd, Housing Growth Partnership Manager Ltd, Hyundai Car Finance Ltd, IBOS Finance Ltd, ICC Enterprise Partners Ltd, ICC Equity Partners Ltd, ICC Holdings Unlimited Company, Inchcape Financial Services Ltd, Intelligent Finance Financial Services Ltd, Intelligent Finance Software Ltd, International Motors Finance Ltd, Kanaalstraat Funding C.V., Katrine Leasing Ltd, LB Healthcare Trustee Ltd, LB Motorent Ltd, LB Quest Ltd, LB Share Schemes Trustees Ltd, LBCF Ltd, LBG Brasil Administracao LTDA, LBG Capital Holdings Ltd, LBG Equity Investments Ltd, LBI Leasing Ltd, LDC (General Partner) Ltd, LDC (Managers) Ltd, LDC (Nominees) Ltd, LDC GP LLP, LDC I LP, LDC II LP, LDC III LP, LDC IV LP, LDC Parallel (Nominees) Ltd, LDC V LP, LDC VI LP, LDC VII LP, LDC VIII LP, LTGP Limited Partnership Incorporated, Legacy Renewal Company Ltd, Leicester Securities 2014 Ltd, Lex Autolease (CH) Ltd, Lex Autolease (VC) Ltd, Lex Autolease Carselect Ltd, Lex Autolease Ltd, Lex Vehicle Finance 2 Ltd, Lex Vehicle Leasing (Holdings) Ltd, Lex Vehicle Leasing Ltd, Lime Street (Funding) Ltd, Lingfield 2014 I Holdings Ltd, Lingfield 2014 I plc, Lloyds (Gresham) Ltd, Lloyds (Gresham) No. 1 Ltd, Lloyds (Nimrod) Specialist Finance Ltd, Lloyds America Securities Corporation1, Lloyds Asset Leasing Ltd, Lloyds Bank (Branches) Nominees Ltd, Lloyds Bank (Colonial & Foreign) Nominees Ltd, Lloyds Bank (Fountainbridge 1) Ltd, Lloyds Bank (Fountainbridge 2) Ltd, Lloyds Bank (I.D.) Nominees Ltd, Lloyds Bank (International Services) Ltd, Lloyds Bank (Stock Exchange Branch) Nominees Ltd, Lloyds Bank Asset Finance Ltd, Lloyds Bank Commercial Finance Ltd, Lloyds Bank Commercial Finance Scotland Ltd, Lloyds Bank Corporate Asset Finance (HP) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Corporate Asset Finance (No.1) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Corporate Asset Finance (No.2) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Corporate Asset Finance (No.3) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Corporate Asset Finance (No.4) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Corporate Markets Wertpapierhandelsbank GmbH, Lloyds Bank Corporate Markets plc, Lloyds Bank Covered Bonds (Holdings) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Covered Bonds (LM) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Covered Bonds LLP, Lloyds Bank Equipment Leasing (No. 1) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Equipment Leasing (No. 7) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Equipment Leasing (No. 9) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Financial Services (Holdings) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Foundation for England & Wales, Lloyds Bank Foundation for the Channel Islands, Lloyds Bank General Insurance Holdings Ltd, Lloyds Bank General Insurance Ltd, Lloyds Bank General Leasing (No. 11) Ltd, Lloyds Bank General Leasing (No. 17) Ltd, Lloyds Bank General Leasing (No. 20) Ltd, Lloyds Bank General Leasing (No. 3) Ltd, Lloyds Bank General Leasing (No. 5) Ltd, Lloyds Bank GmbH, Lloyds Bank Hill Samuel Holding Company Ltd, Lloyds Bank Insurance Services Ltd, Lloyds Bank International Ltd, Lloyds Bank Leasing (No. 6) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Leasing (No. 8) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Leasing Ltd, Lloyds Bank MTCH Ltd, Lloyds Bank Maritime Leasing (No. 10) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Maritime Leasing (No. 13) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Maritime Leasing (No. 17) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Maritime Leasing (No.16) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Nominees Ltd, Lloyds Bank Offshore Pension Trust Ltd, Lloyds Bank Pension ABCS (No. 1) LLP, Lloyds Bank Pension ABCS (No. 2) LLP, Lloyds Bank Pension Trust (No. 1) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Pension Trust (No. 2) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Pensions Property (Guernsey) Ltd, Lloyds Bank Properties Ltd, Lloyds Bank Property Company Ltd, Lloyds Bank S.F. Nominees Ltd, Lloyds Bank Subsidiaries Ltd, Lloyds Bank Trustee Services Ltd, Lloyds Bank plc, Lloyds Banking Group Pensions Trustees Ltd, Lloyds Capital GP Ltd, Lloyds Commercial Leasing Ltd, Lloyds Commercial Properties Ltd, Lloyds Commercial Property Investments Ltd, Lloyds Corporate Services (Jersey) Ltd, Lloyds Development Capital (Holdings) Ltd, Lloyds Engine Capital (No.1) U.S LLC, Lloyds Far East S.A.R.L., Lloyds General Leasing Ltd, Lloyds Group Holdings (Jersey) Ltd, Lloyds Holdings (Jersey) Ltd, Lloyds Hypotheken B.V., Lloyds Industrial Leasing Ltd, Lloyds International Pty Ltd, Lloyds Investment Bonds Ltd, Lloyds Investment Fund Managers Ltd, Lloyds Investment Securities No.5 Ltd, Lloyds Leasing (North Sea Transport) Ltd1, Lloyds Leasing Developments Ltd, Lloyds Nominees (Guernsey) Ltd, Lloyds Offshore Global Services Private Ltd, Lloyds Plant Leasing Ltd, Lloyds Portfolio Leasing Ltd, Lloyds Premises Investments Ltd, Lloyds Project Leasing Ltd, Lloyds Property Investment Company No. 3 Ltd, Lloyds Property Investment Company No. 4 Ltd, Lloyds Property Investment Company No.5 Ltd, Lloyds Secretaries Ltd, Lloyds Securities Inc., Lloyds TSB Pacific Ltd, Lloyds UDT Asset Leasing Ltd, Lloyds UDT Asset Rentals Ltd, Lloyds UDT Hiring Ltd, Lloyds UDT Leasing Ltd, Lloyds UDT Ltd, Lloyds Your Tomorrow Trustee Ltd, Loans.co.uk Ltd, London Taxi Finance Ltd, London Uberior (L.A.S. Group) Nominees Ltd, Lotus Finance Ltd, MBNA, MBNA Direct Ltd, MBNA Europe Finance Ltd, MBNA Europe Holdings Ltd, MBNA General Foundation, MBNA Global Services Ltd, MBNA Indian Services Private Ltd, MBNA Ltd, MBNA R & L S.A.R.L., MBNA Receivables Ltd, Mainsearch Company Ltd, Maritime Leasing (No. 19) Ltd, Membership Services Finance Ltd, Mitre Street Funding S.A.R.L., Molineux RMBS 2016-1 plc, Molineux RMBS Holdings Ltd, Moor Lane Holdings Ltd, NFU Mutual Finance Ltd, NWS Trust Ltd, Nominees (Jersey) Ltd, Nordic Leasing Ltd, Ocean Leasing (July) Ltd, Oystercatcher Nominees Ltd, Oystercatcher Residential Ltd, PIPS Asset Investments Ltd, Pacific Leasing Ltd, Penarth Asset Securitisation Holdings Ltd, Penarth Funding 1 Ltd, Penarth Funding 2 Ltd, Penarth Master Issuer plc, Penarth Receivables Trustee Ltd, Pensions Management (S.W.F.) Ltd, Peony Eastern Leasing Ltd, Peony Leasing Ltd, Peony Western Leasing Ltd, Permanent Funding (No. 1) Ltd, Permanent Funding (No. 2) Ltd, Permanent Holdings Ltd, Permanent Master Issuer plc, Permanent Mortgages Trustee Ltd, Permanent PECOH Holdings Ltd, Permanent PECOH Ltd, Perry Nominees Ltd, Prestonfield Investments Ltd, Proton Finance Ltd, R.F. Spencer And Company Ltd, Ranelagh Nominees Ltd, Retail Revival (Burgess Hill) Investments Ltd, SARL Coliseum, SARL Hiram, SAS Compagnie Fonciere De France, SCI Astoria Invest, SCI De LHorloge, SCI Equinoxe, SCI Rambuteau CFF, SW Funding plc, SW No.1 Ltd, SWAMF (GP) Ltd, SWAMF Nominee (1) Ltd, SWAMF Nominee (2) Ltd, Saint Michel Holding Company No1, Saint Michel Investment Property, Saint Witz 2 Holding Company No1, Saint Witz 2 Investment Property, Salisbury II Securities 2016 Ltd, Salisbury II-A Securities 2017 Ltd, Salisbury III Securities 2019 DAC, Salisbury Securities 2015 Ltd, Sandown 2012-2 Holdings Ltd, Sandown 2012-2 plc, Sandown Gold 2012-1 Holdings Ltd, Sandown Gold 2012-1 plc, Savban Leasing Ltd, Scotland International Finance B.V., Scottish Widows Administration Services (Nominees) Ltd, Scottish Widows Administration Services Ltd, Scottish Widows Annuities Ltd, Scottish Widows Auto Enrolment Services Ltd, Scottish Widows Europe, Scottish Widows Financial Services Holdings, Scottish Widows Group Ltd, Scottish Widows Industrial Properties Europe B.V., Scottish Widows Ltd, Scottish Widows Pension Trustees Ltd, Scottish Widows Property Management Ltd, Scottish Widows Schroder Personal Wealth (ACD) Ltd, Scottish Widows Schroder Personal Wealth Ltd, Scottish Widows Schroder Wealth Holdings Ltd, Scottish Widows Services Ltd, Scottish Widows Trustees Ltd, Scottish Widows Unit Funds Ltd, Scottish Widows Unit Trust Managers Ltd, Scottish Widows Fund and Life Assurance Society, Seabreeze Leasing Ltd, Seaspirit Leasing Ltd, Share Dealing Nominees Ltd, Shogun Finance Ltd, Silentdale Ltd, St Andrews Group Ltd, St Andrews Insurance plc, St Andrews Life Assurance plc, St. Marys Court Investments, Standard Property Investment (1987) Ltd, Standard Property Investment Ltd, Sussex County Homes Ltd, Suzuki Financial Services Ltd, Swan Funding 2 Ltd, Syon Securities 2019 DAC, The Agricultural Mortgage Corporation Plc, The British Linen Company Ltd, The Halifax Foundation for Northern Ireland, The Mortgage Business plc, Thistle Financing Holdings Ltd, Thistle Investments (AMC) Ltd, Thistle Investments (ERM) Ltd, Thistle Leasing, Three Copthall Avenue Ltd, Tower Hill Property Investments (10) Ltd, Tower Hill Property Investments (7) Ltd, Tranquility Leasing Ltd, Trinity Financing plc, UDT Budget Leasing Ltd, UDT Sales Finance Ltd, Uberior (Moorfield) Ltd, Uberior Co-Investments Ltd, Uberior ENA Ltd, Uberior Equity Ltd, Uberior Europe Ltd, Uberior Fund Investments Ltd, Uberior Infrastructure Investments (No.2) Ltd, Uberior Infrastructure Investments Ltd, Uberior Investments Ltd, Uberior Nominees Ltd, Uberior Trading Ltd, Uberior Trustees Ltd, Uberior Ventures Australia Pty Ltd, Uberior Ventures Ltd, United Dominions Leasing Ltd, United Dominions Trust Ltd, Universe The CMI Global Network Fund, Upsaala Ltd, Vine Street IX LP, WCS Ltd, Ward Nominees (Abingdon) Ltd, Ward Nominees (Birmingham) Ltd 1, Ward Nominees (Bristol) Ltd 1, Ward Nominees Ltd 1, Waverley Fund II Investor LLC, Waverley Fund III Investor LLC, Waymark Asset Investments Ltd, West Craigs Ltd, Wetherby II Securities 2018 DAC, Wetherby III Securities 2019 DAC, Wetherby Securities 2017 Ltd, Wood Street Leasing Ltd, and Zurich Insurance Group - UK Workplace Pensions and Savings Business. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, December 10) A law providing for better health and nutrition programs for infants, adolescent females, and expectant mothers has been signed by President Rodrigo Duterte. Republic Act (RA) No. 11148, or the Kalusugan at Nutrisyon ng Mag-Nanay Act signed on November 29, aims to provide "comprehensive, sustainable multi-sectoral strategies and approaches to address health and nutrition problems of newborns, infants and young children, pregnant and lactating women and adolescent females." It also seeks "to address multi-factoral issues that negatively affect the development of newborns, infants and young children, integrating the short, medium and long-term plans of the government to end hunger, improve health and nutrition, and reduce malnutrition." Under the measure, the Department of Health (DOH), the National Nutrition Council (NNC), and other government agencies will take part in the program and formulate plans to ensure the recipients receive proper nutrition and health interventions in the first 1,000 days of life. The RA also provides for health and nutrition services, as well as psychosocial interventions, in the aftermath of disasters and calamities. A study released in 2017 said one in three Filipino children below five years old was malnourished. Child rights advocate Save the Children Foundation, in a 2016 report, said the Philippines loses billions each year due to the effects of malnutrition. According to the report entitled, "Cost of Hunger: Philippines," malnutrition in the country has resulted in childhood stunting "the most prevalent kind of undernutrition which has permanent effects on a child's growth and development." In a statement Monday, Senator Grace Poe said support must be given to increase the budget for RA 11148. "Just like an infant, the future of this new law-whether or not it fulfills its mandate-lies in the first 1,000 days of its implementation. Without sufficient funding, the law cannot fulfill the program's objectives of scaling down undernutrition and improving the health of mothers and infants," said Poe, co-author and co-sponsor of the measure in the Senate. Child Rights Network welcomed RA 11148, saying it provides the government "another powerful weapon in its arsenal to protect and nurture the welfare of children." "We call on the government to fully maximize this law that provides an essential tool to protect children and their mothers from getting malnourished or sickly during the critical period of first 1,000 days," the group added. Lincoln National Corp. is a holding company, which operates multiple insurance and retirement businesses through its subsidiary companies. It provides advice and solutions that help empower people to take charge of their financial lives with confidence and optimism. The company operates through the following segments: Annuities, Retirement Plan Services, Life Insurance, Group Protection, and Other Operations. The Annuities segment provides tax-deferred investment growth and lifetime income opportunities for its clients by offering fixed and variable annuities. The Retirement Plan Services segment includes employers with retirement plan products and services, primarily in the defined contribution retirement plan marketplaces. The Life Insurance segment focuses on the creation and protection of wealth for its clients by providing life insurance products, including term insurance, both single and survivorship versions of universal life insurance, variable universal life insurance, and indexed universal life insurance products. The Group Protection segment offers group non-medical insurance products, which includes term life, disability, dental, vision and accident and critical illness Read More The following companies are subsidiares of Reliance Steel & Aluminum: AMI Metals Aero Services Ankara Havaclk Anonim Sirketi, AMI Metals Europe SPRL, AMI Metals Inc., AMI Metals UK Limited, Acero Prime S. de R.L. de C.V., Airport Metals, Alaska Steel Company, Alaska Steel Company, Aleaciones Especiales de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., All Metal Services (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., All Metal Services India Private Limited, All Metal Services Limited, All Metal Services Ltd. (Xian), All Metals Holding, All Metals Processing & Logistics Inc., All Metals Transportation and Logistics Inc., Allegheny Steel Distributors Inc., American Metals Corporation, Best Manufacturing Inc., Bralco Metals (Australia) Pty Ltd, CCC Steel Inc., Chapel Steel Canada Ltd., Chapel Steel Corp., Chatham Steel Corporation, Clayton Metals Inc., Continental Alloys & Services (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., Continental Alloys & Services Limited, Continental Alloys & Services Pte. Ltd., Continental Alloys Middle East FZE, Crest Steel Corporation, Delta Steel Inc., Diamond Manufacturing Company, DuBose National Energy Fasteners & Machined Parts, DuBose National Energy Fasteners & Machined Parts Inc., DuBose National Energy Services, DuBose National Energy Services Inc., Durrett Sheppard Steel Co. Inc., Earle M. Jorgensen Company, FastMetals Inc., Feralloy Corporation, Ferguson Perforating Company, Ferguson Perforating Company, Fox Metals And Alloys, Fox Metals and Alloys Inc., Fry Steel, Fry Steel Company, GH Metal Solutions, GH Metal Solutions Inc., Haskins Steel, Infra-Metals Co., KMS FAB LLC, KMS Fab, KMS South, KMS South Inc., Liebovich Bros. Inc., McKey Perforating, Merfish United, Metals USA, Metals USA Inc., Metalweb Limited, National Specialty Alloys, National Specialty Alloys Inc., Northern Illinois Steel Supply, Northern Illinois Steel Supply Co., PDM Steel Service Centers Inc., Pacific Metal Company, Phoenix Corporation, Precision Flamecutting and Steel Inc., Precision Strip Inc., Reliance Metalcenter Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd., Reliance Metals Canada Limited, Service Steel Aerospace Corp., Siskin Steel & Supply Company Inc., Sugar Steel Corporation, Sunbelt Steel Texas, Tubular Steel, Tubular Steel Inc., Valex Corp., Valex Korea Co. Ltd., Valex Semiconductor Materials (Zhejiang) Co. Ltd., Viking Materials Inc., and Yarde Metals Inc.. GlaxoSmithKline Plc is a healthcare company, which engages in the research, development, and manufacture of pharmaceutical medicines, vaccines, and consumer healthcare products. It operates through the following segments: Pharmaceuticals; Pharmaceuticals R&D; Vaccines and Consumer Healthcare. The Pharmaceuticals segment focuses on developing medicines in respiratory and infectious diseases, oncology, and immuno-inflammation. The Pharmaceuticals R&D segment focuses on science related to the immune system, the use of human genetics and advanced technologies, and is driven by the multiplier effect of Science x Technology x Culture. The Vaccines segment produces pediatric and adult vaccines to prevent a range of infectious diseases including, hepatitis A and B, diphtheria, tetanus and whooping cough, measles, mumps and rubella, polio, typhoid, influenza, and bacterial meningitis. The Consumer Healthcare segment develops and markets brands in the oral health, pain relief, respiratory, nutrition and gastro intestinal, and skin health categories. The company was founded in 1715 and is headquartered in Middlesex, the United Kingdom. Read More There is not enough analysis data for Global Crossing Airlines Group. 5.0 Community Rank Outperform Votes Global Crossing Airlines Group has received 145 outperform votes. (Add your outperform vote.) Underperform Votes Global Crossing Airlines Group has received 35 underperform votes. (Add your underperform vote.) Community Sentiment Global Crossing Airlines Group has received 80.56% outperform votes from our community. MarketBeat's community ratings are surveys of what our community members think about Global Crossing Airlines Group and other stocks. Vote Outperform if you believe JET will outperform the S&P 500 over the long term. Vote Underperform if you believe JET will underperform the S&P 500 over the long term. You may vote once every thirty days. Previous Next 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. Gildan Activewear Inc. manufactures and sells various apparel products in the United States, Canada, and internationally. It provides various activewear products, including T-shirts, fleece tops and bottoms, and sport shirts under the Gildan, Gildan Performance, Gildan Hammer, Comfort Colors, American Apparel, Anvil by Gildan, Alstyle, Prim + Preux, and GoldToe brands. The company also offers hosiery products comprising athletic; dress; and casual, liner, therapeutic, and workwear socks, as well as sheer panty hoses, tights, and leggings under the brands of Gildan, Under Armour, GoldToe, PowerSox, GT a GoldToe Brand, Silver Toe, Signature Gold by Goldtoe, Peds, MediPeds, Kushyfoot, Therapy Plus, All Pro, Secret, Silks, Secret Silky, and American Apparel. In addition, it provides men's and boys' underwear products, and ladies panties under the Gildan and Gildan Platinum brand names; and ladies' shapewear, intimates, and accessories under the Secret and Secret Silky brands. The company sells its products to wholesale distributors, screen printers, or embellishers, as well as to retailers and consumer brand companies. The company was formerly known as Textiles Gildan Inc. and changed its name to Gildan Activewear Inc. in March 1995. Gildan Activewear Inc. was founded in 1946 and is headquartered in Montreal, Canada. Read More 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. Read More The following companies are subsidiares of Ingersoll Rand: 211 E. Russell Road LLC, Air-Relief, Belliss & Morcom Brasil, Belliss and Morcom, Boardwalk Enterprises, Charm Merger Sub Inc., CompAir, CompAir (Hankook) Korea Co. Ltd., CompAir Acquisition (No. 2) Ltd., CompAir Acquisition Ltd., CompAir BroomWade Ltd., CompAir Canada, CompAir Finance Ltd., CompAir GmbH, CompAir Holdings Limited, CompAir Holman Ltd, CompAir International Trading (Shanghai) Co Ltd, CompAir Korea Ltd, CompAir South Africa (SA) (Pty) Ltd., CompAir UK Ltd, CompAir USA, Consolidated Distribution Holdings Ltd., DV Systems Inc., Emco Wheaton, Emco Wheaton GmbH Branch, Emco Wheaton Gmbh, Emco Wheaton UK, Emco Wheaton USA Inc, Enza Air Propriety Limited (South Africa), GD Aria Holdings #2 Limited, GD Aria Holdings Limited, GD Aria Investments Limited, GD First UK Ltd, GD German Holdings GmbH, GD German Holdings I Gmbh, GD German Holdings II GmbH, GD German Investments GmbH, GD Global Holdings, GD Global Holdings II, GD Global Holdings UK II Ltd., GD Global Ventures I B.V., GD Global Ventures II B.V., GD Global Ventures III B.V., GD Industrial Products Malaysia SDN. BHD., GD Investment KY, GD UK Finance Ltd., Gardner Denver (Thailand) Co. Ltd., Gardner Denver Austria GmbH, Gardner Denver Bad Neustadt Real Estate GmbH & Co KG, Gardner Denver Belgium NV, Gardner Denver Brasil Industria E Comercio de Maquinas Ltda., Gardner Denver CZ + SK sro, Gardner Denver Canada Corp, Gardner Denver Cyprus Investments II Ltd., Gardner Denver Cyprus Investments II Ltd. - US Branch, Gardner Denver Cyprus Investments Ltd., Gardner Denver Cyprus Investments Ltd. - US Branch, Gardner Denver Deutschland GmbH, Gardner Denver Engineered Products India Private Limited, Gardner Denver FZE, Gardner Denver Finance II LLC, Gardner Denver Finance Inc & Co KG, Gardner Denver France SA, Gardner Denver France SAS, Gardner Denver Group Services Ltd, Gardner Denver Group Svcs Ltd, Gardner Denver Hoffman, Gardner Denver Holdings, Gardner Denver Holdings Limited, Gardner Denver Hong Kong Investments Limited, Gardner Denver Hong Kong Ltd, Gardner Denver Iberica, Gardner Denver Industries Ltd., Gardner Denver Industries Pty Ltd., Gardner Denver Industries Pty Ltd. Branch, Gardner Denver International, Gardner Denver International Ltd., Gardner Denver Intl Ltd Middle East Regional Rep Office, Gardner Denver Investments, Gardner Denver Italy Holdings S.r.L., Gardner Denver Japan, Gardner Denver Kirchhain Real Estate GmbH & Co KG, Gardner Denver Korea, Gardner Denver Korea Ltd, Gardner Denver Ltd, Gardner Denver Ltd South Africa, Gardner Denver Ltd., Gardner Denver Ltd. Branch (Ireland), Gardner Denver Machinery (Shanghai) Co, Gardner Denver Machinery (Shanghai) Co., Gardner Denver Nash Brasil Industria E Comercio De Bombas Ltda, Gardner Denver Nash Deutschland GmbH, Gardner Denver Nash LLC, Gardner Denver Nash Machinery Ltd, Gardner Denver Nash Machinery Ltd., Gardner Denver Nederland BV, Gardner Denver Nederland Investments B.V., Gardner Denver Oberdorfer Pumps, Gardner Denver Oy, Gardner Denver Petroleum Pumps, Gardner Denver Polska Sp z.o.o., Gardner Denver Pte Ltd., Gardner Denver S.r.l., Gardner Denver Schopfheim GmbH, Gardner Denver Schopfheim Real Estate GmbH & Co KG, Gardner Denver Schweiz AG, Gardner Denver Slovakia, Gardner Denver SudAmerica S.r.l., Gardner Denver Sweden AB, Gardner Denver Taiwan Ltd., Gardner Denver Thomas, Gardner Denver Thomas GmbH, Gardner Denver Thomas Pneumatic Systems (Wuxi) Co., Gardner Denver Thomas Real Estate GmbH & Co KG, Gardner Denver UK, Gardner Denver Water Jetting Systems, Garo Dott. Ing. Roberto Gabbioneta S.r.l., Hamworthy Belliss & Morcom, ILMVAC (UK) Ltd., ILS Innovative Labor Systeme, ILS Inovative Laborsysteme GmbH, Indonesia Foreign Trade Representative Office, LeROI, LeRoi International Inc, MP Pumps Inc., Mako Compressors, Nash, Nash Elmo, Oina VV, Oina VV Aktiebolag, Robuschi, Rotary Compression Technologies, Runtech Systems, Runtech Systems (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Runtech Systems Inc., Runtech Systems OY, Shanghai CompAir Compressors Co Ltd, Shanghai Compressors & Blowers Ltd., Syltone, TCM Investments, TIWR Real Estate GmbH & Co. KG, TODO AB, Tamrotor Marine Compressors AS, Thomas Industries, Thomas Industries Inc., Tri-Continent Scientific, Welch Vacuum Equipment (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Zinsser Analytic, Zinsser Analytik GmbH, and Zinsser NA. iShares Floating Rate Bond ETF's stock was trading at $49.50 on March 11th, 2020 when Coronavirus (COVID-19) reached pandemic status according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Since then, FLOT stock has increased by 2.5% and is now trading at $50.72. View which stocks have been most impacted by COVID-19. Keywords Studios plc provides integrated outsourced creative and technical services to the video game industry. The company offers art creation services related to the production of graphical art assets for inclusion in the video game, including concept art creation, as well as 2D and 3D art asset production and animation. It also provides audio/voice-over services, including script translation, actor selection, and talent management through pre-production, audio direction, recording, and post-production, as well as offers music licensing or music soundtracks selling services. In addition, the company offers localization services related to translation and cultural adaptation of in-game text and audio scripts in various game platforms and genres; and localization testing services consisting of testing the linguistic correctness and cultural acceptability of computer games. Further, it provides functional testing services related to quality assurance services provided to game producers to ensure game functions. Additionally, the company provides player support services related to the live operations support, such as community management, player support, and associated services to producers of games, as well as software engineering services for developing video games. It serves game companies and publishers. The company operates in Ireland, the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Japan, Italy, France, India, Germany, Singapore, Spain, Poland, Brazil, China, and Mexico. Keywords Studios plc was founded in 1998 and is headquartered in Dublin, Ireland. Read More Mallinckrodt plc (NYSE:MNK) announced its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, August, 4th. The company reported $1.89 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $1.34 by $0.55. The business earned $700.90 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $630.19 million. Mallinckrodt had a negative net margin of 89.94% and a positive trailing twelve-month return on equity of 34.26%. The company's revenue for the quarter was down 14.9% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $2.53 EPS. View Mallinckrodt's earnings history. CA, Inc., doing business as CA technologies, develops, markets, delivers, and licenses software products and services in the United States and internationally. It operates through three segments: Mainframe Solutions, Enterprise Solutions, and Services. The Mainframe Solutions segment offers solutions for the IBM z Systems platform, which runs various mission critical business applications. Its mainframe solutions enable customers enhance economics by increasing throughput and lowering cost per transaction; increasing business agility through DevOps tooling and processes; increasing reliability and availability of operations through machine intelligence and automation solutions; and protecting enterprise data with security and compliance. The Enterprise Solutions segment provides a range of software planning, development, and management tools for mobile, cloud, and distributed computing environments. It primarily provides customers secure application development, infrastructure management, automation, and identity-centric security solutions. The Services segment offers various services, such as consulting, implementation, application management, education, and support services to commercial and government customers for implementation and adoption of its software solutions. The company serves banks, insurance companies, other financial services providers, government agencies, information technology service providers, telecommunication providers, transportation companies, manufacturers, technology companies, retailers, educational organizations, and health care institutions. It sells its products through direct sales force, as well as through various partner channels comprising resellers, service providers, system integrators, managed service providers, and technology partners. The company was formerly known as Computer Associates International, Inc. and changed its name to CA, Inc. in 2006. CA, Inc. was founded in 1974 and is headquartered in New York, New York. Read More 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.. The following companies are subsidiares of Johnson & Johnson: 3Dintegrated ApS, ALZA Corporation, AMO (Hangzhou) Co. Ltd., AMO (Shanghai) Medical Devices Trading Co. Ltd., AMO ASIA LIMITED, AMO Australia Pty Limited, AMO Canada Company, AMO Denmark ApS, AMO Development LLC, AMO France, AMO Germany GmbH, AMO Groningen B.V., AMO International Holdings, AMO Ireland, AMO Ireland Finance Unlimited Company, AMO Italy SRL, AMO Japan K.K., AMO Manufacturing Spain S.L., AMO Manufacturing USA LLC, AMO Netherlands BV, AMO Nominee Holdings LLC, AMO Norway AS, AMO Puerto Rico Manufacturing Inc., AMO Sales and Service Inc., AMO Singapore Pte. Ltd., AMO Spain Holdings LLC, AMO Switzerland GmbH, AMO U.K. Holdings LLC, AMO US Holdings Inc., AMO USA LLC, AMO USA Sales Holdings Inc., AMO United Kingdom Ltd., AMO Uppsala AB, APSIS, AUB Holdings LLC, Abott Medical Optics, Acclarent Inc., Actelion Ltd, Actelion Manufacturing GmbH, Actelion Pharmaceuticals, Actelion Pharmaceuticals Australia Pty. Limited, Actelion Pharmaceuticals Korea Ltd., Actelion Pharmaceuticals Ltd, Actelion Pharmaceuticals Mexico S.A. De C.V., Actelion Pharmaceuticals Trading (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Actelion Pharmaceuticals UK Limited, Actelion Pharmaceuticals US Inc., Actelion Registration Limited, Actelion Treasury Unlimited Company, Akros Medical Inc., Albany Street LLC, Alios BioPharma, Alza Land Management Inc., Animas Diabetes Care LLC, Animas LLC, Animas Technologies LLC, AorTx Inc., Aragon Pharmaceuticals, Aragon Pharmaceuticals Inc., Asia Pacific Holdings LLC, Atrionix Inc., Auris Health, Auris Health Inc., Backsvalan 2 Aktiebolag, Backsvalan 6 Handelsbolag, Beijing Dabao Cosmetics Co. Ltd., BeneVir BioPharm Inc., Berna Rhein B.V., BioMedical Enterprises Inc., Biosense Webster (Israel) Ltd., Biosense Webster Inc., C Consumer Products Denmark ApS, CNA Development GmbH, CSATS Inc., Calibra Medical LLC, Campus-Foyer Apotheke GmbH, Carlo Erba OTC S.r.l., Centocor Biologics LLC, Centocor Research & Development Inc., ChromaGenics B.V., Ci:Labo Customer Marketing Co. Ltd., Ci:z Holdings, Ci:z. Labo Co. Ltd., Cilag AG, Cilag GmbH International, Cilag Holding AG, Cilag Holding Treasury Unlimited Company, Cilag-Biotech S.L., CoTherix Inc., Codman & Shurtleff Inc., Coherex Medical Inc., ColBar LifeScience Ltd., Company Store.com Inc., Conor MedSystems, Cordis International Corporation, Cordis de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Corimmun GmbH, DR. CI:LABO COMPANY LIMITED, Darlain Trading S.A., DePuy France, DePuy Hellas SA, DePuy International Limited, DePuy Ireland Unlimited Company, DePuy Mexico S.A. de C.V., DePuy Mitek LLC, DePuy Orthopaedics Inc., DePuy Products Inc., DePuy Spine LLC, DePuy Synthes Gorgan Limited, DePuy Synthes Inc., DePuy Synthes Institute LLC, DePuy Synthes Leto SARL, DePuy Synthes Products Inc., DePuy Synthes Sales Inc., Debs-Vogue Corporation (Proprietary) Limited, Dr. Ci:Labo Co. Ltd., Dutch Holding LLC, ECL7 LLC, EES Holdings de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., EES S.A. de C.V., EIT Emerging Implant Technologies GmbH, Ethicon Biosurgery Ireland, Ethicon Endo-Surgery (Europe) GmbH, Ethicon Endo-Surgery Inc., Ethicon Endo-Surgery LLC, Ethicon Holding Sarl, Ethicon Inc., Ethicon Ireland Unlimited Company, Ethicon LLC, Ethicon PR Holdings Unlimited Company, Ethicon Sarl, Ethicon US LLC, Ethicon Women's Health & Urology Sarl, Ethnor (Proprietary) Limited, Ethnor Farmaceutica S.A., Ethnor Guatemala Sociedad Anomina, Ethnor del Istmo S.A., FMS Future Medical System SA, Finsbury (Development) Limited, Finsbury (Instruments) Limited, Finsbury Medical Limited, Finsbury Orthopaedics International Limited, Finsbury Orthopaedics Limited, GH Biotech Holdings Limited, GMED Healthcare BV, Global Investment Participation B.V., Guangzhou Bioseal Biotech Co. Ltd., Hansen Medical Deutschland GmbH, Hansen Medical Inc., Hansen Medical International Inc., Hansen Medical UK Limited, Healthcare Services (Shanghai) Ltd., I.D. Acquisition Corp., Innomedic Gesellschaft fur innovative Medizintechnik und Informatik mbH, Innovalens B.V., Innovative Surgical Solutions LLC, J & J Company West Africa Limited, J&J Pension Trustees Limited, J-C Health Care Ltd., J.C. General Services BV, JJ Surgical Vision Spain S.L., JJC Acquisition Company B.V., JJHC LLC, JJSV Belgium BV, JJSV Manufacturing Malaysia SDN. BHD., JJSV Norden AB, JJSV Produtos Oticos Ltda., JNJ Global Business Services s.r.o., JNJ Holding EMEA B.V., JNJ International Investment LLC, JNJ Irish Investments ULC, JOM Pharmaceutical Services Inc., Janssen Alzheimer Immunotherapy (Holding) Limited, Janssen BioPharma Inc., Janssen Biologics (Ireland) Limited, Janssen Biologics B.V., Janssen Biotech Inc., Janssen Cilag C.A., Janssen Cilag Farmaceutica S.A., Janssen Cilag S.p.A., Janssen Cilag SPA, Janssen Development Finance Unlimited Company, Janssen Diagnostics LLC, Janssen Egypt LLC, Janssen Farmaceutica Portugal Lda, Janssen Global Services LLC, Janssen Group Holdings Limited, Janssen Holding GmbH, Janssen Inc., Janssen Irish Finance Company UC, Janssen Korea Ltd., Janssen Oncology Inc., Janssen Ortho LLC, Janssen Pharmaceutica (Proprietary) Limited, Janssen Pharmaceutica NV, Janssen Pharmaceutica S.A., Janssen Pharmaceutical, Janssen Pharmaceutical K.K., Janssen Pharmaceutical Sciences Unlimited Company, Janssen Pharmaceuticals Inc., Janssen Products LP, Janssen R&D Ireland, Janssen Research & Development LLC, Janssen Sciences Ireland Unlimited Company, Janssen Scientific Affairs LLC, Janssen Supply Group LLC, Janssen Vaccines & Prevention B.V., Janssen Vaccines Corp., Janssen de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Janssen-Cilag, Janssen-Cilag (New Zealand) Limited, Janssen-Cilag A/S, Janssen-Cilag AG, Janssen-Cilag AS, Janssen-Cilag Aktiebolag, Janssen-Cilag B.V., Janssen-Cilag Farmaceutica Lda., Janssen-Cilag Farmaceutica Ltda., Janssen-Cilag GmbH, Janssen-Cilag International NV, Janssen-Cilag Kft., Janssen-Cilag Limited, Janssen-Cilag Manufacturing LLC, Janssen-Cilag NV, Janssen-Cilag OY, Janssen-Cilag Pharma GmbH, Janssen-Cilag Pharmaceutical S.A.C.I., Janssen-Cilag Polska Sp. z o.o., Janssen-Cilag Pty Ltd, Janssen-Cilag S.A., Janssen-Cilag S.A., Janssen-Cilag S.A. de C.V., Janssen-Cilag de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Janssen-Cilag s.r.o., Janssen-Pharma S.L., Jevco Holding Inc., Johnson & Johnson, Johnson & Johnson (Angola) Limitada, Johnson & Johnson (China) Investment Ltd., Johnson & Johnson (Egypt) S.A.E., Johnson & Johnson (Hong Kong) Limited, Johnson & Johnson (Ireland) Limited, Johnson & Johnson (Jamaica) Limited, Johnson & Johnson (Kenya) Limited, Johnson & Johnson (Middle East) Inc., Johnson & Johnson (Mozambique) Limitada, Johnson & Johnson (Namibia) (Proprietary) Limited, Johnson & Johnson (New Zealand) Limited, Johnson & Johnson (Philippines) Inc., Johnson & Johnson (Private) Limited, Johnson & Johnson (Thailand) Ltd., Johnson & Johnson (Trinidad) Limited, Johnson & Johnson (Vietnam) Co. Ltd, Johnson & Johnson - Societa' Per Azioni, Johnson & Johnson AB, Johnson & Johnson AG, Johnson & Johnson Belgium Finance Company BV, Johnson & Johnson Bulgaria EOOD, Johnson & Johnson China Ltd., Johnson & Johnson Consumer (Hong Kong) Limited, Johnson & Johnson Consumer (Thailand) Limited, Johnson & Johnson Consumer B.V., Johnson & Johnson Consumer Holdings France, Johnson & Johnson Consumer Inc., Johnson & Johnson Consumer NV, Johnson & Johnson Consumer Saudi Arabia Limited, Johnson & Johnson Consumer Services EAME Ltd., Johnson & Johnson Del Paraguay S.A., Johnson & Johnson Dominicana S.A.S., Johnson & Johnson Enterprise Innovation Inc., Johnson & Johnson European Treasury Company, Johnson & Johnson Finance Corporation, Johnson & Johnson Finance Limited, Johnson & Johnson Financial Services GmbH, Johnson & Johnson Foundation Scotland (NON-PROFIT), Johnson & Johnson Gateway LLC, Johnson & Johnson Gesellschaft m.b.H., Johnson & Johnson GmbH, Johnson & Johnson Guatemala S.A., Johnson & Johnson Health Care Systems Inc., Johnson & Johnson Health and Wellness Solutions Inc., Johnson & Johnson Hellas Commercial and Industrial S.A., Johnson & Johnson Hellas Consumer Products Commercial Societe Anonyme, Johnson & Johnson Hemisferica S.A., Johnson & Johnson Holding GmbH, Johnson & Johnson Holdings K.K., Johnson & Johnson Inc., Johnson & Johnson Industrial Ltda., Johnson & Johnson Innovation - JJDC Inc., Johnson & Johnson Innovation LLC, Johnson & Johnson Innovation Limited, Johnson & Johnson International, Johnson & Johnson International (Singapore) Pte. Ltd., Johnson & Johnson International Financial Services Company, Johnson & Johnson Japan Inc., Johnson & Johnson K.K., Johnson & Johnson Kft., Johnson & Johnson Korea Ltd., Johnson & Johnson Korea Selling & Distribution LLC, Johnson & Johnson LLC, Johnson & Johnson Limitada, Johnson & Johnson Limited, Johnson & Johnson Luxembourg Finance Company Sarl, Johnson & Johnson Management Limited, Johnson & Johnson Medical (China) Ltd., Johnson & Johnson Medical (Proprietary) Ltd, Johnson & Johnson Medical (Shanghai) Ltd., Johnson & Johnson Medical (Suzhou) Ltd., Johnson & Johnson Medical B.V., Johnson & Johnson Medical Devices & Diagnostics Group - Latin America L.L.C., Johnson & Johnson Medical GmbH, Johnson & Johnson Medical Korea Ltd., Johnson & Johnson Medical Limited, Johnson & Johnson Medical Mexico S.A. de C.V., Johnson & Johnson Medical NV, Johnson & Johnson Medical Products GmbH, Johnson & Johnson Medical Pty Ltd, Johnson & Johnson Medical S.A., Johnson & Johnson Medical S.C.S., Johnson & Johnson Medical S.p.A., Johnson & Johnson Medical SAS, Johnson & Johnson Medical Saudi Arabia Limited, Johnson & Johnson Medical Servicios Profesionales S. de R.L. de C.V., Johnson & Johnson Medical Taiwan Ltd., Johnson & Johnson Medikal Sanayi ve Ticaret Limited Sirketi, Johnson & Johnson Middle East FZ-LLC, Johnson & Johnson Morocco Societe Anonyme, Johnson & Johnson Nordic AB, Johnson & Johnson Pacific Pty Limited, Johnson & Johnson Pakistan (Private) Limited, Johnson & Johnson Panama S.A., Johnson & Johnson Personal Care (Chile) S.A., Johnson & Johnson Poland Sp. z o.o., Johnson & Johnson Private Limited, Johnson & Johnson Pte. Ltd., Johnson & Johnson Pty. Limited, Johnson & Johnson Research Pty Ltd, Johnson & Johnson Romania S.R.L., Johnson & Johnson S.A., Johnson & Johnson S.A. de C.V., Johnson & Johnson S.E. Inc., Johnson & Johnson S.E. d.o.o., Johnson & Johnson SDN. BHD., Johnson & Johnson Sante Beaute France, Johnson & Johnson Services Inc., Johnson & Johnson Servicios Corporativos S. de R.L. de C.V., Johnson & Johnson Surgical Vision Inc., Johnson & Johnson Surgical Vision India Private Limited, Johnson & Johnson Taiwan Ltd., Johnson & Johnson UK Treasury Company Limited, Johnson & Johnson Ukraine LLC, Johnson & Johnson Urban Renewal Associates, Johnson & Johnson Vision Care (Shanghai) Ltd., Johnson & Johnson Vision Care Inc., Johnson & Johnson Vision Care Ireland Unlimited Company, Johnson & Johnson d.o.o., Johnson & Johnson de Argentina S.A.C. e. I., Johnson & Johnson de Chile Limitada, Johnson & Johnson de Chile S.A., Johnson & Johnson de Colombia S.A., Johnson & Johnson de Costa Rica S.A., Johnson & Johnson de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Johnson & Johnson de Uruguay S.A., Johnson & Johnson de Venezuela S.A., Johnson & Johnson del Ecuador S.A., Johnson & Johnson del Peru S.A., Johnson & Johnson do Brasil Industria E Comercio de Produtos Para Saude Ltda., Johnson & Johnson for Export and Import LLC, Johnson & Johnson s.r.o., Johnson and Johnson (Proprietary) Limited, Johnson and Johnson Sihhi Malzeme Sanayi Ve Ticaret Limited Sirketi, La Concha Land Investment Corporation, Latam International Investment Company Unlimited Company, LifeScan, MDS Co. Ltd., McNEIL MMP LLC, McNeil AB, McNeil Consumer Pharmaceuticals Co., McNeil Denmark ApS, McNeil Healthcare (Ireland) Limited, McNeil Healthcare (UK) Limited, McNeil Healthcare LLC, McNeil Iberica S.L.U., McNeil LA LLC, McNeil Nutritionals LLC, McNeil Panama LLC, McNeil Products Limited, McNeil Sweden AB, Medical Device Business Services Inc., Medical Devices & Diagnostics Global Services LLC, Medical Devices International LLC, Medical Industrial do Brasil Ltda., Medos International Sarl, Medos Sarl, MegaDyne Medical Products Inc., Menlo Care De Mexico S.A. de C.V., Mentor B.V., Mentor Deutschland GmbH, Mentor Medical Systems B.V., Mentor Partnership Holding Company I LLC, Mentor Texas GP LLC, Mentor Texas L.P., Mentor Worldwide LLC, Micrus Endovascular LLC, Middlesex Assurance Company Limited, Momenta Ireland Limited, Momenta Pharmaceuticals, Momenta Pharmaceuticals Inc., NeoStrata Company Inc., NeoStrata Company Inc., NeoStrata UG (haftungsbeschrankt), Netherlands Holding Company, NeuWave Medical Inc., Neuravi Inc., Neuravi Limited, Novira Therapeutics, Novira Therapeutics LLC, NuVera Medical Inc., OBTECH Medical Sarl, OGX Beauty AU Pty Ltd, OGX Beauty Limited, OMJ Holding GmbH, OMJ Ireland Unlimited Company, OMJ Pharmaceuticals Inc., Obtech Medical Mexico S.A. de C.V., Omrix Biopharmaceuticals Inc., Omrix Biopharmaceuticals Ltd., Omrix Biopharmaceuticals NV, Ortho Biologics LLC, Ortho Biotech Holding LLC, Ortho-McNeil Pharmaceutical LLC, Orthotaxy, Orthotaxy, PMC Holdings G.K., PT Integrated Healthcare Indonesia, PT. Johnson & Johnson Indonesia, Patriot Pharmaceuticals LLC, Peninsula Pharmaceuticals LLC, Penta Pty. Limited, Percivia LLC, Perouse Plastie, Pharmadirect Ltd., Pharmedica Laboratories (Proprietary) Limited, Princeton Laboratories Inc., Productos de Cuidado Personal y de La Salud de Bolivia S.R.L., Proleader S.A., Pulsar Vascular Inc., Regency Urban Renewal Associates, RespiVert Ltd., RoC International, Rutan Realty LLC, SYNTHES Medical Immobilien GmbH, Scios LLC, Sedona Enterprise Co. Ltd., Sedona Singapore International Pte. Ltd., Sedona Thai International Co. Ltd., Serhum S.A. de C.V., Shanghai Elsker For Mother & Baby Co. Ltd, Shanghai Johnson & Johnson Ltd., Shanghai Johnson & Johnson Pharmaceuticals Ltd., Sightbox LLC, Sodiac ESV, Spectrum Vision Limited Liability Company, Spectrum Vision Limited Liability Partnership, Spine Solutions GmbH, SterilMed, SterilMed Inc., Surgical Process Institute Deutschland GmbH, Synthes Costa Rica S.C.R. Limitada, Synthes GmbH, Synthes Holding AG, Synthes Holding Limited, Synthes Inc., Synthes Medical Surgical Equipment & Instruments Trading LLC, Synthes Produktions GmbH, Synthes Proprietary Limited, Synthes S.M.P. S. de R.L. de C.V., Synthes Tuttlingen GmbH, Synthes USA LLC, Synthes USA Products LLC, TARIS Biomedical, TARIS Biomedical LLC, TearScience Inc., The Anspach Effort LLC, The Vision Care Institute LLC, Tibotec LLC, Torax Medical Inc., TriStrata Incorporated, UAB "Johnson & Johnson", Vania Expansion, Verb Surgical, Verb Surgical Inc., Vision Care Finance Unlimited Company, Vogue International, Vogue International LLC, Vogue International Trading Inc., WH4110 Development Company L.L.C., XO1, XO1 Limited, Xian Janssen Pharmaceutical Ltd., Zarbee's Inc., and Zarbee's Naturals. Conagra Brands, Inc. engages in the manufacture and sale of processed and packaged foods. It operates through the following segments: Grocery and Snacks; Refrigerated and Frozen; International; and Foodservice. The Grocery and Snacks segment includes branded, shelf stable food products sold in various retail channels in the United States. The Refrigerated and Frozen segment comprises branded, temperature controlled food products sold in various retail channels in the United States. The International segment consists branded food products, in various temperature states, sold in various retail and foodservice channels outside of the United States. The Foodservice segment focuses in the branded and customized food products, including meals, entrees, sauces, and a variety of custom-manufactured culinary products packaged for sale to restaurants and other foodservice establishments in the United States. The company was founded by Alva Kinney and Frank Little in 1919 and is headquartered in Chicago, IL. Read More 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. Read More Nabors Industries Ltd. engages in the provision of platform work over and drilling rigs. It operates through the following segments: U.S. Drilling, Canada Drilling, International Drilling, Drilling Solutions, and Rig Technologies. The U.S. Drilling segment includes land drilling activities in the lower 48 states and Alaska, as well as offshore operations in the Gulf of Mexico. The Canada segment consists of land-based drilling rigs in Canada. The International segment focuses in maintaining a footprint in the oil and gas market, most notably in Saudi Arabia, Algeria, Argentina, Colombia, Kazakhstan, and Venezuela. The Drilling Solutions segment offers drilling technologies, such as patented steering systems and rig instrumentation software systems that enhance drilling performance and wellbore placement. The Rig Technologies segment comprises Canrig, which manufactures and sells top drives, catwalks, wrenches, drawworks, and drilling related equipment, such as robotic systems and downhole tools. The company was founded by Clair Nabors in 1952 and is headquartered in Hamilton, Bermuda. Read More Royal Dutch Shell plc operates as an energy and petrochemical company worldwide. The company operates through Integrated Gas, Upstream, Oil Products, Chemicals segments. It explores for and extracts crude oil, natural gas, and natural gas liquids; markets and transports oil and gas; produces gas-to-liquids fuels and other products; and operates upstream and midstream infrastructure necessary to deliver gas to market. The company also markets and trades natural gas, liquefied natural gas (LNG), crude oil, electricity, carbon-emission rights; and markets and sells LNG as a fuel for heavy-duty vehicles and marine vessels. In addition, it trades in and refines crude oil and other feed stocks, such as gasoline, diesel, heating oil, aviation fuel, marine fuel, biofuel, lubricants, bitumen, and sulphur; produces and sells petrochemicals for industrial use; and manages oil sands activities. Further, the company produces base chemicals comprising ethylene, propylene, and aromatics, as well as intermediate chemicals, such as styrene monomer, propylene oxide, solvents, detergent alcohols, ethylene oxide, and ethylene glycol. Royal Dutch Shell plc was founded in 1907 and is headquartered in The Hague, the Netherlands. Read More PetroChina Company Limited, together with its subsidiaries, engages in a range of petroleum related products, services, and activities in Mainland China and internationally. It operates through Exploration and Production, Refining and Chemicals, Marketing, and Natural Gas and Pipeline segments. The Exploration and Production segment engages in the exploration, development, production, and marketing of crude oil and natural gas. The Refining and Chemicals segment refines crude oil and petroleum products; and produces and markets primary petrochemical products, derivative petrochemical products, and other chemical products. The Marketing segment is involved in marketing of refined products and trading business. The Natural Gas and Pipeline segment engages in the transmission of natural gas, crude oil, and refined products; and sale of natural gas. As of December 31, 2020, the company had a total length of 31,151 km, including 22,555 km of natural gas pipelines, 7,190 km of crude oil pipelines, and 1,406 km of refined product pipelines. The company is also involved in the exploration, development, and production of oil sands and coalbed methane; trading of crude oil and petrochemical products; storage, chemical engineering, storage facilities, service station, and transportation facilities and related businesses; and production and sales of basic and derivative chemical, and other chemical products. The company was founded in 1999 and is headquartered in Beijing, the People's Republic of China. PetroChina Company Limited is a subsidiary of China National Petroleum Corporation. Read More 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.. TransAtlantic Petroleum Ltd., an oil and natural gas company, engages in the acquisition, exploration, development, and production of oil and natural gas properties in Turkey and Bulgaria. As of December 31, 2019, it had interests in 4 onshore exploration licenses and 20 onshore production leases covering an area of 436,388 net acres with a total net proved reserves of 10,259 thousand barrels of oil and 2,466 million cubic feet of natural gas located in Turkey, as well as a production concession covering an area of approximately 162,800 net undeveloped acres located in Bulgaria. The company was incorporated in 1985 and is based in Addison, Texas. Read More Helix Energy Solutions Group, Inc. is an international offshore energy company. It focuses on subsea construction, maintenance and salvage services to the offshore natural gas and oil industry. The firm also provides specialty services to the offshore energy industry, with a focus on well intervention and robotics operations. The company operates through three segments: Well Intervention, Robotics and Production Facilities. The Well Intervention segment offers vessels and related equipment that are used to perform well intervention services primarily in the Gulf of Mexico and North Sea regions. The Robotics segment involves four chartered vessels and also includes ROVs, trenchers and ROVDrills designed to complement offshore construction and well intervention services. The Production Facilities segment includes its investment in the Helix Producer I and Kommandor LLC. Helix Energy Solutions Group was founded in 1979 and is headquartered in Houston, TX. Read More Uh-oh! It could be you, or it could be us, but there's no page here. What does it mean to truly belong? And how do we build a world in which everyone belongs? Those were the guiding questions behind Dal 200s Year of Belonging, which put discussions and debates about diversity, equity and inclusion front-and-centre during the universitys bicentennial celebrations. The year included Days of Action in which students and others donated more than 5,000 volunteer hours and Building Belonging Workshops to provide platforms for future discussion. But the core of the Year of Belonging was the Belong Forum series, which invited world-leading speakers to campus to discuss issues of belonging from a wide range of perspectives. Audiences turned out in large numbers to hear from the likes of disability activist Rick Hansen, renowned songwriter and activist Buffy Sainte-Marie and MIT historian Craig Steven Wilder. Making the Belong Forums extra special was the fact that several speakers were presented with honorary degrees at their events. The series also included the inaugural Viola Desmond Legacy Lecture, which will continue into future years. Below, revisit some of our coverage from the Belong Forum series, with extra reflection from members of the Dal community. Dr. Angela Davis (Viola Desmond Legacy Lecture) Dr. Angela Davis thrilled attendees at the first annual Viola Desmond Legacy Lecture in October, offering an impassioned and provocative lecture. "I was moved by the untold sacrifices and resilience of a woman who spoke truth to power, not compromising her values. Moreover, she has retained a radical spirit and vision where others may have become comfortable with their status. Dr. Davis is an exemplar of the strength of Black women in the face of all manner of obstacles. Not all rise to gain the public stature of Dr. Davis, but make no mistake that there are many who go unheralded in surmounting barriers in aid of their immediate and extended community." Kevin Hewitt, Chair, Dalhousie University Senate Read more: Lessons from a civil rights icon Olympian Mark Tewksbury Held at Citadel High School in April, Mark Tewksbury's Belong Forum offered inspiring insights for teens and Dal community members alike. "The Dalhousie Citadel High partnership is one that our community values. Hosting Mark Tewksbury as part of the 200th anniversary,was a highlight for many of our students and teachers. His honest, funny and thoughtful presentation was an inspiration for all who could attend." Joe Morrison, Principal, Citadel High School Read more: Mark Tewksbury shares message of belonging after receiving honorary degree Senator Murray Sinclair Senator Murray Sinclair, who chaired the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada, took to the Rebecca Cohn stage in early September to talk about learnings and legacies. "It was great to think people in attendance got it. When Senator Sinclair said, 'The mythology of European superiority and Indigenous inferiority must come to an end,' people applauded. In true Indigenous style he spoke with honesty, humility and humour and it was an honour to see someone put truth to power and have it so well received. Belonging takes work, it takes friendship, a welcoming smile and a sense of knowing you are part of something. There is a lot of history to overcome and a lot of hearts and minds to change, but let us be diligent in taking Senator Sinclairs advice; 'learn to be kind, being kind and respectful will accomplish a lot more than anything else.'" Michele Graveline, Indigenous Student Advisor Read more: Senator Murray Sinclair urges Canada to think, talk, act differently Though Dal 200 officially kicked off January 1 with New Years Day skates in Halifax and Truro, its ceremonial beginning was on February 6. On that day the anniversary of Lord Bathurst granting permission to create Dalhousie College Dal held its Bicentennial Launch, gathering together poets, musicians and other performers for a survey of Dals past, present and future. It would hardly be the last big gathering of the year. Each banquet, gala or ceremony held through the year took on special significance, weaving the strands of the universitys history together into the broader anniversary moment. Here were a few of the most notable celebrations. Bicentennial Launch Guided by George Elliott Clarke's epic poem, "The Story of Dalhousie," and featuring President Florizone's Bicentennial Address alongside many student and alumni performers, the February 6 Bicentennial Launch offered an artistic journey through Dal's history, highlighting the individuals and ideas that have shaped its 200-year legacy. "The Bicentennial Launch was one of the most well organized events I have witnessed a long time. The selection of artists and the way the stories were narrated by the different artists present were perfect. People were giving great comments around me. The former Lt. Governor of Nova Scotia Honourable Mayann Francis was at our African Heritage month event and she was at awe of Dr. Clarke's narration... The whole event covered the past, present and future of Dalhousie, and highlighted the importance diversity and inclusion at the university." Oluronke Taiwo, Black Student Advisor Read more: "The best is yet to come": Dal 200 launches with poetry, reflection, celebration Ignite: Dal's Third Century Held at the new Halifax Convention Centre, the Ignite gala was the marquee event of Homecoming 2018. A capacity crowd of 1,200 guests got to learn about the impact Dal teaching and research is poised to make in its third century not just in Halifax or Nova Scotia, but across the country and around the world. "The Dalhousie Ignite dinner highlighted several big research initiatives for the next century. It was great to see that the university wants to play a part in addressing global challenges such as food security, health, sustainable energy, and climate change. As one of the featured researchers, I was very honored to be given the opportunity to present my work in front of such a large and distinguished audience."" Mita Dasog, Assistant Professor, Department of Chemistry Read more: Igniting Dal's third century Medicine 150 It wasn't just Dalhousie, as a whole, celebrating a milestone year: Dalhousie Medical School marked its 150th anniversary in 2018. Throughout the year the Faculty of Medicine celebrated its innovators and looked to its future, culminating in the big Medicine 150 gala in November. "Our DalMed150 Anniversary Weekend was a huge success! It was a pleasure to be able to come together and celebrate the memories, experiences and achievements of our school. While we do have a tendency to look forward, the Dal Med 150 celebrations have provided us with an opportunity to look back, and to appreciate the vision and dedication of those who went before us to establish Dalhousie Medical School and help it grow into the renowned institution it is today." David Anderson, Dean, Faculty of Medicine Read more: An anniversary to remember Air India invites sealed bids from government entities for sale of leasehold rights of the land. Mumbai: Air India has floated tender for the sale of its iconic 23-storey tower at Nariman Point in Mumbai. Only government entities are allowed to participate in the bidding for acquiring leasehold rights of the land and building on as is where is basis. Air India invites sealed bids from government entities for sale of leasehold rights of the land, and its iconic Air India building constructed hereon at Nariman Point, Mumbai, on as is where is basis, the tender said. As per the tender issued in leading newspapers, the interested parties can submit their bids by end of this month. The government had mooted the sale of the Nariman Point building after its bid to divest majority 74 per cent stake in the carrier nose-dived with no one coming forward to file the expression of interest. The national carrier earned Rs 291 crore as lease rental from the building between 2012-13 and January 2018. In all, it received Rs 543.03 crore by monetising all its fixed assets during the period. Saddled with an unsustainable debt of Rs 50,000 crore, the state-run airline has been surviving on taxpayer money since 2012 when the UPA government approved an Rs 30,231 crore bailout over 10 years. Earlier, the government had hinted that state-owned Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) could be a potential buyer for the tower. Later, it appointed consultancy firm Cushman & Wakefield to ascertain the value of the tower. Air India employees, however, have opposed the move and has sought a rethink on the decision. The Air Corporation Employees Union (ACEU) had earlier urged the company management, headed by IAS officer Pradeep Singh Kharola, to reconsider the plan. It had suggested raising secured loans against the building to retire high-cost working capital borrowings. Some of the airline insiders FC spoke to doubted the government plan given that general elections are months away as it could send out wrong signal about the central government. We dont think the government will get right price for the building given the prevailing real estate market, said an executive. The pilot projects are on already, the bank hopes to provide such services soon. New Delhi: The country's largest lender SBI is running pilot projects to disburse agricultural loans digitally and expects to roll out the services very soon, a top official said on Tuesday. "We are doing some pilot projects. We have tied-up with some players for settlement of payments. Also the digital land records of farmers are available," SBI MD (Retail & Digital Banking) P K Gupta said on the sidelines of an event here. When asked about the time-line for the launch of the services, he said as the pilot projects are on already, the bank hopes to provide such services soon. Speaking at the Inclusive Finance India Summit 2018, Gupta said there are lot many fin-tech players presently and many states also have the land records of the farmers, so it will help in providing digital loans to farmers using technology. New Delhi: A day after Urjit Patel resigned as RBI Governor, NITI Aayog Vice Chairman Rajiv Kumar Tuesday said the central bank's institutional capabilities are 'very strong' and it will do whatever is required for the markets and economy. Kumar further said although Patel has done an amazing work in the last two years as RBI Governor, the functioning of the central bank is not dependent on any particular individual. "RBI's institutional capabilities are very strong and they will do whatever is required for the markets and economy. The fact is that RBI itself is such a professional institution, and such a long-standing institution that you know, the business will continue," Kumar said on the sidelines of an event here. Patel, who had a run-in with the government over autonomy of the central bank, resigned from his job on Monday, citing personal reasons. The NITI Aayog vice chairman also assured that the government will do whatever is required to continue its business as usual. "Patel has done an amazing work in the last two years...But RBI is not dependent on any one particular individual," Kumar said. Commenting of weakening of the rupee after Patel's resignation, Kumar said: "The government also, I am sure, is seized of the matter and will take care whichever way it's possible." The rupee on Tuesday plunged by a significant 110 paise in early trade as domestic equities saw heavy sell-off amid crucial state election results and the unexpected resignation of Reserve Bank Governor Urjit Patel. The 38-year-old from Liverpool reckons he collects all the nutrients he needs from the air and can survive on 100 calories a week. (Representational Image/ Pixabay) An alleged breatharian claims that he eats nothing but the odd mint for months at a time, surviving, instead, on air. According to Khai Ho, who works as a pizza delivery guy, hes never felt hunger and food has apparently never appealed to him. The 38-year-old from Liverpool reckons he collects all the nutrients he needs from the air and can survive on 100 calories a week. He further claims that his bent towards Hindu form of meditation enables him to give up food for three months at a time. Khai, who weighs a healthy 82.5 kgs, says he only eats mints to stop the "bitter taste" in his mouth. And despite delivering hot food to people every day, Khai says he never feels tempted by it - and even claims to be happier and healthier for it. Inedia or breatharianism is the belief that it is possible for a person to live without consuming food or water. Khai only eats small amounts of food and little water while mainly surviving on mints or chewing gum for a fresh taste. Breatharians claim that food, and in some cases water, are not necessary for survival, and that humans can be sustained solely by prana, the vital life force in Hindu religion. Three policemen were killed and another critically injured in a militant attack in Zainapora area of Jammu and Kashmir's southern Shopian district on Tuesday. (Representational Image | PTI) Srinagar: Four policemen were killed in a militant attack in Zainapora area of Jammu and Kashmir's southern Shopian district on Tuesday. The slain policemen have been identified as Anees Ahmad, Abdul Majid, Merajuddin and Hameedullah. Jaish-e-Muhammad has admitted responsibility for carrying out the attack and said its men snatched four rifles from the policemen. The officials said a group of militants attacked a police post set up for the protection of minority Pandit community members at Zainapora with gunfire. Three of the four policemen manning the post died on the spot. The critically injured policeman is battling for life at the hospital, the officials said. They also said that the militants decamped with the service weapons of the policemen and fled from the area. The Army and J&K police's counterinsurgency Special Operations Group (SOG) with central armed forces have launched a search operation in a vast area around the scene of occurrence, a report from Shopian said. Judge Emma Arbuthnot ordered Mallyas extradition, in a major boost to Indias efforts to bring back the 62-year-old former Kingfisher Airlines boss wanted for alleged fraud and money laundering charges amounting to an estimated Rs 9,000 crores. (Photo: AP | File) New Delhi: India on Monday expressed deep satisfaction over the judgement of a UK court which ordered Vijay Mallyas extradition after concluding that the flashy billionaire does have a case to answer in the Indian courts over substantial misrepresentations of his financial dealings. Chief Magistrate of the Westminster Magistrates Court in London, Judge Emma Arbuthnot ordered Mallyas extradition, in a major boost to Indias efforts to bring back the 62-year-old former Kingfisher Airlines boss wanted for alleged fraud and money laundering charges amounting to an estimated Rs 9,000 crores. External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said India will continue to work with the British government for expeditious implementation of the court order. We express our deep satisfaction at the judgement and note that justice has been delivered today. We thank the UK authorities for their help in this matter, Kumar said. We will continue to work with the UK Government for expeditious implementation of todays court order and early extradition of Mallya to India, he added. Delivering the verdict at Westminster Magistrates Court, Judge Arbuthnot said there is a prima facie case against Mallya and that she is satisfied that his human rights would not be infringed in Barrack 12 of Arthur Road Jail in Mumbai, where he is to be held on being extradited. The court accepted the Indian governments contention that because Mallya has such a high profile, his trial in India will be under great scrutiny and he will be able to raise with the court any overly prejudicial publicity. Addressing the jail conditions, the judge expressed her satisfaction with the evidence provided by the Indian government, describing the video of Barrack 12 at Arthur Road Jail as an accurate portrayal of the conditions which will apply to Mallya. However, the court made a specific reference to special medical conditions being made available to the businessman, who is described as far from healthy. The court also dismissed the defences attempts to dispute Indian prison conditions as a bar to his extradition on human rights grounds, saying the video of the Barrack 12 of Mumbais Arthur Road Jail, where Mallya would be held, gives accurate portrayal and has been recently redecorated. 'We are confident that the Congress will get a clear majority and will for its government in Rajasthan,' Gehlot told PTI. (Photo: ANI | Twitter) New Delhi: Senior Congress leader Ashok Gehlot said Tuesday that he was confident that his party will form the government in Rajasthan and decision on the chief minister's post will be taken by Rahul Gandhi. He also credited Gandhi for the party's good performance in all the five states, including Rajasthan. "We are confident that the Congress will get a clear majority and will for its government in Rajasthan," Gehlot told PTI. Asked who will be CM, he said it will be decided by the party MLAs and the Congress president. Gehlot said Gandhi raised key issues concerning the people because of which Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "graph came down". He also said that Gandhi first cornered Modi and Amit Shah in Gujarat and played issue-based politics. The senior Congress leader said the Congress benefited as Gandhi raised issues concerning price rise, farmers, the Rafale issue on which Modi and the BJP did not have answers. New Delhi: The Congress has wrested Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan and was leading in Madhya Pradesh all BJP Hindi heartland bastions -- as counting neared completion for the five state Assembly elections on Tuesday. The outcome of these elections -- billed as the semi-finals before the 2019 general elections -- is looking grim for the BJP as the party was in power in Rajasthan last term and had ruled Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh since 2003. K Chandrasekhar Rao's Telangana Rashtra Samithi has swept Telangana and is set to form the government. Read: Telangana poll results: KCR is back in state, in one clean sweep The Congress has, however, lost Mizoram, the only state in the Northeast not ruled by the BJP. The Mizo National Front (MNF) is the clear winner this time. It supports the NDA. Exactly a year ago, Congress chief Rahul Gandhi had taken over the party. Winning two states and coming within a fighting chance of a third in the Hindi heartland is the Congress biggest haul in the last five years. At the Congress party office, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi credited her sons hard work for the victories. The 48-year-old spoke at 82 rallies, and took every opportunity to tear into Prime Minister Narendra Modi from the Rafale to Nirav Modi issues. Chowkidaar chor hai, was his war cry. In the evening, Gandhi paid rich tributes to party workers in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh where the party won. I also thank workers where we lost. This is the victory of the Congress worker. In difficult circumstances, he or she has stood up and worked for our ideology, he said. He added: We have a commitment to the people who have voted us. I thank the BJP chief ministers for their work over terms. He said what had a big impact these elections was the ruling disposition's inability to understand the agriculture sector. He predicted it would be very difficult for the Prime Minister and BJP to win the elections next year. Madhya Pradesh: The fight here was a nail-biter between the Congress and the BJP the whole day, but the Opposition managed to get a slim lead by early evening. The BJP has ruled MP since 2003. It had a significant majority of 165 seats in the 230-seat Assembly in 2013. Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan hopes for a fourth term in office was fast diminishing, but it is to his credit that the BJP gave such a close fight while burdened with a 15-year anti-incumbency. Smelling victory in this very important state, the Congress went overboard in the evening trying to stitch a coalition with other parties and Independents as it was falling short of the simple majority of 116 seats. Congress leaders contacted the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), Samajwadi Party (SP), Gondwana Gantantra Party (GGP) and Independents who were leading, sources said. Governor Anandiben Patel's role will be key in government formation. Leads: Congress -- 114, BJP -- 109, BSP -- 2, Others -- 5. (Seats: 230) Rajasthan: Rajasthan, which alternates between the Congress and the BJP, has true to form voted for the Congress, as predicted by the exit polls. The party is hovering around the simple majority of 100 seats in the 199 seats that went to votes. Rajasthan has a 200-member Assembly but polling on Alwar's Ramgarh constituency was postponed following the death of the BSP candidate. The Rajasthan Congress legilative unit will meet on Wednesday, seek views of MLAs and senior leaders on who should be chief minister. The final decision will depend on the Congress highcommand, leaders said at a press meet in the evening, which was attended by the two CM hopefuls Ashok Gehlot and Sachin Pilot. Also Read: Rajasthan election results: Congress wins, but who will be chief minister? Congress President Rahul Gandhis promise to allay agrarian distress if voted to power has been one of the single-most factor behind the partys good show. Apart from that, Vasundhara Rajes perceived arrogance, her alienation from the RSS, not being on the same page with Modi and Shah and anti-incumbency went against the BJP government in the state. Leads: Congress -- 101, BJP -- 73, BSP -- 6, Others -- 19. (Seats: 199) Chhattisgarh: This state too has been ruled by the BJP since 2003, but the incumbent party faces a rout this time. The Congress is marching towards a significant majority leaving the BJP far behind and dashing outgoing chief minister Raman Singh's hopes for a fourth shot at the chair. The third angle these elections -- the Ajit Jogi-Mayawati combine -- has also done well. This was a prestige battle for three-term Chief Minister Raman Singh of the BJP and the Opposition Congress' fight for resurgence. This time, the coalition between Mayawati-led Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), former chief minister Ajit Jogi's Janata Congress Chhattisgarh (J) and Communist Party of India (CPI) added another dimension to the electoral politics of the state which has been dominated by the BJP and the Congress. But the combine but did not impact the Congress' vote share. Leads: Congress -- 67, BJP -- 15, BSP+ -- 7, Others -- 1. (Seats: 90) Also Read: Chhattisgarh election results: Congress makes inroads in central state Telangana: The Telangana Rashtra Samithi is set to form its second successive government in the state as the people have returned it to power with a thumping majority, a ringing endorsement of party chief K Chandrasekhar Raos populist policies. It was evident as soon as the counting started that the TRS juggernaut would not falter till it had captured the Assembly. The party has managed a little less than 90 seats so far in the 119-seat Assembly. Maiden polls for the Assembly were held on December 7 with a voter turnout of 73.20 per cent. The previous polls were held in the united Andhra Pradesh. Telangana was carved out of Andhra Pradesh in 2014. The Assembly polls in Telangana were originally scheduled to be held simultaneously with the Lok Sabha elections next year, but the House was dissolved on September 6 as per a recommendation by the state Cabinet. Leads: TRS -- 878, Congress -- 21, BJP -- 1, Others -- 9. (Seats: 119) Mizoram: The Mizo National Front has won the state with 26 seats. In a way, the BJP opens an account in Mizoram too -- it rules the other six Northeast sisters -- as the MNF is a part of the NEDA (North-East Democratic Alliance) and the NDA. MNF president Zoramthanga has, however, ruled out any coalitions. He said: We will not have any coalition government either with the BJP or any other because my party can form the government on its own. We're a part of the NEDA (North-East Democratic Alliance) and the NDA but we wouldn't like to join the Congress or UPA. Zoramthanga added: My first priorities will be three things to impose prohibition on liquor, repair roads and implement Social Economic Development Programme (SEDP) which is our flagship programme. Mizoram was the last bastion of the Congress in the Northeast. In the 2013 elections, the Congress had won 34 seats, while its main opposition the Mizo National Front (MNF) got five seats and the Mizoram People's Conference bagged one seat. This time, Congress' two-term chief minister Lal Thanhawla has lost both from Serchhip and Champhai South. The Congress and the MNF have ruled Mizoram since 1987. The BJP, which set its eyes on the state this time, got one seat and increased its vote share to 8 per cent. All other Northeastern states are now ruled either by the saffron party or others supported by it. Leads: MNF -- 26, Congress -- 5, BJP -- 1, Others -- 8. (Seats: 40) Much was at stake for the BJP in these results that are seen as the semi-finals to next years general elections in April or May. The BJP came to these polls with significant reverses in Lok Sabha and Assembly bypolls held since 2014. In the last bypolls on May 28, across 11 states, the Opposition had picked up 11 of the 14 seats, while the BJP got 3. The BJPs strength in the Lok Sabha has also come down to 272 from 282 in 2014. A resurgent Congress has everything to be happy about with the results. According to analysts, what could have worked for the Congress was the promise of waiving off farmers loans in all states if voted to power. The party also played the soft Hindutva card to the hilt, promising cow protection in its manifestoes in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. The party also kept at bay infighting in both these states. The outcomes of these elections will have a significant impact next year as Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh have 65 Lok Sabha seats, of which the BJP had won 62 in the 2014 Narendra Modi wave. Here is a quick look at how parties fared in 2013: Madhya Pradesh: BJP had won 165 of the total 230 seats, Congress 58 and other 7. Exit polls this time called it a very close fight. Rajasthan: BJP had won 163 of the 200 seats, Congress 21 and others 16. Exit polls this time handed over the state to the Congress. Chhattisgarh: BJP had won 49 of the 90 seats, Congress 39 and others 2. This state too has been called a close fight by exit polls. Telangana: TRS had got 63, Congress 21 and BJP 5 of the total 119 seats. Exit polls have overwhelmingly voted in favour of the TRS this time. Mizoram: Congress had got 34 of the 40 seats with the Mizo National Front bagging 5 and other 1. This time the advantage is with the MNF, according to exit polls. Addressing the floor leaders, Prime Minister Modi said, 'The government is always receptive to the issues raised by all political parties.' (Photo: ANI) New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday urged all parties to utilise the Winter Session of Parliament for public interest rather than individual interests. Speaking outside Parliament before the start of the session, the Prime Minister asked leaders of various political parties to participate in debates, discuss issues of public interest and work towards resolving them. PM Modi hoped that the session would be constructive and members would participate in debates on key issues concerning the public, even if sharper. The Prime Minister also appealed all political parties to ensure smooth functioning while assuring that all issues would be discussed in the House. He hoped the Winter Session would function more than its stipulated time. "I am confident that political parties will keep public interest in mind and make use of this session to utilise it for furthering public interests and not parties interests," he told reporters. PM Modi said this Winter Session of Parliament is important and everyone should participate in discussion. "There should be debate, discussion and dialogue," he said. The Winter Session of Parliament starts on Tuesday and will end on January 8. The session, which will have 20 sittings spread over a period of 29 days, is expected to be used by the Opposition parties for raising several issues like Rafale deal and alleged government interference in the functioning of institutions like the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The government on Monday held a meeting with leaders of all the parties to discuss how the session could be run smoothly. Addressing the floor leaders, Prime Minister Modi said, "The government is always receptive to the issues raised by all political parties." Well deploy an additional ferry in the evenings when the rush is expected to be the most, said a senior SWTD official. Kochi: The State Water Transport Corporation (SWTD) would operate special bo-at services in the Ernakulam-Fort Kochi route to cater to people visiting the Kochi-Muziris Biennale from December 12. Boat services will be operated in addition to the scheduled ones. Well operate a service as and when there are enough passengers. Well deploy an additional ferry in the evenings when the rush is expected to be the most, said a senior SWTD official. Currently, there are nine boats at the departments disposal to operate services in the Ernaku-lam-Fort Kochi section. It will deploy the boat, used to conduct the Ernaku-lam-Varapuzha service, from 5.30 pm daily till the mega event gets concluded by March, 29, 2019. In the previous occasions, the department had come under fire for not operating additional services from the start of the Biennale festive season. The commuters, the majo-rity of whom were touri-sts, were forced to wait for nearly an hour to board boats. The authorities are expecting the newly-launched fast ferry Vega to run packed during the festive season. Visitors can directly reach Kama-lakadavu in the fast ferry which takes only 15 minutes to cover the distance. Normal boats go to the Customs jetty and the commuters will have to walk for another 20 minutes to reach Fort Kochi main junction, the official said. Meanwhile, the Biennale organisers requested the department to conduct overnight boat operations but the same was turned down by the latter fearing poor commuter patronage. Mangaluru: Scholars are documenting inscriptions, folk narratives and other documents related to Kambala, the traditional annual buffalo race of the state's coastal districts in an attempt to save it from being banned in response to claims of cruelty by animal rights activists. Kambala has been facing rough weather with the Supreme Court banning Jallikattu, a bull taming sport in Tamil Nadu. The Karnataka government, which passed the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 2017 to protect Kambala, has been challenged by animal rights organisation, PETA in the Supreme Court. Hoping to prove that holding of Kambala is a cultural right and does not involve any cruelty to animals, experts are now trying to collect all the necessary documents to back their claim. Kambala is closely knit with the culture of Tulunadu. It is associated with religious rituals and held traditionally as part of Kolas, or temple festivals. It is believed that buffalos need to race in slush in villages to appease the gods," explains Mr Gunapala Kadamba of the Kambala Academy, adding that the sport goes back over six centuries. We have many inscriptions relating to the preparations for Kambala Gadde, donation of Kambala fields and so on dating back five centuries. We intend to collect more evidence and bring it to the notice of the court, he adds. Experts also feel the government needs to commission a study to prove that the anatomy of buffalos used for Kambala lends itself to the sport. Meanwhile, the Kambala Samithi has approached the Supreme Court to allow it to implead in the case saying it has all the necessary documents to counter PETA. A bench comprising Justices U U Lalit and Navin Sinha is hearing the matter related to the killing of the noted scholar and rationalist at Dharwad in 2015. (Photo: File) New Delhi, Dec 11 (PTI) The Karnataka Police Tuesday informed the Supreme Court that there appears to be a connection between journalist Gauri Lankesh and rationalist M M Kalburgi murder cases. The state police also told the apex court that it will file a chargesheet in the Kalburgi murder case in three months. A bench comprising Justices U U Lalit and Navin Sinha is hearing the matter related to the killing of the noted scholar and rationalist at Dharwad in 2015. The top court on November 26 had pulled up the Karnataka government for "doing nothing and just fooling around" in the investigation and had indicated that it may transfer the case to Bombay High Court. Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) chief K Chandrasekhar Rao is greeted by his partyworkers as they celebrate their party's victory in the state Assembly elections, at Telangana Bhavan in Hyderabad. (Photo: PTI) Hyderabad: The Telangana Rashtra Samithi is set to form its second successive government in the state as the people have returned it to power with a thumping majority, a ringing endorsement of party chief K Chandrasekhar Raos populist policies. It was evident as soon as counting started that the TRS juggernaut would not falter till it had captured the Assembly. The party has managed a little less than 90 seats so far in the 119-seat Assembly. The Peoples Front a combine of the Congress, the TDP, the TJS and CPI is likely to get around 20. The BJP will settle for 2, while the AIMIM is leading in 5 Assembly seats. Analysts feel the Congress would have fared better if it had gone alone and not with Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu. Rao had dissolved the Assembly in September, eight months ahead of schedule, in a political gamble that paid off handsomely, as the party is expected to improve on its previous strength of 63 in the 119-seat Assembly. However, TRS strength had risen to 82 after defections from TDP and Congress before the elections. "The people reposed faith in the leadership of our chief minister and they did not believe in the disinformation campaign of the opposition," said T Harish Rao, a minister in the outgoing government and a nephew of Rao. T Harish Rao created a record by winning 6 times, scoring a double hat-trick . In a major setback, however, for the TRS, three of its ministers T Thummala Nageswara Rao, Chandulal and Jupally Krishna Rao have lost to the Opposition. The Asaduddin Owaisi-led All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) Tuesday won seven of the eight seats it contested in the Telangana assembly polls, retaining its hold in its traditional bastion of the Old City of Hyderabad. All the seven sitting MLAs, including Owaisi's brother Akbaruddin Owaisi, were re-elected. MIM won in seven assembly constituencies for the first time in 2009 and repeated the feat in 2014. TDP candidates have not done well, losing even in areas where migrant the population was high. Celebrations erupted early in TRS offices throughout the state as well as in the Telangana Bhavan, the party headquarters in Hyderabad. TRS activists danced to drum beats, burst firecrackers and distributed sweets. Read: KCR: A Congress foot soldier who became mascot of Telangana pride Congress candidates were leading in merely 20 seats and its ally TDP in two, confirming that their alliance was facing an expected rout in the face of the TRS juggernaut, which also trampled BJP, which was ahead in three seats. The BJP had five members in the dissolved Assembly. Congress and TDP had 18 and three seats in the outgoing house. Senior TDP leader Ravula Chandrasekhar Reddy said the factors leading to the drubbing needed to be analysed. "We were expecting to get more seats. The results are not to our expectations. We have to analyse and introspect where it went wrong, and we have to work together," Reddy told PTI, adding the peoples verdict needed to be respected. Highlights: * The swearing-in ceremony of the 2nd government in Telangana is scheduled to take place on Wednesday afternoon. * Rural voters form 80 per cent of the chunk that voted in favour of TRS. * Trends show schemes like Shaadi Mubarak and the farmers insurance cover of Rs 8,000 per acre played a major role in voter swing. * TRS secured 48% of poled votes, highest so far. A party or a coalition needs to win 60 seats in the 119-member Telangana Assembly. Also Read: Telangana has shown way to the whole nation: KCR after victory Telangana Assembly election was held on December 7 after K Chandrasekhar Rao dissolved the government almost eight months before its expiry. A total of 1,821 candidates contested the Telangana Assembly election 2018. Congress president Rahul Gandhi and Prime Minister Narendra Modi held extensive campaigns across the state to woo voters. Also Read: Live election results: Congress leads Rajasthan, MP, C'garh; TRS takes Telangana This was the first election to Telangana Assembly after a separate state was carved out from Andhra Pradesh in 2014. Andhra Pradesh was not yet divided when the last assembly election were held. After division, the Telangana Assembly got 119 seats, 63 of which belonged to the TRS followed by 21 of the Congress and 15 of the TDP. Here are LIVE updates on counting of votes in Telangana: 03.30 pm: It is clear with wins and leads that the TRS was coming back with a sweeping majority. 02:57 pm: Telangana caretaker minister and TRS candidate Talasani Srinivas Yadav wins from Sanath Nagar constituency by 30,217 votes. 02:10 pm: As the counting is underway, till 2 pm, K Chandrasekhar Rao-led TRS has won in 17 of the 119 assembly seats and is leading in 70 seats. Congress has bagged 3 seats and is leading in 18. AIMIM is leading in 6 seats, BJP is leading in 2 and TDP is leading in 1 seat. TRS M Sanjay Kumar and Sunke Ravishankar won with impressive margins. Sanjay Kumar defeated his nearest Congress rival T Jeevan Reddy by a margin of 57,127 votes in Jagtial constituency. Sunke Ravishankar won from Choppadandi by a margin of 42,249 votes against his nearest Congress rival Medipalli Satyam. 02:04 pm: TRS President and Telangana caretaker Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao wins from Gajwel constituency by 51,514 votes. 01:35 pm: With TRS leading in Telangana, Congress delegation on Tuesday submitted a complaint to Telangana Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Rajat Kumar raising suspicions that Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) have been manipulated in the state. (Photo: ANI) 12:45 pm: It's celebration time outside Telangana Bhavana where party workers have gathered to rejoice the victory of TRS following early trends. Also Read: TRS set to rule Telangana for second term, party celebrates after early trends 12:29 pm: "The losing party always says the EVMs have been tampered with, this is absolutely false. Even the CEC in a press meeting yesterday said that it is not possible to tamper EVMs. People have given victory to TRS, what Congress is claiming is false," TRS MP K Kavitha told news agency ANI. 12:01 pm: TRS is leading in 92 out of 119 Telangana Assembly seats. Congress is ahead in only 16 segments, while the TDP headed by the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu was leading in just 2. AIMIM is leading in 5 seats and the BJP is leading in 2 constituencies. 11:32 am: "I am having doubts on results we're getting in Telangana ballot paper counting. We're doubting that tampering could have been done in EVMs. Slips should be counted in VVPATs," Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee's Uttam Kumar Reddy told news agnecy ANI. "All the Congress leaders will complaint to RO officers. We will also complaint to ECI on this matter. How can TRS leaders say before counting that who will lose in elections," Uttam Kumar Reddy added. 11:26 am: TRS president and Telangana caretaker Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao leading by 17,074 votes in Gajwel seat over his nearest Congress rival Vanteru Pratap Reddy after sixth round. 11:20 am: Leading in 90 constituencies in Telangana, TRS looks set to sweep the state assembly elections. The Congress is leading in 15 seats, its ally the TDP in one. Asaduddin Owaisi's AIMIM that backed the TRS was leading in 5. BJP is leading in 4 constituencies. 11:15 am: Secunderabad Cantonment TRS Party candidate Sri Sayanna won by over 12,000 votes. 11:02 am: Sri Harish Rao of TRS leads by over 56,000 votes in Siddipet. 10:58 am: Telangana state Congress chief N Uttam Kumar Reddy is leading in Huzurnagar constituency by 1,852 votes over his nearest rival Saidi Reddy of TRS after the third round. 10:47 am: TRS members celebrate outside party office in Hyderabad as the party leads in early trends. (Photo: ANI) 10:32 am: A few candidates of Congress have left the counting centres after observing the initial trends. 10:30 am: The initial trails are shocking for the Congress, as big wigs in the party such as Jana Reddy, party working president Revanth Reddy, former Deputy CM Damodar Rajanarasimha, campaigning committee Chairman Bhatti Vikramarka, former Ministers J Geetha Reddy, DK Aruna, Shabbir Ali, Ponnala Lakshmiah are trailing behind TRS candidates. 10:23 am: The early trends are completely in favour of KCR-led TRS in Telangana. It seems another term of pink wave in the state. According to early treands, TRS is leading in 87 seats. Congress is leading in 14 seats while and its ally Telugu Desam Party (TDP) in one constituency. The BJP was leading in 5 constituencies, the Asaduddin Owaisi-led AIMIM in 4 seats and others in 3. 09:57 am: AIMIM leader Akbaruddin Owaisi wins from Chandrayangutta constituency. 09:47 am: Telangana caretaker minister T Harish Rao leading by 19,989 votes over his nearest TJS nominee Bhavani Reddy after fourth round in Siddipet segment. 09:22 am: TRS leading in 78 seats, Congress in 26, while the BJP is leading in meagre 2 seats. 09:20 am: Care taker Chief Minister of Telangana K Chandrasekhar Rao is leading from Gajwel against Congress' Vanteru Pratap Reddy. 09:15 am: Early trends show TRS racing ahead with leads in 41 seats while the Congress is leading with 22 seats. The BJP is leading in 5 seats. 09:11 am: Senior TRS leader T Harish Rao, a minister in the Caretaker government, leading in Siddipet by 13,040 votes over his nearest TJS rival Bhavani Reddy after the completion of the third round. In Zaheerabad, TRS nominee Manik Rao was leading by 738 votes after the first round. 08:57 am: Early trends show KCR-led TRS bracing ahead with an advantage in 20 seats. Congress leading in 10 seats while the BJP has managed to open its account with a lead in 1 seat. 08:55 am: "We believe people of Telangana are with us. We have sincerely worked and utilised the opportunity given to us. So I believe voters will bring us back to power, and that too independently. We are very confident about it," Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) MP K Kavitha told news agency ANI. (Photo: ANI) 08:30 am: Early trends give TRS a lead in 10 seats while the Congress-led alliance has fallen behind with just 3 seats. Meanwhile, Asaduddin Owasi-led AIMIM and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have not opened their books yet. 08:05 am: In 2014, KCR won the election for the first time on TRS ticket from Gajwel over TDP candidate Vanteru Pratap Redddy with a margin of over 19,000 votes. 08:04 am: Telanganas caretaker chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao is contesting the assembly election from Gajwel seat in Siddipet district. He is the sitting MLA from the constituency. KCR is facing fight against Congress candidate Vanteru Pratap Reddy and Akula Vijaya of the BJP. 08:00 am: Counting begins across 43 centres in Telangana. 07:55 am: 73.20 per cent voter turnout was recorded in the December 7 Telangana Assembly election. The former prime minister added that he has known Patel to be an economist of high repute and also someone who cared deeply about Indias financial institutions and economic policy. (Photo: File) New Delhi: Former prime minister Manmohan Singh Monday termed RBI Governor Urjit Patels resignation as very unfortunate and said it was a severe blow to the countrys economy. Patel, who had a run in with the government over autonomy of the central bank, resigned from his job earlier on Monday, citing personal reasons. His resignation came four days ahead of a crucial meeting of the board of the central bank that could have discussed issues of simmering differences with the government. In a statement, Singh said he hoped that the RBI Governors sudden resignation is not a harbinger of Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led governments attempts to destroy the institutional foundations of Indias USD 3 trillion economy. He said it will be foolhardy to diminish institutions for short-term political gains. It is with great sadness that I received the news of the resignation of the Governor of the Reserve Bank of India, Urjit Patel, Singh said. Patels sudden resignation, at a time when the Indian economy is faced with many headwinds, is very unfortunate and is a severe blow to the nations economy, he said. The former prime minister added that he has known Patel to be an economist of high repute and also someone who cared deeply about Indias financial institutions and economic policy. Building institutions take a long time and effort but they can be destroyed in a whimper. It is institutions such as the RBI, among many others, that have served as the edifice of our great nations progress since independence. It will be foolhardy to diminish these institutions for short-term political gains, Singh said. He recalled RBI Deputy Governor Viral Acharyas apprehensions about the governments intent to raid the capital reserves of the RBI for fiscal purposes. I hope the resignation of the Governor is not a sign that this may soon become a reality, he said. I also sincerely hope that this sudden resignation of the Governor is not a harbinger of the Modi governments attempts to destroy the institutional foundations of Indias USD3 trillion economy, he added. Patel, 55, who took over as the 24th Governor of the central bank on September 5, 2016, had the shortest tenure since 1992. His three-year term was to end in September 2019 and he was eligible for a second term, like most of his predecessors. The government seems to have accepted his resignation with Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying Patel will be missed immensely. No announcement of Patels replacement has been made yet. Shukla said, 'It sets things in motion, he has charges like siphoning and diverting funds. It's not just a case of repayment of money it also involves a lot of criminal deeds. He should face the music'. (Photo: ANI | Twitter) Mumbai: Neetu Shukla, a former employee of the now defunct Kingfisher Airlines, on Monday stated that liquor baron Vijay Mallya's financial wrongdoings are not just a simple case of repayment of loans and include a number of criminal deeds, adding she would like to see him "face the music". Speaking to ANI, Shukla said, "It sets things in motion, he has charges like siphoning and diverting funds. It's not just a case of repayment of money it also involves a lot of criminal deeds. He should face the music". She further called for stringent employee protection laws to safeguard an employee's well being in case a company runs aground. "Despite the fact that India is a labour centric country, we do not protect labour laws. Employees are not safeguarded in any way, we need to have stringent laws". The Westminster Magistrate's Court in London pronounced the verdict to extradite Mallya, who is facing money-laundering charges to the tune of Rs 9000 crores and left India in 2016, back to India earlier today. Chief Magistrate Judge Emma Arbuthnot, who ruled against Mallya, found merit in charges of fraud, conspiracy and money laundering registered against him in India. The matter of Mallya's extradition has now been referred to UK's Secretary of State. Bhopal: In a dramatic turn of events, Congress sought an appointment with Madhya Pradesh governor Anandiben Patel late on Tuesday night to stake claim to form government. Results of only 138 Assembly constituencies were out when Congress hand delivered the letter to the Raj Bhavan late in the evening. Congress was however leading in 26 seats while BJP was ahead in 22 seats as the last reports poured in the state election office here. Fortune favoured the rival parties in turns although the counting of votes making the outcome unpredictable. BSP, SP and independents were leading in two, one and four seats respectively. Results of 179 seats have been declared by late in the evening. Of them, Congress has secured 88 seats and BJP has bagged 87 seats. Three seats have gone to independents. While chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan won the elections from Budhni assembly constituency by defeating his nearest Congress rival Arun Yadav, at least a dozen ministers in his ministry were trailing in their respective seats. Similarly, Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Ajey Singh, son of former chief minister late Arjun Singh, was trailing in his constituency of Churhat. Congress has fared better than BJP in the regions of Mahakoshal, and Gwalior-Chambal, considered pocket boroughs of partys veteran leaders Kamal Nath and Jyotiraditya Scindia respectively. Meanwhile, both the parties have begun parleys with independents and candidates of other fringe parties to form government since neither of them could reach the magic number of 116. In a significant development, BSP and SP declared to join alliance with Congress to form government in the state. Congress called meeting of its newly elected legislators on Wednesday to chalk out strategy to form government. In a related development, the chief minister met four independent candidates who were set to win polls from their respective assembly seats, in his official residence here late in the evening. While BJP secured vote share of 41.2 per cent, Congress garnered vote share of 41 per cent. Similarly, BSP, SP and Gandawana Ganatantra Party (GGP) got vote shares of 4.8 per cent, 1.1 per cent and 1.8 per cent respectively. Singh, who was inducted into the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government as Minister of State for Commerce and Industry in 1999, was sent back to state politics to lead the BJP in the 2003 assembly polls and steered the saffron partys bid to dethrone the Jogi government of Congress in 2003. Hyderabad: The Hyderabad High Court on Tuesday dismissed the petition of the Congress Party Contestant from Gajwel, Mr Vanteru Pratap Reddy, who sought for the directions to the Election Commission to count VVPAT (Voter Verified Paper Audit Trail) slips of Gajwel constituency, besides counting of the votes on the Electronic Voting Machines (EVM). A division bench comprising Chief Justice Thottathil B. Radhakrishnan and Justice S.V. Bhatt while hearing the plea of Mr Pratap Reddy, said they would not interfere in the election matters and give any directions to the EC. The court said the petitioner can approach Election Tribunal directly on the grievance. Pratap Reddy in his petition alleged that caretaker Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao misused the state government machinery and indulged in all sorts of poll violations. Hyderabad: Caretaker Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao would likely take oath December 16 as Chief Minister of Telangana for the second time. The TRS Legislature Party is scheduled to meet at 11.30 am on Wednesday and would elect Mr. Rao as its leader. After the election Mr Rao would call on Governor E.S.L. Narasimhan. Mr Rao, who believes in numerology and astrology, reportedly chose December 16 as it was the auspicious Navami. Hyderabad: Whether rural or urban, whether Congress bastion or any other, it made no difference to the Telangana Rashtra Samiti as people across the state voted for it and rejected the Congress-led Peoples Front in the just concluded Assembly elections. K. Chandrasekhar Raos image, the welfare schemes he initiated and the sense of self-respect he imbued, seem to have convinced voters to continue with the TRS. The entry of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu in alliance with the arch rival of the TRS, the Congress, turned the elections into a match between Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, and KCR vs Naidu and this was to KCR and his partys advantage. The Congress had predicted that the massive voter turnout would go against the TRS but the results have shown that it was in fact a positive vote for the TRS. The Congress-led Peoples Front had high hopes of doing well in Hyderabad and Ranga Reddy districts, but here too the TRS won a majority of seats. Nalgonda and Mahabubnagar districts, supposed to be the strongholds of the Congress, were also swept up in the TRS wave this time. The alliance was unable to give the TRS a really tough fight in any seat. It was Mr K. Chandrasekhar Rao who really pulled in the votes for his state. He has shown that after Indira Gandhi and N.T. Rama Rao, he is the only leader who can win for his party single-handed as people have a negative opinion of a majority of TRS candidates. This was seen during the election campaign when some villages did not allow candidates to enter. People across the state said that they were unhappy with their TRS candidates but they wanted KCR and the TRS back in power. Minister K.T Rama Rao in an interview to this newspaper during the campaigning admitted: It is true some candidates have a negative image with the public, but KCR's image will overshadow that. Hyderabad: Elated with the landslide victory in the elections, Telangana Rashtra Samiti supremo and caretaker Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao announced on Tuesday that he will participate actively in national politics. While addressing a press conference here in Telangana Bhavan, he said, A new consortium of regional parties may be formed soon. In 10 days, we will unleash the whole thing with regard to the opposition unity plan in New Delhi. Replying to a query with regard to his role in national politics, Mr Rao said, The Federal Front is not mine; it is of the people of India. It will have people, not mere leaders. Very soon a new national party may be formed which will be a consortium of regional parties. Very shortly, you will see me very active on the national front. I have full confidence that in the next one month, we can bring high qualitative change in Indian political scenario. This country does not need senseless politics in which they throw mud at each other: There is a dire need for political surgery of this country. Only injections wont do, surgery is needed. He said that the state will play a major role in national politics. It has shown the way to several states in terms of development. We will give a new definition to the political scenario. We will unite the people of India with our new policies. India must tackle the arrogance of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Congress, he said. People are vexed because they dont have an alternative to the Congress and BJP. Congress says BJP- Mukt Bharat and BJP says Congress-Mukt Bharat'. My new slogan is Bharat-Mukt of Congress and BJP, Mr Rao declared. He said that the Congress has won three states today because of lack of alternatives. Stressing that states must have more autonomy, he questioned why Delhi must control the development of urban infrastructure and education and other sectors of Telangana. He alleged that the Reserve Bank of India is sitting on Rs 8-9 lakh crore and it is not being used properly and similarly Rs 9 lakh crore is available with public sector undertakings but not being used. He said that the country needs a new economic model, a new agricultural model. We are a rich agricultural country. We should feed the world, but our productivity is low compared to Israel and other countries, There are 15 crore farmers in the country. Noted economist Ashok Gulati has praised our Agri schemes like giving `5,000 per acre, Mr Rao said. We need a new economic model and agricultural model for the country and a revolution is needed in these sectors, he said. Surgical strike and Ram temple issues are brought up only during elections, he said. Hyderabad: Will TPCC president N. Uttam Kumar Reddy shave his beard since the TRS has not been ousted from power or will Congress working president A. Revanth Reddy quit politics or will Congress leader Bandla Ganesh slit his throat? These are questions only the trio can answer. The candidates in the election fray had attempted to throw rash challenges and now that the results do not toe their line, will these politicos stick to their strange promises needs to be seen. On the Sunday before counting, Mr Revanth Reddy referring to IT minister K.T. Rama Raos statement claiming to quit politics forever if he lost the election, said if not, then KTR should leave politics. Interestingly, the firebrand Congress leader lost from Kodangal to TRS candidate Patnam Narender Reddy. Will Mr Uttam Kumar Reddy shave his long beard post-results, is left for him to answer. The TPCC president who always sported a clean-shaven look, thanks to the discipline instilled in him during his days in the Indian Air Force, took a vow in 2016 not to shave his beard till his party, the Congress, came to power in Telangana state. Mr Ganesh, who recently joined the Congress to become an MLA and had his dreams of securing a ticket turned down, shocked the people when he challenged to slit his throat with a blade. The official spokesperson for TPCC, in an interview said, Congress will come to power in TS and if it does not I will slit my throat with a blade. TRS contestant P. Ravi who turned infamous for washing the bottom of a baby during a campaign trail lost to his opponent in the Sathupally assembly segment. Another strange promise was made by TD state president L. Ramana who promised to convert the CMs residence into a government hospital. Srinagar: Four policemen were killed Tuesday when Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorists attacked a guard post outside a minority pocket in south Kashmirs Shopian district, officials said. The attack took place this afternoon when four policemen were sitting in a pre-fabricated room outside the pocket that houses six Kashmiri pandit families. A senior police official said that six Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorists were led by former Special Police Officer Adil Bashir, who deserted in October and decamped eight weapons from a PDP legislator. Quoting eyewitnesses, the police officer said that militants fired indiscriminately, killing three policemen on the spot and critically injuring one. The injured policeman was rushed to an Army hospital, where he also succumbed to injuries, the official said. The deceased have been identified as Anees Ahmad, Hamidullah, Mehraj ud Din and Abdul Majeed. At the time of the incident, only one family was present at the minority pocket. Immediately after the shoot out, the terrorists fled with three Self Loading Rifles (SLRs) of the policemen, the official said, adding a cordon and search operation has been launched to nab the criminals. The official said that an intercept had been received in which it was clear that Jaish-e-Mohammed, a banned terrorist organisation, was behind the barbaric act. Meanwhile J&K Govern-or Satya Pal Malik Tues-day expressed grief over the killing of four police personnel in a terror attack in Shopian district. In a message, Malik prayed for the departed souls and conveyed his sympathies to the bereaved families. The state unit of the BJP also condemned the cowardly attack and said the continued jihadi terror and violence against the security personnel was part of a sinister design to subvert the morale of the police force. PTI New Delhi: The Hindutva poster boy, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Aditya Nath, has proved to be a failure as far as the results of Assembly polls go. Despite being used extensively across the states of Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Telangana where he addressed approximately 75 rallies, Yogi has proved to be ineffective in garnering Hindutva votes for the Bharatiya Janata Party candidates. Sources stated that BJPs campaign managers had thronged with requests to schedule Yogis rallies in their constituencies during the recently concluded Assembly polls. And the Uttar Pradesh chief minister was next to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, party chief Amit Shah and the respective chief ministers of these states to have been on such extensive campaign trails. It is understood that the party had deployed Yogi for his ability to garner the voters through his Hindutva brand of politics. The saffron robed chief minister was being utilised fot polarisation of Hindu voters and to get them to vote for the BJP considering the fact that the party had incumbent governments in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan Yogi was considered to be important in the scheme of things as he heads the powerful Nath sect of ascetics. There has been a craze to get controversial hardline Hindutva leader as one of the campaigners and plans are drawn to utilise the chief minister with staunch Hindu image. The party wanted to utilise his ability to consolidate Hindu votes in favour of BJP. The attraction, say BJP leaders is Yogis ability to create controversy without effort. The candidates also love him for his ability to draw the crowd and media alike. The BJP had deployed its star campaigner Yogi Adityanath in these state where the party was trying to retain a foothold. During the poll campaign, Adityanath also delivered controversial statements in an attempt to polarise voters. However, these attempts at reaching out to the staunch Hindu voters and polarisation seemes to have failed and there is likley to be a rethink in the party over the deployment of Yogi in future polls, sources added. The campaigining saw Yogi stoking controversies with his rabble-rousing speeches. In Rajasthan, he threatened terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar of another surgical strike if he made any threats about the Ram temple. His alleged declaration of Lord Hanuman as a Dalit also appeared to have cost the BJP many votes. The MNF was also leading on two seats, even as it crossed the 21-seat mark required to form the government in the state. (Photo: ANI Aizawl: The Mizo National Front (MNF) emerged victorious in the Mizoram Assembly elections on Tuesday, bagging 24 seats out of the 40-member Assembly, according to the latest figures by the Election Commission of India. The MNF was also leading in two more seats, even as it crossed the 21-seat mark required to form the government in the state. The Congress party has won five seats, while the BJP secured one. The Independents have won five seats and are leading in three. BJP leader and Assam Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma tweeted, "Congratulations to Pu Zoramthanga for historic win of #MNF in #Mizoram. Meanwhile @BJP4India also opens its account in Mizoram." Currently, Mizoram is a part of the North-East Regional Political Front, which supports the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA). Zoramthanga said: I am not going to go for any coalition since I can for government on my own. My first priorities will be three things to impose prohibition on liquor, repair roads and implement Social Economic Development Programme (SEDP) which is our flagship programme. 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. The land-locked Mizoram in the North-East has assembly constituencies spread across eight districts, out of which 39 seats are reserved for scheduled tribes, while one is for the general category. MNF, the regional political party, formed the government in Mizoram twice, first in 1986 and then in 1998. However, it lost the 2008 elections and won only three seats. The state, which went to polls on November 28, saw a voter turnout of about 80 per cent. 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. The arrest in Canada of Meng Wanzhou, chief financial officer of Chinese telecommunications behemoth Huawei, and the legal proceedings to extradite her to the United States on charges of violating American sanctions against Iran, constitute the perfect storm. Although the purported goal of the United States in pushing for Ms Mengs detention is strict enforcement of the Donald Trump administrations campaign to isolate Iran, the real backstory to this drama is much bigger the mounting international anxiety amid Chinas push for supremacy in decisive cutting-edge technologies. This case illustrates how hi-tech is part and parcel of Chinas relentless march to superpower status and of attempts to contain it. Ms Meng hails from Chinas corporate aristocracy and is the dynamic face of one of its most storied companies. Literally, the word Huawei translates as Chinas achievement. It is the worlds largest supplier of telecom network equipment, ahead of Swedens Ericsson, Finlands Nokia and South Koreas Samsung. In consumer electronics, Huawei has overtaken Americas Apple and become the second biggest player in smartphones, with only Samsung to beat. The year-on-year growth trajectory of Huawei has been spectacular, thanks to massive investments in research and development and creative partnerships with foreign communications service providers. Besides Alibaba, if there is one symbol of Chinas rapid ascent, it is Huawei. The close identification of Huawei with Chinas overall rise is not incidental. Its founder, Ms Mengs father Ren Zhengfei, has a background in Chinas Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) and the company has benefited immensely from the Chinese states largesse. A front-runner in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and 5G wireless patents, Huawei is the poster child of President Xi Jinpings China Dream of an innovation society and a technological superpower. The Chinese state has assiduously promoted national champions like Huawei, Lenovo and ZTE to break free from dependence on the West for critical technologies and to spread Chinese influence internationally. If Huawei is today a multinational giant operating in over 170 countries, its expansion owes no small debt to the Chinese governments facilitation and steering. In theory, Huawei is a privately owned corporation. But in practice, Chinas state-guided capitalist environment is such that no company can rise to global heights without the strategic hand of the state behind it. Hence, it is hardly surprising that the likes of Mr Ren and Alibaba chief Jack Ma are formal members of the Chinese Communist Party. The nature of Chinas red capitalism is such that no clear distinction is made between private and public sector entities. And therein lies the rub. Even though the Canadian government has said that Ms Mengs arrest is a purely legal action with no political involvement, a strike against Chinas telecom colossus has enormous political implications that transcend Iran. American allegations that Ms Meng defrauded US banks and set up shell companies using the US financial system to bust sanctions against Iran are aimed at tarnishing Huaweis ethical reputation and sullying its image in the international telecom market. Huaweis moral standing has been under a cloud for a while. In August 2018, President Donald Trump banned Huawei and the other prominent Chinese telecom infrastructure company, ZTE, from supplying network components to the US government and any institution that works with it. The American decision was based on national security threat perceptions dating back several years that Chinese telecom companies carry backdoor switches, codes and cables to enable the Chinese government to spy on vital communications of countries of strategic interest. Australia and New Zealand, two US allies which are members of the Five Eyes intelligence coalition, have followed in the American footsteps and barred Huawei from building their respective 5G mobile networks. Already, these two countries have been facing a domestic blowback owing to increasing Chinese interference in their internal politics, news media and academia. Banning Huawei came to be seen in Canberra and Wellington as a necessary safeguard against the Chinese juggernaut which is spreading militarily, economically and via cyberspace in the entire Indo-Pacific region. Shortly after Ms Mengs detention in Canada on December 1, Japan too signalled it would ban Huawei and ZTE gear over fears of intelligence leaks and cyberattacks that would give Chinas government an upper hand. Canada itself is debating a ban on Chinese 5G equipment and Ms Mengs high-profile case has emboldened nationalistic voices there to shut Huawei and ZTE out of its market. Britain too has banned ZTE and the British company BT has omitted Huawei from its 5G plans. Even India has excluded Huawei and ZTE from partnering with local firms in 5G trials citing security concerns. Wherever Huawei has become persona non grata, the Chinese government cries foul that the bans are politically motivated and counterproductive for local consumers. For example, Chinas state-run Global Times claims India blocked Chinese firms using the excuse of safeguarding national security to please the US, and that such bans will make 5G services too expensive for low-income Indian populations. Yet, however much Beijing strives to allay doubts regarding Huawei and convey that business should not be politicised, opposition to Chinese corporate takeover of sensitive sectors persists because of the statist character of Chinas business majors. Suspicion of the motives and effects of Chinas extending corporate footprint will endure, especially in democracies, as long as China is not a market economy and there is a commanding one-party state which drives economic policymaking with a strategic vision. Beijing has criticised Canadas detention of Ms Meng as extremely nasty and criticised the US as a despicable rogue for initiating proceedings against her. It has also defensively reiterated that Huawei is an innocent victim of politicised harassment. But the more vigorously the Chinese government fights on behalf of its companies abroad, the further it exacerbates the core problem of economics and politics being deeply intertwined in Beijings mission of priming its corporations to dominate world markets. The fundamental issue highlighted by Meng Wanzhous fate goes beyond the Iran sanctions or corporate malfeasance. It is the incompatibility between capitalism with Chinese characteristics and liberal capitalism. The economic war is an ideological one and Huawei is entangled in the broader clash about how state and market should be relatively positioned in the 21st century. Why phones are being targeted for spyware is of course obvious: these little devices know more about us than our family and friends do, and if Big Brother gets into these then well, our lives are literally in their hands. "Its not paranoia if they really are out to get you. For Ahmed Mansour, a human rights activist hailing from the UAE, those are words to live by; after all, speaking out on inconvenient issues in a country which frowns upon such expression, is a perilous vocation at best and a deadly one at worst. So when Mansour receives a message on his phone with an attached link, he doesnt click on it even if it promises him the greatest cat videos of all time. Instead of clicking, he sent the messages to cybersecurity firm Citizens Lab which sent them forward to another cybersecurity firm called Lookout for investigation. What they found was a form of spyware they had not yet seen, despite the fact that their entire job is to root out and counter such malicious tools. In the words of Lookout, it carries out the most sophisticated attack theyd ever seen. How sophisticated? For one thing, this spyware was designed for phones using Apples iOs software, which was previously considered incredibly secure (it is also now available for Android). Once installed, the spyware ensures total surveillance by installing modules that allow the end user to listen to all calls, take screenshots, read all messages and emails, scan contact lists, photo galleries and browser histories. It can even turn on your phones microphone at will, essentially turning your phone into a surveillance device. If you think that your messages are safe because you use encrypted apps like WhatsApp and Signal then consider that Pegasus is capable of logging keystrokes, and thus can read what youre typing before it is encrypted. And the best part is that it leaves no trace of its existence; even the most skilled cybersecurity experts wont be able to locate it unless they know exactly what they are looking for. Developed by the Israeli company NSO technologies, Pegasus is a commercial product available for sale to interested bidders, and there is no shortage of those. An investigation by Citizens Lab revealed that Pegasus has been detected in at least 45 countries, many of which are notorious for human rights abuses and the suppression of even the most innocuous acts of dissent. While the Mansour case took place in 2016, Pegasus is back in the news thanks to a lawsuit filed against NSO by Saudi dissident Omar Abdulaziz who claims that it was this software, obtained by the Saudis and surreptitiously installed on Jamal Khashoggis phone that allowed the Saudi government to monitor his communications. Why phones are being targeted for spyware is of course obvious: these little devices know more about us than our family and friends do, and if Big Brother gets into these then well, our lives are literally in their hands. Sometimes its not even necessary to get into the phones, as the apps we like to use are sufficient to glean information from. Take the fitness app Strava which inadvertently gave away the locations of US military bases in Afghanistan and even thanks to the military personnel using it allowed other users to actually track movements around the base. While the rest of the world was hunting virtual creatures on Pokemon Go! several militaries around the world banned its use. But now we have smart TVs, refrigerators and (believe it or not) salt shakers. All these are part of what we like to call the internet of things, and each one of them is a potential surveillance device. Smart water meters may be efficient for the user, but they also can let hackers know exactly when you flush your toilet. As for those voice assistants we love to use, how can Alexa hear you say hello if its not always listening? And how hard would it be then for others to listen in? At which point does our convenience end up compromising us? By arrangement with Dawn First, the exit polls were on the right track: Let me begin with the average of Poll of Polls, i.e., the average of all exit polls done on assembly elections this time. For Chhattisgarh, figures were BJP 41 Cong 43 BSP and others 6. Madhya Pradesh: Average of Poll of Polls: BJP 109, Cong 111, BSP and others 10. Rajasthan: Average of Poll of Polls: BJP 78, Cong 110, BSP and others: 11. Telengana: Average of Poll of Polls: BJP 5 Cong 39 TRS 67 Others 8. Mizoram Average of Poll of Polls: Cong 16 MNF 18 Others 6. So, broadly, the results show that the exit polls were on track, though the extent of the wins in Chhattisgarh, Mizoram and Telengana was not predicted. Second, all tall faces were on the wane except for Telengana: BJP in recent times has been attempting to presidentialise all elections in states, sometimes putting Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the forefront and this time the state chief ministers (CM) ahead where there is a strong face, while Congress in most places (except in Punjab) did not have a strong face portrayed as the CM-in-waiting. That has not worked for BJP this time around. The Jan Ashirwad Yatra of MP CM Shivraj Chauhan was dropped mid-way due to the absence of any popular support. From Vyapam to local level corruption, Chauhan's image had already taken a hit. Even Rajasthan CM Vasundhara Rajes electoral yatra was stopped mid-path facing slogans like 'Modi sey bair nahi, Rani teri khair nahi' (No enmity with Modi, no love lost for Rani). Dr Raman Singh has a larger than life image in Chhattisgarh but that did not help him save the day facing anti-incumbency against his ministers and MLAs. Third, double anti-incumbency spelt the doom for BJP: The anti-incumbency against CM Vasundhara Raje Scindia has been tidal. Whether about her legendary arrogance even with her own ministers and MLAs, her inaccessibility, her policy paralysis on major issues of public life, her focus only on the urban educated elite given her royal background, etc, the media and public opinion was extremely critical for the last two years. There was the double anti-incumbency as well. The crafts, stones, agri-products and other small businesses were affected adversely with demonetisation as they have been dependent on a cash-driven economy, and also by GST with multi layers. Joblessness for educated youths, no MSP for the farming community, fuel price rise affecting famers and urban middle class alike et al emanating from Central government policies also contributed to the debacle. In MP, people were agitated with the agrarian crisis (specially, the Mandsaur firing on farmers), joblessness and failure on the law and order front. Over and above this, demonetisation harmed the cash-dependent rural economy as the digital infrastructure is abysmal in the hinterland. The GST with five layers put small traders and SME sector in a situation of high stress as well. And, furthermore, fuel price rise in the months ahead of the polls had led to high price-rise of commodities as well. While voters may not have been totally disenchanted with the Chaul Baba, as Chhattisgarh CM Dr Raman Singh is often called for his cheap rice and good PDS system, they were surely disenchanted with many elected MLAs of the BJP and nepotism at lower levels. Further, the central policies of demonetisation ruining cash-driven rural and tribal economy, and five-layered GST troubling small and medium enterprises, apart from rise of fuel prices making living expensive and retail sales down, led to the a double anti-incumbency. Fourth, an unusually united Congress faced an unusually disunited BJP: From Chattisgarh where Congress is divided between leader of Opposition TS Singh Deo and Tamradhwaj Sahu, to MP where the local Congress bosses are Kamalnath, Jyotiraditya Scindia and former CM Digvijay Singh, to Rajasthan where the rivalry has been between former CM Ashok Gehlot and state Congress president Sachin Pilot: the grand old party presented a picture of bonhomie within. Whatever happens ahead, the campaign was fought with low resources but high brotherhood by Congress. Whereas BJP, especially in Rajasthan, was a bitterly divided lot. Suicidal for them has been the conflict that CM Vasundhara Raje and her coterie has been having with the Modi-Shah leadership of BJP to the extent that she did not allow Shah man Gajendra Singh Sekhawat to take over as BJP state president. Fifth, surely it is a shot in the arm of Congress and Rahul Gandhi: Interestingly, December 11 last year was the day when Rahul Gandhi was formally elected as the Congress President, and exactly one year later, three Hindi heartland states register Congress win under his leadership. His claim to the leadership of the united opposition has just got a fillip. However, he would need to be cautious in first selection of his CMs in the three winning states as there are several claimants and this can be tricky. And second, he needs to cautiously avoid the arrogance that may creep into the party and take an accommodative stance with allies and even seek new allies. A case in point here is Ajit Jogi who now wants to return to Congress, and another in point is Mayawati's BSP which has not made a major mark but is getting some 10 seats across the three states of Hindi heartland this time. Congress needs to do business with both of them, and many more like them, with dignity and space for them. Sixth, the politics of alliances has also got a shot in the arm: The Congress, emboldened with the three states, will need to cement the opposition mahagatbandhan by consolidating the involvement of sulking opposition parties like Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party apart from the 21 parties which have met a day earlier. BJP, on its side, needs to expand its alliance after losing 12 parties so far from NDA, the latest being Upendra Khushwaha's RSLP. It needs to add new NDA partners like TRS in Telengana, Biju Janata Dal in Odisha, AIADMK in Tamil Nadu, et al. The victory was based on two quality Test innings from Cheteswar Pujara, who showed old-fashioned virtues are still relevant in the longest format and he was supported by the captain and vice-captain who are made of similar mettle when it comes to buckling down for the hard grind. (Photo: AP) Team India started the series in Australia on a bright note with a win in an opening Test, the first time ever on a tour down under. They had to fight hard to take the lead in the four-Test series, which is a reflection of the fact that no home side keels over these days. The victory was based on two quality Test innings from Cheteswar Pujara, who showed old-fashioned virtues are still relevant in the longest format and he was supported by the captain and vice-captain who are made of similar mettle when it comes to buckling down for the hard grind. Had the win been more emphatic than by a tense 31 runs, complacency may easily have set in. But this is one series in which Team India is seen to possess the wherewithal to rewrite history if only because the opposition is at its weakest in years thanks to bans on Steve Smith and his deputy David Warner. The highlight of the win in Adelaide is another pointer to how much the quality of Indian pace bowling has improved. While historically India has produced great individual fast bowlers, the team has never quite had an armada of pace anytime even in the 30 years since Dennis Lillee began a sustained programme to train Indian pace bowlers to put in the hard yards. The young wicket-keeper Rishabh Pant came within one catch of a world record 12 in a Test when he dropped Nathan Lyon. That he joins Jack Russell of England and AB de Villiers of South Africa on 11 catches is a clear sign of the effectiveness of contemporary Indian fast bowlers. India will not have been in this pole position in the series if not for pace adding a new dimension to the old story of wristy batsmen and sinuous spin bowlers. The spacecraft will later fly back to Earth, jettisoning a capsule bearing the asteroid specimen for a parachute descent in the Utah desert in September 2023. NASAs OSIRIS-REx spacecraft has discovered ingredients for water on a relatively nearby skyscraper-sized asteroid, a rocky acorn-shaped object that may hold clues to the origins of life on Earth, scientists said on Monday. OSIRIS-REx, which flew last week within a scant 12 miles (19 km) of the asteroid Bennu some 1.4 million miles (2.25 million km) from Earth, found traces of hydrogen and oxygen molecules - part of the recipe for water and thus the potential for life - embedded in the asteroids rocky surface. The probe, on a mission to return samples from the asteroid to Earth for study, was launched in 2016. Bennu, roughly a third of a mile wide (500 meters), orbits the sun at roughly the same distance as Earth. There is concern among scientists about the possibility of Bennu impacting Earth late in the 22nd century. We have found the water-rich minerals from the early solar system, which is exactly the kind of sample we were going out there to find and ultimately bring back to Earth, University of Arizona planetary scientist Dante Lauretta, the OSIRIS-REx missions principal investigator, said in a telephone interview. Asteroids are among the leftover debris from the solar systems formation some 4.5 billion years ago. Scientists believe asteroids and comets crashing into early Earth may have delivered organic compounds and water that seeded the planet for life, and atomic-level analysis of samples from Bennu could provide key evidence to support that hypothesis. When samples of this material are returned by the mission to Earth in 2023, scientists will receive a treasure trove of new information about the history and evolution of our solar system, Amy Simon, a scientist at NASAs Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland, said in a statement. Were really trying to understand the role that these carbon-rich asteroids played in delivering water to the early Earth and making it habitable, Lauretta added. OSIRIS-REx will pass later this month just 1.2 miles (1.9 km) from Bennu, entering the asteroids gravitational pull and analyzing its terrain. From there, the spacecraft will begin to gradually tighten its orbit around the asteroid, spiraling to within just 6 feet (2 meters) of its surface so its robot arm can snatch a sample of Bennu by July 2020. The spacecraft will later fly back to Earth, jettisoning a capsule bearing the asteroid specimen for a parachute descent in the Utah desert in September 2023. Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter. The case, brought by Qualcomm, is part of a global patents dispute between the two US companies that includes dozens of lawsuits. It creates uncertainty over Apples business in one of its biggest markets at a time when its falling share prices reflect concerns over waning demand for new iPhones. A Chinese court has ordered a ban on the sale of several older Apple Inc iPhone models in China for violating two patents of chipmaker Qualcomm Inc, although Apple said all of its phone models remained on sale in the mainland. The case, brought by Qualcomm, is part of a global patents dispute between the two US companies that includes dozens of lawsuits. It creates uncertainty over Apples business in one of its biggest markets at a time when its falling share prices reflect concerns over waning demand for new iPhones. Apple said on Monday it had filed a request for reconsideration with the court, the first step in appealing the ban. Qualcomm said the Fuzhou Intermediate Peoples Court in China found Apple infringed two patents held by the chipmaker and ordered an immediate ban on sales of older iPhone models, from the 6S through the X. Apple said all iPhone models remained on sale in China and the trio of new models released in September were not part of the case. China, Hong Kong and Taiwan are Apples third-largest market, accounting for about one-fifth of Apples $265.6 billion in sales in its most recent fiscal year. Qualcomm, the biggest supplier of chips for mobile phones, filed its case in China in late 2017, arguing that Apple infringed patents on features related to resizing photographs and managing apps on a touch screen. Apple responded by saying that Qualcomms effort to ban our products is another desperate move by a company whose illegal practices are under investigation by regulators around the world. COURT BATTLE OVER DETAILS In July, the same court banned the import of some microchips by Micron Technology Inc into China, citing violation of patents held by Taiwans United Microelectronics Corp (UMC). In the provincial Chinese court, which is separate from Chinas specialized intellectual property courts in Beijing, one party can request a ban on an opponents product without the opponent getting a chance to present a defense. To enforce the ban, Qualcomm separately will have to file complaints in what is known as an enforcement tribunal, where Apple will also have a chance to appeal. Apple shares rose less than 1 per cent to $169.60, recovering from an early drop when it became clear phones were still on sale, and Qualcomm stock rose $2.2 per cent to $57.24. The ruling comes as Beijing and Washington are locked in a tense trade dispute. The two sides have agreed to trade negotiations that must be concluded by March 1. Yiqiang Li, a patent lawyer at Faegre Baker Daniels who is not involved in the case, said the Chinese injunction could put pressure on Apple to reach a global settlement with Qualcomm. The specific iPhone models affected by the preliminary ruling in China are the iPhone 6S, iPhone 6S Plus, iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus, iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus and iPhone X. Erick Robinson, a patent lawyer in Beijing and former Qualcomm lawyer, said that while Chinese courts had become fairer in recent years, nationalism could sometimes be a factor in rulings. Qualcomm is a key technology vendor to Chinas rising smart phone brands such as Xiaomi Corp, Oppo, Vivo and OnePlus, while Apple competes directly against Huawei Technologies Co Ltd [HWT.UL], Chinas top homegrown maker of premium-priced smartphones. Huaweis Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou, the daughter of its founder, was arrested on Dec. 1 in Canada at the behest of the United States for allegedly violating US sanctions. A Canadian court is weighing whether to grant bail to Meng, who is facing possible extradition to the United States. Beijing has demanded her immediate release and threatened consequences for Canada. There is probably a political play here. Apple is a direct competitor to the biggest companies in China, whereas Qualcomm is a supplier, Robinson said. Qualcomm officials said tensions between the two nations had no bearing on the ruling. The company has had its share of troubles in China, from an unfavorable 2014 antitrust ruling to regulatory limbo that doomed its $44 billion bid for Dutch chipmaker NXP Semiconductors. Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter. European Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager also signaled that Google and Amazon would remain very much on her radar until the end of her mandate late next year. EU regulators looked into Apples mobile payment service and found it was not market dominant but they could review it again if they receive formal complaints, Europes antitrust chief said on Monday. In an interview with Reuters, European Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager also signaled that Google and Amazon would remain very much on her radar until the end of her mandate late next year. Google has been fined a total of 6.8 billion euros ($7.7 billion) in the last 18 months for breaching EU rules. Apples mobile payment service Apple Pay, launched in October 2014, is available in 10 EU countries including France, Italy, Spain, Sweden and Denmark. Critics say that an NFC chip embedded in the Apple iPhone means that Apple Pay is automatically selected when an iPhone user pays for goods and services, barring rival payment methods. The Danish Competition Authority is investigating the issue, which was brought to its attention by the Danish Consumer Council. Vestager, who has earned a reputation for taking a tough line against companies that breach EU rules and can impose fines of up to 10 per cent of a companys global turnover, said she did a preliminary review some time back. When we were looking at it ... (at) first glance, we couldnt see Apple being dominant. That doesnt exclude in the future that we will have a second look. But when we looked some time ago, we didnt find ... the necessary (evidence) to start a case, she said. Obviously if we had official complaints, we would take that seriously because the entire payment market is a very important payment market. A spokeswoman for Apple declined to comment. Separately Vestager is reviewing whether Amazon is using merchants data illegally to make its own brand products similar to retailers. She said she has been inundated with data, key to building a case against the US online retailer. Now we have received not piles, but mountains of data and for us it is a priority to go through that, both from Amazon themselves but also coming in from some of the businesses that they actually host, she said. For us, of course it is important to get the starting point right because, if we open a case, in order to be able to proceed with some speed, well then of course we need to get some of the basics right and we are in the process of doing that. Vestager recently asked Googles rivals if the internet search engine unfairly demotes local search competitors, raising the possibility of a fourth antitrust case against the company. Now we ask questions when it comes to local search. This means a lot to many people because you use your phone or your table, you are looking for a place to eat, opening hours, where to go, museums, doctors, all kinds of stuff, and therefore of course it is a very important area, a very important service, she said. It could be (a fourth case against Google) but of course we start asking questions without prejudice. Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter. OPPO, as an important strategic partner of China Mobile Chinas largest telecom service provider, unveiled its Find X 5G Prototype for the first time at the 2018 China Mobile Global Partners Conference, which was held from December 6th to 8th in Guangzhou. OPPO said it would work together with industry partners worldwide to develop a new 5G ecosystem. The OPPO Find X flagship smartphone, launched earlier this year, leads the all-screen trend in the smartphone industry. With the Find X, OPPO officially entered the Western European market, enabling the company to reach more consumers in developed countries. The OPPO Find X 5G prototype, with its engineering sample Snapdragon 855 and X50 5G modem, offers outstanding 5G performance and garnered much attention from visitors to the Global Partners Conference. At the event, OPPO, Qualcomm and Keysight Technologies Inc., a world-leading electronic measurement company, demonstrated 5G data connectivity and applications including browsing, online video replay and video call using the Find X 5G prototype. Speaking at the conference, Brian Shen, OPPO Global Vice President and President of China Business, said, We are confident OPPO will be one of the first companies to launch commercial 5G smartphones in 2019. As a pioneer in the 5G era, OPPO has been working on 5G standards, product R&D and the exploration of applications since early in 2015 and has made a series of leading achievements. In May 2018, OPPO completed the worlds first 5G 3D video call featuring structured light technology and proposed the concept of Ubiquitous Reality. OPPO then completed one of the worlds first 5G signalling and data connections on a smartphone in August and became the first company to complete a 5G Internet access test on a smartphone in October. In its latest 5G milestone, on November 30th OPPO made the world's first multiparty video call on a smartphone via a 5G network. Looking forward to the longer term, OPPO has introduced the concept of 5G+, with a belief that the 5G+ era will be an era where everything is connected and experience is king. The smartphone will be at the core of a wide range of smart devices, which will all be connected through the 5G network. To address the areas of smart health and smart home, OPPO has already begun work on several smart devices, exploring the intersection of 5G and cutting-edge technologies, and is collaboratively building a 5G+ innovation ecosystem with the entire industry, said Shen. Levin Liu, Head of OPPO Research Institute, added that OPPO will drive the advancement of 5G together with AI, Big data and Cloud Computing (5G + ABC), making smartphones and smart devices true intelligent personal assistants. We believe that rich 5G application scenarios and killer 5G applications will emerge in the future, bringing disruptive experiences to users. In building a 5G ecosystem, OPPO will continue deepening its collaboration with Qualcomm, network infrastructure manufacturers telecom service providers and other supply chain partners. In China, OPPO will work with China Mobile to accelerate the commercialization of 5G devices and build a new ecosystem for the 5G industry through China Mobiles 5G Device Forerunner Initiative. Outside China, OPPO is in talks with telecom service providers in Europe, Australia and other overseas markets, with plans to launch commercial 5G products next year. Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter. Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter. He is scheduled to be arraigned on December 18, 2018, before US District Judge John Michael Vazquez. (Representational Image) Washington: A 38-year-old Indian national has been arrested on charges of smuggling foreign nationals into the US for private financial gain, according to Department of Justice. Bhavin Patel, is charged by indictment with one count of conspiracy to bring in and harbour aliens and six counts of smuggling foreign nationals into the US via commercial airline flights, New Jersey US Attorney Craig Carpenito said on Monday. He is scheduled to be arraigned on December 18, 2018, before US District Judge John Michael Vazquez. Arrested by special agents of the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) on December 7, at Newark Liberty International Airport, Patel if convicted faces maximum potential sentence of 10 years in prison. Each substantive charge of smuggling carries a maximum potential sentence of five years in prison. In its court papers, HSI said that its beginning in October 2013, an undercover law enforcement officer posing as a smuggler began meeting with Patel in Bangkok. Patel told the undercover law enforcement officer that he wanted to smuggle Indian nationals into the US. On three occasions, Patel or his conspirator transported the Indian nationals to an airport in Thailand, at which point the undercover law enforcement officer would purportedly use his contacts to smuggle them into the US via commercial airline flights. Patel agreed to wire down payments for each individual to be smuggled into the US and to pay a balance of tens of thousands of dollars for each individual once the foreign nationals arrived in the United States, HSI alleged in its court papers. Over the ensuing months, Patel arranged for six Indian nationals to be brought to Thailand for smuggling into the United States via Newark Liberty International Airport, HIS alleged. OGDEN Faraday Lectures, a unique celebration combining the holidays and science, return to Weber State University Monday, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., on the first and second floors of the Tracy Hall Science Center. The family-friendly event is free and open to the public. The lectures pay homage to Michael Faraday, a renowned English scientist known for his contributions to electromagnetism and electrochemistry. Faraday hosted Christmas lectures at The Royal Institution in London from 1825 to 1861. WSU has continued the holiday tradition to entertain and educate both children and adults. Every member of the chemistry and biochemistry department became a scientist because they were fascinated by our physical world, even from a young age, assistant professor Brandon Burnett, said in a statement. We hope to provide an opportunity to fascinate and inspire the next generation of great scientists through a celebration of cool chemistry. Demonstrations and activities will teach scientific principles such as chemical reactions, energy, catalysts and hydrophobic materials. Presentations will be provided by faculty from the chemistry and biochemistry departments, the Weber State Chemistry Club and high school students from Weber High and NUAMES. Weber States College of Science began hosting the Faraday Lectures in 2013 and has continued and grown the event each holiday season since. Visit weber.edu/chemistry/faraday.html for more information about the lectures. Cookie banner We use cookies and other tracking technologies to improve your browsing experience on our site, show personalized content and targeted ads, analyze site traffic, and understand where our audiences come from. To learn more or opt-out, read our Cookie Policy. Please also read our Privacy Notice and Terms of Use, which became effective December 20, 2019. By choosing I Accept, you consent to our use of cookies and other tracking technologies. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, December 11) The top two leaders of the House of Representatives cried foul over Senator Panfilo Lacson's allegation that they got the lion's share of the allocation for infrastructure projects under the proposed 2019 national budget. Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and Majority Leader Rolando Andaya Jr. on Tuesday said the budget allocations for their districts are nowhere as large as that of former House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez and his allies. "The two allegations I wanted to check- I cornered it? No. There were 60 to 80, 60 to 90 more who got bigger than my district. Second allegation, they were my allies? No. The previous leadership of the house got bigger. Multiples of the budget of my district," Arroyo said. Andaya said in his draft letter addressed to President Rodrigo Duterte Alvarez's district received the biggest budget for public works projects at 5 billion. Alvarez is followed by former Appropriations Committee Chairperson and now Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles with P4 billion pesos, and former Majority Leader Rodolfo Farinas with 3.5 billion. In his letter, Andaya said Arroyo's bailiwick, the second district of Pampanga, was ranked 60th in the list, while the first district of Camarines Sur, which he represented, was at 110th place. "Clarify ko lang, nung binigay nung executive 'yung budget dito, 'yung tatlong former officials were in the top 10. Number one si former speaker. Pagkatapos dito sa House, number one pa rin siya," Andaya said. [Translation: I want to clarify. When the Executive gave the budget, the three former officials were in the top 10. The former speaker is number one. After here in the House, he remains number one.] Andaya said the Department of Budget and Management should break its silence on the pork barrel funds that Lacson said is in the 2019 budget since the Department of Public Works and Highways denies any hand in the insertions. READ: Lacson maintains 'pork' inserted in 2019 budget The House leadership asked Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno to explain at the plenary how Alvarez and his allies ended up with multibillion-peso allocations. "The public works said they did not know anything about it. It just landed on their laps," Andaya said. Citing the amount cornered by Alvarez and his allies, Arroyo said it's unfair that she's being singled out by Lacson for supposedly having a 2.4-billion allocation. House Appropriations Committee Acting Chairperson Maria Carmen Zamora earlier said Arroyo's district only got a budget of 1.9 billion. "Why should I deprive the people of my district? I'm only upper-middle class as far as the allocations are concerned," Arroyo said. Alvarez and Farinas said they do not know where Andaya got the information that they have the biggest allocations in the house. Multibillion contracts Amid questions on the 2019 budget, the House is set to subpoena Consolacion Leoncio who owns the CT Leoncio Construction and Trading that allegedly bagged billions of pesos worth of contracts in several provinces, including Sorsogon, Samar and Catanduanes. Andaya said CT Leoncio is able to bag lucrative contracts because it is backed by powerful government officials, some of whom are allegedly in the Cabinet. "If you look at the performance, lahat slippage. Lahat hindi pa complete. Marami right of way pa ang problema (everything is slippage. Everything is incomplete. Many have right of way problems)," he said. "Sa ganoong klaseng performance, automatic blacklisted ka na. Bakit di ka pa rin blacklisted? Merong nasa taas. Pwede nga Cabinet members eh," he added. [Translation: With that kind of performance, you'd be automatically blacklisted. Why aren't you blaclisted yet? Somebody is above. Possibly Cabinet members.] The House Rules Committee will hold an investigation on what Andaya calls a large-scale scam involving the 2018 budget. FRANCIS, Summit County A Summit County man was arrested over the weekend after police say he fired 15 rounds at two people inside a home where he was staying. Randal Weed Dickinson, 56, of Francis, "was highly intoxicated and fell onto the Christmas tree while attempting to cross the living room" in the residence where he was staying Sunday afternoon, located near the intersection of state Route 32 and state Route 35 in Francis, according to Summit County authorities. The homeowner helped Dickinson to his room to "sleep it off," according to county jail report. But just as the homeowner, 58, and his son, 33, were walking through the kitchen, Dickinson came out of his room and began shooting in their direction, said Summit County Sheriff's Lt. Andrew Wright. He fired "15 times at the homeowner and his son. The bullets penetrated cabinets, counters, appliances and walls," the report states. Amazingly, no one was hit. "It was just their lucky day," Wright said. "We believe they're truly lucky they didn't get hit by 15 rounds." Once Dickinson emptied his magazine, the homeowner and son tackled him and held him down until police arrived, he said. He was arrested for investigation of two counts of aggravated assault, two counts of shooting in the direction of a person, intoxication, criminal mischief and carrying a weapon while under the influence of alcohol. In 2016, Dickinson was convicted of an amended charge of attempted aggravated assault and intoxication for a confrontation with another man, according to court records. He was also convicted of aggravated assault and unlawful detention in 2007. SALT LAKE CITY A former mortuary worker convicted of embalming bodies without a license and in some cases stealing gold crowns from their teeth has reported to the Salt Lake County Jail to begin serving his sentence. Michael Deacon Jones, 40, of Salt Lake City, reported to jail on Thursday to begin serving a five-day sentence. He was convicted in August of removing items from a dead body, as well as two counts of unlawful preparing of a dead body without a license, all class A misdemeanors. In February, Jones, along the owner and manager of Carver Mortuary, 847 W. 2500 South, were charged for allegedly allowing unlicensed employees to embalm and cremate remains. Tanner Jay Carver, 35, of Spanish Fork, and Shane Adam Westmoreland, 42, of Mapleton, were each charged in 3rd District Court with seven counts of unlawful and unprofessional conduct and 10 counts of unlawful preparing of a dead body for disposition without a license. All are class A misdemeanors. Carver is the principal owner of Carver Mortuary and Westmoreland is the manager, according to court records. Carver was convicted in August of multiple counts of unprofessional conduct. He was given a suspended jail sentence and ordered to perform 100 hours of community service. Originally, Jones was charged with 20 counts of unlawful preparing of a dead body for disposition without a license. His professional license had expired in 2013, but he still performed over 300 embalming procedures and cremations, the charges state. He was also convicted of taking gold crowns out of the mouths of bodies and selling them as scrap metal to a local precious metals refinery. Beau Hintze, 37, of Eagle Mountain, was charged with three counts of unlawful and unprofessional conduct, a class A misdemeanor. He was convicted in August of unlawful preparing of a dead body and ordered to perform community service. A trial for Westmoreland is to begin in February. SALT LAKE CITY Fresh off an appearance on ABC's "The View" that drew national attention, outgoing Republican Rep. Mia Love is set to participate Tuesday in a panel discussion in Washington about the future of women in the GOP. The discussion is part of the online news source Politico's sixth annual "Women Rule Summit," a daylong event billed as bringing together "rising stars, accomplished professionals and VIPs at the pinnacle of their careers" to have an impact. It's the latest public appearance for Love since losing her bid for a third term in Congress to Democratic Salt Lake County Mayor Ben McAdams. Her spokesman, Richard Piatt, said she's gotten other requests, but nothing is currently scheduled. Although there's speculation Love is considering a TV role similar to what former Utah Rep. Jason Chaffetz's is doing as a Fox News contributor, Piatt said she's "focused on her job in the final days of the 115th Congress." He said Love "will consider other options after Congress adjourns. She was asked to speak on the panel after narrowly losing her seat and will be joined by other Republicans, including recently re-elected New York Rep. Elise Stefanik and Sarah Chamberlain, head of the moderate Republican Main Street Partnership. The summit agenda says the panel will "dive into the challenges facing the GOP when it comes to recruiting Republican women candidates and getting them elected. Well also discuss what it will take for the GOP to reclaim women voters who are turning away from the party." The summit brings in a range of speakers, including actress Felicity Jones and director Mimi Leder, who'll discuss their new movie, "On the Basis of Sex," about the early career of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. "This is a new role for Mia Love," said Chris Karpowitz, co-director of BYU's Center for the Study of Elections and Democracy. "She has the potential to be a powerful and important voice within the Republican Party on the issues of race and gender." It's too soon to say what's in store for Love after her term ends, he said. "But I know there are many observers who are eager to hear more," Karpowitz said. "Not every losing candidate was invited to be on The View. That in and of itself is an indication that people are interested in what she has to say." Love, who criticized President Donald Trump and the GOP in her concession speech for not embracing minorities, made news last Friday when she said on "The View" that Democrats targeted her because she is a black female Republican. In addition to that claim, which Love had also made during the campaign, she said on the daytime talk show that Trump's mocking her loss wasn't motivated by racism. "I don't think it was about race. I think it was about him getting credit for the release of Joshua Holt," the Utahn held in a Venezuelan prison, Love said, declining to say if she sees Trump as racist because she is "not going to get in his head." The day after the Nov. 6 election, when the 4th Congressional District race between Love and McAdams was still too close to call, the president said at a White House news conference that she and other Republicans lost because they spurned his help. Mia Love gave me no love, and she lost. Too bad. Sorry about that, Mia," Trump said after bringing up Love's efforts to get him involved in Holt's release. Gov. Gary Herbert, a Republican, deemed the president's statement "petty." Karpowitz said Love's comments on "The View" were something of a shift from the points she made in her concession speech, about Trump and other Republicans having only transactional relationships with minorities. "I'm not aware of any evidence that Democrats targeted her because of her race and gender. They targeted her because she was a vulnerable candidate," he said. "I think blaming everything on Democrats is a less compelling message." SALT LAKE CITY Three Utah men want the Utah Supreme Court to allow a referendum on the medical marijuana bill state lawmakers passed last week to replace voter-approved Proposition 2. Steve Maxfield, of Kanosh, Bart Grant, of Monroe, and Daniel Newby, of Taylorsville, filed an emergency petition with the state's top court to allow Utahns to vote on the Legislature's action. They also petitioned the court to overturn the law and restore Proposition 2 as approved by voters in November. The lieutenant governor's office, which oversees state elections, rejected Maxfield's application last week for a referendum, citing lawmakers' two-thirds majority vote on the bill. Maxfield, who heads a group called The People's Right, wants the Supreme Court to reverse the decision so he can start collecting signatures to get the issue on the November 2020 ballot. Maxfield said he wants the court to decide whether residents have the right to change the government through the initiative or referendum process. "We either do have the right or we don't. I want them to clarify it," he said. According to the petition, the court has given "lip service" to the "co-equal and superior right of the people" to make laws. "The people formed this government and only they can alter, reform or abolish it. Meaningful referendum and initiative powers represent the only non-violent repository the people have in their box as an effective check and balance on a legislature corrupted by special interests, the petition says. If this court fails to act and correct this aberration, unchecked power grab by the respondents, the initiative and referendum power of the people is dead, and should be given a proper and honorable burial by this court as an antiquated and outdated relic of an earlier time. Should the court reverse the lieutenant governor's denial of the referendum petition, Maxfield would have 40 days from the day the law was passed to collect nearly 114,000 signatures to get it on the ballot under Utah law. "It's unfair, it's unconscionable but that is what it is," he said. Maxfield said the The People's Right came out as politically neutral on Proposition 2. But as he became involved with initiative backers "it became painfully clear there has been a division over Prop. 2 and the patients that actually need it as was written knew that the Legislature was going to eviscerate it and take away that right," he said. Utah House Speaker Greg Hughes, R-Draper, brokered the compromise legislation through dozens of hours of private negotiations. Groups involved in those talks included the Utah Patients Coalition, the initiative campaign organizer that helped write Proposition 2; Libertas Institute, which had supported the measure; and influential anti-Prop 2 groups the Utah Medical Association and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Together for Responsible Use and Cannabis Education, or TRUCE, and the Epilepsy Association of Utah sued Gov. Gary Herbert and Dr. Joseph Miner, executive director of the Utah Department of Health, seeking to invalidate the legislation last week. Maxfield has filed referendum petitions to undo Utah laws in the past. In 2010, his name was added to the election ballot as an independent candidate for lieutenant governor after the Utah Supreme Court ruled the electronic signatures he submitted were valid. He filed a voter initiative seeking to reverse a bill the Legislature subsequently passed banning e-signatures for ballot measures. SOUTH SALT LAKE Despite being involved in a fight prior to his death, the Utah State Medical Examiner's Office has determined a South Salt Lake man whose death was originally called "suspicious," died of a drug overdose. On Nov. 20, South Salt Lake police were called to an apartment at 3401 S. 200 East. A woman indicated that the victim was not conscious, not breathing and had been stabbed, South Salt Lake police detective Gary Keller said at the time. But investigators could not find any evidence of a stab wound. At the time, police said the death was being treated as "suspicious," but detectives weren't sure if they were investigating a murder. South Salt Lake police on Monday said that even though Richard Marolejo, 52, was involved in a fight, his death was ruled a drug overdose and no criminal charges will be filed against the man he was fighting with. The confusing case was being treated at one point as an assault and possible homicide, according to a newly unsealed search warrant affidavit filed in 3rd District Court. The warrant says Marolejo lived in the apartment where the fight occurred. He was there with a 26-year-old woman on Nov. 20 when a 36-year-old man came over. The man got into an argument with Marolejo in his living room and then hit the woman in the face with his forearm, according to the warrant. After the woman was hit, Marolejo and the man got into a fight. The victim was struck in the head, "causing him to fall to the floor inside the apartment," the affidavit states. "Richard sustained a head injury as a result of being struck during the altercation. Richard was taken to the hospital by fire personnel via ambulance. Fire personnel advised Richard had died but they were still going to take Richard to (Intermountain Medical Center) in Murray even though he had died," the warrant states. The man who allegedly hit Marolejo already faces two counts of aggravated assault in another case for allegedly pointing a gun at two people in the same area on Sept. 28. He was recently rebooked into the Salt Lake County Jail and a motion to release him pending trial was denied, court records state. SALT LAKE CITY Across the state of Utah are areas where significant economic development is possible given the right capital investment. In June, the Governors Office of Economic Development, in coordination with the Utah Department of Workforce Services, announced the designation of nearly 50 "opportunity zones" from the U.S. Treasury Department. Created by federal legislation, the Opportunity Zone Program is a tax incentive designed to boost investment in low-income areas. The program directs governors in each state to select areas as opportunity zones from a pool of low-income census tracts, which would then be eligible to use new tax incentives to attract long-term development in poor areas lacking infrastructure and jobs. The plan provides organizers in a Qualified Opportunity Fund preferential capital gains treatment by temporary tax deferment. Jeremy Neilson, CEO of Assure Services, said his company is helping to streamline the process that will help foster investments in low-income areas in the Beehive State and around the country. The Cottonwood Heights firm assists and administers investment entities by devising customized solutions for designated opportunity zones that ensure compliance with federal and state regulations. "What the regulations are really after are startup companies and growth companies," he said. "It's really structured for that company that goes from five employees to 50 to 500. And real estate (development) is also well-positioned to take advantage of (the opportunity zones) could be housing, a hotel, could be a hospital, those types of real estate projects." He noted that high-growth companies such as software, technology, mobile or life sciences businesses are typically more likely to profit from choosing opportunity zones because of the long-term benefits they would reap. "This program is aimed at those that are going to grow and develop lots of jobs," Neilson said. The final list of opportunity zones was compiled to provide a balance for the benefit of both rural and urban communities that met the criteria from the U.S. Treasury Department. One of the main reasons for designating opportunity zones was to, in part, support the needs of rural areas. In Utah, 19 of the 46 designated zones were chosen from rural communities. "Our goal is economic prosperity for all Utahns. Opportunity zones will go a long way in helping to support growth in economically distressed areas throughout the state," said Gov. Gary Herbert in a statement. "By working with these communities, the zones will attract more businesses and new investment." In Utah, locations were selected in various areas around the state, with five locales in Salt Lake County, including the capital city's northwest quadrant. Meanwhile, Provo and Ogden each had four locales designated for the program, with the rest spread throughout the state. "By identifying areas that are ripe for potential investment, opportunity zones will certainly help nudge these local economies in the right direction, said Ginger Chinn, managing director of urban and rural business services for the Governor's Office of Economic Development. "This is a very exciting development opportunity for both our urban and rural areas." SALT LAKE CITY Rep.-elect Ben McAdams, D-Utah, announced Monday Nichole Dunn, former deputy Salt Lake County mayor, will serve as his congressional chief of staff. McAdams, who is resigning as Salt Lake County mayor Jan. 2 after beating outgoing Republican Rep. Mia Love in the 4th Congressional District race, said Dunn is an accomplished leader and will be very effective in this position. In a statement, he said "Nichole is the finest example I know of a public servant who contributes to her community with tireless enthusiasm and a deep commitment to working across the political aisle to solve problems and achieve progress." Dunn was first appointed as deputy county mayor in 2009 by former Salt Lake County Mayor Peter Corroon, a Democrat. McAdams kept her in that role after he was elected to his first term in 2013. Two years later, Dunn resigned after her husband, Donald Dunn, a former Utah Democratic Party chairman and congressional candidate, accepted a position with Georgetown University in Washington. She is currently vice president of innovation and community impact for Results for America, a bipartisan nonprofit that attempts to assist decisionmakers at all levels of government by providing a "what works" template. Salt Lake County Councilman Richard Snelgrove, a Republican, said he is "thrilled to hear Nichole will be serving Utah again. She was an asset to Salt Lake County and always great to work with." MURRAY Salt Lake County Councilman Arlyn Bradshaw has become the third Democrat to join the race to replace Salt Lake County Mayor Ben McAdams when he leaves for Congress. Bradshaw, in front of a crowd of supporters holding campaign signs, officially launched his bid Monday. He'll face two candidates fresh off the campaign trail: former Congressional candidate Shireen Ghorbani and former U.S. Senate candidate Jenny Wilson. Bradshaw and Wilson, also a Salt Lake County councilwoman, have been close colleagues, both currently serving on the same side of the political aisle on the Salt Lake County Council. But Bradshaw says he's the candidate with the executive experience, foresight and collaborative skills to be mayor of Salt Lake County. And, like Wilson, Bradshaw pledged to run again in 2020 when his term would end. "Experience matters. Vision matters," Bradshaw said. "I am running for mayor because I am a bridge builder who has both." Bradshaw officially launched his campaign with a news conference at Wheeler Farm, a place he said embodied not only "the best of county government" as a place that blends history, family fun and educational opportunities to connect the urban valley with Utah's rural roots but also a place he said "mirrored" his own upbringing. Bradshaw said his father was born in Murray, and he and his mother raised his four brothers and three sisters "among the potato fields of rural Idaho." There, Bradshaw said he "grew up on a farm, irrigating fields in preparation of fall harvest," and he spent days "separating clods of dirt from potatoes." The work, he said, "taught me you can accomplish a lot with a little hard work and discipline." "My parents instilled in me the importance of family, the dignity of work, and with seven siblings you learn a lot about collaboration," Bradshaw said. Bradshaw, the Mountain West Regional Director of the Best Friends Animal Society, became Salt Lake County's first openly gay councilman when he was first elected in 2010. He has a bachelor's degree in political science and a master's of public administration from the University of Utah. "I entered politics because I want to serve our community," Bradshaw said. "I saw the impact local government has on our lives and that the choices made at the local level impact communities for years. "I also believe in the need for more voices to be heard," Bradshaw added. "As a member of a minority group, I thought it was important to be one of those voices." Bradshaw said his eight years on the County Council, as well as his experience in the private sector, have given him the experience to lead an organization as big as Salt Lake County. "I have the experience to step into the role of county mayor and hit the ground running," Bradshaw said. Bradshaw pledged to "build bridges" to advance clean air policies and prioritize criminal justice programs. If elected, he also promised to ask the County Council to authorize a bond vote in 2020 to protect the county's remaining open space. A handful of other Salt Lake County elected officials came to support Bradshaw Monday, including District Attorney Sim Gill and County Councilman Jim Bradley. Equality Utah Director Troy Williams, as well as Salt Lake City Councilwoman Amy Fowler, also joined. Bradley, who works alongside both Bradshaw and Wilson on the council, acknowledged it's a "little awkward" to support one and not the other, but he said he chose Bradshaw because he has an "impressive" in-depth understanding of issues. "I've been able to observe Arlyn and Jenny, and I like them both. I consider them friends," Bradley said. "But Arlyn has always put his nose to the grindstone. He has a broad understanding of all those things that are important to us all." Murray City Council Chairwoman Diane Turner also spoke in support of Bradshaw, who was her campaign manager 13 years ago when she ran for Salt Lake County Council. Turner said her city "in the shadow of Salt Lake City" can often "feel forgotten and overlooked" by the county. "One of the many reasons I am supporting Arlyn is that I know he will be a mayor for all the county," Turner said. "Arlyn is a collaborator with a vision which includes the entire county, not just Salt Lake City." McAdams will remain mayor until Jan. 2 when his resignation takes effect. After he resigns, that starts a 30-day clock for the Salt Lake County Democratic Party's central committee, made up of about 1,000 members, to vote on a replacement mayor to serve out the remainder of the term. SALT LAKE CITY Heres a look at the news for Dec. 11. Utahs homeless efforts have been recognized nationally. Heres why auditors dont know if theyre working. Three Utah men want the Utah Supreme Court to let Utahns vote on the Proposition 2 compromise bill. Read more. The Utah Jazz lost to the Oklahoma City Thunder 122-113 Monday night. Read more. Utah Sen. Orrin Hatch defended President Donald Trump Monday. Heres what he said. Hatch has new legislation ideas. Heres what they are. Rep. Mia Love is set to speak at a Washington, D.C. event. We know what shell be talking about. A polygamous group lets go of sprawling worship center along the Utah border. Read more. Here are our most-read stories: A look at our education coverage: A look at international headlines: SALT LAKE CITY President Donald Trump does not understand the Republican Party's issue with minority women, outgoing Rep. Mia Love said Tuesday during a panel discussion at the Women Rule Summit in Washington. "Obviously not. I mean, that's just, it really is a given," the two-term Utah GOP congresswoman who lost her re-election bid said to laughter from the audience at the daylong summit sponsored by the online political news source Politico. Love said her Haitian-born parents who live in Connecticut are a "clear example" because they supported the Republican president even though they felt it was "not nice" when he used an expletive to describe their homeland. But then Trump mocked their daughter for losing her 4th Congressional District race at a post-election White House news conference even before Democratic Salt Lake County Mayor Ben McAdams was declared the winner. Mia Love gave me no love, and she lost. Too bad. Sorry about that, Mia," the president said, including her in a list of Republicans he claimed lost because they didn't accept his offers of campaign support. Love said her parents reacted "when they saw that here we're throwing a fellow Republican under the bus for absolutely no reason whatsoever, that again really betrayed a trust that they had." She said Republicans need "to get to the point where people are actually electing us not just on policies but the fact that they actually trust that we actually care about them. That's where I believe we can do a better job." Repeating some of the themes of her Nov. 26 concession speech that also criticized Trump and the GOP for not embracing minorities, Love said her party needs to work harder to show "we're actually pretty compassionate." Republican leaders may not recognize the issues they have with women in their party, "but more importantly, I'm not sure they know what to do about it. I think that is the biggest problem," Love said. She said women need not only a support system but also to see the policies backed that they feel are important, such as her effort to make contraceptives available over the counter. "The fact that I've got more issues with Republican men on this is absolutely absurd to me," Love said. "We need to step forward and say, 'You need to take a step back. Stop talking about contraceptives.'" The panel moderator, Politico Congress reporter Rachel Bade, started the half-hour discussion by pointing out that after this year's midterm election, the number of GOP women in the House dropped from 23 to 13, the lowest level since 1994. Another panelist, Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-New York, said she intends to boost her own work to elect more Republican women to Congress after "we left a lot of amazing women on the field" after the midterm elections. Stefanik, who won re-election, said she was "tired of having this issue within our conference, so I think it's time to roll up our sleeves and try to change the types of candidates we have." She said "some of our colleagues understand it. But with the dwindling number of women we have, 13, we need to make sure we're using our voices and actually having an impact." Love has a role to play even though she's leaving Congress, the New York congresswoman said. "We were elected in 2014 together," Stefanik said. "She's one of my closest friends here, and I'm sad to see her go, but her voice is going to be as important on the outside if not more important on the outside to help shape the party for the future." Love's participation in the panel discussion is her latest public appearance since losing her seat in the district that includes portions of Salt Lake, Utah, Juab and Sanpete counties by less than 700 votes. She was a guest on ABC's "The View" last Friday, attracting national attention for repeating a comment she made during the campaign about being a Democratic target as a black Republican woman in Congress. That concern was not raised by Love during Tuesday's panel discussion, which focused what Republicans need to be doing to get more women involved in politics, particularly at the national level. Panelist Sarah Chamberlain, president and CEO of the moderate Republican Main Street Partnership, said there were lessons to be learned from the party's midterm losses of women in Congress. Chamberlain said Trump is turning off suburban female voters who had backed GOP candidates in the past. She said women she talked to in a Pennsylvania congressional district on election night made that clear. She said some dozen women pointed out they were "very unhappy with" Trump's tweet referring to Stormy Daniels, the adult film star he is alleged to have had an affair with, as "horseface." "They said they liked our policies but they really were tired of the tweets," Chamberlain said. "I just wish he would stop." Stefanik also said the president should tweet less. "That's, I think, a bare minimum of how we can really improve the rhetoric coming out of the White House but also the working relationship with the co-equal branch of government," the House and the Senate. Love said she's frustrated when Trump is referred to as the leader of the Republican Party. "I'm sorry, but I am Republican because of a set of principles that I follow," she said. "When I feel like somebody is not representing that platform well, then I will call them out on it. It does not matter who you are. My job is not to walk in lockstep with somebody just because they're sitting in the White House." AMERICAN FORK An Orem man has been charged with threatening to shoot his estranged wife's family forcing an elementary school to go into lockdown because he was upset over their pending divorce. Jared Luke Farnsworth, 43, is charged with attempted murder, a first-degree felony; making a terroristic threat and two counts of stalking, second-degree felonies; and possession of a firearm by a restricted person, a third-degree felony. On Dec. 5, police say Farnsworth repeatedly called his estranged wife's work and sent her emails until she finally answered his call. Farnsworth's wife had recently left him and moved to Idaho with their children. In addition, she "blocked his phone calls because of his repeated and unwanted attempts to reach her," according to charging documents. When Farnsworth's wife finally took his call, police say he "begged" her not to file for divorce. But "after she told him it was over and she was not getting back together, he began to threaten her," the charges state. Farnsworth sent his estranged wife pictures of a gun and "told her that he would hurt her family and that she would see it on the news that night," according to the charges. "Jared then told her that he had a gun and he would make the news if she did not come back to him. When (she) asked Jared what he meant by that he talked about how he blamed her family for causing her to leave him. Jared told (her) that her family might not be safe," a police affidavit filed in 4th District Court states. The estranged wife called 911. While emergency dispatchers were on the phone with her, one of Farnsworth's co-workers also called 911 to report that Farnsworth had repeated his threats to him, stating "that if his wife left him, he was going to hurt her family that were still in Utah so she would feel the pain she was putting him through," the charges state. "He also told the co-worker that he was going to the employer to send a message that he was giving up on life and wanted to go out by sending a message, and that he was going to kill his wife's sister," according to the affidavit. "Jared told (the friend) further that since his wife did not take him seriously he was going to show her how serious he was by killing her family. (His wife) is in Idaho but all of her brothers and sisters are in Utah County," the affidavit states. Orem police pinged Farnsworth's cellphone and reported finding him driving in a car on State Street toward his employer in Pleasant Grove. A handgun was found on the front passenger seat, according to court records, "fully loaded with a round in the chamber and an additional 100 rounds of ammunition. It was outside of its holster, which lay next to it on the seat." Because of the threats, Farnsworth's employer had gone into lockdown mode, as had the elementary school in Lehi where his estranged wife's sister works, the charges state. The case was transferred on Tuesday to American Fork's 4th District Court. Farnsworth's next court hearing is scheduled for Dec. 18. Free and confidential help and support for victims and survivors of domestic violence can be found at 1-800-897-LINK (5465) or udvc.org. SALT LAKE CITY Utah has joined 40 states in an effort to combat illegal robocalls, 187 million of which were made to Utahns last year. Attorney General Sean Reyes is part of a coalition of attorneys general reviewing the technology major telecom companies are pursuing to stop or reduce illegal robocalls. To be clear, we are not talking about First Amendment protected robocalls like political messages or calls from bona fide charities. While some find these calls annoying, they are legal, he said. But, Reyes said, if the recording is a sales pitch and the recipient has not provided authorization, the call is illegal. Many robocalls fake the caller ID information to trick people into answering, a practice called "spoofing," which is also illegal, he said. "These calls often harm our most vulnerable populations with scams and improper business practices," he said. The Utah Department of Commerce regularly receives reports of robocalls to Utahns. It investigates complaints and has in some instances successfully taken legal action against callers pitching student loan debt consolidation, vacation packages, solar energy and timeshare resales, among other areas. Many robocalls originate overseas or use spoofed numbers, making it difficult if not impossible to track down scammers and get consumers' money back, said Francine Giani, commerce department executive director. Americans lost $9.5 billion to robocall and spoofing scams in 2017, according to study by Truecaller, a phone number lookup service. Nearly 1 in 10 adults (9 percent) lost money from a phone scam in the past 12 months, with men reporting being victimized more than women. Reyes said the coalition of states is working with telecom companies to understand what is technologically feasible to minimize unwanted robocalls and illegal telemarketing. The group is encouraging the companies to expedite solutions and deciding whether to make further recommendations to the Federal Communications Commission. In a letter last month, Reyes was among 34 attorneys general urging the FCC to adopt rules that would require service providers to block illegally spoofed calls or help identify potential scams. SALT LAKE CITY Thousands of California radio listeners are saying no, no, no, sir to banning Baby, Its Cold Outside. Whats going on: San Francisco radio station KOIT announced it will end its ban on Baby, Its Cold Outside after thousands of listeners approved the song through a poll, CBS San Francisco reports. Flashback: Last week, several radio stations opted to ban the song due to a national outcry over the songs lyrics, which critics say dont work in the era of #MeToo. Those stations included KOIT in San Francisco, KOSI in Colorado and CBC Radio in Toronto, according to my report. But KOITs program director Brian Figula said he would put the ban on hold while he sought feedback from listeners, according to CBS News. "After hearing from thousands of Bay Area listeners via polling, phone calls, emails and social media, KOIT has concluded that the vast majority consider the song to be a valuable part of their holiday tradition, and they still want to hear it on the radio," Figula said in a statement Monday. Vote: The vote wasnt close as 77 percent of listeners opposed banning the holiday classic. "KOIT's listeners have spoken, and the overwhelming message is they do want to hear 'Baby, It's Cold Outside' on our station, as they have throughout the years," he said. "More than 7 out of every 10 listeners who responded said although some lyrics of the song may reflect a different era and a different sensibility than today, still they love the tradition and history of the song, and want to hear it as part of their holiday season." Origins: Baby, Its Cold Outside was penned by Frank Loesser in 1944, but many consider it to be controversial during the #MeToo movement. The song's lyrics describe a woman trying extricate herself from a date and saying no, no, no, while a man insists that she stays as he moves in closer, pours her more alcohol, and warns about the weather outside. Critics of the song say the lyrics promote date rape, according to CBS News. National voices: Several national voices have spoken in favor of the song despite the controversy. I wrote about how Deana Martin called the backlash insane in an interview on Fox News. She said shed continue to sing the song, which her father, Dean Martin, covered in the past. Susan Loesser, the daughter of Frank Loesser, told NBC News her father would be furious over the controversy. SALT LAKE CITY The Trump administration's proposed rollback of an Obama-era rule defining what waterways fall under federal jurisdiction was hailed by ranchers and private property advocates and blasted by environmental groups. On Tuesday, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Army Corps of Engineers released proposed revisions to the 2015 rule that was challenged by 21 states, including Utah. American Farm Bureau President Zippy Duvall said Obama's rule required "drastic" action by farmers and ranchers across the country, spawning a nationwide campaign called "Ditch the Rule." At the press event announcing the proposed revisions, Duvall said all presidents of the federation's 50 chapters were in the room as a show of support. "I think the government is being given back to the people through this administration," Duvall said. Utah Farm Bureau President Ron Gibson, who attended the EPA announcement on the proposed changes, said the revisions will provide much-needed clarity. "I think the point of this is that nobody is saying anybody cares less about water or the environment, but we finally have clear definitions of what navigable waters are. That is what we have been after for years." The Obama-era rule was hotly contested in the courts before it was even put into real action. Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes signed Utah on as the first state to join a challenge to the rule. At the time, he called it an example of "blatant disregard for rural communities and businesses in Utah and other Western states." Environmental groups countered that the rule was necessary to protect water from contamination in ephemeral waterways and wetlands. Their reaction today was swift and harsh. EPA and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers are attempting to reduce or eliminate Clean Water Act protections for the majority of our nations waters in violation of our most basic procedural and environmental laws," said Waterkeeper Alliance senior attorney Kelly Hunter Foster. "The agencies should be working to protect the public and restore our nations waters not engaging in this elaborate multiyear plot to legalize more water pollution. Critics call the changes a "gift" to industry. But farmers and ranchers and a coalition of states worried the Obama rule, written to clarify an earlier U.S. Supreme Court decision, would have extended regulatory oversight to ponds and ditches and intermittent streams because they would be considered as extensions of "navigable waterways." In February, the Trump administration delayed implementation of the rule for up to two years to buy more time for possible revisions. The Obama-era rule was both hated and loved because of its modification of regulations that had been in place for over 25 years regarding which water falls under Clean Water Act jurisdiction. Groups like the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership said federal protection was necessary over seasonal streams, which involve 60 percent of the stream miles in the United States. At the time, the EPA argued the rule did not expand the scope of jurisdictional oversight, but clarified protections for upstream waters vital to the health of downstream communities. The new revisions could be finalized next year and was prompted by Trump's executive order urging the EPA to protect those waters with a "relatively permanent surface connection" to traditionally navigable waters like a major river. The revision lists six categories of jurisdictional waters that would fall under Clean Water Action protections and its exclusions, such as land where water results from heavy rainfall, groundwater and most ditches. When I was preparing for my visit to Zhuhai for ICCAD 2018 I was speaking with a friend of mine who had just attended a conference in Shanghai run by one of the big four accounting firms. She told me her key takeaway from the event was a statement from the keynote China is not an emerging market, China is THE market. I was keen to know if this statement held true for the semiconductor industry as well. "ICCAD was certainly a large and busy show. One of the most prominent themes was AI and Machine Learning, with talks by Cadence, VeriSilicon, Synopsys, Mentor and others all addressing this space. The second major theme was RISC-V and the emerging ecosystem which featured both in presentations and, perhaps more importantly, on the expo floor showing that real commercial RISC-V products are now available and that the ecosystem is moving from theory into practice." In his presentation, Naveed Sherwani of SiFive reinforced my friends takeaway message, predicting that China will become the centre of the SoC universe, and noting the significant number of enquiries they have had from China since launching their RISC-V design platform recently. Click here to read more ... It is finally the time to see India's favorite comedian becoming a groom! As Kapil Sharma gears up to marry girlfriend Ginni Chatrath in big, fat Punjabi wedding tomorrow, his friends and family all gather around to celebrate the happy occasion. His friends from the industry including Sumona Chakraborty, Krushna Abhishek, Sudesh Lehri and Bharti Singh with husband Harsh Limbachiya are all in Amritsar celebrating the pre-wedding festivities with Kapil and from what it looks like the procession is already on their way to Jalandhar which is Ginni's hometown and the venue for the wedding. Here are the pictures. In terms of Internet access, Papua New Guinea has traditionally lagged other nations in terms of access and penetration, according to Research and Markets. However, over the past few years PNG has experienced positive GDP growth and the government is currently introducing its national strategy, Vision 2050. It is hoped that this will further address long-term infrastructure requirements, improve general living conditions, and maintain economic stability. Papua New Guinea is also being guided by its medium-term plan, The Papua New Guinea Development Strategic Plan. Network deployment costs are high in PNG due to the relatively low subscriber base, the impervious terrain, and the high proportion of the population living in rural areas. As a result, fixed telecom infrastructure is almost non-existent outside urban centres, leaving most of the population un-serviced. The World Bank is assisting PNG with funding to build mobile infrastructure in remote and rural areas. The existing submarine cable infrastructure is also no longer adequate and Internet services are expensive and slow. Internet access is expected to improve however with the 2018 build-out of a new submarine cable known as the Coral Sea Cable System which will link PNG to the Solomon Islands, with a connecting cable to the Australian (Sydney) landing station. It will provide increased capacity and reliability as well reduce Internet costs for consumers. Towards the end of 2017, regulator ICCC (Independent Consumer and Competition Commission) granted approval for a merger between Bmobile and Citifon (Telikom PNG) to form Kumul Telecom. In May 2018, the ICCC cleared DataCo joining the Kumul Telecom consortium as well. At Google I/O, the company introduced a tailor-made experience for Google Maps in the form of a For You tab in the apps. Initially, the For You tab was available in select market like the US, UK, Canada, Australia, and Japan on Android only, but now it has been expanded to a lot of other countries and iOS. Google has now announced that the experience is available on Android in over 130 countries and on iOS in more than 40 countries. The For You tab starts rolling out more widely and people will soon see it reflected in the Maps app, on the navigation bar at the bottom of the screen. The For You tab helps a user stay up to date on developments nearby by returning tailor-made suggestions for the users on the basis of their tastes and preferences. The suggestions include restaurants, updates and news of the places that users like to go. via GIPHY Simply follow neighborhoods or places youre interested in to get updates and recommendationseverything from recent news about an opening or pop up, a new menu item, and even restaurant suggestions based on what youre likely to enjoy. If youre making a trip this holiday season, the For You tab can help you get a jump start on travel planning even before you take off, Jamie Aspinall, Product Manager, Google Maps, said in a blog post. The For You tab follows the same technology that gives users their morning News Feed on the basis of their search history and trends. Similar to the news concept, you can strike out any recommendations if you do not like them. Google uses machine learning and artificial intelligence to track a user's interests on its different services, like Search and YouTube connected to the account. Google has been doing a lot enhance the user experience across its services. Recently, it rolled out a feature that lets users talk to the businesses with which they have connected via their Business Profiles within the Google Maps app itself. This development is an expansion to last years feature in which the company allowed its users in select countries to message businesses from their Business Profiles on Google Search. OnePlus has finally unveiled the OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition with 10GB RAM at an event in Woking, UK. The OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition is priced at 649 (Rs 58,828 directly converted) and is the only variant of the smartphone which comes with 10 gigs of RAM. The USP of the device is its design, which has been inspired by McLaren cars and the automotive brands signature colours. Taking this into account, the OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition features Papaya Orange McLaren highlights around the bottom edge of the device. These highlights fade into black when the phone is viewed at an angle. OnePlus says that the pattern underneath the glass back of the device is based on McLarens groundbreaking carbon fiber used in McLaren cars since 1981. Another first for the OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition is a new tech called Warp Charge 30. Playing on its tagline of speed and given McLarens partnership, OnePlus has introduced the long rumoured Warp Charge 30 tech on this special edition smartphone. With Warp Charge 30, OnePlus claims that users can charge their OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition phone for one full day in just 20 minutes. OnePlus says that the 3700mAh battery on the OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition charges to 50 percent in 20 minutes, but if that is enough for a day's worth of usage, is something we will have to test. Describing Warp Charge 30, OnePlus said, Charge 30 takes fast charging to new heights and never leaves people wanting, offering a days power in just 20 minutes. Thanks to new Integrated Circuits in both the charger and the phone, as well as finely tuned power management software, 30 watts of power flow to the handset without slowing down even when the device is being used, or generating excessive heat. Alongside the 30W Warp Charging tech, OnePlus has also introduced a new charging stand. The Warp Charge 30 power unit is combined with a Papaya Orange braided cord cable. Whats more is that the new phone also features exclusive software animations, tuned to McLarens unique style and history. OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition: Whats in the Box? On purchasing a McLaren Edition OnePlus 6T, buyers will also get McLarens logo, the iconic Speedmark, recreated in McLaren-designed F1 AA grade carbon fiber the same material used in the McLaren MCL33 2018 Formula 1 car. OnePlus says that over six F1 cars worth of carbon fiber were used in the production of the Speedmarks. Also in the box are the Warp Charge 30 power unit and Papaya Orange braided USB Type-C cord. Theres also a traditional OnePlus kevlar case with McLaren branding and a USB Type-C to 3.5mm adaptor included in the box. OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition price and India launch The OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition will be available in Western Europe and North America starting December 13. The phone will be launched in India on December 12 where OnePlus will announce its Indian price and availability. Pre-registerations for the OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition have already started on Amazon.in. Since the OnePlus 6T McLaren Editon marks OnePlus' 5th Anniversary celebration, the company is hosting an open-for-all event at Richardson and Cruddas, Byculla, Mumbai and tickets for the same cost Rs 799 each. You can read more about purchasing these passes from OnePlus here. In the UK, the OnePlus 6T McLaren edition is available for 649 (Rs 58,828 directly converted). You can check out our unboxing video of the OnePlus 6T McLaren Edition below. Major tech companies and academic institutions around the world are competing to develop artificial intelligence that is the most accurate at translating one language to another. Because of the way machine learning works, the approaches and the results are often unexpected. In its essence, all the systems developed are similar. A neural network is trained to translate from one language to another, by providing it with pairs of translations - that is an original work, and the same work translated by a human. The neural network, which is a digital simulation of the structures in the brain, then learns to associate words and sentence constructions between the two languages. The more material that a neural network is fed, the more accurate the translation is. When the neural network is then given with a sentence in one language, the output is the translation in another language. Zero Shot Translation Google Translate is perhaps the most used machine translation tool, thanks to how closely it is integrated with the search engine and the Android OS. Over 130 languages are supported by Google translate. In 2016, Google moved to a new system called Google Neural Machine Translation (GNMT). Now, the system initially had pairs of language in which it is trained. If the system is trained to translate between English and Japanese, that is one pair. Korean and English is another pair. Now, the system is not explicitly trained to translate between Korean and Japanese. This is a capability that Google engineers needed if they wanted to quickly support all the 130 languages in GNMT, without having to laboriously train every possible language pair combination. In a first of its kind demonstration of transfer learning, the engineers managed to translate directly from Japanese to Korean, even though the machine had not been trained for that task. This is referred to as zero shot translation. The Google engineers peeked into the brain of the machine, to understand how exactly the translation was occurring. A three-dimensional map of the internal network data was used for this purpose. In the overall map, the sentences with the same meanings in all the three languages are grouped by the same colour. The cluster of red dots is visualised in three colours, according to the language. The cluster shows that the neural network is encoding the meaning of the sentences, rather than simply translating the sentence word for word. The cluster of red dots is evidence that the neural network has developed an interlingua, an internal language that only the machine can understand, which it uses to translate between other languages. Universal Lexical Representation One of the problems with training the models for machine translation is the amount of resources available for the training. For any given language pair, it is easy to find a lot of material for the way the language is written. Legal or political documents and news reports that are translated by humans are some resources that are easily available in both languages. When it comes to the way language is spoken, or for informal text conversations, such parallel resources are more difficult to come by. As mentioned before, the more material a neural network has to learn from, the more accurate it gets at its task. There are over 7,000 languages in the world, and most of them simply do not have enough resources to train a neural network for machine translation. These low resource languages may have very few parallel sentences when paired with another language, but have plenty of monolingual data. Microsoft researchers came up with an innovative way to use the available data and make accurate language translation models. Microsoft tackled this problem by using what is called a universal lexical representation. This approach involves taking a bunch of languages and projecting the meanings of the words onto a shared space. Dictionaries or the small amount of parallel data available is used for the operation. In this example, parallel data from Spanish (ES), French (FR), Italian (IT) and Portuguese (PT) were used to project on a shared English representation, in an effort to translate Romanian (RO), which had sparse amounts of parallel data. Now, the system can guess the meanings of entirely novel words, which it has not been trained to recognise. It does this by finding similar representations from the shared space and weighing the options. For example, toamna, the Romanian word for autumn, is weighted closer to autumn, than say, spring. The system is smart enough to switch between different modes according to the demands of the situation when identifying novel words. This may involve picking languages from the same language group, or picking up from languages that have geographic overlap. The approach is particularly useful for translating Indic languages, which are considered low resource languages. Word Embeddings Finding material to train a pair of languages for about the 100 languages supported by most translation services is difficult enough, but imagine if the approach was the only one available for all the 7,000 spoken languages in the world. To overcome this obstacle, researchers from MIT developed a method that does not depend on training from a language pair at all. This monolingual training technique to feed the vocabulary of a language into a computational space. Essentially, this is an array of numbers that represent the meanings of the words from each language. The words with similar meanings are clustered together. For example, the word mother, may appear close to the word father, and all the twelve months will form a close cluster of words. Now the absolute positions of the words embedded within the computational space may be different from one language to another, but what does not change is the distance between the words. In all the languages, the words with similar meanings will be located at a similar distance to each other. Then, it is a matter of applying statistical techniques to the array of words, to find any cluster of words with a similar meaning from another language. This allows translation from one language to another, even though the machine learning system has not been trained with a language pair. In the example above, the four directions in Hindi are aligned with the four directions in English, although they are located in different spaces. If you look at the other words represented in the computational space, although they may not be located in the same place in both the models, the relative distance between them is roughly the same - though not exactly the same. The system goes around this obstacle by weighing, or giving a probability for the words that are most likely to correspond between the two spaces. The words with the highest probabilities are picked for the translation. Finding the corresponding word vectors in a matrix is a far faster process than the other, more traditional approaches, and the whole thing can take place in an unsupervised manner. That means, that there is no need for human intervention to fine tune the corresponding meanings. The computational space of the word representations of two languages can be aligned entirely by just measuring the distance between the representations. The approach used by the MIT researchers has one other advantage, which could be of use to those who study languages. It gives a simple score for how similar to computational spaces for the languages are. French and Italian, which share a common history and origin, get a score of 1. Chinese, scores anywhere between 6 and 9 when compared to other languages. The more similar the languages are, the lower the score is. Unsupervised Machine Translation Researchers from Facebook used a similar approach as MIT to develop a machine translation system of their own. The system was trained in single languages using dictionaries, and the words were mapped to a two-dimensional space. Now the relative distances between the words are preserved, and the two-dimensional space only has to be rotated to correctly map the entire language space to another language. Facebook researchers used the simple method of checking the words that appeared around a particular word to build these spaces. This exploits the physicality of the world we live in, which is then described in a language. For example, the word furry is more likely to appear next to the word kitten, as against the word rocket. To translate between the languages, all the machine needs to do is find the closest word in the corresponding target language. The approach also allows for rapid translation without the need for training based on language pairs. Word by word translation is incorrigible, and just not good enough for translating one language to another. The approach used by the Facebook developers is to use language modelling, to find out what makes fluent sentences within a single language. The models that identify fluent sentences in a single language, is trained on monolingual data, and does not need a corresponding translation from another language. The approach works for language pairs that are very different from each other (such as English and Russian), language pairs that have very few common resources (such as English and Romanian), as well as language pairs that are both low in resources and very different from each other (such as English and Urdu). The techniques discussed here can potentially be used to solve other problems, apart from translating between two languages. Subscriber content preview SEATTLE (AP) A Kirkland businessman has been sentenced to five years in federal prison for a long-running tax-evasion scheme. The U.S. Attorney's Office in Seattle says 58-year old Daniel Nix ran Dannix Design, an interior design firm for medical offices. He was convicted after a four-day jury trial of failing to pay taxes on $3.9 million in income from 2000 to 2013. Prosecutors said he set up sham religious entities to help evade taxes and in 2013 paid an Arizona man to send fake money orders to the IRS to make it look like he was paying his taxes. . . . Subscriber content preview PORTLAND (AP) A Portland lawyer whose home and business were seriously damaged when a fire started at a homeless camp has filed a $541,000 lawsuit against the city. Raylynna Peterson's lawsuit filed Wednesday says the city forced campers to move in 2016 from a hillside near Interstate 5 and that many relocated to a city-owned lot next to her home. . . . Russia calls for enabling laws to fully tap India-Russia cooperation potential India and Russia should strive to institutionalise their bilateral cooperation in various spheres through enabling legislation to fully tap the immense potential of bilateral cooperation between the two countries, chairman of the `Duma of the Russian parliament, Vyacheslav Volodin, said during a meeting with vice president M Venkaiah Naidu. Volodin, who is heading a 30-member high-level Russian parliamentary delegation on Monday called on vice president and chairman of the Rajya Sabha, M Venkaiah Naidu in New Delhi and held wide ranging discussions on bilateral ties. During the 40-minute meeting, both the sides fondly recalled the traditional bonds of friendship between the two counties and the need to further intensify cooperation in the present world order. The chairman of the Duma stressed on the need for enhancing parliamentary exchanges between the two countries to enable necessary legislative framework to fully harness the potential of India-Russia ties in various sectors. He urged the committees of the parliaments of both the countries to be more proactive in this regard. There is a need to further build up on the traditional friendship between the two countries for mutual advantage in the fields of economy, human development and cultural cooperation, he said. Referring to the immense opportunities in the fields of tourism and medical education, Volodin called for addressing bureaucratic delays. He further said that while bilateral trade increased by about 21 per cent last year, there is scope to go much beyond. Referring to the special and privileged relationship and positive engagement between the two countries in various multilateral forums, Venkaiah Naidu said the convergence of views between India and Russia on various international and multilateral matters need to be taken forward through parliamentary exchanges. Venkaiah Naidu recalled the positivism in India about India-Russia ties since his student days. Naidu referred to the menace of terrorism threatening the socio-economic fabric across the world and called for increased global cooperation against it. Responding to Naidus concern, the visiting dignitary said that Russia can cooperate with India with its wealth of experience in counter terrorism activities. Volodin said the India-Russia Parliamentary Commission at its 5th meeting being held in New Delhi would address specific issues concerning bilateral cooperation. The 30-member visiting Russian parliamentary delegation consisted of First Deputy Chairman and Deputy Chairman of Duma and chairpersons of 10 committees of Duma, including on defence, internal affairs, international affairs, financial markets, economic policy, enquiry, health, security and corruption control. Sensex ends 190 points higher, Nifty around 10,550 despite Patel's exit, setback for BJP Market at Close: In what was anticipated to be a day of bloodbath on D-Street, a trend reversal in the last few hours of trade helped Indian shares close on a positive note. An abrupt resignation by RBI governor Urjjit Patel late on Monday, along with jitters among investors who bet on a stable government added to the negative sentiment. In fact, overnight, the Nifty futures on Singaporean Exchange fell 450 point as well, bracing investors for a similar impact here. However, some clarity emerging on single party getting a majority in all states could have aided sentiment on the markets. Among sectors, pharmaceuticals, PSU banks, consumption, IT and automobiles, among others, were the big gainers. Meanwhile, the Nifty Midcap index closed with gains of 2 percent. At the close of market hours, the Sensex was up 190.29 points or 0.54% at 35150.01, while the Nifty was up 60.70 points or 0.58% at 10549.20. The market breadth was positive as 1623 shares advanced, against a decline of 771 shares, while 139 shares were unchanged. Yes Bank and Sun Pharma were the top gainers, while HDFC Bank, Bharti Airtel, HPCL and IOC lost the most. SBI on Vijay Mallya's offer Country's largest lender State Bank of India (SBI) said extradition of fugitive liquor baron Vijay Mallya from the UK to India will speed up the recovery of over Rs 9,000 crore of loans. In a major boost to India's efforts to bring back Mallya, who is wanted for loan default worth around Rs 9,000 crore to a consortium of 13 banks led by SBI, a UK court ordered his extradition. "It (higher recovery of loans) is a possibility. The message is very loud and clear. What we have to understand is that it (extradition) is a message that you just can't default and run away from the country," SBI chairman Rajnish Kumar told reporters. Market Update: Its a major reversal in trend for the market, with all-round buying across sectors boosting indices. The Sensex is up 187.75 points or 0.54% at 35147.47, and the Nifty up 63.50 points or 0.61% at 10552.00. About 1517 shares have advanced, 738 shares declined, and 129 shares are unchanged. Buzzing stock: Tata Consultancy Services shares climbed 1.5 percent intraday Tuesday after the sharp depreciation in Indian currency and the launch of new solution for airline industry. The Indian rupee fell more than 110 paise in opening after Urjit Patel resigned as the governor of Reserve Bank of India on Monday evening. Generally any fall in the currency is always positive for export firms. TCS earns major revenues in dollar. In addition, the country's largest IT services company and Singapore Airlines (SIA), announced the launch of the Intelligent Airline Operations (IAO) Solution that will digitally transform airlines' ground services and operations control. Market Update: Equity benchmarks continued to trade higher, while the Nifty reclaimed 10,500. The Sensex was up 85.88 points or 0.25% at 35045.60, while the Nifty was up 32.50 points or 0.31% at 10521.00. About 1468 shares have advanced, 763 shares declined, and 118 shares are unchanged. Yes Bank and Sun Pharma were the top gainers, while HDFC, HDFC Bank and HPCL lost the most. MARKET OUTLOOK "The markets are forward looking & had discounted the anti incumbency wave in the Hindi heartland. The results of MP & Rajasthan being so close are +ve for the BJP. In the end we are 4 months away from the general elections where the call is Modi magic will work. On the other hand the RBI Governor resignation also saw a knee-jerk reaction being bought into solely for the reason that the new Governor would be more communicative, responsive & will have serious interaction to improve the monitory outlook which was grappling for tight liquidity after the shadow bank problems of IL&FS. With crude in a falling market money on the sidelines would use opportunities like today to enter Indian stocks with a slightly longer term view as buy," Sanjiv Bhasin, executive vice president, markets and corporate affairs, at IIFL told Moneycontrol. MARKET OUTLOOK In an interview to CNBC-TV18, Raamdeo Agrawal, Chairman at Motilal Oswal Asset Management said he stunned by the results of Chhattisgarh and surprised by MP and Rajasthan results. The market reaction from last week, when the Sensex fell nearly 1,300 points, seems to have discounted lot more. Now the event is behind us and it is not worst what market reacted on Monday when the Sensex closed lower by more than 700 points. Results are little better than what predicted by exit polls. Market Update: There has been a sharp recovery in the market on Tuesday, with the Nifty just short of 10,500. Automobiles, PSU banks, pharmaceuticals, and IT index are in the green, while energy and Bank Nifty fell. The Sensex is down 21.29 points or 0.06% at 34938.43, and the Nifty down 0.20 points or 0.00% at 10488.30. The market breadth is positive as 1134 shares advanced, against a decline of 853 shares, while 95 shares were unchanged. Midcaps have recovered sharply, with Nifty Midcap gaining over a percent Strides Pharma receives approval from USFDA: Strides Vivimed Pte. Singapore has received approval for Albendazole Tablets USP 200 mg from the United States Food & Drug Administration (US FDA). This is the second generic approval by USFDA for Albendazole Tablets. Lupin gets USFDA approval: Shares of pharma major Lupin was down 1.5 percent intraday Tuesday. The company has received tentative approval for its Apixaban tablets, 2.5 mg and 5 mg from the United States Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) to market a generic version of Bristol-Myers Squibb Company's Eliquis Tablets, 2.5 mg and 5 mg. MARKET OUTLOOK: "The resignation of RBI Governor Urjit Patel is quite shocking and disturbing. The reasons for his resignation are obvious and signals a dangerous trend that institutions like rbi are no longer independent. At a time when we need a more stronger and more independent RBI, this vital institution is under intimidation. It appears that the govt is bent on weakening rbi to meet its political needs of a pliable RBI," MARKET OUTLOOK Udayan Mukherjee, Consulting Editor at CNBC-TV18 said the probability of BJP winning 2:1 (two states out of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh) should not be a great thing to be taken by the market and should not be a comfort level. Currently BJP has 62 out of total 65 Lok Sabha seats, if that count drops to around 35 then that will be taken badly by the market, he feels. With respect to RBI, the price action in currency as well as equity market will be taken with a pinch of salt by the government as they will try to protect both markets, he said, adding the day will be managed by the government. Udayan said who is the RBI government is not important but the resignation would be perceived as important by the world. He sees deep ramification in the medium term. Market Update: Equity benchmarks are off their low points, with the Nifty nearing 10,400. The Sensex is down 380.52 points or 1.09% at 34579.20, and the Nifty down 109.20 points or 1.04% at 10379.30. The market breadth is negative as 347 shares advanced, against a decline of 730 shares, while 40 shares were unchanged. Market opens: Its a gap-down start to the market on Tuesday morning as investors turned wary of a shock resignation by RBI Governor Urjit Patel. Additionally, uncertainty around results to state elections added to their woes. The Sensex is down 482.68 points or 1.38% at 34477.04, while the Nifty is lower by 116.70 points or 1.11% at 10371.80. The market breadth is negative as 90 shares advanced, against a decline of 418 shares, while 16 shares were unchanged. Among sectors, banks, automobiles, energy, consumption, and metals are the top losers. The Nifty Midcap index is down over a percent as well. Infosys and Tech Mahindra are the top gainers, while IndusInd Banks, Adani Ports, and Reliance Industries lost the most. MARKET OUTLOOK "RBI Governor Urjit Patel has resigned, effective immediately, citing personal reasons but we believe it is very likely due to significant differences with the government. This is coming at a very inopportune time for the markets as we brace for elections results tomorrow. Exit polls have indicated adverse results for incumbents. Fiscal/monetary policy outcomes now get intertwined with political outcomes and steps by the government in the next few days become very critical. In the case of an unfavourable election verdict and a successor name not inspiring confidence, India could see sharp de-rating. In that case, we would look to export sectors like IT, pharma and consumer as potential safe harbours," Inderjeet Bhatia of Macquarie told CNBC-TV18. Gold Update: Gold prices held steady early on Tuesday, supported by hopes that the US Federal Reserve could pause its rate hike cycle sooner than previously thought, but a stronger dollar amid Brexit worries weighed on the precious metal. Crude Update: Oil prices on Tuesday clawed back some of their losses from the previous day as Libyas National Oil Company declared force majeure on exports from the El Sharara oilfield, which was seized at the weekend by a local militia group. EXPERTS ON ELECTION RESULTS Global investment banks such as Nomura, Deutsche Bank and CLSA feel that the exit polls might have got BJP thinking on its strategy but the final outcome will be very different. Most of the exit polls put Congress in a lead position in Rajasthan and Telangana, while a close contest in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. If actual results on December 11 mirror the exit polls, it will be considered as a setback for BJP as it went into the polls with a tally of 3-0 in its favour in states of Rajasthan, MP, and Chhattisgarh. OIL PRICES SHAKY: Oil prices remained on shaky ground on Tuesday after sliding by 3 percent the previous day, pressured by weakness in global stock markets and doubts that planned supply cuts led by producer club OPEC will be enough to rein in oversupply. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures CLc1 were at $51 per barrel at 0028 GMT, unchanged from their last close. International Brent crude oil futures LCOc1 had yet to trade. CORPORATE INC ON RBI GOVERNOR RESIGNATION The corporate sector in India was taken by surprise on December 10 with Reserve Bank of India Governor Urjit Patel's decision to step down. Analysts attributed the resignation to the simmering differences between RBI and government over the former's autonomy as the Centre has sought to reduce curbs on lending and to gain access to RBI reserves. Corporate executives and economists that Moneycontrol spoke to have expressed concerns of instability at RBI and the impact it will have on attracting long-term investment in India. One executive on the board of a public sector bank called the resignation a "sensitive" matter at this juncture. The executive said he didn't expect Patel to resign as the RBI had recently signaled that the government and central bank had compromised by agreeing to study a demand for sharing a part of its capital. A chief executive officer of a South-based bank echoed the same. "The news of the exit had died down after the board meeting. But we had heard that the surplus transfer issue was not resolved amicably. With its autonomy at stake, I believe that the governor took this call," he added. VVIP chopper scam: CBI gets custody of Christian Michel for 5 more days The Patiala House Court in Delhi today extended CBI custody of the alleged AgustaWestland middleman Chrishtian Michel by another 5 days. Michel who was brought to India from Dubai, had been remanded earlier to 5-day CBI custody on 5 December. During the hearing, the CBI told the court that Michel was not cooperating with the probe and was evasive in giving answers. Michel is reported to have filed a fresh detailed bail application, after withdrawing his earlier application. Michel is one of the three middlemen being probed in the AgustaWestland chopper case, apart from Italian Guido Haschke (US and Italian nationality) and Carlo Gerosa (Swiss and Italian nationality). The AgustaWestland case involves a deal to purchase 12 luxury helicopters for use by President, Prime Minister, former prime ministers and other VIPs. Michel was arrested in UAE last year on the basis of an Interpol notice and was out on bail. Michel had alleged entered into a criminal conspiracy with co-accused persons, which included then IAF chief SP Tyagi and his family members, with connivance of some public servants who had abused their official positions by reducing service ceiling of the VVIPs helicopter from 6,000 mtrs to 4,500 mtrs. The reduction in ceiling made AgustaWestland eligible for contract worth 556.262 million Euros, which was awarded to it by the defence ministry on 8 February 2010, for procurement of 12 VVIP helicopters. On 1 January 2014, India scrapped the contract with Italy-based Finmeccanica's British subsidiary AgustaWestland for supplying 12 AW-101 VVIP choppers to the IAF over alleged breach of contractual obligations and charges of paying kickbacks to securing the deal. The government has been accused of manipulating trolley figures at Letterkenny University Hospital. Overcrowding at the hospital has hit new heights this autumn. Figures released by the Irish Midwives and Nurses Organisations (INMO) last week showed the hospital had the third-highest level of overcrowding in the State for November. The figures showed that 581 people waited for beds at the hospital last month, a record for November. Now Sinn Fein Finance Spokesperson Deputy Pearse Doherty has accused the government of downplaying the crisis at the hospital and of manipulation of trolley figures. Dail Question The Donegal TD was reacting to a statement from the Minister for Health in reply to a Dail Question in which he was asked to give the governments views on overcrowding at Letterkenny University Hospital (LUH). In his response Minister Simon Harris said he acknowledged the distress overcrowded EDs cause to patients, their families, and frontline staff working in very challenging working conditions in hospitals throughout the country. This year has been characterised by high demand for unscheduled care, particularly among the over-75 age group, which was further exacerbated by Storm Emma and the extended influenza season earlier this year. The minister said that as of the end of October last, the number of patients on trolleys at the hospital's Emergency Department was 2,570, an increase of over 28 per cent from the previous year. Lack of bed capacity Deputy Doherty said the numbers quoted by the minister are grossly understated and has pointed to the overcrowding data compiled by the INMO which has recorded the number of patients whove had to wait on trolleys at both the hospitals Emergency Department and Inpatient Wards between January and October to have reached 4,251. Last week in the Dail, I again raised the deplorable issue of overcrowding with the minister for health and asked him to give his views on the unacceptable high number of patients who have been forced to wait on trolleys due to lack of bed capacity at LUH throughout 2018. Trolley Watch Campaign In his reply, the minister began by firstly stating the obvious when he acknowledged that 2018 had been a challenging year for the hospital and its frontline staff with demand for unscheduled care, particularly among the over 75 age group due to the prolonged flu season, having been very high. However, he went on to claim that by the end of October 2018, Emergency Department attendances at LUH were up by 4.6 per cent compared to the same period last year, before stating that the cumulative count of patients waiting on trolleys at the hospital had been 2,570. Yet, when we compare the Ministers figures to those compiled by the INMO as part of its yearly Trolley Watch Campaign and which gives a more whole picture of hospital overcrowding, we see that the number of patients recorded as having spent time of trolleys and chairs between January and October to have actually been 4,251 thats a difference of 1,681 patients or, in percentage terms, a difference of 50 per cent. Downplay The Minister is clearly trying to manipulate the figures and he and his government are doing their best to downplay what has become a perpetual and ever worsening crisis at the hospital. And, despite his efforts to massage these deplorable and absolutely shocking figures, no amount of spin can hide the fact that overcrowding at the hospital has brought the service to a breaking point. And yet while overcrowding continues to inflict misery on patients and staff at LUH, the Government continues to drip feed information about what measures it is putting in place to address this crisis. Louth Independent TD Peter Fitzpatrick has issued a lengthy statement today, criticising the new abortion legislation that is currently being discussed in the the Seanad for being "too extreme", and saying that he believes the public were misled during the campaign to remove the eighth amendment to the constitution. In his statement, Deputy Fitzpatrick says that "On 25th May, the people voted to remove the Eighth Amendment from the Constitution. They did not vote for the extreme law the Government is now introducing." Fitzpatrick says that "during the referendum campaign, Simon Harris and other government ministers kept presenting the referendum proposal as a proposal that would only introduce abortion in limited circumstances." He goes on to say that, "there was very little discussion on how extreme the proposal was and the fact that it allows abortion unrestricted in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. In most countries, a reason has to be given such as a health reason, but not in Ireland under this new law. "Im not trying to rerun the referendum campaign but it is important to point some of these things out because I genuinely believe the public were misled. It may take time for people to see that but from my knowledge of what has happened; the law coming in is very, very extreme." Deputy Fitzpatrick continues as follows: "I accept the referendum result and so do my colleagues in the Dail who also proposed amendments to the abortion bill. "The reason we proposed amendments was to make the law a little bit more respectful and dignified towards the unborn babies who are going to be aborted or who have just been aborted. "If our amendments had been accepted unborn babies, for example, would have been given pain relief before late term abortions. I find it really hard to believe that the Government actually turned down an amendment as reasonable and respectful as that. "My own view is that by accepting these amendments the Government would be admitting how extreme their new law was and they dont want to admit that in public. "I would never have opposed the referendum if I thought that doing so would put womens lives at risk but I know the stance I took didnt. It is never too late to say it that Ireland before the Eighth Amendment was removed was one of the safest countries in the world in which to be pregnant. That was extremely important for me and its why I felt comfortable and at ease voting No in the referendum. "With the Eighth Amendment now gone, unborn babies have no Constitutional protection. That left the door open to the Government to bring in such a radical and extreme law. "Again, the amendments we proposed were very reasonable. In addition to offering pain relief to an unborn baby during a late-term abortion, we sought an amendment that would have ensured babies born alive after surviving an abortion would be given medical care rather than left in a corner alone to die. We put forward this amendment as a result of what has happened in other countries like England where in one year alone, 66 babies were left to die alone after being born alive in failed abortions. "We proposed another amendment to ensure an ultrasound would take place prior to an abortion and that the woman would be offered an opportunity to look at it if she wanted to. The reason for this amendment was twofold. "First, it is good healthcare to perform an ultrasound to see what stage the pregnancy is at and doing the ultrasound could help protect the health of the mother. It is something that many doctors called for. And secondly, we heard many personal stories in the Dail from women and parents who said they changed their mind and didnt go for an abortion once they saw the ultrasound of their baby. "So it was a very reasonable amendment to put forward. I stress again that the amendment wouldnt have forced any woman to look at the ultrasound but it was an option that would have saved some lives if it had been adopted but the Government wouldnt accept it. They decided instead to attack and misrepresent us for putting it forward which is most unfair. "Another amendment we put forward was to ensure freedom of conscience protections for all healthcare workers doctors, nurses, midwives, medical students etc. so they would not be forced to facilitate abortions. Our amendments were rejected and as a result it has left hundreds if not thousands of healthcare workers extremely upset and worried over what they are going to be pressured to do when the new law comes in. "The Government is effectively bullying these hard-working doctors, mostly GPs, to be involved in something they dont want to do, which is end the life of another human being. "When people voted in the referendum, I dont believe they voted in favour of pressuring doctors to do what they morally feel they cannot do. An opinion poll by Amarach Research since the referendum shows that the vast majority of people are opposed to forcing doctors to be involved in abortions against their conscience. "Minister Harris and others in government keep saying that freedom of conscience is protected in the new law. The facts are it isnt. The wording of the bill forces doctors to facilitate and arrange for an abortion to take place if they themselves dont wish to perform it. "So in other words, they must facilitate and oversee that the abortion happens. That is not protecting freedom of conscience. It is forcing healthcare workers to ensure that something they deeply oppose happens nonetheless with their full cooperation and assistance. That is a terrible burden for any law to place on a person. "The Government refused our amendment that would have addressed the issue and taken away the obligation from doctors to have to oversee and facilitate abortions taking place. "Most people are unaware that the definition of an abortion in the bill is a procedure which is intended to end the life of a foetus. "The intention here could not be clearer. It is not about healthcare. It is about legalising procedures that have one single purpose and that is to end the life of a new, unique and vulnerable unborn baby. "I find it hard to believe that Simon Harris never met with representatives of the 640 GPs who raised serious concerns about the Governments abortion bill over the past month or so. "From early in the New Year, these doctors will be forced to facilitate abortions under the new law and yet none of them were ever consulted beforehand by the minister or his representatives. When they tried to raise concerns they were dismissed out of hand. I feel very sorry for these doctors many of whom I have met. It is very unjust what is happening to them. "Before the referendum, Minister Harris gave another cast iron guarantee that the new abortion law would expressly prohibit abortion on grounds of disability, for example, where a baby is detected with Down Syndrome. But nowhere in the abortion bill does it prohibit abortion on these grounds. "The fact that it is not mentioned means that nothing stands in the way of abortions happening where the baby has Down syndrome or is suspected of having it. The amendment we put forward would have addressed this but Simon Harris didnt want to know. "And when we proposed an amendment to ensure that the remains of aborted babies are interred with dignity and respect, we were misunderstood and misrepresented by some. "What we were proposing in this amendment was strictly to do with abortions that would take place in a hospital setting. These would be surgical abortions. "Our amendment would have ensured that doctors in these situations would be obliged to dispose of the remains of the babies in a dignified way. Our amendment never ever put that obligation on the mother and I want to stress that. Nothing we proposed was intended in any way to add to the distress of the mother. "We are taking away all protections from unborn babies and are headed down the road of legalised abortion at the very time that other countries are starting to reconsider and regret what legalised abortion has done to their countries." Omeath business Morgans Fine Fish have completed of an investment project with a total investment of 1.0 million. The project was part funded by the Irish Government and the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund under the Seafood Capital Investment Scheme and was administered by Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM), Irelands Seafood Development Agency. A spokesperson for Morgans Fine Fish said: "This investment is a significant boost for our business and also our community in North Louth and border areas. The funding we have received from BIM through the European Maritime Fisheries Fund will enable us to target European market and increase our production capacity significantly. We are proud to employ 80 people in our Business in Louth and Cork, and with this additional investment, we are looking forward to growing our business further over the next 5 years." Morgans Fine Fish are one of a number of companies that will receive funding under the European Maritime Fisheries Fund (EMFF) in 2018. The overall funding programme which runs from 2014-2020 was adopted by the European Commission in December 2015 and launched in January 2016 by the Minister for Agriculture Food and the Marine. The Programme provides 240m in funding to the seafood sector (fisheries, aquaculture and seafood processing) over the period 2014 to 2020. The Programme is co-funded by the Exchequer and the EU. While on the surface investing in employee wellbeing may seem extravagant in terms of the priorities many SME owners face, the reality is, a focus on workplace wellbeing can dramatically improve productivity and staff churn. However, you dont need the resources of Google to foster a culture of wellbeing in the office. Here are some clever ways to promote wellness in the workplace that wont necessarily require a big budget. Swap sugary snacks to healthier options If your office provides some level of snacks or pantry options (i.e. biscuits, lollies) consider swapping these for healthier options like fruit and nuts. Healthy snacking is a big part of wellbeing in the office. Providing healthy snack options to employees can go a long way not just in improving wellbeing but also productivity. For instance, it can help to improve overall health, curb cravings, fight weight gain, regulate moods, boost brain power and give you the energy to keep going all day. Help facilitate good hygiene This is particularly important in the winter months. Promote good workplace hygiene by providing hand sanitisers and tissues and possibly even a free flu shots to employees. Good personal hygiene is an effective way to protect against illness. So it is important to minimise and prevent the spread of germs in the office. This includes all parts of the office, including the kitchen. Did you know there are 100,000 times more germs in the kitchen sink than on a public toilet? The work desk is a commonly ignored space in terms of cleaning. Great products to keep desks clean include disinfecting wipes, non-flammable spray duster and hand sanitiser. Group exercise programs Whether its yoga at lunch, initiating a running group or an after-hours sporting group, providing and encouraging employees to participate in exercise is highly beneficial. With 65 per cent of Australians spending more than 40 hours in the workplace, its important for employers to provide down time and way for their staff to relieve stress and ensure health and wellbeing. Not only are group exercise programs great for health but they also promote a healthy culture of team work. Review the physical environment Office furniture, like desk chairs, should be reviewed regularly as they do have a life span. Likewise, things like lighting, air flow, accessibility and office clutter should be taken into consideration. Providing a safe environment doesnt just make good sense, it is also part of Workplace, Health and Safety requirements. When was the last time you updated your office furniture and equipment? Maybe its time for a review. Are you providing adequate ergonomic workplace furniture and tools? Is the office space being optimised? The design of your workplace can greatly impact employee productivity and wellbeing. Educate employees of safe working A bit of helpful information goes a long way. Provide guidance to employees of safe working practices. For instance, for employees who sit for long hours at a desk consider providing details on how to sit properly so as to cause the least amount of stress on the body, how often to get up and stretch and eye strain exercises. Workplace health and safety isnt a topic to be taken lightly, all employees should feel safe in their work environment. Employers are legally obligated to provide information and training to staff about safe working practices. But dont just stop at your compliance obligations. Providing guidance to employees on safe working practices will help to improve wellbeing as well as overall performance, so it makes good business sense. About the author By Belinda Lyone, General Manager of COS Small Business Ombudsman Kate Carnell has expressed concern that despite promises made, the major banks have not implemented the least-cost routing of their tap-and-go payments for debit cards. Carnell said, The House of Representatives Standing Committee on Economics recommended banks introduce this by 1 April this year and we are still waiting for any action. The National Australia Bank and ANZ promised to roll out the changes this year, and here we are with just 20 days left of 2018 and no action, said the Ombudsman. The Commonwealth Bank of Australia committed to the changes but didnt give a timeline. At least Westpac confirmed it will offer least-cost routing to its business customers in 2019, but it did not confirm if it will happen in the first or second half of the year. The average total merchant fee for a debit transaction is 0.26% with EFTPOS and 0.58% for Visa or Mastercard, and its higher for small businesses. So theres a nice bit of revenue for the banks over the last nine months and another example of their pursuit of profit, said Carnell. We need to see some action by the banks, who still need to rebuild trust and confidence with Australian small businesses. Youll put your legacy out with that thing Testimony during a preliminary exam of several people indicted on charges related to the poisoning of Flint, Michigans drinking water with the powerful neurotoxin lead this week revealed that officials in the Snyder administration called the shots on how the water treatment plant would be run. The plant was taken out of mothballs in order to treat Flint River water in order to save money and the decisions they made resulted in what has become Gov. Rick Snyders most enduring legacy: the Flint Water Crisis: Two state officials on trial for crimes related to the Flint water crisis gave directives for restarting the citys water treatment plant the same facility they were charged with regulating before it was put into service, a former consultant says. Warren Green, vice president and chief technical officer for Lockwood, Andrews & Newnam, told Genesee District Court Judge Jennifer Manley on Monday, Dec. 10, that Stephen Busch, a district supervisor for the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality, and Michael Prysby, a district engineer in that agency, provided his company with calculations and design directives for the plant. If accurate, Greens testimony during Mondays preliminary examinations for Busch, Prysby and two other DEQ officials would shed new light on how deeply state employees were involved in the effort to prop up the plant to that it could be used to process Flint River water in parts of 2014 and 2015. The consultants described the heavy-handed oversight by the MDEQ as highly unusual which went against their advice. The results sadly, tragically, lethally speak for themselves. Rick Snyder has some hard choices to make in the waning weeks of his governership. He can go down as the Governor who poisoned a city and robbed Michigan voters of their voice in democracy or he can be remembered as the Governor who atoned for his sins by denying sore loser Republicans their ability to rob Michigan voters of their voice in democracy by vetoing most of the legislation they sent him during the lame duck session. Whats it going to be, Governor Snyder? The choice is a binary and the choice is YOURS. [CC image Michigan Governor Rick Snyder Political Suicide by DonkeyHotey | Flickr] Enterprise IT Lead Generation Services Fuel Your Pipeline. Close More Deals. Our full-service marketing programs deliver sales-ready leads. 100% Satisfaction Guarantee! Learn more. Americans are used to hearing the refrain, "We pay the sales tax," from mattress sellers and car dealerships during big sales weekends. The phrase, "You pay the sales tax," however, is something we're all going to become a lot more familiar with in the wake of the Supreme Court's ruling in South Dakota v. Wayfair. That's because the Wayfair decision reverses precedent set by 1967's National Bellas Hess v. Illinois and upheld in 1992's Quill v. North Dakota, in which the court ruled that states could require companies to collect sales tax only if they had "sufficient physical presence" in the state. In South Dakota v.Wayfair, however, the court ruled that making physical presence the minimum standard is "unsound and incorrect." The result is that states now can require businesses to collect sales taxes if they meet the lower standard of "economic nexus" in the state -- a condition state legislatures get to define on their own. Collateral Damage This is a big win for state governments, whose desire to overturn Quill has intensified in recent years due to the rise of e-commerce and the billions of dollars in taxes that go uncollected every year. (Residents in states with sales tax are supposed to file a use tax return with items purchased outside the state, but most do not). By requiring remote sellers to collect sales tax, states are expecting to see a huge increase in the sales tax revenue, especially this holiday season. Unfortunately, the battle to recover this tax base also is likely to result in significant collateral damage in the form of the burden it places on e-commerce businesses. Many small and medium-sized e-commerce companies run on thin margins and have few resources to devote to ensuring they collect the appropriate amount of sales tax on each order. Indeed, the reason the court decided in the past not to require businesses to collect sales taxes on orders sent across state lines was that they acknowledged the serious administrative burden associated with this task. Economists can debate the macro effects of the decision: Will this lead to residents of states with complex sates tax structures being underserved? Will it lead to lower competition because of the additional administrative costs needed to start or operate an e-commerce business? However, what business owners want to know is how this will affect their operations and profitability. Triggering Nexus The first thing companies should know is that you don't need to conduct a lot of business in a state to trigger economic nexus there. In South Dakota, the physical presence condition remains, but it is compounded by an economic nexus rule that says if you have US$100,000 worth of sales, or more than 200 transactions involving customers in the state during the current or previous calendar year, then you must collect sales tax on all transactions with customers in that state. This type of safe harbor threshold quickly is becoming the norm, given that South Dakota's definition is serving as a model for the dozens of other states that have passed or are in the process of passing similar laws. Worse, companies have been given extremely short timetables to comply. The decision came in June, but many economic nexus laws are already in effect, and more will go into effect early next year. Many businesses, having other, more immediate worries, still aren't sure even where to start. While there are technology solutions out there, they take time and expertise to implement, which many small and medium-sized businesses just don't have. Impact on SaaS The impact of Wayfair largely has been on e-commerce, but that doesn't mean e-commerce businesses are the only ones that need to evaluate the effect of the new economic nexus laws. Some states require companies that sell intangible goods over the Internet, such as Software as a Service (SaaS), to collect sales tax where they have an economic nexus. Now that states are making it easier for taxpayers to trigger sales tax nexus in their state, SaaS, cloud computing and other service-based businesses that never have had to worry about sales tax in the past (because the state in which they physically are located doesn't tax their products) may already be in noncompliance, without even knowing it. The aftermath of the U.S. Supreme Court's Wayfair decision certainly creates a unique situation calling for today's businesses to immediately address sales/use tax issues created by hastily drafted reactionary legislation and interpretations establishing economic nexus thresholds with effective dates in the second half of 2018 and early 2019. Reasoned analysis and decisions are needed, as it does not appear that the economic nexus standards for sales/use tax collection responsibilities are going away any time soon. The proper decision for each business may vary widely, from not doing anything at the moment to registering in all sales/use jurisdictions as soon as possible, or somewhere in between. No matter the final decision, businesses should be resigned to devoting in-house resources or hiring outside resources to address the impact of the current evolution in the world of sales and use taxes. On the positive side, the need for additional resources may be temporary if an efficient sales/use tax collection and remittance system can be put into place effectively. For today's current situation, businesses may be well suited to hire a third-party to notify them when new obligations are created, and to explain what actions are needed. It may be unrealistic for small to medium sized businesses with limited resources to track changes on their own. Pursuing Compliance Once a business accepts the fact that sales tax collection is a business obligation that is not going away soon, and that missteps have the potential to bankrupt an otherwise successful business down the road, an easily overlooked factor in the cost/benefit analysis is who will likely pay the tax due if sellers do not collect tax at the time of sale from the buyer. Many sellers may not fully realize that their future audit assessments might have to come out of operating funds of the business -- or more dramatically, out of the pocket of the individual owners or officers of the business. Instead of looking at sales tax as a payment between a business and the state imposing the tax, sales and use taxes in today's context are more properly viewed as a decision between the seller and the buyer. Either the buyer pays the tax at the time of sale, where allowed, or the business likely has to pay the tax at the conclusion of an audit, which may take place up to three years later when the original purchaser cannot be contacted to pay the tax due. However, the daunting task of complying with state and local sales/use tax obligations in 45 states and the District of Columbia may not be as intimidating as a business owner might think, with today's technology. Sales/use tax compliance is certainly not as simple as downloading an app to your smartphone, but, by the same token, businesses with a repetitive, uncomplicated business process and product line may be able to automate the preparation of sales tax returns and the remittance of tax almost to a point where returns can be produced with a "push of the button" for every filing period. Electronic filing and electronic payments also may be reduced to a data input process that can be accomplished in a low-cost manner. With additional registration requirements created by new economic nexus standards for sales/use taxes on the horizon, business also must take the next step, and determine what other registrations are triggered automatically when registering for sale/use tax purposes. Some states make registration with the Secretary of State a prerequisite to get a valid sales/use tax permit. Secretary of State registration usually requires the presence of an in-state registered agent and additional registration fees for the business, on top of any costs to collect sales/use taxes due. Sales tax registration does not automatically require the filing of income tax returns, as income tax nexus standards are independent of sales/use tax standards. It is possible that sales/use tax filings are required under economic nexus laws, but that state income tax filings are not. States may however, make inquiries of the new businesses registering for sales/use taxes purposes to make an accurate determination of the new businesses' income tax filing obligation. Businesses need to fully understand the specifics of their nexus-generating activities, and the questions they are being asked that will determine whether income tax return filings are also due. Even though Wayfair is a sales/use tax case, states also are closely examining the Supreme Court's analysis to determine if new interpretations of law are possible under the Wayfair rationale that could increase income tax payments or other revenue streams into the state. Although economic nexus has been the focal point for many businesses since the Wayfair decision in June, businesses cannot overlook the other laws recently passed by states to collect the sales/use tax on sales by remote sellers that otherwise do not have nexus with the state. Marketplace Nexus, Reporting Obligation Marketplace Nexus laws establish registration and collection obligations on third-parties that provide the virtual e-commerce marketplace and key services for remote sellers to execute sales. Amazon and eBay are popular marketplace sellers, and they both have started or will start collecting and remitting sales/use tax on some states' transactions executed in their marketplaces established for their sellers. Businesses may have to distinguish sales executed through their marketplaces from their direct online sales, so they can collect and remit applicable sales properly, and use taxes themselves on their direct online sales. When physical presence was still the standard, Reporting Obligation laws were passed requiring non-nexus remote sellers to notify buyers on their invoices of their use tax obligations for non-taxable purchases they made. Remote sellers also may be required to send all in-state purchaser information to states, so states can contact in-state purchasers directly to collect the use tax due. Colorado was the first state to pass Reporting Obligation laws, and approximately 13 other states have such laws on their books. These requirements may take as much effort for compliance as the actual collection and remittance of sales and use taxes due. Even in states without economic nexus legislation, like California, businesses with no substantial physical presence are not necessarily free from sales/use tax collection obligations, because many states have broad "doing business" statutes that could be interpreted as creating sales/use tax nexus for a remote seller. Such laws state that when "doing business" in a state, the requisite nexus is established to enforce the obligation to collect sales and use taxes. The requisite level of "doing business" is very subjective and difficult to anticipate in some situations. Thus, a new, aggressive interpretation that a remote seller is "doing business" in a state may be preferred by states to establish sales tax nexus in lieu of trying to pass economic nexus laws in tax-adverse legislatures now that "substantial physical presence" is no longer the overriding standard. Much remains to be seen in the near future for the post-Wayfair sale tax world, but one thing is certain, businesses should educate themselves about all of the possible scenarios, so they can decide what actions to take and when they should be taken. What used to be a relatively easy decision to make is now anything but. John E. Hayashi is a Managing Director, Tax at BPM and a leader of the firm's SALT Group. With more than 26 years of SALT experience, John specializes in multistate sales and use taxes. Carolyn Cotter is a Corporate Tax Manager at BPM, and co-lead of the firms SALT group. She has eight years of experience in public accounting, providing income tax compliance and consulting services to corporations of all sizes, primarily in the high technology and life science industries. By Wenonah Hauter The images from the streets of Paris over the past weeks are stark and poignant: thousands of angry protesters, largely representing the struggling French working class, resorting to mass civil unrest to express fear and frustration over a proposed new gas tax. For the moment, the protests have been successful. French President Emmanuel Macron backed off the new tax proposal, at least for six months. The popular uprising won, seemingly at the expense of the global fight against climate change and the future wellbeing of our planet. Yet this simple analysis is grossly incomplete and fatally flawed. A more thorough and accurate analysis of the latest failure to implement a new carbon emissions tax would be this: Real solutions to our dire climate crisis can't come in the form of regressive taxes that pit working families against the cause of climate stability. We won't avoid deepening climate chaos by pursuing strategies that unduly target the working class. From here in the States to Europe and elsewhere, various carbon tax plans have been proposed or enacted in recent years as a "viable" solution to climate change. Economists of many stripes are quick to assert that putting a price on carbon emissionsas opposed to regulating them out of existence, for exampleis the key to reducing fossil fuel pollution. Yet little evidence exists of the virtues of taxing carbon from a climate standpoint. Many carbon tax advocates point to a recent plan enacted by British Columbia as evidence of the approach's worth. Yet an analysis of the plan conducted by Food & Water Watch found that greenhouse gas emissions from taxed sources actually increased by more than 4 percent, while non-taxed emissions fell during the same period. Meanwhile, the inherently regressive nature of consumer-based carbon tax schemes places an undue financial burden on those working families least able to afford it. "Progressive" carbon pricing advocates often point to fine-print details in some models that would apparently mitigate the burden on lower- and working class families by returning revenues to consumers in rebate structures meant to favor those in lower income brackets. Additionally, so-called "revenue neutral" plans claim to put no new financial burden anywhere in the economywhich would call into question what their point is in the first place. Details aside, three key facts on carbon pricing are unavoidable: First, there is little evidence to indicate that existing plans have resulted in any significant cut in carbon emissions, anywhere. Second, in order to generate significant emissions cuts, the price-per-ton on carbon would need to be so high as to truly dismantle life for great swaths of society, not just the working class. You think the protests in Paris this week were bad? The small costs associated with the new French gas tax wouldn't have made dent in emissions. Imagine if the tax was so immensely large as to actually reduce emissions. Talk about a protest! And third, ExxonMobil and many of its fellow global fossil fuel pushers support carbon taxes. Why? Because they know that attaching a new public revenue stream on fossil fuels will only serve to condone and entrench the continued existence and expansion of the industry. To Exxon, a carbon tax means polluting, poisoning business-as-usual. The real path to justly and aggressively moving off fossil fuels is simple: We must move off fossil fuelsjustly and aggressively. This means new investment in the ever-expanding realm of clean energy production and transmission, which will create countless well-paying jobs. This means new investment in energy efficiency across all segments of society, which again will create many jobs. And this also means enacting a moratorium on new fossil fuel extraction and infrastructure. So long as we are continuing to drill and frack new wells, and build new interstate pipelines to carry new fossil fuel supplies to overseas markets, we will never truly begin the transition to a clean energy future our planet so desperately requires. Call this a Green New Deal if you like, but be advised: Any Green New Deal that includes carbon pricing isn't green, isn't new and isn't much of a deal. Wenonah Hauter is the executive director Food & Water Watch, a national advocacy organization. Santo Domingo, Dec 11 (epa-efe).- The number of fatalities in the Dec. 5 explosion at a plastics factory in the Dominican capital increased to eight on Monday, following the death of one of two patients who remained hospitalized in critical condition. The deceased was identified as Rafael Contreras Baez, 55, who had suffered second- and third-degree burns. Contreras died Monday night while being treated in the burn unit at Ney Arias Lora Hospital in Santo Domingo, the hospital administration said. The other patient who was admitted to the hospital after the explosion remains in critical condition, although in the past few hours he has showed a slight improvement, the hospital added. Last Wednesday's blast at the Polyplas factory in the Villas Agricolas district was felt in several nearby areas, and both the explosion and subsequent fire left dozens of people injured. Several homes were destroyed and two hospitals and five schools suffered significant damage. Dominican Attorney General Jean Alain Rodriguez told reporters that the incident will be investigated to determine "if there could be any kind of criminal (liability)." A Santo Domingo fire department report released on Monday said that the explosion resulted from a natural gas leak that occurred when the fuel was being transferred to the company's main gas storage tank. The department also found that the gas tank was located in a common area, close to the boiler, but it could not be proved whether there was a containment wall there or an automatic fire suppression system. In a paid ad published Monday in local newspapers, the company explained that the truck that unloaded the fuel was the source of the natural gas leak that caused the explosion. At the same time, it noted that "thanks to (Polyplas's) rapid security measures ... implemented from the moment of the gas leak, the (other) boilers did not explode and neither did the gas tank located in our facilities." The company also emphasized its evacuation protocol, which, according to the statement, enabled 282 of the 289 people who were at the factory at the time of the explosion to be evacuated. Montevideo, Dec 10 (epa-efe).- Senior officials from the member-states of the Latin American Energy Organization (OLADE) gathered here Monday for Energy Week 2018. OLADE executive secretary Alfonso Blanco told EFE that a "general overview" will be provided at both the conferences and the meetings regarding the region, adding that the situation of energy access in the area will have a "very important" role. He emphasized that there is still much more to be done but that Latin America has evolved a good deal given that the number of people without access to electricity has declined from 40 million to 22 million in the last decade. An energy specialist with the Inter-American Development Bank, Natacha Marzolf, pointed out during the opening session that 85 million people in the region do not have access to sustainable ways of cooking their food. According to Marzolf, 19 countries in the region have developed renewable energy policies. "Nowadays, renewable energy can compete with fossil fuels. That has been made possible, in large part, by reducing the costs of energy such as wind and photovoltaic (power)," she said. Blanco said that Costa Rica, Paraguay and Uruguay are the three countries in Latin America that stand out in terms of incorporating renewable energy sources into their power grid. Along those lines, Uruguayan Undersecretary of Industry, Energy and Mining Guillermo Moncecchi told the press that although his country is "preparing very well," his ministry is never complacent. Washington, Dec 11 (epa-efe).- Murdered Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, three other reporters and a media outlet were named by Time magazine as its Person of the Year 2018 on Tuesday. "This is the first time we've chosen someone no longer alive as Person of the Year, but it's also very rare that a person's influence grows so immensely in death," said Edward Felsenthal, editor-in-chief of the New York publication, in a statement. The recognition, which has been announced annually since 1927, "recogniz(es) the person or group of people who most influenced the news and the world - for better or for worse - during the past year." Khashoggi shares the recognition with Philippine journalist Maria Ressa, editor of the Rappler news Web site, who is very critical of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte; and Reuters reporters Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo, who have been detained for nearly a year by Myanmar authorities for investigating the atrocities committed against that country's Muslim Rohingya minority. Also recognized by Time was the Capital Gazette newspaper, of Annapolis, Maryland, where five reporters were killed in a shooting earlier this year. Khashoggi, who wrote periodic columns for The Washington Post and was very critical of Riyadh's government, was murdered in October at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. His body has not been found. "Like all human virtues, courage comes to us in different ways and at different times," Felsenthal added. China court bans sales of iPhone in global battle A Chinese court has ordered a sales ban of some older Apple Inc iPhone models in China for violating two patents of chipmaker Qualcomm Inc. The case, brought by Qualcomm, is part of a global patent dispute between the two U.S. companies that includes dozens of lawsuits. It creates uncertainty over Apples business in one of its biggest markets at a time when concerns over waning demand for new iPhones are battering its shares. Apple said on Monday that all of its phone models remained on sale in mainland China and that it had filed a request for reconsideration with the court, the first step in a long appeal process that could end up at Chinas Supreme Court. Its incredibly unlikely, Id say almost impossible (that Apple would have to stop sales), said a Beijing-based IP lawyer who is not directly connected with the Qualcomm case but has worked with large U.S. tech firms. In all likelihood, it will drag on for some time. Its worth keeping in mind that this is just one battle in a larger rift, he said, referring to the legal fight between Qualcomm and Apple that stretches from European courts to South Korea. Qualcomm said in a statement the Fuzhou Intermediate Peoples Court in China found Apple infringed two patents held by the chipmaker and ordered an immediate ban on sales of older iPhone models, from the 6S through the X. Apple said the trio of new models released in September was not part of the case. Qualcomms effort to ban our products is another desperate move by a company whose illegal practices are under investigation by regulators around the world, Apple said. Iran recently tested a ballistic missile A senior Revolutionary Guards commander said on Tuesday that Iran had recently carried out a ballistic missile test but he did not specify what kind of missile had been tested, according to Fars News. The comment appeared to confirm a report by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo who said early this month that Iran had test-fired a medium-range ballistic missile that is capable of carrying multiple warheads. The missile could hit all of the Middle East and parts of Europe, Pompeo said. IRAN CARRIES OUT UP TO 50 MISSILE TESTS A YEAR US President Donald Trump pulled out of an international agreement on Irans nuclear program in May and reimposed sanctions on Tehran. He said the deal was flawed because it did not include curbs on Irans development of ballistic missiles or its support for proxies in Syria, Yemen, Lebanon and Iraq. We will continue our missile tests and this recent action was an important test, Amirali Hajizadeh, head of the Revolutionary Guards airspace division, said, as quoted by Fars News. He added: The reaction of the Americans shows that this test was very important for them and thats why they were shouting. The Iranian government has ruled out negotiations with Washington over its military capabilities, particularly its missile program run by the Guards. It says its missile program is purely defensive and denies its missiles are capable of being tipped with nuclear warheads. Last month, Hajizadeh said that U.S. bases in Afghanistan, the UAE and Qatar, and U.S. aircraft carriers in the Gulf were within range of Iranian missiles. In October, the Revolutionary Guards fired missiles at Islamic State militants in Syria after the Islamist group took responsibility for an attack at a military parade in Iran that killed 25 people, nearly half of them members of the Guards. Regime forces demobilize fighters after 5 years in Syria The Assad regime forces will demobilize some conscripted and reserve officers, the regime said on Monday. Syria has only just begun to emerge from a devastating conflict that began in 2011 when the Bashar al-Assad regime cracked down on demonstrators with unexpected ferocity. SEVEN YEARS, HUNDRED OF THOUSANDS DEATHS Over the last seven years, hundreds of thousands of Syrian civilians have lost their lives while millions more have been displaced in a deadly conflict that first began on March 15, 2011. The Assad regime has lost half of his army. Terror organizations like PKK, YPG and Daesh have invaded the country. Now the tide of the 7 1/2-year-old conflict turned in the Assad Regimes favour in 2015 with the intervention of Russian air power to supplement Iran-backed militias fighting in support of Bashar al-Assad. The order, which takes effect next week, also demobilizes reserve officers who joined in 2013 and who will have completed five years of reserve service by January. The regime forces began demobilizing some conscripts who had served long periods in May, shortly after it took back eastern Ghouta. SOCHI DEAL After a Sept. 17 meeting in Sochi between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, the two sides agreed to set up a demilitarized zone -- in which acts of aggression are expressly prohibited -- in Syrias Idlib province. According to the terms of the deal, opposition groups in Idlib will remain in areas in which they are already present, while Russia and Turkey will conduct joint patrols in the area with a view to preventing a resumption of fighting. On Oct. 10, the Turkish Defense Ministry announced that the Syrian opposition and other anti-regime groups had completed the withdrawal of heavy weapons from Idlibs demilitarized zone. Turkish police chief was shot dead by a police officer Rize police chief has died in shooting believed to have been carried out by a police officer Tuesday at Rize Police Department in northeastern Turkey. Provincial Police Director Altug Verdi was taken to the hospital in critical condition but doctors were unable to save his life, authorities said. Staff Branch Manager Ercan Polat and two police officers were also wounded in the attack. One police officer has been arrested for carrying out the attack, and is wounded, the official Anadolu Agency said. Provincial Police Director Altug Verdi "Our deputy secretary and our police chief are on their way to Rize," Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu said, adding that more details of the incident would be provided once they become clear. The unidentified suspect, who was wounded and arrested, was a Rize policeman who worked in the traffic department. Ceber said the suspect, who was arrested after the attack, was serving in the province's Derepazar district and sought a new assignment in central Rize. "In line with the security procedure, he checked out his pistol in the front desk outside police chief's room. When his request for reassignment was rejected by the police chief, he returned to the desk, grabbed his gun and stormed into the room," Ceber said. UK PM addresses Parliament after delaying Brexit vote Theresa May faces House of Commons, admitting her deal would suffer a heavy loss. UK Prime Minister Theresa May addressed the lower house of Parliament or House of Commons on Monday after delaying a historic vote on her Brexit deal, admitting that it would have been rejected. As a result, if we went ahead and held the vote tomorrow, the deal would be rejected by a significant margin, she said, admitting that her deal was unpopular. We will therefore defer the vote scheduled for tomorrow and not proceed to divide the House at this time. The shock announcement is a humiliation for May as Downing Street was adamant that voting on the agreement would go ahead as planned, with cabinet ministers publicly stating it would not be postponed. MAY: I AM IN NO DOUBT ABOUT THE DEAL May was confident that her deal would pass through Parliament and had repeatedly announced that this was the only deal that would work for the UK, noting she had no intention of renegotiating the agreement with the European Union. She had also warned parliamentarians that the only alternative to her deal was a no-deal Brexit that would plunge the UK into economic and political oblivion. Her warning went unheeded, however, as many as 100 Tory MPs and the majority of the opposition had publicly stated that they would vote against her deal as well as the Democratic Unionist Party, the Northern Irish party that is propping up Mays flailing government. Mr. Speaker, having spent the best part of two years poring over the details of Brexit, listening to the publics ambitions, and yes, their fears too, and testing the limits of what the other side is prepared to accept, I am in absolutely no doubt that this deal is the right one, May said. It honors the result of the referendum. It protects jobs, security and our Union. But it also represents the very best deal that is actually negotiable with the EU, she added. May will now seek to renegotiate her deal with the EU and make the points of contention more attractive to MPs, particularly the backstop arrangement regarding Northern Ireland, and will have until Jan. 21 before it will be put to vote in parliament. Upon hearing of the postponement of the vote, the EU stated that they will not renegotiate the deal with London and have stepped up preparations for a no-deal Brexit. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, December 12) The House of Representatives will summon a single contractor who bagged 30 government projects this year ahead of the current budget's approval. Lawmakers in a plenary session unanimously approved a motion to subpoena Consolacion T. Leoncio, owner of CT Leoncio Construction and Trading, as well as Department of Public Works and Highways and Commission on Audit officials in charge with the projects in question. House Majority Leader Rolando Andaya Jr., who made the motion, called it a "large-scale scam" that Leoncio's firm won multibillion-peso contracts across the country, including Metro Manila, Bulacan, Tarlac, Pangasinan, Batangas, Sorsogon, Catanduanes, Samar, Camarines Sur, and Davao City. Andaya in a privilege speech on Monday first revealed that the contractor is not qualified to take on billions of pesos in projects since it is not registered as a corporation and was only known as a Bulacan-based "single proprietorship." "Para pong sari-sari store, pero ang trinatrabaho niya bilyon. Papano po nangyari yun? (It's like a sari-sari store with billions of pesos in transactions. How did that happen?)" Andaya said. He also questioned how a Bulacan contractor could corner projects in the Bicol region. He said all these could only happen through a "miracle" allowed by high officials in government. "'Di naman pwedeng district engineer lang ang gagawa nyan. Kailangan mayrong mas mataas na nagkukumpas para mangyari yan [A district engineer cannot do that. Someone of a high position should make orders for that to happen]," Andaya said. Meanwhle, Senator Panfilo "Ping" Lacson on Tuesday called for an investigation on the supposed irregularity. "A single contractor bagging 30 flood control projects worth billions of pesos calls for a congressional inquiry/Ombudsman investigation," Lacson said in a tweet. Andaya said the questionable scheme was unnoticed as Congress rushed approval of the 2018 budget then House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez. "Yan ang nangyayari pag minamadali mo ang budget. Hindi mo nakikita na hindi pa pala pinapasa yung budget eh kinarne na. And to think, tayo yung inaakusahan ng pork barrel," he said. [Translation: "That is what happens when you rush the passage of the budget. You do not see that even before the budget is passed, but it is already padded with pork. And to think, we are being accused of pork barrel."] Andaya defended the House amid Lacson's allegations that House Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and her allies got big allocations of pork barrel or funds allocated for pet projects supposedly inserted in the proposed 2019 national budget. Andaya added that in 2018, the second district of Sorsogon and the lone district of Catanduanes got P2 billion and P500 million, respectively, for flood control projects which they did not ask for. "Wala [silang] kamuwang-muwang pero ipinasa natin dahil ang sabi iyan daw yung proposal ng Ehekutibo huwag daw nating gagalawin. Bawal daw iyon," he said, without naming who forced lawmakers to just pass the administration's proposal. [Translation: "They were not aware but we passed it because they say it is the proposal of the executive and it should not be opposed. They said it's not allowed."] He said President Rodrigo Duterte told lawmakers to "do what you have to do," even if it means removing the proposed projects. Andaya, however, said representatives were threatened or deceived so they would not dare question items in the budget proposed by the administration. The Supreme Court declared the Priority Development Assistance Fund - also known as pork barrel or funds set aside for lawmakers' projects - unconstitutional in 2013 following the expose of a P10 billion scam. Businesswoman Janet Lim Napoles, recently convicted of plunder, allegedly funneled lawmakers' funds into bogus non-government organizations and into her and her cohorts' pockets. Mutations in TTN, a gene associated with several forms of heart disease and heart failure, may also play key roles in early form of a common heart arrhythmia Atrial fibrillation (Afib), a heart condition that causes a rapid, irregular heartbeat that increases a person's risk of stroke and heart failure, is fairly common among older adults. However, its early onset form is relatively rare, affecting less than one percent of Americans under the age of 65. Its rarity suggests a strong genetic component, but potential genetic perpetrators have remained elusive. A nationwide research team, led by scientists at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard and Massachusetts General Hospital, has found a strong relationship between early-onset Afib and mutations that break TTN, a gene that helps maintain the structure of heart muscle. According to these new findings, roughly two percent of the nearly 2,800 early-onset Afib patients examined had a loss-of-function mutation in TTN, a percentage that increased the younger a patient was. TTN is also associated with many forms of cardiomyopathy, heart muscle diseases that make it more difficult for the heart to pump blood throughout the body. The study, conducted with the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) Trans-Omics for Precision Medicine (TOPMed) Consortium, was published in JAMA and represents the first time that researchers have been able to link loss-of-function mutations in a single gene to early-onset Afib. "We know Afib is heritable, that variants in many genes likely contribute to it, and that genetics have a strong influence in people who are diagnosed young," said Patrick Ellinor, an associate member in the Broad Institute's Cardiovascular Disease Initiative and a cardiologist with the Cardiac Arrhythmia Service at MGH. "But we haven't until now been able to find a strong relationship between early-onset Afib and any one gene or mutation." Ellinor is the co-senior author on the study along with Kathryn Lunetta of the Framingham Heart Study and Boston University, and Steven Lubitz of the Broad and MGH. To investigate genetic influences behind early-onset Afib, Ellinor, Lunetta, Lubitz, first author Seung Hoan Choi, and their colleagues collected whole genome sequence data from 2,781 Americans under the age of 66 who took part in nine studies that participated in TOPMed. The team then conducted a genome-wide association study (GWAS), measuring the extent to which common genetic variants affected any given person's risk of developing early-onset Afib. Starting from a list more than 8.2 million variants, the team narrowed their search down to 26 regions of the genome that prior efforts had linked to Afib, looking specifically for rare genetic variants that would prevent expression or function of a gene. Of the 84 genes within these 26 regions, only TTN was strongly associated with Afib. Most interesting was the relationship between TTN and age. Mutations in the gene appeared in 2.1 percent of the entire group of participants studied. However, when the team broke the data down by age of onset, a pattern emerged: The earlier a patient was diagnosed, the more likely they were to have a TTN mutation. More than six percent of patients in the youngest age group, those diagnosed younger than age 30, carried TTN mutations. In addition, early-onset Afib patients with a TTN mutation were diagnosed on average more than five years earlier than those without. TTN encodes a protein called titin, which acts like a molecular scaffold within heart muscle cells. Defects in titin are linked to many forms of cardiomyopathy. However, while cardiomyopathy patients often experience Afib as well, the molecular relationship between the two is still unclear. "TTN is well known in cardiology," said Ellinor. "Loss-of-function mutations in it account for many cardiomyopathies. But this is the first time we've seen associations between it and early-onset Afib." The team notes that the Afib-TTN association that came out of their data is, for the moment, just that: an association. The results do not suggest whether or not the TTN mutations play an active role in causing early-onset Afib. However, Ellinor points out that the data do suggest that a more nuanced approach to early-onset Afib treatment might be in order. "The standard approach for Afib today are blood thinners, medications to control the heart rhythm, or an invasive procedure, called catheter ablation. But it may be that in the youngest patients we might ask whether we should step back and consider genetic testing, and perhaps look for subtle signs of a cardiomyopathy," he said. "Also, we do not yet know whether patients with a TTN mutation have a different outcome, or whether we should stratify patients to treatments based on their TTN status, or whether we should watch young Afib patients to see whether they develop a cardiomyopathy. These are all important questions to answer." ### Support for this study came from the NHLBI, the National Center for Research Resources, the American Heart Association, and other sources. In the coastal Niayes zone of Senegal, meat and dairy production is set to increase substantially in the coming years. This is a boon for the region, which is home to 80% of the country's population. It is thanks to the eradication of the infamous tsetse fly, due to be officially announced on Saturday 8 December by Senegalese President Macky Sall. CIRAD was invited to the ceremony, having been involved in the eradication alongside ISRA, Senegalese veterinary services, the Senegalese Ministry of Agriculture and the Joint FAO-IAEA Programme Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture. An obstacle to development of the livestock sector Tsetse flies transmit parasitic diseases: trypanosomiases. In humans, they cause "sleeping sickness", which can be fatal if left untreated. In cattle, the infection causes reduced fertility, weight loss and sometimes death. Tsetse flies are a substantial obstacle to development of the livestock sector throughout sub-Saharan Africa, including in Senegal, where 80% of the milk consumed is imported. The stages of eradication The target zone for eradication operations covered 1000 km of the Niayes region. Before operations began, the genetic isolation of the tsetse fly population had to be proved and their presence mapped in detail. "A previous programme in the 1970s began when only half the infested areas had been pinpointed. This doomed it to fail", says Jeremy Bouyer, a veterinary surgeon and entomologist with CIRAD currently posted to the IAEA, who has been working on the project since 2007. The methods developed by researchers from ISRA and CIRAD have enabled substantial progress, including a 90% reduction in sampling costs. Pedal of the gyrocopter used to release sterile male tsetse flies on zebus during small-scale transhumance between baobabs in the Niayes zone (Senegal) CIRAD, J. Bouyer The sterile insect technique The project used socioeconomic studies and herd surveys to draft its eradication strategy. The operational phase then began in 2012. Installing insecticide traps and treating cattle reduced tsetse fly population levels, and releasing radiation-sterilized males wiped out the last remaining wild flies. The pupae (fly nymphs) used came from the Bobo-Dioulasso insectarium and the Centre International de recherche-developpement sur l'elevage en zone subhumide (CIRDES, Bobo Dioulasso, Burkina Faso). This sterile insect technique has proved itself as a way of controlling many insect pests and vectors, such as fruit flies. At the start of the project, we were capturing up to 100 tsetse flies per trap, per day at some sites", Jeremy Bouyer recalls. "By July, we were finding one or two per month. We're now down to ze ro!" An annual gain of 2.8 million euros Eradicating tsetse flies will allow farmers to switch from disease-resistant cows, which are less productive, to more productive races. The resulting increase in production should generate around 2.8 million euros a year, according to the impact study conducted alongside the project. There is already another visible spin-off: a reduction in the areas cultivated by livestock farmers, a major issue given current levels of land pressure. How about extending to Sine Saloum? Buoyed by the eradication programme's success, the Senegalese authorities are planning to extend it to a 5000-km zone of Sine Saloum. The tsetse fly problem is even more acute there, since they transmit two species of trypanosomes, one of which is much more virulent. PATTEC: a pan-African eradication campaign The results in Senegal fit into a vast pan-African tsetse fly eradication campaign (PATTEC), launched in 2001. CIRAD supported three national programmes, in Burkina Faso, Guinea and Senegal. "CIRAD played a role in knowledge production, training, and capacity-building, as well as in fostering a multi-partner network including policy-makers", says Sylvie Lewicki, CIRAD Regional Director for West Africa- Dry Zone. ### A new online calculator and guidance has been developed to help farmers and others to design woodlands to capture airborne ammonia and so reduce air pollution. Scientists from the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology worked with Forest Research to develop the free online tool and guidance for users as part of research funded by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency. Agriculture is the main source of ammonia emissions in the UK, with the majority coming from animal manure and fertilisers. Ammonia can lead to excess reactive nitrogen levels in sensitive habitats, causing a decline in the biodiversity of lichens, mosses and other flora. It can also lead to acidification of soils, and combines with other pollutants to produce particulate matter pollution, which is harmful to human health. By following the advice in the guidance, farmers, regulators and planning authorities can optimise tree planting to recapture ammonia around animal housing, which is a key source of ammonia emissions. The calculator estimates the percentage of ammonia that will be recaptured by different planting options, over a set time period - up to 50 years. The guidance advises which tree species will thrive in different parts of the UK, what distance to plant trees from animal housing, and in what configuration. There is also information to help with the incorporation and use of existing woodlands. Dr Bill Bealey, an ecologist at the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, said: "Trees are particularly effective scavengers of air pollutants like ammonia. They recapture the pollutant in the tree canopy and on to the leaves, and they also help disperse the ammonia plume which reduces impacts of nitrogen pollution on nearby sensitive habitats. "Farmers who use trees to mitigate ammonia can look to a long-term range of benefits. New canopies can improve animal welfare by providing animals with shade and protection from aerial predators. They can also provide screening around animal housing units, to soften the look of buildings and minimise visibility impacts on the landscape." Dr Elena Vanguelova, a soil sustainability expert from Forest Research, said: "Tree shelters are an agroforestry technique that have benefits for farmers and society as a whole. "The capture of carbon and nitrogen by additional planting will play a role in helping the UK achieve its greenhouse gas emission reduction targets. "Our calculator and guidance provide farmers and landowners with the information they need to use nature's best nitrogen mops to mitigate the ammonia produced by animal housing units while protecting soils, waters and the wider environment." ### The calculator is available free online at http://www.farmtreestoair.ceh.ac.uk Media contact: Sarah McDaid (sarah@mcdaidpr.co.uk/ 07866 789688) Notes to editors About ammonia Sources of ammonia (NH3) emissions are predominantly from agricultural sources like livestock manure and slurry, and fertiliser application to crops. Ammonia is a highly soluble and reactive gas containing nitrogen (N) which can readily deposit (called N deposition) from the atmosphere to vegetation and the soil. N deposition to sensitive habitats damage plant communities that have evolved on nutrient-poor soils (e.g. bogs, heathlands and some woodlands). A number of studies have shown that nitrogen deposition is an important driver for reducing species richness (Field et al., 2014; Stevens et al., 2010). Recent data (2013-2015) on nitrogen limits set for habitats show that on average >60% of the area of sensitive habitats in the UK exceeded their nitrogen limits. Ammonia can also cause soil acidification as ammonia in the soil oxidises to nitrate, with toxic chemicals such as aluminium becoming available, while elements vital for plant growth decrease. Together with nitrates, these toxic compounds can also leach into freshwaters where they are toxic for fish and other aquatic life. Nitrate leaching can cause the pollution of ground and drinking water. Ammonia can also react in the atmosphere with other pollutants to form particles and lead to poor air quality and human health impacts. There are air quality targets for the levels of particles in the air we breathe, and reducing ammonia emissions could help meet these targets. Geographical reach The tool covers England, Wales and Scotland. It is currently not available for Northern Ireland, although there are plans to extend it soon. About the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology The Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (CEH) is the UK's Centre of Excellence for integrated research into land and freshwater ecosystems and their interaction with the atmosphere. CEH is part of the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) and employs more than 450 people at four major sites in England, Scotland and Wales. CEH tackles complex environmental challenges to deliver practicable solutions so that future generations can benefit from a rich and healthy environment. @CEHScienceNews http://www.ceh.ac.uk About the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) NERC is the UK's main agency for funding and managing research, training and knowledge exchange in the environmental sciences. Our work covers the full range of atmospheric, Earth, biological, terrestrial and aquatic science, from the deep oceans to the upper atmosphere and from the poles to the equator. We coordinate some of the world's most exciting research projects, tackling major issues such as climate change, environmental influences on human health, the genetic make-up of life on Earth, and much more. NERC is part of UK Research & Innovation, a non-departmental public body funded by a grant-in-aid from the UK government. About Forest Research Forest Research is an executive agency of the Forestry Commission. It conducts world-class scientific research and technical development relevant to forestry to support and inform the policies for sustainable forest management of all four administrations in the UK. http://www.forestresearch.gov.uk About Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) SEPA is Scotland's principal environmental regulator. Our purpose is to deliver environmental protection and improvement (environmental success) in ways that, as far as possible, also create health and wellbeing benefits (social success) and sustainable economic growth (economic success). Our services include: monitoring and reporting on the state of our environment, working with partners to promote sustainable resource use, environmental regulation, providing public warning systems, and responding to environmental emergencies. We help to deliver the Scottish Government's policy agendas on topics including climate change, zero waste, environmental crime and sustainable flood risk management. http://www.sepa.org.uk Johnson & Johnson, the world's largest health care products maker, is in the midst of more than 10,000 lawsuits claiming that its iconic baby powder is linked to cancer. In July, a verdict by a Missouri jury awarded 22 women $4.6 billion in a lawsuit against the company, supporting their claim that talcum powder caused their ovarian cancer. The case is under appeal. At issue in that litigation, as in many other cases, is whether the talc-based powder contains asbestos, a known carcinogen, and if the company was aware of the alleged cancer risk for decades and sought to suppress evidence rather than warn consumers. Now, a powerful resource at Columbia University has opened areas of inquiry about the corporate and regulatory histories of these companies. ToxicDocs is a database of some 20 million once-secret industry and trade association documents concerning the health hazards of toxic chemicals, such as asbestos, lead and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs.) "This material provides a peek into the government agencies responsible for regulating toxic chemicals and the inner workings of major firms that manufactured and sold toxic substances and the products containing them," said David Rosner, the Ronald H. Lauterstein Professor of Sociomedical Sciences at Columbia Mailman School of Public Health and a professor in the Department of History. "It is the right of the public to know which industries knowingly profited from public health hazards." ToxicDocs, which launched earlier this year, is free and open to all. Its collection consists of discovery documents from myriad lawsuits that were made public once they were introduced in court but were extremely hard for the general public to access. The data includes internal memos, unpublished scientific studies, planning reports for public relations campaigns, meeting minutes and presentations--some dating back to the 1920s--related to the introduction of new products and chemicals into workplaces and commerce. The companies represented in the database range from a small brake manufacturer to multinational giants like J&J and Monsanto. The three-person ToxicDocs team consists of Rosner; Gerald Markowitz, Distinguished Professor of History at John Jay College and the Graduate Center, City University of New York; and Merlin Chowkwanyun, the Donald H. Gemson Assistant Professor of Sociomedical Sciences at Mailman, who spearheaded the effort to index and digitize the materials. Rosner and Markowitz, who began collaborating in the 1980s, have written books about occupational and environmental disease and testified as expert witnesses in dozens of cases on behalf of plaintiffs exposed to industrial toxins. They have spent decades accumulating boxes and boxes of company records. "We had access to millions of documents uncovered in litigation over toxic chemicals, but they were impossible to sift through," said Rosner, who co-directs the Center for the History and Ethics of Public Health at Mailman, which maintains ToxicDocs with Columbia's history department and CUNY. As a Columbia undergraduate more than a decade ago, Chowkwanyun suggested to Rosner posting the material online. "Why not load all those documents for the world to see, and let the public decide for themselves?" he said. So he spearheaded the building of a website to digitize primary source documents and develop a searchable archive. Seed funding came from Columbia and grants from Amazon and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. "ToxicDocs gives consumers, journalists, scientists, researchers, lawyers, policymakers and community activists a strong, evidence-based tool for raising questions about industrial firms' behavior," said Chowkwanyun, whose research centers on the history of community health, racial inequality and social movements. The archive also guards against conspiracy theories that claim that government or industry is purposely poisoning the population, he added. With a recent $500,000 grant from the National Science Foundation, Chowkwanyun is now in the midst of building a software update that will enhance navigation and provide users with tools to extract patterns in the data. Rosner, an expert witness for the plaintiffs in the Missouri trial, testified that J&J was aware that the FDA and other agencies were concerned about the risks associated with talc-based powder. But, he said, the company "ignored, denied and sought to counter the science that indicated danger." He and Markowitz were also expert witnesses in the recent landmark decision on childhood lead poisoning in California, where paint manufacturers were ordered to pay $400 million to the cities of Los Angeles, San Diego, Oakland, San Francisco and a number of counties to remove lead from older homes to stem an epidemic that has afflicted millions of children for decades. In October, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear the case, effectively upholding the decision. "ToxicDocs is one step toward leveling the playing field for efforts to combat toxic exposure," Rosner said. "Our hope is that as researchers, journalists and the public begin to plumb this digital data we will be better able to understand and counteract the impact of a century of industrialism on our environment and the world." ### Australian emergency doctors are at the forefront of a large clinical study to assess how clinicians are treating sepsis. Funded by the Emergency Medicine Foundation -- Australasia (EMF) and the Gold Coast Hospital Foundation, the study will help clinicians better understand how patients in Australia and New Zealand are currently managed and could lead to a potential new way of treating the life-threatening illness. Study co-leader, Gold Coast Health Emergency Specialist Professor Gerben Keizjers said he was hopeful the study would lead to a major treatment change for sepsis, which affects an estimated 18,000 Australians each year, causes more than 5000 deaths and costs the national healthcare system more than $700 million each year. "When a patient with sepsis arrives at the emergency department, the standard treatment is to give them a relatively large dose of intravenous fluids, which is often two to three litres or more for an adult," said Professor Keijzers. "Sepsis causes the blood pressure to drop, so the thinking has been that if we give the patient fluids it will increase their blood pressure and ensure oxygen reaches important organs such as the brain and kidneys. "This has been the accepted practice for more than 60 years, but recent research results have led us to question the benefits of giving large amounts of intravenous fluids to septic patients. "Unfortunately, it's now unclear what the best course of treatment is." To help answer this question, the researchers are running the 'ARISE Fluids' study (Fluid resuscitation in emergency patients with sepsis and hypotension), which will involve more than 70 sites in Australia and New Zealand and look at how intravenous fluids are used to treat sepsis patients. According to study leader Dr Stephen Macdonald, from the Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research Centre for Clinical Research in Emergency Medicine and the Royal Perth Hospital Emergency Department, the ARISE is an important next step following the group's recent successful completion of an EMF-funded pilot clinical trial. "The pilot trial ran across eight emergency departments in Western Australia, Victoria and Queensland and we compared two treatments at the opposing end of a spectrum of accepted practice for sepsis," said Dr Macdonald. "We compared the outcomes from patients who were given the 'standard volume' treatment with a 'restricted volume' approach in which we gave patients less fluids and medications to increase their blood pressure," he said. "The main purpose of the pilot was to determine if it was feasible to compare these two approaches, in particular if the restricted fluids treatment was safe for patients. Based on the results, which were recently published, we concluded that a restricted fluid approach was feasible and clinically acceptable. "However, before we embark on a larger clinical trial we really need to understand current practice across a range of settings in both small and large hospitals, which is why we're doing this second ARISE Fluids study. "Anecdotally, the incidence of sepsis has been rising over the past decade and we've been seeing a change in the spectrum of cases. Some types of infections have been reduced thanks to immunisations and others are increasing due to issues like antibiotic resistance." Sepsis occurs when an infection hits the blood stream. It can affect everyone from babies to older adults, but in Australia people over 65 years are the largest single group to develop the illness. EMF has also funded two other preclinical bodies of sepsis research (led by clinicians from The Prince Charles Hospital and the Royal Brisbane Hospital). The data from these studies will inform the design of a larger clinical trial following the completion of the ARISE Fluids study. EMF's Queensland Research Program is fully funded by Queensland Health. ### WASHINGTON--The 2016 Iniskin earthquake (magnitude 7.1) that shook Anchorage, Alaska, was captured by the seismometers of the EarthScope Transportable Array. This data is helping Geoff Abers, a professor at Cornell University's Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, and Michael Mann, a graduate student in his group, explore answers to fill crucial gaps in understanding intra-slab earthquakes. Their work may provide insight into the November 30, 2018 magnitude 7.0 earthquake near Anchorage. It could also help improve earthquake hazard assessments in the future. Intra-slab earthquakes usually occur deep in the earth, within tectonic plates descending into the mantle at subduction zones. Because they are so deep, intra-slab earthquakes can be large magnitude and felt over a broad area; however, they usually don't exhibit strong seismic wave acceleration or ground motion since the fault causing the earthquake is deep. Iniskin was different. The Iniskin earthquake originated within the Pacific Plate, which is slowly being forced under the North American Plate. "The Iniskin earthquake was 125 km deep, but caused some very high ground motion that was felt and recorded in Anchorage, and in particular where there's a dense network of accelerometers. When it occurred in 2016 it was actually the strongest ground shaking in Anchorage since the great 1964 earthquake that destroyed half the town," said Abers in early November, before the damaging earthquake of November 30. The Iniskin earthquake was more than 270 km from Anchorage. The magnitude 7.0 earthquake that occurred on November 30 was also an intra-slab earthquake within the subducting Pacific Plate, but it was only 44 km deep and only a few miles from Anchorage. It produced extensive damage, and while initial data are still being processed, it serves as a reminder of the hazard posed by this kind of earthquake. The Iniskin earthquake provided a prime opportunity to study the mechanics of an intra-slab earthquake, and how local geology can dramatically change the earthquake's effects. The Iniskin earthquake rattled Anchorage shortly after seismometers from EarthScope's Transportable Array were installed in southcentral Alaska. The Transportable Array consists of hundreds of seismic stations deployed in a grid; it has leapfrogged its way every two years across swaths of the continent for more than a decade and is currently in Alaska. The grid, with a spacing of about 85 km, covers Alaska from the southeast panhandle to the North Slope. "We are only able to do this study because the Transportable Array installed high-quality, state-of-the-art instruments in many otherwise inaccessible places," Mann said. "We've known for some time that you occasionally do get big intra-slab earthquakes and there's been some concern they are underrepresented globally in hazard estimates in the places in the world where they occur. So this is an opportunity to delve a little bit deeper to try to understand what was going on here," Abers said. What caused such unexpected movement from the Iniskin earthquake? Abers and Mann think there are two possible factors based on local geology: one is the temperature of the mantle the seismic waves travel through to reach the surface, and another is that the seismic waves can sometimes ricochet between the layers of a subducting tectonic plate. Anchorage sits near the edge of the North American Plate, where the continental plate pushes the Pacific Plate down into the mantle. The plate from the surface is cooler, and therefore more solid, than the surrounding mantle, so seismic waves travel faster. "At very low temperatures the earth is like a bell, it just rings and waves can propagate," Abers said. "We could only see that for the Iniskin earthquake because the Transportable Array actually deployed stations for the first time west of Anchorage and north of the Alaska Range." The Transportable Array allowed a comparison of seismic waves the same distance from the source of the earthquake, but in different directions. North of the Alaska Range, where the distance from the subduction zone means the crust lies above the mantle, the seismic waves have to travel through hot mantle to get to Anchorage. The heated rock is softer and "mushier," so seismic waves don't travel as quickly as through cooler crust. "Those signals are really small compared to the very large signals you'll see in Anchorage at comparable distances, by a factor of 20 to 50 at the frequencies we care about," said Abers. "These aren't subtle effects." The other possible reason why the Iniskin earthquake shook the ground so much has to do with the local structure of the crust. Abers and Mann found that at some frequencies, seismic waves seemed to be amplified. The crust is made up of multiple layers of different kinds of rock. If a weaker layer is sandwiched between stronger layers in the sinking crust of the subduction zone, seismic waves may travel up the subducting plate and be caught in the sandwiched layer, bouncing back and forth and amplifying the wave's energy. "We've known about this problem for a while, but it hasn't really made it into how hazards are assessed from these earthquakes very clearly, because we haven't worked out how to determine the parameters," said Abers. In places such as Anchorage, earthquake hazard assessment may need to include information about the deep earth, tens of miles down, and not just the near-surface geology. Puzzling out what happened during the Iniskin earthquake and possibly the November 30 one, and having good data coverage to compare the earthquakes from different locations, is a step forward for improving hazard assessment for intra-slab earthquakes in the future. ### CONTACTS Research Contact: Geoffrey Abers EarthScope National Office: Beth Grassi AGU PRESENTATION ABOUT EARTHSCOPE Wednesday, 12 December 2018, 14:25-14:40Marriott Marquis-Independence D EarthScope is a program funded by the National Science Foundation whose goal is to decipher the structure and evolution of the North American continent. In 2011, the project topped Popular Science's "The 10 Most Ambitious Experiments in the Universe Today" list. Visit EarthScope at earthscope.org or on Social Media: Facebook: facebook.com/EarthScope Tag: @EarthScope \ Twitter: twitter.com/EarthScopeInfo Tag: @EarthScopeInfo \ Instagram: instagram.com/earthscopeinfo/ Tag: #earthscope. Researchers predict that death rates from cancer will fall in 2018 in Australasian countries and in Russia. However, a greater proportion of the population will die in Russia from the disease than in any of the other countries, mainly because of the large numbers of men who still smoke. In a study published in the leading cancer journal Annals of Oncology [1] today (Tuesday), researchers led by Carlo La Vecchia (MD), Professor at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Milan (Italy), predict that 158,950 men and 137,810 women will die in 2018 in Russia, representing age-standardised rates of 158.5 men and 84 women per 100,000 of the population [2]. Out of the ten major cancers the researchers investigated, lung cancer accounted for the greatest number of deaths among Russian men (about 40,000), while about 9000 women are predicted to die from it - 39.7 men and 5.3 women per 100,000 of the population. By contrast, in countries such as Australia, Israel and the Philippines 101, 95 and 84.5 men and 74.7, 76.5 and 70 women respectively per 100,000 of the population will die from any cancer in 2018. In Australia, for example, 4,970 men and 3,600 women are predicted to die from lung cancer in 2018 - 19.7 men and 13.65 women per 100,000 of the population. Prof La Vecchia said: "There is an urgent need for further improvement in cancer prevention and treatment in Russia. Given the high lung cancer rates among Russian men, stopping smoking remains a priority there. This is particularly important among middle aged and elderly men who started smoking during the Soviet era. "The comparatively low rates of cancer deaths in Australia are partly, but not only, due to its low lung cancer rates." Prof La Vecchia and his colleagues from Italy, Switzerland and the USA collected data on total cancer deaths and deaths from ten major cancers (stomach, colorectum, pancreas, lung, breast, uterus and cervix, ovary, prostate, bladder and leukaemias) from the World Health Organization between 1970 and 2015 for the Russian Federation, Israel, Hong Kong, Japan, the Philippines, the Republic of Korea and Australia. They used these figures to make predictions for cancer deaths in 2018. The results of their research have public health implications, and are also relevant for the organisation of cancer management and care. Although they predict that death rates from cancer will decline in all seven countries, the actual numbers of deaths will continue to rise because of the growing population of elderly people. By looking at the number of deaths from cancer in 1993 and projecting the number of deaths that would have been expected in 2018 if deaths had continued at the same rate, the researchers estimated that a substantial number of cancer deaths have been avoided over that period: one million in Russia, 40,000 in Israel, 63,000 in Hong Kong, about 650,000 in Japan, 330,000 in Korea and 180,000 in Australia. There was no appreciable reduction observed in the Philippines. "The Philippines had, and still have, low rates of deaths from cancer. These are partly influenced by under-registration of causes of death, particularly in the past. Even so, the low lung cancer rates in both sexes are probably real, reflecting past low smoking prevalence. Stomach cancer rates are also low," said Prof La Vecchia. About 17.9 men per 100,000 of the Philippine population will die from lung cancer in 2018, and 2.1 per 100,000 from stomach cancer. Death rates among women are similarly low with 6.3 per 100,000 dying from lung cancer and 1.25 from stomach cancer. The researchers found there were persistently high rates of deaths from stomach cancer in some of the other countries, despite declines in recent years. In Russia, 13.6 men and 5.8 women per 100,000 will die from stomach cancer; in Japan, 13 men and 4.8 women per 100,000 will die; and in Korea 10 men and 4 women per 100,000 will die. A rise in cancers of the uterus (womb) and cervix is predicted for 2018 in Russia, Israel, Hong Kong and Japan; only a slight decrease is predicted for the Philippines. "In Russia and the Philippines this is probably due to inadequacies in cervical cancer screening, as these countries have comparatively high rates - 10.2 and 7.4 per 100,000 in Russia and the Philippines respectively versus less than five per 100,000 in the European Union," said Prof La Vecchia. "The other countries that have seen an increase have relatively low rates." Out of the seven countries considered, the lowest cancer death rates predicted in men in 2018 were in the Philippines (84.6 per 100,000), and the lowest rates among women were in Korea (52.5 per 100,000). The greatest fall in death rates between 2012 and 2018 occurred in Korean men: the researchers predicted a 20% decrease. Prof La Vecchia concluded: "Overall, we predict falls in death rates from cancer for 2018. However, these are less pronounced and have occurred later compared to the EU and USA. Mortality from lung cancer among women is low in Russia compared to the EU and North America, reflecting the low prevalence of smoking among Russian women, in sharp contrast with figures for Russian men. However, the rise in the lung cancer death rates among women aged 25 to 44 years in Israel is particularly worrisome. This underlines the need for urgent measures on tobacco control, particularly in countries like Russia with exceedingly high lung cancer rates in men." Editor-in-chief of Annals of Oncology, Professor Fabrice Andre, Professor in the Department of Medical Oncology, Institut Gustave Roussy, Villejuif, France, commented: "The predictions made in this study by Carlo La Vecchia and his colleagues are important for policy-makers and health providers to help them to make plans for the future prevention and treatment of cancers. This study shows that there is still a lot of work to be done, particularly in Russia, on encouraging people to stop smoking and to prevent them starting in the first place." ### [1] "Cancer mortality and predictions for 2018 in selected Australasian countries and Russia", by G. Carioli et al. Annals of Oncology. doi:10.1093/annonc/mdy489 [2] Age-standardised rates per 100,000 of the population are adjusted according to the proportions of people in different age groups in the overall population [3] The paper contains individual tables of predicted cancer death rates for selected Australasian states and Russia. As a result, it became possible to retrieve characteristics of high-density objects at a new level, thereby enhancing the precision of the technologies of their creation Applying the new method, technologists and materials scientists will be able to quickly, accurately and without destroying the studied objects to obtain information about the microstructure and functionality of transparent materials - single crystals, glasses, and ceramics. The article on that is available online on the site of the Journal of Alloys and Compounds. Scientists of the Far Eastern Federal University (FEFU) have used a unique mathematical model to calculate the data of 3D images of defects in the volume of transparent functional materials. The initial set of experimental data was obtained via confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) - a special type of light optical microscopy. The solution is of a high importance for technologists and materials scientists and became possible through the close cooperation between scientists from different departments of the School of Natural Sciences and the Research and Education Center (REC) "Nanotechnologies" of the FEFU School of Engineering. "The functional characteristics of transparent materials (crystals, glasses, ceramics) are largely determined by their residual porosity. Thus, the laser efficiency of ceramic samples is the same as for commercial single crystals and glasses if residual pore concentration falls below <10-4% by volume. These are extremely low values. Visualization of residual porosity with such low rates requires special technical efforts and reliable methods for their quantitative evaluation." Said Denis Kosyanov, project manager, Senior Researcher at the School of Natural Sciences, FEFU. According to the co-author of the work, Alexander Zakharenko, there are several techniques currently known in the world allow visualizing the volumetric structure of materials. Among them are X-ray computed tomography (CT), focused ion beam tomography (FIP), confocal laser scanning (CLS), etc. However, CT method requires a synchrotron radiation source, and the FIP is destructive for the object under the study and does not allow to probe the same area twice. "The non-destructive CLSM method, which we develop in FEFU, allows us to qualitatively and quickly characterize a transparent material with the construction of a 3D model for the defects distribution in its volume. By varying the wavelength of the applied laser radiation, we can control the possible scanning volume of the object and the size threshold for detecting defects - from tens of nanometers to several microns." Went on Alexander Zakharenko, a senior researcher at the REC "Nanotechnologies" FEFU. Another co-author of the work, Alexey Zavjalov, said that all known visualization methods provide only a qualitative assessment of the microstructure of materials. A key issue for the FEFU team was the development of a correct method for quantifying the porosity of transparent materials using microscopy data. "It's necessary to clarify that the micrographs provide information just about a certain cut of the sample. However, the pore sizes at the cut do not reflect their real size. If one uses a spherical approximation, the pore size on the cut will coincide with the actual size only if the cut will pass exactly through the pore's center. However, for the vast majority of pores, the cut will pass either above or below their centers. We also took into account that sections of equal size can be formed for pores of different diameters. These judgments were the basis of our mathematical model of restoring the distributed pore size in the material according to the experimental data of their sizes at the sample's cut. " Added Alexey Zavjalov, a researcher at the FEFU Academic Department of Nuclear Technologies. "By applying CLS microscopy in combination with the original method of experimental data calculating, we learned how to correctly determine the quantity and size of porosity of transparent functional materials. In particular, using the example of laser ceramics 1-4 at% Nd3 +: YAG with a known level of functionality, we compared our approach to the world's known methods and showed its maximum efficiency. As a result of our work, it became possible to retrieve characteristics of high-density objects at a new level, thereby enhancing the precision of the technologies of their creation." Concluded the head of development Denis Kosyanov. ### The study was carried out by means of ZEISS LSM 800, a CLS microscope which is unique for Russia. That equipment was purchased for the REC "Nanotechnologies", FEFU, in the frame of a Program to Support and Develop Centers for the Collective Use of Scientific Equipment. This program is implemented within the framework of the Federal Target Program "Research and Development in Priority Areas of the Scientific and Technological complex of Russia for 2014-2020." This work was supported by the Russian Science Foundation (Project No. 18-73-00145) The results of the work were published in the Journal of Alloys and Compounds. (Jena, Germany) Quantum computers could vastly increase the capabilities of IT systems, bringing major changes worldwide. However, there is still a long way to go before such a device can actually be constructed, because it has not yet been possible to transfer existing molecular concepts into technologies in a practical way. This has not kept researchers around the world away from developing and optimising new ideas for individual components. Chemists at Friedrich Schiller University in Jena (Germany) have now synthesised a molecule that can perform the function of a computing unit in a quantum computer. They report on their work in the current issue of the research journal Chemical Communications. Molecule with sufficiently long-lived spin state "To be able to use a molecule as a qubit - the basic unit of information in a quantum computer - it needs to have a sufficiently long-lived spin state, which can be manipulated from the outside," explains Prof. Dr Winfried Plass of the Jena University. "That means that the state resulting from the interacting spins of the molecule's electrons, that is to say the spin state, has to be stable enough so that one can enter and read out information." The molecule created by Plass and his team meets precisely this condition. This molecule is what is called a coordination compound, containing both organic and metallic parts. "The organic material forms a frame, in which the metal ions are positioned in a very specific fashion," says Benjamin Kintzel, who played a leading role in producing the molecule. "In our case, this is a trinuclear copper complex. What is special about it is that within the molecule, the copper ions form a precise equilateral triangle." Only in this way the electron spins of the three copper nuclei can interact so strongly that the molecule develops a spin state, which makes it a qubit that can be manipulated from the outside. "Even though we already knew what our molecule should look like in theory, this synthesis is nevertheless quite a big challenge," says Kintzel. "In particular, achieving the equilateral triangular positioning is difficult, as we had to crystallise the molecule in order to characterise it precisely. And it is hard to predict how such a particle will behave in the crystal." However, with the use of various different chemical tools and fine-tuning procedures, the researchers succeeded in achieving the desired result. Addressing information with electric fields According to theoretical predictions, the molecule created in Jena offers an additional fundamental advantage compared with other qubits. "The theoretical construction plan of our copper compound provides that its spin state can be controlled at the molecular level using electric fields," notes Plass. "Up to now, magnetic fields have mainly been used, but with these you cannot focus on single molecules." A research group in Oxford, UK, which is cooperating with the chemists from Jena, is currently conducting various experiments to study this characteristic of the molecule synthesised at the University of Jena. The team of chemists in Jena is convinced that their molecule fulfils the requirements for being used as a qubit. However, it is difficult to foresee whether it really will have a future use as a computing unit. This is because it is not yet definitely known how molecules will actually be integrated into quantum computers. Chemical expertise is also needed to achieve this - and the experts in Jena are ready to face the challenge. ### Black adolescents living in the United States tend to receive the influenza vaccine at significantly lower rates than their white and Hispanic counterparts, according to Florida State University researchers. A new study, led by former FSU graduate student Noah Webb, along with current graduate student Benjamin Dowd-Arrow and Associate Professors of Sociology Miles Taylor and Amy Burdette, was recently published in Public Health Reports. "Our findings are important because black adolescents and young adults consistently have worse health profiles than white and Hispanic adolescents and young adults," Dowd-Arrow said. "The black population is also more likely to reside in multigenerational homes, where there is a very real threat of unvaccinated teenagers spreading the flu to unvaccinated children and grandparents." Although disparities exist among the three racial/ethnic groups examined, the team also identified low influenza vaccination rates in adolescents across the board when compared with other age groups. "Our research highlights that we're not doing enough for any group," he said. "We should still be trying to address all adolescents out there because they consistently have the lowest vaccination rates among children 18 and under in the United States," he said. In the paper, the scholars note that recent research suggests achieving an 80 percent increase in influenza vaccination among children and adolescents would likely result in a 91 percent reduction in the total number of influenza illness cases on a population-wide basis. "Vaccinating more adolescents could strengthen herd immunity, which could ultimately protect vulnerable populations," he said. Researchers used a study sample of 117,273 adolescents, ages 13 to 17, after analyzing provider-reported vaccination histories from 2010-2016 from the teen portion of the National Immunization Survey. "Since the passing of the Affordable Care Act in 2010, we wondered if increased access to health care and preventive health services would increase, reduce or even eliminate flu vaccination disparities by race/ethnicity," Dowd-Arrow said. "We found that disparities between white and Hispanic adolescents have waned over time, but disparities between white and black adolescents have emerged in recent years." Compared with white adolescents, Hispanic adolescents had higher odds of vaccination, while black adolescents had lower odds. "We found that, after controlling for key demographic characteristics, Hispanics had higher influenza vaccination rates than white adolescents for much of the study period," Dowd-Arrow said. "However, that advantage tapered roughly midway through the study period and flu vaccine rates among white and Hispanic adolescents became similar." Researchers also found that although the rates varied slightly during the initial study period, a disparity in the rates began emerging in 2014. The 2014-2015 flu season marked one of the highest years on record of the influenza virus, with about 710,000 hospitalizations and 80,000 flu or flu-related deaths. "It was also a time when Congress began to cut access and states refrained from expanding Medicaid," he said. By 2016, black adolescents received influenza vaccinations at significantly lower rates than their white counterparts. "The people most affected by the highest rates of illness and death are also the people who are most likely to be affected by poverty," Dowd-Arrow said. "The consequences of not getting vaccinated further marginalizes and places a burden on people who really can't afford that." Researchers said targeted interventions are needed to improve influenza vaccination rates and reduce racial/ethnic disparities in adolescent vaccination coverage. "Parents are hesitant to vaccinate their children and adolescents because of lack of information, concerns about side effects, lack of access of health care due to cost or inadequate transportation," Dowd-Arrow said. "These are areas that, if addressed by public health officials, could ultimately have great public health as well as economic impacts." Scholars suggest future research should examine variations among Hispanic adolescents, such as Cuban or Puerto Rican youth. Another avenue of study could specifically focus on parental hesitations or concerns about vaccinations that lead to vaccination noncompliance. ### Researchers have genetically transformed the Common Primrose (Primula vulgaris) for the first time in a development that could shed light on one of the plant world's most renowned reproductive systems. The complicated sex life of Primula was a subject that fascinated Charles Darwin and generations of geneticists that followed because it's one of the best examples of heteromorphic flower development. Heteromorphy (or heterostyly) is a phenomenon in which plants exhibit two or three distinct forms of flowers based on the position of the male and female sex organs. Now, some of the secrets that eluded Darwin could be revealed following the biotechnological success announced by researchers from the John Innes Centre, the University of East Anglia (UEA) and the Earlham Institute. The technology known as Agrobacterium-mediated plant transformation involves using soil bacteria to insert or modify genes in a plant genome. Genetic transformation is a valuable tool that allows researchers to study gene function and genetically controlled characteristics in organisms. It is a research method routinely used on model organisms such as Nicotiana benthamiana and Arabidopsis thaliana to understand the molecular workings of plants. However, these species cannot be used to study heteromorphy because their flowers are all homomorphic which means they are able to self-fertilise. "Now we have a transformation system we can use gene editing tools such as CRISPR-Cas9 to work out exactly what the gene function is that controls heteromorphy in the Primula family," says Sadiye Hayta, of the John Innes Centre. "Longer term, there may be implications for commercial crops. If we understand the roles of these different genes we could take them over to a commercial crop and use it in a hybrid system," she adds. Until now attempts to transform Primula have been unsuccessful because the plant has proved resistant to laboratory regeneration of whole plants from tissue culture. The new transformation protocols reported in the peer-reviewed journal Plant Methods will allow the scientists of today to study the Primula at a molecular level. The flowering plant is one of the best-known examples of heteromorphic flower development. This reproductive system enthralled not only Darwin but many leading geneticists from the early 1900s including William Bateson, the first director of the John Innes Centre and colleagues JBS Haldane, Cyril Darlington and Dorothea de Winton. Darwin, in a landmark paper of 1862, worked out the functional significance of the different anatomical formations: they made the plants self-incompatible. This is Nature's way of promoting cross-pollination to maintain genetic variation in the population, driving natural selection. Fundamental research into heteromorphy has continued. In a research paper in 2016 a John Innes Centre - University of East Anglia team led by Professor Philip Gilmartin identified the S-Locus supergene that controls heteromorphy as described by Darwin. Armed with this fundamental knowledge and a the newly announced transformation system, scientists can delve deeper into the mysteries of heteromorphy. Co-author Mark Smedley, of the John Innes Centre says: "It is not every day you get to work on a paper that references Darwin. This is a fundamental story that scientists have been trying to unravel for 200 years." Professor Philip Gilmartin of the UEA whose laboratory started out on this scientific mission more than 20 years ago, said: "The development of a Primula transformation system is an important component of our lab's long-term study to identify and characterise the genes that control development of the two forms of Primula flower studied by Charles Darwin." It's a piece of research that would have excited Darwin. Towards the end of his illustrious career the author of On the Origin of Species remarked: "I do not think anything in my scientific life has given me so much satisfaction as making out the meaning of the structure of these plants." ### The paper: Agrobacterium-mediated transformation systems of Primula vulgaris, appears in the peer reviewed journal Plant Methods. The research was funded by BBSRC and the Gatsby Foundation. Pictures/Media and captions: https://drive.google.com/open?id=15m6AmaR5qzYCqcwtU1Hs6zv83gmRu5xZ Notes for Editors Contacts Press Contact: Adrian Galvin - Adrian.Galvin@jic.ac.uk Tel: 01603 450238 About the John Innes Centre The John Innes Centre is an independent, international centre of excellence in plant science and microbiology. Our mission is to generate knowledge of plants and microbes through innovative research, to train scientists for the future, to apply our knowledge of nature's diversity to benefit agriculture, the environment, human health, and wellbeing, and engage with policy makers and the public. To achieve these goals we establish pioneering long-term research objectives in plant and microbial science, with a focus on genetics. These objectives include promoting the translation of research through partnerships to develop improved crops and to make new products from microbes and plants for human health and other applications. We also create new approaches, technologies and resources that enable research advances and help industry to make new products. The knowledge, resources and trained researchers we generate help global societies address important challenges including providing sufficient and affordable food, making new products for human health and industrial applications, and developing sustainable bio-based manufacturing. This provides a fertile environment for training the next generation of plant and microbial scientists, many of whom go on to careers in industry and academia, around the world. The John Innes Centre is strategically funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), and is supported by the John Innes Foundation through provision of research accommodation, capital funding and long-term support of the Rotation PhD programme. For more information about the John Innes Centre visit our website http://www.jic.ac.uk About the University of East Anglia The University of East Anglia (UEA) is a UK Top 15 university. Known for its world-leading research and outstanding student experience, it was awarded Gold in the Teaching Excellence Framework and has achieved a Top 5 ranking for overall satisfaction in the National Student Survey every year since the survey began in 2005. UEA is a leading member of Norwich Research Park, one of Europe's biggest concentrations of researchers in the fields of environment, health and plant science. http://www.uea.ac.uk About Earlham Institute The Earlham Institute (EI) is a world-leading research Institute focusing on the development of genomics and computational biology. EI is based within the Norwich Research Park and is one of eight institutes that receive strategic funding from Biotechnology and Biological Science Research Council (BBSRC) - 5.43m in 2017/18 - as well as support from other research funders. - as well as support from other research funders. EI operates a National Capability to promote the application of genomics and bioinformatics to advance bioscience research and innovation. EI offers a state of the art DNA sequencing facility, unique by its operation of multiple complementary technologies for data generation. The Institute is a UK hub for innovative bioinformatics through research, analysis and interpretation of multiple, complex data sets. It hosts one of the largest computing hardware facilities dedicated to life science research in Europe. It is also actively involved in developing novel platforms to provide access to computational tools and processing capacity for multiple academic and industrial users and promoting applications of computational Bioscience. Additionally, the Institute offers a training programme through courses and workshops, and an outreach programme targeting key stakeholders, and wider public audiences through dialogue and science communication activities. http://www.earlham.ac.uk @Earlham About BBSRC The Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) is part of UK Research and Innovation, a non-departmental public body funded by a grant-in-aid from the UK government. BBSRC invests in world-class bioscience research and training on behalf of the UK public. Our aim is to further scientific knowledge, to promote economic growth, wealth and job creation and to improve quality of life in the UK and beyond. Funded by government, BBSRC invested 469 million in world-class bioscience in 2016-17. We support research and training in universities and strategically funded institutes. BBSRC research and the people we fund are helping society to meet major challenges, including food security, green energy and healthier, longer lives. Our investments underpin important UK economic sectors, such as farming, food, industrial biotechnology and pharmaceuticals For more information about BBSRC, our science and our impact, and for more information about BBSRC strategically funded institutes visit our website. Researchers at McLean Hospital will lead a five-year study to investigate the use of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) to treat severe agitation and aggression in people with Alzheimer's disease. The study was made possible by a five-year grant, expected to total $11.8 million, from the National Institute on Aging (NIA) under award number R01AG06110001. Part of the National Institutes of Health, the NIA leads scientific efforts to study aging and Alzheimer's disease. According to Brent P. Forester, MD, MSc, who is the principal investigator for this study and heads McLean's Division of Geriatric Psychiatry and Geriatric Psychiatry Research Program, "the study will be the first randomized, double-blind, controlled study of ECT for agitation and aggression in Alzheimer's dementia." The study will compare how ECT treatment plus standard treatments, such as antipsychotic medications and behavioral therapies, compares with standard therapies alone for individuals with Alzheimer's dementia with severe aggression and anxiety. McLean Hospital researchers will collaborate with investigators at Emory University, Mayo Clinic, Pine Rest Christian Mental Health Services, and Northwell Health. The Medical University of South Carolina will serve as the study's data coordinating site. Georgios Petrides, MD, who heads the division of ECT at the Zucker Hillside Hospital of Northwell Health in New York will serve as the co-principal investigator for this study. For the study, 200 patients will be enrolled across the five sites. The study will be open to older adults or individuals who have been admitted to the inpatient geriatric psychiatry programs of any of the five participating sites and who have moderate-to-severe Alzheimer's disease, are experiencing agitation and aggression, and who have not been responsive to other forms of treatment. Enrollment is expected to begin in the spring of 2019. The study is important, Forester said, because "almost everyone with Alzheimer's disease at some point over the course of their illness will have anxiety or depression or agitation." He explained that these behavioral symptoms "can lead to increased morbidity and mortality among individuals with Alzheimer's dementia." Moreover, per Forester, behavioral disturbances are "often the reason why people end up in long-term care facilities, why family members become burned out and exhausted emotionally and physically, and why primary caregivers die sooner than they otherwise would." Despite the serious public health burden, Forester said that "there are currently no FDA-approved treatments for agitation and aggression in Alzheimer's disease." Medications currently utilized are often ineffective, he said, or they produce significant side effects. ECT, however, is "a well-established treatment for depression," he stated, and "early uncontrolled studies suggest that ECT may reduce the severity of agitation and aggression in individuals with Alzheimer's dementia who are not responding to current treatments." Once the study begins, the team will interact regularly with a data safety monitoring board composed of experts in geriatric psychiatry, biostatistics, and ECT who will review every piece of data as well as the overall conduct of the study to provide an independent objective review of safety. The researchers will also provide a yearly progress report to the NIA. Forester is excited to get started. "ECT is a well-established and safe treatment for people with severe depression or those who aren't responding to other treatments, especially in older adults," he said. "We know that ECT has also been successful in helping individuals with dementia and aggression. This study could be a pathway to helping improve the quality of life for people with Alzheimer's dementia complicated by severe aggression and agitation and their caregivers." McLean Hospital has a continuous commitment to put people first in patient care, innovation and discovery, and shared knowledge related to mental health. In 2017 and 2018, it was named the #1 hospital for psychiatric care in the United States by U.S. News & World Report. McLean Hospital is the largest psychiatric affiliate of Harvard Medical School and a member of Partners HealthCare. For more information, please visit mcleanhospital.org or follow us on Facebook or Twitter. ### Professor Dean Ho, Director of the Singapore Institute for Neurotechnology (SINAPSE) at the National University of Singapore (NUS), has been elected as a Fellow of the United States National Academy of Inventors (NAI), the highest professional accolade for academic inventors. Prof Ho, whose research covered artificial intelligence (AI) and its application towards personalised and precision medicine, as well as emerging areas of nanomedicine and nanodiamond-based drug delivery, is recognised for demonstrating a prolific spirit of innovation in creating or facilitating outstanding inventions that have made a tangible impact on quality of life, economic development, and welfare of society. He is the only Singapore-based academic inventor to be elected as an NAI Fellow this year. This is also the first time an NUS academic has achieved this professional distinction. The Fellowship will be conferred on 11 April 2019 as part of the Eighth NAI Annual Meeting which will be held at the Space Center Houston in Houston, Texas. "I am deeply honoured to be elected as an NAI Fellow, and to join a distinguished community of innovators who have pioneered industry-changing advances across a broad spectrum of disciplines. I look forward to advance the fields of medicine, AI, and digital health with my team of dedicated and innovative researchers, and to create a positive impact for the future of patient care," shared Prof Ho, who is also a Provost's Chair Professor from the Biomedical Engineering and Pharmacology departments at NUS, as well as a member of the Biomedical Institute for Global Health Research and Technology (BIGHEART) at NUS. Prof Ho was nominated for his role in developing CURATE.AI, a powerful artificial intelligence (AI) platform that drives personalised and precision medicine, and successfully translating it to multiple human studies. Currently, he is co-leading multiple combination therapy studies pertaining to oncology and transplant medicine to dynamically modulate multi-drug regimens with CURATE.AI. These trials have already demonstrated a complete halt in disease progression, resulting in durable patient responses that far outperformed conventional dosing. CURATE.AI trials have also shown improvement in patient treatment outcomes in preventing organ transplant rejection. This prestigious accolade is also a tribute to Prof Ho's pioneering work in the development of platforms using nanodiamonds for drug delivery and imaging, and for initiating a first-in-human clinical trial to validate a nanodiamond-biomaterial device to enhance root canal therapy. Reflecting on the inspiration behind his inventions, Prof Ho said, "The ability to take an idea and watch it evolve into a scalable platform that can directly improve patient outcomes has been a major driver of my enthusiasm for inventing new technologies. The pathway to realising a clinically impactful technology may involve a lot of troubleshooting, but the successful implementation of an idea that has taken years to bring to fruition is a deeply rewarding experience. It is most gratifying when a patient ultimately benefits from an approach which I am deeply involved in." On top of being a prolific scientist, Prof Ho has also been very active in promoting technology transfer and commercialisation. He is Co-Founder and Chairman of KYAN Therapeutics, a clinical and revenue stage company that has commercialised CURATE.AI, and is advancing novel oncology and liver disease therapies towards the clinic. He has also advised multiple publicly traded technology companies and private equity/venture funds in the areas of technology development and investment management. He was formerly President of the Board of Directors of the Society for Laboratory Automation and Screening (SLAS), a global drug development organisation comprised of senior executives from the pharmaceutical and medical device sectors, as well as academic visionaries. During his tenure, Prof Ho led a team to expand SLAS into Asia and Europe, and also established the SLAS Graduate Fellowship Grant Program with a generous funding of US$1 million to support graduate students pursuing careers at the intersection of drug development, diagnostics, and bioengineering. ### About the National Academy of Inventors (NAI) Fellows Program The NAI Fellows Program was established to highlight academic inventors who have demonstrated a prolific spirit of innovation in creating or facilitating outstanding inventions that have made a tangible impact on quality of life, economic development and the welfare of society. Election to NAI Fellow status is the highest professional distinction accorded solely to academic inventors. Those elected to the rank of NAI Fellow undergo a rigorous nomination and selection process. Once nominated by their peers, the 2018 class of NAI Fellows was evaluated by 18 members of the 2018 Selection Committee, which encompassed NAI Fellows; US National Medal recipients; AAS-Lemelson Invention Ambassadors; senior officials from the US Patent and Trademark Office, Association of University Technology Managers, and the Smithsonian Lemelson Center; National Inventors Hall of Fame Inductees and board members; and members of the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine. With the election of the 2018 class, there are now over 1,000 NAI Fellows, representing more than 250 research universities and government and non-profit research institutes. The 2018 Fellows are named inventors on nearly 4,000 issued US patents. Whether it's the pleasant experience of returning to one's childhood home over the holidays or the unease of revisiting a site that proved unpleasant, we often find that when we return to a context where an episode first happened, specific and vivid memories can come flooding back. In a new study in Neuron, scientists in MIT's Picower Institute for Learning and Memory report the discovery of a mechanism the brain may be employing to make that phenomenon occur. "Suppose you are driving home in the evening and encounter a beautiful orange twilight in the sky, which reminds you of the great vacation you had a few summers ago at a Caribbean island," said study senior author Susumu Tonegawa, Picower Professor of Neuroscience at MIT. "This initial recall could be a general recall of the vacation. But moments later, you may get reminded of details of some specific events or situations that took place during the vacation which you had not been thinking about." At the heart of that second stage of recall, where specific details are suddenly vividly available, is a change in the electrical excitability of "engram cells," or the ensemble of neurons that together encode a memory through the specific pattern of their connection. In the new study, Tonegawa's lab, led by postdoc Michele Pignatelli and former member Tomas Ryan, now at Trinity College Dublin, showed that after mice formed a memory in a context, the engram cells encoding that memory in a brain region called the hippocampus would temporarily become much more electrically excitable if the mice were placed back in the same context again. So for instance, if they were given a little shock in a specific context one day, then the engram cells would be much more excitable for about an hour after they were put back in that same context the next day. The specific change in the engram cells' electrical properties has some direct implications for learning and behavior that hadn't been appreciated before. Importantly, during that hour after returning to the initial context, because of the engrams' elevated excitability, mice proved better able to learn from a shock in that context and better able to distinguish between that and distinct contexts even if they shared some similar cues. The increase in excitability therefore allowed them both to learn to avoid places where danger happened very recently and to continue to function normally in places that happen to have some irrelevant resemblance. And because the effect was short-lived, it didn't oblige them to remain overly attuned for very long. "The short-term reactivation increases the future recognition capability of specific cues," Pignatelli and Tonegawa's team wrote. "Engram cell excitability may be crucial for survival by facilitating rapid adaptive behavior without permanently altering the fundamental nature of the long-term engram." Tonegawa added that "while the survival interpretation may be an evolutionary origin of this multi-step episodic memory recall" it likely also applies to positive episodic memories, like the vacation sunset experience, just as much. Exposing excitability Using methods they've devised to label specific engrams, the team initially explored what happens when mice are returned to the context where they previously formed a new memory. They found that five minutes after mice were re-exposed to the context, the engram cells in the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus were more electrically excitable than in mice who had been re-exposed three hours before or in mice who weren't re-exposed at all. Subsequent experiments showed that the added excitability lasted for an hour after re-exposure before dwindling to no difference by two hours. The finding prompted the scientists to investigate what accounted for the change. Their examination of the engram cells revealed that when they were more excitable, they expressed fewer "inward rectifier" channels for potassium ions on their surface. Meanwhile, if they chemically interfered with protein synthesis, they found they could prevent the excitability from returning back to normal levels after an hour. Also, if the induced extra surface expression of the ion channels, they prevented re-exposure to a context from increasing excitability. Taken together, their findings suggested that reduced expression of the potassium ion channels causes the excitability increase and protein synthesis ends it (after about an hour). Behavioral battery To understand the implications of the extra excitement on behavior, the team performed experiments that tested its effect on two main strategies of memory recall: pattern separation, in which the brain distinguishes between cues, and pattern completion, in which the brain extrapolates from available cues. To test separation, they first trained the mice by giving them a little shock while in a specific place (context A). They next day they re-exposed two groups of mice to context A (to increase engram excitability) but left a third group out of context A as an unexcited control. The next day, they exposed all the mice to a new context that shared some of A's cues but also had other ones (Context AB). Some of the mice that had been returned to Context A entered context AB after five minutes, while others entered after three hours. So what happened? The mice who didn't go back to A at all and the mice who had three hours between A and AB each froze up in fear in AB, as if they couldn't be sure they weren't back in A (where they had experienced a shock the day before). The mice who went to AB only five minutes after being in A didn't freeze up in AB. Well within their hour of elevated engram excitability, they could tell the difference between A and AB. On the first day of the pattern completion test, the researchers gave three different groups of mice about 10 minutes to explore a context (Context A). They next day they returned all three groups to context A. The control group got a little shock and were removed immediately. The second and third groups each got to spend 3 minutes re-exploring context A. The second group then returned again five minutes later for a mild shock and the third group returned three hours later to get a shock. On day 3 all three groups were returned to Context A. The control mice and the ones who received the shock three hours after re-exposure each were much less likely to freeze in fear than the mice who got their shock within five minutes of re-exposure. They were clearly more attuned to being back in A. The scientists hypothesize that the way enhanced excitability sharpens memory is by making the engram cells more sensitive to lower levels of input from their connections with other neurons, or synapses. In the broader circuits that connect memory and behavior, they are relays that can act even with less information. "The excitability increase in the engram cell is likely to compensate for the reduction of synaptic inputs due to limited cue availability," they wrote. ### In addition to Pignatelli, Ryan and Tonegawa, the paper's other authors are Dheeraj Roy, Chanel Lovett, Lillian Smith and Shruti Muralidhar. The RIKEN Brain Science Institute, the Howard Hughes Medical Institute and the JPB Foundation funded the study. Whatever the opinion of the public, academics or medical professionals, QUT researchers say it will be politicians who decide on whether laws on euthanasia, or voluntary assisted dying, are changed. The biggest challenge for them is remaining impartial. Whatever the opinion of the public, academics or medical professionals, QUT researchers say it will be politicians who decide on whether laws on euthanasia, or voluntary assisted dying, are changed. Politicians' personal views on euthanasia should not drive the debate Issues of public concern, such as the impact on vulnerable people, should instead be at the forefront Parliament's role is to protect the vulnerable if laws are changed Legislation applies to all; not just people with one view or another Individuals are free to reject euthanasia as an option for themselves based on their own personal beliefs, so the fairest option is to make euthanasia lawful Conscience votes on euthanasia not optimal, but may remain the only way to decide the issue Researchers from QUT's Australian Centre for Health Law Research (ACHLR) have published an article - Informing the Euthanasia Debate: Perceptions of Australian Politicians - in the University of New South Wales Law Journal on how politicians approach euthanasia and assisted suicide when they are voting on whether to pass a bill legalising such practices. Led by Dr Andrew McGee, a senior law lecturer at QUT, their paper follows the recent passing of the Voluntary Assisted Dying Act 2017 in Victoria, and covers a rarely examined perspective of the debate. "EAS - which we use to cover both voluntary active euthanasia (VAS) and physician-assisted suicide (PAS) - is increasingly the subject of ongoing political debate in Parliaments Australia-wide," said Dr McGee, whose co-authors were Dr Kelly Purser, Professor Ben White and Professor Lindy Willmott from the ACHLR, QUT law alumnus Christopher Stackpoole, winner of the 2018 Vinerian Scholarship from the University of Oxford, and QUT research assistant Juliet Davis. "Yet there has been very little scrutiny of the political debates about it and the associated arguments that have been advanced for often staunchly defended political positions for or against reform. "Our aim was to provide an evidence base about how politicians debate this vexed issue, which would assist scholars, activists, lobbyists, politicians and the wider community to engage more deeply in Australia's EAS debate and thereby facilitate the scrutiny and critical review to which our law-makers' discussions should be subject. "We have not attempted to critically analyse the quality of the arguments nor the evidence upon which they are based. However, we did conclude that many of the arguments advanced by politicians on both sides of this debate are highly contentious. "Consider, for example, the 'religious sanctity of life ' argument, or the secular 'suffering is ennobling' argument. Both of these arguments represent personal beliefs that not everybody in our community shares. "Such 'Personal Matters' represent beliefs about which people can reasonably disagree. While some people might think that these provide decisive reasons against EAS, others will not believe this. "We should ask: may parliament allow these 'Personal Matters' to serve as cogent grounds for not legalising EAS? In the end, legislation would apply to all people in the relevant community, and not just those who hold these particular views." Dr McGee and his colleagues argue that while personal views should be represented in parliamentary debates, they should not form the basis for embracing or rejecting legislative change. "If there is legislative change, like we have seen in Victoria, individuals are still free to reject euthanasia as an option for themselves based on their own personal beliefs," he said. "Other politicians go down the 'Public Matters' track. For example, they might argue that vulnerable people can't be protected - these play out as the 'slippery slope' and 'social risk' arguments. "Parliament has a legitimate interest in protecting vulnerable people; so concerns about the adequacy of safeguards and about possible slippery slopes are legitimate concerns for the state to entertain. "The role of the Parliament is to balance the competing claims of those who wish to avail themselves of EAS, and of other people who could be adversely affected if the law is changed. "Efforts must be made to ensure that such Public Matters are at the forefront of the debate about EAS and that the views taken about them are informed by the latest peer-reviewed research. "The issue will remain contentious. However it would represent enormous progress in these debates if these are the matters on which parliaments focused most of their attention, leaving the 'Personal Matters' behind and not advancing them to justify laws that will bind everyone. "With this in mind, it may be that a conscience vote is not the optimal way in which parliaments should decide whether to legalise EAS. "In saying that, we fully expect the trend of holding a conscience vote on the issue is likely to continue. Therefore we believe that members of Parliament should do their utmost to leave 'Personal Matters' out of the debate." ### The full paper is available to read online via the University of New South Wales Law Journal. Media contact: Amanda Weaver, QUT Media, 07 3138 3151, amanda.weaver@qut.edu.au After hours: Rose Trapnell, 0407 585 901, media@qut.edu.au Using data gleaned from historical reports, researchers have now identified the sources of some of the most destructive Indonesian earthquakes in Java, Bali and Nusa Tenggara, using these data to independently test how well Indonesia's 2010 and 2017 seismic hazard assessments perform in predicting damaging ground motion. The study published in the Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America concludes that the hazard assessments do well at predicting damaging ground motion in key Javanese cities, but that there is much more to learn about earthquake sources in the region. Indonesia has made earthquake risk prediction a priority after the magnitude 9.1 Sumatra-Andaman megathrust earthquake and tsunami in 2004, but to date most of the research on regional earthquake hazard has concentrated on Sumatra, at the expense of studies further east in Java, said Jonathan Griffin of Geoscience Australia and colleagues. More than 57 percent (about 140 million people) of Indonesia's population lives in Java, "on a relatively small island roughly the same area as New York State, or the North Island of New Zealand, that faces many natural hazards," explained Griffin. "Getting the hazard levels right to underpin building codes is therefore critically important for a huge number of people, particularly combined with rapid economic growth and urbanization in Indonesia." Probabilistic seismic hazard assessments or PSHA is a method that calculates the likelihood that certain levels of earthquake-related ground shaking will exceed a specific intensity at a given location and time span. PSHA calculations are based on data from earthquakes detected by seismographs, however, so some of the largest and most damaging earthquakes in a region may not be included in the assessments if they occurred before instrumentation in a region. Griffin and colleagues analyzed historical catalogs and accounts of earthquakes in Java, Bali and Nusa Tenggara from 1681 to 1877, to determine the source and shaking intensity for some of the region's historically destructive earthquakes. The most significant tectonic feature of the Indonesian region is the collision and subduction of the Indian and Australian tectonic plates under the Sunda and Burma tectonic plates, generating megathrust earthquakes like the 2004 Sumatra quake. However, the researchers found little evidence for the occurrence of large earthquakes on the Java Megathrust fault during the historic time period they studied. Instead, they concluded that large intraslab earthquakes (earthquakes that occur within a subducting tectonic plate) were responsible for some of Java's most damaging historic quakes, including a magnitude 7.4 earthquake near Jakarta in 1699 and a magnitude 7.8 quake in Central Java in 1867. The researchers also noted a cluster of large earthquakes occurring on the Flores Thrust to the east of Java in 1815, 1818 and 1820, as well as earthquakes on shallow crustal faults on Java that had not been mapped previously. The Flores Thrust was responsible for two magnitude 6.9 earthquakes in Lombok in August 2018 that together killed more than 500 people. Intraslab earthquakes are well-known in the region, including recent events such as the magnitude 7.6 quake in West Sumatra and the magnitude 7.0 quake in West Java that together killed more than 1000 people in 2009, said Griffin. "However we were surprised that we didn't find conclusive evidence for a large megathrust event during the time period we examined." Although it can be difficult to distinguish between megathrust and intraslab earthquakes using the data analyzed by the researchers, Griffin said that the data he and his team analyzed fit better with an intraslab model. "So while the intraslab models fit the data better for earthquakes in 1699 and 1867, we also rely on an absence of tsunami observations from coastal locations where ground shaking damage was reported to make the case that intraslab events were the more likely source," he added. "The absence of strong historical evidence for a large megathrust earthquake south of Java over the past 350 years is a really interesting problem," said Griffin. Javanese and Dutch population centers "were historically on the north coast facing the calmer Java Sea, so we only have limited data from the less hospitable south coast. So it's quite likely that smaller megathrust earthquakes have occurred that aren't captured well in the historical records, but we'd be surprised if a really large earthquake went unnoticed." Previous research suggests that that the length of time between earthquakes on the Sumatran megathrust varies considerably, said Griffin. "So the lack of large megathrust events south of Java over the past few centuries could just imply that we have been in a period of relative inactivity, but not that large earthquakes occur less frequently here on average over the long-term." ### Members of the Department of Earth Sciences at Syracuse University will gain new insights into Earth's crust, thanks to a licensing agreement between the university and Petroleum Experts (Petex), a leading developer of optimization software for the oil and gas industries. The Scotland-based firm has donated 10 licenses of its MOVE software package to Syracuse for research and training purposes. The suite, which is valued at nearly $2.2 million, is considered the industry standard for geological modeling and structural analysis of Earth's deep interior. "MOVE benefits faculty and students interested in tectonics and structural geology," says Christopher Scholz, professor of Earth sciences in the College of Arts and Sciences (A&S). "We are grateful to Petroleum Experts, whose software tools will particularly advance our understanding of continental rifting [i.e., the extending and thinning of Earth's crust]." Petex, which has U.S. offices in Houston, Texas, and Lafayette, Louisiana, develops software modules that help geologists obtain two- and three-dimensional images of features below Earth's surface. Starting in January, A&S professors, postdocs, graduate students and undergraduates will use MOVE to study the evolution of complex geological terranes. "Many of Earth's economic resources are spatially concentrated through movements of the tectonic plates, creating complex, three-dimensional rock configurations over millions of years," says Scholz, an A&S faculty member since 1998. "Disentangling the history of an area's deformation helps us learn more about the distribution of the subsurface resource--whether it is an ore body, an oil or gas accumulation, or a water aquifer." In addition to aiding in the study of important sites that are undergoing active tectonic deformation, MOVE will lead to products that could elevate Syracuse's status in the field of rift basin architecture and evolution. "It will make us more successful in competing for the most substantial research grants and in publishing in the world's top scientific journals," Scholz says. MOVE is the latest acquisition of the Earth sciences department, known for its state-of-the-art analytical and computing facilities in the Heroy Geology Laboratory. Scholz says the licensing agreement will benefit faculty-led, departmental research projects, most of which are "large, collaborative, multi-institutional and multi-national" in scope. Common among all of them is scholarly emphasis on Earth's crust and mantle. "Acquiring skills in the collection and analysis of data is essential for Earth sciences students interested in careers in academia, government or industry. Working with MOVE will teach them critical thinking, an essential component of a liberal arts education," he concludes. ### Founded in Edinburgh in 1990, Petex is one of Europe's fastest growing technology companies, with more than 420 clients worldwide. CLEVELAND - The Harrington Discovery Institute at University Hospitals in Cleveland, Ohio, has announced the 2019 Harrington Scholar-Innovator Award recipients. The projects supported by the awards include new therapeutics to treat metabolic disorders, autoimmune disorders and cancer, and new approaches to eradicate parasitic diseases in developing countries. The Harrington Discovery Institute--part of The Harrington Project for Discovery & Development--is designed to translate science of great promise into therapeutics that can impact human health. Award recipients whose research demonstrates innovation, creativity and the potential to impact standards of care in medicine are selected from institutions across the U.S. In addition to financial support, the Harrington Discovery Institute provides expertise and oversight in all aspects of drug development. "Every year we see novel and creative approaches for treating major unmet medical needs. This year was no exception. The 2019 Scholar-Innovator class represents an exciting portfolio of drugs-in-the-making with potential to significantly improve human health. We are honored to support these extraordinary physician-scientists," Jonathan S. Stamler, MD, President of the Harrington Discovery Institute. The selected scholars have access to several rounds of capital (up to a total of $700,000) through their affiliation with the Harrington Discovery Institute to support the transition of their work into the private sector. Scholars are then free to approach investors of their choice to support the commercialization of their work. They also have facilitated access to BioMotiv, the mission-aligned development company that is part of The Harrington Project. "Our new class of scholars was selected from a large pool of highly qualified individuals from across the U.S. With this year's class, we have supported over 100 Harrington Scholars," said Mukesh K. Jain, MD, Chief Scientific Officer of the Harrington Discovery Institute. The 2019 Harrington Scholar-Innovator Award recipients are: Robert Anderson, MD, PhD - University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center Treating systemic diseases with very long fatty acids Rosa Bacchetta, MD - Stanford University Genetically modified T cells to treat autoimmune disorders Gerald Dorn, MD - Washington University School of Medicine Targeting mitochondria to treat Charcot Marie Tooth and other neurodegenerative disorders Joachim Herz, MD - University of Texas Southwestern Targeting chronic inflammatory diseases Paul Hruz, MD, PhD - Washington University School of Medicine Novel treatment of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease Peng Ji, MD, PhD - Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine Identification of new therapeutics for blood cancers V. Vinod Mootha, MD - University of Texas Southwestern Precision medicine for age-associated vision loss Dawn Wetzel, MD, PhD - University of Texas Southwestern Developing novel, broad-based antiparasitics T.C. Wu, MD, PhD - The Johns Hopkins School of Medicine Augmenting universal immunity to combat cancer Ellen Yeh, MD, PhD - Stanford University Novel therapeutics to treat malaria ### Harrington Discovery Institute The Harrington Discovery Institute at University Hospitals in Cleveland, OH--part of The Harrington Project for Discovery & Development--aims to advance medicine and society by enabling our nation's most inventive scientists to turn their discoveries into medicines that improve human health. The institute was created in 2012 with a $50 million founding gift from the Harrington family and instantiates the commitment they share with University Hospitals to a Vision for a 'Better World'. The Harrington Project for Discovery & Development The Harrington Project for Discovery & Development (The Harrington Project), founded in 2012 by the Harrington Family and University Hospitals of Cleveland, is a $300 million national initiative built to bridge the translational valley of death. It includes the Harrington Discovery Institute and BioMotiv, a for-profit, mission-aligned drug development company that accelerates early discovery into pharma pipelines. For more information about The Harrington Project and the Harrington Discovery Institute, visit: HarringtonDiscovery.org. University Hospitals Founded in 1866, University Hospitals serves the needs of patients through an integrated network of 18 hospitals, more than 50 outpatient health centers and 200 physician offices in 16 counties throughout northern Ohio. The system's flagship academic medical center, University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, located on a 35-acre campus in Cleveland's University Circle, is affiliated with Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine. The main campus also includes University Hospitals Rainbow Babies & Children's Hospital, ranked among the top children's hospitals in the nation; University Hospitals MacDonald Women's Hospital, Ohio's only hospital for women; and University Hospitals Seidman Cancer Center, part of the NCI-designated Case Comprehensive Cancer Center. UH is home to some of the most prestigious clinical and research programs in the nation, including cancer, pediatrics, women's health, orthopedics, radiology, neuroscience, cardiology and cardiovascular surgery, digestive health, transplantation and urology. UH Cleveland Medical Center is perennially among the highest performers in national ranking surveys, including "America's Best Hospitals" from U.S. News & World Report. UH is also home to Harrington Discovery Institute at University Hospitals - part of The Harrington Project for Discovery & Development. UH is one of the largest employers in Northeast Ohio with 26,000 employees. UH's vision is "Advancing the science of health and the art of compassion," and its mission: "To Heal. To Teach. To Discover." Follow UH on Facebook @UniversityHospitals and Twitter @UHhospitals. For more information, go to http://www.uhhospitals.org Seventy percent of the current infrastructure in the Arctic has a high potential to be affected by thawing permafrost in the next 30 years. Even meeting the climate change targets of the Paris Agreement will not substantially reduce those projected impacts, according to a new study published in Nature Communications. "Much more needs to be done to prepare Alaska and Alaskans for the adverse consequences of coming changes in permafrost and climate," said Vladimir Romanovsky, a scientist with the University of Alaska Fairbanks Geophysical Institute who has been monitoring permafrost across Alaska for 25 years. Permafrost is ground that is frozen year-round for a minimum of two years. When it thaws, it can change from solid earth into mud. In many cases, the ground will slump, leading to destructive failure in any structures erected there. "These observations have led me to believe that the global warming is not a 'fake' but the reality," Romanovsky said. "And here, in Alaska, we are dealing already and will be dealing even more in the near future with this reality." Romanovsky is one of the study's authors, along with researchers from Finland, Norway, Russia and Michigan. The research is the first to explicitly show the amount of fundamental infrastructure across the Northern Hemisphere that is at risk of structural failure from permafrost thaw caused by climate change. The paper reports that by 2050, about three-quarters of the population now living on permafrost, about 3.6 million people, will be affected by damage to infrastructure from permafrost thaw. In Alaska, about 340 miles of the trans-Alaska oil pipeline traverses ground where near-surface permafrost may thaw by 2050. "The results show that most fundamental Arctic infrastructure will be at risk, even if the Paris Agreement target is achieved," the authors write. However, after 2050, attaining the Paris Agreement goals would make a clear difference in potential damage to infrastructure. The authors looked at measurements of ground temperature, annual thaw depth and other data to make their projections. They note that because of the uncertainties, the amount of infrastructure at risk from permafrost thaw is probably not much smaller than their estimate, but could be substantially larger. Damage to industrial facilities such as pipelines could lead to major ecosystem disruption if it results in spills. Energy supplies, national security and general economic activity could be adversely affected as well, the authors write. The Yamal-Nenets region in northwestern Siberia is the source of more than one-third of the European Union's pipeline imports of natural gas, for example. Many parts of the Arctic's infrastructure have relatively short lifespans. Planners and engineers need to know in detail where permafrost is most likely to thaw as they plan for replacements, upgrades and maintenance. This study mapped such areas at a resolution of 0.6 miles, allowing them to target mitigation where it is most needed. ### NOTE TO EDITORS: UAF will host a Facebook Live discussion with Romanovsky at 11:05 a.m. Eastern time/7:05 a.m. Alaska time on Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2018. Visit https://www.facebook.com/uafairbanks/ to join. A photo is available for download at https://news.uaf.edu/degrading-permafrost-agu18/. The authors will be presenting at the 2019 Fall Meeting of the American Geophysical Union on Wednesday, Dec. 13, at 9:45 a.m. See the abstract here: GC31B-08 Statistical Permafrost Modeling Suggests High Risk for Arctic Infrastructure by 2050. LINK TO DOWNLOAD PAPER: http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41467-018-07557-4 CONTACT: Sue Mitchell, 907-978-2040, sue.mitchell@alaska.edu ADDITIONAL CONTACTS: Vladimir Romanovsky, veromanovsky@alaska.edu (at AGU). Marmian Grimes, 907-474-7902, mlgrimes@alaska.edu. A new study from the University of Bristol supports body mass index (BMI) as a useful tool for assessing obesity and health. A simple measure based on weight and height, BMI is widely used to assess if a person is of a healthy weight. But its reliability as a health measure is often criticized, as it does not distinguish fat from muscle and does not tell us where body fat is stored. Using body scans from 2,840 young people aged 10 and 18 in Bristol's Children of the 90s population study, researchers examined BMI findings against more detailed measures of fat. They studied the effects of total fat, along with fat in the trunk, arms and legs, on 230 different traits relevant to metabolism and future heart disease risk, such as cholesterol and blood pressure. These effects were compared with those seen when using BMI as a measure. The study, published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, found that higher total fat at age 10 and 18 was associated with damaging levels of cardiometabolic traits such as higher blood pressure and adverse cholesterol and inflammatory profiles at age 18. Effects appeared to worsen with time and were driven most by fat stored and gained in the trunk, although gains in leg fat also appeared harmful. Carrying more lean mass (assessed here as anything in the body that that isn't fat or bone) had less of an impact on traits and did not appear to protect against carrying more fat. Higher BMI showed similar effects as higher total and trunk fat, reflecting close overlap between these measures. Dr Joshua Bell, an epidemiologist at the University of Bristol who led the study, commented: "BMI is often criticized. Our study asked how useful it really is for detecting the health effects of obesity by pitching it against more objective body scan measures. We found that trunk fat is the most damaging to health, but that simple BMI gives very similar answers to more detailed measures. This is good news since BMI is widely measured and costs virtually nothing." "We're now in a better position to understand obesity in the young thanks to participants of the Bristol-based Children of the 90s study - they, and all study participants, make new insights possible." "We now need to look at more detailed lean measures to see if other aspects protect against higher fat, and how this might differ between the sexes. This is more important than ever given stubbornly high rates of obesity worldwide." ### Notes for editors 1. Associations of body mass and fat indexes with cardiometabolic traits by Joshua Bell, David Carslake, Linda O'Keefe, Monika Frysz, Laura Howe, Mark Hamer, Kaitlin Wade, Nicholas Timpson and George Davey Smith in Journal of the American College of Cardiology. 2. This study was funded by Cancer Research UK (Population Research), the Medical Research Council, Wellcome Trust, University of Bristol, and the National Institute for Health Research. 3. Based at the University of Bristol, Children of the 90s, also known as the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC), is a long-term health-research project that enrolled more than 14,000 pregnant women in 1991 and 1992. It has been following the health and development of the parents and their index children in detail ever since and is currently recruiting the children of those original children into the study. It receives core funding from the Medical Research Council, the Wellcome Trust and the University of Bristol. Find out more at http://www.childrenofthe90s.ac.uk. 4. About Cancer Research UK Cancer Research UK is the world's leading cancer charity dedicated to saving lives through research. Cancer Research UK's pioneering work into the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer has helped save millions of lives. Cancer Research UK receives no funding from the UK government for its life-saving research. Every step it makes towards beating cancer relies on vital donations from the public. Cancer Research UK has been at the heart of the progress that has already seen survival in the UK double in the last 40 years. Today, 2 in 4 people survive their cancer for at least 10 years. Cancer Research UK's ambition is to accelerate progress so that by 2034, 3 in 4 people will survive their cancer for at least 10 years. Cancer Research UK supports research into all aspects of cancer through the work of over 4,000 scientists, doctors and nurses. Together with its partners and supporters, Cancer Research UK's vision is to bring forward the day when all cancers are cured. For further information about Cancer Research UK's work or to find out how to support the charity, please call 0300 123 1022 or visit http://www.cancerresearchuk.org. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook. Immigrant academics play a critical role in the UK's international and national collaborations that bring social and economic benefits beyond academia, shows a new study of the public engagement activities of the UK's native-born and international academics. Foreign-born academics record forty per cent more international engagement activities outside of the academic sector than their native-born colleagues. They also make significant contributions to the UK's public sector, policy, industry and non-governmental organisations through formal consulting and collaboration and excel in providing informal advice, networking and conference participation. 'Public engagement' describes activities to share research and expertise with the public, to mutual benefit. The study from the University of Bath, University of Cambridge Judge Business School, and Imperial College Business School, published in Research Policy, is the first to explore geographic patterns of engagement in the UK and internationally between the two sets of academics. It includes a unique and large-scale survey of all UK academics, recording 18,000 responses in 2015. Compared to recently-arrived overseas academics, those born in the UK take part in eighteen per cent more engagement activities in the UK, with ethnicity and language skills impacting on the ability of overseas academics to contribute. However, this distinction fades the longer that international academics spend in the UK, and is non-existent after roughly seven years. The research points to the critical role that immigrant academics play in our universities and opens debate on the nature of support that should be offered to enable them to engage locally, regionally and nationally more quickly, such as mentorship pairing programmes for new arrivals with native-born academics or established foreigners. Thirty per cent of academic staff at UK universities are non UK nationals and the global focus of academia has a long tradition. Over half of research papers published in 2013 by UK scientists had an international co-author. Dr Cornelia Lawson, from the University of Bath's School of Management, said: "Our study clearly shows that immigrant academics not only bring their subject expertise to this country, they also play a key role in the UK's contribution to issues globally. As the politics around immigration has often turned nasty, particularly in light of Brexit, many immigrant academics feel under personal attack, so now more than ever it's important that their contribution to the UK is recognised. "Rather than being 'citizens of nowhere', as Theresa May suggested in her 2016 Conservative Party conference speech, foreign-born academics are making a positive contribution to 'global Britain', engaging locally as well as internationally." Professor Ammon Salter, from the University's School of Management, added: "Immigrants working in the UK university system help to amplify the global reach and significance of our research investments. As these talented individuals become settled in the UK, they deepen their links locally, such that after seven years their pattern of engagement is the same as native-born academics. At the same time, they maintain their international links, suggesting that foreign-born academics provide a 'two-for-one' benefit in terms of public engagement within the UK and across international communities." ### The research was funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council, the Department for Business, Innovation & Skills, the Economic and Social Research Council, the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, the Higher Education Funding Council for England, the Medical Research Council, the Natural Environment Research Council and the National Centre for Universities and Business (NCUB). Dr Cornelia Lawson received support from the University of Bath through a Prize fellowship. To access the full study published in Research Policy - Citizens of Somewhere, by Dr Cornelia Lawson, Professor Ammon Salter, Professor Alan Hughes and Dr Michael Kitson see: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.respol.2018.11.008 Small local patches of bushland could be playing a much bigger role in conserving biodiversity than previously thought, according to new research. The global study just published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences looked at the conservation values of vegetation patches in 27 countries on four continents including Australia, and considered their size and distance to other habitat. The results were surprising, according to lead researcher Professor Brendan Wintle from the University of Melbourne, who is the Director of the Threatened Species Recovery Hub. "Compared to large and well-connected habitat areas, small and isolated patches of habitat have generally been treated as not very important to conservation," Professor Wintle said. "This includes places like small patches of bush, wetland or grassland along roadsides, in urban areas or in between agricultural crops. "What we have found, however, is that small and isolated habitat areas are very important to the survival of many rare and endangered species. "We need to re-think vegetation management regulations and policies that allow small patches of vegetation to be destroyed. "The environment is suffering a death by a thousand cuts. Losing small habitat patches, especially when it happens all over the country, is contributing to Australia's current extinction crisis". Co-researcher Dr Heini Kujala, also from the University of Melbourne, said once you start considering how much habitat is left for a species, small patches can be very valuable. "Small habitat patches can sometimes be the last pieces of a once widespread habitat. For species that rely on this type of habitat that makes them very important," Dr Kujala said. "Definitely we are not saying that it is an improvement to cut up big habitat areas into smaller pieces, rather that many of the small pieces that we have left are really important for conservation." Co-researcher Professor Sarah Bekessy, from RMIT University, argues that the study has very high importance for urban planning policy in Australia. "We can't continue to allow vegetation in urban areas to be lost to development. These places are very important for nature and also for people's physical and mental health," Professor Bekessy said. "Our policies should protect these valuable places and aim to restore more habitat in urban areas. "Adopting biodiversity sensitive urban design approaches would improve urban areas for people as well as wildlife." Professor Wintle hopes the research will raise awareness among planners, land managers, scientists and the community about the value of small vegetation patches. "It's good to know that the work of community groups in conserving and restoring small patches of habitats in their local neighbourhood is a thoroughly worthwhile activity," he said. ### The Threatened Species Recovery Hub is a collaboration of 10 leading Australian universities and the Australian Wildlife Conservancy to undertake research to support the recovery of Australia's threatened species. The hub receives funding from the Australian Government's National Environmental Science Program. The Chagos Archipelago, a remote British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT) located 500km south of the Maldives, is one of the most pristine marine environments on earth. For almost a decade, the area has been covered by a 640,000 km Marine Protected Area (MPA), which incorporates a no-take zone, meaning it has endured little negative impact in terms of day-to-day human activity. However, as with the rest of the planet, it is being affected by climate change and has a legacy of fishing. So it provides a perfect testbed to assess their effects, understand how mostly intact marine ecosystems function and explore how conservation practices put in place as part of the MPA might benefit other areas of the marine environment. That is the goal of new research by the University of Plymouth. Funded by a 1million grant from the Garfield Weston Foundation as part of the Bertarelli Programme in Marine Science, scientists are embarking on a two-year programme to identify what underlying mechanisms keep the region's seas - and the species living within them - so healthy and explain the distribution of the large organisms found there, such as sharks and mantas. This new research will bring together a wide range of scientific disciplines to provide the first detailed assessment of BIOT's oceanographic processes, seabed habitats and deep water (mesophotic) coral reefs, and how the two may link to keep shallow water reefs resilient. Professor of Marine Ecology Martin Attrill, the research programme coordinator, said: "This is an amazing opportunity to study one of the most unspoilt marine environments on the planet. BIOT provides an unrivalled location to understand the important natural interactions between the movement of the oceans, coral reefs and large marine animals and thus inform how we can improve and enhance environmental management. Whilst we are focusing on BIOT as part of the wider Bertarelli science programme, the results of this new funded programme will be applicable across the world and will help to keep our seas healthy. We are grateful to the Garfield Weston Foundation for supporting this exciting research." The research will bring together oceanographers, marine biologists, hydrographic surveyors and biogeochemists from the University and the Manta Trust, an international charity established by Plymouth graduate Guy Stevens. They will focus on features within the British Indian Ocean Territory which they believe are instrumental to the overall health of the region and yet have received little previous attention. At a seamount called Sandes, which hosts a huge aggregation of silvertip sharks around the summit, and an atoll called Egmont, where Manta Rays consistently aggregate and forage, scientists will look to establish what physical and oceanographic features cause these phenomena. Then by studying mesophotic corals, found at approximately 50-200m depth beyond the reach of divers, they will examine whether cool ocean currents caused by internal waves help to reduce the bleaching experienced by shallow corals due to ocean warming and aid the recovery of those that are impacted by bleaching by transporting larvae upwards, from the healthy mesophotic reefs towards the surface. Dr Kerry Howell, Associate Professor in Marine Ecology, who is leading the mesophotic coral elements of the programme said: "We know very little about the deeper parts of coral reefs, as divers cannot reach these areas. There is so much we need to learn and undoubtedly many new species to discover. We will use the University's Remotely Operated Vehicle to explore these mesophotic reefs, and try to understand how they function." The project also aims to understand how the physical processes, which it is believed are instrumental in rendering seamounts and mesophotic reefs so important, change over time. The research will build on previous research cruises to the region involving University scientists, including a three-week trip in January 2015 exploring why it is home to such a diverse population of aquatic life. Dr Phil Hosegood, Associate Professor in Physical Oceanography, was part of that expedition and is leading the Oceanography elements central to the new research programme. He added: "By bringing together several marine disciplines, we can develop a clear and informed picture of how the ocean functions in this region. Our ability to answer some of the ocean's greatest mysteries has always been hindered by the degradation of the marine environment resulting from human exploitation. In the Chagos Archipelago, that is not a factor, and the chance to understand the physical processes that might help corals survive and animal species to flourish is an exciting prospect." ### MADISON, Wis. -- For scientists wrestling with problems as diverse as containing superhot plasma in a fusion reactor, improving the accuracy of weather forecasts, or probing the unexplained dynamics of a distant galaxy, turbulence-spawning shear flow is a serious complicating factor. Put simply, shear flow occurs when two fluids -- where fluids are a liquid, a gas or a plasma (the amorphous superhot gas that makes up stars like our sun or that occurs in a fusion device) -- pass by one another such as when wind flows over a lake or hot gas jets from a galaxy. The turbulent chaos that occurs as a result of the interacting fluids can be exceedingly difficult to recreate in the numerical models scientists use to describe and understand a wide range of phenomena. Shear, for instance, is a confounding factor for critical applied problems such as predicting the diffusion of smoke from massive wildfires. Smoke from fires such as those that recently occurred in California can be widely dispersed thousands of miles from the source and contribute to problems of air quality. "These models are really helpful in understanding systems where the flow is fast," says Adrian Fraser, a University of Wisconsin-Madison graduate student in physics and the lead author of a study published Monday, Dec. 10, in the journal Physics of Plasmas. But even using the world's most powerful supercomputers in a show of brute force, certain phenomena are too complex and dynamic to be reliably recreated in silico. Scientists have tried to get around the problem by simplifying and parsing their models to look at elements of a system in the hope they can be reassembled to account for the whole. But in doing so, Fraser notes, researchers may have overlooked a common collective effect that not only has an influence on the dynamics of a system, but, according to the new research, seems to be a convenient handle for greatly simplifying the digital recreation of phenomena such as the spread of heat and chemicals in a system -- problems that now overwhelm even the most powerful supercomputers. Using those state-of-the-art supercomputers, Fraser's team, including UW-Madison physics professors Paul Terry and Ellen Zweibel along with MJ Pueschel of the University of Texas, looked at how turbulence plays out over long periods of time when its motions include a component that normally dies away very quickly. Looking at the system in detail, the researchers observed that this seemingly transient component is amplified over time and exerts greater influence than was known. "This is the one collective motion that had been assumed not to matter in these systems. We showed that it does matter," says Fraser. "And by noting that, we were able to dramatically improve existing models for how shear-flow turbulence changes in different systems." Most previous studies focused on representing motions with components that do not die away because they are instead directly driven by the shear. Measuring how heat or dye diffuses in a stationary fluid is straightforward, Fraser explains, but "if the fluid is turbulent it is really difficult to figure out how the dye or heat diffuses from one part of the fluid to another part because of all the complicated motions that occur in turbulence." By representing the system with both growing and decaying motions, it is easier to see the whole picture and greatly simplify the system for modeling. "The end result is a simple model that predicts results that are very consistent with the massive simulations we performed," says Fraser, noting that previously intractable problems for designing fusion experiments, improving weather models, and understanding astrophysical phenomena such as star formation will be more easily addressed without the need for expensive supercomputers. Vyacheslav Lukin, program director for Plasma Physics and Accelerator Science at the National Science Foundation, says the new study will help the research community continue to resolve complex plasma physics problems. "Further progress in accurately modeling large-scale plasma systems critically depends on our ability to combine analytical methods with high fidelity direct numerical simulations, and these new results should help us to make another step in that direction." ### Terry Devitt, 608-262-8282, trdevitt@wisc.edu Partial support for this work was provided by the National Science Foundation under Award No. PHY-1707236, the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation, the Vilas Trust, and the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science, Fusion Energy Sciences, under Award Nos. DE-FG02-89ER53291 and DE-FG02-04ER-54742. Computing resources were provided by the National Science Foundation through XSEDE computing resources, allocation No. TG-PHY130027. Max Mikel-Stites and Anne Staples were searching for a sequel. This summer, Staples, an associate professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering and Mechanics in the College of Engineering, and graduate student Mikel-Stites published a paper in the inaugural issue of the Journal of Superhero Science titled, "Ant-Man and the Wasp: Microscale Respiration and Microfluidic Technology." Now, they needed a new hero. The two were working with a team of graduate students, brainstorming who could be the superhero subject for their next scientific inquiry. Superman? Batgirl? Aquaman? Mikel-Stites lobbied for an investigation of Dazzler's sonoluminescent powers. Staples was curious how Mera, The Princessof Atlantis, used her hydrokinetic powers. It turns out, comic books are a great inspiration for scientific discovery. This month, Mikel-Stites is presenting the findings of their paper at the American Physical Society's Division of Fluid Dynamics meeting. The wonder team's paper looked at how Ant-Man and the Wasp breathe when they shrink down to insect-size and Staples' lab studied how fluids flow in nature. Insects naturally move fluids and gases efficiently at tiny scales. If engineers can learn how insects breathe, they can use the knowledge to invent new microfluidic technologies. "Before the 2018 'Ant-Man and the Wasp' movie, my lab was already wondering about insect-scale respiration," said Staples. "I wanted to get people to appreciate different breathing mechanisms." For most of Mikel-Stites' life, he had been nit-picking at the "science" in science-fiction movies. "I couldn't watch 'Armageddon' once they got up to space station Mir and there was artificial gravity. Things like that have always bothered me. But for 'Ant-Man and the Wasp' it was worse," he said. Staples and Mikel-Stites decided to join forces to research Ant-Man's microscale respiration. Mikel-Stites was stung by what he dubbed "the altitude problem or death-zone dilemma." For Ant-Man and the Wasp to shrink down to insect size and still breathe, they would have to overcome an atmospheric density similar to the top of Mt. Everest. Their tiny bodies would also require higher metabolisms. For their survival, the Marvel comic universe had to give Ant-Man and the Wasp superhero technologies. "I thought it would be fun to find a solution for how this small-scale respiration would work,"said Mikel-Stites."I started digging through Ant-Man's history. I looped through scenes in the 2015 movie where we could address the physics. Then I did the same thing with trailers from the 2018 movie. I used that to make a list of problems and a list of solutions." Ant-Man and the Wasp solve the altitude problem with their superhero suits. In their publication, Mikel-Stites and Staples write that the masks in Ant-Man and the Wasp's suits contain "a combination of an air pump, a compressor, and a molecular filter including Pym particle technology," that allows them to breathe while they are insect-sized. "This publication showed how different physics phenomena can dominate at different size scales, how well-suited organisms are for their particular size, and what happens when you start altering that," said Mikel-Stites. "It also shows that Hollywood doesn't always get it right when it comes to science!" Their manuscript was accepted by the Journal of Superhero Science before the release of the sequel, "Ant-Man and the Wasp." Mikel-Stites was concerned the blockbuster might include new technologies or change Ant-Man's canon. If the Marvel comic universe changed between the 2015 'Ant-Man' movie and the sequel, their hypotheses would be debunked and they would be forced to retract their paper. "I went to the 2018 movie before the manuscript came out in preprint so that if the movie contradicted us we could catch it. But the 2018 movie actually supported everything we had said, which was really nice," said Mikel-Stites. Most moviegoers simply watched the special effects and left the theater entertained. But Mikel-Stitesleft the movie with confirmation of the paper's hypotheses. The Staples lab members are not the only ones interested in tiny technologies. From lab-on-a-chip microfluidic devices to nanoparticles that deliver drugs directly to cells, consumers will ultimately benefit from this small scientific field that delivers big results. "In both the movies and science, shrinking is a common theme and has been for the last 50-60 years. This idea is something that we all like to think about. Given enough time, we can reach the point where science can take it from the realmsof magic into something that we actually have an explanation for," Mikel-Stites said. In fact, the Staples lab group has already done just that. While Mikel-Stites is presenting his superhero science at the APS meeting, his colleague Krishnashis Chatterjee, who recently completed his Ph.D. in engineering mechanics will be presenting his research on fabricating and testing four different insect-inspired micro-fluidic devices. From fiction to function, the Staples lab likes to have fun along the way. "I think that it is really important to connect with people and be engaged in science with topics they already know about. With this superhero science paper I wanted to support this mission," Staples said. And who did the lab mates choose for their next superhero science subject? The Princess of Atlantis, Mera. They hope they can publish another superhero science paper that really makes waves. ### Prime Minister May postpones a parliamentary vote, Pound hammered. Renewed meetings now with EU officials. GBP to USD exchange rate slammed lower Monday certainly did not open the trading week on a good note for the Pound. While the initial trading on the open of the forex markets saw a gap open on the GBP/USD exchange rate, that was quickly filled and it actually traded higher. But as we approached the hour when Prime Minister May would address Parliament, the pound quickly and violently began to trade lower. The total range for the day was substantial, with a swing high of 1.27588 to a swing low of 1.25066 a 252.2 pip range or almost 2%. The Pound itself may close down -1.33% or -169 pips. Prime Minister Theresa May reported that any vote would result in a most certain defeat. Issues surrounding the Irish border continue to plague the Brexit agreement between the EU and the UK. The Prime Minister reported that she is returning to EU leaders to discuss the current plan and come back with a more concrete and better Brexit deal. There were calls from the opposition to have a second referendum on the Brexit vote, but May denied that would be done and said that the Parliament has a duty to proceed with Brexit as it was voted for by the public. New 2018 lows for the Pound Above: GBP/USD Exchange Rate Slammed Lower. The price action during Mondays trade saw the pound create substantial new lows for the year. In fact, its a new 20-month low. There has been a strong convergence zone where price found support and had been holding as a support zone at the 1.2670 to 1.2713. this support zone has held ever since its the first test in 2018 back on August 14th, 2018. The shared support zone is represented by the Major 1/8th Major Harmonic at 1.2682 and the 270-degree Square of 9 angle at 1.2713. Because there has not been any trading below those levels since the summer of 2017, It was very easy for price to move and make those lower lows. The daily low at 1.2506 bounced right off of two key levels: the 0.618 Gann Arc and the Inner -1/8th harmonic. The bound was fairly substantial and has price has not retraced to test the new lows. Additionally, the moves and price action today have been on very low volume. The daily volume is slightly below 50% of the past 20 trading days. It is also the lowest traded volume bar since October 2nd. I remain bullish on the Pound regardless of the noise based move. Pound Sterling Today: PM May to Seek Assurances from EU Leaders Yesterdays sessions saw Pound Sterling (GBP) exchange rates plummet on first the rumour then the official announcement to cancel the meaningful vote scheduled for today. The vote, in the House of Commons would have seen MPs pass or reject PM Mays withdrawal bill. Conceding a defeat was likely, PM May announced she will return to Brussels in an attempt to seek assurances from EU leaders on issues such as the controversial backstop. The GBP/USD exchange rate ended the day down 1.14%, below 1.26 while GBP/EUR dropped 1.0% to 1.1 before recovering to its current 1.105. On the hard data front, this morning holds the office for national statistics average earnings index (9.30am GMT) with a forecast for a static release at 3%, the highest level since 2015. The unemployment rate is also due, also with an expected static release of 4.1%. Yesterdays price action highlighted once again the Pound Sterlings short term movements are largely being driven by political headlines. This is expected to continue as Brexit remains at the core of investors concerns. For an up-to-date Brexit timeline and pound sterling tracker, see here. Euro (EUR) Exchange Rates: Economic Sentiment Forecast for Record Low The Euro (EUR) saw a mixed start to the week with the Euro US Dollar (EUR/USD) exchange rate sliding throughout the day to find a floor at 1.135. The Euro made ground on the Pound with the only real movement being driven by the cancellation of the meaningful vote in the UK. The big Euro event for the week will be Thursdays ECB policy meeting where investors are largely expecting an announcement of the end of net asset purchases and potential downgrades to growth forecasts amidst a spate of weak economic data. For today, German economic sentiment is due this morning. As the largest economy in Europe, accounting for around 28% of the euro areas economic activity, German economic sentiment is a key indicator for overall euro area health. Todays forecasted -25 would represent the highest level of institutional investor pessimism since 2011. US Dollar Outlook Today: PPI Forecast to Contract But Remain in the Black The Greenback started the week on a strong footing with US Dollar exchange rates pushing higher against all major peers with the exception of the Australian and New Zealand Dollars, against which the USD ranged to end the day flat. Early in the afternoon session (1.30pm) well see both PPI and Core PPI releases from the Bureau of Labour Statistics. Both are forecasted to contract with PPI expected to fall from 0.6% to a neutral 0.0% and Core PPI expected to follow suit with a forecast of 0.1%, down from 0.5% Aussie Dollar Today: Australian House Prices Shrink, Consumer Sentiment Due Overnight saw the Australian Bureau of Statistics release of their quarterly housing price index. House prices remain a major concern for the Australian domestic economy and a quarterly drop of 1.5% in the HPI will do little to alleviate concerns representing the fastest contraction in housing prices since May 2011. Later in the morning (11.30am) will see the release of the Westpac Consumer Sentiment survey findings. Despite high levels of household debt and a squeeze on spending, consumer sentiment has risen over the last 2 months with the latest release at 2.8%. New Zealand Dollar (NZD) Exchange Rates Susceptible to Global Trade Tension The New Zealand Dollar saw a strong start to the week, with NZD exchange rates rising across the board in Mondays session. The exception being the New Zealand Australian Dollar (AUD/NZD) rate which ranged throughout the day before returning to flat overall. While there are no hard data releases likely to impact the New Zealand Dollar today, it remains susceptible to global economic head-winds, in particular the US-China trade war presents a potential risk factor for the New Zealand Dollar (as well as the Australian Dollar). Sliding Oil Weighs on Canadian Dollar (CAD) Exchange Rates The Canadian Dollar started the week on a softer footing, with Canadian Dollar X-rates dropping across the board, with the exception of the Canadian Dollar Pound Sterling (GBP/CAD) exchange rate. The agenda for Canadian economic data releases remains sparse today but investors will be keeping an eye on the price of oil as a weighing factor on the Canadian Dollar. After OPEX+s announcement to reduce output by 1.2m barrels per day prompted a brief rally in oil prices, at the time of writing, they have again slumped below $60 (Crude Oil Brent). Privacy Settings This site uses functional cookies and external scripts to improve your experience. Which cookies and scripts are used and how they impact your visit is specified on the left. You may change your settings at any time. Your choices will not impact your visit. NOTE: These settings will only apply to the browser and device you are currently using. As Alzheimer's Disease Diagnosis Increases Caregiving Support is Critical CONTACT: Pamela D. Wilson 303-810-1816 Email: Pamela@PamelaDWilson.com Golden, Colorado December 11, 2018, Chronic disease affecting the vascular system presents a high risk of being diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. Caring for a loved one with Alzheimer's Disease takes a high toll on health and emotional well-being. The ability to access live caregiving support groups on-line will be beneficial to support Alzheimer's and other caregivers. Alzheimer's Disease Risks More than half of the risk for Alzheimer's Disease may be attributed to the following chronic diseases that affect the vascular system: diabetes, coronary artery disease, and kidney disease. Other contributing lifestyle factors are a sedentary lifestyle, poor nutrition, alcohol use, and smoking. The incidence of Alzheimer's Disease is projected to be 16 million people by 2050. While research continues for medications and treatments to manage and prevent Alzheimer's only 5 medications have met approval in the past 25 years. Family Caregiver Stress Family caregivers of loved ones with Alzheimer's disease and dementia experience significant stress due to the ongoing progression of the disease. Physical hands-on care and behaviors that can be harmful to the caregiver or threatening are two of the more significant stressors. Individuals with dementia cannot be left alone at home as the disease progresses because of safety concerns. At the end of the disease, total physical care is required. For caregivers of persons with Alzheimer's disease, being "tied to the house" adds additional stress. The inability to leave the home to take a break for any period of time without someone else coming to say with a loved one is challenging. Over the past 20 years, I have met many dedicated Alzheimer's caregivers who hired in-home care agencies to be able to leave the home. These breaks--not intended for rest or relaxation that is greatly needed--allowed the caregiver to complete routine tasks like grocery shopping, errands, and to attend appointments. Many caregivers took advantage of a nap after errand running while the caregiver remained in the home. Because of the wide role responsibility of caregivers for Alzheimer's disease, becoming efficient with tasks is critical. Many individuals with Alzheimer's disease reverse their days and nights. They may sleep during the day and be awake all night. Caregivers work their schedules around care for a loved one. Many are sleep deprived. The Need for Caregiving Support Caregiving support is beneficial and needed for all family caregivers. Access to live groups is challenging. As leaving the home for any reason requires a paid caregiver, family member, or friend to sit with a loved one, the planning required to leave the home is significant. Some in-person support groups allow the caregiver to bring the care recipient. For some caregivers the time and effort involved to leave the home with the care recipient to attend a physical group is exhausting. This effort negates the benefit of attending the group. Pamela D Wilson Offering Live On-Line Support Groups Beginning January 2019 For Alzheimer's and other caregivers who find it difficult to leave the home, easier access is available through on-line support information and groups. Much of one-line support is one-way with the caregiver researching information text and articles. Better support is live but is rare. Beginning in late January 2019, Pamela D. Wilson will begin hosting live on-line support groups for family caregivers. Information with dates and updates will be posted on the website on Pamela's "How I Help" page. Caregivers can also sign up for her newsletter to be informed about group timing and more information. (Bloomberg) -- Stephanie Clifford, the adult-movie star professionally known as Stormy Daniels, was ordered to pay $292,000 in attorney fees and $1,000 in sanctions to Donald Trump after she unsuccessfully sued the president for defamation. Trumps lawyer had asked for $389,000 in fees for defending the lawsuit and for an equal amount in sanctions to deter Clifford from filing "frivolous" claims. A federal judge in Los Angeles on Tuesday awarded Trump 25 percent less than what he requested for his lawyer and said steep sanctions arent necessary on top of the substantial fee award. They received less than one half what they asked for because the request was gross and excessive, Cliffords lawyer, Michael Avenatti, said in an email after the ruling. Earlier this year, Clifford said she was threatened by an unknown man in a Las Vegas parking lot in 2011 for agreeing to cooperate with a magazine article about a tryst she says she had with Trump in 2006. After her lawyer released a composite sketch of the man, Trump accused Clifford in an April tweet of a total con job" concerning a nonexistent man. U.S. District Judge James Otero threw out Cliffords lawsuit in November, saying Trumps defaming tweet was protected free speech. Otero said in Tuesdays ruling that deterrence seems to be working because Clifford is trying to withdraw another defamation claim pending in his court and she hasnt taken further legal action against Trump despite rhetorically hyperbolic statements hes made about her recently. In October, Trump called Clifford horseface in a tweet and said he can now go after her and her 3rd rate lawyer. Clifford still has a case pending in Los Angeles to challenge the non-disclosure agreement she signed with Trumps then-lawyer Michael Cohen to prevent her from discussing the alleged affair. Trump and Cohen both have said they wont enforce that agreement and that the case should be thrown out as moot. Stormy will never have to pay a dime of the money awarded to Trump Tuesday, Avenatti said, because they owe her over $1 million in attorneys fees and costs from the NDA case, especially in light of Cohens guilty plea. The case is Clifford v. Trump, 18-cv-06893, U.S. District Court, Central District of California (Los Angeles). (Updates with requested sanctions in second paragraph.) To contact the reporter on this story: Edvard Pettersson in Los Angeles at epettersson@bloomberg.net To contact the editors responsible for this story: Elizabeth Wollman at ewollman@bloomberg.net, Peter Blumberg, Steve Stroth 2018 Bloomberg L.P. A large Dallas-based operator of senior care, assisted living and hospice facilities in Texas including 13 in the San Antonio area has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization. Senior Care Centers attributed its financial troubles to declining reimbursement rates, shrinking occupancies, rising rents and other challenges facing the industry. Each of its 120 affiliated companies also filed for bankruptcy protection. The bankruptcies will provide a breathing spell to permit an orderly restructuring of business operations, transfer underperforming facilities to new operators and maximize the value of its assets, which could include a possible sale, bankruptcy court documents show. Senior Care Centers operates 97 senior living facilities, nine assisted living facilities and six hospice facilities in Texas and Louisiana. It has about 13,000 beds and 11,300 employees. In a statement last week, the company said the bankruptcy is part of a plan to strengthen its financial footing while it continues to provide care and support to its roughly 10,000 patients. This plan allows us to address certain financial issues while continuing to provide the critical care and support on which our residents rely while we work to transition certain communities to new operators, Senior Care Chief Operating Officer Michael Beal said in the statement. Each facility is expected to continue to run without interruption. Mike Fisher / Staff artist Senior Care hasnt made any determination yet regarding which facilities it will seek to transfer to new operators, spokesman Tom Becker said. The company lost about $94 million on $910.4 million in revenue last year. It generated $697 million in revenue in the first 10 months of this year but didnt report its bottom-line results. In a court filing, Senior Care Chief Restructuring Officer Kevin OHalloran said its financial difficulties caused it to fall behind on rent owed to certain landlords. Sabra Health Care REIT Inc., landlord on 38 Senior Care locations, sent a notice of default to Senior Care on Aug. 9. Two weeks later, Sabra sent lease termination notices. The termination notices were subsequently withdrawn, OHalloran said, though he added that Sabra has said they were not withdrawn. Sabra, a real estate investment trust based in Irvine, Calif., is owed almost $32 million in unpaid rent. Sabra last week announced that it is selling the 38 locations 36 skilled nursing facilities and two senior housing communities for $385 million. Sabra CEO Rick Matros said in a phone interview that the buyer is New York-based BlueMountain Capital Management. The bankruptcies are not expected to affect the sale, which is slated to close early next year. Bexar Appraisal District records show that Sabra owns the San Antonio buildings where Senior Care operates Mystic Park Nursing & Rehab Center and Mesa Vista Inn Health Center. Sabra also owns the building occupied by Bandera Nursing & Rehab Center. Irvine-based Granite Investment Group, Senior Cares majority owner and landlord of 34 facilities, likewise sent notices of default and lease terminations for failure to pay rent, OHalloran said in a court filing. Locally, Granite is the landlord of five Senior Care locations, according to the Appraisal Districts website. They are SCC at Hunters Pond Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center, SCC at Pecan Valley, SCC at Westover Hills, Senior Care of Windcrest and Senior Care of Wurzbach. A call to Granite was not immediately returned. With financial pressures mounting in June, Senior Care began exploring strategic alternatives, OHalloran said. Those included talks with key landlords to restructure, reduce or defer ongoing rent payments. It also explored a sale of some of its assets and refinancing a debt facility. The effort to negotiate a global resolution to its financial challenges outside of (bankruptcy) court was not successful, OHalloran said. Senior Care is in ongoing negotiations with an unnamed buyer, he added. The company also intends to hire an investment banker or broker to explore selling the portion of the company that will not be transitioned to landlords. The company had about $310 million in assets and about $267 million in liabilities as of Oct. 30. Its market value is likely less than its book value, OHalloran said. Patrick Danner is a San Antonio-based staff writer covering banking and civil courts. Read him on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | pdanner@express-news.net | Twitter: @AlamoPD WASHINGTON - Career officials at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, like many biologists who have studied wildlife along the U.S.-Mexico border, were concerned last year about how the construction of President Donald Trump's border wall. They worried it could harm animals there that know no human-drawn boundaries. Federal wildlife biologists and managers were concerned about animals falling into large holes dug for fence posts, dying in floods when trapped against the wall and otherwise having their habitats severed by the man-made barrier. But a number of those concerns did not always make it to border officials considering the wall's construction. Interior Department officials stripped from a key letter to U.S. Customs and Border Protection a number of warnings by career staffers about the potential impacts of the border wall on the area's rare cats and other animals, The Washington Post reported on Monday. The deletions from a Fish and Wildlife letter ultimately sent in 2017, revealed in documents released under the Freedom of Information Act to the environmental group Defenders of Wildlife, are the latest example of the Trump administration brushing aside career wildlife officials' recommendations when their conclusions clash with political priorities. In emails months before the letter was crafted, a key Interior Department official made it clear to Fish and Wildlife Service officials that Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke "has indicated we are to support the border security mission." When reached for comment, the Interior Department, which houses the Service, declined to answer questions about the letter. The construction of a wall along the entire southern border ranks among Trump's highest priorities. Right now, the president is threatening to partially shut down the federal government before Christmas in a bid to extract more funding from Democrats for the wall. House and Senate Democratic leaders are set to sit down with Trump on Tuesday to discuss border wall funding and the federal budget. But the Trump administration has been preparing to build the border wall since well before securing all the money for it. In August 2017, CBP asked the Fish and Wildlife Service for its input on how animals would be affected by the construction of 60 miles of levee and bollard wall in Hidalgo and Starr counties, near the southern tip of Texas, the documents show. By September, wildlife biologists and managers at Fish and Wildlife penned a draft letter of "informal comments" on the possible impacts: - Career wildlife employees wrote they were concerned the border wall would reduce "habitat connectivity" for rare ocelots and jaguarundi that roam the Santa Ana and Lower Rio Grande Valley national wildlife refuges. While some fencing already exists in the two Texas counties, officials wrote that erecting more border wall in the region may limit animals' access to drinking water and the intermingling within the cats' populations. If the cats' choice of mates narrowed, it could raise the risk of inbreeding. - These experts voiced concerns about the wall "leaving terrestrial wildlife trapped behind the levee wall to drown or starve" during floods. Fish and Wildlife suggested constructing berms south of the levee to give animals a path to flee from the flood-prone river valley. - Wildlife officials also suggested in the draft letter that CBP cap large holes dug for fencing posts, so wildlife would not get trapped in them. They also warned that an expanded border wall would make it difficult to fight wildfires on the tracts of U.S. territory that end up south of the wall. The staffers' conclusion in the draft letter: "In general, the Service recommends considering technology, additional Border Patrol agents and other mechanisms, when possible, instead of installation of levee or bollard walls." This is not the first time Trump administration goals have taken priority over the recommendations of Fish and Wildlife Service staffers since Trump took office. 1. Izembek National Wildlife Refuge: In January, for example, Zinke signed off on a land swap with the tiny Alaskan village of King Cove to allow the construction of a road through that refuge, a critical feeding ground for migratory birds as well as caribou and other species. All but 15,000 of the refuge's 315,000-acre expanse in wilderness, and Fish and Wildlife officials had warned that the town's plan to bisect it with a 12-mile road could undermine the refuge's integrity. Last spring, Fish and Wildlife officials produced an analysis of the two routes Alaska is contemplating through the refuge. It concluded that both would have "major" impacts on brants, tundra swans, emperor geese, bears, fish and, potentially, caribou. 2. Arctic National Wildlife Refuge: Similarly, Service officials have cautioned in recent months that seismic testing for oil and natural gas further north in Alaska could harm imperiled species there, such as polar bears. After two Alaska Native corporations and a small oil service firm applied for the right to conduct tests there this winter, Fish and Wildlife officials described the plan as "not adequate" and concluded that it showed "a lack of applicable details for proper agency review." In an interview earlier this year with Alaska Public Media, Interior's Assistant Secretary for Land and Minerals Management Joe Balash said he and other appointees had experienced a "really difficult management challenge" with Fish and Wildlife Service employees when it came to carrying out the administration's plans to expand drilling in the Arctic refuge. "You could just tell from all of the nonverbal communication going on in the room that they were not happy to see us, they were not happy to talk about this, they still weren't necessarily prepared to accept this new reality," Balash said. President Donald Trump will keep outgoing chief of staff John Kelly on the job through at least Jan. 2, White House senior aide Kellyanne Conway said Tuesday, just days after the president announced Kelly's exit. The search for Kelly's replacement has kicked into high gear as White House officials sought to minimize the chaos after Trump's first pick -- Vice President Mike Pence's chief of staff, Nick Ayers -- declined the offer. The president has been weighing several contenders, including Representative Mark Meadows and U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer. "The president's absolutely correct when he says there are people vying for it and there are people under consideration," Conway said on Fox. "It's a personal decision for the president." Other than Meadows and Lighthizer, the people Trump is actively weighing include Acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker; former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, R; and David Bossie, a former Trump deputy campaign manager and long-time conservative political operative. Budget director Mick Mulvaney, another candidate Trump has weighed, let White House aides know he doesn't want the job. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin also told White House officials Monday he is committed to his current job. Picking Mnuchin would come with a price: another confirmation battle to replace him at Treasury while the Senate is already gearing up for a fight to confirm William Barr as the next attorney general. Trump criticized news reports on Tuesday that indicated he was having difficulty filling the position. "Many, over ten, are vying for and wanting the White House Chief of Staff position," Trump said on Twitter. "Why wouldn't someone want one of the truly great and meaningful jobs in Washington." The selection process was described by several people familiar with the matter, who spoke on condition of anonymity. No candidate is a clear favorite, and Trump is famous for changing his mind. Lighthizer was at the White House on Monday, two people said. He met with Ayers to discuss trade and other matters, one of the people said. But moving him into the post also could be disruptive since he is leading sensitive trade negotiations with China. Meanwhile, allies of Meadows, chairman of the conservative House Freedom Caucus, worked behind the scenes to make the case for the North Carolina congressman. "It's not something that was even on the radar until my phone blew up yesterday," Meadows said at the Capitol on Monday. "Obviously, it's something I would consider if it's right for my district and it's right for the country." "The president has a good list of candidates. I'm honored to be considered," he added. Meadows has been playing a leading role among House Republicans, recently penning a confidential memo to his colleagues about how to counter Democratic subpoenas and impeachment talk when they take over as the majority party next month. Meadows said he hasn't spoken directly with the president since Ayers's withdrawal on Sunday. Allies of Meadows have broached the idea of him taking on the chief of staff role as a duo with Bossie acting as a second-in-command. But Meadows has drawbacks. He has been a polarizing figure even among congressional Republicans and has developed an antagonistic relationship with the party leaders the White House needs to work with in the Capitol. He is seen as someone likely to encourage Trump's more extreme views. Just last month, Meadows was rebuked by the House Ethics Committee, which said he had failed "to take prompt and decisive action to deal with the alleged sexual harassment" by a former chief of staff. Meadows was not accused of harassment. But the committee found that while he banned the man from his Washington office after learning of accusations by female staffers in 2014, he kept him on his office payroll until firing him four months later. Meadows was ordered to reimburse the U.S. Treasury more than $40,000. The president is under pressure to act quickly. Any vacuum in the White House's top management job risks encouraging the return of internal strife. Trump's administration is characterized by independent-minded senior officials and an improvisational president who relies on a network of friends and outside advisers for counsel. The clumsy handling of the transition so far is coming into sharper focus. Ayers, 36, was part of the team that delivered the news to Kelly that Trump wanted the retired Marine general to leave, according a person familiar with the matter. Trump met with Kelly to inform him shortly before a White House dinner for senior staff Friday evening, with Pence and Ayers joining the two partway through their meeting, the person said. Trump announced Kelly's departure to reporters the next morning only to have his preferred successor pull out by Sunday because Ayers was unwilling to commit to stay through the president's re-election. - - - With assistance from Bloomberg's Margaret Talev, Billy House, Saleha Mohsin and Erik Wasson. Pharmacies and clinics in the San Antonio area report a scarce supply of a new vaccine for shingles as demand for it surges nationwide. Shingrix, a two-dose vaccine, is more effective and long-lasting than an older drug and comes recommended by federal health authorities. They are urging people over 50 to get vaccinated, rather than wait until 60, because of the severity of shingles symptoms, which can persist for weeks. About 1 million people a year get the disease. It shows up as a painful, burning rash with blisters, usually on the trunk of the body or the face. The vaccine shortage could be felt more acutely in San Antonio, which is home to a large older population. The risk of developing shingles rises with age and a weaker immune system. Mark Hanus, a compounding pharmacist with Oakdell Pharmacy at the Medical Center, said the store received a few doses this week after waiting for several months. That didnt even make a dent in their waiting list, now 15 to 20 people deep, he said. Customers are frustrated. A lot of people want it, Hanus said. Theyre very concerned about the shingles. The shingles can be very devastating. It can cause permanent neurologic damage. In those cases, the patient can suffer. Shingles can develop in adults who were infected with chickenpox as children. That virus remains dormant for decades and reemerges later. The condition is typically not life threatening, but in some cases, shingles can lead to infection, neurological problems or blindness if it develops as ophthalmic shingles and goes untreated. The new vaccine will lessen the severity of symptoms even if the person does get shingles. It also reduces the chances of developing postherpetic neuralgia, the most common shingles complication, which causes nerve pain even after the rashes are gone. Searching for it Although the old vaccine, Zostavax, is still available, the popularity of Shingrix has the manufacturer, GlaxoSmithKline, struggling to fill back orders. Pharmacies here are scrambling to restock, and some have placed customers on wait lists. Anita Kurian, assistant director of the San Antonio Metropolitan Health District overseeing the Communicable Disease Division, said patients seeking the shingles vaccine can call around to area pharmacies or consult the website vaccinefinder.org. Although it is recommended that a second dose of Shingrix be administered within two to six months of the first, Kurian said there is no reason for consumers to panic if they cannot obtain the second dose within that window. You can get the second dose as soon as the vaccine becomes available to you, she said. However, Zostavax should not be substituted for the second dose of Shingrix, Kurian said. Out of pocket, a dose of Shingrix costs $140, but most major insurance providers are covering the cost for eligible adults. The manufacturer estimates 115 million people fall into that category. Dr. Katherine Whiteley, a family physician with University Health System, said she would recommend that patients having problems obtaining the vaccine get the old version for the time being. Then they could get Shingrix when it becomes available, but only after waiting two months. Zostavax is effective but tends to wear off after about five years, Whiteley said, which has caused the condition to resurface in some of her more elderly patients. The size of the Baby Boomer generation is contributing to the vaccine shortage, Whiteley said. People are living longer. Were living longer. That Baby Boomer generation is aging, Whiteley said. Were just seeing more cases because of that age population. Whiteley works out of UHSs southwest clinic, which ran out of Shingrix over the summer but had a small supply as of Tuesday morning. Albert Delgado, 61, was able to get his second dose of Shingrix there on Tuesday, after receiving the first in October when he went in for his flu shot. Delgado has never had shingles but saw how the condition affected a family member in her 60s a few months ago. It was excruciating, uncomfortable, especially at that time with the heat and everything, Delgado said about her symptoms. After giving Delgado his shot, clinical pharmacist Giuseppe DeRosa explained how the vaccine should protect him into his 80s. Thats a good thing. People can get it earlier now, DeRosa said. Were able to protect more people and earlier. Julie Bedingfield, a spokeswoman for H-E-B, said the grocery chains pharmacies in San Antonio had very limited stock of Shingrix and was trying to maintain inventory. Were working very hard to keep up, she said. 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 A former member of the U.S. military from San Antonio has been arrested on charges that he led a ring that smuggled hundreds of high-powered rifles and thousands of rounds of ammunition to a faction of the former Zetas drug cartel in Mexico. Jose Joaquin Soto Jr., 36, was arrested in San Antonio along with three alleged accomplices in a joint investigation by the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Homeland Security agents. Soto got many of the guns from Brian G. Morris of Yoakum, who is being investigated over allegations of dealing firearms without a license, according to a criminal complaint. Some of the weapons were recovered at crime scenes, through gun seizures or after shootouts with authorities in Mexico. READ ALSO: Appeals court overturns fraud conviction of Mexican official's wife in money laundering case Officials said Soto was once a Marine, but that could not be verified Monday. His Facebook page shows him in an Army uniform wearing Ranger pins, and it says he was with the 75th Army Ranger Regiment at Fort Benning, Ga. Morris, 55, told federal agents that he supplied .50-caliber rifles, and AK- and AR-style rifles to Soto or his accomplices: Alex Bautista, 28, and Derek Quintanilla, 29, both of San Antonio, according to court records. Another alleged accomplice, Samuel Cardenas, 26, of San Antonio, delivered cash in bulk to Morris to place an order for firearms and allegedly obtained the cartels guns of choice from other sources, too. All were working for the boss, identified in the affidavit as Soto. The group spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on guns, firearm parts and ammo, purchased from sources in San Antonio, throughout Texas and online, the affidavit said. Soto, Bautista, Quintanilla and Cardenas are charged with illegal exportation of items on the munitions list, dealing firearms without a license and conspiracy. Soto, Bautista and Quintanilla were taken into custody late last week and are scheduled for probable cause and bond hearings on Wednesday in federal court in San Antonio. Cardenas, who was released on bail Friday, faces a probable cause hearing Wednesday. A woman and two men that officials say were sent by the cartel to pick up a load in Laredo have been charged there with trying to export items on the munition list. Morris is not charged yet, but admitted to his role in a guns to cartel firearms trafficking scheme, the affidavit said. Ultimately, Morris acknowledged that he had indeed acquired over 225 firearms on behalf of individuals Morris identified as Quintanilla, Bautista and Soto. Morris further stated he believed the firearms acquired for this group to have been smuggled to an unidentified cartel in Mexico. READ ALSO: Mexican actress breaks silence about theft arrest in San Antonio, sue Saks Morris told agents he built out 40 AR-style rifles from lower receivers and at least 15 machine guns for the group, making them ghost guns virtually untraceable but was told that Sotos clients didnt want nondescript guns, preferring firearms with the manufacturers markings and logos. Retired ATF special agent Davy Aguilera, who was previously head of the San Antonio ATF office, said its common for gun-trafficking rings to use middle men. There are straw purchasers and then you have guy who is taking (the guns) and making them automatic, Aguilera said. That makes them more expensive. Its a money-making ring. What is not common, Aguilera said, is for members of the U.S. military, former or current, to arm a foreign group. I dont think youre going to have a Marine, or an active duty, supplying the narco-traffickers just to arm them, Aguilera said. I cant see a soldier arming another army unless theres money involved. In eight months alone, Morris spent $122,225 to buy more than 170 firearms from just one licensed gun dealer in suburban Houston 70 of them were AK-style rifles, 86 were AR-style, six .50-caliber rifles, and three pistols, the affidavit said. The rest were acquired from other licensed sellers in Victoria, Houston, Dallas and Las Vegas, according to the affidavit. And Morris was just one supplier to the group. Its members went to gun shows, sporting goods stores and pawn shops in search of guns, ammo and other items for the cartel, the affidavit said. Authorities have been recovering weapons in Mexico linked to Soto at least as far back as 2015, when in December of that year, a CMMG, .223 caliber AR-style rifle, was found at a crime scene in Reynosa. The ATF traced it to a gun shop in Alabama, where Soto bought it in 2008 while he was stationed at Fort Benning, the affidavit said. The affidavit cites intelligence information that said Soto works with Noe Hernandez, an accused immigrant smuggler who works for the Cartel del Noreste, one of the splinter groups that remain from the split of the Zetas cartel. The affidavit said a source told agents that Soto, a former Marine who was born in Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, and grew up in Laredo, on the Texas side of the border, travels to Mexico to test-fire the weapons Hernandez helps him smuggle there before the two receive full payments from members of the CDN. READ ALSO: Ex-soccer star gets seven years in prison for helping postal worker carjackers Further investigation by Homeland Security and the ATF found that Sotos group spent nearly $130,000 on more than 13,000 AR and AK-style ammunition magazines from an online gun supply store, CDNN Sports, the affidavit states. Ammunition sales are not subject to the same federal regulations as firearms, and in most states, bullets can be bought online or in person with zero oversight. This investigation has identified another $150,000 spent acquiring over 225 AR and AK style rifles, along with .50-caliber rifles, that are believed to have been smuggled through Laredo, Texas, into Mexico to arm a cartel, the affidavit said. As part of the investigation, agents said, they saw Soto take firearm-related items to a stash house in Laredo. Border crossing records show he and various accomplices took many trips south of the border to deliver the weaponry in various vehicles, including some that had the same Mexican license plates, the affidavit said. Agents also said they saw Soto and accomplices take items to storage units in San Antonio and Laredo, and pick up firearm-related items from the storage unit in Laredo. In a raid of the stash house in mid-November, agents found 13 guns, .223/7.62 caliber ammo, five AR-style receivers, 50 ballistic plates, 65 rifle magazines, a 40mm grenade launcher, other gun parts and accessories and nine sealed boxes of AK or AR-style rifle magazines. On Nov. 30, agents saw a Suburban and a Ford Fusion pick up thousands of rounds of ammo, magazines and 20 ballistic helmets from the Laredo storage unit. Agents arrested the driver of the Suburban, Juan Jose Garcia-Cruz, and the driver of the Fusion, Gina Gibeaut Morales. Also arrested was the driver of a third vehicle who met with the pair, Hector Hugo Olivas. Garcia-Cruz told agents he was picking up the load because he owed the cartel money, while Gibeaut said she was to be paid $500 to help transport some of the items. If electric scooters seem to crowd every intersection in central San Antonio now, wait a couple of weeks. More are on the way. And theyll be joined by their cousin, the electric bicycle. Two companies, JUMP and Spin, have applied to operate in the city, which would add to the four already here. The number of rental scooters about 8,000 are permitted now could grow to 10,500 by the end of the month. Compare that with the 3,000 here two months ago, when the city started to regulate them. In November alone, people took 300,000 scooter rides. READ ALSO: Ubers and scooters and now bikes, oh my: Ride-share company looks to bring e-bikes to SA The boom is showing up in other ways: more complaints, more injuries and, in the offing, more enforcement of regulations for the companies and riders. Since Oct. 11, when a six-month pilot program started, 122 complaint calls about scooters have come in to the citys 311 service center, Assistant City Manager Lori Houston said. Most were from irate pedestrians. That total doesnt include calls people made to the companies directly. More than 70 scooter-related injuries, to riders and pedestrians, have been reported to the Fire Department since July. Thats likely an undercount. The tally involves only instances when an ambulance was called and someone was transported to a hospital, a fire official said. The city plans more rider safety education and stepped-up enforcement of regulations, tapping the $130,000 collected from scooter companies, Houston said. It is hiring four enforcement workers, who will be authorized to cite companies that park scooters illegally in locations such as the River Walk and Alamo Plaza, where riding also is banned. The city can confiscate and impound scooters and charge a $50 retrieval fee Houston said, but so far none has been. Headaches for pedestrians Whether stricter enforcement of parking and riding rules will satisfy scooter critics remains to be seen. If the city approves JUMPs application, as expected, the company will offer electric bicycles as well as scooters for rent. Like scooters, the bikes will be dockless, meaning they can be parked anywhere it is legal. When Troy McCormick, a bartender at the Bombay Bicycle Club, a restaurant near the San Antonio Zoo, saw a scooter company contract worker line up about 10 scooters on the sidewalk in front of the entrance to the restaurant, he spoke up. READ ALSO: Local luminaries push scooter safety I said, Hey man, we dont need these many scooters, we dont want them, he said. I told him to put them somewhere else, like the side of the building. He said this is where he was told to drop them, and that sidewalks are city property. Sidewalks are public property, so the restaurant cant dictate what happens there, but Houston confirmed that a scooter obstructing the sidewalk or an entrance is illegal. A month ago, McCormick, 43, was leaving a downtown restaurant when two scooter riders almost ran into him. He said plans to add dockless e-bikes into the urban mix could make the situation worse. Ive ridden scooters and I dont have a problem with them, McCormick said. Theyre fun. But they present a real tripping liability on sidewalks. What if youre in a wheelchair and cant go around them? Lucia Romano, an attorney with Disability Rights Texas, said her group has yet to receive a complaint from anyone with a disability who has struggled with scooters. Mostly we get calls from the media, she said. Still, the group is researching the issue, she said. Provided a copy of the San Antonio ordinance, Romano said it seemed to abide by all American Disability Act requirements. The key will be whether people actually follow these rules, she said. The pilot program, Houston said, is a way for the city to test how to balance pedestrian and rider safety while embracing a new mode of transportation that has proved attractive to tourists and young people. These initial soft touch regulations are aimed to help us better understand the benefits and implications of scooters, she said. Gretchen Mayes, 65, a retired Army emergency room nurse who lives near downtown with her husband, said the citys soft approach to regulating scooters is a joke. We visited the River Walk after Thanksgiving, and there were scooters everywhere, she said. No one is following the rules that I can see. No one wears helmets. As an ER nurse, all I can think of is head injuries. READ ALSO: San Antonio approves e-scooter rules The ordinance recommends but doesnt require that riders wear helmets. When a worker for scooter company Lime parked several by the entrance to their condo on Lexington Avenue, Mayes husband emailed the company and asked it to park the scooters elsewhere. A couple of days later they were gone, she said. But then they came back. Mayes said she was shocked recently to see a man riding a scooter with a small child in front of him and an older child on the back. Not long ago, a scooter rider clipped her when he passed, giving her a bruise on her arm. You think its bad now, just wait until Fiesta, she said. Can you imagine scooters and dockless bike riders mixing in with the parades? San Antonios regulations attempt to govern rider behavior: Always yield to pedestrians, use bike lanes when available, dont leave the scooter in the right of way and so on. So far, police officers havent issued any tickets to riders, but theyve issued lots of warnings, Houston said. San Antonios suburban cities are also wrestling with scooters. The big problem is how (riders) interact with traffic, how they behave on sidewalks and just the unregulated nature of it all, said Mark Browne, city manager of Alamo Heights. On any given day, there are about 40 to 80 scooters operating. Alamo Heights has no scooter ordinance but plans to craft one, he said, using the San Antonio ordinance as a model. Were not opposed to scooters, were not getting ready to outlaw them, he said. But we have to do some type of regulation. READ ALSO: Electric scooters a boon for riders - and a bane for pedestrians Celia DeLeon, city manager of Olmos Park, said the topic of e-scooters including a possible ban is on the agenda for that suburbs council meeting Dec. 20. Weve had just a handful of reported injuries, but people have to have access to sidewalks, she said. Scooter fans say the devices are more good than bad. Theyve become an essential convenience to getting around downtown and elsewhere, especially the first mile, last mile problem when a distance is too far to walk but too short to drive. Then theres the whole city image issue. We want to be known as a city that is innovative, that leans forward into these new solutions, said David Heard, CEO of Tech Bloc, which focuses on economic and other development in San Antonio. We want to be seen as a place where young professionals and creative class workers view us as a city of choice, not as a backwater or late adopter. Get rid of or severely restrict scooters, he said, and it will confirm every bad stereotype of San Antonio, which were trying to overcome. A controversial plan by Vulcan Materials to mine limestone on a 1,500-acre site near the busy intersection of Texas 46 and FM 3009 in Comal County will go before the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality on Wednesday. Although the commissioners could rule on Vulcans pending air permit application, they are more likely to designate it for a contested hearing and send the matter to an administrative law judge, as requested by numerous parties. Both TCEQs executive director and its Office of Public Interest have made that recommendation. Were fairly confident they will refer it to the State Office of Administrative Hearings, said Sabrina Houser Amaya, a spokesperson for Friends of Dry Comal Creek, a group that opposes the quarry that, according to Vulcan, could be in business for 80 years. According to Amaya, there are 12,000 residents within a 5-mile radius of the site. Almost 700 are on the TCEQs interested persons list for the application. If the commission does refer the matter to an administrative law judge, as expected, it will also decide what issues are to be heard by the judge and will name the affected parties. Although a contingent of Comal County residents is expected to attend the hearing, they will not be able to participate. The commissioners will not take oral argument or additional comment on this matter in this public hearing, said Brian McGovern, a TCEQ spokesperson. The window for filing written comments on the application closed in February. Several hundred people have commented. About 200 different people, groups and government entities requested a contested hearing on the matter. Mike Fisher / Staff artist While opponents of the proposed project are complaining that the project will mean an increase in heavy truck traffic, exhaust from machinery and dust emissions caused by the rock crusher, not all of those issues are not subject to TCEQ oversight. All the trucks going in and out of there, the machinery generating dust and diesel emissions dont count. Its only the dust emissions from the rock crusher, Houser said. And while Vulcan has promised to be a good neighbor and to use buffers and setbacks to limit the quarrys impact, and also to protect water resources, the project has won few supporters. Vulcan has also defended its environmental track record, noting the company, which operates 15 plants in Texas, has achieved the TCEQs highest compliance rating. We have never been cited for any air permit violations in Texas, company spokesman Scott Burnham said earlier this year. The opposition group, however, believes that Vulcans air modeling and air dispersing data is flawed. It has provided data compiled by its expert to the TCEQ. That analysis predicts emissions will be much higher than projected, Houser said. Local residents have also expressed fears about groundwater depletion, property devaluation and toxic runoff. At a public hearing in February, which drew nearly 500 people, dozens spoke against the project, and 600 comments were made on the TCEQ website. PV Cultural Department to Pay Tribute to Jim Demetro Puerto Vallarta, Mexico - The Puerto Vallarta Cultural Department will pay tribute to Jim Demetro, the creator of many of the city's most iconic public sculptures, on Friday, December 14 at 6:30 pm in Lazaro Cardenas Park. Most of us are familiar with Jim Demetro. He is the talented artist who has donated to the people of Vallarta such monumental pieces as the "Vallarta Dancers" on the Malecon; the "Washer Woman" in front of Molino de Agua; "Andale Bernardo," the bronze of a burro being pulled and pushed by small boys that enhances Lazaro Cardenas Park; the Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton sculpture that graces the entrance to La Iguana restaurant at Casa Kimberley; and his latest installation, "The Fishermen," a complex piece consisting of a man and small boy sleeping by the pier, with a dog, a cat, and a pelican all interested in the fish they caught, which is located on the Malecon extension between Langostinos Restaurant and the Los Arcos Hotel at the western end of Manuel M. Dieguez. Captivated by Mexico, Jim has endeavored to create public sculptures that capture the spirit of the Mexican people. He has donated these to Puerto Vallarta, and the city has placed them for maximum exposure to its citizens and visitors. "Puerto Vallarta is known for its appreciation of artwork. I'm grateful so many people have joined me in my mission to make meaningful art that preserves the cultural heritage of this special place," Demetro says. Originally from Battle Ground, Washington, Demetro has been sculpting professionally since 1992, and has created more than fifty-five larger-than-life, public pieces throughout the U.S. and Mexico. He has been awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award, the highest award for artists in Southwest Washington State. And now the Puerto Vallarta Cultural Department will honor Jim Demetro at a ceremony to be held on Friday, December 14 at 6:30 pm, next to his burro sculpture in Lazaro Cardenas Park on the South Side of Puerto Vallarta. Afterwards, the Xiutla Folkloric dancers will perform at 7:30 pm. After months of political turmoil over her $475,000 salary, capped with a resounding rejection by voters in November, City Manager Sheryl Sculley unexpectedly announced Monday that she wont take a bonus that could have been as much as $100,000. Since voters approved a city charter amendment limiting the salary and tenure of future city managers by a vote of 59 percent to 41 percent, there had been heated controversy in public and behind closed doors over what was going to happen to Sculley. The amendment didnt apply to her, but she was still in her critics crosshairs. Relentless opponents, including Councilman Greg Brockhouse, sought to make the most of the vote on Proposition B, widely seen as a proxy referendum on what many perceived as Sculleys excessive salary and amassed power. But with her announcement two weeks ago that she would retire and Mondays decision to forego any additional compensation due her, Sculley has preempted those critics. She gave no reason for her decision Monday, but it came just hours after Brockhouse issued a news release calling on his colleagues to discuss her bonus in public, rather than in a closed-door executive session. On the heels of a citywide vote that mandated change in the compensation structure of the city manager, the least the full City Council can do is engage a public discussion and public vote, Brockhouse said, adding that he would not support any bonus for her. Brockhouse, a longtime ally of the firefighters union that launched and successfully won approval of Proposition B, sought to tie Sculley to Mayor Ron Nirenberg. The councilman is expected to challenge Nirenberg in the May city elections. For his part, Nirenberg hasnt shied away from supporting Sculley, even after the Nov. 6 vote. Hes called her the best city manager in the U.S. For 13 years, Sheryl Sculley has been a top-notch city manager with a public service mindset. Today is no different, the mayor said after her announcement Monday. We are grateful for her service to the people of San Antonio. Though she is retiring and opting out of her performance bonus, Sculley will still be reviewed for her 2018 work, Nirenberg said. The city manager is entitled to an annual, professional performance evaluation, he said. And it is the councils responsibility to provide it. Sculley isnt the first public servant to reject a bonus this year. In March, San Antonio Water System President and CEO Robert Puente declined to accept a $96,500 bonus. He previously did so in 2010, as well. Sculley also passed on a base salary increase in 2010; she was entitled to it under the terms of her contract, but she cited the recession as the reason for giving it up. Sculleys last raise came earlier this year. Based on a contract amendment approved by then-Mayor Ivy Taylor and the City Council she oversaw, she saw her base salary increase to $450,000 in 2017 and then $475,000 this year, with the potential for an annual performance bonus of up to $100,000. Sources suggested Monday that there wasnt the appetite among the City Council to give any bonus to Sculley, even though she has the right to one under her contract if she meets set criteria. In March, the council had to decide on a bonus for Sculleys 2017 performance, even though a majority of the members werent seated until the summer. And they had no metrics from which to work because Taylor and the previous council failed to put them into place leading up to the 2017 municipal election. They settled on $75,000 an amount decided upon behind closed doors and announced by Nirenberg once there was agreement among the council. The council also set into place a series of metrics and criteria then that they would use to determine the size of her bonus at the end of 2018. Just before she announced her retirement and at the mayors request, Sculley submitted a lengthy review of her 2018 performance, the basis for the potential bonus. Josh Baugh 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. | jbaugh@express-news.net | Twitter: @jbaugh The cold, cramped storeroom at the West Side church on Monday was buzzing with activity: nearly two dozen people hauling boxes and stuffing backpacks with bottled water, snacks, coloring books, hygiene products and other supplies. The packs were bound for the downtown Greyhound bus station and the San Antonio International Airport, where more volunteers for the Interfaith Welcome Coalition would soon distribute them to immigrants and refugees, many of them mothers and children newly released from detention. I had joined the backpack assembly line at El Divino Salvador United Methodist Church that morning with my 12-year-old son, whose upcoming bar mitzvah required him to complete volunteer work. We found ourselves surrounded by people committed to their mission, yet unpretentious about their reasons for doing it. READ ALSO: Texas attorney general sues SAPD chief, city for releasing suspected undocumented immigrants We feel like we live sufficiently, so we help others, said Peter Maher, 68. Just helping, said Burt Clayton, an 80-year-old retired Methodist minister who was stuffing backpacks with snacks. Clayton and his wife got involved with the coalition a few years ago by opening their home to weary travelers from Mexico and Central America, offering hot meals and a place to sleep before the families continued their journeys. The coalition helps those who have passed initial checks by immigration officials and are headed to places across the country to join loved ones. It was one family at a time, Clayton said. He recalled cooking pancakes and bacon one morning for a mother of two as she sat in his kitchen conversing with his wife in Spanish. He was surprised when the immigrant asked Claytons wife if he beat her. I understood, Clayton said. Shes coming from her own experience. Steven Enders joined the coalition out of compassion. Twice a week, the 65-year-old ferries hundreds of backpacks in his truck from El Divino Salvador to Travis Park United Methodist Church, where the supplies are stored until volunteers distribute them to arriving immigrants and refugees. I just feel so badly for those moms coming, trying to find a safe place for their kids, Enders said. And sure, theres probably some bad guys in there. But there are bad guys everywhere. Thats not a reason not to help. Many of the volunteers on Monday expressed disdain for President Donald Trump, whose policies have made the journeys of immigrants even more perilous. I would say the best thing Donald Trump has done is motivate people, Clayton said. Enders chimed in. READ ALSO: Meet Bexar County's new Texas House representatives We do two things here, he said. We make backpacks and we gripe about Donald Trump. This year, after the Trump administration provoked a family separation crisis on the border, donations to the coalition increased, and volunteers started appearing from across the country, said Jane Fried, a retired pediatrician and the coalitions backpack coordinator. Lawyers from New York City, en route to a detention center in Dilley, stopped in San Antonio to help. A Jewish group from Boston flew in and stuffed 1,000 backpacks in two days. Others have come from Seattle, Chicago and Salt Lake City. In 2017, the coalition handed out 4,826 backpacks at the bus station. This year, that number has soared to 12,263 and counting, Fried said. People are angry, I think, and want to do something, she said. Each backpack costs the coalition about $25. Donations can be sent to University Presbyterian Church. Zehera Ali, an interpreter fluent in Hindi, Gujaratia and Urdu, was stuffing backpacks with blankets, crayons and water bottles. She had a simple reason for volunteering. When God has given you something, I think you should share, she said. Im Muslim, so I dont mind helping anyone as long as theyre a human being. The volunteers, many of them elderly, didnt flag as the morning wore on. Someone switched on a classic rock station. Boxes were opened, blankets folded, backpacks stuffed. My son, though, was feeling the strain. This is a lot more tired than I get at school, he remarked. Nonetheless, driving home afterward, he told me unprompted: He wanted to do it again. BRIDGEPORT The Maple Syrup Man didnt make it to the Howard Stern Show. Robert Somley, the Monroe landscaper who earned notoriety for enticing a married woman to have sex with him with maple syrup and blueberry jam and then allegedly secretly video recorded her, was rearrested Monday for allegedly threatening to out the woman. But no one has explained to me why I am being arrested, the 52-year-old Somley complained as judicial marshals snapped handcuffs on his wrists. Earlier Monday, Somley admitted to Hearst Connecticut Media that he was in a sticky situation when the womans complaint became public. But he said he had gotten an invitation to be on the Howard Stern satellite radio show Monday night. He then motioned to the new hiking-style boots he was wearing. See these boots? I got them for free because I am going to plug them on Howard Stern, he said. During Somleys arraignment hearing on Monday, Senior Assistant States Attorney Kevin Dunn announced that in addition to the pending charge of voyeurism, Somley was being charged with violating a protective order and tampering with a witness. Superior Court Judge Tracy Lee Dayton ordered Somley held in lieu of $150,000 bond. When Somley protested, she pointed out that he is charged with violating a protective order she imposed just a week ago. More for you Video puts landscaper in sticky situation You called a witnesss home and indicated to the witness that the victim better drop the case, the judge said. Police said the woman was helping Somley move out of the home he had been evicted from when Somley said he needed to take a break. After about 20 minutes the woman went looking for Somley and found him in the home, standing naked while watching pornography on a laptop, police said. When the woman questioned what Somley was doing, police said, he responded that he needed to relieve himself before continuing work. Police said the woman left and went back to loading a trailer. But, after a short while, decided that she, too, needed to take a break, according to officers. When she went back into the home this time, she found Somley naked and dribbling maple syrup on his body, police said. Police said the woman confessed that this sight was a turn on for her and she demanded to be allowed to participate. In addition to the syrup, police said the couple engaged in foreplay with blueberry jelly. All the while, police said, Somley was taking video of the situation. When the woman found out there was video, police said, she demanded that Somley delete it all, but he refused. On Friday, police said Somley told the victims best friend that she needed to tell the victim, that if she did not drop all the charges he would completely destroy her, that he would go public with her name. BRIDGEPORT - Police on Tuesday continued what they described as an intensive investigation, into last weekends fatal shooting here of a Bethel woman. Police Capt. Brian Fitzgerald said detectives are continuing to examine a number of leads in the death of 25-year-old Emily Todd, a therapist at a Danbury senior center. BRIDGEPORT Behind the scenes politicking was in high gear Monday as the citys sometimes tumultuous school board re-elected John Weldon as its chairman but replaced its vice chair and secretary. With Mayor Joseph Ganim presiding over the start of the organizational meeting, Weldon was returned to the spot he has held for the past year on a 6-2 vote, with Dennis Bradley absent and Joseph Sokolovic uncharacteristically siding with the majority. Sokolovic ended up as secretary and Jessica Martinez was elected to the vice chairs slot. When nominated, Martinez said she didnt want the vice chair job but received four of eight votes anyway. Hernan Illingworth, who had been vice chair, got the other four votes. Maria Pereira, also nominated for the spot, got no votes. A tie left unbroken could have put the decision in the hands of the Common Council so Illingworth declined the position and it went to Martinez. Later, Illingworth chalked up the series of events to being punished for talking to Pereira. I spoke with her. I got punished ... People thought I was aligned with her, Illingworth said. Others see it differently. Pereira said there was plan to make Illingworth chairman that didnt work out. He didnt have the votes when Martinez opted to nominate and vote for Weldon as chair. Illingworth said the plan was Pereiras not his and was contingent on him agreeing to vote for Ben Walker as vice chairman. That wasnt going to happen, Illingworth said. For her part, Martinez said her desire had been for things to stay the same. To give us another year to work it out, Martinez said. Next year, I would definitely had gone for chair or vice chair. When Martinez initially declined the nod as vice chair, Board Member Taylor nominated Pereira against Illingworth. If you are going to nominate Hernan, I might as well nominate Maria, Taylor said. At least I know where she is coming from. Like it or not, Maria is straight with you, Taylor said. (Hernan) went back and forth on so many issues ... It is hard to deal with someone who tells you hell go one way and goes the other way. For secretary, only Weldon and Martinez voted for Illingworth. Everyone else present, including Illingworth, voted for Sokolovic. When he finally arrived at the meeting, Bradley said he would have voted to keep the status quo among board officers. Pereira said she might have voted for Illingworth as chair had there had been the votes to make Walker vice chairman. She added she would have nominated Martinez for vice chairman but that Taylor beat her to it. Its all good, Illingworth said later. Ill take a step back now. There is not enough analysis data for Healthier Choices Management. 4.9 Community Rank Outperform Votes Healthier Choices Management has received 82 outperform votes. (Add your outperform vote.) Underperform Votes Healthier Choices Management has received 30 underperform votes. (Add your underperform vote.) Community Sentiment Healthier Choices Management has received 73.21% outperform votes from our community. MarketBeat's community ratings are surveys of what our community members think about Healthier Choices Management and other stocks. Vote Outperform if you believe HCMC will outperform the S&P 500 over the long term. Vote Underperform if you believe HCMC will underperform the S&P 500 over the long term. You may vote once every thirty days. Previous Next Vivint Solar, Inc. provides distributed solar energy primarily to residential customers in the United States. It owns and installs solar energy systems through long-term customer contracts. The company also sells photovoltaic installation products, as well as solar renewable energy certificates. As of December 31, 2019, it had an aggregate capacity of 1,294.0 megawatts covering approximately 188,300 homes. The company was formerly known as V Solar Holdings, Inc. and changed its name to Vivint Solar, Inc. in April 2014. Vivint Solar, Inc. was founded in 2011 and is headquartered in Lehi, Utah. Read More UPDATE: Late Tuesday afternoon, Dec. 11, the U.S. Senate passed the farm bill by a vote of 87-13. The House passed the bill 369-47, in a vote late Wednesday, Dec. 12. SALEM, Ohio Farmers may just get the Christmas gift they had hoped for: a new farm bill. On Dec. 10, the members of the farm bill conference committee filed their final report, which is now publicly available and will be voted on by both the House and Senate, perhaps as early as this week. During a call with reporters Dec. 4, U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown said he expects to have a bill for the president to sign before the holidays. Brown, a Democrat from Cleveland, is one of nine Senators on the committee, which also includes House members, including U.S. Rep. Bob Gibbs, a Republican from Lakeville, Ohio. At the beginning of the year, I pledged to get the farm bill done, so that we could provide Ohio farmers with the certainty they deserve, Brown said. And Im proud that this final bipartisan bill will do that. In a statement after the conference report release, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue said, While we would have liked to see more progress on work requirements for SNAP recipients and forest management reforms, the conference agreement does include several helpful provisions and we will continue to build upon these through our authorities. If Congress passes the legislation, Perdue said he would encourage the president to sign it. Many improvements Brown said the new five-year bill provides important improvements for dairy farmers, as well as soybean and corn farmers. At the same time, the bill will protect funding for nutrition programs that feed hungry families, while also investing in programs to improve water quality in Lake Erie and across Ohio. One of the biggest differences between the House and Senate versions dealt with work requirements for recipients of food stamps, or the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. House conservatives wanted to expand the work-related requirements sot that able-bodied adults who receive food stamps would be required to work to the age of 59, instead of 49. The House also sought work requirements for parents with children older than 6, to either work or participate in job training, but the work-related requirements were dropped at the end of November, from a lack of Senate support. Dairy reform The new bill will offer various improvements, including reforms to conservation programs, and for dairy farmers, a new milk risk protection program, designed to replace the unpopular milk Margin Protection Program, included in the 2014 farm bill. The Senate calls the new program the Dairy Risk Coverage program, which would raise the maximum covered margin to $9/cwt. and adjust the minimum percentage of milk that can be insured. Timely relief. The farm bill should provide some timely relief, according to House Ag Chairman Mike Conaway, R-Texas. Americas farmers and ranchers are weathering the fifth year of severe recession, so passing a farm bill this week that strengthens the farm safety net is vitally important, he said, in a released statement. Sen. Ag Committee Chairman Pat Roberts, R-Kansas, said the two-year process is in the final stretch. We started this journey nearly two years ago. Since then, the Senate Agriculture Committee has held dozens of hearings, listened to more than 90 witnesses, and received thousands of public comments, Roberts said. As promised, this farm bill provides much needed certainty and predictability for all producers of all crops across all regions across the country. I thank my counterparts in the Senate and House for coming to and staying at the table to reach a bipartisan, bicameral agreement for rural America. Related coverage: (This is a developing story. Check back for updates.) COLUMBUS A legislative committee that reviews state rule proposals put a halt on a controversial rule package intended for eight northwestern Ohio watersheds, which Gov. John Kasich says should be declared watersheds in distress. The Joint Committee on Agency Rule Review, which includes members of the House and Senate, voted eight to one in favor of sending the rule package back to the Ohio Department of Agriculture, for revision and re-filing. Multiple issues All of the witnesses who testified during a Dec. 10 hearing at the Statehouse found issues with the rules, and said they violated the states rule-making authority and would cause an undue, adverse impact to agriculture. Witnesses also questioned whether the rule change would make any scientific improvement, and whether it would hurt the progress already being made in the Grand Lake St. Marys region, which was declared in distress in January 2011. The proposed rules would have required about 7,000 farms in the eight watersheds to comply with new farming rules, including nutrient management plans, and would have effectively classified commercial fertilizer as a form of ag pollution. Although the distressed watershed ruling has been successful for Grand Lake, many who testified said there are too many differences between that watershed, and the eight under consideration. The Grand Lake watershed is about 50,000 acres, compared to 1.5 million in northwestern Ohio, and there are only about 140 farms in the Grand Lake area, compared to the 7,000 in the northwestern watersheds. The cost factor would also be significantly different, and so would the need for people to write and enforce all of those nutrient management plans, and regulations. Expensive rules Tony Seegers, state policy director for Ohio Farm Bureau, said the ag department estimated an expense of only $1.5 million, with the need for one additional staff person per county. Seegers said the actual cost would be much higher, and that 21 staff members from the USDAs Natural Resources Conservation Service were needed for the Grand Lake project alone. Farm Bureau has estimated a need for 2,100 NRCS staff members at a cost of at least $1.8 billion, to accomplish the same efforts the state undertook for Grand Lake. Seegers said the nutrient management plans can cost farmers $8,000-$12,000 an acre, and that livestock and dairy farmers would also have to pay, as much as $8,000 a year over 10 years, for new investments in manure storage and handling. Its absolutely non-sensible to believe the cost of doing this in 13 counties would only cost the state $1.5 million and one additional employee in each county, Seegers said. Revise and refile. The motion to revise and refile was made by Rep. Mike Duffey, a Republican from Worthington. He argued the rules need more time, and said the current proposals would undermine the success of rules at Grand Lake, and that the rule proposals also lack a strong scientific backing. These rules were at CSI (Common Sense Initiative) for 16 days, which is the statutory minimum number of days that a review can be reviewed, he said, adding that EPA rules have typically been given more than a year of review. Duffeys motion was supported by Senators Bob Peterson, Bob Hackett, Joe Uecker and Cecil Thomas; and Representatives Boggs, Manning and Andrew Brenner. The motion was opposed by Rep. Dan Ramos, a Democrat from Lorain, who argued that the state should fulfill the governors wishes, since Kasichs term doesnt end until January. Our governor is our governor until hes not, Ramos said. Hes the chief executive. Ramos argued it was the Legislatures intent to include commercial fertilizer, when it included language such as soil sediment and attached substances. But Seegers, and several lawmakers on the panel, said it was never the Legislatures intent to include commercial fertilizer, even though they were pushed by the Kasich administration to do so. The General Assembly has not yielded to administrations past attempts to amend the definition, and the department can now not circumvent the Legislature to accomplish its goals, Seegers said. He said that since soil sediment and attached substances are not defined in Ohio Revised Code, it makes sense to use the dictionary definition of those terms, which does not include fertilizer. Sen. Thomas, a Democrat from Cincinnati, said the problem was that the administration apparently acted alone, without including the various stakeholders. It appears in this particular situation, that that has occurred, he said. I would like to see, as most citizens, that we come up with what works for everybody, Thomas said. He commended the many groups currently working together to find answers, including those working with researchers and universities, as well as those from the states No. 1 economic driver agriculture. All of the groups are really working strongly together, said Sen. Bob Hackett, R-Springfield, referring to agriculture, environmental groups and universities. Hackett said lawmakers should be committed to do something for Lake Erie by early spring, but he said to act now, with the current rule proposal, and a new governor about to take office, really seems to be counterproductive. Its a high priority item, he said. Lake Erie is a tremendous asset, and I think all of the farmers realize that, but to pass these rules at this time, really seems to be counterproductive. Were doing the right thing. Related coverage: COLUMBUS There were few surprises during the Ohio Farm Bureau delegate debate of proposed policies, Dec. 6-7 during the farm groups annual meeting in Columbus Issues that members kept coming back to in discussions included infrastructure and the issue of ballot initiatives and voter access. Delegates finally voted to support an increase in motor fuels taxes to help fund repairs for rural roads and bridges, and also supported identifying alternative funding mechanisms. Delegates also voted in support of reforming Ohios petition ballot initiative laws. There were no major additions or deletions in policy on property rights, animal care, environmental stewardship, and regulatory and tax reform. Farmers efforts to protect water quality were addressed, and members approved policy to encourage government agencies to adhere to state law when considering agricultural regulations. Animal care and meat inspection were debated. Delegates acted to clarify that agricultural zoning laws apply to all non-wild or dangerous species that a farmer may be tending, and to create a meat inspection fee system that is equitable for domestic deer producers. Farm Bureau delegates also approved policy pushing for tax incentives for volunteer fire departments and EMS volunteers. Farmers across the country are being urged to take part in the Big Farmland Bird Count which is back for the sixth successive year. The nationwide citizen science project calls on farmers, land managers and gamekeepers to spend 30 minutes spotting species on their patch of land between the 8th and 17th February 2019. Crucially, the results will aim to distinguish which farmland birds are thriving due to good conservation efforts while identifying the ones in need of most help. Last-year saw a record-breaking 1,000 people take part in the count, recording 121 species across 950,000 acres. A total of 25 red-listed species were recorded, with five appearing in the 25 most commonly seen species list. These include fieldfares, starlings, house sparrows, song thrushes and yellowhammers. The most plentiful of these were fieldfares and starlings, which were seen on nearly 40% of the farms taking part. More support needed Peter Thompson, who works as a biodiversity advisor at event organisers Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust (GWCT), said: Many, many farmers do lots on their farms to encourage wildlife, but when I give talks to the public, they always seem most surprised that this is the case. The big farmland bird count gives individual farmers the chance to spend just half an hour counting birds on their farm, so that the GWCT can shout from the roof-tops about your results But he believes hundreds more people should vow their support to the initiative. He added: Last year, just over a 1,000 people took part in the count, which on the face of it looks fantastic. However, there are around 212,000 farm holdings and around 3000 full time gamekeepers in the UK (and a similar number who do the job part time). Therefore, less than one in every 200 (0.4%) of potential counters took part last year. 'Huge amount of work' Sponsoring the count this year is the NFU, whose president Minette Batters will be bird-spotting on the first day of the count on her Wiltshire farm. The NFU is extremely pleased to be sponsoring the 2019 GWCT Big Farmland Bird Count. This event highlights perfectly how farmers balance excellent conservation work on farms across the country alongside producing the nations food, said Minette. Over the past four decades, farmers have carried out a huge amount of work to encourage wildlife and are responsible for protecting, maintaining and enhancing 70% of the nation's iconic countryside. I would encourage as many farmers as possible to participate during the event in February as this is crucial in the survival and protection of many farmland bird species. At the end of the count, the results will be analysed by the Trust. All participants will receive a report on the national results once they have been collated. The British Free Range Egg Producers Association (BFREPA) has re-stated its warning about over-expansion after bird numbers surged by a million in just a month. BFREPA chief executive Robert Gooch described the latest increases in bird numbers as "crazy." He said: "Industry data shows that between October and November an extra one million free range birds were housed. "And we know that there is capacity out there for another million birds - so at some point over the next few months there will be another one million birds filling that capacity. "Between November 2017 and November 2018 we saw an extra three million free range layers coming into the system," said Robert. "There is still too much capacity coming into free range. "The growth in free range is far exceeding demand. Supplies are outstripping demand. With industry data showing that the number of birds has grown by a million in just one month, that is crazy." The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has just released its latest figures showing the recent trend in layer chick placings. Whilst the figures show that in October this year placings were down by 5.2 per cent compared with the same period last year, Mr Gooch said that the more illustrative data was the average number of chicks placed per week by UK Hatcheries. This data showed a 13 per cent increase in layer chick placings. "BFREPA has been alerting members about this for the last two years, but all we can do is let members know what is happening so that they can make decisions based on the data we have," he said. "Our advice is that producers should think very hard before expanding production, given that the market is already in oversupply. They should certainly not be expanding without having a contract with a packer that they are happy with," he said. Downward pressure Over-supply has led to downward pressure on the prices paid by packers for free range eggs - particularly medium and small grades. Prices for large eggs have held up better because of increased demand from retailers and consumers for the larger categories. But both Noble Foods and Stonegate have announced price cuts in recent months. During BFREPA's annual conference in October, Robert Gooch said that a tough summer had seen farm gate prices of free range eggs fall because of the oversupply of free range eggs whilst at the same time drought conditions had increased feed bills by 50 per cent for some producers. He told those attending the conference that, whilst demand for free range eggs was growing at three or four per cent each year, supplies were increasing by 10 per cent, as new producers moved into the industry and existing producers expanded their units. He said this was unsustainable. "At the beginning of this year free range became the dominant production system for the first time. That means we are now mainstream," he said. "We are not a niche product any more. We need to accept as a sector that we are no longer niche and that we can't continue to expand and expand and expand. We are now a mature sector and the dominant production system. "We have been expanding at 10 per cent a year for the last three years, two million free range hens going down every year for the last three years," he told those attending the conference. "It has led us to the position we are in now where price is under significant pressure because of over-production." Increased flock Latest figures suggest that the national free range flock has increased by three million birds over the last year. And Mr Gooch said he was concerned that some suppliers seemed to be suggesting that still more production was needed to meet the retailers' needs for 2025 - the deadline they have set for going cage-free. At a recent open day at the new Northern Poultry Campus - a working free range egg production farm combined with research facilities for leading universities and educational facilities to train egg industry professionals of the future - Vencomatic, the company behind the venture, said that an extra 1,500 free range farms may be needed over the next few years. "Approximately 18 million birds are still in cages, which produce eggs much more cheaply than free range," said the company in a briefing about the new centre. "As the UK farming base moves toward free range, there needs to be a commercial and accurate assessment of how to do this. Free range egg needs to be produced with high welfare and as economically as possible." It said: "With the shift from cage, there is a requirement for more free range farms. UK egg consumption is also rising by 4.4 per cent a year. Most poultry farms are 16,000-bird units. The UK may need another 1,500 plus poultry farms over the next eight years." It said that, with 1,500 new laying farms and 500 new rearing farms needed, there would be a need for skilled farm workers. Most agricultural colleges had excellent provision for beef, dairy and sheep but very little for poultry. At the BFREPA conference, Robert Gooch said that the industry already had enough free range units to meet the needs of 2025. Following the release of the latest industry supply figures, he re-stated this belief. "I am very concerned about some equipment manufacturers and other suppliers into the industry promoting inaccurate projections about future requirements for free range eggs for 2025. They should read the report produced for us by ADAS." He said all the evidence BFREPA had suggested that new free range production was not needed. A new online calculator has been developed to help farmers and others to design woodlands to capture airborne ammonia and so reduce air pollution. Scientists from the NERC Centre for Ecology & Hydrology worked with Forest Research to develop the free online tool and guidance for users as part of research funded by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency. Agriculture is the main source of ammonia emissions in the UK, with the majority coming from animal manure and fertilisers. Ammonia can lead to excess reactive nitrogen levels in sensitive habitats, causing a decline in the biodiversity of lichens, mosses and other flora. It can also lead to acidification of soils, and combines with other pollutants to produce particulate matter pollution, which is harmful to human health. By following the advice in the guidance, farmers, regulators and planning authorities can optimise tree planting to recapture ammonia around animal housing, which is a key source of ammonia emissions. 'Recapture the pollutant' The calculator estimates the percentage of ammonia that will be recaptured by different planting options, over a set time period up to 50 years. The guidance advises which tree species will thrive in different parts of the UK, what distance to plant trees from animal housing, and in what configuration. There is also information to help with the incorporation and use of existing woodlands. Dr Bill Bealey, an ecologist at the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, said: Trees are particularly effective scavengers of air pollutants like ammonia. They recapture the pollutant in the tree canopy and on to the leaves, and they also help disperse the ammonia plume which reduces impacts of nitrogen pollution on nearby sensitive habitats. Farmers who use trees to mitigate ammonia can look to a long-term range of benefits. New canopies can improve animal welfare by providing animals with shade and protection from aerial predators. He added: They can also provide screening around animal housing units, to soften the look of buildings and minimise visibility impacts on the landscape. 2020 was a year marked by hardships and challenges, but the Fauquier community has proven resilient. The Fauquier Times is honored to serve as your community companion. To say thank you for your continued support, wed like to offer all our subscribers -- new or returning -- 4 WEEKS FREE DIGITAL AND PRINT ACCESS. We understand the importance of working to keep our community strong and connected. As we move forward together into 2021, it will take commitment, communication, creativity, and a strong connection with those who are most affected by the stories we cover. We are dedicated to providing the reliable, local journalism you have come to expect. We are committed to serving you with renewed energy and growing resources. Let the Fauquier Times be your community companion throughout 2021, and for many years to come. The Fauquier Times is honored to serve as your community companion. To say thank you, we are excited to offer 4 weeks FREE Digital & Print access to all subscribers new and returning alike. We are dedicated to continuing providing reliable, high quality journalism. This is possible with the trust and support of our subscribers in the community we are proud to serve. Satellite Rights For The Film Reportedly, the satellite rights of the Malayalam version of the film have been sold for a big amount to two different channels. The movie has bagged 21 Crores in total in connection with the satellite rights alone. GCC and The Overseas Regions Going by the reports, the distribution rights for the movie in GCC regions alone has fetched the film 2.9 Crores. The rights for other overseas regions as well as places outside Kerala has fetched the film 1.8 Crores and 2 Crores respectively. Tamil, Telugu, Hindi Rights (Dub) Odiyan is all set to be released in Tamil and Telugu as well. The dubbing rights for the Tamil version has fetched the film 4 Crores whereas the Telugu dub rights have fetched the movie 5.2 Crores. Meanwhile, the report suggests that the Hindi theatrical rights and satellite rights have been sold for 4 Crores. Branding Partners Plus Advertisements Odiyan has indeed opened new avenues for marketing and branding of Malayalam movies. Association with top brands like Airtel, Kingfisher, My G, Hedge, Confident Group and other advertisements have altogether fetched the film approximately 15 Crores. The Remake Rights Well, it seems like Odiyan has already set a place for its own in the remake markets. According to the report, the Tamil remake rights have been sold for 4 Crores whereas the Telugu remake rights have been sold for approximately 5 Crores. Advance Booking As you all know, Odiyan has been enjoying phenomenal advance booking with many of the shows having already sold out. According to the reports, Odiyan has already fetche approximately 1 Crores via advance booking from India and other overseas regions. Reportedly, the film has fetched 5.5 Crores from UAE/GCC regions alone via pre-booking. Tamil & Telugu Satellite Rights Well, the Tamil as well as the Telugu dubbed version of the film are seemingly enjoying a great demand. Reportedly, the satellite rights for these films have been sold for 3 Crores each. Audio/Video Rights & Others The songs of Odiyan have already enjoyed a huge success. The reports suggests that the audio/video rights of the film have fetched 1.8 Crores. At the same time, the film has fetched a theatre advance of 17 Crores as well. Indian comedian ace Kapil Sharma and Ginni Chatrath are getting married today in Jalandar. While the pre-wedding rituals began on December 10, 2018, the chooda and mehendi ceremony was held yesterday. The bride-to-be Ginni looked absolutely gorgeous during the mehendi ceremony. With Kapil and Ginni's D-day only a few hours away, the couple is all set to groove and have a blast at their sangeet ceremony. Only a few moments ago, first picture of their sangeet venue was released. The venue is beautifully decorated using a red theme. Humongous light of G and K are used in the decorations along with flowers. Kapil Sharma's friends have already arrived at the spot several guests were seen grace Mata Ga Jagran that took place yesterday. Richa Sharma and Master Saleem performed last night. Apparently, Kapil has made some special arrangement for the guests and a tight security has been appointed. Rumors are also making rounds that the Kapil Sharma Show host's wedding will be live streamed tomorrow. Isn't that a great news for his fans? Speculations are also making rounds that only a few close friends of Kapil's will be attending the wedding at Amritsar, as the others will be attending the reception in Mumbai. We have also learned that his friends and colleagues from the Punjabi film industry will be attending the Amritsar wedding. MOST READ: Ahead Of Wedding Bride To Be Additi Gupta Spotted with Kapir Chopra In Chooda Ceremony! Inside Pics Yesterday television celebrities, Sumona, Krushna and Sudesh were seen at Mata Ka Jagran. Krushna even shared a picture on his Instagram handle and wrote, "All night fun on kapil ki shaadi in Amritsar. Aaj sab jaag rahe hain as jagran hai. Jai mata di." - (sic) Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - December 10, 2018) - New Energy Metals Corp. (TSXV: ENRG) (OTC Pink: NEMCF) ("New Energy Metals" or the "Company") announces a conference call to discuss the Company's current operations and future development plans. New Energy CEO, Cesar Lopez, will host the call on Wednesday, December 12th, 2018 at 1:15 pm Pacific Standard Time (4:15 pm Eastern Standard time). Dial-in numbers are as follows: Dial-In (Toll-Free US & Canada): 866-408-1299 Dial-In (International): 201-689-8204 There is no access code. Live Event Call me Link (for participant entry): https://hd.choruscall.com/InComm/?callme=true&passcode=13685781&h=true&info=company&r=true&B=6 Participants can use Guest dial-in telephone numbers above and be answered by an operator OR click the Call me link for instant telephone access to the event. About New Energy Metals Corp. New Energy is a mineral resource company with cobalt interests in Chile. The Company's main focus is the acquisition of major copper and cobalt projects in Chile. To date, the Company has positioned itself to develop its historically producing Cobaltera assets. The copper and cobalt market are in a major trend that is rapidly increasing metal demand and are the result of electric mobility and energy storage. New Energy is positioning itself to be a major beneficiary of this future mismatch of supply and demand. For further details on the Company readers are referred to the Company's website (www.newenergymetals.ca) and its Canadian regulatory filings on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. On Behalf of the Board of Directors of New Energy Metals Corp. Cesar Lopez, President & CEO T: 604.484-1232 E: info@newenergymetals.ca W: www.newenergymetals.ca Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements No stock exchange, securities commission or other regulatory authority has approved or disapproved the information contained herein. This news release may contain certain "forward-looking statements". Other than statements of historical fact, all statements included in this release, including, without limitation, statements regarding future plans and objectives of the Company, are forward-looking statements that involve various risks and uncertainties. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from New Energy Metals' expectations are the risks detailed herein and from time to time in the filings made by the Company with securities regulators. Those filings can be found on the Internet at www.sedar.com. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - December 10, 2018) - Bluestone Resources Inc. (TSXV: BSR) (OTCQB: BBSRF) ("Bluestone" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the results of voting at its annual general meeting of shareholders which was held on December 7, 2018 in Vancouver, British Columbia (the "Meeting"). Full details of all the voting results for the 2018 Meeting are available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. The nominees for director listed in Bluestone's management proxy circular dated November 2, 2018 were elected as set out in the following table: Director Votes For % Zara Boldt 31,338,698 95.89 Leo Hathaway 32,681,268 100.00 Darren Klinck 32,681,268 100.00 William Lamb 32,681,268 100.00 Paul McRae 32,681,268 100.00 Jim Paterson 31,338,698 95.89 John Robins 32,681,268 100.00 About Bluestone Resources Bluestone Resources is a mineral exploration and development company that is focused on advancing its 100%-owned Cerro Blanco Gold and Mita Geothermal projects located in Guatemala. The Cerro Blanco Gold Project, as disclosed in the Company's Cerro Blanco Preliminary Economic Assessment ("PEA") which is available at www.sedar.com, returned robust economics with a quick pay back and all-in sustaining cash costs (as defined per World Gold Council guidelines, less corporate general and administration costs) in the first quartile. The Company trades under the symbol "BSR" on the TSX Venture Exchange and "BBSRF" on the OTCQB. On Behalf of Bluestone Resources Inc. "Darren Klinck" Darren Klinck | President, Chief Executive Officer & Director For further information, please contact: Bluestone Resources Inc. Stephen Williams | VP Corporate Development & Investor Relations Phone: +1 604 646 4534 info@bluestoneresources.ca www.bluestoneresources.ca Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - December 10, 2018) - Further to its press release of December 7, 2018, Rapid Dose Therapeutics Corp. (formerly ACME Resources Corp.) ("ACME" or the "Corporation"), is pleased to announce the change of its name from ACME Resources Corp. to Rapid Dose Therapeutics Corp. in connection with the completion of its business combination with Rapid Dose Therapeutics Inc. ("RDT"). In addition, the Corporation welcomes its new board members, Messrs. Mark Upsdell, Jason Lewis and Kenneth Fox. Brian Howlett is continuing as a director. As part of the transition of management in connection with the business combination with RDT, the new officers of the Corporation appointed today include Messrs. Mark Upsdell as President and CEO, Jason Lewis as SVP Business Development and Lino Fera as the CFO and Corporate Secretary. The new board wants to take this opportunity to thank the two directors who resigned today, John Siriunas and Kees Van Winters, and the officers who resigned today, John Siriunas, Miles Nagamatsu and Jorge Estepa, for their valuable contribution in managing the process to a successful completion of the business combination. Having received conditional listing approval for its common shares to be listed on the Canadian Securities Exchange (the "CSE"), the Corporation continues to work on satisfying all necessary conditions, including delivery to the CSE of all final documentation for the listing, which is expected to be completed in the near future. Upon listing, the common shares of the Corporation will trade under the symbol "DOSE". About the Corporation The Corporation is a Canadian bio-technology company which, through its subsidiaries, provides proprietary enhanced drug delivery technologies designed to improve patient outcomes. The Corporation, through its subsidiary, owns a proprietary oral fast-dissolving drug delivery system, QuickStrip, which is capable of rapidly releasing into the blood stream a variety of pharmaceuticals, emulsified oils and over-the-counter medicines without being degraded or modified by first pass metabolism in the liver. The Corporation, through its subsidiaries, also provides product innovation, production and consultation to the pharmaceutical and healthcare manufacturing industry. For further information see the Corporation's profile at www.sedar.com or contact: Mark Upsdell - CEO Telephone: (416) 477-1052 Forward-looking statements Certain information contained in this news release may be forward-looking statements within the meaning of Canadian securities laws. Forward-looking statements are often, but not always identified by the use of words such as "expect", "anticipate", "believe", "foresee", "could", "estimate", "goal", "intend", "plan", "seek", "will", "may" and "should" and similar expressions or words suggesting future outcomes. This news release includes forward-looking information and statements pertaining to, among other things, completion of the listing of the Corporation's shares, certain anticipated strategic, operational, and competitive advantages and benefits created by the transaction and future opportunities for the Corporation. Numerous risks and uncertainties could cause the actual events and results to differ materially from the estimates, beliefs and assumptions expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to: the conditions to the listing of the Corporation's shares may not be satisfied; risks relating to the failure to obtain the listing; the anticipated strategic, operational and competitive benefits may not be realized. The Canadian Securities Exchange has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of the content of this news release. NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWS WIRE SERVICES OR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES. IQMS provides all-in-one solution to optimize engineering, manufacturing and business processes Dassault Systemes' 3DEXPERIENCE platform to become the business operations platform for manufacturers, supplementing its offering for the large SOLIDWORKS install base World's 250,000small and midsized manufacturers seeking digital transformation in today's Industry Renaissance can gain efficiency and agility to better serve customers Regulatory News: Dassault Systemes (Paris:DSY) (Euronext Paris: #13065, DSY.PA) today announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire IQMS, a leading manufacturing ERP software company, for $425 million. With the acquisition of the California-based IQMS, Dassault Systemes extends the 3DEXPERIENCE platform to small and midsized manufacturing companies seeking to digitally transform their business operations. IQMS's software on premise EnterpriseIQ and software as a service WebIQ deliver an all-in-one solution to mid-market manufacturers for managing engineering, manufacturing and business ecosystems by digitally connecting order processing, scheduling, production and shipping processes in real time. By integrating IQMS's solutions into the 3DEXPERIENCE platform on the cloud, Dassault Systemes will provide these manufacturers with an affordable system for operations that improves the collaboration, manufacturing efficiency and business agility needed to serve their customers successfully. The manufacturers many of them SOLIDWORKS users also gain the flexibility to rapidly scale up as a business grows. In parallel, these manufacturers can engage in new business opportunities and create value by supplying their manufacturing know-how and services to a large community of designers and engineers in Dassault Systemes' 3DEXPERIENCE Marketplace the world's largest virtual factory. "We must no longer think of industry as a set of means of production, but as a process of value creation. This applies not only to disruptive startups and established corporations, but also to the hundreds of thousands of mainstream manufacturers that produce parts integral to the development of new consumer experiences," said Bernard Charles, Vice Chairman and CEO, Dassault Systemes. "IQMS has cultivated a deep knowledge of manufacturing and manufacturer needs. We welcome IQMS to our team as we create a new category of business solutions that expands our offer for companies similar to those using SOLIDWORKS. They can embrace the platform phenomenon and flourish in today's Industry Renaissance." Today's manufacturing ERP mid-market is estimated at $5 billion, with a 7 to 8 percent annual growth rate through 2023. In the context of the Industry Renaissance the convergence of a diverse and powerful collection of digital technologies that is transforming every aspect of industrial business the world's 250,000 small and midsized manufacturers must adopt and optimize new ways of producing and doing business through digital transformation in order to innovate and accelerate their growth in an increasingly competitive, global marketplace. "For years, our business has been committed to maximizing our manufacturing customers' success by delivering a comprehensive manufacturing ERP system built specifically for the mid-market manufacturers and backed by extensive support and educational services, which has earned us recognition in a number of industry reports and numerous business awards," said Gary Nemmers, President CEO, IQMS. "As part of Dassault Systemes, we can take the next steps in providing customers with new approaches to achieving operational efficiency and effectiveness and doing so with a global reach." Dassault Systemes will help IQMS expand its customer base by leveraging the presence in the mid-market space achieved with Dassault Systemes' SOLIDWORKS applications, which are delivered and supported by the company's Professional Solutions global partner channel. "At Westfall Technik, we focus on innovation, design and bringing the best manufacturing practices from around the world to all of our operations," said Brian Jones, Founder, Westfall Technik, Inc. "IQMS joining forces with Dassault Systemes is exactly the kind of innovation we like to see from our partners. IQMS's strength in manufacturing operations and Dassault Systemes' strength in design and digital transformation is a great outcome for Westfall Technik. We currently use both IQMS and SOLIDWORKS in multiple locations. We definitely look forward to the new partnership." IQMS's solutions are used by 1,000 customers based primarily in the U.S. whose 2,000 manufacturing facilities in 20 countries produce for the automotive, industrial equipment, medical device, consumer goods, and consumer packaged goods industries. Customers include Westfall Technik, KKSP Precision Machining, AMA Plastics, Donnelly Custom Manufacturing, FlowBelow Aero Inc., Global Interconnect, Inc., Jabil Packaging Solutions, Schnipke Precision Molding, Steinwall Inc., Scientific, Inc., Sturgis Molded Products, Tribar, and Ventura Manufacturing Inc. IQMS's 2017 revenue was around $56 million. The purchase price of IQMS will be paid in cash. Completion of the transaction is subject to customary conditions precedent, including antitrust approval in the U.S. Closing of the transaction is expected in early 2019. Dassault Systemes was advised by Goldman Sachs and Mintz Levin, and IQMS was advised by Harris Williams and Weil Gotshal Manges. Notice of Conference Call: The management of Dassault Systemes will be hosting a conference call today, Tuesday, December 11, 2018, at 2:00 p.m. (London time) 9:00 a.m. (New York time) 3:00 p.m. (Paris time). Social media: Share this on Twitter: .@Dassault3DS acquires @IQMSERP extending 3DEXPERIENCE to business operations of mid-market manufacturers IndustryRenaissance Connect with Dassault Systemes on Twitter Facebook LinkedIn YouTube For more information: Dassault Systemes' 3DEXPERIENCE platform, 3D design software, 3D Digital Mock Up and Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) solutions: http://www.3ds.com About Dassault Systemes Dassault Systemes, the 3DEXPERIENCE Company, provides business and people with virtual universes to imagine sustainable innovations. Its world-leading solutions transform the way products are designed, produced, and supported. Dassault Systemes' collaborative solutions foster social innovation, expanding possibilities for the virtual world to improve the real world. The group brings value to over 220,000 customers of all sizes, in all industries, in more than 140 countries. For more information, visit www.3ds.com. 3DEXPERIENCE, the Compass logo and the 3DS logo, CATIA, SOLIDWORKS, ENOVIA, DELMIA, SIMULIA, GEOVIA, EXALEAD, 3D VIA, BIOVIA, NETVIBES and 3DEXCITE are registered trademarks of Dassault Systemes or its subsidiaries in the US and/or other countries. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181210005847/en/ Contacts: Dassault Systemes Press Contacts Corporate France Arnaud MALHERBE arnaud.malherbe@3ds.com +33 (0)1 61 62 87 73 North America Suzanne MORAN suzanne.moran@3ds.com +1 (781) 810 3774 EMEAR Virginie BLINDENBERG virginie.blindenberg@3ds.com +33 (0) 1 61 62 84 21 China Grace MU grace.mu@3ds.com +86 10 6536 2288 India Santanu BHATTACHARYA santanu.bhattacharya@3ds.com +91 124 457 7111 Japan Yukiko SATO yukiko.sato@3ds.com +81 3 4321 3841 Korea Hyunkyung CHAE hyunkyung.chae@3ds.com +82 2 3271 6653 AP South Magdalene TAN magdalene.tan@3ds.com +65 9487 1206 Balanced Force, coServe, Flow Line Integration, Optingo, RootHub IT and Vanenburg Software partner with Rootstock to provide ERP support internationally Rootstock Software, a leading cloud Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) provider for manufacturing, distribution and supply chain organizations on the Salesforce Platform, announced today that the company is continuing to experience significant international growth with the signing of several new partners. These partners will provide Rootstock customers in Europe, the Middle East and Southeast Asia with consulting and implementation services for the company's Cloud ERP solution. Rootstock Cloud ERP is a flexible, modern and digitally connected ERP solution that provides organizations with real-time management across their entire business, including manufacturing, distribution, supply chain and finance operations. Rootstock's channel partners will help customers achieve their digital transformation and business goals by leveraging Rootstock to better connect customers, suppliers and employees. When combined with Salesforce, Rootstock Cloud ERP customers enjoy a 360-degree view of all customer interactions and achieve more efficient operations. "We are delighted to have this knowledgeable and well-respected group of partners join the Rootstock ecosystem," said Per Norling, General Manager, International for Rootstock Software. "Partners are critical to helping us meet the demand for Rootstock Cloud ERP we are experiencing around the world. Our customers will benefit from their business process acumen and knowledge of Rootstock Cloud ERP." The new partners include: Balanced Force (Zeewolde, the Netherlands) coServe (KM Baarn, the Netherlands with a subsidiary in Hyderabad, India) Flow Line Integration (Lyon, France) Optingo (Warszawa, Poland) RootHub IT (West Midlands, England) Vanenburg Software (the Netherlands) These partners will supplement Rootstock Software's implementation and support services provided by the company's direct offices in the Nordics, Australia and North America. Salesforce and others are among the trademarks of salesforce.com, inc. About Rootstock Rootstock Software is a worldwide provider of cloud ERP on the Salesforce Platform. When combined with Salesforce CRM, Rootstock Cloud ERP offers manufacturing, distribution, and supply chain organizations a single platform to grow and manage their businesses. Rootstock Cloud ERP is a flexible, modern, and digitally connected system that transforms companies to deliver a more personalized customer experience, efficiently scale operations, and out-service the competition. To learn more, please visit www.rootstock.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181210005891/en/ Contacts: Cynthia Chow Director, Marketing Communications (925) 361-2861 cchow@rootstock.com STEVENAGE, England, December 11, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Appointments bolster team dedicated to bringing osteoarthritis drug to market AKL Research and Development (AKLRD), a company developing an investigational osteoarthritis (OA) medicine, today announces the appointment of Dr Annalisa Jenkins and Lord Michael Grade as advisors. (Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/796296/AKL_Research_and_Development_Logo.jpg ) Dr Jenkins is former Head of Global Research & Development and Executive Vice President Global Development & Medical at Merck Serono. Lord Grade is former Chairman of the BBC. Current Chief Operating Officer (COO) of AKLRD David Miles has been promoted to Chief Executive Officer (CEO), replacing previous CEO David Sharples who becomes Chairman. Clinical Scientist Alan Reynolds, who has extensive experience in inflammation and autoimmune disease treatments, has taken the role of Chief Science Officer (CSO). The new appointments and change of roles come as AKL enters its next phase of bringing its investigational medicine APPA to market. Currently in Phase I clinical trials at Liverpool University, APPA is an NFkB and Nrf2 modulator which harnesses the power of two secondary metabolites of plant origin in a fully synthetic oral therapy and is a potential novel treatment for OA. Dr Jenkins says: "Osteoarthritis is a condition which causes significant pain and disability every day for millions of people across the world. With few effective treatments available, APPA has the potential to offer meaningful improvements and new opportunities for people living with the disease. AKLRD is dedicated to novel approaches to drug development through collaborations with companies which are embracing innovation with the shared common purpose of improving the lives of patients globally. I am excited to join AKLRD at this crucial time." Speaking about his advisory role, Lord Grade says: "This is an exciting time for everyone at AKLRD, both in terms of APPA's development and the company's pioneering approach to identifying new medicines. I am delighted to help bring this important drug to market." New CEO of AKLRD, David Miles, says: "We are extremely pleased to welcome both Annalisa and Michael as advisors at such an important time in the development of APPA, our investigational treatment for osteoarthritis. The pioneering nature of AKL's drug development fits particularly well with the expertise and reputation in business of both our new advisors and I know that their depth of knowledge and experience will continue to drive us forward during this important phase." NOTES TO EDITORS: Profiles of AKLRD's new appointments: Dr Annalisa Jenkins MBBS FRCP Advisor PlaqueTec CEO Dr Annalisa Jenkins is a life sciences thought leader with more than 25 years of biopharmaceutical industry experience. Former leadership roles include as Head of Global Research and Development and Executive Vice President Global Development and Medical at Merck Serono and Senior Vice President and Head of Global Medical Affairs at Bristol Myers-Squibb. Dr Jenkins is a board member of several public and private growing companies in Europe and the US and is on the Science Board of the US Food & Drug Administration (FDA), Chair of The Court at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine and serves on the Task Force UK board of the US Center for Talent Innovation. Lord Grade CBE Advisor Lord Grade has been a long-term supporter of and founder investor in AKLRD and now continues to do so formally as an Advisor to the company. Lord Grade has a long and distinguished career in broadcasting both for the BBC, ITV, and also more than nine years as Chief Executive of Channel Four Television. Away from television, Lord Grade oversaw the successful restructuring of First Leisure. He has served as Chairman of Pinewood Shepperton Group, Ocado and Camelot. He is a trustee of the Science Museum Group. David Miles CEO David Miles, formerly COO of AKLRD, was previously Head of Inflammatory Diseases in Europe for Pfizer. He brings national and global experience from both biotech start ups and established pharma demonstrating increasing roles of responsibility managing commercial, medical and access teams as they progress products from innovation to commercial reality. Alan Reynolds CSO Alan Reynolds is a Clinical Scientist with wide-ranging experience across a number of inflammatory conditions including musculo skeletal. He was previously European Clinical Science Director Inflammation for Wyeth/Pfizer, responsible for providing European input into global research and publication strategies and leading health economic submissions to NICE for the biologic autoimmune treatment Enbrel (etanercept). He is a member of the Treatment Subcommittee of Versus Arthritis, the UK's leading Arthritis charity. David Sharples Chairman With a wealth of experience in business, David Sharples, former CEO of AKLRD, specialises in recruiting and supervising strong management teams. He has held extensive senior management roles including securing successful fundraising bids, commercial deals and company trade sales. About APPA As we age there is a greater potential for the body's inflammatory response to malfunction, initiating a cascade of activity that can result in chronic, degenerative diseases of inflammation, such as OA. The 'holy grail' of anti-inflammatory targeting is to block these tissue-damaging activities without compromising host defence mechanisms. APPA is a patented fixed combination of two synthetically produced, synergistic, secondary metabolites of plant origin which exerts its anti-inflammatory effect through modulation of NFkB and Nrf2 pathways. Related to innate immune responses, AKL4 inhibits the formation of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs). APPA has demonstrated pain relief, improved functionality and slowed cartilage destruction in animal models of osteoarthritis (OA), something that no approved drug has been shown to do 1 . . APPA is unique because it directly affects inflammation at its source by re-balancing intracellular signalling molecules, NFkB and Nrf2. APPA regulates rather than totally blocking the immune response, allowing the body to maintain host defence mechanisms [ 1] . Current medicines in OA typically focus on pain relief only as a short-term solution. rather than totally blocking the immune response, allowing the body to maintain host defence mechanisms . Current medicines in OA typically focus on pain relief only as a short-term solution. Journalists can request the "About APPA" Backgrounder for more information. About AKLRD AKL Research & Development Ltd.'s focus is primarily inflammatory diseases, particularly those related to dysregulation of the innate immune system. AKLRD identifies secondary metabolites of plant origin with proven efficacy and safety. These metabolites are then synthesized before undergoing standard pharmaceutical clinical development. This innovative approach greatly increases the chances of success, while reducing the probability of unexpected side effects. AKLRD's lead asset APPA, is currently in phase I in Osteoarthritis, a highly prevalent and devastating disease with limited treatment options and no cure AKLRD is based at the Stevenage Bioscience Catalyst, Stevenage , Herts UK . http://www.aklrd.com About Osteoarthritis Osteoarthritis (OA) is a common, debilitating, degenerative disease of the joints involving the cartilage and its surrounding tissues. 2 The FDA has recently classed OA 'a serious disease'. 3 It is the most common type of arthritis in the UK, affecting 8.75 million people, a number expected to more than double by 2030. 4 , 5 , 6 It is the most common type of arthritis in the UK, affecting 8.75 million people, a number expected to more than double by 2030. High economic burden (>2% GDP). In US annual medical costs associated with OA are $185B 7 More than half of all people over the age of 65 have OA, and it is the third most rapidly rising condition globally, just behind diabetes and dementia. 8 The incidence of hand, hip and knee OA increases with age, and women are more commonly affected than men, especially over the age of 50. 5 Risk factors include obesity, joint abnormalities, occupation and genetics. 7 The knee is most commonly affected, followed by the hip and hands/wrists. 6 The knee is most commonly affected, followed by the hip and hands/wrists. Journalists can request the "About Osteoarthritis" Backgrounder for more information. 1. Cross A, et al. Effects of APPA on human neutrophil function. 2016 OARSI, Volume 24, S335 - S336 2. Litwic A, et al. Epidemiology and burden of osteoarthritis. Br Med Bull 2018. 105;1:185-199 3. FDA: Osteoarthritis - Structural Endpoints for the Development of Drugs, Devices, and Biological Products for Treatment Guidance for Industry. 18 Jul 2018. 4. NICE. SCOPE. Osteoarthritis: the care and management of osteoarthritis 5. Arthritis Research UK. State of Musculoskeletal Health 2018. 6. Arthritis Research UK. Arthritis rates set to double by 2030. 9 May 2012 7. Kotlarz H, Gunnarsson CL, Fang H, Rizzo JA. Insurer and out-of-pocket costs of osteoarthritis in the US: evidence from national survey data. Arthritis Rheum 2009 Dec;60(12):3546-53. 8. Arden N. OA is a serious disease. Presented at: OARSI 2018 World Congress on Osteoarthritis; April 26-29; Liverpool, England 20.4% of board seats of the largest companies globally are now held by women, up from 18.5% in 2016. With the rate of progress towards parity decelerating, and with nearly three quarters of all new appointments still going to men, fully balanced boards will never be achieved without a significant increase in the hiring of female directors. Egon Zehnder calls on business to appoint at least three women per board in order to reach a "critical mass" and reap the benefits of gender diversity. Egon Zehnder, the world's leadership advisory firm, today released the results of its 2018 Global Board Diversity Tracker. The study shows the accelerating growth seen in female directors in Western Europe is now levelling off, and growth elsewhere remains sluggish, suggesting gender parity on boards may never be reached at the current pace. The research, examining data from 1610 public companies with market caps above 7bn in 44 different countries, shows that despite the slow improvement in the number of women on boards, nearly three quarters of all new board positions worldwide still go to men. Jill Ader, Chairwoman of Egon Zehnder, said: "We need diversity, but it's simply not happening fast enough. New voices and perspectives are essential to unlock the transformational capabilities that businesses tell us they need. Companies starting from the very top have to recognize the impact that a critical mass of women on the board and the executive committee makes and take the steps needed to bring that about." Key findings The biennial study finds that both female and international representation on boards has improved significantly since Egon Zehnder started tracking board diversity in 2004. But for boardrooms to truly reflect society, a new approach is needed. Egon Zehnder calls on businesses to apply the "magic of three" rule. Appointing one woman to the board is not sufficient. In order to reap the benefits of gender diversity, at least three women are needed to change the way the board is run and the way women are able to share their insights. The importance of making diversity part of a company's strategy was underlined by the business leaders Egon Zehnder spoke to as part of the study. Paul Polman, CEO of Unilever, shared: "I would have a hard time even understanding how you can be successful as a business if you cannot mirror the society that you serve in the first place" and that driving diversity "really has to be done with conviction by the CEO of that company." The number of women on boards continues to increase, but is losing momentum: 20.4% of board seats of the largest companies globally are held by women, up from 18.5% in 2016. France is the global leader, with 42% female board members, versus less than 6% in Hungary, Japan, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, and the UAE. In 2018, new board appointments made up 11.4% of all board positions globally, of which 27.0% were women, an improvement on the figure from the last report of 24.1%. This means that just 3.1% of all board positions are held by new female board members. However, appointments of female directors to boards varies heavily by region. Of new board appointments in 2018, 35% were women in Australasia, Western Europe, the US and Canada, against 16.7% in South America and 12.5% in Asia. In the US the overall percentage of female directors has risen by just 3.2% since 2012. While there has been significant progress in recent years, many companies are far from the "magic number" of three female directors: In 19 of the 44 countries studied, all of the major large cap companies have at least one female director-up from 15 countries in 2016, and just 8 in 2012. Yet in only 13 of 44 countries do the largest companies average three or more women per board, with five countries (Belgium, France, Germany, Sweden and Italy) averaging four or more. All of these countries except for Sweden operate under some form of quota system. Western Europe is leading the way with an average of 3.8 women per board, followed by Australia/New Zealand with 2.7, and North America third with 2.5. Despite growing representation in the boardroom, the number of female executives and especially CEOs remains stubbornly low: Women make up just 3.7% of worldwide CEO positions, and that number has not changed over the past two years. Only 5.6% of executive board positions are held by women In 23 countries including Norway, Germany and Canada that lead on other diversity metrics there are NO female CEOs in the large set of companies studied. Action Plan Egon Zehnder believes the approach of business must change if we are to make real progress on gender diversity: Pick for Potential our work with businesses has found that certain personal traits are better indicators of success than a lengthy CV Make Leadership Accountable - a focus on diversity has to be a core part of a company's strategy, and an explicit goal set by senior leaders and directors Raise Your Ambitions: Focus on Three until a board achieves the critical mass of three women, little is likely to change. Directors must be proactive in spotting female talent, and consider board term limits or more active turnover Train the Board for Success chairs and directors must prepare the board for the fact that diversity of perspectives and opinions could make doing the work of the board less efficient, but more effective The report's full recommendations and findings can be explored and visualized using Egon Zehnder's interactive tools at www.egonzehnder.com/global-board-diversity-tracker The full report, including regional and country-by-country analysis, can be found at www.egonzehnder.com/global-board-diversity-tracker NOTES TO EDITORS: About Egon Zehnder Egon Zehnder is the world's leadership advisory firm, sharing one goal: to transform people, organizations and the world through great leadership. We know what great leaders can do and are passionate about delivering the best leadership solutions for our clients. As One Firm, our more than 450 Consultants in 68 offices and 40 countries bring our individual strengths to form one powerful collaborative team. We partner closely with public and private corporations, family-owned enterprises, and non-profit and government agencies to provide Board advisory services, CEO search and succession, executive search, executive assessment, leadership and team development and organizational transformation. We share a commitment and pride in doing work that contributes to successful careers, stronger companies and a better world. For more information visit www.egonzehnder.com, and follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181210005099/en/ Contacts: For media inquiries: Egon Zehnder Hilary Crnkovich Global Head of Marketing and Communications T: +1 312 260 8978 E: hilary.crnkovich@egonzehnder.com DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, December 11, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- - Bespoke charter booking and exclusive empty legs will be available on the Altitudes website, altitudesmagazine.com - New online facility is powered by international private aviation company FLYINGGROUP Middle East located in Dubai South (DWC) - Completes Altitudes' online business aviation offering, with news, features, brokerage directory, aircraft sales listing and charter service booking Altitudes, the leading business aviation title, completed its online offering to readers with the launch of a bespoke charter booking service through its global website on 10th December. Powered by FLYINGGROUP Middle East, the charter booking service offers a vast range of aircraft, from an Airbus ACJ to a Pilatus PC-12, to suit the needs of private jet users anywhere in the world. In addition, there will be a selection of exclusive empty legs offers, which will be updated every 24 hours. Jill Stockbridge, Editor Altitudes, said: "Over the last six months, since the launch of the Altitudes website, we have gradually expanded the variety of services we offer to our readership. Initially, we simply reflected the regional magazines, offering features, news and insight into aviation, travel and lifestyle to our high net worth readership. Leveraging the global reach of the website, we have since introduced the brokerage directory and the aircraft sales listing. Now, thanks to our partnership with FLYINGGROUP, we can complete the circle and offer readers everything for their private aviation needs, from charter to purchase." She added: "We aim to continue to develop the website, and expand the scope of information and services available through the portal." The new service is powered by FLYINGGROUP, a global player in private aviation, offering aircraft charter, management, maintenance and ground handling services from offices in Europe and the Middle East. Mark Hardman, Managing Director FLYINGGROUP Middle East, said: "We are pleased and proud to be working closely with a respected title such as Altitudes. We have the same goals; to offer an impeccable and personal service to private aircraft charterers and owners throughout the world." Our expertise in the aviation industry, coupled with their technology and the global reach of the website will ensure charter customers benefit from our commitment to service excellence with a bespoke service that caters completely for private or business needs." Altitudes Now under the ownership of Pinpoint Media Group, Altitudes magazine was launched in 2003 in Cannes, France, to offer industry insight, advice and interesting articles for a select group of high net worth individuals involved in private aviation. The title was a success and soon became Altitudes Europe, as regional titles were launched in the Middle East, Russia and Asia. Since its inception, Altitudes has become the must-read publication for owners and operators of private jets, fixed wing and rotary aircraft, and provides its readers the perfect networking platform. The launch of the www.altitudesmagazine.com website in 2018 gave the title a truly global reach and has enabled Altitudes to expand the scope of services it offers to readers, to include broker information, aircraft sales listing and now bespoke charter services. FLYINGGROUP FLYINGGROUP was founded in 1995 and quickly became the point of reference for private and business flying in Benelux and France. Employing over 150 experienced aviation professionals and having more than 40 aircraft under management the FLYINGGROUP is both an established and trusted brand. Furthermore, they guarantee flexible and efficient bespoke solutions, expertly tailored to the client's need. FLYINGGROUP has a team of in-house specialists covering aircraft management, charter and aircraft sales. These experienced professionals can be trusted to find proactive and cost efficient solutions to every situation. A guaranteed professional approach that saves the customer time and money. FLYINGGROUP opened offices in the Middle East in 2017 in support of both existing and new customers. Dubai South (DWC) being the ideal location to interface with not only our Middle East clients, but those from India, CIS, Pakistan and Africa. For further information contact: Summer Syed Business Development Director, FLYINGGROUP Summer.Syed@flyinggroup.aero Jill Stockbridge Editor, Altitudes jill.stockbridge@pinpointmediagroup.com New England Asset Management Limited announces that Rui Wang has joined NEAM Limited's London branch as an Enterprise Capital Return Risk Management Professional. Rui is responsible for capital management and corporate development activities for European insurance companies. John Connolly, Managing Director, NEAM Limited commented, "Rui is an important addition to our London team and reflects the firm's commitment to supporting the unique capital management needs of our European insurance company clients." Jim Bachman, Head of Enterprise Capital Return Risk Management, NEAM, Inc., noted, "We're very excited to have Rui join our team. He fits right in with the global Enterprise group and will help expand the offerings we can provide to our clients in the UK, Ireland and Europe." Rui has over 11 years of experience in the insurance/investment industry. Prior to joining NEAM, he was a Senior Investment Consultant at Mercer and prior to that, Rui was an ALM Actuary with Friends Life Group. Rui holds an MSc from University of Oxford and Dual Bachelor's from Southwestern University of Finance and Economics in China, is a Fellow of the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries, a CFA Charterholder and a Certified Enterprise Risk Actuary. New England Asset Management Limited ("NEAM Limited"; Dublin, Ireland) is a subsidiary of New England Asset Management, Inc. ("NEAM, Inc."; Farmington, CT, USA)(collectively, "NEAM"). NEAM provides investment advisory services primarily to insurance companies. NEAM Limited is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland. NEAM Limited is authorized by the Central Bank of Ireland and subject to limited regulation by the Financial Conduct Authority. NEAM, Inc. is registered as an Investment Adviser with the Securities and Exchange Commission and with the Ontario Securities Commission. NEAM is a wholly-owned subsidiary of General Re Corporation. General Re Corporation, a subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway Inc., is a holding company for global reinsurance and related operations that operates under the brand name of Gen Re. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181211005011/en/ Contacts: John Connolly, NEAM Limited +353 1 6738 500 European firms are increasingly switching to the DocsCorp suite of tools to get more from less vendors. DocsCorp, a leading provider of enterprise productivity solutions, today announced that it has65% of the top 20 law firms on the European 100 report as clients. The European 100 2018, which focuses on Europe's independent law firms, is the ninth edition of the report. DocsCorp went on to detail that 75% of its European top 20 clients have 2 or more products while 25% having 3 or more. It is clear from these numbers that European firms are looking specifically for technology partners who can provide them with more than one solution, so they can simplify invoicing, training, and support as well as reduce costs. "Stibbe is always looking to innovate how we practice law on behalf of our clients, so we wanted to partner with a technology vendor that had the same goal," said Olivier Van Eesbeecq, Head of ICT and Facilities at Stibbe Belgium a member of the European 100 firms. "DocsCorp hasn't stopped innovating their solutions since we deployed them, and they are still as effective today as they were when we switched to them over two years ago. Their support team are effective and because all their desktop solutions have the same UI, we find we spend less time training new employees. DocsCorp has seen positive momentum across Europe this year for its products generally: pdfDocs for creating and distributing secure PDF documents; compareDocs to compare different versions of a document for changescontentCrawler for automatically converting image-based documents in a content repository to text-searchable PDFs so that firms can immediately find and comply with requests for data and documents; and cleanDocs to ensure emails are sent to the right person with the right information reducing the possibilities of data breaches. About DocsCorp DocsCorp designs easy-to-use software and services for document professionals who use enterprise content management systems. We provide solutions for metadata removal, document processing, PDF manipulation, and document comparison. DocsCorp is a global brand with customers located in the Americas, Europe, Asia Pacific and beyond. Find out more at docscorp.com or follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, and Blog View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181211005194/en/ Contacts: Melody Easton Marketing Director (EMEA) +44 (0) 7979 795 296 melody.easton@docscorp.com Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - December 11, 2018) - Fremont Gold Ltd. (TSXV: FRE) (FSE: FR2) (OTC Pink: USTDF) ("Fremont" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has appointed Douglas Hurst to its Advisory Board. Mr. Hurst was the Executive Chairman of Northern Empire Resources Corp, which was recently acquired by Coeur Mining Inc. in a transaction valued at approximately $117 million. Northern Empire's principal asset was the Sterling Gold Project located in the Walker Lane trend, Nevada. "We are delighted to name Doug to our Advisory Board," said Blaine Monaghan, CEO of Fremont. "He is one of those rare mining industry professionals that has both technical and capital markets expertise. And with a recent Nevada transaction under his belt, I'm certain that Doug's knowledge and insight will add a lot of value to our Company. I look forward to working with Doug and Derek White, our other Advisory Board member, to create shareholder value." Douglas Hurst biography Mr. Hurst has over 30 years of experience in the mining and natural resource industries, having acted as geologist, consultant, mining analyst, senior executive, and board member. Doug was previously a mining analyst with McDermid St. Lawrence and Sprott Securities and a contract analyst to Pacific International Securities and Octagon Capital. Mr. Hurst was one of the founders of Newmarket Gold Inc., which was acquired by Kirkland Lake Gold Ltd. for $1.0 billion in 2016. In addition, Doug was a founding executive of International Royalty Corporation, which was acquired by Royal Gold for $700 million. Mr. Hurst holds a Bachelor of Science in geology from McMaster University. Small Cap Invest Ltd. Fremont is also pleased to announce that it has retained Small Cap Invest Ltd. ("SCI"), a Frankfurt-based business development and PR firm. SCI will organize a number of European roadshows for the Company and will help to build and maintain relationships with potential European investors. Under the terms of the agreement, the Company will pay SCI $3,500 per month for a 12-month term (prepaid), commencing in January 2019. In addition, Fremont will issue stock options to SCI as set out below. Alexander Friedrich is the President and Chief Executive Officer of SCI. Grant of Stock Options Fremont has granted 1,075,000 incentive stock options to certain officers, directors, advisory board members and consultants of the Company, including 150,000 incentive stock options granted to SCI. The incentive stock options have an exercise price of $0.15 per share and will vest in five equal tranches every six months. The stock option grants are subject to regulatory approval. About Fremont Gold Fremont's mine-finding management team has assembled a portfolio of high-quality gold projects in Nevada with the goal of making a new discovery. Fremont's Gold Bar and Gold Canyon are past producing gold mines adjacent to McEwen's Gold Bar project, where mine construction is underway. Other projects include North Carlin, Goldrun, Hurricane, and Roberts Creek. We are aligned with our shareholders: Insiders own approximately 20% of Fremont. On behalf of the Board of Directors, "Blaine Monaghan" CEO Telephone: +1 604-676-5664 Email: blaine@fremontgold.net www.fremontgold.net Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward looking statements Certain statements and information contained in this press release constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable U.S. securities laws and "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws, which are referred to collectively as "forward-looking statements". The United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 provides a "safe harbor" for certain forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements and information regarding possible events, conditions or results of operations that are based upon assumptions about future economic conditions and courses of action. All statements and information other than statements of historical fact may be forward-looking statements. In some cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "seek", "expect", "anticipate", "budget", "plan", "estimate", "continue", "forecast", "intend", "believe", "predict", "potential", "target", "may", "could", "would", "might", "will" and similar words or phrases (including negative variations) suggesting future outcomes or statements regarding an outlook. Such forward-looking statements are based on a number of material factors and assumptions and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause actual results, performance or achievements, or industry results, to differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking information. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements contained in this press release. Actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Fremont undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements included in this press release if these beliefs, estimates and opinions or other circumstances should change, except as otherwise required by applicable law. DUBLIN, December 11, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- http://www.toxicsarebreakingourballs.ie Environmental pollution with toxic chemicals is the main cause of poor sperm quality Starting today, Irish males can get to know the quality of their sperm, free of charge and anonymously "Toxics are breaking our balls" is the slogan under which the First Study on Male Fertility in Ireland begins, promoted by Institut Marques. This international centre for assisted reproduction is a pioneer in demonstrating to the scientific community that the causes classically attributed to the worsening of sperm quality, such as stress, tight pants, alcohol, etc. are a myth. As the studies in Spain stated, the reality of the problem comes from toxic chemicals. (Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/794104/Institut_Marques_EN.jpg ) Anonymous and free of charge semen analysis for Irish men Starting today, all Irish males over 18 years can get to know the quality of their semen via a confidential and free of charge sperm analysis. In order to enrol, access the website http://www.toxicsarebreakingourballs.ie, fill out the online form and reserve a date and time to deliver the sperm sample at the facilities of Institut Marques in Dublin and Clane. Once analysed the sample, a specialist will provide partakers with a complete report, either in-person or by Skype or telephone. According to the CEO of Institut Marques, Dr Marisa Lopez- Teijon, the study is: "A good opportunity for the Irish males to know the quality of their semen in an easy, free of charge and confidential way, handled by experts. This information can help them, if necessary, to treat any possible seminal alteration through an early diagnosis." Specialists in assisted reproduction believe that, starting from 18 years old, all males should have their sperm analysed. "An altered result of this diagnostic test can warn about important abnormalities and, in many cases, help prevent, avoid or cure disorders that can cause infertility and that usually go unnoticed," warns Dr Ferran Garcia, Director of the Andrology Department at Institut Marques. Objectives of the study The First Study on Male Fertility in Ireland has a double objective: - Determine the possible environmental incidence according to the geographical areas where the mothers of the Irish males have lived. The results will be analysed using a database that will include the province of residence of the mothers of the participants until pregnancy, since there is a close correlation between the place of residence of the pregnant women and the seminal quality of their children, because of the incidence of environmental factors. - Raise awareness among the male population about the importance of their reproductive health as a part of their physical and psychic well-being, as well as inform the society about possible prevention measures. Why a study on the sperm of the Irish? In 2017, the birth rate in Ireland dropped 2.74% compared to the previous year, and achieved 12.9 births per 1,000 inhabitants, with a fertility rate in decline, set at 1.92 children per woman. In recent years, a slow but steady decrease in the number and the quality of sperm, regarding its motility and morphology, has been observed. In six of every 10 couples who turn to assisted reproduction treatments to become parents, sperm presents alterations in greater or lesser degree. Ireland does not have any studies that evaluate the sperm quality of the male population. The first National Study of Sperm in Ireland will determine the sperm quality of the Irish men, as well as to try and establish to what extents factors like environmental toxins impinge on its deterioration. Toxics, main cause of bad sperm quality In addition to genetic factors and medical history, male fertility depends on environmental factors often unknown by the population. These environmental factors are chemicals commonly used in industry, agriculture and at home, that can interfere in the development of the testicles, and it is proven that they harm the reproductive capacity. According to Dr Marisa Lopez- Teijon, CEO of Institut Marques, "Males are more exposed than females to suffering infertility because of pollutants." The first contact with toxic chemicals starts at the beginning of life, from the maternal blood to the embryo through the placenta. The type of toxic substance and the amount will depend on the levels that the mother has. The so-called endocrine disruptors are a long list of compounds that behave like oestrogen: that is, they behave as a female hormone without being one. The action of testosterone, the male hormone, is very important during the development of the foetal testicles, during the second and third month of pregnancy. However, these fake oestrogens compete with testosterone and do not let it properly exercise its function. Less sperm producing cells are built and, in the most severe cases, they produce (genetic) chromosome alterations in the testicles. These substances are very resistant to biodegradation. They are present in our food and in the environment; they accumulate in the human body, especially in the fat, and humans and animals are not designed to get rid of them. Environmental pollution by toxins is worsening sperm quality. This is happening both in industrialised and rural areas that are in contact with pesticides, therefore there are large geographical variations. Previous studies on male fertility carried out by Institut Marques in Spain confirmed a lower sperm quality in those areas where the presence of this type of chemical substances was higher. In addition, the trial poses a good opportunity so that Irish men can have the quality of their semen tested in a voluntary, free and anonymous way and thus be able to prevent future problems. Substantial evidence relates semen quality with certain diseases; hence semen quality can be considered a general health biomarker. Information campaign"Toxics are breaking our balls" The study is accompanied by an informative campaign that will help clarifying concepts and eradicating cliches. Institut Marques requests the collaboration of the media so that this campaign reaches all Irish males. About Institut Marques Institut Marques is an international reference centre in Gynaecology, Obstetrics and Assisted Reproduction with presence in Ireland (Dublin and Clane). With extensive experience in special hardship cases, we help people from over 50 countries to make their dream of becoming parents true. Institut Marques has the highest pregnancy success rates. Leader in innovation, Institut Marques has developed an important investigation line about the benefits of music at the beginning of life and foetal stimulation. Since 2002, Institut Marques has been carrying out studies that link environmental toxics to infertility and to the results of fertility treatments. After assessing the impact of pollution in health and fertility, Institut Marques has decided to play its part to fight against this worrying trend, to the extent possible. This is why we have initiated the Forest of Embryos, a Corporate Social Responsibility project in collaboration with the environmental organisation "L'Escurco" in Tarragona. With their help, we are planting a tree for each child born thanks to our Assisted Reproduction treatments. Furthermore, Institut Marques supports the manifesto from "Citizens for Science in Pesticide Regulation". This is a citizen's platform that claims for a reform of the use of pesticides in the European Union and advocates for an independent regulation without vested interests. More information: http://www.toxicsarebreakingourballs.ie https://www.institutmarques.ie/study-on-semen-quality/ http://www.fertility-experiences.com/infertility-and-chemical-substances-endocrine-disruptors/ http://www.fertility-experiences.com/why-is-male-fertility-decreasing/ https://www.institutmarques.ie/male-infertility/sperm-analysis/ MARSEILLE, France, December 11, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Vect-Horus announced today the signing of a research collaboration agreement with Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc. one of the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson. The goal of this collaboration is to use Vect-Horus' proprietary technology to transport various Janssen monoclonal antibodies to the brain for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. This deal was facilitated by Johnson & Johnson Innovation Limited. (Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/794842/Vect_Horus_Logo.jpg ) Biological drugs including antibodies have great potential in the treatment of brain diseases, however their effectiveness may be limited by their poor ability to cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB). Vect-Horus has developed its VECTrans technology that facilitates the delivery of drugs or imaging agents into the brain. In the research collaboration, Vect-Horus will oversee the design of the conjugates and the conduct of the in vivo proof-of-concept brain uptake studies. Janssen will lead further preclinical and clinical development. Under the terms of the agreement, Vect-Horus will receive payments for R&D costs and is eligible to receive payments for additional option exercise fees, development and sales milestones. "We are pleased with the signing of this agreement. Combining the expertise of Janssen in CNS diseases with our brain delivery technology should lead to further progress in treating patients with neurodegenerative diseases," says Alexandre TOKAY, co-founder and CEO of Vect-Horus. "We are looking forward to working with the Janssen scientists to successfully achieve the objectives we have set out in the agreement," said Dr Jamal TEMSAMANI, Director of Drug Development, Vect-Horus. This collaboration is part of Vect-Horus' framework strategy, which is to use its VECTrans technology to enter into R&D agreements with biopharmaceutical companies to generate patentable new chemical entities, based on the vectorization of their drug candidates. About VECT-HORUS Vect-Horus designs and develops vectors that facilitate targeting and delivery of therapeutic or imaging agents to organs, including the brain and tumours. Vect-Horus combines these different agents to its vectors that specifically target various receptors, allowing these agents to cross natural barriers (first and foremost the blood-brain-barrier) which limit access of therapeutic or imaging agents to their targets. The proof of concept of the technology has already been established in animal models using different vectorized molecules. Created in 2005, Vect-Horus is a spin-off of the Institute for NeuroPhysiopathology (INP, UMR7051, CNRS and Aix Marseille University), headed by Dr Michel KHRESTCHATISKY, co-founder. For more information: http://www.vect-horus.com contact@vect-horus.com ASCHHEIM, Germany and PARIS, December 11, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- With boon, you can use Google Pay regardless of the bank Wirecard, the global innovation leader in digital financial technology, is making its mobile payment solution boon available to download in the French Google Play store to tie in with the launch of Google Pay in France. As a result, according to Statista more than 38 million Android smartphone users in France will benefit from a fully digital application for mobile payment, regardless of which bank they use. For a long time, new payment methods have not been accessible to all consumer groups. Here, a significant growth opportunity has opened up for the entire sector. Last year, 64% of French consumers stated that they make mobile payments. Google Pay users in France will immediately be able to make secure, contactless payments via their cell phone at the checkout: With the Android app, boon customers can simply add their digital Mastercard to Google Pay. boon enables every Android smartphone user to sign up in a few minutes and then securely pay with boon and Google Pay. Users simply take their cell phone, hold it over the till terminal - without even having to open up the app - and the payment is complete. In addition, the boon app provides a transaction overview in real-time as well as P2P transfers. The digital Mastercard can also now be used for online payments. Georg von Waldenfels, Executive Vice President Consumer Solutions at Wirecard, says, "We are delighted that, with Google Pay now being launched in France, we will be able to bring boon's advantages to as many consumers as possible, right from the start. boon participating in the launch of Google Pay in France will drive the digitization of payments further forward, and in doing so will make payment as simple as possible." Florence Diss, Head of EMEA Commerce Partnerships at Google, adds, "As of today, customers will be able to link their boon digital cards to Google Pay and make payments securely, quickly and hassle-free at millions of locations in France and all over the world, as well as on their favorite apps and websites." The boon account can be loaded using all Visa or Mastercard variants as well as via bank transfer. As a result, it is not necessary to already own a credit card from a bank supported by Google Pay. boon is the industry's first fully digitized mobile payment solution and can be used independently of banks and telecommunications providers. In addition to France, boon is already available on Android end-devices in Austria, Belgium, Germany, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands and Spain. The app is also available in France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, and the UK using iOS. Further details can be found at: http://www.beboon.com To download boon, please click here. About Wirecard: Wirecard (GER: WDI) is one of the world's fastest growing digital platforms in the area of financial commerce. We provide both corporate clients and consumers with a constantly expanding ecosystem of real-time value-added services built around innovative digital payments by using an integrated B2B2C approach. This ecosystem concentrates on solutions in the areas payment and risk, retail and transaction banking, loyalty and coupon programs in addition to data analytics and conversion rate enhancement across all sales channels (online, mobile, ePOS). Wirecard operates regulated financial institutions in several key markets, in addition to holding issuing and acquiring licenses from all major payment and card networks. Wirecard AG is listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (DAX and TecDAX, ISIN DE0007472060). Visit us on http://www.wirecard.com, follow us on Twitter @wirecard and on Facebook @wirecardgroup. Wirecard media contact: Wirecard AG Jana Tilz Tel.: +49(0)89-4424-1363 Email: jana.tilz@wirecard.com SAN FRANCISCO, December 11, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Global Surgical Suture Market is anticipated to grow significantly in the forecast period due to the growing geriatric population and increasing number of surgical procedures worldwide. Surgical sutures (stitches) are medical devices that are used to hold body tissues together after surgery. They come in different shapes and sizes and are used with a needle attached to the thread. Surgical sutures are mostly used on internal tissues, blood vessels, organs and skin. Currently, people are facing severe injuries and surgeries due to road mishaps. Moreover, surgical sutures are extremely important for treating injuries and wounds due to road accidents. The rise in number of road mishaps and other accidents, which require surgical sutures is resulting in the significant growth of surgical sutures market. Minimally invasive cosmetic surgeries have increased over the years. Also, the rising number of plastic and cosmetic surgeries are predicted to drive surgical sutures market in the years to come. More and more people are suffering from heart diseases and hence they require either heart transplant, cardiovascular surgeries or organ transplant. These medical emergencies are expected to stimulate surgical sutures market noticeably in future. Adding to these, there are few unexpected tissue reactions in the area of Vicryl suture material (4 cases with Vicryl plus, 8 cases with Vicryl) that hamper the growth of surgical suture market. At present, the increasing conditions of chronic disorders, rising healthcare expenses, growing number of surgeries and wounds and growing number of hospitals are the major driving factors in surgical sutures market. However, the increase in demand for improved wound closing materials, lack of product advancements in surgical sutures and adverse effects from surgical sutures are acting as major obstacles for surgical suture market. Different types of sutures are used for different purposes. Surgical sutures can be divided into two groups; absorbable (PGCL, PGA, PDO) and non-absorbable (Nylon, Polyester, Polypropylene, Silk). Absorbable sutures break down in tissue after the specified time. As the wound gets healed, absorbable tissue also degrades. Non-absorbable sutures are removed by the doctor after the wound is completely healed. Surgical suture market is categorized on the basis of product, application, end user, and geography. On the basis of product, surgical suture market is divided into absorbable sutures, non-absorbable sutures, and automated suturing devices. Absorbable sutures can be further divided into natural sutures and synthetic sutures. Non-absorbable sutures can be further classified into nylon sutures, prolene sutures, stainless steel sutures, other non-absorbable sutures. Automated suturing devices are further divided as disposable and reusable. Based on application, surgical suture market is divided into cardiovascular surgeries, general surgeries, gynecological surgeries, orthopedic surgeries, ophthalmic surgeries, and others. On the basis of end user, surgical suture market is classified into hospitals, and others (private clinics, nursing homes, and ambulatory surgery centers). Hospital segment is expected to hold larger share of surgical suture market due to the increasing number of surgical conditions that require surgery and growing geriatric population. Geographically, surgical suture market is segmented as North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Middle East & Africa. Due the growing prevalence of lifestyle diseases and growing elderly population, North America followed by Europe are predicted to dominate surgical suture market. Access 119 page research report with TOC on "Surgical Suture Market" available with Radiant Insights, Inc. @https://www.radiantinsights.com/research/global-surgical-suture-market-outlook-2018-2023 The prominent players in surgical suture market comprise Johnson & Johnson Inc., B. Braun Melsungen AG, 3M Healthcare, Medtronic Inc., Smith & Nephew plc, Kinetic Concepts, Inc., Urgo Medical, Demetech Corporation, Conmed Corporation, W.L. Gore & Associates, BSN Medical, Paul Hartmann AG, Endoevolution LLC, Boston Scientific Corporation, Sutures India Pvt Ltd., Internacional Farmaceutica S.A. De C.V., Molnlycke Healthcare, ConvaTec Inc., Coloplast Corporation, and Hollister Incorporated. Global surgical suture market is anticipated to grow at a CAGR of 4.2% by 2023, according to a new report published by Gen Consulting Company. The report segments the market and forecasts its size, by volume and value, on the basis of type (natural fiber, synthetic fiber, mixed sutures, etc.), and by geography (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, MEA and South America). The report covers forecast and analysis for the Surgical Suture market on a global and regional level. The study provides historic data of 2013-2017 along with a forecast from 2018 to 2023 based on both output/volume and revenue. The study then describes the drivers and restraints for the Surgical Suture market along with the impact they have on the demand over the forecast period. Additionally, the report includes the study of opportunities available in the Surgical Suture market on a global level. The report has been prepared based on the synthesis, analysis, and interpretation of information about the global Surgical Suture market collected from specialized sources. The competitive landscape section of the report provides a clear insight into the market share analysis of key industry players. Company overview, financial overview, product portfolio, new project launched, recent development analysis are the parameters included in the profile. The research report provides analysis and information according to market segments such as geographies, types and applications. All the segments have been analyzed based on present and future trends and the market is estimated from 2018 to 2023. Relevantly, the report and company profiles specify the key drivers that are impacting the demand in global Surgical Suture market. Key Types : Natural Fiber Synthetic Fiber Mixed Sutures Key Regions : North America Europe Asia Pacific Middle East and Africa South America Key Vendors : request free sample to get a complete list of companies Key Questions Answered in this Report : What will the market size be in 2023? What are the key factors driving the global Surgical Suture market? What are the challenges to market growth? Who are the key players in the Surgical Suture market? What are the market opportunities and threats faced by the key players? Browse reports of similar category available with Radiant Insights, Inc.: Cosmetic Surgery Products Market Anesthesia Monitor Market Reusable Laparoscopic Trocars Market Joint Replacement Market About Radiant Insights, Inc.: At Radiant Insights, we work with the aim to reach the highest levels of customer satisfaction. Our representatives strive to understand diverse client requirements and cater to the same with the most innovative and functional solutions. Contact: Michelle Thoras. Corporate Sales Specialist Radiant Insights, Inc. Phone: +1-415-349-0054 Toll Free: 1-888-928-9744 Email: sales@radiantinsights.com Web: https://www.radiantinsights.com VIENNA, Virginia, December 11, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Telarix Inc. (Telarix), the leading provider of international carrier business solutions, is pleased to announce that PLDT, the largest telecommunications and digital services company in the Philippines has selected the Telarix iXLink and iXTools software-as-a-service (SaaS) unified platform to enable the PLDT full interconnect business operations. PLDT is one of a growing list of carriers utilizing Telarix's iXLink and iXTools software and services for complete end-to-end automation of their international voice and SMS business. PLDT will utilize the two powerful Telarix software platforms, iXLink and iXTools, to automate their rating, routing, billing and carrier partner relationship management and partner with Telarix managed services to maximize the PLDT business strategies. iXLink, an industry solution offered exclusively by Telarix, provides a secure, reliable business-to-business information exchange platform enabling all communication service providers, regardless of size, to quickly and efficiently access and share business documents among their trading partners. iXTools is a comprehensive solution that automates a carrier's routing, billing, settlement, audit and trading processes. PLDT will complement their deployment of Telarix software with expertise from Telarix's managed services team enabling PLDT to reduce the risk of revenue leakage, grow revenues within their international voice business and improve operational efficiency as they prepare for future technology advancements. "As the telecom industry adds new services and increases the volume of current services, we were seeking a solution that fully automates our back office and positions us to easily handle this increased complexity. With a large carrier community of customers and proven solutions for automation, Telarix was our natural selection," said Kat Luna - Abelarde, FVP International Carrier Business Group & President/CEO PLDT Global. "By partnering with Telarix to help us automate our operations, we'll be better able to focus on growing our business and leveraging new opportunities." "We are excited to welcome PLDT to the Telarix community," says Marco Limena, Telarix CEO. "We look forward to partnering with PLDT to provide the software solutions and managed services required to execute PLDT's business strategies. The state-of-the-art routing, advanced billing, actionable business intelligence and flexibility of our software will enable PLDT to simplify their network, maximize revenue, and position themselves for further growth. The combination of Telarix and recently merged Starhome Mach, the provider of unique mobile roaming VAS solutions to PLDT's wireless arm Smart, creates the first and only technology solution provider enabling telecommunication companies to optimize global connectivity in the digital transformation era, to better serve the needs of PLDT's market international voice and mobile requirements." About PLDT PLDT is the leading telecommunications and digital services provider in the Philippines. Through its principal business groups - fixed line, wireless and others - PLDT offers a wide range of telecommunications and digital services across the Philippines' most extensive fiber optic backbone, and fixed line and cellular networks. PLDT is listed on the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE: TEL) and its American Depositary Shares are listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: PHI). PLDT has one of the largest market capitalizations among Philippine listed companies. About Telarix Telarix is the world's leading provider of business-to-business and OSS/BSS management solutions to improve efficiency and productivity. The company's iXLink B2B information exchange platform enables carriers to optimize operational capabilities across all areas of the business - from analytics, billing and settlement, and contract management to fraud protection, pricing and traffic routing. The company's iXTools platform provides carriers with an unprecedented level of visibility and control over interconnect voice, video, data and SMS services and is used by more than 4,000 communications companies across the globe. Telarix recently announced its merger with Starhome Mach. Starhome Mach's provides B2B Settlement, Customer Engagement, Real Time Analytics, Fraud and Security, and IoT solutions for an exceptional customer base of more than 300 mobile network operators, including 24 leading telecom groups. For more information, visit Telarix at http://www.Telarix.com or http://www.StarhomeMach.com. Contact: Steven Parrott +1-703-587-5004 Steve.Parrott@telarix.com DUBAI, UAE, December 11, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Winners of the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Knowledge Award participated in a special session at the Knowledge Summit 2018: "Youth & the Future of the Knowledge Economy", held at the Dubai World Trade Centre on December 5-6. (Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/697421/Mohammed_bin_Rashid_Al_Maktoum_Knowledge_Foundation_Logo.jpg ) (Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/796661/Knowledge_Award.jpg ) (Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/796663/Mohammed_bin_Rashid_Al_Maktoum_Knowledge_Award.jpg ) The winners were the Magdi Yacoub Heart Foundation, the Institute of International Education (IIE), the Saudi Digital Library (SDL), and the Amersi Foundation. "Encouraging intellectual freedom is key to making a leap in science. We must support crazy ideas," said Sir Magdi Yacoub, Founder of the Magdi Yacoub Heart Foundation. "We look at research into inherited heart diseases by people in Egypt and the region. We must study the genome of the region's population and we now have 1,000 genomes from Egypt." Meanwhile, Dr Saud Al Salahi, SDL Director General, said: "The Library was launched to provide digital services for all Saudi universities. We have partnered with over 300 publishers to serve 6 million users and reach Vision 2030. In the past, Saudi students sometimes needed to go abroad for research, now they can do it instantly from their smart devices, and Saudi Arabia went from third in the Arab world in terms of university research to first." Maxmillian Angerholzer III, Executive Vice-President of IIE, noted: "Our mission is to promote the exchange of knowledge, bringing international scholars and students to the US and taking Americans abroad. We believe education is key to combatting global challenges: when two students work together, they immediately overcome cultural barriers to focus on the task at hand. Empowered with knowledge, the youth can change the world." The Magdi Yacoub Heart Foundation is an Egyptian charity NGO founded to establish a world-class medical centre in Egypt dedicated to cardiovascular surgery, treatment and research, while the IIE is a non-profit global education organisation with 18 offices worldwide seeking to advance scholarship and promote cultural understanding. Meanwhile, the SDL has the largest collection of digital resources in the Arab World, with more than 680,000 digital books and 174 databases for academic articles, and the Amersi Foundation supports causes and charities for education and youth empowerment. The Knowledge Summit 2018 brings together over 100 experts and decision makers from around the world in more than 45 discussion panels, exploring topics on youth, the knowledge economy, and transforming societies from knowledge consumers to knowledge producers. Website: https://knowledgesummit.org KnowledgeSummit FB: knowsummit1 LinkedIN: the-knowledge-summit YouTube: Knowledge Summit IG: knowsummit Twitter: KnowSummit FELTON, California, December 11, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The global Industrial Air Filtration Market is expected to value at USD 6.08 billion by 2025. The market is subject to witness a substantial growth due to the growing concerns regarding air pollution during various industrial processes. Increasing need for high-performing and energy efficient products are expected to drive the growth of industrial air filtration industry over the forecast period. Furthermore, growing environmental awareness and rapid industrialization, particularly in Asia Pacific and North America are the major contributing factors for market growth in near future. Resource scarcity and increasing concerns regarding poor air quality are projected to boost market demand for industrial air filtration equipment. Globally, the industrial air filtration market is predicted to grow at higher CAGR in the forecast period, providing numerous opportunities for market players to invest for research and development in the market. The recent technological advancements in the manufacturing sector for new filter media to meet the demand of energy-efficient products is expected to favor market growth. Introduction of advanced raw materials such as small fibers is estimated to offer new avenues for industry growth in the near future. Increasing adoption of filters, cartridges, and combinations that are selected based on the given set of regulatory standards is expected to amplify market value for industrial air filtration units. However, substantial decline in the manufacturing production, particularly in European region, is expected to hamper market developments in the recent years. Browse 107 page research report with TOC on "Global Industrial Air Filtration Market" at:https://www.millioninsights.com/industry-reports/industrial-air-filtration-market In addition, lack of awareness associated with numerous safety features such as respiratory protective equipment is negatively affecting market growth to a certain extent. Yet, stringent laws & regulation in regards to adoption of safety features across various industry verticals are expected to play major role in the growth of industrial air filtration industry over the forecast period. Moreover, strict norms placed by health and safety agencies in European and North America region to ensure safety of the worker because of increasing health hazards, has led to increasing adoption of industrial air filtration in the past few years. Furthermore, rising adoption of industrial air filtration units from chemical industries for air purification application is expected to favor industry expansion in the upcoming years. Industrial air filtration units are also used to limit energy requirements during bleaching process in the chemical industries. The industrial air filtration market is broadly categorized into six major segments based on the application type such as chemical industry, power & energy generation sector, paper & paperboard sector, food & beverages industry, pharmaceutical sector and healthcare industry. The chemical segment is growing rapidly in the industrial air filtration industry with substantial revenue generation in the last few years. Growing popularity of industrial air filtration units in the chemical segment is attributed to the increasing use of compressor and to curb industrial air pollution. The food & beverages segment has also witnessed substantial growth owing to the growing requirement for sophisticated devices to minimize end-product contamination due to poor air quality. Industrial air filtration market is divided by region as North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America and Africa. North America has shown major growth in recent years owing to the rise in the implementation of latest technologies in air treatment sector, massive boom in manufacturing sector, rise in the number of research & development activities, and existence of well-established industrial infrastructure in the region. Asia-Pacific region is estimated to hold major market share in industrial air filtration with massive growth in forecast period. Countries such as India, China and Singapore are leading the Asia-Pacific market with strong economic growth, increasing manufacturing activities, rising awareness level regarding air pollution, stringent government laws & regulation by local governments to curb industrial pollution and significant investment by leading industry players considering potential growth opportunities in the region. The key players in the industrial air filtration industry are Parker Hannifin Co., Ingersoll-Rand plc, Atlas Copco Ltd., Donaldson Company, Inc., Emerson Climate Technologies, Inc., Ingersoll-Rand plc, Parker Hannifin Co., and Gardner Denver, Inc. Browse reports of similar category available with Million Insights: Compressed Air Treatment Equipment Market Dehumidifier Market Heating Equipment Market Indoor Air Purification Market Market Segment: Industrial Air Filtration Product Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2014 - 2025) Dust Collectors Mist Collectors HEPA Filters Cartridge Collectors & Filters Baghouse Filters Industrial Air Filtration End-use Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2014 - 2025) Cement Food Metals Power Pharmaceuticals Agriculture Woodworking and Paper & Pulp Plastic Others Industrial Air Filtration Regional Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2014 - 2025) - North America U.S. Canada - Europe Germany UK France Italy Turkey Sweden Spain Poland - Asia Pacific China India Japan - Latin America Brazil Mexico - Middle East & Africa About Million Insights: Million Insights, is a distributor of market research reports, published by premium publishers only. We have a comprehensive market place, that will enable you to compare data points, before you make a purchase. Enabling informed buying, is our motto and we strive hard to ensure that our clients get to browse through multiple samples, prior to an investment. Service flexibility & the fastest response time are two pillars, on which our business model is founded. Our market research report store, includes in-depth reports, from across various industry verticals, such as healthcare, technology, chemicals, food & beverages, consumer goods, material science & automotive. Contact: Ryan Manuel Research Support Specialist, USA Million Insights Phone: +1-408-610-2300 Toll Free: 1-866-831-4085 Email: sales@millioninsights.com Web: https://www.millioninsights.com/ Blog: https://millioninsights.blogspot.com/ Perspectum Diagnostics, have once again been named as one of the UK's Top 100 Fastest Growing Companies. Most successful year yet for 5-year-old Perspectum, which provides digital health solutions for patients with liver and metabolic disease Perspectum have, for the second year in row, been named as one of the fastest growing businesses in the UK, building on the success of their patient-friendly medical imaging software for liver disease developed originally in Oxford University, and now available in four continents for clinical use. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181211005362/en/ LiverMultiScan image with high fat and high cT1 (Photo: Business Wire) Beauhurst, a platform for research on start-ups and fast-growing companies, examined UK based private companies and calculated growth valuations. Perspectum are up 14 places from last year, at number 38. In 2018, the company opened offices in Singapore and San Francisco, helping to increase their global footprint with 130 employees. The company's expertise in medical imaging and metabolism have been highly sought by drug companies and patient groups. The medical community has begun to embrace their liver scans, and over 25% of the US population is within 20 miles of a LiverMultiScan-enabled site already. Rapid growth has been seen across the company with new regulatory approvals, an expansion in customer footprint and product portfolio diversity, and revenues of over $6m. Perspectum is central to the UK network of Digital Medical Imaging and Digital Pathology Centres, featuring in 3 of the 5 successful bids to receive government funding of 50 million. Dr Rajarshi Banerjee, CEO of Perspectum, commented "We are delighted to be named as one of the 100 fastest growing companies this year. We aim to recruit the best and most driven team to improve the care of patients with liver disease, and that team has created new products, expanded into new territories and completed ground breaking research which will enable better patient care across the world.' Notes to Editors About Perspectum Diagnostics Perspectum Diagnostics Ltd combines the power of digital imaging technologies and innovative software. We empower patients and the medical community through greater understanding of liver disease. Perspectum Diagnostic's flagship product, LiverMultiScanis CE marked by notified body BSI (designation 0086) and is US FDA 510(k) cleared via PMN K172685. LiverMultiScan may not be commercially available in all countries. For further details for more information, visit http://perspectum-diagnostics.com/ View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181211005362/en/ Contacts: Media contact Jasmin Hounsell Jasmin.Hounsell@perspectum-diagnostics.com US +16282390019 Taylor McManus Taylor.McManus@perspectum-diagnostics.com US +16282390019 Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, December 4) The House of Representatives on Tuesday approved on third and final reading its proposed constitution that seeks to shift to a federal form of government. In an overwhelming 224-22 vote with three abstentions, lawmakers in the lower chamber approved Resolution of Both Houses (RBH) No. 15, penned by House Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, and filed along with 35 other legislators. The resolution is controversial for a number of reasons, including the removal of term limits for members of Congress and the lack of an anti-political dynasty provision. It earlier removed the Vice President in the succession line for the transition to a federal government, but was later restored after some backlash. It also adds a college degree as a requirement for those holding national elective posts. Just like other bills passed by the House on third reading, the resolution will now be transmitted to the Senate for its action. Under the resolution, proposed amendments to the 1987 Constitution will be passed through a three-fourths vote of the Senate and the House, voting separately. Arroyo has conceded that Congress cannot pass charter change under her watch, but stressed that the representatives "will bring it as far as we can bring it," hoping that the next Congress will be able to pass it. The 17th Congress ends session in 2019. Senators, meanwhile, said there is no more time to tackle charter change in the upper chamber because of deliberations on the 2019 budget. Federalism was a campaign promise of President Rodrigo Duterte, with whom Arroyo is allied. After he called for the swift passage of charter change in his State of the Nation Address, the House of Representatives filed a resolution that supported the Senate's position that the two houses should vote separately. House lawmakers allied with Duterte earlier wanted the two chambers to vote jointly. But even with such compromise, some senators said charter change is "good as dead," as they suspect Arroyo would use it to stay in power, a claim the former President denied. The 'no' vote Lawmakers who opposed the proposed constitution slammed its "rushed" passage, roughly three months after the resolution was filed in September. The first to explain his "no" vote was Rep. Lito Atienza, who said revising the charter should be done through a "genuinely called constitutional convention." What is being pushed by the House now is a constituent assembly, wherein members of the House of Representatives and the Senate shall convene and decide on constitutional amendments themselves. A constitutional convention, meanwhile, requires nationwide elections to select delegates who will draft the constitutional amendments. "Kinakailangan nating bigyan ng tinig ang mamamayan sa usaping ito [We need to give voice to the citizenry in this issue]," Atienza said. Rep. Kaka Bag-ao called for a "national conversation," and dismissed the House deliberations as a "short debate" by legislators. Rep. Edcel Lagman, meanwhile, stressed that a shift to federalism would only deteriorate the country's economy. "No less than President Duterte's economic advisers has exposed it (federalism) as not economically viable," Lagman said. Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez and Economic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia previously said the Philippines was not economically ready for the federal shift, with the National Economic Development Authority pegging the cost to over P243.5 billion, while the Finance Department estimates P320 billion. CNN Philippines' Xianne Arcangel contributed to this report. Taking gold, the Sanlam Centenary magazine was one of a series of publications produced for Sanlam to celebrate its 100th birthday in 2018. Woolworthsmagazine took the silver for the March 2018 edition of the incredibly successful monthly title. Elizka Ferreira, head of foods marketing for Woolworths says, We are immensely proud of the experience that New Media creates for our customers in, and to have that recognised on the international stage is phenomenal.Although primarily a digital content and strategy agency, New Media is thrilled to receive these awards for two printed products. The results reaffirm its belief in print as a powerful solution in the right circumstances. Both products illustrate how careful planning, a relentless focus on excellence and the very best talent can come together to create wonderful reader experiences in what is fast becoming the premium channel of print. New Medias group creative director Crispian Brown adds: Although very different in subject matter, audience and purpose,andshare a basic DNA for creating great content: a good brief, a client who trusts and collaborates with you, a clear strategy and the best creatives focussing on their craft. A good print execution should pique interest irrespective of where people choose to start reading, and surprise and delight the more they explore.Run by the Content Council in the USA, the Pearl Awards receive hundreds of entries and recognise the very best in content excellence around the world. The awards ceremony was hosted in New York at Hearst Tower on Friday and agencies from the USA, UK, Sweden, Canada, Australia and South Africa were recognised for their world-class work.Aileen Lamb, MD of New Media says, Both Sanlam and Woolworths are long-standing clients of New Media and, in both cases, the relationship of trust allows New Media to push the boundaries of creativity, put the customer first, and invest in quality talent and resources. I want to congratulate our clients and thank them and our teams for their relentless pursuit of excellence and their willingness to always make it one step better. The excellence that has been rewarded in these two products is backed up by a body of varied and excellent of work for both Sanlam and Woolworths of which we are very proud. Following the recent relaunch, Acuris Risk Intelligence reaches significant milestone Acuris Risk Intelligence, a trusted and independent provider of data intelligence for Anti-Money Laundering, Third Party Risk and Cyber Security professionals, today announces that it now serves 350 direct customers worldwide, helping them to mitigate risk and effectively comply with regulations. This significant milestone nearly doubles its direct client base compared to this time last year and is only two months since the relaunch of the brand, formerly known as C6. Whilst the business has been successful since its inception in 2004 in selling its data via major channel partners, this is a noteworthy milestone as it reflects the success of focusing on direct customer outreach. The business continues to work with some of the biggest compliance platforms in the world as an integrated provider. Acuris Risk Intelligence has also won FinTech/RegTech Rising Star and Best Financial Crime Intelligence Data at The Compliance Register Platinum Awards 2018 as well as executing a successful expansion into the Asia Pacific region, serving 32 customers across 10 sectors including Investment banking, Private Equity Funds, Corporates, Casinos and Data Providers "Following our rebrand in October, we're delighted to have achieved these successes as we continue our growth path with Acuris," states Joel Lange, Managing Director, Acuris Risk Intelligence. "Our offering is popular with companies who want the best protection and compliance monitoring integrated into their businesses operations. We look forward to further expanding this offering in the months and years to come." A substantial investment into a more API driven approach has proven commercially beneficial, boosting the systems used to reveal the risks associated with business relationships. This process also offers customers a seamless and cost-effective integration process into their many compliance workflows, which is fully customisable and tailored to the customer's specific internal business requirements. In addition, the company is working on a large development plan called Project Revolution, which aims to implement major enhancements to both the brand's products and data. The goal of Project Revolution is to take our already solid product and revolutionise the 3 core pillars: We aim to enrich the data model that underpins our system giving more breadth of information on all our profiles allowing our customers to better integrate content with other data sets. We are redesigning our matching algorithm to provide an easy to understand match score and improved accuracy thus further reducing false positives. By revamping our research methodology including the best of automation technologies that our research team use to capture our data, we will have more relevant data points, more complete profiles and even improved timeliness of content. "It's great to see the Acuris Risk Intelligence brand grow so quickly and this is only the beginning of the journey," Hamilton Matthews, CEO at Acuris commented. "The next phase will continue to build on the solid foundation that we have developed over the years, ensuring that businesses continue to lessen their exposure to threats while complying with increasingly strict regulations". Acuris Risk Intelligence brings together world-class data, human expertise and the latest technology to help businesses manage risk and compliance in real time. So instead of a never-ending, escalating cost, risk management becomes part of business as usual. Acuris Risk Intelligence is here to make that vision a reality. About Acuris Risk Intelligence Acuris Risk Intelligence was established in 2004 as C6 and rose to become one of the top suppliers of proprietary data on PEPs, sanctions and adverse media data for due diligence and compliance. It was acquired by Acuris in 2015. Today, Acuris Risk Intelligence combines a world-class dataset that now includes fraud and cyber security content - with expert human analysts and state-of-the-art technology to help organisations manage the risk in business relationships effectively. Clients access our intelligence via a SaaS platform, or via API and feed technology so risk protection is built into the way they operate. Our focus areas include Anti-Money Laundering, Third Party Risk and Cyber Security. For more information, please visit us at Acuris Risk Intelligence.com or call us on +44 (0) 203 742 1200. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181211005013/en/ Contacts: Acuris Risk Intelligence Brooke Petersen Head of Marketing Customer Success T: +44 (0) 203 741 1198 E: Brooke.Petersen@Acuris.com Home, mobility, consumer and city experiences will become personalized and sustainable Dassault Systemes' 3DEXPERIENCE platform and 3DEXPERIENCE Lab are at the core of these innovations Established leaders and disruptive startups are all rethinking their business models and collaborating with digital platforms to build reality out of all these possibilities Dassault Systemes (Paris:DSY) (Euronext Paris: #13065, DSY.PA) will attend CES 2019 in Las Vegas January 8-11 and show how innovators are using virtual worlds and digital platforms to create the sustainable, personalized experiences of the future for citizens. Dassault Systemes, through its 3DEXPERIENCE platform and its 3DEXPERIENCE Lab, is at the core of these innovations. They concern established industry leaders, startups, makers and new market entrants. At CES, Dassault Systemes will use interactive storytelling, videos and startup roundtable sessions to demonstrate how a holistic approach with data analytics, design, simulation, augmented reality, virtual reality, connectivity, customization and digital collaboration accelerates the development of solutions for a changing citizen environment in which the consumer experience takes precedence. Dassault Systemes' booth 4121 in LVCC, North Hall, will take visitors on a journey to the city of 2030, with examples of home, mobility, consumer and delivery experiences that the 3DEXPERIENCE platform makes possible. In this world, home devices automatically anticipate and adapt to lighting, heating, food, cleaning, security and ambiance needs. Air taxis shuttle passengers in a new era of ultra-mobility. Consumers adopt alternative ways to shop by 3D printing their own customized shoes and rely on electric scooters for deliveries. This future will also feature transformative sustainable innovations by disruptive startups participating in the 3DEXPERIENCE Lab's Global Entrepreneur Program. Three of the program's artificial intelligence startups, ExactCure, Gyrolift and Zero 2 Infinity, will discuss and demonstrate their concepts for city, life and lifestyle at the Paris Region booth 50463 in the Eureka Park Marketplace, Sands, Hall G. "What were once considered the wildest of ideas from the imaginations of innovators the what ifs are evolving into full-fledged realities that are transforming business models," said Florence Verzelen, Executive Vice President, Industry Solutions, Field Marketing, Global Affairs, Dassault Systemes. "By 2030, our daily routines will take on a more personalized, sustainable shape. Dassault Systemes' 3DEXPERIENCE platform is the gateway to unlimited possibilities, extending the real world by collaboratively imagining, inventing, testing, developing and experiencing these what ifs in the virtual world." Social media: Share this on Twitter: .@Dassault3DS returns to CES2019 to show the 'what ifs' in smart homes, mobility, deliveries, shopping and cities in 2030 3DEXPERIENCE Connect with Dassault Systemes on Twitter Facebook LinkedIn YouTube For more information: Dassault Systemes' 3DEXPERIENCE platform, 3D design software, 3D Digital Mock Up and Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) solutions: http://www.3ds.com About Dassault Systemes Dassault Systemes, the 3DEXPERIENCE Company, provides business and people with virtual universes to imagine sustainable innovations. Its world-leading solutions transform the way products are designed, produced, and supported. Dassault Systemes' collaborative solutions foster social innovation, expanding possibilities for the virtual world to improve the real world. The group brings value to over 220,000 customers of all sizes, in all industries, in more than 140 countries. For more information, visit www.3ds.com. 3DEXPERIENCE, the Compass logo and the 3DS logo, CATIA, SOLIDWORKS, ENOVIA, DELMIA, SIMULIA, GEOVIA, EXALEAD, 3D VIA, BIOVIA, NETVIBES and 3DEXCITE are registered trademarks of Dassault Systemes or its subsidiaries in the US and/or other countries. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181211005365/en/ Contacts: Dassault Systemes Press Contacts Corporate France Arnaud MALHERBE arnaud.malherbe@3ds.com +33 (0)1 61 62 87 73 North America Suzanne MORAN suzanne.moran@3ds.com +1 (781) 810 3774 EMEAR Virginie BLINDENBERG virginie.blindenberg@3ds.com +33 (0) 1 61 62 84 21 China Grace MU grace.mu@3ds.com +86 10 6536 2288 India Santanu BHATTACHARYA santanu.bhattacharya@3ds.com +91 124 457 7111 Japan Yukiko SATO yukiko.sato@3ds.com +81 3 4321 3841 Korea Hyunkyung CHAE hyunkyung.chae@3ds.com +82 2 3271 6653 AP South Magdalene TAN magdalene.tan@3ds.com +65 9487 1206 DIDCOT, UK / ACCESSWIRE / February 7, 2019 / Altus Strategies Plc (AIM: ALS & TSX-V: ALTS), the Africa focused exploration project generator, announces that on 5 th February 2019 it signed a non-binding Term Sheet ("Term Sheet") for a Joint Venture ("JV") with Indiana Resources Ltd ("Indiana") which is listed on the Australian Securities Exchange ("ASX"). Subject to entering a definitive agreement ("Agreement") with Altus, Indiana will have the option to earn up to an 85% interest in Legend Mali (BVI) II Inc. ("Legend"), a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company. Legend holds a 100% interest in the Lakanfla and Tabakorole gold projects ("Projects") located in western and southern Mali respectively. Indiana may earn its interest by funding the exploration and development of the Projects. The Term Sheet is subject to exclusivity provisions for 60 days following signing. Highlights: JV Term Sheet signed with ASX listed Indiana Resources Ltd Indiana may earn up to an 85% interest in the Lakanfla and Tabakorole gold projects: Lakanfla historical drill results include: 26.0m at 5.10 g/t Au and 12.0m at 9.78 g/t Au Lakanfla is located 6km southeast of the Sadiola gold mine Tabakorole historical drill results include: 60.0m at 2.92 g/t Au and 44.0m at 3.30 g/t Au Tabakorole and Lakanfla are two of six exploration projects owned by Altus in Mali Subject to entering a definitive agreement: Altus to receive milestone based cash and equity in Indiana Altus to retain a 2.5% Net Smelter Return ("NSR") royalty Altus will be the operator of the JV during initial earn-in periods Agreement remains subject to due diligence and other conditions precedent Steven Poulton, Chief Executive of Altus, commented: "We are delighted to have signed this Term Sheet with Indiana for a JV on our Lakanfla and Tabakorole gold projects in Mali. Upon entering a definitive Joint Venture agreement, Indiana will have the option to acquire up to an 85% interest in the projects. In return it is anticipated that Altus will receive an upfront equity payment in Indiana shares, future milestone based payments of cash and Indiana equity and a 2.5% NSR on the Projects. Indiana is a dynamic ASX listed exploration company with existing gold projects in Mali. We look forward to concluding the final agreements and to working with them thereafter. This transaction underscores the Company's "project generator' strategy of making and monetising mineral discoveries in Africa, while building and growing a valuable portfolio of royalty interests. Strategically located adjacent to the world renowned Sadiola gold mine in western Mali, at which oxide resources are reportedly being exhausted, the Lakanfla project contains a major area of historical artisanal gold workings and historical drilling results including 5.10 g/t Au over 26.0m, 9.78 g/t Au over 12m and 5.61 g/t Au over 14.5m. Based on our review of historical data, we believe that Lakanfla hosts a potentially substantial karst-style gold target, analogous to the adjacent FE3 and FE4 pits of the Sadiola mine. Separately the Tabakorole project, which is located in southern Mali targets a shear zone which has reportedly been mapped for 2.7km long and up to 200m wide. Historical drilling results to date at Tabakorole include 2.92 g/t Au over 60.0m and 3.30 g/t Au over 44.0m. In addition to this transaction, discussions are continuing with Canyon Resources Ltd in respect of the Company's existing bauxite joint venture in Cameroon as announced by the Company on 11 October 2018. We look forward to updating shareholders on the progress with these transactions in due course". Headline JV Terms Subject to the execution of the Agreement, Indiana will have the option to earn up to an 85% interest in the Projects on the following headline JV terms. Stage 1 (Exploration): Indiana will have the right to earn an initial 25% interest in the Projects by undertaking 3,000m of drilling at the Lakanfla project and by completing an exploration programme at the Tabakorole project within 12 months of entering the Agreement. Altus will receive US$100,000 of Indiana shares on the commencement of Stage 1. Stage 2 (Resource Definition): Within 30 days of the completion of Stage 1, Indiana will have the right to increase its interest in the Projects (or Lakanfla only) to 51% by undertaking 9,000m of drilling at the Lakanfla project (or publishing a JORC compliant resource of more than one million ounces of gold) and 2,500m of drilling at the Tabakorole project, within 18 months of electing to enter Stage 2. Altus will receive US$100,000 in cash and US$200,000 of Indiana shares on the commencement of Stage 2. Stage 3 (Definitive Feasibility Study): Within 30 days of the completion of Stage 2, Indiana will have the right to increase its interest in the Projects (or Lakanfla only) to 70% by completing a Definitive Feasibility Study at the Lakanfla project and, if it elects to continue with the Tabakorole project as part of the JV, publishing a maiden JORC compliant resource at Tabakorole within 24 months of electing to enter Stage 3. Indiana will relinquish its interest in Tabakorole if it does not so elect. Altus will receive US$100,000 in cash and US$200,000 of Indiana shares on the commencement of Stage 3. Stage 4 (Mine Construction): Within 30 days of the completion of Stage 3, Altus will have the option to co-finance Stage 4 pro rata to its interest in the JV, or grant Indiana the right to sole finance Stage 4 and increase its interest in the Projects (or Lakanfla only) to 85% by commencing gold production on either of the Projects (or the Lakanfla project only if the Tabakorole project is no longer part of the JV) within 24 months of electing to enter Stage 4. Altus will receive US$500,000 in cash and US$750,000 of Indiana shares on the commencement of Stage 4 if Indiana is sole funding Stage 4. Altus will be the operator of the Joint Venture during Stages 1 and 2 on an "at costs plus 10%" basis. Exploration budgets and work programmes will be agreed by a JV committee consisting of up to two representatives of each of Indiana and Altus. Each party shall have one vote, however any party sole-funding will have a casting vote. If co-funding, each party shall vote in accordance with its participating interest in the JV. Indiana may withdraw from the JV at any time. If Indiana elects to withdraw from the JV at any stage after the completion of Stage 2 it will receive a 0.75% NSR royalty on future gold production from the Projects in exchange for withdrawing. This NSR royalty will be capped at the amount invested in the JV by Indiana at the point of withdrawal and can be repurchased by Altus at any time for a cash sum equivalent to this amount plus a 10% premium. Indiana has the option to offer Altus the right to co-fund the JV from completion of Stage 3. Altus will retain a 2.5% NSR royalty on the Projects. Either party may sell its interest in the JV but must first offer it to the other party at the price and terms offered by the new purchaser. If Indiana sells its interest in the JV it will not receive the NSR royalty that it would have otherwise received from having withdrawn from the JV. The Agreement is expected to include standard change of control and default provisions and will also provide for Indiana with the option to request a 3 month pause of JV operations at any time after the completion of Stage 1. Lakanfla Project: Location The 24km2 Lakanfla gold project is located 5km east of the Company's Diba ('Korali Sud') oxide gold project and approximately 6.5km southeast of the karst-type FE3 and FE4 open pits of the multi-million ounce Sadiola gold mine and 35km southeast of the former multi-million ounce Yatela karst-type mine. Lakanfla is bounded by the Sadiola permit area on its north, west and southern boundaries. Sadiola and Yatela are both part owned by Anglogold Ashanti (JSE: ANG, NYSE: AU and ASX: AGG) and IAMGOLD Corporation (TSX: IMG & NYSE: IAG). Lakanfla Project: Karst Geology Karst style deposits are known to form from the dissolution and collapse of carbonate (limestone) rocks. The weathering of these rocks, if originally mineralised with low grade gold and sulphides, can result in the precipitation of a higher grade 'supergene' and potentially economic gold mineralised residuum, above a more resistant basal layer. The dissolution of the limestones often means such deposits are associated with geophysical gravity lows, resulting from the formation of voids at depth. They may also contain sands and other more recent geological materials occurring unconformably in the geological sequence. These materials will have either been blown or collapsed into the depression created during the karstification (dissolution) process. Lakanfla Project: Karst Targets At Lakanfla a consistent series of gravity lows exists, as defined by a ground gravity survey completed in 2014, which are yet to be drill tested. The lows are up to 0.5km wide and have a total strike length of approximately 4km. They are hosted within marbleised lithologies surrounding a granodiorite intrusion and its associated hydrothermal aureole. Surface sagging features, considered to be a result of the formation of dissolution voids at depth, have been mapped as being more than 100m long in places and these are also often coincident with the gravity lows. A number of the gravity lows are adjacent to N-S trending artisanal gold workings and are coincident with apparent gradient array IP resistivity lows. Interpretation of the residual IP anomalies has defined a series of intersecting regional and local shear structures, which are considered to have potentially promoted the karst formation process. The gravity lows and lithological trends may indicate areas of deep weathering of altered calcareous sediments, dissolution collapse and potential supergene gold deposition. None of the priority targets have been systematically drill tested to date. Of the historical drilling that has been undertaken at Lakanfla, 35 holes coincide with the priority targets. However, the majority of these holes were drilled were no deeper than 75m vertical depth. One was drilled deep enough to test the karst potential, attaining a vertical depth of 161m. Critically, this drill hole (04KDD-08) was located on the margin of a gravity low reached the target depth and terminated in loosely consolidated sand (from 165m to 171m), having also passed through voids and unconsolidated material. The Company considers that this hole provides strong evidence for the presence of a potential karst-type system. Lakanfla Project: Exploration History Historical exploration at Lakanfla has included soil sampling across the entire licence area, on a 500m x 250m (and in places 250m x 100m) sample grid. The programme defined a number of anomalies which were further refined by shallow auger drilling. Follow up diamond, RC and RAB drilling programmes primarily targeted shallow gold mineralised breccias. A number of selected historical intersections are highlighted in Table 1. The breccias are also the primary target for artisanal gold miners, the workings of which extend for approximately 2.5km of strike length. The majority of the drilling at Lakanfla was completed between 2001 and 2011. Table 1: Selected Lakanfla selected historical shallow drill intersections Hole ID From (m) To (m) Intersection (m) Grade (g/t Au) 04KRC-02 32.00 58.00 26.00 5.10 01KRAB-03 12.00 24.00 12.00 9.78 04KDD-06 34.00 48.50 14.50 5.61 04KDD-04 105.00 165.00 60.00 1.02 Intersections in Table 1 are calculated based on a greater than 0.5 g/t Au cut-off grade, a top-cut of grades above 40 g/t and where there is <= 3m of consecutive internal waste. A series of geophysical programmes have been completed at Lakanfla, including ground based induced polarisation, high resolution resistivity, magnetic and gravity surveys as well as airborne VTEM and gravity surveys. Significantly, the completion of the ground gravity survey, which generated the Karst targets on the margins of the granodiorite intrusion, post-dates all of the drilling completed at Lakanfla to date. Tabakorole Gold Project The 100km2 Tabakorole project is located in southern Mali, approximately 280km south of the capital Bamako. The project sits on the Massagui Belt which hosts the 7.0Moz Morila gold mine operated by Randgold Resources Ltd. Exploration to date has identified a 2.7km long shear zone which is up to 200m wide. A number of selected historical intersections are highlighted in Table 2. Table 2: Selected Tabakorole project historical drill intersections Hole ID From (m) To (m) Intersection (m) Grade (g/t Au) 05FLRC-11 14.00 74.00 60.00 2.92 05TKRC-18 24.00 68.00 44.00 3.30 10FLRC-07 4.00 42.00 38.00 2.64 10FLSRC-02 10.00 24.00 14.00 6.66 Intersections in Table 2 are calculated based on a greater than 0.5 g/t Au cut-off grade, a top-cut of grades above 40 g/t and where there is <= 3m of consecutive internal waste. A regional soil sampling programme completed on a 500m x 100m grid has defined a strong gold in soil anomaly at Tabakorole. The programme was completed by BHP in the early 1990s. Since 2003 a total of 28,912m of diamond, 31,943m of RC, 6,577m of auger and 60,676m of air core drilling have reportedly been completed, in addition to 1,400 line-km of airborne geophysics. A more recent 14 hole RC infill drilling program (totalling 741m) has reportedly confirmed the continuity and grade of oxide mineralization at Tabakorole, as projected from the deeper sulphide intersections. Cautionary note regarding historical data Readers are cautioned that the data on Lakanfla and Tabakorole as referred to in this written disclosure is historical exploration data that has not been verified by a Qualified Person. Not all historical samples are available and Altus does not have complete information on the quality assurance or quality control measures taken in connection with the historical exploration results, or other exploration or testing details regarding these results. There has been insufficient exploration to define a current resource and the Company cautions that there is a risk further exploration will not result in the delineation of a current mineral resource. The historical data should therefore not be relied upon until the Company can confirm it. Qualified Person The technical disclosure in this regulatory announcement has been read and approved by Steven Poulton, Chief Executive of Altus. A graduate of the University of Southampton in Geology (Hons), Steven Poulton also holds a Master's degree from the Camborne School of Mines (Exeter University) in Mining Geology. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining and has over 20 years of experience in mineral exploration and is a Qualified Person under the AIM rules and National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure of Mineral Projects of the Canadian Securities Administrators. Market Abuse Regulation (MAR) Disclosure Certain information contained in this announcement would have been deemed inside information for the purposes of Article 7 of Regulation (EU) No 596/2014 until the release of this announcement. Glossary of Terms The following is a glossary of technical terms: "Artisanal" means local people conducting mining, often with rudimentary equipment "Au" means gold "g/t" means grams per tonne "Grade" means the quantity of ore or metal in a specified quantity of rock "km" means kilometre "m" means metres "Shear zone" means a zone in which rocks have been deformed by lateral movement along parallel planes For further information you are invited to visit the Company's website www.altus-strategies.com or contact: Altus Strategies Plc Steven Poulton, Chief Executive Tel: +44 (0) 1235 511 767 E: info@altus-strategies.com SP Angel (Nominated Adviser) Richard Morrison / Soltan Tagiev Tel: +44 (0) 20 3470 0470 SP Angel (Broker) Richard Parlons / Jonathan Williams Tel: +44 (0) 20 3470 0471 Blytheweigh (Financial PR) Tim Blythe / Camilla Horsfall / James Husband Tel: +44 (0) 20 7138 3204 About Altus Strategies Plc Altus is a London (AIM: ALS) and Toronto (TSX-V: ALTS) listed, diversified and Africa focused mineral exploration project generator. Through our subsidiaries we discover new projects and attract third party capital to fund their growth, development and ultimately exit optionality. This strategy enables Altus to remain focused on the acquisition of new opportunities to be fed into the project generation cycle and aims to minimise shareholder dilution. Our business model is designed to create a growing portfolio of well managed and high growth potential projects and royalties, diversified by commodity and by country. Altus currently has eighteen projects in six commodities across six countries. We aim to position our shareholders at the vanguard of value creation, but with significantly reduced risks traditionally associated with investments in the mineral exploration sector. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements Certain statements in this news release contain forward-looking information. These statements address future events and conditions and, as such, involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the statements. Such factors include without limitation the completion of planned expenditures, the ability to complete exploration programmes on schedule and the success of exploration programmes. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on the forward-looking information, which speak only as of the date of this news release. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. SOURCE: Altus Strategies Plc View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/534692/Joint-Venture-Term-Sheet-Signed-on-Lakanfla-Tabakorole-Gold-Projects-in-Mali Digital asset institutional investors will soon be able to safekeep their holdings on a standardised, resilient, compliant and automated custody platform operated by Onchain Custodian (ONC)(oncustodian.com), a Singapore company supported by Onchain SINGAPORE / ACCESSWIRE / December 11, 2018 / Onchain Custodian, a provider of digital asset custody solutions, announced today the appointment of its executive committee. The company, supported by Onchain, will launch its services in Q1 2019 out of Singapore. Alexandre Kech, former Head of Securities & FX, Asia Pacific at SWIFT, a well-known figure in the Asia Pacific securities post-trade space, will be in charge of deploying and growing the company as Chief Executive Officer. He will be supported by Raymond Cheong, Chief Strategy Officer, a blockchain and financial industry expert with more than 30 years of experience in consulting, financial industries and token economy, last as a Partner in KPMG China. El Lee will complete the management team as acting Chief Operating Officer. El brings with him investment banking experience from previous roles at CIMB Group and J.P. Morgan Chase& Co. "It is an honour to have been selected as CEO of Onchain Custodian. For the last 3 years, I have been actively expanding my knowledge around blockchain and digital assets. Having now the opportunity to leverage my 20 years of capital market post-trade experience to support the emergence of new industry is thrilling! I am looking forward to working with Raymond and El, and to growing our business and team for the benefit of our customers." Alexandre Kech. Incorporated in Singapore in July 2018, ONC is building a global,standardised, resilient, compliant, and automated platform for the safekeeping of institutional digital asset investments with incomparable user experience. The solution is flexibly built to meet the possible futures of digital asset custody, in partnership with Onchain, an experienced enterprise blockchain provider. Standard practices around digital asset custody are essential to the future of this industry. ONC is committed to work with customers and partners to build the global standard for digital asset custody. The industry deserves a safe custody environment, interoperating efficiently across providers and traditional custody operations. Onchain Custodian will open its office at 20 Collyer Quay in January, pilot its platform in February and launch its services at the end of Q1 2019. If you want to be kept informed of the progress or you want to participate in our pilot phase, please express your interest at contact@oncustodian.com. About Onchain Custodian Based in Singapore, Onchain Custodian is building a global standardized, resilient, compliant, and automated platform for the safekeeping of institutional digital asset investments with incomparable user experience. Our solution is flexibly built to meet the possible futures of crypto custody. About Onchain Onchain(http://www.onchain.com/en) is a leading blockchain technology company in China. It is committed to building an open-source and transparent trust scheme. Onchain lives by the technical strategy of "independent code + open-source", always striving to be world-class. For more information, visit oncustodian.com Contact Person:Alexandre Email: Alexandre@oncustodian.com City: Singapore SOURCE: Onchain Custodian View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/530241/Onchain-Custodian-aims-at-the-absolute-safe-for-digital-asset-custody ROCKVILLE, Maryland, December 11, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The oil and gas pumps market is likely to witness sluggish growth, with global demand surpassing 9,000,000 units by the end of 2018, according to a latest report by Fact.MR. Rising demand for oil and gas is resulting in the growing demand for equipment such as oil & gas pumps. End-users in oil and gas industries are demanding efficient oil & gas pumps to ensure smooth operation and meet stringent emission standards. (Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/713666/FactMR_Logo.jpg ) End-users of oil & gas pumps are using centrifugal pumps on a large scale owing to its low product and maintenance cost, and better load and pressure handling capabilities. The demand for centrifugal pumps is healthy in the upstream oil & gas industry as the part of multiphase pumping application. As per the report, the demand for submersible pumps is also likely to grow in the near future. Electric submersible pumps are being used on a large scale as water and oil separators. The centrifugal pumps are also expected to witness increasing demand for crude oil transportation. Manufacturers in oil & gas pumps market are focusing on pump modification to save significant amount of energy and improve performance. Request For Sample Report-https://www.factmr.com/connectus/sample?flag=S&rep_id=2435 Onshore Oil & Gas Pumps to Find Large Application in Projects across Countries The Fact.MR study opines that the onshore oil & gas pumps are likely to witness a rapid growth in the coming years. Demand for onshore oil & gas pumps is expected to exceed 4,800,000 units in 2018. With rise in energy demand from various sectors and growth in the transportation industry, many countries, especially in Asia Pacific, are moving towards development of new oil & gas projects. India, China, and Indonesia are expected to significantly contribute to the growth of oil and gas industry in the region. With the signs of recovery in oil prices, many state-owned oil companies in the Asia Pacific region are spending on onshore oil and gas production to ensure energy security. Upgradation of existing onshore oil and gas facilities and development of new facilities is also accelerating in Southeast Asia. Moreover, in recent years, regulation in the UK has removed legal hurdles in the development of onshore petroleum resources. Moreover, in terms of gas transportation by the onshore gas producers in the UK, the government has removed requirement to hold a gas transporter license, and a class exemption has been introduced to cover all types of onshore gas production. Browse Full Report on Oil & Gas Pumps Market with TOC-https://www.factmr.com/report/2435/oil-gas-pumps-market MEA to Continue its Dominance in Oil & Gas Pumps Market, Followed by APAC Fact.MR study estimates that the Middle East and Africa will be the most lucrative market for oil & gas pumps market, with demand surpassing 3,000,000 units towards 2018 end. UAE, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia have emerged as the major natural gas producing countries. Major oil and gas companies in Middle East are focusing on increasing oil and gas production to meet the growing demand. Middle East and North Africa are expected to emerge as the global suppliers of oil and gas. Moreover, gas is likely to surpass oil as the largest energy source in the near future. The leading oil and gas companies in the region are also focusing on using advanced technologies and equipment to ensure faster and cost-effective oil and gas production. In the APAC region, China, India, Malaysia, and Indonesia are expected to witness significant growth in the oil and natural gas projects. The oil & gas pumps market is expected to witness sluggish growth, with the demand expected to reach 3.2% CAGR in terms of volume during 2018-2028, according to the Fact.MR report. Ask Our Industry Expert for more Insights on Oil & Gas Pumps Market -https://www.factmr.com/connectus/sample?flag=AE&rep_id=2435 About Fact.MR Fact.MR is a fast-growing market research firm that offers the most comprehensive suite of syndicated and customized market research reports. We believe transformative intelligence can educate and inspire businesses to make smarter decisions. We know the limitations of the one-size-fits-all approach; that's why we publish multi-industry global, regional, and country-specific research reports. Contact Us Rohit Bhisey Fact.MR 11140 Rockville Pike Suite 400 Rockville, MD 20852 United States Email: sales@factmr.com Web: https://www.factmr.com/ Blog: https://factmrblog.com/ Read Industry News at - https://www.industrynewsanalysis.com/ DETROIT, December 11, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Stratview Research announces the launch of a new market research report on Aerospace Metal Matrix Composites (MMCs) Market by Application Type (Airframe, Engine Components, Landing Gears, Avionics, and Others), by Platform Type (Civil Aviation, Military Aviation, and Space), by Matrix Type (Aluminum, Titanium, and Others), by Reinforcement Type (Silicon Carbide, Aluminum Oxide, and Others), by Reinforcement Form Type (Continuous, Discontinuous, and Others), by Process Type (Solid State Processing, Liquid State Processing, and Others), and by Region (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and Rest of the World), Trend, Forecast, Competitive Analysis, and Growth Opportunity: 2019-2024. (Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/660595/Stratview_Research_Logo.jpg ) This market report, from Stratview Research, studies the aerospace metal matrix composites market over the trend period of 2013 to 2018 and forecast period of 2019 to 2024. The research report provides detailed insights on the market dynamics to enable informed business decision making and growth strategy formulation based on the opportunities present in the market. Aerospace Metal Matrix Composites (MMCs) Market: Highlights Composite materials have earned significant traction in the aerospace industry, owing to its excellent track record of more than five decades. However, the inadequacy of a single or group of materials to fulfill all the stringent requirements of aerospace industry along with keeping a check on both economy and performance has led to an increased focus towards new materials including metal matrix composites. In the last two decades, researchers and manufacturers in the aerospace industry have paid significant attention and interests on MMCs, owing to their exceptional properties and performance. As per an indepth study conducted by Stratview Research, the global aerospace metal matrix composites (MMCs) market is projected to grow at a healthy rate over the next five years to reach US$ 176.1 million in 2024. Increasing production of composites-rich aircraft coupled with a rising demand for lightweight yet durable parts and increasing space exploration activities are the prime drivers for the sustainable demand for MMCs in the aerospace industry. MMCs have an excellent track record in the automotive industry as the material offers numerous advantages, such as high strength-to-weight ratio, excellent corrosion resistance, excellent fatigue strength, lightweight, and excellent durability, over its rivals including cast iron. The material is a suitable claimant addressing many challenges of the industry including lightweight products, thus, attracting the stakeholders of the aerospace industry to invest in this unique material. MMCs are increasingly witnessing a greater penetration in not only airframe parts of the next-generation aircraft, but also in other critical applications, such as landing gears and fan exit guide vanes. Click Here and Run Through the Detailed TOC of the Report The research's findings suggest that civil aircraft is likely to remain the growth engine of the market during the forecast period. Increasing production rate of the best-selling aircraft program, B787, wherein landing gears are manufactured using MMCs, is likely to drive the market for the civil aviation segment in the forecast period. Increasing penetration of MMCs in avionics and recent advancements including the development of robotic arms by TISICS Ltd. are likely to drive the spacecraft segment in the same period. Based on the application type, airframe is likely to remain the most dominant segment during the forecast period, whereas avionics is likely to remain the fastest-growing segment. Increasing collaboration among market stakeholders, such as Boeing and TISICS Inc. with the help of AMRC to produce titanium composite actuator rods for applications including landing gears, wings, and engines for commercial aircraft assemblies, is likely to increase the penetration of MMCs in the aerospace industry in years to come. Register Here and Ask for a Free Sample on the Report Based on the matrix type, aluminum is projected to remain the most dominant matrix type in the market in the coming five years, whereas titanium is expected to remain the fastest-growing matrix. Titanium MMCs offer numerous advantages, such as high strength-to-weight ratio, lightweight, high tensile and compressive strength, low coefficient of thermal expansion, and high fatigue resistance. Aluminum is the most widely used MMCs in the aerospace industry, owing to its exceptional properties, which led to its applications in fabricating airframe and interior components. In terms of region, North America is projected to remain the largest as well as the fastest-growing market worldwide during the forecast period, driven by the USA. Europe is projected to remain the second-largest market for aerospace MMCs. The UK and Russia are the two major contributors to the European market, owing to significant investment in the R&D activities, especially for the aerospace industry. The key players in the aerospace MMCs market are Materion Corporation, AMETEK Inc., Powdermet Inc., Alvant Ltd., Triton Systems Inc., DWA Aluminium Composites USA, Inc., Gamma Alloys, The 3M Company, and CPS Technologies Corp. Report Features This report provides market intelligence in the most comprehensive way. The report structure has been kept such that it offers maximum business value. It provides critical insights on the market dynamics and will enable strategic decision making for the existing market players as well as those willing to enter the market. The following are the key features of the report: Market structure: Overview, industry life cycle analysis, supply chain analysis. Market environment analysis: Growth drivers and constraints, Porter's five forces analysis, SWOT analysis. Market trend and forecast analysis. Market segment trend and forecast. Competitive landscape and dynamics: Market share, product portfolio, product launches, etc. Attractive market segments and associated growth opportunities. Emerging trends. Strategic growth opportunities for the existing and new players. Key success factors This report studies the metal matrix composites market in the global aerospace industry and has segmented the market in seven ways, keeping in mind the interest of all the stakeholders across the value chain. Following are the five ways in which the market is segmented: Aerospace MMCs Market, By Platform Type Civil Aircraft Military Aircraft Space Aerospace MMCs Market, By Application Type Airframe Engine Components Avionics Landing Gear Other Components Aerospace MMCs Market, By Matrix Type Aluminum Titanium Others Aerospace MMCs Market, By Reinforcement Type Silicon Carbide Aluminum Oxide Others Aerospace MMCs Market, By Reinforcement form Type Continuous Discontinuous Others Aerospace MMCs Market, By Processing Type Solid State Processing Liquid State Processing Others Aerospace MMCs Market, By Region North America (Country Analysis: The USA , Canada , and Mexico ) Europe (Country Analysis: France , Germany , the UK, Russia and Rest of Europe ) Asia-Pacific (Country Analysis: China , Japan , India , and Rest of Asia-Pacific ) Rest of the World (Country Analysis: Latin America , the Middle East , and Others) Stratview Research has number of high value market reports in the global aerospace & defense industry. Please refer to the following link to browse through our reports: Click Here for Other Reports from Stratview Research in the Aerospace & Defense Industry Related premium market report by Stratview Research in the aerospace & defense industry: Ceramic Matrix Composites Market in Aircraft Enginesby Aircraft Type (Commercial Aircraft, Business Jets, Military Aircraft, and Helicopter), by Engine Type (Jet Engine, Helicopter Engine, and Others), by Component Type (Static Components and Rotational Components), by Application Type (Combustor Liner, Shrouds, Blades, Nozzles, and Others), by Engine Zone (High Pressure, Low Pressure, and Combustor), by Material Type (SiC/SiC, Ox/Ox, and Others), by Manufacturing Process (Chemical Vapor Infiltration, Solid Phase Infiltration, Polymer Impregnation and Pyrolysis, and Melt Infiltration), and by Region (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and Rest of the World), Forecast, Competitive Analysis, and Growth Opportunity: 2018-2023 About Stratview Research Stratview Research is a global market intelligence firm providing wide range of services including syndicated market reports, custom research and sourcing intelligence across industries, such as Advanced Materials, Aerospace & Defense, Automotive & Mass Transportation, Consumer Goods, Construction & Equipment, Electronics and Semiconductors, Energy & Utility, Healthcare & Life Sciences, and Oil & Gas. We have a strong team of industry veterans and analysts with an extensive experience in executing custom research projects for mid-sized to Fortune 500 companies, in the areas of Market Assessment, Opportunity Screening, Competitive Intelligence, Due Diligence, Target Screening, Market Entry Strategy, Go to Market Strategy, and Voice of Customer studies. Stratview Research is a trusted brand globally, providing high quality research and strategic insights that help companies worldwide in effective decision making. For enquiries, Contact: Stratview Research E-mail: sales@stratviewresearch.com Direct: +1-313-307-4176 SAN DIEGO, CA / ACCESSWIRE / December 11, 2018 / Dthera Sciences (OTCQB:DTHR), the leading digital therapeutic company focusing on the elderly, will be presenting at the Digital Medicine and MedTech Showcase 2019 on Tuesday, January 8 at 10:30am PST in San Francisco. Edward Cox, CEO of Dthera Sciences, will provide an update on the company's upcoming milestones and strategy. Dthera is developing DTHR-ALZ, a medical device that has been granted Breakthrough Device designation by the FDA for the mitigation of the symptoms of agitation and depression associated with Alzheimer's disease. To the company's knowledge, DTHR-ALZ is the first product to receive Breakthrough Device designation for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease, and Dthera Sciences is only the second digital therapeutic company to receive this designation. If granted approval by the FDA, DTHR-ALZ would become the first non-pharmacological prescription treatment for the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease. The Digital Medicine and MedTech Showcase is held annually during the J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference, the largest healthcare investment symposium in the industry. The J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference is also one of the most active times for presenters to meet with pharmaceutical companies as potential partners. Dthera is pursuing a pharmaceutical partner for the commercialization of DTHR-ALZ. About Digital Medicine and MedTech Showcase Digital Medicine and MedTech Showcase is the dedicated home for the digital health and medtech communities devoted to providing private and public companies an opportunity to meet with investors and strategic partners during the J.P. Morgan Annual Health Conference, the industry's largest and most established healthcare investor conference. See https://ebdgroup.knect365.com/biotech-showcase/ for more information on the Showcase. About Dthera Sciences Dthera Sciences (OTCQB: DTHR) is the leading digital therapeutic company focusing on the elderly. The San Diego based, publicly traded company is working to improve the lives of seniors and individuals suffering from neurodegenerative diseases, as well as those who care for them. Dthera is developing DTHR-ALZ, a medical device that has been granted Breakthrough Device designation by the FDA for the mitigation of the symptoms of agitation and depression associated with Alzheimer's disease. To the company's knowledge, DTHR-ALZ is the first product to receive Breakthrough Device designation for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease, and Dthera Sciences is only the second digital therapeutic company to receive this designation. If granted approval by the FDA, DTHR-ALZ would become the first non-pharmacological prescription treatment for the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease. Please see www.dthera.com for more information. Forward Looking Statement This press release contains "forward-looking statements" as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, regarding the research, development and commercialization of therapeutic products and technologies, as well as the Company's efforts to increase its customer base. Such forward-looking statements are based on current expectations and involve inherent risks and uncertainties, including factors that could delay, divert or change any of the statements made, and could cause actual outcomes and results to differ materially from current expectations. No forward-looking statement can be guaranteed. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this press release, and the Company expressly disclaims any intention or obligation to update the forward-looking statements, or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Readers are urged to read the risk factors set forth in the Company's most recent annual report on Form 10-K, subsequent quarterly reports filed on Form 10-Q, and other filings made with the SEC. Copies of these reports are available from the SEC's website at www.sec.gov or without charge from the Company. Contacts: Geno Kostikov, Corporate Development geno@dthera.com (858) 284-0880 Investor Relations Marek Ciszewski, J.D. Marek@Liolios.com (949) 574-3860 SOURCE: Dthera Sciences View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/530238/Dthera-Sciences-to-Provide-Corporate-Update-at-the-Digital-Medicine-and-Medtech-Showcase As the industry-first dual-display smartphone with a rear triple camera setup and featuring 10GB of RAM, NEX Dual Display Edition offers a new and even faster mobile experience SHANGHAI, Dec. 11, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Vivo announced today a significant upgrade to its existing flagship series, NEX, at a launch event in China. Building on the premium line-up, NEX Dual Display Edition offers a revolutionary dual-screen design that provides a truly multifaceted smartphone experience. With an advanced triple camera setup and industry-leading technologies, NEX Dual Display Edition embodies breakthrough innovation in both design and performance, elevating the mobile experience to a new level. "As Vivo's premium line-up, the NEX series offers not only an extraordinary user experience to consumers, it also unleashes our imagination towards the future of design and development of smartphones. Combining a futuristic dual-display design and innovative technologies, NEX Dual Display Edition demonstrates Vivo's continuous exploration and pursuit of exceptional innovations for consumers, " said Spark Ni, Senior Vice President of Vivo. Futuristic Dual Display Design Unlocks Possibilities The 6.39-inch Ultra FullView Display at the front is an impressive upgrade from the previous generation. With an improved screen-to-body ratio of 91.63%, the Super AMOLED front display offers a notch-free and immersive viewing experience to users. With an additional 5.49-inch Super AMOLED display gracing the phone's back, NEX Dual Display Edition successfully delivers an unconventional smartphone experience by allowing greater flexibility in using the rear cameras. Snapping high-quality selfies is now easier than ever before, as users can simply use the main cameras along with the rear screen to get the perfect angles for selfies. Adding another futuristic element to the design, the Lunar Ring featured on the rear display creates a glowing band of colors which can signify notifications and even pulse with music. Innovative Triple Camera Setup Captures the Best Moments Designed to elevate the photography experience, NEX Dual Display Edition's triple camera setup consists of a 12MP Dual-Pixel main camera (featuring a Sony IMX363 sensor and 4-axis OIS), a specialized Night Video Camera and an innovative Time of Flight (TOF) 3D Camera. The three cameras make the perfect combination for capturing beautiful moments and taking selfies from any angle. The pro-level Night Video Camera helps users film clear and stable footage in motion and low-light environments, while the TOF 3D Camera empowers users to see the world with an added dimension. Its 3D sensing capabilities not only enables point-to-point distance measuring, but also supports 3D Modeling of the user's face for enhanced facial recognition, protection and personalized beautification. To add additional fun to users' photography experience and maximize the functionality of the Dual Display, Vivo has created even more innovative, yet practical camera modes for NEX Dual Display Edition, such as Mirror Mode and Pose Director. Mirror Mode allows users to see themselves in the rear display while being photographed or filmed, while Pose Director can show a posed image or video in the rear display as reference for imitation. Coupled with other camera modes such as AI Scene Recognition, AI Filters and AI Portrait Framing, along with the diffusion lighting from the Selfie Softlight as part of the Lunar Ring, capturing the perfect shot is easier than ever. Cutting-Edge Technology and Powerful Performance While constantly pushing the boundaries of smartphone innovation and design, Vivo does not compromise on specifications and performance. NEX Dual Display Edition adopts the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 octa-core processor and comes with 10GB RAM and 128GB ROM, offering a superb performance with lower energy consumption. Featuring In-Display Fingerprint Scanning technology, and a TOF 3D Camera with 3D sensing technology for enhanced facial recognition protection, NEX Dual Display Edition provides two faster and more secure ways to unlock the two displays. NEX Dual Display Edition ushers in a huge breakthrough in terms of both technology and design, adding another milestone to Vivo's flagship series. It is a clear manifestation of Vivo's determination to push the boundaries of the expected by delivering surprising new features. About Vivo Vivo is a leading global technology company committed to creating trendsetting smart mobile innovations and services. Vivo is devoted to forming a vibrant mobile internet ecosystem, and currently owns and operates an extensive network of research operations, with R&D centers in the US (San Diego) and China (Dongguan, Shenzhen, Nanjing, Beijing and Hangzhou). These centers focus on the development of cutting-edge consumer technologies including 5G, AI, mobile photography and next-generation smartphone design. By the end of 2017, Vivo had over two hundred million users enjoying its mobile products and services around the world. Vivo is present in 18 markets globally and features offline retail stores in over 1,000 cities worldwide. More information about our innovative smartphones can be found at www.vivo.com. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/796601/Vivo_mutifaceted_display.jpg Verve's cost-effective solutions incorporate best practices in cybersecurity to enable automatic end point management including vulnerability management, the implementation of patches and monitoring of inventory assets SANTA CLARA, California, Dec. 11, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Based on its recent analysis of the North American industrial cybersecurity services market, Frost & Sullivan recognizes Verve Industrial Protection (Verve) with the 2018 North American Growth Excellence Leadership Award for achieving a niche market position as an industrial cyber protection company. In 2017, Verve rebranded itself from RK Neal, LLC to Verve Industrial Protection to reflect its focus on industrial control systems (ICS) protection for cybersecurity and compliance. The company's committment to addressing the market need for a unified asset view and interoperable security solutions to reduce overall tools and labor costs has set it apart from its peers. Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/794920/Verve_Industrial_Protection_Award.jpg Unlike security solutions that are siloed and perform specialized functions, Verve's range of solutions boasts several functions, such as asset inventory management, vulnerability assessment, patching, antivirus updating, and whitelisting, in a single platform called Verve Security Center (VSC) all enabled by innovative and safe end point management tools that provide unparalleled visibility and control within an OT environment. "While conventional solutions offer passive anomaly detection, Verve has attracted industrial customers by customizing existing IT solutions to perform OT-specific end-point detection for superior visibility and coverage of assets," said Riti Newa, Industry Analyst. "In response to the growing demand for cybersecurity among less cyber-mature end users in manufacturing, pharmaceutical, and process industries, Verve recently introduced the VSC Version 6.0 that builds on its existing solutions, with enhanced vulnerability assessment and asset inventory functionalities to aid end users that are first-time adopters of cybersecurity solutions." Over the last few years, Verve has outpaced the industrial cybersecurity services market's growth rate of 20.9%. For the past three years, the company's year-over-year growth has been above 50%, mainly because of the success of its differentiated platform. In addition, Verve's exceptional customer service endows it with a huge competitive advantage, which is reflected in its 95% customer retention rate. Verve's cybersecurity offerings are easy to use and present high levels of interoperability. The company's vendor-agnostic solutions can be integrated with products from original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), such as Emerson, Honeywell, ABB, Rockwell, Schneider, and GE. Another significant advantage of Verve's solutions is that they are extremely cost effective. In addition, the automation of labor-intensive security management and the unified nature of Verve's platform eliminate the need for separate span ports and added infrastructure, thus lowering the overall cost of ownership. "With the incorporation of NERC CIP, NIST, and IEC compliance protocols in its solutions, Verve has established a strong regional presence in the North American market," noted Riti Newa. "In a marked departure from the traditional approach of the passive anomaly detection of assets, which demands an incremental cost of infrastructure and labor, Verve has leveraged its deep domain expertise to deliver an IT-type asset view in the ICS space. This future-proof growth strategy has positioned the company for substantial growth in the near-to-long term." Each year, Frost & Sullivan bestows this award upon the company that demonstrates excellence in growth and customer value. The award recognizes the superiority of the product/service as well as the overall customer, purchase, ownership, and service experience offered, resulting in the recipient company seeing above-market growth and greater share of wallet. The award lauds the recipient company's growth, diversification, and sustainability strategies. Frost & Sullivan Best Practices Awards recognize companies in a variety of regional and global markets for demonstrating outstanding achievement and superior performance in areas such as leadership, technological innovation, customer service, and strategic product development. Industry analysts compare market participants and measure performance through in-depth interviews, analysis, and extensive secondary research to identify best practices in the industry. About Verve Industrial Protection Verve Industrial Protection is the leading solution provider for industrial control cyber security and reliability. Celebrating its 25th Anniversary in 2019, Verve supports industrial clients on their most critical control system issues. From design and monitoring services, to its flagship Verve Security Center OT cyber security software platform, Verve provides turnkey reliability and cyber security in power, oil & gas, pharmaceuticals, pulp & paper, food, and many other industrial operations. Contact us at www.verveindustrial.com. About Frost & Sullivan Frost & Sullivan, the Growth Partnership Company, collaborates with clients to leverage visionary innovation that addresses the global challenges and related growth opportunities that will make or break today's market participants. For more than 50 years, Frost & Sullivan has been developing growth strategies for the global 1000, emerging businesses, the public sector, and the investment community. Contact us: Start the discussion. Contact: Estefany Ariza P: 210.477.8469 F: 210.348.1003 E: estefany.ariza@frost.com UPPSALA, Sweden, Dec. 11, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The announcement demonstrates and reconfirms that Sweden is an attractive and competitive country for international companies to expand and grow. Microsoft has been active in Sweden since the early 1980's and is a recognised leader and innovator in the technology sector. "We are very pleased that Microsoft, one of the world's most well-known and leading technology brands, is interested in acquiring land in Gavle and Sandviken", says Tomas Sokolnicki, Investment Advisor at Business Sweden. "Our role is to identify opportunities for international companies to invest and expand in Sweden, and this decision is a strong confirmation of the hard work done by various parties in Sweden, not least the municipalities, that Microsoft now takes these important steps on the journey towards what we hope will be an expansion in this region." Sweden has a long tradition at the cross-roads of design, sustainability and innovation. At the core lies a long history of base industry around paper and pulp, steel, forestry and manufacturing - industries where the need for stable and reliable infrastructure has been crucial. Infrastructure in Sweden has developed over time, making the country attractive in a way that few other countries can match. Sweden is in a strong position to attract foreign investors overall, foreign direct investment stock in Sweden amounted to USD 335 billion in 2017, which equals 62 per cent of Swedish GDP. "We have several regions in Sweden with excellent conditions for industrial-scale establishments, where the region of Gavle and Sandviken is one example. Foreign investors are attracted to our infrastructure, our competence base and not least the business climate, Microsoft has been a valued part of our tech ecosystem in Sweden for 35 years and we look forward to continuing and building on that relationship", adds Sokolnicki. Sweden's central location in the Nordics, combined with its large base of multinational companies, a thriving start-up sector and a large public sector all driving a digital transformation, provides an attractive growth platform for technology-driven companies and makes the country one of Europe's most ideal locations for international companies to invest in or expand their operations. Efforts to support and facilitate the site selection process and acquisition of land in Gavle and Sandviken has been a close collaboration between Business Sweden, Invest Stockholm and Invest in Gavleborg as well as local partners in Gavle and Sandviken. About Business Sweden Business Sweden's purpose is to help Swedish companies grow global sales and international companies invest and expand in Sweden. Business Sweden is owned by the Swedish Government and the industry, a partnership that offers access to contacts and networks at all levels. For additional information please contact: Elisabeth Somp Head of Media relations Business Sweden Mobile: +46-72-540-93-38 E-mail: elisabeth.somp@business-sweden.se This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com http://news.cision.com/business-sweden/r/the-swedish-municipalities-of-gavle-and-sandviken-sell-130-hectares-of-land-to-microsoft,c2697473 The following files are available for download: Is it too obvious to say that website security is vitally important to small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)? Gary Stevens Protect your content management system (CMS) Firewall : In addition to keeping all software updated, you need a firewall. This not only adds an additional layer of security to your website but allows you to see what is actually going on behind the scenes so you can recognize any unauthorized access attempts. : In addition to keeping all software updated, you need a firewall. This not only adds an additional layer of security to your website but allows you to see what is actually going on behind the scenes so you can recognize any unauthorized access attempts. SQL-Injections : You should also protect your CMS from SQL-injections. This type of cyber attack attempts to add malicious code directly into your backend database. This code can then create and execute actions through your site. While the exact functions would depend on the attacker, the real problem is that a SQL-injection attack causes you to lose control of your server and database. You can protect your CMS from SQL-injection tampering using prepared statements which allow the SQL server to read and follow directions without opening the CMS up to attack. : You should also protect your CMS from SQL-injections. This type of cyber attack attempts to add malicious code directly into your backend database. This code can then create and execute actions through your site. While the exact functions would depend on the attacker, the real problem is that a SQL-injection attack causes you to lose control of your server and database. You can protect your CMS from SQL-injection tampering using prepared statements which allow the SQL server to read and follow directions without opening the CMS up to attack. SSL Certificates: Strongly consider an SSL certificate for your site. A secure sockets layer certificate produces an encrypted link that travels between the server and the browser. Adding an SSL certificate not only provides additional security to your site, but also boosts SEO. Its also one of the most effective ways to prevent DNS hijacking. Create and protect a specific administrator interface Train your employees Social Media : Do we even need to say the F word? You know what were talking about. Facebook. Know anyone who accesses it from work? Only everyone, right? Make sure that employees understand about this social media behemoths terrible track record with handling data. The bottom line is that accessing personal sites from work terminals creates additional and unnecessary security risks. : Do we even need to say the F word? You know what were talking about. Facebook. Know anyone who accesses it from work? Only everyone, right? Make sure that employees understand about this social media behemoths terrible track record with handling data. The bottom line is that accessing personal sites from work terminals creates additional and unnecessary security risks. Dont Go Phishing : Make sure employees know how to recognize and respond to any suspicious emails or websites. You should have a procedure in place to address what to do if they do click on the wrong website or open a malicious email. Do they shut down the computer immediately? Contact IT? Run virus software on their own? Dont leave it to each employee to determine what should be done, have a procedure in place and make sure everyone knows what it is. < : Make sure employees know how to recognize and respond to any suspicious emails or websites. You should have a procedure in place to address what to do if they do click on the wrong website or open a malicious email. Do they shut down the computer immediately? Contact IT? Run virus software on their own? Dont leave it to each employee to determine what should be done, have a procedure in place and make sure everyone knows what it is. < Automatic Bad Guys: It is important to realise that most sites are not breached by individual hackers manually picking sites, Instead, the hacking process is automated, with bots identifying websites with vulnerabilities and attacking them. Final thoughts The problem is that business owners often mistakenly believe that their businesses are not large enough to attract the attention of attackers. Nothing could be more wrong. In fact, the most recent stats say that 58% of all malware attacks happen to a small business.Maintaining website security is a critical duty owed your business and customers. The latter has chosen to give you their personal information. You need to treat it responsibly.Heres how.You, as well as your employees, need to select strong passwords and change them frequently. One of the most common ways that websites are compromised is through simple or weak passwords.When coming up with a password policy, dont err on the side of being too generous. Convenience is often used as an excuse for sloppy password management, but the outcome can create headaches for both you and customers.Let employees know that using words or phrases opens them up to attacks by dictionary or brute force bots. Using the same password for an extended period of time or across various sites also creates pointless vulnerabilities.: Another factor to consider is the cost benefit of using shared credentials. While small businesses do have to keep a constant eye on their bottom line, sharing credentials to lower costs is not without risks. Shared logins are automatically weaker.The strongest passwords are at least eight characters long. Using numbers, letters and special characters makes it harder to guess. Passwords should be changed every few months, and the system should be set up to lockout a user after a specific number of invalid login attempts. If users will be accessing the applications remotely or on mobile devices, it makes sense to implement multi-factor authentication.Content management systems like WordPress and Joomla have revolutionised the world of website building and put an internet presence within the reach of practically anyone with even rudimentary technical skills.The dazzling array of themes and plugins - that do everything from letting you put an instant poll on your front page to migrate the entire content of your site between different CMS platforms almost instantly - can lead you to believe its real-world magic at work. Unless you dont keep them updated.Outdated software makes your website a big flashing target for attack. Old plugins and themes create similar security issues. It is important to run the most current versions of all software to reduce vulnerability. Waiting until your website is compromised to backup or update is a bad practice.Having an up to date backup (preferably stored offsite) allows you to recover quickly if your website is attacked. The open source nature of CMS leaves it particularly vulnerable to attack. This, however, doesnt mean a hack is inevitable, just that you need to accept the reality that a certain number of people will try to get in uninvited for all kinds of nefarious purposes.Automated bot threats are a common source of weakness in SME websites. To help combat this constant assault, make it necessary to go through multi-factor authentication to access the administrator panel. To tighten up security further, configure an htaccess file. This allows you to build a list of IP addresses that are permitted access to your administrator page.Probably the most important, as well as the most easily overlooked, factor in improving your websites security is to train employees. Employees account for more than 40% of the cybersecurity breaches worldwide. Policies are fine, but involving employees in the actual security plan fosters a sense of responsibility.Hold regular training sessions to update and remind everyone of cybersecurity policies. Simple reminders, such as logging out of accounts when using a public terminal, should be part of your training program. So should reminders not to share passwords or use the same password to access multiple systems.While this abbreviated list doesnt cover every precaution a website owner should take, implementing the suggestions will get you a long ways down the road to being adequately protected. One thing is certain. Hackers arent going anywhere. If anything, theyre becoming more skilled, persistent, and numerous. Plan accordingly. Next-wave precision oncology company emerges from Versant's Ridgeline Discovery Engine Black Diamond Therapeutics, a biotechnology company developing a new type of precision medicine for cancer, came out of stealth mode today with a $20 million Series A financing exclusively from founding investor Versant Ventures. Black Diamond is the first company launched out of Ridgeline, Versant's Discovery Engine based in Basel, Switzerland, and has a unique platform capable of prosecuting allosteric mutant oncogenes. Oncogenes are activated by kinase domain mutations or by allosteric mutations. While kinase domain mutations have been successfully drugged with selective inhibitors and are standard of care in many malignancies, allosteric mutations represent an undrugged and unexplored space. During its stealth stage, Black Diamond built and established proof of concept for its MAP (mutation, allostery and pharmacology) platform to uncover, discover and target allosteric mutant oncogenes. While Black Diamond founders David Epstein, Ph.D., and Elizabeth Buck, Ph.D., constructed and optimized the platform, parallel efforts by the Ridgeline team involved translational work to create leads, validate the resulting targets and bring forward drug candidates. "The fundamental discovery underlying Black Diamond is there are whole sets of oncogenic lesions outside the ATP binding site that are activated by common mechanisms and are inhibited by a single class of our drugs," said Black Diamond CEO Dr. Epstein. "Our platform generates single molecules able to treat entire baskets of mutations that otherwise would have been deemed unactionable." Dr. Epstein has extensive experience developing precision medicine cancer therapies. He previously was CSO of OSI Pharmaceuticals (acquired by Astellas Pharma), where he and Dr. Buck led research and translational science on a variety of novel agents including erlotinib, a small molecule inhibitor of epidermal growth factor receptor approved to treat non-small cell lung cancer and pancreatic cancer. "As a new company in an important field of novel cancer medicines, Black Diamond is a premier example of Versant's three key differentiating features a focus on breakthrough innovation, geographic reach and company creation capabilities," said Alex Mayweg, Ph.D., a partner at Versant and a member of Black Diamond's board. "We are very pleased to support a company that has an exceptionally powerful platform able to fuel its growth and pipeline for the foreseeable future." To further progress and build out its breakthrough precision medicine platform, Black Diamond is finalizing a financing with additional investors that is expected to be announced in 2019. Proceeds will allow Black Diamond to advance two to three existing development candidates into the clinic in the next 24 months, and to bolster its platform's ability to rapidly identify precision medicines for mutant cancers intractable to standard care. MAP: a unique platform Black Diamond's industry-leading MAP platform identifies and drugs allosteric mutant disease targets. MAP involves mining a proprietary algorithm for allosteric oncogenes, validating their oncogenicity, elucidating the precise mechanism by which a given oncogene is allosterically activated, and designing drugs specific for these groups of allosteric mutations. As genomic profiling and sequencing of cancer patients is becoming standard, MAP can pinpoint new druggable mutation baskets from the thousands of lesions identified across genes and patients, and can create high-impact precision medicines. Some of the allosteric mutation baskets represent 2-15% of patients in a given tumor tissue or across tumor sites. MAP has generated a pipeline of five programs, including three that have progressed compounds through lead optimization or into IND-enabling studies. The fourth and fifth programs are in lead identification. Black Diamond's first two disclosed programs are targeting groups of EGFR and HER2 allosteric mutants. The company also will use a portion of its Series A round to establish operations in Toronto, thus gaining access to the city's deep pool of computing talent. Black Diamond expects this computational center of excellence will enable machine learning-based target discovery of new allosteric mutants that complements the existing MAP platform. About Black Diamond Black Diamond Therapeutics is a next-wave cancer precision medicine company. Black Diamond pioneered the development of selective medicines for patients with genetically defined cancers driven by oncogenes activated by allosteric mutations. Using its MAP platform, Black Diamond is uncovering new ways to functionally assess the mutational landscape of individual oncogenes to discover and validate new targets, and to develop novel approaches to creating highly selective therapeutics. Black Diamond was founded by David Epstein, Ph.D., Elizabeth Buck, Ph.D., and Versant Ventures, and is the first newco to emerge from Versant's Ridgeline Discovery Engine in Basel, Switzerland. About Versant Ventures Versant Ventures is a leading healthcare investment firm committed to helping exceptional entrepreneurs build the next generation of great companies. The firm's emphasis is on biotechnology companies that are discovering and developing novel therapeutics. With $2.4 billion under management and offices in the U.S., Canada and Europe, Versant has built a team with deep investment, operating and clinical expertise that enables a hands-on approach to company building. Since the firm's founding in 1999, more than 70 Versant companies have achieved successful acquisitions or IPOs. For more information, please visit www.versantventures.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181211005161/en/ Contacts: Steve Edelson sedelson@versantventures.com 415-801-8088 Casebook provides insights into attack methodologies and techniques from various adversary groups; offers compelling incident response situational analysis and best practices CrowdStrike Inc., the leader in cloud-delivered endpoint protection, today announced the release of the 2018 CrowdStrike Services Cyber Intrusion Casebook, which provides valuable takeaways and insights into the frontlines of incident response (IR) cases spanning 2018. It offers recommendations for organizations looking to safeguard critical data and improve overall breach preparedness, detection and response capabilities. The 2018 CrowdStrike Services Cyber Intrusion Casebook reveals IR strategies, lessons learned, and trends derived from more than 200 notable cyber intrusion cases, spanning a multitude of industries, that CrowdStrike Services engaged on during the past year. The Casebook provides a detailed look at distinct IR use cases to offer trends in adversary behavior, motivation, and tactics, as well as response scenarios. It provides an all-encompassing investigative analysis of specific cases, dives into forensic artifacts uncovered in multiple instances referencing the MITRE ATT&CK framework, and offers best practices for organizations looking to improve cyber defenses. Some key findings include: Organizations are not making substantive progress to detect intruders and stop breaches overall. This year, 75 percent of the organizations CrowdStrike engaged with were able to internally detect a breach. This represents merely a 7 percent increase over the prior year's findings, indicating that organizations have only slightly improved their ability to detect breaches. Dwell time also remained relatively the same at an average of 85 days compared to 86 in 2017. This statistic reflects the number of days between the first evidence of a compromise and its initial detection. This year, 75 percent of the organizations CrowdStrike engaged with were able to internally detect a breach. This represents merely a 7 percent increase over the prior year's findings, indicating that organizations have only slightly improved their ability to detect breaches. Dwell time also remained relatively the same at an average of 85 days compared to 86 in 2017. This statistic reflects the number of days between the first evidence of a compromise and its initial detection. Commodity malware was often observed as a precursor to larger, more disruptive attacks. An organization's susceptibility to commodity malware is also an indicator of the effectiveness of their entire security strategy: If their systems can be compromised with commodity malware, then what could a more sophisticated attacker do? An organization's susceptibility to commodity malware is also an indicator of the effectiveness of their entire security strategy: If their systems can be compromised with commodity malware, then what could a more sophisticated attacker do? There was a dramatic rise in the number of attacks that leveraged social engineering and phishing. Across the IR cases observed, the CrowdStrike team observed a dramatic increase in the number of attacks leveraging social engineering, phishing and spear-phishing, jumping from 11 percent in 2017 to 33 percent in 2018. This accounted for one-third of all attacks investigated by CrowdStrike Services. Web server attacks comprised the biggest single attack vector, but showed a decline from the 37 percent noted last year to 19.7 percent. "Cyber-related attacks continue to proliferate as eCrime actors and nation-states ramp up their sophistication. It's absolutely critical that today's businesses are aware of emerging attack trends and adversary motivations in order to implement a more proactive stance to cybersecurity," said Shawn Henry, chief security officer and president of CrowdStrike Services. "It is not a question of if you will be targeted, because it will happen to everyone. This is a business risk, and Boards of Directors and the C-Suite need to have a sense of urgency to protect their organizations' viability. The CrowdStrike Services Casebook contains indispensable content that provides valuable insights into proactively preparing for security incidents and responding efficiently in the wake of an attack." The 2018 Casebook offers guidance on remaining protected against today's ever-evolving threat landscape, including integrating next-generation endpoint security and proactive strategies to increase cyber resiliency. Tools such as machine learning and behavioral analytics help prevent exploits and never-before-seen threats, while proactive threat hunting can help uncover even the most stealthy adversary. Additionally, solutions that provide for efficient remediation capabilities can aid in mitigating the threat before a small infection or compromise turns into something larger and more costly to the organization. To download a copy of the 2018 CrowdStrike Services Cyber Intrusion Casebook please visit the CrowdStrike website. Please visit the CrowdStrike blog to read about key findings from CrowdStrike president of Services Shawn Henry. About CrowdStrike CrowdStrike is the leader in cloud-delivered endpoint protection. Leveraging artificial intelligence (AI), the CrowdStrike Falcon platform offers instant visibility and protection across the enterprise and prevents attacks on endpoints on or off the network. CrowdStrike Falcon deploys in minutes to deliver actionable intelligence and real-time protection from Day One. It seamlessly unifies next-generation AV with best-in-class endpoint detection and response, backed by 24/7 managed hunting. Its cloud infrastructure and single-agent architecture take away complexity and add scalability, manageability, and speed. CrowdStrike Falcon protects customers against all cyber attack types, using sophisticated signatureless AI and Indicator-of-Attack (IOA) based threat prevention to stop known and unknown threats in real time. Powered by the CrowdStrike Threat Graph, Falcon instantly correlates 1 trillion security events a week from across the globe to immediately prevent and detect threats. There's much more to the story of how Falcon has redefined endpoint protection but there's only one thing to remember about CrowdStrike: We stop breaches. You can gain full access to Falcon Prevent by starting your free trial. Learn more: https://www.crowdstrike.com/ Follow us: Blog | Twitter 2018 CrowdStrike, Inc. All rights reserved. CrowdStrike, CrowdStrike Falcon, CrowdStrike Threat Graph, CrowdStrike Falcon Prevent, Falcon Prevent, CrowdStrike Falcon Insight, Falcon Insight, CrowdStrike Falcon Discover, Falcon Discover, CrowdStrike Falcon Intelligence, Falcon Intelligence, CrowdStrike Falcon DNS, Falcon DNS, CrowdStrike Falcon OverWatch, Falcon OverWatch, CrowdStrike Falcon Spotlight and Falcon Spotlight are among the trademarks of CrowdStrike, Inc. Other brands may be third-party trademarks. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181211005179/en/ Contacts: CrowdStrike, Inc. Ilina Cashiola, 202-340-0517 Ilina.cashiola@crowdstrike.com SpendEdge, a global procurement market intelligence firm, has announced the release of their Global Escalator Category Procurement Market Intelligence Report This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181211005340/en/ Global Escalator Category Procurement Market Intelligence Report. (Graphic: Business Wire) Major demographic changes coupled with prominent economic development across the globe is changing the course of the escalator market. These factors are accountable for the dynamic demand and supply trends that have been observed across different regions. This escalator market intelligence report forecasts that the growth of the tourism industry, particularly in the developing economies, will supplement category growth in those regions. However, an analysis of the current supply market highlights the fact that the category suppliers are struggling while developing conclusive category pricing strategies to offset the surge in prices of key input commodity metalsGet the Free Sample of the escalator market intelligence report here Regarded as a reliable source of data, this escalator market intelligence report offers in-depth qualitative and quantitative insights into the marketplace. This offers the necessary direction to the buyers and the suppliers, who can arrive at a well-informed and a risk-proof decision after assessing every facet of this market. Request a free customization of this escalator market intelligence report. "The buyers must implement asset performance management systems for monitoring and managing the performance of the procured escalator. These systems capture and analyze data about the operations of escalators in terms of the energy consumed, battery voltage, and operational hours,"says SpendEdge procurement expert Tridib Bora This escalator market intelligence report has estimated the following cost drivers to influence the category growth in the years to come: Buyers must engage with suppliers who can provide customized services Value-added service offered by suppliers reduce buyers' TCO Purchase the full escalator market intelligence report to get functional insights into the market. SpendEdge is now offering limited-time discounts on report purchases. Buy two reports and get the third one for free SpendEdge's procurement market intelligence reports for the heavy industry category provide detailed supply market forecasts and cost drivers that impact category growth. Such information will help procurement managers as well as the suppliers to determine the total cost of ownership and change their procurement strategies accordingly. Additionally, SpendEdge's reports provide insights on the supply market trends and procurement best practices for the category. Report scope snapshot: Escalator market Cost-saving opportunities Supplier side levers Buyer side levers Quantifying cost-saving opportunities Interested to know more about the scope of our market intelligence reports? Download a FREE sample Best practices Procurement excellence best practices Procurement best practices Sustainability practices Want customized information from our escalator market intelligence report? Get in touch Category pricing insights Total cost of ownership analysis Overview of pricing models Comparison of pricing models To view this the complete table of contents for the escalator market intelligence report, Download a FREE sample Do you purchase multiple reports in a year? Our subscription platform, SpendEdge Insights,provides ready-to-use procurement research reports for multiple categories. Now access latest supplier news, innovation landscape, supply market forecasts, supplier tracking, and much more at the click of a button. Start your 7-day FREE trial now Related Reports: Global Industrial Vacuum Cleaners Category Procurement Market Intelligence Report Global Mining Equipment Category Procurement Market Intelligence Report About SpendEdge: SpendEdge shares your passion for driving sourcing and procurement excellence. We are the preferred procurement market intelligence partner for 120+ Fortune 500 firms and other leading companies across numerous industries. Our strength lies in delivering robust, real-time procurement market intelligence reports and solutions. To know more, https://www.spendedge.com/request-free-proposal View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181211005340/en/ Contacts: SpendEdge Anirban Choudhury Marketing Manager US: +1 630 984 7340 UK: +44 148 459 9299 https://www.spendedge.com/contact-us Open integration and data-exchange technologies extend reach of carriers' core systems OTTAWA, ON / ACCESSWIRE / December 11, 2018 / Configurable integration modules using open web-service API (application programming interface) has been published by Global IQX to streamline integration for insurers throughout the employee benefits industry. The API will significantly enhance integration between the Global IQX Sales and Underwriting Workbench and other core systems and applications. The latest IQX release also offers a suite of preconfigured 'exchanger' modules for integration with CRM, PAS, claims, payroll, archive and third-parties to streamline and automate business processes across heterogeneous systems. 'Our clients can now integrate with existing systems, portals, and insurance exchanges,' said Cristian Marcov, Global IQX technical architect. 'Carriers can set up and maintain a simple yet flexible API, integrating systems using JSON or XML to utilize data across their organization.' The IQX API pushes/pulls and schedules data through real-time or batch processing with our production-proven APIs. Easily configurable for new and custom-built applications using open REST/SOAP frameworks, when aligned with business strategies, these tools present opportunities to extract value from customer and system data. "Recent Celent research has highlighted the value of open APIs throughout the technology ecosystem of insurers," said Tom Scales, head of the firm's life and health research in the Americas. "It is encouraging to see vendors opening up their technology through published, documented APIs." A leading insurance benefits software provider, Global IQX developed the dynamic API to meet user demands for new levels of data management and configurability. 'Group insurance companies are leveraging best-of-breed technology solutions that require quick plug and play solutions with other systems,' Marcov said. 'Global IQX has been bringing web services to its clients since 2007. These API and exchanger initiatives will automate this process enabling new partnerships and enhanced solutions for IQX clients and their data.' About Global IQX Global IQX delivers automated sales and underwriting solutions for some of the world's largest insurance companies. It provides quoting, rating, proposal and policy generation, enrollment, and automated renewals for insurers that offer employee, group and ancillary benefits. Offered as a complete suite or as individual components, the Global IQX platform supports all lines of business across all market segments. Developed and delivered by a team with deep group insurance domain expertise, the fully configurable technology platform gives business users more control, with less dependence on IT resources. World-leading insurers trust Global IQX to power their business. Headquartered in Ottawa, Ontario, Global IQX has branch offices in Boston, Oregon, and the Netherlands. For more information, visit www.globaliqx.com. Twitter: @globaliqx and @TeamIQX Contact: Emily James, Global IQX, 613-723-8997 ext. 245, Emily.james@globaliqx.com Henry Stimpson, Stimpson Communications, 508-647-0705, Henry@StimpsonCommunications.com SOURCE: Global IQX View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/530039/Global-IQX-API-Unleashes-Wealth-of-Data-for-Employee-Benefits-Insurers MONTE CARLO, MONACO / ACCESSWIRE / December 11, 2018 / Members of the Kinesis leadership team recently attended the Monaco International Blockchain (M.I.B) tradeshow, the first professional tradeshow dedicated to the Blockchain Industry in Monaco. Born from a desire to connect in a privileged setting local and international actor of the Blockchain ecosystem, as well as to showcase multiple projects and initiatives related to Blockchain technologies, ICO and DLT. Others in attendance at the event included a range of blockchain industry leaders from all corners of the globe, not to mention a large selection of blockchain projects and exhibits all promoting their own variations of blockchain application. The M.I.B event hosted a pitch competition, giving companies going through an ICO, or who have an ICO planned, to pitch to investors, make industry connections, practice their pitch skills, and win 100.000,00 investment - thanks to Dr Evan Singh Luthra. Evan is a well-known entrepreneur and accredited angel investor who has earned the title of 'Top 30 under 30 Entrepreneurs'. Evan has been regarded as a blockchain expert and pioneer by the world's leading organizations and publications and has spoken at various conferences. As a result of his extensive work ethic, he went on to receive an Honorary PhD in blockchain for his performance in the space. Having started various technology companies by building a number of apps used by millions of people, before 15, he has extensive knowledge and experience in mobile apps, in addition to this, Evan's company EL Group International have developed and delivered digital solutions for major Fortune 500 companies Kinesis walked away as victors as a result of a fantastically delivered pitch from Kinesis CEO, Thomas Coughlin, who presented the Kinesis Monetary System to an audience of blockchain and crypto enthusiasts, which was very well received. In fact, the panel was so impressed with what the Kinesis project had to offer, Evan Luthra has agreed to sit on the Kinesis board of advisors, as he strongly believes in the cause and would like to participate in, and add value to the overall success of the system. Evan will be an excellent addition to the Kinesis team, and his experience speaks for itself as his career history is unmatched. With his keen insights and digital expertise, Evan is constantly thinking of new ideas that will innovate, simplify and make the quality of daily life that much better, perfect for joining our project to assist in creating a monetary system destine to change the way we transact. Kinesis has introduced yield-bearing digital currencies, based 1:1 on physical, allocated, gold and silver. The purchase of Kinesis currencies simultaneously allocates you real gold or silver bullion stored securely in one of several third-party vaults around the world ensuring no counterparty risk. These digital currencies, KAU (represents the gold-based coin) and KAG (represents silver-based coin), can easily be spent at the point of sale through the Kinesis debit card, allowing users to make fast and safe transactions. Holders of Kinesis currencies can even redeem the digital asset and take delivery of the underlying physical precious metal guaranteeing intrinsic value with this cryptocurrency. If you would like to learn more about the Kinesis Monetary System, go to: https://kinesis.money/en/ Jai Bifulco +447539954707 Jai.bifulco@kinesis.money SOURCE: Kinesis View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/530169/Kinesis-Eemerges-Victorious-and-Gains-a-Nnew-Advisor-with-Dr-Evan-Luthra-at-Monaco-Blockchain Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - December 11, 2018) - UGE International Ltd. (TSXV: UGE) (the "Company" or "UGE"), a leader in renewable energy solutions for the commercial and industrial sector, is pleased to announce it has signed two financed contracts with Philippine Aquapak Industries, Inc., a leading packaging company in the Philippines. The two projects include 233kW at a production facility and 49.5kW at their head building, which are projected to save the client well over 50% on their energy costs over the life of the systems. The two companies are also discussing additional project opportunities across the client's multiple other facilities. "2018 has seen our revenues grow exponentially in the Philippines," said Tyler Adkins, UGE's Regional Director for the Philippines. "Throughout the year we've introduced our 'no cash-out' financed product which has gained significant traction. We are looking forward to installing many financed systems in the country throughout 2019." The upfront project value to UGE is estimated at $300,000, contingent on UGE providing project financing; UGE plans to construct the projects during 2019. About UGE International Ltd. UGE delivers immediate savings to businesses through its low cost solar energy solutions. UGE helps commercial and industrial clients become more competitive by providing distributed renewable energy solutions at no upfront cost, thus generating long-term economic and environmental returns. With over 375 MW of global experience and over 630 projects completed, UGE works daily to power a more sustainable world. Visit us at www.ugei.com. For more information, contact: 917-720-5685 investors@ugei.com PALM BEACH, Florida, December 11, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Financialnewsmedia.com News Commentary Attention surrounding the cannabis market continues to be accentuated by the industry's astonishing growth rate as it continues to flourish in light of legalization across the globe and now, major tobacco focusing on cannabis opportunities. Shares of Canada's Cronos Corp. rocketed more than 24% Friday, after Altria Group Inc. agreed to take a major stake in the company and become its exclusive partner in the cannabis sector as new markets for medical and recreational weed open around the world. Wells Fargo analyst Bonnie Herzog said the news was 'very positive' as it expands Altria's total addressable market. "Overall, we applaud MO's decision to pivot fast and to move into cannabis grow operations that is complimentary to its core tobacco business," she said, reiterating her outperform rating on Altria stock. Revenues in Canada have already been outpacing projections for 2018 and optimism for continued progress in the United States is abundant as more states vote for legalized cannabis, be it recreational or medicinal. Active companies in the industry making moves to ready that include: Choom Holdings Inc. (CSE:CHOO) (OTC:CHOOF), Aurora Cannabis Inc. (NYSE:ACB) (TSX:ACB), MedMen Enterprises Inc. (CSE:MMEN.CN) (OTC:MMNFF), National Access Clinic Corp. (TSX-V:META.V), Altria Group Inc. (NYSE:MO). ChoomHoldings Inc. (CSE:CHOO) (OTCQB:CHOOF) BREAKING NEWS: Choom, an emerging adult use cannabis company that has secured one of the largest national retail networks in Canada, is pleased to announce two executive additions to the recently-formed Ontario Retail Team: Lamar Hanna as Senior Vice President Retail, Ontario and David Schenk, Regional Operations Manager, Ontario. Choom is also pleased to announce an update of its Ontario retail strategy in which 90 offers to lease are currently under negotiation, with 20 leases secured. Chris Bogart, President & CEO states, "The private retail market in Ontario provides the greatest opportunity across Canada for cannabis retailers. This channel in Ontario is poised to be larger than all the other private cannabis retail channels in Canada combined. The additions of Dr. Hanna and Mr. Schenk will bolster the Choom team by bringing retail operations experience from the highly regulated retail pharmaceutical and cannabis clinic industries. As we approach the opening of the Ontario application portal in December, securing locations, building stores, and developing a team remains our top priorities. With their knowledge and best practices in the retail of controlled substances, Dr. Hanna and Mr. Schenk will greatly expedite Choom's retail strategy in Ontario." Choom's National Retail Network Choom is currently developing a network of retail stores which will feature a curated selection of products from various licensed producers with a strong focus on elevated customer experiences for the adult use market. In Ontario, Choom currently has 90 offers to lease under negation with 20 leases secured in preparation for the application portal opening December 17, 2018. Choom is on track to having the maximum allowable of 75 applications in Ontario and is rapidly working towards the April 2019 deadline when Ontario's private retail channels are expected to come online. Additionally, Choom has secured the rights to 68 retail opportunities across Western Canada, rapidly expanding their commercial footprint presence in highly strategic locations. This includes a total of 50 applications submitted, with 35 development permits received from the various municipalities. In Western Canada, 10 stores are currently under construction with an additional 7 stores having completed their build out. Read this and more news for Choom at: https://www.financialnewsmedia.com/news-choo/ Additional industry related developments from around the markets: Aurora Cannabis Inc. (NYSE:ACB) (TSX:ACB) recently announced plans to establish a foothold in Mexico through the acquisition of Farmacias Magistrales. The deal announcement comes less than one week after Aurora announced an exclusive supply agreement with Farmacias Magistrales. Canada-based Aurora Cannabis will acquire Farmacias Magistrales SA through an all-stock deal. The exact value of the deal was not announced. The acquisition follows an agreement between Aurora Cannabis and Farmacias that calls for Aurora to supply the Mexican company with medical cannabis. Prior to that, Farmacias Magistrales received the first and only import license for medical marijuana in the country. MedMen Enterprises Inc. (CSE:MMEN.CN) (OTCQX:MMNFF) recently announced it has closed the acquisition process of Omaha Management Services, LLC's Monarch Dispensary. Omaha Management Services, a subsidiary of WhiteStar Solutions LLC, operated the Monarch Dispensary which happened to be the first cannabis dispensary of its kind in Scottsdale, Arizona. According to the terms of the agreement, MedMen will assume possession of Whitestar's co-manufacturing and licensing agreement with "Kiva, Mirth Provisions and HUXTON for the state of Arizona." The Monarch Dispensary which held a cannabis license issued by the state of Arizona and operated a cannabis cultivation and processing facility will be instrumental in introducing MedMen into the lucrative cannabis market. The acquisition deal was settled in 80% equity and 20% cash. Adam Bierman, MedMen's CEO and Co-Founder commenting about the finalized acquisition agreement said, "As we look to operationalize the acquisitions we have made in recent months, our team has focused on timely and seamless transitions." The company's boss boasted about the exemplary efforts his team put up to close the deal in record time and get the newly acquired business operational. National Access Clinic Corp. (TSX-V:META.V) recently announced a corporate and retail sales update. The Company achieved $3 million in cumulative sales in its first 43 days of retail operation and $3.95 million in its first 50 days. The average gross margin achieved over the first 50 days of operation of retail locations was over 30 per cent, with consumable cannabis making up 94 per cent of total sales. NAC is currently the largest private cannabis retail operator in the country and has plans to open up to 75 retail cannabis locations in Ontario over the next 18 months, subject to regulatory approval, along with continued growth in other areas of the country. Altria Group Inc. (NYSE:MO) last week announced that it has entered into an agreement to acquire newly issued shares in Cronos Group Inc., a leading global cannabinoid company, headquartered in Toronto, Canada. The transaction represents a 45% equity stake in Cronos Group, at a price of CAD $16.25 per share, for an aggregate investment by Altria of approximately USD $1.8 billion (approximately CAD $2.4 billion). As part of the agreement, at closing, Altria will have the right to nominate four directors, including one independent director, to serve on Cronos Group's Board of Directors, which will be expanded from five to seven directors. The agreement includes a warrant to acquire an additional ownership interest in Cronos Group at a price of CAD $19.00 per share exercisable over four years from the closing date. If exercised in full, the warrant would increase Altria's ownership in Cronos Group by 10% to approximately 55%. DISCLAIMER: FN Media Group LLC (FNM), which owns and operates FinancialNewsMedia.com and MarketNewsUpdates.com, is a third party publisher and news dissemination service provider, which disseminates electronic information through multiple online media channels. FNM is NOT affiliated in any manner with any company mentioned herein. FNM and its affiliated companies are a news dissemination solutions provider and are NOT a registered broker/dealer/analyst/adviser, holds no investment licenses and may NOT sell, offer to sell or offer to buy any security. FNM's market updates, news alerts and corporate profiles are NOT a solicitation or recommendation to buy, sell or hold securities. 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Contact Information: Media Contact email: editor@financialnewsmedia.com +1(561)325-8757 CHICAGO, December 11, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- According to the new market research report "Wearable AI Market by Product (Smart Watch, Ear Wear, Eye Wear), Operation (On-Device AI, Cloud-Based AI), Component (Processor, Connectivity IC, Sensors), Application (Consumer Electronics, Enterprise, Healthcare), and Geography - Global Forecast to 2023", published by MarketsandMarkets, the market is projected to reach USD 42.4 billion by 2023 from USD 11.5 billion in 2018, growing at a CAGR of 29.75% during the forecast period. Major growth drivers are increase in demand for AI assistants, augmentation of operations in healthcare industry, emergence of IoT and integration of wireless technology, growth prospects of wearable component technology, and increase in consumer preference and demand for advanced wearable devices; however, rapidly evolving consumer electronics sector with a shorter life cycle is the major market restraint. (Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/660509/MarketsandMarkets_Logo.jpg ) Don't miss out on business opportunities in Wearable AI Market. Speak to Our Analyst and gain crucial industry insights that will help your business grow: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/speaktoanalystNew.asp?id=168051207 Market for other body wears to grow at highest CAGR during forecast period The increasing partnerships and collaborations for bringing AI functionalities to wearable devices ensure the growing trend of AI-enabled other body wear devices in the near future. For instance, in August 2016, Indian-based start-up Boltt partnered with Garmin, one of the leading wearable technology companies, to bring AI into its wearable products. AI-enabled smart shoes can sync with Google maps and give instructions or notifications via vibration to one of the shoes, telling the user when and where to turn while walking. Also, in February 2018, Microsoft (US) signed a strategic MoU with Xiomi (China) to deepen the collaboration on cloud computing, AI, and hardware. The collaboration will accelerate the development of products and services to users with smart devices and AI integration. All these developments in the market are expected to bring the AI-enabled fitness trackers and other accessories to consumers in the near future. Wearable AI component market for displays to be dominant during forecast period The large market for display is mainly attributed to the dominance of smart watches over the entire wearable market, which is, in turn, fundamentally characterized by high-quality displays. The rising awareness among consumers about the benefits of OLED technology featuring better viewing angle, excellent contrast, and refresh rates have resulted in the increased use of OLED displays. This is contributing significantly to the growth of the wearable display market. Moreover, the increasing adoption of AR/VR-based head-mounted displays in various verticals is driving the growth of the wearable display market. Browse in-depth TOC on"Wearable AI Market" 70- Tables 49- Figures 153- Pages APAC is expected to grow at highest CAGR during forecast period The market in APAC consists of developing economies such as China and India-which have a huge appetite for consumer product adoption, as well as the potential for different applications of wearable AI. It is also observed that the geographic regions with higher incomes have a higher tendency to purchase wearables AI devices. Therefore, rising per capita income in Asian countries will drive the adoption of wearable AI devices. Moreover, the increasing adoption of new technologies in enterprise and industrial applications will drive wearable AI market in the region. Ask for PDF @https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownloadNew.asp?id=168051207 Key players in the wearable AI market include Apple (US), Samsung (South Korea), Google (US), Microsoft (US), Sony (Japan), Garmin (US), Fitbit (US), Huawei (China), Amazon (US), IBM (US), and Oracle (US). Please Explore Relevant Report"Wearable Technology Market"also. About MarketsandMarkets MarketsandMarkets provides quantified B2B research on 30,000 high growth niche opportunities/threats which will impact 70% to 80% of worldwide companies' revenues. Currently servicing 7500 customers worldwide including 80% of global Fortune 1000 companies as clients. Almost 75,000 top officers across eight industries worldwide approach MarketsandMarkets for their painpoints around revenues decisions. Our 850 fulltime analyst and SMEs at MarketsandMarkets are tracking global high growth markets following the "Growth Engagement Model - GEM". The GEM aims at proactive collaboration with the clients to identify new opportunities, identify most important customers, write "Attack, avoid and defend" strategies, identify sources of incremental revenues for both the company and its competitors. MarketsandMarkets now coming up with 1,500 MicroQuadrants (Positioning top players across leaders, emerging companies, innovators, strategic players) annually in high growth emerging segments. MarketsandMarkets is determined to benefit more than 10,000 companies this year for their revenue planning and help them take their innovations/disruptions early to the market by providing them research ahead of the curve. MarketsandMarkets's flagship competitive intelligence and market research platform, "Knowledge Store" connects over 200,000 markets and entire value chains for deeper understanding of the unmet insights along with market sizing and forecasts of niche markets. Contact: Mr. Shelly Singh MarketsandMarkets INC. 630 Dundee Road Suite 430 Northbrook, IL 60062 USA: +1-888-600-6441 Email: sales@marketsandmarkets.com Research Insight: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/ResearchInsight/wearable-ai-market.asp Visit Our Web Site: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com Achilles Therapeutics appoints Dr Markus Dangl as Chief Scientific Officer Stevenage, UK 12 February 2019 - Achilles Therapeutics ("Achilles"), a biopharmaceutical company developing personalised cancer immunotherapies, today announces the appointment of Dr Markus Dangl as Chief Scientific Officer (CSO). Dr Dangl joins Achilles from Medigene AG where he spent three years as Senior Vice President for Research and Non-clinical Development. During his tenure he led the non-clinical development of MDG1011, a TCR immune cell therapy targeting PRAME, which entered clinical development in 2018. Prior to that Markus spent 15 years at Roche in Germany, Singapore and the US, holding various managerial positions with increasing responsibility and was involved in the design and execution of multiple oncology projects. Markus holds a PhD in Biochemistry from the University of Innsbruck in Austria. "Markus joins us at an exciting time," said Dr Iraj Ali, CEO of Achilles Therapeutics. "His proven track record of successfully progressing projects through the pre-clinical value chain and into clinical development make him well placed to help us drive our innovative therapies forward, with our two lead programmes in non-small cell lung cancer and melanoma expected to enter the clinic this year." "I am very pleased to join Achilles as Chief Scientific Officer at this transformational stage in the company's development," added Dr Markus Dangl, CSO of Achilles Therapeutics. "Achilles is driving a revolution in cancer treatment by targeting clonal neoantigens to develop truly individualised T cell therapies. I very much look forward to working with my new colleagues as we ensure that we take advantage of our incredible science base to develop new options for cancer patients." Achilles is developing personalised T cell therapies for solid tumours targeting clonal neoantigens: protein markers unique to each patient that are present on the surface of all cancer cells. Using its PELEUS bioinformatics platform, Achilles can identify clonal neoantigens from each patient's unique tumour profile which are present on every cancer cell. Achilles uses its proprietary process to manufacture T cells (cNeT) which exquisitely target a specific set of clonal neoantigens in each patient. Targeting multiple clonal neoantigens that are present on all cancer cells, but not on healthy cells, reduces the risk that new mutations can induce immune evasion and therapeutic resistance, and allows individualised treatments to target and destroy tumours without harming healthy tissue. - Ends - Further information: Achilles Therapeutics Dr Iraj Ali - Chief Executive Officer +44 (0)1438 906 906 media@achillestx.com Julia Wilson - Head of Communications +44 (0)7818 430877 j.wilson@achillestx.com Consilium Strategic Communications Mary-Jane Elliott, Sukaina Virji, Melissa Gardiner Tel: +44 Notes for Editors: About Achilles Therapeutics Achilles Therapeutics is a biopharmaceutical company developing personalised T cell therapies targeting clonal neoantigens: protein markers unique to the individual that are expressed on the surface of every cancer cell. Achilles uses DNA sequencing data from each patient, together with the proprietary PELEUS bioinformatics platform, to identify clonal neoantigens specific to that patient, and then develop personalised T cell-based therapies specifically targeting those clonal neoantigens. Achilles was founded by lead investor Syncona Ltd and its shareholders include the CRT Pioneer Fund, UCL Technology Fund, Cancer Research Technology, with the support of UCL Business VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / December 11, 2018 / ALCHEMIST MINING INC. (CSE: AMS) ("AMS" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the appointment of Paul Mann to the position of Chief Executive Officer of Alchemist Mining Inc. Mr. Mann was recently appointed president of Alchemist in October 2018, and effective immediately will be taking up the role of CEO. Mr. Mann has been a valuable member of the team and has been instrumental in navigating the transition of Alchemist through its change of business. In a very short time Mr. Mann was able to secure the software platform Oddysee which has become the key component that has moved the company into the cannabis technology sector. Mr. Mann was also largely responsible securing the strategic partnership agreement recently announced with Agua technologies. "I am truly honored to have been given the opportunity to take on the role of CEO and would like to thank David Gdanski for his invaluable leadership as Chief Executive Officer over the last few years. It is my belief that Mr. Gdanski was singlehandedly responsible for bringing the company to where we are today. I hope to follow in his footsteps and help Alchemist continue on this road to success," said Mr. Mann. Mr. Gdanski will continue his service to AMS as President. "I am very pleased to have Paul Mann take up the mantle and lead the charge for Alchemist. His lifetime achievements and contacts have been, and are, a tremendous asset to the company. The corporation looks forward to updating shareholders as its management team works towards advancing the Alchemist business objectives," stated Mr. Gdanski. The company also announced that Jamie Robinson will be stepping down from his role as Chief Financial Officer effective immediately. The staff and management wish to thank Mr. Robinson for his tireless efforts and hard work. We all wish him continued success on his future endeavors. For further info on the Company, please email info@alchemistmining.com. On Behalf of the Board of Directors. Dave Gdanski, President Alchemist Mining Inc. Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This news release may contain forward-looking statements based on assumptions and judgments of management regarding future events or results. Such statements are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties which could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those reflected in the forward-looking statements. The company disclaims any intention or obligation to revise or update such statements. SOURCE: Alchemist Mining Inc. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/530208/Alchemist-Appoints-Paul-Mann-as-New-Chief-Executive-Officer Company Increases Transparency as Sales Phase Nears Del Mar, California--(Newsfile Corp. - December 11, 2018) - Defense Technologies International Corp. (OTC Pink: DTII) (The Company), an innovative provider of security technology with broad and diverse applications, is pleased to announce the release of a Video Investor Presentation. The comprehensive release provides significant updates on the latest "Passive Scanning Technology" along with a demonstration of the Company's revolutionary non-X-ray, zero-emission "Passive Portal" The video presentation can be viewed anytime at the following link: https://youtu.be/uv4EYsjUmL4 The technology is an ideal solution for schools, airports, arenas, literally anywhere where preventing weapons is paramount and without subjecting humans to the potential harmful effects of repeated x-rays common in most competing security devices. "We are pleased to have a presentation that gives the investing public a real understanding of our technology and plan to secure our place in a very large market," stated Merrill W. Moses, CEO, Defense Technologies International. "We fully intend to be increasingly communicative with the market in the near-future as our roll-out begins." Defense Technologies International is also pleased to report that Integrity Investor Relations (IIR) has been retained to manage its Investor Relations, financial communication and financial media. IIR is a twenty-year-old Investor Relations and Media firm officiated by Kurt Divich, a highly experienced communications expert and published author who has worked with both gun safety public companies and firearm manufacturer Smith & Wesson. "I'm eager to share Defense Technology Inc's compelling story to the media and investors," stated Kurt Divich, President, Integrity Investor Relations. "I have a deep personal connection to DTII's mission, having close family that survived a mass shooting that this technology would have prevented. I understand too well the mission here and want to be a part of this product's success." "Mr. Divich's reputation for transparency and communication expertise will be of great benefit to the syndication of the Defense Technology narrative," added Mr. Moses. "Integrity Media has been highly effective in the past with regard to sharing a corporate story with the media and in providing shareholders with a highly-responsive professional with whom to communicate." For more information on the Passive Security Scan Technology and the Passive Portal, visit www.passivesecurityscan.com. The "Passive Portal" technology is based on the 'Earth's Magnetic Fields' with no emissions emitted for detection and is therefore extremely safe for any person passing through the 'Passive Portal'. The Passive Security Scan system uses highly developed field sensing technology using patented methods to sense and pin point the location of weapons detected. We are pleased to present the Company's Subsidiary's Video Production about the "Passive Security Scan" Project. Please view the VIDEO at: https://youtu.be/rFV6Y1tOdG4 Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking" statements. Forward looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects", "plans", "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "projects", "potential" and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will", "would", "may", "could" or "should" occur. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are no guarantees of future performance and actual results may differ materially from those in forward looking statements. Forward looking statements are based on the beliefs, estimates and opinions of the Company's management on the date the statements are made. Except as required by law, the Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements in the event that management's beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change. Company Contact Defense Technologies International Merrill W. Moses, President & CEO Phone: 800 520-9485 Email: dtii@defensetechnologiesintl.com Investor Relations & Financial Media info@integrityir.com Toll Free: (888) 216-3595 www.IntegrityIR.com Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - December 11, 2018) - Ridgestone Mining Inc. (TSXV:RMI) (OTCQB: RIGMF) ("Ridgestone Mining") is pleased to announce that that it has commenced being quoted for trading on the OTCQB Marketplace under the symbol "RIGMF". Ridgestone Mining CEO Ted Liu commented: "We are pleased to now be quoted on the OTCQB Marketplace. The Company will now be trading on two international platforms: TSX Venture (Canada), and OTCQB (USA). We believe this additional listing/quotation platform will create greater visibility with US retail and institutional investors and will allow for a more diversified potential shareholder base and enhanced liquidity." Trading on the OTCQB does not involve the issuance of new common shares of the Corporation or any other securities. The common shares of the Corporation that are currently issued and outstanding, and trading on the TSX Venture Exchange, may now also be traded through the OTCQB. For further information, please contact: Ron Birch, Director Ridgestone Mining Inc. Telephone: 1-800-910-7711 About the Company Ridgestone is a TSX Venture Exchange -listed junior mineral exploration company with offices in Taipei and Vancouver, B.C. The Company's focus is on precious metals and copper in Sonora, Mexico, and specifically the Rebeico Gold-Copper project. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This news release contains forward-looking statements or information (collectively referred to herein as "forward-looking statements"). Such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results, performance or developments to differ materially from those contained in the statements and are not guarantees of future performance of the Company. In this news release such statements include but are not limited to the preparation of a definitive agreement and the requirement of TSX Venture Exchange approval therefor. No assurance can be given that any of the events anticipated by the forward-looking statements will occur or, if they do occur, what benefits the Company will obtain from them. These forward-looking statements reflect management's current views and are based on certain expectations, estimates and assumptions which may prove to be incorrect. A number of risks and uncertainties could cause our actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements, including those described in the Company's Prospectus dated February 9, 2018 available on www.sedar.com. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should any of the Company's assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary in material respects from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Readers are cautioned that the foregoing list of risks, uncertainties and other factors is not exhaustive. Unpredictable or unknown factors not discussed could also have material adverse effects on forward-looking statements. The impact of any one factor on a particular forward-looking statement is not determinable with certainty as such factors are dependent on other factors, and the Company's course of action would depend on its assessment of the future considering all information then available. All forward-looking statements in this news release are expressly qualified in their entirety by these cautionary statements. Except as required by law, the Company assumes no obligation to update forward-looking statements should circumstances or management's estimates or opinions change. Attracted by local technical talent, the endpoint protection leader expands its operations in the country CrowdStrike Inc., the leader in cloud-delivered endpoint protection, today announced the official opening of its new Center of Innovation in the Pipera Technology District, Bucharest, Romania. The office already is home to a fast-growing team of cybersecurity professionals spanning the fields of cloud engineering, security response and data science and is expected to grow as CrowdStrike continues its expansion globally. The center will be crucial hub for driving research, development and innovation to help support the growing demands of CrowdStrike's expanding global footprint and the company's ambitious technology roadmap. "I am very happy to announce the opening of CrowdStrike's new Center of Innovation in Romania, a country with the top world-class talent in computer science and cybersecurity," said Dmitri Alperovitch, chief technology officer and co-founder of CrowdStrike. "Our growing presence in Romania has already become a critical hub of innovation for our cloud engineering, Windows/MacOS/Linux kernel experts, security research and response, and data science teams and I look forward to continuing to expand our presence in the coming years." The new Center of Innovation will give CrowdStrike the chance to continue to grow and recruit experts from Romania and the wider region as the company continues to develop its market- leading capabilities. The Center has been founded and is headed by Research and Development director Daniel Radu and principal engineer Horea Coroiu. Alex Ionescu, vice president, EDR Strategy at CrowdStrike said: "As a Romanian expat, I am extremely proud to be able to support my home country through the opening of this center, and it is my deepest hope that all of this country's great specialists in kernel programming, systems design, and secure computing will be able to take advantage of our benefits and work opportunities." CrowdStrike Falcon is the first and only platform that unifies next-generation antivirus (AV), endpoint detection and response (EDR), and a 24/7 threat hunting service all delivered via a single lightweight agent. CrowdStrike Falcon's modular approach enables customers to have integrated access to the full suite of endpoint protection capabilities, including vulnerability management, IT hygiene, threat intelligence automation, device control, and more. The company is meeting spiking demand for its unique cloud-native solution as more and more organizations are looking to replace their AV or augment it with advanced endpoint detection and response capability. About CrowdStrike CrowdStrike is the leader in cloud-delivered endpoint protection. Leveraging artificial intelligence (AI), the CrowdStrike Falcon platform offers instant visibility and protection across the enterprise and prevents attacks on endpoints on or off the network. CrowdStrike Falcon deploys in minutes to deliver actionable intelligence and real-time protection from Day One. It seamlessly unifies next-generation AV with best-in-class endpoint detection and response, backed by 24/7 managed hunting. Its cloud infrastructure and single-agent architecture take away complexity and add scalability, manageability, and speed. CrowdStrike Falcon protects customers against all cyber attack types, using sophisticated signatureless AI and Indicator-of-Attack (IOA) based threat prevention to stop known and unknown threats in real time. Powered by the CrowdStrike Threat Graph, Falcon instantly correlates 1 trillion security events a week from across the globe to immediately prevent and detect threats. There's much more to the story of how Falcon has redefined endpoint protection but there's only one thing to remember about CrowdStrike: We stop breaches. You can gain full access to Falcon Prevent by starting your free trial. Learn more: https://www.crowdstrike.com/ Follow us: Blog | Twitter 2018 CrowdStrike, Inc. All rights reserved. CrowdStrike, CrowdStrike Falcon, CrowdStrike Threat Graph, CrowdStrike Falcon Prevent, Falcon Prevent, CrowdStrike Falcon Insight, Falcon Insight, CrowdStrike Falcon Discover, Falcon Discover, CrowdStrike Falcon Intelligence, Falcon Intelligence, CrowdStrike Falcon DNS, Falcon DNS, CrowdStrike Falcon OverWatch, Falcon OverWatch, CrowdStrike Falcon Spotlight and Falcon Spotlight are among the trademarks of CrowdStrike, Inc. Other brands may be third-party trademarks. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181211005147/en/ Contacts: CrowdStrike, Inc. Ilina Cashiola, 202-340-0517 Ilina.cashiola@crowdstrike.com Vallum's ANAB-treated PEEKplus technology enhances the bioactivity of PEEK interbody spinal fusion devices by creating a nanotextured PEEK surface SANTA CLARA, California, Dec. 11, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Based on its recent analysis of the North America spinal fusion device performance enhancers market, Frost & Sullivan recognizes Vallum Corp. with the 2018 North America New Product Innovation Award for its interbody spinal fusion device, PEEKplus. This device plugs the biocompatibility and osseointegration gaps in the current generation of PEEK by leveraging high-performance nanotechnology to enhance bioactivity and catalyze bone formation. Vallum treats PEEKplus with its patented and proprietary Accelerated Neutral Atom Beam (ANAB) technology to augment bone fusion factors. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/794932/Vallum_Corp_Award.jpg "Vallum's focus on the nano-scale surface modification of PEEK interbody fusion devices to improve their osseointegrating capability in spinal fusion resulted in developing PEEKplus. This groundbreaking innovation is the first and only FDA-cleared nanotextured surface on a PEEK interbody device," said Sowmya Rajagopalan, Global Program Director at Frost & Sullivan. "To enable bioactivity and initiate the osseointegration process, the surface of the interbody device must be hydrophilic; however, unaltered PEEK is hydrophobic by nature. Vallum addressed this issue by altering the PEEK material at the nano-scale to make it hydrophilic without any coating or chemicals or creating porosity." Titanium-coated and porous PEEK materials have surface textures measuring 300,000 nanometers; however, superior osseointegration requires nanotexturing that is less than 100 nanometers. Vallum's ANAB processor achieves this by superimposing nano-scale concavities directly onto the surface of the PEEK device to create 20 to 50-nanometer concavities. Therefore, compared to titanium coatings and surface porosity, PEEKplus offers a superior solution. Significantly, Vallum's innovative approach of nanotexturing technology can be applied to any fully manufactured PEEK interbody device without altering its design or size or affecting its mechanical or chemical properties. In addition, the ANAB process is cost effective to apply because it does not require additional materials and in minutes can convert any preexisting PEEK interbody fusion device into a PEEKplus device. Furthermore, the process does not disrupt the existing manufacturing process; it simply adds an extra step, wherein a beam delivers argon atoms with tremendous kinetic energy onto the surface of the PEEK device to create a unique, dynamic nano-scale solution. "As the ANAB process was originally developed for the semiconductor industry, where no particles can be generated, the ANAB processor operates at standards higher than those required in medical device manufacturing," noted Rajagopalan. "Overall, Vallum's ability to produce a hydrophilic PEEK interbody device by nanotexturing its surface topography is a first of its kind and has the potential to set a new standard in interbody implant performance." Each year, Frost & Sullivan presents this award to the company that develops an innovative element in a product by leveraging leading-edge technologies. The award recognizes the product's value-added features/benefits and the increased return on investment (ROI) it provides to customers, which, in turn, raises customer acquisition and overall market penetration potential. Frost & Sullivan Best Practices Awards recognize companies in a variety of regional and global markets for demonstrating outstanding achievement and superior performance in areas such as leadership, technological innovation, customer service, and strategic product development. Industry analysts compare market participants and measure performance through in-depth interviews, analysis, and extensive secondary research to identify best practices in the industry. About Vallum Corporation Vallum is a medical device company headquartered in Nashua, New Hampshire. It has developed advanced technology and processing protocols for nano-scale surface engineering of implantable medical devices. The company is currently focused on nano-scale surface modification of PEEK interbody fusion devices to improve their performance in spinal fusion. The company's management believes its advanced technology and processing protocols can ultimately be developed to improve other implantable orthopedic devices for treating disorders throughout the body. Accelerated Neutral Atom Beam (ANAB) technology and its medical applications for nano-scale surface modification, including PEEKplus, are covered by multiple issued patents and trade secrets. Vallum's mission is to develop, produce and deliver innovative nano-scale surface technologies to affordably improve implantable medical devices and thereby improve patient outcomes and quality of life. More information can be found at www.vallumcorp.com. Contact: Christine Moley P: 201-699-9222 E: christine@themarketizegroup.com About Frost & Sullivan Frost & Sullivan, the Growth Partnership Company, collaborates with clients to leverage visionary innovation that addresses the global challenges and related growth opportunities that will make or break today's market participants. For more than 50 years, Frost & Sullivan has been developing growth strategies for the global 1000, emerging businesses, the public sector, and the investment community. Contact us: Start the discussion . Contact: Samantha Park P: 210.247.2426 F: 210.348.1003 E: samantha.park@frost.com Company wraps the year with strong growth, will continue momentum into the new year BOSTON, Dec. 11, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Kimble Professional Services Automation is closing out a strong 2018 - with rapid growth putting it at the top of the Momentum Grid for PSA on customer review site G2 Crowd. This year, the company secured investment from Accel-KKR , a leading Silicon Valley technology-focused investment firm. Kimble was able to drive further international expansion - with the dedicated PSA vendor opening offices in San Francisco, Chicago and Atlanta and moving into prestigious new headquarters in London and Boston. Kimble was also named as one of the fastest-growing technology companies on the prestigious Sunday Times Hiscox Tech Track 100 list for the second year running, and expanded its European team, hiring managers in both the DACH and Benelux area, reinforcing its growing success in these areas. Kimble continues to innovate its core PSA solution. This year, the company extended intelligent analytics and guidance in the areas of resourcing and forecasting. It also added new products such as Resourcing Analyzer and Kimble-Intacct Connector . Kimble welcomed a number of dynamic services businesses to its customer base in 2018 - including three of the largest 50 consulting organizations in the world by revenue. Businesses in high-tech manufacturing, media, health and other sectors are also increasingly selecting Kimble to run their services more effectively. Customer organizations are also getting larger, with the average number of users almost doubling over the last three years. Kimble CEO Sean Hoban said: "This has been an exciting year for Kimble. We are proud to welcome so many new customers and look forward to working closely with them to deliver real benefits to their businesses." About Kimble Applications Kimble Applications helps professional service businesses by improving business performance, increasing visibility, and providing enhanced company collaboration. Kimble is dedicated to the production of unique management solutions delivered through a Software as a Service (SaaS) model. The members of the Kimble management team are recognized professional services experts, having founded, managed, and grown several successful IT and management consulting organizations. They have experienced first-hand the business problems which result from the lack of adequate software available to manage professional services. The team has harnessed the best practice and unique intellectual property gained in their careers, along with detailed design input from a range of experts from leading firms across the globe. CONTACT: Tanner Spear, tanner.spear@kimbleapps.com InvestCloud launches The State of Digital Investment Management report 2018 Survey demonstrates the digital crisis facing the industry, with money managers under-prepared for the next generation of investors LOS ANGELES and LONDON, Dec. 11, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- A survey conducted by InvestCloud Inc., a global FinTech firm, has found that the investment management industry is drastically under-prepared to cater to the digital needs of the next generation of investors - not only in the US, but also in the UK. The State of Digital Investment Management: Adoption and Usage in 2018 surveyed 47 UK-based investment managers and 1,019 investors. The survey looks at the state of digital offerings and capabilities from investment managers. It also asks investors to describe how they use investing apps and rate them. Key findings from the survey reveal that: The vast majority of wealth managers (68%) know they need to improve their digital technology to survive; Nearly half of investors right now (49%) use mobile apps to manage their investments, and this is only going to increase, and yet wealth managers are by and large very behind on mobile offerings; and Investors are now using the digital proposition as one of the key determining factors in selecting a wealth manager (48%). John Wise, Co-Founder, CEO and Chairman at InvestCloud, said: "The investment management industry is facing a digital crisis. Engagement both online and via mobile is now mission-critical for firms hoping to win the battle for the next generation of investors. Those firms who successfully manage this digital transition will gain access to a lucrative, multi-trillion-dollar market as wealth transfers to younger generations. Failure to go digital will cause them to lose out to digital advice startups and big tech firms making an entrance into the sector, which already have strong knowledge of user experience (UX), design and digital." Wise added: "The loyalty that once bound investors and their managers is now under threat from investors' growing affinity with technology. Mobile apps and digital platforms are no longer a 'nice to have.' They are a necessity for growing assets under management, retaining current clients and attracting new investors. This survey shows that there is a clear need from both managers and investors alike not just for more digital adoption, but also for improving the overall quality of digital offerings. The need to adopt digital has never been more critical." The full report can be viewed at: https://ic.investcloud.com/2018StateofDigital_UK About InvestCloud Inc. Headquartered in Los Angeles with a global presence - including offices in New York and London - InvestCloud is a Digital Platform to enable the development of first-class, financial digital solutions, pre-integrated into the cloud. By empowering investors and managers with a single version of the integrated truth through its unique digital platform, InvestCloud creates beautifully designed client experiences and intuitive operations solutions using an ever-expanding library of digital modular apps. The result? Powerful products for individual investors and institutions alike, assembled on-demand to meet clients' specific needs. Today the InvestCloud platform supports some of the largest banks in the world with substantial assets. In addition, for managers under $50 billion, InvestCloud supports over $1.7 trillion of assets across 700 diverse clients - from wealth managers, institutional investors & institutional asset managers to family offices, asset services companies, financial platforms & banks. For more information, visit www.investcloud.com Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/796739/InvestCloud_Logo.jpg BETHESDA, Maryland, Dec. 11, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Northwest Biotherapeutics (OTCQB: NWBO) -- ("NW Bio"), a biotechnology company developing DCVax personalized immune therapies for solid tumor cancers, announced today that it has entered into agreements with a large multi-national corporation for a package transaction involving the Company's property located near Cambridge, UK. Pursuant to these agreements, The Company will sell most of its UK property to the multi-national corporation. The Company will receive 37.5 million (approximately $47.3 million ) cash payment at closing. ) cash payment at closing. The Company will retain ownership of 17 acres of the property, which are excluded from the sale and which the Company believes will have substantial additional value in the future. The Company will retain a lease-back of the approximately 87,000 square foot manufacturing facility which the Company has been developing on the site, along with substantial adjacent areas, for up to 40 years on favorable terms. The cash purchase price to be paid for the sale of most of the UK property will provide approximately $47.3 million of non-dilutive gross proceeds. Transaction expenses for broker and legal fees are expected to total about 1.3 million. The Company plans to use the transaction proceeds for Company obligations and operations. The Company acquired the property for approximately 18 million. The Company's subsequent investments into the property have been focused on the 87,000 square foot manufacturing facility, including refurbishments, structural improvements, extension of an additional level of interior space, and buildout of initial clean-room manufacturing suites. The Company will retain the value and use of these investments through the favorable lease-back of this manufacturing facility. The Company also retains the freedom to make further alterations, additions and improvements. The lease-back of the manufacturing facility will initially be for 20 years, with a renewal for a second 20 years on the same terms at the Company's option. The rent is determined by valuing the entire manufacturing facility as a warehouse. No rent is payable for the first year. Starting in year two, the rent is approximately 5.76 per square foot per year, with limited adjustments once every five years. The lease includes substantial adjacent areas, including for surface parking of 600 vehicles and for equipment, plant and facilities that support or are related to operations in the manufacturing facility. The Company believes that, with internal buildout of further manufacturing suites inside this facility, it will potentially be capable of supporting production of DCVax products for up to 10,000 patients per year. The property and the manufacturing facility are situated in the heart of the "Golden Triangle" of leading academic centers and rapidly developing R&D centers, from which the Company can draw the technical personnel needed for its operations. The property and manufacturing facility are also situated on or near major transportation arteries, including nearby Stanstead Airport, the major air shipping hub. "Now that the data from our Phase 3 clinical trial of DCVax-L have further matured and provided a further encouraging picture of patient survival, and we are ready to move forward with the months of work related to completion of the trial, we are very pleased to have a new war chest of funding for this work," commented Linda Powers, CEO of NW Bio. "We are also looking forward to proceeding with further DCVax-Direct trials." "We are especially pleased to obtain this funding on a non-dilutive basis, and to seamlessly continue our activities with the UK manufacturing facility under the favorable lease-back." About Northwest Biotherapeutics Northwest Biotherapeutics is a biotechnology company focused on developing personalized immunotherapy products designed to treat cancers more effectively than current treatments, without toxicities of the kind associated with chemotherapies, and on a cost-effective basis, in both North America and Europe. The Company has broad platform technologies for DCVax dendritic cell-based vaccines. The Company's lead program is a 331-patient Phase III trial of DCVax-L for newly diagnosed Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM). GBM is the most aggressive and lethal form of brain cancer, and is an "orphan disease." The Company is also pursuing a Phase I/II trial with DCVax-Direct for all types of inoperable solid tumor cancers. It has completed the 40-patient Phase I portion of the trial, and is preparing for Phase II portions. The Company previously conducted a Phase I/II trial with DCVax-L for metastatic ovarian cancer together with the University of Pennsylvania. Disclaimer Statements made in this news release that are not historical facts, including statements concerning future treatment of patients using DCVax and future clinical trials, are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such as "expect," "believe," "intend," "design," "plan," "continue," "may," "will," "anticipate," and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. Completion of the U.K. property transactions described in this press release is subject to satisfaction of certain customary closing conditions. We cannot guarantee that we will achieve the plans, intentions or expectations disclosed in our forward-looking statements and you should not place undue reliance on our forward-looking statements. Actual results may differ materially from those projected in any forward-looking statements. Specifically, there are a number of important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated, such as risks related to the Company's ability to complete its clinical trials on a timely basis, uncertainties about the clinical trial results and data, uncertainties about the timely performance of third parties, risks related to whether the Company's products will demonstrate safety and efficacy, risks related to the Company's ongoing ability to raise additional capital, and other risks included in the Company's Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") filings. Additional information on the foregoing risk factors and other factors, including Risk Factors, which could affect the Company's results, is included in its SEC filings. Finally, there may be other factors not mentioned above or included in the Company's SEC filings that may cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in any forward-looking statement. The Company assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements as a result of new information, future events or developments, except as required by securities laws. Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/783522/NW_Bio_logo_Logo.jpg KATOWICE, Poland and DUBAI, UAE, December 11, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- ACWA Power, a global leader in water desalination and power generation, recently collaborated with key player in energy sector, ECOHZ, that offers global renewable energy solutions to businesses, organisations and electricity providers, to empower local women and support communities in Morocco. (Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/796749/ACWA_Empowering_women.jpg ) (Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/796750/ACWA_Morocco.jpg ) (Logo: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/559485/ACWA_Power_Logo.jpg ) Stemming from its commitment to communities it operates in, and following its development of the world's largest concentrated solar power plan project, Noor Power Plant in Morocco, ACWA Power concludes the year by empowering women around the plant through increasing income and employability and improving education. ACWA Power works close with WOCAN, the international membership network working towards gender equality, and creator of W+ Standard (W+) (which measures the impact of projects on women empowerment and increases their access to resources and capital, scaling up solutions to climate change, food security and poverty). The CSR project increases income and improves livelihoods of the local female population. It recognises the social capital created by women; rewards women's contributions to sustainable environment communities; provides access to women in local communities to basic needs including education and healthcare; and increases the income and employability of women to help ensure gender equality. Expressing his pride and delight, Paddy Padmanathan, President and Chief Executive Officer of ACWA Power, said: "We are pleased and proud to be contributing to female empowerment through our CSR work that is a result of our investment in the renewable energy sector. Our commitment in countries we operate in extends beyond supplying electricity to the grid. "We are passionate about our model of developing plants in remote areas and actively collaborating with the local communities. This results in empowerment of local communities; creation of employment opportunities; and generation of economic activity - which we consider our long-term commitment. We are proud to be working with W+ to contribute towards increasing income and employability." Tom Lindberg, Managing Director at ECOHZ added: "We work to change corporations' energy behaviour and are enthusiastic to be able to empower women at the same time - contribute to both SDG 7 (clean energy) and SDG 5 (gender equality)." In coordination with WOCAN's pursuit of sustainable development, it has been reported that W+ is the first instrument that offers the possibility to measure, verify, and report the fifth and seventh critical sustainable development goals (SDGs), which are part of the larger 17 SDGs set by the United Nations General Assembly in 2015. The fifth SDG highlights the necessity of gender equality and women empowerment to ensure women are granted equal access to education, health care, job opportunities, and representation in political and economic decision-making processes. The seventh SDG represents access to affordable and clean energy with a particular focus on integrating renewable energy into end-use applications to fuel sustainable economies and benefit societies at large, which falls in harmony with the objectives of the Paris Agreement to mitigate climate change calamities and endorse the use of clean energy. The remarkable collaboration between ACWA Power, ECOHZ and WOCAN has been able to heavily contribute to these SDG's and consequently amplify the welfare of women in Morocco. David Ungar, Executive Director, Green House Gas Mitigation and Sustainability at ACWA Power said: "We are in an era where we are able to have very direct positive impact in the communities in which we operate. The W+ units help us to achieve our goal to make a measurable difference in-line with the United Nations SDG's. This is just one key development we are making to enhance the way we improve the lives in rural communities." The collaboration between the three industry leaders will create better project outcomes and improve lives. The CSR project will enable credible and measurable social co-benefits in renewable energy projects. Companies can now continue to purchase renewable energy and contribute towards gender equality. The year 2019 will mark a successful year of transactions and will cement ACWA Power and ECOHZ' efforts in endorsing local women empowerment. Within the renewable energy industry, it is said that women represent a higher percentage of the workforce at 35% compared to the wider power sector. In the MENA region alone, over half of clean energy companies state that they employ more men than women with only 29% claiming equality numbers of both genders. There is a need to further increase the representation of women in the sector. ACWA Power has embraced the W+ standard and its work in Morocco is a testament to its commitment to power the communities in which it operates. About ACWA Power ACWA Power is a developer, investor and operator of a portfolio of power generation and desalinated water production plants currently with 49 assets in operation, construction or advance development, and employing over 3,500 people across 11 countries across the Middle East and North Africa, Southern Africa and Southeast Asia regions. ACWA Power's portfolio, with an investment value in excess of USD 30 billion, can generate 29+ GW of power and produce over 3.2 million m3 /day of desalinated water to be mostly delivered on a bulk basis to state utilities and industrial majors on long term off-take contracts under Public-Private-Partnership, Concession and Utility Services Outsourcing models. ACWA Power is owned by the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia, the Saudi Public Pensions Agency and the International Finance Corporation (a member of the World Bank Group)and seven Saudi conglomerates. ACWA Power pursues a mission to reliably deliver electricity and desalinated water at low cost, thereby contributing to the social and economic development of the communities and countries it invests in and serves. ACWA Power strives to achieve success by adhering to the values of Safety, People and Performance in operating its business. For more information, visit www.acwapower.com About ECOHZ ECOHZ offers global renewable energy solutions to businesses, organisations and electricity providers - providing renewable electricity, from a wide range of sources, regions and qualities. Renewable electricity is documented by Guarantees of Origin in Europe, RECs in North America and International RECs (I-RECs) in a growing number of countries in Asia, Africa, the Middle East and Latin America. ECOHZ also provides an innovative additionality solution - GO - combining renewable energy purchases with the financing and building of new renewable power generation. Companies choosing documented renewable energy can reduce their carbon footprint and improve their sustainability ratings. ECOHZ is among the leading independent suppliers in Europe and has offices in Norway and Switzerland. ECOHZ endeavors to play an active role in the current energy transition through its vision of "changing energy behaviour". www.ecohz.com About Women Organizing for Change in Agriculture and Natural Resource Management (WOCAN) WOCAN is a 15 year-old women-led, international membership-based non-governmental organization with over 1250 women and men professional members in 113 countries. Since 2004, WOCAN has provided expertise for technical assistance for building capacities for gender integration and leadership within over 100 organizations, including UN agencies, research organizations, government agencies and women's grassroots organizations. We have also delivered organizational assessments and evaluation; research; advocacy and thought leadership and coordination of events. WOCAN has managed projects, large and small, for UN, international donor agencies and multi-lateral development banks, and partnered with commercial organizations managing large projects. WOCAN created the W+ Standard (www.wplus.org) to measure women's empowerment; since 2014, it has been applied to projects in Nepal, Indonesia, Guatemala, Cambodia, Morocco, South Africa and Vietnam. In 2016, WOCAN received UNFCCC's Momentum for Change Women for Results award for the W+ Standard. www.wocan.org Media contact details: Jon Barber Director - Marketing & Communications jbarber@acwapower.com +971-(0)-45091052 Mohamed Yousef Ibrahim Manager - Marketing & Public Relations mibrahim@acwapower.com +966-(0)-556607402 Tags: ACWAPower UAE @ACWAPower CSP renewables desalination power water PV wind solar LinkedIn Instagram Twitter Facebook YouTube Ottawa, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - January 29, 2019) - Aura Resources Inc. (TSXV: AUU) ("Aura" or the "Company") announces that it has entered into a definitive agreement with Minaurum Gold Inc. (TSXV: MGG) ("Minaurum") and its Mexican subsidiary whereby Minaurum will acquire an interest in the Company's East Taviche property located in Oaxaca, Mexico. In accordance with the terms of the agreement, Minaurum will acquire an initial 80% interest in the East Taviche project for the following consideration: the issuance of 100,000 common shares in the capital of Minaurum; re-imbursement of all Taviche project concession fees paid by Aura during 2018 and payment of the remaining concession fees to bring the property into good standing until January 31, 2019, to a maximum of US$80,000; and the issuance of an additional 100,000 common shares in the capital of Minaurum upon receiving all relevant approvals and consents required to be obtained for the commencement of exploration and drilling activities at the East Taviche project. Additionally, Aura will grant to Minaurum an exclusive option to acquire the remaining 20% of the project for a total purchase price of CDN$1,000,000. Until exercise of that option, Aura's 20% interest shall be free-carried with no obligation to co-fund project costs and will not be subject to dilution (together, with the sale of an 80% interest in the East Taviche Property described above, the "Transaction"). Upon acquiring the initial 80% interest, Minaurum will act as operator of the project having exclusive authority and control over the direction and management of the business and operations of the East Taviche project. The Transaction is subject to the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange. Aura initiated involvement with the Taviche project during 2006 and has operated the project since 2010. Both Aura and Minaurum recognize that the property holds good potential for the further discovery of silver and gold along the prospective Mezcal structure. Robert Johansing, CEO of Aura stated, "We are very pleased to have Minaurum advance the Taviche project. Minaurum is a regional explorer focused on the exploration and development of high-grade gold and silver projects in Mexico and is led by experienced exploration and management teams. This transaction assures that exploration will continue at the Taviche project allowing Aura to realize value for its investment in the project and to focus on new opportunities." Robert Johansing, M.Sc. Econ. Geol., P. Geo. is a qualified person as defined by NI 43-101 and has reviewed and approved the technical content of this press release. About Aura Aura is a TSX Venture Exchange listed company engaged in the acquisition, exploration and development of precious metal prospects in North America including: in Nunavut, Canada (45.17% interest in the Greyhound project operated by our partner, Agnico Eagle); in Oaxaca, Mexico (20% owned Taviche project operated by Minaurum Gold); and, in Arizona, USA (the Gold Chain project subject to option to earn a 100% interest). Aura has 27,490,128 common shares outstanding. For further information regarding this press release contact: Robert Johansing, President and CEO at (805) 455-4775 or by e-mail at rjohansing@gmail.com. Aura's web site is located at www.aurasilver.com. FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS: This press release may contain forward looking statements that are made as of the date hereof and are based on current expectations, forecasts and assumptions which involve risks and uncertainties associated with our business including the uncertainty as to whether the Transaction is completed on a timely basis or at all, whether further exploration will result in the target(s) being delineated as a mineral resource, capital expenditures, operating costs, mineral resources, recovery rates, grades and prices, estimated goals, expansion and growth of the business and operations, share consolidation, the private placement financing activities of the Company, plans and references to the Company's future successes with its business and the economic environment in which the business operates. All such statements are made pursuant to the 'safe harbour' provisions of, and are intended to be forward-looking statements under, applicable Canadian securities legislation. Any statements contained herein that are statements of historical facts may be deemed to be forward-looking statements. By their nature, forward-looking statements require us to make assumptions and are subject to inherent risks and uncertainties. We caution readers of this news release not to place undue reliance on our forward-looking statements as a number of factors could cause actual results or conditions to differ materially from current expectations. Please refer to the risks set forth in the Company's most recent annual MD&A and the Company's continuous disclosure documents that can be found on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Aura does not intend, and disclaims any obligation, except as required by law, to update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/42501 The new battery metals channel is designed to educate investors with original content and expert insight on the growing battery metals industry. VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Dec. 11, 2018) announces the launch of its battery metals channel. Responding to the growth and evolution of the battery metals market, this channel will host news, educational content and expert opinions on the lithium , cobalt , graphite , vanadium and manganese market segments. "INN has been a trusted source of information on the lithium, cobalt, graphite, vanadium and manganese markets for nearly a decade, and is excited to bring these sectors together under the battery metals umbrella," said Nick Smith, CEO and publisher at INN. "Through connections with experts, our leading team of experienced writers creates original, insightful content on battery metals. INN educates investors in the industry by providing information they may never have access to on their own," Smith added. The battery metals channel will provide investors with access to: timely and educational articles regarding the battery metals market quarterly reviews of battery metals industry segments market forecasts from executives of leading battery metals companies in-depth interviews with industry experts "Interest in battery metals has risen significantly in the last few years, and INN recognizes the difficulty of finding trusted voices in the space," said Priscila Barrera, managing editor, resources, at INN. "As the battery metals sector continues to develop, INN is committed to providing investors with accurate, contextual commentary." INN simplifies the process of conducting research and allows investors direct access to the latest news and thought leaders in the industry. To get an enriched overview of the battery metals space, please visit INN's battery metals channel or download INN's battery metals free report . About INN INN publishes InvestingNews.com as a destination website for the investment community and provides trusted news and education for investors in over 40 targeted categories. INN publishes original, high-quality, independent articles covering all aspects of the investment markets. With over 350,000 monthly visitors and 800,000 page views per month, INN is a multi-platform publisher dedicated to educating investors with the latest market trends, live interviews and independent content written by world-class journalists. INN is a source for anyone looking to stay informed about the investing landscape and make educated investment decisions. INN taps into what is influencing the market and connects visitors with over 180 companies in the resource, technology and life science sectors. For more information see www.investingnewsnetwork.com or contact: Mike Rodger Partner 604-688-8231 mrodger@investingnewsnetwork.com Follow Investing News Network: https://www.facebook.com/resourceinvestingnews/ https://twitter.com/digmedia https://www.linkedin.com/company/1257056/ https://www.youtube.com/user/InvestingNews CALGARY, AB / ACCESSWIRE / December 11, 2018 / International Cannabrands Inc. (CSE: JUJU) (the "Company") is pleased to announce that La Vida Verde is exhibiting strong performance and is positioned for substantial growth into 2019. During the latest three month period of August to October 2018, LVV generated revenue well in excess of expectations and more than 15% above the prior three month period. Assuming this pace is maintained, the annualized revenue run rate is now more than US$11 million. The inclusion of LVV's results following the second closing at the beginning of January will dramatically increase the Company's revenues and operating income. "We are unbelievably excited about the revenue, distribution and product expansion gains La Vida Verde is achieving. This acquisition tracks exactly to our business strategy and we couldn't be more pleased with the performance. We should begin to increase our quarterly revenues over 10 fold going into the New Year. Most importantly, our operating income before any corporate expenses is expected to reverse from a modest negative to combined profitability," notes Steve Gormley, the Company's Chief Executive Officer. Further, LVV has several important growth initiatives to implement over the next 60 to 90 days. Firstly, with the use of funds advanced by the Company LVV has doubled its manufacturing capacity and is expected to be on full production by year end. Historically, the distribution of LVV's brands have been constrained by lack of inventory. Secondly, in January LVV will introduce four new products (SKUs). Thirdly, in March LVV is on schedule to introduce three additional Blank Brand SKU's. Management strongly believes this expansion of medicated gummies, upscale protein bars, new chocolate forms and super cookies will not only fuel tremendous growth, but will continue to bolster and differentiate LVV's La Vida Verde, Blank and Skunk Feather brands among consumers, rapidly expanding distribution within the industry. "We are extremely excited to have achieved this important milestone in this tumultuous market. LVV is a rare company that combines rapidly growing revenues, strong margins and strong brands. LVV is a shining example of the execution of our stated corporate goals to make accretive, highly valuable investments and acquisitions. Based on what we see now, we expect to continue to report enviable results," added Steve Gormley. The Company previously announced its successful closing of the acquisition of 8.5% of La Vide Verde, Inc. ("LVV"). With the proceeds from the first closing of its brokered financing, the Company repaid the note owing to Eric Hara and advanced additional funds to LVV. The closing of the acquisition of the additional 42.5% to complete the acquisition of 51% of LVV is scheduled to close January 2, 2018. See press release dated October 31, 2018. About International Cannabrands (ICI) The Company's business model is to generate revenue from cannabis cultivation, brands ranging from flower to edibles and from THC to CBD, oil extraction, ancillary products and apparel in the United States. ICI markets products with THC content where that practice has been legalized at the state level through either medicinal or full recreational use. ICI also markets products containing CBD in the US and internationally. ICI's strategy centers on acquiring micro brands, distribution and specific manufacturing/cultivation companies in the cannabis space. ICI has acquired the exclusive rights to Julian Marley's JuJu Royal brand. The Company believes as the legal cannabis market evolves, high-quality, unique products will increasingly capture market share and provide a valuable platform for growth. About JuJu Royal Julian Marley conveys his message of legalization, freedom, and love through the JuJu Royal brand, a line of naturally produced medicinal herbs. Our vision is to realize the opportunity to become one of the largest brands in the Marijuana industry. The synergy between the Rastafarian culture, music, natural products and an "Irie" experience is a powerful foundation for our business. JuJu's strategy is to develop and grow a complete cannabis line based on an international appeal to a millennial lifestyle seeking a luxurious and premium experience. JuJu will capitalize on the unparalleled opportunity to position itself with unique, innovative, high quality brands that meet and exceed our customer's expectations. More information about the brand and various products can be obtained at www.jujuroyal.net. International Cannabrands Contact: Steve Gormley Chief Executive Officer 1045 Lincoln Street, #106 Denver, Colorado 80203 Ph: (323) 828-4321 or steve.gormley@intlcannabrands.com Media Inquiries: media@jujuroyal.net NEITHER THE CANADIAN SECURITIES EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER HAS REVIEWED OR ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE. Disclaimer concerning Forward-looking Statements Certain statements included herein constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Such forward-looking statements include, without limitation, the completion of the acquisition by the Company of La Vida Verde Inc. and the expected impact on the revenue of the Company. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by management at this time, are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties and contingencies. Investors are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Additional risks and uncertainties regarding the Company are described in its publicly-available disclosure documents filed by the Company on SEDAR (www.sedar.com). The forward-looking statements contained in this news release represent the Company's expectations as of the date of this news release, or as of the date they are otherwise stated to be made, and subsequent events may cause these expectations to change. Except as required by law, the Company does not intend, and undertakes no obligation, to update any forward-looking statements to reflect, in particular, new information or future events. SOURCE: International Cannabrands Inc. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/530213/International-Cannabrands-La-Vida-Verde-Exceeds-Expectations Releases Architecture White Paper and Announces Open Source Collaboration with the Linux Foundation The O-RAN Alliance announced today that Reliance Jio, TIM, and Verizon have joined the O-RAN board. "It's encouraging to see the O-RAN Alliance off to such a strong start and gaining momentum as we welcome three new board members. It's important that the wireless industry continues to come together to drive forward O-RAN's goals for open networking, software, and virtualization in global wireless networks especially as 5G is closer than ever," said Andre Fuetsch, Chairman of the O-RAN Alliance, President-AT&T Labs and CTO of AT&T. "This is a great opportunity for the Service Provider Industry as network, services and applications leverage cloud native platforms and the right time to fundamentally transform the RAN infrastructure and platforms. We look forward to working closely with the O-RAN Alliance in the acceleration and adoption of open, intelligent, and programmable RAN architectures that can clearly disrupt the building blocks of 5G and beyond," said Mathew Oommen, President, Reliance Jio. "Jio is excited to play a leadership role within O-RAN and we look forward to working with all the Alliance Partners in shaping the foundation of future networks around the globe." "We are very excited by the opportunity for O-RAN to extend the strength of open solutions to the mobile industry," said Elisabetta Romano, TIM CTO. "TIM is a strong supporter of collaborative communities and standards, and we think that open RAN will be a very important part in the big 5G transformation that is coming. We will also contribute to O-RAN's work with our mmWave Testing Lab in Torino, one of the first in Europe." "We are excited to continue our drive towards an open radio network specification for the wireless industry," said Ed Chan, Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Architect of Verizon. "We will leverage the foundational success of xRAN to accelerate the work in O-RAN. Verizon looks forward to contributing to the success of O-RAN in realizing network components' interoperability at a global scale to create the next generation of flexible wireless networks for our customers." O-RAN is organized as a series of work groups focused on specific aspects of the RAN open architecture and interfaces, with a Technical Steering Committee (TSC) coordinating the overall work program. "We are pleased with the smooth transition of both C-RAN Alliance and xRAN Forum contributors into the O-RAN Alliance work groups," said Dr. Sachin Katti, Professor at Stanford University and O-RAN Alliance TSC Co-Chair. "We've seen advancement on all fronts. The mix of new contributors and ideas promises to accelerate our progress during this next phase of O-RAN Alliance specifications and reference designs." O-RAN has released its inaugural white paper, "O-RAN: Towards an Open and Smart RAN," which is available on the O-RAN website. The white paper describes the O-RAN architecture, which drives a more cost-effective, intelligent RAN with open interoperable interfaces for next generation 5G networks and beyond. "It is an exciting launching pad, building upon the accomplishments of both C-RAN and xRAN communities," said Chih-Lin I, Chief Scientist of China Mobile and TSC Co-Chair of O-RAN. "This white paper is the fruit of a joint effort from 7 working groups and 12 board members of the O-RAN Alliance. The paper identifies an AI-enabled RAN Intelligent Controller, RAN Virtualization, Open Interfaces, Whitebox Hardware, and Open Source Software as key focus areas. The architecture and roadmap provide clear guidelines for the industry and helps build the momentum to accelerate the necessary transformation towards a sustainable ecosystem." The O-RAN Alliance held a series of technical meetings and a symposium, with over 200 people from 80 companies participating. The symposium included speakers from leading operators and industry suppliers. O-RAN has also started collaboration arrangements with The Linux Foundation to establish an open source software community for the creation of open source RAN software. Collaboration with The Linux Foundation will enable the creation of open source software supporting the O-RAN architecture and interfaces. "We are excited to see alignment on this exciting area of technology," said Arpit Joshipura, general manager, Networking, The Linux Foundation. "Our joint efforts will help accelerate the creation, integration, and deployment of open source in the RAN." About O-RAN Alliance The O-RAN Alliance is a world-wide, carrier-led effort to drive new levels of openness in the radio access network of next generation wireless systems. Future RANs will be built on a foundation of virtualized network elements, white-box hardware and standardized interfaces that fully embrace O-RAN's core principles of intelligence and openness. An ecosystem of innovative new products is already emerging that will form the underpinnings of the multi-vendor, interoperable, autonomous RAN, envisioned by many in the past, but only now enabled by the global industry-wide vision, commitment and leadership of O-RAN Alliance members and contributors. More information about O-RAN can be found at www.o-ran.org. About The Linux Foundation The Linux Foundation is the organization of choice for the world's top developers and companies to build ecosystems that accelerate open technology development and industry adoption. Together with the worldwide open source community, it is solving the hardest technology problems by creating the largest shared technology investment in history. Founded in 2000, The Linux Foundation today provides tools, training and events to scale any open source project, which together deliver an economic impact not achievable by any one company. More information can be found at www.linuxfoundation.org. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181211005244/en/ Contacts: O-RAN PR Contact Rod Stuhlmuller pr@o-ran.org Axis cameras provide additional eyes for paramedics in the Tactical Logistics Center to help nurses, doctors and parents continuously monitor patient vitals, detect small visual changes in health and accelerate emergency response. Axis Communications, the market leader in network video, today announced that Nemours Children's Hospital in Orlando, Florida has integrated Axis HDTV-resolution network cameras into its Tactical Logistics Center (TLC), a comprehensive, around-the-clock patient third-level monitoring system. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181211005012/en/ Nemours Children's Hospital Tactical Logistics Center, which is a comprehensive, around-the-clock patient third-level monitoring system. (Photo: Business Wire) A rotating team of paramedics in the TLC continually check patient vital signs through a bank of clinical review monitors. In addition to monitoring clinical data, the paramedics can turn on the Axis camera in a patient's room within seconds of an alarm to check for subtle changes in physiology that might indicate the child is in distress. If they observe any sudden changes, paramedics can immediately dispatch a code blue or rapid response team to save a child's life. Watch the full story here. "We're proud that Nemours chose Axis as a partner in building this innovative pediatric monitoring center," said Paul Baratta, Business Development Manager, Healthcare, Axis Communications, Inc. "It's gratifying to know that the intelligence capabilities of our cameras are revolutionizing healthcare and playing an important role in helping the hospital improve the quality of patient care for these children and their families." Nemours collaborated with Axis to configure AXIS P33 Fixed Dome Network Cameras to seamlessly integrate with the hospital's clinical monitoring system. The cameras are programmed to operate with a privacy curtain. Paramedics are required to call into the room and notify those present before turning on the camera to observe the patient. An LED on the camera lets everyone in the room know when the camera is live streaming. When the cameras are on, paramedics can zoom and focus them remotely as needed. "Nemours is one of the first pediatric hospitals to implement this third-level monitoring with video verification," says Joe Summanen, Technical Architect for Nemours Children's Hospital. "With the Axis cameras we're able to provide that extra level of care, even when medical staff isn't in the room." TLC paramedics monitor over 100 in-patient beds at Nemours as well as over 150 beds in its sister hospital, Nemours/Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children in Wilmington, DE. When alarms go off at either campus, the cameras help paramedics quickly distinguish between dire emergencies and non-events. This alarm validation occurs within seconds as opposed to the average 10 minute nurse response time for less critical alarms found in a recent JAMA Pediatrics research study. "Giving paramedics the ability to look into each room leads to patients getting the attention they need much quicker," says Dr. Torres, Chief of Critical Care at Nemours Children's Hospital. "With the Axis cameras, we're becoming more preemptive in our responses rather than reactive and that's helping us achieve the excellence in pediatric care we're always striving to provide our young patients and their families." For more information, Watch the full story here or learn more at www.axis-communications.com/nemours About Axis Communications Axis enables a smarter and safer world by creating network solutions that provide insights for improving security and new ways of doing business. As the industry leader in network video, Axis offers products and services for video surveillance and analytics, access control, and audio systems. Axis has more than 3,000 dedicated employees in over 50 countries and collaborates with partners worldwide to deliver customer solutions. Axis was founded in 1984 and has its headquarters in Lund, Sweden. For more information about Axis, please visit our website www.axis.com View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181211005012/en/ Contacts: Kristin Albano, PR Specialist, Axis Communication Phone: 978-614-3089, E-mail: Kristin.Albano@axis.com Anne Lines, Matter Communications Phone: 978-518-4512, E-mail: axis@matternow.com NEW YORK, December 11, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- FN Media Group Presents Potstocknews.com Market Commentary Last month, Massachusetts became the latest to join the ranks of US states now legally selling recreational cannabis. While legalization in the state of Massachusetts was officially declared back in July this year, the first licensed dispensaries in the state opened their doors for recreational sale on November 20th. With an estimated $1.8 billion industry at stake in the New England state, companies are already heading east to establish themselves in newly legal markets, including Green Growth Brands (CSE:GGB), Canopy Growth Corporation (CSE:WEED) (NYSE:CGC), Acreage Holdings Inc. (CSE:ACRG) (OTC:ACRZF), Green Thumb Industries (CSE:GTII) (OTC:GTBIF), and Harvest Health & Recreation (CSE:HARV) (OTC:HTHHF). Already have Massachusetts retailers begun sales, with Northampton Mayor David Narkewicz becoming the very first customer for one of the first two recreational dispensaries in the state. Narkewicz's jurisdiction quickly became the center of attention of a significant acquisition, after retail experts, Green Growth Brands (CSE: GGB) entered the Northampton market with a splash. Through the acquisition of membership interests in Northampton-based Just Healthy LLC, Green Growth Brands (CNQ:GGB.CN) picked up the rights to up to three marijuana dispensaries, as well as cultivation and production licenses in the state. "We are excited at the prospect of competing in one of the most lucrative cannabis markets in the United States," said Green Growth Brands (CSE: GGB) CEO Peter Horvath. "If you look at our track record, you can see that we have the product development and marketing expertise to outperform in retail, and now we have the distribution channels to bring a superior cannabis shopping experience to the people of Massachusetts." With the proximity to a large student population in nearby Amherst, Green Growth Brands (CSE: GGB) plans to center its entry into the Northampton market around creating a footprint as the go-to cannabis retail location in Massachusetts. The company has all the tools to achieve this, as Horvath's personal retail experience far exceeds anyone else in the cannabis space. He's held C-level tenures at the helms of Victoria's Secret, American Eagle Outfitters, DSW and Limited Brands. His team is rounded out with fellow retail leaders who join him in his vision of reinventing the cannabis retail experience. "Not only are we now able to operate in Massachusetts, but we are able to do it through the acquisition of licenses and rights that give us almost turnkey vertical integration," continued Horvath. "When we look at other transactions of this nature, in this state and elsewhere in the U.S., we can say that we are very happy with the terms of the deal and with our relationship with Just Healthy's management team." A New Retail Movement Begins The Commonwealth of Massachusetts legalized the sale of cannabis for recreational use effective July 1st, 2018 - but sales have just begun as the first licensed dispensaries opened their doors this November 20th. When it matures, the state's cannabis market is expected to generate up to US$1.8 billion in annual marijuana sales. According to Massachusetts' Cannabis Control Commission, the state's two recreational dispensaries - Cultivate (in Leicester) and New England Treatment Access (in Northampton) have seen $4.8 million in sales since they opened for legal recreational pot sales in late November. In an effort to capture a healthy portion of this new market, companies such as Green Growth Brands (CSE: GGB) is making the move early on. As part of the Just Healthy deal, Green Growth Brands (CSE: GGB) also picked up a series of assets beyond the previously mentioned licenses. These included all grow equipment and supplies, all production equipment and supplies, the assumption of all leases, intellectual property owned by Just Healthy and all other assets necessary to operate its vertically integrated operations. The acquisition was just another tranche of Green Growth Brands' (CSE: GGB) aggressive expansion plans after raising CAD$140 million prior to its recent RTO. The company has stormed out of the gate, zeroing in on establishing authentic brands and innovative stores. Prior to the RTO, there was much excitement over the possibilities of a fully-qualified retail team entering the sector. In an interview with Green Growth Brands' CEO Peter Horvath, CNBC's Mad Money host Jim Cramer was most excited about Horvath's retail experience, stating, "This is the first CEO that's going into retail that's actually been in retail." Before the show went to commercial, Cramer excitedly added, "I cannot wait until you come public." Sadly, up until companies such as Green Growth Brands (CSE: GGB) entered the scene, customers have found the cannabis shopping experience to be fairly lacking. The excuse of the sector's newness is wearing thin, and finally expert help is on the way, both for buyers and producers/suppliers. "The team we've put together is arguably one of the top retail teams in any market, let alone cannabis," Horvath told Jim Cramer in the October TV interview. Beyond the team itself, Horvath has put together quite the war chest to dispense on acquisitions such as the Just Healthy deal. He was also instrumental in raising CAD$85 million in the Green Growth Brands (CSE: GGB) private placement, which far exceeded the original target of CAD$55 million. Moving forward, the Green Growth Brands (CSE: GGB) game plan doesn't just begin and end with cannabis retail stores. The company is also aggressively moving into the cannabidiol (CBD) space, which is pegged to potentially reach $22 billion by 2022. Due to its non-intoxicating nature, the mainstream potential for CBD products is quite high- even for those uncomfortable the other prominent (and psychoactive) cannabinoid, THC. Green Growth Brands (CSE: GGB) has already rolled out its a unique line of CBD-infused beauty products, dubbed "Seventh Sense", which will be sold in regular stores including drug stores, grocery stores, and other retail stores. Backed by management's experience and extensive retail connections, getting products on mainstream shelves should be a smooth process. Something For Everyone Across all of the offerings from Green Growth Brands (CSE: GGB), there appears to be something for everyone-Including an outdoorsy/active living niche of its CAMP brand, a self-care botanical therapy products called Seventh Sense, a surf culture Meri + Jayne brand, feminine targeted Green Lily botanical products, the newly-acquired Just Healthy line, and its flagship dispensary subsidiary called The Source. Through a unique branding strategy Green Growth Brands (CSE:GGB) is choosing to move away from traditional customer demographics-Instead choosing to strategize its segmenting by emotion. For example, Meri + Jayne focuses on combining the feeling of fun and well-being, while CAMP focuses on the experience of being at one with nature. Among the company's assets so far, there is perhaps the greatest potential for further expansions through water solubility. Through its state-of-the-art, patent-pending developer brand Xanthic Biopharma Green Growth Brands (CSE:GGB) controls a proprietary process to make THC and CBD water soluble. With water-soluble cannabinoids at the ready, the company gains a seemingly limitless potential to develop new products, from beauty products to edibles and drinks. Massachusetts Growing The Eastern Market Through a strategic partnership with Compassionate Organics, Green Thumb Industries (CSE:GTII) (OTCQX:GTBIF) is moving forward to operationalize a Boston-based medical marijuana dispensary on historic Newbury Street. Green Thumb is vertically integrated, with a primary focus of being a national cannabis consumer packaged goods company. The Chicago-based company owns and operates a national chain of retail cannabis stores called RISE[TM] dispensaries. Green Thumb has eight manufacturing facilities and licenses for 60 retail locations across eight highly-regulated US markets. Getting past the regulatory requirements can prove difficult. Despite publicly stating that it will not sell its products in the US until they're federally legal, Canopy Growth Corporation (CSE:WEED) (NYSE:CGC) is intently keeping its eye on all US markets. The cannabis giant recently announced it was buying pot research company Ebbu in a deal worth $25 million. The deal with could include an additional $75 million in cash and shares, if certain scientific-related milestones are achieved within two years. Canopy plans to employ Ebbu's assets and personnel to conduct R&D, but will not engage in production nor sales until the US lifts prohibition federally. Arizona-based Harvest Health & Recreation (CSE:HARV) (OTC:HTHHF) is a vertically integrated cannabis company with permits and licenses in 10 US states-including local approvals in Massachusetts. The company recently acquired CBx Enterprises, whose technology is utilized by Evolab, CBx Sciences and CBx Essentials. CBx's CO2 extraction abilities help to give Harvest further abilities to access patients and consumers across the country. In another newly legalized state, Michigan, Acreage Holdings Inc. (CSE:ACRG) (OTC:ACRZF) recently announced it would acquire a Michigan real estate portfolio ahead of the state's official cannabis licensing. Through an agreement to acquire the assets of Michigan-based Blue Tire Holdings, LLC, Acreage Holdings now has a foothold to bring cannabis products to Michigan residents throughout the state. The move into Michigan is strategic on behalf of Acreage Holdings, as the state is one of the highest per-capita cannabis markets in the US. For more information on Green Growth Brands (CSE: GGB), visitpotstocknews.com. Disclaimer: Potstocknews.com (PSN) is the source of the Article and content set forth above. References to any issuer other than the profiled issuer are intended solely to identify industry participants and do not constitute an endorsement of any issuer and do not constitute a comparison to the profiled issuer. FN Media Group (FNM) is a third-party publisher and news dissemination service provider, which disseminates electronic information through multiple online media channels. FNM is NOT affiliated with PSN or any company mentioned herein. 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Media Contact: FN Media Group, LLC info@financialnewsmedia.com +1(561)325-8757 NEW YORK, December 11, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- FN Media Group Presents Potstocknews.com Market Commentary Distinct advantages are appearing in each region of the emerging cannabis market. Leading the pack are the state of California, and the entire country of Canada, which each have their own favorable regulations to adhere to for a growing class of ambitious cannabis companies that include Chemistree Technology Inc. (CSE:CHM) (OTC:CHMJF),Hexo Corp. (OTC:HYYDF) (TSX:HEXO), Organigram Holdings Inc. (OTC:OGRMF) (TSX.V:OGI), Supreme Cannabis Co. (TSX-V:FIRE) (OTC:SPRWF),and iAnthus Capital Holdings Inc. (CSE:IAN) (OTC:ITHUF). Legalization takes many forms. For instance, while Canadian dispensaries are opening nationwide, marketers of these new products are restricted in how they conduct their branding -ie. only boring generic labels are allowed. Whereas, the similarly large population of California are being exposed to all types of new products, brands, and labels. The Golden State's branding advantage has given companies such as Chemistree Technology Inc. (CSE:CHM) (OTC:CHMJF) the impetus to set up shop in California while importing established brands in from other parts of the Pacific Northwest. The company recently solidified a land purchase of 9.55 acres in California's prominent Desert Hot Springs Cannabis Cultivation Zone. Upon the commencement of production from the Desert Hot Springs Cannabis Cultivation Zone, it appears that getting the product into the hands of customers should become even easier than it was before. Californian regulators most recently stated that marijuana deliveries can be made anywhere in the state - even in locales that ban cannabis. The proposed regulations become permanent next month after state lawyers finish reviewing them. However, the proposals also come with their potential drawbacks, including a ban on permit holders partnering with unlicensed partners, which industry supporters said will stifle growth. They also continue to allow farmers to receive an unlimited number of permits to grow. With the recently acquired global brand and marketing rights for the Washington-based Sugarleaf brand in hand, Chemistree Technology Inc. (CSE:CHM) (OTC:CHMJF) is seemingly poised to make a big leap across state lines. California's Land of Opportunity For Chemistree Technology Inc. (CSE:CHM) (OTC:CHMJF) establishing Sugarleaf in California is a primary objective. The first move for the company is the latest strategic collaboration recently launched with a Humboldt County-based cannabis processing company that holds a "Type 6: Non Volatile Solvent Extraction" license from the State of California. The processor uses Apeks supercritical CO 2 extraction to produce cannabis oil, terpene profiles and other products on behalf of cannabis cultivators, other manufacturers, and processors throughout northern California. Once extraction has taken place, the sky's the limit on the choice of products, as the cannabis flower can be incorporated into edibles. Edibles spending in Canada and the US surpassed $1 billion in 2017 and is projected to grow to more than $4.1 billion by 2022. As the market shakes out the poseurs from the players, consumers are at this very early stage beginning to align themselves with their favorite products-a decision that could solidify a relationship that could last years. Quality, availability, and that "it" factor goes into every buying decision. Whether the customer is seeking something they'll be buying on a regular basis, or pulling out their wallets and seeking the "champagne of cannabis" which is being sold for upwards of $800 per ounce - It's up to cannabis companies to give the customer what they want. Banking on the Pacific Northwest Branding Advantage Branding and marketing new products require finesse and capital. Now many are looking to the Pacific Northwest to be the central launch pad for new cannabis brands and products. The region has had disproportionate success in brand building, having spawned such notable giants as Nike, Microsoft, Starbucks, and Amazon. Should brands such as Washington-based Sugarleaf take the next step in terms of name-recognition, its Pacific Northwest origins won't soon be forgotten. With the cannabis market emerging as potentially a new competitor (or compliment) to coffee and other versions of life's pleasures, a unique opportunity is at hand. It's up to companies to get out ahead of the herd early and seize an early-mover advantage as soon as possible. Chemistree Technology Inc.'s (CSE:CHM) (OTC:CHMJF) strategic move into California represents this type of advantage-despite the state's already booming cannabis sales. In 2017, before recreational marijuana even became legal on January 1, 2018, California's cannabis spending hovered near $3 billion in 2017. By 2022, that figure is expected to soar to $7.7 billion. Banking on the Pacific Northwest Branding Advantage As the new era of legalization across all major markets comes closer to reality, cannabis companies are at this point staking valuable ground. Chemistree Technology Inc. (CSE:CHM) (OTC:CHMJF) is gearing up for a big move, now with operations in both Washington State and more importantly, California. Potential new business initiatives for the company include adding key industry people in sales positions in Washington and California, developing a proprietary CBD-focused line of products and most importantly expanding the Company's presence outside of Washington and California to other states where opportunities exist in the rapidly growing cannabis industry. When his company announced its California land acquisition in November, Chemistree president Karl Kottmeier stated, "This is a great purchase for Chemistree. I am pleased to report that our highly-experienced team in California has begun working on this exciting project. We are buying a site that already has much of the Conditional Use Permit application process well underway." Now in the process of adding key people to the Chemistree California Team, the company is currently focused on product development, biomass sourcing and sales, and marketing planning. Upon acquiring the global rights for Sugarleaf and officially entering the California market, Kottmeier stated, "I am grateful to our tremendous team of advisors in California who are helping us access a market that is expected to exceed $5.1 billion next year. Sugarleaf is a high quality, flower-based product line in Washington state and now, working closely with our new processor partner in Humboldt, we will be able to develop and produce Sugarleaf manufactured products as well as flower products in the world's sixth largest economy - the massive California market." The company's plans for the Desert Hot Springs Cultivation Zone property includes the development of a greenhouse cultivation facility at the site that includes two separate cultivation buildings totaling 127,960 square feet and an additional 119,960-square-foot building intended for warehousing and processing facilities. Fully constructed, a facility of this size has the potential to produce approximately 50,000 pounds of cannabis flower per year. Kottmeier added in the company's most recent corporate update, "Our submission to the City of Desert Hot Springs is advancing through the regulatory process and our most recent update from our contractor has provided us with the good news that due to a rework of our plans by the City Engineer, we have an unexpected savings of approximately $500,000 to the project budget. We are confident that our submission will be successful and we are looking forward to working with the City of Desert Hot Springs going forward." Opportunities in Other Regions Management at Hexo Corp. (OTCPK:HYYDF) (TSX:HEXO) is beaming, fresh off of hauling in two prizes at the 2018 Canadian Cannabis Awards. The company's flagship Hydropothecary by HEXO took home Cannabis Product of the Year, while its peppermint medical cannabis oil sublingual spray "Elixir" won them the Innovation of the Year award. In terms of innovation, the market's eyes are still on the Quebec-based company, in the wake of its deal signed with Molson Coors, which will likely lead to new beverage based products in the coming years. Prior to its recent price drop, it looked as if Organigram Holdings Inc. (OTCQX:OGRMF) (TSX.V:OGI) could be the next cannabis company to make the jump onto the NYSE. However, the Moncton-based company is continuing to keep its focus on the Canadian market first and foremost. Most recently, Organigram obtained a $10 million loan from Farm Credit Canada to continue to expand its Moncton campus. The scheduled expansion is projected to increase the company's target production capacity by 62,00kg per year and 89,000kg per year, with the additional state-of-the-art grow rooms coming online in April and August of 2019, respectively. While refraining from launching in the United States, Supreme Cannabis Co. (TSX-V: FIRE) (OTCQX: SPRWF) recently indicated another move into international markets through a deal with a prominent cannabis tastemaker. Globally-recognized recording artist Wiz Khalifa and his global regulated cannabis brand Khalifa Kush Enterprises (KKE), just inked a deal with Supreme, launching an international partnership (excluding the US) to develop and launch a lineup of premium cannabis products. Supreme Cannabis and KKE will work to develop and commercialize a product lineup that is expected to include pre-rolls, extracts, capsules, and cannabis oils to be sold by Supreme Cannabis under the KKE brand. Unlike Supreme, iAnthus Capital Holdings Inc (CSE:IAN) (OTCQX:ITHUF) is entirely focused on the United States. The New York-based company owns and operates licensed cannabis cultivation, processing, and dispensary facilities throughout the USA. At the moment, iAnthus is patiently waiting for the finalizing of the transformative acquisition of MPX Bioceutical (OTC:MPXEF) from October. The combined entity is positioned to build out its multi-state business model in the US cannabis market, with a combined market capitalization of over $600 million. For aFREE research report on Chemistree Technology Inc. (CSE:CHM) (OTC:CHMJF), visitpotstocknews.com. Disclaimer: Potstocknews.com (PSN) is the source of the Article and content set forth above. References to any issuer other than the profiled issuer are intended solely to identify industry participants and do not constitute an endorsement of any issuer and do not constitute a comparison to the profiled issuer. FN Media Group (FNM) is a third-party publisher and news dissemination service provider, which disseminates electronic information through multiple online media channels. FNM is NOT affiliated with PSN or any company mentioned herein. The commentary, views and opinions expressed in this release by PSN are solely those of PSN and are not shared by and do not reflect in any manner the views or opinions of FNM. Readers of this Article and content agree that they cannot and will not seek to hold liable PSN and FNM for any investment decisions by their readers or subscribers. PSN and FNM and their respective affiliated companies are a news dissemination and financial marketing solutions provider and are NOT registered broker-dealers/analysts/investment advisers, hold no investment licenses and may NOT sell, offer to sell or offer to buy any security. The Article and content related to the profiled company represent the personal and subjective views of the Author (PSN), and are subject to change at any time without notice. The information provided in the Article and the content has been obtained from sources which the Author believes to be reliable. However, the Author (PSN) has not independently verified or otherwise investigated all such information. None of the Author, PSN, FNM, or any of their respective affiliates, guarantee the accuracy or completeness of any such information. This Article and content are not, and should not be regarded as investment advice or as a recommendation regarding any particular security or course of action; readers are strongly urged to speak with their own investment advisor and review all of the profiled issuer's filings made with the Securities and Exchange Commission before making any investment decisions and should understand the risks associated with an investment in the profiled issuer's securities, including, but not limited to, the complete loss of your investment. FNM was not compensated by any public company mentioned herein to disseminate this press release but was compensated forty five hundred dollars by PSN, a non-affiliated third party to distribute this release on behalf of Chemistree Technology Inc. FNM HOLDS NO SHARES OF ANY COMPANY NAMED IN THIS RELEASE. This release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended and such forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. "Forward-looking statements" describe future expectations, plans, results, or strategies and are generally preceded by words such as "may", "future", "plan" or "planned", "will" or "should", "expected," "anticipates", "draft", "eventually" or "projected". You are cautioned that such statements are subject to a multitude of risks and uncertainties that could cause future circumstances, events, or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements, including the risks that actual results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, and other risks identified in a company's annual report on Form 10-K or 10-KSB and other filings made by such company with the Securities and Exchange Commission. You should consider these factors in evaluating the forward-looking statements included herein, and not place undue reliance on such statements. The forward-looking statements in this release are made as of the date hereof and PSN and FNM undertake no obligation to update such statements. Media Contact: FN Media Group, LLC info@financialnewsmedia.com +1(561)325-8757 Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. Pullach (ots) - IFCO SYSTEMS supports food banks worldwide by provisioning free RPCs and co-financing refrigerated vansSince the beginning of its initiative for the support of food banks in 2009, IFCO SYSTEMS, the leading global provider of reusable packaging solutions, has donated more than 280,000 RPCs (Reusable Plastic Containers) to food banks. In addition, the company supports food banks with voluntary work and by co-financing refrigerated vans."A better supply chain serves us all. This is why we support food banks around the globe with our RPCs to optimize their supply chain processes - enabling them to better fulfill their mission every day, and yet reduce waste," said Wolfgang Orgeldinger, CEO of IFCO SYSTEMS. "IFCO is pleased to support the food banks in their endeavors to help those in need. Since we started our initiative in 2009, IFCO has not only provided thousands of RPCs, but also made monetary donations, co-financed dozens of refrigerated transporters and allocated hundreds of volunteering hours to help reduce hunger worldwide."In 2018 IFCO supported activities in different countries all around the globe:IFCO Germany provided RPCs to 46 food banks in 2018, bringing their cumulative support to 152 food banks by the end of 2018. The free provision of about 16,000 RPCs during the year contributes to process optimization at these food banks and significantly reduces waste. Disposal costs for one-way packaging are also saved. Thanks to the contractual cooperation with Tafel Deutschland e.V. (https://www.tafel.de), four more food banks could be supported with the financing of refrigerated vehicles - bringing the overall figure of sponsored vans in Germany to 62 since the start of the initiative back in 2009.Please find the complete press release at https://bit.ly/2PvJIgcOriginaltext: IFCO Systems digital press kits: http://www.presseportal.de/nr/130931 press kits via RSS: http://www.presseportal.de/rss/pm_130931.rss2Contact:HBI Helga Bailey GmbH Corinna Voss ifco@hbi.de Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - December 11, 2018) - Precipitate Gold Corp. (TSXV: PRG) (the "Company" or "Precipitate") is pleased to announce it has engaged independent geological consultant Dr. Stewart D. Redwood for project review and preparation of a geological report and recommendations on the Company's newest property acquisition, the Pueblo Grande Project in the Dominican Republic. Dr. Redwood is a renowned economic geologist, having worked for numerous mining and exploration companies in over 35 countries around the world, with a specific focus and expertise within Latin America. During his 30+ year career, Dr. Redwood has authored multiple technical reports and published papers in Economic Geology and other journals and has authored (or co-authored) 11 reports on Dominican Republic geology and ore bodies, including the Pueblo Viejo gold deposit located immediately adjacent to Precipitate's new Pueblo Grande Project in central Dominican Republic. Several of Dr. Redwood's published reports on Pueblo Viejo and its surrounding areas were co-authored by other notable geological consultants, including Richard Sillitoe, David Hall, and Precipitate Director, Alistair Waddell. Jeffrey Wilson, Precipitate President & CEO, stated, "We are thrilled to engage Dr. Redwood to review, evaluate, and provide recommendations on our newly acquired Pueblo Grande Project. As we complete the transaction to acquire a 100% interest in the ground and embark on our first phases of work, Dr. Redwood's geological expertise and extensive experience in and around the Pueblo Viejo region will provide a substantial benefit for Precipitate in understanding the geological setting of the project and implementing our near-term plans and long-term objectives for this prospective new landholding. Combining Dr. Redwood's intimate understanding of the neighbouring Pueblo Viejo deposit and surrounding regional geological and structural characteristics with our newly attained historic project data package, will provide our technical team with invaluable guidance to identify and prioritize areas within our large new land package for detailed initial ground work leading to drill target delineation." In the early 2000's Dr. Redwood served as the first President & CEO of GoldQuest Mining, where he worked extensively exploring and evaluating multiple projects throughout the Dominican Republic. Stewart Redwood, BSc (Hons), PhD, FIMMM, FGS specializes in minerals exploration and project evaluation. He has a degree in geology from Glasgow University (1982) and obtained his Ph.D. from Aberdeen University (1986) for his work on the gold and silver deposits of Bolivia. Over the course of his career, Dr Redwood has worked for the British Geological Survey, was the Director of Exploration for Mintec S.A., the largest mining consulting company in Bolivia, worked at Metall Mining Corporation / Inmet Mining Corporation as a Project Geologist then a Senior Geologist in South and Central America, including secondment to the Antamina copper and zinc project in Peru, where he supervised the reserve drilling program for the feasibility study that increased mineable reserves fourfold to 500 million tonnes grading 1.2% copper and 1.0% zinc, and was Chief Geologist South America for AngloGold Ltd. (now AngloGold Ashanti). Dr. Redwood is a Fellow of The Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining (FIMMM), a Fellow of the Geological Society of London (FGS), a Fellow of the Society of Economic Geologists, and a Member of the Geological Society of America. The FIMMM is recognized as a Qualifying Person under Canadian NI 43-101 rules. Full details of Dr. Redwood's credentials, work history and published reports can be found on his website at sredwood.com. About Precipitate Gold: Precipitate Gold Corp. is a mineral exploration company focused on exploring and advancing its two district scale landholdings in the Dominican Republic's two most significant mining and exploration camps, specifically its flagship Pueblo Grande Project immediately adjacent to Barrick's world-class Pueblo Viejo mine operation, and its Juan de Herrera Project adjacent to GoldQuest's Romero Project. The Company also maintains assets in southeast Yukon Territory, specifically the Company's Reef property located immediately adjacent to Golden Predator's 3 Aces Project in the Upper Hyland River area. The Company has entered into an Option to Purchase Agreement with Golden Predator whereby Golden Predator can earn a 100% interest in the Reef claims by making certain staged payments in cash and shares and warrants. Precipitate is also actively evaluating additional high-impact property acquisitions with the potential to expand the Company's portfolio and increase shareholder value. Additional information can be viewed at the Company's website www.precipitategold.com. On Behalf of the Board of Directors of Precipitate Gold Corp., "Jeffrey Wilson" President & CEO For further information, please contact: Tel: 604-558-0335 Toll Free: 855-558-0335 investor@precipitategold.com Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Service Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Technavio analysts forecast the global travel vaccines market to grow at a CAGR of close to 10% during the forecast period, according to their latest market research report. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181211005669/en/ Technavio has released a new market research report on the global travel vaccines market for the period 2018-2022. (Graphic: Business Wire) Increased incidence of travel-related diseases is one of the major trends being witnessed in the global travel vaccines market 2018-2022. Traveling is often associated with higher health risks, especially regarding infectious diseases. The incidence of travel-related diseases such as yellow fever, Japanese encephalitis, Hepatitis A E, meningitis, typhoid, tetanus, diphtheria, and cholera is increasing worldwide. Therefore, the increase in the incidence of travel-related diseases will lead to more investments in the global travel vaccines market for the development of more effective vaccines and hence, will propel the growth of the market. This report is available at a USD 1,000 discount for a limited time only: View market snapshot before purchasing According to Technavio analysts, one of the key factors contributing to the growth of the global travel vaccines market is the increase in global travel and migration: Global travel vaccines market: Increase in global travel and migration Travel and migration by air, sea, and land have highly expanded globally in the past few years, which has resulted in the spread of pathogens and disease-causing vectors worldwide. Moreover, the growing contact of people with different animals and plants has also resulted in the movement of pathogens from them to people. Recently, Germany reported an increase in communicable diseases after the country granted asylum to two million refugees, mainly from Iraq and Syria. Therefore, the increase in global travel and tourism, as well as migration, offers huge opportunities for the manufactures of vaccines to invest in the R&D of new and more effective vaccines. Hence, this is expected to boost the growth of the global travel vaccines market. According to a senior analyst at Technavio for research on vaccines, "Apart from the increase in global travel and migration, the global travel vaccines market is expected to be positively influenced by the increase in awareness about vaccine-preventable diseases among travelers and the mandate by countries on vaccinations prior to issuing visas." Global travel vaccines market: Segmentation analysis The global travel vaccines market research report provides market segmentation by target disease for immunization (influenza, diphtheria, hepatitis, typhoid, polio, and yellow fever) and by region (the Americas, EMEA, and APAC). It provides an in-depth analysis of the prominent factors influencing the market, including drivers, opportunities, trends, and industry-specific challenges. The Americas region held the largest share of the market in 2017, accounting for more than 64% share, followed by EMEA and APAC respectively. Although the APAC held the smallest share of the market in 2017, it is expected to register the highest incremental growth during the forecast period. Looking for more information on this market? Request a free sample report Technavio's sample reports are free of charge and contain multiple sections of the report such as the market size and forecast, drivers, challenges, trends, and more. Some of the key topics covered in the report include: Market Landscape Market ecosystem Market characteristics Market segmentation analysis Market Sizing Market definition Market size and forecast Five Forces Analysis Market Segmentation Geographical Segmentation Regional comparison Key leading countries Market Drivers Market Challenges Market Trends Vendor Landscape Vendors covered Vendor classification Market positioning of vendors Competitive scenario About Technavio Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focuses on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions. With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 10,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios. If you are interested in more information, please contact our media team at media@technavio.com View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181211005669/en/ Contacts: Technavio Research Jesse Maida Media Marketing Executive US: +1 844 364 1100 UK: +44 203 893 3200 www.technavio.com TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / December 11, 2018 / Oxford Investments Holdings Inc. ("Oxford" or the "Company") (OTCMKTS: OXIHF) is pleased to announce that its US-based subsidiary, FloraCana Consultants, Inc. ("FloraCana"), operating under the name of "Pioneer Green USA", has entered into another license agreement in Florida. The new Pioneer Green USA store will be located in the Red Barn Flea Market, a popular Bradenton, Florida regional landmark that operates year-round and attracts up to 50,000 people each weekend. The 600-sq. ft. Pioneer Green USA store is expected to have its grand opening on December 15 and will be one of 60 permanent stores in the market which are open six days a week. On weekends, an additional 600 vendors ply their wares. The Red Barn supports its vendors with high traffic, special events, advertising, clean facilities, food courts, and over ten acres of parking. Under the terms of the license agreement, the licensee is responsible for the lease of their storefront. The licensee engages FloraCana to set up a turn-key Pioneer Green USA branded store and stock it with a variety of CBD products ranging from oils, vaporizers, salves and ointments which are white-labelled specifically for Pioneer Green USA from multiple suppliers. By agreement, licensees are obligated to purchase Pioneer Green CBD products on an ongoing basis. "We are very excited for the launch of the Red Barn store. It is in a very high traffic location and should be a wonderful showcase for Pioneer Green USA branded CBD products. As I've said before, we believe that CBD is expected to be one of the fastest growing industries in the US over the next three to five years as more people become aware of the potential health and wellness benefits of CBD," stated Michael Donaghy, President of Oxford. "We are looking to expand our concept into other states and striving to make Pioneer Green USA into a nationally recognized brand." The CBD market is a large part of the legal cannabis industry. The Hemp Business Journal estimates that the CBD market will grow to a $2.1 billion USD market in consumer sales by 2020 with $450 million USD of those sales coming from hemp-based sources. That is a 700% increase from 2016. In 2015, the market for consumer sales of hemp-derived CBD products was $90 million USD. CBD (Cannabidiol) is a hemp-derived compound that has potentially significant medical benefits to human and animal health and wellness. Scientific and clinical research, often supported by academia, the US government, and the World Health Organization, which has concluded that CBD offers a range of medical health benefits without the potential to be abused or cause harm in users. This makes it an appealing option for patients looking for relief from inflammation, pain, anxiety, psychosis, seizures, spasms, and other conditions without disconcerting feelings of tiredness or feeling "stoned". CBD that is derived from hemp is legal to import and purchase in all 50 U.S. states, without a prescription. Unlike THC and marijuana, Cannabidiol itself isn't listed in the Controlled Substances Act. Parties interested in considering Pioneer Green USA franchise or license agreements are encouraged to call (416)-576-4671 to request information, book an appointment, or visit the office: FloraCana Consultants, Inc. (Pioneer Green USA) 600 8th Avenue West, Suite 303 Palmetto, Florida, USA 34221 (727)-313-5289 Contacts: Oxford Investments Holdings Inc. Michael Donaghy 1-416-576-4671 Website: www.pioneergreenusa.com About Oxford Investments Holdings Inc. Oxford Investments Holdings Inc. is a payment solutions provider. The Company acts as a third-party processor, directing online merchants who require credit card processing to the company's processor in China whose payment gateways are integrated into a number of banks in China. Oxford earns commission revenues from the processors, while minimizing its infrastructure requirements and overhead costs. Oxford, through its partner, Koho Group, has also established relationships in the Chinese financial and electronic payments industries. Oxford is also actively pursuing opportunities in the emerging medical marijuana industry. In Canada, Oxford has a 30% interest in an Alberta-based company that has applied to Health Canada for a license to cultivate cannabis for medical purposes and recreational use. Its Florida-based subsidiary, FloraCana Consultants Inc. is marketing the sale of CBD store franchises and license agreements throughout the United States. Oxford's other Florida-based subsidiary has plans to apply for a license to cultivate cannabis for medical purposes in Florida. FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS DISCLAIMER: Statements in this press release, which are not historical, are forward-looking statements made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate; actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Investors are cautioned that all forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties including, without limitation, risks associated with the Company's financial condition and prospects, legal risks associated with product liability and risks of governmental legislation and regulation, risks associated with market acceptance and technological changes, risks associated with dependence on suppliers, risks relating to international operations, risks associated with competition and other risks detailed in the Company's filings with securities regulatory authorities. These risks may cause results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. SOURCE: Oxford Investments Holdings Inc. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/530257/Pioneer-Green-USA-Enters-into-Another-CBD-Store-License-Agreement-in-Florida Regulatory News: THERADIAG (ISIN: FR0004197747, Ticker: ALTER) (Paris:ALTER), a company specializing in in vitro diagnostics and theranostics, today announced the appointment by its Board of Directors of Bertrand de Castelnau as its Chief Executive Officer (Directeur General Bertrand de Castelnau will replace Michel Finance, whose term expires on December 31, 2018, and will take up his post from January 21, 2019. To this end, the Board of Directors appointed Fabienne Francois, currently Chief Financial and Administrative Officer at Theradiag, as interim Chief Executive Officer for the period from January 1 to January 20, 2019. Aged 58, Bertrand de Castelnau has more than 25 years' experience in the field of diagnostics. He began his career as a Commercial Attache in Islamabad, Pakistan. He then joined Roche in Switzerland, as a Corporate Auditor before moving to the Diagnostics division and then taking charge of the Asia-Pacific region for Roche Diagnostics, based in Singapore. Bertrand went on to become Operations Manager at Guerbet for four years, before spending 10 years running the Horiba ABX Group and its Horiba Medical division. Finally he joined DiaSys as head of Marketing, Sales and Finance. A fluent speaker of several languages, he holds an MBA from the Ecole des Hautes Etudes Commerciales (HEC) and a law degree from Paris. Pierre Morgon, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Theradiag commented: "We are delighted to welcome Bertrand as Chief Executive Officer of Theradiag. His 25 years' experience in the field of diagnostics and his track record of creating partnerships and developing international businesses will be key advantages for the expansion of Theradiag." Bertrand de Castelnau, incoming Chief Executive Officer of Theradiag, added, "I am joining the Theradiag team with great enthusiasm and look forward to contributing my skills and experience to the growth and the expansion of the international reach of Theradiag and of biotherapy monitoring." Changes to the Board of Directors Following the resignation of Dominique Costantini from her position as Director, the Board of Directors is now as follows: Pierre Morgon, Chairman of the Board of Directors Sylvie Bratel, Independent Director Vincent Fert, Independent Director John Li, Director Dominique Takizawa, Independent Director About Theradiag Capitalizing on its expertise in the distribution, development and manufacturing of in vitro diagnostic tests, Theradiag innovates and develops theranostics tests (combining treatment and diagnosis) that measure the efficiency of biotherapies in the treatment of autoimmune diseases and cancer. Theradiag is thus participating in the development of customized treatment, which favors the individualization of treatments, the evaluation of their efficacy and the prevention of drug resistance. Theradiag notably markets the Lisa Tracker range (CE marked), which is a comprehensive multiparameter theranostic solution for patients with autoimmune diseases treated with biotherapies. The Company is based in Marne-la-Vallee, near Paris, and has over 65 employees. For more information about Theradiag, please visit our website: www.theradiag.com View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181211005674/en/ Contacts: Theradiag Investor Relations Fabienne Francois CFO Tel.: +33 (0)1 64 62 10 12 contact@theradiag.com NewCap Financial Communications & Investor Relations Valentine Brouchot Tel.: +33 (0)1 44 71 94 94 theradiag@newcap.eu Alize RP Press Relations Caroline Carmagnol Tel.: +33 (0)1 44 54 36 64 theradiag@alizerp.com FLORENCE, Italy, December 11, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Meropenem/vaborbactam approved on 20th November 2018 by the European Commission for clinical use in adult patients with difficult-to-treat infections The first combination of a carbapenem and a beta-lactamase inhibitor approved for clinical use in Europe The Menarini Group has recently reached an agreement with Melinta Therapeutics to commercialize meropenem/vaborbactam in Europe, Asia-Pacific and CIS. (Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/652491/MENARINI_Group_Logo.jpg ) As highlighted by the Group's General Manager, Pio Mei, "The meropenem/vaborbactam European approval is the first great achievement coming from our partnership with Melinta. It confirms Menarini's commitment in the Infectious Disease Area and its involvement in the fight against the antimicrobial resistance threat, a highly unmet need." Meropenem/vaborbactam was initially approved by the FDA for complicated urinary tract infections, including pyelonephritis, in adult patients on the basis of the pivotal TANGO I trial. The European approval relied also on the results of the TANGO II trial, the largest trial conducted so far in patients with Carbapenem-Resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) infections. According to the trial's results, the range of clinical indications for meropenem/vaborbactam has been expanded by adding to cUTI (including pyelonephritis) also hospital-acquired/ventilator-associated bacterial pneumonia, complicated intra-abdominal infections and bacteremia associated with these previous infections. Vaborbactam is a potent first-in-class inhibitor of class A (including the KPC, Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase) and class C beta-lactamases, and it protects meropenem from degradation by serine carbapenemases, restoring its activity against carbapenem-resistant strains. In TANGO II, meropenem/vaborbactam as intravenous monotherapy, compared with the "best available treatment," was associated with increased clinical cure, reduced mortality, and lower treatment-related AEs (e.g. nephrotoxicity). The increased cure rate was statistically significant also in immunocompromised patients, a group usually excluded from clinical trials. The spread of carbapenem resistance in Gram negative bacteria represents a serious and growing threat worldwide as identified by the WHO and CDC. CRE infections, because of limited therapeutic options, are associated with high rates of mortality as well as increased length of hospital stay and costs. According to the most recent data from the European Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance Network (EARS-Net), the prevalence of invasive CRE isolates reaches worrisome levels particularly in some European countries. Romania, Italy and Greece show a rate of 31%, 34% and 67%, respectively, for invasive Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates (from blood and cerebrospinal fluid) with resistance to carbapenems. In this context, meropenem/vaborbactam appears to be a potential game changer in the fight against difficult-to-treat Gram negative infections, satisfying an important medical issue linked to antibiotic-resistant Enterobacteriaceae. About the Menarini Group The Menarini Group is an Italian pharmaceutical company with a turnover of 3.6 billion Euro and more than 17,000 employees. With 16 manufacturing sites and 7 R&D centers, Menarini has a capillary presence in 136 countries. http://www.menarini.com NEWPORT, Wales, Dec. 11, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Proton Partners International announced today that the Rutherford Cancer Centre South Wales has been approved by the Welsh Health Specialised Services Committee (WHSSC) to provide high energy proton beam therapy to adult patients referred from the NHS in Wales. The Newport centre, which is operated by Proton Partners International, is the first centre in the UK to offer high energy proton beam therapy. Professor Roger Taylor, Senior Clinical Advisor and Consultant Clinical Oncologist at the Rutherford Cancer Centre South Wales, said: "As a clinician who sees the effects of cancer and its treatment every day, it is great to see some NHS patients will be able to benefit from more local treatment. "Proton therapy is not a panacea for all types of cancer, however we have seen where it can be beneficial in areas such as brain tumours or cancers of the spine or head and neck, and working with the NHS means that adult patients in Wales will now have an option to be treated closer to home." Jamie Powell, Centre Manager at the Rutherford Cancer Centre South Wales, said: "Providing access to the Rutherford Cancer Centres for NHS patients is something we have been working towards from day one in order to ensure that as many patients as possible throughout Wales can access this treatment closer to home. Increasingly proton therapy will support research opportunities and alliances with the life sciences sector in Wales and we look forward to welcoming our first NHS patients soon." Dr Sian Lewis, Managing Director of WHSSC, said: "Following a robust procurement process we are pleased that proton beam therapy will be commissioned for some adult patients from the Rutherford Cancer Centre South Wales in Newport. "Patients who require this highly specialised treatment have complex and often rare conditions and it will be of great benefit to them if they can receive this treatment closer to home. We care greatly about commissioning the best services for people and will be working closely with the Rutherford Centre and our other partners to deliver the highest quality care for our patients." The Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Services Vaughan Gething said: "I welcome the news that the Rutherford Cancer Centre will be a referral option for adult patients in Wales. It is good to see government, health service and industry collaborating for the benefit of patients in Wales and to make an important contribution to the life sciences sector, which is an area of strength for Wales." The first non-NHS patient to receive high energy proton beam therapy in the UK was treated in April of this year at the Rutherford Cancer Centre South Wales. The Rutherford Cancer Centre Thames Valley in Reading and the Rutherford Cancer Centre North East in Northumberland will open proton beam therapy suites next year, allowing for even greater access to this hugely in-demand treatment. Each Rutherford Cancer Centre is equipped to treat up to 500 patients per year. Wisdom Author and Evolutionary Guide, Padma Aon Prakasha Fuses Ancient Wisdom with Modern Science by Drawing from Various Cultural Traditions Around the Globe LONDON, UK / ACCESSWIRE / December 11, 2018 / Vibrational media producer, Padma Aon Prakasha is pleased to announce his new album 'The Souls Birth' which merges the science of psychoacoustics with the musical arts of India and the Kabbalah. His music stems from the sacred traditions he has been initiated into worldwide. Both Indian and Hebrew cultures can help individuals understand how vibration and frequency make up the universe. Nada Yoga or 'the yoga of sound' suggests a unified theory of creation in which everything is composed of sound frequency and vibration. The Hebrew tradition understands that all sound are numbers which underlie the structures of the universe. By listening to these frequencies, we can bring consciousness and mindfulness to our body, emotions and nervous system, as individuals enter a state of deep rest. The Soul's Birth Music creates reference points in the body to guide the various stages of a heart-centred conscious pregnancy and birth, allowing one to return to a primordial 'womb space'. Padma states that spirituality is essential in the digital age as meditation can help individuals slow down, centre, and channel an enormous amount of energies available in us. About Padma Padma Aon Prakasha first began performing global fusion music at the Blue Note Club located in London long before his album deals and international tours. Padma is now an award-winning author, globally distributed music producer and evolutionary guide. Having been published with 6 books and 5 albums of vibrational music, he also led pilgrimages to various sacred sites in over 15 countries worldwide travelling 5 continents. For more information please visit https://padmaaon.com/music/the-souls-birth Contact: Padma Aon Prakasha padmaaon@gmail.com SOURCE: Padma Aon Prakasha View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/530277/Padma-Aon-Prakasha-Releases-New-Music Washington, D.C.--(Newsfile Corp. - December 11, 2018) - The Securities and Exchange Commission today announced that Danae M. Serrano has been named Acting Ethics Counsel and Designated Agency Ethics Official. Ms. Serrano joined the SEC in 2010 as an Assistant Ethics Counsel, and has served as the Deputy Ethics Counsel and Alternate Designated Agency Ethics Official since 2013. Ms. Serrano also served as the Agency's Acting Chief Compliance Officer until August 2018. "Danae is widely respected by her colleagues throughout the Commission for her steady and thoughtful ethics counsel," said Chairman Jay Clayton. "I know that Danae and her team are committed to maintaining the highest ethical standards at the SEC, and I want to thank her for taking on this important role in support of the Commission and our dedicated staff." "I am grateful for this opportunity to lead the talented and dedicated staff in the Office of the Ethics Counsel, and for the Chairman's support of the SEC's robust ethics and compliance programs," said Ms. Serrano. Before joining the SEC, Ms. Serrano served as an attorney in the General Counsel's Office of the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC), where she advised on government ethics and administrative law matters. Prior to PBGC, Ms. Serrano served as an attorney and ethics official in the United States Air Force, Office of the General Counsel. Ms. Serrano received her law degree from the University of Connecticut School of Law, where she was an Executive Editor of the Connecticut Insurance Law Journal. She received her B.A. in History from Yale University. All statements in this press release that are not statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements, including any projections of growth, earnings, revenue, cash or other financial items, any statements of the plans, strategies, objectives and goals of management for future operations, any statements regarding future economic conditions or performance, statements of belief and any statements of assumptions underlying any of the foregoing. These statements are based on expectations and assumptions as of the date of this press release and are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, general economic conditions particularly as they relate to demand for our products and services; competitive factors; changes in operating expenses; our ability to raise capital as and when we need it and other factors. Live Current Media Inc. assumes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements to reflect future events or actual outcomes and does not intend to do so. VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / December 11, 2018 / Live Current Media Inc. ("Live Current" or the "Company") (OTCQB: LIVC) announces that it has agreed with Cell MedX Corp. ("CMXC") to extend the Letter of Intent (the "LOI") signed by the companies on September 10, 2018, for an additional 90-day period. Pursuant to the LOI, CMXC and LIVC have entered into negotiations aimed at obtaining a definitive agreement involving exclusive worldwide distribution rights to the ebalance device for home-based usage. Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. Newcrest Miningand its Wafi-Golpu Joint Venture partner, Harmony Gold Mining have signed a MOU with the independent state of Papua New Guinea.The agreement establishes the framework for the parties to progress the permitting of the project as quickly as possible in accordance with regulatory processes.Newcrest says the MOU re-affirms the intention of the parties to complete the permitting process and achieve a grant of special mining lease by 30 June 2019.The mining company says as a result of the agreement the joint venture is completing approval processes to commence a substantial work program.Shares in Newcrest Miningclosed 1.08 per cent lower to $21.07 yesterday. The same stand was taken by the resolution professional of bankrupt Essar Steel, saying it is 'too late' for Essar Steel Asia Holding, which holds 72 percent shares in Essar Steel, to offer a settlement. Ahmedabad: Lender banks, as well as the Lakshmi Mittal-led ArcelorMittal on Monday, opposed the debt settlement proposal made by the shareholders of Essar Steel, claiming that it is against the Supreme Court order as well as the provisions of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC). The same stand was taken by the resolution professional of bankrupt Essar Steel, saying it is "too late" for Essar Steel Asia Holding, which holds 72 percent shares in Essar Steel, to offer a settlement. After taking into consideration the views by these parties during the hearing Monday, the Ahmedabad bench of the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT), comprising adjudicating authority Manorama Kumari and Harihar Prakash Chaturvedi, kept further hearing on 13 December. The committee of creditors (CoC) had recently approved ArcelorMittal's Rs 42,000-crore bid for Essar Steel. The bid was approved after fresh tenders were invited following a directive from the Supreme Court in October. Appearing for the lenders, senior counsel Ravi Kadam told the bench that the lender banks cannot go against the Supreme Court order and consider Essar Steel Asia Holding's fresh settlement offer. "Banks are losing Rs 17 crore daily (on unpaid interest). We can't go on and on. Essar Steel Asia Holding's application is not maintainable. There is no point in arguing whether they can pay or have the money now. The committee of creditors can't take into consideration anything beyond the Supreme Court order," Kadam told the bench. Appearing for ArcelorMittal, senior lawyer Abhishek Manu Singhvi said Essar Steel Asia Holding as 72 percent shareholder, made no attempt to save the 10 million tonne per annum steel mill for 16 months. "This offer is against the apex court order and the very IBC Act. The tribunal must reject their plea and give a strong message so that no one does such thing in the future" Singhvi said. Senior counsel Darius Khambata, appearing for the resolution professional, told the bench that the new offer by Essar Steel promoters is "outside the scope". "It's too late. My hands are tight, no matter how lucrative your offer is now" said Singhvi. By Michele Sinner and Alastair Macdonald LUXEMBOURG/BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Union's top court ruled on Monday that the British government may reverse its decision to leave the bloc without consulting other member states, a decision welcomed by those campaigning to stop Brexit. In an emergency judgment delivered just 36 hours before it expected the British parliament to vote on a Brexit deal agreed with the EU by Prime Minister Theresa May, the Court of Justice (ECJ) said: 'The United Kingdom is free to revoke unilaterally the notification of its intention to withdraw from the EU.' May later postponed that vote in the face of defeat, throwing the Brexit process into disarray By Michele Sinner and Alastair Macdonald LUXEMBOURG/BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Union's top court ruled on Monday that the British government may reverse its decision to leave the bloc without consulting other member states, a decision welcomed by those campaigning to stop Brexit. In an emergency judgment delivered just 36 hours before it expected the British parliament to vote on a Brexit deal agreed with the EU by Prime Minister Theresa May, the Court of Justice (ECJ) said: "The United Kingdom is free to revoke unilaterally the notification of its intention to withdraw from the EU." May later postponed that vote in the face of defeat, throwing the Brexit process into disarray. The heightened uncertainty over how and even whether Britain can arrange to leave lent even greater significance to the ruling, which also indicated that Britain may, if others agree, postpone its withdrawal from March 29 in order to hold a rerun of its 2016 vote on EU membership. May rejects holding a new Brexit referendum but her hold on office is looking shaky. The ruling, clarifying Article 50 of the EU treaty, rejected arguments put forward by the EU executive, which said other EU states would need to agree, partly on the grounds that otherwise governments could use threats of withdrawal to gain advantage. Britain's foreign minister Jeremy Hunt said the ruling was "irrelevant" as the government would not change course, and warned that the 52 percent of Britons who voted to leave the EU would be "shocked and very angry" if it did. A minister in the devolved Scottish government, which backed the referral of the case to the ECJ, noted that most Scots had voted against Brexit. Michael Russell said the judgment "exposes as false the idea that the only choice is between bad deal negotiated by the UK government or the disaster of no deal". THREE OPTIONS, NOT TWO The Court itself said it had ruled with unprecedented haste to show British lawmakers they have three options not two -- leave on agreed terms, leave without a deal or not leave at all. The ECJ argued that a national right to leave should be matched by an equally sovereign right to reverse that. It cited the EU treaty goal of "ever closer union among the peoples of Europe" - a clause hated by Brexit campaigners - to argue that states cannot be forced out against their will. Some Brexit champions accuse the ECJ of political meddling. "No surprise," tweeted Nigel Farage, former leader of the UK Independence Party. "The collusion to stop Brexit continues." The judges insist they only interpret EU legislation. But some observers say significant recent decisions indicate that the ECJ is keen to defuse nationalist pressures threatening to break up the EU by favouring arguments for national sovereignty. "The court does aim to keep the Union together," said Suzanne Schmidt, a professor at Bremen University who has researched the ECJ's role in EU policy. "A court having a strong EU as its vision is highly likely to try to keep the door open for member states." The court also challenged a view in Brussels that if Britain stayed it might lose some privileges it has built up over the years, including a hefty rebate on its EU budget contributions. It is far from clear whether or how Britain could organise a new referendum. Opinion polls suggest that any new majority for staying in the EU is narrow and many in the EU question the wisdom of keeping such a divided country as a member. (Additional reporting by Gabriela Baczynska and Philip Blenkinsop in Brussels; Writing by Alastair Macdonald; Editing by Jon Boyle) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. Shaktikanta Das has been appointed following the resignation of Urjit Patel on Monday citing personal reason amid rising tension between him and the government. Former finance secretary and current member of the finance commission Shaktikanta Das has been appointed the new Reserve Bank of India (RBI) governor on Tuesday, a government statement said. He is the 25th RBI governor succeeding the outgoing central bank chief, Urjit Patel. The Appointments Committee of Cabinet (ACC) has approved the appointment of Shri @DasShaktikanta , IAS Retd. (TN: 1980) as Governor, Reserve Bank of India (RBI) for a period of three years. Ministry of Finance (@FinMinIndia) December 11, 2018 Das has been appointed as the central bank chief following the resignation of Urjit Patel on Monday in a surprise move citing personal reason amid rising tension between him and the government. Das is a retired 1980 batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of Tamil Nadu cadre. He currently is a member of the Fifteenth Finance Commission of India, and India's Sherpa to G20. Das has been appointed as the RBI governor for a period of three years. Meanwhile, the government has accepted the resignation of Urjit Patel, the Finance Ministry said in a tweet. The RBI board meeting on 14 December may not be held as the new RBI governor will take time to settle in his new position, reported CNBC-TV 18. Urjit Patel's unexpected resignation came four days ahead of a crucial meeting of the board of the central bank that could have discussed issues of simmering differences with the government. Patel, who is the first governor since 1990 to step down before his term ends, in a brief statement cited "personal reasons" for the decision that was effective immediately. The government seems to have accepted his resignation with Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying Patel will be missed "immensely". Patel's three-year term was to end in September 2019 and he was eligible for a second term like most of his successors barring a few like his outspoken predecessor Raghuram Rajan. The Opposition was quick to attack the government with former finance minister P Chidambaram saying "no self-respecting scholar or academic can work in this government". Former RBI governor and Patel's immediate predecessor Raghuram Rajan said the resignation was something "all Indians should be concerned about because the strength of our institutions is really important for our growth, sustainable growth and equity in the economy". A Kenyan national who acquired an Indian citizenship prior to being appointed deputy governor of RBI in January 2013, Oxford-trained Patel was initially seen as toeing government line after he backed the November 2016 shock decision to overnight junk 86 percent of the currency in circulation. With PTI inputs Rajnish Kumar said Mallya's extradition will have a deep impact on the overall lender and borrower relationship. Mumbai: Country's largest lender State Bank of India (SBI) on Tuesday said extradition of fugitive liquor baron Vijay Mallya from the UK to India will speed up the recovery of over Rs 9,000 crore of loans. In a major boost to India's efforts to bring back Mallya, who is wanted for loan default worth around Rs 9,000 crore to a consortium of 13 banks led by SBI, a UK court Monday ordered his extradition. "It (higher recovery of loans) is a possibility. The message is very loud and clear. What we have to understand is that it (extradition) is a message that you just can't default and run away from the country," SBI chairman Rajnish Kumar told reporters here. He said Mallya's extradition will have a deep impact on the overall lender and borrower relationship. "Lending is an important business for both lenders and borrowers as we need investment in the country. But the message is that you have to do clean banking and you have to be very careful about what is the purpose of the money lent," said Kumar. The 62-year-old former boss of now defunct Kingfisher Airlines fled to the UK in March 2016. Mallya has been fighting a legal battle against his extradition to India, claiming that he has been falsely dubbed as a defaulter by politicians and media. In a recent tweet, Mallya had offered to pay back the full amount of the principal loan he owed to multiple banks. "The most important point is the public money and I am offering to pay 100 percent back. I humbly request the banks and government to take it. If payback refused, WHY (sic)," Mallya had said in his tweet. However, Kumar said the bank has not received any formal offer from Mallya for settlement of loans. "SBI is the lead consortium (to loans given to Kingfisher Airlines), and, as of date, we don't have any offer on our table," he said. Kumar further said with Mallya's extradition, the process to extradite Nirav Modi and Mehul Chowksi, wanted in the biggest-ever banking fraud of over Rs 13,000 crore at state-run Punjab National Bank, will also pick up pace. When asked for his response on the surprise resignation of Reserve Bank of India (RBI) governor Urjit Patel, Kumar said, "That is one question which I am not answering." Patel unexpectedly resigned on Monday citing 'personal reasons', amid rift between the central bank and government. To a query on whether he sees any relaxation in RBI's 12 February circular on one-day default norms post resignation of Patel, he said, "I don't know whether there will be relaxation or no relaxation. It is very difficult to predict." On the issue of resolution of stressed power companies, Kumar said he expects resolution in six to seven firms. On the issue of promoter's holding in a bank, he said a wider ownership is always preferred. "It is a good thing for Indian financial system to have a diversified ownership rather than a concentrated ownership," said Kumar. Shaktikanta Das worked with the government and hence knows how the machinery works which is very important at a time when there is constant dialogue needed between the Central bank and the Finance Ministry. The appointment of Shaktikanta Das as the new governor of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is not really unexpected as his name was definitely doing the rounds for some time. The reason is that he has experience to back his candidature and has dealt with international agencies too in his career in the Department of Economic Affairs which makes him quite appropriate for this position. He has been on the board of the RBI and knows what has to be done. He has worked with the government and hence knows how the machinery works which is very important at a time when there is constant dialogue needed between the Central bank and the Finance Ministry. As he has been dealing with the rating agencies and institutions like the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank, Das is aware of the global protocol. The choice this time was expected to be from the government rather than from the academia. Also the fact that he has worked in India gives an advantage which should help formulate policies where local conditions are important. It would hence be more hands-on with less of the theoretical underpinnings. What are the main challenges for the new governor? Presently, there are quite a few issues which are pending either through the committee route or at the central bank level which have to be taken up. Some of the committee formulation work has been held up as the members of the same had to be decided which will hopefully be done so that there is resolution of various issues. First the issue of transfer of government reserves has to be resolved. The RBI has so far held the view that this should not be done while the government has averred that this can be done as the money belongs to the people of India. Whichever way it may be interpreted, it is necessary to have clarity on how to proceed on this issue. Das has worked with the Finance Ministry and involved with budgeting and will hence be able to guide the best way to making this happen in a seamless manner provided that is the consensus. The second issue, which has to be taken up, relates to the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC). This was a strong step taken by the RBI to resolve the non-performing assets (NPAs) and the opposite view came in the form of relaxation for certain sectors. The RBI has held on to its position as it felt that if such relaxation was permitted for one sector it can be done for others. It can be expected that the governor will take this one in a balanced way to accommodate the views of both the sides so that the best results can be obtained. This will be keenly watched by the global rating agencies in particular as it does involve the quality of the banking system which is being questioned given the high level of the NPAs especially with public sector banks (PSBs). The third issue is dealing with the prompt corrective action (PCA) norms. The RBI has been firm about not relaxing any norms for these banks until their financial health improves while the view other side is that some bit of accommodation has to be permitted to enable the flow of credit. This is bound to be reviewed and based on the ground level position decision taken. But it will require a decision to be taken which will need a lot of analysis to be done as this is also a tricky issue. Allowing weak banks to lend more will lead to more NPAs being created and maybe in a phased manner lending can be opened up to the less risky sectors like retail. The fourth issue relates to the provision of liquidity. While the problem has been tackled through the open market operation (OMO) as of now, the RBI will have to devise a policy on whether at all it should intervene when specific sectors like the non-banking finance companies (NBFCs) run into such a problem. Should there be special windows of finance and if so to what extent and form can it be provided? This is important because the traditional mode of support is through the repo or OMO and there is no direct interface between the RBI and other market players. Can we think of quantitative easing (QE) kind of a set up where central banks buy securities held by say the NBFCs? Fifth, a pressing issue has been the small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and their access to finance. Here too, the RBI has set up committees and the task for the new governor is to ensure that there is an output plan that can be followed by banks to ensure that this is done without compromising on quality of assets. Interestingly, when Raghuram Rajan took over, he had an agenda of getting after the NPAs issue besides other development work like the new banks and restructuring of the monetary policy approach. Urjit Patel had the more onerous task of enabling demonetisation as well as taking on the NPA mess which created quite a few controversies. Das would have to take all these issues to their logical end so as to iron out any differences with the government so as to put the system back on equilibrium. But for sure his entry and approach to addressing these issues will be looked at clearly by the market as well as global rating and multilateral agencies as it will send strong signals. He would have to dexterously keep explaining why the RBI has changed its stance on some of the issues (if at all) where there was less flexibility shown in the past. This would be the main challenge. (The writer is chief economist, CARE Ratings) Shaktikanta Das played a key role in demonetisation, in the demonetisation drive in 2016 and was seen as defending the government, according to media reports Shaktikanta Das, who retired as Economic Affairs Secretary in May 2017, has been appointed as the new governor of the Reserve Bank of India after Urjit Patel tendered his resignation on Monday. Patel resigned following weeks of tension over the governments demand for the central bank to allow some bad-debt-laden public sector banks to lend more easily. The government has also pushed the RBI to hand over some of its surplus reserves to help fund the fiscal deficit. Das has been appointed for a term of three years. He has resigned as the member of 15th Finance Commission today. A retired Indian Administrative Officer from the Tamil Nadu cadre, Das was until his latest appointment was a former member of the Fifteenth Finance Commission of India and Sherpa to G20. He has worked closely with the RBI and was former economic affairs secretary from 2015-17. The Appointments Committee of Cabinet (ACC) has approved the appointment of Shri @DasShaktikanta , IAS Retd. (TN: 1980) as Governor, Reserve Bank of India (RBI) for a period of three years. Ministry of Finance (@FinMinIndia) December 11, 2018 Bonds and rupee should react positively following this news, said Ashish Vaidya, executive director and head of trading at DBS Bank in Mumbai. Das played a key role in demonetisation drive in 2016 and was seen as defending the government, according to media reports. He came under fire for his pro-demonetisation stance and he was the most visible and vocal bureaucrat at the time Modi withdrew the high-value bank notes to fight tax evasion. In an interview to the Times of India, Das said the impact of demonetisation was 'transient'. He said that 'process of remonetisation got completed fairly fast, in fact by end December." He said the medium and long-term gains of demonetisation with GST was found to outweigh the short-term pain, he said in the interview. Bonds and rupee should react positively following this news, said Ashish Vaidya, executive director and head of trading at DBS Bank in Mumbai. He is a bureaucrat and will help in improving the RBI-government relationship. We expect the RBI to take a pragmatic approach under him, be pro-growth and change its stance going ahead given that inflation has come off sharply. Das, 61, is a member of the federal finance commission, and one of Indias G20 representatives. He had been widely seen as a contender for the top job at the RBI after the exit of former governor Raghuram Rajan in 2016. He previously served on the central banks board. Das came under fire for his pro-demonetisation stance and he was the most visible and vocal bureaucrat at the time Modi withdrew the high-value bank notes to fight tax evasion. Last year, Das criticised the methodology of global rating agencies and sought a sovereign rating upgrade. Das has worked extensively in the budget division under both Modis government and the previous coalition led by the Congress party. While in the finance ministry, Das was involved in drafting Indias Insolvency and Bankruptcy code, aimed at protecting small investors. Foreign and domestic investors earlier said any openly political appointee with little macro-economic experience, would not sit well in equity, currency and debt markets that have already sold-off following setbacks suffered by Modis Bharatiya Janata Party in state polls this week. Das, a history graduate from the prestigious St. Stephen's College in Delhi, was brought to the Finance Ministry soon after the BJP-led NDA government came to power in mid-2014 and given charge of the crucial revenue department. He was later moved to the economic affairs department, which essentially deals with monetary policy and the RBI. "Extremely seasoned & matured official with immense experience of Finance. He is a brilliant team leader,a great consensus builder & highly communicative. Will focus on Indias economic growth while ensuring RBIs autonomy. Gr8 choice!", NITI Aayog CEO, Amitabh Kant, said in a tweet on Das' appointment as RBI governor. Known @DasShaktikanta from my college days. Extremely seasoned & matured official with immense experience of Finance. He is a brilliant team leader,a great consensus builder & highly communicative. Will focus on Indias economic growth while ensuring RBIs autonomy. Gr8 choice! Amitabh Kant (@amitabhk87) December 11, 2018 --With agency inputs To a query on the sovereign rating impact of the developments around RBI, Moody's said, 'While the motivation for the RBI Governor's resignation is unclear, the independence of a country's central bank is an important consideration in our assessment of a sovereign's institutional strength.' New Delhi: In the backdrop of RBI Governor Urjit Patel's resignation, Moody's Investors Service on Monday said the independence of a country's central bank is an important consideration while assessing a country's institutional strength and any attempt by the government to curtail it would be credit negative. Patel on Monday resigned from the post citing personal reasons. Patel, whose three-year term was to end in September 2019, is the first governor since 1990 to step down before his term ended. To a query on the sovereign rating impact of the developments around RBI, Moody's said, "While the motivation for the RBI Governor's resignation is unclear, the independence of a country's central bank is an important consideration in our assessment of a sovereign's institutional strength." It said that Moody's assumes that the RBI will continue to pursue price and financial stability and implement policies towards these goals. "We would consider signs that the government attempts to curtail the central bank's independence to be credit negative. That said, our assessment of institutional strength ultimately focuses on the quality and policy outcomes of the institutions themselves, not on the individuals leading them," Moody's Investors Service said. Patel's resignation came just 4 days ahead of the 14 December meeting of the Reserve Bank that could have discussed issues of simmering differences with the government. Although Patel cited personal reasons for the resignation but industry watchers say there was undercurrent since the government cited hereto never-used-before provisions of the law to bring him to negotiating table on issues it felt were of national interest. The friction between the RBI and the Finance Ministry was attributed to the recalcitrance of Patel, who appeared keen to be seen as a defiant, independent-minded governor of high credibility by resisting the government's call for increased transparency on the central bank's reserves (just how much is necessary for stability operations) and for enhanced liquidity so that credit can be eased to money-strapped sectors especially MSMEs. As per the process, the panel will invite applications from eligible candidates and based on interactions with them will select the candidate. New Delhi: The successor of Urjit Patel, who surprisingly resigned as RBI Governor with immediate effect, will be found by a high-level panel headed by the Cabinet Secretary. Once the panel finalises the name, it will be sent to the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. According to sources, the government will soon initiate the process for appointment of new RBI Governor following the sudden resignation of Patel on Monday. The Financial Sector Regulatory Appointment Search Committee (FSRASC) is headed by Cabinet Secretary P K Sinha. Apart from him, the panel includes Additional Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister P K Mishra, who is a permanent government nominee, and three other experts, among others. As per the process, the panel will invite applications from eligible candidates and based on interactions with them will select the candidate. The appointment would be made by the central government on the recommendation of the FSRASC. It is noted that the FSRASC is free to identify and recommend any other person also, on the basis of merit, who has not applied for the post. This process was followed for the selection of SEBI chairman Ajay Tyagi and IRDAI chairman S C Khuntia. As per the RBI Act, the central bank should have one governor and four deputy governors - two from within the ranks and one commercial banker and another an economist to head the monetary policy department. While India managed to rebut the claims of lack of infrastructure in the Vijay Mallya case, in the long run, the country needs to invest in the development of the criminal justice system and infrastructure so that such claims can hardly be raised in good faith. The law enforcement agencies in India breathed a huge sigh of relief on Monday as the London Westminster Magistrates Court ordered for the extradition of the fugitive liquor baron Vijay Mallya to India. Chief Magistrate Judge Emma Arbuthnot found a prima facie case against Vijay Mallya for fraud, conspiracy and money laundering. However, Mallya still has 14 days to appeal against the decision which itself is only recommendatory and has to be then implemented by the Home Secretary who has the final authority on the issue. Further, Mallya can even appeal to the if the decision of the initial appeal comes against him. So, why is it that an absconder was able to freely live in a country while having broken the law of some other country? The simple answer is, Vijay Mallya had to be proven guilty in the courts of law of the UK for the process of extradition to be initiated between India and UK. The due process of law required Mallya to be given a fair hearing to put forward his case in front of the Magistrates Court. Only after being found guilty there could the extradition process be initiated. Another question that begs an answer is, why was Mallya even allowed to stay in the UK despite India cancelling his passport in April 2016? The answer to this again lies in the laws of the UK. Under the Immigration Act, 1971, a person can continue to remain in the country even if their passport is revoked as long as their passport was valid when they were granted an entry to the country. In such circumstances, the visa expiry is taken into consideration but as Mallya had a UK residency permit since 1992, he could have remained there for an indefinite period. Therefore, the law there needs a revision wherein a clear and not ambiguous provision can be added stating that a non-resident would not be given residency permit if he is an economic offender or a fraudster in some other country. This will help resolve the abuse of the process of law in the UK because of which there is an indefinite delay in the enforcement of sentences passed in a foreign country. In the Westminster Magistrate's Court, the lawyers arguing for the Government of India successfully passed the tough road of the Extradition Treaty, 1993 signed between the UK and India wherein under Article 9 several grounds are listed as a defence against extradition. Punishment on account of race, religion, nationality or political opinion in the home country together with the accusations not being made in good faith in the interests of justice could stand as a ground for the refusal of extradition. Here, what is interesting to note is the vagueness in the language. The terms political, good faith, interests of justice can be swayed either way to justify the actions of any person. This was what was exploited by the lawyers of Vijay Mallya as they argued that Mallya is sought for political considerations in India. The argument so raised, ironically, is directly against the discourse which is perpetuated in India that the dispensation is protecting him and in fact aided his escape from India. Moreover, they even stated that Mallya was subjected to media trials, that his inability was due to a genuine business failure and that there was a risk of infringement of his human rights in Indian prisons due to their dilapidated state. Therefore, they argued that there would be an abuse of process which fairly falls within the interest of justice exception. This is only a legal cacophony to argue a case of wilful default as a genuine case of business insolvency. India needs to be wary of the grounds that are raised against it in such trials. The case of Sanjeev Kumar Chawla where the lack of proper infrastructure of jails was cited as the reason for non-extradition, despite the Court holding him guilty; and Jatinder Angural -- wherein extradition was denied as there was an inordinate delay of almost 25 years in making a request, stand as testimonials to this fact. While India managed to rebut the claims of lack of infrastructure in the Mallya case, in the long run, the country needs to invest in the development of the criminal justice system and infrastructure so that such claims can hardly be raised in good faith. Despite these shortcomings, India has caught some ground with the enactment of the Fugitive Economic Offenders Act, 2018 through which all the assets of an absconder like Mallya, which have or not been attached by the Enforcement Directorate under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), can be immediately confiscated. The drafting of the law suggests that it has been enacted for big fish like Mallya so that history doesnt repeat itself. It is only through a change in policies and laws like these can it be ensured that businessmen dont take the country for a ride. A stricter regime of law as well as working on our inefficiencies can change the dynamics of the economic frauds committed in broad daylight in the country. (The writer is an assistant professor of law at Maharashtra National Law University, Mumbai and Bist is a fourth-year student of law at Maharashtra National Law University, Mumbai) The ED had moved a special court here, seeking to declare Vijay Mallya a fugitive under the Fugitive Economic Offenders Act (FEOA). Mumbai: The lawyer of former liquor baron Vijay Mallya on Tuesday sought dismissal of the Enforcement Directorate's (ED) plea to declare him a fugitive in view of an extradition order passed against by him by a UK court. A court in London Monday ordered that Mallya, wanted for Rs 9,000 crore loans default by his companies and facing charges of fraud and money laundering, be sent back to India. The ED had moved a special court here, seeking to declare him a fugitive under the Fugitive Economic Offenders Act (FEOA). Amit Desai, Mallya's lawyer, told the special judge for Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) cases M S Azmi that in view of the London magistrate's order, the ED's plea should be scrapped. Desai also reiterated his argument that Mallya did not leave the country secretly as claimed by the ED. "There was no secret departure. He left the country to attend a planned meeting (of World Motor Sport in Geneva)," he said. Mallya was a non-resident Indian (NRI) with a house in London and his whereabouts were known to the banks and investigating agencies, the lawyer said. The businessman was ready to surrender in the United Kingdom where he had been living for 28 years, but he could not be put in the hands of the agencies which were not ready to follow procedures, advocate Desai said. Desai wound up his argument and the ED lawyer was expected to argue on Wednesday. (Reuters) - Hedge fund SQN Investors LP, one of Yelp Inc's top five shareholders, on Monday called for an overhaul of the local search and customer review company's board and the appointment of new independent directors, blaming it for underperformance. SQN, which owns more than 4 percent stake in Yelp, said in a letter to the board that it has failed to hold itself and the management accountable for the company's 'repeated strategic and operational missteps.' Last month, Yelp missed third-quarter revenue estimates and cut 2018 revenue forecast, hurt by lower-than-expected advertising sales (Reuters) - Hedge fund SQN Investors LP, one of Yelp Inc's top five shareholders, on Monday called for an overhaul of the local search and customer review company's board and the appointment of new independent directors, blaming it for underperformance. SQN, which owns more than 4 percent stake in Yelp, said in a letter to the board that it has failed to hold itself and the management accountable for the company's "repeated strategic and operational missteps." Last month, Yelp missed third-quarter revenue estimates and cut 2018 revenue forecast, hurt by lower-than-expected advertising sales. Shares of the San Francisco-based company have fallen about 18 percent this year. "We are deeply concerned by the board's lack of urgency in addressing many of the issues facing Yelp," the hedge fund said, adding that a "refreshed" board will help determine if Yelp should consider selling itself. In the past several quarters, Yelp has struggled to grow, with revenue expansion going below 2 percent. The hedge fund said the company's slow pace of innovation has helped the big names such as Google and Facebook Inc to narrow the gap by collecting significant reviews. In a response to SQN's letter, Yelp said it is looking forward to a dialogue with the hedge fund. Yelp's website helps users rate and review local businesses and also book online reservations for events and restaurants. (Reporting by Sonam Rai in Bengaluru; Editing by Derek Francis and Arun Koyyur) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. The SC asked the CBI to inform it by January first week as to why it should not investigate all the four cases if there appears a link among all the murders New Delhi: The Supreme Court said on Tuesday that if there is a "common thread" among the murders of social activists Narendra Dabholkar, Govind Pansare, journalist Gauri Lankesh and rationalist MM Kalburgi, then one agency can investigate all the four cases. A bench of Justices UU Lalit and Navin Sinha asked the CBI to inform it by January first week as to why it should not investigate all the four cases if there appears a link among all the murders. The counsel for the Maharashtra government informed the court that the CBI is investigating the murder cases of social activist and professor Narendra Dabholkar after the Bombay High Court transferred the probes to the agency. The court, after perusing the status report of the Karnataka Police, said there appears to be a link between the murders of journalist Gauri Lankesh and rationalist MM Kalburgi. It asked the Maharashtra government's counsel about the status of the investigation into the Pansare murder case, to which the counsel said the case was pending before the Kohlapur trial court. Earlier in the day, the Karnataka Police had informed the apex court that there appears to be a connection between Lankesh and Kalburgi murder cases. The state police also told the apex court that it will file a chargesheet in the Kalburgi murder case in three months. The top court on 26 November had pulled up the Karnataka government for "doing nothing and just fooling around" in the investigation and had indicated that it may transfer the case to Bombay High Court. Noted scholar and rationalist MM Kalburgi was killed at Dharwad in 2015, Pansare, a social activist was also killed the same year. Lankesh, a journalist was killed on 5 September, 2017 in Bengaluru whereas social activist and rationalist Dabholkar was assassinated on 20 August, 2013. Historian Jessica Namakkal presents a side of the Auroville story that has been systematically erased that of the contribution of the Tamil locals to building the township. In botany, certain types of plants are classified as being pioneering species. These species, such as the Australian acacias, are valued because though they are foreign, their presence promotes the growth of other plants. It is said the Australian acacias are found in abundance in Auroville. There exists another classification of foreign plants invasive alien species, such as the lantana. People are discouraged from planting and growing them, because they are a threat to biodiversity, damage soil and encroach on agricultural land. *** 50 years after the idea for it was first conceived, Auroville is viewed as being a utopia by both tourists visiting the township and people who want to settle there. Those who worked towards setting it up in the initial stages are credited with creating an entire forest on barren land. Its innovative architecture, use of renewable energy and agricultural reforms are oft-discussed as being potential models which can be replicated elsewhere in India, if not outside the country. Many visitors have noted that the temperature in the region is three degrees lower than the surrounding areas in Tamil Nadu, and that the air is visibly cleaner. But perhaps the townships most enduring and discussed aspects are the brand of spirituality practiced by its inhabitants, as well as its reputation of being a self-sustaining community. People in Auroville are expected to work not for money, but for ' maintenance '. The narrative around Auroville continues to focus on these aspects, as a newly released Buzzfeed Follow This documentary titled Indias Utopia shows; stories of settlers success with regards to agriculture and energy are interspersed with shots of the lush greenery and the Matrimandir the golden globe-like structure that many typically associate with the township. Historian Jessica Namakkal, assistant professor at Duke University, presents a side of the Auroville story that has been systematically erased that of the contribution of the Tamil locals to building the township. In her paper European Dreams, Tamil Land: Auroville and the Paradox of a Postcolonial Utopia, she examines the idea of capitalist neocolonialism, the interactions between the settlers and locals, and the conception of Aurvoville as a utopia. She further expands on these ideas in this conversation with Firstpost. *** The initial years of the township were filled with uncertainty for both the original inhabitants as well as the people who had come to settle there. These settlers had come for a variety of reasons, ranging from seeking adventure to being compelled by the teachings of Aurobindo and Mirra Alfassa (The Mother), to the view that they could experiment with spirituality and socialism. Upon arriving, they soon realised that they had have to set up the infrastructure of the township, as well as take care of their daily needs, Jessica says. While the Mother taught a philosophy of spiritual enlightenment through work, it soon became apparent to the settlers that they could hire local Tamilians, most of whom were farmers and fisher-people, to do the labor for them for very cheap, especially because they came with foreign currencies that outweighed the Indian Rupee, Jessica observes. The result was that the white settlers and some non-local Indians assumed managerial roles whilst outsourcing labour to build a utopian community a community that would not be accepting of these very labourers. The newcomers rarely learned Tamil (though some did, after a time), and did not work to include the local population in their spiritual practice. They did, however, plan to include local people in their educational missions and health clinics. This resembles colonial systems that claimed power by controlling education, health, and industry while doling it out to laborers as an act of goodwill or charity, Jessica explains. What is also often glossed over is the question of acquisition of property from the Tamil locals. Jessica says that if one visits the neighbouring regions, one hears stories about how the inhabitants sold their land at cheap prices to pay off loans, finance weddings etc. Many of them are now landless and working for the Aurovillians. Central to the understanding of this township is its perception of being a utopia, as well as its geographical location. Working towards a utopia necessitates either moving to an uninhabited place that can serve as the foundation for something new or destroying the systems of control and oppression that already exist in the current place. Sometimes this happens within states, while sometimes utopian movements work towards destroying states. Auroville is, in some ways, an interesting mixture, as they are firmly based in India, but imagine themselves as global citizens, says Jessica. This, she adds, tends to erase the inequalities of a community, since some may be able to afford passports that allow them to travel the world, while others may be held back by their financial situation, identity etc. But Auroville is not composed merely of foreigners; Europeans, North Americans, some South Americans and Indians settled here. In the beginning, these Indians were not the original inhabitants of the region; they were from Bengal and the north of the country, and therefore linguistically and culturally distinct (more locals may have become part of the township now). For both groups [Indians and non-Indians], viewing the Tamil land as barren and uninhabited can be understood through a settler colonial mentality, a move of both internal and external colonisation, Jessica says. Indias reputation as a land that is spiritually evolved also comes into play here. The question of exoticisation of India as a spiritual land has certainly played a role in bringing people to Auroville and is also important in the success of the many cottage industries (artisan incense, soap, paper, clothes, books) that are based today in Auroville, and marketed and sold worldwide, Jessica explains. Is the contribution of the locals being systematically erased to uphold and maintain the myth that Auroville is self-sufficient? Jessica says the answer to this question lies in understanding how this vision is beneficial to the settlers. The myth that they arrived to bring life to a dead, barren land is important in distancing themselves from the idea of settlement. To be linked to settlement would link them to colonialism, which is not a desirable story for Auroville, she says. It is telling that many of us urban Indians relate better to the Aurovillians than to the locals in the region, in terms of the positive changes they have affected a far cry from many parts of India that continue to struggle with pollution and self-sustenance issues. Jessica attributes this to class solidarity. Although this deserves a more complex answer, the main reason is class solidarity. A cosmopolitan, educated Indian journalist is likely to have more in common with an Aurovillian who runs an organic farm or is a fashion designer than a Tamil farmer or laborer, she opines. Jessica says it is not surprising that capitalism is an inevitable part of a system such as that of Auroville, which drew from the labour of the original inhabitants. She describes the current model as being green capitalism: Small industries that market themselves as organic, fair trade, and ethical. They suggest that they treat the workers ethically, and focus on, for instance, teaching uneducated village women to make baskets and containers out of trash. Meanwhile, most (if not all) of these small companies have discouraged or forbidden the formation of unions by laborers. With regards to the cashless economy, she says that it is available only to those who can be residents of the township, thus leaving out the labourers, who are almost all entirely outside of it. You have a system of cottage industries in post-colonial India managed by non-local people who employ local labor. This is perhaps not too different from multi-national corporations that operate in India, such as Coca-Cola or Nestle, but is marketed as being the ethical choice, she explains. Jessica says that Mirra Alfassas brand of anti-colonialism is similar to contemporary liberalism. It claims to be in favor of equality for all people, but fails to recognise structural inequality that continues to shape how people are treated within a society. Alfassa often stated that she did not engage in politics, but both she and Aurobindo were in Pondicherry because it was a French colonial territory. Whether or not she truly was a critic of the French Empire, the non-French people in Pondicherry believed that the Ashram was given special treatment by the French colonial government because of Alfassa, she explains, adding that though Alfassa stated that she was for independent India, she still benefitted from her French affiliation. It is not possible for Alfassa to be truly anti-colonial, says Jessica, because she was unwilling to see herself and her actions as part of the larger context of the machinations of imperial expansion and eventually decolonisation. Alfassa brought more white settlement into India, she did not advocate for the abolition of it, she says. As an outsider to both the township and to the ideology that guides its workings, what strikes one immediately about this aspect of its history is that it is in direct opposition to Mirra Alfassas belief that Indian peasants were "closer to the divine" than European thinkers. Jessica regards this view as being infantilising. The Mother liked to say this as a way to note her humility in the shadow of what she saw as a spirituality that lived deep in the soil in India. The suggestion is that while Europeans had to work at enlightenment, an 'Indian peasant' was infused with mystical knowledge. This is a classic colonial trope of seeing indigenous peasants as wise in spirituality, but unable to participate in the 'rational world' of politics, science, and governing. It validates already held beliefs that there is a biological difference between the Indian peasant and the European thinker, she says. The Supreme Court Tuesday deferred to next month the hearing on Maharashtra government's appeal challenging the Bombay High Court's refusal to extend the 90-day limit for filing charge sheet in the Bhima Koregaon violence case. New Delhi: The Supreme Court Tuesday deferred to next month the hearing on Maharashtra government's appeal challenging the Bombay High Court's refusal to extend the 90-day limit for filing charge sheet in the Bhima Koregaon violence case. The top court, which had asked the state government to submit the "gist" of allegations and the probe report filed against rights activists arrested in the case, took note of the submissions of a senior lawyer, appearing for one of the accused, that the hearing be adjourned. "We cannot hear this today in any case. We have not read the documents, running into 8,000 pages (charge sheet and gist)," a bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi told senior lawyer Indira Jaising who mentioned the matter and sought adjournment of Tuesday's scheduled hearing. The bench suggested that the hearing be adjourned "sine die" (adjournment of proceedings with no date of resumption). Jaising, representing accused Surendra Pundlik Gadling, opposed it saying that all the accused are in jail and let the case be listed for hearing on 8 January. "Madam (Jaising), you cannot have both ways!," the bench said, but later assured that a date for hearing would be fixed shortly. Earlier, the apex court had directed the state government to to submit before it by 8 December the "gist" of allegations and the charge sheet filed against arrested rights activists in the case. It had fixed the case for hearing on 11 December. The bench had said that it wanted to see the "charges" against the accused, who are in jail since their arrest in June this year. It had also asked the state government to file a detailed report to the allegation that police had foisted another criminal case against Gadling. The top court was hearing an appeal of the state government against a Bombay High Court order refusing to extend the time limit of 90 days by another 90 days for filing the probe report in the violence case. The apex court had stayed the Bombay High Court order. The Maharashtra government had on 25 October moved the apex court challenging the Bombay High Court order by which the extension of time granted to state police to conclude probe in the violence case was set aside. The charge sheet has already been filed by the state police before a local court in the case. The apex court had earlier refused to interfere with the arrest of five rights activists by the Maharashtra Police in connection with the Bhima Koregaon violence case and declined to appoint a SIT for probe into their arrest. The Pune Police had arrested lawyer Surendra Gadling, Nagpur University professor Shoma Sen, Dalit activist Sudhir Dhawale, activist Mahesh Raut and Kerala native Rona Wilson in June for their alleged links with Maoists under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). The arrests had followed raids at their residences and offices in connection with the Elgar Parishad conclave held in Pune on 31 December last year, which, the police claimed, had led to violence at Bhima Koregaon the next day. Under the UAPA, a charge sheet must be filed within 90 days of arrest. However, the prosecutor can file a report before the trial court, explaining the reasons for the delay, and seek more time. If satisfied, the court can extend the time by 90 days. In the present case, the Pune sessions court had granted the police the additional 90 days, following an application from the investigating officer (IO) and written submissions by an assistant commissioner of police (ACP). Gadling had challenged this, saying the report and the submissions came from the police, not the prosecutor. Under the Act, the report should be filed by the prosecutor, he said. The petition filed in the top court by the state government said the investigating officer had filed an application in the trial court under his signature giving reasons for extension of time on 30 August, 2018. "On the very same day, the public prosecutor submitted her report/application carving out the grounds for extension of time.The public prosecutor, by way of abundant precaution, took signature of the investigating officer. But the High Court was carried away by the fact of signature of the investigating officer and arrived at a conclusion that the report/application was not by the public prosecutor," the plea had said. It had also said that the high court should not have been carried away by the fact of mentioning of names of parties in detail. The Election Commission of India (ECI) has asked the Jammu and Kashmir government to gear up for the Assembly and Lok Sabha polls. Srinagar: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has asked the Jammu and Kashmir government to gear up for the Assembly and Lok Sabha polls and has sought the list of officers who will be deployed for duties for the two elections. In a letter which has been written by the ECI to the Jammu and Kashmir chief electoral officer, the election monitoring authority has sought the list of Returning Officers (ROs) and Assistant Returning Officers (AROs) who will be deployed for duty for the elections. Officials said that the letter has put at rest speculation that Governors rule in the state will prolong. Kashmir-based civil society groups had said that there was an indication that the Governors rule will continue for long as the state administration started consultations with traders and industrialists to prepare 2019 budget for the entire year instead of a vote on account for some months only. The political parties, including NC and PDP, even asked Governor Satya Pal Malik to refrain from taking policy decisions and leave the matters to be decided by the elected government. Moreover, sources said that a faction with the BJP was of the view that governors rule should continue so that the Jammu areas could see development, which can help the saffron party retain votes from Hindu majority areas. The NC and PDP recently also protested the decision of the government to declare Jammu and Kashmir Bank as a Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) and resisted efforts of government control in the bank. The government later said that it has no intention to interfere into the working of the bank, even as it holds a majority stake in the financial institution. The two parties also warned of agitation in case the state government gives divisional status to Ladakah region and asked the governor to refrain from making any changes in the state subject rules so that "outsiders are not able to get the permanent resident certificates. However, now in separate letters, which have been written to the District Election Officers (DEOs), the Joint Chief Electoral Officer has noted that the ECI has directed it to update the earlier appointment of ROs and AROs for general elections to Legislative Assembly and Lok Sabha and has also sought fresh proposal of the ROs and AROs. It referred to the letter of ECI dated 6 December which was written about the matter. In this regard, I am directed to request you to kindly send proposal of appointment of ROs /AROs for general election to State Legislative Assembly and also send proposal of AROs for Lok Sabha elections 2019, the letter noted. Joint Chief Electoral Officer Raman Kesar said that the state will be ready for polls any time after 20 January next year. The revision of the electoral rolls is being carried out currently, which will be completed by January 20. We could hold the elections after that. He said that the final decision to conduct the elections will be taken by the ECI. We have sought the list of officers who will be deployed on duty on the directions of the ECI, he said. The Lok Sabha polls are likely to be held in March-April 2019 period. Some officials in the office of Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), however, said that since the ECI has started the process to seek a list of officers simultaneously for the Lok Sabha and Assembly polls, the polls could be held together. This, they said, would be convenient as the central armed forces would remain stationed for both the Lok Sabha and Assembly polls in the state and wouldnt have to be withdrawn and then redeployed. Former Deputy Chief Minister and senior BJP leader, Kavinder Gupta, said, The BJP was ready for elections and we are seeking that a popular government should start working as soon as possible and the governors rule should end in the state. He, however, said that the concerns by political parties over issues like Ladakh getting a divisional status were uncalled for as the region is spread over a vast area with very less connectivity with other parts of the state. The elections for the state Assembly have been necessitated after Governor Malik dissolved it on 21 November, citing the reason that the separate stakes for claim for government formation by PDP and Peoples Conference (PC) had triggered horse trading. He said that it was impossible to have a stable government in the state with the coming together of political parties with opposing political ideologies. The Assembly elections have to be held by 21 May, 2019, in accordance with the Supreme Court decision to conduct polls within a period of six months from the time the Assembly was dissolved. The state Assembly had remained under suspended animation since June this year after the BJP withdrew support to PDP on the plea that the security situation in the state had deteriorated under the rule of former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti. The Assembly was dissolved way ahead of its six-year term, which was to end on 16 March, 2021. Telangana Election Results LIVE updates: Telangana's caretaker chief minister and TRS president K Chandrasekhar Rao will address the media at 4.30 pm at Hyderabad's Telangana Bhavan. Rao's government will likely serve another term and form the Telangana government. Auto refresh feeds According to activists, at least 8 percent, or 22 lakhs, of the 2.8 crore voters in the state missed out on exercising their franchise due to a faulty voter deletion exercise way back in 2015. On Twitter and other social media platforms, users expressed their discontent with #WhereisMyVote , led by Olympic badminton player, Jwala Gutta. Urban areas, particularly Hyderabad, witnessed a low turnout of voters, saying that this was due to the apathy of urban voters who were educated. Rural areas recorded heavy polling, with many constituencies witnessing over 80 percent turnout. The Election Commission announced that 73.20 percent polling was registered in the Telangana Assembly elections on 7 December. The announcement came more than 24 hours after polling ended in all 119 constituencies. Telangana, which went to polls on 7 December, recorded a 73.20 percent voter turnout. Of the total electorate, 72.54 percent were men, 73.88 were women, and 8.99 percent were in the Third Gender category. A total of 43 counting centres across the state will be involved in the process, with 14 tables and 56 EC personnel per constituency. Each constituency will have 18-22 rounds of counting, with an average of four rounds per hour i.e 15 minutes per round. Postal ballots will be counted first. Counting has begun in Telangana, with exit polls predicting an easy win for the K Chandrasekhar Rao-led Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS). Asked why he chose to ride his bike for meeting instead of his usual tinted SUVs, he said Hyderabad's great weather had inspired him to do so. Speaking to the media later, he said he was confident that Telangana's people will re-elect KCR as chief minister. "I assure you when the results come out tomorrow, TRS will get a big majority. There is no doubt about this. They will be able to form the government on their own. MIM will continue to stand by TRS as it always has." MIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi met with caretaker chief minister K Chandrashekar Rao at his office on Monday . Racing past the waiting media on his bike, Owaisi was in a meeting with him for more than two hours. With counting of postal ballots now complete, countinf of EVM votes has begun. Early trends show that the TRS is leading in ten constituencies, while the Congress is in the lead in three. At the Congress office in Nampally in Hyderabad, drummers are keeping the mood upbeat in anticipation of results. With the first round of counting complete in Warangal West, TRS is leading by 3,022 votes. TRS' Harish Rao is leading by 6,368 votes in Siddipet after the first round. He has previously alleged unwarranted raids by the EC on the behest of caretaker chief minister, K Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR). On the day of KCR's rally in Kodangal, Reddy was taken into preventive custody, a move that was condemned by the Congress and later the EC and High Court. Congress candidate and former TDP MLA Revanth Reddy is leading in Kodangal. He has a strong following here irrespective of his party affiliation. Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) candidates are leading in 20 constituencies, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) in three, Congress in 10, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in one, and others in one. A delay in counting has been reported in Telangana's Khammam district, which had recorded 85.50 percent voter turnout in the 7 December polls. This figure is also the highest polling percentage across the state. ANI quoted K Kavitha, Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) MP, as saying: "We believe that the people of Telangana are with us. We have sincerely worked and utilised the opportunity given to us. So I believe voters will bring us back to power, and that too independently. We are very confident about it." TRS candidates are leading in 28 constituencies, Congress and its allies in 15 constituencies, AIMIM candidates in three constituencies while BJP in one and others in one. It is expected that his winning margin might be smaller in the current election as he is up against local strongman leader Pratap Reddy Vanteru, as well as leaders of the Telangana movement like Gaddar. TRS chief and caretaker chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao is leading in Gajwel by 2,861 votes. In the 2013 polls, he had won this seat by a margin of 20,000 votes. TDP candidate Nandamuri Suhasini, who is TDP founder NT Rama Rao's granddaughter, is making her political debut from here. She is only the second politician from NTR's family to contest from Telangana after NTR himself lost from Kalwakurthy in 1989. TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu had campaigned extensively for her in this constituency. He had lost in the 2013 elections from the same constituency, to incumbent MLA Muthireddy Yadagiri Reddy. Reddy is in the fray this time as well. Former Telangana Congress president Ponnala Lakshmaiah, who had visited Rahul Gandhi in Delhi to demand a ticket from Jangaon after his name was removed from the first list of candidates, is lagging behind after the first round of vote counting. TRS candidates are leading in 48 seats, Congress and its allies in 21, AIMIM in three, BJP one, others in one constituency at the end of third round of counting. TRS leading in 48 seats, Congress in 21, AIMIM in three, BJP in one This constituency is at the heart of the Adivasi-Lambada conflict that flared up last here over ST status for Lambadas, which Adivasis oppose. A traditional Lambada stronghold, Adivasi communities had come together before the elections to ask political parties not to field Lambada candidates and ensure only Adivasi candidates are elected from here. None of the parties except BJP field an Adivasi candidate. The Telangana Congress alleged that 22 lakh votes were deleted in the state, Sources told CNN News18 . State Congress leaders are currently in talks with the party's central leadership on approaching the Supreme Court, who will make the final call, the news agency reported. Revanth Reddy from the Congress has started trailing behind the TRS in Kodangal. TRS chief K Chandrasekhar Rao is in the lead in Gajwel with 50,209 votes. Except for Uttam Kumar Reddy in Huzurnagar, many other senior Congress leaders are trailing. DK Aruna is trailing in Gadwal, Jeevan Reddy is trailing in Jagtial and Revanth Reddy is trailing in Kodangal. TRS agriculture minister Pocharam Srinivasa Reddy (Parige) is leading in Banswada constituency. He has won from this seat in both, the 2014 and 2009 polls. His role in the TRS government's Raithu Bandhu subsidy schemes for farmers is expected to have a big impact in the 2018 polls. BJP candidates in the lead are firebrand Hindutva leader Raja Singh from Goshamahal, who wanted to rename Hyderabad to Bhagyanagar, and state party president G Kishan Reddy from Amberpet. The AIMIM has won its first seat, with party chief Akbaruddin Owaisi bagging the seat in Chandrayan Gutta. He has been MLA from there since 1999, and was pitted against Congress candidate Esa Bin Obaid Misri, a bodybuilder, and BJP's Shahezadi, a Yuva Morcha leader. ANI quoted Home Minister Rajnath Singh as saying: "These are early trends. We hope to perform well." TRS has won its first seat in Jagtial, with Sanjay Reddy winning against Congress leader Jeevan Reddy. She had won this seat in 2009 as a Congress candidate. She later joined the TRS and defected back to Congress a few weeks before Assembly elections. Her candidature was only announced in the last list. Of Congress' alliance partners in the state, Telangana Jana Samithi (TJS) candidates have failed to obtain a lead in any of the eight assembly segments they are contesting from. Communist Party of India (CPI) candidates, who are contesting from three constituencies, have also failed to get any leads. "We campaigned all over the state and everywhere there has been a good response for the Kutami. But the results... It's because of EVM management. In this age of cybercrime, it is possible to trick these machines," he said, adding that "KCR, even before he was an MLA, was adept at manipulation." Speaking to 101Reporters from the Congress offices in Hyderabad, party leader and Rajya Sabha member V Hanumanth Rao categorically blamed Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) for the Prajakutami's loss in Telangana. Meanwhile, state Congress chief Uttam Kumar Reddy is back in the lead in Huzurnagar after briefing trailing. Fortunes have turned for the worse for BJP MLA Raja Singh in Goshamahal, with TRS candidate Prem Singh Rathore pulling into the lead. TRS leader and minister KT Rama Rao (KTR) is leading by 39,000 votes in Sirsilla. His father K Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR) is leading in Gajwel, with the nearest rival trailing by 9,212 votes. After the 7th round of counting came to a close, the TRS' lead reached 7,400 votes against Revanth Reddy in Kodangal. This is expected to be a big blow for the Opposition, as Reddy was a vocal critic of the TRS, and is considered unbeatable in his constituency. Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) president Uttam Kumar Reddy said: "Going by the distorted trends in the counting of EVM machines, there is a strong suspicion that EVM machines have been manipulated. We demand that 100 percent counting of VVPAT paper trails must be taken up in all constituencies. All Congress candidates should submit letters to their returning officers demanding the counting of VVPAT paper trails." After 7 rounds of counting in Karimnagar, the sitting TRS MLA Gangula Kamalakar is in the lead with 26,086 votes. Congress is trailing with 14,992 votes and the BJP has 21,109 votes. Click here to read in detail about the issues that continue to plague Telangana. While some issues like farmers' grievances and unemployment are socially relevant and directly affect the lives of people, others like politics over minority vote banks and Telangana's pride are more sentimental issues that politicians have stirred up for votes. TRS candidate Challa Dharma Reddy won against Congress candidate Konda Surekha in Parkal, and Harish Rao has won from Siddipet. Hanumanth Shinde has also won from Jukkal constituency. ANI quoted Home Minister Rajnath Singh as saying: "Nothing is yet clear from the trends. Congratulations to the MLA candidates and the political parties that are winning. But the Mahagathbandhan has failed terribly in Telangana." The TRS' Harish Rao set new records with his sweeping win. He has served as an MLA six times in 14 years, and is also the youngest politician in the country to be elected as an MLA as many times. His lead in Siddipet has crossed one lakh and is still counting, which is more than 80 percent of the polled votes. Emphasizing the Mahakutami in a Facebook post, Kerala Alappuzha MP KC Venugopal shared a photo of leaders of the united Opposition, and said that "this unity will create a new India." As trends have shown the TRS to be in the lead, party leader KT Rama Rao (KTR), who is also the son of Telangana chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, on Tuesday, thanked the state for "keeping the faith in KCR Garu and giving us (TRS) another opportunity to serve." Counting has halted at a centre at SRR Government College in Karimnagar because of technical problems. This centre is counting votes for four constituencies Choppadandi, Manakondur, Huzurbad and Karimnagar. The Congress submitted a complaint to Telangana Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Rajat Kumar raising suspicions that Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) were manipulated in the state during polling on 7 December. "This is absolutely false. Even the CEC in a press meeting on Monday said that it is not possible to tamper EVMs. People have given victory to TRS, what Congress is claiming is false," she said. TRS leader K Kavitha rejected the Congress' claim that EVMs were manipulated during polling, and said that the losing party always says the EVMs have been tampered with. According to a tweet from the TRS, party leader and son of care taker chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, KT Rama Rao, is in the lead in Sirsilla by 73,000 votes. Click here for more information on the key candidates in the fray for the Telangana Assembly polls. All eyes in Telangana will be on K Chandrashekar Rao, KT Rama Rao and T Harish Rao, as exit polls and early counting trends predict a TRS win in the state. Other key faces contesting the polls include the BJP's K Laxman, T Raja Singh, A Revanth Reddy. After Telangana Congress chief Uttam Kumar Reddy alleged that EVMs were manipulated in Telangana, the party sent a formal letter to the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), requesting counting of VVPAT papers in all Assembly segments of the state. "Most important: this election was not free and fair. Distribution of money and liquor... I don't think it's a moral victory for him (Rao), it's only a technical victory for TRS," Reddy said. "Huge distribution of money, particularly on the last day (before the election)...purchasing votes..this must have resulted in this victory for TRS," CPI General Secretary Suravaram Sudhakar Reddy alleged. The Communist Party of India (CPI) on Tuesday alleged that the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) resorted to "huge distribution of money and liquor" to influence voters, and described the K Chandrasekhar Rao-led party's performance in the Assembly polls as a "technical victory and not a moral one". Andhra Pradesh chief minister Chandrababu Naidu took to Twitter to congratulate TRS chief K Chandrasekhar Rao on his win in the Telangana Assembly polls. Naidu's comment comes amid a longstanding war of words between the two chief ministers. Harish Rao, who is the nephew of TRS President K Chandrashekhar Rao (KCR), told reporters that the poll results showed people of Telangana have won. "It's people's victory. They have once again upheld the Telangana pride. KCR has proved correct that people will win," said Harish, who retained his Siddipet seat with a record margin. Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) leader T Harish Rao on Tuesday described the party's landslide victory as the victory of Telangana's self-respect, IANS reported. Harish won the Siddipet seat by over 1.20 lakh votes. According to a report from CNN News18 , Telangana's caretaker chief minister and TRS president K Chandrasekhar Rao will address the media at 4.30 pm at Hyderabad's Telangana Bhavan. Rao's government will likely serve another term and form the Telangana government. Telangana caretaker chief minister K Chandrashekhar Rao addressed the media in Hyderabad. "I will actively participate in national politics. I spoke to other political parties, we are going to play a crucial role in national politics," the TRS president said. AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi said the people of Telangana and Hyderabad have rejected opportunistic and communal policies of both Congress and BJP. "Rahul Gandhi's lies describing AIMIM as 'C Team' have been rejected. Rahul should learn humility. I hope Rahul would introspect. We accomplished in Telangana what the Congress and BJP could not," Owaisi said. "Open your eyes Rahul. This nation requires KCR to play a very important role at the national level and he will play a very crucial role in bringing a non-BJP, and non-Congress government in 2019." "After seeing K Chandrasekhar Rao from very close quarters I feel that this nation deserves a leader like him," Asaduddin Owaisi told ANI. "I hope that next step he'll take will be successful and I'll stand shoulder to shoulder with him to ensure there is a non-Congress and non-BJP government in 2019. Harish Rao, who is the nephew of TRS President K Chandrashekhar Rao (KCR), told reporters that the poll results showed people of Telangana have won. "It's people's victory. They have once again upheld the Telangana pride. KCR has proved correct that people will win," said Harish, who retained his Siddipet seat with a record margin. Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) leader T Harish Rao on Tuesday described the party's landslide victory as the victory of Telangana's self-respect, IANS reported. Harish won the Siddipet seat by over 1.20 lakh votes. Andhra Pradesh CM N Chandrababu Naidu: TDP respects the mandate of people of Telangana. Congratulations to Shri K. Chandrasekhar Rao. Also, best wishes to all the newly elected public representatives of 5 states. #AssemblyElections2018 https://t.co/6F8srbEavO Shortly after Andhra Pradesh chief minister Chandrababu Naidu tweeted to congratulate K Chandrasekhar Rao on his win in the Telangana polls, news agency ANI quoted him as saying that the TDP understands the mandate of the people of the state. According to a report from CNN News18 , Telangana's caretaker chief minister and TRS president K Chandrasekhar Rao will address the media at 4.30 pm at Hyderabad's Telangana Bhavan. Rao's government will likely serve another term and form the Telangana government. Mohammed Moazam Khan was declared elected from Bahadurpura constituency here by 82,518 votes against TRS candidate, while four other party candidates were also leading. Khan, who made a hat-Trick, secured 96,993 votes while Inayath Ali Baqri of TRS managed to get 14,475 votes. AIMIM leader Akbaruddin Owaisi won from Chandrayangutta constituency for the fifth time in a row, defeating his nearest BJP rival Syed Shehjadi by a margin of over 80,000 votes. AIMIM bagged two seats while leading in four others in the city Tuesday as per the latest trends in the counting of votes for the Telangana assembly elections. Telangana: K Chandrsekhar Rao arrives at party headquarters in Hyderabad, he won from Gajwel constituency by over 50,000 votes. TRS is leading on 77 seats in the state. #AssemblyElectionResults2018 pic.twitter.com/Gry1skemYj Telangana caretaker Minister KT Rama Rao meets Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) workers at party office in Hyderabad. TRS is leading on 79 seats as per official ECI trends. #AssemblyElections2018Results pic.twitter.com/KqxqmW6Kdm Telangana caretaker Minister KT Rama Rao can be seen meeting Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) workers at the party office in Hyderabad. The TRS is leading on 79 seats as per official ECI trends. Telangana caretaker chief minister K Chandrashekhar Rao addressed the media in Hyderabad. "I will actively participate in national politics. I spoke to other political parties, we are going to play a crucial role in national politics," the TRS president said. AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi said the people of Telangana and Hyderabad have rejected opportunistic and communal policies of both Congress and BJP. "Rahul Gandhi's lies describing AIMIM as 'C Team' have been rejected. Rahul should learn humility. I hope Rahul would introspect. We accomplished in Telangana what the Congress and BJP could not," Owaisi said. "Open your eyes Rahul. This nation requires KCR to play a very important role at the national level and he will play a very crucial role in bringing a non-BJP, and non-Congress government in 2019." A Owaisi: After seeing K Chandrasekhar Rao from very close quarters I feel that this nation deserves a leader like him&I hope that next step he'll take will be successful&I'll stand shoulder to shoulder with him ensuring that in '19 election there's a non-Congress & non-BJP govt. https://t.co/0O63XFk7fv "After seeing K Chandrasekhar Rao from very close quarters I feel that this nation deserves a leader like him," Asaduddin Owaisi told ANI. "I hope that next step he'll take will be successful and I'll stand shoulder to shoulder with him to ensure there is a non-Congress and non-BJP government in 2019. Telangana Election Results LIVE updates: "After seeing K Chandrasekhar Rao from very close quarters I feel that this nation deserves a leader like him," Asaduddin Owaisi told ANI. "I hope that next step he'll take will be successful and I'll stand shoulder to shoulder with him to ensure there is a non-Congress and non-BJP government in 2019. AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi said the people of Telangana and Hyderabad have rejected opportunistic and communal policies of both Congress and BJP. Telangana caretaker chief minister K Chandrashekhar Rao addressed the media in Hyderabad. "I will actively participate in national politics. I spoke to other political parties, we are going to play a crucial role in national politics," the TRS president said. AIMIM bagged two seats while leading in four others in the city Tuesday as per the latest trends in the counting of votes for the Telangana assembly elections. AIMIM leader Akbaruddin Owaisi won from Chandrayangutta constituency for the fifth time in a row, defeating his nearest BJP rival Syed Shehjadi by a margin of over 80,000 votes. Mohammed Moazam Khan was declared elected from Bahadurpura constituency here by 82,518 votes against TRS candidate, while four other party candidates were also leading. Khan, who made a hat-Trick, secured 96,993 votes while Inayath Ali Baqri of TRS managed to get 14,475 votes. In the 2014 election, AIMIM had bagged seven seats Malakpet, Nampally, Karwan, Charminar, Chandrayangutta, Yakutpura, and Bahadurpura. According to a report from CNN News18, Telangana's caretaker chief minister and TRS president K Chandrasekhar Rao will address the media at 4.30 pm at Hyderabad's Telangana Bhavan. Rao's government will likely serve another term and form the Telangana government. Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) leader T Harish Rao on Tuesday described the party's landslide victory as the victory of Telangana's self-respect, IANS reported. Harish won the Siddipet seat by over 1.20 lakh votes. Harish Rao, who is the nephew of TRS President K Chandrashekhar Rao (KCR), told reporters that the poll results showed people of Telangana have won. "It's people's victory. They have once again upheld the Telangana pride. KCR has proved correct that people will win," said Harish, who retained his Siddipet seat with a record margin. Andhra Pradesh chief minister Chandrababu Naidu took to Twitter to congratulate TRS chief K Chandrasekhar Rao on his win in the Telangana Assembly polls. Naidu's comment comes amid a longstanding war of words between the two chief ministers. Independent candidates from Secunderabad constituency are raising the issue of EVM tampering. I expected I would get a minimum 20,000 votes as I have run a good campaign. But I am getting only five votes in each round. In some booths, people I know personally assured me of 100-150 votes, but during counting, I got zero. I have done rigorous campaigning for two months and my team has assured me of victory; many voters even texted me they have voted for me. This shows the EVMs were 100 percent tampered with according to some fixed formulae," one of the independent candidates said. "They have made fools of us. Irrespective of who you vote for, TRS is getting the majority. Voting has not been conducted systematically. The election is a total fraud and we condemn it. We demand a re-election with ballot papers which is the best system," he added. The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) said on Tuesday that the Congresss-led alliance, of which it is a part, needs to analyse and introspect on the grouping's "failure" in the Telangana Assembly elections. "We have to analyse the factors that contributed to the success of TRS and failure of our alliance," said Ravula Chandrasekhar Reddy, senior TDP leader, which is led by Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu. "We were expecting to get more seats. The results are not to our expectations," Reddy told PTI. The alliance which also comprised the Telangana Jana Samithi and the Communist Party of India, did not fare well, and "we have to analyse and introspect where it went wrong, and we have to work together", he said. "We have to respect people's verdict", Reddy said, adding the alliance would now strive hard to see to it that the TRS government implements the "tall promises" made by the K Chandrasekhar Rao-led party. TRS President and Telangana's caretaker chief minister K Chandrashekhar Rao won the state polls from Gajwel constituency by over 50,000 votes, ANI reported. According to a tweet from the TRS, party leader and son of care taker chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, KT Rama Rao, is in the lead in Sirsilla by 73,000 votes. Counting has halted at a centre at SRR Government College in Karimnagar because of technical problems. This centre is counting votes for four constituencies Choppadandi, Manakondur, Huzurbad and Karimnagar. The TRS took out rallies across Hyderabad, defying police orders that forbid victory processions. The TRS' Harish Rao set new records with his sweeping win. He has served as an MLA six times in 14 years, and is also the youngest politician in the country to be elected as an MLA as many times. His lead in Siddipet has crossed one lakh and is still counting, which is more than 80 percent of the polled votes. After 7 rounds of counting in Karimnagar, the sitting TRS MLA Gangula Kamalakar is in the lead with 26,086 votes. Congress is trailing with 14,992 votes and the BJP has 21,109 votes. According to data from the Election Commission of India (ECI), the TRS is in the lead in 90 constituencies, Congress in 16, AIMIM in five, and the BJP in only one seat. Exit polls have predicted an easy win for the TRS. Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) president Uttam Kumar Reddy said: "Going by the distorted trends in the counting of EVM machines, there is a strong suspicion that EVM machines have been manipulated. We demand that 100 percent counting of VVPAT paper trails must be taken up in all constituencies. All Congress candidates should submit letters to their returning officers demanding the counting of VVPAT paper trails." Congress leader and Rajya Sabha member V Hanumanth Rao categorically blamed Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) for the Prajakutami's loss in Telangana. "We campaigned all over the state and everywhere there has been a good response for the Kutami. But the results... It's because of EVM management. In this age of cybercrime, it is possible to trick these machines," he said, adding that "KCR, even before he was an MLA, was adept at manipulation." BJP candidates are leading from AIMIM-stronghold constituencies of Charminar and Yakubpura in Hyderabad. Serial defector and current Congress candidate from Parkal, Konda Surekha, is trailing against incumbent TRS MLA Challa Dharma Reddy. She had won this seat in 2009 as a Congress candidate. She later joined the TRS and defected back to Congress a few weeks before Assembly elections. Her candidature was only announced in the last list. TRS won its first seat in Jagtial, with Sanjay Reddy won against Congress leader Jeevan Reddy. All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) leader Akbaruddin Owaisi won in the Telangana polls from the Chandrayan Gutta constituency, news agency ANI reported. TRS agriculture minister Pocharam Srinivasa Reddy (Parige) is leading in Banswada constituency. He has won from this seat in both, the 2014 and 2009 polls. His role in the TRS government's Raithu Bandhu subsidy schemes for farmers is expected to have a big impact in the 2018 polls. TRS chief and caretaker chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao is leading in Gajwel by 2,861 votes. In the 2013 polls, he had won this seat by a margin of 20,000 votes. It is expected that his winning margin might be smaller in the current election as he is up against local strongman leader Pratap Reddy Vanteru, as well as leaders of the Telangana movement like Gaddar. Former Telangana Congress president Ponnala Lakshmaiah, who had visited Rahul Gandhi in Delhi to demand a ticket from Jangaon after his name was removed from the first list of candidates, is lagging behind after the first round of vote counting. He had lost in the 2013 elections from the same constituency, to incumbent MLA Muthireddy Yadagiri Reddy. Reddy is in the fray this time as well. TRS is leading in Kukatpally by 1,421 votes. TDP candidate Nandamuri Suhasini, who is TDP founder NT Rama Rao's granddaughter, is making her political debut from here. She is only the second politician from NTR's family to contest from Telangana after NTR himself lost from Kalwakurthy in 1989. TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu had campaigned extensively for her in this constituency. A delay in counting has been reported in Telangana's Khammam district, which had recorded 85.50 percent voter turnout in the 7 December polls. This figure is also the highest polling percentage across the state. Congress candidate and former TDP MLA Revanth Reddy is leading in Kodangal. He has a strong following here irrespective of his party affiliation. He has previously alleged unwarranted raids by the EC on the behest of the caretaker chief minister, K Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR). On the day of KCR's rally in Kodangal, Reddy was taken into preventive custody, a move that was condemned by the Congress and later the EC and High Court. With the first round of counting complete in Warangal West, TRS is leading by 3022 votes. TRS' Harish Rao is leading by 6368 votes in Siddipet after the first round. Counting has begun in Telangana, with exit polls predicting an easy win for the K Chandrasekhar Rao-led Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS). A flurry of activity was witnessed in Hyderabad on Monday, a day ahead of the counting of votes for the assembly elections, with the BJP hinting at supporting K Chandrasekhar Rao's TRS in forming the government if it fell short of a majority and AIMIM pledging support. The Congress-led 4-party People's Front, meanwhile met Governor ESL Narasimhan and requested that the alliance be treated as a "single entity" in the event of a hung assembly. Though most exit polls have forecast an easy win for the Telangana Rashtra Samithi, some predicted a keen contest between it and the Congress-led "Prajakutami", which also comprises the TDP, CPI and the newly formed Telangaja Jana Samithi. Counting of votes will be taken up on Tuesday morning to decide the fate of 1,821 candidates trying their luck for 119 assembly seats. BJP national spokesperson G V L Narasimha Rao noted that most exit polls have predicted that the TRS would retain power and they were likely to be on the mark. When asked about options before the BJP, a marginal player in Telangana, in case of a hung assembly, Rao said it was difficult to comment as one does not know as of now what whould be the shortfall for the TRS. "The BJP will have nothing to do with the Congress or the AIMIM (led by Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi)," Rao told PTI, indicating that the BJP was not averse to doing business with the TRS to keep the Congress away from power. "....BJP certainly wants a stable government, and in case of a hung assembly, we will see who seeks our support. Our support will certainly be not available for the Congress or the AIMIM," Rao added. The BJP had won just five seats in the 2014 assembly polls that were held in undivided Andhra Pradesh. It had contested the poll in alliance with N Chandrababu Naidu's Telugu Desam Party. The TDP walked out of the BJP-led NDA a few months ago over the Centre's refusal to accord special category status to Andhra Pradesh. Rao, however, noted that since the party contested the elections against both the TRS and the People's Front, it would be happy to be in the opposition. The AIMIM, which Chandrasekhar Rao called a "friendly party" during the election campaign, meanwhile, said it will stand by the TRS leader. "I will be meeting Telangana's caretaker & next CM of Telangana, KCR sahab @TelanganaCMO at 1:30 PM today. Inshallah he will form government on his own strength, and Majlis will stand by him. This is our first step towards a larger goal of nation building," Owaisi tweeted. Owaisi later rode a motorcycle to 'Pragati Bhavan', the camp office-cum-residence of Rao, and was with him for about three hours. "On behalf of my party I met caretaker chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao. I am pretty sure and confident and KCR 'saab' is (also) confident that people of Telangana would once again bless KCR to the chief minister's post. He will form a new government on his own strength," he told reporters. AIMIM contested eight seats in the December 7 assembly elections as against the seven in the 2014 polls, and supported the TRS elsewhere. When asked if AIMIM would back out if the BJP went with TRS, Owaisi, who also addressed campaign rallies in support of TRS candidates, said,"Such a scenario would not be there. BJP, which had five seats....would decrease...you will see tomorrow by noon." Meanwhile, a People's Front delegation called on the governor and sought to be treated as a single entity should the electorate give a fractured mandate. "In the event of a situation of the governor having to invite the single largest entity to form the government arises, we said, this is our pre-poll alliance and these are the papers and documents. We submitted them to the governor," state Congress president N Uttam Kumar Reddy told reporters. The incident took place at Zainpora when the terrorists entered into a guard room where four police personnel were present, they said. Four policemen, guarding a minority pocket in Shopian district in south Kashmir, were shot dead allegedly by terrorists Tuesday, officials said. The incident took place at Zainpora when the terrorists entered into a guard room where four police personnel were present, they said. The deceased persons were identified as Abdul Majid, Manzoor Ahmed and Mohammed Amin. The fourth policeman, who was critically injured, was rushed to a hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries, ANI reported. The terrorists also walked away with weapons of the policemen, they said, adding that all people from the minority community were safe. The Congress and the NC condemned the militant attack on a police post. "I strongly condemn the attack on the police post in Shopian and condole the deaths of three police personnel in the line of duty," former chief minister Omar Abdullah said. The Congress too expressed shock over the attack. "The killings or violence has neither served any purpose nor will benefit anyone, rather such type of dastardly acts will have serious implications on the society, besides vitiating the peace," a spokesman of the Pradesh Congress Committee said in a statement. On Sunday, three Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) militants, including one of the youngest ultras in Kashmir, were killed in an 18-hour gunfight with security forces on the outskirts of Srinagar. A soldier and three civilians were also injured during the encounter. The slain militants were identified as Mudasir Rashid Parray and Saqib Bilal Sheikh -- both residents of the Hajin area in Bandipora district -- and from the evidence collected, one militant was learnt to be a Pakistani, identified as Ali. Parray was reportedly 14 years of age and one of the youngest militants killed in the valley. His gun-wielding picture had surfaced on the social media earlier this week, after he had gone missing from his house in August. However, the police said Parray's age could not be confirmed. With PTI inputs Special CBI Judge Arvind Kumar passed the order after Michel's counsel said he had no objections to the CBI's plea and he wanted to prove his client's innocence. New Delhi: A Delhi court Tuesday allowed the CBI plea seeking permission to take signature and handwriting samples of Christian Michel James, the alleged middleman who has been chargesheeted and arrested in the graft-tainted AgustaWestland VVIP chopper deal. Special CBI Judge Arvind Kumar passed the order after Michel's counsel said he had no objections to the CBI's plea and he wanted to prove his client's innocence. "The application is allowed," the judge said. Michel, 57, is in CBI custody till 15 December. The CBI, represented through advocate DP Singh, has said Michel's handwriting and signature samples are required to match them with the documents which are already in its possession. Advocates Aljo K Joseph and Vishnu Shankar, appearing for Michel, said he has no objection to the CBI's plea as the truth has to come out. The counsel said their only concern was that the samples are sent directly to the forensic laboratory for comparison and not be used for any other purpose. CBI prosecutor took a strong objection to the submission saying they were raising questions over the integrity of the institution. The court also allowed Michel's plea to make phone calls to his family members during the CBI custody. The phone has to be on speaker mode and the spoken language should be English, it said. It, however, turned down the plea to allow him to make phone calls to his manager and a step brother after CBI's opposition. The agency said Michel's manager was a suspect in the case and his step brother was a barrister and the accused cannot be allowed to speak to them during police custody. Michel was produced before the court on Monday after expiry of his five-day CBI custody during which he was confronted with various documents relating to the case. It extended his police custody till 15 December. CBI had contended that the accused was "not cooperating" in the investigation and was giving "evasive" answers. It had argued that Michel was required to be confronted with some witnesses to unearth the deep rooted conspiracy and to identify his accomplices including the IAF officials, bureaucrats and politicians. His counsel maintained that Michel's police custody was not required any further and no incriminating evidence was shown to him during the interrogation. He has also filed a detailed bail application which would be heard later. Michel, who is a citizen of the United Kingdom, was brought to India on the night of 4 December, following his extradition by the UAE in connection with the case and was arrested by the CBI. The next day, he was produced before the court which had allowed his five-day custodial interrogation by the CBI. Michel is one of the three middlemen being probed in the case, besides Guido Haschke and Carlo Gerosa, by the ED and the CBI. Both the agencies notified an Interpol red corner notice (RCN) against him after the court issued a non-bailable warrant against him. The CBI has alleged there was an estimated loss of Euro 398.21 million (about Rs 2,666 crore) to the exchequer in the deal that was signed on 8 February, 2010 for the supply of VVIP choppers worth Euro 556.262 million. The Enforcement Directorate (ED), in its charge sheet filed against Michel in June 2016, had alleged that he received EUR 30 million (about Rs 225 crore) from AgustaWestland. On 1 January, 2014, India scrapped the contract with Italy-based Finmeccanica's British subsidiary AgustaWestland for supplying 12 AW-101 VVIP choppers to the IAF over alleged breach of contractual obligations and charges of paying kickbacks to the tune of Rs 423 crore by it for securing the deal. The CBI on 1 September, 2017, had filed a charge sheet in the case in which Michel was named as one of the accused. Former IAF Chief S P Tyagi was also chargesheeted by the CBI in a Delhi Court along with nine others in connection with a bribery case in the VVIP chopper deal. Tyagi (73) is the first chief of the Indian Air Force to be chargesheeted in a corruption or a criminal case by the CBI. Besides him, the agency has also chargesheeted retired Air Marshal JS Gujral along with eight others, including five foreign nationals, in the charge sheet filed before the Special CBI Judge. Anglo-Italian company, AgustaWestland, is also among the accused. Assembly Election Results 2018: BJP leaders have spoken about a Congress-mukt Bharat since 2014, however, the Congress strong showing in the recent Assembly elections 2018, has proved that the BJP could be chasing a chimera For some time now the BJP has made no secret of its intention to make India Congress-free. Starting from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, almost all the BJP leaders have been talking about a Congress-mukt Bharat since the massive electoral victory in 2014. However, the Congress strong showing in the recent round of Assembly elections, has proved that the BJP could be chasing a chimera. Congress is not only alive and kicking, but also growing in strength. For the first time in a direct fight with the BJP, the Congress has won by snatching Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh from the BJP and is giving a tough fight to the saffron party in Madhya Pradesh. This is the most spectacular victory of the grand old party directly against the BJP after its 2014 Lok Sabha debacle, something that the Congress had been desperately looking forward to. Prior to this round of elections, Congress had never won in a direct fight with the BJP from 2014 onwards. The party had been desperately looking forward to a big victory. The party had been in alliance with the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and Janata Dal (United) during the Bihar Assembly election in 2015, in which the BJP got defeated. In the Punjab Assembly election, Congress had won but it was against the SAD-BJP combine. Similarly, in Karnataka this year, the JD(S)-Congress alliance had won. Congress made the country realise about its gaining strength during the Gujarat Assembly election in December 2017 when it gave a tough fight to the ruling BJP in Modis home turf. Though it faced defeat, it managed to win 77 seats against the BJP that won 99 seats. It was also for the first time when Rahul led the battle from the front. The recent victory is critical for the Congress because these are from Hindi heartland, where the party had lost its significance. Congress president Rahul Gandhis elation at the press conference today was understandable. This victory of the Congress has been due to its party workers, farmers, youth and small traders. Its the responsibility of the Congress to listen to their voice and provide a vision on the issues related to farmer distress, unemployment, etc, in the states, we have won. This is our central theme and we need to have a strategic solution. The people of the country have realised that Prime Minister (Modi) failed to fulfill the promises he made in 2014, Rahul Gandhi said in the press conference. "It's the time of change. Resurgent Congress and strongly united Opposition will make it very difficult for the prime minister and the BJP to win 2019 election (to Lok Sabha). The country is clearly unhappy with demonetisation, GST, rising unemployment and agrarian crisis. Our victory in Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh has been due to three key issues unemployment, corruption, and farmers. The message has gone to the public that the prime minister is corrupt and he failed to fight corruption," the Congress president added. The trumpet for the 2019 General Election to Lok Sabha is expected to be blown after the 2019 Budget. While the Modi government will showcase its achievements on the public domain, the Opposition Congress would ensure to present the failures of the NDA government as Rahul said. Prime Minister Modi and BJP president Amit Shah on several occasions in the past had talked of making India Congress-free. The Congress party had faced its worst defeat in 2014, as it succeeded in winning only 44 seats. Thereafter, the Congress got defeated one after the other in Assembly elections held in Maharashtra, Haryana, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Goa, and Gujarat. It lent strength to Modis slogan once again. In February this year, Modi reiterated in Rajya Sabha on the Motion of Thanks for the Presidents address that the BJP was only following Mahatma Gandhis dream of Congress-mukt Bharat. This is an anti-Modi vote. If we look at a common thread running through all three Hindi heartland states. But that doesnt mean the BJP is totally out of the reckoning. Alarm bells have started ringing for them and they need to take it seriously before the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, political commentator and author of Shivraj Singh and Rise of Madhya Pradesh, Abhilash Khandekar told Firstpost. This victory has given Congress enough reason to cheer and look forward to 2019 elections with gusto. Click her to follow live updates on Assembly Election results 2018 Follow all the latest updates from the Telangana Elections here Follow all the latest updates from the Mizoram Elections here Follow all the latest updates from the Chhattisgarh Elections here Follow all the latest updates from the Madhya Pradesh Elections here Follow all the latest updates from the Rajasthan Elections here Follow Firstpost's coverage of the 2018 Vidhan Sabha Elections here MP, Rajasthan, Mizoram, Telangana, Chhattisgarh Assembly Election Results LIVE Updates: If the Congress sees off the last-minute scare, it will a trifecta of wins in the heartland of India, having already comfortably bagged Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh. With the sudden slump in electoral fortunes of the BJP, 2019 is no longer a walkover for Narendra Modi and Amit Shah. Auto refresh feeds Hectic political parleys marked the eve of counting of votes for five state assemblies, billed as semi-finals before the 2019 national polls, with the Congress asserting that the mandate from Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Telangana and Mizoram on Tuesday would send a "clear message" against the Narendra Modi government at the Centre. However, the stock markets reacted negatively with the benchmark Sensex plummeting by over 700 points on Monday, tracking the exit poll results. Rejecting the exit-poll results, most of which have forecast gains for Congress in at least four states including a clear majority in Rajasthan, the BJP leaders said the final results should be awaited even as they sought to de-link the state polls from the next year's Lok Sabha elections. On the other hand, opposition parties appeared emboldened with Upendra Kushwaha's Rashtriya Lok Samta Party quitting the ruling NDA (National Democratic Alliance) to join their ranks on a day when a number of non-BJP parties came together on a single platform in what was seen as their show of strength. The Congress-led alliance, however, appeared upbeat that it would get the mandate to dislodge KCR, as the chief minister is popularly known as, and form the next government. It also told Governor ESL Narasimhan that it should be treated as a single entity in the event of no party getting a clear majority. In Telangana, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi met interim chief minister K Chandrashekar Rao to extend his support and said he was sure about the ruling TRS coming back to power, while the BJP also hinted at its possible support. For Madhya Pradesh, senior Congress leader Kamal Nath was confidence that the party would get at least 140 seats to form a majority government. Counting of votes for the five state assemblies would begin at 8 am on Tuesday and a clear trend is likely to emerge by afternoon. Exit polls have mostly forecast a tight-race between the ruling BJP and the Congress in Madhya Pradesh and neighbouring Chhattisgarh, while many of them have given a clear majority to the Congress against the ruling BJP in Rajasthan. Ahead of the results, Congress president Rahul Gandhi said people will give a "clear message" in form of results for the five assemblies and exuded confidence that the BJP would be ousted in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. For Telangana , exit polls have been divided between the TRS and the Congress-led opposition alliance. Same is the case for Mizoram where the ruling Congress is being challenged by its arch-rival in the state, Mizo National Front, while the BJP is also separately in fray. RLSP leader Upendra Kushwaha quit the BJP-led NDA on Monday and the Narendra Modi government, charging the prime minister with betraying Bihar and with pursuing an "opaque style of functioning and non-democratic leadership style". A crucial ally quitting the NDA fold just the day before the Assembly results emboldened the Opposition which met on Wednesday to discuss strategy ahead of 2019 General Elections and the Winter Session of Parliament. You will see, the elections have recently taken place. India will give its message and will give it clearly, Rahul said. He said: We will beat the BJP and show them their place, but we have to go beyond this and think about two big issues employment and the farmers, Modi government considers the farmers as a liability. Anger is increasing in the country. Main reason of this anger is that the government is not able to provide employment to youngsters, it is the core challenge before Prime Minister Narendra Modi. While China provides employment to 50,000 persons in 24 hours, Indian government provides employment to 450 persons in 24 hours. This wont work, Rahul said. Congress chief Rahul Gandhi said the results of five states will determine the course of the general elections due to be held in 2019. Results of Assembly elections will tell the mood of the nation. We will remove BJP from power and show them their place in 2019 Lok Sabha polls," he said. In Madhya Pradesh, three of the four polls predicted that the Congress would emerge as the single largest party. Two polls gave it a clear majority. If exit polls are to be believed, Chhattisgarh could be heading for a photo finish. Exit poll predictions after the 7 December elections concluded gave the Congress new hope to end its prolonged electoral drought. Exit poll predictions by TV networks said that the Congress would make gains in the Hindi heartland states of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh all ruled by the BJP now. In Telangana, the ruling TRS was projected to be ahead of the Congress-led grand alliance. The Madhya Pradesh Congress launched its manifesto for the upcoming Assembly elections on 10 November. In the document, which the Congress has described as "historic", the party has tried to please all, with promises ranging from employment to gaushalas. Releasing the 112-page manifesto at a press meet in Bhopal, state Congress chief Kamal Nath described it as the "voice of the people of Madhya Pradesh", saying the document was prepared after consultations with every section of the society. He also announced Krishak Samrudhi Yojana, to benefits farmers in debt across the state. He announced the party's plans to encourage women empowerment. He said that the party even launched a 'Nari Shakti Sankalp Patra' proposing self-help groups for women empowerment. Along with chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Arun Jaitley released the BJP manifesto in the state. Chouhan outlined the promises that the party was making in the document, which included increasing employment opportunities in the state."We will make efforts to provide 10 lakh jobs and self-employment opportunities every year. We will provide start-up facilities to young entrepreneurs and also establish new industrial townships," he said. Calling a politician names works in politics only if voters hate the recipient of colorful epithets. If the target is somebody like Chouhan not despised, even if not universally revered he turns the name-calling into a ruse to hardsell himself as a victim, to generate sympathy and tug at heartstrings. Many factors point to the voters' Chouhan fatigue. One, the BJP lost four consecutive by-elections in the state in the last two years. Two, the Congress made major gains in recent bypolls for elections to local bodies. These setbacks seem to be consistent with the findings of a CSDS survey that predicted a 15 percent lead for the Congress in May 2018. Congress leaders are busy serving Chouhan emotive issues on a platter, allowing him to discuss everything except his own performance. Madhya Pradesh is a ripe case of anti-incumbency. After 15 years of BJP rule, people especially farmers and unemployed youth are willing to question Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan's performance and think about an alternative. They are ready to evaluate other options. Experts said that Narendra Modi will probably be on the backfoot ahead of 2019 Lok Sabha elections considering their mandate won't be as good as the party has expected. The pre-results speculations are the result of the exit polls which predicted massive gains for Congress, but real picture will emerge only after the results start coming in. Vasundhara Raje, the incumbent chief minister is vying for the second term and is facing a strong anti-incumbency in the state. There are high chances that Sachin Pilot may become the Chief Minister of Rajasthan if Congress comes to power in the state. Rajasthan has not voted the ruling party for second term in the history of last 20 years. The BJP and the Congress are the main contenders in the Rajasthan Assembly. The Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP and Mayawati-led Bahujan Samaj Party are also contesting the Rajasthan polls. Rajasthan is important for the BJP and the Congress as it sends 25 MPs to the Lok Sabha. Currently, the BJP has 23 MPs while the Congress has only two. The results of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh will decide the fate of Congress in the Mahagathbandhan ahead of the crucial 2019 Lok Sabha election. Regional parties like Samajwadi Party, Bahujan Samaj Party and others had distanced with the Congress in these elections. If Congress manages to win in these three states then there are high chances that regional parties will contest elections with the Congress against the BJP in 2019. All eyes on Ambah (SC/ST) constituency in Morena. Neha Kinner, one of the transgender candidates in Madhya Pradesh supported by SAPAKS is giving tough competition to all major contenders, including Kamlesh Jatav from Congress, BJP'S Gabbar Sakhwar and SP's Satyaprakash Sakhwar. Morena district is bastion of Union Minister Narendra Singh Tomar. Early trends indicate good start for Congress in Rajasthan as the party is leading in eight seats. Congress is leading in Mandawa and Tonk seat. Reeta Choudhary is leading from Mandawa while Sachin Pilot is leading in Tonk. According to reports, K Chandrashekar Rao-led Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) is leading in Tungaturthi and Jagtial. Nearly all the exit polls predict KCR retaining yet another term with a clear majority although the margin varied from poll to poll. It's been just under an hour since counting began, but Congress workers in Rajasthan have already begun celebrations at the party office. Party workers have gathered at the headquarters in the state with boxes of fireworks. Rajasthan party chief Sachin Pilot is leading in Tonk. Rajasthan cadre is more than upbeat about early trends. Outside the residence of Sachin Pilot, who is leading in Tonk, slogans were raised: "Humara CM kaisa ho, Sachin Pilot jaisa ho"; "Bharat ki shaan, Yuva Pechaan, Congress ki jaan." Senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh said: "It's too early. Anything can be said only after 12 pm. Leads of only postal ballots have come till now. I am confident that in Madhya Pradesh, the Congress party will form government. We have favourable situation in Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh also." 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. 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. Western Rajasthan's Pokhran assembly constituency is seeing a toucg contest between a Hindu religious leader fielded by the BJP and son of Muslim 'peer' pitted against him by the Congress. According to early trends, Congress has gained an early lead in Rajasthan and in Madhya Pradesh the gap between the Congress and the BJP is closing in really fast. While BJP has got leads in 93 seats, Congress is surging ahead in 87 indicating a real climax in the offing. In Rajasthan, the Congress is leading in 97 seats, while BJP is ahead in 66 seats. Experts and election observers have called the elections in Telangana saying there will be no surprise in the state as K Chandrasekar Rao will return as the chief minister for one more term. The results have not been officially called in the southern state, but with lead in 90 seats, experts said TRS will emerge the winner in state. According to early trends, Congress is ahead in 20 seats. After a series of defeats in the various state elections, the Congress now has reason to celebrate. Party workers have gathered outside the party headquarters in New Delhi with fireworks and sweets. The party is leading in three states Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. Congress is most likely to form the next government in Chhattisgarh as the party has secured early lead in 61 seats. The magic number required to form the government is 46. This shows a significant shift in favour of the Congress from the last assembly polls when it trailed the BJP by 0.75% in vote share. According to CEO Chhattisgarh, the Congress has claimed 41.56% vote share and BJP 27.82% vote share until 10.00 am. 26% vote share is claimed by independents and the JCC so far while 2% votes have gone to NOTA. In Mizoram, the MNF is set to return to power and they have already begun celebrations. ANI shared pictures where the party has taken an unassailable lead. Meanwhile, BJP party state president JV Hluna said that they are hopeful to win in three to five seats but we are going to part of government anyways. "Our party is open to go with any party because none of them will be able to form government without our support, be it MNF of Congress. Development is our agenda and for this, we can go with congress also," says Hluna. Congress, as opposed to everyone's expectaion, has taken an early lead in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. In Mizoram, MNF is set to form the next government in Mizoram while KCR-led Telangana Rashtra Samiti has got very early lead in Telangana. Vasundhara Raje leading by 9292 votes in Jhalrapatan Suresh Gujjar leading by 3078 votes in Khanpur Kaluram leading by 1184 votes in Dug Kailash Meena leading by 1738 votes in Manoharthana After 15 years, Congress likely to get over 100 seats in Madhya Pradesh. In the 2003 assembly elections, the BJP got 173 seats and Congress 38, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) 2 and Samajwadi Party (SP) 7 and Gondwana Gantantra Party (GGP) 3 and others 7 for the 230 members Madhya Pradesh Vidhan Sabha. As far as Telangana is considered, poll experts told News18, they are going on lines with BJP. "They have a local presence and they are not getting entangled with the national politics. Meanwhile, columnist Dr Sanjaya Baru told News18, "ECI explanation is incompetent. But did ECI knew that all 22 lakh votes were for Congress ? No. So it does not make much of a difference. Formation of Telangana has empowered Muslims as they have gained a larger share of a minority than in a unified stated and those votes have made a difference." As early trends put Congress in the lead in Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh and is close second in Madhya Pradesh, senior leaders like Shashi Tharoor took to Twitter and quoted Arun Jaitley in congratulating the cadre, "No one who cheats India will go scot free." Telangana caretaker CM K Chandrashekar Rao will soon arrive at the state bhavan and address a press meet on the election result, say reports. Observers said that the BJP in Madhya Pradesh Iis marginally ahead and the contest in Rajasthan is neck and neck. Congress senior leaders Jyotiraditya Scindia and Digvijaya Singh have arrived at Kamal Nath's resident in Madhya Pradesh. To leave for Congress office in Bhopal anytime. It is certain that Congress will win elections in Rajasthan, said chief minister hopeful Ashok Gehlot. Congress has its nose ahead in three states, but in Madhya Pradesh the contest is very close with BJP at 106 and Congress at 113, however, the numbers are changing extremely fast. TMC chief Mamata Banerjee tweeted following the election results saying it was a victory of the people against divisive politics. "People voted against BJP. This is the peoples verdict and victory of the people of this country. Victory of democracy and victory against injustice, atrocities, destruction of institutions, misuse of agencies, no work for poor people , farmers, youth, Dalits, SC, ST, OBC, minorities and general caste. Semifinal proves that BJP is nowhere in all the states. This is a real democratic indication of 2019 final match. Ultimately, people are always the man of the match of democracy. My congrats to the winners." Experts believe the fight in this election will be tougher for Vasundhara than the previous one. In the elections of 2013, Congress had fielded young Meenakshi Chandravart against Vasundhara. However, this time Congress fielded Union Minister Jaswant Singh's son Manvendra Singh against her. In such a scenario, everyone's eyes are on the election results of Jhalarapatan. Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje is battling anti-incumbency this year. Rajasthan's 'queen' is in the fray from Jhalarapatan itself. Jhalarapatan seat comes in Rajasthan's Jhalawar district. Several TV discussions debated how these state elections, which is being billed as the Semi Final, will affect the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. While politicians, especially those with the Opposition, said that the state assembly election results show people's anger towards the Modi government, senior editor Shekhar Gupta said that the momentum with which Modi had swept the 2014 general elections, won't be repeated in 2019. Sanjay Raut from Shiv Sena said that this is not Congress' victory but "anger in public." "There is a need for self-introspection. We are in NDA because we follow our dharma, people have thought us a lesson," Raut said . Congress leads in Rajasthan as per 12.30 pm with 100 seats. BJP leads in 75 seats and others in 24 seats Congress leads in Chhattisgarh as per 12.30 pm with 66 seats. BJP has 18 seats and others lead in 6 seats Talking to reporters outside Parliament, he also offered his congratulations to all the winning parties and candidates. With election trends showing reverses for the BJP, senior BJP leader and Home Minister Rajnath Singh said the polls were fought on the basis of the performance of state governments, rejecting the notion that the results would be a reflection of the Modi government. The two leaders told reporters that a call on which of them will be chief minister will be taken by the MLAs and party president Rahul Gandhi, for whom this is being seen as a make or break electoral exercise. PCC president Pilot was leading in Tonk and Congress' former chief minister Ashok Gehlot in Sardarpura. The choice of who would be chief minister if the Congress comes to power had analysts playing the guessing game. Though Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje was ahead of the Congress' Manvendra Singh in her constituency Jhalrapatan, about 12 of her ministers, including Home Minister Gulab Chand Kataria and Transport Minister Yoonus Khan, were trailing, according to the state election commission's website. Voters in the state, it appeared, stuck to the "revolving door" trend of choosing the BJP and the Congress alternately. In Rajasthan, the Congress was leading in 97 seats, three short of the magic number of 100, and the BJP in 75, according to the website of the Rajasthan chief electoral officer. Independents were leading in 12 seats. As expected the regional parties have started extending their support to the Congress after trends showed victory for Congress in three states. Earlier, the same Samajwadi Party was seen distancing from the Congress. After trends in Rajasthan showed a clear win for Congress, senior party leader Ashok Gehlot was seen distributing tea to the press and supporters gathered at his Jaipur residence. It is PM Narendra Modi who often refers to himself as a 'chaiwala'. Within an hour of counting, the BJP was off and running with 29 leads to the Congress' 18, and by 9.30 am, the saffron party was ahead in 76 seats. By this point, the Congress too was making up ground quickly and had jumped ahead at 10 am. Reports have said that Rahul Gandhi reached the residence of Sonia, probably to discuss further strategy as BSP is likely to extend support to the party in Madhya Pradesh. The Gondwana Gandtantra Party (GGP) was leading in one seat. Five ministers in the BJP government Brijmohan Agrawal (Raipur City South), Kedar Kashyap (Narayanpur constituency), Mahesh Gagda (Bijapur), Dayaldas Baghel (Nawagarh) and Amar Agrawal (Bilaspur) - were trailing. The Congress was leading in 60 seats, and the ruling BJP in 15 in Chhattisgarh as per trends available in 64 seats, poll officials said Tuesday. The Janata Congress Chhattisgarh (J) of former chief minister Ajit Jogi was ahead in five seats and its ally Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) was leading in one seat. The Congress was leading in 100 seats leaving behind the BJP which was ahead in 78 seats in Rajasthan, poll officials said Tuesday. The CPM was leading in two seats, the BSP in two seats and independents in 12 seats and others on four seats, they said. Several ministers, including state Home Minister Gulab Chand Kataria and Transport Minister Yoonus Khan, were trailing in the initial round of counting. Speaking to media, BJP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Kakade said, "I knew we would lose in Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh but MP trends have come as a surprise." Kakade blamed the poor performance on state units deviating from Narendra Modi's development pitch. "I think we forgot the issue of development that Modi took up in 2014. Ram Mandir, statues and name changing became the focus." As Congress clinched a clear victory in Chhattisgarh, the BJP office of the state lay still without any celebrations. Likewise, Damoh, one of the prestigious constituency of Madhya Pradesh, where two political stalwarts Finance Minister Jayant Malaiya and BJP rebel leader Ramkrishna Kusmariya are at loogerheads has also shown substantial swing. In the morning, Ramkrishna Kusmariya started with a lead, but for sometimes Malaiya was also leading the race, but currently Ramkrishna Kusmariya is inching closer to victory. Ambah (SC/ST) constituency in Morena district has witnessed the most volatile contest till now. In the morning, Neha Kinner started with a lead, further Kamlesh Jatav of Congress picked up a lead around 10:30 am. Around 11:30 AM Neha Kinner, the state's only transgender candidate made a comeback, however Kamlesh Jatav is leading right now at the seat. The chief minister hopeful from Rajasthan addressed the media on Tuesday and spoke on Congress strategy for all the five states which went to polls in November and December. Responding to questions from the media, Gehlot told the lot not to worry. "Sarkaar Congress hi banayegi." Did he say this for Rajasthan alone? Maybe not. TELANGANA: TRS successfully rode on the KCR wave to secure a win in the sourthern state with very early leads. Chhattisgarh: BJP 17 seats as compared to 49 in 2013 Assembly election. Congress leading in 67, as opposed to the 39 in previous elections MADHYA PRADESH: Congress is leading with 115 seats while BJP is tailing behind with lead in 104 seats. TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu tweeted congratulations to winners of Assembly elections in the five states and separately tweeted out message for "KCR Garu." Emerging kingmaker in Madhya Pradesh, BSP chief Mayawati has reportedly called all her winning MLAs to New Delhi for a meeting. The Congress will be hoping to stitch a post poll alliance with the BSP. While the party was supposed to have a pre-poll alliance, Mayawati pulled out following a disagreement over seat sharing. It is now up to the Congress to woo the BSP supremo and consequently form government. In fact, this is the largest electoral victory for any party in the history of Chhattisgarh, which has always seen closely fought elections. Reports have said that in 2013 the vote share difference between the BJP and Congress was merely 0.7%. "This time, however, at 2 pm, the Congress had 43.4% of the vote share while the BJP had 32.3%." The term of Bharatiya Janata Partys longest serving chief minister in Chhattisgarh is finally going to end. Trends available for 83 seats in the 90-member assembly showed the Congress was leading in 60 seats a sweeping victory that even the party leaders had not anticipated. Its anyones game in Madhya Pradesh now as at least 26 seats are going down to the wire with a margin of less than 500 votes between the Congress and BJP candidates. If the Congress sees off the last-minute scare, it will a trifecta of wins in the heartland of India, having already comfortably bagged Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh. Giving examples of Assam, Karnataka and Uttar Pradesh, the TMC supremo called on the regional forces and said that "states are the pillars of India" and they should join hands to ensure a fast removal of the BJP from the Centre. "Let's get done with this quickly." Slamming the BJP for showing arrogance, West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee said that BJP is poised to lose every election because of their anti-people policies across the country. So far, the Congress and the BJP have won six seats each, while the BSP has bagged three. Also, one independent and one other party candidate have won. With over 54,000 votes, Sachin Pilot has won with the biggest victory margin in Rajasthan. It was the first assembly elections for 41-year old Pilot, a two-time MP, and he defeated Khan with a margin of 54,179 votes on the Muslim-dominated seat. Congress Legislative Party in Rajasthan to meet on Wednesday morning to decide the chief minister, says Sachin Pilot. Pilot has won form Tonk constituency in Rajasthan. According to trends so far, Congress has bagged 102 seats. RLD vice president Jayant Chaudhary has announced that his party will support the Congress in Rajasthan. The party has won one seat. The Congress is leading in 104 and the BJP in 70. Asaduddin Owaisi slammed both the BJP and the Congress by saying that Telangana has rejected the false claims by both the parties. Claiming that regional parties will rise to form a non-BJP and non-Congress government at the Centre, Owaisi dissed the idea of "united opposition" and said that the wave brought in by the TRS led by KCR will repeat in every election. AIMIM leader Akbaruddin Owaisi, who happens to be the brother of Asaduddin, has won from Chandrayangutta in Telangana Assembly Elections. Chhattisgarh Congress president Bhupesh Baghel termed the party's win a victory of democracy, Addressing the press, Baghel said, "BJP had a lot of money and a team of corrupt officers, they also had conspirators in their pocket. Despite all of this, the mandate given by the people in Chhattisgarh is historic." According to party national spokesperson, Abhishek Singhvi, the party added 9 percent to its 2014 vote share (30.4%) in Rajasthan. In Madhya Pradesh, the party gained six percents (from 34.9 percent to 41.4 percent) and in Chhattisgarh, the party added five percent to its vote share from 38.4 percent in 2014 to 43 percent in 2018. Congress vote share rose in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh as well as Chhattisgarh in the Assembly Elections, counting for which is currently undergoing. "This is a grand victory. We are forming government in three states what can be better than that. The way Rahul Gandhi tackled Narendra Modi and Amit Shah in Gujarat, after that graph of Congress is going up and the graph of Modi is constantly going down. It's a sign." Congress leader Ashok Gehlot said that the Congress performance in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh is a sign of Modi's waning popularity. Speaking with ANI, Gehlot, said, Outgoing chief minister of Mizoram Lal Thanhawla submits his resignation before the Governor. "This is very disappointing. I didn't expect this. I think I underestimated the new formation ZPM," he told ANI. Outgoing chief minister of Mizoram Lal Thanhawla submits his resignation before the Governor. "This is very disappointing. I didn't expect this. I think I underestimated the new formation ZPM," he told ANI. Congress will hold a meeting of Congress MLAs and senior leaders in Rajasthan on Wednesday morning. KC Venugopal, Congress leader said, that the party will seek views of all MLAs and senior leaders on the next chief minister of Rajasthan and then apprise Congress president Rahul Gandhi with the situation. "As per party customs, the party president will take the final decision on the leadership issue," he said. Congress has won 13 seats and is leading on 99 seats in the state. The party has been facing neck and neck contest from ruling BJP which has won 15 seats and is leading in 94 seats. Counting is still underway in 201 seats. Raising suspicion about manipulation of EVMs in the Telangana assembly polls, the state unit of the Congress on Tuesday demanded counting of all VVPATs, reported News18. With Congress headed for a comprehensive defeat at the hands of ruling TRS, Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee president N Uttam Kumar Reddy also claimed that the Election Commission declined to accept the party's demand for counting of VVPATs. He said his party has petitioned the state Chief Electoral Officer here and the Election Commission in Delhi for counting the VVPATs. Raising suspicion about manipulation of EVMs in the Telangana assembly polls, the state unit of the Congress on Tuesday demanded counting of all VVPATs, reported News18. With Congress headed for a comprehensive defeat at the hands of ruling TRS, Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee president N Uttam Kumar Reddy also claimed that the Election Commission declined to accept the party's demand for counting of VVPATs. He said his party has petitioned the state Chief Electoral Officer here and the Election Commission in Delhi for counting the VVPATs. From the time counting began, the Mizo National Front never gave the incumbent Congress a chance. Compared to their 2013 tallies, the Congress lost a remarkable 29 seats, while the MNF gained 21. The two exit polls conducted pulled in favour of a hung Assembly, but the actual outcome put both estimates to shame. "This is a victory of Congress workers, small traders, farmers. This is a big responsibility for Congress party and we will work on this," said Rahul Gandhi, while addressing the media on Tuesday. Congress President Rahul Gandhi said that the party is going to provide the states Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh a vision to overcome the problems that its youth, farmers and small shopkeepers are facing. "There's a lack of understanding about the problems that the people are facing. We are going to provide these states a govt that they can be proud of," he said. "The prime minister won on the promise that he will fight against corruption. But that feeling is over. Now the public thinks that the prime minister himself is corrupt. The reality is there is corruption in Rafale scam, and it will come out soon," said Rahul Gandhi. Looking at the current trends of the election results, Congress chief Rahul Gandhi claimed that it will be difficult for Prime Minister Narendra Modi to win in 2019 as the "country is not happy with demonetisation, GST and lack of jobs. I am happy with what we achieved." He said, adding that the prime minister is unable to handle pressure. "The ideology of SP, BSP and Congress is the same different from that of BJP. There will not be a big issue of Chief Minister face. It will be done smoothly," says Rahul Gandhi, according to ANI Addressing the media on Tuesday, Congress president Rahul Gandhi said that loan waiver alone is not a solution to farmers' issue. "The solution for the agriculture crisis is challenging and will require infrastructure," he said. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said that the most important lesson for him in the Assembly election was to not act like Narendra Modi. He said that the prime minister stopped listening to the people, and that's what led to the BJP's loss. The Congress chief also said that the party will set the architecture of a new vision in the three states: "The BJP sold a vision to Indians five years ago and they have failed today. What we would try is to set the architecture for a new vision," he said. "The central issue of EVM is still there, if the chip is manipulated you can affect the entire voting system, that's not possible with manual voting. This is a question that has been answered in the US and other countries, where they've said that we don't want an EVM," he said. Congress president Rahul Gandhi once again questioned the usage of EVMs for polling. Addressing the media, he said, " As far as the EVMs are concerned, there are issues with them, universally. If the people in the country are uncomfortable with the EVM, then it's a big issue which needs to be addressed." Congress president Rahul Gandhi congratulated the TRS in Telangana and the MNF in Mizoram. He added, "In the states we won, we thank the erstwhile chief ministers of Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh for their services. But it is now time for change." Outgoing chief minister Vasundhara Raje addressing the media, said she had submitted her resignation to the governor. Raje thanked BJP workers for their "relentless work" and said, "I am proud of the work done by the BJP and I hope the next government will take those ahead. We will continue to represent the people of Rajasthan, but this time in the Opposition. I thank the people of Rajasthan." The BJP's spin doctors will portray the Congress victory as an outcome of anti-incumbency operating in Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. Since the polity in these three states is bipolar, the Congress, it will be argued, became the recipient of votes of those who were angry and alienated from the Bharatiya Janata Party. In other words, the story of these elections was more about the BJP losing the elections rather than the Congress winning it. Congress, BJP vie for control of crucial MP Rahul Gandhi's attempts to wrest the narrative ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha polls seem to be working. To avoid another Goa-like situation, the Congress' senior leadership tried to woo smaller parties such as the Gondwana Gantantra Party, Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party and keep its prospects of forming the government alive. He was replying to a question on who will be the party's chief ministers in the three Hindi heartland states. With Congress set to form governments in Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan and locked in a close fight in Madhya Pradesh, party president Rahul Gandhi Tuesday said the selection of chief ministers in the three states will be done "smoothly". "We have defeated the BJP in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh... There will be no issue over (selection of) chief minister. It will be done smoothly," he said. With Congress set to form governments in Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan and locked in a close fight in Madhya Pradesh, party president Rahul Gandhi Tuesday said the selection of chief ministers in the three states will be done "smoothly". "We have defeated the BJP in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh... There will be no issue over (selection of) chief minister. It will be done smoothly," he said. He was replying to a question on who will be the party's chief ministers in the three Hindi heartland states. Eleven ministers in the Shivraj Singh Chouhan-led BJP government in Madhya Pradesh went down to defeat in the state Assembly polls, among them: Rustam Singh in Morena constituency, Balkrishna Patidar in Khargone, Lal Singh Arya in Bhind's Gohad. Om Prakash Dhurve in Dindori district's Shahpura seat, Antar Singh Arya in Sendhwa. Deepak Joshi in Hatpipliya seat, and Archana Chitnis in Burhanpur seat. Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Congress on its performance in the Assembly elections. Modi said, "I thank the people of Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan for giving us the opportunity to serve these states. The BJP governments in these states worked tirelessly for the welfare of the people." Shivraj Singh Chouhan wins from Budhni Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has won from his constituency of Budhni. The chief minister won by a margin of 58,999 votes, ANI reported. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said that the most important lesson for him in the Assembly election was to not act like Narendra Modi. He said that the prime minister stopped listening to the people, and that's what led to the BJP's loss. The Congress chief also said that the party will set the architecture of a new vision in the three states: "The BJP sold a vision to Indians five years ago and they have failed today. What we would try is to set the architecture for a new vision," he said. "The central issue of EVM is still there, if the chip is manipulated you can affect the entire voting system, that's not possible with manual voting. This is a question that has been answered in the US and other countries, where they've said that we don't want an EVM," he said. Congress president Rahul Gandhi once again questioned the usage of EVMs for polling. Addressing the media, he said, " As far as the EVMs are concerned, there are issues with them, universally. If the people in the country are uncomfortable with the EVM, then it's a big issue which needs to be addressed." Congress president Rahul Gandhi congratulated the TRS in Telangana and the MNF in Mizoram. He added, "In the states we won, we thank the erstwhile chief ministers of Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh for their services. But it is now time for change." Outgoing chief minister Vasundhara Raje addressing the media, said she had submitted her resignation to the governor. Raje thanked BJP workers for their "relentless work" and said, "I am proud of the work done by the BJP and I hope the next government will take those ahead. We will continue to represent the people of Rajasthan, but this time in the Opposition. I thank the people of Rajasthan." The BJP's spin doctors will portray the Congress victory as an outcome of anti-incumbency operating in Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. Since the polity in these three states is bipolar, the Congress, it will be argued, became the recipient of votes of those who were angry and alienated from the Bharatiya Janata Party. In other words, the story of these elections was more about the BJP losing the elections rather than the Congress winning it. Congress, BJP vie for control of crucial MP Rahul Gandhi's attempts to wrest the narrative ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha polls seem to be working. To avoid another Goa-like situation, the Congress' senior leadership tried to woo smaller parties such as the Gondwana Gantantra Party, Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party and keep its prospects of forming the government alive. He was replying to a question on who will be the party's chief ministers in the three Hindi heartland states. With Congress set to form governments in Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan and locked in a close fight in Madhya Pradesh, party president Rahul Gandhi Tuesday said the selection of chief ministers in the three states will be done "smoothly". "We have defeated the BJP in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh... There will be no issue over (selection of) chief minister. It will be done smoothly," he said. With Congress set to form governments in Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan and locked in a close fight in Madhya Pradesh, party president Rahul Gandhi Tuesday said the selection of chief ministers in the three states will be done "smoothly". "We have defeated the BJP in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh... There will be no issue over (selection of) chief minister. It will be done smoothly," he said. He was replying to a question on who will be the party's chief ministers in the three Hindi heartland states. Eleven ministers in the Shivraj Singh Chouhan-led BJP government in Madhya Pradesh went down to defeat in the state Assembly polls, among them: Rustam Singh in Morena constituency, Balkrishna Patidar in Khargone, Lal Singh Arya in Bhind's Gohad. Om Prakash Dhurve in Dindori district's Shahpura seat, Antar Singh Arya in Sendhwa. Deepak Joshi in Hatpipliya seat, and Archana Chitnis in Burhanpur seat. Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Congress on its performance in the Assembly elections. Modi said, "I thank the people of Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan for giving us the opportunity to serve these states. The BJP governments in these states worked tirelessly for the welfare of the people." Shivraj Singh Chouhan wins from Budhni Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has won from his constituency of Budhni. The chief minister won by a margin of 58,999 votes, ANI reported. MP, Rajasthan, Mizoram, Telangana, Chhattisgarh Assembly Election Results LATEST Updates: While felicitating the victorious TRS in Telangana and the MNF in Mizoram, Rahul Gandhi said, "In the states we won, we thank the erstwhile chief ministers of Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh for their services. But it is now time for change." Outgoing Chhattisgarh Raman Singh has resigned taking responsibility for the BJP's performance in the state Assembly election, even as Counting was undergoing in the Naxal-hit state. According to Election Commission website, Congress secured 43.2 percent vote share in the state and was leading in over 60 seats. However, Congress and BJP are giving neck and neck competition to each other in Madhya Pradesh. If the Congress maintains its lead in 113 seats, it will see a trifecta of wins in the heartland of India, having already comfortably bagged Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh. With the sudden slump in electoral fortunes of the BJP, 2019 is no longer a walkover for Narendra Modi and Amit Shah. The result is a fresh lease of life for the Congress which now has a stronger claim to leadership in the proposed grand alliance of non-BJP parties in 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Slamming the BJP for showing arrogance, West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee said that BJP is poised to lose every election because of their anti-people policies across the country. Giving examples of Assam, Karnataka and Uttar Pradesh, the TMC supremo called on the regional forces and said that "states are the pillars of India" and they should join hands to ensure a fast removal of the BJP from the Centre. "Let's get done with this quickly." Its anyones game in Madhya Pradesh now as at least 26 seats are going down to the wire with a margin of less than 500 votes between the Congress and BJP candidates. If the Congress sees off the last-minute scare, it will a trifecta of wins in the heartland of India, having already comfortably bagged Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh. Emerging kingmaker in Madhya Pradesh, BSP chief Mayawati has reportedly called all her winning MLAs to New Delhi for a meeting. The Congress will be hoping to stitch a post poll alliance with the BSP. While the party was supposed to have a pre-poll alliance, Mayawati pulled out following a disagreement over seat sharing. It is now up to the Congress to woo the BSP supremo and consequently form government. After several hours of uncertainty over MP results, the Election Commission released the official numbers for Madhya Pradesh till 3 pm. The Congress is leading in 115 seats while BJP is tailing behind in 105 seats. Losing Madhya Pradesh will be a huge setback for the saffron party. Congress, as opposed to everyone's expectation, has managed to rally ahead of the BJP in three very crucial states of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh. CM-hopeful from Rajasthan Ashok Gehlot said, "Don't worry. Congress will win these elections." Speaking to media, BJP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Kakade said, "I knew we would lose in Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh but MP trends have come as a surprise." Kakade blamed the poor performance on state units deviating from Narendra Modi's development pitch. "I think we forgot the issue of development that Modi took up in 2014. Ram Mandir, statues and name changing became the focus." Congress has gained clear leads in Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh. In Madhya Pradesh, the contest is extremely close with BJP and Congress both leading in 110 seats. The Congress was leading in 60 seats, and the ruling BJP in 15 in Chhattisgarh as per trends available in 64 seats, poll officials said Tuesday. Reports have said that Congress chief Rahul Gandhi has reached Sonia's house in New Delhi to discuss further strategy as Congress surged ahead of the BJP in two crucial states Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh and the contest is really close in Madhya Pradesh. Meanwhile, Mayawati has extended its support to the Congress in MP. The Congress was leading in the BJP-ruled states of Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh and was locked in a close fight in Madhya Pradesh while the TRS forged ahead in Telangana and the MNF in Mizoram, trends indicated on Tuesday as votes for elections in the five states were counted. The Rahul Gandhi-led party became the focal point of attention as the morning progressed and trends showed it could possibly steal a march over rival BJP in the Hindi heartland states of Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh. In Madhya Pradesh, the picture changed minute to minute, in an electoral exercise being seen as a semi-final to 2019. "Trends show Congress marching ahead to victory in Rajasthan, MP and Chhattisgarh. We are confident the trend will continue across the country," Congress leader Sachin Pilot said in Jaipur. Congress has hit the halfway mark in Madhya Pradesh with lead in 116 seats while BJP is tailing with lead in 104 seats. Meanwhile, reacting to the election results, Trinamool chief Mamata Banerjee called it a people's victory. "People voted against BJP. This is the peoples verdict and victory of the people of this country. Victory of democracy and victory against injustice, atrocities, destruction of institutions, misuse of agencies, no work for poor people , farmers, youth, Dalits, SC, ST, OBC, minorities and general caste. Semifinal proves that BJP is nowhere in all the states. This is a real democratic indication of 2019 final match. Ultimately, people are always the man of the match of democracy. My congrats to the winners." It is certain that Congress will win elections in Rajasthan, said Rajasthan chief minister hopeful Ashok Gehlot. According to reports, if Congress wins Rajasthan, Gehlot is poised to be the next chief minister. Congress has its nose ahead in three states, but in Madhya Pradesh the contest is very close with BJP at 106 and Congress at 113, however, the numbers are changing extremely fast. Celebrations at Congress offices in the poll-bound states began way before clear leads started emerging. Election Commission released the voteshare of BJP and Congress in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. Observers said that the BJP in Madhya Pradesh is marginally ahead and the contest with Congress in Rajasthan is neck and neck. Things could swing in favour of the BJP. With solid leads, Congress seems assured of a victory in Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan, and is closing its gap with the BJP in Madhya Pradesh. Chandrashekar Raos Telangana Rashtra Samiti has widened its lead in Telangana. In Mizoram, the Mizo National Front (MNF) has stolen a march on the ruling Congress. As opposed to everyone's expectation, Congress has taken an early lead in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. In Mizoram, MNF is set to form the next government in Mizoram while KCR-led Telangana Rashtra Samiti has got very early lead in Telangana. In Mizoram, the MNF is set to return to power and they have already begun celebrations. ANI shared pictures where the party has taken an unassailable lead. Congress extends lead to 114 seats in Madhya Pradesh while BJP is leading in 96 seats. Early trends give advantage Congress in three previously-BJP ruled states Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. Several offices of Congress across the state especially in Delhi and Rajasthan have already started celebrating the numbers which are slowly trickling in. Numbers steadily rose in Madhya Pradesh where two-way contest was favouring BJP till Congress took over. In MP, while the BJP is leading in 100 seats, Congress has secured an early lead with 109 seats. According to early trends, Congress has gained an early lead in Rajasthan and in Madhya Pradesh the gap between the Congress and the BJP is closing in really fast. While BJP has got leads in 93 seats, Congress is surging ahead in 87 indicating a real climax in the offing. In Rajasthan, the Congress is leading in 97 seats, while BJP is ahead in 66 seats. Delay in counting has been reported in Khammam district in Telangana, which recorded on the highest polling percentages across the state at 85.5%, and other districts in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. According to early trends, BJP has gained early leads in Madhya Pradesh. K Chandrashekar Rao-led Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) is leading in Tungaturthi and Jagtial. Nearly all the exit polls predict KCR retaining yet another term with a clear majority although the margin varied from poll to poll. Early trends indicate good start for Congress in Rajasthan. Reports said party is ahead in eight seats. Congress leading in Mandawa and Tonk seat. Reeta Choudhary is leading from Mandawa seat while Sachin Pilot is leading in Tonk. The results of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh will decide the fate of Congress in the Mahagathbandhan ahead of the crucial 2019 Lok Sabha election. Regional parties like Samajwadi Party, Bahujan Samaj Party and others had distanced with the Congress in these elections. If Congress manages to win in these three states then there are high chances that regional parties will contest elections with the Congress against the BJP in 2019. Counting in five states has begun. Hectic political parleys marked the eve of counting of votes for five state assemblies, billed as semi-finals before the 2019 national polls, with the Congress asserting that the mandate from Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Telangana and Mizoram on Tuesday would send a "clear message" against the Narendra Modi government at the Centre. Dubbed as the semi-finals ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha Elections, these polls are bipolar contest between Narendra Modi and Rahul Gandhi. Ahead of the results, Congress president Rahul Gandhi said people will give a "clear message" in form of results for the five assemblies and exuded confidence that the BJP would be ousted in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Counting of votes for five state assemblies billed as semi-finals before the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, will start on Tuesday (11 December) at 8 am. The election season which saw both national as well as regional parties and their leaders attending public meetings, rallies and roadshows to woo the voters in the five states of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Telangana, and Mizoram, will finally end with the Election Commission set to announce the results today. Exit polls have mostly forecast a tight race between the ruling BJP and the Congress in Madhya Pradesh and neighbouring Chhattisgarh, while many of them have given a clear majority to the Congress against the ruling BJP in Rajasthan. For Telangana, exit polls have been divided between the TRS and the Congress-led opposition alliance. Same is the case for Mizoram where the ruling Congress is being challenged by its arch-rival in the state, Mizo National Front, while the BJP is also separately in the fray. The Congress, buoyed by the predictions of exit poll results, has already said that the results on Tuesday would send a "clear message" against the Narendra Modi government at the Centre. The BJP leaders, on the other hand, has de-linked the state polls from the next year's Lok Sabha elections. Even the stock market will be curiously tracking the poll results on Tuesday, especially after it reacted negatively on Monday with the benchmark Sensex plummeting by over 700 points. Over 8,500 candidates were in the fray in polls for these assemblies and their electoral fate is currently sealed in over 1.74 lakh EVMs, stored in over 670 strongrooms across the five states. A total of 678 assembly seats across five states went for polls after polling was countermanded in one seat in Rajasthan due to death of a candidate. Tight security arrangements have been made for the counting, especially in Chhattisgarh where at least 12 assembly seats are in Naxal-affected areas. Besides, there have been allegations related to the electronic voting machines. These assembly elections are being seen as crucial for the BJP ahead of the Lok Sabha elections as it is in power in three of these states Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. The Congress is in power in Mizoram, while the TRS ruled Telangana before the assembly was dissolved there. The BJP is trying for a fourth term in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh and is seeking to retain power in Rajasthan. The three states also played a significant role for the BJP in the 2014 general elections, when it had won 62 out of the 65 Lok Sabha seats in these three states. The elections are also significant for Congress, which is out to challenge the BJP's rule in three states and protect its last bastion in the North-East, where Mizoram remains the only state under the rule of BJP-led NDA. The eight North-East states together have 25 Lok Sabha seats. In the multi-phase polling, Chhattisgarh voted on November 12 (18 seats) and November 20 (72 seats); Madhya Pradesh (230 seats) and Mizoram (40 seats) on November 28; and Rajasthan (199 seats) and Telangana (119 seats) on December 7. In the 2013 elections in Mizoram, the Congress had won 34 seats, while MNF got five and the Mizoram People's Conference bagged one seat. Since 1987, Mizoram has been ruled by either Congress or the MNF, while the BJP is yet to win an assembly seat there. In Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, the BJP has been in power for three consecutive terms, while Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje-led BJP government Rajasthan is seeing to defy a recent trend of the saffron party and the Congress being in power alternately. KCR-led Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) had formed the first government of the country's youngest state in 2014 after it was carved out of Andhra Pradesh. In the maiden polls for the 119-seat Telangana assembly, 1821 candidates were in the fray and a voter turnout of 73.20 percent was recorded. Chhattisgarh recorded 76.60 percent voter turnout, while the same for Madhya Pradesh was 75.05 percent. Rajasthan recorded over 74 percent voting, while it was nearly 80 percent in Mizoram. With inputs from agencies Follow all the latest updates from the Telangana Elections here Follow all the latest updates from the Mizoram Elections here Follow all the latest updates from the Chhattisgarh Elections here Follow all the latest updates from the Madhya Pradesh Elections here Follow all the latest updates from the Rajasthan Elections here Follow Firstpost's coverage of the 2018 Vidhan Sabha Elections here While it is ready to form the core of mahagathbandhan against Modi in 2019, Congress might find it difficult to gain acceptance among the constituents of a third front, many of whom consider a strong Congress an anathema to a grand alliance. At the time of writing, the Congress seems to have defeated BJP 3-0 in the Hindi heartland states of Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and even Madhya Pradesh based on results and leads. In the first two states, they have established a clear majority while in the third they have pulled ahead of the BJP to cross the halfway mark. While these Assembly results will be dissected, parsed and analysed threadbare in days ahead, one thing is immediately clear. Congress victory over the BJP in one-on-one contests has coincided with Rahul Gandhis ascension as party president. There will be debates on vote shares, seat shares, vote-to-seat conversions and whether Congress win is as comprehensive as it sounds on paper given the fact that BJP was defending 15-year anti-incumbency in two states and an unpopular chief minister in another but there should be no debate over the fact that under the Gandhi scions leadership, the Congress has shed its laid-back image and become more of a fighting unit. What does that mean for the mahagathbandhan, or the grand alliance that will take on Narendra Modi in 2019? Prima facie, it is good news for the grand alliance. Any amphibious group with clashing interests and competing ambitions that has nothing but anti-Modi sentiment as the glue needs a fulcrum to take shape. Congress, which is sure to become rejuvenated after Tuesdays results, is ideally suited to play that role. Even though it has suffered a reverse in Mizoram and couldnt make much of a dent in K Chandrasekhar Raos popularity in Telangana where its partnership with Chandrababu Naidu failed to reap dividends, Congress has importantly snatched the Hindi heartland states away from BJP (going by current trends). While a win in Rajasthan was on expected lines, Congress prize catch was Chhattisgarh where it had neither a leader nor organisational strength to bank on. The fact that it romped home to end Raman Singhs 15-year reign, indicates that it benefitted from a decisive swing away from BJP in its favour a development that should leave the saffron unit worried ahead of 2019. Congress performance in Madhya Pradesh is similarly incumbent on addressing its chronic organisational lacunae and putting up a united front. These factors were critical in tweaking the results in Congresss favour even though there might not be a great difference in terms of vote shares. Whichever way you slice and dice the numbers, however, the win in three key states has helped Congress claw back into the reckoning. After a series of defeats, these wins will do wonders to its confidence. Rahul Gandhi, as the president, deserves plaudits. This is also where Congress problem starts. While it is ready to form the core of mahagathbandhan against Modi in 2019, the party might find it difficult to gain acceptance among the constituents of a third front, many of whom consider a strong Congress an anathema to a grand alliance. As a party that has governed India for six decades since Independence, Congress attitude towards power is that of reflexive entitlement. Even when it was reduced to a rump in 2014, its sense of entitlement never faded, neither did its arrogance. Circumstances, however, forced on it a change in attitude where it began to play second fiddle out of a compulsion to keep the BJP out of power. We saw an example of this attitude most recently in Karnataka where it offered the chief ministers post to JD(S) to prevent BJP from forming a government. This strong result in three states, however, might restore Congress confidence and consequently it is likely to become more demanding while negotiating with regional powers in a grand alliance. Regional parties may find it harder to strike a bargain, not the least because many of these chieftains harbour great ambitions. One doesnt have to stretch the imagination too much to surmise that for a Mayawati who found a weaker Congress arrogant and unworkable before the Assembly polls will find this new Congress even more difficult to work with. Similarly, Mamata Banerjee, who harbours prime ministerial ambitions herself, may find it hard to accommodate a Congress which doubtless will pitch Rahul as the one to take on Modi. There needs to be a fair bit of bargaining and give-and-take in this scenario. It is unclear whether Congress will be ready to make sacrifices any more when it feels rejuvenated enough to tackle the BJP on its own. The road ahead for mahagathbandhan just got tougher. Attacking the government, Rahul Gandhi said the demonetisation was a 'disaster' and there was 'definitely corruption' in the fighter deal, who's truth will come out. New Delhi: Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday said the drubbing faced by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Assembly elections was a message to Prime Minister Narendra Modi that he had failed to fulfill his promises and asserted that a united Opposition will defeat the BJP in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls as well. Addressing a press conference in Delhi, he said that "it is time for change" and that the Congress will provide a new vision to the country to address the problems like unemployment, agricultural crisis. Rahul said while the congress was determined to fight the ideology of BJP, it did not want the country to be "mukt (free) of anybody," an apparent swipe at Modi who has been talking of "Congress Mukt Bharat". "I have been saying it for some time, with the resurgent Congress party in the states and other states where the BJP is ruling and the combined Opposition, it is going to be very difficult for the BJP to win election. This is a clear message to the prime minister and BJP that country is not happy with demonetisation, GST and lack of jobs," he said in response to a question. Further, accusing BJP of having arrogance, Gandhi said Modi has "taught" him to be humble. "Modi has taught me what not to do...five years back he had an opportunity but the hard reality is, what people are saying, is that, arrogance came," he said. Attacking the government, he said the demonetisation was a "disaster" and there was "definitely corruption" in the fighter deal, who's truth will come out. "This is a victory of Congress workers who have stood up and fought for our ideologies in difficult circumstances. This is victory of farmers, youth and small business owners and we have a commitment to them and we are going to work towards that government. This is a big responsibility for Congress, to hear these voices and provide an appropriate vision in these states," he said. At the same time, he also congratulated the outgoing BJP chief ministers of Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh and said, "I also want to thank the outgoing chief-ministers for the work they have done in Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh and we are going to take over and try and do excellent job. We have a lot of work to do in Chhattisgarh, Mizoram and Rajasthan. The two states where we lost, I want to congratulate those also who won in Telangana and Mizoram." Speaking further he also said that job and agriculture remain the central issues of present time, in all states. "There are serious questions being asked about the future of our youngsters, the central question there is how our government intends to give job to millions and millions of Indian youngsters. There is a sense among the youth that promise of job by our prime minister has not been fulfilled. The same feeling is there among the farmers, there is serious discontent, inability to see the future, inability to understand how they are going to survive and thrive in the field of agriculture. I think that has had a big impact," said Gandhi. Talking about his party's vision in the state where they are forming a government, he said, "We are going to work in these states and try and ensure that we can give a vision and future. Certainly it is pretty clear that there is a feeling among the people in our country, that what was committed by Modi, he has not been able to deliver. That has been pretty clear throughout the campaign." "Employment and farmer issue are the central issues. We need to find a strategic solution for these two issues and need to give a new vision. The promises that Modi made in terms of economy, have not been fulfilled," he added while asserting that Oposition is united and would fight together. While speaking on what would happen in Madhya Pradesh, if Congress lacks few seat, he said, "BSP and Congress have same ideology, there is not going to be an issue of chief minister's post, it will happen very easily." He also asserted that Congress was very flexible and open for coalition, but the talks didn't go through as expected. Taking a swipe at Modi once again on Rafale isssue, Rahul said that it was clear to people that there has been a corruption. He said, "When Modi was elected he won on three platform namely employment, agriculture and fight against corruption. But now it is in people's mind that prime minister himself is corrupt. This is also a reason for win in Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh. This is a reality that there has been corruption in Rafale and truth will come out." Gandhi scion also reiterated his past stance on EVM and said, "Throughout the world it is a generic question that EVM has problems. If people are uncomfortable with EVM it has to be addressed. The central issue concerning EVM still remains. There is a chip in EVM which can be impacted and the whole election can be manipulated. The question of EVM is still on the table." Earlier in the day, Celebrations were witnessed outside Congress offices in various parts of Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh owing to the favorable trends in the two states. Follow all the latest updates from the Madhya Pradesh Elections here Follow all the latest updates from the Rajasthan Elections here Follow all the latest updates from the Chhattisgarh Elections here Follow all the latest updates from the Telangana Elections here Follow all the latest updates from the Mizoram Elections here Compared to the figures of 2013, the BJP has lost approximately eight percent of the votes in Rajasthan, seven percent in Madhya Pradesh and a whopping 9.5 percent in Chhattisgarh The final outcome notwithstanding, the verdict from the three bipolar states of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh is a please-all verdict, but also one that will leave the two rivals disheartened. The Bharatiya Janata Party will breath a sigh of relief because its leaders are aware that the results could have been worse. But it will also rue that the results could have been much more positive, especially in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, in that order. This could have been achieved by a differently oriented and focussed campaign. For the Congress, the good news is its return as not just a credible alternative, but also being considered once again as a party of governance in the crucial Hindi heartland. The principal negative for the Grand Old Party under its youthful president who marks his first anniversary at the helm, is that it has failed in converting the visible anti-incumbency against the BJP. The Congress leaders and supporters will serve their cause by taking a hard look at the preliminary vote share data being updated by the Election Commission. Compared to the figures of 2013, the BJP has lost approximately eight percent of the votes in Rajasthan, seven percent in Madhya Pradesh and a whopping 9.5 percent in Chhattisgarh. This massive swing away from the BJP however, was not correspondingly converted by the Congress. The swing in its favour in the three states, at the time of writing is: 5.3 percent in Rajasthan, 4.9 percent in Madhya Pradesh and three percent in Chhattisgarh. The party must analyse its inability to convert this advantage. For the BJP, the campaign had begun on a note of anticipated defeat by a big margin in Rajasthan, a squeaking win in Chhattisgarh and a contest that was difficult to call in Madhya Pradesh. Unlike most states where the BJP is in power, these three states were characterised by strong and popular mass leaders. Barring Rajasthan, the party held back Prime Minister Narendra Modi, undoubtedly its 'Sudarshan chakra' . This was mainly because it did not wish to sully the image of Brand Modi which will be crucial for 2019. There will be satisfaction that his continuing popularity has been established beyond doubt with the party giving a close run to the Congress for much of the counting period. Yet, the party will have to take a close look at the fall in its popular support and analyse the reasons behind this. The BJP will pay hugely in 2019 if it does not recognise that the vote in the three states is against the politics and policies of the party, irrespective of the final tally and government formation. Paramount however, for the BJP is to evaluate ways by which it can recover lost ground in barely four months when it faces the electorate in 2019. The BJP had won 62 of the 65 Lok Sabha seats from the three states in 2014 and unless the present swing away is reversed, the results could be disappointing and impact its overall tally considerably. For the Congress, the issues to ponder are if the verdict could have been more to its benefit if it had firstly, cobbled up alliances with parties and better managed its rebellious flock at the time of writing, 12 Independent candidates were leading and secondly, if it had presented an alternative vision of governance in all the states and not depended solely on anti-incumbency sentiment against the BJP. The main takeaway for the Congress is its return as not just a credible force but also Rahul Gandhis emergence as the most important challenger to Modi at the national level. This will make it imperative for Opposition parties, especially those not in direct contest with the Congress, to pursue alliances in a more accommodative spirit. The Congress too will have to adopt a different tack while stitching together alliances in states where it is a dominant player as well as a fringe force. The certainty regarding 2019 on which there was unanimity after March 2017, is now part of political history. The Lok Sabha contest has become more keen after this round. In a year of taking charge of the Congress, Rahul has steered the party into taking charge of the heart of the Hindi heartland. While this does not make him a front runner for the prime ministerial position as yet, even BJP supporters will grudgingly accept 'Pappu pass ho gaya'. Follow all the latest updates from the Telangana Elections here Follow all the latest updates from the Mizoram Elections here Follow all the latest updates from the Chhattisgarh Elections here Follow all the latest updates from the Madhya Pradesh Elections here Follow all the latest updates from the Rajasthan Elections here Follow Firstpost's coverage of the 2018 Vidhan Sabha Elections here Months prior to the elections, Congress leader T S Singh Deo had said that the party would choose the chief minister's face just like Sita had chose Lord Ram through 'swayamvar' after the Assembly elections With Congress dominating Chhattisgarh and looking well on its way to ending the BJP's 15-year rule, speculation abounds about the party's likely chief ministerial candidate. Members were already celebrating in Raipur as trends showed the grand old party surging ahead. While the Congress fielded Karuna Shukla, niece of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, against Chief Minister Raman Singh, the latter took a lead of 1,375 votes after the first round of counting. Months prior to the elections, Congress leader TS Singh Deo said that the party would choose the chief minister's face just like Sita had chose Lord Rama through "swayamvar" after the Assembly elections. Here is a list of the probable Congress chief ministerial candidates: Bhupesh Baghel President of the Chhattisgarh Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) since 2014, Baghel is one of the front-runners. Baghel is a four-time MLA from Patan constituency and has served as minister in the Digvijaya Singh government when the state was a part of Madhya Pradesh. He was also a member of the Ajit Jogi cabinet. With the creation of Chhattisgarh in 2000, Baghel became the first Minister for Revenue, Public Health Engineering and relief work. His name was, however, mired in controversy years later due to his involvement in the 'sex CD' case of BJP leader Rajesh Munat. Tamardhwaj Sahu The Congress fielded OBC leader Tamardhwaj Sahu from the Durg (rural) constituency on the last day of filing nominations for the second phase of Assembly polls by dropping Pratima Chandrakar, a move seen as a step to woo voters from the backward class. The 69-year-old leader is the only Congress MP from the state. Sahu is also chairman of the Congresss OBC cell. More than 16 percent of its total population in the state account for the backward classes. Sahu is also seen as a close confidant of Congress president Rahul Gandhi. TS Singh Deo The sitting MLA from Ambikapur constituency, Deo is another strong contender for the chief minister's post. He was one of the richest candidates in the poll fray during the 2013 Assembly elections and is the Leader of Opposition in the Chhattisgarh Legislative Assembly. Scion of the Sarguja royal family, Deo is considered the suave face of the party. He has, however, been accused of going soft on Raman. Charan Das Mahant Another important OBC leader of the party, Mahant was also a minister in the Digvijay Singh cabinet from 1993 to 1998. He was also a minister of state in the Manmohan Singh government and had worked briefly as the president of the Chhattisgarh PCC president. Satyanarayan Sharma Considered the Brahmin face of the party, Satyanarayan Sharma is a former minister in the state and served in the cabinets of both Digvijay Singh and Ajit Jogi. But for a state with a large backward class population, Sharma's Brahmin lineage could possibly work against his candidature. Noting that the state had overall deficit rainfall of about 49 percent, Yeddyurappa sought to know the steps taken to address the situation with summer approaching fast. Belagavi: Alleging that the Congress-JDS coalition government in Karnataka was in a deep slumber like the epic character 'Kumbhakarna,' state BJP president BS Yeddyurappa Tuesday said it had no moral right to remain in power. The Congress was now regretting its decision to support the JD(S) to form the government, Yeddyurappa claimed in the assembly, as he asked the ruling coalition to work towards addressing issues of the people or "resign and go". Seeking to corner the government on a host of issues, he said the coalition worries in the ruling alliance were "hampering" the administration and developmental works. Initiating the debate on the drought situation in the state, Yeddyurappa said, the government has announced a hundred taluks as drought-hit and the situation was such that 20 more taluks are likely to be added to the list. Demanding answers from the government on drought mitigation measures, he said, according to information gathered by him, except for one or two places, ministers had not visited affected areas and funds were not being utilised efficiently for relief works. Pointing out at the delay in setting up of fodder banks, he said, "no minister or chief minister had taken the situation seriously. Noting that the state had overall deficit rainfall of about 49 percent, Yeddyurappa sought to know the steps taken to address the situation with summer approaching fast. "The government is in a deep slumber like Kumbhakarna. It has closed its eyes. It is not coming to the rescue of farmers and people at the time when they need it the most," he added. Coming down heavily on the JD(S), Yeddyurappa while pointing at the promises made by the party ahead of assembly polls, including waiving of farm loan within 24 hours after coming to power, said its manifesto was a "bundle of lies". "I want to tell this Chief Minister that he had made false promise to the 6.5 crore people of the state through his manifesto of lies....," he said. Stating that he would have wanted the government to complete its five year term if it had fulfilled the promises made and worked for the betterment of the people, the BJP leader said, "after having seen its administration and its functioning, I feel this government has no moral right to stay in power." Yeddyurappa, the leader of Opposition also questioned Congress' silence on the functioning of the government, headed by its coalition partner the JD(S). "Have you (Congress) read JD(S)' manifesto.... Chief Minister still speaks only about big things, but nothing was happening on the ground," he said. He alleged that during the previous Siddaramaiah government rule, 4,712 farmers had committed suicide and 489 under the current dispensation. There was growing disgruntlement within the Congress and "it may explode any time", he claimed. "People are waiting when this government will go... you (ruling coalition) work for the people and address their issues or resign and go," he added. In what seemed likely to be driven by the 2017 Goa experience, Congress Tuesday staked claim to form the government in Madhya Pradesh in a letter sent to the govrnor In what seemed likely to be driven by the 2017 Goa experience, Congress Tuesday staked claim to form the government in Madhya Pradesh even though final results were yet to be announced. Madhya Pradesh Congress president Kamal sent a letter to the governor on Tuesday night, claiming support of all Independent candidates. At the time of writing this article, Congress had won 109 seats and was leading in 5 seats. Besides, the Bahujan Samaj Party has already won two seats has also extended support to the party, taking the tally well over the halfway mark of 115. A resurgent Congress Tuesday made significant gains in not just Madhya Pradesh but also in two other state Assembly elections, dealing a body blow to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan. The reverses for the BJP in the Hindi heartland threw wide open the 2019 Lok Sabha elections which until a few months ago appeared to be in the grip of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's party. Buoyed by the Congress' good showing in the polls that was dubbed as a semi-final for the 2019 general elections, party president Rahul Gandhi said the outcome is a "clear message" to the Modi government that people are not happy with it and time has come for a change. Narendra Modi got a massive mandate but refused to listen to "heartbeat of the country", Gandhi told reporters. With Congress set to form governments in Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan and a neck-to-neck fight in Madhya Pradesh, Gandhi said the selection of chief ministers in the three states will be done "smoothly". "We have defeated the BJP in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh... There will be no issue over selection of chief minister. It will be done smoothly." Modi congratulated the Congress, the TRS and the MNF for their victories and said the BJP accepts people's mandate with humility. "Victory and defeat are an integral part of life. Today's results will further our resolve to serve people and work even harder for the development of India," he said. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said the results were certainly not as expected and asserted the poll outcome was an opportunity to pause and analyse. In a shocking result, the Congress ended chief minister Raman Singh's uninterrupted 15-year rule in Chhattisgarh. It won 22 and was leading in 46 in the 90-member House while the BJP was relegated to a distant second spot winning 3 and ahead in 13, according to latest trends available with the Election Commission. Raman Singh submitted his resignation to Governor Anandiben Patel and said he accepts responsibility for BJP's poor showing. Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje too handed over her resignation to Governor Kalyan Singh in Jaipur. The Congress was heading towards majority in the desert state, winning 87 seats and leading in another 12 out of 199 seats. The BJP had 72 seats in its kitty and was ahead in one. As voting trends and results slowly trickled, the Congress, which had just 58 seats in the outgoing Assembly in Madhya Pradesh, was set to cross the 100 mark in a House of 230. The Congress was winning or leading in 113 seats while for the BJP this was 110. According to Election Commission data, both the BJP and the Congress had around 41.2 percent votes each. Three-time chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, who was battling anti-incumbency, won the Budhni seat but a dozen ministers were trailing behind Congress candidates. Senior Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia said the trends reflected people's desire for a change in Madhya Pradesh while state Congress chief Kamal Nath exuded confidence they will form the government in the state. "Trends show Congress marching ahead to victory in Rajasthan, MP and Chhattisgarh. We are confident the trend will continue across the country," Congress leader Sachin Pilot said in Jaipur. In Chhattisgarh, the Janata Congress Chhattisgarh (J) of former chief minister Ajit Jogi was ahead in five seats while the CPI and the Gondwana Gantantra Party and the CPI (M) were leading in one seat each. The trends in the desert state of Rajasthan, showed the Congress is inching towards the magic mark of 100, winning 22 and leading in 78. The outcome reflected the 20-year "revolving door" trend of voters in choosing the BJP and the Congress alternately. The ruling BJP won 15 and leading in 58 of the 199 seats which went to polls. The BJP and the Congress had 163 and 21 seats in the outgoing House. Independents won three and were leading in nine. Rajasthan has a 200-member assembly but polling in Alwar's Ramgarh constituency was postponed following the death of the BSP candidate there. The Congress will hold its legislature party meeting in Jaipur to decide on who will be the chief minister. Former chief minister Ashok Gehlot and Pilot are frontrunners for the top post. TRS wins in Telangana, MNF takes Mizoram The Assembly polls held for five states also saw the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) recording a landslide win for a second consecutive term and the Mizo National Front (MNF) scripting a spectacular victory dislodging the Congress in its last bastion in the Northeast to return to power after 10 years. The TRS is set to form its second successive government in Telangana where it won a simple majority and is heading for a landslide with its candidates clinching 79 seats and leading in 9 in the 119-member House in a resounding endorsement of its chief K Chandrasekhar Rao's popularity. Rao himself won by a margin of over 51,000 votes from his Gajwel seat, trouncing Congress's V Pratap Reddy. Rao's son K T Rama Rao and nephew T Harish Rao, both ministers in his caretaker government, also won. The Congress clinched 18 seats and is leading in one. Its ally TDP won two seats. Rao told reporters that Telangana proved to be a non-Congress, non-BJP state and that the TRS will play a crucial role in national politics. He dissolved the Assembly in September, eight months ahead of schedule, in a political gamble that paid off handsomely. The Mizo National Front(MNF) got a simple majority bagging 26 of the 40 seats at stake dislodging the Congress which bagged five. With inputs from PTI Follow all the latest updates from the Telangana Elections here Follow all the latest updates from the Mizoram Elections here Follow all the latest updates from the Chhattisgarh Elections here Follow all the latest updates from the Madhya Pradesh Elections here Follow all the latest updates from the Rajasthan Elections here Follow Firstpost's coverage of the 2018 Vidhan Sabha Elections here Madhya Pradesh govt formation LIVE Updates: A one-line proposal has been passed at the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) meeting in Bhopal. The High Command will now take a decision on the chief minister face. Auto refresh feeds BJP's state vice president Sudershan Gupta said that the party will win 140 to 165 seats in Madhya Pradesh and form the government for a fourth straight time under the leadership of Chouhan. "We have received feedback that the BJP will win between 140 and 165 seats and form the government under the leadership of Chouhan for the fourth straight time," Gupta told reporters in Bhopal after a party meeting on Saturday. "EVMs (Electronic Voting Machines) would be taken up for counting of votes at 8.30 AM. Counting of postal ballots would continue simultaneously," he said. Madhya Pradesh Chief Electoral Officer V L Kantha Rao told reporters that counting would begin at 8 AM with the postal ballots at 51 centres across the state. Fate of Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Chouhan's bid for his fourth term in office will be known on Tuesday with counting of votes for the state's 230 assembly seats scheduled to begin at 8 am, while the challenger Congress expects to return to power after a 15-year gap. The lowest number of counting rounds (15) would be held in Kotma seat in Anuppur district, he added. Indore-5 seat is currently held by the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) while the Congress represents Kotma constituency. Madhya Pradesh Chief Electoral Officer VL Kantha Rao said said the maximum rounds of counting 32 in total would take place in the Indore-5 assembly segment due to the highest number of booths there. Expect Indore 5's result to be in a little late as CEO says seat had highest number of polling booths Madhya Pradesh Chief Electoral Officer VL Kantha Rao said that 15,000 employees have been drafted for the counting process which will be monitored through 1200 CCTV cameras installed at 51 centres across the state. The oldest candidate in Madhya Pradesh election is Congress' 78-year-old Sartaj Singh, who crossed over to the party after the BJP denied him a ticket from his traditional Seoni-Malwa seat. Singh was the sitting BJP MLA when the ruling party snubbed him during ticket distribution. He was fielded by the Congress from Hoshangabad seat. Akash Vijayvargiya, BJP candidate from Indore 3 assembly constituency and son of party stalwart Kailash Vijayvargiya offered prayers at Sai Baba temple in Nandanagar and also visited a gaushala ahead of counting on Tuesday. He is up against Congress' Ashwin Joshi. Though all exit polls predicted a slide in the BJP's fortunes, some of them have gone to the extent of giving a clear majority to the Congress. The Republic TV-Jan Ki Baat poll has predicted BJP will win 108-128 seats and the Congress 95-115. The India Today-Axis poll gave 102-120 seats to the ruling party and 104-122 to the Congress. Times Now-CNX predicted a majority for the BJP with 126 seats and gave 89 to the Congress. In contrast, the ABP News poll gave the Congress a decisive win with 126 seats and said the BJP would win 94 Assembly constituencies. Exit polls have predicted a close race between the BJP and the Congress, though leaders from both parties have routinely claimed their respective victories. Detailing the security arrangements on polling day, Bhopal City SP said, "Dedicated teams have been deployed to ensure full security. Diversion points have been put on roads outside the counting centres. There's a 3-tier security system. Any device that can help communication isn't allowed inside the counting centres" A key contest to watch out for would be Hoshangabad, where former BJP minister Sartaj Singh (Congress) is contesting against Sitasharan Sharma (BJP). Bhojpur is seeing a fight between Suresh Pachouri (Congress) and Surendra Patwa (BJP). Bhopal is seeing two Muslim candidates going head to head: Veteran Congress leader Arif Aqueel is pitted against Fatima Siddiqui, BJP's sole Muslim candidate. The countinghas begun at 8 am with the numbering of postal ballots at 51 centres across the state. The EVMs (Electronic Voting Machines) would be taken up for counting of votes at 8.30 am. Meanwhile, the counting of postal ballots would continue simultaneously. Hiralal Alawa, former Jay Aadivasi Yuva Shakti (JAYS) convenor, contesting a seat from Manawar Assembly constituency, will test his luck against BJP stalwart Ranjana Baghel. Baghel, who has won the past three elections on this seat. The results will decide whether Congress was able to break a strong BJP bastion by giving tribal organisation JAYS by giving a ticket to their leader. The first lead in Madhya Pradesh as counting begins was for the Indian National Congress. Party spokesperson Mukesh Nayak has taken an early lead from constituency number 58, Pawai. He is pitted against BJP's sitting MLA Brijendra Pratap Singh. BJP's Dilip Kumar Makwana is leading in the Ratlam Rural constituency. The Bharatiya janata Party had changed its candiate at the last minute. The party had dropped the sitting MLA Mathura Lal Dabar in favour of Makwana. Rajasthan chief minister Vasundhara Raje's sister Yashodhra Raje Scindia in leading from Shivpuri constituency after first round. She was the sports minister in the Shivraj Singh Chouhan cabinet. Thirty minutes into counting, the Bharatiya Janata Party is leading at 15 seats, while the Congress was ahead on nine seats. Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan is leading in his home turf Budhni, while BJP leader Yashodhara Raje Scindia is leading from Shivpuri. Congress, meanwhile, took an early lead in Pawai seat. All eyes on Ambah (SC/ST) constituency in Morena. Neha Kinner, where one of the transgender candidates in Madhya Pradesh supported by SAPAKS is giving tough competition to all major contenders, including Kamlesh Jatav from Congress, BJP'S Gabbar Sakhwar and SP's Satyaprakash Sakhwar. Morena district is bastion of Union Minister Narendra Singh Tomar. Small players to play crucial role in Mahakoshal, Bundhelkhand, Vindhya and Baghelkhand segments. Samajwadi Party, Bahujan Samaj Party and Gondwana Gantantra Party likely to remain strong in these regions. However, debutant Aam Aadmi Party could face the heat in Madhya Pradesh election as the established players in Hindi heartland may pose a challenger for the Delhi-based party. . Finance Minister Jayant Malaiya from his traditional Damoh constituency is fighting a tough battle against BJP rebel Ramkrishna Kusmariya, who is now an Independent candidate. Kusmariya holds strong grassroots network, while Malaiya is facing strong anti-incumbency. As the early trends showed the BJP leading in 42 seats, the party office in Bhopal bore a deserted look, with only media persons camping there. Although the party has maintained a lead it is trailing on quite a few constituencies it had held in previous elections. Independent candidate Rana Vikram Singh from Susner Assembly in Agar Malwa district is leading in the first round. He was a rebel candidate from the Congress. Congress candidate from Malhargarh, Parshuram Sisodiya is leading with 373 votes, whereas BJP candidate from Mandsaur, Yashpal Singh Sisodiya leading with 463 votes. Meanwhile, Akash Vijayvargiya, BJP stalwart Kailash Vijayvargiya's son is trailing from Indore 3 constituency. Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan is leading from Budni, with BJP leading in the state so far with a lead on 83 seats, as compared to 73 seats where the Congress is ahead. Congress' Atif Aqueel is leading in Bhopal North constituency, a seat from where the BJP fielded its only Muslim face in Madhya Pradesh polls. Ironically, Aqueel is facing a tough challenge from his own partys senior leader and once rival Rasool Ahmad Siddiquis daughter Fatima Siddiqui, who contested on a BJP ticket. In an interesting shift of balance in Madhya Pradesh, the Congress has closed in on the gap in the state. The party is now trailing close behind the BJP with a lead on 94 seats.The BJP on the other hand is ahead on 94 seats. The Congress has taken over BJP's early lead in Madhya Pradesh. The party's final frontier may finally prove to be a handful of urban seats scattered across the state. Just like it eventually happened in Gujarat, if the Congress is kept away from power it would only on basis of BJPs strength in urban areas. But both parties know that to finally come within sniffing distance of victory Congress should have breached the urban citadel of the BJP Bhopal, Indore, Gwalior, Jabalpur, and Ujjain. In all these five cities, which are also parliamentary constituencies, have 36 Assembly segments. In a House of 230 seats, this is a huge constituency. The Congress took over BJP's early lead with the Indian National Congress forging ahead on 101 seats. The saffron party is close behind at 100. Laxman Singh, brother of former chief minister Digvijaya Singh is also trailing in the early trends. Singh is fighting from Chachaura seat against BJP's Mamta Meena. Even as Congress took the lead in Madhya Pradesh, some senior Congress leaders surprised pollsters by a less favourable outcome. Senior leader Ajay Singh is trailing at Churhat constituency of Satna district. He is pitted against Shardendu Tiwari of BJP. The tally of Madhya Pradesh results is changing by the seconds. The latest trends show that the Congress party has managed to overturn BJP's influence on its earlier bastions. The trends suggest the Congress is ahead on 38 seats that were previously held by the BJP. The saffron party on the other hand is likely to llose out on 43 seats it won earlier, if the current trends persist. Beohari, Amarwada and Junnardeo constituencies of Madhya Pradesh have provided some boost to Gondwana Gantantra Party,. The tribal political outfit is confident of converting these leads into a victory in these seats. The Bahujan Samaj Party also took lead on three seats in Chambal region. As the leads on all 230 seats are out, the Congress party was leading in 114 seats, while the BJP had managed to secure leads in 104 seats. The results are a major setback for the ruling party, which held a clear majority in the state in the previous Assembly. Hoping to put up a united face, the three Congress chief minister hopefuls (in event of a win), have gathered up. Jyotiraditya Scindia and Digvijaya Singh arrived at Kamal Nath's office in Bhopal, and the trio will head to the Pradesh Congress office together. Of the four assembly constituencies in Mandsaur area, BJP is leading in two including Mandsaur and Malgargarh Assemblies whereas in Garoth and Suvasra areas, Congress is in lead. In the 2003 Assembly elections, the BJP got 173 seats and Congress 38, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) 2 and Samajwadi Party (SP) 7 and Gondwana Gantantra Party (GGP) 3 and others 7 for the 230 members Madhya Pradesh Vidhan Sabha. If the current trends persist, this will be the first time that the Congress will cross the 100 mark. Currently it is maintaining a lead on 114 seats out the 230 constituencies up for grabs. The BJP has traditionally managed to secure a win in urban seats consistently. However, this time around, the Congress managed to register a lead in the following urban seats. Anand Rai, the whistleblower who uncovered the Vyapam scam, stated that the Madhya Pradesh Congress' decision of not forming any alliance in the state backfired for the Grand Old Party. Bahujan Samaj Party, which is leading on 7 seats and Gondwana Gantantra Party, which is ahead on 3 seats will decide the fate of the Congress in Madhya Pradesh. A significant trend as counting continues in Madhya Pradesh is the leads Congress has taken in the Mahakoushal area. It has swept away the former BJP stronghold. This is the area directly manged by Kamal Nath, who was only one of the two Congress leaders who withstood the Modi wave in 2014, and won the Chhindwara Parliamentary seat. Mahakoushal in the South East of the state has 38 seats of which BJP last time won 24, Congress just 13 and an Independent canddate got one seat. On several Assembly seats BSP gave a tough fight and emerged number two, owing to its popularity in the reserved seats. The fact that Mahakoshal has a lot of tribal seats, and given Congress' leads in the region, it could suggest that the tribals this time in the state have opted for the Congress, News18 reported. Former Prime Minister's Atal Bihari Vajpayee's relative Anoop Mishra is trailing behind at Bhitarwar constituency of Gwalior district. Lakhan Singh Yadav of Congress is leading at the seat. NOTA has so far bagged 1.5 lakh votes which is roughly 1.5 percent of total votes so far. NOTA's vote share so far is more than what the Aam Aadmi Party and Samajwadi Party could muster in these polls. After six rounds of counting, here's the tally of all seven seats in Bhopal BSP party sources have claimed that, Madhya Pradesh assembly Election winners will reach New Delhi in the night or tomorrow to discuss the further electoral probablities with senior leaders. As Bahujan Samaj Party is likely to play kingmaker in state, the party supremo Mayawati has summoned all her candidates to Delhi. Minister Om Prakash Dhurve was at the third place in Shahpura seat of Dindori district while Antar Singh Arya was trailing by 3,626 votes in Sendhwa seat in Barwani district. Besides, Balkrishna Patidar was trailing in Khargone by a margin of 44 votes, while Lal Singh Arya was lagging behind by a margin 3,039 votes from Gohad seat in Bhind district. State minister Narottam Mishra was trailing by a margin of 3,114 votes from Datia seat while Rustam Singh was at the third position in Morena constituency. Nine ministers in the Shivraj Singh Chouhan-led BJP government in Madhya Pradesh are trailing in the Assembly polls as per the latest trends, an election official said Tuesday. The neck-and-neck contest in Madhya Pradesh is partly due to 26 seats where the margin is less than 1000 votes. In fact in two constituencies, Dindori and Gotegaon the winning and the runner-up candidates have a difference of only 50 seats. As expected, the regional parties have started extending their support to the Congress after trends showed victory for Congress in three states. The Samajwadi Party, which is leading in just one seat, has offered to support the Congress, should it fall short of the majority mark. The Bahujan Samaj Pary too has said that it will not ally with the BJP. The BSP is leading on three seats. Sanjay Kakade, BJP's Rajya Sabha MP told ANI, "I knew we would lose in Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh but Madhya Pradesh trends have come as a surprise. I think we forgot the issue of development that Modi took up in 2014. Ram Mandir, statues and name changing became the focus." Likewise, Damoh, one of the prestigious constituency of Madhya Pradesh, where two political stalwarts Finance Minister Jayant Malaiya and BJP rebel leader Ramkrishna Kusmariya are at loogerheads has also shown substantial swing. In the morning, Ramkrishna Kusmariya started with a lead, but for sometimes Malaiya was also leading the race, but currently Ramkrishna Kusmariya is inching closer to victory. Ambah (SC/ST) constituency in Morena district has witnessed the most volatile contest till now. In the morning, Neha Kinner started with a lead, further Kamlesh Jatav of Congress picked up a lead around 10:30 am. Around 11:30 AM Neha Kinner, the state's only transgender candidate made a comeback, however Kamlesh Jatav is leading right now at the seat. When asked that if his party will lend support to either BJP or Congress, Singh said,"We are holding a crucial meeting in Bhopal on Tuesday night, where all party leaders will decide the future plans." Gulzar Singh, Senior Gondwana Gantantra Party leader, stated that, his party is hopeful of winning the Amarwada constituency inChhindwara district and the Baihar constituency in Balaghat district. Jubilant by their party's good performance in state polls, Congress workers were seen celebrating outside party offices in other states. On person was seen twerking on the dhol tune, displaying an unusual kite flying step. According to initial rounds of counting, the Congress was ahead in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan the three States where the BJP has been in power. With trends indicating that the Congress was ahead in the Assembly polls in three Hindi heartland States, senior party leader Jyotiraditya Scindia said the figures reflected the peoples desire for a change. BJP' s Yogendra is leading with 37.69 percent votes, Indepent candidate Pradeep with 36.47 percent votes is at the second spot. BSP's Ramkumar has so far recieved 9.41 percent votes and Masani recieved 8.21 percent votes. CNN-News18 reported that Congress is still saying that they will form government on their own. But the senior leadership has started sending out to feelers to the smaller parties to prevent the BJP from doing a Goa on them. The Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party are considered more inclined towards Congress in event of an alliance government. With roughly eight rounds of counting still left, the BJP supporters have decided to put up a spirited show. The party workers were seen distributing sweets and raising slogans at the Madhya Pradesh BJP office. This is the first time since morning the BJP supporters gathered at party headquarter and raised slogans. After 03:30 pm update by Election Commission, BJP candidate Akash Vijavargiya, son of BJP's General Secretary Kailash Vijavargiya, is trailing in Indore 3 constituency with over 1600 votes. Till 02:30 pm Akash was leading with 99 votes against Congress candidate Ashwin Joshi. The Congress is surging ahead of the BJP in Madhya Pradesh in 115 seats in a bitterly fought contest. The Congress has once again inched towards the halfway mark, 15 ahead of the BJP, according to current trends. However, the trends are unlikely to solidify just yet as there are at least 30 seats where the margin is let than 1,000 votes. "People voted against BJP. This is the people's verdict and victory of the people of this country, victory of democracy and victory against injustice, atrocities, destruction of institutions, misuse of agencies, no work for poor people, farmers, youth, Dalits, SC, ST, OBC, minorities and general caste," she tweeted. Terming the BJP's poor performance in the Assembly elections held in five states the "people's verdict", Trinamool Congress chief and West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee said on Tuesday the poll results were a real democratic indication of the 2019 general elections. Congress is also leading in 96 seats while BJP is leading in 92 so far. Other candidates have won two seats while others are leading in 8. The governor has declined the Congress' request for a late night appointment, saying it will be given only after the situation is made clear by the Election Commission, ANI reported. Madhya Pradesh BJP general secretary VD Sharma accuses Congress of being in a hurry. "They should wait, when the final results come," Sharma said speaking to ANI. "BJP will be the one with the majority." Madhya Pradesh BJP general secretary VD Sharma accuses Congress of being in a hurry. "They should wait, when the final results come," Sharma said speaking to ANI. "BJP will be the one with the majority." Madhya Pradesh results and trends Wednesday 12:55 am. Congress has been asked to wait after seeking an appointment with the Governor to stake claim. Congress and BJP are headed for a photo finish in Madhya Pradesh. Congress has been asked to wait after seeking an appointment with the Governor to stake claim. As BJP and Congress fight it out in Madhya Pradesh, Governor Anandiben Patel has responded to a Congress letter saying she will take a decision only after the Election Commission greenlights the results. Congress 114, BJP 107, Others 1 - thats what it looks like in Madhya Pradesh at 2 am IST. Counting is almost through, Twitter handlers for Rahul Gandhi and the rest are getting some shut eye before the real excitement of political closure that will play out on Wednesday. A quick recap of other results: Congress party is poised to form the government in Rajasthan and Chattisgarh, while TRS scored a big win in Telangana and MNF defeated Congress in the Northeast. Congress has bagged a total of 115 seats, BJP has 108 at last count and independents are front and center in political math. Counting is on in exactly 12 constituencies as of 3 am IST. BJP leads in 6, Congress in 5 and BSP is ahead in Bhind. News18 Madhya Pradesh is reporting that a BJP leader is claiming the party is in talks with independents even as Congress inches forward to majority - the 116 mark. The Madhya Pradesh all-nighter has almost ended and at least four of five states that went to the polls in the fag end of 2018 will have brand new chief ministers. Of these states, three are plum in the Hindi heartland. As things stand at around 5 am IST, Congress has won 115 seats in Madhya Pradesh thats one short of a majority in the 230 member Assembly. In Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh, Congress has a bigger margin over main rival BJP. Sachin Pilot and Ashok Gehlot are front-runners for the CM post in Rajasthan, Kamal Nath and Jyotiraditya Scindia in Madhya Pradesh. Four names are in the mix for Chhattisgarh. In MP, which is going down to the wire, Congress sent a letter to Governor Anandiben Patel seeking time to stake claim to form the next government. Patel turned down the request and asked the party to wait until results for all seats are declared by the Election Commission. 0.1 per cent - thats how close the race is between the BJP and the Congress in Madhya Pradesh after more than 21 hours of counting. Congress wins ( including latest leads) is at 115, just one short of the magic number 116 in a 230 member Assembly. The Governors going to wait until the Election Commission puts its official stamp on the results. Wednesday's MP politics promises to be busy, long and incredibly exciting. After nearly 24 hours of counting, we still don't know how this story's going to end Accepting "people's mandate with humility", Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday congratulated the Congress, Telangana's K Chandrashekar Rao and the Mizo National Front for their respective victories and said and added in a philosophical vein that it is a part of life. Modi took to Twitter late on Tuesday night after BJP's poll drubbing in three states, two of which were called its bastion. After losing three states in the Hindi heartlans, BJP's core base, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had a word of advice for his party workers. Praising them for their hardwork, "The family of BJP Karyakartas worked day and night for the state elections. I salute them for their hard work. Victory and defeat are an integral part of life. Todays results will further our resolve to serve people and work even harder for the development of India." "Frankly, Narendra Modi taught me the lesson - what not to do," Rahul Gandhi remarked. "PM Modi was handed a huge opportunity. It is a sad thing that he refused to listen to the heartbeat of the country. The arrogance came in." I was telling my mother that the absolute best thing for me was the 2014 election. I learnt a lot from that election. I learnt that the most important thing is humility," said the Congress chief, who took a lot of the blame for the party's earlier election defeats. Observing that the Assembly election results in five states were a referendum on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday said opposition parties would unitedly fight and defeat the BJP in 2019 elections with the central themes being unemployment, agrarian distress and corruption. Rahul Gandhi said the congress differs with the BJP ideologically but it does not want to make it a BJP-mukt Bharat, but will work hard to fight it ideologically. He said that with a resurgent Congress party in the states and the combined opposition, it was going to be "very difficult" for Prime Minister Modi and the BJP to win future elections. As of now, the results for 229 of the 230 seats have been declared. The Congress has won 113 and is leading in one seats. The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has won 109 seats. The Mayawati-led Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) has won two seats. The Samajwadi Party (SP) has won one seat and Independent candidates have won four. The Congress will have to enlist the support of at least one of the four independents and the lone Samajwadi Party (SP) candidate, or the Bahujan Samaj Party to form the next government in the state. Media reports have claimed that the Bharatiya Janata Party hasa also staked a claim for government formation in Madhya Pradesh. Times Now reported that the BJP has claimed the support of Independents and other parties to make up the requisite numbers. The saffron party has sought the governor's time. Meanwhile, the Congress, which had sought an appointment with Governor Anandiben Patel last night, is still waiting for a response. The final result of the Madhya Pradesh election is out. The Congress has managed to win 114, two short of the majority mark. The Bharatiya Janata Party was restricted at 109. Bahujan Samaj Party (2) and Samajwadi Party (1) are the likely kingmakers in the state. Four Independent candidates have also managed to win seats. Final results are out: Congress wins last seat; in final tally, INC at 114, two short of majority, BJP has 109 The counting has finally come to an end in Madhya Pradesh after it began 24 hours ago and the Congress has emerged as the single-largest party with 114 seats, just two short of the majority mark in the 230-seat Assembly. The party is likely to get support from the Samajwadi Party, which has one seat, but the Congress would still need support of one more MLA. It could either reach out to one or more of the four MLAs, or it can persuade Mayawati to lend them support. The BSP has bagged 2 seats in the state. However, if vote share is considered, the BJP was ahead of the Congress with a razor-thin margin. The saffron party secured 0.1 percent more votes than Congress The Bharati Janata Party lost out its bastion of 15 years to the Congress party. The state which had elected the saffron party with an undisputable majority in the last polls, this time around was undecided as several seats were won by a margin of less than one percent vote. The difference in seat share is also less pronounced as is often observed in the state. Kamal Nath on Wednesday revealed that the Indian National Congress has been in touch with the four Independent MLAs since yesterday. He said that while the Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party has not given a confirmation yet, the support of the Independents will be sufficient to get them to the majority mark. The Congress party has called a meeting of its newly elected MLAs on Wednesday evening. The newly-elected MLAs are likely to elect the party's chief ministerial face in Madhya Pradesh. Speaking to CNN-News18, Congress leader Kamal Nath said that while BSP and SP are yet to confirm their support, the four Independent MLAs are in touch with Congress and have promised their support. BJP Spokesperson Syed Zafar Alam said that an element of fatigue was there which may have lead to the party's defeat. "But we can't say anti-incumbency was there because our chief ministers were very popular. Whatever went wrong we will work on it," he said. Omar Abdullah was all praise for Congress president Rahul Gandhi for his "great success in these elections." "He took the blame and the brickbats for all the set backs & now deserves the credit for these victories. It was nice to have something to celebrate on counting day," Omar tweeted. For the BJP, however, Omar had a piece of advice: That it can't shield Modi from the blame becasue he was the party's face and a key campaigner. He also used the occasion to take a swipe on the BJP appointed governors, using the Jammu and Kashmir incident. "Congress leaders arent faxing their letter to Raj Bhavan in Bhopal. Smart people. It may be a similar model to the one in Jammu." Following the close-run contest in Madhya Pradesh, senior BJP functionaries responsible for BJP's campaign in Madhya Pradeh are in a huddle at Chief Ministre Shivraj Singh Chouhan's residence. Leaders like Kailash Vijayvargiya, Rakesh Singh, Vinay Sahasrabuddhe and Narendra Singh Tomar are present at the chief minister's residence in Bhopal. CNN-News18 reported quoting sources that the Bahujan Samaj Party has agreed to support the Congress 'despite its misgivings'. The news channel quoted BSP sources as saying that since the party was principally against a BJP government, it has decided to support the Congress government. The Bahujan Samaj Party has agreed to support the Congress 'despite its misgivings', says Mayawati. BSP sources said that since the party was principally against a BJP government, it has decided to support the Congress government. Mayawati said results show that people in states like Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh were totally against the BJP and its anti-people policies and as a result chose Congress due to lack of other major alternative. Mayawati said that the BSP is the only party that fights for the poor and the Dalits but they failed to get a sufficient number of seats. She, however, did go on to support the Congress becasue she was "principally against BJP". Mayawati said results show that people in states like Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh were totally against the BJP and its anti-people policies and as a result chose Congress due to lack of other major alternative. "The voters chose Congress with a heavy heart because they did not have a strong alternative," she said. A Congress delegation will meet Governor Anandiben Patel in Bhopal at 12 pm and stake claim to form a government in Madhya Pradesh. The party had written to the governor last night seeking time for a meeting, amid reports that the BJP too was trying to collect the numbers. However. the governor agreed to meet the party leaders today at 12 pm. Madhya Pradesh chief minister of 15 years will resign from office within moments now as his party failed to get a clear mandate in elections. "I bow before the people's mandate. We did not get majority so will not stake claim to form government. I am going to tender my resignation to the Governor," Chouhan said. After Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati, Akhilesh Yadav too has said that the lone Samajwadi Party MLA will support the Congress government. The Congress, which won 114 seats had already roped in the support of four Independents and crossed the majority mark. With BSP (4) and SP (1) , the alliance will now have 122 seats, well above the BJP's 109. Madhya Pradesh chief minister of 15 years has resigned from office as his party failed to get a clear mandate in elections. "I bow before the people's mandate. We did not get majority so will not stake claim to form government. I am going to tender my resignation to the Governor," Chouhan said. He also congratulated Kamal Nath for the Congress party's performance in the state. According to latest reports, Madhya Pradesh Congress leader Kamal Nath could be the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh. News18 reported that in a show of unity, other Congress leaders who were in the fray, including Jyotiraditya Scindia, have reportedly supported the move. BSP supremo's press conference was loaded with messaging for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections: One, she will not readily come to the negotiation table unless a respectable share is offered to her. And two, that she will not carry with her the burden of Congress' past mistakes. We came to know that despite a defeat, the BJP was trying to get to power through jod-tod ki rajniti. Our aim is to keep BJP out of power and that is why we are supporting the Congress, despite our misgivings and reservations. "BJP setrast janata ne apne dil pe patthar rakh ke votes diyen hai Congress ko (people were so desperate to remove BJP, that they felt compelled to vote for Congress)," she said. The fact that Mayawati lent support to Congress at a time when it had already made alternate arrangements to reach the majority mark says loads about the Congress-BSP relationship. The BSP supremo has no qualms in publicly discussing her disdain or the grand old party. "Ab mein mukt hoon, I am free. I have tendered my resignation to the honourable Governor. The responsibility of defeat is totally mine. I have congratulated Kamal Nath ji," Shivraj Singh said. A meeting between former chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Kamal Nath has been scheduled for 1 pm today, and the Congress is expected to make an announcement on the new chief minister of Madhya Pradesh shortly after that. The Congress will reveal the name of its chief minister in Madhya Pradesh on Wednesday evening. The party will hold a meeting of party MLAs at around 4 pm. Senior Congress leader AK Antony will be present at the meeting as an observed following which Rahul Gandhi will be informed about the proceeds of the meeting. Madhya Pradesh govrenor Anandiben Patel said that she held a meeting with Kamal Nath and Jyotiraditya Scindia on Wednesday. Patel said that she has accepted the letter of support and asked the Congress party to elect the leader of the legislative party. He also said that pre-poll animosity apart, he would like to see the two partie work together for the people's good. Jyotiraditya Scindia said that he was happy with the way the Congress party performed. "I always knew that we will make it to the majority mark and we will form the government. But yes I also congratulate the BJP for the 109 MLAs that they got; they gave us a good fight," Scindia said. Yes they gave us a good fight, says Jyotiraditya Scindia on BJP's 109; vows to try and work together Jyotiraditya Scindia was a little more forthcoming about chief ministerial ambitions now that the decks are clear for Congress to form the next government in Madhya Pradesh. A disciplined worker and senior politician, Scindia has usually dodged questions when confronted with questions about whether or not he will be the chief minister of Madhya Pradesh. However, now the state safely in tow, Scindia did let on that he is up for the job, should the Congress president offer him the responsibility. "Yes it will be my privilege," replied Scindia when CNN-news18 sought his response if Rahul Gandhi asked him to take up the responsibility. Unlike Chhattisgarh's outgoing chief minister Raman Singh who appeared quite complacently ensconced in his cocoon and believing in his own infallibility, Shivraj Singh Chouhan in Madhya Pradesh was a restless soul, running all around to protect his political turf. He was ably assisted by all constituents of the Sangh Parivar whose deep penetration in the state for decades on end is quite evident. Yet Chouhan lost ground to a less organised and untested Congress leadership. In a state where the BJP ruled for 15 years, how has this situation come about? Referring to the Congress' sweeping win, the tweet said, "this is good winning over evil, light winning over darkness," In the tweet, the party called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and said: "This is the public... they do not make noise but make the right decisions at the right time." The Madhya Pradesh unit of the Congress on Wednesday tweeted out a map of India, with the previously BJP-led states of Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, and Madhya Pradesh now portrayed in Congress colours. Madhya Pradesh's BJP chief Rakesh Singh, while speaking to media, said: "We have decided that we should leave some things for the future, which is why Shivraj Singh Chouhan resigned." The leader was referring to earlier reports of BJP staking claim to form the government with the support of Independents. Given the situation, Congress will look for a chief minister with a lot of experience, who can manage the strong Opposition in the Assembly and simultaneously play a pivotal role in maximising the party's tally in Madhya Pradesh in the 2019 General Election. In the legislative party meeting at 4 pm today , the elected candidates in discussion with All India Congress Committee (AICC) leaders including senior leader AK Antony will finalise the chief ministerial candidate. Although the Congress, in Madhya Pradesh, put up a united fight by keeping differences aside, the supporters of Nath and Scindia have now come out aggressively in public by openly demanding their respective leaders become chief minister as if differences exist between the two leaders. Kamal Nath's candidature is the strongest for the top spot even though Jyotiraditya Scindia's name has also been in circulation. On Wednesday, outside the Raj Bhawan, when the Congress leaders went to meet the governor, the supporters of Nath and Scindia raised slogans for chief ministership in favour of their respective leaders. While the choice will primarily revolve around old war horse Kamal Nath, the decision will depend a lot on the calculations of Rahul, keeping the 2019 General Election in mind. He will want to flaunt a dynamic young team with leaders like Jyotiraditya Scindia to the nation, besides looking for experience to navigate complicated coalition politics. Although top Congress leaders including Digvijaya had been saying that the elected party members would finalise the chief ministerial candidate, it's a well-known fact that Congress chief Rahul Gandhi will take the final call. Rahul, while addressing a public meeting in Ujjain during poll campaign, had said that within 10 days of the elections, the new chief minister of Congress party will waive off the loans of farmers in Madhya Pradesh. As he and state party chief Kamal Nath are in the race for the chief ministerial post in Madhya Pradesh, Jyotiraditya Scindia expressed his willingness to accept the top post. "Of course, it will be a privilege," replied Scindia to a media query on if he would like to hold the top post. According to ANI , a one-line proposal has been passed at the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) meeting in Bhopal. The High Command will now take a decision on the chief minister face. According to CNN-News18, Madhya Pradesh Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia has proposed senior leader Kamal Nath's name for the chief ministerial post in the state after a meeting with the Congress Legislative Party (CLP) in Bhopal.The formal annoucement of the new chief minister's name will reportedly take place at 9 pm on Wednesday. Congress spokesperson Shobha Oza, in a press conference on Wednesday evening, said that the Congress president Rahul Gandhi will decide on the name of the chief minister of Madhya Pradesh. Earlier the Congress legislative party had met with the newly elected MLAs to discuss on the CM face. Reportedly, senior AICC leader AK Antony also held a one-on-one meeting with each of the MLAs. Meanwhile, reportedly most of the MLAs in the meeting with the central observers backed Kamal Nath's name for the CM's post. Senior AICC leader AK Antony will reportedly apprise Rahul Gandhi of the developments in the Congress Legislative Party's (CLP) meet in Bhopal on Wednesday. Antony will fly down to Delhi from Bhopal to update Rahul and thereafter the Congress chief will take a final decision on the name of the next Madhya Pradesh chief minister. "The battle has been fought and it is over. I congratulate the BJP for winning 109 seats. But now we have to look ahead. The next five years must not be adversarial. We must work together with the spirit of working for the betterment of and uplifting Madhya Pradesh," said the Lok Sabha member from Guna. Scindia said it was essential to work in partnership with the BJP to ensure the progress of the state. "You fight a fight during elections and after that we are all are public servants. We are in this engagement to ensure that we make the state, the area we represent, a better place. For that we must work together. Expressing his willingness to be the chief minister of Madhya Pradesh, Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia on Wednesday called upon the BJP to work in tandem with the Congress for the betterment of the state. Interacting with the media after the Congress staked claim to form the government in the state, Scindia hoped that the Congress tenure will not be marked with adversarial relations with BJP. Na haar mein, na jeet mein, kinchit nahin bhaybhit main, kartavya path par jo bhi mile, yeh bhi sahi woh bhi sahi (I am not scared either in victory or in defeat. I will continue fulfilling my duty irrespective of what I get)," Chouhan told media after his resignation. Failing to lead BJP reach the majority mark in Madhya Pradesh, Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Wednesday resigned from the post of chief minister. Chouhan said that since his party lacked the magic numbers in the Assembly polls, he will not stake claim to form the government in Madhya Pradesh. Chouhan on Wednesday visited Governor Anandiben Patel's office to tender his resignation. "I am free now. I have tendered my resignation to the honourable governor. The responsibility of defeat is totally mine. We did not get majority, will not stake claim to form Government. I have congratulated Kamal Nath ji. Speaking exclusively to ANI, Mayawati said: "Even though we do not agree with many of Congress's policies, we have agreed to support them in Madhya Pradesh and if need be in Rajasthan." Whereas, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav too announced support to the Congress in forming government in Madhya Pradesh. BJP garnered 109 votes in the 230-member strong Legislative Assembly of Madhya Pradesh while the Congress settled at 114 and has staked claim to form the government with the support of Samajwadi Party (SP) that got 1 seat and Mayawati's BSP that bagged 2. As he and state party chief Kamal Nath are in the race for the chief ministerial post in Madhya Pradesh, Jyotiraditya Scindia expressed his willingness to accept the top post. "Of course, it will be a privilege," replied Scindia to a media query on if he would like to hold the top post. The meeting of the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) is currently underway in Bhopal with senior Congress leader and central observers holding discussions to decide on the next chief minister of Madhya Pradesh. According to ANI , a one-line proposal has been passed at the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) meeting in Bhopal. The High Command will now take a decision on the chief minister face. According to CNN-News18, Madhya Pradesh Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia has proposed senior leader Kamal Nath's name for the chief ministerial post in the state after a meeting with the Congress Legislative Party (CLP) in Bhopal.The formal annoucement of the new chief minister's name will reportedly take place at 9 pm on Wednesday. Congress spokesperson Shobha Oza, in a press conference on Wednesday evening, said that the Congress president Rahul Gandhi will decide on the name of the chief minister of Madhya Pradesh. Earlier the Congress legislative party had met with the newly elected MLAs to discuss on the CM face. Reportedly, senior AICC leader AK Antony also held a one-on-one meeting with each of the MLAs. Meanwhile, reportedly most of the MLAs in the meeting with the central observers backed Kamal Nath's name for the CM's post. Senior AICC leader AK Antony will reportedly apprise Rahul Gandhi of the developments in the Congress Legislative Party's (CLP) meet in Bhopal on Wednesday. Antony will fly down to Delhi from Bhopal to update Rahul and thereafter the Congress chief will take a final decision on the name of the next Madhya Pradesh chief minister. Kamal Nath is likely to be picked up for the post of the next chief minister of Madhya Pradesh after Jyotiraditya Scindia proposed his name in the CLP meeting. Madhya Pradesh Legislative Assembly Latest Updates: According to CNN-News18, Madhya Pradesh Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia has proposed senior leader Kamal Nath's name for the chief ministerial post in the state after a meeting with the Congress Legislative Party (CLP) in Bhopal. The formal annoucement of the new chief minister's name will reportedly take place at 9 pm on Wednesday. A one-line proposal has been passed at the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) meeting in Bhopal. The High Command will now take a decision on the chief minister face. As he and state party chief Kamal Nath are in the race for the chief ministerial post in Madhya Pradesh, Jyotiraditya Scindia expressed his willingness to accept the top post. "Of course, it will be a privilege," replied Scindia to a media query on if he would like to hold the top post. In the legislative party meeting at 4 pm today, the elected candidates in discussion with All India Congress Committee (AICC) leaders including senior leader AK Antony will finalise the chief ministerial candidate. Given the situation, Congress will look for a chief minister with a lot of experience, who can manage the strong Opposition in the Assembly and simultaneously play a pivotal role in maximising the party's tally in Madhya Pradesh in the 2019 General Election. Former chief minister of Madhya Pradesh Shivraj Singh Chouhan recounts his term as the chief minister. In an emotional speech, Chouhan said that he was inspired to help the people of the state based on the hardships that he grew up with. Chouhan said he tried his best to serve the people of chief minister. Chouhan further added that since the numbers favoured a Congress government in Madhya Pradesh, it was only fair that "I quit." Reacting to their loss in the state assembly elections, the BJP chief Rakesh Singh said that it was not just BJP, but even Congress did not drum up the required numbers. Congratulating Congress for their performance, the BJP leader said that it is only fitting that the party which has the majority should form the government. Singh also praised Shivraj Singh Chouhan's stint as the chief minister and said, "We were privileged to work under Shivraj Singhji." Former chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan took to Twitter after tendering his resignation, and took to Twitter to thank Prime Minister Narendra Modi as well as BJP president Amit Shah for their "unprecedented support." In his tweet, Chouhan also extended his gratitude to all the party ministers and workers. Jyotiraditya Scindia was a little more forthcoming about chief ministerial ambitions now that the decks are clear for Congress to form the next government in Madhya Pradesh. A disciplined worker and senior politician, Scindia has usually dodged questions when confronted with questions about whether or not he will be the chief minister of Madhya Pradesh. However, now the state safely in tow, Scindia did let on that he is up for the job, should the Congress president offer him the responsibility. "Yes it will be my privilege," replied Scindia when CNN-news18 sought his response if Rahul Gandhi asked him to take up the responsibility. However, the next battle the party faces is from within. The supporters of Jyotiraditya Scindia and Kamal Nath have been engaged in a civil war that manifests itself in weird ways. While Scindia's supporters raised 'Scindia for CM' slogans outside Kamal Nath's residence, there now seems to be a poster war going on between the duo's supporters rushing on to plaster the state's wall with thank you notes and celebratory messages. Thankfully, the suspense is not much long-drawn. We expect Congress MLAs to unanimously pass a resolution leaving the decision on Congress president, as is customary in the party. Henceforth, Rahul Gandhi will chose the candidate he sees most fit to lead the state. And both men, being senior leaders and mature politicians, will ultimately reign in their upset supporters. A happy ending for the Congress. Even in defeat, Shivraj Singh Chouhan was a poignant orator and a graceful runner-up. In his press address following elections, Shivraj set an example other BJP chief ministerial faces have failed to follow in the past. Shivraj's gracefully crafted speech, wherein he not only accepts defeat but subtly points out that the people's mandate was so divided that it wasn't completely against him, is reminiscent of the situation in Karnataka. A meeting between former chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Kamal Nath has been scheduled for 1 pm today, and the Congress is expected to make an announcement on the new chief minister of Madhya Pradesh shortly after that. According to latest reports, Madhya Pradesh Congress leader Kamal Nath could be the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh. News18 reported that in a show of unity, other Congress leaders who were in the fray, including Jyotiraditya Scindia, have reportedly supported the move. Madhya Pradesh chief minister of 15 years has resigned from office as his party failed to get a clear mandate in elections. "I bow before the people's mandate. We did not get majority so will not stake claim to form government. I am going to tender my resignation to the Governor," Chouhan said. He also congratulated Kamal Nath for the Congress party's performance in the state. A Congress delegation will meet Governor Anandiben Patel in Bhopal at 12 pm and stake claim to form a government in Madhya Pradesh. The Bahujan Samaj Party has agreed to support the Congress 'despite its misgivings', says Mayawati. BSP sources said that since the party was principally against a BJP government, it has decided to support the Congress government. Mayawati said results show that people in states like Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh were totally against the BJP and its anti-people policies and as a result chose Congress due to lack of other major alternative. Omar Abdullah was all praise for Congress president Rahul Gandhi for his "great success in these elections." "He took the blame and the brickbats for all the set backs & now deserves the credit for these victories. It was nice to have something to celebrate on counting day," Omar tweeted. For the BJP, however, Omar had a piece of advice: That it can't shield Modi from the blame becasue he was the party's face and a key campaigner. He also used the occasion to take a swipe on the BJP appointed governors, using the Jammu and Kashmir incident. "Congress leaders arent faxing their letter to Raj Bhavan in Bhopal. Smart people. It may be a similar model to the one in Jammu." Kamal Nath on Wednesday revealed that the Indian National Congress has been in touch with the four Independent MLAs since yesterday. He said that while the Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party has not given a confirmation yet, the support of the Independents will be sufficient to get them to the majority mark. The final result of the Madhya Pradesh election is out. The Congress has managed to win 114, two short of the majority mark. The Bharatiya Janata Party was restricted at 109. Bahujan Samaj Party (2) and Samajwadi Party (1) are the likely kingmakers in the state. Four Independent candidates have also managed to win seats. Media reports have claimed that the Bharatiya Janata Party hasa also staked a claim for government formation in Madhya Pradesh. Times Now reported that the BJP has claimed the support of Independents and other parties to make up the requisite numbers. The saffron party has sought the governor's time. Meanwhile, the Congress, which had sought an appointment with Governor Anandiben Patel last night, is still waiting for a response. Accepting "people's mandate with humility", Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday congratulated the Congress, Telangana's K Chandrashekar Rao and the Mizo National Front for their respective victories and said and added in a philosophical vein that it is a part of life. Modi took to Twitter late on Tuesday night after BJP's poll drubbing in three states, two of which were called its bastion. Madhya Pradesh governor Anandiben Patel on Tuesday declined the Congress' request for a late night appointment, saying it will be given only after the Election Commission makes the situation clear. The Congress has staked a claim to form the government in Madhya Pradesh and sought an appointment with the governor, saying it had emerged as the single largest party in the Assembly. The grand old party had sought a late night appointment with the governor through fax and email. Madhya Pradesh Congress Committee president Kamal Nath, in his letter to the governor, claimed the party has support of "all independent candidates". Shivraj Singh Chouhan has won from Budhni constituency with a margin of nearly 59,000 votes. Congress president Rahul Gandhi addressed a press conference at the Congress headquarters in New Delhi and said that BJP and Narendra Modi will not be able to win the 2019 polls. The neck-and-neck contest continues in Madhya Pradesh as BJP leads in 109 seats while Congress leads in 111. Dozen ministers in the Shivraj Singh Chouhan government are trailing in an election in which the margin of votes in some constituencies is as low as four. In a bitterly fought contest, the Congress has managed to surge ahead of the BJP in 110 seats and has won eight seats. According to current trends, the BJP is leading on 90 seats and has won 12 others. However, the trends are unlikely to solidify just yet as there are at least 30 seats where the margin is let than 1,000 votes. As Bahujan Samaj Party is likely to play kingmaker in state, the party supremo Mayawati has summoned all her candidates to Delhi. Meanwhile, Gondwana Gantantra Party will also hold a crucial meeting in Bhopal on Tuesday night, where all party leaders will decide the future plans. The tally of Madhya Pradesh results is changing by the seconds. The latest trends show that the Congress has managed to overturn Congress' early lead. BIt even grazed through the halfwy mark briefly but fell down to 115 only moments later. The BJP is trailing close behind with 104 seats. The trends suggest the Congress is ahead on 38 seats that were previously held by the BJP. The saffron party on the other hand is likely to llose out on 43 seats it won earlier, if the current trends persist. The Congress took over BJP's early lead with the Indian National Congress forging ahead on 101 seats. The saffron party is close behind at 100. In an interesting shift of balance in Madhya Pradesh, the Congress has closed in on the gap in the state. The party is now trailing close behind the BJP with a lead on 94 seats.The BJP on the other hand is ahead on 94 seats. The BJP is leading with 435 votes in Mandsaur, the place where the Shivraj Singh Chouhan government has faced massive resistance from farmers. Meanwhile, Akash Vijayvargiya, BJP stalwart Kailash Vijayvargiya's son is trailing from Indore 3 constituency. Thirty minutes into counting, the Bharatiya Janata Party is leading at 15 seats, while the Congress was ahead on nine seats. Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan is leading in his home turf Budhni, while BJP leader Yashodhara Raje Scindia is leading from Shivpuri. Congress, meanwhile, took an early lead in Pawai seat. The counting has begun at 8 am with the numbering of postal ballots at 51 centres across the state. The EVMs (Electronic Voting Machines) would be taken up for counting at 8.30 am. Meanwhile, the counting of postal ballots would continue simultaneously. The Bhopal strong room was opened in presence of the candidates contesting from the seat. The Electronic Voting Machines are now being taken to counting room. On an average, 22 rounds of counting will be conducted here. Madhya Pradesh Chief Electoral Officer V L Kantha Rao told reporters that counting would begin at 8 AM with the postal ballots at 51 centres across the state. "EVMs (Electronic Voting Machines) would be taken up for counting at 8.30 AM. Counting of postal ballots would continue simultaneously," he said. The counting of votes for the Madhya Pradesh Assembly election 2018 take place on Tuesday along with the result declaration of the elections in five other states including Chhattisgarh, Telangana, Rajasthan and Mizoram. The exit polls have predicted an interesting contest in Madhya Pradesh, where the BJP is trying for a consecutive fourth term. According to Times Now-CNX, the BJP is set to pick up 126 of the 230 seats on offer, with the Congress and its allies picking up 89, the Bahujan Samaj Party six and others expected to win nine seats. However, the India Today-Axis My India poll shows the BJP picking up 102 to 120 seats, the Congress claiming 104 to 122 seats and others winning between four and 11 seats. Whereas in a further cause of concern for the incumbent party, the Republic-CVoter survey gives BJP between 90 and 106 seats and sees the Congress walk away with between 110 and 126 seats. The Election Commission has announced that counting will begin at 8 am and postal ballots will be taken up first followed by electronic voting machines at 8.30 am. Of the 5.04-crore registered voters in the state, 3.78 crore (75.05 percent) exercised their franchise. The election for the 230-member Assembly was held on 28 November and as many as 2,899 candidates are in the fray. Also testing their electoral fortunes are 1,094 independent candidates. Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, in office since 2005, is seeking re-election from Budhni seat in Sehore district and is pitted against Congress candidate Arun Yadav, a former minister. With inputs from PTI Follow all the latest updates from the Telangana Elections here Follow all the latest updates from the Mizoram Elections here Follow all the latest updates from the Chhattisgarh Elections here Follow all the latest updates from the Madhya Pradesh Elections here Follow all the latest updates from the Rajasthan Elections here Follow Firstpost's coverage of the 2018 Vidhan Sabha Elections here Rahul Gandhi's attempts to wrest the narrative ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha polls seem to be working Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh: The Hindi heartland hasnt seen a more intense race in recent times, with both the Congress and the BJP racing neck and neck to claim Madhya Pradesh. This see-saw game continued through the day with both parties alternately claiming the lead, until Congress pulled ahead around 6 pm, leading in 115 out of 130 seats compared to out of 230 seats, against BJPs 106 seats. This, in comparison to 2013, when the ruling party won 165 seats, and the Congress scraped by with a measly 58 seats. Rahul Gandhi's attempts to wrest the narrative ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha polls seem to be working. To avoid another Goa-like situation, the Congress' senior leadership tried to woo smaller parties such as the Gondwana Gantantra Party, Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party and keep its prospects of forming the government alive. Mayawatis BSP, which won two seats (as of 6 pm), rushed its MLAs to Delhi. Pre-election, she'd declared that her party would not align with BJP or Congress. Smaller parties such as BSP won two and GPP and SP won one each. NOTA (None of The Above) option was chosen by approximately 1.5 lakh voters, more than what AAP and SP polled. While some victories were expected, others couldnt be predicted. BJPs sole Muslim candidate Fatima Siddiqui, from Bhopal (North), lost to veteran Congress leader, Arif Aqueel, who received 89,902 votes. The Gondwana Gantantra Party exceeded expectations by winning three seats: Beohari, Amarwada and Junnardeo. Congress move to field former Jay Adivasi Yuva Shakti (JAYS) leader Hiralal Alawa, as their candidate from Manawar seat paid off, as he won by a significant margin of 27,792 votes against BJPs Ranjana Baghel. For all the noise created over the past few months by upper-caste outfit Samanya Pichra Alpsankhyak Kalyan Samaj (SAPAKS), it failed to win even a single seat. After boasting that they would contest all 230 seats, pundits predicted that the outfit would considerably eat into the BJPs vote share by stealing the upper caste youth vote. Mandsaur was a surprise, with memories of the fatal 2016 shootings refusing to fade from public memory. However, BJP leader Yashpal Singh Sisodiya won by a margin of 17,212 votes against Congress Narendra Nahata. Several efforts seemingly plagued the BJP government in Madhya Pradesh. A strong anti-incumbency narrative surfaced due to Chouhans abysmal record in generating jobs, improving health and education sectors and infrastructure such as roads, water and electricity. However, the former chief minister won Budhni in a one-sided competition against Madhya Pradesh Congress Committee leader Arun Yadav by a margin of 46,393 votes. Aggressive campaigning by Rahul, Jyotiraditya Scindia and Kamal Nath seems to have worked across the state: as of 5 pm, the grand old party recorded massive wins in Malwa Tribal, Mahakoshal and Chambal regions, and just about missed the mark in Bundelkhand. Malwa, non-tribal and Vindhya Pradesh regions saw BJP wins. Vyapam whisteblower Dr Anand Rai, who played a crucial role in forming the alliance between JAYS and Congress, claimed, This time, as per the results, tribal voters supported Congress, which helped the grand old party make a comeback. Rai, who actively participated in Madhya Pradesh Assembly elections, opined that many things went wrong for Shivraj Singh Chouhan-led BJP government. First of all, unemployment is the biggest issue, which government could not resolve. Apart from that, the issue of women's safety, the fact that rape cases are on rise, and the agrarian crisis. Corruption, including Vyapam scam, e-tendering scam, dumper scam and many more were factors that dented the BJP," he said. Social activist and Narmada Bachao Andolan founder Medha Patkar said, The BJP indulged in sloganeering, and making false promises. Corruption is on the rise, she said, adding that poor implementation of Goods and Services Tax, demonetisation and schemes such as Fasal Bima Yojana and Bhavantar Bhugtan Yojana caused citizens a lot of suffering, which is why people turned against the ruling party. Congress workers celebrations started early afternoon in Dindori, Bhopal, and even at the AICC office in New Delhi. Madhya Pradesh election is pivotal for both the Congress and BJP. The Shivraj Singh Chouhan-led BJP government is eyeing a fourth consecutive term, which will give the party an edge heading into the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. For the Congress, Madhya Pradesh is essential in establishing Rahul as a serious candidate for prime minister, and help take back what is essentially a saffron region of the country. As the Madhya Pradesh election results are coming in, Mayawati's BSP, the Gondwana Gantantra Party, Samajwadi party and independent candidates are likely to play kingmakers as state heads for hung Assembly. After a fair amount of seesaw in Madhya Pradesh throughout the counting of votes since morning on Tuesday, Congress has relatively steadied its ship as the trends swung from the party shedding its early lead to the BJP in between and then regaining it to almost a numerical indication that the state might end up with a hung Assembly. The counting is not over yet and there is still a possibility that it might lead to a cliffhanger. Whatever the numbers might play out finally, given the marginal difference in seat share as per the current trends for the results, it is obvious that smaller regional outfits are going to play a key role in government formation as the two national parties are bound to approach them. Among them are Mayawati's Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), Gondwana Gantantra Party (GGP) led by Hira Singh Markam, and Akhilesh Yadav's Samajwadi Party, apart from independent candidates. At 11.45 am, the Samajwadi Party was leading in two seats, the BSP in four and the GGP in the Beohari, Amarwada and Junnardeo constituencies. While these numbers may seem like nothing when read independently, when clubbed with the double-digit figures of the Congress, it would give the party the required figures to reach the halfway mark and form the government in Madhya Pradesh in case it is required. As this copy is being written, Congress is leading with 116 (which is also the halfway mark for the 230-seat Assembly) while the BJP is ahead in 103 constituencies. The others is at 11. After the exit poll results, which gave the Congress an edge over the BJP in Madhya Pradesh, both parties reportedly began to reach out to independents as well as BSP candidates. The Indian Express quoted a senior BJP leader as saying: "MP does not have a history of a fractured mandate but the exit polls have induced a sense of anxiety in the party. We are doing everything that it takes to be in the race." In Madhya Pradesh, the BJP also faced a rebellion from its own leaders, who contested the Assembly elections as independent candidates. The BJP had even expelled more than 50 party leaders who had filed their nomination papers as independent candidates. The Indian Express quoted another senior BJP leader as saying that the party was prioritising winning over these rebels to hold an advantage over the Congress in case of a close contest. Meanwhile, the BSP is hoping to play the kingmaker in Madhya Pradesh. The party, which contested the Chhattisgarh polls in alliance with Ajit Jogi's Janata Congress Chhattisgarh and the Communist Party of India (CPI), dealt a blow to the Congress in the run-up to the polls when it decided to go at it solo in Madhya Pradesh. However, from the numbers coming in from Chhattisgarh with Congress likely to win in 67 seats out of 90 that initial blow has been rendered completely ineffective. Senior BSP leader Ram Achal Rajbhar, who is the BSP in-charge of Madhya Pradesh, was quoted as saying by The Times of India, that the party expects to win 20 to 30 seats in Madhya Pradesh and play the kingmaker in case of a hung Assembly. "Response to Behenjis rallies was overwhelming, which makes us hopeful of emerging as a key factor in MP." This could well be the case as the BSP, which had won four Assembly seats in the 2013 elections holds significant influence in Dalit-dominated districts in Madhya Pradesh. The Congress and BSP failing to reach a pre-poll alliance now mean that these Dalit votes will be divided three ways between the two of them and the BJP, cutting into a vote share that could have cost the saffron party the state nearly. However, in such a case, the BSP is more likely to lean towards the Congress, as BSP MLA from Ambah Satyaprakash Sakhwar confirmed. He told The Indian Express: "Our candidates and independents are the obvious choice for them. In a scenario where both will require BSP votes, Mayawatiji is more likely to lean towards the Congress." The Samajwadi Party, which fielded 51 candidates, and GGP, too, will play an important role in the final government formation in Madhya Pradesh. In the 2013 elections, even though the GGP did not win any of the 42 seats it contested, it secured 2.5 percent of the vote share. This makes it a key party to approach for both the BJP and Congress as at this moment, the Congress has a lead in 114 seats over the BJP's 104, and the balance could tilt either way now depending on who makes the right offer to whom. With 29 Lok Sabha seats, Madhya Pradesh stands next to Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, West Bengal and Tamil Nadu in political strength at the Centre. This is why the party that wins the Madhya Pradesh Assembly elections will have an edge in 2019 Lok Sabha polls. With inputs from 101Reporters and Debobrat Ghose The Mizo National Front (MNF) rode the anti-incumbency wave to 26 seats in the 40-member Assembly Aizawl, Mizoram: The Mizo National Front (MNF) rode the anti-incumbency wave to 26 seats in the 40-member Assembly, and with it the right to form the government. This was a massive improvement from 2013, when the MNF won only five seats. The Congress suffered a huge disappointment, nabbing only five seats, after an impressive performance in the previous Assembly polls, when it won 34 seats. Outgoing chief minister Lal Thanhawla lost both constituenciesChamphai South and Serchhiphe was contesting from. In Champhai South, he lost to TJ Lalnuntluanga of the MNF while in Serchhip he lost to Lalduhoma of the Zoram People Movement (ZPM). The ZPM, which did not win any seats in 2013 and won only two in 2008, secured eight seats this time, while BJP finally opened their account, winning one seat. The Peoples Right to Information and Development Implementation Society of Mizoram (PRISM), an anti-corruption watchdog which transformed into a political party in November 2017, did not fare well. The party, contesting from 13 seats, failed to win a single one. PRISM leader Vanlalruata, contesting from Aizawl North 1 and Serchhip, secured 79 and 29 votes respectively from the constituencies. This time around there were 15 women candidates, but none of them won a seat. Congress' Vanlalawmpuii Chawngthu, the only woman in the state Assembly (who won the Hrangturzo constituency by-election in May 2014) after Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla vacated this seat to keep the Serchhip Assembly constituency with him, lost to the MNF's Lalchamliana. The MNF's vote share was 37.6 percent while the Congress polled 30.2 percent of the votes. In 2013, the Congress secured the largest vote share with 44.6 percent, while the MNF had secured 28.7 percent votes. The BJP improved its vote share to 8 percent, compared to just 0.4 percent in 2013. Strong anti- incumbency The people voted for a change after 10 years of Congress rule. This isn't a new development. In fact, the Congress lost to the MNF in 1998 Assembly elections after being in power for almost 10 years. In 2008, the MNF lost its mandate to the Congress and Lal Thanhawla took charge as chief minister. MNF leader Zoramthanga won from Aizawl East 1 with 8,358 votes. He said the people of Mizoram have suffered a lot in the 10 years of Congress rule. He served as the chief minister from December 1998 to December 2008 and is the MNFs chief ministerial candidate. We are going to form a government alone with a single majority. If the mandate comes in a different manner and we fall short of the required number, we'll collaborate with smaller parties, avoiding BJP and Congress," he said. There was a sense of anti-incumbency and we tried to fight hard against it, said professor Maliana, Mizoram Congress spokesperson. Issues such as bad roads and lack of development went against us. We failed to focus on the Congress' achievements. We congratulate the BJP for opening its account. BJP falls short The BJP failed in its quest to make inroads into the northeastern state, securing only one seat. In 2013, it didn't win a single seat. Before the votes had been counted, Mizoram BJP president JV Hluna said they hoped to win three to five seats and that the party would be a part of the government in case of a hung Assembly. Hluna contested from the Tawi constituency and lost to RLalzirliana of MNF who secured 4,940 votes. Lalzirliana was the former home minister who quit the Congress in September to join the MNF. Other Congress leaders who quit to join the BJP included former Mizoram Assembly speaker Hiphei and BD Chakma. While Hiphei lost his seat from Palak constituency to KT Rokhlow of Congress, Chakma emerged victorious from Twichawng with 10,986 votes to win the only seat for BJP. Vijay Lakshmi Rai, president of BJP's women wing, Mizoram, said she is happy that BJP opened its account. She added, The other parties used religion as a weapon against us. They involved the church as a part of the campaign and I strongly condemn it. The BJP fielded six female candidates, without any success. But we are not going home. Our fight against addiction and lack of development will continue. I am happy that Zomramthanga is going to become the chief minister. I hope he bans alcohol in Mizoram again because this is ruining the young generation, she said. ZPM plays spoiler The Zoram Peoples Movement (ZPM) won eight seats, three more than the Congress."Trends show the MNF is forming the government with a clear majority but we are second and the reason behind our defeat is the ZPM," said Mizoram Congress spokesperson professor Maliana. He said voters who supported Congress in the past two elections voted for ZPM this time. Lalduhoma emerged as the winner from the Aizawl West 1 constituency with 7,709 votes, followed by the MNFs Sangthuama, who polled 6,646 votes. Lalduhoma also emerged as the winner in Serchhip with 5,471 votes, defeating the Thanhawla, who secured 5,071 votes. Lalduhoma, 69, is a former IPS officer and has spoken in multiple interviews about how Mizoram is looking for a change. ZPM spokesperson Upa Dawngkima said the Mizo people wanted a change and they voted for MNF and ZPM. This mandate shows the failure of the Congress and we are happy to see this. There are no good roads. People are addicted to drugs and alcohol. The MNF is getting a clear mandate and we are winning in at least three seats. We are going to support the MNF from outside but wont be a part of the government, Dawngkima said. Angarika Gogoi is a Bengaluru-based freelance writer and a member of 101Reporters.com Even as the result of vote counting in Mizoram Assembly Election proceeds, the Mizo National Front emerges as the front-runner, winning 14 seats and leading in 11 other in the state with 40 constituencies. Even as the result of vote counting in Mizoram Assembly Election proceeds, the Mizo National Front emerges as the front-runner, winning 14 seats and leading in 11 other in the state with 40 constituencies. On the other hand, the ruling Congress has won only one while leading another five. One of the factors which has helped the MNF in putting forth a good show seems to be the ruling Congress governments decision to lift the ban on liquor. Significantly, Mizoram had been a dry state for 17 years until the Congress government decided to do away with it in the year 2014. The Mizoram government replaced Mizoram Liquor Total Prohibition Act (MLTPA), with Mizoram Liquor Prohibition and Control Act. The move faced stiff opposition from the Church organisations that hold immense power in the Christian state. Lifting of the ban has become a big problem for Mizo society. The number of alcohol-related deaths went up, people became drunkards and indulged in anti-social activities, said Rev R Lalbiakmawia, general secretary of Mizoram Peoples Forum, a church-sponsored election watchdog to the media. On the other hand, the MNF took liquor ban as its main issue, promising a ban its sale if voted to power. It seems to have helped the MNF to slide to power. Another factor which seems to have helped the MNF in the Mizoram Assembly election seems to be the Zoram peoples movement, which picked up momentum in the state. Significantly Zoram Peoples Movement is an electoral alliance of seven parties which fielded candidates in 36 seats targeting non-Congress and non-MNF voters. It seems that the Zoram Peoples Movement ended up eating up the Congress vote bank, says a Congress leader to Firstpost on condition of anonymity. Give credit to Rahul Gandhi for exploiting the anti-incumbency sentiment, which often influences electoral outcomes in India Congress president Rahul Gandhi must feel like an Indian Administrative Service aspirant who clears the preliminary stage of the civil services examination on his last chance. Like the aspirant, Rahul must feel relieved even though there are still two hurdles to cross: The 2019 Lok Sabha election and government formation thereafter. But a poor performance in Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan could have just about sealed his fate. The BJP's spin doctors will portray the Congress victory as an outcome of anti-incumbency operating in Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. Since the polity in these three states is bipolar, the Congress, it will be argued, became the recipient of votes of those who were angry and alienated from the Bharatiya Janata Party. In other words, the story of these elections was more about the BJP losing the elections rather than the Congress winning it. This is as good as saying that the IAS aspirant cleared the preliminary stage of the civil services examinations because the question papers he or she answered were relatively easier than in previous years. It may have been fortuitous for Rahul to have been tested in Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh, but it cannot be denied that he had been working hard for the past two years without showing good results. He was humiliated in Uttar Pradesh in 2017, missed upsetting the BJP in Gujarat in December last year, and then, in 2018, went on to lose Karnataka, where he regained a modicum of prestige as the Congress managed to deny power to the BJP. Call it his destiny, but the Congress' comeback certainly bolsters its hopes in Rahul's leadership. The Assembly results of 11 December will dramatically alter the popular perception of Rahul he will not seem a liability for parties looking to forge an alliance against the BJP. It will enable him and the Congress to bargain better for seats in the emerging Opposition alliance against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP. At least until the 2019 Lok Sabha election, Rahul will seem a natural choice to lead the anti-BJP formation countrywide. Give credit to Rahul for exploiting the anti-incumbency sentiment, which often influences electoral outcomes in India. He gave a relatively free hand to regional satraps, united them to a great extent, and exploited the agrarian discontent sweeping large parts of India. He was aggressive in his attacks on Modi. He did not seem diffident as he once was. Rahul has indeed come a long way from the days he appeared disinterested in politics. Yet the exuberance of his triumphs should not persuade him into believing he can take on Modi alone. He needs regional leaders and their parties to checkmate Modi and the BJP. In fact, the fairly good showing of Independents and outfits with footprints over a few districts shows that people alienated from the BJP tend to vote them wherever they appear stronger than the Congress. Indeed, the Congress is keen to cobble alliances with regional parties, but its victories on Tuesday could have the party, in its hubris, punch well above its weight. It will have to restrain itself from making demands in states where it barely counts for instance, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. It will have to accept a role not in consonance with its own perception of being a national party. It will also have to be accommodative of local parties, as for instance in Madhya Pradesh. The challenges before Rahul Gandhi, therefore, remain double-fold: Not only will he have to increase his party's tally in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, he has to ensure that regional outfits reduce the number of seats that the BJP had won in 2014. It means the Congress must focus on states whose polity is bipolar Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Gujarat or where it is a senior player in a state-based alliance. In this category are states such as Maharashtra, Karnataka and Kerala. Then there are unresolved questions such as: After the debacle in Telangana, will it align with the Telugu Desam Party in Andhra Pradesh? The Congress will have to take a hard decision on states like West Bengal, Odisha, and Delhi: Should it accept the supremacy of Mamata Banerjee, Naveen Patnaik and Arvind Kejriwal, postpone its own revival in their states, and hope they will vanquish the BJP? Gandhi seems to have taken a step in that direction by convening the meeting of Opposition leaders in Delhi a day before the Assembly results came pouring in. Gandhi should also expect the BJP to fling a slew of corruption charges against him and other stalwarts. For one, one of the middleman in the AgustaWestland deal is in the government's custody. He is expected to sing against the Congress. There are investigations afoot against Rahul's brother-in-law, Robert Vadra. Even he and his sister, Priyanka, have been accused of conflict in interest through their decision to rent out their farmhouse to a company that was under investigation. Nobody expects Modi not to recalibrate his strategy following the reversals the BJP has suffered in the three north Indian states. He will seek to address the agrarian distress through populist measures. He will try to win over the alienated youth. A party in power always enjoys the advantage of defining the agenda for an election. Rahul will have to devise an alternative narrative to that of the BJP. It just might not work for him and the Opposition to harp on Modi and the BJP being a threat to democracy, the Constitution and communitarian living. He should have the BJP imitate him rather than the other way around. Vijay Mallya was allowed to leave India. Others were as well. The problem of non-performing assets is not going to go away soon. Former liquor baron Vijay Mallya, apparently, is not getting back to India soon. There is an appeal process and there is misdirection. The Indian government is good at the latter. Beset by major problems, Prime Minister Narendra Modis dispensation is once again deploying a favoured tactic deflection. Mallya was allowed to leave India. Others were as well. The problem of non-performing assets is not going to go away soon. The mandarins in Delhi do not see what many people do that governance is not happening. The Mallya case is just a small portent. We have seen all institutions undermined, including those enshrined in the Constitution. The rhetoric of good governance in the guise of less government has not been delivered. Not very long ago, the Governor of Jammu and Kashmir justified his decision to disallow a government to be formed by the National Conference, the Congress and the Peoples Democratic Party on the grounds that he would be forced by the Centre to install a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-engineered government. That is hardly a good advertisement for constitutional, federal relations. The test of majority is on the floor of the House, Lok Sabha or legislative Assemblies. But then, the Modi dispensation has thrown to the winds all manner of institutional propriety. It has suborned the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), the Enforcement Directorate and the Income Tax Department to pursue political vendettas. It has not even spared the judiciary. Take the cases of Sabarimala and the Ram temple issue. On both counts, the BJP and the Sangh Parivar have directly opposed the court. The prime minister has not issued a single statement to countermand his colleagues. Thus, the Sabarimala ruling stands in abeyance, while the Ayodhya case is sought to be circumvented by infructuous demands for legislation to build a temple. Lest we forget, the ownership of the plot is being adjudicated. It can be argued that the CBI has always been used as a political vehicle. But no party president has been present at a meeting to decide the fate of a CBI director. BJP president Amit Shah was present, inexplicably, at a midnight meeting during which Alok Verma was in effect handed his papers. The meeting took place at 7, Lok Kalyan Marg, the prime ministers official residence. The contretemps facing the CBI would have been unthinkable in other climes. The Election Commission has faced the same tactics. In the run-up to the Gujarat and Rajasthan elections, questionable decisions were taken. The BJP won the Gujarat elections by a sliver after it was allowed to announce pre-election hand-outs. In Rajasthan, the last-moment reprieve that allowed outgoing chief minister Vasundhara Raje time to announce free electricity, and Modi to address a rally, has not been good enough. Let us take another case: demonetisation. It was an attack on the populace to score political points. Politically, it worked. But for many people then, and for the economy in general, it didnt. The manner of doing it was also in keeping with the de-institutionalising drive of the government. The Reserve Bank of India was not, as far as we know, consulted. Its governor has now resigned. The previous governor had, by all accounts, turned down an early proposal to demonetise. The stated benefits of demonetisation did not fructify. What hangs like a miasma over all these events, however, is a sense of illiberality. Citizens of this country are now sensing that they are targets, with the Nehruvian consensus breaking down. Jawaharlal Nehrus big contribution was creating a liberal India. The BJP is trying to break that by telling us what we should eat, how we should dress and, generally, how we should live our lives. The Supreme Court has upheld the right to privacy, which precisely allows us to live our lives as we choose. It cannot be infringed. Nehru talked in and to Parliament all the time. There was a sense of transparency in the dealings of government. Along the way, that has been lost as institutions have been undermined. It would once have been unthinkable that a central vigilance commissioner would have thought fit to allow his office to send out a note to the prime ministers office after working hours. No emergency merited that act. It was nonetheless done. The integrity of institutions has to be restored. It does not matter which party is in power. The last time civil rights were severely infringed, a government was voted out of power. That should be a lesson for those who seek to justify their mandate with arbitrary actions. As the Rajasthan election results unfold, the Congress MLA will hold a meeting on Wednesday at the state Congress committee office. Auto refresh feeds Nearly 20,000 government staff will be deployed for counting of votes for the Rajasthan Assembly elections on Tuesday. Counting will take place at 35 centres including two centres each in Jaipur and Jodhpur, Rajasthan Chief Election Officer Anand Kumar told reporters on Monday. The Chief Election Office (CEO) has completed all preparations ahead of counting of votes on Tuesday for the polls, he said. Kumar said ample security arrangements have been made at the counting centres and nearby locations, with a three-layered security in place. He said the counting process will start with postal ballots and then EVMs. Voting trends and result will be telecast at public places for the first time in the state through 350 LED screens, he added. Rajasthan Congress general secretary (organization) Mahesh Sharma said, "Vasundhara govt took oath on 13 December, 2013. We had started a countdown for that government's departure on 13 December, 2017." In 2013, re-polling was conducted at eight centres in six constituencies of the state. Alwar's Ramgarh constituency will vote later due to the death of Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) candidate Laxman Singh. Re-polling was held at a booth in Karanpur Assembly constituency of Rajasthan's Sri Ganganagar district on Monday. The centre witnessed 86.92 percent voter turnout during the polling which was conducted from 8 am to 5 pm, the chief election officer said in a statement. The Election Commission of India (ECI) had directed that re-polling be held at polling centre number 163 due to technical problems, Chief electoral officer Anand Kumar said. Former BJP leader Hanuman Beniwal visited a temple on Tuesday morning ahead of counting. He first prayed at the temple in Kharnal in Jodhpur and then went to another temple. Beniwal had turned rebel for the BJP and shaken the corridors of power in the poll-bound Rajasthan when he formed the Rashtriya Loktantrik Party (RLP) on 29 October. If Beniwal is to be believed, his new outfit is an alternative to both the corrupt BJP and the Congress in the state. The counting of votes will begin at 8 am. Arrangements are in place in government colleges where the counting will take place. As many as 2275 EVMs will be checked at Rajasthan College in Jaipur while 2361 EVMS will be checked at the Commerce College in the capital city. Meenas defied community strongman and BJP's Kirori Lal Meena to vote for "their own" from Congress or BSP, and even Sainis in a limited way are toying with their caste candidates in individual seats despite the towering presence of Ashok Gehlot in Congress. Whereas, Gujjars see leadership within their reach for the first time. Caste has been a reality of Rajasthan politics for a long time. But this, along with joblessness and corruption, another lament keeps cropping up every now and then. The desert state has been understood for long by political observers as an agglomeration of Jats, Meenas, Rajputs, Gujjars, minor OBCs and Brahmins each having their strongholds. But the new face of casteism put into sharp relief by the 2018 contest is the "biradri over neta"; policy of caste groups. Vasundhara Raje, the incumbent Chief Minister is vying for the second term and is facing strong anti-incumbency in the state. The exit poll results, however, show a neck to neck battle between Congress and the BJP in Rajasthan. Rajasthan has not voted the ruling party for a second term in the last 20 yrs The results of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh will decide the fate of Congress in the 'Mahagathbandhan' ahead of the crucial 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Regional parties like Samajwadi Party, Bahujan Samaj Party and others had distanced with Congress in these elections. However, if the Congress manages to win in these three states then there are high chances that regional parties will contest elections with the Congress against the BJP in 2019. In Udaipur, the historical capital of Mewar, Congress and BJP have fielded veteran candidates in Girija Vyas and Gulab Chand Kataria. There is a Congress wave in Mewar, so Vyas has an edge. According to reports, the tribals in Mewar are unhappy with the BJP as employment under NREGA scheme has suffered. Environment issues have also left them displeased. Additionally, the Rajputs in Mewar were left disgruntled following the Padmavat row. Early trends indicate good start for Congress in Rajasthan as the party is ahead in 8 seats. Congress; Reeta Choudhary is leading from Mandawa seat while Sachin Pilot is leading in Tonk. AICC General Secretary and former Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot is leading from the Sardarpura seat in Jodhpur. Whereas, chief minister Vasundhara Raje is leading from Jhalrapatan, News18 reported. Congress' CP Joshi is leading in Nathdwara. He had lost by just one vote in the 2008 elections. He was the second person in the Indian election history to lose an assembly election by one vote. The first candidate to lose by a single vote was AR Krishnamurthy against R Dhruvanarayana at the Santhemarahalli constituency of Karnataka during 2004 Assembly elections. Congress' CP Joshi leading in Nathdwara; had lost by just one vote in 2013 elections According to initial trends, Congress is leading on 43 seats while BJP on 22 sets. Bharat Vahini Party's Ghanshyam Tiwari is leading from the Sanganer seat. Tiwari formed the party in this election after splitting with the BJP. Dr Raghu Sharma of Congress from Kekri is leading by 1,433 votes in the postal ballot round. Whereas, Pratap Singh Khachariyawas is leading from Civil Lines (Jaipur). In 2013 this seat was won by Arun Chaturvedi of BJP. Even though counting has just begun, Congress worker in Rajasthan have already started burning firecrackers claiming party's win in the state. Also, according to CNN-News18's ground report, the party supporters have made it clear that their choice for the chief ministerial candidate is only Sachin Pilot and not senior leader Ashok Gehlot. BJPs Samaram Garasia is leading with 1,257 votes in the first round in Pindwara Abu constituency. Garasia has reportedly got 3,840 votes and Lalaram of Congress 2,583 votes. Archana Sharma of Congress is leading from Malviya Nagar constituency in Jaipur is leading from 722 votes over Kalicharan Saraf (state health minister). Congress' Ruparam is leading in Jaisalmer and Shale Mohammad Ali of Congress is leading in Pokhran as per the initial trends from the postal ballot counting. Congress is leading in 15 seats while BJP is ahead on 13 seats in Rajasthan, as per the latest Election Commission trends. According to the official ECI trends, Congress is leading in 25 seats and BJP is ahead in 23 seats in Rajasthan. Western Rajasthan's Pokhran assembly constituency is seeing a tough contest 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. Shakuntala Rawat of Congress is leading from the Bansur seat in Alwar with 551 votes whereas Tikaram Juli of Congress from Alwar Rural is ahead with 469 votes. BJPs Manjeet Chaudhary from Mundawar is leading with 581 votes. In Hindoli, Ashok Chandna from Congress has received 6,100 votes while Omendra Singh from BJP has received 2,200 votes. Prem Singh Bajore of BJP is leading by 1,100 votes from Neem Ka Thana constituency in Sikar district. Bajore is chairman of the Sainik Kalyan Board. Congress is catching up in Udaipur with party candidate Girija Vyas leading with 700 votes followed by BJP's Gulab Chand Kataria at second place. Congress leaders Ashok Gehlot and Sachin Pilot are both leading in their constituencies Sardaropura and Tonk respectively as Congress races ahead in Rajasthan. According to official ECI trends, Congress is leading in 63 seats, while BJP is ahead in 45 seats and others are leading in 15 seats in Rajasthan. Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje is leading by 6,539 votes from Jhalrapatan after Round 2. Parasram Mordia of Congress is leading by 119 votes from Dhod (SC) after Round 3. Congress' manju Devi is leading by 2,914 votes from Jayal (SC) after Round 5 and Rakesh Pareek of INC is leading by 2,284 votes from Masuda after Round 3. Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje is leading by 6,539 votes from Jhalrapatan after Round 2. Parasram Mordia of Congress is leading by 119 votes from Dhod (SC) after Round 3. Congress' manju Devi is leading by 2,914 votes from Jayal (SC) after Round 5 and Rakesh Pareek of INC is leading by 2,284 votes from Masuda after Round 3. Congress' Parasram Mordia is leading by 829 votes from Dhod (SC) after Round 4. Whereas Narpat Singh Rajvi of BJP is leading by 331 votes from Vidhyadhar Nagar after Round 1 and Pratap Singh Khachariyawas of Congress is leading by 5,290 votes from Civil Lines after Round 3. Ashok Lahoty of BJP is leading by 1,163 votes from Sanganer after Round 1. After 5 round counting in Pokhran, Mahant Pratappur of BJP is leading. Senior BJP leader and Union Minister Rajnath Singh has said that BJP will perform well as the final results are awaited. Rajnath Singh says BJP will perform well, these are only early trends Rajasthan chief minister Vasundhara Raje is leading by 8,845 votes from Jhalrapatan, Congress' Ashok Gehlot is leading by 5,112 votes from Sardarpura and Congress' Sachin Pilot is leading by 5,295 votes from Tonk. Congress is leading in 91 seats while BJP is ahead in 71 seats as per Election Commission's trends. Meanwhile, others are leading in 22 seats. Harish Chandra Meena, a BJP parliamentarian in Rajasthan and former top police officer, is trailing in the Deoli-Uniara seat whereas Congress Candidate and Commonwealth gold medallist Krishna Poonia is leading in the Sadulpur constituency. Congress candidate BD Kalla is leading in Bikaner West and BJP candidate Poonam Kanwar is leading by 1,100 votes in Kolayat. Meanwhile, BJP candidate Bihari Bishnoi leading in Nokha. After Round 3, Jodhpur city Congress candidate Manisha Panwar is leading by 1,200 votes and Mukesh Goyal of BJP is leading by 770 votes in Jaipur's Kotputli in Round 3. In Rajasthan elections, 16 candidates have admitted to committing crimes against women in their nomination i.e. cases registered under Section 498(A). Meanwhile, 33 candidates (17%) of BJP, 43% of Congress (22%) and 26 (18%) out of 141 AAP candidates have declared criminal cases against themselves. Talking to mediapersons, Gehlot said even though these were initial trends, he is confident that Congress will come to power in Rajasthan. Gehlot said that party president will decide on the chief ministerial candidate. Sachin Pilot said that it is due to the toil and struggle of Congress workers and the resentment against Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje's government, that Congress has been able to make a comeback in the state. Congress leader Sachin Pilot said that Rahul Gandhi became the party president exactly a year ago on 11 December, so this result is a gift for him. He expressed confidence on Congress forming government in Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh. According to official ECI trends , Congress is leading in 99 seats, BJP leading is leading in 79 seats and BSP, CPM in 2 seats each. Meanwhile, others are ahead in 16 seats in Rajasthan. Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje is leading with 13,327 votes in Jhalarpatan even as her party is losing the contest in the state. Senior Congress leader Ashok Gehlot said that the Congress is going to form government in the state and credited the win to party chief Rahul Gandhi. He said that people were fed up with the Modi government as people couldn't see the 'acche din'. After completion of 6th round Congress' Rajendra Yadav is leading by 3,025 votes in Kotputli. Congress leader chief minister probable Sachin Pilot is leading in Tonk with 11,507 votes After 25 rounds of voting in Jhalarapatan, Vasundhara Raje is leading with 40,819 votes. Congress' Manvendra Singh has 23,757 votes and is trailing Raje by 17,062 votes. Congress' CP Joshi leads by 2,650 votes in Nathdwara, BJP's Mahesh Pratap Singh has secured 19,281 votes and CP Joshi is leading with 22,031 votes. There are 1,309 NOTA votes. Congress's Sachin Pilot is in talks with eight independent candidates in Rajasthan, according to ANI sources . By the end of the 7th round of counting, Sachin Pilot is leading from the Tonk Assembly by 15,182 votes. Till now Pilot has got 42,163 votes, while BJP's Yunus Khan has 26,981 votes. Meanwhile, Ashok Gehlot is leading in the Sardarpura Assembly by 24,678 votes. Congress leader Sachin Pilot said that he was in touch with anti-BJP candidates and his party was ready to partner with like-minded parties in case they need help in forming the government in Rajasthan. Pilot said that the mandate against BJP is a result of people's angst against the saffron party's policies and politics. he said that it was time for BJP to introspect and that the ruling party won't be able to do any 'jugaad' for power in Rajasthan like they did in Goa and other small states (referring to BJP's back door entry by breaking away local party candidates). He also expressed confidence in Congress winning a clear majority in the state. BJP's Samaram Garasia has won by 26,995 votes in Sirohi and BJP's Kailash Meghwal has won from Shahpura. Meanwhile, on the Kama seat of Bharatpur, Congress candidate Zahida Khan has won. Whereas in Behror, Mohit yadav, son of labour minister Jaswant Yadav got defeated by independent Baljeet Yadav. Ramniwas Gawadiya of Congress won in Parbatsar and Madan Prajapat of Congress has won from Barmer's Panchapadra. It is said that he is close to senior leader Ashok Gehlot. Rajasthan's agriculture minister Prabhu Lal Saini got defeated from INC's Pramod Jain Bhaya. Congress' Govind Ram Meghwal from Khajuwala has won. He defeated BJP candidate and Parliamentary Secretary Vishwanath Meghwal. Meanwhile, in Bikaner BJP's candidate Siddhi Kumari is leading in the fifth round with 1,300 votes, while Kolat BJP candidate Poonam Kanwar is leading with 4,000 votes in the eighth round. BJP's former state president Ashok Parnami is running behind by more than 30,000 votes. Meanwhile, Rajasthan government minister Arun Chaturvedi and Prabhulal Saini have lost the election. However, MLA Vasudev Devnani has won. After trends in Rajasthan showed a clear win for Congress, senior party leader Ashok Gehlot was seen distributing tea to the press and supporters gathered at his Jaipur residence. Targeting BJP for making issues out of non-issues, Gehlot said that while Narendra Modi was busy the issue of his insult, "Rahulji was raising the issue of farmers, corruption, Amit Shah's son and inflation. Ashok Gehlot says Rahul Gandhi first cornered Modi, Shah in Gujarat and now trumped BJP in Rajasthan In Bikaner west Congress' BD Kalla has won. He defeated Gopal Joshi of BJP. Intrestingly, Joshi was defeated by Kalla in 2008 and 2013 as well. Bikaner East- Siddhi Kumari (BJP) ahead by 5,000 votes Bikaner West - BD Kalla (Congress) ahead by 8,000 votes Kolayat- Poonam Kanwar (BJP) ahead by 2,500 votes Khajwal- Govindram Meghwal (Congress) has won Nokha - Bihari Lal Vishnoi (BJP) ahead by 9,100 votes Sridungargarh- Girdhari Mahia (CPM) leads by 12,634 votes Independent candidate Baljeet Yadav has won from Behror, Tukaram Julie of Congress from Alwar Rural has also won. Independent candidate Kanti Lal Meena from Thanagaji and Congress's Johari Lal Meena from Rajgarh, Babulal Barua of Congress from Kathmar have come out victorious. Simultaneously, Sanjay Sharma of BJP is running ahead from Alwar city. Sandeep Yadav of BSP, from Tijara, Shakuntala Rawat from Bansar and Manjeet Chaudhary from Mundawar are also ahead. Three of Rajasthan's key players, BJP chief minister Vasundhara Raje and Congress leaders Ashok Gehlot and Sachin Pilot have all won from their respective constituencies. Raje won from Jhalarapatan by a margin of 32,084 votes whereas Pilot won from Tonk and Gehlot won from Sardarpura constituency. Three of Rajasthan's key players, BJP chief minister Vasundhara Raje and Congress leaders Ashok Gehlot and Sachin Pilot have all won from their respective constituencies. Raje won from Jhalarapatan by a margin of 32,084 votes whereas Pilot won from Tonk and Gehlot won from Sardarpura constituency. BJP is losing 7 out of 8 seats in I&B minister Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore's constituency, Jaipur Rural. Earlier BJP had 6 out of 8 seats here. All the seven seats falling in the Bharatpur district seem to be slipping from the hands of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). In the 19th round of counting RLD's Subhash Garg was leading with 9,430 votes while Girdhari Tiwari of the newly floated Bharat Vahini Party was the second leading candidate. After 13 rounds of counting, Congress candidate Bhanwar Singh Bhati from Kolayat is leading with 4,400 votes. Total 18 rounds are to be done. Meanwhile, BJP's Narpat Singh Rajvi is leading from Vidhyadhar Nagar by 30,695 votes. Pilot expressed gratitude to the people of his constituency, Tonk for voting him to power and also promised that Congress will ensure that all sections of the society are uplifted under the Congress rule. According to CNN-News18's report, Congress' central observers are going to hold a separate meeting with both Sachin Pilot and Ashok Gehlot. Thereafter, there will a joint meeting too. The Central observers have been chosen by the party leadership in Delhi and include MP KC Venugopal, Rajasthan election in-charge Avinash Pande and four co-incharges. The meeting is taking place in Khaasa Kothi in Jaipur. Gehlot said that Congress' experience is of 70 years and thus it was unwise of Modi to not have taken the party's advice for due consideration while making policies and taking decisions in public interest. He said Modi was arrogant about his win and thought that he would be able to sustain the same momentum for the next five years and remain the same for 50 years. Commenting on the election result, Sachin Pilot said, "I thank the people from the bottom of my heart for giving me this victory. All of us together will transform Tonk and Rajasthan, and lay the foundation for a developed region, in which all sections of society develop." Ashok Gehlot supporters gathered outside his house, and demanded that he should be made the chief minister of Rajasthan, ABP News reported. RLD vice president Jayant Chaudhary has said that his party will support the Congress in Rajasthan, The Indian Express reported. The party has won one seat. As per the most recent figures on the Election Commission website, the Congress has won 22 seats and is leading 78 seats. On the other hand, the BJP has won 14 seats and is leading 59 seats. Commenting on the results of the five Assembly election results, TMC chief Mamata Banerjee chief said, "People voted against BJP. This is the peoples verdict and victory of the people of this country." In 2008, the Congress had won 96 seats and the party formed the government led by Ashok Gehlot with the support of six BSP lawmakers, who had defected to the Congress, and a few independents. "The Congress is sure to form the government. The BSP will be the first choice for the post-poll alliance, if required. Besides, rebel candidates would also support the Congress government," another party leader said. Several of the independent candidates are Congress rebels and are likely to support the the party when it comes to government formation, a party leader said. Two independents have won the elections and 10 are leading, while the BSP has won three and is leading on as many. One candidate of other party has won and five are leading. "The Congress will form the government. This is the mandate of public, which is in favour of the Congress party. We will get a clear majority and will also take along other parties or candidates who quit the BJP," Gehlot told reporters as trends indicated a victory for his party. The Congress has contested the assembly elections with a pre-poll alliance on a total of five seats Mundawar and Kushalgarh (with Loktantrik Janta Dal (LJD); Bharatpur and Malpura (with Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD); and Bali (with NCP). Gehlot indicated towards assembling an alliance by taking along willing parties and the candidates who have parted ways with the BJP. A minimum 101 seats is needed to form a government in the House of 200 in the desert state, and as of now the Congress has won 16 seats while leading on 85, taking its probable tally to 101. The BJP has won nine seats and is leading on 63. The Congress is likely to go for a post-poll alliance in Rajasthan, where it is approaching towards a majority mark, former chief minister Ashok Gehlot said on Tuesday. Will get a clear majority and will also take along other parties, says Ashok Gehlot Ashok Gehlot and other Congress leaders held a meeting, even as the Rajasthan election results are unfolding Raje, the daughter of Jivaji Rao Scindia, the last reigning Maharaja of Gwalior, and Vijayaraje Scindia, a prominent BJP leader, ruled Rajasthan as chief minister from 2003-2008 and from 2013-2018 and was leader of opposition from 2008 to 2013. As results came in and her party's defeat seemed imminent, she visited the BJP headquarters but did not make a comment. This was her second term as chief minister and, in keeping with the tradition of voters choosing the Congress and the BJP alternately, the ruling party looks set to lose power. Vasundhara Raje, who is usually called Maharani, is expected to win her seat Jhalrapatan with a handsome margin but her party appeared headed for a loss to the Congress on Tuesday. According to the most recent figures on the Election Commission website, the Congress has won from 56 seats and is leading on 42 seats. The BJP has won 40 seats and is leading on 34 seats. Renu Jogi, wife of former chief minister Ajit Jogi, who was with Congress in 2013, has also won her Assembly seat this time from the Janata Congress Chhattisgarh (J). The remaining two women legislators are from local outfits, the official said. This figure was six for the BJP and four for the Congress in the 2013 polls, the official said. Of the 13 women who have been elected in the 2018 polls, the Congress leads with nine women MLAs while the BJP has one. Counting of votes is currently underway for the 90-member House with results and trends as of 7:50pm showing the Congress winning six seats and leading in 62 others, and the BJP winning two and leading in 14 others. Thirteen women have been elected to the Chhattisgarh Assembly in 2018, a rise from the 10 and 11 women who became MLAs after the 2013 and 2008 polls respectively, a state election official said Tuesday. Vasundhara Raje has submitted her resignation to the Rajasthan governor. She has said that she hopes that the Congress would take the government's work forward. Commenting on the results of the five Assembly election results, TMC chief Mamata Banerjee chief said, "People voted against BJP. This is the peoples verdict and victory of the people of this country." In 2008, the Congress had won 96 seats and the party formed the government led by Ashok Gehlot with the support of six BSP lawmakers, who had defected to the Congress, and a few independents. "The Congress is sure to form the government. The BSP will be the first choice for the post-poll alliance, if required. Besides, rebel candidates would also support the Congress government," another party leader said. Several of the independent candidates are Congress rebels and are likely to support the the party when it comes to government formation, a party leader said. Two independents have won the elections and 10 are leading, while the BSP has won three and is leading on as many. One candidate of other party has won and five are leading. "The Congress will form the government. This is the mandate of public, which is in favour of the Congress party. We will get a clear majority and will also take along other parties or candidates who quit the BJP," Gehlot told reporters as trends indicated a victory for his party. The Congress has contested the assembly elections with a pre-poll alliance on a total of five seats Mundawar and Kushalgarh (with Loktantrik Janta Dal (LJD); Bharatpur and Malpura (with Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD); and Bali (with NCP). Gehlot indicated towards assembling an alliance by taking along willing parties and the candidates who have parted ways with the BJP. A minimum 101 seats is needed to form a government in the House of 200 in the desert state, and as of now the Congress has won 16 seats while leading on 85, taking its probable tally to 101. The BJP has won nine seats and is leading on 63. The Congress is likely to go for a post-poll alliance in Rajasthan, where it is approaching towards a majority mark, former chief minister Ashok Gehlot said on Tuesday. Will get a clear majority and will also take along other parties, says Ashok Gehlot Ashok Gehlot and other Congress leaders held a meeting, even as the Rajasthan election results are unfolding Raje, the daughter of Jivaji Rao Scindia, the last reigning Maharaja of Gwalior, and Vijayaraje Scindia, a prominent BJP leader, ruled Rajasthan as chief minister from 2003-2008 and from 2013-2018 and was leader of opposition from 2008 to 2013. As results came in and her party's defeat seemed imminent, she visited the BJP headquarters but did not make a comment. This was her second term as chief minister and, in keeping with the tradition of voters choosing the Congress and the BJP alternately, the ruling party looks set to lose power. Vasundhara Raje, who is usually called Maharani, is expected to win her seat Jhalrapatan with a handsome margin but her party appeared headed for a loss to the Congress on Tuesday. Avinash Pandey,Congress: Tomorrow there's a meeting with all elected MLAs at the state Congress committee office,after it Venugopal Ji &I will meet them personally. After it, High command will be told of all the MLAs opinion&in the evening another meeting will be held. #Rajasthan pic.twitter.com/S0BpQYvsv1 According to the most recent figures on the Election Commission website, the Congress has won from 56 seats and is leading on 42 seats. The BJP has won 40 seats and is leading on 34 seats. Renu Jogi, wife of former chief minister Ajit Jogi, who was with Congress in 2013, has also won her Assembly seat this time from the Janata Congress Chhattisgarh (J). The remaining two women legislators are from local outfits, the official said. This figure was six for the BJP and four for the Congress in the 2013 polls, the official said. Of the 13 women who have been elected in the 2018 polls, the Congress leads with nine women MLAs while the BJP has one. Counting of votes is currently underway for the 90-member House with results and trends as of 7:50pm showing the Congress winning six seats and leading in 62 others, and the BJP winning two and leading in 14 others. Thirteen women have been elected to the Chhattisgarh Assembly in 2018, a rise from the 10 and 11 women who became MLAs after the 2013 and 2008 polls respectively, a state election official said Tuesday. Vasundhara Raje has submitted her resignation to the Rajasthan governor. She has said that she hopes that the Congress would take the government's work forward. Rajasthan Election Results LATEST updates: Vasundhara Raje has submitted her resignation to the Rajasthan governor. She has said that she hopes that the Congress would take the government's work forward. As the Rajasthan election results unfold, the Congress MLA will hold a meeting on Wednesday at the state Congress committee office. RLD vice president Jayant Chaudhary has said that his party will support the Congress in Rajasthan, in a boost to the grand old party in the state. Commenting on the election result, Sachin Pilot said, "I thank the people from the bottom of my heart for giving me this victory." According to CNN-News18's report, Congress' central observers are going to hold a separate meeting with both Sachin Pilot and Ashok Gehlot. Thereafter, there will a joint meeting too. The Central observers have been chosen by the party leadership in Delhi and include MP KC Venugopal, Rajasthan election in-charge Avinash Pande and four co-incharges. The meeting is taking place in Khaasa Kothi in Jaipur. Newly elected Congress MLAs of Rajasthan will meet in Jaipur tomorrow. Meanwhile, Congress leaders Ashok Gehlot and Sachin Pilot will hold a press conference on Tuesday evening. Three of Rajasthan's key players, BJP chief minister Vasundhara Raje and Congress leaders Ashok Gehlot and Sachin Pilot have all won from their respective constituencies. Raje won from Jhalarapatan by a margin of 32,084 votes whereas Pilot won from Tonk and Gehlot won from Sardarpura constituency. According to latest leads, Congress is leading in 107 seats in Rajasthan whereas BJP is ahead in 66 seats. Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje has won Jhalrapatan even as many of her MLA's have lost the election. Congress leader Sachin Pilot said that he was in touch with anti-BJP candidates and his party was ready to partner with like-minded parties in case they need help in forming the government in Rajasthan. Pilot said that the mandate against BJP is a result of people's angst against the saffron party's policies and politics. Senior Congress leader Ashok Gehlot said that the Congress is going to form government in the state and credited the win to party chief Rahul Gandhi. He said that people were fed up with the Modi government as people couldn't see the 'acche din'. After 25 rounds of voting in Jhalarapatan, Vasundhara Raje is leading with 40,819 votes. Congress' Manvendra Singh has 23,757 votes and is trailing Raje by 17,062 votes. According to official ECI trends, Congress is leading in 99 seats, BJP leading is leading in 79 seats and BSP, CPM in 2 seats each. Meanwhile, others are ahead in 16 seats in Rajasthan. Congress leader Sachin Pilot said that it is due to the toil and struggle of Congress workers and the resentment against Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje's government, that Congress has been able to make a comeback in the state. Pilot said that Rahul Gandhi became the party president exactly a year ago on 11 December, so this result is a gift for him. He expressed confidence on Congress forming government in Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh. Talking to mediapersons, senior Congress leader Ashok Gehlot said even though these were initial trends, he is confident that Congress will come to power in Rajasthan. Gehlot said that party president will decide on the chief ministerial candidate. Rajasthan chief minister Vasundhara Raje is leading by 8,845 votes from Jhalrapatan, Congress' Ashok Gehlot is leading by 5,112 votes from Sardarpura and Congress' Sachin Pilot is leading by 5,295 votes from Tonk. Congress is leading in 91 seats while BJP in 71 seats as per Election Commission's trends. Others are leading in 22 seats. Congress leaders Ashok Gehlot and Sachin Pilot are both leading in their constituencies Sardaropura and Tonk respectively as Congress races ahead in Rajasthan. According to official ECI trends, Congress is leading in 63 seats, while BJP is ahead in 45 seats and others are leading in 15 seats in Rajasthan. AICC General Secretary and former Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot is leading from the Sardarpura seat in Jodhpur. Whereas, chief minister Vasundhara Raje is leading from Jhalrapatan, News18 reported. Congress is leading in 42 seats including Mandawa and Tonk as the party is ahead in eight seats as per early trends laying down a good start for the grand old party. Counting of votes for the Rajasthan Assembly Election has begun. The exit polls conducted by various media outlets and survey agencies have predicted the Congress party's return in Rajasthan, continuing a trend in a state that has not re-elected the party in power for a second term in the last 20 years. However, BJP has expressed confidence in forming the next government, saying that exit polls have been proven wrong many times in the past. Rajasthan Congress general secretary (organization) Mahesh Sharma on Monday evening said that, "Vasundhara goverment took oath on 13 December, 2013. We had started a countdown for that government's departure on 13 December, 2017." After a month-long campaign, often marked by bitter personal attacks, the people of Rajasthan sealed the fates of the candidates in the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) on 7 December. In the 200-seat Rajasthan Assembly, the India Today-Axis My India survey predicted that the Congress was set to sweep the polls, winning between 119 and 141 seats with a vote share of 42 percent. The survey predicted that the BJP may get 55-72 seats with a 37 percent vote share. The Republic TV-CVoter predicted that the Congress would get 81-101 seats and the BJP 83-103 seats. Another survey by The Times Now-CNX predicted that the Congress was likely to win 105 seats and the BJP 85 seats. According to the survey, the BSP may get seven seats while two may go to "Others". A survey by News24 gave the Congress a clear majority (110-120 seats) while the BJP was likely to win 70-80 seats. Overall 72.65 percent voting was recorded in Rajasthan on 7 December. The elections were largely peaceful barring a few sporadic incidents of violence. The voting to constitute 15th Rajasthan Assembly started at 8 am and continued till 5 pm. However, many polling stations had long queues of voters even after 5 pm, so voting continued there. The voting was quite low at the start, but it picked up the pace gradually. In all, 41.33 percent votes were cast till 1 pm, which touched around 60 percent by 3 p.m and went up to 72.65 percent by 5 pm. A total of 4.74 core voters were registered for the state elections held in 199 out of 200 constituencies across the state and 2,294 candidates were in the fray. The election in Ramgarh constituency of Alwar district was put off following the death of Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) candidate Laxman Singh. According to re-polling was held on Monday at booth number 163 in Rajasthans Karanpur Assembly constituency in Ganganagar district, after reports emerged that the EVMs were not cleared of the mock poll when the actual polling began. During the polling, Congress complained to the Election Commission (EC) about malfunctioning of around 400 VVPAT machines. The party workers also complained of slow voting and had requested the Commission to extend the voting time. On the other hand, the BJP expressed gratitude to the voters for coming out in large numbers to cast their votes. A total of 1.44 lakh constables, head constables, and 1,500 police officials were deputed for election duties, while a total of 640 companies were monitoring at different polling centres. Strict vigilance was maintained at 11,000 booths with the help of webcasting, videography, and micro-observers. Follow all the latest updates from the Telangana Elections here Follow all the latest updates from the Mizoram Elections here Follow all the latest updates from the Chhattisgarh Elections here Follow all the latest updates from the Madhya Pradesh Elections here Follow all the latest updates from the Rajasthan Elections here Follow Firstpost's coverage of the 2018 Vidhan Sabha Elections here The two candidates for the post of the Rajasthan chief minister are old war horse Ashok Gehlot and young leader Sachin Pilot. Now that the verdict is clear in the Rajasthan election, the Congress will grapple with the challenge of deciding the chief minister for the state. The two candidates for the post are old war horse Ashok Gehlot and young leader Sachin Pilot. Rahul Gandhi's calculations for the 2019 Lok Sabha election will play an important part in this decision. While he would like to flaunt a dynamic young team to the electorate, he would also seek experienced hands to navigate the complicated coalition politics. The Congress will need a competent chief minister at the helm in order to ensure a good performance in Rajasthan during the parliamentary election. Ashok Gehlot, who represents the Sardarpur constituency in Jodhpur, has vast experience at the central and state level, as also within the party at the national level. This factor works in his favour. He has been the chief minister for two terms and a member of the Lok Sabha for five terms. He is currently the national general secretary of All India Congress Committee (AICC). Earlier, he had been a minister at the Centre thrice during the tenures of Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi and PV Narasimha Rao, and also served twice as Pradesh Congress Committee president. Known for his organisational skills, he was in-charge of the Congress' Gujarat Assembly election campaign in 2017. It is a well-known fact within the party and in Rajasthan that Indira Gandhi was the first to identify the organisational skills of Gehlot, when the latter was carrying out social service work in the camps of East Bengal refugees in 1971. He was later appointed as the first state president of the National Students Union of India. A large section of voters who want to see Gehlot as chief minister. Politically savvy and soft-spoken, Gehlot has been working closely with Rahul in chalking out strategies for the Congress for the past one year. Sachin Pilot, 41, represents the young brigade of promising and emerging leaders in Congress. His hard work to revive the party in Rajasthan after it was reduced to 21 seats in 2013 will go in his favour. The son of former Congress leader Rajesh Pilot, he is the PCC chief. A two-term MP, Pilot has served as a minister at the Centre during the UPA regime. Both Gehlot and Pilot jointly led the Assembly poll campaign in Rajasthan to ensure the Congress victory. Given these circumstances, choosing the Rajasthan chief minister will be a difficult task for the top Congress leadership. Follow live updates on the Rajasthan elections results here Pilot said the Congress was marching towards victory in Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh and the trend would continue in the future in the rest of India. Jaipur: Rajasthan Congress chief Sachin Pilot Tuesday exuded confidence that the party will form the government in the state and Rahul Gandhi as well as the party's MLAs will decide on who will be the chief minister. He said the Congress was marching towards victory in Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh and the trend would continue in the future in the rest of India. "People have blessed us. We should get a comfortable majority in Rajasthan," Pilot told reporters in Jaipur. Asked about who will be the chief minister, Pilot said Congress chief Rahul Gandhi and the party's MLAs will decide on it. Asserting that it is a decisive day today, Pilot recalled that exactly a year ago Gandhi became the chief of the party. "What could be a better gift to him than victory in these states," Pilot said. Later, Pilot said that while he was confident that the Congress would get a clear majority in Rajasthan, he was in touch will all like-minded parties and Independent candidates who are leading in the trends. Pilot also said that he was in touch with anti-BJP candidates and his party was ready to partner with like-minded parties in case they need help in forming the government in Rajasthan. Pilot said that the mandate against BJP is a result of people's angst against the saffron party's polices and politics. Since 1993, Rajasthans voters have never retained the incumbent government. This time too, the pattern was repeated. As political observers had expected, the Bharatiya Janta Partys lotus wilted in the heat of anti-incumbency in Rajasthan, and the Congress is having the last laugh. Having emerged as the single largest party, the Congress is all set to form the government with a little help from other parties and Independents. Rani teri khair nahi aur Modi se bair nahi, the slogan coined by voters of Rajasthan had expressed the electorates anger against Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje, while showing a soft corner for Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The Congress reaped benefits during the Assembly polls. Since 1993, Rajasthans voters have never retained the incumbent government. This time too, the pattern was repeated, and disillusioned voters denied Vasundhara Rajes government a second run. While talking to the media in Jaipur, Rajasthan Congress chief Ashok Gehlot appealed to victorious Independent candidates to join hands with his party and be a part of the Congress government. The Congress believes in working together and we call all the Independent candidates to come with the Congress and form the government, he said, while crediting the victory to All India Congress Committee president Rahul Gandhi. Congress fails to go the whole hog There was strong anti-incumbency in Rajasthan against the BJP government, which led to the victory of Congress. While Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje failed in her efforts to contain the anti-incumbency wave against her even after slogging it out in the last leg of poll campaigning, the Congress could not exploit the opportunity to the hilt. Post results, there is a general feeling that if the Congress had gone the whole hog on anti-incumbency, the party could have managed to pocket a few more seats. The failure to do so was probably due to the fact that the Congress leadership drained most of its energy by attempting to contain infighting and sabotage by disgruntled party workers. Meanwhile, all eyes are on young Sachin Pilot, who is being tipped as the next chief minister of Rajasthan. Pilot has commenced hectic parleys with victorious Independent candidates and is reportedly in regular touch with eight such candidates in the state. Both Gehlot and Pilot have been saying that the choice of chief minister would be made by Rahul Gandhi. Voting could not be held in one seat in the 200-member Assembly due to the untimely demise of one of the candidates. So, this time, a party or an alliance would need 100 seats, and not 101, to stake claim. Job generation Looking back at why the electorate rejected Raje, indications are that the youth in the state have lost trust in Rajes policy vis-a-vis generation of employment opportunities. While campaigning in 2013, Raje had laid extreme emphasis on creating jobs but wasnt successful in delivering her promise of creating 15 lakh new jobs. After coming to power in 2013, she did flip-flops by playing on the words "jobs" and "employment opportunities", indicating that she had promised to generate employment opportunities, and not providing jobs as such. This infuriated the young electorate and, feeling cheated, they turned against her. Meanwhile, recently, Rajasthans labour employment minister Dr Jaswant Singh Yadav said merely 2.17 lakh jobs were created in the last five years. It is worth mentioning that over the last five years, the desert state of Rajasthan has added 67.53 lakh new voters to take the total number of voters in the state to 4.75 crore, as per Election Commission statistics. Anger of upper castes It wasnt just the youth who rejected Raje. The results clearly indicate that the BJP and Raje faced the wrath of upper-caste voters as well as of the lower castes, who were reportedly upset with the amendments to the SC/ST Act. Multiple protests were staged by the upper castes in Rajasthan, and the BJP had dubbed the rallies as Congress-sponsored. Polarisation and mob lynchings that took place in Alwar region, too, played an important role in the ouster of the BJP government in the state. The Dalits and Meo Muslims together comprise 7.5 lakh voters in Alwar district. The results clearly show that these voters did not vote for BJP. In Alwar region, Independent candidate Baljeet Yadav won from Behror, Tukaram Julie of Congress won from Alwar (Rural), Independent candidate Kanti Lal Meena won from Thanagaji, Congress's Johari Lal Meena won in Rajgarh, Babulal Barua of Congress in Kathmar, and BSPs Deep Chandra Khairia bagged the Kishangarh seat. Just as there was dissent and infighting in the Congress ranks, there were repeated tussles between Raje and BJP president Amit Shah, who were not seen as being on the same page. Differences between Raje and the partys national leadership surfaced multiple times on many issues, including ticket distribution. The most obvious case of differences between Raje and Shah was the resistance from the partys state and national leaderships over the prolonged delay in the selection of Madan Lal Saini as the BJPs Rajasthan state unit president. Saini was Rajes choice. The farm loan waiver issue is being considered as one of the most important factors responsible for BJPs defeat. The distressed farmers in Rajasthan, who have been suffering for long, seem to have lapped up Congress chief Rahul Gandhis poll promise. With strategists in the Congress working overtime and hotlines kept open for hectic parleys with Independents and others, the party is all set to form the government. However, what remains to be seen is whether the party would deliver the Congress presidents promise of farm loan waiver within ten days of forming the government. (Saurabh Sharma is a Lucknow-based freelance writer and a member of 101Reporters.com) Vaghela said the voters of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh have smashed the BJP's arrogance by voting in favour of opposition Congress Ahmedabad: Former Gujarat Congress leader Shankersinh Vaghela Tuesday termed the trends suggesting Congress' victory in three states as a "big slap" on the BJP's face, and said it was a "trailer" of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Vaghela said the voters of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh have smashed the BJP's arrogance by voting in favour of opposition Congress. The former Gujarat chief minister was talking to reporters in Gandhinagar. Attacking Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who campaigned extensively during these Assembly polls, Vaghela said the PM spent his entire term of over four years in just campaigning for his party instead of running the country properly. "This poll result is a trailer of the 2019 general elections. This anti-BJP trend will continue in the Lok Sabha polls. BJP had an arrogance that it can win polls using money power. This defeat is a big slap on the BJP's face by the voters, who have kept alive the spirit of democracy," he said. "He (PM) only gave speeches during his four and half years of tenure. A PM is supposed to run the country, not campaign for his party on tax payers money. He thinks that people will vote the BJP because of him, not because of the chief ministers. But, voters rejected him this time," he added. Expressing happiness over the Congress' performance, Vaghela, who had resigned from that party last year, exuded confidence that the grand alliance will come to power after the next year's general elections. "Voters rejected BJP's false promises. I am sure that anti-BJP parties would form the government by winning around 320 Lok Sabha seats. UPA-3 will become a reality, and I am sure that a government with 20-25 parties would perform far better than the present BJP government at the Centre," Vaghela, who was with the BJP till late 90s, said. He listed demonetisation, GST, farm distress, unemployment and deteriorating law and order situation in those states as the reasons for the BJP's defeat. When asked about his views on Rahul Gandhi and his ability to lead during the 2019 polls, Vaghela said the Congress chief was an "innocent" person without any political ambitions. "He is an innocent guy, a thorough gentlemen. He believes in taking everyone together. He is not into politics of vengeance. Rahul Gandhi even declared that he is not in the race to become the next PM," Vaghela, who had quit the Congress ahead of the Gujarat Assembly polls last year, said. K Chandrashekar Rao's daughter K Kavitha said there was no doubt that the party would retain power with a huge majority Early trends show that incumbent Telangana chief minister K Chandrashekar Rao's (KCR) Temangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) looks set to sweep the elections in the state by defeating the Congress-led grand alliance. The gamble for early polls appears to have paid for TRS with most exit polls having predicted his win due to his surging popularity. KCR had dissolved the Assembly in September, eight months before its term was to end. The party appears to be emerging towards a two-thirds majority in the 119-member Assembly. According to India Today updates, TRS was leading in 93 Assembly constituencies at 11 am while the BJP stranded with a lead in just two seats. The Congress alliance has managed to get a lead of 17 in early trends. The Congress-led People's Front, which comprises N Chandrababu Naidus Telugu Desam Party (TDP), Communist Party of India (CPI) and Telangana Jan Samithi (TJS), was leading in just 17 places. As many as 73.20 percent of 2.80 crore electorate had voted in the elections held in all 119 constituencies on Friday. The alliance blamed the Election Commission for its poor performance in the state and had said that 22 lakh names were deleted from its electoral rolls, reports News 18. Many top leaders of Congress were trailing in their constituencies while TDP, TJS and CPI were not leading in any of the constituencies they contested. The All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), in the meanwhile, was leading in three segments and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in four. KCR's daughter K Kavitha said there was no doubt that the party would retain power with a huge majority. Kavitha, a member of the Lok Sabha, said there was no anti-incumbency as the TRS government had done well on all fronts during the last four-and-a-half years. People of Telangana have witnessed years of Hardwork Put in by KCR garu both in achieving statehood & putting it in the growth path.I believe people of Telangana will stand with him & work hand in hand with him to take Telangana to much greater heights. Jai Telangana !! pic.twitter.com/xoszfgO3Sf Kavitha Kalvakuntla (@RaoKavitha) December 11, 2018 Celebrations have already begun in the TRS Bhavan hours after the early trends showed the party's probable win. Telangana: TRS members celebrate outside party office in Hyderabad as the party leads in trends. #AssemblyElections2018 pic.twitter.com/dJIxlJF3Tf ANI (@ANI) December 11, 2018 Speaking to India Today, Sanjay Jha that the initial trends from Telangana are highly disappointing. Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee's Uttar Kumar Reddy told ANI, "I am having doubts on results we're getting in Telangana ballot paper counting. We're doubting that tampering could have been done in EVMs". A slew of populist measures, welfare schemes and repeated evocations of Telangana pride delivered victory to the TRS. Hyderabad: Clinching 84 out of the 119 seats, the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) coalition on Tuesday secured a thumping win in the Telangana Assembly elections under the leadership of caretaker Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao who had dissolved the Assembly on 6 September. Rao is likely to get elected as the legislature party leader in the meeting scheduled for Tuesday evening and is expected to assume office on Wednesday. Today is not just the victory of TRS party, but the victory of Telangana people. Especially farmers, women, poor people, backward classes, Dalits, tribals, minorities have blessed us with this victory irrespective of caste and religious differences. At this moment, I thank all those who are the reason for this victory said KCR, talking to the press at Telangana Bhavan. The party maintained a comfortable lead since the counting of votes began in the morning. A slew of populist measures, welfare schemes and repeated evocations of Telangana pride delivered KCR the victory his party needed. While the Opposition leaders and political observers were expecting the mahakutami to spoil the calculated TRS move of dissolving the Assembly, Tuesdays results tell a different story. People recognize that the BJP has done nothing in the last five years and are moving towards alternatives. People are with us in our fight against the BJP. These five states' results will help form a strong alternative to the BJP, TDP leader Chandrababu Naidu told reporters. His party, which contested in 14 constituencies in Telangana, won two seats. TRS candidate T Harish Rao, who is also KCRs nephew, won the Siddipet Assembly segment by a huge margin, breaking his 2014 record of more than 90,000 votes. People clearly know what KCR has done for them and are hopeful about the future under KCRs rule. People have trusted us and we will work hard to keep that trust. I could not visit all the villages during the campaign but the people have blessed me. Now I will come to all the villages, meet people and party workers and will strive for your development However, a major setback for the TRS in this election was the defeat of three of its former ministers Tummala Nageswara Rao (Paleru constituency), Azmeera Chandulal (Mulugu constituency) and Jupally Krishna Rao (Kollapur constituency). Congress candidate Seethakka alias D Anasuya, a reformed Naxal activist defeated the TRS candidate from Mulugu constituency. With three seats in their kitty, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which struggled in the four other states that went to polls, also failed to make an impact in Telangana. Despite organising big rallies and public meetings addressed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, party president Amit Shah and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, the party failed to retain the seats won in 2014. The saffron party had gone to the polls with a mission of winning 60 seats. However, its various measuresincluding Swami Paripoornanandas induction into the BJP and his projection as Telanganas Yogi Adityanathremained unsuccessful. The much-hyped pre-poll Mahakutami (grand alliance) between Congress, Telugu Desam Party and Communist Party of India, which had expected favourable results, also failed to make a considerable impact on Tuesday. In a major disappointment to the Congress, the coalition managed to win only 21 seats, as per figures at 5.30 pm. If we win, we will take it as a responsibility given by the people. And if TRS wins, we will take it as the people having given us a responsibility to be in the Opposition and fight for them said Revanth Reddy of Congress. While Congress and TDP secured 19 and 2 seats respectively, the Telangana Jana Samiti (TJS) and CPI candidates drew a blank in the elections. Despite being founded by a prominent leader of the Telangana movement Prof M Kodandaram, TJS party failed to win any of the four seats it had contested. The debacle could be attributed to the delay in announcing the list of candidates and sharing of seats with TDP, TJS and CPI. In contrast, the TRS had announced the candidates for 107 constituencies months before the election schedule for the Assembly polls was announced. Another factor that worked against the grand alliance was confusion among the voters on the candidates as they represented different parties together. Careful ticket distribution of the TRS has worked well to ensure the defeat of senior Congress leaders such as Jana Reddy, Revanth Reddy, DK Aruna, Jeevan Reddy, Mohammed Ali Shabbir, Konda Surekha, Ponnala Lakshminarayana, Komatireddy Venkat Reddy, Nagam Janardhan Reddy (who joined Congress from BJP in April) and others. Some Congress leaders have resorted to blaming the electronic voting machines (EVMs) for the results. The colour of the EVMs is pink. It has confused the voters. KCR is known for manipulation. People attended Congress meetings in large numbers, said senior Congress leader V Hanumantha Rao. A handful of Congress leaders also expressed fear of a post-poll political witch hunt against them. I am sure that the TRS government will undertake a witch hunt against a few Congress leaders, like Revanth Reddy and myself. I advise the TRS leaders to forget heated exchanges that took place during the election campaign and focus on welfare of the people of Telangana, said Konda Surekha, Congress candidate who lost Parakala constituency to TRS. Surekha had quit TRS to join Congress when she failed to get an assurance over getting a ticket for herself in the Assembly polls. While a few senior state Congress leaders, like star campaigner Vijaya Shanthi, were not in favour of the alliance with TDP, the partys state unit went ahead with the decision on the insistence of the Congress high command. The results now indicate that the Congress-TDP alliance instead benefitted TRS leaders who had routinely attacked the grand alliance during the campaign. Most of the TRS leaders, including KCR, described the coalition as an unholy alliance and blamed Chandrababu Naidu for the backwardness of Telangana. Utilising the Telangana sentiment against the grand alliance, TRS leaders succeeded in potraying Chandrababu Naidu as the villain who stopped many irrigation projects in the state. Commenting on the election results, YSR Congress leader V Vijaysai Reddy blamed Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu for the defeat of Congress in Telangana. Atal Bihari Vajpayee and HD Deve Gowda lost power by having an alliance with Chandrababu Naidu. Now, Congress has lost this election because of its alliance with the TDP, he said. Unlike 2014, when the voters in Hyderabad, known as Andhra settlers, elected TDP candidates, the group went for the TRS this time. The shift could be attributed to many reasons including lack of faith towards TDP. Many in the group felt that the TDP abandoned them after shifting the Andhra Pradesh capital to Amaravati. This is clearly visible even in Kukatpally, where majority of voters are Andhra settlers. The TDP had fielded late Nandamuri Harikrishnas daughter Suhasini from this constituency. Tollywood actor Nandamuri Balakrishna accompanied her to file nomination papers. However, voters elected TRS candidate Madhavaram Krishnarao to represent them in the legislative Assembly. (Mahesh Bacham is a Bangalore - based freelance writer and a member of 101Reporters.com) Follow all the latest updates from the Telangana Elections here Follow Firstpost's coverage of the 2018 Vidhan Sabha Elections here Telangana Assembly Election results 2018: Despite the politics of polarisation led by Yogi Adityanath and Amit Shah, BJP failed to make any significant impact on the fortunes of TRS which is heading for a landslide victory in the state Assembly election Several months ago, BJP MLA NVSS Prabhakar who is known for his greater proximity with Hindutva outfits told the TRS government in Telangana that Yogi Adityanath will be born in Telangana to oust the KCR regime. He was apparently referring to the BJP strategy of repeating the Yogi brand of politics in the key southern state. The state with over 12 percent Muslim population and Muslim political consolidation in the form of AIMIM, especially in the state capital Hyderabad, has the perfect mix for practising the Yogi brand of politics. Right on the eve of the elections, the BJP roped in Swami Paripoornananda in the elections. Though there was speculation that Paripoornananda would be presented as the BJP's chief Ministerial face in the state, he more or less confined to campaigning for the party's candidates. Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath was brought in as the star campaigner. Not just Yogi, even BJP president Amit Shah, right from the beginning of the campaign, was focussing on the AIMIM's stranglehold in the state polity and power apparatus. The TRS-AIMIM bonhomie was the prime target of the BJP. The saffron party didn't spare the Congress either for having nexus with Asaduddin Owaisi during its decade-long regime in the pre-bifurcated Andhra Pradesh. The BJP leaders were also quick to point out the reported statement of Asaduddin's younger brother and AIMIM leader Akbaruddin Owaisi that let there be any government in Telangana, it had to surrender to MIM. Thus, the BJP was appealing to the people of Telangana to vote for BJP to liberate the state formerly ruled by the Nizams, from the clutches of AIMIM. Even Prime Minister Narendra Modi joined the chorus, referring to the Muslim appeasement politics of TRS and the Congress during his election meeting at Mahbubnagar. Yogi has even promised to change the name of Hyderabad to Bhagyanagar, thus the politics of name changing traveled a long distance from Uttar Pradesh to the south of the Vindhyas. Even the Ram Mandir figured in Yogi's campaign. Besides, the 12 percent Muslim quota of KCR regime also came under fire from the top BJP leadership like Yogi, Amit Shah, and even Modi. Despite the politics of polarisation, the saffron party failed to make any significant impact on the fortunes of TRS which is heading for a landslide victory in Telangana. As per the latest reports, the BJP is struggling hard to retain its seats including in Hyderabad where it has had a reasonable presence in the past. Thus, it is clear from the results, though a detailed analysis of voting patterns need to be probed further, the politics of polarisation presided over by Yogi and Shah failed to work in Telangana. The BJP's bitter criticism did not carry any credence as the party is not considered by the Telangana electorate as a serious contender for power and a credible opposition for KCR. This is evident from the fact that notwithstanding the party's sharp criticism of KCR, BJP state president K Laxman did not even wait till the results and offered his party's support to TRS minus AIMIM if it falls short of a majority, with the proclaimed objective of keeping the Congress out of power. This shows that polarisation politics works in states where the saffron party is a serious player. The TRS government, especially KCR, enjoys a positive image and his welfare scheme have benefitted all sections cutting across caste and religion. Given the welfarism, polarisation did not attract the voter. The Telangana movement saw a secular mobilisation and the region has a culture of religious harmony often described as Ganga-Jamuni tehzeeb. The state and the city of Hyderabad have not seen any major communal flare up for decades now. All these factors make Telangana terrain unsuitable for the Yogi brand of political mobilisation. Yogi is a political pilgrim as the TRS describes. The state BJP failed to produce any such leader of some stature in Telangana. Though BJP MLA from Goshamahal Hyderabad, Raja Singh, is notoriously known for his highly communal statements, they often fail to attract any mainstream audience or debate and are seen as aberrations in state polity which is largely not so vulnerable to the communal conflagration. Click here to follow live updates on Telangana Assembly Election results 2018 Follow all the latest updates from the Telangana Elections here Follow all the latest updates from the Mizoram Elections here Follow all the latest updates from the Chhattisgarh Elections here Follow all the latest updates from the Madhya Pradesh Elections here Follow all the latest updates from the Rajasthan Elections here Follow Firstpost's coverage of the 2018 Vidhan Sabha Elections here The ruling TRS is way ahead of its rivals, taking an early lead in 92 of the 119 assembly constituencies in Telangana Tuesday. Telangana chief minister K Chandrashekar Rao's decision to dissolve the state Assembly and call for early elections appears to be to have paid rich dividends as his party the Telangana Rashtra Samithi is advancing towards a two-third majority in the 119-member Assembly. The BJP was leading in five constituencies, the Asaduddin Owaisi-led AIMIM in four seats and others in three, according to official figures at 11.45 am on Tuesday. The ruling TRS is way ahead of its rivals, taking an early lead in 92 of the 119 Assembly constituencies in Telangana on Tuesday. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national president Amit Shah had boasted that a party with its support would come to power in Telangana. Going by the way TRS governed the state during the last four-and-a-half years, I think it is unlikely to get public mandate again this time, Shah was quoted as saying by The Economic Times. The BJP had even deployed its star campaigner and Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath in the state where the party is trying to gain a foothold. During the poll campaign, both Shah and Aditynath delivered controversial statements in an attempt to polarise voters. However, as TRS is on course to return to power with a thumping majority in Telangana, it appears that BJP's politics in the state has failed to dislodge Chandrashekar Rao. Yogi-Shah's hardline rhetoric Adityanath in an election rally at Tandur, Vikarabad in Telangana, had said that if BJP comes to power in the state. "Owaisi will have to flee from Telangana the same way as Nizam was forced to flee from Hyderabad. BJP will give security to all but will not allow anyone to create anarchy." AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi reacted sharply to Adityanath's remarks and accused the Uttar Pradesh chief minister of trying to spread hatred. Addressing an election rally in Sangareddy in early December, Adityanath had accused the Congress of obstructing the construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya and charged the Rahul Gandhi-led party and TRS with indulging in Muslim appeasement. Congress and TRS are "playing with" the interests of people in Telangana and once more they would make efforts to take the state towards "Nizamshahi", he had alleged. He sought to know if TRS chief K Chandrasekhar Rao fulfilled the promise of giving three-acre land to Dalits and providing drinking water for every household. In November, Shah said that BJP would not allow Telangana government to implement 12 percent reservation for minorities. Addressing an election rally in Warangal district, he said the BJP would neither provide quota on the basis of religion nor allow its implementation by others. While speaking at an election rally in Narayanpet, he had said both the TRS and the Congress believed in the "appeasement" of minorities. He also claimed that the Congress, in its manifesto for the polls, had promised "free electricity" to mosques and churches but not to temples. With inputs from agencies tech2 News Staff An Apple store in Bordeaux, France was mass looted and damaged on 8 December night by "yellow vest" protestors during a widespread riot. Approximately 1,25,000 people joined the riot against the cost of living and tax reforms. As per the report in ABC news, the police arrested around 1,400 people by firing teargas. A number of videos have been taken to social media showing how the looters dressed in hoodies and completely concealed clothes gaining access to the Apple store by breaking in. The robbers grabbed every Apple product possible which was put on display. They took iPhones, iPads, MacBooks before leaving the store and becoming one with the crowd. The protests according to AppleInsider were originally started against the rising fuel tax which the government took down after pressure from the public. The movement has now spread out covering other areas such as taxes in general, the rising cost of living, and changes to the educational system. The protest has been taking place over the last four weekends and has been declared as a "catastrophe" event for the economy by the French finance minister. Apple Store in Bordeaux looted by rioters (not really yellow vest ) pic.twitter.com/ooomFOB7cH Harry Boone (@towersight) December 8, 2018 According to a local France publication called France Bleu, two of the arrested are in direct connection to the Apple store incident. Also, it stated that many other stores in the city centre were also subject to looting. According to The Verge, the Bordeaux Apple Store was temporarily shut down. The extent of the damage is still not known. The Guardian mentions that in an address made by the French President Emmanuel Macron on primetime television 10 December, he promised a rise in the minimum wage and tax concessions. Reuters Chip supplier Qualcomm Inc said on Monday, it had won an order from a Chinese court banning the sale of several older Apple Inc iPhone models in China because of two patent violations, although Apple said its phones remained on sale. The preliminary order from the Fuzhou Intermediate Peoples Court, issued last week, affects the iPhone 6S through the iPhone X that were originally sold with older versions of Apples iOS operating system. It is not clear what the ruling means for phones with Apples newer operating system, and Apple said all iPhone models remained for sale in China. The trio of models released in September were not part of the case. China, Hong Kong and Taiwan are Apples third-largest market, accounting for about one-fifth of Apples $265.6 billion in sales in its most recent fiscal year. The Chinese case is part of a global patent fight between Apple and Qualcomm that includes dozens of lawsuits. Qualcomm has also asked regulators in the United States to ban the importation of several iPhone models over patent concerns, but US officials have so far declined to do so. Qualcomm, the biggest supplier of chips for mobile phones, filed its case in China in late 2017, arguing that Apple infringed patents on features related to resizing photographs and managing apps on a touchscreen. Apple responded that, Qualcomms effort to ban our products is another desperate move by a company whose illegal practices are under investigation by regulators around the world. Court battle over details Qualcomm general counsel Don Rosenberg said in a statement the Chinese court orders were in effect now and applied to specific features, rather than to an operating system. Earlier this year, the same court banned the import of some microchips by Micron Technology Inc into China. In the provincial Chinese court, which is separate from Chinas specialised intellectual property courts in Beijing, one party can request a ban on an opponents product without the opponent getting a chance to present a defence. Apple said on Monday it had filed a request for reconsideration with the court, the first step in appealing the ban. To enforce the ban, Qualcomm separately will have to file complaints in what is known as an enforcement tribunal, where Apple will also have a chance to appeal. Apple shares rose less than 1 percent to $169.60, recovering from an early drop when it became clear phones were still on sale, and Qualcomm stock rose $2.2 percent to $57.24. Yiqiang Li, a patent lawyer at Faegre Baker Daniels who is not involved in the case, said the Chinese injunction could put pressure on Apple to reach a global settlement with Qualcomm. The specific iPhone models affected by the preliminary ruling in China are the iPhone 6S, iPhone 6S Plus, iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus, iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus and iPhone X. Erick Robinson, a patent lawyer in Beijing and former Qualcomm lawyer, said that while Chinese courts had become fairer in recent years, nationalism could sometimes be a factor in rulings. Qualcomm is a key technology vendor to Chinas rising smartphone brands such as Xiaomi Corp, Oppo, Vivo and OnePlus, while Apple competes directly against Huawei Technologies Co Ltd, Chinas lone homegrown maker of premium-priced smartphones. There is probably a political play here. Apple is a direct competitor to the biggest companies in China, whereas Qualcomm is a supplier, Robinson said. Qualcomm officials said tensions between the two nations had no bearing on the ruling. The company has had its share of troubles in China, from an unfavourable 2014 antitrust ruling to regulatory limbo that doomed its $44 billion bid for Dutch chipmaker NXP Semiconductors. Reuters EU regulators looked into Apples mobile payment service and found it was not market dominant but they could review it again if they receive formal complaints, Europes antitrust chief said on 10 December. In an interview with Reuters, European Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager also signalled that Google and Amazon would remain very much on her radar until the end of her mandate late next year. Google has been fined a total of 6.8 billion euros ($7.7 billion) in the last 18 months for breaching EU rules. Apples mobile payment service Apple Pay, launched in October 2014, is available in 10 EU countries including France, Italy, Spain, Sweden and Denmark. Critics say that an NFC chip embedded in the Apple iPhone means that Apple Pay is automatically selected when an iPhone user pays for goods and services, barring rival payment methods. The Danish Competition Authority is investigating the issue, which was brought to its attention by the Danish Consumer Council. Vestager, who has earned a reputation for taking a tough line against companies that breach EU rules and can impose fines of up to 10 percent of a companys global turnover, said she did a preliminary review some time back. When we were looking at it ... (at) first glance, we couldnt see Apple being dominant. That doesnt exclude in the future that we will have a second look. But when we looked some time ago, we didnt find ... the necessary (evidence) to start a case, she said. Obviously if we had official complaints, we would take that seriously because the entire payment market is a very important payment market. A spokeswoman for Apple declined to comment. Separately Vestager is reviewing whether Amazon is using merchants data illegally to make its own brand products similar to retailers. She said she has been inundated with data, key to building a case against the US online retailer. Now we have received not piles, but mountains of data and for us it is a priority to go through that, both from Amazon themselves but also coming in from some of the businesses that they actually host, she said. For us, of course it is important to get the starting point right because, if we open a case, in order to be able to proceed with some speed, well then of course we need to get some of the basics right and we are in the process of doing that. Vestager recently asked Googles rivals if the internet search engine unfairly demotes local search competitors, raising the possibility of a fourth antitrust case against the company. Now we ask questions when it comes to local search. This means a lot to many people because you use your phone or your table, you are looking for a place to eat, opening hours, where to go, museums, doctors, all kinds of stuff, and therefore of course it is a very important area, a very important service, she said. It could be (a fourth case against Google) but of course we start asking questions without prejudice. tech2 News Staff Google chief executive Sundar Pichai today answered questions before the US Congress at a time that is critical for the search giant, as it deals with a growing list of ethical debates and controversies across various parts of the world including the US. The hearing touched on a number of topics as well as accusations that were expected to be addressed Google's algorithms and who makes them; political bias within the company's search team and others involved in building Google products; Google's 'Project Dragonfly' and its plans in China, if user data collected by parties partnering with Google is shared with them and if Pichai as the head of Google sees the need for a GDPR-like law in the US. Majority leader Kevin McCarthy began the hearing by noting a "widening gap of distrust" between technology giants and the people of the US. He also asked whether tech companies are "serving as instruments of freedom or instruments of control" in the US as well as in other countries. Reading out from a prepared testimony, Pichai said, "I lead this company without political bias and work to ensure that our products continue to operate that way. To do otherwise would go against our core principles and our business interests. We are a company that provides platforms for diverse perspectives and opinions and we have no shortage of them among our own employees." How Google's search algorithms work While claims of conservative bias continued to be a feature throughout the three and a half hour grilling, it was Pichai's explanation on how the site's curious search result algorithm works that was oft-heard. "We provide search today so any time you type in a keyword, we as Google have gone out and crawled and stored copies of billions of web pages in our index, and we take the keyword, and match it against the pages, and rank them based on over 200 signals," he said. "These include things like relevance, freshness, popularity, how other people are using it. Based on that, at any given time, we try to rank and find the best results for that query. We then evaluate them with external raters, to make sure that they evaluate it to objective guidelines. That's how we make sure the process is working." he said. Google must not be tracking all our movements, because they certainly didnt see me coming! pic.twitter.com/W1281PFgmf Ian Madrigal - The Monopoly Man (@wamandajd) December 11, 2018 That's not all, the Google CEO also attempted to answer the question of bias by saying, "Last year we served over 3 trillion searches. Every day 15 percent of the searches Google sees, we have never seen them before. This is working at scale and we don't manually intervene on any particular search result." On developments in China and Project Dragonfly The other talking point on which we did get an answer from the Google CEO was that on China and the search company's dealings with the Chinese government in particular. Pichai, throughout the hearing, denied that the company is planning to launch a search product in China. He said that if the company does plan to launch in China in the future, it will consult with lawmakers. Replying to representative David Cicilline, the CEO refused to commit to not launching a censored search in China in his tenure as chief executive. He, however, reiterated to the representative from Rhode Island that the company has no current plans to launch in China and called the plans so far "limited efforts internally." Pichai also acknowledged that the project at one point had "over a hundred" people work on it. GDPR and the need for a similar law in the US Addressing GDPR and the question of whether a law along a similar framework was required in the US, Pichai said that there was "some value for companies to have consistent global regulation." "I'm of the opinion that we're better off with more of an overarching data-protection framework," Pichai mentioned. The CEO also highlighted how Google published its own framework to guide data privacy legislation earlier this year. Pichai described GDPR as a "well-thought-out" law in another question, adding that there's value for the US in "aligning" with it "where we can." Pichai also handled questions about the types of data Google can collect on users with its Android operating system. Asked about collecting data like IP addresses and user location, Pichai repeatedly said that people can adjust what Google collects by changing their settings. But he conceded that sometimes product settings and user agreements can be confusing. "We want to simplify it and I do think we can do better," he said. This testimony is the Google CEO's first before the Congress in 2018. As per a report by Recode, the CEO declined an invitation to attend a hearing in September that Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg and Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey attended. tech2 News Staff After Google announced a worldwide rollout of its For You tab on Maps today, the tech giant also updated its fitness app with a bunch of improvements and some new features. In a new blog post, Google has announced that it is updating the Google Fit app on Android and on the WearOS, and users on both platforms will start to see the update by end of this week. With the update, the Google Fit now comes with home screen widgets, which will show you your daily progress, and also details of your last workout right there. You can even pin a widget on your home screen to instantly see statistics like your Heart Points, Move Minutes and other daily statistics. To motivate users to push harder, for the ones who manually log in a workout in the journal, they will also have the option to adjust their activity intensity and get awarded more accurate Heart Points for it. Earlier this year, Google completely redesigned the Google Fit app, giving it a more uncluttered look with a focus on two activity goals that it wants every user to achieve Move Minutes and Heart Points. Also heard to miss in the Google Fit redesign was the closing rings, which the company says were informed by health recommendations from the American Heart Association (AHA) and the World Health Organisation (WHO). Reuters Google Chief Executive Sundar Pichai told a US congressional panel on Tuesday that the Alphabet Inc unit currently has no plans to launch a search engine in China but did not rule out a future launch. Pichai, who testified before the House of Representatives Judiciary Committee, had told US lawmakers in a letter in August that providing such a search engine would give broad benefits to China but that it was unclear whether Google could launch the service there. Pichai told the committee he would be fully transparent with policymakers if the company brings search products to China. Right now, there are no plans to launch search in China, Pichai testified. Getting access to information is an important human right, so we always are compelled across the world to try hard to provide that information. Lawmakers and hundreds of Google employees have raised concerns that Google would comply with Chinas internet censorship and surveillance policies if it re-enters the Chinese search engine market. Googles main search platform has been blocked in China since 2010, but it has been attempting to make new inroads into the worlds largest smartphone market by users. A Chinese government official speaking on the condition of anonymity told Reuters last month that it was unlikely Google would get clearance to launch a search service in 2019. Pichai did not say what steps Google would take to comply with Chinese laws if it re-enters the market. We would look at what the conditions are to operate, Pichai said. Much of the House hearing focused on Republican concerns that Googles search results are biased against conservatives and that the company sought to influence the outcome of the 2016 presidential election. Democrats rejected that claim as fantasy, and at least one said the search results highlighted more conservative voices. Pichai said the search engine attempts to help people register to vote or find a polling place, but rejected assertions that the company paid for Latino voters transportation to polls in some states. We dont engage in partisan activities, Pichai told the panel. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, December 11) Rappler Holdings Corporation President Maria Ressa on Tuesday posted a 204,000 bail at the Court of Tax Appeals (CTA) for four tax evasion charges filed against her by the Department of Justice (DOJ). The Justice Department in November accused Ressa of violating Sections 254 and 255 of the National Internal Revenue Code. The charges stemmed after Ressa allegedly failed to file income and value-added tax returns. Ressa voluntarily appeared before the court to post the bond 60,000 for three charges and 24,000 for one for provisional liberty. In the resolution dated December 11, the CTA First Division said it has approved Ressa's cash bond for the case. "In view of the voluntary surrender of the accused Maria A. Ressa before the Court, the Cash bond in the amount of (60,000) posted for her provisional liberty is hereby accepted and approved," the document read. Ressa on December 3 also posted 60,000 bail for a fifth tax evasion case at the Pasig Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 265, following an arrest warrant issued against her by the local court. READ: Maria Ressa, Rappler face new tax evasion charges Ressa earlier told CNN Philippines she will "exhaust every possible legal means" to counter the cases, which she said were "political harassment" against the online news website. "We will continue to participate in a process, a process that is frankly anchored on this mother case that claims that the Philippine depository receipts are illegal. Other companies have them, the Court of Appeals has remanded that mother case back to the regulatory commission and all of these should wait until that case is over," she said. The judiciary in early November said it found probable cause to charge the company for tax evasion. In March, the Bureau of Internal Revenue filed a 133.8 million tax evasion case against the company. Ressa, who is currently facing five tax evasion cases, is set to be arraigned on January 23, 2019. CNN Philippines Correspondent Anjo Alimario contributed to this report. To realise their Nationally Determined Contributions, African countries have since seen the need to unite to reach their unconditional and conditional targets. To achieve their goals, country representatives attending the 24th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP24) in Katowice, Poland acknowledge their need for finance, as money is crucial for the implementation of their National Determined Contributions (NDCs). To date, 49 African countries out of 54 have ratified their NDCs. According to the African Development Bank (AFDB), the continent will need USD 3 trillion by 2020 in order to implement mitigation and adaptation. The AFDB says that Africa currently spends at least 2 percent of its GDP on climate change, an act some consider to be at the expense of development. Despite this, in order to move very fast towards saving the continent while significantly contributing to the continued existence of the planet, some African countries like Lesotho have committed 10 percent of their GDP to adaptation and mitigation as they see the need for African countries to use their own resources to achieve. Agenda 2063 says we should fight for the Africa that we want, said Francis Mokote Hloale, Lesothos Minister of Energy and Meteorology. Speaking during the ongoing two-week climate change conference, Anthony Nyong, the Director, Climate Change and Green Growth of the African Development Bank said African countries are only getting 3 percent of the Green Climate Fund a percentage he said is equivalent to USD12 billion. To successfully implement the NDCs, how do we move from billions to trillions? he asked. In 2017, the AFDB played a crucial role in financing a climate smart Africa. It mobilised USD404 million from different climate finance facilities. USD 1.94 billion came from the banks own resources, while USD 2.35 billion in AFDB approvals of climate finance operations out of USD 8.8 billion in total approval was used. Of the total climate finance approvals 67 percent were in mitigation projects and 33 percent in adaptation. AFDBs efforts are inspired by the fact that under the Paris Agreement, all African countries agreed to take collective action on climate change to keep global temperature increases to no more than 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. Our NDCs have been ambitious, said Nyong. Africas NDCs outline bold aspirations to build climate resilient and low-carbon economies. To this end the African Development Bank launched the Africa Financial Alliance in Climate Change (AFAC), an initiative that brings together Africas financial sector to combat climate change by building an ecosystem of financial institutions in Africa. Africas efforts are driven by the fact that climate change presents a major threat to Africa achieving its Sustainable Development Goals. Extra motive has been presented by the recently launched Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report which highlights the grave consequences of temperature rise above 2.5 degrees Celsius for Africa. By working towards self-finance, Africa is not turning its back on the green climate fund. Developing countries, including the 54 African countries, are expecting clearer commitments on the finance promises made by the developed world. Reuters A Canadian provincial court weighing whether to grant bail to a top executive of Chinese telecoms giant Huawei Technologies, who is facing possible extradition to the United States, adjourned on Monday without deciding her fate. US prosecutors want Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou to be extradited to face accusations she misled multinational banks about Huaweis control of a company operating in Iran, putting the banks at risk of violating US sanctions which would incur severe penalties, court documents said. Meng, the 46-year-old daughter of Huaweis founder, was arrested on 1 December as she was changing planes in Vancouver. In a sworn affidavit, she said she is innocent and will contest the allegations against her at trial if she is surrendered to the United States. The judge in Mondays bail hearing said he rolled the proceedings over to Tuesday at 10 a.m. PST (1 p.m. EDT/1800 GMT) because he wants to hear more about the issue of surety - who will take responsibility for Mengs actions if she is released. Mengs lawyer David Martin, who told the court high-tech surveillance devices and a 24-hour security detail would ensure his client does not flee and proposed a C$15 million ($11.3 million) bail guarantee, had offered her husband as surety. But the judge and the public prosecutor called into question whether Mengs husband could perform this duty as he is not a resident of British Columbia, where Vancouver is located, and would not suffer if she were to breach her bail conditions. Mengs arrest has roiled markets over fears it would exacerbate tensions between the United States and China, already at a high over tariffs. The two sides have agreed to trade negotiations that must be concluded by March 1. Beijing has demanded Mengs immediate release and threatened consequences for Canada. But both Chinese and US officials appear to be avoiding linking her arrest to the trade dispute. Mengs lawyer offered C$14 million in property equity and C$1 million in cash as a guarantee. The public prosecutor said he wanted half in cash and half in property. At one point the judge asked why Meng had avoided travel to the United States since 2017 if not to avoid arrest. Martin cited a hostile climate toward Huawei in the United States. I ask the court to ask itself, what motive could she possibly have to flee? Martin said, arguing the evidence against her was not overwhelming. If she were to flee, or breach order in any way ... it doesnt overstate things to say she would embarrass China itself. Meng appeared confident in court early on Monday, smiling and taking her lawyers arm. But by mid-afternoon she appeared more tense, gesturing rapidly as she conferred with members of her legal team. She has argued she needs to be released because she has severe hypertension and fears for her health. Huawei is the worlds largest supplier of telecommunications network equipment and second-biggest maker of smartphones, with revenue of about $92 billion last year. Unlike other big Chinese technology firms, it does much of its business overseas. US officials allege Huawei was trying to use the banks to move money out of Iran. Companies are barred from using the US financial system to funnel goods and services to sanctioned entities. Huawei and its lawyers have said the company operates in strict compliance with applicable laws, regulations and sanctions of the United States and other parties. We will continue to follow the bail hearing tomorrow. We have every confidence that the Canadian and US legal systems will reach a just conclusion, the company said on Monday. tech2 News Staff After the launch of the Lenovo Z5 Pro, the company is planning to refresh its Z5 family with the new Z5s, which is expected to be launched in China on 18 December. The phone was earlier expected to be launched on 6 December. According to a new teaser on Weibo, the Lenovo Z5s will feature Qualcomm's Snapdragon 678 chipset and will run Android 9.0 Pie. We are not sure about the authenticity of the teaser because the Snapdragon 678 is not a platform that Qualcomm currently offers. Either the teaser is flawed, or Qualcomm might actually release the 678 along with the Lenovo Z5s. The device is also expected to feature an in-display camera, just like the one we saw on the Galaxy A8s, which Samsung is calling the Infinity-O display. More and more people want bigger displays and hence the need for absolutely thin to no bezels. At the same time, a selfie camera is inevitable, and therefore we now have an in-display camera. (If people just give up on selfies it will be a lot easier for smartphone companies to progress!) In terms of design, according to a poster released by Lenovo Group VP Chang Cheng, the device has a gradient design on the rear. Not much is known about the device in terms of storage configurations, but the variants are expected to start from 6 GB of RAM. The device might feature a triple camera set up at the back with a 13 MP primary lens, a 5 MP lens and finally a 2 MP sensor. According to various reports, the device might launch at a price which is the equivalent of Rs 18,990. Reuters The chief executive officer of Google on 10 December defended the integrity of the companys products a day ahead of a congressional hearing where he is expected to face tough questions from US. The technology company has been under fire on Capitol Hill over issues including why it delayed disclosing vulnerabilities with its Google+ social network, whether it will restart its search engine in China and if it is biased against Republicans. Three Democratic senators wrote the Federal Trade Commission in October asking the agency to investigate Google+. In written testimony to the House Judiciary Committee made public on 10 December, CEO Sundar Pichai said he led the company without political bias. We work hard to ensure the integrity of our products, and weve put a number of checks and balances in place to ensure they continue to live up to our standards, Pichais testimony said. I lead this company without political bias and work to ensure that our products continue to operate that way. To do otherwise would go against our core principles and our business interests. Pichai agreed in September to testify over Republican concerns that the company is biased against conservatives. Google has repeatedly denied this. The company faced renewed criticism on Capitol Hill after senior executives skipped a high-profile Senate Intelligence Committee hearing earlier in September. Google previously told US lawmakers it was considering a variety of options to offer additional services in China, but declined to detail plans for addressing Chinese censorship. Pichai Testimony by Tech2 on Scribd The company has been criticized after reports it was considering re-entering Chinas search engine market and would comply with its internet censorship and surveillance policies. Pichai said in his testimony that even as we expand into new markets we never forget our American roots. He added that we do work, and we will continue to work, with the government to keep our country safe and secure. Pichai may face questions about Google+. On 10 December, Google said it would shut down Google+ in April, four months ahead of schedule, after finding a software flaw for the second time this year that allowed partner apps to access its users private data. However, Google said in a blog post it found no evidence that any other apps had accessed the data, such as name, email, gender and age, using the latest bug. It affected 52.5 million Google+ accounts, including some business customers, for six days after it was introduced last month, Google said. tech2 News Staff Theres a difficult task ahead of the 193 countries attending the UN Conference on Climate Change, or Confederation of Parties (COP)24 in Katowice, Poland this week. The delegations have four crucial days remaining from Tuesday morning to fulfil the COP24's agenda: Finding the best framework to address the climate threat before us. This urgency was highlighted in a recent scientific report called the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Special Report on 1.5C. Authored by an international consortium of scientists, the IPCC report was requested specifically for the COP24. The last pledges made by countries towards climate action was the Paris Agreement of 2015. But in light of the IPCC report, there is far more urgency and ambition needed to tackle the runaway temperature rise and extreme weather events resulting from climate change. The 2C warming agreed upon in the Paris Agreement was no longer valid, because the rise by 1.5C would happen as early as 2030, the IPCC report found. The IPCC report also listed out an alarming list of consequences that the world can expect from the 0.5C difference to a 2C rise. The Paris Agreement was a comprehensive pledge that brought together mitigation, adaptation, climate finance, transparency, loss & damage, capacity building and tech transfer. But the ambition, flexibility and dynamism of the Paris agreement are yet to win over all the UN member states in the three years since it was written. With the IPCC Special report now in hand, there was a sense from the negotiations that the gravity of the situation was clear, and climate targets internalised, according to TERI. Many delegations at the COP were representing countries that have lived through realities of extreme weather and climate change impacts. Iran even indicated that the current approach may be too conservative, IANS reported. A major roadblock As diplomats wrapped up the week of technical talks on Saturday, almost all 200 countries present in Katowice, Poland, had wanted to "welcome" the IPCC report and make it the benchmark for future action. But the US and three other delegations objected. "The United States was willing to note the report and express appreciation to the scientists who developed it, but not to welcome it, as that would denote endorsement of the report," the US State Department told The Associated Press. "As we have made clear in the IPCC and other bodies, the United States has not endorsed the findings of the report." Russia, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait also called for the study to be "noted" but not "welcomed". These big oil and coal-gas producers are blocking all other countries from "welcoming" an influential climate science report into the UNs text and agenda. The US even rejected the science in the report making it the only country among the 197 not to endorse the reports findings and stalling the talks on Saturday. So much to do, so little time The outcomes of the various elements of the talks, called the Paris rulebook, are being finalised for the 124 ministers that arrived on Monday to deliberate. Yet, there are concerns that the rulebook looks weak and ineffective, particularly on issues like transparency and reporting from countries, a climate expert had told IANS. A target date by when all countries involved follow the same rulebook, with flexibility for nations with limited financial or governmental resources, is also a point of contention, the expert added. Where different UN member nations stand The 124 additional ministers this week are tasked with deliberating and ironing out crunch-issues like differentiation, money, more ambition, political compromises to settle on decisions the world needs to hear by the weeks end. Some of these issues are being resolved in complex working groups like those to be led by Canada's Catherine McKenna and Spain's Teresa Ribera this week. Also expected are voices of climate-vulnerable countries to get progressively louder by the day. Spain, Canada, Norway, New Zealand and perhaps Britain could also emerge as governments from developed countries pushing for a more ambitious outcome, according to a TERI report. China and India have privately indicated they could push for an ambitious outcome this week Mayors allied to the C40 (Cities Climate Leadership Group) and business leaders from Coca-Cola, IKEA, Maersk and Target will also be audible, experts believe. Lights, climate, action There was quite a lot of good news from the first week as well. The President of the World Bank announced that the Group would invest $200 billion toward developing countries addressing climate change from 2021-25. Germany announced that it will double its contribution to the Green Climate Fund (GCF) to 1.5 billion. France and China along with the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres declared to "cooperate closely to make this summit a defining moment to accelerate action, increase ambition and mobilise the required resources to achieve an ecological transition". India's Environment Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan signalled that the country was ready to update its nationally-determined contributions (NDCs) if other countries do the same, IANS reported. As for the pledges, theyve already begun. The world's largest container shipping company Maersk pledged zero emissions by 2050. Volkswagen also announced that it will sell no more combustion cars after 2040 and will put the last fossil-fuel based models on the market in 2032. Glimpses from the All-Party meeting earlier today. pic.twitter.com/pzXq8p1kqc Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 10, 2018 Delays in decision-making If there is no consensus on the IPCC report, UNFCC rules dictate that the matter will be deferred to the next such meeting, which will only take place next year. With less than a week to finalising a global approach to operationalise the agreement, one possible scenario is that the result doesnt mention the IPCC report, which the COP itself had commissioned. And here, many assumed that getting the IPCC report accepted in the COP outcome would be the easy part. There are some countries which are making attempts to reopen the Paris Agreement, which we (India) are opposed to, C K Mishra, Indias environment secretary, told the Times of India before the conference began. The entire developing world is opposed to it, he said. Indias stance at COP24 Mishra, along with environment minister Harsh Vardhan and 15 other negotiators are in Poland representing India. The Indian delegation is hoping for an outcome that is balanced, inclusive and consistent with the principles of the Paris Agreement, Mishra told the Times. We are quite conscious of our targets. We are doubly conscious that we are in a position to over-achieve them, he said. Excellent meeting with Mr. @antonioguterres, @UN Secretary-General. There were wide-ranging deliberations on various global issues. We talked about mitigating climate change and Indias efforts in this regard through initiatives like the International Solar Alliance. pic.twitter.com/NIQZS671gI Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) November 30, 2018 Some of these targets are retained from the 2015 agreement, such as the transition to renewables. By the year 2027, India plans to use renewables like solar, wind and biomass to generate 275 GW of electricity (44 percent of Indias total power generation). Hydro and nuclear, also considered clean sources of energy, would contribute another 80 GW, or about 13 percent of the total capacity, Indian Express reports. In November Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani said nearly 30,000 soldiers and police officers have been killed since 2015 - a figure far higher than anything previously acknowledged. Kabul: The death toll from a suicide bombing targeting a security forces convoy outside Kabul early Tuesday jumped to 12, officials said, with eight civilians killed in the latest Taliban-claimed attack near the Afghan capital. The car bomb follows a wave of deadly violence against Afghan forces across a year in which insurgents have inflicted record-high casualties on security personnel in the war-torn country. "Twelve people including four members of the security forces were killed," ministry of interior deputy spokesman Nasrat Rahimi told AFP. Kabul police confirmed the casualties, adding that women and children were among the dead. "The blast took place in Paghman district west of Kabul as the convoy was returning from an overnight operation," interior ministry spokesman Najib Danish told AFP. The ministry of interior and a seperate security official requesting anonymity confirmed the assailant had used a car bomb to target the convoy. Afghan security forces, beset by killings and desertions, have been struggling to beat back insurgents from Islamic State as well as the Taliban since US-led NATO mostly left them on their own three years ago. In November President Ashraf Ghani said nearly 30,000 Afghan soldiers and police officers have been killed since 2015 - a figure far higher than anything previously acknowledged. Earlier in December, Lieutenant General Kenneth McKenzie - who has been nominated to lead the US military's Central Command - said the death rate among Afghan forces will no longer be sustainable unless urgent measures are taken to address recruiting and training issues. The early morning attack in Kabul came just hours after an overnight assault on a checkpoint in Afghanistan district of southern Kandahar province by Taliban fighters killed at least eight Afghan police officers according to the provincial media office. "The fighting lasted several hours, 11 Taliban were also killed," the office added. The uptick in violence comes as Washington continues to press for a negotiated end to the 17-year conflict. US envoy Zalmay Khalilzad - who is currently canvassing the region to build support for potential peace talks - expressed hopes that a deal to end the war could be struck before the Afghan presidential election scheduled for April. At an international conference on Afghanistan in Geneva in November, Ghani also said a 12-person Afghan negotiating team has been prepared for peace talks. But the Taliban, who have previously insisted they will only speak with US officials, rejected Ghani's overtures, calling the government in Kabul "impotent" and a "waste of time". Britain wants 'legally binding' assurances from EU leaders it will not be trapped indefinitely in their customs union by the Irish 'backstop' clause in the Brexit divorce, a minister said Tuesday. Brussels: Britain wants "legally binding" assurances from EU leaders it will not be trapped indefinitely in their customs union by the Irish "backstop" clause in the Brexit divorce, a minister said Tuesday. Martin Callanan, junior minister in the Department for Exiting the European Union, was speaking on arrival in Brussels for talks as Prime Minister Theresa May tours EU capitals in a bid to save her deal. On Monday, May postponed a bid to get the Brexit deal she negotiated with EU leaders last month past parliament, and now she wants new reassurances over the emergency backstop clause. EU leaders have warned repeatedly that the deal can not be "renegotiated" but EU president Jean-Claude Juncker - who May was to meet later Tuesday - has said there could be "further clarification and further interpretations". But this may not be enough for London. Callanan, arriving at the European Council for foreign policy talks with fellow ministers, said May was seeking a binding promise that the backstop is not indefinite. "Each side has their interests that they have to protect, and the Prime Minister is negotiating hard for the best interests of the UK," he told reporters. "Well, she wants additional legal reassurances that UK cannot be permanently trapped in the Irish backstop. That's been the issue all along and that is the issue that is the heart of the concerns expressed by many members of the parliament." Asked whether these assurances could be made as a political declaration separate to the text of the deal itself, which EU leaders say can not be reopened, Callanan said: "I think that it is very important that these have to be additional legally binding reassurances" By Sarah N. Lynch WASHINGTON (Reuters) - (The story corrects first paragraph to 'Accused Russian agent' Maria Butina instead of 'former Russian agent') Accused Russian agent Maria Butina, suspected of trying to infiltrate the National Rifle Association and influence U.S. By Sarah N. Lynch WASHINGTON (Reuters) - (The story corrects first paragraph to 'Accused Russian agent' Maria Butina instead of 'former Russian agent') Accused Russian agent Maria Butina, suspected of trying to infiltrate the National Rifle Association and influence U.S. policy towards Russia is expected to plead guilty this week following a deal between her lawyers and U.S. prosecutors, according to court filings on Monday. Exactly how the deal will be structured for Butina and whether or not she may agree to cooperate with prosecutors was not immediately clear. U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan in Washington scheduled a hearing for Dec. 12. Former American University graduate student Butina had previously pleaded not guilty to U.S. charges in July that she was acting as an agent of the Russian government and conspiring to take actions on Russia's behalf. Prosecutors have accused her of working with a Russian official and two U.S. citizens to try to infiltrate the powerful NRA lobby group that has close ties to Republican politicians including President Donald Trump, and influence Washington's policy towards Moscow. Butinas lawyers previously identified the Russian official as Alexander Torshin, a deputy governor of Russias central bank who was hit with U.S. Treasury Department sanctions in April. One of the two Americans mentioned in the prosecutors' criminal complaint was Paul Erickson, a conservative U.S. political activist who was dating Butina. Neither Erickson nor Torshin have been accused by prosecutors of wrongdoing. The case against Butina is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney's Office in Washington and the National Security Division, and not U.S. Special Counsel Robert Mueller, who is investigating Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. election and any coordination between Moscow and Trump campaign members. The government's complaint against Butina did not explicitly mention Trump's campaign. However, Reuters has previously reported that Butina was a Trump supporter who bragged at parties in Washington that she could use her political connections to help get people jobs in the Trump administration. In a Dec. 8, 2016, class project at American University, she gave a presentation titled "What Might President Trump's Foreign Policy Be Toward Russia?" and listed several of Russia's policy objectives, according to a copy reviewed by Reuters. Whether or not she could help shed any light on contacts between Trump's campaign and Russia is not known. Moreover, the prosecutors in her case have previously made mistakes, including erroneously accusing Butina of offering sex in exchange for a position in a special interest group. The errors could possibly have helped give Butina more leverage in reaching a plea deal. (Reporting by Sarah N. Lynch; Editing by Susan Thomas and Grant McCool) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. By Marion Giraldo SANTIAGO (Reuters) - The mayor of the Chile's Easter Island territory conceded on Monday that the British Museum might be a better home for a massive native Polynesian statue taken by British seamen 150 years ago. Pedro Edmunds Paoa said Easter Island had a 'thousand' of its iconic statues, known as the Moai, 'both buried, ignored and discarded' and lacked the means to maintain them. By Marion Giraldo SANTIAGO (Reuters) - The mayor of the Chile's Easter Island territory conceded on Monday that the British Museum might be a better home for a massive native Polynesian statue taken by British seamen 150 years ago. Pedro Edmunds Paoa said Easter Island had a "thousand" of its iconic statues, known as the Moai, "both buried, ignored and discarded" and lacked the means to maintain them. "Those thousand are falling apart because they are made of a volcanic stone, because of the wind and the rain are. We need global technology for their conservation," he said. He said one statue returned to the island from the Argentine capital Buenos Aires "four or five years ago" was now housed in a square where stray dogs urinated on it. His comments will add weight to the argument of the British Museum to keep artefacts that originate from other nations in London where they are carefully curated and popular exhibits with visitors from around the world. Last month, a delegation of Chilean officials and Easter Island dignitaries including Paoa's brother, the Rapa Nui Council of Elders President Carlos Edmunds Paoa, travelled to London to appeal for the return of the seven-foot (2.13-meter) tall basalt figure, known as "Hoa Hakananai'a," meaning "lost or stolen friend" in the local language. The statue was among 900 statues or "Moai," meaning "ancestors," carved by islanders between 1100 and 1600 A.D. It was taken from the island, located 2,480 miles (3,990 km) west of the Chilean capital Santiago, in 1868 by Richard Powell, the captain of HMS Topaze, and presented to Queen Victoria who later gave it to the British Museum. Pedro Edmunds Paoa said there had been intense debate on the island about whether the Hoa Hakananai'a should be returned or not. "Are we going to bring the ancestors back? Fantastic," he said. "We are going to bring them back and we are going to place them where? "That Moai is in a museum where six million people come each year to visit it." He suggested that he would prefer a financial commitment from the British Museum to help in the preservation of all Rapa Nui monuments. "It would not be an economic agreement, it would be an agreement to help Rapa Nui in what needs to be done in Rapa Nui for conservation", he said, using the ancestral name of the island. The British Museum was not immediately available for comment. Chile's ministry of heritage, which has lobbied for the statue's return, declined to comment. (Reporting by Marion Giraldo; Writing by Aislinn Laing; Editing by Sandra Maler) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. CAIRO (Reuters) - The former head of Egypt's Customs Authority has been referred for trial in a criminal court on charges of accepting bribes to facilitate entry of goods without custom duties, an official at the public prosecution office said on Monday. CAIRO (Reuters) - The former head of Egypt's Customs Authority has been referred for trial in a criminal court on charges of accepting bribes to facilitate entry of goods without custom duties, an official at the public prosecution office said on Monday. The case is one of several corruption-related cases raised in recent months by Egypt's Administrative Control Authority against commodity and trade-related individuals, including the head of the state food-purchasing agency FIHC and officials at the ministry of supply. Gamal Abdelazim, the former head of Egypt's customs authority, was arrested in July on suspicion of accepting bribes to permit the entry of banned goods into the country without customs duties, Egypt's Administrative Control Authority said at the time. Abdelazim, who Reuters was not immediately able to contact, was alleged to have received more than 750,000 Egyptian pounds ($41,993) from customs clearance offices in exchange for services, the official at the public prosecution office said, adding that six other people had also been charged. Egyptian state news agency MENA earlier ran a report saying that Abdelazim had been charged. A trial date has yet to be set. (Reporting by Hesham Hajali, writing by Sami Aboudi; Editing by Alexander Smith) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. Among those named with Khashoggi were Philippine journalist Maria Ressa, Reuters reporters Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo - currently imprisoned in Myanmar - and the workforce of the Capital Gazette in the US city of Annapolis. New York: Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, who was murdered in October at his country's Istanbul consulate, was named Time magazine's "Person of the Year" Tuesday, an honor he shared with other targeted journalists recognized as "guardians" of the truth. Among those named with Khashoggi were Philippine journalist Maria Ressa, Reuters reporters Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo - currently imprisoned in Myanmar - and the workforce of the Capital Gazette in the US city of Annapolis, including five staff members killed in a June shooting. "As we looked at the choices it became clear that the manipulation and abuse of truth is really the common thread in so many of this year's major stories, from Russia to Riyadh to Silicon Valley," Time editor-in-chief Edward Felsenthal said. "So we chose to highlight four individuals and one group who have taken great risks in pursuit of greater truth, starting with Jamal Khashoggi." Time, which has awarded the "Person of the Year" title annually since 1927, published four different magazine covers for this week's edition, each one spotlighting different honorees. It is the first time someone has been chosen posthumously for the prestigious cover. 'Global reassessment' Explaining the decision to honor dissident journalist Khashoggi, who was a US resident and Washington Post columnist, Felsenthal said it was "very rare that a person's influence grows so immensely in death." "His murder has prompted a global reassessment of the Saudi crown prince and a really long overdue look at the devastating war in Yemen," he added. The CIA has concluded with "medium-to-high confidence" that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman probably ordered Khashoggi's 2 October 2 assassination, according to US media reports. Prince Mohammed is also accused of contributing to the world's worst humanitarian crisis in impoverished Yemen, where a Saudi-led coalition has been fighting a war against Huthi rebels. Fellow honorees Wa Lone, 32, and Kyaw Soe Oo, 28, exposed the extrajudicial killing of 10 Rohingya men during a brutal military crackdown in Myanmar's western Rakhine state last year. They have been imprisoned for nearly a year, and were convicted under a state secrets act in September. A court will hear their appeal later in December. Marie Ressa, meanwhile, is CEO of Rappler, a Philippine news site hit by a string of government efforts to shut it down over its critical tone of President Rodrigo Duterte. She faces a charge - which she has dismissed as "manufactured" - that Rappler provided false information to tax authorities, and risks up to 10 years behind bars. The staff of the Capital Gazette in Annapolis, Maryland, also share this year's title. Their newsroom was attacked by gunman Jarrod Rodman in June, leaving four journalists and a sales assistant dead. US President Donald Trump, the 2016 "Person of the Year," was the bookmakers' favorite this year but in the end was runner-up. Minutes after the unveiling, he launched the latest of his regular attacks on the media via Twitter, accusing the "Fake News" of misreporting his struggle to fill the key position of White House chief of staff. US Special Counsel Robert Mueller, who is investigating possible collusion between Russia and Trump's 2016 election campaign, was ranked third. A group of young Batswana filmmakers are hopeful that they will win the 48 hours film challenge international competition in Durban this weekend. They entered the 48-hour film challenge at the spur of a moment but are confident in their finished product. The production titled, 5, a seven-minute short film by Old Naledi Arts club in collaboration with Image Africa will premiere this coming Saturday in Durban at the 2018 Durban 48 hours film challenge festival. The film is school drama themed, set in Gaborone, starring Karabo Sasebola and Lebogang Vincent. The producer is Fiona Sepako while the writer is Magadi Thekeleza and the Directors Terry Motseokae, Talent Karabo Sasebola, Lebogang Vincent, while the cinematographer is Koone Boikaego and the editor, Leano Ennetse. The production team is made of final year Motion picture and Live performance students from AFDA College Botswana. Boikaego recently told this publication that they entered the competition not only because they are filmmakers but also because they want to take local talent outside Botswana and take advantage of opportunities in the global arts scene. He explained that they decided to enter in Durban because although the competition is held in cities in countries around the world, Botswana is not one of them. He added that they also looked forward to networking opportunities, We believe that if we break in the SA film industry, then we would be one step closer to making it. This is how the competition works, teams are given 48 hours to write a script, shoot, edit and submit the final film within 48 hours. The winners will receive a fully funded sponsorship to FilmPooza and then the biggest showcase in the world, the Cannes Film Festival. The crew noted in a press release that: Film and TV industry are untapped diamond mines that we as Image Africa and Old Naledi arts club aim on exploring. We are currently working on different content for international and local TV. Whilst film is a newborn baby locally we are positioning ourselves to be part of the pioneering leaders of the film industry in Botswana and Africa. One of the directors, Vincent, expressed excitement about taking part in this competition. I hope the whole world is ready. It has been years in the making and now we are ready to show the world authentic Botswana stories. Boikaego added that Botswana is rich in talent, stories and could add value to the global arts space. Exporting content is our key drive we want to help build and set the film industry ablaze in Botswana, he said. The team has so far worked on a feature film for Botswana Television and is currently working on another to be released before the end of the year. By Nate Raymond (Reuters) - An Olympus Corp subsidiary pleaded guilty on Monday and agreed to pay $85 million to resolve charges that it failed to file reports with U.S. regulators regarding infections connected to its duodenoscopes while continuing to sell the medical devices used to view the gastrointestinal tract. Olympus Medical Systems Corp and Hisao Yabe, a former senior executive at the company in Japan, pleaded guilty in federal court in Newark, New Jersey to distributing misbranded medical devices, the U.S By Nate Raymond (Reuters) - An Olympus Corp <7733.T> subsidiary pleaded guilty on Monday and agreed to pay $85 million to resolve charges that it failed to file reports with U.S. regulators regarding infections connected to its duodenoscopes while continuing to sell the medical devices used to view the gastrointestinal tract. Olympus Medical Systems Corp and Hisao Yabe, a former senior executive at the company in Japan, pleaded guilty in federal court in Newark, New Jersey to distributing misbranded medical devices, the U.S. Justice Department said. As part of a plea deal, U.S. District Judge Stanley Chesler sentenced Olympus to pay an $80 million fine and forfeit $5 million, the department said. Olympus in a statement said it has agreed to undertake steps to enhance its regulatory affairs processes and procedures and that the investigation did not identify any direct harm to patients caused by its failure to file the reports. A lawyer for Yabe, 62, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. He is scheduled to be sentenced on March 27 and faces a maximum of one year in prison, the Justice Department said. Duodenoscopes are flexible tubes with lighted video equipment that are snaked down a patient's throat to diagnose or treat disorders of the gastrointestinal tract. The duodenum is the first part of the small intestine just beyond the stomach. Physicians perform about 500,000 procedures with duodenoscopes every year in the United States. Prosecutors said the Tokyo-based company admitted that in 2012 and 2013 it failed to file with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration adverse event reports relating to infections in Europe connected to its TJF-Q180V duodenoscope. The FDA compiles reports of illnesses and injuries associated with drugs and devices it has approved in order to monitor potential problems that crop up once they are on the market. Improperly sterilized duodenoscopes can lead to serious infections upon reuse. The Justice Department said adverse events Olympus failed to report included the infection of 22 patients with Pseudomonas aeruginosa in the Netherlands in early 2012 and the infection of three patients in France in November 2012. Prosecutors said that Yabe was personally responsible for the failure to file the information with the FDA relating to infections in the Netherlands when he was Olympus's top regulatory official. (Reporting by Nate Raymond in Boston and David Alexander in Washington; Editing by Lisa Lambert and Bill Berkrot) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States said on Monday it had sanctioned three North Korean officials, including a top aide to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, for serious human rights abuses and censorship. The U.S WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States said on Monday it had sanctioned three North Korean officials, including a top aide to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, for serious human rights abuses and censorship. The U.S. Treasury named the men as Ryong Hae Choe, an aide close to Kim who leads the Workers' Party of Korea Organization and Guidance Department; State Security Minister Kyong Thaek Jong; and Propaganda and Agitation Department head Kwang Ho Pak. It was not clear whether the decision to sanction the three men was related to U.S.-North Korean nuclear diplomacy, which has made little obvious progress since Kim and U.S. President Donald Trump met in Singapore in June. The sanctions, which freeze any assets the officials may have under U.S. jurisdiction and generally bar them from transactions with anyone in the United States, were announced as the U.S. State Department released a six-monthly report on North Korean abuses. "Human rights abuses in North Korea remain among the worst in the world and include extrajudicial killings, forced labour, torture, prolonged arbitrary detention, rape, forced abortions, and other sexual violence," State Department spokesman Robert Palladino said in a statement accompanying the report. North Korea has repeatedly rejected accusations of human rights abuses and blames sanctions for a dire humanitarian situation. Pyongyang has been under U.N. sanctions since 2006 over its ballistic missiles and nuclear programs. In a separate statement, the Treasury said the sanctions "shine a spotlight on North Koreas reprehensible treatment of those in North Korea, and serve as a reminder of North Koreas brutal treatment of U.S. citizen Otto Warmbier." Warmbier was an American student who died in June 2017 after 17 months of detention in North Korea, which contributed to already tense exchanges between Pyongyang and Washington, primarily over North Korea's nuclear development program. In the lead-up to the historic Trump-Kim summit in June, North Korea released three American prisoners, although talks between the two countries have since stalled. Last month, North Korea said it would deport another detained U.S. citizen. Talks that had been planned for Nov. 8 between U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and senior North Korean official Kim Yong Chol and that aimed to pave the way for a second summit were cancelled with 24 hours' notice. Trump has said he and Kim are likely to meet a second time in January or February, with three sites for a summit under consideration. (Reporting by Tim Ahmann, Susan Heavey and Arshad Mohammed; Editing by Frances Kerry and Peter Cooney) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. We already know about the ongoing battle between Qualcomm and Apple. Qualcomm today announced that Fuzhou Intermediate Peoples Court in China has granted two preliminary injunctions against four Chinese subsidiaries of Apple Inc., ordering them to immediately cease infringing upon two Qualcomm patents through the unlicensed importation, sale and offers for sale in China of the iPhone 6S, iPhone 6S Plus, iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus, iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus and iPhone X. This doesnt apply to new iPhone XS, XS Max and XR. The patents enable consumers to adjust and reformat the size and appearance of photographs, and to manage applications using a touch screen when viewing, navigating and dismissing applications on their phones, said Qualcomm. It added that actions seeking similar relief for Apples infringement of other Qualcomm patents are pending in China and other jurisdictions around the world. Don Rosenberg, executive vice president and general counsel, Qualcomm Incorporated, said: We deeply value our relationships with customers, rarely resorting to the courts for assistance, but we also have an abiding belief in the need to protect intellectual property rights. Apple continues to benefit from our intellectual property while refusing to compensate us. These Court orders are further confirmation of the strength of Qualcomms vast patent portfolio. However, Apple said that all iPhone models remain available for customers in China, saying that ruling does not apply to iPhones running iOS 12. In a statement, Apple said: Qualcomms effort to ban our products is another desperate move by a company whose illegal practices are under investigation by regulators around the world. All iPhone models remain available for our customers in China. Qualcomm is asserting three patents they had never raised before, including one which has already been invalidated. We will pursue all our legal options through the courts. Source 1, 2 The 44th Mascom Live Sessions event is set to be a bang. The show features none other than the trending Han C, and Mi Casa from South Africa. Han C featuring DJ Kuchi, recently released one of the best and trending songs for this year. The song titled Rejection is a marvellous piece of work, and is currently on high rotation. His other recent releases include Mafurafura, and he worked alongside Berry Bone on the hit. Mi Casa comprises of members Dr. Duda and pianist, JSomething, and Mo-T and Robbie Rob. Their last performance at the Mascom Live Sessions was in 2014. The event is billed for December 14th, and has been dubbed the #Seasonshutdown. Seeing as the two performers have a special place in the hearts of local revellers, this will be one show that is a must attend by all. Oliver Groth of Botswana Craft explains that revellers can expect to dance, dance and dance. Groth says that with the heat waves that have been engulfing the country, this will be the perfect opportunity for revellers to come and dance the night away. He also says that they opted for the two acts, which he says are both relevant for their audience. Han C, he says, is trending right now and doing very well in the market. Mi Casa has not been in the country for a while. We want them to come and have a party and dance the night away, he says. Boutique Macaron Kiosk, Woops! Opens Pop-up in Georgia to Provide Indulgent Holiday Experience December 11, 2018 // Franchising.com // NEW YORK - Something is baking at Town Center at Cobb. Woops!, a bakery dreamed up in New York City, specializing in macarons and other international pastries, opened a holiday pop-up in Town Center to provide an indulgent and unique experience for holiday shoppers. The Woops! pop-up shop is located on the second level of Town Center at Cobb, right above the Santa Exhibit and in front of Macys Furniture store, and is open Friday through Sunday during mall hours through the end of the year. The holidays are a great time to slow down, take a moment and indulge in a one-of-a-kind experience, which is exactly what we hope to bring to the Kennesaw community through Woops!, said Michelle Gibson, the local owner Woops! Mall of Georgia and Town Center pop-up . Furthermore, Woops! rare international treats and delectable macarons make the perfect gift for a loved one this holiday season. The Holiday pop-up in Town Center at Cobb is reminiscent of the brands founding roots. The Woops! journey began in 2012 on a whim when four friends opened a macaron pop-up shop at the Holiday Shops in New York Citys Bryant Park. In nine short weeks they sold 100,000 macarons and developed a cult-like following due to the macarons and aesthetic. The group then realized that with Woops!, they had a thriving business. Building on the momentum and popularity of Bryant Park, the four friends soon opened boutique mall kiosks in major malls throughout the Northeast. The close-knit group of friends who founded Woops! are from all over the world: Israel, France, India, and the U.S. Their cultural diversity is integrated not only in the ambiance but in the menu. Today, Woops! serves handmade classic French macarons in over 20 flavors, as well as 30 other international desserts, which are produced in the companys bakery in New York City, or imported from Europe. The holiday pop-up in Cobb Mall will serve more than 15 different macaron flavors, as well as select international pastries, including alfajores, stroopwaffles, cremebellos, cookies and Belgian waffles. To help celebrate every moment, whether its the holidays, a wedding, baby shower, business meeting, or client gift, Woops! works creatively to produce a dessert that personalizes and enhances each events theme and styling. For any event or celebration, Woops! offers eye-catching macaron pyramids, beautifully designed gift boxes, elegant party favors and customized macarons with company logos, taglines and more. Woops! Holiday Pop Up is located in Town Center at Cobb shopping mall at 400 Ernest W. Barrett Pkwy. in Kennesaw, GA. The kiosk is open Friday, Saturday and Sunday during mall hours for the rest of the year. For more information, or to place an online order, visit www.bywoops.com. About Woops! Founded in 2012 and franchising since 2015, Woops! is a New York-based bakery chain specializing in macarons and other international pastries. Firmly anchored as the largest retailer of French macarons in the United States, Woops! operates more than 40 kiosk and in-line bakeshop locations throughout 18 states. For more information, visit www.bywoops.com. Media Contact: Cami Fannin Franchise Elevator PR (847) 239-8171 cfannin@franchiseelevator.com SOURCE Woops! ### Comments: Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus. Disqus Zambezi Magic (channel 160 on DStv) recently unveiled one of their exciting plans for the coming new year. They are looking for five new film concepts that depict the authentic African experience and reflect the nuances of the Southern African region. The call has been made to producers in Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Malawi, Namibia, and Eswatini. The deadline for submission of proposals is December 31st. Ahead of this submission, local Film and TV content producers were this week invited to a forum that seeks to devise strategies to respond to the Zambezi Magic call for content. The event was pencilled to take place in Gaborone, at the AFDA premises. Speakers for the event include AFDA Director, Tsholofelo Ntshingane, Tshepo Maphanyane, PR Specialist and Media Practitioner and Thembile Ndzinge, Corporate Affairs Manager for MultiChoice Botswana.Speaking prior to the event, event Coordinator, Gao Lemmenyane indicated that they organised the event for local content producers to take advantage of platforms such as Zambezi Magic. We want to galvanise people to submit in large numbers, he says. Lemmenyane also said they will share submission requirements with content producers as well as other valuable information that the latter might need as they work on their concepts. He further says that in the instance that some producers are successful in their submissions, this would go a long way in tilting the scales of the local industry. They will employ locals, and can also mentor other producers. This would go a long way in growing the standards of the industry, says Lemmenyane. He also says that there is a need for local content producers to take advantage of platforms that are out there other than government and complaining about Botswana Television. Quizzed on what could be leading to the non-existence of content on the DStv platform, he explains that one of the problems could be lack of knowledge on what is expected of them when it comes to conceptualising concepts, and bringing them to life. He further lamented that local consumers were subscribing to DStv, and yet there were no shows that are locally produced that are aired on DStv. We wish to shake up MultiChoice Botswana, because other countries are benefitting right now, says Lemmenyane giving the example of Zambia which is doing pretty well on the channel. Recently, it was revealed that since Zambezi Magic was launched in 2015, the channel has worked with over 20 production houses in the country through licensing and commissioning content. It has also been revealed that over 900 hours of local productions featured on Zambezi Magic, with shows such as Zuba, Zambias first telenovela, Fever and Date My Family Zambia becoming instant success stories. Furthermore, the channel has also held several workshops and onsite or on the job skills transfer programmes that has allowed Zambian producers to produce quality content fit for the international market. Closely behind Zambia, is Zimbabwe that has local films such as Love Is Not Enough, Accidental Small House and Jaiva Sbone. Other Zimbabwean shows such as Wedding Diaries, Makosi Today, Celebrate Life, Tonight with Zororo, Wine and Dine with Tumi, Zambezi News and The Arthur C. Evans Show are also featured on Zambezi Magic. Speaking recently at the MultiChoice Southern Africa Media Showcase 2018, Timothy Okwaro, Channel Director - East and Southern Africa Channels for M-Net revealed that the channel was established in 2015. The following year, he said they commissioned five shows. And so far, they have commissioned over 17 shows. One of the shows that they commissioned was Botswanas very own We Are All Blue, a production by Donald Molosi which premiered on Africa Day in 2017. It marked the first ever broadcast of a Botswana documentary film on the channel since its launch in 2015. For information about submission requirements check out https://submissions.mnetcorporate.co.za/ He also revealed that viewers can look forward to exciting new shows such as Our Perfect Wedding Zimbabwe, Date My Family Zambia and Date my Family Botswana. The new season of Zambias first-ever telenovela, Zuba, will continue into the new year alongside another telenovela, Mpali, which also made its season debut, he said. Okwaro also revealed that a brand new Zambian drama, called Turn of Fortune created by the father of film, renowned Lawrence Thompson will hit the small screen in the New Year. Free League City seeks help on Calder Road cold cases League City Police Department/Courtesy Digital composite images of two unknown women and DNA analysis were released by the League City Police Department on Monday. League City Police Department/Courtesy Digital composite images of two unknown women and DNA analysis were released by the League City Police Department. johnferguson / League City Police Department/Courtesy This digital composite image and DNA analysis was released by the League City Police Department on Monday. The analysis reveals new information about a woman whose body was found in a field near Calder Road in 1986, including that she may have had family ties to Tennessee. johnferguson / League City Police Department/Courtesy This digital composite image and DNA analysis was released by the League City Police Department on Monday. The analysis reveals new information about a woman whose body was found in a field near Calder Road in 1991, including that she may have had family ties to Louisiana. LEAGUE CITY Citing new DNA analysis on a pair of decades-old murder cases, the League City Police Department on Monday asked the public to help identify two women whose skeletal remains were found on Calder Road. The new analysis gives a better picture of what the women might have looked like and where they might have come from, the police department said. Investigators hope the new information will lead to a break in the cold cases, police department spokesman Kelly Williamson. Theyre two of the only cases we have unsolved, Williamson said. The womens bodies were found in a field off Calder Road more than five years apart, and are two of four bodies found in the area between 1984 and 1991. Two of those bodies were identified. The first, found in 1984, was 25-year-old Heide Fye, a League City woman who had disappeared in 1983. The second, found in 1986, was Laura Miller, a League City teenager who went missing in 1984. A second body was found about the time Millers was, but was never identified. The recently completed DNA analysis offers a clearer picture of what the women might have looked like, police said. One of the women was likely fair skinned, with blue or green eyes and blond or brown hair. She was estimated to be between 22 and 30 years old, and between 5 feet, 5 inches and 5 feet, 8 inches tall. She also had a noticeable gap in between her front teeth, according to police. The womans DNA also showed she had family in Tennessee, according to the analysis. The woman had been shot in the back with a small-caliber bullet, according to police. A group of people riding horses found the second woman in September 1991, police said. The new DNA testing connects the woman to Louisiana, police said. There was a strong possibility the woman had relatives in the southern part of the state, including the cities of Broussard, New Iberia, Abbeville and Breaux Bridge, and the parishes of St. Martin, Lafayette, Vermilion, St. Landry and Assumption. She was likely between 24 and 34 years old, and between 5 feet and 5 feet, 3 inches tall and weighed between 100 and 130 pounds. The woman had numerous old rib and spine injuries before her death, police said. She may have had problems moving her head or back because of those injuries, police said. The woman likely had fair skin, hazel eyes and brown hair, according to the DNA analysis. Parabon NanoLabs, a Virginia company that specializes in phenotyping the use of biological material to determine physical characteristics conducted the DNA testing, police said. The company uses the DNA to ascertain a persons ancestry, eye, hair and skin color, freckling and face shape. Police urged people who might recognize the women to call a cold case line set up for tips. The number for the line is 281-338-8220. Police hope the new composite images will help identify the women and lead to the arrests of their killers. The killings are a topic of frequent interest in League City, Williamson said. The two unidentified bodies are part of a group of bodies found near Calder Road that have led the area to become known as the Texas Killing Fields. No one has ever been convicted in connection with the bodies found in the Calder Road field. However, in 2014, authorities said they suspected a San Leon man was involved in the killings. Clyde Hedrick was convicted of manslaughter in the death of Ellen Rae Beason in 2014. Before Hedrick went to trial, prosecutors indicated they could seek to link Hedrick to the deaths of Fye and Miller. That connection was never made in the trial, and Hedrick has not been charged with additional crimes since he was convicted, according to Galveston County court records. Parabon NanoLabs has been used by at least one other local police department. In 2016, the Galveston Police Department released a composite image of a woman whose decapitated body was found on a West End beach in 1988. The son of the president of Austria plans to live in Georgia - GeorgianJournal ABC News(SACRAMENTO) -- A woman whose family home and property were destroyed by the deadly and devastating Camp Fire in Northern California has been reunited with both of her dogs, thanks in part, to the determination of an animal rescue volunteer. When the Camp Fire broke out in November, burning Andrea Gaylord's home to the ground, her two Anatolian shepherd-mix dogs -- Madison and Miguel -- went missing. The property had been in her family for 100 years, Gaylord said. "It is very sad to see but it will renew," she said of the destruction to ABC News affiliate KXTV-TV in Sacramento. "We're still sifting through the ashes." With neighborhoods completely wiped out and families not allowed to yet return to see the damage, volunteers like Shayla Sullivan were tasked with entering the fire zone and hopefully locating lost pets. Sullivan said in a social media post that workers had reported seeing both Madison and Miguel. On Nov. 24, Sullivan said, Gaylord told her that someone had messaged her via social media with a picture of Miguel. Sullivan said she was able to locate Miguel nearly 87 miles away. He'd been picked up by another rescue group. With Gaylord and her husband unable to drive and staying in a shelter, Sullivan offered to pick up Miguel and return him to his family. Meanwhile, Sullivan continued trying to locate Madison. "Shayla has been so helpful, you know, taking care of the dogs," Gaylord told ABC News affiliate KXTV-TV in Sacramento. "I have 141 phone calls on my cellphone from this gal, helping us find our dogs." Sullivan said she saw the dog roaming around but was unable to catch him despite leaving food and water near the Gaylord property. Finally, after speaking to Gaylord, Sullivan said the two came up with the idea to leave a piece of clothing at the property to lure Madison. On Wednesday, Sullivan shared that Gaylord had found Madison, after the family had finally been allowed to return to their property. Madison was found sitting guard on the family's land. Sullivan said it was the best moment getting that call. "Imagine the loyalty, of hanging in, through the worst of circumstances and being here waiting. It was so emotional," Gaylord told the station. "You could never ask for better animals." On Friday, Sullivan was present as Miguel, Madison and the Gaylords were all reunited. The Camp Fire, considered the most destructive fire in state history, burned for 18 days, destroyed thousands of homes and structures, and killed at least 85 people before it was contained Nov. 25. Sullivan and Gaylord marveled at the fact that neither dog had sustained injuries from the fire. "They're home," Sullivan said of the dogs. Copyright 2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. Metro Manila (December 11, CNN Philippines) While the Sandiganbayan acquitted former Senator Bong Revilla, it never said he is innocent, a former Supreme Court (SC) spokesperson said Tuesday. Speaking to CNN Philippines' The Source, former SC spokesperson Theodore Te said the anti-graft court only said there was not enough evidence to prove guilt beyond reasonable doubt. Te explained that the Rules of Court provides for two forms of acquittal one where the court finds that there is absolutely no proof beyond reasonable doubt and another where the court says the prosecution failed to prove the case beyond reasonable doubt. Highlights Former Supreme Court spokesperson Theodore Te says the Sandiganbayan never said former Senator Bong Revilla is innocent, even if it acquitted him of plunder. Te explains that the Sandiganbayan only said there was not enough evidence to prove guilt beyond reasonable doubt. He also says that it is possible for the anti-graft court to demand Revilla to return to the government 124.5 million even if he was not convicted as it was proven that money was taken out of government coffers. Revilla's acquittal cannot be appealed, but two previous acquittals were set aside because the court failed to properly appreciate the evidence and because the court committed grave abuse of discretion. In the Sandiganbayan's December 7 ruling, it said it was acquitting Revilla "for failure of the prosecution to establish beyond reasonable doubt that [he] received, directly or indirectly the rebates, commission, and kickbacks from his PDAF (Priority Development Assistance Fund.)" But Te questioned why the anti-graft court did not take into account the Anti-Money Laundering Council report concluding that Revilla and his immediate family members made several bank deposits to their accounts totalling to 87.26 million from 2006 to 2010, which matched with PDAF scam whistleblower Benhur Luy's ledger. "Those are questions that should have been answered in the decision to explain the acquittal to explain why there is no proof beyond reasonable doubt," Te said. The former SC spokesperson also questioned why the court gave much weight on the assertion of Revilla's camp that his signatures were forged in documents presented before it and why it did not focus on Richard Cambe's admission that he is not the former senator's chief of staff, but only a legislative officer in his office. "That was a significant finding and a significant admission by Mr. Cambe. Because if he wasn't the chief of staff, how do you get the power, how do you get the authority, how do you get the inside knowledge as to how much money there was?" Te said. "The money can only be released if the senator knows or has authorized the money to be released. It's his PDAF," Te said. "To say that he had no connection, he had no knowledge, I think that's a little bit incredible." READ: Napoles, Revilla staff can't plunder alone dissenting justices Justice Geraldine Faith Econg, who penned the decision, acknowledged that the decision to acquit Revilla is "unpopular but at the end of the day we are bound by evidence." Revilla can still be civilly liable While Revilla is acquitted, the Sandiganbayan is asking all of the accused to return 124.5 million to the national treasury a ruling which has been assailed by the former senator's camp, which insists that he cannot be held civilly liable while not being criminally liable. But Te said it is possible for an accused to be asked to pay civil damages, but be cleared of criminal charges. "He's (Revilla) not criminally liable because they were not able to prove beyond reasonable doubt, but the act of the money being transferred, being moved from the treasury, that was proven," he said. However, Te pointed out that there is nothing in the decision which establishes the basis for Revilla to return money to the treasury. He added that the Revilla camp should clarify with the anti-graft court its ruling as it is unclear whether the former senator is also being told to return public funds, along with Cambe and businesswoman Janet Lim-Napoles, who were found guilty of plunder. The Sandiganbayan's ruling only says that the "accused are held solidarily and jointly liable" to return 124.5 million, but does not exactly name who should return the said amount to government coffers. However, the ruling still identifies Revilla as an "accused." Law experts have also said that it is possible for Revilla to be acquitted, due to the failure of the prosecution to prove his guilt beyond reasonable doubt, but still be required to pay back the government, as the Sandiganbayan found that there is enough evidence against him. Ombudsman Samuel Martires said they do not plan to appeal Revilla's acquittal as this would put the former senator under double jeopardy, which is prohibited by the Constitution. Overturning the acquittal However, Te, while siding with Martires, said there have been at least two cases where an acquittal was overturned because the court failed to properly appreciate the evidence and because the court committed grave abuse of discretion. Te said a court could commit grave abuse of discretion when it exhibited manifest partiality, refused to follow SC decisions and disregarded authorities of the SC. "Mahirap sabihin dito [sa Revilla case] kasi [It's hard to say here in Revilla's case because] this looks like appreciation of evidence," he said. One such case is the SC's junking of the acquittal of military officials in the assassination of former Senator Ninoy Aquino and Rolando Galman in August 1981. The SC held then that the Sandiganbayan held a sham trial of the case orchestrated by the late strongman Ferdinand Marcos, which resulted in the prosecution losing its right to due process. The Malacanang has said that it is bowing to the decision of the Sandiganbayan and reiterated that it does not interfere with the judiciary. In a 2017 speech, President Rodrigo Duterte questioned why the Office of the Ombudsman "can't just wind up the cases against the senators," referring to Revilla, and former Senators Juan Ponce Enrile and Jinggoy Estrada. "You know, it's sauce for the goose, sauce for the gander. If you allow a certain person to post bail, there is absolutely no ground legal or otherwise na bakit 'yung iba, hindi mo rin gawin? [Why don't you allow the others?]" Duterte said. The President said this after Enrile was allowed to post bail for humanitarian reasons on plunder charges in connection with the PDAF scam. Estrada had also been able to post bail for plunder, a non-bailable offense. Enrile, Estrada and Revilla are running for senator in the May 2019 polls. The latter two have received the backing of Hugpong ng Pagbabago, the regional political party of President Duterte's daughter, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte. In his first speech after being detained for four years, Revilla said he will clear the family's name from corruption allegations. The SC outlawed in 2013 that the PDAF, colloquially known as the pork barrel fund, as it allowed lawmakers to intervene, assume and participate in the execution of the budget without the authorization of Congress. The ruling came after it was revealed that some lawmakers allegedly siphoned public funds by channeling them through bogus non-government organizations of Napoles. Honor View20 showcased with a 48 Sony primary camera and an in-screen selfie camera News oi-Vivek Honor View20 will debut on the 26th of December in China The Honor View10 was one of the most affordable smartphones from the Huawei's e-smartphone brand with the Kirin 970 SoC and other exquisites like 6 GB of RAM and 128 GB of internal storage. Later in 2018, the company released a modified version of the View10 called the Honor 10 with more sophisticated design, which makes it look premium. Honor has now showcased the world's first smartphone with an in-screen camera design (all-view display), similar to the one found on the Samsung Galaxy A8s. The company will officially launch the Honor View20 on the 26th of December in China, preceded by the global launch in Paris on the 22nd of January 2019. The company hasn't revealed much about the features or the specifications of the Honor View20. Here are some of the interesting feature of the upcoming flagship smartphone from Honor. Powered by the mightly Kirin 980 SoC The Kirin 980 is the flagship SoC from Huawei, which powers the Huawei Mate 20 Pro and the Honor Magic 2. Considering the previous pricing strategy, the Honor View20 could be the most affordable smartphone to use the 7nm Mobile Solution from Huawei. The company has also confirmed that the Honor View20 will be the world's first smartphone to come equipped with the Sony IMX586 sensor with a whopping 48 MP resolution. The Sony IMX586 is a 1/2.0-inch CMOS sensor with 4-in-1 light fusion, four times sensor HDR and offers AI features as well. The display will have a small circular cutout on the top right corner with a diameter of 4.5mm to house the selfie camera to offer higher screen to body ratio. This can also be called as the next generation notch. With respect to design, the Honor View20 will offer a premium design with 5-axis ring dispensing technology with 0.1mm precision assembly with a custom camera lens. Lastly, the Honor will make the honor for the latest connectivity technology called "Link Turbo," which uses both Wi-Fi and LTE network to offer un-interrupted streaming and downloading. Considering the features mentioned above, the Honor View20 is expected to cost similar to the OnePlus 6T. As of now, there is no information on the launch of the Honor View20 in India. Best Mobiles in India Facebook, To stay updated with latest technology news & gadget reviews, follow GizBot on Twitter YouTube and also subscribe to our notification. Allow Notifications Lenovo Z5s new teaser reveals Snapdragon 678 SoC and Android 9 Pie News oi-Sandeep Sarkar Lenovo will launch the Z5s on December 18 in its hometown China. Lenovo Z5s is the latest mid-range smartphone which the Chinese smartphone manufacturer is expected to bring for the masses this month. Lenovo has already teased the upcoming Lenovo Z5s on Weibo where it had revealed that the device will be released on December 18th 2018 in company's hometown China. Earlier the smartphone was slated to launch on December 6, however, the company had delayed the release date of the device. Besides the launch date, the teaser also showcased the design of the Z5s. Now, the Z5s has been suggested again by a new teaser highlighting the hardware of the device. The Lenovo Z5s has been teased once again on Weibo and this time it is not just the design that is being highlighted, the latest teaser reveals some information on the expected specifications and features that the device will offer. The latest teaser shared on Weibo suggests that the Lenovo Z5s will make use of a mid-range Snapdragon 678 chipset. The teaser didn't reveal the RAM with which the Snapdragon 678 processor will be paired. However, the teaser does reveal that the smartphone will ship with Android 9 pie straight out-of-the-box. This is the only primary information which has been shared via the teaser on Weibo. Some of the other leaks and rumours surrounding the Lenovo Z5s gives us a fair idea about the expected specs and features which the device will pack. A recent TENNA listing of the Lenovo Z5s hints that the device will flaunt a big 6.3-inch display panel which will have an aspect ratio of 18:9. The Z5s will utilize a triple-lens rear camera module which is expected to be stacked vertically at the back panel. The Lenovo Z5s will also feature a rear-mounted fingerprint scanner for device protection. The aforementioned complete package is said to be backed by a small 3,210mAh battery unit. Image Courtesy- Weibo Best Mobiles in India Facebook, To stay updated with latest technology news & gadget reviews, follow GizBot on Twitter YouTube and also subscribe to our notification. Allow Notifications Oppo unveils Find X 5G Prototype News oi-Priyanka Dua The prototype demonstrated 5G data connectivity and applications including browsing, online video replay and video call using the Find X 5G prototype. Chinese smartphone maker Oppo has unveiled its Find X 5G Prototype for the first time at the 2018 China Mobile Global Partners Conference. The OPPO Find X 5G prototype is built on engineering sample Snapdragon 855 and X50 5G modem. The prototype demonstrated 5G data connectivity and applications including browsing, online video replay and video call using the Find X 5G prototype. Speaking at the conference, Brian Shen, OPPO Global Vice President and President of China Business, said: "We are confident OPPO will be one of the first companies to launch commercial 5G smartphones in 2019." As a pioneer in the 5G era, OPPO has been working on 5G standards, product R&D and the exploration of applications since early in 2015 and has made a series of leading achievements." Shen said, "In May 2018, OPPO completed the world's first 5G 3D video call featuring structured light technology and proposed the concept of "Ubiquitous Reality". OPPO then completed one of the world's first 5G signaling and data connections on a smartphone in August and became the first company to complete a 5G Internet access test on a smartphone in October. In its latest 5G milestone, on November 30th OPPO made the world's first multiparty video call on a smartphone via a 5G network." Furthermore, Oppo will continue deepening its collaboration with Qualcomm, network infrastructure manufacturers telecom service providers and other supply chain partners. In China, OPPO will work with China Mobile to accelerate the commercialization of 5G devices and build a new ecosystem for the 5G industry through China Mobile's '5G Device Forerunner Initiative'. Outside China, OPPO is in talks with telecom service providers in Europe, Australia, and other overseas markets, with plans to launch commercial 5G products next year. Levin Liu, Head of OPPO Research Institute, added that "OPPO will drive the advancement of 5G together with AI, Big data and Cloud Computing (5G + ABC), making smartphones and smart devices true 'intelligent personal assistants'. We believe that rich 5G application scenarios and killer 5G applications will emerge in the future, bringing disruptive experiences to users." Best Mobiles in India Facebook, To stay updated with latest technology news & gadget reviews, follow GizBot on Twitter YouTube and also subscribe to our notification. Allow Notifications Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9+ users in the US receiving new Android Pie beta update News oi-Sandeep Sarkar The new beta update for both the Samsung Galaxy S9 and the Galaxy S9+ weighs a total of 598MB and comes with a build number G960USQU3ZRL5. Samsung Galaxy S9 was the recent flagship offering by Samsung which was released back in March this year. The smartphone shipped with Android 8.1 Oreo out-of-the-box and was lined up to receive the latest Android 9 Pie update. The smartphone has already received two Android Pie Beta update in the past and now, it is receiving another Android Pie Beta update which suggests that the smartphone is close to receive the stable version of Android update which is expected to be available for the masses next year in 2019. Samsung has recently begun releasing the new version of Android Pie beta update for both its flagship Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ smartphones. The report is shared by SamMobile and as per them; the update is currently being rolled out to the users in the USA who have enrolled for the Android Pie Beta program. It is immediately not clear when this update will make its way to the other regions. The new beta update for both the Samsung Galaxy S9 and the Galaxy S9+ weighs a total of 598MB and comes with a build number G960USQU3ZRL5. The update brings along a bunch of tweaks and improvements along with the December 2018 security patch. The update is said to improve the overall performance of the Galaxy flagships. As for the changelog listing, the latest update brings along fixes for a number of bugs and issues such as the issue related to the night mode, freezing dialer screen, an issue with Samsung Pass Autofill, update errors on Play Store and Samsung App store, alarm issues and lift-to-wake amongst others. Samsung Galaxy S9 specifications and features: The Samsung Galaxy S9 adorns an impressive 5.8-inch Super AMOLED display panel with a screen resolution of 1440 x 2960 pixels. The display has a Corning Gorilla Glass 5 on top for added screen protection. The imaging aspects of the Galaxy s9 includes a single-lens rear camera module comprising of a dual pixel 12MP camera with f/2.4 aperture featuring laser combination, OIS, panorama, hyperlapse and others. Up front, you get an 8MP camera with a f/1.7 aperture that captures selfies. At its core, the Galaxy S9 draws its power from an octa-core Exynos 9810 chipset clubbed with Mali-G72 MP18 GPU. The device comes with 4GB of RAM and is available in two storage variants including 64GB and 256GB of onboard storage. The internal storage on the device is further expandable up to 400GB via microSD card slot. The above-mentioned entire package is fuelled by a 3,000mAh Li-Ion battery unit. Best Mobiles in India Facebook, To stay updated with latest technology news & gadget reviews, follow GizBot on Twitter YouTube and also subscribe to our notification. Allow Notifications Woman Accused By U.S. Of Working As Russian Agent May Plead Guilty By RFE/RL December 10, 2018 A Russian woman accused of working as an unregistered foreign agent in the United States has reached a deal with prosecutors, a possible indication she may change her plea to guilty. Maria Butina, 30, was arrested in July, accused of working for years to cultivate relationships with U.S. political organizations and conservative activists. Butina, who is being held without bail, initially pleaded not guilty to charges of acting as an unregistered agent for the Russian government. However, court document released December 10 indicated that prosecutors and her defense lawyers have reached an unspecified deal, asking a U.S. court to set a date for a change-of-plea hearing this week. That's an indication she may change her plea to guilty. The lawyers said that "the parties have resolved this matter, and the defendant Maria Butina remains in custody." They did not say what the final charge would be. The Justice Department alleged that her efforts were part of the Russian government's secret campaign to try to influence high-level Republican politicians, including Donald Trump, both as a candidate and after his election as U.S. president. Butina ran a small Russian group called the Right to Bear Arms that appears to have been funded in part by Russian politician Aleksandr Torshin, an ally of President Vladimir Putin. Before her arrest, Butina had built up a network of prominent Republican contacts in Washington, including at the influential National Rifle Association, while working toward a master's degree in political science at a Washington, D.C. university. Since her arrest, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has repeatedly complained about her detention to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, U.S. prosecutors noted. With reporting by Reuters, AFP, and TASS Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/accused-russian-agent -butina-poised-to-plead-guilty-according -to-court-filing/29648654.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. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russian National Butina Seeks Hearing to Plead Guilty - Court Filing Sputnik News 19:44 10.12.2018 WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - Russian national Maria Butina is seeking a hearing as soon as possible to change her plea on criminal charges of acting as a foreign agent for Russia in the United States, a newly published court filing showed on Monday. "The Defendant Maria Butina, by counsel, and the government, by and through its attorney, the United States Attorney for the District of Columbia, respectfully file this joint motion to set a change of plea hearing in the above-captioned matter and request a hearing at the Court's earliest convenience," it said. The parties said they were ready to conduct the hearing either on December 11 between 9 and 11 a.m., or anytime on Wednesday, or at any hour on Thursday except between 1:30 and 3:00 p.m., the document said. "The parties have resolved this matter, and the Defendant Maria Butina remains in custody," the filing said. Another document, signed by Butina's lawyers, said that she does not oppose the disclosing the sealed portion of a transcript of a joint telephone conference held by the court on December 6. At the time of the conference, the judge ordered most of the transcript sealed. Butina previously pleaded "not guilty" to charges of acting as a foreign agent and conspiracy to act as an agent of the Russian Federation in the United States. After Monday's court filing, it remained unclear whether Butina would change her plea to "guilty" for one or both charges, which carry combined prison sentences of up to 15 years. US authorities arrested Butina in mid-July. Russian authorities have criticized the US government for arresting Butina, insisting that the charges against her are groundless. The Russian Foreign Ministry has said the charges against Butina were trumped-up and called her ongoing detention unacceptable. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address DOD Spokesman: As U.S. Provides Aid to Central, South America, Russia Sends Bombers Dec. 10, 2018 By David Vergun Defense.gov WASHINGTON -- Medical personnel aboard the hospital ship USNS Comfort have thus far treated more than 20,000 civilians, and performed more than 600 surgeries in several Central and South American nations, Army Col. Rob Manning, a Pentagon spokesman, told reporters today. The Comfort is currently treating patients in Honduras. A number of people who were treated are refugees from Venezuela who fled to neighboring nations, Manning said. "Contrast this with Russia, whose approach to the man-made disaster in Venezuela is to send strategic bomber aircraft instead of humanitarian assistance," he said. "The Venezuelan government should be focusing on providing humanitarian assistance and aid to lessen the suffering of its people, and not on Russian warplanes." Making a Difference Medical personnel from the Comfort are making a tremendous difference on the ground, Manning continued. "This is medical aid that civilians would not otherwise have access to," he added. "Their presence speaks to how we see being a neighbor in the Western Hemisphere and how we see the importance of providing humanitarian assistance to those that otherwise would not have it." The Venezuelan health care system is all but collapsed and can't provide aid to its citizens, Manning said. "We stand with the Venezuelan citizen during their time of need," he told reporters. "That's what the symbol of the Comfort means." The crisis in Venezuela can be resolved only by the restoration of a democratic government's rule of law and respect for fundamental human rights and freedoms, Manning said. Pentagon officials said two Russian heavy strategic bombers Tupolev TU-160 Blackjacks, which can fly at supersonic speeds are in Venezuela, along with all of the required maintenance and refueling capabilities. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address US commanding aggression against Yemen: Al-Houthi IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Tehran, Dec 10, IRNA -- Head of the Supreme Revolutionary Committee of Yemen emphasized that Washington commanded the aggression and military strikes against Yemen. Mohammed Ali alHouthi wrote on his Twitter page on Sunday night, 'The position of the American foreign ministry indicates the fact that the country bears the command of aggression on Yemen and is against the establishment of peace in our country. It also appears that Washington's positions are being exported from the Ministry of Defense, and the recent rhetoric of the White House is due to the fact.' 'Are the two American ministries of State and Defense disagreeing with each other or compete with each other over the Saudi and the UAE money,' he asked. The United States wants to continue support to the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen's war and will remain engaged in efforts to combat Iranian influence and Islamist militancy in the Arab state, a US State Department official said on Sunday. "There are pressures in our system ... to either withdraw from the conflict or discontinue our support for the coalition, which we are strongly opposed to on the administration's side," said Timothy Lenderking. 9455**2050 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address 455 Saudi mercenaries killed in Yemen in 7 days IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Tehran, Dec 10, IRNA The Yemeni army and popular committees announced that 455 Saudi forces have been killed in Yemen over the past 7 days. According to Yemeni media 'Saba', Saudi military forces have conducted 13 operations all of which were foiled by Yemeni forces. Some of the injured Saudi forces have been hospitalized in Ma'arib, a source said on the condition of anonymity. Meanwhile, Spokesman for Yemeni Armed Forces Brigadier General Yahya Saree told Saba that Saudi forces escalated attack on the occasion of starting the second round of peace talks in Yemen. Saudi Arabia and a number of its regional allies launched a devastating military campaign against Yemen in March 2015, with the aim of bringing the government of Mansour Hadi back to power and crushing the country's Houthi Ansarullah Movement. Some 16,000 Yemenis have been killed and thousands more injured since the onset of the Saudi-led aggression. The assaults of the Saudi-led coalition forces have failed to stop the Yemenis from resisting the aggression. Earlier, the Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif in a message expressed Iran's support for the intra-Yemeni talks to resolve the crisis. "Iran supports the upcoming intra-Yemeni talks in Sweden. All sides should enter constructive and responsible engagement to end the crisis in #Yemen. The world has historic responsibility to back dialogue incl by halting arming of aggressors," Zarif wrote on his Twitter account. 9376**2050 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Helicopter crash injures 5 in Kandahar IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Kabul, Dec 10, IRNA -- Kandahar Governorate spokesmen announced on Monday that an army helicopter crashed in Kandahar airport and 5 people on board were injured. According to local media, Aziz Ahmad Azizi said that the accident happened due to technical problems. Meanwhile, Farah Province sources reported that Taliban attack on Ghalezaman and Surghaleh districts killed 10 police officers and injured some others. Earlier on Sunday, Taliban shadow governor for Paktika province, Pir Agha, was killed in an operation with Afghan army forces. 9376**1771 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Yemen's Ansarullah: Closing Sana'a airport, war crime IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Tehran, Dec 10, IRNA -- The deposed government of Yemen will not take control of Aden airport and closing Sana'a airport is a war crime, head of Ansarullah delegation in Sweden peace talks said. According to a Sunday report by the Yemeni TV Channel 'Al-Masirah', Mohammad Abdul Salam called for reaching agreement on a transition stage and promoting plans to build trust between the two parties. There is no difference in the overall framework and the measures taken for building trust which have been proposed by the United Nations, Abdul Salam said. If the aggressors try to bring negotiations to a failure, confronting enemies will be the only way, he added. Yemen is ready to release all war prisoners, he said. Abdul Salam called for identifying the fate of Yemeni prisoners kept in the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. Elsewhere in his remarks, the Yemeni official underscored the role of foreign countries in the Yemeni war. The intra-Yemeni talks which were earlier supposed to be held on September 6 postponed due to Saudis' sabotage. The first round of the Yemeni peace talks were held in December 2015 in Geneva but the meeting produced no results. Earlier, the Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif in a message expressed Iran's support for the intra-Yemeni talks to resolve the crisis. "Iran supports the upcoming intra-Yemeni talks in Sweden. All sides should enter constructive and responsible engagement to end the crisis in #Yemen. The world has historic responsibility to back dialogue incl by halting arming of aggressors," he tweeted earlier. The Iranian foreign ministry has also offered the country's support for the upcoming Yemen talks in Sweden, calling on all Yemeni sides to have a "constructive and responsible" engagement in the Stockholm talks with the goal of putting an end to the humanitarian crisis in Yemen. Saudi Arabia and a number of its regional allies launched a devastating military campaign against Yemen in March 2015, with the aim of bringing the government of Mansour Hadi back to power and crushing the country's Houthi Ansarullah Movement. Some 16,000 Yemenis have been killed and thousands more injured since the onset of the Saudi-led aggression. The assaults of the Saudi-led coalition forces have failed to stop the Yemenis from resisting the aggression. 9376**2044 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Houthi, former Yemeni govt. delegations agree to prisoner swap Iran Press TV Mon Dec 10, 2018 06:52PM Yemen's Houthi Ansarullah movement and the country's former Saudi-backed government say they have reached an agreement to carry out a mass prisoner swap, finalizing a key issue at UN-brokered peace negotiations in Sweden. An unnamed adviser to the Houthi delegation in Sweden told AFP on Monday that the list of names would be completed by the end of the day, adding, "There might be an announcement of dates." Meanwhile, Haid Haig, the head of the Saudi-backed former Yemeni government delegation tasked with the swap, separately told AFP that the deal would be completely implemented by the end of January. "We agreed ... the deal would be complete within 48 days," he said, adding that the list of names should be "mutually handed over by end of day today." According to Haig, between 1,500 and 2,000 members of the pro-government forces and between 1,000 and 1,500 Houthi fighters would be released during the swap. The peace talks, brokered by United Nations Special Envoy Martin Griffiths and his team, began in the rural village of Rimbo on Thursday, aiming to end a nearly four-years-long brutal war imposed by Saudi Arabia on the impoverished nation. Leading a coalition of its allies, including the UAE and Sudan, the Arab kingdom invaded Yemen in March 2015 in an attempt to reinstall former president, Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi, who had resigned amid popular discontent and fled to Riyadh. The imposed war initially consisted of an aerial campaign, but was later coupled with a naval blockade and the deployment of ground mercenaries to Yemen. Furthermore, armed militia forces loyal to Hadi, in line with invaders, launch frequent attacks against Yemeni people in regions held by Houthis. Since the onset of aggression, the Yemeni army, backed by fighters from Houthi Ansarullah movement, has been defending the impoverished nation against the invaders. The coalition is also resolute to crush the movement as another goal in its war on Yemen, which is teetering on the edge of famine. The aggression is estimated to have left 56,000 Yemenis dead. Riyadh had declared at the start of the invasion that the war would take no more than a couple of weeks. Since the onset of the operation against Hudaydah, the humanitarian situation has worsened in Yemen due to a broad economic collapse. More than 70 percent of Yemen's imports used to pass through the docks of the vital port. The situation has particularly worsened in Yemen in recent months due to a broad economic collapse after a full-scale offensive by UAE forces and those of Hadi, was launched against the Houthi-held port city of Hudaydah in June. More than 70 percent of Yemen's imports used to pass through the docks of Hudaydah, which is currently under a tight siege imposed by the invaders. The so-called liberation operation, however, failed to achieve its objective of overrunning the vital port, and defeating Houthi fighters. The fate of Hudaydah is another hot issue in the peace talks. The so-called Yemeni government, led by Hadi, proposed through its representatives in the peace talks on Friday that the Houthis must hand over the vital port. However, Mohammed Abdulsalam, the head of the Houthi delegation at the peace talks, strongly rejected the proposal, saying that Hudaydah must be kept apart from the military conflict, and that a government should be formed first before all parties are disarmed. Additionally on Monday, and according to a document seen by AFP, the UN proposed Yemen's Houthis to pull out from Hudaydah as part of a ceasefire deal placing the flashpoint port city under the control of a joint committee and supervised by the world body. It further stipulates that the Saudi-led military coalition should cease all airstrikes and ground attacks against Hudaydah in exchange for a Houthi withdrawal. The Houthi movement has not yet commented on the UN proposal. Both Houthis and the former government have already said they would accept UN supervision of Hudaydah if it were under their sole control. The Saudi-led war has also taken a heavy toll on the country's infrastructure, destroying hospitals, schools, and factories. The UN has said that a record 22.2 million Yemenis are in dire need of food, including 8.4 million threatened by severe hunger. According to the world body, Yemen is suffering from the most severe famine in more than 100 years. A number of Western countries, the US and Britain in particular, are also accused of being complicit in the ongoing aggression as they supply the Riyadh regime with advanced weapons and military equipment as well as logistical and intelligence assistance. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address At least 14 Trump associates interacted with Russians during election: Report Iran Press TV Mon Dec 10, 2018 02:32PM Russian citizens made contact with at least 14 associates of US President Donald Trump during his 18-month election campaign and presidential transition period, according to reports in US media. The Russians included Moscow's ambassador to Washington, a deputy prime minister, a weightlifter, a lawyer and a Soviet army veteran with alleged intelligence ties, The Washington Post reported Sunday. The Russian citizens also made contact with Trump's closest family and friends, as well as figures on the periphery of his orbit, the newspaper said, citing public records and interviews. They offered to help Trump's election campaign and his real estate business, while others offered dirt on his Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton. The Russian nationals also suggested Trump should hold a peacemaking meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. "It is extremely unusual," said Michael McFaul, who served as ambassador to Russia under President Barack Obama. "Both the number of contacts and the nature of the contacts are extraordinary." The number of known interactions has grown since last year, when The Washington Post tallied that at least nine Trump associates had contacts with Russians during the campaign or presidential transition. The president's oldest children, Donald Trump Jr. and Ivanka Trump, interacted with Russians who were offering to help the candidate. Ivanka's husband, top campaign adviser Jared Kushner, as well as Trump's campaign chairman Paul Manafort, his personal lawyer Michael Cohen and his longest-serving political adviser, Roger Stone, also had contact with Russian nationals. Cohen has pleaded guilty to evading taxes and violating election finance laws. He has also pleaded guilty to an additional charge of lying to Congress over matters related to the Russia investigation. Former officials involved in past White House races told the Post that so much interplay with representatives of a foreign adversary is highly unusual. The report comes as new court documents filed in the past two weeks by prosecutors in the office of US Special Counsel Robert Mueller revealed the Russian outreach was more extensive than previously known. Mueller, however, has not yet shown that any of the dozens of interactions between people in Trump's orbit and Russians resulted in any specific coordination between his presidential campaign and Russia. Trump has repeatedly denied that people close to him coordinated with Russia, calling Mueller's investigation a "witch hunt." Moscow has also denied any interference in US elections. Members of the Democratic Party in Congress and other Trump critics fear that newly appointed acting US Attorney General Matthew Whitaker, a Trump loyalist, could fire Mueller or undermine the investigation by cutting off its funding. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address US sold most weapons last year, Russia distant second: SIPRI Iran Press TV Mon Dec 10, 2018 08:51AM American weapons makers continue to dominate the global arms trade, accounting for over half of all the weapons sold in the world last year while Russia continued to gradually expand its market, a new study shows. The new international arms industry data released by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) on Monday showed that global weapons sales reached $398.2 billion last year. Raking in the highest profits were 42 American companies with overall sales of $226.6 billion, a whopping 57 percent of all arms deals signed by the world's Top 100 arms makers. That's a two-percent increase in sales compared to 2016. The US-based company Lockheed Martin remained on top of the 100 largest military companies, with sales amounting to $44 billion -- no other company in the industry could get close. In comparison, Germany's largest defense group, Dusseldorf-based Rheinmetall AG, didn't even sell a tenth of that amount. With total sales capping out at $3.4 billion, Rheinmetall only ranked 25th on the list. According to SIPRI, Lockheed Martin's success was largely due to the US military's need for newer and more advanced weapon systems, including the F-35 Lightning stealth warplanes and the C-130 Hercules transport aircraft. The company is also working with the Pentagon to come up with a response to China and Russia's plans to develop an expensive "hypersonic missile" that can easily bypass conventional missile defense systems. "US companies directly benefit from the US Department of Defense's ongoing demand for weapons," wrote Aude Fleurant, the director of SIPRI's Arms and Military Expenditure Program. Boeing was the world's second-largest arms manufacturer during the same period, having enjoyed a boost in sales after US President Donald Trump commissioned the company to build two Air Force One jets for his travels under a $3.9 billion contract. The American head of state has repeatedly called for increasing the military spending and renovating America's weapons. Russia comes second Lining up behind the US in a distant second position was Russia, which had 10 companies in the Top 100 list and managed to knock the UK down to the third position. Together, the Russian companies accounted for 9.5 percent of global weapons sales last year, which translates into $37.7 billion, SIPRI said. Almaz-Antey, Russia's state-owned company which mainly produces anti-aircraft systems, became the first ever Russian company to enter the top 10. The company increased its sales by 17 percent in 2017 to $8.6 billion. According to SIPRI, Moscow's interest in modernizing its arsenal was the main reason for the jump. "Russian companies have experienced significant growth in their arms sales since 2011," SIPRI senior researcher Siemon Wezeman said in a statement. "This is in line with Russia's increased spending on arms procurement to modernize its armed forces." UK slips to third Despite losing the second place to Russia, the UK remained the largest weapons manufacturer in western Europe with sales of $35.7 billion, followed by France. British arms maker BAE Systems was the only European manufacturer to make it into the top 5 in the world. Besides involvement in the construction of the European fighter aircraft Eurofighter Typhoon, the UK-based company has enjoyed increasing sales through its dealings with Saudi Arabia over the past years. Riyadh has been using the weapons against the people of Yemen since March 2015. The UK banks heavily on arms sales as a source of revenue after leaving the European Union. Making their way up in the list were Turkish companies, which increased their sales by 24 percent. The rising numbers indicated Ankara's "ambitions to develop its arms industry to fulfill its growing demand for weapons and become less dependent on foreign suppliers," Pieter Wazeman, another SIPRI researcher, said. India, meanwhile, accounted for 1.9 percent of all sales with a total of $7.5 billion. SIPRI's report excluded Chinese companies due to a lack of available data. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Indian troops kill 3 militants in Kashmir, spark local protests Iran Press TV Mon Dec 10, 2018 07:00AM Indian troops have killed at least three pro-independence militants in New Delhi-controlled Kashmir's main city, Srinagar, prompting angry protests by residents against the Indian government. Clashes broke out on Sunday between Indian forces and the Kashmiris, who were protesting the killings in Srinigar, according to local media. Government troops fired warning shots, shotgun pellets and tear gas to disperse the stone-throwing demonstrators. Indian police said the three militants were killed in an earlier exchange of fire with government troops, which lasted for 18 hours. Two of the victims were teenagers. During the operation, the locals said, Indian forces had laid siege to a neighborhood on the outskirts of the city in search of the militants, blowing up at least five houses with explosives there. The explosions prompted local residents to make efforts to reach the site of the attack. Kashmir is divided between rival nuclear powers India and Pakistan, which both claim the territory in its entirety. The majority of the people in the Muslim-dominant region support the militants who demand either independence or a merger with Pakistan, often participating in civilian street protests against Indian control. Over the years, violence between the two sides has resulted in the death of nearly 70,000 people, mostly civilians. New Delhi accuses Islamabad of arming and training the autonomy-seeking militants. Pakistan strongly rejects the claim. The two neighbors have fought several wars over the region since their partition and independence from Britain in 1947. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address War Preparations? Large US Military Drill Simulates Forcible Entry Operation Sputnik News 22:06 10.12.2018(updated 22:33 10.12.2018) The US Air Force conducted a large drill to simulate an invasion of foreign territory in Nevada over the weekend. A slew of cargo-carrying C-17 and C-130 aircraft were detected flying in a "conga line" for an exercise called Joint Forcible Entry 18, which took place in the southwest region of the US, The Drive reports. The point of the drill is to rehearse an operation in which air and ground forces cross into foreign territory en masse and set up shop against an armed, world-class adversary. Aircraft trackers like CivMilAir provided some snapshots of what kinds of aircraft were flying and what their positions were during the exercise, which was held December 8. The drill primarily involved aircraft from Air Mobility Command, according to The Drive, suggesting this was an exercise for the US Air Force's AMC to practice in the event it was called upon for such a task. Joint forcible entry exercises are all hands on deck tasks. Personnel and assets from the Marines, Army, Navy, Air Force and Special Operations would all be called upon for one of these types of operations, according to US joint doctrine. Last year, the US Air Force's Air Mobility Command conducted a comparable exercise with British, Australian, New Zealander and Canadian forces. One of the US commanders overseeing the drills said at the time that 13 C-17 Globemasters and 19 C-130 Hercules dropped equipment and 377 soldiers into an airfield in Washington state. "Joint planning and collaboration between the staffs and the commands is imperative," US Army Lt. Col. Ricky Taylor said in a news release at the time. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Norwegian F-16 Jets Shadowed Russian Tu-160s en Route to Venezuela - MoD Sputnik News 20:45 10.12.2018(updated 21:19 10.12.2018) MOSCOW, December 10 (Sputnik) - Two Russian Tu-160 strategic bombers, an An-124 heavy-lift military transport aircraft and an IL-62 plane have carried out a flight from Russia to Venezuela, landing at the Simon Bolivar International Airport in capital Caracas, the Russian Defense Ministry said Monday. Russian Tu-160 strategic bombers were shadowed by F-16 fighter jets of the Norwegian Air Force at certain stages of their flight to Venezuela, the Russian Defense Ministry said Monday. "At certain stages of the flight, the Tu-160 bombers were followed by F-16 fighter aircraft of the Norwegian Air Force while the flight was carried out in strict accordance with the international rules on the use of airspace," the ministry's press service said in a statement. The ministry earlier reported that two Russian Tu-160 strategic bombers landed on December 10 at the Simon Bolivar International Airport in Venezuelan capital of Caracas. According to the ministry, the flight was conducted over the Atlantic Ocean, the Barents Sea, the Sea of Norway and the Caribbean Sea. The planes have flown a distance of over 10,000 kilometers (about 6,213 miles). "The flight was carried out in strict accordance with the international regulations on the use of airspace," the ministry said in a statement. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Armenia Has No Plans to Become NATO Member - Acting Prime Minister Pashinyan Sputnik News 18:22 10.12.2018 YEREVAN (Sputnik) - Acting Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said Monday his country had no plans to join NATO. "We have no plans to be a member of NATO," Pashinyan told reporters. Pashinyan's announcement comes after the prime minister's My Step alliance won the country's snap parliamentary election on Sunday with over 70 percent of the vote. Armenia has been at odds for decades with Azerbaijan over control of Nagorno-Karabakh after the Armenian-populated region split from Azerbaijan in 1988 and announced independence three years later, triggering a war. The European Union sided with Azerbaijan in not recognizing the region's independence. However, the EU has supported Pashinyan's rise to power and promised the nation "concrete support" to reforms, including through technical and financial assistance. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Arab NATO Still On, Talks With US on Defence Pact Continuing Riyadh Sputnik News 17:02 10.12.2018 The fate of the proposed alliance was put into question in recent months after the death of Jamal Khashoggi, a Washington Post journalist who was killed in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in early October. Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir has confirmed that Gulf states remain in talks with Washington on the creation of a regional security alliance directed against Iran. "Talks are continuing between the United States and the Gulf states around this question and ideas are being drawn up," the senior diplomat said, speaking at a press conference following a Gulf Cooperation Council meeting in Riyadh on Sunday, AFP has reported. "The aim is to achieve security arrangements in the Middle East that can protect the region from external aggressionand strengthen relations between the United States and the countries of the region," al-Jubeir added. The security pact is "a work in progress and the two parties want to see it happen," the foreign minister stressed, noting that the proposed alliance, called the Middle East Strategic Alliance (MESA) would also include Egypt. US President Donald Trump revived the Obama-era concept of an anti-Iranian alliance of Gulf state nations in 2017 in an effort to stop what Washington and its allies have alleged are Iran's "malign activities" in the region. Last month, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo met with Qatar's deputy prime minister in Washington to try to iron out differences between Doha and Riyadh to move forward with the alliance idea. Two months before that, Pompeo hosted the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, and the United Arab Emirates in New York to move forward with the project, with a press release on that meeting saying the participants engaged in "productive discussions." The traditional strategic alliance between Washington and Riyadh took a hit in recent months following the murder of Jamal Khashoggi, a Saudi journalist and Washington Post contributor who had expressed criticism of the Saudi monarchy. Riyadh firmly denied all allegations that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was involved in Khashoggi's killing, and launched an internal investigation to bring those responsible for what it said was a "rogue operation" to justice. However, last Wednesday, a group of US senators including Democrat Dianne Feinstein and Republicans Lindsey Graham and Macro Rubio introduced a resolution to hold the crown prince personally complicit in Khashoggi's killing. The senators drafted the resolution after a closed-door briefing on the case by CIA director Gina Haspel. President Trump has signalled that he would not take action against the Saudi government over the Khashoggi scandal. On November 28, Secretary Pompeo reiterated that Washington has not seen any evidence to connect Saudi officials including the crown prince to the journalist's murder. Last week, the Pentagon said US-Saudi military-to-military ties remain unaffected. The Trump administration has also been keen to salvage its $110 billion arms deal with Saudi Arabia, with Riyadh agreeing to purchase a batch of THAAD missile defence systems late last month. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Trump Agrees to Boost Pentagon's Budget to $750 Bln in 2019 - Reports Sputnik News 07:48 10.12.2018 MOSCOW (Sputnik) - US President Donald Trump agreed with Defense Secretary Jim Mattis's proposal to increase the Defense Department's funding to $750 billion in 2019, local media reported, citing sources in the US administration. According to the CNN broadcaster, Trump abandoned the idea of reducing the Defense Department's financing and green-lighted the allocation of $750 billion to the agency following a meeting with Mattis and a number of US congressmen last week. Last week, Trump said that the US defense spending was "crazy" and expressed hope for holding talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping in the future in order to put an end to "uncontrollable arms race." Thus, the Defense Departments budget for the next year would exceed the current spending by $80 billion. The US defense budget for fiscal year 2019, which began on October 1, includes the re-establishment of the US Space Command. It also prescribes the US Missile Defense Agency to begin work on deploying systems to track and intercept ballistic missiles in space. According to the document, the development and deployment of a Sustainable Space Sensor Architecture should be completed before 2023, while the missile interceptor system may be deployed later. In October, Trump said the United States was creating a space force to catch up with China and Russia. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Briefing on European Energy Security and the Nord Stream 2 Special Briefing Francis R. Fannon Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Energy Resources Via Teleconference December 10, 2018 MR PALLADINO: Thanks, Deja. Good morning, everybody. Thank you all for joining us. Today we're going to be talking about European energy security and the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, and we are pleased to have with us our Assistant Secretary for Energy Resources Frank Fannon. Today's call is on the record. Assistant Secretary Fannon will make some opening remarks, and then we will open it up to questions. Assistant Secretary Fannon, please. ASSISTANT SECRETARY FANNON: Yeah, thank you. Good morning, everyone. Thanks for dialing in. As Robert said, I want to speak to you about transatlantic energy security, and in particular I just returned from Europe. I spent some time in Croatia, in Hungary, and then moved on to Prague, where we talked about these critical issues and the importance of diversification of energy sources, supplies, and routes to strengthen energy security, to do so in recognition of our shared values of our transatlantic alliance, and to do so away from Russian dependency. The energy security of our European partners and allies has been a longstanding strategic priority for the United States, and given Russia's aggression in recent days, this is a good time to spotlight our diplomacy on transatlantic energy security. The United States has strongly condemned the recent Russian aggression in the Sea of Azov. We've called Russia's closure of the Kerch Strait a clear violation of international laws. Russia's actions only strengthen the international consensus that views the proposed Nord Stream 2 pipeline as a direct affront to Europe's own energy and national security goals. It strengthens those dependencies that we're speaking about. Many in Europe certainly recognize the centrality of energy diversity in achieving energy security. More European countries are recognizing this importance every day, and the European Union is doing a lot. The EU is opening its markets, is encouraging projects of common interest, key energy infrastructure projects. These among these include the Greece-Bulgaria Interconnector pipeline and the synchronization of the Baltic States electricity grid for continental Europe. The Krk island LNG project in Croatia is another project of common interest. I just returned from Zagreb and met with Prime Minister Plenkovic, where we discussed energy diversification and security. That terminal could import LNG from a wide range of suppliers. It allows for broader diversification away from Russian sources, in particular for Hungary. Throughout Europe, once key infrastructure is built, it provides optionality and therefore introduces market competition. Russia does not want options. They do not want a real, transparent market. And that's why the European Union developed these projects of common interests. Diversification isn't just a notion. We've had real, clear examples. Take a look at, in Lithuania, the floating storage and regasification unit, the Independence. It was built as a strategic investment, not a commercial one but strategic investment, yet that FSRU meaningfully introduced market competition and lowered prices for Lithuanian gas, wherever that gas may have been sourced from. Diversification includes all sources of energy, whether gas, but we also talk about renewable energy as well as nuclear power. It includes diversification includes differentiation of supplies and routes, which together create resilient and secure markets. Countries have more choices as markets offer more options. And America's call for diversification preceded our recent position as a U.S. as an LNG exporter. Our steadfast support of the $40 billion-plus Southern Gas Corridor has spanned multiple administrations and continues today despite the fact that there's no direct American investment in that project. The U.S. will continue to support European energy diversification, including by providing alternative sources of energy, including LNG. But there is also new sources coming online all the time. Just prior to my trip to Europe I was in the Eastern Mediterranean, and there we see how energy pragmatism can overcome longstanding political concerns. We now see the recommissioning of a pipeline that will now take Israeli gas to Egypt and Jordan and potentially for export to Europe. Regardless of where a country ultimately sources its gas, American-drive competition increases choices for European consumers and reduces prices, even when the ultimate supply is from others. By contrast, Nord Stream 2 and an expanded Turkish Stream pipeline take seek to deepen dependence rather than strengthen security. They are not commercial projects; they are political tools. Unlike the United States, Russia's energy companies are an extension of the state, and the Russian state uses energy for coercive political aims. Through Nord Stream 2 Russia seeks to increase its leverage of the West while severing Ukraine from Europe. The U.S. and Europe share Western values. We look at commerce as mutually beneficial and reciprocal, but doing business with Nord Stream 2 is just not consistent with those shared values. Earlier this month, Secretary Pompeo hosted Ukrainian Foreign Minister Klimkin. He stated to the press, quote, "We will keep working together to stop the Nord Stream 2 project that undermines Ukraine's economic and strategic security and risks further compromising the sovereignty of European nations that depend on Russian gas," unquote. U.S. opposition to Nord Stream 2 is rooted in our abiding concern that the pipeline presents broad geostrategic threats to Europe's security, a point that we have consistently conveyed to leaders across the continent. The Secretary reminds us that, quote, "We do not want our European friends to fall prey to the kind of political and economic manipulation Russia has attempted in Ukraine since it cast off its Soviet shackles." With that, Robert, let me pause and look forward to your questions. MR PALLADINO: Great. Thanks, Deja. Let's please open it up for questions. OPERATOR: And again, ladies and gentlemen, if you would like to ask a question, please press the 1 sorry please press * and then 1 on your touchtone phone. Again, *1 for any questions. Our first question will come from the line of Jessica Donati with The Wall Street Journal. Please, go ahead. QUESTION: Hi. Thank you for doing this. I was wondering if there are any measures or steps that you plan to take to increase your ability to influence Germany away from Nord Stream 2 if diplomatic efforts aren't don't work. ASSISTANT SECRETARY FANNON: Yeah, thank you for the question. We continue to speak to all of our friends in Europe through bilateral fora bilaterally as well as through multilateral fora. We hear some increasing levels of concern about Nord Stream 2 in Germany but also more broadly certainly and expect in terms of moving forward on other policies, we don't comment on future actions that the U.S. government may take, but we've made quite clear where we stand on that and encourage countries to act based on the shared values that I spoke of earlier. MR PALLADINO: Next question, please. OPERATOR: The question will come from the line of Meghan Gordon with S&P Global Platts. Please, go ahead. QUESTION: Yeah, hi. I have a question about the how does the administration view the measures that Congress is considering taking related to Nord Stream such as leveling sanctions against the pipeline or like on Tuesday possibly a vote expressing nonbinding a nonbinding resolution expressing opposition to the building of the pipeline? ASSISTANT SECRETARY FANNON: Yes, thank you for the question. We certainly are monitoring the level of interest that Congress has, and I would say that that level, that interest preceded the Sea of Azov's hostilities. We anticipate that Congress' resolve on this issue and going after the Russian energy exports sector will only increase subsequent to that. We've been monitoring the bill. I think there's something like 10 bills out there, all of which include Russian energy as a key component. We can't comment at this time on any particular bit of legislation, but please know we are tracking it quite closely. Thank you. MR PALLADINO: Next question, please. OPERATOR: The next question will come from Haik Gugarats with Argus Media. Please, go ahead. ASSISTANT SECRETARY FANNON: Hi, Frank. EU has been pushing an effort to ensure continued transit of Russian gas for Ukraine after 2019 even in the case Nord Stream actually happens. I wonder how you look at that, and also, are you pushing energy reforms in Ukraine in their gas sector? ASSISTANT SECRETARY FANNON: Yeah, thank you. So I'll take the second question first, if I could. I spent some time in Kyiv a few months ago, and the issue of course Nord Stream 2 was a topic, but more broadly we really focused on reform of Ukraine's energy sector. And I'm very pleased that, with a lot of spadework, and in close collaboration with our Ukrainian government and companies that they are moving forward with the unbundling of Naftogaz, the state company. They've put together a framework process to that to move forward with unbundling, which will take place January 2020. It's of course a big state-run company and it'll take some time. So we're very pleased with some meaningful steps. More certainly needs to be done and European partners have shared their views with us as well, and we're in close discussion with the Ukrainians on that. But we're pleased to see the reforms moving forward, and we continue to call on them, along with other multilateral institutions. OPERATOR: The next question will come from Guy Taylor with The Washington Times. QUESTION: Hi, thanks so much for doing this. It's endlessly interesting. I was wondering, Mr. Secretary, could you speak a little bit to this to the Krk Island project, LNG project in Croatia, and maybe give us an update as to when that facility could actually begin receiving LNG shipments? And is it an American government policy to want to ship American LNG through that receiving port, and can you maybe speak to the extent to which that represents something of an energy war between the U.S. and Russia, given that this is an alternative potentially to Nord Stream 2 for Western Europe? Thanks. ASSISTANT SECRETARY FANNON: Sorry, sorry about that. Let me I realize I didn't answer the prior question completely, so let me do that quickly and then I'll turn to Krk. So with respect to the notion of trusting Putin, that to maintain gas transit to Ukraine, we don't see that as real at all. There's been no indication that we ought to trust Mr. Putin in any regard, and his comments continue to be that they would consider my belief would consider gas transits so long it's commercial in the terms of the Russian Federation. The question of maintaining some modest volume of gas transit is in part just an order of math, because you've got assuming multi-line Turkish Stream built, assuming Nord Stream 2 is built, collectively they will be unable to export the total volume of gas transit to Ukraine. So it's kind of just a what's left over would be transited potentially transited through Ukraine. But even then, that's only based on whether we can trust Mr. Putin, and I don't think the record should indicate anyone should. Moving to the Krk terminal, the U.S. has been a strong supporter of Krk Island and a strong supporter of the European Commission's advancement of that terminal. It's their project of common interest and we have applauded it and supported it, and in fact that was part of my trip was to talk about that terminal. They continue both the Croatian side as well as potential importers of that gas like Hungary have been pragmatic in trying to make that project feasible. They're doing so to this day. We do not see it, however, as a means necessarily to for a destination for U.S. gas. We see it as an important diversification, the introduction of an optionality to create a market where none really exists to this day, and that's what we want to see. Now, if U.S. gas ends up transiting there, being exported there, that's great, but that's not our intention here. We expect that U.S. gas goes based on where our private sector companies sign contracts. Unlike Russia, our companies are not an extension of the state. They're private sector enterprises, and they'll make those destination for their own cargos. As I mentioned, the Eastern Med is also an interesting some real interesting developments happening there, and that could be another place for Krk to import from. Again, this is an opportunity, I think, for Croatia, Hungary, and other potential beneficiaries of Krk. It's an opportunity to realize a better energy future, given this abundance of gas that we're seeing not just from the U.S., which will have an overall reduction in prices, but also from the Eastern Mediterranean, from Qatar's increasing, from Mozambique, Australia. We're really at the precipice of a new age in gas, and they can realize significant benefit from it. Thank you. MR PALLADINO: Next question, please. OPERATOR: Next question will come from the line of Timothy Gardner with Reuters. Please, go ahead. QUESTION: Hi, thank you. Just wanted to see what you made of some German politicians, including Kramp-Karrenbauer, who's a candidate to replace Merkel. She said last week that it would be too radical to withdraw political support for Nord Stream 2, but she suggested that Germany could reduce the flow for the pipeline. Is that something that would acceptable to the U.S. considering how far along the project is right now? ASSISTANT SECRETARY FANNON: Yeah, thanks. I can't comment on the political dimension in another country, but I can say that our policy is to continue to oppose Nord Stream 2. It's an instrument of the Russian state to increase dependency and have coercive effect on importing countries, and calls for Europe to embrace the project of common interest as they see the path toward energy security as rooted in diversification. Thank you. OPERATOR: And as a reminder, if you do have any questions, please press * and then 1. Our next question will come from the line of Julian Heissler with German Business Week. QUESTION: Hi. I was wondering, are there any steps that the German government could take that would satisfy the Americans' opposition to Nord Stream 2 that would keep the partner in place, given the fact that it's about to be, I think, opened at the end of next year? And also, given that short time space until the pipeline is actually finished, what's your timeframe of actually imposing measures to oppose its completion? Thank you. ASSISTANT SECRETARY FANNON: Our U.S. position is pretty clear. We oppose Nord Stream 2 and we would call on all parties to exit the project, and for the that's our position. MR PALLADINO: Time for one last question, please. OFFICIAL: Our last question will come from the line sorry, one moment of Meghan Gordon one moment Meghan Gordon with S&P Global Press. Please, go ahead. QUESTION: Yeah, hi. The State Department made the determination back in August under the CBW law, and I just wanted to find out where that process stands. The administration had, I believe, a 90-day deadline to impose a second round of sanctions on Russia. Has the administration decided which of those penalties to impose? MR PALLADINO: This is Robert Palladino, I'm going to jump in here. This is beyond the portfolio of Assistant Secretary Fannon, but we'd be happy to take your question and get back to you with a response. I just want to thank everybody for tuning in today. This concludes our briefing. Thank you again to Assistant Secretary Frank Fannon for joining us, and thank you all as well. Bye-bye. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Why One Philippine Island Can't Get Enough of Martial Law By Ralph Jennings December 10, 2018 Martial law seldom excites people who live under it. Ukrainians were nervous when an order took effect last month, against a growing threat from Russia, to let the military mobilize citizens, ban mass gatherings and take private property. In Thailand, a youth group protested in September against localized martial law requiring that all vehicles and firearms be registered, the follow-up to an ambush against law enforcement. But as the southern Philippine island of Mindanao looks likely to enter a second full year of martial law in January, many there feel thankful. Authorities on Mindanao have enforced curfews and road checkpoints since May 2017 to squelch decades of violence by Muslim rebels. They've done most of it without disrupting common people's daily lives. Now, many on the island of 21 million people welcome a 2019 extension as a way to keep peace long term. "As far as Mindanao is concerned, there doesn't seem to be much of a reaction to that. People prefer it, as a matter of fact," said Rhona Canoy, president of an international school and part of a political family in the Mindanao city Cagayan de Oro. Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte last week asked Congress to extend martial law through 2019 at the request of the armed forces. The military said the extension would help curb terrorism and reported high levels of public support. "We have received overwhelming positive feedback, not only on our efficient implementation of martial law, but also its impact to security, local economy, and governance and well-being of local communities," the Armed Forces of the Philippines said in a statement last month. A fixture since the battle of 2017 Martial law this year stopped any large-scale resurgence of Muslim rebels after a they were routed in a civil war in 2017. The authorities had legal freedom to track rebel movements via interrogation and stop them from entering the cities. The government first ordered martial law in May 2017 to help troops and police beat the Islamic State-inspired Maute Group for control of Marawi. Fighting in that Mindanao city lasted five months and killed about 1,100 people. Outside Marawi, much of Mindanao has seen little change under martial law aside from quick, pro forma vehicular stops or curfew orders. Rebels there believe the Philippine Catholic majority has taken an unfair share of resources despite five centuries of Muslim settlement. Rebel-linked violence has killed about 120,000 people in Mindanao and adjacent Sulu Sea since the 1960s. Sporadic violence Troops believe Islamic State was behind the Marawi insurgency and worry the international terrorist group still has people on the island. This year has been marked by sporadic terrorist acts. In the industrial port city Cagayan de Oro, random security checks have become more common this year amid fears of religiously-motivated attacks, Canoy said. "There's recent violence going on, pockets of it," she said. In June, a suspected member of the Maute Group was arrested in Cagayan de Oro, domestic media reported. The following month a suicide bomber, possibly from abroad, killed 11 people in Mindanao by blowing up a van. "We have to think what would happen if the army wasn't there and they didn't have the legitimacy (and) tools to implement the type of surveillance, that's the real question to ask," said Enrico Cau, associate researcher at the Taiwan Center for International Strategic Studies. "The people of Marawi and all the communities, they need stability so in order to have stability, you need control." Opponents outside Mindanao When martial law first took effect in 2017, citizens worried it would bring back the harsher measures taken by authoritarian former president Ferdinand Marcos in 1972 to stop plots against his government. Opponents outside Mindanao still fear Duterte wants to extend martial law across the Philippines, a democratic archipelago of 102 million people, to control the illegal drug trade and advance his economic agenda. Duterte's government is "using martial law as its vehicle to suppress opposition to big mining, plantation, energy and other projects which have significant U.S. and other foreign investments," the advocacy group Bayan Mindanao said in a statement December 6. Today's opposition comes largely from leftist groups, said Herman Kraft, political science professor at the University of the Philippines Diliman. "If you're talking about actual evidence of human rights violations being perpetrated, I think there's less of those that can actually be pointed to," he said. "I'm not saying that they have completely disappeared, but there's less of it that's been going on over the past few years." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Public Designation of The Gambia's Yahya Jammeh Media Note Office of the Spokesperson Washington, DC December 10, 2018 The Department is publicly designating former president of The Gambia, Yahya Jammeh, under the terms of Section 7031(c) of the Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act of 2018, due to his involvement in significant corruption. Section 7031(c) provides that, in cases where the Secretary of State has credible information that foreign government officials have been involved in significant corruption or a gross violation of human rights, those individuals and their immediate family members are ineligible for entry into the United States. The law requires the Secretary of State to publicly or privately designate such officials and their immediate family members. In addition to the designation of Yahya Jammeh, the Department is also publicly designating Jammeh's spouse, Zineb Yahya Jammeh, his daughter, Mariam Jammeh, and his son, Muhammad Yahya Jammeh. The United States is committed to combating corruption, increasing respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, and promoting good governance globally. The United States stands with the government of The Gambia, its people, and civil society in support of The Gambia's transition towards greater transparency, accountability, and democratic governance, for the benefit of all Gambians. For more information, please contact INL-PAPD@state.gov. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Statement from the Press Secretary December 10, 2018 Since President Donald J. Trump's first day in office, he has remained resolute in his commitment to defend the American people from the threat of terrorism. In October, the President signed a comprehensive National Strategy for Counterterrorism, which details the Administration's approach to defeating ISIS and other extremist groups at home and abroad. Today, President Trump has taken a decisive step to counter one of the gravest dimensions of the terrorist threat the prospect that ISIS and other extremist groups could attempt to use Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) against the United States. By approving the National Strategy for Countering WMD Terrorism, President Trump has emphasized the urgency of placing chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear weapons beyond the reach of the world's most dangerous people. This strategy is the first-ever comprehensive, public description of the United States Government's approach to combating WMD terrorism. The President's new strategy has three core elements. First, the United States will lead global efforts to close off terrorists' access to WMD and related materials. Second, the United States will apply consistent pressure against terrorist groups that seek to obtain and use these weapons, including by targeting terrorist WMD specialists and facilitators. Third, as an insurance policy, the United States will strengthen our defenses against WMD threats at home and abroad. Taking these steps will reduce the likelihood of the most destructive weapons falling into the hands of the world's most dangerous terrorists, and reasserts the President's promise to do whatever is necessary to protect Americans. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Pentagon to Withdraw Hundreds of Troops From US-Mexico Border Sputnik News 03:04 11.12.2018 WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - The Department of Defence will soon withdraw several hundred US active duty troops from the southern border with Mexico, Pentagon spokesperson Col. Rob Manning told reporters. "Some units have completed their mission and they have already started to partially deploy," Manning said on Monday as quoted by the Hill. "Other units have been identified to rotate home and will be returning home over the next several weeks." Manning added that about 5,200 troops are currently deployed on the southern border, which is already down from 5,900 service members. On November 30, Defence Secretary James Mattis approved the Department of Homeland Security's request to extend the deployment of troops currently stationed along the US-Mexico border through the end of January. The original request was set to expire on December 15. The active duty military personnel were deployed to the US southwest border in October to assist the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) upon the arrival of migrant caravans from Central America. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address China sends new naval fleet for escort mission People's Daily Online (Xinhua) 08:20, December 10, 2018 GUANGZHOU, Dec. 9 (Xinhua) -- The 31st fleet from the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy has left the port city of Zhanjiang in south China's Guangdong Province for the Gulf of Aden and waters off Somalia to escort civilian ships. Composed of a landing vessel, a missile frigate and a supply ship, the fleet started its mission Sunday morning. The fleet has 700 officers and soldiers, dozens of special operation soldiers and three helicopters on board. The Chinese Navy began to carry out escort missions in the Gulf of Aden and the waters off Somalia in December 2008. In the past 10 years, the Chinese Navy has sent out 26,000 officers and soldiers, escorted 6,595 ships and successfully rescued or aided more than 60 Chinese and foreign ships. The navy also carried out various other missions, including the evacuation of Chinese nationals from war zones in Libya in 2011 and Yemen in 2015, the search and rescue for the missing Flight MH370 and supplying fresh water to Maldives. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Huawei Executive Asks Canadian Court to Grant Bail By VOA News December 10, 2018 A Canadian court is considering whether to grant bail to the chief financial officer for Chinese telecom giant Huawei Technologies while she awaits possible extradition to the United States to face fraud charges. The court in Vancouver heard a second day of testimony Monday in the bail hearing for Meng Wanzhou. Lawyers for Meng argued that she should be granted bail, saying that a combination of high-tech devices and a multi-million dollar bond could ensure she does not flee. They also said that if Meng fled the country she would embarrass China, calling that option "inconceivable." The lawyers said Meng would be willing to hire a surveillance company that would arrest her if she breaches her bail conditions and would wear a GPS bracelet at all times. They said Meng's husband would put up both of their Vancouver homes plus $750,000 for a total value of over $11 million as collateral. Prosecutors have argued that Meng should be denied bail, saying she has vast resources and a strong incentive to flee. The judge overseeing the case said the hearing would resume Tuesday morning. An editorial Monday in the Communist Party newspaper Global Times called Canada's treatment of Meng "inhumane." China summoned the U.S. ambassador in Beijing on Sunday to lodge a "strong protest" over Meng's arrest, calling it "extremely bad" and demanding the U.S. cancel its extradition request linked to allegations that she broke U.S. laws prohibiting trade with Iran. Vice Foreign Minister Le Yucheng summoned U.S. Ambassador Terry Branstad a day after calling in Canadian envoy John McCallum to protest Meng's arrest, at the U.S.'s behest, at the Vancouver airport on Dec. 1. Meng, if convicted in the United States, faces up to 30 years' imprisonment, with Canadian prosecutors alleging that she committed fraud in 2013 by telling financial institutions that China's Huawei was not tied to a Hong Kong-based company, Skycom, which was allegedly selling U.S. goods to Iran in violation of U.S. sanctions against Tehran. U.S. officials say Meng misled multinational banks about Huawei's control of Skycom in order to move money out of Iran. "Skycom was Huawei," a Canadian prosecutor alleged on Friday. Meng's lawyers denied the fraud allegation, saying Huawei had divested its interests in Skycom. News of the arrest of the 46-year-old Meng, along with the uncertain state of trade negotiations between China and the United States, the world's two biggest economies, roiled international stock markets last week, with investors facing substantial losses across the globe. Meng's arrest occurred on the same day U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping were meeting in Buenos Aires over dinner to reach a 90-day truce on tit-for-tat tariffs the two countries have been imposing on exports of $300 billion of goods to each other. But White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow told Fox News on Sunday that Trump did not know about the arrest as he met with Xi. "He didn't know," Kudlow said. "I'll just state that unequivocally. He learned way later." The economic adviser said he could not guarantee that Meng won't be released as part of ongoing U.S. trade talks with Beijing. He described the case against Meng as a "law enforcement issue." "I don't know how it's going to turn out ... It seems to me there's a trade lane ... and there's a law enforcement lane," Kudlow said. "They're different channels, and I think they will be viewed that way for quite some time." While Meng was arrested the same day at the Trump-Xi meeting, the warrant for her arrest was issued in the United States on Aug. 22, with the Canadian prosecutor saying a Canadian judge issued a warrant when Meng's travel plans became known. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address US Sanctions 3 Senior N Korean Officials, Including Top Aide to Kim - Treasury Sputnik News 22:05 10.12.2018 WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - The United States has sanctioned three senior North Korean government officials, including the Vice Chairman of the country's Workers Party, Ryong Hae Choe, over their human rights abuses, the US Treasury Department said in a press release on Monday. "The US Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) today designated three individuals in response to the North Korean regime's ongoing and serious human rights abuses and censorship," the release said. "OFAC designated Choe Ryong Hae [who] is reportedly seen as the 'Number Two' official with control over the party, government, and military." Other individuals facing sanctions include Minister of State Security Kyong Thaek Jong and the Director of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) Propaganda and Agitation Department Kwang Ho Pak, the release said. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin noted in the release that the United States has consistently condemned North Korea for its 'abuses of human rights and fundamental freedoms'. According to the Treasury Department, it was taking the action in conjunction with a report from the State Department on human rights abuses and censorship in North Korea. The sanctions are meant to serve as a reminder of the death of Otto Warmbier, a US citizen who died shortly after North Korea released him from detention, the release added. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Release of the Report on Human Rights Abuses and Censorship in North Korea Press Statement Robert Palladino Deputy Spokesperson Washington, DC December 10, 2018 Today, in commemoration of International Human Rights Day and as part of our continued efforts to promote accountability for North Korean officials, we are releasing our report, which identifies three individuals and three groups as responsible for serious human rights abuses or censorship. In conjunction with the report, the Department of the Treasury has added three North Korean persons to the Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons list. We believe that respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms is an essential foundation of stable, secure, and prosperous societies. Standing up for such rights and freedoms is a foreign policy priority that represents the best traditions of the United States. Human rights abuses in North Korea remain among the worst in the world and include extrajudicial killings, forced labor, torture, prolonged arbitrary detention, rape, forced abortions, and other sexual violence. This report focuses primarily on the regime's efforts to suppress independent media and freedom of expression. Independent media cannot operate legally in North Korea. All media is strictly censored by government authorities who conduct pre-publication screenings to ensure there is no deviation from the official line. Authorities take steps to jam foreign radio broadcasts, and interagency task forces conduct warrantless searches for foreign media. Individuals accused of viewing foreign films are reportedly subject to imprisonment or even execution. The report represents a continuation of U.S. government efforts to name those responsible for or associated with the worst aspects of the North Korean government's repression. Both the State Department report and actions by the Treasury Department are consistent with the North Korea Sanctions and Policy Enhancement Act of 2016, signed by the President into law on February 18, 2016. A link to the full report can be found here. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Treasury Sanctions North Korean Officials and Entities in Response to the Regime's Serious Human Rights Abuses and Censorship U.S. Department of the Treasury December 10, 2018 WASHINGTON The U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) today designated three individuals in response to the North Korean regime's ongoing and serious human rights abuses and censorship. Treasury is taking this action in conjunction with the State Department's "Report on Serious Human Rights Abuses and Censorship in North Korea," which is being submitted in accordance with the North Korea Sanctions and Policy Enhancement Act of 2016 (NKSPEA). "Treasury is sanctioning senior North Korean officials who direct departments that perpetrate the regime's brutal state-sponsored censorship activities, human rights violations and abuses, and other abuses in order to suppress and control the population. These sanctions demonstrate the United States' ongoing support for freedom of expression, and opposition to endemic censorship and human rights abuses," said Treasury Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin. "The United States has consistently condemned the North Korean regime for its flagrant and egregious abuses of human rights and fundamental freedoms, and this Administration will continue to take action against human rights abusers around the globe." Today's actions shine a spotlight on North Korea's reprehensible treatment of those in North Korea, and serve as a reminder of North Korea's brutal treatment of U.S. citizen Otto Warmbier, who passed away 18 months ago. Otto would have turned 24 years old on December 12, and his parents Fred and Cindy Warmbier and the rest of his family continue to mourn for him. President Trump pledged in his 2018 State of the Union address that the United States will "honor Otto's memory with American resolve." Today's actions are part of this Administration's continued efforts to highlight North Korea's abysmal human rights record, and to speak out for those who cannot speak for themselves. Today's designations were issued pursuant to Executive Order 13687, which targets, among others, officials of the Government of North Korea and the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK), and are consistent with the provisions of NKSPEA. Individuals designated today are senior officials of previously sanctioned government bodies, including the Ministry of State Security (MSS), the Ministry of Public Security, WPK Organization and Guidance Department (OGD), and the WPK Propaganda and Agitation Department (PAD). OFAC designated Jong Kyong Thaek, the Minister of State Security, pursuant to E.O. 13687 for being an official of the Government of North Korea and of the WPK. According to the Department of State report, Jong Kyong Thaek plays a role in directing the censorship activities and abuses perpetrated by the MSS. The MSS was designated previously pursuant to E.O. 13722 for having engaged in, facilitated, or been responsible for an abuse or violation of human rights by the Government of North Korea or the WPK. OFAC designated Choe Ryong Hae, the Director of the OGD, pursuant to E.O. 13687 for being an official of the WPK. Choe Ryong Hae is reportedly seen as the "Number Two" official with control over the party, government, and military. The OGD is a powerful body of the North Korean regime, is instrumental in implementing censorship policies, and purports to control the political affairs of all North Koreans. The OGD also assumes oversight responsibilities over organizations undergoing party audits to inspect for ideological discipline. When a party official deviates from the official message in public remarks, the OGD reportedly will dispatch an official to monitor a self-criticism session. Choe Ryong Hae is also a member of several powerful WPK committees, including Vice Chairman of the Executive Policy Bureau of the WPK Central Committee. OFAC also designated Pak Kwang Ho, the Director of the PAD, pursuant to E.O. 13687 for being an official of the WPK. According to the Department of State report, in his capacity as the Director of the PAD, Pak Kwang Ho is responsible for maintaining ideological purity and managing the general censorship functions of the PAD, furthering the suppression of freedom of speech, expression, and censorship. The PAD is said to maintain oppressive information control and is responsible for indoctrinating the people. Today's Department of State report highlights the role of three groups responsible for implementing strict censorship and restricting access to foreign media. These groups are composed of personnel from the Government of North Korea and the WPK, whose property and interests in property were blocked in 2016. These groups which go by various numbered identifications such as Group 109, Group 118, and Group 114 reportedly conduct warrantless searches for unapproved foreign media or content, inspect and confiscate computer content, including external storage devices, and even kidnap defectors or foreign citizens who support human rights in North Korea. Human rights abuses undermine the values that form an essential foundation of stable, secure, and functioning societies; have devastating impacts on individuals; weaken democratic institutions; degrade the rule of law; perpetuate violent conflicts; facilitate the activities of dangerous persons; and undermine economic markets. The United States seeks to impose tangible and significant consequences on those who commit serious human rights abuse, as well as to protect the financial system of the United States from abuse by these same persons. In total, since January of 2017, Treasury has taken action against over 500 individuals and entities engaged in activities related to, or directly involving, human rights abuse, including actions like today under the North Korea program and other programs such as Global Magnitsky, Syria, South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Venezuela, Russia, Iran, and other sanctions programs. Treasury has also published advisories to U.S. financial institutions on human rights abuses enabled by corrupt senior foreign political figures and their financial facilitators that can be found here, as well as advisories related to some of the programs listed above, which can be found here. As a result of today's actions, any property or interests in property within (or transiting) U.S. jurisdiction of those designated by OFAC are frozen. Additionally, transactions by U.S. persons involving the designated persons are generally prohibited. For identifying information on the individuals designated today, click here. #### NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Macron 'Takes Share of Responsibility' for French Anti-Government Protests By VOA News December 10, 2018 French President Emmanuel Macron was both humble and resolute as he spoke publicly for the first time on the anti-government protests that have shaken the country. "I take my share of responsibility. I might have hurt people with my words," Macron said in a nationwide broadcast speech Monday night. He also said he recognizes that a proposed tax hike on pensions was "unjust." But Macron called the anger that has boiled over in the past weeks the result of what he describes as a 40-year-long "malaise," especially among rural French. The president declared an "economic and social state of emergency." Along with cutting the tax on pensioners, there will be a government-funded $113 boost in the monthly minimum wage, taxes on overtime pay will be scrapped, and large businesses have been asked to give workers a tax-free, end-of-the-year bonus. But Macron stood firm against the street protesters, saying there will be "no indulgence" for those who smash windows, loot stores and attack police. He also showed no signs of giving in to one of the demonstrators' top demands his resignation. Macron has already canceled a fuel tax hike that sparked the protests nearly a month ago. The anger expanded beyond the tax to a general outrage against a president many protesters say cares more about the rich than ordinary French citizens. Protests in Paris forced police to temporarily shut down major tourist sites, including the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre museum. They also left the streets of the capital and other major cities covered with debris. More than 4,500 people have been arrested since the marches began. Some protesters and opposition members called Macron's moves a good first step, but others said they are still not satisfied. Since there is no formal protest leader, it is too early to tell how Macron's words will be received overall and whether more marches are expected. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address A Year Later: India-China Resume Joint Military Exercise Sputnik News 15:57 10.12.2018(updated 17:13 10.12.2018) The two countries had suspended the annual military exercise in 2017 following a 73-day bitter standoff at the Doklam plateau which ended thanks to diplomatic efforts in August 2017. A 100-member strong contingent of the Indian armed forces have landed in Chengdu, southwest China, for the "Hand-in-Hand" joint military exercise. "Indian Army contingent led by Col. Puneet Tomar arrived in Chengdu for the India China Hand-in-Hand joint training exercises to be held from 10-23 December in China," Indian embassy in Beijing said. The 7th in the series "Hand-in-Hand" exercises will be presented by 100 soldiers from each side that will undergo adaptive training, basic training, live-round shooting and comprehensive drills. "The joint training can help promote mutual trust and understanding, deepen practical exchanges and cooperation between troops and improve their capabilities in counter-terrorism," Senior Colonel Ren Guoqiang, spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defense of China said on November 29 about the exercise. During the Wuhan informal summit in June this year, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and China's President Xi Jinping had agreed to issue "strategic guidance" to their respective militaries to maintain peace and tranquility at the border in the "larger interest of the overall development of bilateral relations." Following the Wuhan summit that was considered an icebreaker after the Doklam standoff, top leaders of the two countries met several times this year including four meetings between Modi and Jinping on the sidelines of different global forums. Later this month, China's foreign minister Wang Yi is scheduled to arrive in New Delhi to launch a forum for high-level people-to-people and cultural exchange on December 21. "This year has remained very important and fruitful for our bilateral relations. I am confident that next year would be much better than this. Wuhan informal summit was a major milestone in our relationship that provides momentum to our engagement and opens new vistas in our co-operation," Prime Minister Modi said after meeting Xi Jinping on the sidelines of G-20 summit in Argentina. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address India Test-Fires its Longest Range Nuclear Capable Ballistic Missile Agni-V Sputnik News 12:10 10.12.2018(updated 17:59 10.12.2018) Considered a major deterrent against China, Agni-V is expected to join India's Strategic Forces Command very soon. The missile is capable of hitting targets anywhere in Asia, and parts of Africa and Europe. India successfully test-fired its longest range nuclear capable Agni V missile on Monday morning from a defense test facility in the eastern coast of Odisha. Agni-V is a canisterised, road-mobile nuclear-capable missile developed under a $375 million project sanctioned by the government in 2008. This is the third successful test of the missile this year. Defense scientists along with the Strategic Forces Command tested the missile in January and June of this year. The 17-metre-long, 2-metre-wide, three-stage, solid-fuelled missile weighing around 50 tonnes and capable of carrying a payload of 1.5 tonnes is being considered a major deterrent against China. China had openly expressed discontent over India's Agni-V project when the missile was tested in December 2016. China had said the test was against UN Security Council rules and that it threatened to disrupt the strategic geopolitical balance in South Asia. Indian scientists aim to equip the Agni-V with multiple independently targetable re-entry vehicles (MIRVs). MIRVs are multiple warheads fitted on a single re-entry vehicle that help a ballistic missile to evade enemy missile defense systems. The Agni series of missiles have been developed by the Defence Research Development Organisation and are part of India's expensive and time-consuming quest for an integrated guided missile defense system. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iran Navy to stage military drill in Indian Ocean ISNA - Iranian Students' News Agency Mon / 10 December 2018 / 13:23 Iranian naval forces plan to stage a large-scale drill in the Indian Ocean to boost and put on display the country's military prowess, a senior commander says. The maneuver will be held this winter within the perimeters of Iran's southern territorial waters and high seas, deputy Navy Commander for Coordination Rear Admiral Hamzeh Ali Kaviani said. He added that the Navy's state-of-the-art equipment, including two Ghadir-class submarines that recently joined Iran's naval fleet, would take part in the drill. The two Ghadir-class submarines, capable of launching subsurface-to-surface missiles, torpedoes and mines, joined Iran's naval fleet on November 29. The Ghadir-class submarines are designed to cruise within the shallow waters of the Persian Gulf to ensure peace and security of Iran's maritime borders. Kaviani further said that various destroyers, including Sahand, would also take part in the Navy's military exercise, PressTV reported. End Item NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address EU will launch financial mechanism with Iran by year-end: Mogherini Iran Press TV Mon Dec 10, 2018 04:40PM The European Union will establish a mechanism to facilitate non-dollar transactions with Iran in the near future in an attempt to circumvent sanctions imposed by the United States against Tehran, EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini says. "I will expect this instrument to be established in the coming weeks before the end of the year as a way to protect and promote legitimate business," Mogherini told reporters in Brussels on Monday. The top EU diplomat did not offer any other details following a meeting of the bloc's foreign ministers in Brussels, but said work on creating the mechanism was "advancing well." US President Donald Trump withdrew his country in May from the landmark Iran nuclear deal, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), and decided to re-impose unilateral sanctions against Tehran. Under the deal, reached between Iran and six major powers -- the United States, Britain, France, Germany, Russia and China -- Tehran agreed to put limits on its nuclear program in exchange for the removal of nuclear-related sanctions. The Trump administration announced early in November 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 hoped to get the other parties to the deal with Iran to likewise scrap the deal, but instead, they stressed that not only would they stick to the agreement, but they would also work to sustain it in the face of increased US pressure. Iran and the 28-nation bloc have been discussing various ways to continue doing business with Iran and bypass US sanctions. On September 24, Iran and its five partners released a joint statement announcing the setting up of a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) to facilitate continued trade with Iran, bypass the US financial system, and avoid any impact of America's secondary sanctions. Late in November, Head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) Ali Akbar Salehi warned that Tehran's patience is running out over the failure of the European Union's economic pledges to deliver any "tangible results." He said the EU's efforts were encouraging but added: "We have not yet seen any tangible results." "So, they [Europeans] are promising us that they are doing their best to be able to translate all that they have said in political terms and to turn it into realization, in other words, to materialize what they have said," Salehi said. Despite Washington's withdrawal, Iran has not left the landmark nuclear deal yet, but stressed that the remaining signatories to the agreement have to work to offset the negative impacts of the US pullout for Iran if they wanted Tehran to remain in it. The other parties to the JCPOA have repeatedly announced that the deal is working and should stay in place. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iraq: Over 150,000 children endangered by 'freezing' temperatures, warns UNICEF 10 December 2018 - The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) has ramped up efforts to provide warm clothes and life-saving supplies to more than 150,000 displaced children across northern Iraq whose lives are threatened by freezing temperatures. Many families in the region have been left with next to nothing after being on the move for years due to conflict and resulting economic hardship. It is "impossible" for them afford fuel for heating and winter clothes to keep their children warm, the UN agency warned. Flash floods last month worsened the situation, said Peter Hawkins, the head of UNICEF operations in Iraq. "The devastating floods have made this winter even more difficult for displaced children who are extremely vulnerable to hypothermia and respiratory diseases," he said, underscoring that every child "deserves to be warm and healthy." Upping its response, UNICEF is providing winter clothes, including boots, scarves, and hats to approximately 161,000 children in Sinjar, Erbil, Dohuk, Ninawa, Anbar, Diwaniya, Basra, Salaheddin, Baghdad and Suleimaniah, including through cash support. According to the UN agency, those receiving assistance age between 3-months and 14-years, in hard-to-reach areas, having been through years of violence, including gender-based violence, and trauma of war. Monday also saw the formal presentation of the Nobel Peace Prize to Yazidi activist and UN Goodwill Ambassador, Nadia Murad, who survived being trafficked in northern Iraq and sold into sexual slavery, by terrorist group ISIL. Recognition of her extraordinary efforts, also draws attention to the plight of hundreds of thousands of displaced children, added Mr. Hawkins. "As the world celebrates Nadia Murad's incredible story of survival and her work for human rights, let us remember that there are many vulnerable children in Iraq who still need our support, even if the worse of the violence may be over," he said. In October, the Nobel Committee announced the awarding of its 2018 Peace Prize to Ms. Murad, and Dr. Denis Mukwege of the Democratic Republic of the Congo for his work helping victims of sexual violence in the central African nation. They received their award on Monday in the Norwegian capital, Oslo. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Netanyahu Says Oman Allowed Israeli Planes to Use Country's Airspace Sputnik News 17:16 10.12.2018(updated 17:18 10.12.2018) MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Monday that the authorities of Oman had allowed Israeli planes to use the country's airspace for flights, adding that Israel was working toward getting similar authorization from Saudi Arabia. "When I was in Oman, Sultan Qaboos [bin Said] confirmed to me right away that El Al [flag carrier of Israel] can fly over Oman," Netanyahu told reporters, as quoted by The Times of Israel newspaper. Talking to reporters at the annual ambassadors' conference, Netanyahu added that "only one small thing remains for us to do," referring to the need to get similar permission from Riyadh. "Currently we can fly over Egypt, Chad, and probably we can fly over Sudan, and there we can fly directly to Brazil, which would save about two hours," the prime minister added. Netanyahu paid a visit to Oman in October, despite the fact that the countries have no diplomatic ties. According to the media outlet, given the fact that Oman is located on the southeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula, bordering Yemen, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates countries that do not have diplomatic relations with Israel the arrangement on flights over Oman so far has no practical implications. Israel and the majority of Arab states in the Middle East do not have diplomatic relations. However, Israel and a number of regional states countries, in particular Saudi Arabia, are reportedly involved in regular unofficial contacts at various levels. In late November, media reported that Netanyahu was planning to visit Bahrain. Israeli Foreign Ministry's spokesman Emmanuel Nahshon told Sputnik earlier in December that Tel Aviv would continue developing relations with Arab and Muslim countries amid the existence of common problems and threats, including the fight against terrorism and the Iranian problem. Nahshon also said that such rapprochement could help in resolving the Palestinian issue. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Two Russian Long-Range Bombers Arrive In Venezuela By RFE/RL December 10, 2018 Russia's Defense Ministry has sent two nuclear-capable strategic bombers to Venezuela, in an unusual display of Russian military force in South America. The ministry said in a statement the two Tu-160 bombers arrived at an airport outside of Caracas on December 10. The statement did not say if they were carrying weapons. The bombers' arrival came just days after Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro visited Moscow, seeking Kremlin support for his country, whose economy is in shambles and which is deeply in debt to Russia. Venezuela has purchased millions of dollars in military equipment from Russia in recent years. In a ceremony at the Caracas airport, the Venezuelan defense minister, General Vladimir Padrino, welcomed about 100 Russian pilots and other personnel. The deployment showed "we also are preparing to defend Venezuela to the last inch when necessary," Padrino said. Known as Blackjacks by NATO members, the Tu-160 can fly at twice the speed of sound, and are capable of carrying nuclear or conventional missiles. Several bombers participated in Russian military strikes in Syria, firing the air-launched Kh-101 cruise missile in combat for the first time. According to the Associated Press, the last time Tu-160 strategic bombers were sent to Venezuela was five years ago. Prior that, bombers and a naval ship visited the country in 2008 amid tensions over Russia's war with Georgia. With reporting by AP, AFP Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/russia-bombers- venezuela-visit/29648681.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. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russia Rises To Second In Global Arms Sales, With U.S. Still At No. 1 By RFE/RL December 10, 2018 The United States remains the global leader in arms sales, while Russia has surpassed Britain to take the No. 2 spot as it attempts to modernize its military, a leading research group says. The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) said on December 10 in its annual report that the combined sales of arms and military services by U.S. companies rose 2 percent in 2017 to $222.6 billion. Russia became the second-largest arms producer, it said, with $37.7 billion, up 8.5 percent from a year earlier. The group based its calculations on the combined sales of arms-related enterprises ranked among the Top 100 producers worldwide. The United States had 42 of the Top 100 companies, while Russia had 10, it said. "Russian companies have experienced significant growth in their arms sales since 2011," said Siemon Wezeman, senior researcher with SIPRI's Arms and Military Expenditure Program. "This is in line with Russia's increased spending on arms procurement to modernize its armed forces," he added. The report said that, for the first time, a Russian company, state-owned Almaz-Antey, appeared in the Top 10 in the ranking for global arms sales. Alexandra Kuimova, a research assistant, said that Almaz-Antey, already Russia's largest arms-producing company, increased arms sales 17 percent in 2017 to $8.6 billion. The report said that along with Almaz-Antey, three other Russian Top 100 firms increased their arms sales by more than 15 percent: United Engine (25 percent), High Precision Systems (22 percent), and Tactical Missiles (19 percent). Britain remained Western Europe's largest arms seller, with a total of $35.7 billion, and it had seven companies listed in the Top 100. The report also cited strong growth of Turkish arms sales, saying it "reflects Turkey's ambitions to develop its arms industry to fulfill its growing demand for weapons and become less dependent on foreign suppliers." Overall, the report said, sales of the Top 100 firms totaled $398.2 billion in 2017, a 2.5 percent increase over 2016. Sales of Chinese firms were not included, it noted, saying the information was not reliable. SIPRI, established in 1966, describes itself as an independent international institute dedicated to research into conflict, armaments, arms control, and disarmament. Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/global-arms-sales-us- russia-britain-turkey/29647147.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. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Belgian Defence Chief 'Absolutely' Agrees Russia Bigger Threat Than Terrorism Sputnik News 13:27 10.12.2018(updated 13:50 10.12.2018) Earlier, UK Chief of General Staff Mark Carleton-Smith claimed Russia "indisputably" presented a "far greater threat" to Britain than Islamist extremist groups like al-Qaeda and Daesh (ISIS)*. Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov responded by saying Russia couldn't "forbid anyone" from "demonstrating their intellectualcapabilities" with such remarks. Belgium, along with France, has been particularly hard hit by Daesh terrorist activity. Between 2014 and 2018, the country has faced at least half a dozen terrorist incidents for which Daesh has claimed responsibility. These attacks have left over 45 people dead and more than 310 injured. Nevertheless, Brussels "absolutely" agrees with the British defence staff's sentiment that Russia is a greater threat than Islamist terrorism, General Carl Gillis, the Head of Division Operations of the Belgian Defence Staff, has said. "Moreover, the same observation was made last week in Rome, so much so that we hardly mentioned terrorism. By contrast, Russia has returned to all our analyses," Gillis said, speaking to Paris Match magazine. According to the general, who is in charge of all of the Belgian military's operations abroad, late last month, he and his NATO colleagues held two days of discussions with an unnamed "political advisor to Russian President Vladimir Putin" at the NATO Defence College in Rome, where the Russian official supposedly made "crystal clear" to the Western alliance that Russia "intends to reaffirm itself as a great power on the international scene". Gillis said that to achieve this, Russia is turning toward Asia, where it is seeking to build economic, political, and military alliances with countries like China and Japan. "On the other hand, the Russians consider that we have already entered a post-American multipolar world order and, as such, no longer accept what they call the dictates of the United States". Finally, the general said, Russia wants "to reestablish their influence in what used to be the buffer zones along their borders". Furthermore, he argued, "Russia is trying to undermine the cohesion of the European Union and NATO to weaken us", noting that Moscow was doing this by using "hybrid means", including playing on issues such as Brexit and tensions between Washington and its European allies. At the same time, according to Gillis, Russia is looking to ensure "stability and security" in its own sphere, including border security, as well as "respect". "Russia wants, at all costs, to be respected again", the Belgian general emphasised. Belgium deployed its military to Afghanistan alongside the US in 2001, with a contingent of troops remaining deployed in the country to this day. In 2011, Belgian forces participated in the NATO intervention in Libya, which led to the overthrow of the Gaddafi government and the collapse of Libya as a state. In 2014, Belgium joined the US-led coalition mission fighting Daesh in Iraq and Syria. The country has also joined its NATO allies in beefing up the alliance's military presence along the alliance's eastern borders with Russia, taking charge of NATO's Baltic air policing mission in Lithuania earlier this year. *Terrorist groups outlawed in Russia and many other countries. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Be-200 Amphibious Aircraft to Be Commissioned for Russian Navy by End of 2019 Sputnik News 04:17 10.12.2018(updated 05:07 10.12.2018) MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The Russian Navy will receive the Beriev Be-200 amphibious aircraft intended for rescue operations by the end of 2019, Maj. Gen. Igor Kozhin, the chief of Russia's naval aviation, said. "It is planned that we will receive the Beriev Be-200 amphibious aircraft, which will be used as a rescue and firefighting airplane, by the end of 2019 academic year," Kozhin said in an interview with the Russian military's official newspaper Krasnaya Zvezda. He also revealed that amphibious helicopters for search and rescue operations will be created for the Russian Navy in 2031-2050, when the third stage of the Russian Navy's aircraft modernization will be ongoing. The Be-200 was designed by the Beriev Aircraft Company and built by the Irkut Corporation, both part of the Russian United Aircraft Corporation (UAC). The aircraft can hold 12,000 liters (3,170 gallons) of water and is able to transport 42 tonnes of cargo. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Turkey calls for international inquiry into Khashoggi's killing Iran Press TV Mon Dec 10, 2018 06:56PM Turkey has called for an international investigation into the case of slain Saudi dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi, after Riyadh refused to extradite two senior Saudi officials suspected of planning his murder in the kingdom's consulate in Istanbul in October. Fahrettin Altun, director of communications at the Turkish presidency, said in a statement to Reuters on Monday that the international community should seek justice for the slain journalist under international law after Riyadh reiterated that the suspects in the case would not be extradited for trial in Istanbul. Altun denounced Riyadh's refusal to extradite the suspects as "very disappointing," and said the measure would play into the hands of critics "who believe Saudi Arabia has been trying to cover up the murder." The official told Reuters that Saudi authorities had not been sufficiently cooperative and Turkey had seen "little evidence of the Saudi prosecutors intending to shed light on what happened to Mr. Khashoggi." Therefore "it will be in the best interest of the international community to seek justice for the late Saudi journalist under international law," Altun said. The Turkish Foreign Ministry warned last month that Ankara may seek a formal United Nations inquiry into Khashoggi's murder case if its dealings with Riyadh came to an impasse. The Istanbul prosecutor's office concluded last week that there was "strong suspicion" that Saud al-Qahtani, a close aide to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and General Ahmed al-Asiri, who served as deputy head of the kingdom's foreign intelligence, were among the planners of the journalist's killing. On Sunday, Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir ruled out sending the two suspects to Turkey for trial, reiterating that the kingdom had no extradition policy for its citizens. "We don't extradite our citizens," Jubeir said at a summit in Riyadh. Khashoggi, a prominent critic of the Saudi crown prince and a US resident, disappeared on October 2 after visiting the Saudi consulate in Istanbul to obtain documentation for his forthcoming marriage. Saudi Arabia initially claimed he had left the consulate alive, but weeks later admitted that he was killed inside the diplomatic mission and blamed his death on a group of Saudi operatives. Turkish authorities believe that a 15-person "hit squad" was sent from Saudi Arabia to Istanbul to kill the 61-yerar-old journo. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that the order to slay Khashoggi had been issued from "the highest levels" of the Saudi government, suggesting that the crown prince had ordered such a gruesome crime. The CIA is said to have concluded that bin Salman had "probably ordered" the murder. A highly-classified CIA assessment, seen by The Wall Street Journal, said the Saudi crown prince had sent at least 11 messages to al-Qahtani in the hours surrounding the journalist's killing. A purported transcript of an audio recording of Khashoggi's killing shared with CNN showed that the dissident journalist's death had been the execution of a premeditated plan, unlike what Saudi officials initially claimed. The transcript described the last painful moments of Khashoggi's life, noting that his screams and gasps could be heard on the tape. It also identified the sounds of saw and cutting as the victim's body was dismembered. Saudi Arabia has been facing international condemnation over the brutal murder. Turkey slams rights groups' silence over France protests Mean while, Erdogan on Monday accused rights activists of double standards over their response to the French "yellow vests" protests after they had criticized Ankara's handling of anti-government demonstrations in Turkey back in 2013. "Those who defended human rights during the Gezi protests have become blind, deaf and mute to what's happening in Paris," the Turkish president said during a televised speech, referring to the 2013 Istanbul anti-government protests, known as the Gezi Park protests. "You (activists) mobilized the world during the Gezi events. Why? Because this is Turkey? Come on, explain it (the protests) in the same way now," Erdogan added. On Saturday, Erdogan criticized the "disproportionate violence" used by riot police against protesters in Paris. The "yellow vest" movement began three weeks ago over a planned fuel-tax hike, but has since snowballed into a general movement against French President Emmanuel Macron's perceived elitist governance. Macron, who is expected to address the nation in the coming week, is now experiencing the biggest crisis since being elected 18 months ago. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Saudi in talks with US for Arab front against Iran: Jubeir Iran Press TV Mon Dec 10, 2018 11:23AM Saudi Arabia Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir says the kingdom is in talks with the United States about a new security alliance of Arab countries specifically aimed at countering Iran. Speaking at a press briefing in Riyadh Sunday, the Saudi FM said the new pact would be similar in style to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and would seek to protect the Middle East from "external aggression." "Talks are continuing between the United States and the (Persian) Gulf states around this question and ideas are being drawn up," he said at the press call, which came after the annual Persian Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) summit. "The aim is to achieve security arrangements in the Middle East that can protect the region from external aggression and strengthen relations between the United States and the countries of the region," Jubeir added. The Saudi diplomat said the agreement, which is going to feature Egypt as a member as well, would be called the Middle East Strategic Alliance, or MESA. The remarks confirmed months-long media reports about a joint push between Riyadh and Washington for the establishment of a so-called "Arab NATO" that would also serve Israeli interests in the Middle East region. US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Persian Gulf Affairs Tim Lenderking on Sunday toured the region to convince Arab leaders to commit to the plan. The idea of an alliance comprising Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar and Oman along with the US, Egypt and Jordan was first floated during US President Donald Trump's visit to Riyadh last year. The remarks by Jubeir came amid a widening rift between the White House and US lawmakers over Washington's ties with Riyadh. While Saudi Arabia continues to receive unconditional support from the Trump administration, Riyadh's stature has plunged in the halls of Capitol Hill. Trump has so far resisted strong pressure from Congress to go after the de facto Saudi leader, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, for his actions. Besides leading a deadly war on Yemen since March 2015, the young prince stands accused of ordering a hit job on dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi, who was murdered after entering the Saudi consulate in the Turkish city of Istanbul on October 2. Trump argues that subjecting Saudi Arabia to punishment in high times like this would alienate the longtime ally and push it towards Russia, jeopardizing Israel and billions of dollars in US arms deals. American lawmakers, however, argue that the US can still punish MbS without harming ties. 'Saudis would be speaking Farsi if it wasn't for US' Speaking to Fox News on Sunday, Republican Senator and close Trump ally, Lindsey Graham, said it was Washington that had the upper hand in the relationship with Riyadh and not the other way around. Noting that the Saudi military "can't fight out of a paper bag," Graham said Washington's support was the only thing that helped Saudi Arabia survive Iran's influence. "Let me put it this way -- I want to be very blunt with you," Graham asserted. "If it weren't for the United States they'd be speaking Farsi in about a week in Saudi Arabia." Selling more weapons by spreading Iranophobia The US has long used Iranophobia as a tactic to keep Arabs on its side and sell them more weapons. During his maiden state visit to Saudi Arabia, Trump convinced bin Salman to sign a massive $110 billion arms deal. The American head of state said in early October that he had warned Salman the kingdom would not last "for two weeks" without US military support. "I love Saudi Arabia. They are great, King Salman, I spoke with him this morning. I said, king, you have got trillions of dollars. Without us, who knows what's going to happen. .... With us they are totally safe. But we don't get what we should be getting," he said back then. Last week, Iran Foreign Minister Javad Zarif warned Washington that the policy of pouring weapons into the Middle East far beyond its real defense needs had turned the Middle east into a "powder keg." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Transcript of Khashoggi's last words reveals premeditated murder Iran Press TV Mon Dec 10, 2018 11:19AM A full translated transcript of an audio recording of the murder of Saudi dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi in the kingdom's consulate in Istanbul on October 2 has showed that the killing was pre-planned, refuting Ryiadh's claims. A source, who read the translated version and who has been briefed on the investigation into Khashoggi's killing, has made the revelations to CNN. He said the transcript of the last words of the Washington Post columnist made it clear that the murder was no botched interrogation, rather the execution of a premeditated plan to kill him - unlike what Saudi officials initially claimed. The source said the last three words that Khashoggi repeated three times as he was struggling against his perpetrators who attacked him shortly after entering the consulate were, "I can't breathe." The transcript described the last painful moments of Khashoggi's life, noting that his screams and gasps could be heard on the tape. It also identified the sounds of saw and cutting as the victim's body was dismembered. According to the source, Turkish authorities identified one of the voices of the attackers as belonging to Salah Muhammad al-Tubaiqi, the head of forensic medicine at Saudi Arabia's Interior Ministry. In the audio, he is reportedly heard advising the hit squad to "Put your earphones in, or listen to music like me" in order to help them deal with the appalling task. The transcript does not specify the moment the journalist dies. According to the source, at least three phone calls were placed by Maher Abdulaziz Mutreb, a former Saudi diplomat and intelligence official working for Saudi crown prince, briefing someone, whom Turkish officials say was in Riyadh, on the progress of the job. "Tell yours, the thing is done, it's done." According to the source, the word "yours" refers to a superior, or boss. The transcript of the phone conversation showed that the calls did not describe an unexpected situation, but Mutreb was describing a situation going entirely according to plan, the source said. "The transcript is relatively short, given the time span it describes," the source told CNN, refuting the Saudi claim that Khashoggi was being interrogated. The fullest account of the transcript is likely to increase pressure on US President Donald Trump, who has avoided rebuking Saudi Arabia over Khashoggi's murder and vowed to stand with its ally, citing lucrative arms deals among the reasons for his support. Trump has been at odds with the CIA, which is said to have concluded that bin Salman was behind the killing. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Meeting Readout of The Secretary's Special Representative on Syria Engagement in Gaziantep Media Note Office of the Spokesperson Washington, DC December 10, 2018 The Secretary's Special Representative for Syria Engagement Ambassador James Jeffrey and Special Envoy for Syria and Deputy Assistant Secretary Joel Rayburn visited Gaziantep December 8 to meet with U.S. and Turkish military officials, Syrian refugees, civil society actors, and political groups working on Syria. Ambassador Jeffrey and DAS Rayburn visited the site of U.S. and Turkish military rehearsals for joint patrols in fulfillment of the Manbij roadmap and discussed with U.S. and Turkish military officials the importance of the unique military cooperation between the United States and Turkey in resolving the conflict in Syria. They also met with a number of civil society actors, including from NGOs implementing stabilization projects in Syria, and Syrian refugees, where they reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to providing life-saving humanitarian assistance to Syrians. Throughout, they discussed issues facing the Syrian diaspora and the necessity for a Syrian-led and -owned political process under U.N. Security Council resolution 2254. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address May defers Brexit vote in parliament amid rows over 'backstop' Iran Press TV Mon Dec 10, 2018 05:43PM British Prime Minister Theresa May has finally decided to postpone a crunch parliamentary vote on her European Union withdrawal agreement, saying she would seek further assurances from the EU over a controversial clause in the agreement which outlines contingencies for the future situation of border on the island of Ireland. May told a rowdy session of the House of Commons on Monday that it was not possible for her government to put the Brexit deal to a vote on Tuesday, saying the thorny issue of the Irish border was causing the chamber to divide. "If we went ahead and held the vote tomorrow the deal would be rejected by a significant margin," May said in her address to the lawmakers, adding, "We will therefore defer the vote scheduled for tomorrow and not proceed to divide the House at this time." The British premier said she was hopeful EU leaders could accept her demands for more "assurances" and "reassurances" on the so-called backstop, a clause that would be triggered two years after Britain's withdrawal from the EU in March if the two sides fail to reach a comprehensive agreement on future trade relationship. Critics believe the backstop could tie the UK to EU indefinitely, as the bloc would include the British province of Northern Ireland in its customs union to prevent a return of hard border between the region and Ireland. May said both the UK and the EU had no interest in triggering the backstop, which she said had become UK-wide as a result of her resistance to EU demands for having only Northern Ireland on its rulebook. Both May and the EU have time and again said that the current draft deal, signed win Brussels last month, is the only and best option available for Brexit. Brussels said again on Monday that there was no chance for a renegotiation while France said the political uncertainty over Brexit in London meant there was a high chance for a disorderly departure of Britain from the EU on March 29. Responding to repeated questions from lawmakers on exactly when she would return to parliament with a changed version of the Brexit deal, May said she could not offer a date. The premier, however, said that she was well aware of a deadline set for January 21. Opposition Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn criticized May's Brexit agreement a "botched deal" before adding that "our country deserves better than this." "The government has lost control of events and is in complete disarray," Corbyn said Monday. "It's been evident for weeks that the prime minister's deal did not have confidence of this House yet she plowed on regardless, reiterating 'this is the only deal available.'" May had been trying for weeks to win support for her Brexit deal. However, she did not appear to be having much success with a high number of her own Conservative Party MPs opposed to the plan. In a tweet before May spoke, EU Parliament chief Brexit negotiator Guy Verhofstadt expressed frustration at the prime minister's decision to pull the parliamentary vote. "This delay will further aggravate the uncertainty for people & businesses. It's time they make up their mind!" he wrote. Earlier on Monday, the EU's top court ruled that the UK could unilaterally halt the formal process of leaving the bloc next year. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Theresa May Delays Critical Brexit Vote, Scrambles to Save Deal Sputnik News 03:41 11.12.2018 British Prime Minister Theresa May called off Tuesday's parliamentary vote on her Brexit deal after a conference call with cabinet ministers, an indication that she believes she would have faced a crushing defeat. Legendary anti-war activist and former British parliamentarian George Galloway joined Radio Sputnik's Loud & Clear Monday to discuss the British political scene. "It [the situation in Britain] might even get more chaotic," Galloway told hosts John Kiriakou and Brian Becker. "Although Theresa May has pulled the vote for fear of losing it by a substantial margin, the House of Commons has to actually agree to allow her to pull the vote. If there is a vote tomorrow, she will be overwhelmingly defeated. It's hard to believe that we are led by such dangerous incompetence," Galloway added. The House of Commons vote, which will determine whether the terms for the UK's exit from the EU negotiated by May are approved or rejected, was originally scheduled to take place on December 11. Earlier this year, May defended a draft Brexit deal in the UK parliament's House of Commons. The agreement faced criticism both from the opposition and the ruling party, with several members of May's cabinet resigning over disagreements with the deal. The United Kingdom voted to leave the European Union in a referendum in June 2016 and is expected to do so by March 2019. "My best prediction would be that by next week, Britain will have a new Conservative prime minister. She is risking the hold on power of the entire Conservative Party, and there are other contenders waiting in the ring. My prediction is that in days, not weeks or months, we'll have a new Conservative leader," Galloway told Sputnik. "The instinct of the Conservative Party, which is a very successful party over centuries, would be to cling to power at all costs. The reshaping of politics is still a possibility, with the moderate party linking up with the right wing of the Labor Party and the other centrist parties that are already in parliament and forming maybe a [French President Emmanuel] Macron-type government. But that is looking less and less appealing by the day," Galloway said. May is expected to face a leadership battle over the House of Commons' vote on the Brexit deal, as 48 no-confidence letters against May from members of her ruling Conservative Party could prompt her defeat, Sputnik previously reported. Former UK Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson has outlined plans to renegotiate the Brexit deal with Brussels, while other former ministers have signaled their desire to challenge May's leadership, Sputnik has reported. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Poroshenko Signs Law Terminating Ukrainian-Russian Friendship Treaty By RFE/RL December 10, 2018 KYIV -- President Petro Poroshenko has signed into law a bill to terminate Ukraine's friendship treaty with Russia. In a video comment posted on the presidential website, Poroshenko called the law "part of our strategy towards fully breaking with the colonial past and reorientation towards Europe." The treaty is due to expire on March 31. On December 6, Ukrainian lawmakers voted not to prolong it beyond that date. Signed in 1997, the treaty obliges Russia and Ukraine to "respect the territorial integrity of each other and confirm the inviolability of current mutual borders." It also says that Ukraine and Russia should build bilateral relations "based on principles of mutual respect of sovereign equality, inviolability of borders, peaceful resolution of differences, without the use of force or the threat to use force." Ukrainian government forces have been fighting against Russia-backed separatists in the eastern Ukraine since April 2014, shortly after Russia seized Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula and forcibly annexed it. Although Moscow denies interfering in Ukraine's domestic affairs, the International Criminal Court (ICC) in November 2016 ruled that the fighting in eastern Ukraine is "an international armed conflict between Ukraine and the Russian Federation." Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/poroshenko-signs-law-terminating -ukrainian-russian-friendship-treaty/29648193.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. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address EU Blacklists Nine People Over Ukraine Separatist Vote By Rikard Jozwiak December 10, 2018 BRUSSELS The European Union has blacklisted nine individuals involved in the organization of last month's elections in the areas controlled by Russia-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine. Meeting in Brussels on December 10, the EU's foreign ministers said the individuals were added to the bloc's sanctions list because of their "actions undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty, and independence of Ukraine." A total of 164 people from Russia and Ukraine are now subject to EU asset freezes and travel bans. The bloc has also frozen the assets of 44 entities from both countries since Moscow's seizure of Ukraine's Crimea region in March 2014 and its support for separatists in a conflict that has killed more than 10,300 people in eastern Ukraine since April 2014. Kyiv and its international backers, including the European Union and the United States, have denounced the November 11 polls in the areas held by the separatists in the Donetsk and neighboring Luhansk regions as a sham. The nine individuals added to the EU sanctions list include Olga Pozdnyakova and Olena Kravchenko, who head the separatists' electoral commissions in Donetsk and Luhansk, the two bodies' deputy heads, and their secretaries. The heads of the separatist legislatures in Donetsk and Luhansk, Vladimir Bidyovka and Denis Miroshnichenko, as well as Leonid Pasechnik, who became leader of the separatists in Luhansk, were also added. Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/eu-blacklists -nine-people-over-ukraine-separatist -vote/29647964.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. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address OUSTED Nissan Motor Company representative director and chairman Carlos Ghosn has been officially indicted in Japan along with former representative director Greg Kelly for allegedly making false disclosures in annual securities reports. The two former senior officials have allegedly violated the Japan financial instruments and exchange act, which also means Nissan, as a legal entity, has been indicted for the same violation. Mr Ghosn was removed as chairman by the Nissan Motor Company board in November after he and Mr Kelly were arrested by the Japanese Public Prosecutors Office on suspicion of financial misconduct. Reports have claimed that from 2010 to 2014, Mr Ghosn under-reported his salary by approximately 5 billion ($A61.5 million), with Mr Kelly, a 30-year veteran of Nissan, acting as the mastermind in the deception. According to US publication Automotive News, the indictment comes amid new allegations that the two executives also hid 4 billion ($A49 million) in the 2015-17 financial years. An internal investigation at Nissan suggested the combined total amount was being hidden by Ghosn for a deferred payment at a later date. Nissan issued a statement in Japan confirming the three indictments, and expressed its regret in the release. Nissan takes this situation extremely seriously. Making false disclosures in annual securities reports greatly harms the integrity of Nissans public disclosures in the securities markets, and the company expresses its deepest regret, the company said. Nissan will continue its efforts to strengthen its governance and compliance, including making accurate disclosures of corporate information. Both Mr Ghosn and Mr Kelly had been held without formal charge in Tokyo since their arrest on November 19 with a 22-day detention period, however their new re-arrest means they will remain in custody without bail for another 20 days. According to Japanese newspaper Nikkei, both Mr Ghosn and Mr Kelly could face up to ten years in prison, a 10 million ($A123,003) fine or both, while corporations can be fined up to 700 million ($A8.6m). Mr Ghosn played a large part in helping rescue Nissan from near-bankruptcy when he took the reins in 1999, and was pivotal in establishing the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance that now stands as the worlds largest automotive group. Mitsubishi has announced its intentions to remove Mr Ghosn from the company, however Renault has said it plans to wait for evidence from the allegations to make a decision on whether to remove Mr Ghosn from the board. Chief operating officer Thierry Bollore has temporarily taken the reins of the French company while the investigation is carried out. The companies issued a joint statement late last month that there are no plans to disband the alliance, and that all members have emphatically reiterated their desires to remain together, saying the alliance has resulted in unparalleled success in the past two decades. The Road to Recovery podcast series 8 Factors That Are Weighing On The Indian Economy Today Business oi-Olga Robert A day of state elections results has always brought volatility in the Indian markets. However, this Tuesday there are some substantial ongoing domestic and global problems that have worsened the element of uncertainty in the economy. 1. RBI Governor's Resignation: Urjit Patel on Monday submitted his 88-word resignation letter from the position of Governor of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) citing personal reasons. The suddenly eventful occurrence amid state elections is worrisome for many investors of the Indian economy, especially foreign. 2. Foreign Investors: The governor's resignation after the clash between the central bank and the government in the past month would make foreign investors doubt the independence RBI, as it increases the risk to stay invested. The autonomy and credibility of the central bank are very important for international investors. However, the move alone would not result in massive sell-off, it is the next steps that the government takes to find Patel's replacement, that would become the deciding factor. 3. Rupee: The Indian currency has already seen a sharp fall this week. Apart from the resignation, mixed results for Prime Minister Modi's ruling party, strengthening US dollar and an increase in oil prices are weighing on the rupee. Experts say that a bad poll for BJP would harm the rupee. 4. Stock Markets and State Elections: If the ruling party does not win a majority today, it would bring a serious market correction. Major large-cap stocks like Reliance Industries Limited, ICICI Bank, Maruti Suzuki, HDFC Bank, and Axis Bank were seen trading lower after BJP's lower trail in the vote counting. The outcome of the elections would also set the basis for the upcoming general assembly elections scheduled for mid-2019. 5. US-China Trade Spat: White House trade advisor Peter Navarro said that Washington would raise tariffs on Chinese imports if the two countries won't come to an agreement in the 90-day negotiating period. This has fanned fresh concerns over the trade relations between the two largest economies in the world. 6. Oil: International benchmark Brent crude, that extended its gains at the beginning of the week after the OPEC and its allies agreed to cut 1.2 million barrels per day, rose further after Libya reported export disruption from a local militia group. Increase in oil prices means increased import costs and widening trade deficit in the country. 7. Brexit: Political turmoil worsens in the UK after Prime Minister Teresa May abruptly postpones a parliamentary vote session on her proposed Brexit agreement. The British pound fell to its 20-month low against the US dollar. 8. US dollar strengthens: The American dollar index rose as traders resorted to the stable greenback amid the ongoing uncertainty in the global economy on account of Brexit and US-China trade war, among others. Recent economic data released by China and Japan, two of the major Asian economies showed a slowdown in their economic activity, further pushing the demand for the US dollar. A stronger dollar makes things worse for the Indian rupee. For investment related articles, business news and mutual fund advise Allow Notifications Story first published: Tuesday, December 11, 2018, 11:05 [IST] Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, December 11) The proposed 3.757 trillion national budget for 2019 will no longer hurdle the Senate before 2018 ends, Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel "Migz" Zubiri said Tuesday, citing lack of time to scrutinize the proposal. Zubiri said senators, at most, can finish the interpellations on the General Appropriations Bill this week and pass it on second and third reading when session resumes on January 14 next year. Congress only has until Thursday before session goes on a month-long Christmas break. "We will do our best to finish the budget at least to end interpellation, but mukhang hanggang dun na lang, unless magpatawag si Presidente ng special session hindi namin matatapos ang budget on time," the Senator said. "At very least matatapos namin ang interpellation by Thursday, maga-adjourn na kasi ang House and technically we can't continue our sessions when the House is adjourned, so unless there is special session called, technically we end on Thursday," he added. Zubiri explained they lost time for the budget due to discussions on the extension of martial law in Mindanao. Senators spent half a day on Monday discussing with security officials why there is a need to once again extend martial law in the area. They are also set to hold a joint session with congressmen on Wednesday to discuss and vote on the extension. "Di namin kasalanan ito dahil nagkaroon ng [martial law] extension. Kung wala tapos na sana kami tomorrow, then plano namin second and third reading Thursday," he said. Malacanang earlier requested senators to ensure the passage of the 2019 budget this year to prevent the re-enactment of the current budget. Budget Secretary Ben Diokno earlier explained a re-enacted budget in January and the ban on awarding of projects during the election season would mean there would be no new infrastructure project in the first half of 2019. Responding to Malacanang's call, Zubiri earlier said senators "will work double time" to have the bill ratified on December 13 and signed by President Rodrigo Duterte before the end of the year. Now that they won't be able to pass the budget, Zubiri said senators are looking at adding a special provision in the budget to allow all projects under capital outlay to be exempted from the election ban. Senate Minority Leader Frank Drilon, meanwhile, blamed the House of Representatives for the delay in the passage of the proposed budget, saying senators received the bill late this year due to insertions of congressmen in the budget. "Really, from the very start, if we look at the previous years, palaging nakakarating sa amin 'yung budget about second week of November, eh ngayon dumating sa amin, dahilan sa kanilang mga insertions sa House, just a few days before December," Drilon said. He assured that government workers will not be adversely affected by the budget delay. After 11 years at its current site, the Cricklewood branch of Selco Builders Warehouse is moving to a new location. The existing flagship branch has been based on Geron Way in northwest London since it first opened, but the lease on the property has run out. Howard Luft, Selco Chief Executive, (pictured) explained that the company took this opportunity to move to a larger, more modern premises. The new branch will be located on an almost 100,000 sq ft site, with the inside area 5% larger than the previous branch. New facilities include a kitchen showroom design area, a dedicated delivery hub unit and improved cafe area. Gerry Cullen, Branch Manager for Selco Cricklewood, said: We are proud of the high level service we have provided to Cricklewood tradespeople for more than a decade and are determined to continue to improve on that. The new branch provides fresh opportunities for our customers, and the feedback we have had so far about the move has been very positive. Audi is now offering Audi on demand+ at another location in the northwest of Beijing. The company now covers an area of more than 300 square kilometers for its users. For added convenience, customers can alternatively pick up their desired car at the airport in the Chinese capital. Audi also intends to offer the service in Sanya on Hainan Island by late 2018. As a result the company will be increasing its number of locations to 46 this year, bringing the total number of customers to six figures. After this years start of the individual mobility service Audi on demand+, which is tailored to customers requirements in Beijing, more locations are now opening up there. The customer configures a car to his or hers precise needs using the smartphone app and books it for a certain period. An exclusive concierge service delivers the ordered model to the users desired location in an area covering more than 300 square kilometers around the megacitys Fourth Ring Road. Customers can also collect and return the car themselves at a central location. Audi on demand+ is now also available for passengers at Beijing Airport. They use Audi on demand+ straight after landing and continue their journey with the brands latest models. The company is also extending its fleet for Audi on demand+ in the Chinese metropolis. The premium brands full range is now available including the latest products and technologies as well as extensive equipment: from the compact A3 through to the sporty Audi R8. In 2018, Audi focused on scaling and extending its mobility network in Asia and Europe. New locations such as Tokyo, Singapore and London were added; the existing network in Beijing and Hong Kong was extended. For the first time in Europe, dealers in the UK are also acting as the first port of call for mobility service customers. Following Audis acquisition of the car-rental service Silvercar in the United States, 25 new mobility hubs have also been created in the country under the Silvercar by Audi name. Further locations will follow in 2019. Hyundai Motor Group (HMG), which includes automotive brands Hyundai Motor Company and Kia Motors Corporation, announced its long-term roadmap for hydrogen fuel cell vehicle technology: FCEV Vision 2030. Aligned with the roadmap, Hyundai Motor Group (The Group) will boost its annual fuel-cell systems production capacity to 700,000 units by 2030 and explore new business opportunities to supply its fuel-cell systems to other transportation manufacturers of automobiles, drones, vessels, rolling stocks and forklifts. Hyundai Motor Group, the global pioneer of the commercial production of FCEV, is taking a bold step forward to expedite the realization of a hydrogen society. We will expand our role beyond the automotive transportation sector and play a pivotal role in global societys transition to clean energy by helping make hydrogen an economically viable energy source. We are confident that hydrogen power will transcend the transportation sector and become a leading global economic success. Euisun Chung, Executive Vice Chairman of Hyundai Motor Group The FCEV Vision 2030 roadmap will help Hyundai Motor Group and its suppliers invest approximately KRW 7.6 trillion (US$6.7 billion) in R&D and facility expansion, which is expected to create approximately 51,000 jobs by 2030. The Group plans to secure a 500,000-units-ayear FCEV production capacity by 2030, including passenger vehicles and commercial vehicles, in anticipation of high demand for global FCEVs expanding to around 2 million units a year within that timeframe. As the first step to fulfill the FCEV Vision 2030, HMGs fuel-cell system manufacturing affiliate Hyundai Mobis Co. held a groundbreaking ceremony for its second fuel-cell system plant in Chungju, South Korea. The second factory will help Mobis increase annual fuel-cell system output to 40,000 units by 2022, up from the current 3,000 units. Hyundai Motor earlier this year launched NEXO, its second-generation commercialized FCEV, improving upon the Tucson FCEV introduced in 2013. NEXO was built on Hyundais first dedicated fuel-cell vehicle architecture, which provides many structural benefits including lighter weight, increased cabin space and improved fuel-cell system layout. The Group plans to further advance the fuel-cell system used in NEXO models to upgrade and diversify its fuel-cell system lineup, so it can respond to demands from various industry sectors. In December, Hyundai Motor Group established a dedicated division to develop and support fuel-cell system businesses. | BY Ricki Green | Following a competitive pitch, Bank Australia has appointed Alchemy One as its new media agency, effective January 2019. Led from the agencys headquarters in Sydney, Alchemy One will conceptualise and deliver customised buying and integrated planning services for Bank Australia. Says Joel Trethowan, managing director, Alchemy One: As an agency, Alchemy One seeks to partner with brands that continually push the status-quo and challenge the way things are done. From our first meeting with the Bank Australia team and their partners, we felt a strong connection and alignment of goals and values. Bank Australia is unlike any other financial institution in Australia and we believe there has never been a more important time to educate Australians on why where they bank matters. We are honoured to be working with Bank Australia and are looking forward to helping them tell their story. Responsible banking has never been more critical. Says Fiona Nixon, head of corporate affairs and marketing, Bank Australia: Were excited to partner with Alchemy One, and we look forward to working with the team to continue to build the aware- ness and impact of our brand. The Alchemy One team instinctively understand Bank Australias purpose, and were confident they will help us talk to more Australians about how their choice of bank shapes the world we all live in. HARTFORD There was no keynote speaker at the Democratic Partys biggest fundraiser of the year, but maybe it wasnt necessary. Democratic candidates retained the governors office and expanded their Democratic majorities in the House and the Senate. Appetizers and an open bar less than three weeks before Christmas was more appealing to an estimated 500 party insiders than a sit-down rubber-chicken dinner with speeches in May. The lingering question for party insiders who gathered at the Connecticut Convention Center Monday night was whether the Democratic Party Chairman, Nick Balletto, will retain his position. There are those who feel Governor-elect Ned Lamont should install a party chairman who he feels comfortable with. Leading that camp is Gov. Dannel P. Malloy. I personally believe that whoever is going to lead the party should be somebody the governor is extremely comfortable with, Malloy said. Balletto was Malloys choice and wants to be re-elected, but insisted he wasnt thinking about it Monday night. I just think todays about a big celebration of a Democratic victory that a lot of people thought was impossible a year ago, Lamont said, declining to comment further. Senate President Martin Looney, D-New Haven, a city that delivered more than 20,000 votes for Lamont, said he supports Balletto and it would be hard to get rid of a guy who was chairman after such a successful election cycle. Former Democratic Party Chairman John Olsen said if you want to be a successful Democratic Party, then it has to be a team effort. Olsen said Lamont has to feel comfortable with his top officer on the ground. One of the other names that came up Monday as a possible chairman was Justin Kronholm. Kronholm, senior counselor to Attorney General George Jepsen, and grandson of the late Democratic Party Chairman John Bailey, said its up to Lamont. He said hes not actively seeking out the role. Kronholm was executive director of the party between 2006 and 2010 and he was executive assistant to U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., when he was attorney general. Balletto wasnt necessarily on the Lamont team when he first announced his candidacy, but quickly got on board before it became apparent Lamont would be the Democratic Partys nominee. The party worked in concert with Lamonts campaign with few hiccups. And Balletto does want another shot at running the party. I wont start thinking about the chairmanship until tomorrow, Balletto said. U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., has also been heavily involved with the party and might also want to have some say in who becomes the next party chairman. Malloy didnt disagree that Murphy should have a say, but not as big a say as Lamont. Malloy said Murphy is in Washington, D.C., most of the time and the governor needs access to the party apparatus. Its unclear how Lamont, who is still in the process of building his administration, will proceed. Lamont will be sworn in on Jan. 9. Balletto said Lamont has already proven he has the exact skill set we need to move Connecticut forward. Balletto praised Lamonts campaign. Lamont ran his campaign on the premise of optimism, Balletto said. And on the idea that Connecticuts best years are ahead of us. Lamont said hes going to show Connecticut that Democrats can govern. That means paid Family Medical Leave, Lamont said. That means raising the minimum wage. Lamont also talked about a move toward early voting so that people are not waiting in line to vote on Election Day. An Ohio man was arrested on charges that he attempted to support the Islamic State by planning an attack on a synagogue in Toledo after the Pittsburgh massacre, federal officials announced Monday. Damon Joseph, 21, of Holland, Ohio, was arrested Friday and charged with one count of attempting to provide material support to ISIS. The case began after Joseph posted photographs of weapons and messages in support of ISIS on his social media accounts, according to a news release about Joseph's arrest from the U.S. attorney's office in Ohio's Northern District. Undercover FBI agents began corresponding with Joseph. In some of these discussions, Joseph said he supported ISIS and made propaganda "in support of ISIS recruitment," which included videos to recruit people, according to the release. And he expressed his support for violence, officials said. He said he supported "martyrdom operations" and also said, "what must be done, must be done" and that "there will always be casualties of war." After a gunman killed 11 congregants at a Pittsburgh synagogue, Joseph told an undercover agent that he "admire[d] what the guy did with the shooting," federal officials said. "I can see myself carrying out this type of operation inshallah," Joseph said, according to officials. "They wouldn't even expect in my area." On Dec. 2, Joseph forwarded a document that specified his plans for an attack. He described attacking where a large number of people were gathered to inflict the most casualties, officials said. Two days later, he said he was deciding between two synagogues in the area, saying the choice depended on "Which one will have the most people, what time and what day. Go big or go home." He told an undercover agent that he wanted to a kill a rabbi, saying that he hoped to attack two synagogues but that it was more realistic to attack only one, officials said. On Dec. 7, Joseph met with the undercover agent and took from the agent a black duffel bag containing two semiautomatic rifles that had been rendered inoperable by law enforcement officers, the release said. Agents then arrested him. "In a matter of months, Damon Joseph progressed from radicalized, virtual jihadist to attack planner," acting special agent in charge Jeff Fortunato of the FBI's Cleveland division said in the release. "He ultimately decided to target two Toledo-area synagogues for a mass-casualty attack in the name of ISIS. Joseph will now be accountable in a court of law for his pursuit of a violent act of terrorism upon our fellow citizens attending their desired house of worship." In another case in northeast Ohio, officials arrested Elizabeth Lecron, 23, and charged her with transporting explosives and explosive material. Lecron, investigators said, had said she wanted to commit a mass murder in the area. | BY Ricki Green | Australian pasta brand San Remo is launching a new, long-form commercial, which celebrates family as the secret ingredient to any great meal. Developed by Black Sheep Advertising and produced by Kojo, the commercial represents a deep connection to family that the brand has had since its inception in 1936. Says Andrew Millar, creative director, Black Sheep: The story we present is timeless but importantly it has a moral. Its a story about the love and reverence that we have for family. Its also about connection; the unbreakable links we have, often across generations, and just how precious they are. Says Erik de Roos, chief marketing officer, San Remo: Manufacturing pasta is our business, but family is our reason for being and is central to our identity. Pasta is the type of meal that appeals to the whole family and has the power to bring people together. This emotional connection is something we strive to develop and bring to life across all our marketing initiatives. As a family owned business for over 80 years, our new commercial celebrates both our heritage and the powerful family bonds that unite all Australians across all generations. The result is something we are really proud of. A 60-second cut of the commercial will premiere on national commercial television prior to Christmas through a selected spot buy, while the full-length version will run in Cinemas nationally from 1st of January during a peak time for Cinema attendance. Adds de Roos: Despite increased media fragmentation and shortened attention spans, we believe this style of long-form storytelling can still resonate with audiences. We chose cinema as the principal channel to roll out the ad as it offers an opportunity to reach a captive, engaged audience with a positive message that raises awareness of the San Remo brand and celebrates its strong connection to family. Client: San Remo Agency: Black Sheep Advertising Production Company: Kojo Sound: BestFX Talent: Angela Heesom Casting "Roy Moore was a flawed candidate that became more flawed, if that's possible." Even before The Post broke the story in November 2017 about Roy Moore's penchant for underage girls, now-Sen. Doug Jones, D-Ala. believes he was well on his way to winning the special election against Moore a month later. Then-Sen. Jeff Sessions, a Republican, vacated the seat after he was tapped by President Donald Trump for an ill-fated tenure as Attorney General. "I actually think that we were going to win that election had the Post not broken the stories about those women," Jones said in the latest episode of "Cape Up." But he also said the Pulitzer Prize-winning investigation added to the "incredibly tribal" atmosphere surrounding the campaign. "It ginned up a base. It got people out to vote that I think were not gonna vote and got people out to vote," Jones told me. When I asked whose base, Jones said, "I think more on Roy Moore's side. I think my voters were energized for a lot of reasons, and we probably saw some more get out." Since arriving in the Senate on Jan. 3, 2018, Jones said he has been able to get things done, even in the minority. "We were able to secure a 14 percent increase in funding for HBCUs, who have not seen an increase in funding for five or six years," he said, referring to historically black colleges and universities. "We've got some things pending in the farm bill that are very important creating rural liaisons, health-care liaisons, to try to streamline the federal government's response to the rural health-care crisis." And what about those tariffs that Trump insists are good for the country? "What's really interesting about the president's really [being] in favor of tariffs, the subtitle to that, is basically, 'I'm in favor of taxes,' because tariffs are taxes," Jones said. After explaining the impact of the steel tariffs on Alabama, the senator talked about what's happening with his state's farmers. "The retaliatory tariffs that China has placed on folks has really hurt soybean farmers, poultry farmers, and they're afraid of losing markets," Jones pointed out. "Now, everyone supports the president's goal of a better deal. Everybody would like to see a better deal. The problem we've seen is we've seen an incoherent strategy on how to get there." He later said, "Every time you stick it to China, we get stuck back. You can call it a game of chicken or you can call it a game of poker, because every time we play a hand, they raise it. Every time they play a hand, we raise it. And that's not good. It is not helping anybody." Of course, we talked about the runoff Senate election in Mississippi and what it means for the Democratic Party. Despite Mike Espy's loss, Jones is optimistic and blunt about his fellow Dems. "This has never been a witch hunt," Jones, a former federal prosecutor, declared. "I have never seen more false statements, perjury-type indictments, coming out of any investigation than I have out of this." - - - Podcast embed code: --- Video Embed Code Video: Post columnist Jonathan Capehart says the world is breathing a sigh relief after Democrat Doug Jones's surprise victory in the Alabama Senate race.(Gillian Brockell/The Washington Post) Embed code: WASHINGTON - The Supreme Court declined Monday to review lower-court decisions that blocked state efforts to cut off public funding for Planned Parenthood, a move that suggests a majority of the court may be steering clear of controversial issues - at least for now. New Justice Brett Kavanaugh did not join the court's three most conservative members in calling to accept the cases. Justice Clarence Thomas rebuked his colleagues for what he said was a dodge, attributing it to their aversion to taking up the issue of abortion that lurked in the case. "Some tenuous connection to a politically fraught issue does not justify abdicating our judicial duty," Thomas wrote. "If anything, neutrally applying the law is all the more important when political issues are in the background." Thomas's dissent from the court's decision to pass on the case revealed a split among the court's five conservatives: Justices Samuel Alito Jr. and Neil Gorsuch signed on to the statement. Kavanaugh and Chief Justice John Roberts Jr. did not. It takes the votes of four justices to accept a case. The action is another example in which Kavanaugh has laid low after his divisive confirmation hearings, after which he was narrowly approved in October on a largely partisan vote. The contentious fight put the court in an uncomfortable political spotlight. Since then, the majority of justices have not exhibited a rush to tackle emergency requests from the Trump administration or take up controversial issues that have arisen from the lower courts. The caveat is that justices know that there will be plenty of future opportunities - including in the very issue on which the court demurred Monday. The cases, which the court has been pondering since September, have to do with whether individual Medicaid recipients who receive services from providers such as Planned Parenthood have a right to challenge a state's decision to cut off funding to the providers. Five regional courts of appeal have said they do, while one has said they do not. That is the kind of split that normally prompts the Supreme Court to act. "What explains the court's refusal to do its job here? I suspect it has something to do with the fact that some respondents in these cases are named 'Planned Parenthood,' " Thomas wrote. Louisiana and Kansas, the two states at issue in the cases before the court, announced plans to terminate funding for Planned Parenthood through Medicaid after an antiabortion group released videos in 2015 it said showed Planned Parenthood executives discussing the sale of fetal tissue. Planned Parenthood denied the allegations, saying the videos were heavily edited, misleading and discredited. The organization sued in federal court, joined by individuals who said the efforts to cut funding violated a federal law that gives Medicaid patients the right to seek service from the accredited providers they choose. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit, ruling in the Kansas case, said states have power in deciding which providers to fund. But "states may not terminate providers from their Medicaid program for any reason they see fit, especially when that reason is unrelated to the provider's competence and the quality of the health care it provides," a panel ruled. The state asked the Supreme Court to review that ruling. "We regret today's decision from the U.S. Supreme Court announcing that it fell one vote short of taking our case against Planned Parenthood," Kansas Gov. Jeff Colyer, a Republican, said in a statement. Thomas mentioned the videos in his dissent. "It is true that these particular cases arose after several states alleged that Planned Parenthood affiliates had, among other things, engaged in 'the illegal sale of fetal organs' and 'fraudulent billing practices,' and thus removed Planned Parenthood as a state Medicaid provider," Thomas wrote. "But these cases are not about abortion rights. They are about private rights of action under the Medicaid Act. Resolving the question presented here would not even affect Planned Parenthood's ability to challenge the states' decisions." Planned Parenthood had told the high court that it was not necessary to review the lower-court decisions at this time. "Every person has a fundamental right to health care, no matter who they are, where they live, or how much they earn," Leana Wen, president of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America, said in a statement. "As a doctor, I have seen what's at stake when people cannot access the care they need, and when politics gets in the way of people making their own health care choices. We won't stop fighting for every patient who relies on Planned Parenthood for lifesaving, life-changing care." Abortion opponents said they hope the court will take up the issue in future cases. "AUL is disappointed that the Court declined to hear argument in these cases, and we join the dissent in calling on the Court to 'do its duty,' " said Catherine Glenn Foster, president of Americans United for Life. "But the good news is that there are other similar cases pending in lower courts, which may give the Supreme Court another opportunity to decide this important issue." The cases are Gee v. Planned Parenthood of Gulf Coast and Andersen v. Planned Parenthood of Kansas and Mid-Missouri. The court did decide to add a case to its docket that will please conservatives who think federal agencies have too much power. The new case Kisor v. Wilkie involves the Department of Veterans Affairs, and asks the court to reexamine its 1997 decision in Auer v. Robbins, which said courts should defer to an agency's interpretations of its own regulations. Such agency deference has been criticized by conservative justices, including Thomas, Kavanaugh and Gorsuch. Haiti - FLASH : Governability Pact proposed by the Government Let's remind that faced the political instability, popular unrest, opposition protests, an escalation of violence that threatens the very foundation of the State, President Jovenel Moise officially mandated in a message to the Nation https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-26186-haiti-flash-message-to-the-nation-of-president-jovenel-moise.html the Prime Minister Jean-Henry Ceant to carry out a dialogue between the Haitians in order to lay the foundations of a national agreement. The proposed Governability Pact, of which we have obtained a copy, is the result of this dialogue between the current power, the opposition and Civil Society and will now have to be submitted to all the stakeholders of the dialogue for signature. Recall that the stakeholders who participated in the dialogue led by the Prime Minister and all those who will adhere to it by approving this Pact commit themselves over the next 3 years, to work together and to respect all the components of the Pact of governability intended to resolve the political crisis that the country is going through by consensus among the actors; to ensure the stability of the country by creating a climate of social appeasement and to promote the social and economic progress of the country. Components of the Governability Pact : Political pact; Social pact; Economic pact; Pact to fight against waste, smuggling, corruption and incivism; Pact on the PetroCaribe Trial; Pact of justice, fight against impunity, public security and respect for human rights; Pact on the package of laws to be revised or put in place in 2019. Download the proposed Governability Pact (PDF) : https://www.haitilibre.com/docs/pacte-gouvernabilite.pdf S/ HaitiLibre Haiti - Politic : President Moise pleads for peace and unity Monday at the Cine Triomphe, President Jovenel Moise, accompanied by the Prime Minister, Jean Henry Ceant, participated in the celebration of the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, in the presence of many parliamentarians, including the President of the Senate, Joseph Lambert, the President of the Court of Cassation and of the Superior Council of the Judiciary, Me Jules Cantave, personalities who work for the protection of human rights in Haiti including Colette Lespinasse of the Support Group for Refugees and Repatriated (GARR), Edouard Paultre of the National Council of Non State Actors (CONANE) and Gedeon Jean, of the Human Rights Organization Platform (POHDH). During this ceremony, a vibrant tribute was paid to Emile Saint Lot (1904-1976), Ambassador of Haiti to the United Nations, who participated in the development of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, as Secretary-Rapporteur of the Commission. "All human beings are born free and equal..." said Senator Lambert citing Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, to pay tribute to Emile Saint Lot before delivering a plaque of honor to family members of this rare and humanistic personality, who has helped to perpetuate the incessant struggle to restore human dignity. Giuseppe Calandruccio, the representative of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights presented a painting and a plaque of recognition to the Saint Lot family Download the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (PDF) : https://www.haitilibre.com/docs/ddh-en.pdf President Moise took the opportunity to reaffirm his commitment to respect for human rights and reiterated his commitment and determination to work even harder to improve the living conditions of the Haitian people, while promoting a pact of governability https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-26368-haiti-flash-governability-pact-proposed-by-the-government.html to preserve stability and harmony in the country. "Increasing agricultural production, attracting investment, promoting access to justice for all, fighting against corruption are, among other things, the common challenges that must be overcome if the human rights of all Haitians are to be respected" underlined the Head of State who launched a call for unity and permanent dialogue between all the forces of the Nation to develop and restore peace in the country. "At a time when we are reaffirming, everywhere in the world, the predominance of human rights, too many people are exposed and are kept in vulnerable situations," said Moise, who cited some examples of global problems which hinder the full development of the human being, including racism, xenophobia and migrant hunting, etc... that the nations of the world must strive to resolve. Giuseppe Calandruccio, thanked the presence of the three powers of the state and reminded that the commitment of the state is fundamental in protecting the rights of citizens. Also, while welcoming the important work of the human rights organizations, he stressed that, despite the difficult times experienced by the country, is establishing a real opportunity to work for the progress of the fundamental rights of citizens in Haiti . HL/ HaitiLibre Haiti - Environment : The Minister of the Environment in Poland for COP24 Monday, Joseph Jouthe Minister of the Environment left the country to Katowice in Poland, to join the Haitian delegation and participate in the negotiations of the 24th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP24) (December 3 to 14). Minister Joute will participate in this event at several high-level meetings and deliver a speech at the podium. One of COP24's most important tasks will be to develop and adopt a set of decisions to ensure the full implementation of the Paris Agreement, in line with the decisions adopted in Paris (COP21 https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-16066-haiti-cop21-the-fruits-have-finally-found-the-promise-of-flowers-dixit-dominique-pierre.html ) and to Marrakech (COP22 https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-19303-icihaiti-environment-speech-by-desras-at-the-marrakech-summit.html ). This event brings together many state and non-state actors justifies the international mobilization to achieve the objectives of the Paris agreement, ratified by Haiti in February 2017 https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-20009-icihaiti-environment-the-embassy-of-france-welcomes-the-ratification-of-the-paris-agreement.html ). The stay in Poland of Minister Jouthe will allow him to present the ambitions of the Administration of President Jovenel Moise through the Ministry of the Environment in terms of climate change and the progress of the country. Thus, Haiti sets a triple objective in relation to Climate Change: Promote, at the level of all sectors and other Ministries, resilient, climate-compatible national development or climate-smart development; Create a coherent framework of responses for country directions and actions to address the impacts of climate change; Promote education about the environment and climate change as real strategic levers to promote the emergence of environmental and climatic citizenship. Download the COP21 agreement : https://www.haitilibre.com/docs/l09f.pdf Download Haiti's proposal at COP21 : https://www.haitilibre.com/docs/CPDN_Republique-d-Haiti.pdf See also : https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-20009-icihaiti-environment-the-embassy-of-france-welcomes-the-ratification-of-the-paris-agreement.html https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-19303-icihaiti-environment-speech-by-desras-at-the-marrakech-summit.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-16066-haiti-cop21-the-fruits-have-finally-found-the-promise-of-flowers-dixit-dominique-pierre.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-15387-haiti-environment-cop21-an-action-plan-of-over-25-billion-dollars-for-haiti.html HL/ SL/ HaitiLibre Haiti - Politic : Draft plan for development and extension of Jeremie On the sidelines of the presentation in municipal plenary session of Jeremie's project for the Development, Extension and Beautification of the City (PAEEV), funded by the European Union, the Ambassador of the European Union, Vincent Degert, visited Jeremie to see the results of this participative process led by Mayor Claude Harry Milord, accompanied by UN Habitat and Expertise France "We have been working with all our partners for 2 years to ensure that in Jeremie and Les Cayes we have cities that are more resilient," recalled Ambassador Degert during his visit. With the Ambassador and the Representative of the Office of the National Authorizing Officer, Mayor Milord reviewed the learning of this urban planning process, as well as the main issues in the planning of the city (new streets, new public spaces), possibility to protect the natural areas of the entrance of the city with a new park etc...) "All the concerned were invited to participate to give us their opinion, their needs, their recommendations," underlined the mayor of Jeremie to these interlocutors. In Jeremie , in the neighborhoods that have been prioritized, such as the area of Makandal by the sea and the seaside city center, each intervention will be made by the competent institution : the Ministry of Public Works for drainage works and road developments, the City Hall for public spaces and equipment and the communities of Jeremiah accompanied by the NGOs Goal and CARE, which will make community arrangements and will also support the town hall to improve access to basic services and economic development. The town hall will also have a technical support given by the Ministry of the Interior and by Expertise France to be able to fully play its role of conductor. The 20 million component on Jeremie and Les Cayes is part of the Post-Matthew strategy of the European Union. In these two cities, the program will finance structuring infrastructure, interventions on public spaces and community projects, the main theme of which is the development plan (PAEEV) presented during the visit to Jeremie. The first micro-project identified in the plan : an intervention of approximately 100 meters improving the drainage, access and servicing of public spaces in the Mackendal neighborhood, this will be the first visible realization of the program, while preparatory studies for structuring works are launched. This micro-project will be implemented by the neighborhood communities, under the supervision of the Irish NGO GOAL. Recall that the financing of the PAEEV by the European Union is carried out within the framework of the urban development program "Urbayiti", financed to the tune of 52 million euros, including a first phase of 36 million. This program, which has a national scope through the accompaniment of the Haitian government for the preparation of its national policy of the city, also has local actions in Port-au-Prince. HL/ HaitiLibre Haiti - News : Zapping... The private residence of the Lottery DG, burned A fire probably of criminal origin, broke out Sunday evening in the private residence of Marie Margareth Fortune the Director General of the National Lottery "The fire has done considerable material damage" said Ms. Fortune, explaining that she had been object of threats from certain sectors. Tabling of the Draft Budget 2018-2019 On Monday, during a meeting held in the extraordinary, the Council of Ministers adopted the draft budget law 2018-2019 and annexes. The finance bill and the attached documents will be tabled in the Chamber of Deputies, Tuesday, December 11 (after more than 2 months late) Passing of Mgr. Poulard, messages of condolence "I am deeply touched and saddened by the passing of the Archbishop Emeritus of Port-au-Prince, Mgr. Guire Poulard. I take this opportunity to offer my heartfelt condolences to the Catholic community of Haiti and to the relatives of the deceased," Jovenel Moise The Metropolitan Archbishop of Port-au-Prince, Mgr. Max Leroy Mesidor, reacting to the disappearance of Archbishop Emeritus Guire Poulard, said, "This is a great loss for the church and the population." "I regret the departure of Bishop Guire Poulard. He will not have seen this new Haiti so much desired. The community of Jacmel will keep from him, the good memories of a true Pastor sensitive to the conditions of his flock," Senator Joseph Lambert "I learned with great difficulty and sadness the news of the disappearance of His Eminence Mgr. Guyre Poulard on Sunday 9th. Mgr. Poulard represented a friend, a loved one, and a spiritual father for me and always sided with the poorest in his positions. His death will leave a void in my heart. Condolences to the Catholic Church, its faithful, family and loved ones. May God welcome him with joy in his Kingdom," Marie Margareth Fortune Director General of the National Lottery. "It is with sadness that I hear the news of the death of Bishop Guire Poulard. My condolences to the ecclesiastical community in Haiti, to the family and friends of the former Archbishop of Port-au-Prince," former Prime Minister Jack Guy Lafontant. USA : Donation of a fire truck The US Embassy has donated a fire truck to increase disaster response capacity, particularly in Port-au-Prince. Since 2011, the United States has built 12 modern fire stations across the country to strengthen their emergency response capabilities. Chancellor Bocchit Edmond in Morocco On Sunday Chancellor Bocchit Edmond was in Marrakesh, Morocco to represent Haiti at the Intergovernmental Conference for the Adoption of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration declaring "On the Occasion of the 70th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, let us all renew our unconditional commitment to a world respectful of Human Rights and Dignity inherent to all human beings." See also : https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-26316-haiti-flash-the-dominican-republic-refuses-to-sign-the-global-compact-for-migration.html HL/ HaitiLibre Published on 2018/12/10 | Source A Korean-Japanese actress accused Cho Jae-hyun of repeatedly committing sexual assault on her, but this case has been suspended. Advertisement Apparently Cho Jae-hyun's legal representative is in contact this actress through e-mail and said, "I heard that she will not come to Korea, therefore the charges against sexual assaults have been suspended". This Korean-Japanese actress claimed that she was sexually assaulted 16 years ago by Cho Jae-hyun in the toilet in the drama studio. At that time, Jo had not been active after being embroiled in a sex scandal in February. Cho Jae-hyun, who was married at the time, refuted, "I had consented sex with A (the actress) and we were having a relationship". Jo also claimed that A's mother had demanded money and valuables from him for 10 years, although he decided to end the relationship after six months. When A claimed that she was sexually assaulted by Cho Jae-hyun, he filed a complaint against her on charges of blackmail. However, according to Cho Jae-hyun's representative, she did not enter Korea for questioning and didn't actually file a lawsuit against Cho Jae-hyun. An arrest warrant was issued for A after the case was suspended. If she comes to Korea, she'll be arrested at the airport and handed to Seocho Police. Staff and wire report Lawmakers have reached an agreement on the Farm Bill, a mammoth package that will fund key safety net programs for the next five years. Rep. Greg Gianforte, R-Mont., said the compromise measure will benefit Montana. The new Farm Bill includes a strong safety net for Montana farmers and ranchers, provides them with greater certainty, takes care of our rural communities, and improves how we manage our forests, Gianforte said in a release. This Farm Bill has Montanas fingerprints on it, and Im grateful the conference committee listened and took Montanas interests into account when putting together this Farm Bill. U.S. Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., made similar comments. Im glad to see that were moving forward with the 2018 Farm Bill and helping our farmers and ranchers get the certainty they deserve, he said in a release. As Montanas lone voice on the Senate Ag Committee, and as the chairman of the Senate Western Caucus, I fought hard to ensure we got it done. I look forward to sending this final compromise to President Trumps desk and getting it signed into law. Comment from U.S. Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., was forthcoming but not available by print deadline this morning. The conference report signed Monday by members of the House and Senate is the result of months of negotiations. The bill has a price tag of $867 billion over a decade and is expected to be brought to a vote this week in the House, possibly as soon as Wednesday. The legislation reauthorizes crop insurance and conservation programs and legalizes the cultivation of industrial hemp. It does not make significant changes to the food stamp program that serves nearly 40 million low-income Americans. President Donald Trump and House Republicans had pushed to create new work requirements for food stamps, but negotiators rejected them. Gianforte said the bill includes several measures he pushed for, including maintaining and strengthening the Agriculture Risk Coverage and Price Loss Coverage options through 2023 and enhancing the Foreign Market Development program as well as the Market Access Program, his release said. It also helps Montana farmers and ranchers by improving and expanding access to credit, and it protects Montana sugar beet growers and processors by maintaining the sugar program, the release added. It said the conference committee report also includes Gianfortes Supporting and Improving Rural EMS Needs Act, or SIREN Act, which reauthorizes a grant program for EMS training and equipment acquisition in rural areas. The release said the bill also includes forest management reforms Gianforte supported, including a provision extending Good Neighbor Authority to county governments. Under current law, only state governments can enter into agreements to perform forest management services on National Forest System lands. The measure allows the U.S. Forest Service to enter into agreements with county governments. Daines also cited measures he supported that made it out of the conference committee, including that the bill Protected crop insurance, a critical part of the safety net for Montana farmers to mitigate risks inherent to agriculture. Secured funding for land grant universities including Montana State University, specialty crops and agriculture research stations across Montana. Secured provisions to expand broadband access in rural Montana, promote precision agriculture and prioritize funds to areas that are unserved with no access. Included an amendment to help the ARC-County program, better reflect actual growing conditions in many of Montanas large counties. Included a vaccine bank to help better respond to animal disease outbreaks Protected the sugar program, which is critical to ensure our farmers are able to compete on a level playing field Fought to support important conservation programs such as the Environmental Quality Incentives Program, or EQIP, and the Conservation Stewardship Program that help farmers and ranchers improve the best practices on their land. Included the Hemp Farming Act, which allows states to regulate hemp production and research and make hemp eligible for crop insurance. It hadnt really crossed my mind again until earlier this year, when I was part of a 10-year career celebration for a colleague, Alex, with whom I have worked closely for each of those 10 years. Note that I said career celebration rather than milestone. Theres a big difference. It is the connections to a well-defi ned, inspiring purpose, to the accomplishments of individuals and teams, and to each other, that are the core ingredients of a strong workplace culture - Alan Heyward, managing director, O.C. Tanner | accumulate Alex is a big personality. He is well liked and respected among colleagues and clients. He has achieved a consistently high level of performance during his tenure, and he doesnt mind being the centre of attention (in a good way). And thats why I was profoundly moved by the impact of Alexs career celebration on him, on those who witnessed it, and on myself and the other long-standing colleagues who participated in the celebration. Alex was visibly moved both by the number of people who took time out to show their appreciation, and by the heartfelt words from his direct leader, myself and other members of the leadership team, who talked proudly of Alexs contributions as a colleague, leader and friend. There was laughter, tears, and gentle ribbing, all underpinned by an amazing level of respect. While we have been in the culture transformation and recognition business for 20 years in Australia, it was something of a watershed moment for our Australian team, and one that is still spoken of fondly as a moment when we got recognition and appreciation absolutely right; when everyone felt a powerful connection to each other and to the purpose of the O.C. Tanner company as a whole. Indeed, Zendesk currently has 2,600 employees and anticipate that number will double in size over the next 2-3 years. This year, they have expanded their offices in Madison (US), Dublin and Tokyo. Moreover, Zendesk place a strong emphasis on their culture, and especially their values, norms and behaviours. We make recruiting choices in alignment with our values, she said. We are a relationship-oriented company, so building relationships is very important. Another value Zendesk place a strong emphasis on is empathy, which means encouraging people to really walk in the shoes of others. Its very important to make sure people are aligned and consistent in how those values are applied and how they show up in the workplace, said Johnson. Despite not making it to the top 10, the US still landed on the 12th spot, climbing four places from last years list. The UK, however, fell two spots to finish 23rd. Economies placed in the top 10 of the ranking generally share high levels of investment in public education and a high quality of life, which allow them both to develop local human capital and to attract highly-skilled professionals from abroad, said Arturo Bris, director of the IMD World Competitiveness Center. Singapore has overtaken Hong Kong as the top economy for attracting talent in Asia this year. The island city-state finished 13th on the list, while Hong Kong came in at 18th. The report said both economies remained attractive destinations for professionals, but they didnt make enough investment in education to make it to the top spots. Meanwhile, China made this years list only at the 39th place. The economic giant is struggling to attract skilled workers from abroad because of its failure to spend enough on education compared to other countries, the report noted. Venezuela rounded up the World Talent Ranking at the 63rd spot while fellow Latin American country Mexico finished slightly better at 61st. The report said both economies suffered from brain drain and low public spending on education, causing them to lag behind other countries on the list. City fire marshal appointed to state board Hendersonville Fire Marshal Justin Ward has been named the western representative for the North Carolina Fire Marshals Association Board of Directors. Ward was nominated by City of Asheville Deputy Marshal Jeff Payne and was voted in by the North Carolina Fire Marshals Association state membership at a quarterly meeting on Nov. 20 in Chatham County. Im extremely proud of Fire Marshal Ward and his commitment to life safety and the betterment of not only the City of Hendersonville, but the entire state, Hendersonville Fire Chief Joseph Vindigni said in a news release. Wards position on the board of directors will allow him to connect with regional fire inspection, prevention and investigation professionals and further the mission of saving life and property through fire prevention across the state, as well as here at home in Hendersonville. His appointment takes effect on Jan. 1. Hired as a city firefighter in 2008, Ward rose through the ranks of engineer, lieutenant and captain before he was named fire marshal in 2016. Junior minister Finian McGrath has hailed a "victory" for families of cystic fibrosis (CF) patients after Beaumont Hospital sought planning permission to build a new unit for their care. If approved, the plans will see an 11m facility for people suffering from the severe lung condition built at the north Dublin hospital. The unit was a key demand of Independent Alliance minister Mr McGrath during talks to form the minority Government. The planning application lodged with Dublin City Council is for a three-storey inpatient extension to the existing hospital. It will accommodate a new 20-bed cystic fibrosis unit. Last night, the Dublin Bay North TD and Junior Disability Issues Minister told the Herald: "It's a major victory for the families who have been campaigning for this for many, many years. "It's a three storey inpatient unit with bathroom and en-suite showers. Delighted "It will provide CF services for up to 40 CF patients throughout Dublin/Louth/Meath area." He was "absolutely delighted" at the project's progress. Plans for the CF unit were included in the Programme for Partnership Government agreed between Fine Gael and Independent TDs, including Mr McGrath, after the 2016 general election. It said the Government "will immediately proceed to the design and planning stage for a dedicated cystic fibrosis unit at Beaumont Hospital, Dublin, for inclusion in the 2017 Capital Plan review". CF is a chronic disease that affects around 1,300 children and adults in Ireland. People with CF are vulnerable to infections. The new unit planned in Beaumont is to have isolation facilities for patients. Mr McGrath has previously refused to apologise for pushing for what he described "local parish pump stuff", including the CF unit and plans for a new 40m emergency department, also at Beaumont. He said it's "part of who I am" and argued that new services will benefit patients from other areas as well. Construction is set to commence on 1,269 new homes in South Dublin - but none will be available to buy on the open market. Instead, the development at Cherrywood will be under a build-to-rent scheme, whereby the firms behind the apartment blocks will lease the homes out. The US and Netherlands-based firms also announced their intention to invest in another 1,731 units across the city, with a combined value of 1.1bn. Yesterday, US-based property investment firm Hines and Dutch fund APG Asset Management announced the start of their development at Cherrywood Strategic Development Zone (SDZ), which will see the first 1,269 units finished in phases between 2020 and 2023. It will include 130 social housing units, just over 10pc of the scheme overall. Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council gave the go-ahead last May for the new 2.1 million sq ft development, which will also include 585,000 sq ft of retail and office space, as well as high-amenity leisure space. Housing Minister Eoghan Murphy attended the launch yesterday. "Cherrywood's Strategic Development Zone status allows for major projects of scale to be delivered within accelerated time frames and, as of today, it is officially the largest urban development in the State, and in time will see approximately 8,000 new homes becoming available in the area," Mr Murphy said. However, none of the units at the Cherrywood scheme will be available for purchase by families, first-time buyers or down-traders. Crisis Instead, the finished units will be held, rented and managed in the long term by Hines and APG under the increasingly popular build-to-rent model. The announcement that the partnership is planning to invest in 1,731 more units across the city is good news for housing provision overall but bad news for those hoping to buy homes in the area. It demonstrates the continued expansion of "super landlords" amid Ireland's worsening housing crisis. The drive toward build-to-rent is being eased in by Government, which has been steadily throwing off existing restrictions on the construction of multi-unit blocks in bigger sizes and in greater densities. Last week the minister issued new guidelines to local authorities which re-evaluate height restrictions on apartment blocks. The new outlines guided by the National Planning Framework seek to concentrate city populations in order to avoid sprawl. Mr Murphy said arbitrary height caps on apartment buildings in cities "don't make any sense". Last year, the minister moved to clear away parking space requirements and aspect restrictions, also in a bid to make building apartment blocks easier However, the Cherrywood apartment blocks are not in time to benefit and will generally range between four to seven storeys. To maximise light and views, many will feature an "end to end" bedroom layout. This will mean sleeping spaces are at either side of the living and kitchen areas. A young man was buying cannabis in bulk and selling the drug to his friends so his own share would be free. Eoin Thompson (20) handed over the cannabis after a garda stopped a car in which he was a passenger in the Phoenix Park. Judge David McHugh convicted and fined Thompson, of Villa Park Drive, Navan Road, Dublin 7, 150. The defendant admitted possessing cannabis as well as having the drug for sale or supply. Garda Ray Shiels told Blanchardstown District Court he stopped a vehicle at Military Road, in the Phoenix Park, on July 22, 2018, and that Thompson was a back seat passenger in the vehicle. Thompson seemed to be very nervous, said Gda Shiels who saw him place something in his pocket. Bags Gda Shiels said there appeared to be an item down the leg of his trousers. When told he would be taken to the garda station to be searched, Thompson handed over a plastic bag containing two large bags of cannabis. Gda Shiels said Thompson's home was searched the following day, and a small quantity of cannabis was found. The garda said the total street value of the cannabis was just less than 1,200. The court was told that the defendant had no previous convictions. Defence lawyer, Ciaran MacLoughlin, said Thompson had co-operated with gardai. Mr MacLoughlin added that Thompson was a young, single man who lived at home with his parents and was working at a bus depot. The lawyer said the defendant was buying the drug in bulk and selling to his friends so his own cannabis would be free. Mr MacLoughlin also said that Thompson wished to apologise for his behaviour. Parts of the Tri-State could see first snow of the season Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, December 11) Five people were nabbed Tuesday after being caught selling "pawikan larang" or turtle stew in Cebu City. The arrest was made during a joint entrapment operation of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), National Bureau of Investigation and the local government unit in Cebu City. They had not name the suspects as of this posting. The DENR earlier received a tip that the stewed dish of sea turtle or 'pawikan' was being served by ambulant vendors in Barangay Pasil. In a statement, DENR Region 7 Regional Executive Director Gilbert Gonzales said the trade and transport of the wildlife species are illegal under the constitution. "The Republic Act 9147 or Conservation and Protection of Wildlife Resources and their Habitats Act expressly provide that the collection, trade or transport of wildlife without appropriate permits from the DENR is punishable by imprisonment and fine," Gonzales said. "Specifically, killing and destroying these wildlife species is punishable by imprisonment ranging from four years to six years, and a fine of P50,000 to P500,000," he added. Authorities collected around 94.5 kilograms of raw pawikan meat, as well as approximately 20 kilograms of cooked pawikan stew. The arresting team also confiscated six heads of butchered pawikan, of which two were adult, two juvenile, one semi-adult and one yearling. Gonzalez noted the green sea turtles are considered as endangered species that are facing extremely high risk of extinction in the wild. American tattoo artist Paul Booth is a legend in the tattoo industry. Reason being he has inked the likes of WWE?star The Undertaker, and members of music bands Slayer, Slipknot, Pantera, and Lamb of God. So, when Booth was recently in the Capital for the Heartwork Tattoo Festival, we didnt miss the chance to hang out with him. He was delighted to be in India, and inking people here. Though getting away from the US isnt as easy for Booth now as it was about a decade ago, now that he was here, he expressed a desire to explore and experience the unconventional Delhi. I do not enjoy popular spots, and like to discover the real side of the city. So, I prefer seeing old areas and get to know the culture better. I will make sure I spend a week exploring Delhi better, he said. He even praised how the organisers put this (festival) beautifully. It shows how much the tattoo industry has evolved in India. I see so much respect and love for the art and the artists. Fans are also so polite and do not enter your personal space if they see you are busy, he said. And, all this, shows the growing interest for tattoos in?India. Since my first time at the fest, which was at the debut edition in 2015, Ive seen a lot of growth. I see a lot of new talent, and I see a growing community. One can say India has made its mark on the tattoo world, and there is only one way from here forward, he added. Tattooing advice When it comes to getting a tattoo done, one needs to look for a good artist who is hygienic, and also knows what hes doing. They need to review the work and see if he is the one for it. When youre getting tattooed, give your artist the space to involve himself in the process, and let his style make your design better. [Also] Aftercare is equally important; so talk to your artist, says Booth. Follow more stories on Facebook and Twitter Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday congratulated the Congress in tweets after the opposition party snatched Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh from the BJP and appeared headed to push out the ruling party from Madhya Pradesh as well. We accept the peoples mandate with humility, PM Modi said in a series of tweets as the Congress, which had been neck and neck with the BJP in Madhya Pradesh through the day, held on to its lead. The final results are expected to be declared past midnight. We accept the peoples mandate with humility. I thank the people of Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan for giving us the opportunity to serve these states. The BJP Governments in these states worked tirelessly for the welfare of the people. Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 11, 2018 Congratulations to the Congress for their victories. Congratulations to KCR Garu for the thumping win in Telangana and to the Mizo National Front (MNF) for their impressive victory in Mizoram. Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 11, 2018 Congress president Rahul Gandhi, who had addressed a media briefing just minutes earlier, had attacked PM Modi, accusing him of arrogance. This is a clear message to the prime minister and the BJP that the country is not happy with what they are doing, Gandhi, 48, said, celebrating his partys best performance in state elections in recent years. Read more| Assembly elections 2018: BJP loses vote share big time, but not all to Congress Long before the results were eventually declared for Madhya Pradesh, the Congress president said Mayawatis Bahujan Samaj Party and the Samajwadi Party too would support the Congress if required. Raman Singh, the BJPs outgoing Chhattisgarh chief minister had been the first one to concede defeat earlier in the evening. He also owned responsibility for the partys performance in Chhattisgarh and shielded the BJPs central leadership from blame. Raman Singh, the BJPs longest serving chief minister said he had been credited for the partys previous wins and it was only in the fitness of things, that he took the responsibility for the defeat. Finance minister Arun Jaitley later acknowledged that the BJP did expect to do much better. I think result was certainly not as expected and its an opportunity to pause and analyse, for results were not as per expected, Jaitley said, underscoring that he did not believe that anti-incumbency was at play. But the fatigue factor does come in, he told news agency ANI. Read more| How the Congress performance in this election alters calculus for 2019 In Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh, the BJP had been in power for 15 years and had hoped for a fourth straight win. In a series of tweets later, PM Narendra Modi thanked the people of Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. I thank the people of Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan for giving us the opportunity to serve these states. The BJP Governments in these states worked tirelessly for the welfare of the people, he said. He also congratulated Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao for the thumping win in Telangana and to the Mizo National Front (MNF) for their impressive victory in Mizoram, the two regional parties that emerged victorious in the election. For full coverage on assembly election, read here Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee has played a key role in uniting opposition parties against the BJP. She had cheered the Congress when early trends emerged, describing it as a peoples verdict and their victory. As the Congress consolidated its lead in Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh and retained an edge over the BJP in Madhya Pradesh, the West Bengal chief minister targeted the BJP again. The countdown for 2019 has started, she told reporters, underlining that opposition parties including regional parties were together. The Trinamool, she said, did not have much of a stake in this election but nevertheless, supported all regional parties in the fray. All three states Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh were won last time by the BJP, which had also won 60 of the 65 total parliament seats in these states in the 2014 general elections. Click here for Telangana election results 2018 LIVE Votes are also being counted in Telangana, where K Chandrashekhar Raos Telangana Rashtriya Samiti (TRS) has raced to a massive lead, validating his decision to call early elections. In Mizoram, the Congress last bastion in the state, the Mizo National Front is ahead. Victory of democracy and victory against injustice, atrocities, destruction of institutions, misuse of agencies, no work for poor people, farmers, youth, Dalits, SC, ST, OBC, minorities and general caste, Banerjee tweeted. Semifinal proves that BJP is nowhere in all the states. This is a real democratic indication of 2019 final match. Ultimately, people are always the man of the match of democracy. My congrats to the winners, she said. Click here for Madhya Pradesh election results 2018 LIVE Banerjee was among the 21 opposition party leaders who on Monday agreed to work together to defeat the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and stop their assault on the Constitution and institutions such as the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and the Election Commission in a key meeting ahead of the Lok Sabha election next year. The leaders decided to lay a roadmap for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections to oust the BJP from power by evolving a common strategy. In the course of the next few months, we will place before the people of the country, a comprehensive programme of work anchored in complete transparency and accountability, read a joint statement issued after the meeting. Click here for Mizoram election results 2018 LIVE The parties also appealed to all liberal, progressive and secular forces to join them in their battle to save the Constitution and protect parliamentary democracy. The Congress, which struggled to make electoral inroads since 2013, on Tuesday handed the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) its biggest defeat in three crucial heartland states of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Chhattisgarh, in a boost to the main opposition ahead of next years general election. As he prepares to install his partys chief ministers in Jaipur, Bhopal and Raipur, Congress president Rahul Gandhi will go into the 2019 Lok Sabha elections with renewed energy and morale, and with greatly enhanced bargaining power as he stitches together a Mahagathbandhan, or Grand Alliance, against the Narendra Modi-led BJP. With only 15 seats, the BJP suffered a big defeat in Chhattisgarh. The Congress won in 68 seats in the house of 90. Madhya Pradesh turned out to be a cliffhanger, and to the credit of chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, the BJP, after 15 years in power, fell short of the majority mark by seven seats. The Congress won 114 seats in MP, which has 230 legislators with a halfway mark at 116. In Rajasthan, the Congress won as was widely expected. It had 99 seats on its own and 100 along with its ally, Rashtriya Lok Dal, in the house of 200 legislators (election for one seat was postponed after the death of a candidate). Claiming victory, Congress leader Kamal Nath wrote to Madhya Pradesh governor Anandiben Patel late in the evening, seeking an appointment to stake a claim for government formation. The Congress has emerged the single largest party with majority support and all the independents have in addition assured support to the Congress party, he said in a letter staking claim to form the next government. Four independents had either won or were leading at the time. However, the governors office said an appointment will be given only after the situation is made clear by the Election Commission, news agency ANI reported. The disturbing news for the Congress came from the south, where the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) cruised to a massive victory crushing the Maha Kootami stitched together by Gandhi and Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu, and from the northeast, where it lost its only government in the region in Mizoram. Read more| Congress gets 2 BJP states, stakes claim for third; Telangana picks KCR But the big takeaway of the election was what appeared to be rising disillusionment with the BJP governments, both at the Centre and the state, for their economic performance. This was especially true among farmers for inadequate prices and young voters over the lack of jobs. The partys wide social coalition encompassing various castes also seems to have begun unravelling. Across these three states, the BJP has lost at least 175 seats compared to its tally in 2013. The Congress was understandably jubilant. The time has come for a change. We will also win in 2019. The central question is how does our country give jobs to millions and millions of the youth? party president Gandhi said. Late on Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted, We accept the peoples mandate with humility. I thank the people of Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan for giving us the opportunity to serve these states. The BJP Governments in these states worked tirelessly for the welfare of the people. Read more| Congress stakes claim to form government in Madhya Pradesh, writes to governor He saluted the family of BJP karyakartas for working day and night for the state elections. Victory and defeat are an integral part of life. Todays polls will further our resolve to serve people and work even harder for the development of India. BJP leaders said the mandate could not be extrapolated for the 2019 election where Modi would be in the fray. The issues in state elections are entirely different. We won all these three states (Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh) in December 2003 and we lost the general elections in 2004. So, there is no automatic transfer, said Union finance minister Arun Jaitley. They also pointed to the partys strong vote share in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan to suggest that their base remains formidable. The Congress has not yet announced its CMs for the three states. It will do so for Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan on Wednesday and for Chhattisgarh on Thursday. The party has sent AK Antony as the central observer to Madhya Pradesh and KC Venugopal to Rajasthan. Senior leader Mallikarjun Kharge will go to Raipur. Each state had its own dynamics. Read more| PM Modi taught me a lesson: Rahul Gandhi after Congress takes 2 states Madhya Pradesh witnessed a spirited fight. Chouhan, despite 15 years of his partys stint in power, displayed remarkable staying power. His welfare schemes, particularly rural housing, popularity with other backward classes (OBC) groups and women voters helped the party get 41.1% vote share almost the same as Congresss 41%. Having put its house in order, dividing responsibilities between state unit chief Nath and campaign committee chief Jyotiraditya Scindia, the Congress won more seats as it capitalised on agrarian distress, unemployment and promised a loan waiver to farmers. The others won seven seats, with the Bahujan Samaj Party, which did not ally with Congress in the state, bagging two seats. In Rajasthan, the Congress capitalised on the resentment against chief minister Vasundhara Raje, who was widely perceived as inaccessible and disconnected. It also appears to have won over groups like Rajputs and Jats who voted for the BJP last time around, besides its traditional constituencies of Dalits and tribals. But the BJP put up a strong performance, and PM Modis campaign blitz in the last week helped. The Congress secured 39.3% votes while the BJP won 38.8%. Raje resigned in the evening and said, I accept this mandate by the people. The BJP has worked a lot for them in these five years. I hope the next party takes those policies and work forward. Rajasthan Congress chief Sachin Pilot said, The BJPs policies and politics have been completely rejected and the people have chosen the Congress. It is a clear rejection of the kind of politics the BJP practices. Read more| Mizoram election result: Zoramthanga set to return as CM after decade, lists prohibition as topmost priority In Chhattisgarh, the Congress led by a trio of leaders T Sahu, TS Singh Deo and Bhupesh Baghel got home with promises of farm loan waiver and higher minimum support price for paddy. Local anti-incumbency hurt the BJP, which secured 33% of the votes while the Congress received 43.2%. Contrary to expectations, the Ajit Jogi-Mayawati combine did not hurt the Congress, and the alliance only won seven seats. Outgoing Chhattisgarh chief minister Raman Singh said, We need the blessings of the people; discussions would be held about the shortcomings. The party will take all issues into consideration. We will definitely make a comeback in the 2019 general elections. In Telangana, CM K Chandrashekhar Rao won riding on sub-nationalism this is only the second election after the creation of the state, for which he is given wide credit and a new politics of welfare. This included providing direct financial assistance to farmers, cash to women for their weddings, pensions to a range of needy groups, the supply of electricity, and promises of housing for the poor and provision of water to each household. The Opposition knew it had a difficult task and thus had come together. But the arithmetic of the alliance could not overwhelm the chemistry of KCRs appeal. Rao said, In todays results of assembly polls, Telangana has shown the way to the whole nation. Telangana stands (as) a non-Congress, non-BJP state. In Mizoram, the Congresss last bastion in the northeast fell. The opposition Mizo National Front handed a crushing defeat to the ruling party. In the evening, MNF leader Zoramthanga met the governor at the Raj Bhavan and staked claim to form the government. There is no direct correlation between the outcome of these state polls and the larger Lok Sabha verdict. In 1998, the BJP lost Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh but emerged as the single largest party in national polls in the subsequent year. In 2003, the BJP won Rajasthan, MP and Chhattisgarh and called national polls early, only to lose. In 2008, the Congress won Rajasthan but lost MP and Chhattisgarh, but won the Lok Sabha polls in 2009. In 2013, BJP won all three states and in the only case where there is a direct alignment, swept the Lok Sabha polls too. But where there is a correlation is in terms of the seats from these states in the Lok Sabha. As an earlier HT analysis pointed out, the BJP won 62 of the 65 seats from these three states in 2014 and it is often the case that a setback in these assembly polls will result in a setback in the Lok Sabha polls from these states. The more intangible impact, however, is in terms of optics and morale. Buoyant after the results, the Congress will push an adjournment motion in Parliament on the controversial Rafale jet deal as early as on Wednesday. The Opposition will enter the 2019 battle with renewed confidence in its ability to take on the BJP machine. The Congress will now focus on getting state-specific alliances right, including in the battleground states of UP and Bihar. The result will also demoralise the saffron ranks, make allies reconsider their stance, and leave the government with limited time to make amends on the economic front. Milan Vaishnav of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace said: This is an unambiguous victory for the Congress. The party had hoped to win two of three Hindi belt states, but to form governments in all three which seems likely is a significant triumph. This victory boosts the Congress cadre, the Congress president, and the Congress coalition potential. Photo: DriveBC Hwy 3, about 3 km east of Paulson Summit, looking west. Drivers headed into the Boundary or Kootenays Tuesday are being advised of winter weather. Environment Canada has issued a snowfall warning for the Highway 3 corridor, Paulson Summit to Kootenay Pass. Total snowfall of 25 centimetres can be expected before the storm tapers off Tuesday night as the frontal system exits the region. Motorists should check highway conditions before departing at DriveBC.ca. Counting of votes is underway in the five states. With the initial trends hinting at Congress victories in the three major states of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh celebrations have already begun. In the northeast, sweets were distributed at the Mizo National Front (MNF) office in Aizawl soon after initial trends hinted at a possible shot at government formation for the party. In Telangana, where K Chandrashekar Raos gamble paid off with the TRS leading in more than a hundred seats, celebrations broke out at Telangana Bhavan, the TRS headquarters, which was awash in a sea of pink as party cadres dressed in the partys pink colour turned up to celebrate the victory. Click here for Rajasthan election results LIVE updates With the Congress leading in Rajasthan by a margin of nearly 20 seats, the Congress party began its celebrations outside the AICC office in Jaipur. Firecrackers brought to the office by Jagdish Sharma were kept prepared for later in the day. Speaking about the initial trends, Congress leader Digvijay Singh said, Its too early. Anything can be said only after 12 pm. Leads of only postal ballots have come till now. I am confident that in Madhya Pradesh, Congress will form government. We have favourable situation in Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh also. Click here for Chhattisgarh election results 2018 LIVE updates In Tonk, Congress workers celebrated outside the house of Sachin Pilot, who was reported to be leading in the initial rounds. Jaipur: Congress workers celebrate outside Sachin Pilot's residence as initial trends show the party leading #RajasthanElections2018 pic.twitter.com/BeT2GR0gxy ANI (@ANI) December 11, 2018 Early in the morning, Congress workers performed a havan in Delhi outside the residence of Congress president Rahul Gandhi. The havan was performed ostensibly to ensure that the party won the elections. Later, the Congress workers burst crackers outside the party chiefs home. Congress had been banking on anti-incumbency in the states of Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh to defeat the ruling BJP. Over the last 25 years, Rajasthan has elected a new government every election. This time around, the Congress is banking on that sentiment of the state to defeat the saffron party in the state. At 10 am, as per the initial trends, the Congress had taken the lead in 100 seats with the BJP leading in 72 seats. Click here for Madhya Pradesh election results 2018 LIVE updates In Madhya Pradesh, the Congress is banking on triple anti-incumbency against the BJP which has been in power with Shivraj Singh Chouhan as the states chief minister for the last 15 years. As initial trends came in, the Congress had taken the lead in 105 seats at 10am. Actor-politician Kamal Haasan has hailed the results of the assembly elections in five states, saying it was the first signs of a new beginning. Congress was leading in Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan and in a neck and neck race with BJP in Madhya Pradesh while it had lost its last northeast bastion, Mizoram to MNF, while K Chandrashekar Rao-led TRS retained Telangana. The polls are seen as a semi-final for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections as opposition parties have been busy cobbling up a front against BJP. First signs of a new beginning. This is peoples mandate, Kamal Haasan wrote on Twitter on Tuesday as counting was on. He has founded Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM), a political outfit last year and hopes to make a dent in the 2019 elections from Tamil Nadu. DMK president MK Stalin also congratulated Congress president Rahul Gandhi on his partys performance in the assembly elections. I congratulate @RahulGandhi and the @INCIndia party for the excellent performance in Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and MP, he tweeted. These results will reinforce our fight against the fascist BJP regime and help in strengthening the grand alliance. Puducherry chief minister and Congress leader V Narayanasamy said the partys fine showing in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh assembly elections was a forerunner to next years Lok Sabha polls. The chief minister alleged that the NDA government at the Centre had failed the people as it had not implemented any of the promises it had made during the run-up to the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. With the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) locked in a neck-and-neck fight in Madhya Pradesh, the focus is on smaller parties and independents who may play the role of kingmaker in case of a hung assembly. Data from the Election Commission website at 2pm showed the BJP and the Congress leading in 110 seats each. Smaller parties and independents were ahead in 10 seats. The majority mark in the 230-member assembly is 116. Among the smaller players, the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) led in three, and the Gondwana Gantantra Party (GGP), the Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Sangharsh Dal led in one seat each. Independent candidates were ahead in four seats. Also Read: Madhya Pradesh election results 2018 LIVE: Tight race for victory Most smaller parties were tight-lipped about which major party they would support. No party can form government without the BSPs support. However, any decision on support will be taken by Behanji (BSP chief Mayawati), said state BSP affairs president Pradeep Ahirwar. The GGP, which has an influence in the Mahakoshal region of the state, also refused to divulge any details. GGP president Heera Singh Markam said, There is no talk with anyone on support as of now. However, we will support a party which supports our ideology and issues. State Congress media in-charge Shobha Oza said, There is not talk with any party. Lets wait for the results. Butanother Congress leader said on the condition of anonymity, The party leadership is in touch with the SP and BSP. Since the Congress had been a part of an alliance with the two parties in Lok Sabha bypolls in Uttar Pradesh, it hopes that the two parties will extend their support to us. State BJP spokesperson Rajneesh Agrawal said, We are going to have a comfortable majority on our own. Rahul Gandhi thanks Congress workers, calls them babbar sher Congress president Rahul Gandhi thanked party workers after sweeping the states of Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh in assembly elections 2018. I want to thank Congress workers, aap babbar sher ho, Gandhi said while congratulating party workers. Loan waiver is not a solution to farmers issue: Rahul Loan waiver is not a solution. The solution for this is not easy, its complex but we will find a solution. BJP refused to listen to heartbeat of the nation Rahul Gandhi said that the BJP refused to listen to what youngsters, farmers had to say. He refused to listen to the heartbeat of the country. A certain amount of arrogance came in, he said. We would be setting the architecture for a new vision: Rahul Demonetisation is a scam, we have been saying that. Other than attacking the current dispensation, we would be setting the architecture for a new vision, Rahul Gandhi said. Yes, we won but we do not want to mukt anyone of anywhere: Rahul The BJP has a certain ideology and we will fight against it. We have won this elections, we will also win in 2019. However, we do not want to get rid of anyone, hum kisi ko mukt nahi karna chahtein, said Rahul Gandhi. PM unable to take pressure that is coming from the Opposition: Rahul It is a reality that the Rafale deal was marred in corruption. The PM was elected to solve the issue of unemployment and corruption but the PM is not able to respond. He is unable to take the pressure that is coming from the Opposition. India is facing a job crisis, he should resolve it, the Congress president said. Questions being raised on EVMs is a generic one: Rahul Gandhi The questions being raised on EVMs is a generic one. There are problems in EVMs universally, said Rahul Gandhi. Serious questions being asked about future of our youngsters: Rahul There are serious questions being asked about the future of our youngsters, about how we plan on providing jobs to them. There is a sense of discontentment, inability to see the future, said Rahul Gandhi. Victory of Congress workers: Rahul Election results are out, and I congratulate Congress workers and the people. Its a peoples win, youths win. We have defeated BJP in Rajasthan, MP, and Chhattisgarh. Rahul Gandhi addresses media As counting of votes began in five states of Rajasthan, Telangana, MP, Chhattisgarh, and Mizoram, according to latest trends the opposition party under his leadership has taken a lead in Rajasthan and seems headed for a victory in Chhattisgarh, according to the latest trends Strong performances in at least two Hindi heartland states, as election result trends indicate on Tuesday, would not have come at a better time for Congress president Rahul Gandhi, who completes one year in office next week. Under his leadership, the opposition party has taken a lead in Rajasthan and seems headed for a victory in Chhattisgarh, according to the latest trends. The Congress is also locked in a tantalisingly close contest with the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Madhya Pradesh. Elections to these three states, along with those in Telangana and Mizoram, were billed as the semi-finals ahead of the general elections in 2019. Success in this round of polling would strengthen 48-year-old Gandhis position not only in the party but also within the opposition camp, which is trying to put up a united front against the BJP next year. Gandhi has been leading from the front ever since he became the Congress president on December 11, 2017. Days before his elevation, he launched a spirited campaign in Gujarat where the party threw a tough challenge to the BJP. Though the BJP won the elections, the Congress managed to restore some pride in the home state of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his trusted lieutenant, Amit Shah. Click here for LIVE updates of Assembly Elections 2018 results This May, Gandhis swift move in Karnataka made sure the BJP would have to sit in the opposition bench despite emerging as the single-largest party. As results started trickling in, he offered the chief ministership to the Janata Dal (Secular) after the Congress, which was ruling Karnataka, stopped well short of the majority mark. The sudden formation of the Congress-JD(S) coalition stunned the BJP. When Gandhi formally took over the reins from his mother, Sonia Gandhi, on December 16, he faced the tough task of reviving and rebuilding a party that was struggling to recover following a series of electoral drubbings since the 2014 Lok Sabha polls. Gandhi soon began to execute his long-term plan, revamping the organisation by striking a balance between young leaders and the old guard. A good show in Gujarat galvanised an otherwise demoralised Congress cadre, established his leadership and also silenced his detractors within the party. Since then, there has been no looking back. He led the charge in Karnataka and also in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Telangana and Mizoram. The Congresss comeback at the national level largely depends on its revival in states, but intense infighting coupled with indecisiveness to address leadership issues in local units were key issues hurting the partys prospects. Ending factionalism was imperative, and perhaps that was the reason why Gandhi did not name any chief ministerial candidates for Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan, where infighting could have spoilt the partys chances. Gandhi faces another daunting task: reviving the Congress in key states such as Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Odisha and West Bengal, where it has lost its political space. Reconnecting with the middle class, the youth and the common people, who were disillusioned with the Congress, seems to figure on Gandhis agenda. As of now, Gandhi appears to have struck a chord with farmers and the youth, given the response to his campaign in these elections. For 2019, Gandhi has the task cut out for him and that is to bring all opposition parties, including the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and the Samajwadi Party (SP), on one platform. The two key parties in the politically important state of Uttar Pradesh have so far refused to play ball. With three months remaining for the Lok Sabha elections, Gandhi has to firm up state-specific alliances to prevent division of the opposition vote that could otherwise help the BJP. But for now, he is getting all credit for what appears to be a recovery of the Congress. Rahul Gandhi has worked hard... led the party, United Progressive Alliance chairperson and his mother Sonia Gandhi told reporters at the Parliament House on Tuesday. Alia Bhatt and Ranbir Kapoor are two of the biggest stars in Bollywood today. Their relationship is obviously the talk of the town. While the world speculates endlessly about what the duo will do next, what their respective parents think about them is worth knowing. In the past, we have read Rishi Kapoor speaking frankly about it. His comment Neetu likes her, I like her, Ranbir likes her. Get it? more than summed up what the Kapoors thought of the couple. Now, Mahesh Bhatt, Alias father, has spoken at length about them. In a long interview to The Telegraph, he acknowledged candidly that the two were in a relationship. Well, of course theyre in love. You dont need to be a genius to get that! he was quoted as saying. When asked if he had any advice to give to his daughter, his answer was a frank denial. He said he had never taken any advice, as a youngster, and believed every human being had the right and required intelligence to chart his or her journey by himself/herself. He even added that whether they would go in for marriage too would be their call. He added that the very institution of marriage needed to be questioned in the second decade of 21st century. Mahesh also spoke about Sanju where Ranbir played the titular role. I loved Ranbir (Kapoor) but thats not the Sanjay Dutt that I know. Ranbir brought his own emotional chord to it but I dont think Rajkumar (Hirani) was claiming to the world that hes making an exact replica. People who are very close to Sanjay cannot connect with that portrayal in the movie. But India seems to have loved it, he said. Meanwhile, Ranbir and Alia have never hidden their feelings for each other even if they initially didnt acknowledge it upfront. It was only after Ranbir spoke about his relationship in an interview to GQ magazine earlier this year that it has come to the foreground. However, Alia has never spoken in too great a detail. Her Instagram posts, however, are the best demonstration of her state of mind. Her visit to New York City and her many pictures with the Kapoors show their collective comfort levels. Ranbir and Alia also make public appearances together, like they did when they posed at Sonam Kapoors wedding reception together. Work-wise, the duo remains busy as ever, with Alia having more work than Ranbir. Alia, who delivered a big hit of 2018 with Raazi, has projects like Kalank and Takht with her mentor Karan Johar. She will be seen with Ranbir in Ayan Mukherjis fantasy trilogy Brahmastra and Zoya Akhtars Gully Boy, opposite newlywed Ranveer Singh. Ranbir, coming out of the monstrous hit Sanju, has Shamshera with Yashraj Films apart from Brahmastra. Follow @htshowbiz for more The benchmark BSE Sensex bounced back into the green on Tuesday, up nearly 100 points in intra-day trade after a fall of 500 points in the morning session, as Prime Minister Narendra Modis Bharatiya Janata Party took a slim lead in the Madhya Pradesh assembly elections. At 1:06pm, the Sensex traded at 35,059.18, up 99.46 points, or 0.28%, from Mondays close of 34,959.72 points. The Nifty50 on the National Stock Exchange traded at 10,503.30 points around noon, higher by 14.85 points, or 0.14%, from the previous close. The Indian rupee weakened to 72 against the US dollar from its previous close of 71.34. The 10-year bond yield was down 2 basis points to 7.57% after rising as much as 12 basis points. Stocks, bonds and the rupee fell on Monday after exit polls of assembly elections in five states projected a likely setback for the BJP. Also, there were apprehensions the shock resignation of Reserve Bank of India governor Urjit Patel will lead to a deep dive. Election result trends from five states on Tuesday indicated that the BJP was locked in a close fight with the Congress in Madhya Pradeshs seesaw election battle, while the opposition party was ahead in Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan. Telanganas ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi looked set to retain power, and Mizorams Opposition Mizo National Front was surging ahead, according to the trends. If the trends hold, the results would be a setback to PM Modis government, which is considered business-friendly, and could spook Indian markets that are already under pressure due to a wider current account deficit and the surge in crude oil prices, among other factors. Election results are not going the BJP way. But the rupee has recovered from the opening losses as central bank intervention may be occurring, said Anindya Banerjee, the deputy vice president for currency and interest rates with Kotak Securities. The Congress is looking at its strongest finish in state elections in recent times - sweeping Chhattisgarh, in position to win Rajasthan, and ahead of the BJP in Madhya Pradesh, with big gains in all three. Votes are being counted today in five states in what has been billed as the semi final before next years Lok Sabha election. Chhattisgarh was the only state where voting was held in two phases: On 18 seats spread across eight Maoist-affected districts on November 12 in the first phase, and 72 constituencies spread across 19 districts on November 20 in the second phase. Catch all the live updates from Chhattisgarh election results 2018 LIVE Here are the highlights of the counting of votes for the Chhattisgarh assembly elections 2018; Congress workers celebrate partys good performance in Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and MP Congress workers burst crackers, danced to the dhol and played with gulal as they celebrated the partys good show in Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh. Carrying the Congress flag, a large number of workers gathered at the party headquarters in Delhi and praised Rahul Gandhis leadership in steering the Congress towards victory in the three states ruled by the BJP. They distributed sweets and put up big banners of Gandhi on the walls of the Congress office. The Congress workers chanted Rahul Gandhi Zindabad. Interestingly, a Congress worker also put up a banner that said, Next prime minister of India for Gandhi. Strong party organisation in state praised for the impressive showing Congress Chhattisgarh unit chief Bhupesh Baghel on Tuesday credited strong party organisation for the impressive showing and said he was not expecting such a big margin of victory. The Congress was leading in 62 seats, well above the magic figure of 46, while the ruling BJP was a distant second at 13 in the 90-member assembly, according to the Election Commission website. Click here for all the updates of assembly election result 2018 Congress leading on 62 seats, BJP on 13 The Congress was leading in 62 seats, well above the magic figure of 46, while the ruling BJP was a distant second at 13 in the 90-member assembly, according to the Election Commission website. Trends at 12 noon The Congress is leading on 63 seats, while the BJP is leading on 18 seats. Early trends show Congress is leading in 48 seats Early trends show Congress leading on 48 seats, whereas the BJP is leading on 27 seats. The BSP is leading on five seats, while others in one. What exit polls in Chhattisgarh predict Exit polls predict a close contest in Chhattisgarh with four out of eight surveys giving the ruling Raman Singh dispensation a slight edge and the rest going with the Congress. Counting of votes for Chhattisgarh Assembly Elections 2018 begins The counting of votes for the Chhattisgarh assembly election began at 8 am on Tuesday along with the other four states -- Telangana, Madhya Pradesh, Mizoram and Rajasthan -- where assembly elections were held. The state had recorded 76.35 per cent voter turnout in the two-phase polls to the 90-member state assembly. Raman Singh is eyeing a fourth consecutive term as chief minister even as the Congress is hoping to return to power in the state after 15 years. Catch all the live updates from Assembly Election Results 2018 LIVE Rahul Gandhi to decide on next CM It has been unanimously decided that the head of the CLP leaders will be decided by Rahul Gandhi. Rahul Gandhi had said that even if a resolution is passed unanimously, every MLA should be talked to and their opinions have to be considered, said M Kharge, observer for Chhattisgarh. BJPs loss in Rajasthan, MP & Chhattisgarh will boost Oppn morale: CPM leader The CPI-M Chief Whip in the Lok Sabha, Jitendra Chowdhury, said the BJPs loss in Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh would boost opposition morale and help them come together ahead of next years general elections: PTI Congress wins 68 seats in 90-member assembly Here is the complete result of assembly elections in Chhattisgarh as per the Election Commission website: Total seats: 90, Congress won -68; BJP won 15; BSP won 2; Janta Congress Chhattisgarh (J) won 5; Total results declared - 90. Chhattisgarh Cong to hold meeting in the evening The Chhattisgarh Congress will hold its legislature party meeting in Raipur on Wednesday to decide on the next chief minister of the state. The Congress Legislature Party meeting will be held at 8 pm. All India Congress Committees observer Mallikarjun Kharge, AICC in-charge for the state P L Punia and other senior leaders will be present there, state party units general secretary Shailesh Nitin Trivedi told PTI. Congress celebrates assembly polls results #Watch: Congress leader Anand Sharma plays a drum during Congress celebrations at Delhi's Lodhi Garden. #AssemblyElectionResults2018 pic.twitter.com/WNiDt9V4AP ANI (@ANI) 12 December 2018 Latest status in Chhattisgarh This is the status at 5.30 am in Chhattisgarh assembly election according to EC: Total seats: 90, Congress won -67; BJP won 15; BSP won 2; Janta Congress Chhattisgarh (J) won 5; Total results declared-89; One result yet to be declared. People have a lot of expectations from Congress: Congress TS Singh Deo Such a huge mandate indicates that people have a lot of expectations from Congress. The victory that we have got will bind us with the public. Our party will definitely face challenges and work for the development of the public, said Congress leader TS Singh Deo from Chhattisgarh. Mallikarjun Kharge appointed as observer Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge has been appointed as observer for Chhattisgarh, according to news agency ANI. Countdown of Modi governments fall has begun: Kejriwal The countdown of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led governments fall has begun, says Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal . Congress thanks India, says You have chosen love over hate Democracy has won. Thank you India, you have chosen love over hate, peace over violence & truth over lies. This victory is yours, says Congress. BJPs countdown has begun as people reject communal politics: J&K Cong JKPCC president G A Mir said people have rejected the divisive and communal politics of the BJP, reports PTI. We humbly accept the mandate by the people: PL Punia We humbly accept the mandate by the people. They have not given us the right, they have given us a responsibility. They believed the promises we made in our manifesto. People trusted the words of Rahul Gandhi ji&gave us an agenda, we accept it, says Congress leader PL Punia. I take responsibility of this defeat: Raman Singh I take the responsibility for this defeat because the poll was contested under my leadership. We will act as a strong Opposition and work for the development of the state, says Raman Singh, reports news agency ANI. This is a victory of democracy: Bhupesh Baghel This is a victory of democracy. BJP had a lot of money and a team of corrupt officers, they also had conspirators in their pocket. Despite all of this, the mandate given by the people in Chhattisgarh is historic, says Bhupesh Baghel, reports news agency ANI. Raman Singh tenders his resignation to Governor I have tendered my resignation to the Governor. I take moral responsibility for the loss, says outgoing Chhattisgarh chief minister Raman Singh. Outgoing Chhattisgarh CM Raman Singh: I have tendered my resignation to the Governor. #AssemblyElectionResults2018 pic.twitter.com/6X84HXuIeq ANI (@ANI) December 11, 2018 Its beginning of end of Modi govt: Amarinder Singh Terming the assembly poll results in three Hindi heartland states as a mandate for the leadership of Congress president Rahul Gandhi, Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh claimed it was the beginning of the end of the Narendra Modi-led NDA government, reports PTI. Results of assembly polls indicate people fed up with rhetoric: AAP Senior AAP leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh told PTI, The results of assembly polls indicate that people are fed up with jumla (rhetoric). Singh said the BJP should seek votes for the work it has done and not in the name of building Ram Temple in Ayodhya. BJPs poll performance predicts its farewell in 2019: NCP The NCP attributed the BJPs performance in five state assembly polls, particularly in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, to its arrogance and said it portended farewell of the NDA pivot in 2019 general elections, reports PTI. Congress workers burst crackers and dance as they celebrated partys good show in Chhattisgarh Congress workers burst crackers, danced to the dhol and played with gulal as they celebrated the partys good show in Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh, reports PTI. Congress was strengthened under Rahul Gandhis leadership: Baghel We strengthened the Congress organisation at the basic level under Rahul Gandhis leadership and through that we fought the battle for the common man, Baghel told PTI. Not expecting such a big blessing from people: Bhupesh Baghel We were not expecting such a big blessing from the people. We were expecting around 60 seats, Chhattisgarh Pradesh Congress Committee chief Bhupesh Baghel told PTI. Newly elected Congress MLAs of Chhattisgarh will meet in Raipur tomorrow Newly elected Congress MLAs of Chhattisgarh will meet in Raipur tomorrow. Congress leading in 62 seats, BJP in 13 The Congress is leading in 62 seats and BJP is in 13 seats. People of Chhattisgarh took the fight in their own hands: Rupesh Baghel Chhattisgarh Congress president Bhupesh Baghel said people of Chhattisgarh took the fight in their own hands. Chhattisgarh Congress President Bhupesh Baghel arrives at Congress office in Raipur. He says, "Ppl of Chhattisgarh took the fight in their own hands. We are grateful to Rahul Gandhi, we fought for the ppl. We got more seats than expected, high command will decide who will be CM" pic.twitter.com/i5B8Js0gXR ANI (@ANI) December 11, 2018 Congress leading in 60 seats, BJP in 14 Congress is currently leading in 60 seats and BJP in 14 seats. Congress leading in 67 seats, BJP in 15 The Congress is leading in 67 seats and the BJP in 15 seats. Congress leading in 66 seats, BJP in 17 The Congress is leading in 66 seats, while the BJP in 17 seats. Congress leading in 64 seats, BJP in 19 The Congress is currently leading in 64 seats, whereas the BJP in 19 seats. The BSP is leading in six seats and others in one. Congress leading in 63 seats, BJP in 21 The Congress is leading in 63 seats and BJP in 21 seats. The BSP is leading in five seats and others in one. Congress leading in 60 seats, BJP in 24 The Congress is leading in 60 seats and BJP in 24. The Bahujan Samaj Party is leading in five seats and others in one. Congress leading in 60 seats, BJP in 22 The Congress is leading in 60 seats and BJP in 22 seats. The BSP is leading in seven seats and others in one. Congress leading in 61 seats, BJP in 20 The Congress is currently leading in 61 seats and BJP in 20. The BSP is leading in eight seats. Congress leading in 59 seats, BJP in 22 The Congress is leading in 59 seats and BJP in 22. Congress leading in 58 seats, BJP in 23 The Congress is leading in 58 seats, whereas BJP is in 23 seats. Congress leading in 57 seats, BJP in 24 The Congress is leading in 57 seats and BJP in 24 seats. The BSP is leading in eight seats. Congress leading in 58 seats, BJP in 23 The Congress is leading in 58 seats and BJP in 23 seats. Congress workers celebrate in Raipur Congress workers celebrate in Raipur as trends show the party leading in Chhattisgarh Congress workers celebrate in Raipur as trends show the party leading in #Chhattisgarh #AssemblyElections2018 pic.twitter.com/DmNTvetTAW ANI (@ANI) December 11, 2018 Congress leading in 59 seats, BJP in 22. The Congress is leading in 59 seats and BJP in 22. The BSP is leading in eight seats and others in one. Congress leading in 59 seats, BJP in 21 The Congress is leading in 59 seats, whereas the BJP is in 21. The BSP is leading in nine seats and others in one. Congress leading in 63 seats, BJP in 18 The Congress is leading in 63 seats and BJP in 18. The BSP is leading in eight seats and others in one. Congress leading in all 12 seats of Bastar The Congress is leading in all the 12 seats of Bastar. Congress is leading in 65 seats, BJP in 18 Trends at 12 noon : Congress is leading in 65 seats , BJP in 18, Jogi alliance in 5 and one other . Congress leading in 63 seats, BJP in 18 The Congress is leading in 63 seats, while the BJP is leading in 18 seats. Congress leading in 60 seats, BJP in 21 The Congress is currently leading in 60 seats, whereas the BJP is leading in 21. Congress leading in 58 seats, BJP in 23 The Congress is leading in 58 seats and BJP in 23. The BSP is leading in nine seats. GGP candidate Heera Singh Markaam leading in Pali Tankhaar constituency Gondwana Ganatantra Party candidate Heera Singh Markaam is leading in Pali Tankhaar constituency. Congress leading in 55 seats, BJP in 26 Early trends show the Congress is leading in 55 seats and BJP in 26. The BSP is leading in eight seats and others in one seat. Congress leading in 57 seats, BJP in 24 The Congress is leading in 57 seats and BJP in 24. The BSP is leading in eight seats and others in one. Congress leading in 56 seats, BJP in 25 Early trends show the Congress is leading in 56 seats and BJP in 25. The BSP is leading in eight seats, whereas others in one. Congress leading in 55 seats, BJP in 25 seats The Congress is leading in 55 seats and BJP in 25 seats.The BSP is leading in eight seats and others in two. Congress leading in 56 seats, BJP in 23 The Congress is currently leading in 56 seats, whereas the BJP is leading in 23 seats. The BSP is leading in nine seats and others in two. Congress leading in 55 seats, BJP in 24 The Congress is leading in 55 seats and the BJP is leading in 24 seats. Congress leading in 54 seats, BJP in 25 seats Early trends show Congress leading in 54 seats, while the BJP is leading in 25 seats. The BSP is leading in nine seats and others in two. Congress leading in 53 seats, BJP in 26 The Congress is leading in 53 seats, BJP in 26 and BSP in 10. Early trends show Congress leading in 53 seats, BJP in 26 Early trends show the Congress is leading in 53 seats, BJP in 26. The BSP is leading in nine seats, while others in one. Congress leading in 51 seats, Congress in 27 The Congress is leading in 51 seats and the Congress in 27. BSP is leading in eight seats, while others leading in one seat. Early trends show Congress leading in 52 seats, BJP in 26 Early trends show the Congress is leading in 52 seats. The BJP is leading in 26, BSP in seven seats and others in two. Congress leading in 51 seats, BJP in 26 Congress leading in 51 seats, BJP in 26 and BSP in 6. Others are leading in three seats Congress leading in 52 seats Early trends show the Congress is leading in 52 seats, whereas the BJP is leading in 25 seats. The BSP is leading in six seats, while others in three. Congress leading in 55 seats, BJP in 21 Congress is leading in 55 seats and BJP in 21, according to early trends. Congress leading in 50 seats The Congress is currently leading in 50 seats, whereas the BJP is leading in 26. The BSP is leading in five seats and others in one. Early trends show Congress is leading in 48 seats Early trends show Congress is leading in 48 seats, whereas the BJP is leading in 27 seats. The BSP is leading in five seats, while others in one. Ajit Jogi is at third position at Marwahi According to official ECI trends, former Chhattisgarh chief minister Ajit Jogi is at third position at Marwahi. BJP is leading and Congress at second. Early trends show Congress leading in 48 seats Early trends show Congress is leading in 48 seats. The BJP is leading in 26 seats. BSP is leading in 4 seats, while others in one. Congress leading in 43 seats Early trends show the Congress is leading in 43 seats, whereas the BJP is leading in 25 seats. The BSP is leading in four seats and others in one seat. Raman Singh leads in Rajnandgaon constituency Raman Singh is now leading from Rajnandgaon constituency. Initial trends show Congress is leading in 40 seats Initial trends show the Congress is leading in 40 seats, BJP in 27. Congress leading in 56 seats Early trends show Congress is leading in 56 seats, whereas the BJP is leading in 16 seats. Early trends show BJP leading in 29 seats Early trends show BJP leading in 29 seats, whereas the Congress is leading in 23 and BSP in 4 seats. Karuna Shukla is leading from Rajnandgaon seat Initials trends shows that Karuna Shukla is leading from Rajnandgaon seat . She is fighting against Chhattisgarh chief minister Raman Singh Ajit Jogi leading from Marwahi Constituency Chhattisgarh Janata Congress leader Ajit Jogi is leading from Marwahi constituency. Congress leading in 37 seats, BJP in 18 BJP is leading in 18 seats while Congress is leading in 37 seats in Chhattisgarh. Early trends show BJP leading in 22 seats Early trends show BJP leading in 22 seats, giving a tough competition to Congress which is leading in 18 seats. The BSP is leading in three seats. BJP leading in 18 seats BJP leading in 18 seats beating Congress which is leading in 14 seats. BSP is leading in three seats, according to early trends. Congress leading on 22 seats Early trends shows Congress is leading on 22 seats in Chhattisgarh. Congress leading in 9 seats Congress leading in nine seats, giving a tough fight to BJP which is leading in eight seats. The BSP is leading in four seats according to early trends. Congress leading in 8 seats Congress is leading in eight seats, while BJP in seven and BSP in four seats according to early trends. Congress, BJP leading in 7 seats each Congress and BJP both leading in seven seats each, BSP leading in three seats according to early trends. Congress leading in five seats Congress leading in five seats, BJP leading in four and BSP in three. Congress, BSP leading in two seats each Congress and Bahujan Samaj Party leading in two seats each according to early trends. BJP leading in 3 seats BJP is currently leading in three seats, Congress in two. Bahujan Samaj Party leading in one seat, according to early trends. BJP, Congress leading in 2 seats BJP and Congress leading in two seats each. Congress hoping to reclaim power in Chhattisgarh Congress is putting up a fight as the opposition and hopes to reclaim power in the state after it had lost in 2003. BJP, Congress tied in keen contest The Bharatiya Janata Party and the Congress are tied in a keen contest with Raman Singh eyeing fourth consecutive term as Chhattisgarh chief minister and the Congress seeking to return to power after 15 years. Counting of votes begin Counting of votes begins for Chhattisgarh. Counting starts at 8 am Visuals from outside a counting centre in Raipur. Counting of votes for #ChhattisgarhAssemblyElection2018 will start at 8 am today. pic.twitter.com/yxbCQnywhS ANI (@ANI) 11 December 2018 The Congress was leading on 60 seats in the 90 member Chhattisgarh assembly, while the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party was ahead only on 23 as counting of votes in the assembly elections continued on Tuesday.Former Congress chief minister Ajit Jogis Janata Congress Chhattisgarh, which is fighting in alliance with the Bahujan Samaj Party, was ahead in five seats. Chief minister Raman Singh, who is seeking a fourth term in the state, was leading in his Rajnandgaon constituency after falling behind briefly, as per trends available at 1.30 pm Exit polls conducted on Friday last predicted a neck-and-neck fight between the two major parties, and the Congress plans to pack off its legislators from Raipur to Bengaluru, the capital of Karnataka where the party is in power, in case of a hung assembly or a slender majority in the 90-member assembly (91 including 1 nominated). A party needs 46 for a majority. We are confident of a win. But we are also aware of the Amit Shah-model, hence we are extra cautious. Vehicles are ready to ship the legislators to Bangalore, said a Congress leader, who has been instrumental in partys election management in the state, on Monday. Follow live updates here: Will Congress stage comeback after 15 years? Results today A lot is at stake in Chhattisgarh for the BJP, so they would use all tricks to keep the state in their kitty. We dont want a repeat of Goa in case we get a wafer thin majority or emerge single largest party, another leader involved in the election campaign said, referring to the Goa assembly election in 2017 where the Congress emerged the single-largest party but the BJP cobbled together a coalition government. The BJP claimed the Congress was day-dreaming and that it would get over 55 seats to form its own government for the fourth time. They are in fear and dont trust their own legislators. We are not engaged in these sort of practices and we will form government on our own, BJP spokesman Sacchinand Upasane said. Elections in Chhattisgarh have been close contests in terms of voteshare. In the last assembly election in 2013, the difference in voteshare between the two rival parties was less than one percentage point (0.75%). The BJP won 49 seats, the Congress got 39 while the Bahujan Samaj Party and an independent bagged one seat each. Click here for assembly elections 2018 results live updates Polling in the states 27 districts was held in two phases - on November 12 for 18 seats in Maoist-affected areas and on November 20 for the remaining 72 seats - and the total turnout was around 76.6%. The BJP banked on its so-called development agenda while the Congress focused on farmers distress and allegations of corruption, besides promising a loan waiver to farmers and higher Minimum Support Price (MSP) for paddy if voted to power. Also read | Chhattisgarh assembly elections 2018: Confident of fourth term for BJP, says Raman Singh The election is also a test for Jogi, who floated a regional front Janata Congress Chhattisgarh and struck an alliance with the BSP. Jogi is said to have an influence among the scheduled caste (SC) community who are spread in the northern plains of Chhattisgarh. Both major parties had expressed confidence about a victory. We are winning Chhattisgarh and will easily cross the mark of 46 seats. We are hoping for two-thirds majority. There was wave in favour of us and party because of farmers distress and movements across the state. People of Chhattisgarh are fed-up with Raman Singh and his government and hence they have voted us, said Congress general secretary PL Punia. Raman Singh said there was no possibility of a hung assembly as his party was getting more than 50 seats. We are confident that we will form the government fourth time without any external support, said Singh. Photo: Kanahus Manuel Twitter @KanahusFreedom RCMP in Kamloops have confirmed that three protesters were arrested during a demonstration today at the Activity Centre at Thompson Rivers University. The protesters gathered at the centre to oppose what they call a "Transmountain Pipeline roundtable meeting." Two women and one man were arrested. Activist Kanahus Manuel took to Twitter to share the news that her sister, Snutetkwe Manuel, was one of the protestors arrested. My twin sister Mayuk Manuel arrested at #transmountain pipeline roundtable meeting in Kamloops bc ... meeting was organized by feds to push through fraudulent phase III Indigenous consultation! They is NO SECWEPEMC CONSENT for this bitumen pipeline BLOCKADE TRANS MOUNTAIN pic.twitter.com/HZIR48UlXO Kanahus Manuel (@KanahusFreedom) December 10, 2018 BREAKING NEWS: My sister Snutetkwe Manuel was just arrested by #RCMP at a #tmx Trans Mountain pipeline meeting organized by government of Canada! Feds hired retired Supreme Court judge to conduct fraudulent phase III indigenous consultatio NO COLLECTIVE SECWEPEMC CONSENT pic.twitter.com/iXQuKQIp4i Kanahus Manuel (@KanahusFreedom) December 10, 2018 According to RCMP, officers were requested to attend when members of the campus security were assaulted. It is also alleged that the protesters damaged property by pouring paint over the sidewalk and walls outside of the Activity Centre. "The RCMP fully support the right to peaceful and safe protest, but businesses also have the right to conduct meetings," stated Cpl. Jodi Shelkie. "No one has the right to damage property or to put someone else at risk. As soon as we see a situation where property is getting damaged or the public is at risk then we must step in." Police are still in the process of confirming the identity of the three who were arrested. After the arrest of the three individuals, the other demonstrators left the area peacefully. Charges have not been formally laid but an investigation of Mischief and Assault is underway. The air quality of Delhi breached the severe mark once again on Monday, after a gap of nearly a month. The air quality index (AQI) of Delhi, as recorded by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), was 403 around 4pm Monday. It worsened to 411 by 7pm Monday. The last time the AQI had entered the severe zone was on November 13, when it was recorded at 460. On a scale of 0 500, AQI value between 401 and 500 is considered to be severe. The air quality in the NCR towns such as Faridabad, Ghaziabad, Noida and Greater Noida were all in severe category and hovered between 430 and 452. With an AQI of 452, the air quality in Noida was the worst in the country on Monday. Even though Delhi could receive light rain on Tuesday, experts have warned that inadequate rain would push up moisture level, which in turn could make the air fouler. According to the CPCB, such high levels of pollution can affect healthy people and seriously impact patients with lung and heart ailments. The multi-agency task force, headed by the CPCB, is likely to meet Tuesday to take stock of the situation. Health experts in the task force had earlier advised people not to undertake strenuous outdoor activity and cut down on the use of private vehicles, when the AQI is in the severe category. The air quality has worsened over the past two days, particularly because of low wind speed and high relative humidity. The air has become heavier and its carrying capacity has increased. Pollutants emitted by local sources are getting trapped in the air, a CPCB official said. Delhi could receive very light rain on Tuesday in some areas. But this could increase the moisture level. We are expecting some fog on Wednesday and Thursday. The visibility could drop to less than 500 metres on these days, Kuldeep Srivastava, head of the regional weather forecasting centre (RWFC), said. This, experts say, could worsen the air quality. Inadequate rain too little and too sporadic at this stage could prove to be bad for the national capital. It wont be able to wash away pollutants. Instead, increase in moisture level would push up pollution, by increasing the holding capacity of the air and making it heavier, D Saha, former head of the CPCBs air quality laboratory, said. On Monday, while the night temperature was recorded at 7.6 degrees Celsius, the maximum was 23.8 degrees Celsius. Both were one degree below normal. The cloudy sky will push up the night temperature to around 11 degrees by Wednesday, but the day temperature is expected to drop to 21 degrees and remain there for the next few days. Meteorologists said while a clear sky helps the night temperature decrease, it pushes up the day temperature. A cloudy sky does the opposite it makes the day relatively colder and the nights relatively warmer. We usually get to feel the chill when the day temperature drops. A dip in the night temperature could be hardly felt as we usually sleep under blankets when the temperature is at its lowest, a meteorologist of the RWFC said. Even as all eyes will be on the assembly election results, the final full-fledged session of the 16th Lok Sabha commences today. The winter session scheduled till January 8 will see 20 sittings. It has been a mixed year in Parliament. While the post-recess budget session was entirely washed out, the governments willingness to confront a no-confidence vote paved the way for a productive monsoon session in which a lot of legislative business got done. Given that the Parliament will be meeting right after a set of assembly elections, and four months before the general elections, it is inevitable that intensely competitive politics will play out. A range of issues is bound to surface. The Opposition will target the government on its handling of institutional relationships, including the divide within the Central Bureau of Investigation and tensions with the Reserve Bank of India. It will bring up the Rafale allegations and also, on the back of the massive farmers march in New Delhi, put forth demands for loan waivers and hike in Minimum Support Prices. This is all the prerogative of the Opposition. What is crucial, however, is that these issues are raised, debates happen, and civility is maintained. Obstruction and an impasse leading to the constant adjournments must not be the way forward in this session. For its part, the government is under increasing pressure from its ideological parent, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, as well as its core support base to move ahead with a legislation on the Ram temple. This is a hugely sensitive issue with deep implications for both the secular fabric of the country and inter-communal relations. The government must be advised caution. Besides the political agenda, the winter session also has to finish up with a range of pending legislative business. According to PRS Legislative Research, 23 bills are listed for consideration and passage; two for withdrawal; and 20 for introduction, consideration and passage. The governments focus will be on getting what is popularly referred to as the Triple Talaq bill passed in the Rajya Sabha to replace an ordinance. There are other legislations ranging from those linked to the medical council and education to trafficking to voting rights for overseas citizens, which will bring about significant changes. Each bill must be scrutinised carefully. But what is important is that both the government and opposition make the final, full session of the 16th Lok Sabha work. They owe it to the citizens. Before a road accident in 2014 forced him to give up his public life, Mushirul Hasan was working on yet another book. This time it was on Jawaharlal Nehruhed told Hindustan Times during an interview in 2012 at his book-lined residence. Indisposed for a long time, Hasan died Monday morning. He was nearing 71. He is survived by his wife, Zoya Hasan, an academic and political scientist who devotedly looked after him during his final years. Professor Hasan was a fine scholar, upstanding liberal and an institution builder, said Bangalore-based historian Ramachandra Guha. He would be remembered for his courtesy and civility. Historian William Dalrymple said, I knew him best when he ran the National Archives where he did wonderful work, modernising it and making it a place that was exciting to be in rather than a chore. British writer, historian and academician Patrick French described Hasan as a big figure in the writing of history in independent India. I first met him in London, and thought he was an open-minded man and an expansive thinker. As well as his prolific academic writing as a scholar who worked from Urdu and English sources, he was an innovative university administrator. Mushirul Hasan represents a plural aspect of Indian intellectual life that is disappearing, French said. Author Sadia Dehlvi who frequently hosted Hasan in her drawing room gatherings in Nizamuddin East said, He was a close friend. His commitment, contribution and books highlighting the histories of Indian secularism and composite culture will always be cherished. A much-needed voice of sanity in todays political and social turmoil has been lost. After completing his Masters from Aligarh Muslim University and PhD from Cambridge, Hasan became Delhis Jamia Millia Islamias youngest professor at 31 and went on to serve as the universitys dean, pro-vice chancellor and later, its vice-chancellor from 2004 to 2009. Remembering Hasan for re-building the university in the first quarter of the 21st century, retired professor Azeezuddin Hussain who served in the history department at Jamia Millia Islamia, said, He built several centres for research, including the centre for Dalit studies and north east studies. He organised international seminars at the university and invited scholars from various countries such as the US, the UK and France to give his colleagues and students a global experience. It was Jamias first tryst with global education system. Hasan began his academic career as a lecturer at Ram Lal Anand College, Delhi University. He later taught in Ramjas College before leaving for a doctorate in the UK. As a young lecturer, he rode across Delhi roads on a Java bike. His adda was Sapru House library, near Mandi House from there, we friends would go to Connaught Place cinemas, or to the discos. There was one in the Regal building. Another was in GK, he had said during the interview. Historian Mohibbul Hasans son, he launched into a life of reading by first devouring classics, such as Gullivers Travels and Robinson Crusoe. Thanks to a neighbourhood barbershop, he got a hang of Urdu, his mother tongue. There was this popular detective series by an author called Ibne Safi. It was stocked in hair cutting salons and you borrowed them for an anna a day. So, I tried finishing it quickly and I often would. It had romance, comedy and always a murder, he had said. Over the years, Hasans reading interests progressed from fiction to non-fiction though he continued with Urdu fiction. In her magnum opus Aag ka Darya, I liked Qurratulain Hyders skills in drawing fiction into the historical narrative, he had said. Mixing the voices of the historian and the creative writer is an exercise I also enjoy doing. In my books, you will find this mix. Sometimes it may be jarring or counterproductive, but, I think, it works quite nicely. It was this optimism that kept Hasans writing life productive. You can fight the whole world simply on the strength of what you have received as knowledge in the course of your research and during the crafting of your history books, he had said in the interview. And I believe this is what it has done to me. Hasan was buried in a graveyard abutting Jamia Millia where he spent 30 of his most productive years. The graveyard is also home to many other stalwarts, including Qurratulain Hyder. Admit card of Rajasthan Public Service Selection Commission (RPSC) has released the admit card for the recruitment for the post of assistant engineers ( civil, electrical, mechanical and agriculture) exam. Candidates can download the admit card from its official website rpsc.rajasthan.gov.in Exam Schedule The examination will be conducted in two shifts on December 16 and 17, 2018 while on December 18, the exam will be conducted in one shift. Timing of first shift exam is 10 am to 12 pm and for second shift it is 2 pm to 4 pm. Candidates are required to bring their admit cards for their respective papers on the day of exam. How to download RPSC admit card Visit the official website of RPSC at rpsc.rajasthan.gov.in On the top left corner, click on the admit card link available on the website Admit card link page will open. Click on assistant engineer combined competitive exam 2018 On the right hand side of the page, click on Get admit card Select the type of examination you are appearing for (Pre, Main, Interview) Enter your application number, date of birth,and the captcha Click on get admti card. Heres the direct link for the admit card link page A 34-year-old businessman was shot dead allegedly by an unidentified scooterist in east Delhis Geeta Colony on Monday night, in the second case of road rage in the national capital within 24 hours, police said. Sushil Chauhan, a resident of Usmanpur in northeast Delhi, was returning with two of his friends after eating dinner in Krishna Nagar when he was shot at. Chauhan, who was driving a Wagon R car, had an argument with the scooterist after their vehicles brushed each other. The scooterist pulled out a pistol and fired at Chauhan, who ran a cloth cutting factory in Yamuna Vihar. The bullet hit his thigh and he died of excessive bleeding, police said. More are details awaited. A 21-year-old man was shot dead allegedly by two men following an altercation after the cars door touched him leading to an argument in east Delhis Acharya Niketan area near Mayur Vihar Phase-1 early on Monday. The Congress ends Tuesday with its strongest finish in state elections in recent times - winning Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan, and staking claim to form government in Madhya Pradesh, where it is just ahead of the BJP in a cliffhanger. The party has made big gains in all three states. Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated the Congress in tweets, saying, We accept the peoples mandate with humility. He also congratulated K Chandrashekhar Rao of the Telangana Rashtriya Samiti (TRS) for his sweep of Telangana and the Mizo National Front (MNF) for winning Mizoram. A short while before that, Congress chief Rahul Gandhi said it was time for change, crediting party workers for his partys performance and promised strong governments in the states that his party set to win. This is a clear message to the prime minister and the BJP that the country is not happy with what they are doing... the BJP has a certain ideology and we will fight against it. We have won this elections, we will also win in 2019, Gandhi said at a press conference on Tuesday evening, adding, However, we do not want to get rid of anyone, hum kisi ko mukt nahi karna chahtein, a dig at the BJPs Congress-mukt Bharat (Congress-free India) campaign. Votes were counted on Tuesday in five states in what has been billed as the semi-final before next years Lok Sabha election. Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh have been ruled for the last 15 years by the BJP and Rajasthan for the last five. The party had also won 60 of the total 65 parliament seats in these heartland states as it swept the 2014 general elections, in which the Congress was reduced to its lowest tally ever in the Lok Sabha. Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) December 11, 2018 Click here for Chhattisgarh election results 2018 LIVE updates In Madhya Pradesh, the closest contest in the day, the Congress had won or was leading in 113 seats, up 56 from last time, and the BJP was at 109, down by 56. The Congress Kamal Nath wrote to MP Governor Anandiben Patel late on Tuesday night staking claim to form government. He also sought to meet the Governor, whose office said, An appointment will be given only after the situation is made clear by the Election Commission. In Rajasthan, the BJPs Vasundhara Raje has conceded defeat. The Congress, having won 99 seats, was just short of the majority mark of 100. The party has an offer of support from the Rashtriya Lok Dal, which has won a single seat. Voting was held in 199 of the states 200 seats as a candidate died in one constituency. The BJP has won 73 seats. In 2013, the Congress had won only 23 seats as the BJP snatched an absolute majority with 163 seats. Chhattisgarh has been swept by the Congress, which has won or is leading in 68 of the states 90 seats, a two-thirds majority and a gain of 29 seats from last time. A party needs 46 seats in the 90-member assembly to form government in the state. The BJP is ahead in or has won only 15 seats. Click here for Assembly Election Results 2018 LIVE Updates The big Congress gains in these heartland states will be a huge morale booster for the party led by Rahul Gandhi who is often taunted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah for a series of debacles in state elections since the 2014 general elections. As it lost state after state, the only bright spot was Punjab, which the party wrested from the Akali Dal-BJP combine last year and the small state of Puducherry, which it retained, in 2016. PM Modi and Amit Shah led the offensive against the Congress in attacking campaigns as the BJP sought a fourth straight term in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh and to retain Rajasthan, which it took from the Congress in 2013. In southern state Telangana, the countrys youngest, Rao, popularly called KCR, established his supremacy early in the day, never looking back. His TRS had won a whopping 87 seats, way more than the 60 it needs for a majority in the 119-member assembly. The TRS, which spearheaded the Telangana statehood campaign that culminated in the creation of Indias youngest state out of Andhra Pradesh in June 2014, took a gamble in September when it opted for early elections almost a year ahead and CM Rao dissolved the assembly. Click here for Telangana election results 2018 LIVE updates KCR faced a united challenge from the Congress, the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and the Left that have formed a mahakootami (grand alliance) to unseat the TRS. The BJP fought separately and is now leading only in one seat. In Mizoram, the Mizo National Front (MNF) is all set to return to power after a gap of 10 years by defeating the Congress in its last bastion in the northeast with a lead of 26 seats. Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla of the Congress lost both the seats he contested. West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee and her Delhi counterpart Arvind Kejriwal, both of who yesterday attended a meeting of 21 opposition parties to discuss an anti-BJP front, cheered todays election result. The countdown to 2019 has begun. This result will be reflected at the national level, said West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, calling it a disaster for the BJP. Kejriwal said The countdown of the Modi governments fall has begun, Kejriwal tweeted in Hindi. Click here for Madhya Pradesh election results 2018 LIVE updates Main opposition BJP on Monday supported Karnataka farmers agitation here for meeting their demands by the state government and provide them relief from the fallout of drought in 17 districts across the state. We joined hundreds of farmers at the protest rally near the state legislature building (Suvarna Soudha) in support of their demands, including loan waiver, fair price for sugarcane growers and relief aid for them and their families in drought-hit districts, tweeted BJPs state unit president B.S. Yeddyurappa. The massive protest demonstration amid tight security in the states northwest city coincided with the opening of the 10-day winter session of the state legislature here, about 500km northwest of Bengaluru. Though the JD-S-Congress coalition government announced in July that it would waive farm loans, thousands of farmers are yet to be freed from the debt burden even five months after the decision said BJP leader and lawmaker R. Ashok on the occasion. The BJP, which won 104 seats in the May 12 assembly elections, also taunted state Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy for assuring the sugarcane growers of compelling the mill owners in setting their arrears and getting fair and remunerative price (Rs 2,750 per quintal or 100kg) as fixed by the central government but betraying them. The sugarcane farmers were told on November 21 that their demands would be met by December 4 and hence should call off their agitation. They suspended the agitation in the hope of getting their demands met. Even a week after, no demand was met yet, Yeddyurappa lamented. The BJP also slammed the government for not providing relief aid to the farmers and the rural people in the 17 districts across the state, reeling under drought though the central government had sanctioned funds. We condemn the anti-farmer policies of this fledgling government which is yet to settle down and perform to deliver even six months after coming to power through a post-poll alliance to keep the BJP out of power, said Yeddyruappa in the tweet. Though the legislature assembly and council began the session, the proceedings were adjourned for the day after the members paid tributes to the three leaders who died last month in Bengaluru as a mark of respect to them./Eom/370 words. India on Monday expressed deep satisfaction over the judgement of a UK court which ordered Vijay Mallyas extradition after concluding that the flashy billionaire does have a case to answer in the Indian courts over substantial misrepresentations of his financial dealings. Chief Magistrate of the Westminster Magistrates Court in London, Judge Emma Arbuthnot ordered Mallyas extradition, in a major boost to Indias efforts to bring back the 62-year-old former Kingfisher Airlines boss wanted for alleged fraud and money laundering charges amounting to an estimated Rs 9,000 crores. External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said India will continue to work with the British government for expeditious implementation of the court order. Also Read: Business tycoon Vijay Mallyas extradition ordered by UK court We express our deep satisfaction at the judgement and note that justice has been delivered today. We thank the UK authorities for their help in this matter, Kumar said. We will continue to work with the UK Government for expeditious implementation of todays court order and early extradition of Mallya to India, he added. Delivering the verdict at Westminster Magistrates Court, Judge Arbuthnot said there is a prima facie case against Mallya and that she is satisfied that his human rights would not be infringed in Barrack 12 of Arthur Road Jail in Mumbai, where he is to be held on being extradited. The court accepted the Indian governments contention that because Mallya has such a high profile, his trial in India will be under great scrutiny and he will be able to raise with the court any overly prejudicial publicity. Also Read: Could take months - London law firm on what next in Vijay Mallya extradition Addressing the jail conditions, the judge expressed her satisfaction with the evidence provided by the Indian government, describing the video of Barrack 12 at Arthur Road Jail as an accurate portrayal of the conditions which will apply to Mallya. However, the court made a specific reference to special medical conditions being made available to the businessman, who is described as far from healthy. The court also dismissed the defences attempts to dispute Indian prison conditions as a bar to his extradition on human rights grounds, saying the video of the Barrack 12 of Mumbais Arthur Road Jail, where Mallya would be held, gives accurate portrayal and has been recently redecorated. Early leads in Chhattisgarh on Tuesday predict trouble for the Bharatiya Janata Partys (BJP) longest-serving chief minister, Raman Singh. The numbers suggest a return of the Congress in a state it lost to the doctor-turned-politician in 2003. At 12 noon, the Congress was ahead in 55 seats and the BJP in 18 for the 90-member assembly. Singh became chief minister on December 7, 15 years ago, and no other BJP CM has served for so long. Narendra Modi had an uninterrupted 4,610 days as Gujarat chief minister before becoming Prime Minister in May 2014. Singh, who completed 5,000 days in August, is the only BJP CM after Modi to have won three assembly elections in a row. Also Read: Chhattisgarh election results 2018 LIVE updates Right from the start of the 2018 campaign, he seemed to be in a tight spot in the fourth election that the BJP fought under him. Singh, who earned the sobriquet chaur wale baba (rice saint) for distributing cheaper rice to a large section of the poor, was struggling to get over the fatigue of anti-incumbency that had set against him and his legislators. He also faced allegations of nepotism and corruption under his government, but remained a popular leader himself. Anger among farmers over falling farm prices and a shift of other backward classes (OBC) votes towards the Congress, too, seems to help the challengers in this election. Singh, 66, was born in a peasant family of Kawardha district on October 15, 1952. His degree in Ayurveda medicine came by chance. He cleared the pre-medical test, but was denied admission in MBBS because he was too young then. Singh then studied Ayurveda at the government college in Raipur and got his BAMS degree at the age of 23. Also Read: Congress ready to move legislators to Bengaluru amid close contest with BJP Singh earned the admiration of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and the BJP leadership while he spent the next couple of years treating villagers in his native town. He made a political debut in 1990, getting elected to the Madhya Pradesh assembly. He was re-elected in 1993, and successfully contested the parliamentary elections from Rajnandgaon in 1999. He was a minister of state in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government, named Chhattisgarh BJP chief in 2003, and eventually led the party to victory later that year. The Congress congratulated Rashtriya Lok Samta Party chief Upendra Kushwaha Monday after he resigned from the Union council of ministers and walked out of the BJP-led NDA. Kushwaha announced his resignation this morning, saying Prime Minister Narendra Modi failed to fulfil aspirations of the people and he was dejected and betrayed by his leadership. Congratulations to Kushwaha ji for telling the truth to the power. Lets build a new Bharat, Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala tweeted. He said Kushwaha rejected the prime minister and decided to walk out of the NDA as he was distressed by the harassment of farmers, youth, women security and poor by the BJP and Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar. Kushwaha had been targeting the BJP and Kumar, a key ally of the ruling party, for weeks. He said while he has quit the NDA, his other options are open. Sources said Kushwaha is likely to meet Congress chief Rahul Gandhi and may also attend the opposition meeting slated this evening in the Parliament annexe. The opposition is holding a meeting to forge unity to take on the BJP, a day before the Winter Session of Parliament begins. Photo: Contributed Click here to view gallery Photo: Contributed Photo: Contributed The federal government has launched public consultations on the proposed South Okanagan national park reserve. Feedback is now being gathered online through a consultation website until Feb. 28, 2019. After feedback has been collected and reviewed a summary report will be released to the public in spring 2019, with the goal of having an agreement on a park boundary and land management by summer 2019. "We are committed to doubling the amount of nature protected in Canada. Establishing a portion of the South Okanagan-Similkameen region as a national park reserve will protect one of Canada's iconic natural and cultural landscapes, said Catherine McKenna, federal Minister of Environment, urging all residents to contribute their opinions to the project. Once the boundary and land management agreement is settled, the federal government says the formal establishment of the national park reserve will begin. "We cannot avoid the environmental fact that this region is one of the country's most endangered natural ecosystems. The present provincial system does not provide enough protection to this area, said Osoyoos Indian Band Chief Clarence Louie. Today, we are proud to say we are partnering with the Lower Similkameen Indian Band, and the Governments of Canada and British Columbia to move forward with the important work needed to protect this area as a proposed national park for future generations." The federal government is holding a media availability Wednesday, which Castanet will participate in. Watch for coverage later this week. Economist Surjit Bhalla said on Tuesday that he has resigned from the Prime Ministers Economic Advisory Council (EAC), a body set up by the Modi government as part of its efforts to boost growth. Bhalla, who has been on several government committees and is also a columnist, resigned as part-time member of the council on December 1. The five-member EAC, headed by Niti Aayog member Bibek Debroy, also has Ratan Watal as its full-time member, and economists Rathin Roy and Ashima Goyal as part-time members. Bhallas resignation announcement came a day after Reserve Bank of India governor Urjit Patels shocking exit citing personal reasonsnearly 10 months before the end of his termamid a tussle with the government over policy matters. Indias gross domestic product (GDP) growth fell to 7.1% between July 31 and September 30, a decline of 1.1 percentage points compared to the period between April 30 and June 30. It has been dragged down by a slower consumer spending and farm growth. Bhalla has taught at the Delhi School of Economics and has authored academic articles as well as books on globalisation and its effects on the world economy. He was also member of the Secondary Market Advisory Committee of SEBI and of the National Statistical Commission of India. Acknowledging that Myanmar is going through a challenging time, India on Tuesday pledged full support to its national peace process and the countrys quest for better connectivity during President Ram Nath Kovinds wide ranging talks with his counterpart U Win Myint and State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi. Kovind, who arrived here on Monday on a five-day visit, received a military guard of honour at the Presidential Palace. He held wide ranging discussions with his counterpart. President Kovind led delegation-level talks with President U Win Myint of Myanmar. The President said that India attaches special priority to its relations with Myanmar. Myanmar is a key partner for Indias Act East and Neighbourhood First policies, the presidents office tweeted. The two leaders witnessed signing of two MoU/Programme of Cooperation between two countries in the area of judicial training and science and technology. India also handed over 50 housing units to Myanmar. India is building 250 houses in Myanmars Rakhine province as part of a developmental project. The first batch of 50 houses was formally handed over to the Myanmar authorities on Tuesday. Coinciding with President Kovinds visit, and to further people-to-people relations, Myanmar has also announced a visa-on-arrival facility for Indian tourists entering the country through the international airports of Nay Pyi Taw, Yangon and Mandalay. President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) December 11, 2018 India signed a development programme for Rakhine State in Myanmar late last year which was designed to assist the Myanmar government in Rakhine State to build housing infrastructure for return of displaced persons. More than 700,000 minority Rohingya Muslims have fled Myanmars Rakhine state since August 2017 after a military crackdown. India is building 250 houses in Myanmars Rakhine province as part of a developmental project. The first batch of 50 houses was formally handed over to the Myanmar authorities today. pic.twitter.com/s7KdCSHUHA President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) December 11, 2018 Kovind also held talks with Myanmars State Counsellor Suu Kyi. President Kovind met Myanmars State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and appreciated her role in the modern history of Myanmar and assured Indias commitment to common prosperity and better connectivity, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar tweeted. The two leaders discussed various bilateral and multilateral issues. The President said that India deeply appreciates the reforms underway in Myanmar. We understand that this is a particularly challenging time for Myanmar. India is in full support of the objectives of the National Peace Process, the presidents office said. Coinciding with President Kovinds visit, and to further people-to-people relations, Myanmar has also announced a visa-on-arrival facility for Indian tourists entering the country through the international airports of Nay Pyi Taw, Yangon and Mandalay, it said. The President said that residents of Indias Northeast region have particularly welcomed and are beginning to reap the benefits of the Land-border Crossing Agreement concluded recently. The landmark Land Border Crossing Agreement between India and Myanmar, signed on May 11, 2018, has been brought into effect in August with the simultaneous opening of international entry-exit checkpoints at the Tamu-Moreh and the Rihkhawdar-Zowkhawtar border between the two nations. They look forward to the early conclusion of the Motor Vehicles Agreement, Kovind said. President Kovinds Myanmar visit comes amid Chinas foray into the southeast Asian country with which it has signed a mega port deal. China last month clinched the multi-billion-dollar deal to build a port at a strategic Kyaukpyu town along the coast of the Bay of Bengal in Myanmar, its third project in Indias neighbourhood after Sri Lanka and Pakistan. The president will visit the Advanced Centre for Agricultural Research and Education and the Rice Bio-park, both of which have been funded with Indian assistance on December 12, Gokhale said. Kovind and the First Lady will travel to Yangoon and lay wreath at the Martyrs Mausoleum, where Gen Aung San, father of Aung San Suu Kyi rests, on the same day. They will also visit the Shwedagon Pagoda. The president will also interact with the surviving veterans of the Indian National Army (INA). On December 13, the president will visit the Shri Kali Temple and also the mazhar (shrine) of Bahadur Shah Zafar, the last Mughal Emperor who was exiled to Myanmar and died in Yangoon. A 38-year-old Indian national has been arrested on charges of smuggling foreign nationals into the US for private financial gain, according to Department of Justice. Bhavin Patel, is charged by indictment with one count of conspiracy to bring in and harbour aliens and six counts of smuggling foreign nationals into the US via commercial airline flights, New Jersey US Attorney Craig Carpenito said on Monday. He is scheduled to be arraigned on December 18, 2018, before US District Judge John Michael Vazquez. Arrested by special agents of the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) on December 7, at Newark Liberty International Airport, Patel if convicted faces maximum potential sentence of 10 years in prison. Click here for Assembly elections results 2018 Each substantive charge of smuggling carries a maximum potential sentence of five years in prison. In its court papers, HSI said that its beginning in October 2013, an undercover law enforcement officer posing as a smuggler began meeting with Patel in Bangkok. Patel told the undercover law enforcement officer that he wanted to smuggle Indian nationals into the US. On three occasions, Patel or his conspirator transported the Indian nationals to an airport in Thailand, at which point the undercover law enforcement officer would purportedly use his contacts to smuggle them into the US via commercial airline flights. Click here for Assembly Election Results 2018 LIVE Updates Patel agreed to wire down payments for each individual to be smuggled into the US and to pay a balance of tens of thousands of dollars for each individual once the foreign nationals arrived in the United States, HSI alleged in its court papers. Over the ensuing months, Patel arranged for six Indian nationals to be brought to Thailand for smuggling into the United States via Newark Liberty International Airport, HIS alleged. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON An IndiGo flight made an emergency landing at Kolkata airport on Tuesday after a smoke alert and all passengers were evacuated safely, the airline said. The flight 6E-237 was flying from Jaipur to Kolkata when the smoke was detected, but the plane landed safely at Kolkata. There was no earlier report of any malfunction with the A-320 airplane, IndiGo said. Outgoing Mizoram chief minister Lal Thanhawla says he didnt expect the defeat Outgoing chief minister of Mizoram Lal Thanhawla submits his resignation before the Governor, says This is very disappointing. I didnt expect this. I think I underestimated the new formation ZPM, reports news agency ANI. Zoramthanga meets Governor K Rajasekharan A delegation of Mizo National Front (MNF) led by its president Zoramthanga met Governor Kummanam Rajasekharan after the party won 26 seats in the state assembly polls, reports news agency ANI. Aizawl: A delegation of Mizo National Front (MNF) led by its President Zoramthanga met Governor Kummanam Rajasekharan after the party won 26 seats in the state Assembly polls. #MizoramElections2018 pic.twitter.com/hUe1oL2TzS ANI (@ANI) December 11, 2018 Mizoram chief minister Lal Thanhawla submits his resignation to Governor Mizoram chief minister Lal Thanhawla submits his resignation to Governor K Rajasekharan: Official source, reports PTI. Zoramthanga unanimously elected leader of MNF legislature party Zoramthanga unanimously elected leader of MNF legislature party in Mizoram: MNF statement, reports PTI. Zoramthanga will meet Mizoram Governor K Rajasekharan at 6 pm Zoramthanga will meet Mizoram Governor K Rajasekharan at 6 pm to stake claim to form government: MNF statement, reports PTI No coalition government with BJP: MNF president Zoramthanga says, We will not have any coalition government either with BJP or any other ways because my party can form the government on its own, reports news agency ANI. Zoramthanga,MNF(President): We will not have any coalition govt either with BJP or any other ways because my party can form the govt on its own as we have got 26 seats out of 40. We're a part of NEDA(North-East Democratic Alliance)&NDA but we wouldn't like to join Congress or UPA pic.twitter.com/6oNlOMfnBm ANI (@ANI) December 11, 2018 This victory has been possible by grace of god: MNF president Zoramthanga Former chief minister and MNF president Zoramthanga says, I am really grateful to the voters for this win. This victory has been possible by the grace of god and the will of the people. I had predicted we will win at least 25 seats. Fortunately, it came true. MNF gets majority in 40-member Mizoram Assembly:Election Commission MNF gets majority in 40-member Mizoram Assembly, says Election Commission MNF leading in 26 seats, Congress in 5 The MNF is leading in 26 seats, while Congress is leading in five seats. MNF leading in 25 seats, Congress in 6 The MNF is leading in 25 seats and Congress in six. MNF leading in 24 seats, Congress in 6 The MNF is leading in 24 seats, whereas the Congress is leading in six. The BJP is leading in one and others in nine seats. MNF leading in 25 seats, Congress in 6 The MNF is leading in 25 seats and Congress in six. The BJP is leading in one seat and others in eight. MNF leading in 27 seats, Congress in 6 The MNF is leading in 27 seats, while the Congress is leading in six seats. The BJP is leading in one seat and others are leading in six seats. MNF leading in 29 seats, Congress in 5 The MNF is leading in 29 seats and Congress in 5. The BJP is leading in one seat and others in five. MNF president Zoramthanga leading from Aizawl east I constituency MNF president Zoramthanga leading from Aizawl east I constituency. Lal Thanhawla loses Serchhip seat to ZPMs Lalduhoma Lal Thanhawla loses Serchhip seat to ZPMs Lalduhoma. Lalduhoma won by a margin of 283 votes. MNF leading in 29 seats, Congress in 6 The MNF is leading in 29 seats and Congress in six seats. The BJP is leading in one and others in four. Former speaker Hiphei trailing to Congress and MNF Former speaker Hiphei who quit the Congress to join the BJP trailing to the Congress and the MNF candidates in Palak. BJP Mizoram president JV Hluna gets 543 votes BJP Mizoram president JV Hluna has got 543 votes after two of the three rounds of counting in Tawi. MNF leading in 28 seats, Congress in 7 The MNF is leading in 28 seats and Congress in seven. The BJP is leading in one seat and others in four. Lal Thanhawla has a marginal lead in Serchhip Lal Thanhawla has a marginal lead in Serchhip, which is his home turf. MNF leading in 27, Congress in 8 The MNF is leading in 27 seats and the Congress in 8. The BJP is leading in one and others in four. Mizoram CM Lal Thanhawla has lost from Champhai South seat Mizoram chief minister Lal Thanhawla has lost from Champhai South seat, MNFs TJ Lalnuntluanga has won. MNF leading in 28 seats, Congress in 7 The MNF is leading in 28 seats, whereas the Congress is leading in 7. The BJP is leading in one seat and others in four, according to early trends. MNF leading in 27 seats, Congress in 7 Early trends show the MNF is trending in 27 seats and Congress in 7 seats. BJP is leading in one, whereas others in five. Mizoram CM Lal Thanhawla trailing in both seats he contested Mizoram chief minister Lal Thanhawla trailing in both seats he contested. In Serchhip, he is behind Zoram Peoples Movements chief ministerial candidate Lalduhoma. In Champhai South, he is trailing behind MNFs Lalnuntluanga and ZPMs Lalremliana. Sweets being distributed at MNF office Sweets being distributed at Mizo National Front office (MNF) in Aizawl as the party leads in trends in Mizoram. Aizawl: Sweets being distributed at Mizo National Front office (MNF) as the party leads in trends in Mizoram. #AssemblyElections2018 pic.twitter.com/BMbwTUCSC0 ANI (@ANI) December 11, 2018 MNF leading in 26 seats, Congress in 8 Early trends show the MNF is leading in 26 seats and Congress in eight seats. MNF leading in 25 seats, Congress in 9 The MNF is leading in 25 seats, Congress in nine and BJP is leading in one seat. Others are leading in five seats. Congress attributes partys poor show to anti-incumbency C L Ruala, senior Congress leader and sitting Lok Sabha MP from Mizoram attributed the partys poor show to anti-incumbency. He also felt improper distribution of tickets and 5 MLAs leaving the party ahead of polls could have also played a part. In case of MNF not securing majority, Ruala feels Congress and ZPM could come together to try and form government. MNF leading in 25 seats, Congress in 10 MNF is currently leading in 25 seats, while Congress in 10. Crowd outside state Congress office ( HT Photo ) MNF leading in 26 seats, Congress in 9 The MNF is leading in 26 seats and the Congress in nine seats. The BJP is leading in one seat, while others in three. Early trends show MNF leading in 24 seats The MNF is leading in 24 seats, whereas the Congress is leading in eight. The BJP is leading in one seat and others in three. Early trends show MNF leading in 22 seats Early trends show MNF leading in 22 seats. The Congress is leading in eight seats, whereas the BJP is leading in one MNF leading in 19 seats The MNF is leading in 19 seats, while the Congress is leading in five. MNF is leading in 18 seats Early trends show the MNF is leading in 18 seats, giving a tough fight to the Congress which is leading in five seats. Th e BJP is leading in one seat while others in three. MNF leading in 15 seats Initial trends show the MNF is leading in 15 seats, whereas the Congress is leading in 6 seats. MNF leading in 13 seats, Congress in 6 The MNF is leading in 13 seats. The Congress is leading in 6, whereas the BJP and other parties are leading in one seat each. MNF leading in 7 seats, giving tough fight to Congress Congress leading 2 seats, MNF in 7 seats, Zoram Peoples Party in 3 seats and BJP in 1 seat. BJP candidate BD Chakma leading in Tuichawng seat BJP candidate BD Chakma leading in Tuichawng seat in Mizoram MNF leading in five seats MNF leading in five seats, giving a tough fight to the Congress which is leading in 2 seats. Others leading in one seat, according to early trends. Congress leading in two seats Congress leading in two seats, while MNF in one according to early trends. Congress candidate RL Pianmawia leading in Tuivawl seat Congress candidate RL Pianmawia leading in Tuivawl seat of Mizoram. Congress, MNF both leading in one seat each Congress and MNF both leading in one seat each. Congress and NPF have fielded 40 candidates each The Congress and the MNF have fielded 40 candidates each, while the BJP is contesting in 39 seats, the ZPM in 35 and the NPP in nine. Congress seeking unprecedented 3rd consecutive term The Congress is seeking an unprecedented third consecutive term in Mizoram, even as the BJP seeks to open its account in the state. Mizoram has never witnessed a hung assembly Mizoram has never witnessed a hung assembly but exit polls conducted after the November 28 assembly election to elect 40 new legislators say it could have one this time. Counting of votes begins for Mizoram Counting of votes begins for Mizoram. Visuals from outside a counting centre in Aizawl. ( ANI/Twitter ) Counting starts at 8 am Counting of votes for assembly elections start at 8 am In less than 24 hours, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has lost his central bank governor and with votes still being counted his Hindu-nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party could cede its hold over several states.While Modi remains favoured to win re-election next year, things suddenly look less straightforward. The resignation of reserve bank chief Urjit Patel was a surprise, even though hed been embroiled for weeks in a dispute with the government over central bank autonomy. And the state elections are adding to the turmoil in Indian markets.That suggests Modi may have a harder time next year than in 2014, when he swept to office with a parliamentary majority and scooped up a bunch of states, allowing him to centralise power. Since then, his popularity has been dented by rising discontent in the countryside and an inability to boost job growth.Still, there is one piece of good news. A London court has rejected Indian tycoon Vijay Mallyas bid to avoid extradition on fraud and money-laundering charges. That could bolster Modis anti-corruption credentials likely to resonate with voters more than a central bank imbroglio. Rajya Sabha chairman M Venkaiah Naidu Monday met floor leaders of various parties ahead of the Winter Session of Parliament and urged them to aid, assist and advise him for a smooth session. During the meeting, the ruling and opposition parties assured their cooperation for a productive Winter Session of Rajya Sabha that starts Tuesday and sought equitable allocation of time. Around 31 leaders, including ministers, attended the meeting convened by Naidu. The Rajya Sabha would be adjourned for the day on the first day after obituary references for former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. While both the ruling and opposition parties assured the chairman of their full cooperation for a productive session, Leader of the House Arun Jaitley and Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha Gulam Nabi Azad spoke of their keenness on a meaningful and productive session. Both of them sought equitable allocation of time for the governments legislative proposals and the issues that opposition seeks to raise in the House. In his opening remarks, Naidu urged the leaders of all sides in the House to ensure a productive Winter Session which would be the last full-fledged one before the general elections next year. Naidu called upon them to aid, assist and advise him in ensuring a smooth session. He noted that both the government and the opposition have the right to pursue respective agendas but that should be done while ensuring effective functioning of the House. The chairman hailed the high voter turnout in the Assembly polls in five states as yet another indication of the peoples faith in parliamentary democracy and a reminder that legislatures need to rise to their expectations. He complimented the Election Commission, the state governments and the people for the successful conduct of polls. He informed the leaders that to further the success of e-notice (submission of notices by members online) during last session, it has now been decided that notices of members for submission of Zero Hour notices will now be accepted up to 9.30 am instead of the earlier 10 am on each sitting of the House. He said this advancement would give him more time to properly prioritise such notices in the available time. Jaitely said the government was willing to discuss any issue if time was properly allocated for both the government and the opposition, while Azad said the opposition wanted the House to function and bills to be passed. The only way we can reach out to the people is by raising the issues of concern to them. The Winter Session is happening a full four months after the last session and the opposition wants all important issues to be discussed, he said. It was agreed in the meeting that both the sides will address each others concern while allocating time for the legislative and other business in the meeting of the Business Advisory Committee to be held Wednesday. It was also agreed that the House would be adjourned for the day tomorrow after making obituary references to Vajpayee. Refusing to speak on politics and to specify mistakes for the atonement of which the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) had organised an Akhand Path at the Akal Takht, party patriarch and former five-time Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal said on Monday, The Guru knows our mistakes very well. He added that they (the SAD) did not need to specify the mistakes publicly. Badals son, SAD president and former deputy chief minister, Sukhbir Singh Badal, left the Golden Temple after the bhog (conclusion) of the Path. The only words Sukhbir uttered were Path Karea Karo (Recite gurbani). Badal, party spokesperson Daljit Singh Cheema, and media adviser to Badal, Harcharan Bains, addressed the media at the information office of the shrine. Also Read: Assembly Election Results 2018 LIVE Updates Queried again on the mistakes over their 10-year rule, Badal said, I was not supposed to give the Guru Sahib a list of the mistakes. The Guru Sahib is present among us and knows everything without specifying. The Guru Sahib always forgives their servants. He added, The SAD is the jathebandi (organisation) of the Khalsa Panth and it follows the path shown by the Guru Sahib... it was a three-day religious programme the party chalked out to seek forgiveness for inadvertent mistakes that the SAD or the SGPC committed. Badal did not respond to queries on issues such as the Bargari sacrilege. This was a religious practice and is not an occasion to talk politics. We speak on political issues throughout the year. On this occasion, we dont want to make this practice political. As he walked into parliament for the winter session on Thursday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi renewed his appeal to political parties to use the House for debate, even if it is a sharp debate. It is important to have a debate... It is all right even if it is a sharp one, PM Modi told reporters, underlining that the government was ready to discuss all issues. PM Modis remarks came at a time initial election trends indicate the Congress has significantly improved its performance in the three electorally-crucial states of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh. PM Modi did not react on the early trends of election results. This session is important, many issues of public importance will be taken up. I have faith that all the members of the Parliament will respect this sentiment and move ahead. Our efforts are that discussions are held on all issues, he said, according to news agency ANI. I hope lawmakers will spend time in public welfare, not their own political parties, PM Modi said. PM Modi had made a similar point at the all party meeting yesterday when he asked the opposition to debate and discuss. But if there are adjournments, then the government faces loss, the Opposition faces loss and most importantly it is a loss for the country, Modi had said as he intervened briefly at the meeting, which parliamentary affairs minister Narendra Singh Tomar had convened a day before Parliaments winter session starts. The government is keen to push some of the important bills, including the one to criminalise the practice of instant divorce among a section of Muslims. It had in September approved an ordinance to criminalise the practice after it could not table the bill in the Rajya Sabha due to a lack of consensus over some of its provisions. The bill had been earlier passed in Lok Sabha in December 2017. The Opposition looks forward to this session to raise its pet issues such as the Rafale aircraft deal, the alleged neglect of the farmers, and the economic situation in the country. The Congress has accused the government of wrongdoings in the deal. Congress leaders to meet Rajasthan governor tomorrow Rajasthan Congress general secretary Sushil Sharma: We have given a letter to the Governor & have sought an appointment tomorrow. A high level delegation will meet him tomorrow, he has given us the appointment of 7 pm tomorrow. Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulates assembly election winners Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Congress, KCR and the Mizo National Front (MNF) for their victories. Congratulations to the Congress for their victories. Congratulations to KCR Garu for the thumping win in Telangana and to the Mizo National Front (MNF) for their impressive victory in Mizoram. Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 11, 2018 We accept the peoples mandate with humility. I thank the people of Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan for giving us the opportunity to serve these states. The BJP Governments in these states worked tirelessly for the welfare of the people. Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 11, 2018 We accept the peoples mandate with humility. I thank the people of Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan for giving us the opportunity to serve these states. The BJP Governments in these states worked tirelessly for the welfare of the people. Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 11, 2018 Results not as expected: Arun Jaitley I think result was certainly not as expected&its an opportunity to pause and analyse, for results were not as per expected. In both Chhattisgarh&MP we were in power for 15 yrs&we have done well. I dont think there was aniti-incumbency but fatigue factor does come in: Arun Jaitley, Union finance minister. Vasundhara Raje submits resignation Outgoing Rajasthan CM Vasundhara Raje submitted her resignation to governor Kalyan Singh on Tuesday evening. Vasundhara Raje congratulates Congress Outgoing Rajasthan CM Vasundhara Raje in Jaipur: I would like to congratulate Congress. I accept this mandate by the people. BJP has worked a lot for them in these 5 years, I hope the next party takes those policies and works forward. Rahul Gandhi addresses media after Congress takes 2 states, leads in 1 Time for change, says Rahul Gandhi as Congress takes Rajasthan Grand victory This is a grand victory. Were forming government in 3 states what can be better than that, says Ashok Gehlot after Congress takes Rajasthan Rajasthans gaupalan minister Otaram loses to independent Rajasthans gaupalan minister Otaram has lost the Sirohi seat to independent candidate Sanyam Lodha with a margin of 10,253 votes. Lodha is a Congress rebel. CPI(M) leading in two seats in Rajasthan After drawing a blank in the last election in Rajasthan, the CPI(M) is leading in two seats, both of which were held by the BJP. The Left partys Balwan Poonia is leading with 73,725 votes in Bhadra constituency of Hanumangarh district. His nearest rival is BJPs Sanjeev Kumar. In Shree Dungargarh constituency of Bikaner district, the CPI(M)s Giridharilal Mahiya is leading with 72,361 votes. Congress candidate Mangalram is at the second position in this seat. In the 2013 elections, the CPI(M) or the Communist Party of India (Marxist) had failed to win any seat. It won three in 2008 elections. RLD offers support to Congress to form govt in Rajasthan National vice-president of the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) Jayant Chaudhary issues a letter, stating Respecting the mandate of the people, party President Chaudhary Ajit Singh has directed the MLA of the party to help Congress form a stable government. National Vice President of the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) Jayant Chaudhary issues a letter, states "Respecting the mandate of the people, party President Chaudhary Ajit Singh has directed the MLA of the party to help Congress form a stable govt." #RajasthanElections . pic.twitter.com/4fPDujT4Nc ANI (@ANI) December 11, 2018 Congress legislature party meet on Wednesday The Congress in Rajasthan will hold its legislature party meeting Jaipur on Wednesday to decided on who will be the chief minister. The Congress Legislature Party meeting will take place tomorrow. AICC general secretary K C Venugopal has arrived for the meeting, state Congress chief chief Sachin Pilot said. Rajasthan revenue minister loses Pachpadra seat BJP candidate and Rajasthan revenue minister Amra Ram loses Pachpadra seat to Congress candidate Madan Prajapat by a margin of 2,395 seats. Newly elected Congress MLAs to meet in Jaipur tomorrow Newly elected Congress MLAs will be meeting in Jaipur tomorrow. According to latest ECI trends, the Congress party is leading on 98 seats, BJP is leading on 65 seats, BSP on 5, CPM on 2 and others on 16 seats in Rajasthan. Sachin Pilot reaches Khasa Kothi to meet Congress observer Venugopal Sachin Pilot reaches Khasa Kothi to meet Congress observer KC Venugopal, Rajasthan in charge Avinash Pande and four co incharges. Ashok Gehlot will also attend the meet. Rajasthan assembly speaker wins by a record 74,542 votes Rajasthan assembly speaker Kailash Meghwal has won by a record 74,542 votes in Bhilwaras Shahpura seat. Congress leaders Sachin Pilot, Ashok Gehlot win from Tonk, Sardarpura constituencies respectively Senior Congress leader and former Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot has won from Sardarpura while Sachin Pilot has won from Tonk constituency. Rajasthan pradesh Congress committee chief Sachin Pilot has won the Tonk assembly constituency, defeating BJPs only Muslim candidate in the state and Transport Minister Yoonus Khan. Meanwhile, BJPs Rajpal Singh Shekhawat has lost from Jhotwara constituency in Rajasthan Raje wins from Jhalrapatan seat CM Vasundhara Raje wins from Rajasthans Jhalrapatan seat. According to latest ECI trends, Congress leading in 100 seats, BJP leading in 73 seats, BSP in 5, CPM in 2 and others in 19 seats in Rajasthan. BJPs Vasudev Devnani wins Rajasthans Ajmer North seat BJP candidate Vasudev Devnani wins Rajasthans Ajmer North seat. Talking to like-minded parties to form govt: Sachin Pilot We are marching towards a full majority. The BJP stands defeated in the face of Congress workers hard-work and dedication. We will form govt with clear majority but we are in touch with like-minded independents and parties who are against the BJP. Sachin Pilot in talks with 8 independents in Rajasthan: ANI Congress Sachin Pilot is in talks with 8 independents in Rajasthan, reports ANI. Trends show Congress marching ahead to victory in Rajasthan, MP, Chhattisgarh: Pilot Trends show Congress marching ahead to victory in Rajasthan, MP and Chhattisgarh, confident trend will continue across country, said Sachin Pilot. Also Watch: Trends make it clear that Congress is forming govt in Rajasthan with full majority: Sachin Pilot Will get clear majority, still we would want independent, parties to support us: Gehlot Numbers can go up and down but publics mandate is in the favour of Congress. We will get clear majority, still we would want independent candidates and parties other than BJP to support us if they want, said senior Congress leader Ashok Gehlot This result will set tone for 2019 elections: Ashok Gehlot Rahul Gandhi raised key issues, like Rafale, farmers woes and oil, which benefitted the party in the assembly elections. This (Rajasthan) result will set tone for 2019 elections, said Ashok Gehlot. Congress leading in 10 seats out of 19 in Jaipur district The Congress is leading in 10 seats out of 19 seats in Jaipur district. After 9th round, BJPs Gulab Chand Kataria is trailing by 2,300 votes, while Rajasthan CM Vasundhara Raje is leading by 17,327 votes in Jhalrapatan. Congress benefitted as Rahul Gandhi raised key issues: Ashok Gehlot Senior Congress leader Ashok Gehlot said Rahul Gandhi raised key issues concerning the people because of which Prime Minister Narendra Modis graph came down. He also said that Gandhi first cornered PM Modi and Amit Shah in Gujarat and played issue-based politics. The senior Congress leader said the Congress benefitted as Gandhi raised issues concerning price rise, farmers, the Rafale issue on which Modi and the BJP did not have answers. Congress should get a comfortable majority in Rajasthan: Sachin Pilot People have blessed us. We should get a comfortable majority in Rajasthan, said Sachin Pilot. This result is a gift for Rahul Gandhi: Sachin Pilot Rahul Gandhi became party president exactly a year ago this day, so this result is a gift for him. Congress will form government in three states, said Rajasthan Congress chief Sachin Pilot. Congress forming govt in Rajasthan: Sachin Pilot Trends make it clear that Congress is forming government in Rajasthan with full majority, we had 21 seats last time. We should wait for the final numbers. Congress leadership and MLAs will decide who will get what role, said Sachin Pilot Rahul Gandhi will decide on who will be the CM: Ashok Gehlot Ashok Gehlot said Rahul Gandhi will decide on who will be the Rajasthan chief minister, said Rahul Gandhi. As per latest official ECI trends, Congress is leading in 91 seats, BJP is leading in 79 seats, others in 24 seats in Rajasthan. Congress races ahead in Rajasthan, 12 BJP ministers trailing Early trends indicated that the Congress was headed for a majority in Rajasthan, while 12 of its ministers trailing behind their rivals. State Home Minister Gulab Chand Kataria and Transport Minister Yoonus Khan are among those trailing after the initial rounds of counting, according to the state election commissions website. Independents are leading in 10 seats and candidates of other parties are ahead in five seats. Congress leads in Rajasthan: Official ECI trends Official ECI trends show Congress leading in 91 seats, BJP leading in 71 seats, others in 22 seats in Rajasthan. Also Watch: Election Results 2018: Cong ahead in Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh; tough fight in MP State assembly speaker leading in Bhilwaras Shahpura State Assembly Speaker Kailash Meghwal is leading by 3,411 votes in Bhilwaras Shahpura seat. The ministers trailing are -- state Social Justice Minister Arun Chaturvedi (Civil Lines), Water Resources Minister Rampratap (Hanumangarh), Agriculture Minister Prabhu Lal Saini (Anta), UDH Minister Srichand Kriplani (Nimahera), Gaupalan Minster Otaram Devasi (Sirohi seat) and Health Minister Kalicharan (Malvia Nagar). Barmer MP Sonaram is also trailing Discuss throw gold medallist in 2010 Commonwealth leading from Sadulpur Congress candidate and discus throw gold medallist in the 2010 Commonwealth Games Krishna Poonia is leading in the Sadulpur constituency by 646 votes, according to chief electoral officer. Cong takes early lead, several ministers trailing The Congress is leading in in 82 seats, while the BJP is ahead in 62 seats in the 200-member Rajasthan assembly, according to the state election commissions website. Several state ministers are trailing behind after the initial rounds of counting. Rajasthan cooperative minister trailing in Degana Rajasthans Cooperative Minister Ajay Singh trailing by a margin of 1,311 votes in Degana seat. Rajasthan environment minister trailing in Lohawat seat Rajasthan Environment Minister Gajendra Singh trailing by a margin of 1,375 votes in Lohawat Congress ahead in Rajasthan: Official ECI trends Official ECI trends show Congress leading on 63 seats, BJP leading on 45 seats, others on 15 seats in Rajasthan. Former CM Gehlot leading in Sardarpura Former CM and Congress candidate Ashok Gehlot leading with a margin of 5,112 votes in Rajasthans Sardarpura. Rajasthan CM Vasundhara Raje leading by 4055 votes from Jhalrapatan. Water resource minister trailing in Rajasthan Rajasthan Water Resource Minister Rampratap trailing by margin of 658 votes in Hanumangarh seat, while Social Justice Minister Arun Chaturvedi trailing by a margin of 2,467 votes in the civil lines constituency in Jaipur. Rajasthan CM Vasundhara Raje leading in Jhalrapatan constituency with a margin of 4055 votes. Congress candidate Manvendra Singh trailing. Congress leading on 15, BJP leading on 13 seats in Rajasthan: Official EC trends Official election commission trends show the Congress leading on 15 seats and BJP leading on 13 seats. Congress workers celebrate outside Sachin Pilots residence as initial trends show the party leading Congress party workers begin celebrations outside Sachin Pilots residence as initial trends show the party leading. Latest trends show Congress leading in 76 seats while BJP is leading in 59. Jaipur: Congress workers celebrate outside Sachin Pilot's residence as initial trends show the party leading #RajasthanElections2018 pic.twitter.com/BeT2GR0gxy ANI (@ANI) December 11, 2018 Early trends show Sachin Pilot ahead in Tonk As per latest trends, Sachin Pilot is leading in Tonk. The trends show Congress leading in 67 seats while BJP is leading in 48. Congress workers bring firecrackers to party office in Jaipur Congress workers brought firecrackers to party office in Jaipur after early trends show Congress leading in Rajasthan. As per latest trends, Congress is shown to lead in 38 seats while BJP is shown to lead in 29. Firecrackers brought to Congress office in Delhi by party leader Jagdish Sharma as counting is underway for assembly elections in five states pic.twitter.com/vq5dZB2Gta ANI (@ANI) December 11, 2018 Early trends show Congress leading in Rajasthan As per early trends, Congress is shown to lead in 20 seats, whereas the BJP is shown to lead in 10. Vasundhara Raje gains lead in her constituency Jhalrapatan, as per early trends Early trends show Rajasthan chief minister Vasundhara Raje taking lead in her constituency Jhalrapatan The current strength on Rajasthan Assembly is 200 - BJP 160, INC 25, BSP 2, Independents 7. As per latest trends, Congress ahead of BJP in Rajasthan As per latest trends, Congress is shown to lead in 12 seats while BJP is shown to lead in 5. A party needs 100 seats to form govt in Rajasthan In Rajasthan, a party needs 100 seats to form government and the BJP says it is confident of a return to power. In 2013, the BJP won 163 seats with 45.17% vote share its highest ever poll victory. In contrast, the Congress won 21 seats with 33.07% vote share.Yet, a curious trend has emerged in the state in the past 20 years, where neither the BJP nor the Congress has come to power for a consecutive term. Read: Can BJP buck Rajasthans alternating power trend, or is it Congress turn? Counting of votes begins in Rajasthan The counting of votes has begun in Rajasthan. The counting will take place at 35 centres including two centres each in Jaipur and Rajasthan is known to be a swing state with the state electing a new government in every election. Rajasthan assembly elections saw top leaders of both the Congress and the BJP campaigning extensively The assembly elections saw top leaders of both the Congress and the BJP campaigning extensively in the state speaking on issues such as construction of Ram Temple in Ayodhya, caste of Hindu god Hanuman, caste and family of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, apart from farm and water crisis, jobs, reservation to certain castes, the alleged inaccessibility of chief minister Vasundhara Raje and her cabinet colleagues. BJP contesting all seats in Rajasthan on its own The BJP is contesting on its own in all seats. Farmer leader Hanuman Beniwals Rashtriya Loktantrik Party and Bharatya Tribal Party have put up candidates in several segments and may impact a few seats in their areas of influence. Vasundhra Raje leaves for Tripura Sundari temple ahead of counting Rajasthan chief minister Vasundhara leaves for Tripura Sundari temple in Banswara to pray before the counting for Rajasthan elections 2018 begins. Interesting fact: Rajasthan voters are known to elect a new government every five years Rajasthan voters are known to elect a new government every five years and if exit polls are anything to go by history may repeat in assembly elections 2018, which witnessed a direct fight between the Congress and the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party. The 200-member assembly is witnessing a bilateral fight between the ruling BJP and the Congress, in a state that has alternated between the two every five years for the last two decades. Read: Who will top the closely-fought contest in Rajasthan? Counting of votes to begin at 8 am The counting of votes will begin at 8 am.The results today will seal the fates of 2274 candidates who contested the elections. Due to the death of one candidate, elections were countermanded in one seat, effectively making it an election for 199 seats. To form a government in the state, any party will need to win 100 seats. Give signed round-wise results to candidates, media: EC to CEOs Ahead of counting of votes in five states which went to polls recently, the Election Commission has reminded the chief electoral officers that round-wise results should be shared with the candidates without fail. Reminding the CEOs of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Mizoram and Telangana of its April 2014 instructions, it said the observer and returning officers will sign the candidate-wise results for the round after checking everything. Voting trends, result to be telecast at public places through LED screens: CRO Voting trends and result will be telecast at public places for the first time in the state through 350 LED screens, said Rajasthan chief election officer Anand Kumar. Three-layered security in place: CEO Rajasthan chief election officer Anand Kumar said ample security arrangements have been made at the counting centres and nearby locations, with a three-layered security in place. Preparations complete for counting of votes:CEO The Chief Election Office (CEO) has said that all preparations have been completed ahead of counting of votes on Tuesday for the polls. Voting for 199 of the total 200 assembly seats in the state took place on December 7. Nearly 20,000 govt staff deployed for counting of votes Nearly 20,000 government staff will be deployed for counting of votes for the Rajasthan Assembly elections . Counting will take place at 35 centres including two centres each in Jaipur and Jodhpur, Rajasthan Chief Election Officer Anand Kumar told reporters Monday. Photo: The Canadian Press China raised the pressure on the United States and Canada as a bail hearing for a top Chinese technology executive resumed Monday in Vancouver. Meng Wanzhou, the chief financial officer of Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei and daughter of its founder, was detained at the request of the U.S. during a layover at the Vancouver airport on Dec. 1 the same day that Presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping of China agreed to a 90-day cease-fire in a trade dispute that threatens to disrupt global commerce. China formally protested to the ambassadors of both Canada and the United States over the weekend. Read more The Supreme Court on Monday issued notice on a Public Interest litigation (PIL) seeking to declare that a leader of opposition in any high-powered appointment committee should be read as leader of the single largest opposition party in the House. A bench of Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul agreed to examine this point raised in the PIL filed by NGO Youth For Equality. Although Parliament has approved a law to create an independent anti-corruption agency, the hiring of a Lokpal to run it has been stuck on the question of who should be on the appointment panel. However, the bench refused to issue notice on another prayer, seeking a declaration that all appointments of CVC, CBI director and CIC chief should be made unanimously. The CJI said: Its not possible to have a unanimous choice. If we accept this prayer then nobody can be appointed. At present such appointments are cleared by a majority. It is stated in the petition that in all cases where no Leader of the Opposition has been recognised, the Leader of the Opposition in the House of the People must be deemed to be the Leader of the single largest group in opposition in the House. Lack of notification or invitation to such person must not be allowed to delay key institutional appointments, the petition submitted. Advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan later told HT that though the government has carried out changes in the laws to appoint CVC, CBI and CIC, the same is yet to be done for the appointment of National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) chairperson and Lokpal- the anti-corruption ombudsman. Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor has filed a defamation case against Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad for allegedly making derogatory remarks in connection with his wife, Sunanda Pushkars death. Tharoor had earlier sent a legal notice to Prasad, the minister for law Justice and IT, seeking an unconditional apology for calling him a murder accused. The complaint was filed before the Thiruvananthapuram Chief Judicial Magistrate court. Tharoor stated in the complaint that the investigation in the Pushkar case had been completed and the Delhi Police had filed a final report before the Additional Metropolitan Magistrate court, in which he was charge sheeted under Sections 308 and 498 A of the Indian Penal Code. The final report does not state that the death of the deceased was a murder, Tharoor, who appeared in the court on being summoned and was granted bail, stated. He alleged that it was after much pressure from the external power centres that the Delhi Police charge sheeted him, years after Pushkars death. He alleged that it was a conspiracy to frame him in a false case. ALSO READ: Tharoor, police oppose Swamys application in Sunanda Pushkars death case The Thiruvananthapuram MP and former Union minister said that on October 28 around 5.38 am, Prasad had posted a 2 minute 18 seconds video clip of his press conference, along with certain false, untrue, malicious and highly defamatory statements on Twitter. Tharoor alleged that the video had been posted to defame him and thereby to spread an untrue, false and scandalous imputation against him that he is a murder case accused and that he had been charge sheeted. This was intended to harm his reputation and malign him before the public by intentionally giving such false and untrue statements, the colour of his office, he said. It is evident that the impugned post/tweet and the contents are solely intended to malign and tarnish the reputation of the complainant, he stated. Tharoor had sent a lawyers notice to Prasad, seeking an unconditional apology within 48 hours of the receipt of the notice, for levelling the allegations and to delete and remove the video clip of his press conference, along with defamatory statement on Twitter. In his reply to the notice, Prasad had defended his tweet, saying it was not defamatory. According to the complainant, the offence against Prasad constitutes the commission of offence defined under Section 499 of the IPC (defamation), which is punishable Under sections 500 (punishment for defamation). Tharoor requested that the court summon and proceed against Prasad as per law and award him appropriate punishment. At 11am on Tuesday during the counting of the votes, K Chandrashekar Raos Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) had raced ahead, leading on more than 80 seats. A party needs to win 60 seats to form a government in the state. Meanwhile, the Congress-led Grand Alliance was leading in 25 seats. The BJP, which is hoping to get a larger pie out of the vote share as compared to the 2014 elections, has got a lead in two seats, three less than its tally in the 2014 elections. As the initial results came in, the Telangana Bhavan, the TRS headquarter, in Hyderabad was awash in a sea of pink as the party cadres, dressed in the partys colour turned up to celebrate the partys victory. The TRS cadre celebrating outside party office say, This is a no contest. It is a one-sided war. KCR garu will be chief minister again. TRS president and Telangana Caretaker Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao leading by 9,212 votes over his nearest Congress rival Vanteru Pratap Reddy in Gajwel constituency after the fifth round of counting. K Kavitha KCRs daughter in first comments said, TRS going to massive mandate. Unlike Congress and the TDP, we did not cheat the people. K Kavitha, who is also a TRS MP, said, We believe people of Telangana are with us. We have sincerely worked and utilised the opportunity given to us. So I believe voters will bring us back to power, and that too independently. We are very confident about it. Telangana voted on December 7 along with Rajasthan on the last day of voting in the assembly elections which are being seen as a semi-final before the next years Lok Sabha elections. Earlier, the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) president and Hyderabad member of Parliament Asaduddin Owaisi met Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) president and caretaker chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR), on Monday. It is learnt that both leaders discussed the likelihood of no party getting an absolute majority in the assembly. The main challenge to TRS is the Maha Kootami or grand alliance of four parties led by the Congress. The Telugu Desam Party, which is in power in Andhra Pradesh, is part of this alliance, besides the Communist Party of India and the Telangana Jana Samithi. A delegation of the Maha Kootami met governor E S L Narasimhan on Monday evening, asking that they be treated as a single political entity which should be given the opportunity to form the government in the event of a hung assembly. (Click here for Telangana assembly results live updates) Owaisi, who had declared his support for the TRS whilst campaigning for the December 7 state polls, reiterated his support for KCR on social media platform Twitter. Insha Allah, he will form the next government on its own and Majlis will stand by him. This is our first step towards the larger goal of nation building, he tweeted on Monday morning. He visited Pragathi Bhavan, the official residence and office of KCR on his Bullet motorbike in the afternoon. He was unaccompanied and remained there for two hours. The TRS needs to win at least 60 seats in the 119 member strong assembly to form the next government in Telangana. The AIMIM, which contested in eight assembly segments, all in Hyderabad, expects to retain its seven seats, and will play a crucial role. Over the weekend, BJP state president K Laxman said that the party will play a vital role in the formation of the next government. He said that the BJP will support the TRS if it did not ally with AIMIM. Party spokesperson K Krishnasagar Rao later said that Laxmans comments were taken out of context. TRS spokesman Bhanu Prasad rejected the BJPs purported offer saying that the TRS will form the government on its own. (Click here for Assembly election results live updates) Exit polls have predicted that while the TRS will retain power, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) which fought the elections alone this time around might get between five and seven seats. The Maha Kootami delegation led by Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee president N Uttam Kumar Reddy said the four parties had contested the elections together under a common agenda which was submitted to the Election Commission as well. After winning the elections, the alliance will collectively form the government and continue as partners. We met the governor to pre-empt any attempt to deny an opportunity to the Peoples Front (Maha Kootami), as is being reported in a section of media, he said. With the AIMIM openly declaring its support to the TRS, the Congress is said to be luring independent candidates as well. Four policemen, guarding a minority pocket in Jammu and Kashmirs Shopian district, were shot dead by suspected militants on Tuesday, police said. The incident took place at Zainpora village when the militants entered into a guard room where four police personnel were present, a police official said. Earlier, Abdul Majid, Manzoor Ahmed and Mohammed Amin had died, while the fourth policeman was rushed to a hospital, where his condition was stated to be critical. He succumbed later in the hospital, according to officials. The terrorists also walked away with all four service rifles, an official said, adding that all people from the minority community were safe. Security forces have cordoned off the area to track down the attackers, the official said. (With inputs from agencies) Despite the farmers agitation that rocked Mandsaur in Madhya Pradesh in June 2017, where six farmers lost their lives to police firing and lathi charge, leading chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan to announce a slew of welfare schemes to address the deepening agrarian crisis in the state, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidates from Malhargarh and Mandsaur have won. Pipliamandi, where five farmers were shot, comes under Malhargarh assembly constituency, while one farmer lost his life in Daloda, which is part of the Mandsaur constituency. Jagdish Dewda won by a margin of over 11,000 votes beating Congress candidate Parshuram Sisodiya in Malhargarh. The ECI is yet to officially declare the result. In Mandsaur, Yashpal Sisodiya was leading by more than 10,000 votes against veteran Congressman and former industries minister Narendra Nahata as of Tuesday evening. For full coverage on Madhya Pradesh assembly elections, click here There are 12 seats in Mandsaur, Neemuch and Ratlam districts, which were the worst-affected during the farmers agitation that rocked Malwa region and put the BJP on the back foot. The issue of farmers unrest became a central point for the Congress during its poll campaign. Even at the time of the shootings, Congress president Rahul Gandhi was detained while attempting to meet the family of the farmers who had died. In the following weeks, Congress leaders, including MP Congress campaign committee head Jyotiraditya Scindia, met the family of the deceased farmers. At a public gathering in Mandsaur a year later, Gandhi announced that the Congress will waive farmers loans within 10 days of coming to power in the state. The farmers belonged to the influential Patidar community, which has traditionally voted for the BJP. For full coverage on assembly elections, click here The Congress, which was running neck and neck with the BJP in the Madhya Pradesh assembly election, ended up the single largest party with 114 seats, two short of a majority in the 230-member assembly. The BJP won 109. Both parties had almost the same vote share at around 41% and the difference of votes polled by the parties across the state was only 47,827. With none of the two parties getting a majority at 116 seats, smaller parties and Independents will play a crucial role in deciding who forms the next government in the state, ruled by the BJP for the last 15 years. The Congress reached out earlier, said sources, to the Bahujan Samaj Party and the Samajwadi Party which won two and one seats. It also contacted regional player Gondwana Gantantra Party (GGP) and independents who won the remaining four seats. Read: Officials blame new rules for delay in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan vote count Mayawatis BSP said it will try and ensure the BJP does not form government. Congress president Rahul Gandhi said, The ideology of SP, BSP and the Congress is the same - different from that of the BJP. The Congress, while snatching Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan from the BJP, has also made massive gains in Madhya Pradesh at the cost of the BJP. In the 2013 poll, the BJP had won 165 seats, getting a comfortable majority in the Assembly, while the Congress had won only 58 seats. For full coverage on Madhya Pradesh assembly elections, click here Exit polls last week had predicted a tight race in Madhya Pradesh, where the BJPs Shivraj Singh Chouhan has sought a fourth straight term as Chief Minister. Since then, both parties have been working on plan B to rope in smaller parties and Independents in case of a hung assembly. Senior leaders in both parties had confirmed on condition of anonymity that they were working on permutations and combinations to finalise plans to ensure they could get their support to form government if required. Read: Assembly elections results 2018: Congress looks at strong finish, takes 2 states; Telangana picks KCR again Polling was held on November 28 during which 38.9 million voters out of the more than 50 million voters cast their votes at more than 65,300 polling booths across the state for 230 seats. The turnout rose from 72.69 % in 2013 assembly elections to 75.05%. For full coverage on assembly elections, click here CM likely to be announced tomorrow Congress president Rahul Gandhi likely to decide on make a decision on next CM tomorrow. Congress delegation meets Governor Anandiben Patel A 5-member delegation of Congress party, including Kamal Nath, Jyotiraditya Scindia and Digvijaya Singh, met Governor Anandiben Patel today to stake their claim to form government in Madhya Pradesh. Rahul Gandhi to decide Madhya Pradesh CM, says Shobha Oza Congress legislators at their meeting unanimously resolved to authorise Congress president Rahul Gandhi to nominate the leader of the CLP said Shobha Oza, Congress leader in Bhopal. Visuals from the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) meeting in Bhopal Madhya Pradesh: Visuals from the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) meeting in Bhopal. pic.twitter.com/vZIrHMpEu5 ANI (@ANI) December 12, 2018 Next step to prepare for 2019 LS polls: Chouhan Next step would be to prepare for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections so that the BJP comes back under PM Modis leadership,says Chouhan. The new govt should fulfil promises it made Would request the new government to fulfil the promises it made to the people as Rahul ji had promised to change the CM if loans are not waived within 10 days: Chouhan Request new govt to continue programmes related to welfare of people: Chouhan Would request the new government to continue the plans and programmes related to farmers and others that our government: Chouhan Only I am responsible for the defeat Its true we didnt get the expected results and the only one responsible for this is me....The blame lies with me but I would like to thank everyone who cooperated with me. Salute party workers who worked very hard in these polls: Chouhan Thousands of workers worked very hard in these elections, I salute them. I want to thank people for their love: Chouhan Tried to run the state as a servant: Shivraj Former chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan is addressing the media. Says, I tried to run the state not as a CM but as a servant of the state Akhilesh Yadav thanks people of MP for supporting Samajwadi Party Akhilesh Yadav, former UP chief minister thanks people of Madhya Pradesh for supporting Samajwadi Party, reports ANI. We welcome the mandate. We didnt perform well but we would like to thank the public of Madhya Pradesh for supporting us. We have decided to support Congress in MP. BJP has spread hatred and deceived public, they will be given an answer in LS elections, said Yadav Itll be a privilege, says Scindia on CMs post Asked if he is open to taking on the post of chief minister, Scindia said, Of course, it will be a privilege People have taken revenge from the BJP: Jyotiraditya Scindia People have taken revenge from the BJP for their failure to meet promises, says Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia Kamal Nath meets Shivraj Chouhan Congress leader Kamal Nath has reached outgoing chief minister Shivraj Singh Chuohan to meet him. Chouhan had earlier tendered his resignation after the results of assembly elections were announced and Congress emerged as the single largest party in the state. Congress has staked claim to form govt: ANI Narendra Saluja of Congress said after the partys delegation met the Governor that Congress has staked claim to form the government. We have met Governor and staked claim to form government; we have the support of 122 MLAs, the situation is clear. : ANI Madhya Pradesh: Congress delegation met Governor Anandiben Patel to stake claim to form the government, earlier today. #AssemblyResults2018 pic.twitter.com/DKqMaRd7bP ANI (@ANI) December 12, 2018 Congress delegation leaves after meeting Guv Patel Congress leaders Kamal Nath, Jyotiraditya Scindia, Digvijaya Singh, Vivek Tankha, Suresh Pachauri, Arun Yadav left Raj Bhavan after meeting Governor Anandiben Patel. Kamal Nath submits list of 121 MLAs to Governor: Sources Congress Kamal Nath submitted to the Governor a list of 121 MLAs including 114 Congress MLAs, 4 independent MLAs, 2 BSP and 1 SP MLA while staking his claim to forming government: Congress sources Visual of earlier meeting between Shivraj Chouhan and Governor Patel Bhopal: Shivraj Singh Chouhan tenders his resignation to the Governor Anandiben Patel, earlier today #MadhyaPradeshElections2018 pic.twitter.com/3MKTBDqc21 ANI (@ANI) December 12, 2018 Congress had submitted to Guv on Tuesday night The Congress had on Tuesday night submitted a letter to the Governor seeking an appointment, after results were announced and it was almost clear that it will emerge as the single largest party. Kamal Nath reaches Raj Bhawan Congress leader Kamal Nath reaches Raj Bhawan to meet Governor Anandiben Patel Congress party meeting at 4 pm Congress spokesperson Shobha Oza said, Kamal Nath will meet former CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan at 1 pm as a courtesy visit. The party will have a meeting of MLAs at 4 pm . AK Antony is going to MP as party observer and after that, the party will speak to Congress president Rahul Gandhi: ANI MP governor invites Congress for talks Madhya Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel invites Congress for talks at Raj Bhawan at noon: PTI We dont believe in politics of jod-tod: Chouhan Chouhan says we dont believe in politics of jod-tod. None have got mandate but since we have also not mandate, we didnt stake claim to forming the government. Shivraj Singh Chouhan: Na haar mein, na jeet mein, kinchit nahin bhaybhit main, kartavya path par jo bhi mile, yeh bhi sahi woh bhi sahi https://t.co/8a1VR4T5wP ANI (@ANI) December 12, 2018 Shivraj Singh Chouhan takes responsibility for defeat in MP After tendering resignation, Shivraj Singh Chouhan says he is free now; says responsibility for defeat in MP is totally his. Shivraj Singh Chouhan: Ab mein mukt hoon, I am free. I have tendered my resignation to the honourable Governor. The responsibility of defeat is totally mine. I have congratulated Kamal Nath ji pic.twitter.com/Zuek1cSGGa ANI (@ANI) December 12, 2018 Shivraj Singh Chouhan resigns Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has resigned: PTI Samajwadi Party to support Congress in MP: Akhilesh Yadav Akhilesh Yadav says Samajwadi Party is extending support to the Congress to form government in Madhya Pradesh Akhilesh Yadav (@yadavakhilesh) 12 December 2018 Shivraj Singh Chouhan reaches Raj Bhawan Shivraj Singh Chouhan reaches Raj Bhawan to tender his resignation Bhopal: Shivraj Singh Chouhan arrives at Raj Bhawan to tender his resignation to the Governor. #MadhyaPradeshElections2018 pic.twitter.com/8j1HXEs6P0 ANI (@ANI) 12 December 2018 Kamal Nath-led Cong delegation to meet Guv at 12 noon A Congress delegation, led by senior party leader Kamal Nath, to meet the MP Governor at 12 noon today. Shivraj Singh Chouhan says he accepts the verdict, will give resignation Former chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has said that the BJP has accepted the assembly election results verdict. Addressing a press conference on Wednesday morning, he said the party wont stake claim to form the government and he is going to the Governor House to tender his resignation. BSP to support Congress in MP, says Mayawati Even though we dont agree with many of Congresss policies, we have agreed to support them in Madhya Pradesh and if need be in Rajasthan : Mayawati #WATCH: "To keep BJP out of power we have agreed to support Congress in Madhya Pradesh and if need be in Rajasthan, even though we don't agree with many of their policies,"says Mayawati, BSP #AssemblyElections2018 pic.twitter.com/1gr6RFRZHO ANI (@ANI) 12 December 2018 BSP surpemo Mayawati addressing media Results show that people in states like Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh were totally against the BJP and its anti-people policies and as a result chose Congress due to lack of other major alternatives , says Mayawati: ANI Cong to stake claim in MP, delegation to meet governor at 12 noon Congress delegation to meet Madhya Pradesh Governor at 12 noon to stake claim to form government: ANI BJP leaders meet at Shivraj Singh Chouhans residence A meeting of BJP leaders is underway at Shivraj Singh Chouhans residence in Bhopal. Kailash Vijayvargiya, Rakesh Singh, Vinay Sahasrabuddhe and Narendra Singh Tomar are present at the meeting: ANI Congress workers celebrate Assembly Elections results in Delhi Counting of votes ends Counting of votes in Madhya Pradesh assembly election ends. Congress has emerged as single largest party with 114 seats followed by BJP with 109 seats. Bahujan Samaj Party got two seats, Samajwadi Party got one while Independents won on four seats. Kamal Nath claims Congress victory Congress leader, Kamal Nath said with utmost happiness, I wish to inform you that Congress has won clear majority. We have written a letter to the Governor to invite us so that we can prove our majority before him. Shivraj Chouhans brother-in-law beaten by Cong rebel Chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhans brother-in-law Sanjay Singh Masani, a Congress candidate from Waraseoni seat lost the election. He could get only 11657 votes and was placed on fourth position. The Congress rebel Pradeep Jaiswal who contested as an independent candidate won the seat by more than 3800 votes defeating his nearest rival BJP candidate. Governor asks Congress to wait for final tally by EC In response to Congresss demand for appointment to stake claim to form government, governor house said, An appointment will be given only after the situation is made clear by the Election Commission. Congress in a hurry, should wait for final results: BJP Madhya Pradesh BJP general secy VD Sharma on Congress party seeking appointment with the Governor to stake claims to form govt in state: They are in a hurry, the final result has not come yet. They should wait, when the final results come, BJP will be the one with the majority. Congress largest party in MP, has support of independents: Kamal Nath In letter to governor, Kamal Nath said that the Congress has emerged the single largest party with majority support. All the independents have in addition assured support to the Congress party, he said, in a letter staking claim to form the next government. So far, three independents have won and another one is leading. Congress stakes claim to form government in Madhya Pradesh Congress party seeks an appointment late tonight with the Madhya Pradesh governor Anandiben Patel to stake claim to form the govt. The party has sought appointment by sending an email and a fax too. Congress party seeks an appointment late tonight with the Governor to stake their claims to form the govt in Madhya Pradesh. The party has sought appointment by sending an email and a fax too. #MadhyaPradeshElections pic.twitter.com/QEBb5qotuA ANI (@ANI) December 11, 2018 Shivraj Singh Chouhan wins Budhni constituency Shivraj Singh Chouhan wins Budhni constituency with a margin of 58,999 votes. Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulates assembly election winners Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Congress, KCR and the Mizo National Front (MNF) for their victories. Congratulations to the Congress for their victories. Congratulations to KCR Garu for the thumping win in Telangana and to the Mizo National Front (MNF) for their impressive victory in Mizoram. Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 11, 2018 We accept the peoples mandate with humility. I thank the people of Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan for giving us the opportunity to serve these states. The BJP Governments in these states worked tirelessly for the welfare of the people. Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 11, 2018 The family of BJP Karyakartas worked day and night for the state elections. I salute them for their hardwork. Victory and defeat are an integral part of life. Todays results will further our resolve to serve people and work even harder for the development of India. Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 11, 2018 Results not as expected: Arun Jaitley I think result was certainly not as expected&its an opportunity to pause and analyse, for results were not as per expected. In both Chhattisgarh&MP we were in power for 15 yrs&we have done well. I dont think there was aniti-incumbency but fatigue factor does come in: Arun Jaitley, Union finance minister. Ex-minister and Congresss Bisahulal Singh wins from Anuppur Former minister and Congress candidate Bisahulal Singh has won from Anuppur Assembly seat in Madhya Pradesh, defeating BJPs Ramlal Rautel by 11,561 votes, as per the Election Commission. BJPs Yashodhara Raje Scindia wins from Shivpuri BJPs Yashodhara Raje Scindia wins from Shivpuri constituency with a margin of 28,748 votes. BJPs Yashodhara Raje Scindia wins from Shivpuri constituency with a margin of 28,748 votes. ( ANI/Twitter ) Shivraj Singh Chouhans residence wears a deserted look Outgoing chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhans residence wears a deserted look. ( Mujeeb Faruqui/HT ) AK Antony appointed Congresss observer in Madhya Pradesh Congress leaders AK Antony and Mallikarjun Kharge have been appointed as observers for Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, respectively. Counting expected to be completed by 10 pm Chief electoral officer VL Kantharao says counting is expected to be completed by 10 pm and all the results are expected to be declared by 11-12 at night. Counting on about 100 seats still remain to be completed. Only 2 to 8 rounds of counting remain. We are maintaining utmost transparency in the counting and there are not many objections, said Kantharao. The results are declared after about two hours of counting so as to give enough time to candidates to submit their objections, if any, he added. Congress workers celebrate in Bhopal Madhya Pradesh: Celebrations underway outside Congress office in Bhopal. Congress has won 12 seats leading on 100 seats in the state. #AssemblyElectionResults2018 pic.twitter.com/SvKfj1d8rl ANI (@ANI) 11 December 2018 Stalin congratulates Rahul Gandhi and Congress I congratulate Rahul Gandhi and Congress party for the excellent performance in Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and MP, Stalin tweets. These results will reinforce our fight against the fascist BJP regime and help in strengthening the grand alliance. Results show BJPs popularity is diminishing: Rajinikanth I have seen the election results of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chattisgarh, Mizoram and Telangana. The results show that the BJPs popularity is diminishing. Of course, it is a setback for the national party. People of Chattisgarh, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Telangana and Mizoram have signalled the path for a fresh beginning: Rajinikanth Countdown of Modi govts fall has begun: Kejriwal The countdown of the Modi governments fall has begun, Kejriwal tweeted. Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) December 11, 2018 UPA-3 will become a reality: Shankersinh Vaghela Voters rejected BJPs false promises. I am sure that anti-BJP parties would form the government by winning around 320 Lok Sabha seats. UPA-3 will become a reality, and I am sure that a government with 20-25 parties would perform far better than the present BJP government at the Centre: Shankersinh Vaghela. PM only gave speeches: Shankersinh Vaghela He (PM) only gave speeches during his four-and-half-years of tenure. A PM is supposed to run the country, not campaign for his party on taxpayers money. He thinks that people will vote the BJP because of him, not because of the chief ministers. But voters rejected him this time: Former Gujarat Congress leader Shankersinh Vaghela. Shivraj Singh Chouhan wins Chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan wins from Budhni assembly constituency. He defeated his nearest rival Congress Arun Yadav. BJP had an arrogance that it can win polls using money power: Shankersinh Vaghela This poll result is a trailer of the 2019 general elections. This anti-BJP trend will continue in the Lok Sabha polls. BJP had an arrogance that it can win polls using money power. This defeat is a big slap on the BJPs face by the voters, who have kept alive the spirit of democracy: Former Gujarat Congress leader Shankersinh Vaghela Results show peoples support for Congress ahead of 2019 Lok Sabha polls: Chavda Todays results show Rahul jis leadership got converted into result-oriented success. Whether it is Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh or Madhya Pradesh, it is clear people have accepted Rahul jis leadership. People have rejected Modi and once again blessed the Congress under Rahul jis leadership. The results show peoples support for the party ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. In coming times, Congress will again gain peoples support across the country: Amit Chavda Trailer of BJPs defeat in 2019 Lok Sabha elections: Gujarat Congress president Amit Chavda This is a trailer of the BJPs defeat in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. The entire country will repose its trust in the Congress and will show the BJP the picture of defeat. Today, Rahul ji completes one year as Congress president. Under his leadership, he organised, guided and encouraged party supporters not just to seek power but to respect and fight for the rights of the people: Gujarat Congress president Amit Chavda Trends show mood of the nation: Naveen Patnaik I congratulate Congress and MNF for their success. It clearly shows the mood of the nation. These states are pre-dominantly agrarian states and the BJP government at the Centre has more or less ignored the Swaminathan report recommendations and loan problems of farmers: Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik, reports ANI. BJP made hollow promises: Sidhu Congress is like sugarcane, solid and sweet, but the BJP is akin to a bamboo tree, tall but hollow. And that hollowness, reflected in a poor mans bank accounts, bullet train projects, jobs promised, inadequate houses built and in skill-development programme... Modi and his party fought the election on the plank of bringing back black money, but what happened: Navjot Sidhu Flood of public support for Rahul Gandhi: Sidhu This is a flood of public support and people have created a foundation for Rahul Gandhi to become the next PM. This is also an indication of the change people seek and the resentment they have been harbouring for the BJP: Navjot Sidhu. Rahul Gandhi man of the match and man of the series: Sidhu Our leader (Rahul Gandhi) has led the team well through the campaign, and results are coming accordingly. We did things right and Rahul Gandhi is the man of the match and man of the series: Navjot Sidhu People angry with BJP: Sidhu Peoples anger have come out. Tall and false promises were made to them and those promises were not kept, whether on the issue of farmers, housing for the poor, bringing back black money stashed abroad or even skill development: Navjot Sidhu Neck-and-neck fight between BJP and Congress BJP leading in 75 seats, won 35 (total 110) and Congress leading in 65 seats and won 46 (total 111). Others are leading in 6 seats and won 3 (total 9). People have rejected the divisive and communal politics of BJP: J&K Congress Jammu and Kashmir Congress president GA Mir says people have rejected the divisive and communal politics of BJP. Watch: Now people understand jumlebaazi has no reality, says Shashi Tharoor Victory of humanity: Kapil Sibal This is the victory of Rahul Gandhi, our party, workers, people, and the fight against scams. This is the victory of humanity: Kapil Sibal, Congress Kailash Vijayvargiyas son Aakash wins BJP general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiyas son Aakash wins from Indore-3 constituency with a margin of 7,000 votes, reports ANI. Moment of celebration: Amarinder Singh At the same time, people were desperate to see an end to the vicious cycle of communal hatred and violence unleashed by the BJP-led regime. It is a moment of celebration not just for the Congress but also for the people of this country: Amarinder Singh Results reflect mood of the nation: Amarinder Singh The results are a sign of the mood of the nation, which saw in Rahul the youthful change it needed to bring India back on the track of development, which had been the hallmark of the previous UPA regime under former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh: Amarinder Singh People want positive change: Amarinder Singh The results have clearly shown that the people of India were now fed up of the destructive and anti-development policies of the Narendra Modi Government and want a positive change: Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh Farmers anger led to BJPs poor performance The dual nature of BJP leaders while dealing with grievances and woes of farmers led to its poor performance in MP, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh. Farmers in both states were angry over agricultural policy decisions adopted by the BJP governments. There has been agricultural distress in both BJP-ruled states in the last five years: Shekhar Dixit, president of Rashtriya Kisan Manch. Rahul is like a captain guiding a ship in choppy waters: Sidhu It was a united effort in preparing and campaigning for polls. The leader at the top was inspiring everybody. Rahul ji has exhibited great character in a time of crisis, like a captain guiding a ship in choppy waters: Navjot Singh Sidhu Peoples courage needs to be recognised: Uddhav While political parties keep winning and losing elections and the winner should be congratulated, peoples courage needs to be recognised in the elections to these five states: Uddhav Thackeray Uddhav Thackeray congratulates voters I congratulate the courage of the voters who did not think about the useless question of who would be the choice (to the ruling parties in five states). They (voters) did not think about EVMs, distribution of money, hooliganism or who would be the alternative to all of this, but rejected those they did not want. True courage is not worrying about future. The courage of voters has shown the country the way forward: Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray Rahul Gandhi deserves accolades: Milind Deora Mandir-masjid politics might win prime time TV spots, not elections. Rahul Gandhi faced brickbats for previous Congress defeats. Today, he deserves bouquets in equal measure: Congress leader Milind Deora Need to take results seriously: Sanjay Kakade There are 65 MPs from these states, of which 62 are of BJP and three are of Congress. We need to take the results seriously: Sanjay Kakade Introspection required: Sanjay Kakade The shocking result is of Madhya Pradesh. It looks like we have deviated from the development promises made ahead of 2014 general elections. Despite having Modi, Amit Shah and a strong network of RSS in Madhya Pradesh, if the performance is negative, it means some introspection is required: Sanjay Kakade Warning bell for us ahead of 2019 Lok Sabha elections: Kakade The decisive trends in these four major states are a warning bell for us ahead of the Lok Sabha elections in 2019. If we do not learn from it, it will be difficult for us. I have personally surveyed these four states. I am not surprised with the losses in Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan: Sanjay Kakade BJP should stick to development agenda: Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Kakade I am of the opinion that BJP should stick to development agenda and not to caste, changing names of cities, or temple. We need to revert to the track of development. What the BJP has been doing so far is mandir-masjid, changing names of cities, caste politics. Even if we win MP with a slender margin, I will call it our defeat: BJP Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Kakade Deve Gowdas jibe at BJP At least now, BJP should put some efforts to make this nation problem-free and stop the unwanted travel-spree: Deve Gowda People have made this nation arrogance-free: Deve Gowda The intentions of making India Congress-free and opposition-free shows the arrogance of BJP. People have made this nation arrogance-free by voting out BJP: Deve Gowda Shiv Sena will have to think about joining forces with BJP: Prithviraj Chavan The Shiv Sena will have to seriously think about joining forces with the BJP: Prithviraj Chavan Illusion is over: Maharashtra Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan He (Modi) had poured promises and shown dreams to the people. That illusion is over as the results have only affirmed it. All these victories are of the Congress. However, in Telangana, the results were not as desired: Senior Maharashtra Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan. Congress open to post-poll alliances: Some alliances may not have worked out before the polls for several reasons. The Congress leadership is open to post-poll alliances wherever necessary. The SP, BSP and some Congress rebels can be brought together after consulting the local leadership: Ashok Chavan Victory of democracy over dictatorship: Ashok Chavan This is a victory of democracy over dictatorship, of politics of brotherhood over the politics of hatred. With the support of farmers and labourers, this anti-people BJP government stood defeated. Resignation given by the RBI governor yesterday and the collapse of the sensex today is an indicator of how the impact of BJPs bad governance is being seen everywhere: Ashok Chavan BJP govt benefitted only industrialists: Ashok Chavan The Modi wave has faded. No impact of Modis charisma was seen anywhere in the polls. The BJP government used its power to transfer benefit only to a select industrialists. Now, people have rejected this form of governance: Ashok Chavan Congress will return to power in 2019: Ashok Chavan The Congress will return to power in 2019. Modi ji jaanewale hai, Rahul ji aanewale hai. This trend will continue. We will see it in Maharashtra soon. The Devendra Fadnavis government will fall: Ashok Chavan Victory of peoples power over money power, says Ashok Chavan I congratulate Rahul Gandhi on behalf of Maharashtra Congress. Because of his leadership, we have defeated the BJP in three states. This is a victory of Jan Shakti (peoples power) over dhan shakti (money power). In the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, BJPs gharwapsi (defeat) is certain: Maharashtra Congress unit president Ashok Chavan, reports PTI. 5-0 defeat of BJP: NCP It is in face a 5-0 defeat of the BJP. People have voted against the arrogance of leaders of the BJP. The way the BJP has tasted defeat in its own states, it portends its farewell in the 2019 polls: NCP chief spokesperson Nawab Malik, reports PTI. CMs house wears deserted look Congress inching towards victory Our people and institutions must remain independent: Mamata Let us cherish the idea of India for which our freedom fighters laid down their lives. Our people and our great institutions must strive to remain independent, in the true sense of the word, Mamata tweets. Victory of democracy, says Mamata People voted against BJP. This is the peoples verdict and victory of the people of this country. Victory of democracy and victory against injustice, atrocities, destruction of institutions, misuse of agencies, no work for poor people, farmers, youth, Dalits, SC, ST, OBC, minorities and general caste, tweets Mamata Banerjee. Mamata Banerjee congratulates winners Mamata Banerjee tweets, Semifinal proves that BJP is nowhere in all the states. This is a real democratic indication of 2019 final match. Ultimately, people are always the man of the match of democracy. My congrats to the winners. BSE Sensex closes 190 points higher Short-covering, along with supportive global cues and chances of BJP retaining power in Madhya Pradesh buoyed Indian stock exchanges on Tuesday after a volatile trade session, with the S&P BSE Sensex closing 190 points higher, reports IANS. Congress leading in 115 seats, BJP in 105 As per latest trends, Congress is leading in 115 seats and BJP in 105. Mayawatis BSP is leading in four seats and others in six. Congress wins Bhopal North Arif Aqueel of Congress wins from Bhopal North beating BJPs lone Muslim candidate Fatima Siddiqui. Delhi BJP headquarters deserted A deserted BJP headquarters at Delhis DDU Marg. ( Sanchit Khanna/HT Photo ) More security at Delhi BJP headquarters Delhi Police special unit personnel being deployed at the BJP headquarters at Delhis DDU Marg. ( Sanchit Khanna/HT Photo ) Congresss Gyarsilal Rawat beats minister Antar Singh Arya Gyarsilal Rawat of Congress beats minister Antar Singh Arya from Sendhwa in Barwani district. Samajwadi Party wins Bijawar Rajesh Shukla of Samajwadi Party wins from Bijawar in Chhatarpur. Jagdish Devra of BJP wins from Malhargarh Jagdish Devra of BJP wins from Malhargarh in Mandsaur district. Pipliyamandi where five agitating farmers were shot dead in June 2017 falls in this constituency. Congress workers celebrate in Bhopal Congress supporters celebrate at the party headquarters in Bhopal. ( Burhaan Kinu/HT Photo ) Watch: People were disappointed with BJP, says Ghulam Nabi Azad Four results declared, all won by BJP Four results declared in Madhya Pradesh so far. All four won by BJP. Amar Singh Chitrangi from Rewa district, Dilip Kumar Makwana from Ratlam rural, Shailendra Jain from Sagar and Chetan Kashyap from Ratlam city have won. Trends give a clear indication for change: Jyotiraditya Scindia The trends give a clear indication for change. I expect all Congress men to rise up to the expectations of the people, tweets Jyotiraditya Scindia. 14 ministers trailing As many 14 ministers of the Shivraj Singh Chouhan cabinet are trailing in their respective constituencies. Thirteen ministers are leading as per the trend so far. BJP had denied tickets to 5 ministers. Akhilesh Yadavs jibe at BJP Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav on Tuesday said when one and one come together, it makes 11. In a tweet, he said, Jab ek aur ek milkar bante hai gyaarah, tab badey bado ki satta ho jaati hai nau do gyaarah (when one and one come together, it makes 11, and the power of the bigwigs eventually fade away). ... - ... Akhilesh Yadav (@yadavakhilesh) December 11, 2018 BJP ahead in 112 seats, Congress in 108 BJP ahead in 112 seats, Congress leading in 108 seats, BSP four and others six, according to latest trends. BJP wins Ratlam city First seat declared; BJPs Chetan Kashyap wins from Ratlam city. BJP, Congress lead in 110 seats each BJP and Congress lead in 110 seats each, BSP leads in four and others in six, according to latest trends. BJP Rajya Sabha MP critical of party I knew we would lose in Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh, but trends in Madhya Pradesh have come as a surprise. I think we forgot the issue of development that PM Narendra Modi took up in 2014. Ram Mandir, statues and name changing became the focus: Sanjay Kakade, BJP Rajya Sabha MP, reports ANI. BJP leads in 114 seats, Congress 106 BJP leads in 114 seats, Congress in 106, BSP four and others six, according to latest trends. Congress workers celebrate in Ludhiana Hoarding outside state Congress HQ at Bhopal BJP too reaching out to smaller parties Sources say BJP is also reaching out to the smaller parties in MP. Congress in talks with BSP, SP and GGP Sources confirm Congress has started talks with BSP, Samajwadi Party and Gondwana Ganatantra Party in Madhya Pradesh. Watch: Despite trends showing tough fight, Congress celebrates in MP Rahul Gandhi meets Sonia Congress president Rahul Gandhi reaches Sonia Gandhis 10 Janpath residence, reports ANI. BJPs wrong policies have destroyed the country: Ramgopal Yadav BJPs wrong policies have destroyed the country and this is a result of that. Any talk of an alliance will be done once the whole picture is clear: Ramgopal Yadav, Samajwadi Party, reports ANI. Congress workers celebrate in Kolkata Digvijay Singh arrives at party HQ Congress leader Digvijay Singh arrives at state party headquarters in Bhopal. Congress leader Digvijay Singh at the state party headquarters in Bhopal. ( Burhaan Kinu/HT Photo ) Watch: Bure din jane wale hain, Rahul Gandhi ane wale hain, says Navjot Sidhu Both BJP, Congress lead in 110 seats each Both BJP and Congress are leading in 110 seats each, BSP in five seats, and others in five seats, according to latest trends. Leader of Opposition Ajay Singh trailing Leader of Opposition in the Madhya Pradesh assembly, Ajay Singh, is trailing from Churhat seat in Satna district, reports PTI. Atal Bihari Vajpayees nephew Anoop Mishra trailing Former Prime Minister late Atal Bihari Vajpayees nephew Anoop Mishra, who contested the election on a BJP ticket, is trailing from Bhitarwar seat in Gwalior district by 502 votes, an election official said, reports PTI. Minister Rampal Singh trailing Minister Rampal Singh is trailing by 1,193 votes in Silvani seat in Raisen district, reports PTI. Ministers Deepak Joshi, Vijay Shah trailing Minister Deepak Joshi is behind by 4,219 votes in Hatpipliya seat in Dewas district, while Vijay Shah is also trailing by a margin of 1,304 votes in Harsud seat in Khandwa, reports PTI. Ministers Om Prakash Dhurve, Antar Singh Arya trailing Minister Om Prakash Dhurve is at third place in Shahpura seat of Dindori district, while Antar Singh Arya is trailing by 3,626 votes in Sendhwa seat in Barwani district, reports PTI. Ministers Balkrishna Patidar, Lal Singh Arya trailing Minister Balkrishna Patidar is trailing in Khargone by a margin of 44 votes, while Lal Singh Arya is lagging behind by a margin 3,039 votes from Gohad seat in Bhind district, reports PTI. Ministers Narottam Mishra, Rustam Singh trailing State minister Narottam Mishra is trailing by a margin of 3,114 votes from Datia seat, while Rustam Singh is at the third position in Morena constituency, reports PTI. Nine ministers in Shivraj Singh Chouhan cabinet trailing Nine ministers in the Shivraj Singh Chouhan cabinet are trailing in the assembly polls as per latest trends, an election official said, reports PTI.. Congress workers celebrate in Mumbai Congress workers celebrate outside Mumbai party office. ( Bhushan Koyande/HT Photo ) Both Congress, BJP lead in 109 seats each Both Congress are BJP are leading in 109 seats each, BSP is ahead in seven and others in five, according to latest trends. Media personnel wait for Chouhans statement Media personnel wait for Shivraj Singh Chouhans statement, at CMs house in Bhopal. ( Mujeeb Faruqui/HT Photo ) All eyes on results BJP workers watch live results at CMs house in Bhopal ( Mujeeb Faruqui/HT Photo ) Congress workers celebrate in Thane Congress workers in Thane celebrate the partys leads in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan. ( Praful Gangurde/HT Photo ) BSP, AAP field more than 200 candidates The BSP fielded 227 candidates, Samajwadi Party 51 and AAP 208 candidates. It is AAPs maiden election in Madhya Pradesh. A total of 1,094 candidates contested as independents. BJP fielded candidates in all 230 seats, Congress in one less The BJP fielded candidates for all 230 seats while the Congress fielded 229 nominees and left one seat (Jatara in Tikamgarh district) for its ally Loktantrik Janata Dal (LJD) of Sharad Yadav. Congress pits former minister against Chouhan Shivraj Singh Chouhan is seeking re-election from Budhni in Sehore district. He is pitted against Congress candidate Arun Yadav, a former minister. Jyotiraditya Scindia addressed 110 public meetings State Congress campaign committee chairman Jyotiraditya Scindia addressed 110 public meetings and participated in 12 road shows in 15 days preceding polling. Scindia had earlier also held Parivartan rallies across 45 districts. Congress campaign ahead of polling Rahul Gandhi had addressed 22 public rallies and took part in about a dozen road shows. State Congress president Kamal Nath addressed over 60 public meetings. Shivraj Chouhan had addressed 158 public meetings between Oct 31 and Nov 25 Chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan had addressed 158 public meetings between October 31 and November 25. Before that, from July till October, Chouhan travelled to 187 assembly constituencies as part of his public outreach campaign titled Jan Ashirwad Yatra. Headed for victory in three states, trend to continue in rest of India: Sachin Pilot Rajasthan Congress chief Sachin Pilot said the party is marching towards victory in Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh and the trend would continue in the future in the rest of India. Mahagathbandhan has failed terribly in Telangana: Rajnath Singh Nothing is clear as yet from the trends. Congratulations to the MLA candidates and political parties which are winning. But the mahagathbandhan has failed terribly in Telangana: Rajnath Singh Sports minister Yashodhara Raje Scindia leads Sports minister Yashodhara Raje Scindia is leading by 7,757 votes from Shivpuri constituency at the end of the fourth round of counting. Congress workers celebrate Congress workers celebrate at AICC headquarters. ( Sanjeev Verma ) Congress is now leading in 116 seats, BJP 102 Congress is now leading in 116 seats, BJP in 102, BSP five and others seven, according to latest trends Watch: Congress confident of making comeback in MP after 15 years Watch: Congress ahead in Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh; tough fight in MP BJP leads in 114 seats, Congress in 109 BJP now ahead in 114 seats while Congress leads in 109 seats. Congress workers celebrate in Bhopal Congress supporters celebrate in Bhopal. ( Burhaan Kinu ) Congress workers celebrate in Bhopal Congress supporters celebrate in Bhopal. ( Burhaan Kinu ) Kamal Nath and Jyotiraditya Scindia arrive at party HQ in Bhopal Senior Congress leaders Kamal Nath and Jyotiraditya Scindia arrive at the party headquarters in Bhopal. Will create an environment of peace if we come to power: Scindia We will create an environment of peace, justice, and development if we come to power in Madhya Pradesh: Jyotiraditya Scindia, reports ANI. Trends reflect peoples desire for change: Jyotiraditya Scindia Jyotiraditya Scindia, who spearheaded the Congress campaign in Madhya Pradesh, says the trends reflect peoples desire for change. Congress leads in 111 seats, BJP 108 Congress leading in 111 seats, BJP in 108, BSP in four and others in six, according to latest trends. Shivraj Singh Chouhan leads by over 6,000 votes Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan leading by a margin of over 6,000 votes in Budhni constituency after second round of counting: Election official, reports PTI. Congress leading in 114 seats, BJP 104 Congress leading in 114 seats, BJP in 104, BSP in three and others in six, according to latest trends. Kamal Nath says confident of victory These are trends, but I am fully confident that we will get full majority: Congress leader Kamal Nath Tourism minister Surendra Patwa leads Tourism minister Surendra Patwa leads by 4,805 votes against Congress candidate Suresh Pachauri at the end of second round of counting from Bhojpur constituency. Congress leading in 115 seats, BJP in 105 After two rounds of counting, Congress is leading in 115 seats and BJP in 105. Lone BJP Muslim candidate from Bhopal North, Fatima Siddiqui, is trailing by 4,000 votes to Congress candidate Arif Aqueel. Congress workers celebrate Congress workers celebrate in Delhi Congress workers celebrate in Delhi Congress workers celebrate after early trends Congress workers celebrate outside AICC office in New Delhi India on Tuesday. ( Mohd Zakir/HT Photo ) Congress workers celebrate as party takes early lead Congress workers celebrate outside AICC headquarters in New Delhi. ( Sanchit Khanna/HT Photo ) Congress workers celebrate Congress workers celebrate outside AICC headquarters in New Delhi. ( Mohd Zakir/HT Photo ) Union minister Thawar Chand Gehlot confident of win Rajya Sabha member from Madhya Pradesh and Union minister of social justice and empowerment Thawar Chand Gehlot speaks to reporters outside Parliament. He says, I am confident BJP will form the government. Congress workers celebrate Congress workers celebrate at AICC headquarters in New Delhi. ( Mohd Zakir/HT Photo ) Celebration at AICC headquarters Congress workers celebrate at AICC headquarters in Delhi. ( Sanjeev Verma/HT Photo ) Congress ahead in 113 seats, BJP in 98 Congress ahead in 113 seats and BJP in 98 seats, according to latest trends. Congress workers perform havan near Rahul Gandhis residence Congress workers perform havan near Rahul Gandhis residence in New Delhi. ( Sanjeev Verma/HT Photo ) Rajnath Singh hopeful of BJPs good performance These are early trends. We hope to perform well: Rajnath Singh tells ANI. BJP, Congress lead in 109 seats each Both Congress and BJP are leading in 109 seats in Madhya Pradesh. Shivraj Singh Chouhan leads Chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan ahead in Budhni. Congress workers celebrate in Delhi EVM malfunction leads to ruckus Ruckus in Bhopal southwest constituency counting hall after EVM malfunctions. BJP leads in 88 seats, Congress in 101 BJP is leading in 88 seats, Congress in 101 seats, BSP in five and others in six seats, according to latest trends. Congress supporters celebrate in Delhi Congress supporters celebrate in Delhi. ( Sanchit Khanna/HT Photo ) BJP headquarters in Delhi deserted Counting on Counting on at Old Jail Centre in Bhopal. ( Mujeeb Faruqui/HT Photo ) BJP is leading in 83 seats, Congress in 103 BJP is leading in 83 seats, Congress in 103, BSP in five and others in four seats, according to latest trends. BJP leads in 75 seats, Congress in 86 BJP leading in 75 seats, Congress in 86, BSP in six and others in four seats, according to latest trends. Two more ministers trailing Higher education minister Jaibhan Singh Pawaiya trailing from Gwalior. General administration minister Lal Singh Arya also trailing from Gohad. BJP bigwigs trailing BJP general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiyas son Akash is trailing from Indore 3 constituency. Also trailing is public relation minister Narottam Mishra. Congress supporters celebrate as party takes early lead Congress supporters celebrate at a party office in Bhopal. ( Burhaan Kinu/HT Photo ) BJP leads in 58 seats, Congress in 67 BJP is leading in 58 seats, Congress in 67, BSP in five and others in two, according to latest trends. BJP leads in 57 seats, Congress in 66 BJP is leading in 57 seats, Congress in 66, BSP in five and others in two, according to latest trends. BJP leading in Sihora and Narsingarh BJP is ahead in two constituencies of Madhya Pradesh in Sihora and Narsingarh, according to the Election Commission of India. BJP leads in 46 seats, Congress in 40 BJP is leading in 46 seats, Congress in 40, BSP in two and others in two, according to latest trends. BJP leads in 46 seats, Congress in 36 BJP is leading in 46 seats, Congress in 36, BSP in two and others in two, according to latest trends. BJPs Kailash Vijayvargiya confident of victory We will definitely form the government in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. Seeing the early trends coming in from Rajasthan, we believe the BJP will form the government there as well: Kailash Vijayvargiya, BJP, tells ANI. BJP leads in 41 seats, Congress in 35 BJP is leading in 41 seats, Congress in 35, BSP in one and others in two, according to latest trends. All eyes on TV Congress supporters monitor election results on the big screen at a party office in Bhopal. ( Burhaan Kinu/HT Photo ) Confident of victory: Digvijay Singh Its too early. Anything can be said only after 12 pm. Leads of only postal ballots have come till now. I am confident that in Madhya Pradesh, Congress will form the government. We have favourable situation in Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh also: Veteran Congress leader Digvijay Singh tells ANI. Congress leading in 34 seats BJP is leading in 32 seats, Congress in 34, BSP in one and others in two, according to latest trends BJP now leading in 32 seats BJP is leading in 32 seats, Congress in 31, BSP in one and others in two, according to latest trends. BJP leads in 30 seats, Congress in 28 BJP is leading in 30 seats, Congress in 28, BSP in one and others in one, according to latest trends. Media gathers outside Congress office Media and police gather outside Congress office in Bhopal. ( Burhaan Kinu/HT Photo ) BJP leads in 19 seats Congress leads in 18 assembly seats, BJP in 19, according to latest trends. BJP, Congress lead on 12 seats each BJP and Congress are leading on 12 seats each, according to latest trends. TV cameras line up outside BJP office TV cameras lined up at BJP headquarters in Bhopal. ( Burhaan Kinu/HT Photo ) Counting underway Postal ballot counting at Bhopal old jail counting centre. ( Mujeeb Faruqui/HT Photo ) Exit poll predictions Times Now-CNX had predicted a majority for the BJP with 126 seats and gave 89 to the Congress. In contrast, the ABP News exit poll gave Congress a decisive win with 126 seats and said BJP would win 94 assembly constituencies. Congress leads in five seats Congress ahead in five seats, BJP in four, according to initial trends. BJP leads in three seats, Congress in two BJP leads in three seats, Congress in two, according to early trends, reports LiveHindustan.com. BJP ahead in two seats BJP ahead in two seats, Congress in one, according to early trends, reports LiveHindustan.com. BJP went all guns blazing Prime minister Narendra Modi had addressed 10 public meetings across all regions of the state, while BJP president Amit Shah held 26 public meetings and three road shows in the run-up to the elections. BJP had won 165 seats in 2013 In the 2013 elections, BJP had won 165 out of the total 230 seats, followed by the Congress (58), BSP (4) and Independents 3. Counting begins Counting has begun for 230 seats. Its a close race between the BJP and Congress. Republic TV-Jan Ki Baat exit poll The Republic TV-Jan Ki Baat poll has predicted that the BJP will win 108-128 seats and Congress 95-115. The India Today-Axis poll gave 102-120 seats to the ruling party and 104-122 to the Congress. Exit polls give mixed predictions Though all exit polls predicted a slide in the BJPs fortunes, some of them have gone to the extent of giving a clear majority to the Congress. Congress confident of victory .. / / " , " MP Congress (@INCMP) December 11, 2018 15,000 employees drafted for counting process Madhya Pradesh chief electoral officer VL Kantha Rao had earlier said 15,000 employees have been drafted for the counting process which will be monitored through 1,200 CCTV cameras installed at 51 centres across the state. Samajwadi Party expecting calls too Samajwadi Party state spokesperson Yash Yadav had earlier said no party approached them so far but he is expecting calls today once results are out. BSP hopes to emerge kingmaker Let the results come out. There will be attempts by certain parties to seek our support. However, a decision on the same will be taken by Behan ji (BSP chief Mayawati) only, BSP state in-charge Ramachal Rajbhar had earlier said. Smaller players in fray Prominent smaller players in the state are Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), Samajwadi Party (SP), Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Left parties and SAPAKS (a party espousing the cause of upper caste Hindus). Congress too confident of win Madhya Pradesh Congress chief Kamal Nath had said on Monday, We will win more than 140 seats. Wait till tomorrow, everything will be clear by then. Party campaign committee chief Jyotiraditya Scindia had said on Sunday that the Congress worked as a united front to dislodge the BJP and that there was an uprising for change across the state. Shivraj Chouhan confident of victory Chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan had earlier dismissed the exit polls and said the BJP could cross 200 seats in the 230-member assembly. We will romp home, he had said. Bhopal police assure security during counting Dedicated teams have been deployed to ensure full security. Diversion points have been put on roads outside counting centres. There is a three-tier security system. Any device that can help communication is not allowed inside: Bhopal city SP tells ANI outside Old Central Jail counting centre Counting to begin at 8 am Madhya Pradesh chief electoral officer VL Kantha Rao told reporters that counting would begin at 8 am with postal ballots at 51 centres across the state. For most Indians, Italian food is just pizza and pasta. Take them off the menu of an Italian restaurant in India and the restaurant will go empty. In Italy, most good restaurants will not serve pizza (a pizzeria belongs in a category of its own) and in any case, the pizzas we are used to in India are more American-Italian than they are Italian-Italian. Pasta, on the other hand, is the backbone of Italian cuisine and has travelled to every corner of the world because a) it is cheap b) can be kept for ages before cooking and c) it lends itself to a variety of flavours. In India, there are two additional reasons for its popularity. Indians love carbohydrates .(We are the only people in the world who will order fried rice and noodles when we go to Chinese restaurants). And pasta can be made without meat or fish so it becomes the default option for vegetarians when they eat out. It is odd though, that the pastas we eat outside of Italy are either not found in Italy at all or taste very different in their homeland. For instance, Americans love Fettuccine Alfredo, a dish that is rarely served in Italy. It was created by a man called Alfredo di Lelio who served it to visiting Americans at his Rome restaurant in the 1940s and 1950s. The original was made with melted butter and Parmigiano. But the American version which has travelled the world relies mainly on heavy cream. The cream alone, should tell us that it is probably not a real Italian dish. Italian pastas rarely use cream whereas pastas made elsewhere in the world often use so-called cream sauces. In fact, the idea of pasta sauce is probably non-Italian too. For Italians, the pasta is the point of the dish. The sauce is just a condimenta, used to flavour the pasta. An Italian will mainly judge the quality of the dish by how good the pasta is. And Italians have hundreds of pastas in a variety of shapes and sizes, each designed to suit a particular dish. You and I might find it a little precious (or silly, even) when Italians rave about pasta shapes --- little bow-ties and imitation grains of rice ! But while we think of all pasta as tasting basically the same (the flavours, we think, come only from the sauce) Italians will tell you that every kind of pasta is different. It is the technique that ensures that the peppery melted cheese clings to the pasta. President Charles de Gaulle of France is supposed to have asked How can anyone govern a country with 246 kinds of cheese? An Italian Prime Minister could ask the same thing about a country with many more than 246 different paste shapes. As for so-called pasta sauces, lets take the example of Spaghetti Carbonara one of the worlds most popular pastas. Outside Italy, this means spaghetti with a cream sauce and bacon. In Italy, it means something else entirely. A real Carbonara will have no sauce and (though modern chefs have played around with the recipe) no cream. A great Roman pasta usually has very few ingredients. It is the genius of the chef that makes a pasta dish perfect. Carbonara, for instance, is about pasta with just three ingredients. You cook very good quality pasta and then mix it with crispy pork (ideally guanciale or pancetta). Beat an egg with cheese (pecorino or parmesan) and then when the pasta and pork are ready, put the raw egg on the hot spaghetti. And that is it. This sounds simple but is immensely complicated. If you add the egg when the pasta is too hot, you get scrambled egg. If you add it when the pasta has cooled down too much, youll get spaghetti with raw egg. Great pasta chefs will know when the time is exactly right to add the egg and will have mastered a technique that is essential to the making of most great Roman pasta.They will take a little bit of the starchy water the pasta was cooked in and will add it to the cooked spaghetti. Then, for thirty seconds or so, while the egg is In the pasta, they will keep swirling the pan in a constant motion with the pasta still inside ,moving the pasta with a pair to tongs .It is this technique that emulsifies the pasta water with the fat in the pan and ensures that the egg coats each strand of spaghetti. Like Carbonara, Cacio e Pepe, another famous Roman pasta, depends on just pasta, cheese and pepper. It is the technique that ensures that the peppery melted cheese clings to the pasta. These are not easy techniques to master so, in most of the world, pasta is just a mass of noodles in a wet, gloopy sauce. Spaghetti Bolognaise, the worlds most famous pasta dish, for instance, was invented in the UK and not in Bologna, as the name suggests. Bolognaise sauce is British, not Italian. There is a tradition of making a ragu with minced or chopped meat in Bologna but it is nothing like the minced meat gravy the British make with keema, a little red wine and tomatoes. The original recipe for ragu dates back to 1891 when Pellegrino Artusi ,a celebrated gastronome, published an extraordinarily elaborate version with porcini, chicken livers, truffles etc. Since then, simpler recipes have evolved but no two chefs have the same method. Sometimes the ragu is made with beef. Sometimes with pork. Sometimes, with pork and beef. Rarely is it made with robust red wines. Usually, they use a light, fruity, local white wine called Pignoletto. But the doubts about what a proper ragu should be remain. The Brits puts tomato in their Bolognese sauce. But as the chef Massimo Bottura points out, there were no tomatoes in the Bologna region. How could they have been part of the recipe? Bottura adds one more flourish. The ragu should not be made with keema (machine-ground meat he calls it). He makes his ragu with large pieces of meat and then when the dish is cooked, he tears the meat apart with his hands till he gets shreds of perfectly flavoured beef. Yet, such is the power of global tourism that just as they serve Chicken Kiev, a dish invented in America, to tourists in Kiev restaurants, you will find Spaghetti Bolognaise on the menu in touristy places all over Italy, including even Bologna. And then there is, what is for me, the acme of pasta achievement: stuffed pasta like tortellini or agnoletti. In a sense, these are not unlike Chinese stuffed dumplings and the chef David Chang dedicated a whole episode of his Netflix show Ugly Delicious to comparing Italian pasta to Chinese dumplings. You will hardly ever get great stuffed pasta in India because it is incredibly difficult to make a smoothly and velvety pasta that is still strong enough to encase a lump of juicy meat or fish. Of all the pasta dishes I remember having eaten, it is the stuffed ones that linger longest in the memory; agnoletti at Guido in Piedmont, Heinz Becks famous pasta stuffed with a carbonara type sauce and even (though he is not Italian) Michel Guerards raviolo of wild mushroom. Keep it simple. Keep it pure. Use fresh ingredients. So, how should you enjoy pasta! Well, here is what I do. I never use a watery sauce. I buy good quality pasta (it is worth the money as is good olive oil) and I either make my own basil pesto (its easy; any fool can do it) or I use the vegetables I really like (mushroom, asparagus etc.) and season the pasta with herbs and olive oil. If you want another layer of flavour, you can first saute the vegetables in pancetta, bacon or whatever. Once you start eating pasta that way, you will find it impossible to eat those horrible gloopy sauces and those congealed cream abominations you find at restaurants in India. Keep it simple. Keep it pure. Use fresh ingredients. Invest in high quality dried pasta. And you will never go wrong. Follow more stories on Facebook and Twitter The Rajasthan Congress has called a meeting of the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) on Wednesday in which a one-line resolution is expected to be passed. The resolution will authorise the party president Rahul Gandhi to take a call on who the next chief minister of the state will be from the party. As per trends and results, the Congress has crossed the majority mark of 100 seats in the 200-member state assembly with the BJP trailing at about 70 seats. The Congress, though much ahead of its rivals, is confident of its victory and is looking at the support of the rebel candidates. The BJP has accepted its loss but has maintained that it was a good performance considering that the people of Rajasthan have changed the party in power in every election in the last 25 years. The Congress has deputed its general secretary KC Venugopal as observer for the legislator party meeting and also to speak to senior party leaders and gauge their mood on who to name as the future chief minister. He is expected to brief Congress president Rahul Gandhi on the Rajasthan election results as well. Read: Rajasthan election results highlights : Sachin Pilot wins Tonk, Gehlot wins Sardarpura The Congress leadership has called all the party MLAs to Jaipur at 11 am on Wednesday to seek their opinion over their leader. It is likely that the MLAs will pass a one-line resolution authorizing the Congress president to decide who will be the chief minister in Rajasthan, said a senior Congress leader, requesting anonymity. Earlier too, the Congress legislators have passed similar resolutions authorizing the party chief to decide on the chief minister to prevent any infighting within the party. The party has not declared a chief ministerial candidate for the Rajasthan elections saying that the party has never declared a CM candidate in the state. In Rajasthan, the front runners for the post are state Congress president Sachin Pilot and two-time chief minister Ashok Gehlot. The third probable candidate and leader of opposition in the outgoing assembly - Rameshwar Dudi - was defeated by BJPs Bihari Lal Bishnoi from Bikaner. Apart from these, senior party leaders such as CP Joshi, Girija Vyas and Harish Chaudhary have also won from their seats. Also read: How the Congress performance in this election alters calculus for 2019 According to Congress party leaders, both Pilot and Gehlot had been the two prominent faces of the Congress campaign in the state and had played an important role in the distribution of tickets among the 195 candidates. The Congress had left five seats for its allies - Sharad Yadavs Loktantrik Janata Dal, Ajit Singhs Rashtriya Janata Dal and Sharad Pawars Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). The Congress leader said the selection of the chief minister will be based on its implications for the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. In the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP had won all 25 Lok Sabha seats. We need an experienced person to win back large number of seats, the leader said, adding that both Pilot and Gehlot could do the job. Pilot has made his debut in the assembly elections by defeating BJPs lone Muslim candidate Yoonus Khan from Tonk. Khan is also a minister in Vasundhara Rajes cabinet. Pilot had been an MP from Dausa and Ajmer. Gehlot, member of the assembly from Sardarpura (Jodhpur) constituency, has been chief minister twice and is a five-time MP and has vast experience of state and centre level. Click here for live updates of Rajasthan assembly election result 2018 The last year or so, Gehlot had been given several organizational and national responsibilities. He is general secretary in-charge of the organization, had been the election in-charge for Gujarat, where the Congress performed well despite losing the polls to ruling BJP. According to Congress leaders, Gehlot had played a key role in Punjab and Uttar Pradesh elections as well. Pilot, on the other hand, is young and popular among the youth, has played a pivotal role in reviving the party in Rajasthan after it was reduced to 21 seats in the 2013 assembly elections. Under his leadership, the party has won four of the five assembly by-polls and two Lok Sabha by-polls. The new Congress chief minister will have his task cut out as the BJP has been able to retain its vote share of about 38% in the state, while the Congress has witnessed a marginal increase in its vote share despite an undercurrent against the incumbent Vasundhara Raje government. Also, it will have to take on a resurgent BJP which aims to retain its hold in the state for the Lok Sabha elections, said political expert Rajiv Gupta. After drawing a blank in the last election in Rajasthan, the CPI(M) is all set to win two seats, both of which were held by the BJP. The Left partys Balwan Poonia is leading with 73,725 votes in Bhadra constituency of Hanumangarh district. His nearest rival is BJPs Sanjeev Kumar. In Shree Dungargarh constituency of Bikaner district, the CPI(M)s Giridharilal Mahiya is leading with 72,361 votes. Congress candidate Mangalram is at the second position in this seat. In the 2013 elections, the CPI(M) or the Communist Party of India (Marxist) had failed to win any seat. It won three in 2008 elections. The CPI(M)s Rajasthan in-charge Hannan Mollah said the trend of election results in the three Hindi-heartland states has ended the myth of the BJPs invincibility. In the last two-three years of electoral politics, Modi-Shah combine emerged as invincible. It seemed no party could defeat the BJP under their leadership. This myth has been broken in this election, said Mollah. Mollah, who is also the general secretary of the CPI(M)s farmers wing All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS), said that farmers issues were crucial in the elections for the five states. BJP loss in the Hindi-heartland was due to farmers distress in rural areas. The saffron party has been turned down by farmers and those living in rural areas, he claimed. The CPI(M) leader added that in the next years Lok Sabha election, farmers and rural distress would be one of the key poll issues. CPI(M) fought in Rajasthan on 28 seats as part of a seven-party alliance called the Loktantrik Morcha. The alliance also include Communist Party of India, Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist), Marxist Communist Party of India (United), Samajwadi Party, Rashtriya Lok Dal and Janata Dal (Secular). As per latest trends, Congress is heading to form government in the state. Photo: The Canadian Press Anyone hoping to get into the cannabis business in Kelowna will pay a pretty penny to do so. City council Monday approved a licensing structure that will put back any prospective retailer nearly $19,000 in fees before making any renovations or opening the door. The city had previously set a rezoning application fee of $9,450 just to be considered for a licence to sell. A yearly business licence will now cost $9,465 on top of that, with an $8,000 yearly renewal fee. "Staff have set a comprehensive proposed licence fee schedule to address community impacts arising from the development of a cannabis retail sales process, the review of each application, its licensing approvals, and to help offset projected community enforcement impacts of consumption," licensing manager Greg Wise told council. The business licence is much higher than the $5,000 charged in Kamloops, Vernon and Penticton, but far less than the $20,000 charged in Nelson and $30,000 in the City of Vancouver. The fees will be reviewed in two years. Coun. Charlie Hodge voted against the business licence cost. Hodge called the fees outrageous, saying the city is using this "as a cash cow." Wise also proposed four different cannabis business licence types: Cannabis counselling establishment - a business providing counselling on cannabis and its uses. Cannabis-related business - providing services related to promotion, usage, accessories or assistance with federal and provincial regulation navigation. Retail sales - store that displays, sells or offers for sale cannabis, cannabis oils, and seeds. Retail accessory store - a business that sells cannabis-related products, but not cannabis products. The city has received 41 applications for cannabis-related storefront businesses. Those applications will be scored over the coming weeks, with those at the top of the list getting the first crack at having their specific property rezoned by council. Retail stores are not expected to open in the city until late spring or early summer. The counting trends in Rajasthan assembly elections showed the Congress ahead with leads in 100 seats and BJP trailing at 74 in the vote held on December 7. Rajasthan has 200 assembly seats, but voting was held in only 199 as the BSP candidate for the Ramgarh seat died and election was postponed there. A party needs 100 seats to form government. Though making huge gains from 21 seats of 2013, the Congresss show falls short of a comfortable win but the party exuded confidence about forming the next government in the state while reaching out to smaller parties. The Congress will get clear majority, still we would want independent candidates and parties other than BJP to support us if they want, former chief minister Ashok Gehlot said. Within hours of this statement, RLDs lone successful candidate offered support to the party. Mayawatis Bahujan Samaj Party was leading in six seats and Others , many of them Congress rebels, were ahead in 19 seats. (Click here for Rajasthan Assembly Election Results 2018 live updates) To a question on who would be the next chief minister of the state, Gehlot said, The question about the CM will be decided by party president Rahul Gandhi. Pradesh Congress Committee chief Sachin Pilot echoed same sentiments and said, Congress leadership and MLAs will decide who will get what role. The Congress went into the polls without a clear chief minister candidate and added to the suspense by deciding to field Ashok Gehlot almost at the last minute. Congress Legislature Party is likely to meet tomorrow and pass a one-line resolution, authorising the party high command to name the leader. As trends started trickling in, celebrations broke out in Jaipur outside the houses of Pilot and Gehlot as caretaker chief minister Vasundhara Raje prayed at Tripur Sundari temple in Banswara. All three reained their seats -- Pilot from Tonk, Gehlot from Sardarpura and Raje from Jhalrapatan. The voting was held on December 7, the last day of polling in a round of state elections billed as a semi final before next years Lok Sabha polls. Congress workers gather outside PCC chief Sachin Pilots house in Jaipur as counting trends showed the Congress racing ahead. (HT photo) In 2013, the BJP won 163 seats with 45.17% vote share its highest ever poll victory. In contrast, the Congress won 21 seats with 33.07% vote share.Yet, a curious trend has emerged in the state in the past 20 years, where neither the BJP nor the Congress has come to power for a consecutive term. We are all prepared to celebrate on Tuesday and have ordered sweets, fireworks and gulal (colours), a leader said. In case of a victory, the party will hold a meeting of its winning legislators on Wednesday. The BJP has called a meeting of its core committee members, including chief minister Vasundhara Raje, on Tuesday evening after the results are announced, party leaders said. Since 1998, the BJP and Congress have alternately formed the state government. While the last four Assembly elections witnessed a fight between Raje and Gehlot, this time around Pilot was in the fray, too. After being appointed as state Congress chief in 2014, the two-time Lok Sabha MP who contested his first assembly seat this year, steered the party to several bypoll wins. This included two Lok Sabha seats of Ajmer and Alwar in February 2018, four zila parishad seats in 2017 and three out of four assembly seats in 2014, shortly after the general election which saw the BJP come to power at the centre. The three by-elections in Rajasthan earlier this year for two Lok Sabha seats and one assembly seat served a wake-up call for the Raje government, which lost all seats. Tuesdays outcome will further determine whether Raje has tided over a strong anti-incumbency wave. Raje, who faced criticism from within and outside her party for being inaccessible, told Hindustan Times, Which leader goes to peoples doorstep with her achievements? Starting September, BJP national president Amit Shah held booth level meetings of party workers in all seven divisions of the state. In August, Raje set off on a 32-day long Gaurav Yatra that traversed 123 assembly constituencies, covering 4,497-km. Party workers also got in touch with beneficiaries of the state and centre welfare schemes. The BJP had made much of the fact that the Congress had not declared a CM candidate in these elections. There are six contenders for the CMs post in Congress which is like Kaun Banega Crorepati, Raje had said during her campaign. The high decibel campaigns saw top party leaders hold rallies in Rajasthan. Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed 12 public meetings in six days, covering 12 districts and 106 assembly constituencies. Raje addressed 75 meetings in 15 days of campaigning, the maximum by any BJP leader. Congress president Rahul Gandhi addressed 11 rallies in three days, covering 10 districts and 68 assembly seats. He attacked the BJP-led centre on the Rafale deal and crony capitalism, even as Modi referred to Gandhi as a naamdar (dynast) in all his speeches. Rebels posed a challenge for both parties. The BJP dropped 51 of its MLAs, including four ministers. Many contested as independents. In Congress, too, 90 candidates who contested the 2013 election were dropped, which included two sitting MLAs. Pilot, who had undertaken a 100-km march in Rajes home turf of Jhalawar last year, and led several protests against the government across the state, contested from Tonk, where the Congress has fielded a Muslim candidate for the last 46 years. The BJP changed its candidate following this announcement fielding Yunus Khan. In Rajes home turf, Jhalrapatan, a constituency she has held since 2003, the Congress fielded Rajput strongman and former BJP MLA Manvendra Singh, whose exit from the BJP was widely touted to be a result of friction with Raje. Catch all the live updates from Assembly Election Results 2018 Top leaders convey best wished to KCR Vice president of India Venkaiah Naidu, BJP chief Amit Shah, Maharashtra governor Vidyasagar Rao, have conveyed their best wishes over phone to chief minister K Chandrashekhar Rao. DMK leader MK Stalin also conveyed his best wishes. Seat-share of parties As results of 111 seats out of 119 are out, following is break up of number of seats that each party won: party wise: TRS won 82 seats, INC won 19 seats, TDP won 2, BJP won 1, MIM won 5, AFB won 1, whereas an independent candidate won 1 seat. KCR to meet Governor ESL Narasimhan KCR will be meeting Governor ESL Narasimhan shortly. TRS legislature party meet at 11:30 am tomorrow TRS legislature party will meet at Telangana Bhavan at 11.30 am on Wednesday to elect KCR as the leader of the legislature party. Populist schemes pay handsome dividends to KCR A slew of populist schemes like Raithu Bandhu investment support scheme for farmers and social security pensions paid handsome dividends to TRS chief K Chandrasekhar Rao, who led his party to a thumping victory in Telangana. With KCR to ensure non-Cong, non-BJP govt: Owaisi After seeing K Chandrasekhar Rao from very close quarters I feel that this nation deserves a leader like him and I hope that the next step hell take will be successful and Ill stand shoulder to shoulder with him ensuring that in 2019 election theres a non-Congress and non-BJP government, said AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi. KCR has all capabilities to ensure a non-Cong govt: Owaisi I say this with all responsibility that K Chandrasekhar Rao has all capabilities and capacities to ensure that a non-Congress government comes into existence when the next parliament election takes place and this country requires a non-Congress and a non-BJP government, said AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi. KCRs presser ends KCRs press conference ends Asaduddin Owaisi not a fundamentalist, says KCR (Asaduddin) Owaisi is a very good intellectual of this country, he is not a fundamentalist..he is a secular political leader. He is needed....we will go around the country together and work together: KCR Opposition unity plan to be revealed in 10 days, says KCR In 10 days, we will unleash the whole thing....ie, the opposition unity plan in Delhi: KCR My new slogan is Bharat Mukt of Congress, BJP: KCR People are vexed because they dont have an alternative between Cong and BJP....Till now Congress has said BJP- Mukt Nharat and BJP says Congress- Mukt Bharat.... my new slogan is Bharat-Mukt of Cong and BJP: KCR Details of new national party soon, says KCR Will release details of this new national party (consortium of regional parties) shortly: KCR KCR says Naidus jibe on Hyderabad answered by people (Chandrababu) Naidus jibe that only he had built Hyderabad has been answered by the people, I dont have anything to add to it: KCR Dire need for political surgery of the country: KCR There is a dire need for political surgery of this country....only injections wont do...surgery is needed New economic and agricultural models needed: KCR A new economic model, agricultural model is required for the country, a revolution is needed in these sectors: KCR A new consortium of regional parties may be formed soon: KCR The Federal Front is not mine..it is of the people of India...It will have people, not mere leaders... very soon a new national party may be formed which will be a consortium of regional parties: KCR People demanding I should play role in Andhra politics: KCR People are demanding that I should play a role in Andhra politics: KCR States autonomy should grow: KCR KCR says the autonomy of states should grow Why are farmers susbsidies controversial here, asks KCR What crime have farmers done in this country? Every country in the world gives subsidies to farmers ...why is it only controversial here ? : KCR India needs to tackle arrogance of BJP, Cong India needs to tackle arrogance of BJP and Congress, says KCR Why should Delhi control Telanganas development, asks KCR Why should Delhi control urban development of Telangana and Karnataka? why should they keep it? Unnatural alliance reason for Maha Kootamis defeat: KCR KCR says the reasons for the defeat of Maha Kootami are wild allegations by opposition and unnatural alliance Surgical strike, temple issue brought up only during polls Surgical strike, mandir (Ram temple issue) all brought up only during elections, says KCR. RBI sitting on Rs 8-9 lakh crore which isnt being used properly RBI is sitting on Rs 8-9 lakh crore and it is not being used properly..similarly Rs 9 lakh crore is available with Ratnas (PSU)s but not being used: KCR What is required is BJP-Mukt Bharat & Cong-Mukt Bharat Very shortly, you will see me very active on the national front...I have full confidence that in the next one month, we can bring high qualitative change in Indian political scenario...I am clear what is required is BJP-Mukt Bharat, Congress-Mukt Bharat: KCR Congress has won due to lack of alternatives Congress has won 3 states today because of lack of alternatives: KCR Divisive politics has destroyed India My friend Asaduddin Owaisi and I discussed yesterday how to unite minorities -whether Muslims or Christiansor others....Divisive politics have destroyed India. We lost some seats due to our own mistakes We lost 17-18 seats by our own mistakes...for instance , Khammam,says KCR Every section voted for us: KCR Every section BCs, SCs Dalits, minorities all voted for us.....The vote we have got is a positive vote: KCR Our aim is to unite the polity of India, says KCR I will start working on national politics now....I once again reiterate it is not alignment of parties, our aim is unite polity of India, people of India Our agri schemes have been praised: KCR I will be soon be going to Delhi..there are 15 crores farmers in the country..Noted economist Ashok Gulati has praised our agri schemes like giving Rs 5000 per acre: KCR Country needs a new economic model: KCR The country needs a new economic model, a new agricultural model, we are a rich agricultural country...we should feed the world....our productivity is low compared to Israel and others.: KCR We are here to serve people of Telangana We dont have any bosses or agents, we are not servants of anybody...we are here only to serve Telangana people Non-BJP, non-Congres rule should come We will give new definition to new national poll scenario....In this country, non-BJP, non-Cong rule should come, Telangana has shown the way. Results are for all to see: KCR The Prime Minister, senior leaders, Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi all came (to Telangana for campaigning) but the results are there too see. Nitish, Mamta all called and congratulated me: KCR Telangana will have important role in national politics: KCR In national politics too, Telangana will have an important role to play...In every meeting I have said it is the win of the people, not the leaders of Telangana: KCR KCR thanks admin, police and EC for incident-free polls (I am) happy that elections went off smoothly and was without any incidents. The administration, police and EC must be thanked for it, as also media, says KCR. Will ensure programmes to remove poverty among backward castes Since the Backward Castes are more than 50% of our population...will ensure programmes to remove poverty among them too: KCR All minorities will be protected: KCR All minorities will be protected and their interests taken care of....Dalits who have been discriminated against for decades, their needs need to be addressed..so we will develop a special strategy to address these injustices and their poverty should be banished: KCR We have a huge responsibility: KCR Just like the spectacular victory, we also have a huge responsibility....We want a healthy Telangana, will take steps to ensure that this happens: KCR Will expeditiously fulfil all promises: KCR Land rights will be addressed, want to help artisans with tools to help them modernise, want to help youth get jobs, will expeditiously complete all promises made: KCR Determined to bring irrigation water for 1 crore acres: KCR KCR says, During this term Telangana people have aspired for thousands of dreams..we should fulfil that. I am determined to bring irrigation water for 1 crore acres through the Kaleshwaram project. We should remain humble I want to tell TRS workers and leaders that with this verdict we should remain humble and connected to people..we shouldnt get arrogant: KCR KCR addresses media, says victory belongs to people TRS chief K Chandrasekhar Rao starts addressing media, says victory belongs to people. Dalits, minorities, women, harijan are the ones cause for victory...I bow my head to them and congratulate them on this victory..also congratulate TRS workers and leaders, says KCR. KT Rama Rao wins from Siricilla, his highest majority ever KT Rama Rao has won from Siricilla assembly constituency. Reacting to his victory on microblogging site Twitter, KTR called his highest majority ever. Actually just got informed that the majority is 89,009 https://t.co/M4tIlKbA9z KTR (@KTRTRS) December 11, 2018 KCR expected to address press conference shortly KCR garlanded the statue of Telangana Talli (mother Telangana). He is expected to address a press conference shortly. TRS chief KCR reaches party office K Chandrasekhar Rao reaches Telangana Bhavan, TRS party office. He is cheered by party supporters present there. Telangana: K Chandrsekhar Rao arrives at party headquarters in Hyderabad, he won from Gajwel constituency by over 50,000 votes. TRS is leading on 77 seats in the state. #AssemblyElectionResults2018 pic.twitter.com/Gry1skemYj ANI (@ANI) December 11, 2018 TRS wins from Nirmal seat A Indrakaran Reddy of TRS wins from Nirmal seat. Reddy, a former minister, defeated Congress Aleti Nageswar Reddy by 9,651 votes. KT Rama Rao meets party workers TRS leader and son of caretaker CM K Chandrasekhar Rao, KT Rama Rao met with party workers at the party office in Hyderabad. The party has won on seven seats and leading in 79 constituencies according to official Election Commission trends. Telangana caretaker Minister KT Rama Rao meets Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) workers at party office in Hyderabad. TRS is leading on 79 seats as per official ECI trends. #AssemblyElections2018Results pic.twitter.com/KqxqmW6Kdm ANI (@ANI) December 11, 2018 Owaisis AIMIM bags 2 seats, leading on 4 AIMIM has bagged two seats and is leading in four others in the Telangana assembly election as per the latest trends in the counting of votes. While party president Asaduddin Owaisis brother, Akbaruddin Owaisi, won from Chandrayangutta constituency for the fifth time in a row, another party candidate Mohammed Moazam Khan was declared elected from Bahadurpura constituency: PTI TRS gets majority in Telangana, wins 60 seats TRS gets majority in Telangana assembly elections. The party has won 60 seats in the 119-member assembly: PTI M Vikramarka of Congress makes a comeback, wins in Madhira Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, one of the four working presidents of Congress in Telangana has won from the Madhira seat. Vikramarka was earlier trailing but made a comeback to record a win . People recognise BJP hasnt done anything in 5 yrs: Chandrababu Naidu Reacting to the results of five assembly elections, Andhra CM Chandrababu Naidu said people recognised that the BJP has done nothing in the last five years. People recognise that BJP has done nothing in last 5 years and are moving towards alternative. People are with us in our fight against BJP. These five states results will help form a strong alternative to the BJP, ANI reported Naidu as saying. Andhra Pradesh CM N Chandrababu Naidu: People recognize that BJP has done nothing in last 5 yrs and moving towards alternative. People are with us in our fight against BJP. These 5 states results will help form a strong alternative to the BJP. (file pic) #AssemblyElections2018 pic.twitter.com/jxCOPoNJjJ ANI (@ANI) December 11, 2018 Celebrations continue for TRS Buoyed by the partys massive win in Telangana assembly election, celebrations continue at the TRS office in Hyderabads Banjara Hills. TRS supporters celebrate outside TRS Bhavan, Banjara Hills, Hyderabad, Telangana, on Tuesday, December 11, 2018. ( Kunal Patil/HT Photo ) KCR cabinet minister T Srinivas Yadav wins from Sanath Nagar seat TRS candidate and minister in KCR cabinet, Talasani Srinivas Yadav, wins from Sanath Nagar constituency by 30,217 votes: ANI Telangana caretaker minister and TRS candidate Talasani Srinivas Yadav wins from Sanath Nagar constituency by 30,217 votes. pic.twitter.com/vaBz6vepzb ANI (@ANI) December 11, 2018 Chandrababu Naidu congratulates KCR TDP leader and Andhra Pradesh CM Chandrababu Naidu congratulates KCR. Naidu issued a statement, saying TDP will honor peoples mandate. Congratulating KCR garu for winning the Assembly elections in Telangana. N Chandrababu Naidu (@ncbn) December 11, 2018 Kranthi Kiran of TRS defeats Cong candidate in Andole Kranthi Kiran of ruling TRS has won from the Andole assembly constituency. Kiran, a journalist who joined TRS just before assembly elections, defeated Damodar Rajanarsimha of the Congress . BJP wins Goshamahal seat BJP candidate wins Goshamahal seat. T Raja Singh won by a margin of 16,000 votes defeating Prem Singh Rathod of the TRS. Congress Nalgonda candidate suffers heart attack Komati Reddy Venkat Reddy, Congress candidate from Nalgonda seat, suffers heart attack after hearing about his election loss.He was rushed to the hospital and his condition is stated to be critical. Grateful, indebted and humbled: KCRs son on victory KT Rama Rao, son of caretaker chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, thanked the people of Telangana for giving TRS another opportunity to serve. KTR, as he is popularly known, was a minister in his fathers cabinet. Grateful, indebted & Humbled Thanks Telangana for keeping the faith in KCR Garu & giving us another opportunity to serve you pic.twitter.com/nSwnaLz8z2 KTR (@KTRTRS) December 11, 2018 Congratulations pour in for KCR on TRS victory Chief Ministers of West Bengal, Bihar and Karnataka have congratulated their Telangana counterpart K. Chandrshekhar Rao on the massive victory of his ruling TRS in the assembly elections. West Bengal chief minsiter Mamata Banerjee, Bihar CM Nitish Kumar and Karnataka chief minister HD Kumaraswamy telephoned the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) president to convey their congratulations, reports news agency IANS. According to a statement from the Chief Ministers Office, YSR Congress Party President and leader of opposition in Andhra Pradesh YS Jaganmohan Reddy and Sarada Peetam head Swaroopanandendra Saraswati also congratulated Rao. Cong-led alliance needs to analyse failure: TDP The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) said the Congresss-led alliance, of which it is a part, needs to analyse and introspect on the groupings failure in the Telangana Assembly elections: Speaking to PTI, senior TDP leader Ravula Chandrasekhar Reddy said, We have to analyse the factors that contributed to the success of TRS and failure of our alliance. Reddy said they were expecting to get more number of seats and the results are not to our expectations. Ex-assembly speaker Madhusudhana Chary loses TRS candidate from Bhupalapalli, Madhusudhana Chary has lost the assembly election. He was the speaker of the dissolved state assembly. TRS candidate from Mulug loses Another sitting TRS lawmaker and minister in KCR cabinet Ajmeera Chandulal has lost to the Congress candidate in Mulug seat. KCR wins from Gajwel Telanganas caretaker chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao has won from the Gajwel assembly constituency. He won by over 50,000 votes. Not moral but only technical victory for TRS: CPI The Communist Party of India (CPI) has alleged that elections in Telangana were not free and fair. New agency PTI reported CPI general secretary Suravaram Sudhakar Reddy as saying, Huge distribution of money, particulary on the last day (before the election)...purchasing the votes..this must have resulted in this victory for TRS. Reddy also said it was not a moral but only technical victory for the TRS. CPI is part of the four party alliance, Peoples Front, which also comprises of Congress, TDP and TJS. Two TRS candidates lose Amidst a winning spree for the ruling TRS, two key party leaders have lost in assembly elecgtions. Tummala Nageswar Rao from Palair and Jupalli Krishna Rao from Kollapur lost to their Congress opponents. Both are former ministers. No Cong or BJP in Telangana: T Harish Rao Speaking after his victory, Harish Rao said, There is no Congress or BJP in Telangana. People have reimposed faith in KCRs leadership. We will re-dedicate ourselves to the welfare of Telangana people. He called it a historic day for TRS and Telangana. T Harish Rao of TRS wins from Siddipet TRS candidate T Harish Rao has won from the Siddipet assembly constituency by 126,550 votes. Harish Rao, who is the nephew of caretaker CM K Chandrasekhar Rao and was the irrigation minister in his cabinet,has won for the sixth consecutive time. His nearest rival was Bhavani Marikanti of Telangana Jana Samithi . Cong submits complaint to EC, suspects EVMs in Tgana manipulated Congress submits complaint to Telangana Chief Electoral Officer, raising suspicion that EVMs have been manipulated in the state, reports ANI. The party has demanded that all votes be counted using the VVPAT (Voter Verified Paper Audit Trail) to ascertain the exact number of votes polled by each candidate. Hyderabad: Congress delegation submits a complaint to Telangana Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Rajat Kumar raising suspicions that Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) have been manipulated in the state. #AssemblyElections2018 pic.twitter.com/XTCL0Dcmnb ANI (@ANI) December 11, 2018 Jai Telangana & KCR Zindabad slogans reverberate at TRS office Slogans of Jai Telangana and KCR Zindabad reverberate at Telangana Bhavan, the party headquarters of TRS as the party surges ahead in assembly election results. TRS supporters at the party HQ in Hyderabad. ( HT Photo ) Revanth Reddy of Cong trailing in Kodangal after 10th round Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee working president A Revanth Reddy continues to trail in Kodangal seat. At the end of 10th round of counting, he was trailing by 6,123 votes. Not possible to tamper with EVMs: K Kavitha on Cong charge K Kavitha, TRS MP and daughter of caretaker chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao says the losing party always says the EVMs have been tampered with. She said this to news agency ANI while reacting to Congress charge. K Kavitha, TRS MP: The losing party always says the EVMs have been tampered with, this is absolutely false. Even the CEC in a press meeting yesterday said that it is not possible to tamper EVMs. People have given victory to TRS, what Congress is claiming is false. pic.twitter.com/tKsvrVdZ0u ANI (@ANI) December 11, 2018 Cong-led alliance heading for huge defeat in Tgana: Rajnath Singh Union home minister Rajnath Singh said the polls were fought on the basis of the performance of state governments, rejecting the notion that the results would be a reflection of the Modi government.Speaking to reporters outside Parliament, Singh also pointed out the Congress-led grand alliance was heading to a huge defeat in Telangana, reports PTI. TRS Legislature Party meeting today to elect KCR as leader Telangana Rashtra Samithi Legislature Party will hold a meeting in the evening today to elect KCR as its leader, said party sources. This was expected: TRS leader Jithender Reddy on poll results Commenting on the TRS sweep in Telangana assembly election, party leader AP Jithender Reddy told PTI, This was expected because the people have accepted the (welfare) schemes (initiated by the government)...the infrastructure that has been built....24-hour power supply and timely pensions. Jithender Reddy is the partys floor leader in the Lok Sabha. Massive win for T Harish Rao from Siddipet Massive win for TRS candidate from Siddipet assembly constituency T Harish Rao. He won 92, 909 votes. Harish Rao is KCRs nephew. Telangana Jana Samithi office wears deserted look The office of Telangana Jana Samithi which contested as a part of Peoples Front wears a deserted look. Telanagana Jana Samithi office ( HT Photo ) Parkal seat goes to TRS Parkal assembly seat won by Challa Dharma Reddy of TRS . He defeated Konda Surekha of Congress Former Cong minister Jeevan Reddy loses to TRS candidate in Jagtial Sanjay Kumar of TRS defeats former Congress minister Jeevan Reddy from Jagtial by a margin of 60,000 votes. Jeevan Reddy is a six-time MLA. KCR leads over Cong rival after 6th round TRS president and Telangana caretaker chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao leading by 17,074 votes in Gajwel seat over his nearest Congress rival Vanteru Pratap Reddy after sixth round: PTI KCR to address media at 4 pm Telanganas caretaker chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao will address media at 4 pm. Telangana Cong prez suspects tampering in EVMs Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee president Uttam Kumar Reddy says there is suspicion EVMs have been manipulated. Going by the distorted trends, there is a strong suspicion that EVM machines have been manipulated. We demand that 100 percent counting of VVPAT paper trails must be taken up in all constituencies. All Congress candidates should submit letters to their returning officers demanding counting of VVPAT paper trails, said Reddy. G Sayanna of TRS defeats S Satyanarayana of Congress G Sayanna of TRS defeated former Union minister Sarve Satyanarayana of the Congress in Secunderabad Cantonment seat. Telangana BJP prez K Laxman trailing in Musheerabad Telangana BJP president K Laxman is trailing in Musheerabad segment by 2,710 votes behind TRS nominee M Gopal after second round: PTI Ruling TRS leading in 90 assembly constituencies The ruling TRS looked set to sweep the assembly polls in Telangana on Tuesday, with its candidates leading in 90 constituencies, leaving Peoples Front led by the Congress way behind: PTI G Sayanna of TRS wins from Secunderabad Cantonment G Sayanna of ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi declared winner from Secunderabad Cantonment assembly seat. He won by a margin of 12,000 votes over his nearest rival. Visuals of TRS cadre in celebratory mood outside party office Telangana state Congress chief leading in Huzurnagar Telangana state Congress chief N Uttam Kumar Reddy is leading in Huzurnagar constituency by 1,852 votes over his nearest rival Saidi Reddy of TRS after the third round: PTI TRS ahead in areas dominated by Andhra settlers TRS leads in all the three segments dominated by settlers from Andhra - Serelingampalli, Kukatpalli and Sanathnagar in Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation areas. Andhra CM Chandrababu Naidu had campaigned extensively here. No contest, KCR garu will be CM again: TRS cadre Celebrations continue outside TRS office in Hyderabad as the party continues to surge ahead in counting trends. Party cadre said, This is a no contest..it is a one sided war..KCR garu will be CM again. TRS leading in Adilabad TRS appears to be heading for a clean sweep in the tribal district of Adilabad. The party is leading in all seven assembly constituencies there . KCR ahead of Congress rival after 5th round of counting K Chandrasekhar Rao is leading by 9,212 votes over his nearest Congress rival Vanteru Pratap Reddy in Gajwel constituency after the fifth round of counting: PTI TRS leading in 7 seats in Khammam district TRS is leading in seven of the 10 assembly constituencies in Khammam district. The party had got only one seat in 2014 elections. Congress Revanth Reddy continues to trail in Kodangal Revanth Reddy of Congress continues to trail in Kodangal at the end of sixth round of counting. Akbaruddin Owaisi of AIMIM wins Akbaruddin Owaisi of AIMIM wins from Chandrayangutta constituency. He is the younger brother of AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi. KT Rama Rao, son of caretaker CM KCR, leads in Sircilla KT Rama Rao, son of caretaker chief minister KCR, is leading in Sircilla by 20,400 votes by end of 4th round. TRS will hit a century, claim party cadre Telangana is turning pink with the ruling TRS maintaining its lead. Party cadres are already celebrating outside the party office,Telangana Bhavan, in Hyderabad and some of them have claimed that TRS will hit a century (100 seats). Telangana turning pink Ruling TRS continues to lead in Telangana. Celebrations outside the Telangana Bhavan, the party HQs in Hyderabad. Celebrations outside TRS Bhavan, Hyderabad ( Kunal Patil / HT Photo ) T Harish continues to be ahead in Siddipet T Harish of TRS is in the lead in Siddipet seat by 33, 104 votes by the end of the fourth round of counting. KCR leading in Gajwel in 3rd round K Chandrasekhar Rao, caretaker chief minister of Telangana, is leading in Gajwel by 6, 569 votes in 3rd round. TRS leading in 82 seats Telangana Rashtra Samithi is leading in 82 seats, Cong + leads in 18, BJP and AIMIM on four seats eadh and others on one seat. TRS and AIMIM have been friendly parties from beginning: K Kavitha TRS and AIMIM have been friendly parties from the beginning. We did not have any alliance but had friendly contest in AIMIM seats, says K Kavitha on friendly contest between TRS and AIMIM. TRS is going to get massive mandate: K Kavitha K Kavitha , TRS Member of Parliament and KCRs daughter , says, TRS is going to get massive mandate. Unlike Congress- TDP, we did not cheat the people. Commenting on the opposition, she said, There is nothing for them to complain against us. T Harish leading in Siddipet in 4th round T Harish, KCRs nephew and a minister in his cabinet, is leading in Siddipet 26,098 in the fourth round. Telangana Congress working prez Vikramarka trailing Telangana Congress working president Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka is trailing in Madhira seat after the first round of counting. TRS leading on 12 seats: Election Commission According to official Election Commission trends, TRS is leading on 12 seats while Congress and AIMIM are leading on 1 seat each in Telangana. Congress office in Hyderabad The Congress office in Hyderabad ( Kunal Patil / HT Photo ) N Suhasini of TDP trails in Kukatappally Nandamuri Suhasini, TDP candidate from Kukatappally, is trailing over the TRS candidate. Suhasini is the niece of Andhra chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu and granddaughter of late NTR. KCR is leading in Gajwel after 3rd round of counting Telanaganals caretaker CM KC Rao is leading in Gajwel assembly constituency by 5,219 votes at the end of 3rd round of counting of votes. K Jana Reddy of Congress trails in Nagarjuna Sagar seat Senior Congress leader and one of probables for chief ministers post, K Jana Reddy trails over TRS candidate in Nagarjuna Sagar seat. Voters will bring us back to power: K Kavitha, TRS Member of Parliament K Kavitha, Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) MP says, We believe people of Telangana are with us. We have sincerely worked and utilised the opportunity given to us. So I believe voters will bring us back to power, and that too independently. We are very confident about it.: ANI KCR leading in Gajwel Caretaker chief minister KC Chandrasekhar Rao is leading in Gajwel by 4, 863 votes in first round of counting. TDPs Nama Nageswara Rao trailing in Khammam Former MP and business tycoon Nama Nageswar Rao of TDP trailing in Khammam seat. Revanth Reddy of Congress leading in Kodangal Revanth Reddy of Congress is leading in Kodangal. He is the likely chief ministerial candidate of Peoples Front if the alliance forms the government. T Harish Rao of TRS leading in Siddhipet in first round TRS minister and chief minister KCRs nephew T Harish Rao leads by 6000 votes in first round in Siddhipet constituency. TRS leading in early trends of counting Early trends in counting of votes have started to come in. Ruling TRS is leading in 11, Peoples Front is 3 Counting of votes from EVMs begins First round of counting of votes from electronic voting machines begins TRS ahead in 13 seats in postal ballots counting Counting of postal ballot continues. The ruling Telanagana Rashtra Samithi is still leading and is ahead in 13 seats, followed by Congress in five and the BJP in one seat. How counting is conducted At every counting centre, the authorities have arranged 14 tables for simultaneous counting of votes for each constituency. The completion of counting at all 14 tables is treated as one round. Each Assembly constituency will have a 14 to 20 rounds, depending the number of voters. TRS leading in early trends in counting of postal ballots In early trends in counting of postal ballots, TRS is leading on 10 seats and Congress is ahead in 3. Counting of postal ballots taken up first There are 44 counting centres across the state. Election officials first took up postal ballots for counting. Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) will be opened for counting after this. Congress workers perform hawan outside Rahul Gandhis residence Congress workers perform 'hawan' outside Rahul Gandhi's residence in Delhi #AssemblyElections2018 pic.twitter.com/zkuKfW9T2T ANI (@ANI) December 11, 2018 KCR first won from Gajwel in 2014 In 2014, KCR won the election for the first time on TRS ticket from Gajwel over TDP candidate Vanteru Pratap Redddy with a margin of over 19,000 votes. Caretaker chief minister KCR contesting from Gajwel Telanganas caretaker chief minister KC Chandrasekhar Rao is contesting the assembly election from Gajwel seat in Siddipet district. He is the sitting MLA from the constituency. KCR is up against Congress candidate Vanteru Pratap Reddy and Akula Vijaya of the BJP. Political options being explored in case of hung assembly The absolute majority mark in the 119-member Telangana assembly is 60. Political parties are not taking chances and are exploring various options in case they fall short of absolute majority mark . Counting of votes begins Counting of votes in Telangana assembly elections begins. Counting is also taking place in four other states - Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Mizoram and Rajasthan - where assembly elections were held in November-December. Will play a vital role in formation of next govt: BJP The BJP has claimed it would play a vital role in the formation of the next government in Telangana. The party has predicted a fractured poll mandate in the state. Local and development issues were focus of campaigning Campaigning in the state focussed on local and development issues.But it was also bitter with personalised attacks by leaders of various parties, who relied on emotional issues too to sway voters. Owaisi predicts victory for TRS Before meeting KCR, Asaduddin Owaisi tweeted,saying TRS will form the next government in Telangana on its own strength and his party will stand by it and its chief K Chandrasekhar Rao. AIMIM chief Owaisi meets KC Chandrasekhar Rao Hyderabad MP and AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi met with Telanganas caretaker chief minister and TRS president KC Chandrasekhar Rao on Monday held discussions for more than two hours. The meeting led to speculations that Owaisis Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen could extend support to the TRS in forming the next government in the event of the latter falling short of a majority. Congress-TDP want alliance to be considered one entity The Congress and Telugu Desam Party met the Telangana governor on Monday, a day before counting of votes, requesting that their Peoples Front, an alliance of four parties, be treated as a single political entity. The alliance also want to be given the first opportunity to form the next government in Telangana if it gets more seats than the Telangana Rashtra Samithi in the event of a hung assembly. Advantage ruling TRS: Exit polls According to exit polls conducted on December 7, the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) appeared to have an advantage, with India Today-Axis and Times Now-CNX predicting a clear victory for the party. Republic C-Voter forecast a close contest in the state. Visuals of the Congress office in Hyderabad #Telangana: Visuals from Congress Office in Hyderabad. Counting of votes to be conducted for the state assembly elections at 8 am today. pic.twitter.com/VtSw6RkID6 ANI (@ANI) December 11, 2018 1,821 candidates in fray for 119-member Telangana assembly Around 67.5% of the 2.8 crore electorate exercised the franchise on December 7. As many as 1,821 candidates are contesting the elections and hope to get into the 119-member house. Counting of votes to begin at 8am Counting of votes for Telangana assembly election will begin at 8am along with other four states --Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Mizoram and Rajasthan - where assembly elections were held. Coining a new BJP-mukt and Congress-mukt India slogan, Telangana chief minister and Telangana Rashtra Samithi president K Chandrashekhar Rao said on Tuesday a new national party as a consortium of regional parties may emerge very soon. Buoyed by his partys massive victory in Telangana elections, he declared that he would play a crucial role in national politics. Addressing a news conference, the TRS chief said the new political formation would emerge as an alternative for both BJP and Congress with a national agenda to fulfil the aspirations of the people of the country by bringing a revolution in agriculture with utilisation of all available water resources.Stating that a new economic model was under preparation, he said it would be presented before the nation with possibilities, modalities and practicalities. We will unleash the whole thing after 10 days in New Delhi, said KCR, who claimed that he already had detailed discussions with many economists and worked a great deal on it. The TRS leader said he and All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) President Asaduddin Owaisi would visit various parts of the country to interact with cross-section of people and bring them on a common platform. Asaduddin Owaisi is a good intellectual who participates in each and every debate in Parliament. I appreciate him because he is not a fundamentalist. He is a secular political leader, he said. KCR said he is confident that he would bring about qualitative change in Indian politics. You will see a beginning very shortly, he said. Reacting to the Congress partys victory in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, KCR said this happened because there was no other alternative to the BJP. With the early trends predicting a massive victory for K Chandrashekar Raos Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) in the youngest state of the country, the state Congress submitted a complaint to the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Rajat Kumar saying that the EVMs had been manipulated. In its complaint, the Congress said that the EVM machines were showing trends which were far away from ground realities. Catch all the live updates from Telangana Assembly Election Results 2018 LIVE The Congress party request that 100% counting of VVPAT papers should be taken up in all Assembly constituencies of Telangana prior to the declaration of the results, the complaint said. The complaint also requested that the CEO issue an immediate order in this regard to have free and fair results and to save the democracy in the state. Earlier, seeing the margin by which K Chandrashekar Raos party, the TRS, was leading, the Telangana Pradesh Congress Committees Uttar Kumar Reddy had said that the party was planning to lodge a complaint with the Election Commission of India. All the Congress leaders will complain to RO officers. We will also complaint to ECI on this matter. How can TRS leaders say before counting that who will lose in elections, Kumar said. I am having doubts on results were getting in Telangana ballot paper counting. Were doubting that tampering could have been done in EVMs. Slips should be counted in VVPATs, he said. The TRS shot ahead of its closest competitor the Congress in the early rounds of counting in the assembly election results. As counting progressed, the gap between the TRS and the Congress-led Peoples Front or Grand Alliance, also known as the Praja Kutami, grew much larger, with the TRS eating into the vote share of the BJP and other smaller parties. Together, the Congress-led alliance had managed to cobble up only 21 seats. If all the leads come through for the TRS, it will have gained 24 seats over its 2014 tally of 63. Catch all the live updates from Assembly Election Results 2018 LIVE Bangladeshs telecoms regulator shut down dozens of online news portals for several hours on Monday, citing security reasons, as officials scrutinise hundreds of sites before a parliamentary election this month. The move comes as Prime Minister Sheikh Hasinas government is already facing criticism for introducing laws that many journalists fear are aimed at curbing press freedom. The Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) asked International Internet Gateway (IIG) operators to block 58 news sites, BTRC spokesman Zakir Hossain Khan said, without elaborating on the security concerns. The portals were inaccessible for at least 12 hours. When an issue is raised to us by the commission which is related to law and order of the country, we are bound to comply, IIG President Sarwar Alam Shikder said. Click here for Assembly Election Results 2018 LIVE Updates The 58 sites were found to be not registered with the information ministry and therefore their content was being examined, said Abdul Malek, an official at the ministry. It is the responsibility of this ministry to bring all news portals under a system so that they can run smoothly, he said, adding that hundreds of websites were under scrutiny. While Hasinas government has won widespread global praise for letting in hundreds of thousands of Rohingya refugees who fled persecution in Myanmar, its critics have decried her increasingly authoritarian rule, the governments handling of student protests this year and its crackdown on free speech. The election is being held on December 30. Having made a U-turn on Monday by deferring the crucial vote on Brexit agreement in the House of Commons, Prime Minister Theresa May dashed to Brussels to meet EU leaders to save the deal, but promised a new vote before January 21. May faced another mauling in the British press on Tuesday morning, after MPs condemned her decision to defer the vote a day earlier. Westminster was seething with speculation that it is a matter of weeks, if not days, before she would be removed. Some of the headlines were: Mays last roll of the dice, Desperate May reveals her plan B: to buy more time and May pleads for help from Europe. As May met German chancellor Angela Merkel and other EU leaders to seek changes in the agreement, particularly on the issue of the so-called Northern Ireland backstop, a Downing Street spokesman said she will come to Parliament again with the deal before January 21. The spokesman said: We will be keeping with the spirit of the (EU withdrawal) act, and by doing so the government will ensure that the withdrawal agreement is brought back to the house before 21 January. Not ruling out a vote before the Christmas break, he added: We want to ensure we work as quickly as possible to resolve this. Clearly what we will be guided by is getting the reassurances that the house needs. On Mays meetings in Brussels, he said: While the leaders agreed that the backstop was only ever intended to be temporary, the Prime Minister set out the concerns held by many about it in the UK. She discussed the need for additional reassurances on this point, in order for the deal with the EU to pass the House of Commons. Donald Tusk, president of the European Council, cautioned May that we will not renegotiate the deal, including the backstop, but we are ready to discuss how to facilitate UK ratification. As time is running out, we will also discuss our preparedness for a no-deal scenario. The UK is due to leave the EU on March 29, 2019. Amidst pressure from opposition parties to bring a no-confidence motion against the May government, Labour said in a statement that it would do so when we judge it most likely to be successful. If May returned from Brussels with the same deal, she will have decisively and unquestionably lost the confidence of Parliament on the most important issue facing the country, and Parliament will be more likely to bring about the general election our country needs to end this damaging deadlock, the statement added. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said May had lost control of events, while many of her Conservative MPs called on her to stand down, saying she had allegedly lost all credibility. They were considering submitting letter of no-confidence to the so-called 1922 committee that decides and organises leadership contests within the party. So far 26 Conservative MPs have publicly said they have written such letters; 48 are needed to trigger a vote on a new leader of the party. Turkey said on Monday the world should seek justice for slain Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi under international law after Riyadh ruled out extraditing two senior Saudi officials who Turkish officials suspect planned his killing in Istanbul. Fahrettin Altun, director of communications at the Turkish presidency, said Riyadhs refusal to extradite the suspects was very disappointing and would play into the hands of critics who believe Saudi Arabia has been trying to cover up the murder. Khashoggi, a critic of Saudi Arabias de facto ruler Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, was killed two months ago at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul when he went there to collect documents for his forthcoming marriage. Altun told Reuters that Saudi authorities had not been sufficiently cooperative and Turkey has seen little evidence of the Saudi prosecutors intending to shed light on what happened to Mr. Khashoggi. Therefore it will be in the best interest of the international community to seek justice for the late Saudi journalist under international law, Altun said. Turkeys foreign minister said last month Ankara may seek a formal United Nations inquiry if its dealings with Saudi Arabia came to an impasse, but Altuns comments appeared to be the most direct call yet to widen the investigation. Altun said Saudi intelligence operatives, including an autopsy expert, travelled to Istanbul for the specific purpose of killing Khashoggi. The Saudi consul was apparently complicit in this crime, he added. Turkish officials said last week that the Istanbul prosecutors office had concluded there was strong suspicion that Saud al-Qahtani, a top aide to Prince Mohammed, and General Ahmed al-Asiri, who served as deputy head of foreign intelligence, were among the planners of Khashoggis killing. On Sunday, Saudi Arabias Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir ruled out sending them to Turkey for trial. We dont extradite our citizens, he said at a Gulf Arab summit in Riyadh. Photo: The Canadian Press Japan's Coast Guard ship, top, and U.S. military plane are seen at sea off Kochi, southwestern Japan, during a search and rescue operation for missing crew members of a U.S. Marine refueling plane and fighter jet. The U.S. military said Tuesday that five missing crew members have been declared dead after their refuelling plane collided with a fighter jet last week off Japan's southern coast, and that search and recovery operations have ended after finding only one survivor. The five were on a KC-130 Hercules refuelling aircraft that collided last Thursday with an F/A-18 Hornet during regular training. The warplanes crashed into the sea south of Japan's Shikoku island. Two crew members in the F/A-18 were recovered after the accident, but one died. The U.S. Marines said the survivor was in stable condition when rescued. The search, joined by Japanese and Australian forces, was halted Tuesday, and the cause of the crash is still under investigation, the Marines said in a statement. It said the identities of the five people declared dead will be released after their next of kin are notified. The Marines earlier identified the dead pilot of the F/A-18 as Capt. Jahmar Resilard, 28, of Miramar, Florida. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe sent a message of condolences to U.S. President Donald Trump, while praying for a speedy recovery of the injured. Abe thanked American troops for their dedication and vowed to co-operate with Trump to further strengthen their alliance to promote regional peace and stability. The crash is the latest in a series of recent accidents involving U.S. military forces deployed in and near Japan. Photo: The Canadian Press Rosa Villarreal's three young sons jumped and ran around the field of Christmas trees like jackrabbits, their excitement palpable as they raced from evergreen to evergreen. The boys, ages 2, 4 and 6, were picking out a real tree this year a new tradition their young parents hope will create lasting memories. "I saw this video where the big tree, the mom decorates it, and the little tree, the kids get to decorate it," she said, as her husband, Jason Jimenez, snapped a photo of their toddler posing with a tiny tree just his size. Christmas tree farmers across the U.S. worry families like Villarreal's are slowly dwindling. Artificial trees, once crude imitations of an evergreen, are now so realistic that it's hard to tell they are fakes even though many are conveniently pre-strung with lights and can fold up for storage at the push of a button. Between 75 and 80 per cent of Americans who have a Christmas tree now have an artificial one, and the $1 billion market for fake trees is growing at about 4 per cent a year even though they can be reused again and again. To combat this trend, Christmas tree farmers have joined forces as the Christmas Tree Promotion Board and are running a social media ad campaign this holiday season to tout the benefits of a real evergreen. The campaign, called "It's Christmas. Keep It Real!," is funded by a 15-cent fee that tree farmers pay for each tree they harvest. It's a modern-day attempt at such famous agricultural ad campaigns as "Got Milk?" and "Beef. It's What's For Dinner." A series of short movies on Instagram and Facebook follow real families as they hunt for the perfect tree, cut it down and decorate it. The target audience is the "millennial mom" because tree farmers are increasingly worried that young adults starting their own family traditions will opt for an artificial tree, costing farmers a generation of customers, said Marsha Gray, executive director of the Christmas Tree Promotion Board, based in Michigan. "The target we're talking about right now is millennials: first house, first baby. That's kind of the decision-making time," she said, adding that the videos show families cutting their own trees and buying pre-cut trees from lots. "We realize they may have never done this before. And we need to help them discover it and figure out how to include it in their holiday." It's impossible to know exactly how many real Christmas trees are sold each year because there is no central clearinghouse or agency collecting that information. But the National Christmas Tree Association estimates about 25 million evergreens are harvested each year and presumably, most of those are sold. Americans buy about 10 million artificial trees each year, said Thomas "Mac" Harman, CEO of Balsam Hill, the leading retailer of artificial Christmas trees. Harman is also the president of the American Christmas Tree Association, which does not disclose its membership but raised $70,000 in donations in 2016 for its work, which includes touting artificial trees. Most people buying artificial trees cite convenience, allergens and fire safety, he said. "We're seeing a trend where consumers want to set their tree up over Thanksgiving weekend and leave it up all the way until after New Year's." That's safer with an artificial tree, Harman said. Now Open 11 December 2018 Pullman Tokyo Tamachi this is the name of the first Pullman address in Japan. In the heart of the capital, it connects the international style of the brand with a delicate touch of Japanese art and culture. With the opening of the Pullman Tokyo Tamachi, the brand introduces its first address on Japanese soil and allows AccorHotels to add a 1,000th hotel to its portfolio in Asia-Pacific! Lcoated in Tamachi - one of Tokyo's leading business districts, the hotel is surrounded by canals that criss-cross this part of the city. It is also the ideal starting point for exploring local tourist attractions, as it offers direct access to Tamachi Railway Station. Tokyo Sky Tree, Senso-ji temple, Imperial Palace, Ueno park and its et ses cherry blossoms Emblematic places at your fingertips. Ancestral culture & modernity Embodying a new interpretation of upscale hospitality, Pullman Tokyo Tamachi reflects 21st century Japan: a perfect blend of modernity, tradition, efficiency and elegance. The hotel has only one goal: offer you a seamless experience that combines contemporary design and energizing culinary concepts. With its 143 rooms with absolute comfort, its 3 restaurants and bars, its gym, its meeting rooms, its concierge - it's a hit! You hungry? Called Junction , the lobby combines natural materials and colourful tones inspired by Japanese Kabuki, this traditional Japanese form of theater with its highly crafted styling, which is omnipresent throughout the hotel. Asian-style Mediterranean specialities await you at the KASA restaurant, whose Teppan ice cream counter highlights the 3 values of the place: simplicity, freshness and pleasure. Far from the traditional cocktail bars, meet on the roof on the 9th floor where the very chic PLATFORM 9 bar offers you Japanese tapas to share with cocktails created by Roman Foltan, a world-renowned mixologist. Now Open 11 December 2018 Choice Hotels International, Inc. (NYSE: CHH), one of the world's largest lodging franchisors, in collaboration with Brookwood Hotels, announced the opening of the WoodSpring Suites Reno Sparks, the brand's first hotel in Nevada. Located at 140 Salomon Court, the new-construction hotel is minutes away from downtown Reno, providing extended-stay travelers with convenient access to the Reno-Tahoe International Airport; the University of Nevada, Reno; the Reno-Sparks Convention Center; and the Tesla Gigafactory, as well as several hospitals and local businesses. The four-story, 122-room WoodSpring Suites Reno Sparks is purpose-built for the unique needs of extended-stay travelers. Each suite features an in-room kitchen with a full-size refrigerator and complimentary Wi-Fi. The hotel also includes an expanded lobby with a coffee station, a fitness center, and a guest laundry room. The WoodSpring Suites Reno Sparks will join Brookwood Hotels' rapidly expanding portfolio of more than 100 WoodSpring hotels throughout the country, with additional projects currently under construction. Pipeline 11 December 2018 RLH Corporation (NYSE:RLH) announced today that the company executed a franchise license agreement for an oceanfront 143-room Hotel RLin the heart of Miami Beach, Florida. The hotel is directly adjacent to the white sand beach and turquoise waters of the Atlantic Ocean, and will feature an outdoor pool and two on-site restaurants. With superb access to all that Miami Beach has to offer, the hotel is undergoing renovations and is anticipated to open as a Hotel RL in spring 2019. The hotel will feature spaces for both business and leisure travelers to immerse themselves into local culture. RLH Corporation continues to remain committed to building its franchise business and the advancement of its asset-light model. To date the Company has signed over 155 hotels in 2018 and anticipates additional closings prior to year-end. As part of this franchise effort, RLH Corporation has continued to execute on its strategy of moving to third party management of owned hotels with both Hotel RL Baltimore and Hotel RL DC now under the management of HEI Hotels & Resorts. Appointment 11 December 2018 Hospitality firm Stonebridge Companies is thrilled to advance the management teams at its properties with the promotion of Keno Rodriguez as general manager. With a proud commitment to invest in its associates, Stonebridge Companies - Denver-based, privately owned, innovative hotel owner, operator and developer - focuses on associate investment with its latest round of promotions. With a national portfolio of more than 50 hotels with select-service, extended-stay, mid-scale and full-service offerings, Stonebridge Companies supports and recognizes its team members' success through professional progression. Keno Rodriguez has advanced to opening general manager of the new Hyatt Place - San Francisco/Downtown property. Rodriguez has a track record of success supporting the opening of new hotels, previously serving as the opening general manager of the company's Homewood Suites by Hilton - Aliso Viejo/Laguna Beach property, receiving high service and team member engagement scores. With more than 14 years of experience in the hospitality industry, he began his career with Stonebridge Companies in 2010 as general manager of the Hampton Inn & Suites - Glenwood Springs while concurrently providing task force support to properties in Alaska, Colorado and California. The Homewood Suites by Hilton - Aliso Viejo/Laguna Beach hotel earned the Hilton Merit Award for Excellence in Revenue Management under Rodriguez's leadership. He has also been nominated for several Stonebridge Companies awards including the President's Award, Associate Relations Award, Hotel Team of the Year and Community Award. Rodriguez is also the board chair for the Montrose Visitor and Convention Bureau and is a board member of the Montrose Food and Wine Festival. Appointment 11 December 2018 Hospitality firm Stonebridge Companies is thrilled to advance the management teams at its properties with the promotion of Martha Marques as general manager. With a proud commitment to invest in its associates, Stonebridge Companies - Denver-based, privately owned, innovative hotel owner, operator and developer - focuses on associate investment with its latest round of promotions. With a national portfolio of more than 50 hotels with select-service, extended-stay, mid-scale and full-service offerings, Stonebridge Companies supports and recognizes its team members' success through professional progression. As Rodriguez's successor, Martha Marquez now serves as the general manager of the Homewood Suites by Hilton - Aliso Viejo/Laguna Beach hotel. She previously served as the opening director of sales for the property. Marquez has advanced into leadership positions after joining the Stonebridge Companies team as a front desk agent in 2002. Since this time she has held several positions at each of the four Stonebridge Companies' properties in Anaheim and Laguna Beach, Calif., and has gained a deep understanding of how the company executes its unique brand of Distinguished Hospitality to both guests and team members. Supplier News 11 December 2018 December 11, 2018 Vail, CO Leading property management software, Resort Data Processing (RDP), and Flip.to, the advocacy marketing platform, are proud to announce a new partnership to help hotels, resorts, vacation rentals and travel brands worldwide grow booking potential and win more travelers. RDP and Flip.to bring unique solutions to travel Flip.to is reimagining hotel marketing with a platform that lets travelers share the high points of their experiences with the travel brand at the center of the story. This taps into the warmest, most receptive audience yet, while tracking back all the impact, driving revenue and creating a lifelong return traveler base. Paired with RDP's latest update in property management software, RDPWinV5, the ability to earn impact and grow revenue for your property with these new tools is easier than ever, enhancing technology and marketing stacks with solutions built for the 21st century hospitality industry. This seamless partnership will amplify the impact of your PMS solutions. With RDP, data is readily actioned to build impact for your propertyfrom easy-to-run, premade reports to SQL access for super-users. In fact, RDP allows segmentation for your campaigns by many metrics such as prior dates of stay, guest type, region, source of business, nightly revenue, and many more. This pairs easily with the advocacy platform, building richer profiles that help build stronger relationships with guests and travelers. And together with the Filp.to platform, is proven to increase bookings, as well as return guests reservations. Get in touch With RDP, travel marketers get back to spending time putting heads in beds, we will handle the rest. Get in touch at http://www.resortdata.com for a walk through. Spark interest in your property with Flip.to, today. To learn more about the impact of advocacy for your resort, hotel, vacation rental or destination, take a tour at http://www.flip.to. About Flip.to Let travelers reach & win over new audiences for your brand. Flip.to lets travelers share the high points of their experiences with your brand at the center of the story. You'll tap into your warmest, most receptive audience yet, while tracking back all the impact. You can start today. Switch on an entirely new approach to travel marketing with Flip.to. Contact: Richard Dunbar [email protected] / 321-663-7951 About Resort Data Processing While RDP has been in business for more than 25 years, we have not allowed the company to grow into a bureaucratic nightmare. We are still a small company with direct contact between top management and customers. We have become friends with our customers over the years. Our annual customer conference in Vail, Colorado, has the feeling of a family gathering: not a corporate function. This is a very important element of who we are, as it is always much more fun to help a friend with a problem than a customer. With most companies, it is almost impossible to find someone who is in charge and actually able to make a decision. There are legions of people who screen calls and redirect customers. At RDP, everyone answers their own phone. Contact: Nate Strauss [email protected] / 877-779-3717 Supplier News 11 December 2018 One of the best measurements of happiness among employees comes out of annual 'workplace awards across the country. That's why NAVIS is proud to announce the honor of three workplace awards for 2018; The Oregonian Top Workplaces award for the sixth year in a row, the Orlando Sentinel Top 100 Workplace award for the third year in a row, and the 2018 Best Places To Work award from the Northern Nevada Human Resources Association two years in a row. It's a commonly known corporate challenge: As a company grows, it becomes increasingly challenging to keep up with the cultural components that make employees, teams, managers, and departments happy and productive. These awards are a reflection of how our team members feel about the NAVIS culture and are uniquely designed to recognize successful businesses that value company culture, offer standout perks and benefits, as well as prioritize their employees' well-being. "We've worked hard to build and continually grow a purpose-driven, values-based culture here at NAVIS," stated Kyle Buehner, CEO. "Since our founding, we've always operated by a code of values and a big part of that is honoring our team members. Now with hundreds of employees and multiple locations, it is more important than ever that we be intentional about our culture." NAVIS closes out 2018 with gratitude and anticipation for the new year. It was a year of expansion, increased functionality in their product and services, growth in their client base--such as the Montage Beverly Hills, Mauna Lani, Windsor Court Hotel and more. The company also implemented a number of software beta enhancements and ushered in an overall repositioning of the NAVIS products and services. They move into 2019 with a sense of accomplishment, direction and immense gratitude for their team members who make NAVIS one of the top places to work. Find out what sets NAVIS apart from the competition. Learn more at naviscrm.com. JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. You should upgrade or use an You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.You should upgrade or use an alternative browser (CNN) Japan's Crown Princess Masako has said she feels "insecure" about assuming the role of empress next year amid an ongoing battle with stress-related illness, in comments that provide a rare window into the emotional pressures faced by the country's royal family. In a candid statement to mark her 55th birthday on Sunday, Masako vowed to do her best to fulfill her duties when her husband, Crown Prince Naruhito, succeeds his 84-year-old father, Akihito, to the throne in April 2019. "Thinking about the days to come, I feel insecure how helpful I can be," she said. "I would like to devote myself to support his highness the Crown Prince and to make an effort for the happiness of the people," Masako said. "I would like to continue efforts for improving my health and devoting myself to public duties as much as I can participate." Masako married Naruhito in 1993, abandoning a high-profile career as a diplomat for life in the conservative royal household. But the demands of imperial life have proved difficult for Masako, who has long battled with an illness doctors have described as an "adjustment disorder." Masako, who lived abroad as a child and was educated at Harvard University, had previously faced pressure to provide a royal heir to the throne. Her daughter, princess Aiko, is forbidden from becoming empress by Japan's male-only succession law. Though Japan's royal family has a much lower public profile than some of the world's other monarchies, the emperor remains a revered figure within Japan. As head of the world's oldest surviving monarchy, Emperor Akihito will be the first monarch to abdicate in more than 200 years. The last monarch to abandon the throne was Emperor Kokaku in 1817 in the later part of the Edo Period. Akihito is believed to be abdicating due to his advanced age and the pressures of the job. In a rare televised address in 2016 only the third time a Japanese emperor has addressed his people since 1945 Akihito said if his health worsens he fears he will not be able to fulfill his duties. Many people took that as a plea by the emperor, asking the Japanese government to change the law so he could step down. Japan's Parliament changed the law shortly after the public address to allow Akihito to abdicate. This story was first published on CNN.com, "Japan's Crown Princess says she's 'insecure' about becoming Empress." Photo: Contributed The federal government can award a contract to design a $60-billion fleet of new warships after a trade tribunal reversed an earlier order not to finish the deal. The Canadian International Trade Tribunal ordered the government last month to postpone awarding the high-stakes design contract until it had a chance to determine whether the deal was kosher. But the tribunal rescinded its own order Monday after the federal procurement official responsible for the project wrote to say the deal is "urgent" and any delay would be "contrary to the public interest." The decision paves the way for the government to sign a deal with U.S. defence giant Lockheed Martin, whose warship design beat out two others following a long and arguably controversial competition. Alion Science and Technology of Virginia has alleged that Lockheed's design, which is based on a new British frigate called the Type 26, did not meet the government's requirements. The tribunal's initial order not to award a contract to Lockheed came after Alion asked it and the Federal Court to determine whether the Type 26 should have been eliminated from the design competition. The following is a brief excerpt from the new Starfleet Research study 'How to Leverage Business Intelligence to Improve Hotel Performance,' which is currently available for complimentary access. The research findings featured in the study are derived from surveys conducted earlier this year with more than 250 hotel executives and qualified staff. Thanks to advanced business intelligence (BI) tools, hotel operators today can spend more time focused on analyzing the data rather than collecting the data. They can get more work done within the same timeframe, and make better, faster decisions along the way. Beyond measuring the extent to which ADR and RevPAR have been optimized, and making it easier to adjust pricing as necessary to maintain a competitive advantage, they can engage in all kinds of ad hoc data analysis. They can make changes to key assumptions, look at business outcomes over different time periods, test every imaginable scenario, and understand the financial impact of their decisions. They can run what-if analyses, simulating the impact of data changes on overall patterns or derived calculations. Having such analytic capabilities at their fingertips can force people to question assumptions at all levels of the organization. An unexpected result deserves to be questioned until it becomes certain it is not based on faulty data or a flawed analysis. Again, what should be avoided is the smug I know better attitude that has been known to blind hotel operators particularly, seasoned revenue managers to genuine opportunities to increase RevPAR. A next-generation BI solution can force everyone, from the general manager to the sales, marketing, and guest services teams, to think more strategically than ever before. It can spur them to drive the business further and faster. It can enable them to respond more quickly to business change and empower them to drive integrated decision-making and ownership. The desire to enhance a hotels analytic capabilities is driven by the recognition of the existing gaps in the organizations current BI capabilities. According to the new Starfleet Research study How to Leverage Business Intelligence to Improve Hotel Performance (currently available for complimentary download), there are many ways hotel operators can improve their BI capabilities. Here are four recommendations: Focus on improving data quality. Data quality will never be perfect, but there is always room for improvement. Errors invariably creep in through manual data entry as well as from glitches in automated data merge processes. Look for ways to identify and eliminate errors, by improving validation at the entry stage, cross-checking reference data against other databases, and employing data cleansing solutions that use algorithms to flag anomalies and contradictions. Track and measure results. Can an increase in RevPAR be attributed to a new BI solution and the actionable insights it produced? It can be difficult to determine the financial impact of faster and better decisions. Its easier to pay attention to employee usage and satisfaction metrics. Ultimately, hotel operators should select metrics that really matter for the performance of the business as well as ones that are specific to the users individual areas of accountability. Annotate and collaborate. Most BI dashboards allow users to add comments and tags to data that is presented to multiple people. This commentary enables a conversation about data and can add greatly to the value of BI. Hotel executives can ask questions and knowledgeable users can answer; people can point out important discrepancies; and everyone can see which data points gather comments and which collect dust. Ensure a positive mobile experience. Having the right data at the right time means being able to access and analyze that data on a mobile device. The mobile dashboard should provide an accurate, real-time graphical representation of the data with a user-friendly interface. To learn more, read the Starfleet Research study How to Leverage Business Intelligence to Improve Hotel Performance, which is currently available for complimentary download. Daily News Delivery Join your colleagues and stay up to date on the latest Hotel industry news and trends. Subscribe 2021 Hotel News Resource OpenKey today announces it has partnered with SiteMinder to make the delivery of mobile keys automated, faster and more widely available to hotel properties worldwide. Together, the leading tech giants will reach more than 160 countries where their platforms are currently active. OpenKey, the industry standard for universal mobile key in hotels, today announces it has partnered with the global hotel industrys leading guest acquisition platform, SiteMinder, to make the delivery of mobile keys automated, faster and more widely available to hotel properties worldwide. Together, the leading tech giants will reach more than 160 countries where their platforms are currently active. The automated mobile key delivery will be enabled by SiteMinder Exchange, a connectivity solution launched in the summer for creators of hotel property management systems (PMSs) and hotel applications everywhere. Hotel properties that subscribe to both a SiteMinder Exchange-connected PMS and the OpenKey mobile platform will have access to this innovative, automated mobile key feature. More and more hotels have come to realize how employing the latest technology can mean a greater focus on delivering a seamless guest experience, said Dai Williams, SVP Global Partnerships at SiteMinder. We are thrilled to collaborate with like-minded partners such as OpenKey, which have been instrumental in driving the change that seeks to meet the evolving needs of todays travelers and the hotels where they stay. Mobile key has become a competitive differentiator for hotel properties. It is reported that a combined 60 percent of travelers are more likely to choose a hotel that allows guests to check in and open doors with a smartphone than a hotel that doesnt. With the advanced automated mobile key delivery feature, hotel properties will make check-in even quicker and easier for their guests. As mobile key becomes the standard, our goal is to make it even faster and more convenient, said Brian Shedd, Vice President of Sales & Marketing for OpenKey. Integration with solid partners such as SiteMinder will ensure that automatic mobile key delivery is the way of the future. We are proud to collaborate with them and deliver innovative solutions designed to perfect mobile hospitality. Sitting at the center of the travel ecosystem, SiteMinder today services 30,000 hotels with guest acquisition solutions that generate $35 million in hotel revenue each year. OpenKey was founded in 2014 and recently opened a second office in Shanghai, China. Its mobile key technology can be found across 60 countries on six continents. About OpenKey Founded in 2014, OpenKey is reinventing the hospitality experience through its mobile access solution. The OpenKey app is the industry standard for universal mobile key technology and works with the majority of digital hotel locks. Hotels and their guests benefit from OpenKeys platform providing efficiency, convenience and cost savings. OpenKey is a privately held company located in Plano, Texas. The company has been funded by several of the largest hotel ownership and management companies in the world. The app is available for both iOS and Android devices. For more information, please visit www.openkey.co. OpenKey Media Contact Juana Veliz media@openkey.co 469.661.0841 About SiteMinder In an age of rising choice and accessibility for curious travelers, SiteMinder is the name synonymous with the belief that technology can empower any hotel to win in a consumer-led world and unleash their potential. SiteMinder is the global hotel industrys leading guest acquisition platform, ranked among technology pioneers for its smart and simple solutions that put hotels everywhere their guests are, at every stage of their journey. Its this central role that has earned SiteMinder the trust of more than 30,000 hotels, across 160 countries, to generate in excess of 80 million reservations worth over $35 billion in revenue for hotels each year. For more information, visit www.siteminder.com. SiteMinder Media Contact Maria Cricchiola +61 410 233 735 media@siteminder.com Daily News Delivery Join your colleagues and stay up to date on the latest Hotel industry news and trends. Subscribe 2021 Hotel News Resource The hotel is located at the gateway to the Northern Quarter, Manchester's creative heart, and is adjacent to Exchange Square, the city's shopping district. Hotel Indigo Manchester - Victoria Station has opened its doors to guests, marking the brand's debut in one of the UK's largest cities. Famous for its cotton mills and its role in the industrial revolution, Manchester is a vibrant city that is rapidly expanding and regenerating, complementing its historical setting. The hotel is located at the gateway to the Northern Quarter, Manchester's creative heart, and is adjacent to Exchange Square, the city's shopping district. Known for its bohemian bars, the Northern Quarter has a lively music scene, and includes bustling independent studios and shops. Guests can enjoy the laidback atmosphere come day and night, with a wide range of places to eat and drink. Hotel Indigo Manchester Victoria Station features 187 guest rooms, with design inspired by Manchester's rich and colourful history. The exterior of the hotel is a beautifully restored Grade II listed building, featuring an eye-catching contemporary tower, providing fantastic views of the city's skyline. The hotel's three room designs combine Manchester's industrial past with modern luxury and style. Raw materials feature throughout the hotel, such as bare brick walls in the reception, complemented by iron pulleys and rope connecting to lights which have bespoke weaved baskets as shades. The bedrooms pay homage to Manchester's cotton mill heritage by using rich, raw cotton on the bed, contrasting with green velvet, which gives the rooms an added sense of luxury. Drawing from Manchester's literary and printing past, features also include lamps with books as stands and artwork in the form of metal lettering on the walls along with china pattern motifs which reference Manchester's love of tea. The hotel will feature a restaurant and bar, Mamucium, headed by award-winning Mancunian chef Andrew Green. Named after the Roman fort that was the birthplace of modern Manchester, the 120-seat restaurant will serve a menu of classic, locally sourced food, topped off with a Northern spin. The venue's centrepiece will be a stunning, silestone and brass bar area. There will also be a cosy cafe, M Cafe, within the restored building. Nicholas Northam, Managing Director for the UK at Interstate Hotels & Resorts,commented: "We're very proud to welcome the Hotel Indigo Manchester Victoria Station to our growing UK portfolio. It is a truly stunning hotel that I'm sure is going to delight both leisure and business travellers alike." James McDevitt, General Manager, Hotel Indigo Manchester Victoria Station, commented: "We are truly proud to launch Hotel Indigo Manchester Victoria Station. The hotel is situated in a prime location for those visiting Manchester and who wish to see and appreciate the city's artistic side. Working with local designers, the interiors reflect the creative personality of the area, whilst reinforcing this first-class hotel we have created." Daily News Delivery Join your colleagues and stay up to date on the latest Hotel industry news and trends. Subscribe 2021 Hotel News Resource Apple Hospitality REIT, Inc. (NYSE: APLE) yesterday announced that it acquired the 127-room Hyatt Place Jacksonville Airport for a purchase price of approximately $15.4 million, or $121,000 per key. Apple Hospitality REIT, Inc. (NYSE: APLE) yesterday announced that it acquired the 127-room Hyatt Place Jacksonville Airport for a purchase price of approximately $15.4 million, or $121,000 per key. "We are excited to begin our expansion into the Hyatt family of brands and strengthen our presence in the vibrant Jacksonville market with this acquisition," said Nelson Knight, Executive Vice President and Chief Investment Officer of Apple Hospitality. "Hyatt's loyalty program and superior-quality, rooms-focused hotels, such as Hyatt Place, have generated broad consumer appeal and established Hyatt as an industry-leading brand. We are confident this acquisition will complement our existing portfolio of hotels, and we look forward to increasing our relationship with Hyatt in the future." The Hotel is located at 14565 Duval Road in Jacksonville, Florida, near Jacksonville International Tradeport, three miles from Jacksonville International Airport, and a short drive from downtown Jacksonville, TIAA Bank Field and the beaches of northeast Florida. The Hotel will benefit from the wide variety of demand generators in the Jacksonville area including leisure attractions, corporate offices, healthcare services, educational institutions and military facilities. According to data provided by STR for the trailing 12 months ended October 31, 2018, RevPAR for the Jacksonville, Florida market improved by more than 7 percent, as compared to the prior 12-month period. Apple Hospitality acquired the Hotel from a subsidiary of BPR Properties. Following this acquisition, the Apple Hospitality portfolio includes 241 hotels with more than 30,800 guest rooms geographically diversified throughout 34 states. Daily News Delivery Join your colleagues and stay up to date on the latest Hotel industry news and trends. Subscribe 2021 Hotel News Resource RLH Corporation (NYSE:RLH) announced today that the company executed a franchise license agreement for an oceanfront 143-room Hotel RL in the heart of Miami Beach, Florida. RLH Corporation (NYSE:RLH) announced today that the company executed a franchise license agreement for an oceanfront 143-room Hotel RL in the heart of Miami Beach, Florida. The hotel is directly adjacent to the white sand beach and turquoise waters of the Atlantic Ocean, and will feature an outdoor pool and two on-site restaurants. "2018 has been an exceptional year for Hotel RL and RLH Corporation overall," said RLH Corporation President of Global Development Paul Sacco. "The new Hotel RL in Miami Beach is in an exceptional location with direct access to the beach and a terrific example of the type of hotel that fits so well with our national upscale boutique brand. The hotel is joining key urban and resort locations across the country from Destin, Florida to Dupont Circle, Washington DC to Salt Lake City, Utah, with additional destinations in our robust pipeline of opportunities." With superb access to all that Miami Beach has to offer, the hotel is undergoing renovations and is anticipated to open as a Hotel RL in spring 2019. The hotel will feature spaces for both business and leisure travelers to immerse themselves into local culture. RLH Corporation continues to remain committed to building its franchise business and the advancement of its asset-light model. To date the Company has signed over 155 hotels in 2018 and anticipates additional closings prior to year-end. As part of this franchise effort, RLH Corporation has continued to execute on its strategy of moving to third party management of owned hotels with both Hotel RL Baltimore and Hotel RL DC now under the management of HEI Hotels & Resorts. Daily News Delivery Join your colleagues and stay up to date on the latest Hotel industry news and trends. Subscribe 2021 Hotel News Resource Choice Hotels International, Inc. (NYSE: CHH) in collaboration with Brookwood Hotels, announced the opening of the WoodSpring Suites Reno Sparks, the brand's first hotel in Nevada. Choice Hotels International, Inc. (NYSE: CHH) in collaboration with Brookwood Hotels, announced the opening of the WoodSpring Suites Reno Sparks, the brand's first hotel in Nevada. Located at 140 Salomon Court, the new-construction hotel is minutes away from downtown Reno, providing extended-stay travelers with convenient access to the Reno-Tahoe International Airport; the University of Nevada, Reno; the Reno-Sparks Convention Center; and the Tesla Gigafactory, as well as several hospitals and local businesses. "Reno is experiencing a renaissance, making it the ideal place to debut Nevada's first WoodSpring hotel," said Ron Burgett, vice president, WoodSpring Suites development, Choice Hotels. "In addition to its growing technology sectorwhich earned the city a reputation as 'the next Silicon Valley'Reno benefits from one of the fastest-growing job markets in the nation. This makes the area perfectly positioned for future growth. We look forward to working with Brookwood Hotels once again to meet increased demand with the WoodSpring Suites Reno Sparks." The four-story, 122-room WoodSpring Suites Reno Sparks is purpose-built for the unique needs of extended-stay travelers. Each suite features an in-room kitchen with a full-size refrigerator and complimentary Wi-Fi. The hotel also includes an expanded lobby with a coffee station, a fitness center, and a guest laundry room. The WoodSpring Suites Reno Sparks will join Brookwood Hotels' rapidly expanding portfolio of more than 100 WoodSpring hotels throughout the country, with additional projects currently under construction. "The opening of the WoodSpring Suites Reno Sparks is an important milestone. It not only marks the continued expansion of the brand and our portfolio in new markets, but also the growth of our relationship with Choice Hotels," said Darien Wright, chief operating officer, Brookwood Hotels. "We are also excited the property will be managed by Nationwide Hotel Management Company." Daily News Delivery Join your colleagues and stay up to date on the latest Hotel industry news and trends. Subscribe 2021 Hotel News Resource A horrible accident occurred this morning on the set of Power. A production assistant named Pedro Jimenez was struck by an SUV, driven by a fellow crew member, while fulfilling his professional duties. Jimenez was rushed to Brooklyn Hospital where medical authorities pronounced his death. Although the show's cast was not present at the time of the accident, 50 Cent confirmed the tragedy via social media. He uploaded a blacked out image, speaking solely through his caption: "I just learned we lost Pedro Jimenez, a member of the Power production team early this morning. My prayers and condolences are with the entire Jimenez family." https://www.instagram.com/p/BrNxiCDHb7r A representative from Starz network addressed their loss in a statement. "We are deeply saddened by the loss of one of the members of our Power family. Our thoughts are with Mr. Jimenez's family as we work to fully understand what has happened." The NYPD's Highway Collision Investigation Squad is currently investigating the incident. The production of Power is currently placed on hold to allow the television show's cast and crew to mourn the loss of their colleague. The filming will resume on an undisclosed date. Time off had already been planned for the team for the holiday season. Ashanti is the name that rings a bell to many for her classic tracks like "Foolish," "Rock Wit U," "Rain On Me," and so much more. She was a princess of R&B favourites in the early 2000s and to this day she's still doing her damn thing with her most recent single, "Say Less." Ashanti is now Paper Magazine's latest cover star where she explains how confidence is a woman's best quality and how the music industry has changed. "I feel like we've definitely moved away from the community aspect of things," Ashanti said when discussing the current state of her industry. "There are not a lot of labels that are a crew that really celebrate together. If I was doing something, Ja [Rule] and everybody came. If Ja was doing something, me and everybody came. I don't know where we are right now, it's a weird space. But I do see a lot of rappers men and women making up instead of tearing each other down, and I'm really happy about that. It's a ray of hope for me." As for her upcoming music, Ashanti plans on expressing some "vulnerable topics" she's never discussed before. "I think people will be like, 'What did she say?' which is a really cool thing," she said. "I can't say names of anyone else involved yet. But the feedback has been great so far I've had conversations about there being a real void for true, soul-touching R&B, and that's what I feel I'm accomplishing with this record." If this isn't the most messed-up thing you read about today... As reported by Complex and CBS Austin, a tab of MDMA was found inside of a child's hamburger at a Sonic Drive-In restaurant in Texas. At first, the 11-year-old kid who found the pill thought it might have been candy. Her parents took the pill to the police department where it was determined to be MDMA. Once authorities returned to the Sonic location, three employees were arrested. The manager of the restaurant, Tanisha Monavette Dancer, had three tabs of ecstasy on her when she was searched. Two other employees, Jose Javier Molina and Jonathan Ray Roberson, were also placed under arrest for unrelated crimes. Scott Olson/Getty Images According to the report, the manager is facing charges of possession of a controlled substance, delivery of a controlled substance, and endangering a child. The Taylor Police Department notes that the 11-year-old girl who found the MDMA pill was opening a hamburger for her 4-year-old brother when she noticed it. The Sonic Director of Operations has stated that Dancer's employment has been terminated after the incident. It's possible that this was unintentional but seriously, this should never have happened in the first place. That's it for this "SMH" level story. Chinese Kitty, who is known for her appearance on Love & Hip Hop Miami, has landed herself in a bit of a messy by talking out the side of her head. During a radio interview, the entertainer thought it would be appropriate to loop Trina and Nicki Minaj into some gossip. A clip of the interview is available after the jump. About two weeks after we hung out for the first time, she [Nicki] hits me up like, yo I need to speak to you about something. Call me in an hour. So Im like, cool. I call her in an hour." Kitty claims that when she did call Minaj, the Queen rapper hit her with a bit of an interrogation. Apparently, Nicki was trying to figure out if she had been intimate with Meek Mill since people had been telling her how "dumb" she looked standing next to a chick who had slept with her then-recent ex-boyfriend. Although Kitty reassured her that she hadn't been messing with Meek, Nicki cut ties. Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images Then, Kitty got a bit messy and said that Trina did, however, do the deed. The emcee was quite to refute her claims online. She spoke about me but doesnt know me, Trina says in a clip. First of all, Im not a gossiper. I do not play with these girls out here at all. Period. Dont not call my name. Do not mention my name. Do not say my name. If youre drunk and over 21, handle your alcohol or do not drink. I do not play that shit. Kitty has since explained that she didnt mean to expose Trina like that. And for everyone saying I threw Trina under the bus, she writes. I was in the heart of the moment on top of not realizing this was new people aint know about. Sincerely wasnt involving her something that was told to me and I was only explaining a situation how it was told to me. No harm intended. [via] Photo: The Canadian Press People hold a sign at a B.C. courthouse prior to the bail hearing for Meng Wanzhou, Huawei's chief financial officer on Monday, December 10, 2018. Donald Trump's envoy to Canada says China's rise might have worrying implications for North American workers but she says the U.S. pursuit of of a Huawei executive is a separate legal matter. Ambassador Kelly Craft says there is "absolutely" no political motive behind the controversial arrest of Meng Wanzhou, the Chinese telecom giant's chief financial officer and the daughter of its founder. However, Craft says, her government insisted on inserting a new provision into the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement to strengthen the continent's economy against China's. The controversial new clause calls on all three North American partners to notify each other if they engage in free-trade talks with a non-market economy, widely understood to mean China. Craft spoke to reporters in Ottawa today as Meng's bail hearing resumes in Vancouver. Canada arrested Meng on Dec. 1 at the Vancouver airport at the request of the U.S., causing a major disruption in relations between the two North American neighbours and China. The United States wants Meng to face charges related to possible violations of trade sanctions against Iran. The arrest came the same day presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping agreed to a 90-day ceasefire in a tariff war over Beijing's technology policy. It prompted concern that trade talks might be derailed, but Beijing indicated Tuesday they are going ahead. Earlier today, China's foreign minister vowed to protect its citizens abroad. Beijing will "spare no effort" to protect against "any bullying that infringes the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese citizens," Foreign Minister Wang Yi said at a conference in Shanghai. Wang didn't mention Meng by name. A Chinese government spokesman said Wang was referring to cases of all Chinese abroad, including Meng's. It's going to be a very Weezy Christmas. Lil Wayne has announced a free Houston show as part of a Tidal competition. He'll perform Dec. 17 at an undisclosed location. Houston was selected as part of the Tidal X: Lil Wayne I Ain't Sh*t Without You Fan Appreciation Tour contest. Fans voted for their cities, and four were selected. The tour kicks off in Houston, followed by Atlanta, Washington D.C. and Chicago. Wayne will perform new songs, classic hits and promises a few surprises. Tidal members can register for tickets at tidal.com/lilwayne. Upon receipt of the confirmation, fans will pick up tickets the day of the show at a Sprint store. Tidal members with Sprint Unlimited Plus will get VIP access to the show. You must be a Tidal member to get tickets. Lil Wayne performed last month at Travis Scott's inaugural Astroworld Festival in Houston. For high-end liquor aficionados, the holidays are all about breaking out the most celebratory bottles of hooch. Its the time of year we give (and get) top-shelf stuff: fine cognacs, well-aged whiskeys, limited-edition and collectible bottles. So, lets savor the moment and pour two fingers of the best your liquor cabinet or bar cart has to offer. Here are some new and memorable spirits available at Total Wine, Specs and select liquor stores that could make great gifts for that rosy-cheeked drinker in your life. For the Texanist: Sotol was first fermented by American Indians more than 7,000 years ago. Today, Driftwood-based Desert Door is making an earthy, vegetal spirit distilled from Texas-grown evergreen sotol; $50. For the rye catcher: Knob Creeks new Twice Barreled Rye is a Straight Rye Whiskey that is secondarily finished in new, charred oak barrels. Think of it as an amplified rye with spicy, toasted wood flavors and a honey-gold touch of oak; $45. For your Dudley Do-Right: The recently released Canadian Club 41 Year Old is the classic whisky brands oldest aged expression. Batched and barreled in 1977, it was blended with additions of cognac, rye and sherry; $300. For the globe-trotter: Buffalo Trace Distillerys Old Charter Oak Bourbon has launched a series that explores the role different oaks play in aging. First up is Mongolian Oak Bourbon, matured in barrels made from trees grown in Mongolia. Spicy, woody and maybe even Oriental; $70. For the elegant orator: Choose you words: nutmeg, caramel, cocoa, spice, oak. They all apply to Rhetoric 25-Year-Old, a new Kentucky straight bourbon from Orphan Barrel Distilling Co.; $140. For the gin aficionado: Beam Suntorys new Roku Japanese Gin is made with six Japanese botanicals (including cherry blossom flower, green tea and yuzu) with eight traditional gin botanicals for a truly new gin expression; $28. For your brandy boy or girl: Hennessy Master Blenders Selection No. 3 is a limited-edition, single-batch cognac with a nose and flavors of sweet pastries and toasted hazelnuts; $110. For the Lone Star purist: The Dripping Springs-born Waterloo Antique Gin from Treaty Oak Distilling is built on traditional Dutch genevers but aged for up to 24 months in American white oak barrels; $30. For Chrysanthemum Throners: The House of Suntorys Hibiki Japanese Harmony is a limited-edition bottle swathed in a traditional kimono pattern designed for the 30th anniversary of the Hibiki brand. Inside: a honeyed whisky with a nose or rose, lychee and sandalwood; $100. For Nobel Laureate admirers: Heavens Door Spirits 10 Year-Old Tennessee Straight Bourbon, with notes of vanilla and almond, is the first limited-edition release from a brand fronted by Bob Dylan. Yes, that Bob Dylan; $130. For your best whiskey connoisseur: The fifth and final bottling of John Walker & Sons Private Collection limited-edition scotch whiskey collection is 28 Year Old Midnight Blend, offering notes of citrus, apple, toffee and vanilla wrapped in Islay smoke; $750. From your secret Santa: Released this month, Basil Haydens 10 Year Old Bourbon is a high-rye bourbon, aged in American oak, with flavors of caramel, oak and spiced rye perfect for holiday toasting; $60. greg.morago@chron.com twitter.com/gregmorago The mother-daughter design team of Patricia Hart McMillan and Katharine Kaye McMillan say home decorating for Christmas 2018 is a combination of emphasizing the personal while pushing boundaries into the nontraditional. That means placing cherished ornaments or other treasures youve collected yourself or inherited from relatives around the house. But it also means breaking free of the staid red-green-gold holiday palette and experimenting with a whole crayons box worth of colors. The McMillans explore these and other trends in their new book, Christmas by Design: Private Homes Decorated by Leading Designers (Schiffer Publishing, $45). The sumptuous, 250-page coffee-table tome gives readers up-close tours of more than two dozen abodes all gussied up for the holidays. The homes run the spectrum from grand to cozy, hacienda to high-rise, modern to traditional. And because the McMillans are based in San Antonio, nine are owned by San Antonians. After paging though the book, whats most obvious is that these homes are definitely not decorated with the kind of stereotypical, even impersonal scenes found on your dentists Christmas cards. Instead, the houses seem warm and lived in, with as many meaningful touches as possible. On ExpressNews.com: Ribbon the key to big holiday decor color on a budget Those highly stylized show windows are devoid of feeling, Patricia said. But its the personal, multigenerational things that draw you in ... Its the difference between decorating a home and simply staging one. For example, Leland Stone, founder of the high-end Stone Standard hardware store, decorates the neoclassical home he shares with partner Neil Schneuker (a renovated library building on the near South Side) with plaster ornaments made from wood molds dating from 19th-century Europe. Their Christmas tree holds a bouquet of fondant flowers preserved from Stones mothers wedding cake. And the toy bear at the base once belonged to his father. While Meredith and Mike Howard have one whimsical tree decorated in pinks, purples, yellows and greens in their Terrell Hills home, they set up a second one they call their memory tree decorated with both cherished ornaments from their own childhoods and their childrens more recent handmade art. Cheri Stith of Feather, Fluff and Flings, which does seasonal decorating and interior design, crowns the tree in her Alamo Heights home with the tiara she wore and the scepter she carried as a duchess during Corpus Christis Buccaneer Days. And her tree skirt was repurposed from the train her daughter later wore when she was in Buccaneer Days. Its also obvious from the book that, when it comes to color, San Antonians have no trouble eschewing tradition. For example, Karlos Anzoateguis 1920s Moorish-style Mahncke Park home was awash in ribbon, painted branches, various baubles and even faux poinsettias all in eggshell blue, often called Tiffany Blue for the color of the jewelry stores boxes. I asked myself, wouldnt everyone want to find a Tiffany box under the tree? said Anzoategui, affectionately known to his friends as Karlos with a K. I change my color every year. Ive done purple and pink and contrasting colors like purple and red. This year, he took inspiration from the peacocks tail and decorated with celery green, dark blue and turquoise. On ExpressNews.com: A Downton Abbey tablescape on a cottage budget In San Antonio, we see a lot of people decorating with Fiesta colors, which is kind of unexpected, Katharine said. This year I decorated my tree entirely with Fiesta medals. They already have the hooks. Its adorable. Sometimes decorating can be a way of sharing. About five years ago, businessman Robert Dick Tips and his wife, Kristin, became concerned about the cars speeding by their Terrell Hills home. So the father of young children created a public space outside decorated with poinsettias, lights, even two wooden sleighs where people come to take family photos and selfies. Now people slow down to look or stop to take pictures, he said of the house on Terrell Road. Theres even a mailbox where little ones can post their letters to Santa. The McMillans concede that most people dont have the means to decorate their homes as extravagantly as those in the book. But, they say, dont discount the aspirational aspect. So maybe you dont have a crown or a tiara from when you were a member of a Fiesta court, Patricia said. But maybe you have a crown or tiara from one of your childs school pageants. Put that on top of the tree. Maybe you dont have a collection of Christopher Radko ornaments, but you have a few pieces from your grandmother or somebody else that carry nostalgia. Put those on. They mean something. If you cant afford a second tree, decorate the one you do have with your childrens art, they said. Or decorate with an inexpensive string of colorful chile peppers or ribbon. Collect and paint branches from your yard, spray paint them and use them as part of your table centerpiece. The thing to do is look at the photos and dont focus on the grandiose, Patricia said. Instead, pick out individual items you like and can replicate yourself. Related: Get your Christmas decorating mojo on with these DIY ideas Its something of a Christmas miracle that the McMillans book is even made it to the stores. It was about this same time last year when, hot on the success of their previous decorating book, Christmas at Designers Homes Across America, they received a call from their publisher: Could they do another? And have it ready for the 2018 holiday season? We had to arrange to have 29 homes around the country decorated and photographed, write the text and submit it all by the end of January, said Patricia McMillan. We had about two months total. This new book gives each home at least a half-dozen glossy pages containing plenty of four-color photos of the decorations. Patricia is by training an interior designer and has been an editor at several design magazines and the (Newark) Star-Ledger. Katharine is a design consultant and worked as a journalist in New York and Florida. Together, theyve co-authored several design and decor books, including Home Decorating for Dummies, which has been in print since 1998 a lifetime for design books, according to Patricia. The idea for Christmas by Design and its predecessors emerged from the McMillans experience several years ago while covering Mueble Paris, an international furniture exhibition. At the time there was a big to-do that religion is dying in America and around the world, said Patricia. So while we were in Paris we decided to attend worship service in Notre Dame. Standing room only. And this was in January, not the tourist season. A Wednesday night service they attended at Sacre-Cur was also SRO. So we said, we dont think religion is dead, and we think its time to do a Christmas book. So have yourself a merry little and beautifully decorated Christmas. rmarini@express-news.net | Twitter: @RichardMarini A critical illness is never anything someone wants. Enduring the treatments and diagnoses during the holiday season can oftentimes make it that much more worse. Thanks to Make-A-Wish Texas Gulf Coast and Louisiana and the 11th annual Macys Believe campaign, benefiting Make-A-Wish, it proved to be a welcome escape for one local teen on Friday. Claire Sonne received a makeover and a show at Macys Memorial City Mall. She got a complete makeover at Macys for a show made for her thanks to a special performance of The Phantom of the Opera by visiting vocalists Le Sorelle, who performed songs from the musical. Her ultimate wish is to go to Paris to see the famous opera house live and in person. Claires Phantom of the Opera-themed wish enhancement experience included a glam makeover, a surprise photo opportunity in a room decorated like the Paris Opera House made famous in Phantom of the Opera and the Le Sorelle performance. It was a perfect show for Claire, who has malignant neoplasm of bone and articular cartilage, as she is a big fan of musical theatre, especially Phantom of the Opera. KATY: Special needs chihuahua with 'big personality, little body' warms hearts The scene was set as a visit to the Paris Opera House following her makeover. Friday was National Believe Day and Claire was the recipient of one of 25 special Wishes Across America Macys in cities across the country. Macys and Make-A-Wish have been conducting the Believe campaign for 11 years. The campaign helps Make-A-Wish grant wishes to children with critical illnesses. The Make-A-Wish Foundation was begun in 1980 when 7-year-old Christopher James Greicius, who was being treated for leukemia, was befriended by U.S. Customs Office Tommy Austin. Greicius aspired to be a police officer and Austin worked with the Arizona Department of Public Safety to spend a day as a police officer. Greicius died on May 3, 1980, but his experience inspired the formation of the Make-A-Wish foundation. Macys Believe campaign invites Believers of all ages to send their letters to Santa at a Believe station at their local Macys store or online. For every letter received now through Dec. 24, Macys will donate $1, up to $1 million, to Make-A-Wish. Macys has donated more than $112 million to Make-A-Wish since 2003, including more than $17 million through its annual Believe campaign. This funding has helped grant thousands of wishes. The wishes bring unmatched joy and hope to children and families across the country, impacting entire communities across the country. For more information about Macys Believe campaign, visit the Macy's website. BRUSSELS - The European Union's highest court ruled Monday that Britain could unilaterally reverse its decision to split from the 28-nation political bloc, a verdict that gave a boost to anti-Brexit campaigners. The decision, which came a day before the British Parliament was scheduled to vote on Prime Minister Theresa May's deeply unpopular Brexit deal, made clear that Britain has the ability to reverse itself any time before the March 29 deadline to leave the European Union. A legal question had arisen about whether a reversal would require the consent of the other 27 EU members, but the binding decision made clear that little stands in London's way - should it want to return to the EU fold. "The United Kingdom is free to revoke unilaterally the notification of its intention to withdraw from the EU," the European Court of Justice said in its announcement. FRANCE REACTS: Looming Brexit sparks Paris trade makeover The court ruling added to the tumult surrounding the Brexit deal, which has attracted little support from Britain's warring political factions. The British Parliament was scheduled to vote on the deal Tuesday ahead of a summit of EU leaders in Brussels later this week, but May pulled the plug on the decision hours after the court ruling, facing an embarrassing defeat and a rebellion among her own Tory ranks. Instead, May said, she would travel to Brussels to try to win more concessions from the European Union. The deal, which was unveiled last month and obeys the red lines set out by May and EU negotiators, has attracted little support in Britain. Pro-Brexit hard-liners say it keeps their country unacceptably entangled inside the EU market. Pro-EU campaigners say it would inflict major harm on the British economy and strip Britain's voice in European decision-making while offering little benefit to the country. The British government said in a statement that the ruling did not change their plans to pull Britain out of the European Union. "This does not change the government's firm policy," the statement said. "The British people gave a clear instruction to leave, and we are delivering on that instruction." The decision fueled demands in Britain for a second referendum that could reverse the June 2016 vote to leave the European Union. The court rejected arguments from both the British government and the European Commission that other countries would need a say in the reversal. The ruling also said that if EU leaders grant Britain an extension after March 29 to keep negotiating, the British about-face could take place during that time, too. The European Commission also said the ruling changed little about its Brexit planning. "This deal is the best and only deal possible. We will not renegotiate," said Mina Andreeva, a European Commission spokeswoman. She said the European Union was still planning for Britain's membership to end next March. But British advocates of remaining in the European Union reveled in the decision. "It's a huge and game-changing moment, clarifying definitively that the British people have real choices about Brexit - and that we can still determine our own destiny," wrote two pro-EU British members of Parliament, Chris Leslie and Tom Brake, in an opinion piece published on HuffPost UK. Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, who has warned she could try to lead Scotland out of the United Kingdom and back into the European Union, also embraced the ruling. "So an extension of Article 50 to allow time for another vote, followed by revocation of Article 50 if the outcome is Remain seems to be an option that is now open to the House of Commons," she wrote on Twitter. She referred to the section of the Treaty on European Union that allows any member to leave the bloc and establishes a two-year clock to do so. Even though the ruling eased the way for Britain to stay in the European Union, it was unlikely to be welcomed wholeheartedly by pro-EU leaders in countries such as France and Germany. European leaders are frustrated after more than two years of what they see as British-generated political chaos. Leaders have previously said that if Britain remained an EU member, they would like to take away the list of opt-outs and rebates that British leaders had demanded over decades. The court ruling would allow all of that to stay in place. Still, some EU leaders quickly welcomed the ruling. "I would be more than happy to see UK staying in the European Union," Latvian Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkevics wrote on Twitter. He called the court's decision a "very important ruling." The prospects of a reversal in Britain remain unclear. May has declared herself firmly committed to Brexit. Her Conservative Party is split. But the opposition Labour Party also has mixed feelings about Brexit, and party leader Jeremy Corbyn has said he wants a different, softer Brexit - as opposed to no Brexit at all. - - - The Washington Post's Quentin Aries contributed to this report. WASHINGTON - Staffers in President Donald Trump's White House are measured by longevity. There's the November 9th Club, the nickname for those who joined after Trump won the election. There are those who joined the campaign earlier, but only after he secured the nomination. And there are a few who came on board when his campaign was largely viewed as a joke by the GOP establishment - and everyone else. Few in Trump's White House have a history with him that dates as far back as Stephanie Grisham. For nearly two years, she served as communications director for first lady Melania Trump. A few weeks ago, she received a promotion to deputy chief of staff for communications and has become one of the more powerful figures in the ever-evolving Trump White House. Back in the summer of 2015, she was a lowly press wrangler on Trump's campaign. On a hot July day 3 1/2 years ago, Grisham - who had long lived in Arizona - was the person tapped to handle press for the candidate's early and pivotal rally in Phoenix. Trump was a month into his run for president and ranked seventh in the Republican field. He had the controversial Sheriff Joe Arpaio introduce him at the event, which was carried live on cable news. After his speech, Trump's jumped to third place in the Republican primary rankings. Before joining Trump's long-shot campaign, Grisham was a local political operative who had worked on Mitt Romney's 2012 campaign for president. She's seen now as one of the "unbroken threads," says Kellyanne Conway, counselor to the president, referring to campaign staffers who stuck with Trump and are now working in the White House. (By this measure, Grisham's thread is about a year longer than Conway's, who joined the campaign in July 2016.) "During the campaign she developed a good relationship with the president and that's carried through," White House press secretary Sarah Sanders says. "She has developed a great amount of trust from both the president and the first lady, which is a pretty high commodity here," Sanders adds. "There aren't a lot of people who have a lot of regular interaction with both of them." Grisham's role has drawn attention for her acerbic statements directed at those who have crossed Melania Trump and her husband. When Trump attacked Mika Brzezinski in the summer of 2017 and claimed falsely in a tweet that she was "bleeding badly from a facelift," rather than shying away from the controversy, Grisham offered this statement on Melania Trump's behalf: "When her husband gets attacked, he will punch back 10 times harder." When Donald Trump's first wife, Ivana Trump, cheekily called herself the "first Trump wife" and therefore "the first lady" while promoting a book last year, Grisham called Ivana "attention-seeking and self-serving." Grisham even got into an argument on Twitter with Issa Rae after the actress said in an interview that she would cancel her show "Insecure" if she learned that Melania Trump was a fan. Aides describe the relationship between Trump and Grisham as one built on mutual protection and trust. "The resistance wants the first lady to be a victim, and she hates being seen that way," one of her aides said. If anything, "Grisham makes clear that she is not." Members of the White House are also learning that Grisham is not someone with whom to tangle. In preparation for Melania Trump's first solo trip abroad, which she took to Africa this fall, deputy national security adviser Mira Ricardel clashed with members of the first lady's staff. Upon their return, Grisham and the first lady's chief of staff, Lindsay Reynolds, approached White House Chief of Staff John Kelly about the issue. When he took no apparent action, Grisham spoke directly to Melania Trump, who in turn spoke to her husband privately. Then, when still nothing happened, Grisham suggested to the first lady a different strategy: Without giving the West Wing warning, Grisham put out a statement: "It is the position of the Office of the First Lady that she no longer deserves the honor of serving in this White House." Within days, Ricardel was out of the White House. The following week, Grisham declined to comment for this story, saying in an email: "I feel strongly that I should never be the story (I know that is laughable to say after this week!), so will decline participation on this one, only to say it has been the greatest honor of my career to work for both the President and First Lady." Still Grisham's statement calling for the ouster of a West Wing official was highly unusual, according to scholars of both the presidency and the East Wing. While other first ladies have made their preferences known, as happened, famously, when Nancy Reagan helped push out her husband's chief of staff, Donald Regan, never before has the East Wing issued a statement that resulted in the dismissal of a member of the West Wing, notes Myra Gutin, a professor of communications who studies the history of first ladies at Rider University in New Jersey. "She's got a notch in her belt," says Tom Horne, the former Arizona attorney general who hired Grisham after she left the Romney campaign. "She's gotten someone fired. That's a big achievement!" Who has the notch? The first lady or her communications director? Horne clarified: "Stephanie was the one who issued the statement." Horne says he had his own run-ins with political opposition, and Grisham defended him. "She's a very loyal type of person and when there are unfair attacks she responds strongly." Melania Trump appears to be pushing back in more significant ways. Tension between the first lady's staff and Kelly, White House chief of staff, has grown in recent months, according to three current White House officials familiar with the dynamic. Staffers in the first lady's office felt repeatedly slighted by him. The president announced over the weekend that Kelly would be leaving by the end of the year. If the Ricardel move was unusual, Grisham's habit of adding her name to statements from the East Wing is also uncommon, Gutin says. Typically, a first lady's communications director is not well known and issues bland statements. "Among first lady scholars there are many things about Melania Trump that we don't quite understand," says Gutin. "Whatever Ms. Grisham is doing becomes part of this larger riddle. It's just so hard to pin down." Part of a small and chaotic campaign, Grisham spent months virtually living with the traveling press covering candidate Trump as they crisscrossed the country, flying together and bunking in hotels. She won their appreciation by being an advocate for media access and watching out for them on the trail. In one notable incident, Mike Pence's campaign plane slid off the tarmac at La Guardia during an icy night in October 2016. Before it could fly again, the landing gear needed to be fixed. But there was no time to wait for a repair. Pence, his staff, and the press traveling with him needed to be off again the next morning to hit the vice presidential candidate's next campaign stop. Pence's staff argued that they should be able to take over the Trump press plane, which was "wrapped" with a Trump logo. Trump traveled on his own plane and the press assigned to report on his campaign paid for and covered him by trailing along in a separate aircraft. Grisham stood up to Pence's staff and advocated for Trump's press corps to keep the plane, a move that garnered goodwill among a weary bunch of reporters. She had similarly good relationships with journalists on the Romney campaign, according to journalists who worked with her then. On one occasion, the Romney plane was delayed until late into the night, and Grisham was there when the press arrived to welcome them to their overnight accommodations. "Everyone was sleep-deprived and cranky," recalls one of the reporters on the trip. "She was waiting with warm milk and cookies, which goes a long way at a time like that." Before the Romney campaign, Grisham created her own small public relations firm, worked for AAA Arizona, the Arizona Charter Schools Association, and Larson Public Relations, which represents education reform clients across the country. In 2013 and 2015, Grisham was stopped for driving under the influence, according to Arizona court records. She paid all associated fines and disclosed both incidents to the White House during the transition. When Donald Trump was elected, Grisham joined the press office as one of press secretary Sean Spicer's deputies. She was hired into Melania Trump's East Wing in March 2017. The rapport "was instantaneous," says White House social secretary Anna Cristina Niceta Lloyd, who is known as Rickie. Lloyd recalled Grisham, whose colleagues call her by her last name, volunteering to help Reynolds, the first lady's chief of staff, with a press question. Reynolds had been in her job about a month and found Grisham "really helpful, and it was a bit of a gut feeling," Lloyd says. Melania Trump knew Grisham from the campaign trail and invited her over to meet more of the East Wing staff. "I love working with her because she captures what the first lady wants in terms of perspective but also in terms of her voice," says Daniel Fisher, director of the White House Visitors Office, which is housed in the East Wing. "They've really melded together." East Wing staffers note frequently how dedicated Trump is to her son, Barron, and cite her time with him as part of the reason for her light public schedule as compared with her predecessors. Grisham, who is a 42-year-0ld single mother of two boys, plays a role in looking out for Barron, whom she can relate to because her younger son is about the same age. Grisham's transition from campaign mode to White House staff has not always been clearly demarcated. On July 11, Grisham tweeted: "Three years ago today I listened to my gut & joined the Trump team in #PHX . . . & life has never been the same. So proud to work for both @POTUS @realDonaldTrump & @FLOTUS #MAGA." The U.S. office of special counsel sent Grisham a letter warning that she had violated the Hatch Act, which prohibits White House officials from advocating for or against candidates. Grisham and the first lady are in touch daily, according to East Wing staffers. "Stephanie more than most is on the front lines of pretty much everything that goes on that is visible," Fisher added. Case in point: the headline-grabbing spectacle of the coat. The morning of Melania Trump's trip to a Texas detention facility housing children who had been separated from their parents at the border, Grisham was already in the motorcade on the way to the airport by the time the first lady stepped out of the White House, dressed for the day. The still photographs of Trump wearing her green jacket emblazoned with I REALLY DON'T CARE, DO U? blew up on Twitter. Grisham was shown one of the still photos of the first lady when the plane was still in the air, according to people traveling with her. When Melania Trump stepped off the plane in Texas, she left the jacket on board. But on the flight back to Washington, more stories published on the puzzling outfit choice. And in true Trump fashion, Melania Trump put the coat back on to walk back into the White House - "at that point she had to own it; you can't say you screwed up in Trumpworld," says one veteran political reporter. She headed straight for the Oval Office, trailed by Grisham and Reynolds, according to three people who were there. Grisham told reporters, "It's a jacket. There was no hidden meaning." She followed up with a tweet decrying the media's focus on the first lady's wardrobe, not her work, and added two hashtags: #SheCares #ItsJustAJacket. But the president had his own interpretation. His wife did mean to send a message - to the liberal media. His tweet contradicted Grisham's statement and lashed out at the media. " 'I REALLY DON'T CARE, DO U?' written on the back of Melania's jacket, refers to the Fake News Media. Melania has learned how dishonest they are, and she truly no longer cares!" he wrote. "There's always something that pops up along the way that we don't anticipate, but I think Grisham did the best she could at the time, and handled it effectively," says one of her colleagues. Another East Wing staffer notes that everyone on Melania Trump's staff - which now numbers 12 - feels protective of the first lady and each other. "There's always something out there to hurt or shame" her, one says. "There's something every day that we could be affected by that the media deems disgraceful or impeachable so you go and you do your job and you serve the president and the first lady you see in front of you, not the people the media portrays." But both the president and the first lady pay keen attention to their own media portrayals. Melania Trump in particular watches more television news and follows more coverage than she lets on, according to current staffers. "The difference is that whereas the president will tweet himself and react himself," says one White House official, "she's got Stephanie." - - - Washington Post researcher Alice Crites contributed to this report. A man wanted for battering his girlfriend took his own life Tuesday afternoon after wounding a Harris County Sheriffs Office sergeant and two agents with the Texas Attorney General's Office during a gun battle at a Houston home, according to authorities. The three officers are in stable condition after being shot around 12:50 p.m. by suspected gunman Daniel Trevino, who was the target of their arrest warrant being served at a home in the 5000 block of Hartwick Road. The shooting prompted a five-hour-long standoff with Trevino, who was barricaded inside the home. Authorities were in contact with Trevino during the standoff and Harris County Sheriff's Office Chief Deputy Edison Toquica said he offered to come out. He never did. The standoff ended at 6:15 p.m. when police found him dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound inside the house, Toquica announced at a news conference. Trevino had been wanted for more than a week since he allegedly violated a protective order from his girlfriend, officials said. During a Dec. 2 encounter, he accused the woman of infidelity and head-butted her. She told police later that day he came to her home, but she did not want to press charges because she feared for her life, according to documents. Now Playing: One deputy and two officers from the Texas Attorney General's Office were injured in a shooting while serving a felony warrant in Houston. Video: Jay Jordan, Houston Chronicle Trevino was charged with aggravated assault on Sept. 20 about a week after he allegedly confronted his girlfriend with a revolver. He threatened to kill her and her two children because he believed she had cheated on him, according to court documents. She told police Trevino forced her family to stay inside the apartment until her kids could muster $360 in rent he demanded back. He then hit her legs repeatedly with the handgun, police said. He was arrested on Oct. 25 and released after posting a $40,000 bond on Oct. 31, records show. The protective order against Trevino was issued on Oct. 26. As last week's warrant for violating the protective order was issued, prosecutors requested that Trevino not be allowed a bond. Police tracked Trevino to the north Harris County home where he is believed to have shot the three officers. The officers managed to return fire, police said. A police escort tailed the ambulances carrying the wounded officers to Ben Taub Hospital, all of which arrived within minutes of each other. The officers all suffering gunshot wounds were awake as first responders wheeled them into the hospital. One of the agents, who was shot in the face, torso and leg, was spotted entering the hospital with a neck brace. The sheriff's sergeant took a bullet to his right hand, Harris County Sheriff's Office Major Mike Lee said. The wound, which was bandaged when he reached Ben Taub, that Lee believes could cost him a finger. The other agent was shot in the foot, Lee said. Attorney General Ken Paxton identified the wounded agents as Capt. Wes Hensley and Sgt. Mark Rychen, both of whom are members of the state's fugitive apprehension unit. One of the agents was on a week-long assignment in Houston from his home city of Austin, according to Lee. The sheriff's deputy was not identified. Gov. Greg Abbott tweeted his support of the officers. "Prayers up for these law enforcement officers shot in the line of duty," he tweeted. "We thank and support those who risk their lives to keep us safe." Trevino's criminal history includes several assault arrests, theft and illegal firearm possession. Photo: Town of Oliver The canal where it goes underground near Gallagher Lake The Town of Oliver is applying to the federal government for a $20 million grant to fund much-needed repairs to its irrigation canal. Council agreed Monday to submit an application to Ottawas Disaster Mitigation and Adaptation Fund, the latest effort to secure funding to re-route the canal away from a rockfall prone area near Gallagher Lake. The municipality has been searching for funding for the project since a rockslide in 2016 damaged the canal, which brings water to 1,400 hectares of farmland along its 17.4 kilometre route between Vaseux Lake and Hester Creek. The provincial government has already promised $5 million for the $11-million plan, but the federal government has yet to come to the table. Previous mayor Ron Hovanes took the case to Ottawa in October, supported by MP Richard Cannings. The federal government indicated there was no funding mechanism to pay for a project of such size and urged the town to expand the scope of the project. To reach the $20 million threshold required to be considered under the Disaster Mitigation and Adaptation Fund, the Town of Oliver has included $5.8 million in general system-wide repairs and $1.5 million to install caps on the canal at Hester and Tinhorn Creek to prevent blockages in the event of debris flows like in the previous two years. If Ottawa approves the $20 million plan, Oliver would be on the hook for $6.3 million, something that worried some councillors. Water coun. Rick Machial lamented the lack of insight staff provided on how a $6.3 million loan would impact the water system. Thats a lot of money to burden our town, he said, asking staff to have the town's incoming CFO crunch the numbers and get back to them. A consultant's report also suggested two other cheaper scenarios, however in both cases contingency funds were artificially padded to meet the $20 million threshold, which could jeopardize the whole application. Chief administrative officer Cathy Cowan said the municipality could probably afford to borrow $2-3 million for the project, something that may require electorate approval through referendum. She said the federal government has been keen on having the farmers using the system contribute to the project, despite it being a publicly owned system. With the clock ticking and the grant application due at the end of January, councillors agreed to submit an application for the full $20 million, with the understanding that Oliver would have no obligation to accept the money in the event that additional funding cannot be secured. The second-to-last surviving 'Texas 7' escapee now has a date with death. Patrick Murphy, who was convicted under the controversial law of parties after playing lookout during a deadly store robbery, is scheduled for execution March 28, according to Texas prison spokesman Jeremy Desel. News of the grim date comes less than a week after the Lone Star State put to death Joseph Garcia, another member of the break-out crew. After months of planning, on Dec. 13, 2000, the seven men banded together to pull off the biggest prison escape in Texas history. READ MORE: Texas 7 escapee fights death sentence as Dec. 4 execution nears George Rivas, a charismatic thief already serving 17 life sentences, was the ringleader who plotted the break-out from the unit just 60 miles south of San Antonio. Together, they overpowered a maintenance supervisor and tied up civilian workers as hostages. Two of the gang dressed up as prison workers to sneak into the armory where they took down another employee and seized control of the guard tower. Then, they loaded up with weapons and supplies and drove out the gate of the Connally Unit in a stolen prison truck. After orchestrating two robberies in Houston, they headed up to the Dallas area. There, on Christmas Eve, the men held up an Oshman's sporting goods store in Irving and made off with $70,000 and 44 guns. But before they left, they ran into a cop. In a chaotic scene, five of the men started firing. When it was over, Officer Aubrey Hawkins lay dead in the Oshman's parking lot, shot 11 times and dragged 10 feet by an SUV as the panicked prisoners fled. Rivas later admitted to shooting the officer. But Murphy was on the other side of the building as the lookout and, while he warned the others when Hawkins arrived, there was no indication he ever fired a shot. After a six-figure reward and a spot on "America's 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 of the escapees - Larry Harper - killed himself before police could get him. The rest were sent to death row, where four have since been executed. Only Randy Halprin is still alive on death row with Murphy, who was serving a 50-year-sentence for aggravated sexual assault at the time of the break-out. In the years since his conviction, Murphy has lobbed appeals raising claims of sub-par lawyering and challenging his conviction under the law of parties, which can hold non-shooters as responsible as the triggerman. The Lone Star State has executed 12 men this year, and one more - Alvin Braziel - is scheduled to die Tuesday. Including Murphy's death date, there are six executions scheduled so far for 2019. A former minister at Houston's First Baptist Church took more than $800,000 over a six-year period from the megachurch's coffers, spending money on overseas trips for his family, for groceries and to pay for a doctorate degree in divinity from a Pennsylvania bible college, authorities said. Jerrell G. Altic, 40, a one-time missions pastor accused of aggregate theft, surrendered Tuesday morning, one day after a Harris County grand jury indicted him on the felony charge more than a year after church officials noticed questionable financial activity. Altic, who is also a licensed real estate agent, did not respond to requests for comment as he quickly walked in and out of court in handcuffs, escorted by police. His attorney, James Alston, said he admitted to the crime and is working to "make amends" with the church. "He feels horrible for what has happened and the pain that it's caused everyone at the church, and his family members and friends," Alston said. "He would want me to tell everyone that he's sorry." Altic engaged in multiple "deceptive and difficult-to-detect techniques to carry out his theft," sparking a third-party investigation run by independent accountants, Senior Pastor Gregg Matte and Deacon Chairman Craig Bloodworth said in a statement. The accusations of forged payment authorizations are consistent with the consultants' findings, church communications director Steven W. Murray said. Some of the money was used to pay for a doctorate in divinity at Lancaster Bible College. Altic resigned from the church immediately after officials approached him about about a "limited set" of suspicious financial activity they found in November 2017. Theft of mission funds Harris County Assistant District Attorney Lester Blizzard said Tuesday that Altic obtained at least $823,937 through schemes that included forgery, false representations, false approvals for payment, and false receipts and invoices. "It gives me no pleasure to report that a former minister is accused of such a crime," Blizzard said. "We look forward to presenting our case in court and working through the problems." The theft involved mission funds, church leaders said, but the church was still able to provide designated money and resources to all of its ministry partners. The church's insurance coverage paid $500,000 to reimburse some of the lost monies, and the church leadership also approved the use of unallocated contingency funds, according to the statement. Matte and Bloodworth said the indictment marks the first time the church has publicly addressed the allegations, although it kept related church committees and key staff informed. "These past months have been challenging and painful for us as the extent of Jerrell's actions came to light and as we wrestled with the tension of wanting to inform the congregation, while also carefully following law enforcement's lead in the investigation, balancing legal constraints with church procedures," the statement reads. Alston said his client is expected to make bond, which is set at $50,000. Missions minister The allegations span six years, starting June 2011 and ending November 2017, authorities said. If convicted, the first-degree felony offense of aggregate theft carries a minimum five to 99-year or life sentence, Blizzard said. Public employment records listed Altic as a former minister of mobilization, missions pastor and minister of connection and community at Houston's First Baptist Church. Altic was also licensed as a real estate agent in October 2017, according to the Texas Real Estate Commission. He has a degree from the Wheaton College Graduate School in Illinois, college officials confirmed. Altic was part of the church when it celebrated its 175th anniversary two years ago. At the time, the church had an annual operating budget of more than $31 million and claimed a membership of more than 28,000 parishioners, preaching Sunday sermons in four locations in the Houston area. The largest campus is at the southwest corner of the the Katy Freeway and the Loop 610 West. Jim Allison, the Houston scientist who identified and discovered how to unleash a brake on the immune system, was awarded the 2018 Nobel Prize in Medicine Monday, the ultimate recognition of research thats revolutionized cancer therapy. During a ceremony at the Stockholm Concert Hall, Swedens King Carl XVI Gustaf presented the prize to Allison, who shook his hand and then bowed, the first MD Anderson Cancer Center scientist ever to receive the now 118-year-old honor. Your groundbreaking research has added a fourth pillar in cancer therapy, Klas Karre, a member of the Nobel committee, said in an introductory speech describing the achievement. It represents a new paradigm for treatment, not directly targeting the cancer cells but rather releasing the brakes of the immune system, a landmark in the fight against cancer. Allison, a native Texan who attended the University of Texas-Austin and plays the harmonica in two bands when not conducting immunology research, shared the award with Japans Tasuku Honjo, who discovered a second immune system brake. The discovery and unleashing of the brakes, known as checkpoint blockade therapy, finally realized the tantalizing promise of immunotherapy, which researchers had pursued unsuccessfully for decades. Although it doesnt benefit all cancer patients yet, it has joined surgery, radiation and chemotherapy as a mainstay of cancer treatment. The therapy has produced cures in patients whose advanced disease was considered hopeless, particularly lung cancer and melanoma. The best known beneficiary is former President Jimmy Carter, who in 2015 said he felt he had just a few weeks left after he was diagnosed with melanoma that had spread to his brain. Carter is cancer free today thanks to treatment with checkpoint blockade therapy. The therapy is currently the subject of thousands of clinical trials, most all of them efforts to extend the benefits to more people. The 2018 Nobel is the first to recognize an achievement at once in cancer discovery and cancer therapy. Previous prizes for cancer research recognized either a discovery or a new therapy. Some 15,600 people, including the Swedish Royal Family and board members of the Nobel Foundation, attended the ceremony, which was streamed live on the Nobel Prize website. It was followed by a banquet and a party with local students, known as the Nobel NightCap. Jim and I have experienced many occasions that have made us feel well rewarded, Honjo said at the banquet, such as meeting cancer patients who say their lives were saved by our therapies. Speaking on behalf of himself and Allison, Honjo added, the development of our discovery is just beginning, as currently only 20 to 30 percent of patients respond to the immunotherapy. We encourage many more scientists to join us in our efforts to keep improving cancer immunotherapy. We sincerely hope this treatment will reach far and wide so that everybody on our planet can benefit from this evolutionary gift for healthy life. The Nobel activities, which began last Thursday, will finish Wednesday. None of the newly minted laureates spoke at the ceremony, but Allison and the other laureates gave lectures on their work at a Nobel symposium over the weekend. There, Allison explained the science and talked about his long-term hopes. I think that what were going to see in the future is that checkpoint blockade is going to become a part of essentially all therapies, said Allison, 70. That might be in combination with radiation or chemotherapy or many other things in the kinds of tumors that dont respond to checkpoints by themselves. Allison dedicated the lecture to the many students and fellows who have trained me and really done the work that Ill be talking about; the doctors and patients who were involved at no small risk to themselves in the early clinical trials; and finally to my partner in life and science, Dr. Padmanee Sharma, with whom much of the work was done. Allison determined that the protein known as CTLA-4 acts as a brake to rein in the immune system, then developed a drug, Yervoy, that releases it to attack cancer cells. At the time of Allisons discovery, scientists thought CTLA-4 activated T cells, the foot soldiers of the immune system. At the ceremony, Karre enlisted the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra to explain the results. To illustrate the immune systems attack when cancer exploits the brakes, a single violinist played softly and briefly, termed by Karre as short, slow and weak. To illustrate the attack with the brakes unleashed, the full orchestra erupted in the dramatic Prelude to Act 1 of Georges Bizets Carmen. The audience applauded and Karre said, That was a bit different, the way (the immune system) should sound. Allison started his career at MD Anderson in 1977, one of the first employees of a new basic science research center located in Smithville. He returned, in November 2012, with the help of a big-time grant from the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas, the states taxpayer-funded $3 billion assault on the deadly disease. He made his landmark discoveries about the immune system at the University of California at Berkeley, then worked with clinicians at Sloan Kettering Memorial Cancer in New York to expedite Yervoys use in patients. Since he was lured back to MD Anderson as chairman of immunology, Allison has led the immunotherapy efforts of the centers Cancer Moon Shots initiative to accelerate the pace of research. Previous Houston Nobel winners include Richard Smalley and Robert Curl of Rice University; Ferid Murad of the University of the Texas Health Science Center at Houston and the Houston Methodist Research Institute; and Roger Guillemin of Baylor College of Medicine. The Nobel is the latest of dozens of prizes Allison has been awarded over the years. Previously, the most prestigious was the Lasker Award, which is often called the American Nobel. He won it in 2015. The Nobel comes with prize money amounting to nearly $1 million, to be split by Allison and Honjo. Allison said at a news conference Thursday hell donate the amount remaining after taxes to support other researchers working in the field and to a charity that supports schools for women. todd.ackerman@chron.com twitter.com/chronmed Jack Morman, who was defeated for re-election as Harris County Precinct 2 commissioner in November, will remain on the countys payroll in January as an employee of Precinct 4 Commissioner Jack Cagle, a fellow Republican. Morman, who served two terms on Commissioners Court before losing to former county sheriff Adrian Garcia, will work in Precinct 4s capital improvements department, Cagle said. Garcia recruited from this falls ballot, as well, selecting fellow Democrat Penny Shaw, who unsuccessfully challenged Cagle, as a policy adviser for Precinct 2. The post-Election Day hires are the latest in an unusually large reshuffling in county government, as many employees whose bosses were defeated for re-election look for new jobs. In January, Harris County also will have a new county judge, clerk, district clerk, treasurer and 55 criminal and civil judges. Democrats swept each countywide position on the ballot in November. Cagle said he was talking with Morman recently about an unrelated topic when they arrived at the subject of Mormans next job. Cagle said that, given Mormans eight years of experience as a commissioner, he would be a good fit to fill a vacancy in his capital improvements department. Im working on what the exact title will be, and he and I are in beginning stages of working that out, Cagle said. He believes well be a good fit for him. A lawyer by trade, Morman oversaw 380 employees as Precinct 2 commissioner. A priority for his office was building roads to keep pace with rapid development in the east Harris County precinct, the largest by area. Precinct 4 has a budget of $62 million, $9 million less than Precinct 2. Cagle said Morman will report to the head of the capital improvements division, and said his specific responsibilities have yet to be determined. Morman earned a $183,000 salary as commissioner. Morman, who did not respond to a request for comment, said before the election he intended to resume practicing law if he was defeated. Cagle said Morman will be free to moonlight as a lawyer so long as he puts in 40 hours each week for the county. Garcia said he approached Shaw about working for him because he was impressed with her campaign in Precinct 4. As the two Democratic hopefuls for Commissioners Court, the pair often appeared at forums together. Shaw, an employment, family and business lawyer, campaigned on reforming the countys criminal justice and mental health systems, said she and Garcia have yet to determine her policy portfolio. We dont have a particular direction yet, Shaw said. Flood mitigation, which is huge, is at the top of the list. Meanwhile, County Judge-elect Lina Hidalgo has been working full-time on her transition, and has met with several county departments. Hidalgo has hired Joseph Carlos Madden, a policy adviser with Precinct 1 Commissioner Rodney Ellis, as her chief of staff. She has yet to announce other hires. Her transition team includes renewable energy businessman Michael Skelly, former State Department diplomat Oni Blair and former Texas Organizing Project executive director Ginny Goldman. Consultant firm HR&A Advisors, whose past clients include New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, also will help Hidalgo in hiring. Outgoing County Judge Ed Emmett announced last week his acceptance of a non-tenured faculty post at Rice University, his alma mater, where he will teach undergraduates and also join the Kinder Institute for Urban Research. zach.despart@chron.com www.twitter.com/zachdespart About five dozen people in Houston including husbands, mothers and strangers are facing murder charges so far in 2018. Some of the most recent arrests for murder include a mother who allegedly drowned her 5-year-old son, and a band of would-be robbers who allegedly gunned down a convenience store owner on his last day of work. City council is mulling whether to pay up to $600,000 a year for live music at Bush Intercontinental and Hobby airports, a service that Mayor Sylvester Turner has said would show visitors that Houston is both a little bit country and a little bit chic. Council members were scheduled to consider the funding at their last two weekly meetings, but the item has been delayed twice following debates between those who say music improves the quality of airports and those arguing the money should go toward what they consider more pressing needs. The program in question has operated since 2015, and involves a contract with musicians to play classical, jazz and other genres of music on weekdays at the two airports. The contract under consideration is for three years with two one-year options, meaning the city could pay up to $3 million for 18 musicians. The $600,000 annual cost would come out of the Houston Airport System enterprise fund, which is underwritten by airport fees and is separate from the taxpayer-supported general fund that goes toward most city departments and operations. Some musicians who are under contract through the program dubbed Harmony in the Air are scheduled to make their cases to city council during Tuesdays public session, ahead of a scheduled vote Wednesday. Debate over the issue largely has come down to disagreement over the best use of the money. Turner and others argue the music serves as an investment that will pay off by making the airports more competitive with those in other large cities some of which also offer live music and attract more fliers. When people are going in and out and they see these artists, it brands your city, Turner said last month. It tells people in that brief period of time who this city is. Thats why we are doing this. Detractors have suggested using the funds to make the airports free WiFi connections stronger and faster or to install more power outlets. District G Councilman Greg Travis argued that travelers usually are buried in their cell phones and uninterested in live music, a point that drew some agreement from colleagues. I fly about 10 times a year and I dont think Ive ever chosen an airport due to the music Im going to hear when I land, At-Large Councilman Michael Kubosh said at the Nov. 28 council meeting. At-Large Councilman Mike Knox suggested the money be used for other amenities, such as improving signage at the airports. Other council members even those who consider themselves fiscal conservatives argued the city should not avoid funding the contract simply because passengers do not base their travel decisions on the music. Its all about the experience. Why should we have restaurants? They really dont need to eat, District E Councilman Dave Martin said sarcastically. You try to make their experience better. He continued, saying Houston is in competition with other cities and is getting beaten by other cities with better airports, at one point calling Bush Intercontinental a piece-of-junk airport. Last week, Martin noted the city always has spent far less on the music than it has budgeted each year. Meanwhile, Martin and District F Councilman Steve Le floated the idea of hiring high school and college bands instead, then donating to the performing schools art programs. On Wednesday, District A Councilwoman Brenda Stardig suggested seeking sponsors for the live performances and putting the airport money toward other needs. Turner did not shoot the idea down. Travis said the contract comes across as frivolous because it is frivolous, arguing the optics of the spending would reflect poorly because most constituents do not know the difference between enterprise funds and the general fund. What they see is, they see money being spent, money being wasted on something that they will never experience, Travis said. Turner remained steadfast in his support for the contract, but said it would be a nonstarter if the money came from the general fund. The 50 million people that come in and out of your airport every single year it may be their only time to get a glimpse of what this city is all about, Turner said. We can be so tight, that we miss. jasper.scherer@chron.com twitter.com/jaspscherer GALVESTON - He couldn't read and he spent half his life in slavery. Once freed, though, Charlie Brown built a business domain in Brazoria County and eventually purchased the plantation where his wife once had worked as a slave. He did all this during a time when most black Texans faced almost impossible odds in their efforts to achieve goals that white Texans took for granted, dying a millionaire in 1920. Brown's accomplishments went unheralded for nearly a century outside of his hometown of West Columbia, located about 50 miles southwest of Houston. Then last month, the Texas Legislature passed a resolution recognizing his contributions. The honor reflects growing interest in a little-known figure who remains a mystery in many ways but who managed to achieve extraordinary economic success for a freed slave living in the South. "Although he lived through slavery and its injustices, Charlie Brown became a prosperous landowner and a force for good in his community and his remarkable story serves as an enduring source of inspiration," states the resolution by state Rep. Dennis Bonnen, R-Angleton. While Brown's rise is indisputable, the details of his success are hazy, said Larry Thomas, director of the Charlie Brown Initiative. "Nothing has been published about him," Thomas said. Even Brown's birth date is uncertain, he said, though he is believed to have been born in the late 1820s. The Texas Historical Commission agreed in October to place a historical marker in West Columbia, a town of about 4,000 at the intersection of Texas highways 36 and 35 in Brazoria County, pending the compilation of a historical narrative, commission spokesman Chris Florence said. Brown once owned about two-thirds of the property in West Columbia, which named a street after him in 1955. The application for Brown's marker qualified for the commission's undertold marker program. "It's a great story of Texas," Florence said. Thomas agreed: "He may not be in the history books, but he needs to be in the minds of Brazoria County residents and Texas residents." Although Thomas and the historical commission are separately trying to fill in the gaps in Brown's biography, his great-grandson is curious about how his forebearer was able to amass such wealth in a period when blacks were increasingly the objects of hatred and discrimination by whites. "I don't know who was watching over him," said Clark Woodson. "Somebody had some power to say, 'Leave that man alone.' " Turbulent time Thomas acquired his holdings between 1889 and 1910, a turbulent time for blacks. The Civil War's end had brought no end to segregation in Texas, writes historian Bruce A. Glasrud in "Jim Crow's Emergence in Texas." Segregation accelerated following the end of Reconstruction in 1874, a failed attempt to remove the pre-Civil War power structure and empower blacks, Glasrud wrote. Texas and other southern states were enacting the infamous Jim Crow laws that codified existing customs of segregation. Lynching was becoming more common, especially in a corridor along the Brazos River from Waco to the Gulf of Mexico that included Brazoria County, according to the Texas State Historical Association. Lynching parties claimed 339 black victims between 1885 and 1942. Accounts differ as to when Brown arrived in Texas and whether he was free or a slave at the time. In Texas, he found himself among more than 180,000 other ex-slaves freed after the issuing of General Order No. 3 on June 19, 1865, by a union general in Galveston - a day that became known as Juneteenth. Local lore has it that Brown organized the first Juneteenth celebration in West Columbia. Jackie Jones, history department chair at the University of Texas at Austin, said it's important to remember how difficult it would have been for a former slave like Brown to move up. "It's incredibly unusual, and there couldn't have been more than a handful of people that did that," Jones said. Tough to buy land Once free, most slaves wanted to cultivate their own land but found it nearly impossible without cash, land or credit. "When former slaves were granted their freedom, virtually none owned land and (most) owned very little other than the shirts on their backs," Jones said. Most were forced to work for white landowners, often under harsh conditions for little money. Landowners paid in promises rather than cash, and at the end of the year, black sharecroppers usually found themselves deeper in debt, Jones said. "That really condemned many black men and women to continued dependence on whites for their livelihood," she said. Even those former slaves who obtained the necessary cash found that white landowners refused to sell. "Whites did not want to grant blacks economic independence," she said. Black families often made heroic efforts to pull themselves from poverty but found it impossible. Jones said of Brown, "His story hinges on his ability to buy land." Thomas believes Brown was freed from slavery in Virginia before the Civil War and landed in Brazoria County. Exactly what he did from the time of his arrival until he began purchasing property in 1889 is unclear, but it's known that he had a close relationship with the Dance brothers, four men who owned a 450-acre plantation in East Columbia, a village on the Brazos River about three miles east of West Columbia. It's unclear whether Brown worked for the Dance brothers, but it's certain that their plantation is where he met his wife, Isabella, a slave until 1865. By one account, Isabella was the daughter of one of the Dance brothers. If so, that could have made the Dance family more willing to sell to an ex-slave. Brown purchased his first land near the Brazos River, a plot covered with cedars, said Teena Maenza, editor of the Brazoria County News. "Somebody asked him why he bought that land because it wasn't good for anything," said Maenza, who has researched Brown's history. "He said, 'I'm not looking at the land, I'm looking at the trees.' " Brown harvested the lumber and shipped it by barge down the Brazos to furniture manufacturers. Brown eventually purchased 3,000 acres and reputedly became the largest landowner in Brazoria County. By the time of his death in 1920, Brown also owned a grist mill, a sugar mill and a saw mill. He was generous with his wealth, donating land for two churches that are still in operation and for two schools, one named in his honor. The donations were especially important for African-American students, as Texas at the time refused to fund black schools, requiring that they be funded only with taxes on property owned by blacks. The Charlie Brown school was integrated in 1966 and closed in 2005. Shrewd businessman In a 1978 article in the Brazoria County News, Altha Turpin, the school's former principal, said Brown often could be seen "riding around town in his horse and buggy." She also said he was a shrewd businessman. "Even though (Brown) couldn't read or write, he could figure better than anyone could on paper," she said. The inability to read might have caused him to lose the mineral rights to his land, Maenza said. An unverified family story has it that Brown was kidnapped by the Ku Klux Klan and forced to relinquish some of his property, Woodson said. After the Dance brothers died, Brown purchased much of the plantation and their two-story plantation house. The entire house was moved about three miles from East Columbia to a site in West Columbia, Maenza said. The house was jacked up, with logs placed underneath, and slowly rolled forward - an operation that took several months. Brown's employees were black, white and Hispanic, Maenza said. "If a man wanted a job, he gave him a job regardless (of his race)," she said. Thomas said his conduct earned him respect among people of all races in the community. During her research, Maenza came across an undated decades-old article from The Call, a defunct publication, in which an unidentified elderly white school board member says, "I guess you wonder how we liked Charlie. Well, we thought about him just like we did any good citizen. All of us, even though we were white, had no jealousy of him although he became the biggest land owner and taxpayer in the county." CEDAR PARK Even on a rainy Thursday night in the busy weeks before Christmas, nearly two dozen women crowded into a country club meeting room here, fired up about the possibility of running for office. Democratic recruiters report that about 100 women attended similar Candidate 101 classes across Texas last week. The party is searching far and wide for potential candidates as Democratic leaders look to capitalize on momentum from the November midterm election, when women claimed a greater share of political power in Congress than ever before. The 102 women elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in November represent 23 percent of House members. Women will hold 38 of the 181 available seats when the Texas Legislature convenes in January about 20 percent. I think theres more work to be done for increasing diversity so everybody has a seat at the table, said Pooja Sethi, who is Indian and who worked as a fundraiser for several Austin-area Democratic candidates. She wants to see more South Asians in the Texas Legislature. The future is bright. For subscribers: Women were the big winners in 2018 Texas midterms. Heres why. Slightly more than 1 in 10 women attending introductory campaigning classes already know what office they want to target, such as city council or the local school board, a post on the State Board of Education, a Texas House seat or the U.S. Congress, said Kimberly Caldwell, program director of Annies List, which recruits, trains and endorses female Democratic candidates. Roughly half the attendees told Annies List organizers they are exploring their options, and roughly a third of the women said they want to learn so they can help someone else. Last week, 39 women joined a Candidate 101 training in Arlington. Another 43 met in Houston, as did 21 women in Cedar Park, a suburb of Austin. Its really designed to be a small first step. Its really just getting yourself into the pipeline, said Caldwell. Thats what some 220 women did by attending training meetings in Houston, Dallas, Tarrant County and San Antonio after the womens marches of January 2017, held to protest Donald Trumps election as president in 2016. There was this desperate sense of, What do I do? What do I do? Im not OK with what happened, recalled Caldwell. PHOTOS: Protest signs from Women's March protests from around the US, world Republican women have had a tougher time making inroads in political office. Of the 38 women who won Texas state legislative races, just nine were Republicans. The Trump effect is more of a factor than Hillary Clinton, said Nancy Bocskor, director of the Center for Women in Politics and Public Policy at Texas Womans University and a former Republican fundraiser. Those women just didnt whine about, Oh my gosh the world is falling apart. It was, I am running for office. And they learned how to run for office and a lot of them ran good campaigns. Some of the struggle for Republican women is they are not as aggressively recruited as Democratic women, said Bocskor. In part, thats because Republicans eschew identity politics in favor of looking for candidates with broad-based party views, she said. We need to change, but does anyone want to embrace change? Bocskor said. Kim Olson, a Democrat and retired Air Force Colonel, said she awoke after Trumps election mad as hell and determined to run for office she just didnt know which one. After learning Democrats were having a tough time finding candidates to run for Texas agriculture commissioner, the beekeeper and farmer decided that was the office she wanted, she told the women gathered at the Candidate 101 course in Cedar Park. With no name recognition but a strong personality, she earned 3.8 million votes more than any other woman who has run statewide in Texas, including former Gov. Ann Richards and former U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchinson and failed gubernatorial candidate Wendy Davis. Olson, who raised close to $450,000 largely in donations of less than $200 fell 5 percentage points short of defeating Republican Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller. Olson said she wants to use the political capital she has built to find a female candidate to run against U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, whose seat is up for re-election 2020. Noting that 2020 will mark the 100-year anniversary of womens winning the right to vote, she said, Some woman is going to run. If Beto (ORourke) doesnt do it, lets find the right woman. Olson hinted she would be willing to run herself if no suitable candidate emerges, but stressed she wants to help take these kids from JV to varsity. Im going to be unapologetic its got to be all about women, she said. This what the long game looks like. Briana Burns, who attended the Annies List training last week, felt a pang of guilt after the 2016 election. I wasnt going to feel that way again, she said. Now she wants to be on the ballot in 2024. She quit her job as a special education teacher to work as a field coordinator on Democrat Mike Siegels Congressional campaign in Austin in the midterms. He lost in the 10th Congressional District by 4 percentage points. Most of his volunteers were women, she said. We wont have a Beto on the ticket. Its the women who are building the infrastructure were going to use in 2020, she said. WASHINGTON - The former president of a Houston-based nonprofit pleaded guilty Monday to lying to Congress about a 2013 trip to Azerbaijan by 10 U.S. lawmakers, including four House members from Texas, whose expenses were secretly funded by the Azerbaijan governments oil company. Kemal Oksuz, aka "Kevin Oksuz," 49, pleaded guilty to one count of devising a scheme to conceal material facts from the U.S. House Ethics Committee investigating questions that had been raised in a Houston Chronicle account of the lavish, all-expenses-paid trip to Baku, the Caspian Sea capital of Azerbaijan. The House panel eventually exonerated all 10 U.S. lawmakers who took the trip, saying they had been misled about its true sponsors and that they didn't "knowingly" break any law or House rules. For subscribers at HoustonChronicle.com: Lawmakers trips to Baku conference raise ethics questions Among those Oksuz allegedly misled about the trip were Houston Democrat Sheila Jackson Lee and Ruben Hinojosa, a border district Democrat who has since retired from Congress. Two Houston-area Republicans also made the government-funded trip: U.S. Rep. Ted Poe, who is retiring next month, and former Congressman Steve Stockman, who was sentenced last month to a 10-year prison term in an unrelated fraud case. All but Stockman, who could not be reached for comment, told the Chronicle in 2015 that they had no advance knowledge that the state oil company had funded the conference. Poes office maintained that he contacted the House Ethics Committee to self-report the allegations initially raised in a Chronicle investigation. While the lawmakers denied prior knowledge of the state oil companys involvement, investigators said there were ample signs of the conferences true underwriter, including banners and placards with the firms logo. Photos and programs pointed to its involvement. About three dozen congressional staffers also attended the conference, which attracted widespread attention because of the involvement of top Obama administration officials and Azerbaijans interest in winning congressional support to avoid U.S. sanctions aimed at Iran, its partner in a multibillion dollar Caspian Sea national gas project. Oksuz acknowledged in his guilty plea Monday that he lied on disclosure forms filed with the Ethics Committee in advance of what had been represented as a privately sponsored congressional trip to an energy conference in Azerbaijan. According to federal prosecutors, Oksuz falsely represented that the trip would be underwritten by the Turquoise Council of Americans and Eurasians (TCAE), the Houston nonprofit which he led as president. The Turquoise Council ostensibly paid airfare and hotel bills for Poe, Jackson Lee, Stockman and Hinojosa and his wife. Those trips cost from $10,500 to $19,961, according to disclosures the four lawmakers filed with the House Ethics Committee. Oksuz has since admitted that he orchestrated a scheme to funnel money for the trip from the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan Republic (SOCAR), the wholly state-owned national oil and gas company of Azerbaijan. Members of Congress are generally barred by House travel regulations from accepting gifts and travel from foreign governments. A spokesman for SOCAR disputed that it had secretly played a role in the May 2013 conference in Baku. At no time did SOCAR hide from the attendees of the conference our involvement, the firm said during the 2015 probe. SOCARs logo and name was presented prominently in Baku at multiple events. SOCAR has never been under investigation in this matter because the responsibility for disclosing SOCARs financial support for the conference fell to those who were the trips sponsors. While House investigators closed the Azerbaijan investigation in 2015, they said they were referring the allegations to the Justice Department to determine whether "third parties" involved in arranging the lawmakers' travel engaged in a "criminal conspiracy to lie to Congress." One of the key figures in the House probe was Oksuz, who invoked his Fifth Amendment right to refuse to testify in the House probe. After a three-year investigation, prosecutors filed a five-count indictment earlier this year in the District of Columbia naming Oksuz, who had long since disappeared from Houston and was believed to be residing abroad. The charges were unsealed in September. Oksuz was recently extradited from Armenia where he was detained by authorities, pursuant to a warrant that was issued for his arrest. The investigation was conducted by the FBI. The case is being prosecuted by the Public Integrity Section of the Justice Departments Criminal Division, along with the National Security Divisions Counterintelligence and Export Control Section. The Office of International Affairs, along with the U.S. Department of State and cooperating Armenian authorities provided substantial assistance with the extradition, according to a statement by Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Departments Criminal Division. Oksuz will be sentenced on Feb. 11. Like most Americans, were eager for special counsel Robert Mueller to conclude his investigation into President Donald Trump and the 2016 election. But were not so eager that wed risk leaving unaddressed any of the critical questions hes been commissioned to answer. Those questions are among the most important ever asked about the election of a U.S. Were counting on Mueller to tell us whether candidate Trump opposed sanctions against Russia for its aggression in Crimea because he was trying to curry favor with Vladimir Putin, someone hes been reluctant to even criticize. Does this coziness explain why Russia worked so hard to see Trump elected? Did Trump or his team know about, or even invite, Putins efforts to help him beat Clinton? These questions are at the heart of Muellers investigation. In truth, they are among the most important ever asked about the election of a U.S. president. To each new revelation, Trump has responded with protestations of his innocence. Its a witch hunt, he said again Monday, following Fridays federal court filings showing his 2016 decision to have his lawyer pay hush money to a former lover may be a federal crime. There is no collusion, Trump tweeted missing as always the damning context. The hush money came amid a blizzard of questions about his relationships with women allegations he denied at the time.. If Trump secretly paid off a former lover to keep his presidential campaign afloat, thats hardly a simple private transaction, as the president claimed Monday. It could be a blatant violation of a federal law requiring any payments made to influence an election be disclosed in campaign finance filings. Trumps pattern is to deny until caught then to wriggle loose with aw-shucks excuses. Trump initially denied that he was doing business in Russia while running for president. Then, faced with a sworn statement in which his former lawyer admitted lying to Congress about the Trump Organizations 2016 real estate negotiations in Moscow, Trump reversed course, saying, hey, it was just business. The deal-making was unseemly for a president or any American candidate. Much more damning is the context. Reporters and others asked Trump about possible deals in Russia because they were trying to learn why he was so cozy with a nation generally hostile to American interests. Trumps denials, now that the truth is out, give further credence to suspicions that gave way to the Mueller investigation in the first place. Americans should acknowledge the stench and give Mueller time to sniff out the full truth. Only then will we know whether our president is a crook, whether he is compromised, or whether he is merely misunderstood. Cliff Owen, FRE / Associated Press Despite the recent exclusion of privatization of Americas air traffic control system from the most recent FAA reauthorization debate, many stakeholders are still pushing for this risky and eternally unpopular proposal. The reasons that these stakeholders want privatization are obvious, but the arguments against it continue to mount, so its sell-by date is approaching. The latest shoe to drop is problems afflicting the purported models for a U.S. reform, including the National Air Traffic Control Services of the United Kingdom. First, fans of privatization in Congress might be surprised to learn that delays are rife in the privatized UK airspace. Flights from the 25 busiest airports in the UK departed an average of 15 minutes late in 2017. What might be worse, is that these delays are far from equally distributed, with average delay times ranging by airport from 11 to about 20 minutes, according to the authorities. There have been a couple news stories about the Texas GOP in the past two weeks that have earned a lot of attention neither of which was favorable. First, a couple precinct chairs in Tarrant County had made it their mission over the past few months to remove Dr. Shahid Shafi, a practicing Muslim, as their appointed vice chair, claiming the trauma surgeon and twice-elected local city councilman had (unproven) ties to terrorists who practiced Sharia. (He doesnt.) The removal effort was set for their January 2019 meeting when several Republican leaders stepped in. I sent a letter to Tarrant County GOP Chairman Darl Easton arguing that such an effort was bigoted and disgusting and that the Republican Party had no religious test for affiliation. Texas Land Commissioner George P. Bush and outgoing Speaker of the House Joe Straus quickly weighed in as well. The State Republican Executive Committee subsequently passed a unanimous resolution defending Shafi and opposing the effort to remove him. Collectively, this was an unmistakable sign of where the Republican Party stands on anti-Muslim bias. We are a big-tent party. We always have been. If honorable and decent people continue to stand up in situations like this, we always will be. That brings us to another worrying story. Ray Myers, a tea party leader in Kaufman County, posted on Facebook that he proudly calls himself a white nationalist. He currently holds no official role in the Republican Party but did serve on the Platform Committee during the 2018 Texas State Republican Convention. I was asked by a reporter about this and made clear that white nationalism is offensive. It holds that whites are the supreme race. I allow that Myers may be confusing nationalism, an idea supported by President Donald Trump that national interests must come before international responsibilities, with white nationalism. I hope he was just confused and, if so, he should clarify his views. But here is some real talk: Myers has been a disgrace to the GOP for many years. His social media posts are blatantly racist. He calls for people to polish their muskets against illegal immigrants. He suggested that a recently fired African-American election official in Florida should be lynched. There is nothing conservative about spewing blatantly anti-Muslim views or harboring racist bigotry. The Republican Party is the Party of Lincoln. America is increasingly becoming more diverse. Some Americans perceive this diversity as a threat to their way of life. They shouldnt. Diversity is our strength, as it has been all the way back to Ellis Island. In the previous two national elections, the Republican Partys base of support has become older and whiter. This is a recipe for permanent minority party status in America. Any Republican who does not recognize this needs to wake up. Extremism afflicts both parties. Some on the left support abortion through the day of birth. And environmentalist fanatics have attacked car dealerships where SUVs are sold. But my concern is the GOP. Perception is greater than reality. The national media and the Democratic Party use every single opportunity to highlight these instances to make the Republican Party appear unacceptable for young and minority voters. We must rise above that. The stakes are too high for the future of our country. Let me tell you what I know the Republican Party stands for: We stand for opportunity for all. We desire a system where hard work is rewarded. We support strong families and safe communities. We know that a stronger America means a safer world. Any American who believes these things is welcome to join the Republican Party. There will be outliers who may make you question things. But ignore them. Mackowiak is chairman of the Travis County GOP. Hes a Republican consultant, a Bush administration and Bush-Cheney re-election campaign veteran and former press secretary to two U.S. senators. Once passed into law, the measure would remove any loopholes in the Labour Code that allows the practice and penalise violating employers. The president added that the government should amend the outdated Labour Code. It would also limit job contracting to licensed and specialised services, classify workers as regular and probationary employees, and treat project and seasonal employees as regular employees, reported the Manilla Standard. The measure would also provide security of tenure, clarify standards on probationary employment, and provide a Transition Support Program for employees while they are not at work or transitioning between jobs. The president had first proposed to congress a complete ban on short-term employment but decided to prioritise a law that provides security of tenure for employees instead as a Labour Day gift to workers. Rome - ENAV (the Italian Air Navigation Service Provider) and the International Air Transport Association (IATA) presented the first edition of the Italian National Airspace Strategy. Air travel is set to grow 50% across Europe over the next 20 years. The goal of the air traffic management (ATM) network in Italy is to service this demand. Airlines and ENAV have joined forces to continue the ongoing modernization of the network, while ensuring safety, improving environmental performance, and reducing costs and delays. Successful airspace and ATM modernization is expected to create significant benefits for Italy, including an extra 27 billion in annual GDP and 95,000 new jobs by 2035. The Italian National Airspace Strategy initiative was jointly developed by IATA and ENAV with the collaboration of Alitalia and Assaeroporti. The strategy includes a range of initiatives on airspace modernization jointly agreed by key air transport participants. This will ensure continuous evolution of the Italian aviation system and contribute to the national economy, as well as the efficiency of the European and global air transport system. ENAV has airspace modernization at the heart of its activities. Free Route Airspace is already a reality in Italian airspace, reducing fuel consumption, CO2 emissions and costs. The company is one of the best in Europe for on-time performance. Roberta Neri, ENAV CEO stated: Customers are at the center of our activities and we highly value this cooperation with IATA, Alitalia and Assaeroporti to support the safe and efficient growth of the air transport sector in Italy, providing benefits to passengers and the overall economy while creating value for all stakeholders involved. I firmly believe that this initiative is just a starting point and will attract additional airlines, airports and aviation actors. Under the steering and oversight of the national authorities and our Regulator, ENAC, we can work together to ensure the long-term success of the aviation system in Italy. Rafael Schvartzman, IATAs Regional Vice President for Europe, said, Italy is a vital and popular air transport marketthe fourth biggest in Europeso planning for the future is crucial. Our research shows that air traffic management performance is critical to improve the growth and efficiency of the economy. ENAVs leadership in working with airlines and airports on an Italian National Airspace Strategy is therefore hugely significant. Our close partnership with ENAV will ensure that Italian airspace is optimized, bringing substantial economic benefits to the country. Valentina Lener, Director General of Assaeroporti, said, The Italian Airports Association has positively welcomed the initiative launched by IATA and ENAV, being aware of the importance of implementing a strategy for Italian airspace modernization as an enabler to face the important challenges that the sector will have to deal with in the coming years, including the capacity saturation of airspace and airport infrastructure. Airports will be an essential part of this strategy, taking into account their role in managing national and international passengers and freight traffic flows. The adoption of modernization measures is certainly a fundamental step to promote the competitiveness of the whole sector. Alessandro Cardi, Deputy Director General of ENAC, said, ENAC is looking at this initiative very positively and is in favour of any agreements that derive from it. The shortage of capacity experienced this summer is a warning that puts in perspective the need for activities to be brought forward by all the actors of aviation system. In the near future the aviation system will need to deliver more and more capacity and this will only be possible if a high level of cooperation between air service providers, carriers, and airport operators is established. ENAC will support any initiative able to realize such cooperation. The Italian National Airspace Strategy covers: The strategic direction for the future of ATM in Italy Airspace modernization initiatives to support safety, capacity and efficient routes that reduce fuel burn, journey time and improve environmental performance ATM systems development covering ground and airborne equipment Consultation and cooperation with Italian aviation stakeholders Cooperation with European partners to accelerate the achievement of Single European Sky (SES) goals For more information, please contact: Corporate Communications Tel: +41 22 770 2967 Email: corpcomms@iata.org Notes for Editors: Page Content Montreal and Nairobi, 10 December 2018 The President of the ICAO Council, Dr. Olumuyiwa Benard Aliu, strongly encouraged regulators to liberalize and harmonize air services at the Eleventh ICAO Air Services Negotiation Event in Nairobi today, where he delivered the opening address. As air services negotiators, you have the capability to augment the developmental impact of air connectivity quite dramatically by opening skies and facilitating new direct routes through more inclusive multilateral agreements, Dr. Aliu remarked. Accomplishing this would be a giant step forward toward addressing the inefficiencies posed by todays unwieldy patchwork of over 4,500 or so bilateral agreements. Optimizing air connectivity, he noted, will also demand the global harmonization of regulatory frameworks. This followed remarks by the Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Transport, Infrastructure, Housing and Urban Development, the Hon. James Wainaina Macharia, and preceded a keynote address by the President of Kenya, H.E. Hon. Uhuru Kenyatta, CGH who declared the event open. Air transport already sustains 65 million jobs worldwide and contributes more than 2.7 trillion USD annually to global GDP. Forecast growth could result in the doubling of these contributions by 2035, provided that it is appropriately supported and encouraged. A major challenge to global aviation growth is the fragmentation of air services markets and economies, which are often governed by complex bilateral and regional air transport frameworks. To address this, ICAO is advocating for the worldwide implementation of the ICAO Long-term Vision for International Air Transport Liberalization. Highlighting recent positive developments in Africa, Dr. Aliu advised delegates to build on the good momentum which has been achieved in this regard. It has been encouraging to witness the launching of the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM) in January this year. The SAATM is an initiative of the African Union, and together with the establishment of the Continental Free Trade Area (CFTA) it will accelerate intra-African trade flows, generate air cargo demand, and spur e-commerce development, he said. The annual ICAO Air Services Negotiation Events, which rotate through world regions, were designed to provide a forum where regulators can make quick progress toward liberalization through multilateral negotiations. Prior to its launch, delegates would be required to travel to each individual bilateral partner to conduct these negotiations. As a result of this complexity and associated cost, some existing bilateral agreements still include decades-old provisions that must be modernized. Seventy States representing all world regions, and three international organizations, are participating in the negotiations, which will close on 14 December 2018. While in Kenya for the 2018 ICAN event, President Aliu met with Kenyan President His Excellency Mr. Uhuru Kenyatta, whom he thanked for the States generous hosting of the ICAO Regional Office for East Africa. The two also discussed a range of priorities concerning national and regional civil aviation concerns, including on improving pan-African capacities for ICAO compliance and oversight, the importance of developing air transport capacity to accommodate and benefit from future traffic growth, and the need for stable regulatory frameworks State-by-State to encourage the needed and quite significant investments for that development to be realized. At the conclusion of the opening ceremony, President Kenyatta presented a sculpture of a lion made from aircraft parts to Dr. Aliu, who accepted it on behalf of ICAO. The sculpture will be added to ICAOs global collection of donated works of art from States on display at its Montreal Headquarters. Resources for Editors About ICAO A specialized agency of the United Nations, ICAO was created in 1944 to promote the safe and orderly development of international civil aviation throughout the world. It sets standards and regulations necessary for aviation safety, security, efficiency, capacity and environmental protection, amongst many other priorities. The Organization serves as the forum for cooperation in all fields of civil aviation among its 192 Member States. ICAO and Economic Development ICAO's No Country Left Behind initiative Contacts Anthony Philbin Chief, Communications aphilbin@icao.int +1 514-954-8220 +1 438-402-8886 (mobile) Twitter: @ICAO William Raillant-Clark Communications Officer wraillantclark@icao.int +1 514-954-6705 +1 514-409-0705 (mobile) Twitter: @wraillantclark LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/raillantclark/ iciHaiti - USA : Kenneth Merten Highlights US Government Partnership During his visit to Haiti which ended on December 8 last, Kenneth Merten, Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs at the U.S. State Department, underscored the long-standing U.S.-Haiti partnership, as well as the U.S. commitment to supporting the democratic process and strengthening the rule of law to ensure political and economic stability in Haiti. While in Port-Au-Prince, Ambassador Merten met with President Jovenel Moise, Prime Minister Jean Henry Ceant, and Foreign Minister Bocchit Edmond to discuss areas of U.S.-Haiti cooperation and regional issues. Ambassador Merten also met with Senate President Joseph Lambert, Chamber of Deputies President Gary Bodeau, and Haitian parliamentarians, to encourage Haitis political parties and leaders to work together to advance the interests and aspirations of the Haitian people. In addition, Ambassador Merten discussed efforts to reinforce security, strengthen the rule of law, and promote human rights with Minujusth and the Core Group. His visit also included meetings with members of the business community to highlight priorities targeted at sustainable, long-term economic development, self-reliance, and increased domestic resource mobilization. "The United States is committed to its productive partnership with Haitis government, as we work toward our shared goals of a more prosperous, safe, and democratic Haiti," declared Merten. See also : https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-26204-haiti-usa-kenneth-h-merten-talks-about-the-crisis-in-haiti.html IH/ iciHaiti The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) has backed condemnations by its affiliate, the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate (PJS) of a raid by Israeli of the offices of the Palestinian news agency Wafa, on 10 December. The organizations demand the release of all Palestinian journalists jailed by Israel and the end of persecutions of Palestinian journalists. According to media reports, low-intensity confrontations broke out during the evening of Monday 10 December, in several parts of the city of Ramallah. It included confrontations just in front of the Wafa offices. A group of Israeli soldiers invaded the headquarters of Wafa, with no clear reason or justification. According to Khuloud Assaf, Wafa Chief Editor, PJS board member and a member of the IFJs Gender Council steering committee: the occupation soldiers broke into the agencys server room and seized video tapes of the surveillance cameras after confining the staff in one room and used the windows and balconies of the news agency to fire teargas, sound bombs, and rubber-coated steel bullets against Palestinian demonstrators and passers-by in the area. She added that the Israeli forces fired a sound bomb inside the fourth floor of the agency building to terrify the journalists and tear gas bombs at the balcony of the editorial room on the second floor, causing suffocation and breathing difficulties among the journalists who were inside the building, after they had locked down the offices and verified the identity of all journalists. The Palestinian Journalists Syndicate published a statement calling on all international organizations to condemn the raid and demand justice : The Syndicate considers the raid a new crime against the Palestinian media, and a clear violation of international law that is part of the systematic and continuous crimes and violations against Palestinian journalists and media organizations. The PJS also condemned, the arrest on the same day of two journalists from their houses by Israeli forces in the West Bank. Husain Shujaiya, working at the media department of Jerusalem Legal Aid and Human Rights Centre, was detained for a few hours while working in Hebron city and Samih Manasra, working as a reporter for Jerusalem Radio, was arrested in his house. Anthony Bellanger, IFJ General Secretary said : We condemn this reckless act of the Israeli army which endangered the lives of Palestinian journalists working in their newsroom. Those responsible for ordering this raid must be held accountable. This new attack on press freedom and journalists in Palestine from Israeli forces is unacceptable. The violent intrusion and forfeiture of journalists equipment can not be justified. We demand the immediate end of violence against Palestinian media, the release of the two journalists arrested on Monday and of all Palestinian journalists jailed by Israel. Imperial Valley News Center President Trump Taking Action to Keep Weapons Out of the Hands of Terrorists Washington, DC - "We must deny the terrorists safe haven, transit, funding, and any form of support for their vile and sinister ideology. We must drive them out of our nations." ~ President Donald J. Trump KEEPING WMD OUT OF TERRORISTS HANDS: President Donald J. Trump is releasing a new National Strategy for Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) Terrorism. President Trumps new strategy will focus on deterrence, detection, and disruption. The strategy emphasizes on preventing terrorists from conducting WMD attacks and deterring hostile states and individuals from assisting them. This will include: Making acquisition of WMD and associated materials as difficult as possible. Strengthening our defenses to a degree that such terrorist attacks will be unsuccessful. Deterring state and individual support for WMD terrorism. The Presidents strategy addresses the need to disrupt and degrade the technical capabilities of terrorists plotting WMD attacks. The United States will make investments to identify and protect against technological trends that may enable terrorists to develop, acquire, or use WMD. Educational campaigns and other efforts will seek to increase the preparedness of State, local, tribal, and territorial governments, as well as our citizens. Given the potential global effects of WMD terrorism, the United States will assist other countries where necessary to build their capacity to combat this growing threat. COUNTERING THIS GROWING THREAT: The Trump Administration is taking these new aggressive steps to counter the growing threat posed by WMD terrorism. Despite decades of efforts, past approaches have insufficiently mitigated the WMD threat to the United States. Over the past 40 years, multiple groups have attempted to develop WMD and, in some cases, have successfully used them against military and civilian targets. ISIS, for instance, has used sulfur mustard, chlorine, and other toxic chemicals on the battlefield. Technology has enabled terrorists to more easily acquire the capability to use WMD. Past terrorist attacks suggest that terrorists would not hesitate to use WMD should they acquire them. Without our intervention, the historical trend indicates that the development and use of WMD by terrorists will continue to increase at a significant rate. DEFENDING THE AMERICAN PEOPLE: President Donald J. Trump is committed to defending the American people from the threat of terrorism and WMD. Editor's note: Inc. magazine's 2018 Company of the Year is Bird. Here, we spotlight last year's winner. Ben Chestnut spent 2018 surrounded by construction. Literally: At his Atlanta home, landscaping crews spent the early fall digging up the Mailchimp CEO's yard for renovations. And figuratively: At his nearly 18-year-old email-marketing company, which Inc. last year named its 2017 Company of the Year, Chestnut is implementing overhauls both visible and not. There are new products, hundreds of new employees, millions of new customers, and even a subtle tweak to its name (note the newly lowercase "c" in "Mailchimp"). All of which have allowed Chestnut a moment or two to rest on his laurels. "A year ago, I feel like we were talking about things we had planned," he reflected in mid-October. "This year, it's mostly live." It's a rare bit of visible satisfaction from a CEO who runs one of the more successful small businesses in America, but who says he's always seeking the growing pains of the next challenge. By last year, Chestnut and co-founder Dan Kurzius had seen their company reach $525 million in annual revenue, without ever taking outside investment; this year, revenue grew to $600 million. Mailchimp now claims more than 20 million customers, up from 16 million a year ago, and almost 1,000 employees, up from 700 in 2017. Much of this growth has come from Chestnut's ongoing efforts to detach Mailchimp from its email-centric reputation. Entrepreneurs and small businesses have long relied on the company's simple, freemium email-list software to start getting the word out about their businesses. Email remains Mailchimp's dominant product--it sends more than one billion messages every day--but, in 2018, the company continued pivoting toward technologies both old (direct-mail postcards) and new (stripped-down websites, or "landing pages," and a still-developing customer relationship management system). As for the company's beloved TinyLetter newsletter service, which Chestnut said a year ago was eventually going away: He still doesn't know exactly when, but he still intends to shut it down following some "structural" work to Mailchimp. That includes an overhaul of the company's app, which he says is unlikely to be completed in the first half of 2019. "TinyLetter is something that we want to get right," he says. "We have to be very careful about how we make changes to our products," but "the plan is to absorb it into Mailchimp." Mailchimp's other new products don't have anywhere near email's popularity yet. According to the company, customers have sent 100,000 pieces of Mailchimp snail-mail, and built more than 400,000 landing pages. The latter has yielded a partnership with Square, and is Mailchimp's most popular new offering--to Chestnut's surprise. "I thought it was a dumb idea. I fought it to the end," he says. "The team just kept saying, 'Ben, you don't know what you're talking about. Customers are asking for this.'" Chestnut let himself be overruled, a sign of the necessary evolution facing most founders of fast-growing businesses. Mailchimp's first several years were scrappy and tenuous, with Chestnut and Kurzius involved in every decision. "I knew exactly when stuff was going live, and I knew exactly what to say and what to celebrate," he reflects. But almost two decades in, with a thousand employees depending on him and his efforts to transform Mailchimp into an even bigger marketing-software company, Chestnut is learning to let go of the small stuff. Ed Sheeran has announced his support for our AIDSfree appeal as a limited edition T-shirt he designed goes on sale to raise funds. All proceeds will go towards our appeal and help the Chukua Selfie programme, a project in Nairobi, Kenya, that encourages young men to test themselves for HIV. Its broader aims are to protect young people from HIV, empower them to seek treatment if they are HIV positive and help stop the spread of the virus. Sheeran, 27, said: Im completely behind the Elton John AIDS Foundations goal to end the Aids epidemic once and for all. To do this, I firmly believe we need to make young men part of our efforts, not only to bring them into consciousness about their own risk and vulnerability to HIV, but also to empower them to protect the women around them. Kenya has the fourth largest HIV/Aids epidemic in the world. Thousands of people die from Aids-related illnesses there every year, and many more are living with HIV but are unaware of their HIV-positive status. Sheerans support comes after Take That backed the campaign, which is also endorsed by Elizabeth Hurley, David Walliams and Taron Egerton, who plays Sir Elton John in a film out next year. All proceeds from T-shirt sales will also be matched by the UK government for projects in Nairobi and Maputo. Ed Sheerans T-shirt is available to buy for around 20 (depending on exchange rates) plus shipping, at represent.com/edsheeran. Netflix's forthcoming Carmen Sandiego reboot now has an official release date. The animated series, which will feature the voices of Gina Rodriguez and Finn Wolfhard, is set to debut on 18 January, 2019, the streamer has announced. Netflix has also given a first look at its take on the adventures of the criminal mastermind, which will take a closer look at Sandiego's backstory and the events that led her to become a super thief. "WHEN in the world is Carmen Sandiego coming to Netflix?" the platform tweeted in reference to Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?, the 1985 video game in which Sandiego made her debut. "*hacks database* January 18!" The accompanying poster shows the new version of Sandiego, dressed in her signature wide-brimmed red hat and matching coat with a popped collar for additional stealthiness. Rodriguez, who rose to fame as the titular character in Jane the Virgin, voices Sandiego in Netflix's series. The actor is also set to star in a live-action Carmen Sandiego film for the platform, as previously announced by Deadline. Wolfhard Mike Wheeler in Stranger Things voices her friend and accomplice Player in the animated show. 15 Christmas films to watch on Netflix Show all 15 1 /15 15 Christmas films to watch on Netflix 15 Christmas films to watch on Netflix The Christmas Chronicles The Christmas Chronicles, a holiday adventure from producer Chris Columbus (Home Alone, "Harry Potter") and director Clay Kaytis ("The Angry Birds Movie"), tells the story of sister and brother, Kate (Darby Camp) and Teddy Pierce (Judah Lewis), whose Christmas Eve plan to catch Santa Claus (Kurt Russell) on camera turns into an unexpected journey that most kids could only dream about. After staking out Santas arrival, they sneak into his sleigh, cause it to crash and nearly derail Christmas. As their wild night unfolds, Kate and Teddy work together with Santa - as you've never seen him before - and his loyal Elves to save Christmas before it's too late. Michael Gibson/Netflix 15 Christmas films to watch on Netflix The Princess Switch One week before Christmas, Margaret, the gorgeous Duchess of Montenaro, switches places with Stacy, a commoner from Chicago, who looks exactly like her. With the assistance of a magical Santa's helper, Margaret falls in love with Stacys handsome co-worker, while Stacy falls in love with Margaret's fiance, the dashing Prince. Netflix 15 Christmas films to watch on Netflix The Holiday Calendar A struggling but talented photographer inherits an antique holiday advent calendar, the contents of which seem to predict the future. Will this magical calendar lead her to love this holiday season? Netflix 15 Christmas films to watch on Netflix The Holiday Dumped and depressed, English rose Iris (Kate Winslet) agrees to swap homes with similarly unlucky in love Californian Amanda (Cameron Diaz) for a much-needed break. Iris finds herself in a palatial Hollywood mansion while Amanda navigates the lanes of a picture-perfect English village. Also starring Jude Law and Jack Black. YouTube 15 Christmas films to watch on Netflix Nativity! Paul (Martin Freeman), charged with directing the school nativity play, falsely boasts that his ex-girlfriend plans to turn the production into a film. YouTube 15 Christmas films to watch on Netflix Deck the Halls Neighbours Matthew Broderick and Danny DeVito face off in this holiday comedy co-starring Kristen Davis. YouTube 15 Christmas films to watch on Netflix Arthur Christmas At Santa Clauss super-secret toy-making facility, Mr Claus entrusts his son, Arthur, to carry out an ultra-important Christmas mission. YouTube 15 Christmas films to watch on Netflix A Christmas Prince Christmas comes early for an aspiring young journalist when she's sent abroad to get the scoop on a handsome prince who's poised to be king. Netflix 15 Christmas films to watch on Netflix A Christmas Prince: The Royal Wedding A year after Amber helped Richard secure the crown, the two are set to tie the knot in a royal Christmas wedding - but their plans are jeopardized when Amber finds herself second-guessing whether or not she's cut out to be queen, and Richard is faced with a political crisis that threatens to tarnish not only the holiday season, but the future of the kingdom. Netflix 15 Christmas films to watch on Netflix Last Holiday Upon learning that about terminal illness, Georgia, a shy woman decides to sell off all her possessions and live it up in a posh hotel. YouTube 15 Christmas films to watch on Netflix Angela's Christmas Based on the beloved childrens book by Frank McCourt (author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning memoir Angelas Ashes), Angelas Christmas is a funny, heartwarming and poignant story about the power of family and the innocent desire of a child to ensure everyone is safe, warm and loved at Christmas time. Netflix 15 Christmas films to watch on Netflix Christmas Inheritance Before ambitious heiress Ellen Langford can inherit her father's business, she must deliver a special Christmas card to her dad's former partner in Snow Falls. When a snowstorm strands her at the town inn, she discovers the true gift of Christmas. Netflix 15 Christmas films to watch on Netflix Love the Coopers For their annual Christmas Eve celebration, Sam Cooper (John Goodman) and his wife Charlotte (Diane Keaton) welcome four generations of extended family, including son Hank (Ed Helms), daughter Eleanor (Olivia Wilde) and Charlotte's father, Bucky (Alan Arkin). Sam and Charlotte are separating after 40 years of marriage, while Hank is in the middle of a divorce. As the guests reveal their respective problems, they also rediscover the importance of kinship and the spirit of the holiday. YouTube 15 Christmas films to watch on Netflix Christmas Wedding Planner A wedding planner is in the midst of planning her cousin's lavish and exclusive wedding when a devilishly handsome private investigator turns her world upside down. YouTube 15 Christmas films to watch on Netflix Once Upon a Holiday A princess visiting New York during Christmas escapes her royal entourage to experience the city. She is saved from muggers by a handsome man, and romance blooms when he shows her his side of the city. YouTube The Carmen Sandiego computer game series evolved into a bona fide franchise, which includes the famous Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego? game show hosted by Greg Lee on PBS from 1991 to 1995. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events An animated show, Where on Earth is Carmen Sandiego?, aired from 1994 to 1999 on FOX Kids. The Today team is saying goodbye to Kathie Lee Gifford, who announced on Tuesday morning she is set to leave the morning show. Gifford, a fixture of Today's fourth hour, will remain a part of the NBC programme until 7 April, 2019, her next work anniversary, the network explained. The co-host has been a part of Today for a decade. When she exits the show for good, her run will have totalled 11 years. Her segment with Hoda Kotb, Kathie Lee & Hoda, is one of the signature parts of the programme, characterised by its lighthearted tone and the cocktails and glasses of wine Kotb and Gifford sip on to keep the mood "light and happy and uplifting", as Kotb previously told Today. Gifford announced her upcoming departure during Tuesday's broadcast. Recommended Hugh Jackman performs Greatest Showman hits on The Today Show "It's bittersweet, as these things always are," she said, adding that she initially thought she would only stay on the show for one year but "fell in love" with her friend and co-worker Kotb. "It's an exciting time for me and I'm thrilled about all the projects that are coming up but it's also hard because the reason I stayed for more than a year is because I love everybody here so much," Gifford added. Kotb was the first to pay tribute to her co-host, telling her on the air, through tears: "The minute you stepped into my life with both feet, everything changed." "Everything good that's happened in my life has happened since you came," she added, before pointing out that she met her partner Joel Schiffman and adopted her daughter Haley Joy throughout her run with Gifford on the show. Other members of the Today team shared kind words for Gifford on social media. Savannah Guthrie, who co-anchors the show with Kotb, called Gifford "a true pro, a true legend, a true friend". Access unlimited streaming of movies and TV shows with Amazon Prime Video Sign up now for a 30-day free trial Sign up Contributor Jenna Bush Hager wrote: "We adore you KLG. Thanks for your love, friendship and for your hilarity. You will be dearly missed." Kotb shared another homage to her co-host on Twitter, writing: "I had a chance to work with a legend... not something many people get to say in their lifetime... but thanks to you @KathieLGifford." Gifford's announcement comes a year after Matt Lauer was fired from the Today show due to accusations of sexual misconduct. She was originally set to leave the show at the end of 2017 to focus on film projects, but Lauer's firing in November of that year changed her plans, Gifford previously told People. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events You get to a point of your life where you run out of time to do what you want to do, Gifford told the magazine, before explaining that she decided to stay after the network accommodated her schedule. In 2018, Gifford travelled to Scotland to star in Love Me to Death, a film she wrote. The movie, which tells the story of a widow planning a trip around the world, also stars Scottish-American TV host Craig Ferguson. The Arctic has been warmer for the past five years than at any other point since 1900 when records began, according to a US government agency report. Dramatic changes are being felt across the polar region as global warming triggers knock-on effects from earlier plankton blooms to more extreme weather. The Arctic experienced its second warmest air temperatures and second lowest sea-ice coverage in 2018. Polar temperatures are rising at roughly double the rate of the global average, and according to scientists behind the latest analysis this is causing "unexpected" changes in the environment. Shifting patterns in the global jet stream linked to this warming have coincided with unusual conditions further south, including the freezing "Beast from the East" that struck Britain. These events are outlined in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administrations (NOAA) latest annual Arctic Report card. It is the latest warning from US scientists about the enormous threat posed by climate change, even as president Donald Trump continues to voice his scepticism about its existence. The Arctic is experiencing the most unprecedented transition in human history, said Dr Emily Osborne, who led the report. Glacier collapse shows climate impact Show all 20 1 /20 Glacier collapse shows climate impact Glacier collapse shows climate impact An iceberg floats in a fjord near the town of Tasiilaq Reuters Glacier collapse shows climate impact Meltwater pools on top of the Helheim glacier near Tasiilaq Reuters Glacier collapse shows climate impact Safety officer Brian Rougeux works with student Febin Magar to assemble a radar dome while working in a science camp on the side of the Helheim glacier Reuters Glacier collapse shows climate impact Airplane Mechanic, David Fuller, left, works with a local worker to move a Nasa Gulfstream III during a pre-flight inspection before a flight to support the Oceans Melting Greenland research mission Reuters Glacier collapse shows climate impact Meltwater pools on top of the Helheim glacier Reuters Glacier collapse shows climate impact Earth Science Flight Programs Director at Nasa, Eric Ianson, looks out at the Greenland ice sheet Reuters Glacier collapse shows climate impact Glacial ice is seen from the window during the Nasa flight Reuters Glacier collapse shows climate impact Oceanographer David Holland's science camp on the side of the Helheim glacier Reuters Glacier collapse shows climate impact An iceberg floats in a fjord near the town of Tasiilaq Reuters Glacier collapse shows climate impact A large crevasse forms near the calving front of the Helheim glacier Reuters Glacier collapse shows climate impact Safety officer Brian Rougeux uses a drill to install antennas for scientific instruments that will be left on top of the Helheim glacier Reuters Glacier collapse shows climate impact Tabular icebergs float in the Sermilik Fjord after a large calving event at the Helheim glacier Reuters Glacier collapse shows climate impact Radar Engineer, Ron Muellerschoen, monitors data collection inside a NASA Gulfstream III flying above Greenland to measure loss to the country's ice sheet Reuters Glacier collapse shows climate impact GPS tracking equipment is left on top of the Helheim glacier REUTERS Glacier collapse shows climate impact Sunshine lights up the Helheim glacier Reuters Glacier collapse shows climate impact A glacial terminus above the east coast of Greenland REUTERS Glacier collapse shows climate impact Student Febin Magar watches as leftover wood burns in a research camp Reuters Glacier collapse shows climate impact Tabular icebergs float in the Sermilik Fjord after a large calving event Reuters Glacier collapse shows climate impact Oceanographer David Holland repairs a broken GPS module at his research camp Reuters Glacier collapse shows climate impact An iceberg floats in a fjord near the town of Tasiilaq Reuters These changes are impacting Arctic residents and have the potential to affect people well beyond the region. Dr Osborne noted that in the 13 years the NOAA has been publishing these reports, the warming trend has continued to increase in severity. Additional threats to the Arctic come from ocean plastic contamination, which is on the rise, and human expansion into the region. Nations including the US and Russia have expressed an interest in expanding their fossil fuel drilling in the Arctic, and melting ice is opening previously inaccessible shipping lanes further north. Recommended Bird decline linked to climate change bringing predators to Arctic The environmental changes in the Arctic underscore why NOAA continues to invest in Arctic research and activities, which improve the nations economic competitiveness, national security, and the sustainable management of natural resources, said retired Navy Rear Admiral Timothy Gallaudet, acting under-secretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere at NOAA. This report will also help guide NOAAs priorities in better understanding the role of the Arctic in climate change and extreme weather; sustaining and growing fisheries; and supporting adaptation and economic opportunities in the region. The findings have been released weeks after a US government report concluded that climate change resulting from excessive fossil fuel use was a major threat to both American lives and the nations economy. Responding to the report, the unashamedly pro-fossil fuel president told reporters that he simply did not believe it. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events However, Mr Gallaudet refused to be drawn on the subject of the US administrations climate scepticism. The White House has been a firm supporter of our research in the Arctic, not just NOAA but nationally, he said, noting that the Arctic research was considered important for national security. Mr Trump's administration has been rolling back Obama-era environmental regulations in an effort to maximise fossil fuel production, and has announced the withdrawal of the US from the Paris climate agreement. At the on-going UN climate talks in Poland, the US has been called a "climate villain" for allying with Russia and Saudi Arabia to push back against a key scientific report on climate change. Previously dormant glaciers storing vast quantities of water are waking up and have begun to melt even in the worlds harshest and remote environments. Nasa has detected new signs large glaciers in East Antarctica are losing ice, raising the prospect of catastrophic sea level rises as global temperatures increase. East Antarctica contains such huge volumes of ice that significant melting has the potential to reshape coastlines around the world; but this part of the continent has long been considered more stable than West Antarctica. New detailed maps showing ice velocity and elevation indicate a huge group of glaciers on the East Antarctic coast, including the massive Totten Glacier, which covers about 2,400 square miles, have begun to lose increasing volumes of ice over the last decade. The organisation says the findings hint at widespread changes in the ocean. Scientists have previously warned the Totten Glacier, which is the fastest moving mass of ice in East Antarctica, was shrinking as a result of warming ocean water. Nasa describes this one glacier alone as a behemoth that contains enough ice to raise sea levels by at least 11 feet [3.3 metres]". A group of four other glaciers west of Totten, as well as a handful of smaller glaciers further east are also losing ice. Totten is the biggest glacier in East Antarctica, so it attracts most of the research focus, said Catherine Walker, a glaciologist at Nasas Goddard Space Flight Centre, at the American Geophysical Union meeting in Washington. But once you start asking what else is happening in this region, it turns out that other nearby glaciers are responding in a similar way to Totten. NASA map of ice velocity across the whole Antarctic. The Totten Glacier is the area of red in the east (right hand side). Ice melt is much faster in the west. (PA) The research revealed the surface height of four glaciers in an area called Vincennes Bay have lowered by about 9 feet (2.7 metres) since 2008. Before that year, there had been no measured change in elevation for these glaciers. The change doesnt seem random, it looks systematic, said Alex Gardner, a glaciologist with Nasas Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California. And that systematic nature hints at underlying ocean influences that have been incredibly strong in West Antarctica. Now we might be finding clear links of the ocean starting to influence East Antarctica. A group of four glaciers in an area of East Antarctica called Vincennes Bay, west of the massive Totten Glacier, have lowered their surface height by about 9 feet since 2008, hinting at widespread changes in the ocean (PA) Little is known about the shape of the bedrock around the shore in Antarctica due to the thick ice sheet and remote location, but certain formations could have beneficial or detrimental effects on supporting the ice sheet. Glaciologists have warned that if the rock where the sea meets land is steep-sided and smooth, the ice base at the bottom of the glacier would be submerged deeper and deeper as the glacier melts. And as ice calves off, the height of the ice face exposed to the ocean would increase speeding up melting and increasing instability. But if the land slopes slowly into the sea and features ridges which provide friction, it would slow down the flow and loss of ice, Nasa said. Heightened attention needs to be given to these glaciers. We need to better map the topography and we need to better map the bathymetry, Dr Gardner said. Only then can we be more conclusive in determining whether, if the ocean warms, these glaciers will enter a phase of rapid retreat or stabilise on upstream topographic features. The findings will compound concern about sea ice melting in the Antarctic. The western half of the continent is in the grip of far more rapid melting, where at least four glaciers dwarf the Totten glacier. Glacier collapse shows climate impact Show all 20 1 /20 Glacier collapse shows climate impact Glacier collapse shows climate impact An iceberg floats in a fjord near the town of Tasiilaq Reuters Glacier collapse shows climate impact Meltwater pools on top of the Helheim glacier near Tasiilaq Reuters Glacier collapse shows climate impact Safety officer Brian Rougeux works with student Febin Magar to assemble a radar dome while working in a science camp on the side of the Helheim glacier Reuters Glacier collapse shows climate impact Airplane Mechanic, David Fuller, left, works with a local worker to move a Nasa Gulfstream III during a pre-flight inspection before a flight to support the Oceans Melting Greenland research mission Reuters Glacier collapse shows climate impact Meltwater pools on top of the Helheim glacier Reuters Glacier collapse shows climate impact Earth Science Flight Programs Director at Nasa, Eric Ianson, looks out at the Greenland ice sheet Reuters Glacier collapse shows climate impact Glacial ice is seen from the window during the Nasa flight Reuters Glacier collapse shows climate impact Oceanographer David Holland's science camp on the side of the Helheim glacier Reuters Glacier collapse shows climate impact An iceberg floats in a fjord near the town of Tasiilaq Reuters Glacier collapse shows climate impact A large crevasse forms near the calving front of the Helheim glacier Reuters Glacier collapse shows climate impact Safety officer Brian Rougeux uses a drill to install antennas for scientific instruments that will be left on top of the Helheim glacier Reuters Glacier collapse shows climate impact Tabular icebergs float in the Sermilik Fjord after a large calving event at the Helheim glacier Reuters Glacier collapse shows climate impact Radar Engineer, Ron Muellerschoen, monitors data collection inside a NASA Gulfstream III flying above Greenland to measure loss to the country's ice sheet Reuters Glacier collapse shows climate impact GPS tracking equipment is left on top of the Helheim glacier REUTERS Glacier collapse shows climate impact Sunshine lights up the Helheim glacier Reuters Glacier collapse shows climate impact A glacial terminus above the east coast of Greenland REUTERS Glacier collapse shows climate impact Student Febin Magar watches as leftover wood burns in a research camp Reuters Glacier collapse shows climate impact Tabular icebergs float in the Sermilik Fjord after a large calving event Reuters Glacier collapse shows climate impact Oceanographer David Holland repairs a broken GPS module at his research camp Reuters Glacier collapse shows climate impact An iceberg floats in a fjord near the town of Tasiilaq Reuters A new Nasa project called Inter-mission Times Series of Land Ice Velocity and Elevation (or ITS_LIVE) is to be launched in early 2019 to track the movement of the worlds ice. The project will include the creation of a 30-year record of satellite observations of changes in the surface elevation of glaciers, ice sheets and ice shelves, and a detailed record of variations in ice velocity starting in 2013. The worlds largest trader in palm oil has unveiled plans to use satellite monitoring to prevent further destruction of rainforests. Wilmar International is backing a project by sustainability consultancy Aidenvironment to draw up a comprehensive mapping database of suppliers in countries such as Indonesia and Malaysia. It has pledged to immediately suspend groups involved in deforestation or development on peatland, while also working with them to improve their operations. The announcement by the company, which supplies around 40 per cent of the worlds palm oil, was hailed as a potential breakthrough by environmental campaign group Greenpeace. Kiki Taufik, global head of Indonesian forests campaign for Greenpeace Southeast Asia, said: If Wilmar keeps its word, by the end of 2019 it will be using satellites to monitor all of its palm oil suppliers, making it almost impossible for them to get away with forest destruction. He added: As the world wakes up to the climate and extinction crisis, inaction is not an option. Wilmar has taken an important step and must now put its plan into action immediately. Stopping deforestation requires industry-wide action. Other traders and brands must now follow with credible plans to map and monitor all of their suppliers. Equally important is action to end exploitation and human rights abuses in the palm oil sector. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events Palm oil is used in an enormous variety of products, including shampoo, candles, lipstick, bread and chocolate, and is also a critical component in fuels. Destruction of rainforests and peatlands to make way for palm oil plantations releases large amounts of carbon emissions which fuel climate change and threaten wildlife such as orangutans. The issue gained a higher profile amid controversy over Icelands Christmas advertisement, which features an orangutan mourning the loss of a forest home that has been destroyed. The guilty secrets of palm oil: Are you unwittingly contributing to the devastation of the rain forests? Show all 3 1 /3 The guilty secrets of palm oil: Are you unwittingly contributing to the devastation of the rain forests? The guilty secrets of palm oil: Are you unwittingly contributing to the devastation of the rain forests? Greenpeace The guilty secrets of palm oil: Are you unwittingly contributing to the devastation of the rain forests? Greenpeace The guilty secrets of palm oil: Are you unwittingly contributing to the devastation of the rain forests? Getty Images Wilmar said their new, enhanced plan was part of its policy of no deforestation, no peat, no exploitation (NDPE) and called on other industry players to step up the pressure on non-compliant suppliers. We remain steadfast in our commitment to our NDPE policy and this new enhanced plan is part of our sustainability strategy as we strive towards a supply chain free of deforestation and conflict, said Wilmars chief sustainability officer Jeremy Goon. Eric Wakker, co-founder of Aidenvironment Asia, said: Companies in the palm oil supply chain will now gain better visibility into the plantation companies they source from in terms of their operational locations and especially their compliance with the NDPE policy. It will also allow companies to act faster against suppliers found to be involved in deforestation and peatland development. Additional reporting by Press Association Google has revealed ambitious plans to redevelop its hometown of Mountain View following a major land grab in California. The technology giant submitted a development proposal to the city on Friday, titled 'A Shared Vision for North Bayshore', which describes Google's vision to transform the neighbourhood "from a place for cars to a place for people." The plans include new office space, affordable housing, bike and foot paths, as well as provisions for climate change events predicted over the next century. Google's proposal explains: "Protecting development and infrastructure against projected sea-level rise in the year 2100, with development generally located in upland areas; expanding the Charleston Retention Basin by over 2 acres to provide an additional 5 acre-feet of stormwater detention volume during larger storm events; and exploring a series of both public and private partnerships to plan for and fund regional level strategies to address sea-level rise (and associated climate risks)." First pictures of Google's new offices in Kings Cross Show all 7 1 /7 First pictures of Google's new offices in Kings Cross First pictures of Google's new offices in Kings Cross Google's new Kings Cross office On Monday June 20, around 800 software engineers will be the first of 2,500 Google employees to relocate in the brand new 371,000 square feet, 11 storeys office, designed by Allford Hall Monaghan Morris (AHMM). Tom Soar First pictures of Google's new offices in Kings Cross Google's new Kings Cross office The 11-storey office has been leased by Google from BNP Paribas Real Estate last year. Tom Soar First pictures of Google's new offices in Kings Cross Google's new Kings Cross office Andrei Popescu, one of Googles UK Engineering Directors said: The UK has an incredible amount of engineering talent and as our team grows and we have this incredible new working space, were looking for more talented programmers to join us in London." Tom Soar First pictures of Google's new offices in Kings Cross Google's new Kings Cross office The staff at 6 Pancras Square will work on some of Google's best-known products. Tom Soar First pictures of Google's new offices in Kings Cross Google's new Kings Cross office Googles new office has been built with sustainability and healthy materials in mind. The project also pioneered the Healthy Materials Program, an initiative developed with the goal of eliminating harmful compounds from Google offices to create a healthier space with improved air quality. Tom Soar First pictures of Google's new offices in Kings Cross Google's new Kings Cross office The new facilities will also include a running track and sleeping pods. Tom Soar First pictures of Google's new offices in Kings Cross Google's new Kings Cross office Around 800 engineers will move in during the first phase and there will be a total capacity of 2,500 after the second phase is complete later this year. Tom Soar In November, Google acquired a 51.8-acre space in Mountain View for a reported $1 billion, making it the largest real estate transaction in the Bay Area in 2018. The acquisition gave Google greater power to redevelop and renovate the land beside its sprawling headquarters. An illustration from the proposal for 'A Shared Vision for North Bayshore' (Google) The development proposal, first reported by CNBC, includes a "Jobs-Housing Balance Policy" that calls for a 4:1 ratio of housing to office space, while simultaneously making the North Bayshore neighbourhood a "welcoming destination" for people to visit. "Transforming a suburban office park into vibrant new neighbourhoods also means taking a comprehensive approach to transportation and mobility one that encourages people to get out of their cars," the proposal states. "And better mobility options can have big outcomes: improving public health, changing behaviour, alleviating congestion, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and vehicle miles travelled, improving safety for cyclists and pedestrians, and simply creating great public places." Google will work with the City of Mountain View over the following months to review the proposal in the hope of getting approval to realise the project within the next 10 to 15 years. Michelle Obama has announced that shes going to be returning to London for an additional stop on her book tour in 2019. This news comes following the success of her recent visit to the UK capital in early December, during which she spoke about her illuminating memoir Becoming at Southbank Centres Royal Festival Hall. With tickets selling out in minutes for Obamas previous London appearance, fans keen to attend the newly announced event will undoubtedly have to be extremely tactical when attempting to get to the front of the online queue. So when is Michelle Obamas scheduled London event, where is it taking place and how can you purchase tickets? Heres everything you need to know. When is it? On Tuesday 11 December, Obama revealed on social media that shed added multiple additional dates to her book tour for her autobiographical memoir. Michelle Obama over the years Show all 12 1 /12 Michelle Obama over the years Michelle Obama over the years Appearing at a 'Let's Move' event in 2014 Getty Michelle Obama over the years Speaking at a Clinton campaign rally Getty Michelle Obama over the years August 2016 State Dinner Getty Michelle Obama over the years The Obamas waiting for the 2004 Senate election results Getty Michelle Obama over the years Michelle Obama hula-hooping at a health fair at the White House Getty Michelle Obama over the years Michelle Obama speaks at the 2016 DNC Getty Michelle Obama over the years Barack Obama being sworn in to the 109th Congress Getty Michelle Obama over the years Getty Michelle Obama over the years Getty Michelle Obama over the years Getty Michelle Obama over the years In London at a Let Girls Learn event Getty Michelle Obama over the years State Dinner October 2016 Getty Shell be visiting the O2 Arena in south-east London on Sunday 14 April 2019, with the event scheduled to begin at 6pm. While Obama spoke about her book with renowned author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie during her last London visit, it hasnt yet been revealed wholl be joining the former first lady on stage in 2019. When are tickets going on sale? The official website for Obamas Becoming memoir provides a link with more information regarding how you can purchase tickets online, with prices currently remaining under wraps. The O2 Presale for tickets will be opening on Wednesday 12 December at 1pm, and will remain open until Friday 14 December 12pm. Recommended Michelle Obama opens up about having imposter syndrome The Live Nation Presale for tickets will then be opening a day later on Thursday 13 December at 1pm, remaining open until Friday 14 December 12pm. The last wave of tickets will be released on Friday 14 December at 1pm as part of the General Onsale. People will be able to purchase tickets for seats on the floor, lower tier and upper tier of the O2 Arena. Individuals under the age of 15 must be accompanied by an adult, and only those aged over 16 are allowed to sit on the floor level of the arena. How can I get my hands on tickets? With there being high demand for tickets to see Obama in London next year, there are a number of useful hacks that you can try to increase your chances of seeing the former first lady in the flesh. Firstly, it may be worth setting a reminder for yourself on your phone so that you don't forget to join the queue when the tickets are released. Secondly, make sure that you have your credit or debit card in front of you as soon as the tickets go on sale. It would be so frustrating to miss out on tickets simply because you didn't have your payment details at the ready. Michelle Obama launches memoir in London: 'My opinions were meaningful, and my anger and frustrations were real' When joining the online queue, it's important that you don't try to buy tickets in multiple tabs on the same browser, as this can actually decrease your chances of getting through. Instead, you could try joining the queue several times in multiple browsers, a technique that has proven especially advantageous for some trying for Glastonbury Festival tickets in the past. Furthermore, if you continue to refresh your browser, this could help you move further along the line. Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, check that your WiFi connection is holding strong. Britons went all out on Sunday night in anticipation of the UEFA Euro 2020 finals, filling the pubs and streets or holding house parties with plenty of boozing before, during and after the game. So if youre waking up on Monday full of regret for overdoing it last night, medication can be tempting. But if youd prefer to avoid pharmaceuticals, there are natural solutions to try. While theres no such thing as a complete cure for a hangover, there are measures you can take to ease the pain while you wait out the unpleasant symptoms of a heavy night. Weve talked to nutritional experts to get the lowdown on some of natural hangover cures you could try instead. 1. Ginger Ginger has long been used in Chinese medicine as an anti-nausea measure. This traditional thinking is well-founded: A 2016 study concluded that the plant is an effective and inexpensive treatment for nausea. A cup of ginger tea the morning after a heavy night could be a cheap way of hitting two birds with one stone. Youll be replenishing some of that much-needed water, and also getting an important shot of stomach-calming ginger. Since ginger also has anti-inflammatory and heart benefits, you might just find yourself making it part of your daily routine. When it comes to getting ginger to taste good, registered nutritionist Rob Hobson recommends that you add one to two teaspoons of ginger powder, half a lemon and two teaspoons of honey to a teapot and fill with boiling water. Leave it to brew for five minutes before serving. The zingy flavour is very energising, and the honey will help to re-balance low blood sugar levels, he says. 2. A balanced breakfast Tea is well and good, but many of us can empathise with a lack of appetite for actual food the morning after drinking. Eating is also vital, though, with alcohol consumption hitting your blood glucose levels hard. Cliche would dictate that you tuck into the greasiest full English available, but our experts warn against this ditch the morning-after fried breakfast, says Hobson. Granola with sliced fruit can give you a hit of natural sugars and also get you some valuable vitamins as a bonus. Rhiannon Lambert, a Harley Street nutritionist and author of the book Re:Nourish, says: Foods containing potassium can help your body to recover lost electrolytes from a night of drinking. Bananas and avocados are good sources. 3. Prickly pear The prickly pear is a photogenic cactus with a vivid red fruit. Studies have shown that extract from this fruit can be used on hangovers to impressive effect. Its been found to reduce nausea, dizziness, and headaches, all of which sound pretty brilliant from the point of view of Britains hangover victims. If you want to try it out, look for a supplement called Hovenia Dulcis extract. 4. Artichoke extract Another extract to try is Artichoke. This supplement stimulates bile production and can help to relieve bloating and other symptoms of indigestion associated with alcohol consumption, says Hobson. 5. Water It may be the simplest cure, but its one of the most effective. Even relatively light drinking leads to dehydration. This, in turn, can cause the headaches, fatigue and lack of energy that so many of us associate with hangovers. When you wake up feeling rough, drinking a glass of water should be on the top of your to-do list. Lambert says that despite not being a big drinker, she is sure to drink more water on the days after shes had a glass of wine or two. Getting rehydrated will be even easier if you remember to drink a glass of water before going to bed at the end of your night but dont panic if you havent managed this. Making sure to take regular sips throughout your morning should still help you to feel better. 6. Sleep There really is no substitute for sleep, and alcohol can seriously damage the quality and quantity of our shut eye. Whether the night has gone on until the small hours, or drinking has impaired your ability to sleep, the downsides to even light sleep deprivation are significant. If youre feeling under the weather the following morning, make sure to schedule in an afternoon nap - and dont forget an early night at the end of the day. Always drink responsibly. For more information, visit Drinkaware.co.uk. Advertising giant WPP has announced plans to cut 3,500 jobs worldwide as part of a revamp of its strategy under new boss Mark Read. The British owner of the JWT and Ogilvy agencies has lost 40 per cent of its value in the past year, and been forced to cut its sales and profit forecasts after it lost some major clients and other customers cut their spending. On Tuesday the company set out its plans for improvement, and said it is targeting a return to sales growth, in line with its competitors, by 2021. The firm said it plans to invest in its New York companies and cut costs by 275m per year by merging or closing offices and selling some of its businesses. This will lead to job losses of around 3,500, the company said, although WPP added that it will hire a further 1,000 people, particularly focusing on creative and technology roles. The restructure will cost the advertising multinational as much as 300m over the next three years. Mr Read replaced WPP founder Sir Martin Sorrell, who left after being accused of misconduct., earlier this year. We are fundamentally repositioning WPP as a creative transformation company with a simpler offer that allows us to meet the present and future needs of clients, Mr Read said on Tuesday. The restructuring of our business will enable increased investment in creativity, technology and talent, enhancing our capabilities in the categories with the greatest potential for future growth. As well as improving our offer and creating opportunities for clients, this investment will drive sustainable, profitable growth for our shareholders. The group also said it would maintain and prioritise its dividend. George Salmon, equity analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown, said simplifying WPP, which had become sprawling to put it mildly, was a sensible strategy. However, he added: Whether the new approach will be enough to counter the severe disruption facing the business is another question entirely. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events Dividend growth is taking a back seat, but given the overleveraged balance sheet and falling sales trends, that isnt a surprise. In fact, confirmation the payout is to be held rather than cut will likely be taken as a positive, as will the implication that current trading isnt deteriorating at the rate previously feared. Still, avoiding a dividend cut and confirming trading isnt as bad as it could be are very much hollow victories. Looking forward, investors will want to see signs the group can thrive, not just survive. Shares in WPP rose 5.5 per cent on Tuesday morning. Billions of tonnes of tiny creatures are thriving far beneath the planets surface, according to a major study of deep life living in a habitat nearly twice the size of the oceans. Despite extreme temperatures, pressures and a lack of nutrients, scientists found this hidden world is home to 70 per cent of Earths bacteria and their cousins the archaea. Among the vast diversity of life were miniscule worms and zombie microbes the team described as barely alive. Comparing this habitat to the Amazon rainforest or the Galapagos Islands, they say the extreme conditions could help researchers understand the origins of life both on Earth and potentially on other planets. The 10-year Deep Carbon Observatory project involved drilling deep into the seafloor and sampling microbes from mines and boreholes up to three miles underground. Though their initiative only scratched the surface of the spectrum of underground life, the scientists estimated up to 23 billion tonnes of micro-organisms lived in this deep biosphere accounting for nearly 400 times the amount of carbon found in all humans. Ten years ago, we had sampled only a few sites the kinds of places wed expect to find life, said team member Dr Karen Lloyd from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville. Now, thanks to ultra-deep sampling, we know we can find them pretty much everywhere, albeit the sampling has obviously reached only an infinitesimally tiny part of the deep biosphere. The so-called microbial dark matter of mysterious creatures consists mainly of bacteria and archaea, but within them are millions of distinct types, many of which are likely yet to be discovered. Remarkably, deep Earth life appears to have comparable genetic diversity to all life found above the surface. Scientists originally found Candidatus Desulforudis audaxviator bacteria (purple) living in Mponeng Gold Mine near Johannesburg. Scientists found no other organisms in their samples, making this deep ecosystem the first found on Earth with only one species. (Greg Wanger, Gordon Southam) While the record depth at which microbes have been found is approximately three miles below the earth's surface, the absolute limits of life underground have yet to be established. One of the microbes the team discovered can survive temperatures of 121C around thermal vents at the bottom of the sea. Dr Lloyd said that when the project began, very little was known about the creatures inhabiting these regions and how they survived. Science news in pictures Show all 20 1 /20 Science news in pictures Science news in pictures Pluto has 'beating heart' of frozen nitrogen Pluto has a 'beating heart' of frozen nitrogen that is doing strange things to its surface, Nasa has found. The mysterious core seems to be the cause of features on its surface that have fascinated scientists since they were spotted by Nasa's New Horizons mission. "Before New Horizons, everyone thought Pluto was going to be a netball - completely flat, almost no diversity," said Tanguy Bertrand, an astrophysicist and planetary scientist at NASA's Ames Research Center and the lead author on the new study. "But it's completely different. It has a lot of different landscapes and we are trying to understand what's going on there." Getty Science news in pictures Over 400 species discovered this year by Natural History Museum The ancient invertabrate worm-like species rhenopyrgus viviani (pictured) is one of over 400 species previously unknown to science that were discovered by experts at the Natural History Museum this year PA Science news in pictures Jackdaws can identify 'dangerous' humans Jackdaws can identify dangerous humans from listening to each others warning calls, scientists say. The highly social birds will also remember that person if they come near their nests again, according to researchers from the University of Exeter. In the study, a person unknown to the wild jackdaws approached their nest. At the same time scientists played a recording of a warning call (threatening) or contact calls (non-threatening). The next time jackdaws saw this same person, the birds that had previously heard the warning call were defensive and returned to their nests more than twice as quickly on average. Getty Science news in pictures Turtle embryos influence sex by shaking The sex of the turtle is determined by the temperatures at which they are incubated. Warm temperatures favour females. But by wiggling around the egg, embryos can find the Goldilocks Zone which means they are able to shield themselves against extreme thermal conditions and produce a balanced sex ratio, according to the new study published in Current Biology journal Ye et al/Current Biology Science news in pictures Elephant poaching rates drop in Africa African elephant poaching rates have dropped by 60 per cent in six years, an international study has found. It is thought the decline could be associated with the ivory trade ban introduced in China in 2017. Reuters Science news in pictures Ancient four-legged whale discovered in Peru Scientists have identified a four-legged creature with webbed feet to be an ancestor of the whale. Fossils unearthed in Peru have led scientists to conclude that the enormous creatures that traverse the planets oceans today are descended from small hoofed ancestors that lived in south Asia 50 million years ago A. Gennari Science news in pictures Animal with transient anus discovered A scientist has stumbled upon a creature with a transient anus that appears only when it is needed, before vanishing completely. Dr Sidney Tamm of the Marine Biological Laboratory could not initially find any trace of an anus on the species. However, as the animal gets full, a pore opens up to dispose of waste Steven G Johnson Science news in pictures Giant bee spotted Feared extinct, the Wallace's Giant bee has been spotted for the first time in nearly 40 years. An international team of conservationists spotted the bee, that is four times the size of a typical honeybee, on an expedition to a group of Indonesian Islands Clay Bolt Science news in pictures New mammal species found inside crocodile Fossilised bones digested by crocodiles have revealed the existence of three new mammal species that roamed the Cayman Islands 300 years ago. The bones belonged to two large rodent species and a small shrew-like animal New Mexico Museum of Natural History Science news in pictures Fabric that changes according to temperature created Scientists at the University of Maryland have created a fabric that adapts to heat, expanding to allow more heat to escape the body when warm and compacting to retain more heat when cold Faye Levine, University of Maryland Science news in pictures Baby mice tears could be used in pest control A study from the University of Tokyo has found that the tears of baby mice cause female mice to be less interested in the sexual advances of males Getty Science news in pictures Final warning to limit "climate catastrophe" The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has issued a report which projects the impact of a rise in global temperatures of 1.5 degrees Celsius and warns against a higher increase Getty Science news in pictures Nobel prize for evolution chemists The nobel prize for chemistry has been awarded to three chemists working with evolution. Frances Smith is being awarded the prize for her work on directing the evolution of enzymes, while Gregory Winter and George Smith take the prize for their work on phage display of peptides and antibodies Getty/AFP Science news in pictures Nobel prize for laser physicists The nobel prize for physics has been awarded to three physicists working with lasers. Arthur Ashkin (L) was awarded for his "optical tweezers" which use lasers to grab particles, atoms, viruses and other living cells. Donna Strickland and Gerard Mourou were jointly awarded the prize for developing chirped-pulse amplification of lasers Reuters/AP Science news in pictures Discovery of a new species of dinosaur The Ledumahadi Mafube roamed around 200 million years ago in what is now South Africa. Recently discovered by a team of international scientists, it was the largest land animal of its time, weighing 12 tons and standing at 13 feet. In Sesotho, the South African language of the region in which the dinosaur was discovered, its name means "a giant thunderclap at dawn" Viktor Radermacher / SWNS Science news in pictures Birth of a planet Scientists have witnessed the birth of a planet for the first time ever. This spectacular image from the SPHERE instrument on ESO's Very Large Telescope is the first clear image of a planet caught in the very act of formation around the dwarf star PDS 70. The planet stands clearly out, visible as a bright point to the right of the center of the image, which is blacked out by the coronagraph mask used to block the blinding light of the central star. ESO/A. Muller et al Science news in pictures New human organ discovered that was previously missed by scientists Layers long thought to be dense, connective tissue are actually a series of fluid-filled compartments researchers have termed the interstitium. These compartments are found beneath the skin, as well as lining the gut, lungs, blood vessels and muscles, and join together to form a network supported by a mesh of strong, flexible proteins Getty Science news in pictures Previously unknown society lived in Amazon rainforest before Europeans arrived, say archaeologists Working in the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso, a team led by archaeologists at the University of Exeter unearthed hundreds of villages hidden in the depths of the rainforest. These excavations included evidence of fortifications and mysterious earthworks called geoglyphs Jose Iriarte Science news in pictures One in 10 people have traces of cocaine or heroin on fingerprints, study finds More than one in 10 people were found to have traces of class A drugs on their fingers by scientists developing a new fingerprint-based drug test. Using sensitive analysis of the chemical composition of sweat, researchers were able to tell the difference between those who had been directly exposed to heroin and cocaine, and those who had encountered it indirectly. Getty Science news in pictures Nasa releases stunning images of Jupiter's great red spot The storm bigger than the Earth, has been swhirling for 350 years. The image's colours have been enhanced after it was sent back to Earth. Pictures by: Tom Momary Today, we know that, in many places, they invest most of their energy to simply maintaining their existence and little into growth, which is a fascinating way to live, she said. However, many mysteries still remain about these ecosystems, including how life spread through the rocks that make up the earth's crust. They also want to understand whether life started deep in the Earth either within the crust or at hydrothermal vents at the bottom of the ocean or on the surface before migrating downwards. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events Exploring the deep subsurface is akin to exploring the Amazon rainforest, said Dr Mitch Sogin of the Marine Biological Laboratory Woods Hole, another team member. There is life everywhere, and everywhere theres an awe-inspiring abundance of unexpected and unusual organisms. The scientists presented their findings before the annual meeting of the American Geophysical Union in Washington DC. A Nasa spacecraft that just arrived on an asteroid has already made its first big discovery: ingredients for water. Scientists hope that the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft will shed light on the mysteries of Bennu, an asteroid the size of a skyscraper that could hold clues to the origins of life on Earth. The craft only arrived at the asteroid in recent days but the discovery of water is a major breakthrough that scientists hope can be matched by more discoveries in the future. It was found when OSIRIS-REx flew close to the asteroid and picked up traces of hydrogen and oxygen molecules in its rocky surface. Those make up part of the recipe for water itself a key ingredient in life itself. The probe, on a mission to return samples from the asteroid to Earth for study, was launched in 2016. Bennu, roughly a third of a mile wide (500 meters), orbits the sun at roughly the same distance as Earth. There is concern among scientists about the possibility of Bennu impacting Earth late in the 22nd century. Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Show all 30 1 /30 Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Solar Flare An image from Nasa's Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) shows a 200,000 mile long solar filament ripping through the Sun's corona in September 2013 Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Nasa Celebrates 50 Years of Spacewalking For 50 years, NASA has been "suiting up" for spacewalking. In this 1984 photograph of the first untethered spacewalk, NASA astronaut Bruce McCandless is in the midst of the first "field" tryout of a nitrogen-propelled backpack device called the Manned Maneuvering Unit (MMU) Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space A Hubble Cosmic Couple The spectacular cosmic pairing of the star Hen 2-427 more commonly known as WR 124 and the nebula M1-67 which surrounds it ESA/Hubble & NASA Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Veil Nebula Supernova Remnant Nasa's Hubble Space Telescope has unveiled in stunning detail a small section of the Veil Nebula - expanding remains of a massive star that exploded about 8,000 years ago Nasa's most stunning pictures of space The Soyuz TMA-15M rocket launch The Soyuz TMA-15M rocket launches from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on Monday, Nov. 24, 2014, carrying three new astronauts to the International Space Station. It also took caviar, ready for the satellite's inhabitants to celebrate the holidays Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Earth from the ISS From the International Space Station, Expedition 42 Flight Engineer Terry W. Virts took this photograph of the Gulf of Mexico and U.S. Gulf Coast at sunset Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Black Hole Friday Nasa celebrated Black Friday by looking into space instead sharing pictures of black holes Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space NuSTAR X-rays stream off the sun in this image showing observations from by NASA's Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array, or NuSTAR, overlaid on a picture taken by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Cassiopeia A c A false colour image of Cassiopeia A comprised with data from the Spitzer and Hubble Space Telescopes and the Chandra X-Ray observatory Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Orion Capsule splashes down The Orion capsule jetted off into space before heading back a few hours later having proved that it can be used, one day, to carry humans to Mars Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Earth Observations From Gemini IV in 1965 This photograph of the Florida Straits and Grand Bahama Bank was taken during the Gemini IV mission during orbit no. 19 in 1965. The Gemini IV crew conducted scientific experiments, including photography of Earth's weather and terrain, for the remainder of their four-day mission following Ed White's historic spacewalk on June 3 Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Frosty slopes of Mars This image of an area on the surface of Mars, approximately 1.5 by 3 kilometers in size, shows frosted gullies on a south-facing slope within a crater. The image was taken by Nasa's HiRISE camera, which is mounted on its Mars Reconaissance Orbiter Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Yellowstone from space NASA astronaut Reid Wiseman shared this image of Yellowstone via his twitter account Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Saturn This near-infrared color image shows a specular reflection, or sunglint, off of a hydrocarbon lake named Kivu Lacus on Saturn's moon Titan Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Worlds Apart Although Mimas and Pandora, shown here, both orbit Saturn, they are very different moons. Pandora, "small" by moon standards (50 miles or 81 kilometers across) is elongated and irregular in shape. Mimas (246 miles or 396 kilometers across), a "medium-sized" moon, formed into a sphere due to self-gravity imposed by its higher mass Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Solar Flare An X1.6 class solar flare flashes in the middle of the sun in this image taken 10 September, captured by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Large Magellanic Cloud galaxy An image of the Large Magellanic Cloud galaxy seen in infrared light by the Herschel Space Observatory. Regions of space such as this are where new stars are born from a mixture of elements and cosmic dust Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Mars Rover Spirit Nasa's Mars Rover Spirit took the first picture from Spirit since problems with communications began a week earlier. The image shows the robotic arm extended to the rock called Adirondack Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Morning Aurora From the Space Station Nasa astronaut Scott Kelly captured this photograph of the green lights of the aurora from the International Space Station Nasa/Scott Kelly Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Launch of History - Making STS-41G Mission in 1984 The Space Shuttle Challenger launches from Florida at dawn. On this mission, Kathryn Sullivan became the first U.S. woman to perform a spacewalk and Marc Garneau became the first Canadian in space. The crew of seven was the largest to fly on a spacecraft at that time, and STS-41G was the first flight to include two female astronauts Nasa's most stunning pictures of space A Fresh Perspective on an Extraordinary Cluster of Galaxies Galaxy clusters are often described by superlatives. After all, they are huge conglomerations of galaxies, hot gas, and dark matter and represent the largest structures in the Universe held together by gravity Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Hubble Sees a Galactic Sunflower The arrangement of the spiral arms in the galaxy Messier 63, seen here in an image from the Nasa Hubble Space Telescope, recall the pattern at the center of a sunflower ESA/Hubble & NASA Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Pluto image Four images from New Horizons Long Range Reconnaissance Imager (LORRI) were combined with colour data from the Ralph instrument to create this enhanced colour global view of Pluto Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Fresh Crater Near Sirenum Fossae Region of Mars The HiRISE camera aboard Nasa's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter acquired this closeup image of a "fresh" (on a geological scale, though quite old on a human scale) impact crater in the Sirenum Fossae region of Mars. This impact crater appears relatively recent as it has a sharp rim and well-preserved ejecta Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Hubble Peers into the Most Crowded Place in the Milky Way This Nasa Hubble Space Telescope image presents the Arches Cluster, the densest known star cluster in the Milky Way NASA & ESA Nasa's most stunning pictures of space An Astronaut's View from Space Nasa astronaut Reid Wiseman tweeted this photo from the International Space Station on 2 September 2014 Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Giant Landform on Mars On Mars, we can observe four classes of sandy landforms formed by the wind, or aeolian bedforms: ripples, transverse aeolian ridges, dunes, and what are called draa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Expedition 39 Landing A sokol suit helmet can be seen against the window of the Soyuz TMA-11M capsule shortly after the spacecraft landed with Expedition 39 Commander Koichi Wakata of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), Soyuz Commander Mikhail Tyurin of Roscosmos, and Flight Engineer Rick Mastracchio of NASA near the town of Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan (NASA/Bill Ingalls) Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Jupiter's Great Red Spot Viewed by Voyager I Jupiter is the largest planet in the solar system and perhaps the most majestic. Vibrant bands of clouds carried by winds that can exceed 400 mph continuously circle the planet's atmosphere Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Chandra Observatory Sees a Heart in the Darkness This Chandra X-Ray Observatory image of the young star cluster NGC 346 highlights a heart-shaped cloud of 8 million-degree Celsius gas in the central region "We have found the water-rich minerals from the early solar system, which is exactly the kind of sample we were going out there to find and ultimately bring back to Earth," University of Arizona planetary scientist Dante Lauretta, the OSIRIS-REx mission's principal investigator, said in a telephone interview. Recommended Nasa spacecraft arrives at asteroid Bennu Asteroids are among the leftover debris from the solar system's formation some 4.5 billion years ago. Scientists believe asteroids and comets crashing into early Earth may have delivered organic compounds and water that seeded the planet for life, and atomic-level analysis of samples from Bennu could provide key evidence to support that hypothesis. "When samples of this material are returned by the mission to Earth in 2023, scientists will receive a treasure trove of new information about the history and evolution of our solar system," Amy Simon, a scientist at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland, said in a statement. "We're really trying to understand the role that these carbon-rich asteroids played in delivering water to the early Earth and making it habitable," Lauretta added. OSIRIS-REx will pass later this month just 1.2 miles (1.9 km) from Bennu, entering the asteroid's gravitational pull and analyzing its terrain. From there, the spacecraft will begin to gradually tighten its orbit around the asteroid, spiraling to within just 6 feet (2 meters) of its surface so its robot arm can snatch a sample of Bennu by July 2020. The spacecraft will later fly back to Earth, jettisoning a capsule bearing the asteroid specimen for a parachute descent in the Utah desert in September 2023. Additional reporting by agencies The quest to find the Titanic shipwreck was actually part of a secret naval mission, a new exhibition at the National Geographic museum explains. The Navy agreed to fund the mission to find the shipwreck, but only if the mission also sought two nuclear submarines that had been sunk in the same area. Naval Reserve commanding officer Robert Ballard had been on several top-secret missions from the Navy, and in 1985, he asked if he could use Navy funding to find the Titanic, National Geographic reports. The ship had been resting on the ocean floor for 73 years, and the Navy had little interest in finding it. However, the Navy did want to find two sunken submarines, the Thresher and the Scorpion. So, they struck a deal. Dr Ballard had tried and failed to get science research grants to find the vessel, so instead, he turned to Deputy Chief of Naval Operations Ronald Thunman, CBS reports. Mr Thunman said that Dr Ballard could have the research money to fund an expedition, including the use of a Remotely Operated Vehicle, or ROV. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events The wrecks are located too deeply underwater for a human diver to explore them, so instead, they needed to use a machine that could travel underwater and take footage. The only caveat was that Dr Ballard would also need to find the Scorpion and the Thresher on the same trip. Dr Ballard was successful in finding all three vessels. However, he needed to keep the search for submarines secret until 2008. This quest took place during the cold war, and the Navy did not want anyone to know that they were searching for the submarines--especially not the Russians. So, for years, the quest was touted to the media as simply a quest for a luxury cruise ship. Babes in the Wood killer Russell Bishop has been jailed for life by a judge who said he should serve a minimum of 36 years and called him a violent predator who felt no remorse whatsoever. Bishop, 52, sexually assaulted, strangled and killed nine-year-olds Nicola Fellows and Karen Hadaway in a Brighton park in October 1986, but escaped justice for 32 years until an Old Bailey jury found him guilty of two counts of murder on Monday. At his sentencing on Tuesday afternoon, he was described as an evil monster, as the court heard of the suffering he inflicted on two little girls and two bereaved families who thought he might never be brought to justice after being acquitted of murder at a trial in 1987. The Old Bailey also heard how in February 1990, less than two years after walking free from court in 1987, Bishop abducted, strangled and sexually assaulted a seven-year-old girl a sex attack for which he is already serving a life sentence. He is more evil than he knows himself, Karen Hadaways mother Michelle wrote in her victim impact statement. Bishop should never be allowed the freedom to inflict this pain or suffering on any other child or family. In her statement, which was read to the court by prosecutor Brian Altman QC, Ms Hadaway said of Bishops conviction: This is the result we should have had 31 years ago. Finally justice has been done and Bishop has been seen as the evil monster he really is. But, referring to the fact that her husband Lee died aged 50 in 1998 and never lived to see Bishop convicted, Ms Hadaway added: If Bishop had pleaded guilty 31 years ago, my healing could have started then. I was 29 when Karen was killed and I am now 61 years old. Karens death destroyed my husband Lee and I had to raise my young family on my own. Nicolas father Barrie Fellows described how the 1986 murder and 1987 acquittal had led to him enduring an everlasting nightmare that included an ill-founded whispering campaign suggesting he was the real killer. The false rumours culminated in him being accused in court of killing his own daughter as Bishop adopted what the police condemned as a cruel and desperate defence tactic. Thirty-two years is a long time to be accused of murdering your daughter, Mr Fellows wrote. The false and salacious claims about him having watched Nicola in a child sex abuse video caused such damage, the court heard, that in 2009 Mr Fellows was arrested by Sussex Police. Describing this in his victim impact statement, Mr Fellows said: The day of my arrest will live with me forever. Degrading doesnt even come close to what I went through. Police eventually cleared Mr Fellows of any wrongdoing, but, he said: After I was released from custody, a social worker came to my house and interviewed my then 14-year-old daughter Amber. They asked her if she had ever been abused by me. She still has nightmares now about that day. UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 23 November 2021 The coffin of Sir David Amess is carried past politicians, including former Prime Ministers Sir John Major, David Cameron and Theresa May, Speaker of the House of Commons Sir Lindsay Hoyle, Home Secretary Priti Patel and Prime Minister Boris Johnson during the requiem mass for the MP at Westminster Cathedral, central London PA UK news in pictures 22 November 2021 The scene in Dragon Rise, Norton Fitzwarren, Somerset where police have launched a murder probe after two people were found dead Tom Wren/SWNS UK news in pictures 21 November 2021 London-based midwife Sarah Muggleton, 27, takes part in a 'March with Midwives' in central London to highlight the crisis in maternity services PA UK news in pictures 20 November 2021 Police officers monitor as climate change activists sit down and block traffic during a protest action in solidarity with activists from the Insulate Britain group who received prison terms for blocking roads, on Lambeth Bridge in central London AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 19 November 2021 A giant installation of Prime Minister Boris Johnson made from recycled clothing goes on display at Manchester Central, as part of Manchester Art Fair, in a 'wake-up call for the Prime Minister to tackle textile waste' PA UK news in pictures 18 November 2021 The scene at a recycling centre in Stert, near Devizes in Wiltshire after a large blaze was brought under control. The fire broke out on Wednesday night the fire service has said and local residents were advised to keep windows and doors shut due to large amounts of smoke PA UK news in pictures 17 November 2021 The sun rises over South Shields Lighthouse, on the North East coast of England PA UK news in pictures 16 November 2021 ancer Maithili Vijayakumar at the launch of 2021 Diwali celebrations at St Andrew Square in Edinburgh PA UK news in pictures 15 November 2021 Forensic officers work outside Liverpool Women's Hospital, following a car blast, in Liverpool Reuters UK news in pictures 14 November 2021 Wreaths by the Cenotaph after the Remembrance Sunday service in Whitehall, London PA UK news in pictures 13 November 2021 Richard Ratcliffe, the husband of detainee Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, is ending his hunger strike in central London after almost three weeks. Ratcliffe has spent 21 days camped outside the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office in London without food. He began his demonstration on 24 October after his wife lost her latest appeal in Iran, saying his family was caught in a dispute between two states PA UK news in pictures 12 November 2021 Peter Green protesting outside the Cop26 gates during the official final day of the Cop26 summit in Glasgow. PA UK news in pictures 11 November 2021 Seagulls fly around the statue entitled 'Tommy', a first World War soldier by artist Ray Lonsdale at dawn in Seaham, Britain Reuters UK news in pictures 10 November 2021 Climate activists dressed as characters inspired by the Netflix series Squid Game protest as they ask Samsung to go 100% renewable energy, outside the venue for COP26 in Glasgow Reuters UK news in pictures 9 November 2021 A deer statue silhouetted at Loch Faskally in Pitlochry, Scotland Reuters UK news in pictures 8 November 2021 Sunrise over St Mary's Lighthouse at Whitley Bay on the North East coast of England PA UK news in pictures 7 November 2021 Activists from Friends of the Earth during a demonstration calling for an end to all new oil and gas projects in the North Sea outside the UK Government's Cop26 hub during the Cop26 summit in Glasgow PA UK news in pictures 6 November 2021 Protesters take part in a rally organised by the Cop26 Coalition in Glasgow demanding global climate justice PA UK news in pictures 5 November 2021 Final touches are made to a life sized Sir David Attenborough cake surrounded by animals as part of a display created by a group of cake artists during Cake International at NEC Birmingham PA UK news in pictures 4 November 2021 A spectacular display of the Northern Lights seen over Derwentwater, near Keswick in the Lake District PA UK news in pictures 3 November 2021 Police and demonstrators at a Extinction Rebellion protest on Buchanan Street, during the Cop26 summit in Glasgow PA UK news in pictures 2 November 2021 A person walks along the Basingstoke canal near to Dogmersfield in Hampshire PA UK news in pictures 1 November 2021 Sir David Attenborough delivers a speech during Cop26 in Glasgow Reuters UK news in pictures 31 October 2021 Extinction Rebellion activists protest in Edinburgh as the Cop26 conference begins in Glasgow Getty UK news in pictures 30 October 2021 First Minister Nicola Sturgeon with Mapuche leader and Minga Indigena Lead Coordinator Claflin Lafkenche (right) alongside indigenous delegates at a ceremonial gathering at the Tramway in Glasgow in a symbolic gesture to mark a unified demand for climate justice PA UK news in pictures 29 October 2021 Ocean Rebellion put on a display of puking oil heads ahead of climate change conference COP26 in Glasgow EPA UK news in pictures 28 October 2021 A man dressed as Santa Claus outside Selfridges in London as the department store unveils its Christmas windows on Oxford Street PA UK news in pictures 27 October 2021 Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak during a visit to Fourpure Brewery in Bermondsey, London, after the chancellor announced a cut to beer taxes in his budget PA UK news in pictures 26 October 2021 Activist Steve Bray demonstrates with a toilet outside the gates of Downing Street, after MPs voted in Parliament against the Environment Bill, allowing companies to pump raw sewage into UK rivers and seas, in London Reuters UK news in pictures 25 October 2021 Second World War veteran James White, 96, at the opening of the Edinburgh Garden of Remembrance, marking the start of the remembrance period PA UK news in pictures 24 October 2021 Richard Ratcliffe holds up a photo of his wife Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe as he protests outside the Foreign Office while on hunger strike, part of an effort to lobby the UK foreign secretary to bring his wife home from detention in Iran Getty UK news in pictures 23 October 2021 Partner of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, Stella Morris and Editor in Chief of WikiLeaks Kristinn Hrafnsson attend a protest ahead of the appeal hearing over Assange's extradition, in London Reuters UK news in pictures 22 October 2021 Palace Gardener Justine Howlett adds the finishing touches to pumpkins bearing the face of Henry VIII and his wives, at Hampton Court Palace. PA UK news in pictures 21 October 2021 Flooded fields near Lingfield in Surrey, after southern England was hit overnight by heavy rain and strong winds from Storm Aurore moving in from France PA UK news in pictures 20 October 2021 A wing surfer enjoys the strong winds as they surf in the sea off of Hayling Island in Hampshire PA UK news in pictures 19 October 2021 Actor Jude Law holds hands with Little Amal, a 3.5-metre-tall puppet of a nine-year-old Syrian girl, as it arrives in Folkestone, Kent, as part of the Handspring Puppet Company's 'The Walk' PA UK news in pictures 18 October 2021 A view over Southend-on-Sea in Essex, which is set to become a city in tribute to Sir David Amess MP, who spent years campaigning for the change Getty UK news in pictures 17 October 2021 Members of the Essex Bangladeshi Welfare Association pay their respects by floral tributes laid at the scene where Sir David Amess MP was killed at Belfairs Methodist Church, in Leigh-on-Sea Reuters UK news in pictures 16 October 2021 Boris Johnson, Sir Keir Starmer, Priti Patel and Lindsay Hoyle pay respects to Sir David Amess at Belfairs Methodist Church, in Leigh-on-Sea, the site of his death EPA UK news in pictures 15 October 2021 A person lays flowers at the scene near the Belfairs Methodist Church in Eastwood Road North, Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, where Conservative MP Sir David Amess has died after he was stabbed several times at a constituency surgery. A man has been arrested and officers are not looking for anyone else PA UK news in pictures 14 October 2021 A red deer stag during rutting season in Bushy Park, Richmond, south west London, which is home to over 300 red and fallow deer PA UK news in pictures 13 October 2021 Police officers detain a man as Insulate Britain activists block a roundabout at a junction on the M25 motorway during a protest in Thurrock Reuters UK news in pictures 12 October 2021 The aerial climate installation by Swiss artivist Dan Acher 'We Are Watching' is unveiled at Our Dynamic Earth in Edinburgh PA UK news in pictures 10 October 2021 A young girl is helped by a Border Force officer as a group of people thought to be migrants are brought in to Dover, Kent, following a small boat incident in the Channel. PA UK news in pictures 9 October 2021 People walk past a life-size sculpture of British singer John Lennon entitled "Imagine", by sculptor Lawrence Holofcener, displayed to mark what would have been the 81st birthday for the former member of the Beatles in Carnaby Street Reuters UK news in pictures 8 October 2021 WW II veteran, 96-year-old Lorna Cockayne, who served in the Women's Royal Naval Service (WRNS), popularly and officially known as the Wrens, as a Bletchley Park codebreaker, poses for a photograph with the Legion d'honneur after receiving it during a ceremony at the Pear at Parley in Ferndown, Bournemouth PA UK news in pictures 7 October 2021 British comedian Jo Brand poses with cut-out silhouettes representing women outside the Metropolitan Police headquarters New Scotland Yard, to highlight violence against women by male police officers or former police officers AFP via Getty UK news in pictures 6 October 2021 A protester, wearing a mask of Johnson, holds a sign reading Question it all on the final day of the Tory conference Getty UK news in pictures 5 October 2021 Members of Insulate Britain outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London, before a hearing over the injunction banning the environmental activists from blocking the M25 PA UK news in pictures 4 October 2021 A delegate passes a street cleaner on the second day of the annual Conservative Party Conference being held at the Manchester Central convention centre AFP via Getty In the witness box, Mr Fellows was pushed close to tears as he denied having any involvement in Nicolas death under cross-examination by Bishops defence barrister. Describing what he endured during the Old Bailey trial, Mr Fellows said in his victim impact statement: My own physical health has been terrible throughout the trial. I have been mentally drained on a daily basis and on some days had no energy to carry on. This has caused chest infections and trips to have ECGs on my heart from the effects of this stress. To look up Russell Bishops name on Google and see my face as the first picture to come up, with headlines such as Father watched sex tape has caused me many sleepless nights, not just for me but for my whole family. Being accused by him has affected the way I interact with both my children and grandchildren. Mr Fellows also revealed the suffering inflicted on his son, Nicolas older brother Jonathan, who died the month before the Old Bailey trial started, aged just 46. Mr Fellows said that on or around the day of the murder in October 1986, Jonathan had a row with Nicky. After she was murdered, he was riddled with guilt that he was not able to look after her as a big brother should. This had a huge impact throughout his life and he never truly recovered from her death. On 5 September 2018 he died at the age of 46. Describing how he had to identify his nine-year-old child in a clinically white mortuary room two days after she was killed, Mr Fellows said: When I saw her my heart shattered completely. Seeing your little girl bruised and dead is the worst thing a parent could ever imagine and it has been with me since that day. His ex-wife Sue Eismann, Nicolas mother, told how her world turned upside down after the death of her daughter. On her feelings about Bishop, she said: I have lived with the pain, the loss and sheer hate towards him for what he had done for the last 32 years. Russell Bishop is a horrible, wicked man who has no thought for anyone but himself. No child is safe if he is allowed to be free. During the two-month trial, helped by DNA technology that was not available in 1987, the Old Bailey jury saw through Bishops lies. On 10 December 1987, it had taken a jury two hours to acquit Bishop. On 10 December 2018, 31 years to the day after Bishop cheated justice, the jurors needed just two and a half hours of deliberation to convict him. But after a trial in which the prosecution had proved him to be a cowardly paedophile, Bishop did not show up in court for his sentencing, despite the judge having urged him to do so. It seems he preferred to stay in a prison cell instead of going to the Old Bailey to hear the full extent of the suffering he had caused. Instead, judge Mr Justice Sweeney sentenced the killer in absentia. I have no doubt you are a predatory paedophile, he said. You lured them to a secluded den in the woods. There, entirely for your own pleasure, you subdued them and strangled and sexually assaulted them. The terror each girl must have suffered in their final moments is unimaginable. Referring to Bishops attempt to escape justice by accusing Mr Fellows of killing his daughter, the judge said: You falsely pretended you were innocent and made the allegation, which you were able, in law, to do, that Nicolas father could have been the murderer instead. That will not add a day to your sentence, but it underlines that you have no remorse whatsoever for what you did. Contrasting the way Mr Fellows stood up to questioning with how Bishop gave up giving evidence and refused to subject himself to any more prosecution cross-examination, the judge said: I observe that Barrie Fellows stood in the witness box and dealt with all the questions asked despite the distress it caused him, whereas, after cross-examination had exposed you as a paedophile and a liar, you refused to answer any more questions and have subsequently refused to attend court at all. Stating that there were no mitigating features to Bishops crime, the judge ordered that he serve a minimum of 36 years in prison before he is eligible for parole. The earliest Bishop can be released is in 2054 when he will be 88 years old. Police are hunting for a shovel thought to be connected to the murder of British backpacker Grace Millane. The 22-year-old, from Essex, went missing in Auckland, New Zealand, on 1 December the day before her birthday. Ms Millanes family had been in near-daily contact with her throughout her round-the-world, year-long trip and raised the alarm when she suddenly fell silent. The University of Lincoln graduates body was found in the Waitakere Ranges on Sunday. Jesse Kempson, 26, has been charged with Ms Millanes murder and appeared in an Auckland court on Monday. The address of the accused was given as the same Auckland hotel where the British backpacker was last seen alive. Addressing speculation surrounding the case, Detective Inspector Scott Beard said Ms Millanes body was found intact and that officers were looking for a long-handled shovel. At this point we dont know where this item is, he said. It could be anywhere between the Scenic Drive and central Auckland areas. The floral tributes at the Titirangi roundabout grow larger for Grace Millane on 22 December, 2018 in Auckland, New Zealand. The British backpackers body was found in a section of bush just near Scenic Drive in West Aucklands Waitakere Ranges on Sunday, following an extensive search. (Fiona Goodall/Getty Images) Someone may have come across it, picked it up and taken it home. We need to speak to that person or anyone who has seen it. Officers said they have received hundreds of calls about the case and investigators were trying to establish a timeline of events. On Monday, New Zealands prime minister, Jacinda Ardern, gave an emotional apology to Ms Millanes family, saying: Your daughter should have been safe here, and she wasnt, and Im sorry for that. I cannot imagine the grief of her family and what they would be experiencing and feeling right now. Detectives said they had identified a location of interest after the investigation led them to a spot on Scenic Drive, a country road about 12 miles west of the city centre, on Saturday night. Police search Waitakere Ranges area where Grace Millanes body was found (Getty Images) Speaking at the scene on Sunday afternoon, Detective Inspector Scott Beard said investigators had located a body which we believe to be Grace about 10 metres from the roadside. The last confirmed sighting of Ms Millane was at 9.41pm on 1 December at the Citylife Hotel, when she was seen with a male companion. After visiting Peru, she arrived in New Zealand on 20 November and had been bombarding her family with photos of her trip. Police received a missing person report on Wednesday and began a major search and public campaign that saw dozens of calls made to a helpline. Ms Millanes father David Millane flew to Auckland and made a public appeal for help finding his daughter, who he described as lovely, outgoing, fun-loving [and] family-orientated. Her brother Declan Millane paid tribute by sharing pictures on social media of him and his sister, adding the lyrics of You Are My Sunshine. He wrote on Instagram: You are my sunshine, my only sunshine. You make me happy when skies are gray. Youll never know, dear, how much I love you. Please dont take my sunshine away. Press Association contributed to this report An apparent intruder has been shot with a Taser gun and arrested by armed police after being spotted running towards an entrance gate at the Houses of Parliament. Officers were seen subduing a man who appeared to be in his twenties just inside the carriage gates entrance at Westminster. The Independents political correspondents were among those who witnessed the immediate aftermath of the mans arrest. He was seen being held in a police box where he was heard shouting coming for you politicians before being placed inside a police van and driven away. He has been arrested on suspicion of trespassing. Around a dozen police officers were involved in restraining the man inside the gates. A clear plastic bag containing a pair of trainers could be seen on the ground nearby. One witness said: I heard police shouting at first I thought they were just shouting at tourists to stay back but there was a guy stood just inside the gates facing outwards [away from parliament]. He was just stood there with his arms out being approached by lots of police and wasnt responding to the screams. I heard a crack, which I guess was the taser because I saw the taser wires after, and he went down and very quickly they were all on him. The witness said he did not see anything in the suspected intruders hands. Suspect held inside Palace of Westminster (The Independent) The Metropolitan Police confirmed a stun gun had been used. A spokesperson said: A man was detained and arrested by carriage gates inside the Palace of Westminster on suspicion of trespassing at a protected site, at around 11.55am on Tuesday 11 December. A taser was deployed. Enquiries into the circumstances continue. The House of Commons said the security incident was now over. (CNN) China's anger is growing over the arrest of a top Chinese tech executive wanted by the United States. What happens next will be decided Monday by a Canadian court. Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou has been detained in Vancouver since December 1 and faces extradition to the United States. She's accused of helping Huawei, one of the world's biggest makers of smartphones and networking equipment, dodge U.S. sanctions on Iran, according to Canadian prosecutors. The arrest of Meng, the daughter of Huawei's founder, has put a new strain on the tense relationship between Washington and Beijing just as the two sides are trying to negotiate an end to their damaging trade war. It has also highlighted the intensifying clash over technology between the world's top two economies. Meng appeared in court in Vancouver on Friday at a hearing to determine whether she should be let go on bail. The judge, after hearing arguments from Meng's lawyer and the prosecutors, didn't make a decision. The hearing resumed Monday. Meng's attorney, David Martin, is proposing that Meng be allowed to reside in one of her properties in Vancouver. He said Meng would be closely monitored and would cover all the related security costs. The Chinese government has started to ramp up the pressure on the United States and Canada over the arrest, demanding Meng's release. The Chinese Foreign Ministry said over the weekend that it had summoned both U.S. Ambassador to China Terry Branstad and Canadian Ambassador to China John McCallum to address Meng's detention, which it described as "lawless, reasonless and ruthless." Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Le Yucheng warned that Canada would face "serious consequences" if it did not release Meng immediately and expressed "strong protest against the U.S.'s unreasonable direction to Canada" to detain her. Health concerns Meng, 46, is a high-profile executive at one of China's most important tech companies. In addition to her role as CFO, she serves as a deputy chairperson on Huawei's board. The United States alleges that Meng helped Huawei get around U.S. sanctions on Iran by telling financial institutions that a Huawei subsidiary was a separate company, according to Canadian prosecutors. The U.S. Justice Department has declined to comment on the case. Much rides on the outcome of her bail hearing, which continues Monday. U.S. stocks plunged last week, in part because of Meng's arrest and uncertainty about what it means for the trade talks between the United States and China. Asian markets fell at the open on Monday and U.S. stock futures were pointing lower. Martin, Meng's lawyer, argued in court Friday that she should be released on bail while she waits for an extradition hearing because of health concerns including severe hypertension. She was taken to a hospital to be treated for hypertension after she was arrested, according to court documents. Martin also said Meng has ties to Canada and is not a flight risk. Her links to Vancouver go back at least 15 years and she has significant property holdings in the city, he added. Meng's family is seeking to remain in Vancouver if she's released on bail, according to Martin. Her husband is proposing to bring their daughter to Vancouver for school during the trial. On Sunday, there was a break in at Meng's Vancouver home. Police are investigating, according to a source familiar with the probe. Huawei hopeful courts will reach 'right conclusion' Martin also claimed the case against Meng had not been fully laid out, even though the United States signed off on her arrest warrant months ago. A U.S. federal judge issued a warrant for her arrest on August 22. The attorney argued that Meng wouldn't breach any court order to remain in Canada because doing so would embarrass her personally, and would also humiliate her father, Huawei and China itself. In a statement after the hearing, Huawei said: "We will continue to follow the bail hearing on Monday. We have every confidence that the Canadian and U.S. legal systems will reach the right conclusion." The company has said it was "not aware of any wrongdoing by Ms. Meng" and that it "complies with all applicable laws and regulations where it operates." Should Meng's extradition to the United States go ahead, the process could take months. The United States has 60 days from the date of a provisional arrest to provide Canada with its formal extradition request and supporting documents. Canada's Justice Department then has 30 days to weigh the request and greenlight an extradition hearing in which the request is weighed by a judge. This story was first published on CNN.com "Jailed Huawei executive will learn her fate Monday as China demands her release" The largest earth tremor so far has been recorded at Cuadrillas fracking site near Blackpool, forcing the company to pause operations. A minor earthquake of 1.5 magnitude struck late on Tuesday morning following a series of far smaller tremors, and after fossil fuel exploration had stopped for the day. Recurring seismic events throughout October meant fracking at the new site in Lancashire had to be repeatedly put on hold. Most events could not be felt, although locals did report feeling the most recent 1.5 tremor. Cuadrilla has insisted that these quakes are not a major concern, and compared the latest one to dropping a melon. Recommended Activists launch legal challenge against Cuadrilla fracking permit However, any tremor measuring 0.5 or above means fracking must legally be put on hold while tests are carried out. A spokesperson from Cuadrilla said: A series of micro seismic events in Blackpool have been recorded on the British Geological Survey website this morning following hydraulic fracturing at our shale gas exploration site in Preston New Road, Lancashire. The largest recorded was 1.5ML (local magnitude) at about 11.20am. This occurred after hydraulic fracturing had finished for the day. According to recent research by the University of Liverpool the impact would be like dropping a melon. A series of smaller micro seismic events occurred during hydraulic fracturing, beginning at about 9.40am. Extinction rebellion: Climate change protesters block London bridges Show all 25 1 /25 Extinction rebellion: Climate change protesters block London bridges Extinction rebellion: Climate change protesters block London bridges Demonstrators block Westminster Bridge in central London to show anger at government inaction on climate and ecological issues AFP/Getty Extinction rebellion: Climate change protesters block London bridges A pro environment protester is arrested by police on Lambeth bridge in London EPA Extinction rebellion: Climate change protesters block London bridges Organised by Extinction Rebellion, the protest is part of many taking place this weekend to bring attention to political inaction on issues of pollution and climate change Reuters Extinction rebellion: Climate change protesters block London bridges AFP/Getty Extinction rebellion: Climate change protesters block London bridges Organised by Extinction Rebellion, the protest is part of many taking place this weekend to bring attention to political inaction on issues of pollution and climate change PA Extinction rebellion: Climate change protesters block London bridges Demonstrators on Blackfriars Bridge PA Extinction rebellion: Climate change protesters block London bridges Police with demonstrators on Blackfriars Bridge PA Extinction rebellion: Climate change protesters block London bridges AFP/Getty Extinction rebellion: Climate change protesters block London bridges EPA Extinction rebellion: Climate change protesters block London bridges A demonstrator is led away by police on Blackfriars Bridge PA Extinction rebellion: Climate change protesters block London bridges Reuters Extinction rebellion: Climate change protesters block London bridges PA Extinction rebellion: Climate change protesters block London bridges Reuters Extinction rebellion: Climate change protesters block London bridges AFP/Getty Extinction rebellion: Climate change protesters block London bridges AFP/Getty Extinction rebellion: Climate change protesters block London bridges PA Extinction rebellion: Climate change protesters block London bridges EPA Extinction rebellion: Climate change protesters block London bridges EPA Extinction rebellion: Climate change protesters block London bridges EPA Extinction rebellion: Climate change protesters block London bridges PA Extinction rebellion: Climate change protesters block London bridges Reuters Extinction rebellion: Climate change protesters block London bridges EPA Extinction rebellion: Climate change protesters block London bridges AFP/Getty Extinction rebellion: Climate change protesters block London bridges EPA Extinction rebellion: Climate change protesters block London bridges Reuters Cuadrilla will pause and continue to monitor micro seismicity for at least the next 18 hours, in line with the traffic light system regulations. Well integrity has been checked and verified. The company began pumping again this week after spending November working through their wider hydraulic fracturing plan, including conducting tests and analysis at the site. Environmental groups have passionately opposed the Lancashire site, which marks the first time fracking has taken place in the UK for seven years. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events Within a day of Cuadrilla restarting fracking in Lancashire, there has already been another earthquake which means theyve had to down tools, said Friends of the Earth campaigner Tony Bosworth. It appears that they cannot frack without triggering tremors. And instead of acknowledging that fracking needs to end, Cuadrilla are instead urging for regulations around earthquakes to be relaxed. Weve always said that fracking poses risks for our climate and environment. After todays quake, and with the effects of climate breakdown already happening around us, isnt it time to put a stop to fracking once and for all? While the most recent event was the largest recorded since fracking restarted, it is not as large as the two quakes that triggered a moratorium on the technique in 2011, one of which measured 2.3. John Major has become the first Conservative to call for Brexit to be scrapped, saying: We need to revoke Article 50 with immediate effect. The former Conservative prime minister urged Theresa May to seize on this weeks European Court of Justice ruling that the UK can withdraw the exit notice unilaterally to end the chaos. Speaking in Dublin, a day after Ms May shelved the vote on her Brexit deal, Sir John said was time to turn to reality and not fiction, time to turn to reason and not ideology. Whether you are a Remainer or Leaver, no one can welcome chaos, he told the Institute of International and European Affairs. And he added: There is no shred of doubt in my mind that to do so we now need to revoke article 50 with immediate effect. Recommended Opposition parties give Labour to end of the day for confidence motion The clock, for the moment, must be stopped. Its clear that we now need the most precious commodity of all: time. Sir John, who was prime minister from 1990 to 1997 and has backed a Final Say referendum on the Brexit outcome, called for serious and profound reflection on the countrys situation. There will be a way through the present morass; there always is. But in our national interest we now need to take some time to find it and I hope and I trust that we will, he said. Newspapers react to Theresa May pulling the vote on her Brexit deal Show all 11 1 /11 Newspapers react to Theresa May pulling the vote on her Brexit deal Newspapers react to Theresa May pulling the vote on her Brexit deal The Independent Newspapers react to Theresa May pulling the vote on her Brexit deal The Daily Mirror Newspapers react to Theresa May pulling the vote on her Brexit deal The Times Newspapers react to Theresa May pulling the vote on her Brexit deal The Daily Express Newspapers react to Theresa May pulling the vote on her Brexit deal The Financial Times Newspapers react to Theresa May pulling the vote on her Brexit deal The Daily Telegraph Newspapers react to Theresa May pulling the vote on her Brexit deal The i Newspapers react to Theresa May pulling the vote on her Brexit deal The Guardian Newspapers react to Theresa May pulling the vote on her Brexit deal The Scotsman Newspapers react to Theresa May pulling the vote on her Brexit deal The Daily Mail Newspapers react to Theresa May pulling the vote on her Brexit deal The Metro With the prime minister in Brussels pleading with EU leaders to offer further concessions, he said there was wiggle room to find a compromise but warned it was probably very limited. The call came as Leo Varadkar, the Irish prime minister, also argued that whether to head for a no-deal Brexit remains in the hands of the UK. "The option is there to revoke Article 50, the option is there to extend Article 50 and while there may not be a majority for anything, or at least any deal, at the moment in the House of Commons, I do believe that there is a majority that the UK should not be plunged into a no-deal scenario, he told the Dail, the Irish parliament. It is in their hands at any point in time to take the threat of no-deal off the table, either by revoking Article 50 or, if that is a step too far, by extending it. In fact, the two-year Article 50 period can only be extended beyond Brexit day on 29 March with the agreement of all other 27 EU members. The EU has suggested it would be willing to take that step to allow a second referendum to be held. In contrast, Brussels cannot block a revocation of Article 50, the European Court ruled. Sir John suggested revoking the notice would allow the UK to stop the clock although the Court said it should be unequivocal and unconditional, suggesting it could not be used as a negotiating tactic. He also warned about the potential for a return to violence if a hard Irish border returns. The belief that because we have no violence in Northern Ireland for 18 years that it is gone forever is fatuous. Peace is never definitively forever. Things can go wrong, he said. We must do nothing to give them the opportunity of doing it and the imposition of a hard border is an opportunity for them to do it, Sir John said. Theresa Mays embattled leadership is under fresh pressure after Tory rebels claimed enough letters calling for her resignation have been collected to trigger a no-confidence vote. The attempt to force Ms May from power has flared up again as anger grows over her refusal to allow parliament a vote on her Brexit plans, amid fears it would result in a humiliating defeat. But while unnamed rebels indicated they believed sufficient letters had been submitted to force a no-confidence vote in the Conservative leader, The Independent understands official confirmation was unlikely to come on Tuesday evening. Leadership rivals continued to manoeuvre amid the intense speculation, with home secretary Sajid Javid giving an interview focusing on his background, while Boris Johnson was seen speaking with MPs in the Commons tea rooms. Opposition parties raised the stakes further on Tuesday by moving to table a motion of no confidence in the whole Conservative government, as it became clear the country would likely face Brexit uncertainty into the new year. In a desperate attempt to save the Brexit deal, Ms May dashed around European capitals to secure any kind of concession that could give her plans a chance of winning parliaments approval. The atmosphere in Westminster was febrile with exasperation expressed in public and private in one bizarre moment a man dressed as Father Christmas entered a Commons tea room and told MPs, youve all been very naughty. There were ill-tempered exchanges in the Commons chamber as ministers defended delaying the vote, while other Conservatives stoked speculation about a move to topple the prime minister. Statista (Statista) Ex-leader Iain Duncan-Smith said: I do detect that in the last 24 hours people have decided that this isnt going to work out at all. I have heard from a number of colleagues, I cant name them now, they were people that wouldnt have put letters in, are now openly saying do you know what, my letter is going in. I dont know what that means for numbers. All I can say is, I sense a mood shift here. The prime minister has to resolve that very swiftly with some very bold words and very bold action. Under Conservative rules, 48 letters from MPs must be sent to the chair of the backbench 1922 Committee, Sir Graham Brady, calling for the leaders resignation to trigger a vote of no confidence in Ms Mays leadership of the party. Owen Paterson became the latest Conservative MP to submit a letter of no-confidence in the prime minister, fuelling speculation about an imminent leadership challenge. In his letter, published in The Daily Telegraph, the former cabinet minister said Ms Mays conduct of the Brexit negotiations eroded trust in the government, to the point where I and many others can no longer take the prime minister at her word. Several anonymous Conservative sources said on Tuesday evening that the 48 letters had been reached. However, similar reports last month did not result in a no-confidence vote being launched. Chuka Umunna confirms he has spoken to cabinet ministers about a People's Vote Certainty that sufficient letters have been submitted will only come when Sir Graham publicly announces it, and he is duty bound to give the prime minister 48 hours notice. There was a suggestion that four more letters had been submitted in recent days, with ex-minister Crispin Blunt revealing he had put one in some weeks ago and encouraging others to do so. To any colleagues thinking of signing their letter to Mr Brady I beg you not to. The country would never forgive us George Freeman MP He said: I think it is important for my colleagues to understand that they can completely trust Sir Graham Brady. He is not going to tell anybody that they have written a letter. Anyone in the government can write a letter, any junior ministers or any backbench MPs. They are all entitled if they have got a view that we now have to resolve the issue of the direction of the party. But another former minister, George Freeman, beseeched Tories not turn in on the party, saying: To any colleagues thinking of signing their letter to Mr Brady I beg you not to. What is the Irish border Brexit backstop? The country would never forgive us. Speculation that a challenge could be imminent was fuelled after chief whip Julian Smith and Conservative Party chairman Brandon Lewis were seen leaving No 10 following late-night consultations on Tuesday. Over the weekend Dominic Raab, Esther McVey and Mr Johnson signalled they would throw their hats in the ring if the Tory crown came up for grabs. Mr Javid, a favourite for the job, was the subject of an interview published in The Spectator, in which he set out his personal philosophy. Labour was adamant that it would not yet submit a broader motion of no confidence in the government as a whole, something separate to the internal Tory no-confidence vote in Ms Mays party leadership. Party strategists have said they only want to push ahead with the motion at a moment when it is most likely to be successful. Newspapers react to Theresa May pulling the vote on her Brexit deal Show all 11 1 /11 Newspapers react to Theresa May pulling the vote on her Brexit deal Newspapers react to Theresa May pulling the vote on her Brexit deal The Independent Newspapers react to Theresa May pulling the vote on her Brexit deal The Daily Mirror Newspapers react to Theresa May pulling the vote on her Brexit deal The Times Newspapers react to Theresa May pulling the vote on her Brexit deal The Daily Express Newspapers react to Theresa May pulling the vote on her Brexit deal The Financial Times Newspapers react to Theresa May pulling the vote on her Brexit deal The Daily Telegraph Newspapers react to Theresa May pulling the vote on her Brexit deal The i Newspapers react to Theresa May pulling the vote on her Brexit deal The Guardian Newspapers react to Theresa May pulling the vote on her Brexit deal The Scotsman Newspapers react to Theresa May pulling the vote on her Brexit deal The Daily Mail Newspapers react to Theresa May pulling the vote on her Brexit deal The Metro But the SNP, Liberal Democrat, Plaid Cymru and Green parties all said they may push for a motion to be tabled even if Jeremy Corbyn will not do it. Ms May started her day with a meeting with Dutch prime minister Mark Rutte before heading to Berlin to meet Angela Merkel. She was then going to see the European Council and Commission presidents Donald Tusk and Jean-Claude Juncker, before flying back to Ireland in the morning to see Leo Varadkar. Asked whether she had been told that the 48 letters to trigger a no-confidence motion in her had been received, Theresa May said: No, I have been here in Europe dealing with the issue I have promised parliament I would be dealing with. She added that there had been a shared determination in her meetings to address the issues of concern to the UK. After his meeting with the prime minister, Mr Tusk tweeted: Long and frank discussion with PM Theresa May ahead of Brexit summit. Clear that EU27 wants to help. The question is how. Theresa May has said her Brexit deal is the only deal available and that the controversial Northern Ireland backstop is necessary after being rebuffed in a meeting with Angela Merkel and other EU leaders on Tuesday. The prime minister has been criss-crossing Europe in a bid to win concessions from the EU after she was forced to pull a Commons vote on the plan at the last minute this week. Speaking in Brussels ahead of a meeting with EU president Jean-Claude Juncker Ms May echoed EU language and said the agreement was the best deal available, indeed its the only deal available. She added: The backstop, which is the issue that parliament has raised, the backstop is a necessary guarantee for the people of Northern Ireland and whatever outcome you want, whatever relationship you want in the future, there is no deal available that doesnt have a backstop in it. The admission brings the prime minister into line with the EUs view, but could further enrage Eurosceptic rebels in her own party, some of whom want to oust her over the plan. Recommended May could delay vote on Brexit deal for more than a month Mr Juncker had said this morning that there was no room whatsoever for renegotiation and that the re-opening of the withdrawal agreement will not happen. The prime minister also met with Dutch PM Mark Rutte in the morning and will be meeting Irish leader Leo Varadkar on Wednesday. She will return to Brussels on Thursday and Friday to attend a meeting of the European Council, which all 28 EU leaders will attend. After meeting with Ms May, the German chancellor Angela Merkel said there was no way to change the agreement, echoing the sentiments of other member states. Speaking separately in Brussels, French European affairs minister Nathalie Loiseau told reporters: Weve done a lot to help the UK, this withdrawal agreement is the only possible agreement, and weve done a lot of concessions to reach it. We sincerely hope that there can be a majority to ratify the withdrawal agreement but we have to stand ready for a no deal and we are preparing for it. European Council president Donald Tusk, who met with Ms May in Brussels separately to Mr Juncker, said he and the prime minister had had a long and frank discussion. He added that it was clear that the EU27 wants to help but that the question is how. Ms May said she believed there was a shared determination to deal with this issue and address this problem. Though EU leaders and governments have said they will not renegotiate the deal, some have said they would like to help Ms May pass the plan through parliament by providing reassurances and clarification. Ms May appeared happy with this, telling reporters in Brussels: We dont want the backstop to be used and if it is we want to be certain that it is only temporary. It is those assurances that I will be seeking from fellow leaders over the coming days. Tory Eurosceptic rebels and the DUP have made clear that the backstop would have to be removed from the deal, time-limited, or the UK given the power to end it unilaterally if they are to back it. Without their support Ms May has little chance of passing the deal. Her admission that she is unlikely to be able to secure substantial changes to the agreement is likely to enrage Eurosceptics, amid reports from Westminster that a no-confidence vote from her own party could be looming. Theresa May and Jean-Claude Juncker meet in Brussels on Tuesday evening (Reuters) (REUTERS) Speaking in the European Parliament in Strasbourg in the morning, commission president Mr Juncker said: The backstop is necessary for Ireland. Ireland will never be left alone. He described Brexit as a surprise guest at the European Council summit scheduled for this end of this week, adding: I am surprised because we had reached an agreement on 25 November together with the government of the UK. 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 deal we have achieved is the best deal possible, it is the only deal possible, and so there is no room whatsoever for renegotiation, he said. There is room enough to give further clarity and further interpretations without reopening the withdrawal agreement. This will not happen. Everyone has to know that the withdrawal agreement will not be re-opened. There is no room whatsoever to renegotiate the Brexit deal, the president of the European Commission has said, ahead of Theresa Mays trip to Brussels to seek concessions. Speaking in the European Parliament on Tuesday Jean-Claude Juncker said re-opening the withdrawal agreement will not happen. He said the best the prime minister could hope for was further clarity and further interpretations without reopening the withdrawal agreement when she meets EU leaders in Brussels this week. The Ms May is desperate to gain concessions from the EU on the deal she struck last month after it was given an overwhelmingly hostile reception by MPs. She postponed a planned vote on the agreement after it became clear that it would be rejected by the House of Commons, with her own MPs opposed to its backstop clause that would keep the UK in a customs union with the EU. But Mr Juncker said: The backstop is necessary for Ireland. Ireland will never be left alone. The Commission president described Brexit as a surprise guest at the European Council summit scheduled for this end of this week, adding: I am surprised because we had reached an agreement on 25 November together with the government of the UK. The deal we have achieved is the best deal possible, it is the only deal possible, and so there is no room whatsoever for renegotiation, he said. There is room enough to give further clarity and further interpretations without reopening the withdrawal agreement. This will not happen. Everyone has to know that the withdrawal agreement will not be re-opened. Last night European Council president Donald Tusk, who speaks for member state governments collectively, issued a similar warning. He said: We will not renegotiate the deal, including the backstop, but we are ready to discuss how to facilitate UK ratification. Member states, too, have taken the same line. Arriving in Brussels for a meeting on Tuesday, Frances Europe minister Nathalie Loiseau told reporters: We are very much concerned about the postponement of the vote on the withdrawal agreement. Weve done a lot to help the UK, this withdrawal agreement is the only possible agreement, and weve done a lot of concessions to reach it. We sincerely hope that there can be a majority to ratify the withdrawal agreement but we have to stand ready for a no-deal and we are preparing for it. French government 'concerned' at cancellation of brexit vote Leo Varadkar, the Irish prime minister, said on Monday it was "not possible to reopen any aspect" of the agreement "without reopening all aspects", adding that it was "the only agreement on the table". He said no clarification of the deal could contradict its contents. The promise of "clarification" is unlikely to assuage Conservative eurosceptic rebels, who have said they will not vote for the plan unless the backstop is removed, given a time-limit, or an exit clause. The EU has ruled out these ideas, saying the backstop would no longer be a backstop if it was not "all-weather". Theresa May has admitted her deal would not pass parliament and has gone to seek concessions (Parliament TV. ) (Parliament TV) It is understood that EU member states could stretch to a so-called "side-declaration" at the summit to assist Ms May. This non-legally binding political declaration would simply spell out how both sides expect the deal to be interpreted, though it would not change its contents. The prime ministers chief Brexit negotiator Olly Robbins returned to Brussels on Monday and was spotted in the European Commission headquarters apparently trying to seek concessions on the deal. Cabinet ministers resign over Brexit deal Show all 13 1 /13 Cabinet ministers resign over Brexit deal Cabinet ministers resign over Brexit deal Esther McVey Britain's Work and Pensions Secretary Esther McVey arrives to attend the weekly meeting of the cabinet at 10 Downing Street in London. - Britain's Work and Pensions Secretary Esther McVey resigned from the cabinet over draft Brexit deal AFP/Getty Cabinet ministers resign over Brexit deal PA Cabinet ministers resign over Brexit deal Dominic Raab British Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab give a press conference at the end of the final round of talks in Brexit negotiations at the European Commission in Brussels, Belgium EPA Cabinet ministers resign over Brexit deal PA Cabinet ministers resign over Brexit deal Rehman Chrishti Vice Chairman of the Conservative Party Rehman Chrishti tendered his resignation letter this afternoon PA Cabinet ministers resign over Brexit deal Cabinet ministers resign over Brexit deal Anne-Marie Trevelyan Parliamentary private secretary in the Department of Education Anne-Marie Trevelyan resigned stating that she cannot support the deal Cabinet ministers resign over Brexit deal PA Cabinet ministers resign over Brexit deal Sam Gyimah Universities minister Sam Gyimah resigned on November 30, claiming the government's decision to pull out of the EU's Galileo satellite navigation system as a deciding factor PA Cabinet ministers resign over Brexit deal Shailesh Vara Shailesh Vara who has quit as Minister of State for Northern Ireland, saying he cannot support Theresa May's Brexit agreement, which he said "leaves the UK in a halfway house with no time limit on when we will finally be a sovereign nation" PA Cabinet ministers resign over Brexit deal Cabinet ministers resign over Brexit deal Suella Braverman Brexit minister Suella Braverman has resigned, stating It is not what the British people, or my constituents, voted for in 2016. Cabinet ministers resign over Brexit deal Ranil Jayawardena Parliamentary private secretary to the ministry of justice Ranil Jayawardena resigned as he could not back the deal "in good conscience" Ms May herself is due to visit Brussels on Tuesday for meetings with Mr Juncker and Mr Tusk; she will return again for the European Council summit with leaders on Thursday and Friday, where Brexit will be on the agenda. On Monday a European Commission spokesperson said: We have an agreement on the table that was endorsed by the European Council in its Article 50 format on the 25 November. As president Juncker said, this deal is the best and only deal possible. We will not renegotiate, our position has not changed, and as far as we are concerned, the United Kingdom is leaving the European Union on 29 March 2019. Andrea Leadsom has lifted the lid on Theresa Mays demands in her emergency talks with the EU to salvage her Brexit deal, insisting she has plenty of options. The prime minister will seek an addendum to the withdrawal agreement, the Commons leader said giving MPs power over whether to enter the Irish border backstop and to pull out of it. Ms Leadsom suggested the change would be legally binding, despite the EU ruling out legal changes and No 10 refusing to say Ms May would make such a demand. The insight came as Ms Leadsom launched an extraordinary attack on John Bercow, the Commons speaker, accusing him of anti-Brexit bias and suggesting he should be removed. Meanwhile, Nicola Sturgeon, the Scottish first minister, piled pressure on Jeremy Corbyn to accelerate a motion of no confidence in the government, following the decision to shelve the Brexit vote. The SNP leader accused the prime minister of planning to run down the clock, in the hope MPs faced with the horror of a no-deal Brexit fear there is no alternative but to approve the agreement next year. Parliament cant allow her to get away with that, Ms Sturgeon said. The stakes are too high and the implications too serious. The normal Tuesday cabinet meeting was cancelled as Ms May headed to The Hague, Berlin and Brussels, to beg EU leaders for further concessions to ease the pain of the deal in the UK. However, any hopes of success were dented immediately by Jean-Claude Juncker, the European Commission president, who said the EU would offer only further clarity without changing the agreement. "Brexit betrayal" march in London Show all 43 1 /43 "Brexit betrayal" march in London "Brexit betrayal" march in London A protester holds an anti-BBC sign Angela Christofilou/The Independent "Brexit betrayal" march in London A pro-brexit demonstrator holds a sign in the picket line Angela Christofilou/The Independent "Brexit betrayal" march in London A protester carrying a noose at the "Brexit betrayal" march. The man carrying it told a reporter: "That's what the traitor May deserves." AP "Brexit betrayal" march in London Pro-brexit supporters hold a sign opposed to Nigel Farage Angela Christofilou/The Independent "Brexit betrayal" march in London Protesters carry a defaced British flag on the march Angela Christofilou/The Independent "Brexit betrayal" march in London Tommy Robinson addresses a rally after taking part in a Brexit 'betrayal' march in central London PA "Brexit betrayal" march in London Police officers attempts to keep rival protesters from clashing at the Brexit 'betrayal' march in London Victoria Jones/PA "Brexit betrayal" march in London A protester holds an anti-Theresa May sign Angela Christofilou/The Independent "Brexit betrayal" march in London A pro-brexit demonstrator and his dog Angela Christofilou/The Independent "Brexit betrayal" march in London A pro-brexit demonstrator at the protest Angela Christofilou/The Independent "Brexit betrayal" march in London A pro-brexit sign at the rally Angela Christofilou/The Independent "Brexit betrayal" march in London Pro-brexit demonstrators endorse UKIP Angela Christofilou/The Independent "Brexit betrayal" march in London A Brexit 'betrayal' march protester wearing a Make Britain Great Again hat in London on 9 December 2018 Chris J Ratcliffe/Getty "Brexit betrayal" march in London Brexit 'betrayal' marchers gathering on Park Lane ahead of a protest Angela Christofilou/ The Independent "Brexit betrayal" march in London The "Brexit Betrayal" march passes through Central London Angela Christofilou/The Independent "Brexit betrayal" march in London Tommy Robinson tells protesters to join Ukip via their mobile phones on stage next to leader Gerard Batten (right) at the Brexit 'betrayal' march Gareth Fuller/PA "Brexit betrayal" march in London A protester speaks thorugh a megaphone on the march Angela Christofilou/The Independent "Brexit betrayal" march in London A pro-brexit demonstrator walks in the picket line Angela Christofilou/The Independent "Brexit betrayal" march in London A pro-brexit anti-May sign at the rally Angela Christofilou/The Independent "Brexit betrayal" march in London A protester carries a Union Jack on the march Angela Christofilou/The Independent "Brexit betrayal" march in London A pro-brexit demonstrator wrapped in the Union Jack Angela Christofilou/The Independent "Brexit betrayal" march in London A pro-brexit anti-May sign at the rally Angela Christofilou/The Independent "Brexit betrayal" march in London Pro brexit demonstrators move through Central London Angela Christofilou/The Independent "Brexit betrayal" march in London A pro-brexit demonstrator marches with sign Angela Christofilou/The Independent "Brexit betrayal" march in London A pro-brexit demonstrator holds a rude sign in the rally Angela Christofilou/The Independent "Brexit betrayal" march in London The march passes down Victoria Street near Parliament Angela Christofilou/The Independent "Brexit betrayal" march in London A festive protester marches near Parliament Angela Christofilou/The Independent "Brexit betrayal" march in London A protester holds a mock noose as the march passes down Victoria Street towards Parliament Angela Christofilou/The Independent "Brexit betrayal" march in London A protester wrapped in the Union Jack marches down Victoria Street towards Parliament Angela Christofilou/The Independent "Brexit betrayal" march in London A protester makes some noise on the march Angela Christofilou/The Independent "Brexit betrayal" march in London A protester dressed as a dinosaur holds a sign rallying against "Davocracy" - in reference to the annual World Economic Forum meeting in Davos Angela Christofilou/The Independent "Brexit betrayal" march in London A protester holds a pro-brexit sign on the march Angela Christofilou/The Independent "Brexit betrayal" march in London The march approaches parliament Angela Christofilou/The Independent "Brexit betrayal" march in London A protester distributes pro-brexit lapel badges Angela Christofilou/The Independent "Brexit betrayal" march in London A demonstrator wears an anti-EU poster and holds an anti-BBC sign Angela Christofilou/The Independent "Brexit betrayal" march in London A smoke bomb is deployed in Parliament Square as the march comes across the counter-demonstration Angela Christofilou/The Independent "Brexit betrayal" march in London Angela Christofilou/The Independent "Brexit betrayal" march in London A flag bearing the Arms of Plantagenet flies in theprot Angela Christofilou/The Independent "Brexit betrayal" march in London Protesters on the Brexit 'betrayal' march in London on 9 December 2018 Angela Christofilou/ The Independent "Brexit betrayal" march in London Protesters on the Brexit 'betrayal' march in London on 9 December 2018 Angela Christofilou/ The Independent "Brexit betrayal" march in London Brexit 'betrayal' marchers gathering on Park Lane ahead of a protest on 9 December 2018 Angela Christofilou/ The Independent "Brexit betrayal" march in London Brexit 'betrayal' marchers gathering on Park Lane ahead of a protest on 9 December 2018 Angela Christofilou/ The Independent "Brexit betrayal" march in London Angela Christofilou/The Independent The deal we have achieved is the best deal possible, it is the only deal possible, and so there is no room whatsoever for renegotiation, he told the European parliament. This will not happen. Everyone has to know that the withdrawal agreement will not be reopened. Nevertheless exposing the gulf between the two sides Ms Leadsom insisted it was essential the EU conceded to parliament an extra democratic ability to decide. That might include an addendum to the withdrawal agreement that sets out that parliament will vote prior to going into a backstop, should that prove necessary, and potentially that the EU parliament and UK parliament must vote every year thereafter to provide that legitimacy for the UK to stay in the backstop, should that prove necessary, she told BBC Radio 4. So, there are plenty of options for the prime minister to talk to the EU about that dont involve reopening the withdrawal agreement, but that would provide the legal text as a part of the withdrawal agreement, through perhaps an addendum. Ms Sturgeon said the only thing blocking a parliamentary majority for a Final Say referendum on the Brexit outcome was the fact that Labour is not yet behind that. In order to put that to the test to get to that point, we need to get Labour off of the fence that it is determinedly sitting on right now and backing a clear way forward. Steve Baker, the former Brexit minister and deputy chair of the European Research Group (ERG), urged fellow Tory MPs to put in no-confidence letters to reach the 48-letter mark that would trigger a formal challenge. What I would say to my colleagues is: you now face the certainty of failure with Theresa May, you must be brave and make the right decision to change prime minister, and change prime minister now, he said. Opposition parties have told Jeremy Corbyn that he has until the end of the day to table a confidence motion in Theresa May. SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford issued the Labour leader with an ultimatum, saying he must act before close of play on Tuesday or other parties would be forced to intervene. Mr Corbyn is facing growing pressure to put forward a no-confidence motion in the government after the prime minister was forced to pull a vote on her Brexit deal at the eleventh hour to avoid a catastrophic defeat at the hands of Tory backbenchers. Recommended May could delay vote on Brexit deal for more than a month Labour is keen to trigger an early general election but the party has so far held back from trying to topple the government, saying it will put forward a motion when it is most likely to be successful. Shadow Brexit minister Jenny Chapman had to perform a frantic U-turn after she initially claimed that Labour would act before Christmas. She then tweeted shortly afterwards that she had got a bit carried away making a festive joke. Parliamentary leaders from the other opposition parties wrote a letter to Mr Corbyn, saying there is an overwhelming case for a confidence motion following Ms Mays decision to defer the crunch Commons vote on her Brexit deal. Speaking at a press conference in London, Mr Blackford said Britain was facing a constitutional crisis unparalleled in modern times and suggested that his party, the Greens, the Liberal Democrats and Plaid Cymru could attempt to force a vote in the government if Labour doesnt. Pressed again by The Independent, he said: I think Jeremy has until the close of business today. Mr Blackford said: Our message to Jeremy Corbyn is all of us have to work together to move that motion of no confidence and I appeal to Jeremy to do that. But all of us working together have to accept our responsibilities, and if Jeremy cant do it himself in that position, then we as the leaders of the other opposition parties must rise to that challenge and we must lay down that motion of no-confidence in the prime minister. Prominent Tory backbencher Anna Soubry also backed the calls, stating: The biggest obstacle to a Peoples Vote at the moment is Jeremy Corbyn. If not now, when, Jeremy? He has got to start this process now. The politicians who wrote to Mr Corbyn also appealed to the government to begin drawing up the necessary legislation for a new vote, ensuring that parliament can be given the time to debate the question and the date of the vote. The group also called on the EU to extend Article 50 timetable to allow time to prepare for a second referendum. Labours shadow chancellor John McDonnell said the SNP were wrong to believe they could table a vote of no confidence insisting only the official opposition could do so. He said Labour was making a judgement day by day when to act, telling reporters: We will put one down when we can win it. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events Mr McDonnell denied that meant waiting until after a defeat of the prime ministers deal, in a vote that might not happen until 21 January, but added: Never ask a question until you know the answer. He also accused the SNP of hoping to force a no-confidence vote now to wreck Labours chances of securing a general election, because it was terrified of losing to Labour in Scotland. Mr McDonnell accepted that his party could attempt to table several no-confidence motions as the Conservatives did to destabilise Labour in the 1970s but said the speaker could refuse to allow them, if one had already been lost. Unite boss Len McCluskey also waded into the row, saying: Jeremy Corbyn should not be bounced by those with little or no interest in seeing Labour elected. Newspapers react to Theresa May pulling the vote on her Brexit deal Show all 11 1 /11 Newspapers react to Theresa May pulling the vote on her Brexit deal Newspapers react to Theresa May pulling the vote on her Brexit deal The Independent Newspapers react to Theresa May pulling the vote on her Brexit deal The Daily Mirror Newspapers react to Theresa May pulling the vote on her Brexit deal The Times Newspapers react to Theresa May pulling the vote on her Brexit deal The Daily Express Newspapers react to Theresa May pulling the vote on her Brexit deal The Financial Times Newspapers react to Theresa May pulling the vote on her Brexit deal The Daily Telegraph Newspapers react to Theresa May pulling the vote on her Brexit deal The i Newspapers react to Theresa May pulling the vote on her Brexit deal The Guardian Newspapers react to Theresa May pulling the vote on her Brexit deal The Scotsman Newspapers react to Theresa May pulling the vote on her Brexit deal The Daily Mail Newspapers react to Theresa May pulling the vote on her Brexit deal The Metro They would be better placed using a censure motion and waiting for the right time to issue a vote of no confidence. The prime minister is currently on a whistle-stop tour of European capitals, appealing to allies such as Dutch prime minister Mark Rutte and Angela Merkel, the German chancellor, to offer concessions to get her deal through parliament. Downing Street announced that Ms May would bring the deal back to parliament by 21 January, a delay of more than a month of the much-anticipated meaningful vote. What is the backstop? The backstop is, in short, an insurance policy. It spells out what should happen if the UK and EU cannot agree a comprehensive trade deal that would maintain an open border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. Both sides say they do not want the backstop to ever become a reality, because they hope to reach a deal that would avoid a hard border. However, the EU insisted on a fall-back to ensure the border will remain open even if no deal on the future relationship between the EU and UK is agreed. Brexit threatens life on the Irish border: in pictures Show all 15 1 /15 Brexit threatens life on the Irish border: in pictures Brexit threatens life on the Irish border: in pictures An abandoned shop is seen in Mullan, Co Monaghan. The building was home to four families who left during the Troubles. The town was largely abandoned after the hard border was put in place during the conflict. Mullan has seen some regeneration in recent years, but faces an uncertain future with Brexit on the horizon Reuters Brexit threatens life on the Irish border: in pictures A defaced Welcome to Northern Ireland sign stands on the border in Middletown, Co Armagh Reuters Brexit threatens life on the Irish border: in pictures Mervyn Johnson owns a garage in the border town of Pettigo, which straddles the counties of Donegal and Fermanagh. Ive been here since 1956, it was a bit of a problem for a few years. My premises has been blown up about six or seven times, we just kept building and starting again, Johnson said laughing. We just got used to it [the hard border] really but now that its gone, we wouldn't like it back again Reuters Brexit threatens life on the Irish border: in pictures Farmer Gordon Crocketts Coshquin farm straddles both Derry/Londonderry in the North and Donegal in the Republic. At the minute there is no real problem, you can cross the border as free as you want. We could cross it six or eight times a day, said Crockett. If there was any sort of obstruction it would slow down our work every day Reuters Brexit threatens life on the Irish border: in pictures John Murphy flies the European flag outside his home near the border village of Forkhill, Co Armagh Reuters Brexit threatens life on the Irish border: in pictures Potter Brenda McGinn stands outside her Mullan, Co Monaghan, studio the former Jas Boylan shoe factory which was the main employer in the area until it shut down due to the Troubles. When I came back, this would have been somewhere you would have driven through and have been quite sad. It was a decrepit looking village, said McGinn, whose Busy Bee Ceramics is one of a handful of enterprises restoring life to the community. Now this is a revitalised, old hidden village Reuters Brexit threatens life on the Irish border: in pictures Union Flag colours painted on kerbstones and bus-stops along the border village of Newbuildings, Co Derry/Londonderry Reuters Brexit threatens life on the Irish border: in pictures Grass reflected in Lattone Lough, which is split by the border between Cavan and Fermanagh, seen from near Ballinacor, Northern Ireland Reuters Brexit threatens life on the Irish border: in pictures Donegalman David McClintock sits in the Border Cafe in the village of Muff, which straddles Donegal and Derry/Londonderry Reuters Brexit threatens life on the Irish border: in pictures An old Irish phone box stands alongside a bus stop in the border town of Glaslough, Co Monaghan Reuters Brexit threatens life on the Irish border: in pictures Billboards are viewed from inside a disused customs hut in Carrickcarnon, Co Down, on the border with Co Louth in the Republic Reuters Brexit threatens life on the Irish border: in pictures Seamus McQuaid takes packages that locals on the Irish side of the border have delivered to his business, McQuaid Auto-Parts, to save money on postal fees, near the Co Fermanagh village of Newtownbutler. I live in the south but the business is in the North, said McQaid. "I wholesale into the Republic of Ireland so if theres duty, Ill have to set up a company 200 yards up the road to sell to my customers. Ill have to bring the same product in through Dublin instead of Belfast Reuters Brexit threatens life on the Irish border: in pictures A disused Great Northern Railway line and station that was for customs and excise on the border town of Glenfarne, Co Leitrim Reuters Brexit threatens life on the Irish border: in pictures Alice Mullen, from Monaghan in the Republic of Ireland, does her shopping at a former customs post on the border in Middletown, Co Armagh. Id be very worried if it was a hard border, I remember when people were divided. I would be very afraid of the threat to the peace process, it was a dreadful time to live through. Even to go to mass on a Sunday, youd have to go through checkpoints. It is terribly stressful, said Mullen. All those barricades and boundaries were pulled down. I see it as a huge big exercise of trust and I do believe everyone breathed a sigh of relief Reuters Brexit threatens life on the Irish border: in pictures A bus stop and red post box stand in the border town of Jonesborough, Co Armagh Reuters The Irish government is particularly concerned that an open border be maintained, given it is a key part of the 1998 Good Friday Agreement that brought peace to the island of Ireland. What would the backstop involve? The backstop would see the UK enter into a temporary customs union with the EU. This would ensure there is no need for customs checks on goods travelling between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. Northern Ireland would also abide by EU single market rules on goods. That would mean there would also be no need for regulatory checks of products crossing the border, allowing an open border to be maintained. However and there is always a however the fact that Northern Ireland would effectively remain in the single market, while the rest of the UK would not, means there would have to to be new checks on goods travelling between the region and the rest of the UK. The EU has said most of these checks could be carried out in factories and farms rather than at the border, but for goods such as live animals this would not be possible. The EU had initially pushed for the backstop to apply only to Northern Ireland, but Theresa May refused, saying she would not accept any situation in which the region had different customs rules to the rest of the UK. Why is it so controversial? The backstop is, by some way, the most contentious part of the Brexit deal. It was the subject of months of drawn out negotiations with the EU and is the main reason why so many MPs are opposing the proposed agreement, forcing Ms May to delay the House of Commons vote on her deal. According to its critics, there are three main problems with the backstop. Firstly, the UK would not be able to exit the mechanism without the EUs approval. After Brussels rebuffed Ms Mays attempts to secure a unilateral exit clause, the draft withdrawal agreement says the EU and the UK must decide jointly if and when the backstop is no longer necessary. If they disagree, the matter would go to arbitration. Critics say this means the EU could keep the UK trapped in the backstop for as long as it wishes, with nothing the UK government could do about it. The second point of contention is that the backstop is indefinite. There is no time limit on the protocol; instead, the withdrawal agreement says only that the provisions apply unless and until they are superseded, in whole or in part, by a subsequent agreement. That is a major issue for Tory Brexiteers, who fear that the supposedly temporary arrangement could turn into the UK remaining in a customs union with the EU permanently, thus making it difficult to strike new trade deals with other countries. The third problem is the one that most bothers the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), which props up Ms Mays government in the Commons. The Northern Irish party is furious that the backstop would see new regulatory checks introduced on some goods travelling between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK. Staunch unionists fear this is the first step towards the break-up of the United Kingdom. What does the government say? The government insists there cannot be a withdrawal agreement of any kind without a backstop, because the EU demands one. Ministers claim the protocol will not be needed and that neither side wants to see it implemented. They say it will be temporary but admit that the UK would not be able to leave unilaterally. The governments legal advice, provided by attorney general Geoffrey Cox, said a permanent backstop would likely be illegal under EU law, and so could challenged a point ministers have flagged in an (unsuccessful) attempt to win over Tory rebels. Attorney General Geoffrey Cox: 'There is no unilateral right for either party to terminate Irish backstop if activated after the Brexit transition period' Ms May has also said the UK would be able to choose whether to enter the backstop. This is because, if no trade deal is agreed by the summer of 2020, the British government will be able to express a preference as to whether to enter the backstop or extend the transition period to allow for further negotiations. The transition is due to expire at the end of 2020, but the withdrawal agreement allows for it to be extended by up to two years. This would provide more time for a deal on the future relationship to be agreed, meaning the backstop would not be necessary. However, the EU would need to approve the UKs request. If the two sides disagree, the matter would go to arbitration. The UK could not, therefore, simply decide not to enter the backstop. And if no deal is agreed at the end of the extension, the backstop would still be implemented. That is because it is the default unless and until there is something to replace it. Ahead of the second meaningful vote, Ms May made an eleventh-hour dash to Strasbourg to secure three new documents that she says will give MPs the legally-binding reassurances they require to back her deal. These include a legally binding joint instrument, which the government says will reduce the risk of the UK being held in the Northern Ireland backstop indefinitely, and commits both sides to replace the backstop with alternative arrangements by December 2020. The package also includes a unilateral declaration by the UK, giving the government the right to take the EU to independent arbitration if it does not sincerely try to remove the backstop and a political declaration setting out both sides commitments to speeding up the process. This article was originally published on Tuesday 11 December 2018. A House of Commons debate on prime minister Theresa Mays decision to postpone a key Brexit vote descended into chaos this week when an MP leapt up to grab the chambers ceremonial mace. Labour's Lloyd Russell-Moyle marched out of his seat and grabbed the sceptre, holding it in both hands before it was taken from him as Tory backbenchers cried Disgrace!, Disgusting! and Expel him! The significance of the actions of the member for Brighton Kemptown might not be immediately apparent to the casual observer. The five-foot long silver gilt civic mace is carried into the Commons by the serjeant-at-arms every day and placed before the elected representatives as a symbol of the monarchs authority over them. Parliament cannot pass laws without the sceptre and removing it, as Mr Russell-Moyle attempted to do, implies a loss of faith in the legitimacy of the reigning administration. Speaker John Bercow appealed to Mr Russell-Moyle to abandon his protest and subsequently suspended him for the rest of the sitting. The symbolic gesture of lifting the mace and removing it is that the will of Parliament to govern is no longer there I felt Parliament had effectively given up its sovereign right to govern properly, the MP said afterwards. "Brexit betrayal" march in London Show all 43 1 /43 "Brexit betrayal" march in London "Brexit betrayal" march in London A protester holds an anti-BBC sign Angela Christofilou/The Independent "Brexit betrayal" march in London A pro-brexit demonstrator holds a sign in the picket line Angela Christofilou/The Independent "Brexit betrayal" march in London A protester carrying a noose at the "Brexit betrayal" march. The man carrying it told a reporter: "That's what the traitor May deserves." AP "Brexit betrayal" march in London Pro-brexit supporters hold a sign opposed to Nigel Farage Angela Christofilou/The Independent "Brexit betrayal" march in London Protesters carry a defaced British flag on the march Angela Christofilou/The Independent "Brexit betrayal" march in London Tommy Robinson addresses a rally after taking part in a Brexit 'betrayal' march in central London PA "Brexit betrayal" march in London Police officers attempts to keep rival protesters from clashing at the Brexit 'betrayal' march in London Victoria Jones/PA "Brexit betrayal" march in London A protester holds an anti-Theresa May sign Angela Christofilou/The Independent "Brexit betrayal" march in London A pro-brexit demonstrator and his dog Angela Christofilou/The Independent "Brexit betrayal" march in London A pro-brexit demonstrator at the protest Angela Christofilou/The Independent "Brexit betrayal" march in London A pro-brexit sign at the rally Angela Christofilou/The Independent "Brexit betrayal" march in London Pro-brexit demonstrators endorse UKIP Angela Christofilou/The Independent "Brexit betrayal" march in London A Brexit 'betrayal' march protester wearing a Make Britain Great Again hat in London on 9 December 2018 Chris J Ratcliffe/Getty "Brexit betrayal" march in London Brexit 'betrayal' marchers gathering on Park Lane ahead of a protest Angela Christofilou/ The Independent "Brexit betrayal" march in London The "Brexit Betrayal" march passes through Central London Angela Christofilou/The Independent "Brexit betrayal" march in London Tommy Robinson tells protesters to join Ukip via their mobile phones on stage next to leader Gerard Batten (right) at the Brexit 'betrayal' march Gareth Fuller/PA "Brexit betrayal" march in London A protester speaks thorugh a megaphone on the march Angela Christofilou/The Independent "Brexit betrayal" march in London A pro-brexit demonstrator walks in the picket line Angela Christofilou/The Independent "Brexit betrayal" march in London A pro-brexit anti-May sign at the rally Angela Christofilou/The Independent "Brexit betrayal" march in London A protester carries a Union Jack on the march Angela Christofilou/The Independent "Brexit betrayal" march in London A pro-brexit demonstrator wrapped in the Union Jack Angela Christofilou/The Independent "Brexit betrayal" march in London A pro-brexit anti-May sign at the rally Angela Christofilou/The Independent "Brexit betrayal" march in London Pro brexit demonstrators move through Central London Angela Christofilou/The Independent "Brexit betrayal" march in London A pro-brexit demonstrator marches with sign Angela Christofilou/The Independent "Brexit betrayal" march in London A pro-brexit demonstrator holds a rude sign in the rally Angela Christofilou/The Independent "Brexit betrayal" march in London The march passes down Victoria Street near Parliament Angela Christofilou/The Independent "Brexit betrayal" march in London A festive protester marches near Parliament Angela Christofilou/The Independent "Brexit betrayal" march in London A protester holds a mock noose as the march passes down Victoria Street towards Parliament Angela Christofilou/The Independent "Brexit betrayal" march in London A protester wrapped in the Union Jack marches down Victoria Street towards Parliament Angela Christofilou/The Independent "Brexit betrayal" march in London A protester makes some noise on the march Angela Christofilou/The Independent "Brexit betrayal" march in London A protester dressed as a dinosaur holds a sign rallying against "Davocracy" - in reference to the annual World Economic Forum meeting in Davos Angela Christofilou/The Independent "Brexit betrayal" march in London A protester holds a pro-brexit sign on the march Angela Christofilou/The Independent "Brexit betrayal" march in London The march approaches parliament Angela Christofilou/The Independent "Brexit betrayal" march in London A protester distributes pro-brexit lapel badges Angela Christofilou/The Independent "Brexit betrayal" march in London A demonstrator wears an anti-EU poster and holds an anti-BBC sign Angela Christofilou/The Independent "Brexit betrayal" march in London A smoke bomb is deployed in Parliament Square as the march comes across the counter-demonstration Angela Christofilou/The Independent "Brexit betrayal" march in London Angela Christofilou/The Independent "Brexit betrayal" march in London A flag bearing the Arms of Plantagenet flies in theprot Angela Christofilou/The Independent "Brexit betrayal" march in London Protesters on the Brexit 'betrayal' march in London on 9 December 2018 Angela Christofilou/ The Independent "Brexit betrayal" march in London Protesters on the Brexit 'betrayal' march in London on 9 December 2018 Angela Christofilou/ The Independent "Brexit betrayal" march in London Brexit 'betrayal' marchers gathering on Park Lane ahead of a protest on 9 December 2018 Angela Christofilou/ The Independent "Brexit betrayal" march in London Brexit 'betrayal' marchers gathering on Park Lane ahead of a protest on 9 December 2018 Angela Christofilou/ The Independent "Brexit betrayal" march in London Angela Christofilou/The Independent They stopped me before I got out of the chamber and I wasnt going to struggle with someone wearing a huge sword on their hip. On Twitter that evening, Mr Russell-Moyle assured his followers he had not been locked in the Tower of London for disrespecting royal authority but said that, had he been, he would expect to see Ms May occupying the cell alongside his. The mace itself is understood to date back to the 17th century and is thought to have been made for Charles II during the Restoration. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events Previous members to have attempted to remove it include John McDonnell, the current Labour shadow chancellor, who was suspended for five days in 2009 after attempting to take it in opposition to the government's approval of a third runway at Heathrow airport. In 1988, Scottish Labour member Ron Brown took the mace during a poll tax debate, only to drop it and cause damage that cost 1,500 to repair a bill he paid in person. Conservative shadow industry secretary Michael Heseltine also took it and waved it at the cheering Labour benches in 1976 after his party had lost a ballot on a bill by one vote. The mace was wrestled from his hands and he was asked to apologise a day later. Theresa May could delay the critical commons vote on her Brexit deal for more than a month as she tries to squeeze new concessions out of the EU. Downing Street confirmed the prime minister will bring the deal to a vote by January 21 at latest, though insiders hope it could be before depending on what happens in Brussels. The prime minister met Dutch PM Mark Rutte on Tuesday morning ahead of other appointments with German chancellor Angela Merkel and European figures Donald Tusk and Jean-Claude Juncker as she begins her push for a way out of her dilemma. It comes less than 24 hours after she delayed the crucial vote on her deal on Monday in the face of overwhelming parliamentary opposition, with dozens of Tory MPs and her DUP partners in government having signalled they would not let it pass. If Ms May had not already reached some kind of agreement with Brussels, she should would have been forced under the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 to make a statement on her next steps by January 21. Downing Street said it will now use that date as their new deadline to bring her deal to a vote, with Ms Mays spokesman saying: We will be keeping with the spirit of the Act and in doing so we will ensure that the matter is brought back before the commons before January 21. The move could help give Ms May some cover after her delaying of the vote led to intense criticism from political opponents who were hoping to see the deal defeated in the commons, something which might have precipitated the collapse of the prime ministers administration. Others, including ex-Conservative cabinet minister Justine Greening, had raised concerns that the PM could delay the vote until March 28, one day before Brexit, in order to increase the pressure on MPs to approve her deal. Andrea Leadsom says John Bercow 'has made his views known on Brexit' Following the prime ministers meeting with Mr Rutte on Tuesday, the PMs spokesman said: It was a productive breakfast. They discussed obviously Brexit ahead of the European Council this week. The leaders agreed that the backstop was only ever intended to be temporary, the prime minister set out the concerns held by many about it in the UK. She discussed the need for additional assurances on this point in order for the deal with the EU to pass the House of Commons. The prime minister and prime minister Rutte agreed to work together to find a way through. The prime minister's spokesman also showed Downing Street's displeasure with commons speaker John Bercow, after his impartiality in the Brexit debate was questioned by commons leader Andrea Leadsom. The spokesman said: "That's not a question I've ever discussed directly with the Prime Minister. What I would say is that established convention is that the Speaker must remain politically impartial at all times. It is for the House to determine if this is not the case." Asked whether Mrs May believed Mr Bercow should stand aside during the remaining Brexit debate and allow a deputy to take the chair, the PM's spokesman said: "It's for the House to determine these matters." The delayed cabinet meeting which was due to take place on Tuesday will now happen on Wednesday following prime minister's questions in the commons. Brazils future environment minister has said his nation should remain part of the Paris Agreement despite doubts cast by president elect Jair Bolsonaro during his election campaign. However, he also emphasised that Brazil must be allowed to retain its autonomy when making environmental decisions. Mr Bolsonaro sparked international concern when he said on the campaign trail he may pull out of the Paris accord, which sets targets for cutting greenhouse gases to avoid catastrophic global warming. Since being elected he has sent mixed signals about his green intentions, saying Brazil could stay in the agreement if certain conditions are met but also indicating he wishes to strip powers from his nations environment agencies. My inclination is ... to say that we shouldnt leave the agreement, Ricardo Salles, who is tipped to become minister after Bolsonaro assumes office on 1 January, said in an interview. But on the other hand, it doesnt signify that we will accept any and all sanctions, restrictions and programmes indisputably. All countries must respect Brazilian autonomy to manage its territory and to decide its environmental policies internally, he said. Brazil has committed to cutting emissions 37 per cent by 2025 and 43 per cent by 2030 under the agreement, although the country has yet to fully lay out how it will meet those goals. Brazil will use common sense in the details of how it will deal with the agreement, and the country thus far has been very responsible in preserving a large proportion of its native vegetation, the incoming minister said. Brazil election: far-right candidate Jair Bolsonaro wins Presidency Show all 8 1 /8 Brazil election: far-right candidate Jair Bolsonaro wins Presidency Brazil election: far-right candidate Jair Bolsonaro wins Presidency A man holds an inflatable figure of jailed former president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva as supporters of far-right presidential candidate Jair Bolsonaro celebrate in front of the National Congress in Brasilia, after the former army captain won Brazil's presidential election AFP/Getty Brazil election: far-right candidate Jair Bolsonaro wins Presidency Supporters of the left-wing presidential candidate for the Workers Party (PT), Fernando Haddad, react in Rio AFP/Getty Brazil election: far-right candidate Jair Bolsonaro wins Presidency Police officers patrol the streets during a gathering of supporters of the left-wing presidential candidate for the Workers Party AFP/Getty Brazil election: far-right candidate Jair Bolsonaro wins Presidency Fernando Haddad, presidential candidate of Brazil's leftist Workers Party (PT), is kissed by his wife Ana Estela Haddad Reuters Brazil election: far-right candidate Jair Bolsonaro wins Presidency EPA Brazil election: far-right candidate Jair Bolsonaro wins Presidency AFP/Getty Images Brazil election: far-right candidate Jair Bolsonaro wins Presidency AFP/Getty Images Brazil election: far-right candidate Jair Bolsonaro wins Presidency REUTERS Mr Salles, who previously served as the top environmental official for the state of Sao Paulo, said he does believe climate change exists, although he could not say for sure whether it is human-made or a change that is occurring naturally. Brazil should leave that question to academics and get on with the less charming business of environmental protection, he said, including dealing with waste, biodiversity, soil issues and converting the car fleet to lower emission biofuels. Mr Bolsonaro will not cut the budget of the ministry and environmental agencies government oversees, which include enforcer Ibama the Brazilian Institute of Environment and Renewable Natural Resources and conservation area administrator ICMBio, Mr Salles said. But environmental agencies are not producing the results they should be with the resources they are given, and he said he will seek to correct this mismanagement and inefficiency. Asked about whether Brazil should reconsider Ibamas decision last week to deny Total SA a permit to drill in the sensitive Foz do Amazonas basin near the Amazon rainforest, Mr Salles said it would have to make sure ideology did not enter into the decision and that it was based solely on facts. The country must strike a balance in environmental licensing, whether for farms or mines, and development, as overly strict rules drive people to illegality or lead producers to exit the market, he said. Jair Bolsonaro speaks after winning Brazil presidential elections Though Mr Bolsonaro has not been as forthcoming about his views on climate change as US president Donald Trump, he has been associated with known climate change deniers, including his new foreign minister who called global warming a Marxist plot. When Mr Trump first announced his decision to quit the Paris accord, the Brazilian president elect shared an article defending the decision on Twitter titled the greenhouse fables. Recently he criticised the Brazilian governments environment agencies and said he will take away their powers to impose fines all over the place. Attendees at the UN COP24 climate summit currently underway in Poland have expressed concerns that under Mr Bolsonaros leadership Brazil could be turned into a climate rogue state. Additional reporting by Reuters Two American nuns have admitted embezzling about $500,000 (380,000) which they used to pay for Las Vegas gambling trips. Sister Mary Kreuper and Sister Lana Chang of St James Catholic School in the Californian city of Torrance used money from tuition, fees and donations, which they deposited in a separate bank account not used by the school. The pair, who are said to be best friends, and both recently retired, have apologised and intend to pay back the money in full, according to their order, the Congregation of Sisters of Saint Joseph of Carondelet. Theyre taking away the money from kids in school, from kids that need the money. To do that, its terrible, Francis Grimes of St James Catholic Church told ABCs Eyewitness News. The theft was reportedly discovered during a routine audit of the schools funds. But the sum represents only what auditors have been able to trace from bank records from the last six years, and also excludes any cash transactions, the Archdiocese of Los Angeles told parents whose children attend the school. The pair are believed to have largely spent the money on gambling and travel to Las Vegas. This matter came to our attention during financial reviews in connection with the change in leadership at our School. Other staff persons were not implicated or responsible, the parishs pastor said in a statement. Sister Kreuper had been the school principal for 29 years, while Sister Chang had been a teacher for over 20 years. British nuns who saved wartime Jews on path to sainthood Show all 2 1 /2 British nuns who saved wartime Jews on path to sainthood British nuns who saved wartime Jews on path to sainthood 385190.bin British nuns who saved wartime Jews on path to sainthood 385192.bin The Sisters of St Joseph of Carondelet have had the privilege of serving the families of St James School and Parish since 1918, the order said in a statement. Our community is concerned and saddened by this situation and regret any injury to our long relationship with the families of the school. The Sisters of St Joseph both desire and intend to make complete restitution to St James School. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events In a letter sent to pupils parents earlier this month, the school said it hoped families had not lost trust in the institution. The Guardians have been named Time magazines Person of the Year for 2018. The collective of journalists, the most well known of which is the murdered Washington Post reporter Jamal Khashoggi, will grace the covers of Time magazines next issue after the publications editors decided they had come to represent 2018 more than any other individual or group for the sacrifices they made in the war on truth. This year we are recognising four journalists and one news organisation who have paid a terrible price to seize the challenge of this moment: Jamal Khashoggi, Maria Ressa, Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo and The Capital Gazette of Annapolis, Maryland, editor-in-chief Edward Felsenthal explained in his latest editorial. Mr Khashoggi was killed in the Saudi Arabian consulate in Istanbul, Turkey, on 2 October after apparently being tortured. The correspondent had been a prominent critic of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Maria Ressa is the editor of a Philippine news website known for its critical coverage of government violence. Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo are two Reuters reporters who were arrested in Myanmar for their part in investigating the massacre of Rohingya Muslims, while The Capital Gazette is the newspaper targeted by a gunman who killed four journalists and a sales assistant when he opened fire in its newsroom. Four different covers will hit newsstands representing the four parties. As we looked at the choices, it became clear that the manipulation and abuse of truth is really the common thread in so many of this years major stories, Mr Felsenthal elaborated on Today on NBC. Donald Trump was the magazines second choice, he said, with FBI special counsel Robert Mueller third. The magazine has carried out the tradition since 1927 and last year another group was chosen: those who came forward to report sexual harassment in the workplace as part of the #MeToo movement in the wake of the Harvey Weinstein scandal. Time paid tribute to the silence breakers, for giving voice to open secrets, for moving whisper networks onto social networks, for pushing us all to stop accepting the unacceptable. In 2016, Mr Trump, then the president-elect, was named for reminding America that demagoguery feeds on despair and that truth is only as powerful as the trust in those who speak it, for empowering a hidden electorate by mainstreaming its furies and live-streaming its fears, and for framing tomorrows political culture by demolishing yesterdays. Time magazine's persons of the year so far this millennium Show all 18 1 /18 Time magazine's persons of the year so far this millennium Time magazine's persons of the year so far this millennium George W Bush - 2000 Elected President of the United States AFP/Getty Time magazine's persons of the year so far this millennium Rudy Giuliani - 2001 Mayor of New York at the time of 9/11, selected for his response to the attacks AFP/Getty Time magazine's persons of the year so far this millennium The Whistleblowers - 2002 Represented by Cynthia Cooper, Sherron Watkins (R) and Coleen Rowley (L) for coming forward with stories of corruption Getty Time magazine's persons of the year so far this millennium The American Soldier - 2003 Representing US armed forces around the world, most notably in Iraq AFP/Getty Time magazine's persons of the year so far this millennium George W Bush - 2004 Returned as President of the United States AFP/Getty Time magazine's persons of the year so far this millennium The Good Samaritans - 2005 Represented by Bono, who had helped to organise the Live 8 concert and Bill and Melinda Gates who had founded the Bill and Melinda Gates Getty Time magazine's persons of the year so far this millennium You - 2006 Awarded to you for creating content on the internet PA Time magazine's persons of the year so far this millennium Vladimir Putin - 2007 Was to become Prime Minister of Russia, was President at the time AFP/Getty Time magazine's persons of the year so far this millennium Barack Obama - 2008 Elected the first black President of the United States Getty Time magazine's persons of the year so far this millennium Ben Bernanke - 2009 Chairman of the US Federal reserve at the time of the financial crash Getty Time magazine's persons of the year so far this millennium Mark Zuckerberg - 2010 Founder of Facebook Getty Time magazine's persons of the year so far this millennium The Protester - 2011 Represented protesters from events across the globe such as the Arab Spring, the Occupy movement and the Tea Party movement AFP/Getty Time magazine's persons of the year so far this millennium Barack Obama - 2012 Returned as President of the United States Getty Time magazine's persons of the year so far this millennium Pope Francis - 2013 Elected head of the Roman Catholic Church Getty Time magazine's persons of the year so far this millennium The Ebola fighters - 2014 The health workers who worked to stop the spread of Ebola in the West African epidemic AFP/Getty Time magazine's persons of the year so far this millennium Angela Merkel - 2015 The German Chancellor was awarded for her leadership in the Greek debt crisis and the Eurozone refugee crisis Getty Time magazine's persons of the year so far this millennium Donald Trump - 2016 Elected President of the United States in November Getty Time magazine's persons of the year so far this millennium The Silence Breakers - 2017 The people who spoke out against sexual abuse and harassment, including the figureheads of the #MeToo movement. Pictured is Rose McGowan, one of the women specifically honoured, addressing the Women's March in October 2017 AFP/Getty Prior to that, the list of previous winners is as follows: 2015 Angela Merkel 2014 Ebola fighters 2013 Pope Francis 2012 Barack Obama 2011 The protester (demonstrators from the Arab Spring, Occupy and Tea Party movements) 2010 Mark Zuckerberg 2009 Ben Bernanke 2008 Barack Obama 2007 Vladimir Putin 2006 You (the individual online content creator) 2005 The good samaritans (wealthy philanthropists) 2004 George W Bush 2003 The American soldier (especially fighting in the War on Terror) 2002 The whistleblower (informants from Enron, WorldCom and the FBI) 2001 Rudy Giuliani 2000 George W Bush Close Google CEO Sundar Pichai testifies to Congress over privacy and data collection Weeks before Democrats take over control of the House of Representatives, Republicans on the Judiciary Committee are questioning Google CEO Sundar Pichai on issues including transparency, data collection, and filtering. This is the latest of several hearings Republicans have set up with tech company executives, which they claim have shown liberal bias in their dealings. Google refused to send a representative the last time the Judiciary interviewed the top brass of social media companies, including Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey. But, since then, the Mr Pichai has held closed door meetings with members of Congress to discuss what Republicans have branded as liberal bias at Google. Follow updates from the hearing below and watch a live stream of the testimony here. Please allow a moment for the live blog to update On a July evening, Trump administration officials and allies, including the presidents personal lawyer, Rudolph W Giuliani, gathered with investors atop the Hay-Adams hotel overlooking the White House for a cocktail reception featuring a short presentation by the Democratic Republic of Congos special envoy to the United States. An invitation for the reception billed it as an opportunity to learn about the role Africa plays in gaining access to critical minerals, such as cobalt and to discuss the strategic relationship between the United States and the nations of Africa. In fact, the reception was part of an aggressive $8 million lobbying and public relations campaign that used lobbyists with ties to the Trump administration to try to ease concerns about Congolese President Joseph Kabila, whose government was facing threats of additional sanctions from the Trump administration for human rights abuses and corruption. The lavish cocktail party was one example of a lucrative and expanding niche within Washingtons influence industry. As President Donald Trumps administration has increasingly turned to sanctions, travel restrictions and tariffs to punish foreign governments as well as people and companies from abroad, targets of those measures have turned for assistance to Washingtons K Street corridor of law, lobbying and public relations firms. The work can carry reputation and legal risks, since clients often come with toxic baggage and the US Treasury Department restricts transactions with entities under sanctions. As a result, it commands some of the biggest fees of any sector in the influence industry. And some of the biggest payments have been going to lobbyists, lawyers and consultants with connections to Mr Trump or his administration. Recommended DR Congo bans former vice president from presidential elections People overseas often want to hear that you know so-and-so, and can make a call to solve their problem, said Erich Ferrari, a leading Washington sanctions lawyer who said he has tried to disabuse prospective clients of such notions. It is a perception that matches up with the pay-to-play mind-set that defines politics in many parts of Africa, Asia, the Middle East and the former Soviet states. As politicians and executives from those regions have increasingly been targeted by sanctions, they have sought to apply that approach backed by huge sums of cash to navigating Washington, lobbyists and former government officials say. This has been encouraged, they say, by the willingness projected by Mr Trump and his team to make deals around sanctions and tariffs exemptions. Previous administrations had worked to wall off politics from those processes, which are supposed to be overseen primarily by career officials and governed by strict legal analyses. In June, after a personal intervention by Mr Trump, the Commerce Department rescinded sanctions that could have crippled Chinese technology giant ZTE, which had fought the sanctions through an intense three-month lobbying push that cost $1.4 million. A $108,500-a-month lobbying campaign has helped delay the imposition of sanctions against an industrial conglomerate owned by Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska. Among the leaders of the lobbying efforts for both ZTE and Mr Deripaskas companies was Bryan Lanza, a former Trump campaign aide who maintains close ties to administration officials. His firm, Mercury Public Affairs, has signed other clients facing punitive measures from the US government, including the US subsidiary of Hikvision, a company owned by the Chinese government. The company, according to lobbying filings, paid a Mercury team including Mr Lanza a fee that started at $70,000 a month to lobby on the carrying out of a military-spending bill. The bill bars the US government from purchasing video surveillance products made by a handful of Chinese companies, including Hikvision, ZTE and Huawei, whose chief financial officer was arrested in Canada at the request of the US government, apparently on suspicion of violating sanctions against Iran. A children's crisis: Violence and insecurity in Congo Show all 7 1 /7 A children's crisis: Violence and insecurity in Congo A children's crisis: Violence and insecurity in Congo Therese Mulopo and her 4-month-old baby, Mbombo Marth, at Saint Martyr health centre in the city of Kananga. They have come for a one-day nutrition screening session at the Unicef-supported health facility, which provides free treatment for malnourished children. During the clashes, our family found refuge a few kilometres away from a relative. But we didnt have something to eat every day, says Mulopo, who also has two older children (ages five and six). Our children became ill and so they were treated with traditional herbs and leaves. But the diseases, mainly diarrhoea, didnt stop. With my husband, we used to be farmers. Before, we grew and ate rice and beans but now there is nothing there, because we could not sow any seeds last year. So there is nothing to harvest now. So, we are staying with my sister here. My only wish is to see my children eat and grow up healthy. Unicef/Tremeau A children's crisis: Violence and insecurity in Congo Ngalula Badiendele and her children. None of Ms Badiendeles four children have an appetite, and the two children in her arms, son Kajunga (left), 17 months old, and daughter Tshipala (right), three, are both malnourished. We had to leave to the bush when the clashes broke out. We walked for one day and then built a shelter. We stayed there for one month. When we heard the security was better we came back but soon fights happened again. And we had to leave again to the forest, where we stayed again for one month. Life was not easy at the time. It still isnt. I just hope peace will come back so my family will live like we used to, Badiendele says. Unicef/Tremeau A children's crisis: Violence and insecurity in Congo Ntambwe (who does not know her exact age) holds her brother, Nalula Kelende, three. I brought my brother Nalula to the health clinic because he suffers from malnutrition. My mother is working in the field, Ntambwe says. We come from Dibaya [a small town]. When clashes happened, we had to walk during three days to reach Tshikaji. Since the violences, we only eat cassava and, if my parents find some money, we can sometimes buy wheat to cook food. But we often sleep with empty stomachs. All incomes from the harvests are not sufficient this year to cover all the family expenses. Nothing could be sowed this year, so there is nothing to eat anymore. I had to stop school last year because of the clashes. Since then I couldnt go back because my family doesnt have enough to buy me a new uniform. I would like to become a nurse one day so I could help sick children just like my brother. Unicef/Tremeau A children's crisis: Violence and insecurity in Congo Muya Kapuku and his three-year-old daughter, Chosa, and his malnourished four-year-old son, Muhipay. When insecurity started in Kananga, I took refuge in the bush of Mutoto Village with my family. Food conditions were terrible, Kapuku says. We only eat tubers, fufu [a staple food in parts of West and Central Africa] and cassava leaves, once a day preferably in the evening; and these conditions have not changed yet. I lost my job as a sentry where I earned a little money and became unemployed since my return so far. I fear to lose my two children who are malnourished, but fortunately, they benefit from free nutritional care in this health centre. I wish the peace to come back in our province and to have a good job that will allow me to support my household and educate my children. Unicef/Tremeau A children's crisis: Violence and insecurity in Congo Bertine Kabedi, 14, and her one-year-old daughter, Bakatuseka. I came to the health centre because its been a month that my daughter doesnt eat well, Bertine says. I come from a place called Dibaya. When violence broke out there I fled to Tshikaji to seek refuge. Unfortunately, violence started also in Tshikaji, and so I had to flee to the bush. I lived with my three-month-old newborn during two months in the bush before we came back a month ago. Life wasnt easy in the forest, there was nothing to eat. Now I would like to set up a small business so I could feed my baby. I had to stop school a few years ago because my parents didnt have enough to pay for school fees. I want to send my kid to school one day, but if the ongoing troubles continue I know it will be impossible. Unicef/Tremeau A children's crisis: Violence and insecurity in Congo Bakena Mukendi, cradling her malnourished daughter, one-month-old Bakatjika, waits with her 28-month-old son, Manatshitua, outside the Saint Martyr health centre. I am a mother of six children, Mukendi says. When violence broke out, we had to flee with the whole family to the forest. We stayed there for two months, eating cassava only and palm oil. All my children fell sick then. They suffered from fever and diarrhoea. We had to cure them with traditional health care with tree leaves. I came back four months ago to Tshikaji. Before, I had a small shop, but I lost everything when we ran away all my savings. My husband now does small jobs so all the family can survive. Despite our situation and small incomes, I am proud to have sent all my children to school, because I know how important education is for their future. Unicef/Tremeau A children's crisis: Violence and insecurity in Congo Tshiela Masengu brings in her malnourished grandson Jean, four, to the health centre. My daughter was killed when clashes happened in April 2017, leaving behind her six orphans that I took care of. Jeans father died a few years ago already, Masengu says. During the fights, we took refuge in the forest with all six kids. We stayed there for weeks, without any food. This is when Jean fell sick. Thats why I brought him to the centre, because he suffers from malnutrition. I want him to be better, but I am worried about what tomorrow will bring. I have a small coconut business, but it is not enough to support the family. But I am proud to have sent the two oldest ones (11 and eight) to school this year. I would like all of them to go to school one day. This conflict took away my daughter from me, and destroyed the future of my grandchildren. I would like it to end now. Unicef/Tremeau Sanctions targets who had not previously tried to win reprieve are sensing an opening. Viktor F Yanukovych, the former president of Ukraine, who had sanctions levied against him in 2014, has discussed a push to win relief and refurbish his image with well-connected law and lobbying firms including Greenberg Traurig. Among the other Trump-linked lobbyists who have received big contracts from targets of sanctions and tariffs is Brian Ballard, a top fundraiser for Mr Trumps campaign and the Republican National Committee. Mr Kabilas government has stocked up on consultants who have cast themselves as able to broker access at the highest levels of the administration. It has paid $8 million to its security contractor, an Israeli firm called Mer Security and Communication Systems, to hire American lobbyists, according to lobbying filings. At the time of the Congolese reception, the Trump administration and the international community were pressuring Mr Kabila to step down, partly by intimating that his allies might face additional sanctions. Not only had he been accused of violent repression of dissent and looting millions, but he had overstayed the countrys constitutionally mandated term limits by nearly two years. The Congolese officials at the reception posed for photos with Mr Giuliani, and afterward there was some confusion about his connection to the lobbying effort. Francois Balumuene, the Congolese ambassador to the United States, suggested in an interview in September that his country was working with Mr Giuliani to figure out the administrations position on an upcoming presidential election called by Mr Kabila to avoid threatened sanctions. What I know is that it is possible that Giuliani will let us know how to go ahead, Mr Balumuene said. He referred additional questions about Mr Giulianis role to the countrys special envoy to Washington, Raymond Tshibanda, who could not be reached for comment. Rudy Giuliani tells Chuck Todd: 'Truth isn't truth' when it comes to the Mueller investigation Mr Giuliani said he was not serving as an intermediary between the Democratic Republic of Congo and the administration. In an interview in September, he initially said he stopped by the reception for a half-hour to say hello to people and to impress a woman with whom he had been dining by taking her to the top of the Hay-Adams to see a Washington party with a great view. But he later suggested he attended at least partly because he was interested in exploring business opportunities, adding, Weve always wanted to see whats Africa all about. And someone familiar with Mr Giulianis business affairs said one of his companies has recently been negotiating a consulting deal to work in the Democratic Republic of Congo, possibly through Mer. In text messages on Sunday, Mr Giuliani said if I do it, it would only be security consulting similar to what he does in other countries, not lobbying. Beyond that, I cant say anything other than you can assume if we are working in a foreign country, we are doing security physical and cyber, anti-terrorism, emergency management. It is not clear whether the lobbying overseen by Mer had much effect, and several of Mers subcontracts with Trump-linked lobbyists have expired. Less than a month after the Hay-Adams event, Mr Kabila announced he would not seek a third term in presidential elections scheduled for this month. While some Trump administration officials are concerned the elections are being tilted in favour of Mr Kabilas chosen successor, the United States has not levelled additional sanctions against the country since Mr Kabilas announcement an outcome some lobbyists on the account are privately claiming as a victory. In October, Mer signed a new $200,000 contract with a public relations firm called Sanitas International that was co-founded by Christopher Harvin, a senior adviser to the Trump campaign who had worked in President George W Bushs administration. The firm is seeking to demonstrate to the news media that Mr Kabila does, in fact, intend to step down and hold free and fair elections. The New York Times Some Democrats, who will take the House majority in January, are willing to say President Donald Trump may have committed impeachable offences. But that does not mean they will try to impeach him at least not yet. For several reasons, Democrats have been extremely cautious about the "I" word. They know it could backfire politically, and many of them were in office during President Bill Clinton's impeachment 20 years ago. New York Representative Jerry Nadler, the top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee and the panel's likely incoming chairman, has called impeachment a "trauma." Mr Nadler told CNN on Sunday that if it is proved Mr Trump directed his former lawyer to commit campaign finance violations, as was suggested by special counsel Robert Mueller in a new court filing, he believes it would be an impeachable offence. But Mr Nadler added, "Whether they are important enough to justify an impeachment is a different question." It is unclear whether the distinction between an impeachable offence and impeachment itself will satisfy those in the Democratic base who are eager to kick Mr Trump out of office. But Democrats are walking that fine line, for now. These are the five reasons why Democrats are not ready for impeachment yet: Other shoes to drop Recommended Trump warned of impeachment and jail time as probe escalates In filings on Friday, Mr Mueller's prosecutors asserted Mr Trump's former lawyer, Michael Cohen, committed campaign finance violations "in coordination with and at the direction of" Mr Trump. It is the first time they have directly tied Mr Trump to a federal crime. The violations stemmed from payments Mr Cohen made to buy the silence of porn actress Stormy Daniels and former Playboy model Karen McDougal. Both women alleged they had affairs with Mr Trump, which the White House denies. Mr Trump also denies knowing about the payment, but the filing contradicts that claim. There is likely more to come from Mr Mueller. Charges are expected related to emails stolen during the 2016 presidential election that could implicate some in Mr Trump's circle. And Mr Mueller could complete a larger report at the conclusion of his investigation. If Democrats move to impeach Mr Trump, it will likely be for more than just campaign finance violations. It could backfire Democrats are aware of the price Republicans paid for Mr Clinton's impeachment 20 years ago. Both Mr Nadler and House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi were in Congress at the time, and Mr Nadler sat on the Judiciary panel. Republicans were seen as overreaching, and that helped boost Mr Clinton's poll numbers and win Democrats seats in the 1998 midterm election. Ms Pelosi was also under pressure to impeach President George W Bush in 2006 when she first became speaker of the House. She has said if Democrats had spent their first two years in the majority trying to impeach Mr Bush, voters may never have elected Barack Obama as president in 2008. Republicans are also aware impeachment could backfire. "I think it'll help the president get re-elected," Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said on the possibility Democrats would move for impeachment. "This business of presidential harassment may or may not be quite the winner they think it is." Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Show all 23 1 /23 Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Joe Biden The former vice president - poised to be a frontrunner - has announced his run. He recently faced scrutiny for inappropriate touching of women, but was thought to deal with the criticism well AFP/Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Bernie Sanders The 2016 runner-up has announced that he will be running again in 2020 Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Hillary Clinton The 2016 Democratic presidential candidate and former Secretary of State says she is still considering whether she will run again. Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Pete Buttigieg The Indiana mayor and war veteran will be running for president. If elected, he would be the first openly LGBT+ president in American history. Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Kamala Harris The former California attorney general will be running for president in 2020. Introduced to the national stage during Jeff Sessions testimony, she has endorsed Medicare-for-all and proposed a major tax-credit for the middle class. AP Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Elizabeth Warren The Massachusetts Senator has formally launched her bid for president in 2020. A progressive Democrat, she is a major supporter of regulating Wall Street. AP Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Beto ORourke The former Texas congressman told Oprah Winfrey that he has been thinking about running for presidency, but stopped short of formally announcing his bid to run in 2020. AFP/Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Wayne Messam Mayor of the city of Miramar in the Miami metropolitan area, Wayne Messam has announced his bid. He intends to run on a progressive platform against the "broken" federal government. He favours gun regulations and was a signatory to a letter from some 400 mayors condemning President Trump's withdrawal from the Paris Climate Accord. Vice News Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Kirsten Gillibrand The New York Senator formally announced her presidential bid in January, saying that healthcare should be a right, not a privilege. Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Cory Booker The New Jersey Senator has announced that he will be running for the presidency in 2020. If he secures the nomination he said finding a female vice president would be a priority. Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? John Delaney The Maryland congressman was the first to launch his bid for presidency, making the announcement in 2017. AP Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Julian Castro The former San Antonio mayor announced his candidacy in January and said that his running has a special meaning for the Latino community in the US. Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Tulsi Gabbard The Hawaii congresswoman announced her candidacy in January, but is likely to face tough questions on her past comments on LGBT+ rights and her stance on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Andrew Yang The entrepreneur has announced his presidential candidacy, and has pledged that he would introduce a universal basic income of $1,000 a month to every American over the age of 18. AFP/Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Marianne Williamson The author and spiritual advisor has announced her intention to run for president. She had previously run for congress as an independent in 2014 but was unsuccessful. Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? John Kerry The former secretary of state has said he is still thinking about whether to run. Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Michael Bloomberg The entrepreneur and former New York mayor with a net worth of around $50bn has said he will decide by the end of February whether to seek the presidency. AFP Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Howard Schultz Former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz has not yet ruled out running for president in 2020, despite criticism that his bid could help re-elect Mr Trump by dividing the Democrat vote. AP Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Eric Holder The former attorney general has said he will decide in the next month or so whether to run as a 2020 presidential candidate. AP Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Eric Swalwell The California congressman said he is ready to do this and will decide before April whether to run. MSNBC Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Terry McAuliffe The former Virginia governor, who worked to elect Democratic governors during 2018 midterms, said there was a 50 per cent chance he would run. AP Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Sherrod Brown The Ohio senator is still undecided about whether to run for president in 2020. Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Mitch Landrieu The former New Orleans mayor said he doesnt think he will run for president, but never say never. AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin Republican buy-in needed Ms Pelosi has called impeachment a "divisive activity" that needs buy-in from both parties to work. "If the case is there, then that should be self-evident to Democrats and Republicans," she said. Mr Nadler has said the same, that there would have to be at least some Republican support if they take the step of initiating impeachment proceedings. If the Democrats hold to that, it would mean Mr Mueller would have to produce a lot more evidence of Mr Trump's involvement in crimes. No Republicans have so far come close to supporting impeachment, and many moderate Republicans critical of Mr Trump lost their re-election races in November. Former FBI Director James Comey tells MSNBC Trump is not yet an unindicted co-conspirator to charges but 'is certainly close' Checking Trump in other ways Democrats have tried to keep the public focus on investigating the president and moving forward on policy, such as improving infrastructure and lowering health care costs. Several Democrat-led committees are expected to initiate investigations of Mr Trump and the White House, including on whether Russians used laundered money for transactions with the Trump Organisation. They will also try to protect Mr Mueller's investigation through legislation. Freshmen lawmakers who won competitive districts and handed Democrats the majority have made it clear they do not want to focus on issues like impeachment. Democratic Representative-elect Jeff Van Drew of New Jersey said shortly after the election that his constituents "don't just want to see us argue and investigate and have hearings." What happens next? In the end, even if the Democratic House approved articles of impeachment, the Constitution requires a two-thirds vote of the Senate to convict. And that would be unlikely in a Republican-led Senate. And some Senate Democrats might be reluctant to support impeachment, as well, since several of them represent swing states. "My concern is that, if impeachment is moved forward on the evidence that we have now, at least a third of the country would think it was just political revenge and a coup against the president," said Senator Angus King, I-Maine, on NBC's Meet the Press on Sunday. "That wouldn't serve us well at all. The best way to solve a problem like this, to me, is elections." Associated Press Close Former FBI Director James Comey tells MSNBC Trump is not yet an unindicted co-conspirator to charges but 'is certainly close' President Donald Trump is scrambling to find a new chief of staff after his first choice to replace John Kelly rejected the role at the last minute and several other potential successors signalled they did not want the job. Leading contender Nick Ayers, said to have been in talks over taking the position for several months, ruled himself out of the running amid mounting chaos at the White House. Mr Trump is reported to have been super pissed by the development, which leaves him racing to fill a job described as one of the toughest in DC at a time when Robert Muellers Russia investigation is getting ever nearer to the Oval Office. Five people linked to the president have pleaded guilty to federal charges as investigators probe whether Mr Trumps campaign coordinated with the Kremlin in the 2016 election campaign. Prosecutors in New York have also for the first time linked the president to a federal crime, accusing him of orchestrating hush-money payments by his long-time lawyer and fixer, Michael Cohen, to a porn star and a former Playboy model. Mr Cohen is due to be sentenced on Wednesday, and is likely to face years in prison after admitting campaign finance offences. President Donald Trump has often bragged about having his pick of only the best people to serve in his administration. Being publicly rejected by his first choice for chief of staff and embarking on a very public search for someone else has made Mr Trumps claim harder to back up. A shortlist of last-ditch possibilities has emerged, including family-vetted officials like Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Robert Lighthizer, the US trade representative, but only one possibility Representative Mark Meadows, the hard-right Republican congressman from North Carolina who is so far not quite inside the Trump childrens circle of trust has voiced interest. After Nick Ayers, the Georgia political operative who was the presidents top pick, declined the job something of a plot twist in a presidency notorious for its episodic cliff-hangers Mr Trump is without a Plan B. Several of his aides expressed frustration that months of intense campaigning to replace John F Kelly an effort led by Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner, the presidents elder daughter and son-in-law resulted in yet another chaotic staffing scramble in a White House splintered by factions and rife with turnover. Why would anybody want to be Donald Trumps chief of staff unless you want to steal the office supplies before they shut the place down? said Chris Whipple, who wrote a book on White House chiefs of staff called The Gatekeepers, expressing the views of many outside the White House about Mr Kellys job. If youre coming into that job, youve got to lawyer up. Mr Trump faces a week marked by negotiations with Congress over a possible government shutdown and difficult negotiations over the funding for his long-promised border wall. But on Monday, according to several people close to the administration, the president was more focused on his success in dispatching Mr Kelly than on his anger at Mr Ayers. Ivanka Trump and Mr Kushners efforts on behalf of Mr Ayers were widely seen as a coup attempt, started on behalf of a president who was unhappy with Mr Kelly but could not bring himself to fire him. Mr Ayers rejection of the offer stunned the couple, who had long resisted Mr Kellys attempt to bend them to a traditional White House hierarchy. But for Trump family members, the debacle amounts to a survivable setback. And the couple are now back to assessing a last-ditch list of possible candidates. Others who know Donald Trump hinted that the president dislikes being embarrassed, and the abruptness of Mr Ayers rejection might not have worn off. After all, aides to Mr Trump and Vice President Mike Pence had been preparing as recently as Sunday morning for Mr Ayers to take the job, and for another aide, Jarrod Agen, to temporarily assume Mr Ayers current duties as Mr Pences chief of staff. To make room for Mr Ayers, Mr Trump, who famously avoids one-on-one interpersonal conflict, had been trying for a while to pull the trigger on firing Mr Kelly. Famous for the Youre fired! catchphrase and also for hating confrontation, Mr Trump had looked for others to do the work for him last week even attempting to arrange for Mr Ayers to fire Mr Kelly according to three people familiar with the events. Finally, Mr Trump persuaded Mr Pence and Mr Ayers to join him in hashing things out with Mr Kelly in the presidential residence on Friday night. But instead of sticking to the plan to let Mr Kelly leave with dignity, which Mr Ayers and others in the White House had urged the president to do, Mr Trump decided to announce it himself on Saturday. Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Show all 23 1 /23 Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Joe Biden The former vice president - poised to be a frontrunner - has announced his run. He recently faced scrutiny for inappropriate touching of women, but was thought to deal with the criticism well AFP/Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Bernie Sanders The 2016 runner-up has announced that he will be running again in 2020 Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Hillary Clinton The 2016 Democratic presidential candidate and former Secretary of State says she is still considering whether she will run again. Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Pete Buttigieg The Indiana mayor and war veteran will be running for president. If elected, he would be the first openly LGBT+ president in American history. Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Kamala Harris The former California attorney general will be running for president in 2020. Introduced to the national stage during Jeff Sessions testimony, she has endorsed Medicare-for-all and proposed a major tax-credit for the middle class. AP Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Elizabeth Warren The Massachusetts Senator has formally launched her bid for president in 2020. A progressive Democrat, she is a major supporter of regulating Wall Street. AP Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Beto ORourke The former Texas congressman told Oprah Winfrey that he has been thinking about running for presidency, but stopped short of formally announcing his bid to run in 2020. AFP/Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Wayne Messam Mayor of the city of Miramar in the Miami metropolitan area, Wayne Messam has announced his bid. He intends to run on a progressive platform against the "broken" federal government. He favours gun regulations and was a signatory to a letter from some 400 mayors condemning President Trump's withdrawal from the Paris Climate Accord. Vice News Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Kirsten Gillibrand The New York Senator formally announced her presidential bid in January, saying that healthcare should be a right, not a privilege. Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Cory Booker The New Jersey Senator has announced that he will be running for the presidency in 2020. If he secures the nomination he said finding a female vice president would be a priority. Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? John Delaney The Maryland congressman was the first to launch his bid for presidency, making the announcement in 2017. AP Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Julian Castro The former San Antonio mayor announced his candidacy in January and said that his running has a special meaning for the Latino community in the US. Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Tulsi Gabbard The Hawaii congresswoman announced her candidacy in January, but is likely to face tough questions on her past comments on LGBT+ rights and her stance on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Andrew Yang The entrepreneur has announced his presidential candidacy, and has pledged that he would introduce a universal basic income of $1,000 a month to every American over the age of 18. AFP/Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Marianne Williamson The author and spiritual advisor has announced her intention to run for president. She had previously run for congress as an independent in 2014 but was unsuccessful. Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? John Kerry The former secretary of state has said he is still thinking about whether to run. Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Michael Bloomberg The entrepreneur and former New York mayor with a net worth of around $50bn has said he will decide by the end of February whether to seek the presidency. AFP Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Howard Schultz Former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz has not yet ruled out running for president in 2020, despite criticism that his bid could help re-elect Mr Trump by dividing the Democrat vote. AP Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Eric Holder The former attorney general has said he will decide in the next month or so whether to run as a 2020 presidential candidate. AP Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Eric Swalwell The California congressman said he is ready to do this and will decide before April whether to run. MSNBC Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Terry McAuliffe The former Virginia governor, who worked to elect Democratic governors during 2018 midterms, said there was a 50 per cent chance he would run. AP Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Sherrod Brown The Ohio senator is still undecided about whether to run for president in 2020. Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Mitch Landrieu The former New Orleans mayor said he doesnt think he will run for president, but never say never. AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin Finding a replacement for Mr Kelly is in many ways just the latest staffing snare in a White House that has struggled to fill even low-ranking jobs. Staff turnover for senior aides, according to the Brookings Institution, sits at 62 per cent. After two full years, Obama was at 24 per cent turnover of his senior staffers, Kathryn Dunn Tenpas of Brookings said in an interview. George W Bush was at 33 per cent. In a way, instability breeds instability. But the chief of staff job is often described by those who have had it as the worst in Washington, even when times are good. Leon E Panetta, who had the job under President Bill Clinton, said the Clintons squired him to Camp David to work on him to leave his job as the director of the Office of Management and Budget. Mr Panetta recalled Mr Clintons clincher: 'You know, Leon,' Mr Panetta said Bill Clinton told him, 'you could be the greatest OMB director in the history of the country, but if the White House is falling apart, no one will remember you.' Mr Mnuchin is in a similar position. He has earned the confidence of the president and his children from his time on the 2016 presidential campaign, and his name has been floated repeatedly as Mr Kellys successor. But a person familiar with Mr Mnuchins thinking said he was more interested in keeping the job he has now. Mr Meadows, the hard-edge chairman of the conservative House Freedom Caucus, is also in the running for the job. He does not enjoy the same confidence of the Trump children that Mr Mnuchin does. But he is the only person to express public interest in replacing Mr Kelly. After keeping silent much of the day, Mr Meadows told reporters on Monday evening that he was not campaigning for the job but would be interested if an offer were made. Asked by a reporter about the infighting and constant shivving among White House staff, Mr Meadows unexpectedly broke into laughter. Sorry about that, you just caught me funny, he said. Listen, I dont worry about palace intrigue as long as I am not part of it. Mr Lighthizer, another replacement option, has a good relationship with Mr Kushner, West Wing officials said, but he has little experience in the type of administrative duties the job would require. Other options range from the possible including Mick Mulvaney, director of the Office of Management and Budget to the unlikely, including Chris Christie, the former New Jersey governor and head of the Trump transition team, who angered Mr Kushner for sending his father to jail while he was a federal prosecutor. Donald Trump, who was said to be distrustful of Mr Kellys personnel judgment, will not be consulting Mr Kelly on his successor, people close to him said. Still, Mr Kelly returned to the White House in his role on Monday, and attended a meeting with the president. The New York Times Donald Trump has tweeted that the military will build the wall between the US and Mexico if Democrats dont give him the votes required to fund it. Mr Trump sent the tweet hours before he met with Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer and House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi. In the meeting they planned to discuss ways to prevent a partial government shutdown. On 22 December, the funding for some agencies will expire. The House and Senate will need to agree to new budgets for those agencies, and if they dont, they risk getting shut down temporarily. Trump has requested billions of dollars in funding to complete building the wall on the southern border of the United States to prevent illegal immigration. Some of his recent tweets mention large caravans that he says have turned back due to ICE and border patrol. However, he says that a stronger border would be more cost-effective in the long term for keeping immigrants at bay. If the budget is not approved, Mr Trump could look to the well-funded Department of Defense for building the wall. However, The Atlantic reports that there would be many obstacles for Mr Trump to overcome if for that to have a chance of happening. The democratic leaders are unlikely to budge. Ms Pelosi has said that spending so much on a border wall would be immoral, ineffective and expensive. Both sides are digging in their heels, and compromise seems like it will be challenging. However, neither the public nor the government want a partial shutdown , and compromise is the only way to avoid it. According to a PBS Newshour/NPR/Marist poll, 57 per cent of Americans would rather that the president should compromise on the wall negotiations. However, more republicans would rather have Mr Trump stand firm. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events Mr Trump also tweeted that democrats had voted for a border wall in 2006, and their support for the wall had waned for political reasons. However, this is likely a reference to legislation that supported a border fence, which democrats did not strongly support, Politico reports. Two people have been killed and 12 others injured after a gunman opened fire near a Christmas market in the French city of Strasbourg on Tuesday evening. The gunman, who police have said is a 29-year-old who was previously known to authorities for criminal activity, is still at large. He was injured in an exchange of gunfire with a soldier, police said, but he has not yet been located. Christophe Castaner, the French interior minister, said the government had raised the risk level to urgent attack, the highest level, and added that border controls had been increased. French authorities initially said the gunman had killed three people, but a French prosecutor said two people were confirmed dead while the third was brain dead. Frances counter-terrorism prosecutor has opened an investigation into the incident and security at Christmas markets across the company will be stepped up in the wake of the attack. In a statement, Mr Castaner said the gunman had opened fire in three places in the city before engaging in firefights with patrolling soldiers. Police officers search for the suspect, who has served prison sentences in France and Germany for common law offences (Reuters) The gunman then jumped in a taxi and disappeared, according to unconfirmed French media reports. Recommended Strasbourg shooting suspect revealed as threat to national security According to Frances BFM TV, the man had fled his flat in the Neudorf district of the city earlier in the day as it was being searched by police in connection with a robbery. Thousands of people were confined to buildings as police searched for the gunman. Many have since been released. Members of the European Parliament, which is based in the city, were sent a message warning of what seems to be several gun attacks. They were told to stay in buildings if they were in the city centre. Emergency workers escort a woman from the scene (AFP/Getty Images) (AFP/Getty) Police rushed to the scene after shots were heard close to the Christmas market in Place Kleber, one of the central squares in the city, at around 8pm local time (7pm GMT). He was said to have entered central Strasbourg via the Corbeau bridge to the south of the city centre, before heading to Rue des Orfevres, a popular shopping street close to the cathedral, where he opened fire. There were gunshots and people running everywhere, one shopkeeper told BFM TV. It lasted about 10 minutes. Journalist Bruno Poussard tweeted that there had been a dozen shots fired on his street in the city centre one or two to begin with, then in bursts. Roland Ries, the mayor of Strasbourg, said the Christmas market will be closed on Wednesday and flags will be lowered to half-mast. He tweeted: A book of condolences will be opened at the Town Hall from today. I want to thank the people of Strasbourg and visitors to the city for their patience and understanding. A discussion is under way with the education authorities about possible closures to schools on Wednesday. The market draws in hundreds of thousands of tourists each year. The attack came despite tight security, with unauthorised vehicles banned from streets surrounding the market during opening hours and access points to search pedestrians bags. World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty Several MEPs were among those in the city centre when gunshots rang out. Yorkshire and Humber MEP Richard Corbett was at a restaurant near where shots [were] fired, he tweeted. Hours later, he tweeted that the restaurant had lifted its lock down and he was being allowed to leave while police nearby conducted their mission to get the gunman. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events France remains on high alert after a wave of attacks commissioned or inspired by Isis since early 2015, in which about 240 people have been killed. Soon after the shooting in Strasbourg, police indicated that they were beefing up security at the France-Germany border, and the tramway between the two countries was suspended. President Emmanuel Macron tweeted the solidarity of the entire nation is with Strasbourg, the victims and their families. Additional reporting by agencies Egypt has restricted the sale of yellow reflective vests to deter regime opponents from mimicking French protesters, as a copycat movement, dubbed the red vests, launched in nearby Tunisia. The new measures in Egypt were quietly put in place ahead of next months seventh anniversary of the countrys Arab Spring uprising, as officials fear protests could erupt against the military-led government. Security officials and retailers reported that industrial safety equipment dealers are now not permitted to sell the yellow vests to walk-in buyers, the gilets jaunes worn by French protesters in recent rallies and riots. Sellers are restricted to doing wholesale business deals with verified companies as long as they secure police permission. The officials told Associated Press (AP) told offenders would be punished but did not elaborate. It comes as a youth group in Tunisia launched their own version of the French economic protests dubbed the red vests campaign, reflecting the countrys flag. Over 4,000 people have liked the Facebook page which has called for nationwide rallies against the countrys worsening financial woes. Recommended Macron to increase minimum wage in response to violent French protests In downtown Cairo, where security equipment is most commonly sold in Egypt, six retailers said they were no longer selling yellow vests. Two gave no explanation for the decision but four told AP they were notified by police to stop. They seem not to want anyone to do what they are doing in France, one retailer said. Another added: The police came here a few days back and told us to stop selling them. When we asked why, they said they were acting on instructions. Security officials said industrial safety product importers and wholesale merchants were summoned to a meeting with senior police officers in Cairo this week and informed of the new rules. They added that the restrictions would remain in place until the end of January, which for many years has been a flashpoint month for unrest in Egypt. The protests in France erupted four weeks ago in neglected provinces against fuel tax increases. The unrest has escalated to rioting in the capital with demands for president Emmanuel Macron to resign. The yellow vests worn by demonstrators have become a symbol of the wave of discontent. Yellow Vests protest in France against rising costs of living Show all 25 1 /25 Yellow Vests protest in France against rising costs of living Yellow Vests protest in France against rising costs of living A Gendarmerie armored vehicles (VBRG) drives past fire near the Champs Elysees avenue during a protest of "yellow vests" (gilets jaunes) against rising costs of living they blame on high taxes iN paris. - Paris was on high alert with major security measures in place ahead of fresh "yellow vest" protests which authorities fear could turn violent for a second weekend in a row. AFP/Getty Yellow Vests protest in France against rising costs of living Protestors wearing "Yellow vests" (Gilets jaunes) demonstrate amid smoke during a protest of against rising oil prices and living costs in Paris. - Paris was on high alert with major security measures in place ahead of fresh "yellow vest" protests which authorities fear could turn violent for a second weekend in a row. AFP/Getty Yellow Vests protest in France against rising costs of living A man lies on the ground near riot police on the Champs Elysees avenue in Paris during a protest of "yellow vests" (gilets jaunes) against rising costs of living they blame on high taxes. - Paris was on high alert with major security measures in place ahead of fresh "yellow vest" protests which authorities fear could turn violent for a second weekend in a row. AFP/Getty Yellow Vests protest in France against rising costs of living Yellow vest (Gilet Jaune) protestors stand next to items set on fire on the Champs-Elysees avenue in Paris during a "yellow vest" (gilet jaune) protest against rising costs of living they blame on high taxes. - Paris was on high alert with major security measures in place ahead of fresh "yellow vest" protests which authorities fear could turn violent for a second weekend in a row. AFP/Getty Yellow Vests protest in France against rising costs of living A protestor holds a sign reading "Macron stop hiding" near the Champs Elysees avenue in Pari during a "yellow vests" (gilets jaunes) mobilisation protesting against rising costs of living they blame on high taxes. - Paris was on high alertwith major security measures in place ahead of fresh "yellow vest" protests which authorities fear could turn violent for a second weekend in a row. AFP/Getty Yellow Vests protest in France against rising costs of living Riot police stand near the Champs Elysees avenue in Paris during a "yellow vests" (gilets jaunes) mobilisation protesting against rising costs of living they blame on high taxes. - Paris was on high alert with major security measures in place ahead of fresh "yellow vest" protests which authorities fear could turn violent for a second weekend in a row. AFP/Getty Yellow Vests protest in France against rising costs of living Protestors wearing "yellow vests" (gilets jaunes) hold a French flag with yellow stars near the Arc de Triomphe in Paris on December 8, 2018 during a protest against rising costs of living they blame on high taxes. - Paris was on high alert on December 8 with major security measures in place ahead of fresh "yellow vest" protests which authorities fear could turn violent for a second weekend in a row. AFP/Getty Yellow Vests protest in France against rising costs of living A protestor holds a sign reading "Macron stop hiding" near the Champs Elysees avenue in Paris during a "yellow vests" (gilets jaunes) mobilisation protesting against rising costs of living they blame on high taxes. - Paris was on high alert on December 8 with major security measures in place ahead of fresh "yellow vest" protests which authorities fear could turn violent for a second weekend in a row. AFP/Getty Yellow Vests protest in France against rising costs of living Riot police stand near the Champs Elysees avenue in Paris on December during a "yellow vests" (gilets jaunes) mobilisation protesting against rising costs of living they blame on high taxes. - Paris was on high alert with major security measures in place ahead of fresh "yellow vest" protests which authorities fear could turn violent for a second weekend in a row AFP/Getty Yellow Vests protest in France against rising costs of living Riot police officers walk as protestors wearing "yellow vests" (gilets jaunes) demonstrate against rising costs of living in front of the Arc de Triomphe in Paris on. Paris was on high alert with major security measures in place ahead of fresh "yellow vest" protests which authorities fear could turn violent for a second weekend in a row. AFP/Getty Yellow Vests protest in France against rising costs of living Yellow vest (Gilet Jaune) protestors stand next to items set on fire on the Champs-Elysees avenue in Paris during a "yellow vest" (gilet jaune) protest against rising costs of living they blame on high taxes. - Paris was on high alert with major security measures in place ahead of fresh "yellow vest" protests which authorities fear could turn violent for a second weekend in a row. AFP/Getty Yellow Vests protest in France against rising costs of living Protestors wrapped in French flags lie on the ground near riot police on the Champs Elysees avenue in Paris during a protest of "yellow vests" (gilets jaunes) against rising costs of living they blame on high taxes. - Paris was on high alert with major security measures in place ahead of fresh "yellow vest" protests which authorities fear could turn violent for a second weekend in a row. AFP/Getty Yellow Vests protest in France against rising costs of living Riot police clash with men wearing "yellow vests" (gilets jaunes) protestors on December 8, 2018 near the Arc de Triomphe in Paris during a protest against rising costs of living they blame on high taxes. - Paris was on high alert with major security measures in place ahead of fresh "yellow vest" protests which authorities fear could turn violent for a second weekend in a row. AFP/Getty Yellow Vests protest in France against rising costs of living A Gendarmerie armored vehicles (VBRG) drives past fire near the Champs Elysees avenue in Paris during a protest of "yellow vests" (gilets jaunes) against rising costs of living they blame on high taxes. - Paris was on high alert with major security measures in place ahead of fresh "yellow vest" protests which authorities fear could turn violent for a second weekend in a row. AFP/Getty Yellow Vests protest in France against rising costs of living Riot police prepares to shoot a tear gas canister on the Champs Elysees avenue in Paris during a protest of "yellow vests" (gilets jaunes) against rising costs of living they blame on high taxes. - Paris was on high alert with major security measures in place ahead of fresh "yellow vest" protests which authorities fear could turn violent for a second weekend in a row AFP/Getty Yellow Vests protest in France against rising costs of living Policemen stand as tear gas fills during a protest of Yellow vests (Gilets jaunes) against rising oil prices and living costs on the Champs Elysees, near the Eiffel tour, in Paris. - Paris was on high alert with major security measures in place ahead of fresh "yellow vest" protests which authorities fear could turn violent for a second weekend in a row. AFP/Getty Yellow Vests protest in France against rising costs of living Police forces detain a protestor wearing a "yellow vest" near the Champs Elysees avenue in Paris during a protest against rising costs of living they blame on high taxes. - Paris was on high alert with major security measures in place ahead of fresh "yellow vest" protests which authorities fear could turn violent for a second weekend in a row. AFP/Getty Yellow Vests protest in France against rising costs of living A protestor wearing a "Yellow vest" (gilet jaune) gestures during clash with riot police amid tear gas near the Champs Elysees in Paris during a protest of against rising costs of living they blame on high taxes. - Paris was on high alert with major security measures in place ahead of fresh "yellow vest" protests which authorities fear could turn violent for a second weekend in a row. AFP/Getty Yellow Vests protest in France against rising costs of living Riot police officers smile next to protestors wearing "yellow vests" (gilets jaunes) demonstrating against rising costs of living in the Champ Elysees in Paris. Paris was on high alert with major security measures in place ahead of fresh "yellow vest" protests which authorities fear could turn violent for a second weekend in a row. AFP/Getty Yellow Vests protest in France against rising costs of living Protesters wearing French flags and yellow vests lie on the Champs-Elysees Avenue near the Arc de Triomphe during a national day of protest by the "yellow vests" movement in Paris Reuters Yellow Vests protest in France against rising costs of living Protesters wearing yellow vests kneel along the Champs-Elysees Avenue near the Arc de Triomphe during a national day of protest by the "yellow vests" movement in Paris, France. Reuters Yellow Vests protest in France against rising costs of living Mounted Police officers on their horses take their positions during clashes with yellow-vested protesters, in Paris, France, Saturday. Crowds of protesters angry at President Emmanuel Macron and France's high taxes tried to converge on the presidential palace Saturday, some scuffling with police firing tear gas, amid exceptional security measures aimed at preventing a repeat of last week's rioting. AP Yellow Vests protest in France against rising costs of living Protestors wearing "yellow vests" (gilets jaunes) and a flag of Normandy demonstrate amid smoke against rising costs of living in the Champ Elysees in Paris. Paris was on high alert with major security measures in place ahead of fresh "yellow vest" protests which authorities fear could turn violent for a second weekend in a row AFP/Getty Yellow Vests protest in France against rising costs of living Police forces stand in front of protestors near the Champs Elysees avenue in Paris during a protest of "yellow vests" (gilets jaunes) against rising costs of living they blame on high taxes. - Paris was on high alert with major security measures in place ahead of fresh "yellow vest" protests which authorities fear could turn violent for a second weekend in a row. AFP/Getty Yellow Vests protest in France against rising costs of living Police forces stand in front of protestors at the Champs Elysees avenue in Paris on during a protest of "yellow vests" (gilets jaunes) against rising costs of living they blame on high taxes. - Paris was on high alert on with major security measures in place ahead of fresh "yellow vest" protests which authorities fear could turn violent for a second weekend in a row. AFP/Getty In Tunisia protesters launched a Facebook page over the weekend, saying they were targeting corruption, high costs of living, unemployment and mismanagement that coupled with disastrous governmental policies had led to systematic impoverishment, eight years after their own 2011 uprising. The red vests is a national youth-led campaign that is open to the public and to all and is an extension of the struggle of the Tunisian people and a step towards restoring their dignity, the statement read. It added that the movement was committed to peaceful protests and would soon be announcing different activities across the country. Gilet rouge or red vest anti-corruption protest movement in Tunisia echoes yellow vest economic rallies in France (Gilets Rouge/Facebook) (Gilets Rouges Facebook Page) Fearing similar unrest in Egypt, Cairo has taken steps thwart any attempts to copy France. Egypts former military chief Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has ruled the country with an iron fist since overseeing the 2013 overthrow of unpopular, but elected, Muslim Brotherhood president Mohamed Morsi. Tens of thousands of regime opponents have been locked up, protests banned and media controlled over the last few years. Every 25 January, on the anniversary of the uprising, police and army are deployed across the country to dispel any rallies that might erupt against deteriorating civilian rights and economic situation in the country. Egyptian media, which is heavily controlled by the regime, has portrayed the French protests as negative, focusing on the riots, looting and arson incidents in Paris. The United Nations has asked Yemen's Houthi rebels to withdraw from Hodeidah as part of a ceasefire deal that would give joint oversight to the strategic port city, protecting a lifeline for millions in the war-torn country. The proposal, which was circulated on the fifth day of peace talks in Sweden, is part of a slew of measures the UN hopes to push through to end the war that has sparked the worlds worst humanitarian crisis. In the draft document, the Saudi-led military coalition fighting the Houthis would cease an offensive on the port in exchange for a rebel withdrawal. The area would then be put under the control of a joint local committee and supervised by the UN. The document, seen by several news wires, did not propose the deployment of UN peacekeeping troops. On Monday, Yemens recognised government rejected long term presence of UN troops in the city itself. There was no word on whether the document had been accepted by both sides, although the government was expected to issue a formal response soon. A similar draft document was circulated which outlined a gradual drawdown of the conflict in the central and flashpoint city of Taiz. UN envoy to Yemen, Martin Griffiths, said he hoped for approval on agreements within just a few days, marking a major step forward in the talks, which are the first since 2016. He said the two sides are dealing with the "de-escalation" of fighting around the contested cities of Taiz and the Red Sea port of Hodeidah. "If we are able to achieve progress on these two places, I think we will have done a great service to Yemen," he said. "I hope we will get agreements in the next couple of days on a range of issues." Mr Griffiths had earlier urged that Hodeidah be taken out of the war. A previous deal hangs on a massive prisoner swap between both sides: a confidence-boosting measure agreed as both sides met at a castle north of the Swedish capital Stockholm. Yemen has been torn apart by ruinous war since 2015 when Saudi Arabia and its Gulf allies launched a bombing campaign to reinstate recognised president Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi. Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen Show all 17 1 /17 Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen Doctors take some blood of Yemeni Yousef Abdullah Bakhit Ali, 13, suffering from severe acute malnutrition. With ongoing and unending conflict in Yemen, humanitarian situation continues to deteriorate across the country Unicef/Huwais Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen A doctor weighs Yemeni baby Yahya Hamoud Ali Al Huzef, 9 months suffering from malnutrition Unicef/Huwais Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen Ali Mohammed Ahmed Jamal,12 years old and suffering from severe acute malnutrition. He arrives with his family at a Unicef supported treatment centre in a hospital in Sanaa Unicef/Huwais Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen A doctor measures the arm of Yemeni Ali Mohammed Ahmed Jamal, 12, who is suffering from malnutrition at a treatment centre in a hospital in Sanaa Unicef/Huwais Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen There are over 400,000 severely malnourished children in need urgent lifesaving assistance in Yemen Unicef/Abdulhaleem Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen Ali Mohammed Ahmed Jamal is weighed Unicef/Huwais Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen A doctor measures the arm of baby Yahya Hamoud Ali Al Huzef Unicef/Huwais Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen Unicef are currently working to reach 275,000 malnourished children with critical life-saving supplies and care for over 5 million people with safe and clean water to stop the spread of life-threatening diseases Unicef/Huwais Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen Yahya Hamoud Ali Al Huzef with his family in his house in the outskirts of the capital Sanaa Unicef/Huwais Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen The country is on the brink of famine and children's chances of survival are becoming slimmer by the day Unicef/Abdulhaleem Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen Ali Mohammed Ahmed Jamal has his arm measured Unicef/Huwais Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen Unicef are currently working to provide nearly 1 million children with vaccines and healthcare Unicef/Huwais Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen Unicef/Huwais Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen Unicef are working with partners around-the clock to save children suffering from malnutrition and disease Unicef/Abdulhaleem Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen Unicef are currently working to provide 9 million people with emergency cash assistance to help families buy basic commodities so they can survive Unicef/Huwais Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen Ali Mohammed Ahmed Jamal is suffering from malnutrition Unicef Children suffering from acute malnutrition in Yemen Unicef/Abdulhaleem Mr Hadi had been forced from office by a takeover by the Iran-backed Houthi rebel group, who still control much of the north of the country. Over 22 million people, nearly two-thirds of the population, now rely on aid to survive according to the UN, while as many as 14 million could starve as the country teeters on the brink of famine. The latest battle has centred around the strategic port of Hodeidah, through which nearly 80 per cent of the countrys food and medical supplies arrive. Residents of Hodeidah told The Independent there was a tense calm in the Red Sea city on Monday, disturbed only by occasional shelling. In some areas, food prices have soared by 400 per cent meaning many cannot afford to eat and are starving to death. We need a peace deal now to stop this crisis, Ebrahim Jabari a resident of the port city told The Independent. But we have little hope, we fear this is only another round that will end only for another chapter of war to begin, he added. We fear this is only another round that will end only for another chapter of war to begin Ebrahim Jabari, resident of Hodeidah Back in Sweden, Mr Griffiths said he hoped to draw up a detailed plan for further talks which will be held next year, and where security arrangements could be finalised. Ali Hussein Ashal, part of the government delegation, said that any ideas put forward were still preliminary for now. As always, in any round of talks, ideas are brought forward, and they could be preliminary, they could have just been thrown out on the table," he added. Houthi representative Salim al-Moughaless meanwhile, said the rebels would only consider a withdrawal from any city as part of a full political solution to the conflict. "The discussion is long and ongoing, he added. The number of people killed by the violence in Yemen has for the first time risen above 3,000 dead in a single month, bringing the total number of fatalities to over 60,000 since the start of 2016. The figure is six times greater than the out-of-date figure of 10,000 dead often cited in the media and by politicians. We have recorded 3,068 people killed in November, bringing the total number of Yemenis who have died in the violence to 60,223 since January 2016, says Andrea Carboni, a researcher on Yemen for the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project (ACLED), formerly based at Sussex University, that studies conflicts and seeks to establish the real casualty level. The figures do not include the Yemenis who have died through starvation or malnutrition the country is on the brink of famine, according to the UN or from illnesses caused by the war such as cholera. This number of Yemenis dying in the war has been played down by the Saudi and UAE-led coalition, which has active military support from the US, UK and France, and has an interest in minimising the human cost of the conflict. The coalition has been trying since March 2015 to reinstate in power Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi, whose government had been overthrown by the rebel Houthi movement in late 2014. Mr Carboni says that ACLEDs latest figures, which were released on Tuesday, are drawn primarily from information in hundreds of online papers and news sites in Yemen. The possible political bias of these sources is taken into account and different reports are cross-referenced using the most conservative numbers, to arrive at the final number. Recommended Stop the war and rebuild Yemen or leave millions to starve ACLED executive director Clionadh Raleigh says: ACLEDs estimation of Yemens direct conflict deaths is far higher than official estimates and [these are] still underestimated. Fatality numbers are only one approximation of the abject tragedy and terror forced upon Yemenis. The 60,223 figure for those killed in the fighting is lower than the total fatalities in Yemen since Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman began the Saudi intervention in March 2015 because ACLED only began its count at the beginning of 2016. But the organisation is now also conducting a count of those killed in 2015, whom Mr Carboni says he estimated to number between 15,000 and 20,000. This would mean that the overall figure for fatalities as a result of violence over almost four years of war would rise to between 75,000 and 80,000. The steep increase in the number killed this year is explained by the Saudi and UAE-led assault on the port of Hodeidah on the Red Sea coast which is the main conduit for relief supplies reaching the Yemeni population. Houthi followers demonstrate to show rejection of an offer by the Saudi-led coalition to pay compensation for victims of an air strike in Saada, Yemen (Reuters) This has led to a 68 per cent increase in the number killed in the first 11 months of this year, to 28,115, according to ACLED. The number of those who have already died in Yemen may soon be far surpassed by the number likely to die because of hunger and disease. Some 20 million people are not getting enough to eat 70 per cent of the population and for the first time, 250,000 are facing catastrophe, according to the UN humanitarian chief Mark Lowcock, who has recently returned from Yemen. He said that there has been a significant, dramatic deterioration of the humanitarian situation with those Yemenis facing starvation and death being concentrated in the four provinces where the fighting is at its most intense: Hodeidah, Saada, Taiz and Hajja. A significant change in the conflict in Yemen is that the Saudi role in the war is coming under far greater scrutiny since the murder of dissident Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi by a Saudi team in Istanbul on 2 October. International revulsion over his killing has led to greater focus and criticism of the Saudi-led war in Yemen and the humanitarian calamity it has produced. At the UN-sponsored talks between the Houthis and the Saudi-backed government being held in Sweden, delegates are discussing the expansion of a shaky truce in Hodeidah. Under this proposal, all troops would withdraw from the city and later from the province, leaving the UN with oversight over an interim administration. The UN envoy to Yemen, Martin Griffiths, said he wanted to take Hodeidah out of the war so aid could be delivered. Another sign of a limited de-escalation of the war came on Tuesday with the Saudi-backed government and the Houthis exchanging lists of some 15,000 prisoners to open the door for a swap agreement. But the talks, set to last until 13 December, have yet to make progress on important differences over a ceasefire at Hodeidah, reopening the Houthi-held airport at the capital Sanaa, and the shoring up of the central bank. Malnutrition centre in Mukalla, Yemen provides care for children suffering hunger and famine The prisoner swap would take place on 20 January via Sanaa airport in north Yemen and government-held Sayun airport in the south a process overseen by the UN and the International Committee of the Red Cross. We have exchanged more than 7,000 names from each side, including some 200 high-ranking officers, said Ghaleb Mutlaq, a delegate for the Houthis. The Trump administration is paying an increasingly high political price at home and abroad for its continued support for the Saudi crown prince and the war in Yemen, which are coming under strong criticism from both Republicans and Democrats in Washington. Nevertheless, the administration says it will continue to back the Saudi-led coalition, claiming that this is necessary to combat Iranian influence and Islamic fundamentalists. We do believe that support for the coalition is necessary. It sends a wrong message if we discontinue our support, said Timothy Lenderking, US deputy assistant secretary for Arabian Gulf Affairs at the weekend. Even so, time appears to be running out for the Saudis and it is becoming clear that their long war may have destroyed Yemen but has failed in it purpose of defeating the Houthis. Its possible Theresa May will come to feel she hasnt quite had the career she dreamt of, but at least the Farewell Tour could hardly have gone any better. Amsterdam. Berlin. Brussels. London. Dublin. Five cities in twenty four hours. Some have had the temerity to call it desperate, or an embarrassment, or a humiliation, but in my humble opinion, Nothing Has Changed Live represents one of the most ambitious projects of any major rock, pop or bullshit artist. It has taken until what will surely be her final days, but at last Theresa May has emerged as the kind of star that can just hold the mic out over the crowd and have them shout back the words unaided. Because thats exactly what happened, everywhere she went. As she made her way from European capital to European capital, desperately seeking to renegotiate a Brexit deal both her and everyone else have spent the last three weeks saying cannot be renegotiated under in any circumstances, there they all were shouting her own lyrics right back at her. Nothing has changed! they shouted in Amsterdam. Recommended Theresa May is still stuck in the denial stage of Brexit grief Nothing has changed! Angela Merkel shouted in Berlin, loud enough to be heard through a locked car door. Nothing has changed! Jean-Claude Juncker bellowed out in the grand arena of the EU Parliament building in Brussels. There is no more renegotiating to be done. The can has reached the end of the road. In one kicks time it just bounces back off the wall. Back in Westminster, stripped of their headline act, MPs did their best to put on a show. Instead of the meaningful vote, which they would have been voting on today, Labour Party brought an emergency debate to debate just how bad it was that they wouldnt be having a meaningful vote. Think Glastonbury, except The Rolling Stones have failed to show and been replaced at the eleventh hour with McBusted. Jeremy Corbyn was back at the despatch box to conduct the outrage. By my count, in the last two weeks, the Labour leader has told Theresa May, in the House of Commons, to make way for someone who can negotiate a better Brexit deal, on four separate occasions. He is, however, at time of writing, yet to table a motion of no confidence in her government, which is the traditional route by which Prime Ministers make way for leaders of the opposition. Perhaps he is waiting for her to bring a motion of no confidence in herself? Nothing would surprise anymore. Our Prime Minister is traipsing round the continent in pursuit of warm words, he said. The unspeakable in pursuit of the unwritten. A waste of time and a waste of public money. Quite what this means is absolutely anyones guess. Responding for the government was David Lidington, and in the unlikely event that Strictly producers ever reinvent the format so as to take place entirely on the head of the pin, well it has already found its champion. There is, of course, no excuse, for pulling the most important vote in decades for no greater reason than that youre going to lose it, which is not to say that Mr Lidington did not come armed with plenty of them. Why was she dodging the vote, Labour wanted to know. The Prime Minister has spent more than twenty hours at this despatch box, answering questions about this deal, he told them. Which is true, and she was much admired at the time. Its just that, well, everything she said in defence of it, kind of isnt true anymore. This deal is the only deal thats available, she said, many many times, before cancelling the vote and heading off to Europe to try and get it changed. There is no deal without a backstop, she has also said, before cancelling the vote and, well you get the picture. Special mention must go to The Conservatives Julian Knight, who in the damp heat of this rather pointless parliamentary battle, managed to forge a whole new instrument through which to deflect blame. Labours Rachael Maskell was worried about the two per cent that had been wiped off the value of the pound in the last twenty four hours. At this point Knight stood up, with a sharp answer for her. Knight told her that, actually, the pound fell, Because the markets got a sniff of the risk of a Corbyn government! As a business journalist, Knight covered the 2008 financial crisis and its aftermath, so perhaps its through this experience that he was able to invent the Collateralised Blame Obligation. Its a remarkable, innovative product, which, at least for the time being, has not been regulated by any kind of blame authority. Through this ingenious new device, every time the Conservatives cock up Brexit in new and unimaginable ways, the resulting slump in the markets really can now be blamed not just on Jeremy Corbyn, but also the public, for daring to even think about voting for him. Ingenious stuff Mr Knight. Get your letter in without delay. Therell be a job going soon enough. As for Theresa May, well, with a farewell roadshow as good as this, the 2019 John Lewis ad cant be ruled out. After the events of yesterday how can we believe a word that either this government, or its sad sack prime minister, says again? Weekend reports of a delay to the vote on Theresa Mays Brexit deal were repeatedly denied, which was reaffirmed at the Westminster media briefing at 11.07am on Monday. Some 23 minutes later the vote was canned. Yet more mendacity followed as the government of Great Britain and Northern Ireland belched forth claims that democracy is somehow denied by giving the people a democratic vote, and the prime minister claimed that the only alternative to no deal was her deal. She was outdone only by the Brexiteer loons, to whom she has repeatedly kow-towed. They did what they always do, spraying deceit around the country like a phalanx of crop-dusting aeroplanes. Decidedly undemocratic threats of violence were tabled in some quarters. Amid the chaos its perhaps unsurprising that no one was giving a great deal of thought to the long-term impact of the pork pies cooked up in Number 10 kitchens, and those of the surrounding Whitehall departments. But there will be consequences. Recall, if you will, the fuss over the MMR vaccine. This superlative treatment prevents children from getting three nasty and potentially life-changing conditions: measles, mumps and rubella. Not only can the first of those cause blindness, it is life-threatening too. Government figures record more than 150 deaths from it between 1980 and 2016. The MMR controversy was created following publication of a paper co-authored by a doctor by the name of Andrew Wakefield, which claimed a possible link between the vaccine and autism. The number of cases studied was small, there was no control group, and it was heavily reliant upon parental recollection. Over the following decade it was brutally exposed. A series of follow-up studies found no evidence whatsoever for its conclusions. Wakefield, meanwhile, was exposed as a quack and a fraud and was struck off the medical register before disappearing off to America. Channel Four has screened some frankly disturbing footage of what hes been getting up to there. The governments advice as it pertains to MMR represents simple common sense: Its a first-rate treatment. Its safe. You should get your child vaccinated. I found a rather good top 10 myths and top 10 truths about the MMR vaccine put together by the NHS that reinforces those points. I would strongly recommend it to anyone with concerns. The problem is that if sufficient numbers of people dont believe the governments advice, then you have created a real problem. Vaccinations are not fail-safes. Yes, they confer resistance to diseases to people whove been vaccinated. But to successfully protect a population you need to ensure everyone gets vaccinated so that it benefits from whats called herd immunity. The MMR scare threatened this and thus the effectiveness of the treatment. There will always be people around who are prepared to be believe arrant nonsense even when the authorities are telling the truth: conspiracy theorists, whackos, Donald J Trump. You know the type. But the number of people susceptible to the sort of bullshit spun by likes of Wakefield can only be increased when the government repeatedly lies about other things. That bullshit has become terribly easy to spread courtesy of the internet. Youll tell me at this point that politicians have always lied. Only up to a point. Its true that they frequently obfuscate, indulge in spin, utter half-truths. This is particularly true of ministers, who are bound by collective responsibility to defend government decisions with which they may not entirely agree. But blatant falsehoods? I dont think they were quite as common as people sometimes believe, at least not until recently. Thats partly because of the risks, and the consequences, of exposure. The advent of Trump, Boris Johnsons enthusiastic performance as his plummy toned mini-me and the conduct of the Leave campaign, have contributed to a disturbing paradigm shift. They have proved that you can get away with it and as a result, lies now proliferate like maggots in dead meat. They are responsible for infusing corruption into the British body politic. Sadly, the media has helped the process on its way, whether through newspaper cheerleading for the likes of Johnson, or broadcasters failure to properly confront those guilty of falsehood. We also have to suffer through the false equivalence accorded to the purveyors of fiction when set against the purveyors of fact in the shouting matches news programmes favour. The BBC is particularly at fault in the latter case. Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events It needs to stop, not only because it is immoral, despicable and flat out wrong, but because of the potential consequences. Wakefield did tremendous damage with his work and the effect of it still lingers. It should serve as a cautionary tale. It seems Westminster and Whitehall havent been paying attention. So, a question for the more thoughtful politicians, those who actually care about their country: what happens the next time some quack decides to have a go at a vaccine? What happens the next time government scientists try to warn against bad evidence, when they try to say with good reason that something, maybe the bonkers craze for drinking untreated raw water, is flat out dangerous and bloody silly? No woman could hear about the death of Grace Millane without feeling a wrench of empathy, a wave of panic and a jolt of fear. Grace was a recent graduate travelling around New Zealand. She went missing the day before her 22nd birthday, disappearing from a hostel in Auckland. A body, believed to be Graces, was discovered in the Waitakere Ranges on Sunday. New Zealands prime minister Jacinda Ardern was clearly affected by the tragedy. She gave an emotional speech, apologising to the Millane family. She said: There is this overwhelming sense of hurt and shame that this has happened in our country, a place that prides itself on our hospitality, on our manaakitanga, (manaakitanga is a Maori word for welcoming others). So on behalf of New Zealand, she continued, I want to apologise to Graces family your daughter should have been safe here and she wasnt, and Im sorry for that. There was something slightly surreal about watching Ardern, who, in so many ways, emblemises how far weve come in terms of womens rights, while simultaneously being reminded that New Zealand is still an incredibly dangerous place to be a woman. According to the New Zealand Family Violence Clearinghouse, the country has a very serious problem with domestic violence. In 2016 there were 6,377 recorded male assaults against women in New Zealand. That same year, 5,461 applications were made for protection orders, 89 per cent of which were made by women. One in three women who had had a domestic partner during their lives reported experiencing physical and/or sexual violence. These statistics are part of the landscape of a country in which women are not made to feel safe. New Zealand has been making an effort to address these issues. This year, the government implemented domestic violence leave, which gives victims 10 days paid leave from work, helping them to escape from their partners, find new accommodation and protect themselves and their children. This was a hugely necessary step, but Grace Millanes story is a reminder that the country still has much further to go. Its very important that we look at what happened to Grace as a social wakeup call, rather than a cautionary tale. Tragedies like this invariably arouse our protective instincts, and its tempting to tell our daughters, sisters and female friends to live more cautiously. But the reaction to male violence should not be to curtail the intrepid and curious instincts of women. To do so would be an insult to Graces memory. We should continue to value the admirable qualities that she embodied. So, instead of telling our daughters to be more careful, we should be telling our sons to be more caring. Rather than discouraging girls from dating, travelling and partying with gusto, we should be teaching boys how to create unchallenging environments for women. Instead of using this tragedy to impede female liberation, we should be talking about what men can do to help ensure the safety of the opposite sex. We know little about Grace Millanes attacker there have been reports of a disrupted family life. But that doesnt change the fact that deaths like Graces are not isolated incidents; theyre part of a social landscape in which women, statistically speaking, are in danger. This reality needs to be urgently addressed not by limiting female horizons but by changing a culture that facilitates male violence. We need to think about the ways in which education, legislation, and socialisation might conspire to create an unsafe environment for women. Hopefully New Zealanders will be motivated by this tragedy to look at the ways in which, as a country, they might improve on all these fronts. The rest of the world should be thinking about what they can do to ensure that women can fledge, explore and discover without fear. The disgraceful conviction of the Stansted 15 on terrorism-related charges because they peacefully stopped a Boeing 767 from taking off and forcibly repatriating people to Nigeria, Ghana and Sierra Leone where their lives were at risk shows, once again, that the term British justice is an oxymoron. The British state shamed itself in trying to deport innocent people. It has doubled its shame in convicting the Stansted 15. Sasha Simic London Kicking the can down the road isnt good enough So today, the prime minister has found a way of delaying the inevitable. She wants us to believe that the only reason people find her deal unacceptable is the NI backstop. So shes going to get more reassurances (if she can) that presumably still wont be legally binding and then shell schedule a vote in the House of Commons. I say enough delaying. Bring the issue to a vote or get out of the way. I could fill the entirety of your pages with all the issues I have heard, so this step today is yet another exercise in can kicking. The time has come for the PM to put up or shut up, and for us as a nation to be able to move forward. Steve Mumby Bournemouth The people demand a Final Say In only two of 650 constituencies is there a majority in favour of Mays Brexit plan. You also report that in more than 600 there is a majority now in favour of remaining in the EU. On Sunday your headline was that across the country there is now a majority in favour of remaining in the EU. This is surely the will of the people. If MPs now vote, whenever that may be, other than in line with that position then they will not be representing their constituents. And if May is so intent on following the will of the people, then she must recognise the current position and stop tying herself to a vote from 2016 which was informed in outline only and is long superseded by events. To do anything else will certainly not heal the divisions which she and her fellow politicians have created and nurtured for their own ends. The mechanisms are there, she just needs to see them and use them. Charles Wood Birmingham Tories, I implore you. Get May out! Im sure I am not alone in my frustration at the cancellation of Tuesdays parliamentary vote on the PMs Brexit deal. How much longer must we endure this pretence that she is acting in the best interest of this country? Her only objective for the last two years has been to say or do whatever it takes to keep her job, to keep the puppeteers pulling her strings and to be remembered as the PM who negotiated Brexit. I think the vast majority would agree she has shown nothing but incompetence in her ability to negotiate a deal likely to be backed by parliament and her ability to lead her party. After stating on numerous occasions her deal was the only deal and the best deal possible, reiterated by the EU, to cancel the vote at the 11th hour in fear of defeat and the possibility of a no confidence vote, again putting herself before the country is nothing short of cowardice! In her actions today she has personally created more indefinite uncertainty in not setting a date for the vote to take place, once again devaluing the pound, but most importantly for her ensuring she drags out her occupancy of Number 10 to the detriment of a nation. If her deal is the best and only deal available she is just delaying the inevitable which benefits no one but herself. I fail to comprehend why so many of her own party are happy to publicly criticise her and her deal but are not prepared to send their letters of no confidence, trigger a leadership contest and back one of their own to be a more competent leader. It seems however that whilst they are happy to criticise their leader none of them have the courage step up to the mark either. The PM isnt the only Tory guilty of cowardice. There are too many major domestic issues which need urgent attention for this nonsense. The PM is putting herself first, her party remaining in power second and the best interests of the country third. Come on Tories, find some courage, get your no confidence letters in, get a new leader in Number 10 and get them over to Brussels. Improve on the deal as much as possible, get the parliamentary vote arranged and prepare yourselves for both outcomes. If the deal is voted for then get on with it. If voted against we now know what the options are, lets take the next step. Dithering towards 29 March is not an option, certainly not one in the best interests of the country in any case! Phil Kent Upton Does London even need Crossrail? Crossrail has cost 15.4bn so far, it still isnt finished and apparently it now needs another 1.7bn to finish it off. A significant amount of this money comes from the taxpayer. It doesnt benefit me here in Leicester at all! Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events Fifteen point four billion quid, so that London can go at a more manic pace than it does already?! I honestly dont get it. Imagine what that amount of money could have done to benefit other areas in the UK? Chris Bonfield Address supplied Maybe its MPs, not the electorate, who arent enlightened enough? Michael Gove accuses Remainers of claiming the public was too dim to make the right decision in 2016. Seems to me the prime minister thinks MPs are too dim to decide if her deal is good enough, so they will be asked again after her fruitless visit to Brussels, in the hope they come up with the right answer this time! G Forward Stirling THERESA MAY is to travel to Dublin on Wednesday for talks with the Taoiseach in a bid to rescue her Brexit deal. The British Prime Minister has already been dealt a heavy blow in her bid to secure new reassurances from fellow EU leaders over the deal, as the European Commission president declared there was "no room whatsoever for renegotiation". Expand Close European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker addresses the European Parliament during a debate on upcoming EU council meeting, at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France, December 11, 2018. REUTERS/Vincent Kessler / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker addresses the European Parliament during a debate on upcoming EU council meeting, at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France, December 11, 2018. REUTERS/Vincent Kessler Jean-Claude Juncker said the Withdrawal Agreement on offer was the "best deal possible" and the "only deal possible" as the British prime minister embarked on emergency Brexit talks with her Dutch counterpart Mark Rutte in The Hague. He offered a glimmer of hope to Mrs May by saying there was room to give "further clarifications and further interpretations without opening the Withdrawal Agreement". Read More Now it has emerged that Mrs May is to travel to Dublin tomorrow evening for a crunch meeting with Leo Varadkar. They will discuss how to reassure MP in the House of Commons that the backstop will trap the UK in the EUs customs union. Mr Varadkar has already stated that the Withdrawal Agreement cannot be renegotiated. Earlier on Tuesday, Mrs May sought Angela Merkel's support on Tuesday to save her floundering Brexit deal but the European Union ruled out renegotiating the divorce treaty, after May postponed a parliamentary vote she admitted she would lose. In rainy Berlin, a hitch with May's car door briefly trapped her inside, delaying her red carpet handshake with Merkel. Mrs May then held a "long and frank" meeting with EU Council president Donald Tusk. Mr Tusk tweeted after the conversation: "Long and frank discussion with PM @theresa_may ahead of #Brexit summit. Clear that EU27 wants to help. The question is how." Mrs May's move to abandon a crunch Commons vote, scheduled for Tuesday, on her Brexit deal drew howls of condemnation from the opposition as well as a number of Tories. She will now bring her Brexit deal back to the House of Commons before January 21. Mr Juncker won applause from MEPs as he said: "There is no room whatsoever for renegotiation, but of course there is room if used intelligently, there is room enough to give further clarifications and further interpretations without opening the Withdrawal Agreement. Expand Close Dramatic scenes: Prime Minister Theresa May makes her statement in the Commons yesterday. Photo: AFP/Getty Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Dramatic scenes: Prime Minister Theresa May makes her statement in the Commons yesterday. Photo: AFP/Getty Images "This will not happen: everyone has to note that the Withdrawal Agreement will not be reopened." He confirmed he would meet Mrs May on Tuesday evening but reiterated: "The deal we have achieved is the best deal possible - it is the only deal possible." It came as Commons Leader Andrea Leadsom suggested Mrs May was seeking changes that would give Parliament an additional "democratic ability to decide". "That might include an addendum to the Withdrawal Agreement that sets out that Parliament will vote prior to going into a backstop, should that prove necessary, and potentially that the EU parliament and UK parliament must vote every year thereafter to provide that legitimacy for the UK to stay in the backstop, should that prove necessary," she told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. "So there are plenty of options for the PM to talk to the EU about that don't involve reopening the Withdrawal Agreement, but that would provide the legal text as a part of the Withdrawal Agreement, through perhaps an addendum." Read More Mrs May, who is facing repeated calls from leading Tory Brexiteers to be replaced as PM, was forced to abandon the Commons vote as the scale of opposition to the Brexit deal, especially regarding proposed backstop arrangements for the Irish border, threatened a crushing rejection of her plans. As anger at Westminster continued to fester over the PM's move to cancel the Brexit vote, MPs were poised for an emergency debate on the situation called by Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn on the day the "meaningful vote" was initially scheduled to take place. International Trade Secretary Liam Fox said it would be difficult to get the Brexit deal through Parliament without reassurances the UK would not be "trapped" in backstop measures ensuring no return to hard border in Ireland. The backstop would see the UK obey EU customs rules after a transition period if a wider trade deal has not been agreed with the EU by then. Referring to Mrs May's lobbying mission in Europe, Dr Fox told BBC2's Newsnight: "My colleagues will want to see that their fears of being trapped in a backstop cannot be realised. "Without the ability to genuinely reassure my colleagues that they could not legally be kept in the backstop against their will, it will be difficult to get this through the House of Commons." With Jeremy Corbyn under pressure from a significant number of MPs and peers to force a confidence vote on the Government, Labour former Cabinet minister Lord Mandelson said the opposition had not laid a glove on the Government. He told the BBC: "I think the Labour Party, the Labour leadership, is facing a bit of a dilemma. "I mean, they want to straddle, and retain the support of the third of Labour voters who backed Leave in 2016, and the two-thirds of Labour voters who backed Remain. "Well, what happens when you, you know, ride two horses like that, you end up doing the splits." Prime Minister of the United Kingdom 1990-1997 answers questions after giving his keynote address on The United Kingdom and Ireland in a New World at an event held by the Institute of International and European Affairs at the Banking Hall at the Westin Hotel Picture credit; Damien Eagers / INM Former UK leader John Major has publicly called on London to immediately revoke Brexit. Speaking in Dublin as British politics remained mired in chaos, Mr Major urged his successor, Theresa May, to seek vital time for reflection. Mr Major, who successfully fought his own internal EU battles over the Maastricht Treaty in 1991/1992, said UK and EU politics never faced such turmoil. "Whether you're a Remainer or a Leaver no one can welcome chaos," Mr Major told members of the Institute of International & European Affairs. He urged the immediate revokation of the Article 50 EU-UK divorce process. "The clock for the moment must be stopped. We need time for reflection," he argued. Mr Major paid tribute to former Taoisigh John Bruton and Bertie Ahern for their work on peace in Northern Ireland. He criticised Theresa May for doing a coalition deal with the DUP. The message from No 10 could not have been clearer. As Michael Gove had confirmed on the radio, the vote on the Brexit deal was definitely "going ahead as planned". At 11.07am yesterday, UK Prime Minister Theresa May's spokesman was eager to quash speculation of the vote being delayed, telling journalists who asked whether Mrs May was confident of winning the vote a bold "yes". Half an hour later, Mrs May was telling her cabinet the exact opposite. She had "listened to colleagues" and decided it would be "in the best interests of the country" to go back to Brussels "immediately" to get a better deal. Rather than facing heavy defeat in parliament, Mrs May had decided to seek a more "workable" solution that could command support from MPs. As ever when confronted with an intractable problem, she had decided to buy time hoping a solution will present itself, rather than grasping the nettle. Mrs May had been under pressure to delay the vote for a week; on Thursday she summoned nine Cabinet ministers to No 10 for a brainstorming session on what to do next, at which several ministers and chief whip Julian Smith urged her to pull the vote. Mrs May gave away nothing at the meeting, but sent ministers out to spread the message that the vote would go ahead as planned. On Sunday, Stephen Barclay, the Brexit Secretary, told Andrew Marr on the BBC that the vote would "100pc" happen today. He may not have known that Mrs May was in intense discussions with her closest aides about pulling the vote as they warned her catastrophe was just days away. Mrs May also called the EU's Donald Tusk and Jean-Claude Juncker, Angela Merkel, the German chancellor, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, and Mark Rutte, the Dutch prime minister, on Sunday night, seeking their help to get the deal through parliament. "The trouble was that, as ever, she didn't really say what it was she wanted," said one EU source. Still, Oliver Robbins, her chief Brexit negotiator, was told to head to Brussels, where he was spotted yesterday preparing to make entreaties to Michel Barnier and his staff. Yesterday morning, when Mr Gove, the environment secretary, was asked on BBC Radio 4's 'Today' programme if the vote was "definitely, 100pc going ahead" as planned, he replied: "Yes." Soon after, however, Mrs May convened a meeting of her most senior aides, including Gavin Barwell, the chief of staff, and Mark Sedwill, the cabinet secretary, for what insiders described as a "stocktake". By then, the number of Tories publicly criticising her deal or saying they would vote against it had risen to 112. Mrs May had made up her mind: running away from a fight was better than being killed in battle. The message was not passed on to the prime minister's spokesman, who was given the job of fielding questions about the vote in an attic room of parliament, which was so packed with journalists that many had to stand around the walls or sit on the floor. By the time the daily lobby briefing had started, word had leaked out that Mrs May had called an emergency conference call with her cabinet for 11.30am, so the spokesman was inevitably asked to clarify whether the vote was still going ahead. "The vote is going ahead as planned," came the reply. Within minutes, it emerged that the prime minister's spokesman, Mr Gove and Mr Barclay had all been played for fools by Mrs May. The conference call began around 10 minutes late because her aides could not get the technology for the conference to work. When it got under way, Mrs May told the cabinet that the government would suffer a "notable" loss if it pressed ahead with the vote. She said that the "risks are too great" and revealed that she will travel to European capitals today in a bid to secure changes to reassure MPs. She insisted that her agreement remains the "right deal" for the UK and claimed that there is "broad support" for it. However, she acknowledged that the backstop is an issue for MPs, adding that she will seek a legally binding "assurance" that it won't be indefinite. Ministers, several of whom had been pleading with her to delay the vote, were broadly supportive. However, Andrea Leadsom, the Leader of the Commons, pressed her to name a date on which the vote will be held. She declined, instead stating only that it will be held by January 21. Delaying beyond that point would make it difficult to get the necessary legislations through parliament before Brexit day on March 29. Eurosceptic ministers fear that the delay is part of an attempt by Downing Street to "run down the clock" and ensure there is not time to negotiate an alternative. Prime Minister Theresa May was the butt of one of the new jokes (Kirsty OConnor/PA) A United Ireland will move dramatically closer if the 'backstop' is removed from the Brexit deal, British Prime Minister Theresa May has said. In a warning that caused significant surprise in Dublin, Mrs May openly admitted that voters in Northern Ireland may want to join the Republic rather than see Border posts re-erected. "They (in Northern Ireland) do not want a return to a hard Border. And if this House cares about preserving our union, it must listen to those people because our union will only endure with their consent," she said. On another day of shambolic politics in Westminster, the prime minister delayed today's so-called 'meaningful vote' on the Withdrawal Agreement and vowed to seek further reassurances from the EU on how the backstop will work. Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and EU leaders have totally rejected the idea of reopening negotiations that took more than 18 months to complete. Sources in Dublin questioned what further guarantees could be provided, noting that the acceptance of a UK-wide backstop rather than one specific to the North was already a major concession. However, it was Mrs May's suggestion that Northern Ireland could leave the United Kingdom that caused most surprise. "Businesses operate across that Border. People live their lives crossing and re-crossing it every day. "I've been there and spoken to some of those people. They do not want their everyday lives to change as a result of the decisions we have taken," the prime minister said. "They do not want a return to a hard Border. And if this House cares about preserving our union, it must listen to those people because our union will only endure with their consent." Expand Close Protest: A demonstrator dressed as Theresa May sells Brexit fudge at Westminster. Photo: PA / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Protest: A demonstrator dressed as Theresa May sells Brexit fudge at Westminster. Photo: PA The Good Friday Agreement gives prominence to the 'principle of consent' which affirms the legitimacy of the aspiration to a united Ireland while recognising the current wish of the majority in Northern Ireland to remain part of the United Kingdom. An Irish Government source told the Irish Independent: "We have been very careful not to talk about a united Ireland during this, so to hear it from the British prime minister was extraordinary." Mrs May's U-turn came after she and senior ministers had spent days insisting the vote would go ahead, despite the scale of opposition. Her statement in the House of Commons yesterday is also a clear signal that her relationship with the DUP, which had been propping up her government, is all but over. The DUP's Sammy Wilson accused Mrs May of being "prepared to be humiliated by arrogant EU officials and arrogant Irish politicians". The party's leader Arlene Foster spoke to Mrs May by phone yesterday and told her: "The backstop must go." She said a new deal would have to be secured and too much time had been "wasted". EU Commission President Donald Tusk ruled out renegotiating the deal including the backstop. However, he signalled some hope for Mrs May confirming the EU is "ready to discuss how to facilitate UK ratification". In a nod to the heightened possibility of a cliff-edge Brexit, Mr Tusk said a special European Council meeting on Brexit this week will also discuss preparedness for a no-deal scenario. His remarks echoed earlier comments by Taoiseach Leo Varadkar who said the only deal on the table is the one including the Irish backstop, warning "it's not possible to reopen that aspect of the agreement without reopening all aspects". Fianna Fail urged the Government to ramp up preparations here for a no-deal scenario following the chaotic scenes in Westminster. Mrs May is now expected to canvass EU leaders in a bid to secure additional reassurances for MPs on the backstop. It is believed she is seeking a declaration of sorts on the backstop which would underline its temporary nature in an effort to win over critics in the House of Commons. However, last night there were no immediate plans for a meeting between the embattled Tory leader and the Taoiseach before the Brussels summit. The pound plummeted to a 20-month low as events played out in Westminster. However, the markets are set for continued uncertainty as there has been no date set for a new vote on the deal. Speculation was mounting that it would be January at the earliest before the treaty is again put to MPs. A deal must be ratified by January 21. British Trade Secretary Liam Fox said he would prefer a post-Christmas vote rather than "rushing" through the deal. The arch Brexiteer warned without a "hard and fast" guarantee that the UK would not be bound indefinitely to Europe by the backstop, the two outcomes on the table were a crash out next March or no Brexit at all. The prospect of a snap election in the UK has also come into sharper focus. Amid ferocious backlash to the deal on the table and the decision to postpone the vote, Mrs May was faced with shouts of "resign" as she finished outlining her decision. Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn was last night resisting calls from smaller opposition parties and his own MPs to table a vote of no confidence in Mrs May. New figures from Northern Ireland's Livestock and Meat Commission (LMC), show how dependant the UK is on Irish beef, but that it has in 2018 increased the level of beef imports from countries outside the EU including South America and New Zealand. The figures show that the UK remains a net importer of beef with 212,337t imported during the first nine months of 2018 while 80,810t of beef products were exported. Beef imports during the 2018 period were 6.6pc higher than the same period in 2017 during, which UK beef imports totalled 199,186t. This was the second consecutive year in which the level of beef imports in the UK recorded a strong increase and was the highest level of import recorded in the last decade. The EU is the biggest source of beef imports for the UK market and accounted for 94pc of all beef imports during the first nine months of 2018. Beef imports from the EU totalled 200,095t during the 2018 period with imports from the Republic of Ireland accounting for 76pc of this at 151,469t. Expand Close Breakdown of UK beef imports, January - September 2018. Source: LMC / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Breakdown of UK beef imports, January - September 2018. Source: LMC The LMC figures also show that this is a similar proportion to previous years and the Republic of Ireland is also the biggest export destination for UK beef at 27,173t during the first nine months of 2018 and with some of the major plants having processing operations in both jurisdictions a proportion of this import/export trade is due to companies transferring product between sites. The Netherlands and Poland are the next biggest suppliers of beef imports to the UK with each accounting for 7pc of UK beef imports from the EU during the first nine months of 2018 while Germany accounted for a further 4pc . These proportions are similar to previous years. The UK also imports small volumes of beef from non-EU countries with 12,243t of beef imported during the first nine months of 2018. While this was a 24pc increase from the corresponding period in 2017 when 9,906t of beef were imported from non-EU sources it is well below the same period in 2016 when 16,567t of beef were imported. Imports from non EU sources accounted for 5.7pc of total beef imports during the first nine months of 2018. Increased Third World Imports However, during 2018 there were increases in the volume of beef imported by the UK from Uruguay, Brazil, New Zealand, Argentina and Botswana when compared to the same period in 2017. The volumes involved however remain very small. Meanwhile there have been declines in the volume of beef imported from Australia and Namibia during the 2018 period. UK fresh/chilled beef imports totalled 140,156t during the first nine months of 2018 and these accounted for 66pc of total UK beef imports. The volume of fresh/chilled beef imported by the UK during the 2018 period was unchanged from year earlier levels. The largest majority of this fresh/chilled beef imported by the UK comes from the EU. Frozen beef imports totalled 72,181 tonnes during the period January-September 2018 and this accounted for 34pc of total UK beef imports. In the same period in 2017 UK frozen beef imports totalled 57,318t which accounts for a 26pc increase year on year however the volumes involved remain relatively low. Most frozen beef products imported by the UK come from non-EU markets. US lawmakers have reached an agreement on the Farm Bill that drops a proposal to tighten food stamps restrictions backed by President Donald Trump, and are looking to vote on it this week, according to congressional staffers. The agreement between Republicans and Democrats on the crucial piece of legislation caps a months-long bitter debate, and offers a spot of financial certainty to farmers suffering from the impact of the U.S. trade war with China. Programs covered by the bill include crop subsidies and support to growers seeking access to export markets. The final text shows Republicans in the lame duck Congress had to walk back from some demands, the biggest being the Trump-backed proposal to impose stricter worker requirements for recipients of food stamps. That debate had delayed the legislation beyond the most recent versions expiration in September, and was finalized only after Democrats won a majority in the House of Representatives in the November midterm congressional elections. Food stamps, as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is known, are used by more than 40 million Americans, or about 12 percent of the total U.S. population. The move to tighten eligibility criteria failed to garner enough support in the Senate, and Trump blamed Democrats opposed to the tighter restrictions for stalling the bill. It was certainly a compromise, a staffer at the House Agricultural Committee said. Weve had significant differences in virtually every title and had robust debate about them. China, normally the top buyer of U.S. farm produce, has been absent from the market after the imposition of tariffs due to the trade war between Washington and Beijing. The bill will extend the eligibility for crop subsidies to nephews, nieces and cousins of a farmer, which is likely to escalate criticism over what is already seen as a too-broad definition of who qualifies for the funds. At the moment, a farmers immediate family can be eligible for crop subsidies up to $125,000 per person based on active engagement. Opponents say such language is vague and could apply to people who do not even live on the farm and only carry out management roles. The administration has also been criticized because a portion, albeit small, of the farm aid designed to offset the losses of farmers from the imposition of tariffs ended up with people living in cities who spent little time at a farm. A congressional staffer defended the move. Farming is no longer about being on top of a tractor, he said, adding that making more family members eligible for aid could help attract younger generations to farming business. Committee staffers expect the conference report to be out later on Monday or Tuesday. The final bill could move to the House floor for a vote as early as Wednesday, potentially followed by a vote at the Senate on Thursday. Once the votes are completed, the bill goes to Trump for final signature. According to research, the categories with the greatest growth potential in the domestic market are fruit and vegetables, and dairy, but insufficient organic cereals is stopping the growth of organic dairy and meat sectors. The Bord Bia research shows that while a large proportion of the total organic tillage crop is dedicated to oats, there is insufficient supply to meet demand. Furthermore, the insufficient supply of organic cereals and proteins is inhibiting the growth of the organic dairy, meat, and aquaculture sectors. This deficit in supply also necessitates importation which increases costs of production and therefore impacts competitiveness, according to the Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed, who was answering Dail questions from TD Eamon Ryan. The former leader of the Green Party had asked about arrangements for opening the Organic Scheme. Minister Creed said that the new Organic Farming Scheme under the current Rural Development Programme has proved extremely successful, attracting more new applicants than any scheme previously, and encouraging a significant number of Irish farmers to convert to organic farming systems. "Latest figures indicate that there are now some 72,000 hectares under organic production, an increase of nearly 50pc on the position at the start of the Programme in 2014." Key areas to be targeted should be organic horticulture, cereals and dairy, he said. Based on the recommendation of the Organic Sector Strategy Group, the Organic Farming Scheme was re-opened last month. "An allocation of 1.25m has been provided to facilitate the re-opening of this Scheme. Applications for the scheme must be made online, but there will be no requirement to use an Agricultural Advisor to make the applications. The closing date for submission of completed on-line applications is 19 December 2018." All registered organic farmers are eligible to apply for the Organic Farming Scheme. Priority will be given to those areas deemed to be in deficit ie horticulture, tillage and dairy. The size of the holdings and the enterprise type in each case will determine the number of farmers accepted into the scheme. BleeperBike owns and operates a fleet of 550 bikes throughout the Dublin area. Photo: Marc OSullivan Bike-share firm BleeperBike is seeking an investment of 175,000 in its first equity crowdfunding campaign. BleeperBike, which faced an initial setback when Dublin City Council halted its launch until new by-laws were approved, now owns and operates a fleet of 550 bikes throughout the Dublin area. The BleeperBike makes a 'bleep' sound when locked and unlocked. It allows users to rent out bikes which can be locked up at any public bike rack around the city. Led by CEO Hugh Cooney, the firm has raised almost 28,000 of 175,000 it is seeking though crowdfunding platform Seedrs. The firm is offering up to 17.9pc of its equity. Mr Cooney said that since the firm secured a licence to operate within Dublin "we have been busy bedding in a lean operating model for maintaining and balancing the distribution of our bikes". "This fundraising round will allow us accelerate our rate of growth in 2019 and to begin piloting long-range electric bikes with a battery capable of covering 200km on a single charge." Mr Cooney intends to introduce an ebike, with an electric motor to help boost power, to his fleet; and R&D programme that has already received 75,000 in financial backing from Richard Barrett's Bartra. Mr Barrett was a principal of the property firm Treasury Holdings, a business Hugh Cooney worked for in China, where he first got his idea for a bike-sharing company. After returning to Ireland and using the Dublin Bikes scheme he launched his rival, stationless model. JELLYBEAN firm Cloetta Ireland last year recorded a 21.5pc drop in pre-tax profits to 1.74m. That is according to new accounts which show that the company - formerly Aran Candy Ltd - recorded the drop in profits after revenues decreased by 8pc from 14.32m to 13.15m. In July 2016, co-founder of Aran Candy Richard Cullen received a 10.12m windfall when selling his remaining shareholding in the Dublin gourmet sweet firm to Scandinavian firm Cloetta. Based in Blanchardstown, the sweet business was established by father and son Peter and Richard Cullen in 1998. Numbers employed at the firm last year decreased from 87 to 84. Each year, around 2,600 tonnes of sweets are produced at the Dublin plant - or the equivalent of 14 million jelly beans a day. The firm exports around 97pc of its production to 60 export markets around the globe, with its main market being the UK. The firm also exports to the US, Canada, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and South Korea. The company recorded a post-tax profit of 1.6m after paying corporation tax of 139,572. Staff costs last year increased from 3.1m to 3.2m with a breakdown of the numbers employed showing that 62 are in production, 18 in administration and two directors. The amount paid to directors decreased sharply from 452,780 to 96,821. Accumulated profits increased from 12.76m to 14.3m. Shareholder funds totalled 15.3m. A farmer whose 350,000 investment dropped to 152,000 after it failed to perform as expected has lost an appeal over whether he received financial advice before investing. The High Court upheld the Financial Ombudsman's finding that Val O'Driscoll's complaints were not substantiated. He claimed the Ombudsman erred in her findings. Mr O'Driscoll invested the 350,000 in the "Broad Street Geared Property Life Fund" managed by Irish Life. The investment was made through the Mallow Mortgage Company trading as Liam Mullins and Associates. Prior to the investment in January 2007, a meeting took place between Mr O'Driscoll, Liam Mullins and Donal O'Connell of Irish Life. The fund was invested in a UK commercial property in Bristol which was leased to a bank at 1m a year. Irish Life had acquired the property and it was transferred into a life and pension fund. It did not perform as anticipated. The building was sold in 2013 and Mr O'Driscoll received 156,621 in May 2015. He complained to the Ombudsman who found there was no evidence to show Mallow's representative provided him with any investment advice. It was provided on an "execution only" basis and the policy documentation clearly highlighted the risks, the Ombudsman said. The Ombudsman did not uphold a complaint that Irish Life wrongfully advised Mr O'Driscoll, of Ballinderrig Farm, Ballinderrig, Little Island, Co Cork. Irish Life did not act in an advisory role or in any way assessed his risk profile with a view to matching that profile to any particular product, the Ombudsman said. Mr O'Driscoll then appealed those findings to the High Court. Ms Justice Mary Faherty found the Ombudsman findings, in relation to whether it was an execution only investment, were not vitiated by serious or significant error. She also accepted that, once a box was ticked on the application form to say it was "execution only", the Ombudsman was reasonably entitled to regard it as such a transaction. The Central Bank has fined Tom McMenamin, former manager of commercial lending in Irish Nationwide Building Society (INBS), 23,000 in respect of admitted breaches of financial services law. He has also been disqualified for 18 years from being in a senior position at a regulated financial service provider. Mr McMenamin was one of four senior executives at INBS that have been subject to an ongoing public inquiry into matters at INBS between August 2004 and the end of September 2008. The Central Bank set up a public inquiry in 2015 into the actions of Mr McMenamin, Michael Fingleton, former finance director John Stanley Purcell, and former head of UK lending, Gary McCollum. The breaches relate to INBS multiple failures to adhere to its policies and procedures in relation to commercial lending and credit risk. The failures involved were: not properly documenting commercial loan applications including borrower information; not following loan approval processes; not following processes in relation to security and loan to value ratios; not monitoring commercial lending; and the credit committee failing to discharge its functions. In a statement today the Central Bank said the failings admitted by Mr McMenamin demonstrated a serious lack of due skill, care and diligence in carrying out his role and responsibilities. Mr McMenamin accepts that he participated in a pattern of systemic policy breaches by INBS leading to poor risk management, ineffective governance and an overall culture of high risk lending. In this respect, his actions and/or omissions were not deliberate or dishonest. INBS financial instability lead to its ultimate collapse, the regulator said. The regulator considers the breaches admitted by Mr McMenamin merited a monetary penalty of 250,000. However, it had regard to Section 33AS(2) of the Central Bank Act 1942 and may not impose a monetary penalty that would be likely to cause Mr McMenamin to be adjudicated bankrupt. In such circumstances and having regard to the current financial position of Mr McMenamin, the regulator imposed a reduced monetary penalty of 23,000. INBS cost Irish taxpayers 5.4bn in bailouts before its assets were merged with fellow-failed lender Anglo Irish Bank in 2011 to form Irish Bank Resolution Corporation (IBRC). The IBRC was put into liquidation two years later. The statement from the Central Bank stated that this settlement relates to Mr McMenamin alone and has no effect on the ongoing inquiry into other persons concerned in the management of INBS. Case: Microsoft Ireland applied to have the proceedings fast-tracked into the High Courts commercial list. Stock image Microsoft Ireland Operations is suing two Saudi Arabian firms in the Commercial Court for more than $31m allegedly owed under various 'channel partner agreements'. Arabic Computer Systems (ACS), was described in court documents as a long-standing partner, accounting for about half of sales of Microsoft licences in Saudi Arabia. The case is against Saudi firms ACS and National Technology Group. It relates to Microsoft Channel Partner Agreements allegedly entered into in September 2014 and September 2016. Eoin McCullough, for Microsoft Ireland, applied to have the proceedings fast-tracked into the High Court's commercial list. The claim against ACS concerned goods supplied to ACS while the claim against the second defendant was as guarantor of the debt, he said. Rejecting arguments that Microsoft's delay in pursuing the matter to court disentitled it to the benefit of fast-track procedures, counsel said there was a long-standing commercial relationship and Microsoft had thought ACS was experiencing a cash flow problem and would honour its obligations. The first his side heard of a defence to the claim "on the merits" was after Microsoft initiated these proceedings. That defence was that the parties who had entered the relevant contracts were not authorised to do so, the court heard. In court documents, Microsoft says the relevant agreements provided for any dispute to be determined in the Irish courts. Another reason it wanted the case fast-tracked here was because it had been advised, as a matter of Saudi law, that no interest can be recovered on any judgment sum obtained in the Irish courts, it said. Joe Jeffers BL, for the defendants, said they maintain the Irish courts have no jurisdiction in the matter and had entered a conditional appearance only. Counsel argued Microsoft's delay was such that the case should not be fast-tracked. Mr Justice Haughton said he would admit the case to the commercial list. He returned the case to late February. Russian banks are among the heaviest users of Irish special-purpose entities (SPE), a class of unregulated structure used to raise funds. Securitisations - which bundle masses of mortgages, car loans, consumer or business loans into structures that can be borrowed against by banks and others - have become relatively well known since the financial crisis. Ireland is a global centre for the industry, thanks to a clear and relatively straightforward legal regime - that controversially can include use by investors of the low-tax Section 110 company structure, and trusts with charitable status that facilitates investments to be made safe from the risk of losses. Irish sponsors of securitisation (SPEs) are generally domestically-focused banks issuing debt secured on residential mortgages, the research found. The Central Bank reports also show a second broad class of Irish SPEs make up a market worth 269bn. Within this non-securitisation SPE category, the main Irish users are multi-nationals with a base here and Irish-resident funds, the research found. Russian banks accounted for 7.7pc of that market, the single biggest class of user, according to the research. Russian corporations make up almost as big a share of the market. The UK as a whole is actually a greater user of the Irish SPEs, accounting for almost 25pc of the market - mainly financial institutions that are not banks. Similarly, about 20pc of the market is made up of US entities - though again banks make up a small element of the US involvement. Irish-resident SPEs are not regulated by the Central Bank, but it has begun research and increased reporting requirements in order to facilitate better insights on the sector. Central Bank researchers issued a number of reports about the so-called shadow-banking industry - a term for unregulated financial corporations yesterday. The findings included that foreign banks that use Irish SPEs are bigger and weaker than their peers - including slower growth, less profitability and lower capitalisation. These banks also tend to have riskier loan portfolios, thinner stable sources of funding, higher costs of funding and exhibit higher levels of indebtedness. International, cross-border players are the main users of the Irish SPEs, the research shows. The main impact on the economy here is the fees paid to Irish law firms, accountants and advisors - which added up to 273m last year. The chief executive of Independent News & Media (INM) has said the company will ask High Court inspectors to examine allegations that the hard drives and emails of editors and other senior staff were searched without their permission. Michael Doorly told a meeting of staff at the media groups Dublin headquarters that he was deeply concerned by what was being alleged. He described the claims as just unbelievable. INM publishes a number of leading titles, including Independent.ie, the Irish Independent, the Sunday Independent, the Sunday World and the Herald. According to an IT consultant, Mr Doorlys predecessor as chief executive, Robert Pitt, ordered a search of hard drives and emails of up to six editors after details of a memo from his personal assistant was published in The Phoenix magazine. Mr Pitt has declined to comment on the data interrogation claims, outlined in a letter sent by IT consultant Derek Mizak to the Data Protection Commissioner (DPC). Mr Mizak claims he was asked by Mr Pitt to conduct the exercise in June 2015. He has alleged it was conducted at night, with hard drives reportedly being removed and data copied, before the hard drives were returned. This was allegedly done without the knowledge of the staff members involved. It is an allegation at the moment. I hate to think that a CEO would have done this, Mr Doorly said. In the course of an hour-long meeting, during which staff expressed a range of concerns, Mr Doorly disclosed that INM has spent 2.5m to date on legal costs associated with an investigation by the Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement (ODCE) into a separate 2014 data interrogation and other corporate controversies. The ODCE probe led to the appointment of High Court inspectors to the company in September. Mr Doorly said the company was now going to request that the inspectors investigate Mr Mizaks claims. We, as a company, are now going to inform the inspectors of this particular issue and suggest to them they might consider their terms of reference and widen their investigation to include this, because they didnt know about it, he said. Mr Doorly said the matter was already being examined by the DPC, who received correspondence from Mr Mizak on November 26. He said the claims would also be investigated as part of a review being conducted for INM by consultancy firm Deloitte. We are going to have to investigate exactly what went on, he said. I am committed to finding out what happened. I will do all in my power to find out exactly what happened here. He added: Anything that hurts the reputation of this organisation is not acceptable. I will do everything I can to restore confidence and resolve this issue and protect the good names of all who work here. This is a core personal priority of mine. However, he cautioned that the Deloitte review may not provide answers as it does not have powers of compellability and certain individuals had not been cooperating with it. Mr Doorly said that while there had been an awareness of some other issues contained in Mr Mizaks letter to the Data Protection Commissioner, he had not previously known about the alleged 2015 incident. We certainly knew there had been a kerfuffle, as somebody described it, over an email that was leaked to Phoenix magazine, he said. But we did not know that the CEO, as is alleged, engaged Derek Mizak, who it seems, with the help of one or two people who were previously in the IT team, appears to have removed PCs off desktops, copied the hard drives and put them back again. During the meeting, Mr Doorly sought to reassure staff that their data was safe. He said it could now only be accessed in exceptional circumstances under a "triple-lock" mechanism, where approval is needed from three senior executives if any editorial employee's data is to be accessed by the company. It has previous been explained to staff that there are rare circumstances where this may be necessary, such as in the defence of litigation or complying with court orders. Mr Doorly committed to conducting an audit, looking back over the past 12 months, to ensure this system was operating correctly. He said he wanted to ensure that under his watch nobody is accessing any staff data outside of the triple-lock mechanism. At the meeting, Irish Independent editor Fionnan Sheahan said what was being alleged was beyond excusable. It is legally questionable. It is morally reprehensible, and it is certainly ethically repugnant as well that this could happen to staff, he said. Mr Sheahan said he was not reassured by what he had heard at the meeting and that there needed to be a more serious conversation about the issues raised by the Mizak allegations. He said that while he was reassured by recent management changes made within INM, the problem was that staff did not trust their past employers. Mr Doorly agreed this was a difficulty and agreed with Mr Sheahans sentiments on the alleged 2015 data interrogation. On the issue of legal costs associated with the ODCE investigation, Mr Doorly said: The legal consequences of actions taken by certain members that have led us into this situation will not impact on operations. He said these costs were considered exceptional items and had been ringfenced. We are a fortunate company in that we do have some cash and it is being paid out of that, not out of operations, he said. However, Mr Doorly declined to answer a number of questions from staff members about rumoured redundancies in the new year. I cant comment on the business going forward. We are just doing budgets and our plans for next year, looking at our revenues and looking at everything, he said. The High Court inspectors, barrister Sean Gillane SC and solicitor Richard Fleck, have started the process of interviewing key figures involved in various INM controversies. Their remit includes probing the alleged interrogation of INM data, including that of journalists, staff and directors, by outside parties in 2014. This is alleged to have been authorised by then INM chairman Leslie Buckley and paid for by a company owned by INMs largest shareholder, Denis OBrien. The inspectors are also investigating claims senior INM executives came under pressure from Mr Buckley in 2016 to pay an inflated price for Newstalk, a radio station owned by Mr OBrien. The purchase was abandoned. Concerns that inside information may have been passed by Mr Buckley to Mr OBrien are also being investigated. Mr Buckley denies any wrongdoing, while Mr OBrien has yet to comment. Protected disclosures by Mr Pitt and INM chief financial officer Ryan Preston prompted the ODCE inquiries. For all his promises to "promote fairness" in his 2019 Budget, Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe's measures will see some sections of society falling further behind, with pensioners the largest single group to see their position eroded, according to a new study. The Economic and Social Research Institute assessed the impact of the budget changes compared with a situation in which tax credits, thresholds and maximum benefits were increased in line with forecast wage rises. The nation's 637,000 retirees were among the biggest relative losers, according to the study published today. A retired single person will be 1.07pc worse off under Mr Donohoe's budget, while a retired couple will lose 0.93pc of their disposable income, relative to where they would have been had the changes been linked to wage rises. The state pension is the main source of income for most, and it is only among the richest 30pc that it accounts for less than half their annual income. That leaves pensioners particularly vulnerable to changes in the state tax and welfare system. On average, the ESRI said the tax and benefit changes would reduce households' disposable income by 0.7pc compared to a neutral benchmark, with lower income households seeing a loss of 0.8pc because of the decision to freeze personal and employee income tax credits in cash terms. Those on higher incomes will on average see smaller proportional losses of 0.5pc. "Freezing personal and employee tax credits when prices and wages are rising amounts to a real terms tax rise, which take proportionally most from lower-to-middle income households," said Barra Roantree, a research officer at the ESRI. "Tax cuts in this budget were focused on the 25pc of households that contain a higher-rate income taxpayer." The largest overall decline in disposable income was seen among women with children who were in a couple where one worked. That group incurred losses of 1.76pc. Women in no-earner couples with children lost 1.48pc relative to benchmarking against wage rises. The study argued that a cut in the Universal Social Charge and a reduction in the higher rate of employer contributions into the national Social Insurance Fund would have little impact on the lowest paid workers. While 1.7 million people will end up paying less tax as a result of a cut in the Universal Social Charge from 4.75pc to 4.5pc, it will do little to incentivise workers on the minimum wage of 9.80, who will now hit the USC threshold by working more than 39 hours a week instead of 38 at present. "This means low-paid part-time workers can be left slightly worse off by a pay increase, or working more hours," the report said. The ESRI said that a similar cliff-edge also applies to PRSI where, despite an increase in the higher rate paid by employers, those firms that employed workers on the minimum wage for 39 hours a week would see a 451 a year rise in costs. That measure, the ESRI said, would disincentivise firms from offering extra hours or pay rises. The report also warned of the State's over-dependence on company tax revenues, almost 40pc of which are paid by just 10 companies. The risk is that those companies may scale back their presence here, or tax changes elsewhere in the world may make Ireland's low tax rate less attractive for them. Build to rent: An artists impression of some of the new apartments being built in Cherrywood, south Dublin The first 1,269 units at Cherrywood will be available by 2020 - but none of these will be available for purchase by families, first-time buyers or downtraders. It took seven months to get the planning permission at Cherrywood and will take another three years before all the apartments are ready to let out. The finished units will be held, rented and managed in the long term by Hines and APG under the increasingly popular 'build-to-rent' model. At the commencement of the new apartments at the Cherrywood scheme in south Dublin yesterday, American and Dutch-based firms announced their intention to invest in another 1,731 units across the city with a combined value of 1.1bn. US-based property investment firm Hines, in conjunction with the Dutch fund APG Asset Management, announced the commencement of its residential output at the Cherrywood Strategic Development Zone (SDZ), which will see the first 1,269 units finished in phases between 2020 and 2023. Housing Minister Eoghan Murphy attended the ceremony, where it was revealed that the development will include 130 social housing units, just over 10pc of the scheme overall. Expand Close Housing Minister Eoghan Murphy looks at a model of the planned town centre. Photo: Naoise Culhane / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Housing Minister Eoghan Murphy looks at a model of the planned town centre. Photo: Naoise Culhane Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council gave the go-ahead last May for the 2.1 million sq-ft development, which will also include 585,000 sq-ft of retail and office space, as well as high-amenity leisure space. The minister said: "The commencement of construction at Cherrywood SDZ is to be warmly welcomed as a very significant development. "Cherrywood's strategic development zone status allows for major projects of scale to be delivered within accelerated timeframes and, as of today, it is officially the largest urban development in the State and in time will see approximately 8,000 new homes becoming available in the area." The announcement that the partnership is planning to invest in 1,731 more units across the city is good news for housing provision overall but bad news for those hoping to buy homes in the area. It demonstrates the new type of schemes pushing ahead in the current climate and backed by foreign investment, and the continued expansion of 'super landlords' amidst Ireland's worsening housing crisis. The drive towards 'build to rent' is being eased in by Government which has been steadily throwing off existing restrictions on the construction of multi-unit blocks in bigger sizes and in greater densities. Last week, Mr Murphy issued new guidelines to local authorities which re-evaluate height restrictions on apartment blocks. The new outlines guided by the National Planning Framework seek to concentrate city populations in order to avoid sprawl. Mr Murphy said arbitrary height caps on apartment buildings in cities "don't make any sense". The Cherrywood blocks will generally range between four to seven storeys. To maximise light and views, many will feature an "end-to-end" bedroom layout with sleeping spaces either side of the living and kitchen areas. Tokyo prosecutors have indicted ousted Nissan Motor chairman Carlos Ghosn for allegedly under-reporting his income and also officially charged the carmaker, making the firm culpable for the financial misconduct scandal that has shocked the industry. Mr Ghosn was arrested on November 19 on suspicion of conspiring to understate his compensation by about half of the actual 10 billion yen (77m) over five years from 2010. He has been held in a Tokyo jail since then for questioning, but had not been officially charged. Prosecutors re-arrested him yesterday on fresh allegations of understating his income for three more years through March 2018. Nissan, which fired Mr Ghosn as chairman days after his arrest, has said the alleged misconduct was masterminded by the once-celebrated executive with the help of former representative director Greg Kelly, who was also indicted for the first time on Monday. Mr Ghosn and Mr Kelly have not made any statement through their lawyers, but Japanese media reported that they have denied the allegations. Calls to Mr Ghosn's lawyer, Motonari Otsuru, at his office went unanswered. Nissan, indicted for filing false financial statements, said it takes the charge seriously. "Making false disclosures in annual securities reports greatly harms the integrity of Nissan's public disclosures in the securities markets, and the company expresses its deepest regret," it said, adding it will correct past financial reports to include appropriate compensation figures. Japan's Securities and Exchange Surveillance Commission (SESC), said the crime carried a fine of up to 700m yen (5.4m). Analysts and legal experts say it will be difficult for Nissan and CEO Hiroto Saikawa to avoid blame, regardless of whether other executives knew about Mr Ghosn's misconduct or that the company lacked internal controls. "It becomes difficult to overlook Saikawa's role in all of this. That becomes the main focus now," lawyer and former prosecutor Nobuo Gohara said. Mr Ghosn, if convicted, faces up to 10 years in prison and/or 10 million yen in fines under the Financial Instruments and Exchange Act. Mr Ghosn's arrest marks a dramatic fall for a leader once hailed for rescuing Nissan from the brink of bankruptcy. The once-feted executive has been treated like others in detention, held in a small chilly room. Authorities have limited his opportunities to shower and shave, according to a person familiar with the matter. Reuters Beyonce performed all her top hits at the pre-wedding event. Photo: Lester Cohen/WireImage Beyonce performed at the opening of a star-studded wedding as celebrations kicked off for the nuptials of the daughter of India's richest man. Scores of high-profile figures, including Hillary Clinton, landed in over 100 chartered aircraft at a sleepy airport in India's western Rajasthan state at the weekend to attend the grand pre-wedding festivities. Isha Ambani, the 27-year-old daughter of Reliance Industries head Mukesh Ambani, will marry Anand Piramal, the 33-year-old son of another Indian billionaire in Mumbai tomorrow. The advance celebrations, normal in India for high-profile weddings, kicked off in Udaipur, Rajasthan, with a performance by Beyonce. Her fee has not been made public but as the host is believed to have a fortune of 40bn, it is unlikely he will struggle to pay the bill. Pete Shelley, who died last Thursday aged 63, was a musician whose songs of teenage angst and frustration ensnared a generation of fans with their yearning lyrics, insistent hooks and chainsaw guitar lines. Buzzcocks, the band he formed with Howard Devoto, served as an antidote to the tempestuous politics of their angrier colleagues in the punk movement, most notably in their biggest hit, Ever Fallen in Love (With Someone You Shouldn't've). The song was written for a fellow musician, Francis Cookson, with whom Shelley would later live for seven years, and part of the band's appeal lay in their anti-macho persona. Shelley, who had been involved with gay politics at college, remarked of his sexuality that "it tends to change as much as the weather", and when the band made their Top of the Pops debut he wore a badge declaring: "I Like Boys". His lyrics were specifically aimed at both sexes, however, and in 2002, he said: "I honestly think Morrissey stole my idea of the non-gender-specific lyric." He was born Peter Campbell McNeish on April 17, 1955 in Leigh, Lancashire (now part of Greater Manchester). His father, John, was a fitter at Astley Green Colliery, while his mother, Margaret, had worked at a mill in Leigh. Peter began experimenting musically in his teens, and in 1974 recorded an electronic album, Sky Yen; when he finally released the record in 1980 it received a hostile reception from fans expecting something more like Buzzcocks. He studied Electronics at Bolton Institute of Technology (now the University of Bolton), where he answered an ad on a noticeboard looking for musicians to form a band. He found a kindred spirit in fellow student Howard Trafford, and they formed Buzzcocks, eventually recruiting Steve Diggle on bass and John Maher, whose machine-gun drumming would be the beating heart of their sound. The name came after they read a review of the television series about a girl band, Rock Follies. It contained the line "it's the Buzz, Cock!" - "cock" in its slang sense of "mate". Trafford and McNeish changed their names to Howard Devoto and Pete Shelley, "Shelley" being what Pete's family would have called him had he been a girl. After reading a review of a Sex Pistols concert, the pair drove down to High Wycombe in a borrowed car to see them. They set up the Pistols' first appearance in Manchester, at the Lesser Free Trade Hall - the gig of which it was famously said that although only a few dozen people turned up, everyone there went on to form a band. They had intended to support the Pistols themselves, but were stymied by lack of rehearsal time thanks to complaints from Devoto's neighbours. Eventually they found St Boniface Church hall in Lower Broughton to rehearse in, and when the Pistols played Manchester again, Buzzcocks were on the bill, garnering ecstatic reviews. They later played a thank-you gig at St Boniface, to an audience composed largely of nine-year-olds. Video of the Day In January 1977 they borrowed 500 from friends and parents and made the EP Spiral Scratch on their own New Hormones label - making them pioneers of the indie movement. Recorded in half an hour, its stripped-down sound and witty lyrics fitted the punk aesthetic perfectly, encapsulated in the two-note guitar solo on Boredom, which, recalled Shelley, came "out of the blue and seemed to fit. After we'd finished it, we fell about laughing". Their DIY gamble paid off when John Peel played the EP on his Radio 1 show, and it went on to sell 16,000 copies in six months. On the sleeve the band printed details of the recording process, inspiring a legion of punk rockers to record and distribute their music themselves. Immediately afterwards, however, Devoto left to resume his Humanities degree, disillusioned with the direction punk was moving in - he went on to form the Art-rocker magazine - and Shelley assumed principal vocal and songwriting duties. Having effectively launched the indie movement, Buzzcocks, now with Diggle on guitar and Garth Smith and then Steve Garvey on bass, signed to a major label, United Artists. But their debut single, Orgasm Addict, released in November 1977, was banned by the BBC for its high smut quotient. Shelley later remarked: "It's the only one I listen to and shudder." The follow-up, What Do I Get? - "I'm in distress, I need a caress, what do I get?" - entered the Top 40 in February 1978, and their status as punk superstars was cemented by their thrilling debut album the following month, Another Music in a Different Kitchen, produced by Martin Rushent. With its angular riffs and playful lyrics of thwarted romance, raw but intensely melodic, it sounded like the love child of the Beatles and the Stooges. A mere six months later they avoided the "difficult second album" syndrome with the joyous Love Bites, whose standout track, Ever Fallen in Love, reached No.12, their highest chart placing. Shelley had written the song after watching the film Guys and Dolls, in which Adelaide tells Sky Masterson: "Wait till you fall in love with someone you shouldn't have." Their third album, A Different Kind of Tension, took on a more experimental and arty bent while retaining punk's emotional and sonic ferocity, but in 1981 the band split amid a dispute with their record company. Shelley returned to his electronic roots, releasing the single Homosapien, which was banned by the BBC for gay references such as "I'm the shy boy, you're the coy boy". During the following decade he did more experimental work, including the 1983 album XL-1, which included a program for the ZX Spectrum computer featuring lyrics and graphics to accompany the music. When a cover of Ever Fallen in Love by Fine Young Cannibals reached the Top 10, Buzzcocks were inspired to re-form (minus Devoto), making six more albums and touring extensively. By that time, bands such as REM and New Order, had acknowledged them as an inspiration, and Nirvana enlisted them as support act for their final US tour. Shelley's solo work included the theme tune to Channel 4's coverage of the Tour de France. His final solo album was Cinema Music and Wallpaper Sounds, another pre-Buzzcocks electronic piece. Though he claimed not to have made much money, Shelley was not bitter. "The worth of the songs is measured by the effect they have on people," he said in 2002, when he reunited with Devoto to make the electropop LP Buzzkunst. "I'm not a millionaire, but then again, I'm not starvingly poor. I could do with more, but I didn't sign my life away for 10. The love of the music around the world is worth more than money." Pete Shelley's first marriage, which produced one son, ended in divorce; in 2012 he moved to Estonia with his second wife, Greta, an Estonian-Canadian artist. Telegraph Telegraph Media Group Limited [2021] Dermot Bannon has spoken about the impact that Michael Stokes has had on his life. The 'Room to Improve' architect worked with Michael and his foster parents Ann Higgins and Barry McCabe in 2015 on adapting and improving their Malahide home to cater for Michael's needs. Unfortunately, Michael, who was 15, died following an accident on May 5 this year. Speaking to Ryan Tubridy on his RTE Radio 1 show on Tuesday, Dermot spoke about working with the family and the impact that Michael had on him. "Within five minutes of meeting Michael he completely disarmed you," he said. "He had this amazing personality and it became a project about Ann, Barry, and Michael, not Ann and Barry creating a house for somebody who had a disability. "It was an incredible project to work on. It's one that people still talk to me about." Speaking about Ann and Barry in the wake of Michael's tragic death, the presenter and architect said he is still "just devastated for them". "I think about them every single day. I can't look at a picture of Michael yet. It's horrendous. But I'm just, I'm very thankful that I got to meet him, very thankful that I knew him. He put a lot of perspective into my life at the time." Dermot revealed that he "was going through some stuff at home" relating to an illness at the time he worked with Michael, and said, "We were struggling with that [and meeting Michael] just put shape onto it." He said, "When you saw sometimes in the [wheel]chair and the difficulty he had getting into the car, and the difficulty he had in doing regular things and how he just did it and he sang and he did it with joy. Video of the Day "The little things in life made him so happy and he embraced them and that taught me a huge amount. Don't sweat the small stuff." He described Michael as a "beacon of light" and said he was glad they did the show together. "I think he taught a lot of people. He had such heart and I think people felt that from him and I think people reached out. He did something in Ireland at that moment in time," he said. Dermot revealed that he lost his own father a while ago and said that Christmas is a particularly difficult time of year for those who have lost a beloved family member. "I think a lot of people going through this maybe think they're going through it alone. They're not. There's thousands. There's very few families that aren't affected by it in some way," he said. Brendan Gleeson is great. This is not a mere opinion, this is an incontrovertible truth. If, for some inexplicable reason, you dont believe this, then youre a fool. Go away! Stop reading my words. I want nothing more to do with you. Not only is Brendan Gleeson great, hes great in everything. This, too, is an incontrovertible truth. I defy anyone to look through his huge list of film and TV credits small roles, supporting roles, starring roles and find a single bad performance. Youll be wasting your time, because no such thing exists. Producers and directors are aware of Gleesons greatness. Thats why they keep casting him. Hes worked with the two biggest of the Hollywood biggies, Scorsese and Spielberg, and with Danny Boyle and the Coen brothers (in their latest, The Ballad of Buster Scruggs). He can play virtually any role in any genre, slipping adroitly between drama and comedy. He was mesmerising on TV as Michael Collins in The Treaty and Winston Churchill in Into the Storm (which won him an Emmy). His Martin Cahill elevated John Boormans The General (an unbelievable 20 years ago now), which could easily have looked ridiculous to an international audience unfamiliar with its notorious protagonist. And my kids assure me, he was the perfect Mad-Eye Moody in the Harry Potter films. This is just a handful of highlights from the glittering array of characters on Gleesons bulging CV. To all those, we can add another: Bill Hodges in the brilliant Mr Mercedes, based on Stephen Kings trilogy of novels. I dont know if theres any truth in the claim that King had Gleesons face in his head while writing the books; the literary Hodges is, for instance, an American, rather than an Irishman who emigrated to America when he was 17. Thats a flourish added by Gleeson and series creator David E Kelley, who previously worked together on 1999s Lake Placid. One thing is certain, though: this is a part that the 63-year-old star was born to play. Hes simply wonderful as Hodges, a grizzled retired detective-turned-private eye. Video of the Day If Id been asked to bet on which actor was a shoo-in for this years Golden Globe best actor award, Id have put my money on Gleeson and so, I imagine, would anyone else whos been riveted by Mr Mercedes from the beginning. And yet, he didnt receive so much as a nomination. There are some years when there are simply so many great performances around that a few of them are inevitably going to get overlooked. But can anyone seriously suggest that Gleeson wasnt as good as, if not better than, Matthew Rhys in The Americans, Jason Bateman in Ozark or Richard Madden in The Bodyguard, all of whom are among the Globe nominees named last week? I cant offer an opinion on the two other two, Billy Porter (Pose) and Stephan James (Homecoming), because I havent seen either series. Gleeson isnt the only outrageous omission from the Globes list. Harry Treadaway, superb as Hodges psychopathic adversary Brady Hartsfield, didnt receive a nomination in the supporting actor category. Nor was there any recognition for the series female stars, Taylor Holland, Justine Lupe, Breeda Wool and Kelly Lynch, who were all outstanding. Mr Mercedes didnt get a look-in in the best series category, either. Why this should be, I simply cant understand no more than I can fathom why Mr Mercedes and its cast were completely ignored by the Emmys earlier in the year. The Golden Globes, which cover film as well as TV and are voted on by the members of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, have a reputation as being the least conservative of the annual awards handouts. The Oscars and the Emmys tend to reward popularity, whereas the Globes honour quality and originality. If this years Globes prove anything, its that this is a load of balls. Season Two of Mr Mercedes continues on RTE2 next Monday. As Game of Thrones fans eagerly await the arrival of the final season of the hit HBO show, there's more good news - the official touring exhibition is coming to Ireland. The largest ever public display of Game of Thrones memorabilia will be on display at the Titanic Exhibition Centre, Belfast from April 11 to September 1. Expand Expand Expand Previous Next Close Game of Thrones: The Touring Exhibition Game of Thrones: The Touring Exhibition Game of Thrones: The Touring Exhibition / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Game of Thrones: The Touring Exhibition It's an apt location given much of the show has been filmed in the nearby Titanic Studios over the past decade. Fans can feast their eyes on costumes, props, set decorations, weapons, and armour from Westeros and Essos. Expand Close Organisers launch Game Of Thrones: The Touring Exhibition (Titanic Exhibition Centre/PA) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Organisers launch Game Of Thrones: The Touring Exhibition (Titanic Exhibition Centre/PA) There will also be interactive installations, and visitors can immerse themselves in the environments of some of the key locations from all seven seasons of the hit HBO series. There will be themed areas including the wintry landscapes of the North, the tree-lined pathway of the Kingsroad, King's Landing, the city of Meereen, and settings like the House of Black and White, the home of the Night's Watch, Castle Black and the frozen lands beyond the Wall. Expand Close Game of Thrones: The Touring Exhibition / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Game of Thrones: The Touring Exhibition It all centres around the impressive Iron Throne Room. Jeff Peters, a vice president at the HBO network which aired the series, said: Given the unique and central role that Northern Ireland has played in the life and legacy of the show, and we are thrilled that we are bringing Game Of Thrones: The Touring Exhibition to Belfast. Were so happy to invite our fans in Northern Ireland, the rest of the UK and the Republic of Ireland to join us in the Titanic Quarter in Belfast to immerse themselves in the world of Game Of Thrones. The eighth and final season of the series is also due to land in April. Tickets for Game of Thrones: The Touring Exhibition can be purchased on the website: gameofthronesexhibition.co.uk Video of the Day Here's a taster of what to expect: THE former chief executive of charity Ataxia Ireland was unfairly dismissed from her post, the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) has found. In his ruling, WRC Adjudication Officer, Eugene Hanly has ordered that Barbara Flynn be re-instated into her role and that her outstanding remuneration be paid to her. In her role since December 2001, Ms Flynn was dismissed for gross misconduct on March 30th of this year and the amount owed to her in pay would be around 43,190 based on her monthly pay of 5,390. Mr Hanly has also ordered the charity to pay Ms Flynn 9,950 as she was entitled to eight weeks notice. However, it is not clear if Ms Flynn will have any job to go back to as a letter from Ataxia Ireland to the WRC stated that the charity is in the process of closing down and the process is almost complete. Ataxia is a term for a group of disorders that affect co-ordination, balance and speech. In severe cases it can be fatal. Mr Hanly made his ruling that Ms Flynn's dismissal was substantially and procedurally unfair based on the uncontested evidence of Ms Flynn over her dismissal as the charity did not attend the WRC hearing. Mr Hanly stated that as the charity did not attend, it had not discharged the burden of proof and he is obliged to accept the complainants uncontested evidence. In his ruling, Mr Hanly found that the employer did not carry out a detailed disciplinary investigation due to the standoff that developed between the two parties. Mr Hanly stated: I find that as a result the Complainant was unable to defend herself. The charity announced its closure in May of this year stating that it no longer has the trust of its members or the wider public and this makes fundraising impossible both currently and into the future. Ataxia Ireland was set up in 1980 to support people and families living with Friedreichs Ataxia, a genetic and progressive disorder of the central nervous system . However, the charity was plunged into crisis in 2017 after a report by inspectors from the Charities Regulator uncovered 84,009 in payments to the founders of the charity, former Trustees and parents of Ms Flynn, Clare and Tim Creedon. The report also highlighted 38,000 in payments being made to Ms Flynns pension fund from charity funds rather than being deducted from her salary. In November 2017, Ms Flynn brought judicial review proceedings in the High Court challenging the findings of the Charities Regulators inspectors report. Ms Flynn told the High Court that her parents initially worked for the charity on an entirely voluntary basis for almost 25 years and 13 years respectively. On October 4th 2017, Ms Flynn was suspended by the charity pending an independent investigation. The charity later abandoned the independent investigation following Ms Flynn commencing her judicial review proceedings. However, in February 2018, the charity launched a fresh investigation into the payments to Ms Flynns parents and the pension payments to her. On March 30th, Ms Flynn was informed by the charity in writing that she was being dismissed for gross misconduct as trust had irretrievably broken. However, Ms Flynn told the WRC that she was not given an opportunity to defend herself or offered the right of appeal. Ms Flynn claimed that was denied fair procedure and natural justice. At the hearing, when asked about the 38,000 pension over-payment, Ms Flynn stated that this overpayment was caused by a software error. Ms Flynn accepted that an overpayment was made and she offered to repay 500 per month and given the tax relief granted the outstanding sum was 19,000. On the payments to her parents, Ms Flynn stated that her father received the payments from 2005 to 2015 and her mother from 1990s to 2016. She stated that the charity was founded by them and run from their home and that these payments were approved by the Management Committee and received approval from the Auditor and Revenue. Ms Flynn pointed out that a full Revenue audit was conducted in 2012 and it was found to be okay. In terms of looking for new work, Ms Flynn stated that she has applied for positions in UCD, The Hermitage Clinic, Blackrock Clinic and Sandyford Estate, without success. Ms Flynn stated that she has applied for 20/30 jobs in the last six months and has not worked since the date of dismissal. A 16-year-old student, who claimed to have been injured when she swallowed a chocolate spread containing miniscule shards of glass, has been awarded more than 30,000 damages in the Circuit Civil Court. Jamie Lee McAdam, through her mum Natasha, sued Ferrero UK Limited, Greenford, England, manufacturers of branded chocolate and confectionary products. Barrister William Binchy, counsel for Jamie Lee, told Circuit Court President, Mr Justice Raymond Groarke, that she had been injured after eating a bagel over which her mother had spread Nutella, a chocolate spread manufactured by Ferrero, the second biggest chocolate and confectionary producer in the world. Mr Binchy, who appeared with Daly Lynch Crowe and Morris Solicitors, told the court that on 14th September 2016, as Jamie Lee was eating the bagel and chocolate spread she discovered pieces of glass in her mouth. Examination afterwards had revealed there were several pieces of glass in the Nutella that remained in the bottom of the jar. The Nutella had been manufactured in England by Ferrero and purchased in a sealed jar in an Irish store. Mr Binchy said Jamie Lee had been alarmed and distressed and a couple of hours after having eaten the product had begun to experience stomach pains. Her mother had contacted Temple Street Childrens Hospital by telephone and had been advised by staff to bring her daughter to the hospital. She had been examined and x-rayed but no pieces of glass had been discovered and she had been discharged from hospital that night. The following day she had experienced pains in her stomach and had to go home from school. The court heard that the incident had affected Jamie Lees eating habits and she had lost weight with recurring episodes of abdominal pain. Mr Binchy said the defendant, which had entered a full defence to the claim, had made a settlement offer of 31,600 and he was recommending that it be accepted by the court. Judge Groarke approved the offer which will remain in court funds until Jamie Lees 18th birthday. 11/12/2018. Claire McGrath, the former partner of murder accused Keith Connorton, arrives at the Central Criminal Court in Dublin today where she gave evidence in his trial. Connorton has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Graham McKeever at Deerpark Avenue in Tallaght in February 2018. Pic Collins Courts. The woman in a "love triangle" that allegedly resulted in a man being stabbed to death has told a murder trial: "It is my fault. If I had never brought him to my house he would be still alive. I'm so sorry." Claire McGrath also told the trial that the deceased "burst in" to the room where she was arguing with the accused and said "she's mine now" before the fatal row broke out. Ms McGrath has been giving evidence in the trial of 40-year-old Keith Connorton of Deerpark Avenue, Tallaght who has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Graham McKeever (32) at the accused man's home on February 18, 2017. He is on trial at the Central Criminal Court. The witness told prosecution counsel Brendan Grehan SC that she is still in a relationship with the accused man. They moved into the apartment at Deerpark Avenue in November 2014 having previously spent time together in homeless accommodation. They have one son together. By February 2017 they were having problems and often argued, particularly over Mr Connorton's drug use, she said. They had a "rocky patch" for about a year and while Mr Connorton still lived at the apartment they did not share a bed. He slept on the couch and their son slept in the spare bedroom. She said: "We fought all the time but we both love each other and wanted to keep trying." She knew the deceased since childhood, she said. He was two years ahead of her in school and they met again when she started volunteering to work with the homeless. "We made a connection," she said, and "one thing led to another". They had been seeing each other romantically behind Mr Connorton's back, texting one another and meeting up, for about six weeks before Mr McKeever's death. They took things "to the next level" about two weeks before his death. On the afternoon of February 17 she had an argument with Mr Connorton. He was "intoxicated" on tablets, she said, and she told him to come back when he was sober. She then invited Mr McKeever to spend the night with her "in a romantic way". She bought a bottle of West Coast Cooler, he bought six cans of cider. Ms McGrath became upset as she revealed that the accused had a key to the patio door. "I don't know why I thought he wouldn't come back. He always does," she said, adding: "It was just a bad lapse of judgment." Mr McKeever arrived some time before 7pm. They had a drink, watched television, played with her son. The child went to bed at about 9pm and she and Mr McKeever did the "usual romantic things". They kissed on the couch and between 3.30am and 4.30am they went to bed. They started to kiss and undress and were "planning to have sex" when Ms McGrath heard a noise from the kitchen. She said, "that's Keith" and told Mr McKeever, "stay here". She went to the kitchen wearing a dressing gown, underwear and a bra. In the kitchen Mr Connorton was cutting a piece of cannabis with a kitchen knife. He seemed "tired and cold", his nose was red and he had a jacket and hat on. "He wanted to get in to bed," she said. She asked him why he was there and told him to "get out", that they had broken up two days ago. "I tried to cover my own ass," she said. He realised what she was wearing, that she wouldn't be dressed like that if sleeping alone, and asked her: "Is there somebody there?" He started to cry, she said, and they started to argue while he still had the knife in his hand. He told her he loved her, had ordered rings and was planning to propose to her. He was "angry" and "upset" as he asked: "How could you do this to me?" He was "disgusted" with her, she said, and his body language scared her although she didn't think his anger was directed at her. She moved backwards, she said, and fell across the arm of a couch. Mr Connorton was standing in front of her with the knife in his hand. She said: "I don't even think he realised he had it. He was so focused on the fact that someone else was in his bed." When Ms McGrath fell across the couch she let out a noise, like "aah or ouch" and that was when Mr McKeever "burst in" and said: "She's mine now." Mr McKeever "charged into him like a bull," the witness said. She said the deceased is a much bigger man and knocked Mr Connorton across the room and onto a child's chair. "He beat the crap out of Keith," she said, adding that it was like Mr Connorton was letting Mr McKeever hit him in the face and although he had the knife he wasn't using it. The witness said that Mr Connorton was telling Mr McKeever to get out, Mr McKeever was saying, "she's mine" and Ms McGrath was telling them both to stop. At the time she did not think that Mr McKeever had a knife but she said a knife photographed by gardai on the floor of the apartment did not belong to her and must have been brought there by the deceased. He must, she said, have brought it with him from the bedroom. She suggested Mr Connorton might have been trying to defend himself from that knife and that this would explain why he was letting Mr McKeever punch him repeatedly in the face. She took the kitchen knife off Mr Connorton after Mr McKeever had been stabbed. The deceased said: "He got me," and started hitting Mr Connorton again but as he was punching him he turned and fell to the ground. When they realised Mr McKeever was dead the accused became angry with Ms McGrath and headbutted her, the witness said. He then said to her: "How could you do this to me? It's your fault." She began to cry as she added: "It is my fault. If I had never brought him to my house he would be still alive. I'm so sorry." The headbutt left her dizzy, bleeding and with two black eyes. Mr Connorton said goodbye to his son and left before gardai and paramedics arrived. She spoke to gardai shortly afterwards but she said she may not have given the "the full extent of what had gone on" in her statement. She was on Valium at the time and in shock and the seriousness of the situation had not yet hit her. The trial continues tomorrow in front of Justice Tony Hunt and a jury of nine men and three women. A man who sexually assaulted his partner while he was under investigation for raping her six years previously has been jailed for four years. The 35-year-old man, who cannot be named to protect the identity of his victim, orally raped and digitally penetrated his girlfriend while she was sleeping. He pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to sexually assaulting her at a Dublin house on April 14, 2016. He was jailed in July this year after he admitted the rape and attempted anal rape of this woman in 2010 and 2011. Garda Liam Wright told Elva Duffy BL, prosecuting, that the woman told gardai that in April 2016 the man had tried to initiate sex with her when she joined him in bed but she said she was feeling unwell and was not in the mood. She woke up to find her leggings had been pulled down beyond her knees and he was sexually assaulting her. The woman, who has a nine year old child with the man, said she felt disgusted and turned away from him, feigning sleep. She said she had learned from the previous experience of him having raped her that the best thing she could do was nothing. She was shocked and scared and when it continued she began crying loudly. The man's previous convictions include an eight year sentence for the rape and attempted anal rape of this woman handed down in July this year. Mr Justice McDermott suspended the final 18 months of the sentence on condition that the man undergo probation supervision, complete a sex offender's treatment programme and offence focused work, as well as addressing his alcohol and addiction issues. He had pleaded guilty at the Central Criminal Court to rape in 2010 and attempted anal rape in 2011 of the woman at their Dublin home. At the July hearing, Mr Justice McDermott said the victim had been a vulnerable young woman at the time of the offences and had suffered considerably in abusive relationships in the past with other men. He noted she had become involved with people who were exploiting her prior to meeting the accused who had assisted her in relation to moving to safety. They later began a relationship. Today/yesterday (Tuesday) Judge Melanie Greally said that defence counsel, Ken Fogarty SC, had indicated that this client and the woman's relationship had begun with him coming to her aid in dealing with a previous abusive relationship and oppressive living circumstances. But it seems that his addiction to drugs and other unaddressed issues led to a highly dysfunctional relationship with acts of sexual violation, the judge continued. This was a very extreme sexual violation of a sleeping woman with whom he was involved in an intimate relationship. It was all done without her consent and was something she had clearly expressed was not what she wanted on the occasion, Judge Greally said. The judge said that a very concise victim impact report stated that the woman does not seek to lay all her difficulties at the man's door rather she simply states that she has become socially reclusive, suffers post traumatic stress and has trust issues. She is currently undergoing treatment. Judge Greally sentenced the man to four years in prison which she said is to be served from today/yesterday (Tuesday). Gda Wright said the woman was staying in a house with two other women and her partner the night he sexually assaulted her. The following morning she wrote a letter to the two women detailing what he had happened the previous night before she left with the man for the day. When they returned to the house the two women told him he was not welcome and he had to leave. Gda Wright said the letter was used as an exhibit in the case. The man was interviewed the following month and accepted that he had sexually assaulted the woman while she slept. Gda Wright agreed with Mr Fogarty that the man always indicated he would plead guilty. He accepted he was living in a tent in the Phoenix Park in Dublin while waiting for his case to be dealt with in the neighbouring Criminal Courts of Justice. Mr Fogarty said even though his client had no memory of what happened he always accepted the woman was telling the truth. He has been absolutely clear that he accepts full responsibility, counsel submitted to Judge Greally. Education Minister Joe McHugh is abandoning the idea of long-awaited Leaving Cert science practicals because of the logistical and financial challenges involved. Instead, he has asked the curriculum advisory body to explore the option of a coursework assessment - such as a project - in biology, chemistry and physics, similar to what happens in some other subjects. Students would complete the coursework during the school year, under the guidance of teachers, and it would be marked by an examiner appointed by the State Examinations Commission (SEC). It is a far cry from a carefully observed, 90-minute test of practical skills, but Mr McHugh said "it should allow for assessment of enquiry based learning, critical thinking and elements of experimental investigation". The minister's announcement follows the publication in the Irish Independent of the findings of a practicals trial conducted by the SEC in 30 schools last year. The trials were deemed a success, but the SEC argued strongly against a national roll-out now because of an already crowded sixth year timetable, difficulties recruiting examiners and the need to bring school science labs up to scratch which, while unquantified, could run to hundreds of millions of euro. The report argued against imposing science practicals on an already over-burdened system without a major review of the organisation of existing orals and practicals. It is 36 years since science practicals were first mooted, as a way of testing students' application of their knowledge and skills, while also reducing reliance on the written June exams. There was an expectation that the trials would lead to the introduction of practicals in the next couple of years, to coincide with the first cohort of students completing the new, more hands-on junior cycle science syllabus and progressing to Leaving Cert. A spokesperson for Mr McHugh said the Department of Education was keen that Leaving Cert science subjects should incorporate a second assessment component to allow a broader assessment of students' skills. But he added that, after considering the SEC report, the minister was asking the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) to examine the feasibility of integrating coursework assessment into each of the three subjects. The SEC report touched on the option of coursework assessments, many of which they described as highly valued, but added that they "lack the element of direct assessment by observation of students' practical skills". The science practicals issue is likely to be explored as part of the wider review of senior cycle currently being undertaken by the NCCA. One of the main advocates of practical assessments in Leaving Cert science subjects is the employers' organisation Ibec, Ibec's senior executive for innovation and education policy, Claire McGee, said while they welcomed the move to explore integrated coursework assessment, practicals were the preferred option as a second assessment component. Ms McGee said learning through experience played a huge role in encouraging students to take part in subjects. Every cigarette smoked contains over 4,000 chemicals, so smoking when pregnant harms the unborn baby. Stock Image A significant number of pregnant women in Ireland may be "secret smokers", leaving their baby at risk of being malnourished. A new study of a group of mothers-to-be attending the Coombe Maternity Hospital in Dublin found several were reluctant to disclose their habit. Researchers at the Centre for Human Reproduction in the Coombe who questioned the 234 women presenting for antenatal care showed 15pc admitted they were smokers. However, when they were given a breath carbon monoxide test another 10pc, many well-educated, came clean on their persistent smoking, the 'European Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology and Reproductive Biology' reported. Professor Michael Turner of the UCD Centre for Human Reproduction, who led the study, said that they were more likely than non-smokers to have a growth-restricted or malnourished baby - which increases the risk of an adverse pregnancy outcome such as stillbirth. He said: "Maternal smoking is arguably the most important modifiable risk factor for pregnancy in Ireland. "The number of adults smoking in Ireland is declining slowly and most women quit spontaneously before they present for antenatal care. "We found that 15pc disclosed to the midwife at booking that they were persistent smokers. "However, following a breath carbon monoxide test and a more detailed questioning from our research fellow, a further 10pc disclosed their persistent smoking. "Interestingly, we were surprised to find the non-disclosers were better educated." Prof Turner said: "We recommend therefore that all women presenting for antenatal care should have a breath carbon monoxide test to screen for persistent smoking." He added: "It is an inexpensive point-of-care test - less than the cost of a packet of cigarettes. "If current smoking is confirmed, women should be offered a smoking cessation behavioural intervention and support. "Most women will not engage during pregnancy itself with interventions but it should be offered again after delivery when nicotine replacement therapy can be safely offered." If the test is positive, the women should have repeat ultrasound examinations in the third trimester to detect foetal growth restriction which may necessitate early delivery with induction or Caesarean section. "We urge that all 19 maternity units screen for undisclosed maternal smoking. "At present, only Letterkenny does so. It is an inexpensive way to improve the foetal outcomes and may have lifelong benefits." The HSE said it provides a range of smoking cessation support services, some in the community and some in hospitals. Every cigarette smoked contains over 4,000 chemicals, so smoking when pregnant harms the unborn baby. Cigarettes can restrict the essential oxygen supply to the baby. As a result, their heart has to beat harder every time their mother smokes. It is possible to use nicotine replacement therapy during pregnancy. It is not recommended that pregnant women take 'stop smoking' tablets, such as Champix or Zyban. The HSE has lost his second boss in just six months, it has been confirmed. The interim Director General John Connaghan is leaving at the end of December to take up a new post in Scotland. In May its previous chief Tony OBrien stepped down in the wake of the CervicalCheck scandal. The HSE is currently looking for a new Director General but has had to extend the application date. Mr Connaghan had not applied for the post. Health Minister Simon Harris said today he wanted to pay tribute to John Connaghan, who has announced his intention to move on from his position as interim Director General. Minister Harris thanked Mr Connaghan for his commitment and dedication to the role and wished him the best in his new position on his return to Scotland. He said : "John Connaghan has shown exemplary leadership and I want him to thank him sincerely for occupying the position at a critical time in the health service." The position of the Director General has been advertised with applications due to close in early January, he said. The Minister has asked Deputy Director General Anne O'Connor to occupy the role until the recruitment process concludes in the new year. Minister Harris said: "I want to thank Anne O'Connor her for her leadership and commitment. She has a track record of improving services for patients and clients and I look forward to working with her in the period ahead." 11 Dec 2018: Members of 221+ group for women affected by the cervical cancer scandal, protest outside Leinster House, afer meeting with Simon Harris, due to take place today, was cancelled. Leinster House, Kildare Street, Dublin. Picture: Caroline Quinn 11 Dec 2018: Conor Blighe and partner Jennifer, from Saggart. Members of 221+ group for women affected by the cervical cancer scandal, protest outside Leinster House, afer meeting with Simon Harris, due to take place today, was cancelled. Leinster House, Kildare Street, Dublin. Picture: Caroline Quinn A Dublin couple who are caught up in the CervicalCheck controversy were among a group who staged a protest outside Leinster House to highlight their exasperation after Health Minister Simon Harris cancelled a meeting with them at short notice. Jennifer and Conor Blighe, are part of the 221+ CervicalCheck patient support group. Members of the group, including women and their partners, were due to meet Mr Harris this evening to discuss issues eight months after the revelations first emerged that audits of test results had not been passed on to all cancer victims. But they were told on Monday evening he would have to postpone it because he needed to be in the Seanad for the abortion legislation debate. Ms Blighe had two wrong test results after undergoing cervical screening in 2010 and 2013. She was only diagnosed with cancer in March last year. It is very disappointing because we had sought a meeting with the minister to highlight various issues, said Mr Blighe. He said the last-minute cancellation caused serious disruption to several women and families, some of whom had travelled to Dublin on Monday in order to ensure they were ready for the meeting. To us he has more important business to attend to than be in the Seanad regarding the abortion bill. Already 20 women have died and many more are very unwell and could not make the journey. He said one of the issues they wanted to raise was the ongoing delay some women are still experiencing in securing access to their slides. One of leading campaigners, Stephen Teap, also criticised the cancellation saying it was insensitive to those who have been through enough. A spokeswoman for Mr Harris said: "The Minister wants to offer his sincere apologies for the short notice and indeed for having to postpone this very important meeting. "This is, unfortunately, unavoidable due to the significant time commitment required for the passage of legislation on Termination of Pregnancy in the Seanad. He is required to be in the Seanad all afternoon and evening up to 10pm. The Minister had examined various options throughout the day with his officials and the Irish Cancer Society including attending for a shorter period of time. However, he wants to give as much time and space to the meeting and to hearing their issues. His commitment to meeting members of the 221+ group stands. His office will immediately move to rearrange the meeting to a date that allows him to give this engagement the time and space it deserves. High Court inspectors are understood to have begun interviewing key figures about a series of corporate controversies, including a major suspected data interrogation in 2014, at Independent News & Media (INM). News of the ramping up of the inquiry comes just days after fresh data interrogation claims emerged. IT consultant Derek Mizak is reported to have told the Data Protection Commissioner that then-INM chief executive Robert Pitt ordered a search of the computer hard drives and emails of up to six editors in June 2015. Mr Mizak is said to have claimed this was done as part of an investigation into the alleged leaking of an email to 'The Phoenix' magazine. INM chief executive Michael Doorly is expected to address staff today about the latest allegations, which were reported by the 'Sunday Business Post'. The National Union of Journalists has also sought an urgent meeting with INM. The fresh allegations are being examined by Data Protection Commissioner Helen Dixon and could also end up being looked into by court-appointed inspectors Sean Gillane SC and Richard Fleck. It is alleged hard drives were removed at night, copied and then returned without the knowledge of staff members. Although the latest claims are not among the matters the inspectors were appointed to investigate, they can return to the High Court should they wish to alter their terms of reference. Mr Mizak declined to comment when contacted by the Irish Independent. A representative of Mr Pitt said he would not be commenting while the inspection process is ongoing. The inspectors were appointed to INM in September following an application by the Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement (ODCE). After a preparatory period, it is understood the inspectors recently began interviewing key figures at the centre of various INM controversies. Their remit includes probing the alleged interrogation of INM data, including that of journalists, staff and directors, by outside parties in 2014. This is alleged to have been authorised by then INM chairman Leslie Buckley and paid for by a company owned by INM's largest shareholder, Denis O'Brien. The inspectors are also investigating claims senior INM executives came under pressure from Mr Buckley in 2016 to pay an inflated price for Newstalk, a radio station owned by Mr O'Brien. The purchase was abandoned. Concerns that "inside information" may have been passed by Mr Buckley to Mr O'Brien are also being investigated. Mr Buckley denies any wrongdoing, while Mr O'Brien has yet to comment. Protected disclosures by Mr Pitt and INM chief financial officer Ryan Preston prompted the ODCE inquiries. Northern Ireland's most senior fireman has been suspended from duty. In a statement on Monday evening, the Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service said Gary Thompson had been placed on "precautionary suspension". The service described the move as a "neutral action" but did not state the reasons why. Mr Thompson was appointed in November 2016 after 22 years with the Fire Service, describing it as an "honour". He was described as a "committed and dedicated firefighter" bringing a wealth of operational and strategic leadership experience to the role. In a statement on Monday, the Fire Service said: "Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service (NIFRS) confirms that the Chief Fire & Rescue Officer, Mr Gary Thompson, has been placed on precautionary suspension with effect from 10th December 2018. Precautionary suspension is a neutral action in line with NIFRS policies and procedures. NIFRS is not in a position to make any further comment at this time. "The NIFRS Board, in conjunction with Department of Health, will now consider and put in place interim arrangements to ensure the continued delivery of our service to the public." Scouting Ireland have identified 317 alleged victims, and 212 alleged perpetrators following a review of historical files and a calls to a confidential helpline. This is up significantly on the previous numbers issued last month, which stood at 108 alleged victims and 71 alleged abusers. The updated numbers were provided in a statement issued by Minister for Children Katherine Zappone earlier this evening. She said they were contained in written update she had received from Scouting Ireland. She emphasised that all alleged abuse victims who have already come forward must be properly supported and counselled and that the same level of support must be made available to any further victims that may come forward. The increase in the number of alleged victims and alleged perpetrators identified during the past two weeks are a matter of grave concern and once again underline the serious challenges facing Scouting Ireland. "As more people come forward with further information to Scouting Ireland, Tusla the child and family agency, Gardai and other front-line support services these numbers will in all probability increase. "The public should be aware of this. "All the agencies involved continue to work on providing verified figures. "Supporting victims is my top priority. I would encourage anybody who has been abused or who wishes to name an alleged perpetrator to come forward, she said. The minister met with representatives of Scouting Ireland last month to discuss previous revelations that 108 alleged victims, and 71 alleged abusers had been identified by Scouting Ireland. At this meeting, which was on November 28, the representatives agreed to providing the Minister with written updates every two weeks. They gave their first written update - which contained the new numbers - on Friday. The Scouting Ireland confidential Freephone helpline is 1800 221199. The number is operational from 9am to 8pm Monday to Friday and 10am to 6pm Saturday and Sunday. Tusla has also put a confidential helpline in place, 1800 805665 and this is operational from 9am to 4pm. Some researchers believe that the left-cradling bias is only dominant in the first 12 weeks, when the infant is most vulnerable Cradling a baby is such a simple and instinctual act that most of us have never stopped to think about how or why we do it. So you might not have noticed that most mothers - about 80pc of them - cradle their baby on the left side of their body. You'll find this "left-cradling bias" across all countries and cultures. You'll also find it in the animal kingdom. In 1989, for example, researchers from the University of Liverpool found that, much like humans, chimpanzees, gorillas and orangutans showed a significant preference - an average of 80pc - for cradling their infants on the left side of their bodies. Scientists have taken a real interest in this cradling preference in recent years. Given that it may be the product of millions of years of evolution, some of those scientists are interested in what it can tell us about how our brains evolved. Others, however, are curious about what it can tell us about the here and now - and possibly the future. Since it was first recognised, there have been a number of attempts to explain our left-cradling bias. For a long time it was linked to hand dominance. A right-handed mother, according to this thinking, cradled her baby on the left to keep her dominant hand free. However, a study by the American psychologist Lee Salk revealed that 78pc of left-handed women also cradle their babies on the left. Salk's own theory was that left-side cradling kept the baby close to its mother's heart, the beating of which is incredibly soothing infants. But even though Salk demonstrated that listening to a recording of a heartbeat made for happier and healthier babies, his theory never really took hold. Dominances Today, the prevailing theory is based around how our brains are structured, in that mothers cradle to the left because it keeps baby in their left visual field, which is linked directly to the brain's right hemisphere. And this is the dominant hemisphere when it comes to identifying faces and their emotional expressions. "We call these hemispheric dominances cerebral lateralisation, and it may date back about 500 million years," explains Dr Gillian Forrester, of Birbeck, University of London. "What we think is happening is that if you develop a brain that has dominances on either side, rather than replicating everything across both hemispheres, it's not only a more efficient use of the neural space but it also means that you don't have both hemispheres competing and giving conflicting responses. "And it allows the organism to do two things at once. One hemisphere is really good for looking out for threats in the environment, and the other hemisphere is very good at doing repetitive sorts of motor sequencing. And this allows an organism to watch for predators and feed itself at the same time. "And because of the way the motor system is wired up, the left hemisphere controls the right side of the body and the right hemisphere controls the left side of the body. So, if you're doing something biased to one side of your body, it means that it's the opposite hemisphere that's dominantly controlling that behaviour. "And we know with the identification of emotions it seems to be the left visual field, and therefore the right hemisphere, which is dominant in most people." In the case of left-cradling bias, by having her baby in her left visual field a mother can quickly identify and react to its emotional state. Cradling in this way also presents the left side of the mother's face to the baby. The left side of the face displays emotions earlier and more intensely than the right side. And scientists believe that having the more expressive side of the mother's face in the infant's left visual field may help with bonding and social development. Comfortable Mothers don't always cradle their baby on the left, of course. It's not always practical - or comfortable. And some researchers believe that the left-cradling bias is only dominant in the first 12 weeks, when the infant is most vulnerable. But others believe that we can learn a lot by studying how mothers - and others - cradle an infant. Dr Nadja Reissland of Durham University found that a mother unconsciously changed cradling sides according to how she was interacting with her baby: cradling to the left if her baby needed soothing; and to the right if she wanted to gain the baby's attention. Studies Previous studies have established that mothers use their voices to do this - speaking in a low pitch when calming a distressed baby and a higher pitch when encouraging attention, but by monitoring mothers in their homes, Reissland found that many would intuitively combine cradling on the left and speaking in a low pitch to soothe their baby, and cradling on the right and speaking in a high-pitched voice to gain their attention. In a later study, Dr Reissland found that cradling preference might also be an unconscious expression of the mother's emotions. In this study, in addition to monitoring the mothers and infants at home, she had each mother complete a survey to establish their mental state. Through this survey, Reissland discovered that many of the mothers were experiencing extreme stress, and that 32pc of those mothers cradled their babies predominantly on the right. "Many mothers don't realise they are suffering from stress, or don't want to admit they are," said Dr Reissland on publishing her results. "The way they interact with their child is usually the best indicator of their mental state." More recently, in a University of London study led by Dr Gillian Forrester and Dr Brenda Todd, 96 children - aged five to six - from a primary school in London took part in a number of cradling trials. Each trial involved a child being asked to cradle either a pillow; a "proto-face" pillow, which is a pillow that has a face on it made up of three dots and a circle; a human doll; and an orangutan doll. As well as observing how they interacted with the dolls, the researchers assessed each child's social and communication abilities. Patterns Forrester and Todd found that, overall, the children held the human doll significantly more often in the left cradling position. They cradled the pillow with the face drawn on it in the same way. The orangutan doll was predominantly cradled on the right. And the children showed no preference, left or right, for cradling the regular pillow. When the researchers compared the cradling results to the social and communication ability scores, they found that those children who had a greater tendency to cradle the human doll and the "proto-face" pillow to the left scored significantly higher than the children who cradled them to the right. So, what does this mean? Well, Forrester and Todd believe that their research may help identify young children with neurodevelopmental problems. "We're looking at population patterns here, so you wouldn't use these results to suggest a specific child has an issue," says Dr Forrester. "But we do know that children with some neurodevelopmental disorders, like autism, tend to have weakened cerebral lateralisation. So it suggests that we could be using tests of behavioural biases like visual field as a risk marker. "Weak behavioural dominances may be a risk marker for later cognitive development. And it's something that actually could be a very useful indicator for further testing - because current diagnostic tests for autism rely a lot on cognitive outcomes, like how well does the child speak or express themselves socially? "And you have to wait quite a long time to test those things because children don't typically develop those skills until they're three and four-years-old. "And therefore you're getting these diagnoses quite late in the day, which means that interventions also come quite late in the day. But if we think that behavioural biases represent the underlying architecture of the brain when the child is born, then we could be having very early and informative indicators of what we think development will be like for that child." Forrester believes that these early indicators could allow interventions to reinforce good motor skills and stimulate the relevant parts of the brain at the best possible time - when the brain is still "incredibly plastic". To test their approach, Forrester and Todd are due to run the experiment again - this time with children with autism. While the University of London researchers were looking for evidence of left-cradling bias in children, researchers at Saint Petersburg State University and the Institute of Experimental Medicine were looking for evidence of the phenomenon in walruses and flying foxes. Choice What they found was very interesting. While they discovered that, when resting face-to-face, both walruses and flying foxes tended to keep their infants in their left visual field, they also found that this positioning preference wasn't just the mother's choice. When walrus pups float alongside their mother, they tend to keep her in their left visual field. And when hanging side-by-side, infant flying foxes also prefer to keep their mother on the left. "In humans, mothers regulate the physical position of an infant when cradling," reported the researchers. "However, our results show that infants actively choosing side position relative to the mother also keep her predominantly in their left visual field." Which suggests that, if they were free to choose, human babies would still want to be cradled on the left. Brittany Ferries is to offer its first year-round ferry service from Ireland - a continuation of its Cork to Santander route through winter. The route launched this May, becoming Ireland's first ever direct service to Spain, and the extension is designed to facilitate freight traffic, the company says. Foot or bicycle passengers are not permitted on board, but there is room on the 'Connemara' (above) for up to 500 passengers travelling in 195 cars. Crossings take 26 hours or 32.5 hours, depending on the sailings, with prices from 189 for a car with four adult passengers, each-way. Cabins cost from 109, and there is limited reserved seating. The service departs Cork on Mondays and Fridays at 23.30pm - a timing based on feedback from hauliers, who favour late arrivals and early starts (it arrives into Santander at 08.00am), Brittany says. The ferry offers "a comfortable, no-frills service with a distinctly Spanish theme" based on the company's economie model run between the UK, France and Spain, it adds. The 'Connemara' has a small shop, cafe-bar and passenger lounges. "As Brexit uncertainty continues, our new service provides a guaranteed connection for exporting freight from Ireland directly to mainland Europe, allowing freight carriers and passengers to bypass the UK and French land-bridge to Spain," said Simon Wagstaff, Brittany Ferries' freight director. The winter service will continue until March 1, 2019, with the exception of Christmas and New Year weeks. Brittany Ferries' Cork to Roscoff route, which this year celebrated its 40th anniversary, will resume sailings in March 2019. Read more: There's a certain romance associated with islands. They embody true escapism and detachment from the wider world and have provided the setting for countless novels, such as the classic Robinson Crusoe, which celebrates it's 300th anniversary next year. Our obsession with these castaway land masses has also translated into the digital age, with more than 21 million images on Instagram tagged with #island. Here are five of the world's top island escapes, along with the iconic features that set them apart... 1. Miyajima Island, Japan Landmark: The Great Torii Gate Just off Miyajima Island in Hiroshima Bay (pictured top), this giant orange gate is a Shinto shrine, created in the 12th century to honour the three daughters of Susanoo no Mikoto (the Shinto god of seas and storms). The Great Torri Gate is part of the Itsukushima Shrine, and is one of the most celebrated tourist attractions in Japan. "It's an impressive sight," says Reece Walton, a Japan expert at Kuoni. "Whether you see it as it appears to float during high tide, or you go when the tide is out." Read More 2. Mauritius Expand Close Mauritius. PA Photo/Kuoni. / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Mauritius. PA Photo/Kuoni. Landmark: An underwater waterfall This optical illusion is actually a geological phenomenon. Mauritius sits above a submarine plateau, or ocean shelf, just 150-metres below sea level. The 'drop-off' of the shelf is what forms the appearance of a waterfall, with a sudden plunge of 4000-metres contrasting with the relatively shallow shelf. It's not actually water that is falling into the abyss; it's sand from the island's beaches being moved by the ocean's currents. For the best views, take a seaplane tour; highlights also include the coral reef and Le Morne Mountain. Read More 3. Bali, Indonesia Expand Close Tanah Lot Water Temple in Bali. PA Photo/Kuoni. / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Tanah Lot Water Temple in Bali. PA Photo/Kuoni. Landmark: Tanah Lot Water Temple This outcrop has been shaped by ocean tides over the centuries and is home to Hindu pilgrimage temple Pura Tanah Lot, one of seven sea temples found along Bali's coast. "The temple sits on a rock about 100 metres out to sea and is incredible to watch at sunset," says Mary Janiec, a Bali expert at Kuoni. "At low tide, you can walk out to the island, and at high tide it's a dramatic scene, with waves crashing against the rocks." Legend says the temple is guarded by sea snakes, who protect the area from evil spirits. Read More 4. Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia Expand Close The Cabot Trail in Nova Scotia, Canada. PA Photo/Kuoni. / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The Cabot Trail in Nova Scotia, Canada. PA Photo/Kuoni. Landmark: Cabot Trail Completed in the 1930s, this scenic highway in the east of Canada forms a loop of the northern tip of Cape Breton Island. It hugs the craggy coastline along the western and eastern sections, whilst also passing through Cape Breton Highlands National Park, the Margaree River Valley and along Bras d'Or Lake. There's a choice of ways to explore the area: Try a coastal kayak, a whale watching expedition, or a potter around the fishing villages visiting craft studios. Read More 5. Mozambique Expand Close Bazaruto Dunes in Mozambique. PA Photo/Kuoni. / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Bazaruto Dunes in Mozambique. PA Photo/Kuoni. Landmark: Sand dunes on Bazaruto Island Untouched white sand dunes stretch for miles around Sailfish Bay, and are ideal for a number of beach activities. Simply soak up the setting with a cocktail in hand, or explore the area with more adrenaline-filled activities, such as high-speed dune boarding traversing the height of the dunes, or a horseback ride. Helicopter transfers to the dunes are available through the lodges and hotels on the island, with travellers best avoiding the rainy season between November and March. Read more: A recent 'Financial Times' editorial singled out John Major's "masterful" handling of the Maastricht Treaty negotiations in 1992 which allowed the UK to stay outside the eurozone while maintaining full access to the single market; it was, of course, intended as a put-down - as if one was needed - of Prime Minister Theresa May's handling of Brexit. Looking back on that period, however, it is clear that Major was facing a far less intractable problem - he was trying to find a way to stay in, while May is trying to find a way to get out. It is hardly surprising the EEC, as it then was, demonstrated far greater latitude to the UK negotiating position in 1992 than is the case today. Today, Major will address the Institute of International and European Affairs on the subject of Ireland, the UK and the future relationship. He has been highly critical of Brexit ("a colossal misjudgment"), and of Brexiteers ("those that persuaded a deceived population to be poorer and weaker"). The occasion for the address is the 25th anniversary of the Downing Street Declaration, which established some of the founding principles of the subsequent constitutional settlement agreed in 1998. These included the principle of consent and the idea unionists need not be cut off from the rest of the UK and nationalists need not be cut off from the rest of Ireland. Major took enormously risky steps in opening a dialogue with the leadership of the IRA. Taking this into account there are few people better positioned to triangulate Ireland, the UK and the future of Europe. Today's uncertainty gives us an opportunity to consider what lessons from the past might aid us in better understanding the present. In 1992, Major faced similar problems to those faced by May today. Writing about those Maastricht negotiations in his autobiography, he described the dilemma he faced: "If I reached an unsatisfactory deal I might earn goodwill on the continent, but the Conservative Party would repudiate it, the Cabinet would split, and the agreement might fail in Parliament." The line could be lifted from May's diary. Nonetheless, there are key differences between the UK approach to the negotiations in 1992 and the approach being taken by May's government. For example, in November 1991, the Major government initiated a Commons motion on the negotiating position he would adopt at Maastricht in order to strengthen his hand with the EU. The risk of tying his hands, he decided, was worth taking. His negotiating position was clear. He wanted to stay out of the EMU, oppose the Social Chapter and was in general opposed to a federal Europe. Effectively, these were what might now be referred to as "red lines". By contrast, Mrs May had to be forced to have a vote on triggering Article 50 by the UK Supreme Court decision in February 2017. Far from leveraging parliamentary authority, she sought to avoid a vote in the first instance and then, by calling a general election in April 2017, to effectively emasculate any parliamentary opposition. Following the successful negotiations in Maastricht, Major won a general election in April 1992, again in contrast to May's disastrous post-Brexit election. Events conspired to make the passage of the Maastricht Treaty through Westminster in 1993 far more complicated than would otherwise have been the case. In particular, crashing out of the Exchange Rate Mechanism in September 1992 energised Tory rebels. Then, as now, influencing Europe from the inside made more sense than splendid isolation. In his autobiography, Douglas Hurd, the United Kingdom's foreign secretary at the time, noted that failing to ratify Maastricht would "by our foolishness have helped to bring about the nightmare which had always alarmed our predecessors: a continental union influencing British lives at almost every turn over which we had no control". It is interesting to look at the playbook adopted by Major's government in 1993 when trying to steer the Maastricht legislation through Westminster. They also faced an unholy alliance of Tory rebels and a Labour Party that would do anything to unseat the government. The government lost a crucial vote on the legislation in July 1993 by eight votes and the following day the Government tabled an emergency Motion of Confidence which it won by 39 votes, thus snuffing out the rebellion. As we look for clues as to what might happen later on this month, this is one approach which would test the mettle of Tory rebels and the DUP. More than 25 years later, it seems that those early skirmishes were portents for the future. Europe was the issue that soured the later years of John Major's premiership. Europe brought down David Cameron and there are few who would bet against Europe unseating Theresa May. With the meaningful vote in the House of Commons now postponed, the only certainty we have is Europe continues to be the issue that most divides the United Kingdom's body politic. Barry Andrews is director general of the Institute of International and European Affairs There's a famous story from the time 'Seinfeld' and 'Curb Your Enthusiasm' creator Larry David worked as a writer on 'Saturday Night Live' in New York in the 1980s. Frustrated at the producers undermining him and leaving all his ideas on the cutting-room floor, he lost his temper one night, unleashed a volley of abuse at his boss and walked away from the show. A few days later he realised that he'd made a terrible mistake but rather than apologise and grovel for his job back, he simply walked into the next writers meeting and said "I have a sketch about a trapeze artist". Everyone was so stunned to see him walk back in without a care in the world that they simply carried on as if nothing had happened. It's unclear - although on the evidence, probably unlikely - whether Theresa May is a Larry David fan. But she would be forgiven for thinking that the idea of simply walking back into Europe and never mentioning the Brexit-flavoured taste in everyone's mouth is a rather tempting one, indeed. Although, if she were to take a leaf from David's book, she'd be better off suggesting a sketch about a tightrope walker than a trapeze artist, such is the delicate position she finds herself in. Yesterday's news that the planned Commons vote for today had been cancelled in the face of yet another certain defeat for the embattled prime minister is simply the latest humiliation for a politician who has increasingly taken on the role of a political pinata. In fact, it has become almost impressive to see the array of enemies currently lining up and sharpening their knives against her. Many of her former allies have turned their backs and, while she is well used to the sniping from the opposition benches, it is quite some time since any of us have seen such open revolt in the midst of a national crisis. And a crisis it truly is - not just for the UK, but for the EU as well and, from our perspective on this side of the Irish Sea, we've waved goodbye to a mere crisis and are now staring a full disaster in the face. As of lunchtime yesterday - and as we have already seen with this Brexit car crash, which is now becoming a full-on motorway pile-up, things may well have changed since then - May is not just facing off against the usual suspects in Labour, the SNP and the Lib Dems. In fact, she was staring at the prospect of 110 of her own MPs crossing the aisle if the vote on the Brexit deal had gone ahead as scheduled - a personal and political disaster that she surely could not have survived. Apart from the errant MPs engaging in open mutiny, she now faces further challenges to her leadership from virtually every high-profile Tory. Apart from the obvious pretenders to her crown, such as Boris Johnson, Jacob Rees-Mogg and Michael Gove, the last few days have seen Sajid Javid, Jeremy Hunt, David Davies, Dominic Raab and David Lidington casting covetous eyes in the direction of her office. None of those would be good for the UK, and they would, in all likelihood, be utterly disastrous for us. But tempting though it undoubtedly is, the levels of schadenfreude exhibited in this country towards our nearest and dearest neighbour won't help. Leo Varadkar and Simon Coveney have been playing hard-ball for the last few days and both men have stressed that the deal currently on the table is not just the best deal, but the only one. That will keep their EU masters happy for the moment, but the simple fact is that someone is going to have to blink first. A cadre of hardline Brexiteers won't have any interest in the impact of the UK's departure on us. And here's the elephant in the Irish room - why should they? It is easy to forget, in the current 'sturm und drang' of the madness in Westminster, that a slender but undeniably clear majority of the UK's voters opted to Leave. People can sneer at 17 million voters who decided to get out of the EU, but they can't be ignored. Nor can they be lectured and told they knew what they were getting themselves into - for all the dire predictions of the so-called Project Fear, few doomsayers saw it becoming so bad that it would actually threatens the entire union. For all the talk of either of a general election and/or a second referendum, there seems to be a notable disdain for the very concept of democracy at work. We know in this country what it's like to be ordered back to the polls to come up with a better result, but it's unlikely that many of the UK voters would be quite so amenable. If we are to see a second referendum, which most of the British media, if not necessarily the British people, seem to want, what will they do if the decision is reversed but by a similarly slim margin? The fact that the final figures were 52-48 reminds us just what a close-run thing the first vote was. But while the smart money contends that a second vote would produce the 'right' result, the smart money also informed us ahead of the first ballot in June 2016 that Brexit hadn't a hope of passing in the first place. If, as is possible if not necessarily probable, the vote gets reversed, where are the contingency plans to placate the millions who exercised their democratic duty in good faith the first time? The reason why there are no clear-cut answers is because, ultimately, there are no clear-cut questions. This has become a fractious and bloody Tory civil war which is turning us all into collateral damage. It's also an ugly reminder that far from being sinister operators who had an evil secret plan all along, what we are witnessing is a full-scale emotional breakdown from people who simply don't know what they're doing. We often make the mistake of assuming that politicians, particularly the ones we don't like, are brilliant, Machiavellian manipulators of the agenda. In fact, there is something almost comforting about the idea that at least someone knows what's going on. But what we're seeing is actually the true reality of Western politics - a combination of personal ambition, fuzzy logic, wishful thinking and the seemingly endless settling of old scores. It is, of course, tempting to sit back and watch the Tories squirm, and the behaviour of some of their ministers in relation to this country is a timely reminder that most of them know little about Ireland, North and south, and, what's worse, care even less. But a disaster for the UK would be a catastrophe for us and, whether we like it or not, there is now a burning need for the Irish negotiators to try to help May as much as possible. Because no matter what we might think of her, she sure beats the alternatives from her own party. We've had Project Fear - now we're entering Project Apocalypse. Another manic Monday in the Palace of Westminster has given way to more uncertainty. The UK prime minister announced that she is about to engage in even more "dialogue" with her EU counterparts today and tomorrow as she prepares for another summit in Brussels on Thursday. There is no doubt that her EU colleagues will be polite, kind, and helpful - up to a very limited point. Yesterday's proceedings in the UK parliament told us the Brexit game still remains to be played out in London. As Ireland's EU Commissioner Phil Hogan has rather pithily told us many times, we are still waiting on the outcome of London-London Brexit debate and decision-making processes. The other 27 EU member states have remained steadfastly united on this vexed issue, at a time when they are often pulled in many different directions on so many other topics. Leo Varadkar, Simon Coveney, and more especially his senior officials, have done a very good job infiltrating what was already a very sympathetic EU line-up. It did take a while to do all that. At one stage the Irish contingent appeared more ready to see if they could cobble an Ireland-UK deal which they would subsequently sell in Brussels. Happily, Dublin returned to the Brussels fold, which was the only source of sensible politics on this most fraught topic. Yes, Ireland's key aim - to prevent the return of a visible Border on this island - happened to overlap with the EU's aim of sustaining peace on this island. The EU has invested heavily in Northern Ireland's peace mission since the first IRA ceasefire in 1994. That funding was given readily without too much political pressure. While Washington rightly got considerable political kudos out of the 1998 Good Friday Agreement, the EU played a low-key bank-rolling part. In Brussels, and the other EU capitals, they also realised that they must manage the reality that the stretch of ground between Dundalk and Derry would, in the wake of Brexit, de facto become an international frontier between the EU single market and the UK. The EU has shown considerable kindness and pragmatism to overcome the consequences of that reality for ordinary citizens North and south in this draft deal. Many Irish people on both sides of that almost 100-year-old Border remain very puzzled about the limited political thinking of the Democratic Unionist Party amid all this ferment. Soon after the UK voters' Brexit choice in June 2016, Sinn Fein unhelpfully complicated everything with demands for a "Border poll" on the future of partition in Ireland. It was as if there was not enough noise already in the political market at the time. That Border poll is a bad idea. But amid the maelstrom in Westminster yesterday, Theresa May delivered a rather pointed side-swipe to her disloyal DUP supporters. In sum, she said a united Ireland will move dramatically closer if the 'backstop' is removed from the Brexit deal. There may be a risk of further frying the brains of the nation with Brexit information overload. But there is a greater risk of being blind to the fact we are a step closer to a no-deal meltdown following yesterday's unprecedented events in the Commons. Something very big is at stake, yet British Prime Minister Theresa May has still chosen to hit the pause button on the momentous "meaningful vote". Mrs May knew her deal was going to be rejected resoundingly. It is always a bleak moment for the gambler to realise fortune has laughed in their face. Even so, Mrs May is set to press on with taking her bad luck to Brussels for a forlorn final bet. At best this smacks of desperation, at worst of bad faith. A deal was struck this time last year. It has to be delivered on. This was the very deal championed and signed off on by Mrs May. She has been repeatedly told that the 560-page withdrawal agreement - backstop and all - can not be unpicked. Rather than face her fate, she has sought a stay of execution. The worry, and it is now closer to reality than before, is the whole roof could cave in. To avoid this, pressure may come back on Dublin to shore up the beleaguered prime minister. Mrs May has indicated pointedly she would now be accelerating her preparations to cope with the chaos a no-deal exit would unleash. Despite all the red lines and commitments, Mrs May's administration looked utterly shambolic. Her government stands accused of being in contempt of the House of Commons. Abandoning a vote for fear of being defeated is a novel way of upholding democracy and the wishes of the people. How she will ultimately be rewarded for a series of calamitous decisions remains to be seen. But when a parliament does not carry out the wishes of the people it represents, its days are generally numbered. Outright rejection of the deal might indeed have ramped up the likelihood of a disorderly exit from the EU. Delaying things further in the hope of some 11th-hour concession from the EU is simply delusional after 18 months of negotiations. Much of what has unfolded in the past year concerning the backstop is reminiscent of the abortive Boundary Commission which was stitched into the Anglo Irish Treaty of 1921. It too had a legal basis, but confusion over its wording caused consternation, and ultimate disaster. Its restrictive interpretation eventually exposed its inherent flaws that were either ignored or naively underestimated. This time out, Mrs May must recognise the Brexit deal she struck with the EU cannot be renegotiated. The spell of magical thinking must be broken. Last week Mrs May lost three critical votes. Her authority is rapidly evaporating. Whether it is another referendum, or a general election, Brexit needs to be resolved. But as time ticks away, a meaningful effort to stabilise the crumpling political landscape seems farther off than ever. Jingle Bells: The only crime of Christmas songs is that they were not written yesterday In light of the recent spate of political correctness being applied to several Christmas songs whose only crime was that they were not written yesterday, I attach notes on perhaps my favourite, 'The Christmas Song'. "Chestnuts roasting on an open fire" - have the chestnuts been sourced from a fair-trade third-world farmer? Is the open fire being fuelled by sustainably forested timber? "Jack Frost nipping at your nose" - there is a risk of gender stereotyping here. Could a Jacqueline do this job equally well? "Yuletide carols being sung by a choir" - the word 'Yuletide' is offensive to both non-Christians and atheists alike - it should be replaced with the less controversial term 'holidays'. "And folks dressed up like Eskimos" - this is appropriation of traditional Inuit textiles and attire and therefore offensive to aboriginal and indigenous peoples the world round. "Everybody knows a turkey" - offensive to vegans. "Tiny tots with their eyes all aglow..." - ageist. "...will find it hard to sleep tonight" - making light of the medical condition insomnia. "They know that Santa's on his way" - Saint Nicholas is always cast as a rotund Caucasian male, this is racist and sexist and also discriminatory against the clinically obese. "He's loaded lots of toys and goodies..." - is the plastic used to make these toys recycled? The goodies will further add to obesity and diabetes problems. What is the carbon footprint of all this conspicuous consumerism? "...on his sleigh" - animal labour used - ban it. "And every mother's..." - what about male/male partner relationships who are guardians of small children - homophobic. "...child is gonna spy to see if..." - anti-visually impaired. "...reindeer really know how to fly" - presumably causing more damage to the ozone layer in the process. "And so, I'm offering this simple phrase to kids from one to 92" - age discriminatory: what about infants under one and centenarians? "Altho' it's been said many times, many ways, 'Merry Christmas to you'" - Merry Christmas to all staff and readers, and to all those so easily offended Merry Christmas to you as well. Tony Hetherton Address with editor Women can have power if only they will vote for it One of the more important aspects of the 1918 election being commemorated now was that it was the first time women were allowed to vote. The downside of that is that women, despite being a majority, have been grossly under-represented in the Dail ever since. Much of the time they made up less than 5pc of TDs. At the moment, even after the introduction of a quota, just over 20pc of TDs are women. It has to be said, therefore, that issues that relate to women could have received a higher priority over that century. They would have received a higher priority if women had used their majority status in the electorate when they were in the polling booths. That fact was highlighted spectacularly recently in the US presidential election. That was the most significant occurrence in women's lack of appreciation of their power in the electoral process for a long time. That unique opportunity to elect a highly competent and experienced woman to the most powerful political post in the world was lost. The fact that a century after receiving the right to vote more than 50pc of white women in the US voted against a woman president, and for her misogynist male opponent, was very damaging to women's place in society and has to be seen as a mistake of historical importance. The only way to reverse that damage is for women to use their majority status at the next election to see they are adequately represented in the democracies of the world. A Leavy Sutton, Dublin 13 Pushing mute button on RTE's licence reminders Surely I'm not the only one who is finding it extremely irritating to be constantly reminded that if I have a television, I must have a TV licence to fund RTE. However, I have found a way to reduce the resulting effect on my blood pressure by keeping the mute button close at hand so I can render the announcement silent. I have relatives and friends in the UK who pay for a licence to provide income for the BBC; however, the service they receive is far superior to that of RTE with no advertising to be endured, to name one of many benefits. Tony Moriarty Dublin 6 Leave cribs in churches empty for unborn babies Please allow me to make a suggestion, through the good offices of the Irish Independent: that cribs in churches remain empty this Christmas in recognition of the many unborn babies destined for termination in Ireland. Micheal O Cathail Dun Laoghaire, Co Dublin The scandal of abortion denied to women in North Those of us living in Britain are living in extraordinary times, watching the post-referendum relationship between the UK and Europe unfold day by day into a shape as yet unknown. I cannot recall in my lifetime any occasion when so much airtime was given over to debates about the Irish Border and the question of exports and imports between Ireland, Northern Ireland and Britain. At the same time, those living south of the Border in Ireland are living through a second, equally historic but very different post-referendum moment, as the legislation to provide long overdue abortion services for the Irish people finally makes its way through the houses of the Oireachtas. In 2019, I hope that the women of Northern Ireland will at least have the choice to access the healthcare system of Ireland as well as Britain for abortion services so cruelly denied to them at home. For how much longer must they be treated as a silent "export" from Northern Ireland because their own country refuses to care for them? Breda Corish London N16 Cooling the tae with milk from outside the bucket? When there was speculation that Mrs 39 was cooling the tae of The Man Who Knows Everything (TMWKE), Billy Keane did a lot of research on the subject. But he doesn't inform the reader if TMWKE is single or if, as they say in north Kerry, he was "milking outside the bucket". Mattie Lennon Blessington, Co Wicklow British schoolgirls and their teacher were reportedly sexually assaulted at gunpoint on a visit to Ghana. British schoolgirls and their teacher were reportedly sexually assaulted at gunpoint on a visit to Ghana. The teenagers were attacked in their accommodation by a man armed with a rifle while volunteering in the West African nation, according to 'The Sun'. The newspaper reported a Ghanaian security guard was shot and seriously injured after intervening. The schoolgirls and their teacher, who cannot be named for legal reasons, were said to be recovering in a British hospital after landing in the UK yesterday. The Foreign Office confirmed it was providing support to British nationals and was in contact with Ghanaian authorities. The school is said to support a charity that supports disadvantaged Ghanaian children. Around 90,000 British nationals visit Ghana every year. Two nuns at a California Catholic school embezzled money to fund gambling trips to Las Vegas, according to church officials. Officials say the the pair appropriated a substantial amount, and Adrian Alarcon, a spokeswoman for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, said the embezzlement appears to have gone on for about 10 years. During that time Sister Mary Margaret Kreuper was principal of Saint James Catholic School in Redondo Beach, while Sister Lana Chang taught eighth grade. Both retired earlier this year. The nuns belong to the Sisters of St Joseph of Carondelet, which says both nuns have apologised and promised to make restitution. According to the Sisters of St Joseph, the Archdiocese of Los Angeles has filed a criminal complaint. Expand Close The sisters reportedly spent money on trips to Las Vegas (Dave Thompson/PA) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The sisters reportedly spent money on trips to Las Vegas (Dave Thompson/PA) A statement read: As a religious community, we will not defend the actions of our sisters. What happened is wrong. Our sisters take full responsibility for the choices they made and are subject to the law. The Sisters of St Joseph are committed to work with the archdiocese to discover the amount taken. We are unable to confirm any sum until the discovery phase is completed. Alarcon said the exact amount involved is still being tabulated. The nuns have been removed from their residence and placed in a religious house under the supervision of community leadership, according to the Sisters of St Joseph. An investigation is ongoing. No charges have been filed. Prime Minister Theresa May was briefly locked inside her car when she went to meet German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin. On her way to a meeting to discuss the current Brexit deal, the Prime Minister was trapped inside her vehicle while officials tried pulling the door handle to let her out. Mrs Merkel watched from a red carpet as she waited for Mrs May to exit the car. Social media users found the humour in the awkward moment, with some comparing the incident to Brexit proceedings. Theresa May getting locked in her car arriving to Brussels is basically a metaphor for this country atm Gurpal (@Gurpal628) December 11, 2018 The moment comes a day after the Prime Minister shelved a planned vote by MPs on the current Brexit deal, which will be brought back to the House of Commons before January 21. Mrs May is now meeting European leaders and EU officials to seek reassurances to get her deal through Parliament. Jean-Claude Juncker, president of the European Commission, has made it clear that the EU would not renegotiate the deal, but that further clarifications were needed. Police investigating the murder of British backpacker Grace Millane are looking for a shovel believed to be connected to the inquiry. Ms Millane, 22, went missing from a hostel in Auckland on December 1 and a body was found in the Waitakere Ranges on Sunday. Jesse Kempson (26) has been charged with murder and appeared in an Auckland court on Monday. Detective Inspector Scott Beard addressed speculation about the case and said the University of Lincoln graduate's body was found "intact" and said officers were looking for a long-handle shovel. He said: "At this point we don't know where this item is. "It could be anywhere between the Scenic Drive and central Auckland areas. Expand Close Grace Millanes brother posted an emotional tribute to his sister. Photo: Declan Millane/Instagram / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Grace Millanes brother posted an emotional tribute to his sister. Photo: Declan Millane/Instagram "Someone may have come across it, picked it up and taken it home. We need to speak to that person or anyone who has seen it." Officers said they have received "hundreds" of calls about the case and investigators are trying to establish a timeline of events. Expand Close Grace Millane, 22, who is missing in New Zealand. Photo: Auckland City Police/PA Wire. / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Grace Millane, 22, who is missing in New Zealand. Photo: Auckland City Police/PA Wire. On Monday, New Zealand's prime minister Jacinda Ardern gave an emotional apology to Ms Millane's family, saying: "Your daughter should have been safe here, and she wasn't, and I'm sorry for that." "I cannot imagine the grief of her family and what they would be experiencing and feeling right now." Expand Close David Millane, father of missing English backpacker Grace Millane speaks at a press conference in Auckland. Photo: Doug Sherring/NZ Herald via AP / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp David Millane, father of missing English backpacker Grace Millane speaks at a press conference in Auckland. Photo: Doug Sherring/NZ Herald via AP Detectives said they had identified a "location of interest" after the investigation led them to a spot on Scenic Drive, a country road about 12 miles west of the city centre, on Saturday night. Speaking at the scene on Sunday afternoon, Detective Inspector Scott Beard said investigators had "located a body which we believe to be Grace" about 10 metres from the roadside. Expand Close CCTV image issued by Auckland City Police of Briton Grace Millane, 22, at the Sky City centre in Auckland on Saturday evening. Photo: Auckland City Police/PA Wire. / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp CCTV image issued by Auckland City Police of Briton Grace Millane, 22, at the Sky City centre in Auckland on Saturday evening. Photo: Auckland City Police/PA Wire. The last confirmed sighting of Ms Millane was at 9.41pm on December 1, the day before her birthday, at the Citylife Hotel, when she was seen with a "male companion". Since arriving in New Zealand from Peru on November 20, she had been in near-daily contact with her family. Police received a missing person report on Wednesday and began a major search and public campaign that saw dozens of calls made to a helpline. Ms Millane's father, David Millane, flew to Auckland and made a public appeal for help finding his daughter, who he described as "lovely, outgoing, fun-loving (and) family-orientated". Her brother, Declan Millane, paid tribute by sharing pictures on social media of him and his sister, adding the lyrics of You Are My Sunshine. He wrote on Instagram: "You are my sunshine, my only sunshine. You make me happy when skies are gray. You'll never know, dear, how much I love you. Please don't take my sunshine away." The man accused of killing British backpacker Grace Millane was jeered as he appeared in a packed Auckland court. Ms Millane (22) died while travelling in New Zealand and her body was found in bushland on Sunday afternoon, about 30 feet from a highway outside the New Zealand city. The 26-year-old accused, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, appeared in a blue boiler suit as he attended Auckland's District Court yesterday morning. Ms Millane, from Essex, was last seen alive entering the CityLife Hotel with the man last Saturday at 9.41pm. The defendant was listed on a charge sheet as residing at the hotel on Queen Street in central Auckland. Judge Evangelos Thomas addressed members of Millane's family, some of whom were in attendance. Her father, David Millane, arrived in New Zealand last Friday. "Your grief must be desperate," Judge Thomas told the family in court. "All of us hope that justice for Grace is fair and swift and ultimately brings you some peace." As the defendant was led out, a man at the back of the court yelled out "scumbag". New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern became visibly upset as she apologised to Ms Millane's family at a press conference. "On behalf of New Zealand, I want to apologise to Grace's family," Ms Ardern said. Recruitment firm Morgan McKinley also said the City is bracing for more pain ahead (Dominic Lipinski/PA) Brexit is taking a considerable bite out of banking jobs and the City is preparing for more uncertainty as Britains withdrawal from the European Union becomes more protracted, according to a recruitment firm. Morgan McKinley said there was a 39% fall in jobs available in November compared with the same month a year earlier, and there was a 4% decrease in jobs available compared with October. There were 14% fewer professionals seeking jobs in November compared with the month before, and 28% fewer than last year. Brexit has taken a considerable bite out of banking jobs and with an ambiguous Brexit deal on the table, the Citys bracing for more pain ahead, Hakan Enver, managing director of Morgan McKinley, said. Its been a year of peaks and troughs for job seekers. When you balance it out over the course of the year, however, its a relatively flat trend. We are ending the year very much where we began. MPs were set to vote on Prime Minister Theresa Mays EU Withdrawal Agreement on Tuesday, but this was called off on Monday. Mr Enver said it is stunning that the financial industry that contributes 119 billion a year to the economy barely gets a mention in Mrs Mays 585-page draft Withdrawal Agreement. He called for visa regulations to be modernised in the expectation that increased residency barriers for EU nationals will be offset by an easing of visa barriers for people from Asia and the US. Mr Enver said: If visa regulations arent modernised, the Government will shrink the Citys talent pool, effectively shrinking the economy. We are forced to think outside the EU paradigm, which is uncomfortable and disappointing, but also offers opportunities for a truly meritocratic visa system that would enable recruitment from top financial services cities and tech hubs worldwide. He added that new trade deals would ease the blow from increased barriers to trade and co-operation with the EU. Vodafone struck a deal to acquire Libertys operations in Germany, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Romania (Dominic Lipinski/PA) The European Commission is to open an in-depth competition probe into Vodafones 18.4 billion euro (16.6 billion) acquisition of a raft of Liberty Global assets. Earlier this year, Vodafone struck a deal to acquire Libertys operations in Germany, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Romania. But the EUs antitrust watchdog said on Tuesday it was concerned the takeover may reduce competition in Germany and the Czech Republic. It's important that all EU consumers have access to affordable and good quality telephone and TV servicesMargrethe Vestager Competition commissioner Margrethe Vestager said: Its important that all EU consumers have access to affordable and good quality telephone and TV services. Our in-depth investigation aims to ensure that Vodafones acquisition of Liberty Globals telecommunications businesses in Czechia, Germany, Hungary and Romania will not lead to higher prices, less choice and reduced innovation in telecoms and TV services for consumers. When it announced the deal in May, Vodafone said assets would help it become the leading next generation network owner in Europe with a total reach of 110 million homes and businesses, including wholesale arrangements. However, the Commission believes that in the Czech Republic, providers of standalone telecoms services could be shut out from the retail, TV and internet market because of the converged products Vodafone would be able to offer. In Germany, where Vodafone and Liberty currently compete against each other, the Commission expressed concerns that the transaction would eliminate this competition, reduce the number of players and limit the merged entitys incentives to compete effectively with rivals. It is also concerned about the knock-on impact of investment in next generation networks. The deal could also substantially increase the bargaining power of the merged entity vis-a-vis TV broadcasters, the Commission said. The Commission now has 90 working days, or until May 2 2019, to make a decision. Transgender members of the 85-million-strong Anglican faith community will now have the support of the Church of England, after it released guidelines on Tuesday for ceremonies to welcome them. The Church of England, where the Anglican tradition originated, has in recent years moved towards greater acceptance of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT+) people, including addressing homophobic bullying in schools. The public ceremonies aim to affirm the new identity of trans worshippers, according to guidelines published on the Church's website on Tuesday. Julian Henderson, head of the committee that produced the guidelines, said the decision was "rooted in scripture". "We are absolutely clear that everyone is made in the image of God and that all should find a welcome in their parish church," said Henderson in a statement. "This new guidance provides an opportunity, rooted in scripture, to enable trans people ... to mark their transition in the presence of their church family," he added. The new guidelines say ministers should address trans members by their chosen name, though some traditionalists in the Church of England argue that gender cannot be changed as it is assigned by God. The wider Anglican body has been divided since 2003 over arguments about gender and sexuality between liberal member churches in the West and their conservative counterparts, mostly in Africa. Though the Church voted against blessing same-sex marriages last year, Canada's Anglican Church has been doing so since 2002. The Episcopal Church, its United States branch, ordained Gene Robinson as its first gay bishop in 2003. The new guidance was devised after the legislative body of the Church voted last year to welcome transgender people into the Anglican community. The Beaumont Society, a leading British transgender support group, welcomed the decision. "It's encouraging and a positive approach because it's an important stage in someone's life," its president Jane Hamlin told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. "And I do appreciate that they have chosen to use the appropriate name and the correct pronoun." Only about 14 percent of Britons now identify themselves as Church of England, the British Social Attitudes survey found this year, down from 31 percent 15 years ago. A teenager will go on trial next year charged with the rape and murder of six-year-old Alesha MacPhail on the Scottish island of Bute. The 16-year-old, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, is accused of abducting, raping and murdering Alesha. Expand Close A picture among tributes near a house on Ardbeg Road on the Isle of Bute in Scotland, after the body of Alesha MacPhail was found in woodland on the site of a former hotel by a member of the public Photo: John Linton/PA Wire / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp A picture among tributes near a house on Ardbeg Road on the Isle of Bute in Scotland, after the body of Alesha MacPhail was found in woodland on the site of a former hotel by a member of the public Photo: John Linton/PA Wire She was at the start of a three-week break visiting family on Bute in the Firth of Clyde, west of Glasgow, when she was reported missing in the early hours of July 2. Her body was found a few hours later. Police Scotland launched a major investigation and arrested a 16-year-old male. It is also alleged that he disposed of a knife and clothing on the shore at Rothesay. The 16-year-old appeared at the High Court in Glasgow on Monday, where he denies the charges of rape and murder. Judge Lady Rae set February 4 next year as the start of his trial, which is expected to last two weeks. Brian McConnachie QC, representing the accused, told the court: He pleads not guilty to both charges on this indictment. Alesha was a pupil at Chapelside Primary School in Airdrie, North Lanarkshire, where she had just finished P2. She was visiting her father Robert MacPhail and his family in Rothesay on Bute when she died. At her funeral in July, her uncle Calum MacPhail said: She had a great amount of love for absolutely everyone. She was the brightest thing. The European Union (EU) yesterday blacklisted nine people involved in rebel elections in eastern Ukraine last month, but signalled no further measures against Moscow over the latest flare-up of tensions with Kiev in the Azov Sea. Instead, the EU's foreign ministers, meeting in Brussels, said they would look at offering more help to Ukraine, whose Black Sea peninsula of Crimea was annexed by Russia in 2014 and which then saw Moscow back separatists in the east. The EU added nine locals in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions of eastern Ukraine to its blacklist as a follow-up to the separatist vote there, bringing the total number of people barred from the EU over turmoil in Ukraine to 164. Ukrainian officials last week appealed to the West to take firm action, saying that failure to do so would give Russia a "green light" to tighten its military and economic stranglehold over the Sea of Azov. Russian coastguards had fired on and seized two Ukrainian navy gunboats and a tug after they attempted to sail through the strait of Kerch on November 25. The Russian government, which claims the vessels entered its waters illegally, has impounded them and refused to release the 24 crew members. Pavlo Klimkin, Ukraine's foreign minister, said last week: "There must be action. We must raise the cost for Russia with comprehensive and tailored sanctions." But Russia's seizure of the naval vessels has instead exposed deepening rifts within the EU. Diplomats have described scenes of "tension" in Brussels as member states faced off over how to respond in the week after the sea clash. Britain, Poland and the Baltic states had pushed for reference to new punitive measures in the collective EU statement on the incident, but the proposal was blocked by Germany and France, who argued that the priority should be on "de-escalation". The EU has since released 500m in financial help to Kiev but is split on whether to go ahead with any new economic sanctions, a move that would require unanimity of all the member states. Telegraph Media Group Limited [2021] Post-Soviet Russia's most notorious serial killer, known as the Angarsk Maniac, was given a second life sentence by a Siberian court yesterday after he was found guilty of killing 56 more victims over a period of 15 years. Mikhail Popkov worked as a police officer in the Siberian city of Angarsk and was sentenced to life in prison last year when he was found guilty of murdering 22 women. After sentencing, he admitted to the murders of an additional 59 women. Popkov called himself a "cleaner", the Interfax news agency reported, and claimed that he only targeted "women who led loose lifestyles". Lead investigator Yevgeny Karchevsky said that Popkov's motive was misogyny. According to the RIA Novosti news agency, Popkov began killing after finding his wife cheated on him. Local police began searching for a serial killer as early as 1992, but it wasn't until the late 1990s that patterns began to emerge in a string of violent, sexual murders in the region around Angarsk. A common theme was track marks from a Lada Niva, a car used by police nationwide. From the early 1990s to 2010, Popkov would don a police uniform and drive his police car on night-time hunts for women at bus stops and other public places, using his cover to offer them a ride home. He would instead drive them to the woods, rape them, and then murder them. "He willingly described all of this," Mr Karchevsky told RIA Novosti, "with pathos and even with gusto." The investigator added that, setting aside his crimes, Popkov was a sane, well-educated man. "These were skills of psychological manipulation," he said. Testimonies Mr Karchevsky said that the investigation into Popkov was the first of its kind in Russia, requiring years of work, DNA testing, and witness testimonies spanning the globe. As part of yesterday's second life sentence, Popkov was stripped of his retired police title. Popkov's lawyer says he intends to appeal that part of the verdict, given his co-operation in the investigation. The ruling deprives him of a 24,000-rouble (315) monthly police pension. The court found Popkov, from the eastern Siberian city of Angarsk, guilty of the murders between 1994 and 2000 and sentenced him to life in prison. Popkov, who was arrested in 2012, is already serving life for 22 other killings. The verdict makes him Russia's most prolific serial killer in at least the past century. Local police have for years been investigating murders in the Irkutsk region, where dozens of women were raped and killed in secluded spots. In order to help the probe, authorities ended up taking DNA samples from 230,000 residents of Angarsk. Sperm found on one of the victims led the investigators to the killer. Psychiatric tests run on the police lieutenant who retired in 1998 have concluded that he is sane. Popkov's lawyer told Russian news agencies that his 54-year-old client would appeal the verdict as well as the motion to strip him of his police pension, which he has been receiving despite the 2015 guilty verdict. Telegraph Media Group Limited [2021] Emmanuel Macron, France's president, decreed a "state of social and economic emergency" last night, offering a string of generous sweeteners he hopes will quell a month-long gilets jaunes ("yellow vests") revolt that has left his presidency on the ropes. In a pre-recorded national address, Mr Macron said France was at a "historic juncture", and issued a mea culpa, saying: "I know that I have managed to wound some of you through my comments." Acceding to several key demands of the "yellow vests", the president pledged to raise the minimum wage by 100 per month from 2019 without cost to employers. Overtime would be free of tax and charges, he said, while businesses that gave end-of-year bonuses would pay no extra tax or charges. Mr Macron also announced that he would reverse a new levy for pensioners with incomes of less than 2,000 a month. "The effort asked of them was too great and not fair," he said. However, many gilets jaunes protesters around France appeared unconvinced. The 40-year-old centrist was under intense pressure to avoid fresh damage and bloodshed after successive weekends of violent riots in Paris and other cities that have resulted in 4,523 arrests and already stripped France of 0.1pc of GDP growth, according to its finance minister. Meanwhile, thousands of gilets jaunes have been blocking roads and roundabouts for almost a month in an outpouring of anger over perceived high taxes for the poor and overwhelming accusations that Mr Macron is an arrogant, out-of-touch "president of the rich". Last night, he stood firm on his controversial decision to partially scrap France's totemic wealth tax. To change that, he said, would "weaken us". The president, who has become the least popular leader in modern French history after a dream start, said that the anger of peaceful protesters was "fair and can be our opportunity". However, he slammed the "unacceptable outpouring of violence" of vandals. "No anger justifies attacking a police officer or public property," he said. Mr Macron also made it clear he intended to push on with planned reforms of social security and pensions. Despite a string of concessions before his speech, including scrapping the green tax on diesel and petrol that sparked the unrest, many protesters had already taken to social media to call for an "Act 5" of radical action. Jeremy Clement, one "yellow vest" spokesman, said the proposals were a start and "coherent" but remained "crumbs". "We can't be content with a 100 rise," he said. In one hall in Galargues, southern France, some pensioners applauded at the tax breaks but many said they would continue the protests. Karl Toquard, yellow vest spokesman at a roundabout in Gaillon, Normandy, was adamant. He said: "There was nothing for us. We're staying put." Telegraph Media Group Limited [2021] Emergency services arrive on the scene of a Christmas market in Strasbourg (AP) A large-scale manhunt is under way for a suspected extremist gunman who killed three near a Christmas market in Strasbourg. Authorities in France have launched a terror investigation into the shooting, with interior minister Christophe Castaner saying 350 officers are hunting for the man who was already known to security services. The 29-year-old alleged gunman, from the city in eastern France, has served prison sentences in France and Germany for common law offences and exchanged fire with law enforcement as he sowed terror, Mr Castaner said. In the wake of the attack, which has also left 11 injured, of which five are in a critical condition, the French government has increased its security alert system Vigipirate to its highest level. Mr Castaner said: Three hundred and fifty police and gendarmes are currently on the ground to apprehend the suspect, supported by two helicopters, the RAID (French anti-terror police), the BRI (anti-gang brigade) and the Sentinel force. The government has decided to move the security level to Emergency Attack with stricter controls at the borders, and the implementation of reinforced controls on all the Christmas markets that are taking place in France to avoid the risk of copycat attacks. Expand Close Frances Interior Minister Christophe Castaner speaks during a press conference in Strasbourg (Jean-Francois Badias/AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Frances Interior Minister Christophe Castaner speaks during a press conference in Strasbourg (Jean-Francois Badias/AP) Authorities have not publicly named the man, but French media have reported he is called Cherif C. Stephane Morisse, from the FGP Police union, said authorities investigating a robbery went to the alleged gunmans Strasbourg home earlier on Tuesday, but he was not there. The suspect was shot and injured by soldiers guarding the Christmas market, but he escaped in a taxi, BFM TV said. Expand Close Soldiers on patrol in Strasbourg (AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Soldiers on patrol in Strasbourg (AP) He was said to have entered central Strasbourg via the Corbeau bridge to the south of the city centre, before heading to Rue des Orfevres, a popular shopping street close to the cathedral, where he opened fire at around 8pm local time (7pm GMT). It is understood the Foreign Office has not yet received any reports of British nationals caught up in the shooting. In the aftermath, residents were urged to stay indoors and the nearby European Parliament was placed on lockdown. Antonio Tajani, the president of the parliament, said: This parliament will not be intimidated by terrorist or criminal attacks. Let us move on. We will continue to work and react strengthened by freedom and democracy against terrorist violence. Fans attending a basketball game were also kept behind and began to sing the French national anthem in homage to the victims. The mayor of Strasbourg Roland Ries said the Christmas market will be closed on Wednesday and flags will be lowered to half-mast. He tweeted: A book of condolences will be opened at the Town Hall from today. I want to thank the people of Strasbourg and visitors to the city for their patience and understanding. "Shocked and saddened by the terrible attack in Strasbourg. My thoughts are with all of those affected and with the French people." PM @Theresa_May UK Prime Minister (@10DowningStreet) December 11, 2018 President Emmanuel Macron, who attended a Interdepartmental Crisis Centre meeting, left without speaking to reporters but later tweeted the solidarity of the entire nation is with Strasbourg, the victims and their families. France has been hit by several extremist attacks in recent years, including the 2015 Paris shootings which left 130 people dead and wounded hundreds more. In 2016 a truck was driven into Bastille Day crowds in Nice, killing 86 people and leaving hundreds injured. Twelve people were killed and 48 were injured when a man drove a truck into crowds at a Christmas market in Berlin in 2016. Ambulance is seen at the scene of shooting in Strasbourg, France, December 11, 2018. REUTERS/Vincent Kessler In this image made from video provided by CMM, people lay on the ground after a shooting at a Christmas market in Strasbourg, France, Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2018. (CMM via AP) A gunman on a security watchlist killed at least two people and wounded at least 11 others near the picturesque Christmas market in the historic French city of Strasbourg before fleeing. Amid fast-moving, confusing scenes it was not clear if the suspect, identified by police as Strasbourg-born Chekatt Cherif, 29, had been cornered by commandos or had slipped the dragnet. Expand Close Photo by Francois D'ASTIER / AFP)FRANCOIS D'ASTIER/AFP/Getty Images / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Photo by Francois D'ASTIER / AFP)FRANCOIS D'ASTIER/AFP/Getty Images Medics at the scene and police sources told journalists four people had been killed. But in a statement at 2215 GMT, the local prefecture was still saying two people had died. The motive for the shooting was not immediately clear but, with France still on high alert after a wave of attacks commissioned or inspired by Islamic State militants since early 2015, an investigation was immediately opened by the counter-terrorism prosecutor. The attack began at about 7pm as stallholders prepared to close down and the city's restaurants filled up. Bystanders were swiftly ushered into nearby shops. "There was confusion initially but they locked the front doors pretty soon after the gunshots," said US citizen Elizabeth Osterwisch, who was sheltering on the top floor of the Galeries Lafayette department store. "They moved us several times, eventually settling on the place with the most protection." Expand Close Police secure a street and the surrounding area after a shooting in Strasbourg, France, December 11, 2018. REUTERS/Vincent Kessler / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Police secure a street and the surrounding area after a shooting in Strasbourg, France, December 11, 2018. REUTERS/Vincent Kessler A source close to the operation said the suspect had been cornered and shots had been fired. But an hour or so later, a police source said he was still on the run. The European Parliament, which is sitting in Strasbourg this week, was put into lockdown. Interior Minister Christophe Castaner said the gunman was known to security services, and the local prefecture said he had previously been identified as a danger to security. People in the city's Neudorf area and Etoile park were told to stay where they were as officers hunted the shooter on the ground and from the air. Expand Close December 11, 2018: Five people lost their lives after a shooting at a Christmas market in Strasbourg, France. The suspect, Cherif Chekatt, was shot dead by police two days later. It is understood he was a supporter of Isis. Here, police secure a street and the surrounding area after the shooting. REUTERS/Vincent Kessler / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp December 11, 2018: Five people lost their lives after a shooting at a Christmas market in Strasbourg, France. The suspect, Cherif Chekatt, was shot dead by police two days later. It is understood he was a supporter of Isis. Here, police secure a street and the surrounding area after the shooting. REUTERS/Vincent Kessler The European Parliament, which is sitting in Strasbourg this week, was put into lockdown. "There were gunshots and people running everywhere," one local shopkeeper told BFM TV. "It lasted about 10 minutes." Witness Peter Fritz said he tried to help a Thai tourist lying on the ground with an apparent head wound after hearing "two distinct noises" which he initially took to be firecrackers. He told the BBC: "We tried our best to resuscitate him, we applied CPR, we dragged him into a restaurant close by and had help with some medical people from Germany, but it took more than 45 minutes for an ambulance to appear. Expand Close Police secure a street and the surrounding area after a shooting in Strasbourg, France, December 11, 2018. REUTERS/Vincent Kessler / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Police secure a street and the surrounding area after a shooting in Strasbourg, France, December 11, 2018. REUTERS/Vincent Kessler "After 45 minutes we were told over the phone by an emergency doctor that any further efforts would be futile. He's still here in this restaurant but we have abandoned all hope for him. "His wife is also still here in a state of shock." Mr Fritz said the man appeared to be aged in his thirties. The Christmas market was being held amid tight security this year, with unauthorised vehicles excluded from surrounding streets during opening hours and checkpoints set up on bridges and access points to search pedestrians' bags. A Reuters reporter was among 30 to 40 people being held in the basement of a supermarket for their own safety in central Strasbourg, waiting for police to clear the area. Lights were switched off and bottles of water handed out. In a statement Sinn Fein MEP Martina Anderson said: "Tonight's shooting incident at the Christmas markets at Place Kleber in Strasbourg has shocked the city. "I was in the city centre at the time and heard the gunfire and people, including young children, running away in panic. "This incident has caused panic in the area with crowds of people out enjoying the Christmas markets. "Details of the incident are still emerging but my thoughts are with those injured and all of those caught up in this incident." Doris Manou told the BBC: "Earlier on I was walking around the Christmas market in central Strasbourg and I passed Place Kleber where the shooting took place just minutes before it happened. "Then I continued walking on Rue du Dome when I saw the army with a group of 10-12 soldiers walking towards me with their guns pointed to the street and around them everyone was running from all directions. "The soldiers were very focused on their mission, they were running." She said she and several others then threw themselves to the floor in a courtyard of a building thinking there could be a bomb, before some students in a nearby building offered them refuge. She said she remains sheltered in the building having been advised it is not yet safe to leave. In 2016, a truck ploughed into a Bastille Day crowd in Nice, killing more than 80, while in November 2015, coordinated attacks on the Bataclan concert hall and other sites in Paris claimed about 130 lives. There have also been attacks in Paris on a policeman on the Champs-Elysees avenue, the satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo and a kosher store. Almost exactly two years ago, a Tunisian Islamist rammed a hijacked truck into a Christmas market in central Berlin, killing 11 people as well as the driver. Israeli forces have shot and killed a Palestinian man in the West Bank after he attempted to ram his car into them, police said. Officers said the driver struck a police vehicle and then attempted to hit forces securing an area near the city of Hebron. Police say officers opened fire at the car and no Israeli forces were harmed. Police said the driver was taken to hospital and died there. The Palestinian Health Ministry confirmed the death but did not identify the man. In a separate incident in the northern West Bank, police said another Palestinian drove his car towards Israeli forces, who opened fire and arrested the driver. Expand Close Israeli soldiers clash with Palestinians during a search for suspects (Majdi Mohammed/AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Israeli soldiers clash with Palestinians during a search for suspects (Majdi Mohammed/AP) The incidents come as Israeli troops hunt for suspects who shot and wounded seven Israelis outside a Jewish settlement this week, including a pregnant 21-year-old whose baby was prematurely delivered by Caesarean section after the attack. The baby remains in critical condition. Following that attack, the military carried out a series of raids in the city of Ramallah, bursting into stores and the offices of the official Palestinian news agency. Speaking at the opening of an interchange near an Israeli settlement, Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned the shooting and promised to hunt down those responsible for the attack and make them pay. Security forces are also still searching for a Palestinian who killed two Israelis in an attack at a West Bank industrial zone in October. Mr Netanyahu said the attackers intended to push Israel out of the West Bank but that Israel would deepen its ties to the territory under his leadership. As long as I am prime minister, not even one Jew will be uprooted from his home. Not only will they not be uprooted from their homes, they will build more homes, he said. Israel captured the West Bank, along with east Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip, in the 1967 war. Some 600,000 Jewish settlers live in the West Bank and east Jerusalem, while Israel withdrew from Gaza in 2005. The Palestinians seek all three territories for their future state and view the settlements as a major obstacle to peace. Most of the international community views the settlements as illegal. Iran has arrested more than 100 Christians in the last week, amid a growing crackdown by the Islamic Republic. Photo: AP Iran has arrested more than 100 Christians in the last week, amid a growing crackdown by the Islamic Republic. Many of the 114 detained were converts to Christianity from Muslim backgrounds, accused of "proselytising". They had to report the history of their Christian activities and were told to cut contact with any Christian groups, according to Open Doors UK, a charity that speaks out on persecution against Christians. Christianity has existed in Persia for 2,000 years, but many believers fled after the Shah was deposed in a coup and Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini was installed in the Islamic revolution of 1979. There are no official records, but there are estimated to be 350,000 remaining in Iran - 1pc of Iran's population, with a rising trend toward converting to Christianity. Christian advocacy groups report a growing underground evangelical movement in Iran. While worship is permitted under the Islamic Republic's constitution, conversion to Christianity can be a crime meriting a sentence of more than 10 years' imprisonment. Iran's powerful mullahs are committed to expanding the influence of Shia Islam and blame "foreign influence" for the conversions. Some groups say they have reported a worsening of treatment of Christians following the US reinstatement of sanctions on Iran. It has become increasingly common for authorities to arrest worshippers, raid house churches, and confiscate 'Bibles'. Jamal Khashoggi: The Saudi journalist was dismembered after being killed. Photo: AP Jamal Khashoggi's last words before he died were "I can't breathe", according to a report citing a source who has read a full transcript of the journalist's murder. Mr Khashoggi was killed after he entered the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on October 2 in what Saudi Arabia initially claimed was a botched attempt to return him to the Gulf kingdom. "You are coming back," a man identified as a former Saudi diplomat and intelligence official, Maher Abdulaziz Mutreb, told the 'Washington Post' columnist after he entered the consulate, according to CNN. "You can't do that," Mr Khashoggi replied. "People are waiting outside," he said, referring to his fiancee. Mr Khashoggi was then attacked by several people, CNN's source said, and could be heard gasping for air. "I can't breathe," he said at least three times. They were his last discernible words. What follows are more noises, which the transcript records as: "Scream. Scream. Gasping." It then describes what can be heard next: "Saw. Cutting." A voice identified by Turkish authorities as belonging to Dr Salah Muhammad al-Tubaiqi, the head of forensic medicine at Saudi Arabia's interior ministry, can reportedly be heard advising those present to listen to music as they dismembered Mr Khashoggi's body. "Put your headphones in, or listen to music like me." Saudi Arabia has not named the 21 suspects it has allegedly detained over the murder. The transcript then notes that Mr Mutreb made a phone call, saying: "Tell yours, the thing is done, it's done." CNN reported its source believes "yours" refers to someone's boss. Turkish officials said the calls were made to the Saudi capital, Riyadh. They have not said how they obtained a recording of the killing. A transcript of the recording was translated before being shared with other intelligence services. CNN's source read the translated version. A Saudi official told CNN: "The relevant Saudi security officials have reviewed the transcript and tape materials through Turkish security channels and nowhere in them is there any reference or indication of a call being made." It comes as Saudi Arabia's foreign minister ruled out the extradition of suspects in the murder, after Istanbul's chief prosecutor filed warrants for the arrest of two former senior Saudi officials. Turkish officials have said the prosecutor had concluded there was "strong suspicion" Saud al-Qahtani, a top aide to crown prince Mohammed bin Salman, and General Ahmed al-Asiri, who served as deputy head of foreign intelligence, were among the planners of Mr Khashoggi's murder. A Japan Coast Guard patrol vessel and U.S. Navy airplane conduct search and rescue operation at the area where two U.S. Marine Corps aircraft have been involved in a mishap in the skies, off the coast of Kochi prefecture, Japan, in this aerial view photo taken by Kyodo December 6, 2018. Kyodo via REUTERS The US military has declared five missing crew members dead after their refuelling plane collided with a fighter jet last week off Japan's southern coast. The armed forces said it had halted search and recovery operations. The five crew members were on a KC-130 refuelling aircraft that collided on Thursday with an F/A-18 Hornet during regularly scheduled training. Two crew members in the F/A-18 were recovered after the accident, but one died. The US Marines said the survivor was in stable condition when rescued. It said in a statement that the identities of the five people declared dead will be released after their next of kin are notified. The crew members were based at Iwakuni air station near Hiroshima. An old cheque has allegedly exposed decades of lies. For nearly 28 years, Sister Mary Margaret Kreuper was the principal at St James Catholic School, an elementary school in Torrance, California, a coastal suburb southwest of Los Angeles. Around the same time as Kreuper announced she was retiring earlier this year, a family at the school asked for a copy of an old cheque they had written to St James. When staff members found it, they realised it had not been deposited in St James's bank account but a different one. That was among the first clues that would unravel a vast fraud that was allegedly conducted by Kreuper and Sister Lana Chang, another nun and long-time St James teacher. School officials recently told parents the two nuns had stolen around $500,000 (440,000) from the school. It said the two women, reportedly best friends, used the pilfered funds on trips to Las Vegas and casino visits. "We do know they had a pattern of going on trips, we do know they had a pattern of going to casinos, and the reality is, they used the account as their personal account," Marge Graf, a lawyer representing St James, told parents. "We were an ATM, and people know it and they won't ask for justice," said one parent. It's claimed Kreuper would divert cheques made out for tuition and fees into a forgotten account of the school's. She allegedly endorsed the cheques with a stamp saying 'St James Convent', not 'St James School'. The nuns tapped the funds for their personal use, Monsignor Michael Meyers said. They felt deep remorse and asked for forgiveness. Russian cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko cuts into the insulation on the Soyuz spacecraft attached to the International Space Station (Nasa/AP) Spacewalking astronauts ripped through thick insulation on a capsule docked to the International Space Station on Tuesday, looking for clues to a mysterious drilled hole that leaked precious cabin air four months ago. Russians Sergei Prokopyev and Oleg Kononenko spotted the tiny hole in the external hull of the Soyuz capsule, more than five hours into their gruelling spacewalk. That is exactly the hole weve been looking for, guys, radioed Russian Mission Control outside Moscow. The spacewalkers reported seeing no drill marks around the black dot, like on the inside. The "eureka" moment. Spacewalkers find the "small black dot" where controllers believe the area of the fixed pressure leak is located on the Soyuz crew vehicle. #AskNASA | https://t.co/yuOTrYN8CV pic.twitter.com/NFNOIPTkW1 International Space Station (@Space_Station) December 11, 2018 Back in August, the station crew patched the hole in the Soyuz capsule, plugging it with epoxy and gauze. Russian space officials wanted the site surveyed from the outside, before the capsules return to Earth next week with Mr Prokopyev and two others. This part of the capsule will be jettisoned as usual before atmospheric re-entry, and so poses no risk for descent. Mr Prokopyev and Mr Kononenko had to use a pair of telescoping booms to reach the Soyuz. It took nearly four hours for them to cross the approximately 100 feet to get to the capsule. And another spectacular shot of spacewalker Oleg Kononenko working outside the Soyuz orbital module preparing to begin inspection work as the Earth passes below. #AskNASA | https://t.co/yuOTrYN8CV pic.twitter.com/N2RnfETpIV International Space Station (@Space_Station) December 11, 2018 Then the insulation proved harder to remove than expected, taking another one to two hours of effort. To expose the external hull, Mr Kononenko needed to cut away a 10-inch swatch of thermal insulation and debris shield. Bits of shredded silver insulation floated away like confetti, as the two slashed at it with a knife and long cutters. Mission Control repeatedly urged the spacewalkers to take a few minutes rest, in their bid to collect samples of the black epoxy sealant protruding from the hole, just one-tenth of an inch across. The capsule leak caused a flap between the US and Russian space agencies, following its discovery at the end of August. Today's Russian spacewalk started at 10:59 a.m. EST to inspect the Soyuz crew vehicle. #AskNASA | https://t.co/CNU3J0sWi6 pic.twitter.com/25V4QEYuCB International Space Station (@Space_Station) December 11, 2018 Russian space chief Dmitry Rogozin observed that the hole could have been drilled during manufacturing, or in orbit. The space stations commander at the time flatly denied any wrongdoing by himself or his crew. Mr Rogozin has since backpedalled his statement, blaming the news media for twisting his words. Expand Close Russian cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko performs a spacewalk (Nasa/AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Russian cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko performs a spacewalk (Nasa/AP) A Russian investigation is ongoing, according to Mr Rogozin, and samples collected during the spacewalk will be returned to Earth on the Soyuz. The spacewalk findings could lead to better repair techniques in the future, officials said. The Soyuz is scheduled to depart the orbiting lab on December 19, US time, with Mr Prokopyev, American Serena Aunon-Chancellor and German Alexander Gerst, the stations current skipper. It ferried them up in June. Remaining aboard the 250-mile-high outpost for the next six months will be an American, Russian and Canadian who arrived last week. Donald Trump has argued heatedly in public with Democratic leaders and threatened repeatedly to shut down the government if Congress does not provide the money he says is needed to build a wall at the Mexican border. The president insisted the military can build it if Democrats will not vote for the funding. His comments came as he opened a contentious meeting with Democratic Senate and House leaders Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi, with the government looking at a possible partial shutdown on December 21 when funding for some agencies will expire. Mr Schumer and Ms Pelosi both said legislation to keep the government open and provide additional border security could pass both houses of Congress, but Mr Trump said major wall funding was necessary. Expand Close Nancy Pelosi, Mike Pence, Donald Trump and Chuck Scvhumer (Evan Vucci/AP) / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Nancy Pelosi, Mike Pence, Donald Trump and Chuck Scvhumer (Evan Vucci/AP) Mr Schumer said: You say, my way or well shut down the government. Mr Trump responded that border security was necessary and a wall was necessary for border security. If we dont get what we want I will shut down the government, he said. Constantly interrupting, he squabbled with the Democrats over whether wall funding could be approved in the House or Senate without Democratic votes. This has spiralled downwards, Ms Pelosi said. The president asked whether Republicans had won the Senate in the November election. When the president brags he has won North Dakota and Indiana, hes in real trouble, retorted Mr Schumer with a smile. In a series of tweets earlier on Tuesday, Mr Trump said immigration and border patrol agents and thousands of active-duty service members he sent to the border had done a fantastic job, but a great wall would be easier and less expensive. He said he looked forward to meeting Mr Schumer and Ms Pelosi, but claimed they do not want border security for strictly political reasons. If the Democrats do not give us the votes to secure our Country, the Military will build the remaining sections of the Wall. They know how important it is! he tweeted. Mr Schumer and Ms Pelosi said on Monday that Republicans have the power to keep the government open since they control Congress and the White House. Our country cannot afford a Trump shutdown, they said in a statement, adding that the president knows full well that his wall proposal does not have the votes to pass the House and Senate and should not be an obstacle to a bipartisan agreement. Our country cannot afford a #TrumpShutdown, especially at this time of economic uncertainty. This holiday season, @realDonaldTrump knows full well that his wall proposal does not have the votes to pass the House & Senate, and should not be an obstacle to a bipartisan agreement. Nancy Pelosi (@SpeakerPelosi) December 10, 2018 Republican congressional leaders have repeatedly said it is up to Mr Trump to cut a deal with Democrats, an acknowledgment of their inability to produce spending bills with Republican votes alone. That gave Democrats some momentum heading into the talks, which also could veer into bipartisan bills on criminal justice reform and reauthorising farm programmes. By far, the biggest unresolved issue is the border wall. Trump wants the next funding package to include at least 5 billion dollars (4 billion) for it, an idea Democrats have flatly rejected. The toughest job in Washington is proving just as tough to fill, as Donald Trump lacks an immediate successor for Chief of Staff John Kelly following the president's announcement on Saturday that the retired Marine general would leave the White House. Mr Trump failed to line up a replacement before abruptly announcing Mr Kelly's departure to reporters. That sets up a potentially chaotic transition for a job crucial to maintaining a semblance of stability under a commander in chief famed for his unpredictability. The president said on Sunday evening that he was interviewing chief-of-staff candidates after vice president Mike Pence's top aide, Nick Ayers, turned him down. People Mr Trump is actively weighing, or has mentioned as possibilities, include Republican representative Mark Meadows, chairman of the conservative Freedom Caucus; US trade representative Robert Lighthizer; budget director Mick Mulvaney and Acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker, according to several people familiar with the matter. Other names mentioned by some White House aides and advisers include David Bossie, who was Mr Trump's deputy campaign manager in 2016, and former New Jersey governor Chris Christie. But several of the people Mr Trump's considering would come at a cost. Mr Lighthizer is leading sensitive trade negotiations with China. Mr Mulvaney is trying to prevent fights over the budget and debt ceiling from getting worse than they already are. Mr Meadows is a key White House ally in Congress. Mr Whitaker is supervising Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation. Any vacuum in the White House's top management job risks encouraging the return of internal strife. Mr Trump's administration is characterised by independent-minded senior officials and an improvisational president who relies on a network of friends and outside advisers for counsel. Mr Ayers and Mr Trump weren't able to agree on a plan for Mr Ayers to stay in the job for two years as the president desired, a White House official said on Sunday. Mr Ayers (36) said he could stay in the job for no more than three or four months because he promised his wife he would move their family home to Georgia, White House officials said. Mr Ayers, who is Mr Pence's chief of staff, said on Sunday he'll depart the White House at the end of the year. He'll help supervise political operations for Trump's 2020 campaign from his home state of Georgia, one White House official said, and his duties may include running a pro-Trump super-PAC. Mr Pence said on Twitter that Mr Ayers "has done an outstanding job as my Chief of Staff and I will always be grateful for his friendship, dedication to the @VP team and his efforts to advance the @POTUS agenda". Mr Ayers emerged as a frontrunner to replace Mr Kelly, who is 68, after months of discussions with the president, including recent travel on Air Force One. But he had detractors in the White House, where some aides considered the vice president's young chief of staff brash and presumptuous. He's also regarded sceptically in some quarters for his wealth, amassed rapidly in an earlier career as a political consultant. Mr Ayers disclosed assets worth at least $12.2m and as much as $54.8m when he joined the administration, and income of at least $1.6m. Federal officials disclose the value of their assets and their income in wide ranges. Mr Kelly replaced Reince Priebus in July 2017 with the mission of imposing order in the White House. The retired general had some early successes, especially at limiting access to the Oval Office and controlling the flow of paperwork to Mr Trump's desk. The new chief of staff tamped down the infighting that broke out almost from the day Mr Trump took office. But his relationship with the president, Trump's family and other aides soured. Mr Trump increasingly bypassed Kelly to talk to old friends and outside advisers, tweet or make tactical moves against his chief of staff's advice. (CNN) The Trump administration slapped sanctions on three North Koreans Monday in response to Pyongyang's ongoing human rights abuses and censorship. The sanctions announcement comes as U.S. President Donald Trump floats the idea of a second summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. And it immediately follows a failed U.S. attempt to hold a UN meeting on Pyongyang's human rights record, a setback that illustrates the Trump administration's struggle to maintain international support for its maximum pressure campaign to push North Korea toward denuclearization. The Treasury Department marked Human Rights Day by sanctioning senior officials in previously targeted government entities of the North Korean regime and the Workers' Party of Korea, including the Ministry of State Security and the Ministry of Public Security. "These sanctions demonstrate the United States' ongoing support for freedom of expression, and opposition to endemic censorship and human rights abuses," Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said in a statement. Otto Warmbier Treasury said the fresh sanctions highlight the "reprehensible treatment of those in North Korea" and serve as a reminder of the "brutal treatment" of Otto Warmbier, the U.S. college student who died 18 months ago after detention in a North Korean jail. Warmbier would have turned 24 on December 12. "It's a welcome re-acknowledgment of North Korea's awful record on human rights violations," said Bruce Klingner, a senior fellow at the Heritage Foundation. Joel Wit, director of the website 38 North and a senior fellow at the Stimson Center, dismissed the move. "Sanctioning three officials is what I would call ankle biting," Wit said. "It looks nice, but it's not going to have any affect at all ... it has to get on with the business at hand and that is reaching denuclearization deals with the North Koreans ... that's basically it." Trump is planning a second summit with Kim early in 2019, the President and some of his officials have said. National security adviser John Bolton has said the president wants to hold the second summit because the first, in Singapore in June, has yielded no progress. The sanctions announcement could be a signal on Human Rights Day; a reaction to criticism that Trump has seemingly dropped human rights from the North Korean agenda; a reaction to the US failure to stage a UN meeting; or an attempt to gain leverage for the next summit, Klingner said. "We don't know whether it was meant as a signal in any of those areas or simply the bureaucracy doing its job," Klingner noted. The Trump administration has downplayed the importance of human rights generally and has been criticized for not giving it higher priority in its talks with North Korea. The President has declared he's in "love" with Kim, who has been deemed to have committed crimes against humanity, has had family members executed and ordered the assassination of his half-brother using chemical weapons. Despite the U.S. President's warm words, progress has been stymied. Most recently, satellite images showed North Korea is expanding a key long-range missile base, a reminder that diplomatic talks with the U.S. have done little to prevent Kim from pursuing his promise to mass produce and deploy the existing types of nuclear warheads in his arsenal. Faltering Both Trump and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo are now emphasizing that they aren't putting a deadline on talks and that progress will take time. And both men have insisted that in the meantime, the U.S. will continue to exert "maximum pressure" on North Korea through sanctions. But U.S. officials, including U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley, have signaled that efforts to maintain unified international pressure on Pyongyang may be faltering. Haley has said the U.S. pressure campaign is being undercut by smuggling and by countries such as Russia. Monday's sanctions come after the U.S. had to postpone a Security Council meeting focused on North Korea's human rights record because it couldn't get enough countries to agree to hold the discussion, the Associated Press reported. The meeting, which has been held for several years now, failed to come together when the U.S. couldn't get agreement from nine of the 15 council members to hold the meeting -- the minimum necessary to move forward. The week before, the North Korean ambassador to the UN had written all the council members except the U.S. urging that the meeting be canceled and accusing the Trump administration of trying to "stoke confrontation," the AP said. "Despite what the administration might want to portray publicly, this whole approach of maximum pressure is basically dead and that's reflected in the fact the Russians and Chinese aren't going to play ball on that front anymore," Wit said. This story was first published on CNN.com, "US sanctions North Korea on human rights as Trump floats second summit." Canada's genocide: The case of the Ahiarmiut The Conversation As a human rights scholar, I have long argued that Canada committed cultural genocide against Indigenous peoples. But recently, Ive come to conclude, in the case of the Ahiarmiut, that its not cultural genocide its actual physical genocide. An article in the Globe and Mail last summer by Gloria Galloway told the story of what happened to the Ahiarmiut, a small group of Inuit in 1950. The Canadian government forcefully relocated them 100 kilometres from their original home in what is now Nunavut. The governments reason for moving the Ahiarmiut people was that they were becoming too dependent on trade with federal employees at a nearby radio tower. Galloway got much of her information from David Serkoak, an Elder who lived through the relocations. Recently, Serkoak collaborated with the Canadian Museum for Human Rights (CMHR) to tell his story and to be a storyteller for his community. People of the Deer by Farley Mowat brought the plight of the Ahiarmiut to light in the 1950s. Brutal relocations The Canadian government moved the Ahiarmiut to an isolated island and did not provide them with food, shelter or tools. To survive, they ate bark and other scavenged food until winter came. Many died. In 1957, they were relocated again. They were given tents, as well as a starvation box that might feed them for a week. Many more died. There were three more relocations after this. The way Canadas government treated the Ahiarmiut is similar to the way the Soviet Union treated several minority groups in 1944 including the Tartars, the Chechens and ethnic Koreans.. Trainloads of people were sent to Siberia and left without food, clothing and shelter. Up to 50 per cent died, just like the Ahiarmiut people. Scholars recognize the Soviet Unions actions as genocide. The Ahiarmiut Inuit are ready for an apology after multiple relocations https://t.co/OawIsNaEi6 @GlobePolitics pic.twitter.com/hYYUhWw4uj The Globe and Mail (@globeandmail) June 10, 2018 Legally genocide You might ask whether the term genocide can be applied to a group as small as the Ahiarmiut. Yes, it can. The United Nations adopted a Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (UNGC) in 1948. The UNGC does not say that genocide requires a minimum number of victims. It also refers to the destruction of groups in whole or in part. The entire group doesnt need to die for a deportation to be considered genocide. In sociological terms, rather than legal, Helen Fein, a genocide scholar, coined the term genocide by attrition. This means the genocide takes a while, with victims dying of starvation and disease rather than outright murder. I suspect that theres been a lot of genocide by attrition of Indigenous peoples in Canada. For example, in 2018, the government is still promising to clean up the rivers in Grassy Narrows, Ont. Indigenous people in Grassy Narrows have been suffering and dying from water-borne mercury poisoning for decades. Our government has known about this since the 1980s, yet it continues. In legal terms, the only reason not to call the deportations of the Ahiarmiut genocide is the question of intent. The UNGC specifies that actions constituting genocide must be accompanied by an intent to destroy the group in question. Perhaps Canadian bureaucrats did not intend that the Ahiarmiut should die. Perhaps they believed that Indigenous people could survive even if they were left on an isolated cold island they had never lived on before and where they were given no shelter, tools or food. Even so, when Canada deported the Ahiarmiut, it violated its international commitments to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) which Canada voted for on Dec. 10, 1948. This was a declaration, not a legal treaty. But it implied a commitment to all human rights, including rights to adequate food and protection from starvation, the right to housing and the right to health.. Canada signed the UNGC on Nov. 28, 1949, although it did not ratify it (the second step to accepting legal obligations) until Sept. 3, 1952. Had anyone with political authority noted in 1950 that Canada was committing genocide against the Ahiarmiut, the government could have argued that it had not yet ratified the UNGC, so it was in the clear. And the government could have argued that although it accepted the UDHR rights to health, shelter and food in principle, it did not yet have to provide them. More likely though, to the Canadian government, Indigenous people at the time were disposable. The government could move them when and where it wanted, for whatever reason it wanted. Reparations and apology From 1927 to 1951 it was illegal for Indigenous peoples in Canada to organize or meet, making it extremely difficult to resist these brutal acts. Ahiarmiut survivors have asked for reparations and an apology. The Canadian government and the Inuit have recently agreed to settle, in part to bring closure to this event. If ever a group of Indigenous people were entitled to apology, memorialization and compensation, it is the Ahiarmiut. But more than that, the Ahiarmiut are entitled to an acknowledgement by the Canadian government that they were victims of genocide. Rhoda E. Howard-Hassmann is Professor Emeritus in the Department of Political Science at the Wilfrid Laurier University. She received funding in the past from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, which contributed to her studies in comparative genocide and international human rights. She is currently a professor emeritus without any research funds. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. Join the Conversation Twenty million people in war-torn Yemen are starving, which is a staggering 70 per cent of the population of the country. This is a 15 per cent increase from last year. The country, which is already on the brink of starving to death, 250,000 are facing "catastrophe," the UN humanitarian chief said. Mark Lowcock, who recently returned from Yemen, told reporters there has been "a significant, dramatic deterioration" of the humanitarian situation in the country and "it's alarming." He said that for the first time, 250,000 Yemenis are in Phase 5 on the global scale for classifying the severity and magnitude of food insecurity and malnutrition the severest level, defined as people facing "starvation, death and destitution." Lowcock, the UN undersecretary-general for humanitarian affairs, said those 250,000 Yemenis facing "catastrophe" are overwhelmingly concentrated in four provinces "where the conflict is raging quite intensely" Taiz, Saada, Hajja and Hodeida. Also Read: Starving Yemen Girl Who Turned Worlds Eyes Towards Famine & Became Symbol Of Crisis Is Dead The only other country where anyone is in Phase 5 is South Sudan, with 25,000 people affected, he added. The New York Times Lowcock said there are also nearly 5 million Yemenis in Phase 4, which is defined as the "emergency" level, in which people suffer from severe hunger and "very high acute malnutrition and excess mortality" or an extreme loss of income that will lead to severe food shortages. He said these people live in 152 of Yemen's 333 districts, a sharp increase from 107 districts last year. Large numbers of people "have moved into a worse category of food insecurity" as a result of the war, Lowcock said. The conflict in Yemen began with the 2014 takeover of the capital of Sanaa by Iranian-backed Houthi rebels, who toppled the government of Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi. A Saudi-led coalition allied with Yemen's internationally recognised government has been fighting the Houthis since 2015. Saudi-led airstrikes have hit schools, hospitals and wedding parties and killed thousands of Yemeni civilians. Also Read: After 85,000 Children Died From Hunger, Diseases, Yemen On The Brink Of Catastrophe, Admits UN The Houthis have fired long-range missiles into Saudi Arabia and targeted vessels in the Red Sea. Civilians have borne the brunt of the conflict, which has killed over 10,000 people and created the world's worst humanitarian crisis. "There are millions of Yemenis who are hungry and sick and scared and desperate and starving, but they've all got one message and their message is that they're at the end of their tether and they want this war to stop," Lowcock said. AP He said "there are millions and millions of people whose plight would be much, much worse but for the ongoing relief operation," which is currently reaching 8 million Yemenis. Lowcock said the UN plans to reach 15 million people next year and will be appealing for the US $4 billion compared to this year's US $3 billion appeal and last year's US $2 billion requests. He said Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will host a pledging conference with Sweden and Switzerland in Geneva on February 26. And he welcomed a new US $500 million pledge from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, key coalition members, saying he understands "it will be largely in response to the 2019 appeal." Also Read: These Heartbreaking Images Show The Devastating Effect Of The Ongoing Famine In Yemen Lowcock stressed again the five key things needed to bring the situation under control: A cessation of hostilities, especially around the key port of Hodeida, the "lifeline" where 70 per cent of food aid and imports are shipped in. "The vast majority of the population who are in Houthi-controlled areas can basically be reached most easily and in some cases only through Hodeida," he said. Lowcock cited reports Monday that the coalition agreed that 17 vessels could come into port and said the U.N. is checking to see if that means fuel will be delivered to Hodeida. Lowcock said government revenue is probably about 15 per cent of its pre-war levels and billions of dollars will be needed next year just to finance the budget. Whether you are a person-on-the-go or an occasional traveller, we all run into the same hangups and headaches when it comes to getting ourselves to a destination and back. But thanks to technology, there are some smart tools that have forever changed the way we experience the world and are life-savers for todays travellers. They solve some of the most annoying travel problems, keep our stuff organized on the go, and make for the best gifts as well. And OnePlus 6T is just one of those. OnePlus 6T With Google Lens integrated directly into the camera of the latest launch, not only does it capture the world around you, but also helps you search and do more with what you see. . What it essentially means is that with the visual-recognition technology of OnePlus 6T, you will be able to point your camera at objects and different sights to get more information about them. It uses Google's huge wealth of data to identify what it sees , and then provide useful information. To use Google Lens, just open your camera, select more and then Lens mode. Next point your camera at objects, such as landmarks, books, business cards and tap the Lens icon to learn more. Depending on what it recognizes, itll provide you with a card that has relevant information and, if applicable, a few prompts you can tap to interact with the item in additional ways. Imagine you meet someone on a trip, who shares their business card with you . ! With Google Lens, you can save yourself from typing all of the detailsinstead, just point your card and tap the Lens icon. It will recognize your contacts email address, phone number, and job titleto name a few items. You can then save that info to your phone as a new contact with a single tap. OnePlus 6T It can also help identify flowers, apparel, decor and artwork. Things don't stop there. Say you're in a restaurant that only has a menu in Spanish. Google Lens could translate the text into English for you and tell you more about the dishes and ingredients. OnePlus 6T OnePlus has time and again wowed us with their innovations, and integrating Google Lens in the camera of OnePlus 6T directly is cherry on the cake that's already so damn tasty. Priced at Rs. 37,999 and available in Midnight Black and Mirror Black, you can buy your OnePlus 6T here. Indian American former South Carolina governor and soon-to-be former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley sells South Carolina home to stay in New York and reportedly work on a book. (Nikki Haley/Twitter photo) Security personnel after an 18-hour-long gun battle with militants that ended in the Mujgund area on the outskirts of Srinagar Dec. 9. A Pakistani commander of the Lashkar-e-Taiba terror outfit and two teenaged Kashmiri militants were killed by Indian forces. (IANS photo) Corn (ZC) Retests 61.8% Fib retrace of May-Sep slide Tradable Patterns - Sun Nov 28, 9:51PM CST Corn (ZCH22) is consolidating Fridays sharp reversal higher (after an initial gap down), and appears poised to continue pushing higher this week. Significantly, ZC is retesting the 61.8% Fib retrace... ZCH22 : 592-2 (unch) CORN : 21.88 (+1.30%) Bitcoin- "the mother of all bubbles?" Part I Moddco Capital Associates - Sun Nov 28, 3:57PM CST Based on its performance to date, Bitcoin is not a safe haven asset against stock market turbulence. Anti-government protesters block bridges, roads in Serbia AP - Sat Nov 27, 10:40AM CST BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) Skirmishes on Saturday erupted in Serbia between police and anti-government demonstrators who blocked roads and bridges in the Balkan country in protest against new laws they... $SPX : 4,594.62 (-2.27%) $DOWI : 34,899.34 (-2.53%) $IUXX : 16,025.58 (-2.09%) Russia jails 5 people over coal mine disaster that killed 51 AP - Sat Nov 27, 10:36AM CST MOSCOW (AP) A Russian court on Saturday ordered five people to remain in pre-trial detention for two months pending an investigation into a devastating blast in a coal mine in Siberia that resulted... $SPX : 4,594.62 (-2.27%) $DOWI : 34,899.34 (-2.53%) $IUXX : 16,025.58 (-2.09%) Channel migrant deaths: Smugglers net millions per kilometer AP - Sat Nov 27, 9:48AM CST CALAIS, France (AP) The price to cross the English Channel varies according to the network of smugglers, between 3,000 and 7,000 euros ($3,380 and $8,000) though there are rumors of discounts. $SPX : 4,594.62 (-2.27%) $DOWI : 34,899.34 (-2.53%) $IUXX : 16,025.58 (-2.09%) On average, the cost of product recalls can be close to US$10 million however, in our experience, it can reach up to over US$100 million. Zhengs comments come after a noticeable rise in product recalls across the APAC region from the recent strawberry crisis in Australia to several high-profile Singaporean recalls, including ones from IKEA, Samsung and Toyota. These product recall cases have made risk managers and CFOs question whether they also need to explore their recall exposure in order to protect their balance sheet and, perhaps more importantly, their reputation, says Zheng. In our experience, while many organisations buy product liability, product recall insurance (although increasing) remains lower than in Europe and the US, she continues. There are many hidden costs surrounding a product recall, and to be aware of these and then actively managing them is key to preparedness and keeping the company protected. According to recent report from Swiss Re, product disposal costs, business interruption and customer reimbursement rank as the three largest cost drivers captured by a company when dealing with a product recall. However, Zheng warns that, once the need for a recall has been identified, the costs can quickly increase according to several factors. Identification Once the need for a recall has been determined, the seriousness of the recall needs to be established, says Zheng. This will typically include laboratory testing and investigations to understand the cause and nature of the recall and how widespread the issue is, for example is it contained to a consignment or batch, or a larger issue? While costs are often manageable if the problem is limited to a single batch or production period, Zheng says the situation becomes entirely different if a design fault is to blame. A key issue that a company will try and establish at this early stage is how much of the product has been distributed and where is the product in the supply chain, she says. If the batches are at a warehouse waiting to be shipped, the cost of recall will be far less than if the product is already in the hands of the consumer. Speed is of the essence at this point because if the product continues along the supply chain, the issue and cost can accelerate. Perception The emotional component of a recall can also wreak havoc on costs with Zheng pointing to the 2008 baby milk recall as a prime example. The emotional component linked to infant fatalities and hospitalisation was huge and the industry is still reeling from the impact eight years on, with mothers buying baby milk from Hong Kong, Singapore or Australia rather than China, she says. Regulatory reporting Certain jurisdictions mandate the reporting of a product related issue if any defects become known to a manufacturer or distributor, which may necessitate a recall, says Zheng. In turn, the regulatory bodies will contact their counterparts across the globe if the product is sold in different jurisdictions. Depending on where the product is sold will clearly impact the cost of the recall and also the potential damage to the brand if the recall is handled badly. Should a recall be required, there are a number of potential costs and decisions that must be made these include: Advertising and communications Companies need to decide which media channels should be used to release the recall notice, says Zheng. Social media platforms have reduced the potential costs but advertising space in newspapers, television and radio may still be required and costs can increase considerably. The message about the recall will need to be carefully crafted to ensure it is clear and concise while also informing consumers that the company is managing the issue effectively. Logistics The product may need to be physically removed from outlets, supermarkets and/or showrooms, says Zheng. Retailers may also need to be reimbursed for their costs and loss of trade as well as for removing the affected product from their shops. Repair, disposal and replacement Zheng also warns that the repair, safe disposal and replacement of a product can be one of the most significant costs associated with a recall and pointed to a specific Swiss Re case as an example. Swiss Re Corporate Solutions indemnified a client for more than US$200,000 for the retrieval and replacement of a single batch of tinned food when it had turned bad in transit, she says. In addition, costs can increase if the product has complex disposal procedures. The ripple effect If a faulty product is used as a component in other products, then the cost of recall will also be considerably higher, says Zheng. While this is most common in the automotive sector, where a faulty part can easily damage other products in close proximity, which must also be paid for, there are other sectors that see similar situations. When a base product, such as sugar, is being recalled, the product will have been used in so many products - for example, ice-cream, cakes, biscuits, then all products will need to be recalled and the costs will skyrocket, notes Zheng. Business interruption It is almost certain that there will be some business interruption associated with a product recall whether this is due to sanitising and certifying a warehouse where salmonella was identified or shutting down operations entirely until an issue is fully resolved. Typically, business interruption would not be covered for the automotive segment but would be available for the food and beverage sector, says Zheng. Consultants, lawyers and extra staff costs Depending on the severity of the recall, lawyers, consultants and extra staff may be required to help manage the recall, Zheng explains. In addition, the potential lost man hours associated with the distraction of a recall could be significant. Rehabilitation While the actual product recall is likely to be incredibly costly for a client, the expense doesnt stop once everything is safely off the shelves. Once the recall has finished, the next major cost can be in returning the company and brand to the position it was in before the recall, says Zheng. This may include extra promotional expense and sales promotion offers. Accompass, founded by Michael Worb in 1997, offers a suite of health & welfare, investment & retirement, executive compensation, and broad-based compensation consulting and support services to clients in Canada. A release said that Accompasss Sarah Beech, Mark Dowdell and their associates will continue to operate from their current location. They will be supervised by Gallagher international employee benefits consulting and brokerage operations head Leslie Lemenager. Accompasss client-focused approach and their recognition in the market as a great place to work closely align with our own core values, commented Gallagher chairman, president, and CEO J. Patrick Gallagher, Jr. In addition, their strong presence with both Toronto-based and national organizations further expands our footprint across Canada. Accompass is a leading Canadian employee benefits, retirement planning and compensation consulting firm that comes to us with a vast suite of tools and resources to complement our growing capabilities throughout Canada, added Lemenager. I am thrilled to welcome their entire team to Gallagher. Related stories: Gallagher swoops for Meridian One Gallagher swoops on Ottawa employee benefits firm CICDO was founded in 2002 by Clarity Group. As a captive consultant, the firm focuses exclusively on medical and professional liability. Participants in the captive are primarily US healthcare providers from various areas of the industry, such as medical facilities, physicians and senior care organizations. As part of the transaction, CICDO head Andrew Becker and his associates will relocate to Gallaghers office in Rolling Meadows, IL, where the company is headquartered. They will report to Gallagher Midwest retail P&C brokerage operations head Patrick Gallagher. Andrew and his associates bring us a significant depth of captive management expertise in the medical and professional liability and healthcare space, which aligns well with and will strengthen Gallaghers existing expertise in this practice area, said Gallagher chairman, president and CEO J. Patrick Gallagher, Jr. in a statement. At present, Gallagher has operations in 35 countries and provides client service capabilities in over 150 countries. Related stories: Gallagher acquires UK broker Gallagher acquires aviation insurance broker SterlingRisk Insurance, a Woodbury, N.Y.-based, independently owned insurance brokerage, has hired Geraldine DelPrete as director of programs and senior vice president. DelPrete brings more than 25 years of experience to SterlingRisk, having held senior reinsurance and program development positions at some of the worlds largest insurance brokers, including Aon Corp. She began her professional career at investment banking firm J. Henry Schroeder before launching her reinsurance career at Guy Carpenter & Company LLC, where she held several positions over a 12-year period. She later joined Aon Re, rising to senior vice president of the Catastrophe Management Group, and after six years, she joined American Re to lead national accounts. DelPrete went on to join Willis Re to assist in developing Willis Res New York team/business unit. She also served as executive vice president and a member of the Willis Partners Council, co-leading the Global Account Initiative. Prior to joining TigerRisk Partners in 2008, DelPrete was senior executive vice president for Gallagher Re, responsible for leading the U.S. Property and Casualty Treaty Group and assisting with the sale of Gallagher Re to Aon Corp. Founded in 1932, SterlingRisk has offices in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Florida, California and Indiana. The company has experience in multiple areas, including property and casualty, aviation, environmental, construction, employee benefits consulting, personal lines, risk management, loss control and claims advocacy. Source: SterlingRisk Insurance Topics New York Bureaucratic wrangling and funding problems have hampered the search for the cockpit voice recorder of a crashed Lion Air jet, prompting investigators to turn to the airline to foot the bill in a rare test of global norms on the probes independence. Weeks of delays in the search for the second black box may complicate the task of explaining how 189 people died when the Lion Air Boeing 737 MAX crashed into the Java Sea on Oct. 29. Indonesian investigators told Reuters budgetary constraints and the need for approvals had limited efforts to raise the main wreckage and find the cockpit voice recorder (CVR), thought to hold vital clues to Indonesias second-worst air disaster. We dont have further funds to rent the ship, a source at Indonesias transport safety committee (KNKT) said, in reference to specialized equipment needed for the search. There is no emergency fund for us, because there is no legal basis, the source said on condition of anonymity. We have already asked the coordinating minister for the economy, but there is no regulation and it would need to be discussed by the parliament, the source added. The clock is ticking in the hunt for acoustic pings coming from the L3 Technologies Inc cockpit voice recorder fitted to the jet. It has a 90-day beacon, according to an online brochure from the manufacturer. Safety experts say it is unusual for one of the parties to help fund an investigation. Under United Nations rules, such probes must be conducted independently to maintain trust in any recommendations made to prevent future accidents. There are also broader concerns about the resources available for such investigations worldwide, coupled with the threat of agencies being dragged into separate legal disputes. A rare exception was the costly search for black boxes of an Air France jet in the Atlantic in 2009, parts of which were funded by the airline and Airbus after a failed two-year effort. The Lion Air jet crashed in relatively shallow water of 30-35 meters but only the data recorder has been found as the remaining device lies among oil pipelines requiring an expensive self-positioning vessel without an anchor. A Lion Air spokesman said a chartering contract had been signed and a specialized ship would arrive once all international regulatory approvals were obtained. Even though the airline is helping to fund the search, officials from the KNKT will oversee all operations on board. Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati said she was not aware of a lack of funding for the CVR search operation. Last Trace The voice recorder could help answer questions over whether the crew responded correctly to potentially faulty sensor data and any role that a newly modified anti-stall system on the 737 MAX may have played. The flight data recorder was recovered three days after the crash, giving insight into aircraft systems and crew inputs, though the cause has yet to be determined. The need for an adequate support ship has been highlighted ever since tests on Nov 12 suggested the CVRs locator beacon was broken, KNKT head Soerjanto Tjahjono told Reuters. The search requires a heavy-duty supply vessel with a large enough deck and crane capacity to help recover the main fuselage wreckage as well as support a remotely operated underwater vehicle, deputy chief Haryo Satmiko said. He estimated the search would cost about 25 billion rupiah ($1.73 million) every 10 days and cited the need to obtain administrative progress on funding as the main obstacle over the last month. Potential funding sources had included the finance ministry, the aviation regulator and Lion Airs insurers, he said. A source at Lion Air said its insurers had been reluctant to pay for the search and so the airline had stepped in. The Lion Air spokesman referred questions to insurer Asuransi Tugu Pratama Indonesia, a subsidiary of government-controlled oil company Pertamina. The insurer was not immediately available for comment. ($1 = 14,465.0000 rupiah) (Reporting by Cindy Silviana; additional reporting by Maikel Jefriando; writing by Jamie Freed; editing by Tim Hepher and Darren Schuettler) Related: A federal judge has sentenced the owner of a now-defunct southwest Ohio payroll services company to six months in federal prison and a $10,000 fine after being found guilty of workers compensation insurance fraud. John R. Cacaro, 59, owner of the now-closed Employers Choice Plus LLC, was found guilty of defrauding the Ohio Bureau of Workers Compensation (BWC) out of more than $425,000, the Ohio workers compensation insurance provider reported. Under a sentence handed down by U.S. District Judge Michael H. Watson in the U.S. District Court for southern Ohio, Cacaro also must serve one year of house arrest and three years of supervision. The Ohio BWC said Cacaro was convicted in June on wire fraud and money laundering charges after BWC and IRS investigators discovered a scheme he concocted to short BWC on the insurance premiums he received from employers and pocket the difference. According to the BWC and the IRS, Cacaro used the money to buy a second residence in Naples, Florida, as well as a motor home. After his sentencing, Cacaro paid $425,247 in restitution to BWC. Established in 1912, the Ohio Bureau of Workers Compensation provides workers compensation insurance to 242,000 public and private Ohio employers. Source: Ohio BWC Topics Workers' Compensation Fraud Ohio Wells Fargo & Co. must keep a lid on its growth until the bank has hardened its risk management policies to prevent any further abuse of its customers, said Jerome Powell, chairman of the Federal Reserve. In February, the Fed ordered Wells Fargo to freeze its balance sheet, keeping its assets below $1.95 trillion, until it put new checks on senior managers and gave the board new powers to sniff out abuses. We do not intend to lift the asset cap until remedies to these issues have been adopted and implemented to our satisfaction, Powell wrote in a letter to U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren seen by Reuters. Wells Fargo has so far failed to satisfy the Fed and the bank is months behind schedule on submitting an acceptable reform plan, Reuters reported last week. A bank representative did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Powells letter. Wells Fargo executives have previously said that they expect the cap to be lifted during the first half of next year. Warren, a Massachusetts Democrat, has been a vocal critic of Wells Fargo and its Chief Executive Tim Sloan. In October, Warren wrote a letter asking the regulator not to remove the asset cap until Sloan is removed, charging that Sloan was deeply implicated in the misdeeds of the past. Wells Fargo has called Sloans 30-year tenure at the bank an asset and said he has the full support of its board. On Monday, Warren faulted the bank for being late with its reform plan and said Sloan must go. Wells Fargo is already months behind, Warren said in a statement. If the Fed is serious about changing the practices at Wells Fargo that have cost customers their homes or cars or credit scores, it must insist on new leadership at the bank. The Wells Fargo sanctions were rooted in a sales practices scandal that broke open in 2016 when it was reported that employees had opened potentially millions of phony accounts in customers names without their permission. In his letter to Warren, Powell wrote that what happened inside the bank was outrageous, but declined to say whether or not Sloan should continue to lead the bank. Since the phony accounts scandal, Wells Fargo has said it found abuses in auto insurance, small business loans, mortgage lending and other business lines. Once Wells Fargo has satisfied the terms of the February settlement, Powell wrote, the Fed board will decide whether or not the bank can grow. The decision about terminating the asset growth restriction imposed on Wells Fargo will be made by a vote of the Board, Powell wrote in the Nov. 28 letter. (Reporting by Patrick Rucker in Washington and Imani Moise in New York Editing by Neal Templin and Phil Berlowitz) Topics Trends Risk Management The Insurance Fraud Hall of Shame has inducted nine new members. The Coalition Against Insurance Fraud, a group of insurance, consumers and government organizations, reported the following inductees: Burning desire. Two firefighters died when a brick wall fell on them as they fought an arson fire. Thu Hong Nguyen set the blaze to burn her nail salon for insurance money in Kansas City, Mo. Driven to steal. A vast fraud ring run by Felix Filenger stole fully $23 million for bogus whiplash injury claims from real and setup car crashes in South Florida. Bribes for blood. The largest doctor bribery scheme in U.S. history saw chiropractor David Nicoll stealing more than $100 million. He bribed at least 38 corrupt doctors for false testing of blood samples in Parsippany, N.J. Toddler killer. Erica White poisoned her blind and deaf toddler Tyrael McFall to death for $50,000 of life insurance in the Atlanta area. Maladjusted adjuster. Public adjuster Jorge Fausto Espinosa burned and flooded dozens of homes for $14 million of inflated claims in South Florida. Damage was rigged to look like electrical problems, kitchen accidents and faulty water lines. Home arsonist floored. Firefighter Patrick Wolterman died when he fell through a seared floor while combating an insurance arson set by Billy Lester Parker and Billy Tucker in Hamilton, Ohio. Pain for profit. Homeless people were inflicted with painful and unneeded spinal injections. Detroit-area streets also were flooded with more than 4 million painkillers in a $300-million Medicare plot by Dr. Mishiyat Rashid. Unsober sober homes. Yury Baumblit ran unsafe flophouses that housed homeless people and addicts in the New York City area. He pushed many into unneeded drug rehab, forced some to take drugs, and evicted anyone who didnt cooperate. Money addiction. Kirsten Wallace co-owned a corrupt sober home that stole the identities of addicts to overbill insurers in a $175-million insurance crime. It was one of the largest health-insurance plots in California history. While much of insurance fraud goes unreported, at least $80 billion in fraudulent claims are made annually in the U.S., the CAIF estimates. Source: CAIF Topics Fraud A man permanently injured at an Alabama manufacturing plant in 2015 has been awarded $774,000. Al.com reported Dec. 5 that a jury has decided Italian company Tenax SPA should pay punitive and compensatory damages to Tenax factory worker John Dees. Court documents say Dees left arm was pulled into a plastic netting machine manufactured by Tenax SPA and crushed, leaving it disfigured. Dees worked at the factory through a third-party staffing company. He sued the machine manufacturer, alleging the machine had inadequate safety features. Defendants argued Dees didnt use the machine correctly. Dees lawsuit also involved a dispute over workers compensation owed by the staffing company and factory. The state Supreme Court ruled last year that the factory has immunity from the lawsuit. The staffing company lawsuit is ongoing. Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Alabama Manufacturing A South Florida trucking company owner was arrested last month after allegedly selling fraudulent insurance coverage with certificates of insurance totaling nearly $60,000 to local commercial truckers, according to a statement from Florida Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Jimmy Patronis. Investigators from the Department of Financial Services allege Kemny Niebla, owner and operator of Andoba Trucking Co. and Sea Trucking in Hialeah, collected monthly insurance premium payments from three victims between October 2017 and June 2018. Records indicated that Niebla had received $59,675 in premium payments from which were never applied towards any insurance policy as promised. DFS said Niebla instead kept the funds for his own self gain and as a result, the commercial vehicles were unknowingly being operated uninsured. The fraud scheme was discovered when one of the commercial trucks was involved in an accident causing over $78,000 in uninsured damage. Niebla was arrested without incident on Nov. 30, 2018 and transported to the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center on several counts of grand theft, insurance funds diversion, uttering forged instruments, and organized scheme to defraud. If convicted on all counts, he faces up to 20 years in prison. Pocketing insurance premiums for your own financial gain is despicable. It puts the victim in the dangerous position of going without proper insurance coverage, and puts unsuspecting drivers in a financially risky position, Patronis said. Source: Florida Department of Financial Services Topics Florida Fraud Trucking Attorneys for a wrong-way driver say an Arizona Department of Public Safety sergeant is responsible for a crash that injured the driver and the sergeant. Patricia Carvalho is facing charges of attempted homicide, aggravated DUI and endangerment. The Los Ranchos, New Mexico, woman was driving the wrong way on Interstate 40 in Flagstaff last month. Sgt. Paul Damgaard used his vehicle as a traffic break, swerving a few times before stopping. The two vehicles hit head-on. Authorities say both Damgaard and Carvalho were injured. Carvalhos 2-year-old daughter wasnt. DPS says Damgaard likely saved the lives of other drivers. Carvalhos attorneys blame DPS for the crash and say the sergeant put Carvalhos child in danger. Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Personal Auto Arizona A measure that would have given condominium owners two extra years to comply with a Honolulu fire safety law has been deemed lost. The Honolulu City Council failed this week to acquire enough votes to override Mayor Kirk Caldwells veto of the measure. A law requiring high-rise buildings to perform fire safety evaluations within three years and comply with the evaluations within six years was enacted earlier this year. It was prompted by the fire that raged through the 35-story Marco Polo building in July 2017, killing four people. The measure Caldwell vetoed last month would have pushed back the evaluations deadline. Caldwell said last week that extending the timeline would put people at risk, especially seniors living on fixed incomes in buildings without sprinkler systems. Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Condominium LAS VEGAS - December 11, 2018 (Investorideas.com Newswire) CLS Holdings USA, Inc. (CLSH) "CLS," a diversified cannabis company operating as Cannabis Life Sciences and an integrated cannabis producer and retailer in Nevada through its Oasis Cannabis subsidiaries, is pleased to announce that the company has obtained a receipt for its final long form prospectus (the "Prospectus") filed with the securities regulatory authorities in the Provinces of Alberta, Manitoba, British Columbia and Ontario and has been granted conditional approval by the Canadian Securities Exchange (the "CSE") to list the common stock in the capital of CLS (the "Common Shares") on the CSE under the ticker symbol "CLSH". Jeff Binder, Co-Founder, Chairman and CEO of CLS stated, "This is a truly exciting development for the company as it opens CLS to a new and expanded audience of potential shareholders. The company worked extremely hard to obtain this receipt and conditional listing and we are pleased with the outcome." About The Canadian Securities Exchange: (www.thecse.com) The Canadian Securities Exchange, or CSE, is operated by CNSX Markets Inc. Recognized as a stock exchange in 2004, the CSE began operations in 2003 to provide a modern and efficient alternative for companies looking to access the Canadian public capital markets. About Oasis Cannabis (http://oasiscannabis.com) Oasis Cannabis has operated a cannabis dispensary in the Las Vegas market since dispensaries first opened in Nevada in 2015 and has been recognized as one of the top marijuana retailers in the state. Its location within walking distance to the Las Vegas Strip and downtown Las Vegas in combination with its delivery service to residents allows it to efficiently serve both locals and tourists in the Las Vegas area. In August 2017, the company commenced wholesale offerings of cannabis in Nevada with the launch of its City Trees brand of cannabis concentrates and cannabis-infused products. An expansion of its cultivation and production facility is currently underway and is expected to be completed during the second quarter of 2019. About CLS Holdings USA, Inc. CLS Holdings USA, Inc. (CLSH) is a diversified cannabis company that, subject to receipt of certain anticipated regulatory approvals, acts as an integrated cannabis producer and retailer through its Oasis Cannabis subsidiaries in Nevada, and plans to expand to other states. CLS stands for "Cannabis Life Sciences," in recognition of the Company's patented proprietary method of extracting various cannabinoids from the marijuana plant and converting them into products with a higher level of quality and consistency. The Company's business model includes licensing operations, processing operations, processing facilities, sale of products, brand creation and consulting services. For additional information, please visit: http://www.clsholdingsinc.com Twitter: @CLSHusa Forward Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements relate to anticipated future events, future results of operations or future financial performance. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements relating to whether and when certain transactions will be completed, and anticipated license approvals. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terminology such as "may," "might," "will," "should," "intends," "expects," "plans," "goals," "projects," "anticipates," "believes," "estimates," "predicts," "potential," or "continue" or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology. These forward-looking statements are only predictions, are uncertain and involve substantial known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause our actual results, levels of activity or performance to be materially different from any future results, levels of activity or performance expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. We cannot guarantee future results, levels of activity or performance and we cannot guaranty that the proposed transactions described in this press release will occur. You should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date that they were made. These cautionary statements should be considered together with any written or oral forward-looking statements that we may issue in the future. Except as required by applicable law, we do not intend to update any of the forward-looking statements to conform these statements to reflect actual results, later events or circumstances or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. See CLS Holdings USA filings with the SEC for additional details. A copy of the Prospectus is available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Contact Information Corporate: Chairman and CEO Jeff Binder jeff@clsholdingsinc.com 888-438-9132 Investors: Hayden IR CLSH@haydenir.com 917-658-7878 Disclaimer/Disclosure: Investorideas.com is a digital publisher of third party sourced news, articles and equity research as well as creates original content, including video, interviews and articles. Original content created by investorideas is protected by copyright laws other than syndication rights. Our site does not make recommendations for purchases or sale of stocks, services or products. 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Disclosure: CSLH is a paid PR, news and social media client of Investorideas.com and is this month's exclusive sponsor of our daily cannabis potcast. Additional info regarding BC Residents and global Investors: Effective September 15 2008 - all BC investors should review all OTC and Pink sheet listed companies for adherence in new disclosure filings and filing appropriate documents with Sedar. Read for more info: https://www.bcsc.bc.ca/release.aspx?id=6894. Global investors must adhere to regulations of each country. Please read Investorideas.com privacy policy: https://www.investorideas.com/About/Private_Policy.asp Investor Ideas does not condone the use of cannabis except where permissible by law. Our site does not possess, distribute, or sell cannabis products. WASHINGTON, DC - December 11, 2018 (Investorideas.com Newswire) American Farmland Trust, the organization behind the national movement No Farms No Food, praises the 2018 Farm Bill conference report released today and expresses great appreciation for the bipartisan nature of the final bill and the tireless work of the House and Senate Agriculture Committees. The 2018 Farm Bill delivers on the funding and programmatic priorities supporting AFT's mission to save the land that sustains us by protecting farmland, promoting environmentally sound farming practices and keeping farmers on the land. "Farmers, ranchers and the many partner organizations who use USDA programs to fund innovative work around the country can breathe a sigh of relief. The 2018 Farm Bill is just steps away from becoming law," says John Piotti, AFT president and CEO. "AFT urges members of the House and Senate to vote to pass this bill, to allow programs to move forward expeditiously." He continues, "We are losing farmland at a rate of three acres a minute31 million acres between 1992 and 2012 alone. Farmland is lost when farmers and ranchers don't have adequate risk-management tools. When they can't find new markets or develop new products. When there's no next generation farmer able to afford the land that an exiting farmer is selling. When there's not enough funding to meet demand for the sale of agricultural conservation easements. This bill, while not perfect, is an important step in addressing these needs." The bill includes many of AFT's priorities, including funding increases and programmatic improvements to the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program, the Regional Conservation Partnership Program, the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program, and the Farmers Market and Local Food Promotion Program. With support from these programs, AFT and its partners around the country will be able to move forward in fulfilling its mission. Protecting Farmland ACEP is a critically important voluntary federal conservation program implemented by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service that permanently protects agricultural land and conserves wetlands. ACEP cost-shares with state and local partners to purchase agricultural conservation easements from farmers, ranchers and agricultural landowners. The program permanently protects land from sprawling development while keeping it in agricultural production. Importantly, it enables farmers and ranchers to reinvest the proceeds of the easement sale in their businesses to transition land to the next generation or to improve their stewardship. The ACEP funding increaseAFT's top priority for the Farm Billto $450 million per year, is an important gain. This funding level, a $2 billion increase over the current baseline, will allow USDA to nearly double from last year the number of applications it can fund under the new Farm Bill. In addition, the bill makes several programmatic changes championed by AFT and its partners at state and local Purchase of Agricultural Conservation Easement programs and agricultural land trusts. These include: Ensuring that experienced partners can use their own easement deed terms and conditions as long as they are consistent with the program's statutory objectives. A change to the cost-share requirement that will enable partners to do more projects with limited funding. A waiver of adjusted gross income limits for projects of special environmental significance, enabling partners to act on opportunities to permanently protect productive, at-risk agricultural land regardless of the financial situation of the owner. Allowing "buy-protect-sell" transactions, in which land trusts help young and beginning farmers and ranchers especially gain access to land, by purchasing land in fee, protecting it with an agricultural conservation easement and then selling the protected land to a farmer or rancher. Promoting Sound Farming Practices Voluntary conservation programs are vitally important to farmers and ranchers who want to be good stewards of their land and the shared natural resources we all enjoy. A full toolbox of well-funded conservation programs, which often leverage matching funds from farmers and ranchers themselves, is important to improve environmental outcomes and to avoid the need for more stringent regulations in the future. For this reason, AFT applauds the Farm Bill Conferees for maintaining the overall funding level for the bill's Conservation Title. An important Conservation Title program that makes this possible is the Regional Conservation Partnership Program-- an innovative, landscape-scale program that brings many partners together to address targeted environmental issues including farmland loss. AFT is appreciative of the $300 million of annual mandatory funding for RCPP in this bill and changes to the program that pave the way for better quantification of the environmental outcomes being achieved by farmers, ranchers and their partners. AFT specifically uses RCPP to address water quality in the Macoupin Creek Watershed in Illinois, including measuring the changes in phosphorus and sediment loss from implementing conservation cropping systems. Keeping Farmers on the Land Since AFT's founding in 1980, the average age of farmers has risen from 50 to 58. More than 371 million acres of agricultural land are likely to change hands within the next two decades. Yet, the most recent Census of Agriculture in 2012 showed the number of beginning farmers decreased 20 percent compared to the five years before. This bill includes several important avenues for helping beginning farmers and ranchers access the land they need to start their operations and to promote new markets and products to help all producers remain viable into the future. Land protected under ACEP enables senior farmers to retire with a cash infusion and then sell their land at a price that new and beginning farmers can afford. The Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program is included under the umbrella of the new Farming Opportunities Training and Outreach Program. FOTOP is given baseline funding, amounting to $435 million over 10 years. Through BFRDP, AFT has provided technical support to state and local partners along with other agricultural service providers to become Land Access Trainers. The Farmers Market and Local Food Promotion Program was also included in another umbrella program, the Local Agriculture Market Program, and given baseline funding at a level of $50 million per year. This program will provide grants to organizations working to improve local food infrastructure such as farmers markets, regional food hubs and value-added production enterprises that can improve farm viability for small- and mid-sized new and established farms alike. Additionally, the bill contains several important provisions that will provide better information and better service to farmers and ranchers transitioning their land and operations to the next generation, including: New reports on absent landowners and on farmland access, analyzing the effects of absent landowners and identifying barriers beginning and socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers face in accessing land; New authority of State Agricultural Mediation Programs to address issues around land leases and family farm transitions; A new Commission on Farm TransitionsNeeds for 2050, to address the looming transfer of millions of acres of agricultural land and billions of dollars in agricultural assets over the next 20 years; Expanded data collection around farmland ownership, tenure, transition and other issues, including a regular follow-on survey to the Census of Agriculture; New authority enabling operators on heirs property land to obtain a farm number. "The 2018 Farm Bill's support for saving the land that sustains us through farmland protection, environmentally sound farming practices and keeping farmers on the land through its programs expands AFT's ability to help ensure a future with enough farmland farmed well to sustain our society and help all of us to maintain a livable planet for this and future generations," says Piotti. He continues, "AFT is best known for its No Farms No Food call to action, but just this year, I have added No Future to that mantra. We must see farmland as critical infrastructure akin to roads and bridges if we hope to feed, fuel and clothe our society for years to come." "AFT appreciates the bipartisan nature of this bill and the invaluable input provided from a wide variety of agricultural, conservation and nutrition stakeholders. AFT looks forward to working with Congress, with the Administration and with our partners across the country to help translate the promise of this legislation into positive direct outcomes on farms cross the nation." American Farmland Trust is the only national conservation organization dedicated to protecting farmland, promoting environmentally sound farming practices and keeping farmers on the land. Since 1980, AFT's innovative work has helped to permanently protect more than 6.5 million acres of farmland and ranchland and led the way for the adoption of conservation practices on millions more. No Farms, No Food. Learn more at www.farmland.org. More Info: This news is published on the Investorideas.com Newswire - a global digital news source for investors and business leaders Disclaimer/Disclosure: Investorideas.com is a digital publisher of third party sourced news, articles and equity research as well as creates original content, including video, interviews and articles. Original content created by investorideas is protected by copyright laws other than syndication rights. Our site does not make recommendations for purchases or sale of stocks, services or products. Nothing on our sites should be construed as an offer or solicitation to buy or sell products or securities. All investing involves risk and possible losses. This site is currently compensated for news publication and distribution, social media and marketing, content creation and more. Disclosure is posted for each compensated news release, content published /created if required but otherwise the news was not compensated for and was published for the sole interest of our readers and followers. Contact management and IR of each company directly regarding specific questions. More disclaimer info: https://www.investorideas.com/About/Disclaimer.asp Learn more about publishing your news release and our other news services on the Investorideas.com newswire https://www.investorideas.com/News-Upload/ and tickertagstocknews.com Global investors must adhere to regulations of each country. Please read Investorideas.com privacy policy: https://www.investorideas.com/About/Private_Policy.asp December 11, 2018 (Investorideas.com Newswire) A company in Canada is changing the paradigm for providing healthcare in Canada and potentially elsewhere by integrating technology and artificial intelligence. Medical costs continue to spiral up in Canada, and an aging population puts greater demands on the medical system. At the same time, the country is facing a shortage of primary care doctors and nurses, with rural areas being especially hard hit. Premier Health Group Inc. (PHGI:CSE; PHGRF:OTCQB; 6PH:FSE) is working to find solutions to these challenges by combining human expertise with emerging technologies such as telemedicine and artificial intelligence. This summer Premier Health acquired HealthVue, an operator of four high-tech clinics with 110,000 patients in British Columbia, for CA$1 million in cash and CA$3 million in Premier Health common shares. Dr. Essam Hamza, founder of HealthVue, has become Premier's CEO. He has long championed the use of telemedicine for his patients. "The present system is inefficient and unsustainable," Dr. Hamza told Streetwise Reports. "Some 39% of emergency room visits, which are very expensive, could be prevented if patients had better access to primary care." "Primary physicians are burning out; doctors are preferring hospital or specialist work because they provide better work-life balance," Dr. Hamza noted. "About 15% of Canadians don't have a primary care physician. This is especially dire because you can't see a specialist without a referral from a primary care doctor." "Seniors are at especially high risk because 59% can't get a same- or next-day appointment. About 7 in 10 Canadians avoid seeing a doctor when they are sick," he added. The Canadian medical systems use electronic medical records, but according to Dr. Hamza, doctors aren't taking advantage of the digital system. The HealthVue platform was designed to change that. "We are developing an app that uses artificial intelligence to triage patients and uses telemedicine to connect medical personnel with the patient," Dr. Hamza explained. For instance, if a patient has a headache, the app will take the patient through a series of questions about the headache. "The app then passes the patient virtually to the doctor who will have all the information the patient entered, as well as a potential diagnosis and treatment arrived at by the artificial intelligence computer drawing on the most recent studies and up-to-date treatment options, saving the doctor 5-10 minutes of questioning and giving the doctor a higher level of confidence," Dr. Hamza stated. Premier states that this system saves the medical practice the need for a medical office assistant or someone in the middle between the patient and the doctor. And it is scalable. "We've been piloting telemedicine in our clinics for the last year and a half, and patients have been very receptive. Billing in British Columbia covers telemedicine visits. The doctor is paid the same to see a patient in person or virtually. So it has proven to be very efficient and convenient, and allows patients deal with health issues before they necessitate a visit to the emergency room," Dr. Hamza said. Premier, through the HealthVue system, is planning to keep services in its ecosystem that right now it is losing. "We are adding our own counselors to offer online mental health help, our own cannabis clinics, our own specialists," Dr. Hamza explained. And the telemedicine system "actually adds to the number of office visits rather than cannibalize them. A mother with young children at home isn't going to drag the kids to a clinic so that she can ask a question, but she will connect from home." "Also, looking ahead, we plan to begin health monitoring using devices such as blood pressure cuffs, and all that data can be connected via Bluetooth in real time to a patient's chart," Dr. Hamza stated. "The doctors, nurses and staff will have access to a patient's numbers and can follow whether he or she is controlling the medications properly. Through artificial intelligence, data can be sent to the doctor before the doctor sees the patient." In October, Premier announced that it had selected Reliq Health Technologies Inc. (RHT:TSX.V; RQHTF:OTCQB) as its exclusive technology partner, providing Premier with a "HealthVue-branded telemedicine, remote monitoring & AI solution for its clinical staff and more than 100,000 active patients." "The HealthVue patient app powered by Reliq Health's technology platform will allow patients to book appointments, see their GP or a specialist via telemedicine, review their own chart, chat with clinic staff and pharmacists, refill prescriptions and share health data collected in the home with their HealthVue care team," said Dr. Hamza. "Telemedicine visits are already covered by the provincial health insurance plans in several provinces so there is no cost to the patient to access this service, which we will ultimately be able to offer to patients 24/7. The technology component of our practice is easily scalable, low cost and high margin, allowing us to rapidly grow our business and create significant shareholder value." In November, Premier announced that it was entering the pharmacy market, "via acquisition and/or launching a new Canada based pharmacy in H1-2019" and it just announced an agreement to buy a pharmacy. Premier signed a binding letter of intent to acquire a Vancouver-based pharmacy and expects the acquisition to close around the first quarter of 2019; according to the company, "the total consideration payable by Premier is $1,350,000." "Pharmacy is a critical component in our commitment to providing patients with best in class primary care that is accessible and efficient in its delivery," said Dr. Hamza. "We are excited for this opportunity to acquire our first pharmacy, and thereafter being able to prepare and deliver prescription and non-prescription pharmaceuticals and other health products to patients. In doing so, the pharmacist will play an integral role in our team-based patient centric model," Dr. Hamza stated. "Premier has engaged with patients, pharmacies and technology providers to not only introduce pharmacy services as a component of our comprehensive telemedicine app, but also to explore and implement efficiencies in fill and fulfillment." A premium service Premier is contemplating is to charge privately for services that are not included in the Canada Health Act. The company could charge a monthly fee and monitor a patient's blood pressure, blood sugars, etc. and make sure that they are taking their medications. Another potential market is China. "Right now the government is pushing the family doctor model, so there is a lot of interest in what we are doing," Dr. Hamza explained. Another aspect of great interest is second opinions; "Chinese patients like to get second opinions from North American doctors, so this is another potential revenue stream." In addition, "China represents the largest growth market for telemedicine." Technical analyst Clive Maund analyzed Premier on December 10, when he wrote, "Premier Health Group announced this month that as a part of its expansion plans it will be entering the Pharmacy market 'via acquisition and/or launching a new Canada based pharmacy in H1-2019.' With Premier's acquisition of HealthVue Medical Clinics in August, this could be the next phase of growth for the company." "The chart for Premier Health looks strong and it appears to be impervious to the vicissitudes of the broad market. . .Premier is clearly in a bull market and it has risen well in recent months, breaking clear above a now rising 180-day moving average," Maund stated. "With the 50-day moving average having completely caught up with the price, and the earlier overbought condition having neutralized, Premier is considered to be ready to commence a new upleg, and is rated an immediate buy here," Maund concluded. Telemedicine is catching on worldwide. Teladoc Health Inc. (TDOC:NYSE), a $5 billion market-cap company that is rapidly growing, is the global leader. A November 1, 2018, research report by William Blair stated, "We continue to view Teladoc as a strong small-cap growth investment, as we believe the telehealth industry is set for material growth over the coming years." Other players in the field include a division of TELUS (T:TSX; TU:NYSE), TELUS Health, which through its partnership with Babylon, a London-based AI company, is bringing digital health technologies to Canada; and WELL Health Technologies Corp. (WELL:TSX.V), a company that owns 19 medical clinics in Canada. Premier Health has around 61 million shares outstanding and approximately 65 million shares fully diluted. Nearly all the shares are closely held. Disclosure: 1) Patrice Fusillo compiled this article for Streetwise Reports LLC and provides services to Streetwise reports as an employee. She or members of her household own securities of the following companies mentioned in the article: None. She or members of her household are paid by the following companies mentioned in this article: None. 2) The following companies mentioned in this article are billboard sponsors of Streetwise Reports: None. Click here for important disclosures about sponsor fees. As of the date of this article, an affiliate of Streetwise Reports has a consulting relationship with Premier Health Inc. Please click here for more information. An affiliate of Streetwise Reports is conducting a digital media marketing campaign for this article on behalf of Premier Health Inc. Please click here for more information. 3) Comments and opinions expressed are those of the specific experts and not of Streetwise Reports or its officers. The information provided above is for informational purposes only and is not a recommendation to buy or sell any security. 4) The article does not constitute investment advice. Each reader is encouraged to consult with his or her individual financial professional and any action a reader takes as a result of information presented here is his or her own responsibility. By opening this page, each reader accepts and agrees to Streetwise Reports' terms of use and full legal disclaimer. This article is not a solicitation for investment. Streetwise Reports does not render general or specific investment advice and the information on Streetwise Reports should not be considered a recommendation to buy or sell any security. Streetwise Reports does not endorse or recommend the business, products, services or securities of any company mentioned on Streetwise Reports. 5) From time to time, Streetwise Reports LLC and its directors, officers, employees or members of their families, as well as persons interviewed for articles and interviews on the site, may have a long or short position in securities mentioned. Directors, officers, employees or members of their immediate families are prohibited from making purchases and/or sales of those securities in the open market or otherwise from the time of the interview or the decision to write an article until three business days after the publication of the interview or article. The foregoing prohibition does not apply to articles that in substance only restate previously published company releases. As of the date of this article, officers and/or employees of Streetwise Reports LLC (including members of their household) own securities of Premier Health Inc. and Reliq Health Technologies Inc., companies mentioned in this article. Clive Maund disclosures I, or members of my immediate household or family, own shares of the following companies mentioned in this article: None. I personally am, or members of my immediate household or family are, paid by the following companies mentioned in this article: None. 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We have received a complaint. We are examining it, a spokeswoman for Austrias Federal Competition Authority (BWB) said, confirming a statement by the Austrian Retail Association. The main grounds for the complaint laid out by Austrias biggest retailers association is Amazons role as both a retailer in its own right and as a marketplace where other retailers products are sold. Austrian newspaper Der Standard reported it had documents showing that the BWB would open an investigation into Amazon. The spokeswoman, however, said that at this stage the BWB was only examining the complaint. In a statement outlining its complaint, the Retail Association said the main problem was Amazons dual role as retailer and marketplace. Amazon can, in theory, see the prices of the listed retailers (on its platform), undercut their prices and in the long run attract all that business, it said. Meanwhile, Australias competition watchdog yesterday recommended tougher scrutiny and a new regulatory body to check the dominance of tech giants Facebook and Google in the countrys online advertising and news markets. The recommendation, in a preliminary report on the US firms market power, is being closely watched around the world as lawmakers wrestle with the powerful tech firms large and growing influence in public life, from privacy to publishing. It comes days after Australia passed laws forcing tech companies to help police access private user data and amid growing concern from authorities worldwide about the giants commercial behavior and distribution of so-called fake news. When you get to a certain stage and you get market power, which both Google and Facebook have, with that comes responsibilities and that means, also, additional scrutiny, Australian Competition and Consumer Commission chairman Rod Sims told reporters. Reuters Sterling dropped below 90p yesterday and fears of Irish businesses on both sides of the Border soared as UK prime minster Theresa May faced an impasse with her Brexit agreement. Her decision to pull a vote in the Commons on her withdrawal bill has raised new warnings across Irish business over a hard Brexit. Sterling fell as analysts said the extreme divisions in British politics could inadvertently lead to a hard Brexit. Global shares dropped on trade war fears and Irish shares fell, led by Ryanair, Irish property firms and banks which are exposed to sterling. The Brexit fiasco took yet another step into the unknown, said market analyst Joshua Mahony at online broker IG, as the UK leader seeks to get concessions from EU leaders over its exit agreement. While Theresa May expects that such an agreement would help win over greater support for her plan, the fact is that behind much of the opposition lies a desire to shift power in a general election or new leadership bid, Mr Mahony said. The drop below 90p is a red flag for Irish businesses, said John Whelan, head of international trade consultancy, the Linkage-Partnership. It makes it very difficult to plan for 2019, Mr Whelan said. I was talking to a manufacturer last week. His problem was that he was not in a position to make contracts [in Britain] for 2019. "And the same problem for 2019 applies to other manufacturers, he said. Aidan Flynn, general manager of business group Freight Transport Association Ireland, whose members control 10,000 commercial vehicles, said the postponed vote and the slump in sterling have ratcheted up the uncertainty. Speaking from Brussels where he was meeting with EU officials, Mr Flynn said stockpiling had already begun in anticipation of a hard Brexit but there was a shortage of warehousing in Belfast, Dublin, and Cork and especially for cold and chilled storage which requires huge levels of investment. Ann McGregor, head of the Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce and Industry, warned: Members told us they are already scaling down, freezing growth plans because of Brexit. Even basic business planning for next year has become difficult, if not impossible, for many firms and their investors. Austin Hughes, chief economist at KBC Ireland, which compiles regular consumer surveys with the Economic and Social Research Institute, said the latest Brexit fallout will weigh on Irish shoppers and hit investment decisions by businesses. It is the area of consumer durables and the housing market where the effects may show, Mr Hughes said. Consumers may be lured online to tap the benefit of the weakness of sterling and affecting brick-and-mortar stores. It does look like a binary choice for the economy: Either see a no-change or face a cliff edge, no-deal Brexit, he said. Ryan McGrath, head of fixed income at Cantor Fitzgerald Ireland, said that UK and Irish bonds were little affected by the UK political chaos for the time being. She has clearly said she will go back to Brussels and Brussels could deliver tweaks to the deal and she will try to sell the tweaks, Mr McGrath said. The Cabinet will today approve the scheme of a bill aimed at removing the offence of blasphemy, as has been demanded by the Irish people. Tanaiste Simon Coveney, on behalf of Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan, will seek leave to publish the General Scheme of Repeal of Offence of Publication or Utterance of Blasphemous Matter Act 2018. Mr Flanagan will also seek a waiver of the usual pre-legislative scrutiny of the bill when he addresses his Cabinet colleagues this morning. The key provision in the scheme is the repeal of sections 36 and 37 of the Defamation Act 2009. The repeal of these sections is in keeping with the policy that it should no longer be possible to initiate a prosecution for blasphemy in this jurisdiction, a Government source told the Irish Examiner. It is also proposed to seek a waiver of pre-legislative scrutiny from the Business Committee in respect of this Bill, the source said. The ministers thinking is that the scheme of the bill reflects the decision taken by the people in the referendum, the bill is short and not particularly complex, and it would be difficult to justify any significant delay in bringing forward the necessary legislative proposals. The referendum on blasphemy took place on October 26, with the bill being signed by the President on November 27. Gardai in Donegal are investigating after an incident at a secondary school in Bundoran. According to the Irish Daily Mail, a schoolboy threatened to 'shoot dead' another student in a note left in a classroom after an exam last Wednesday. Theresa May is heading for emergency talks with European leaders today to try and persuade them to help save the Brexit deal. It's after the British Prime Minister decided to postpone a crucial vote in the House of Commons, admitting she faced a "significant" defeat. Preparations for a no-deal Brexit are to intensify after European leaders firmly shut the door on British prime minister Theresa Mays desire to renegotiate the Northern Irish backstop. After a day of chaos in Westminster, where Ms May dramatically announced the deferral of a House of Commons vote on the withdrawal agreement, the British prime minister was accused of causing a national humiliation. She admitted that she would have lost the vote, due to take place today, by a significant margin. Ms May will now travel to Europe in the hope of securing new reassurances from EU leaders to allay MPs concerns about proposed backstop arrangements for the Northern Irish border. However, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, Tanaiste Simon Coveney, and EU Council president Donald Tusk all made it clear there can be no renegotiation of the withdrawal agreement. Mr Varadkar and Mr Tusk spoke by telephone and it was agreed that the withdrawal agreement is the best option and could not be renegotiated. They also agreed that preparations for a no- deal outcome should intensify, said a Government statement. Mr Tusk announced that Brexit has been added to the agenda of a two-day EU summit in Brussels taking place on Thursday and Friday, but insisted no altering of the deal will take place. We will not renegotiate the deal, including the backstop, but we are ready to discuss how to facilitate UK ratification, he said. As time is running out, we will also discuss our preparedness for a no-deal scenario. Mr Varadkar said that to reopen one aspect of the deal would mean opening the entire deal for renegotiation, and that was not possible. What I can say is that the withdrawal agreement, including the Irish backstop, is the only agreement on the table, he said. It took over a year and a half to negotiate, it has the support of 28 governments, and it is not possible to re-open any aspect of that agreement without opening all aspects. Mr Varadkar said Ireland and the EU have already made many concessions to the UK and it is not possible to make any more. No one should ever forget how we got to this point, he said. The UK decided to leave the EU. The UK government decided to take lots of options off the table whether it was staying in the customs union or the single market or in relation to a Northern Ireland specific backstop. So the reason we ended up in the situation we are in is because of the red lines. We have already offered a lot of concessions. We ended up with the backstop because of all of the red lines that the UK laid down. I have no difficulty with statements which clarify what is in the withdrawal agreement but no statement can contradict what is in the withdrawal agreement. Speaking in Brussels, Mr Coveney said that the withdrawal agreement allowed for a managed and sensible exit from the EU by Britain and would not be changed. Ms May yesterday told the House of Commons the meaningful vote was being deferred because widespread and deep concern remains on the Northern Ireland backstop. However, she insisted that there was no deal available that does not include the backstop. Meanwhile, there was uproar in the House of Commons last night as Labour MP Lloyd Russell-Moyle picked up the ceremonial mace that represents the parliaments royal authority in a bid to delay proceedings. After briefly making to remove the mace amid cries of outrage from fellow MPs, he returned it to its place and was ordered from the chamber for the day. Elsewhere, former British prime minister John Major has launched a scathing attack on what he described as the breathtaking ignorance of the so-called unionists who are opposed to the backstop in the Brexit deal. Speaking in Longford, Mr Major has warned about the dangers of violence returning if a hard border is ever restored. The proportion of people dying in Irish hospitals after being admitted having suffering a heart attack has almost halved in the last 10 years. The finding is published the National Office of Clinical Audit (NOCA) in its third report from the National Audit of Hospital Mortality (NAHM). The study presents information across six specific medical conditions: Acute myocardial infarction/heart attack, heart failure, ischaemic stroke, haemorrhagic stroke, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and pneumonia. NAHM uses data from 44 publicly funded hospitals in Ireland. All hospitals were within the expected range for the six listed medical conditions. The report reveals there has been a significant reduction over 10 years (47%), in the number of people dying in hospital after coming in after suffering a heart attack falling from 9.3 per 100 admissions in 2008 to 4.9 per 100 admissions in 2017. There has also been a significant reduction over the past decade (26%) in heart failure in-hospital deaths per 100 admissions, from 9.5 in 2008 to 7.0 in 2017. The number of people dying in hospital after suffering an ischaemic stroke has fallen 28% in the same period from 13.4 per 100 admissions in 2008 to 9.7 per 100 admissions in 2017. However, in-hospital deaths in relation to other medical conditions have not fared as well. For example, there has been no significant reduction in the number of in-hospital deaths for patients with haemorrhagic stroke. Those figures have fallen by 10% from 30 per 100 admissions in 2008 to 27.1 per 100 admissions in 2017. Deaths from COPD in hospital have fallen by 18% in the decade, from 4.2 per 100 admissions in 2008 to 3.5 per 100 admissions in 2017. There has been a small but significant reduction (17%), in the rate of pneumonia in-hospital deaths per 100 admissions, from 14.1 in 2008 to 11.7 in 2017. Shared learnings from hospitals are a central feature of the report. During 2017, St Jamess Hospital in Dublin was outside of expected ranges for AMI/heart attack. The hospitals clinical and quality team carried out a detailed review of source data and coding, which resulted in learnings on the importance of data quality and the local collaboration between clinicians and coders. St Jamess Hospital put a plan of action in place and the mortality rate for heart attack at year-end was within expected ranges. There were no patient safety concerns. Brian Creedon, NAHM Clinical Lead, said the highlighting of data issues show that hospitals are using NAMH data to improve the health system. The inclusion of a clinically-led hospital review from St Jamess Hospital, showing where there are data issues and how they have been delved into, is very important, said Dr Creedon. It shows that hospitals are now using NAHM data to make an impact on the health system. The NOCA pointed out that the report cannot be used to compare hospitals, pointing out that no two hospitals are expected to be the same, as hospitals have very different case mixes or patient profiles. As a result, standardised mortality ratios can only be used to examine mortality patterns within a hospital and not to compare hospitals with each other. Update: 11am All four men have been released without charge. A file will be prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions. Earlier: Four in custody after garda operation targeting sale of vintage cars in Limerick Four men are in custody after an arrest and search operation in Rathkeale, county Limerick, the gardai have confirmed. The operation relates to offences of deception involving the purchase and sale of vintage and classic cars. In many cases, the victims of this deception have been elderly persons, according to the Garda Press Office. To date, 20 vehicles are subject of investigation, total value approximately 360,000. Speaking this morning, Detective Superintendent Michael Mullen of the Garda National Bureau of Criminal Investigation said: "The operation in Rathkeale today is as a result of a lengthy investigation carried out by the Garda National Bureau of Criminal Investigation. "From enquiries to date, I believe there may be more victims across the country who have been deceived during a transaction involving a vintage or classic car. "I would like to appeal today, particularly to the elderly community to contact your local Garda Station if you believe that you have been deceived in the purchase or sale of a vintage or classic car in circumstances where either money has not been received or money received far less than that of the value of the car." - Digital Desk Gardai in Dublin are investigating allegations of a sexual assault on a woman. It is alleged to have happened in the early hours of yesterday morning in the Dublin 2 area. According to a number of media reports this morning, the woman was taken to the Sexual Assault Treatment Unit at the Rotunda Hospital. No arrests have been made and investigations are continuing. - Digital Desk A joint criminal enterprise saw four men pull up in an Audi outside one Kinsale supermarket to steal a purse from a trolley and pull up outside another where they snatched a handbag. Detective Garda Kevin Heffernan said all four men were seen on CCTV getting out of the Audi and entering the supermarket separately. They walked around until one of them had stolen something from a trolley. Once that was done, they all left in less than a minute and drove away together. No purchase was made by any of them, said Det Garda Heffernan. Ionut Croitoriu, aged 32, of Cathedral Mews, Upper John St, Cork, was before Cork District Court yesterday charged with carrying out two thefts. He pleaded guilty to both and brought 600 to court to compensate in full for all of the stolen property. Det Garda Heffernan said although Croitoriu was not physically involved in any of the thefts, it was clear from CCTV that it was a joint enterprise. Croitoriu was also the driver of the Audi on the relevant date, November 29. Det Garda Heffernan spotted the car in Cork City on Sunday, December 9. Croitoriu was arrested and the car was seized. Eddie Burke, solicitor, said the accused is a Romanian living in Spain with his wife and children and came to Cork on the promise of work in the past fortnight, but this did not materialise. Judge Olann Kelleher asked where he got the car. Mr Burke said Croitoriu bought it for 600 when he arrived in Ireland. A further 600 was brought to court as compensation. Asked where he got this money, Mr Burke said the defendant had a distant relative living in Ireland. He was working as a farm hand in Spain but the work dried up. He was promised work by these people. He thought they were friends but they are not his friends, said Mr Burke. His intention now is to return home. Judge Kelleher remanded Croitoriu in custody until Friday for sentencing at Cork District Court. On November 29 at SuperValu, The Glen, Kinsale, a purse was stolen from a trolley, and at Lidl, Barracks Hill, Kinsale, on the same date, an iPhone was stolen. Holy water from a tiny well in Clare was transported across the Atlantic Ocean in the cockpit of an Aer Lingus flight on Sunday, to help a sick child in America. The water, which was taken from the holy well at St Brigids Well in the Burren, made the Atlantic crossing after a group of strangers came together online to help an Irish-American family in Philadelphia. It is currently illegal to send liquids through the post and no courier company would take on the unusual order. The delivery was made possible by Lahinch hotelier, Michael Vaughan, who put out a call on social media for assistance in transporting the holy water. Mr Vaughan, the former president of the Irish Hotel Federation, was contacted by an Irish woman, Nora Kennedy, who offered the services of her nephew to deliver the water. Her nephew, an airline pilot based in Britain, was not in a position to deliver the water personally but did arrange for an Aer Lingus flight crew to transport the liquid to America. I drove to Dublin at six in the morning on Sunday and dropped off the water at a particular point at the airport for the Aer Lingus flight crew to collect, said Mr Vaughan. The crew had it in the cockpit of the plane. They dropped off the water to Tom Ward in Philadelphia, who I know from Ireland 626 Tours, and his wife brought it to the family who had requested it. So it has made its full journey. Located a short walk from the Cliffs of Moher, water from St Brigids Well is thought to have healing powers. One of Tom Wards clients made the request to me through Tom, because her grandson was in hospital, said Michael. There are so many decent people out there who are willing to help others. I got about five or six credible offers from people about how to get this to America before Christmas. None of these people were people who I knew personally. They saw the request on social media and came up with the solution. When you are in the full of your health, it is nice to be able to do something for somebody else. It shows you that there are lots of decent people out there, willing to help if they are asked. In 1840, Protestant local landowner and developer of the Cliffs of Moher, Cornelious OBrien, famously sent for water from the Catholic well at St Brigids Well when he was sick in London. The water is blessed in a ceremony which attracts hundreds of people on February 1 each year. By Ann O'Loughlin Two brothers who alleged a "Masonic" conspiracy was among the reasons they were held liable under a 2008 settlement agreement for 1.1m arising from the collapse of a building partnership have lost their action. The president of the High Court, Mr Justice Peter Kelly, said it would be perverse to hold in favour of Michael and Thomas Butler in this last stage of their torturous 12-year litigation. He criticised how the Butlers, as personal litigants with "assistance" of a struck-off solicitor Angela Farrell, who formerly practised at North Great Georges Street, Dublin, conducted this five-day hearing, including by advancing claims of wrongdoing, forgeries and Masonic conspiracies without the slightest evidence". His judgment arose after the Supreme Court directed a new High Court hearing to decide whether the brothers are liable under the 2008 settlement. The president of the High Court, Mr Justice Peter Kelly. The case dates back to a July 2003 agreement entered into by Michael Butler, Old Spa Road, Clonmel, Co Tipperary, and William Butler, Ballytarsna, Cashel, concerning a housing development. Crohan OShea, Marino Avenue West, Killiney, Co Dublin, and another man, Thomas ODriscoll, agreed to become partners and a company, Bosod Ltd, was formed. The parties fell out and the Butlers and their company, Michael and Thomas Butler Ltd, sued Mr OShea and Mr ODriscoll for some 4.5m on grounds including alleged breach of contract. The claims were denied, the defendants counterclaimed for alleged breach of the partnership agreement, and the case went before the High Court in Dundalk in 2008, where the Butlers were legally represented. They disputed they entered a binding settlement on February 11, 2008, requiring they pay Mr OShea some 1.1m by September 2008. 446,168 was paid and Mr OShea later got judgment against them for the alleged outstanding sum, 653,832. The Butlers contended there never was a binding agreement and also alleged it was void for illegality, and that, as a result of alleged conspiracy, a forged document or documents were placed on the court files. The Courts Service denied any interference by court officials with the file. Following an appeal, the Supreme Court directed a fresh High Court hearing on certain issues. In his judgment today, Mr Justice Kelly ruled a settlement was entered into between the Butlers and Mr OShea on February 11, 2008, and the settlement terms were reduced to writing and signed by the brothers. He rejected claims by Michael Butler the settlement was a fix involving four people, including Mr OShea and a senior counsel. He found the settlement contained a default clause providing, if the 1.1m was not paid by September 11, 2008, the brothers would consent to judgment in the remaining amount. The judge said a very unsatisfactory position obtains insofar as the High Courts central office record of what happened in Dundalk, but he stressed that situation did not affect the brothers liability under contract. The judge said there were two versions of the court order on file with different perfection dates in March 2008 and with two different versions of the settlement agreement annexed, only one of which had the disputed settlement clause. Neither were signed by the registrar and both had her name in typescript. The original order, signed by the registrar, was not on the file and it should be, he said. He accepted evidence from the Chief Registrar that solicitors representing parties, or self-represented parties themselves, can inspect their case file on a shelf in the Central Office without secure supervision with the effect it is possible for people to interfere with a file. He also accepted evidence from a forensic documents expert that both copy orders on file were copies of the same source document but with the disputed clause removed from one copy. He said the order on file which matched the electronic version of the original order was the correct order. While he considered it was likely the court file was interfered with to bring about the existing unsatisfactory situation, he was unable to say when or by whom the interference occurred. The procedure by which High Court files can be inspected in an unsupervised fashion is "completely unsatisfactory" and he would take steps to address that, he stressed. Scouting Ireland has identified more than 300 alleged victims and more than 200 alleged perpetrators of abuse as part of a review of the organisation. Childrens Minister Katherine Zappone has said as more people come forward, these numbers will in all probability increase. Last month it was revealed that more than 100 alleged victims and more than 70 alleged abusers had been identified by Scouting Ireland. However, following a written update, it has now emerged there are 317 alleged victims and 212 alleged perpetrators. The figures are based on the continued review of historical files and 123 calls to the confidential helpline. Minister Zappone says the matter is of grave concern and underlines the serious challenges facing Scouting Ireland. She added supporting victims is her top priority and she would encourage anyone who has been abused to come forward. Labour Spokesperson for Children and Youth Affairs, Sean Sherlock, has called for a coordinated response to the revelations. Deputy Sherlock said: "These figures released by Minister Zappone of over 300 alleged victims of abuse within Scouting Ireland is devastating, but not surprising. It has always been probable that the number of allegations was understated. "The questions the Minister must now answer are, how are she and the government going to deal with those who have made complaints by way of additional supports. Also, what protocols are being put in place to deal with complainants? "The Minister must provide more clarity about what happens next. It is not enough for the Minister to outline a numerical list of allegations. People want reassurances that files have been referred to Gardai and Tusla "It is also important that the Minister outline what engagement has the minister had with the new board on these files aside from receiving a letter. It is a matter of public importance that we also know if there are allegations against current members of Scouting Ireland or are the files all historical files? "I look forward to the Minister delivering further clarity on these questions and laying out how she intends to move forward." - Digital Desk It has been confirmed a number of pipe bomb parts were found at a house in Co. Louth which was raided by Gardai last night. A suspect device was found inside the premises at Marley Court in Drogheda and the Army Bomb Disposal Unit was called in but no explosive material was discovered. By Ann O'Loughlin A showbiz journalist who claims he tripped on a step at the Helix Theatre dislocating his elbow while attending a Christmas panto has sued in the High Court. Irish Sun journalist Kenneth Sweeney told Mr Justice Michael Hanna he fell on the side aisle steps as he left the performance of Cinderella 30 minutes in to go to the toilet. Mr Sweeney, who was sitting at the front of the Helix with his family, said he got up to walk up the steps when he said he did not locate the first step and fell unexpectedly into his side. He said he was immediately in a lot of pain. He said he was taken to hospital and it emerged he had dislocated his elbow. He was in a cast for eight weeks and was at the table on Christmas Day in plaster. It was a tough Christmas," he added. Mr Sweeney said the second step was lit up but the first step was not. Kenneth Sweeney (aged 52) Newtownparks, Skerries, Co Dublin, has sued Dublin City University, Collins Avenue, Glasnevin, Dublin, the operators of the Helix Theatre over the accident on November 30, 2014. He has claimed there was an alleged failure to warn users of the stairs of a tripping hazard by proper and adequate warning signs or markings and by proper and adequate illumination. He has further claimed there was an alleged failure to provide appropriate lighting levels in the premises so as to allow him to safely ascend the stairs. The claims are denied. Mr Justice Michael Hanna said the issue in the case "was there was a disguised step." In evidence, Mr Sweeney said he liked to play guitar but has not played since the accident. Cross-examined by Luan O'Braonain SC for DCU, Mr Sweeney agreed he had been at the Helix on many occasions before. He agreed he had signed an accident report form as he waited for the ambulance. Counsel put it to him that the form referred to him rushing out of the theatre. Mr Sweeney said he was going at a normal speed and he did not say he was rushing. I was in pain. I had a bone protruding from my elbow. I was in a lot of pain." "When these questions were being asked I was waiting for the ambulance, he said. Mr Sweeney said he saw the light in the second step and he asked why there wasnt a light on the first step. I have a lot of experience of venues at night, I have never seen steps lit in this way, Mr Sweeney added. Engineer Karl Searson for the Sweeney side told the court you want to have lighting to indicate the first step. You cant see the step. It is not visible or discernible, he commented about the first step of the Helix stairs. The case before Mr Justice Michael Hanna continues tomorrow. The State has admitted liability in two claims brought against it by Garda whistleblower Maurice McCabe, the High Court has heard. Mr Justice Kevin Cross was informed today liability had been admitted in a personal injuries claim brought by Mr McCabe against the Garda Commissioner, Ireland and the Attorney General. Paul McGarry SC for Mr McCabe, who exposed abuses of the penalty points system within the Gardai, said while liability had been admitted in this particular case, his client was seeking a hearing date when the level of damages Mr McCabe is entitled to can be assessed by a High Court judge. Counsel said that the personal injuries action was initiated in 2009, and the hearing of the assessment of damages would take court hearings lasting two to three days. Liability had also been admitted in another case also against the same defendants, which was lodged in 2011, where Mr McCabe claims he was defamed, which is due to be mentioned before the High Court, counsel added. Marguerite Bolger SC for the State defendants said while liability in the two cases had been "conceded in full" that it is her client's hope that the quantum of damages could be mediated between the respective parties. In reply, Mr McGarry said while a previous mediation had not been successful, his side were ready to listen to what the State side has to say. Mr Justice Cross said the court was happy to give the prospect of a successful mediation "every blessing". However, the judge agreed to fix the hearing of the assessment of damages in the personal injuries action to a date in early April. No details of the exact nature of the claims were given in court. The actions are two of a number of cases Mr McCabe has brought against parties including the State, the Garda Commissioner, the HSE and Tusla. At the end of October Mr McCabe retired from An Garda Siochana, following 30 years service, weeks after the publication of the Disclosures Tribunal report in which Mr Justice Peter Charleton described the Cavan-based sergeant as having done the state considerable service. The Tribunal found former Garda Commissioner Martin Callinan and Supt David Taylor had engaged in a smear campaign against Mr McCabe in response to his whistleblowing. The report found that Mr McCabe was a genuine person who had the interests of the people of Ireland in his mind at all times. By Ruaidhri Giblin A suspected drink-driver who refused to provide a blood sample to gardai citing a fear of needles has lost his latest legal challenge under the Road Traffic Act. Mayo man Andrew McTigue was arrested on suspicion of drink driving in the county on November 9, 2014, and taken to Ballinrobe Garda Station. A lawful requirement was made for Mr McTigue to provide a sample of blood or urine. The garda warned Mr McTigue that failure to comply with the requirement was an offence. He was also warned of the penalties that would apply if he refused to give a sample. Andrew McTigue (aged 61), with an address in Ayre, Westport, Co Mayo, refused to provide a blood sample citing a fear of needles. He opted to provide a urine sample but was unable to do so. As a result, he was charged with refusal to provide a specimen under Section 12(3)(a) of 12(4) of the Road Traffic Act 2010. At Castlebar District Court, Mr McTigues lawyers applied for the case to be dismissed because the garda had misstated the proper period of disqualification when he was warning the accused of potential penalties. The garda had stated that the period was not exceeding four years when the potential disqualification period was actually not less than four years. Mr McTigues lawyers submitted that their client had been incorrectly advised and was not fully informed as to the consequences of any intended actions. They cited Supreme Court commentary that in the absence of access to a solicitor, the gardai themselves were the only source of legal advice. In a case stated, Judge Mary Devins asked the High Court whether she was correct to dismiss the charge on the basis that an incorrect warning was given to the accused. The High Court answered the question in the negative and the Court of Appeal upheld that decision today. In the High Court, Ms Justice Mary Faherty held that Mr McTigue was afforded the full panoply of his rights and there was no obligation on an investigating garda to warn the accused of any consequential disqualification, upon conviction. A disqualification order is not a penalty but merely a consequence of conviction. Giving judgment today, Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy said the High Court judge was right to answer the question posed in the negative. President of the Court of Appeal Mr Justice George Birmingham and Mr Justice John Edwards said they agreed. The court heard that the matter will be remitted back to the District Court. A temporary consultant radiologist whose work at University Hospital Kerry was the subject of review after complaints were made is among three medical practitioners separately temporarily suspended from practising medicine here by order of the president of the High Court. Mr Justice Peter Kelly said he was satisfied it was necessary, on public interest grounds, to grant the Medical Councils ex parte application (one side only represented) for the order against Clare Hartigan, of Ballinwear, Nenagh, Co Tipperary, who had worked at the Kerry hospital between March 2016 and October 2017. While such applications are normally dealt with in private, the judge said he was giving his ruling in public for public interest concerns as Dr Hartigan is now working in the private sector in London. The court heard the council had decided last week, following a meeting attended by Dr Hartigan, to make a complaint to the preliminary proceedings committee on grounds of a relevant medical disability under section 56 of the Medical Practitioners Act 2007. The council had also decided to apply for an order to suspend Dr Hartigan under section 60 of the Act as it believed suspension was in the public interest. The council said reasons for that included its view that Dr Hartigan has a lack of insight into her mental health issues, had failed to engage with the council, and refused an assessment by an independent psychiatrist. The council was concerned about her health and welfare, that she had impaired judgment, and there was a risk to patients if she continues to work without appropriate assessment. The judge said the evidence satisfied him the council was rightly concerned about Dr Hartigans lack of insight into her current condition and about her ability to make judgments. He noted that the manager of the Kerry hospital had complained in October 2017, alleging Dr Hartigan had failed to meet the standards of competence that could reasonably be expected of a consultant radiologist in the performance, carrying out, and reporting of radiological examinations. The complaint alleged there were three known serious, reportable events where the diagnostic error had led to serious harm to patients and approximately 30 incidents where her practice was less than the standard required and could have led to serious patient harm. A serious incident management team (SIMT) had been established and a decision was made to review all radiological imagery performed and reported on by Dr Hartigan, who resigned her post at the hospital effective from October 18, 2017, without any formal disciplinary process. She had disputed the complaints and also referred to the average workload of 75,000 per year and her having completed 37,000 examinations in one year, almost half of the total workload when there were five radiologists. The SIMT report was published last week and the council considered it before a meeting on December 6, at which Kerry hospital manager Ferghal Grimes confirmed the report related to Dr Hartigan. The report stated it did not wish to imply any harm was attributable to her, the court heard. The council also considered correspondence from Dr Hartigan. It said Dr Hartigan was at that meeting and she was told its purpose was not to consider the report but that the council had concerns she may be unwell arising from interactions between her and its staff. Dr Hartigan had repeated her objection to being psychiatrically assessed and said she would like to obtain legal advice. Also yesterday, the judge made a suspension order, for protection of the public and pending further order, against Karim El Awad Mohamed,with an address at Blackrock, Stillorgan, Co Dublin, alleged to have registered here to practise medicine under a somewhat different name and different date of birth from details provided to the UK medical authorities. He was suspended there in May 2018 for nine months arising from findings of misconduct against him. It was alleged when filling in the annual form to re-register here in 2017 and 2018, he had not declared there had been conditions attached to his UK registration. A suspension order was separately made, pending further order, against Dr Patricia Sverani Black, whose registered address is Castletown, Co Laois, due to patient safety concerns arising from her alleged prescription practices and over alleged breaches of undertakings concerning her prescription practices. The Union of Students in Ireland, alongside Conradh na Gaeilge are to stage a protest outside Leinster House on Thursday to try to get the Government to reinstate the Gaeltacht Grant. The USI say that with all the other costs associated with third level education the 750 per student is an unfair burden for members who are going to top up their language skills. A woman took 500 worth of cannabis out of her bra in the visiting area of Cork Prison to hand over to her husband in prison in order for it to go on sale in the jail. Geraldine Dewey of 9 Ard na Mara, Cappagh, Kinsale, County Cork, pleaded guilty to a charge of supplying the drug at the prison on April 7. The 46-year-old woman received contact from a person who was not named and this person required her to bring the drugs to the prison while there on a visit to her husband. Defence solicitor, Frank Buttimer, said, she was required, if not prevailed upon, to carry out this act where if she were not to do so there would be consequences for her husband within the prison. She received this package. She was told where to receive it. In a state of great trepidation she went in with it. Whether it was that she was anticipated [by the prison authorities] or was observed by them she was caught. It was not intended for her husband but to be delivered onwards to another. When interviewed she made admissions in relation to her activity. Judge Olann Kelleher put sentencing back for eight weeks to allow time for preparation of a probation report. Sergeant John Kelleher described the background to the offence. On April 7 at Cork prison a prison officer informed gardai he had witnessed an object being passed from a visitor to a prisoner in the visiting room of the prison. Before the prisoner was returned to his cell he was searched and handed over a quantity of suspected controlled substance. Ms Dewey admitted to bringing suspected cannabis resin to the prison and also admitted the substance was cannabis. She admitted taking the cannabis from her bra and passing it to her husband Mark Dewey whom she was visiting. She admitted the drugs were intended for sale in the prison. A cert of analysis returned a positive result for cannabis. The drug had an estimated street value of 500, Sgt Kelleher said. Sgt Kelleher said Geraldine Dewey had previous convictions for assaults and other offences but none related to drugs. Adjourning the case for the probation report, Judge Kelleher said, I suggest she co-operate fully for her own sake. The woman in a "love triangle" that allegedly resulted in a man being stabbed to death has told a murder trial: "It is my fault. If I had never brought him to my house he would be still alive. I'm so sorry." Claire McGrath also told the trial that the deceased "burst in" to the room where she was arguing with the accused and said "she's mine now" before the fatal row broke out. Ms McGrath has been giving evidence in the trial of 40-year-old Keith Connorton of Deerpark Avenue, Tallaght who has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Graham McKeever (32) at the accused man's home on February 18, 2017. He is on trial at the Central Criminal Court. Claire McGrath arrives at the Central Criminal Court in Dublin today. Picture: Collins The witness told prosecution counsel Brendan Grehan SC that she is still in a relationship with the accused man. They moved into the apartment at Deerpark Avenue in November 2014 having previously spent time together in homeless accommodation. They have one son together. By February 2017 they were having problems and often argued, particularly over Mr Connorton's drug use, she said. They had a "rocky patch" for about a year and while Mr Connorton still lived at the apartment they did not share a bed. He slept on the couch and their son slept in the spare bedroom. She said: "We fought all the time but we both love each other and wanted to keep trying." She knew the deceased since childhood, she said. He was two years ahead of her in school and they met again when she started volunteering to work with the homeless. "We made a connection," she said, and "one thing led to another". They had been seeing each other romantically behind Mr Connorton's back, texting one another and meeting up, for about six weeks before Mr McKeever's death. They took things "to the next level" about two weeks before his death. 'A bad lapse of judgment' On the afternoon of February 17 she had an argument with Mr Connorton. He was "intoxicated" on tablets, she said, and she told him to come back when he was sober. She then invited Mr McKeever to spend the night with her "in a romantic way". She bought a bottle of West Coast Cooler, he bought six cans of cider. Ms McGrath became upset as she revealed that the accused had a key to the patio door. "I don't know why I thought he wouldn't come back. He always does," she said, adding: "It was just a bad lapse of judgment." Mr McKeever arrived some time before 7pm. They had a drink, watched television, played with her son. The child went to bed at about 9pm and she and Mr McKeever did the "usual romantic things". They kissed on the couch and between 3.30am and 4.30am they went to bed. They started to kiss and undress and were "planning to have sex" when Ms McGrath heard a noise from the kitchen. She said, "that's Keith" and told Mr McKeever, "stay here". She went to the kitchen wearing a dressing gown, underwear and a bra. In the kitchen Mr Connorton was cutting a piece of cannabis with a kitchen knife. He seemed "tired and cold", his nose was red and he had a jacket and hat on. "He wanted to get into bed," she said. She asked him why he was there and told him to "get out", that they had broken up two days ago. "I tried to cover my own ass," she said. He realised what she was wearing, that she wouldn't be dressed like that if sleeping alone, and asked her: "Is there somebody there?" He started to cry, she said, and they started to argue while he still had the knife in his hand. He told her he loved her, had ordered rings and was planning to propose to her. He was "angry" and "upset" as he asked: "How could you do this to me?" He was "disgusted" with her, she said, and his body language scared her although she didn't think his anger was directed at her. She moved backwards, she said, and fell across the arm of a couch. Mr Connorton was standing in front of her with the knife in his hand. She said: "I don't even think he realised he had it. He was so focused on the fact that someone else was in his bed." When Ms McGrath fell across the couch she let out a noise, like "aah or ouch" and that was when Mr McKeever "burst in" and said: "She's mine now." Mr McKeever "charged into him like a bull," the witness said. She said the deceased is a much bigger man and knocked Mr Connorton across the room and onto a child's chair. "He beat the crap out of Keith," she said, adding that it was like Mr Connorton was letting Mr McKeever hit him in the face and although he had the knife he wasn't using it. The witness said that Mr Connorton was telling Mr McKeever to get out, Mr McKeever was saying, "she's mine" and Ms McGrath was telling them both to stop. At the time she did not think that Mr McKeever had a knife but she said a knife photographed by gardai on the floor of the apartment did not belong to her and must have been brought there by the deceased. He must, she said, have brought it with him from the bedroom. She suggested Mr Connorton might have been trying to defend himself from that knife and that this would explain why he was letting Mr McKeever punch him repeatedly in the face. She took the kitchen knife off Mr Connorton after Mr McKeever had been stabbed. The deceased said: "He got me," and started hitting Mr Connorton again but as he was punching him he turned and fell to the ground. When they realised Mr McKeever was dead the accused became angry with Ms McGrath and headbutted her, the witness said. He then said to her: "How could you do this to me? It's your fault." She began to cry as she added: "It is my fault. If I had never brought him to my house he would be still alive. I'm so sorry." The headbutt left her dizzy, bleeding and with two black eyes. Mr Connorton said goodbye to his son and left before gardaii and paramedics arrived. She spoke to gardai shortly afterwards but she said she may not have given the "the full extent of what had gone on" in her statement. She was on Valium at the time and in shock and the seriousness of the situation had not yet hit her. The trial continues tomorrow in front of Justice Tony Hunt and a jury of nine men and three women. Digital Desk By Gordon Deegan The Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) has found that former CEO of charity, Ataxia Ireland, Barbara Flynn was unfairly dismissed from her post. In his ruling, WRC Adjudication Officer, Eugene Hanly, has ordered that Ms Flynn be re-instated into her role and that her outstanding remuneration be paid to her. In her role since December 2001, Ms Flynn was dismissed for gross misconduct on March 30th of this year and the amount owed to her in pay would be around 43,190 based on her monthly pay of 5,390. Mr Hanly has also ordered the charity to pay Ms Flynn 9,950 as she was entitled to eight weeks notice. However, it is not clear if Ms Flynn will have any job to go back to as a letter from Ataxia Ireland to the WRC stated that the charity is in the process of closing down and the process is almost complete. Mr Hanly made his ruling that Ms Flynn's dismissal was substantially and procedurally unfair based on the uncontested evidence of Ms Flynn over her dismissal as the charity did not attend the WRC hearing. Mr Hanly stated that as the charity did not attend, it had not discharged the burden of proof and he is obliged to accept the complainants uncontested evidence. In his ruling, Mr Hanly found that the employer did not carry out a detailed disciplinary investigation due to the stand-off that developed between the two parties. Mr Hanly stated: I find that as a result the Complainant was unable to defend herself. The charity announced its closure in May of this year stating that it no longer has the trust of its members or the wider public and this makes fundraising impossible both currently and into the future. Ataxia Ireland was set up in 1980 to support people and families living with Friedreichs Ataxia, a genetic and progressive disorder of the central nervous system. However, the charity was plunged into crisis in 2017 after a report by inspectors from the Charities Regulator uncovered 84,009 in payments to the founders of the charity, former Trustees and parents of Ms Flynn, Clare and Tim Creedon. The report also highlighted 38,000 in payments being made to Ms Flynns pension fund from charity funds rather than being deducted from her salary. In November 2017, Ms Flynn brought judicial review proceedings in the High Court challenging the findings of the Charities Regulators inspectors report. Ms Flynn told the High Court that her parents initially worked for the charity on an entirely voluntary basis for almost 25 years and 13 years respectively. On October 4, 2017, Ms Flynn was suspended by the charity pending an independent investigation. The charity later abandoned the independent investigation following Ms Flynn commencing her judicial review proceedings. However, in February 2018, the charity launched a fresh investigation into the payments to Ms Flynns parents and the pension payments to her. On March 30, Ms Flynn was informed by the charity in writing that she was being dismissed for gross misconduct as trust had irretrievably broken. However, Ms Flynn told the WRC that she was not given an opportunity to defend herself or offered the right of appeal. Ms Flynn claimed that she was denied fair procedure and natural justice. At the hearing, when asked about the 38,000 pension overpayment, Ms Flynn stated that this overpayment was caused by a software error. Ms Flynn accepted that an overpayment was made and she offered to repay 500 per month, and given the tax relief granted, the outstanding sum was 19,000. On the payments to her parents, Ms Flynn stated that her father received the payments from 2005 to 2015 and her mother from 1990s to 2016. She said that the charity was founded by them and run from their home and that these payments were approved by the Management Committee and received approval from the Auditor and Revenue. Ms Flynn pointed out that a full Revenue audit was conducted in 2012 and it was found to be in compliance. In terms of looking for new work, Ms Flynn stated that she has applied for positions in UCD, The Hermitage Clinic, Blackrock Clinic and Sandyford Estate, without success. Ms Flynn said that she has applied for 20 to 30 jobs in the last six months and has not worked since the date of dismissal. Novel phase change memory (PCM) materials can work a thousand times faster than current flash memory chips, while being significantly more durable. Using the research neutron source of the Technical University of Munich (TUM), German and American researchers have gained important insights into this promising domain. Phase change memories store data by altering the state of the matter of the individual bits between liquid like glassy and crystal states. An electromagnetic field, heat or light pulses switch between the phases. The technology has the potential to provide inexpensive, high-speed, high-density storage. Corporations such as Intel, IBM and Samsung have thus been trying to implement the principle of phase change memories for a long time in technically usable products. There is still a lack of clarity on how the material manages the phase changes on such short time scales and how to control the changes with necessary precision. A thousand times faster and yet more stable Now, a team of scientists from Arizona State University, RWTH Aachen University, the University of Saarland and the Technical University of Munich describes how an alloy of germanium, antimony and tellurium could work a thousand times faster than current flash memory. At the same time, the memory can be read much more frequently. They found that this special mixture allowed the phase changes to be delimited more sharply and controlled more reproducibly than using other materials investigated so far. Glassy solid liquid In their work, the scientists headed by Dr. Shuai Wei (RWTH) and Dr. Zachary Evenson (TUM) investigated the alloy in its glassy-liquid state by way of neutron scattering at the Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Center in Garching. "The high resolution and high flux of the neutron time-of-flight spectrometer at the Technical University of Munich FRM II neutron source was necessary to see the details of the atomic movements, Dr. Zachary Evenson, who was an instrument scientist at TUM at the time. Contradicting Einstein The researchers believe that mixing germanium, antimony, and tellurium in a specific ratio will cause both the density maxima and the associated metal-to-metal transitions to occur below the melting point, making the transition much more distinct than in other such compounds. In fact, they even show that an equation that Albert Einstein used in his doctoral thesis does not apply to their material: It describes the movement of particles like a sphere that sinks into a jar of honey. Hitherto, the applicability of this equation was also assumed for the phase change memories. "Our results prove that this equation is not valid at temperatures above the melting point," say the physicists in their study. Zero and one Above the phase transition, the liquid has a low viscosity and crystallization occurs quickly. Below, however, the liquid solidifies rapidly and retains the poorly conductive, amorphous state. In "nanoscopic bits", this state is preserved practically indefinitely. Applying a short pulse of heat causes the temperature to rise quickly locally, thereby transitioning the bit into the conducting state within nanoseconds. This corresponds to a bit in position "1". A longer pulse, e.g. from an infrared laser, followed by rapid cooling, returns the bit to the poorly conductive state, the "0" position. Now in its fourth year, the annual iWish conference inspires young women to pursue careers in STEM, writes Ciara McDonnell Tara MacCarthy is in her second year studying Quantitative Business in UCD. When she is finished her course, the 20-year-old from Rochestown, Cork, will be highly trained in business analytics and will be able to work in companies as diverse as Google, investment banking, and consulting. A career in STEM is something that Ms MacCarthy was always interested in, compounded by her visit to the first-ever iWish conference in Cork in 2014. I always wanted to go into this field, she tells me on a break from the UCD library. I loved maths and science and wanted to be able to find a way to combine to two. iWish, a conference dedicated to opening young girls minds to the kind of career choices that STEM subjects can bring about, hosted an event for 1,000 transition year girls in 2014, and Tara was one of them. I loved how interactive it was. To see all these speakers who were relatable and in careers that I hadnt even considered was really inspiring. I loved how informal the conference was, and how I could approach any company who was exhibiting and ask them questions I had about their business. iWish has grown exponentially over the last four years, with events in Dublin and Cork and almost 6,000 girls pre-registered for the 2019 event, taking place in February. It may have grown in size, says co-founder Caroline ODriscoll, but the core ethos of the event has not changed. When we started out on the iWish journey we were looking at all of the companies in the region who were operating through STEM and a lot of those companies saying that we needed to find more talent, she explains. For us the obvious question was why are we leaving half that talent pool behind? We could see from colleges that less than 20% of girls in college were studying technology courses. Not a lot has changed in that respect in the last four years except that technology is now driving the agenda forward. Right now, we need to be concerned with the growth of technology, and what that means for traditional careers. If you look at the World Economic Forums projections to 2020, five million jobs will be lost in the top 15 economies and we believe those job losses will fall disproportionately on women, because women arent taking up the courses in college that will enable them to take part in the careers of tomorrow, says Ms ODriscoll. There was a report recently from McKinsey which said that because of the rate of technological growth in robotics and AI, 800 million jobs in the world will be lost by 2030 thats a fifth of the entire global workforce. This is not a time to be afraid, cautions Ms ODriscoll, rather to upskill and ensure that we are continually taking note of global change. A statistic I love is that 65% of primary students today will work in jobs that dont yet exist. That tells us that there will be new jobs, there will be new economies, but we will leave girls further behind if we cant get them to participate. Ms MacCarthy says that the perception of careers in STEM is still something that girls rail against, and it neednt be the case. Right now, all technology is on a trajectory upwards and its the area that people should focus on. Girls need to realise that it doesnt mean being in a lab coat all day; you are actually out there in the world effecting change. The best bit about a career in STEM is being able to do the science bit but also be able to help and explain it to people who dont have an idea what youre talking about. This notion of helping is a key issue for young women pursuing STEM as a career, says Ms ODriscoll. Every year we survey the girls in attendance and the one piece of feedback that comes out every year is that over 80% of girls want a career where they can help other people, but they dont see how STEM facilitates that. We need to widen our parameters of what appears to be a helping profession, she believes. Girls can see helping in nursing or teaching but actually we would say theres another side to that. If you look at the STEM careers, everything from climate change to medical technology you can bring about major change. At CUMH theyve developed algorithms that detect seizures in premature babies, so they can intervene earlier; this is all from data, this is STEM. Last year iWish introduced a Teacher Zone to the conference, thanks to feedback from their attendees that teachers are one of the greatest influences on a girls career choice. Ms MacCarthy agrees. Mr Sheehy taught me physics at St Angelas College and he brought in past students who were doing physics in different applications, and this was fascinating to me because there were lots of different careers that I hadnt really heard of. To meet young women who were early enough on in their career that we as students could relate to them was amazing. Ms ODriscoll wants to drive home one message to every girl who attends the iWish conference in 2019. Each year we hear that not all paths are straightforward; some may not have done honours maths, or others may have come at it a different way and I think thats important for all children. The pace of change has been so extraordinary and will be even more extraordinary again that things like problem solving, analytical skills, critical thinking we need to focus less about the job and more about the skills that children need to take them to the jobs of tomorrow, because we cant predict them yet. iWish takes place at City Hall, Cork, February 7 and 8, 2019, and RDS, Dublin, February 11 and 12. To register attendance, log onto http://www.iwish.ie/ A new play in aid of Cork Penny Dinners has been informed by real stories of life on the streets. writes Colette Sheridan A play about homelessness, Heres a Penny, set at Christmas time, has an air of authenticity about it because this devised drama, directed by Marion Wyatt, is based on people who, for various reasons, have ended up sleeping on the streets. One of the cast has experienced homelessness but doesnt want to be identified. Wyatt was talked into creating the play by Caitriona Twomey, head volunteer at Cork Penny Dinners. The idea was to come up with a drama, inspired by the charitys anthem Penny For Your Thoughts. Written by musician, Malcolm Urquhart, the song has been recorded by the High Hopes Choir who will perform at the end of the play every night. The score has been created by Orla Daly. The production, at the Cork Arts Theatre, is in aid of Cork Penny Dinners. Wyatt, who recently raised funds for the charity through an exhibition of her visual art work, says while she has never experienced homelessness, she has felt vulnerable. Through the years, because of working in theatre, Ive known hungry days back in the 80s when myself and my family werent secure, says Wyatt. But Ive always had family and friends that I could lean on. Wyatt was given stories by Twomey about homeless people she has encountered and helped. With the permission of these people, their experiences and struggles are used in the play. Caitriona Twomey has educated me about the homeless. Homelessness is not as cut and dry as being solely a result of addiction, remarks Wyatt. The stories Ive heard are sometimes about abuse. A person can end up on the streets because of mental, physical, emotional, or sexual abuse. We dont shy away from that in the play. Caitriona has also spoken about the people who wear suits but cant pay their mortgage. Wyatt is angry at the fact Irelands homelessness crisis is ongoing. She directed an adaptation of A Christmas Carol at the Cork Arts Theatre two years ago, also in aid of Cork Penny Dinners. Dominic Moore plays man, the main character in Heres a Penny, who is aged fifty. The play is one day in the life of this man. Its his journey through Cork City and its about the things that happen to him and the people he encounters. Moore, who has spoken to homeless people, is passionate about the plight of citizens without a roof over their head. I guess what were trying to say is that there are a lot of people who are suffering really deeply on a day-to-day basis in this city. How do we help them? Do we help them by giving them a fiver? Or do we help them by smiling at them or giving them a tuna sandwich that they dont like, but we dont know that? What we hope this play will do is inform the audience that the best way of helping the homeless is to write to their local representatives and try to improve the system that were in. While Moore believes it is the system that is failing people, he adds: The homeless are not entirely blameless. Sometimes, maybe its easier to pretend to be a baby so that you can get what you want day to day. We should give the homeless hope to help them overcome the powerlessness they feel and show them that theres a better way. The character Moore plays is a composite of various homeless men. Does he have addictions? We dont say. There are hints that maybe he had a troubled home life. We dont really want to concentrate on addictions because they can be a symptom rather than a cause. Maybe the character had a troubled childhood. Maybe he might drink a little bit too much. The homeless need to stand on their own two feet and get the help they need and not in a bottle of whiskey. Heres a Penny is at Cork Arts Theatre on December 12-19. Consumer advice with Grainne McGuinness The festive shopping season is in full swing but a Cork mortgage adviser is warning prospective house hunters that their activity now could influence their chances of getting the best mortgage months into 2019. If becoming a house owner is one of your New Years resolutions, Joey Sheahan, head of credit at MyMortgages.ie, says this is the time to get your finances in order. He expects a lot of activity in January. This is an important time for first-time mortgage applicants in advance of lending exemptions opening again in 2019, he said. The latest mortgage figures reveal that mortgages are increasing in terms of volume and value and that first-time buyers remain the single largest segment by volume. As it stands, first-time buyers have two options comply with the general lending regulations or aim to be included as part of the bank exemptions allowed. The exemptions allow a limit of 90% loan-to-value to apply on the first 220,000 of the property value, rather than being bound by a loan-to income restriction of 3.5 times gross annual income. While not all banks are entirely closed to exemptions, most have reached their exemption quota, said Mr Sheahan. However, applicants will not have long to wait until exemptions open again in January 2019. There will be a lot of competition for the exemptions so mortgage seekers should do what they can to make their accounts approval-friendly. Applying for a mortgage is a big undertaking, and one which needs to start months before the application forms are even looked at, said Mr Sheahan. You might only get one bite at the cherry with a lender so its crucial you put your best foot forward. Before they will give any consideration to a mortgage application, a bank will first look at the applicants credit history and their recent banking history. Ultimately, what they are looking for is a capacity to repay any loan tendered and a propensity to do so, as evidenced by past behaviour. There are several red flags that will put a lender off in part, or perhaps in full, and applicants must ensure that these are not raised on their application. Behaviours he suggests lenders will see as red flags include evidence of online gambling on your bank/credit card statements, erratic spending patterns, and, obviously, a poor credit rating. What lenders want to see above all is stability of income and outgoings. Their ideal mortgage applicant is one whose bank statement clearly shows that they will be able to meet their repayments. If you are saving, make it a regular, visible amount moving from your current account, and staying in savings. Regular dipping back into those funds to cover day-to-day spending, or putting money away in random amounts, look far less stable to your bank. Mr Sheahan advises mortgage seekers to make sure rent is paid through their bank account. Your accounts should show an individual (or couple/family) clearly living within their means. Even if you have an approved overdraft facility, it is better not to use it on a regular basis and going overdrawn without approval is a definite no-no. Cash advances on a credit card are an expensive way to access funds because you start paying interest immediately. Avoid, even if on holidays, because it looks like a clear sign of overspending. Clear your card balance in full each month. We should aim to do this anyway, as credit cards are high-interest debt, but it also shows you are in clear control of your spending. Dont be put off applying because you are self-employed or under contract. Yes, being in permanent employment is a plus. But applicants will be reviewed on a case by case basis. If you are self-employed ensure that you have all your accounts fully up to date and all relevant returns filed with Revenue. Applying for a mortgage can seem daunting but 10,873 new mortgages to the value of 2,369m were drawn down by borrowers in Ireland during the third quarter of 2018 alone. Despite the negative news coverage, many people are getting mortgages and finding homes in 2019, it could be you. Deal of the week Technology remains a popular Christmas gift, and Vodafones latest offer is good-value option for shoppers who have multiple gifts to buy. The retailer is currently offering three-for-the-price-of-two on all their accessories under 50, and there are a number of items that would get a warm welcome under the tree on Christmas morning. You can treat music lovers to Bluetooth-enabled headphones, with iFrogz Coda headphones available in black or rose gold for 25. There are also in-ear and earbud options. Sports fans will appreciate the Irish Rugby-themed accessories, including a Jamie Heaslip powerbank and Team Of Us branded covers. The range includes a large number of phone covers, from patterned and slim-fitting cases for 14.90 up to sturdy Otterbox cover for just under 50. There are also Bluetooth headsets, Bluetooth speakers, memory cards, cables and a desktop switch that promises to Increase the speed of your computer network. You can purchase the range in store or at Vodafone.ie. The prospect of living alone on an island has crossed many peoples minds but few get the opportunity to live the dream. First, you have to find an island with reasonable living accommodation. Second, you have to ensure an adequate source of supplies, food especially, and transport to the mainland in the event of difficulty. Third, you will need some sort of human contact or you will probably lose your marbles. Few have managed the achievement successfully for a period of years. A musician in Co Donegal lived on Inishfree for around 20 years up to recently. And an elderly man once eked out a living on the minute Inishaghoo near Achill Island in Co Mayo. The former stuntman for Charlies Angels, Pascal Whelan, lived alone on Omey Island, Co Galway for a number of years. There are others, of course, but hardly any as redoubtable as Elizabeth Gallagher (nee Clerkin), known as Beezie. In time, Cottage Island came to be known as Beezies Island or Gallaghers Island, but no maps describe it thus. Perhaps Beezie was inspired by WB Yeats who wrote Lake Isle of Inisfree about a small wooded island 3km east on Lough Gill and thereby immortalising it in the process: And I shall have some peace there, for peace comes dropping slow Beezie was born on the island in the 1860s before spending her young adulthood in service to the Wynne family of Hazelwood House. She later returned to see out her days in peace and tranquility on the island. She lived in harmony with nature and had a reputation as an animal love. One visitor reported swans eating from her hand in her own kitchen. When her husband, a cattle dealer, died she continued to live on the island. When she got older she would walk to the jetty in front of her house every Friday and climb into her small boat and row 8km into Sligo to collect her pension. Beezies Island, lies in the western part of Lough Gill just down the Garavogue River from Sligo town. The lake has about 20 islands including the largest, Chapel Island, as well as Fairys Island, Monks Island, Swam Island and Wolfs Island. In an article in 1944 The Irish Press reported: Alone now and nearer 80 than 70, Mrs Clerkin keeps nine goats rather than nine bean rows and supplies hot water to picnic parties. And the picnickers were regular enough, arriving by boat from Sligo to pick primroses, heather and blackberries. Taking excursions to the then Cottage Island was a long-established tradition long. The Sligo Champion in 1898 reported on a party of 120 workers from the Irish Railway Clearing House visiting Sligo. When Gallaghers Island was reached, a disembarkation took place, and soon Mrs Gallaghers picturesque cottage was cleared of every drop of buttermilk in it, and there was also a clearance of lemonade and soda water. In the severe winter of 1947 Beezie was cut off by the frozen lake and had to be rescued by locals who dragged her boat with her in it to the safety of the shore. Her dog and cat had died and she hadnt eaten in two days, reported The Western People. There were only a few sticks lighting in the hearth. Members of the Garda Siochana and others who took part in the rescue did so at considerable risk, wrote the paper. The first thing she asked for was a pinch of snuff, said The Sligo Champion. However, when the weather improved back she went. In 1948 The Irish Press returned on the occasion of Beezies 75th birthday and found her seated before a wood fire, a colourful figure in her knitted red skirt and green cardigan. Clearly, no worse for her experience in the big freeze. Sadly, Beezie died when her house was engulfed in flames not long after this. An amazing character. Not many people can say they have an island named after them. There is a small church ruin on Beezies island which had connections to the White Canons of the Premonstratensian order (modern day Norbertines) which in the twelfth century had a church on Trinity Island, Lough Key, Co Roscommon. As English language teaching continues to grow, protections for teachers are required at this point, writes Leon Vaughan Portobello is no place to be left standing in the bitter December cold. I was there this week. I stood, I listened, I took note. I have been teaching English since 2010 in Thailand, Korea, and Australia. English was my round-the-world ticket. We rarely remind ourselves how the English invented the language but the Irish perfected it. For me, it is a profession, not a summer job. Learners tell me my teaching methods work. Im from Clare, I speak with a western accent, and am proud of my language. We Irish speak up and out. Ireland sits in an entirely unique place in the world with regard to English language teaching (ELT). There are several reasons for this. One is Brexit. In a post-Brexit world, Dublin will be the English-speaking capital of Europe. Dublin has international teachers who choose to work in Ireland precisely because we are amazing at what we do here. We speak their language. The industry pulls in more than 700m per year. We are sitting on a gold mine that has grown from our ability, like my ability, to talk our way into business. As this industry continues to grow, protections for teachers are required at this point. Grafton College employed 23 teachers, four academic, three administrative, and three maintenance staff. The premises in Portobello was a hive of activity from 9 to 5 every weekday. I have worked in Grafton College since April 2018. All of the time I worked in the school I was paid by cheque. Last week, we gave our bank details to be paid by direct debit. Some of us actually thought the school was improving. But like all things in ELT, beware of false dawns. Friday nothing, Saturday nothing, Sunday liquidated. Companies which can walk away from an ELT school like this, are not the companies with whom Ireland should be doing business. We shouldnt even speak with them. Remember, governments set regulations for all industries. Where are ours? If we are opening to new markets and new people, lets set out our stall: Yes, we are open for business and dialogue in Ireland but on our terms. Not one person that Marketing English in Ireland helped last Monday is Irish. The stress hung in the air on Monday night as Grafton College was occupied by educators on the brink. My job is to teach grammar, pronunciation, and vocabulary but I was lost for words as groups gathered to support staff. By 9am Tuesday, the locks were changed and the P45s were still unaccounted for. Solidarity messages from around the world flooded in. Salaries and wages for the staff vanished into the chilly morning. Portobello is no place to be left standing in the bitter December cold. In 2015 the system effectively broke after Seda College took a court case against the Accreditation and Co-ordination of English Language Services. It mounted proceedings against the minister and the Qualifications and Quality Assurance Authority of Ireland, which operates the accreditation system. Statutory footing has been on unregulated ground since. The headache continues. Employees rights have been deliberately unprotected since day one. The precariats remain precarious. By contrast, teachers in Australia earn up to $120 an hour, can buy land, and can get mortgages. They are not in situations like in Grafton College. I saw the spectrum of possibilities when I worked in a private school in South Korea in 2010. My school in Thailand had a 40-hour work week. Twenty hours paid teaching and guess what? Twenty hours paid planning. ELT in Dublin is not a summer job straight out of school. English language teachers are not looking to turn a quick buck and run. We are professionals. We are mandated to teach learners to a certain level in 25 weeks. Minister Joe McHugh, as a speaker of the Irish language, surely knows how difficult this is. Our teaching abilities are at the forefront of language teaching methodologies in the world. I teach using the communicative approach. How much simpler can I communicate my message: Protect educators. This industry will fall on its sword if not attended to quickly. Teaching is learning and teachers learn quickly. When you are left on the brink for so long you see your options clearly. Teachers emigrate just as quickly as the business owners walk away. Visa factories will pop up again, the directors will pocket wages, an English teacher will work 165 hours unpaid... again. But for now, they have left the teachers unpaid before Christmas. Leon Vaughan is an ESL (English as a second language) teacher in Dublin. The British Prime Minister has met with her Dutch counterpart, and is now heading to Berlin and then Brussels. Liberal Democrats leader Vince Cable wants to see more action from the Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn. Tax relief and other fiscal measures announced by French President Emmanuel Macron to try to calm nationwide protests will cost 10bn, the government has said. In parliament, prime minister Edouard Philippe backed Mr Macron's measures, calling them "massive" and proof that he "has heard the anger". After weeks of often violent demonstrations by so-called yellow vest protesters, the president responded on Monday with measures to boost the spending power of retirees and workers, including a 100 hike in the minimum monthly wage. Retreating in the face of yellow vest demands is proving to be a costly exercise. The government says the total bill of conciliatory climbdowns so far will be around 10bn. That includes around 6bn for Mr Macron's new measures announced on Monday and the estimated loss of 3.9bn the government will no longer levy from its now abandoned carbon tax hike on fossil fuels. The protests, including blockades of roads, have also caused economic losses to businesses that have lost customers in city and town centres hit by rioting. There have also been five protest-related deaths and 1,407 people injured, 46 of them seriously, according to the government's count. More demonstrations are expected on Saturday. Mr Philippe said the government wants to make jobs pay better without hurting business competitiveness. Government spokesman Benjamin Griveaux said the government will make savings in the state budget to help finance the measures. Built in 2008, the three-story mansion has 8 baths, a two-story foyer, 11-foot ceilings on the main level, refinished hardwood floors, two master suites and a finished lower level with an in-law arrangement, all on a 0.79-acre lot. The mansions previous owner, real estate lawyer Robert Lattas, was found guilty in 2015 of bank fraud for his role in a mortgage fraud scheme and pleaded guilty to more charges in 2016. In October, Lattas was sentenced to 63 months in federal prison. Burma Election Commission Rejects Name of Proposed Mon Political Party Leaders of the Mon National Party and All Mon Region Democracy Party pose for a photo in Moulmein Township, Mon State, on June 24, 2018. / MNP / Facebook The Union Election Commission (UEC) has rejected organizers application to register a new ethnic Mon political party on grounds that its name is unacceptable, according to a Mon leader. A group of ethnic Mon politicians met UEC members on Tuesday in Naypyitaw after the commission rejected their application to register the new organization as the Mon Party, Nai Layae Tama said. They told us at the meeting that our proposed name implied the new party was the only one representing ethnic Mon people. They said this could cause a problem if another Mon party was set up in the future, and told us to choose another name, Nai Layae Tama said. We told them that the name was chosen by the Mon people, not us. Thats why we wanted this name, he said. However, the party founders agreed to rename it the Mon Unity Party. This name was also chosen by the Mon people, though it was the second-most-popular choice, he said. We told [the UEC] the new name at the meeting, but we havent officially adopted it yet, as we need authorization from our leaders, Nai Layae Tama said. The new party is the result of a merger of the Mon National Party (MNP) and All Mon Regional for Democracy Party (AMRDP). They agreed to join forces in September. In 2015, they won a combined total of four seats in the state legislature, where the National League for Democracy holds a majority. The new party has a central committee of 100 members and a central executive committee of 44 members, with former MNP and AMRDP members each holding 50 percent of the posts. The new party plans to run in the 2020 election. Burma Myanmar Free Speech Activist Wins Dutch Human Rights Award Maung Saung Kha smiles upon his release from custody in May 2016. / Myo Min Soe / The Irrawaddy YANGON Myanmar free speech activist Maung Saung Kha has won the Human Rights Tulip award from the Netherlands, becoming the first person bestowed with the honor in the country. The Human Rights Tulip is an annual prize awarded by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs to a person or organization that has made an outstanding contribution to defending human rights worldwide. This year, Dutch embassies across the world bestowed country-specific Tulip awards to local human rights defenders. The Dutch Embassy in Yangon says the award is intended to encourage and inspire a new generation of human rights advocates. Maung Saung Kha, the founder and executive director of Yangon-based freedom of expression advocacy group Athan, will receive the Human Rights Tulip Myanmar 2018 in Yangon on Tuesday. The 25-year-old said he welcomed the award an international recognition for his group. I was awarded not just because of me but me and Athan. Plus, were it not for the support of democracy and human rights activists, we wouldnt have kept our freedom of expression movement alive, he told The Irrawaddy. Founded in January, Athan is one of only a few advocacy groups focusing on freedom of expression in Myanmar. From the beginning, the group has put a spotlight on issues challenging freedom of expression in Myanmar, such as the controversial Telecommunication Law and Peaceful Assembly and Procession Law. It also carefully documents cases posing a threat to freedom of expression in the country while lobbying lawmakers and educating the public about the importance of free speech. Freedom of expression and assembly in Myanmar are currently perceived by many as on the decline. As of Tuesday, according to Athan, the country has two journalists in jail, 164 cases in the courts under Article 66 (d) of the Telecommunication Law, and 51 peace activists on trial. Maung Saung Kha said he used to believe that there would be more freedom of expression under a government led by the National League for Democracy. Seeing people brought to trial for criticizing government activities shows that it hasnt lived up to our hope, he said. The poet-cum-activist was arrested himself under Article 66 (d) in 2015 for posting a verse on social media with a risque rhyme about an unnamed president. I felt very bad because I was arrested for writing a poem, he said. Its partly because I am now seriously involved in promoting freedom of expression as I dont want others to see a fate like mine. News Fake Monk Suspected of Burglarizing Naypyitaw Homes Arrested in Bago Khaye Housing in Naypyitaw. / Kyaw Myo / The Irrawaddy BAGO REGION, Prome Police have arrested a man who allegedly posed as a Buddhist monk to scope out the homes of people he would burglarize in Naypyitaw. On Saturday the suspect allegedly went a step further and robbed Central Bank of Myanmar Director Daw Lei Lei Nu of more than 300,000 kyats ($193) in her apartment in Khaye Housing in Naypyitaws Zabuthiri Township. Major Than Tun Aung, head of Bago Regions Prome Township police force, said he was arrested Monday in Promes Wat Hti Kan Village. He doesnt have a religious ID card. His name is Maung Maung and he is a native of Wat Hti Kan, he told The Irrawaddy. Sub-Lieutenant Than Min Soe of the Wat Hti Kan police station said local police made the arrest on instructions from Naypyitaw police. Maung Maung allegedly scoped out his targets by visiting the homes of Buddhist devotees while dressed as a monk. Responding to a complaint from the bank director. Naypyitaw police visited multiple monasteries and identified the suspect as Maung Maung, who had been squatting near some government staff quarters in Bawgatheikdi Ward. Police say they learned that he had been burglarizing homes in Naypyitaw for some time and that he had already returned to Prome, where local police were asked to make the arrest. Zabuthiri Township police have opened a case against Maung Maung under Article 386 of the Penal Code for extortion by putting a person in fear of death or grievous hurt. If found guilty, he could be sentenced to up to 10 years in jail. Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko. News Gov't Says Most Locals Support Ex-Dictator's Son's Inle Lake Hotel Project A sign marks the core conservation zone on Inle Lake in Shan State in December 2017. / Htet Naing Zaw / The Irrawaddy NAYPYITAW The Presidents Office claims that most residents of a township along Shan States famed Inle Lake are in favor of a hotel project by the son of former dictator Than Shwe. In September, the Presidents Office received a petition signed by more than 4,000 lakeside residents opposing plans by the Myanmar Naing Group, owned by U Tun Naing Shwe, to build a hotel on 90 acres of land by the lake in Mai Thaut Village, Yawnghwe Township. The following month, on orders from the Presidents Office, a team of local government officials and lawmakers launched an inspection of the project. When the team made a field inspection, they found that the majority supported [the project] and only a minority opposed it, the director-general of the Presidents Office, U Zaw Htay, told reporters in Naypyitaw on Saturday. He added that the team had not yet submitted its final report, however. The team conducted a petition drive for the project and collected more than 15,000 signatures in the 12 villages of Yawnghwe Township. But according to project opponents, people only signed the governments petition on the condition that the hotel does not have any negative environmental impacts on the lake. One of the opponents, U Htein Lwin, of Mongthawk Village, accused those who signed the governments petition of doing so out of personal interests. The company acquired the 90 acres on a former wildlife sanctuary along the lakeshore while Senior General Than Shwe was still in office but did not move forward on the hotel project for five years. It submitted a building permit request in 2016 but soon met resistance from local residents. When the company resubmitted the request in June of this year, opponent organized their petition and submitted it to several government offices. In October, the Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation Ministry said the 90 acres should be turned back into a wildlife sanctuary, as opponents want. Opponents say there are already 14 hotels along or near Inle Lake and that the hotel zone covers some 600 acres. In June 2015, Inle Lake was added to the World Network of Biosphere Reserves and became the first ever biosphere reserve in Myanmar. In September it was designated the fifth of Myanmars Wetlands of International Importance as defined by the Ramsar Convention. Translated from Burmese by Thet Ko Ko. World Malaysia Vows Action Against World's Top Glove Maker over Migrants' Illegal Overtime Malaysia's Top Glove Chairman Lim Wee Chai at the company's factory in Meru outside Kuala Lumpur in June 2009. / REUTERS KLANG, Malaysia/LONDONMalaysia said on Monday it would take action against Top Glove Corp. Bhd, the worlds top medical glove maker, which admitted breaching labor laws after a Thomson Reuters Foundation expose found some migrants working illegal overtime. The Thomson Reuters Foundation revealed that migrant workers at the Malaysian company often worked long hours to help clear debts to recruitment agents back home who found them jobsand in some cases exceed the legal overtime limit. The expose has prompted investigations by the British government, after finding some Top Glove supplies were used in UK hospitals, and by Australian rubber giant Ansell. It was also raised as a concern by a European parliamentarian. Top Gloves share price fell about 5.9 percent on Monday to 5.55 Malaysian ringgit ($1.33). Speaking at a press conference in Malaysia, Top Gloves Executive Chairman and Founder Lim Wee Chai said a small number of workers had done excessive overtime and the company would continue to improve its labor standards. We do our part, we do it correctly, we have no pressure, we still can sleep very well tonight, he told reporters at a Top Glove factory in Klang, an industrial area outside Kuala Lumpur. We will continue to do good, if there is any feedback, anything no good, we will continue to improve. Lim denied workers were forced to do overtime. Top Glove earlier said it introduced changes this year to ensure adequate rest for workers, with about 11,000 coming from Nepal, Bangladesh, Myanmar and India to work for Top Glove in Malaysia, the worlds glove manufacturing capital. They got options, you cannot force them. Some workers said they dont want to do overtime, thats ok. But most of them come here to make a living, so they want overtime, said Lim. Workers at Top Glove factories often work a 12-hour shift and clock 90 to 120 hours of overtime a month, according to documents seen by the Thomson Reuters Foundation. Under Malaysian laws, workers should be given one rest day each week and work no more than 104 hours of overtime a month. Gloves to British hospitals Top Glove, which produces one in every four pairs of rubber gloves used globally, said last week it would cut ties with unethical recruitment agents, and that action had been taken over the issue of excessive overtime. Malaysias Human Resources Minister M. Kulasegaran said action will be taken against Top Glove for breaching labor laws on overtime hours. [The company] themselves admitted [to this] so we will take the necessary action, Kulasegaran told reporters, after visiting one of Top Gloves 35 Malaysian factories on Monday. We will strictly enforce [the labor law] and we will prevent them from bringing in foreign workers if they breach this regulation, he said, adding that an investigation was ongoing. Malaysias labor ministry said Top Glove could face a fine of up to 10,000 Malaysian ringgit ($2,400) if found guilty of breaching labor laws on excessive overtime. The matter was raised by one European parliamentarian as an example of a human rights violation on a day marking the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. We urgently need corporate responsibility and public procurement free of human rights violations; allegations against Top Glove one more alarming example, tweeted Finnish politician and Vice-President of the European Parliament Heidi Hautala. Since Malaysias new government came to power in May, ousting a corruption-mired coalition, officials have vowed to improve conditions for migrant workers, with about two million registered migrant workers in the country. Britains health ministry said it would investigate standards at Top Glovewhich makes rubber gloves sold to Britains National Health Service (NHS)after being presented with the Thomson Reuters Foundations findings. The Thomson Reuters Foundation discovered that at least one Top Glove product is supplied to the NHS via a British firm. Lim said Top Glove had not received any inquiries or complaint from the British authorities. The Thomson Reuters Foundation on Monday asked 17 companies listed on the NHS Supply Chains online catalogue as glove suppliers whether they sourced their goods from Top Glove. Fourteen of them said they did not. Ansell said it buys six base gloves from Top Glove and none were supplied to the NHS but it was investigating. We have initiated further inquiries on the details of claims made to media outlets in recent days, an Ansell spokesman told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. US-based medical products company Medline said the company sources a handful of items from Top Glove for markets outside of Europe, but it had begun to end its links several months ago after internal audits yielded findings which concerned us. We concluded that termination was the most prudent course of action, said Fadzai Munyaradzi, Medlines corporate social responsibility manager for Europe. Britain-based medical goods supplier Bunzl Healthcare said it sourced some goods from Top Glove, but did not supply to NHS Supply Chain. Kulasegaran, the Malaysian human resources minister, denied a media report that linked Top Glove to unlawful wage deductions and forced labor saying checks found the deductionsincluding for food and workers insurancewere in line with the law. The labor ministry also said workers had access to lockers in which their passports were kept, denying confiscations. The company's local representatives gave the school board an overview of some of its new offerings, including the expansion of programs that recognize there are students that go to school hungry. Tuesday, December 11th, 2018 (5:12 pm) - Score 1,465 The L&Q Group, which houses around 250,000 people in more than 95,000 UK homes (mostly across London and the South East), has announced that they will be working with ISP Community Fibre to deploy their 1Gbps capable ultrafast Fibre-to-the-Premises (FTTP) broadband network to all their residents. According to L&Q, the new deal will mean they become the first [social] housing association to offer ultra-fast, ultra-cheap broadband to all their residents and they claim that it will be the largest scale deployment of full fibre broadband by any UK landlord. The roll-out itself is due to complete by 2020 and should help to support Community Fibres aspiration, which aims to cover more than 1 million UK premises by 2025 (until now theyve already been contracted to build 150,000 and expect to hit 500,000 by 2022). The operator has already raised around 40m (example) to help fund their wider plans. Andy Brown, L&Q Chief Operating Officer, said: Were working hard to make things better, faster and lower-cost for customers. Delivering low-cost connectivity to our residents will enable them to take advantage of the well documented financial, economic and social benefits of being online. Not only will this help them to access our website, it will also support people working at home or looking for employment. Being an early adopter of this technology has given us the opportunity to negotiate great rates for our customers. We want to future-proof our properties so that our residents will be able to benefit from advancements such as mixed-reality technology as they are developed, rather than years later. Jeremy Chelot, CEO of Community Fibre, added: We are delighted to be working with L&Q to offer the UKs fastest Gigabit services across their nationwide portfolio. L&Qs commitment to make more affordable, flexible and better internet available to all their residents has made it easy for Community Fibre to bring this expansion to reality. This partnership showcases how an innovative approach from a housing association can help us to provide a network for the future, and offer the best in connectivity to customers. Apparently the first location to benefit will be The Ocean Estate in Stepney Green. On top of that the ISP will work with the L&Q Foundation to employ people in the localities where the service is provided in roles that will include customer service, sales and installation. The provider will also deliver a free gigabit broadband connection to community spaces (e.g. public halls, schools and libraries). December 11, 2018 A quarter of chronic users received high-risk drug combinations MERIDIAN Researchers at Idaho State University have found that one quarter of chronic opioid users in Idaho were at risk for overdose from unsafe combinations of prescriptions for controlled substances in 2017. Dr. Catherine Oliphant, a professor of pharmacy practice at ISU, served as faculty advisor for the study, led by Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) candidate James Berain. The two presented their findings at the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) Midyear Clinical Meeting and Exhibition in Anaheim, California on December 4. Their research shows that forty-four percent of the dangerous overlapping prescriptions were written by more than one prescriber. Patients with chronic pain are often under the care of several different physicians said Oliphant, who initially became involved with opioid research in Idaho in 2009. This co-management can lead to patients receiving unintentional prescription combinations that put them at higher risk for an opioid overdose. Of these dangerous combinations, the study found that fifty-six percent were written by the same prescriber. These results suggest that continued education on appropriate opioid prescribing is warranted, Oliphant said. Individuals need to start the conversation with family and friends and become educated. Patients must become educated so that they can advocate for themselves - talk to your providers and pharmacists and ask questions. Are there non-opioid medications that I can use? Are there non-pharmacologic measures that can be used instead or in conjunction, such as physical therapy or massage? What are the signs and symptoms that someone might be misusing or overdosing? Ask about naloxone, which is used to help treat an opioid overdose. For this study, Berain and Oliphant examined all prescriptions of controlled substances for 301,975 patients that were reported to the Idaho Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP) in 2017. Anyone who dispenses these medications (including pharmacists, and some physicians as well as other clinicians) is required to report the dispensing record to the PDMP. The PDMP is a valuable resource that allows physicians and other prescribers to access patient records before writing new prescriptions to guide prescribing and above all, to help ensure patient safety. Though prior review of the PDMP is not required before prescribing, access to the PDMP is available in every state and the District of Columbia. Berain and Oliphants study also found that a third of the patients receiving opioids were identified as chronic users, meaning they have taken opioids for more than 90 days without a break of at least seven days. Nearly one-quarter of those chronic users were also prescribed benzodiazepines (medications used for their sedative or anxiolytic properties) or other central nervous system (CNS) depressants combinations the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warn against because of the potential for overdose. Oliphant considers herself a patient advocate, working not only to educate student pharmacists, such as Berain, at the ISU College of Pharmacy on best practices for prescribing opioid medications, but also taking her work into the communities of Idaho. She was involved in thestrategic planning and implementation with the Idaho Office of Drug Policy, Idaho Opioid Misuse and Overdose Workgroup, and the Treasure Valley Opioid Response Workgroup. She says pharmacists are in a key position to help identify patients who may be at risk. Pharmacists can facilitate communication between prescribers, educate patients on the risks of the dangerous drug combinations, and prescribe an opioid-reversal agent such as naloxone. Oliphant hopes to share the message that the opioid epidemic doesn't discriminate, saying, If you start a conversation with someone, you will likely find that someone close to them either takes or misuses an opioid or that a loved one has had an overdose/death due to [prescription] opioids or heroin. The opioid crisis is prevalent in all communities in Idaho. In Ada County, the coroner describes many of the Idaho drug-related deaths to be in those aged 40-50, often involving the working, middle class. More information about Oliphants work surrounding the prescribing practices and treatment methods for opioid addiction can be seen in a recent interview on Channel 6 KIVI in Boise. Visit: https://www.kivitv.com/finding-hope. Enthusiasm for the Internet of Things (IoT) is still running high, but there seems to be a growing undercurrent of concern that the challenges of supporting such an infrastructure are more significant than they first appeared and that even the benefits might not be entirely positive. None of this is enough to halt or even slow down deployment, of course, which is likely to see a dramatic upswing as we head into the new decade. But it does mean that the enterprise still has a few things to figure out on the IoT, particularly when it comes to many of its anticipated use cases. Security is certainly a perennial concern, but now that the IoT is up and running, it is starting to manifest itself in stark terms. According to a recent study by ReRex Research, a good quarter of enterprises are seeing security-related IoT losses of $34 million or greater. Protecting against these losses is a far more complicated matter than in the traditional data center or even the cloud. With literally millions of devices already connected, threat vectors have expanded exponentially, as has the challenge of integrating a federated security apparatus throughout the entire IoT data chain. Already, firms are reporting data breaches on the IoT at six times the rate of traditional infrastructure, including a 4.5-fold increase in malware and ransomware attacks. Beyond security, however, many organizations are just now starting to realize the huge management and integration burden the IoT represents. New research from Dynatrace has nearly 70 percent of IT executives expecting the IoT to become a significant performance management burden in the near future, while nearly three quarters think it will have a collateral impact on their business operations, most likely diminishing revenues in some way. One key concern is that user expectations have gotten so high that organizations that do not provide flawless IoT experiences all the time will suffer blows to their reputations and eventual obsolescence. This is of particular concern for companies involved in life-critical applications, such as driverless cars and connected health care devices, where failure could produce that most dire of consequences: loss of human life. The Catch-22 here is that attempts to over-manage these environments in the form of, say, constant upgrades and security patches, could impede performance just as easily, most likely through service disruption and diminished visibility. Even the proper functioning of IoT infrastructure may come back to bite the enterprise, says Raconteurs Daniel Thomas. A case in point is John Deere, which has been selling connected smart tractors to farmers around the world for several years now. The machines are equipped with multiple sensors designed to capture data on planting, yields and operating conditions of the tractors themselves. Farmers, however, are starting to complain that they can no longer fix their own tractors like in the old days, but must pay hundreds of dollars to an authorized repair shop not just for the repair but for new software, new sensors and other high-tech equipment. At the same time, some are starting to question the impact that mass data collection will have on the very farmers that are doing the collecting. While on one level it may help them control costs and boost yields, it may also become available to commodities brokers and other speculators who may then, in turn, drive prices for a particular crop up or down, ultimately diminishing farmers incomes. Its the rare technology that doesnt emerge without a fair share of fear, uncertainty and doubt (FUD), so its important to note that all of the concerns arising over the IoT are solvable; security can be tightened, management can be streamlined, data usage rules can be refined. But each and every solution will likely alter the efficacy of the IoT, so that in the end it will probably not live up to the headiest expectations of today. It is safe to assume, however, that no matter how it evolves, the IoT will produce a net positive for the human race. Arthur Cole writes about infrastructure for IT Business Edge. Cole has been covering the high-tech media and computing industries for more than 20 years, having served as editor of TV Technology, Video Technology News, Internet News and Multimedia Weekly. His contributions have appeared in Communications Today and Enterprise Networking Planet and as web content for numerous high-tech clients like TwinStrata and Carpathia. Follow Art on Twitter @acole602. Swiss banking software provider Temenos has appointed industry veteran Craig Bennett as the head of sales in the Asia-Pacific region, giving him the task of increasing the company's market share in emerging and established economies. A statement from the company said Bennett had worked in the region since 1992 and had worked in areas like treasury capital markets, retail banking, risk management, retail payments and corporate banking. His area of operations will not include Japan. Temenos has provided its software to two Australian challenger banks Volt Bank and Judo Capital which launched operations in the cloud. Sri Lanka's third largest bank, Sampath Bank, also uses Temenos' front-end solution. I am delighted to join the Temenos team. It is a great opportunity at a dynamic and growing company that has its finger on the pulse in the region of the rapidly growing financial services industry," Bennett said. "I look forward to building on the companys Asia-Pacific expansion and growth plans, and helping banks and financial institutions with their digital transformation strategies. "Temenos has the world's leading banking software, which is a testament to the hard work of my new colleagues, and I am excited for the challenge of promoting our technology in the region. Temenos Asia-Pacific managing director Martin Frick said: "Craig is a great fit for our dynamic, growing team. With nearly three decades in the industry and in Asia, he has unrivalled experience in this space, and has seen first-hand the rate of transformation in the region both of the banking industry and of technology in this sector. "I look forward to working with Craig as we continue to offer our customers our best-in-class product offering and services, and help our clients react to changing customer demands, the shift to the cloud and new entrants in the marketplace. Australians have been warned of a raft of holiday season scams, including scammers setting up online shopping scams and phony travel scams and attempting to trick people in believing theyve won a holiday or scored a really good deal on a travel package. The latest Scamwatch alerts released on Tuesday by the competition watchdog, the ACCC, warn that nearly $3 million has already been lost to 8700 reports of online shopping scams this year and travel scams, offering nothing but phony prizes, have already taken nearly $135,000 from unsuspecting Internet users. And another scam involving parcel delivery, sees scammers ask you to print off a label, do a survey, claim a prize, or view the status of your delivery by clicking on a link or downloading an attachment. Scamwatch says some scammers may even call or text with claims about an unsuccessful delivery, and warns that these scams are aimed at getting people to download malware onto their computer, or give up their personal information. To date, in 2018, people have lost about $31,000 to the "parcel delivery" scams. Scamwatch has also seen a massive influx of reports and money lost to tax scams, ACCC deputy chair Delia Rickard said. Scamwatch has also seen a massive influx of reports and money lost to tax scams. In November we received 7500 reports of these scams and $400,000 was reported lost. This isnt a usual holiday season scam, however a lot of people are getting calls from scammers pretending to be from the tax office or the police and threatening them with arrest over unpaid tax debts. This is a scam. If you ever get a call or email containing threats like this, hang up the phone or delete the email. Rickard says that the key to avoiding a scammers con these holidays is a healthy dose of scepticism and research. We love snagging a great deal online for a loved ones Christmas present and the idea of a bargain holiday is perfect for many after a long year. But dont fall for it. Be sceptical about an online store you havent used before. Do some research to see if theyre legitimate and dont be fooled by big discounts. With travel deals, call the accommodation provider directly, for example the cruise line or hotel, to check if the deal is legitimate. If you see a seemingly great deal on an accommodation rental website like Airbnb, make sure you only communicate and pay through the official site to avoid getting stung by a fake listing. Were all expecting parcels this time of year but be careful about online links and never download attachments. If youre wondering if a delivery notice is legitimate, check the tracking number at the Australia Post or other delivery company website, or call them directly using a number you find from an online search or the phone book. While with friends and family over the holidays, consider taking the opportunity to spread the warnings about these scams particularly to those loved ones who may be vulnerable. Rickard said. For further information about holiday season scams click here. Established in Canberra in 2013, Instaclustr now also has offices in Silicon Valley (where Nichol is based) and the UK (serving the EMEA region). The Canberra office is still the home of the development and support teams. Being based in Australia "is a strategic advantage for us", he said. Canberra is "a great source of talent", and is a more cost effective location that Silicon Valley, partly because staff retention is less of a problem. Furthermore, the company can take advantage of government R&D grants, and delivering support from Australia is very effective for cultural and language reasons. Early investors in Instaclustr were Australian (ANU Connect Ventures, Bailador, and Our Innovation Fund), but when the company raised $15 million from New York-based Level Equity it had to set up a US holding company. That said, Nichol says "the common wisdom [about moving to the US] is wrong" in that technology companies don't have to move to the US at an early stage. Instead, they can scale and build their reputations within their home countries, whether that's Australia, Israel, or the UK. Some aspects of day-to-day business are easier in Australia than they are in the US, he said, and Australia has a great talent pool and a spirit of entrepreneurship. Perhaps surprisingly, "we found it a lot easier to raise money in Australia in the early stages", he said, partly because Australian investors have a more reasonable view of success and are more prepared to put money into early-stage companies. It is sometimes suggested that Australians who have made their fortunes from building and then selling technology companies are inclined to re-invest the proceeds in relatively safe areas such as real estate. But Our Innovation Fund's line is "founders backing founders", and its founding partners include David Shein (founder of Com Tech Communications, which was acquired by Dimension Data) and Jerry Stesel (founder of international student payment service NexPay). You can attract initial investments on the basis of an idea in Australia, said Nichol, although in Silicon Valley a big idea can attract big investment. But as a business grows, it becomes increasingly important to find an investor that matches its profile, and that narrows the field, he said. Consequently, Instaclustr's second and third funding rounds were harder than the company expected. "Bigger customers tend to be stickier" (less inclined to churn to other providers), so that's where Instaclustr focusses its efforts. Its 120-odd customers include two leading Wall Street banks, and major games companies such as Epic Games (Fortnite) and Electronic Arts. Other examples can be found in the IoT, social media, security and AdTech sectors, Nichol said. Those in Australia include Atlassian, BlackBerry, IBM and Philip Morris. The writer attended AWS re:Invent as a guest of AWS, and interviewed Peter Nichol during the event. Tasmanian communications and cloud services provider TasmaNet has completed a deal to deliver superfast broadband using new NBN Enterprise Ethernet fibre technology, commissioning a 1Gbps connection for St Michaels Collegiate School in Hobart. Claiming a position as the first Internet service provider in Australia to deliver superfast broadband using new NBN Enterprise Ethernet fibre technology, TasmaNet says it successfully commissioned the 1Gbps connection for St Michaels on Tuesday. TasmaNet managing director Joel Harris said that being first in the nation was becoming business as usual for the Hobart-based company. TasmaNet ordered the first 1Gbps connection in Australia, delivered over the existing National Broadband Network in 2017, for a wholesale customer, and we worked hard to be first in Australia to order and deliver the new NBN Enterprise Ethernet fibre technology, Harris said. We realised immediately how useful the new Enterprise Ethernet technology would be for the business, education, and government customers who rely on us to deliver specialised connection, data protection, and cloud computing solutions. TasmaNet managing director Joel Harris with NBN Co chief executive Stephen Rue and students at St Michael's Collegiate School in Hobart. TasmaNet says NBN Enterprise Ethernet requires a dedicated point-to-point fibre connection to be extended from the existing national broadband network into the customers premises, and by bringing fibre optic cable to potentially any premises within the NBN fixed line footprint and delivering symmetrical data upload and download performance, Enterprise Ethernet offers a cost-effective way to achieve the kind of superfast, dependable fibre connectivity critical to future business innovation, education, and service delivery. St Michaels Collegiate director of ICT, Tim Innes-Brown, is the kind of innovative IT professional TasmaNet loves to partner with; he understood how Enterprise Ethernet fit with Collegiates focus on STEM and a digital learning environment and trusted our relationship enough to order the service on the first day it became available from NBN Co, Harris said. Tim and TasmaNet account manager Brendan Cooper worked closely with NBN Co and our technical staff to ensure that the fibre build and service connection happened smoothly, and the project delivery has exceeded our expectations. According to Harris, the milestone once again demonstrated how smaller regional technology companies could compete against their much larger rivals thanks to the NBN. TasmaNet was formed by a group of mates to bring digital services to poorly served communities in Tasmania, weve always been more focused on solving interesting problems that deliver the outcomes our customers need rather than bringing predetermined products to the mass market. TasmaNet decided early on to become one of the few accredited NBN Wholesale Service Providers in the country so that we could control every aspect of our service delivery without relying on one of the Big 4 telco companies who, directly or indirectly, have captured some 96% of the Australian broadband market. We can deliver business grade, unlimited, uncrowded broadband nationally from our Tasmanian base using the NBN, and the superfast fibre connectivity offered by Enterprise Ethernet unlocks the full benefits of our integrated networking, data protection, and cloud management platform. Harris said that developments like Enterprise Ethernet would help to grow the Tasmanian economy and increase demand for highly skilled IT employees in the state. High-quality connectivity reduces Tasmanias traditional geographic disadvantage and means that the TasmaNet team can compete nationally and internationally while living in one of the best places on the planet we love it! To add more Tribune newsletters or alter your email preferences, click here. And for more business coverage throughout the day, follow @ChiTribBusiness on Facebook and @ChiTribBiz on Twitter. This Week in Review A weekly review of the best and most popular stories published in the Imperial Valley Press. Also, featured upcoming events, new movies at local theaters, the week in photos and much more. The idea of making Christmas Eve or Christmas Day dinner is a nice one. But in practice, it can create more stress than you really need. You already have your hands full with gifts, activities and coordinating with people who cant seem to remember where theyre supposed to be and when. Make a reservation at one of these 22 restaurants and let them take care of the actual dinner part. After surfacing for a cameo teaser appearance in Batman v Superman and a proportional slice of the action in Justice League, the DC Comics superhero Aquaman (born in 1941) takes center stage, on land and under the sea, in Aquaman. The Game of Thrones actor Jason Momoas great in close-up, surly and charismatic, with eyebrows that suggest all sorts of fun. The director James Wan came up via the Saw franchise, but he also has several good films to his credit, Insidious and Furious 7 among them. Proactive Public Health Preventive medicine physicians are public health physicians who are interested in how we address health on a population level. Ryan Lang, MD, MPH 17, Chief Resident, General Preventive Medicine Residency Program The General Preventive Medicine Residency program at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health is one of the nations oldest and largest preventive medicine residency programs. The two-year program, which currently has 15 residents, focuses on preparing physicians for leadership roles in public health. In the first year, most residents complete a combination of MPH program coursework (which is fully funded by the program) with residency modules and clinical work with local health departments and other health centers. Students who already have an MPH spend their first year in practicum rotations. In the second year, residents complete 12 months of preventive medicine practicum rotations that last for two to four months each while continuing clinical work. GPMR alum Ryan Lang, MD, MPH 17, is serving as GPMR Chief Resident and an Instructor in the JHSPH Department of Health Policy and Management for the 20182019 academic year. Here, he talks about his path to preventive medicine and how the GPMR program prepares residents to take on preventive medicine leadership roles in public health. Name: Ryan Lang, MD, MPH 17 Hometown: Huntsville, Ala. Undergrad: Oakwood University Medical school: Vanderbilt University School of Medicine What led you to preventive medicine? [When I was growing up], my parents had quite a few friends in the health care field. Talking to them was my first introduction to the field of medicine and I did volunteer shifts at my local hospital in high school to confirm my interest. When I went to medical school, I was interested in a lot of different specialties. I went to the American College of Preventive Medicine National Conference during my second year. That was a great opportunity to get exposure to the field and meet preventive medicine physicians. When you first came to Baltimore, you were an internal medicine resident at Johns Hopkins Hospital. What was that experience like? I applied for the urban health primary track of the internal medicine residency. That experience was amazing. It gave me a much better perspective of the social determinants of health, especially in an urban environment like Baltimore. I was doing rotations in substance abuse and learned about the impact of addiction and how that can play into primary care. In addition to that, I had my own panel of patients in an urban primary care clinic where I was able to see how different social factors affect how people access health care. Many of the patientsin addition to having health conditions that needed attentionhad a lot of social issues. I was able to focus not only on medical problems but on social factors and how those could be addressed. That program was a great fit for me because I tend to be a big-picture person. Im interested in all the factors that may influence health. How did you end up in the General Preventive Medicine Residency program? At the end of my internal medicine residency, I completed a rotation with a program that focused on patients who were frequently admitted to the hospital or who frequented the emergency department. I worked with the programs medical director, whose role was to engage with those patients and address the social factors contributing to their frequent presentations to see what could be done. The medical director was an internist who was also preventive medicine-trained. Working with her was a call for me to do the preventive medicine training because I had very similar interests. I matriculated in the GPMR program in 2016. In addition to completing my MPH, I did rotations at various sites in Baltimore and D.C. in different aspects of public health, health systems management and advocacy. I got a great perspective of all the ways that physicians can have an impact in the public health sphere. Moving forward, I want to be engaged on the community level with chronic disease prevention in urban populations. My hope is that I can either help to direct or implement programs that improve health in those areas. It sounds like preventive medicine is the best of both worlds: You continue to practice as a physician but also as a public health practitioner. This mesh is pretty cool. Youll see a wide variety of career paths for preventive medicine physicians. Some will integrate clinical practice and public health involvement. Some will apply their preventive medicine training almost entirely within a clinical setting. Others are dedicated primarily to public health. They may or may not continue to see patients, but theyre working in programs that affect patients at a broader level. Tell us about the GPMR program. What does it involve and what makes it different from a traditional residency for a medical student? Theres a diversity of backgrounds coming into the program. Some have already completed an entire residency in another specialty, like I did. Some come in directly after an internship year, which is the minimum requirement for the program. We have current residents and alumni who previously trained in psychiatry, surgery, neurology, obstetrics and gynecology, family medicine, pediatrics, and internal medicine. In addition to the MPH coursework, theres a strong focus on professional development and leadership training, especially within the first year of the program. Those who come into the program with an MPH start immediately in the community doing practicum rotations in various areas. Those who do not have an MPH complete that coursework their first year and then begin rotations their second year. This program produces leaders in public health and preventive medicine. There are many examples of alumni who are medical directors, like one of my mentors, Laura Dawn Sander, MD, MPH 13, who I worked with during my internal medicine and preventive medicine residencies and who is now the medical director of Population Health at Sibley Memorial Hospital. You mentioned residencies in Franklin Square and Johns Hopkins Hospital. Is there anywhere else? The residents have clinical rotations at various clinical sites where they see patients in addition to their preventive medicine responsibilities. We have agreements with sites such as the Baltimore City Health Department and Charm City Care Connection, a non-profit that provides care to low-income, uninsured populations. Some of our current residents have surgical backgrounds, so we have new rotations that provide wound care to people within the city, especially in the setting of addictionsthere was a needle exchange with the city health department and theyre trying to build in a wound care component. Do trainees having a minimum requirement for patient care? Our accrediting body, the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME), requires all of our residents to see patients in a clinical setting at least two half days a week. This program allows more time to really develop and work toward that public health focus that people come here for. Even though there is a requirement to see patients, that can take on many different forms. That flexibility is one of the great things about this program. It allows you to do so many other things in public health. Whats unique about this program? There are a plethora of opportunities in terms of training and practicum rotations. Given our proximity to Washington, D.C., the program also allows for the opportunity to do a lot of clinical experiences or practicum experiences with the federal government. This program also provides full funding toward the MPH, which is a great benefit. Some residency programs are housed not within a school of public health or medicine, but maybe in a health department. In those settings, an MPHor another masters degree in the public health disciplineis a requirement of completing the program, but they may or may not cover the expenses for it. The MPH gave me a really large-scale view of the many ways that I can be involved as a public health physician. I learned an immense amount about public health and community health. It was a bit of an adjustment to be back in the classroom after working in the hospital and clinic for three years as an internal medicine resident physician, but the faculty are amazing, and I learned so much from the coursework I took. Youve been chief resident since July. Whats your experience been like so far and how will this set you up for what you hope to do down the road? I finished my residency training, so Im here for an additional year serving in this role. My main responsibilities are planning academic programming and coordinating the training for the residents, primarily during their first year. Im also planning a few elective experiences for medical students or residents in other programs who are interested in learning more about the field of preventive medicine. We have an elective program that I run that will happen twice this year. For a month, well invite people to come to the campus and work on projects, meet with faculty and tag along with our current residents to see what preventive medicine is all about. I work closely with our director, Clarence Lam, MD, MPH 10, to make sure that residents are getting the training they need to be fully competent preventive medicine physicians. Specific examples include planning training modules with various faculty in areas such as emergency preparedness, project management and leadership. I also assist with course planning for a Problem Solving course that is taken by preventive medicine residents and provides a framework for addressing a wide range of public health issues. We also make sure that residents are adhering to ACGME requirements. Its been a great experience to work closely with the first-year residents and mentor them, career-wise. I was in their shoes just a couple of years ago, and I remember the people who helped mentor me when I was starting off. This role provides a great opportunity to learn about the inner workings of a residency program and to engage in management. This will really set me up to be a leader within community programs in general public health. What does the future look like for you? Im still figuring it out. There are possible opportunities in local health departments, primarily in chronic disease prevention. Im also very interested in health communications, and this year Im planning to collaborate with the Center for Communication Programs. Ive met with a team there thats engaged in local initiatives like BMore for Healthy Babies. I hope to be engaged in projects geared toward health communication and health promotion in urban populations. How do we deliver messaging in a way that is inclusive and that can help them to access health care more readily? Lang and a colleague in 2017 at a Community Conversationpart an initiative of the Baltimore City Health Department. Will you continue practicing as a clinician? I want more of my involvement to be within the public health space, but I think Ill continue to have some involvement in clinical practice. What do you do around the city in your free time? What was your experience of moving here? It took me a few years after moving here to really see all Baltimore has to offer, mainly because I was so busy as an internal medicine resident. Ive had to make a concerted effort to look into what this city has to offer, and it really does have a lot! Ive been to the Baltimore Museum of Art and the Reginald F. Lewis Museum. The people here are also really special. Its a very eccentric city. Theres a spirit of diversity and innovation and were gonna do things our own way and we dont care what other people think. I just love that. I really like that Baltimore has that openness to many different perspectives. Being here has helped me to be more open. What advice do you have for future residents or program participants? Keep an open mind, and know that your training here in preventive medicine will open many doors in public health for you. RELATED: Register with JOC.com and receive 5 free pieces of content for the first thirty days. After thirty days, you will receive 3 pieces of content and after sixty days you will receive 1 piece of content. To receive full access, Subscribe Today . You can also subscribe to our daily newsletter. Register Williams: Initially, there were quite a few people going (just) to see Joe play, but he was busy with acting commitments. If anybody was semi-heckling, like, Wheres Steve?, we would just ignore them and keep playing. We played a show in Baltimore, and immediately after our set, the sound guy put on the (Stranger Things soundtrack), and Wes just went, Seriously? Really, dude? Come on, man. When he got the role, it was so proud, like, Wow, man, youre doing exactly what you set out to do when you went to theatre school. Its such a rare occurrence, youve gotta do it, man. He was filming and coming back and playing shows with us. He filmed the first season, and we recorded the album the summer after he finished filming. It was all good. It still is all good. This year, Chicagos dance stages were filled with bold, ambitious programming, stunning revivals and work which responded to the present by reflecting on the past. It goes without saying that narrowing to a list of ten best performances in any genre is a tricky task, and without a Best Of list for interdisciplinary live arts performances which arent strictly dance, theater or music those defying categorization rarely receive the acknowledgment they deserve. From my perspective as the dance person, two multi-disciplinary performances selected as part of my top picks represent the best of their kind this year. (Plus one dance pick from Chris Jones.) Vancouver, BC / The Newswire / Vancouver, B.C., December 11, 2018 - Nortec Minerals Corp. (TSX-V: NVT; OTC-PK: NMNZF) (the "Company" or "Nortec"), a Canadian public company listed on the TSX Venture Exchange, The company is pleased to announce the appointment of Jeffrey Selder, M. Eng. (Mining), to the Board of Directors of the Company. Jeffrey has over 20 years of relevant industrial and small-scale mineral production and processing equipment experience in more than 10 countries ranging from the design and manufacture, to their actual use on site for mineral processing and fluid recovery. He has also professionally consulted for several major producing mining companies and numerous governments and national and international governmental agencies on all continents. Some of the major companies and organizations he has worked with include Coeur Mining; AngloGold Ashanti Colombia; Xstrata Copper; Northern Dynasty Minerals; Eldorado Gold; International Training Centre for Artisanal Miners, UBC, Vancouver; Wardrop Engineering, Vancouver; Tetra Tech Engineering, Vancouver; United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), Amazon Region, Brazil. He also worked with the Canadian International Resources and Development Institute (CIRDI) as Senior Program Manager. A sample of the projects he has managed include: Colombia Mining Training Institute International Centre for Artisanal Mining (ITCAM) (various) Franchise of Artisanal and Small-scale Gold Mining (ASGM) in Ecuador Assessment of the Artisanal Gold and Silver Mining Sector in Mexico Assess Regional Suitability for Implementation of a Training Center in Cachoeira do Piria, Amazon region, Brazil Supporting Technical Training for Extractive Industries in Guyana His experience with expertise in and emphasis on social and environmental factors will greatly benefit Nortec's projects located in community-oriented Guinea and ecologically and socially sensitive Ecuador. Jeffrey is also experienced in the waste-management field which will both benefit and greatly appeal to local communities and national governments. Additionally, he also has experience in successfully developing, executing and managing engineering studies of all levels, including National Instrument (NI) 43-101 reporting standards. The Company also announces the issuance of 400,000 incentive stock options to Jeffrey. Each option has an exercise price of $0.10 and is exercisable at any time prior to December 11, 2021, subject to the terms and conditions of the Company's Stock Option Plan. About Nortec Minerals Corp. Nortec is a Canadian mineral exploration and development company based in Vancouver, British Columbia with mineral exploration projects in Finland, Guinea - West Africa and potential acquisitions in Ecuador. The Tomboko Gold Project is located in the North-eastern area of the Republic of Guinea, and is located immediately west of the Siguiri Gold Mine operated by AngloGold-Ashanti. The Tomboko Gold Project is owned 100% by Alamako Corporation International SARL (ACI). The Golden Rule Mining Inc has entered into an agreement to own 100% of ACI's Equity in the Tomboko Gold Project. Nortec earned a 51% interest of Tomboko by completing Phases 1 and 2 of the Definitive Option Agreement (Agreement) entered with The Golden Rule Mining Inc. in 2017. Nortec also spent approximately US$ 1 million of the required US$ 2.5 million to earn the remaining 29%. This will convert to pro-rata interest as defined in the Agreement. The permits are in the northern part of the Birimian Siguiri Basin which hosts three close multi-million ounce gold mines, the Lero (Nord Gold NV), the SAG (AngloGold-Ashanti) and the Keniero (SEMAFO) along with several other lesser mines and projects in advanced stages. Nortec undertook a first pass Diamond and RAB drill programs on these three Prospects commencing in September 2017. At TOM-1 North Target gold mineralization were intercepted (24m @3.7g/t (including 4m @10.1g/t) and 19m @2.7g/t) over the NW-striking sinistral brittle-ductile fracture systems. At TOM-2, RAB drilling over the NE-striking brittle-ductile dextral strike-slip fault systems intercepted 39m @0.7g/t (including 9m @1.1g/t) and 18m @0.5g/t. New high grade gold mineralization from follow-up mapping, sampling of outcrops and termite mound surveys show a possible northern extension of the Tom 1 deposit over 1.5 km. Sunstone Metals (formerly Avalon Minerals), a public Australian mining company has earned the 51% interest and is carrying out the 29% Stage 2 earn-in interest on the Tammela Gold & Lithium Project in South-West Finland. Avalon has completed more than 3,000 meters diamond drilling on the Kietyonmaki lithium prospect and the Satulinmaki and Riukka gold prospects that comprise the Tammela Project. Detailed information on the Company's projects have been posted on the Company's website www.nortecminerals.com. On behalf of the Board of Directors, NORTEC MINERALS CORP. "Mohan R. Vulimiri" Mohan R. Vulimiri, CEO and Chairman The TSX Venture Exchange has not reviewed and does not accept the responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. This press release contains certain forward looking statements which involve known and unknown risks, delays and uncertainties not under the Company's control which may cause actual results, performances or achievements of the Company to be materially different from the results, performances or expectations implied by these forward looking statements. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities in the United States. The power of social media, the power of TV, people feel like they know you and sometimes, even though theres thousands of dermatologists between you and them, they want to see you because they already feel like they trust you and they know you, so its a lot of responsibility for me. I dont really want people to come from far, I mean, I'm very flattered by it, but I dont want them to travel that distance when somebody else could potentially take care of them, so its just crazy. Its crazy to me. VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA / TheNewswire / December 11, 2018 (TSXV: NRG, US: NRGOF, Frankfurt: X6C) - Newrange Gold Corp. ("Newrange" or the "Company") is pleased to provide an update on its ongoing activities and progress achieved toward the objective of reporting a maiden resource estimate for Pamlico in the second half of 2019. Work programs outlined in the Company's news release dated October 25, 2018 are progressing on schedule and management is more confident than ever that Pamlico is a fantastic value creation opportunity for shareholders. Just received results of cyanide (CN) shake assays for typical mineralization at Pamlico indicate highly consistent and favorable extraction of gold throughout the mineralized drilled area, indicating amenability to heap leaching, a very significant variable in the economic viability of any gold mining project. As planned, the Company also announces that AK Drilling Inc. has mobilized a diamond core drill and support equipment to conduct a first PQ diameter core drill program in the Merritt / Pamlico Ridge Area starting today. The underground sampling of historic mine workings in the highly prospective Pamlico Ridge trend is progressing well and initial results are expected early next year, leading to a drill program to test the best targets identified from the sampling. Overall, 2019 is shaping up to be a pivotal year for Newrange Gold as the Company continues to prove up and expand the vast potential of its Pamlico gold project. Newrange's President and CEO, Robert Carrington said, "I am extremely pleased with these results as they exceed my expectations for both amenability to extraction and consistency of metallurgical characteristics throughout the zone of mineralization. This supports my long-held opinion that there are no significant metallurgical challenges. As we continue with additional metallurgical testing, the core drilling program will further advance our understanding of the gold mineralization at Pamlico". CN Shake Assays Results Cold CN shake assays are widely used in the mining industry as a preliminary means to assess amenability of mineralization to recovery by heap leaching and to identify variations in metallurgical responses that may indicate different types or styles of mineralization that should be tested separately. The results of 239 samples submitted for cold CN shake assaying indicate that the metallurgical response of gold mineralization at Pamlico is independent of location or depth and does not exhibit any adverse "refractory" characteristics. The samples selected are all Reverse Circulation (RC) drill samples. Of the 239 samples 40 were 0.76 meters long and 199 were 1.52 meters in length. All samples were of pulps that had previously been assayed by fire assay together with suitable standards, blanks and reference materials at either American Assay Laboratories or Insepctorate Labs, both ISO 17025 accredited and of Sparks Nevada and both independent of the Company. All samples above 0.12 g/T Au are individual drill samples within larger mineralized zones that the Company has previously reported. Samples with Fire assay grades less than 0.12 g/T Au had not been reported as containing significant mineralization. The samples were selected across all grade ranges with a broad spatial distribution throughout the zones of mineralization, with the objective of identifying metallurgical variations and characteristics that would be important in guiding more advanced metallurgical testing, including upcoming bottle roll and column leach tests. These results indicate that the gold in mineralization containing less than 4 grams per tonne gold (g/T Au) can likely be efficiently recovered using heap leach extraction while higher-grade mineralization should also be evaluated for conventional milling, which typically yields much higher recoveries than heap leaching. The greatest variation in extraction appears to be grade related. The lowest grade samples as determined by fire assay: 0.003 - 0.12 g/T Au, returned an average of 315% of the fire assay grade. Obviously, it is impossible to achieve more than 100% recovery by any method. The results for the sub 0.12 g/T Au grade samples really mean the fire assays underreported the actual contained gold for samples in this grade range and that there is a potential for a lot more gold in this range than has been reported by fire assay. Samples assaying from 0.13 to 4.0 g/T Au returned an average extraction of 93.8% and extraction for samples assaying more than 4.0 to 340.9 g/T Au averaged 61.2%. . All samples were of pulps that had previously been assayed by Fire Assay together with suitable standards, blanks and reference materials at either American Assay Laboratories or Insepctorate Labs, both ISO 17025 accredited and of Sparks Nevada and both independent of the Company. This response is normal for high-grade mineralization in a heap leach environment and demonstrates why most high-grade is sent to a mill circuit. In a typical cyanide mill, solution strength is much stronger than solutions in a heap leach and ground ore is agitated to promote extraction, generally resulting in mill recoveries in the range of 90 to 98% of the gold. The Company is planning a series of metallic screen analyses including fire assay checks going forward to assess the gold grain size and distribution of gold particles, with particular attention to the sub 0.12 g/T Au grade ranges to investigate the best means to address this variance. These preliminary results show exceptionally consistent levels of gold extraction using cyanide leaching that are independent of depth or lateral distribution in the system. The high extraction of gold in the CN shake assays is consistent with the observed very fine grained "micron" and oxidized nature of gold mineralization at Pamlico. Additional metallurgical programs are already being planned and will consist of a series of bottle roll tests to more thoroughly assess amenability of mineralization to heap leaching and/or conventional milling for the high-grade mineralization. Start of PQ Core Drilling Program Newrange Gold is immediately starting a program of up to 900 feet of shallow, PQ diameter (85 mm) core drilling. This program will test multiple aspects of the Pamlico gold mineralization including: Compare mineralization recovery levels of Core vs RC drilling Improve understanding of distribution and controls of high-grade mineralization Verify if reverse circulation (RC) drilling could under report in-place gold sample grades by "blowing" fine gold particles into the highly fractured host rock Measure Work Index of mineralized rock and design future metallurgical studies Evaluate other characteristics important to future resource estimates Provide samples for petrographic studies of host rock and mineral related alteration to aid in metallurgical studies About Pamlico Discovered in 1884, Pamlico rapidly became known as one of Nevada's highest-grade gold districts. Held by private interests for more than a century until Newrange's acquisition in 2016, the property remained underexplored in terms of modern exploration. Situated within the highly productive Walker Lane mineral belt near Hawthorne, Nevada, Pamlico enjoys excellent access, infrastructure, mild, year-round operating climate and strong political support from Mineral County, one of the most pro-mining counties in the pro-mining state of Nevada. The Pamlico project consolidates multiple historically productive mines with more than 300 individual mine workings on the property. The table below presents highlights of select drill intercepts from the Company's previous work at Pamlico. Complete drill intercepts are available on the Company's website. Select Pamlico Drill Intercepts 2017 - 2018 Drilling (All Previously Announced) Hole From (meters) To (meters) Intercept length (meters) Gold g/T P17-03 62.50 64.00 1.52 51.00 P17-08 30.49 51.83 21.34 13.67 P17-10 27.44 33.54 6.10 97.94 P17-17 1.52 72.41 70.88 3.57 Including 8.38 12.96 4.57 43.80 P17-18 54.12 64.02 9.91 15.27 P17-25 32.00 33.50 1.50 64.88 P17-31 0.00 2.30 2.30 12.51 And 27.40 29.00 1.50 13.23 P17-32 48.00 52.60 4.60 16.87 P17-33 0.00 53.40 53.40 2.36 Including 34.30 37.40 3.10 18.08 P18-47 9.15 18.29 9.15 1.09 And 83.84 126.52 42.68 1.43 Note: All intercepts are drilled intercept length and may not represent true width. Due to the flat lying nature of high grade structurally controlled gold in historic mines at Pamlico the Company believes but cannot assure the true widths represent 90% or more of the drilled intercept lengths. Mineralization and geology at Pamlico exhibit many highly favorable characteristics. The entire mineralized system is thoroughly oxidized to depths of 200 to 300 meters below the surface. The volcanic hosted mineralization has no potential for "preg-robbing" carbon and the silica deficient nature of the gold events that occurred very late in the development of the deposit also indicates negligible potential refractory metallurgy usually associated with silica encapsulation of the gold. While very coarse gold does exist in places, the vast majority of the gold is very fine grained with no visible gold found even in the highest-grade samples assaying up to 340 g/T Au. Work to date shows gold occurs as very fine grains, generally less than 20 to 30 microns in diameter, associated with highly friable iron oxide on fracture surfaces and in breccia zones along structures. Results at mines around the world show that fine grained to micron size gold is highly desirable for modern recovery technologies such as heap leaching and modern mill circuits because the very fine gold grains leach faster and more completely than coarser gold. The highly fractured nature of the rocks at Pamlico and the style of alteration have promoted the very deep levels of oxidation observed and indicate the rock should also have a low Work Index. Newrange Gold's work at Pamlico has already identified multiple, highly prospective exploration targets namely: Pamlico Ridge (immediate focus), Gold Box Canyon, the E-W Zone, Pediment and the East Zone, thus confirming that many, large, near surface, oxide gold systems are present across the 1,670 hectare Pamlico property. About Newrange Gold Corp. Newrange is an exploration and development company focused on near to intermediate term production opportunities in favorable jurisdictions including Nevada. With numerous drill intercepts of high-grade, near surface, oxide gold mineralization, the Company's Pamlico Project is poised to become a significant new Nevada discovery. Focused on creating shareholder value through exploration and development of high-quality projects, the Company is also committed to building sustainable value for all stakeholders. Further information can be found on our website at www.newrangegold.com. Quality Control - Quality Assurance Mr. Robert G. Carrington, P. Geo, a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101, the President and CEO of the Company, has reviewed, verified and approved for disclosure the technical information contained in this news release. All CN shake assays were performed at American Assay Laboratories in Sparks, Nevada. Samples were selected from stored pulps of individual drill samples in the Company's warehouse in Sparks, Nevada. All fire assays were performed by either American Assay Laboratories or Inspectorate America Corp as subsidiary of Bureau Veritas. Thirty gram samples for CN leach were split from pulps of previously assayed, drill samples, each sample representing .76 to 1.52 meters length. Samples were leached in a cold aqueous solution with 0.3% CN for 1 hour. Gold bearing solution was then separated by filtration and gold determined by Atomic Absorption. Standards were inserted at a rate of no less than 1:30. Signed: "Robert G. Carrington" President & CEO For further information contact: Sharon Hebgin Dave Cross Corporate Communications Chief Financial Officer and Corporate Secretary Phone: 760-898-9129 Phone: 604-669-0868 Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Website: www.newrangegold.com Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward-Looking Statement: Some of the statements in this news release contain forward-looking information that involves inherent risk and uncertainty affecting the business of Newrange Gold Corp. Actual results may differ materially from those currently anticipated in such statements. TORONTO, Dec. 11, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Canadian Orebodies Inc. (the Company) (TSXV:CORE) is pleased to announce that the first phase of drilling has been completed on the Companys Wire Lake project, consisting of the Black Raven, Goodchild, Sprucejack, and Wire Lake properties. This first phase of the drill program comprised thirteen holes totalling 2098.3 metres. The drill program tested three areas on the Black Raven property including Super G, North Ridge, and Contact Lake, as well as three separate areas on the Wire Lake property: Kakeeway Zone, Lucky Seven and the West Zone. Highlights: Confirmation that the Super G vein is part of a much larger mineralized system, named the Smoke Lake Gold System (SLGS), which is composed of multiple mineralized stacked horizons with potential for high-grade gold in every structure (Figure 1 plan map + cross-section). Hole BR-2018-002 contains 133.2 g/t Au over 2.0 metres, including 443.0 g/t Au over 0.6 metre in the Super G vein of the Smoke Lake Gold System, which represents the highest-grade drill result on the property to date (Figure 1 and Table 1). Hole BR-2018-001 intersected 19.1 g/t Au over 2.0 metres in the Markes structure of the Smoke Lake Gold System. 2018 drilling in the Super G structure suggests a 170m down plunge continuity of high-grade mineralization that remains open at depth. Table 1 Significant intersections in the Smoke Lake Gold System From To Interval Au (g/t) Visible Structure Hole (m) (m) (m) uncut gold in SLGS BR-2018-001 46.8 48.8 2.0 19.1 - Markes incl. 46.8 47.8 1.0 37.2 - and 146.0 148.0 2.0 4.5 - Discovery incl. 147.5 148.0 0.5 14.5 - BR-2018-002 132.0 138.3 6.3 0.6 - Discovery incl. 137.1 138.3 1.2 2.4 - and 141.3 143.3 2.0 133.2 - Super G incl. 142.1 142.7 0.6 443.0 VG BR-2018-003 107.0 109.5 2.5 0.6 - Discovery incl. 108.0 108.5 0.5 7.0 - and 120.1 122.1 2.0 8.7 - Discovery incl. 120.1 120.6 0.5 34.6 VG and 130.9 132.9 2.0 2.7 - Super G incl. 130.9 131.5 0.6 9.1 VG BR-2018-004 37.4 39.7 2.0 2.2 - Discovery incl. 38.3 38.7 0.4 5.0 VG and 54.6 56.9 2.3 1.8 - Super G incl. 55.6 56.0 0.4 7.7 - BR-2018-005 no significant results Super G HOLE ID EASTING NORTHING ELEV AZIMUTH DIP DEPTH TARGET BR-2018-001 555765 5412367 316 135 -45 270.3 Step-out from BR-11-04 BR-2018-002 555820 5412366 310 143 -62 170.0 Test up-plunge BR-11-04 BR-2018-003 555820 5412366 310 143 -48 180.0 Test downdip BR-11-04 BR-2018-004 555921 5412460 316 80 -60 75.0 Step-out from SL-03-04 BR-2018-005 555921 5412460 316 80 -80 90.0 *Assay results reported over intersection length. Additional drilling is required to estimate the true width of the mineralized structures forming the Smoke Lake Gold System. Significant intervals reported over core lengths of at least 2.0 metres. We are very excited to see the results from the Super G drilling. We likely identified a significant mineralized system in the Smoke Lake area composed of multiple gold-bearing structures in which each structure has potential to host high-grade gold mineralization. Our 2018 drilling also supports the down plunge continuity of the high-grade mineralization identified in the Super G structure with a significant improvement in grade from the historic Entourage Metals Ltd. holes located up and down-plunge, said Gordon McKinnon, President and CEO of Canadian Orebodies. Our intersection from hole BR-2018-002 has produced one of the highest grade gold intercepts in the Hemlo Greenstone Belt outside of the Hemlo Mines complex, which was discovered in 1981. Looking into 2019, the combination of this seasons results, with the historic drilling results, will greatly improve our exploration model to expand the high-grade gold zones known in the system and to discover new ones. Smoke Lake Gold System Five diamond drill holes totalling 785.3 metres were drilled in the Smoke Lake area to target the Super G vein. The results of the 2018 drilling suggested that the Super G vein is part of the much larger mineralized system referred to as the SLGS. From the integration of the historic and the 2018 drilling results, the SLGS is interpreted as an anastomosed network of mineralized structures in which gold mineralization is associated with mm-wide to cm-wide quartz stringers and veins with haloes of disseminated sulfides. Additional drilling is however necessary to confirm the interpreted geometry of the SLGS. Narrow higher-grade zones enveloped by lower grade mineralization are observed in the main mineralized structures composing the SLGS. The SLGS has been so far defined by drilling over a strike length of >400 metres and to a vertical depth of 130 metres. The vein system remains open in both directions along strike and to depth. Surface mapping of gold mineralization in the area also suggests that additional mineralized structures are likely present in the hanging wall and footwall of the of the SLGS. The SLGS was targeted based on the previous work of Freewest Resources Canada Ltd. in 2003 and diamond drilling by Entourage Metals Ltd. in 2011-12. Both exploration programs encountered multiple zones of mineralization in the area and the best diamond drilling intersections were obtained in the Super G vein, which returned assay results of 44.5 g/t Au (uncut) over a drilled width of 2.4 metres (BR-11-041) and 19.2 g/t Au over 2.0 metres (BR-11-011). From the 2018 drilling, the high-grade intersection in BR-2018-002 suggests an up-plunge continuity of the zone of high-grade mineralization between BR-11-01 and BR-11-04, whereas BR-2018-003 shows that the zone of mineralization remains open down-plunge. The drilling program of 2018, combined with the metallic screen re-assaying of some of the mineralized zones in the Entourage drill holes (see CORE news release of September 19, 2018), confirmed that high-grade mineralization exists in many of the mineralized events/horizons composing the SLGS. For example, hole BR-2018-001 intersected significant mineralization in the Markes vein which contained 19.1 g/t Au over 2.0 metres. Metallic screen re-assaying also suggested that the grade of the zones could have been underestimated due to nugget effects in the previous exploration programs (CORE news release of September 19, 2018). Drill hole BR-2018-001 targeted the Super G Vein approximately 25 metres south of and at the same elevation (180ASL) as hole BR-11-04. The hole deviated more than expected and eventually encountered the Super G Vein further to the south than planned. The vein consisted of several narrow 1-2-centimetre-wide veinlets containing 1% fine pyrite within sheared (chloritic-biotitic) mafic volcanics. Three hangingwall quartz veined zones very similar in appearance to the Super G Vein and part of the SLGS were encountered between 33.8 to 34.2 metres, between 46.8 to 47.8 metres and between 146.9 to 148.00 metres. In the vein between 46.8 to 47.8 metres, mineralization is hosted within sheared/brecciated, cherty interflow sediments containing up to 5% pyrite. Hole BR-2018-002 targeted the Super G vein approximately 20-25 metres up-plunge of hole BR-11-04 and was encountered between 142.1 to 142.7 metres. Mineralization consisted of ~40% pyritic quartz seams and stringers containing numerous fine-grained specks of visible gold. A hangingwall quartz veined zone was observed between 137.1 to 138.3 metres. It was comprised of several narrow 1-2 centimetre quartz stringers which along with the surrounding wall rocks contained 1-2% pyrite. BR-2018-003 was drilled from the same setup than BR-2018-002 to test the Super G vein down-dip of BR-11-004. The hole intersected three quartz veined zones of the SLGS. From 108.0 to 108.5 metres a weakly sheared zone of mafic volcanics containing several 1-5 cm quartz veinlets ran 7.0 g/t Au over 0.5 metres. A second vein between 120.1 to 120.6 metres was comprised of two main 5-15 centimetre wide quartz veins within intensely sheared and quartz flooded mafic volcanics. Both the vein material and wallrock contained up to 10-15% pyrite. Three fine specks of visible gold were observed. The Super G vein was observed between 130.5 and 131.5 metres and consisted of 30-40% quartz veins within sheared mafic volcanics. 1-2% pyrite along with trace amounts of galena and chalcopyrite were noted along with two small specks of visible gold. Drill holes BR-2018-004 and BR-2018-005 were drilled on a setup representing a 50 metre step out from historic hole SL-04-03. Hole BR-2018-004 encountered the Super G Vein between 55.6 and 56.0 metres. Between 38.3 and 38.7 metres a zone of quartz veins was also noted including two clusters of very fined grained visible gold. In hole BR-2018-005 the Super G Vein was only weakly developed between 46.8 and 47.8 metres. Wire Lake Gold System Three diamond drill holes totaling 657.0 metres and targeting the Kakeeway and Lucky Seven zones were completed in the Wire Lake Gold System (WLGS). Highlights Drilling in the Kakeeway Zone suggest an additional 525 metres strike-length extension to the Wire Lake Gold System; Drilling in the Lucky Seven Zone confirmed the extension of the WLGS to depth to at least ~300.0 metres down down-dip and that the mineralized system remains open to depth; Subsidiary zones of mineralization discovered in the footwall and hanging wall of the main zone of mineralization forming the Wire Lake Gold System. Table 2 Drilling in the Wire Lake Gold System From To Interval* Au (g/t) Structure in the Hole (m) (m) (m) uncut Wire Lake Gold System WL-2018-022 33.0 45.0 13.0 0.1 Kakeeway WL-2018-023 79.5 93.5 14.0 0.1 Kakeeway WL-2018-026 261.0 280.0 19.0 0.9 Lucky Seven incl. 263.0 265.0 2.0 2.2 incl. 274.0 278.0 4.0 2.2 and 298.0 300.0 2.0 1.3 HOLE ID EASTING NORTHING ELEV AZIMUTH DIP DEPTH TARGET WL-2018-022 557795 5403889 328 265 -45 150.0 Kakeeway WL-2018-023 557795 5403889 328 265 -65 117.0 Kakeeway WL-2018-026 557450 5405870 446 260 -68 390.0 Lucky Seven down-dip of WL-2017-011 *Assay results reported over intersection length. Kakeeway Zone The Kakeeway Zone is interpreted to represent the southern extension of the WLGS and was targeted with two holes, WL-2018-22 and WL-2018-23, spotted over an area where gold grades up 10.4 g/t were detected in grab samples. Gold mineralization observed in the samples was similar to gold mineralization in the main zone of the WLGS. Although the grade of the drilling intersections were below the Company expectations, drilling validated that gold mineralization extends at depth and that it is similar in terms of alteration and mineralization to what is expected in the WLGS, supporting the strike length extension of the WLGS an additional 525 metres to the south. A better understanding on the geological controls over zones of higher-grade mineralization in the WLGS could help to find the vertical extension of the zones of higher-grade mineralization detected at surface in the Kakeeway area. Lucky Seven Zone A 390 metre hole (WL-2018-026) was drilled to test the Lucky Seven Zone, part of the WLGS approximately 100-150 metres down plunge of previous encouraging drill results. Drill intercepts within the Lucky Seven Zone include: 5.6 g/t Au over 3.1 metres and 4.3 g/t Au over 2.3 metres in historic hole 89-07 as well as drill hole WL-2017-011 completed by the Company in 2017 which contains 4.2 g/t Au over 5.0 metres (180.4-185.4 metres). Hole BR-2018-026 was collared at an azimuth of 260 degrees. However, during drilling, the azimuth deviated more than expected with the hole ending up at an azimuth of 300 degrees and as a result, the hole missed its targeted intercept. The hole did intersect the Lucky Seven Zone between 261.3 and 280.7 metres and also intersected gold mineralization above and below the Lucky Seven Zone. The hole BR-2018-026 was successful in confirming that the WLGS continues to a depth of at least ~300 metres down down-dip and remains open at depth. This hole also suggests that additional zones of mineralization may exist in the WLGS in the hanging wall and footwall of the main zone of mineralization targeted by all the previous drilling programs in the WLGS. North Ridge, Contact Lake and West Zone Conceptual targets were tested on the property where the 2017 and 2018 mapping and sampling programs, and the re-interpretation of historic data, suggested that significant sub-surface gold mineralization could be present. These targets were outside the footprints of the Smoke Lake and Wire Lake Gold systems. Highlights BR-2018-007 identified a wide gold anomaly in bedrock in the North Ridge gold system; and WL-2018-025 identified the possible extension of the West Zone 200 metres north of its intersection in the historic hole D89-18. Table 3 - Drilling in the North Ridge, Contact Lake and West Zone From To Interval* Au (g/t) Hole (m) (m) (m) uncut Structure CL-2018-001 no significant results Contact Lake BR-2018-006 no significant results North Ridge BR-2018-007 19.0 103.0 84.0 0.08 North Ridge WL-2018-024 no significant results West Zone WL-2018-025 no significant results West Zone HOLE ID EASTING NORTHING ELEV AZIMUTH DIP DEPTH TARGET CL-2018-001 562800 5410740 320 180 -45 120.0 Contact Lake BR-2018-006 556078 5414042 318 105 -45 105.0 North Ridge BR-2018-007 556040 5413870 318 111 -45 111.0 North Ridge WL-2018-024 556886 5405364 365 260 -45 200.0 West Zone Step out from D89-18 WL-2018-025 556886 5405364 365 260 -60 120.0 *Assay results reported over intersection length. North Ridge The North Ridge target consists of a network of quartz-tourmaline vein system hosted within the Beggs Lake Tonalite. Anomalous gold values (grabs include values up to 5.1 g/t Au) +/- chalcopyrite and molybdenum have been observed over a strike length of 200 plus metres and 28 metres in width. Two diamond drill holes BR-2018-006 and 007 (216 metres) were drilled to further evaluate the area. Hole BR-2018-007 revealed a broad gold anomaly in bedrock that corresponds to the vertical projection of the vein system discovered at surface. In hole BR-2018-007, intermittent anomalous gold values (in excess of 100ppb gold) detected between 19.0 to 103.0 metres correspond to an intersection of 80 ppb gold over 84 metres. Contact Lake The Contact Lake Prospect is in the northeast portion of the project area approximately 8 kilometres northeast of the Wire Lake Gold Zone and 7 kilometres east of the Super G Vein. The mineralized zone observed in outcrop consists of several ~E-W parallel quartz veins over an apparent 2 to 3 metre width in which selective grab samples contained up to 11.9 g/t Au. One hole, CL-2018-001 was drilled to test the vertical extension of the mineralized zone, but no significant results were obtained in the hole. West Zone Two holes WL-2018-024 and 025 (321.0 metres) were drilled from the same setup to test a strong I.P. Chargeability Anomaly along trend of the West Zone. The West Zone, located approximately 500 metres west of the WLGS, was first discovered in 1989 when a single historic drill hole, 89-18, encountered two narrow intervals running 5.0 g/t Au over 0.9 metres and 2.3 g/t Au over 0.9 metres near the bottom of the hole. Both holes encountered zones of low grade (WL-2018-025) to anomalous gold (WL-2018-024) mineralization in the projected extension of the West Zone. However the highlight of drilling in the West Zone was the intersection of disseminated to semi-massive sulfides containing up to 40% pyrrhotite, pyrite +/- chalcopyrite while averaging 5-10% sulfide. Base metal assays remain pending for these holes. Analytical methods and Quality Assurance/Quality Control (QA/QC) Measures Canadian Orebodies has implemented a quality-control program to comply with best practices in the collection and analysis of rock samples. All drill cores are BTW in size and assays are completed on sawed half-cores, with the second half of the core kept for future reference. Groups of samples are then placed into durable rice bags and then transported in security-sealed bags to Activation Laboratories Ltd. in Thunder Bay, ON for preparation and assay. Routine gold analyses are fire assay with an AA (atomic absorption) finish whereas samples with visible gold or rich in quartz veins and sulfides are analysed using 1-kilogram screen fire assay. The remaining coarse reject portions of the samples remain in storage if further work or verification is needed. In addition to the standard quality control of the laboratory Canadian Orebodies has implemented a quality-control program to comply with best practices in the sampling and analysis of drill core. As part of its QA/QC program, the Company inserts external gold standards and blanks every 20 samples. Qualified Person This press release has been prepared under the supervision of Mr. Quentin Yarie (P.Geo.), who is a consultant to the Company and a qualified person (as such term is defined in National Instrument 43-101). Mr. Yarie has verified the technical data disclosed in this press release. 1 Readers are cautioned that these assay results are historical in nature and have not been verified by a qualified person on behalf of the Company. About Canadian Orebodies Inc. Canadian Orebodies is a Canadian-based mineral exploration company with a portfolio of properties in Ontario and Nunavut. Canadian Orebodies is focused on generating shareholder value through the advancement of its two Hemlo area projects: Wire Lake and the North Limb. For more information please contact: Gordon McKinnon, President & CEO Canadian Orebodies Inc. (416) 644-1747 http://www.canadianorebodies.com Forward-Looking Statements Certain information set forth in this news release may contain forward-looking statements that involve substantial known and unknown risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to, exploration results, potential mineralization, statements relating to mineral resources, and the Companys plans with respect to the exploration and development of its properties. These forward-looking statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, certain of which are beyond the control of Canadian Orebodies, including, but not limited to, the impact of general economic conditions, industry conditions, volatility of commodity prices, risks associated with the uncertainty of exploration results and estimates, currency fluctuations, dependency upon regulatory approvals, the uncertainty of obtaining additional financing and exploration risk. Readers are cautioned that the assumptions used in the preparation of such information, although considered reasonable at the time of preparation, may prove to be imprecise and, as such, undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - December 10, 2018) - Pan Global Resources Inc. (TSXV: PGZ) ("Pan Global" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the grant of a mineral exploration permit on the Escacena gold / copper / zinc prospect in the Iberian Pyrite Belt in southern Spain. The Company also provides an update on drilling progress in the Aguilas project, in Cordoba and Ciudad Real provinces, Spain. Key Points: The Escacena Investigation Permit has been granted and formal notice received by EVALAM 2003 SL (EVALAM) on 28 December, 2018. Pan Global has a binding Letter of Intent with EVALAM, providing the company an exclusive option to acquire 100% of the Escacena mineral rights. Exploration on the Escacena property can commence immediately. The target is volcanic-hosted massive sulphide copper and zinc in the Iberian Pyrite Belt on-strike from Aznalcollar, Los Frailes and Las Cruces mines. Drilling is advancing in the Aguilas Project with approximately 25% of the planned drilling completed and results awaited for several drill holes. Assays will be released early in the new year. The drilling on the Torrubia trend has confirmed the presence of a large multi-stage breccia system with IOCG-style hematite alteration and associated copper mineralisation. A small portion of the >12 kilometre long Torrubia Trend has been tested so-far. Drilling is now shifting to the Zumajo lead-zinc-silver trend. Drilling will resume on the Torrubia copper target as soon as access is granted. Tim Moody, President and CEO states: "The granting of the Escacena Investigation Permit is an important milestone and allows exploration to commence on this highly prospective property in the World's premier volcanic-hosted massive sulphide district. Drilling on the copper targets in the Aguilas project is encouraging at this early stage and shows many components of a large iron oxide copper gold (IOCG) style system." Escacena Project On June 8, 2017, the TSX Venture Exchange accepted for filing the Letter of Intent dated May 15, 2017 between Pan Global and EVALAM whereby the Company may acquire a 100% interest in the Escacena Investigation Permit (2,060 hectares) in the Iberian Pyrite Belt, southern Spain (Figure 1). Consideration is $350,000 cash over a 3-year period and $1,000,000 in exploration work commitments. The Vendor will retain a NSR of 0.5% on the first 12,500 tonnes of copper equivalent and 0.75% on any amount in excess of 12,500 tonnes of copper equivalent. The NSR has a lifetime cap of $5,000,000. On November 26, 2018, the Junta de Andalucia issued written notice to EVALAM granting "Escacena" Investigation Permit No. 14,903. The Escacena property includes two large gravity anomalies. Wide-spaced historical drilling on the La Romana gravity anomaly in the south of the property confirmed massive sulphide and stock work mineralisation over approximately 1.3 kilometres of strike, including a best drill interval of 4.68 metres @ 2.94% Cu (open). In the North of the property, the Canada Honda target is a 1.5 x 0.5 kilometre untested gravity anomaly in a favourable geological setting along-strike from the nearby Aznalcollar and Los Frailes massive sulphide deposits. Aguilas Project The Aguilas project covers more than 16,000 hectares in northern Andalucia, Spain and includes the Las Aguilas group of mineral rights (Figure 2). The area contains several major Northeast trending fault / breccia structures with indications of hematite-dominant iron oxide copper gold (IOCG) style mineralisation. Exploration to-date has focused on the >12 km long Torrubia copper trend and >20 kilometre long Northwest trending Zumajo lead-silver mine trend. None of the targets have been drill tested previously. The company commenced systematic exploration in the Aguilas Project in 2017 resulting in delineation of two large copper anomalies on the Torrubia copper trend with up to 0.69% Cu in soils and up to 28% Cu, 33% Fe, 1.7g/t Au, 15.5g/t Ag and 0.13% Co in rock samples. The Torrubia copper target is approximately 3.1 x 0.32 kilometres and Cerro Aguila copper target is approximately 0.6 x 0.3 kilometres. Soil geochemistry on a 6 kilometre section of the Zumajo trend outlined two large lead-zinc-silver soil anomalies with historical mine reports and sampling of mine dumps indicating potential for high metal grades. This includes a 1.8 kilometre long target associated with the former San-Juan and San Rafael mines and a separate target extending for 1 kilometre along strike from the former San Cayetano mine. Results include up to 8.9% Pb, 0.97% Zn, 17.5g/t Ag and 672ppm Cu in soils and up to >20% Pb, 20.7% Zn, 235g/t Ag and 12.75% Cu in rock grab samples from mine dumps. In September 2018, the company commenced its first drill campaign at the Aguilas project. The planned program includes approximately 20 to 25 drill holes and total of 3000 to 4000 metres. The drill holes are designed to provide the first test of the copper and polymetallic targets, and provide information on the geology and nature of the mineralisation to help future targeting. Approximately 25% of the planned drill holes have been completed to-date. Samples are delivered to ALS Laboratories in Seville, Spain for preparation and analysis. The company expects to release assay results early in 2019. Photos of drill core shown in Figure 3. Qualified Person Robert Baxter (FAusIMM), a Director of Pan Global Resources and a qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101, has reviewed the scientific and technical information that forms the basis for this news release. Mr. Baxter is not independent of the Company. About Pan Global Resources Pan Global Resources Inc. is actively engaged in base and precious metal exploration in Spain and pursuing opportunities from exploration through to mine development. The company has committed to operating safely and with respect to the communities and environment where we operate. On behalf of the Board of Directors www.panglobalresources.com. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Statements which are not purely historical are forward-looking statements, including any statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions regarding the future. It is important to note that actual outcomes and the Company's actual results could differ materially from those in such forward-looking statements. Risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, economic, competitive, governmental, environmental and technological factors that may affect the Company's operations, markets, products and prices. Readers should refer to the risk disclosures outlined in the Company's Management Discussion and Analysis of its audited financial statements filed with the British Columbia Securities Commission. NEITHER TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE POLICIES OF THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE. Figure 1 - Escacena Project Figure 2 - Aguilas Project, Targets and Planned Drill Holes Figure 3 - Drill core from the Torrubia copper trend (a) TOR-001 oxide and sulphide copper mineralisation, (b) TOR-001 marcasite + chalcopyrite with bornite rims, (c) TOR-001 breccia and (d) CDA-002 breccia Shares Issued and Outstanding: 91,793,387 VANCOUVER, Dec. 10, 2018 /CNW/ - Boreal Metals Corporation ("Boreal" or the "Company") (TSXV:BMX) is pleased to announce that further exploration drilling is underway at its Gumsberg project in Sweden. Boreal plans to conduct approximately 1,000 metres of diamond drilling to test a variety of shallow drill targets across the prospective high grade volcanogenic massive sulphide ("VMS") mineral trend in the Ostra Silvberg mine area where mining activities can be traced to medieval times. "Boreal continues to test for near surface, high grade mineralization at Gumsberg," stated Karl Antonius, President and CEO. "We plan to conduct an efficient program including several high priority targets in the vicinity of the Ostra Silvberg Mine, where we had good success earlier this year." Overview of the Gumsberg Project The strategically situated Gumsberg project consists of six exploration licenses in the Bergslagen Mining District of southern Sweden totaling over 18,300 hectares, where multiple zones of VMS style mineralization have been identified. Precious and base metal VMS style mineralization at Gumsberg was mined from the thirteenth century through the early nineteenth century, with over 30 historic mines present on the property, most notably the Ostra Silvberg mine, which was the largest silver mine in Sweden between 1250 and 1590. On February 28 and May 2, 2018, the Company announced high grade and other encouraging drill results from the 2,545 metre diamond drill program conducted at Gumsberg in late 2017 and early 2018. These drill results confirmed the presence of high grade silver, zinc, and lead mineralization with significant associated copper and gold mineralization that extends along the strike from and below the historic mine workings in the area. Also intersected were previously unrecognized zones of mineralization away from the mine workings. These represent novel discoveries of mineralization in the district. Drill intercepts included VMS type exhalative massive sulfide horizons, primary replacement style and related high grade lenses and shoots of silver, zinc, and lead mineralization. Similar styles of mineralization occur throughout the Bergslagen district in southern Sweden, which is host to multiple world-renowned base metal sulphide deposits. In September 2018, Boreal announced the results of a 61 line kilometre, high resolution ground magnetometer survey at Gumsberg (see the Company's New Release dated September 19, 2018). The survey confirmed the potential for layered/stacked or structurally repeated mineralized zones and provided better resolution of the known trends of mineralization in the area. This data will play a key role in developing further drill targets in the areas of the historic Vallberget-Loberget mining trend, as they help define extensions of the known trends of mineralization. About Boreal Metals Corporation Boreal is a mineral exploration company focused on the discovery of zinc, copper, silver, gold, cobalt and nickel deposits in exceptional, historical mining project areas spanning Sweden and Norway. The Company aims to discover new economic mineral deposits in known mining districts that have seen little or no modern exploration. The Company is led by an experienced management team and technical team, with successful track records in mineral discovery, mining development and financing. Qualified Person Daniel MacNeil, P.Geo, a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101, has read and approved all technical and scientific information related to the Gumsberg project contained in this news release. Mr. MacNeil is Vice President Exploration for Boreal Metals Corporation. On behalf of Boreal Metals Corporation Karl Antonius, President Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains certain statements that may be deemed "forwardlooking statements". Forwardlooking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects", "plans", "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "projects", "potential" and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will", "would", "may", "could" or "should" occur. Although Boreal Metals Corporation believes the expectations expressed in such forwardlooking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance, are subject to risks and uncertainties, and actual results or realities may differ materially from those in the forwardlooking statements. Such material risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, Boreal Metals Corporation's ability to raise sufficient capital to fund its obligations under its property option agreements, to maintain its mineral tenures and concessions in good standing, to explore and develop its projects, to repay its debt and for general working capital purposes; changes in economic conditions or financial markets; the ability of Boreal Metals Corporation to obtain the necessary permits and consents required to explore, drill and develop the projects and if obtained, to obtain such permits and consents in a timely fashion relative to Boreal Metals Corporation's plans and business objectives for the projects; the general ability of Boreal Metals Corporation to drill test its projects and find mineral resources; if any mineral resources are discovered or acquired, the Company's ability to monetize any such mineral resources; and changes in environmental and other laws or regulations that could have an impact on the Company's operations. Forwardlooking statements are based on the reasonable beliefs, estimates and opinions of Boreal Metals Corporation's management on the date the statements are made. Except as required by law, Boreal Metals Corporation undertakes no obligation to update these forwardlooking statements in the event that management's beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change. OTTAWA, Dec. 11, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Cornerstone Capital Resources Inc. (Cornerstone or the Company) (TSXV:CGP) (Frankfurt:GWN) (Berlin:GWN) (OTC:CTNXF) announced today that it has agreed to settle C$350,000 of debt owing to legal advisors to the Company by issuing 1,129,032 common shares in the capital of the Company at a deemed price of C$0.31 per common share. The debt settlement transaction is subject to the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange and all common shares issued pursuant to the debt settlement transaction will be subject to a four-month statutory hold period. About Cornerstone: Cornerstone Capital Resources Inc. is a mineral exploration company with a diversified portfolio of projects in Ecuador and Chile, including in the Cascabel gold-enriched copper porphyry joint venture in north west Ecuador. Further information is available on Cornerstones website: www.cornerstoneresources.com and on Twitter. For investor, corporate or media inquiries, please contact: Investor Relations: Mario Drolet (Montreal); Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.; Tel. (514) 346-3813 Corporate Matters: Sabino Di Paola, CFO (Ottawa); Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.; Tel. (343) 689-0714 Due to anti-spam laws, many shareholders and others who were previously signed up to receive email updates and who are no longer receiving them may need to re-subscribe at http://www.cornerstoneresources.com/s/InformationRequest.asp On Behalf of the Board, Brooke Macdonald President and CEO Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Dec. 11, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Tango Mining Limited (Tango or the Company) (TSXV:TGV) is pleased to provide an operational update on its project portfolio located in the Republics of South Africa, Angola, Botswana and Liberia for the period of 1 September to 30 November 2018 (1st Quarter). Coal Metallurgical and Mining Projects, Republic of South Africa Production: Three months run of mine and discard throughput for the three Exxaro Coal Central Propriety Limited (ECC) operations was in line with budget: Mine Actual (tonnes) Budget (tonnes) Variance (tonnes) Comments Dorstfontein East Coal Mine 613 423 705 971 (92 548) Low coal supply from mine Dorstfontein West Coal Mine 276 060 267 264 8 796 Forzando Coal Mine 875 868 826 980 48 888 Employees: Number of full time employees: 231 Number of part time employees: 23 Health and Safety: No reportable incidents reported for the three ECC operations for the 1st Quarter. Recognition: Mr. Miles Baltimore, Exarro Chief Engineering Manager, recently visited the Forzando operation and in a written letter of thanks to management commented Ive never visited a cleaner coal plant than the Forzando plant. In February 2019, Im planning to bring all the engineering managers to see what a coal plant should look like. Diamond Production Oena, Republic of South Africa Tango Mining and Processing Contractor At the Oena Diamond Mine located in the Western Cape, appointed mining contractor, Bluedust 7 Proprietary Limited (Bluedust), processed a total of 103,590 tonnes of run of mine material from 16 August mid November 2018 with a diamond grade of 0.278 carats per hundred tonnes (cpht). During the most recent production period a total of 287.34 carats (123 diamonds) were produced, placed on tender in Kimberley and sold with an average price of US $1,348 per carat. This includes a 20.35 carat diamond which sold at US $3,353 per carat and a 4.96 carat diamond which sold at US $6,886 per carat. Oena, Republic of South Africa Tango African Star Minerals (ASM) During the course of the year, Tango through its local subsidiary, ASM, acquired an additional pan plant (the Plant) with a 120 tonne per hour (tph) capacity to be used to support its stand-alone mining operation and the processing of pan tailings and bantam material (Tailings) left on site from previous mining operations. As previously reported (see news release dated 13 September 2018) during the 1st Quarter, ASM purchased a screening unit, 50t Terex dump truck and a Volvo 966 front end loader, which have now been delivered to site. Start of production is scheduled for mid-January 2019 following the end of the holiday break. Moquita Project, Republic of Angola Tango has a Services Agreement for Mining and Marketing of Diamonds with Cooperativa Mineira Do Moquita, SCRL (Moquita) on a 147 km2 portion of a concession located 50 km north of Lucapa within the Lauchimo River basin, Province of Lunda Norte, Republic of Angola. During the course of the 1st Quarter, the Angolan government launched operation Transparency which aimed to reduce diamond smuggling and reform the diamond sector. Endiama, the national diamond company of Angola, requested that all Cooperativas halt operations whilst Transparency is in progress. Tango, with its strategic funding partnership with CC Mining Limited (CCML), a member of Consolidated Contractors Company Group, used this opportunity to finalize a detailed mine plan and complete a thorough assessment of the camp site and its upgrade requirements. Simultaneously, additional plant parts were acquired including a 50t scrubber, grease table and a 150 kva generator. The rental of earth moving equipment, including a front-end loader, dump trucks and an excavator was negotiated with a vendor and finalized. Endiama is expected to allow the restart of operations of a number of Cooperativas, including Moquita, by end of December 2018, at which time Tango will begin mobilization and commissioning of the Moquita Mine. Diamond Exploration Middlepits Project, Republic of Botswana The Middlepits Project is located 470 kilometers (km) south west of Gaborone and 90 km south west of Tshabong in the Kgalagadi District, Botswana. Metswedi Mining (Pty) Limited (Metswedi) has now received the first renewal for both Prospecting License No. 101/2015 (430 km2) and No. 058/2015 (2.3 km2). Metswedi has applied for the licenses to be transferred to a newly formed joint venture company between Metswedi and Tango to be named Tango Metswedi. An exploration program is being developed with final plans and a program to commence during the period March to May 2019. Mano River Project, Republic of Liberia During the course of the 1st Quarter, the license is in the process of being transferred to a new company to be formed named Tango Mining Liberia. An exploration program is being developed and an update will be provided on timing when complete. On behalf of the Tango Board of Directors Mr. Samer Khalaf Chief Executive Officer Tango Mining Limited This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward-Looking Statement Certain information set forth in this news release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information under applicable securities laws. Except for statements of historical fact, certain information contained herein constitutes forward-looking statements, which include managements assessment of future plans and operations and are based on current internal expectations, estimates, projections, assumptions and beliefs, which may prove to be incorrect. Some of the forward-looking statements may be identified by words such as forecasts, estimates, expects anticipates, believes, projects, plans, outlook, capacity and similar expressions. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and undue reliance should not be placed on them. Such forward-looking statements necessarily involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties, which may cause the Companys actual performance and financial results in future periods to differ materially from any projections of future performance or results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to statements with respect to the estimation of mineral resources; the realization of mineral resource estimates; anticipated future production, capital and operating costs; cash flows and mine life; potential size of a mineralized zone; potential expansion of mineralization; potential types of mining operations; permitting timelines; government regulation of exploration and mining operations; risks that the presence of diamond deposits mentioned nearby the Companys property are not indicative of the diamond mineralization on the Companys property, the supply and demand for, deliveries of and the level and volatility of prices of rough diamonds, risks that the actual revenues will be less than projected; risks that the target production for the existing mining contracts will be less than projected or expected; risks that production will not commence as projected due to delay or inability to receive governmental approval of the Companys acquisition or the timely completion of an NI43-101 report; technical problems; inability of management to secure sales or third party purchase contracts; currency and interest rate fluctuations; foreign exchange fluctuations and foreign operations; various events which could disrupt operations, including labor stoppages and severe weather conditions; and managements ability to anticipate and manage the foregoing factors and risks. The forward-looking statements and information contained in this news release are based on certain assumptions regarding, among other things, future prices for coal and diamonds; future currency and exchange rates; the Companys ability to generate sufficient cash flow from operations and access capital markets to meet its future obligations; coal consumption levels; and the Companys ability to retain qualified staff and equipment in a cost-efficient manner to meet its demand. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company does not undertake to update any of the forward-looking statements contained in this news release unless required by law. The statements as to the Companys capacity to achieve revenue are no assurance that it will achieve these levels of revenue. TORONTO, Dec. 11, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Kirkland Lake Gold Ltd. (Kirkland Lake Gold or the Company) (TSX:KL) (NYSE:KL) (ASX:KLA) today announced the Companys full-year guidance for 2019, which includes strong production growth, improved unit costs and a continued strong commitment to exploration and growth. The Company also announced today three-year production guidance, which includes the Fosterville Mine achieving over 500,000 ounces of production by 2020 and demonstrates the potential for consolidated production to reach one million ounces by 2021. All dollar amounts are expressed in U.S. dollars unless otherwise noted. Highlights of 2019 guidance include: Production growth to 740,000 800,000 ounces, driven largely by significantly higher production at Fosterville, as well as increased production at Macassa to 740,000 800,000 ounces, driven largely by significantly higher production at Fosterville, as well as increased production at Macassa Operating cash costs per ounce sold 1 to improve to $360 $380 per ounce sold to improve to $360 $380 All-in sustaining costs (AISC) per ounce sold 1 to achieve significant improvement to $630 $680 per ounce sold to achieve significant improvement to $630 $680 Exploration expenditures estimated at $100 $120 million, including capitalized exploration expenditures, with $85 $100 million targeted for Fosterville and the Northern Territory in Australia estimated at $100 $120 million, including capitalized exploration expenditures, with $85 $100 million targeted for Fosterville and the Northern Territory in Australia Sustaining capital expenditures 1 of $150 $170 million, with sustaining capital expenditures on a per ounce of gold sold basis expected to improve significantly from 2018 levels of $150 $170 million, with sustaining capital expenditures on a per ounce of gold sold basis expected to improve significantly from 2018 levels Growth capital expenditures1 of $155 $165 million in 2019, largely reflecting expenditures for the Macassa #4 shaft project and growth projects at Fosterville. (1) See the Non-IFRS Measures section starting on page 35 of the Companys MD&A for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2018 filed on the Companys profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Highlights of three-year production guidance include: Consolidated : Kirkland Lake Gold is targeting consolidated production growth of 10 15% per year over the next three years, with production of 740,000 800,000 ounces in 2019 to be followed by production of 850,000 910,000 ounces in 2020 and 945,000 1,005,000 ounces in 2021 : Kirkland Lake Gold is targeting consolidated production growth of 10 15% per year over the next three years, with production of 740,000 800,000 ounces in 2019 to be followed by production of 850,000 910,000 ounces in 2020 and 945,000 1,005,000 ounces in 2021 Fosterville: Production to increase to over 500,000 ounces in 2020 and reach over 570,000 ounces by 2021 driven by higher grades and increased throughput in 2021 Production to increase to over 500,000 ounces in 2020 and reach over 570,000 ounces by 2021 driven by higher grades and increased throughput in 2021 Macassa: Production to reach 245,000 255,000 ounces in 2021, with output to increase substantially in 2022 with the commencement of production from the new #4 shaft Production to reach 245,000 255,000 ounces in 2021, with output to increase substantially in 2022 with the commencement of production from the new #4 shaft Holt Complex: Production, including output from the Taylor and Holt mines using the Holt Mill, to total over 120,000 ounces in both 2019 and 2020, increasing to over 130,000 ounces in 2021 (additional production potential at Holloway Mine, where advanced exploration work is commencing ahead of possible resumption of operations) Production, including output from the Taylor and Holt mines using the Holt Mill, to total over 120,000 ounces in both 2019 and 2020, increasing to over 130,000 ounces in 2021 (additional production potential at Holloway Mine, where advanced exploration work is commencing ahead of possible resumption of operations) Northern Territory: Work at Cosmo Mine and Union Reefs moving to advanced exploration phase with focus on evaluating potential restart of operations as early as second half of 2019 (no ounces from Northern Territory included in 2019 or three-year production guidance). Tony Makuch, President and Chief Executive Officer, commented: Kirkland Lake Gold is poised to achieve substantial production growth and improved unit costs in 2019. We will also continue to invest in exploration and additional production growth, with our plan being to reach one million ounces of annual gold production as early as 2021. While achieving one million ounces of production will be a significant milestone, it is more important that the growth we achieve continues to drive down unit costs, increases margins and positions us to generate substantial amounts of free cash flow going forward. Not surprisingly, the key driver of our three-year growth is Fosterville, where we expect to achieve over half a million ounces of annual gold production by 2020 and close to 600,000 ounces in 2021. As demonstrated from recent drilling and production results, the Swan Zone is a truly unique, high-grade zone that we are continuing to grow. We continue to explore for more zones like Swan at Fosterville and are encouraged by the fact that similar mineralization has been intersected in multiple locations. At Macassa, we expect to achieve incremental growth in production, with guidance for 2021 of 245,000 255,000 ounces, to be followed by a large step-up in output in 2022 with production commencing from the new #4 shaft. Elsewhere, we are transitioning both the Holloway Mine and Northern Territory assets from care and maintenance to advanced exploration with a focus on evaluating the potential to resume operations at both locations. Finally, turning to capital, based on our current growth plans we will see the peak level of growth capital expenditures in 2019, with these expenditures to be reduced starting in 2020. The Macassa #4 shaft project is advancing very well, with full-face shaft sinking set to commence in the second quarter of 2019. At Fosterville, our three key projects, new ventilation, a paste fill plant and water treatment plant, will be completed during 2019, as will additional initiatives that have been included in our 2019 plan, such as a new power transformer, new refinery and gold room and a thiocyanate destruction plant. We have also included in our guidance growth capital expenditures for the first half of the year related to the Northern Territory and Holloway Mine as we continue to assess these assets. 2019 Guidance Macassa Taylor Holt Fosterville Consolidated5 Gold production (kozs)1 230 240 50 55 70 75 390 430 740 800 Op. cash costs ($/oz)2 440 460 690 710 620 640 200 220 $360 $380 AISC/ounce sold ($/oz)2 $630 $680 Operating cash costs ($M)2 $270 $280 Royalty costs ($M) $25 $30 Sustaining capital ($M)2 $150 $170 Growth capital ($M)2,3 $155 $165 Exploration ($M) $100 $120 Corporate G&A ($M)4 $26 $28 (1) Production and unit-cost guidance for 2019 does not include results for the Northern Territory or Holloway Mine. (2) See Non-IFRS Measures set out starting on page 35 of the MD&A for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2018 for further details. The most comparable IFRS Measure for operating cash costs, operating cash costs per ounce sold and AISC per ounce sold is production costs, as presented in the Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Income, and total additions and construction in progress for sustaining and growth capital. Operating cash costs, operating cash cost per ounce sold and AISC per ounce sold reflect an average US$ to C$ exchange rate of 1.33 and a US$ to A$ exchange rate of 1.39. (3) Growth capital expenditure guidance includes planned expenditures for the Northern Territory and Holloway Mine during the first half of 2019, with additional expenditures for the second half of the year to be determined based on the results of current programs and other developments. Growth capital expenditures exclude $14.2 million of capital expenditures related to the Macassa #4 shaft project, which are expected to be recorded as capital expenditures in 2019, but have been paid in cash on an advanced basis in 2018. (4) Includes general and administrative costs and severance payments. Excludes non-cash share-based payment expense. (5) The Companys full financial results for full-year 2018 will be released in late February 2019. As such, comparisons in this press release involving financial measures included in the Companys 2019 guidance are made to existing 2018 guidance, as well as the Companys nine-month 2018 results. Review of 2019 Guidance Consolidated gold production in 2019 is targeted at approximately 740,000 800,000 ounces, a substantial increase from target production of over 670,000 ounces in 2018 (492,484 ounces for the first nine months (YTD) of 2018). Production growth in 2019 will be driven by Fosterville, mainly reflecting higher average grades compared to 2018. Production is also expected to increase at Macassa in 2019, mainly driven by higher tonnage, while production at Holt and Taylor is expected to be similar to the comparable 2018 levels. The Companys guidance for 2019 does not include any production from the Northern Territory or the Holloway Mine. in 2019 is targeted at approximately 740,000 800,000 ounces, a substantial increase from target production of over 670,000 ounces in 2018 (492,484 ounces for the first nine months (YTD) of 2018). Production growth in 2019 will be driven by Fosterville, mainly reflecting higher average grades compared to 2018. Production is also expected to increase at Macassa in 2019, mainly driven by higher tonnage, while production at Holt and Taylor is expected to be similar to the comparable 2018 levels. The Companys guidance for 2019 does not include any production from the Northern Territory or the Holloway Mine. Operating cash costs per ounce sold are expected to average $360 $380, which compares to current full-year 2018 guidance of $385 $410 and the average for YTD 2018 of $397. Improvement in operating cash costs per ounce sold in 2019 is expected to be driven by Fosterville, the Companys lowest-cost mine, which will account for a higher proportion of consolidated production compared to 2018 and will benefit from higher average grades in the coming year. Operating cash costs per ounce sold in 2019 at Macassa, Holt and Taylor are expected to be similar to comparable 2018 levels. are expected to average $360 $380, which compares to current full-year 2018 guidance of $385 $410 and the average for YTD 2018 of $397. Improvement in operating cash costs per ounce sold in 2019 is expected to be driven by Fosterville, the Companys lowest-cost mine, which will account for a higher proportion of consolidated production compared to 2018 and will benefit from higher average grades in the coming year. Operating cash costs per ounce sold in 2019 at Macassa, Holt and Taylor are expected to be similar to comparable 2018 levels. All-in sustaining costs (AISC) per ounce sold are targeted to achieve substantial improvement in 2019, with guidance of $630 $680, which compares to current 2018 guidance of $735 $760 and YTD 2018 AISC per ounce sold of $738. The improvement is largely expected to result from higher sales volumes, with sustaining capital expenditures expected to remain similar to comparable 2018 levels. are targeted to achieve substantial improvement in 2019, with guidance of $630 $680, which compares to current 2018 guidance of $735 $760 and YTD 2018 AISC per ounce sold of $738. The improvement is largely expected to result from higher sales volumes, with sustaining capital expenditures expected to remain similar to comparable 2018 levels. Operating cash costs for 2019 are estimated at $270 $280 million, which compares to the current guidance for full-year 2018 of $260 $270 million and YTD 2018 operating cash costs of $197.2 million. for 2019 are estimated at $270 $280 million, which compares to the current guidance for full-year 2018 of $260 $270 million and YTD 2018 operating cash costs of $197.2 million. Royalty costs in 2019 are estimated at $25 $30 million compared to current guidance for 2018 of $22 $27 million and total royalty costs of $18.8 million for YTD 2018. in 2019 are estimated at $25 $30 million compared to current guidance for 2018 of $22 $27 million and total royalty costs of $18.8 million for YTD 2018. Sustaining capital expenditures in 2019 are targeted at $150 $170 million, unchanged from current guidance for 2018 and compared to YTD 2018 sustaining capital expenditures of $127.6 million. Sustaining capital expenditures are expected to be similar to comparable 2018 levels as lower sustaining capital expenditures at Macassa, largely reflecting reduced capital development requirements, is offset by an increase in sustaining capital expenditures at Fosterville. The expected increase in sustaining capital expenditures at Fosterville mainly relates to increased capital development and higher expenditures for mobile equipment procurement as the mine continues to ramp up production from the Swan Zone and other areas. in 2019 are targeted at $150 $170 million, unchanged from current guidance for 2018 and compared to YTD 2018 sustaining capital expenditures of $127.6 million. Sustaining capital expenditures are expected to be similar to comparable 2018 levels as lower sustaining capital expenditures at Macassa, largely reflecting reduced capital development requirements, is offset by an increase in sustaining capital expenditures at Fosterville. The expected increase in sustaining capital expenditures at Fosterville mainly relates to increased capital development and higher expenditures for mobile equipment procurement as the mine continues to ramp up production from the Swan Zone and other areas. Growth capital expenditures are estimated at $155 $165 million in 2019, which compares to current guidance for 2018 of $110 $115 million and YTD 2018 growth capital expenditures of $48.9 million. Of planned growth capital expenditures in 2019, Macassa is expected to account for approximately $80 million, with $50 $55 million relating to the #4 shaft project and the remainder largely funding a thickened tails project and the construction of a new tailings impoundment area. Capital expenditures for the #4 shaft project are expected to decline following the end of 2019. Growth capital expenditures at Fosterville in 2019 are estimated at approximately $55 million, including approximately $35 million to complete the mines three key projects, including the new ventilation system, the past fill plant and a new water treatment plant. The remaining growth capital expenditures at Fosterville relate to a number of smaller projects, including a new power transformer, new refinery and gold room and a thiocyanate destruction plant, all of which are scheduled for completion during 2019. Approximately $15 million and $8 million of growth capital expenditures are included in the Companys 2019 guidance for the Northern Territory and Holloway, respectively, representing planned expenditures during the first half of 2019. are estimated at $155 $165 million in 2019, which compares to current guidance for 2018 of $110 $115 million and YTD 2018 growth capital expenditures of $48.9 million. Of planned growth capital expenditures in 2019, Macassa is expected to account for approximately $80 million, with $50 $55 million relating to the #4 shaft project and the remainder largely funding a thickened tails project and the construction of a new tailings impoundment area. Capital expenditures for the #4 shaft project are expected to decline following the end of 2019. Growth capital expenditures at Fosterville in 2019 are estimated at approximately $55 million, including approximately $35 million to complete the mines three key projects, including the new ventilation system, the past fill plant and a new water treatment plant. The remaining growth capital expenditures at Fosterville relate to a number of smaller projects, including a new power transformer, new refinery and gold room and a thiocyanate destruction plant, all of which are scheduled for completion during 2019. Approximately $15 million and $8 million of growth capital expenditures are included in the Companys 2019 guidance for the Northern Territory and Holloway, respectively, representing planned expenditures during the first half of 2019. Exploration expenditures in 2019 are estimated at $100 $120 million, including capital exploration expenditures. Of total exploration expenditures, approximately $85 $100 million are targeted for the Companys Australian operations, with $15 $20 million of exploration expenditures estimated for the Companys Canadian operations. Key areas of focus for exploration work in 2019 at Fosterville include the Lower Phoenix and Harrier systems, Robbins Hill, as well as a number of regional targets. In the Northern Territory, exploration expenditures will focus on Mineral Resource growth and definition at the Lantern Deposit and the continued evaluation of targets at Union Reefs. In Canada, exploration expenditures will be largely focused on the continued growth and conversion of Mineral Resources at Macassa and Taylor. expenditures in 2019 are estimated at $100 $120 million, including capital exploration expenditures. Of total exploration expenditures, approximately $85 $100 million are targeted for the Companys Australian operations, with $15 $20 million of exploration expenditures estimated for the Companys Canadian operations. Key areas of focus for exploration work in 2019 at Fosterville include the Lower Phoenix and Harrier systems, Robbins Hill, as well as a number of regional targets. In the Northern Territory, exploration expenditures will focus on Mineral Resource growth and definition at the Lantern Deposit and the continued evaluation of targets at Union Reefs. In Canada, exploration expenditures will be largely focused on the continued growth and conversion of Mineral Resources at Macassa and Taylor. Corporate G&A expense in 2019 is targeted at $26 $28 million, slightly higher than the current target for full-year 2018 of $25 million ($18.3 million for YTD 2018). Three-Year Production Guidance1 Macassa Holt Complex Fosterville Consolidated 2019 (kozs) 230 240 120 130 390 430 740 800 2020 (kozs) 230 240 120 130 500 540 850 910 2021 (kozs) 245 255 130 140 570 610 945 1,005 (1) Three-year production guidance does not include any production from the Northern Territory or Holloway Mine. Macassa: Production at Macassa in 2019 is expected to increase from the target range for 2018 of 220,000 225,000 ounces, primarily due to increased mill throughput in 2019. Production in 2020 is targeted to be similar to 2019 before increasing to 245,000 255,000 ounces in 2021. Grades in 2021 are expected to average approximately 20.0 grams per tonne with mill throughput reaching close to 1,100 tonnes per day. Holt Complex: Production from the Holt Mill (including mine production from the Holt and Taylor mines) is expected to remain largely unchanged during the next two years, with the anticipation of some production growth at Taylor in 2021. The potential to restart operations at Holloway Mine could lead to higher levels of production from the Holt Complex, with advanced exploration work being undertaken at Holloway in 2019. Fosterville: Production at Fosterville is expected to grow significantly over the next three years from the current target for 2018 of over 330,000 ounces. Fostervilles production is targeted to increase in 2019, to 390,000 430,000 ounces, driven primarily by a higher average grade in the coming year. Production at Fosterville is then targeted to grow to 500,000 540,000 ounces in 2020 and 570,000 610,000 ounces in 2021, with grades over this two-year period expected to average approximately 30 grams per tonne and throughput to increase in 2021 to approximately 1,700 tonnes per day. Northern Territory: During the first half of 2019, the Company is moving forward with advanced exploration work to evaluate the potential of resuming operations in the Northern Territory of Australia. A decision on resuming operations in the Northern Territory is expected during 2019. Qualified Persons Pierre Rocque, P.Eng., Vice President, Technical Services is a qualified person as defined in National Instrument 43-101 and has reviewed and approved disclosure of the technical information and data in this news release. About Kirkland Lake Gold Ltd. Kirkland Lake Gold Ltd. is a mid-tier gold producer with 2018 production targeted at over 670,000 ounces of gold from mines in Canada and Australia. The production profile of the Company is anchored by two high-grade, low-cost operations, including the Macassa Mine located in Northeastern Ontario and the Fosterville Mine located in the State of Victoria, Australia. Kirkland Lake Gold's solid base of quality assets is complemented by district-scale exploration potential, supported by a strong financial position with extensive management and operational expertise. For further information on Kirkland Lake Gold and to receive news releases by email, visit the website www.klgold.com. Non-IFRS Measures The Company has included certain non-IFRS measures in this press release, as discussed below. The Company believes that these measures, in addition to conventional measures prepared in accordance with IFRS, provide investors an improved ability to evaluate the underlying performance of the Company. The non-IFRS measures are intended to provide additional information and should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for measures of performance prepared in accordance with IFRS. These measures do not have any standardized meaning prescribed under IFRS, and therefore may not be comparable to other issuers. Refer to the MD&A for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2018, dated October 30, 2018, for the Q3 and YTD 2018 non-IFRS reconciliations. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information This press release contains forward looking statements and "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws, including statements regarding the plans, intentions, beliefs and current expectations of Kirkland Lake Gold with respect to future business activities and operating performance. Forward-looking information is often identified by the words "may", "would", "could", "should", "will", "intend", "plan", "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "expect" or similar expressions and include information regarding: (i) the amount of future production over any period; (ii) assumptions relating to revenues, operating cash flow and other revenue metrics set out in the Company's disclosure materials; (iii) future exploration plans; (iv) changes in Mineral Resources and conversion of Mineral Resources to proven and probable reserves; and (v) other information that is based on forecasts of future operational or financial results and estimates of management. Investors are cautioned that forward-looking information is not based on historical facts but instead reflect Kirkland Lake Gold's management's expectations, estimates or projections concerning future results or events based on the opinions, assumptions and estimates of management considered reasonable at the date the statements are made. Although Kirkland Lake Gold believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking information are reasonable, such information involves risks and uncertainties, and undue reliance should not be placed on such information, as unknown or unpredictable factors could have material adverse effects on future results, performance or achievements of the combined company. Exploration results that include geophysics, sampling, and drill results on wide spacings may not be indicative of the occurrence of a mineral deposit. Such results do not provide assurance that further work will establish sufficient grade, continuity, metallurgical characteristics and economic potential to be classed as a category of Mineral Resource. Among the key factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking information are the following: the future development and growth potential of the Canadian and Australian operations; the future exploration activities planned at the Canadian and Australian operations and anticipated effects thereof; changes in general economic, business and political conditions, including changes in the financial markets; changes in applicable laws; and compliance with extensive government regulation. This forward-looking information may be affected by risks and uncertainties in the business of Kirkland Lake Gold and market conditions. This information is qualified in its entirety by cautionary statements and risk factor disclosure contained in filings made by Kirkland Lake Gold, including its annual information form, financial statements and related MD&A for the financial year ended December 31, 2017, and its interim financial statements and related MD&A for the period ended September 30, 2018, which are filed with the securities regulatory authorities in certain provinces of Canada and available at www.sedar.com. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should assumptions underlying the forward-looking information prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described herein as intended, planned, anticipated, believed, estimated or expected. Although Kirkland Lake Gold has attempted to identify important risks, uncertainties and factors which could cause actual results to differ materially, there may be others that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Kirkland Lake Gold does not intend, and do not assume any obligation, to update this forward-looking information except as otherwise required by applicable law. Cautionary Note to U.S. Investors Mineral Reserve and Resource Definitions The terms "Mineral Resource" and "measured Mineral Resource" are defined in and required to be disclosed in accordance with Canadian National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101") and the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum (the "CIM") - CIM Definition Standards on Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves, adopted by the CIM Council, as amended (the "CIM Standards"). However, these terms are not defined terms under SEC Industry Guide 7 under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the Exchange Act, and are normally not permitted to be used in reports and registration statements filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"). Investors are cautioned not to assume that all or any part of mineral deposits in these categories will ever be converted into reserves. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT Anthony Makuch, President, Chief Executive Officer & Director Phone: +1 416-840-7884 E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Mark Utting, Vice-President, Investor Relations Phone: +1 416-840-7884 E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Filing false affidavits is a felony, Dorf said on The Chicago Way podcast. To prevent anyone from supporting a candidate (intimidation) is also a felony. Ive never seen anything like it. Were asking that the Chicago Board of Election Commissioners refer this to the Cook County states attorney. This is clearly two felonious violations of the elections code. I think people are sadly used to it now, said Amaka Nwaezeigwe, 18, a sophomore. For some of the other students who died, it didnt affect me as much. But (Daniel) was in my class. Its a weird concept to think someone in my class who would have graduated with me is gone now. LONDON Now that we no longer have the communist bogyman with which to frighten the children, some Western political and military leaders have fixed upon Islamic fundamentalism as the new Big Threat in the world. "Islamic fundamentalism is at least as dangerous as communism was," said Willy Claes, secretary general of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, at a recent international conference in Germany. "Please do not underestimate it." Advertisement At the conference, Sen. John Glenn (D-Ohio) wondered whether Islamic fundamentalists might become more dangerous than Russian Communists, adding: "Looking at the Muslim world, I feel we might be heading for a fight to protect our basic political order." In the wake of such statements, NATO announced in Brussels last week that it was opening a dialogue with Egypt, Israel, Morocco, Tunisia and Mauritania because of concerns about Islamic fundamentalism and missile proliferation. Advertisement At a meeting of NATO ministers, there was talk of long-range missile attacks from North Africa and of an upsurge of terrorism. The people who are peddling such ideas appear to be haunted by stories of Moorish Spain and Turks at the gates of Vienna in 1529. But their grasp of late 20th Century reality is questionable. There are sound reasons to be concerned about some developments in the Islamic world. The chief source of worry is the civil strife in Algeria, where fundamentalists-denied an almost certain victory at the polls by a military takeover three years ago-have turned to weapons and terrorism to try to gain power. The greatest threat to the West in this is an exodus of thousands of refugees to Europe if the fundamentalists come to power. There also is legitimate concern about Iran's attempts to develop a nuclear weapon. But to extrapolate from these developments a looming clash of Islamic and Christian civilizations, comparable to the confrontation between the capitalist and communist worlds, is absurd. Islamic fundamentalism is a loose term. For about 70 years, a form of Islamic fundamentalism has prevailed in Saudi Arabia, but no one would suggest it is a threat to the West. Saudi Arabia's closest ally is the U.S. A more militant form of fundamentalism holds sway in Iran and Sudan, but there are differences in practices and aims between these countries. In Egypt, the fundamentalist Muslim Brotherhood and the extremist movements that focus on killing tourists are distinct entities. Likewise in Algeria, there are important differences between the Islamic Salvation Front and the more militant Armed Islamic Groups. Advertisement Putting the issue in a larger context, there is no commonality of purpose conceivable among the Arab nations of the Middle East and North Africa, even if fundamentalists were to come to power in all of them. The political and cultural differences among them are deep-rooted, and anyone who imagines an Islamic monolith launching a Muslim version of the Crusades is simply ignorant of history. Comparing a supposed Islamic threat with that posed by communism is especially fatuous. The communist world was a monolith, armed to the teeth with nuclear weapons and implacably hostile to the West. The fundamentalist movements, by and large, are not imbued with a conquering or expansionist spirit outside the confines of the Islamic world. The Islamic regime in Iran wanted to export revolution to other Islamic states when it came to power in 1979, but 16 years later it is still too preoccupied with internal problems to act on its ambitions. Some of the other fundamentalist movements want to purge their societies of Western influences, which they see as decadent and corrupting, but that does not mean they harbor aggressive designs against Western nations. The most seriously expansionist state in the Islamic world in recent years has been Iraq, which isn't a fundamentalist state at all. Likewise, that other great Western bogyman in the Islamic world, Libya's Moammar Gadhafi, is more a fanatic than a true fundamentalist. His dementia has nothing to do with Islam. Those scaremongers in NATO and elsewhere who propound the notion of a titanic struggle between civilizations need to define the precise nature of the threat, or stop talking about it in the kind of apocalyptic language that is coming into vogue. Advertisement Could it be that NATO has discovered the Islamic threat because, after the demise of communism, it desperately needs a new threat to survive as an organization? Since 1990 NATO has been in crisis, unable to articulate a rationale for its continued existence and riven by doubts about the future American commitment to Europe. The antidote to these problems might be to find a new threat to rally the disunited NATO members. But it won't work. That's because the Islamic states will not oblige by providing a threat on the required scale. It won't work because moderate Arab states cannot afford politically to be seen cooperating with a Western military organization, and with Israel, in concert against their Arab brethren. Finally, it won't work because of lack of Western cohesion. For example, the French can't decide whether to pursue a lone policy toward Algeria or to bring in France's European Union partners. As NATO begins to develop its approach, it is likely to find agreement among its members as elusive as it has been on the question of Bosnia. Magnifying the threat of fundamentalism is not without danger. Already there is a serious level of racial hatred building in Italy, France and Spain toward immigrants from the Middle East and North Africa. If bigots in Europe see their own governments engaging in Islamic bashing, they may discern no reason not to give expression to their worst impulses. Until now the European Union, most of whose members also belong to NATO, has been pursuing a more sensible approach to the problems of Europe's near neighbors on the southern rim of the Mediterranean. Advertisement The Union is considering providing funds for economic development in these countries so their citizens can find work at home instead of migrating to Europe and exacerbating social divisions there. This autumn the Union will hold a conference with North African states in Spain to discuss forms of economic cooperation and methods of waging a common war on drugs. A plan to provide the southern Mediterranean countries with $6.8 billion in aid over the next five years is under consideration in Brussels. The concerns behind this effort relate to security and stability. But the NATO generals and their political masters will be mistaken if their own approach to the problem is a military one. A study of the failed efforts of U.S. Secretary of State John Foster Dulles to treat the problems of the Islamic world in this fashion in the 1950s would be especially instructive. Dulles tried to draw moderate Arab regimes into a military alliance against the radical states of the region. But the effort flopped, and Dulles only succeeded in fanning the flames of left-wing extremism. Cheryl Cianelli, who boards at the Downers Grove stop, said shes been riding the BNSF line for 36 years and its never been as challenging as it is right now. She said boarding at Union Station in the evening rush hour is hazardous because of crowding, and said some passengers have to cross tracks. Gomez kept his hands clasped behind his back and answered in a soft voice when the judge asked him if he understood the charges. He shook his head slightly as Peluso read aloud a passage of the indictment accusing him of illegally trafficking guns while he was an Evanston cop. In several of those interviews which the Tribune recorded Angelo qualified his comments by telling reporters he was not representing the FOP or the Chicago Police Department. Instead, he said he was speaking as a retired department veteran with two adult children now on the police force and as a Van Dyke family friend. Monitors at one of the sites owned by KCBX Terminals picked up high levels of manganese on days when winds blew across the river from the vicinity of S.H. Bell's facility between 101st and 103rd streets. S.H. Bell fought federal and city orders to install additional monitors around its facility, but a court-ordered legal settlement required the equipment to be up and running by March 2017. Another large quantity of marijuana was confiscated from a 32nd floor condo in the 100 block of East 14th Street in Chicago. Authorities allege at least one of the Estrada brothers used the condo as a stash house. "Once we have reviewed it, we will coordinate with the NLRB and union attorney to try and reach an agreement on the scope of the unit and election details," said Zibell. "We recognize the teachers' right to organize and are committed to staying neutral as we move through the process set forth by the NLRB." He also told CNN: We want to avoid a government shutdown. As you know, though, unfortunately the president has been predictably unpredictable and reliably unreliable. There was funding for border security that passed in last years budget over a billion dollars that they haven't used yet. If they want to compromise and continue that funding on into this year, let's not hold up the other six appropriations bills that need to get done and, oh, by the way, passing a bill to protect women against violence, a farm bill, disaster relief, the list goes on. For over a century, this region has been Americas crossroads for roads, rails and runways. The truth is it is a fundamental economic strength for the region and a job creator for the region, Emanuel said. And over the last 28 years, we have not been investing in that strength and it is beginning to show the wear and tear. Chicago and the greater Chicago metro area is losing some of the jobs and economic opportunity that would come if you had a 21st century transportation system to back up a 21st century economy. The tragedy of this is that the government is going to end up writing a big check and this guy (Bulger), or at least his family, is going to get the last laugh, said Mike Huff, a retired Tulsa police sergeant who worked for years with the investigation that resulted in Bulgers 2013 conviction. Whiteys going to have a whole bunch of zeros after his name. Frederic said that the series will not be a reality show, in which story lines are often scripted, but rather a docuseries following the two as they grapple with their post-Mueller life. The couple are not being paid to appear in the series but will receive payment for providing photos and other mementos, she said. "In the best of times, it is relentless," said Chris Whipple, an expert on chiefs of staff and author of "The Gatekeepers," a book on the subject. "It's 24/7. It's thankless. You get all of the blame and none of the credit for everything that happens. And that's in the best of times. We are not in the best of times." Whether ORourke is the Goldilocks candidate not too progressive, but progressive enough remains to be seen. Democrats, however, would be wise to heed former FBI Director James Comey, who conceded that Democrats will have plenty of ideological arguments, but they have to win. If that means picking a less dreamy candidate over a darling of the partys far left, there shouldnt be much question as to which way to go. I was struck by how many versions of the same criticism were repeated by anonymous trolls, and it made me wonder if Russian bots were involved. When I suggested as much in a tweet, I earned a rebuke from the right-wing British conspiracy-monger Katie Hopkins, who has lost her Mail Online column but retains 882,000 Twitter followers: "The world thinks you are a c---womble, sir. If you are looking for someone to blame find a mirror darling." I have no idea what a "c---womble" is, but it doesn't sound like a compliment. The irony is that some of the Twitter accounts scoffing at my questions about bots had so few followers that they might be bots themselves. Zuckerberg was able to discuss scaling up investment in employees who speak Burmese, and building AI tools, and making sure that the good is amplified while doing everything we can to mitigate the bad. He was not, at least as far as any reasonable listener could tell, able really to feel for those whose towns were burned and whose loved ones were killed. At least he might plead that he was 7,000 miles away. Yet Rockford is my hometown. My parents still live in the house where I blew out every birthday candle as a child. It is a city with a bad reputation but not necessarily an earned one. Its population has steadily declined. The city was once Illinois second-largest, behind Chicago. It now has slipped to No. 5, behind Aurora, Joliet and Naperville. Crime in Rockford is higher per capita than in Chicago. And anti-growth policies at the state and local level make it harder for Rockford to stand up and stay up. Light manufacturing has largely disappeared. Property taxes are high and residents are rebelling. The city has gone to the ballot box multiple times seeking home rule authority, which would allow it to tax more freely. But residents vote, Hell, no. Part of Times purpose in honoring journalists is to highlight the jarring irony of assaults on the truth in the age of information: This ought to be a time when democracy leaps forward, an informed citizenry being essential to self-government. Instead its in retreat. A true though rather dour assessment of the digital age. Social media can be a great equalizer between the public and the powerful. Tweets from the streets can galvanize opposition to a dictator overnight. But the dictatorial dont give up without fighting back, and the internet doesnt take sides. Facebook and the like are merely tools available to all, for better and worse, in pursuit of facts or fictions. With the Phillies known to be targeting one of the prized talents on this market Bryce Harper or Manny Machado the McCutchen signing, which remains unofficial pending a physical, will naturally lead to speculation that they will now pivot away from Harper and toward Machado. But given the Phillies' needs and the different skill sets of McCutchen and Harper, the addition of the former still leaves plenty of room for the latter, should the Phillies choose to go that route. 435 N. Michigan Ave., No. 401, Chicago: $3,575,000 | Listed: Oct. 14, 2021 This three-bedroom home has three full bathrooms, one half-bath, 11-foot ceilings, crown molding and white oak hardwood floors. This home has an open-concept living/dining space with two lounge areas and a marble fireplace. The kitchen offers quartzite countertops, an extended island, white Shaker cabinetry and a custom wine tower. The primary bedroom has a marble en suite bath with a dual vanity, a free-standing tub and a walk-in shower. Two additional en-suite bedrooms, a laundry room, and a foyer complete this home, which is located in a building with a professional gym, a 75-foot indoor lap pool, and an outdoor terrace. Agent: Ryan Preuett, Jameson Sothebys International Realty, 312-371-5951 *Some listing photos are virtually staged, meaning they have been digitally altered to represent different furnishing or decorating options. To feature your luxury listing of $800,000 or more in Chicago Tribunes Dream Homes, send listing information and high-res photos to ctc-realestate@chicagotribune.com. Join our Chicago Dream Homes Facebook group for more luxury listings and real estate news. I had no idea how I was going to get this done, Casstevens said. The pastor said, I need to go with you to deliver this news. And he did that. And thats when I realized the value of the chaplain program. After she wrapped up her comments, members of the audience burst into applause. Mottl said nothing at the time, but said Tuesday that he did call some referendum supporters, including Mayer and some of her colleagues, rabid animals. But he said he did this after they published his home address and tax information, at which point he felt personally threatened. The Rev. Mark Jendrysik was until recently the pastor at St. Matthew Parish in Glendale Heights, according to a statement by the diocese. Published reports and church records indicate that over the years he has also worked at St. Raphael in Naperville, St. Philip the Apostle in Addison and St. Walter in Roselle. Keating said he sought felony charges against Vicari, but was rebuffed by the Cook County States Attorneys office because the alleged victim was not under 17. He said hes still hopeful Vicaris charges may later be upgraded. The guard, whom police reports identified as an employee of Prudential Security, had been prohibited from entering the high school where he worked or any other district facility since the Nov. 28 incident, said Sandra Thomas, executive director of Exceptional Children Have Opportunities, or ECHO, the south suburban special education cooperative that operates the Academy for Learning. These issues are best addressed through a commitment of resources and personnel to provide assistance and real alternatives to those in the grip of these problems, Yohnka said. In addition to raising serious constitutional concerns, banning people in need from our streets lacks imagination and compassion. We hope people who have been targeted for enforcement by this misguided policy will share their stories to demonstrate the faults of this approach. It appears that Oneida is being used as a cut-through by drivers trying to avoid the four-way stop at York and Madison streets as they head to Poplar Avenue or even as far as Butterfield Road, according to the report. The Schwartz report, available on the citys BoardDocs website, does recommend additional study of the York/Madison intersection. Kuhnla family(NEW YORK) -- The grieving husband of a woman mysteriously killed in on vacation in Turks and Caicos is still desperate for answers two months after her death. Marie Kuhnla, 61, of Long Island, was found dead in the bushes near the Club Med Resort where she was staying on Oct. 16, prompting a murder investigation, the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force said at the time. Kuhnla's friends and co-workers from the Suffolk County Legal Aid Society, Kim Nohilly and Helma Hermans, were on the trip with her, as well as Nohilly's 26-year-old daughter, the women told ABC New York station WABC-TV. The last time the women saw Kuhnla was the night of Oct. 14 and they reported her missing the next day, according to WABC-TV. Her husband, Rick Kuhnla, is still overcome with emotion as he tries to talk about his wife of 38 years. "She was murdered," he told WABC in an exclusive interview. "I could at least say it now. I couldn't say it a month ago." Rick Kuhnla spoke to WABC at his home, where his kitchen table is still covered with condolence cards. In October the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police said Marie Kuhnla's death had prompted them to open a murder investigation. "I would ask that anyone with any information to please contact the investigators from the Serious Crime Unit or you can call in confidence at Crimestoppers on 1-800-8477," Trevor Botting, acting commissioner of the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police, said at the time the investigation was opened. But Rick Kunhla told WABC the police have not done enough to solve the crime. "Their only industry there is tourism," he said of Turks and Caicos. "You would feel [the local police would] be motivated to solve it quickly, but you can't help but think they want to sweep it under the rug." The Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force did not immediately respond Tuesday to ABC News' request for comment about the case. Meanwhile, Marie Kuhnla's family vows to never forget her impact. "She was a loving, caring, compassionate woman who I was lucky to have for a mom," Marie Kuhnla's son, Rick Kuhnla Jr., said in a statement in October. "If she saw someone who needed help, she would help them." "She went back to school later in life to earn her law degree and spent over 15 years as a public defender, providing legal assistance to those who could not afford it," he said. Rick Kuhnla Jr. said his mother often visited his elderly grandmother, "taking her out to eat and keeping her company." "She was a wonderful woman who brightened the day of everyone who knew her and many who didn't," he said. "She may be gone but the impact she had on the world and inspiration she provided most certainly is not." Copyright 2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. Daniels lived in Elmwood Park, attended St. Patricks High School in Chicago, and served in the Marine Corps. After Daniels died in 2011, Josephine DelSanto, who lives on the same block as the Daniels family, worked with community groups to help grow the Breakfast with Santa event into something that would honor his life of service. The four men around the table in the basement of Evanston Police Department earlier this month pored over serial numbers with flashlights and scratched makes and models down on an inventory list before tossing the pistols, revolvers, rifles and more into bins at the end of a long folding table to be destroyed. The caucus has an established process by which they review the candidates, he said. They voted on who they thought would serve the village best. I am sure the village will be served very well by the three slated candidates and I will continue to be highly engaged throughout the remainder of my appointed term and have enjoyed working with my fellow trustees, the village staff and learning more about how our wonderful community works. I thank the caucus for their consideration. Cipparrone indicated that the abatements were necessary because the county needs to know that the debt obligations were being met, or else they would automatically adjust the levy. The States Attorneys Office determined in April that the shooting, which did not result in life-threatening injuries, was justified. States Attorney Michael Nerheim said that the situation rose to the level of reasonable use of deadly force, a standard used to determine whether a police shooting is justified whether or not the person shot is killed. Someone in the same chatroom saw the post and contacted Naperville School District 203, the release said. A police investigation led them to the student, who was taken into custody Monday and charged with one count of false report of a threat to a school, a Class 4 felony. His next court appearance is scheduled for Jan. 10. The Christmas Lights Trolley Tour events have already sold out, filling up two trolleys on each of these dates it is being offered including the one Sunday and another scheduled for Dec. 16, said Fahy. In running for local offices, the group comprised of incumbent candidates Therese Schuepfer, Anna Brzozowski-Wegrecki and Zbniew Lewandoswski took the opportunity file on the first day, beginning the morning of Dec. 10. I tend to respond to the art itself, and less so where the artist is from, Sheban said. The interesting thing is the paintings and wood-cuts in the exhibition run the gamut from realism to still lives to painterly landscapes to non-representational works really something for everyone. Dina Sakellarion, 43, has been a server at Georgie Vs for two years. Before she started working at the Northbrook pancake house, Sakellarion was a server at the Village Inn Pizzeria in Skokie for seven years. She has a 24-year-old son. She grew up in West Rogers Park where she currently lives. According to a police summary, the resident was walking in the 100 block of Augusta Street at about 5:50 p.m. when he was struck in the jaw with a closed fist by a man, police said. The man then demanded the residents money and claimed to have a gun, police said. The man and resident then got into a physical altercation, police said. Highland Police were called to the 3200 block of Garfield Avenue around 8:44 a.m. to respond to a man who was "acting irrationally with a sword" on his front lawn, Highland Police spokesman Cmdr. John Banasiak said. When officers arrived, the man had already gone back inside, but wouldn't come to the door and had taken the phone off the hook, Banasiak said. Around 11:20 a.m. Monday, two deputies attempted to serve a warrant on a Portage Township man and, during their investigation, learned he might be residing in Meadow View Mobile Home Community, according to a release from Sgt. Jamie Erow, the departments public information officer. We are now seeing this debate in action during the current Central American migrant crisis. The language used to talk about the caravan has ranged from inaccurate words to outright dehumanization. It's crucial to be aware of this type of language to understand its function in hiding the truth of the situation and depriving people's ability to empathize with the migrants. The media has commonly referred to those in the caravan as migrants instead of asylum-seekers. The student of the Art Institute of Chicago was always moved by the murals of the Virgin in the Pilsen neighborhood, where she grew up. When she was a girl attending St. Precocious church, her mother would teach her to kneel in front of the Guadalupe shrine to pray for her needs and give thanks. Chinese publishers sign more than 200 agreements at this year's Algiers International Book Fair, Mei Jia reports in Algiers. Issam Chouiref learned the Chinese language for a month before he came to the Chinese publishers' booths at the 23rd Algiers International Book Fair from late October to mid-November. The 19-year-old Algerian wanted to volunteer there. Bringing in a delegation of more than 100 publishing professionals and writers, as well as 7,500 books of 2,500 titles, China was the country of honor at the fair, which marked the first and biggest publishing exchange between Algeria and China to date. "I came to say 'Welcome, Chinese friends, to Algeria'. We're old friends, and I'd like to see the good relationship between us being well kept, so that when the Chinese friends return to China, they'll remember there was an Algerian who had helped them," Chouiref tells China Daily. A fan of Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan, Chouiref studies foreign languages by himself and is an apprentice for a foreign-trade business and sometimes does part-time translation and teaching. His Chinese name, Huang Jinlong, means "golden dragon". Chouiref came to the booths during the fair and, without asking for payment, worked as a translator, sales assistant and "bridge" between the two cultures. With his help, China Intercontinental Press sold about 180 books in the French language on Oct 29, the first day of the fair, and 200 more in Arabic later. "He's now like my younger brother, though we just met for a couple of days," says Jiang Shan, who works for China Intercontinental Press. "I'm so motivated to learn more about the Chinese language and culture," Chouiref says, adding that he is trying to help relations between Algeria and China grow. This year marks the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries. Algeria, where writer and philosopher Albert Camus was born and art masters Pierre-Auguste Renoir and Claude Monet lived, was one of the countries that led the proposal to restore China's legal rights in the United Nations in the 1970s. China was the first non-Arabic country to recognize the Algerian provisional government in 1958 and welcomed Algeria to be involved in the Belt and Road Initiative earlier this year. As Chinese publishers brought books, mostly in Arabic, French or English, to the pearl of southern Mediterranean coast, Algiers, the city was packed with visitors at an exhibition center, where literary events and cultural display are held, as well as at the National Library where a photo exhibition on "beautiful China" was held through Nov 28. Some visitors came for famous writers, including Nobel laureate Mo Yan. Some just came for any Chinese element that interested them. Many took photos with members of the Chinese delegation, and some asked for their names to be handwritten in Chinese characters. The use of chopsticks was shown to a few more. This year's fair saw a record number of visitors at more than 2 million, according to its organizers. Over 1,000 publishing houses from 47 countries and regions participated. Chinese publishers signed 207 agreements on copyrights cooperation with others at the fair, mainly on traditional culture, children's books, language learning and books about China's development. Among the titles in focus is Xi Jinping: The Governance of China, and its translated versions in Arabic, French and English. The book has two volumes. The first's global circulation reached 6 million copies. And the second, which is a collection of President Xi's speeches, notes and talks from August 2014 to September 2017, categorized in 17 major topics, reached 13 million copies worldwide. Its publisher, the Foreign Languages Press, held a readers' seminar in Spain on Nov 22 and in Portugal on Nov 27. Bachar Chebaro, secretary-general of the Arabic Publishers' Association, whose publishing house has published 30 Chinese titles, says the Belt and Road Initiative has enriched the relationship between China and Arab countries. Qatar University (QU) and Shanghai International Studies University (SISU) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to boost bilateral cooperation, said local media on Monday. The agreement was signed on Sunday with the attendance of the QU President Hassan Al-Derham and SISU President Li Yansong, Qatar-based newspaper The Peninsula reported. "I am delighted today to sign this important agreement with the Shanghai International Studies University, which will undoubtedly enhance the prospects for cooperation between the two sides, especially with regard to the research aspect and student exchange programs," Hassan said. According to the report, the agreement aimed to promote cooperation between the two universities, especially in the academic and research field. Commenting on the signing of the MoU, Li said that Qatar University is a very strong academic institution and it's playing a very important role in Gulf countries. "I wish to broaden our area of cooperation with Qatar University. I am very confident because I have been to Qatar several times and I know we can do lots of things together," Li added. Gao Shan, 43, has been making dough figurines for more than 10 years in Jiyuan city, Central China's Henan province. The traditional craft dates back to the late Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368) and is listed as a provincial intangible cultural heritage. Folk artists make the figures by hand, using wheat flour and glutinous rice flour as raw materials. Gao learned the traditional skill from his grandfather in childhood. He said "It was magical, I was excited to see vivid and colorful figures created in minutes." Before making the figurines, Gao would spend time researching the characteristics of the figures, "The traditional art showed Chinese people's wisdom, looking like an old saying that think it over before you start," he said with a smile. He is good at making figures like Guan Yu, a character in Romance of the Three Kingdoms, and characters from Dream of the Red Chamber. Studying at the China Academy of Art in 1999 for one year, Gao said making dough figurines is a part of life, and he hopes his work would attract more people to take part. His biggest wish is to see the traditional culture passed on, he said. The Chinese Culture Translation and Studies Support Network (CCTSS) of the Beijing Language and Culture University (BLCU), together with the NEPKO Press and other Mongolian publishing organizations launched the CCTSS Sino-Mongolian International Publishing Exchange Platform and Sino-Mongolian Translation Workshop in Mongolian Embassy in China on Dec. 10, 2018. Under the framework of the two projects, CCTSS will be authorized by the NEPKO Press and the BEAM Press to exclusively represent all their business in China. Mongolian Ambassador to China Damba Gankhuyag said at the launch ceremony that the granting of the sole agency in China is a historical event. "It proves that Chinese and Mongolian companies are deepening their cooperation; the business models are expanding and people-to-people ties are getting closer," the ambassador said. He said that China-Mongolia relations, including booming trade, economic and cultural cooperation, has been both solid and vigorous in recent years. He believes today's cooperative projects between the two countries will help lift China-Mongolia cooperation to a new high. He added that during the second meeting of the Joint Committee on China-Mongolia People-to-People Exchanges to be held in January next year, both sides will discuss the current mechanism as well as exploring possible future cooperation fields. The first meeting of the Joint Committee on China-Mongolia People-to-People Exchanges was held in Beijing at the beginning of this year. The aim of the mechanism is to coordinate exchanges and cooperation in people-to-people and cultural fields between the two countries through this mechanism, cement the friendly social basis of both sides and push forward the development of the China-Mongolia comprehensive strategic partnership. Xu Baofeng, head of the CCTSS and a professor at BLCU, said that the launch of today's projects will help cement the friendly social basis of both sides and draw closer the ties between the two peoples. "China and Mongolia are neighboring countries. Previously we could only find good pieces of work randomly. With the launch of the CCTSS Sino-Mongolian International Publishing Exchange Platform and the Sino-Mongolian Translation Workshop, the good works of the two countries can be translated and published rapidly," Xu said. According to Chagedeer Surong, director of Mongolian Language Committee, CCTSS, the history of CCTSS's cooperation with Mongolian publishing agencies can be dated back to 2015 when with the help from the Mongolian Embassy in China, NEPKO Publishing House and other Mongolian publishing organizations established cooperation with CCTSS. Their smooth cooperation has led to the translation and publication of the popular Chinese novel Empresses in the Palace, Dream of the Wolf King and other books into Mongolian. The Civil Aviation Administration of China published an action plan on Monday, aiming to make China's civil aviation industry one of the best in the world by 2050. Under the plan, from 2021 to 2035, China will comprehensively enhance the strength of its civil aviation industry to not only take the lead in air transportation, but also have the world's most competitive airlines and aviation hubs, advanced air service system and general aviation system, modernized air traffic management system, sound security guarantee system and highly efficient management mechanism. By 2050, the industry's overall strength will be further elevated so that it could satisfy the needs of the people, become a world leader in global competitiveness, innovation capability, management, and sustainable development, and fully participate in international civil aviation management. Moreover, airports and air routes will be integrated with relevant information networks, while passenger and cargo transport will become highly efficient, it said. Calling civil aviation "a strategic industry playing a primary and leading role" in China's economic development, Dong Faxin, deputy chief of the development and planning bureau of the administration, said the action plan had been made to meet the ever-growing needs of the public for safe, fast, convenient and quality transport services. Currently, there are 60 air transportation companies, 3,549 aircraft, 410 general aviation airlines and 232 transport airports in China. Beijing Capital International Airport has the world's second-largest passenger traffic while Shanghai Pudong International Airport is the third largest by cargo traffic. In 2017, China's civil aviation industry contributed more than 25 percent to the growth of the global civil aviation industry. Businesses in Britain believe the Brexit deal brokered by Prime Minister Theresa May will leave them less competitive than staying in the European Union, a parliamentary report said Monday. The report by the House of Commons Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) Committee came amid rising speculations about the outcome of a planned Parliament vote on Tuesday on the Brexit deal with media reports indicating that the vote could be pulled. The report outlines the reaction of the aerospace, automotive, processed food and drink, and pharmaceuticals sectors to the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement and Political Declaration on the future relationship between the UK and the EU, which are currently being debated by MPs. "The concerns of these industries, often relying on complex, just-in-time, international supply chains, reflect many other sectors that export to the EU," said the report, adding that the sectors are all vital to Britain's future manufacturing success. Rachel Reeves, the MP who chairs the committee, said, "Businesses were clear that the deal on offer is inferior to what they currently enjoy as part of the (European) single market and customs union, with supply chains built for maximum efficiency using frictionless trade across Europe." "Businesses need for certainty - and a desire to avoid a hard Brexit - has however led them to be supportive of the Withdrawal Agreement. However, they are under few illusions and they believe that the Withdrawal Agreement will leave them less competitive than the status quo of EU membership." Reeves said the Political Declaration is seen as "vague" by many in the business community. "These industries were particularly disappointed that the Political Declaration did not include an explicit commitment to pursue frictionless trade which is so important for doing business," Reeves noted. Over the last two weeks, the committee has held a series of evidence hearings with representatives from the automotive, pharmaceuticals, food and drink sector and the aerospace industry. U.S. top aircraft manufacturer Boeing Company (Boeing) Monday launched the longest-range 777X business jet for VIP clients that can fly more than half of the world without stopovers. Boeing said the latest variant of 777 will have two models: the BBJ 777-8 and BBJ 777-9, and that the BBJ 777-8 offers the longest range of 11,645 nautical miles (21,570 km) with a spacious cabin of about 303 square meters. According to a Boeing statement, the BBJ 777-9 has a shorter range of 11,000 nautical miles (20,370 km) but a larger cabin of about 343 square meters than the 777-8 model. Boeing is scheduling the first flight of the twin-engined ultra-long-haul 777X business jet for early next year. Boeing displayed the interior cabin concepts from three leading design firms -- Greenpoint Technologies, Jet Aviation, and Unique Aircraft Design, which can be transformed to meet the customized tastes of any VIP client. The U.S. top aircraft maker rolled out its latest long haul business jet at Middle East Business Aviation Association Show in Dubai, the largest and most populous city in the United Arab Emirates Monday. "Our most exclusive customers want to travel with the best space and comfort and fly directly to their destination. The new BBJ 777X will be able to do this like no other airplane before it, redefining ultra-long range VIP travel," said Greg Laxton, head of Boeing Business Jets, at the bi-annual event. Boeing Business Jets, founded in 1996, has delivered a total of 236 airplanes since its launch. Chinese Vice Premier Liu He on Tuesday called U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer on trade disputes between the two countries. According to a statement released by the Chinese Commerce Ministry, Liu, who currently heads the China-U.S. trade talks, called Mnuchin and Lighthizer in the morning as invited to implement the consensus recently reached by the heads of state of the two countries. In the calls, China and U.S. sides exchanged views on the timetable and roadmap to push forward the following trade talks, according to the statement. During a dinner meeting in Argentina on Dec. 1, Chinese President Xi Jinping and his U.S. counterpart Donald Trump discussed the economic and trade issues between the two countries and reached important consensus. You are here: Business A majority of Chinese listed firms expect improving profitability in 2018 as the country's economy is maintaining stable development. Some 1,218 listed companies had released their advance 2018 financial reports so far, with 781 companies expecting rising net profits or the turning of losses into gains, Tuesday's Shanghai Securities News reported. Profit growth of 344 companies is expected to exceed 50 percent, while 170 companies predicted their 2018 net profits will be more than doubled compared with 2017. The newspaper said the improvements were caused by factors including strong performance of their primary businesses, restructuring and extraordinary items. Sectors in chemicals, machinery manufacturing and electronics were bright spots, according to the advance financial reports. Rising prices of chemical products boosted profitability of the chemical industry, with 91 companies expecting profit growth, ranking the first, followed by 71 companies in machinery manufacturing and 68 companies in electronics. Yantai Jereh Oilfield Services Group Co. Ltd. predicted a net profit in a range of 529 billion yuan (about 76.67 million U.S. dollars) to 563 billion yuan, up 680 percent to 730 percent, due to recovery in the oilfield services market globally, which boosted demand for drilling equipment and oilfield technology services. Zhejiang Supor Co. Ltd., a cookware company, predicted a profit increase of up to 30 percent year on year, thanks to increasing sales of cookware and electronic equipment. Chinese economy showed strong resilience, with GDP expanding 6.7 percent in the first three quarters of the year, above the government's annual growth target of around 6.5 percent set for 2018. Chinese Vice President Wang Qishan on Monday said China will follow the trend of history, adapt to and lead economic globalization while eliminating its side effects, maintain the rules-based multilateral trading system, enhance equal consultation and cooperation, and jointly build an innovative, inclusive and open world economy. The remarks came as Wang attended the opening ceremony of the 2018 Imperial Springs International Forum in China's southern city of Guangzhou. Some 200 former world leaders, renowned scholars and business elites gathered here to exchange their views on "Advancing Reform and Opening-up, Promoting Win-win cooperation". This year marks the 40th anniversary of China's reform and opening-up, which, according to Wang, is a glorious chapter for the Chinese nation's great rejuvenation history, and not only profoundly changed China, but also deeply influenced the world. Reviewing China's reform and opening-up, Wang stressed that the process is linked to the exploration and practices of socialism carried out 30 years before 1978, the history of Chinese people's struggle for national rejuvenation since 1840, as well as the sufferings and glory of the Chinese nation over the past 5,000 years. "The sufferings and glory of history are the source of the present," said Wang, adding that socialism with Chinese characteristics has entered a new era and the Chinese nation is closer to the goal of great rejuvenation than any other time in history. He said the door to China will never be closed and will only be opened wider and wider, and this is a strategic choice based on China's development needs. China will firmly adhere to its own path, work in a down-to-earth way on its own tasks, continue mutual learning and cooperation with other countries, build a peaceful world, contribute to global development and maintain international order, Wang said. Noting that the interests of countries around the world are deeply intertwined nowadays, Wang said China will be committed to the path of peaceful development, uphold new forms of international relations featuring mutual respect, fairness, justice and win-win cooperation, and build a community with a shared future for humanity featuring lasting peace and common prosperity. Videos Sorry, there are no recent results for popular videos. You are here: China Four people were killed and 11 injured on Monday after a minibus mowed down pedestrians in China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), said Information Services Department of the HKSAR government. The department said that according to latest information from hospitals, among the 11 injured, four were in critical condition, two in serious condition and five stable. Police said the accident occurred around 2:00 p.m. local time (0600 GMT) in North Point. The cause of the accident has not been determined yet. HKSAR Chief Executive Carrie Lam expressed her condolences to the victims of the accident. You are here: China China will launch a reference range exclusively for Chinese children's blood test indicators next year, according to the Beijing Evening News on Monday. Previously, the reference ranges of domestic adults' or overseas children's blood test indicators were widely used for domestic children's blood tests. "Take serum creatinine, an indicator reflecting the renal function, as an example," Song Wenqi, a doctor at Beijing Children's Hospital, was quoted as saying by the newspaper. "The indicator covers a large range, without distinguishing gender and age." Cooperating with several medical organizations, Beijing Children's Hospital has collected blood samples from more than 13,000 healthy children of different ages. The children's reference range will cover 31 blood test indicators related to whole cell analysis, bone metabolism and renal function. Debris from the rocket carrying the Chang'e 4 robotic probe was found in the mountains of Tongren city, Southwest China's Guizhou province on Saturday morning, about 90 minutes after the launch. Xichang Satellite Launch Center confirmed that the debris found in the forest of the city's Wangping village belonged to the carrier. Niu Zhenhua, deputy commander of Guizhou Observation Station of XSLC, said the debris has been recycled by XSLC. For some large pieces of debris, recovery crews will cut them into smaller pieces for better preservation and further research. More than 500,000 residents were evacuated in advance from areas where the debris might fall, authorities said. Nobody was hurt by the falling debris. Below-normal temperatures are expected to persist across central and eastern parts of China from Monday to Wednesday after record lows for early December were set at seven national weather observation stations on Sunday, forecasters said. An observation station - one of the seven - in Pinggu district, Beijing's northeastern areas, recorded a new low of -15.8 C around 2 am on Sunday, the Beijing Meteorological Service said. It added that the mercury in the city's Tanghekou town plunged to a record -21.8 C on Saturday, and that 15 other weather observatories in the city saw their coldest early December in 10 years over the weekend. Record lows have also been recorded in Jiujiang, Jiangxi province, and in Xianning, Hubei province, the China Meteorological Administration said. As frigid air continues to flow south, subzero temperatures will reach parts of Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Anhui provinces, as well as the southwestern province of Guizhou, the administration said. Since the first national blue alert for cold this winter was issued on Dec 4, large parts of China have been shivering in frigid temperatures, some accompanied by strong winds and snow. The snow and sleet blasting the lower and middle reaches of the Yangtze River since last week are expected to give way to rain on Wednesday. Before that, parts of Anhui and Jiangsu provinces are forecast to see blizzards with snow accumulation between 10 and 12 millimeters. Freezing rain will linger in the southwestern province of Guizhou, and telecommunications and power grid regulators are urged to take precautions against the cold. Days of deep freeze prompted traffic authorities in Guizhou to spread salt on roads to melt the ice on Monday, China Central Television reported. Nepal is a latecomer to China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) unveiled in 2013. Having only signed a Memorandum of Understanding in May last year. This is a reason why both countries are yet to select any projects to be constructed under the BRI framework. However, there is a growing impatience with this delay in projects expected to boost infrastructure development, and create much-needed jobs and economic growth. There is another genuine fear whether the BRI projects end up getting 'killed' before they actually take off. The Western and India media have invoked the so-called "debt trap diplomacy," scaring Nepal into dragging its feet over taking on any BRI projects. These media claim China is pushing the BRI as a geopolitical instrument to trap poor and developing nations into an inescapable debt, and obtaining undue benefits from them. Coming under the negative influence of such propaganda, some Nepalese individuals are buying into this argument and are engaged in misleading the public. They are blowing the issue out of proportion at a time when there is suspicion that undue geopolitical pressure is behind the inordinate delay in giving momentum to BRI projects. This requires that Nepal and China should build greater political trust, and work in close coordination to choose suitable projects without delay. Rong Ying, vice president at the China Institute of International Studies, has said: "It's not good to politicize BRI projects. As Nepal joined the BRI very late, the delay in selecting projects is not necessarily a matter of serious concern. Both nations should go through proper procedures - feasibility study, identification of projects and financial modality before deciding." Rong urged the Nepalese side to create a general business atmosphere by resolving issues related to laws, regulations, accession, land acquisition and basic facilities, among others. The detractors or distracters - also go on to argue that Nepal is not included in the BRI guide map, and that is why the projects have not achieved any momentum. To such sceptics, Ye Hailin, director of the Centre for South Asia Studies, offers a straight answer: "The Chinese government has not officially prepared any BRI map. Some have published their map for their own convenience but the official BRI white paper has clearly spelt out the involvement of Nepal." Some fault-finders claim Nepal could fall into the debt trap should it build the multi-billion-dollar Kerung-Kathmandu railway based on Chinese loans. However, that doesn't hold water because the railway is a commercially viable project. The Chinese government does not invest in projects that do not have good economic prospects and that are not sustainable. A Chinese team had already conducted a technical study and both sides are in process of preparing the necessary Detailed Project Report (DPR). Once completed, the ambitious railway project will revolutionize connectivity between the two nations separated by the giant Himalayan snow-capped mountains. It will not only open new avenues of trade, cooperation and people-to-people relations, but will also reduce Nepal's dependency on India for a third country trade route, as both nations have already signed pacts allowing Nepal to access international waters via the Chinese territory. Professor Zhu Caihua, deputy director of the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation, offers reasonable answer to those involved in hyping the bogeyman of the "debt trap" theory. He says: "Actually, the term 'debt' is a useful term in economy. It is irrelevant to say it is good or bad in itself. The main thing is how you utilize it. If you spend debt judiciously for economic development, it will enable the government to raise taxes and increase national wealth, thereby improving people's livelihood." China's own history of economic development defies the so-called debt-trap logic. It started reform and opening up 40 years ago. It secured loans from the World Bank and International Monetary Fund, and invested them in massive industrialization. Now, it has become the world's second largest economy. Since China has itself achieved mesmerizing economic growth by taking loans from the international financial organizations, how can it go to the extent of ensnaring other nations into debt? China has made huge investment in Latin America and Africa but it has not pushed them into a debt trap. Some are depicting the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) in a negative light, without describing the economic benefits it has brought to Pakistanis. Started in 2013, the US$60 billion CPEC has created 75,000 jobs and the number is likely to increase 10-fold in the next 15 years. After achieving political stability, Nepal's government aspires to realize its grand vision of "Prosperous Nepal, Happy Nepalis" through rapid and inclusive economic development, and it sees the BRI as a viable means to attain this lofty goal. Ritu Raj Subedi is an associate editor of The Rising Nepal. Opinion articles reflect the views of their authors, not necessarily those of China.org.cn. Flash China and Germany on Monday agreed to join hands to safeguard free trade and the international order. The agreement was made between Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, who is about to wrap up his 6-day visit to China starting from Dec. 5. "China and Germany, as major world economies, are important cooperation partners to each other," Li said. At present, the results of the fifth round of China-Germany intergovernmental consultations, held in Germany this July, are being implemented step by step. "China will seize the opportunities and develop ties with Germany on the basis of mutual respect and equal-footed cooperation, so as to achieve mutually beneficial and win-win outcomes," Li said. The Chinese premier noted that with continued efforts in opening-up and implementation of new measures, German enterprises in the areas of automobile, chemical industry and finance have become the first batch of beneficiaries. China welcomes more German enterprises to expand investment in China and also hopes Germany will provide a fair business environment for Chinese investors and businessmen, Li added. He also voiced his expectation of more people-to-people exchanges, which will help consolidate public support of China-Germany ties. Stressing the importance of protecting multilateralism and the rule-based international order, Li called on both sides to stimulate vitality of global development and jointly push forward the world's economic and social progress. For his part, Steinmeier said he has felt the tremendous vitality of China's economic development, as well as the increasingly closer people-to-people exchanges between Germany and China. In the past few decades, as relations with China grew ever faster, Germany benefited from China's reform and opening-up, Steinmeier said, adding that his country stands ready to further expand trade and investment in China, boost bilateral dialogue, and jointly safeguard free trade and the existing international order. Flash More than 150 countries around the world formally adopted on Monday the Global Compact for Migration despite a few withdrawals and hesitations. Dubbed the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration (GCM), the document, was adopted at a UN intergovernmental conference in Marrakech. The compact, which was agreed upon by the UN member states in July, is the first-ever inter-governmentally negotiated agreement to cover all dimensions of international migration in a holistic and comprehensive manner. While the majority of the world countries are strongly committed to the agreement, more than a dozen others either chose not to sign the accord or are still undecided. Following in the footsteps of the United States, several countries refused to attend the summit and adopt the compact, including Austria, Hungary, Chile, Dominican Republic, Poland and Slovakia. Meanwhile, Bulgaria, Estonia, Italy, Israel, Slovenia and Switzerland are undecided on whether to agree to the Global Compact. Addressing those countries' concerns, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Monday that the Global Compact on Migration fully respects sovereignty of states. The GCM establishes a "framework of international cooperation that is absolutely essential when we face the enormous challenges of migration in today's world," he said. It combines the two goals of respecting the interests of the state and guaranteeing the human rights of migrants, the UN chief noted. The GCM provides more opportunities for legal migration, taking into account the needs of markets, the demography and the situation of different countries in the world, Guterres explained. German Chancellor Angela Merkel warned that the "go-it-alone approach will not solve the issue," as the adoption of the Global Compact for Migration sends a "clear commitment to multilateralism." "This compact is about the foundations of international cooperation, and this is why it is well worth our while to fight for the survival of this compact once," she stressed. In a message to the conference, Moroccan King Mohammed VI described the global compact as "a promise which history will judge." "The time for celebrating its success has not come as yet," he said. The UN-backed compact aims to facilitate safe, orderly and regular migration, while reducing the incidence and negative impact of irregular migration through international cooperation. It lays out a cooperative framework comprised of 23 objectives with each one containing a commitment and a range of actions considered as relevant policy instruments and best practices. According to the United Nations, there are currently some 258 million migrants worldwide, up from 173 million in 2000. UN data show more than 60,000 migrants have died on the move since 2000. So far in 2018, 3,323 people have died or gone missing on migratory routes, with the majority in the Mediterranean Sea, according to the latest data from the International Organization for Migration. Flash British Prime Minister Theresa May confirmed on Monday that Tuesday's crucial House of Commons vote on her Brexit deal will be postponed. Even before May confirmed the decision, the pound fell to an 18-month low. Just hours after 10 Downing Street insisted the vote would go ahead Tuesday night as planned, May addressed MPs in the House of Commons to tell them of their change of plan. May told MPs there was opposition to the Irish border issue, the so-called backstop, and if the vote went ahead Tuesday, it would be lost by a large margin. She said she would now hold emergency talks with EU leaders to discuss possible changes to the backstop. She told MPs no deal with Europe was possible without a backstop clause in the agreement. May said the challenge of the border issue must be met with real and workable solutions. She will consider ways of how MPs can be given a say over the introduction of a backstop. A key part of the Brexit negotiations was about the border that separates Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. The agreement on the border was contained in the Britain-EU Brexit deal. Both London and Brussels committed to avoiding the return of a "hard border" -- physical checks or infrastructure -- after Britain leaves the EU in March 2019. She held a telephone conference with her senior cabinet ministers Monday when she informed them of her decision. Despite Downing Street's insistence that the vote would proceed there was a frenzy of claims over the weekend the vote would be called off. The Guardian newspaper in London said it was a clear admission by the prime minister that she does not believe she can get her unpopular EU withdrawal agreement through the House of Commons. Political commentators had predicted she would be facing a disastrous three-digit defeat when the vote takes place, with up to 100 of her own Conservative voting with opposition politicians. In her speech, May added the government will step up its planning for a no-deal Brexit. With Britain due to leave the EU on March 29 next year, the Brexit bill must meet a Jan. 21 deadline for a vote in parliament. Flash UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Monday extolled the Universal Declaration of Human Rights as a global beacon for dignity on the 70th anniversary of the text's adoption. "For 70 years, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights has been a global beacon -- shining a light for dignity, equality and well-being ... and bringing hope to dark places," Guterres said in his message on Human Rights Day, which was designated to commemorate the adoption of the declaration. He said the rights proclaimed in the declaration apply to everyone -- no matter our race, belief, location or other distinction of any kind. In addition, the secretary-general called for honors for the human rights defenders risking their lives to protect people in the face of rising hatred, racism, intolerance and repression. picturing a reality of besieged human rights around the world, Guterres urged: "Now more than ever, our shared duty is clear: Let us stand up for human rights -- for everyone, everywhere." The Universal Declaration of Human Rights was adopted by the UN General Assembly at its third session on Dec. 10, 1948 as Resolution 217 in Paris, France. It now has become the most translated document in the world, available in more than 500 languages. The text consists of 30 articles forbidding slavery and servitude, forced marriage, arbitrary arrest, and any interference with privacy and correspondence. Although not legally binding, the 30 articles have been elaborated in subsequent international treaties, economic transfers, regional human rights instruments, national constitutions, and other laws. Flash Still grappling with the "Yellow Vests" protests, French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday sought to dampen the social uproar with an "economic and social emergency plan," offering to increase the minimum wage and tax cuts for pensioners. In a nationally televised address, Macron reassured voters that he heard their "anger and indignation," admitting that "without doubt", the authorities have not been able to give a sufficiently fast and strong response for a year and a half. The president said,"I take my share of responsibility." Pledging to respond quickly and concretely to the social anger over the public's dwindling purchasing power, the president announced that people on the minimum wage would see their salaries rise by 100 euros (113.52 U.S. dollars) a month as of January 2019 without extra cost to the employers. He also decided to eliminate taxes on overtime pay, cut taxes for pensioners and offer an end-of-year bonus to workers. Meanwhile, he refused to review the wealth tax. "I ask the government and parliament to do what is necessary so that one can live better from his work from the beginning of next year," the president said. Started on Nov. 17, the "Yellow Vests" movement began as a protest against a rise in fuel tax, which Macron said was necessary to combat climate change. The movement has since turned into a bigger uprising denouncing a squeeze on household spending and high living costs caused by the president's fiscal and economic reforms, which the protesters say favors the rich and offers little to the needy. Several protesters have urged Macron to step down, and many of them are still gridlocking motorways and tunnel entrances, and blocking access to shopping centers during the pre-Christmas shopping frenzy. (1 euro = 1.135 U.S. dollar) Flash Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko signed the legislation on ending the Treaty on Friendship, Cooperation and Partnership between Ukraine and Russia, the presidential press service said Monday. The treaty, which has been in place for about two decades, will be terminated on April 1, 2019 amid rising tensions between the two countries. The Ukrainian leader said that the non-extension of the deal is "a part of the Ukrainian strategy of reorientation towards Europe." The bill was approved by the Ukrainian parliament on Thursday, supported by 277 votes, far more than the 226 minimum required. In September, Poroshenko signed a decree to enforce a decision of the National Security and Defense Council to terminate the friendship treaty with Russia. Under the agreement, which was signed in 1997 and took effect on April 1, 1999, Kiev and Moscow pledged to respect each other's borders and to peacefully settle disputes. The agreement includes a clause that it automatically extends each ten years if neither of the parties takes actions to end it. Relations between Kiev and Moscow, which have been deteriorating since early 2014 over Crimea and eastern Ukraine, escalated last month. On Nov. 25, three Ukrainian ships attempting to sail through the Kerch Strait from the Black Sea to the Sea of Azov were seized by Russian forces for allegedly violating the Russian border. The Ukrainian Navy said that it had informed Russia in advance of the passage, while Russia said it had received no such report and the ships ignored multiple warnings by the Russian border guards. In wake of the tension, Ukraine imposed martial law in 10 regions mainly bordering Russia for 30 days starting from Nov. 26. Poroshenko said that "martial law does not mean the declaration of war," but a step toward strengthening Ukraine's defense. Flash At least 32 Palestinian protesters were injured on Monday during clashes with Israeli soldiers stationed on the border between the northern Gaza Strip and Israel, medics said. According to a press statement by the Palestinian Red Crescent Society, 11 of them were injured by live gunshots, 12 by rubber-coated metal bullets and nine by tear gas canisters. Every Monday, Palestinian protesters gather on the beach of the northern Gaza Strip close to the border fence with Israel, calling on Israel to end its 12-year blockade on the coastal enclave. Protests also occur every Friday as part of the Great March of Return rally which began on March 30. The Islamic Hamas movement and other minor factions in Gaza, which are leading the anti-Israel Palestinian rally, insist that the protests won't stop until Israel lifts its blockade. Ashraf al-Qedra, spokesman of the Health Ministry in Gaza, said in a press statement that the Israeli army has shot dead 239 Palestinians and wounded 25,000 others since March 30. Increasing the labor force and improving the workplace environment Updated: 2018-12-07 08:02 (HK Edition) On Nov 17 at the APEC CEO Summit 2018 in Papua New Guinea, Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor told the press that Hong Kong faces the dual problem of a growing aging population and insufficient labor. In this context, she said, women can be a solution to Hong Kong's labor shortage and that more females should join the workforce. Currently the female labor force participation rate is merely 51 percent. To support this, she said Hong Kong would need to roll out new measures to support working women including more family-friendly policies, better child care practices and related initiatives. One such measure already taken by the government was the decision to extend maternity leave from 10 to 14 weeks. This was great news indeed and something worth celebrating by all. By doing this Hong Kong will finally meet the International Labor Organization recommendation of at least 14 weeks of maternity leave. Furthermore, paternity leave has been extended from three to five days. As noted by the CE, Hong Kong has one of the lowest fertility rates in the world and a rapidly aging population, and these changes can, in the long run, play a role in ensuring that Hong Kong is provided with a healthier, happier workforce. However, that announcement was not met with universal approval. Opponents, especially Federation of Hong Kong Industries Chairman Jimmy Kwok, has gone so far as to suggest that responsible workers may not want 14 weeks of maternity leave. The first concern here is that the costs to be shouldered by the employer or taxpayer are too high. However, I would argue that this is an area where the government can invest with the expectation of good returns by subsidizing more extended leave for both parents, thereby encouraging more young mothers to return, or remain in the workplace, after giving birth. Just imagine the increased productivity this will contribute to our total economy. Returning to the idea of a squeezed labor market, though, it is clear that extended maternity leave is only one "policy lever". We clearly need to look at the bigger picture. If the labor market is so squeezed, why for example, is systematic discrimination against young people and women with children such a feature of employment in Hong Kong? As an Equal Opportunities Commission funded study identified:"Both employers and employees agree that it is understandable not to hire mothers caring for young children, compared with people with other types of family caring responsibilities." On the other hand, the report found that "In the evaluation of applicants' commitment and promotion potentials, male and female without caring responsibilities consistently receive lower scores than the other four categories". One explanation, the commission concluded, is that the applicants "without caring responsibilities reported the need for leave to develop their hobbies, which is not welcomed in the job market of Hong Kong". In other words, as far as care commitments go, you're damned if you have them, and damned if you don't. While flimsy excuses are made for this, it seems to ignore the huge contributions that such people could make to the workforce. Although it is very easy to mock millennials for their work habits and consumption preferences (and indeed, to actively discriminate against them), we need to acknowledge that they will make up the entire labor force of the next decades. Many studies of the future of work and employment have been made, with a strong focus on the impact of automation and mechanization. However, changes in the nature of employment will also be critical. The days of working 40 hours a week in one job, for one employer, for life, are probably numbered. Flexible employers will be able to take advantage of this to better fill their skill gaps, while flexible employees will be able to maximize their potential income. There is also a challenge to the archaic equation of physical presence to productivity and performance - i.e. presence equals productivity equals money. For a lot of organizations this is simply not the case. Just because a desk is occupied for 40 to 60 hours a week does not mean that you are getting the most out of them. In fact, experiments with four-day working weeks are showing that reduced working hours lead to higher productivity. Finally, the economic case for investment in early years has unequivocally been shown in studies by Nobel laureate economist James Heckman that policymakers get more for their money by starting at birth. What is good for parents, is good for children; this leads to healthy and productive workers in the future. This is good not only for the employer, but also for the taxpayer. To return to Jimmy Kwok's claim about "responsible" employees not taking their full maternity leave; one can easily argue the opposite. That having children, giving them the best possible start in life, and returning to the workforce is the ultimate in responsible behavior for citizens and workers. Arguing otherwise is simply short-termism. (HK Edition 12/07/2018 page14) Arguments about HK's 'democracy deficit' are shaky Updated: 2018-12-11 06:08 (HK Edition) Ho Lok-sang explains why he disagrees with suggestions the city is facing a 'democracy deficit', noting that 'full democracy' may still result in rule by the rich and powerful Court of Final Appeal judge Kemal Bokhary last week joined Senior Counsel Gladys Li and Lord Mance, former deputy president of the United Kingdom Supreme Court at a forum on the rule of law organized by the Project Citizen Foundation, to urge a reboot of the democracy movement in Hong Kong, warning against a delay in democratic development. He said a "democracy deficit" is the biggest issue facing Hong Kong. In particular, he is disappointed with the lack of progress in electing the chief executive and all Legislative Council members by the popular vote. While I agree that electing the CE and all LegCo members by the popular vote may be nice to have, other things being equal, I disagree that short of this there will be a "democracy deficit". To me, democracy must serve the people. We need to be open minded if we want to look for a system to select the best people to serve Hong Kong. I have learnt that a "full democracy" in the sense of one-man-one-vote elections for officials in key positions of power may still be tainted by power abuses and corruption. A "full democracy" may still boil down to rule by the rich and the powerful. As a result, the needs of the man-in-the-street may still be ignored. Such a state is a mere "formal democracy" and not really a "substantive democracy". A new book by Benjamin Page and Martin Gillen concluded that in democratic United States, "the government consistently ignores the needs of its citizens, paying attention instead to donors and organized interests. Real issues are held hostage to demagoguery, partisanship beats practicality, and trust in government withers along with the social safety net." In Democracy in America?: What Has Gone Wrong and What We Can Do About It, published last year, they presented evidence showing how, notwithstanding its democratic facade, the US government - regardless of which party is elected, continues to "exacerbate inequality, enriching corporations and the wealthy while leaving ordinary citizens to fend for themselves". The irony is that many in Hong Kong are pursuing just the facade of democracy instead of its substance, and some are prepared to make a huge sacrifice for it, and even sacrificing other Hong Kong people's interests. Lord Mance was concerned about the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress interpreting the Basic Law. He says Hong Kong adheres to the common law tradition, and common law ensures that the state cannot violate the rights of citizens. He is worried that the NPCSC sides with the state and could infringe the basic rights of citizens. Quite apart from the fact that NPCSC does legally have the right to interpret the Basic Law, the NPCSC actually is obliged to act according to the basic principle of the Communist Party of China, which is in short to serve the people. Under the common law, the presiding judge similarly has to follow the principles of the common law in reaching his or her rulings. On the mainland, even though the judiciary is expected to "follow the Party", no Party member can act arbitrarily as if he was above the law. Although those who are used to the language used in common law will find "following the Party" alien to the rule of law, the differences are actually more apparent than real. It must not be forgotten that the Party's enterprise is always to represent "the requirements for developing China's advanced productive forces, the orientation of China's advanced culture, and the fundamental interests of the overwhelming majority of the Chinese people". This principle of "Three Represents" was ratified by the CPC at the sixteenth Party congress in 2002 and enshrined in the country's Constitution. Bokhary says whatever you manage to do for the rule of law ahead of full democracy must never be used as justification or an excuse for any delay whatsoever in democratic development. This was applauded by Civic Party Chairman Alan Leong Kah-kit as implying that without "full democracy" the rule of law cannot last. Such a conclusion to me is more like "reached" by a leap of faith than by logic, for "more democratic" US has always ranked below "less democratic" Hong Kong in the Rule of Law Index of the World Justice Project. Bokhary says NPCSC interpretation of the Basic Law undermines the rule of law in Hong Kong. This would be true if evidence can be found that NPCSC interpretation was arbitrary or motivated by the personal interests of some powerful individuals. But no one can argue that this has ever been the case. To some critics since the NPCSC interpretation on Nov 7, 2016 effectively barred two elected politicians, Leung Chung-hang and Yau Wai-ching, after their controversial actions during their swearing-in ceremony in October, that interpretation "is curtailing Hong Kong's judicial independence". But the "interpretation" not only is in line with the spirit of the Oaths and Declarations Ordinance, a local law, also it is also common sense that a legally binding oath should be made solemnly and respectfully. If the NPCSC has the legal right to interpret the Basic Law, and if no instance can be found that the interpretation is arbitrary or serves someone's private interests, any concerns about curtailing Hong Kong's rule of law are unfounded. (HK Edition 12/11/2018 page9) There is much ignorance about the state of the constitutional law as it applies to Christmas celebrations in the public schools. To cut to the quickthey are permitted. A Christmas play by the Minden Junior Service League, performed at Minden High School in Webster Parish, Louisiana, was recently the source of much controversy. Two of the 35 minutes of the play discussed Jesus, and some objected, including the Webster Parish School Board. The Superintendent Johnny Rowland was sympathetic to those who wanted the play, but insisted that there is a "federal court order [that] clearly spells out what is allowable and what is not." Despite attempts to censor the play, it was performed anyway, and was greeted with a standing ovation. Officials at Manchester Elementary School, which is part of the Elkhorn Public Schools in Nebraska, got all ginned up over Christmas and decided to ban displays of Santa Claus, Christmas trees, Christmas songs, and the colors red and green. Candy canes were also banned. Thanks to Liberty Counsel, the decision was reversed and sanity prevailed. What is permissible at Christmastime in the public schools? In 1995, Secretary of Education Richard Riley issued a directive on this subject at the behest of President Bill Clinton. Here is the language of how the operative paragraph begins: "Official neutrality regarding religious activity. Teachers and administrators, when acting in those capacities, are representatives of the state and are prohibited by the establishment clause from soliciting or encouraging religious activity, and from participating in such activity with students." This first part makes good sense: it is not the business of school officials to lead students in religious activities. But the second part also makes good sense, yet it is frequently ignored. "Teachers and administrators are also prohibited from discouraging activity because of its religious content, and from soliciting or encouraging anti-religious activity." In other words, school officials cannot ban voluntary, student-led religious activity at Christmastime. Students cannot be punished for singing Christmas carols, distributing Christmas cards, wearing red and green, giving Christmas presents, writing Christmas poems, giving speeches paying tribute to Jesus, etc. No federal court has ever ruled that Christmas must be censored in the public schools. It's about time the superintendents and their lawyers got up to speed and stopped listening to cultural fascists bent on banning Christmas: they know nothing about the First Amendment provisions regarding freedom of religion and freedom of speech. Win McNamee/Getty Images(WASHINGTON) -- Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Speaker-elect Nancy Pelosi are set to meet with President Donald Trump at the White House on Tuesday morning in the hopes they can come to a budget agreement to avoid a partial government shutdown next week. In recent weeks, talks on funding matters have stalled over funding for a border wall. Trump drew some rhetorical lines in the sand in early morning tweets Tuesday -- repeating a series of questionable claims. He again pushed to make good on his campaign promise to build what he's now calling a "Great Wall." He continued to attack Democrats for wanting "open borders," despite Democrats agreeing to spend billions of dollars for border security to repair or replace existing fencing -- but not for Trump's proposed wall. He claimed that "large new sections" of his wall had been built although that is not the case, and he touted success in barring the "large Caravans" of Central American migrants seeking refugee that Trump used to gin up fears about illegal immigration leading up to the 2018 midterm elections. .....Ice, Border Patrol and our Military have done a FANTASTIC job of securing our Southern Border. A Great Wall would be, however, a far easier & less expensive solution. We have already built large new sections & fully renovated others, making them like new. The Democrats,..... Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 11, 2018 ....however, for strictly political reasons and because they have been pulled so far left, do NOT want Border Security. They want Open Borders for anyone to come in. This brings large scale crime and disease. Our Southern Border is now Secure and will remain that way....... Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 11, 2018 In another tweet, he claimed that if Democrats don't agree to funding, the military will build the wall. "If the Democrats do not give us the votes to secure our Country, the Military will build the remaining sections of the Wall. They know how important it is!" Trump tweeted. ....People do not yet realize how much of the Wall, including really effective renovation, has already been built. If the Democrats do not give us the votes to secure our Country, the Military will build the remaining sections of the Wall. They know how important it is! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 11, 2018 "I look forward to my meeting with Chuck Schumer & Nancy Pelosi," Trump added. The funding fight represents the last time Trump can push through legislation while still holding a Republican-controlled majority. Come January, Democrats will take over the House, making it much harder for Congress to pass any legislation that Trump backs. Trump has repeated his demands for $5 billion toward building a wall at the southern border, threatening to shut down the government if Congress sends him an appropriations bill that does not include funding for border security. "[A shutdown] could happen over border security. The wall is just a part of border security -- a very important part -- probably the most important part," Trump told reporters last month. "But could there be a shutdown? There certainly could, and it will be about border security, of which the wall is a part. Republicans leading the House and Senate support Trumps aggressive push for funding. But they need Democrats to support the proposal in the Senate to pass the 60-vote threshold, complicating any funding negotiations. Senate Democrats are holding firm and have refused to budge from the $1.6 billion thats currently approved in the bipartisan Senate funding bill. If Trump wont accept the $1.6 billion offer, Democrats will push for Trump to support a continuing resolution for Department of Homeland Security appropriations that maintains current levels of funding, or $1.3 billion, through the end of next September, a Democratic aide told ABC News. Republicans think Trump isnt planning on backing down from his demands. I havent heard it, no. I havent heard any indication of it, no, Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, told reporters Monday afternoon. Congress has already succeeded with the low-hanging fruit -- sending Trump bipartisan legislation to fund five of 12 areas of appropriations. But there are still seven bills that have not advanced all the way through Congress and require consideration by Dec. 21, when current funding expires. A shutdown would be the second of the year, following a three-day partial government shutdown last January over the status of hundreds of thousands of young undocumented immigrants known as Dreamers. A shutdown this time around would only impact certain government agencies and departments, including the departments of Commerce, Justice, Homeland Security, State and Agriculture. While essential government functions and employees would continue to work, a shutdown would impact tens of thousands of others, and slow down key government functions. Copyright 2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. Gov. Andrew Cuomo has appealed to divine intervention in two notable ways in recent months. One was when he promised during his re-election campaign that he would serve out a third term as governor rather than run for president in 2020. The only caveat is if God strikes me dead, he said. The second instance came in October when the governor said one way to secure billions of dollars in new funding for the beleaguered Metropolitan Transportation Authority. God is going to send down $33 billion. Its going to descend from the clouds. In the absence of that, Cuomo said, there is congestion pricing. We have to get it done, he said. We have to get it done next year. He has re-emerged as the most high-profile proponent of congestion pricing since Democrats won large majorities in the state Senate and Assembly in November. Many lawmakers agree that it is the only realistic way to provide much of the billions of dollars needed to repair the New York City subway system, but not all Democrats are on board. These opponents including outer-borough lawmakers say that the idea unfairly affects their constituents and whether they succeed or fail in stopping congestion pricing in the coming years could determine whether one-party rule in Albany can bring a solution to the subways. Key to any deal would be incoming state Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins and Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, who, along with Cuomo, will likely decide the fate of congestion pricing in budget negotiations this spring. Heastie has said he supports some form of congestion pricing, and Stewart-Cousins has signaled a willingness to reconsider the issue. We obviously do need a sustained revenue source for the MTA. Theres no question about it, she said during a November appearance on The Brian Lehrer Show. We will be fighting towards finding that sustainable revenue for the MTA because it is important to all of us. The underlying idea behind congestion pricing is to charge drivers who enter Manhattans central business district in previous proposals that has been about $11 per car and $25 per truck. That would raise an estimated $1 billion or so each year that could help pay for new signals, increased accessibility at subway stations and other improvements outlined in the Fast Forward plan put forward by Andy Byford, the president of New York City Transit, an agency within the MTA. But about $40 billion over a decade is needed to modernize and repair the subway system. Congestion pricing will go a lot towards our needs. Will that suffice? No, Byford said at a recent New York City Council hearing. We still will need other mechanisms. Additional funding could come in a number of ways. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio has long championed a so-called millionaires tax which Cuomo has derided as a nonstarter in the state Legislature as a better way to fund the subways, and the mayor has been lukewarm on Cuomos efforts to get the city to increase its funding for the subways. Some proponents of recreational marijuana legalization, such as public advocate candidate Melissa Mark-Viverito and Council Speaker Corey Johnson, have suggested that tax revenues from the drug could be directed toward the subways, The New York Times reported. Why would we not try to include as many funding streams as possible without having to raise taxes, which a lot of people quite frankly are afraid of doing, state Sen.-elect Alessandra Biaggi told the Times. Those fears could doom proposals to help fund the MTA by increasing gasoline, sales or income taxes, or fees on auto registrations. Congestion pricing has a particular appeal to transportation advocates not only because it can raise money for the MTA, but also because it discourages people from driving through the crowded streets of lower and midtown Manhattan, decreasing road congestion and improving safety for pedestrians and cyclists. It hits a lot of birds with one stone, said Tom DeVito, director of advocacy at Transportation Alternatives. The nonprofit is one among dozens of groups that are pushing for congestion pricing as part of the Fix the Subway Coalition. The looming battle over congestion pricing comes after proponents failed to pass the idea during budget negotiations in the early spring. Ultimately, lawmakers could only agree on imposing a surcharge on for-hire vehicles, which some especially taxi drivers under financial distress want to postpone until a more comprehensive plan for congestion pricing is put in place. Adding to the headwinds against congestion pricing are the concerns of outer-borough and suburban legislators. Queens Assemblyman David Weprin, a leading opponent of the congestion pricing effort last year, said that he still opposes the idea. It would just be an addition tax and burden on middle-class people and businesses, he argued. Instead, he would rather see a 1 percent commuter tax pay for repairs to the subways. However, Weprins idea could have trouble winning support from suburban Democrats who say that taxes are already too high for their constituents, many of whom face higher tax bills in the upcoming year because of the federal tax plan that capped the deduction of local and state taxes. Furthermore, Hudson Valley and Long Island Democrats say that they have MTA-related infrastructure needs in their own areas, which are serviced by the Long Island Rail Road and the Metro-North Railroad. My concern is with any type of congestion pricing thats not being allocated to the areas that need it most, said state Sen. David Carlucci, who represents a district in Rockland and Westchester counties. Though Democrats have some disagreements on how to fund the MTA, there is widespread agreement that some sort of solution is needed in the upcoming session, especially since the party will no longer have Republicans to blame if they fall short. Some lawmakers remain optimistic that one way or another a plan will emerge among Democrats to fix the subways. I feel like we have diversity, said incoming Hudson Valley state Sen. Jen Metzger. But I also feel that the other new senators that Ive met are eager to work together so I really feel confident that we will have a productive session. We have to get it done. We have to get it done next year. Gov. Andrew Cuomo Whether that approach will ultimately result in an agreement on congestion pricing remains to be seen, but thus far the loudest voices talking about fixing the subways are fixated on the concept as the place to start. Chief among them is Cuomo, a governor who has a reputation for pushing hard for ideas that he supports. As the next legislative session approaches, the governor has not wavered from vows to move as fast as he can on congestion pricing, and lawmakers say how he approaches the issue will likely set the course for the upcoming debate. Everyone agrees that the MTA has capital needs that are large, Weprin said. We will see what the governor proposes in his State of the State address and his budget address and that may set the agenda on the matter. OHCHR Moldova: Apel deschis pentru aplicatii din partea OSC-urilor de a aplica pentru a beneficia de suport in desfasurarea activitatilor de advocacy la nivel international in contextul celui de-al treilea ciclu de Evaluare Periodica Universala (EPU) a Re "This is a weblog that is truly welcome in blogtopia a new blog doesn't seem to be frantically trying to score points for any party. That does NOT mean it's afraid to take a stand or be critical....You really can't predict exactly where The Debate Link will come down on all issues. It's not chanting anyone's mantra." -- The Moderate Voice "[A]n emerging genius in legal scholarship and commentary." -- Jim Chen "It's on my 1st cup of coffee rss feed." -- Hanno Kaiser "I heart this blog.... he referenced Wittgenstein, and it was entirely appropriate and non-pretentious." -- kath.A.rine "[F]unny, thoughtful, acclaimed ...." -- The Core This blog may be a labor of love for me, but it takes a lot of effort, time and money. For over 14 years and 30,000 articles I have been providing accurate, original news that would have remained unnoticed. I've written hundreds of scoops and sometimes my reporting ends up making a real difference. I appreciate any donations you can give to keep this blog going. The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex and Queer (LGBTIQ) community has been frowned upon by the Asian culture as opposed to the West. Against such a backdrop, their fight for acceptance continues in Sri Lanka. While they represent a considerable portion of the Sri Lankan population, they are still being subject to harassment, ridicule and ostracism with blessings from the patriarchal mindset instilled in its culture. But their never-give-up attitude has given them the courage to come out of the closet. Attempts to decriminalise homosexuality have miserably failed and it was at a time when the community was becoming active that the head of State decided to call the ousted prime minister a butterfly. As it is a homophobic slur used to describe this community, the entire community took to the streets a few days after the president made this remark. Last Friday, a faction of this community once again took to the streets and protested the undemocratic moves taken by the president since October 26. Butterflies for democracy Going by the derogatory term used by the president to describe the community, the recently concluded protest attracted a crowd that supported the rights of LGBTIQ. The protesters held rainbow flags and boards with slogans such as My vote is not for sale and Butterflies are voters too. During the protest, a few participants spoke to us and here is what they had to say: Ethical political culture need of the hour Kumudini Samuel I think it is important that we stand for democracy. Within that context, we see it as embedding equality and non-discrimination. Todays protest is by the LGBTIQ community and we want to say very clearly that this unconstitutional process of superseding Parliament and the executives actions have thrown the country into disarray. It is something we totally reject and we need to work towards an ethical political culture. We also condemn the kind of ridicule the president himself subjected the LGBTIQ community to. In the context of calling for an ethical political culture, we are also saying that those efforts must respect, project and fulfil the rights of the LGBTIQ community. In this political crisis, we stand with all those who call for the due process of democracy, for the reinstatement of democracy and for the constitutionality of all actions whether in Parliament, executive or judiciary. We are also calling for the separation of powers between the judiciary, executive and legislature. This is the only way we can ensure checks and balances Vital to protect democratic freedom Sonali Gunasekara I participated in the protest because I wanted to support the LGBTIQ community and I think its very important to ensure that we have our democracy in place. If not, we will not be able to stand for the rights of the LGBTIQ community because once democracy has been curtailed, every part would be curtailed. We therefore need to protect the democratic freedom we already have Our votes shouldnt be sold Francis Rajiv Our votes shouldnt be sold and we need democracy to live in this country. There is a way the president could have appointed the prime minister, but what he did was totally unacceptable. That is why we are here today, to let our voices be heard and stand up for democracy LGBTIQ community represents large chunk of voter base Rozanna Flamer Caldera This protest underscores the fact that democracy has been hijacked and the fact that it has been used to foster hate, homophobia and racism. Its not simply about the president calling us butterflies in a derogatory manner, but the joint opposition too has been expressing similar sentiments in the past. But it is the head of State who made this remark, completely wiping out the right of democracy of every citizen to be treated equally in this country. So we are protesting the decline in democracy and the unavailability of equality throughout the history for the LGBTIQ community. We also want to show the president that we represent a large chunk of the voter base in Sri Lanka. Try 20%, if you want us to vote for a just, democratic government you need to come to us and decriminalise homosexuality and bring us into the society as equal citizens LGBTIQ community deprived of fundamental rights Adil Suraj I came here to fight for democracy. Democracy is very important to this community because we have been deprived of our fundamental rights. The LGBTIQ community has been ridiculed by the president himself, but this is a community that needs to be treated equally, similar to every other citizen in the country. Today, we witness that they have become stronger in voicing out their rights and calling for democracy, showing they are stronger together Pics by Damith Wickramasinghe Search All categories Advertising General Aerospace General Agriculture General Airlines General America - Post 9/11 General Apparel General Apple Products General Architectural General Architecture Architecture Art & Entertainments Books Celebrities Country Music Dance Magazines Movies Museums Music Music Downloads News & Talk Shows Performing Arts Photography Television Web Sites Arts/Culture General Auction General Automotive Aftermarket Classic Autos Consumer Publications General Motorcycle & Bike Racing Recreational Vehicle Repair & Service Trade Publications Blogging & Social Media Blogging & Social Media Business Advertising / Marketing Books Consumer Research Direct Marketing e-Commerce Entrepreneurs Finance Franchise Human Resources Insurance Investment Management Markets Network Marketing Online Marketing / 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the launch of a brand new Christmas collection by way of a fashion show, which was held on the 1st of December at the organizations showroom in Wattala amidst a crowd of loyal customers and well-wishers. The fashion show featured a selection of outfits that will be in available in all Fashion Bug stores during the holiday season. Based on the theme -Gleaming & Bright, models lined the runway in outfits of the very latest designs and trends. Fashion Bugs own brands, Amani, Givo and Daisy Street featured casual and party wear for ladies, which boasted of versatile and elegant designs as well as some of the finest curated dresses and stunning evening gowns designed by Fashion Bugs very own designers.The customized outfits feature a collection of stunning evening dresses in elegant and bold colours that would bring out the inner fab. A new entrant - Daisy Street is anupcoming youth brand inspired by bold and solid shades for the youth, which includes tops, dresses and pants. JOBBS showcasedthe latest formal and casual wear combinations for gents including Dress Shirts, Pants and Casual Blazers.For children, Amy and Bug Junior featured a range of sparkling and fun, party and casual outfits for boys and girls above the age of three. A truly Sri Lankan brand in essence, Fashion Bug is one of the most preferred clothing chains in the country, empowering over 2000 small and medium size local entrepreneurs, taking pride in providing the latest clothing designs. Three impersonators were arrested for sitting the G.C.E. Ordinary Level examination mathematics papers in Thihagoda, Thanamalivila and Kalmunai yesterday. Police said two candidates of the G.C.E. Ordinary Level examination were also arrested in connection with these incidents. They said an examination officer at an examination centre in Puhulwella school in Thihagoda had complained to the police stating that an impersonator was answering the paper. The 24-year-old suspect and 25-year-old candidate who are residents of Karathota were arrested following the complaint. They would be produced in the Matara Magistrates Court. A 40-year-old suspect and a 45-year-old candidate from Maravila were arrested by the Thanamalvila Police after an examination officer at a school in Bodagama, Thanamalvila had lodge a complaint with the Police. They were to be produced before the Wellawaya Magistrate. Meanwhile, a 19-year-old suspect from Saindamaradu who sat for the mathematics paper at an examination centre in Kalmunai was arrested for cheating at the exam. He will be produced in the Kalmunai Magistrates Court, Police said. A forum on democracy held in memory of late Somesasunthary Krishnakumar, Senior Lecturer in History, University of Jaffna, was held at the Trimmer Hall in Jaffna on December 9. Activists, students, academics, journalists, artists and others from different parts of the country including Akkaraipattu, Kilinochchi, Kandy and Colombo discussed the ongoing political crisis, its historical origins and what democracy would resemble in the future. Participants agreed that the present crisis was not merely a confrontation among political leaders, parties and the three pillars of the state, namely the parliament, the executive and the judiciary. The discussion focused on what democracy in the country has been throughout its history, particularly for groups on the margins including minority communities, women, oppressed caste communities and workers. The systemic changes necessary to build a people-centred democracy were explored. The forum expressed concerns that the current situation could lead to further polarisation among regions and Muslims, Tamils, Sinhalese and Up-Country Tamil communities The forum expressed concerns that the current situation could lead to further polarisation among regions and Muslims, Tamils, Sinhalese and Up-Country Tamil communities. Many participants stressed the past failures of the Left and minority movements to come together to shift national politics in progressive directions. Some highlighted the need to curtail the autocratic character of the Executive Presidency and work towards greater devolution of power. Others called for linking economic problems and broader social justice issues facing the people with the rights of minorities. When people are divided and unequally positioned, democracy is meaningless. Ensuring an end to caste, ethnic, gender and class oppression in everyday life is central to building a plural, equal, and just society. To democratise state power, people must participate in changing the system of rule and state structures. The forum called for similar discussions in other parts of the country. A forum on democracy was held in memory of late Somesasunthary Krishnakumar, Senior Lecturer in History, University of Jaffna at the Trimmer Hall in Jaffna on December 9. (This article was penned by Shamala Kumar, Prabha Manuratne Siraj Mashoor and Mahendran Thiruvarangan on behalf of the discussion forum on democracy in Jaffna.) In 1978, when the all-powerful executive presidency was introduced, LSSP stalwart N.M. Perera asked what would happen if the presidency goes to a mad man? The manifest limits of due process and absence of checks and balances against the behaviour of the incumbent has raised that pertinent question once again. Sri Lanka has never addressed this constitutional lacuna in full. Tinkering of the Constitution has not helped either. J.R. Jayawardene, the first executive was not insane, but he was destructively opportunist. He drafted the 1978 Constitution to serve his personal and political ambitions and then tinkered it for 13 times. He was also an arrogant old man, full of ego (who was finally put in his place by young Rajiv Gandhi), a false god among a dozen other so-called national leaders. The executive presidential system was introduced as means to address urgent and unique problems of economic development that the third world countries are faced with. However, its track record as an enabler of economic development and JRs oversized stature ought to be gauged in comparison to the latters contemporaries of the same ideological vein: Lee Kuan Yee, Mahathir Mohammed, Suharto, and even Augusto Pinochet, some were bloodier than others, but they all uplifted their countries through right leaning authoritarian model. JR is a none-entity in this equation. executive presidency introduced as means to address urgent/unique problems of economic development that third world countries are faced with JR did not clean up the mess he created, instead he handed over a burning nation to his successor, Premadasa MS a victim of his own prejudices against Ranil. Also, he seems to be a hostage of his self-interested political/legal advisers, the quality of whose advises beg the question of their true motives vis a vis the preZ But he proved to be extra calamitous. His arrogant handling of State affairs created far- reaching political instability, and gave rise to two insurgencies in the North and the South. Effectively, mayhem he sawed killed more people per capita, than any of the right-wing leaders of his time. Pinochet looked like a convent nun. JR did not clean up the mess he created, instead he handed over a burning nation to his successor, R. Premadasa. Nor did he create prosperity. Economic growth was dismal 4 per cent, despite the low GDP base of the country at the time (Whereas Mr. Premadasa, during his short tenure, defeated a moronic insurgency and doubled down on economic development). The executive presidency easily fit into the political, electoral and social conditions of some countries, French model being often cited as a perfect constitutional arrangement. However, it did not work for Sri Lanka. Here and in a good part of the third world countries, it created all-powerful, nepotistic, tyrants and despots. There are two main reasons for that. One is the institutional explanation; Sri Lanka, say for instance, unlike France or America, lacked independent institutions that can moderate the behaviour of an all-powerful president. Conversely, powers of executive presidency have weakened the mandate of these institutions. The second is (a politically incorrect) an orientalist explanation: Leaders and people of this part of the world are inherently less principled, among other things, in constitutional governance. This is a product of their civilisational exercise. In these societies, electoral democracy did not necessarily promote rational choice. Rather, it emboldened the grassroots ugliness and provided it with a representation at the highest level of political offices. For instance, in India, 34 per cent of the MPs in Lower House are either convicted or facing criminal charges in courts, according to a study by Milan Vaishnav of Carnegie Endowment for Peace. Interestingly, according to the same study, politicians who are facing serious charges have more chance (18%) of winning his or her race, compared with a less rowdy rival (6%). Such grassroots conditions also foster contempt for constitutionalism. Politicians are betting on the grassroots ignorance when they brazenly violate the Constitution and justify their action in a bout of populism. However, the current political crisis in Sri Lankais different from the past. Old habits of political class die hard. The retrograde electorate that tolerated such old antics had not withered away. However, new laws have been enacted to lessen the absolutism of the executive presidency. That task was achieved, to a great degree, first by the 17th Amendment (much of which was annulled by the 18th Amendment) and then by the 19th Amendment, which set limits on the presidents power to dissolve Parliament, until the completion of fourand a half years of the House, and also set up independent commissions, depoliticising key organs of the government. Therefore, the current behaviour of the president is no longer supported by the Constitution. In contrast, it is unconstitutional. Mr. Sirisena, by repeatedly refusing to accept the verdict of three consecutive no-confidence motions, has violated the Constitution. His bragging that he would not appoint Ranil Wickremesinghe as prime minister, even if the latter is supported by 220 Members of Parliament smacks of contempt towards Constitution and constitutionalism. His open admission to , in an interview with Kelum Bandara, that Mahinda Rajapaksa could have won the support of 113 MPs, if he had enough money to cough up as bribes, borders a confession of complicity in bribery. Unlike J.R. Jayawardene, whose abuse of power of his office was justified in the text of the Constitution, Mr. Sirisena has no such constitutional grounds to find refugee. In that sense, the president has made himself liable for an impeachment. Under Article 38 of the Constitution, any Member of Parliament by a writing addressed to the Speaker, can give notice of a resolution alleging that the president is permanently incapable of discharging the functions of his office by reason of mental or physical infirmity or that the president has been guilty of (i) Intentional violation of the Constitution; (ii) Treason; (iii) Bribery; (iv) Misconduct or corruption involving the abuse of the powers of his office; or (v) Any offence under any law, involving moral turpitude and setting out full particulars of the allegation or allegations made and seeking an inquiry and report thereon by the Supreme Court. Such a resolution should be signed by a two-thirds majority or signed by more than half of the Members of Parliament and the Speaker be satisfied that such an allegation warrant inquiry and report by the Supreme Court. Impeachment of the president should then be passed by no less than a two-thirds majority in Parliament voting favour. Then, allegations contained in such a resolution are reported to the Supreme Court by the Speaker. After which the Supreme Court conducts a due inquiry into the allegations and informs its determination to the Speaker. Should the Supreme Court determine that the president is incapable of discharging the duties of his office or guilty of allegations outlined in the resolution, Parliament may, by a resolution passed by a two-thirds majority voting in favour, remove the president. However, exhaustive procedure aside, the practical question is about the numbers. The UNP is well short of a two-thirds majority to impeach the president. However, there is another school of thought that it is only the president in person, and not his actions, that are immune from prosecution. In that sense, once he cease to be the president, Mr. Sirisena can be charged before the court of law for violating the Constitution. According to Article 35 of Constitution, (1) While any person holds office as President of the Republic of Sri Lanka, no civil or criminal proceedings shall be instituted or continued against the president in respect of anything done or omitted to be done by the president, either in his official or private capacity: Provided that nothing in this paragraph shall be read and construed as restricting the right of any person to make an application under Article 126 against the Attorney-General, in respect of anything done or omitted to be done by the president, in his official capacity. Article 126 states that the Supreme Court shall have sole and exclusive jurisdiction to hear and determine any question relating to the infringement or imminent infringement by executive or administrative action of any fundamental right or language right declared and recognised by Chapter III or IV of the Constitution. The presidents earlier incline to rescind the gazette notification on dissolution of Parliament was attributed to these concerns. However, talks with the UNP broke down last week after the UNP insisted on Ranil Wickremesinghe as prime minister. Subsequently, the UNP withdrew a fourth no-confidence motion, which it had earlier agreed to table in Parliament, on the advice of the president. It expressed for the forth time, no confidence in the government of Mahinda Rajapaksa, and requested the president to appoint a new government. The UNP withdrew the motion after the collapse of the talks with Mr. Sirisena. Sirisena is a victim of his own prejudices against Ranil Wickremesinghe. Also, he seems to be a hostage of his self-interested political and legal advisers, the quality of whose advises beg the question of their true motives vis a vis the president. A good deal of Mr. Sirisenas fate hangs on the two court rulings; the Supreme Court ruling on the dissolution of Parliament and Quo Warrento before the Appeal Court questioning the constitutional basis under which the purported government of Mahinda Rajapaksa and his Cabinet were appointed. Both courts have issued restraining orders against the dissolution of Parliament and the exercise of powers of the government by Mr. Rajapaksa and his Ministers. Both rulings are expected to be issued this week, before the court vacation begins on December 14. The president had said he would respect the court rulings. However, he has repeatedly gone back on his word since he himself triggered the current constitutional crisis five weeks ago. The question of 20 million people is what would happen if the president ignores the court ruling. At the root of the current stalemate is his refusal to appoint Mr. Wickremesinghe as prime minister, despite the UNP and TNA, which collectively command 120 votes, have in writing expressed their support to the latter. Unless the Appeal Court that hears the Quo Warranto restores Parliament that existed before October 26 -- whether it has a mandate to do so is open to legal interpretation -- it is unlikely that the current crisis would end, even if both court rulings are issued in favour of the petitioners. Maithripala Sirisena is exploiting this lacuna. He knows he is unlikely to be impeached immediately. He also knows that Constitution is bereft of means to hold a serving president accountable. However, if the Sri Lankan democracy is to set a deterrent against the abuse of power by the holders of high offices, the long-arm of justice should reach them even after retirement. Follow @RangaJayasuriya on Twitter The Foreigners Regional Registration Officer (FRRO) is in the dock as the Madras high court has summoned him to personally explain as to why he deported a man of Sri Lankan origin -- but born and brought up in India to Sri Lanka after he returned from Australia where he was denied asylum. Questioning the rationale behind deporting S Anand to Colombo, a division bench of Justice N Kirubakaran and Justice Abdul Quddhose rejected the officials claim that Anand entered Australia illegally by a boat seeking asylum, but after it was denied he fraudulently obtained an Indian emergency certificate from the Indian embassy in Melbourne. "If the asylum application of Anand was rejected by the Australian government, he would not be allowed to move out of the refugee camp/asylum seekers camp and there is no scope for the asylum seekers to come out of the camp. Therefore, prima facie it is doubtful as to whether the asylum application of Anand was rejected, as contended by the authorities," the judges said. They were passing orders on a habeas corpus petition filed by Anands father K Sundar Lingam who escaped to India in 1987 at the height of ethnic crisis in Sri Lanka. Anand was born at Thirumala Devasam Medical College and Hospital, Alappuzha district, Kerala, in 1992. He completed his schooling from a private school in Redhills, Chennai. In 2013, he went to Australia, but returned to India on October 27, 2018. He was detained by the Indian immigration authorities and deported to Sri Lanka. Flaying the FRRO, the bench said: If the petitioner's son had fraudulently obtained an Indian emergency certificate from the Melbourne Indian embassy claiming to be an Indian national and travelled to India, the usual course should be to send him back to the country from where he had travelled. However, surprisingly, the authorities had sent him to Sri Lanka, after informing the Sri Lankan embassy and obtaining an emergency certificate. When the petitioner's son was born and brought up and educated in India and he has got no connection at all with Sri Lanka, it is not known why the authorities deported the petitioner's son to Sri Lanka. (Times of India) Tamil Progressive Alliance (TPA) Leader and MP Mano Ganesan said he was wondering whether his party should change its stance and join the Janatha Vimukthi Permanuna (JVP). Mr. Ganesan said this in the latest audio message on Twitter. Many feel that we should team up with the JVP and it is natural for me to feel the same way and to contemplate whether a new alliance has to be formed with the Marxist party, he said in his Twitter message. TPA contested the 2015 general election and the 2018 local government elections in alliance with the UNP. (Yohan Perera) A motion has been filed in the Supreme Court today by a lawyer against the request made by President Maithripala Sirisena asking the Chief Justice to expedite the court ruling on the dissolution of parliament. In his motion, the lawyer said such requests undermined the hearing of the case. Therefore, he requested the Supreme Court to issue a ruling after considering the motion. President Maithripala Sirisena said yesterday he would request the Chief Justice through the Attorney General to deliver the order on the dissolution of parliament without further delay. (Thilini De Silva and Ranjan Katugampola) Video by Prasanna The murder of two on-duty police constables- one from the South and one from the East- at Vavunativu, Batticaloa on November 30 sent shock waves through the country. Although a few arrests have been made, the motive of the shooting is still unknown because there are several dimensions which this incident could fall into. While the families of the slain PCs still mourn the loss of their loved ones, the investigators are also working hard to get to probe the incident in order to nab the real assailants. Brigade camps surrounding Vavunathivu police checkpoint Vavunathivu, a town in Batticaloa District, is located about 5 km Southwest of Batticaloa or 15 km Northwest of Kokkadichcholai. Vavunathivu was a strong LTTE-held territory and references have been made about the town in the history of the thirty-year armed conflict. The 1997 Vavunathivu Offensive was one of those main incidents associated with the war that concluded in 2009. The police checkpoint which came under attack is located one and half kilometres away from the Vavunathivu Police Station. The travelling distance between the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) camp in Batticaloa and the Vavunathivu checkpoint is about one kilometre. Another Special Task Force camp is located around three kilometers away from the scene of crime. The SLAF Vavunathivu detachment used to be right opposite the police checkpoint. Questions are raised as to whether the sand smugglers played any part in the police checkpoint incident or whether they were involved in the attack Incident Following orders from the top police officers, a special search operation was launched on November 29 at the checkpoint. There were four police constables who took part in the special search operation during day time. One of them had obtained approval to leave early to attend an alms giving ceremony. Another constable had left the checkpoint at 1 am on November 30. That constable said it was raining when he had left the checkpoint. It proves that the shooting had taken place after 1 am on November 30. Apart from the slain policemen and brutal attackers, no one had seen what happened after 1 am. The bodies of PCs Dinesh and Niroshan were discovered under suspicious circumstances around 6 am on November 30. Niroshan Indika Prasanna (34) from Galle and Ganesh Dinesh (28) from Kalmunai were shot and killed by an organised and unidentified group of assailants. Batticaloa Magistrate M.I.M Rizvi visited the scene. Police sources said that according to the postmortem, the two police constables were shot at close range. It was also revealed that Constables Niroshan and Dinesh had stab injuries. The body of one constables was found opposite the checkpoint, while the other was found on a bed inside the checkpoint. The weapons used by the deceased police constables were also missing. Niroshan was married and was the father of a kindergarten kid. Dinesh was a bachelor. Niroshan had even worked in the Terrorist Investigation Division (TID). His next transfer to another police station was to be made in January. Dinesh had been earlier stationed in Trincomalee district. It was little under two months since Dinesh got a transfer to the Vavunathivu Police. He had made his last call to his sister on the night of November 29. He had told her that he would return home the next morning (November 30). Meanwhile Daily Mirror learnt that it has been only three months since IP Nishantha Appuhami had started working as the OIC of Vavunathivu Police. Incidentally, IP Nishantha had taken a leave on November 29 to visit his previous police station in Galnewa for an official matter. When the shooting took place, the OIC of Vavunathivu Police was in Galnewa. One of the sub inspectors of the police stations was handling the duties of the OIC in his absence. A major police operation with the assistance of the CID is underway to find the killers. The CID has launched an investigation into the deaths. A special team- led by Police Chief Pujith Jayasundara, senior DIG of the CID and Police Spokesman- is still in Batticaloa to probe the killing. The motive behind the killing is still not known. Statements have been recorded from several persons, including the villagers in Vavunathivu. Mahaveer celebrations Maaveerar Naal is a remembrance day observed by Sri Lankan Tamils to remember the deaths of militants who fought for the LTTE. It is held each year on November 27; the date on which the first LTTE cadre, Lt. Shankar (Sathiyanathan alias Suresh), is said to have died in combat in 1982. Police said the largest Maaveerar celebrations took place this year in Kilinochchchi. Just like in other towns, preparations were being made to hold events in Vavunathivu too. Police said there was an event to be held near the STF camp in Thandiyadi area. The STF camp was built on a land which used to be an LTTE burial site. The organisers had made preparations to hold the event on a larger scale this year by putting up huge stages and lighting massive oil lamps. The police were alerted about the event by November 26 and OIC IP Nishantha had instructed the organisers to cancel the event, giving a reason that there was no legal permission to conduct the event. However, if there is a link between this incident and the shooting, why the attackers waited for three more days to launch the attack, is a question that many in the area pose. The CID team is currently trying to unearth if the shooting was an act of revenge. Arrests so far Several persons, whose movements had been recorded on a CCTV camera, have also been questioned and released. Meanwhile, as the police ban on the Mahaveer event in Vavunathivu remains as the recent incident that could possibly have a link to the shooting, the police directed an inquiry into the organisers of the Mahaveer events, in Vavunathivu. Vavunativu detachment of Sri Lanka Air Force is right opposite the police checkpoint (Google Street View - File Pic) Subsequently, two former LTTE members had been taken into custody over the killing of the policemen. The two suspects were identified as Kadiramathambi Iraja kumaran (Kannan,40) and Rasanaygam Sarvananthan. Kannan was taken into custody in Batticaloa and Sarvananthan at Kilinochchi. Later Sarvananthan was brought to Batticaloa for questioning. He is a former leading intelligence operative of the LTTE. He had told the police that he was in Batticaloa for several weeks to organise a Mahaveer event. Sarvananthan was staying in Kannans house in Vavunathivu, Batticaloa. It was also revealed that Sarvananthan had come to Batticaloa several times to celebrate Mahaveer every year. Although reports said that one of the suspects had admitted that he was responsible for the killing, the CID has no strong evidence against the two suspects and therefore whether both of them were involved in the double murder is still unknown. Meanwhile, UNP MP Ranjith Madduma Bandara pointed out that the incident in Batticoloa was serious in nature and demands a proper investigation, as such crimes did not take place during the past three and half years. If there is a link between Mahaveer and the shooting, why attackers waited for three more days to launch the attack, is a question Sand smugglers and Vavunathivu Police Illegal sand mining activities are taking place in Batticaloa and areas close to Vavunathivu. Dozens of trucks, on to which illegally excavated sand were being loaded on to, were seen in around the town when the writer visited Batticaloa. Last year, six Special Task Force (STF) officers were hospitalised and a 17-year-old youth drowned during a tense situation that erupted when the STF raided an illegal sand mine in Karadiyanaru, Batticaloa. It was reported that the STF personnel were attacked by angry villagers during the raid. Questions are raised as to whether the sand smugglers played any part in the police checkpoint incident or whether they were involved in the attack because the Vavunathivu Police was against the sand mining racket. Lack of facilities at Vavunathivu checkpoint The shooting is also a grim reminder of the dangers faced by law enforcement officers across the country. Officers are out there serving in extremely difficult circumstances and this shooting incident brings a whole new dimension to the very real dangers they are exposed to. The police checkpoint which came under attack comprises a hut made of a tin-roof and a tin wall where it is obviously difficult for the policemen to stay during sweltering day time or during heavy rain. There were two plastic chairs, a table and a bed. There were no sanitary facilities set up in and around the checkpoint. The checkpoint, which is located at the end of Vavunathivu bridge, next to a small Bo tree and a statue of Gautama Buddha, has direct access from the sea. The attackers may have arrived in boats or used them during their escape after the attack. Boats are usually docked near the checkpoint. However, the checkpoint had no facilities or emergency technological equipment whatsoever. In both during emergencies and daily life alike, updated communications systems are vital during missions launched to saves lives and protect property. According to the Control Circular 14/2006 of Main Circular 1924/2006 issued by the IGP on 2006.07.04, the following equipment are compulsory for a police roadblock. Signage, lighting, movable wooden or iron barricades, search kits, gloves, fluorescent cones, search mirrors, communication tools, materials to lift vehicles, caltrops, necessary fire arms, tools used to search ammo, police kennels, digital machine used to check NICs and support from Intelligence Service. For a developing country like Sri Lanka, it is difficult to provide all this equipment to every single police roadblock, especially to those located in remote areas. However, the Vavunathivu Police roadblock had not at least a quarter of the above list, most importantly communication tools. That is why the bodies of the slain officers were discovered only after another two policemen had reached the place. IGP responds to the shooting Obviously everyone who joins in the law enforcement profession in the back of his or her mind knows that there is a possibility that one day something tragic could happen. Hence every one of them chooses the profession willingly. Emphasising on the faults and failures of the police, IGP Pujith Jayasundara issued two letters dated on December 03, 2018 regarding the Vavunathivu police murder. The following texts are quoted from the two letters. Although police constables are usually deployed by the HQIs/ OICs for checkpoints and roadblocks, it is clear that Circulars and instructions issued by the Police have not been adhered to. It was observed that the Vavunathivu police checkpoint, which came under attack, is not a good condition for the police personnel to carry out their duties. The Divisional Heads and District Heads, HQIs and OICs are responsible for that issue. Divisional Heads and District Heads, HQIs and OICs have failed to deploy PCs to act during an emergency situation. He also ordered all Divisional Heads of police to personally make observations on every permanent roadblock and uplift the working condition of the roadblocks, providing all the other facilities. The IGP had directed Divisional Heads to submit comprehensive reports regarding the condition of the permanent roadblocks around the country. Dinesh always wanted to serve the country: suresh, Dineshs brother He had called his sister on the night of November 29 and told her that he would return home the next morning. Instead of him, his corpse had been brought home. He always dreamt of becoming a policeman and serving the country. Despite opposition from his family, he realised his dream. He was very good at sports, specially karate. I have another sister younger to Dinesh. He got his first appointment to Muttur. We are still shocked as to who killed our brother for what reason. We want justice: sampath, niroshans brother He was a good father, brother, son and a good husband as well as a good pillar of the community. Being the eldest son of the family, he took care of us. He joined the Police in 2009. It has been one year and 11 months since he got posted to Vavunathivu. He was about to complete his compulsory service period. He couldnt wait to return home in January. We demand to know who killed our brother. We have the confidence that the CID will find out what happened and bring the assailants to book. When the shooting took place, the OIC of Vavunathivu Police was in Galnewa Motive of attackers may not necessarily be political: Governor of Eastern Province The Vavunathivu incident in which two policemen were attacked and killed at a centric point is just an isolated incident. This attack could be an act of retaliation by a group against disruptions made by the police against Mahaveer Day commemorations. Secondly, it could have been an attack carried out with the intention of obtaining the weapons of the two policemen. The third possibility is that this reaction is normal when considering the prevailing situation in the country where assailants have certain ulterior and disruptive motives. If it is the third possibility, the motive of the attackers may not necessarily be political. If so, what they wish is to see the countrys stability being undermined using these type of incidents. Whatever the political issues that the country is faced with should be confined to the establishment. These types of incidents are developments outside the establishment. However, the murders are currently being investigated by the highest authorities. We need the peaceful atmosphere which we are now enjoying. This should continued during a post conflict scenario. Peace, security and development for the people are the top most priorities that President Maithripala Sirisena has emphasised on. Even today, I handed over some military occupied lands back to the people under the directions of the President. As the military is carrying out their own assessments on the security conditions in respected areas, lands are returned to the people. It is a point in favour of normalcy being retained. This murder has not shattered expectations. We believe in the police investigation process. Perpetrators will be caught and punished according to the law of the land. However, we must not get the wrong people arrested. First we must get to the bottom of the incident. Our police are fully capable of finding the leads to the investigations and those who are responsible for the murder. All through the recent years, we have not experienced anything like this in the Eastern Province. This type of isolated incidents could happen in any part of the country, said Governor of Eastern Province Rohitha Bogollagama. Vavunathivu has no record of unusual incidents in recent past: Military Spokesman We also probed the incident. In fact, there are many angles to the incident. Since investigations are continuing, it is still difficult for us to establish the truth. There havent been any unusual incidents reported in that area during the recent past. In terms of national security, these types of incidents do not make any impact on the broader subject like national security. Nevertheless, we are concerned as the Army. Offenders must definitely be punished via an immediate investigation, said Military Spokesman Brigadier Sumith Atapattu. . Flash back to violence against police The November 30 shooting in Vavunathivu, Batticaloa evoked memories of the massacre over 600 unarmed policemen stationed in the same district on June 11, 1990, which is considered the saddest day in the history of Sri Lanka Police. Other incidents of recent violence where police officers became victims include the abduction of two policemen in Kurunegala in 2004 and the subsequent murder of an officer. The two policemen who were on traffic duty were abducted by an unidentified group in a van, allegedly returning from a robbery. Another Police Constable attached to the Intelligence Unit of the Tangalle Police had been injured when unidentified gunmen opened fire at Kataragama in March this year. At a time when all Sri Lankans are enjoying peace due to the sacrifices made by law enforcement personnel, the shooting also took place amidst the continuing constitutional crisis in the country. Therefore, the incident could be interpreted in different ways. However, Sri Lanka doesnt have a history of there being proper inquiries regarding slain policemen during brutal attacks. This incident, whatever the motive of the attackers, should be an eye-opener and a stark reminder of the dangers our law enforcement officers face every day while protecting and serving our communities. Sri Lanka Police today launched a website www.ineed.police.lk to lodge complaints about lost or stolen mobile phones, Police Spokesman SP Ruwan Gunasekera said. He said the new website was launched under the instruction of IGP Pujith Jayasundara. About 800 to 1000 complaints about lost or stolen mobile phones are reported daily. If anyone had lost or had their phones stolen they can instantly complain through the new website. The complaint will be forwarded to the police stations, Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (TRC) and respective mobile companies," he said. More than 24 million mobile phones were used in the country.(Darshana Sanjeewa) Norwegian Ambassador to Sri Lanka and the Maldives Thorbjrn Gaustadsther and UNDP Sri Lanka Country Director Jorn Sorensen exchange the agreement The Norwegian government has entered into a partnership agreement with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Sri Lanka to promote peace, justice and strong institutions under Sustainable Development Goal 16 for the period of December 2018 to December 2020. Norwegian Ambassador to Sri Lanka and the Maldives Thorbjrn Gaustadsther and UNDP Sri Lanka Country Director Jorn Sorensen signed the partnership agreement amounting to NOK 12.6 million or US $ 1.5 million. Under the partnership, the UNDP aims to strengthen select policymaking and oversight structures to perform the core functions for improved accountability and inclusivity, provide marginalized and vulnerable communities increased and equitable access to justice, including demand-driven legal protection and gender-sensitive services. It also aims to strengthen the capacity of national and sub-national level institutions to deliver equitable, accountable and effective services. Through the implementation of this project, the UNDP expects by 2022, people in Sri Lanka, especially the marginalized and vulnerable, benefit from more rights-based, accountable, inclusive and effective public institutions, to enhance trust amongst communities and towards the state. Commenting on the project, Gaustadsther said public institutions are crucial to promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development and to provide access to justice for all. At present, when Sri Lanka is going through difficult times, some of the positive developments that we see in the country are due to the work done in the past to strengthen institutions. Therefore, as development partners, it is crucial that we continue to support the work that the UN does to promote peace, justice and strong institutions, Gaustadsther said. From left Ms. Dulakshi Perera, Senior Manager Marketing, NSB; Mr. Kamal Wijeyawardena, Chief Manager - Card Centre, NSB; Mr. Lal Karunatilake, Deputy General Manager Marketing, NSB; Mr. M. F. Arshoff, the winner of the two return air tickets to Singapore; Mr. S. D. N. Perera, General Manager / Chief Executive Officer, NSB; Mr. R. B. Santosh Kumar, Country Manager - Sri Lanka & Maldives, Mastercard; Ms. Sheranga Perera - Senior Specialist, Mastercard; Ms. Upekha Gunasekera, Manager - Digital Media, NSB and Mr. Chandana Dissanayake, Chief Manager, NSB National Savings Bank (NSB) and Mastercard gave away two return air tickets to Singapore to Mr. M. F. Arshoff, the first winner of their two month long debit card promotion. The winner was chosen based on the amount of point of sale transactions made with hisNSB Mastercard debit card during the month of November. While thanking the cardholders for their continued patronage, NSB and Mastercard invite them to use their NSB Mastercard debit cards for more of their day to day purchases to stand a chance to win the 2 tickets on offer for the month of December. The return air tickets are sponsored by findmyfare.com. The Environmental Foundation (Guarantee) Limited (EFL) launched its book Review of the Southern Border of Sinharaja; Contemporary needs against conservation on December 7 at The British Council, in Colombo 03. The book elaborates on a study conducted to assess the present status of Sinharaja, the shortcomings in conserving it and ongoing preservation measures including utilising Sustainable Forest Management as a means of addressing the underlying threats posed to the Southern border of Sinharaja. EFL Chairperson Dr. Eric Wickramanayake set the tone for the evening by presenting an informative outlook on the present degree of climate change and its relevance to Sri Lanka. By discussing scientific information and statistics, he emphasised the importance of forest conservation as a force against climate change; especially at a time when extreme weathering has manifested itself to be more frequent than ever in the form of severe storms, droughts, both too much and too little water etc. The principal author Hafsa Hudha officially launched the book by revealing the inspiration, the process and the purpose behind the publication He spoke on the local and international promises and pledges made at the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement and how most fell far short of success. He was unhesitant in stating that, Conflict, starvation, disease and death thats the stark reality. Furthermore, awareness was raised on how to combat this crisis and how forest conservation is imperative to this defence. He explained how by preserving our eco-systems; our forestry, we protect endemic species of flora and fauna, conserve water towers which sustain our water sources, support water sheds which facilitate water provision and in the long run, ensure our own survival and our countrys future. Dr. Wickramnayake assessed Sri Lanka being ranked second in the recent 2019 Global Climate Risk Index as a glimpse into the future. Its happening in Sri Lanka, Its happening now, he said with regard to the global process of climate degradation. Organisations like the World Bank and the United Nations who fund billions toward the cause understand the issue, he explained, but as locals we fail to see that even from a business and political perspective, funding nature preservation is a fruitful investment and that it only makes sense to protect what we already have. Having laid the context for the publication, Dr. Eric Wickramanayake referred to the contents of the book. Sinharaja, despite being a national and world wildlife heritage site is under rising legal threats, and in response the book examines its present conservation policies, laws and the gaps, to save Sri Lanka from these threats. Representing the Department of Forest Conservation which played a role in providing data for the publication, Conservator General of Forests, Anura Sathurusinghe spoke on the actions taken and to be taken toward forest conservation. Our effort is to increase the forest cover of this country from the existing 29.7% to 32% by 2030. He stated that the relevant authorities plan to utilise the grant given by the British Government through the World Bank to achieve these targets systematically from next year onwards. The principal author Hafsa Hudha then officially launched the book by revealing the inspiration, the process and the purpose behind it. She provided a chaptered summary of the publication and the essentiality of their cause. She concluded with the message, The care we cultivate into the universe will sprout to take care of us tomorrow. The final speaker of the day was Emeritus Prof. Savitri Gunatilleke of the University of Peradeniya. She provided fascinating insight regarding the indigenous species of plantation that have called the Sinharaja its home for long decades and how these have defined the lives of villagers settled at the borders of the forest. She expressed regret about the unfortunate loss of traditional knowledge regarding the Sinharaja among the locals. She added to the concern by explaining that the buffer zone should not only be a physical barrier to the core area of the forest, but also a zone where the indigenous knowledge of the locals can be conserved for posterity while bringing the utility species of the natural forest into cultivation. Organisations like the World Bank and the United Nations who fund billions toward the cause understand the issue -Dr. Eric Wickramanayake At the conclusion of the evenings proceedings, the gathering was invited to purchase the book and support the local, or rather global cause the ELF was representing. The effective date of the Sri Lanka-Singapore Free Trade Agreement (SLSFTA) should be postponed to ensure the removal of any detrimental clauses, MP Bandula Gunawardana said today. He said what they said about the SLSFTA had been proved correct by the experts committee in their report on the FTA. The report was handed over to President Maithripala Sirisena on Monday. The main problem with the FTA is as the President said, the FTA was rushed without the proper consent of stakeholder institutions. However, we are yet to study the report and the President assured us he would release it in two days, the MP told a news briefing. He said the Commerce Department was the institution which provided consultations when drafting FTAs but it has not been consulted by the previous International Trade Ministry because the department had been placed under the purview of the Commerce and Trade Ministry. The Commerce Department is refusing to take responsibility for the SLSFTA because it has not been consulted. Nine petitions were filed in Court against the FTA. Therefore, it is vital to remove any negative clauses, the MP said. He said he had submitted a Cabinet paper soon after he assumed duties as the new International Trade Minister seeking approval to hold bilateral negotiations to amend harmful clauses of the FTA before its effective date of January 21 next year. However, the Cabinet paper has been put on hold consequent to the Appeal Court suspending the ministers from functioning in their office. We are caught in a pickle now, the MP said. (Lahiru Pothmulla) Video by Amantha Sri Lankas recent political crisis has attracted global attention with the appointment of former president Mahinda Rajapaksa as the new prime minister. Many observers link the leadership change to the contest for influence in South Asia between China and India and there have even been doubts about the fate of Chinese investments in Sri Lanka in recent years. However, the feud between two political parties has no relation with either China or India. Bringing the two countries into the analysis would actually amount to ignoring the needs and demands of Sri Lanka. As an island nation, Sri Lanka has limited needs for freight transport on land and its development rests on becoming an international transshipment hub like Hong Kong and Singapore. Former president Rajapaksa proposed in his Mahinda Chintana, Vision for the Future, in 2005 to build Sri Lanka into a centre of shipment, aviation, trade and business. In 2014, the Colombo Ports throughput was 4.91 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) with an increase of 12.3 percent. With shipping demand rising rapidly, the Colombo Port has a container utilization rate of over 90 percent that makes it pretty congested and hence measures are needed to increase its capacity. China Merchants Port Holdings Company Limited has invested in Colombo International Container Terminals (CICT). Since the project was put into operation in 2014, it has led to remarkable economic and social benefits. The CICT reported a throughput of two million TEUs in 2016, up from 1.56 million a year earlier and the number is expected to surpass 3.2 million TEUs by 2019. The Hambantota port, a deep-water facility close to the worlds busiest shipping lanes, is to embrace rapid industrial development. According to the Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA), the construction of the port will directly provide 6,000 new jobs and 50,000 to 100,000 indirect jobs, benefiting local people and helping boost development. The utilization of the Hambantota ports functions so far remains low largely because the rapid development of container terminals in neighbouring countries like India and fierce competition within Sri Lanka affected the volume of transshipment. In Sri Lanka, after the Colombo South Container Terminal was put into operation, the SLPA raised funds to start building the Colombo East Container Terminal and began looking for co-investors. The planned facility will compete with the Hambantota port. Sri Lanka plans to enhance the countrys container throughput to 20 million TEUs. The two ports will not only promote national economic and societal development but raise Sri Lankas strategic position in international shipping. However, these cooperative projects by China and Sri Lanka, which serve the island nations development needs and can promote local economy and employment, have recently come under a cloud because of the debt trap allegations levelled by some media outlets. According to the Central Bank of Sri Lanka, Chinese loans made up 10 percent of Sri Lankas total foreign debt at end-2017, while loans from Japan reached 12 percent, India 3 percent and the Japan-led Asian Development Bank 14 percent. Under external pressure, Sri Lanka started to balance the presence of China, Japan and India in the country while preserving its own interest. Before being ousted in late October, former Sri Lankan primeminister Ranil Wickremesinghe made his fifth visit to India in mid-October since he took office in 2015 and met his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi, who expressed discontent with the slow progress of Indian investment in Sri Lanka. Ahead of Wickremesinghes visit, the Sri Lankan government announced to reverse the Chinese-won tender of building 40,000 houses in Jaffna and awarded it to a joint venture with an Indian company. Sri Lanka has also agreed to form a joint venture with India to operate the countrys loss-making Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport. Rajapaksa has also been working to enhance the relationship with India while balancing ties with Beijing. In the context of the current international situation, Sri Lanka will follow balanced diplomacy for the sake of its own interest. China and India share equal opportunities to invest and seek development in the South Asian country. Sri Lankas development streak deserves China and Indias support and respect. It is not a battleground for rivalry between the two Asian powers. On the contrary, as Sri Lanka ranks high among South Asian countries in economic and social development, it is an ideal partner to carry out the China-India Plus plan. India should become less suspicious and cooperate with China in Sri Lanka to jointly enhance the latters self-development capabilities. (Professor Hu Xiaowen, Associate Research Fellow of the Yunnan University in China and currently visiting Scholar of the Pathfinder Foundation, received her PhD in International Studies from Jawaharlal Nehru University, India in 2016. She also holds an MA in Southeast Asia Studies from Jinan University, China and a BA in Business Administration from the Southwestern University of Finance and Economics, China. Readers comments are welcome at pm@pathfinderfoundation.org/cslcsc@pathfinderfoundation.org) One of the truest tests of integrity is its blunt refusal to be compromised. - Chinua Achebe What cost Bill Clinton a second term in office was not his affair with Monica Levinsky , per se. It was his sworn deposition and the public affirmation by him that he had nothing to do with the latter, which later was proved and he admitted, as false. He admitted the affair and that it was wrong and apologised. Yet as the President he had lost the confidence of the public, not only those who voted him to power. President Clinton himself, in the eyes of the American citizen, had become persona non grata. A cardinal, grave and unforgivable wrong committed by the man holding the most powerful position of the most powerful nation in the world. No, it was not something about national security, espionage or financial integrity etc., the type of mortal sin, that you would associate with the downfall of a top politician but simply assuring the public, falsely , that he had no connection with a White House intern. So sensitive is the issue of public trust, which a Head of a State is held accountable to the populace. He simply opened the door for the wolves. He is simply a lad who would set fire to the entire paddy harvest when an old man smote him with a tokka on the head Now fast track to Sri Lanka and President Maithripala Sirisena. He was elected by 6.2 million people on January 8, 2015 and one thing that he reiterated, even tearfully, was that he was in danger of losing his life, along with those of his family, in the hands of the then incumbent President. Well, he got elected as President and even afterwards narrated the story as to how he spent the night of the election in a coconut estate, lights switched off for fear of life. And we took him seriously. It was the possibility of an assassination of the prospective President of the country and was serious. Revolution Moonlight October 26, 2018 was unprecedented in the history of Sri Lanka. Dr. Dayan Jayatillake equates it to the October Revolution. It is common knowledge now that he mixes political commentary with amusement. Yet in a serious note, that day not only marked the first instance where a President, openly and brazenly, engaged the Supreme Law of the land, in the breach, triggering a series of events, that led to absolute belittling of the dignity, credibility and confidence the citizenry were wont to see in their first citizen, their leader, the top executive of the Republic; making not only himself, but the entire country the laughing stock of the world. First he lamented of yet another assassination plot thus compelling him to remove the constitutionally elected PM and appoint the former President, who he had repeatedly accused of seeking to exterminate him, stating that in terms of the Constitutional provisions his appointee could muster the majority support of the Parliament, for which purpose he prorogued it. Then the assurance that he would not remain in office if Ranil Wickremesinghe commanded the majority support of Parliament. When it dawned on him that it was not the case ,the second breach of the constitution , a much more outrageous and brazen violation, by dissolving Parliament, and of course he didnt resign. Then again he wanted the UNF to show the majority, assuring them he would accordingly bow down to the will of the Parliament. Parliament passed two No Confident Motions, and two other motions that clearly showed , that MR did not have 113 votes in the House. Yet the President would not recognize the defeat of his pet government and appoint the MP who enjoyed the majority support and now swears that he would never appoint Ranil as PM even if all the 225 MPs were to support him. He is ready, he says again, if really pushed to the wall, to resign and go back to Polonnaruwa. The tokka I do not hate our President. I feel sorry. I know the real danger, in terms of negating and reversing all the salutary and salvaging effects of a three and a half years of good governance, is not from him. He simply opened the door for the wolves. He is simply a lad who would set fire to the entire paddy harvest when an old man smote him with a tokka on the head. As I have mentioned in an earlier article, President Sirisena, is not the only one whom the enchantment of Executive Presidency has bamboozled, but he surely is the one who had been overwhelmed to such an extent; to make him forget to stand still when the national anthem was played on public stage. The bewilderment runs that deep, fellas! Leave alone all the constitutional debacles and bad decision making culminating in this gridlock; what about straight-faced lying in relation to the six feet under ground story insinuating that the former President and now his pet PM, wanted him assassinated? Leave alone all the constitutional debacles and bad decision making culminating in this gridlock; what about straight-faced lying, in relation to the six feet under ground story insinuating that the former President and now his pet PM, wanted him assassinated. Media reported the President brushing off his statement given earlier as something uttered in the heat of electioneering and from the campaign stage, thus not to be taken seriously. Let me repeat that: the President says that the assassination attempts that he tearfully referred to were false statements. The President of the Republic has falsely and repeatedly claimed he was subject to assassination attempts by his predecessor whom he defeated and now, says that was all in a lighter vein. In a lighter vein One would think that an alleged assassination attempt on the life of the Executive President, the head of the State would be something serious. At least , that is what I thought! Yet now it turns out that it was just part of the garrulous election speeches. The main informant whose words the President took so seriously, to the extent of removing the constitutionally elected PM, is now a nomination hopeful for the Lotus Bud political party run by the Rajapaksas. The political quicksands the President finds himself now in, does not seem to give way to terra firma as he would have expected. Now with the latest bombshell with his claim that it was due to the MPs raising the crossover money up to 500 million that MR was not able to win 113 in Parliament, it is clear now that our President has neither the honesty nor the mettle that is required to lead a nation. The damage caused by the October 26 moonlight putsch, is unfathomable politically, socially, economically and ethically. The country which kept representative democracy alive for nine decades, sometimes surpassing more advanced nations, now finds itself the laughing stock of the international community. As salutary as judicial boldness and integrity coupled with the bravery of those who dare to seek relief against dastardly crimes committed on the Constitutional sacredness, no decision of court is going to stabilize and get us back on track. The stab has pierced far deeper! It will take years if not decades to rectify the wrong committed on that moonlit night. So , Ladies and Gentlemen, goes the story of the foolhardy lad who set fire to the family paddy harvest because an old man gave him a tokka. Oops....! We couldn't find that... 404 error Unfortunately the page you were looking for could not be found. It may be temporarily unavailable, moved or no longer exist. Check the URL you entered for any mistakes and try again. Alternatively, search for whatever is missing or take a look around the rest of our site. Encumbrance publishes 'beyond the vernal equinox', one of the great novels of the japanese writer Has been the model for the Laureate Kenzaburo Oe, and for the applicant Haruki Murakami. Natsume Soseki (1867-1916) was the battering ram that opened the way to modernity in japanese literature. In 1868 came to the throne, the young emperor Meiji, who undertook numerous political reforms, social, economic, religious, and cultural aimed at pulling Japan out of isolation for over 250 years, to leave behind the traces are engrained in the medievalism feudal, to put his country into contact with the West. The official motto of the Meiji era was: "Learn from the West to reach the West". So remember the teacher and translator Carlos Rubio, maximum expert in Japanese Literature, in the fully comprehensive introduction to his translation of Kokoro, published by Gredos in 2009. Kokoro (1914) happens to be the masterpiece of Soseki. It is a novel already late japanese writer and part of the trilogy in which it is inserted beyond the spring equinox (1912), a story of quest and initiation to the adult life who now publishes Encumbrance. This imprint is the maximum diffuser of the work of Soseki in Spain, because it has already been previously published other eight of the 14 novels of the japanese writer. Among them, the first, I Am a cat (1904), hilarious satire of social from the point of view of a feline. Fernando Sanchez Drago, as linked to Japan, called Soseki -in tribute to the novelist - one of his cats and, when he died the animal, wrote about it one of his best books, Soseki. Immortal and tiger (2009). Soseki published I Am a cat on his return from a miserable three year stay in England that aims to extend your knowledge of English literature, forged during her degree at the Imperial University of Tokyo, the city in which he was born in 1867 -when it was still called Edo and was the capital of the country, being the youngest of eight children of a staff member surnamed Kinnosuke, a descendant of a declining family of samurai, and unscrupulous man who handed it on to two adoptive parents, one of them future blackmailer of the successful writer. That history and the death of the mother and two siblings in adolescence marked the personality of Soseki. she specialized in English Literature and was awarded a scholarship (poorly) by the government to study in England because that trait of opening to the outside was one of the features of the Meiji era, which ended in 1912, four years before the death of the writer due to a gastric ulcer that had remained severely ill and vomiting blood in periodic crisis, the past six years of his life. But without stop writing. Soseki had many children and a long marriage, and scarcely happy, despite their attachment to zen buddhism. Formed, like many, in the chinese poetry -which he cultivated, like the haiku-, Soseki, interestingly, had doubts at the beginning about the desirability and consequences of being influenced by the western literature. After that, would be the main paradigm of this influence in the letters japan, which resulted -according to professor Rubio - a new narrative that drove the individualism -ignored by the japanese culture-the psychological analysis and treatment of romantic love. Before engaging (from 1907) literary journalism -and not without controversy-, Soseki, also an essayist and diarist, was focused on teaching in several schools and, finally, in the University of Tokyo, which he left abruptly and where he had replaced in the chair the incomparable Lafcadio Hearn. Among his novels, most celebrated is Botchan (1906) -also edited by Impedimenta-, a permanent best seller in Japan, where Soseki has humor his disastrous experience on a remote island to which he was destined at the beginning of his career as a professor. The above-mentioned Lafcadio Hearn, born to a Greek island, emigrated to the united States and a globe-trotting tireless, ended up being an accomplished orientalist, and an academic authority in Japan. We take care of it here when Errata Naturae published his formidable travel book A summer cruise through the west Indies. The case is that Lafcadio Hearn also wrote, long before Soseki, a book titled Kokoro (1891), an essay on "echoes and notions of the inner life of japan", which was translated into Spanish by Julian Besteiro. The word kokoro means, in japanese, to heart. And, by the way, soseki, the name Natsume chose as a pseudonym, it means stubborn in chinese. But this is another story. According to the criteria of Updated Date: 11 December 2018, 08:01 Learn more By Karl Vick 10 December 2018 (TIME) The stout man with the gray goatee and the gentle demeanor dared to disagree with his countrys government. He told the world the truth about its brutality toward those who would speak out. And he was murdered for it.Every detail of Jamal Khashoggis killing made it a sensation: the time stamp on the surveillance video that captured the Saudi journalist entering his countrys Istanbul consulate on 2 October 2018; the taxiway images of the private jets bearing his assassins; the bone saw; the reports of his final words, I cant breathe, recorded on audio as the life was choked from him.But the crime would not have remained atop the world news for two months if not for the epic themes that Khashoggi himself was ever alert to, and spent his life placing before the public. His death laid bare the true nature of a smiling prince, the utter absence of morality in the Saudi-U.S. alliance andin the cascade of news feeds and alerts, posts and shares and linksthe centrality of the question Khashoggi was killed over: Whom do you trust to tell the story?Khashoggi put his faith in bearing witness. He put it in the field reporting he had done since youth, in the newspaper editorship he was forced out of and in the columns he wrote from lonely exile. Must we choose, he asked in the Washington Post in May, between movie theaters and our rights as citizens to speak out, whether in support of or critical of our governments actions? Khashoggi had fled his homeland last year even though he actually supported much of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salmans agenda in Saudi Arabia. What irked the kingdom and marked the journalist for death was Khashoggis insistence on coming to that conclusion on his own, tempering it with troubling facts and trusting the public to think for itself. Be sure to browse through A Growing Boy's Wine Diary , with 10+ years of tasting notes! Sony has launched a tech-fuelled, highly-instagrammable destination in New York, where you can create a personalised song based on the beat of your heart. The pop-up space is the centrepiece of Sonys third Lost In Music experiential campaign, which brings Sony technology together with Sony Music artists to create unique and shareable experiences for an 18-24 audience. Produced by creative agency, Ralph, the Pop-Up is also the home for live performances and a weekly Youtube talk show featuring Sony Music artists such as A$AP FERG, Lauren Jauregui (5th Harmony), Zara Larsson and Snakehips. Now in its third year, Lost In Music produced by creative agency Ralph unites Sony Music artists with Sony technology to produce creative, unique and shareable music experiences. Through a weekly online show as well as the physical pop-up, Lost In Music showcases various innovative Sony technologies combined with exclusive interviews and performances from multiple Sony Music artists. The groundbreaking Lost In Music experiential installation analyses the way each attendee moves and interacts with the cutting-edge technology throughout the space, combining it with the rhythm of their own heartbeat and adding musical components to create a unique, downloadable track. Within the space, located at 201 Mulberry St. in New York City, visitors can get creative with: Heartbeat Chamber This sets the BPM of the track by taking your heart rate. Interactive Dancefloor Sequencer You can dance over the LED floor to create a looping rhythm. Drum Spheres Hitting these will record drum loops based on your movements. Vocal Booth A microphone records, autotunes and loops your vocals. Theremin Your motion is captured and used to bend the pitch of your track. A camera on stage will record your movements. This is then combined with your finished track to create a shareable, personalised music video. .@ASAPFerg took a walk around our amazing #LostInMusic pop-up experience & made his very own reimagined track which debuted on our weekly show. Catch up on all things Lost In Music now: https://t.co/1bHsWPLi0n pic.twitter.com/KJjNBHcrhk Sony (@Sony) November 28, 2018 Also demonstrated at the Lost In Music pop-up is Sonys latest multi-dimensional audio technology, which enables visitors to be entirely immersed in a track as it plays around them. Additionally, guests will be able to get hands-on with the latest Sony products. Finally, fans can tune in to the Ralph-produced Lost in Music weekly online show to watch exclusive sets, interviews and tech highlights. Each episode of the show is available at www.sony.com/lostinmusic. Its been tremendously exciting to work on this years Lost In Music campaign, which builds on previous years to really push the limits of whats possible in terms of creating an immersive, interactive experience for music fans, said Chris Hassell, Founder at Ralph Creative. Combined with the live performances and complementary YouTube channel, Sony is able to connect with an extremely wide audience across multiple content and technology types. www.ralphandco.com Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (R) receives visiting Lao Minister of Justice Xaysy Santivong in Hanoi on December 10th (Photo: VNA) At the reception, PM Phuc congratulated the Lao Party, State and people for their achievements recorded over the past time and expressed his belief that under the leadership of the Lao Peoples Revolutionary Party, Laos will successfully implement the resolution of the Partys 10th Congress. He noted with pleasure the fruitfully developing traditional friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between the two nations. The Government leader highly valued the concrete cooperation outcomes between the two justice ministries, saying judicial collaboration is one of the most important contents in the bilateral ties. Minister Xaysy Santivong said his visit aims to continue enhancing the cooperation between the two ministries. He informed the host that the two sides earlier had successful talks during which they exchanged experience in judicial activities in 2018. The Lao Ministry of Justices today development is thanks to the wholehearted and valuable assistance of the Vietnamese Party, Government and justice ministry, he said, adding that his ministry is coordinating with the Lao Ministry of Foreign Affairs in supporting Vietnamese nationals living in Laos, especially in terms of legal papers. Appreciating Vietnams official development assistance (ODA) projects which help the Lao Ministry of Justice with personnel training, he affirmed that the two ministries will push forward closer and more effective coordination in the time ahead. PM Phuc said that on the basis of the two countries special friendship and solidarity, Vietnam is ready to share with the Lao side lessons of both success and failure in its development process. He said that institutional building is extremely important to the development of a country as it covers legal institutions, development policies, and management and monitoring work. The leader instructed the Vietnamese Ministry of Justice to provide the best support for its Lao counterpart, not only at ministerial level but also lower levels. He asked the two ministries to effectively realise the agreement between the two Governments relating to the judicial field as well as the signed agreement on their cooperation for the 2015-2020./. Canada introduces new initiatives to improve aquaculture operations In an effort to improve economic returns and environmental sustainability in Canada's aquaculture industry, the country's government is changing the way it engages its sector, The Province reported. This new approach entails the development of a single comprehensive set of regulations to properly determine how the aquaculture sector operates in Canada, according to Fisheries Minister Jonathan Wilkinson. In addition, the fisheries department is ordering a study on alternative aquaculture technologies to inform the development of the industry. The study would be conducted with Sustainable Development Technology Canada and the province of British Columbia. The approach would also include the creation of a risk management framework and a shift towards area-based management plans to take regional environmental concerns into account. Those details were revealed following a recent announcement of plans to develop a federal Aquaculture Act, as discussed at the Canadian Council for Fisheries and Aquaculture Ministers meeting in St. John's. Federal environment commissioner Julie Gelfand issued a report earlier this year calling for better monitoring and more detailed scientific study of the industry's effects on wild fish. - The Province By The Intercept , Dec. 10, 2018 GOOGLE IS FACING a renewed wave of criticism from human rights groups over its controversial plan to launch a censored search engine in China. A coalition of more than 60 leading groups from countries across the world have joined forces to blast the internet giant for failing to address concerns about the secretive China project, known as Dragonfly. They come from countries including China, the United States, the United Kingdom, Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, France, Kazakhstan, Mexico, Norway, Pakistan, Palestine, Romania, Syria, Tibet, and Vietnam. Read More: Join us - become an Elderado today at: LarryElder.com Follow Larry Elder on Follow Larry Elder on Twitter "Like" Larry Elder on Facebook RAMALLAH, Dec. 10 (Xinhua) -- In a rare incident on Monday, an Israeli army force stormed the West Bank city of Ramallah, the unofficial capital of the Palestinian Authority. It was part of Israeli search for Palestinians who attacked a group of Israelis near the West Bank settlement of Ofra and wounded seven of them. Palestinians threw stones at the soldiers who responded with tear gas, Palestinian medical sources said, adding that 32 people were wounded, two by live bullets and the rest by rubber bullets and tear gas. During the incursion, the Israeli army surrounded several residential neighborhoods in the city. The army also raided the headquarters of the official Palestinian news agency WAFA and prevented staff from entering or leaving. Hanan Ashrawi, a member of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization, condemned the Israeli incursion. She told Xinhua that the absence of international accountability encourages the Israelis to expand their violations against the Palestinians. The Israeli army violated all bilateral agreements by storming Ramallah in broad daylight, shooting, terrorizing citizens, besieging homes and breaking into an official institution. The Palestinian official demanded that the international community shoulder its responsibility and put an end to "Israel's violations." Earlier in the day, Israeli forces surrounded the headquarters of the official WAFA agency and detained its crew in one room before confiscating the agency's surveillance cameras. Khuloud Assaf, the agency's editor-in-chief, told Xinhua that the storming of the agency's headquarters was "an Israeli crime against the Palestinian media." Assaf said Israeli forces detained more than a dozen journalists inside the agency's headquarters, prevented them from leaving the agency's editorial lounge and fired gas and sound bombs inside the offices. Meanwhile, Nasser Abu Baker, head of the Palestinian Journalists' Syndicate, condemned the incident, saying it was "a new crime and a flagrant violation" against the Palestinian media and its workers. Abu Baker said the syndicate will follow up on the serious attack with the International Federation of Journalists, the Union of Arab Journalists and all international bodies and organizations. The clashes between the Palestinians and the Israeli army erupted last night following a shooting attack that resulted in the injury of six Israelis in Ramallah. Since the incident, the Israeli army has d the entrance to the northern city of al-Bireh, Etara and Ain Sinya, and tightened security along the Nablus-Ramallah road. The Israeli army announced that at least six Israelis were injured in a Palestinian drive-by shooting attack in the Israeli-occupied West Bank on Sunday night. Video footage released by Ofra's security personnel showed a white car slowing down near a bus stop where a man sitting near the driver pulls out a gun and shoots at people waiting at the bus stop. "Shots were fired from a passing Palestinian vehicle toward Israeli civilians who were standing at the bus station," an Israeli military spokesperson said. The incident was the latest in a spate of Palestinian attacks in the form of knife stabbing, shooting, car-ramming and others, usually targeting Israeli soldiers, police officers and settlers. [ Editor: WPY ] PARIS Santa Claus came early for millions of French people on Monday. But President Emmanuel Macrons efforts to buy off a nationwide protest movement with handouts for low-paid workers and retirees is likely to come at a cost inflating the budget deficit, pushing the national debt over 100 percent of gross domestic product and reneging on EU commitments to fiscal discipline. After a month of a sometimes violent revolt by Yellow Jacket protesters against fuel tax hikes and the cost of living, Macron announced an immediate 100 a month increase in the minimum wage without extra cost to employers, the removal of social charges and income tax on overtime payments, and the scrapping of a tax rise on poorer pensioners. The young president admitted in a televised address to the nation that he had underestimated public anger, failed to grasp the distress of families and the elderly struggling to make ends meet, and offended people with arrogant or offhand remarks. I accept my share of responsibility. I may have given you the feeling that I didnt care, that I had other priorities, a chastened Macron told prime-time viewers. He gave no clue as to how he would finance the concessions, which together with last weeks scrapping of contentious planned tax hikes on gasoline and diesel could lead to at least 10 billion in lost revenue and an extra cost to the 2019 budget roughly 0.5 percent of GDP. The president refused to go back on his unpopular 2017 decision to scrap a wealth tax on the rich, which yielded 4 billion but was hated by investors who cited it as a barrier to creating jobs. But he said he would meet investors and business leaders in the coming days to see how they could contribute more to the economy. Activists from the leaderless Yellow Jackets movement, which has spread like wildfire via social media, acknowledged first steps had been taken to meet their demands but many said Macrons response was inadequate and vowed to keep up their roadblocks. However, the government is hoping a combination of targeted measures, protest fatigue, revulsion at violence and looting, and the onset of the Christmas holidays will snuff out the protests before the end of the month. The political cost to Macrons authority and European standing are already high. The pro-European president pledged when he was elected in May 2017 to finally respect Frances EU commitments on budget discipline, saying this was vital both to restoring public finances and to rebuilding trust, notably in key partner Germany. But while increased growth and tax measures brought the deficit below the EUs 3 percent ceiling last year for the first time in almost a decade, the centrist government has so far failed to cut public spending, which at 57 percent of GDP is among the highest in Europe. The European Commission has already voiced concern about the feasibility of Paris plans to shave the deficit to 2.8 percent of GDP next year. That modest reduction now looks unattainable, not only because of Macrons latest giveaways but also because the economic disruption of a month of protests is set to reduce growth this year and make next years 1.7 percent growth target, on which the budget is based, hard to achieve. Italys populist leaders, who have openly defied Brussels with a rule-busting increased budget deficit for 2019, must be laughing. Although Rome, which is facing an EU excessive debt procedure, is a separate case and of greater concern to financial markets, Commission Vice President Valdis Dombrovskis said the Commission was watching Frances situation closely. The Bank of France halved its growth forecast for the final quarter of 2018 on Monday to 0.2 percent from 0.4 percent. Retailers said supermarket sales were 15 percent to 20 percent below normal for the fourth straight Saturday due to the blockades and fears of violence. While the president did not say how he planned to achieve the promised 100 increase in the minimum wage, which affects 1.6 million people directly and 11 million through knock-on effects, an increase in a state-funded income supplement known as the activity premium seems the most likely way to avoid extra cost for employers. French presidents for the last 25 years have been forced to retreat from economic and education reforms by street protests. Macrons predecessors Jacques Chirac, Nicolas Sarkozy and Francois Hollande retreated into immobility after bruising outbursts of public anger. Despite his determination to be different, and his youthful energy, Macron started down the same road on Monday. Whether he can restore his authority and revive his reform agenda looks far from certain. :www.politico.eu This Page Is Under Construction - Coming Soon! Why am I seeing this 'Under Construction' page? At a reception for Kent Walker, Senior Vice President for Global Affairs and Chief Legal Officer at Google, in Hanoi on December 10, Binh expressed his delight at the successful operation of Google in Vietnam with a range of products becoming popular among Vietnamese consumers and businesses. He praised Google for coordinating with Vietnams Ministry of Information and Communications in building a process of dealing with law violations based on Googles platforms. He also spoke highly of the US companys Vietnam Digital 4.0 programme, which aims to provide free training on digital skills for 500,000 medium- and small-sized enterprises in Vietnam in order to help them improve competitiveness and develop business opportunities in the digital economy. He asked Google to continue cooperation with and support for Vietnam in information technology development, especially in innovative startup and technological ecosystem development, and human resources training. During its operation in Vietnam, the group needs to pay more heed to preserving and promoting the cultural identities of Vietnamese people, especially in the context of the booming fourth Industrial Revolution (Industry 4.0), Binh stated. For his part, Kent Walker thanked the Vietnamese Party and Government for facilitating his groups activities. He showed his impressions on the economic achievements Vietnam has made over the past time as well as appreciated the countrys efforts in reforming administrative procedures and improving the business and investment climate. Mentioning Googles determination to expand business operations in Vietnam, he affirmed that the group is willing to support Vietnam in easily engaging in the digitalisation of the economy - one of the important trends of the world today. A former Houston-based procurement officer for Venezuelas state energy company who was supposed to be helping the DOJ investigate graft at the company pleaded guilty Monday to obstructing the governments investigation. Alfonso Eliezer Gravina, 56, of Katy, Texas, worked for Petroleos de Venezuela S.A. or PDVSA. He pleaded guilty in federal court in Houston to one count of conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding. Gravina had already pleaded guilty in the case in December 2015 to conspiracy to launder money and making false statements on his federal income tax return. In his earlier plea, he admitted taking bribes to help two U.S.-based businessmen win work from PDVSA and get paid faster. He agreed after the earlier guilty plea to help the DOJ by providing more information about corruption at PDVSA. But in early 2018 he concealed facts about an individual called Co-Conspirator 1 who had bribed PDVDSA officials. Gravina also told Co-Conspirator 1 he was under investigation. Co-Conspirator 1 then destroyed evidence and tried to leave the United States. Under Gravinas new plea deal, the DOJ said it could still move to reduce his sentence based on his cooperation. Gravina is scheduled to be sentenced on February 19. Fifteen individuals have now pleaded guilty in the massive investigation into bribery and corruption at PDVSA. ____ Richard L. Cassin is the publisher and editor of the FCPA Blog. ParkJockey, a Miami, FL-based parking technology solutions provider, received an investment from the SoftBank Group. ParkJockey and Mubadala Capital have also acquire Imperial Parking Corporation, a parking management company, from a subsidiary of Ontario Teachers Pension Plan and have acquired Citizens Parking Inc., a U.S. parking management operator. The Impark transaction is subject to regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions with a close expected in the first half of 2019. Owl Rock provided principal debt financing. THE PRESS RELEASE ParkJockey Announces Investment from SoftBank ParkJockey and Mubadala Capital Announce the Agreement to Acquire Impark Parking Corporation and the Acquisition of Citizens Parking, Creating the New Leader in Tech-Enabled Parking Services December 10, 2018 09:00 AM Eastern Standard Time MIAMI(BUSINESS WIRE)ParkJockey, a fully-integrated parking technology solutions provider, announced an investment from the SoftBank Group (SoftBank) today. ParkJockey and Mubadala Capital are also pleased to announce they have entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Imperial Parking Corporation (Impark) from a subsidiary of Ontario Teachers Pension Plan (Ontario Teachers) and have acquired Citizens Parking Inc. (Citizens), one of the leading parking management operators in the U.S. The Impark transaction is subject to regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions with a close expected in the first half of 2019. Owl Rock provided principal debt financing. Ari Ojalvo, CEO of ParkJockey, said: ParkJockeys technology enables property owners to better serve their consumers and improve the performance of their real estate assets. We are excited to partner with Impark and Citizens given their strong operating capabilities, complementary geographic reach and dedication to customer service. Ojalvo added: This acquisition will create growth opportunities for our real estate partners, our clients and our employees as urban mobility and infrastructure develop in the coming years. I look forward to working with James Hyman, CEO of Citizens, who will lead our parking platform business across North America and Europe and with Ty Stafford who will be responsible for all North American operations. We are excited to join forces with ParkJockey, said James E. Hyman, CEO of Citizens Parking. ParkJockey is applying the latest technologies in online booking, consumer insights, and data analytics to maximize the value of parking spaces. We look forward to partnering with ParkJockey and Impark to leverage our platform and bring new offerings to drivers and to property owners that we serve at our Lanier, Ameripark and ParkOne operations. The parking industry is a significant market but remains fragmented with many opportunities for technological innovation, said Michael Ronen, managing partner at SoftBank Investment Advisers. Human mobility, however, is undergoing huge secular change and there is demand for new driver services, refueling, parking and vehicle staging near key high traffic locations. We believe ParkJockey is ideally placed to capitalize on these themes and transform the parking industry to create significant value for consumers and real estate owners alike. We are excited to support the combination of ParkJockey, Impark and Citizens and to work with Ari and his team to accelerate growth and explore emerging opportunities in the sector. Adib Mattar, Head of Private Equity at Mubadala Capital, the financial investment arm of Mubadala Investment Company, added, We are pleased to partner with ParkJockey and SoftBank on this transaction. The investment is a great example of the evolving role technology can play to positively impact even the most traditional of industries, like parking. Ty Stafford, President & CEO of Impark, commented, As mobility evolves, there are a series of enhanced use cases which present exciting opportunities alongside traditional parking. We look forward to joining forces with ParkJockey which will allow us to explore the potential of technology and deploy new services while maintaining an unwavering focus on our consumers, landlords and employees. About ParkJockey ParkJockey is a fully-integrated parking technology solutions provider for real estate owners and consumers. ParkJockey utilizes proprietary software and best-in-class hardware to make the parking experience more efficient for customers and help real estate owners and operators maximize the value of their parking space. ParkJockeys app-based technology includes customized account management tools to help clients identify ways to improve revenue, reduce costs and identify opportunities to future-proof assets. About Impark Impark is one of North Americas largest and most successful parking management companies. Since its inception in 1962, Impark has transformed from a single surface lot operator into an industry trailblazer with a portfolio of over 3,600 locations. As of 2018, the company employs over 8,700 personnel in more than 330 cities. Imparks strong entrepreneurial drive and dedication to superior service has led it to develop a selection of value-added services that includes valet, shuttle, enforcement, automated solutions, and revenue control. About Citizens Parking Created in 2014, Citizens has written a new story that originated leadership in branded parking services. With 3 brands, over 900 locations and more than 6,000 employees across the United States, it has harnessed the power of its brands and leveraged a collaborative business platform to seize and capitalize on exceptional opportunities for long term performance. Vroom, a New York and Houston-based national online auto retailer, raised $146m in Series G funding. The round was led by AutoNation, with participation from funds and accounts advised by T. Rowe Price Associates, Inc., L Catterton, General Catalyst Partners, Fraser McCombs Capital and individual investors. The company intends to use the funds to enhance key technologies and processes, expand customer acquisition efforts and continue to build the management team. Recent hires include: Chief Financial Officer Dave Jones; Chief Supply Chain Officer Dennis Looney; and Chief Technology Officer Mitch Berg. Led by CEO Paul Hennessy, Vroom is a national online auto retailer, offering thousands of low-mileage, reconditioned vehicles with delivery directly to consumers. Its private-seller acquisition model allows customers to receive cash offers in minutes, with free pickup of their vehicles at their homes. The companys end-to-end experience also includes financing and warranty and insurance products. Vroom also operates the Texas Direct Auto brand. FinSMEs 11/12/2018 The countrys decades of efforts to fight for national independence and reunification are to ensure all Vietnamese people can enjoy their human rights to the fullest, including those of living in peace, independence and freedom, and of deciding their destiny and development path, he said. The adoption of the Constitution 2013, with an exclusive chapter on human rights and citizen rights and obligations, and of the over 90 subsequent legal documents related to human rights within the four years were significant efforts to create an important legal framework for the protection of human rights and citizenship, he added. Furthermore, Vietnam has strived to improve the institutional system and create material facilities to better ensure human rights, Minh said, adding that all socio-economic development projects, programmes and strategies are built on the people-centred and people-oriented basis. These endeavours have brought positive outcomes in ensuring human rights in various fields from economy, society, and culture to civil and politics, the Deputy PM said. Vietnam is one of the countries to successfully implement many UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) ahead of schedule and is effectively carrying out the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), he noted. The official cited that Vietnam has maintained an annual economic growth of over 6% for many consecutive years and still paid due attention to social development. The rights of education, health care and accommodation have been strongly improved with universal preschool and primary school education in all the 63 cities and provinces, he said. Meanwhile, the right of gender equality has been promoted with the rate of female deputies in the National Assembly and the Peoples Councils at all levels standing at 27%, relatively high compared to other countries in the region. In addition to the achievements, Vietnam has made active contributions to the worlds common, positive and progressive values of human rights. Vietnam is actively involved at human rights forums of the United Nations (UN), the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and other mechanisms, during which the Southeast Asian country proactively puts forth initiatives on human rights and receives warm welcome from the international community, especially those on the rights of women, children, people with disabilities, and people vulnerable to climate change, Minh said. In 2016 and 2018, Vietnam tabled two resolutions on the impact of climate change on the rights of children and women, which were adopted by the UN Human Rights Council. Vietnam is also seriously implementing international commitments on human rights, including the enforcement of seven out of the nine treaties to which Vietnam is a member as well as commitments under the UN Universal Periodic Review (UPR). The country has submitted its third-cycle UPR national report updating its efforts in improving the legal system and human rights policies. It is scheduled to participate in a dialogue with other member nations in January 2019. To better ensure the rights of the people in the coming time, Vietnam will maximise efforts to perfect the state with the rule of law, strengthen the legal foundation and policies related to the protection and promotion of human rights, according to Minh. It will push ahead with administrative reforms and improvements to the quality of public services as well as the prevention of corruption, promotion of democracy, and enhancement of the State apparatus operation, he said. Deputy PM Minh added that Vietnam is committed to promoting the implementation of the SDGs, focusing on sustainable poverty reduction policies and narrowing the development gaps between geographical areas and population groups, especially the vulnerable. The country will continue supporting dialogues and cooperation in the field of human rights and work with other nations worldwide to promote the rights of the people, he affirmed. WhiteSwell, a Galway, Ireland-based company advancing new ways to treat acute decompensated heart failure, closed a $30m series B funding. The round was led by RA Capital Management and an InCube Ventures syndicate, with participation from other investors. The company intends to use the funds for product development and a pivotal study of its innovative technology for the treatment of acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF). Founded by chief technology officer Yaacov Nitzan in 2014, and also led by chief executive officer Eamon Brady and chief financial officer Sean Mac Reamoinn, WhiteSwell is dedicated to improving treatment of acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF), a primary cause of repeat hospitalization and emergency room visits. The company is advancing a minimally invasive catheter-based approach designed to more remove excess interstitial fluid in patients with ADHF by enhancing the natural fluid removal process of the lymphatic system. WhiteSwell is currently conducting an early feasibility study at clinical sites in the U.S., Israel and Europe. FinSMEs 11/12/2018 WhyHotel, a Washington, D.C.-based alternative lodging service that operates pop-up hotels in newly built, luxury apartment buildings, secured $10M in Series A funding. The round was led by Highland Capital Partners, with participation from Camber Creek, Revolutions Rise of the Rest Seed Fund, Mendacre, MetaProp and Geolo Capital. The company intends to use the funds to launch new pop-up hotels, beginning with three locations in Virginia, to continue expanding nationwide in 2019, and to hire new positions across multiple areas including technology, brand, sales and human capital. WhyHotel operates 100 to 250 room pop-up hotels with 24/7 on-site staff in newly built, luxury apartment buildings. Its concept provides developers with a new way to utilize units during lease-up and provides tourists/guests with a new way to travel. After a series of pop-up hotel launches in 2018, including properties in D.C. and Baltimore, the company will now expand to Northern Virginia with locations at Ballston Quarter, Centro Arlington, and The Boro in Tysons. In partnership with the property owner, Brookfield Properties and QIC Global Real Estate, the Ballston Quarter pop-up will house up to 175 WhyHotel units and will be located at 700 N Randolph Street. The Centro Arlington pop-up, launched in partnership with Orr Partners and Weingarten Realty [NYSE: WRI] will house up to 150 WhyHotel units and will be located at 950 South George Mason Drive. Finally, The Boro pop-up, located at 8305 Greensboro Drive in the future apartment building branded as Rise will house up to 150 WhyHotel units in partnership with The Meridian Group and Kettler. Guests of the pop-ups enjoy modernly furnished luxury apartments, have access to the buildings amenities and a 24/7 onsite hospitality, security and cleaning staff, and benefit during temporary operation with discounted room nights for friends and family. The company is currently planning for strategic development to new markets throughout the new year, with plans to expand beyond the East Coast. In addition to expansion to new markets, WhyHotel will also look to open new pop-ups in the cities they currently operate in, to create a permanent presence in the cities despite individual locations ending their temporary programs. FinSMEs 11/12/2018 At the reception, PM Phuc congratulated the Lao Party, State and people for their achievements recorded over the past time and expressed his belief that under the leadership of the Lao Peoples Revolutionary Party, Laos will successfully implement the resolution of the Partys 10th Congress. He noted with pleasure the fruitfully developing traditional friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between the two nations. The Government leader highly valued the concrete cooperation outcomes between the two justice ministries, saying judicial collaboration is one of the most important contents in the bilateral ties. Minister Xaysy Santivong said his visit aims to continue enhancing the cooperation between the two ministries. He informed the host that the two sides earlier had successful talks during which they exchanged experience in judicial activities in 2018. The Lao Ministry of Justices today development is thanks to the wholehearted and valuable assistance of the Vietnamese Party, Government and justice ministry, he said, adding that his ministry is coordinating with the Lao Ministry of Foreign Affairs in supporting Vietnamese nationals living in Laos, especially in terms of legal papers. Appreciating Vietnams official development assistance (ODA) projects which help the Lao Ministry of Justice with personnel training, he affirmed that the two ministries will push forward closer and more effective coordination in the time ahead. PM Phuc said that on the basis of the two countries special friendship and solidarity, Vietnam is ready to share with the Lao side lessons of both success and failure in its development process. He said that institutional building is extremely important to the development of a country as it covers legal institutions, development policies, and management and monitoring work. The leader instructed the Vietnamese Ministry of Justice to provide the best support for its Lao counterpart, not only at ministerial level but also lower levels. He asked the two ministries to effectively realise the agreement between the two Governments relating to the judicial field as well as the signed agreement on their cooperation for the 2015-2020. The same day, Vietnamese Minister of Justice Le Thanh Long held talks with and his Lao counterpart Xaysi Santivong, during which both sides agreed to work closely together to launch a bilateral cooperation programme for 2019. Both sides vowed to facilitate the exchange of delegations to learn from judicial experience and continue with a project to support the Lao Academy of Justice. The two ministers expressed the belief that the talks outcomes will open up new opportunities to lift bilateral judicial ties to a greater height, contributing to fostering the special friendship and comprehensive cooperation between the two countries parties, states, and people. Following the talks, they signed the 2019 cooperation programme between the two ministries. Minister Santivong presented orders and medals of the Lao State to Vietnamese individuals and collectives in recognition of their contributions to bilateral judicial cooperation. A conference focusing on Gaming and Game development revolution in India UBM India has announced the premiere edition of Game Development and Design Conference (GDDC) slated for February 21st-22nd 2019 in Pune. As India is turning to one of the largest and fastest growing game markets in the world, GDDC promises to be a platform for the gaming community where professionals congregate, exchange ideas and knowledge, network, and form future alliances to come together and address the challenges and potentials of the industry. Considering the diverse content of the conference, an expert advisory panel of Mr. Kannan Raju, Vice President and Country Head of GSN Games, Ms.Laxmi Desai-Khanolkar, Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer, Apar Games, Mr.Sachin Uppal, Chief Marketing Officer, Play Games24x7 Pvt. Ltdwill be guiding the course of the conference discussions. The conference will also see the participation of eminent speakers such as Mr. Kieran OLeary, Product Marketing Director, GameLoft, Paris, Mr. Manish Agarwal, Chief Executive Officer, Nazara Technologies, Mr. Alok Kejriwal, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Games2win, Mr. Ratul Chakraborty, Creative Director, Electronic Arts,Mr.Sachin Uppal, Chief Marketing Officer, Play Games24x7, Mr. L. Rahul Mehta, Senior Art Director, Zynga, Mr. Anuj Tandon, Chief Executive Officer, Yoozoo GamesIndia, Mr. Kannan Raju, Vice President and Country Head, GSN Games, Ms. Keerti Singh, Growth and Operations Head, Hitwicket, Ms. Shilpa Bhat, Vice President - Games, 99Gamesamong others, to share their perspective on the future of game development in India and its various aspects. With an audience of more than 150 professionals comprising game designers, programmers, artists, producers, and business professionals in the gaming community this platform will be a great medium to enhance knowledge, address challenges and gain insights on future trends of the industry. The key topics to be discussed at GDDC are: Gaming and game development revolution in India Understanding game design and development for Indian market Mobile games to augmented engagement level games Digital distribution platforms and smart monetization Emerging technologies for gaming industries Better game development through integration of processes and more. To learn more about the event and register, visit www.gddcindia.com About UBM Asia UBM Asia recently became part of Informa PLC, a leading B2B information services group and the largest B2B Events organizer in the world. Please visit www.ubm.com/asiafor more information about our presence in Asia. About GAME DEVELOPMENT AND DESIGN CONFERENCE GAME DEVELOPMENT AND DESIGN CONFERENCE is organized by UBM, which in June 2018 combined with Informa PLC to become a leading B2B information services group and the largest B2B Events organizer in the world. Please visit www.ubm.com/india for more information about our presence in India. Gamasutra and Game Development and Design Conference are sibling organizations under parent company Informa UK Parliament has launched an inquiry into the growth and effects of "immersive and addictive technologies," such as virtual and augmented reality headsets. The investigation will be led by the Digital, Culture, Media, and Sport Committee (DCMS), and will specifically look at how the addictive nature of some tech affects engagement with video game and social media, particularly among younger users. With that in mind, the inquiry will touch on various topical issues such as the future of esports in the UK, the wider uses of gamification, the potential links between gaming and gambling, and digital media and video game addiction. "During our recent inquiries, the committee has heard repeated concerns about the impact to society of the increasing amounts of time that people spend immersed in online worlds, and the potentially addictive nature of social media and gaming," explained DCMS chair Damian Collins, "We want to explore these concerns during this inquiry and consider what the right response should be in setting public policy for the future." The Committee has invited relevant organizations and experts to share any evidence related to the inquiry by January 14, 2019, but hasn't revealed when it'll be sharing its findings. Pedestrian seriously injured : 53-year-old hit by car on B9 in Bonn-Mehlem Bonn A 53-year-old pedestrian was hit by a car and seriously injured on the B9 in Bonn-Mehlem on Tuesday morning. The man had apparently crossed the street on red. Teilen Teilen Weiterleiten Weiterleiten Tweeten Tweeten Weiterleiten Weiterleiten Drucken A 53-year-old man was taken to the University Hospital with serious injuries after an accident in Bonn-Mehlem on Tuesday morning. The man had been hit by a car on the B9 at around 7am. According to police, the pedestrian wanted to cross the street at a traffic light near Drachenburgstrae when he was hit by the car of a 62-year-old man. Witnesses said the man had crossed at the traffic light on red. After receiving first aid from an emergency doctor, the seriously injured man was taken to hospital in an ambulance. Doctors could not rule out the injuries being life-threatening. The emergency services at the accident scene in the morning said the man could not be interviewed. The B9 was completely closed towards Remagen for around two hours for investigations and the accident report at the scene. Further investigations into the accident are ongoing. There was another serious accident at the location at the end of September. A female pedestrian died after a collision between an emergency doctors vehicle and a taxi. Local transport : SWB is now selling 365-Euro-Ticket Bonn The new 365-Euro-Ticket is now available. Only new customers can take out one of the 17,000 subscriptions. It is possible to order over the internet. Teilen Teilen Weiterleiten Weiterleiten Tweeten Tweeten Weiterleiten Weiterleiten Drucken The subsidised annual ticket for new customers of Stadtwerke Bus und Bahn (SWB) can now be ordered. A corresponding order form is available on the SWB website. You can complete it and send it by email, hand it in at SWB service centres or send it by post to the collection points. The climate ticket costs a total of 365.04 Euro over twelve months and the local transport provider will debit 30.42 Euro per month. It is valid within the city limits. Those ordering one for the coming twelve months, from 1 January 2019, will save a lot of money. Existing customers currently pay 82.30 Euro per month as subscribers to a city ticket or 987.60 Euro per year, almost three times the amount. The SWB can issue 17,000 of these climate tickets. There was not enough money made available by the federal government for a larger number. Longstanding existing customers can therefore not take advantage of the new offer. The city was afraid that if it gave access to everyone, there would hardly be anyone switching from cars to local transport. There has been criticism in political circles of this limiting factor and the associated unfairness towards current customers, for example from the Bonn Planning Committee chairman Rolf Beu (Greens) and the SPD city councillor Gabi Mayer. According to SWB spokesperson Veronika John, the customer centre had around 160 emails with orders in its inbox on Monday. Of course, these now all need to be checked, said John. The SWB will compare the applicants with their data records. Only those who were not contract customers in the last twelve months can obtain the subscription. The ticket is not transferrable to another person. Neither can it be combined with the VRS Anschlussticket or the Einfachweiter-Ticket Nordrhein-Westfalen. However, from Mondays to Fridays from 7pm and all day on weekends and on public holidays, subscribers can take along up to three children between the ages of six and 14 free of charge as well as one additional person who is older than 14 years and a bicycle. The subsidised climate ticket is part of the Lead City project funded by the federal government to the tune of almost 38 million Euros and intended to improve local transport and make it more attractive. Bonn is one of five cities taking part in this pilot project, which is initially limited to two years. Bonn itself is contributing two million Euros to the Lead City project. As well as subsidised fares like the climate ticket and a family-friendly 24-hour ticket for five people, who will be able to travel for the price of one in the future, more frequent services are planned. Part of the money is to flow into operational mobility management. The city will work with companies to develop joint strategies to relieve traffic flow during peak periods. The order form is on the website. Click on the Tickets and Tariffs tab and then on 365-Euro-Ticketon the drop down menu that appears. What happens when lava and water meet? Explosive experiments with humanmade lava are helping to answer this important question. By cooking up 10-gallon batches of molten rock and injecting them with water, scientists are shedding light on the basic physics of lava-water interactions, which are common in nature but poorly understood. The project a long-term, ongoing study led by the University at Buffalo published its first results on Dec. 10 in the Journal of Geophysical Research (JGR): Solid Earth. The scientists caution that the number of tests so far is small, so the team will need to conduct more experiments to draw firm conclusions. The research shows that lava-water encounters can sometimes generate spontaneous explosions when there is at least about a foot of molten rock above the mixing point. In prior, smaller-scale studies that used about a coffee cups worth of lava, scientists in Germany found that they needed to apply an independent stimulus in essence pricking the water within the lava to trigger a blast. The results reported in JGR: Solid Earth also point to some preliminary trends, showing that in a series of tests, larger, more brilliant reactions tended to occur when water rushed in more quickly and when lava was held in taller containers. (The team ran a total of 12 experiments in which water injection speeds ranged from about 6 to 30 feet per second, and in which lava was held in insulated steel boxes that ranged in height from about 8 to 18 inches.) If you think about a volcanic eruption, there are powerful forces at work, and its not a gentle thing, says lead investigator Ingo Sonder, PhD, research scientist in the Center for Geohazards Studies at UB. Our experiments are looking at the basic physics of what happens when water gets trapped inside molten rock. Sonder will discuss the findings at the 2018 AGU Fall Meeting today. The study was funded by the National Science Foundation. Understanding lava-water encounters at real volcanoes In nature, the presence of water can make volcanic activity more dangerous, such as during past eruptions of Hawaiis Kilauea and Icelands Eyjafjallajokull. But in other cases, the reaction between the two materials is subdued. Sonder wants to understand why: Sometimes, when lava encounters water, you see huge, explosive activity. Other times, there is no explosion, and the lava may just cool down and form some interesting shapes. What we are doing is trying to learn about the conditions that cause the most violent reactions. Eventually, findings from the long-term project could improve scientists ability to assess the risk that volcanoes near ice, lakes, oceans and underground water sources pose to people who live in surrounding communities. The research is still in the very early stages, so we have several years of work ahead of us before well able to look at the whole range and combination of factors that influence what happens when lava or magma encounters water, says Valentine, study co-author and director of the Center for Geohazards Studies at UB. However, everything we do is with the intention of making a difference in the real world, he says. Understanding basic processes having to do with volcanoes will ultimately help us make better forecasting calls when it comes to eruptions. Large-scale volcanic experiments Lava-water interactions are associated with a phenomenon known as a molten fuel coolant interaction, in which a liquid fuel (a heat source) reacts violently with a liquid coolant. Much of the experimental work in this field has been done in the context of industrial safety, with a focus on understanding potential dangers in nuclear power plants and metal production sites. The lava-water experiments build on previous research in this area, while focusing on molten rock. The work takes place at UBs Geohazards Field Station in Ashford, New York, some 40 miles south of Buffalo. Run by the UB Center for Geohazards Studies, the facility gives scientists a place to conduct large-scale experiments simulating volcanic processes and other hazards. In these tests, researchers can control conditions in a way that isnt possible at a real volcano, dictating, for example, the shape of the lava column and the speed at which water shoots into it. To make lava, scientists dump basaltic rock into a high-powered induction furnace. They heat it up for about 4 hours. When the mixture reaches a red-hot 2,400 degrees Fahrenheit, its poured into an insulated steel box and injected with two or three jets of water. Then, a hammer drives a plunger into the mix to help stimulate an explosion. (In some cases, if enough molten rock was present above the injection point, an intense reaction began before the hammer fell). In addition to identifying some preliminary trends, the published study attests to the wide variety of physical processes that can occur when lava and water meet. The system response to water injection varied from mild, evaporation-dominated processes, in which only a little melt was ejected from the container alongside some steam, to stronger reactions with visible steam jets, and with melt domains ejected to several meters height, the scientists wrote in JGR: Solid Earth. Breaking the vapor film? The study did not examine why box height and water injection speed corresponded with the biggest explosions. But Sonder, whose has a background in geosciences and physics, offers some thoughts. He explains that when a blob of water is trapped by a much hotter substance, the outer edges of the water vaporize, forming a protective film that envelops the rest of the water like a bubble, limiting heat transfer into the water and preventing it from boiling. This is called the Leidenfrost effect. But when water is injected rapidly into a tall column of lava, the water which is about three times lighter than the lava will speed upward and mix with the molten rock more quickly. This may cause the vapor film to destabilize, Sonder says. In this situation, the unprotected water would expand rapidly in volume as it heated up, imposing high stresses on the lava, he says. The result? A violent explosion. In contrast, when water is injected slowly into shallower pools of lava, the protective vapor film may hold, or the water may reach the lavas surface or escape as steam before an explosion occurs, Sonder says. He hopes to explore these theories through future experiments: Not a lot of work has been done in this field, he says, so even some of these basic processes are really not well understood. Reference: Ingo Sonder, Andrew G. Harp, Alison H. Graettinger, Pranabendu Moitra, Greg A. Valentine, Ralf Buttner, Bernd Zimanowski. MeterScale Experiments on MagmaWater Interaction. Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth, 2018; DOI: 10.1029/2018JB015682 Note: The above post is reprinted from materials provided by University at Buffalo. NORTH WALES As talks continue on the 2019 budget for North Wales Borough, council heard an update recently on the only property in their portfolio. Borough Manager Christine Hart gave an update during the Nov. 27 meeting about 125 N. Main Street, the local church now owned by the town. We secured an additional lease at 125 N. Main St.: the North Penn Arts Alliance is currently hosting classes and workshops, said Hart. We continued the prior years use, including of the municipal lot, and the prior years users were Laurel House of Montgomery County as well as St. Rose theyre the other two tenants, Hart said. In late 2016 council finalized the acquisition of the St. Lukes United Church of Christ property at 125 N. Main Street, which includes a church building that dates back to the 1900s, an addition of office space built in the 1970s, and a 28-space parking lot to the rear. At the time, council said the purchase was meant to provide more revenue by renting the building, while diversifying the holdings of borough reserves and allowing an aging church congregation to ensure its future preservation. The church cost roughly $339,000 which was taken from a roughly $3 million borough reserve fund generated by the sale of the towns wastewater treatment plant to adjacent Upper Gwynedd Township in 2010. During her overview of the proposed 2019 budget, resident Andrew Berenson asked for an update on the church property and any developments over the past year. Hart said maintaining the prior user base was one of staffs goals for 2018, and building on the users, and the accompanying rental revenues, will be a goal for the next year. The borough has the other classroom to use for public needs, if somebody wants to rent a space, Hart said. The boroughs North Wales 2040 comprehensive plan update, which was completed over the summer and adopted in September, mentions the church building under a subsection on religious institutions, and states that the borough plans to turn the church fully into a community space for local theater, arts, and other events and has already begun planning events in the space events that included public meetings to field feedback on the plan itself. Additional planning and funding will be needed to complete the transition to a community center. The parking area for the church is now identified as public parking, and can be used by visitors to the downtown shopping area, the plan states. According to the Arts Alliance calendar, that group has partnered with the North Penn School Districts Community Education program to offer exhibits, shows and classes for children at the church complex. Other upcoming events include a Make Art Monday at 7 p.m. on Dec. 17 where guests can learn how to make paper lowers, and an open mic poetry night at 7 p.m. on Dec. 20. After Hart gave the update, Berenson then asked if there were what he called any huge issues that the public should know about. Harts reply: Not that were aware of. Council directed staff to put together a financial study for the property in early fall as budget talks began, according to the manager, who said that study was shared with councils buildings and grounds committee and we are showing a break-even. We did have a little more in our repair and maintenance budget that I did not anticipate in 2018, and we also increased the fuel oil budget, because that was not anticipated in 2018, she said. Hopefully, with the acquired rent, well still be able to break even, said Hart. The draft 2019 budget shows $20,000 in income from property lease fees and Hart and council President Jim Sando said they hope to grow the revenues during 2019 as word spreads about the availability of the building. Its very tight, but were hoping that fulfills the goal of growing our cultural needs at that center, she said. Sando said the agreement with the Arts Alliance group is a six-month experimental arrangement to see if the group can draw crowds for monthly cultural events at the facility each month, and said we will look to expand that if successful. Right now, were kind of in a holding pattern to see how this works out with the Arts Alliance, he said. North Wales Borough Council next meets at 7 p.m. on Dec. 11 at the borough municipal building, 300 School St. For more information or meeting agendas and materials visit www.NorthWalesBorough.org. Speaking at the event, Vice Chairman of the municipal Peoples Committee, Tran Vinh Tuyen, said the establishment of the bilateral strategic partnership in 2013 and reciprocal visits by leaders have opened up new opportunities for bilateral ties. Vice Chairman Tuyen recalled French Prime Minister Edouard Philippes statement during his Ho Chi Minh City visit in November 2018 that France and Vietnam anticipate a new world order based on trade multilateralisation and liberalisation and respect to international law. He spoke highly of the French Consulate General and Trade Offices role in pooling technical resources and capital, thereby dealing with challenges in socio-economic development toward the goal of building a green, modern and sustainable urban area. The Vice Chairman expressed his wish to further boost all-around ties with French localities, especially in climate change, planning and urban lighting, education-training, high-quality workforce development, cultural exchanges, and science-technology. French Consul General in Ho Chi Minh City Vincent Floreani said that, after taking office in Ho Chi Minh City, he has seen effective cooperation between France and southern localities, saying that they have made important strides in joint work across economics, education-training, pharmaceuticals, agriculture, food, infrastructure and high technology. He expressed his belief that the visits by the two countries leaders will propel the bilateral ties forward. In recent years, Ho Chi Minh City and the French city of Lyon signed a cooperation agreement and successfully launched artistic lighting projects. Meanwhile, the number of French residents living and working in Vietnam, especially in Ho Chi Minh City has grown and amounts to nearly 9,000. France now ranks 16th among 100 countries and territories investing in Ho Chi Minh City with two-way trade hitUS$ 867 million last year. At the reception, Politburo member Mai said Vietnam always attaches importance to strengthening and developing the traditional friendship and multi-faceted cooperation with Azerbaijan. She highly valued the New Azerbaijan Partys contributions to Azerbaijans socio-economic development as well as promoting all-round collaboration between the two countries. She stressed the two Parties need support the promotion of parliamentary cooperation and people-to-people exchange, thereby fostering the two countries ties in a more comprehensive and deeper manner. Fataliyeva, who is also Deputy Chairwoman of the Parliamentary Committee on Foreign and Inter-Parliamentary Relations, said Azerbaijan considers Vietnam a leading important partner in Southeast Asia and pledged to do her utmost to contribute to expanding the ties between the two Parties in the coming time. On the same day, Hoang Binh Quan, head of the Party Central Committees Commission for External Relations, held talks with Fataliyeva and her entourage, during which they discussed the situation of each party and country, and experience in party building and youth-related affairs. They also exchanged views on several international and regional issues as well as orientations to continue implementing the cooperation agreement between the two Parties. While in Vietnam, the delegation met with leaders of the National Assemblys Committee for External Affairs and had a working session with authorities of the northern coastal province Quang Ninh. xspraise at 11-12-2018 07:14 AM (2 years ago) (m) The United States has barred former President Yahya Jammeh of The Gambia and his immediate family from the country. The United States has barred former President Yahya Jammeh of The Gambia and his immediate family from the country. U.S. Department of State, in a statement on Public Designation of The Gambias Yahya Jammeh, said the ex-president was sanctioned over his involvement in significant corruption. The Department is publicly designating former president of The Gambia, Yahya Jammeh, under the terms of Section 7031(c) of the Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act of 2018, due to his involvement in significant corruption. Section 7031(c) provides that, in cases where the Secretary of State has credible information that foreign government officials have been involved in significant corruption or a gross violation of human rights, those individuals and their immediate family members are ineligible for entry into the United States. The law requires the Secretary of State to publicly or privately designate such officials and their immediate family members. In addition to the designation of Yahya Jammeh, the Department is also publicly designating Jammehs spouse, Zineb Yahya Jammeh, his daughter, Mariam Jammeh, and his son, Muhammad Yahya Jammeh, the statement read. The United States is committed to combating corruption, increasing respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, and promoting good governance globally, according to the statement. The United States stands with the government of The Gambia, its people, and civil society in support of The Gambias transition towards greater transparency, accountability, and democratic governance, for the benefit of all Gambians, the statement read. Jammeh was defeated by current President Adama Barrow, who won the December 2016 presidential election with 43.34 per cent of the vote. Jammehs tenure ended on Jan. 19, 2017, the same day that Barrow was expected to be sworn in as his successor, but he initially accepted the result, and later reneged. Barrow was forced to flee to neighbouring Senegal, where he was inaugurated at the Gambian embassy on Jan. 19 2017. The U.S. had warned the embattled Jammeh that he was losing opportunities to peacefully handover to then president-elect Barrow and avoid the consequences of his actions. President Jammeh is losing opportunities to respect the will of the Gambian people and to peacefully hand over power to the president-elect, which is supposed to happen on Thursday. Doing so would allow him to leave office with his head held high and to protect the Gambian people from potential chaos. Failure to do so will put his legacy and, more importantly, the Gambia in peril, and we have been clear about this, the U.S. had said. The United Nations, the African Union and ECOWAS had said that Jammeh would cease to be recognised as Gambian President from the date he was expected to handover, which the U.S. also supported. Jammeh was eventually forced to leave The Gambia and go into exile on January 21, while Barrow returned to the Gambia on January 26. U.S. Department of State, in a statement on Public Designation of The Gambias Yahya Jammeh, said the ex-president was sanctioned over his involvement in significant corruption.The Department is publicly designating former president of The Gambia, Yahya Jammeh, under the terms of Section 7031(c) of the Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act of 2018, due to his involvement in significant corruption.Section 7031(c) provides that, in cases where the Secretary of State has credible information that foreign government officials have been involved in significant corruption or a gross violation of human rights, those individuals and their immediate family members are ineligible for entry into the United States.The law requires the Secretary of State to publicly or privately designate such officials and their immediate family members.In addition to the designation of Yahya Jammeh, the Department is also publicly designating Jammehs spouse, Zineb Yahya Jammeh, his daughter, Mariam Jammeh, and his son, Muhammad Yahya Jammeh, the statement read.The United States is committed to combating corruption, increasing respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, and promoting good governance globally, according to the statement.The United States stands with the government of The Gambia, its people, and civil society in support of The Gambias transition towards greater transparency, accountability, and democratic governance, for the benefit of all Gambians, the statement read.Jammeh was defeated by current President Adama Barrow, who won the December 2016 presidential election with 43.34 per cent of the vote.Jammehs tenure ended on Jan. 19, 2017, the same day that Barrow was expected to be sworn in as his successor, but he initially accepted the result, and later reneged.Barrow was forced to flee to neighbouring Senegal, where he was inaugurated at the Gambian embassy on Jan. 19 2017.The U.S. had warned the embattled Jammeh that he was losing opportunities to peacefully handover to then president-elect Barrow and avoid the consequences of his actions.President Jammeh is losing opportunities to respect the will of the Gambian people and to peacefully hand over power to the president-elect, which is supposed to happen on Thursday.Doing so would allow him to leave office with his head held high and to protect the Gambian people from potential chaos.Failure to do so will put his legacy and, more importantly, the Gambia in peril, and we have been clear about this, the U.S. had said.The United Nations, the African Union and ECOWAS had said that Jammeh would cease to be recognised as Gambian President from the date he was expected to handover, which the U.S. also supported.Jammeh was eventually forced to leave The Gambia and go into exile on January 21, while Barrow returned to the Gambia on January 26. Post Reply I am Victor, I write reportage on sport news and latest metro happenings in Nigeria. Posted: at 11-12-2018 07:14 AM (2 years ago) | Hero As Congress and the White House debate criminal-justice reforms, governors and legislatures are moving beyond debate to action. And given that 90 percent of our nation's prisoners are housed in state and local prisons and jails, rather than federal facilities, the real actionbe at the state and local level.The good news is that reforming criminal justice and addressing the scourge of over-incarceration make for unusual political bedfellows. That's why organizations as diverse as the American Civil Liberties Union and the Koch brothers have co-hosted convenings on over-incarceration.We learned a lot serving as governors of Delaware and South Dakota. We both concluded that although our states had incarceration rates higher than the national average -- in a country that imprisons more than other developed countries -- our criminal-justice systems didn't necessarily make our citizens safer.We knew that most admissions into our prisons were for non-violent offenses (80 percent in South Dakota) and that a significant portion of those incarcerated had not yet been convicted of a crime (around 25 percent in Delaware).We knew that this didn't make any sense -- not in terms of keeping our citizens safe, helping people who had made a mistake get back on track or being good stewards of taxpayer money.We hope that as new governors prepare to lead their states in January and re-elected governors plan their new terms, they will consider taking the following steps, based on what we learned through our combined efforts: Use your state's own data about incarceration to develop and pass meaningful sentencing and corrections reform and to expand alternatives to jail and prison.In Delaware, we changed habitual-offender laws, eliminated mandatory minimum sentences for low-level drug crimes, and provided a mechanism for those convicted under previous law to petition the court for a sentence modification. Habitual-offender laws lead to life sentences with no chance of parole, and in Delaware, before we changed the law, 11 percent of our inmates were serving those kinds of sentences. That was triple the national average.In response to our growing pre-trial population. Delaware also implemented objective pretrial risk assessments to provide judges with more consistent and useful information when deciding whether those charged with crimes should await trial in the community or in jail. As documented in a January 2017 report , pre-trial detainees -- people who have not been convicted of a crime -- make up the majority of those in our nation's local jails. Since Delaware implemented this initiative, the pre-trial detainee population has been reduced by 33 percent.In South Dakota, we strengthened community supervision to provide a meaningful sentencing alternative for many low-level drug and property offenses. Prior to the law change, most of our prison population was made up of these offenders, whose cost was crowding out treatment resources for our local communities. Post-reform, more South Dakotans on probation successfully complete their supervision, there is more treatment access, and the state has nearly quadrupled the capacity of drug, drunk-driving and other specialty courts. Almost everyone leaving prison comes back to the community, so make sure they are prepared to be employed and crime-free.Both South Dakota and Delaware have thorough processes prior to discharge to assess the needs of inmates and plan how they be will be connected to appropriate outside services once released from prison. Those services range from substance-abuse treatment to job counseling to mental-health support to transportation and to housing. In Delaware, the expansion of services like these has produced a significant reduction in recidivism rates for the first 24 to 30 months after release.Delaware also enacted "ban the box" legislation to make it easier for those with records to gain employment in state government. These policies prohibit employers from including on hiring forms a check box that asks if the applicant has a criminal record. The state also eliminated the arbitrary revocation of driver's licenses for ex-offenders, thereby making it possible for more of them to drive to work. Understand that there is always more work to be done to improve public safety and reduce incarceration.Both of our states put in place methods to track reform outcomes and bolster further data review. We both also undertook additional overhauls to our juvenile-justice systems. Since South Dakota passed reform, juvenile commitments to the Department of Corrections have decreased 63 percent. Services and programming for youth are now available in every court district, meaning that law enforcement and judges have more options to hold young people accountable, address needs in the community and keep families together.We are convinced that the reforms our states have instituted will make our communities safer, provide a second chance to many who made mistakes early in life and save our taxpayers money. That's a win-win-win.We hope that new governors will learn what most of those who have held the office know: that good ideas don't come wrapped up in Democratic or Republican labels. We learn from each other, and we build on the progress that our predecessors have made. And when we do so, our constituents are the ones who benefit. Good morning from Augusta, where it just got easier to post comments on the governor's Facebook page. The American Civil Liberties Union of Maine has settled its First Amendment lawsuit against Gov. Paul LePage, whom the group said unconstitutionally censored comments on his Facebook page.The dispute dates back more than a year, and the settlement continues to allow LePage to claim distance between the Facebook page and his role as governor. The ACLU sued LePage in August 2017 after administrators of the page blocked Karin Leuthy and Kelli Whitlock Burton, co-leaders of the progressive group Suit Up Maine, from accessing or posting on the page. The pair posted criticisms about the Republican governor, which were later deleted and their status to post future comments was revoked. This action was reversed under the eight-page settlement reached Dec. 7. Leuthy and Burton are no longer blocked and administrators of the page are prohibited from blocking or censoring other constituents during LePage's remaining weeks in office. No monetary damages were awarded.In a Friday statement, the pair said they hope the agreement will "discourage other elected officials from attempting to silence their critics." But LePage and his advisers have consistently claimed that the page exists outside the purview of his role as Maine's chief executive."The governor has always pointed out that this page was not an official government page and that he had nothing to do with its operation, and that remains true today," LePage's spokeswoman, Julie Rabinowitz, said Monday morning. He's "glad the ACLU is going to dismiss its case and that there will be no further expenses incurred in defending the lawsuit."Before the group filed its lawsuit more than a year ago in U.S. District Court, the ACLU said it was aware of at least three people whose comments chastising the governor were deleted. LePage at the time said his page, which has more than 40,000 followers and is often used as a platform for sharing relevant information about his activities, wasn't a government page because it wasn't operated by his communications staff.While addressing the plaintiffs' concerns about access, the agreement allows LePage to maintain his legal argument that the page was not a government-run public forum. In the settlement, LePage said he had "no involvement in any decision" to delete the plaintiffs' comments or to block them, but that "the operation of this page is private speech to which public forum analysis does not apply."Political adviser Brent Littlefield, who runs the page, on Monday morning referred a request for comment to a Saturday statement posted to the page."Through labels and other actions taken by Facebook on its own initiative, some users of this page may have been confused about its status and may have believed this page was run by staff in state government," page administrators said in the post.The page was created in 2009, it read, as a way to support LePage's first election and "has been used ever since as a home for the governor's political campaign efforts and for those who support the governor's policies."Per the settlement requirements, anyone who believes they may have been wrongly blocked from the page can contact Facebookcase@aclumaine.org until Dec. 13 to request that their status be reinstated. When news broke that Floridas outgoing state Senate president, Joe Negron, took a job with the massive private prison operator Geo Group, it did not come as a shock to criminal justice reform advocates.I hate to be cynical like this, but its not a surprise, said Panagioti Tsolkas, a founder of Campaign to Fight Toxic Prisons, an advocacy group. I think its pretty disgusting.Negrons support for private prisons and their support of him had been written about for years. When the Republican from Stuart became Senate president in 2016, the company gave $270,000 to a political committee he controlled. When his wife ran for Congress, Geo shelled out another $100,000 to her losing cause.Negron voted for private prison interests and was instrumental in getting the company millions more in taxpayer dollars. In 2012, Negron voted for a bill that would have privatized the entire prison system; it nearly passed. Description GIS - 11 December, 2018: An additional financial support of Rs 257 per ton of sugarcane will be provided to planters producing up to 60 tonnes of sugar for the 2018 Crop, announced the Minister of Agro-Industry and Food Security, Mr Mahen Seeruttun, during a press conference yesterday at the Headquarters of the Ministry in Port Louis. The Minister highlighted that the small planters benefitting from this additional financial support will therefore receive, in aggregate, a revenue of Rs 1 500 per ton of sugarcane as compared to Rs 1 243 previously. This, he stated, is equivalent to Rs 19 200 per ton of sugar from all revenue sources, which comprise remuneration from bagasse and molasses, waiving of CESS contribution and insurance premium, and other support measures. According to Mr Seeruttun, the financial support represents a total additional revenue of Rs 3 287 per ton of sugar over and above the revenue of Rs 15 913 agreed in September this year. Some Rs 165 million have been earmarked by Government for the implementation of this measure, he indicated, and finance will be available from different funds. Furthermore, the Agro-Industry Minister pointed out that Government will continue to explore new markets for sugar, in particular special sugars, with remunerative prices. After protracted negotiations with the Chinese authorities under the Mauritius China Free Trade Agreement, Mauritius has managed to obtain a tariff rate quota of 50 000 tons of special sugars, he added. BEIJING, Dec. 10 (Xinhua) -- China has launched a three-year campaign on the prevention and cure of endemic diseases between 2018 and 2020, according to an action plan jointly released by the National Health Commission (NHC) and nine other authorities. By the end of 2020, China will strive to eradicate iodine deficiency, bring an end to fluorine and arsenic poisoning caused by coal burning, Kaschin-Beck disease and Keshan disease, said the NHC. It will seek to effectively control diseases such as poisoning caused by fluorine and arsenic-laden drinking water, endemic fluorine poisoning caused by tea-drinking, and water-borne iodine excess. Schistosomiasis will be brought under effective control and eliminated, according to the plan. As an important part of China's poverty alleviation efforts, the campaign aligns its target with the national goal to eradicate absolute poverty by 2020 and requires that all current endemic disease patients and advanced-stage schistosomiasis patients receive effective treatment, said the NHC. Measures such as the improvement of nourishment and housing conditions, as well as the relocation of people from disease-causing environments, will be taken to meet the goal, said the NHC. The action plan also includes a specific timetable for the prevention and cure of endemic diseases and orders that comprehensive measures should be taken and jointly financed by the central and local authorities. Progress in the control of endemic diseases will be an important index in assessing the work of local governments. As of 2018, 94.2 percent of China's counties have gotten rid of iodine deficiency, and Keshan disease is under effective control in 94.2 percent of the counties where it was once prevalent, while 95.4 percent of the counties once troubled by Kaschin-Beck disease are now free from it. Description GIS 11 December, 2018: Government is committed to bringing about a meaningful change for the benefit of all cross sections of the population and makes it a priority to consider the impact of any particular change on the life of the most vulnerable groups of society. The Minister of Social Security, National Solidarity, and Environment and Sustainable Development, Mr Marie Joseph Noel-Etienne Ghislain Sinatambou, made this statement, yesterday, at an official function organised to mark International Volunteer Day 2018, at the Municipal City Council of Port Louis. This International Day is annually observed on 5 December. The event was organised by the Ministry of Social Security, National Solidarity, and Environment and Sustainable Development, in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs). Some 150 participants from NGOs, Watch Committees and Watch Cells attended the function. In his address, the Minister pointed out that Government has a predominant role to play in achieving the social agenda, and, also emphasised on the significant contribution of NGOs in this endeavour. The critical importance of partnerships between public and private enterprises and the civil society towards the realisation of the SDGs was highlighted by Minister Sinatambou. Government, said the Minister, relies on the needed support of the volunteers working for NGOs and the civil society to give a helping hand in diverse areas of importance. These are namely: poverty alleviation; empowerment of persons with disabilities; keeping watch at community level for safety, security and welfare of elderly persons and persons with disabilities; and, responding to the needs of persons affected by natural calamities. Furthermore, Mr Sinatambou underlined that Government will continue to provide all necessary assistance to strengthen NGOs so that they can amply fulfill their role as strategic partner to achieve the social mission of Mauritius. Referring to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals Agenda 2030, the Minister indicated that it enumerates 17 development goals with particular focus on poverty alleviation. Government has implemented several measures to eradicate poverty, he stressed. They comprise the provision of subsistence allowance to eradicate absolute poverty, the introduction of a minimum wage and negative income tax for those at the lowest level of the salary scale, increase in the payment of pensions and also an increase in financial grants to vulnerable families. Speaking about International Volunteer Day 2018, Mr Sinatambou underlined that it is an opportunity to recognise and promote the values of volunteerism as well as pay a tribute to volunteers who selflessly serve the community. The 2018 theme Volunteers build Resilient Communities lays emphasis on the work carried out by volunteers in making the community more resilient to phenomena such as natural disasters, economic and political shocks. The official function organised to mark International Volunteer Day 2018 comprised the award of certificates of appreciation to some 60 NGOs which receive grant-in-aid and ad-hoc financial assistance for social entrepreneurship projects as well as to Elderly Watch Committees and Disability Watch Cells consisting of volunteers. A presentation on the contribution of the NGO Trust Fund since its inception in 1999 was also made on that occasion. (TNS) That it is hard to keep an eye on government in Oregon is the major takeaway from the first report from Oregon's new public records advocate. Across Oregon, people struggle to get information about police, schools and the most powerful public officials in the state, the advocate found.Oregon has had an open records and meetings law on the books since 1973. The law, passed in the wake of the Watergate scandal, gives every person a right to see any government document in Oregon, with limited exceptions.Today, the public often faces high fees and long delays when trying to access information about their government, Oregon public records advocate Ginger McCall wrote in her report. The exemptions that were intended to be limited now number more than 550. These problems are often caused or exacerbated by the fact that many state and local government agencies underfund records staffing, the report says.McCall's 15-page report is based on her observations over her first eight months as Oregon's records advocate. She's crisscrossed the state to provide 38 trainings that she says reached roughly 1,500 people. She technically only holds sway over state agencies, but she's made a mission to offer advice and training to any public agency or requester in the state.At present, McCall said, the burden to ensure the government doesn't illegally hide information falls largely on the public. That's a problem, she says. Most people aren't able to go to take their government to court to make sure the law is followed often the only recourse when a person seeking government documents believes there has been unlawful secrecy.Agencies often complain they are burdened by complicated requests for documents and the sheer volume of inquiries from the public, McCall noted. Still, agencies sometimes make it hard for a person to get even basic information about his or her own life, McCall said, citing an Oregonian news story.An investigation by The Oregonian/OregonLive , which is cited in the report, found Portland crime victims face long delays and expensive fees to access their own police reports. The average wait for a Portland police report in 2017 was 133 days."When public bodies are not adequately funded, then requesters are expected to make up the difference to cover the costs of public records requests," the report says. "Public bodies' ability to procure necessary technology and staff depends on buy-in from leadership."Read the report here Leadership buy-in would also make clear "requests are not merely an afterthought, but are, instead, a primary part of every public body's mission," she wrote.The Legislature tried to fix public records delays in 2017. But the law designed to hold agencies to a deadline has a loophole that undercuts its entire purpose, McCall wrote. If an agency says it is too swamped, it can bypass the legal deadlines. That's how the Portland Police Bureau is able to take so long to produce basic records.McCall suggests lawmakers add penalties to the law to incentivize agency leaders to see records requests as a core function that must be taken seriously."Public bodies' ability to procure necessary technology and staff depends on buy-in from leadership," McCall wrote.Oregon's records law says agencies must pay the legal fees of requesters who challenge a denial of records in court and win. But McCall said people struggle to actually obtain the money they are entitled to. Some judges have determined agencies only need to pay legal costs if a judge forces them to disclose records. So if an agency facing a lawsuit decides to voluntarily give up the records, the agency can avoid being on the hook to pay the requesters' legal expenses.Officials with the Seattle Police Department said Washington's strict records law, which penalizes agencies that act in bad faith, is why a person can usually obtain a basic Seattle police report in less than a week, typically for less than $1.Financial penalties for any delay "drives our funding, that drives our decisions," Mary Perry, the Seattle Police Department's director of transparency and privacy told The Oregonian/OregonLive. "So, we do get at least enough funding so we can at least keep this process going."McCall's observation that penalties would help isn't an official legislative proposal; it's her personal observation, she said.The report outlines two official legislative proposals from the public records advisory council: The life of the council should be extended beyond its 2021 sunset and state agencies should be required to report each year how many requests they received and how they they handled them.McCall's analysis is anecdotal, a problem in and of itself, she notes. There is no requirement that agencies report or track information on records requests. A reporting requirement, she said, would reward good actors and help identify agencies that must improve.McCall started as the state's first public records advocate in late April. The Legislature created the job at Gov. Kate Brown's direction and Brown selected McCall from three nominees of the advisory council.McCall said renewing the Public Records Advisory Council is critical for her to be able to push for policy changes down the line, as the council helps her vet changes and makes proposed legislation more likely to succeed. The council also provides oversight of McCall. Only the governor or the council can remove McCall from her post.The council is set to expire in 2021 and keeping it going, the report says, is critical to meaningful change in Oregonians' ability to understand their government. How Do Municipal Governments Use Data to Make Decisions? How Can Data Use Go Wrong? How Are Governments and Researchers Working to Cut Down on Discriminatory Outcomes? What Are Some Questions Policymakers Should Ask About Data and Its Use? (TNS) With one million properties and limited staff, New York City needs to be selective about the buildings it inspects for fire risk. So it relies heavily on data including past fires and building traits to choose.Chicago uses data to identify which children are at risk of lead poisoning and how officials could intervene.And in Philadelphia, Mayor Kenneys administration has emphasized evidence-based decision-making. Last year, the city launched GovLabPHL , a multi-agency collaboration that uses studies of human behavior to shape how the city interacts with residents.Municipal records are now digitized and easier to share among departments, so Philadelphia and other cities are centralizing data that agencies historically kept to themselves.But as governments increasingly use that data to operate more efficiently, researchers and analysts caution that computer-based decision-making isnt perfect and must be used with discretion.In 2016, a ProPublica investigation explained how software used across the country to predict future criminal behavior was biased against black people. In a data analysis of a Florida county, the software falsely labeled black defendants as likely to re-offend at nearly twice the rate it did for white defendants. The same year,reported on a flaw in LinkedIns search feature , which suggested male names when users searched for female names.Data science is here to stay. It holds tremendous promise to improve things, said Julia Stoyanovich, an assistant professor at New York University and former assistant professor in ethical data management at Drexel University. But policymakers need to use it responsibly.The first thing we need to teach people is to be skeptical about technology, she said.Data review boards, toolkits and software that cities, universities, and data analysts are starting to develop are steps in the right direction to spur policymakers to think critically about data, researchers said.Philadelphia is setting standards for its departments' data collection and quality. Mark Wheeler, Philadelphias chief information officer in the Office of Innovation and Technology, said hearing Stoyanovich speak at a seminar this spring was eye-opening" and helped inform the citys current job listing for its next chief data officer.Governments have long been using data and algorithms series of instructions a human can give to a computing program, also called automated decision systems mostly for counting tasks, such as processing payroll and tracking 311 calls. But in recent years, governments have started to use data and algorithms to deliver services, said Rayid Ghani, director of the Center for Data Science and Public Policy at the University of Chicago.New York uses taxi trip data to decide how to regulate or hire vehicles. Mapping data tells first responders the fastest ways to get to an emergency. Philadelphias litter index maps trash hot spots to spur cleanups.Philadelphia police analyzed data to launch a youth diversion program , in which students are often placed in after-school programs instead of jails for certain low-level crimes. In the first year, student arrests dropped by half.During the administration of Charles Ramsey, Police Commissioner Richard Ross predecessor, the department realized it could use data for more than crime analysis and statistics when it tested the effect of foot patrols and saw a drop in crime, said Kevin Thomas, the police departments director of research and analysis.The department considered buying predictive algorithm software and tested a program that suggested where to put patrol vehicles, but officials didnt see results, Thomas said. Such tools have not added value beyond what the departments analytical teams can provide, he said.Its not that I believe there is no place for" artificial intelligence, Thomas said. "What weve examined so far has been underwhelming in terms of applications toward crime incidents.I think there is a lot of good will on the side of city government to try their best to use data responsibly," Stoyanovich said. "But these problems are very challenging.For example, data collected for one purpose may throw off results if used for a different purpose. Despite conventional wisdom, having more data doesnt necessarily mean better outcomes. Policymakers need quality and the right type of data.While efficiency is often the goal for municipal officials pushing for data-based decision-making, Ghani said, it sometimes leads to disproportionate impact for different types of people.Andrew Nicklin, director of data practices at the Center for Government Excellence at Johns Hopkins University, said the ProPublica story about racial discrimination in predictive crime software spurred him to work with other researchers on a data toolkit to help government officials avoid unintended consequences.According to the toolkits authors, algorithms can harbor biases against disadvantaged groups or reinforce structural discrimination.We started from the assumption that all people are biased, and therefore all data are biased, and therefore all algorithms are biased, Nicklin said. Algorithms are created by people. People have fallibility. Thats OK. We just have to acknowledge that. We just have to have a conversation about it.Cities such as Philadelphia New York , and Cambridge, Mass., are turning to transparency as one solution. The cities' open data websites invite the public to examine information and cities' methods of interpreting it.In May, New York convened a task force to study how the city uses data. By next December, its 18 members will submit recommendations on how the city should assess its automated decision-making to ensure equity and opportunity, according to the mayors office.Research centers such as the AI Now Institute at New York University study social implications of artificial intelligence.University researchers and data scientists are writing or updating codes of conduct, including Community Principles on Ethical Data Practices . One principle states: Acknowledge and mitigate unfair bias" by sharing data processing methods and disclosing bias in algorithms?In Cambridge, city staff and residents came together three years ago to form the Open Data Review Board, which recommends policies to govern datasets.As we start using more and more algorithms, were going to need oversight committees like the Open Data Review Board to be able to have the 35,000-foot view over this emerging field and understand how the pieces are working together, said Josh Wolff, the citys open data program director.In September, Nicklin, the Johns Hopkins researcher; along with researchers in San Francisco, Data Community DC, and Harvard Universitys Data-Smart City Solutions released an " Ethics and Algorithms Toolkit ." It walks people through questions to consider to minimize ethical risks. Ghani and his fellow researchers at the University of Chicago this year released software cities can use to audit their data to look for biases.Officials should consider how and for what purpose data was collected and whether that aligns with how they are using the data, researchers said.Some other questions they suggest policymakers ask: How can we evaluate the accuracy and equity of our data systems? How can we reduce opportunities for bias in the data? Are knowledgeable teams in place to work with the data?Its overwhelming for us in computer science as well," said Stoyanovich, a member of New Yorks Automated Decision Systems Task Force, because theres not just one way to do things correctly. (TNS) - Behind a chain-linked fence along Fifth Avenue between C and D streets in San Rafael, workers using a crane hoisted a bundle of steel beams that would be integrated into the framework of what will soon be a new $36 million public safety building.Right now we are erecting steel beams and columns for the first and second floor, said Jorge Meza, the project manager with Kitchel CEM of Sacramento who is overseeing work.While on a recent tour of the construction zone across from City Hall, Meza said 20 to 25 workers are on site daily. Once the second floor is laid out, they will have a team working on each level simultaneously for a total of 50 to 75 workers, Meza said.Construction of the new public-safety center began in October 2017 with the demolition of the 100-year-old San Rafael Station 51 at Fifth Avenue and C Street. San Rafael firefighters have been temporarily stationed across the street on the City Hall property while workers continue to build the new three-story complex along Fifth Avenue.San Rafael fire Chief Chris Gray was happy to say, Its right on schedule and right on budget.The new public safety complex for fire, police and emergency services will be 44,000 square feet. Its part of the citys $73 million essential facilities project, which was designed by Mary McGrath Architects of Oakland. The project also includes the rebuilding of San Rafael fire stations 52 and 57. Alten Construction Inc. of Richmond is the contractor on the project.Fire Station 52 was an aging station in service since 1957 at 210 Third St.The station at that location was torn down in February 2017, and firefighters there moved two blocks away, to 519 Fourth St., while the rebuilding is in progress.The city has also demolished Fire Station 57 at the Marin County Civic Center and moved operations to a temporary space at 30 Joseph Court, just off Redwood Highway in northeast San Rafael. That station is also being rebuilt, but the construction has been delayed about five months and costs increased due to unsuitable soil, said Bill Guerin, director of public works.Thats the most significant setback to the project: both cost wise and schedule, Guerin said.Station 57 was originally estimated to cost about $12 million, and now that looks more like $13.4 million. The county, which owns the property and is leasing it to the city of San Rafael, had already contributed $5.5 million toward that project. Due to the increase, the county has kicked-in an extra $655,500.Chief Gray said if all goes according to plan, Station 52 is expected to be fully functioning along with firefighters by March (2019). Station 57 would likely be completed this summer.As for the public safety complex, city staff is aiming for a spring 2020 opening.Were delighted to be at this stage, Gray said. Were building projects here for the future that are going to be safe and modern and really serve us well.Faby Guillen, a project manager with the department of public works, said, We dont have anything like this. Its a monumental accomplishment.Its the kind of project that Meza said he is proud to be part of.Were going to have our stamp on this building here, Meza said. And well be able to tell our kids, our grandkids, we helped construct this building that will sit here for the next 100 years, and its one of the biggest projects in the city of San Rafael.Project updates can be found at cityofsanrafael.org/departments/facilities/.2018 The Marin Independent Journal (Novato, Calif.)Visit The Marin Independent Journal (Novato, Calif.) at www.marinij.comDistributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. TRENTON In a stunning move expected to be made official later this week, Carol Russell reportedly resigned as acting city police director following a meeting Monday at City Hall, according to sources who spoke on condition of anonymity. News of the acting police directors impending departure, coming fewer than two months after she was announced as Mayor Reed Guscioras historic choice to become the citys first black woman to lead the department, broke Monday afternoon. But City Hall wouldnt confirm or deny whether Russell, who has faced serious questions about her qualifications for the job, was on her way out. City spokesman Tim Carroll would only say officials planned to hold a meeting at 4 p.m. to discuss police business. He refused to say whether Russell, a 20-year retired TPD cop who retired with the rank of sergeant, planned to tender her resignation at the meeting. As day dragged into night, Mayor Gusciora, perhaps still reeling that his pick didnt have the support she needed to survive a confirmation vote, hadnt returned multiple phone calls seeking confirmation of what one high-level city official called a done deal. Sources in the department also indicated Russell, who had only been on the job a little over a month, was being replaced. The city official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Russell met with the administration to turn in her access keys to city police headquarters. Russell replaced Lt. Chris Doyle, who served for days in place of ousted acting police director Pedro Medina. Its unclear who may replace Russell when the administration announces she is stepping down, prompting a search for Guscioras fourth police director in the last five months. John Day, a former State Police trooper who had previously emerged as a potential finalist in the last go-around, said he was flooded by calls from Trenton cops congratulating him on becoming Russells successor. But he said he still hadnt heard anything official from the administration. They [officers] were calling me and saying, Congratulations. I was like, Congratulations for what?' Day told The Trentonian this afternoon. Theyre hoping and praying I get it. City police union president Michael Schiaretti said the mayors next pick should be to be someone who is looking to be [in the position] long-term, with a clear plan to move the department and the city forward and achieve the citys law enforcement objective. The union boss said the acting police director wasnt in place long enough for the rank-and-file to really form an opinion on her performance. At the same time, he acknowledged we didnt see any changes instituted in the little time that she led the force. At-large councilman Santiago Rodriguez hoped the mayor would consider a qualified Latino for the opening, mentioning retired Lt. Rolando Ramos as a possibility. Ramos, who supported Paul Perez in the mayors race, informally met with Gusciora to express his interest in the position, but he said he never heard back from the administration. He said Monday night he hadnt heard from the administration about the now-vacated position, which first came open when Gusciora abruptly cut ties with Medina after he had been on loan for free from the county for three months. City leaders said the mayor made a huge political miscalculation when he decided to yank Medinas re-up resolution off the table and replace him with Doyle. About a week later, the mayor announced Russell as his pick during the Oct. 25 State of the City address. Since then, Russell has been dogged by allegations that she lacked the qualification to lead the 285-member police department. The administrations move came after what many city officials said was an underwhelming performance from Russell during last weeks City Council meeting and amid questions about her recent demand to have access to officers secretly guarded internal affairs records, a request that sent the department into a fit over fears those records may fall into the hands of known nemeses. Rodriguez said the acting police directors responses to fellow councilman Jerell Blakeleys questions about her plan to reduce crime and her qualifications were very bad. His criticism was tame compared to some of the other barbs that have been thrown at Russell and the mayor. South Ward councilman George Muschal previously said he felt the mayor picked Russell to lead the department for political gain, a charge the mayor dismissed as a grassy knoll. But Guscioras historic nomination of Russell, meant to help break through a glass ceiling that had systematically prevented minorities from receiving promotions in TPD, quickly became a sideshow. Muschal skipped the mayors State of the City address in protest of Russells hiring. And her critics quickly pointed to the city ordinance requiring the police director to have five years of experience in a responsible capacity in public administration and policing. Critics have also slammed the acting police director over her time on the force, alleging, without proof, everything from sick time abuse to that she helped her son evade capture when he was wanted for murder. Not helping her case, Russell admitted last week under questioning from one member of the legislative body that she doesnt have a college degree. She put down on her resume that she has been enrolled at Mercer County Community College for the last 12 years. Russell told Blakeley, who when contacted for comment refused to talk about unconfirmed rumors, that she had taken classes but never finished her degree because life got in the way. Old foes in the department also took Russell to task over her sons troubled past. In the few interviews she has sat for, Russell, who is credited with being one of the first officers to sound the alarms in Trenton about a growing gang problem, acknowledged her son, Joseph Welch, got mixed up in the gang life. It led to him doing a prison bid after admitting to aggravated manslaughter for being the getaway driver in a gang slay in the capital city. Russell stressed that her son turned his life around after getting out the slammer, graduating from culinary arts school on the way to become a sous chef. Russell, who was heavily involved in a fraternal organization, the Brother Officer Law Enforcement Society, while she was on the force, already faced significant pushback before The Trentonian exposed last month that she was at the center of an alleged race-baiting scheme in fall 1999. The Middlesex County Prosecutors Office conducted an undercover operation centering around Russell and other Trenton cops alleged involvement in a plot to catch white officers on tape making illegal arrests of minorities in the capital city and sell the videos to PBS and Good Morning America. Diop Kamau, a retired cop turned Florida-based cop-catching crusader who was present at the meeting, told The Trentonian the operation never got off the ground after it was blown up by paranoid cops who feared having the apparent rampant corruption exposed. For her part, Russell has declined multiple interview requests to answer questions about the investigation which never yielded charges against her or anyone else or her alleged lack of qualifications to head the department. But that race-baiting investigation even if it was meant to uproot corruption didnt gain her any points with many officers in the department who just felt they couldnt trust her to have their backs. That much appeared to be confirmed last week, when sources said the acting police director, who is a civilian, directed the head of TPDs internal affairs, Chris Doyle, to make available to her officers internal affairs records. Doyle refused and went to the administration, believing the acting director overstepped her authority. The city asked the Mercer County Prosecutors Office to weigh in on the request. And after further deliberations, city law director John Morelli said in an email it was determined the police director cannot access internal affairs records without a court order or permission from Mercer County Prosecutor Angelo Onofri. Onofri didnt return a phone call requesting comment about the IA controversy. But Morelli said he spoke last week with First Assistant Doris Galuchie she also didnt return a phone call requesting comment who confirmed his interpretation of the state Attorney General guidelines. The AGs guidelines deem IA records confidential, with access limited to unit personnel and the law enforcement executive, unless theres a justifiable reason for their release. In some cases, a deputy chief acting on behalf of the law enforcement executive can access the records if a specific need is met, according to the guidelines. Those circumstances include when a hearing officer usually the police director needs them to oversee a disciplinary hearing of an officer who has been administratively charged. The records can also be released to attorneys of litigants who have sued officers over misconduct allegations investigated by IA, according to the guidelines. Russell apparently didnt do herself any favors when, for the first time last week, she faced stiff questioning at a council meeting from Blakeley. Blakeley asked the acting police director about city crime statistics, her qualifications to lead the department, a proposal to bring back deputy chief and her plan to address a recent uptick in violence, highlighted by last months midday execution of a Crip gang member outside a city deli. Despite facing pushback from Russells supporters over how he interrogated her, Blakeley defended his questions as professional and relevant for the city to assess whether she had the chops to lead. Russell struggled to recite the number of murders and shootings the city has experienced this year without looking down at her notes. She admitted her figures may be inaccurate telling council the city has had 12 murders and 71 shootings in 2018. The Trentonians Homicide Watch count shows the city has had 20 homicides so far this year 15 by shooting, stabbing or beating and another five deaths that included three vehicular homicides, an infant who was abandoned by her mother and the police shooting of Tahaij Wells at the Art All Night shootout this summer. Russell also stumbled when Blakeley asked her about a proposal to bring back a deputy police chief. Gusciora had said the move came up in a brainstorming session with his acting police director, though she denied ever discussing the proposal with the mayor. While admitting she doesnt read the newspaper, she suggested The Trentonian misinterpreted the mayor, who talked extensively about the benefits of resurrecting the deputy police chief position. He said the position which some believe was floated to entice members of the force to back Russell would require almost co-police directing. But he said whoever occupied that position would still have to answer to the police director. The mayor felt bringing back a deputy police chief could free up Russell from administrative tasks so she could devote her attention to implementing her vision of community policing. City officials immediately blasted the idea, which the mayor called a workable hybrid, as an end-around the current civilian police director setup, which was enacted following a 1999 referendum under then-Mayor Doug Palmer. Blakeley, who in recent weeks has walked back his initial support of the acting police director, suggested the mayors proposal was akin to putting training wheels on Russell. Such a move, the at-large councilman said, would make Russells historic appointment really hollow and simply an affirmative-action hire. Trentonian reporter Penny Ray contributed to this report. A connected vehicle pilot is underway in Tampa, Fla., setting up a network of more than 1,000 cars and transit vehicles. The project's goal is to better inform drivers about highway conditions, improve the schedule timing of buses and collect sufficient data to lead to safer and more efficient transportation.The Tampa Hillsborough Expressway Authority (THEA) pilot places connected vehicle technology in participating personal cars, allowing them to communicate with traffic signals and other infrastructure known as roadside units placed across downtown and at the entry and exit ramps of the Lee Roy Selmon Expressway, a 14-mile toll road, as well as other areas.The study, which will run for the next 18 months, will explore how the connected vehicle technology can lead to a safer, more efficient transportation system, said Bob Frey, planning director at THEA, the lead agency on the project.We need the data to show that it works, he added. The bottom line is weve got 100 years of physical geometrical improvements that do work. And if were going to use technology to solve some of these problems in the future, were going to have to have that data to show that its working.Better transportation data could inform decisions around road widening and other infrastructure improvements.So, you need data, and this is hopefully one of those projects that will start to generate real data to show that A.) it works, or B.) it doesnt, which is just as important, said Frey.So far, about 1,000 personal vehicles have been outfitted with the connected vehicle technology, with plans to increase that number to about 1,200, said Frey. The technology is also installed on 10 buses and 10 streetcars."On the infrastructure side, the project includes 46 roadside units installed throughout downtown Tampa," explained Jeff Brown, a senior consultant and content developer with Global-5 , a public relations company specializing in transportation. "These units enable the vehicles to communicate with traffic signals, a pedestrian crosswalk, a reversible entry-exit ramp on the Lee Roy Selmon Expressway, and more."Since the project was first announced more than a year ago, some 4,000 to 5,000 personal car owners expressed interest in participating, driven in part, by toll road rebates for participants.The big carrots we used for people to come in was the toll discount. And so we know that these 1,200 people are using the Selman Expressway coming into downtown, which is right into our study area, said Frey.These people use this road five days a week, twice a day. So, we know well get a high level of frequency, even if we dont have a high level of installs, he added.Some would-be participants had to be eliminated for technical reasons. The pilot calls for replacing the cars rearview mirrors with mirrors that provide readings to drivers related to speed, upcoming signals, pedestrians in the area, and other pieces of data. And since many late model cars already include a mirror that displays various bits of driver data, the agency opted to not remove these mirrors and replace them with the after-market versions.These new cars coming out already have technology in the mirrors, so we decided to not replace those because they have safety features and such built in, Frey explained. Our problem really was and its probably more of a pilot problem than an industry problem in finding vehicles that met the requirements of allowing us to change the mirror out.The pilot is being led by the U.S. Department of Transportation, and once its 18-month run is up, THEA will continue to operate the data streams, said Frey. We will continue to operate it, and we will continue to look for ways to grow it, in terms of maybe fleet vehicles or applications for emergency vehicles, he added. While largely forgotten after its flushed down the drain, wastewater is a rich source of untapped data that can tell you a lot about the health of your city, neighborhood by neighborhood. In fact, a new gov tech startup is capturing and analyzing this rawest of raw data at the intersection of public health and public works.Born of graduate research in wastewater epidemiology at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Mariana Matus and Newsha Ghaeli combined their respective disciplines computational biology and urban science to better understand cities as ecosystems through the use of near real-time data. For her part, Ghaeli told an interviewer that she never thought it would become a company. But it did. And 2018 was a strong debut year for Biobot Analytics To unpack its name in reverse order, the big data it produces is the analytics. The second half of the first name refers to robotics particularly the bots about the size of carry-on luggage that the company lowers into sewer systems to capture local sewage near the source. (The founders concede it is easier to collect centrally but the human excretions begin to break down by the time they reach a sewage treatment plant.) That brings us to bio namely the man-made chemicals (xenobiotics) we consume and subsequently excrete into the sewer system.In a country that produces 30 billion gallons of wastewater a day, the possibilities for epidemiology are limitless. Scientists can see how a place is doing by studying what we leave, including markers for certain illnesses, chemical exposure, viruses and other pathogens, emerging contaminants in our food and personal care products. Then there is the ability to track and analyze drug use both prescription and illicit through which Biobot is providing fast, accurate and anonymous screening of wastewater for partnering cities. It is a powerful tool that fundamentally redefines crappy data as a good thing.Earlier this year, Ghaeli told Governing sister publication) that mayors, whose interests are citywide and not confined to a single agency, intuitively understand the power of the data in city efforts to combat the opioid epidemic and help officials understand where public funding needs to go.On the way to winning an audience in front of 600 chief city executives at the U.S. Conference of Mayors, she told a panel, This rich source of human health information aggregates in our public sewers an infrastructure that you own, you maintain and you manage.As a fledgling business, Biobot earned early support from General Catalysts student-funding program, Rough Draft Ventures, and in May raised $2.5 million in first-round seed funding through Chicago venture firm Ekistic Ventures.Its future includes a throwback moment to its origins as an MIT grad school project operating in Kuwait and South Korea. Biobot is nominated for the 2018 World Summit Awards, an international competition formed to help realize the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Winners will be announced this month.Underlying all this science, technology and audacious public health goals is the relationship between Biobots founders. Ghaeli told the Martin Trust Center for MIT Entrepreneurship, Im excited about starting [and growing this] company with another woman, especially in a field that touches on some male-dominated spheres.Spoiler Alert: Biobots first-year success also makes it a very strong candidate for the fourth annual GovTech 100 , due out in the next issue of (TNS) California Secretary of State Alex Padilla is refusing to turn over public documents that could shed light on problems with the states Motor Voter program, which launched earlier this year to automatically register people to vote when they visit the Department of Motor Vehicles.Motor Voter has come under fire after thousands of Californians were improperly registered to vote , and it remains unclear whether any non-citizens voted this year.last month submitted a records request for written communications to or from Padilla and his chief of staff, Bill Mabie, regarding a batch of approximately 1,500 registration errors.Padillas office released 268 pages in response, though half the pages were newsletters he received from news organizations that referred to the registration errors. His office said it did not have to disclose additional material. Some attorney-client privileged communications and other documents reflecting the deliberative process and official information privileges were not included in the page count, along with records that reflect the candid evaluations and exchange of ideas that assist the decision-makers in making their final policy and other executive decisions.An attorney working on behalf ofdisagrees with Padillas assertions.I dont think its a legitimate response to a (Public Records Act) request, said Karl Olson, a partner in Cannata, OToole, Fickes & Olson LLP. Theyre just kind of lumping together any possible exemption that they can think of, including many that it would seem obvious could not possibly apply. Unfortunately, its not that unusual that you get this kind of a response.Olson on Thursday sent a letter to Padilla demanding the release of additional records.Seeing how the Secretary of State did or didnt handle registration errors is a matter of intense public interest, he wrote. The interest in disclosure of records relating to this clearly outweighs any interest in non-disclosure.Padilla has declined to be interviewed. It is our policy not to comment on pending investigations, he said in a statement.Padilla declined to explain what investigation he was referring to. The Department of Finance is now auditing the DMV . The two agencies said they are not aware of any other ongoing investigations beyond the audit.Emelyn Rodriguez, executive director of Californians Aware and an attorney specializing First Amendment cases, said there appears to be a lack of transparency.Whats kind of surprising is theyre not willing at all to provide any details or speak to this serious issue and allegation of irregularity in the voting, Rodriguez said. There should be some response there, and thats troubling, quite frankly. Hes a public official. Hes accountable to the public. There should be some statement about whats being done.Assemblyman Jim Patterson, R-Fresno, has been a vocal critic of the DMV . He fell one vote shy in August on his request to have state Auditor Elaine Howle investigate the DMV. Patterson plans to renew calls for an audit in January and questioned Padillas response to The Bees inquiry.It is suspicious, Patterson said. If theres nothing to see here, then open up the file, show the light. Unfortunately my experience in government has been that if there is something to see, oftentimes theres all kinds of reasons why only this information will be allowed and that information is kept secret. When it comes to voting, there should be no secrets at the Secretary of States Office. Period.Among the 268 pages of material is a Nov. 9 letter Padilla sent to state Sen. John Moorlach, R-Costa Mesa. Moorlach had demanded answers in September, soon after 23,000 erroneous voter registrations were disclosed The DMV informed us that certain individuals that declined to respond or answer no to any one of the five eligibility questions were incorrectly registered through no fault of their own, Padilla wrote to Moorlach. We have notified county election officials to cancel these records.The five eligibility questions include one asking people to confirm they are a U.S. citizen and a resident of California and at least 18 years old. Padilla said in his letter the inaccurate registrations do not constitute voter fraud because they were the result of errors made by the DMV and California Department of Technology. He told Moorlach his office continues to explore various strategies that can help voters identify and report irregularities.Moorlach is not pleased with the response and questioned the integrity of the vote in the last election.Theres a shadow over the results that make a lot of constituents wonder what is going on, and I dont have any evidence other than I have to assume that the Democrats did a great job of getting ballots to the Registrar of Voters, Moorlach said. All Im concerned about is a fair fight. I dont want to go to a knife fight and end up looking at machine guns.Hes now considering introducing bills that would place stringent voting requirements that would likely reduce turnout. His proposals are unlikely to see the light of day in the Capitol, given historic Democratic advantages . Among the ideas Moorlach is floating is eliminating Motor Voter completely, clearing the rolls of any person who hasnt voted in the last four years and implementing strict ID requirements. (TNS) Accusing the government of violating constitutional privacy rights, a trio of civil liberties groups is suing the California Department of Justice over its practice of collecting and retaining the DNA profiles of people who were arrested for alleged felonies but never convicted.California police agencies have been collecting DNA profiles at the time of a felony arrest since 2009. But recent advances in DNA analysis technology where results come back in a matter of hours rather than weeks and the passage of a related congressional bill last year have significantly raised the stakes on the issue.The Electronic Frontier Foundation and former American Civil Liberties Union staff attorney Michael Risher filed the lawsuit Monday in San Francisco Superior Court on behalf of the Equal Justice Society as well as the Center for Genetics and Society and one of its consultants, Pete Shanks.It comes in the wake of a state Supreme Court ruling earlier this year upholding the compulsory collection of DNA in felony arrests. Consequently, privacy and civil rights advocates set their sights on purging the DNA entries of people who were later acquitted or otherwise exonerated, arguing their rights against unlawful search and seizure were being violated.One-third of people arrested for felonies in California are never convicted. The government has no legitimate interest in retaining DNA samples and profiles from people who have no felony convictions, and its unconstitutional for the state to hold on to such sensitive material without any finding of guilt, Marcy Darnovsky, executive director at the Center for Genetics and Society, said in a statement.The office of California Attorney General Xavier Becerra did not immediately respond to a request for comment. But the lawsuit is sure to be met with pushback from law enforcement groups and the purveyors of what is known as Rapid DNA technology, which includes Pleasanton-based IntegenX.Rapid DNA, which has reduced the time for producing a profile from genetic material to as little as 90 minutes, has become increasingly prominent. Most recently, it has been used to accelerate identification of victims of the historically destructive Camp Fire in Butte County and to help solve a string of famous cold-case murders in the state and across the country over the past year.As the technology spread, privacy watchdogs and civil rights groups have been wary of its combination with the national DNA profile database, maintained by the FBI, that contains upward of 13 million criminal suspects, not all of them convicted of a crime.The Rapid DNA Act of 2017, passed with a bipartisan vote in Congress last year, allows law enforcement agencies to perform real-time DNA testing at the time of an arrest at their own booking stations, comparing samples to profiles in the FBIs Combined DNA Index System (CODIS). While some of that might already be happening, the FBI has set a timetable for 2019 to test a more robust integration.Critics say such expansion increases the likelihood of people arrested being treated, in the eyes of law enforcement, automatically as felons and being denied due process. They cite lab mix-ups and sample contamination as examples where a legally innocent persons inclusion in the DNA database could wrongly implicate them in a crime, with pronounced effects on people of color given their disproportionate representation in the criminal justice system.We want the court to recognize that Californias DNA collection and retention practices are unfairly putting already vulnerable poor communities and people of color at even greater risk of racial profiling and law enforcement abuse, Lisa Holder, interim legal director at the Equal Justice Society, said in a statement.Risher told The Mercury News last year that police still could collect DNA from suspects, just not automatically. Investigators, he said, should use the same information that leads to an arrest to apply for a warrant to get a DNA sample.In upholding the compulsory collection of DNA for felony arrests, the state Supreme Court likened it to other standard police methods such as taking a suspects photograph and fingerprints. The court majority also noted legally innocent people can expunge themselves from the database.But in the Monday lawsuit, the plaintiffs asserted the process for purging oneself from the database is complicated, poorly publicized and unreasonably difficult to navigate. The plaintiffs estimated that 750,000 DNA profiles collected by California police agencies in the past decade were eligible to be expunged because the people were either exonerated or acquitted, but only 1,510 made such requests, and of those, 1,282 were approved. That amounts to a 0.1 percent removal rate.The burden should be on the state to delete the DNA after they discovered they have collected DNA they no longer have a legitimate reason for holding. Instead, the state has a very long, complicated expungement process and doesnt tell people about it, said Jamie Lee Williams, an Electronic Frontier Foundation staff attorney who co-authored the lawsuit. I hope the court recognizes that DNA is incredibly sensitive information, and these people are not convicted. Their cases are over. (TNS) A city councilman wants to create a permanent Office of Cyber Command to keep New York City safe from hackers."If 6 inches of snow can bring the city to a grinding halt, can you imagine the damage that a cyberattack can cause?" Councilman Ritchie Torres asked.He's introducing legislation this week to create the Office of Cyber Command which would codify into law an initiative of the same name that Mayor de Blasio has started."It's the most exciting name in city government," Torres (D-Bronx) quipped.The office would be tasked with setting up cybersecurity policies and standards for city agencies, providing cybersecurity guidance to the mayor and city agencies, making sure the city is complying with those policies and directing responses to cyberattacks and threats."I think as a city becomes more technologically advanced we become more vulnerable to the cyberthreats, and the city's critical infrastructure from housing to public health, water supply (and) utilities, is computerized," he said.Torres said he believed a cyberattack is the "single greatest vulnerability" facing the city."It's often said New York City is the No. 1 terror target in the world that statement is as true in cyberspace as it is in physical space," he said. (TNS) The University of Maryland Medical System is investigating a malware attack on its computer system that occurred early Sunday, according to the hospital network.The ransomware-style attack affected about 250 of the hospital systems 27,000 devices, said Jon Burns, the hospital systems chief information officer and senior vice president.Ransomware is a malicious software or malware designed to deny access to a computer or data until a ransom is paid. In this case, Burns said, the infected computers were not encrypted by the malware, so the hospital system did not need to pay a ransom to unlock the devices and the virus was isolated before it spread further, he said.The attack did not affect patient care, and there was no evidence that patient data or any other information was compromised in the attack, Burns said.After the medical system became aware of the attack at about 4:30 a.m. Sunday, the hospitals took their networks and devices offline by about 7 a.m. The 250 affected devices primarily desktop computers were quarantined, and the remainder of the system was back online by Monday morning, Burns said.This was one of those things where nobody wants to go through it, but I think our organization responded in a very good way, both from a technical perspective as well as our caregivers, Burns said.Burns said the University of Maryland notified authorities and has been working with agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to investigate the attack.The University of Maryland Medical System includes medical facilities at more than 150 locations, with hospitals in Baltimore, Bel Air, Glen Burnie, Havre de Grace, Towson and the Eastern Shore.The ransomware attack is the latest attempt to breach a local hospital groups technology system. Last month two Iranian hackers were charged in connection with a multimillion-dollar cybercrime scheme that targeted Marylands MedStar Health system , government agencies, cities and businesses. BEIJING, Dec. 10 (Xinhua) -- President Xi Jinping pledged to uphold the path of human rights development that fits the Chinese context and promotes well-rounded human development. Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, made the statement in a congratulatory letter to a symposium marking the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in Beijing Monday. In the letter, Xi called the declaration a significant document in the history of human civilization and recognized its profound impact on the development of the human rights cause around the world. Chinese people will work with people of other countries to uphold the common values of humanity, which are peace, development, equality, justice, democracy and freedom, to safeguard human dignity and rights, to promote fairer, sounder and more inclusive global human rights governance, and to build a community with a shared future for humanity, he said. Noting that the CPC has always taken human development as its goal, Xi said hundreds of millions of Chinese people have had their lives improved since the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949, particularly over the past four decades of reform and opening-up. China has been combining the principle of human rights' universality with the reality of modern times and staying committed to a path of human rights development that fits the Chinese context, Xi said in the letter. China adheres to a people-centered vision of human rights, considers the rights to subsistence and development as the primary and basic human rights, and works for coordinated development of the people's economic, political, social, cultural and environmental rights, the letter read. Xi also called on people who work in the human rights research field to make greater contributions for the sake of diverse human civilizations and the world's human rights cause. Huang Kunming, head of the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee, read Xi's letter at the symposium and urged for careful study and implementation of Xi's instructions. The symposium was attended by about 150 people including officials and scholars in the human rights field. Photo: Screenshot via Twitter On Saturday, Jordans Al Wakeel News website published an altered image of the Last Supper depicting living meme Salt Bae performing his signature move over Jesuss shoulder. Its a funny image (and a smart joke about internet obsession), but it did not sit well with Jordans government. After the image reportedly caused controversy online, the image was deemed offensive to Christians and the websites publisher, Mohammed al-Wakeel, and an editor, were accused of inciting sectarian strife. Wakeel apologized and removed the Salt Bae Supper image following the controversy, saying it was a mistake made by an editor in training. The publisher was questioned by cyber-crimes officials, and both he and the editor were detained on December 10. The image could land them both in jail for between six months and three years. Today it was reported that bail was denied for Wakeel. The Ministry of the Interior told before the conference that the objective of the non-binding pact is to identify measures to manage migration in a way that is safe, orderly and regulated, and benefits all stakeholders. Finland became one of approximately 150 countries around the world to commit to the global compact for migration (GCM) at an intergovernmental conference convened under the auspices of the UN General Assembly in Marrakesh, Morocco, on Monday. No country alone can solve global migration issues. It is in the best interest of everyone that solutions are sought for common issues so that migration is controlled and the source, transit and destination countries all meet their obligations, commented Kai Mykkanen (NCP), the Minister of the Interior. One example is welcoming repatriated citizens, he added. The Ministry of the Interior also assured that because the pact is fundamentally a political document, it will not necessitate any amendments to the legislation or interfere with the sovereignty of Finland. Finland, it emphasised, will continue to make decisions on how to monitor its external borders and on who can enter the country and how. The intergovernmental pact defines a common vision, leading principles and the framework for joint efforts to meet a total of 23 objectives related to managing migration at local, national, regional and global levels. It also includes concrete measures to prevent human trafficking and people smuggling, as well as to help the victims of human trafficking. The countries to withdraw from the much-criticised pact include Australia, Austria, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Poland, Slovakia, the Czech Republic and the United States. Aleksi Teivainen HT If the number of photosynthesising plants goes up or down by 10 per cent, its impact will be greater than emissions from fossil energy sources, he explained. Mika Anttonen, the founder and largest shareholder of St1, has reiterated his message about the importance of land use for efforts to combat climate change at a seminar hosted by Prime Minister Juha Sipila (Centre) in Helsinki on Monday. Anttonen has repeatedly drawn attention to the importance of land use and more specifically reforestation and global co-operation for the effort to combat climate change. The European Union, he highlighted last month, accounts for a constantly decreasing share of the primary energy consumed in the world. If the EU stops using energy today, consumption in other areas will have grown by an equivalent amount by 2025. If we only take action inside the EU, our climate measures dont really have an impact on whether or not the amount of carbon in the atmosphere will decrease, he stated in the Finnish Parliament in November. Related posts: Finland urges EU to invest in reforestation projects in Africa (22 November, 2018) Neither biofuels nor electric cars arent a solution to decreasing the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, he declared. St1, one of the leading energy companies in Finland, also announced last year the launch of an admittedly ambitious commercial project aiming to reforest up to 85 per cent of the Sahara. Anttonen on Monday argued that it is impossible to limit global warming to 1.5C above pre-industrial levels only by transforming the energy system. Such claims are untrue and lies, he slammed. It has been very difficult for me personally, having started with biofuels by making biofuels from waste, to realise that biofuels dont even begin to be a solution to decreasing the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. He also floated the idea of establishing a marketplace for absorbed and emitted carbon dioxide, explaining that it would reduce the emphasis on lobbying and facilitate genuine competition between various climate solutions. We need a carbon exchange where the measures have to compete against each other, so that theyre no longer adopted based on who does the most lobbying, said Anttonen. Roughly 150 people from different sectors of the society took part in discussing the climate actions of Finland in Helsinki on Monday. Aleksi Teivainen HT Source: Uusi Suomi Supo on Monday published its inaugural national security review, estimating that terrorist organisations operating in the country will likely seek to recruit and radicalise more supporters in the near future. The threat of terrorism remains at the level elevated in Finland, according to the Finnish Security Intelligence Service (Supo). The threat was first raised to the elevated level the second lowest level of the four-tier assessment scale in June 2017. There have been no signs of the terror threat subsiding. Individual actors and radicalised groups pose the biggest threat, Antti Pelttari, the director general at Supo, was quoted as saying by Helsingin Sanomat. The number of counter-terrorism target individuals has increased by over 35 per cent over the past four years to 370 on account of both radicalisation and the so-called foreign fighter phenomenon associated with the situations in Iraq and Syria. Supo on Monday also shed light on the extent of foreign intelligence operations in Finland, saying that several dozens of employees of foreign intelligence agencies have been stationed permanently in the country. It added that it is becoming increasingly difficult to prevent illegal intelligence campaigns due to, for example, technological advances. Several foreign intelligence agencies are operating actively on Finnish soil. Cyber-espionage campaigns are also targeted regularly at Finland, Pelttari said in a press release. The two foreign powers mentioned in the report are China and Russia. Russia, it said, has been publicly linked to cyber-espionage campaigns targeting governmental institutions, companies co-operating with them and companies engaged in product development and service production in the energy sector. China, in turn, has been publicly linked to cyber-espionage operations that utilise existing maintenance systems and new kinds of malware. The product development data of companies has been of particular interest, wrote Supo. Supo has previously published various analyses in conjunction with its annual review. Aleksi Teivainen HT Chinese President Xi Jinping (L, front) holds a welcoming ceremony for German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier before their talks at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 10, 2018. (Xinhua/Wang Ye) BEIJING, Dec. 10 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping and visiting German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier agreed Monday to further intensify the all-round strategic partnership between the two countries, to make bilateral cooperation yield more fruits that benefit both nations, both peoples, and the world peace and prosperity. Noting that the world is undergoing complicated and profound changes, Xi said China and Germany share the same or similar views on many issues. The two nations need to continue enhancing bilateral and multilateral cooperation to benefit both peoples as well as bring more stability to the world, said Xi. He made several proposals for future China-Germany cooperation. Mutual understanding and trust are the basis of deepening bilateral ties, said Xi. It is the mainstream view of both governments and all circles in both countries to have win-win cooperation, he said. Xi called on both nations to summarize the successful experiences of bilateral cooperation and continue to surpass ideological differences and respect each other's development paths. China stands ready to maintain high-level exchanges and make the best of various dialogue mechanisms to enhance policy communication, he said. The two nations need to stick to openness and innovative cooperation to maintain the vitality of bilateral ties, said Xi. This year marks the 40th anniversary of China's reform and opening up policy. German enterprises have grasped the opportunities of China's new round of reform and opening-up, said Xi. China is willing to continue to share its dividend of development and at the same time hopes Germany will remain open to Chinese investment, said the president. On expanding cooperation, Xi said the Belt and Road construction could provide a major platform. China would like to discuss trilateral cooperation with Europe and Germany and promote the synergy of the Belt and Road Initiative with the EU-proposed connectivity plan, said Xi, adding that China will further cooperate on the China Railway Express with Germany and countries along the route. He also encouraged both sides to promote people-to-people exchanges and provide more platforms for exchanges in areas including culture, education, youth, and sports. Xi called on both nations to forge ahead with global governance, jointly build an open world economy, uphold the multilateral free trade system, implement the Paris Agreement on climate change, promote the robust, sustainable, balanced and inclusive growth of the world economy and jointly safeguard multilateralism with the United Nations as the core. He suggests China and Europe coordinate and support each other to safeguard the international order and promote global governance, adding that he hopes Germany can continue to play an active role to this end. Steinmeier, who is on his first state visit to China as president, said that his visit to various parts of China has made him admire more the achievements China has made in the past four decades of reform and opening-up, especially the success of getting several hundreds of millions of people out of poverty. The economic and social development of the areas in the southwestern Chinese province of Sichuan which were hit by an 8.0-magnitude earthquake 10 years ago was very impressive, said Steinmeier. He said Germany is satisfied with the development of Germany-China relations and willing to enhance dialogue and mutual understanding, expand consensus, narrow differences, intensify coordination in international affairs and uphold free trade. Germany opposes protectionism in any form, said Steinmeier, adding that the country will continue to promote cooperation between Europe and China and boost connectivity between Eurasia and China. Before the talks, Xi held a welcoming ceremony for Steinmeier. Steinmeier's state visit to China lasts from Dec. 5 to 10. Prior to Beijing, he went to the southern city of Guangzhou and southwestern city of Chengdu.